Teaching an Old Horse New Tricks (Sama'el)

[Athe Stormheart]

Summer, Day 3, 511 AV "Perianth!" Huffing an irked sigh, the young Drykas woman sauntered around the Endrykas pavilions in the mainway, weaving her way through the afternoon crowds. The summer sun was pouring hot into the air, mixing with the humidity from the rainfall earlier that morning. Athe was really beginning to wish she had woven her thick, long hair into a more sporty bun to keep it off her neck, but it was too late for that now. Her horse was missing and her neck was sweating and she was just going to have to deal with it. Her cheeks flushed, Athe was fighting to contain her frustration - not because her horse had wandered off again, but at her own failure at keeping the mare obedient. If she were any kind of horseman - any kind of Drykas - the animal would never want to part from her. The horse, however, was foreign, trained in another language, and new to Cyphrus. It couldn't be entirely her fault that Perianth had such a short attention span. This never would have happened with Grayfellow. Athe paused suddenly, that last thought catching her by surprise. Sighing, she did her best to swallow her guilt, and a plethora of other mixed feelings, as she returned her mind to the task at hand. Again, she pressed forward. "Perianth..." she meekly called the mare's name out again. She didn't want to embarrass herself by announcing her failure to everyone around her, but the Leopardbred had to be around these tents somewhere. Probably feasting away on some fat tuft of grass at the edge of a wooden pavilion platform. That would be like her. Perianth hadn't abandoned Athe out of mistrust, or disloyalty. In fact the horse had seemed rather fond of her. She simply wasn't used to the cycle of city's migration. And, on top of that, she was just... so... stupid. Pushing past the larger pavilions, Athe exited the main bulk of the city. Judging from the way the horse acted so nervously around crowds, Perianth seemed to prefer the quiet. It seemed likely she would have wandered off into the thinner, outer rim of Endrykas. It was at this point, no longer surrounded by so many prying eyes, that Athe's frustration came to a head and she couldn't hold it back any longer. "Perianth, you petching idiot, where are you?!"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el was getting used to the growing tent city that made up his camp, a microcosm of Endrykas itself now that Jyn and his daughter had their little tend up and Denen had returned with his tent. Horse, his gray Windrunner stallion, thought he led the little band of horses, but truly it was the golden Strider mare, Dohaina, who kept him and Jyn's Ugly Pony in line. They were all of them untethered, Sama'el trusting to Dohaina's intelligence and herd mother presence to keep things in order. If worse came to worst, Sam could jump onto her back and chase down even the fleet-hooved Windrunner, who couldn't outmatch a Strider unless they left the safety of the Drykas Web. But Sama'el was the only two-legged person in the camp at the moment, which was a little strange. But it gave him a chance to concentrate on the leather he was working. Since Winter fled, he had had less time for craftwork, but he knew that it was part and parcel of having a fully functional pavilion. Every need must be met within the pavilion or else they would become dependent on the safety of Endrykas, and his pavilion, which was dead now, of course, had valued its independence. With freedom came danger and responsibility. He had been the sole survivor of the danger and so the responsibility for his freedom rested on his shoulders. Those shoulders were bare, taking in the warmth of the summer sun. He wasn't normally vain, but someone had said something about the lines of his sun coloration and so he was working the thick needle through the two pieces of leather, joining them, with his shirt off. He was tall and slender, whipcord muscle over elegant bones, but he was more filled out than he had been when he arrived, eating regularly now and training hard to work his way up in the ranks of the Watch and to earn the respect of his people. He took the leather gently in his teeth to free up his hands to pull the lid off of the pot he had cooking over the hot coals of the fire, the smell of zibri, beans, and vegetables wafting out. He couldn't afford fancy spices, and he was no great cook, so they ate simple fare. Why he was teaching Jyn, the servant, to cook was just another example of the capricious humor of the gods. But it was then he heard the exasperated call and he looked up, dark, vaguely almond-shaped eyes alert as only a man of the Watch (or a runaway slave (or both)) could be. When he saw her, he covered the pot and set his leather aside, standing up to stretch. "Hullo!" he called. "Looking for someone?"

[Athe Stormheart]

Athe rounded another pavilion to see nothing but some happy family or another meager shop. She sighed, sweeping her hair out of her face. This heat was making it impossible to think. Hadn't Summer only just started? The sun felt so scorching hot... maybe it was just the afternoon's humidity. Well, whatever. She was almost sure she'd drop from exhaustion before she found her horse if she kept on like this. The auburn haired girl knelt down, beginning to pull at the laces of one her boots. After some work, she managed to pull the thin rawhide string from the cut eyelids in her leather boot. Athe rose to her feet, bunching her thick, wild hair in her hand and beginning to weave the string into it. It was a simple enough tie, and she was finished with it in under a minute. Refreshed by the cool air that now grazed the back of her neck, she was about to continue onward when a sudden shout caught her by surprise. "Ah!" As if caught doing something she shouldn't (and she certainly was embarrassed about losing her horse), Athe clutched at her heart and turned around to see someone approaching. She didn't know him, but she realized that he did look familiar. There weren't many men in Endrykas with hair that short, so he stood out. Certainly, she'd seen him before. If Athe recalled correctly, she thought he was a member of the Watch, but she hadn't paid him close attention. Shame, too. The way the sun hit his exposed skin... she wondered why she had never really noticed him before. "Oh." Athe grimaced and glanced around. She was a embarrassed, but at this point, she was worried that Perianth may have wandered too far from camp and headed out into the open grasses. She wasn't sure she could handle it if she lost another horse. Besides, if this man really was with the Watch, he would only be too happy to help. Right? "I'm looking for my mare, Perianth. She wandered off. She's about... this high? White with brown speckles. She's... really not that smart." A rebellious tuft of hair had strayed back in her face, and she wiped it back again. "I'm sure she's fine. I'll find her. I'm sorry if I interrupted you with my shouting." She stole a quick glance over Sama'el again. Not that sorry. Damn. If only his hair were a little longer... "I'm kind of thoughtless sometimes." She canted her head to the side. "I'm gonna keep looking."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

He smiled at her and tried not to compare and contrast her with girls he had known before. Women, rather, but when an adult male considered himself a boy despite being on his second Strider, it wasn't exactly an insult to think of adult females of his age as girls. But there was so much red in her hair where the sun hit it and... He hitched up the corners of his smile like a sagging tent. An idea struck him, and that distracted him from the ghosts of loves lost. "I have two horses and a servant soon back who can watch the cooking. Why don't I go with you. You can ride Horse," he said, indicating the Windrunner stallion, "and we'll find your ride. It'll be faster with two of us on horseback, you know. They tend to run faster than we do. Come on." It wouldn't do to give her too much opportunity to protest, so he quickly saddled Horse and slipped Dohaina's yvas onto her back with even greater ease. This was a man who knew his horses and how to take care of them. Both the stallion and the golden mare were in very good health. Ugly Pony was tethered because there was no telling what mischief the pony would get into without supervision by a human or a Strider. But the pony didn't mind as long as there was grass to graze. "I got Horse in Sunberth," he explained. "I'm still working on getting him into an yvas, but he hasn't quite left the comfort of a tried and true saddle. Let me help you up." It was sort of Syliran chivalry, perhaps, but he had spent some time there before returning to the lands of his people.

[Athe Stormheart]

She felt a little guilty that he was offering to help. The last thing Athe wanted to do was look helpless. It was hard to refuse a face, and a chest, like that however. Smiling weakly out of both chagrin and relief, she followed his indication toward the Windrunner stallion, looking suddenly confused. She can ride... horse? Did she hear him right? Why would he... OH! "Wait. His name is 'Horse?' You named your horse 'Horse?'" Athe burst into a confused laugh. "That's cute. I like it." She made her way over to the stallion, gently reaching forward and petting his neck and shoulder. "He's in beautiful shape. His coat shimmers like nothing else." It was impressive how well-cared for both horses were, actually. She felt a little inadequate suddenly: she could probably learn something from him. Though initially Athe was a little insulted that he offered to help her onto a horse (that was like offering to teach a mole how to dig), she was a little confused by the saddle apparatus fastened around Horse's midsection. Outsiders used it, and she still had Perianth's saddle back at her family's pavilion. It just seemed so complicated. One ripped strap and anyone could end up riding underneath the horse instead of on top of it. "You still use the saddle?" Athe asked, leaning down to examine one of the stirrups. "I never considered that. Perianth belonged to an outsider who attacked me. I killed him and now his horse is mine." She said this with grim pride - why shouldn't she be proud of killing her Strider's murderer? If the Watchman felt a little intimidated by her free admission, then so be it. That man deserved death and worse, and she felt no guilt about defending the Sea of Grass from a mal-intentioned intruder, even if he was half dead by the time she found him. "I never considered using the saddle. I was giving her time to adjust to Endrykas before putting her in a yvas. I figured everyone would laugh if I rode around in--" she tapped the saddle, "--one of these." Athe turned to him, smiling her acceptance of his offer to help. "I really appreciate you volunteering to help some stupid girl retrieve her horse. I'm Athe Stormheart, by the way." She gave her last name proudly - it defined her heritage and her origins within the Opal Clan.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

He laughed his easy laugh and nodded, warming to the subject. Horse was still one of his favorite people in the world, the one upon whom he had relied the longest. He patted the silver flank of the intelligent, but often foolish horse, who looked at him funny. "I was in a tight spot in Sunberth and, er, absconded with him. His owner didn't know how to take care of him and he likes me better so... I didn't know his name, so I kept calling him the horse and finally he just started answering to it so I figured he liked it. "Anyway, I didn't have access to a proper yvas until I returned, and by then, Dohaina had chosen me, so... I haven't spent enough time with him. We got used to the saddle, and it'll take time to change his habits. If you would prefer, Dohaina might let you ride her in proper Drykas style, and I'll take the big, dumb brute. Who... needs to start earning his keep. Do you know anyone looking for a Windrunner stud? I don't know his pedigree, but he's quality horseflesh if I ever saw any. "Oh, Stormheart? From the same pavilion as Riki Stormheart? I met him while I was on Watch business in Riverfall. He seems to be thriving there, caring for horses and other animals. He took care of Dohaina, too, made sure she was ready for the long haul back to Endrykas."

[Athe Stormheart]

His laugh made her smile, and she lingered by Horse, gently stroking his smooth coat as she listened to him. He was friendlier than Athe expected, which made her feel a little more at ease about this entire issue. At least he wasn't making fun of her, or looking at her in any way that might imply he thought she was ridiculous. In fact, if Athe thought so herself, he seemed to like her. She wiggled her foot in her laceless boot, now a little looser. Athe tilted her head at Sama'el, reaching up and scratching her thick hair thoughtfully. "I think my father knows someone in an Amethyst Clan pavilion that does it. Fleetrunner, I think they're called? That's as much as I know about them." She shrugged casually. "And hey, yeah! Riki is my brother!" Whoa, whoa. Calm. So he knew her brother. No need have a fit about it. Clearing her throat, Athe calmed herself and swept a hand over her bunched hair. "I haven't seen him for a long time. I'm really thrilled to hear he's doing well. My family worries about him." She sent a smile to Dohaina. Glancing over her shoulder, Athe eyed Horse with a mild flicker of skepticism. "Actually, if you don't mind, I'm curious about a saddle now. Maybe I should be listening to Perianth's needs and letting her keep the saddle. She has a hard enough time understanding any of my commands. She doesn't speak Pavi." She grimaced and looked back at the Watchman. "Unless you think it's a bad idea."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Oh, really!?" He laughed at the coincidence of it all, wondering if it were truly coincidence. "Well, he was doing well. Seemed happy, although I'm sure he would appreciate more visits from Endrykas. I plan to go back in the Fall, trade some horses with Kavala of the Denusk Pavilion, who owns the Sanctuary where he works. And yes, the Fleetrunners... I need to ride out to meet them, or perhaps they will come in to trade horses soon if I'm lucky." He glanced at Horse and then at her, nodding. "It doesn't hurt to get used to an outlander saddle. You never know when you might need to use one. It took me months to teach Horse Pavi and he doesn't... well, he's smart, but he's not a Strider. At least when I start to train him to the yvas, I'll be able to talk him through it in a language he understands. And he's a flirt, so I'm sure he'd not mind you riding him."

[Athe Stormheart]

Athe grimaced at the idea of visiting her brother. Playing with her impromptu hair tie, she looked down and shrugged. "I'd love to see Riki again, but the stories I've heard about Riverfall make me nervous. I'd rather never go there unless I had to." She looked up again, offering a playful smirk. "If you see him again, tell that ass to visit us himself." The woman turned and looked over Horse, stroking her hand along his neck. Curiously, she inspected his harness and saddle as if it were some sort of complex machinery. It really was: though Perianth had arrived with her own saddle and reins, Athe had been quick to remove it and had actually cut the straps instead of bothering to unfasten them. Now that Horse was here, she had a moment to study all of it. She kicked lightly at one of the stirrups. "A flirt?" Athe chuckled softly, rubbing Horse's cheek. "Well I certainly don't mind. He's a very handsome man. Aren't you, Horse?" She patted his neck, then turned back to Sama'el. "So... if you don't mind... do you think you can show me how to get up on one of these?" OOCSorry for assuming Horse had the saddle on already! I should have asked.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Actually, I do believe he mentioned coming to visit Endrykas in the Fall. Said he would introduce me to his sisters..." The last came out of his mouth before he bothered to think about what he was saying, and then he began to blink and blush and immediately looked down, intertwining his fingers to give her a leg up. "Ah, give me your right foot, then put your left foot in the stirrup and swing your right leg over and into the other stirrup. Without kicking me in the face, please." It had happened, being one of the joys of teaching children how to ride. The stallion remained dutifully still, having had to do most of the work before when Sam was too sick to pull himself into the saddle, but needed to ride for fear of being eaten by wolves or monsters or whatever roamed the northern wastes. But once she was up, he stepped back to survey the way she sat the saddle, which definitely felt different than an yvas. He was comfortable either way, or on a blanket or bareback, though that was less comfortable for the horse if he was going to ride a long way. "You look good on him," he noted.