"Ok. See you later."
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"The clothes are practical and the colors are of the house they race for."
"Good idea. I'll send her some flowers and a card. Best, I do it right now. Excuse me." Lady Adelaide leaves to find a maid and instruct her.
"That's horrible. And so undignified! How could he. Poor Eleanor."
"No!" Lady Adelaide calls out in consternation. "How? Why?"
"Eleanor's husband? Oh, no, what happened?"
"Campbell?" Lady Adeleide inquires.
"Don't overdo it. I want the grass to look good on Sunday. Otherwise, have fun."
"My artist is in the forge these days. He creates the score boards with the different crests."
"Interesting. Do you have it on something you can leave with me?"
"You got a crest I could put on the board?"
Lady Adelaide slows down and replies. "I don't know. We don't do banners, that's more a thing for a knight's tournament." "But every participant is listed with house, rider and horse."
Lady Adelaide does a few training laps with her horse around the track.
"Sure. Take part as jockeys." Lady Adelaide suggests. "I'll be busy as host and most of the nobles will not get into the race either. Probably Corvin, he is a good rider and uses every opportunity to put himself into the spotlight. But if only my staff joins the race, it takes off the edge."
"He is playing nice. A handsome man, well mannered, articulated. Behind that, calculating. Am I right?"
"That could take hours, why not here?" Lady Adelaide inquires. "Take the horse for a ride and see how wide we have to make the turn that the horses don't have to slow down." she orders one of the people moving around the area.
"This event is going to be the talk of town. For better or for worse. So better make sure it's not the latter."
Lady Adelaide is busy ordering the stable staff around setting up a fence for the race track and has some carpenters building stands for the spectators. There is also a gardener working on making that look pretty with bushes and hedges.
"Shhh. We're discussing important topics here." Lady Adelaide objects.
With a little less enthusiasm Lady Adelaide introduces herself too.
Lady Adelaide rolls her eyes. "I think it's someone else's turn. And we had one last week. What are we going to do? How about we meet for a horse race instead. Some do the riding, all others wear ridiculously large hats. That could become a nice new tradition."
"The horse he rode was splendid." Lady Adelaide jokes. "His little army is impressive. I've seen no need for such things here though. But if you have money to burn, why not." "What is he going to do here though? Is he here to stay?"
"Today? Not a chance. I can tell you who makes mine. But it takes weeks to create a good saddle. And then it still hasn't golden applications which my saddler doesn't do. And you can't just put any saddle on the horse. You'd ruin the horse." "And just to drive that point home: Don't put any other saddle than the one I got on that horse tomorrow. The saddle would cause pain to the horse, and your duke would go flying, no matter how good a rider he is." "Your duke probably has some fancy brocade blanket. Throw that over the horse. Makes it look fancy."
"How good a rider is the duke? I have this wonderful proud stallion I could sell you. Or is he more the gelding kind of guy?" She leads Menan to the enclosure. "See, there is the stallion. Three years old and full of power. He is trained, but very spirited." "And over there we have Anton. Twelve year old and behaves like a lamb." "As for the gear, you're out of luck. Of course you'd get all the high quality gear that belongs to either horse, but that is everyday use gear. Nothing to parade around by royalty." The horses are both beautiful, healthy and strong with a good gait. Though the stallion prances proudly around with the tail lifted high.
Lady Adelaide leads you outside the building and to a nice little terrace with an own entrance into the building. She opens and enters. "Hello Pops. There is a visitor for you. Meet Menan Variel. This is Gharen Muricar. Have a nice time."
"Oh, nothing, we changed the topic immediately after you left." Lady Adelaide assures Menan. "Shall I introduce you to the old man?"
The tea party is surprised by this sudden leave of the Variels. "What do think, was that an outburst of jealousy?"
"I think she found more interesting company." Lady Adelaide replies and nods to the neighboring table. "With the foal we'll have to wait until you can see some signs. Next year around this time if all goes well."
"The horses are fine. We can go on another ride if you want. And this time I'll be first." "But don't dodge my question - what is up with that spy? Are you serious or not?"
"You're pulling our leg, aren't you? Nothing ever happens in this place and now you come up with spies?"
"When you're back at my place I'll introduce you." She turns to Randolf. "I'll take the tea as usual and some heavy buttercream cake."
Not really knowing what the conversation is about Lady Adelaide comments "You're interested in talking to my grumpy old grandfather? Everyone else has heard his stories a thousand times. He could use someone new to listen to him."
Lady Adelaide joins Arawyn at the enclosure as Dancer earns the gold for Menan. "That worked faster than I thought." she states. As Menan plans moving she comments "There is no need to leave already. You can stay as long as you like."
"Thank you. I'm very adamant on only hiring the best. It's not always possible but it'll for sure not for a lack of trying." "Someone will be assigned to take care of your needs while you're here. Feel free to have them figure out where to get that alchemi... whatever thing." She pushes back her half eaten plate. The servant recognizes the hint and pulls away the chair as she gets up. "Please excuse me. I have to leave you now, to prepare for an appointment in the afternoon."
"Wonderful. I'll have your rooms prepared." Lady Adelaide signals to one of the servants who leaves the room. "I have little to no experience with magic, beyond some healing I pay for when one of my good horses gets wounded or has other health issues. And what is that alchemical thing?" "But you can ask my smith about that weapon thingy. He's a dwarf. He always rants about his talent being wasted on horseshoes. But you for sure understand that I can't have some mediocre bungler work on my horses. Maybe he can help you."
"No, no. I don't want to add that much horses. It would just be nice to breed some of the wonderful attributes of these horses into mine." "Which leads to my business proposal. How about you and your horses lodge here for the time being. Your horses would be taken care of by the best stable hands you can find, while you do your business in town. You'd live here for free as endeared guests." "Only thing I ask in return, is that the stallion be placed on a paddock with one of my mares, that is in heat since two days. If that leads to them mating, I'll pay you 100 gold on top of your free stay."
"With the story you told, I assume you won't but I have to ask. Would you sell me the stallion?"
Inside the huge room, big enough for a ball stands a large table. It is laid for three people, but has food on it to feed a dozen. "I wasn't sure if you'd be in for a late breakfast, or an early lunch so the kitchen prepared some of both. Please take a seat." Lady Adelaide walks to the head of the table where a servant pulls the chair out and shoves it back for the lady to sit on. Another servant offers the same to Arawyn first and then Menan. "Just take a look and tell what you'd like to try." The servants pour water for all to drink and inquire if something else is desired. The lady chooses some watered wine to go with a veal carpaccio and some bread which the servant collects on a plate for her.
Lady Adelaide saddles her horse by ordering someone to do it. Three stable hands fetch everything needed, brush the horse til it's bright and shiny and withing minutes they have the horse ready and help the Lady to get up. Her horse is not overly large but muscular black mare. It has a long mane, bushy tail and feathers at the hooves. She leads the way off the premises, up the hills and to the woodland edge. Once there and a long straight distance ahead she changes from trot to canter. The Kameland horses are way faster than the ladies horse. Once she catches up at the end of the open field she leads into the woods. An interesting climb that follows over hedge and ditch for the horses to prove their surefootedness. It leads along a small creek and turns at a waterfall. Lady Adelaide changes position back and forth to get a good look at how the horses move. You come out of the woods at a totally different angle towards the stud farm, and a short canter later you are back. The lady dismounts and hands the horse over to the staff. "A lovely landscape isn't it?" she takes off the gloves and hands them over to the one person who's turn it is to stand ready for all the lady needs. "Would you join me inside for a bite? I have a business proposal for you."
Lady Adelaide takes a closer look at the teeth and the hooves of the horses and checks how they react to her approach. "Wonderful, really wonderful. Shall we go for a ride? I'll saddle my horse and I'll show you some of the surrounding area." "I ride mostly for fun, I hope I don't bore you, but I'd really like to see how Dancer and Dasher move."
"That is a rather uncommon way to acquire a horse." Adelaide replies. "Do you mind if I take a closer look at the horses?"
Shortly after Lady Adelaide comes out of the manor house wearing riding gear. "Hello. Wonderful you could make it." Coming close she appraises the horses looks, posture, build and overall impression. "Beautiful horses you have there. What did you say where they are from?"
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