Post by Eamonn Calvey on Mar 17, 2007 15:30:08 GMT -6
[Around noon on the day of the midwinter Festival.]
Eamonn heaved a sigh, checking the buckled girth that encircled Davin's belly just behind his forelegs, cinching it one notch tighter. Grasping the reins in his right hand, he proceeded to lead the calm stallion out of the castle stables, where the knights were allowed to keep their horses. He bowed his head slightly, offering a smile to a pair of handmaidens that crossed his path, ignoring the girlish giggles that were unable to be stiffled from the two females. Walking just a bit further, he then halted Davin, looping the reins up over his head before lifting his left foot, and slipping it into the stirrup. Grabbing the saddle, he pulled himself up with the ease of one who's been doing this for many a year, before settling himself comfortably and gathering the reins.
He turned Davin, nudging him with the heels of his boots to trot. Posting to avoid the natural bounce of the horse's stride, he directed his mount out through the castle gate and towards the fields, where they could canter leisurely through the tall wheat grasses. Everyone who might shoo them away was already heading off to prepare for and enjoy the festivities of the afternoon and evening, and he reckoned he was the only one to put it off. Currently, there were many who weren't there yet, but soon almost everyone would have gone to join in, leaving him alone. True, he planned on going eventually, but for the moment, he just wanted to have a bit of peace.
His mother was doing as well as she ever did, since their father passed away many years ago, her other offspring trying to keep her busy and worry free, though she still habitually fretted about her only daughter, Alianora. She wanted the girl to perhaps marry the baker's son, though Nora would have none of it. She was too willfull; too headstrong to merely be sent off to be a wife and produce children. But dear old Mhairi couldn't see it; couldn't see that her daughter was different from the other girls.
Eamonn shook his head gently, trying to rid himself of such thoughts. It wouldn't do to worry about things he couldn't change by himself, or any time soon, so he concentrated on thinking of the tournament that had yet to begin. Everyone seemed pretty good, as far as he could see, even his sister, who he'd been working with over the past two years or so. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to joust against her; that'd be awful; he wouldn't want to lose, nor would he want to hurt her. He'd probably just let her win; he couldn't bear to kill off her chances with his greater experience, and neither did he want to risk sending a harmful blow her way.
Some of the knights hadn't yet made it to the town of the king, and that in itself was a pity; the festival was tonight, and they'd be stuck in the wilderness or in a village too small to be able to have such a celebration as this place did. Oh well, their loss, he thought with a smirk, though that was more along the lines of Alianora's thinking, not his. He was often a bit kinder than her, for prejudice against her gender had led her to despise most men, whereas his natural borne chivalry caused him to be trusting of most. Oh well; one couldn't expect siblings to act the same, especially when they were of different genders, though it seemed that in all other aspects of life, Alia was similar to her brothers in nature.
Nudging Davin into a easy canter, he felt the horse stretch himself out a bit, cutting through the tall grasses of pale yellow and gold. It was peaceful; the commoners who worked these fields had already gone into the village in preparation of the Midwinter Festival. Wearing a simple leather vest over two layers of cloth tunic of various shades of light tan over long trousers and boots, he felt refreshed, rather than chilled, by the cold breeze that whipped his unruly hair about. One old woman had said it was going to snow tonight, and although it was certainly cold, Eamonn wasn't so sure about snow.
Eamonn heaved a sigh, checking the buckled girth that encircled Davin's belly just behind his forelegs, cinching it one notch tighter. Grasping the reins in his right hand, he proceeded to lead the calm stallion out of the castle stables, where the knights were allowed to keep their horses. He bowed his head slightly, offering a smile to a pair of handmaidens that crossed his path, ignoring the girlish giggles that were unable to be stiffled from the two females. Walking just a bit further, he then halted Davin, looping the reins up over his head before lifting his left foot, and slipping it into the stirrup. Grabbing the saddle, he pulled himself up with the ease of one who's been doing this for many a year, before settling himself comfortably and gathering the reins.
He turned Davin, nudging him with the heels of his boots to trot. Posting to avoid the natural bounce of the horse's stride, he directed his mount out through the castle gate and towards the fields, where they could canter leisurely through the tall wheat grasses. Everyone who might shoo them away was already heading off to prepare for and enjoy the festivities of the afternoon and evening, and he reckoned he was the only one to put it off. Currently, there were many who weren't there yet, but soon almost everyone would have gone to join in, leaving him alone. True, he planned on going eventually, but for the moment, he just wanted to have a bit of peace.
His mother was doing as well as she ever did, since their father passed away many years ago, her other offspring trying to keep her busy and worry free, though she still habitually fretted about her only daughter, Alianora. She wanted the girl to perhaps marry the baker's son, though Nora would have none of it. She was too willfull; too headstrong to merely be sent off to be a wife and produce children. But dear old Mhairi couldn't see it; couldn't see that her daughter was different from the other girls.
Eamonn shook his head gently, trying to rid himself of such thoughts. It wouldn't do to worry about things he couldn't change by himself, or any time soon, so he concentrated on thinking of the tournament that had yet to begin. Everyone seemed pretty good, as far as he could see, even his sister, who he'd been working with over the past two years or so. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to joust against her; that'd be awful; he wouldn't want to lose, nor would he want to hurt her. He'd probably just let her win; he couldn't bear to kill off her chances with his greater experience, and neither did he want to risk sending a harmful blow her way.
Some of the knights hadn't yet made it to the town of the king, and that in itself was a pity; the festival was tonight, and they'd be stuck in the wilderness or in a village too small to be able to have such a celebration as this place did. Oh well, their loss, he thought with a smirk, though that was more along the lines of Alianora's thinking, not his. He was often a bit kinder than her, for prejudice against her gender had led her to despise most men, whereas his natural borne chivalry caused him to be trusting of most. Oh well; one couldn't expect siblings to act the same, especially when they were of different genders, though it seemed that in all other aspects of life, Alia was similar to her brothers in nature.
Nudging Davin into a easy canter, he felt the horse stretch himself out a bit, cutting through the tall grasses of pale yellow and gold. It was peaceful; the commoners who worked these fields had already gone into the village in preparation of the Midwinter Festival. Wearing a simple leather vest over two layers of cloth tunic of various shades of light tan over long trousers and boots, he felt refreshed, rather than chilled, by the cold breeze that whipped his unruly hair about. One old woman had said it was going to snow tonight, and although it was certainly cold, Eamonn wasn't so sure about snow.
