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Post by seraaches on Nov 21, 2007 20:40:07 GMT -5
 Ironically or not, Shinrai found that he was rather fond of the little pond where Queen Serafino had made his judgment on Rai’s suitability. He was sitting idly there, absently dragging the talons of his bone gauntlet through the grass, scoring the ground lightly, but not actually digging into the dirt. His mind was elsewhere, on the duties he had just dispensed, so now he was at some loose ends. The stallion was pleased; he seemed to be doing fairly well here. Suddenly, a flash of deep crimson caught his eye and triangular ears flicked forward in interest as he caught sight of one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. There was only one such answer to the question of who she was, but his breath caught in his throat and he couldn’t help but stare. He’d been leery of banders ever since the mutant attack on that clinic so long ago, but she made him forget that wariness immediately. She just had to be Sultana, and he could do nothing but sit and stare at her with a surprising amount of admiration in his gaze for one who had been training constantly to mask his thoughts. |
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 21, 2007 20:48:35 GMT -5
 The patterned crimson bander had appeared around the edge of a tall, rose-covered hedge, sniffing curiously at the ground to the side of the maze. She noticed the equine only a moment after he first saw her and raised her head, blinking at him with shining black eyes. Her small golden bell jingled as she stalked around the corner, moving to the very edge of the pond and staring over at him. It wasn't necessarily challenging. She had smelled him before around her person and he didn't seem to be doing anything. Just watching. It wasn't even a real stare. After a moment's contemplation, she coughed and took a few sips from the clear water.  Only a few steps behind her, Serafino had stopped to inspect some of the flowers that cralwed and twined up the side of the six-foot hedge. It was just tall enough to conceal his human form by perhaps two inches, which he rather liked. The soft swish of his skirt on the grass could be heard only a moment before he rounded the corner after his bander. Being the early afternoon, he had just finished his morning at Court and a light tea with lunch. Now he was out for a moment's relaxation with his pretty pet, who had deigned to stay somewhere he could find her today. He glanced around and saw Rai standing a little ways away around the pond. His newest King had been working out rather well, a harder worker than he had expected. He'd been a bit leery about the man not yet achieving his bipedal form, but that was quickly remedied and he couldn't honestly admit to anything 'wrong' with the equine. Even his ambition seemed to be within appropriate bounds, though appearances could always be deceiving. What an unusual expression for his normally cool face, though. "What? Never seen a bandersnatch before?" he asked archly, amused. Normally Rai was his match for an even expression. |
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Post by seraaches on Nov 22, 2007 3:04:42 GMT -5
The stallion watched as she stared at him, taken with her small cough and utterly surprising himself with a sudden wanting. His ears flicked back and his grey-green eyes went to Queen Serafino almost guiltily when the other man spoke to him. ”Hardly,” he replied, voice light where his gaze was not. However, he could not hold the feigned lightheartedness. ”But I have never seen her equal,” he admitted as his eyes went right back to her fluffy form.
He wanted to know all about her and was fairly certain the questions would not be taken amiss; Serafino was notoriously fond of the bandersnatch. ”Where did you obtain her?” The curiousity was evident in his voice, a trait he let stay in without issue, but hidden beneath it was that perhaps forbidden longing. He wasn’t in the least bit sure of whether or not the Queen would take a desire to obtain his own such bandersnatch. Not a normal, run of the mill bander, but a beautiful specimen like the gorgeous Sultana drinking so nonchalantly nearby.
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 22, 2007 3:12:40 GMT -5
Fino gazed down at her, a smile tugging at his lips as he watched her drink. She raised her head and craned it around to look at him curiously, then caught sight of a small bird out of her peripheral vision and was instantly on the hunt. Her small body went low, eyes and ears forward, trained on the fluttering creature even as one taloned paw moved silently out in front of her for one step and then another.
The Queen looked up, watching Rai watch her. Banders could catch the hearts and minds of many, especially when exposed to one as fine as Sultana, who stalked and prowled even as they spoke. "The Highlands are the only place to acquire a bander of her measure," he replied with no small amount of pride. "The first trainer and breeder was a Highlander living in the small hilly village of Chayth. Ever since then, the hobby has centered around there. Nowhere else in the world can you find their like, and the cost for such a magnificent creature is, of course, fit to match it. Why do you ask?"
A held breath, a moment's wiggle, and then - POUNCE! The post-lunch snack was hers.
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Post by seraaches on Nov 22, 2007 3:29:56 GMT -5
Shinrai couldn’t lie and say he was merely curious. He wasn’t –merely- curious, he was about dying with curiousity. He wouldn’t be able to keep the lie out of his voice if he tried. But wot could he say instead? He couldn’t just not answer his Queen; he was bound by his own honour to do as the Queen said. For a long moment he was saved as the two men watched the bandersnatch leap at the bird, snagging it easily. Rai couldn’t stop a grin as he watched her, even as she gulped it down, leaving a faint trail of feathers. He wasn’t a carnivore, but somehow it was cute when she slaughtered things for food.
The stallion finally settled on the truth; there was no other option here. At least, no other option when Queen Serafino proved a fount of knowledge and experience that supposedly could be easily tapped. ”I would like to be able to find one such creature for myself,” he said quietly, keeping the hesitancy at the admission from sounding in his voice. One thing about the Queen of Hearts the horse had learned in his time here thus far was that he was often amused by boldness over meekness even if he preferred the fear of his subjects. Shinrai seemed to have a pretty good mix of both in regards to his power level. Perhaps someday he’d be strong enough to get away with some of the absolutely astounding things Gaston did or say, but not yet. No, his role, for now, was of a meeker quality with an occasional bold comment or action to keep Fino entertained by him.
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 23, 2007 4:22:57 GMT -5
The bloodlust of his pet for her meal seemed to entertain Rai, which in turn amused Fino. He could usually tell when someone liked banders by watching them around Sultana. If they couldn't appreciate her, then they wouldn't appreciate any of the species. She truly was top of the line, and it had amused him greatly to give her first litter as pets. That green son was probably long gone now, which was... disappointing. Either that or rotting away in the Spades palace. A thought to avoid.
"Finding them is easy if you know where to look," he answered, meeting that dark gaze with his own crimson. "Earning them is another matter entirely. Your rank and standing within the Courts, as well as your residence here, it gives you an advantage. But you still have to impress whichever breeder you approach, and some are more amenable to certain things than others. Also... they are extraordinarily expensive."
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Post by seraaches on Nov 23, 2007 5:05:38 GMT -5
Shinrai accepted the information quietly, assimilating it as he tried to decide exactly wot to do about it. He was going to have to try; there was absolutely no way he could not. He could feel the obsession rising in him and it was worth every thing deeded to it.
”Sultana is evidence that they are worth every last pewter,” the stallion answered, voice still quiet, due now to his thoughtful nature. He was going to have to find a way to go to the Highlands to look for one of these extraordinary breeders; well, at least one. Perhaps more if he failed to impress the first one. No point in stressing about it, he would have to get out there first. The cost was a bit worrying; with his stipend, however, and the fact that he was still living very sparingly meant that he at least had a chance of being able to afford one. He hoped.
”Perhaps, Your Majesty,” Rai said meditatively. ”If I am unneeded for a time, I might be granted leave to do some Highland exploration?”
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 23, 2007 5:52:32 GMT -5
Fino looked thoughtful. "If you're interested enough to actually go looking, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to help you along on your way. You haven't displeased me of late with your efforts and if this is an appropriate reward for good service, I suppose it will do. The village is perhaps two days walk from here and any innkeeper will be able to give you directions. Your rank and suit should guarantee that those directions are correct. As for the price... I don't know that you would have enough on your own. They are exceptionally expensive."
He continued to consider, reaching down to fiddle with the side of his skirt absentmindedly. "If you're going to be raising them here and you manage to get a male, I don't suppose it would hurt to assist you in funding the ambition, so long as you promise me a breeding when it matures. It is not easy to find a suitable male. I could even give you a recommendation to one of the breeders I prefer, the one from whom I acquired Sultana. He's one of the top three, a master at matching his pairs, and his kits are all truly exceptional. More importantly, I believe he has a litter due, if it hasn't already been born."
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Post by seraaches on Nov 23, 2007 6:02:45 GMT -5
Shinrai felt his breath catch in his throat and grey-green eyes went to the Queen’s face in surprise, though he tried to mask that emotion. Still… this was far beyond anything he could have ever hoped for; evidently Queen Serafino’s interest in banders went beyond just the love for his beautiful female and Shinrai could only thank the Light that this was so. He bowed slightly from his waist, not a show of servitude to the Queen, but a sign of deference for someone he respected.
”Your backing of this interest—“ the word was insufficient for his fascination, but it was politically safer. — Is unexpected but gratefully accepted.” Just about any price was worth paying for that and if all the Queen wanted was a matching between his beautiful Sultana and any male Rai could obtain, well, all it would mean was that one of Rai’s inner desires would be met as well. ”When might I have leave to go?”
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 23, 2007 9:04:21 GMT -5
Fino's interest in the species most definitely went beyond his Sultana. Having another Highland bander with papers in the palace would be excellent. It now held only his own girl and her pink daughter, who belonged to Dymphna. There weren't too many people with the drive and funding to go after them. Apparently Rai was shaping up to be another enthusiast.
"Let me send a note to the breeder on your behalf. His name is Paisley, a rather tetchy fellow who I'm not especially fond of as a person, but he really is a top-notch breeder. Once he responds with confirmation as to whether or not he has a littler with any male kits available and invites you onto his estate, I'll give you a week's leave to go and pursue it."
Paisley really wasn't his favorite person. At all. Snooty little feline. He was good at pushing the Queen's buttons without giving him cause to do anything drastic, rank coming into consideration.
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