1st of Spring, 514 AV
The Windmount Stables
The excitement died down rather quickly. Sigrun had been twice as eager to pursue something for once in such a long, long time, but after just a few strides out of the Nettle District and up into the Maiden and Illythian districts, she found herself losing that productive emotion.
Petch, she thought, focusing upon the trickle of sweat upon her brow. What if she rejects me?
The place had been barren of other people apart from Serena and that one other dirty blonde fellow. They didn't seem to have that many other hands.
I wonder whom these flowers are from, though, she inspected the bouquet carefully. There was no note nor mention from Atta on whom she should say they were from. No card, no envelope, nothing. Perhaps Serena would know once she sees it.
By the time she reached the Windmount Stables, she could see the sandy-haired male riding a dark horse around the fenced in field. The horse had splashes of ivory fur all over his body and his hooves. It seemed fit to drag a wagon through the wilderness.
Sigrun chuckled. What did she know about horse strength.
Gingerly, she made her way into the property, her eyes watching the man on the horse, hoping he'd see her and give her a bit of instruction. He never looked her way, however, as he was far too focused on speaking to the horse. Training it, perhaps? The woman didn't know.
Shrugging to herself, she decided to inspect the barns where she had first saw the head of the stables. True enough, she was there, clad in muddy boots and high-waisted breeches, her hair a wild, enviable mess of curls. Perhaps that was why the horses loved her so much; she had a mane that demanded respect.
Sigrun could only wish for a head of hair like that. She closed in on Serena, the bouquet in tow. The auburn-haired woman turned to face her and smiled wryly, as if expecting to hear a proposal.
"Oh no- not from me," Sigrun waved her free hand at her, chuckling nervously.
"I just deliver them. I'm not sure who it's from. A secret admirer?"
"Ah, him again," Serena smiled bemusedly as she took the bouquet away, "you work for Atta down at the Nettle District?"
"I used to," Sigrun chewed on her lower lip, "I just did her one last favour."
"Huh! I see," Serena nodded, walking casually down the barn as she smelled the bouquet. The scent must not have pleased her, as she scrunched her nose and quickly placed the flowers on top of a barrel and turned to Sigrun.
"Come to see Julien, as well?" Serena smiled warmly. Sigrun had brought the horse a few days ago to have him stabled, as she had nowhere else to keep him. The young Zavian was restless and tired from the confusion that had occurred when they were meant to leave Syliras, but stayed instead. He was quickly relieved to find himself in a familiar place.
"Oh yes, please," Sigrun responded, allowing the woman to lead her towards Julien's pen.
The stocky Zavian greeted her with a sharp exhalation and a nudge of his snout. Sigrun chuckled, giving the horse a pet on the nose. At least he hadn't forgotten her.
"Hey there pal," she whispered softly, eyes looking up to meet the horse's.
"Been taking good care of him," Serena nodded, her arms folded as she leaned against a wooden pillar, "how'd you come up with the name Julien?"
The Zavian whinnied. Sigrun smiled and reached up to pet the horse's neck.
"It just came up, I suppose," she shrugged meekly, "I was on my way back from-- someplace, and I just thought of it. Thought it suited him."
"It does," Serena nodded, watching the stallion respond well to his owner.
"Where were you going?"
Sigrun paused for a moment, her gaze sinking towards the muddy floor. "Out, away."
"Oh," Serena looked concerned.
Sigrun looked up and gave the young woman a reassuring smile. "He's not ready for that sort of thing just yet, and neither am I."
"You should've told me," Serena grinned, nudging the young blonde's shoulder gently, "I would've given you a hand. Julien's primed for that sort of thing, I'll tell you."
"Really?" Sigrun's eyes widened slightly. She figured the horses they sold were unprepared for any lengthy travels.
"Yes!" Serena chuckled, inching closer to Sigrun and giving the Zavian a pet as well. "We make sure they're ready to ride before we sell them. We have younglings, but only the more experienced riders ask to see them, or those who are looking to give them as a gift."
"In the end, we never give them a hard time," Serena added with a touch of fondness, her eyes twinkling with a sentimentality that Sigrun could not place. She watched her regard Julien with so much affection, and assumed then that the look in her eyes was from seeing the horse grow up and grow strong, and from being such a huge part in the process.
"It must be amazing working with horses," Sigrun blurted out, still watching the auburn-haired woman.
"It is," the woman responded in a murmur.
"We have a few openings right now, if you're interested. Perhaps you could give it a go yourself."
Sigrun's eyes widened. She paused, jaw slackening at the prospect of it. Now, that wasn't so hard!
"W-Well-" she stumbled with her words, "I was going to ask..."
"You can start today," Serena gave Julien one last pat before turning towards the barn exit. Sigrun instinctively followed suit.
"What do I have to do?" Sigrun caught up with her just as she set foot outside. Serena led her towards a nearby silo.
"You'll get your hay in here," Serena presented a barnful of baled, light green hay. Sigrun's lip twitched. She had thought they would be a deep yellow.
"The farmers already bale them for us," she pointed out. The young blonde had no idea what that meant, but assumed it was a way of storing them.
"Just bring them into the horse's pens and they'll know what to do," Serena lifted up a cube-shaped bale the size of a small crate and gave it to Sigrun to hold.
"Touch it," she said. The young blonde ran her hands through the hay. It felt crisp, fresh, and warm. She could feel beads of seeds and leaves sprouting from the long stems.
"Remember to check if the hay isn't wet, mouldy, and too dry. You wouldn't want that," Serena put the bale down and turned towards a back room filled with sacks and buckets.
"What happens?" Sigrun finally found the courage to ask.
"Dampness will make the hay mouldy, and mould will give them breathing problems, lung problems," Serena picked up a bucket and held it out for the young blonde.
"As for too dry, well- it's just less nutritious for them."
"We like to feed them a mixed grains, as well," Serena pointed at the sacks.
"This shelf is for the sacks of shelled corn. This for the oats, and this for the wheat," she pointed at the three wooden shelves that lined one of the walls of the room.
Sigrun grabbed hold of the bucket in the brunette's hands and inspected it. She spotted a large wooden cup lying on the second shelf and questioned its presence. It wasn't long before she had the answer.
"You fill up a bucket with three cups of oats, two cups of shelled corn, and a cup of wheat. Mix 'em up in the bucket and feed it to them. One bucket per horse!"
"That is a lot of horses," Sigrun stared at the myriad of pails and buckets and cringed slightly.
"You're not alone-" Serena laughed, but steeled herself right after. She looked at Sigrun intently, as if to drink in her features and memorise it.
"I didn't catch your name, by the way. What was it?"
"Oh, I'm sorry- it's Sigrun."
"Great, well I'm Serena," she brought out her hand for a shake, which the young blonde gladly took, "though I'm assuming you already know that. I'm sure Ulliver must've told you."
"Yes, he did." So that's the blonde man's name.
"Anyway, we do a bit of a shift here with the feeding," Serena explained as she led the young blonde out of the silo, "some of the horses get hay on this day while some of the horses get mixed grains, and they switch on the next day."
"Oh, I see," Sigrun nodded as they went over to the barn once more.
"What are in the other barns over there?" she pointed towards the other two not too far off that were just as big as the one they were in.
"One for foals, and one for special horses," Serena winked at the mention of the latter. Sigrun gulped. There were more?
"Now now, don't fret. I'll leave you in charge of this barn, where the ready-for-sale, regular breeds are kept. It'll leave you with less trouble, since you're new."
"Regular?" Sigrun hadn't been aware of horses that weren't regular. Was there a kind that flew?
"Foals aren't easy to care for, or train- and yes, regular," Serena grinned.
"Come now, I'll give you a bit of a know how on grooming them, and maybe tell you a little more about the not so regular horses," she laughed.
The Windmount Stables
The excitement died down rather quickly. Sigrun had been twice as eager to pursue something for once in such a long, long time, but after just a few strides out of the Nettle District and up into the Maiden and Illythian districts, she found herself losing that productive emotion.
Petch, she thought, focusing upon the trickle of sweat upon her brow. What if she rejects me?
The place had been barren of other people apart from Serena and that one other dirty blonde fellow. They didn't seem to have that many other hands.
I wonder whom these flowers are from, though, she inspected the bouquet carefully. There was no note nor mention from Atta on whom she should say they were from. No card, no envelope, nothing. Perhaps Serena would know once she sees it.
By the time she reached the Windmount Stables, she could see the sandy-haired male riding a dark horse around the fenced in field. The horse had splashes of ivory fur all over his body and his hooves. It seemed fit to drag a wagon through the wilderness.
Sigrun chuckled. What did she know about horse strength.
Gingerly, she made her way into the property, her eyes watching the man on the horse, hoping he'd see her and give her a bit of instruction. He never looked her way, however, as he was far too focused on speaking to the horse. Training it, perhaps? The woman didn't know.
Shrugging to herself, she decided to inspect the barns where she had first saw the head of the stables. True enough, she was there, clad in muddy boots and high-waisted breeches, her hair a wild, enviable mess of curls. Perhaps that was why the horses loved her so much; she had a mane that demanded respect.
Sigrun could only wish for a head of hair like that. She closed in on Serena, the bouquet in tow. The auburn-haired woman turned to face her and smiled wryly, as if expecting to hear a proposal.
"Oh no- not from me," Sigrun waved her free hand at her, chuckling nervously.
"I just deliver them. I'm not sure who it's from. A secret admirer?"
"Ah, him again," Serena smiled bemusedly as she took the bouquet away, "you work for Atta down at the Nettle District?"
"I used to," Sigrun chewed on her lower lip, "I just did her one last favour."
"Huh! I see," Serena nodded, walking casually down the barn as she smelled the bouquet. The scent must not have pleased her, as she scrunched her nose and quickly placed the flowers on top of a barrel and turned to Sigrun.
"Come to see Julien, as well?" Serena smiled warmly. Sigrun had brought the horse a few days ago to have him stabled, as she had nowhere else to keep him. The young Zavian was restless and tired from the confusion that had occurred when they were meant to leave Syliras, but stayed instead. He was quickly relieved to find himself in a familiar place.
"Oh yes, please," Sigrun responded, allowing the woman to lead her towards Julien's pen.
The stocky Zavian greeted her with a sharp exhalation and a nudge of his snout. Sigrun chuckled, giving the horse a pet on the nose. At least he hadn't forgotten her.
"Hey there pal," she whispered softly, eyes looking up to meet the horse's.
"Been taking good care of him," Serena nodded, her arms folded as she leaned against a wooden pillar, "how'd you come up with the name Julien?"
The Zavian whinnied. Sigrun smiled and reached up to pet the horse's neck.
"It just came up, I suppose," she shrugged meekly, "I was on my way back from-- someplace, and I just thought of it. Thought it suited him."
"It does," Serena nodded, watching the stallion respond well to his owner.
"Where were you going?"
Sigrun paused for a moment, her gaze sinking towards the muddy floor. "Out, away."
"Oh," Serena looked concerned.
Sigrun looked up and gave the young woman a reassuring smile. "He's not ready for that sort of thing just yet, and neither am I."
"You should've told me," Serena grinned, nudging the young blonde's shoulder gently, "I would've given you a hand. Julien's primed for that sort of thing, I'll tell you."
"Really?" Sigrun's eyes widened slightly. She figured the horses they sold were unprepared for any lengthy travels.
"Yes!" Serena chuckled, inching closer to Sigrun and giving the Zavian a pet as well. "We make sure they're ready to ride before we sell them. We have younglings, but only the more experienced riders ask to see them, or those who are looking to give them as a gift."
"In the end, we never give them a hard time," Serena added with a touch of fondness, her eyes twinkling with a sentimentality that Sigrun could not place. She watched her regard Julien with so much affection, and assumed then that the look in her eyes was from seeing the horse grow up and grow strong, and from being such a huge part in the process.
"It must be amazing working with horses," Sigrun blurted out, still watching the auburn-haired woman.
"It is," the woman responded in a murmur.
"We have a few openings right now, if you're interested. Perhaps you could give it a go yourself."
Sigrun's eyes widened. She paused, jaw slackening at the prospect of it. Now, that wasn't so hard!
"W-Well-" she stumbled with her words, "I was going to ask..."
"You can start today," Serena gave Julien one last pat before turning towards the barn exit. Sigrun instinctively followed suit.
"What do I have to do?" Sigrun caught up with her just as she set foot outside. Serena led her towards a nearby silo.
"You'll get your hay in here," Serena presented a barnful of baled, light green hay. Sigrun's lip twitched. She had thought they would be a deep yellow.
"The farmers already bale them for us," she pointed out. The young blonde had no idea what that meant, but assumed it was a way of storing them.
"Just bring them into the horse's pens and they'll know what to do," Serena lifted up a cube-shaped bale the size of a small crate and gave it to Sigrun to hold.
"Touch it," she said. The young blonde ran her hands through the hay. It felt crisp, fresh, and warm. She could feel beads of seeds and leaves sprouting from the long stems.
"Remember to check if the hay isn't wet, mouldy, and too dry. You wouldn't want that," Serena put the bale down and turned towards a back room filled with sacks and buckets.
"What happens?" Sigrun finally found the courage to ask.
"Dampness will make the hay mouldy, and mould will give them breathing problems, lung problems," Serena picked up a bucket and held it out for the young blonde.
"As for too dry, well- it's just less nutritious for them."
"We like to feed them a mixed grains, as well," Serena pointed at the sacks.
"This shelf is for the sacks of shelled corn. This for the oats, and this for the wheat," she pointed at the three wooden shelves that lined one of the walls of the room.
Sigrun grabbed hold of the bucket in the brunette's hands and inspected it. She spotted a large wooden cup lying on the second shelf and questioned its presence. It wasn't long before she had the answer.
"You fill up a bucket with three cups of oats, two cups of shelled corn, and a cup of wheat. Mix 'em up in the bucket and feed it to them. One bucket per horse!"
"That is a lot of horses," Sigrun stared at the myriad of pails and buckets and cringed slightly.
"You're not alone-" Serena laughed, but steeled herself right after. She looked at Sigrun intently, as if to drink in her features and memorise it.
"I didn't catch your name, by the way. What was it?"
"Oh, I'm sorry- it's Sigrun."
"Great, well I'm Serena," she brought out her hand for a shake, which the young blonde gladly took, "though I'm assuming you already know that. I'm sure Ulliver must've told you."
"Yes, he did." So that's the blonde man's name.
"Anyway, we do a bit of a shift here with the feeding," Serena explained as she led the young blonde out of the silo, "some of the horses get hay on this day while some of the horses get mixed grains, and they switch on the next day."
"Oh, I see," Sigrun nodded as they went over to the barn once more.
"What are in the other barns over there?" she pointed towards the other two not too far off that were just as big as the one they were in.
"One for foals, and one for special horses," Serena winked at the mention of the latter. Sigrun gulped. There were more?
"Now now, don't fret. I'll leave you in charge of this barn, where the ready-for-sale, regular breeds are kept. It'll leave you with less trouble, since you're new."
"Regular?" Sigrun hadn't been aware of horses that weren't regular. Was there a kind that flew?
"Foals aren't easy to care for, or train- and yes, regular," Serena grinned.
"Come now, I'll give you a bit of a know how on grooming them, and maybe tell you a little more about the not so regular horses," she laughed.
