Fable - Ask Monsters In The Streets

[Felice]

"Weird," the monster crooked an eyebrow at the explanation given from Harlowe. Felice nibbled on another bite of pastry but remained quiet for a moment as she contemplated on the strange 'Ambrosia,' substance.

If it was magical, and it appeared to be, were they duty bound to return it to the Regiment? The redhead didn't much care for that idea. If this liquid could make her feel alive again, feel human again, and if it could allow her vampire friend to experience a night's rest for a change then it shouldn't go back to Nazara. Not in her mind, at least. The Regiment would likely set it into some vault or some far off shelf in order to fulfill whatever crazed plan all of this was for.

A sip of coffee followed and the harionago broke her silence. "We shouldn't tell anyone about it." They could give the Regiment this town and this castle but they were keeping that damn bottle for themselves. "It'll be our secret."

Felice eyed the other two nervously, hoping she hadn't made a blunder by confessing such an idea.

 

[Matias]

Matias shrugged. "Sure."

He didn't really the point in telling the others about it anyway. Even if the bottle was somehow endless...he'd never really been good at sharing. A hand came up to slowly rub at his face, features drawing beneath his palm as though they were made of soft clay.

Kress. Matias wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the magic that made him feel like a newborn deer.

"Let's find a real meal." He said quietly. "Like...bacon or..."

He glanced towards the two women. "I guess something else for you two."

But Bacon for him.

Definitely bacon.

 

[Harlowe]

Harlowe nodded in agreement too; the Regiment was a big thing and if it begun getting passed around who knew where it could end up. She wasn't opposed to sharing it round the campfire but she didn't want it disappearing down south.

"I've already eaten," the vampire chirped merrily and picked up one of the mugs of coffee. She didn't really need to eat or drink human food - it did nothing for her nutritionally and some foods downright upset her now - but she had always loved the taste of coffee so she allowed herself the indulgence.

"Oh! And I found you a horse - the stables have five - if you wanted to try those riding lessons," Harlowe smirked over her cup at Felice.

 

[Felice]

"I ate during the battle," she chimed in, "probably for the best." Whereas Harlowe could feasibly feed without drawing much attention to herself there was a minor problem that accompanied Felice's feasting. When Felice consumed someone they always died and ignoring the dead body they screamed for several moments before their death. She wasn't certain if the vampire had to kill people to feed but she was certain that she could overcome them and silence them.

But at the next words out of her silver haired friend's lips her eyes practically skipped. "A horse? Really?"

There was a slight concern in the back of her mind that such a thing might be a mistake. She didn't know how to ride a horse and she assumed the likelihood of her falling off was quite high. Still, the opportunity to leave her palatial estate and don her trusty steed fulfilled so many childhood fantasies that the chance wasn't going to escape her.

With a grin she agreed. "We should certainly head to the stables." Casting a look of smugness towards Matias she added, "the stablemaids probably have bacon." Felice truly could care less if they did or not.

 

[Matias]

Matias gave the two women a dour look. "Go look at your ponies."

The Frost Giant offered them a dismissive wave.

"Or is it the stablemaids you're looking at?" He liked horses as much as the next guy, but he wasn't about to pass up on breakfast. Unlike the other two he actually could eat mortal food. Not only that, but he enjoyed it.

His sustenance did not come from chomping on mortal beings, he had to actually fill his gullet if he wanted to function. Especially with how much magic he had used the day before.

"I'll catch up with you later." He told them. "If you leave the city just...uhh, I don't know, leave a note."

As he began to walk away they would hear him grumbling. "I need some fucking food."

 

[Harlowe]

Harlowe couldn't help the soft laugh at the giants grumbling as he stalked away. She didn't spare him a second thought though as she linked her arm through Felice's and led her off to the stables.

The stables were a squat brick building which radiated the smell of manouer and horse sweat. Even with her sensitive nose Harlowe enjoyed the smell. Horses had always been a love of hers even if she had preferred fighting with her feet on the ground. Inside a few stalls were empty and there might have once been 20 horses stabled there but only five long faces popped their heads over the door curiously.

"Pick a horse," Harlowe nudged the other monster forward.

 

[Felice]

One advantage of Felice’s new body was she could go a few days between meals. The idea of actually riding horses was far more appealing in the moment.

”Suit yourself, you’d probably just freeze them all anyway.” Matias left at such a brisk pace she was unsure if he heard her but she didn’t really care either way.

She followed, arm-in-arm, with Harlowe until the smell hit them. It’s not that it was entirely unpleasant, it was just very different from what she had expected. Smelling like a cross between the fields just outside of Oban and the danker areas of the slums. There was also an earthy scent intermixed which she’d later learn was hay.

Eyeing the five steeds before her she eventually settled on a light brown one with a black mane and a thick white marking in its nose. She pointed a finger and called out, ”that one,” before helping Harlowe with the saddle.

 

[Harlowe]

Harlowe grinned at the selection.

"Lovely," none of the horses who had been left behind were exactly the best stock but they were all in good shape. It was probably the slower ones who had been left with how quickly the others had no doubt wanted to get away from here. That was probably a good thing for Felice. Moving over to the rack of tack she plucked down a saddle that looked as though it would fit along with a bridal and rug.

"So first you need to tack her up," Harlowe handed Felice the gear. "Blanket on their back first, then saddle, make sure it sits up high on her back," the vampire indicated from a safe distance where. The horses didn't seem too bothered by her smell at the moment but she didn't want to make the mare antsy before Felice had a chance to get on top.

 

[Felice]

Nods followed the explanations given by Harlowe before Felice draped the blanket over her shoulder and clutched the other items in her arms. "Sounds simple enough," she said with a smile as she trotted off towards the horse.

Arriving at the horse she did exactly as instructed. Blanket on the beast first, a firm hand rubbing over it to undo any wrinkles in the fabric, before she gently laid the saddle itself. Carefully she twisted the leather until it looked straight enough and then proceeded to buckle it underneath. Only after all of it was finished did she notice the next problem.

Horses were tall. Did humans just carry stepstools around with them? "How are you supposed to climb up this thing?" If she weren't so out of her element she likely could've figured the puzzle out but impatience was a hell of a thing. Without waiting for a response from her friend a large clump of her hair pressed into the ground and lifted her upwards until she was sat atop the tan horse.

"Ok, um, mush!" her words rang out with a little upwards jolt in her spine. The horse did not mush, it just remained stationary.

 

[Harlowe]

Harlowe watched as the mare bent and took another mouthful of hay. The vampire hid her mouth behind her hand to stop herself from laughing.

"Come on," she reached forward and gently grabbed the horse by the reins. The mare's nostril's flared and she gave a snort, ears pinning back but she did follow the vampire reluctantly. No doubt these creatures were used for battles and so knew the smell of death that clung to the vampire. Out in the yard beyond Harlowe let go and the horse began to frisk impatiently.

"You need to hold your reins like this," the vampire demonstrated. "Don't pull too hard unless you want her to stop, otherwise just enough pressure to feel you have control. Then heels down and gently kick against her sides with a click of your tongue."

 

[Felice]

A broad grin rose up on Felice's face while the vampire pulled the horse forward. As it slowly trotting along behind the silver-haired warrior the monster sat atop it clung to the front of the saddle. She was really doing it, she was riding on a horse right now.

Once they were out in the open yard she released the horse and it went back to being still.

The redhead paid attention as the lesson was given and eventually she grasped the reins herself and held them precisely as Harlowe had shown. Her feet straightened, she took a deep breath, and then a gentle nudge of her feet until...

It moved. Slowly, a few steps forward while she jostled up and down. "I'm doing it," she hadn't meant to say that part outloud but Felice had been confident she'd immediately fall off if she even made it this far. The fact she hadn't was exhilarating.

 

[Harlowe]

Harlowe chuckled to herself and pulled herself up onto a fence where she could watch the lesson without getting trampled underfoot. She was pretty sure she had looked exactly the same when she had first ridden a horse too - she most certainly could remember the pain her backside had been in afterwards. Saddles were not designed for comfort.

"Put your weight in your stirrups, just the balls of your feet resting on it - that's it," the mare was quite a good little thing really putting up with a complete novice bouncing around on her back. Sour tempered horses would have put up with much less. "Now if you want to go into a trot just kick twice and rise in time with the horse in your stirrups."

The lesson went on like that for the next half an hour with Harlowe instructing and offering helpful advice here and there but otherwise letting Felice enjoy her time.

 

[Felice]

For a bit Felice ignored the advice about how to enter a trot. She was enjoying the slow paced stroll enough and didn't want to be thrown from the horse after ordering it to go quicker than she was prepared for. Over time she built up to it and before long it had become apparent she was starting to get a handle on this.

Sure, she wasn't master equestrian or anything but obviously horse riding was something she was capable of doing.

"Thanks," she offered to the vampire as she dismounted and pulled the horse by the reins. Felice wondered if there was a chance of taking the horse with them. Might be nice to practice riding and she could keep up with Harlowe's speed a bit easier. But, no, the Regiment was no place for a horse. It'd be scared away or eaten within the first few days back at the main camp.

Once she had lead the creature back into the stables she looked back at her friend. "Seriously, thank you for helping me with that. We'll have to try again the next time we take over a town, get drunk, and seize a castle." A smile blossomed on her pale face. "I guess we should go find him," she said with disinterest.

 

[Harlowe]

"It was my pleasure," Harlowe smiled, having followed her friend back to the stables, and leaned against one of the stall doors where a grey gelding poked his head over to see if she had food. Affectionately she scratched at his ears until he lost interest and went back to his hay. "If you can't tick some things off your bucket list when you're dead when can you?"

The young vampire helped with putting away the tack where she had found it then sighed dramatically at the suggestion of finding the most unpopular musketeer.

"I suppose so. He must have found food because I can't hear his stomach rumbling anymore," she snorted then led the way to where Matias was.