Prose log with percivalthegale
Who: Kathy and Percival
When: A leisurely Thursday afternoon
Where: The stables/horse riding trail
What: A simple ride with a friend
Percival made his way down to the stables with the usual spring in his step, pleased with his personal progress toward full active duty. No matter how long or short the ride, he tried to get out daily, and give his poor, lonely Midnight a little attention. Bundled up in his nice wool coat, he came through the gate ready to saddle the horse himself and get out there.
Kathy was bailing some hay for feeding, taking a short break for water and to wipe the cold sweat from her brow. She wore her normal outfit, but had a long duster to keep off the temperature to compliment. It was not pink...but instead an earthy red. She gave Percival a wave and a grin as he approached. "Takin' Midnight out?"
The knight waved cheerily back. "Good day, Kathy. Of course! I meant to be out here earlier but...you know how things go."
"Nope, not really. You ain't got any work t' do sides flirtin'" she chuckled dryly, grabbing a saddle from the fence and moving over to Midnight. She gave the proud horse a gentle petting before slinging the saddle over it's back and adjusting all of the straps. She took a small carrot out of her pocket and rewarded his patience.
Percival looked only slightly flustered by her teasing, since it hit a little too close to the mark. "Well, thank you," he said sincerely. "I could have done it myself, I'm all right to lift things now...but I appreciate it." He cocked his head to one side. "I don't suppose you have the time to ride along, today? I could use the company."
Kathy paused for a moment, petting at Midnight and rolling over that offer in her mind. She didn't have any URGENT work to do...she might as well indulge him for once. "Sure, why not?" she said, moving to the fence and hoisting another saddle.
"Oh, good." Percival smiled, not his sunny get-on-your-good-side smile, but a more restrained one, as he led Midnight out into the yard in order to climb into the saddle. "Not that I mind the rides alone, it gives me time to think, but it's been a while since I've been out with another horseman. Er...woman. Person."
"Just call me a rider, Percy," Kathy said with a slight giggle, saddling up a silver Appaloosa and giving it a small carrot to munch on. She led the mare out and easily pulled herself up, the long coat giving a slight flourish to her movements as she adjusted herself and gave him a slight squeeze to move him along (no spurs this time, those were only for races).
"Exactly what I meant," Percival assured as he gave Midnight a nudge with his heel to move up alongside the other horse. It was a decent day for riding, not too chilly with the sun gleaming palely through the clouds. The bay gelding wanted to rush off, as a matter of fact, but Percival kept his head in check for now. Easy does it. "Ah," he sighed, "this is more like it."
"He's want to do what he wants still...not quite bonded," Kathy remarked, her steed trotting along happily. Every now and then she'd give it a gentle pat, to which it would respond with a pleased snort. It was very relaxing just riding like this...especially with someone to talk to.
"He's always been one to run, even when he knows he ought not to," Percival said wryly. "It's a habit I've never fully been able to get him out of." He glanced to the woman riding alongside him. "Do you get to ride for pleasure, much? Or is it always just work, work, nothing but work?"
"Sometimes on the weekends...not much else. Kinnison's helped me find s'more free time, though," She said with a smile, taking in a deep breath of the chill air. "I always loved it out here. The evergreens sure do smell nice, specially now with the temperature gittin' right again."
"Indeed," Percival readily agreed. "I can tell spring is coming, and soon - and I can hardly wait."
"You get to return t' active duty soon, dontcha?" Kathy asked, her tone somewhat meloncholy. "Gonna miss Midnight...he's a good horse. Through and through...he ain't ever gonna do wrong by you again, that much he promised me," she said, not really focusing on anything in particular in front of her.
Percival smiled sideways at her. "Yes, I hope so, but...I've already put in to be transferred here, with Lady Chris and Lord Salome. There are rumblings afoot that it might be important to have Mighty Knights stationed here at Budehuc." His smile brightened by a degree. "So you won't have to say farewell to Midnight, at all."
Kathy remained silent for a bit, not certain how to respond to what she was just told. "So...yer stayin here?" she asked, turning to look at him this time, blue eyes wide as ever.
"I intend to, yes." Percival was a bit surprised by her reaction, and smiled warmly in response. "I didn't know you had that much of an attachment to Midnight."
Kathy blushed a bit and huffed. "Course I do! He's magnificent! Any time I git t' work with the Knight's horses is worth havin'," she said, turning away from Sigurd. Of course, it wasn't just the horse..."And what's this I hear 'bout rumblin's? What's goin' on?" she asked, tuning back to face him.
Percival looked away, focusing on the trail ahead of them if only to keep the two horses more easily in step so they could talk. "Well, I haven't heard too much, yet," he confessed, "but since I'm not on duty, anything I've been told technically isn't confidential." He breathed a short sigh. "Lady Chris says the Zexen Council is looking a bit more curiously toward Budehuc."
"Is it cuz the man in black and Mister Luc 'r here?" she asked naively.
A grim look flickered on Percival's face for a moment. "I hope not," he said darkly. "That is, I hope they don't know about that. No," he went on after a pause, "it sounds like they're interested in the people and other things gathering here."
"Well shoot, it ain't none 'f there business! We have rights! This is Grassland territory, after all!" she growled, angrily huffing and feeling the need to make her appaloosa go faster to match her frustration.
Percival let Midnight have his head, knowing that the gelding would want to match his riding partner's pace. "I agree," he said easily. "I spent far too much time here, getting to know the people, to even consider siding with that greedy bunch of misers. But the rights of Grasslanders mean little to the Zexen Council, if they can work around them."
Kathy mumbled under her breath, cursing the damn politicians...the very ones that refused to help her get the deed back to her ranch back. "Great...just what this place needs...and here I was likin' how peaceful it had been for the last couple'a weeks," she said, her voice sounding slightly defeated.
"Don't worry just yet, Kathy," Percival said confidently. "If I know Lord Salome, he's already got all of his contacts working overtime to find out what these councilors are up to. There shouldn't be any trouble anything like what happened recently." He lowered his voice to speak confidentially, even though they were alone on the trail and far from anyone. "Zexen's army is busy monitoring the Tinto border, they don't have time to be distracted up here."
"Still...I don't need no more worries. And you don't neither," she said pointedly, almost scolding Percival for being involved.
"No one needs worries," Percival said with an almost sad sort of chuckle. "But I can't help it. Given the choice between assisting my captain and Lord Salome with matters here, and putting myself at risk on the Tinto border again? I'll take the politics." Midnight tossed his head, as if to agree.
"Well...I guess that's true. I'd rather not see ya be sent back to the border...," she trailed off, taking in a breath.
There was no mistaking that tone of voice - he'd heard it too often in others. "Are you saying you'd miss me, too?" he asked, teasing just a little.
Kathy didn't answer the question immediately, growling a bit at the tone he was using. "Yer my friend, even if you are a bit of a worthless flirt," Kathy said through clenched teeth. Lightening up a bit, she chuckled. "Sides, I ain't got that many people I can go out drinkin' with."
Percival breathed a soft sigh, smiling more naturally. "I'm glad to hear it. Sometimes I think I don't give people the right impression of me...but as long as you see right through me, that's a step in the right direction..."
"Percy, I am not a woman easily tricked...," she stopped herself, her expression shifting at her own choice of words. That was a lie...a trick was what caused her to end up homeless in the first place. A trick had driven her into a penniless state of affairs...a trick had led her back here.
The knight glanced aside at her again. "Hm? Kathy?"
She shook herself out of those thoughts, giving a weak smile. "Nothin'.."
Percival wasn't so sure, but he knew when not to pry. "I mean it, though..." He looked down at his hands clasped on the crown of the saddle, the reins tangled loosely in them. "I haven't been very fair to you. Sometimes I tend to forget to stop playing the game and just be myself. I'm sorry if I led you to think I was some kind of...horrible man with no morals..."
"Hey, yer a bachelor knight, who am I to tell you not to be a flirt, right? It ain't my responsibility...it's just natural to yer kind," she said, shrugging her shoulders without much conviction.
"Perhaps..." Percival didn't know about that, though, and hearing it stated so bluntly made him feel rather uncomfortable about it. He distracted himself ruffling his fingers through Midnight's mane. "It isn't...necessarily...who I really am."
"Well, Percy...who are you then?" she asked, looking to him with a soft grin. She honestly did want to know...her friendship with the knight had been based on only what little she knew of him. They never got too close all those years ago with him constantly on the battlefield or in some sort of meeting. And the only things she had seen of him lately weren't exactly killing any stereotypes.
Percival rode in silence for a bit, his eyes lowered. "I don't think I know, exactly," he finally replied in a more reserved tone. "Am I the brave hero knight all the women in Vinay fawn over, or am I my mother's son from Iksay...?" He shook his head. "Ah, listen to me ramble."
"You never told me about yer life in Iksay, Percy," Kathy said, looking up to the sky as her horse trotted along happily. "All I know is that yer from there...I'd like too hear more about that, really," she said with a slight chuckle.
"Well," he chuckled, lifting his head toward her as he discerned a less heavy topic of conversation, "I grew up there, yes, but I decided very early on that I didn't want to be a farmer. I was enamored of the knights from the very start. That meant that when I entered training, I endured no end of abuse from all the noblemens' sons in the knighthood."
"A countryboy like you...yeah, I'd see that as out of place. I always wondered how someone like you could come from a place like that...where yer more likely t' find people like me," she giggled, feeling in a much better mood with the topic change.
"Well, you do learn a lot of things, being trained as a knight," he admitted with a cute smile. "Like how to play the game, to put on airs and keep the nobles in their places. But that's not how I was raised," he added with a quick shake of his head. "My mother raised me properly, to be a kind person and know what it is I live for and fight for."
Kathy let out a slight sigh, looking off into the distance. "Yer momma sounds like a good woman...how is she?" she asked, her tone softened.
"As feisty as ever," Percival laughed. "Now that I'm all right to ride long distances, I think I'm going to visit her, since Iksay is so close. She'll be all too happy to see me and dote on me for a couple of days."
"Wish I could come with, really...but Kinnison ain't trained enough t' take care of the stables by himself yet. And I'd like another hand before I even think about time off," she said, laughing happily. "Iksay was always nice...reminds me of home, really."
"Well, maybe by the time the snows are gone and the fields are in bloom, you'll have more hands to help out," Percival said hopefully. "That would be a fine time to visit." He raised a finger triumphantly. "And unlike five years ago, the windmills are all fixed! I helped out personally!"
"Shoot, I never even knew they broke!" she laughed. "Five years ago, I was so busy runnin' these stables, I didn't have a lick of time to even get out much cept fer the festival. But it helped a lot to prepare me to run the ranch by myself, I guess."
"Oh, it was just after that...they were damaged in an attack," he explained, leaving it at that. Past atrocities between Zexen and Grasslands were best forgotten in present times. "I took a little time off after the war to help rebuild Iksay, but I couldn't stay away."
"Well...I suppose I know how that is...," she really didn't. She liked Budehec and all, but she couldn't stand being away from home for too long.
Percival looked up over his horse's head toward the sky and the pale sun. "When you know in your heart what your purpose is," he mused, "it's impossible to stay away from it for long."
"I know that, I know it well as any. I was born to be a rancher. Which is why I need to git it back, y' know? I need that land back so I can start my life over," she said, cheering up a bit. "I got my resolve...now I jes need t' do the work!"
"That's the spirit," Percival said brightly. "As long as you know what you're working toward, the work isn't so hard to bear. Though..." He smiled across at her. "...if that means you'll be leaving us again, I'll have to miss you."
"Well shoot, Percy, you know the trade trails run through Grassland to Zexen. You'll still see me every year, even if only for a short while," she said, smiling gently at him. They had walked the trail several times now, but neither horse seemed tired in the least.
"And they do still send mail over the trade routes, too," Percival laughed. "Who knows? By the time you have your ranch back, I may be stationed somewhere else in the country again. We will have to do better about keeping in touch, really."
"Letter's ain't hard t' right. And sides, if I can get enough workers on the ranch, I won't even have to run the trails myself...though I do love those journey's through the Grassland...nothin' beats it, really," she said, the breeze blowing through and catching her hair and coat. She lifted a hand to keep her hat on though.
Percival closed his eyes and breathed deeply of the chill wind, though it seared his lungs. "True. There are fewer pleasures than simply...riding with nowhere to go."
"It's funny...we're both country folk with a love of the ride...kinda odd we didn't become friends sooner, during the way," Kathy said with a light chuckle,
"Perhaps. But better later than not at all," Percival said flippantly.
Kathy just laughed, no longer feeling ill at ease around Percival at all. In fact, she was beginning to wonder why she felt that way to begin with. She gave the knight a warm smile. "Percy percy percy...where was I without a buddy like you!"
He found himself laughing, even though it irritated him when anyone called him "Percy." Somehow, he had it in him to forgive it coming from Kathy. "Probably better off! After all, I was the one who got Louis drunk for the first time when he was younger."
"Oh you are AWFUL!" she laughed even louder, slapping her knee in a way that she hoped wouldn't alert the horse. The horse, though, was just content to trot alongside Midnight and nothing else. "I was 17 then, I coulda handled a droppa the' ale or two. I was doin' whiskey shots when I was 18 anyways."
"Well!" Percival gave her a scandalized grin. "No wonder you're already building up to drinking contests with Joker! Though I could have told you he'd have you beat. I'm surprised he even has a liver left."
"Need more thanna strong liver to survive a whiskey firebomb," Kathy chuckled, easing her laughter a bit. "Bet I could drink you under th' table, though!"
"I suppose it depends on what we're drinking," Percival conceded with a shrug. "I tend to stick to wine, I really don't drink the hard stuff very often."
"Wiiiiimp~!" Kathy teased, pulling her eyelid down and sticking her tongue out childishly at the older man.
Percival sniffed and turned his nose skyward in feigned offense. "Well then! I suppose I just need a bit of education in that regard." He cast his riding partner an aloof grin. "If Lady Chris can do tequila shots, then so can I, dammit."
"Shoot, I'll teach ya iffin' ya really wanna learn, Percy. Ain't that hard. It's learnin' the resolve that takes th' longest," she said laughing at his response. "Sides, I really don' see ya as the hard drinkin' type, and I'd hate t' be the one t' blame fer ruinin' ya1"
The knight grinned back. "Then I'll just have to make sure not to ruin myself."
"...Izzat a challenge?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Maaaaaybe," Percival replied. He gave Midnight a little kick, sitting forward in the saddle to urge him to speed. "Last one back to the stables is buying!" he called over his shoulder.
"Hah! Midnight's awesome, but his rider is outclassed here!" She laughed, letting out a sharp cry as she dug her heels into her steed. What happened next, well...Percival should have seen that coming. The speed at which the seemingly innocent Appaloosa galloped was amazing, overtaking Percival in an instant. Kathy was in her jockey stance as well, low to the back and her feet secured to the stirrups.
Laughing, Percival squeezed his knees to Midnight's flanks, fully giving him his head and letting him chase after the mare as hard as he wanted. He didn't care if he'd end up buying the drinks, he just wanted a little fun - and there was no fun quite like racing horses in the afternoon daylight.
When: A leisurely Thursday afternoon
Where: The stables/horse riding trail
What: A simple ride with a friend
Percival made his way down to the stables with the usual spring in his step, pleased with his personal progress toward full active duty. No matter how long or short the ride, he tried to get out daily, and give his poor, lonely Midnight a little attention. Bundled up in his nice wool coat, he came through the gate ready to saddle the horse himself and get out there.
Kathy was bailing some hay for feeding, taking a short break for water and to wipe the cold sweat from her brow. She wore her normal outfit, but had a long duster to keep off the temperature to compliment. It was not pink...but instead an earthy red. She gave Percival a wave and a grin as he approached. "Takin' Midnight out?"
The knight waved cheerily back. "Good day, Kathy. Of course! I meant to be out here earlier but...you know how things go."
"Nope, not really. You ain't got any work t' do sides flirtin'" she chuckled dryly, grabbing a saddle from the fence and moving over to Midnight. She gave the proud horse a gentle petting before slinging the saddle over it's back and adjusting all of the straps. She took a small carrot out of her pocket and rewarded his patience.
Percival looked only slightly flustered by her teasing, since it hit a little too close to the mark. "Well, thank you," he said sincerely. "I could have done it myself, I'm all right to lift things now...but I appreciate it." He cocked his head to one side. "I don't suppose you have the time to ride along, today? I could use the company."
Kathy paused for a moment, petting at Midnight and rolling over that offer in her mind. She didn't have any URGENT work to do...she might as well indulge him for once. "Sure, why not?" she said, moving to the fence and hoisting another saddle.
"Oh, good." Percival smiled, not his sunny get-on-your-good-side smile, but a more restrained one, as he led Midnight out into the yard in order to climb into the saddle. "Not that I mind the rides alone, it gives me time to think, but it's been a while since I've been out with another horseman. Er...woman. Person."
"Just call me a rider, Percy," Kathy said with a slight giggle, saddling up a silver Appaloosa and giving it a small carrot to munch on. She led the mare out and easily pulled herself up, the long coat giving a slight flourish to her movements as she adjusted herself and gave him a slight squeeze to move him along (no spurs this time, those were only for races).
"Exactly what I meant," Percival assured as he gave Midnight a nudge with his heel to move up alongside the other horse. It was a decent day for riding, not too chilly with the sun gleaming palely through the clouds. The bay gelding wanted to rush off, as a matter of fact, but Percival kept his head in check for now. Easy does it. "Ah," he sighed, "this is more like it."
"He's want to do what he wants still...not quite bonded," Kathy remarked, her steed trotting along happily. Every now and then she'd give it a gentle pat, to which it would respond with a pleased snort. It was very relaxing just riding like this...especially with someone to talk to.
"He's always been one to run, even when he knows he ought not to," Percival said wryly. "It's a habit I've never fully been able to get him out of." He glanced to the woman riding alongside him. "Do you get to ride for pleasure, much? Or is it always just work, work, nothing but work?"
"Sometimes on the weekends...not much else. Kinnison's helped me find s'more free time, though," She said with a smile, taking in a deep breath of the chill air. "I always loved it out here. The evergreens sure do smell nice, specially now with the temperature gittin' right again."
"Indeed," Percival readily agreed. "I can tell spring is coming, and soon - and I can hardly wait."
"You get to return t' active duty soon, dontcha?" Kathy asked, her tone somewhat meloncholy. "Gonna miss Midnight...he's a good horse. Through and through...he ain't ever gonna do wrong by you again, that much he promised me," she said, not really focusing on anything in particular in front of her.
Percival smiled sideways at her. "Yes, I hope so, but...I've already put in to be transferred here, with Lady Chris and Lord Salome. There are rumblings afoot that it might be important to have Mighty Knights stationed here at Budehuc." His smile brightened by a degree. "So you won't have to say farewell to Midnight, at all."
Kathy remained silent for a bit, not certain how to respond to what she was just told. "So...yer stayin here?" she asked, turning to look at him this time, blue eyes wide as ever.
"I intend to, yes." Percival was a bit surprised by her reaction, and smiled warmly in response. "I didn't know you had that much of an attachment to Midnight."
Kathy blushed a bit and huffed. "Course I do! He's magnificent! Any time I git t' work with the Knight's horses is worth havin'," she said, turning away from Sigurd. Of course, it wasn't just the horse..."And what's this I hear 'bout rumblin's? What's goin' on?" she asked, tuning back to face him.
Percival looked away, focusing on the trail ahead of them if only to keep the two horses more easily in step so they could talk. "Well, I haven't heard too much, yet," he confessed, "but since I'm not on duty, anything I've been told technically isn't confidential." He breathed a short sigh. "Lady Chris says the Zexen Council is looking a bit more curiously toward Budehuc."
"Is it cuz the man in black and Mister Luc 'r here?" she asked naively.
A grim look flickered on Percival's face for a moment. "I hope not," he said darkly. "That is, I hope they don't know about that. No," he went on after a pause, "it sounds like they're interested in the people and other things gathering here."
"Well shoot, it ain't none 'f there business! We have rights! This is Grassland territory, after all!" she growled, angrily huffing and feeling the need to make her appaloosa go faster to match her frustration.
Percival let Midnight have his head, knowing that the gelding would want to match his riding partner's pace. "I agree," he said easily. "I spent far too much time here, getting to know the people, to even consider siding with that greedy bunch of misers. But the rights of Grasslanders mean little to the Zexen Council, if they can work around them."
Kathy mumbled under her breath, cursing the damn politicians...the very ones that refused to help her get the deed back to her ranch back. "Great...just what this place needs...and here I was likin' how peaceful it had been for the last couple'a weeks," she said, her voice sounding slightly defeated.
"Don't worry just yet, Kathy," Percival said confidently. "If I know Lord Salome, he's already got all of his contacts working overtime to find out what these councilors are up to. There shouldn't be any trouble anything like what happened recently." He lowered his voice to speak confidentially, even though they were alone on the trail and far from anyone. "Zexen's army is busy monitoring the Tinto border, they don't have time to be distracted up here."
"Still...I don't need no more worries. And you don't neither," she said pointedly, almost scolding Percival for being involved.
"No one needs worries," Percival said with an almost sad sort of chuckle. "But I can't help it. Given the choice between assisting my captain and Lord Salome with matters here, and putting myself at risk on the Tinto border again? I'll take the politics." Midnight tossed his head, as if to agree.
"Well...I guess that's true. I'd rather not see ya be sent back to the border...," she trailed off, taking in a breath.
There was no mistaking that tone of voice - he'd heard it too often in others. "Are you saying you'd miss me, too?" he asked, teasing just a little.
Kathy didn't answer the question immediately, growling a bit at the tone he was using. "Yer my friend, even if you are a bit of a worthless flirt," Kathy said through clenched teeth. Lightening up a bit, she chuckled. "Sides, I ain't got that many people I can go out drinkin' with."
Percival breathed a soft sigh, smiling more naturally. "I'm glad to hear it. Sometimes I think I don't give people the right impression of me...but as long as you see right through me, that's a step in the right direction..."
"Percy, I am not a woman easily tricked...," she stopped herself, her expression shifting at her own choice of words. That was a lie...a trick was what caused her to end up homeless in the first place. A trick had driven her into a penniless state of affairs...a trick had led her back here.
The knight glanced aside at her again. "Hm? Kathy?"
She shook herself out of those thoughts, giving a weak smile. "Nothin'.."
Percival wasn't so sure, but he knew when not to pry. "I mean it, though..." He looked down at his hands clasped on the crown of the saddle, the reins tangled loosely in them. "I haven't been very fair to you. Sometimes I tend to forget to stop playing the game and just be myself. I'm sorry if I led you to think I was some kind of...horrible man with no morals..."
"Hey, yer a bachelor knight, who am I to tell you not to be a flirt, right? It ain't my responsibility...it's just natural to yer kind," she said, shrugging her shoulders without much conviction.
"Perhaps..." Percival didn't know about that, though, and hearing it stated so bluntly made him feel rather uncomfortable about it. He distracted himself ruffling his fingers through Midnight's mane. "It isn't...necessarily...who I really am."
"Well, Percy...who are you then?" she asked, looking to him with a soft grin. She honestly did want to know...her friendship with the knight had been based on only what little she knew of him. They never got too close all those years ago with him constantly on the battlefield or in some sort of meeting. And the only things she had seen of him lately weren't exactly killing any stereotypes.
Percival rode in silence for a bit, his eyes lowered. "I don't think I know, exactly," he finally replied in a more reserved tone. "Am I the brave hero knight all the women in Vinay fawn over, or am I my mother's son from Iksay...?" He shook his head. "Ah, listen to me ramble."
"You never told me about yer life in Iksay, Percy," Kathy said, looking up to the sky as her horse trotted along happily. "All I know is that yer from there...I'd like too hear more about that, really," she said with a slight chuckle.
"Well," he chuckled, lifting his head toward her as he discerned a less heavy topic of conversation, "I grew up there, yes, but I decided very early on that I didn't want to be a farmer. I was enamored of the knights from the very start. That meant that when I entered training, I endured no end of abuse from all the noblemens' sons in the knighthood."
"A countryboy like you...yeah, I'd see that as out of place. I always wondered how someone like you could come from a place like that...where yer more likely t' find people like me," she giggled, feeling in a much better mood with the topic change.
"Well, you do learn a lot of things, being trained as a knight," he admitted with a cute smile. "Like how to play the game, to put on airs and keep the nobles in their places. But that's not how I was raised," he added with a quick shake of his head. "My mother raised me properly, to be a kind person and know what it is I live for and fight for."
Kathy let out a slight sigh, looking off into the distance. "Yer momma sounds like a good woman...how is she?" she asked, her tone softened.
"As feisty as ever," Percival laughed. "Now that I'm all right to ride long distances, I think I'm going to visit her, since Iksay is so close. She'll be all too happy to see me and dote on me for a couple of days."
"Wish I could come with, really...but Kinnison ain't trained enough t' take care of the stables by himself yet. And I'd like another hand before I even think about time off," she said, laughing happily. "Iksay was always nice...reminds me of home, really."
"Well, maybe by the time the snows are gone and the fields are in bloom, you'll have more hands to help out," Percival said hopefully. "That would be a fine time to visit." He raised a finger triumphantly. "And unlike five years ago, the windmills are all fixed! I helped out personally!"
"Shoot, I never even knew they broke!" she laughed. "Five years ago, I was so busy runnin' these stables, I didn't have a lick of time to even get out much cept fer the festival. But it helped a lot to prepare me to run the ranch by myself, I guess."
"Oh, it was just after that...they were damaged in an attack," he explained, leaving it at that. Past atrocities between Zexen and Grasslands were best forgotten in present times. "I took a little time off after the war to help rebuild Iksay, but I couldn't stay away."
"Well...I suppose I know how that is...," she really didn't. She liked Budehec and all, but she couldn't stand being away from home for too long.
Percival looked up over his horse's head toward the sky and the pale sun. "When you know in your heart what your purpose is," he mused, "it's impossible to stay away from it for long."
"I know that, I know it well as any. I was born to be a rancher. Which is why I need to git it back, y' know? I need that land back so I can start my life over," she said, cheering up a bit. "I got my resolve...now I jes need t' do the work!"
"That's the spirit," Percival said brightly. "As long as you know what you're working toward, the work isn't so hard to bear. Though..." He smiled across at her. "...if that means you'll be leaving us again, I'll have to miss you."
"Well shoot, Percy, you know the trade trails run through Grassland to Zexen. You'll still see me every year, even if only for a short while," she said, smiling gently at him. They had walked the trail several times now, but neither horse seemed tired in the least.
"And they do still send mail over the trade routes, too," Percival laughed. "Who knows? By the time you have your ranch back, I may be stationed somewhere else in the country again. We will have to do better about keeping in touch, really."
"Letter's ain't hard t' right. And sides, if I can get enough workers on the ranch, I won't even have to run the trails myself...though I do love those journey's through the Grassland...nothin' beats it, really," she said, the breeze blowing through and catching her hair and coat. She lifted a hand to keep her hat on though.
Percival closed his eyes and breathed deeply of the chill wind, though it seared his lungs. "True. There are fewer pleasures than simply...riding with nowhere to go."
"It's funny...we're both country folk with a love of the ride...kinda odd we didn't become friends sooner, during the way," Kathy said with a light chuckle,
"Perhaps. But better later than not at all," Percival said flippantly.
Kathy just laughed, no longer feeling ill at ease around Percival at all. In fact, she was beginning to wonder why she felt that way to begin with. She gave the knight a warm smile. "Percy percy percy...where was I without a buddy like you!"
He found himself laughing, even though it irritated him when anyone called him "Percy." Somehow, he had it in him to forgive it coming from Kathy. "Probably better off! After all, I was the one who got Louis drunk for the first time when he was younger."
"Oh you are AWFUL!" she laughed even louder, slapping her knee in a way that she hoped wouldn't alert the horse. The horse, though, was just content to trot alongside Midnight and nothing else. "I was 17 then, I coulda handled a droppa the' ale or two. I was doin' whiskey shots when I was 18 anyways."
"Well!" Percival gave her a scandalized grin. "No wonder you're already building up to drinking contests with Joker! Though I could have told you he'd have you beat. I'm surprised he even has a liver left."
"Need more thanna strong liver to survive a whiskey firebomb," Kathy chuckled, easing her laughter a bit. "Bet I could drink you under th' table, though!"
"I suppose it depends on what we're drinking," Percival conceded with a shrug. "I tend to stick to wine, I really don't drink the hard stuff very often."
"Wiiiiimp~!" Kathy teased, pulling her eyelid down and sticking her tongue out childishly at the older man.
Percival sniffed and turned his nose skyward in feigned offense. "Well then! I suppose I just need a bit of education in that regard." He cast his riding partner an aloof grin. "If Lady Chris can do tequila shots, then so can I, dammit."
"Shoot, I'll teach ya iffin' ya really wanna learn, Percy. Ain't that hard. It's learnin' the resolve that takes th' longest," she said laughing at his response. "Sides, I really don' see ya as the hard drinkin' type, and I'd hate t' be the one t' blame fer ruinin' ya1"
The knight grinned back. "Then I'll just have to make sure not to ruin myself."
"...Izzat a challenge?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"Maaaaaybe," Percival replied. He gave Midnight a little kick, sitting forward in the saddle to urge him to speed. "Last one back to the stables is buying!" he called over his shoulder.
"Hah! Midnight's awesome, but his rider is outclassed here!" She laughed, letting out a sharp cry as she dug her heels into her steed. What happened next, well...Percival should have seen that coming. The speed at which the seemingly innocent Appaloosa galloped was amazing, overtaking Percival in an instant. Kathy was in her jockey stance as well, low to the back and her feet secured to the stirrups.
Laughing, Percival squeezed his knees to Midnight's flanks, fully giving him his head and letting him chase after the mare as hard as he wanted. He didn't care if he'd end up buying the drinks, he just wanted a little fun - and there was no fun quite like racing horses in the afternoon daylight.