• Solo • Buying the Right Mount

[Kirei Qe'Azour]

13th Cylus, 721


Kirei and Aiden approached the farm where they had been told that Scalvwing Steeds were bred with some degree of skepticism. Ever since they had come to Egilrun with the intention of buy a pair of Scalvwing Steeds, they had been given the runaround. Some people had told them that there was no such thing as a flying horse, and that they were stupid for believing in such silly children's stories. Kirei knew this to be false. They weren't exactly a common sight, but she and Aiden had both seen them around Scalvoris Town in the past.

Others gave them false directions that had led them all over the village in search of the farm, much to the amusement of those who watched them. Still others had simply refused to give them directions at all, insisting that they would be able to find the farm themselves if they tried hard enough, and had a little common sense. None of the villagers were cruel in their attempts to mislead them though. And whenever they got lost, there was always someone who was happy to help them get back to the inn they were staying in. For that reason, Kirei was certain that no one meant any harm in the runaround they were getting. Kirei was convinced that the locals were simply having a bit of fun with a pair of obvious outsiders. So she and Aiden took it with good humor...for the most part.

Even so, they were getting tired of the "game" by the time they approached what looked to be the right farm. So she was more than a little relieved when they saw a man ride up to them on the back of a Scalvwing Steed. It was beautiful. The creature looked mostly like a horse, except for the wings. But it was a deep purplish blue that was so dark that it looked like the color of the sky at nightfall when the last bit of color darkened into the black night sky.

"The name's Edwin. What can I do for you folks?" the man asked with a grin.

"My name is Kirei Qe'Azour, and this is Aiden. We'd like to buy a pair of Scalvwing Steeds."

The man's expression shuttered.

"If you're looking to buy a good mount, then you've come to the right place. But if you're thinking to buy a breeding pair so that you can breed my beauties for yourself, then you're out of luck. I only sell mares and geldings." he said cautiously.

Kirei blinked, startled.

"Breed them? No. Neither of us would even know where to start with something like that. We're just looking for some good, reliable mounts. You see, we live a long way from where I work, and having a flying mount would help cut the travel down a lot. And the reason we want to buy a pair rather than just one is because I like to have company when I ride." she said.

Edwin grinned at them.

"Well, in that case, you've come to the right place!"

[Kirei Qe'Azour]

"Come with me."

Edwin led Kirei and Aiden to a large paddock filled with Scalvwing Steeds. There were many different colored animals ranging from pure white to pure black, with many shades of grey in between. But there were also strange colors such as deep purples, blues and green.

"So let's get to the important questions first. What are you looking for in a mount?"

Kirei and Aiden exchanged uncertain glances.

"A mount that can fly?" Kirei responded.

It was more of a question than an answer, and Edwin frowned.

"Let me ask you this, then. What kind of riders are you? How much experience do you have?"

Kirei and Aiden exchanged glances again.

"Very little for myself. I've ridden a horse in the past, but I'm really not any good at it. Aiden's a better rider than I am, but he's only ridden horses, like me. Neither of us have ever ridden a Scalvwing Steed."

"I am used to being up in the air, though I'm a decent flyer. Will that help?"

Edwin considered the question.

"In that you are used to being high up, and are not likely to panic over heights, yes. Scalvwing Steeds need to be able to trust their owner before they will allow someone to ride them while they are flying. What this means is that the owner must bond with them, or develop a relationship with them first. Panicking the first time you go up on a Scalvwing Steed that has learned to trust you will damage that trust, and it might be difficult, or even impossible to regain once it has been lost. But as far as actual riding skill, no. It won't be of much help. You said that you're a decent rider, though?"

Aiden nodded.

"I wouldn't feel up to the challenge of an untrained, or difficult mount, but I do know the basics."

"Fair enough. It sounds to me like you will both need calm, docile mounts then. A mount's temperament is very important because it is one of the things that determines the amount of skill a person needs to ride them. It is much like you said, Aiden. Someone who only knows the basics isn't going to be able to manage a smart, stubborn animal that is trying to find ways to get its own way. And someone who isn't even certain in their grasp of the basics is going to be even less able to manage a difficult mount."

That made perfect sense to Kirei, so she nodded.

"Now that I know more about your needs, I can help you find the right Scalvwing Steeds; ones that you will be able to handle."

Edwin led them over to the far corner of the paddock. Two Scalvwing Steeds were eating some hay.

"Now these two should be perfect for you. The mare is very patient, docile, and she doesn't startle easily. She is a perfect mount for an inexperienced rider. The gelding with her has a bit more spirit, but he's a good, steady mount. Both of them are well trained. They are also smart, willing, even eager to learn."

They sounded like exactly what Kirei and Aiden were looking for. Or would have been had they known enough to know what they should be looking for. And they were beautiful creatures as well. One was black with a white star, and had twilight blue feathers. The other was a very dark color that could be black, purple, or blue. There were hints of all three colors in its hide.

"We'll take them." Kirei and Aiden said in unison.

Edwin laughed as Kirei and Aiden grinned at each other.

[Kirei Qe'Azour]

"Excellent."

Edwin told them how much it would cost for the two Scalvwing Steeds, and Kirei handed the money over happily. She was looking forward to getting to know them, and earning the trust of the mare that she would be riding.

"Can we arrange for the Scalvwing Steeds to be brought to our house in the Sweetwine Woods?" Aiden wanted to know.

"I don't think that either of us are up to the task of getting them home ourselves."

Edwin looked at them for a few bits before responding.

"Yes, I can do that."

"What do we need to know about our Scalvwing Steeds to be able to take care of them properly?" Kirei asked.

"They look like horses, so I am guessing that they have some of the same needs. But I don't want to make any assumptions, and make a mistake that will hurt them by doing so."

Edwin smiled at her.

"That's a very smart way of thinking, Kirei. And you're right. Scalvwing Steeds are a lot like horses in a number of ways. They live for approximately 30 arcs, and they age at the same rate as horses, spending the same amount of time as foals as horses do. Scalvwing Steeds also have dietary needs as horses do. They eat primarily grass, hay, and grains. But like horses, they also enjoy a good warm mash, especially when the weather is cold."

Kirei and Aiden both listened intently, wanting to learn as much as they could from the man before they alone were responsible for the care of the creatures they had just bought.

"Scalvwing Steeds need a special stable with stalls that are wide enough to accommodate their wings. Do you have a place to house the two that you bought totrial?"

Kirei exchanged glances. They did have a small stable, and a small barn for the animals that they already owned. But they didn't think that the stable they had would work for the Scalvwing Steeds.

"We have a barn that we can keep them in until we can have one built. We do have horses, but I don't think the stalls our stable has would work for the Scalvwing Steeds." Kirei said slowly.

"That will work." Edwin told them.

Kirei smiled in relief.

"Just try and get the Scalvwing Steed stable built quickly, all right? The barn will work in the short term, but it isn't a permanent solution."

Kirei nodded.

"We will." she promised.

Edwin paused for a few trills.

"If you'd like, I have some free time totrial. If you folks don't have anywhere you need to be, I can teach you a few things about the Scalvwing Steeds you've just bought. I'd feel a lot more comfortable if I knew they were going to someone who knows how to take care of them properly." he said slowly, as if hoping they wouldn't be offended by his offer.

It was just the opposite. Kirei was very relieved that she was being given the chance to learn more about the beautiful creatures she had bought. A glance at Aiden told her that he felt the same way that she did.

"We'd like that. Thank you."

Edwin grinned at them.

"Let's get started then."

OOC

Since this location hasn't been written up, both of the mounts Kirei is buying will be of average quality. Kirei is tier 9, and as such, one of the Scalvwing Steeds she is buying in this thread is covered by that. The second one is an exotic average quality mount, and 8 WP will be deducted from my ledger for it.