Originally used to introduce the fact that Ayreg really does have a horse now, I liked how this post started. However, after much attempts at trying to write something else up afterward, I realized that the train had left the station, and simply had no tracks with which to run upon.
Cut, to the Butcher Shop's Floor. And such a shame, too, since I really liked it.
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Walking into the stables attached to the Red Dragon was not, in itself, an uncommon thing. For the death knight, however, it was a moment of almost uninhibited joy.
Rousing the stablehand with a quick thwap to the back of the head, Ayreg walks down the length of the stalls. He turns after a few steps, glancing back at the rudely awakened young man.
"Rise, goodman. I desire a ride this night, and Destre informed me that you were available."
The man grumbled, of course, getting out of his chair and brushing himself off. Ayreg watched him with an impassive gaze as he pulls the heavy ring of keys off the wall and begins thumbing through them.
"This one, man. Be quick about it, for I am old and need to rest sometime this night."
A kind of sardonic smile passed the stablehand's features then, and Jodiah flashed his teeth at him. Unhelpful as he might be, the man was no fool. The smile passed quickly from his face and he dipped his forehead as he scampered up to the stall Ayreg himself was standing in front me. A key was withdrawn and set into the heavy lock keeping the door shut. Inside, the mare he had purchased at Chachin's Folly -- the shadow -- glared back out to the two men angrily.
Pushing the young man aside with a rough grunt, the death knight stepped inside the pen and raised his hand toward the animal's face. It promptly proceeded to bite at him. Deftly, he pulled his hand away and balled it to a fist. Black Saa flickered across his eyes and the animal backed away, nickering softly. A direct step was made and his hand slid smoothly across the beast's neck to glide over the inky black coat.
"You will learn your master yet, horse."
"Wha's 'er name?"
Jodiah glanced over his shoulder to the stablehand still standing there like a lump, and sneered. "I haven't named her yet. It will come."
"Th' mare be a devil, she is. Tried t' take me arm off when I fed 'er this mornin'."
"Yes.. she is quite the devil, isn't she? Bad-tempered, moody, beautiful and unique, but calms considerably when her master appears. Perhaps I should name her Tara."
"Pro'ably not wise, mi'Lord."
"Probably not." The death knight smirked, turning away from the mare and walking back out into the walkway of the stablehouse. The young man closed the gate on the pen again, locking it back tight.
"I brought a saddle and bridle, boy. I will return in a moment. Have her ready for me to ride when I return. It's the chain bridle, mind, with the ornate hooking plates."
"As you wish, mi'Lord." Ayreg tossed a single silver crown to the man and turned to walk back into the Red Dragon. The man bit the coin and seemed almost shocked that it was real and not some manner of conjured metal. "My thanks, mi'Lord."
A thin grin tugged at the death knight's lips. This would be a fine night for a ride, indeed.
Somewhere above, the thunder rolled.
Cut, to the Butcher Shop's Floor. And such a shame, too, since I really liked it.
_____________________________________________
Walking into the stables attached to the Red Dragon was not, in itself, an uncommon thing. For the death knight, however, it was a moment of almost uninhibited joy.
Rousing the stablehand with a quick thwap to the back of the head, Ayreg walks down the length of the stalls. He turns after a few steps, glancing back at the rudely awakened young man.
"Rise, goodman. I desire a ride this night, and Destre informed me that you were available."
The man grumbled, of course, getting out of his chair and brushing himself off. Ayreg watched him with an impassive gaze as he pulls the heavy ring of keys off the wall and begins thumbing through them.
"This one, man. Be quick about it, for I am old and need to rest sometime this night."
A kind of sardonic smile passed the stablehand's features then, and Jodiah flashed his teeth at him. Unhelpful as he might be, the man was no fool. The smile passed quickly from his face and he dipped his forehead as he scampered up to the stall Ayreg himself was standing in front me. A key was withdrawn and set into the heavy lock keeping the door shut. Inside, the mare he had purchased at Chachin's Folly -- the shadow -- glared back out to the two men angrily.
Pushing the young man aside with a rough grunt, the death knight stepped inside the pen and raised his hand toward the animal's face. It promptly proceeded to bite at him. Deftly, he pulled his hand away and balled it to a fist. Black Saa flickered across his eyes and the animal backed away, nickering softly. A direct step was made and his hand slid smoothly across the beast's neck to glide over the inky black coat.
"You will learn your master yet, horse."
"Wha's 'er name?"
Jodiah glanced over his shoulder to the stablehand still standing there like a lump, and sneered. "I haven't named her yet. It will come."
"Th' mare be a devil, she is. Tried t' take me arm off when I fed 'er this mornin'."
"Yes.. she is quite the devil, isn't she? Bad-tempered, moody, beautiful and unique, but calms considerably when her master appears. Perhaps I should name her Tara."
"Pro'ably not wise, mi'Lord."
"Probably not." The death knight smirked, turning away from the mare and walking back out into the walkway of the stablehouse. The young man closed the gate on the pen again, locking it back tight.
"I brought a saddle and bridle, boy. I will return in a moment. Have her ready for me to ride when I return. It's the chain bridle, mind, with the ornate hooking plates."
"As you wish, mi'Lord." Ayreg tossed a single silver crown to the man and turned to walk back into the Red Dragon. The man bit the coin and seemed almost shocked that it was real and not some manner of conjured metal. "My thanks, mi'Lord."
A thin grin tugged at the death knight's lips. This would be a fine night for a ride, indeed.
Somewhere above, the thunder rolled.