Of Apples and Old Friends [Conor/Open]

[penelopeandrews]

A juicy red apple in hand, Penny leisurely walked through the country paths leading to Knighton. She didn’t dare venture to take bite of tasty fruit in front of any of the number of hungry persons loitering about and, if she had thought of it, she took a risk even carrying it out in the open. It wasn’t as if anyone hungry enough would have any scruples about taking anything from her, especially food. Food was food and she was simply a lone woman who wouldn’t exactly put up much of a fight. Nevertheless, she took the liberty carrying within her pockets a few more apples, this time to give to a couple unordinary charges.

Upon arriving she pushed aside the large stable door and instantly caught the familiar earthy smell that always met her nostrils when she visited. She’d never much minded it and, truth be told, she much preferred it to the smell of the prisons. Certainly the stables were a much more pleasant place. Walking down the center aisle she looked to see a familiar face, preferable of the person who told her it was perfectly fine to come, but instead found the real reason for her visit first. Chestnut body gleaming so many marvelous shades of brown Penny could never think to name stood one of the most beautiful horses the woman had ever laid eyes on. Though she had originally been charged by a noble to bring only the choicest fresh apples from a small orchard outside Knighton during his visit to the castle, Penny had grown exceedingly fond of the horse. The horse may have belonged to a man who certainly cared nothing for her friendly personality and more for her sheer beauty and strength but Penny saw a kindred spirit, if that could be said of a horse. Even now, long after the noble left and in the few short hours she wasn’t expected in the castle she had actually ventured out this far to visit the horse.

Penny reached out a hand to the kindly being, who lovely nuzzled it. In a small way she hoped the horse cared for her as well but it didn’t much matter. Reaching into her pocket she brought out one of the shiny apples hidden there. Without having to offer twice, the horse willingly took the offered apple, provoking a smile from Penny. This was definitely one of the few orders she had actually enjoyed taking and had never regretted.

[conormccarthy]

Conor adored all the horses at the stables, though the majority of them belonged to other people. The stables at Knighton charged a fair amount for the livery of horses, and in return they were kept safe and well in a special barn built for the purpose. Currently however, Conor was beginning to take a real disliking to the most recent guest. By special order, the animal was to be walked each day and by default, Conor was given the task.

The animal in question was a magnificent black stallion. He was the epitome of equine perfection, on the outside. Inside, it was possibly the rudest, most distasteful creature Conor had ever met. Fighting to keep the rancid animal under control, the stable-hand opened the main stable door and had to drag the lazy stallion into his stall. The black horse fluctuated from pulling on his lead to standing completely still and refusing to move.

With a string of Gaelic curses, the medium-height, blond-haired young man locked the animal in its stall. He was glad for the bars that covered the top half of the doorway, as the stallion had tried many times to reach over the bottom door to bite Conor on his way past. The bars turned the stall into a cell, and Conor enjoyed that particular analogy with a smug glee.

With the beast locked away, Conor had enough wits about him to notice the redhead fussing with the sweet chestnut in the far stall. He knew for a fact that the young woman was not her owner, though he did recall seeing her around once or twice before. Did she just come to see the horses? Or was she planning on taking one? Clearing his throat, Conor crossed the barn and leaned on door of the next stable down. "Uh, can I help you?" He asked, his tone a little hesitant. He was not used to confronting people so directly, and what little social etiquette he retained screamed that it was rude to talk to a lady in such a way. "Sorry." He said before he could think. He looked into the empty stall in front of him, hoping he hadn't insulted the lady.

[penelopeandrews]

At the sound of a scuffle, Penny turned her head to see a man struggling with a black horse. It was beautiful she supposed, exactly what a black stallion ought to be, and it was hard to deny its evident power as he gave his handler difficulties. The horse obviously had a temper to him as well which was not exactly endearing, however. Finally, and with what looked like some difficulty, the man managed to get the ill-tempered horse into his stall. With an interesting string of what she assumed was profanity and the horse’s attempted nips at the man Penny was amazed at how tame the chestnut horse beside her seemed in comparison.

Turning back to said horse Penny smiled. “I am most glad you haven’t followed the example,” she said, patting the horse affectionately. Though she’d never been afraid of the large mammals she had seen enough in the past to know that one needed to be especially careful around them, particularly ones such as the black stallion down the passage. In many ways it was surprising that Penny had taken such a liking to the horse in front of her. Her family had owned a simple brown workhorse when she was younger but her brother had taken the initiative to take his inheritance with him when he snuck off so the horse was lost to them. Mind, they’d never really had a need for one. Penny had lived her entire life in town and almost everything was in walking distance. Again, she couldn’t help but smile at the sweet horse that had so thoroughly won her over.

Penny turned at the sound of a male voice. She was surprised to see it belonged to the man she had seen just a moment earlier wrestling with the black stallion. In retrospect she shouldn’t have been too surprised. It was suspect to see a stranger looking kindly at and talking up the horses. “Oh, I’m sorry I thought it would be all right to stop in,” Penny began, her tone completely apologetic. “That is to say I talked with one of the stable hands and he said it would be fine if I visited Cymbeline now and again.” The man’s own apology for his bluntness surprised her and the way he gazed into the empty stall beside him instead of her made her feel awkward. She was so used to being commanded about and it wasn’t as if this was her natural habitat, as it was the man’s. Penny felt an inexplicitly embarrassed for putting the man out.

“There’s no need to apologize,” the woman said after a moment’s silence. “I’m Penelope Andrews and I’ve come from Nottingham castle on no business but my own. Cymbeline and I took a fancy to one another and it was like abandoning a friend when she left. I hope you don’t mind… I’ve been paying whoever lets me in each visit. I know it’s out of the ordinary…” Penny’s hand went instinctively the apple in her pocket, her small payment for entrance to see the beautiful Cymbeline.

[conormccarthy]

From the sounds of it, she had visited many times, why hadn't the other stable hands mentioned it? It was an odd occurrence, to be sure. She didn't own the horse, and Conor was unaware that other people could find friendship from a horse. It was quiet a revelation. To come from Nottingham just to visit a horse? She was either deranged or she had a lot of time on her hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a habit of this. I'm too busy to notice much that goes on out here." He watched her hands smooth over the mare's face, admiring her gentle way with the animal. "Cymbeline? It suits her." He commented quietly.

He saw her reach for her pocket, presuming she was going to fulfill that promise of payment. "No, don't worry. Who has been taking money from you? You don't have to pay to see the horses. They need the attention, they don;t get enough from their owners." Conor was going to have to ask Arnold to tell the stable boys to stop taking payments from this lady. It was hardly proper. They got paid to work, that was enough. It was greedy to expect more, even if they did need every penny.

[penelopeandrews]

While Penny knew her relationship with the horse was unorthodox she had always felt in the back of her mind that it was only natural that others, no matter how few they were, felt the same. Now she realized it must have seemed exceedingly odd, dare she venture eccentric, to travel so far for one who’s affection was not only uncertain but unneeded. Truth be told, she sometimes felt isolated, only really interacting with the people who lived or traveled to the castle. She loved people but the life of an ordinary kitchen servant wasn’t worth much and the Sheriff wasn’t exactly one to encourage socialization over good work.

“It’s not often,” she said meekly, as if to justify her conduct. “It’s just that no one really cares. I’m sure some do and I’ve no doubt that the people who are around here care but her master surely doesn’t.” It was unlike Penny to pass judgments on people, she never knew the whole story of someone’s life and couldn’t weigh their heart. Rather, Penny based her comment on the noble’s actions in the past. Perhaps he had other more pressing cares and couldn’t be bothered with any horse…maybe that was why Penny was there. Divine intervention or fate of some sort. She was no mystic, all she knew was she cared for Cymbeline and that’s what had driven her here. Penny nodded slightly. “It does suit her.”

Penny looked down to the hand she had unconsciously moved to her pocket. It certainly was as if her hand was separate from her own mind’s thoughts. “It’s nothing much. Really I don’ t mind.” She’d not a coin to spare, all went to her family, and Penny doubted if she could justify such a selfish desire to spend her meager pay on meeting a horse while her family starved. “It’s never anything much. Just whatever I have on me.” She hid the fact that it was from the Sheriff’s own stores and that’s why it was expendable. What perhaps she didn’t even realize was how high the cost for the food actually was. Pulling the apple from her pocket she smiled kindly at the man.

“We all must eat and many masters do not pay enough for anyone to go away without hunger. Thank you,” she said, grateful for the man’s generous spirit. “If you’ll not take payment, do you mind if I give it to someone I know would enjoy it?” She smiled at the chestnut beauty beside her and offered her the apple (truly Cymbeline was being spoiled today). “Have you worked here long,” she asked, turning back to the man beside her. Penny was certain she’d seen him there before but, as he’d said, he was usually busy and she could well understand it with so many charges to tend.

[conormccarthy]

Conor stared into the empty stall next to the chestnut's. She was right in suggesting that no other people cared for the horses like they deserved, though Conor doubted the other stable hands were as compassionate as Penelope or himself. Conor was not ignorant to the gossip that was caused by his affection toward the horses. The level of care and attention he gave them - as if they were human - was something some people found amusing. Conor didn't much care for gossip, however, and it barely bothered him when he overheard just talk of his eccentric ways.

The lady took not coins, but an apple from her pocket. Conor was relived, and would have suggested she give it to the mare as he would feel guilty taking it as 'payment'. She talked of the hardships of working under a master, and Conor reminded himself not to take his situation for granted. The smith gave him lodging so long as Conor worked at the stables and most importantly, conducted his trade under the same roof as the blacksmith. It gave the man a higher reputation to have a skilled leather-worker on hand to take commissions and that benefited Conor as he had the smith's customer base to feed his trade. It was a symbiotic relationship, if the only relationship Conor had.

"Four or five years, I've worked here. Not much longer after this barn was built." Conor had worked at the stables longer than the rest of the stable boys, as it had grown out of the niche that Conor's talents provided. He was a skilled horseman, and Arnold had seen that introducing stables into the mix would be yet another notch to loosen on his belt as his income provided him enough food to maintain his rotund form.

[penelopeandrews]

Placing a hand on the chestnut’s half-door, Penny made an effort to shift some of her weight from her travel wary feet as inconspicuously as possible. The distance from Nottingham castle to Knighton was great and, though well worth it, the young woman also recognized she’d have to make her way back eventually. She was eternally grateful for the man’s goodwill toward her, as awkward as her sudden presence had been, knowing it would have been unlikely she would come again had someone fully chastened her for her visits.

“I admit, I never much traveled to Knighton before meeting Cymbeline,” Penny admitted. “Never had much of a call to before, I suppose.” The woman smiled when the man told her he’d worked there four or five years. She had no idea the stable was new until he mentioned it, of course, but it appeared a well-built structure with enough room for its inhabitants to be kept in relative comfort. Still, stables never seemed the right environment for a horse but she’d never say such a thing.

“Half a decade working with such creatures surely must be one of the best jobs in the world,” she said honestly, caressing Cymbeline’s face affectionately. If she had been a man of any strength she would have loved to care for such noble creatures. Yet she was a woman and not a particularly strong one at that. In fact, she hated to admit it but she’d never actually rode one and would be ill recommended for such a job.

It was hard to believe Penny had worked in the castle for over a decade now. She felt inexplicitly old yet she was only three and twenty. Life deals cards differently for everyone, however. If her father had not met with his untimely accident and her brother not entirely left them she’d no doubt be living in town tending to the household’s needs but life hadn’t dealt that set. Though she regretted the loss of her father’s livelihood and the complete loss of her brother she rejoiced that she did what she loved. Perhaps one day, years and years from now old in age and tired from years of overwork she’d feel differently but for now she loved her situation. Everything would turn out for the best, eventually, and for now she could remain content with the few friends she had and hold out hope that her brother was not lost to the world and would one day return.

((ooc: I'm sorry if this isn't very conducive to a reply. My brain hasn't yet returned from vacation. Let me know if you need more to reply and I'll fix it.))

[conormccarthy]

OOC: Its no problem! Welcome back ^_^

Conor glanced over as she spoke, watching her hands as they petted the mare. The chestnut seemed quite content under the soothing and scratching, so much so that she had dozed off a little. With the slightest smile, Conor reached over and patted the top of her neck. "I've always worked with horses, at home in Ireland too." He missed his home country and one day he wanted to go back, but after being brought to Nottinghamshire and settling in Knighton, he was reluctant to make any firm plans.

The fact of Penelope's interest in the mare pleased Conor. It was very rare to see another person spending time with a horse for the joy of it. He wanted to do something to encourage her. A thought crossed his mind. Grooming always calmed him, and perhaps it would foster that kinship he could see building between her and the horse. "She could do with being groomed, but I have to do some other chores around the barn. Would you like to do it?"

The young man wished he had the time to simply visit the horses. He envied her, having the time to come from Nottingham just too see the sweet chestnut mare. Cymbeline, she called her. He rubbed his palm down the horse's neck s far as the door would allow him to reach.

[penelopeandrews]

“What was it like, Ireland,” Penny asked before realizing it may have been a sore subject. An interest in travel had developed since her brother left so many years before. Many years later she would imagine her brother, certainly a hero and undoubtedly now named a knight by King Richard himself, in any and every locale she heard of. Her favorite myths had been of him crossing the whole of Europe as a noble crusader but of course of it was the work of a fanciful imagination. She’d always been overly fond of over exaggerated tales though she knew half of the truths to be lies. Still, it was a comfort to her and she’d hold onto it if she could.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so blunt,” she apologized. “I have meant a handful of people from the isle but have not been far out of the shire. My interest in other lands is no excuse for imprudence and I do apologize.” The hand she still held on the door displayed barely visible nervous movements as she tried to make herself more at ease after her fumble. She had a way of doing this to herself, unconsciously asking more confidence from strangers than should have been expected upon a first meeting. Penny was herself an open book and she was slowly training herself to realize that not everyone else was.

Looking to Cymbeline she smiled fondly but sadly. “If the offer is still open I would,” she said, though not without a tone of reluctance in her voice. There was no choice but to reveal her ignorance on the matter. “I would if someone would show me how. I’m afraid I was never allowed to care for our horse when we had her and its been some years now since I had even the pleasure of her company.” Despite her embarrassment at being almost completely ignorant on all matters when it came to horses, she gave a small smile as she watched the man’s gentleness toward her friend. It wasn’t something she saw often from those who cared for the beautiful creatures. A gentle hand and heart was rare compared with the hard handed task masters she’d seen in many stable hands. Penny was glad to see that at least Cymbeline had one friend here.

((ooc: Blah, I'm sorry it took so long. Should be able to better keep up now.))

[conormccarthy]

Conor shrugged off the apology, though he wasn't quite sure what she was apologising for, or in fact what half the words she said meant. The more noble the servant's employer, the less sense they tended to make with their eloquent words and complex sentences. "Ireland is beautiful but damp, though not as wet as Nottinghamshire." He told her, and in answer to her response about the horse, he took a leather halter from a peg next to the door and slipped it over the mare's head.

Gesturing for her to step back from the door, he slid the deadbolt open and led the mare out. She walked slowly and ponderously, turning slowly as he brought her back round to tether outside her stall door. With quick and nimble movements of his hand's he'd tided her lead rope to a small metal ring hanging on the supporting wooden post between her stall and the empty one.

Making sure the stall's door was shut again, he told Penelope, "Start by stoking her neck, touch her back and flanks a little while I get the brushes." The young man walked to the back of the stable, picking a few well-worn brushes from a pile on a shelf along with a few other tools.

He returned to the woman and the mare, setting all but two of the brushes up against the wall of the stall. He showed Penelope how to use the course brush made of small stiff bristles to ease dirt from the chestnut mare's coat with long easy strokes, then handed her the brush and used the second to start work on the mare's other side. He explained the importance of grooming with the direction of the fur, and that you had to give the mare plenty of warning before touching her legs. "This girl won't kick, but she'll get nervous if you move too fast." He explained. "They all behave differently."

[penelopeandrews]

The girl had a habit of apologizing when there was hardly enough to constitute an apology as appropriate but was glad to see he hadn’t taken her bluntness badly. A smile formed on her face as he told her of Ireland. Certainly Nottingham was damp, one might argue sopping at times. How often did she walk about with mud a fifth of the way up her skirts, the constant result of living in a dirt ridden locale with a tendency to rain more often than the sun shown unhindered. She decided not to press him for more of his earlier life. They barely knew each other and she knew nothing about his reasons for leaving his country and never wanted to bring up unnecessary pain if it existed. Stepping back, she watched as Conor opened the mare’s door open and led her out.

She couldn’t quite say why but the prospect of brushing the beautiful creature before her made her a little nervous. It wasn’t as if she thought Cymbeline would take offense to the idea but she feared that she would someone miss a step and hurt her. Lovingly she rubbed the horses neck while trying to calm her own rising nerves. She listened carefully to Conor’s instructions, making a mental note to be particularly careful near her legs. While she was glad the chances were in her favor that she’d not be kicked as she’d once been kicked by a rather obnoxious cow when she was younger she still knew she’d take extra caution when going anywhere near the mare’s legs. Picking up a brush, she gently began to brush Cymbeline, paying particular attention to which direction she was doing it.

“If you are in no hurry to have her back in her stall, I won’t intentionally rush,” she said, not taking her eyes from the horse. Penny had no idea how the horse would take to someone other than the usual stable hands caring for her but was glad to see she hadn’t messed up too badly yet. In fact, she found it the exercise to be rather relaxing.