"Welcome to The Grove"

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 22nd July 2014

Characters: Barenziah, Zathris
Description: Barenziah takes Zathris to her favorite place.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 5 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Benani

Barenziah

Zathris

Barenziah was dressed in a sharp riding habit that was tailored and
skillfully embroidered to emphasize her small waist and the flare of
her hips. The bodice was stitched with silvery thread that contrasted
to the dark, blue hue of the material. The color made her blue eyes
stand out in a vivid contrast to her fiery red hair. It was far nicer
than what she wore on a day to day basis, and that was mostly because
she rarely had an ocassion for it. Normally if Barenziah went riding
alone she slipped into an old skirt and once out of the sight of
others she would hike it up to her thighs and ride the way she wished.

Today though she would be riding with the Lord Holder and so she had
picked her wardrobe a little more carefully. After all, as a
Lady-in-Waiting to Benani she had to purport herself with a little
more dignity. She had shined her black riding boots the night before
and the little pinch at the end of her toe made her think that it was
time for a new pair.

When she arrived at the stables, Lady Benani's runnerbeast had already
been saddled and was waiting for her, a hand nearby to help her mount.
A figure moved further back in the stables and then Lord Zathris
appeared with his runner.

"Lord Zathris," She inclined her head.

"Barenziah." Zathris inclined his head in return. He'd saddled the
runner himself, because it was something he enjoyed doing, no matter
how much people protested. He managed a small smile and, without any
assistance, mounted his own runner. "I'm assuming you have experience
with runners." He noted the easy way she perched in the saddle,
despite and impeccable posture.

"Of course, milord. Perhaps when we have cleared the gates a little
race will be in order?" Her blue eyes danced but she said no more
since there were stablehands around. Acting to be more ladylike than
she was could often be a pain.

"Perhaps. We'll have to wait and see." Yet there was a glint in his
eye that hadn't appeared before. Zathris took point and urged his
runner forward and to the gaze. It was chilly, but they were well
dressed for such weather, and as long as the runners didn't get
overworked, they would be fine. Once past the gaze, he guided the
runner toward the right and ran along one of the outer walls. "How
long have you been riding?"

Once they were through the gates, Barenziah stopped riding side-saddle
and swung her leg over to straddle the animal properly, "One second,"
she called, halting her beast. Hopping down out of the saddle,
Barenziah sighed and muttered about stirrups as she readjusted the
height of her stirrups. The stablehands never did them correctly
because they always assumed that she was some short, petite little
lady. Barenziah was far from short, and when she rode astride she
looked having a good, firm anchor in her stirrups. Once she adjusted
them she put a boot in the stirrup, pulled herself up and swung a leg
over.

With that accomplished she shot a smile at Zathris and lifted her
eyebrows, "Oh, I have been riding for about as long as I have been
alive. My father's a beastcrafter with a specialty in runners,
remember?"

"Ah, that's right. I'd forgotten." Honestly, with everything going
on as of late, Zathris found it amazing that he remembered anything at
all. Although he was back to work, he had to admit he wasn't as
efficient. Benani still took up time - and he spent a lot of time
thinking about her. "I suppose that means you could teach me a thing
or two."

**Oh, I could.** The thought shot through Barenziah's mind, and she
had to catch her tongue to keep from saying something she shouldn't in
front of the Lord Holder. Instead she clicked between her teeth, and
set her mount in motion, "Riding should be fun, and not a chore. Come
on, I will show you to my favorite place."

"Your favourite place? Well then, lead on, madam." Zathris reigned
in his runner a bit, the spirited creature eager to take off. He'd
long since learned not to let him get the best of his master. "I'll
follow."

~*~

"This is it!" Barenziah declared as they reigned into a small meadow
that was hemmed in by a grove of trees. On one end of the grove there
was a small hunting shack nestled that Rynthian had built and
sometimes used when he was off-duty. As children she and Rynthian had
gone there many times, especially when they wanted to spar together or when
Rynthian wanted to teach her something new. It was about half a
candlemark's ride out from the Hold, but close enough that one could
get back in a hurry if necessary.

"This place?" Zathris urged his runner to a halt and allowed his gaze
to dart about, taking note of the surroundings. "It's very nice. How
long have you known about this little grove?" It seemed just the sort
of place he'd come to relax, unwind from the day and all the chaos
that seemed to threaten to overwhelm him as of late.

"Rynthian and I have been coming here ever since we were little kids
and I have never seen anyone else come by. It_is_ off the beaten path
a good ways, but the runners love the fruit off the trees." Barenziah
leaned forward and rubbed her rider's neck, "What about you? Any
special places you went as a kid?"

"Yes, though they're all at Jade Harbour." Zathris swung his leg over
his runner and let the reins fall. The creature would not leave
without his master - the Lord Holder had been certain to train him
well. "It's nice. Peaceful. Serene. I can see why you'd come here."

"I have never seen the ocean." Barenziah confessed, although there was
a wistfulness to her voice that said she clearly wanted to.

"Really?" It wasn't all that surprising. There were many people that
didn't travel even a quarter of the amount Zathris had. He hadn't
travelled as much as others, but he was grateful for the opportunity
to explore a few places. "Perhaps you'll be able to go some day.
Jade Harbour is a nice hold." Even if the Lord Holder himself wasn't
quite a nice man.

"Maybe." Barenziah said, even though she knew she would never have the
chance to see the ocean. Not unless she was bound to some Lady Holder
whose husband allowed her to travel. As it were, Lady Benani wouldn't
even leave her own room, let alone travel to the ocean. She supposed
if Lady Benani ever did heal she would sent back to Faldrimme at that
Hidden Meadows place in the middle of nowhere. Being a woman in a
man's world was a hard fate to suffer sometimes.

"Are there other places you would like to see? " Maybe once Benani was

better, he'd send her regular ladies in waiting on trips as a thank you.

That was a thought. "Other than the ocean, that is."

Barenziah shook her head, "Not really... Maybe the Weyr." A part of
her wished she had gone to the Weyr when she was younger. Maybe she
would have taken a craft or Impressed a dragon... But she was long
past the age of unreachable dreams.

"I have a brother at River Bluff. Perhaps I can work out something
with him and you can have that opportunity once Benani is better."
Once she was better. If she was better. He had to think more
positively. Once. Once. Shards, he wished he could make it better
now. Zathris shook his head and circled around the area. "How did
you find this place?"

"Me and Rynthian just stumbled upon it in our explorations. We use to
hike for hours... Until my mother captured me and made me start
wearing dresses and learning how to be a_lady_." She rolled her eyes
and made a gagging face.

"Come now, being a lady surely has some advantages." Zathris propped
himself on the trunk of a tree and crossed his feet at the ankle, arms
crossed over his chest. "It's not all bad, right?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him, "Name one advantage."

"You get to wear all the pretty dresses." Zathris arched an eyebrow.

"That are suffocating, itchy, heavy, bulky," she ticked each item off
on her fingers and then shot a smile at Zathris. "Try again?"

"You get to conceive and bear life. Men can't hold a candle to that."
Zathris had to admit, women should be admired for that ability. Tey
had to deal with all the pain that came along with it.

Barenziah faked a wince, "Ouch, milord, that was a low blow. A
respectable woman does have to be married to do that." And she was
twenty-eight and had no plans for marriage.

"True. But what a power you hold. No man could come close. We
wouldn't exist without women." And they were far smarter and capable
than most of the Southern Continent gave them credit for. The North
had it right in a lot of ways - and that was one of them.

She didn't know what to say to that. It was true, and maybe some day
Rynthian would marry and she would have a niece or nephew to dote on,
or maybe she might even help with Benani and Zathris's future
children. That idea wasn't exactly as happy as she'd hoped, so she
moved back to her runner, "We had better be getting back."

Zathris heaved a sigh but straightened, though he allowed himself one
last look around. "This might be a good place to come back to. That
is, if you don't mind practising with me. You wouldn't have to worry
about getting caught, female sparring with the Lord Holder and all."

Barenziah hooked one foot into her stirrups and then jumped up and
pulled herself into the saddle, "I think that sounds like a good idea.
I wouldn't have to wear that cumbersome helmet either."

"That's true. All right Berry, let's go." Zathris strode to his
runner, stroked the dark hide, then mounted the creature easily.

The redhead nearly urged her mount forward, but cocked her head
sideways and then looked at Zathris, "Did you just call me 'Berry?'"

"That I did. Berry." His runner pawed and turned a little, but
Zathris brought him under control and grinned over at her. "Got a
problem with it?"

Rynthian called her Bari sometimes but Berry was a new one for her,
"Just be glad your name does not lend itself to nicknames." She
grinned and then touched her heels to the sides of her mount.

Last updated on the August 7th 2014

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"Welcome to The Grove"