Lucy could hardly contain her excitement. The idea of getting to be with the horses sounded like so much fun. A dream come true. Her desire all her life had been to work with horses. So this was a double treat. She listened to Chris and Ben chatter while Lola occasionally commented to them. Wondering what they thought of her, she shyly would look up every now and then. For now though, she was content to sit quietly and relish the comfortable atmosphere. Such as this hadn't existed for her in a long time. Even before the tragedy. Her family had held high expectations for her. It was the way life was in her village. All provincial villages on the outskirts of civilization had a tough code to live by. It was probably because life was just that much harder. However, that didn't mean she had to appreciate it.

As their early breakfast was finished up, Lola took the plates and glasses to the sink and put them in. “Want us to help?” Benjamin asked, referring to the dirty dishes. Lola smiled warmly at him.

“No, dear, it’s perfectly all right.” She said. “You don’t have to clean up my messes.” She set the skillet beside the sink. “I’ll be going to town later today, maybe I can get you all some new clothes!” She looked around from Benjamin to Christopher, to Lucy. “You can’t go around in the same clothes for days at a time!” Turning, she went to the stairwell. “Lucy, we’re going out to take care of the horses now. Just give me a minute to get some warmer clothes, and I’ll get you one of my coats.”

She ran upstairs. At least, she thought, Lucy would do something enjoyable, and perhaps she would even find her voice! Lola knew all about losing her voice around others, not using it for days or even weeks at a time, sometimes forgetting she even had it. But doing what she loved had given her a voice again, and maybe that would be the same for Lucy. She smiled faintly as she dressed in warmer clothes, and grabbed an extra coat for Lucy. Her clothes seemed very tattered and old, a bit ripped up.

Lucy watched eagerly, barely able to contain her excitement. She was used to not using a coat, and was reluctant to wait. However it was only polite, and it would be warmer to have a coat on her thin shoulders. She stood by the window, looking past her brown haired, brown eyed reflection to the horses beyond. They seemed like such happy souls, enjoying life to the fullest. She wondered how Lola had been so lucky to not have to live by other people's standards and ideals. Where she came from, this lifestyle for a woman would have been scandelous. But at the moment, it seemed like the perfect way to be content.

Lola shrugged into her long jacket and grabbed another, the tone of green, like moss. Going back downstairs, she hurried to the door, where Lucy was standing. “Here you are, dearie.” She handed over the coat. “Don’t need to catch anything, since it looks like you avoided it last night!” Opening the door, she led Lucy out and to the back, where the horses roamed freely. “You probably already know, but don’t approach them quickly.” Lola told Lucy. “Fauna, the thinner one, is much gentler and isn’t as distrustful of strangers.” She went on, leaving Lucy to do as she pleased, while she went to refill the water troughs and give her four-legged children a breakfast of dried oats and sweet berries.

Lucy walked slowly up to their fence and leaned on it, watching the two playfully knudge each other and nicker greetings. She remembered how nice they had been about sharing their hay the night before. Taking a deep breathe, she slipped into their pasture and carefully walked up to Fauna. She held out her hand to allow the sweet horse to sniff her, before reaching up to scratch her forehead and stroke her neck. She smelled horse, felt horse, and quietly drank in horse with her eyes. Why couldn't her village have allowed, openly, for females to help with the horses? She had watched often enough. She thought they were the most gorgeous creatures ever.

Lola went into the barn to retrieve her brushes. One was short and soft for the horses’ pelts, and the other was a bit longer for their long manes and tails. They also needed new horseshoes, which she would take care of when she went to town for food and clothes. Calling Millie as she left the barn, she looked around for Lucy, and found that she and Fauna had taken up well with one another. Smiling, she put a reassuring hand on Millie as she approached, running the shorter brush along her pelt to get rid of the agitation in the fur that had settled with their sleeping in the hay.

Millie and Fauna loved being brushed. They stood still and never shied away from the brushes, happy to receive the care. As Lola finished with the short-bristled brush, she went to Lucy. “Hey, Lucy, mind brushing Fauna for me? She won’t mind.” Lola gave the brush to the young girl, trusting her to it, and returned to Millie with the longer brush. “You can use this brush for her mane when you’re done,” Lola added. “Sometimes they settle a bit better when you talk to them and reassure them. They’re actually a lot like humans, they can sense fear and kindness, and trust you depending on what they feel.” She ran a hand along Millie as she untangled the hair in her mane. “Horses are lovely creatures, don’t you agree?”

Lucy took the offered brush and turned to Fauna. Gently starting at the top of Fauna's neck and working her way down, she brushed out the straw bits and dust. Fauna leaned into it, obviously enjoying every second. Her ears relaxed out and her eyes half closed. Lucy smiled and wondered how to speak. She then decided that maybe it was her words she was afraid of. That could incriminate her. So she tried humming. After a moment of silence, sound came out. She felt pleasure in that small step and leaned on Fauna's side while brushing her. Fauna was sturdy and warm, with her soft coat glistening in the winter sun. Lucy felt peace and contentment flood through her and a smile slowly stole over her face.

Lola smiled when she heard Lucy’s voice, though small and far away, sweet, though. She leaned against Millie, taking a deep breath. Horses always seemed to smell so sweet and earthy, like foliage and the ground after a storm, which she only had the pleasure of smelling a few times in her life. She sighed, running the longer brush through Millie’s mane and tail, her lovely, chestnut-toned hair shining in the morning’s light. “Millie, my Millie.” She muttered. The horse seemed to love her voice, swaying along with the words. “Lucy, Fauna seems to have taken a liking to you.” She said. “I think if you work with her a bit, you would be light enough to ride her.” She approached, patting Fauna gently and inspecting her shorter pelt. “Lovely job, dearie.” She said approvingly. “How about her mane and tail now?” She extended the long-bristled brush. “Should be done soon, though, the ten miles to town takes a while to get to.”

Lucy smiled at Lola when she offered the second brush. Switching brushes with her, she happily began to work on the mane. It didn't take her long to gently unsnag the tangles and have Fauna looking like a princess' mount. She moved on to the tail, and experimentally tried talking to Fauna. She managed a whisper. Slowly she started telling Fauna how pretty Fauna was and how lucky Fauna was to live her. As she talked her voice rose to a gentle, but normal voice level. She had her voice back and was grateful.

She admired her handiwork. Fauna nickered to her and pushed her nose into Lucy's arm. Lucy grinned and scratched Fauna's face. This was heaven. She could leave and kill herself later. She liked it here and wanted to spend a day or two in this peaceful place. After all, such joy didn't show up often. Might as well relish it and make precious memories.

Stepped away with her hands on Millie’s back, Lola smiled when she heard Lucy’s sweet voice. “I’m so glad you got your voice back.” She said softly. “A young man or lady shouldn’t have their voice taken so soon. They should use it to the best of their advantage!” She looked to Millie. “Isn’t that right, baby?” The horse seemed to reply with a swift bobbing of the head. Lola laughed quietly. “Lucy, you’ve done perfectly with Fauna. Their food and water should be all right now, and they’re clean and happy. I should go on to town now, if you want to come, you absolutely can.” She started leading Millie toward the other side of the house. “But if you want to stay here and rest, you’re free to do that also!”

Lucy eagerly answered, "I would like to come. Can I ride Fauna to town?" She felt excitement welling up in here. She would get to be close to the horses longer. That was so exciting. She followed eagerly after Lola, wondering what kind of place the town near here was like. If it was full of people like Lola, then maybe she found a place on earth that wasn't so harsh. Life was harsh though, she had to remember that. Even nature could be harsh, as winter often was. Thank the Lord for the coat that Lola lended her. She smile and breathed in deeply the scent of horse.

“Oh my, I generally use Millie and Fauna to pull the carriage, but Millie’s more than strong enough for that.” Lola patted the mare affectionately. “So of course, Lucy, I think Fauna would be happy to carry you along!”

They rounded the house to where Lola’s carriage sat, a saddle draped over the back. “Here we are, my lovely vehicle.” Lola presented the old, yet sturdy wooden thing as though it were made of gold. “I do hope you can saddle Fauna up on your own.” Lola said as she harnessed Millie up to the carriage. “I’m sure you’ll see that whatever you’ve left behind is gone out of your life completely, and this place is much kinder to you, and whatever past you have burdening you.” Lola smiled reassuringly.

Lucy smiled shyly, "Thank you Lola." She lead Fauna over to where the tack was. She placed a riding blanket on Fauna's back and made sure to pull it down a little so the horse's hair was going the same direction. She she hefted a saddle pad up on Fauna's back to cushion the horse so that Fauna wouldn't get any saddle sores. With that done she turned and eyed the saddle. That was going to be one heavy piece of tack. Grasping it with both hands, she lugged it to Fauna, and with a big swing got it up on Fauna's back. She quickly cinched it on and checked the stirrup length. Satisfied with the saddle. She picked up the bridle and cringed. Her least favorite part. If Fauna didn't open her mouth to take the bit, well then she would have to stick a thumb into Fauna's mouth to force the jaw open. She didn't like horse slobber... or any slobber for that matter. Fauna paused as Lucy held the bit in front of her mouth, then opened and took it. Lucy gleefully slipped the bridle all the way on and tied it on. Then she hooked the reins and mounted, feeling a satisfied moment of triumph. She turned and trotted over to where Lola had the carriage.

Lola had already gotten Millie harnessed comfortably by the time Lucy strode over with Fauna. “Very good!” She exclaimed. “You’re skilled, aren’t you? Must enjoy working with horses, eh?” She smiled, and got up onto the carriage with the reins in her hands. “Now, keep close, Lucy.” Lola noted. “The road isn’t easy to see under the snow this time of year.” With that, she signaled to Millie, and the carriage jolted forward, along the packed snow that slowly became soft and unbroken. Glancing back, she looked for Lucy to come along as they started toward town, arcing to the left. With the morning sun casting golden and deep red light through the trees, the crystalline leaves glistened in autumn-like colors. It would take an hour to get to town, and Lola hoped she would get Lucy to open up, perhaps a bit.

"I love working with horses. They are amazing creatures." Lucy trotted after the carriage and pulled up beside it. She felt such contentment in the refreshing winter air. Her horse could keep her warm easily enough. She smiled over at Lola. "Horses can't lie. They are amazing creatures. You know how they are feeling. You learn about each one's personality and have a good friend forever afterwards. I've never met a horse that could surprise me. I could always tell what it was thinking and how to let it know what I was thinking. Have you always had horses?

Lola nodded. “My parents and I lived here all our lives. We’ve always had horses, animals of every kind. Unfortunately, I was adopted, they could never had children of their own, and they said that before I came along, they took care of the animals of the forest to fill the void having no children had created. So, I’ve grown up around every kind of animal. I’ve worked with them, taken care of them, learned about them… What most societies would consider improper for ladies, I took over. I was never looked down upon for what gender I was.” She looked around to Lucy. “I was seen as an equal no matter what, and I was glad for that, because I finally had a home and people to love me. I guess it doesn’t matter how long it takes to find where you belong, as long as you find it.” She sighed, looking up at the ice-encased treetops.

"So this town we are going to, they are not like you. They are normal people with ideas of proper behavior. Won't I offend them? Riding into town like this? Lucy didn't like the idea of dealing with more stares of condemnation. Perhaps she had better offer to unsaddle the mare and ride in the carriage or something. But that seemed so, well, boring. At least Lola was nice to talk to. Adoption. She was adopted by sweet people. She was really lucky. If you were adopted, then something happened to your family. What? Where are your parents? Where did you live before here?

Lola laughed. “Oh dear, no. That was when I was young. Now, women can take care of horses and ride them as well, it’s perfectly normal now. When I was young, it was normal for young girls to not go to school after their fourth year, and stay at home to learn to cook, clean, and raise children. A great movement gave us many more rights, though.” She smiled reassuringly at Lucy. “You’ll just be a newcomer, no more.” She looked at Millie, her legs moving flawlessly through the soft, light snow. “Oh, my… A few years back, my parents caught a very terrible illness. I tried everything I knew, yet they were adamant they not see a doctor. They died not long after, and I was left the house.” She sighed deeply. “Ah, but they had a good life. They said so themselves, their happiness was complete when I came to them. I used to live in the town, I don’t know what happened to my real parents. I was left in a group home until I was eight years old, and that’s when I was found by my family.”

"So this town is larger than provincial villages I take it. No rights movements have swept through them at all. I would probably be given a public beating for riding a horse in public like this. They are isolated places. I walked for about two months without seeing another soul. Then I ran into you. Your parents, why did they not want a doctor? Surely your doctors are well practiced in their arts.

“Oh, it’s a rather large town. Enough for the women to band together and demand equality, to be treated as more than just handy house maids. After a few good years, we got our rights, and we could finish school, go to work, own land, take care of animals, and be everything we couldn’t be before… Although… My parents were raised by old souls. While my mother and I were given our rights and did what we always wanted, they didn’t believe in the modern practices of medicine and wouldn’t see a doctor. I didn’t second guess them, it was their decision, but I begged them to seek help. But when their mind is made up, it’s made up.”

Lucy took all of this in quietly. People were different in these parts. In her home town the females loved to tear each other down. Having someone step out of bounds was a call for playtime to them. It wasn't a large place, just a simple village. Another difference was that they had a doctor from one of the big cities move in and marry a local. People trusted him and his wife just sat back and enjoyed it. He was a doctor. She could afford to have servants. More free time for her to pick on those under her in society, of which there was plenty. People seemed more willing to help each othe here. "Who is the old man and little boy back at your place? Didn't they want to come along too?" Lucy asked with curiousity.

“Oh my, they came along before you did, in need of shelter.” Lola glanced at Lucy, that smile still on her face, ever-present, it seemed. “Didn’t you hear earlier? At breakfast, they said that if I were going to town for them, they would do the dishes for me. I took the measurements of their clothing earlier, so I won’t have to guess on sizes. Ah, how could I say no to help?” She laughed. “Nice to have some people around, I must say. It gets quiet, you know?” She noted Lucy’s curiosity that seemed to run her questions. It was as though she had never heard of people helping one another just because, and with no desire to be paid back. “Wherever you’re from, you don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Lucy assured. “You’ll be accepted here, and no one will try to bring you down.”

Lucy gave Lola a strange look. The concepts in this woman's life were so completely different from her own. She wondered how no one had taken advantage of Lola and hurt her. Giving that train of thought up for the moment, she relaxed into the saddle. Life was good at the moment. "So what all needs doing in town today? What should I do? Best to offer now and appear the kind-hearted soul she knew she wasn't. After all, she had gotten her family killed. No one from her village had let her forget it. That frustrated her. Forcing those thoughts away for the time being, she focused on the movement of the horse.

“Oh dear, you don’t have to do anything.” Lola said. “Just look around the place, ask if you’d like anything from the shops or stalls, and stay close so you don’t get lost!” She nodded to Lucy. “The first couple times to town, if you stay long enough to be able to come with me again, will be mostly exploration so you know what the place is like. Then, maybe you could take Millie and Fauna for new shoes! Since you seem to love horses so much, I don’t see the harm in that!”

Lucy grinned and enjoyed their ride in. Sure was glad she was riding on the horse though instead of the carriage. "Lola, you are so willing to buy people things. What do you do for a living? How can you afford to just help people all the time? My family had their hands full taking care of family without the extra burden of others in society. Yet you seem to find joy in it? Why?" Lucy felt the confusion fill her as the contraditions between her life and these ideas in front of her. They didn't go together. "Taking them in to get new shoes sounds fun to me. For now, I'm glad to stay close. I'm not fond of strangers. However, right now, I'm even less fond of people I know."