#19: Seven Deadly Sins
Title: Pride
Bonus? no
Word Count: 650
Rating: G
Original/Fandom: original
Pairings (if any): none
Warnings (Non-Con/Dub-Con/etc): none
Summary: She's made it this far, all that's left is to compete.
I rubbed my eyes, blinking hard. The hay and dust were bothering me, but I didn’t let it get to me. I couldn’t be distracted. I looked up at my own reflection in the mirror. I sighed, the lines around my eyes were more pronounced than ever. I told myself it was just because I had slept on a cot again. I glanced at it in the mirror, it was so bare and overt, in the middle of the tack room like that. Anyone else might have been embarrassed, but I did what I had to. It was almost like camping out, at least that’s what I told myself.
I turned my attention back to my reflection and started applying my makeup carefully. I knew it didn’t really matter because the judges couldn’t really see my face from their perch in the middle of the ring, but it helped my confidence and overall appearance. I concentrated on my eyes and lips. That’s what really stands out. Makeup is so foreign to me, it goes against my nature, but you do what you have to. Sometimes I wonder why there is so much focus on appearance, but honestly, that’s the sport. How else can they judge you?
I sighed and finished my makeup. I took my suit coat from the hangar next, shook it out a little and put it on. I looked at my reflection. The kelly green coat fit perfectly, but still I couldn’t help smoothing it out. I grabbed my derby and put it on over my neatly combed hair. I tried to smile, I knew I looked good, but I was so nervous. I told myself to breathe.
I looked up from the mirror just in time to see the groom come around with Quicksilver. I hadn’t named him, but the title fit him. He had a big gray stripe running down his nose and a quick temper besides. The groom had prepared and saddled him. The groom had not been cheap, but I told myself it was worth it. I knew most of my competitors came with a lot of grooms from their stables, but I was on my own. Even my trainer hadn’t been able to come, he’d just called to wish me luck an hour ago. It was crazy and maybe it was a rookie mistake, but I knew I could do it.
I almost mounted from the ground, but I knew I shouldn’t do that in my new riding pants. I walked quickly over to the step stool and moved it over to Quicksilver. I stepped up and over his back and grabbed the reigns from the handler. Suddenly I was in complete control. It was an incredible feeling to be perched high above eye level, with the power to tell this beast to gallop away or back up timidly at my command. I had loved the feeling ever since the first time I had rode a horse at age eight.
The groom walked next to me on my way up to the arena. Most of the other competitors were mounting in the open space outside of the arena, but I didn’t care. I needed that time to get my bearings.
Soon they were calling my class. I sat up straight and went into the ring. At that moment, I was so proud that I had made it this far. I just tried to remind myself that this was the World Championship for Saddlebreds, the most prestigious breed of horses in the world. I know a lot of people don’t understand the world of show horses, but this is my greatest passion.
It didn’t matter that I placed dead last. I was here and now I knew I could compete. I had to remind myself that this was my life dream. And I knew I could do it, if not today, then one day soon.
Bonus? no
Word Count: 650
Rating: G
Original/Fandom: original
Pairings (if any): none
Warnings (Non-Con/Dub-Con/etc): none
Summary: She's made it this far, all that's left is to compete.
I rubbed my eyes, blinking hard. The hay and dust were bothering me, but I didn’t let it get to me. I couldn’t be distracted. I looked up at my own reflection in the mirror. I sighed, the lines around my eyes were more pronounced than ever. I told myself it was just because I had slept on a cot again. I glanced at it in the mirror, it was so bare and overt, in the middle of the tack room like that. Anyone else might have been embarrassed, but I did what I had to. It was almost like camping out, at least that’s what I told myself.
I turned my attention back to my reflection and started applying my makeup carefully. I knew it didn’t really matter because the judges couldn’t really see my face from their perch in the middle of the ring, but it helped my confidence and overall appearance. I concentrated on my eyes and lips. That’s what really stands out. Makeup is so foreign to me, it goes against my nature, but you do what you have to. Sometimes I wonder why there is so much focus on appearance, but honestly, that’s the sport. How else can they judge you?
I sighed and finished my makeup. I took my suit coat from the hangar next, shook it out a little and put it on. I looked at my reflection. The kelly green coat fit perfectly, but still I couldn’t help smoothing it out. I grabbed my derby and put it on over my neatly combed hair. I tried to smile, I knew I looked good, but I was so nervous. I told myself to breathe.
I looked up from the mirror just in time to see the groom come around with Quicksilver. I hadn’t named him, but the title fit him. He had a big gray stripe running down his nose and a quick temper besides. The groom had prepared and saddled him. The groom had not been cheap, but I told myself it was worth it. I knew most of my competitors came with a lot of grooms from their stables, but I was on my own. Even my trainer hadn’t been able to come, he’d just called to wish me luck an hour ago. It was crazy and maybe it was a rookie mistake, but I knew I could do it.
I almost mounted from the ground, but I knew I shouldn’t do that in my new riding pants. I walked quickly over to the step stool and moved it over to Quicksilver. I stepped up and over his back and grabbed the reigns from the handler. Suddenly I was in complete control. It was an incredible feeling to be perched high above eye level, with the power to tell this beast to gallop away or back up timidly at my command. I had loved the feeling ever since the first time I had rode a horse at age eight.
The groom walked next to me on my way up to the arena. Most of the other competitors were mounting in the open space outside of the arena, but I didn’t care. I needed that time to get my bearings.
Soon they were calling my class. I sat up straight and went into the ring. At that moment, I was so proud that I had made it this far. I just tried to remind myself that this was the World Championship for Saddlebreds, the most prestigious breed of horses in the world. I know a lot of people don’t understand the world of show horses, but this is my greatest passion.
It didn’t matter that I placed dead last. I was here and now I knew I could compete. I had to remind myself that this was my life dream. And I knew I could do it, if not today, then one day soon.