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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 10:14:13 GMT -5
I jumped back down from the fence, and walked over to where they were. Stopping was always a bit of a shock until you got used to it, the sudden stillness after your body had become accustomed to the constant movement.
I put my hand on Lenore's bridle and softly told her "Whoa." She slowed and then stopped, all with her instinctive grace.
"That's enough for today," I said, smiling and looking up at Alli. "Until you get accustomed to riding astride you need to easy into it or you'll find yourself too sore to do things like walk. Getting down is just the opposite of getting up, but this time you need to go slow, and remember just how far down it is."
I stood out of her way, but still at Lenore's head in case Alli needed a hand. Getting off for the first time can often be the most dangerous part, the height, the slightly disoriented feeling of being back on your own feet, it can all strike a person in one blow.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 10:27:27 GMT -5
Smiling still- I was doing a lot of that today- I curled and flexed my feet for a moment to try to return the feeling in them to normal, careful to not squeeze my legs any more around Lenore as I did so. Then, returning my hand to the pommel I swung my leg over I put my other hand on the back of the saddle and slid down, using Lenore's side to keep me steady. I managed to not give in to my natural inclination to sag against the horse's solid weight and steadiness, but only through sheer willpower alone; prickles of returning blood moved though my legs as I stepped back slightly and turned to Alain, making sure I was in arm's reach of Lenore so I could pat her neck. Cocking my head sideways I stood still, waiting for my critique.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 10:31:19 GMT -5
"Well done!" I told her, grinning. "You did really well, truly."
I scratched Lenore's forehead, silently thanking her for her sweetness and patience.
"How did you like it?" I asked. "Feel ready to walk yet?"
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 10:36:52 GMT -5
Stepping back a little further I stretched and extended my legs, trying to get the blood to return to them more quickly. "It's wonderful, though how you keep from going about at a run the whole time is a mystery to me," I answered with a chuckle.
Slowly and gracefully I stretched my arms over my head and arched my back slightly, trying to make my muscles shift back to their normal positions. "I can walk," I said assuredly, "Though I have to admit that if I didn't dance as much as I did I would be considerably less able to."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 10:41:12 GMT -5
I laughed, while appreciating the way she looked stretching and wiggling.
I started leading Lenore back out of the paddock.
"We'll get you running around next time, just like a little kid - gotta get the walking down before the running," I told her, smiling. "Besides, if I showed it all to you today you'd have no reason to come back."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 10:47:18 GMT -5
Matching pace with him I replied, "I understand that completely- besides, it's probably best for me to have to adjust slowly, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to walk. It's always best to start with something easy rather than hard I find." Absently I pushed the loose tendrils of hair back behind my ears.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 10:52:32 GMT -5
With a last pat I handed Lenore off to the stable boy, I didn't think Alli had much interesting in learning how to brush her down and all that, at least not right now.
Once Lenore was away, the kittens came bounding back to us.
"I'm going to have to start finding homes for a few of them soon," I said, bending down to pick up one of the little orange ones.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 10:58:14 GMT -5
"You mean you don't want five more adult cats to run around carousing all night and screaming?" I asked teasingly, looking around to locate the shyest of the bunch and spotting him in the straw with the solid orange female. Scooping the two of them up I set them down in a pile and teased them with a long length of straw. "Unfortunately, I think these ones are a little spoiled for barn cats- they like playing and don't like doing much of anything useful except looking cute."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:01:59 GMT -5
"I just don't think they'd get the attention they deserve if they were to all stay here," I said, scratching the little one I held and then setting it down so it could go chase the piece of straw Alli was holding.
"Would you like one?" I asked her.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:10:10 GMT -5
Still running the straw along the floor in circles so they could swipe at it I wrinkled my brow lightly in thought. "I've never had a pet- I'm not sure I would even know how to take care of one. I mean, I think I could manage to remember feeding and caring for it, but wouldn't it get bored? Without other cats around, I mean."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:15:25 GMT -5
"Cats are great for people with busy lives, they don't take as much care as a dog or a horse or bird. Especially if you get them when they are young, they grow up adjusting to your lifestyle. Think about it, they can't leave their momma for another week or so, so there is time," I said, smiling.
"Would you like to come inside for something to drink? Are you hungry?" I asked her.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:20:07 GMT -5
Smiling, I looked over the kittens one last time. "Thank you, I will think about it- and a drink would be nice."
Teasingly I said, "I already owe you for the lessons- if I take one of the kittens, should I add something on to that repayment, or make it two debts?"
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:23:49 GMT -5
I took her arm and led her towards the house.
"You owe me nothing for the lessons, nor would you for a kitten, so just stop that," I said, smiling. "This is not a debt incurring situation, it is me doing something for someone I care about."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:28:28 GMT -5
"Then thank you again," I said with a grin as I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're certainly a charmer- how is it that some noblewoman hasn't tied you up and tried to keep you locked in her chambers."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:31:59 GMT -5
I opened the front door and led her inside.
"Oh, that happened once," I told her. "But I chewed through the ropes and escaped while she was off looking for a priest."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:35:26 GMT -5
Laughing I lightly I stepped inside. "That's a lot of determination to get free, but be careful, now that she knows you're that desperate to get out she may use chains next time. Have you been training up to chew through solid metal?" I teased lightly.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:39:46 GMT -5
"She wasn't d'Angeline," I told her, leading her to my study. Bonne saw us and motioned that she would bring refreshments. "I don't think she'll come tracking me to a whole different country."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:43:12 GMT -5
Jokingly demure, I said, "I guess that would depend on how strong of an impression you made. I should think you would find it flattering to have someone track you such a distance. It would certainly seem like a flattering thing to me; then again, I'm just a simple adept." Laughing lightly to show it was all in fun, I winked.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 11:55:30 GMT -5
"I would find it frightening in this case," I said, making an attempt at stuffiness. "It would offend my noble sensibilities."
I motioned for her to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of the hearth and I took the other.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 11:59:56 GMT -5
Sitting down gracefully, I kept up my demure facade and said, "That must have been a truly unfortunate experience for you, then- my apologies for the truly mad actions of some of the women in this world." Jokingly I rolled my eyes.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 12:03:33 GMT -5
"It's alright, it makes women all the more interesting," I said, winking.
Bonne came in and set down a tray with cups of teas and little cakes. I thanked her and she smiled and went back to the kitchen.
"Please, help yourself," I told Alli.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 12:15:44 GMT -5
Smiling at Alain I took a cup of tea and sipped it slowly. "Thank you," I said graciously. "Still, I wouldn't agree that a person being mad makes them any more interesting necessarily. It would be in the eye of the beholder though, I would think."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 12:18:00 GMT -5
"I think the fact that I'm a bit mad myself makes it seem more interesting than disturbing," I said, chuckling and then taking a sip of tea.
"Besides, interesting sounds better than terrifying."
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 12:21:38 GMT -5
Laughing lightly, I replied, "I would agree with you in that matter. Didn't that warn you off of travelling to other places for awhile, knowing there were such mad people about in the world? Still, I suppose there much be as many sane people as insane ones, so it should most likely balance out."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 12:23:56 GMT -5
"And there are as many mad people here in terra d'Ange as there are anywhere else," I said, laughing.
I set my cup down and leaned back in my chair.
"What plans do you have for the near future?" I asked her.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 12:30:16 GMT -5
Cocking my head sideways I looked over at him, thinking for a moment. "Nothing of particular importance or even terribly interesting, as far as I am aware, though soon it will be time for the Midwinter Masque, and that is sure to have all of the Houses in a flurry of activity. No one even knows what their costume themes will be yet, so it can't be that close, though; no adept would dare go to Midwinter without the best outfit to be had, and no Dowayne would want their House to be known as the most poorly dressed to attend."
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 12:33:36 GMT -5
"I told you there were plenty of mad people here," I said, laughing.
I thought for a moment, with all the other stuff that had gone on recently I had forgotten about Midwinter being so close.
"What do you think I should go as?" I asked, grinning.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 12:39:30 GMT -5
Giving him an appraising look I smiled and said sweetly, "Well, I remember you said you'd done a passable imitation of an Akkadian woman, that would be something unexpected. I'm sure no one would recognize you dressed like that." Really, I was in a rather good mood- it must have something to do with having ridden Lenore, though I had to admit that Alain managed to put me at ease. It was good to have someone to chat with and tease.
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Post by Alain de Mauvais (D) on May 26, 2006 12:43:00 GMT -5
"I think perhaps a little too unexpected," I said, laughing.
"Plus, as cold as it is sure to be I would run the risk of freezing parts of my anatomy I am rather attached to," I told her, winking.
"Something with pants would be more along the lines I am looking for, any ideas? I am at a loss," I said.
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Post by Allisande nó Dahlia on May 26, 2006 12:56:25 GMT -5
Bowing my head slightly, I closed my eyes and thought deeply. After a moment or two I shook my head and laughed a little wryly, looking back up at him. "There are so many things that I don't know where to start- I've never been much good at men's clothing, only my own. Most people pick a favorite historical figure or character and dress like them, or find a culture they find intriguing and pick their outfit according to that style."
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