Afternoon, 5th day

The hussar tried to follow the conversation , yet it remained as much a mystery to him as if he had been lost with his thoughts elsewhere. When he was about to give up he caught the word and somewhat hesitantly he nodded. If he understood correctly, as much as he understood at all, they might've discussed the manner in which he obtained the damage and one of them came to a conclusion that it had been indeed the French. "Yes, while fighting the French.. Francês." He spoke smiling. He made a sharp motion of his hand across the neck as if to indicate what fate befell them.

The boys grinned with wicked delight. Whatever story they had just invented had been confirmed by his single gesture, and it was the best story they had ever heard. They shouted at each other eagerly, probably planning to reenact the battle for their friends, but by now the kind old blacksmith had had enough. With the universally understood expression of a man whose workplace has been invaded by noisy children, he waved his hands and shouted to herd them all back out to the street, leaving Sgt. Grey and himself free to work in peace again.

He chuckled watching the boys run, and wondered if he would ever be privvy to the story that the children have just made. Even so,, it was time to return to being serious and meaning business. No horsing around. He straightened and added his sabre back to his side, watching and waiting and hoping that no other officer would be in need of the horse doctor. Wouldn't do to stay in line for the whole day.

[OOC - I migbht disappear soon. If I do, then I've either fallen asleep or dragged myself to it!]

'Who'd have thought,' Sgt. Grey mused as he shoved a No. 5 iron into the hearth, 'the generals stallion has a soft spot for little ones.'

Checking the pockets of his apron to make sure he had his rasps and hoofknifes, he turned back towards the horse.

"Now, I'll just clean up the hoof a bit, sir."


[OOC I apologise for the delay. RL happened]

Sgt.Grey moved back to the stallion and persuaded him to give the unshod hoof back into his care. With quick, sure strokes of the hoofknife he cleaned the frog up and then used the rasp to plain down the sole.

It was done quickly. The horse had not been in need of a shoeing, he had just lost the iron.

Holding the hoof securely to his thigh, he looked up at the bystanders. The children had been shooed away, but the hussar they had been talking to was still there. And what was a 15th Hussar doing here, anyway? Well, his horse did look poorly.

“Stand back a bit, lad, he’s not going to like the burning smell! Careful now, sir!”

“Urquhart, the iron.”

The trooper handed him pliers with the hot iron. Getting a good grip on the hoof with one hand, Grey pressed the hot iron down with the other. A cloud of dark, foul smelling smoke rose. After a few heartbeats he released the hoof to the struggling stallion and swiftly moved out of reach

[Frog. *stares at dictionary in disbelief*]

He took a few steps back and lead Bella further back, by an even press against her front. The mare moved step by slow step. No need for her to sniff out the smoke at it's fullest.

"There, soon now." He murmured to his horse, sliding his hand across her neck. No other words were needed, and were not uttered. Bella did look nervous, but her discomfort had made her more attentive to that, and again she peered at her side and pressed her nose against it. She lifted her upper lip and made a small nip, then looked to the Hussar.

Wellesley held Hercules' head firmly against his chest as the sergeant applied the iron. The horse struggled, and possibly would have broken loose but he held him hard, murmuring to him, stroking the side of his neck, his ears, assuring him that it would be alright.

"Will you be done soon?" he asked the farrier, not wishing to sound impatient, but more concerned at how much longer the stallion was willing to behave.

Having dumped the iron in a waiting bucket of water, Grey patted down his apron again.
Hammer, clincher, nails, rasp. All set.

"It felt like a good fit, think I can nail it down right away. But I have to look at the imprint to make sure, sir."

Patting the large chest apologetically and telling the stallion what a brave boy he was, Grey went to pick up the hoof again. It was more of a tug-of-war this time, but once Grey had a good grip he didn't let go.

It was a good fit. The holes for the nails were all in the white line and the rim of the hoof alined with the iron.

"Very good, I can nail it right down, sir."

Looking up, Grey saw his assistant already waiting with the cooled iron. He nodded, and once had the iron fit on teh hoof again swiftly nailed it down.

"It's a good thing we have these ready made irons, sir" tap, tap, bend. New nail.
"This way we can shoe more horses in a much shorter time. And with small alterations they fit almost any horse." Grey never stopped working while he mused about horseshoes in a calm and soothing voice.

Shortly he had all nails in place and clinched off the ends. With a large rasp he smoothed the edge where the hoof met the shoe and eliminated any sharp edges left from cutting off the nails.

"There, now you can charge back into battle, my impatient friend. Down!" With the last word he let the stallion pull the hoof out of his grip.

Grey staitened up and came to attention. "All done, sir"

"Excellent." Wellesley handed Hercules' bridle to the one the sergeant had called Urquart, urging him to walk the horse around a bit, examining the farrier's work. He smiled, satisfied with what he saw.

"Very nicely done indeed," he said, reaching into his pocket and handing the sergeant a gold coin. "I thank you."

He then took the reins back and mounted up, calling to Brandon for them to be on their way.

"I hope it is nothing more than a case of wind," he said to Willoughby, as he walked Hercules a few steps away from the shop.

"Oh, thank you, sir!"
Grey made the coin disappear in his apron. He turned to the waiting Hussar.

"And what can I do for you, lad? Oh, never mind, I see..."

With an arched back, all four feet tucked under her belly and a look of intense concentration, the hussar's mare had managed to produce a piece of dung the size and shape of a cannon ball.

"Needs a good purge, that one! Very beneficial to the health, purging." Looking at the Hussar, he asked: "When's the last time she produced a decent dungheap?"

"I hope so too. Thank you, sir." Willoughby answered, gazing to his mare. He could have not minded it and left it for a day to see how she was, but he didn't need it getting worse. He was surprised that the officer would care to speak of his mare, let alone care about it's well being. The later he guessed perhaps was not the case, but it was still a kind gesture.

He saluted to him, seeing as the man had concluded with his reason for arriving and was making ground to be on his way.

He turned around observing Grey work with the horse. " I've just gotten her about a day ago." He answered and glanced to the mare. "Not quite sure when she did. Thought it was fine yesterday. But didn't quite pay the attention to it." It was quite true.

"You only got her yesterday? What did she do? Fall from the sky?"

By now he had finished prodding and poking the mare.

"What's her name anyway? I think she didn't get purged properly after getting off the ships in Lisbon. They need that after being coped up on the ships, you see. A purging ball No. 6, I say."

He turned around but couldn't see his assistant.

"I'm sergeant Grey, by the way, and you, little lost hussar, would be...?"

(Gah, has missed this!)

"Not quite." He replied and shrugged his shoulders lightly:" I have lost my own.. in a skirmish days ago, .. They were generous enough to grant me another."

He listened and could do nothing more but shrug and agree with the man, for he hadn't known much of Bella's history at all. Only what he could gather from her in the time that he had her, and her temperament which was that of a witty young lass that was good with mischief when not feeling badly.

"She's Bella." He stroked the side of the mare's neck gently to ease her discomfort. The horse looked restless and drew her hoove several times across the ground as if digging against it.

And with the last bits of introduction, upon which he was not sure whether he would be willing to smile and take it as a light tease and joke, or be offended by the words and take them as an ill minded jest, he at last answered.

"Private Timothy Willoughby of 15th Hussars, sergeant."

"Well, it's a good thing you came now, before she gets any worse. Bella, eh? Means beauty doesen't it?"

The sergeant turned around again an shouted for Urquart to fetch the ingredients of the No. 6 purging ball. Then he started rummaging around in the toolbags and produced a mortar and pestle.

"You are the one who's attached to the grasshoppers, aren't you?"

He nodded to the first question and smiled:" She certainly lives up to her name." The mare lifted her head, for she did hear her name mentioned and she looked as though she knew they've discussed her.

"Yes, I'm the very one. Perhaps the only horseman that can boast of such a thing." He spoke half in humour half in a serious manner. "So, she will be allright after the purging, serg'nt?" He soothed the mare, who looked even more restless, and looked at Grey with her ears flat to her head.

Carrying a large leather sack Trooper Urquart reappeared from the storeroom.
"Ah there we go! Let's see, barbadoes aloes, calomel, ginger in powder,
Castile soap..."

While Grey counted the ingredients down the trooper measured some of each into the mortar. When they were finished Grey settled down on the anvil and started blending the mixture.

"We'll have her right as rain in no time. Purging is very beneficial to the health! It reduces grease and swellings of the legs, lameness of the joints, eases dry coughs, gets rid of worms, cures diseases of the skin and causes
an healthful action in the bowel! You'll see, your little beauty will feel much better for it!"

The sergeant seemed to be enthusiastic about purging. He added a few drops of oil to the mixture and told the trooper to fetch some honey.

"Do you have her halter with you? She'll have to swallow this. If you don't just take her bit out." He laughed. "They'll try to turn you into a mounted grasshopper, huh? have you fired one of their rifles jet?"

Bella was sensing something unusual was going to happen, and feeling that it would hardly be pleasant either she looked ready to back and leave. She took a step back and then another and was halted by the hold on her reins. He wasn't sure what was so great about purging, be it the one giving or the one on the recieving end, but he did not comment on Grey's own delight.

"Right a moment." Bella made a yawn when her mouth had been freed from the bit and looked curious towards the sergeant.

"Mounted grasshopper?" He laughed. "No. I doubt they'd wish a horse close to them."

He smiled." And last I checked my uniform is still quite blue." He glanced at it as if making sure that it had not been changed while he was asleep. He shook his head light then and shrugged:" No, I hadn't had the opportunity yet. But I would certainly like to take a try at those rifles. See them in action, and shoot once or twice... but you sarg'nt. Have there been many horses today that needed tending?"

"Not many, no, but what horses! Do you even know who the officer in the plain blue coat was? The one who wished your beauty a speedy recovery?"

Sgt. Grey looked at the Hussar expectantly.

[OOC oh, I gotta go. be back later]

"An important man to have such a fine stallion." He hesitated a moment. A name came easily to mind and he continued in stride:" Sir Arthur Wellesley. A man who's won battles at Argaum and Assaye." And he felt that he needn't continue in describing the man's person. The sergeant quite obviously knew about the man in question as well.

It felt pleasant to think back, that the man had inquired on Bella. He needn't have, yet he did. "That horse." He spoke in amazement:" An excellent disposition. His temperament did seem wild, but.. 'tis hard to expect otherwise of a horse knowing his worth. And by all, that is sacred that horse has that!" He grinned and laughed softly as Bella nudged her head against him. Even if she didn't understand her timing looked entertaining, and made one thing she was feeling jealous of another horse's praise.

"Yes, the general himself. And don't forget Rolica and Vimiero last year. Shame he had to hand over command, shameful buisiness, that."
The sergeant was slightly disappointed that the hussar had reckognised their general.

By now Grey had added some honey to his mixture and formend a small, sticky ball. He washed his hands in a waterbucket and rolled up his sleeves.

"Great horse, that. Your lady was quite impressed I think. Now," he took the purging ball into his right hand and stepped to the right of the mare "I'll be very quick about this. As soon as I have my hand out of her mouth again, you start strocking her throat so she swallows. Are you ready?"

"Oh, how could she not." He looked entertained at Bella who lifted her head till it was brought down again so that Grey could feed her the not too pleasant looking ball. "Yes, sergeant." He replied hastly and seriously then and moved closer to Bella's front, a hand to her neck, for now resting there. "Bella.. be patient now." He murmured to her, even though he'd felt the words fall to deaf ears.

"Be careful. She's known to bite." And as if on cue she tried a snap at the sergeant rolling her upper lip upwards and jerking her head at the man again in the same manner, trying to bite him.
She'd done that before and it was only thanks to her aching belly that her attentions had been more to biting at her side than at her rider.

"he he, as this is not a generals horse, I'll bite back!"

Grey swiftly wrapped his left arm over the mares nose, hooked the thumb into the toothless gap on the jaw and forced her to open her mouth. Then he used his right to place the ball as far back as he could. The horse now had to swallow.

"There. Rub her throat now, that's a good girl."

While Bella showed obvious annoyance with Grey, and even attempted a stomp of her hoof at his foot, she was forced to swallow the ball, and a rub to her neck had stimulated it sliding down further. She would have pulled her head free if not for Timothy's strong hold on her. She did pull rather sharply though, so that she bodily moved the two after her a few steps.

Once released from the forced feed she flicked her ears flat against her head, and shoved irritatedly against her rider and then tried to land a bite at Grey's unprotected hand. " Bella!"

Willoughby thought of Bayard and was sure he would never have acted as insolent even if there was medicine he was forced to take. He was a lively, yet loyal and obediant. This lass, was just.. well, a woman, in his opinion and nothing ill meant by that!

"How long till she... does whatever she is meant to do?" The Hussar asked, feeling the mare's tail smack against his shoulder now that he had been moved back a little.

The mare made a spirited attempt to bite his fingers off, but sgt. Grey anticipated the move and had his fingers well away.

"Well, she should loosen her bowels in the next few hours. If she hasn't by tomorrow come see me. But come well before we start moving again. Give her a good drink of water now and keep her moving about, but not faster than a walk. If she wants to roll, let her."

He took a good look at horse and rider again. "Where did you find her? She's not cavalry. Not 2nd Dragoons anyway, I know all our horses. They are all grey, you see." He gave ha huge grin at that, and to show he had no ill will. " And you lost our own company, too, huh? You are lucky you didn't get attached as batman to some leutnant, that's all the rage nowadays..."

[gah, I have knots in my fingers. You won't blieve how many times i had to type this]

"The army had some of them spare, and was kind enough to supply me with her. Though I'm not quite sure if they wished to rid themselves of her and see if a horseman could be thrown off or driven to insanity by a mere horse.." He chuckled softly: "Or if she was truly the only one they could spare adequate for a Hussar." He agreed that she was not of the cavalry, not of the Dragoons nor of his own 15th Hussars. If she was he would not have been riding as a messenger boy attached to the tail of the grasshoppers. He would be back with the horsemen.

"I'd not mind it. Being attached as batman..mind. Duty is fair in whichever form it comes." He spoke proud and confident." ..Though I would.. and I do prefer that I am offered a chance for the action." He looked in the slightest embarrassed by his ambition." Better a sabre or carbine in my hand, then the sharpest pencil and a book.. as important as the later may be."

"n'.. I must've missed you, sarg'nt." He spoke polite and still spirited."..perhaps in the maze that this land offers. I should feel grateful that I was still brought to our side and not that of our enemy."

[Hehe, need a finger massage? ]