Solo See A Man About A Horse

[Rufio]

17th Winter 517AV
Endrykas, at noon

　　" Your terms, they are not good! Sa worth much more."

　　　　　　　　　　　　Rufio's freckles were wrinkled into a grimace as she argued brazenly in meek common. Syna hung high and hot, beating the merchants that hustled about as The Great Nomadic City made preparations to move. The portly merchant swayed before her, even in his white linen tunic, dusty and worn from the days he had now spent with Endrykas. He sighed and took off the linen cap he wore in an attempt to fend off the unseasonable heat. He rocked on his heels and wiped at his brow and hairless head with a handkerchief.

　　　　　　His dark eyes glanced at the tiny, yet imposing, drykas woman standing square-footed before him and the Zavian-mix mare grazing just behind her. He took a deep breath, as if about to poke a sleeping bear. "Look, lass, I would like nothing more than to offer you more mizas for your pony—"

　　Little as she was, reaching up only to the merchant's shoulder, the drykas let hot insult lick a scowl into her freckles and tossed her dark, long dreaded mane over her shoulder as she took a step closer to the foreigner, invading his personal space as she hissed. "Sa ees no pony. Is foal of strider and Zavian breed. Is hard to work, pull the wagon, strong, brave and fast—faster than pony you bring." She enunciated with teeth almost bared and the merchant fancied he saw a wolf's visage flicker under the woman's dusky skin. Must be the heat he chided himself.

　　　　　　The merchant drew himself to his full height and lifted his chin, standing his ground. "Lass, I have been in the business of trading livestock, produce, wine, and all manner of goods—to be told the worth of my stock by the likes of—" The merchant's little eyes flickered to the burly warrior that was standing outside a pavilion not too far off, just out of earshot, but close enough. Close enough to hear tensions rise that piqued his interest. Stirring from the post he was leaning against, the scowling Ra'athi unfolded his arms from across his barrel chest and cocked an ear toward the duo with dark watchful eyes. "—of. Of—" The merchant faltered, distracted.

Rufio noticed too. Quickly, working with the distraction, the Stormblood drew even closer to the merchant so that her wrapped breasts almost touched the man, almost tip-toeing, and bared her teeth again the way she had seen grizzly Watchmen do when they were hungry and tired and grumbling with their brothers. "You pay fair price." She demanded, Shiber as well as Pavi tinging her Common now, making mongrel her accent as she growled. "Or I set vex on you."

　　　　　　The merchant peered at the drykas woman down his nose and scoffed, rolling his eyes. He muttered something about 'superstitious nonsense', but cast the warrior off the ways a nervous glance and then sighed exaggeratedly. "Alright! Alright! I'll not have the competition saying that I do not pay fair prices." It irked him that the little freckled woman seemed to quiver with her glee.
"I ask two hundred gold." She said.
The merchant spluttered and now was the one to wear a scowl. "You said fair!"
The Stormblood fortune-teller chuckled and shrugged her shoulders, waving some drykas grass-sign nonchalantly. She was joking, he realised too late.

　　　　　　　　　　　　The merchant took a deep breath and looked up at Syna, noon high, praying to any gods that were listening for perseverance and patience. Sweat was beading on his forehead, dripping down his face in small rivulets and collecting in pools at the base of his neck where it soaked into his tunic.

　　　　　　It was then that he cast his assessing gaze down the drykas' loose, faded green linen pants, her well-worn sandals, barely held together by the creaking leather, her locks wrapped in a raggedy mustard scarf , and her dusky complexion hidden only by a breast-wrap, mostly revealed to whatever gestures of kindness Zulrav saw fit to whisk across the grass-sea denizens. No wonder she was staying so cool.

　　　　　　Then when he looked back to her face, all fire and brimstone, he sighed to himself. Syna had nothing on a spirit fierce as that.

"Alright, let's say Sixty."
"Seventy." Rufio pouted.
"Sixty-five." The merchant countered, and was surprised to find himself smiling at her excited squeak of triumph as she signed her agreement on the settled price.

　　　He decided to forgive her her aggressive haggling tactis then. Besides, now it was his turn to drive a hard bargain, as his part of the trade. He almost rubbed his hands with anticipation as they turned toward the horses tethered and grazing in a small grassy clearing between the merchant wagons and neighbour pavilions.
　

[Rufio]

　

　　　　　 Rufio wish she had brought Asher. Asher would know whether the seme standing in front of her with the midnight coat and white mane was as strong and healthy as the pavilion needed. Rufio wanted to do this on her own, though, a gift to the pavilion, a way of her saying 'I am a strong member of this family'. Not like Lodai, not as knowledgeable and faihful as Asher, as maternal as Jasmine, nor as talented as Taurina. Ixzo, her warrior, her protector, her sister, was gone...It was time to grow stronger, stand on her own two feet.

　　　　　The seme stallion that stood in front of her was a massive 20 hands high at the withers with a coat a deep cocoa brown and a mane and tail a dusty white. A gentle giant who stood patiently while the short drykas woman ran her hands along his thickening Fall coat as she looked over him. The Stormblood didn't really know what she was looking out for but she had seen Asher measure the health of a horse by touch like this.

　　　　　Rufio's brow was furrowed as her thoughts hummed. She noted the way his flesh felt plump and his coat was soft and thick. That was good, he had a layer of fat insulating all that muscle, whichshe deduced meant the stallion was well-fed. When she reached his thick, arched neck, the woman grabbed handfuls of his mane and squeezed the strands, running her hands down the long, rough length. Course, as was all horse hair, but not dry or brittle. That was a sign of good health too, Rufio noted as she thought of her strider and the way his locks felt in her hands. Next she ran her hands gently down his legs and leaned down to inspect the hooves. No splits or cracks that she could see. She wondered if she should try to get the stallion to pick up his feet and let her peer under but the idea made her anxious. She hadn't the same animal husbandry skills as Asher to know how to make a horse do that.

　　　　　　　　　　The merchant watched patiently at a respectable ten paces off. At first sober as he considered all the ways this particular stock's health had given him some jip along the way to Endrykas. He waited for the drykas to pick up on the way his hooves were worn down and dreaded the moment the woman looked in the horse's mouth where she would see just how old the stallion was. Beyond his prime. "A faithful draft-horse. Steady as they come." The merchant proclaimed. Rufio glanced up at the man with a frown. Then she stepped back from the horse and took the stallion in.

"How old is he?" She asked, and the merchant sucked in a silent breath, letting words spill in his exhale in a way that sounded bored. As if Rufio was asking after inconsequential details.
"Oh, he's out of his wile youth, I'd say, but he's experienced, and that makes him steady." He waggled his finger knowingly, and had Rufio nearly convinced, even if she did not like his patronizing gesture. Sucking on the inside of her cheek as nerves roiled in the pit of her stomach.
"Much cost?" She inquired.
The merchant beamed, as he reamed off his well-rehearsed reply. "As you are trading me a fine mare there, for you he is one fifty gold mizas." That smile and that twinkle in his eyes was a little too warm, Rufio thought.

The fortune-teller looked at the stallion, who had returned to grazing again. Zulrav whisked a light breeze through the grasslands which prickled up her neck. Her brow furrowed deeper as she frowned. Something did not feel right.
"Let me see his feet." She gestured, was she being overly cautious?

　　　　　　　　　　The merchant couldn't hide the frown that flickered through his features before tugging on the well-worn merchant smile he wore for his customers. "Ah, yes, of course." The merchant waved a hand and his assistant, a younger, lankier fellow with scruffy, dirty-blonde short hair and browned shoulders, stepped forward to lift the stallion's front right hoof. Rufio's curious ochre gaze took in the way the man brushed his hands down the stallion's leg, then squeezed gently at his heel and the stallion hefted up his big hoof. The Stormblood thought she would practice that later with Loha, her strider, and wondered at her horse's intuition. He always lifted his feet for her, with a rap on his foot and a frustrated tug if he didn't lift his hooves.

　　　　　Rufio wondered if horses had opinions of their riders. Loha probably thought she was a ridiculous drykas, she knew so little about caring for her animals. Pink flushed under her freckles and she was glad for Syna's heat to hide it. Stepping forward, the drykas peered at the seme's under hoof and mused a chime. Things looked alright. The woman flickered her gaze to the assistant holding the seme's foot patiently. Her gaze took in the young man's features, to which he grinned. The fortune-teller noticed that the corners of his eyes creased lightly then. Not a genuine smile, she thought. She looked at the stallion's hoof, the assistant's eyes followed and when the man's eyes were off her, the fortune-teller quickly glanced back at his face. Aha, a frown of concern dappled his smile like a shadow that passed over the Syna kissed grasses when a cloud slunk by. Not a good sign. Rufio straightened up, and the assistant put the stallion's hoof down.

　　　　　　　　　　"A good draft horse, our steadiest in fact. Nothing would spook him, not even a horde of glassbeaks I'd say." The merchant babbled on confidently, chuckling, and turning as he gestured to a lean-to. "Shall we get out of Syna's light and make our trade offish-?" He faltered mid-suggestion. His quarry was distracted. The small drykas woman was gazing out at his modest herd with a furrowed brow and thoughts churning behind those ochre eyes, Syna wrapping a warm light about her, making her dusky complexion glow subtly. He danced his eyes between her and the herd and thought she looked like she was trying to see the spirits of his horses.

It made him subtly uneasy, despite his skepticism.

　

[Rufio]

　

　　　　　　　　　　" Well, shall we-"
　　　　"How much for that one?"
　　Rufio cut him off, as she pointed loosely into the herd.
　　　　　　　The merchant faltered as he squinted to see which of his stock the Stormblood was speaking about. Then he almost blew a raspberry like the horses did when he saw which horse she meant. "The mare?" He blustered, and then grumbled, "Oh she's out of your price range. Excellent stock, though." nearly to himself.

　　　　　　　　　　Rufio puffed out a breath through her nose and strode out into the grassy clearing between the horses. The merchant glanced at his assistant, who shrugged, before grumbling about drykas and trodded after her. As Rufio sauntered through the herd, she gazed at the mare, drinking her in. The way the seme stood and the lay of her hips, the fullness of her coat, a deep midnight black, and the fullness of her mane and tail, which were a deep cocoa. It was her face, though that had Rufio intrigued, a mask of white covered her forehead down to her nose. Like a crescent moon shining softly in the inky night. Rufio smiled as the mare turned her broad head to peer at her admirer. "Hello" beauty Rufio breathed in pavi, hands swaying with gentle sign.

　　　　　　　　　　The merchant caught up to her, a little out of breath and wiped his head with his handkerchief as he addressed her. "A beautiful mare, you have a good eye, lass." He beamed, and then he shook his head kindly. "But as I say, out of your price range."
Rufio felt her nose wrinkle as she heard the man repeat his words and turned to face him with the same sense of fight she had held before while they haggled about her Zavian mare.
"How much?" Repeating herself as well.
The merchant muttered something in common she did not catch about stubborn horse-lords. He rolled back his shoulders and waved dismissively. "Two hundred gold. As I say, too expensive for-"
"I take." Rufio's hands flashed in grass-sign which invited no doubt.

　　　　　　　　　　The merchant sucked in a breath of surprise and shook his head. "But lass, that is far more than you said you were willing to pay when you approached me." The man's thoughts danced with the image of the dark, gruff warrior that had been watchful those chimes ago. He had never met the Stormblood ankal, nor did he want an angry drykas horse lord chasing him down to make him pay this odd woman back when he found out she had spent the pavilion gold. "Are you sure you would not like to see one of my other horses. I have many more suited to your purse-"

　　　　　"No. I take." Rufio was smiling now, she had a good feeling about this mare. The reminder of Leth in her thoughts stirred up a feeling of contentment and warmth. The way that the Ethaefal living among them in the Stormbloods seemed to conjure in her whenever the child of Leth was around. This was the right seme for the pavilion. Heedless to the irrational of her superstition, and her coin purse, Rufio began to count on her fingers how much she would owe the merchant after deducting the agreed price on her Zavian. "Sixty five, is...is...forty-five...one hundred..."

　　　　　　　　　The merchant looked at the seme and then at the drykas woman already counting what she would pay and then the Zavian mare being tended to by his assistant which she had brought to trade. When he looked back at the woman and the seme again, he sighed, and offered. "One hundred thirty five. And you promise me that no ankal will show up on my doorstep demanding his money back."

Rufio hissed and waved sign at him as she made her way over to the wooden table set up for trading coin. "No fear, walahk, I bring mizas. You get good, bigger than you want."
"Yes...that's what I'm afraid of." He muttered.
Rufio missed his words, busy weighing out her gold, stacking the saved up coins it on the table—135 gold and a zavian into the trade.

Rufio took a moment to say goodbye to the spirited mare with the cocoa coat and white-spotted rump. Telling her how she had been a good draft horse, the best, and how Rufio would miss her, while the mare nickered to her, chattering. "You'll be off on adventures now and see lands beyond the grass-sea, Sa." Rufio grinned, patting the mare a last time in farewell.

　　　　　　　Turning, she found the merchant double-counting her coin, while the assistant untethered the seme and brought the horse to her in a simple rope halter. Rufio took the rope and unraveled it from the mare's head, tsking as she handed it back to the assistant. "No need this." Though the small, freckled drykas gladly accepted the assistant's help as he clasped his hands for her to put her sandal-clad foot into and boosted her up onto the 18 hands high draft horse. Gratitude danced in Rufio's hands once she had settled herself behind the mare's broad withers.

　　　　　　　　　　　An excited smile slipped along her lips, Rufio had never bought or traded for her own horse before. The feeling lit a spark of excitment in her chest and she felt it quiver through her. Wanting to be moving already, trade dusted and done, she bid the merchant a good day, the drykas grabbed a handful of the mare's thick, dark mane. Squeezing her thighs against the seme's barrelled flanks, she steered the horse into the wide open spaces between the pavilions and towards the outskirts of the tented city and angled them towards the Diamond Clan spoke in the great roaming camp wheel that was Endrykas.

　　　　"What shall your new name be?" Rufio mused in pavi, as the seme trotted a steady gait, breaths huffing from within her deep chest happily. Rufio sighed with relief as the pace whisked up a breeze enough to cool her sweat-licked skin. It was decided—"I'll call you Tohx.".

Rufio chuckled quietly to herself, knowing Lodai might roll his eyes and poke fun at her later, for her habit of giving livestock unusual names.
　

[Anuk]

S E L F G R A D E


XP

Intimidation +1
Observation +2
Negotiation +2
Socialization +1
Horsemanship +1
Intelligence +1
Mathematics +1
Riding: Horse +1

Lores

Intimidation: Invade their space
Intimidation: Making subtle threats
Horsemanship: Discerning a horse's health by its coat, mane & hooves
Intelligence: Watch facial expressions to suss out dishonesty
Negotiation: Not budging on what you want
Rufio: Excitement of a first-time horse trade

Penalties

-Zavian mare
-135GM

Rewards

+Seme mare