(OOC: I was purposefully vague about details concerning Marlas because I thought it might not be my place to make them up. If anything ticks anyone off and they would like me to edit, by all means PM me and I will.)

It was time for the Horse Fair in Marlas, and like every year, Dragon Horse Stables was setting up a tent. The farm had been bustling for the past month, organizing, cleaning, dusting, and putting finishing touches on horses’ training. Rhys had been in the thick of it; she and her father, Ian, had put together a list of the horses and foals to be sold, the stock they were looking to buy, and at what prices, three months ago. They had redone, re-redone, and agonized over the list daily, they had entered their horses in exhibitions, signed up for clinics offered by master trainers, and dealt with the family’s excitement to be heading into Marlas proper for two whole weeks. Sian and Ninh were almost unbearable with their constant excitement about the certain aspects of the fair, namely, boys and the bazaar. Sian was sixteen and a bit of a flirt, and Ninh was fascinated with fine clothes, even at the age of nine. Rhys’ mother, Gwyn, had muttered something about using her old connections, accrued from years of bartending, to find a seamstress who would be willing to take Ninh as an apprentice in a few years, and the search for such a woman was generating a lot of nervous energy on top of the already tense atmosphere. Rhys had often thought over the past few weeks that she would explode if she ran into one more excited or tense or cross person, and even though she hadn’t quite, she was more than ready to go to the fair.

Finally, the day to set out was upon them. Rhys woke early, just as pre-dawn light was creeping over the horizon, dressed quickly in the dark, and crept downstairs to put on her boots on the back porch. She went over a mental checklist as she laced her boots, trying to figure out if anything was amiss. She wasn’t short on manpower, and their stable tents and corrals in Marlas should be ready…

Rhys had sent a quarter the stable hands ahead of them, to set up their stable tent and do some preliminary scouting for likely stock. Today was the day another quarter of the hands and the Horsehand family would ride two hours into Marlas proper, bringing the sales and exhibition stock with them, to the Marlas fairgrounds and the Dragon Horse Farms tent. Rhys, Ian, and most of the stable hands would stay with the horses. Her mother and sisters would stay in a nearby inn. Their head groom, Jamus, would manage the farm until their return, hopefully with full purses and less stock, two weeks later.

As Rhys stepped into the barn, she was greeted by the half-surprised, half-sleepy snorts from the horses, who were probably pleased to be fed so early. Rhys called a soft “good morning” to them so they would know who she was, and went over to the wall by the tack room. The list of things to do was up, in writing for those who could read and pictures for those who couldn’t. The tack was set out and clean, the wagons packed with the supplies they would need in the coming weeks. She heard stirring in the living quarters above her; some of the stable hands were getting ready. Good. Everything was in order. The morning should go smoothly.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur, from getting the chores done to breakfast with her family to saddling up the riding mounts and tying the horses that weren’t being ridden together to be led to the fair. They set out just as the sun finished rising, and were in Marlas before noon. Ledra, Rhys’ young Dragon Horse mare, was being well-behaved that day, and Rhys was pleased with her, they would have to go for a ride later as a reward. But for now, there were horses to get settled, exhibition schedules to check, and a large family to get checked into the inn. She would see where she was needed.

Family checked in, spending money distributed amongst the sisters, and exhibition schedules checked, Rhys declined an invitation from Sian and Mik to go exploring, and ignored their teasing that she would get lost if she set foot outside the fairgrounds. This was true, Rhys was easily intimidated by the chaos of the city and quickly became disoriented, but she found city streets oppressive and spent her time inside the fairgrounds, so any exploring now wouldn’t be helpful as she was unlikely to use the knowledge later.

With some navigational aid from her more street-savvy sisters, Rhys ended up standing in front of the stable tent with her father, waiting for a stable hand who said he had found some prospective purchases. Ian was looking pleased, and he smiled at his oldest daughter. “Rhys, this will be our year. I’ve had a look around, and your Dragon Horses are the finest I’ve seen. The Great Horses are doing their airs above the ground with the very best here, and the Light Horses are in the best shape of any I’ve seen. Rhys, I know someone from a High House will buy from Dragon Horse Farms. I know it.”

Rhys replied absently, “You say that every year, Father. Well, last year you spoke more about the Cobs, and I admit I haven’t devoted as much time to the Cobs this year, but those Great Horses we bought last year have come a long way, and we’ll make a handsome profit on them. Did you see that horse dealer from the Capital who bought from us last year? He expressed an interest in seeing our stock again.”

Ian ignored his daughter’s question. “We’ve forgotten to put up our banner, the one that says we’re open. Would you like to, this year?”

Putting up the banner was a yearly tradition at the Fair. Previously, no one but her father or Jamus had done it. Rhys was honored her father had offered it to her. “Yes, of course, I’d love to,” she stuttered.

Hanging up the banner standing on a precarious stack of hay bales on one side of the stable tent’s entrance, and a strategically placed mounting block on the other, Rhys couldn’t help but be infected by her father’s optimism. Perhaps this would be their year. Ian had been correct in saying their horses were some of the best, it was a miracle a High House hadn’t noticed them before. This is our year. She could tell.

((OOC: note that only the house and the whole area ruled by it are called Marlas, the city that Tsuko lives in is Taye (B ))

Tsuko set out rather early to procure some horses for his son's wedding. After all, no important ceremony could occur in House Marlas without the exchange of some horses, and the marriage of the son of the High Seat was a rather important occasion as far as ceremonies went. He had hoped for some company, to make the time pass faster, but all had refused him. His wife mentioned something about other preparations, in a voice much too innocent to be anything but some sort of mysterious feminine ritual she had to advise Enderron's wife-to-be on. Enderron himself could not be invited, of course, as tradition made it impossible. Gresa sniffed and said she might get horse dung all over her fancy new shoes, which actually made some sense to Tsuko. Mindre muttered something about an important lesson with her tutor, and said not to buy anything too expensive. And Tala, though cute, seemed to have no interest in anything but being constantly amused by the frog she had managed to capture about a week before, which Tsuko had been obligated to keep for her amusement. So, he set off to the Marlas Horse Fair with a clerk, who would keep track of the purchases that had been made, and who also had a decent eye for horseflesh to keep Tsuko from making any silly purchases.

The Horse Fair was outside of Taye's city walls, though still close enough so that it was not a long ride. The sun was only about half way to its peak by the time Tsuko and his clerk got to the outskirts of the fair, so Tsuko figured he might have the pick of prime horses, allowing him to get home more quickly. Unfortunately, this was untrue. "Horses, m'lord?" asked a pompous merchant from a well-reputed, ancient horse stable that had a tent near the fringe of the fair. "I have some nice Light Horses and Cobs," he said, indicating a few scruffy-looking horses in his tent. "But Dragons and Greats? Best off looking at some of the lesser stables' horses for all the good it will do you this late in the day. M'lord." He chuckled. Tsuko glanced at the sky; it was not yet noon. Could it be that all those horses had been purchased already? After looking through several well-known stables' inventories and receiving similar answers from all of them, Tsuko could possibly believe it. But the constant answers in the negative made Tsuko cross enough to shout loudly at the representative of the Green Hills Horse Farm, and they had done business with House Marlas since Tsuko's grandmother's grandmother had been but a child!

Tsuko decided to go to one of the exhibitions that was to be held. This was one of the first, so he hoped that stables would be showing off their best specimens. He and his clerk had worked out a system for conveying the clerk's thoughts on a horse; a wiggle of the index finger meant it was a great deal, the middle finger good, the ring finger poor, and the pinky horrible. As the horses went by one by one, Tsuko was dismayed to see the clerk's pinky looking to break off with the amount of wiggling it was doing. Even a Dragon Horse that brought oooohs and aaaahs from the spectators received merely a ring finger.

Finally, frustrated, Tsuko asked his clerk where he could look for anything of quality. "I recommend looking at some of the less well known stables, m'lord. Sometimes one can find horses of surprisingly good stock among the stables of the peasants," he said. Tsuko thought that sounded wise, and of course any trade with peasants was less money in the hands of merchants. So, he and his clerk walked towards the rear of the fairgrounds, where some of the smaller stables were. The first two Tsuko came upon he dismissed outright; the owners seemed to have a whiff of Calendae about them; what they were doing in Taye was beyond Tsuko. The next was run by some old man with shifty eyes, who seemed bent on calling one of his horses that was obviously a Cob even to Tsuko a Dragon Horse.

Finally, after browsing through a few more stalls and finding nothing, Tsuko came upon a medium-sized, clean-looking tent, that was apparently just being set up. Latecomers from the country, perhaps. Outside the tent were an old man, and a young woman who was perhaps a bit older than Gresa. She was putting up a sign that said "Dragon Horse Stables". Tsuko had never heard of it before, but the tent seemed to be neat enough, and the clothes of the man and young woman were clean, if plain. He cast a questioning look at his clerk, who nodded approvingly. So, he approached the two. "Sir, and... young lady," he said, clearly unsure how to address this young woman amidst a sea of men, "I'm seeking to purchase some horses for an upcoming marriage. What do you have to offer?"

“Sir, and….young lady, I’m seeking to purchase some horses from an upcoming marriage. What do you have to offer?”

Rhys started slightly at the voice, nearly pinned her thumb to the tent as a result, hastily finished fastening the sign and quickly stepped down from the mounting block, glancing at her father. He looked hopeful, even more hopeful than he had a scant moment before. Rhys knew that a hopeful Ian meant a dreaming, distracted Ian, so she whispered a request to him about making sure the weanlings and yearlings were settling in, and turned to the newcomer. Ian nodded at her back, knowing full well his daughter was “managing” him just like every other staff member, but he had long since gotten over any resentment he might have over his daughter acting as his superior, and walked smartly off, as though it had been his idea all along.

Her father thus occupied, Rhys assessed the newcomer…Newcomers. One was probably of the house of Marlas, with his dark skin, eyes, and hair, and tan and red roan clothing. His suit was well-made and excellently tailored, but not flashy, something a sensible noble would wear to a horse fair. Rhys had dealt with one or two lesser nobles before, and they had been sensible; she supposed she could deal with this one.

The second newcomer was clearly a clerk. Rhys had met clerks before; her mother was still friends with a few clerks that had visited the bar she worked at. This man wasn’t one she knew, but that didn’t matter. What did matter was that his presence meant the first man was of a high status, and this was an important customer. No wonder Ian had been so hopeful. Rhys took a second glance at the noble, racking her brain for any clue as to who he might be…or how important he was.

He obviously didn’t know much about horse care, or horse purchasing, else he would have been down at the fairgrounds as soon as the first sun rose. Her family had come late; Uris was still young and thus difficult to get moving, and the farm didn’t have quite as many horses this year, so they had seen no reason to get there early because they didn’t have as much stock to move. The biggest barns had set up the night before, knowing their busiest day would be today, specifically, the first three hours after sunrise. This noble hadn’t known that, and was probably at their tent as a last resort. Well, Rhys thought, I do believe I’ll have to give him reason for us to be his first choice next year.

Still, lack of knowledge of the horse business was an unusual trait for a member of House Marlas. There was that brother…No, wait, he had died a few years back, when Rhys had cared even less about politics than she did now. She could remember Sian’s friend’s mother coming over to chat with her mother about politics and the war, specifically the new High Seat, Lord Tsuko. It was said Lord Tsuko took after his uncle, and (gasp) didn’t like horses! Who didn’t like horses? And a Marlas, at that! So perhaps this new man was Lord Tsuko. Then, Rhys remembered a few of the stablehands gossiping about the manager of Green Hills Farm getting an earful from Lord Tsuko because they hadn’t had any stock left fine enough for his son’s wedding. Rhys knew very well of Green Hills Farms, and she didn’t like them much. They were a successful stable, but too big to put time into their horses, and they had a tendency to coast on their reputation of being a frequent seller to the High House. They weren’t quality, but they were famous. Sadly, that was often what mattered in the horse business.

Thus, in all probability, this was Lord Tsuko. Silently thanking her gossipmonger grooms, she curtsied low and bowed her head. A wedding. Lord Tsuko’s son’s wedding. Sian, who always seemed to know about what was going on in House Marlas, had said it was to be a double-wedding—Tsuko’s son and his nephew, who was heir. Gwyn’s contacts in the High House had confirmed it. Lord Tsuko would want their best. Rhys smiled to herself behind the curtain of her unbound hair—Their best was better than Green Hills’ best any day, and she would see to it he was impressed.

Raising her head and coming out of her curtsy, Rhys smiled welcomingly. “My lord, we have the very best to offer. I am Rhys Horsehand, my father and I manage Dragon Horse Farms, and I am in charge of training and sales. I assume you’re looking for Dragon and Great Horses? We have plenty of those, and I’ve trained them all myself in all of the Warhorse maneuvers, including airs above the ground. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?”

Immediately after asking his question, Tsuko saw the man's eyes light up. Tsuko wondered whether he could spot a fool on sight. He glanced nervously at his clerk, wondering whether the clerk really was as good as reputed. By then, the young woman (girl? lady?) had finished pinning the sign announcing the name of the stables up, and was whispering something in the man's ear. After that, the man walked off, almost as if under orders. That was strange... she was so much younger than him! Things must just be done differently in the country.

Tsuko directed an appraising look at the girl... even if his skills at reading horses were sub-par, perhaps his skills at reading people could hold up. She was a curiosity. Her facial features were small and graceful, despite a shock of red freckles accross her face that suggested she had spent too much time in the sun. Oddly enough, her eyebrows were set in a skeptical position, as if she were waiting for Tsuko to cheat her. Tsuko wondered whether her skipticism was mirrored in his face.

Her body, though, was less than feminine. It was much more muscular than Tsuko was used to, with broad shoulders and a generally flat figure- though Tsuko's gaze of course did not linger anywhere it shouldn't have. She wore generally plain, well-made clothes. Nothing extravagant like the embroidered monstrosities some of the merchants wore. But, all together, it was a bit of a puzzle what she was. Perhaps some sort of female groom? Her clothes were a bit fine for that, though, and no self-respecting stable owner would ever take orders from a groom. Another possibility... wife, perhaps? Tsuko knew that many customs of the countryside were different, but even marriage? After all, she had to be a good fifteen or twenty years younger than the man... the thought of, say, Gresa marrying a man older than her by that much was scandalous! Everyone knew that men had to be married early to reign in any tendency towards adultery.

A moment of silence passed before the girl's eyes widened slightly and she curtsied low to the ground. Tsuko smiled slightly, though when his clerk's eyebrows shot up dangerously he returned his face to its previously neutral expression. He hoped the woman had not seen that; though Tsuko sometimes rather enjoyed displays of deference from his subjects, sometimes they became upset if they saw his pleasure. But that display settled it. Definitely a peasant, or at least lowborn. Ha! What a grand shock it would be to the merchants if they saw Tsuko buying horses from a 'lowly peasant'! Tsuko almost laughed at the reception that would be given, but schooled his face towards neutrality.

While coming out of her curtsy, the young woman said, "My lord, we have the very best to offer. I am Rhys Horsehand, my father and I manage Dragon Horse Farms, and I am in charge of training and sales. I assume you’re looking for Dragon and Great Horses? We have plenty of those, and I’ve trained them all myself in all of the Warhorse maneuvers, including airs above the ground. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?"

"Ah, yes, Dragon and Great Horses, to be sure" said Tsuko, nodding. Even he knew that. "Preferably none that have sired any foals, if possible." That was to assure no previous affairs, before the marriage. "Though they must be able to have offspring in the future, of course!" The idea of infertile or gelded horse being used as a part of the wedding exchanges was laughable... what that would say for the fertility of the spouses-to-be! Why, the stallion that had been given to the Marlases by Emeila's family had grown on to sire foal after foal after foal... though it wasn't quite as legendary as Uncle Doni's. And Doni had gone on to had five sons! "Please, show me your horses," he said to Miss Horsehand. Perhaps the day would not end out so badly after all.

(OOC: Hi, Tsuko, happy birthday! I debated with myself, but chose not to go through every single solitary step of the whole “buying/selling a horse” process. Trust me, it’s long and tedious even when you’re watching every moment as carefully and anxiously as you can because it’s a real horse you’re interested in buying, it was longer and more tedious when I wrote it, and I decided that I had better get over myself and just summarize everything because not everyone is as interested in horses as I am. I’m assuming a bit when I’m having all the horses be shown to Tsuko…do tell me if you want me to modify anything)

"Ah, yes, Dragon and Great Horses, to be sure. Preferably none that have sired any foals, if possible, though they must be able to have offspring in the future, of course! Please, show me your horses." The Lord, probably Tsuko, said. Rhys nodded; of course, everyone knew the requirements for gift horses, especially ones for weddings! She was lucky; she almost hadn’t brought along that one Great…

Well, she had ten horses that might match his criteria. She wasn’t entirely sure as to the number he needed, but she was certain the ten she had were quality. They might not have even unsaddled Nor, she could show him first, and set the grooms on getting the other nine ready. Motioning for them to follow her, Rhys went into the tent, gave instructions to the nearest groom, and walked out back to Nor.

Luck was with her again; Nor wasn’t yet unsaddled, and he had been given enough time to rest so that he was ready to be ridden again. She took Nor from the groom who had ridden him, slipped a halter on over the bridle, sent the groom off to get her brushes and hoof picks, turned to her client, and proceeded to show the horse.

“Nor, as you can see, is a Great Horse. He’s seven, my Lord, but as I’m sure you know, that’s the perfect age to buy a Great because they’re fully mature. He’s grown into himself nicely, we purchased him as a yearling and we’ve given him proper nutrition every young Great needs; calcium for his bones, selenium for his hooves, and protein for his muscles, among other things. You’ll note his bright chestnut color, which is very rare in his breed. He’s a stallion, and he’s never been bred. His teeth are good…” She lifted up Nor’s lip with her left hand and pressed down firmly on his lower jaw in the space of gum behind his first set of teeth with her right. He opened his mouth, just wide enough for Lord Tsuko to confirm his relative age and the health of his teeth and gums. Rhys held his mouth open for a few moments, then let him shut it. “He has good ground manners, he ties, stands still when you groom him, and for the Ferrier…” She tied him up to a temporary hitching post, “…and you can see he has strong, well-formed hooves with a desirable amount of feathering.” She gratefully took the brushes and hoof pick the groom held out to her, and proceeded to demonstrate both Nor’s good ground manners and the quality of his hooves by picking them out. “He’s already been tacked up, but you will have the opportunity to see how our other horses behave later…”

Rhys continued chatting to the Lord and his clerk as she walked the horse down to a clearing to ride him. She told them his bloodlines, his history at Dragon Horse Farm, how his training had gone…Luckily, there was nothing unusual, not even a bad winter cough; Nor was a sound young Great Horse, and she had worked hard to keep him that way. Rhys had a special fondness for him, he had been one of the first horses she’d trained, and she hoped he could be sold to House Marlas. Dragon Horse didn’t yet have the facilities to support a Great Horse breeding program, and he’d get good care in the Marlas stables. She shunted her sentimentality aside, it would be highly inconvenient to burst into tears in front of the Lord Tsuko! Yes, she loved Nor, yes, he was an amazing horse, but she couldn’t keep him, and she’d sold other horses she loved before. She was a businesswoman, and she would show Nor like any other horse.

She mounted up and took Nor through his paces: Walk, trot, extended trot, canter, transitions, and lead changes. She had him sidepass, back, piaffe, and stand at attention. They went through the airs after Rhys made sure her skirts were tucked firmly under her legs and said a quick prayer to whoever might be listening that no embarrassing accidents would occur. Levade, courbette, capriole, and croupade were performed, even by Rhys’ high standards, beautifully, and she patted him proudly before handing him off to the next groom. Next ready was a Dragon Horse mare named Trill, and the process began again.

Rhys showed the Lord Tsuko all ten horses, six Dragon, and four Great. All were of the ages to be ridden and bred, and the Dragon Horses had all been born and raised at Dragon Horse Farms. Their prices were touchier, but she managed to have her head groom distract them with a history of their breeding program while she went to discuss it with her father…Perhaps they should give Lord Tsuko a discount on a horse or two, to keep him coming back? Yes, they decided, it was a risky business deal because nobility, even outwardly sensible nobility, was fickle, but they wanted to show deference to this customer’s status and importance. Rhys came back and reeled of the prices of each horse to the Lord Tsuko, they were reasonable, most certainly comparable to all other prices at the fair, a bit lower, in fact. Ian had compiled the information their grooms had brought in, they were very proud of their competitive prices, and he had assured Rhys Dragon Horse prices were good. Rhys couldn’t gage her client’s reactions, however, especially the clerk’s…he kept wiggling his fingers, maybe he had a palsy? Wouldn’t that disable a clerk, after all, wasn’t it hard to write with one’s fingers constantly shaking? She’d best not give the poor man away; Rhys nodded understandingly at him and left it at that. Staring would only bring his master’s attention to his disability, and that wouldn’t do. Even if the man was a clerk now, he probably hadn’t started out that way, and Rhys didn’t want to put another commoner out of work.

To begin to close the process, Rhys said, “My Lord, it is important to us at Dragon Horse Farms to make our customers feel valued. Seeing as you have an upcoming marriage in your household, we would be honored if you would let us contribute to the ceremony by giving you a discount on any horse you buy. Would you like to name the horse, or would you rather I refer you to another stable?”

(OOC: Nope, it's good. I particularly liked the incorrect conclusion Rhys got from the clerk's finger wiggling (B )

Rhys nodded to Tsuko and motioned him into the pavilion. Tsuko's clerk moved after him, lagging behind slightly to be able to inspect the conditions of the pavilion. It wouldn't do to buy a stunning stallion only to have it fall dead a short while later of some illness caused by poor sanitation. Rhys stopped for a bit to talk (give orders?) to a groom, and then continued in and through the tent. She moved right towards a stallion that still had its saddle on, a Great Horse by Tsuko's reckoning, and adjusted a few things on the horse. Wait, what was that headgeary collary thing called again? A bridle? Maybe? Tsuko always got bridles and halters mixed up.

Miss Horsehand reeled off a list of fancy sounding horse things. Apparently the horse's name was Nor, and he was seven years old... which was good or something. Then she listed specifics of his diet, which meant nothing to Tsuko, but made the clerk nod his head knowingly. He turned his attention back to Rhys, who was describing his "bright chestnut color" (he must admit, it was a pleasant color). When she opened Nor's mouth to let Tsuko have a look (for what, he did not know), Tsuko made sure to lean in and made appropriate sounding approving noises, though he made sure to give his clerk a clear line of sight. Rhys also talked a bit about Nor's attitude. That part completely lost Tsuko. Feathering? Why, horses do not have feathers! And yet that blasted clerk kept nodding.

Well, whether or not horses have feathers, there was still more to show about Nor. Tsuko, his clerk, and Rhys took a walk to a clearing, Rhys leading the horse. Tsuko was happy to do this, at least, because small talk was something he had had practice on. Of course, it was a bit irritating when his clerk also talked a bit, but Tsuko let him indulge his fondness for horses. Not to mention that he seemed to know just when to leap in when Tsuko was stumped for an answer. By the time they got to the clearing, the clerk and Rhys seemed to be getting along decently. Miss Horsehand put the horse through its paces. Though Tsuko knew the names of hardly any (Well, there was walking... and trotting... and cantering... and that silly one where the horse dances in place!), it was always interesting to see the precision with which horses could move. Next came the airs, with their silly little hops and movements that were apparently excellent indicators of a horse's strength and stamina. Well, it was impressive, he supposed. Both horse and trainer appeared to be well in control of their movements. Tsuko allowed himself to show a small smile.

Tsuko's initial interest, however, waned, as nine more horses were brought out for inspection. Though he tried to keep himself as polite as possible, having to see ten horses do exactly (or almost) the same movements over and over again did become a bit wearing. By the time they were done, Tsuko's smile had become more of a clenched grimace. Luckily, Rhys retreated into the tent somewhere, allowing time for Tsuko's face to relax for a bit while a groom attempted to impress him with details of the Dragon Horse Farm's breeding program. Rhys soon came back with the prices, however. Tsuko tried to keep his face neutral as she read them off, one by one, but it was quite hard, as, much to his delight, his clerk's pointer and middle fingers were now receiving a workout. Well, the prices did seem rather low, and the horses were of good quality. About four horses received a pointer finger, including Nor, and the rest received a middle finger. For some reason, Rhys nodded at the clerk slightly towards the end of the list of prices. Was this some sort of scheme concocted between the two? No, it couldn't be; Tsuko was quite sure that the clerk had had no contact with any stables, the Dragon Horse Stables certainly. Or had he? Tsuko wondered what the clerk did in his free time. Ah, well, he didn't see anything that seemed too wrong with the clerk's evaluations.

Rhys finished listing the prices, and said, “My Lord, it is important to us at Dragon Horse Farms to make our customers feel valued. Seeing as you have an upcoming marriage in your household, we would be honored if you would let us contribute to the ceremony by giving you a discount on any horse you buy." Ah, a discount! This would be something to tell Mindre about! "Would you like to name the horse, or would you rather I refer you to another stable?”

"No," said Tsuko, "this stable has impressed me. You show an excellent talent with horses, Miss Horsehand." He paused, glanced at his clerk, and continued, "I would not like to deplete your stock, however. We will take three horses, if it pleases you: the very first stallion, Nor, I believe, the mare I you brought out fourth, and the stallion that was second to last, whose names elude me at the moment." Those were some of the ones his clerk had wiggled his index finger at. "I shall also seek the names of any other stables you might recommend, so that the wealth of House Marlas should be spread among multiple vendors." He looked towards his clerk, hoping he had not done anything that would be cause for alarm, and awaited an answer. Perhaps he could let the clerk do some of the tedious haggling so that he could escape to his family more quickly?

Part of Rhys was glad Lord Tsuko hadn't bought all of the horses. Even three was excellent, after all, he had said he was impressed with Dragon Horse! They could use that to their advantage later in the Fair, that and buyers' desperation.

...Yet, the part of Rhys that was Ian's daughter, the part that she didn't even acknowledge was there, wished the Lord would buy them all. It was the realization of her family's, and therefore her, dream. Even as she was glad the three best horses for sale were going to an equally excellent home, and even as she knew it was best not to grow too quickly and succeed too much at the same time, a small part of her wanted more.

But she didn't listen, as usual. Instead, she approached the clerk to haggle and to give him recommendations. Lord Tsuko wouldn't do his own haggling, it was beneath him, and Rhys knew that much about nobility. Red Plains had excellent Great Warhorses, Dragonland Sand had more Dragon horses, and even if they weren't very well trained, they had astonishingly good paces and boundless potential. Surely the Lord Tsuko had a trainer that could polish up even a picky Dragon Horse's training! She suggested offhandedly that they buy young horses from Dragonland, three years old at most; then the Lord's trainers could train them to Lord Tsuko's satisfaction.

Money changed hands and Rhys noted the time she and some grooms would drop the horses off at Lord Tsuko's residence. She wrote a receipt, and handed it to the clerk. Deal closed, Rhys thanked Lord Tsuko, and curtsied deeply again. "I wish you the best, Lord. We here at Dragon Horse hope you'll remember our stable the next time you're in need of a horse, and wish you the very best of luck at the rest of the fair."

((OOC: Tsuko, do you want it to end there, would you like me to come to the son's/nephew's wedding so I can witness the Something Bad you've mentioned, or do you have something else you would like to introduce? I'm open to anything!))

Now that Tsuko had said the horses he wished for, the real business of horse trading could start. Or the really boring business, to Tsuko. As was usual, Rhys approached the clerk to haggle, and haggle they did, leaving Tsuko to stand there and look out of his element. Eventually the clerk paid Miss Horsehand a rather large amount of money (or so it seemed), giving Tsuko a small smile which seemed to say they weren't getting ripped off. Tsuko gave himself a mental pat on the back for coming up with the idea to go to peasants' stables. He didn't seem to remember his clerk being too thrilled about the idea. After the delivery had been scheduled and receipt written, Rhys turned and bowed to Tsuko (again!), and said "I wish you the best, Lord. We here at Dragon Horse hope you'll remember our stable the next time you're in need of a horse, and wish you the very best of luck at the rest of the fair." Tsuko inclined his head in return, and said, "I thank the Dragon Horse Stables very much, Miss Horsehand. I am sure House Marlas will keep you in its thoughts the next time we make a purchase." He hesitated, but then continued, "Ah, yes. Usually in Marlas wedding ceremonies, the owner of the stables from which gift horses are bought from is invited, to display an example of the finer stables of Marlas lands. We may then have reason to invite a representative from the Dragon Horse stables. If we have need of you, we shall send a messenger at once. Good day." And with that Tsuko exited the pavilion, his clerk scurrying behind him. As he was leaving, he noticed a few other patrons hovering around the entrance; perhaps Miss Horsehand would be receiving more business before the day was done. His clerk pointed out the first stable that Rhys had recommended. Soon, the tedious routine of horse selling began again. It was going to be a long day yet.

((You can respond to this if you'd like, but it's not necessary... I tried to leave it open for others to wander in if they want to. With the wedding I'm thinking it might be good if we got maybe one or two other people in attendance, or at least participating in the roleplay, so I won't open that up right now. But Rhys'll be getting an invite if it happens :)))

(OOC: Finally. :look)


Seyira was sick and tired of sitting on her behind for the tenth day in a row. Her bottom was sore, she gotten any exercise, physically and mentally, and she was in an extremely bad mood. Originally, she’d been extremely happy that she’d was getting the opportunity to go to Olencia with Amaranta and the rest of the family, but now that she was actually traveling there in an extremely bumpy and uncomfortable coach, she was starting to rethink her enthusiasm about the whole thing. The carriage wasn’t really that uncomfortable, it was just that her bottom was so numb she wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between a slab of stone and a feather bed. Maybe things would have been better if she’d traveled with the three other servants that were coming along, but she was stuck with Jaylyn, _____ and Amaranta, and that meant she had to watch every move she made and every word she spoke, which made it increasingly difficult for her to keep up her façade as a simple lady’s maid.

It wasn’t only her that was in a bad mood, though. Everyone was in a bad mood, after being stuck with the same three people for a week and a half on end. Too much of anyone wasn’t a good thing, and the combination of Seyira, Jaylyn, Emil and Amaranta was especially bad. Amaranta had gotten bored quickly, so she’d spent most of the journey whining and grumbling about every little thing. This had caused Jaylyn to start snapping back and berating her daughter and for Emil to give everyone a murderous glare. It had been tolerable – until she had been dragged into the whole mess. Amaranta had protested that Seyira had felt the same way, and that led to Seyira being on the receiving end of Jaylyn’s never-ending lectures and Emil’s murderous glares. Since her first reaction was always to snap back instead of acting submissive, that made the whole thing worse.

Thus it was a welcome relief for everyone when they decided to take a rest at the Marlas Horse Fairs. Not only was it a place filled with people, it would also be a good chance to rest and perhaps get a change of horses. Seyira’s first impulse was to jump out of the carriage and run as fast her legs could carry her, both to prove that her legs hadn’t turned to jelly from all that sitting, and to get as far away as she could from the rest of her group, if only for a little while. However, she couldn’t do that. She was still a maid, and maids had to follow their mistresses around until they were dismissed. Seyira took comfort in the fact that Amaranta would quickly find something else more interesting than her and forget about her maid completely. 10 minutes after they left the coach, Amaranta spotted a handsome young stable hand and drppped a very large hint that Seyira could go do what she liked, which Seyira did happily.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much around except for horses. Lots of them. She supposed she could always take the time to have some conversations, except she didn’t think that anyone would be interesting in talking about something other than horses, and she wasn’t particularly interested in talking about horses. It wasn’t that she didn’t like horses, it was just that her knowledge about horses consisted of knowing the fact that they were four-legged mammals that you could rideon. That wasn’t going to get her very far. Besides, she wasn’t really in the mood for more company yet, so she wandered around until she had left the main crowd of people and was alone except for a picket full of horses. Leaning against the fence, she relaxed, and stared out at the horses.

To say business had picked up after High Seat Tsuko Theras had bought Nor, Gilan, and Trisan would be an understatement. There had been an immediate run on their Dragon Horses and Greats, the Lights were selling briskly, and even the well-to-do farmers, who normally took no notice of nobles' actions, were coming in droves to look at the Cobs for themselves and Ponies for their children. Dragon Horse was having a fantastic year. There had even been a few dealers from the city of Olencia who had expressed an interest in coming to the Stables proper after the fair and negotiating some private sales with them. Rhys was delighted; they would profit more from the private sales than from public ones such as the horse fair, and she may have to deliver the horses purchased to Olencia personally. It would be the first time in her life she had ever left Marlas lands, and even traveling with a few grooms, it was sure to be an adventure!

But business had been comparitively slow that day, and Rhys decided to take a moment to herself. Splurging on a delicious-smelling meat pie bought from a vending stall, Rhys walked to the back corner of the Cobs' corall to eat in peace with her charges. She said hello to each one of them, patting their neck or forehead or chest, depending on what the horse liked best. Then, finally away from the bustle of the fair, she turned another corner to sit down and eat...And was surprised to see another person there.

She was a woman, obviously, and about Rhys' age, maybe a few years older. Her clothes suggested she was some sort of domestic servant, maybe a maid, maybe a lady's maid, even. She had the most amazingly black hair Rhys had ever seen, and one of the most exaperated, pained expressions she'd seen in quite some time. She was looking at the horses, though, and Rhys could see her relax. Smiling, Rhys found she liked this woman already, and walked over to ask gently, "Are you looking to buy a horse, Miss, or are you just admiring?"

Seyira was drawn out of her peaceful reverie by a cool voice asking her if she was planning to purchase a horse, or she was just admiring them. Turning around, she saw a slim young woman behind her, with lively brown eyes and wavy brown hair, maybe a little younger than her. She was looking upon Seyira with a faint air of amusement, as if she knew exactly why Seyira was here alone and was laughing silently at her. Even though the girl looked like she was hardly out of her teens, she held herself in a way that suggested she knew exactly where she stood in life, and would have no trouble telling someone else that.

For some reason, the intrusion didn’t bother Seyira quite as much as it should have. Perhaps it was due to the young woman’s affable nature or perhaps it was due to the fact Seyira was finally walking around on her own two feet, but either way, she didn’t feel the immediate impulse to snap that usually came when people bothered her. Those days spent traveling had really affected her, if she was ready to leap and embrace this stranger. My social skills must be garbage by now, Seyira thought glumly. All those hard years of work gone done the drain because of ten stupid days in a carriage.

In any case, it wouldn’t be much longer before someone would come around the corner looking for her so they could tell her that it was time to leave. It wouldn’t take very long for Emil to conduct his business here, and as soon as they were done, they’d be off. So it was probably best that she make as much of her time here count as she could. Even if she couldn’t dig for information here, she could at least have a nice polite conversation. She smiled, and cleared away all the stress that had been affecting her.

“Just admiring the horses. I can’t ride, so there would be no point in me getting a horse, and I don’t have any money.” This was basically true. The lack of practice over the recent years had probably made her skills, which hadn’t been so good to begin with, even worse. If she still knew how to ride, it would be a miracle. “I don’t know what kind of horse is what though. They all look pretty much the same to me. Maybe you could explain it to me?”

The question served a double purpose. It would allow her to learn about horses, in case something happened where she would need to know about horses, and it also reinforced her position as someone of lower status, and thus, less educated.

Rhys smiled to herself, a little pityingly. This poor person wasn't from anywhere on Marlas lands; Cobs weren't nearly as distinctive as a Dragon or a Great Horse, but they were readily recognizeable to anyone with any knowledge of horses.

"These are Cobs, Miss, and good ones at that. Cobs are for we common folk who don't have time for the flash and temperamentalness of Lighs or Dragons, nor the money to feed a Great." Rhys decided not to mention she was gaining renown as a Dragon Horse rider and trainer despite her common status, after all, it was rude to brag. "They'll pull your plow and carriage, carry you into town at midnight to fetch the doctor when your child is sick, and not throw a tantrum at being locked up when it snows in the winter. Of course, it depends on the Cob as to what job they're best suited for...We don't have many plow-pulling Cobs here, my family specializes in riding horses, but Miki over there would be suited. You see his build? And his hindquarters? He'd pull a plow well, and he's sweet-tempered enough to do it gladly. His half-sister, Bija, is slimmer than him. She's built to be ridden, and pretty enough to be a young lady's mount." Rhys thought fleetingly for a moment that Bija and this young lady might have been a nice match; they were the right size for each other, and their hair was the same color, too. But she was slipping into her business-mode, and this lady didn't want to buy anything, so Rhys felt it rude to try to sell her anything.

"If you don't mind me asking, Miss, but where are you from? You're not from Marlas, else you'd have stopped by our Dragons and asked me about them." What she was trying not to say was 'And someone from Marlas would have known these horses were Cobs and, if they were local, would have guessed their bloodlines, too'. Again, it would have been rude, and she didn't want to be rude. Particularly to non-Marlas folk who were her age and gender. She was curious about the world outside Marlas, even if she would most likely never really see it.

Seyira forced herself not to panic when the young woman started talking horses. It wasn’t that she felt stupid or anything when it came to horses while listening to this woman, it was just that she felt…stupid. There really was no other word to describe how she felt. Maybe, a really long time she would have known that these horses were Cobs, and Cobs were mostly for pulling wagons or plows, and had a gentle nature, but definitely not now. She had never really paid much attention to horses, unless there was something that stood out about them, and even then, it was more of the way they looked rather than what they were. Maybe some people – like this young woman – who could tell who a person was by looking at the type of horse they had; Seyira, on the hand, couldn’t do a thing with horses. She probably couldn’t even tell if the person was large or small based on the horse they had, that was how pathetic she was when it came to horses. Before this, she hadn’t really deemed horses as ‘important’, a thought that might have gotten her shot if she’d voiced it aloud, but now she was starting have her doubts.

"If you don't mind me asking, Miss, but where are you from? You're not from Marlas, else you'd have stopped by our Dragons and asked me about them."

Well, that was a tricky question. Seyira wasn’t sure if it was safe to tell the woman where she was from and where she was going. Obviously, she wasn’t going to spill every little detail, but she had to say something, else the woman would definitely know that something was up. Although…she could always use the excuse of not being allowed to say where she was going…but then the woman was still know that something was not quite right. Hopefully, there was no obvious bias against House Ghayth for their various assassinations of members of House Taran in Olencia. It wasn’t supposed to be well-known, and probably wasn’t, but there was an obvious coolness between the two Houses that had to do with more than just dislike. The people of Marlas had more conflict with the Calandae than they did with Ghayth. So it should be all right, as long as she didn’t say too much. And she wouldn’t.

“My lady’s family and me are from Ivria, in Ghayth. We’re headed to see her family in Olencia, and she wanted me with her, otherwise I would’ve stayed back in Ivria.” Seyira didn’t have the ability to change her voice so that it sounded more common, but she didn’t change her grammer a hair so it didn’t seem out of place. “And please don’t call me ‘Miss.’ I should be calling you Miss instead.”

Rhys smiled at the lady's bluntness. She liked that in a person. "I'm not the sort of person you'll want to be calling "Miss". I breed horses and train them, and that's hardly glamorous work! You can call me Rhys. Rhys Horsehand." She considered her next words carefully; this lady had hesitated a bit before answering, as though weighing her words, and had given Rhys precious little information. She was hiding something. Rhys' business sense didn't alert her to a lie, except possibly to the lady's status. She didn't look or talk like a maid, even a lady's maid. She spoke as well as the High Seat's clerk had, perhaps even better. Something wasn't adding up, but Rhys was careful not to alert her of her suspicions. Rhys knew she was acting like a businesswoman again, but if it helped her learn more of this intreguing stranger, what could it hurt?

Rhys decided to proceed cautiously. "Ivria? Is that by the Sapphire Lake? I've never been to the Sapphire Lake, I hear it's lovely! Do you like it in Ivria?" Perhaps if she could get the lady more comfortable with talking to her, then she could get more information. Rhys didn't know what the lady wouldn't want to tell her; it wasn't as though Rhys was rich or powerful, but the fact that there was information being withheld made Rhys want to find it!

This lady was very curious, and Seyira wasn't sure if she liked that curiousity directed at her. Questions meant answers, and there were things that Seyira would rather not talk about, which meant that she was going to have to avoid talking about them. That meant possibly lying, and she really didn't want to have to lie to this woman. The prospect really shouldn't have bothered her at all, but the sight of that earnest face staring at her made her uncomfortable.

What a laugh.

In any case, she wasn't going to have to worry about that any time soon. Ivria was a safe topic - if she stayed away from certain references about the ...culture of Ivria.

"The Sapphire Lake is by Ivria. If you're on a really tall building, you can see it from the city It's really pretty." She'd been there on several occasions back when she'd been younger, first with both her mother and father, and then just her father. It was a pretty place; calm and tranquil, where one could just get away from the hectic life of the city. She hadn't been there recently though. Amaranta's family didn't get out much, and Amaranta had a morbid fear of water. She missed those days, those days that she could never go back to.

"I like Ivria. I've never been anywhere else though, so I don't know if there's somewhere I would like better. This is my first trip out. We're heading to Olencia." It would probably be safe to say that much. "Do you know what it's like in Olencia?"

Rhys smiled regretfully. "No, I don't. I've never been anywhere but our farm, and the neighboring farms, and here, to the horse fair. My life probably seems rather boring to you already, doesn't it?" She felt a twinge of shyness. Normally, she could stand on her pedestal of being a talented up-and-coming Dragon Horse trainer, but to an Ivrian, horses didn't matter, and Rhys was just a country bumpkin. A tall, freckled, plainly dressed country bumpkin. And Rhys, while an expert at what she did, knew little else about the world. It wasn't often she was reminded of how little she knew about the outside world, and it embarassed her greatly. "I know a lot about horses, but Ivrians doesn't care much about horses, I've heard."

Changing the subject, Rhys asked, "How are you finding the journey so far? I may be heading to Olencia in a while, myself. Is it dangerous to travel to?"

Seyira latched onto the fact that the woman might possibly be traveling to Olencia. That meant the possibility of running into her again. And while the thought wasn’t repelling in the least, it could mean that she would have to curtail some of her … shadier activites. She was supposed to be a lady’s maid, and she highly doubted that the aforementioned maid would go into places like a pub or similar places of disrepute. Granted, she probably wouldn’t be in those places much, only when she could get away, but if there was the danger of running into this woman, it was probably safer not to risk it at all. Lady Altariel wouldn’t be very pleased with her though.

“It’s not too dangerous, at least to me. Of course, I’m in a carriage all day, so I really don’t see much. We haven’t been stopped though, so I guess that counts as being fairly safe. And if there are robbers or thieves, they’d be more likely to rob a carriage than some riders on horseback, right? Or wait…maybe it’s the other way around…”Seyira’s slightly simple maid façade, back in business. “Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking so far ahead. How are you going to get to Olencia?”

Traveling was more dangerous on horseback? "Well, I will be traveling on horseback, but my mare is a Dragon Horse. We'll be able to outrun...almost everything." Rhys thought of Lledra's amazing speed and endurance, and then her heart sank. "Well, we'll be traveling with a Great, maybe, and I'd have a groom with me certainly, so we wouldn't be able to leave them behind." Suddenly traveling, while exciting, also seemed like a huge undertaking. Rhys had never been further than Taye. She was excited to leave, but... No, actually, she was mostly just excited. And she reasoned, rather sternly, to herself that she'd be even more exctied to return home. Taking a moment to get her thoughts together, she reached out and scratched the nearest horse's --Ilp's-- forehead. Ilp lipped her skirt, and she poked his mouth, gently, with her other hand. Ilp was mouthy, and no one wanted to buy a mouthy horse. Rhys didn't mind particularly, that was just how Ilp said "thank-you", but strangers wouldn't know that.

"Well, I may not go. My family runs this farm, I help manage and train the horses. It's not my place to be leaving them." With that, she squashed her excitement flat. "What does your family think about you going to Olencia? Won't you miss them?"

Her family.

It had been a while since anyone had asked about her family. Of course, being who and what she was now gave the phrase a slight double meaning, referencing either the family she currently served, or her actual blood family. Seyira wasn't quite sure if the woman knew she was a maid, and even if she did know, it seemed highly unlikely that she would be asking about her master and mistress rather than her actual family. Still, one never knew.

It wasn't something she particularly wanted to answer. One, because her family now really were the people she served, and two, her family had been dead several years now. She still missed both her parents - especially her father - and it was a little difficult to talk about either of them. What was she supposed to say. "Oh, my father's dead. He was executed several years ago for treason against the King." Definitely not the greatest way to start a conversation. She'd probably get locked up for even admitting she was related to someone who had committed treason. If they ever found out who her father was, they'd probably kill her. Well, maybe not in Marlas, but definitely in Olencia - and that happened to be where she was heading.

Seyira sitll didn't know if she could even trust this woman enough to tell her the partial truth. If she was lax, if she decided to trust people on the sole basis of how nice they seemed to be, she'd probably find that she wouldn't live much longer. Oh, the joys of having a dangerous occupation.

"My...family's not really worried about me leaving. Both my parents are dead, and I'm going to Olencia with my master's family. I'm the maid to his daughter. We're visiting some relatives of theirs. I can't remember who." Emil's sister, actually, and her son, but she wasn't going to tell this woman that. There was no point in bringing it up.

Rhys felt terrible. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to...It must be awful..." She started again. "I'm very sad for you. I have a large family- too large, some might say- and I can't imagine how lonely it must be to be all by your lonesome." Remembering some of her mother's stories about maids who would sneak out to the pub, Rhys asked, "Is the family you serve nice to you, then? Or are they terrible? Did they at least give you a choice to stay in Ivria? Don't they care if you don't want to travel?" Rhys knew that if she didn't want to go to Olencia, they could send Jamus, who liked to travel. She always had a family to fall back on, should anything go wrong. It would be unthinkable to live without that feeling of safety.

But then...Well, there was a certain freedom to being without a family. If she saved enough money, this lady could quit her job this very day and open up a business as a...as a... A florist, or a seamstress, if that was what she wanted. She didn't have to stay a lady's maid to support anyone but herself. It wasn't that Rhys begrudged her family the work she did and the money they cost, but it gave her a different perspective on finances, that was for certain. She would have to ask this lady about living alone, and if she planned to stay a lady's maid forever.

So many questions, all at once. Generally, it was easy for Seyira to take everything in and sort all the information she was given, since her mind was highly efficient at that sort of thing. But she didn't seem to have that same efficiency when it came to questions being shot at her, and so her normally straightforward mind was spinning like mad. A hard to accomplish feat. If she hadn't been so confused, she would have congratulated the woman for doing something so few other people had managed to do. Cheers for her.

Her mind, which had stuttered to a stop, resumed normal activity and began categorizing the questions into a somewhat logical order so that when she answered, her answer would make sense. Most of the questions flowed into each other, so it wasn't too difficult of a task to rearrange them and then think up answers. She was going to have to fib a little when it came to her traveling to Olencia, since she couldn't very well tell this nice young woman that she was going there to spy on the King. Despite the fact that this Rhys had lived in Marlas all her life, and had never been out of Marlas, she was probably still loyal to the King. And Seyira really didn't need people chasing after her and condemning her to years in a prison.

Although death would be much, much worse.

In response to Rhys's questions, Seyira said, "My family is very kind to me. If they weren't, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you right now. They give me a lot of freedom, which is more than I can say for a lot of families, and they often treat me like part of the family." A rarity these days. "And they were very very generous in letting me go to Olencia. I've never really been out of Ivria, so it was an amazing chance that they asked me to go with them. There wasn't a huge need for me to come but they let me come despite that. It makes me forever in their debt." That, at least was true. This was an opportunity she would never get again.

Then, sensing that the woman felt bad because of her station, she added, "I like being a lady's maid. So you don't have to feel bad for me. What's it like dealing with horses?"

Rhys smiled and rubbed Ilp's forehead. "Working with horses is...An adventure. You learn something new every day, that's for certain. Sometimes, I wonder who is teaching who, especially with the Dragons. I train Dragon Horses, mostly." She considered, then smiled girlishly and added, "We just sold some horses to the High Seat for his nephew's and son's wedding. We're very excited. My father most of all, but I am, too." She was surprised at herself. She couldn't afford to be excited, and even if she was she could NOT admit it, but then, it wasn't as though she'd see this maid again. Olencia was a big city, even if they were there at the same time.

"I'm excited, too." Rhys repeated, half to herself. She was excited. And the sky hadn't fallen at her admitting it. Dragon Horse Farms had not gone out of business, and her sisters hadn't starved. She was excited that her family's business was expanding and she might have a chance to travel. And nothing was wrong with it.

Would wonders ever cease?

But it wouldn't do to gawk at that, especially in front of a lady's maid. Surely this lady was much more sophisticated than Rhys, and Rhys wanted not to look uneducated. "I, uh, I enjoy it, really. I do. It's difficult work, but it's good work, and honorable work. Where would we be without horses? I do my best to train horses to the best animals they can be, even if they aren't going to the High Seat. I love training the Dragons, but there's a satisfaction in a well-rounded Cob that can do everything a person would want of them."

She smiled, embarassed. "I'm rambling, horribly. I ramble because I love it, though. I...I'm excited, that I could travel, but I love horses, and I wouldn't stop training them, no matter what. Do you love being a lady's maid? Would you stay one the rest of your life?"

Seyira listened politely as the woman talked about raising and working with horses. Now that she had a chance to rethink the topic of horses, she found that it didn't seem half as boring as it had when it had first been brought up. The woman seemed truly interested by what she did, which was at least more than what Seyira had. Rhys loved what she did, and there were few people in the world who could really say that, and be truthful about it. Seyira most certainly wasn't one of them. Oh, she didn't hate what she did, and she had to admit that the people she worked for were kind enough, but if she was given the opportunity to quit what she was doing right now, and do what she'd been born to do, free of risks and responsiblities, she wouldn't even hesitate dropping Amaranta and her family like hot coals.

It was a little cruel, but it was the truth.

"I...I'm excited, that I could travel, but I love horses, and I wouldn't stop training them, no matter what. Do you love being a lady's maid? Would you stay one the rest of your life?"

Well, that was an easy answer.

"I...don't really love being a maid. I mean, it's not the worst job in the world, and I get meals, a roof over my head, and I'm treated with kindness, which is more than a lot of people can say. But I think that if I were given a chance to try and do what I really wanted to do, I would probably leave my family and go out on my own." Probably not the safest thing for a young woman of twenty years to go out and do. Never mind the fact that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Smart young women simply did not roam the streets on their own.

Then she realized she might have backed herself into a corner. If the young woman asked what it was she wanted to do (which was highly likely given all the questions Seyira had already had to answer), she was going to be hard-pressing to come up with a lie that sounded even moderately convincing. Which meant that she was going to have to ask the young woman something first.

"But never mind me. You sold horses to the High Seat? And for a wedding? I've never been to a wedding. What was the High Seat like? Are you invited to the wedding? I'd love to hear all about it." She was truly interested in the subject, and would have given anything for a reply.

Rhys was surprised by the lady's enthusiasm. Gracious! "We...Well, I...sold him several horses, Greats and Dragons. Nor was one of my favorites, I'll miss him, but he'll have a grand home and a good master...." Rhys supposed the lady didn't much care for details about the horses, so she recalled what she could of the High Seat. "Lord Tsuko was sensible. He was a little aloof and I dealt with the clerk in terms of business, but he was reasonable enough. I've heard horror stories about how silly higher-ranking nobles can be--surely you've experienced some of that, being a lady's maid-- but he was quiet and undemanding. Properly dressed, too, even if he did show up at a strangely late hour."

Rhys rubbed Ilp's nose again, and smiled shyly. "I was invited to the wedding, to hold a horse and perhaps do a demonstration afterward. A courier came yesterday and gave me an invitation with the High Seat's seal. It's exciting, even if it means I have to get new clothes." She tilted her head a bit, considering. "Perhaps you will be there? The High Seat loves pomp and circumstance, and it's his son and his nephew who are getting married. If the likes of me were invited, surely your lady was. Do you think you'll be there, serving your, er, family?"

Attentive listening was what Seyira excelled at, and she used all she had with the young lady now, and giving and taking all she could. The double weddings of both the son and nephew of the current High Seat of Marlas was something she actually hadn’t heard a great deal of. Considering how much attention such a wedding normally received, it was something of a surprise. This was definitely a time when Seyira thanked the gods that Traherne never paid much attention to her, because her laxness towards this topic would definitely not be a pointing her favor. Then again, Traherne never paid much attention to her, and would never if he had a choice. It was a deliberate insult to her father, a man she’d never admired. There’d been some sort of animosity between the two, but Seyira had never paid it much mind until her father passed away, which by then had been too late. And thinking about such things wasn’t going to help her day go by any better. The upcoming wedding would be so much more interesting. And this young woman would be attending, of all things.

Seyira pursed her lips as she thought about the question directed at her. Her gaze wandered, settling on some grazing horses in the far pasture. That was a good question, and one Seyira didn’t know the answer to. She was fairly sure she would be going, since Lady Altariel was sure to receive an invitation as High Seat of House Ghayth, but whether her family would be invited was another thing. There wasn’t much of a chance that they would, since they were nobles of a lesser rank, and not of Taye or even Marlas. How could this Lord Tsuko possibly know anything about them. If she got lucky, Lady Altariel would accept the invitation and graciously bring Seyira along with her. If she didn’t, then she wouldn’t be going.

“I’m not sure,” Seyira said at last, tearing her gaze from the horses back to the open, honest face before her. “I have no say in what my family chooses to do. And there are a lot of things that will depend on the choices they make…whether they get an invitation, whether they accept, and whether or not they’ll bring me.” She smiled wistfully. “I really would love to go, though.”