The Sun and Raine (Sam)

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

"Kamrynn!" One of the gate guards called as Kamrynn led Raine -his brand new Frostmarch mare- out the front gate of Syliras. "I've hear you're taking a short leave of absence. Is this lovely new horse the reason behind it?" The guard reached out to pat the snowy mare on the side. She shook in appreciation.

"Indeed she is!" Kamrynn grinned. Several of the knights had already expressed a sort of jealousy over his horse. She was a sort of rarity in Syliras, and even more rare amongst the Syliran knights; nearly all of them road Tiadens. They were perhaps more suited to the task of carrying a knight into battle than Kamrynn's mount, but there was something 'fairy tale' fantastic about a knight on a white horse.

"Well, you enjoy yourself, say...." The guard leaned in close. "See those girls coming to the gates? Why don't you hop on that horse of yours and give them a little taste of what Syliran Knights are like! You know, ride off into the sunrise like a hero."

"Sure..." Kamrynn said, unsteadily making his way into the saddle. He wasn't a particularly skilled rider, but he'd seen others do what he intended. The women were almost upon them when he made his move.

"Hyaa, Raine!" He jerked up on the reigns, and Raine reared back majestically. It was impressive to say the least; unfortunately, Kamrynn came uprooted form his saddle and stirrups. As the horse came back down up on all fours, Kamrynn's spurs bit deep into its sides as the knight struggled to maintain his balance. The horse whinnied loudly and bolted forward at full speed.

Kamrynn clung to the side of the horse, it was all he could do to keep from falling off its side. "Stop stop stop stop stop...!" The guards and women heard him crying as he disappeared down the road. They all shared a laugh.

It was nearly a half mile before Kamrynn regained control of his horse, righted himself, and continued his journey. It was a beautiful morning for a ride out in the Syliras Wildlands!

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Now that Sam had a regular job at the stables, he was intent on taking Horse out into the wild for exercise and the like whenever he had a chance. Of course, he also needed to get out of town for his own mental well-being, but as he was almost more concerned about Horse than himself, it was Horse's benefit that came foremost to mind when making these plans.

The windrunner stallion ran like the proverbial wind back toward Syliras after their early morning jaunt, and Sam reveled in the speed unmatched by any horse outside the Sea of Grass. But even crouched low over Horse's neck, long-limbed body slightly raised out of the saddle so as to match the motions of his mount, Sam could see the white blur shoot like an arrow out of Syliras' gates. As they grew ever closer, he realized it was a man on a white horse. Closer still, a Frostmarch and the rider no expert. From the way she ran, a mare.

When the rider managed to slow his horse, or perhaps she merely grew bored of running, Sam decided to take a closer look. He shifted his weight in a way Horse would recognize as a request to slow down, and slow down he did, not long before they would cross paths, but enough time for Horse to regain his breath. Sam didn't want him embarrassed in front of a pretty mare, after all.

"Ho, stranger," he called ahead, his cheeks flushed with wind and the excitement of a good ride.

Then, oh, I remember them.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

"Woah there, horsey! Woah there, Raine!" Kamrynn pleaded with his horse, drawing back on the reigns. Gently this time. She was a good natured creature and listened obediently, coming to a gentle stop -even though she longed to be running again.

"And good morning to you!" Kamrynn returned cheerfully. "It's certainly a pleasant day for a ride, isn't it?" He laughed. "Ah, but I've been a horse owner for less than a day!" The man in front of him seemed oddly familiar, but Kamrynn couldn't place from where.

"I'm Kamrynn Sleightyr, Syliran knight, and who might I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Well met, sir," he replied respectfully. Though the young knight didn't look much older than Sam, he was part of the order that ruled in Syliras. It was never a good idea to irk that sort of a person.

"I am Sam," he said simply, the rest of his name had died along with the person he had been years and years ago. "I actually think I saw you buying your horse at the stables yesterday. She's a pretty girl. I hope she weathers the Syliran summers all right."

For all his respect, he was usually a cheerful lad and today was no different. He smiled the whole while. And why not? Sir Kamrynn was correct: it was a pleasant day for a ride.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

"Oh, is that so, Sam?" Kamrynn asked curiously. That must have been where he had seen the boy before -working at the stables. "Then, perhaps you have some knowledge of horses? You certainly ride yours with a great deal of skill, and I could use some advice -that is, if you wouldn't mind."

The boy seemed like the right person to ask, he was friendly, and looked to be more at home on his horse than a fish did in the ocean, or a bird in the sky. "I have to admit," Kamrynn said sheepishly. "That I know next to nothing about these pleasant creatures." He patted Raine's side. "Could you tell me, perhaps, a little bit about my girl Raine here? I'm afraid I know nothing more than the name of her breed -Frostmarch. What does that mean, exactly?"

Thinking for a moment, Kamrynn added with a laugh. "Oh, and is there any way to tell how old she is? I'm afraid I'm too much of a gentleman to ask the young lady herself."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam laughed.

"Well, the name rather says it all. They're from Taldera and used to marching through the winter snows. They're better on icy terrain than most horses, and they have the strength and endurance that trudging through heavy snow needs. She'll be most useful to you in the winter when most of the rest of people's horses are struggling. And, ahh, if you want an exact age, we can ask at the Stables. They keep records of that sort of thing, especially if she was bred nearby. I'd guess somewhere around five, though. Young, and probably old enough to breed, but she doesn't hold herself like a horse who's foaled.

"And from what I can see, she's in good health. But you bought from Serena, so you don't have to worry about that. You can always bring her by the Stables if she gets hurt or sick. She might be a little miserable during the dog days of summer, but if you go easy on her when it's hot, she'll be fine."

He paused. "And if you really want riding lessons, I give them at the Stables."

With an invisible signal, Horse reared, shaking out his mane in what Sam felt to be a rather impressive display, but then he was biased; Horse was his family.

"Uh oh. I think he likes your lady friend." He grinned.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

Kamrynn listened to Samael's words, making a mental note of the information and nodding the whole time. It was good to hear that she was still a young girl, though he suspected as much, and he couldn't wait for an opportunity to test Raine's sure footedness.

The idea of riding lessons piqued his interested rather sharply. He needed to learn, and learn quickly. His ego would be a long time in healing after his fiasco at the gate. Word amongst the knight's spread quickly, and he hated being the butt end of rumors and jokes. His reputation as an up and coming knight wouldn't survive another horse riding related mishap.

"I'd love to enroll in lessons; to be honest, I'm not much of a rider either... I spent too much time as a squire with a sword and shield, and as little as possible on a horse with a lance. Actually, I've mizahs with me, would you be available now for a bit of a lesson-?"

The question was cut short as Sam's horse reared back majestically, and very nearly startled Kamrynn from his saddle. It was an incredible creature, the muscles bunched under it's skin with such explosive power it was almost frightening.

Sam's comment made Kamrynn laugh warmly. "I think she should be flattered then. You've a fine creature there, what's his name, and what manner of horse is he? I'm certainly no professional opinion, but I have honestly never seen it's equal."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Well, I just call him Horse," he admitted, beaming with pride, though he had admitted to few how he came about his equine companion. A Syliran knight might laud him for stealing a horse to escape slavery, but another knight might call him a thief no matter what the circumstances of the theft. But Syliras was a strange island of civilization floating amid the chaos of reality. Sam ignored it as best he could.

"Horse is a windrunner. Fast and smart, but he'd be better as a courier than in battle, though he has helped protect me from more than a few nasty things on the roads. We're just better at running." He chuckled. "I've never even used a lance. I'm... not great with my scimitar, and I've not had a working bow in a while so..." He grinned ruefully. "So I stick close to Syliras where the knights can keep the monsters at bay."

He glanced thoughtfully toward the City, then back at Kamrynn. "We could ride for a bit and I'll give you some tips," he agreed. "Just don't tell Serena. I'm not sure how she'd feel about me giving lessons outside of the Stables. But the Stables would be best to practice your lance work on Raine."

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

The horse's name, and Sam's description of his hitless and run battle tactics brought a grin to Kamrynn's face. "Well, I've no problem with that. If there weren't people in need of protection, the knight's wouldn't have a job. I'd love to take you up on your offer, the fields here near the castle are nice and open -perfect for a ride."

With a sudden thought in mind, the knight scanned the field for some sort of landmark. It was a sea of green; lush trees and grasses were in full bloom, a testament to the lasting vitality of the land and the onset of summer. Flowers dotted the landscape and the sun shone warmly over head.

"Perfect," Kamrynn announced, having found his target. "Sam, do you see that rock out there?" He pointed to an unmistakable boulder lounging lazily in a patch of grass about a half mile or so away. "How about Horse and Raine have a bit of a race to it? But of course, being the gentleman he is, Horse wouldn't mind if we had a 5 to 10 second head start, would he?"

Kamrynn beamed, but didn't wait for Sam to answer before spurring Raine forward. He had a feeling the boy would take him up on the challenge and that Horse was more than capable of surmounting the handicap.

Raine obliged happily, eager to stretch her legs and be on the move. She worked slowly into a gallop, feeling none of the sense of urgency her rider had.

Kam was thrilled to feel the wind in his hair -and to be atop his mount for once. They were closing on the boulder faster than he would have thought Raine could manage, he looked back over his shoulder to see how Sam was fairing.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Horse nearly buzzed with excitement, but Sam kept him silent and still with the touch of his hand and a few words in Pavi. He observed Raine's gait, rating her gallop and then comparing it with what he knew of Horse's own. She was quick for her kind, and time would tell whether that was a trade-off for her breed's usual tireless strength when winter snows returned to Syliras.

"...eleven," he counted, tolling the last few aloud, "twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen! Go, Horse! GO!"

The sudden tension in his legs sent the stallion surging forward like a silver arrow to give chase to the mare and the young knight riding her. After two years together, riding Horse was old hats to Sam, so his body unerringly found the rhythm of Horse's gait as his eyes watched Kamrynn's form to see how novice a student he was getting himself into.

Whether he won or lost was no great thing; it wasn't like there was money riding on it. It did seem they would at the very least close most of the distance.