[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

[eiattu_pride]

"...no?"

[fighting_mad]

"I'm so proud," she says, wiping away a mock tear. "I've been a good influence after all."

She sobers. "But really, what's wrong with the duke?"

[eiattu_pride]

"He doesn't like you."

Shrugs.

"And he's being annoying about it."

[fighting_mad]

She crosses her arms over her chest. "Annoying how so?" It's not really a phrase, but she makes it into one.

[eiattu_pride]

Evasively, "Annoying."

[fighting_mad]

"Annoying how so."

[eiattu_pride]

"If you must know, I hit him."

[fighting_mad]

Plourr stares at him, mouth hanging open. "--You hit him?"

[eiattu_pride]

"Yes."

Blushing.

[fighting_mad]

"Why?"

[eiattu_pride]

"He was being derogatory toward both of us."

[fighting_mad]

"Oh, well, he's always derogatory about me; that's nothing new." She rolls her eyes, but not very hard; she's surprised as hell, quite frankly. Rial is always incredibly respectful to his parents, even in the face of pure idiocy. "What did he say?"

[eiattu_pride]

Shifts, looks down.

"A - a whore. Among other things. I believe he was somewhat inebriated at the time."

[fighting_mad]

"That's it? Just a whore?" she asks. "Really, I would think he could be a little more imaginative than that." She has certainly been called worse. But her eyebrows are up.

[eiattu_pride]

"He was. And it was not so much the words as what he implied."

He hesitates, then turns.

"Anyway, I should be off."

[fighting_mad]

Ohoho no. No, he's not dropping that and then just walking away. "What did he imply, Rial?"

[eiattu_pride]

"I'll leave you to yourself."

Ignoring the question, he starts to leave.

[fighting_mad]

She catches his arm. "If I have to talk to your father, I'd like to know how annoyed I should be."

[eiattu_pride]

"Just forget it."

Attempts to tug out of her grasp.

[fighting_mad]

"Fine," she says, and she drops her hand and turns back to Koer, leaning over the stall door and rubbing her nose. Sensing that something isn't right, the thak whines and head-butts her shoulder.

[eiattu_pride]

"Bye."

Awkwardly shrugs, and leaves.

[fighting_mad]

Yes. This is all fantastic a week before the wedding.

Plourr stays in the stables a while longer.