Communication of the Past (Running)

[Sir Peter Solomon]

Peter sat at his desk, tapping the fountain pen thoughtfully against the dark brown wood of the table, thinking of what to add to the letter he was penning. It was a letter home, for his mother would be worrying, and she always preferred letters to phone calls. Despite the modern day and age, she harbored a resentment of phones, saying that they only brought bad news faster, and delayed the surprise of good news. He wrote of Knight, that the stallion was doing splendidly, and of Mei, that the fox, while unhappy that she couldn't accompany him to work every day, was getting the best of his breaks and other free time, giving her plenty of exercise. He recounted the tale of Mei and Micca, Austin's Border Collie that they had met. Thinking back, he realized that he hadn't seen Austin around for quite some time, which brought a frown to his features. He had enjoyed the woman's company, and while he had no call to feel ignored, he did. He wondered briefly what had become of her, then turned his mind away from the speculations, instead penning a few more lines of himself and his class onto the rich parchment, then signing it with a flourish. He set the paper aside to dry, running a finger over the embossed seal in the top right sadly. He remembered his father, taking him aside at the age of fifteen, telling him that the seal would one day be his. Now it was, and he still missed his father, although rarely he let it show.

[Annabelle Archer]

Taking on another class thinking it was the right thing to do at the time, Belle needed to check in with Sir Solomon. Size eight round toed boots carried the girl down the steps of the White House and to the Primrose Barn. Not knowing what she was getting herself into, the eighteen year old thought it might be a good idea of how to handle and track the progress of a pregnant mare, especially if her future would even the slightest bit consist of veterinary science. Turning down the aisle of the barn, she saw the mares, their sides bulging out. She couldn't wait to see which mare she would have the chance to be working with. Turning promptly on her left foot, she knocked on the office door. Belle had seen the instructor around campus once or twice, but never actually had a need to talk to him, so she didn't. Taking a deep breathe she waited to see any movement in the door or the doorknob. With that breathe she caught a slight scent of sweet milk that radiated from the mares at this time of their pregnancies. Excitement almost overwhelmed her as she calmed herself enough to speak.

[Sir Peter Solomon]

Peter heard a knocking at the door but didn't look up from his work as he called, "Enter." He looked at the paper, the glistening ink telling him that he couldn't fold it yet without serious smudges, and instead moved it onto a cabinet behind him. His script was rather hard to read for people who weren't used to it, but he wasn't in the habit of leaving personal correspondences out for anyone to read. He looked up as the person who had presumably knocked at his door entered and stood as he saw the girl that he had been expecting, "Belle, I presume?" He had done his 'homework' this time, after being blindsided by two nicknames, he had checked with various teachers until he had found out what this girl preferred to be called.

He walked around his desk and held out his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Belle." He picked up a sheaf of papers that held the information about the mare that the girl would be working with, and the stud that she had been bred to, "The mare you will be working with is known as Pearl around the barn, and is registered under Gals Pearl Necklace." He paused, "I guess I'll show you the classroom, where you should check in every time when class meets for instructions, and then we can head out to the pasture where Pearl is currently."

[Annabelle Archer]

Turning the handle and pushing inward on the door, when she heard Sir Solomon's voice, Belle swung the door open to reveal Sir Solomon sitting in his chair . Just about to introduce herself, he did it for her. With a slight raise of her eyebrow she spoke for the first time, "Yes indeed sir.". The eighteen year old took a glance around the office before turning her full undivided attention towards Sir Solomon. Taking his hand in her' with a firm grip, she returned the shake, "As is you." A quick nod accompanied by a smile. On the way in she had seen a few mares on the way in, taking a few guesses as to which one she had seen that she might be working with. The smile still occupied her face as he affirmed the mare's name, both barn and show. "Sounds great", this had only really been her first time in the breeding barn. So she had no idea how anything worked or where to go, but she assumed that it was similarly set up the same way as the White Oak and Red Willow were. Turning on her heels she waited patiently for Sir Solomon to lead the way to … well everywhere.

[Sir Peter Solomon]

Peter nodded as she affirmed what he already knew, and then returned his handshake with a firm reply. He grabbed some papers out of the ever-present folder on his desk and led the way out of his office, stopping at what would have been the first few stalls next to it, except that they were not stalls anymore, "This is the classroom, which is where the class meets every week. If we are doing something elsewhere, there will be a note on the whiteboard with the information you will require." He looked in at the plushly decorated 'room', "You are also welcome to use this room for any leisure time that you may have, to just 'hang out' in, as long as you do not disturb the mares."

After they had passed the classroom, he walked across the aisle to the feed and tack room, "This is where you will find Pearl's halter, and tack. Her feed schedule is also written up, but you are not responsible for feeding her." He paused, "In fact, I ask that you do not feed the mares anything, save a few carrots now and then, unless you have cleared the food in question with me beforehand." He stopped, "Any questions so far?"

[Annabelle Archer]

Watching the instructor grab a few papers, in which the young girl assumed were for her, and feel in line behind Sir Solomon as he led the way through the large barn. Belle was extremely excited to be working with the mare she had been assigned. The ever present belly would soon give way to a foal that she would have the pleasure to be working with and help raise. Coming to a few stalls in a row, the dividers were gone. Soon Sir Solomon introduced the 'room' as what the students would be used as the classroom and a hang-out area if wanted or needed. Nodding as she completely understood why the feeding schedule was not her business. "Understood Sir." she said looking at the mare's black hatler and lead rope. Belle hadn't really seen the mare yet but had an idea of what the brood looked like. "How far along are the mares?" It was probably a stupid question that should have already had an answer in her head, but yet none. And because she didn't know the answer to it, it would help as Belle would feel horrible if she came in one day and Pearl just was all of a sudden foaling.

[Sir Peter Solomon]

Peter smiled at the question. It was a good one, and showed that this girl, unlike a few other students, really did care, or at least managed to put on a mask of caring, "Pearl is currently about seven months along, but depending on when I had the mares inseminated, they all range from nine to six months." He had staggered the insemination rounds, both to eliminate having too many things going on when he was getting them impregnated, but also to stagger the births. He didn't want all of the mares coming to term in the same week, which would seriously complicate things.

Smiling as he went, he nodded his head in the direction of the pastures, "If you don't have any further questions, I'll show you to Pearl's pasture." After an affirmative, he led the way out to the pastures, walking down the lane until he came to the main mare's pasture, at the end of the lane. Most of the mares were out here, either grazing or standing in the shade of the tree. He nodded, "The golden brown horse, technically pearl, is your lady." He held out the papers, "I'll let the pair of you get acquainted."

OOC;: Sorry for the assumption, I wanted to move it along. :- )

[Annabelle Archer]

Knowing little background knowledge of gestation periods and the pregnacies of mares, she did in fact know that it took almost a year to actually foal. A thin line appeared on her lips as Sir Solomon said that the mares ranged from nine to six months along. That meant that her mare was at the lower end of the mares that were pregnant. Shrugging it off she shook her head to signify a no when the instructor asked if there were any further questions. Following Sir. Solomon like a small puppy out to the pastures Belle saw her mare as she walked to the end of the pastures. The golden color of her coat was beautiful. Taking the papers with a wide grin on her face she opened the gate. Before fully entering the pasture the eighteen year old turned to the instructor, "Thank you Sir Solomon." Closing the gate behind her she head out to the mare. "Hi Pearl The girl said when she got close enough. The mare was very pretty, Belle couldn't wait until she got to see the foal. She hoped that she would have the privledge of seeing the foaling. Patting the mare on the neck the student examined the mare, her belly was bulging and she looked a little uncomfortable, but then again she was carrying another life under her.

[Christopher Reed/ Mia Reed]

Finishing up in the apartment, the single father watched his daughter at the small table still munching on her grilled cheese sandwich. "Hun do you want to come to the mare barn?" Chris looked at Mia as he began gathering his coat, keys, and phone. A quick nod and the six year old stuffed the rest of her lunch in her mouth and slid off her chair. Running to the bed she grabbed her jacket and slipped it on. "You need something more than that on." Her father shook his head as she approached him. On the hook by the door was a heavy and plushy coat. "Here." The twenty-two year old held out the blue coat. With a mummble under her breath she stomped over and put it on. Recently the foal handler and instructor had to leave, with Chris only being a specialized groom he gladly accepted the offer to take over. He had expirence in training horses, young and old. Pulling on his Carhart the man tossed a treat to Bleu as he grabbed Mia's hand and led her out into the hallway. Walking down to the Primrose Barn, Chris saw a student out in the pasture with one of the mares. Knocking on door of the office, he wanted to meet his co-worker. From what he was told he would be working with someone named Sir Peter Solomon. Looking through the window there didn't seem to be anyone in the small office. Turning around Chris tried to identify the man if he was here at all.

[Sir Peter Solomon]

Peter nodded as the girl took the papers, and replied to her thanks with a smile. Leaving the pair in the pastures to get to know each other in their own way, Peter made his way back to the barn, looking out at the various pastures that held the mares that were stabled in his barn. Most of them were the academy's property, although there were a number of faculty's horses among the equines as well.

As he walked down the barn aisle, enoying the quiet of the empty barn, he noticed a man standing at his door. The man appeared to have been looking in at his office, and Peter recognized the man immediately as he looked around. He smiled as he approached, giving the young girl at the reassigned teacher's side an easy grin, before he turned his attention back at Chris. While he had seen the man around, and thus knew who he was, he didn't expect the man to recognize him. He held out his hand, "Sir Peter Solomon, at your service." He moved to his office door and pushed it open, since it hadn't been locked. He held the door open for his guests, gesturing to the chairs, "Sit down, please."

[Christopher Reed/ Mia Reed]

Soon enough Chris saw a man appear in the aisle way. Standing where he was the man felt his daughter begin to squirm. A gentle squeeze of his hand let her know to stop. As if it was instinct the twenty-two year old shook the extended hand with a firm grip. "Please to meet you, I'm Chris Reed and this here is Mia." He pointed to the young girl at his side. Most people thought less of him because he had a daughter at such a young age, but he knew that it wouldn't bother his work ethic one bit. Entering the office he released Mia's hand and the seven year old moved quickly to a chair. Taking a seat beside her as Sir Solomon had instructed. Of course he was knew to working with pregnant mares and their foals but he had a knack for picking things up quickly, hopefully this wouldn't be the exception. As he waited for the man to take a seat behind his desk, Chris helped Mia with her coat, he really did feel bad for making her wear the bubbly coat, remembering back his mother made him wear the same thing when he was her age. Once done Chris turned his attention to Peter.