Fayre (the beginning)

Fayre Nightshade has a choice of to whom she may offer her services as a squire:

Eulan Roddick the 5th - Son of an Earl. He has proven himself a worthy knight both in deed and tourneys. He is in his late 30s with wild red hair, and due to his family, has never to worry about money or want. But he has not let this fact go to his head and is regarded by many as one of the best knights in the countryside. Normally, he would never need to look for a squire, but sadly his last one was killed unexpectedly at a joust. He apparently spooked Sir Roddick's steed and it attacked the boy with hooves and bites as any good warhorse is trained to do. It was of course a terrible event, but at the same time, the lad was obviously not meant to be a squire. He probably should have just stayed with his father and become a blacksmith.

Morood Staelek - A young knight who has yet to prove himself. His family is barely noble, and it is upon Sir Staelek's success that their name will ride. They live too far to be of any true political use, and so are hoping that he will be able to make good in deeds. He has set up a small keep that is able to host himself and only three others including servants.

Upon much deliberation, Fayre decides that Eulan Roddick would be the best choice. He seems more suited to her abilities, and more of a person she would enjoy learning from.

Fayre was summoned later in the morning than she had anticipated, and was also allowed time for a breakfast, which was shocking from the stories she had heard from other squires. Perhaps this knight treated his helpers better than others. She bid her mother goodbye after eating and walked along with the page sent to convey her to Sir Roddick's keep in silence.

"Come in" she heard him bid when she knocked upon his door. As she entered the chamber, she saw the man sitting at a roaring fire eating some fruit, bread and cheese. "Sit down then" he said. "Have some cheese. And a drink." There was a pitcher filled with fresh milk. She poured herself a mug full.

"So you are the new squire eh? Well I hope you are not afraid of horses. That's what got poor Markell Smith killed. Never, ever approach a knight's warhorse from the side quickly and with armaments in your hands. Always let him see you first, and walk slowly toward him. If I call for you to deliver a sword to me while I am on horseback, I know you have to be careful. Not all of my commands are to be followed with extreme haste. Do you understand this?"

Fayre silently swallowed a large gulp of milk and nodded. Even with the training she had to this point, she suddenly felt unsure of herself. The feeling must have been betrayed by her countenance because Eulan looked her dead in the eyes. "Don't do this lassie, if you think you will fail. You have to KNOW that you'll do your level best without hesitation. Otherwise you'll end up injured or worse. I've been told of you, and I think you'll do well. But my confidence in you is second to the confidence that you have to have in yourself. I'll always treat you fair Fayre and..."

She laughed at the unintentional wording without meaning to, spilling a bit of milk on the table. Sir Roddick thought for a second, then chuckled as well. "All right then. I think we understand each other, and I like your humor. Just mark my words of warning and I wager we'll work well together."

Sir Roddick paused to cut a pear into quarters. His mood seemed to change as the fruit came apart. By the time he was finished with the knife, he had a gloomy cast about himself. He spoke to her again in deliberate and quiet tones. "Your first task will not likely be enjoyable. But it is necessary. I need you to go to your new quarters and gather together Markell's personal belongings and put them into the chest that is there. His father is due to pick them up this afternoon. I have been called away and will not be able to be present to receive him. I am asking you to stand for me this day. Be certain to be kind and understanding to him. He has lost his only son to a horrific accident. Do not speak of Markell's mistakes with the horse - it would only grieve his father more to know that it was incompetence that caused his death. Just allow him access to the room to pick up the chest and pass along my deepest sorrows for him and Markell's mother. Now, I must be off, I have a long ride ahead of me and will not be returning until tomorrow night after supper. After the blacksmith leaves, you have the rest of the time to yourself. As a squire in my employ, you are entitled to anything in my larder that you wish. But stay out of anything to eat or drink that is in this room."

With that, the knight rose from his seat, drained the mug before him and opened the door for Fayre. There was a page in the hallway waiting. "Take her to her room and then leave her be until I return. Tell Kemeth to prepare my horse for a two day ride. I will be back late tomorrow night." Fayre was then whisked out of the knight's room and led to her new living space to perform that unhappy task that lay ahead of her.

Fayre is beginning to like Sir Roddick, as they spoke together. But for some strange reason, his eyes seem to stare straight through her. This makes he feel small, and lose confidence. She will from now on, try not to think about his piercing gaze. As she is ushered out of the room, the squire shows her, her living quarters. It was a nice big room, and she smiles as she sits on her bed. The squire leaves her, and as he left she heaved a great sigh. Why did it have to be her that does this? She was never very good with sorrow, it was an emotion she fought to hide and never have. She saw sorrow as weakness. And weakness would not be tolerated, she was a girl. Yes, but that did not mean she could not compete with the best of any man. She was tough, and would prove it too.

As her mind was wandering, she looks about the room. It seems so... Lonely... She thought to herself, as she stood. Upon standing, Fayre finds Markell's things laying about. She takes his trunk, and packs up his weapons and belongings for his mother and father. As she picks up his clothes, a note falls out of his pocket. Fayre picks up the note, and reads it. It's from a girl, probably his sweetheart back home. She sighs, wishing she was someone's sweetheart, then banishes the thought all together as she piles the note in with the clothes. She is glad the girl he wrote won't be here... That would make the sorrow even worse.

So many thoughts drifting through her head, one of them being, Am I truly ready for this? But she pushed the thoughts aside for now and decides to wander the grounds a bit. As she stands and exits her room, she notices something out of the corner of her eye... When she turns to look, it disappeared. Fayre frowns and follows whatever it was around the corner where it scurried. When she turns the corner there it went again, she follows its direction once more, and again and again. Until she comes to a wall where the animal can no longer escape her, she jumps around the corner, "Aha! I gotcha!" she shouts excitedly, only to find a small frightened kitten. She smiles faintly, and drops down to her knee to appear smaller to the poor thing.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you..." she whispers, the kitten still looks frightened, but scurries a little closer to her. Fayre's smile widens as the kitty approaches, and she sticks out her hand. The kitten smells her fingertips, and licks them. A small giggle escapes her lips as the kitty licks her fingers. Fayre picks it up and coddles it a second. Then lifts it up to examine it. The kitten is a multitude of colors; grey, brown, white and a darker grey. The kitten is also female. "Seems like you and I have a lot in common, kitten." she says with a smile as she takes the kitten back to her room. She was very much certain SIr Roddick would not approve of the pet, but he would not have to know about it. She takes the kitten back to her room, and sets it on her bed. "Hmm. What to call you?" she thinks out loud as she goes through a list of names she has in her head. None of them seem to fit the kitty, when she finally comes to the name Dinah. "Dinah, that's perfect for you1" she exclaims, then giggles again.

After playing with the kitten a couple hours, she decides that she is hungry. Fayre leaves the kitten in her room, and walks to where the squire told her where the kitchens are. She walks into the kitchen, only to meet a bright and happy kitchen maid. She talks too fast for Fayre to follow what she is saying, but got most of what she was trying to say. It was something about how she was too skinny and she'd be more than happy to feed her. Fayre was handed a bowl of stew, a plate of breads, cheeses, fruits and a jug of milk. It was hard for her to carry it all, but she managed and sneakily grabs a saucer for the kitten in her room. Once back there, she find Dinah asleep in the middle of her bed. Fayre smiles, and strokes her soft fur, Dinah purrs as she sleep and Fayre pours milk into the saucer. At the smell, the kitten awakens and heads over to eat the food. She giggles yet again, and eats the stew she was offered and some of the bread. Once that was finished, she was full, but she keeps the rest to save for later as a snack.

She would have gone exploring about the grounds more, if it wasn't for Dinah. Fayre decides to spend the day with the kitten, as it might be their last when Sir Roddick arrives. As the day wanes into night, Fayre curls up next to Dinah on her bed and slowly falls asleep. It was going to be a long day of learning and practice when the Knight returns for her training.

Fayre woke in the middle of the night. She had been dreaming that she was being attacked by a warhorse, only this warhorse could somehow wield a sword. Just as she was backed up against a tree and run through, she startled awake. Dinah had apparently leapt down upon her neck from the window sill and sunk her claws into her. After carefully extracting the kitten from her body, Fayre gazed out of the window at the full moon. The way its light made the courtyard look as though it were gilt in silver was breath taking. As she drifted off once again to sleep, she felt Dinah make a nesting area on her stomach, this time with no claws. She closed her eyes to the sound of purring.

As the morning sun coaxed her awake, Fayre yawned and rose slowly out of bed. Everything seemed so peaceful and calming, but then the memories of what was to come this day filled her with dread. She dressed and went down to the kitchen where the maid (who's name she still could not guess due to her fast speech) gave her a welcome breakfast. She was only halfway done when a page came to alert her that the blacksmith had arrived and was waiting in her room to receive Markell's items.

As she entered her room, she saw a huge man, thick black hair with hands like a bear's slowly turning through the now open chest. His eyes looked as though his thoughts were a thousand miles away. He looked up at Fayre and stared for a moment. Then he let go of the chest lid and let it slam shut loudly. "So, you're the one eh? You're the one that he hired to replace my boy? I pray for your father and mother. I pray that they never have to live through what I have."

He took a step toward Fayre and pointed a finger uncomfortably close to her face. "It's been a month now without my Markell. A month. And his mother wakes every night screaming still. I can't shake the image in my head of his broken body when they shown it to me. I'm telling you now, that weren't any horse that killed my boy. Horses don't have sharp teeth! Horses don't rip flesh! Everyone thinks the world of Sir Roddick...of how he's such a great man! Well let me tell you one thing lassie. Him and this place is cursed! And if you value your life, you'll get out any way you can!"

The blacksmith turned and heaved the chest up over one shoulder as if it were nothing but a sack of leaves. As he walked out of the room, he spied Dinah sitting on a chair. "I suppose you can have that damned cat as well. Truth be told, I was going to throw it in the creek with a bag of rocks on my way home. You caring for it will save me the trouble. Last thing I need in my house is a living reminder that my only child is dead. Who's going to take the land my father fought his whole life to earn when I'm gone? That land'll go right back into His Lordship's books! He'll have my family's money and our land too. Well...I'll shut my mouth from rambling now before I say something that will get me arrested or worse."

With that, the blacksmith turned and strode out of the keep without so much as a sideways glance at anyone else he passed.

Fayre stood there stunned as she listened to the Blacksmith speak. She had no idea how to respond to what he was saying! First the grief he felt for losing his only child and heir to all his properties and lands. Then the accusations about Sir Roddick? It was almost too much to bear, and she couldn't help, but to feel doubtful of her abilities now. And doubtful of Sir Roddick, as well. What was this madness? How do people in a world like this cope? She stared at him as he spoke, milking in his words, and just as he turned to leave, she noticed he dropped something from Markell's things. It was a small piece of cloth. Probably from his clothing that got caught in the trunk lid. If she wasn't so shocked, she would've called him back to retrieve it. Then again, he may have thrown it at her and told her to keep it as a reminder of what Sir Roddick did to people. She shuddered to think...

Her attention returned to a small mewling kitten. Dinah. Fayre smiled, and sighed a sigh of relief that the terrible man hadn't drowned the kitty. She was sure it was probably Markell's playmate as well, but then again, that blacksmith didn't seem all there. Maybe he was wrong about Sir Roddick? Maybe he was wrong about everything? And it was just his grief talking? She wasn't sure, but she tucked the small piece of cloth into her beside drawer so Dinah wouldn't get to it. Fayre sat on her bed, her thoughts ablaze with the lights of a million questions unanswered. She took to playing with the kitten a while to ease her troubles. It only helped a moment, as people came darting past her door. She wasn't sure who they were, as she had only met the squire, and the cook, and two of her helpers. It must be Sir Roddick's return.

She sighed at the thought. She wasn't ready to get started in her studies, but she knew what was required of her. Fayre wanted to be the only female Knight in over a decade. Most knew that men were more suited to the task, but she was just as tough as they were and wanted to prove it twice as badly. Gathering the strength she could muster, she left the room and, shut the door to hide dear Dinah, then went to go see what the big commotion was.

As Fayre went out into the keep, she was able to discern that the noise was coming from out back near the stables. She went out to see if perhaps a horse was giving them trouble and to see if she could help.

She was wholly unprepared for what met her when she reached the stables. There in the open area was a stable boy half sitting up holding a bloody cloth to his head. He had a dazed look on his face, but otherwise seemed all right. The thing that made her go pale was the horse.

There in the second stall was a horse lying on the ground. Its throat had been slit and opened up with a wide gash. There was a huge pool of blood around the entire stall and the horse was in the midst of a death thrashing. "Stay back lass!" shouted the cook who had run out to help. "There's nothing to be done for the horse and two others have already been kicked!"

A large man came running to the stables from the barn on the other side of the keep. "What in the name of God has happened here?!?" he shouted. The stable boy on the ground looked up and spoke. "It was the smith. He hit me in the head and threw me over there." the lad pointed over to an empty stall. "Then he took his axe and killed Roabore. He said 'This horse will ne'er again murder another person!' He opened up her throat with his damned axe and ran off!"

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Two hours later as she sat in the kitchen unable to eat her lunch, Fayre listened the cook prattle on. Apparently her name was Beth-Ann, and when she was upset she spoke a lot slower.

"This is not going to end here, mark my words. When the master gets back tonight and hears of this...Roabore weren't even the horse what killed Markell. She was Sir Roddick's riding horse. He's taken the warhorse on his journey. Roabore cost Sir Roddick more than that blacksmith can earn in five years! The master'll be able to claim his land as his own on the morrow cause of this. There's no other way he can pay back a debt like that without becoming an indentured servant. He'll be lucky to not end up in debtor's prison on top of losing his lands. Ohhh what's wrong love? All this mess got you to where you can't eat anything? You'd better go lie down until Sir Roddick comes home after supper tonight. You'll be sure to have a lot of things to do tomorrow. Especially with this problem we've got now."

After the whole entire fiasco just happened, her head went into a whirlwind. She had never seen a horse slain like that, unless of course it had a bum leg or something... But to be cut through the throat? It was almost too much! And the poor stable boy, he didn't deserve such treatment. There was just so much chaos going on, that she didn't know what to think or how to feel! And all the while, she had her training on her mind. Was it really a good choice to choose Sir Roddick? Should she have gone with the younger nobleman? Fayre wasn't sure, but as the woman passed her something to eat, all she could do was play with the food. As the cook spoke, Fayre only nodded and shrugged appropriately. When she was told to go and lie down, she smiled and excused herself, only after asking for some milk. Both for her, and Dinah.

When she reached her room, she sat on the edge of the bed. Dinah jumped into her lap and began to purr, Fayre smiled then poured some milk into the saucer she used to feed the kitty. Dinah then left her for the food, she sighed and again placed her head in her hands. She missed her family, and her friends. Life was so much easier back home, she didn't know anyone here. The only friends she had were Beth-ann and Dinah. Her mother told her of a cousin who lived not too far from here, but she had only met her twice when they were both around the age of 6. After that, they hadn't seen each other or spoken since. She sighed, and wished there was some way she could talk to someone, even if for a moment....

Fayre decided to write a letter to her parents. She pulled out some spare parchment paper, and her quill and ink. She began scribbling away, telling them how much she missed them. And all the goings-on here. She also wrote about her hopes, and her fears. She was frightened she wouldn't be able to handle all of this, but she hoped she could for the sake of herself and her family name. Fayre ended the letter by telling them she would visit when she got the first chance to, and that she loved them. She sealed the letter with a wax seal, and smiled. She felt much better, and was off to find the squire. It was the early evening so she was sure he'd be awake. She wandered the grounds, not really paying attention to any one thing in particular, then happened to stumble upon a group of men playing cards. From afar, she spotted the squire and headed over to him.

The men all looked up at her. Fayre had never felt more naked in all her life, but she was fully clothed. It had to be her face, she knew she had a pretty face even if she had the body of a twelve year old boy. She smiled politely, then handed the letter to the squire, she told him to send it to her parents when he had the chance. He nodded to her and said he would, she thanked him and then was off. She smiled, and walked back to her room. She still felt the eyes of those five men on her back until she was out of their view. Once back at her room, she flung herself onto her bed, and sighed. She curled up on her side, and Dinah curled up on top of her hip, purring happily. The warmth and comfort of the kitten put her to sleep almost instantly, and there she would lie until morning.

A loud knock startled Fayre out of her slumber. She looked about. The waning moon had not lost much of its full light, so it was easy to get to the door without stepping on Dinah, or bumping into the things in the room.

"Who's there?" she asked as she reached the door.

"Tis Sir Roddick. I have need to speak to you. Now." His voice was gruff and annoyed. Fayre gathered herself together and pulled to door open. Sir Roddick entered the room and sat down in the large chair. Fayre could tell from Sir Roddick's temperament that she was not to sit on the bed, but to attend to the knight. She stood close by waiting for him to speak.

"I'm sure you know why I am here. What Markell's father has done is inexcusable. The only reason I do not right now have him in irons is out of respect for his son. I need you to tell me exactly everything that went on in this room while he was here. Do not attempt to hold anything back. I want the whole truth no matter what. If you said something to set him off I want to know about it. Be aware, I already know the other servants' version of what happened so again - do not try to hide or make anything up. Tell me. Now. What in the name of Heaven happened here?"

Being honorable was something that Fayre was raised with as long as she could remember. Telling the truth was second nature to her. Yet it was very difficult to reveal what the blacksmith had said about Sir Roddick. After the tale, she felt as though she were going to throw up.

The knights face darkened into a glower as her story went on. When she was done, he looked at her and said "Very well. I told you I would treat you Fayre fair and I shall." This time, there was no chuckle at the clever wording. "I believe what you have said to be true. I would have hoped that you would have heard this from me, but here it is: there are rumors about this keep and myself. Rumors of a curse. This is of course complete nonsense. I do not know if you are a superstitious woman, but I do know that you have signed an indenture to me. You are bound to stay with me regardless of any foolish beliefs you may hold."

Sir Roddick stood up. "Sit down Fayre. You don't look so well. I expect my squires to assist me not only on the field but also in matters of business and legality. I ask you now: What do you think should be done about this attack on my property and honor? Should I have Markell's father put in prison, fined...which means I would be able to seize his land and his home, put his children into forced slavery to me, or something else? I do not claim that you hold his fate in your hands; rather I seek guidance from one that may hold a different point of view. Think well on this tonight, for I shall need an answer at breakfast on the morrow."

She knew there would be hell to pay when Sir Roddick showed up, and toward the end of their conversation, she was sure she looked green in the gills; as her mother used to say. Fayre really did feel like throwing up, and luckily Dinah was so afraid of Sir Roddick, that she had hidden herself underneath her bed. And from what Sir Roddick had asked of her, she did not know. Of course some sort of punishment needed to happen, but what? As she sat, she looked grim and downtrodden. He was merely asking her opinion, well, it was difficult to formulate one.

If the blacksmith went to prison, then his wife would be without an income to support her and her household. That wasn't exactly fair. And if he were made as a slave to serve Sir Roddick, she was sure he would try something underhanded as well. If his land was seized, then he and his wife would be without a home... How is one supposed to be just in a world so unjust and cruel? What if the blacksmith paid compensation for the damages? Well, it was an expensive horse and would surely bankrupt him. She was trying to help his family, the man was grieving the loss of his only son after all! By the nine, this was such rotten luck. When Sir Roddick took leave of her chambers, she decided to get up and walk the grounds while deciding what to do. She may be a woman now, but in times like these she still felt very much a child.

As she walked past the stables, she heard the sounds of dogs barking. Those must be the hunting hounds. She smiled as she watched the workers play with them, to exercise them. At this moment, she again felt so alone. Fayre leaned against the nearest column, and sighed. Her brown eyes closed, and her mind wandering eighty miles a minute. What to do about that blacksmith? She asked herself, over and over the same conclusion. Sir Roddick needed his compensation for the loss of his horse, and the blacksmith needed to keep his home for his wife. How then was this going to work? She hadn't the foggiest... But she hoped something would come by morning. For now, the sounds of nature and a little moonlight would help her get through the evening. She wondered if any of the other trainees out there were having this much trouble?

As she walked around the grounds, Fayre was deep in thought. Without even knowing it she found herself once again at the stables where the horse had died. There was a large dark spot where the blood had pooled but the carcass was gone. She wondered if the loss of this horse would affect her training at all.

As she stood there contemplating, she was startled by a loud shout from above her. She looked up just in time to see a glass goblet land on the roof of the stables and explode in a shower of tiny shards. The window to the highest room in the tower was open with a light on inside; this was the Master's chamber. While she could have been hit by the cup, she decided that asking him to be more careful in his rage was probably not the best idea.

As it was getting late, she decided to go back to her room and get some sleep. At least Dinah was there to protect her from any dangers. Fayre chuckled to herself at the thought of the kitten defending the room against invaders.

Sleep came fast and easily, but she was awoken before dawn by Dinah. She was meowing for some strange reason, so Fayre got up to see what the noise was all about. Dinah had seen an owl fly past the window, she yawned and rubbed her eyes still half asleep, she plucks the kitten off of the top of the chair (that could give her a peek out the window) and brings her back to bed. Fayre settles back in bed, and falls asleep again, rather quickly. This time, she has a dream that actually has something to do with what's going on in her life...

The sun was high and hot, it was midday on what seemed to be a nice day. But as she looked around, Fayre noticed that it wasn't a pleasant day at all. Instead, the blacksmith was being read the charges against him, apparently Sir Roddick wasn't the only one to suffer his wrath. The blacksmith was going to be beheaded? Fayre shuddered to think, then in the crowd of people gathered, she saw a woman weeping. Well, it had to be his wife right? She cried out, and in her state of agony she said things like "I'm without a son and husband!", "Oh woe is me, however shall I pay for the farm now?". This wasn't fair... How could Sir Roddick do such a thing? He seemed like such a just man.

Suddenly the scene in the dream changed, and Fayre was standing before Sir Roddick furious about what he'd done. "You said that you would take my opinion into consideration!" she challenged him, pointing her finger at him. "I did say such a thing, but I said consideration.. Not that I would hold said opinion into high regard." his voice sounded arrogant, and haughty. Like he honestly didn't care about the fate of the blacksmith, or her for that matter. Fayre grew even more furious, and walked to where he kept his wine goblet, grabbed it and threw it out the window. "And here I thought you were going to be a fair and just man!" she yelled at him, and stormed off. Tears were streaming down her eyes as she walked into her bedroom once more.

Fayre remembered the suggestion she had made to him. That the blacksmith pay off his debt by him and his wife working Sir Roddick's land. It was the only way to keep a watchful eye on the man, while also getting him to understand that accidents do happen and that justice is not served by vengeance. She wept into her pillow, thinking what a cruel world this really is, and she actually felt something wet and sort of scratchy on her face....

It was Dinah who awoke her the second time. Only, this time around she was licking Fayre's cheek. As Fayre realized that what she had seen was only a dream, she smiled as she knew the answer to Sir Roddick's question. The blacksmith and his wife would keep their land to return to one day, but would work off their debt to Sir Roddick, but working his land here. The wife could become another cook? Or perhaps a seamstress? And Sir Roddick should test to see if the blacksmith was good at his craft and have him work the smithy. She smiled as she stretched and readied herself for the day. She wasn't sure where she was supposed to meet Sir Roddick, but these past few days without proper meals left her starving, so off to the kitchens she went to see Beth-Ann.

Sir Roddick was waiting in the kitchen when Fayre arrived. "Take your time Fayre, it will do no good to rush through breakfast. Have you an answer to my query from last night?"

Fayre explained her point of view through bits of deliciously roasted ham. Sir Roddick sat silently, nodding his head every so often. When she was done with her solution, the knight pulled out a dagger and cut himself off a large piece of meat and stuffed it into a muffin. He then dunked the whole thing into some bacon grease, put it into a bowl and poured cream over it. As he cut it apart with a spoon, he replied slowly to her.

"Tis a good idea Fayre, but there are problems with it. First off I am in no need for a blacksmith, I already have one in my employ and he has an apprentice. Also there is no need for a seamstress and Beth-Ann here is the best cook I have ever met. Surely, you must agree with that?" He gave her a sarcastic wink as Beth-Ann looked over at the mention of her name.

"Another problem is that assuming I did have need for their services, it would take the two of them three years to pay off the horse IF I did not have to put them up to room and board. If they were to work here, it would do no good to have them three hours ride from here every morning."

Beth-Ann reached in between the two of them to crack what appeared to be a two minute egg over the top of Sir Roddick's half eaten breakfast. He gave her a thankful glance and continued. "Do not think that I have brushed you off, your solution would be a valid one if the situation were open to it. But in this case, there are few options open to right this crime. Unfortunately what is left to me is to claim his land. The value is akin to that of the horse. But I will not turn them into the streets to freeze. They will be allowed to pay rent for as long as they wish to live there, and continue to run his business as well. If they choose, they may also pay above the rental fee and I will apply those monies to the repayment of the debt. If such a time comes that they have fulfilled the value plus the interest, I will re-deed the land back to him."

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence and when all were finished, the Master rose. "Well Fayre, you've probably had your fill of legal matters for some time I am sure. Now it is time to do some tasks that are actually related to being a squire. Go and dress for travel. I expect you should be gone for at least a week, possibly more. I want you to go to Wehman with Kemeth and assist him in selecting a new riding horse to replace Roabore. There is a man there that supplies me with horses when I have a need. Kemeth will know where to go to meet him. I have given him the coin to make the purchase. The two of you will need to be sure to bring a weapon with you; carrying that much with you could be dangerous. Do not make yourself known and there should be no problem. If anyone asks to your business, you are simply a young married couple on your way to visit with your in-laws. When the new horse is bought, you are to ride it back and evaluate it on the way. If it does not meet up to your expectations, take it back for one that does. Once you return, we will continue with some tournament training. You should be leaving within the hour. Oh, and Beth-Ann will care for the kitten while you are gone."

She listened to Sir Roddick explain the situation, and was glad that he did not want to kill or harm the blacksmith in anyway, because she knew he could very well do so. Fayre nodded as he spoke about replacing the horse, and kept in mind what he was looking for and all the things he told her to. Fayre needed a weapon? Well, she had a dagger she kept on her at all times. But she would probably need a small sword of sorts to help on the journey. She would have to take the one her mother once used as a girl, it was resharpened before she came here, so it would be of use for her when the tournaments started up. It was the perfect size for her as well.

When Sir Roddick mentioned Dinah, her look was that of a frightened deer, but she blushed and nodded. At least he was agreeable to her keeping the kitten. After her breakfast was finished, she thanked Beth-Ann and gave her a hug before she ran off to her room. Fayre dressed in some brown cotton trousers, a white blouse, she had on her mother's black leather hilt with sword, and a travelling cloak. She also packed a small bag of extra clothes, a blanket and some food (just in case). Scooping up her kitten, she began kissing her and telling her goodbye. Dinah responded in kind by licking the tip of her nose and mewing. She was sad to leave her, but she was a squire and this was her duty.

Finally ready to leave, Fayre marched out to meet Kemeth. Kemeth looked ready for travel as well, and she never noticed how handsome he was, but she couldn't let that distract her. So, with little effort, she hopped onto the horse he presented her and soon they were off. Kemeth was riding in front of her, as she only had a slight inclination of where they were going, so she followed close behind. Fayre noticed that every time she got close to him, he would take off faster. She frowned, and caught up to him again. What is he playing at? She thought as he did it again. And again, Fayre caught up to him and was on his tail. After a bit more of this occurrence, she realized what he was doing. He was playing a game, testing her to see what her limits were. "Two can play that game." she grinned as she leaned forward, pressing herself into the horse and spearing his flanks with her heels to urge him forward, she eventually caught up to Kemeth and was side-by-side with him.

"Just because I'm girl, doesn't mean I can't whip you!" she shouted at him, and took off in the direction of Wehman as fast as the horse would go. Kemeth was having trouble keeping up with her, but he was right behind her the whole way. Eventually she could feel the horse growing tired, and slowed her pace, Kemeth did the same and then they had their horse walk next to each other. She looked over at him, hair wind blown and messy, her cheeks flushed pink from the air speeding past her face and a huge grin upon her full red lips.

Kemeth said "That was fun, but we need to be more relaxed from here on out. It does not look like we are a married couple to be racing like that. We are carrying a lot of money and it would do no good for Sir Roddick to lose the equivalent of two horses. We should only trot side by side for the rest of the journey."

The two rode on for several more hours. As night was approaching, Kemeth said "Up ahead there about a half a mile is where we will camp for the night. In the morning we will fill the spare water skins. The road veers away from the river later on." As they approached the area, they spotted a single thin trail of smoke to the left of the road. Kemeth seemed wary about this, but when they reached the site, his demeanor changed.

"Ah tis Mannlor here. We will both drink well and hear excellent tales this night. He is a old friend of Sir Roddick's"

A warm greeting was given all around, and Fayre was introduced. Mannlor was a tall man as thin as a fence post. He sported an enormous mustache - it seemed that most of the hair on his head had moved down below his lip. He spoke with a gravely voice that made him seem older than he looked. The promise of good drink and tales was not unfounded, but Kemeth had failed to mention the excellent food as well. This was most welcome to Fayre because she was not looking forward to making a meal tonight after the fast ride. She ached all over.

The three regaled on into the night longer than Fayre figured they should. But they were having great fun and as the ale flowed began to sing songs. When the fire finally died down and they lay down to sleep, Fayre was dreaming before her blankets settled.

She awoke to the sound of the horses being tended to by Kemeth. Apparently Mannlor had left before either of them rose. He left them a thick slice of bacon to cook for breakfast which was a wonderful gift. Fayre promised herself to thank Mannlor the next time she met him.

As they left for the road, Fayre hoped that the next day's ride would be more relaxing. She remembered to listen to Kemeth's suggestion of a regularly paced trot. There was a morning fog over the meadows that gave a surreal cast to the countryside. She rode on in a better mood than she had had for the last week, and it felt good.

With the new day and renewed good spirits, she noticed Kemeth seemed to be in high hopes as well. She smiled as they rode through the fog, still traveling the same direction they had yesterday. There was something about the fresh air, the full stomach and the gentle trot that made her feel much more relaxed than she had ever been. Finally, she felt at ease. After what she'd been through, I'm sure anyone could use a few days ride to take the edge off. She looked to Kemeth again, and he looked back at her with a soft smile. This was nice, she felt for the first time she may have made a friend. As they rode along, eventually they came across the river to fill their extra skins with water. The river was not too deep, and she saw something sparkling in the water. It looked to be a jewel of some sort, she decided to get a closer look, much to Kemeth's protesting. When she neared the object, it turned out to be a necklace. Fayre reached into the water and plucked it out.

The necklace was beautiful. It was simple, had a leather strap to tie around your neck, but the pendant was ornate. Silver that had carvings of many different designs and characters. Characters she did not recognize. Fayre studied it some more, and found that there was a small jewel in the center. About the size of a grain. It appeared purplish in color, but when looked at closely seemed to change color to a light blue, and from there fluctuated between both colors. "Kemeth... Do you see that?" she asked as he approached her. Kemeth took the trinket from her, and examined it himself, studying it with as much care as she did. "I do, but I don't understand how it changes color..." he frowned in thought, then handed it back to her.

"Seeing as you found it, you should keep it. But before you wear it, I would talk to Sir Roddick about it, he would know more about strange objects like this than I would." Kemeth nodded and as he mounted his horse. Fayre wanted to go against his wishes and wear it, but she knew better than that. She shoved the trinket into one of her saddlebags, then mounted her horse as well. Both she and Kemeth were off on their journey again and making small talk. Eventually the river disappeared, and by this time they had learned a lot about each other. She found out that Kemeth knew how to play a lute, his favorite color was blue and he had an allergy to dairy. He found out that Fayre enjoyed singing, but was really she about her voice, had a new pet named Dinah (of which she talked a lot about), had no allergies, and her favorite color was purple. The fog eventually burned up by the afternoon, and it soon got pretty hot. They both stopped to dismount, remove heavy outer clothing, and take a few drinks of their skins before beginning travel once more.

The sun was beginning to set, and Kemeth suggested they should find a place to make camp. Camp would not be anywhere near as fun without Mannlor, but Fayre would deal. She continued following Kemeth until he pointed out a clearing to make camp before the sun went down.

Kemeth and Fayre slowed to a walk as they approached the camp. All of a sudden, Kemeth held up his hand and gave alert to stop and be still. He quietly dismounted and crept over the area. Fayre was wondering why when she spied four forms lying on the ground. Yet there was no fire. As she mulled this over, Kemeth returned and whispered to her.

"We need to move on. This area has four people and I do not know them. Also they are making themselves hidden by not having a fire."

"Is that necessarily bad? Perhaps they are wanting to not be seen by highwaymen."

"And perhaps they are the highwaymen hoping to catch travelers unawares. I am not willing to take the chance. We will dismount and walk the horses quietly. When we are 100 yards away we can remount and walk some more. There is an inn on the way further, but it will be past moonrise when we get there."

The two made as little noise as possible as they went past the camp. At one point Fayre thought she could hear something from them, but after stopping and listening, nothing was heard and they moved on. They remounted and walked some more and then moved to a trot once well past the encampment.

They rode on another hour and Fayre was getting a bit anxious until she saw the inn up ahead. There were still lights on and that made her relax. The room purchase went uneventfully as did the bedding of the horses in the stables. Kemeth led the way to their rooms. Or so Fayre thought.

"This is our room."

"Our room?"

"Yes. We are supposed to be married remember? We need to keep the appearance. And there is but one bed. But do not trouble yourself. I am an honorable man."

"This was going to be awkward at best." thought Fayre. The bed was large enough...she supposed.

Kemeth was true to his word. He allowed Fayre the room in order to change into some sleeping clothes as he went downstairs to get some food and ale. What he came back with was passable if not plain. Ah well, not everyone cooks like Mannlor does.

"Please take this box down and tie it to your horse so that I may also change my clothes." Kemeth asked after they had eaten. When Fayre returned, he was already lightly snoring.

Fayre didn't know what to think when she walked in on him already asleep in the bed. She was not used to this sort of thing, was she just supposed to slip into the bed and lie next to him? She shrugged and watched Kemeth sleep a moment. Her body was tired, but her mind was racing. A lot had happened since she became a squire, and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it. There was a small table in the room, with two chairs, and she sat. Kemeth's snores got a little louder as she sat, and it caused her to giggle silently. In her mind, she went through all the events that happened in her mind and a soft smile appeared on her face. Even though she had been through a lot, it had changed, made her feel like she was more of an adult and on her way up in the world. Whatever tomorrow brings, she was ready for it.

With that decision, she climbed into bed with Kemeth, curled into a little ball and slept soundly. When the morning came, she stretched and yawned. Kemeth was already up and dressed. She blinked, and he told her that he was going downstairs for breakfast, and she should change while he was gone. She nodded and as soon as he left, she changed quickly into her travel clothes and made the bed. It was force of habit that her mother had instilled in her. She sighed and when there was a knock on the door, she opened to Kemeth carrying a tray with food. They sat and ate, in silence for the most part.

"How did you sleep?" Kemeth asked.

"Well thank you, but your snoring kept me up a while." Which was true for the most part, and Fayre giggled.

"Oh, sorry... I didn't realize."

Fayre shrugged it off, and said it wasn't a problem. She still got ample rest, but the luke warm oatmeal was less than satisfactory. As was the fruit and juice. She tried her best to eat it for the sake of having a meal in her stomach, but it really was gross. She gave up after a few more spoonfuls and put her bowl back on the tray. Kemeth did the same, and he mentioned he would take the tray back downstairs in a minute. Kemeth wanted to sit and take in the morning as was his ritual, and she sat there across from him. Waiting...

As the last few bits of tobacco burned away in Kemeth's morning pipe, he said "Well, let's get on. If we hurry we should be able to make town by nightfall. If not, well, it will be another night camping on the roadside or riding in the dark till we get there. Neither of those options are attractive to me."

As they rode away from the inn, Fayre noticed how beautiful the trees were in the area. They formed a canopy over their heads as they rode. If it rained, they would be kept mostly dry. She began to think about the task that lay ahead. She asked Kemeth about the man they were going to see.

"His name is Bain Del'Orom. He and Sir Roddick have been doing business for over 10 years."

"So then we should be able to find the right horse without delay then? If he is a well known man then we can trust his eye?"

"Well...perhaps. But I would not count on that completely. They have been doing business a long time together, but there have been times when things did not go as planned. Sir Roddick has instructed me to treat Bain as though we did not know him. For what reason specifically I cannot say. But I think that may be one of the reasons he sent the two of us. Two opinions on a horse is always better than one. We will also be selling the horse you are on in exchange for some credit on the one we buy, so be sure to remove all your belongings from it when we arrive."

As they rode on, the conversation was cut short by a yell for help up ahead. The two riders pushed their mounts to a run. As they rounded a curve in the road, they saw up ahead a person lying in the middle of the road. Standing over them was a man holding a bloodied sword. He looked up at Kemeth and Fayre riding at them, sheathed his blade and dove into the thick forest to the right of the riders. The man on the ground yelled out again for help. As they got within 10 yards of him, Fayre saw that his clothing was blood stained.

After another thirty seconds or so, they reached the wounded man. When both she and Kemeth jumped off their horses to investigate, Fayre remembered the man they saw running off into the woods. She told Kemeth to stay with the wounded man, and then made the effort to go after the guy. She reached the clearing of the woods in about another thirty seconds...

[[OOC: For the record I hate giving small one paragraph posts...]]

As Fayre dove into the forest, she was trying to stay calm and focused. She looked ahead but could see no sign of the criminal. Perhaps he ran into that thicket over there...and suddenly she tripped. Time seemed to slow down as she fell. She found herself thinking that she was certain there was no tree root where she was running. What was it that caught her foot?

She hit the ground hard and was dazed for a few seconds. As she started to stand back up, her gaze was met by the wrong end of a broadhead crossbow bolt.

"Nice and slow, lovey, that's it. Keep the hands where we can see'em. Now back off to where ya came from. Eh! Krivey! You can come out now! We've got 'em all nicely done up for ya."

Fayre knew when it was safe to fight back, and now was not one of those times. She did as she was told, carefully backing out onto the path. When she got there, she saw Kemeth standing quite still, the wounded man, suddenly very much better, holding a large dirk to his throat.

"Hello there deary. Aren't you a pretty little thing? I'd like to take you out into the woods there!"

"I'll gut you like a fish if you even try it you scum!" Kemeth seethed. A hard jab to the stomach was the reward he got for his chivalry. "I'll thank you to shut your gob good sir. You'll do no such thing, and if I take a fancy to the lady here, my friends will see to it that we are not disturbed."

"Please. She's my wife. We're...just newly married last month. We'll give you our money. But please. Let us pass in peace." Fayre could tell that Kemeth was doing his best to hold up the act and that he wanted nothing more than to take the lot of them on alone. If it came to that, they would have two to fight, she swore to herself.

"That'll all depend on how fat your purse is good sir. Could I possibly impose on you to toss it out there in the road?"

Fayre took in a quick breath. It was an enormous amount of money they were carrying. Too much to let them just leave afterwards, she was sure. These filth are going to want to know where it came from. She watched as Kemeth untied his belt and threw his hip bag at their feet. But something was wrong. There was no way that all that money was in the bag.

The thief with the dirk whistled, and three others came out of the bushes. One of them took the bag and opened it up. He started pawing through it and commenting to himself.

"What've we got there Mikey? Is it enough to let the lovely keep her good name?"

"I should think so. We've got a good haul here. And a bit of tobacco and wine as well."

"Hrrmmmm, well that's just too bad ain't it? Ah, all right then. We'll let you love birds go to where you're headed this once. But don't think it'll happen again! Now the two of you get on those horses of yours and move along. We'll be watching be certain of that so I'll have no heroics from the mister or the lovely's going with me no matter how much you've got."

Kemeth put on a very good act of being the enraged yet helpless man. Fayre felt badly for him until she remembered the size of the bag they left.

They rode at a hard gallop for 20 minutes. Kemeth signaled for them to slow and when they did he spoke to Farye.

"I'm so sorry for that. It was those men that we saw at the campsite the night before. I should have known there was something amiss with their lack of a fire. I'll not make the same mistake again. I'm just glad they fell for what we had as a decoy. I think we're safe now. We should try to put this past us and get to town as soon as we can."

Fayre had never felt so disgusted with the way those men kept staring at her, she was not a piece of meat... She shuddered to think how easily they could've taken her and Kemeth. Once they were well enough away, Kemeth finally spoke to her and she tilted her head at him. "It's not your fault, you could not have predicted what they would've done to us..." she shook her head, and continued at the pace they were at. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. There was always something that just had to ruin their day, but in spite of it all, she felt she had learned a lot considerably. And in that learning, she felt like she had grown up a lot. From a somewhat spoiled, and sheltered girl to a young woman of adventure.

She smiled at the thought as they continued riding side-by-side. "So, how long until we get to the town?" she asked, it was more of a rhetorical question but she just asked to clear the air. Fayre didn't have a problem with being quiet, she just felt the need to talk a little, even if it was trivial. Kemeth was a indeed a good friend and she appreciated what he had done back there, she looked at him. "You're okay, right?" she asked meaning the fact he took a nice hit to the gut. Hopefully, it wouldn't do anything but bruise. As they rode, and distanced themselves from what happened, she felt more and relieved that they were far away from those criminals. And from what she noticed of Kemeth's posture, he felt the same as she. A soft smile graced her lips as they continued on their journey.

[[OOC: Meh, sorry for the crap post]]

The two rode on. Fayre tried to make small talk but Kemeth seemed to be brooding as they rode. Fortunately the ride was not long and due to their increased pace, they reached the city gates ahead of sundown. Wehman was a much smaller town than Blegan, but it was large enough for a garrison. There was a short wait while Kemeth spoke with the guards in hushed tones. Fayre was certain that she heard the sound of coin being exchanged. As they entered, Kemeth confirmed her thoughts. "A small bribe so as not to bring attention to our cargo."

Fayre found herself quite hungry...the breakfast had not been very good and there was no lunch to speak of due to the unfortunate encounter. She was quite happy when Kemeth pointed to the 'Proud Stag' - an inn that had a separate eating area attached. It meant more likely than not, better fare then usual. "We'll be staying here for the remainder of our time as well. Also, we can drop the subterfuge now that we are in town so there will be separate rooms. Let's eat a good meal and then get a late start. I for one can use a good bath and some extra rest. We'll meet downstairs at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."

When Kemeth mentioned them dropping the charade, she merely shrugged at him. Now was a time to go exploring a new town, and have a little fun. Then again, if she ran into men like the ones she did back at the woods... Fayre shuddered to think. She smiled as they neared the inn, and it only took her a few minutes to hitch her horse into the stable area. Kemeth bid her farewell, as he went to his own room. Most likely to bath before dinner, but Fayre's growling stomach had to be satisfied, so she went off to the dining area. She had to be the smallest person there, even the women here were of a nice size. Not fat, but built. She guessed that women here worked like the men did, and that's why they were so burly.

As she walked to the counter to order, there were drunk men who were making cat-calls at her. Fayre groaned, inwardly, she really didn't want to deal with this all over again. Until a rather tall woman, but built rather slim stood up from her table. The men quieted when they saw her, Fayre blinked and was confused. She must have some sort of presence here, never before had she seen men react that way.. But the woman glared in their direction. "If a single one of you so much as lays a hand on that young woman there, I'll have your manhood.." the men went back to their drinking, and Fayre could've sworn they paled at the idea of losing their manhood. She smiled, and turned to thank the woman, only to be beckoned to her table. Fayre sat across from her, and opened her mouth to speak, but the woman beat her to it.

"So, by the looks of you you must be some sort of squire or something right?" Fayre paled, and the woman laughed. "No need to worry, sweetheart. If I had wanted to harm you I would've done it by now." She blinked, that was not reassuring either, but she smiled politely. "Don't fret, my name is Rane Outerbridge and I am a competitor in the tournaments." she shrugs and smiles. "The way I can tell you're a squire is by the clothes you wear, and I noticed you had a sword in your saddlebags." Fayre blinks at this as well. "So, what's your name?"

"I'm Fayre Nightshade. And I'm just passing through here really, stopped at this pub for a place to sleep and a good meal." she smiles and nods to Rane. "Well, let the hot meal be on me. I was looking for some female company, there's too many men around." Rane said in an undertone, with a hint of amusement. Next thing Fayre knew, there was a hot meal of chicken, sausage, potatoes, bread, cheese and a goblet of mead in front of her. She smiles and digs in as Rane decides to make conversation. "Have you been a squire long? And do you normally stop in towns like this?" Rane asks, as Fayre tries to chew and swallow before she speaks. "Not normally, no. And I've been a squire for a week or so.. Not too long." Fayre nods as she chows down some more.

As she is eating, Fayre studies the woman before her. She is slightly dark-skinned, like a nice bronze color with hair as dark as a raven's wing and just as luxurious looking. Her eyes are a bright honey-color, her lips are full and a pinkish color. She is one of the prettiest women Fayre has ever seen. She sighs inwardly, and half wishes that she were as pretty as Rane. "That's pretty cool, have you had any formal training yet? Or are you still learning?" Rane tilts her head, and her mane of hair falls over and onto her shoulder. It isn't fair how pretty her dark hair is, Fayre swallows the half masticated food in her mouth and shakes her head. "No ma'am, I've had to deal with politics and now a small mission for my Knight." she sighs and then takes a sip of mead, it burns her throat so she makes a sour face from it. Rane laughs and shakes her head. "Well, first thing's first. As a woman you have to learn how to keep up with a man, so that means drinking that mead without making a face." she chuckles as Fayre stifles the face she made as more mead slithers down her throat. "And seeing as you haven't had formal training what do you say, first thing in the morning we have a little sparring session?" Fayre beams at the idea, and almost chokes on the mead. "Yes, I would love that!" Rane chuckles again and stands to leave, she pats Fayre on the shoulder as she does. "First light, meet me in the stable area. For now, you look like a street urchin so I highly recommend a good bath and sleep. I'll see you at dawn." Rane smiles and walks off.

Fayre grins as Rane leaves, and finishes the rest of her meal in silence. When she's done, the barmaid comes and takes her plate away she leaves a coin for her services and then walks back to her room. Fayre is excited to have a sparring session with a woman who looks like she could give Sir Roddick a run for his money. The woman is an amazon, pure and simple. Fayre reaches her room, and there is warm water waiting for her. She draws a nice warm, relaxing bath. Once clean and perfectly relaxed, she slips into bed and sleeps soundly.

After a dreamless sleep, the sun permeates the curtains and touches Fayre's cheek softly. When it does, she wakes with a start and gasps. She didn't want to keep Rane Outerbridge waiting. After she dressed, and grabbed her sword, she dashed over to the stable area and saw the amazon of a woman waiting. Rane smiled and walked over to her, she was dressed in light armor and the metal dazzled in the sun. She looked like a warrior goddess. "Are you ready Fayre Nightshade?" Fayre nodded in response and took a battle stance. Rane smiled, and walked over to her, she gave her tips. Told her to keep her feet a bit farther apart, and told hold her sword in a certain way that actually felt more natural. She told Fayre to swing at the dummy she had set up, and she did.

After her swing, Rane assessed her stance and technique. This went on for hours, until Fayre realized that it was almost ten o'clock and she had to meet the companion she had been travelling with. Before she left, Rane hugged her and smiled. "You did good, I am proud of you. Too bad I'm not of a high enough rank to take a squire, I think you'll be great at it." Fayre smiles and hugs her in return. "Thank you." With the vote of confidence, Fayre leaves to go and find Kemeth. She has some trouble spotting him out, but when she does she dashes over to him and pants, "I'm sorry I'm late!" she smiles and sits across from him at the table where he is partaking in breakfast. Kemeth again, seems like he is brooding and merely shrugs at her, as he orders her a plate of food. She eats happily and hungrily as Rane had worn her out. Finally, after about ten to fifteen minutes Kemeth spoke. "So, where were you? And why do you look like you've been through hell and back?" Fayre shrugged and swallowed her food quickly. "I met a competitor in the tournaments.. She wanted to teach me some techniques." she nodded and dove back into her food. Kemeth snorted and then partook in his morning smoke as Fayre continued to eat her breakfast.

The smoke encircled Kemeth's head as his pipe slowly devoured the tobacco within. Kemeth seemed to be in a fog, both physically from the smoke and mentally as he sat musing at the table. Fayre wondered what could be on his mind so much that he lost all awareness of things around him. Then he suddenly sat upright, took a long pull at the pipe and slid it out of his mouth. As he spoke, he let the fumes spew out of him almost as if he meant to emphasize his words with fire.

"Tis a good thing that you take an interest in your fighting skills. However, you should be aware that the Master has plans for you in that regard. It may turn out that his style would differ from that of your new-found friend. Do not let yourself become too attached to one method or another. A good fighter will be able to change their styles to fit the situation. Remember that, but also keep in mind that it would likely do you best to favor that which the Master teaches. There are two reasons for this: one being that Sir Roddick is a greatly skilled warrior and has much to teach."

Kemeth paused, then leaned in a bit and lowered his voice. Fayre almost expected him to offer to sell her an illegal magic item from the look on his face.

"The other reason is that a Knight for all that he represents and does, can have a bit of an ego. If he were to learn that you had been taking lessons from a potential competitor he might take umbrage. Not that I would suspect you of thinking less of Sir Roddick...it's just that sometimes people in high position can be a bit fragile when it comes to their reputation."

Kemeth sat back and took another long pull at his pipe. He then changed his demeanor completely. He slapped Fayre firmly on the shoulder and spoke in a loud jovial tone.

"But we'll not speak of such things again, eh? Now, how about we go and find a good steed for the Master?"