Lord John Grey (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
iustise) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
abraxaslogs2024-07-21 12:36 pm
iustise) wrote in abraxaslogs2024-07-21 12:36 pm
Entry tags:
No Time For Horsing Around
Who: Lord John & Gale
When: July
Where: Thorne — Western Grasslands
What: Quest!
Warnings: none atm!
There are a number of reasons that John had volunteered for this particular task, when the Royal Stablemaster had called for volunteers. First and foremost is his fondness for horses, and general knowledge of their handling, which he assumes will be useful for such a task. Then his survivor’s guilt, he supposes. He had been on duty that night as well, and survived the attack when the cavalry had not. Had there been more he could have done? Unlikely, but he can at least do this now. He tries not to think what might become of these horses in their place. One foot in front of the other.
It also gets him away from the city for a while. John could use some time away, just now. Away from his post, out of his head. Just given a simple task to fulfill and complete. A mission, if you will. Horses are far less complicated than politics any day.
He glances at his companion, offering a smile as they set off in the direction indicated by the expedition guide.
"We had best enjoy our journey out while we can," he says. "I fear our trek back to camp will likely be far more of an adventure." Assuming that they do manage to capture a wild horse, that is.
When: July
Where: Thorne — Western Grasslands
What: Quest!
Warnings: none atm!
There are a number of reasons that John had volunteered for this particular task, when the Royal Stablemaster had called for volunteers. First and foremost is his fondness for horses, and general knowledge of their handling, which he assumes will be useful for such a task. Then his survivor’s guilt, he supposes. He had been on duty that night as well, and survived the attack when the cavalry had not. Had there been more he could have done? Unlikely, but he can at least do this now. He tries not to think what might become of these horses in their place. One foot in front of the other.
It also gets him away from the city for a while. John could use some time away, just now. Away from his post, out of his head. Just given a simple task to fulfill and complete. A mission, if you will. Horses are far less complicated than politics any day.
He glances at his companion, offering a smile as they set off in the direction indicated by the expedition guide.
"We had best enjoy our journey out while we can," he says. "I fear our trek back to camp will likely be far more of an adventure." Assuming that they do manage to capture a wild horse, that is.
no subject
He sounds amused even as he says it. No doubt the horses will be extremely upset about the whole situation. He honestly can't blame them.
"I admit, from their perspective it's likely a difficult sale. Being removed from their homes by strangers, ferried off to a new life filled with long work days. Hopefully nobody told them what happened to the last horses. Do you think gossip travels fast in the wilds around Thorne?"
no subject
"I suppose we had best hope it does not," John hazards. "Let them know as little as possible about what sort of change they are in for. Besides, the life in the Royal Stables isn’t all that bad." Aside from when it’s being targeted by enemy fire… "They will never have to want again for food a day in their life." Hopefully. John has been through war before, but never one with access to magic before.
no subject
Gale ambles along beside John, thoughtful as his gaze skims around them. It didn't sound like it was too far, but he's not strictly sure if the whole thing was being undersold to encourage them out.
"I must confess, I've never captured a wild horse before. I don't suppose you have any experience in that front? The lasso spell seems simple enough, but I'm no druid. My experience in calming animals is largely restricted to tressym, ornery cats and the odd dog."
no subject
He shakes his head again. "To answer your question, I have never captured them myself, but I have spent enough time around horses to know their mannerisms. My - father-in-law," he only stumbles slightly over the word (it is complicated, in so many ways), "owns an estate where he breeds horses. Trains them. I did not work in the stables myself, but I have spent a great deal of time around them."
With Jamie, when he was employed there. But he need not get into that.
no subject
If John is familiar with horses and environments that train them, surely this will be a breeze?
Depending on the horse, perhaps. Or hoses, plural. It might be a little exciting if all of them decide to take offence to what is going on. Do horses... charge in groups? He supposes they might find out.
"Tressym," he adds, "are winged feline companions. Very intelligent, able to use magic, sometimes a little judgemental. I do miss Tara. I hope she isn't too worried."
Does she think that he's --
He supposes she has no reason to know better, in truth. Gosh. His poor mother.
no subject
"From what I understand, time moves differently in this place. I have a friend here, from a decade and a half in my past. There is so much of our history that she has not yet lived, and our situation is not alone. It is entirely likely that, despite the months, years we find ourselves here, no time at all has gone by at home. Like stepping into a fairy hole, I suppose."
It’s what he would like to think anyway. He would hate to imagine that William has been missing him all this time. What he might think, after the way they had parted…
no subject
It also isn't quite a decade.
He frowns at John, weighing this up.
"Gosh," he says, "a decade and a half. I can't imagine what that's like. Mystra keeps a tight rule on the use of any time magic. We have chronomancers, of course, wizards who specialise in time magic -- but they are forbidden from changing our timelines or creating new ones."
no subject
"It is a bit like having to start over from the beginning of our friendship," John explains. "As that is mostly all she has lived through. I cannot say whether this has made things better or worse. It’s a bit as though I have cheated through the hard bits this time, and we need not waste our time on butting heads against one another as we did previously."
He shrugs, understanding this is a vague explanation but unwilling to give too much detail of Claire’s circumstance without her consent.
"I have learned that I cannot be surprised by what this place throws at us," he says, reaching to hold back a branch to clear their path and gesturing his companion through. "At the very least it is only regular horses we must capture and take, this time. Once, not too long ago in the Feywilds, they had us working with giant snails."
no subject
He ducks past the branch John is holding, glances back at the man then ahead of himself with a frown.
"Now, the next important question: if you were a herd of wild horses, where would you be? Perhaps a water source, or some shelter?"
no subject
"To be quite honest," he says, glancing around to determine which direction they might proceed next, "horses are pasture animals. Even in the wild, they spend a great deal of time simply eating. If I would have to wager where we might find them…"
Stepping forward, he peers through the trees ahead of them before making a noise of triumph. "Ahah! There’s a clearing just ahead! I can see a break in the canopy. With any luck, we should be able to at least spot them from there. Come on!" Eagerly, he guides them forward.
no subject
"Just to clarify," he murmurs, "do we have a plan? Should there be more than one horse, I imagine the friends of whichever we try to capture might be a touch upset by the proceedings."
no subject
Reaching the edge of the clearing, John stops suddenly, holding out a hand to stop Gale behind him, pressing his other hand to his lips to indicate they should be quiet before motioning across the way toward where there stands a small group of sturdy chestnut steeds.
"Eureka."
no subject
He frowns in thought, watching the horses.
"Beautiful creatures, really. It seems a shame to deprive them of their freedom, but needs must. We lure one away from the group, I presume?"
Try to split them up before securing it? How friendly is the average wild horse, he wonders?
no subject
As far as how they approach this… He considers the question for a moment.
"I cannot say these horses have ever seen a man in their life," John posits. "If they are to notice us too soon, we may risk this whole venture. But to lure them while we remain out of sight…"
He glances at the other man, raising an eyebrow. "You would not have happened to have brought any food with you?"
no subject
"Always best to be prepared for any scenario. Will this do?"
He thinks horses do like apples. Presumably they'd have to... cut them up? To act as a lure? He suspects a horse could just consume an apple whole, given their enormous teeth. But would the scent of them be more obvious if they were sliced into...?