Getting the Hang of it (Closed)

[Kendall Saarinen]

14th of Spring, 511 AV The work at the stables was tedious, although Kendall knew as much when he applied to work there. He was not as strong as the other workers but the knight who hired seemed to have some faith in that fact that he could work or else why would he have hired him? This work was dirtier than other things Kendall had done, although this was his first job he had ever had. Anything else he had ever done had been trivial. Clean the house, help cook dinner, and other things of that nature. There was a start for everything though and even if he was not strong enough at the moment, he would get better in time. The mere fact he could even lift the bales of hay was a surprise in of itself to him. Kendall was lucky in the fact that the only animals he really had any experience with were horses. Or better yet, his horse. While his work with Dyakana did not make him skilled in the slightest, it made him more apt to working with the horses than say, birds or livestock. The first thing Kendall tended to was the horses' food. His hope was if they were eating he could maneuver around them easier to clean out their pens. He looked skeptically at the bales of hay, remembering all too well how he had struggled with them last time he had tried to lift them. With a small sigh he grabbed the sides of one of the bales and attempted to lift it. At first he could not get it to lift off of the pile of bales. At around his fourth try his finally hoisted it into his arms. "Okay, now to carry it over to the horses." While lifting the hay was half of the job there was still the task of lugging it to the pens and that would be a challenge within itself.

[Kendall Saarinen]

The bale was heavy in Kendall's arms as he struggled to carry it over to the pens. Each moment he wanted to quit and set the bale down so he could relax. He knew that if he placed it on the ground he would not be able to lift it again though. "Why did I pick this petching job? I should have just worked in a store." He clenched his teeth as he forced himself through the stables. He had to keep in mind that things would get easier the more he worked. Sadly, he was not the most positive person. When Kendall reached the stall he dropped the bale with a sigh of relief. He was sure he was more happy to see the hay in the horse's trough then the horse was. He wanted to drop down to the floor and rest but there was still work to be done and a lot of it at that. Walking back to the bales he felt the eyes of the other workers on him. He already felt uncomfortable enough as it was with how difficult the work was for him. He did not need the other workers chatting about how he was not equipped for the stable work behind his back. He hated that people looked at him and saw nothing but a soft boy who didn't know work. He wanted to prove them wrong, even if it was hard. Once again Kendall gripped another bale of hay in an attempt to lift it. He thought of showing everyone else he was worth it. He wanted people to see him as useful, even if he didn't think he was. With a bit a struggle, he lifted the hay, his arms already aching from the exertion of strength. He walked slowly in an attempt to pace himself. As he walked he tried to think of how to make it all easier. Maybe through magic? No, he couldn't do that. That was the easy way out. He wanted to be strong, and not just emotionally. He wanted to be strong enough where people would not brush him off as some weak boy. Most of all, he wanted to be strong enough to protect himself and Cathan. If the pair were going to go to Ravok he would need to make sure his Kelvic friend would not be stolen from him. The positive thinking did not help much with the pain of the weight but it gave him a goal. This was about more than money, it was to be content with himself.

[Kendall Saarinen]

As Kendall dropped the bale of hay in the next horses stall, he paused to wipe the sweat from his brow. All of the repetitive motion was starting to get to him. He was feeling a bit thirsty, although it might have been more because he was attempting to do a job that was for someone much stronger than him. "Just keep working at it. The more you work, the easier it will get." Again, Kendall grabbed another bale of hay. He could feel himself growing tired. The bales were getting harder to carry, not easier. Each step seemed harder and harder to take. "Just drop this bale of hay off and you can work on something easier. Maybe grooming the horses." He could tell himself anything. It did not make the hay and easier to carry. He closed his eyes, trying to think of Cathan and how the pair of them needed the money. He wanted the thought to be enough but sadly, it wasn't. Despite Kendall's struggled efforts, he felt his arms give out underneath the hay. It dropped to the ground where Kendall had moved just fast enough to keep it from landing on his toes. He bit his lip in order to stop a girlish scream from exiting his lips in fear. He did not dare look around at the other stable workers. In truth, there was no reason why they would all be paying attention to him. They had more important things to do than watch and wait for him to mess up. Kendall blushed lightly as he looked down at the bale of hay. He had made it about half way to the stall before he dropped it. With a small sigh, he grabbed onto the hay again. He had to finish the job. "Just keep the money in your mind." His muscles screamed as he gripped at the bale but with a bit of effort, the hay was back in his arms. He walked slowly with it, not wanting to drop it again. He had gotten lucky the first time when he did not drop the hay on his feet but he had the feeling he would not be that lucky twice. When Kendall finally reached the stall and dropped the hay down for the horse. He breathed a sigh of relief. "One day's work down."

[Tabarnac]

XP Award! Kendall XP Award: Bodybuilding +3; Horsemanship +3 Additional Notes: Edit: Changed Animal Husbandry to Horsemanship. My mistake. He works hard for the money so you’d better treat him right! When you have finished the requisite threads, I will award seasonal income/XP as necessary. If you give up, just PM me links to your completed work threads and I’ll add mizas to your awards. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or concerns. Keep writing!