Welcome The township you have come to lies in the turbulent middle grounds between two kingdoms that have ever been at odds- you're welcome to rest your weary feet and wash the dust from the road away with a flagon of ale if you wish, though if you are to stay longer, ye might be choosing your allies wisely. Both kingdoms have their merits and their downfalls, the choice is yours. Or perhaps your allegiance is better suited to the isle some call holy, that which is hidden in mists and mystery.


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-= Can't Run Far Enough =-; After coastline raids; early spring
Topic Started: Jan 27 2018, 05:26 AM (170 Views)
Rhiannon
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Knight
Winter still held on with a weak tenacity at night, but as soon as the sun rose, it was clear that she was fighting a losing battle. Spring would soon be full upon them and with it the promise of plentiful harvest and more daylight hours- for training and for creating mischief. While the younger generation covered the mischief portion of daytime activities, their parents took to the more productive task of training up new squires, pages and knocking the winter dust off of the old hands. On one particular morning, there had been a small attachment of her men sent to run messages and offers of trade to some of the nearby towns that had yet to fully come under the crown's full protection, preferring autonomy while the air was still free of serious conflict. So the offers would be extended again, offering both protection and trade. They weren't expected back until dusk, and so Rhiannon had instead taken to helping break in a few new riders they had taken on from one of their new alliances.

They knew next to nothing about warfare, but were skilled horsemen, so half the work was really done. And they'd been coming on fairly well, when around midday two riders made their slow, painful way back up to the training grounds from the southern road into the castle grounds. Well, one rider, the other on foot, leading his lame mount. Frowning slightly, she gave the new recruits a break to take water and check their girths before walking to meet the pair.

They were Pyralian cavalrymen, younger, but some of the first group that had been here in the kingdom's formation when children and once old enough to do so had pledged their steel and skin if need be to service of the crown. While boisterous as young men tended to be, and quite full of themselves at times (like a certain nephew she could think of), they were not foolhardy or reckless. They were on young, healthy, sane horses...what on earth had they come across that would lame a mount so? She asked them as much and was given a slightly bewildered response,

Ah...that's the thing Lady...we couldn't say. Was riding on as we always do for patrol, and went off down through the lowlands to make it to Arne in a timely fashion when halfway through this one takes to a knee and nearly unseats me. Couldn't find a hole he could have stepped in, nor is the field rocky- smooth as could be and sparse of much grass this late in the season. But, sore he is so, we sent Eamonn and Cort on without us, and I decided to walk him the rest of the way, to be sure not and make it worse.

Rhiannon made a contemplative noise and walked up to the horses lame side, easing her hand down his shoulder, over the forearm and along the tendons and sinews of the lower leg, feeling for heat along the way and finding none. He gave the foot quickly, apparently glad to be off of it, and nothing seemed terribly off about the underside either- packed full of dirt and weed, but the shoe was straight, and clean without a missing nail. Speaking over her shoulder, she shifted the horse's foot to hold it between her knees.

You did right, walking him. I can't see anything readily- have either of you a pick?

After a moment's scrounging, the other rider procured a rough forged iron pick and handed it to their commander. Murmuring her thanks, she set to work ridding the foot of its detritus, checking the sole and frog for damages and seeing if anything might be stuck under the shoe. The pick struck something solid and the horse's head shot up, almost pulling the reins out of the rider's hands. One swift, firm jerk of the wrist and pick, and Rhiannon caught the offending hitchhiker. The horse, for his part, gave a deep, shuddering sigh and started to gently work his lips and tongue around the bit as his head lowered, clearly relieved of the source of discomfort.

And instead of setting the hoof down gently, it dropped from its balanced place between her knees abruptly as she rose stiffly, staring down at her hand. The two cavalrymen glanced at each other curiously, and shifted some in unease as they waited for the lady knight to speak. When she didn't they asked if she knew what had caused the lameness, and what they should do next, which pulled her attention back. Shaking her head slightly, she ignored the rapid wave of cold and heat that ran through her body, dangerously close to nausea, and closed her hand around the object.

Yes, he had this wedged between his shoe and his hoof wall. See if you can get a small pot of warm water from the kitchen and add three handfuls of the coarse salt we have in the stables to it. Put that in a bucket he can't damage too much and soak his foot while he eats his dinner. After that, pick a backup mount for the next week, we'll watch how he comes around.

She gave the horse's neck a firm pat and the two riders nodded their ascent as they led him off to the stables, the limp still there but less pronounced than when they'd first arrived. Once they were on their way, Rhiannon opened her hand again and looked down at the spiked, metal ball, maybe the size of a chestnut. Lucky it was as small as it was, and worn with exposure to the elements, but the fact remained- how in nine hells did it get here?
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Rawyn
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Pyralian Prince
The mid morning breeze had passed on through to make way for the high sun that announced the approach of what would soon be mid day, most of those that worked and lived in the castle where probably already making plans for their turn at the food in the great hall but there where always a few stragglers who either seemed to forget or arrive just in time to pick out what was left on the plates. Rawyn had noticed the absence of one specific woman and while he wasn't overly concerned that she had found trouble he still wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to end up with nothing but scraps to eat.

After the children and their mothers had all gotten their fill from the meal he had picked out two plates of food and had the kitchen staff prepare a 'to go' bundle before he left, his first stop after that was to hand one of the prepared bundles of food to Drayen and then he headed out for the stables but was side tracked when he spotted a figure out across the small fenced in arena.

I didn't see you in the hall for a meal either
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Rhiannon
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She didn't jump so much as she twitched slightly at Rawyn's voice, mind lost in the past and in trying to find a reason in something like this turning up this far south. Pulling her eyes from the foul bit of metal in her hand she glanced over at the prince and after a moment gave a half smile once his words sank in. The cheesecloth 'napsack' of what smelled to be cheese and fresh bread was helping remind her what time of day it was, seeing as he stomach didn't do so usually.

I got tied up helping a few scouts that came in with a lamed horse. Here,

Rhi extended her hand to him and when he opened his, she dropped the caltrop in his hand.

Have you seen anything like this before?

Rawyn had been just as traveled as she had even at the young age he'd met her originally, it was possible he'd come across one then, but her gut told her he hadn't. No, if he'd seen it it would have been recently, and that's what she was looking for. There were four solid years that she was painfully aware that she had no memories from. Perhaps something in that amount of time had happened to bring such a relic this far. And if he didn't know what it was, well, that led to a whole new line of concerns.
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Rawyn
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Coming up quietly hadn't been his intention but from the slight reaction to the sound of his voice it appeared as though her thoughts where else where or he just simply walked quieter then he thought. He didn't doubt her reason for having missed the main serving of lunch and when she handed him the oddly shaped form of metal he flipped it over in his hand and then dropped it at his feet just to see how it sat and then picked it up.

Exactly like this? No, but I've seen other rudimentary attempts with the same end goal. Where was it picked up?

It was a concern for more then one reason and if it was found on their land then they needed to find out exactly where it came from and how many where made before these things started killing their horses.

Here.

He kept the caltrop in hand but instead gave Rhiannon the second bag that held the cheese, breads and meats. Originally it was meant for another but Rhiannon was here now and he was now going to have to go back to the castle anyway to warn the next scouting party before they left so getting another bundle to go would be easy enough.
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Rhiannon
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Something like it, then..Rhiannon wasn't sure if she was happier with that answer or not. Watching him roll the caltrop about and observe it's 'behavior' as it were, she mulled over the potential (likely, really) origin of this particular piece before answering him musingly.

About halfway from here to Arne, somewhere in the lowlands. There may be someone nearby trying to replicate them, but this one? This one was made much, much further north. It's an old design...I can't imagine how it got here. Unless someone brought it with them to try and reproduce them locally...

Savage though they were, they were effective. And this particular design she was intimately familiar with. It came from north, near the Wall, and looked to be as many years old as it had been since she'd last seen one. Maybe it was just a fluke, she thought grasping at the vain hope she was overreacting.

Expecting him to be handing the caltrop back she blinked a little in confusion at the bag of food she looked up to find instead. He'd mentioned missing her in the dining hall, so likely he'd ate himself, so the parcel of food wasn't for him, but surely he hadn't intended to run into her the first place he looked? Glancing over her shoulder briefly she caught sight of Drayen finally releasing her squad of fresh meat to lick their wounds and a small smile fought it's way to her paled face.

You should share this with your wife, before she goes and makes herself busy again. I'll pick up something from the kitchens to take with me- I should go see if Coll can remember where about they came across that and check if there's any more. No sense sending scouting parties out if the area's littered with them.

They both had spouses who were apt to vanish on them throughout the day, be it her husband into the woods with his archers where it was surprising how well such a fair haired individual could blend into the green, or their Princess who let no grass grow under her feet if she could help it. That she could very much empathize with- and was part of the reason she had an itch to ride out herself. That and to potentially set her nerves aside. Riding typically did that, though if she found more of these same caltrops....no amount of riding was going to relieve her mind of the connotations. That her face was easier to read now than it once had been didn't occur to her.
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