Closed [Kabrin Road] Cold hooves

[Zydrunas]

27th Winter 514 AV
Morning, 9th Bell

Zydrunas was in an awkward predicament. Most of his form had gone ridged, his knuckles having tightly gripped around the reins of the horse. Least, he thought it was a horse - it seemed smaller in comparison to the other horses. The rest of him was locked within the saddle, his nostrils flaring as he looked down the gigantic beast he was atop of. He dared to barely breath, the faint slither of white escaping from between his lips. Around him the world seemed to momentarily wobble, his knuckles gripping tighter and his teeth beginning to chatter. His shoulders barely rolled in his coat, urging movement whilst the rest of him cried for warmth. The only problem with answering such a call however, meant that he would most probably lose what little balance he had managed to gain. A perilous position now the stead was gently clopping forward, relatively calm for the most part.

Nostrils gave a flare, his knuckles still gripped around the reins as he pulled slowly back - his entire form leaning back and away. He wobbled, his hands jerking back as he tried to maintain some focus and power over the beast before him. It was enough of a pull to bring it to a sharp stop, something that seemed even noticeably so even with its slow walk. He tensed once more, listening to the faint click of the bit, the snorted breathing of the horse. It was slowly he eased forward, a sigh escaping his lips as the horse pawed at the ground. It was a new level of ridiculous, and whilst he now had the listed goals in which to work towards.

It was perhaps unfortunate that he did not realise horses were in the equation, but the order had its ways and so he would buckle to them begrudgingly. Easing back in the saddle and now finding some confidence in his new found balance, did he begin the survey of the area. He continued to stretch up, lifting slowly from the saddle. His toes wriggled in the stirrup, toes gradually relaxing. Least until it moved once more. He jolted back down into it then, barely able to tug upon the reins to the left in the hope of directing it. An angry snort was given in response, a small neigh, before it begrudgingly turned its self in the direction desired - and into the fencing.

There was a jolt forward, form falling across the neck of the creature and his hands releasing the reins. He had barely managed to get out of the city gate and already he was having trouble. A futile task that seemed to be taking him nowhere. With it he was cold, his form hugging into his layers and pulling the scarf up around his face. It was just going to be a short trip - a patrol in the elements in an attempt to acclimatise him to the cold. How he wished for warm waters and hot sands, a much kinder place than this blistering land of ice and snow. But before that, he had to locate the other he was paired up with for this venture. Or wait for him - his mind was already too numb to clearly think.

[Aventis]

Why Aventis continued to again and again accept these little patrols, brawls, and general busywork missions with squires he didn’t even know was far beyond him. He would much rather, at this moment, be training, furthering his skills as a squire, gods know he needs that. He doesn’t much have it now, no, not even a fraction of it, and what does Utis make him do? Prance on a pony in the biting cold with some strange squire who Aventis hadn’t the foggiest clue about.

Though, Aventis acknowledged he had little say in the matter. His knight was most likely a busy man and if getting just one more responsibility off of his back was as easy as it seemed to be, Aventis couldn’t blame him. He knew what it felt like to have what seemed to be the weight of the world on your shoulders. Though, it was mostly because of Utis.

Nevertheless, Aventis sat patiently upon a horse borrowed about a bell ago from the stables. He now had the habit of coming prepared early as to prepare himself for whatever he may do. It was cold that morning, yes, but Aventis had donned his heavy cloak rather to sitting about and freezing. With his lower arms wrapped tautly around his thin torso under the thick cloak and his upper arms gripping the reins loosely, Aventis worked his horse into a steady trot. The squire beside him had yet to be thoroughly acknowledged, which was admittedly a tad rude but it was also a bit cold for any patience at the moment. The city gate was only a little ways behind them and still in sight, and yet it felt as if the squire was damned to this patrol for the rest of the season. It was probably a good idea to say something.

“Did you choose that mount on your own?” Aventis asked, eyeing the other squire and his peculiar little mount. “Only reason I ask is I don’t much think a pony was the best choice for a patrol.”

Perhaps not the smoothest introduction, but it works. Aventis cupped his upper hands to his face and breathed into them heavily in an attempt to regain some sensation in his palms, leaving the reins loose for a moment. The idea of trying to be a little more than a stranger to the squire that sat beside him was little more than alien, but what the hell. Why not.

Aventis

[Zydrunas]

Zydrunas teeth gave a chatter, a shudder as he shook off the lingering chill and sprinkling of flakes that drifted onto his form. By this point he had wriggled his hands into his sleeves, desperately trying to protect the exposed digits. The rest of his mount gave a juddering snort, shaking down to his core as he did little more than hunker in to his frame. He reasoned, after staying there near motionless for a chime, that more wintry attire would have to be gained in the near immediate future. Or, something to cling to and suck the warmth from. Features growing pinched, he brought the scarf up across his nose and wrapped it tightly round.

Inhaling the icy air, he gave a leaning tug once more of the reins this time to the left, his heels digging into the sides of the beast. It gave a whine; shaking its mane before clopping forward once more through the slush, and after the partner of the pair he had been designated with. He remained silent, and relatively warm looking giving him almost that flicker of disapproval upon his cooled features. Unimpressed indeed, perhaps it was the cold that made the other squire feel that way, he did not think too much on it but still stared back. Golden orbs blinked, "Dah, I did. I am little, it be little. Good match I think. Not far to fall either."

He peered over the top of his scarf then, looking down to the snow and how it seemed notably closer than before. Swallowing, Zydrunas pulled back and turned his focus ahead the best he could. Ears stinging against the chill he gave a grunt of annoyance.

"It be not a pony," He was rather defiant, his voice managing to break out from between chattering teeth. With a flustered huff, he straightened himself out in the saddle, forcing his chin upwards. He attempted to sit tall, dignified for a few moments before the creature gave another judder. Zydrunas curled quickly inwards, a squeak echoing out as he watched the mount continue to clop onwards mindlessly, "It be a wonderful, marvel worthy mount. A true St-st-st..." He paused then, head turning to look down and backwards towards the rear. The Iyvess gave the smallest lean out, staring out the corner of his eye to the desired destination and quickly pulled back, "A true mare. Anyway, look at you and your rumpled up, ssn-ee-ze mount. Much racket, will let the whole world know we're coming by. You pick that one?"

Huffing, he settled back in to the clopping motion, the insides of his legs chaffing against the saddle. He gave a grunt of discomfort, once more trying to find a comfortable spot to sit in. The Iyvess gave a flick of his hand, quickly snapping it into the air and back down - he dared not separate both hands from the reins for too long, "Well, here we are anyway in the cold and wretched, dah? What be the patrol route? Don't utter out of the city and back in - where we going?" He gave another shudder, wrinkling back down into his coat with a groan of displeasure, "Come now mighty mare, onward for me. Or, not, no... keep walking, quicker?" There was nothing more than the chill now, but the speaking had managed to keep his mind off of it for now, "What do I call you anyway? Ssk-quire? Or maybe you are another Ssser. Many of them in the city. Popular name?"

[Aventis]

“Well, yeah… Somewhat popular, I guess.” The squire responded, moistening his now chapped lips with his equally frozen tongue. The squire at his side was a bit… Peculiar, to say the least. Not particularly trying but interaction was fairly testing. His speech patterns weren’t particularly confusing and didn’t require effort to understand but they were… Different, not so to ensue issue but more of a curiosity. “Just among knights. I’m surprised you don’t know this. Being a squire and all.”

The Eypharian swallowed a bit of spit to keep his throat wet, which had dried up fairly quickly in the cold. “And… Yes. I picked this one. Seemed strong. Sturdy. Resilient. Perfect for the travel ahead, which is just once or twice around the city. We go to the docks, turn around, and reach the same area from the other direction, and repeat until nightfall. Not too hard, if a bit dull. And, uh… Call me Aventis.” He replied, hoping he had covered everything the peculiar squire had covered.

“Oh,” He continued. “Um… I forgot to ask your name. Would you mind telling me? If only to be polite.”

Throughout the entirety of the conversation, Aventis’ eyes had not strayed from the path ahead. The importance of not disappointing his superiors, at the moment, was far more pressing than making friends. Which was fairly unfortunate. He might as well try to make some sort of impression on the strange squire, if just asking him simple questions, such as his preferred type of fighting, why he had decided to join the knighthood (even with his apparent lack of knowledge in the matter), where he had come from, the like. The Eypharian was genuinely interested if not particularly inclined to make conversation, though he rarely was. It seemed polite to try.

“Oh, and, um… That is really a pony. You’re riding a pony.”

Aventis

[Zydrunas]

"Oh really?" Zydrunas managed to raise an eyebrow then, "Maybe they knew they would become a knight, one day." He wriggled his toes in the stirrups and slid himself forward in the saddle. His hand peeled away from the reins to rub upon the tender of his inner thigh, feeling the rubbing of saddle sores resting uncomfortably. Wincing he corrected his lean, straightening up as he gave those hesitant tugs from left to right. The pony head turned, pausing and pulling back and behind the other squire, before eventually following with its swaggering gait. He gave another lean out, looking barely past and beyond before snapping back and into his curled state.

"I am Zyd-Run-Ass, little 'quire in training," he gave a shrug then, "Not a good one though. Need to train more. Learn more. You know? Like why it be cold here, with the annoying white flurry? Ss-now? He brushed a few accumulated flakes from his shoulders, "Or how to keep warm in the new climate. Many thing. Take me 'outh of the border and onward any day - beyond the plane and into the warm, hot land..." He drifted off into his mumbling then, sighing into himself as the lingering thoughts of home struck once more. Zydrunas' neck sunk into his shoulders. His lips pursed, a mental testing of the name before he turned his gaze around once more, "I will call you Aven, and you may call be Zyd. If you want. I will not make. It be rude to." He gave an approving nod to himself, which quickly turned into a scowl at the newest accusation, "It be not a pony! I told you, it be a wonderful Mare. Full of grandeur!"

The pony gave a snort, ears twitching to the sounds of the Dhani and the raised voice. Deflating, he returned back to his hunched state, "Lot of riding in the cold then, wonderful." Grimacing, he pulled and tugged at his layers, hoping to keep in what little warmth he had where possible. It was to be a long day by the sounds of things, one exposed to the elements and coming to terms with the harshness of the more northern elements. Puffing his cheeks, he let out a juddered exhale and the inevitable next question, "How long until nightfall? A few bell'? More?"

Giving a dissatisfied grunt, the Iyvess focused on ahead once more - steeling his mind for what was to come upon the patrol and the elements they would have to face. Fingers gripped tighter around the reins, his heels clipping into the side of the pony and spurring it onwards, form jolting with every step and leaving his muscles tingling somewhere between aching and chill.

[Aventis]

“It’s a, uh… It’s a title, bud’.” The Eypharian responded. Perhaps he was new to the city, but it would be peculiar for a visitor to sign up immediately for this position… Perhaps he had heard of a knight’s name from another place. But, no… No. Then he would have figured out that “Ser” is not the first name of every knight in Syliras. It takes someone either severely misinformed or under the age of five to reach that conclusion alone… The squire thought to himself, gripping the reins of his mare a bit tighter.

“I am Zyd-Run-Ass, little ‘quire in training.” He responded. Aventis nodded, unsure of his reaction to the peculiar little man. “Not a good one though. Need to train more. Learn more. You know? Like why it be cold here, with the annoying white flurry? Ss-now? Or how to keep warm in the new climate. Many thing. Take me 'outh of the border and onward any day - beyond the plane and into the warm, hot land…”

“Yeah. I know. I’m not exactly the best squire around, either.” Aventis noted, doing his best to remain patient and pleasant. “Can’t say I’ve ever been outside of the grounds too far… Been up to the Mithryn once or twice. The snow you get used to. But I have to imagine it’s a bit nicer South.”

The road was becoming monotonous, as it often did a few bells into the ride, as it would remain until rounds were finished. Might as well make small talk.

“So, Zydlundras. What’re you here in the Knighthood for?” Aventis inquired, aiming only to pass the time. As stated, rounds could be monotonous, and they are almost surely as dull as a sword without its blade, and anything the bored squire could do to help pass the time would immediately be exercised. He had no, or at least little, genuine interest in the squire, but he figured not only could he entertain himself but see what made the peculiar little squire so peculiar.

Other than his seemingly natural aptitude of pony-riding.

Aventis

[Zydrunas]

"A Tit-le?" He tested the word, his eyes coming down into a squint as he tried to work out what it meant. There was the barrier in the languages there, something that he would no doubt come across in numerous occasions to come. His brow creased, before he at last he looked forward when the pony came to a sudden halt. Jerking, he found the rest of him flopping over the neck of the beast, arms dangling down and the rein ends curled around the tips of his fingers.

He remained there, motionless for a moment and checking his balance as he peeled back. It was cautiously that he gave a paw for the reins and held them in his hands once more, then gave a testing jab of his spurs. No movement. He looked on as the Eypharian clopped further out of reach, the horse he had mounted for the most part seemingly leading him on. Zydrunas gave another, slightly firmer jab, his hands pulling the reins at the same time. Nothing. He released a snort, a firm whip of the reins and insistent wiggling in the saddle.

"Zyd-run-ass," he corrected, shouting after the squire, "And I... thought I break-en the pony? It not go," he waved his hand in the general direction after Aventis, his entire form rocking back and forth upon upon the saddle, "Forward! Onward! Go! No?" The pony gave a snort, form shuddering and shaking out beneath him, "It be warmer. I will like it when the... 'Pring be here," sighing he caught the jab of small talk and squinted at it further for a moment, the words quickly translating in his head, "But here not be the Knighthood...?"

No, he must have misunderstood something he reasoned after a moment. Licking his lips he rolled back into himself, his heels kicking in an attempt to get the mount to move once more, "Big world. Big opportunity to learn. Look at much. Exper-ien-ce," The pony gave sudden jolt forward and carried on once again, chewing loudly upon the bit as it did, "And knowing different culture. Great amount to view," He juddered on past, feeling the stinging rub of the saddle in the side of his legs as he did. He was forced into leaning back slightly, pulling his tongue far back to avoid biting down on it with the motions, "It be good too. What the knight-hood working to do, I would like to help it and to be, here be the correct way." He paused then, looking to Aventis with cold, pinched features, "That be the correct ansswer, dah? What about you? Honour? Proving?"

[Aventis]

Aventis glanced at the squire with a hint of condescension, but it was well deserved. Aventis was almost positive that he had never met someone as… Dull as Zyd. There was little he seemed to actually know how to do, or, know how to do well. He spoke in broken common, he couldn’t understand the concept of a title, he could barely keep his pony facing the right way. Aventis was by no means a master equestrian, but the level of competency needed to make a horse walk straight was minimal, if any. The Eypharian did his best not to animate his thoughts as he watched Zydrundas plead with his mount.

“It’s… It’s not broken, Zyd. It also doesn’t speak so you might want find a more sound tactic.” He advised, short on patience.

Zyd seemed to figure out how to entice the horse into moving after a moment and the miniature horse jolted forward. His speech pattern was difficult to follow and Aventis strained himself to understand, but the sentiment was clear enough. “It’s, uh… That’s fair. As for me, I guess… Because I have to. It’s something I need to do.”

He sure was a talkative fellow for someone that couldn’t speak the language too well.

The conversation was bleak, yes, and the squire wasn’t honestly sure how to progress with it. He sat upon his horse, unaware of the world around him and sporting an apathetic glare upon the road ahead of him. Wind blew and whistled ostentatiously around him as the horse trotted softly along, the mare’s steps muffled by the snow beneath its hooves. In the white distance, another traveler could be seen making his or her way towards the duo. Other than the world around them and that rider, there was nothing to be seen or said. It was going to be a long, very long, day. The squire just hoped he could keep warm.

Aventis

[Zydrunas]

There was a jerk as he continued on with his riding, inner thighs growing sore as he managed to maintain his balance in the cold. A firm lean to the rear, his eyes stared down the bridge of his nose as he tried to focus on the road ahead. So focused he was in what was in front of him and maintaining his balance that he had allowed himself to fall into silence. If he was causing boredom for the partner on the patrol he did not realise it - social cues were not his forte and in a strange land such hints would be even easier missed by him.

"Need to do? Told to do? Like, order?" he took the more literal meaning in this case. Wiggling his fingers around his grip he gave a shake to disburse the few flakes of snow that tried to cling to him. The pony beneath him gave a snort, disliking the movement of the rider as he tried to once more get comfy in the shadow. Feet dug deeper into the stirrups, the hunkering down as she checked the saddle around him over. Trying to remember the parts and the structure of it - there may be times were he would have to put it on the horse itself. There was the saddle itself, the way the straps laced around the underbelly with the padding between the leather and the flesh. His hands rested upon the front of the saddle now, resting upon the stubby pommel.

Skin paled, he gave a glance back over his shoulder to the citadel, watching the stone fade further and further away as the horses beneath held them. How much further would it be? How much longer would this pained patrol go on for? Perhaps it was a test to see how long he would persevere, to see if the squire would surrender himself to the weather? A trial to see if he was suitable material for squire hood. He gave a begrudged groan, toes violently twitching as he pushed onwards with his mount.

Back around to the front, the Iyvess watched the shapes in the distance begin to move ever closer - golden orbs peering intently as it came into clearer view. Humanoid, he managed to gather that much from the faint outline of the shape. It was with a small peeling away of the hand that he managed to gave a point forward, "Look. Another," He inhaled sharply to stop his teeth from chattering wildly in his mouth, "People move, travel when bad?" Zydrunas gave a look to the squire then, a flicker on confusion filling his face, "Or do 'Lirass... different?"

His expression twisted then, lips pursing into a line as he gave another shake - an attempt to keep the stiffening limbs moving and warm, "Much different. You live here? Been here longer? Your..." He gave a raise of the hand to his mouth then, fingers rolling as he tried to find the correct word to use, "Tone. A-cc-ent? It be like everyone back there." It was an attempt to create conversation, "Tell me about cs-ity. Grand, dah?"