Dolls

Uiscefhuaraithe danced impatiently as they approached the harvest festival. The town was all done up in fall leaves and colors and the smell of pumpkin and apples hung in the air. The mare hadn’t been to a festival before and she was definitely excited. A few kids stopped to admire her blueberry coat, their fingers sticky with candy and treats, which just made her even more excited. 

Gwen chuckled as she watched the kids reach up to touch Uiscefhuaraithe’s side and the jagged white Sabino markings on it. “Gently now. She’s friendly, but you don’t want to hurt her.” She corrected one of the children who was getting a little too rambunctious. 

The little boy nodded and very gently touched Uiscefhuaraithe’s side before giggling and running off as the horse snorted gently in his direction. 

Another little boy came up, this one with a doll in their arms that seemed to fascinate Uiscefhuaraithe. The seventeen hand tall mare immediately sniffed at the hair made of what looked like black yarn and then turned to look at Gwen with bright blue eyes. 

“No, you can’t have it.” She chuckled, stroking the mare’s blueberry side. 

Uiscefhauraithe made a disappointed sound that seemed kind of like “fine” and went back to enjoying the affection from the kids. At least until another child approached with a doll. This one with a kind of curly blond hair made from the husks of corn. Once again Uiscefhuaraithe turned to regard Gwen, the jagged sabino marking on her nose quivering in excitement. 

“No, you can’t have that one either. What with you and dolls all of a sudden?” Gwen asked, laughing. 

The mare tossed her head playfully and tugged at her leadrope, coaxing Gwen further into the festival and towards the delicious smelling food, brightly twinkling lights, and children laughing. Many of them followed along, offering treats to Uiscefhauraithe, which Gwen kept an eye on to make sure they were safe for the mare to eat. 

Suddenly, Uiscefhauraithe stopped in their tracks. Her white front legs stamped in excitement as she almost hopped up and down, her nose reaching out for a large doll in one of the vendor’s stands. 

The doll had curly brown hair and black bead eyes. The dress was a simple blue and white affair, with a kind of checkerboard apron. The only thing really of note about it was its size. The doll was nearly the size of an actual child. Not a toddler but a child of seven or eight. 

“Yes, it’s a very pretty doll.” Gwen said, trying to coax Uiscefhauraithe away from the toy. 

The mare had other plans, however, again nudging at the doll and looking at Gwen expectantly, and absolutely refusing to move from the spot. 

“You don’t need the doll. What would you even do with it?” She stroked the white marking on the mare’s nose and tried to ignore the almost pleading look in the horse’s blue eyes. 

Uiscefhauraithe huffed and nibbled oh so gently at Gwen’s fingers and then tugged at her blue tunic before looking back towards the doll. 

“She likes it!” one of the children still following them said. “You should get it for her!” 

Gwen sighed as more of the children joined in, and Uiscefhauraithe seemed to egg on their enthusiasm while gently nudging Gwen closer to the doll. 

“Okay, okay…” Gwen finally surrendered, laughing as she reached for her coin purse and to look for whoever was selling the doll. They’d been surprisingly quiet thus far. 

On finding no one there, she walked to the stall next door. “Excuse me, do you know where whoever runs that booth went?” 

“Oh, that would be old lady Kate’s booth. She’s never there, but you can just take what you want and leave whatever payment you want there for it.” The young woman said with a shrug. “Kate always says that if something calls to someone, they’ll pay fair for it. She’s not been wrong yet.” 

Gwen blinked and looked back at where Uiscefhauraithe was practically standing on top of the large doll, still surrounded by a crowd of excited and candy high children. She was about to seek verification of what the young woman had said, when she saw someone approach the stall. 

It was an older woman, one the children parted for almost instantly. 

“Well, I’ll be. That’s Kate. Must be something special about that doll.” The young woman said, gesturing for Gwen to go over there. 

It only took a moment for Gwen to get back, but by that point Kate had picked up the doll and placed it gently on Uiscefhauraithe’s back. The seventeen hands high mare was significantly taller than the petite old woman, but it hadn’t seemed to matter. The mare had stood still for the act but was now gleefully stomping her hooves and dancing around, careful not to clip the children who seemed equally delighted. 

“Well now, it suits her, don’t you think?” Kate asked without really turning to look at Gwen. 

“It does, yes. I was actually just looking for you to pay… How much do I owe you for it?” Gwen kept watch on her mare and the children, the doll’s hair bouncing about with Uiscefhauraithe’s every move. It was truly adorable to see. 

“However much you want to pay, dear.” Kate replied, reaching over and patting Gwen’s hand gently. “You’re a fair sort, and kind. I can tell. In truth, I should probably just give it to you. It makes Uiscefhauraithe so happy and I know that makes you happy. Making you pay would almost be robbing you.”  

Uiscefhauraithe, the doll still on her back, pranced over proudly to show Gwen her new doll and to nuzzle Kate in thanks. 

“You’re rather pleased with yourself, aren’t you.” Gwen leaned her forehead against Uiscefhauraithe’s white mark for a moment, knowing full well that she was going to pay whatever price was asked at this point. The soft and pleased expression in the blueberry mare’s eyes was too much to resist. 

Usicefhauraithe headbutted her gently and tossed her head playfully, her blue eyes glinting in delight as she turned to show off the curly haired doll to the ever increasing crowd of children coming to watch the spectacle of a blue horse with a blue clothed doll on her back dance around, her long and rich blue tail swaying to the music drifting down the street. 

“Oh yes, definitely be robbing you.” Kate murmured, the quiet contentment of the old woman’s voice resonating deeply with something in Gwen. A kind of understanding of the joy of watching the happiness of others. “You two enjoy that doll, Gwendolyn, and don’t forget to get Uiscefhauraithe a candy apple at the booth down the road. She’ll like those, I suspect.” 

“Of course.” Gwen reached out on instinct, squeezing the old woman’s hand in both gratitude and a kind of quiet understanding as Kate disappeared into the ever growing crowd. It wasn’t until the old woman was gone that Gwen realized she’d never told her either of their names. 

“Well then, that was odd.” Gwen laughed as she fetched Uiscefhauraithe, the giant doll, and the flock of children. “Let’s go show off that doll to everyone else at the festival, and maybe get the rest of the kids some treats. What do you say?” 

Uiscefhauraithe nodded and gave a delighted sounding snort as she allowed Gwen to lead her into the crowd and towards the candy apples Kate had recommended. The large doll was still perched on the mare’s back, and Gwen figured it would be sleeping in the stall with her as well. Not that she minded, nor was she worried about any damage being done to it. There was something special about that doll afterall.