PM to join [Windmount Stables] Stallions and Striders

[Sagitta]

Stallions and Striders
20th of Winter, 513 A.V.

Ugh, horses. As if sensing her thought, the nearest one neighed indignantly. The last thing she wanted to see to day - or any day, really. If it was not for Stanton's constant comments about how bad she was at riding, she wouldn't be here at all. That and the fact that she had lost a bet to him. Sagitta would have never had guessed that her patron would trick her and used his magic to outrun her - he never could before. "You never said I couldn't use everything I've got," he had said with a mischievous smile. If he wasn't her patron, she would have hit him in the head.

A bet is a bet and she had no choice to do what he asked. He didn't even bother to come with her, saying that he trusted her to do what was right. Really, Sagitta that the young knight was just too lazy to spend his off day in the stables with the smell of horse muck. She eyed several stableboys, wondering which would be able to handle her and teach her to ride a little bit better.

The only good thing was that the stables was out of the stifling castle. It still stood under the shadows of the giant stone structure, but at least Sagitta could see the clear sky out here and still feel safe. Behind her, the green pasture was a welcome sight after weeks of grey stones. A chance to be out of her plate armor was nice, too. These days Stanton had constantly forced her to wear the heavy equipment, noting that she needed to learn to move fast with all that weight. Today, she enjoyed the rub of the worn, light texture of her thin white shirt and the feeling of her toes wrapped inside the leather shoes.

Everything was good, except for the fact that she was hear to ride.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 20, 513 AV Tourmal had the day off and like all days off he spent it with his Strider Aurus. The golden stallion was a magnificent sight in the winter sunlight the light sparkled off the fresh lain snow and through the stiders silken mane causing what seemed as an aura encircling the steed. It felt like forever since the man has spent any time with his horse. Despite their trip to the city near 20 days ago from their homeland Endrykas. Tourmal grabbed a nearby brush from atop a hay bale. And started groom his friend. "How you doing today buddy?" He drew a couple of stokes down the side of his broad neck. "I know, I know, I need to come see ya more often." The horse snorted in agreement. "It's just I just started my job again, en I need ta make a good impression." The horse lifted his head and nuzzled his Drykas as the man contined to brush him. "I'm sorry tell ya what today after we ride I'll give ya an extra apple. Whaddya say about that?” The horse whinnied in excitement. “Woah boy” Tourmal stopped brushing Aurus and grabbed his yvas and his red and black riding pad. First he layed the pad on the horses back to protect the horse from chafing. Then he slid the yvas over the striders head and set it down on his shoulders. Tourmal patted his partner twice and mounted the Strider. Just then a foxy young thing walked in with a sullen look on her face. Tourmal tilted his head wondering what could be troubling this young woman in the prime of her youth so much that she would put on such a sour expression. “Is something the matter miss?” he walked Aurus closer to her then passed her on her left side and circled around leaning to his left and pulling slightly on the yvas directing his mount around to her right. “Can I help you with something?” This had become a common phrase to him and he relied on it heavily. He was in sales as a young lad and occasionally he helped the customers at the Iron Works. But where he used it most was with women. He got down off the horse and walked him back to his stable. Once inside the strider reared on its hind legs and whinnied then snorted in objection. “Hold on boy not just yet” The Drykas turned around back to the lovely lady and leaned on the stable post “Now what seems to be the problem miss?”

[Sagitta]

Sagitta turned her head when a voice caught her attention. Not to far from her, stood a man with his golden horse. He was brushing it and talking it with a certain fondness and she couldn't help smiling at the scene. She might think it was funny to see a man talking to his horse but the stallion seemed to understand him well enough. For half a chime, she pondered to call out to him or not, shifting on her feet restlessly.

Suddenly, the man noticed her for the first time and said, “Is something the matter miss?” The first thing she could not help noticing was his striking amber eyes. And on a second thought, almost everything about the man was in a shade of gold - his hair, his skin. At some point, Sagitta also noticed the winding tattoo of a wing on his back. A Drykas, it seemed - she had been taught how to spot their windmarks. It was curious, since Drykas had not been very welcome in Syliras lately.

"No, I'm fine," Sagitta replied lightly with a smile as he circled around her with his horse. Her frown must have been pretty obvious. She slipped a loose strand from her hair behind her ear. "I've just never been really fond of the stables. Or horses, really." Eyeing the man's horse nervously, she added, "And they never seemed to like me much either."

“Now what seems to be the problem miss?”

The blonde-haired girl shrugged. The man seemed capable enough around horses - or his horse, at least - maybe he could help her. "Do you work here? I am supposed to train my riding skills and all, but I am not all eager." She couldn't come back to Stanton without at least knowing how to properly rein a horse or something. Sometimes she actually wondered if her patron would think of giving up on her.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 20, 513 AV “No I'm Fine,” she replied to his first question after studying him for a few seconds while he was on his horse. She seemed cautious. Maybe she didn't have good luck with strangers, or maybe she was just too young to have any luck with them. Either way Tourmal hoped to change that. Upon closer investigation she didn't look too young for him in the least. She must have been about 17 to 19 years old. He supposed she could be older but he doubted that anyone would look as fair as her and be into her twenties. “That's a shame.” He replied to her comment about not being fond of horses. “They are quite wonderful animals you know.” He paused for a second. This is Aurus by the way, and I am Tourmal. The Drykas got down and held onto the yvas to steady his steed. “Go ahead, give him a pet.” He looked at her. “He won't hurt you, the last time he hurt anyone some pest was throwing rocks at him.” He then proceeded to put the strider back in his stable and asked her his second question. She then replied with another question. “Do I work here?” He paused. “No I don't, and don't worry about payment.” Not that she was going to pay him. “Being with someone as beautiful as you is enough.” After the pleasantries “Well I guess we should start with your horse. Where is it?” Tourmal asked.

[Sagitta]

When the man offered her to pet his horse, she hesitated. Sagitta was not scared of horses exactly, but falling off one was enough to make her think twice of riding the animal. Still, she reached and let her fingers run through the soft mane of the stallion in a quick move.

“Being with someone as beautiful as you is enough.”

The Ethaefal laughed lightly at the comment, feeling a little blush creeping up her neck. She had not been complimented by a guy for some time - except from Stanton, but that was regarding her knightly skills. "Thank you, but I am warning you, people tend to get annoyed when teaching me." It was quite a nice gesture from him, considering that he did not exactly work in the stables. "But before all that," the girl said cheerfully as she extended her hand, her silvery eyes twinkling, "My name is Sagitta and you are?"

The man suddenly asked, “Well I guess we should start with your horse. Where is it?”

Sagitta turned her head in order to find the familiar steed. "It's not my horse, exactly. It's Stanton's." Then remembering that he probably didn't know who it was, she added, "My patron's horse." There it was, a massive stallion as sleek as a shadow and as dark as the night. The sight of him had always managed to take her breath away, both in appreciation and anticipation. Unfortunately enough, Culver had a temper if his master was not around.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 20, 513 AV The way the woman pet his horse highlighted how uncomfortable she was with them. From that It seemed to Tourmal this would be tough. But he figured some time with her would be enough for him to manage through it. The way she reacted to what he said regarding payment for the training was perfect. Tourmal loved it when he struck the right chord. It didn't happen often but when it did, it was beautiful. She seemed pleased with him flirting with her, he took note and decided he would continue. “I wouldn't say what I do is teaching, more like guidance.” “I will try to be as hands off as possible, and let you do everything with tips here and there.” he crossed his arms shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head to the right trying to make himself seem humble. “Unless you would like more hands on training?” He winked at her and chuckled. The blonde girl stuck out her hand, offering it to the smith, and introduced herself as Sagitta. “Nice to meet you squire Sagitta.” he bowed and kissed the back of her hand lightly, then looked up at her wryly. “Sagitta” He said raising his inflection showing his interest. “That's a pretty name, where does it come from?” He waited for an answer. When the woman explained that she didn't have her own horse, and was borrowing her patron's horse. Stanton whoever he was. Male knights meant nothing to the man as far as he figured if they weren't female then there was no reason remembering them. Unless of course they bought him a round of mead. Then they were worth remembering. She looked at the horse and Tourmal turned his head and followed her gaze. It was obvious which one she was looking at. The horse stood out like a sore thumb. Black and intimidating, the horse easily stood two hands taller than the two on either side. And on cue the horse reared back on its hind legs and whinnied shaking its mane and stomping its hooves on the ground like thunder. “Oh the gods.” he said as his jaw hit the ground.

[Sagitta]

OOCSorry for the wait Holidays and all you know

“Unless you would like more hands on training?”

Again, the Ethaefal could not help laughing at the man’s antics. He was friendly, to say the least. It was a nice change from the general loneliness she had experienced here in Syliras. The girl decided to play along - a nice practice considering her encounters had been limited to Stanton. “We’ll see.” For a moment, she thought of Rios, who was not unlike Tourmal regarding his charm. Sagitta dismissed the thought before she started tearing up again. To distract herself, she pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail, for the sake of practicality.

When the man commented on her name, she stiffened. No one had paid too much attention to her name typically and he was the first to ask such a question. “A constellation. I was named after a constellation.” Of course, the girl left out the part where she had picked the name herself right after falling down from the heavens. It was not something you talk about with strangers. Still, the memory was clear in her head, reminding her of what she had lost.

As the pair neared the horse, Sagitta heard Tourmal muttering, “Oh the gods.” Not really a surprising reaction, all things considered.

“I know, right? Stanton said this thing,” she said as she pointed to the black monstrosity, “is a war horse or something. And I, for one, dislike war horses far more than the regular ones.” In her defense, Culver nearly trampled her too death once, when she had fallen off his saddle. If her patron knight hadn’t leaped into action, Sagitta didn’t even want to imagine what would happen. She didn’t walkaway unscathed from that incident, though. The girl was bruised allover.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Winter 20, 513 AV When the young squire flirted back the first thing that popped into Tourmal's head was 'Game on!' The young woman fixed her hair revealing her neck but still hiding her ears. She had very pretty eyes, sad but pretty. Next she told him her name came from a constellation. He had wished he knew more about the stars. Sadly he had very little knowledge of them and had missed a chance at picking up some more points with the squire. 'Mental note find someone to teach you about the constellation's' He thought. After seeing the beast they were supposed to tame which would likely be tough without its handler, by the looks of it nearly impossible. He was not so well versed with breaking stallions. And By the looks of it it would not be broke by the likes of him. The only thing to do was to get it used to Sagitta. And It would take more than one sitting likely. “A war horse huh?” Just great. Aurus was big for a strider and had never been fixed but was no where nearly as big as this guy. “Are you sure you wanna do this?” He asked, taking another look at the raging stallion. “I have a horse of me own yeh can try out the basics on.”