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The Stables: Saturday morning

With all the strangeness of this past week, Karal felt like he'd been neglecting Trenor, and he was determined to do his best to make up for it. He cleaned his stall, fed him breakfast, and led him out to the front of the stable to groom him.

The gelding's eyes were half closed, one hip was cocked, and his bottom lip was flopping comically as Karal worked with curry comb and dandy brush, making his coat gleam. His diligence had nothing to do with the fact that Inara was coming up to meet Trenor this morning. At all.

:Sure it doesn't.: Altra was watching from a nearby tree, tail flicking back and forth.

"I want to make a good impression," Karal said quietly. "And Trenor does deserve more attention than he's been getting."

Altra's ears twitched and he put his head down and closed his eyes. Since that's what he usually did when he didn't want to concede a point, Karal decided to count it as a win.

[ooc: for Inara, but open to passers-by before that! SP may be yay, though as sleeping could happen in a few hours.]

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Inara hadn't known what to wear this morning, which was a first. She had a shawl over her shoulders, since it was colder than she expected, then a long skirt and long sleeved blouse in a light fabric and hoped she wasn't overdressed.

She approached them quietly, just watching the tranquility of the scene for a few minutes, then called out, "Good morning," so she didn't spook the horse.

Or Karal. He seemed a little skittish.

Karal looked up from fussing over Trenor to smile at her, not so shy as usual in the face of clothing he was more familiar with. "Good morning, Inara."

Trenor watched with interest as she approached, ears flicking forward. He was learning that new people generally meant scratches, and sometimes an apple.

Karal stroked Trenor's neck and said, "This is Trenor."

"Hello Trenor," she greeted him with a slight bow, "and Karal. How are you both this morning?"

"Well," he said with a bright smile, coming around Trenor to stand in front of her. "And yourself?"

Trenor stretched his nose towards her, and Karal held his halter. "Hold your hand out flat, under his nose." He demonstrated. "Like this."

"Very well," she said, stretching her hand out, as instructed, "thank you. And oh, aren't you beautiful," she sighed, never having been this close to a horse before, "all strength and power."

"And mischief, at times," he added, watching as Trenor nuzzled her hand. "He's named for my little brother. They share a habit of dancing in place, sometimes. But he's a good horse. I've had him since I was eleven and I wouldn't trade him for another."

"Why would you want to?" She asked, rubbing Trenor's nose, "and doesn't it get confusing, naming your horse after your brother?"

"Some of the other novices in the Cloister preferred mounts that were flashier, more imposing, more impressive. They didn't realise smooth gaits and a good heart are far more important." Not that he had enlightened them. "Trenor has both."

Trenor was happy to be stroked, leaning into Inara's hand and sighing contentedly. "I rarely see him, so there's no chance for confusion."

Inara, feeling bold, started scratching Trenor behind his ears. "Smooth gaits and good hearts...well, that's a good way to judge people, too. It's nice to know it holds true with horses."

"Do you miss him?"

"I've been gone from them for a long time, and truly, I never expected to see them again," he fiddled with Trenor mane, smoothing a tangle he'd somehow overlooked, "so not miss, precisely, but I am glad when I'm able to visit."

Trenor, apparently appreciating her boldness, pressed the length of his face against her chest. "Trenor!"

Inara laughed as she stroked Trenor's head and mane, "You're definitely a male horse, that's for sure."

Karal blushed and looked away. "He is overly bold," he said. "And becoming spoiled by all the attention." He picked up the coil of long line from the ground and held it up. "Shall we take him to graze? It will distract him from pestering you." Maybe.

Inara took the rope from Karal, "No one can be spoiled by too much attention. Too little, yes. But not too much." She smiled, "Where should we go?"

"Hold the lead close under his chin, and he'll follow you." Personally, given the way Tenor was mooning over Inara, Karal suspected the lead wouldn't be necessary. "This way," he said, gesturing towards the open space behind the stables. "I try to keep him off of lawns, but luckily there's plenty of other grass around."

"Like this?" Inara asked, moving her hand, trying not to tug on the lead too hard as she and (hopefully) Trenor followed Karal. "Is there a reason for that?"

"To maintain more effective control, and allow you to better direct the horse." Karal looked back over his shoulder and shook his head at Trenor, who was quite happily following Inara. "I do not believe either of those will be a consideration, as he seems to quite like you."

"Really?" She smiled, stepping over a large stick, "How can you tell?"

"He is relaxed, his head is low, and he is not taking his eyes off you." He smiled and added, "If you had an apple hidden somewhere, I might believe that was the cause, but if you don't, then I believe you may have made a new friend."

"I didn't know about the apples, but I will for next time," she promised.

"Then Trenor will no doubt abandon me for you, and I'll have to seek you out in order to visit my horse." They had reached the rear of the stables, and Karal gestured at the expanse of grass. "Here, this is a perfect place for him, and the grass is dry so we can sit while he grazes."

"Should I just...let go?" She asked, "Won't he wander off?"

Trenor ears were up, and he was lookiing at both of them expectantly. Karal nodded at the coil of line. "Hold it by the very end, and he'll wander out to its length. We will have to move a few times, but he will be content for awhile," he explained. "I can hold it if you'd prefer, but he is a good horse, and I don't think you'll have any problmes."

Inara held the rope as instructed, "Like this?" She sat down on the ground, arranging her skirts around her, "And no, I like it, I think."

"Exactly like that," he said, watching Trenor amble away from them and lower his head to graze. "And I'm pleased you like it." He sat next to her. "My father was a stableman, so my childhood was spent around horses and in the stables. I find both to be very peaceful."

Inara tipped her head back so the sun could hit her face. "That sounds ideal. Simple."

"It was, but then I think everything seems simple when you're a child," he said, glancing over at her, before turning to look into the sky. "And what, as a child, seemed simple grows to seem ever more so the farther away from it you get."

"You sound like you miss your home very much," Inara said, pulling her knee up under her chin, but still managing to keep all body parts modestly covered.

For which Karal would have been very grateful, had he realised. "I have been away from Karse for what seems like a very long time. I was just beginning to become used to Valdemar, and then I was sent here. But this is what the Sunlord wishes for me, and so I am not unhappy to be here." He smiled and added lightly, "Soon, this place will also become familiar, and I'll wonder why I was so confused in the first place."

She smiled at him, "When that day comes, will you explain it to me?"

Laughing, he leaned back on his hands, watching Trenor lift his head and flick his ears at a low flying bird. "When that day comes, should you still find yourself confused, I will try. But I supect you will be marks ahead of me in understanding this place."

"Why would you say that?" Inara decided to stretch out on her side, looking over at Karal, "I have just as little basis or familiarity for understanding this place as you do."

He turned towards her, comfortable and warm in the sun, with the scent of grass surrounding them, surprised at how relaxed he felt in her company. "You seem at peace," he said. "Calm, not resigned but, accepting?" He nodded. "Accepting. As if you could adapt to near anything."

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The Stables: Saturday morning

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