Sime~Gen Roleplaying: Householding Naros Scenario
Episode #76: He Goeth Out Among the Missing (12/9/98)
Ifto heads for the stable for an early morning ride.
Ifto whistles cheerfully, a traditional Zeor folk song (or at least, there are traditional Zeor verses to that tune, which are NOT the ones sung in the shiltpron parlors).
Rachel is working with the horses she is assigned to... currently brushing out her own animal.
Ifto pokes his head into the stable.
Ifto: Anybody here?
Mostan comes bouncing out of the dispensary after his transfer.
Rachel: Yes. I'm here.
Ifto: I thought I'd take my horse for a ride this morning.
Mostan looks around for Povkhia, but can't locate her.
Ifto: Could you saddle him up for me?
Rachel: Some of the horses are missing. Hopefully yours isn't among those.
Rachel: Sure. Just let me put him back in his stall first.
Mostan decides to go for a ride to burn off some energy.
Ifto: Missing?
Ifto: What do you mean, missing?
Rachel: As far as I can tell, but I am not that familiar with all the stock.
Mostan saunters towards the stables.
Rachel: ~~concerned~~
Rachel unclips her horse from the cross ties and returns him to the stall.
Rachel: Which horse is it you would like me to prepare?
Ifto: My bay--the one with the three white socks and the snip on his nose.
Mostan walks into the stables.
Mostan zlins around.
Rachel: I think she's among the missing, but I'm not sure... did you look for her?
Ifto: Someone stole my horse??!!
Mostan hears talking and goes over that way.
Rachel: I don't know. I told you I am not familiar with all the stock as yet.
Rachel: I'd gladly loan you mine if you had an idea where to look for the missing horses.
Ifto: She's usually in that stall over there.
Mostan walks up. "Good Morning!"
Ifto points to an empty stall.
Ifto: I wish it was.
Ifto: ~~ upset ~~
Rachel: I didn't see her when I came in this morning.
Rachel: ~~deeply concerned~~
Ifto: It appears somebody stole my horse last night.
Mostan stops. "Stole it?"
Rachel: I noticed that one of the new stallions I brought in is also missing, which is odd as well. No one else has been working with them but me.
Mostan zlins around at the stalls.
Ifto: I wouldn't have thought a horse thief would be able to get a horse past the gate guard.
Mostan: When were they here last you zlinned them?
Rachel: Could the thief have jumped a fence with them? 2
Ifto has some notion of how closely the gate guard observes all goings-on, in hopes of garnering choice gossip.
Ifto shakes his head.
Ifto: My mare is good enough on the flat, but she's no steeplechaser.
Rachel nods.
Rachel doesn't jump her own gelding very much, and not cross-country either.
Ifto: Besides, you'd have to be suicidal to try jumping a solid, four foot fence in the dark, when the ground is icy.
Rachel: Yes. That is true. Could they have escaped the pasture?
Mostan hasn't done much horse jumping, and has no idea what is possible or impossible.
Rachel thinks maybe someone was careless with the gates.
Ifto looks around at the heads looking out from stalls.
Ifto: My horse was here yesterday evening--I checked on all our party's mounts.
Ifto: And I don't think any of them have been let out to pasture since.
Rachel nods. "Then it must be the work of thieves."
Ifto: Shen, Kenmore's going to throw a fit. He wanted to leave tomorrow.
Rachel: Surely there must be something we can do to find them?
Rachel: ~~no clue where they are~~
Mostan: Shouldn't we tell the Sectuib about this first?
Ifto: Has Sectuib Riyyh been informed of the theft?
Mostan notes that great minds think alike.
Rachel: I haven't seen Sectuib.
Ifto: Well, the first thing to do is to find him, and let him know. Then someone should check with the gatekeeper who was on duty last night.
Ifto: He might have zlinned something.
Mostan: He was supposed to be in the Dispensary for a shift this morning, but I didn't zlin him there just now.
Ifto: Hmm, perhaps you two could locate Sectuib and the gatekeeper and find out what's going on? I've got to go let Kenmore know that our departure will be delayed.
Ifto is not looking forward to it.
Rachel nods and heads back towards the main building.
Rachel is looking for the gatekeeper.
Sethan is sleeping in the room he shares with his wife.
Rachel asks for admittance to Sethan's room.
Rachel: ~~urgent~~
Rachel signals again.
Nesfis wakes up.
Nesfis: Seth... Seth, who's in the house? ~alarmed~
Nesfis jiggles Sethan's arm.
Sethan mumbles. "What?"
Nesfis: Somebody's in the house!
Nesfis hisses it in what is supposed to be a whisper but could easily be heard by anybody in the hallway.
Sethan opens his eyes.
Sethan: What?
Sethan sits up.
Rachel is waiting impatiently outside the door.
Sethan gets up and grabs for his robe as he zlins.
Nesfis sits up, clutching the bedclothes over her bosom even though she is wearing a nightie.
Sethan: Some Gen. Don't recognize the nager.
Nesfis: Well, see who it is! ~anxious~
Sethan ties the belt and opens the door a crack. "Yes?"
Rachel: Sorry to disturb you, but I understand you were on guard duty last night. Four of the horses are missing.
Rachel: Ifto asked me to look for you to see if you knew anything about it.
Sethan: Four? The Sectuib and his latest conquest aren't back yet?
Rachel: ~~concerned, yet sorry for disturbance~~
Rachel: Sectuib is gone as well?
Rachel: ~~very concerned~~
Sethan: Yeah they left during the wee hours of the morning. End of my shift.
Rachel: Ifto's horse was taken, and three others, but I have no idea in which direction or by whom.
Rachel: You have no idea who took the other two animals then?
Sethan: They rode off looking for that Farris with the funny hair and some Gen with her.
Rachel: Can you arrange for a search party then, if that's the policy here.
Rachel: ~~worried~~
Sethan is ~~ puzzled ~~ "Why?"
Sethan: What's the problem?
Rachel: First of all, I would be worried for the fact that Sectuib isn't back yet ~~obviously you're not~~ but I would also be worried for the missing animals and how they are cared for.
Nesfis decides she may as well get up and get dressed.
Sethan recalls Nesfis will want to know what's going on.
Sethan: "Just a moment."
Sethan closes the door and goes over to Nesfis.
Nesfis looks for her slippers.
Nesfis: Oh, don't mind me, I'll be fine.
Nesfis: ~grouchy~
Sethan: It's that new Gen who works in the stable. She's worried because the Sectuib isn't back from this morning.
Rachel waits since there is not much else she can do.
Nesfis looks up.
Nesfis: From this morning? You mean when him and old fire-and-ice left in such a hurry?
Nesfis is more than a little jealous of Prunida, though she'd die if she thought anybody could zlin that.
Sethan: Yeah. They aren't back and neither are that Farris and her Gen they were looking for.
Nesfis: Good riddance on those two, [opines] although why Riyyh would look for them after spending so many weeks trying to get rid of them....
Nesfis wonders if they stole something on their way out.
Nesfis: And why he'd bring her along....
Nesfis pauses.
Nesfis: Why would he go himself, for that matter? There's plenty of other people to send.
Nesfis's gossip-loving mind's wheels start turning.
Sethan: I don't think he wanted to. She was very insistent.
Nesfis: Really!
Nesfis: ~interested~
Nesfis thinks that casts a whole new light on things.
Sethan remembers he's left someone at the door.
Sethan goes back to the door and opens it.
Sethan steps out into the hall.
Sethan: Sorry, just had to tell the wife.
Nesfis goes back to dressing.
Rachel: ~~understanding~ What would you suggest I do to help you find Sectuib and the missing horses?
Sethan sighs. "I suppose I'll have to go ride out looking for them."
Sethan wonders who they'll send looking for him.
Sethan: There are horses left, right?
Rachel: Yes, most of them.
Sethan: Ok. Come on and sit down while I get myself tea.
Rachel: Thank you.
Rachel follows him back into the house.
Sethan leads the way to a tiny kitchen.
Sethan starts poking at a fire in a stove.
Sethan puts on the kettle and starts rustling about in the cupboard.
Sethan: That woman with the Sectuib was in a powerful hurry to get after them.
Sethan: I can't see her turning loose of the chase.
Rachel listens.
Rachel: Did you notice anything else? Something out of the ordinary?
Sethan puts two cups down.
Rachel: ~~grateful~~ "Thank you."
Sethan wraps handling tentacles around the other and savors the warmth.
Rachel sips at her tea as well. It was cold working in the stable.
Sethan: They looked like they got dressed in a hurry. Don't usually see Riyyh looking like that.
Rachel: But that didn't concern you at the time I suppose?
Sethan shrugs. "He's Sectuib. He's supposed to know what he's doing."
Rachel nods in agreement. "Though, I do find it odd."
Sethan's voice develops a bit of an edge. "He certainly never hesitated to do what he claimed to think was right for the Household."
Rachel: I'm sure he has our best interests in mind always.
Sethan: But I suppose you're right, his judgment may not quite as good as we would like. ~~ bitter irony and resentment ~~
Rachel is not to judge the Sectuib since she hasn't been here that long.
Sethan is dubious if it is really in everyone's interest to get Riyyh back, but doubts Rachel would understand.
Sethan snorts.
Sethan gulps down the rest of his tea.
Sethan: Well, I'd better get dressed. I'll be right out. How cold is it this morning?
Rachel: It's a bit nippy for me, but maybe not for you. Should I get one of the horses ready for you?
Sethan: Yeah, sounds like a good idea.
Sethan stands up.
Rachel rises as well. "Which one?"
Sethan: I'll leave up to your judgment. Nothing too spirited.
Rachel nods. "I'll have one ready for you shortly."
Sethan: OK.
Rachel: I can find my own way out if you like.
Sethan gestures politely, and turns to go down the hall.
Rachel finds her way out of the house and back to the stable where she prepares one of the horses for Sethan.
Rachel puts the saddled horse back in the stall and goes about her other work.
Sethan comes into the stables dressed up warm.
Hero bounces into the stable.
Hero: Hi Sethan!!!!!!! Hi Rachel.
Hero: Wow! Are you leaving again already?
Hero: Are you going to Gen Territory again?
Sethan zlins over at Hero.
Hero: Or are you going to save Naros from the evil thugs?
Hero has had a briefing from Ansen, as well as several other sources.
Sethan: No, not this time.
Hero: OK well are you going to rescue Sectuib Riyyh?
Sethan: Just going to look for the Sectuib.
Sethan: Hope it won't be too long.
Hero: He got kidnapped by Nick's gramma Prunida. She's crazy.
Hero: [confidentially]
Rachel enjoys Hero's enthusiasm.
Sethan: Kidnapped?
Sethan: Why would she do that?
Hero: You should have seen the look on her face when she figured out Nick had taken off!
Hero: Wow! I mean....
Sethan smiles.
Hero didn't see Prunida's expression either, but she has a pretty good imagination.
Hero: No, she is all, Nick has to work for the Tecton and make me lots of money!
Hero: Did you know she bred Nick like a racehorse?
Rachel: Then maybe she took the horses then?
Sethan: Nick? Who's that?
Hero: What horses?
Hero: ~curious~
Rachel: A total of four horses are missing, including Ifto's.
Rachel: You didn't notice it? ~~surprised~~
Hero: Riyyh was riding Ifto's horse.
Hero: Gramma Prunida made him.
Hero had seen that with her own eyes, out her bedroom window.
Hero: Gramma Prunida was riding her horse. 1
Sethan: Ifto? That that Zeor channel who's been here?
Hero: Riyyh totally wouldn't have taken that horse if he'd had any other choice. [confides]
Hero: The color was totally off, I mean somebody with gray hair should never.
Rachel: But Sectuib's horse is also missing.
Sethan: Why not? Doesn't Zeor have good horses?
Rachel: They are known for having some of the best horses around.
Sethan: Figures.
Hero: No, it's all, reddy browny and with that pink mane.
Hero: Riyyh wouldn't be caught dead riding a red horse.
Hero thinks that is only sensible.
Hero: Anyway, Gramma Prunida probably made him. She's a bully.
Sethan looks confused. "What difference does a horse's color make?"
Rachel: The color makes no difference. The quality of the horse is what matters.
Hero sticks out her lower lip.
Hero: Says you!
Hero thinks anything the Sectuib feels so strongly about must be important.
Hero: Anyway, what other horses are missing?
Hero: I mean, aside from Snake's and Nick's.
Rachel: Ifto's and one of the stallions I had bought for our breeding program.
Hero would like to be the first to know.
Hero: Wow.
Hero: Well I know I saw Riyyh riding Ifto's horse.
Hero: I saw it with my own two eyes.
Rachel: Then why didn't you tell anyone long before this?
Hero rolls her eyes.
Hero: I told tons of people.
Hero: And Nick and Snake couldn't have taken the stallion, it would have been fighting with Snake's horse.
Hero is a little bit fuzzy on this, but she is pretty sure two stallions in one party would be a bad idea.
Hero has never let being fuzzy on the details stop her from shooting off her mouth, however.
Hero is, after all, 12 years old.
Rachel sighs.
Rachel smiles at the youngster. "You do know a lot, but no one listened to you."
Hero: They pretend they're not listening.
Sethan: So I'm gonna have trouble catching up with them? Great.
Hero is of the opinion that she provides a valuable early-warning service, whether people admit it or not.
Hero: Why would you want to catch them, Sethan?
Hero: Gramma Prunida is a meanie.
Hero: And Snake is... [grimaces]
Rachel: Personally, I think we'd like Sectuib and everyone safe back at home. And I would also like to see the horses home again as well. Wouldn't you Hero?
Rachel: ~~concerned for all~~
Sethan: Ahh! The horses matter, but as for that... that....
Rachel turns to Sethan.
Sethan looks at Hero and refrains from using the name he'd like to.
Rachel: You know what's better for Naros than I do, so I'll leave it to your judgment.
Hero: Sethan doesn't like Sectuib because his wife slept with him. [mutters]
Sethan's face burns.
Sethan snaps "which horse did you get ready for me?"
Rachel is not fond of gossip, but knows it is common for Naros.
Rachel points at the saddled horse in the stall.
Rachel: If he's not suitable, pick another.
Sethan goes over to look over the horse.
Sethan really isn't that much of a horseman. He left home before he learned it that well, and he hasn't ridden that often in Naros.
Rachel: You said you didn't want anything too spirited, and I hope I made the right selection.
Rachel can't figure how a slow horse could catch up, but it is not for her to say.
Sethan tries to bluff his way, pretending more knowledge than he has.
Sethan: I want to ride, not argue with some animal.
Hero: Hey Sethan... you going to push off Sectuib and bring back Ifto's horse without him?
Hero: ~curious/perverse~
Sethan looks over at Hero with an evil smile. "Maybe."
Rachel: He shouldn't give you a hard time.
Sethan: Thanks, Miz ... err ....
Rachel: Rachel.
Sethan leads the horse out into the yard.
Rachel: You're very welcome.
Sethan: Miz Rachel. Thank you.
Rachel offers to help him get into the saddle.
Hero looks nonplussed.
Sethan: I'll try to find them.
Rachel: Good luck, and be safe.
Sethan nods as he mounts up.
Sethan waves as he rides slowly over to the gate.
Rachel watches him leave, then returns to her work and her helper Hero.
Hero of course is only Rachel's 'helper' in the most broad sense of the word.
Hero: I think he'd really do it.
Hero points after Sethan.
Hero: He isn't a nice man.
Rachel: What? Go look for Sectuib?
Hero: Push him off in the road and bring back only the horse.
Rachel starts cleaning out the empty stalls.
Rachel: ~~shocked~~ I don't think so.
Hero: You don't?
Hero: Why not?
Rachel: Why do you say that?
Hero: Cause he doesn't like him.
Rachel: I didn't know that.
Hero: Found out his daughter, and his grandkids were Riyyh's, not his. Got really angry.
Hero: And he went all the way to Gen Territory, in retainers, because of it.
Rachel: I suspect that would make anyone angry.
Hero: Not everybody.
Hero shrugs.
Rachel drags out the water bucket to empty it.
Hero 'helps' by watching Rachel.
Hero: Have you ever slept with him?
Hero: ~curious~
Rachel: That's not your concern.
Hero: Wow!
Hero is intrigued, wondering if that means "yes" or "no".
Rachel goes on to the next stall.
Hero skips after Rachel.
Hero: I hope they don't bring back Snake and Nick. Snake's mean. She threw something at me.
Rachel: You could help you know.
Hero: I have to help Wolfa.
Hero is referring to her channel.
Hero doesn't appear to make the connection that her presence here is an annoyance.e.
Rachel: What time do you have to meet Wolfa? You can help me empty the buckets, or bring in hay for the horses.
Rachel: ~~busy, not annoyed~~
Rachel finishes the stall and goes on to another.
Rachel is actually happy for the company.
Hero: Oh, I can go over there whenever. [airily]
Hero often receives complaints from Wolfa about not doing her work, or not being around enough, etc.
Rachel smiles at the child.
Hero thinks the office is boring, especially when Riyyh isn't around to google at.
Hero smiles back.
Hero: I'm glad the black horse is gone.
Hero: He was scary.
Hero: Just like Snake.
Hero: Brrr!!
Hero: I don't think they are coming back. [adds]
Rachel finishes the stall. Starts to push the wheelbarrow to the manure pile to empty it.
Hero bounces after Rachel.
Rachel: I hope they do come back.
Hero: Snake and Nick? [disbelief]
Hero: Why??
Rachel: I've never had a problem with them.
Hero: Snake tried to murder Sectuib.
Rachel: ...then again I haven't been here that long.
Hero: The only reason why she was still here is because Kenmore insisted.
Hero: I was there... [realises with a sudden burst of enthusiasm that Rachel may not have heard the tale]
Hero: Wanna hear about it? [bounces]
Rachel brings out her own horse, ties him to clean his stall.
Rachel: Sure.
Rachel listens, though not intently.
Hero: OK... well of course there was this thing between Riyyh and Nick.
Hero: They were, like, all over each other.
Hero: You know, like Riyyh even asked him to pledge Naros.
Hero: Snake went, like, totally ballistic.
Rachel: Really?
Hero: Yeah!
Rachel: Do you think it led up to them leaving like they did?
Rachel doesn't particularly care, but Hero does, so she listens.
Hero: She was all... grrrr!!! [mimes jumping forward with hands outstretched to strangle]
Hero: Huh?
Hero: Who, Snake and Nick?
Hero: No!
Hero: They were going to leave anyway.
Rachel nods.
Rachel finishes that stall, but then turns to groom her horse since she didn't finish the job this morning.
Hero: Only when Eliza slammed Snake she was knocked right out, for like 2 weeks, and then once Kenmore Farris arrived, he wouldn't let her leave, on account of she was too sick.
Hero: They were supposed to leave like weeks and weeks ago.
Hero is ~~pleased~~ to add to Rachel's obviously limited store of pertinent details.
Rachel: I heard a little about this, but not much.
Rachel: I see....
Hero: Luckily Sectuib wasn't injured, even though Snake had this big old knife, it was about this long.
Hero: She whipped it out and Tictoc just about peed her pants... Sectuib was hiding behind Tictoc, you see. [explains]
Hero: Actually I think he had like sort of a nervous breakdown or something, he wasn't seen for a few days after that.
Rachel: Hmmm....
Hero: But anyway,
Hero: I think there was more to the whole Riyyh and Nick thing than anybody ever let on. [confidentially]
Rachel completes her grooming job and returns the horse to his stall.
Rachel: I guess you might know. You seem to be informed on all that goes on around here.
Hero has never seen anybody work so quickly and wonders what Rachel does with all her spare time.
Hero beams at the compliment, one of Naros' highest.
Rachel pulls out another horse, to work on that stall.
Hero: I try to pay attention. [false modesty]
Rachel: You obviously do.
Hero: I know of a certain boy that definitely has an eye on you.
Rachel: Really?
Hero: Oh yes... there's no doubt at all in my mind.
Hero: He's all... [mimes starry-eyed sighing]
Rachel finishes the stall, returns the horse to it and sits on a bale of hay to listen to Hero.
Rachel chuckles.
Rachel: Well, since you want to tell me, then tell me.
Hero: Yeah his name's Bertre, he's a plowman, works with my daddy.
Hero smiles and drags her foot, suddenly behaving shyly.
Hero: He said you were the only woman with any sense he'd met in a long time.
Hero: Of course he hasn't really met you. [adds]
Hero: Has he?
Rachel: I don't think so. I'd probably remember.
Rachel: I suspect you'd like to see that he does get to meet me though?
Hero: Only if you want to.
Hero: But he's like, totally shy.
Rachel: Then we might get along. I keep to myself too.
Hero: He was engaged to Fila but she turned out to be his sister.
Rachel: Oh dear.
Rachel: The horses are good for keeping secrets. I talk to them a lot.
Hero: You do?
Hero: ~amazed~
Rachel: Sure. The horses are smart, they listen and don't give away your secrets either.
Hero makes a mental note to spend more time listening near the stables.
Hero: Oh.
Rachel walks over to her horse and starts to pat him.
Rachel: They like attention if you treat them right and don't tease them.
Hero: I have a puppy. [offers helpfully]
Rachel: Puppies are wonderful friends too.
Hero: He has to stay inside.
Hero: Otherwise he'd follow me everywhere.
Rachel pulls a bit of carrot out of her pocket and offers it to the horse.
Rachel: Train him well, and he can follow you. My horse does, and he doesn't have to be on a lead rope either.
Rachel: He's like a big puppy.
Hero: Maybe when Kenmore and them go home... [dubiously]
Hero: No cats or dogs outside until they leave.
Hero: It's not fair. [pouts]
Rachel: I see. But you can visit the barn cats. They keep the mice from the grain.
Hero: I know that. [rolling eyes]
Rachel gives the horse one last carrot bit, and another pat before returning to the hay bale.
Rachel chuckles.
Rachel: I should get back to work, and maybe you should get to your channel as well.
Rachel rises from the bale, and turns to another stall to clean.
Hero: Oh, yeah, I suppose.
Hero takes that to mean Rachel has lost interest.
Hero: See you.
Hero wanders off.
Rachel: (calls after her) I hope I see you later.
Rachel ~~amused~~
Notes:
1) Hero is wrong; Prunida is riding the stolen breeding stallion, not her own horse. [return]
2) This is inconsistent with previous background establishing that Naros is walled, in the style of pre-Unity Householdings. The walls would be far to high to consider jumping with a horse or they wouldn't have been of much use in defense. [return]