Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

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Lugh
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Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Lugh » July 26th, 2018, 2:54 pm

Beron
Beron stood at the fence watching some of the fine horses currently stabled at the Grey Tower. They were fine examples of breeding, and he watched with interest as the grooms led them through their paces, the staff at the Grey Tower many of the best horse trainers available.

Still, he knew from experience that a mount trained to accept any rider and one trained to clash against the bodies and press of enemies was very different. There is no time to train a mount before we go, but if this rescue goes well I know it won’t be the last. The Whitecloaks seem to be outstretching their hands aggressively, Beron mused to himself as he spotted another Gaidin making his way towards Beron.

“Good Morning brother, did you need a hand or a mount? I’m helping out in the stables today,” greeted the Tairen as he leaned up against the fence, a lead rope held gently in his hands.

“Peace brother, I am good but thanks for the offer. I’ve been considering buying a pair of horses, rather than leaving the Stable to constantly provide our mounts. Plus the training I could invest in a charger or destrier,” Beron commented as he waved to the few private horses owned by some of the denizens of the Grey Tower.

“Well if you’re thinking of a horse that won’t mind the occasional scuffle or panic at some of a Gaidin’s duties, you should try the Sha’hal Farm. It’s close to the city and I’ve seen some great horses come from that stock. The stabling we can handle, and you’d have all the tools to train the horse here,” suggested the Gaidin as he pointed to the smaller paddocks.

“I’ll do that, thanks brother,” said Beron with a wave as he collected his gear and returned to make a draw against his tower writ.

———

Later that afternoon, Beron rode into the Sha’hal Farm. The grounds were well kept and he spied many horses enjoying the lush grass and shelter offered by the trees. As he rode up the carriageway he nodded in response to the glances of grooms as they moved about. After arriving at the home, his dismounted and was tied the reins to a waiting post. Checking his borrowed mount, he pumped the trough full of cool water when he heard footsteps coming along the gravel. Splashing some water on his face, he washed the road dust off his face and turned to greet the Sha’hal making their way down the path.
Last edited by Lugh on August 8th, 2018, 12:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Bella
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Bella » July 27th, 2018, 5:16 pm

Miahala ni Sha'hal t'Darrow The first person that Beron Gaidin would see upon walking up to the stables of the Sha'hal Farm was a tall, statuesque woman wearing riding breeches and a green blouse. Her dark auburn hair was braided snugly, silver strands threading through it--subtle and just visible. Her face was distinctly Saldaean, with a strong nose and high cheekbones, slanted eyes a striking blue-green.

Miahala liked to spend a day, whenever she could, down at the farm. It had been founded by her money and her family's stock from Saldaea, decades ago, but the breeding stock had grown to include numerous breeds of various specialties.

Today, she had made sure that any tasks she had before her were in the morning so that she could spend the afternoon here, helping and overseeing the workings of this large and well-established farm. She would be back to the Grey Tower by the evening so she could enjoy the late meal with her husband and son.

For now, though, she was just stepping out of a pasture that lined the wide dirt path up to the barn, latching the gate behind her as she saw a young man riding up. She recognized him as a Gaidin, although she had not met him herself so she did not know a name. She dusted her hands off and approached him.

"How can I help you?" she asked with a small but sincere smile.
OOC: I'm pretty sure they've never met. If he somehow recognizes her or not is up to you, but I couldn't help myself, lol.

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Lugh
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Lugh » July 27th, 2018, 9:13 pm

Beron
Beron smiled when the lady dusted off her hand and held it out to him. Grasping her offered hand, he took in her riding breeches and the braid, and to his relief her own prominent Saldaean features which mirrored his own, “Peace favour you Lady. I did not mean to interrupt you after your ride. It is a pleasure to meet a fellow Saldaean though, perhaps you could direct me to the head groom or let me know if the owner is present today. I was hoping to speak to them about buying a pair of horses,” Beron said as he looked around the grounds to try and see if he could spot any staff.

Seeing a couple fine Saldaean mates as they walked along the fence of a nearby paddock, Beron turned towards the woman next to him. “Which one of the horses were you riding today ma’am. And before I forget allow me to introduce myself. Beron Faim, of the Grey Tower,” he said with a small bow of greeting. He had not required his fancloak so close to the city and wanted to ensure he made a good impression with the Sha’hal family being so entwined with the Grey Tower.
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Bella » August 2nd, 2018, 1:43 am

He doesn't recognize me, she realized with no small amount of amusement. With more amusement, she decided not to tell him.

"If you're looking to find good horses, then you have come to the right place and to the right person," she assured him with a warm smile, gesturing at the pasture and the great variety of horses there. She too recognized the Saldaean slants to his features, and it always pleased her to see a little piece of her original home.

She walked with him to the fence, folding her arms on the top rail and leaning forward. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Beron Faim. We are always glad to welcome members of the Grey Tower." She pointed to the lower pasture, which was separated by a tall fence of its own. "See that big one there? He's the one I was riding."

The large stallion was snorting and tossing his head, pawing at the ground as he paced the fence at a high-stepping trot. "His name is Ascar." And indeed, his coat was a shade of black that looked almost blue in the sun at certain angles.

"He's being trained presently," she went on to explain. "We supply plenty of horses for the Grey Tower here, both in breeding and in training them. No shortage of battle-ready horses coming out of here. I imagine that's of the sort you're looking for?"

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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Lugh » August 2nd, 2018, 2:43 am

Beron
Beron was glad when she mentioned he had come to the right place, even more so when she spoke of finding the right person to speak with. As they walked with to the fence, Beron joined her in looking over the fence, the wooden railings reminding him of the paddocks at home in Saldaea.

As they were looking over the varying breeds and horses grazing, she pointed to the lower pasture, which was separated by a tall fence of its own. "See that big one there? He's the one I was riding."

Looking at her gesture, Beron was immediately impressed to see the horse she was speaking of. The large stallion was snorting and tossing his head, pawing at the ground as he paced the fence at a high-stepping trot. "His name is Ascar." And indeed, his coat was a shade of black that looked almost blue in the sun at certain angles. “Lady, that horse is a like a Gaidin among shepherds, I am impressed that such a stallion is trained here,” Beron said in honest awe and appreciation of the amazing stallion, the power evident even from a distance.

"He's being trained presently," she went on to explain. "We supply plenty of horses for the Grey Tower here, both in breeding and in training them. No shortage of battle-ready horses coming out of here. I imagine that's of the sort you're looking for?"

Beron thought for a moment and nodded, “Yes Lady Sha’hal. Though I do not believe I would need such a king of horseflesh to carry myself. I am accustomed to a relatively light style of armour, which would not be as heavy for my mount to bear,” Beron said as thought for a moment.

“As a scout, I was familiar with chargers mostly over warhorses. And while I would defer to judgement as practiced as anyone who could breed Ascar, I think for the duties of a bonded Warder a charger would do well. I would like to train one though, I will need to have a horse accustomed to battle, blood and fighting. And perhaps you could aid me as well, but is there mounts preferred by Aes Sedai as well. I would buy my bondmate a horse well suited to riding, and if such a thing is possible, trained to the feeling of a woman channeling,” Beron finished as he tried to imagine Isla upon a horse, channeling Fire and Air if needed to rescue someone from the Whitecloaks.

“I suppose it might bear something in common with archery while riding, was my initial thought,” Beron said as he watched some of the other horses nearby.
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Bella » August 4th, 2018, 1:04 am

"Warhorses come in many types," Mia agreed. "Some are the battle horses that can actually fight with you, and others are simply accustomed to it and will not flee in the face of danger. Some are accustomed to riders wielding swords or polearms, while others have been acclimated to archers."

She looked out over her horses and then back to Beron. "Will you be training the steed yourself, and wanting one that is already trained and acclimated?"

Considering his question about a channeler, she thought it through. All of her horses were warhorses and accustomed to anything, but she knew that not all channelers needed horses like that. "It's not my experiences that horses actually sense the channeling, at least not in a way that disturbs them, but many will see the effects.

"Will your bondmate be doing much battle weaving?"

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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Lugh » August 4th, 2018, 6:04 am

Beron


"Warhorses come in many types," the lady explained, her manner knowledgeable and with a certain ease of teaching that Beron enjoyed. As she spoke of the differing types, she would point to examples as the animals grazed and moved through their corrals.

Beron felt his eyebrows raise as she explained the varying degrees to which a mount could be trained to accompany a Gaidin into battle. He supposed though that it made sense, the horses that were famed throughout Saldaea performed very differently than the heavy calvary.

She looked out over her horses and then back to Beron. "Will you be training the steed yourself, or wanting one that is already trained and acclimated?"

Beron paused for a moment as he considered her question. As a Gaidin he would have many duties, but as a Gaidin he would also be able to make the training of a mount a priority. “I would defer to expertise, but I believe that the best result with a mount would probably come from training it myself. Especially if I was considering a mount that would serve as a weapon or extension of my own fighting, rather than simply being accustomed to the chaos and noise of battle.”

Beron realized that once she had asked about his bondmate, that he truly hoped Isla would have little need to be in the thick of battle, weaving the One Power to harm others. “I suppose I had wondered if Aes Sedai needed to move about too much with their gestures as they worked. And if in your experience on the farm, if there was special training. I think a horse that was accustomed to the noises and less likely to spook if my bondmate did have to use weaves that brought a lot of noise or such. I don’t think it will be a constant worry, but it is more likely than not,” he finished as he hedged any need to mention Isla by name or Ajah.

“I myself would like a surefooted breed with good endurance, I know many Gaidin scout back and forth multiple times in the same length traveled by those they escor. Is there signs to look for that would point to that?” He asked as he realized he was a fair judge of horses but no expert yet.
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Bella » August 7th, 2018, 10:58 pm

Mia smiled easily, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, unless someone wants to purchase a foal, we don't sell a horse from this farm unless they are already saddle-broken at the least," she explained. "During that process, we can tell about their surefootedness and their temperament. We see them grow from birth, and that tells you a lot."

She gestured out to the pastures ahead of her. "If you look to that second paddock there, where the grey is grazing, that gelding is still young but saddle-broken and ready for a new home. He is even-tempered and definitely has sure feet."

Turning slightly, she faced the Gaidin again. "As for channelers... Every channeler is different and some gesture more than others, but typically, those gestures won't be an issue. A saddle-broken horse is familiar with a rider making gestures. It's possibly sights and sounds from channeling that might be at issue.

"However, some of our horses are already acclimated to that. As I mentioned, we work a lot with the Tower and many of the Sha'hal family that help out here from time to time are denizens of that Tower themselves, even channelers." She chuckled quietly. "As for training, how much experience with training horses did you have growing up?"

She knew that many Saldaeans were very familiar with their cavalry horses, but not all of the nation actually did the training. It paid to ask.

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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Lugh » August 8th, 2018, 5:46 am

Beron
Beron realized that in some ways he had consider the training and need for a reliable war steed, without knowing the full scope of it. Oh most people expected Saldaeans to speak horse, but as the lady standing beside him asked questions he realized he was in deeper than he had at first imagined.

"During that process, we can tell about their surefootedness and their temperament. We see them grow from birth, and that tells you a lot,” she explained as the pair moved down along the fence line.

“I can imagine that would be a great advantage for sure. It would be like having the Mistress of Training watching you play as a child and then training you each day, steering you to the best skills. I can only imagine how rewarding living on such a wonderful farm must be,” Beron said warmly as he followed her gesture to the pasture ahead of them.

“If you look to that second paddock there, where the grey is grazing, that gelding is still young but saddle-broken and ready for a new home. He is even-tempered and definitely has sure feet."

Beron watched the grey gelding as the horses moved through the paddock. He could see the strength and breeding in the muscles that moved along the horse’s legs and back as it walked. Knowing the gelding was already saddle trained, put him in mind of Isla and he was mentally counting the hands of the animal trying to size the gelding.

“To be honest Lady, I worry I wasted your time,” Beron said with a polite nod of his head towards the buildings behind him. “I was raised on an Ice Pepper Farm in Saldaea; and while I know much about the care of animals and horses growing up there, along with my time as a scout in the army, I fell very short in my assumptions around the training required.”

Beron paused for a moment as he considered the reason that had brought him here, he still knew that a trained mount was their best bet for the journey Isla and him were considering, and although the path was much longer than he had assumed, he knew he needed to walk it. If the rumours were to be believed, there would be more fighting in the future, and he would not allow hard work to be a barrier.

“I think a well trained mount from here would be an incredible asset for my bondmate. I would defer to your judgement, and I can ask her to make time to come to the farm as well if that helps. With your help, I have learned much about aiding my Aes Sedai, and I think a sure footed hearty mount will more than suffice,” Beron said matter of factly as he turned.

“As for myself, I think it is clear that I have as much to learn as any mount I would ride into battle. I thank you for all of your advice, and if I could press on your good will I would ask one thing. If I was to choose a horse, would you or your family be willing to train me as much as the animal? I can make the time available, and I am sure the Grey Tower can accommodate the mount if need be. I just know that the advantage I hope to gain over my enemies will not come with my current skills,” Beron said sincerely as he realized that while he could groom and tack a horse with any of the best handlers, his skills were still raw in the combat area of training.
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Bella
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Re: Saddles and Swords (Attn; Sha’hal Farmfolk)

Post by Bella » August 11th, 2018, 4:18 pm

Mia stifled a smile of amusement when he admitted that he perhaps wouldn't be able to train the horse himself. Many people weren't able to do so for the more advanced matters, so she was understanding of it and glad that he wasn't like some who thought bravado could do the job alone.

"It's often ideal for the rider to be present and help with the horse's training," she agreed easily. "It lets you two get used to each other and learn together."

She gestured for him to follow her up the wide dirt path and up into the barn. "I think it would be ideal if your Aes Sedai could come here as well to meet the potential horses for her, so she can meet them. It's easier that way to be sure that it is a good match. Horses have personalities just as surely as people do, after all."

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