Far and Away

[Hadrian]

82nd Spring, 510 A.V. Day One The dawn had yet to break when Hadrian approached the caravan idling at the gates. The gate guards were occupied with a competent, middle-aged man dressed in the Zeltivan fashion, who was handing over the requisite paperwork as well as a few golden nilos to hurry things up. Time and tide waited for no man, nor opportunity, and these men and women were ready to go, though some looked as sleepy-eyed as the young enchanter felt. The caravan guards eyed his approach, but he kept a bit of distance, waiting for the man with the money. He had everything he thought he would need for the journey in his satchel and a larger duffel. While waiting, he glanced back at sleeping Zeltiva, dark but for the flickering of torches and lanterns more dispersed than the stars in the sky, those luminaries dimming themselves in anticipation of Syna's rising. "Are you Hadrian?" asked a voice, lilting in a familiar way. He turned, catching mostly the silhouette of a man, young like him. Assuming he was one of the guards from the glint of weapons in sheaths and metal rivets and scales on his leather armor, Hadrian nodded. "I am he." "We have a horse for you," he said, half-turning to lead Hadrian away from Zeltiva and toward the future. "Thank you," the young enchanter said, moving to follow and keep pace. They were quiet in the morning twilight. "This is Serenity," he said, patting a placid palomino saddle mare. "You'll want to put your things into the saddle bags. Your things will ride easier there." "Thank you," he said again, and started digging around in his satchel to stow things as per the expert. At least, more expert than Hadrian. He hadn't really packed all that much, and it wasn't until he was nearly done that he realized the young man was still there. "Oh. Sorry, was there something else?" "He warned us that you were inexperienced," he said apologetically. "I was going to help you into the saddle." "Oh," Hadrian said, suddenly willing the dawn to take its sweet time so the near darkness could hide his sudden flush. "Don't worry about it," he said in a kindly voice. "There's a first time for everything. My name is Neilos." "Phiaro," called the money man as he approached, "leave the lad alone." Neilos Phiaro backed off, the breaking dawn flashing on his sudden grin and pale blue eyes. Hadrian was reminded suddenly of Ha'na and wondered if the young man had Benshira blood as well. Turning, Hadrian greeted his father's Zeltivan factor. "Are you sure about this, lad?" he asked, eyebrows beetling with concern. "Syliras has a reputable magecrafter to learn from. No need to visit Sahova by way of Sunberth of all places." He spat on the ground, and Hadrian realized that this man of coin and account was superstitious and fearful. And rightly so: Sunberth was a chaotic place where might made right; Sahova was a magical testing ground for people that should have rightly died far too long ago. "Sure?" He considered. "Sure. Thank you for your concern, but I will be fine." "Very well," the mad said gruffly. He gave Hadrian a cuff to his shoulder, the sort of affection men showed other men and he wondered if after these last four years of watching over him in Zeltiva, this man had become accustomed to that burden the way a reluctant father might. "Be careful. Come back soon." Then he raised his voice. "Watch over this one, Phiaro, or you'll never work in Sylira again!" "Yes, sir," came the laughing reply. "Thanks," Hadrian muttered to the man. Then there was nothing to do for it. He raised his leg, fitting his foot awkwardly in the stirrup, and attempted to stand up and throw his leg over. Serenity turned her long neck around to stare at him, but it was only the factor's hand on his rump pushing that kept him from falling down and cracking his head open on the paving stones. Gate guards and caravan guards alike laughed at his travails. Grumbling, he got himself settled in the saddle. "Good bye," he said. "Thank you for all your help." He gave Serenity a sharp sting with the reins, startling her into a walk that nearly unseated him. His father's factor waved at Hadrian's back, shaking his head ruefully, part of him sure he had seen the last of the lad alive. The saddle mare broke out into an easy trot that still managed to make Hadrian's teeth rattle. She hurried despite his sawing on the reins, wanting to catch up with her herd, the caravan having started along the trail that led up into the mountains. It was Neilos Phiaro who came to his rescue again, his own roan gelding trotting alongside Serenity. He clicked his tongue soothingly to Hadrian's mare and reached out to pat her shoulder. When his gelding eased into a walk, Serenity slowed too, for which Hadrian was quite grateful. "Relax," he said, too friendly to be a rebuke. "This road is too long for you to be wound up so tight. She'll walk now unless you startle her. Just get used to the rhythm of her body. You'll learn it and it'll come to seem more natural. I promise." "Wanna bet?" Hadrian asked, already wondering if this trip was a good idea. Now, however, he could only listen to Neilos' tips to make life easier for him and for Serenity, which left him no more time to wonder how Isikais would fare alone in his cottage or to worry that he hadn't made sufficient arrangements to keep Koh safe in his own home. It was a new beginning.

[Hadrian]

83rd Spring, 510 A.V. Day Two "You're a city boy," Neilos explained gently. "You have other things to do besides riding horses." "Thanks, Neilos," Hadrian managed, gritting his teeth. "Do you think you could avoid the bumping." The man laughed quietly. "Look around you, Hadrian." He did, already knowing they were up in the Zastoska Mountains, still climbing through the mixed deciduous forest, now healthy and green in the late, late spring. Mathews Bay hid behind a few mountains that they had already traversed, and now they were steadily climbing toward the treeline on two of the tallest peaks in the range, where lay the Mirahil Pass and their path. Hadrian groaned and Neilos laughed again. "Here, why don't you drive?" he asked, holding out the reins to Hadrian. "Wait, what? Me? Drive? I don't know how to drive." "I'll lesson you, then. C'mon. I'll be here to make sure nothing happens. You might as well learn something since you can't ride anymore. It'll distract you." Hadrian groaned again, shifting uncomfortably on the pillow. They sat together on the bench of the heavily laden cart, their horses on leads attached to the sides, apparently just as pleased to walk without human burdens. He took the reins from Neilos and held them nervously in both hands despite watching the other man manage with one hand just fine. Nothing really happened. The horses kept plodding along, and gradually Hadrian's grip began to relax a bit. "This isn't so difficult," he admitted. "No, it won't be. We're in the middle of a caravan and horses are herd animals. All you need to do is be aware of things around us to make sure nothing spooks the horses. But these are all bred and trained for this sort of thing, so they won't make your life too difficult. This is the best way to learn, though, actually doing it, but in a situation where nothing terrible should arise." Hadrian nodded. "That makes sense. Wait, what are you doing?" Neilos laughed again, amused but still too gentle to arouse resentment. He had leaned down and the sudden change startled Hadrian more than anything. The caravan guard straightened up, unscrewing the cap from a flask he had pulled from his boot. "You'll have to keep calm or the horses will pick up on your nerves and start acting nervy. A nip of this will help," he said, offering the flask to Hadrian, who took it and threw back a shot. Coughing a bit, he passed it back. "Whiskey," Neilos informed him, putting back a bit himself and then resting the flask on his knee as if still deciding whether they needed another. Quietly ruminating their own thoughts, Neilos was the first to speak up again. "Gets more difficult when you use a jerk-line," he said. "One time I was hauling iron ore out from some mines, the loads were so heavy it called for twenty mules and two horses. The swamper and I rode the horses and they were closest to the big wagon because they were stronger than the mules and could really get it moving. They didn't mind the jarring of the wagon tongue either, not like the mules. So the swamper was riding trailer and I was the left wheeler. We had to be close to the wagon to hit the break on steep descents if things got out of hand. But I drove twenty mules with one long rein attached to the front mule, called a jerk-line. Between that and a blacksnake whip, I kept those mules going. Now... that was difficult, let me tell you." He grinned and the way his voice worked around the story made it sound less like bragging and more like awe at what he could do. That made Hadrian smile, and tricked him into relaxing, which the horses felt through the reins, keeping them going calmly enough with their brethren. "Are you a Vantha or something?" Hadrian joked, trying to draw him out a bit. "You sure know how to tell a story. I mean, normally I don't know how interested I would be in a story about driving mules loaded down with iron ore, but..." He shrugged apologetically. Neilos just laughed. "Part Vantha, anyway. Part Drykas and Benshira,too, if my parents are to be believed. I don't know what that makes me, though." "Multi-talented, I guess," Hadrian offered. "Perhaps," he acceded. "Good with horses and a story, I guess." "The multi-faceted Neilos Phiaro." The both laughed at that. "Give the reins a bit of a flick," he suggested. "They're getting lazy and they'll get a chance to rest at lunch." Following that advice, Hadrian attempted to flick the reins without hurting the horses overmuch. It barely made a sound. Frowning, he tried again, and this time the horses surely felt it, picking up their pace. He smiled. "Doesn't have to be quite so hard," Neilos said, "but it didn't hurt them either." "Well, I'll have some practice. I don't think I'm going to be able to sit a horse any better tomorrow." Neilos laughed again and passed him the whiskey flask. "So your turn..." "What?" Hadrian asked, pausing just before he took a shot. "Story." "Oh, um..."

[Hadrian]

84th Spring, 510 A.V. Day Three "Shyke, shyke, shyke, shyke, SHYKE!" he muttered, all tensed up with fear as the horse trotted underneath him. It wasn't so much the speed that got him -- after all, a trot generally doesn't have the velocity to inspire fear -- but the gait was so unfamiliar after getting somewhat used to the mare's gentle walk. Neilos cantered up, catching a hold of Serenity's reins, his hand clasped over Hadrian's inexpert one. "Whoa," he said in a soothing tone. "Whoa..." Of course, the saddle mare responded to his sure touch where she didn't to Hadrian, but he was hyperventilating too much to get competitive. Neilos didn't let go of the reins until both horses were walking in step and Hadrian had his breathing under control. "So the trot's a little rough, eh?" he asked with gentle amusement. "I just... It was so jarring and I couldn't figure out how to sit without... I just thought I was constantly about to fall." Now, of course, he began to color with shame. He was an idiot after all. He wanted to travel the world but didn't know how to properly ride a horse. It wasn't like he could snap his fingers and appear in Sahova at a moment's notice to be feted by Mashaen and the other legendary wizards of the Citadel. "But you didn't fall," Neilos pointed out. "No," Hadrian admitted. "Progress." "Yes." He smirked, trying to save a little face with his old nonchalance. Neilos wrinkled his nose. He didn't seem to like the university bravado. "Are we there yet?" Hadrian asked. His plaintive tone was only half mocking. "We'll likely set up camp here soon," Neilos told him. The sun goes down early in the mountains. "Arse bothering you?" Hadrian just snickered. Indeed, they were soon camped. Neilos pulled Serenity's saddle off Hadrian when the young enchanter attempted to unsaddle her and ended up on his sore arse. Under the more experienced man's watchful eye, Hadrian prepared a feed bag for the palomino mare, combed her a bit to prevent saddle sores, and tethered her near a sizable patch of late spring grass that she would be able to crop when he removed the feed bag. "You aren't too bad with horses," Neilos said. "Yeah, right." "Well, I don't mean to say you're an expert by any means, but some people..." He just shook his head. "By the time we get to Sunberth, you'll be able to do this on your own if you have to." Hadrian smiled a little, thinking. Then, "I know you're supposed to keep an eye on me, but why are you so intent on me actually learning? I mean... I'm not going to be a caravan guard." Neilos smiled back, shrugged. "Give a man to fish and he'll eat for a day..." Nodding quickly and catching up the thread of his adage, Hadrian finished, "Teach a man to fish and he'll eat forever. I know, I know. I guess I just wonder why you're going to the effort." "Is it so difficult to believe that someone would find you likable and want to share what he knows?" Neilos always spoke more slowly. Sometimes Hadrian appreciated it, but other times it irritated him. His mind was so quick to move on to the next idea. But he had no answer to that. "Why don't you get out that flute?" "Do you know how to do everything?" Hadrian asked, nonetheless pulling the wooden flute he had purchased back in Zeltiva from his satchel. Neilos laughed. "I don't know a lick of enchanting." Soon enough, Neilos was showing Hadrian which fingers went wear, and how to position his mouth to blow air effectively across the the tone hole. "I've been reading about music theory so I know..." "Right, right, right," interrupted Neilos. This was uncommon for him. "So you know the mathematics and you know all that stuff. Now we are going to play. Find the notes I'm playing." Neilos pulled out a harmonica and played a single note repeatedly while Hadrian tried to match it on the flute. It took several attempts, but he got it and then they were playing the same note together. "Shut the petch up!" someone yelled from another campfire. "Petch off!" Hadrian shouted back, and Neilos chuckled before playing a different note, which brought Hadrian back to the search. He found it a bit quicker now. They repeated this process several times, and then suddenly Neilos was leading him on a slow melody, Hadrian's flute coming in as a more ethereal echo of each note played on the reedy harmonica. Nobody complained after that. It wasn't complicated, but it was, in its way beautiful. They continued to play until it began to get dark, and when they were done, their smiles were underlit by the firelight. Music was an unexpected bonus. Despite a sore arse, it was a good day.

[Daoloth]

Let me unveil your rewards Name:Hadrian XP Award:XP:Riding:2,Driving:2,Musical instrument[flute]:1 Lore Award:Getting in the saddle is harder then it looks!, Riding 101, Driving 101, Questioning kindness,Riding hurts the arse, Nervous driver means nervous horse Additional NotesWell most of the XP is self explanatory you did a good job of both showing a very basic tutorial on how ride a horse. Still if you have questions or think that I am ripping you of just give me a PM I'll answer fairly quick, well if my internet is working -.-