#anywhere

and so, they do!
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Meanwhile, in the City.

Dolph, holster and groomsman, walks through the streets of Carthage with a younger lady by his side. The family resemblance is there, though where he has a casual stroll through the streets lined with streetlights, shops decorated and wreathed, her steps are more business, intended to get somewhere more than enjoy the trip.

"Why the rush, Amy? Surely you can spend one Christmas with your old pops."

"The office is closed through New Years, but that doesn't mean I don't have work to do." Her outfit is corporate chic, a little out of place in this small town of puffy coats and christmas sweaters, snow boots instead of high heels.

"Amy, do your pops a favor. We need to get a tree for the manor - the head housekeeper there takes care of most everything, but it's my duty to get the tree. I have an appointment, but surely you can arrange for delivery?"

"Of course, anything for you, Dad..." She says, eyes on the beefcake.

Dolph smiles a boggany smile.
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The staff has been alerted that there is a mortal visiting. Not entirely unusual, especially for the outer grounds. However, there's rarely a lady who looks more like she belongs in a corporate office on the grounds of the stables... Rochallor was asked to kindly greet Ms. Rider, as Dolph had to attend to duties.

The lady is a little underdressed for the weather, crisp and in the 20s, though the sun shines merrily.

Gwen comes out from peeking in the Den. Then makes her way, a bit disheaveled

She leans against the paddock rail, watching the ponies frisk in the snow.

"They tried to build a snowhorse, but the neigh-bors complained" A boy says behind her

Distracted, she doesn't hear Gwen approach, or Rochallor. Gwen may note that if the lady was on guard, she could have taken her down a half-dozen ways

"Uhm?" The boy says louder

"Oh!" She turns, and gives the boy a smile. "Hello there. I'm Amy. My dad works with the horses here... you must be..."

What was the name of the boy she was told? Roger, or Randy? Robby or Ryan? Or was it Joe? She tries to remember.

"Well, I used to be called Roach but that's the wittcher's horse so they made me stop... " he explains with a cheery smile "Dolph got fussy, Joe, he would say, Joe , you don't bug me that much'"

"The Witcher? You know, it's funny. His horse was named Roach, but it was after the fish, not after the bug. Not many know that. Pleasure to meet you, Joe."

"It was a FISH? " A gasp "Mind blown. " A smile then "Which skips the sneeze. You like the Witcher? "

Her cheeks color a bit as she considers the plot. "I do. Mister Dolph who works here? He's my father, and we always would watch fantasy movies together. Willow was a favorite of mine, growing up. I used to love to ride horses... I live in the city now, though, and of course you can't keep a horse in a high-rise."

"Oh! Well, you can but clean up is hard" he nods "You want to ride a horse now? I have tickets" He looks to the sadles and ggears

"Could I?" She asks, a wistful expression in her voice, but then she shakes her head. "I couldn't possibly. I haven't ridden in years, I've surely forgotten how."

"It's like riding a bike, just give the bike a carrot and switch gears" He says gettingg the gear and getting a gentle horse

The white horse, named Holly, is gentle and sweet mannered, and has red ribbon and silver bells braided on her tack.

Amy coos over the horse, but also, notices Rochallor. "Why, Joe, you're quite the horseman yourself, aren't you? Most boys your age wouldn't know a bridle from a bucket."

"If I eat the bridle, it chaffes my teeth" Rochalor beams under the praise, "This is Holly, possibly looking for Ivy. " He sets things up

She watches, memories of childhood rides coming back.

"Will you ride with me, Joe? I'm supposed to meet the delivery man here, but he's not due for some time."

"Well, I'm not supposed to take rides from strangers.." but he's already putingg a saddle on a horse for himself "But you told me your name"

He pats the horse he's on. "This is Turborocket...the baron calls him Enbarrson"

"Turbo rocket?" She laughs! "I remember, there was a filly I used to ride... here, in fact! Her name was something long and silly... but I called her Spirit, after this cartoon that had just come out.. didn't matter to me that Spirit was a stallion in the movie, but that's little girl logic for you."

He gapes at her. "You like SPirit, stallion of the Cinnamon?"

Clearly, misquote aside, he loves that movie

Despite her earlier hesitance, it's coming back to her as she gently holds the reins and presses with her legs to guide Holly around the paddock. "Of course! I'm glad to hear that kids still watch that. It came out, oh, must have been twenty years ago, when I was probably about your age. I loved horses..."

"It always made me cry, and my mom asked me why I still watched it... she never understood, but the movie was special to me."

"You had a mom?" he seems serious

"Of course, everyone has a mother." A laugh at the silly question. "Even old ladies like me." Holly snorts and gives a bit of a shift that jostles Amy. "Whoa, girl, something spook you?"

Laughter fading into a smile.

Old? She can't be much older than Bluebell, or D'Lorean, certainly a grownup though.

"I used to think I'd BE a mom by my age, but instead, I have a career. Which is kind of like my baby." She says, but seems a bit wistful.

"You're not that old.. bronze age, not stone age"

Lookin at her hair, he sees no gray "And... uhm.. everyone may have a mom, but someone doesn't." A sad look "Moms are for winners, Joe"

No gray! Her hair is actually a rather pretty chestnut brown.

"I'm sorry, Joe. I didn't mean.. I think, I assumed your family worked here."

"i'm warded so no demons" He tries to smile but i falls a bit flat "I wasn't .." How do you tell someone how you helped a bounty hunter capture folks? "I get coal every Christmas" there, that obviously meanns he did bad thinngs, she gets that. But he smiles as he says "Dolph tells me I'm One of a kind, and Briar terrifies me, so she's kinnd of like a big sister.. kinda"

"I'm sorry, Joe. I didn't mean to say something so... insensitive. You know, I'm in town for a few days, and Dad has been telling me I should check things out, but now he's saying he's busy dealing with a horse with health issues?" Rochallor knows of no horse problems...

"Maybe you can..." She's starting to ask, when there is a call from over by the stable.

"HALLOOOOOO!" A handsome man with a red flannel shirt calls over to them. "Are you the ones who ordered the 12' Douglas fir?"

"I could ... " he answers, not sure what he's agreeing to but then he sees the guy and kens him. Did they order fur for Dougglass?

Though there is a bit of a kinain glint to Ms. Amy, it's pretty faint, but this fellow is mortal through and through - though less mundane than most mortals, he has a free and easy air, a warmth about him.

"I have her on the trail over there, but I didn't want to spook your horses." Back a ways near the road, there's a glimpse of an ATV 4-wheeler with a rather giant tree hooked up on the sledge.

"Uhm... " He looks at mister man, "I'm authorized to make a lot of purchases but forrr some reason folks fuss at kids ordeing stuff onpine" He wracks his brain, DID annyone mention this?

Yes, Dolph mentioned something about a tree...

The man grins over at Joe. "Nice ride you have there, Partner." A friendly looking man, and it seems that Ms. Amy likes the look of him too.

"Now don't you worry none, it's already bought and paid for. I include delivery on the house - safer than having folk tie trees to their car roofs, tradition or not, there's always someone that loses a spruce on the highway."

"Shoot, Tex, mosey on this way... I'll show you were to hitch that post"

It's hard not to like a guy who makes a good cowboy

He laughs! He has a nice laugh, rounded, baritone, not too loud. A friendly laugh. "My name is Nick, buy you can call me Tex if you like. Say, you ever ridden on a 4-wheeler? If you can handle a horse like that, I bet you'd be great on an off-roader. Not the same, no personality, but all she eats is diesel, and she doesn't leave manure."

Nick pauses, and grins to Ms. Amy. "That is, if your ma doesn't mind, of course." Polite.

"Can I, ma? " he blurts

"Well, um. I'm sorry, let me introduce myself. I'm Amy Rider, my father helps run these stables."

"Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Rider-"

"Ms. Rider." She corrects with a smile. "Joe here is helping me out with a little ride while we waited for you." She gives him a look, and relents, "But I can't see what harm a little ride will do. If you're sure it's safe."

Nick smiles even bigger at the correction. "Well, Ms. Rider, how about I give the both of you a ride up to the main house to deliver this tree? If you're done with the horses, that is."

A pleading look from the boy Santa got the letter. he's giving me a fam, only for one day, but... it's still a day! I'll remember it forever!

"Well, we should put these pretty ponies away first..."

"If you don't mind, I can help, at least with wiping down the tack. This is my last delivery of the day, I saved the biggest tree for last. And the prettiest."

"I bet you tell that to all the buyers." Amy grins over to hunk - that is, Nick.

"No, only the prettiest." He flashes a smile as bright as sleighbells.