What would be a standard procedure for appeasing a noble or such person? Money? Other gifts? Or would nothing be done at all?
I'm specifically wondering if horses could be used as a sort of appeasement gift. I know they were in some cultures at some times, but for the life of me I can't remember if this situation is one of those o_o. There's a plot point in my story that involves an important horse character being moved quickly (by ship, if that'll work) from southern Russian, passing by or through Venice, and into northern Italy, where this horse manages to escape before reaching his destination.
And then I wondered if using a sea route to transport horses from southern Russia somewhere to northern Italy would even work, or if they'd go by land instead, which I thought would tire the horses and make them not as pretty for gifts or whatever, but maybe it'd work out better to be by land, I dunno.
So...is that even plausible? Or am I way off the mark? Any suggestions for fixing this idea or any new ideas to suggest?
