[OOM] Eiattu - Royal Stables

[fighting_mad]

Plourr hums quietly under her breath, pulling the bit out of her thak's mouth and the bridle from her face, rubbing her forelock. The thak noses her princess with her big head, and Plourr smiles and pulls the pieces of bluefruit she's been saving since breakfast from her jumpsuit pocket and feeds them to her. The stableboys could handle grooming for her, but she'd rather do it herself. Besides, the stable is nice; it's quiet and smells like hay and thak-feed, and the stablehands leave her alone when she comes in to take early-morning rides.

As Koer happily eats, Plourr starts the process of unsaddling her.

Comments

[fighting_mad]

"I tried, Rial." She really did, at first. She sets the bucket down beside her boots and leans on the stall door, reaching out to scratch behind Koer's ear as the thak eats. "But she hasn't exactly welcomed me with open arms, either."

[eiattu_pride]

"Well, that's true."

He looks at the rafters.

"I'll talk to her."

[fighting_mad]

"I thought she wouldn't listen to you."

[eiattu_pride]

"She tends not to. Maybe I'll get lucky."

[fighting_mad]

She lets out a breath. "You know, I'm fine with your dad." Thoughtful pause. "Maybe it was the punching that made the difference."

[eiattu_pride]

Snickers, "Wish I'd seen that."

[fighting_mad]

"Wasn't my finest moment, really," she mutters.

[eiattu_pride]

"A pity."

He's watching her under half-closed eyelids.

[fighting_mad]

"Lose control in front of half the squadron, hit a man, have to be held back screaming like a lunatic." She shakes her head, smoothing down Koer's forelock. "I wish I hadn't done it." She means the losing control and the crying in front of half the squad--or the entire squad, really. She doesn't regret the punch so much.

In retrospect, that had been a damn embarrassing day.

[eiattu_pride]

"Oh."





"Sorry?"

[fighting_mad]

She snorts, giving the thak's forehead one last gentle scritch and then straightening up. "What time is it?"

[eiattu_pride]

"0700."

Grins, "You get up early."

[fighting_mad]

"Have to, if I want to get the chance to ride. Places to go, complaints to hear," she says, wiping her hand on her jumpsuit leg. She wrinkles her nose at the dirt on it. "Showers to take."

[eiattu_pride]

He sniffs the air.

"I'm going to agree with you on that one."

[fighting_mad]

She shoves him. Not very hard, though.

[eiattu_pride]

"Violence never solved anything."

[fighting_mad]

Unimpressed look.

Remember your audience, Rial.

[eiattu_pride]

He grins.

"Peaceful non-conflict is the way to go."

[fighting_mad]

She makes a gagging sound and picks up the commlink that she'd left on a shelf, slipping it into her pocket. "Oh please."

[eiattu_pride]

"We'd have a happier planet."

Warming to the subject.

[fighting_mad]

Oh. Right. "I thought you meant in general. As for Eiattu, I agree." She shakes her head softly. "She has seen enough of war."

[eiattu_pride]

"Far too much."

Rial sighs.

"It'll get better."

[fighting_mad]

"I hope," she says quietly.

Then shoots him a suspicious look. "What are you doing down here, anyway?"

[eiattu_pride]

"Giving you the seating arrangements."








"Okay, hiding from my father, but still."

[fighting_mad]

She laughs. Gleefully. "Why?"