A thief\'s horse

[MissusHow]

A small figure darted into the stables, unnoticed by people who were wandering near. The figure was Ara, chief thief of the city. Not many could make the claim. For awhile now the thief had been restless, tired, tired of the same faces over and over. But there was no escape. On foot would have been easiest... and yet it was too slow, and because she trusted no one she would have to go alone. The roads were not safe enough to go alone, there were bandits not under her command that traveled in packs. The groups were...more savage than human. Or at least it seemed so to Ara, who had never bothered trying to survive outside the palace walls when they provided just what she needed.

Save for a few visits outside of the gates, she had never wandered farther. Though her thieves here were very well, a picture of a chain of city thieves had been forming in her mind for quite some time. Ara\'s need for power overcame her fear of the open road, yet she was no fool, to travel she would need a horse, and a good one. Checking her knives hidden in various places once more, she entered the stables, whistling lightly. When nobody came, she put her fingers to her lips and uttered a piercing whistle, hoping to bring out a stable boy.

[Existentially Odd]

Two heads appeared around a stable door, identical frowns of enquiry upon both foreheads. The male - whose head was quite a distance above the female\'s, indicating his excessive height even before the rest of him appeared - stepped around the stablehand he\'d been observing cleaning a horse\'s wound and came towards the woman. An habitual smile graced his face, his hands being wiped absently on a cloth as he stepped towards her. His long legs were clad in dark brown pants (streaks of ointment, blood and dirt across both thighs), a matching vest covering a white shirt unbuttoned to quite a low position over his chest. The same blood and muck was visible on the stomach of his shirt, once he felt his hands clean enough and he tucked the cloth into his back pocket.

"Hoi there," he greeted jovially, grinning questioningly down at her. His fists rested on his slim hips, body stance open as he came to a stop before the woman. "Can I help ye\'?" Automatically, his gaze roved over her, taking in the alluring tone of her skin, the darkness of her exotic eyes, the silkiness of her black hair. More than all these parts though, it was the glint in her eye and the way she stood that intrigued him; he couldn\'t help but imagine how fiery she would be... should he spend some time alone with her. He sensed that her spirit was as wild as that of an untamed filly dragged in to be broken, after a life spent thundering freely over the hills. He liked the look of her, to say the least.

[MissusHow]

Ara grinned, "You got cotton in your ears, my good sir? Or is it just the hair that covers your ears prevents you from hearing." she teased, and then flapped a hand indicating it was trivial. "You in charge here...?" she paused, waiting for a name of some sort. Her eyebrow raised, she noted he looked her over and did so as well, her hand resting lightly on her hip.

His hair was an eyefull in itself, tumbling honey colored locks of hair that looked as if it might attract bees at any moment. Not only that, but taking a closer look they were arranged in a way to attract more attention to it, the work of a master flirt, Ara decided, with a small twinkle in her black eye. His eyes were blue and stood out because of the bronze hue of his skin, not a common thing among Oberon. A small smile tugged at her lips when she came to his smiling mouth, oh yes, those lips told more than she could count. But one word came to mind that did seem to fit. Kissable.

[Existentially Odd]

His grin broadened when she looked him over in return.  It seemed his primary assessment had been correct; she was fiery.  And unabashedly assured.  "I\'m Stable Manager Gallagher," he told her casually, neither announcing it in any grand way nor bowing deferentially to her as he shrugged a negligent shoulder.

His statement was a fact but the ignorance of polite niceties - such as a scraping bend at the waist and a kiss to her hand - was a challenge as much as it was a sign of respect.  His station was such that he didn\'t need to bow to many; and he also thought she wasn\'t the type to require such homage.  She seemed pretty certain of what she wanted - especially by asking for someone \'in charge\'.  To give her her dues, he didn\'t grovel... and he was pretty certain she\'d understand that (though the possibility she might claim offense and screech at him was never to be completely removed from consideration).

"I\'m in charge," he confirmed, a laugh in his deep voice and merry eyes - though he purposely kept them trained on her face, out of politeness.  "How can I be of assistance?"

[MissusHow]

Ara hadn\'t even noticed that he hadn\'t bowed, she was thief lord, that didn\'t mean she expected everybody to treat her as royalty. "Master Gallagher! Lovely to meet you, my good Stable Manager. I\'m looking for a horse, and I /think/ this is the right place to get one." she said, waving a hand at the horses stabled one. One of them sniffed her hand and reached over to take a delicate bite of it, the woman moved her hand just in time, glaring at the horse. "None of that you. I\'ll need it in the future." she scolded it gently, and turned back to Gallagher. "I need a good mount, one that I can trust, it can\'t be any horse-" she paused, raising an eyebrow, "You\'ve worked here for a long time, you can help me. And if you can\'t-" at this she turned back to the horse, stroking its nose, and giving Gallagher a sidelong glance, "If you can\'t, I\'m not sure you deserve your position."

And it was true, to Ara anyway. If the man couldn\'t handle the truth, or if he got angry for her treatment, she\'d take her business elsewhere. It would be his loss in the end. One that Ara would regret, harming even just the stalls of these beautiful horses would give her heartache. Still, she couldn\'t stand a man who couldn\'t hold his own.

[Existentially Odd]

Unfazed by her arrogance, he chuckled, running a hand through his hair as his mind immediately turned to her proposition.  Indeed, he did merit his title in this establishment.  The hand moved from mussing his golden curls to stroking his whiskery chin - it had been a busy morning, there\'d been no time for him to shave - as he strolled casually closer to her.  By the time he was a footstep away, he\'d ordered the options he needed to present to her and that fist was back on his hip, blue gaze fixed unwaveringly on her black one.

"Alright; that can be done.  I have to ask ye\', though; just how much will you be willing to pay for this fine steed you demand?  How old do you want it?  How broken?  Male, female, breeding stock or no future option?  Colours, hands - any preferences?  For yourself alone, for a family member, a friend or an unknown party?  Experienced rider or beginner?  To bear gear, ride fancy or ride hard and fast; maybe carry both rider and gear?  To race over short or long distances - or not race at all?  Will the horse be used to travel in the keep\'s limits or beyond?  Do you want it shod and branded - if so, with what mark?  How far beyond the castle will it be taken, if travel be your passion?  How soon will you want to lay claim to the animal and will you be requiring all the tack that goes with it?  Will you need long term feed for it or, finally... will you stable it... here?"

He dropped her a wink on his last question, having slowed down from firing information at her to a sedate enough pace that she would be able to process at least the second half of his speech.  He counted on her having the wit to have followed it all, though he supposed she would take some time to process everything.  She was confident in herself - educated but not noble, from the open stance and keen eye she sported - and he doubted she\'d admit to him that she hadn\'t put any thought into buying a horse beyond... well, getting a pretty one with four working legs.  He suspected that was as far as it had gone, however (still, giving her so many options up front also gave her the safe choice of admitting that she hadn\'t thought everything through - clearly - and allow her the chance to back down, if she wasn\'t as serious about the venture as she\'d thought she was).

His smile was genuine, though he bit back a smirk as he awaited her decisions - he could fulfil each and every desire she had, based on all these factors, and could negotiate all but unborn foals if it came to it.  If he felt her worth the effort and boasting the potential to be a good owner to one of his precious beasts.  He was confident she would realise that implying he wasn\'t fit to hold his post was the first unwise move she\'d made since walking in; and that she\'d better watch where her next step fell, if she were wont to let her pride get the better of her.  He did love a challenge.

[MissusHow]

Ara\'s eyes danced with delight as he rattled off his questions seemingly without a second thought. "It seems you know your work well, master Gallagher." she said, with a raised eyebrow and a half conceiled smile. How wrong she had been to think this man might be an idiot, and she should have known it. A good scolding would do her well later, for relaxing in \'enemy\' territory. The questions done, the thief took a few moments to remember them all, but finally she came up with a decision for each and every one. The stable manager had been right that she had not thought this through, but she normally got what she wanted, and when she knew what she wanted it was done. No going back, and Ara wanted a horse.

"I’m willing to pay a fair price, depending on the mount you think fit for me. I have means to do so, don’t let your eyes fool you into thinking I’ve none. I want it young, broken but not tame, female, and I’ve no mind to breed it though if the option comes along I wouldn’t mind. A colour that won’t bring much attention, brown or black. For myself alone, and I ride, though not a lot. I’d need a patient horse to show me all the tricks to it. I want the horse to ride hard and fast, and I’ve no gear to speak of but myself. To race over short distances should be enough, I don’t plan going everywhere. The horse will be used to travel beyond the keeps limits, perhaps beyond Oberon. No brand, but shod. As for going far, not too far, though I expect it to last on the road if I do want to go far. I’ll want to lay claim on the animal soon as you can have it, though I wont mind waiting, I’ll have a contact ready for you to reach me if you need it. The tack I\'ll buy here, I\'ve none to speak of. And the stables…I think I may wish to stable it here, I\'ve no place of my own to keep a horse...though I’ll need quick access to the stables if it can be done, either by a back way or the front door, I’m used to moving quick and without warning."

She finished the list of questions with a satisfied sigh, and couldn\'t resist uttering a question of her own, "You got all that?" The cheeky grinn that followed it seemed to conceal a little joke of her own. Ara\'s eyes crinkled merrily, she liked this Gallagher man, who seemed to think of her as a challenge. The fact itself that he liked a challange, and not only that but challenged a challenge had put him on her good side.

The questions she had regarded seriously, he obviously knew his business, and to answer flippantly would have been folly.

[Existentially Odd]

At her question he did bow, a grin on his handsome features when he straightened again.  He was not in the least opposed to acknowledging her as a worthy match and it pleased him that she was able to make up her mind as decisively as she had.  Definitely not a trait often displayed by pretty women - they were usually too well coddled to be able to do so at a penny\'s drop.  She was a refreshing change of pace.

"Indeed, I have all that and," he teased, holding up a finger, "what\'s more, I have a choice for you.  If you\'ll bring your pretty self this way, I shall present them to you," he entreated, an arm swinging out in a gesture towards the south end of the stables as he took a few small steps backward.  The horses he had to show her were not to be found on this, the ground level; they were currently stabled with the more quality beasts on the second storey.

Before he got too far, he stuck his head around the corner of the stall he\'d been observing in and informed his stablehand - Casey - that he would return soon.  She seemed to be doing a fine job and was happy enough to tend the horse alone, so he gave her a few words of encouragement and returned to his new buyer\'s side.  "Sorry about that," he apologised, ready to match his long-legged stride to the smaller woman\'s, should she begin walking with him to the external ramp at the end of the building (the closest way up from their current position), "there was a bit of an accident - the owner\'s fault - and I never like to be too careless with deep cuts.  Don\'t want them to fester and the horse to suffer," he explained seriously.

Truthfully, he was in despair at some of the conditions horses were returned to the stables in - and he and his team were expected to work miracles to save them.  Gallagher\'s opinion of a horse\'s intelligence very often rated higher than it\'s owners in such cases; he didn\'t hold with stupidity or cruelty and there were some who paid their money here that had both in bucketsful.  He often refused to take from such people; paying them instead - in an effort to save the horse\'s life.  Perhaps it was the habit he had of standing over people when he made such bargains, using his size and his descriptive words to detail exactly what a menace to horses these people were, that convinced them his was the right choice.  Either way, he\'d saved eight horses in this manner; but there many others he wasn\'t in a position to defend... and those were the ones that cut him to the core.

"So, m\'lady, do you have the time to look at your options now?" he asked, realising belatedly that he hadn\'t actually got an affirmative answer from her.  He\'d simply assumed that such a woman of action would agree to accompany him, if she wanted the horse as soon as she implied she did, and had probably pr-emptively informed Casey of his absence.  It was one of his problems; thinking three steps ahead and acting on the last two at the same time.

[MissusHow]

"I said as soon as possible, I mean what I say." she told him sharply. The next moment she could have smacked herself, she had caught herself talking to him as she might have spoken to one of her thieves. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she choked out a hassled apollogy, "Talon strike me down! I\'m so sorry!" she told him belatedly, as her mind scrambled for something to excuse herself with. Somehow Ara\'s quick mind managed to find a solution, "Problems with the family, they get me in a bad mood." she excused herself lamely. With enough luck, he would believe her and dismiss her rude manner without another word.

Somehow Ara\'s mind was working slowly, because she changed the subject a few seconds later, hoping to distract the stable manager with his own problems. An amateurs trick, and an obvious one to all but the most dimwitted, "The horse- You said it had a gash. Is this because it was slammed into a weapon of some sort? Or mistreatment?" she asked tactfully, the concern in the mans voice when he had told her was obvious, she doubted it would take his mind completely off of her mistep, but Ara judged it would distract him just enough to keep him from regarding her without favor. The woman was smart enough to know she had allready crossed him once, and to deal with him as somebody lower in his own territory as a stranger would be stupid, very stupid indeed.

Ara reminded herself to relax, she was here buying a horse, not on some dangerous mission, the worst thing that could happen was that the man would get disgruntled enough that he would sell her a bad horse, or charger her too highly. In truth, Ara hoped that the worst wouldn\'t happen, she needed this mans trust if he was to deal with her and her horse in the future. And she liked him enough that she wanted him to respect her as a person, and not as some rude commoner who would lash out at any moment.

[Existentially Odd]

He chuckled at her hasty apology, having batted an eyelash or two at her retort but not becoming too upset by it.  He had certainly been spoken to in far nastier ways - by people far less attractive to soothe their harsh words and sweeten the stomaching of them - and by far less intelligent people.  All it showed him was that she was used to getting her way, in addition to knowing her own mind.  Although he thought her a little hasty, he didn\'t lose all respect for her; it reminded him to tread carefully.

His thumbs hooked through his belt loops as he began walking away from the animal she referred to, now that she\'d agreed to accompany him.  "That horse?" he asked thoughtfully, having taken a moment to watch his boots swing foward in a few steps before answering, processing his feelings on her prior statement.  It was a rhetorical sentence opener, after which he tilted his head slightly - so that he could look down at her more easily, as they walked.  "Neither, really.  She was just ridden too hard, too far.  Rider didn\'t care that she was lame - stone in the hoof - and was surprised when she stumbled into a low brick wall.  Gashed her knees pretty well and threw him off - managed to land on a sharp rock herself, when she went down as well.  That\'s what did the most damage.  The owner dragged her in here, limping and shivering with the pain, claiming she was worthless and damaged... good for nothing," Bede mused, shaking his head and glancing towards the wide, open doorway ahead of them.  "It wasn\'t the horse\'s fault and I told him so."

After a moment to allow her to digest his comment, he smiled at her, eyes bright once more as he attempted to deflect attention from the more negative side of his work.  "Now, m\'lady, don\'t think me rude, but I feel the need to point out that you have a name by which to address me, but I was not given the honour of something to address you with, in return," he hinted, a broad, weathered hand brought to his chest to better present him as a humble man beseeching her favour.  The sultry twist to his lips didn\'t quite match this modest presentation, however.

[MissusHow]

With an internal sigh of relief, Ara listened to what Gallagher had to say about the horse. When he had finished, she couldn\'t help but feel a lingering discomfort for the animal. Was a horse useless because of its master? Was a thief? No. Not at all. The thief lord ground her teeth to keep herself from asking questions as to who this noble was, no creature deserved treatment like that.

"Now, m\'lady, don\'t think me rude, but I feel the need to point out that you have a name by which to address me, but I was not given the honour of something to address you with, in return," he told her. Ara raised her eyebrows, letting her lips fall into a pout that could compete with a proper noble ladies, "And here I was getting used to all this special treatment with the m\'lady this, m\'lady that! I should have known it was too good to be true." Ara wiped an invisible tear from her eye using a finger and uttering a dramatic sigh. "Well if you must, call me Elle." she said, using the first name to come to mind.

Allready her quick mind had formed a background, in case he did ask, though chances were he wouldn\'t and they were nearing the stable\'s exit. After a small pause she looked up, batting her eyelashes, "Don\'t suppose it could be Lady Elle?" she asked teasingly, another dramatic sigh escaped her lips (this one spoke of wistfullness), before a grinn took its place. "I can dream of hell, can\'t I?"

[Existentially Odd]

He blinked, surprised by her final comment.  Well, by all of them, really, but especially the insinuation that she could dream of Hell.  Why would anyone court condemnation?  It also struck him as odd, the way she’d phrased herself: ‘You can call me’, rather than, ‘My name is’.  As if she were choosing a name specifically for him to call her by, but one that was not connected to her in any real sense.
   
  Like he didn’t matter to be given a true name or title.  He despised the notion that she might be viewing herself as superior to him, when he’d treated her more than fairly.  Although truthfully, she hadn’t acted that way from the beginning… so why would she start now?  Unless she had some reason to hide her name.  He supposed it was possible, it had happened to him before – and, of course, he’d never breathed a word of his knowledge that false names and documents were exchanged, feeling it to be none of his business.  As long as his horses went to a good home, that was all he was concerned with.
   
  In this case… well, the lady didn’t seem the shifty type, per se.  He thought he was probably only putting false assumptions on her because she was all business and he wasn’t used to a lady approaching him in such a succinct manner.  It was almost… devious, the way she adhered strictly to business talk and then, when asked for something simple like a name, nattered on about being addressed with a vague title – rather than something meaningful.  It caused him to frown slightly; she was very odd, indeed – and possibly a greater challenge than he’d given her credit for.  “M’lady, your wish is my command; and you may dream of anything you desire,” he told her airily, not allowing his thoughts to mar the smile upon his face – the frown quickly gone, too.
   
  He stroked the nose of a horse whose head was poking out from its stall as they strolled past, finally reaching the end of the long corridor.  Turning, he led her up the switchback ramp that accessed the second level.  “And to put to rest any concerns that you have about accessing your horse at any hour, the stables never close.  Guards are posted on the upper entrances permanently of a night, and patrol regularly through the lower level at all hours, in case you think that means your stock won’t be protected - it will, I can assure you of that,” he added, recalling her earlier statement that she would want access to her horse at any time.  It seemed the time to bring it up – seeing as her response regarding her name and… everything else… made him feel rather awkward.  “And there’s always a certain amount of stable hands wandering about, to help you get saddled up and ready to go.  I organise the roster myself.  Should you ever find the service lacking in any way – tell me.”

[MissusHow]

There would be guards. Those were the words that stuck out the most right now in Ara\'s brain. Guards...but they wouldn\'t mind if she came as a normal person. "Palace guards? Or are they special for the stables?" she asked in a seemingly absent way. This was more complicated than she had originally thought, nothing she couldn\'t handle, though things could be so much simpler- perhaps this man was worth telling, as the keeper of her horse, and he seemed trustworthy,yet the thiefs suspicious nature held her toungue for a few more moments, at least just a few.

How would she be able to get in without the guards noticing her? It was true, she could go under cover of darkness, or whenever she pleased silently, but she would in truth need a contact that was connected to the stables, someone she could trust. Gallagher did seem close lipped, and the fact that he had tensed slightly next to her when she had used her false name told her that he would probably appreciate her honesty more than her lies. And the idea of getting caught saddling a horse at night and getting taken in for questioning was most horrifying.

That and the fact that one of her thieves had recently told her that a sertain Captain was hot on her tail, did not comfort her. Oh yes, the captain was another matter entirely, and she\'d have to get through that particularly interesting knot as soon as possible. But now was the time to think of a horse, and ways to enter the stable without being noticed. Not time to worry, certainly not. Though Ara had tensed up once again besides Gallagher, worry pounding at her brain. A small frown formed on her face.

[Existentially Odd]

He caught the frown when he glanced at her, and interpreted it as her still being concerned about this sudden, grand investment she was making.   He elaborated, in an effort to reassure her further.

"Generally just the regular guards - though the Captain and I are on quite good terms and I know for a fact that she never posts less than highly skilled ones here.  We have the royal horses, as well as every Noble\'s mount stabled on the top floor - they\'re all worth a great deal of money and a lot of time has been invested into training these animals.   They tend to be loved a great deal more, too.  When the prestige of the establishment - as well as the safety of the Castle\'s horses - is at stake, Captain Wilson gives no thought to providing us with her very best.  Talon forbid her horse ever be interfered with!" he chuckled, leading the lady out of the light and into the shadowed darkness of the upper level of stables.

True to his word, it was obvious that it was a different world up here.  The stalls were larger than the ones downstairs, the long corridors between them narrower to accommodate them.  The quality of horse they passed was noticeably better, too; the coats were glossier (not just because their owners paid for them to be groomed more regularly, either), their bone structures prouder, their muscles sleeker.  He was leading her into a place where her selection would obviously cost her a great deal more money.

[MissusHow]

Ara nodded, screwing her face up to make it look reassured. Not good, not good at all. And what\'s more, the man was on friendly terms with the captain. As they came to the second level, Ara blinked. "Oh." she whispered, staring at the horses as they passed. These were beautiful beasts, standing proudly, and looking at her curiously asshe passed. "They are magnificent." she stated with a nodd at Gallagher, "I\'m suprised their owners bear to part with them at all."

And it was true, the thought of somebody harming such a proud animal was baffling to her. "These horses...they don\'t get harmed, as the others do, do they?" she asked quietly, not bothering to hide her awe at the creatures as she peered at them with curious eyes. Likewise they peered at her, some shifting position as she passed, others letting out small huffs, and still others whinnying loudly.

Oh yes, if she were Gallagher she would keep a very close eye on these animals, and she could understand why some of the best guards were kept to watch the stables. "Tell me, did you get stolen from often before you got the guards? Do people still try to steal from you today?" she quizzed, an idea falling in place in her mind.