Achilleas had paused, given a long suffering sigh and shrugged helplessly. He could hardly deny her. But he also thought he had a horrible idea of what story Krysto was about to tell and he was already embarrassed just thinking of it. Still, as if resigned to his fate he lifted his hand and waved the man on, and the soldier didn't need telling twice.

“ We were returning from some skirmish in the South” Krysto began, already with a wide smile upon his face. “ Victorious of course. But when we were fighting, young Lord Mikaelidas here had gotten an eye for these desert horses that our foes had brought with them. Silly, flighty thugs they were, but for some reason his head was turned.”

“It was a fine animal, Theodora. Krysto doesn’t understand good breeding, but you would have loved it I’m sure” Achilleas had interjected, wanting to tell his side of the story at least before he got completely destroyed by his friend’ version. The other male was having none of it though.

“It is rude to interrupt a person telling a story, Achilleas, now hush and let me speak to Lady Theodora.” He went on. “ Anyway, so our fine Commander decides he will claim one of these fine animals as a war prize, despite us all telling him it is unrideable, he will not have it. ‘You do not know horseflesh, he tells us, ‘perhaps you are just are not horseman enough’.” Krysto was enjoying the telling, darting little looks at Achilleas who had given up all attempts at mitigation it would seem and just shook his head sadly.

“So our bold and intrepid Commander waits until we next make camp, and then he decides he will demonstrate his fine horsemanship to all of us awestruck hoplites. A crowd has gathered.” Here the soldier paused to allow some suspense to build, or perhaps just to enjoy the dejected expression upon his friend’s face.

“ He has the horse led out, dancing and looking every inch the exotic thing it is. And by the Gods he rides it! For all of a half second before he’s off the other side and the beast has run halfway back to Egypt and left our Commander sitting in the sand holding onto a snapped rein and a fistful of broken dreams”

Krysto finished with a flourish, clapping a hand on Achilleas’ shoulder in a consoling fashion. “ I told him he should try riding Leventi fillies from then on”.

The Lord’s face was a picture, both sheepish and furious in rapid succession, but Krysto had stepped neatly out of range of any retribution and engaged Theodora’s maid in conversation again. Achilleas glanced at Theodora “ I’m
Sorry, he did not mean…” he trailed off for it was painfully clear what his Captain had meant and it seemed too late to save it.

“ I’m quite certain they startled that horse deliberately”he said instead, only a little grumpily. He would suffer the slight to his pride if she smiled. The young Baron offered her one of his own, less guarded than he had been before. “Are you entertained Lady Theodora?”

He had watched her listening to Krysto spin his tale, watched her try and fail to hide the smile that threatened. It was almost worth having that admittedly humiliating moment retold and Achilleas caught himself smiling too.

Too soon it would be back to the barony and to complaints about the price of goats, taxes and the harvest. This trip to Macendia was proving a greater respite then he had hoped, and much as he enjoyed Krysto’s company, it was not down to him. This Leventi girl was a breath of fresh air, and one he did not know he had so greatly needed. He realised he would be sorry to leave tomorrow.

She did not make it easy, he thought , when she took his part and he might have agreed- her teasing was infinitely more acceptable, but he did not want to fan a fire that could not spark.

He would be gone, and she was no girl he could dally with without there being consequences.

Instead his brows had climbed and he had stood back and watched as she threw Krysto’s words back in his face. Now it was his turn to thoroughly enjoy himself.

When the good Captain looked a little unsure of himself, it was Achilleas that spoke, voice smooth and unruffled. “ Come Krysto, it would be rude to refuse such an offer from our host.” he chided gently, something of a gleam in the blue eyes that looked upon his friend.

There was a bark of laughter from the soldier, and he turned wounded eyes upon Theodora “ I would never, my Lady. I have heard only the best things from Lord Achilleas about the Leventi stock.”

He was not about to bow out of such a challenge though, and so shrugged his shoulders ” But I would be fool indeed not to see for myself, so please, go ahead”

Theodora’s maid had pursed her lips in disapproval,sensing one of her mistress’ less well thought-out ideas. How would the Lord of the House react if his guests were injured in such frivolity. She could not very well correct the young lady in front of the two gentleman though, and so reserved her scolding to a loaded look.

Achilleas noticed this, and thought to offer a little reassurance “ Do not fear too much for him, he is very hard-headed and has not many brains to lose”

He rapped on Krysto’s forehead with his knuckles at this point, and the Captain smacked his hand away before turning to Theodora. “ Do your worst then, Lady Theodora and let us pray I do not reenact that same story for your eyes”

Achilleas had followed Theodora out to the yard, shooting Krysto a sideways glance as they went. His friend was a good horseman so he did not really fear for him - not unless Theodora saddled up some beast of Hades. He did not think she was so unwise though.

Although, he recalled she had been wandering through the fields barefoot and without any kind of escort when they had happened upon her. Was he being irresponsible in going along with this folly? He frowned.

“Stop looking so serious” Krysto spoke quietly, his grin flashing white in the fading light. “ It is just fun, nothing that will reflect badly upon you” It was oft this way with his Lord. For a moment he might see him slip free from the binds of his position, of those unending expectations that others heaped upon him. But it was never for long, almost as if Achilleas would remember himself and pull back again. Those that did not serve with him thought him uptight, maybe even dull. He was a respected warrior of course, but he took himself too seriously they would say. Krysto knew better though, saw the brief glimpses when he would relent in the exacting standards he held himself to, and he tried to encourage it where he could. Such as now, where he certainly didn’t intend to land on his head and leave his friend a mess to clear up.

“ This is your worst then?” he said lightly, eyeing the horse that a slightly hesitant Theodora had let out. He snorted a laugh when she revealed the name, and raised his eyebrows at Achilleas but the Lord Mikaelidas was looking at Theodora.

The Baron supposed he had relinquished any claim he might have been able to make towards moral virtue by being so forward with her earlier that day, an opinion she perhaps shared given the smirk she directed at him. He cleared his throat and leaned in a little.

“ I cannot say I approve of you handing over your moral virtue to such a man” he said, his tone serious, only the slight hint of a smile at the edge of his generous mouth. “ Such a thing as a lady’s virtue should be most carefully bestowed” . He had been quiet he thought, but there was a huff from beyond him that suggested may be not quiet enough, and Achilleas stepped back, putting some space between he and Theodora before her escort got agitated. His mouth kept saying words that he knew he shouldn’t.

Saved then, by a sudden squeal of outrage from the filly as Krysto had mounted, the Lord turned his attention to the paddock which they stood around.

Beast of Hades indeed.

The black horse had its ears back, and the muscles below its glossy coat rippled with a tremor of discontent. He watched them bunch and called a warning to Krysto just as the animal gathered itself and put in a huge buck that would have unseated many a rider. The Captain though laughed and stuck like a burr, even as the filly began to spin around like a creature possessed.

“She is...a little green” Achilleas expressed mildly as they watched the wheeling dervish from the safety of behind the rail.

To his credit, the Captain made a good effort , only to finally come unstuck at a particularly violent swerve that saw him fall off sideways to hit the sand with a thump.

There was a pause and he did not move. It was Achilleas who vaulted the fence and reached him first, bending over the prone figure with a look of concern until Krysto laughed and Achilleas thumped him before hauling him to his feet.

The Captain retrieved the filly, patted her neck and led her back over to the railing. He was walking a little stiffly but seemed otherwise unharmed.

“ Please tell me this is not one of the ones you bought today Achilleas?” he asked. “ If so, I must insist I do not have to ride it back to Euttica. My lady” he turned to Theodora “ Please forgive me for ever suggesting your Leventi bloodlines were any more placid that those Eyptian nags” With a wry smile, he proffered the reins back to the young woman and dusted at his clothes to little effect.

Achilleas blinked at Theodora, hesitated. There was one very obvious answer just ready to fall past his lips and he dropped his gaze, blew out a soft breath as he reined in the urge to speak it.

Me

It would be so easy, to give voice to it, and he would have had no compunction in doing it earlier that afternoon, before he had known who she was. Indeed he would have delivered on it to, as he had suggested.

But that was before. Her name and his made everything more complicated and he could not afford to entangle himself in something that could end up messy and complicated. And so he merely looked st her steadily, tilted his head to the side “ It would be unwise for me to answer that, Theodora”. He laughed at her next question, and shook his head. “ When you have such a story to share, then we can talk about it”

Krysto’s exploits with the horse drew his attention then, though his gaze slid sideways towards Theodora more than once, until his friend’s fall had him move, and quickly.

It would not be good if the man had really been hurt, and Achilleas found himself worried as he leant down to touch Krysto’s shoulder. He would say the whole thing had been his idea he had decided in that moment, only to feel a wash of relief and annoyance and when his friend’s laugh rang out and the man pushed to sitting, grinning stupidly at the concern his Lord was exhibiting. The punch that Achilleas aimed at his shoulder instead was none too gentle then.

The two men had returned to the fence, and it was a struggle for Achilleas not to speak against Theodora taking the reins again now he had seen the filly in action She should not…. He opened his mouth intending to, but his friend knew him too well and elbowed him in the ribs so he shut up, and it was just as well as the Lady Leventi was clearly confident enough that even well meant interjection would likely not have been taken well.

Turning to exchange a look with his friend. Achilleas paused when he heard Theodora speak, when they both did.

Why by the Gods would he want to get on that thing?

But Theodora knew her audience well enough it seemed, and Achilleas raised one brow ina rather haughty expression. ” I did not realise these Leventi horses spoke as well, did you Krysto? Pray tell my Lady, what opinion your wild horse has to air “

He had not missed the edge of a challenge in Theodora’s words and was trying hard not to rise to it, he did not want to eat dirt as his Captain had. But Achilleas was not good at bearing blows to his pride either, and so he tried to balance common sense with The Mikaelidas arrogance that flowed through his veins.

As if he had not been struggling enough to keep his thoughts on the straight and narrow, she had to bring up that kiss again. It had been innocent, a mere brush of her lips against his, but Achilleas thought that almost worse. He had thought he would be taking that kiss away as a souvenir, but now here he was presented with Theodora and all of a sudden it felt like a tease, a temptation that he knew he could not give in to.

He did like her boldness, the spark she had. He had thought uncommon in a farm girl, but perhaps he was wrong, perhaps it was more unusual in a lady of her breeding, where manners and reputation were everything. Theodora seemed not to care for such things.

She demonstrated it again - that forwardness- when she spoke, and Achilleas recalled her words “ It is more fun when I am the one doing the teasing” It seemed she was not yet done.

Against his better judgement and ignoring the exasperated expressions worn by both Krysto and the lady’s maid, he answered. How could he not?

“Is that so” Achilleas remarked dryly. “Maybe it is that she is not meant to be tamed” came the Lord’s observation, and he had suddenly appeared close to Theodora, laying his hand too upon the horse’s neck so close she thought he might brush her fingers. But he did not. “ Or it is that she doesn’t know me”

There was that arrogance that he seemed so blissfully unaware of,so much part of him that he could not recognise it. Krysto did though, and let out a barely suppressed snort of laughter.

“ What is it they say, about pride coming before a fall, Achilleas?”

The Lord Mikaelidas responded with a discreet hand gesture that had the maid’s lips press together in a sharp line of disapproval. She was beginning to wonder if these gentleman were suitable company for her young charge.

The baron gently opened Theodora’s fingers from where they held the reins, did she imagine he touched her a moment longer than was needed? But then he was leading the horse back into the centre of the paddock, and he spent a moment just quieting the filly, perhaps in some attempt to make her like him, or maybe just to delay the inevitable.

And then he had swung himself astride, and gripped on with iron hard thighs in preparation for what he knew was coming. Sure enough, he felt the tightening of muscles beneath him and the the filly was performing again, and Achilleas began to marvel that Krysto had stuck in place for so long. She wasn’t predictable in her movements, which it made a task to try and counter the bucks and lunges but he was determined. He had a point to make after all.

And Achilleas was not one to give up easily, so even as the little black horse did her best to rid herself of her unwanted cargo, he sat still and immovable. Indeed, sticking out after a tremendous buck, the baron thought he had rather proven himself and had looked up with a triumphant smile. Only, it was unfortunate that the filly decided to look up too, and threw her head back, clouting Achilleas right in the nose which put forward a impressive spurt of red.

There were some rather unmentionable and unseemly words that flew from the Lord’s lips and his dismount was less graceful than he would have liked as he slid gracelessly to the floor, holding a hand over his face to try and staunch the flow of blood.

Pain. There was a sudden burst of it and then his eyes had teared up and he could taste the salt iron tang of blood as it ran down his throat. Achilleas let go of the reins with one hand to raise it to his face, and took the decision to make a tactical retreat whilst the filly had all four hooves on the ground. He slid off, boots finding the sand and he wavered a moment, leaning against the horse for some stability.

That was a mistake for the creature was altogether unsettled still and lurched sideways, and Achilleas saw Theodora running forward, heard her call to the maid.

“Stupendously” was the muffled reply he offered to her, even as he watched in dismay as she began to try and calm the agitated horse.
He felt Krysto lay a hand upon his arm and turned watery eyes upon the other man “That didn’t go to plan” he muttered from behind the hand he had covered his face with. And then before the soldier could respond he waved him away “ I’m fine..just take that horse off her before she gets hurt will you”

A bloody nose was nothing to be concerned about- he had been a little dazed but was coming back to himself now and it was certainly his pride that stung most, despite the still flowing crimson that ran over his hand and splattered the sand by his feet.

Glancing to ensure Krysto had obeyed his order- for it had been that -, Achilleas walked over toward the maid who reached to tend to him. He raised a hand and instead just took the cloth from her, pressed that to his face instead of the palm that was bloodied now

Pinching the bridge of his nose to try and lessen the bleeding didn’t hurt, his face felt mostly numb now but the water did thin the blood and make everything look a little dramatic.

It was unfortunate then that the Lord Of the House chose that particular moment to reappear, following the commotion to find his guests and investors. One of whom was wrestling with a green and overwrought filly who should not have even been under saddle, and the other who looked like he had been in a fight with a titan. And lost.

And there in the middle of it was his daughter.

“ What on earth is happening here? Theodora? Lord Achilleas?.”

Achilleas had tipped his head back and so was looking at the darkening sky when the sound of a man’s voice had him swivel his gaze to find the source. His own sense of dismay might have rivalled Theodora’s then, for it was clear that her father was not happy, and he could hardly blame him - it didn’t look particularly favourable.

He was just about to open his mouth to claim responsibility when instead Theodora got their first and Achilleas closed his eyes briefly in exasperation. There was no mistaking the harsh edge to her father’s words when he spoke to her, and the Lord Mikaelidas found himself sorry for her. He was older, wiser and should have set aside his pride rather than letting Krystos and himself be led into what was a silly game.

He let the Lord offer his apologies, and then removed the bloodied cloth from his face long enough to address the man. “ No, please my Lord. Your daughter is gracious but I cannot allow her to bear fault for this. It was simply a dare between myself and Krysto here that got out of hand. We talked her into it even though she expressed her reservation. It would be unfair for me to accept your offer of recompense and more unfair still for Lady Theodora to be held accountable” He knew the Lord Leventi would not gainsay him, a guest and a customer so as he arranged his expression into something suitably contrite he hoped that would be the end of it.

Krysto, having handed off the filly to a stable hand who led her away, gave a nod to corroborate the story, even as he shot Achilleas a surprised look. It did not shine a particularly flattering light upon his Lord for the man to suggest he had railroaded their hosts daughter into something she did not want to do, and Krysto knew that the girl’s Uncle was a close friend of Irakles, who would not look kindly on his son’s actions, should he get word of them. He thought a Achilleas more taken with this young lady than perhaps even the baron himself had realised.

Georgios had paused in his turn toward the house and though he frowned, as his guest had predicted he did not question Achilleas’ version of events. Rather, he looked suspiciously at Theodora and then jerked his head toward the house in instruction for them to follow him

“ If That were the way of it, Lord Achilleas then thank you for your honesty, if not your discourteous conduct toward my child. It is late, and your chambers have been readied so I would suggest you retire to them now. I will send along a servant to see to your injury, my Lord”

It was a dismissal if ever the two soldiers had heard one, and Achilleas’ wince had nothing to do with his nose which was now starting to throb a little even though the bleeding had slowed. He gave the Lord Leventi a respectful bow and then he and Krysto followed the servant dispatched to show them to their rooms.

When they passed Theodora, Krysto paused and offered her a bow too “ Goodnight , my lady” . Achilleas however remained stonily staring ahead and did not look her way , conscious of the girl’s father looking on disapprovingly. He had rather messed this all up and it was not a feeling he wore well.