It felt foreign to have matters handled for him, though he couldn’t claim to remember how he had dealt with such things before. He didn’t want her to have to be the one to do everything.She had done enough and he didn’t want her to waste her coin but he had none of his own he could use to barter with.
He walked with her as they approached the farmer, nonetheless. Freya started to explain that they were in need of another steed as their other one had developed lameness along their journey. She spoke quickly and sweetly, but the farmer didn’t seem to care much.
Nathan took it upon himself to venture further into the stable, examining the horses one at a time until he found one that was suitable to carry him comfortably. A fine beast, to be sure. White and dappled with gray, a stark contrast to the sturdy brown of Freya’s horse.
“This one, how old is he?” Nathan asked the farmer, who quickly shifted his focus in Nathan’s direction.
“Ah, that one’s nae fer sale,” the farmer said with a hint of pride in his voice as he joined him to admire the stallion.
“I can tell by yer look that this one’s a point of pride fer ye?” Nathan said.
“Aye, he is. First one me son ever broke himself.”
“Impressive feat given how large of a beast he is.”
Only then did the farmer turn and truly give Nathan a good looking over. He had to crane his neck upward to see himproperly. “I suppose ye have tae have quite a large beast yerself then.”
“Aye. That is why I would like this one,” Nathan nodded toward the horse.
If he happened to flex a little to get his point across, then so be it. “It would be quite a loss tae me farm, ye ken.”
Nathan motioned for the bag of coin that Freya had produced. “Well, I’ll pay ye fer him. And I’ll fix that mill stone fer ye. What say ye?”
Freya huffed, no doubt worrying about him overexerting himself, but he knew he could do it. He didn’t know how he knew, but there it was.
The farmer deliberated for a moment, knowing he was getting the far better end of the deal, and finally nodded.
They were off quicker than he had expected. It felt good to be useful, to do something with his hands.
Certainly, it would have been easier to have Freya in his arms again, but he was also keen to try testing his limits now that he had regained his strength. He felt good, better than good.
He got the work he had promised done quickly. He had been slightly worried he wouldn’t manage it, but it seemed his bodywas a good deal more prepared to shake off the cobwebs than his mind was giving himself credit for.
However, Freya was anything but pleased. That much was abundantly obvious as she mounted her horse all on her own, leaving him to do the same.
Thanking the farmer and his wife, they started off into the direction of a place Freya called Kinloch. She was a fast rider and she was nearly outpacing him on his larger horse as they rode.
Somewhere in the early afternoon, the pair of them ventured slightly off course to give the horses food and water. They were well enough off the road that if anybody were to happen across them, they wouldn’t be easily spotted. He tethered his mount to the nearest tree after giving him water.
“I dinnae ken what I should name him.” Nathan sighed. “Feels a touch foolish that I cannae even seem to recall names in order to give the horse one!”
Freya grinned. “I’m sure something will come tae ye. It doesnae have tae be a horse name, ye ken? It could be anything.” She lifted up the herbs in her hands to show him. “Bitter apple, fer example?”
“Apple is the most uninteresting horse name I could ever fathom.” Nathan said. “How dae ye tell all those plants apart? They all look like weeds tae me.”
“Well, these are fer me supply. But these?” She pointed at something else that looked almost identical as far as he was concerned. “I’m going to add some of those into yer dinner later, and it will help with yer muscle recovery.”
Nathan shook his head and lowered himself onto the grass beside her. “I couldnae dae it. Now, if ye needed something tracked? That I could dae. Pitch and animal prints, I can tell those from a mile away. But plants?” He shook his head.
Freya paused, gaping at him. “Did ye just remember something?”
It took him longer than it should have to understand what she meant. The moment it clicked, his eyes widened. “I suppose so…”
“Dae ye remember ever being on a hunt? Anything?”
“Nay, nothing like that.” Nathan’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Let us talk about something else. Tell me about yer weeds.”
Freya huffed, her bottom lip starting to protrude as she pouted. “They’re nae weeds. They all have a purpose! I didnae see ye calling them that when they were keeping ye from dyin’!
