14th June: Building bridges of humanity

While this was a mite better than doing stable duties without actually having a stable to do them in, it happened to fall right into that small slot of free time he had been looking so much forward to. The other lads had already planned out the frolic, even though their destination did not include camp of the infantry any longer. Their last encounter had been less than satisfactory and not one of them actually cherished the idea of what them being caught again, promised.

But, while their course had been set, Willoughby's free time was not to be. The Infantry had decided they needed a guard to escort one of their men. Well technically the officer was not a Foot soldier, but to a cavalry man he was just as good as. Of course, not to be the only one in his misery, another of the lads had been picked.

The aforementioned lad looked just as annoyed. "They could 'ave just taken a couple of their foot throdhurs." Kenley muttered to his friend. "..Could be worse." Willoughby spoke. "Don't know just how, but it could certainly have been worse."

They saw the woman first. A Portuguese girl by the looks of her attire and the saddle on her horse, beside her was the blue clad man, an officer to whom they needed to report. Willoughby nudged Herrero in the sides, making him quicken his pace. The horse raised his head, and held his tail at an arch as he, in a rather proud manner, quickened his pace to a trot. "Trooper Willoughby and Trooper Clapp, of the 15th Light dragoons, Hussars, reporting to duty." He introduced them, rearing the horse into a halt.

Edward didn't flinch a bit, but simply nodded in acknowledgement, still waiting for Rottlaender to bring Trueno.

"Very good. Captain Torrington, Royal engineers. We are going to inspect a bridge. This is Senhora Lopes da Almeida, from the Portuguese Ordonnanca. She will be treated like an allied officer."

Even if he had still some reservations about her, he was not going to offend their allies in any way. He looked the troopers over for a second. Flashy. One looked ... not familiar, but his face steered some kind of fleeting memory. Good horses, though, although one was definitely odd-coloured. Willoughby and Clapp. Well, he would get to know them during the ride, he hoped.

Rottlaender appeared from behind the tents, leading a very restive Trueno. The short rifleman had to run to keep up with the long strides of the animal - or was it simply both of them moving at their normal pace? Edward motioned him over, then turned with a half bow to the lady and her horse.

"May I help you up, ma'am?"

Vickery walked towards them, adjusting the hang of his sword. Cotton followed, leading Brandy.

"I hope I am not late?" Vickery asked, drawing level with Torrington. He made a slight bow in Estefania's direction. "Ma'am."

Estefania still stood alongside her own horse, gazing first at the pair of arrivals in dark blue and then at the more familiar officer of the green and red, captain Vickery. She smiled politely towards Torrington as she gathered the reins in one hand. This she lay on one side of the saddle which she had tightened so that it would not slip over. Then she pulled herself gracefully into the saddle. Sombra flicked her ears and though she made a move to the side, this did not shake her rider at all.

"Thank you, sir. But I think I will be able to manage." She said, once she was comfortably seated. "Polite of you." She added in courtesy.

"Greetings, captain." She spoke towards Vickery, giving him a light nod in response to his bow. She skimmed an inquiring gaze over the two Hussars, said nothing to them however.

The name was familiar, the face... more so. Willoughby kept his gaze level though it was no surprise that Kenley ended between him and the captain of the Royal Engineers. The younger of the two Hussars was more curious of the woman who rode like a man and of the need to bring another rifleman with them. They were outnumbered by what he considered to be .. bearable horse riders.

The woman would probably need to halt more often, since this was scarcely a way for her to ride, the rifleman, those people walked more than they sat on their horses, he doubted an could stand side by side with a cavalry man, or an officer. At least they were not the navy. Now those were dreadful when horses came in the equation.

"Sir." He said looking at Vickery, surprised to note that his friend remained silent. Their horses looked more interested in meeting new faces as well. Herrero flicked his ears towards the mare and made an approving little neigh.

Vickery was still not used to women riding astride rather than side-saddle. Seeing Estefania mount had reminded him of when he was a boy and he had switched horses with his sister for half-an-hour or so, letting Emma ride astride (her riding habit had enough fabric that she'd not shown any leg, even astride) and trying side-saddle for himself.

It was something he'd only tried once, and never again. Women rode side-saddle, in his world, and it was still very strange seeing a woman ride in any other way, even though he'd seen Estefania riding before.

He turned to take Brandy's reins from Cotton, dismissing his batman.

He put his foot into the stirrup ad mounted quickly. "Captain Torrington is in charge of this expedition, I am coming along merely so that I know what to expect when we march this way."

Edward just caught himself before he could raise an eyebrow. He hadn't intended to infer that she couldn't get into the saddle herself, although few women of his acquaintance could. Her earlier riding stunt had already established that she was quite a horsewoman. He had intended to help her out of courtesy, and it stung a little that she had not allowed him that.

He nodded easily to Vickery, though, glad that the Captain would accompany them.

"Our escort only appeared right this minute, Captain. Troopers Willoughby and Clapp."

He took the reins from Rottlaender, stroked Trueno's neck, then elegantly swung into the saddle. The huge black stallion took this to mean that he was finally free to run, and pranced, so Edward had to use all of his not inconsiderable skill to keep him calm. A quick check revealed that both his pistols were in order and in their saddle holsters, and the satchel where he kept the most necessary things for sketching things down was strapped on as instructed. Giving his sword a final shake to settle it comfortably against his thigh, he asked:

"Shall we set off, then? Will you lead the way, Senhora?"

He had recognised Willoughby, and couldn't help raising an eyebrow fractionally at Clapp's name. The man must get some ribbing from his mates over that.

Brandy whickered, and Vickery pulled a little at his ear to calm him. "Seems the horses are eager to be off, Captain," he said, amusement tingeing his voice a little.

"Yes." She studied Vickery. He still had that air of,.. she felt that the man did not exactly approve of her riding style, though not to say that he would think he had the right to say anything about it. Men of the English kind usually felt that their female counterparts ought ride in no other way but side, if they were to ride at all. And they were also to wear their fabric in many layers, concealing their ankles, revealing their bossom.

She squeezed Sombra's sides, so lightly that only a trained eye might notice the shift of her body, but the mare moved as on cue and quickened her pace quickly from a slow to a steadily faster walk. "It might take a while, sirs." She spoke her eyes trained on the path that they had to take. Part of it would be easy to discern as a path, part, was a path only to those who had lived here and knew of the small trails where they were to lead their animals to graze. That part was a short cut to reach their destination. They could return back along the longer one.

Brandy was sure-footed enough, but Vickery was glad that they were not going much faster than a quick walk. How their guide could see any sort of path was a mystery to him - it was possibly something to discuss with Cotton later, over a cup of tea.

He had secured his telescope and his own map-case - he had nothing as sophisticated or large-scale as Torrington's maps, but being an officer of Rifles, he had his own map of the local area, and intended to add to it, if he could. He was grateful for Torrington's map-making lessons; before that, he had not much more than a keen eye and what he remembered of his schoolboy mathematics.

The corner of Edward's mouth twitched upwards. He relaxed Trueno's reins a little to allow him to come level with Sombra, but he still had to hold him in, both in regard to speed and to advances towards the lady's horse. Fortunately the stallion recognized that he wouldn't be allowed to misbehave just now. With a shake of his head and a loud snort, he settled into a steady walk, although he clearly only waited for Edward to relax his guard for a second.

"I think Rottlaender feeds him purely on oats. Either that, or his energy is contagious. Do you think we can risk a gallop to shake out the kinks?"

He didn't purely mean this from a military point of view, but also in respect to the lady, and his eyes, going to her, indicated that. He usually wouldn't have suggested a gallop unless the lady was a close acquaintance and he knew that she would enjoy and be capable of doing it. But Senhora Almeida had already made clear that she would not be held to English standards, so he thought it not to great a solecism to suggest something they probably all wished to do. Or at least so he thought. Well, riding was the only activity his family had ever admitted that he probably might be wilder than his brother.

"If your Hussars can keep up with us." She indicated the pair behind them. Herrero had been tugged back after he had tried to nip at Trueno's flank, thinking it an excellent way to get him out of the picture and set himself alongside the mare.

His rider was eager to keep him on a short leash, but the horse was clearly too proud to be quite as obedient, or perhaps too distracted. Estefania studied Vickery briefly and then averted his gaze back to Torrington. "And if your friend does not mind too much that a woman might gallop." She spoke, her smile soft and pleasant.

Vickery chuckled. "My own sister has been known to gallop, on occasion, Madam," he said, and patted Brandy's neck as the horse tossed his head.

Willoughby and Clapp looked rather displeased. The nerve of the woman to suggest that they would be unable to keep up with them. Clapp took it especially to heart as although he knew the officers rode, he believed them still not to be the Hussars and therefor, one could just not compare.

He muttered something to Timothy, who in turn hushed him up. "But, she's a woman." He mumbled unhappily. "And..." Another signal to hush up. "But." He kicked his horse in the sides, which had the animal jump and come ahead of them to the left. "Kenley!"

Edward threw one quick glance over his shoulder at the hussars, then finally let his stallion have his head. The big horse tossed his head and leaped forwards, intent on outrunning all his comrades.

One eye on Estefania, Edward slightly lifted from the saddle, allowing Trueno to run, but ready to rein in, should anyone not be up to the speed. He probably would have to slow down anyway soon. It was unlikely that all the horses could keep up a fast gallop over any length of time. But for now, he let the exhilaration of his mount grip him as well.

Torrington took off first, but Vickery wasn't far behind him. The hussars could do what they damn well wanted,he was not going to be bested by an Engineer if he could help it!

Brandy had the speed and stamina that came from being a corn-fed horse, and Vickery was a good horseman who did not get to let his horse have its head nearly enough.

He felt like a boy again as Brandy surged forward under him.

Torrington looked to the side to see who was trying to draw level. Vickery! Well, he wasn't exactly surprised. On short distances he would probably even win. But Edward was quite sure that on longer runs Trueno would easily outdistance Brandy. Flashing a rather unexpected wild grin at the other Captain, Edward began to take control again of his horse's gallop. He would have to hold him back a bit, not allow him to spend all his energy in this first dash, trying to keep level with a faster horse ...

His skills had been honed by years of competition with his brother. If Vickery really wanted to win, he would have to work hard for it.

He had to hold Brandy back - there was no sense in letting the gelding blow himself out too soon, because that would give the Engineer the advantage, on his bigger horse.

He urged Brandy back onto the bit, steadying the animal a little, and not allowing him to run flat-out. He did not have many advantages over Torrington, but hoped that he had a slight advantage of weight; he thought he might be a few pounds lighter than the Engineer, although the black horse would probably not notice the extra pound here or there.

Estefania did not care to be outdone by the two men. Sombra broke off into a run, her hooves thudding against the firmer ground to the left of the two men.

They were quickly joined by the Hussars, who were more eager to show their worth, but equally uncertain whether overtaking the officers might get them in trouble. While Kenley rode a tad haphazzard, while still keeping in his saddle, his style learned for the most part during training, Willoughby's was much more... 'posh', though no less eager to get ahead.

Edward grinned. So Vickery knew how this was done, too. He spared another glance at their companions, then concentrated on outmanoeuvring his fellow officer. They had not agreed on a fixed course, so he had to assume their race was to continue until they reached the bridge - which in itself was a problem. Although he had memorized the point Estefania had shown him on the map, without her, it would be quite difficult to find if they did not closely follow the river. They would both have to keep close enough for her to direct them.

So unless the lady managed to loose them, the really deciding part would probably be the last sprint. That Brandy would win, unless he was more winded than Trueno. Edward focused on the way now, mapping out the easiest course to take, trying save Trueno every unnecessary hill, jump or turn. Keeping behind Brandy would actually have been a clever tactic, but Edward considered the idea only to dismiss it. He would win because horse and rider were better, not simply because he had managed to foist the ungrateful task of finding a way in an unknown landscape solely on Vickery. So he kept abreast of the other for now, while they thundered through the landscape.

Thank God for Brandy's surefootedness, Vickery thought, trying to give the gelding the best terrain possible, and not to let the horse put its foot in a rabbit-hole or something equally disastrous.

Torrington was good, there was no doubt about it. This was going to take every bit of skill that Vickery possessed.

And to find their way at a gallop was going to take some uncommon skill and quick-thinking, too.

And dammit, this was fun. He had few enough occasions where he could just have fun - his position as the Captain of a company on detached duties simply didn't allow it.

A wind-thrown tree-trunk forced Trueno to jump. He kicked out wildly. Edward wasn't fazed. He knew this quirk of his horse by now, and it didn't in the least impair his seat. Instead, he kept his eyes on the way ahead and his mind on the race. Vickery certainly was a worthy opponent. Edward hadn't had the pleasure of having to exert himself so much to keep in the race for quite some time.

A muddy stretch. Edward without conscious though shifted his weight a bit to steer his horse around it. He wondered briefly whether they were still behind their own lines or already in French territory.

Willoughby held Herrero back. Although his horse wanted to give his all just to prove to the other horses - he did not care who sat on them obviously - that he was the finest there was this side of the pond, his rider knew it wiser to keep up behind the officers and rather compete against Kenley. Of course, Herrero's conviction of his own speed could as well have been faulty but that would not be tested at this time.

Kenley laughed softly. "Look at them go." He indicated the two officer riders. The third of the three up front, was a mare, and she had suddenly veered a hard left, kicking up dust as she set course in that direction.

Willoughby had pull Herrero into a sharp turn as well, because his fellow hussar did so, without thinking about the side he had been riding on, and they nearly collided. Herrero jumped and kicked out, threw hiss head forward, then back, then was back under control, riding after the dark mare.

Edward didn't notice what was going on behind him. He had heared some commotion, but the men were hussars and supposed to be able to ride, so his mind had filtered the information. Instead, it was concentrated on the complicated task of navigating a huge galloping horse through a unknown terrain that was riddled with puddles, muddy bits and broken branches from the storm this morning.

The air was crisp and clear, and not too warm yet, and Edward allowed himself to indulge in something he hadn't done in quite a long time.

Sending Trueno flying over a ditch, he laughed loudly. His horse kicked and shook his head, snorting loudly, as if it wanted to comment on the silliness of its rider, but it ploughed on with as much enthusiasm as he was.

Torrington's horse jumped a fallen tree before jinking to avoid a patch of mud.

God knew where the Hussars were; Vickery just hoped they were keeping up. There was a ditch ahead and he gathered Brandy to jump, trying not to let his weight shift and cause the horse to stumble on landing.

He hadn't had such a good run since the last time he had been out with his father's hounds, the year before he had come out to Portugal. He kept a watchful eye out so he could avoid as much of the treacherous terrain as he could - there were muddy patches and fallen branches littering the area, and he had no wish for Brandy to injure himself in this gallop.