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How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

The contact and words from Avenger helped to snap Clair out of her haze and she looked back to her and quietly nodded, placing a hand briefly on hers in thanks before releasing it as her shoulders were released.

Clair heard what all was said after the help and looked to the others around her as Amethyst spoke.
"I umm, is he currently stable? What rate is his heart beating at?" She asked.
 
Cinnamon shook her head. "Fast is all I can tell you, Clair. I'm a baker princess, for crying out loud, not a physician." She almost whimpered the words. "Aurora should have been with us. We wouldn't be held up, waiting for Dr. Monroe."

Hazel raised an eyebrow, and asked skeptically, "How do you lot know that French princess¹?"

Ruby frowned. "I don't think I know a princess by THAT name there, I do know a Princess Belle² in France..." She shook her head. "Aurora Service is a new Cordonian physician from Valtoria. We mean her. She was the court physician in training who just gained full physician rights by her mentor, Lieutenant Philip Arden of Queen Kenna's Army. A medic."

Hazel shrugged. "World's moving too fast for me. Anyway, we need to let my father get his rest whilst we wait, so maybe we can convene in the kitchen and discuss the reason you're all here? Follow me." She walked to a four person table, where the bodyguards pulled out the chairs for the princesses, which caused Cinnamon to sigh exasperated and look at Amethyst. Ruby pouted, wishing Clair had been the one to pull her chair out for her, but politely thanked Avenger anyway.

Finally, Ruby and Clair could get to the question about the large storage facility they had seen earlier. Hazel folded her hands, as she sat at the head of the table, and looked expectantly at Clair, followed by Cinnamon and Ruby, with Cinnamon nodding in encouragement.

1,2 Aurora and Belle are from Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast, respectively... Disney princesses, since Calla is from the same universe, just more realistic in this.
 
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Clair wanted to speak up, mention that she could at least get the patient's bpm (beats per minute) as Aurora had taught her, as they were testing her equipment. However, before she could find a space in which to speak up, everyone seemed to move on and into the kitchen. She didn't want to be rude and interrupt anyone, and it always felt like someone was talking, so she just stayed quiet.

Finally a moment of opportunity came up for Clair to speak, but they had already agreed to discuss other matters, she didn't want to be rude, so she spoke up as Hazel's eyes met hers, which, of course, turned to break the eye contact as that always made Clair more nervous.
"Oh, umm, we wanted to ask about the, umm, storage facility you passed by on our way in," She asked, as she looked at Ruby for assistance, as she was nervous.
 
Hazel raised her eyebrows. "Storage..." She made a thinker's frown as she thought about what could be seen from the road. "Do you mean our silo? The big round thing?"

Ruby nodded. "Yes, uhh, that. Like things like how much does it hold, what does it hold, and how long food can be kept in it before going bad."

Hazel glared at the girls in turn, until Amethyst said, "You probably need a little reasoning behind the question. I came back from Londonium and several of the King's advisors see a second Christmas blizzard in a row, like last year. If you know your prophecies, you know what that means, Hazel."

The farmer groaned and rubbed her face. "Really. You higher Nobles are too hung up on that supposed belief. That prophecy is from the 13th century! It's not that likely to happen! Ask any farmer worth his or her salt. We pay attention to things like clouds, winds, and the look of the skies. We notice changes in the air around us. Sometimes weeks ahead. Christmas is five days away. There is not going to be a return of the glaciers. Don't you lot have anything ELSE to worry about, than a future that might not happen? The seers have been doing this shit since some idiot made that up in the 1200s. Yes, we've had colder winters since the turn of the century, but it's 1377, now. This century is more than three-quarters over! Move on, already."

Avenger said calmly. "Hazel. Humor us. You know some rulers DO look out for their people, and want to provide for them in times of famine. And if it stays too cold for the soil..."

"Let me stop you right there, Avenger. That's what solariums are for. If you store grains, fruits and vegetables correctly, they'll be good for at least a season. Solariums help you grow foodstuffs during the winter. Walk into any solarium, what's the first thing you notice? Princess Cinnamon, you've been as quiet as Clair, so YOU answer me. YOU are the princess of Dunwyn, after all. Act like a dignitary."

Cinnamon bowed her head. "It's warmer, sometimes, downright hot. Even in the winter, providing there's enough sun."

Hazel arose. "Then that's your answer, innit? As I said... Storage is only good for a season. The most. The solarium, if taken care of, can last years, and you can grow foodstuffs year round in it, even if this supposed ice age happens. If you're so worried about this ice age coming..." She slammed her palms down on the table, making even HER Roman guards jump, as she yelled, "BUILD! MORE! SOLARIUMS!"

She sighed and pinched her eyes shut with her fingers. "England is supposed to be one of the richest countries. Every Noble house that I've seen has a solarium. Most farms do. Spread the wealth. It takes maybe two days to build them, correctly. Hell, we farmers can raise a barn in one day with enough help. Put two solariums in every hamlet, village and town. That should solve this."

Hazel looked at Clair. "The rest of these idiots are dismissed. You offered to help repair tack. I still want to hear how." She looked over, seeing Avenger and Ruby stay behind, with Ruby hiding slightly behind her bodyguard. "What?"

Avenger cleared her throat. "Being Ruby's guard means being guard to her girlfriend, too. I will stay near."

Hazel sighed.
 
Clair also nodded as she called the building a silo, not realizing of course that's what they called it until now, though it sounded familiar but her nerves must have made her forget. After that, as things heated up, Clair became quieter as she felt things were becoming more confrontational.

As tensions rose, Clair remained quiet, as even Hazel seemed to notice, was her default state, though once it was just her Ruby and Avenger with Hazel she knew she had to speak soon. However, she was still a bit shaken from the speech she gave.
"I umm, so uhh, what is in most need of repair, perhaps we should start with that?" She offered in a slightly shaky voice.
 
Hazel smirked. "How much time have you got?" She teased, eyes twinkling, much like they had, despite her roughness around the horses, when it was just her, Ruby and Clair.

She cleared her throat. "Follow me back to the stables, you three. It'd be better to show you than tell you. Most our equipment was bought in the 1290s by my grandfather, when he was around my age. Mid 20s." This meant a lot of the saddles, reins, bridles, etcetera, were over 80 years old; it might be time to think of replacing them, or Clair inventing new means to steer or ride the horses!
 
"Oh, umm, that's a good question. I am not sure, though I would be happy to do what I can in whatever time we have." Clair placed a hand to her mouth, thinking on whether she could recall the time they had left.

"Oh, hmm, perhaps I could come up with a way for you to exercise the horses without the need of the saddles, like maybe a spinning center they are attached to, and they can walk around it? And maybe some sort of timing device?" She suggested.
 
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Hazel raised an eyebrow and gave her typical thinker's frown. "Workhorses that move heavy things through a pulley system already do something like that. It's called a carousel, where they trot in unison, tightly yoked to an arm like thing that moves the wheel. We're trying to warm them up for exercise around the farm, including patrols to the back 40. How would your idea keep them from being overworked, then, with your idea of a carousel?"

With Clair's inventive mind, poor Hazel was in for it now, with that loaded question.
 
"Well in those cases there is a lot or resistance to their movement, this would simply be an area for them to move around, of course if you had the land for it just an open area for them to move freely would be better but if you do the same as the Carousel but make it turn easily and less restraint on the horses it could exercise them without tiring them out." She paused, placing a hand to her chin.
"Kind of like how if a ring is loose, you can easily spin it around your finger, but if it's tight then it's more difficult and might leave a wound on your skin"
 
Hazel leaned on the fence railing for the corral. "Brigands keep knocking down our property fences, otherwise we would let them run in the back 40. Had to stop because of vandals and horse thieves."

She rubbed her face and got a look of determination. "Tell you what. That dark tan mare with the midnight blue like mane and tail? The one who kept nudging you after you exercised her?That's Evening Star. Give us plans, drawn out with dimensions to expand this corral, or fence an exercise area on property... She's yours. That's fair enough payment for your services, innit? Horse seemed to like you, anyway. One horse of your own, for a good means to exercise the other 20?"
 
Clair placed a hand to her chin, thinking for a moment as Hazel mentioned people knocking down their fences.

"Oh! umm, well I umm. That sure is a pretty horse, and is ever so nice, I don't know if I can take proper care of one. Though I do have an idea that might solve the fence issue, I just need to test something quick" She said kneeling down and placing her bag down.
"Hmm, okay, so I recall once.. hmm, yeah okay." She pulled out one of her test batteries and rigged some metal wire to it.
"Okay umm, if someone touched this, it hurts, I wonder if we could run this along a metal fence. It could be a deterrent to not touch the fence" She suggested.
 
Hazel shook her head. "You have means, Clair. You're close to the Cordonian Princess, and seem to be friends with the Cordonian bodyguard. Crimson Avenger. THEY can show you how to care for Evening Star."

Calla Avenger was about to say something when Hazel spoke up, but closed her mouth. After Hazel spoke, she nodded. "Too right." She finally managed.

The three watched as Clair pulled out the test batteries and wired them. Ruby's eyes lit up, "Clair! Brilliant! The wires around them act like your wool bedspread I couldn't get off of, and it would run along the metal wiring for the fence, like our nerves! Instant static shock for trying to mess with the fencing!" She looked at Hazel's and Avenger's raised eyebrows. "What? I asked Doc Aurora why Clair and I shocked each other, and she told me her theory... Which makes perfect sense!"

Avenger managed a shrug, and looked at Clair's newest invention. "Wouldn't it shock the horses, too, though, if they got too close?"

Hazel shook her head. "Horses are not dumb, Avenger, one brush and they'll learn to leave the fence alone. I think we have enough barbed wire to go around the back of our property. We have to go back to the stables for horses for you lot, because it's quite the trek. I'll be carrying the barbed wire fencing, and I have the perfect horse for you to ride back there, Lady Guard. She's got kind of a pinkish thin haired coat, and white mane and tail with what looks like light purple stripes in her mane and tail. She's an albino, but very strong. Starlight Glimmer¹. We just can't put a saddle on her."

"That's perfect," Avenger assured Hazel. "My horse doesn't like saddles, so I ride bareback anyway."

With some of the other horse names, like Daystar, Starfall, Skyfall², Comet and Meteor Shower, would Clair ask if Hazel's into the study of the skies?

1-My Little Pony Friendship is Magic later season shout-out
2-Adele theme song for James Bond, and an actual fantasy apocalyptic dystopian event.
 
Clair paused for a moment when she was told she had the means.
"Okay, yes, I have the means, and it's not like I don't appreciate the offer, it's just... I spend lots of my time inventing, and sometimes I'll get caught up for days on end with a project, and that horse deserves better than that. I was trying to have an excuse not to because I feel like I would be a terrible person to watch after a horse." She admitted.

Clair nodded as Hazel explained that horses would quickly learn their lesson.
"Plus, Horses have much thicker skin than humans, so it should be much more painful to us than it would be for them," Clair added.

"Hmm, Hazel, I have been meaning to ask you, the horse names, are you interested in the night sky?" She asked.
 
Hazel grabbed a wheelbarrow, after putting a blanket over Starlight Glimmer's back for Avenger to ride her. After loading the barbed wire into the wheelbarrow, and Avenger offering to help Clair up on the now resaddled Evening Star, she looked at Clair and answered. "It's only a hobby, I can't do much with it but figure out names for fillies foaled by our mares. Their names is the only way I can show my interest in the skies. My father names all the stallions. Apparently, my names are too feminine for a stallion... Even Daystar or Skyfall.

As she walked alongside Clair and Avenger, Avenger had to shake her head. "Skyfall is too feminine? Sounds like a proper strong stallion name to me. What about Cosmos, or Solar Flare?"

Hazel laughed. "I've thought of both of those, but... Nope... Not to father. I already offered Solar Flare. His answer was, name our next filly that if it's got an orange-yellow coat." She shrugged. "I didn't even offer Cosmos. I figured, why bother. Which reminds me, Clair... What do you think of the astral names of Celestia, Aurora Borealis, and Lunar Eclipse. I'm thinking of adding those names to my list of potential filly names."

Once at the back property line, she asked Avenger to help unfurl the barbed wire, and take down the railings. "Clair, I'm going to ask now. Are Avenger, Ruby and I going to have to put this barbed wire up fully before you attach that shocking device? I'm not exactly sure how you planned to connect it to the wires."
 
Clair indeed needed help once more to mount the horse, and rode very carefully, this was certainly not something that came naturally to her.
"Thanks, though as she listened to her and rode her mind wandered a little."

Clair nodded.
"I like those names, they are as pretty as they are mysterious, and as an inventory I adore mystery" she smiled.

"Well, I have yet to test a length this long, but I figure as long as it's one long wire from end to end, it should be all installed first, then we can attach the battery." She explained.

"Though Hazel, I have an idea though it would take some time to make, what if I could make something can could help you see the night sky better?" She asked.
 
Hazel nodded. "You heard her, ladies, let's get the wire up, and attached to the posts."

While they fastened the barbed wire around the property line and to the posts, Hazel answered Clair's question. "Giving us a way to keep our farm and horses safe in exchange for a good riding steed seems to be enough, unless you feel that Evening Star is worth more. A way to look at the night skies more better? It's actually both day and night skies, the universe is just better seen at night. I don't want to put you out of your way; unless you feel you owe me more for the horse."

The farmer didn't want to take advantage of Clair's generosity, not knowing that's what Clair had been doing all season.
 
Clair placed a hand to her chin and tilted her head slightly as Hazel spoke, until realizing what she was talking about.
"Oh! The way to look at the night sky wasn't something I was trying to do for payment, I just like to use my inventions to help people and make them happy, plus I think studying the night and day sky could lead to learning more things about the world and the stars. So, how about this? If you need to pay us more, let's make a deal: anything you learn from looking through it, you can send me in a letter. Nothing is more valuable to me than knowledge," She smiled.

"Honestly my parents always get frustrated with me about it but I never liked forcing people to pay for my inventions, I love making them and having people come to me with new problems or passions that I can help with, and getting to see them have their issues fixed or their passions realized is more then enough payment for me... but my parents always insist on getting money for what I do, but also, they aren't here now hehe"
 
Hazel nodded her understanding. "I see." She took a breath after hammering a nail into the post, connecting the barbed wire. "I'll make sure to have your address before you leave the farm, then."

Ruby looked over to Clair worriedly as she carefully held the wire fencing in place, although she did get poked a few times by the protruding points of metal, and had the scratches to show for it. Not thinking of the many scratches and pokes (far more than either Hazel or Avenger combined) she asked, "Did your parents give you the new address yet in Cordonia? I mean, I have to live with you all, and mother only told them that I know of. I even have to get the address from them, which I haven't yet."
 
Clair nodded, looking to Ruby before also seeming worried.
"Oh, that's right, I don't know the address yet either, but we know yours, we can send word as soon as we learn, if we only can find out after leaving that is."

With that Clair helped Ruby handle the barbbed wire seeing her scratches.
"You need to be careful with this, here, try these" She said handing her some tough leather gloves.
 
Hazel and Avenger were both wearing leather gloves, Avenger's matching with her Cordonian leather armour. Hazel looked a little sheepish. "Your Highness, I'm sorry I didn't offer you a pair of our farm work gloves. I could have saved Clair the trouble." She then looked pointedly at Ruby, in an obvious dominant fashion. "Don't you DARE let this one get away, you hear me?! Do you know how difficult it is to find a boyfriend or girlfriend who would watch out for your well-being like Clair's doing?! They're EXTREMELY rare, Princess; not many find them! Cling to her like your very life depends on it... Because it just might!"

The rest of the fence setting was done without any more incident, and it was time to set the battery and test the static power pulsating through the wires of the fence. It was chosen when Clair said it was set up, Starlight Glimmer would be the test subject, because despite being albino, she was not only the strongest horse, she was also Hazel's only one available. Evening Star belonged to Clair now, after all.
 
Claire's face turned red as a Ruby's name implied at Hazel's declaration.
"Oh! You are too kind, I am sure anyone would have done the same in my position!"

Clair would carefully set up the battery on one end of the fence, hoping that the wire's metal would work, as she knew some metals were better at it then others.
"Okay! Ready for the first test!"
 
After positioning Starlight Glimmer near the fence, Hazel nodded. "It's spun steel, Clair, it should be fine." She admonished.

They let Starlight graze around the fence, when suddenly the horse's pink eyes got wide, she snorted, huffed, and backed away from the fence to continue grazing, shaking her white and light purple mane, and whipping her tall.

Avenger said what everyone else was thinking. "I kind of feel sorry for Starlight Glimmer, but I would call the test a success."

Hazel nodded and grabbing the shaking horse's reins and patting her. "You're okay, you were a good girl, thank you." She turned to Clair, "And so were you, in a different way. We can now let our horses exercise themselves like we used to, and in masse.

Ruby looked at Hazel, "Can I ride Evening Star back to the house? This was more work than I'm used to."

Hazel raised an eyebrow. "She's not my horse anymore. You need to ask Clair."

Avenger sidled over to Clair. "You're becoming a true member of the nobility. You're own estate, and now your own horse. I hear you even have your own lab for building your inventions. Only thing I didn't hear, because I was fussing with Ruby who was being fussy herself, was your new title."

Clair would be Lady Clair; her parents were a Count and Countess. Clair wouldn't really be a Countess until her father retired from the work he would be doing for Queen Kenna, or she married Ruby, something Avenger had forgotten.
 
Clair nodded.
"Yeah, I don't like my inventions causing pain, but I am glad it works."

"Oh, umm, thanks, I am glad, and hopefully, whoever was knocking your fence down will learn their lesson as quickly as Glimmer did, though that battery won't last forever, so we will need to show you how to charge and replace it." She added.

Clair looked to Avenger, expecting to be asked if she could ride her horse.
"Huh? Oh, umm, well, I umm, let me see." She looked through her notebook.
"I believe I would be Lady Clair, I think, I am not so good at these titles and such, but please just call me Clair. Oh, and please ride my horse." She insisted
 
Avenger chuckled, "I'm good for walking, it was Ruby who wanted a ride." She then shook her head. "That's fine for when we're about amidst friends, but as the Royal Bodyguard for Princess Ruby, I will have to respect your title. Something I still have to get used to myself."

Ruby thanked Clair, before asking Clair to wait until she mounted Evening Star, before they could continue walking.

Hazel shrugged. "Let's wait until we're back at the house, and I talk with Dr. Monroe about father; if he's able, you can tell us at the same time."

When they got back to the house, Cinnamon was sitting on the porch in a chair, with the hand that had walked the horses back to the stable. He shot up immediately, "Ms. Hazel, ma'am, the doctor arrived about 10 or so minutes ago, and is seeing your father right now. The princess and I were both ordered to await your arrival."

Cinnamon would say something that would later be what the receptionist at a physician's office would say. "Dr. Monroe will see you at once... In your kitchen. Clair, Avenger, Ruby... You're to wait out here with us." She looked at the tan horse with the midnight blue like mane and tail, and marking in the center of it's brow and down part of the muzzle like a big white star. "What a beautiful steed. What's it's name?"

Hazel looked at Clair as to tell the Dunwynian Princess about Clair's new horse.
 
Clair nodded.
"Right, that makes sense, sorry, of course, Ruby, we will wait and you can ride her."

Clair remained quiet as they made their way back, only finally speaking up as she was addressed.
"Oh, the name is Evening Star, she was gifted to me for my assistance with the other horses."
 
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