A comforting routine now slipped over them and Allegria truly loved and enjoyed being here with the Moradelli’s and her human pony friends. The grooms and the Moradelli’s were working overtime with the human ponies as well as cleaning, painting and redecorating the main rings for the upcoming human horse show. Additional portable stalls were being built in another section of one of the barns to house the visiting human ponies that would be coming from literally all over the world.
Day by day Allegria worked hard to learn the ‘western reining events’ with Lena, worked on perfecting her moves for dressage with Carlo, and built up her muscles along side Trevello the stallion for the weight pull events.
The trainers while more strict were also in many ways more gentle with their steeds now. Occasionally some of the ponygirls would be used sexually but not as much as there was so much to be done around the great Black Pine Stables.
Carlos, Daniel and Sebastian worked long hours into the night cleaning, polishing and working on ever piece of tack, leather and harness strap until it shown like patent leather.
Even Luciano was seen more and more in the human pony area as he watched with the scrutinizing eye of a master Teacher on everything the trainers and human ponies were doing. Always he had some comment to make, some slight thing he could find not right with a rider or ponygirl.
It had been nearly 4 weeks Allegria had been here now at the Moradelli’s. Her body had undergone a change for sure. Her upper body was built with feminine but well defined muscles as was the length of her back. While her waist was much narrower she still retained a solid thick shape of a well muscled, well conditioned draft horse. When she walked or trotted her ass and thighs rippled with muscles and while she would never be as physically strong as Trevello or even Furio, she was the strongest Mare there. Allegria’s brand had healed nicely and the human horse’s bodies were cared for until they glowed with health and vitality.
Most of all the Moradelli’s seemed almost amazed at Ribelle’s transformation. Where as before she was sullen, defiant and a hard keeper, she now displayed her fire towards her work. Her lean and lanky body moving through elegant trots and high stepping gaits that indeed was breathtaking to behold. Everyday Carlo’s dark Spanish eyes only looked more and more with want and love towards Ribelle and she towards him.
“Tomorrow they arrive.” Carlos told them all one night while he was feeding them, “The first of the guests and houses of those to compete. Three days from now will be the show. I know all of you will make the Moradelli’s and your Master’s and Mistress’ proud.” He smiled and handed an extra ration of feed to each pony.
The next day would begin a whirlwind of memories that Allegria would never forget. First to arrive was a contingency from England, Leland Walker along with 5 of his most gorgeous ponygirls and three grooms/helpers. Leland was an elegant older man in his early 50’s, stiff and strict and his girls were all nearly identical. Around 5’7 with large breasts, dark hair neatly trimmed and plaited into a long mane and harness’s around them that sported long pony tails.
Ribelle rolled her eyes at the entourage but didn’t do her usual kicking or biting. Falla, always the friendly ambassador was snorting and pawing excitedly as she tried to reach forth and groom the stunningly matched ponygirls, but they moved on down the aisle never breaking stride or looking in any direction as they walked on single file with a long rope stringing them together. Luciano was walking with Master Walker and giving him the quick tour on the way to the new area for the visiting human ponies.
Later that evening it would be Mistress Chana who would arrive with just one more human pony in tow with her, a strikingly gorgeous black woman who was built almost like Allegria, but much taller. Mistress Chana herself was a short Asian woman with beautiful but fierce features. Standing only 5’0 she was a definite powerhouse, and like Lena radiated a total sense of mastery and command. Here was a true Mistress.
“Rakasha here can go in with Firefly tonight.” Mistress Chana handed the tall black woman over to Daniel as she gave Luciano Moradelli a warm hug and a kiss on each cheek. “Always good to see you Luciano, handsome as ever.”
“You flatter an old man,” he graciously offered his arm as a gentleman to Mistress Chana. “Torello and Lucciola, excuse me, I mean Firefly and Lucky are well trained for their events. I think you will be well pleased eh?”
Mistress Chana’s dark eyes flashed with gentle laughter, “You always do like renaming the ponies with those Italian names of yours don’t you?”
Allegria’s mind had to think a moment to remember that indeed Lucciola and Trevello’s real names were Firefly and Lucky Break.
“Firefly and Lucky Break will be coming back with me to California after the show, and depending on how well Rakasha performs,” Mistress Chana nodded to where Daniel was toweling off the well muscled black woman, “she will either return with me to California or stay here for training.”
“Ah,” Luciano looked almost sad, “You are taking our resident stallion eh? He does have such spirit and I know he is going to bring much prestige in the upcoming shows. I would have loved to enter him in the weight pull in New York in February.”
“Always the competitor, aren’t you, dear Luciano?” Chana smiled graciously at the elegant Luciano, “But Lucky and Firefly are actually husband and wife, both came to me a year ago wanting to serve as human horses for me, I can’t separate them. It’s in their contract.”
Luciano just tilted his head good naturedly as he and Mistress Chana moved on to visit Lucciola and Trevello. Allegria was shocked to hear that Lucci and Trevello were actually husband and wife, but then she remembered that most of these people also entered this BDSM lifestyle of their own accord. So perhaps it was not that shocking at all. She just glanced once at Ribelle and said nothing.
The next morning two more new people arrived. First was a tall woman with elegant blonde hair and striking blue eyes and next to her was her equally stern and handsome husband. Both spoke in German and had several female grooms leading in three stallions and two mares. All the human ponies wore horse type blankets that bore an elegant crest and the lettering ‘House Carpathia’ on them. Falla was nearly leaping up and down in her stall with excite snorts and whinnies of pleasure. “Why look Gustav, I think your mare has missed you.” The elegant woman spoke, her voice tinged with a strict German accent. Falla was already pressing her lips against the woman’s hands that were feeding her some kind of treat.
“I think she has missed all the fine German food,” Master Gustav spoke. “Hello my Butterfly.” He stroked Falla’s cheek. For a few minutes Master and Mistress Carpathia and their entourage of human ponies opened the stall door and Falla was allowed to nuzzle and caress both her Master’s and her fellow human ponies and they her. It was obvious that House Carpathia encouraged the warm bonding between their horses.
“Are you going to perform well in the show, my sweet mare?” Greta Carpathia caressed Falla’s sleek body and breasts.
Falla’s head eagerly nodded up and down. “Anya!” Mistress Carpathia snapped at one of the female grooms and then ordered something in harsh German to her. The female groom just nodded.
By that time Valerio himself had entered the barn to help the Masters Carpathia and their human ponies to settle into the portable stall area. Like his father he too was a very elegant and well spoken man and he went on and on about the upcoming show.
Lena had entered the barn at that time and immediately ran over to both Greta and Gustav and hugged them tightly as she now spoke in German. Allegria was impressed; Lena it seemed was tri-lingual.
Now both the tall, imposing German’s were turning towards Allegria’s stall as Carlos and Daniel lead the Carpathia’s pony string off.
“So, this is the one you will ride in the reining event?” Greta reached out towards her, and Allegria knew she was to be on her best behavior. With a quiet snort she sniffed Mistress Carpathia’s hand and then gently nuzzled her arm. Just like a real horse meeting someone new for the first time.
Without so much as an invite, Mistress Greta now began to clinically feel up and down Allegria’s body, the same way one would a real horse. “Ya, she has strength, but does she have the agility Lena?” she turned to Lena.
“Wait until you see her.” Lena hugged Greta like a mentor, “She will blow you away. In some ways she is better than even the stallions because she can bend that back like a cat.”
“Mmm,” Greta nearly purred as she stroked Allegria. “Pity I am to tall to ride her myself. I do so like the western events, but I am sure you will be a sight to behold in the saddle, dear Lena.”
Switching back to speaking in German, Lena and the Carpathia’s exited Allegria’s stall and simply moved off towards the other direction, as Falla’s eyes followed her Master and Mistress with a look of almost worship on her face.
The worst would come later that day though. Allegria had actually been drowsing in her stall; it seemed the Moradelli’s were now giving the ponies a three day rest before the main event so that their bodies would be at their most rested and peak performance. Allegria had been dreaming of her and Furio walking hand in hand on some beach with warm breezes blowing against them, when the beautiful image was shattered by a nearly terrified whinny from Ribelle’s stall. Snapped awake from the cry, Allegria rose to her feet and saw Ribelle pacing in circles within her stall, tossing her head in anxious fear and anger. It reminded her of the ‘old’ Ribelle.
Allegria turned her head and saw a group of people walking down the aisle. In the lead was a lean cruel looking man dressed in the traditional dress of a Saudi Arabian complete with sunglasses and a gold walking stick. On a leash walking at his side was a small woman in a dog collar who would occasionally growl at some of the stalls and buzzing around him was several dark looking bodyguards in suits and sunglasses. Strung out and lead by several teenaged boys were 5 strikingly beautiful women and one huge male stallion, that made Torello look small.
“Ah, Amir Hazeem.” Luciano greeted the Middle Eastern entourage and their human horses. “I hope your trip was pleasant?”
“Always.” The Amir gave Luciano a quick hug, “but then I have my own private jet.” He leered in a most cruel way. Allegria felt the hairs rise at the back of her neck, something was just so dark and dangerous about the man it made her tremble. Even Falla who was always quick to greet new ponygirls and ponyboys just stood silently in her stall unmoving, her large doe like eyes watching with quiet wariness.
“I hope to see that my mare has improved,” the Amir now strode over to Ribelle’s stall. “Otherwise I will be selling her at auction.”
Daniel had come in along with Carlos to help with the Amir’s other horses but one of the bodyguard types moved abruptly in with a harsh move, “No one touches the Amir’s horses but us and the grooms.”
“Yes sir.” Daniel said with a curt nod and Allegria saw his eyes harden as he nodded to Carlos and they moved off. Allegria could tell Carlos was using every ounce of control to keep the hatred and anger towards the Amir from showing in his dark eyes.
The Amir had opened the door to Ribelle’s stall. He muttered something in his Arabic tongue to one of the teenage boys who quickly ducked between the bodyguards and into Ribelle’s stall with a halter. Ribelle snorted but didn’t pull away, her body trembling. The teenager slapped her breast hard at her snorting at him. Allegria could see Ribelle revving up for a fight and quickly Allegria moved around her own stall and made a low chuffing sound to soothe Ribelle and remind her of Furio’s promise.
Ribelle stopped fighting and nearly bolted out of her stall where one of the bodyguards reached up and cruelly grabbed her halter. The Amir briefly ran his hands across Ribelle’s body and then harshly checked her mouth. “Well at least she finally has a bit of weight on her.” Was his only comment to Luciano. To Ribelle the Amir then idly said, “I sincerely hope you win at your events, if you don’t bring me a good price to cover all this training you will regret it.”
With a nod he motioned the teenaged groom to put Ribelle back in her stall and then the Amir and his group of bodyguards, grooms and human ponies moved on. He only paused briefly near Trevello’s stall as he glanced at the stallion. “Hassan I think will win the weight pulling.” The Amir nodded with his chin towards the huge and hulking stallion that was last in line. Almost as if confirming the Amir’s words Hassan the stallion now roared like a giant lion and lunged at the bars of Trevello’s stall, causing the whole side of the stall to rattle. Trevello flung himself back and Allegria was sure had there not been a wooden and iron barrier between the two men, they would have fought one another to the death.
With a smirk the Amir watched as his grooms began to lash Hassan viciously bringing him back in line, and Daniel began to crack his whip against Trevello’s stall, trying to calm him.
“Come, come.” Luciano spoke up then, still the total Master of his stables and domain. “Let’s put up your horses, I do not need chaos in my stables.” His eyes were now filled with his own power of persuasion and the Amir and procession indeed moved on.
Allegria saw Ribelle tremble and a tear course down her cheek as she nervously paced back and forth in her stall, even Allegria whispering to her would not bring her over to the side for any comforting. Allegria could not even imagine what it would be like to be a ponygirl under the cruel hand of the Amir and his group of trainers and groom. She had a dread feeling that nearly all those human ponies the Amir owned were either slaves or indentured servants.
Later that evening Carlos would come to Ribelle’s stall as he soothed her and brushed out her long hair, often whispering quietly in her ear. On the other side of Allegria one of the German grooms was brushing out Falla’s hair and braiding it in intricate and delicate braids as well as giving her a warm soothing massage.
Mistress Chana briefly stopped by to check on her three horses and spoke quietly to Trevello/Lucky chastising him lightly for his trying to fight the huge Hassan. “Don’t let him get to you my handsome stallion.” The mistress was caressing his powerful muscles, “He is trying to play head games with you, don’t let him.”
Allegria only wished Furio was here with her, but then again she would rather Furio be out trying to help Ribelle. Carlos stayed with Ribelle long after the German groom had left and Mistress Chana had left. It was almost around 10 pm and he was ready to bed down the horses and lock up the stables when the door opened and two men walked in. Immediately Allegria recognized Furio’s voice speaking in a mix of both English and Italian. She bolted to her feet and saw a man walking next to him that somehow seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place him. He was dressed in an expensive long coat with an elegant scarf around his neck. Even though he was around Valerio’s height at 5’7 the man’s sheer presence seemed to make him like a giant. Next door she saw Carlos nearly pale and briefly cross himself as he quickly exited Ribelle’s stall.
“I was just leaving.” He nodded politely and respectfully to both men and then nearly scrambled out of there, turning off the stable lights behind him. Allegria could not figure out the strange reaction from Carlos.
Once Carlos was gone, both men now walked over towards Ribelle’s stall where they spoke in very low whispers in Italian. Allegria could see both of them making many hand gestures that seemed as important as the words they were speaking, as if they were having two different conversations. One with their words and one with the subtle gestures of their hands and arms. For the first time she could remember Furio did not glance over at her, instead his attention was exclusively focused on the older and elegant gentleman at his side. At one point Furio slid out a thick envelope almost the size of a large paperback book and discreetly handed it to the man, and then after a few more words the two men embraced the way she often saw him and Valerio do and they both left. Allegria just blinked and wondered what that whole transaction had been about.
It wasn’t until the next morning that Allegria would learn the real truth of who the strange man Furio was with truly was. Carlos had come in the next morning to feed, and even though she knew she shouldn’t , that it was against the rules Allegria dared to whisper very quietly to Carlos as he was pouring the food in her bin. “Carlos, who was that strange man talking to Furio last night?”
At first Carlos eyes had grown cross at her speaking, then she saw even a hint of nervousness in him. He glanced around and then opened her stall and walked inside as if checking her braids or something on her body. He leaned in close, his voice barely audible as he whispered, “You don’t know?” he asked, “You have never seen him in the news? That is Don Turi ‘The Beast’ Pontecorvo.” He lowered his voice even more glancing around once again, “He is reputedly the most powerful person in the Italian underworld, you know…” he spelled it out for her now, “Mafioso, supposedly he controls half the criminal groups in Sicily, Canada, South America and has ties here to the US as well. Always he is able to avoid any charges sticking to him, is able to point the eyes of the law in his competitors direction.” Carlos made a quick gesture of pointing to his eyes and then away.
Now it clicked in Allegria’s brain, she had seen news stories of him before, read about him on occasion. Some of the media called him the ‘real life Don Corleone’, others called him almost as powerful as the Pope, his ties powerful in Italy and elsewhere. Supposedly he ran a lot of cash and money laundering with South American drug cartels and who knows what else. His men had blown up Italian prosecutors with car bombs and other threats. Some say it is rumored that the man and his various cartels and mobs have killed hundreds. Supposedly he has killed nearly 70 people by his own hand.” Carlos just shrugged, “Now, be quiet. You speak again and I will have to punish you.”
She just nodded and gently nuzzled his chest letting him know how grateful she was for his information and kindness. He caressed her softly a moment and then left to finish feeding the other hungry human ponies. A shiver ran down the length of her spine, but perhaps this reputed Mafioso Don would be Ribelle’s only hope.