The Drove, Part 1 (Garland & Marrick)

[Katelyn Marks]

60th, Fall, 514 AV

Atop her father's painted gelding Kat rode from home as the first rays of daylight broke over the hills to the west. Through the gates they trotted, steel shod hooves ringing on the neatly paved cobbles underfoot. The sentries on shift watched her go, but soon returned to waiting for their morning to end. Many people were already awake and at work tending to animals or the fields, so she passed people along the way. When they were clear of the gates and out in the open, Kat urged her father's gelding into a brisk lope down the dirt road.

She bobbed lightly in the saddle, moving with the easy rock of his long-legged gait. Down the road and to the south she was rendezvousing with a large group to take this year's lifestock to market before winter set in. It was already chilly, and her cloak was drawn tight around her shoulders.

Kat was prepared not to return for several days, though the ride to Syliras normally took little more than a day without complications along the way. She had to smile at the thought, because droving hardly ever went completely as planned. There were so many factors that could change the entire trip. Animals grew a little more desperate for food as winter approached, and the fat herd being driven to the city was an enticing selection. If the weather turned bag some of the animals could spook and run off. Legs could be broken along the way, stampedes might break out. The list went on. Thankfully nothing extreme never seemed to happen. Still, the possibilities existed and everyone was on their guard.

When she arrived most of the drivers were already there with the herd, keeping the cows separate from the mixture of goats and sheep. The animals were more or less calm, but still the sound was a consistent din or mooing and bleating. A few knights and their squires were coming along the keep watch over everyone. They were protection against the chance of marauders coming in from the Bronze Woods or down from the Cobalts. It was extremely uncommon, but people needed the meat just as much as animals as the cold approached.

Two knights and held up the front of the mass, and two in the back. Their squires kept the side on the fringes, talking with some of the drovers and farmers quietly. A few familiar hands rose to mark her arrival, and she returned their greetings. There were new faces as well, sons and a few daughters who had either volunteered to help or been wrangled into reluctantly coming along.

Almost everyone was expected to pack their own gear for rest stops and emergencies, but there was a supply wagon at the rear of the herds pulled by a towering Colorsplash gelding. This was also where riders checked in so everyone could be accounted for. Kat trotted up the wagon past pacing steer and heifers, nodded to those circling the herd to keep the numbers in check, and reined up next to the wagon and its driver.

"Marks," she told the old man with a checklist in his weathered hands. He looked down at her with heavy eyes set in a dark, worn face.

"Katelyn?" he rumbled, and she nodded. "Good, good," he mumbled absently then turned to one of the rear knights nearby. "Few more still comin', but we're almost ready!" he called to the lightly armored rider atop his barded Tiaden. He looked back at his list and spoke to Katelyn absently as he scribbled some notes down with a battered old goose feather quill.

"Go find a spot. We're heading out within the next half bell. Sun'll be up soon, and we're moving on before she's over the trees with or without the rest of'em."

[Garland]

Right.... My first real assignment, I better not mess this up...

Garland, the young squire rode his horse down to outpost, the chill was negated due to his excitement, and the smell of cattle and other livestock only irritated him somewhat. He wasn't the best of riders, but he knew how to hold on, and how to keep it low and slow. He had left early to make sure he wasn't late for his first assignment, he wanted to redeem himself for the several times he had done any misconduct as a squire.

He had been here only once, helping Catherine's sisters with their fall harvest. This was all new territory to him. He had brought his bag, with plenty of resources for him and a few others if needed, he looked over to the cattle and livestock, everything seemed to be in order.

Apparently Catherine was assigned to this assignment, but she was needed elsewhere, so she had requested Garland to go in her place.

He saw a few other knights were already here, and making sure of their positions. He was told there would be another squire here. He had to patrol the left side of the little escort they were doing.

Garland rode up to the front of the herd, and greeted the knight. "Ser, Squire Garland reporting for duty." He said and headed back to position.

He stretched and waited for any other knights or squires that were coming along. It would seem like a slow, uneventful day.... Hopefully.

[Marrick Corvis]

The pre dawning of Syna’s light painted the clouds in bright hues of orange, yellow, pearlescent whites, and red. Like the brass, copper, and golden rustle of the few trees of a nearby orchard she announced her waking. Marrick’s Tiaden, Kiter, rode briskly forward with an eagerness to her step. The jostle of the War Mare’s massive weight made the Kelvic hold himself accordingly. He practically stood in the stirrups as he approached, bow strung and slipped into one of his saddle bags. Its long neck, hung like a sea sick serpent wishing badly for relief from the rocking. It had been dark when he and Ser Whitevine had arrived. The old man that had checked them in, had hands more withered than dried up old tree roots. The skin of his face was worn like old saddle leather, full of pockmarks and scars. Yet for some weird reason the old and twisted stick of a man made the Kelvic feel jealous. He had seen more winters skies, and summer fields than the Raven haired squire would likely ever imagine in the length of his dreams. Marrick watched his cut of cattle. Anything with horns headed the wrong direction, was quickly driven back with a “hup” or a “Heave”. Though, most of the beasts were content to simply eat at what little grass and alfalfa that was left in the fields. Some even took a strange interest in him. Like they knew what he was, even more so than the humans that drove cattle alongside him. Sylir’s peace, he wished badly for a familiar face who knew what he was other than his Patron. Ser Whitevine didn’t count. The Knight had never broadcast the fact that Marrick was a Kelvic, and the years of living a slave in Ravok had helped him “blend in” as well as could be expected. Some days he questioned whether that was what he wanted, or if it was instead a cage he had lovingly crafted for himself. His face did light a little when he saw the familiar fiery red hair and face of a certain farm girl he had shared a ride with back from the western road. She wasn’t riding her favorite pony today, which disappointed the Kelvic just a little. Old Sebastian had character, and a slow steady way about him. Marrick liked that old Gelding. Almost like he didn’t have a care in the world he stood as high as he could in the saddle and gave the young woman a wave. When she looked his way he flexed for her in the way he had before sharing a little private joke, and also to let her know she was safe. At least he hoped she would understand that. “Marrick, you’re bloody useless, stop trying to impress the farm girls and find the other squire covering your cut!” Ser Whitevine shouted at him over the staggered groan of the cattle. Marrick withered in the saddle like waxen paper beneath a flame, and gathered Kiters reins into his hands before shouting back. “Aye Ser!” The Kelvic patted his War Mare gently on the side and spoke soothingly as the mare seemed to like when they rode. “Lets go Koiter.” The mass of horse flesh broke into a trot and Marrick rode past the cattle occasionally whooping at them a he past to make sure they stayed where they were. It didn’t take him long to find the only other person with a Windoak emblazoned on their Pauldron. He was a young man, if such a term could be applied. Humans aged so slowly. Mid-teens if Marrick placed a guess, though the young fellow had a stare in his face and a movement to his gaze that spoke of wariness. The Kelvic knew that look well. It was one that he often had. The ladd had the look of a fighter. The Dark haired squire raised his bow to be sure he had the young man’s attention. “Oy thar!” He shouted over the din of huffing, chewing, wheezing, and lowing of the beef that they were about to drive to the Market. When they at last drew up side by side, the Kelvic laid his bow across his lap comfortably and drew Kiter up by the reins. “Easy Ol’ lass. Back at it soon. Lots o’ runnin today.” He fixed the young lad with a cool blue appraising eye, and the clever smile he often gave to new faces before extending his hand in greeting. “Marrick Corvis, Squire teh Ser Whoite Voine. Always a pleasure teh meet a brother.”

[Katelyn Marks]

Horse and rider found their way to a nice vantage point atop a small swell in the land where three other drivers kept a careful watch over the milling herds below. From here Katelyn could see a ways up the road before trees blocked her view, and also the other riders at their various posts. She leaned forward and folded her arms atop the cantle of her saddle, reins abandoned across the neck of her father's horse. Her eyes scanned each end of the escort, front to back. As she watched a few more riders check in at the supply wagon, movement in her peripherals caught her attention. Her head turned, following it curiously. A familiar face came into focus, but her surprise made her stop short.

Kat sat up in her saddle and finally grinned. Marrick, the squire she'd ridden with not more than a handful of days ago. He was waving to her from across the way, and she returned it eagerly, genuinely pleased to see him again. When he flexed she laughed aloud, drawing confused stares from the other riders around her. She ignored them, too amused to care. She liked Marrick. He was a funny sort, but easy to have a meaningful conversation with, and he took his duties seriously from what little she'd seen during their first encounter.

Feeling surprisingly giddy now, Kat gathered her reins and urged the gelding underneath her into a trot. Startled by her sudden cue the horse tossed his head and lept forward, briskly moving down the hill and sliding on the wet morning grass. She clung to his mane as he jostled below her, rocking and bouncing with the clumsy stumble. Again on flat ground he found his stride once more, and the two of them circled wide around the herd, eyeing the fringes for any wandering straggles along the way.

She saw Marrick a ways ahead once she came around the other side of the herd, circling by the supply wagon again and rear guard. Kat bumped her gelding's sides with her heels, coaxing him from a trot to a long-legged canter. The horse eased forward into the next gait, and she bounced gently in the saddle with the rhythm of his hooves on the hard packed dirt and grass below. She steered him around watchful herders and their keen-eyed dogs, past a stray squire, and as they came closer she urged her horse further into a quick lope.

"Hell-oo!" she called across the dwindling distance, a happy grin on her face.

A little too late she saw that he was actually talking to someone. Another squire it looked like, for he was far too young in her opinion to be a knight. They both looked rather serious together, and hurriedly she tried to slow her horse. Bundling the reins up and taking in slack so she could control the horse's head better, she drew them in and leaned back in her seat, sticking her heels down.

"Whoa," she mumbled reassuringly to the horse as he tossed his head and reluctantly slowed.

From the lope he hopped into a canter, lumbered into a trot, then finally stumbled to a stop just in time to keep from slamming into the ass end of the horse underneath the squire Marrick was speaking with. Quickly she spun her horse and pulled him away, making him sidestep a safer distance from the possibility of back hooves striking at them in surprise.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry. He hates to slow down."

At this point her face was nearly the color of her hair. She looked at Marrick, embarrassment painted all over her red cheeks and pursed lips.

"I noticed you were busy at the last moment. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something important."

Who knew what the squires were talking about? It could be top secret information pertaining to only members of the Order for all she knew.

[Garland]

When a fellow squire came up and greeted him, he gave a warm smile and returned the greeting. "Garland, Squire of Sera Catherine Hawke. Pleasure is all mine, it is an honor to meet the squire that led the bucket brigade during the fire at the White Swan, I heard you saved a girl and a dog, is that true?" He said and shook his hand excitedly, but just as he was about to ask another question, a red-haired girl come riding towards them. Tryn, his horse, whinnied loudly, and stomped his hoof, agitated. Garland quickly calmed his horse down, and looked at the newcomer. "Hello there, you didn't disturb us, we were just getting to know each other." He extended his hand in a friendly greeting. "Garland, pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

The head rider called out from the front. "We're ready to move!" Garland gave a gentle kick with his heel, making his mount move slowly in a trot.

He loved the fresh air, though not the animal smell. He was more of a plant-person than an animal person, though he loved animals all in all. He looked over to the other two. "Who might you be, ma'am? If you don't mind me asking that is."

The other knights and squires were on guard, on their posts, luckily, Garland wouldn't get in trouble for not being on his post, mostly because the caravan just started. He looked over to the back, making sure that no one was being left behind. His black mixed-blood horse gave a neigh when he passed a rather rowdy looking cow. It looked like she was about to make a run for it, if Tryn didn't stop her.

The soft thuds of hooves on the grass and dirt, made for some strange harmonic music, it was chaotic with no sense of rhythm, but it had a certain aura of natural beauty to Garland.

Or he had the wrong type of tea this morning and now he's hearing things that aren't even there. Anyway, it would be rude to go to his post, without at least knowing the girl's name. She apparently knew Marrick, so it would be good to have mutual friends.

[Marrick Corvis]

The Kelvic took his fellow squires hand firmly in his gauntleted grasp and gave it a strong shake. “Garland,” Marrick said his eyes alight with familiarity. “Oi’ve heard of yeh. Yeh fought at the gates. With Squire Hiroe… And Squire Azari.” He nodded in recognition of a fellow soldier. “Oi can’a take all the credit fer The Whoite Swan. Oi wouldn’a been able teh get any of it done without the help o’ quite a few. Namely a foiesty wee Pycon named Archailist, n’ o’ coarse if yeh hadn’t protected the gate, the mercenaries would’a needed our attentions more than the Whoite Swan.” Everything about Garland, made Marrick feel excessively old. Even though he was only somewhere between three and four years old, and he no more than seventeen. The ladd was extremely excited about everything, and polite. As first impressions go, the Kelvic had to say that he liked him. When Kaetlyn approached he gave her a pleasant greeting that brought a little smile to his visage. Sylir smiled on them today. Marrick’s attention shifted to the front of the herd when a cry for movement rang out. When his gaze returned to the pair in their conversation he saw that Kaetlyn had barely avoided an accident and now wore a pleasant blush upon her cheek. The Kelvic couldn’t avoid the amusement that showed on his face. His little smile grew into a mirthful smirk, and a twinkle to the eye. Garland had it right, she wasn’t interrupting. “Hey there farm girl. Good teh see yeh again.” His smirk blossomed into a broad grin and he laughed. “N’ how do yah think yah could ever interrupt anythin apart from a dull moment?” As the cattle started moving Marrick cast his cool gaze up the line, and then again back down. “Aye, indeed. Never a dull moment.” He said with a soft sigh. “Toime teh get the work.” The dark haired squire nodded to Kaetlyn and turned Kiter about to ride down the line. The cattle streamed forward like a river of beef. Riders rode the line, as they shouted at the occasional wayward head of cattle. The dust they kicked up plumed skyward from the rend of hundreds of cloven hooves. The din of the cattle was deafening as they called out to one another. Marrick wondered if they knew where they were going, or what they were doing. One thing was for certain though. It was going to be a long day.

[Katelyn Marks]

It seemed Kat was in the clear. Both of the squires smiled and greeted her, and she visibly relaxed atop her horse. She'd avoided an upset with the horses, and both of the animals were calming back down. She kept a tight rein on her father's gelding, drawing his head down until he gave to the pressure before releasing him slightly from the hold. He drooled lazily and played with his bit, lips smacking and foaming. Katelyn smiled at the both of them and nodded at the man she hadn't met before, and firmly took his hand, giving it a shake.

"The pleasure's mine young man," she enthused, eyes crinkling at the corners as her smile spread wider.

"Name's Katelyn. I live at the Outpost, I'm just a drover here. I work these herds every year. Marrick and I met up north a while back."

She gave the other squire a wink. It was good to see him again. Kat was surprised at how glad she was that he was here. She enjoyed his company immensely that first day they'd met, and it was good to have someone along that she could easily talk to. It was about this time that the order rang out for the drive to begin. A ripple of excitement shuddered through her, and her gelding's head perked up. He could feel the change in her posture, practically the vibrations of her enthusiasm.

"Have either of you done this before?" she asked with a quirk of her eyebrow as the herd was ushered into motion like a great machine.

The lead animals were urged forward, and slowly to ripple spread. Everyone was positioned around the herds in a protective ring, corralling everything in close, whistling and hollering to keep them together and moving when it was needed. There was no strict formation. Any rider could break away to ride after stragglers, and shifting positions was encouraged. The only laws of the drove was to never let your guard down, and work together.

The sound of hundreds of hooves, crying cattle, and bleating goats and sheep was tremendous. Not every horse was cut out for the commotion, but the war horses underneath the members of the Order and those carrying the drovers and ranchers themselves were stalwart. It was going to be a long ride. They had to move at the speed of the herd, and the animals couldn't be rushed. A safe assumption was that they would arrive at the main city tomorrow morning. That was considering everything didn't go perfectly. It rarely did.

Katelyn had lagged behind the two squires while she examined the wall of stamping flesh beside her. The cows crowded each other, shaking their heads and rumbling along. They'd gone probably half a mile, and a great cloud of dust was left in their wake. Way ahead of them the smaller sheep and goats were being ushered forward, leading the way.

[Garland]

He was still not used to riding his horse for long periods of time. Garland could probably stay on for a while, a few hours at most, but he might eventually start to chafe and feel uncomfortable with the long haul of the ride. He looked over to the cattle and livestock, making sure that none of them would dash off, they weren't as dumb as most people thought. They would try to run if given the opportunity, luckily, the other knights and squires were more than capable of rounding up any of the animals that got loose. He would relax if he could, but he felt like he needed to be on edge, lest something bad would happen to them.

With a small sigh he saw a goat trying to make a run for it, Garland was the closest one there, and so he took up upon himself to get the goat back. He grabbed the reins tightly, and gave a light kick with his heel, he didn't know much horse riding terms so he assumed he was just kicking his horse to get him to move forward, thought not really all the strong.

Tryn gave a whinny, as if saying "Charge" and bolted off towards the wayward goat. Tryn had overtaken the goat and reared his front legs up to intimidate the goat back into the herd of livestock.

Giving a terrified "Baaaa" The goat turned tail and ran back to the heard, with Tryn following close behind to make sure the goat won't run off again.

"Oh, and to answer your question Katelyn, no I have not. Though it might be a great learning experience for us." Garland said, addressing Katelyn question. He felt like maybe like he was the third wheel between these two, he might bugger off if that was the case sooner or later.

[Marrick Corvis]

They rode together down the line, and Marrick drew his newly acquired longbow. He strung its long arms across his thighs, and held it out as a means of prodding the livestock when they got out of line. Marrick contemplated just how to answer Katelyns question about their experience in regards to droving, and the answer he had for her was not a pleasant one. “Oi’ve drivn Loive stock before.” Marrick saw the dirty faces of his fellow slaves as they sobbed. Babies torn from their screaming mothers, and weak men feebly trying to fight as drovers bludgeoned them with clubs. He shook the image from his head and tried to sees the cattle as something else. They were just as innocent as those slaves were, though the Kelvic was far more inclined to eat a cow than a person. However, if pressed…. Katelyn pulled back her horse to examine the herds of cattle and other live-stock, while Garland sent his goat running back into the herd. Marrick watched them a moment to see if they needed any help with their tasks at hand, though the young squire didn’t need help with a goat and the Kelvic knew little of what to look for in a herd of livestock to help keep them on the move. They were nothing more than a writhing mass of walking flesh. Images of inhumanity crept back into his mind and he shook his head again to loosen them. Like someone who stared at Syna too long he shifted his gaze to the tree line in the hopes the images of people and cattle being driven before men on horse might disappear, yet just as with Syna, their faces lingered almost as if they had been burned there. Through the Kelvics bad memories something in the tree line caught his eye and he focused. He rose in the saddle to try and see better, but by the time he had a good view of where he had thought he’d seen the movement there was nothing there. ‘Must have been a deer or a bird or something.’ The Dark haired squire thought to himself as he returned his focus back to the cattle. His animal like instincts did tickle a little, but that could have been a predator, or even a large animal like a wild horse. Something about the size of it bothered the Kelvic though. It itched at the back of his head. Something familiar about it. It reminded him of how his Patrol had been with Archailist a season ago. Bad things hid themselves in the trees and shrubbery. He bit his lip in indecision as he contemplated it. If he ignored it and it turned into something he would feel responsible if he didn’t speak up. With a huff of exasperation he gave Kiter a tap at the sides. “Oi’ll be roight back you two, hold toight.” He said just before Kiter broke into a trot. He stood in the stirrups lifting himself to balance the jostle of his War Mare’s gate, against his own weight. The droving animals seemed to go on forever as he rode alone up the line. He hupped at them as he rode past trying to keep them in line. He waved his bow like a switch, occasionally giving the fluffy rump of a sheep a swift whopping to remind it where it needed to be. ‘peace be with yeh wee fluffy theng.’ He thought to himself as he rode on. By the time they had reached the front of the heard where Ser Whitevine rode Marrick could barely make out the shapes of his two companions as they rode through the dust. The Kelvic raised his arm high into the air as he approached and called out. “Ser! Report from the roight side o’ the herd.” “Speak little brother.” Ser whitevine said as they rode on his eyes never flinching as they scanned the road they would take. “Ser Oi spotted movement along our Roight flank.” The squire said as their horses matched gates. “Could be nothin, could be somthin.” “A bit jumpy little brother?” Ser Whitevine flashed his pupil a little smile over one shoulder as his head swiveled about taking in their direction. “No Ser, whatever it was it stuck teh the tree loine. Oi need teh get back Ser.” The Kelvic saluted his Patron and turned Kiter back toward his cut of the line. “I’ll pass it along little brother.” Ser Whitevine shouted after his student. The words chased the Dark haired squire as he rode against the flow of animal movement. The speed of the live-stock seemed to have increased. Perhaps due to the Kelvic’s direction, or perhaps this menagerie was starting to get its act together. One thing was for certain. The dust was getting bad. Almost absentmindedly he lifted the scarf that Oriah had given him and wrapped it about his face in the hopes to spare his mouth a filth filled breakfast. As he reached the head of their cut he slowed Kiter to a walking pace. He hupped and tisked at the animals as they milled forward, like a meat wave. Marrick began running scenarios through his mind to pass the time. If they were attacked, where would he go, and what would he do. Those thoughts took a back seat though when he at last reached his companions again. “Apologies. What did Oi Miss?” the Kelvic pulled up alongside Garland in the hopes of coaxing the young fellow into speaking a bit more.

[Katelyn Marks]

Katelyn hoped that the two of them would enjoy the trip. It was never an easy ride, but the sense of accomplishment after such a trek was always worth it--at least to her. She smiled at the pair ahead of her, and decided to let them have their time together. Kat and Marrick could catch up later. So she absorbed herself in her work and put them out of her mind for now, instead focusing on the hefty task at hand. She didn't notice Marrick leave or even return, nor Garland, and when she glanced back they were talking among themselves a ways ahead.

She spun her father's gelding and trotted around toward the back right half to the cow herd, keeping in close to corral them in. On the far side she saw a rider cut off a runaway steer, his horse penning it in when it tried to dart right and left. He galloped around, and his dog came in from behind, nipping at the cow's heels and herding him back into the group.

An older woman on Kat's side raised her hand in greeting, and she smiled in return, waving at the familiar face. Not that many faces weren't familiar. The Mithryn Outpost wasn't huge like Syliras, and those who worked these droves tended to be the same lot every year.

"How are you doing?" the woman called above the noise.

"Just fine! The herd seem to be doing it almost all on their own this time, don't you think?"

She laughed and nodded, and Kat grinned, wheeled her horse around, and took up a position on the lower right flank. She rode this area for a while, keeping an eye out on the road ahead and the livestock in the lead. The sun was high in the sky by the time they made their first stop to ford the Avitar. The water was flowing steady under the old bridge spanning either side of the banks, and riders took up positions ahead to guide the animals across. Only some of the animals could fit across the bridge at a time, and the vast majority had to take the water head-on. Katelyn hung back to watch for stragglers and keep the rear of the herd moving.