CLOSED | one minute you say we're a team

[hassaran]

WHO: Darras & Yseult
WHAT: A random courier mission
WHEN: Before news from Tevinter
WHERE: A road into the Vinmarks
NOTES: Pirate language probable. Maybe giant spiders. Who knows.

[ It's not exactly a glamorous mission, which is fine. The problem--Yseult thinks to herself but does not say when she is handed the assignment--is that it's also not a good use of her skills. Yes, the agent needs to be met in the pass midway from Wildervale, the message needs to be collected and delivered the rest of the way to Kirkwall. But surely they could send someone else, like an actual messenger, or anyone with two legs and a brain, and not a highly-trained spy? At first she'd thought perhaps there must be some other dimension to this, some suspicion about the courier, or some potential threat. But no. This is the Inquisition, and as it turns out their rumored egalitarian leanings are both very much true and also seem extend even to their internal assignment structures. It's all very different than she's used to.

So her horse is not the only one champing at the bit to get going and get this over with as she waits just outside Kirkwall's northern gate. Even this early, the road toward Wildervale is busy, merchants and farmers coming and going, wagon traffic stirring up dust to make the already-sweltering day even less pleasant. Her horse is a big grey mare who immediately ate every green thing in reach and has now taken to snorting impatiently, head tossed as much as the reins tied to a tree branch will allow her. Yseult leans against the trunk out of biting range, arms crossed, squinting at the gate. "Someone from Forces will meet you," she was told at the last second, over her protests (not in so many words) that sending two skilled agents was even worse than wasting one. But it seems there have been reports of animal attacks, and they are taking no chances.

She doesn't expect to see Darras, and even shades her eyes with a hand to be sure (as if she could mistake him). She doesn't expect him to come towards her, either. What are the chances, after all, that out of everyone in Forces, his name was pulled? And that he actually turned up to do the work? Slim, but here they are. She pushes off the trunk and lifts her hand in a little (awkward, ill-advised) wave. ]

Good morning.

Comments

[hassaran]

They should have collars like dogs [ Yseult suggests, mildly, diffusing, ] That would be helpful.

[ His glare stings, even if she's reasonably certain most of it was meant for the horse, but they've got to get through this and on the road somehow, and she's not sure how to ask or offer without pricking his pride, so she doesn't. She just dismounts quickly, loops her mount's reins back around the branch, and heads toward Darras. ]

The stablehands should've told you [ she says, because they're not here and thus the perfect people to blame, ] and showed you what to do. They must still be half-asleep. Here, I'll hold his head. [ She reaches out a hand for the gelding's bridle, and another to take the reins from Darras, trying not to give him a chance to protest. ] I'll keep him still, you go around to his left, step your left foot into the stirrup, grab the saddlehorn, and swing up and over.

[staysail]

And if it bolts and runs you down?

[But this is ridiculous, he's not a child; his apprehension should be easy to overcome. Left foot in stirrup, saddlehorn, swing up. Darras, despite his pride, knows better than to test fate and try to manfully mount a horse on his own. It's Yseult. Certainly he's showed off for her, before. He's been a great deal more foolish in front of her as well.

All this is to say that he waits until she's got the reins in hand, Like the deck of a ship. Easy.

Not easy, as it turns out. When Darras puts his weight on the stirrup, Horse steps one casual step forward--not so close as to tread on Yseult's foot, or even particularly crowd her, but close enough that Darras' foot slips out of the stirrup, and he nearly falls backward onto his arse. It's his balance that saves him, and he lands, wrongfooted and with a loud,] Dammit--

[hassaran]

[ Yseult gives the horse a stern look, and steps around his head so she can see Darras. ]

Are you alright? [ she checks, brows lowered into a frown of genuine concern. He easily could've turned an ankle for all she knows. She keeps an arm wrapped around his horse's head, fingers hooked into the tack, doing her best to keep him still, but there's not a lot she can do about one step this way or that.

Forward of their current position (from the horse's perspective) is a clump of tallish grass, and Yseult clicks her tongue against her teeth and backs up, drawing Darras's horse with her until he's near enough to lower his head to eat. She stands by his shoulder, reins in one hand and the other patting absently at his neck. She isn't actually especially good with horses. ]

Try now while he's distracted.

[staysail]

Fine.

[Neither snarl nor snap, but it still has a little teeth to it. At least they're teeth for Horse and not for Yseult.. Darras glares at Horse, now complacently moving toward the clump of grass under Yseult's peaceful lead.]

Only I've got the only horse in the stable with comedic timing. That's what it looks like, when it's distracted?

[Too quickly returned to banter, perhaps. It's that or sulk about his pride--of which Darras does have a decent store. Sulking isn't one of his vices.

Which, to that end--he steps around to the side of the horse again, and, with a breath--goes for the stirrup again. This time he gets his foot in all right, hand on the saddlehorn--up, and he swings his leg over.

Horse sidesteps, but too late this time. Darras is seated on the beast, holding gamely to the saddlehorn. With both hands.]

Just seats me higher for bucking off.