#baronyofthesilverwolf

The following morning, summons go out to a few members of the hold - requests to join the Baron after breakfast. Blossom and Bluebell, and Willy as well?! Though, it seems that if anyone else happened to overhead and follow along, there was no specific ruling against that.

Blossom shows up in brand new clothes. Nice Casual is the right term. The 8 year old beams brightly and is prompt. Her mortal clothingg is high quality jeans and a nice shirt with a logo that says 'Shine on!'. Her voile is fancier, the shirt's font actually glowing

And the jeans looks more like a denim horse blanket!

They are directed to a rather lovely clearing, covered with soft, lush spring turf. It's not a paddock, in that it's not fenced in, but is otherwise a perfect field for running or trotting within. Here Aiden waits, along with Dolph.

He watches for Willy, but Dolph shakes his head, "She was neck deep in repairs to the dog armor after that battle. I'm sure she'll be by when she finishes."

"Blossom, join us, please." Aiden gestures for her to come into the clearing. Bluebell is waved to Aiden's side, leaving Blossom somewhat.. on display? In front of the others.

"HI!" Blossom waves to everyone she sees as she trots right into centaur...er centaur ring, "how are you today, Baron?"

Aiden smiles at Blossom. "I am well. And you? I hope that you're not suffering any lingering illness or injury from your captivity."

"Nope, not a bit, the fire and the thanes all helped heal me up, and Marigold has stuffed me and Rochallor full of food. I got to help Baroness Nadeen drop a message off to Flo" A giggle "Boy, was Flo surprised to see me"

Indeed, Flo had never seen a centaur

"Today, I would like to have some of my staff observe you in motion. I have some ideas of how to... well, I don't want to put the cart ahead of the horses. Would you mind if we watched you in movement for a short while? I can call out the gaits." Dolph and Bluebell both have notepads - the former with a stubby pencil and pad that looks like Joker chewed on the edge, the latter with a sketchpad.

"Gates?" A confused look, she looks around for gates

He does not look surprised or dismayed, and gives a whistle. In response, trotting into the field from where she was cropping grass to one side, is one of the fae mares from his stable. A delicate and nimble horse, Arabian for those who would know, with a hide that looks white but is what horse breeders call 'grey' and oh, wearing the most lovely jewelry!

"This is Arwen, one of my mares. She will demonstrate for you."

"Ooo" she says

And pays close attenntion

He calls the gaits, and Arwen answers, shaking her head so that the silver tinkles softly like bells. At each change, the horse adjusts her gait, demonstrating the motion clearly.

"Faster than walking, a trot is a two-beat gait. A little swifter still is a canter, or three-beat... see that only one of her hooves touches the ground at a time. And then, a gallop, she clears the ground entirely, with all four legs airborne, suspended between ground strikes, and the swiftest..."

"There are other gaits - ambles and marches, intermediates, racks and running walks, and the tölt..." Dolph clears his throat as Aiden seems to get lost in explanation....

"But these are the main ones I would like to see from you. If you will, Blossom?"

Arwen trots off to the side, where Dolph rewards her with an apple.

"I can do that!" She asserts, "Say when!"

The handsome Elf Lord looks pleased with her, and calls out, "Walk... now trot... around the clearing, please, lift your legs a bit.. very nice..." Calling her through the paces similarly to how he did Arwen. It's not so much that he speaks down to Blossom in the same voice as he used with the mare, but that he speaks to them both with the same respect he accords anyone present.

She's a healthy enough 8 year old, further more, there is a hardiness to the kith that soon becomes apparent. The hardest part is the fact that she clearly wants to run to show how fast she can go. But she trots back and forth in the two beat gait. Where she fully a horse, he would connfirm the straight lines of her , and the energy. Maybe even now. When it's time for her to go into a canter, she immediately complies.. but almost slips into a gallop early. But when he finally does call for a gallop she breaks into a joyous race. It's amazing how the humanoid torso doesn't seem to slow her down anymore than a horse neck and head would

"Magnificent. I had worried that the extra weight on the fore..." Aiden murmurs to Dolph, who shakes his head and shows him a note on his pad.
"No, Lord, but that should be taken into account for wear on hooves and thusly, reinforced shoes..." The two men discuss...

Bluebell claps softly for Blossom, and then turns her own pad to show the girl - a rough sketch of a centaur, but more importantly, it is wearing a dress, or a skirt, or what looks like a feminine tailored court suit! From watching how the girl moved, Bluebell has put in a few outlines of how material could be cut here, cinched there, and gathered thusly to flow from shoulders, to back, to shoulders, to back and rump, smoothly and looking intentional... and not like a 'horse in a dress'. It's just a sketch, but promising!

"We will have to shave your mane, of course, and the tail must go...." Bluebell says, eyes twinkling.

Blossom beams at the praise, and looks at the pad to see "Oh! That's wonderful..." Then a gasp "No, not my hair or tail!"

Bluebell makes a show of consideration, hmmmm.... then, "I suppose we can skip that step, if we MUST. But we will have to braid it with beads and jewels, to stay out of the way then! I am dreadfully sorry for the inconvenience."

"That would be okay" Blossom assures

"And normal saddlebags are situated THUSLY for the arm reach of the rider, but if you take into account that there is no rider, and you consider a cross between a hiking backpack and the traditional..."

"The belly strap must be replaced, else each Centaur would need a squire to remove it...."

"And for armor? Chain across the withers..." "No, that could be leather. Let's speak with Willy on that regard...."

The two men further discuss!

the talk is kinndn of about her, but also not and Blossom looks unsure if this counts as being ignored or not. Still she has Bluebell so turns to her "You're a pooka, like Rochy?"

"Oh, no, not at all. You see, he has hooves, like you, where my hands are soft and velvety. I understand the confusion though, as we both have long, lovely ears."

The girl crosses her arms and tilts her head then declares "I think you ARE a pooka. Because he talks funny too"

There!

"Darn it, Bluebell, she's figured you out," D'Lavender observes

The knight has observed the cenaur with fascinnation

"Oh, no!" She wilts to the ground with delicate grace. "I am foiled."

"It's okay" Blossom assures her "You tried. I'm just smart"

"Side holsters for bows... it has to be a back scabbard for a sword, else it could tangle with their legs at the height it would need to be for drawing..." A lively discussion between hostler and Baron.

Bluebell wiggles her nose at Lavender and sits back up. "I admit that my fashion sense paused somewhere in the late 1700's when tutus came into style. Perhaps we could consult a younger wilder. But our Lord is wise to hop on this opportunity, if I know hopping... and, I do." She says the last to Blossom with a grin.


Aiden notices the ladies gathered, and he approaches, as Bluebell is asking her, "How do you feel about being a model?"

He adds, "Bluebell speaks truth there, though perhaps she is a bit ahead of herself. It is an idea... but one with much merit, if we move to fill the soon to be noticeable gap in customized, centaur focused apparel and riding... that is, running? Gear. There is an entire arena of opportunity, from clothing to functional wear, to armor and accessories."

"Uhm" Despitte her claims of intelligence, Blossom is sure she only understood only the basics of what the baron said, let alone the pooka, "a model?" " She puffs up "that would be cool. " A pause "There won't be a bit in my mouth or anything?"

Blossom looks quite happy!

Lavender looks a bit more troubled, and whispers "Baron? she's an 8 year old girl. If I may? Just don't turn this into one of those disturbing 'beauty pageants' for kids?"

A bit of a blurt from the satyr knight but.. satyrs

"Certainly not." Aiden responds to Blossom, firmly. To Lavender, he shakes his head. "I had started thinking of horseshoes - now that we have Willy to see to our new farrier needs. It occurred to me that centaur hooves would require chimerical care, and perhaps care above and beyond the ordinary. As Fae, they needs must spend time in mortal situations, and that may incur far more stone, that is, pavement wear than ordinary shoes hold up to. Speaking to Dolph, he pointed out that other gear would also need accommodations, and rather than leave every hold that finds a Centaur in their midst to reinvent the wheel, why can we not take initiative with a line of customized gear?"

Bluebell hops a bit on her toes, and Aiden adds, "And yes, it is only just to give due consideration to clothing as well. Just because one has a centaur torso, does not mean that they should be left out of opportunities for apparel - whether it be armor, casual, or courtly attire. Bluebell brought that to my attention."

"But you are correct. Blossom, your first priority must be towards proper fledge training. After that, we cannot neglect mortal schooling. But if you are willing, though it will take up some of your leisure time, I would utilize your knowledge and form as a reference."

"As I said." Bluebell smiles. "A lovely model!"

Dolph says, a touch slyly, "I bet Miz Linnea would like to speak to that handsome armorer over Darkgate way on this."

"I can't say you're wrong, " Dame Lavender admits "In fact, I can see why you'd want to jump on it. Because Dark gate has enough dougals that if this hasn' occured to them, it will soon."

Blossom assures "i'll be the best fledge EVER, you'll see, Baron. Don't you worry"

the little girl loves the idea of such a fuss being made over her

"Though, clothing design is an entire new area. I cannot say I fathom current fashions in the slightest. Perhaps there is a clothier we can speak to at a hold that is more society-forward. I will ask Nadeen her thoughts on this." Aiden muses. Unaware, perhaps, that a soft light comes into his expression when he mentions the Baroness.

Further away, Gwen is alarmed. Crap. Court fashions? They'e going to put us in dresses at this rate. I ggotta warn Briar! and she slips off

Lavender smiles at mention "Maybe she knows a local changeling who excells at it as well? Reeve work"

"Good idea. The more we can centralize within the Barony, the better to grown our own influence on the new market." Aiden muses.

"It's why you pay me the big bucks, my lord" Lavennder says with a straight face. She wouldn't mock him, but she might have some fun with the notion

"I get even MORE Clothes?" A grin from Blossom

"It would make sense for new styles to be tested for mobility and comfort on a centaur." Aiden allows. "It would be nonsensical to not let you keep any such after being worn. After all, they will likely need to be custom tailored, with so many different body shapes and sizes, and doubly so with centaurs."

"You're the BEST Baron!" Blossom exclaims