As the followed the directions that the farmer had given her, Tei'serin felt as though she was being watched again. She noticed it the moment she left the farm, and no amount of weaving through the crowd to shake whoever was following her seemed to help. After a while, the feeling of being watched made her so nervous that she had to duck into the nearest shop to escape it. With any luck, she could hide in the shop long enough for whoever was following her to lose interest, and give up.
When she looked around, Tei'serin's eyes lit up with wonder. The shop she had ducked into was a book store. Shelves, and shelves filled with books greeted her, begging her to browse through them, and discover the secrets they held within. Tei'serin knew that she could quite happily spend the rest of the trial in this store alone, but the enjoyment to be gained from doing so wouldn't be worth bearing the brunt of Thorin's anger at daring to disobey him. But even that wasn't going to stop her from spending at least a little time browsing through the shelves. She might even buy a book or two since she had brought some of her own money as well as the nels that Thorin had given her to spend.
Knowing that she couldn't stay long if she wanted to have any hope of attending the gardening class later, Tei'serin skimmed through the shelves until she found the section on herbs. There was one thing in particular that she really hoped to find; an encyclopedia on herbs, and their uses. If she had had one before she had found herself in an icy wasteland trying to do what little she could to help the wounded during a war among the Immortals, she might have known a little about what, if any herbs might have been available to her there. And if she ever found herself traveling again, it would allow her to learn about the local herbs in the area. It could even help her find alternates to the herbs she already knew if her patient was allergic to one of the more common ones, or if she ran out of something she needed during a season when she couldn't readily get more. It might even be able to teach her how to make new herbal remedies that she didn't know how to make now.
Normally such a thing would have been well beyond what she could afford to buy...assuming she could even find one at all. A small community like Treth simply didn't offer such things. But a huge port city like Ne'haer could well have one available, and if so, Tei'serin planned to take full advantage of Traveler's Day to buy it. It took quite a bit of searching, but she did find exactly what she was looking for. Tei'serin still had some time left before she thought her stalker would give up, so she continued browsing, and found a book that focused on how to make a variety of herbal remedies. Since several of the remedies she used required cooking in some form or another, she decided to look for some books that would help her improve her cooking skills as well. She found a set of books that explained different cooking techniques, and tools, as well as offering a selection of recipes that featured each type. Further searching allowed her to add a book about the proper use of seasonings, and one on how to make jams, jellies, and syrups.
Tei'serin waited as long as she could, lingering over the shelves filled with books. When she had reached the point where she wouldn't be able to attend the gardening class later if she delayed any longer, she made her purchase. But as soon as she emerged from the store, Tei'serin knew that she had failed to shake off whoever was following her. She couldn't see anyone watching her, or acting strangely when she searched the crowd, but she could feel someone watching her all the same. It could be that she was just nervous about being around so many strangers...but she didn't think that that was the case.
Tei'serin did her best to ignore the feeling of being watched as she made her way through the crowd to Anuminah’s Stables and Mount Gear, using the directions the farmer had given her. The stables were located just outside the town gates. As Tei'serin entered the main gates into the stables, she took note of the large wooden animal statues that seemed to greet her as she walked past them. As soon as she did, the feeling of being watched stopped, making her wonder once again if Thorin had sent someone to check up on her, and make certain that she do as she had been told.
"Can I help you?"
Tei'serin looked up to see a woman walking up to her briskly. She thought quickly. What did she want to buy here? She had exactly ninty two gold nels, and five silver nels to spend here, according to her guardian's instructions. And with everything being half priced due to the holiday, that could buy a lot of stuff, depending on what she decided to buy. The woman was clearly expecting an answer to her question some time in the near future, so she had to say something...but what?
"I'm hoping to buy a horse. One that has been well trained." she said at last.
"And the gear I would need to ride one."
There. That was something, at least. And while she had a horse she liked well enough, the mare wasn't trained very well. Tei'serin could ride her, but the mare was prone to wanting to go where she wanted to go rather than where Tei'serin wanted to go. And she could be incredibly stubborn about it at times when the mood suited her. Having a well trained mare would make her life a lot easier.
"I may be able to help you with that. What kind of horse are you looking for?"
"A mare, if one is available. I've ridden one in the past, so it is what I am used to. But she isn't trained very well, and my own skills aren't...well, to put it nicely, I am an beginner. But I live on a farm that is a good couple of breaks away from the village I work in. Riding makes the trip shorter than walking."
"So you'd want a docile mare who isn't likely to give you any trouble, then?"
Tei'serin nodded.
"Do you have the proper housing for another horse? You mentioned having one already."
Tei'serin nodded again.
"I have a small stable for the one that I own now. It would be easy for me to hire someone who could add a second stall to the stable. And in the mean time, I have a barn she could stay in."
"You mentioned being used to riding mares. How do you handle their irritation when they are in heat?" the woman questioned.
Tei'serin smiled ruefully as she remembered some of her mare's more stubborn moments. She knew from experience that when a mare was in heat, you were the last thing on her mind. Obedience was a lot to be expected from a mare in heat, who was uncomfortable to begin with, and distracted by her instinct to mate. In some ways, it was similar to a woman who had to endure an especially bad cycle...at least the discomfort aspect was.
"With a great deal of love, and patience. And if need be, I will walk on a given day rather than ride if my mare is especially uncomfortable, or irritated with the idea of being ridden.
The woman chuckled, and Tei'serin got the feeling that she had passed some kind of test she hadn't known she was taking.
"Then yes, I do think I can help you. Sorry about the interrogation. I like to make sure that my horses are going to a good home before I sell them. My name is Anuminah, by the way."
"I'm Tei'serin. And I can understand you wanting to make sure they go to a good home." Tei'serin said simply.
Anuminah led Tei'serin to a large pasture where several mares were grazing. Some of them were obviously pregnant. Although Tei'serin had never bred her own mare before, she remembered reading that a mare didn't show until late in their pregnancy. So if she was right in what she remembered, these mares were due to give birth soon. One of the mares, a pretty, spirited looking thing, perked her ears up, and approached the white fence surrounding the pasture as they walked up. It was clear that she was looking for treats, and Tei'serin laughed at her antics.
"This little sweetheart will do anything for you...
if she likes you. But if not, she's a stubborn bitch, and may well take it into her head to bite you." Anuminah said as she offered the dainty mare a carrot.
Once the mare had taken her carrot, she turned to Tei'serin in a clear demand for attention. Tei'serin smiled as she stroked the mare's nose gently, and told her how beautiful she was.
The woman turned to Tei'serin thoughtfully.
"I would say that she was too much of a handful for a beginner like you...except that she seems to have taken a real liking to you. That's a good sign. She doesn't usually take to strangers so quickly. What do you think?"
Tei'serin knew that she should at least take a closer look at the other horses that were for sale to see if she found one that she liked better...but she had fallen in love with the sweet, affectionate nature of the mare she was petting, and she told Anuminah as much. The woman chuckled.
"Then it seems that we've found you a horse. Since she is trained, and pregnant, I would normally charge one hundred and twenty gold nels for her. But what with the holiday, and all, she's yours for sixty gold nels."
"Sold." Tei'serin said instantly.
"That just leaves the tack I will need for her."
"All told, I can give you a saddle, halter, bit, and leather reins for twenty one gold nels, and five silver nels."
Tei'serin nodded, and agreed on the price. It fell a little short of the amount her guardian had told her to spend here, though, so she tried to think of what else she might need.
"Do you have any grooming brushes, and the like?" she asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not. You'll have to go to Zuroni's Animal Care and and Training Sanctuary for those." she said apologetically.
"But we do sell saddle bags here. I could sell you a large one for six gold nels, or a small one for three including the holiday discount. We also sell saddle blankets. Large ones will go for seven gold nels, and five silver, and small ones for five gold nels with the discount." she offered.
"I'll take a small saddle blanket, and a large saddle bag, then."
The saddle bag would come in handy when she needed to go farther than usual to find the herbs she needed, and the mare looked small enough that a small blanket would suit her more than a large one would. Tei'serin thanked the woman for her help as she handed her the money she owed. The woman then gathered the items she had purchased, along with the mare, and promised they would be waiting for her when she was ready for them. Tei'serin asked if she could take the mare with her now, and leave the riding gear until she was ready to leave the city. She was hoping that Zuroni's Animal Care and and Training Sanctuary would sell horseshoes as well, and for that, she would need the mare she had just bought. Finally, she asked for directions to get the animal sanctuary, thanked the woman once more for her help, and left.
Zuroni's Animal Care and and Training Sanctuary was located outside the city gates as well; just before the edge of Willow Woods. As she entered the Sanctuary, she was greeted at the entrance by a black haired Biqaj who introduced himself gruffly as Zuroni, and asked her what she wanted. Tei'serin was more than a little unnerved by the unfriendly greeting, but she still managed to tell the man that Anuminah had sent her, saying that she would be able to find grooming brushes for the horse she had just bought here.
Well, at least whoever is watching me didn't follow me inside... she thought nervously.
Zuroni admitted that he did sell grooming brushes for a number of different animals at the sanctuary, and demanded to know exactly what she was looking for. He was less than impressed when Tei'serin had to explain that she didn't know what kinds of brushes she needed, but he did tell her the names of the different kinds he sold, and explained what each one was used for. He also told her that it was best to get her horse shooed if she hadn't already, and offered to do it for her if she bought the horse shoes from him. Then he suggested that she buy a sponge, and a hoof pick as well when she told him that she wanted to buy one of each of the brushes that he had available. Zuroni asked if she had all of the tack she needed. Tei'serin was about to say yes, when she realized that Anuminah didn't have any bridles for sale. When Zuroni offered to sell her a leather one, Tei'serin agreed quickly, and thanked him. He ignored her thanks, and told her how much her purchase would come to.
Once she had handed him the money he had asked for, Zuroni took her mare aside, so he could put the horseshoes on. Tei'serin watched in fascination as he gently lifted the mare's right fore hoof. When he noticed her interest, he began explaining what he was doing as he worked. As he cleaned the hoof with a hoof pick, Tei'serin watched closely, knowing that she would have to be able to clean the mare's hooves herself from now on. She knew the basics, of course, having learned how to take care of her other mare long ago. But she knew that she barely knew what she was doing, going on lessons she had been given as a child. The opportunity to watch someone who clearly was confident in what they were doing helped a lot, and Tei'serin found herself learning a few tricks that would help her in the future. When he told her that the triangular portion in the middle of the hoof was called the frog, and cautioned her to be especially careful of it since it was very sensitive, Tei'serin nodded. She didn't know what it was called before Zuroni had told her, having forgotten the name if she had ever learned it before. But she had learned from past experience with her other mare that that part of the hoof was very sensitive.
When Zuroni began to remove excess flaky sole from the mare's hooves using a hoof knife, Tei'serin asked if he had any that he could sell her. He did, and he paused in his work to accept another two gold nels from her in payment. An additional six gold nels was added to the price when he began using a pair of hoof nippers to trim her hooves, and Tei'serin asked about buying a pair of those as well. As he worked, he told her that it was important to keep the edges of the hooves uniformly straight and level so that they would sit flush with the ground unless the horse's gait was uneven. If that was the case, she would want to trim slightly less off of the hoof on the side that the horse favors. But he cautioned her that if she had any uncertainty as to which side the horse favored, it was best to leave trimming the horses hooves to a skilled farrier. He also taught her that each side of the hoof should be trimmed from the heel to the toe, pointing each out as he explained the process. Then he warned her not to cut into the sole of the hoof with the nippers because doing so would injure the horse.
Finally, he used a rasp to flatten, and level the sole of each hoof, explaining what he was doing as he did so. Tei'serin took note of the gentle side to side motion that he used to smooth away any uneven spots on the hoof. Then Zuroni used his knife to bevel the sole away from the hoof wall slightly, explaining that if the sole of the hoof came into contact with the shoe, it could cause the horse discomfort. The cost of a hoof rasp was also added to what Tei'serin was buying.
Zuroni showed Tei'serin how to measure a horse's hoof, explaining that every horse's hooves were shaped differently. He also told her that it was important that the shoes fit the horse properly, and that if she ever had to choose between shoes that were slightly too big, or ones that were a bit too small, to take the bigger ones since they could be shaped to the proper size. As he began to nail the horse shoes into place, she asked anxiously if the nails would hurt the mare. Zuroni's expression softened, as though her obvious worry about the mare had given her a better opinion of her. Then he explained that while the frog of a horse's hoof was very sensitive, the rest was made out of dead tissue, much like a person's fingernails were. And as such, the horse felt no pain when the shoe was nailed on unless the nail was placed improperly.
When he was done fastening the horse shoes with nails, Zuroni showed her how to bend the nail tips that protruded from the hoof against the hoof wall, and clip them off with the hoof nippers. Then he clinched each of the nails by hitting each one once firmly with the hammer. Finally, he used his rasp to file away some rough spots on the outer hoof walls. One of the rear hooves had a bit of excess hoof protruding over the shoe, so he used his nippers to remove it.
When he was finished, Tei'serin thanked him sincerely for shooing her mare as she handed him the additional nels she owed. The sun was still high in the sky, and Tei'serin judged that it was still early enough that she had a chance of making it to the gardening class she hoped to take. So she left the sanctuary, and headed back towards Valfield Farms.
Off Topic
Once the 50% off award is given, the money for the following will be deducted from Tei'serin's ledger:
Written Wisdom: 85 GN for the following:
Herbs of Idalos: A Complete Guide to Herbs in Western Idalos (a 10 volume encyclopedia that contains, pictures of the herbs, descriptions of their uses, where they are found, and how to grow them as well as how to make various salves, teas, etc. from them): 50 GN (normally 100 GN)
Cooking Made Easy; a five book set that teaches different methods of cooking, and about the different kinds of cooking tools, it also has some simple recipes that utilize the most common cooking methods: 25 GN (normally 50 GN)
Seasonings and You: 5 GN (normally 10 GN)
Jellies, Jams, and More: 5 GN (normally 10 GN)
Anuminah’s Stables and Mount Gear: 92 GN, 5 SN for the following:
Horse (trained) - 50 GN (normally 100 GN)
Foal (pregnant mare) - 10 GN (normally 20 GN)
Saddle - 12 GN, 5 SN (normally 25 GN)
Bit - 2 GN (normally 4 GN)
Halter - 3 GN (normally 6 GN)
Saddle Bag (large) - 6 GN (normally 12 GN)
Leather reins - 4 GN (normally 8 GN)
Small saddle blanket - 5 GN (normally 10)
Zuroni's Animal Care and and Training Sanctuary: 36 GN, 5 SN for the following:
Body Brush - 2 GN, 5 SN (normally 5 GN)
Dandy Brush - 2 GN (normally 4 GN)
Curry Comb - 1 GN (normally 2 GN)
Mane and Tail Comb - 5 SN (normally 1 GN)
Hoof Pick - 3 GN (normally 6 GN)
Sponge - 1 GN (normally 2 GN)
Horseshoes (4) - 6 GN (normally 12 GN)
Leather Bridle - 7 GN, 5 SN (normally 15 GN)
Hoof knife - 2 GN (normally 4 GN)
Hoof Nippers - 6 GN (normally 12 GN)
Hoof Rasp - 5 GN (normally 10 GN)
Total: 214 GN
