Closed A Difficult Mount (Revy)

[Letixia Raigner]

Spring 80th, 514 Leti entered the open yard of Windmount Stables, tired from wearing her full armor the entire day. She'd trained in combat all morning, then went on patrol with Ser Ranqor all afternoon. It was after the seventh bell, and her training wasn't done. She'd made her way over to the first barn, where the majority of horses were kept. Stepping inside, she made her way over to the first horse she'd ever ridden earlier in the season. His name was Igor, and he was a beautiful, grey beast. She was still too nervous to try out any other horses just yet, and she was thankful he wasn't occupied. But she at least knew Igor, and was slightly more comfortable. Her feet didn't move as hesitantly as they used to, though not quite yet confidently. She approached his stall, smiling at his head that stuck out from it. Could horses remember people they've barely met? Her hand reaching out, she rubbed the horse's snout. She spoke in as calm a voice as she could muster, "Hello sweetie. How are you today? Are you going to be a good boy for me?" Igor snorted in response, what it meant, if anything, was lost on Leti. "Let's go get your bridle." She went to the area of the barn where the supplies were kept, looking for a bridle. But amongst all the leather, straps, and equipment, she couldn't find one at all. She looked around and didn't see any workers readily available either. "Where are you hiding bridle? I just want to get this done and over with."

[Revy Hiroe]

It had been a while since Revy last saw Rosalind. She wanted to come more regularly, but the work in the mines was just so backbreaking she didn't had the energy to do so usually. However, today was a different story. She had hit a nice spot and it had became a lot easier to dig today, so she had plenty of energy to take her sungold out for a walk. Yet she couldn't show herself looking like a black woman to her horse. Nah, she had to wash herself first. So about a bell later, she showed up in the stables. It was already past the seventh bell now. Rosalind was not gonna be happy, being neglected for so long, but well... Revy couldn't help it. Perhaps her clothing would make the horse a little happy. She wore her all black leather clothes right now and it did look good. "Hope she'll forgive being left alone so long if I show up looking like this. I know she doesn't like my skirts at least. ", she thought to herself. After entering, she walked past a girl that was apparently nervous around horses. Hell... she was too at first. But thanks to Sayren that was a little less now. "Hey Rosa, how are you? I'm sorry for leaving you alone for this long, but I had to do work.", she said as she walked into the box. Rosalind did look at her as if she was blaming the human. "Yeah yeah, I know. I should have come earlier. Just bear with me ok? I've still got another dozen days to go ok? Afterwards I'll take you out for rides far more regularly.", she said as she put the blanket onto the back of the horse. With a bit of effort, helped along by her sungold, the mercenary got onto the back of her horse. "Let's take a walk outside for a bit. Go ahead and walk outside, ok?", she suggested. Of course as long as her horse was just walking, she could maintain her balance with effort. But a gallop.... yeah, she'd go flat on her back like back in Nyka. But as they walked past that girl, that seemed nervous before, Revy asked: "Rosa, could you wait for a bit?" Turning to the girl, she asked: "Hey, everything going ok?"

[Letixia Raigner]

Leti found herself digging through masses of leathers, shelves of equipment with mysterious purposes, and sighing in her frustration. She hadn't even made it onto the horse yet and her brow was sweating. After a a few chimes of total and utter failure, she heard a voice from behind her asking a question. Leti turned around to look at her, only to have another blow to her confidence rain down. A woman sitting upon a horse as if it was the easiest thing in the world asking if everything was okay. Leti started to open her mouth to respond, when her eyes fell on the bridles hanging from pegs just past the entryway she used to get in here. Immediately the exasperated frown inverted into a relieved smile. She walked over and grabbed one off the peg, "Sorry if I disturbed you, this is my first time working with a horse on my own, and I couldn't find this. But you still helped me find it! So thank you!" The squire was a bit more excited than she probably should've been, but perhaps her luck was beginning to turn. Without even continuing the conversation further she quickly made her way back to Igor's stall. She rubbed his snout beneath the eyes, and touched the bit to his lips as she'd been shown. He easily opened his mouth and she slipped it into the space between his teeth carefully, ensuring to not bump the large chompers. She then slipped the straps over one ear, then the other, adjusting them to ensure they fit. Leti then opened the door to his stall, keeping a good, solid grip on the reins. "Let's get you saddled up properly Ser Igor." She led him down the barn to the post where she'd been shown that some riders would saddle up. She slipped the reins through a hole in the post, and Igor, ever the good steed, simply stood there waiting. She grabbed one of the fur brushes and scrubbed down his back and sides with circular motions, patting him all the while. Leti then grabbed the pad, and placed it high on his back upon what was called the "withers". She smoothed it out and adorned it with the blanket as well. Soon the saddle followed, and the tightening of the various straps. He was now ready. She took the reins and set them on the saddle. Now came the hard part; climbing this mountain of beast in full armor without hurting himself or her. She'd seen some Knights leap up nearly effortlessly, but she wasn't near as confident as to try that. He was parked near the wall of another stall, so she used that to climb up bit, like a ladder. She was now immediately next to him, and tentatively stuck out a leg over his saddle. He was a fair distance away, and would require at least a little hop from her. She bent her remaining leg, and hopped off the wall and somehow landed in the saddle without falling off. She patted him on the neck and took the reins, "Good boy, thank you for hanging in there with me through that ordeal. Let's go on a bit of a walk around." She tapped him lightly on his sides with her heels, and he started forward, as she remembered to keep the reins slack to keep him straight. The grey and silvery pair exited the barn into the sunlight, Leti taking this time to get a view of the fields.

[Revy Hiroe]

This armored girl sure was... active, if not a little bit too much. Though apparently the woman had been of some help to her. Well, that was good enough. Perhaps now she could go for a long stroll with Rosalind. Tomorrow she was gonna take a day off, so it wouldn't matter how long she was going to be away. But she wasn't going to go too far from the city, just in case. "Come on Rosa, let's go. You want to stretch your legs properly right?", Revy asked her horse, which in turn snorted as she started to walk again. If only she had done her work in the mines the previous time she was in Syliras. Then she could have gone for strolls far more often. But she didn't do that, so now she was stuck to visiting her horse on the rare evenings she wasn't too tired, or busy exploring the city. Once they were out on the field, Rosalind didn't seem to want to dash of as she did back in winter. She did start to trot around, but kept an eye on Revy. The last time she just tumbled off the sungold's back and an embarrassing situation like that wasn't really in Rosa's prospect. What would the other horses think if they saw her letting her rider just drop off like that?

oocFeel free to engage a conversation with Revy. It should be apparent that she does have some degree of trouble with staying on the horse

[Letixia Raigner]

Leti and Igor meandered about the yard for a bit. The squire was fairly certain that she had mounting and walking the horse down fairly well, but wasn't really certain how to improve further. As the pair walked in a zigzagging path, Leti getting more and more used to the amount of pull the reigns needed in order to turn, she was watching other riders in the field for inspiration. At one far end, there were other squires racing their horses at full speed. She wasn't even sure how they managed to stay on at those speeds. She spotted the woman that had inadvertently helped her find the bridle and reins a fair ways away. Leti noticed something odd about them. The rider didn't appear to be doing anything wrong, as far as she could tell. But the horse was constantly looking back at the rider. Perhaps he was nervous, or something was wrong with his saddle that was making him uncomfortable. She didn't know what it was, but something was amiss. Leti decided to try to offer some form of a helping hand, not that she even could be much assistance. She tapped her heels against his sides, perhaps a bit harder than she meant. Igor started forward faster than she'd ever gone on a horse. Leti immediately began feeling nervousness welling up within her, and her instinct was to yank on the reins to slow him to a stop. 'Get out of your comfort zone, only then can you grow.' Leti sighed. Why was she always remembering these quotes from her patron at times like this? She decided to ride it out. It was only a trot, but it was a big step up from the ambling she was used to. She soon discovered that as the speed of the horse increased, she had to adjust how early she needed to tug at the reins to get him to turn, as well as how hard she had to tug. He also seemed to be bouncing a lot more, and it was making her rump numb from the vibrations. If this kept up, she would be incredibly bruised for days. She eventually managed to steer Igor over to the woman and her horse, yanking back in order to brake. "Hello again. I noticed from over there that your horse appears to be a bit distracted. Is everything okay him?"

[Estrellir Konrath]

Letixia Raigner

Skills
Withheld due to retirement

Lores
Withheld due to retirement

Other
Withheld due to retirement

Revy Hiroe

Skills
Observation +1
Riding +2

Lores
Socializing with Rosalind
Letixia: active squire
How to stay on a horse

Comments

Unfortunately a short thread, but still a nice start! Revy, I especially liked the interaction between you and Rosalind! If you’ve any questions or concerns, feel free to PM!

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