| An Equine Find |
| Summary: | The first of the missing horses are found and brought to The Roost. Some in better condition than others. |
| Date: | 09/06/2012 |
| Related Logs: | Bandit logs in general |
| Players: |
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| Courtyeard, Four Eagles Tower |
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| The Courtyard of Four Eagles Tower is floored with a fine grey stone that match the color and tone of the interior structure of the castle's yard. Plants have been potted and placed around the entrances to add some color, the greenery accompanied by several trellises of flowers that climb the support columns. The most prominent structure in the area is the set of large slab steps that lead up to the great oak doors of the Great Hall. Several hallways and accesses lead off into different sections of Four Eagles which makes this the hub of noble activity when court is not being held.! |
| Sat Jun 09, 289 |
It has been a long day, well a couple of long days really, but at least the Flint men seem to have something to show for it. Einar and Pariston left with two horses, but as they trot in through the gatehouse of Four Eagles Tower they are quite clearly returning with five. Not a complete set by any means, but certainly a haul. especially as it includes the beast Gethin, that they had ben searching for.
As they make it under the portcullis, Einar reins in his own horse, Rae, and dismounts with a practiced ease, letting the Terrick stable hands deal with the finer details. His attention is instead on Tia's horse, known to be a bit of a 'free spirit'. His first task is to unleash it from his own stirrups and once that’s done he moves to give him a few strokes on the nose and the odd whisper, just to settle and calm.
Justin comes up from the dungeons down deep, below the keep. He pauses at the ironbound door to speak briefly with the Warden jailer and then nods to the man, a leather folio rolled up and tucked beneath his arm. Justin is as usual dressed mostly in black, wearing a plain doublet and is lightly armed. The sound of hooves on stone draws his attention and then Justin's interest is keenly perked. He changes course to head directly towards Einar instead of the tower, "Lord Flint, I see you found some of the horses. I should like to compare notes with you on where you found them. I'm given to understand from our prisoner that they ate the prettiest ones." Poor Muirenn.
As he has every day since returning from Stonebridge, Martyn spent quite a while out along the coastline, and has returned looking lost in thought each time. He's now making his way out from the keep, looking lost in thought as he carries a book, and writing equipment. He hasn't quite noticed the people, and animals, present, since he's still in that lost in thought mode.
Along with Einar is Pariston who is getting off his horse to see to lady Muirenn's horse, which he has had in tow. Along with skin on the back of his own horse. He is quiet as he let Einar speak with the other man while he is tending to the lady's horse. His own horse standing still and is looked to by some stablehands. Though the horse is not brought along yet, as the skin is still upon the horse's back.
Einar finishes giving Gethin a scratch on the nose before turning at the sound of Justin's voice. "Lord Justin," he offers with a brief nod, not particularly willing to let go of the beast in his hands, "these three are all we found, along with a skin that may be identifiable." That tallies with having slaughtered at least one for food. He notions briefly to where said skin is stowed before continuing. "We were lucky, this beast here is my good-sister's, Lady Tiaryn, the others though I do not know, but I am sure that someone will." Even the skin most likely. "I trust we there is room to stable them here until ownership can be determined?" Martyn, he has not yet spotted alas, his attention being on Justin and the horses.
One of the horses he does not know and he didn't know Lucienne's well enough to know by it's hide, "The palomino there belongs to Lady Muirenn Mallister. She will be greatly relieved to have him back. You have my thanks, Lord Einar, and you also, Pariston." Justin walks up and if Perydri isn't too skittish, let the palomino gelding sniff his hand before he strokes the horse, "You did not find any sign of their other things? Instruments, clothing, none of the other ladies' horses?" Justin pulls the folio from under his arm and opens it up to check the description Rolf gave him where the horses were kept. He shows this to Einar, "Does that sound like where you found them?"
Pariston nods to Justin at the thanks. Then just moves a bit to lift of the hide and letting the stablehands deal with his horse for now. "There were indications that more horses had been around." Pariston tells them, then showing the hide to anyone around. "Any of you recognize this?" He asks. Moving out of the way for Martyn as the man makes his way to the horse that Pariston had with him.
Einar steps carefully to turn Gethin around to face the now identified Perydri, not entirely trusting the spirited animal not to do anything stupid. Giving the beast a few strokes down it's neck he answers, "These are the only three we found," a slight pause, "along with the skin Master Vis has there." He nods to the third horse and states, "then that is the other to be identified for this one is Gethin, Lady Tiaryn's." Martyn gets a nod in greeting before he adds, "There was another clearing not too far away from where the ladies were kept, that’s where we found them," a glance to Justin's paperwork and he indicates one of the locations listed, "that sounds like it. We can take others back there, although given the level of disturbance I'm not sure what else can be learnt, although Master Vis is most certainly correct in that it did seem that more had been present at some stage."
Justin doesn't show the second location information in his notes, only the part of his questioning about the horses, not Jensen as yet. He nods and closes his leather folio to roll it up and put it back under his arm, "See what you can find out… if there are tracks to follow, see where the horses where taken. Other hamlets could be questioned and the other things found, perhaps." Though probably not likely. "We do appreciate your efforts, Lord Einar, Pariston. May I at least offer you hospitality once the horses are put up and seen to? Our food is carefully rationed but we have soup and bread at least." Dried apples too. Yum.
Martyn reaches out to pat Pryderi a little bit, nodding a little. "Someone will be very glad to see you," he offers to the horse, a bit quietly. Stepping back after a few moments, as he looks around. "I should let my sister know this," he says, before he looks to both Pariston and Einar. "Thank you…" Starting to move back towards the entrance to the keep now.
Tiaryn is coming back to the Roost proper intending to go check on Muirenn. She has left the beach, and did not even stop to make sure her hair was tidy enough, figuring this place is enough like home by now that the wild curls won't draw a second look. She has her maid and a guard with her, though it's one of Anders' scowly faced men, rather than Jacob. Or Pariston. In any event, she comes into the courtyard, heading for the main entrance to the keep.
Pariston is his usual silent mood as he let the lords talk away. No point in interrupting them, right? As no one cares about the hide he just throws it over his shoulder. "Someone should recognize this horse" He says soon enough. Spotting Tiaryn. "Lady Tiaryn!" He calls out quite loudly. "I think someone wants to see you." He says and gestures towards Einar and Gethin.
Einar gives Martyn a brief nod as he start to depart, "he'll be in the stables her when she is ready to see him Ser." A simple enough statement, and after all, Justin has already said as much. "Glad to have been of assistance," and all that. Turning to said Terrick, which still giving attention to Gethin, Einar nods one, "Soup would be most appreciated thank you, it's been a long day in the saddle. I think though, that I should perhaps find my good-sister and let her know first though. I fear she would not be best pleased if I kept the news from her for long." Pariston's greeting he doesn't properly catch, but as the horse makes a valiant attempt to dislocate his shoulder in order to reach the newly arrived Tia, that does. His shoulder is safe, but Gethin breaks free from his grasp and makes his way directly towards Tiaryn. It seems that Einar's affections are simply not enough.
And suddenly, there is Lady Tiaryn's horse jerking out of Einar's grasp and Justin isn't fast enough on his feet to get the hell out of the way! He tries but gets a nice, fat horse shoulder that knocks him down on his ass onto the stones and almost underneath Pryderi's hooves. The folio tucked under his arm is dropped, his sword scabbard scraping audibly with his being knocked down, "What the ?!"
Nodding a little bit, Martyn offers a bit of a smile, "Of course," he says, before he starts towards the doors, but like Justin, he also gets sent off his feet by Gethin, letting out a few words under his breath that should not be repeated in the company of a lady. Oops.
Tia hears Pariston's call, which is perhaps a good thing, as it turns her attention to the men and horses, just as that silly small bay horse with the big attitude catches wind of her and tries to break Einar's shoulder. So she's staring, totally unmoving as the horse comes barrelling towards her. Whicker. Staring. Barrelling horse. Wait. That's - it can't be. But. "Gethin?" she calls out, the wonder and surprise in her voice totally obvious. "Gethin, it is you." Her hand comes up, automatically, and the horse actually comes to a dainty stop, just in front of Tia, sticking his nose in her palm, and then inching forward to whuffle at her shoulder. She takes the opportunity to find his reins and take them in hand, before she just wraps her arms around the horse's neck and hugs him tightly.
Pariston is fast enough though, moving out of the way has he hears the hooves of the horse. He would try and grab hold of the horse if he wasn't afraid of getting dragged along. Besides, he trusts Tia to be good enough with the horse, and she seems to be. Then he looks to the rest, "Are you alright, my lords?" He asks as they all seem to have suffered some injury.
Einar should probably have expected nothing less, but will make do with simply watching the reunion with a smile. He does though, in case of need, spare both Justin and Martyn a quick glance to ensure that they're not hurt or in need of aid. He's only to well aware of the damage a horse can do itself after all. "Well that's one down," he announces to no one in particular, "I guess we just now need to work out who the third and the skin belong to. Although I fancy one will be a happier event than the other."
Technically that's two down. Both two of the horses identified as to who they belong to, and two men knocked on their asses. Justin picks himself up and dusts off his rump before picking up his folio. "Stupid horse." He frowns, definitely not approving of dangerous, ill behaved animals. He doesn't seem to have suffered any harm, or none he's going to owe up to in any case, "Put you up for the night as well, Lord Einar, Paritson. Should you care for it, though the inn at the Roost is probably both more comfortable and slightly better stocked in food."
Martyn gets to his feet a bit slowly, wincing momentarily, before he gathers up those things he brought with him. "Oof…" he mutters to himself as he looks around. Unable to smile at the reunion between lady and horse, even though the horse sent him to the ground.
Tia's quite glad to see Gethin, who appears to be just as glad to see Tia, to judge by the horse's nudging and nuzzling as he looks for attention. She has to laugh at how greedy he is. Mind you, he's now standing perfectly, without even a hint of moving. But Tia does finally realize that there were some unintended consequences, and her voice raises across the courtyard. "Is everyone alright? Poor Gethin did not mean any harm." She starts to walk back over to the men, and Gethin comes along without a complaint. He does grumble a bit about the other horses when he gets near, but Tia deals with that, and Gethin seems to not mind too much. At least he puts up with things, so long as Tia is there. "You found him - thank you," she says. There's tearstains on her cheeks, but she's bright eyed now.
Pariston falls silent and looks towards Tiaryn, smiling. Even if he might be the only one beside Tia and Gething to be happy about the reunion after the others were pushed to the ground. "It seems he's missed you." He offers before looking to the men again. "Too happy perhaps." Then as she thanks them he nods, and looks to Einar.
"We did," Einar replies to Tia,"along with these other two, one of which both Ser Martyn and Lord Justin here have identified as Lady Muirenn's." As for the hide? Well, he's not currently mentioning that, there's got to be a decent chance of someone who wasn't abducted being able to recognise it after all. Justin and Martyn both get another quick look to ensure they're regained their feet alright before he says to the young Terrick, "I thank you for the offer, but we're already installed in the inn in the town. I believe Lord Anders and Lady Cordelya are housed within though and I thank you and your house for finding them room in these conditions."
Himself and his folio back in order, Justin thins his mouth but then eases it upon seeing how happy Lady Tiaryn is over getting that beast back. He would have missed his horse himself. "Oh, are they?" Justin asks of Einar, "I wasn't aware that they were still here." His mouth twists into something a bit more distasteful, "Apparently the Groves are visiting as well." Yes, he's much less pleased about that for some reason. Justin draws a slow breath and nods to them, "I have things I must prepare - riding out tonight to check on some things myself. Then likely back tomorrow." So he turns to head into the tower.
"For the moment, people probably finds it more safe than certain… other places," Martyn offers to Justin, before he offers a smile in Tiaryn's direction. "I'm okay. Taken worse hits, lately," he offers, with a bit of a smile. "Besides, to see you two reunited, I'm willing to forgive your four-legged friend, Lady Tiaryn."
"We just came back from Stonebridge, Lord Justin," Tia says, though she's still got an arm around the horse. Seems she really is fond of Gethin, even if he is a cranky sort of horse. "And thank you all - you - Gethin was my brother's horse, he means a lot to me." That much she can say, at least, and mostly sensibly. "He's usually better behaved with people though. I am sorry." There's a look to Martyn and Justin, again making sure they're okay.
He doesn't walk off very far before he realizes something. Justin stops and looks back at the grey mare. He /has/ seen that mare somewhere before but where was it? Some gal standing in Stonebridge, holding that mare as well as a stallion. He blinks, "Isn't that Mistress Sofya's mare? Lord Inigo Vance's retainer and horsewoman?" The Terrick doesn't look certain before Justin adds, "You might seek her. It could be her mare, though I'm not certain. And I don't know who's horse the hide belonged to." Justin gives Tiaryn a faint smile, "I'm only sorry that more of them weren't found, and your harp with them, dear Lady."
Einar is not acquainted with Sofya, let alone her horse, so doesn’t feel the most qualified person to comment on Justin's identification. He shrugs once before turning to Tia instead," Yes, I'm sorry, but there was no sign of that, nor Lady Murienn's dulcimer, just the horses." And the skin. "Do you need help with him though? I'm sure the stablehands have their work cut out for them already with the others."
Pariston is staying out of conversations, except for Justin mentioning who's the horse might be. "I could see to make sure that she knows about it. Where is she, do you know?" He asks, not having met her but wanting to help anyway. That's just his usual way of being after all.
Justin half turns and thinks about Pariston's question, "She's around here somewhere. Ser Inigo is my cousin and he's staying with us to help rebuild. I'll find someone in the house to go and look." He makes a 'I'll take care of it' kind of gesture when Justin realizes that they wouldn't know Sofya if they saw her. So he goes to do that ere he gathers the men to head on out for their bandit business.
Martyn pauses for a few moments as he hears what's being said now, nodding a little bit at Justin's words, although he doesn't say anything at the moment. Watching the Terrick head off, he looks between the others again.
"I could use some," Tia says, with a watery smile at Einar. "Though I can do it." She's just happier to have the company and more than a little apologetic over the escaping horse. "Though if there's someone here who remembers Gethin, they should be able to work with him. He just doesn't like other horses." She then gets out of Justin's way, as she does take a step towards the stables.
His own horse having been already handed over, Einar takes the mystery dapple and starts to lead it towards the stables. Best get them all there and handed over after all, then he can go and help his good-sister with Gethin. Justin is given a nod as he departs and Martyn too, along with a polite "Ser," as he makes his way out of the courtyard proper.
Pariston keeps silent, not really knowing what to say. Also the day has payed a toll on him. All the searching and so on. So for now he is just walking around with a hide carried upon his shoulder. "Could someone take this?" He then asks, not sure where it should be put.
Martyn pauses for a few moments, and gestures over towards one of the servants moving about, one that the Mallister knows well. The man nods, moving over in Pariston's direction. "I'll take that for you?" he offers after a few moments of pause. After all, he'll know where to put it.
Ah yes, the hide. Turning back to Pariston Einar ponders for a moment before suggesting, "It's probably worth storing that at the stables too, that leaves only one places for people to come and have a look." He glances to where Justin had been but it seems the young Terrick is already gone. At Martyn's intervention though he simply nods, happy to let the Mallister man take care of the issue instead of he has a mind to.
Pariston nods and hands of the hide. Cracking his stiff neck and then nodding to the lords. "Thanks." He also calls to the man carrying off the hide. He moves to be a guard for Einar for the time being. Although in a leather jerkin. Though he has his sword and bow both with him. Can't leave that after all.
"Thank you," Martyn offers to both Einar and Pariston again now. "We're all very happy for getting the horses back." At least the ones that's been gotten back, of course. But his sister's horse is one of them, and that's what's most important to Martyn at the moment.
With his good-sister's being one of the others, Einar fully understands Martyn's sentiment and nods once, "We all do what we can Ser, I just hope the others are found safe and well elsewhere." Not like the poor forth beast. "If you will excuse me though, I should better go and give the Lady Tiaryn a hand as I promised."
Pariston isn't sure where to go now that everyone is leaving, so unless anyone will stop him he will be heading to his own room to take off his weapon. Not really polite to be carrying them around in town after all.
