Runnin’ The Market // Dreadnought #1

The wind was cold, the sun was starting to slowly fade through the afternoon, but the crowds didn’t seem to be dwindling just yet. After the first adventure with the pony people called Warspite, a certain Kaida Maris was looking about for his next adventure. He had originally been looking for the little roan, but the pony he found first was just as handsome - and well worth his time.

The famed ‘Dreadnought’. Given his name not through his size - though he is extremely well-muscled and compact - but instead for the chaos he brings in his wake.

Kaida had seen pictures of this sooty bay gelding from on social media, and gosh is he impressive. He canters after cars and shoves his nose in open windows as if they’re all filled to the brim with snacks, follows people into villages and nibbles at their scarves, even tries to snatch things from behind market stalls occasionally. If it was possible for a horse to affect the village’s statistics, Dreadnought would’ve single-handedly brought up the crime rate with nothing but his slightly too-friendly attempts at playing.

In short, he’s a menace.
Even shorter, he’s perfect. 

Today, Dreadnought was snoozing by the grasses, one hoof propped up behind him while his back end slanted down slightly. His brown eyes were half-closed, blinking out the sunlight as the breeze ruffled his puffy tail and flowing mane. His fur was longer than the rest, but he seemed to keep shaking his forelock out of his eyes in irritation. Three white little feet stomped in the greenery, kicking at the autumn flies with distinct annoyance. 

Jolting awake when a young boy stepped on a crunchy leaf, Dreadnought took a moment to sniff at the herbal treats he held, nuzzled his hair and began to wander off. The boy took chase in a wobbly jog, and so did Kaida. The tall man looked around, but he couldn’t find any adults that looked related to the little boy - so he might as well watch over, just in case. The child had messy blonde hair and eyes a honey brown like the ships that resided in the harbour, skin tanned as though he had spent a lot of time by the sea - he was carefree. Almost too care-free.

The little boy giggled as Dreadnought took into a bouncy trot, his round form bumbling down the hilltops, head shaking and occasionally glancing at the noisy creature behind him. Though small - he could only be around twelve hands high, if that - he could certainly move. He carried himself like a much larger horse, maybe one in the cavalry - powerful movements, decisive, and handsome.

As they got closer to the village, the boy began to hum along with a tune that played from further away; a travelling band, with a remarkably talented flutist, and occasionally, a very pretty young man who held a guitar. That pretty young man would happen to be Kaida’s boyfriend, Aaditya, but he was tracking down in the desert somewhere.

| You // Kaida (@abandon.shippp)
Did Una get a new guitarist ???

| 🐍 • Aaditya • ☀️ (@sunwoulddoyouwell)
I doubt it
She loves me 
Gets extra coin, apparently 

| You // Kaida (@abandon.shippp)
Weird, someone’s playing it down here
Certain it’s her group, I can tell Zino’s flute from any of ‘em

| 🐍 • Aaditya • ☀️ (@sunwoulddoyouwell)
Kinda sounds the same as Ren’s to me 
Why, he good?

| You // Kaida (@abandon.shippp)
I can promise you no one else within a thousand miles of The Cat And The Canoe could play such a broken flute as that and make it sound so nice 

| 🐍 • Aaditya • ☀️ (@sunwoulddoyouwell)
Get your head out your phone, loser 

Grimacing and muttering something under his breath, Kaida glanced up at the pony he was supposedly following and the young boy that had both— gone missing?! Kaida froze where he stood, glancing around. On one hand, the boy could’ve been found by his parents and hurried home, being scolded for running off, but on the other…

‘Hey, Ai! Over here!’ A soft voice lilted with a southern accent sounded from somewhere on the right in front of him. Hazel eyes sparkled as they met Kaida’s blue and brown, curly black hair framing the dark-skinned face.

‘Wh- Aadi??! The hell are you doing here?!’ Kaida exclaimed, running over to the taller man and wrapping his arms around him, picking him up and swinging him around in a circle. ‘You could’ve told me!’ 

‘Mm, but it was a nice surprise, right?’ With a teasing smile, Aaditya kissed Kaida’s forehead before gesturing behind himself. ‘You tryna get that pony that came trundling past, I’m sure?’ 

‘…. Yeah.’

‘Trust you to choose one with mischief in its eyes and a pretty face to lie to you with,’ Aadi scoffed, rolling his eyes fondly. He was about to say something more when a little hand tugged at his woollen cardigan.

‘… Miss? Have you seen the pony?’ A blonde haired boy gazed up at him, eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

‘Oh, it’s you! You were following Dreadnought, weren’t you?’ Kaida asked, tilting his head slightly.

‘…. I don’t know his name, I was just following the pony. He was round and fluffy,’ the boy looked anxious. Aaditya crouched down beside him and smiled, voice honey-soft.

‘Hey there, kiddo. What are you doing on your own out here, hm? It ain’t good for you to be alone ‘round here; where’s your ma?’ The man asked carefully, tone soft and welcoming.

‘My mama’s up with my little sis, tryna get one of the ponies up there. But I wanted the round one.’ The boy’s eyes welled up slightly as he realised the depth of his situation. ‘I don’t know where I am, and I don’t know where the pony is. How will my mama find me? Can you help me, Miss?’

‘Well, sweetie, I can help you find the pony as long as you promise not to wander off without your ma again, okay? Do you have a bell?’ Aadi asked sweetly.

‘A-Aadi, I’m certain we’re meant to just take him to his ma,’ Kaida whispered, kicking his knee lightly.

‘Yeah, but- look at ‘im. He’s miserable. He just wants his little round pony,’ he looked up at Kaida with a pitiful expression, smiling softly and shrugging. ‘Might as well help. And then you can put a bell on, too.’ 

‘Your pretty face is not going to get us out of kidnapping allegations,’ Kaida muttered, running a hand through his hair before he sighed, defeated. ‘Fine.’

A loud crash sounded from behind them, and the boy cried out, ‘Pony!!’ before dragging Aaditya towards him. Aadi grabbed Kaida’s hand and the three ran after the trotting pony with a grin. 

‘This is insane.’ Kaida grumbled, only to be met with Aaditya scrunching his nose up at him lightly. 

‘I’ve been in the continent for about five hours with no sleep. Let me have some fun, Aia.’

Kaida let go of the other man’s hand and jogged back to grab the guitar, jogging down the pathways towards the busy marketplace. The Cob was blocking the path, trotting along and jingling with bells, sniffing, snorting and sneezing at the dust that covered the brick roads.

 It took about half an hour before both the boy - ‘His name’s Ata. Weren’t you listening, Kaida?’ ‘Gonna be honest, nah. He talks more than me.’ ‘Mm, you sure you don’t have a little brother I never heard of?’ ‘Ha-ha.’ - and the pirate both managed to tie their bells in, and another fifteen minutes to figure out where they’d gotten to. Aadi, raised in a desert city not too different to this one (except for maybe the sand to water ratio), was quietly navigating their way, but Kaida was not best pleased with his skills.

The trio stood in the middle of the spice market, the sound of the crowd around them as someone shouted at Dreadnought. The little cob skittered backwards when a basket of oranges fell off the table, and he narrowly avoided crashing into Kaida, skidding to a halt in front of them before nudging him quietly and beginning to walk away. They followed hesitantly, and lo and behold, the little cob had managed to show them the way out of the loud alleys.

Dreadnought, full with victory after his impromptu buffet and show of bravery in the marketplace, was off cantering home to his friends at the first sight of the grasslands, whinnying the tales of his triumph.

‘Well, my mama’s probably gonna be lookin’ for me, but I’ve been having a nice time here wi’ you, Miss. Can you take me to look down at the pier? I think that’s where my mama would be looking for me.’ Ata smiled naively, his bright expression becoming dreadfully hard for Aaditya to deny.

‘Of course we can.’ He grinned gesturing for the boy to go ahead. ‘Just make sure you stay where I can see ya.’

Kaida wandered next to the slight man quietly, before glancing up at him.

‘You gonna correct him on that at some point?’

‘Hm?’

‘Miss, can we get some spices for my mama? She makes such a wonderful soup. I can ask if you can have some; if that would be okay with you, Miss! Oh, and your Mister could have some too, if he wants!’ Kaida quoted something the boy had said earlier.

‘It’s sweet, why would I? I don’t care, he just thinks I’m pretty.’ Aadi batted his eyelashes slightly, teasing Kaida with a smug smile. ‘Don’t you?’

‘Don’t push your luck, daisy-chain,’ Kaida chuckled, taking the other man’s hand as they walked.