~𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐄~

When Sebastian and I arrived at the indoor arena I saw red. I was absolutely furious at what I saw. Georgina was hitting Romeo with a whip so hard the sound hurts my ears. She was yelling at him too as the horse kept bucking and rearing. I looked at it for 10 seconds before I couldn't take it anymore and stormed into the arena only to be pulled back by Sebastian.

"Are you out of your mind?! You'll get yourself hurt if you go in there!"

"I'm not letting her hurt that poor horse even more! He's freaking out because of her!"

I knew my face must have spoken a million words more than my actual words because Sebastian joined me and together we got into the arena. I grabbed the reins of Romeo and jammed them towards his mouth so the pressure released of his mouth and Georgina lost her reins and with that her balance which made her stop hitting him with that stupid whip.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You can't just do that to a horse!"

"Yes I can! Watch me!"

"Georgina stop! You're hurting him!"

"That's the goal Sebastian! He needs to know I'm the boss!"

"Georgina that's not how this works! He's your partner not your slave. Listen to Sebastian!"

"You need to shut up miss know it all! Mind your own business!"

"Okay that is it!"

I pulled the girth loose and janked on Georgina's arm. She fell down with her saddle and all.

"Listen closely here Georgina. I don't like you as a person but I normally ignore that. Touch a horse with disrespect and I will make it my business. Romeo is a perfect horse and you have just given him a trauma that he needs to recover from. The next month I ride him. I'm gonna repair his insecurities that you made. You are gonna sit on the fucking sideline. You're not touching a horse for the next month and after that. I'm gonna fucking learn you how to respect a horse. This... whatever you were doing... it's not gonna happen again. Not on my watch. Not while you're under my instruction."

Her stomach was heaving with angry breaths. Her glare could have killed me but my glare could have killed her. She was standing so close in my face now I could smell her Chanel parfum.

"My father will fire you... he will make sure you will get a hard and painful down fall of your career. He and I will make sure of it!"

"You mean the father who told Madeleine to do anything that is needed to get you to the top. Anything Madeleine see is needed?"

Smoke almost escaped her ears as she stormed off. I looked at up Sebastian who had told her she couldn't use her father against me...

"Thank you..."

"No need to thank me. She needs it. Thank you for sticking up for her horses well being."

I smiled softly at him and for the first time I thought... maybe he isn't all that bad. He smiled back at me and then looked at Romeo.

"You need help?"

"If you don't mind? I think he'll have some troubles with mounting..."

I grabbed the saddle that laid on the ground and placed it back on him. I tightened the girth just enough before grabbing a small step. Sebastian held Romeo while I stepped onto the step. Romeo instantly turned away.

"That's what I was afraid for... we'll keep going until I have mourned him twice in a row... okay?"

Sebastian gave me a nod before we kept on trying as I southingly kept talking to Romeo in French. When I finally had mounted him I gave him the softest pet I could to not scare him too much.

"C'est ça.... Tu es in gars très courageux..."
(That's it... you're a very brave guy...)

I slowly and gently dismounted him again and then tried again. This time Romeo didn't step to the side and his muscles didn't tense as much as the last few times. I rewarded him again with some soft pets and a few words. I dismounted again and petted him on his neck. I walked around him to check out how hurt he was. There were some wounds on his butt. Georgina had hit him that hard. I sighed as I trailed my fingers over it softly. Romeo stepping away gently.

"Poor guy... he's gonna be sore for at least 3 days. Thanks for helping me."

"No problem... I admired the way you work with him so gently and patiently."

"It's what he needs right now. Softness and patience."

Sebastian helped me untack Romeo and I cleaned his wounds as gently but thoroughly as possible. Hoping they would heal nicely without infections. Sebastian brought him back to the stable and cleaned up all the tack and other things. He said I had already done enough extra work today. Okay he really is growing on me. I looked towards the clock. 7:39 PM. My stomach rumbled at the thought of food and exactly at that moment Morgan came around the corner with a bowl of sweet potatoes pieces, broccoli and a piece of chicken.

"Mon dieu... je t'aime!"

(My god... I love you!)

She laughed as she handed me the food. She walked away back to the apartments as I shoved the food into my mouth like my life depended on it. I mean I was really hungry and the faster I ate it the earlier I could get back to work and finish it. Ella walked past me and laughed at me.

"You look so graceful right now."

I laughed with her before swallowing my food and agreeing with her. Sebastian walked past as I held a girth in my left hand and placed another bite in my mouth. I smiled at him softly while chewing before placing the girth on Elvira's saddle. He looked at me and chuckled softly.

"You're eating dinner and tacking up?"

"Yeah. I decided my hour break is gonna be riding Elvira 30 minutes and eating dinner."

"You really need to sit down for a little."

"There aren't enough hours in a day for me to do that. Eating and tacking up it is."

"Don't you get tired?"

"I am dying to get to bed. That's why I'm combining these two things."

"Sit down. I'll tack up Elvira further."

"No that's okay. I'll manage."

"Madeleine... just sit down."

I sighed and sat down on the chair in front of the tack room so I could still see Elvira and Sebastian. He was a natural at tacking up. He checked if the saddle was placed right before girthing. He placed Elvira's boots on perfectly. As well as her martingale and bridle.

"Do you ride yourself?"

"No... just like being around them and helping on the ground."

"You should try riding sometime. I'll even give you a free lesson."

We both laughed before I headed to the indoor arena and he headed home. This time I said a normal goodbye to him instead of a harsh one...

(1203 words)