Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

The everyday life of the inhabitants of the Grey Tower. This board is for general daily roleplay around the Tower, in the corridors, rooms and halls that make up most of the building.
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Roan
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Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Roan » November 3rd, 2018, 1:09 pm

‘What do you think your Grey has in store for you this time, eh?’ The vision of Jesi walked alongside Paks as the Gaidin made her way to the stable.

Glancing to her side, ‘Something to do with horses.’

‘Ya think? Come on, Paks. You’re comfortable around them. He doesn’t have to keep inviting you to spend time with him in the stables, you don’t have to keep doing chores out there. So why do you keep going and why does he keep inviting you?’

The Gaidin gave the ‘ghost’ of her former lover a flat look, ‘What are you on about?’

Jesi flashed her wicked smile, ‘You know full well what I am on about. You just. . .need to set yourself free.’


The vision of Jesi disappeared just as Paks stepped into the barn. She saw Derren was already there, grooming his horse. A sense of relief flooded her, not that she understood why, and she offered him a warm smile, “Good morning, Asha’man. You sent for me?”

The ‘conversation’ Jesi had with her stirred in her mind, but Paks did what she could to push her thoughts aside. The man opposite her had been a lifesaver when her dark-self showed up to torment her. Without him. . .well, the Gaidin didn’t want to think what she might have done to herself.
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Bella
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Bella » November 5th, 2018, 12:58 am

Derren gave her a sidelong look, briefly turning away from his horse to meet her eyes and offer one of his energy-economical but nonetheless genuinely warm smiles. "Since when did you go back to calling me Asha'man," he asked in a voice as close to teasing as he ever came. It was something that only came out around her.

He turned back to finish what he'd been in the middle of with the grooming, then came around to stand before her.

"I also believe that I invited you," he said, tilting his head a little. "To say I sent for you sounds a bit more like an order rather than a request, and this was certainly a request. I thought that you might be amenable to a little more time with me and the horses. After all the work we've been doing, I thought a ride outside the Tower might be pleasant."

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Roan
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Roan » November 11th, 2018, 10:22 pm

The Gaidin looked to her feet, allowing a small, sheepish smile as Derren stepped over to her. Why had she been so formal with him?

‘You were distracted,’ Jesi said, standing shoulder to shoulder with Derren.

Paks glanced to the vision of her former lover, ‘You aren’t helping.’

‘Then send me away. I mean I am a figment of your imagination, after all,’ Jesi countered.

‘I’ve tried. You keep coming back.’

‘I wonder why that is,’ Jesi replied with a smirk.


“It. . .it has been one of those mornings where everything seems off. I managed to get on the bad side of the Mistress of Kitchens, and got a dressing down in front of a bunch of Drin and Ji’val. I attribute the formality to all of that,” Paks finally managed as she let the sheepish smile broaden. She met his gaze as she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, “I appreciate the invitation, and I would be more than pleased to join you on a ride outside of the Tower.”

‘Never mind spending more time with him,’ Jesi teased.

‘Go away.’


The Gaidin visibly relaxed and smiled warmly, “I guess I’m more than amenable to the idea. Did you have anywhere in particular in mind for our ride?”
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Bella
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Bella » November 17th, 2018, 8:56 pm

"There are several very nice trails around the city," Derren said easily. One might think he had thought this out ahead of time, which of course he had, but it was also simply that he knew all of the roads and pathways around the Grey Tower and Hama Valon quite well. This had been his home for a long time, after all.

He considered his other plan for a moment, then said, "There is also a horse farm not far out of town, which is owned by my family. I thought you might like to visit it, and meet some of the different horses there."

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Roan
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Roan » December 16th, 2018, 8:30 pm

Paks tilted her head, “Your family owns a horse farm? You never told me your family owned a horse farm.”

‘Is he taking you to meet the family? Already?’ Jesi teased.

‘Go away.’

‘Make me,’ Jesi smirked.


Doing her best to ignore the image of Jesi, Paks smirked ever so slightly, “Visiting the farm sounds like a great excuse for a ride outside of the Tower.” She’d only ridden around the arena next to the stables, and the idea of riding away from the Tower was a bit nerve wracking. She trusted the Grey Asha’man, though, and knew the mare he’d picked for her was as docile as they came.
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Bella
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Bella » December 21st, 2018, 4:29 pm

Derren gave a sparing, wry smile. "You're well aware that when I say 'my family,' I mean a tree that branches out into places so wide and so far that even I am not fully versed in it all. In this case, it was originally purchased and began by my grandmother. I myself do not have much dealings in the function of the place, but we all know of it and visit it. When we have need of horses to purchase, it is where we go."

Horses were almost as much the "family business" as the Tower itself. More, in fact, when you spread beyond those living in Tower walls.

"The trails are quiet and not often traveled," he continued, "so it will be placid and an easy ride. And if after a time you would like to visit the farm, we can do so. But getting some experience in the saddle outside of the Tower proper would be useful for you, I believe." Whenever have I talked so bloody much? Derren, shut your mouth.

Reining himself in, he finished with, "Would you like help tacking up your horse or do you think you have the handle of it now?"

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Roan
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Roan » December 23rd, 2018, 3:19 am

The Gaidin offered Derren a warm smile, “I think I can manage, but. . .perhaps you should watch, just to make sure I don’t skip a step or anything?”

‘Uh huh...have him watch just to make sure you don’t skip a step? When did you get to be so coy?’ Jesi teased, but Paks did her best to ignore her.

Paks took her time as she pulled the mare out of her stall and started to brush her down. She started with the curry brush, working it in circles as Derren showed her, but taking care around the mare’s flanks. She then switched to the coarse brush before finishing off with the fine brush. With the brushing done, she picked out the mare’s hooves, and only then did she grab the saddle and saddle pad.

The Gaidin put the saddle pad on the mare’s back first, and the set the saddle on top of it. She learned not to just push the girth off from the left side of the horse, as the buckles could hit the horse in the legs and give her a bit of a shock. Instead, Paks moved to the right side of the horse, and pulled the girth down to let it hang before she moved back to the left side and tightened it up.

All horses took in a breath when getting saddled, and Derren warned Paks always to check the girth after initially tightening it. She left iit for now, and put the bridle on the mare, who took it without issue. The nice thing about the mare Derren picked out for her. . .she was a docile beast. After putting the bridle on, Paks tightened the girth, and then looked to Derren, “Well?”
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Bella
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QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Bella » December 28th, 2018, 9:17 pm

"You're a lot easier around them now than when we started," Derren complimented easily, nodding at the well-tacked mare who stood in the aisle and waited to head out. He offered another small smile, stopped himself from rambling--what he considered such at least, and then went to get his own horse.

Once he had, he waited for her to take the mare and then the pair walked out of the stables and into the open, where they were able to mount up. Derren led the way from the Tower grounds and out to where nature existed in wide swaths between the Grey Tower and Hama Valon, interspersed with clearings and trails.

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Roan
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Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Roan » December 31st, 2018, 5:33 pm

Working around horses in the barn between cleaning their stalls, grooming them and tacking them up had all helped Paks grow more accustomed to being around the large beasts. The Asha’man taught the Gaidin the basics of riding in the arena just off of the stables, and each day, Paks would practice what Derren taught. She wasn’t quite ready to call herself an equestrian, but she’d come along way from the day she first met Derren.

‘A long way over a long time. You didn’t seem so keen on horses when we were together. You’re just using the beasts as an excuse to hang out with him. Just admit it,’ Jesi smirked.

Giving her former lover a flat look, Paks shook her head, ‘A Gaidin needs to know how to ride.’

‘Not all Gaidin. What was his name? The Aiel?’

‘I am not Aiel, and can’t run the distances they can. Most channelers I might end up supporting are going to ride, therefor I need to ride. Now go away,’ Paks countered.

‘You do realize I am not real, right? I’m here because of you. . .figment of your imagination, and all of that. You just won’t admit it. . .like you won’t admit you like. . .’

‘Go. Away.’


The Gaidin shook her head, as she settled in the saddle and the mare she rode walked alongside Derren’s mount. “Looks like it’s going to be a nice, if not slightly chilly day,” Paks commented.
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
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QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Equine Camraderie [ATTN: Bella with Derren]

Post by Bella » January 4th, 2019, 9:58 pm

"It does indeed," Derren agreed with that sparing-but-sincere smile of his.

They rode on, chatting amiably about the horses and the ride and the weather. It was the usual sort of talk for Derren, though he found himself thinking it...particularly 'surface like' that day. They'd had talks in the past that went deeper than that, of course, but something within him, as they rode onward, longed for...

Something more, and yet being as unfamiliar with such things as he was, he didn't know just what that "something" was.

Derren and Paks rounded a bend and stepped under several shafts of sunlight filtering down through the canopy. As they came onto the straight path again, Derren caught sight of something dark orange-red shooting out of the trees to their left. That being the side he was on. The thing--which he quickly figured out to be a fox--shot toward his horse's legs, causing it to spook and shimmy.

As an experienced rider, he managed to keep his seat. But then the fox shot toward Paks's horse...

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