A Talk With a Horse (9 Jul 2002) Redmane has a private chat with Fiona.

Stable in Caer Sidi
Adobe walls and windows covered in oiled paper make this stable a little brighter and airier than the Danzwycks' back in Ainigton. Many of the stalls stand empty, leaving ample space for the mounts of newcomers.

After cleaning up from her practice with Tom, Redmane ventures to the stable where they left their horses. She intends to retrieve a mount before she goes to the marketplace for supplies, while Tom makes a final search of the catacombs. Ahearn, along with Fiona and the horses Tom and his companions brought, was stabled here, but the stall allotted him stands empty, door ajar. Fiona, in the stall adjacent, nuzzles at the oats in the bottom of her trough.

Stopping at Fiona's stall, Redmane scratches the Knightsteed behind her ears. "It looks like you'll be heading back to Mirari with Hannah, Fiona," the girl says. "I suppose from there you'll be able to go back to House October. I'm glad you came along with us."

Fiona flicks her ears back at Redmane's approach, her nostrils flaring. She dips her head under the scratching, but she has a startled expression on her face. Agatha ... ? she starts, then dips her nose forward to snuffle at the other's clothing.

Grinning, Redmane pulls out a sugar cookie left over from the feast, and offers it to the mare. "Yeah, it's me... hey, how come you never talked to me before?" the girl asks.

Didn't I? Fiona sniffs at the cookie, too. Maybe you just weren't listening before. You smell wrong. Are you really Agatha?

"I... maybe it's because I remember more now," Redmane says. "I really smell different? I hadn't expected that at all. I'm still Agatha, but I'm also Redmane too now."

You smell different. Fiona leaves the cookie untouched to whuffle at the young woman's shoulder again. Like a mare, and not a filly. She draws her head back, whickering. What happened to you?

The girl actually blushes at the comment. "It was only a kiss," she whispers to Fiona.

Only a kiss? The mare turns her head to eye the girl appraisingly. Her tail flicks from side to side.

"It's not a big deal," Redmane says defensively, sounding a bit more like Agatha again. "It was just to get past something that was blocking my memories is all; it doesn't mean anything."

Fiona whuffles, and paws at the ground. I'm not the one who said it meant something, she notes. Who did you kiss?

Crossing her arms against her chest, Redmane eyes Fiona, but figures it wouldn't matter if the mare knew or not. "Lord Thomas," she admits.

The mare gives a whicker and nods her head knowledgeably. She leans forward to take the cookie from Redmane's fingers, apparently satisfied with the story.

"Any gossip from the other horses you want to share with me?" Redmane asks Fiona, leaning against a support post.

Gossip? Fiona finishes her cookie, and rubs the side of her neck against the post of her stall. Nothing you'd be interested in, I think. There aren't any Knightsteeds here apart from the Lord and I. She speaks of Ahearn with deference in her movements, as if it weren't quite right to refer to the two of them in the same breath. Regular horses don't talk about much except 'When did I get fed last?' or 'When will I get fed next?' or 'There was a lot of work to do yesterday.' She whickers and lolls her tongue out imitatively, looking briefly brain-dead.

Redmane tries not to burst into giggles at the display, and looks around to make sure nobody is watching. "I guess they don't talk about their riders much then? I was going to take one of them shopping with me, to carry back supplies," she says. "Which one would you recommend?"

Ummmm... Fiona gives a long pause for effect, glancing around the stable at the other horses, as if carefully considering them all. Me! she finishes, pointing her head enthusiastically to herself. At least, as long as you're not getting too much stuff.

With a chuckle, Redmane opens the door to Fiona's stall. "I doubt it would all be ready to carry back at once. I've got to get supplies for the journey West, as well as provisions for you and Hannah to return to the Palace of All Seasons. You can pick out what you want for your feedbag."

Sugar! Fiona suggests helpfully. I'm going back to Mirari? She steps out of the stall, waiting expectantly for Redmane. Will you be all right without us?

Redmane puts the saddle-blanket on Fiona, and few saddlebags as well before leading her out of the stable. "It's more important for you and Hannah to be at the Palace right now. There's someone to protect there, and you especially are needed for a fast escape if necessary."

hr

A laden-down Fiona paces behind the redhead, looking spirited despite her burdens. In the saddlebags and across her back have been stowed fresh canteens--currently empty, with water abundant now--food for horses (mostly oats, despite Fiona's helpful suggestions of sugar, carrots, and apples) and people (a great deal of dried meat, fruit, and biscuits, and a little fresh food, which won't last), extra blankets, torches, and flasks of oil. While Redmane tries to think of what else she wants, Fiona remarks, We do talk about our riders sometimes. Even the regular horses can tell a good rider from a bad one. Or an annoying one.

"We've got a hard trek ahead of us," Redmane whispers to the Knightsteed. "If any of the others need to change their riding habits, better let me know now so I can keep everyone happy."

Well... Fiona hesitates, then flicks her tail. Pearl says that the Lord Explorer shifts around too much, and Tria says Simon used to sit funny, but he's gotten better. True doesn't complain about Rachel, but I don't think he's much of a complainer. Except both Pearl and True have said that it's annoying how their riders try to make them crowd together. It's not like the trails have been that narrow. And if they were you ought to go single file, not jam your mounts flank to flank. She snorts.

"I'll try to adjust their saddles to minimize the shifting then," Redmane promises. "They probably ride close like that to talk, but I'll see what I can do."

They could talk louder. Fiona comments, but she doesn't seem too put out by it--possibly because she's not the one being ridden. Would you make sure Hannah knows where to put my girth? She's forever getting it too tight or too loose. She does all right for not having much practice, I suppose.

Redmane chuckles, and pats Fiona's neck. "Okay, I'll go over it with her. She's still not used to Knightsteeds I suppose. Any other messages you want me to give her?"

Mmmm. Tell her I like her. Fiona arches her neck under the petting. The others like their riders, too, even if they do complain. True's last owner used spurs. A lot. You can see the scars on his flanks.

The knight shudders. "Must not have been a very good rider then," Redmane notes. "The horses are in good health and spirits otherwise though?"

The Knightsteed nods. Yes. They've enjoyed the rest in Caer Sidi a lot, but they're strong mounts, and they haven't been pushed too hard. They're no match for the Lord -- or me, for that matter -- but they'll do their part. She pauses, then adds, Are you sure you want me to go back with Hannah? You might need another Knightsteed in the West.

Redmane tunes out the marketplace for a moment to consider that. "It would be nice to have more Knightsteeds, but Hannah will be going back alone. Time is important, and I'd feel a lot better knowing you were there to protect her. In an emergency, Ahearn could carry all of us to safety I think."

Fiona flicks her tail, then nods. He could, she says, with the assurance of a child confident her father can do anything.

Deciding to pick up some apples and carrots for the horses after all (just not enough to last the whole journey) Redmane heads for the stall selling them. "I'll get you some goodies, and then we can head back to the stables. I still need to convince Ahearn and Thomas to work together trailblazing -- I know Tom will want to ride ahead, and Ahearn would be bored moving at the pace of the other horses anyway."

hr

After unloading her purchases at Oberia's, Redmane returns Fiona to the stable. Ahearn's stall remains empty As she's rubbing the mare down in the hallway (to the tune of editorial comments like A little higher -- ah -- right there//) she gets the curious feeling of someone watching her. Turning to look, she sees the snow-white stallion standing in the open doorway to the stable. A cold breeze wafts in.

"How long have you been standing out there?" Redmane says to Ahearn, before going back to grooming Fiona.

Ahearn moves fully into the barn, and the door swings shut behind him. He doesn't appear to answer Redmane's question. Fiona ruffles her mane, looking back at the Lord of the Horses. Beneath her hands, Redmane feels a new tension in the mare.

Pausing in her grooming, Redmane asks, "Okay, what is it Ahearn? I know I smell different now, but I'm not going to be like Thomas about this identity thing."

The stallion moves no closer, and doesn't answer for a moment. Finally, he asks, Who are you? His body is so still it's hard for Redmane to say how she can even understand his intent.

Turning to face him fully now, Redmane says, "I'm Redmane. And I'm Agatha. I've no intention of just picking up where things left off before though. It's Agatha's life now."

Ahearn picks his way across the floor, and buries his nose in Redmane's hair for a moment, breathing deeply and rustling the strands. He pulls his head back, whuffling. What happened?

"I woke up, that's all," Redmane says, feeling embarrassed by the nuzzling. "I got past what was blocking my memories. There won't be another incident like the one at the Chapel, where I was afraid to bring you inside," she says.

You are not -- you were not -- Redmane. The white stallion takes a step or two back, studying her. How could you simply wake up one morning, and be something else?

"I had help," Redmane says. "Some... magic. Of a sort. The point is that I remember more now, if not everything. Enough to make a difference."

What sort of magic? The stallion's eyes narrow. Fiona sidesteps away from Redmane, herself.

Waving a hand in a very Agatha-like way, Redmane says, "Fairy-tale magic, okay? Thomas kissed me and I could remember again."

Ahearn snorts, but he also relaxes a little. Thomas kissed you? And that transformed you? The final words have an ambiguous quality to them, not translating quite properly into English from their original sense.

"I transformed myself... or whatever it is you mean," Redmane asserts. "The kiss was just the key is all. Although I was surprised to find out there was a physical aspect to the change," she admits. "I thought I'd just get back the memories."

You smell like Redmane. And you look older. Not a woman grown ... but older. He flares his nostrils again, and shakes his head, turning to one side.

Redmane blinks at this revelation. "Older? I already looked old for my age though," she mutters, and looks around the stable on the slim chance that there might be a mirror. "You must mean my freckles are gone or something, right?"

You are taller. He scrutinizes her. Your face is thinner -- less baby fat. And yes, your freckles are fading.

Reaching into her shirt, Redmane pulls out a cameo locket and opens it, showing Ahearn the portrait inside. "Do I look more like this now?" she asks, a little nervously.

Ahearn takes a minute to focus on the little image in the locket, turning his head from one side to the other to get a feel for it. Yes, he answers at last. Not the copy of the image, but closer. You look more like her. More like Redmane.

Turning the locket to look at the face of her mother, Redmane says, "Well... that's not so bad. Not so bad at all."

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