Forging a Legacy [KnightVanilla]

[Amaranis A'daragon]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Eclair Tobius
20 years old

(God, that picture is huge)

With the goal to become renown for her craft(blacksmith)

At an early age Eclair had been curious as to who her mother was. A young girl growing with a human father having to explain why she didn't have a mother....and why she was growing horns. It wasn't the simplest of childhoods but it was hers. throughout the years of her adolescence she poked and prodded her father until he finally confessed that her mother was a dragon for whom he offered her a prize blade that he has once crafted. The awe she had as she imagined her mother and the pure reminiscent delight as each encounter was accounted for filled her with a desire to one day meet her mother. Being taken under apprenticeship of her father she steadily took to the work of crafting and casting steel to become the weapons of heroes!

It was later on her path of life she discovered a fund her father had saved up for her travels. Upon asking what it was for he insisted that it wasn't much of anything and that she should be expecting a letter to arrive soon. Curious she does as she always has and pokes and prods her father as a young woman until he finally relented to recount the final memory he had of her. With Alvina being given to him and with a promise to send for the child...

Eclair wakes up in her room, hearing the familiar clanging and banging of her father working the forge at the front of the house. Other than the occasional bird song and wind, no other sounds can be heard as you rise from your bed. You stretch out, and doing so causes your tail to knock the journal you keep off of the small bedside table. You pick it up, and open it to your latest passage, seeing what you wrote about how you plan to start your journey.

Closing it and setting it back on the table, you get yourself determined. Now is the time to go make a name for yourself.

[KnightVanilla]

Eclair after having finally awakened slowly rose from her bed to start her day. Starting her morning stretches as well piecing together the mess that was her room from last night. Going through her things to ensure she had everything packed for the journey ahead. Taking time to also massage her tail as she repeated her usual morning ritual. Clasping onto some clothes she begins to finally put on some clothes after having spent the majority of her prepping and cleaning in the nude. Packed and ready for her journey she steps out her room to greet her father for one last breakfast before the journey would begin.

“Father!” She calls out as she reaches the forgery. “I’m ready to go, but did you need me for anything before I leave from breakfast? I don’t want to leave you here all bored without me.” She said with a bit of concern of her father.

[Amaranis A'daragon]

You find your father standing over the anvil, hammering away at a horse shoe. He looks fit, but you can tell he is getting older by his graying hair. He sets the horse shoe in some water, and steam billows from the barrel. He takes his gloves off, and walks over to you.

"Eclair! It's about time you woke up! Been up all night sneaking out with some boy I'm sure!"

Your father laughs at his own joke, until it turns into a small coughing fit. After it passes, he looks you over once more, before waving his hand at you.

"Bah! Maybe without you around, my hairs will stop turning gray with all your questions! If you're going into town though, you can tell that innkeeper that his customer's horse shoes are done. Now get! Your food is getting cold."

After you head back to the kitchen, you see a breakfast consisting of eggs, ham and some fruit. You also see two bags, one containing dried fruit and meat. The other has a small amount of coins.

[KnightVanilla]

Seeing her father at work always mystified her although that sense of awe was always swept away with her father's words. Truly he was never a poet of wit, but of the hammer. Before she could follow up with her own retort she is quick to notice his coughing. It wasn't too serious luckily her father just needed to take it easy.

As she followed her father's notions to the breakfast table, Eclair was finally able to get a retort in "Without me you would forget where you keep your brief old man! So try not to have the ol home stink from your arse while I'm gone." She chuckled a bit, picking up a few of her father's self indulgent qualities in humor. Eating as much as she can, but making a concerted effort not to rush. Wishing to enjoy the company she had with her father.

Once she had finished she left for the town to ensure her passage. "Make sure you're the last person I say goodbye to alright father?" She makes him promise before going to town for the final errands before her journey .

[Amaranis A'daragon]

As you walk down the familiar street, not a thing looks out of place. The tree where you used to hide under to nap instead of doing you chores as a child. The river you and some of the children used to run and swim in, until you were old enough that running and playing naked with boys was considered inappropriate. Sometimes in the summers, you would sneak out at night and soak in the water when it was too stifling in the house.

The town was going about it's usual affairs, nothing other than a wave or and occasional 'Good luck' thrown your way. You make your way to the inn, the only two story structure that doesn't belong to a rich family. There, you see Tomin, a boy you grew up with is wiping down table and cleaning up after breakfast. He dresses simply, and the fact that he always keeps his hair unkempt and is on the shorter side makes him seem a little meek. He spots you, and gives you a smile.

"Hey there Eclair. Today's the day, huh? What can I do yah for?"

[KnightVanilla]

Reminiscing of the past filled her with great joy and longing. Pondering the path she was on the steps she was about to take to meet her mother filled her with excitement and fear. This town has been all she had known for the better part of her life and now she would leave it to perfect her craft like her father once did. What made her mother leave... There was so many questions that hasn't been answered and all of them could only be answered by her mother. Stepping into the inn to spot Tomin, she greets him with a smile. "Yup, making my last errands before securing my travel... My father sent me to say the horse shoes were done as ordered. It's the usual fee for the upkeep so just let the innkeeper know Alright. Other than that I dont have much business for the Inn myself... Will you hold up alright without me Tomin?"

[Amaranis A'daragon]

"Oh, you know me. I'll manage. Going out into the world seems less scary than staying around here your whole life, that's for sure!"

Tomin smiles and laughs, before giving you a quick look over. He glances past you, gets a confused look on his face, then turns back to you.

"Well, if you're headin out, where is your horse? You goin ta hoof it the whole way? The guys who wanted the horse shoes are small merchant caravan, they might take yah on if you ask. Else you're gonna have to ask 'round the stables for a horse."

You could almost slap yourself on the forehead for not thinking about this: traveling! It could take some time to get from town to town on foot. The merchants could have guards and information on the outside world, but it would mean trusting your well being to a group of complete strangers.

Meanwhile, the man who runs the stables let your father know at one point you were never allowed to play with his children ever again. I mean, it was his son's fault he got hurt wrestling with you...and got stabbed by your horns. Maybe he's forgiven you by now...

Or maybe walking wouldn't be such a bad idea...

[KnightVanilla]

"Yeah right horse.... Well I have an idea about that and I was thinking the old man at the stable... I mean he can't still be peeved about that incident years ago right? Y'know what don't answer that I'll figure it out." She says as she waves her friend bye in order to visit the stables.

While it was questionable to ask a stranger for passage of would be far more safer to ask a friend. Otherwise it may be better to ask the merchants for passage. After all the fastest route to the city could make the difference to the amount of dangers she may encounter while on the road. Reaching the stables she called out "Uh hello? I was hoping to uh take a horse..." She called out hesitantly .

[Amaranis A'daragon]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lets see who you run into: Higher than 50, old man. Less than, the boy: 88.

"Yeah yeah, I hear yah. Quit your hollerin!"

Your stomach tightens up as you hear the gruff voice of the stable owner coming out of the back room. The man is almost completely bald, and his back is hunched from years of physical labor. His almost leathery skin makes the years look like they were not kind to this man. As he sees you, you see his face scrunch up like he smelled something awful. Considering this man works around horses and manure for a living, your sure it's you that makes his face act like that.

"Oh look, the mutt. I thought I told you ta never come round here. Now, tell me what you want before you start stabbing my horses next."

Ouch. Okay, he hasn't forgotten. Time to retreat, or time to try diplomacy?

[KnightVanilla]

Eclair chuckled nervously always having a hard time attempting to talk to the old man. "Well you see... I'm about to leave town so... Maybe if you're so interested in never having me come back. You could give me one of your stallions. I'll be sure to repay the debt in the future." She said almost ready to make a run dormir if she really had to. The old man scared her and she wasn't afraid to admit that. Although he was needlessly dickish at times he raised a fine young man. Too bad she couldn't encounter him.

[Amaranis A'daragon]

The man looks visibly surprised as you say you're leaving town, but the second you ask for a stallion, his face hardens again.

"Let me get this straight. You want me to let you have one of my horses? And pay me back later? NO."

He says that last word with such force, it almost sends you scrambling from there right then. You're not sure why you froze there, but the man keeps looking at you, before letting out his breath in a sigh. With that one action, it seems almost like he deflates, not nearly as scary as he was a second ago.

"Alright, i'll make yah a one time deal. You cannot tell no one about this, even if yah don't accept. Hear me?"

The older man looks over you once more, this time with more of a...appraising look instead of something he had to wash from his boots.

"I'll let you take one of the younger uns for a little bit of coin IF! You strip down right now, and apologize for hurtin my son, sincerely. Take it or leave it, the doors right there."

[KnightVanilla]

When the old man initially said no she nearly stumbled back to make an attempt to run for. Yet despite this intimidating presence he has just a moment ago he seemed to come to some sense of normality for some reason when the offer was being brought up she was wondering just what he would even want her to keep secret until he finally said it.

She got a bit red from embarrassment but the truth was that this seemed fairly simple transaction. Just for her to apologize in the nude. "Uh alright... I suppose you won't say a word too then... That's a deal then." She reached out to shake his hand. A common curtisy that her father had kept with many of the men in town.

"Is there any particular spot I should be in or..." She asked for the old man's guidance she was pretty sure at someone everyone saw her naked in some point of her life. Especially with how her and the other kids loved to swim.

[Amaranis A'daragon]

He seems genuinely surprised at your answer, and does shake your hand.

"Ah, I must be gettin soft. Follow me, lets choose you a horse."

The man leads you into the stable, and the first thing that hits you is the smell. It's quite a bit stronger than you remember, seeing as how you have avoided this place for quite some time. You did try and sneak back a few times to see your friend, but every time you got caught, it just caused trouble until you stopped.

You stop outside of a few of the stalls, and he points at a pair of horses. The first one is a young, brown stallion. The second is a brown and white spotted mare.

"Alright, the boy here is a bit stubborn, but if you can get him to warm up to you, he'll treat yah well enough. The girl is friendly, but she tends to go at her own pace unless she's scared. Bucked one of my boys off her when she got spooked by a snake. Anyways, let's see your coin, then you can strip, apologize, and meet the one you want."

You look at him, and notice how he didn't say you should get dressed before getting into the stall...should you ask if you could, or do you meet your new horse in the buff? Also, while the stable might not be as public as the front, there is a chance someone might see you other than him here...

[KnightVanilla]

Following the old man she did her best to persevere through the smell that has long eluded her. Part of Eclair wondered why she always made the effort to meet her friend but right now she was focused on that horse. Once she got a good look at the two horses she was already set on the stallion. She wanted to be able to travel at her own pace....while the mare might have been better in a group. Reaching into her pockets she retrieved what coin she had saved for the trip to pay off for her horse.

Once she handed over the coin she followed as instructed and began to strip down nude and apologize with a bow. "I'm sorry for hurting your son. I uh.... Can put my clothes back on right?" Eclair asked with a bit of a whimper keeping an eye out for anyone that may see. If she had to continue like this then she would. Approaching the stallion with or without her clothes so they could bond as a rider and steed.

[Amaranis A'daragon]

When the man hears your whimper, he pauses for a moment, before nodding his head.

"If you really want to, go ahead and get dressed. Sometimes the animals like it better when you show you're not hidin nothin. Do what you want."

The man takes the coins, and separates a few silver coins from your purse before returning the rest to the pouch.

As you approach the horse, it stares at you questioningly, and tenses as you touch it. It seems to not open up to you right away, seeing you as a stranger.

"Hrmm...Maybe we should have you saddle him up and give him a shot. Then we will know for sure, unless you want to change your mind."

[KnightVanilla]

"If it will help..." She says referring to the old man's judgement as she approached the stallion naked. This had felt odd standing here naked, it wasn't the first time she had shown herself naked to someone but those were under different circumstances.. Most of it were while she was a child messing about.

Despite the tension of the stallion she tried her best to keep herself steady and calm around the stallion. Hearing the old man's words she decided to listen to the advice and would attempt to saddle the stallion. "I think I got it..."

[Amaranis A'daragon]

The man brings over a saddle, and starts teaching you how to properly put it on. You're not sure if this is part of the purchasing package, but your not about to refuse him. A couple of times he calls you over, making you bend over or crouch down so you can see what he is doing. You catch him glancing at your breasts and sex a few times, but aside from grabbing your hand to show you how to tighten straps, he makes no untoward comments or contact.

"There. Now, hop on, and i'll lead him out to the yard. Then you can try and give him a shot. A name wouldn't be a bad idea neither."

Once again, he makes no mention of your clothes, but if you're about to parade around on a horse in the open, you probably should get dressed...right?

[KnightVanilla]

Catching the few moments of his gaze caught her off guard, however for now she continued with the old man's lessons for now. He seemed respectful so far and when it came time to try to ride the horse out doors she began dressing herself up. Not meaningful take the chance. "Maybe Bec?" She asked as she was getting redressed to continue the lesson outside.

She wasn t gonna even entertain the idea of showcasing her naked form complete strangers. After all if the horse didnt get used her being dressed, then she would have to consistently ride naked... Not an ideal way to travel the world as is. "T-thanks for the help"

[Amaranis A'daragon]

"Bah. Name the horse whatever you want. Also, you did what I asked, so your a customer, and that'll do."

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Anything terrible happen during the ride? Roll: 48, not too bad.

The stable master leads you out into the yard, and hands you the reigns. As soon as he does, Bec bolts. You clench your legs and hold the reigns as hard as you can. He runs a full lap around the yard, and no amount of you asking him to stop or the stable master shouting advice to you can get him to stop. However, after the lap, he begins to calm down. While at first he tries to ignore the tugs you give to his reigns, eventually he starts following your commands. Through the use of some vegetables and caressing from you, you feel you have a good relationship starting to form between you and Bec. You lead him back over to the stable master, and get off. As soon as you do, your legs buckle a bit, but you catch yourself, right as the stable master moved to catch you. When you look at him, he coughs, and dusts his hands off. Seems he's warmed up to you quite a bit since you got here.

"Well, gotta say I'm impressed. Wasn't expecting much out of you mu-...girl. Anyways, make sure to keep him groomed and fed out there. No horse is loyal on a empty stomach. A brush comes with the saddle, so we're all settled up."

He hands you back the reigns, and moves to and opens the gate to the yard, allowing you to pass.

[KnightVanilla]

"Oh alright then." She said a bit excited by the prospect of learning to ride a horse for her travels. The process felt far more traumatic than she had initially anticipated it, but slowly moving into some sort of bond she found herself overcome with relief. Once she found some sort of footing for this driving thing, she guided the horse back to the stable master and as she hopped off to stabilize herself and see that the old man was prepared to catch her lent her more relief to the relationship now.

Replying to his words she smiles at his comments. "Well you're a good teacher. Well thank you for the business, wish me luck and tell your son I said goodbye." she spoke as she left guiding the horse to the town's exit. Her father should be nearby for their final goodbye. As her mother left sent her a map to guide her so they could meet. With this and the horse she will be able to meet her mother... And maybe pick up a few things of the craft.