Oh goodness, what a day! Alexander has been teaching me how to ride a horse, and I am sore all over. Still it went much better than I expected, and I found out Lorenz and I are not the only ones having strange dreams about the forest.
The day began with a quick stop over to the Hume’s house. You see, at our last meeting Mrs. Hume told me in private that if we were to be riding horses, I’d need a good pair of trousers to wear under my skirts. I was so embarrassed at the thought, but when she explained the practicality, I had to agree. Mr. Hume’s trousers seemed too short, so Elise came with a pair of Davy’s old ones for me to borrow. I went into a side room to put them on and… they felt odd but surprisingly comfortable. I came out to see what my friends thought; Elise laughed to see her husband’s clothes on me, but Mrs. Hume reassured me saying they would be a great comfort and “surely no one will see them beneath your skirts anyway.”
After that, I made my way over to the manor house and around back to the stables where Lorenz and Alexander were waiting for me in a small fenced enclosure. They had brought out a large brown mare by the name of Hazel. I confess, dear reader, I was very intimidated at the start. Horses are such large beasts and have always made me feel a bit nervous, but Hazel turned out to be a very sweet creature. They gave me bits of apple to feed her and she meekly nibbled them from my open palm. She did try to chew my hair a few times, but somehow even that also seemed rather endearing.
At first Alexander wanted to teach me to ride sidesaddle. He said that was how his mother had ridden, but Lorenz, upon spying that I had a good pair of sturdy trousers on, went and got a regular saddle. Oh goodness, I blushed when I realized how quickly he had noticed! But he said I had been most sensible, and added that his aunt only ever wore trousers, no skirts, and not just for riding but as a daily practice! Alexander laughed, but admitted it would be easier to teach me this way. After all, he had never ridden sidesaddle.
Lorenz gave me a boost into the saddle and then there I was, up on a horse. It was an unusual sensation, feeling Hazel’s body sway underneath me. Alexander taught me to hold the reigns between my thumbs and forefingers and how to direct Hazel where I wanted to go with my legs. I got a feeling for it, though I am certainly no expert. Hazel seemed to go more out of habit and experience than from any direction I gave. Still, by the time Alexander and Lorenz felt safe to mount their own horses, I could get Hazel to stop and go as I desired.
I thanked Alexander for his help; he had proved to be a good instructor. The young man grinned and said that it was really he who should be thanking Lorenz and me for having convinced his father to let him join us on the journey into the forest. Lorenz laughed gently and told his student “you are the one who asked your father. Your eagerness to study the forest is contagious.” Alexander gave a shy smile, and said he and his father found the planning of our trip enjoyable; it gave them something to talk about together. After a pause, he continued “I think my father is trying to test the forest, to see if it is magical in a good way or a bad way. My grandfather hated the forest. It was too strange, its trees refused to be cut… it defied him as the baron. So I think my father grew up wary of it, and now he wants to judge it for himself.” Then Alexander said “I think the forest wants us to come. I have been dreaming about it; there is a lady with green skin like you, sleeping under the trees. She is surrounded by threads that turn into vines… vines that keep changing colors…”
I looked at Lorenz meaningfully. Alexander asked “what?” and after a moment’s hesitation I told him that both I and Lorenz had dreamed very similar things. Alexander grew very excited, and his horse tossed its head in annoyance. He patted its neck but said confidently “It must be the forest telling us we were on the right path!”
Perhaps he’s right. I’ve dreamed of the forest before, but… these dreams of the lady with green skin… they do feel different. They give me the same feeling I have when I sense the breeze and turn to look over the trees… a feeling of anticipation.