prose log with Sasarai

[percivalthegale]

Who: Percival and Sasarai (untainted_dust)
When: the other morning
Where: the stables and the trails
What: horseback riding and some heart to heart

The slightly-cooler weather gave Percival the idea that he ought to spend some time looking after his horse, time that wasn't about patrol or work. He hadn't ridden for pleasure in a while, and Midnight deserved a nice rubdown and grooming after all the thankless work he had been doing at his master's request. Percival started with a thorough brushing before even thinking of saddling up to ride.

Sasarai leisurely walked down the path by the woods, enjoying the quiet of nature (relative the usual castle noise and chatter in the near distance, that is). The smell of the damp earth early in the morning or after the rain always lightened his spirits. He had been feeling a little restless lately. Eventhough he's doesn't look at the battle field with as much enthusiasm as he used to when he was younger, he missed being in camp and being surrounded by nature and wilderness. His thoughts was just starting to wander when he noticed a familiar figure emerging from a stall in Kathy's Ranch. 

"Percival, good day! Out for a ride?" Sasarai called out cheerily.

Lifting his head toward the call of his name, Percival smiled in a relaxed manner. Finally, a friendly face calling on him. "Good day, Sasarai," he returned. "Yes, I think so. I owe one to myself - and to Midnight." He patted the horse's neck as he drew to a stop by the bishop. "Fancy seeing you out here so early in the day."

"The call of the wild, I suppose," Sasarai laughed lightly. "I've never really been in one place in a long time. Even back in Crystal Valley, I always somehow find myself attending to matters from one end of the city to the other. I suppose you could say it's a case of 'cabin fever'." 

"Mm...I think I can sympathize." Percival cocked his head slightly; he and Sasarai hadn't met socially since the winter, since their shopping trip. Far too long. "Are you much of a rider, Sasarai? I wouldn't mind a little friendly company, and it's a great day for it."

Sasarai's eyes brightened at the suggestion. "One of my few noteworthy skills, fortunately, is managing to stay upright on a horse. Though... I'm afraid I left my steed back in Harmonia."

"Oh, that's all right - we have plenty, here." Percival looped the reins around the nearest post to keep Midnight from wandering off. "I've been helping Kathy with the stable work lately, I've gotten to know the horses pretty well. I can saddle one up for you, like that."

Sasarai smiled at the night gratefully, "But will it be alright? Miss Kathy might object to my borrowing a horse without her permission."

"If she does, I'll gladly take the heat for it," Percival laughed as he drifted back into the stable and went right to the stall of a patient riding mount who had been buddying up to Midnight recently. "As her temporary replacement worker, it's one of my perks, being able to exercise any of the horses."

"Well then, for the sake of the horses, I shall be happy to indulge," Sasarai laughed as he followed the knight to the stall. His eyes softened at the sight of the spotted grey and white mare. He reached out and gave the horse an affectionate pat. "And who might you me, pretty one?"

Percival smiled warmly. "This is Greta. I think she's taken a shine to Midnight, but unfortunately for her, he's not providing anyone foals," he chuckled as he unlatched the stall and ducked inside to saddle her. She took the tack willingly, giving him no trouble, though her head came up when she felt the saddle on her back as if knowing she was going to get to go for a ride, now.

Sasarai held the stall door open as he watched the Zexen Knight lead the horse. He idly glanced over to the other horse, that was patiently waiting for his master. "That's a shame though. Midnight looks like he came from an excellent lineage. Is he descended from Matilda Horses?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Percival admitted as he led Greta out and hitched her briefly next to Midnight in order to give her saddle girth one more cinch. "Most of the stock raised for the Zexen Knights have some Matilda blood in them, but there are rare exceptions." He patted Midnight affectionately and tugged the reins loose, ready to mount up. "I didn't pick him for his lineage, though. He just looked like a fighter to me. I've had him since he was two years old."

"He does look it," Sasarai agreed before turning his attention to the other horse. He let out a childlike giggle as the mare began to nuzzle his neck and his clothes. "I'm afraid I don't have any treats for you right now. We'll see after we come back, all right girl?" 

Percival grinned happily at the sight - the mighty Harmonian bishop being playful with a horse. Will wonders never cease? He jammed his foot in the stirrup and mounted smoothly, seating himself gracefully and readying for the trail. "Well, then? Shall we have ourselves a nice ride in the trees?"

Sasarai grinned back as he expertly mounted his horse despite the disadvantage of his height. "Just lead the way, Sir Fraulein."

"Oh, come now," Percival laughed as he gave Midnight a tap to the flank to start them off, "I thought we were past formalities! Especially since it looks like you can keep up with a horseman of my caliber just fine."

"Well, if you insist," Sasarai replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Just make sure you don't regret saying that after you eat dust." With that, the bishop firmly and quickly prodded the sides of his mount, causing the horse the break into a sprint towards the wooded path. 

Snickering to himself, Percival let loose the reins to give Midnight his head, and barely nudged him with his knees. The sight of a horse flying by was all the encouragement his steed required to leap into a gallop to catch up, though Percival leaned low over his head to urge him to speed. The two horses raced side-by-side toward the edge of the trees at the far side of the pasture.

As both horses fell into a gentle canter, Sasarai closed his eyes with contentment, as he breathed in the fresh scent of the woods in the early morning. "As much as I love my garden in Crystal Valley, there's nothing compared to the wilderness. Even the earth feels different here..." 

"Garden, eh?" Percival prodded, easing back into his seat and taking control of Midnight once again. "One you maintain yourself, or just a little something special?"

"A little of both..." Sasarai replied with a slight mysterious air. A nostalgic expression crossed his serene features as he looked back at his memories. "I don't have much memories from my childhood other than my studies and that garden... but when I was little, there was small patch of land in the One Palace, where the earth was stubborn and pretty much nothing grew no matter what the gardeners did. Of course, when I came along, the  plants and flowers started to flourish. Everyone always assumed it was because of my power... but the truth of the matter is... the earth, the flowers, and the plants were just lonely. They liked to hear the voices of children playing... but there hasn't been any children in the One Palace since..."

Percival glanced sidelong at him in wonder. "Really? I suppose I can understand...my friend Barts always talked to his plants, people laughed but he always had the biggest, most lush harvests of anyone. Maybe all that garden needed was someone to care about it." He huffed a short sigh. "A pity...if there aren't any children, I hope that patch of garden hasn't withered away."

"I make sure to visit it once in a while, when I'm home." Sasarai replied. "It's doing fine, I suppose... though I'm not really sure. I'm afraid I can't talk to plants and flowers as well as I used to as a child," A slight frown marred his delicate features, "I suppose that's the price one pays the moment you make a decision to 'master' rather than remain a 'one of being'." He gave Percival a small sad smile. "You forget who you used to be." 

Percival blinked at him, but didn't respond for a moment. Some part of him could understand forgetting who he was supposed to be, but he wasn't sure it was for the same reason. He reined Midnight back to a walk, so as not to overexert the horses too quickly. "You know, that's the one thing Budehuc really lacks in earnest," he mused. "A flower garden. I know some patches grow here and there, but the castle doesn't have a proper garden, like the Lightfellows' estate in Vinay."

Sasarai laughed appreciatively at his efforts, "I apologize. I'm weighing down the mood when this should be a relaxing excursion. Thank you for listening, Percival. Outside of a few people I know in Harmonia, you perhaps, is the only one I've come to trust. Thank  you."

"Really?" Percival blinked again. "Well...you're welcome. I'm glad, though I don't know to what I owe the honor of being so...unique." He smiled sincerely at his companion. "I am rather surprised, given our respective histories, to find myself considering you a friend. But it's a good surprise. I'm happy to have had the opportunity."

Sasarai grinned at the other man's reply. "If perchance  you would need someone to confide in if you find yourself in moments of melancholy like I seem to indulge a lot lately, then please be assured that I would return the favour."

Percival rolled his head back in a wide expression of ironic humor. "Ohhh be careful, Sasarai," he teased. "You may want to rethink that offer. I've been plagued with unreliable luck for the past few months, I have more than my share of sob stories."

"Is that so?" Sasarai looked at him in all seriousness. "I may be useless in a lot of things, but I've always prided myself to be a good listener at the very least. I can't guarantee that I would be able to give you the advice you need, but someone taught me the value of venting out one's feelings to a good friend once in a while."

Percival rode in silence for a bit, his eyes absently gazing at a spot on Midnight's mane in front of him. "Well, you don't need to hear all of my ups and downs," he said modestly. "Certainly not the ones that involve your insufferable beast of a relative. But last week, I...I had to do something unpleasant to a friend, and it bothers me, even though it was the right thing to do."

"That insufferable beast of a relative of mine probably would have fared better if he had someone to rant to..." Sasarai muttered under his breath, before turning his attention back to his friend. "Some thing unpleasant to a friend?"

Closing his eyes, Percival sighed his frustrations to the heavens. "It's Miss Luserina. I had to...let her down, easy. She asked me to date more seriously, for real, outside of the dating game that's been going on, but I had to say no." He looked toward Sasarai again. "The worst part is, it happened the day before her birthday. I feel awful for upsetting her, but really, what else was I to do?"

"A dating game?" Sasarai blinked, before comprehension dawned upon him. "Ah! I remember that event that Sir Wyatt was talking about before I left... So you were involved with that game, and Miss Luserina's feelings became more serious on the course of it, is that it?"

"Yes, that's pretty much it," Percival nodded. "And we really only had one date - not counting meeting up for fun at the May Day festival in Iksay. She's a perfectly wonderful young woman, she and I would seem to be the right match for each other, and yet...and yet, over time, I realized I had no romantic attraction to her." He sighed, and gave Sasarai a rather hang-dog look. "I don't expect you to sympathize, but it does feel good to try to explain it to someone other than her overprotective brother."

Sasarai sighed, "Funny enough, I do sympathize with your situation... though mine was slightly different." Sasarai looked ahead with a serious expression. You made the right decision. Miss Luserina would only be hurt in the long run if you decided to spare her feelings. It's going to be awkward for a while... maybe even a long while. Probably even complicated with Sir Euram. But give it some time..."

"I know," Percival nodded, "I know...as much as I want to prove to her that we can still be friends, I need to give her time. It's funny," he added, though he didn't sound amused in the least. "I've done the letdown many a time, and it never backfired on me like this. It's never happened to someone I actually cared about, even just a little. As for Euram," he muttered, not even bothering with an honorific, "he can just hang."

Sasarai watched him in silence for a moment before speaking, "Out of curiosity... have you actually had a serious relationship with someone?"

Percival's face went tight, and he kept his eyes on the trail ahead. "Define 'serious."

Sasarai chewed on his lip thoughtfully, "Like as in seriously considering that you will spend the rest of your life with this person."

"In that case, no," Percival replied honestly, lifting his head high but still keeping his gaze straight ahead. "I have dated, on and off, but I've never courted."

"I see..." Sasarai mumbled thoughtfully, but said nothing else.

For some reason, Percival felt a need to defend himself. "I'm a knight of Zexen," he insisted, "I'm always jumping from one assignment to the next, and I'm expected to put duty above all else. I would have to retire or seek an officer's commission that keeps me in one town in order to settle down and have a family. It's never been in the cards, so I haven't exactly bothered to seek it."

Sasarai smiled, "Oh, please don't misunderstand! Being a soldier myself, I know exactly how it is." The Bishop paused, "But at the same time... It's always in the back of my mind...that thought wondering would my life be now if I did things differently." Sasarai paused again before speaking, "In the end, living the life we live, its easier not to try and be content with just wondering."

"Easier, and yet harder," the knight mused, folding his hands on the pommel of the saddle. "It is easier not to try, but it's human nature to wonder and dream and pursue those dreams. But now that you mention it..." He turned his head toward Sasarai with an expression of perplexity. "...I don't think I've ever wondered what my life would be like if I had a family by now. I've only just worked and dedicated myself to the knighthood, and enjoyed it, the thought of having a family has never really entered my mind. Well," he backtracked with a chuckle, "except when my mother nags me about it."

"Ah, how I envy the spirit of youth!" Sasarai laughed mischievously at that. "Does that imply that you've never been with a woman either?"

Percival looked sharply at him. "I beg your pardon!"

Sasarai stared at his sudden outburst and sweatdropped as comprehension dawned on him. "I see... please forgive that comment. That was rather insensitive of me."

"I-it just took me by surprise, that's all," Percival stammered. "Usually I would expect it out of a crass infantryman, not a noble." He breathed a quick sigh but couldn't banish the hint of a blush in his cheeks. "The truth is, I have. I'm not inexperienced. But rumors of my reputation are greatly exaggerated."

Sasarai stared at his reaction curiously. "You're a very interesting man, Sir Fraulein."

"Oh?" Percival's eyebrows arched upward. "What do you mean?"

"Simply that perhaps there are only a handful of people like you trully exist," Sasarai stated matter-of-factly.

Percival sat back in the saddle, looking confused. "I'm still not sure I follow, but I'll take it as a compliment. I know I often hold opinions contrary to my fellow countrymen, but...I don't know that I'm all that special of an individual. I haven't been feeling special as of late," he muttered.

Sasarai simply smiled as he prodded his horse forward, before speaking in a louder voice. "I feel for a brisk run. Would Miss Kathy mind if we take the horses out to the Yaza Plains for a sprint?"

It took a moment to shake himself out of his frown, but Percival bravely lifted his head and put on his business face. "I'm sure it would do them a lot of good," he replied. "It isn't nearly as hot today as it has been, and I'm sure they've been getting fat on all the alfalfa and grains." He leaned down and gave Midnight a hearty pat on the shoulder.

"Percival," Sasarai stated on a more serious tone. "Don't worry too much about Miss Luserina. Contrary to popular belief, people don't really die of broken hearts. We've survived and gotten stronger and wiser."

Percival sat up straight and gave Sasarai a kind smile. "I'm not worried about her. I'm sure she'll be fine. She can do better than a fickle man like me." He gathered up the reins in preparation for a good, hard run. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to feel the wind in my hair."

"Last one buys lunch at Mamie's," Sasarai countered as he spurred his mare into a sudden sprint.

Percival had spent much of the spring training for the grand prix race Kathy planned to hold, so he knew just what to do to get that lunch out of the bishop's pocket. He gripped Midnight's flanks with his knees, stood up and leaned forward in the stirrups, and gave a wealthy slap with the reins. Midnight bolted as if out of a gate, eating up great stretches of the grassland plain with his long stride. It wasn't long before he'd caught up to Sasarai, though by that point, the rush of the wind and the thrill of the run had satisfied him enough to forget that he was racing.