Kolya and Aoife meet, 6/17/2005

• Kolya has changed after reporting to everyone he was supposed to see, and has come down to the stables
• Aoife is tending to a colicky horse. She has been up with it all night and despite her ministrations, it doesn't seem to be getting any

 better. She is out walking it and walking it so it won't lie down and die.

• Aoife is a tall, gangly girl, not especially attractive, though she does have pretty blue eyes. Her hair is dead-straight and a mousy brown

 colour, nothing to write home about.

• Aoife is leading a sick-looking and blanketed horse around and around in circles. Both she and the horse look about done in for.
• Kolya is tall, very blonde... not especially attractive really, but he does have a certain presence
• Kolya also has nice blue eyes, though

<Aoife> Keep going, Brownie, that's a girl... you can do it. We'll get you through this.

• Aoife can be heard talking to the horse; she sounds very tired and not certain that her words will prove true.

<Kolya> Oh... whats' wrong with Brownie? :(

• Aoife looks up.

<Aoife> She's got a terrible case of colic... <Kolya> err... oh. <Aoife> She came down with it yesterday evening. I've been up with her all night but she isn't getting any better.

• Aoife sounds dejected and defeated.

<Aoife> Poor Brownie...

• Aoife turns to pat the horse's sweaty neck when it stumbles.

<Kolya> yeah, she's such a nice horse... <Aoife> Poor old girl...

• Aoife nods.

<Kolya> YOu look prett beat too... <Kolya> I can walk her for a bit, if you wanna go have a break or something :o <Aoife> Oh? Would you? <Kolya> sure!\

• Aoife looks about ready to cry with gratitude.

<Kolya> really, go, have a nap or something. :o

• Aoife is obviously very fond of animals and is taking this disease personally.
• Kolya will climb over the fence and join you in the ring

<Aoife> Oh, no, I can't sleep, not until she takes a turn one way or the other. I promised her I'd see her through. <Aoife> But it would be nice to get a drink or something... <Kolya> I'm sure she'd understand, wouldn't you Brownie? <Kolya> She's not a misery-loves-company kind of horse.

• Kolya pets the poor horsey
• Kolya will take over walking her then
• Aoife hands the lead rope over to you, then sticks out her right hand.

<Kolya> Oh, I'm Kolya :) <Aoife> I'm Aoife... thanks and would you like some water too? I'll be right back. <Kolya> umm.. sure :) <Aoife> All right. <Kolya> thanks!

• Kolya walks the horse around a bit then
• Kolya was hoping to go riding, but, awww, Brownie :(
• Aoife smiles wanly and goes to the stables to fetch some water.
• Aoife comes back with a yoke over her shoulders, from which are suspended two buckets. One is steaming; the other is not.
• Kolya is wearing a light blue wool sweater with a darker navy band around the middle, black trousers, and riding boots

<Kolya> Come on, Brownie on your feet :)

• Kolya patiently encourages the animal
• Aoife sets the buckets down in one corner of the stableyard. From the non-steaming one she withdraws two tumblers of cold water and sets

 them down on a bale of hay.

<Kolya> I know you're gonna be fine, so no more messing around and worrying Aoife, okay? <Aoife> Kolya? Here's your water, and you can bring her over too, I'll try to feed her a mash again... <Kolya> sure thing.

• Kolya brings her over
• Kolya only has a weak British accent, by the way.
• Aoife takes her over from you again and tries holding the steaming bucket of bran mash under the horse's nose. Brownie sniffs at it

 disinterestedly, only touching it with her lips but not eating any of it.

• Aoife has a strong British accent.

<Aoife> Oh Brownie... try, just a little bit, for me?

• Aoife sets the bucket down and scoops some mash with her hand, holding it under the horse's nose. This time, Brownie makes a valiant effort

 and picks some of the mash up.

• Aoife seems cautiously pleased by this development.
• Kolya takes a drink, watching Aoife work

<Aoife> Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking? <Aoife> I heard a lot of accents from all over at my school, but none like yours... <Kolya> Oh, err...

• Aoife says shyly, slowing down near the end of the sentence, as if she realizes it might sound rude.

<Kolya> A long long way from here... Kingdom of Northern Ice?

• Aoife turns to look at you, eyes widening a bit in surprise.

<Aoife> All the way across the ocean? <Aoife> Did you come by boat or Faerie transport? <Kolya> Nah, I came the *long* long way... through the Dreaming

• Aoife scoops up another handful of mash and offers it to Brownie, who tries again to swallow it. Aoife is never out of contact with the

 horse; her non-goopy hand pats and strokes Brownie's neck absently.

<Aoife> Really? What was that like? <Kolya> confusing -_- <Aoife> Oh, good girl, Brownie, good girl. That tastes good, doesn't it? <Kolya> Where did you go to school?

• Aoife is still listening to you but also tending to the horse. ;)

<Aoife> The Schola Plagarum Asperarum... it's in Manchester - do you know where that is? <Kolya> Well, I've seen it on a map, anyway <Kolya> Up North?

• Aoife nods.

<Aoife> In Albion, of course...

• Kolya nods

<Aoife> Oh, good Brownie. It will help you, really it will. <Aoife> My mother teaches there... <Aoife> She's the mistress of Primal and Pyretics.

• Aoife says proudly.

<Kolya> neat :)

• Aoife nods.

<Kolya> so how did you wind up here? <Aoife> It was pretty neat... <Aoife> Oh, I got hired on.

• Aoife says simply.

<Aoife> I would have liked to stay at the Schola but they didn't need me... <Aoife> I miss it, a bit.

• Aoife confides.

<Aoife> A lot, really.

• Aoife amends.

<Kolya> yeah, I miss my home too :/ <Aoife> :/ <Aoife> Do you ever get to go back and visit?

• Aoife expects the answer is no, since we're both kinain.

<Kolya> It's just not the same these days

• Kolya says, sounding a little sad :(

<Aoife> Oh, I'm sorry to hear it - new ruler?

• Aoife turns to look at Brownie again, who has stopped eating once more. She looks disappointed.

<Aoife> Just one more mouthful? Please? <Aoife> (The horse complies.) <Aoife> Oh, good girl, good Brownie... <Kolya> No... a lot of people I knew have moved on, though -_- <Aoife> Oh, yeah...

• Kolya says, after you ensure the horse is following instructions

<Aoife> It's kind of like that at the Schola, too... all the students I went through with are gone... It's just the teachers that I know, now. <Aoife> But it's home.

• Aoife says fondly.
• Kolya nods

<Kolya> and your mom is there, that's gotta count for something :) <Aoife> Yeah...

• Aoife seems a bit hesitant, maybe.

<Kolya> err... <Aoife> She was always a little hard to know. But I do love her.

• Aoife reassures you.

<Kolya> Ahh. <Aoife> I was just a bit disappointing, I think... being kinain. <Aoife> :/

• Aoife pats the horse's sweaty neck again as if to seek solace.

<Aoife> Pretty Brownie, brave girl... <Aoife> Was it hard for you, too, growing up? <Kolya> . o O ( geez, I hardly remember now :( )

• Aoife asks you, then reaches down to pick up her tumbler and finally take a drink.

<Kolya> When I was young... <Aoife> (Brownie groans and falls down.)

• Aoife throws the tumbler aside and crouches down next to the horse.

<Kolya> oh no! <Aoife> (You get sprayed with the water that was still in her tumbler) <Aoife> Oh, no Brownie. <Aoife> You have to get up again!

• Kolya doesn't seem much put out

<Aoife> Please. Try just once more... <Kolya> come on, girl... <Aoife> (Brownie shudders, obviously trying but not able to.)

• Kolya will kneel down on the other side of the horse
• Aoife 's eyes fill with tears.

<Aoife> Come on Brownie... stand up, sweetheart. <Kolya> Up with you.... <Kolya> I was all looking forward to going out riding with you again :(

• Kolya pets her encouragingly

<Kolya> Give us another try huh?

• Aoife nods, biting her lip.

<Aoife> You can do it, you're a tough old girl... <Kolya> Come on...

• Aoife strokes the mare's forehead tenderly.
• Kolya encourages her again

<Aoife> Just try... one hoof under you...

• Aoife tries shifting Brownie's legs to help her up.
• Kolya will help you out with that

<Aoife> Maybe we can nudge her, maybe she'll stand up if we nudge her... <Kolya> Okay now, On your feet! :)

• Kolya will nudge
• Aoife directs you to help her push the large body over so her feet are under her.
• Kolya is pretty strong... with the build and complexion, you might guess he had some trollish blood ;)

<Aoife> (Brownie does summon up the last bit of her strength and tries to heave herself up, but she doesn't make it. She collapses back to

 the ground.)

<Aoife> Oh, Brownie...

• Aoife is really crying now.
• Aoife strokes the old mare's forehead again.

<Aoife> You're just too tired, aren't you.  ;_; <Kolya> Aoife... <Aoife> (Brownie's visible eye grows dim, and her ribcage stops heaving with her breaths.) <Kolya> Oh :(

• Aoife stills her hand on the horse's forehead.

<Aoife> <w> May your travels on the Silver Path be swift and may you return to us soon...

• Aoife seems to have forgotten, for a moment, that you are there. Then she remembers and looks up at you suddenly, embarrassed maybe?

<Aoife> I'm sorry... I know she's just a horse.

• Aoife tries to dash tears away from her eyes.

<Kolya> She was a good horse too :(

• Aoife nods.
• Kolya hopes that wasn't an omen...

<Aoife> She was... she was so sweet. <Kolya> Yeah, and calm. <Kolya> She even used to let *Silas* ride her... <Kolya> :(

• Aoife keeps stroking the horse's head, saying good-bye, maybe. Tears flow freely from her eyes.

<Aoife> It's never easy, to say good-bye, but it's especially hard when you put so much work into trying to keep them going...

• Kolya is sad too, but has too much other stuff on his mind lately to cry over a favoured horse :(

<Aoife> <w> I'll miss her... <Kolya> Yeah... <Kolya> Me too :/ <Kolya> Silas'll be mad.

• Aoife seems to be finished now. She shoves her hair back behind her ears. She tries bravely to smile.
• Kolya was mostly thinking out loud there

<Kolya> Hey, you must be exhausted.

• Aoife rubs at her eyes and yawns.

<Aoife> I am but I should tell the stablemaster, and then we'll have to... have to do something with her.

• Aoife knows they'll butcher her and use her for dog meat, but doesn't want to think about that.

<Aoife> Oh... I got you all wet, Kolya. <Kolya> Yeah, but there's got to be other people who can take care of her now. <Aoife> I'm sorry.

• Aoife nods.

<Kolya> It's okay

• Kolya says gently.

<Aoife> I'll tell the stablemaster at least...

• Aoife seems kind of numb, and of course, drained.

<Kolya> okay.

• Aoife looks up at you again; her gaze had strayed back to her dead friend.

<Kolya> Come on.

• Kolya will lead you away from the corpse -_-
• Aoife is too exhausted to really resist. ;)
• Kolya guides you gently with his hands on your shoulders... you know what I mean ;)
• Aoife finds the stablemaster with your assistance and reports to him what happened.

<Aoife> (He says he'll take things over from here and she should just get some rest.) <Kolya> (go figure! ^-^)

• Aoife nods, registering his words about 20 seconds after he has already started walking away. She must be utterly wiped.
• Aoife still manages to look up at you, though.

<Aoife> I'm sorry that we had to meet under such circumstances, Kolya... <Aoife> But thanks for all your help. <Kolya> hey it's nothing.

• Aoife manages another smile.
• Kolya smiles back

<Aoife> I guess I should get to bed... <Kolya> yeah... <Kolya> You okay to get back to your room on your own? <Aoife> Um, I can probably manage...

• Aoife seems a bit confused/uncertain, maybe?

<Kolya> Uh, maybe that came out wrong -_- <Aoife> What? <Kolya> I just don't want you to pass out in the hallway :o <Aoife> Oh... heheh. <Kolya> . o O ( Crap, Ahh! what did I do! What did I say? Eek! )

• Aoife smiles. Then her hand flies to her head.
• Kolya hopes he hasn't turned beet red, but he is concerned

<Kolya> Are you okay? <Aoife> Oh, I'm so rude! After all that I didn't even ask if you live here now... Everyone always says I'm so absorbed in my animals that I

 forget how to talk to people.

<Aoife> I'm fine... <Aoife> Just... will I see you around some time again? It's nice to have another kinain to talk to...

• Aoife seems awkward, as if maybe you'll take that the wrong way.

<Kolya> Well, I'll probably be around for the summer, anyway

• Aoife smiles, then yawns again.

<Aoife> Good... <Aoife> Um, it was nice meeting you.

• Aoife says awkwardly, then hurries off.

<Kolya> You too :) <Aoife> (it's more that she isn't sure how to socialize with other people than anything ^-^)

• Aoife glances back once and waves.
• Kolya waves back
• Kolya bets she will freak out when she finds out who I am/what I do here -_-

<Aoife> (^-^)

• Kolya is totally Windrider's personal secretary, and on the Queen's inner council!
• Kolya is also The court seer!
• Kolya is so *nice* though :D

<Aoife> (:)) <Aoife> (That was fun!) <Aoife> (And he is nice, for sure.) <Kolya> (Horse killer) <Aoife> (Hopefully she'll remember that when she finds out who you are, and not be too embarrassed/shy to talk to you) <Aoife> (Aoife isn't a horse killer! She did everything in her power to help poor Brownie.  :( ) <Kolya> (I meant *you*) <Kolya> ;p