Running Wild -Laylia

[stolenhart]

Yshan frowned at the half broke colt staring him back, eye to eye. The dirt brown runner was fiery than most, fiery even than Yshan's personal racer, who was known for being spirited. This particular colt had bitten him when he went to put the halter on him and Yshan hadn't done anything to him yet. The aristocrat in him was not pleased that some animal had felt it prudent to bite him. The man in him admired the colt's spirit.

"Naw look 'ere", he said in the typical southern drawl of his birthplace. He could speak better, he was well-educated, but he found the runners responded better to the lazy speech of the drawl. "I am goin' ta saddle you and you are goin' ta like it", he threatened the colt, who's head was flush against the pole. He moved forward with the light racing saddle and the colt lashed out with a hoof. Yshan stepped back aware that the snorts from the colt were laughter. He shook his head and held out a tuber. It was instantly taken and the colt docilly let himself be saddled. "Why you ta be like dat?", he asked.

[kat]

Being Lady Holder of Ruatha came with a lot of responsibilities, and one of those was to make sure you interacted with your people. People who felt and knew their Lady cared about them were much more satisfied people. Showing personal interest in her people was something she took time out to do daily. Besides, it assured her as to how things were being run, and she kept many scrolls to keep track of the prosperity and issues that were Ruatha's. Today was the day to go down to the stables-a place she herself particularly enjoyed visiting. She loved runners, as most who had been born to Ruatha did. They were still best known for their racing stock, still had the best runners on all of Pern. They bred them carefully, true to their bloodline, and any new blood that came in was carefully monitored and experimented with until found to be exceptional and suitable for their stock. It was rare that they accepted these of new blood-only the best were kept here.

She came to the paddocks in time to see one of her 'newcomers' to Ruatha. He had a bit more of an interesting background than most-he had come from the South and now cut off all ties to it. When he'd come and asked to work with the runners, she had accepted after only a little thought. To gain trust, trust had first to be given. That was a key point of advice that she'd adhered to, and found it quite worthwhile. Yshan was a quite attractive individual, and even the Lady Holder had noted it. Not that this mattered, but it did make it all the more nicer to have someone pleasing to the eye to see. She silently watched the antics of the colt, and chuckled at its obstinate ways and Yshan's words. Then, so he could hear, she called out, "that one is still giving trouble, hrm? Seems like he'll be more worth the while for it, though-a fine colt, though I hope he'll tame down enough that we won't need to geld him. He's got good blood, but fiery as I've ever seen." She jumped over the corral's fence, walking across the dusty ground-luckily, it was drier today, not muddy. She made her way over to the colt, and gave him a pat on the nose, admiring him as she ran a hand down his flank, before standing once more and meeting Yshan's gaze.

"How's the progress coming on the new yearlings? We have buyers on the two sable mares, as soon as they're fully broken in." She only sold the secondary stock to buyers, jealous were the Ruathan people of their best stock. They had a second string that was finer than most could get, but they jealously held on to their best colts and mares, refusing to part with them.

The cool breeze was welcome in the warming weather, and blew her golden locks with their reddish hues, they were wild enough already that it couldn't muss them any more than they were. Her eyes were sharp, intelligent and intense, brooking no nonsense and bearing no question on her wit. She was a bit curious about Yshan's past in the South, but she was of a mind to have not forced the information out of him. As long as he did his work and was loyal to her and Ruatha, he was allowed to keep what he would to himself. Still, she'd been meaning to get around to subtly asking when she caught him alone.

[stolenhart]

Jist wha' I need som' innerfering be d**ned female, with a piller fer a heart, he thought to himself as he heard the woman's voice. Whether or not he realized she was the lady holder didn't matter to him, she was first and foremost a female, and an innerfering one at that. "Whale, he onli wants his tuber before he goes 'bout doin' any work", he explained tightening the girth on the colt who now stood as complacent as any plow runner. "Oh de' yerlings? They's comin' fine fine. Spect ye can let the dahlin's go sometime beginin' next se'erday", he told her, slipping a bit into the colt's mouth. The two mares were coming along well, as quick as one would expect from Ruatha's stock. Bred for centuries for speed, quite a few of them had also been bred for intelligence. While they weren't about to go opening doors and holding conversations, a good bit of them knew where home was and they were quick to learn.

While he finished fiddling with the colt he thought about this female. Typical innerfering sort this Laylia, hyped up on being sole heir to the Hold and now Lady Holder. In the South, he refused to call that place home, she'd have been married and sent away with the Over Holder putting one of his own sons in the Lord Holdership. Too bad no one in the Lidal's line Impressed, the man would kill all the riders just to have his rider kin be made Weyrleader. Smart beasts them dragons. Laiyla was pretty, if you liked younger women-he didn't-, but she was to d**n stubborn for her own good and betweenbent on ruling her hold. She needed a husband like a dragon needed a rider. "I bin meaning ta talk wit' you".

[kat]

Lailya found it a tad tricky to understand Yshan's thick accent, but not as tricky as some. She had met Southerners before, and not just once or twice. She wondered if he'd eventually lose it over time, as the people here didn't have it whatsoever.

She listened to him, pleased with the good news, and replied, "good, I'll inform the buyers that they can come get them in a two sevendays. I'd like to see how they are myself when you're through, Yshan." She was not unawares how people viewed her, as a young woman in charge of a Hold. It wasn't a common thing, though it had happened in the past. However, there also had been a lot of pressure for those women to marry-and quickly. Well, Lailya had no intentions of marrying anybody, especially not the power hungry, controlling sorts she'd met thus far. More like had conveniently thrown at me, she thought bitterly. She didn't know why anyone should think a man could do a better job than a woman of running a Hold. She had just as good a head on her shoulders as her father had had-he'd even discussed going ons with her at length, and she'd given him some ideas towards better Holding that he'd put to use. Men. They thought they were better at everything, and that women belonged doing 'womanish' things, like being housewives, caring for children, cooking and being seamstresses. She was aiming to show them otherwise, even if they were to put up a fight.

When Yshan said he'd been meaning to talk to her, she raised an eyebrow curiously. "Oh? Something to do with the runners?" she queried. It was only a guess, though seeing as how that's what Yshan spent his time doing here-working with the runners-it wasn't a far off bet in the least. She smiled at the colt, imagining more like him in her stock. He had good blood, and plenty of intelligence. She herself had been aiming to get a stallion like him for her own purposes. She hadn't a good runner since her old one passed away, a mare who was as good as any runner she'd ever seen.

[stolenhart]

There she went innerfering again. Insisting that she make sure the mares were properly trained before selling them. She did need a husband, that was the difference in men and women rules. A man was apt to trust his men, giving them their head, praising them for their work, disciplining them when he had to. A woman? Bah she'd keep her nose so far into someone's business she might as well take credit for doing the actual work herself. If she trusted her workers she would just let them be.

"I need ta be buyin' a runner", he told her, "Fer my stallion". He had hopes to build a string as good as Ruatha's, his colt was as good as Ruatha's runners, he was a Ruatha descendant, why back when so a Ruatha mare would be a good match. "Spect I don' need ta be buying 'er. I'd let 'im cover a mare and let you has him fer a few mares ya'own'sef", he explained. He was willing to cut a deal. He just wanted a foal, he'd stud his own runner out to get one if he had to.

[kat]

Lailya listened to his request, unsure if she particularly liked the idea of letting him use Ruatha's mares to breed his colt with. Usually,there was no harm done. However, if Yshan planned to take the foal out of Ruatha, and use it to start a string of his own, there would be some competition for Ruatha.

In any decision she made, she had to weigh the pros and cons. She didn't particularly need his colt. Oh, she had no doubts it was as fine a colt as any, for it could perhaps compete with their own. However, was he querying after a first rate mare, or one of the ones they sold to outsiders for their own purposes? Her brow furrowed slightly-so long as it wasn't a the ones of purer bloodline, she'd have no problems striking an accord with him. However, he hadn't been here long enough for her to be sure he planned to even stick around. She didn't know him well enough to know that he just hadn't come here with plans to get hold of a first rate mare to start off his own string. So, best to find out what he intended to be breeding, first. So, making sure she sounded disarming enough, she asked, "which mares, exactly, did you have your eye on? I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement," she added.

She was willing to barter. New blood in the selling stock was often good to experiment with. Even among the secondary stock, no one on Pern had finer. She would see exactly how far Yshan planned to propose, then. Would he dare propose so soon that he might take a mare which only the Ruathans, faithful and loyal for years, would timidly make an inquiry about? She wasn't about to assume, but she would be somewhat put off if he did.

[stolenhart]

He would dare. He'd been raised to believe he was her equal, nay he superior, and he would dare much. It was in his blood and his character. Still though, he was supposed to be a skilled runner trainer and below her. These Northerners deprived all men of honor and dignity just to keep their lowly positions. Still he did have his eyes on one mare particular. She was an older runner, ready to be retired for kids to ride. She didn't have best looks in the world, but still, sometimes those types had the best heart. He didn't know her past but since she hadn't been bred this last turn, and one of the stablemen told him it had been many turns since her last foal, he didn't think she was important. "Clin", the name of the Head Stableman, "says that ol' bay mare, do one wit the three stockings, she taint had a foal in some turns. I thought mayhaps her".

Sufficient, he thought, untying the colt from the post, that even this woman would let him have her. An old mare who would one foal more in her wasn't as expensive or needed as the mares who had many foals to birth. If Laiyla didn't let him have a mare here, he knew a few men in Igen who would be glad for his colt. Runners were hard to get into the North and the South and vice versa and both sides were avid runner racers. His colt's blood would be worthwhile anywhere.

[kat]

He did dare, and yet at the same time made it a choice that seemed both pushing things, and then not. He asked for an old mare who would probably have one more foal or colt, if that. Still, she was of Ruathan bloodline, and of the first stock. She did narrow her eyes, then, thinking carefully. He hadn't exactly earned her, but at the same time, she liked to give all her workers equal opportunity. Yet, she wasn't about to dismiss the idea that if-or rather, when, likely-the mare had a foal, he could start a string of his own using her foal-or even her colt. So, deciding honesty was the better part of valor, she asked outright, "do you plan to breed her young? And," she held up a finger, "if so, do you plan to start your own string, and take that string out of Ruatha?" Her eyes were hard, boring into him. She was pretty good at knowing when a person was being untruthful. To boot, she hardly knew Yshan. She liked to give people the benefit of the doubt, but she didn't even know why he'd left the South to begin with, or anything about him except he worked well with runners. It just wasn't enough to go on.

She glanced over at the mare briefly, then back to Yshan. No, she didn't have enough to go on at all. He might be a very good liar, and then he'd have what he had not earned,then perhaps would be off once he had what he needed. She didn't doubt he had the skills to start a string, and to have them in fine form for any buyers. She wasn't second stock, after all. There was that, too. If he bred with his colt, they would be only half of Ruathan blooded first stock. Still, his was a fine colt. There were a few factors playing in this. Still, she wanted to see what his plans were.

[stolenhart]

Innerfering woman. She wanted him to spill his guts and tell her why he left the south, well he wasn't about to share such dark secrets, not with a Lady Holder and not with this one in particular. "O'course? Why else would I ask fer ta foal?", he replied, trying his best not to roll his eyes. Honestly, really? He felt it prudent to tell the truth, the Honor code didn't say anything about not lying, even implying it would be ok in certain circumstances, but this was a time when truth was more important.

"And I do plan ta start me own string. I'd be fair daft not ta, not wit the colt I have", he added, trying so hard not smile his face was hurting. "As few going away for Ruata? I don't know, ya know. I spect it 'pends on ya", he added with a shrug. His current charge was starting to get impatient, but the colt was lazy at heart so standing around all day was a good, he just didn't want to do it in a saddle and a bridle. "If'n ya treat me right, do right by me and all dat, I spect I'd wind up staying here ta train few you. My string would only be on ta side ta gie me a bit of extra nou'n'agin", he added, fixing her with a predatory glint in his eyes. Where did she learn to be so hard? His sisters were no where near has steely-hearted as she was, and both of them were older than her.

[kat]

Lailya could at least not fault the man for being a dishonorable liar. He told it like it was, though 'like it was' wasn't quite as she'd hoped. It was true that the mare was of first line, pure Ruathan blood. She hated the thought of the mare in someone's hands save a Ruathan. However, what he said was not unreasonable. He was also using his own colt-it wouldn't be pure blooded colts and fillies.

If he was treated right, was that it? Well, she thought she treated all those who were living in her Hold right, so she ran her tongue over her teeth in her mouth, before folding her arms over her chest, looking him in the eye and asking seriously, "do you feel that I've not done right by you so far, Yshan? You've been given a place of your own, and you are paid well for your services-do you feel you are not given your fair dues here, or treated differently than any of my people?" She narrowed her eyes a little, at this. If she found out any were giving him a hard time, she would not go lightly on them. Yshan did a good job, a hard worker who earned his marks. She would have liked to keep him in her employ for as long as he would be willing to stay.

She couldn't possibly know his mind, that she wasn't his 'favorite person' by any means. She had learned to be stern and businesslike, because if she showed weakness, it would be taken advantage of. She had to show strength at all times, though she was by no means a hard hearted young woman. On the contrary, she was quite empathic and put others first. Yshan, however, would only see the business like side, though it should have at least been obvious she had a concern for his well being, like with all those in her Hold.

[stolenhart]

There she went jumping to conclusions again but at least this time it was a pertinent question. "Whale I ain't bin treated badly if'n that is what you are askin'", he answered, running a hand through his hair so that it stood on end. "At least not by you'n some others", he added carefully, trying to gauge her reactions. Most folks left him well enough alone but there were always a few who had to go poking their noses in his business just because he talked differently and came from further south then them. But then it could have been his arrogant air as well, like he was born to be something special and different. An air that was hard to hide from Lailya.

"It's jist some problems wit the locals not used ta my speech ma'm. We'll work out troubles out sooner or later, ain't nothing fer you ta be poking yer head into. Men's business", and it was. Neither party would thank her for stepping in and dealing with the trouble, in fact it could make it worse. Yshan and the man would trade punches in secret one day and then be best friends the next day, it was how things worked in a man's world. No matter how much women might want to meddle and change things, Pern would always be a man's world.

[kat]

Lailya wasn't a stupid woman, if anything else. She knew that there were some things that were a person's own business to deal with, and some that were not. From the sounds of what Yshan said, it was really not something she needed to be getting involved in. He would, she was sure, take care of it himself, and that was fine by her. She glanced back at the mare, and weighed what had been said, then back at Yshan, her expression not giving much away. Finally, she nodded in assent, and told him seriously, "you haven't been here nearly as long as some who would have had the nerve to ask for a mare of her bloodline, Yshan. I expect you to stay and earn her, though let's just say I'll give you her now, and you can prove you were worth the 'gift' as time goes on. You will always be treated well unless you should do something to give reason for me to do otherwise-understood?" she told him, gaze level, and then, "she is yours now, so I trust you'll do right by her?" There was a bit of a twinkle in her eye, then, a tug of a smirk at the corner of her lips.

She knew Yshan was a good worker, but it was true-he'd been here less time than her other workers. She didn't believe that she should give 'hand outs' to a person who had been here for so short of time and then went asking after a mare of the first rank bloodline. However, she was taking a bit of a risk with him-see how he responded, and if his work kept proving itself. If he took of shortly after...well, that would teach her a lesson about giving before dues were received. She had another task for him, besides. She would have him find her a colt befitting of her, and train it. She would let him choose, and he would be the one to train it. She would get a very, very good grasp on how much he knew about runners by this. Hopefully, he knew how to choose a good one. She wanted one for speed and intelligence both, one who would also have endurance. Could he both select and train one for her? She would ask once she had his response.

[stolenhart]

Nerve? He didn't have any nerve, he hadn't wanted the mare, he'd just wanted the foal but he wouldn't look a gift runner in the mouth. "I caint promise nothin' but I'll do me best", he offered with a shrug, giving the runner beside him a friendly pat. The horse had quite fidgeting and was trying to disappear so he would be worked at all today. Poor runner didn't know that Yshan knew he was there though and hadn't forgotten him. "Oil do righ' by her ma'm, taint make no mistake bout dat", he assured her, golden eyes staring at her unflinchingly. He was taller than she was but then he was taller than quite a few people, except for that Northern Harper, though he couldn't remember his name. They'd met Turns ago back at Taskin.

He turned back to the colt, putting the reins over his head and getting his boot in the stirrup. "Was there somethin' else ma'm?", he asked before climbing effortlessly into the saddle. The colt laid his ears bag and quick stepped, preparing to buck. "Oy stop that now, I taint goin' nowhere", Yshan pulled the reins so that the colt's nose was touching his chest. With no way to get leverage he settled down.

[kat]

Lailya nodded, though she wasn't sure if he could see the gesture, and so, "yes, actually. Since my father's old runner passed away, I haven't had one of my own for the past little while. I was actually of a mind that you might be able to select a colt or mare for me, and train it." She paused a moment, and then, "since you are selecting one, I expect it to be intelligent, fast," and here she flashed a grin-Ruathan's loved fast runners!, "as well as have good stamina. You may choose to train any colt or mare of the first rank. And..." she added, "you will have a chance at a promotion, if you wanted it."

In truth, Danneal, her old master of the stables, had retired just shortly before Yshan arrived. No one was good enough with the runners that she wanted to trust them at this. If Yshan did well? She had to admit he was far better and seemed far more experienced than anyone had yet. He was good with the runners, and though rough around the edges, he got the job done. Plus, it might be further incentive for him to have a place to stay permanently here. It would be more responsibility, but his pay would go up by what he was making plus half-a large raise, indeed-and it stood to go up to almost double if things worked out well with him. He'd be able to buy his own home here, and his own small stable for his own small string. She didn't add this, she wanted first to see his reaction. She needed a feel for his interest in these stables. If he was happy to keep his position as a stablehand who broke in runners? He'd stay that, but there wasn't much room for advancement if he had no interest in doing only that. How sharp would he be? She waited for his reply, curiosity growing.

[stolenhart]

The runner quieted under his weight though Yshan wasn't stupid enough to completely trust the green colt, it wouldn't take much for the runner to decide he wanted Yshan off his back. In fact this colt had already tossed Yshan once this sevenday he wouldn't be doing it again. That kind of thing could make the beast unmanageable. "You want me ta pick yer next beast is it?", he rubbed his goatee with one hadn, feeling the colt under him rock back and forth. He narrowed his eyes wondering why him then he remembered she had a stable opening. How could he let an oppurtunity like this go to waste?

"If'n I do an a'cceptible job I'll be wantin' yer Stable Master job", he told her, eyes alight with inner fire. "It's what I came 'ere to git after all", he added as the colt took two steps. He reined the colt up short and turned him in a circle. "Ye think on that, I got to git this colt worked afore he goes 'tween", he added, "but I'll git started on yer runner soon as we git back", he gave her nodded and gave the runner his head. Without further warning, the beast took off at a quick trot, going down the flat lane as fast as Yshan would let him.

[kat]

Lailya was secretly pleased, though still a bit surprised by Yshan's more blatantly blunt air. However, she had to admit that honesty was something she valued in her workers. So, though she never got the chance to reply, as he told her to 'think on it' and wheeled away on the colt, she was secretly quite pleased. Lailya knew talent when she saw it, and he had talent. She would gladly make Yshan Stable Master if he succeeded with finding and training her a suitable runner. More than, and for more than one reason.

Yshan stood to make a lot of marks here in Ruatha-runners were what they worked in. If he was Stable Master here for a couple of turns, he would be given a couple of Ruatha's first ranked runners, as a Ruathan of higher ranking than just simply a stable hand. They could be anyone-the stable master position was open only for one, and she needed someone reliable for it. So, with a pleased sort of smile, she turned and headed back for her Hold, to make a few notes in her scrolls before heading out once more.