Harper's Tale  - Saturday, October 13, 2001

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Rilna is pacing up and down the stablerows, energy abundant once again, checking feed and water and straw for the runnerbeasts, and fetching additional supplies where needed. Brellan's herding canine is paused by, and a small plate bearing hoof trimmings placed before her. "There you go, madam. Never new a canine to resist those." intones the stablemistress, before bustling off again.

Pemeron has connected.

Pemeron wakes up.

Pemeron wakes to a start and says "Alright mither, I'll take care of it as soon as I use the privvy..."

Rilna supresses a chuckle, overhearing the stablehand. "S'alright, Pemeron, I've got things fairly well under control. Take your time."

Pemeron starts as he turns around "Shards, Rilna, but you startled me." He stands up and heads for the beasthold "I'll be right back after I freshen a bit and wash up. I take it the stalls all need to be looked to?"

Rilna chuckles. "Nay, nay, I got them tended myself earlier. You looked like you could use the rest. Wasn't too much to do in any case. Although the twins might be ready for a feeding..." Amazing how much good sleep can do a person.

Pemeron nods "Right." He walks out and comes back with his hair combed back and his clothes straightened. "Well, I might as well bring down some more straw from the loft, this pile's near gone." He grabs the ladder in one arm and begins to pull himself up.

Rilna nods. "Aye that will be a help... How are your charges doing? I know I've asked for reports, but I also like hearing it aloud. Any sicknesses?"

From the loft, Pemeron shakes his head but realizes she will not see "They are all well. Yroni is getting too big for me to carry her all the time." He sets her down and ties a tether to one of the beams "Now you just stay right there while I boot these bales down to the floor." With which he shoves the first bale to the edge "Alright, try to keep everyone away from this spot while I drop these bales." He glances down at Rilna.

Rilna chuckles, and does so, giving a nod to the other stablehands lurking. A well trained lot, them.

Maverin comes into the stables in search of a runner.

Rilna is busy skewering bales of straw with a pitchfork, stacking them into a neat pile if not effortlessly, then at least efficiantly. Maverin's arrival is noted, with a smile. "Hello there Mavs... come to check on how the twins are doing?" That would be /Rilna's/ reason, she can't see why it would differ for him.

Pemeron slips off for a moment, to drop his daughter off with the nannies "Be right back."

Pemeron walks to the Beasthold.

Pemeron comes into the stables in search of a runner.

Maverin briskly strolls in, an old scruffy mut close behind him. "'Lo Ril," is murmured absent-mindedly and the smile is mirrored back to the stablemistress in Mavz's lips. "The twins? Oh, yes, well honestly I came to check up on you," he comments and folds his hands behind his back, leaning forward slightly to emphasize his curiosity about the woman's well being, "But I suppose I should be wondering about those two. How's their dame? Healthy enough?" Pemeron is given a near-scrutinizing watch and a simple nod of a greetings is given.

Pemeron quickly ascends the ladder to the loft, halting only to attach a tether to the ladder. "Can't hurt to secure the ladder so it doesn't fall." He then hops off at the top and ties the other end of the tether to one of the rafter posts. With only a moment's hesitation he brings a bale to the end, peers over and kicks it off. Oops, is someone down there?

Rilna chuckles. "I'm hardly the one to be worrying about, my dear Mavs. Doing just fine, and I even got some rest... the other day." she teases. Even if she's not quite sure /how/ she got that rest. "But the fillies are looking good. We've been bottle-feeding one while the other nurses, and I think their dam's just about ready to take on both of them, feeding wise. It was good of you to be around then... I don't think I'd have managed on my own." A slightly sober look. The mare is one of her favourites.

Maverin drags his attention from Pemeron and the work with the ladder to smile at Rilna as he moves casually over to lean bck against a stall-- and he seems to make an effort not to choose Rilna's stallion's stall to support his weight. "I'm glad you got some rest. You've been working terribly hard over the passed few sevendays. Faranth knows not a single person could keep you away from these runners," Mavz teases, smirking.

Rilna gives a nod to Pemeron. "Aye, I think that'll do us, thanks!" she calls, before recalling something. "Mavs, this is Pemeron, one of the stablehands. Pemeron, this is Maverin, a very old friend of mine, and a dab hand around the beasts." And then a decidedly mischevious look, as she banters back to Maverin that "No... and a 'fasted one never was able to either, if I recall Henrist's attempts." Old joke.

From the Loft, Pemeron leans over and says "Ah? Oh, got you enough bales then? Right, well, I will just come down and clean the tack then." He undoes the tether, hops on the ladder and slips down quickly, stopping only to remove the tether tied to the ladder itself. "A pleasure Maverin, Rilna is all talk about you." He looks at the Man and then Rilna "Though she's got her eyes on the runners, right now." He reaches for the tack box and removes the soft oilsoap and brush "I'll just sit over here by the hearth. Needs a bit of tending now and then." With which he grabs an armful of reins, bridles and other pieces of tack, and heads to the fireside.

Daibhira comes into the stables in search of a runner.

Nira comes into the stables in search of a runner.

Ivanova trotts over to Nira and sniffs, turns about and heads for the hearths, curling up and taking a rest, now that her work is done.

Pemeron glances at Ivanova and nods "Alright, just don't make eyes at me like you done last time I was busy with a filly." He glances up appreciatively at the young woman entering the stables, noting her knot "Ah, another new hand. Well, things is going well. See Rilna if you need assignment." The leather is flattened and the brush whetted in the oil/soap for cleaning.

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| Orr[Off] m Keroon Resident 14t 3m 20d |

| Rilna f Keroon StableMistress 42t 9m 20d |

| Maverin m Keroon Resident 43t 6m 27d |

|*Pemeron m Keroon Stablehand 22t |

| Daibhira f Keroon Beast Handler 20t 1m 24d |

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Daibhira makes her way in with Nira, her hands busy pulling her hair back from her face and tying with a small leather strap. "Hello," she greets absently before looking over the stables as if from habit. The 'hand's words are given a raise of her eyebrow and a shake of her head. "I'm not a stablehand, actually," she informs with the slightest hint of humor in her voice. "I'm the small beast handler."

Maverin once again nods a greetings to Pemeron although it's a softer one than before-- and not nearly as cold. "Well met, Pemeron." A sudden stare is given to Rilna before the man rubs one hand over his face and flinches in the memory of the joke, a low chuckling moving from his throat. "Never in my life have I met another man like that Henrist," Maverin adds, shaking his head sagely, "Would you compare High Reaches spires to being as high as his ego?" Feet are shuffled as the newcomers are given a short glance. "Perhaps we shouldn't gossip like such Hold drudges in public, Rilna-dear. It's rather impolite last I heard." Grin.

Rilna chuckles. "I think Daibhira's already got one, Pem." she smiles, taking a moments' rest against the door of Backdraft's stall, the stallion whuffling at the hem of her sleeve as she chuckles some more. "Gossip? My dear Mavs, this place thrives on it, I think. But point taken... Mustn't talk about the fellow when he's not here to defend himself." A hand idly reaches up to pat her stallion, then moves along to take gentle hold of an ear, which she checks for mites. "Once things settle down, you and I will have to hole up for a chat about old times." she intones. Although things never settle down enough for Rilna, and the entire company present probably knows it, too.

Ivanova looks up at Pemeron as he speaks but settles her head back down, at rest now that there is another canine to take over.

Nira is here, and generally does tend to take over as she seems to view herself as top dog around here. A slight circular wag of her tail is given to the humans and she wanders over to sit near them, her ears perked forward and her entire posture at attention. Hey, they're not herdbeasts or ovines, but they'll do.

Pemeron flushes somewhat "Ah, oh. Daibhira then? Brellan has mentioned a canine trainer who handles the small animals." He turns to look at the young woman and still holds the brush and leather in his hands, now unmoving, while his mouth is open slightly.

From Backdraft's Loose Box> Backdraft snorts softly as his ears are handled, the free one flicking back in annoyance. Not that he'll do much more to Rilna. Instead a baleful look is turned on Maverin, Pemeron, Daibhira, the canines... Anyone will do.

Daibhira chuckles at Rilna's words and nods. "That I do, and three more litters to come in the next sevenday or so. But, since I heard the bussle in here, I thought I'd stop in and see if I could lend a hand here. Can't do much but sit and wait to count the whelps as they come out and that's nearly as boring as watching the felines nap." Her life is so exciting. "So, if you need a hand.." Hey, she's done it before.

Impremo drops down from the rafters and settles near the old canine. Ivanova is looked at, his little blue head tipped for a moment and the little firelizard moves over with a hop-hop and flicks a bit of straw onto her head.

Maverin switches glances from Pemeron to Daibhira and then turns to Rilna as he shoves himself away from the stall and extends a hand towards Backdraft, offering a few scritches. "I don't believe things will ever settle down more than they are now for the time being," he comments with a smirk, "And so if you'd like, we could disapear for that chat now. Could I say these two or another stablehand will be able to take care of things in your absence?" A questioning glance with a teasing smile is given to Pemeron and Daibhira. The old scruffy mutt who had followed Maverin in returns to his side out from behind a small stack of bales, slothily in his old age. He could've sworn his cue to come was called?

Rilna gives a grin, and finishes fiddling with Backdraft's ears, chuckling quietly as the bay tosses his head rather comically upon getting free, snorting at the man, but keeping his teeth away from him for the time being. "Well, far be it from me to turn down help when it's offered..." she smiles at Daibhira, only to trail off with a glance over at Maverin. "But... but... Now?" is her sophisticated and eloquent comment. And then a wry grin. "You're right... Well, since I don't expect anybody to foal tonight, I suppose I've not got an excuse. Daibhira, Pemeron, you'd not mind?"

Pemeron waves the brush in the air, a small splatter of the oil/soap dropping onto his hair "Not at all. Did you say those two you have been watching would need a bottle soon?" He turns to look at Rilna "I am sure that Daibhira can handle that with me, and there's not much more to do, since you took care of the stalls."

Daibhira shakes her head in the negative. "Nope, not at all. It sure beats sitting and watching the squirming bellies of those canines." She chuckles, gesturing toward the runners. "I'll get some cleaning in while I'm at it. I need something to keep my hands busy while I wait." The talk of bottle feeding foals is given another bob of her head- she has done this one before. "Oh, that's no problem, either."

Ivanova shakes he head slightly, and turns to look at the firelizard, emitting a soft woof in his direction. Obviously, they know eachother too well.

Impremo hops a bit closer and then waves his wings out before settling down in the straw, not far from the old canine.

Elsie blinks in from ::between::!

Rilna chuckles. "Well then in that case, I suppose I can leave things to you two capable folks. The bottles are in the tack room, and... I guess you know where everything else is." A sheepish look. And then, planting a kiss on Backdraft's muzzle, she steps over to Maverin. "Lead on, good sir. TO the tavern, or somewhere out-of-doors?"

Pemeron chimes in and says "There's a nice waterfall off aways down the road. You might have to wander about a bit to find it, but it's off the pastures, beyond the river."

Maverin grins at Rilna rather smugly and teasingly, shooting his gaze over to Backdraft. "Did'ja hear that? Looks like I get to borrow your Rilna from you for a few candlemarks." And the posessive competition between the stallion and Maverin continues. Mavz makes sure he's clear from Backdraft's reach quickly after, as the runner seems to have some understanding of when Rilna's being taken from him in more than one sense. Mavz's arm is offered in a most gallant way with perhaps a slight splash of exageration involved and the man nods to Pemeron. "How about that? A waterfall. Sounds great. How about it, Ril?"

Daibhira doesn't offer any advice on the matter of secluded places- she's far from the person to ask about areas offering privacy for couples- and, instead, looks up to shake her finger at the incoming firelizard. "About time. I suppose you were out charming food from the drudges again." Sigh. At the accusation, the gold simply chitters and finds a perch away from the runners and settles in for a nap- she's pretty, she deserves treats. "I'll send Elsie for you if anything needs your attention." This is said to Rilna before the stalls are looked over once again. "Nice and clean, at least that doesn't need tending."

Rilna nods at Daibhira, and holds up a hand to Backdraft. "Whoah." she intones firmly, as the ill-tempered beastie holds up his end of the bargain by attempting to lunge at Maverin anyways. And then she nods, and takes Maverin's arm, muttering to herself "What, Lover's Look was occupied..." He's a /friend/. Oddly enough, she sounds very much like her niece did when she attempted matchmaking. Poetic Justice. "Aye, the waterfall is quite nice."

Pemeron nods "Enjoy yourselves." *Yeah, bosslady, get a life... ;)* He leans back and goes back to cleaning/oiling the leather from the tack box. "Going to be awful quiet in here tonight, I am thinking. Come sit over here Daibhira? We can get acquainted."

Maverin lightly nudges Rilna's side and smirks at her, one of his eyebrows lifting curiously. "And there's something romantic about a waterfall now, Rilna?" Peer. And there's something wrong with being with Maverin in a place such as that?

Rilna gives a very loud snort, not unlike one of her four-legged charges. "Ooooh, I can see when I'm beaten." she admits. "But I'd better not hear any gossip with my name attached to it..." This dire threat aimed at Pemeron and Daibhira, before she flashes a grin at Maverin. "Well come on then, we'd better see the waterfall... wouldn't want to disappoint the young fry." Oh, sure, that's the /only/ reason, Ril.

Maverin moves with meaningful pace in from the Overgrown Trail.

Rilna *blinks. Didn't recall this being actually /in/ the water. Let's pretend there's a decent bank.

Maverin *snickers. Ok

Rilna pulls to a halt in the clearing, smiling over at Maverin from the rocks near the waterfall. "Well... here we are..." she intones, a little inane. Then she sets about pulling a picnic blanket from the carrysack she'd managed to grab on the way out. "What do you think?" For all of Rilna's scheming to get various of the Hold's young fry out here, she's not been herself in a very long time.

Maverin lingers his icey eyes on his long-lost friend newly found, prying them from her to take in his surroundings. "It's... coupleish?" He laughs lightly at his childish excuse for a reply and crouches down by the pool to idly run his fingers into it's cool water. "I mean to say for not wanting to go to Lover's Look you certainly led me to a nice, quiet, private place."

Rilna chuckles. "I guess I did, at that." she admits, spreading the blanket out, and settling on it. "But I knew this was a pretty spot, so despite the endorsements of my fellow beastholders, I thought it would be a nice spot for a chat." Furthur rummaging in the carrysack produces a packet of jerky and a large flask of something. A wry grin, and she pats a spot on the blanket beside her. "Not much of a picnic, I'm afraid. But tell me, what's happened to you over the past turns?"

Maverin pushes himself up from his knees and lumbers over towards the blanket, laying down on his side, proped up on one elbow where he was indicated by Rilna to sit. "I can sum all the Turns into a mere paragraph if you like," he chuckles, "Nothing has really happened to me. Bad relationships which never lasted long, a few small arguements, a few incredible runners and the sort and, as always, an equal few who needed a lot more concentration and control. You know I'm not the type of person anything exciting happens to." Instead of looking down due to that fact, Maverin seems to enjoy it as a content smile has settled into his eyes while his lips are held serious.

Rilna smiles, and sinks down to lean on an elbow as well, fingers drumming a tattoo on the flask of unknown contents. "Well, one of us had to have the unexiting life..." she smiles. "Certainly wasn't me, although it's ended up allright." And then an uncharacteristic look passes across her face. "For the most part... Aye, for the most part." She fishes a piece of jerky from the packet, and gnaws on it thoughtfully, while offering the rest in Mavs' direction.

Maverin takes a piece of the jerky from the packet and nods a thanks before also gnawing on that piece of his. "For the most part?" he echos, questionably although he watches her carefully for any signs that he should back down and not expect an answer. He holds out his free hand to take the flask from her. "Anything interesting in there for me?"

Rilna uncorks the flask, and takes a whiff. From the wrinkled expression that's now her face comes the pronouncement "My brother Lian's moonshine... We use it for exposure to cold, and disinfecting cuts. But it's drinkable. Barely." She takes a swig herself, a redness touching her cheeks before passing it over. And then comes the matter of to spill or not to spill. Were this one of the other Keroonites, she'd have clammed up long ago. But this is Maverin, one of her oldest friends. And so, slowly, she speaks. "After I left Crom, with the Holdless, we made out way to Igen... It was a horrible journey. Too many died... too many. But Gheriddian was there... And somehow, crazy enough, we fell in love. Got to Igen, handfasted, started a new life." A very long pause. "I had a son. We named him 'Gheril'..." At this she stops, and focuses very intently on her jerky, her shoulders rising and falling heavily.

Maverin studies the moonshine briefly before testing it with a short swig and then another and a slight wince as the strength of the drink hits him. "I would've never pictured you falling in love, or maybe..." he fades off into an airy sigh and takes another sip of the moonshine, keeping the rest of his thoughts to himself for the time being but avoiding Rilna's eyes fully. "When did you find yourself here?"

Rilna sighs, and takes the moonshine back again for a healthy swig, before continuing her tale. "In the space of one week, everything was comepletely thrown to the Red Star." she intones, hollow sounding. "Gheri had taken our son into the desert for a trip. A sandstorm blew up..." A sigh that might almost be taken as a sob, if this weren't Rilna. Tough-as-nails Rilna. "They never found a trace of them. So when news came that my brother and his wife were dead, I moved here to look after their girl. There was nothing else left for me, so I went home. Made a new life again. I've never told anyone here what happened. Thought I'd got over it. But..." A long pause, and her shoulders are indeed shaking. A face is raised to Maverin's, tears starting to form in the corners of haunted eyes. "Faranth, it still hurts!" she manages to get out, before burying her face in her hands.

Maverin hesitates for a few moment's time but soon he moves his hand to rest it on her shoulder and offer a comforting hug or atleast he hopes it'll bring some comfort to her. "You were in love with him, Rilna. You can't expect yourself to forget that by sitting it out..."

Rilna leans against Maverin, taking comfort from his presence, if nothing else. And finally tears never shed begin to spill down her face, a catharsis fifteen turns late in coming, silent and still, except for her breathing and the shaking of her shoulders. One hand holds the one on her shoulder, and she leans in towards Mav's chest. "Oh Faranth..." she murmurs. "Faranth, Faranth, it hurts." she repeats, for many minutes. But at last it seems to ease, for she is left completely still, just letting herself be hugged. A quiet voice intones an equally quiet "Thank you"

As Maverin continues to hold her, he grows more at ease with this new expression of comfort and trust and hugs her close to him. Having not been hugged or hugging someone in quite a while, Maverin simply dwells in the moment, eventually closing his eyes and resting his cheek gently against her head. "You're more than welcomed, Ril-dear."

Rilna sighs heavily, but not one of sadness, one of peace. She leans into Maverin for a long moment, just enjoying the comfort of being held, one she's not had in a long time. And then, turning her head, she gently kisses the lips so close to her own. Drawing back, she murmurs. "Thank you for coming here... Thank you for being... you."

"Thank Faranth for bringing me here... and ... finding you," Maverin murmurs quietly, not fully sure he was able to voice his feelings properly. While his face seems clear of all emotion, Maverin's eyes unviel the mass of feelings he would otherwise have expressed through his features had he been anyone but Mavz. Confusion, wonder, want and questions arise in the pools of white mist but are brushed away as he tenderly touches Rilna's jawline with his fingertips and leans close to her for another gentle kiss.

Green eyes fasten onto blue as Rilna kisses back, a little more than just gently. Green eyes with measureless depths reflecting the emotions in Maverin's. But no confusion and no questions. Not for this moment. She frees a hand to reach up and runs it's fingers through Mav's hair, before murmuring quietly "We should head back to the Hold..." as she pauses for breath.

Maverin nibbles on her jaw carefully, and frowns slightly. "We should but that doesn't mean I really want to, although I'm not about to stay out here." With a huff, he shuffles to his feet and holds out a hand towards her. "Please just leave the blanket and things here for the night? I'll come get them in the morning."

Rilna arches her neck at the nibbling, and then moves away to let him stand, a rather pretty flush on her cheeks, despite the faint tear-tracks still remaining. She takes his hand and moves close to him again as she stands. "I don't either... but walk me home...?" Invitation of the Pass... And close to his side, she prepares to head back to the hold.

Rilna walks out.

Maverin comes in from the hallway.

*ICKeroonity (#18075) has just been sent new mail by Rilna (#20041).