Closed Sand, Sea, and Steed

[Eleret]

Fall 63, 512 AV early afternoon The shoreline stretched away into the distance, white sand baked dry by the noontime sun. A gull's plaintive cry carried from the distance, fading into an ephemeral silence soon broken by the squabbling of more of its ilk. The wind from the sea blew cooler than it had in days past, reason enough for Eleret to be wearing her cloak over the rest of her attire, all in green and brown. The breeze tugged at that garment's hem, but stirred it relatively little; the Konti's movement agitated the cloth rather more as she walked down the beach, staying well above the tideline. This wasn't any of Eleret's usual haunts, but the coast on the other side of the ferry from Mura, which she had only set foot on a few times before. If Eleret thought about it, she could probably count them all out. For now, though, she continued walking, following a line of footprints in the sand -- two parallel lines, technically, but made by a single animal. The round dimples made by a creature without toes, successive marks spaced more closely than she had expected to find, given the length of a horse's legs. They led her up away from the beach to a stretch of saltgrass which wasn't actually much different from the open sand; it had the distinction of being a bit firmer, thanks to the clinging roots of the grasses. Beyond the grasses was the road, a broad belt of dirt packed so firmly down by feet, hooves, and wagon wheels that not even that tenacious grass had had much success setting root into it. On Eleret's left lay the ferry dock, some distance away but still in clear view; ahead of her lay the stables at which visitors to the Isle boarded their horses. Some were out standing, walking, being ridden; doing those things that horses did, and which Eleret herself had little knowledge of -- distressingly little, as she came to realize this lack. She was looking to meet up with one visitor in particular, but found as she approached that the easiest things to spot were the horses themselves -- and she had no real idea what Sybel's mount looked like. On the other hand, Sybel faced no such issue. fee-1 GM for ferry to mainland (and back)

[Sybel]

The voyage to the mainland had been less than pleasant. Anyone who came to know her quickly realized that Sybel and sea-travel did not mesh. At all. For a woman who enjoyed the ocean in all of its vast splendor, she couldn’t stand to sail upon it. Swim in it? Sure. Walk along it? Why of course. But when her feet were firmly planted on deck, the Benshira’s upper half was usually over the side, violently retching. The constant rocking motion put a weakness into her stomach like nothing else could. This was an incredibly embarrassing fact of her life. Therefore she endeavored to go this one alone, lest Eleret come to understand that characteristic in an all-too-personal a way.

This ship in particular was shaped like a sea turtle, with cheerful green and white striped sails. It did nothing to improve her appetite, but at least it looked nice. Sybel could usually find the silver lining amongst the dark clouds, but in this case it took some doing; especially when she felt as green as the booming canvas above. The little vessel knifed through the water, approaching the coast. It’d been a long journey, and a tiring one… But Bel would do just about anything for a friend. Eleret wanted some riding experience, and she would be happy to instruct. It wasn’t as if it could be that hard. Unless you encountered a low-hanging branch. Or a stone. For that matter, anything. It dawned on her that this would be harder than she thought. Bel’s look suddenly became tragic.

At long last, after what seemed like days of agony, she arrived at the shore. Since there was an excess of time to kill, she got the last of her vomiting out of the way and strode shakily off deck. The welcome stillness of the earth helped her roiling stomach quiet down. Vaguely she wondered if it was too strange to curl up on the grass next to the stable and nap. It was how she felt. The idea of riding a horse was none too appealing, so it was best that they’d taken different ships. Upon reflection, the desert woman knew it must have seemed strange when she insisted they leave at separate times. But Eleret was far more insightful than even she gave her credit for. Perhaps the Konti had added it all up.

Cursing Laviku in silence, she leaned against the edge of the squat wooden stable and closed her eyes. Mere minutes passed before she drifted off. Her breathing was a deep, steady beat until it because light snoring. One of the stable hands took notice of her little siesta and decided it would be funny to wake her. Not in the conventional way either. But in the loud pots and pans kind of way. It sent her flying into a ten minute tirade about inconsiderate young stable boys who didn’t seem to desire a tip. When it seemed she had run out of breath, she smoothed the front of her cloak indignantly and strolled back toward the dock, in the hopes her friend may have arrived.

Before she could even manage half the walk, she spotted her scaled cohort, scrutinizing the various horses that clopped along. “Eleret!” She called with grin, hoping not to startle her. “Over here.”

[Eleret]

There was a black horse, and several brown ones, and a small one splotched in white and brown that Eleret thought rather fetching; but aside from the most obvious differences, they really all looked much the same to her untutored eye. She knew that some people put great stock in one breed or another, that different breeds were supposed to do different things, but couldn't fathom what horse was what kind, or what kind a traveler would want. Fortunately, and much to her relief, a familiar voice hailed Eleret; she wouldn't have to search for Sybel or the Benshira woman's horse. She had only to turn around and look for the speaker. Spotting Sybel readily enough, Eleret raised one hand in a brief wave, smiling at her friend as she made to cross the distance between them. "It is good," she said as she approached the woman. "I was not sure where to start looking for you." The Konti came to a halt, tilting her head slightly as she considered the scents this proximity brought to her awareness -- the sweet aroma of honey, accompanied by warm sand and something else, sharply sour, though that last was fading rapidly. Some recent annoyance, she judged, but probably not involving Eleret herself. "You are well?" she asked, both for politeness' sake and honest interest. Eleret turned her head slightly to watch a horse and rider trot past, heading down the road proper. "I realized, here, I do not know anything about your horse. Except its name. There are different breeds, yes? As with dogs." Dogs, she knew more about -- all of the White Isle knew the Ivaski, important to the Opal Order as they were, but other breeds were also seen in Mura, while horses rarely were. After all, what good was a horse to one who lived in a city half underwater?

[Sybel]

Eleret held one hand aloft, waving to her cohort. "It is good," she said by way of greeting, the two women closing the distance standing between. Her smiling face was a welcome improvement to any given day. The Konti had an easy way about her that the Sybel appreciated very much, given Mura’s formal atmosphere. It was a beautiful place to visit, but as the season wore on it became apparent she needed a change of pace. The trip to the mainland was not only welcome; it was in fact, necessary. Just the difference in environment alone provided a comfort she’d nearly forgotten. "I was not sure where to start looking for you." That was to be expected, the Benshira thought with a grin. Eleret more than likely felt out of place, and they hadn’t discussed a formal plan of action. "You are well?"

“I am,” she responded brightly. “Well, now I am anyway. I’ve found that stable hands the world over share a pointed lack of consideration.” Dramatically, the woman rolled her eyes. “And you?” Her expression shifted to thoughtfulness. “I take it the trip went smoothly?” While she asked, her mind began organizing Eleret’s foray into the wonderful world of horseback riding. There was some detail that went into the process of knowing your tack, saddling the horse and then maintaining control. It was too much to take in all at once, so Sybel resolved to start with the actual riding process and then take it from there.

"I realized, here, I do not know anything about your horse. Except its name. There are different breeds, yes? As with dogs." That was as good of a starting point as any. Sybel nodded seriously. “You have the right of it. Follow me,” she gestured toward the squat hay strewn stable behind her. With a brisk stride she walked into a stall, and led out her sleek chestnut steed. Eplah gave a contended little noise, nuzzling her shoulder. “For our convenience, I won’t overwhelm you with the mechanics of tack. We’ll start with the simple act of riding.” Stopping short, she motioned for Eleret to wait.

Sybel looked her mount over briefly, checking for sores or any other potential irritations. Once she was certain it was clean, with some effort she hoisted the saddle atop its back. Making haste she checked both sides, fastened the cinch, did up the straps and helped it settle. The whole process ate up half a bell. At several intervals she smiled apologetically back at her companion. It was tedious but a necessary evil. At long last she was adequately prepped and ready to begin the lesson. “Okay,” she spoke at long last, mopping her brow. “We’ll start over at the beginning of the trail.” With the horse in the tow she moved to dusty path.

“So!” She exclaimed, smacking her palms together. “Are you ready to begin?”

[Eleret]

Eleret chuckled softly as Sybel confirmed well-being and deplored stablehands in the same breath. She inclined her head in response to the woman's following question. "Yes. It was not much different from before," she replied. Though the most recent 'before' had been some years past. The Konti noticed that Sybel seemed preoccupied with something, but before she could decide whether to inquire, the woman put her plan into action and strode into the stable, gesturing for the other to follow. Curious, Eleret walked after, entering the stable with its concentrated aroma of horse and dry grass. She stood out of the way as Sybel brought Eplah out of the stall, and watched the woman examine the horse closely, though for what the Konti didn't know. "What breed is Eplah?" she asked, continuing in the vein of her prior question while Sybel went through the process of strapping things -- presumably tack -- on the horse. For her part, Eleret noted as much as she could of the process. "'Tack' is...?" she prompted, looking for an introduction to the parts and pieces. But maybe Sybel intended that to happen later. Eleret followed woman and horse outside, coming to stand beside the woman when they stopped. She looked over at Bel's prompt, and smiled a little, not quite certain about ready but willing to go ahead and try. "It is good," she said, looking up at the bulk of the horse and then back to Sybel. "How do I start?" she asked, because practically everything had 'best methods' -- and the Konti didn't have the first idea what those were for horses.

[Sybel]

"Yes. It was not much different from before," Eleret replied placidly. Of course, possessing the Konti affinity toward water, her answer could have been guessed at. Still, Sybel had resolved long ago to be unfailingly polite in the face of her own personal irreverence. As they entered the stable, it seemed the young seer was eager to begin, eyeing the sleek almond-colored steed with obvious interest. "What breed is Eplah?" She inquired softly, having already asked. Feeling somewhat rude, Sybel smiled at her. “Yes, sorry.” Her apology was hasty but sincere. “Eplah is an what we call an Eyktolian Desertbred - a sleek desert-dwelling mount. Her fine coat is designed to cope with both sweltering heat and inordinate amounts of dirt.” Smiling at the beast, she continued. “You were right as well – many breeds of horses exist like the different breeds of dogs. They vary from region to region, depending on the climate and terrain.” It was a working explanation, at least. “They’re sort of like humans in that respect. Different in some ways, but fundamentally the same in others.”

"'Tack' is...?" The woman trailed, looking to learn some of the more technical aspects she was clearly glossing over. “Tack is a catch-all term for the things we use to ride the horse. The saddle, the reins, that sort of thing.” As she mentioned the items, she had the grace to indicate each piece. “I wanted you to get the feel for riding today. Afterward we can have something to eat and discuss tack at greater length, if you wish.” Sybel threw the suggestion out there with a small smile. “Is that alright?” This lesson was completely for her benefit – if the Konti wished to re-structure some of it, that was completely fine by her.

"It is good," Eleret replied, only vaguely touched with wariness. "How do I start?" Sybel realized she’d let the poor girl get ahead of them. The Benshira was no instructor. That much was obvious. Taking a deep breath, she decided to begin from the most obvious place; teaching her how to mount safely. “So, to mount the horse you’ll place your foot in the stirrup and swing your leg over the other side. Since you’re new – and also because it’s a better way overall – we’ll use a mounting block,” she inclined her head toward the solid looking, wooden step that sat against the wall. “I’ll be holding her head for the first few times, so she doesn’t get agitated.” Looking toward her scaled counterpart, she attempted to appear reassuring.

“You’re going to be a little nervous and the horse will sense that. There isn’t any need to be afraid though. You’ll be just fine.” Sybel ran her hand down the length of Eplah’s neck. “She’s become sweet in her dotage.” As if on cue, it whickered somewhat irritably. “You’re too smart for you own good…” She murmured, being fully aware she was talking to her horse. Their relationship was somewhat eccentric, given the fact the animal understood what was going on in appearance only. Scooting the miniature staircase to the near side of the mare, Sybel took a step back and began to stroke her muzzle.

“Whenever you’re ready, go ahead and give it a try.”

[Eleret]

Eyktolian Desertbred. Eleret looked at the horse, holding the phrase in mind; she studied Eplah's build and coloring, glancing to some of the horses in other stalls as if to determine the differences between she and they. She wasn't sure she came away with any that actually defined the breed, but those distinctions she could learn later. On that note -- "It can be later," the Konti agreed with a nod, as Sybel outlined where the subject of tack fit into her lesson plan. "I wanted to be sure I know what it meant, here," she added with a bit of a wry smile. "So 'tack' is all things the horse wears." Saddle and reins, she knew; the technical category, she now had to go with those words. Eleret followed Sybel and the horse over to the wooden block. That at least was straightforward enough. "It matters which side?" she asked, in a combination of curiosity for future reference -- they had only one option here, but even she knew there wouldn't always be a wall's constraint when mounting -- and the nerves Bel had mentioned. The horse hadn't seemed nearly so big when the Konti wasn't planning to ride it herself... Eleret took a moment to consider the stirrup and saddle with a critical eye -- not in critique, but considering how she had seen others mount, and envisioning how she would do so herself. Left foot there, hands braced so, and then right foot over... presumably to the stirrup on the other side. Simple enough. She set about turning vision into action -- hands up, foot up, a boost to bring her whole body up and swing her other leg over -- and found herself momentarily stymied in the last step, as she had to lift her leg even higher than she'd first thought. Eleret dropped her right foot back down, sparing a moment's gratitude for Sybel's steadying the horse, then tried again. The second time, she got herself into the saddle, albeit with a bit of a scramble rather than any semblance of grace -- but what else could be expected for one's first go? In getting herself all the way up on the horse, the Konti had to pull her foot out of the stirrup; hands instinctively clinging to the base of Eplah's mane, Eleret afterwards leaned out to one side and looked down at her own foot, still angled towards the stirrup but now not quite reaching it -- on either side. "I think I am too small for your 'tack'," the Konti remarked, flashing a smile towards Sybel which evidenced good humor at the mismatch.

[Sybel]

Eleret scanned the beast, taking note of various detail. Sybel hadn’t quite discerned each physical attribute that set Eplah apart from other breeds, but it seemed her student got the gist. "It can be later," the Konti agreed. There wasn’t too much to learn about tack beyond assembling it. It’d be more prudent to teach her to ride, first. "I wanted to be sure I know what it meant, here," she grinned. Sybel responded in kind. Ellie was always remarkably good-humored. "So 'tack' is all things the horse wears." The Benshira nodded. That was one way of putting it.

She took in the new information for a moment, glancing between her instructor and the horse. "It matters which side?" That was a natural question. “Not in particular,” she replied. “Though most people mount from the near side.” In a pressured situation it was good to know how to mount from nearly any direction. Sometimes mere seconds made the difference. Eleret readied herself, looking over the obstacle set in front of her. Seeing the resolve strengthen in her companion’s eyes, she held Eplah steady. It was nearly a success from the start. Ellie misjudged the height of the creature however and froze, being forced to drop her leg back and try again.

Teaching was not something you just woke up and did, apparently. “I’m sorry, I should have told you…” If she weren’t holding the horse she would have palmed her forehead. “The idea is not to hoist with your arms but spring with your legs. Once you’ve balanced on the horse, let go of the saddle with your right hand and grab the reins.” It would have been better to mention it ahead of time. Then again, learning by practice helped cement the technique in mind. That was the only consolation she could offer her young friend.

When Eleret grasped the horse’s mane, it glowered at its owner. Her steed bared her teeth in irritation. “Don’t bite me,” she chastised. “She’s new.” Her quiet urging relaxed it to an extent. “Try not to do that so tightly,” Sybel said to the novice rider. "I think I am too small for your 'tack'," she said with a hint of amusement, looking toward the stirrup hanging beyond her leg’s reach. “They’re adjustable,” she supplied brightly. Sybel quickly went about shortening them on either side of the saddle, until they were at ankle length.

“Alright.” She said softly, wiping her brow. “I’m going to lead her out by the reins, then talk you through walking her about the yard. Very simple.” That was the logical beginning. Slowly she guided the two of them out of the stable, into the light of day. It was a few ticks before they stood in open space. The Benshira handed the reins to her ivory companion. “Okay. So we’re just going to walk in a line for you to get comfortable with the action. When the horse moves, try to move with it. Keep your back straight and look ahead.” She took a step back.

“To move forward, squeeze with your calves. Don’t worry about being too light with the pressure. She’ll get the hint. You can stop with the reins. Saying ‘whoa’ works just as well, so long as you mean it. Give it a go.” She watched the scene, ready to intervene if necessary.

[Eleret]

Teaching was definitely something one didn't just wake up and do. From the near side, Sybel said, and after she had dealt with the task of getting on the horse, that phrase came back to raise questions in Eleret's mind. "From the near side," she echoed, sounding just as mystified as she felt. "I do not know how I could do from the other side..." As equestrian jargon went, the meaning of that one was decidedly not self-evident. She eased her grip on Eplah's mane just as soon as she felt a little more securely settled on the horse's back. "Yes. Sorry," Eleret said to Eplah, though she didn't lean forward to do so; she didn't feel that secure. Sybel fixing the stirrups to where she could reach them helped; the Konti carefully looked down again and tucked her feet into the adjusted holders. Eleret nodded to Sybel as she laid out the guidelines and agenda. She belatedly moved her grip to the reins, taking them up from where they lay across the Desertbred's neck; she felt a bit less secure holding on to them, as the reins didn't seem like they'd help one whit if she lost balance, but reins were what a rider held. Besides, she wasn't going to fall off ...right? Walk in a line. Back straight. Squeeze to go forward. Stop with the reins. The Konti noted each instruction as Sybel said it, then reviewed the entire checklist in her mind twice over. At the end, she nodded slightly to herself, then incrementally pressed her legs in until Eplah started to walk. For all that she'd been aiming for that reaction, the horse's motion caught her by surprise; Eleret wobbled a bit, and reflexively started to reach for a more secure grip than the thin strip of leather she was holding. The reflex was aborted before she even let go of the reins, and she reminded herself to focus on her list. Back straight. Look ahead. Try to move with the horse. The first two were easy enough, needing no more than a check and adjustment of her posture. The third, Eleret thought, would take her rather longer to get the hang of. For now, she focused her attention on learning the horse's motions. She could feel each step in the way the muscles moved beneath her -- left rear, left fore, right rear, right fore. Left rear, left fore, right rear, right fore. The progression resulted in a gentle rocking for the rider; she wasn't sure yet how much to move with it, or what that should even particularly entail, but she did spare some effort to making sure she wasn't moving against it. As best she could, anyway. Back straight, look ahead, move with...

[Sybel]

Sybel’s eyes narrowed a bit, mostly out of irritation with herself. She was going too fast for the poor woman. In her mind, all people were practically raised atop a horse. That was the only mode of travel for a human. But Eleret was not a human, which took reminding. She was a Konti, and the only other Konti she’d ever been close to also happened to be a Drykas. Konti were creatures of the sea. Horsemanship was akin to another language.

”I’m sorry,” she sighed. ”The near side of a horse is the left side. Hastily, she qualified the statement. ”From the back, that is. Not the front.” Teaching really was a challenge. Sybel had never been forced to explain herself. The whole scenario felt foreign, unknown. And poor Eleret was tense to begin with. There was something daunting about a four-legged creature that was taller than you. Especially if you’d never ridden one before.

The Konti’s fingers unraveled from Eplah’s mane, to which she received a grateful whicker. Sybel smiled reassuringly. ”It’s okay, she’s just a bit sensitive.” The creature had boasted only a single rider for over nine years. Any other rider would prove quite a change, especially one so inexperienced. The Benshira watched as her words sank in. She could only offer advice at this point. It came down to trial and error.

”You won’t fall off,” she breathed lightly. ”If you sit as far back as you can without slouching, you’ll feel a bit more stable.” Leaning forward could only lead to flying face first into the nearest bush. It would be a tad scarring, were that to happen. She took incremental steps back as her student nudged the animal forward.

Bel nearly had a heart attack as she watched the pallid young woman wobble in her seat. Luckily, she did not complete diving toward the reins. Talk about the day running away with you. Literally. Instead, she seemed to pacify herself. ”Just breathe,” she coached. ”It’ll be hard at first, but the more you ease into the motion, the less you’ll bounce.” Bouncing wasn’t so bad when walking. But once Eleret felt the need to gallop (which fortunately was a long way off) it would prove a greater challenge.

”Let’s keep walking for now,” she said smoothly. At least she could seem reassuring. Sybel tried to put her companion at ease. ”You know, the reason why people mount from the left is to better draw their weapons,” she mused aloud. ”Most fighters keep their sword on the left, so they can draw using their dominant hand. Mounting on the right can cause the hilt to stab at you if you’re inexperienced. Therefore, the practice is more or less out of habit than ritual.” Idle chatter could ease the nerves. The Benshira offered her friend a wink.

”Horses are sensitive creatures,” she continued. ”If you’re nervous or on edge, they know. It’s important to try and remain impassive if you can. Eplah here is much calmer than the average horse and she won’t try and throw you, so long as you don’t have a panic attack.” She hoped that would be a comfort. It was all dependent on how Eleret was feeling.