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Description
It would take me longer to explain all the reasons this couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't happen than the actual story did, so let's just call this a massive AU and incredibly presumptuous OOC moment.

It had started off innocuously enough. After reminding Ari that she was to get Aven "presentable", Kaveh had ridden out at sunrise to pick up the visitor from the outpost. They'd wandered back in nearly three hours later, sandblasted and laughing at some terrible joke. Ari hurried over to help them untack their horses and found herself face to face with one of the largest animals she'd seen since Rakernon. The horse snorted derisively in her face, bemused, but perked up when Ari pulled a bite of sugar out of her pocket.
"Smart move." Came an amused voice from astride the horse. "She would have eaten a little thing like you."
Ari squinted into the sun to catch a glimpse of the rider, nearly falling over when the horse went searching for more sugar hidden in her clothes. By the time she'd straightened and placated the mare with another sugar cube the guest had dismounted and was expertly removing tack.
"I'd have liked to see her try." Ari replied wryly, and stuck out a hand to shake. "I'm Ari." She barely blinked when the rider, a middle-aged woman, turned, revealing that her left arm was missing.
"Hester." The woman's grip was firm but not overpowering.
"Your horse is HUGE."
"Ari." Kaveh interrupted, seeming amused. "Stop pestering her and take Seraph and Ironclad here to get a drink. Make sure Queen is properly introduced."
Ari nodded, clicking at Seraph to grab her attention and gathering a handful of Ironclad's reins. The mare was less than pleased at being coaxed to move until she spotted the oasis' pond, at which point she was the one dragging Ari. As they walked/were dragged away, Ari could hear Hester asking Kaveh something about keeping an eye on Ironclad, to which Kaveh replied that she was in good hands.
Smiling to herself, Ari forgot to watch where they were going and nearly walked into Ironclad's flank when she stopped suddenly. Their way had been blocked by Queen, the mare barely coming up to the larger horse's shoulder. She was no less fierce for her short stature and the two horses locked gazes.
"Oh no, Kaveh's going to kill me." Ari muttered to herself, trying to get either horse to break gaze. "I'm going to kill our guest's horse, and he's going to kill me."
To her surprise, after the world's longest and most intense staring match the two looked away at the same time, Queen yielding way to allow Ironclad access to the pond.
"Oh thank the Lady." Satisfied that Ironclad wasn't going anywhere, Ari started to release her reins...but didn't quite let go in time to avoid being dragged along chest-deep into the water, faceplanting into it. Spluttering and soaked through-and-through, Ari surfaced to uproarious laughter from the bank, where Kaveh and Hester had apparently stopped by to check on things.
Far, far to late to do any good, Jager wandered by, nosing at Ari in a friendly way and allowing her to steady herself on his flank as she waded out of the pond. Dripping from head to toe she sheepishly glanced at Kaveh, then Hester, apologies written all over her face.
"I-"
"Should have warned you about that." Hester interrupted, trying to stop giggling. "She's a bit bullheaded."
"It wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't so damn BIG." Ari muttered, glancing back grumpily to where Jager was now stretching his neck out to the mare, eager curiosity in his posture. Ironclad didn't seem to know what to make of his greeting and blinked at him before wading out of the water and away from his general direction. "Jager's a freaking warhorse and even he's got better manners."
She'd thought her comment too low to hear and blushed when Hester called her on it. "Warhorse?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. Rakernon-trained, the both of us."
The name seemed to strike a vague note in Hester, but before she could ask for clarification Kaveh stole her attention, leaving Ari to slip away.
"-happy to arrange the breeding. She just needs another few weeks to heal that leg."

DUN
DUN
DUUUUUHHHHH

HP, we may not talk very much, and you may not upload, like, ever, but it doesn't stop you from being an amazing role model for me. Your dedication to worldbuilding and character development has helped keep me inspired with my own worlds, particularly HARPG. You are one of my biggest inspirations. <33

I probably terribly botched your characters and I'm sorry, but having Ironclad meet Queen was just too great of an opportunity to pass up |D
I seriously think they're just standing there both mentally thinking " bitch."

Oh yeah this is for Horsepoint , go love her shit like right now.

Thanks to Cougar28 for the sketch!

Description
It would take me longer to explain all the reasons this couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't happen than the actual story did, so let's just call this a massive AU and incredibly presumptuous OOC moment.

It had started off innocuously enough. After reminding Ari that she was to get Aven "presentable", Kaveh had ridden out at sunrise to pick up the visitor from the outpost. They'd wandered back in nearly three hours later, sandblasted and laughing at some terrible joke. Ari hurried over to help them untack their horses and found herself face to face with one of the largest animals she'd seen since Rakernon. The horse snorted derisively in her face, bemused, but perked up when Ari pulled a bite of sugar out of her pocket.
"Smart move." Came an amused voice from astride the horse. "She would have eaten a little thing like you."
Ari squinted into the sun to catch a glimpse of the rider, nearly falling over when the horse went searching for more sugar hidden in her clothes. By the time she'd straightened and placated the mare with another sugar cube the guest had dismounted and was expertly removing tack.
"I'd have liked to see her try." Ari replied wryly, and stuck out a hand to shake. "I'm Ari." She barely blinked when the rider, a middle-aged woman, turned, revealing that her left arm was missing.
"Hester." The woman's grip was firm but not overpowering.
"Your horse is HUGE."
"Ari." Kaveh interrupted, seeming amused. "Stop pestering her and take Seraph and Ironclad here to get a drink. Make sure Queen is properly introduced."
Ari nodded, clicking at Seraph to grab her attention and gathering a handful of Ironclad's reins. The mare was less than pleased at being coaxed to move until she spotted the oasis' pond, at which point she was the one dragging Ari. As they walked/were dragged away, Ari could hear Hester asking Kaveh something about keeping an eye on Ironclad, to which Kaveh replied that she was in good hands.
Smiling to herself, Ari forgot to watch where they were going and nearly walked into Ironclad's flank when she stopped suddenly. Their way had been blocked by Queen, the mare barely coming up to the larger horse's shoulder. She was no less fierce for her short stature and the two horses locked gazes.
"Oh no, Kaveh's going to kill me." Ari muttered to herself, trying to get either horse to break gaze. "I'm going to kill our guest's horse, and he's going to kill me."
To her surprise, after the world's longest and most intense staring match the two looked away at the same time, Queen yielding way to allow Ironclad access to the pond.
"Oh thank the Lady." Satisfied that Ironclad wasn't going anywhere, Ari started to release her reins...but didn't quite let go in time to avoid being dragged along chest-deep into the water, faceplanting into it. Spluttering and soaked through-and-through, Ari surfaced to uproarious laughter from the bank, where Kaveh and Hester had apparently stopped by to check on things.
Far, far to late to do any good, Jager wandered by, nosing at Ari in a friendly way and allowing her to steady herself on his flank as she waded out of the pond. Dripping from head to toe she sheepishly glanced at Kaveh, then Hester, apologies written all over her face.
"I-"
"Should have warned you about that." Hester interrupted, trying to stop giggling. "She's a bit bullheaded."
"It wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't so damn BIG." Ari muttered, glancing back grumpily to where Jager was now stretching his neck out to the mare, eager curiosity in his posture. Ironclad didn't seem to know what to make of his greeting and blinked at him before wading out of the water and away from his general direction. "Jager's a freaking warhorse and even he's got better manners."
She'd thought her comment too low to hear and blushed when Hester called her on it. "Warhorse?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. Rakernon-trained, the both of us."
The name seemed to strike a vague note in Hester, but before she could ask for clarification Kaveh stole her attention, leaving Ari to slip away.
"-happy to arrange the breeding. She just needs another few weeks to heal that leg."

DUN
DUN
DUUUUUHHHHH

HP, we may not talk very much, and you may not upload, like, ever, but it doesn't stop you from being an amazing role model for me. Your dedication to worldbuilding and character development has helped keep me inspired with my own worlds, particularly HARPG. You are one of my biggest inspirations. <33

I probably terribly botched your characters and I'm sorry, but having Ironclad meet Queen was just too great of an opportunity to pass up |D
I seriously think they're just standing there both mentally thinking " bitch."

Oh yeah this is for Horsepoint , go love her shit like right now.

Thanks to Cougar28 for the sketch!