Mucking out the Stables (open)

[Gaius Martyn Augustinus]

Gaius snorted, much the same as the grey-muzzled mule who shuffled up to his side. "Nix and I are exchanging commiserations about our old-age aches and pains. Merely old men-stuff, nothing to concern yourself over."

As the mule crunched his apple, Gaius took a moment to look over the group. They were a handsome lot and well-cared for, coats sleek and eyes bright. He saw Lady Morgana's palfrey twitching her tail prettily, but shy and hanging back until she was sure of the situation. The Prince's charger was two paddocks over, his ears high and neck hanging over a rail, trying to see what was going on. The King's great stallion was to the other side; it lifted it's head regally and observed them for a few moments in indifference, a grass hanging out of its mouth. Satisfied nothing was going on, it dropped its head to return to grazing, ignoring all.

"How like their masters are these beasts, eh?" Gaius commented in an amused tone. "I'm betting you notice quite a lot down here."

[Maura Bracken]

"I guess," Maura answered dubiously. "I mean, I know who cares for their horses. Seeing 'em more as a tool for their own needs. I don't know if that means anything though. Maybe it makes 'em bad people, or maybe it makes 'em good leaders. I don't know." She scratched the cheek of one of the horses who snorted at her. A few had left them, satisfied they would not be missing out on any treats.

"Aaaalthough," she continued impishly. "I can guess who is courtin' who. All those secret lover's trysts nearby. It gets worse in Spring -- I think its cus everyone has been cooped up and sleeping during winter." She rested her cheek on the horses's back, smiling contently as she inhaled its scent. Some tight muscles in her neck and shoulders unwound and she tried to get her breathing to match the horse's.

"What do you use snake venom for?"

[Gaius Martyn Augustinus]

"Ah yes," Gaius agreed philosophically. "Effective leaders cannot afford to see their subjects as more than tools, if you get right down to it. For instance, what if Prince Arthur treated his knights tenderly, not allowing any rough training for fear of their injury? If we were attacked by another kingdom, they'd make a pretty poor show of defense, wouldn't they?" Gaius nodded, waving away a gadfly that had buzzed around his grey head. "But.... if Arthur were to drive his knights to exhaustion with harsh training that saw them with wounds that would fester, he would also be remiss, for his troops would be too tired to man those same defenses. A good leader knows how to balance the harsh with the kind." The old man shook his head. "I would not have that job for all the tea in the kingdom. To decide which to sacrifice and which to save...."

Delighted on Maura's question, Gaius launched into an impressive lecture on the excellent qualities of snake venom. Taken orally in properly prepared medicines, snake venom aided greatly those with the falling disease, calming their seizures and relaxing their tense bodies. "It's also an important ingredient in sore throat tonics, boil unguents, syrups for spasms, and can be used to aid in birthing pains. Very useful stuff is snake venom." Gaius smiled at the girl. "And Hortensia -- that's my snake -- is such a lovely creature with a sweet disposition. She even eats her mice in a most delicate, lady-like fashion."

Chuckling as his absurd description, Gaius glanced at Maura. "And are you well, my dear? You know, you do not need to wait until you are bleeding before you come to a physician. My duties at the palace are to take care of all of the servants as well as the nobles, but the place is filled with wretchedly healthy people." He smiled. "If you or anyone you know of is in need of my services, you have only to ask."

[Maura Bracken]

Maura silently agreed with Gaius. Leadership certainly did seem horrible but still, peasant bitterness could not be wholly banished.

"Hey, I bleed every new moon, I wont be bothered by a bit o' blood. But my thanks for the offer." She grinned at Gaius in what she hoped was in an appreciative manner. "I'm kinda confused though. Snake venom is used in all that good stuff. An' here I thought snake venom was just bad. Can I meet Hortensia sometime?"

[Gaius Martyn Augustinus]

Gaius nearly lost his step. "Hrumph. Well, I, uh...." The old man scowled at the young woman at having flummoxed him so. "I wasn't talking about blood. I only meant....." He stopped, momentarily confused. What had he meant? He had no idea. "Oh, never mind," Gaius grumbled, thinking sour thoughts about youngsters and their confusing ways.

"A common misconception," Gaius went on. "Nearly everything in this great world could be considered good or bad -- it just depends on how you use it. Take snake venom. Injected into the skin and it can be very bad, quite painful, and in the very young or the infirmed, it can kill. But taken orally -- drunk in an elixir for instance -- it is not poisonous. Although it can give you a stomach ache if you don't do it right so don't try it on your own."

Gaius raised his brows in surprise. Most females abhorred snakes; the servant girls who occasionally were called to his quarters to clean avoided Hortensia's cage like it was possessed. "Yes, of course," he murmured doubtfully. "Come see her anytime you wish." He gave Maura another questioning look. "You're a curious child, Maura. You are doing what most consider a 'mans job', and you sound more interested in my little snake than frightened. Most unusual."

[Maura Bracken]

"I'll be sure to avoid drinking snake venom unless ye tell me to." Maura answered Gaius dryly. She was still amused by Gaius's response to her flippant comment. Oh men. Even old they're such dunderheads.

Great big dunderheads. Maura crossed her arms and rewarded Gaius's man versus woman comment with a cool stare.

"Judge me on my own. Don't judge me with what other people do. I do what I must an' I enjoy using strength all day, every day ta get money. Your snake wont go bitin' anyway cus he'll have mice. Why would he want a hand?" She scowled a little more at the older man, feeling tall and powerful before relenting and giving him a grin.

"I better go finish my work. Why don't ye flee lest ye dig yourself a deeper grave?" Maura patted him on the arm. "Thanks for the chat."

[Gaius Martyn Augustinus]

Feeling like he'd missed something and still wasn't aware of what it was, Gaius shrugged and smiled back. "Very well, Maura. And Hortensia my snake is a she, not a he." The old man tried not to smirk. "Perhaps you two will get along better if you keep that in mind?"

Gaius turned toward the castle before he could agitate the young woman further. My day is not complete unless I rile up someone, he chuckled to himself as he walked away.