RP:A Horse with no Name
Location: South Venturil, Horse Stables
Summary: Loravelle gets her dang horse. Enough said.
Venturil Stables
Leo broke the trip into two parts with good reason. Not just because the hours of the day trickled by far too fast, but there was also that lingering pressure not to risk Loravelle’s health to chance, even if she did seem more or less recovered. The remaining distance through Xalious’ mountain side path to Venturil borders wouldn’t take them long at all, and after making certain she ate some of the oatmeal and fruit breakfast Nancy had prepared for them in the common room, he led the way west and south with his hand attached to hers for most of the walk. He was accustomed to her questions but wouldn’t entirely be surprised if she bombarded him with a few extra on this occasion. Suoxin was finally getting her ‘pony’, and while they might have room for the creature on their own property in due time, she wouldn’t have to wait for the season to turn for the arrangements he’d made at the stables conveniently close to the ship and warehouse. Through the city toward the south end of that territory, it was when the roads faded further and further into dirt pathways that the first signing of horse hoofprints could be spotted in the soil, and although he caught that livestock scent long before Lora’ could, the fenced field in the distance displayed several horses of different breeds and colors grazing, running, rolling in puddles of mud. His fiance’s happy place, he hoped, as he approached the wooden corral gates and unlatched it to hold one side open for his bride-to-be.
The land here has been cleared and fenced in, creating a large pasture for the King of Venturil's horses. A stable and a small hall stand at the westernmost end of the pasture, where the stable hands appear to be busy cleaning and grooming the steeds. A list on the wall shows which horses are available for sale. The horse breeder, Frethwi, waits for a chance to tell any who ask that most of the bloodlines for sale come from Larket originally, but that the very best are crosses between the steeds of Larket and the rugged breeds brought by King Eboric's folk. The result is a tall, strong breed, with astounding endurance and, for its size, surprising speed.
Loravelle is on her best behavior today after her stunt the day before. Joke or not, the last thing she wanted was for Leo to think she's ungrateful. Their trek from Kelay to Venturil has her abuzz with questions, albeit extra cautious instead of the usual, timid blurting. She still felt awful for hurting her fiance's feelings if she did, so every opportunity she could, Lora squeezed his hand or murmured how grateful she was for everything. All of this. It was an odd balance, and she isn't entirely sure if she's maintained it. Gushing too much might come off as forced, while not saying anything might make her seem defensive...or something. She isn't entirely sure, and is absolutely overthinking this, but she desperately wanted to bring harmony back for her and her love. Once they're in Venturil and pass by the Fallen Star Inn, she juts her chin in the building's direction and explains, vaguely, “That's where I got your ring.” The most roguish thing she's ever done in Lithrydel. Saying that she stole it out loud with others nearby didn't sound wise, but Suoxin figured Leo could connect the dots. Even if she wanted to elaborate further, her attention is captured by that fenced in field and the sheer amount of horses she can see in the distance. “Oh, they're beautiful...” All of them. Even from this far away, and she has to resist squeezing Leo's hand to tug him along the path faster. Once they finally do reach the gates and he's held one open, she hurries in...and just stands there. Awestruck, overwhelmed with joy. “Look at them...” The idea was to pick one out, right? Well, Suoxin seems to have forgotten that…
If the pirate’s feelings had been injured, they were quick to mend. At that moment of her jest, he had been more concerned that he’d disappointed her than vice versa. His mood was still riding high and he offered squeezes to her hand from time to time for reassurance of that. Blue eyes cast a glance toward the Inn with a knowing smirk, but that telling expression actually softened into a faint smile as her (hopefully booted) feet hurried inside to an abrupt halt. He was in no hurry; the day was hers to look around, meet some of the prospects, search out a connection. “I see ‘em, Dove.” Maybe he wasn’t quite at her level with what he saw, but if she had taken her Captain to a sea of different vessels and told him he was free to pick a ship, he might have had the same expression of awe. Leo released her hand in order to grant her some freedom, also to meet up with Frethwi, who extended a hand which the rogue begrudgingly shook. His low murmured brogue countered the thicker accent the horse breeder had to work with as they discussed business briefly, and wherever Loravelle wandered first to look - be it the growing foals on their long, clumsy legs in a fenced off corral or the individual pens where some older and green broke equine were taking their turn for an alfalfa and grain lunch or the edge of that fenced field where mares and geldings got curious to approach anyone loitering on the other side - Leo soon followed up behind her and absently touched at her hair, bound, braided or loose. “He’s gonna bring us a bucket of carrots if you wanna treat them.”
Loravelle doesn't know where to start once Leo gives her that freedom to look around, possibly (definitely) approach a few of the horses. She wore boots for the trek from Kelay to Venturil, and while they were a lifesaver on the way here, there's a part of her that wants to kick them off and run around barefoot like Lita while she mills about the horses, admiring them fondly, approaching a few if they seemed comfortable with it. There was never a preference of breed in her mind, but she does linger by the foals momentarily to gently stroke their sides if they happened to move in close enough without her spooking them. Maybe not a foal. One that's already trained seemed appropriate, and her only real preference now that she thought about it, was a mare. But which one? There were so many... Her head abruptly turns when Leo sneaks up behind her and touches her hair, tamed today in a braid. “Really?” Suoxin grins. She'd spoil all of them rotten, and still remain indecisive about this, knowing her luck. Maybe Leo could give her a little bit of guidance in a way. “What's your stallion friend like?” Even if she wanted a mare. He mentioned once that he doesn't look at the stallion as a pet, so maybe that's how she could approach finding her horse companion.
Leoxander watched with his arms folded across his chest at first, his stance neutral and his eyes mellow, while the foals leaned into the railing to get those side scratches and flicked their nubbin tails only barely starting to grow out with various shades of horse hair. Lips nibbled but no nips on Loravelle’s arms and clothing and a couple had a miniature duel to vie for the petite woman’s attention, sending one loping away and bucking a bit clumsily as energetic children horses were prone to do. They were all well fed and groomed, bits of mud clinging to some tail tips or coats as evidence of their freedom within those fences. “Not like these…” He murmured an answer as he stepped forward up beside her and gripped the blazed nose of a young colt to ‘play’ with it, the metal and wooden barrier clanking softly while one of the little blonde haired palomino fillies tried to bump their hindquarters in Loravelle’s reach for a butt and back scratch that even she could reach, since they were both about the same height. “He’s wild. Comes an’ goes as he pleases. Won’t get near if he doesn’t feel like doin’ me a favor. Beautiful bastard, though.” If Loravelle had any recollection of the only entrance he’d made into the tournament on horseback, she’d remember the dark midnight stallion, larger than a clydesdale or fresian, it’s mane and dail and the cuffs of fur around his hooves a platinum hue made dingy by Frostmaws slush and snow. Plus there was that little detail of ivory tusks protruding from it’s lower jaw where these just had the flat bite of a normal horse. Turning, Leo collected the bucket that would capture the majority of the animals in that area, several clopping along to their parameters to get as close as they could to the carrots, tails swishing excitedly from time to time behind them during their steady gait.
Loravelle is trying her hardest to be attentive to what Leo is saying, even if her gaze frequently strays from him to either the foals nibbling at her arms or to any horse that happened to wander by that seemed alright with her petting them. The filly has her laughing, but there's still that indecision in her expression, especially after listening to the rogue. “Maybe I should look for one like that...” Though she doubts any of these horses were much like Leo's stallion friend, especially from what she can remember. She was too far away to see its tusks or other finer details, but its size and coloring alone were unusual enough for her to doubt. Suoxin knew a bit about keeping and breeding horses, but it's been so long since she's actively taken care of one that she thinks any that aren't broken in already might be a bit of a problem for her to deal with. This doesn't disappoint her in the slightest, especially when several are lured in by the bucket of carrots the rogue produces. Still, none in particular catch her eye, that is until she catches a glimpse of a blue roan. It seems a bit shy, lingering back a few paces from the other horses that begin to crowd the wolf and mouse, but its black tail still sways as if she wants to join in and get a carrot for herself, but isn't so sure yet. Suoxin sympathizes immediately with her. “Look -” she points with a carrot she took out of the bucket, but a closer, far more daring, dun mare takes that as her cue to nab the treat away from her grasp so she points with her finger instead. “I like the speckles on her coat..”
Leo didn’t outright frown at the idea of a frostmare, but unlike this domesticated and happy herd of generations, the Frostmaw breed could be called out for their common temperament. Leo seemed to deal with horses as he would any other creature, and reprimands the dun that snagged the carrot in turn with a harmless bap of his knuckles against the paler fade on it’s chest, which causes her to flinch and play her ears back a bit but she gets the message. “Sneak on around the side an’ I’ll keep this lot busy.” He suggests, pacing away from Lora to be followed by the group with a bit of fueding nips between mares and useless kicks from foals still adjusting to their legs, separating the majority with the lure of some carrots. He hooked the bucket to a peg on a near beam and began snapping them into pieces to flat palm feed the more bold gathering of equine, some a little wary about Leoxander’s smell but too lured in by the reward. He almost wanted to point out that could be a factor and a reason for the roan’s distance, but decides that he shouldn’t influence her choice, even if the timid creature took some time to adjust to the lycan’s predatory presence.
Loravelle has to stifle a laugh as Leo herds the other horses away so she can approach the roan without much interruption. Before the bucket is out of her reach, she steals a carrot to try to coax the timid mare to at least accept a few pets from her. As much as Suoxin might be eager to leap onto the horse's back and go for a ride, she's smart enough to know that isn't wise. Instead, she just wants to get her potential new friend familiar with her presence once she's closed the distance between them. Suoxin clicks her tongue a few times before she approaches the horse's side, and waits for an ear to swivel and ultimately her entire head to turn in her general direction before stepping forward. “Hello,” she greets, keeping her voice softer and quieter than usual. The horse hesitantly sniffs at her as Suoxin runs her free hand over the horse's shoulder, and she continues murmuring pleasantries and greetings at the creature in hopes to help her get comfortable and used to her voice. It seems to be working, because the roan feels comfortable enough to cautiously take the carrot from Suoxin's hand once she's offered it. She doesn't turn away from the mare even though she's positioned herself in a relatively save position, away from her hind legs and at the mare's side, within her line of sight, but she tries to carefully signal at Leo with her now carrot-less hand with some reigned in excitement so as to not spook the horse that this is the one. She can't quite pinpoint why apart from the relatable and understandable demeanor, but she seems like a creature that could do with some patience and care to help coax her out of her shell a bit. This wouldn't be some instantaneous bond between mare and human, but that didn't bother Suoxin at all. These things take an abundance of time and care.
Leoxander divided his attention between Suoxin and her new friend, and the group of equine that herded around him, making sure they didn’t get a bite of his hand instead of the carrots. By the time they were finished off and the other horses lost interest or got bullied away by that one dun mare, they didn’t care to pay much attention to Loravelle, either, for the most part. She might get a test of a whiskered snout snuffling at her shoulder, a quivering ripple of muscle seen under that blue roan coat, but otherwise the horse’s dark tail swished contently at the itches from pasture flies. Ducking through the planks and bars of the fence to head over toward Loravelle, he slowed to a stop at a distance and in line of sight for the mare, mostly because those large nostrils started flaring and he was sure the animal was deciding on whether or not he was a threat. So he waited to give her the choice whether or not to investigate him, though it would be a while since she was currently enjoying Loravelle’s calm and soothing demeanor. “So this yer new girl, then?” Arms folded neutrally as he watched the pair interact, though his attention was pulled aside shortly thereafter by the approach of Frethwi, leading a haltered bay gelding by the rope attached. Lora’s mare wasn’t going home alone. The rogue had already selected the male that had no ability to breed with the mare due to the fact they’d been reared and broke together; friends since foals. The brown equine nickered at the shy blue roan as Leo addressed the horsekeeper, taking the spare halter handed over for Loravelle’s pick. “Appreciate it, mate.” Prepared payment was exchanged for grip on the lead and he turned his focus back toward his fiance and her new mount. “You wan’a get on her an’ see how she rides? They’ve got the tack here if you wanna fit her up with a saddle.”
Loravelle carefully strokes the horse's side and continues talking to her, but doesn't make any mention of names or anything to call her just yet. Another thing that'll come with time. Right now she just wanted the mare to get used to her presence and voice. Her attention is so wrapped up in ensuring that her new companion is comfortable with her presence that it takes her flared nostrils are what snapped her to focus on their surroundings, head turning enough to keep the mare in view, and Leo as well now. “Isn't she sweet?” That's a yes from Lora, and it's incredibly difficult to keep her voice soft and even as the rogue reveals another horse that Frethwi leads over. “I-is that...” She could probably squeal with joy if she weren't so worried about startling the roan, but her grin is gigantic. Never once in her life did she ever expect a gift quite like this before, and Lora is left torn between stepping closer to Leo to throw her arms around him in a hug and remaining close to her new horse. The suggestion of a saddle has her head shaking slowly, but she's absolutely eager to hop on the mare's back. Figuring that all the horses in the enclosure, including the mare she's chosen is familiar with the weight of a person on their back, Suoxin steps to the mare's right side so she can take a small handful of her black mane in her left hand right by her withers. It dawns on her that Leo hasn't seen her ride a horse before, so this just might look a little strange, her revealing experience in something that isn't music or cleaning up messes and crafting lanterns, but it might be an amusing surprise. She steps forward with a little skip and hop up while swinging her right leg over the mare's back, and then she's seated. The roan doesn't struggle or try to buck her off, so she gently pats her neck and murmurs some praise . “Very good.” If she were alone and really familiar with the roan, Suoxin might take off immediately after that, but she tries to reign in her excitement. She could ride without a saddle, reins, or a bridle, but it dawns on her that maybe using a rope at least for now might be smart until they've gotten used to each other. Glancing at Leo, she doesn't bother hiding her embarrassment that she got ahead of herself just a little. “A rope might be a good idea...”
Leoxander witnessed that revelation and it had his brows rising a bit behind stray strands of blonde in his face, his own smirk pulling into view as he watched the fluid ascend upon the mare’s strong back. Both the roan and the bay were grown out of their green and naturally, Loravelle just happened to pick one of the timid and good tempered horses that would have no qualms leaving the rest of the herd behind - especially that older dun. Her request had Leo looping the rope attached to the gelding’s halter over the back of its neck, and it just stood there with ears alert, already accustomed to the lycan’s scent from when Leo made plans for that visit to the horse ranch. A leather halter in hand, it was different than a bridle, no metal bit to fit behind the mare’s teeth, just a strap for behind the ears, along the jowls, across the top of her muzzle and under her chin. Trained to keep still while the rogue fit the harness around her head, he half hugged the steed’s neck in order to collect the end of the clipped rope at the other side and latched it in with a knot so that the soft woven tether would act as simple reins. A restrained pat to the roan’s flanks caused a bit of a shiver under that speckled coat as nostrils puffed into Leo’s hair, inspecting the strange smelling man but remaining calm under Suoxin’s seat. By the way she’d mounted the equine, he quickly caught on that she had some experience in riding, as she may have subtly mentioned in the past. Leo was not frequently on horseback but gripping black mane near dark withers, he bounced on a step and pulled his weight up and over the gelding, who swayed a hind step back then a pace or two forward before the bay adjusted to having the predator on his back. A click at the side of his cheek and a wink toward Loravelle, and his boot covered heels and ankles gave a squeeze to start their pace forward: slow for a moment until Leo encouraged the animal passed a trot and into a canter around the fenced in arena, hoping Lora would join in to see how she fared at a faster gait.
Loravelle would have made some comment about how she used to ride and race horses often back home at that look on Leo's face after she's settled, but that'd require some wit and ego on her part. Instead her face begins to grow scarlet at the rogue's smirk, and she glances away while hiding a smile. That fluttery feeling in her chest won't ever get old. Lora is patient as she can possibly be while Leo puts a halter on the roan, but once she has reins in her hands, she's eager to get moving. Her heels squeeze the roan's sides to coax a short trot forward, while she waits for Leo to hop on the gelding and takes the lead. The color on her face was fading away from his earlier smirk, but then he winks and she's back to blushing again. After a moment Lora partially copies Leo, clicking and not winking, and the roan starts at a trot so they can tail Leo initially. Once they're roughly neck and neck, grey eyes linger on Leo for a few moments before she gives the mare's size another squeeze to encourage a faster canter, not quite a gallop yet. Soon, she hopes. Her happiness is likely palpable from simply being on a horse's back with Leo beside her. Lora missed the sensation of moving faster than she could ever run on her own two feet and the wind in her face. Figuring Leo either maintained pace with his gelding or was close, ahead or behind, she asks, “Does Rynvale have any racing tracks? Or an arena?” Not that either were necessary for a race, just safer to her.
Leoxander probably wasn’t as elegant and graceful as the maiden on the mare, and it had been a good while since he’d been on a horse, but this one was not overpowered and wild and it was easy to fall back into some rhythm eventually. He let the bay slow down to a walk, head tossing just a bit impatiently as he clearly wanted to run, and Leo made a motion to Frethwi who opened the gate to the pasture so they had space to ride in the open field. Maybe a friendly race would be due for the couple but for now, side by side with Suoxin and her new companion, he found himself just enjoying the feel of the sun, the smell of the grass and dirt, letting the equine familiarize themselves with the two. It was an unnecessary question but he still wanted to hear it, turning his blue gaze toward his fiance with a mellow expression in his eyes. “Happy?” That was his be all end all goal, these days, the misconstrued joke from the day prior in the past and forgotten.
Loravelle decides to slow back down to a trot since the roan didn't seem to eager about galloping off just yet. That almost disappoints her, but how can she possibly be disappointed really? This is more than perfect. Figuring Leo took the lead out into the pasture, she's close behind, eventually right back as his side once more. “More than happy,” is her reply to Leo. Happy isn't strong enough of a word for this. Overjoyed. Over the moon. This is so much more than she could ever ask for. Leo hasn't asked for much from her at all – nothing, come to think of it, and that leaves Suoxin wondering what she could ever possibly give him that equates to this. The island springs to mind, but she doesn't think she can single-handedly pull off something like that. Could anybody do that? She wasn't aware of the meeting with Mahri, Lita, and Nort after their visit to the stables and that plans were already in place, but she wanted to help, somehow. Anything for him, because Leo's happiness was her end all goal these days as well. She finally breaks her contemplative silence while meeting his gaze, and parrots his question. “Happy?”
Leoxander found some rhythm with the gelding at her mare’s side, and although there ride in the pasture was brief, they’d have plenty of time with their horses riding through the wilds or along the beach once they got them across on the ferry. “I’m almost scared to say it…” As though someone or something might hear him admit that rare feeling and promptly seek to rip it away. But there was enough light in his eyes matched with that faint tug at the corner of his mouth that answered clearly. The trip would take less time to reach Cenril’s harbor now that they weren’t on foot, and it would work to tire them out a bit in case the boat ride spooked them. So he used the halter reins and grip on the horse’s mane to lead them toward the corral gates that Frethwi would open and close for them with a salute of farewell when they were finally on the dirt path that led back toward town. As their boarding space had already been stocked with tack and feed, there was really no more business to go over, and they could give the pair a satisfying meal in their new quarters once they reached the Rynvale's stables on the way home.