Snowplay [ Dictated - Backdate to Before Felix's Warding Expedition]

[peacockherald]

 In the interest of keeping a "New Year's Resolution", as they are called, Yfandes has convinced me to go into town and pick her up some sweets. Now, I love Yfandes, but even she admits she loves sweets a bit to much and it has lead her to become a bit to big for her saddle girth at times. So, in the interest of helping her in her own Resolution, I have hidden the sweets I bought around the grounds in small, red cloths, buried beneath the snow or hidden in spaces. If you find them before she does, you are free to have them.

[He won't tell you what's in them, but mostly they are hard candies or apples he wished up - things the can handle the cold, but are protected in those little red cloths.]

If you come and find me, down at the stables, I just might give you hints to where the best are hidden.

[In the background, as he talks, you can hear a somewhat irritated, perhaps even shrill, neigh and the stamp of a hoof, followed by a laugh from Vanyel and an indignant horsey snort.]

I wish you all good luck. Again, I will be in the barn if you want any hints.

[And if you do come to the barn, he's sitting outside of Yfandes' box stall today, sitting on his equipment trunk, working on her saddle and bridle kit, polishing the silver and making sure the leather is kept supple in this cold weather]

Comments

Action

[radiantwingedone]

[ Duke'd been in the barn as Vanyel had said that, tucked into the stall of an odd looking horse. He stayed put until Vanyel had finished talking- and hooves moved away- then poked his head up. ]

Been busy?

Re: Action

[peacockherald]

_{[He blinked and looked up, chuckling when he realized it was Duke.]}

Busy enough, hiding Yfandes' treats.

_{[His eyes sparkled as Yfandes let out another indignant horse-like bark from the entrance.]}

[radiantwingedone]

Making her exercise a little for them?

[ He's going to stay in the stall with the odd creature just to make sure he doesn't accidentally make her mad with him. ]

Think is supposed to make them taste better.

[peacockherald]

I think so too, and it is a bit of fun. She has become pampered of late. Besides, those she does not find, someone else will, and get a treat for it. It will turn into a pleasant surprise for some I am sure.

[radiantwingedone]

Hmn. Think that, perhaps, it may extend a little to the residents of the castle proper.

[ The pampered thing.

The horse-like creature behind him leans in, intent on nibbling some of Duke's hair. ]

[peacockherald]

What will?

_{[It was a bit hard to understand Duke when he spoke like that, but he had to smile when the horse-creature attempted to nibble at Duke.]}

Your friend seems enamored with you.

[radiantwingedone]

The pampered. But for the inconvenient changes.

[ Yep, that would be getting nibbled. ]

She... was a castle-given gift to another of my world, last year. [ His hair may be pretty, but it isn't for eating! Give him a moment to explain to the creature that his hair was not edible. ]

[peacockherald]

_{[He chuckled, watching this as his hand continues to work the leather oil into the saddle.]}

It is good, then, that you are here to care for them. It would be bad if they were left alone with no one to understand its care.

[radiantwingedone]

Hmmm. Quietta seem somewhat different from horses.

[ One of his hands finds a nice the armoring on the face of the creature, tapping once as if that was his point, then seeking a place to scratch. ]

[peacockherald]

Yes, well, I figured as much. She seems a bit like the lizard-beast.

_{[He nods down the way where Ashura's dragon horse was showing it's head out the window of its stall, seemingly curious about all the talk.]}

Either way, I am glad you are here to care for her. Can you ride her?

[radiantwingedone]

...? [ Duke blinks, listening - only for the quietta to demand his attention by snorting into his ear. Okay, he'll try finding the 'lizard-beast' later... ]

Can ride, although it would currently be asking her to find a way and staying on.

[peacockherald]

Well, we could always tie her lead to Yfandes' saddle. We have done it with pack horses many times and Yfandes can take care of herself if she gets fresh.

[radiantwingedone]

.... [ Duke tilts his head as the quietta snorts, listening. ]

Perhaps bring such things as warning what will happen if she does not behave.

[peacockherald]

You mean like a crop? I suppose we could, though I have not used one in a long time. Yfandes would never suffer it, nor I take one to her.

[radiantwingedone]

No.

[ He's startled by that connection- a time where he should have spoken properly, it seems- ]

The lead. If she does not behave while being able to choose her path, she can lose the option.

[peacockherald]

Oh! I see, yes, that would be fine. Do you wish to go out then? It will take but a moment for me to ready Yfandes.

[radiantwingedone]

... Would she not rather continue seeking treats?

[ But he's thinking about searching for a blanket to use. He's not sure he remembers the last time he used a saddle... ]

[peacockherald]

Haha, I'll tell her if she comes with me, I'll tell her where a few of the treats are. A trade off, you see?

[radiantwingedone]

Ahhh. [ And even if some might not be there after that, Vanyel would probably produce some more.

He reaches over the stall to find that latch to open the stall. ]

[peacockherald]

_{[Vanyel mentally called Yfandes back after some negotiating, and it was quick work for him to put her pad and saddle on. It was more for his comfort than anything and in case they needed to die Duke's beast. Otherwise he would have rode bareback,]}

Do you need any help, Duke?

/turns the quietta funny colors with dye

[radiantwingedone]

.. Do not think so.

[ The quietta is half following him simply to nibble at his hair, and Duke spends a moment making sure he knew exactly where the back of horse-like thing was. ]

lol

[peacockherald]

_{[Vanyel watched, not saying anything and letting Duke do as he pleased. The other might be blind, but was capable, and Vanyel had no intention of treating him as another than that unless precisely asked. Yfandes rested her head on his shoulder as they waited, Vanyel absently petting her.]}

[radiantwingedone]

[ He mounts with ease enough, even if he seems to get chided or mocked for taking a while by the quietta. ]

You're shorter than Khroma. [ Duke retorts, turning toward where he thought he heard Vanyel and Yfandes. He's ready to go now. ]

[peacockherald]

Let me know if you need aid mounting.

_{[He turned and walked out of the stable doors, Yfandes following, crunching through the snow and snorting as Vanyel mounted up with ease.]}

[radiantwingedone]

Shouldn't. Khroma was taller...

[ Duke repeats himself a little, but he'll follow until the quietta snorts at Yfandes, and then mount up after.

Even if a little tiny bit rusty, he knows how to do this... ]

[peacockherald]

_{[Vanyel watched all the same, out of friendly concern, but when Duke managed it he smiled.]}

Shall we then?

To be honest, I had never taken you for a rider, Duke.

[radiantwingedone]

Lead on. [ With a quiet sort of affectionate tap on the horned creatures head to make sure it followed. ]

While preferring walking, it is a bit hard to cross oceans on foot. A ...friend, when she could, would hasten travel.

[peacockherald]

And neither can you ride a horse across oceans either! That would be the work of a boat, would it not?

[radiantwingedone]

A boat, or a being with wings and size enough to carry a grown man. Boats big enough for oceans tend to be boats that require more than one person to sail.

[ And Duke, people lover that he is, preferred flight. ]

[peacockherald]

I cannot imagine it, a creature so large....

_{[He shook his head.]}

More and more the things I learn of your world fascinate me.

[radiantwingedone]

Khroma was not particularly large... [ Duke is a little puzzled. ]

Her back was roughly level with my head, and a few of the rarer monsters stood as tall, if not taller. Among Entelexeia, believe only Astal was smaller, and the one who traveled with Brave Vesperia was, for a time, but grew during their travels.

[peacockherald]

And such creatures can take you across great expanses of water?

[radiantwingedone]

The one whom traveled with Brave Vesperia lifted their medium sized cargo ship with little trouble across mountain ranges.

[ And up into floating cities- ]

Crossing the oceans and continents on their own is little trouble, and have ways to make myself lighter, to not be much of a burden.

[peacockherald]

Forgive me, it still seems... unbelievable, and I had thought I had seen many unbelievable things here in Paradisa already.

[radiantwingedone]

The idea of magically moving oneself a great distance seems just as unbelievable.

[ He remembers that 'Gating' talk, vaguely.

And he is fairly sure he hadn't talked about Krones yet - that Entelexeia had a city inside- ]

[peacockherald]

Haha, I suppose it does. It just seems so normal to me, at least, but then, only my Aunt and I have that particular Gift anymore.

[radiantwingedone]

Similar, perhaps. I am most familiar with creatures like this and larger.

[ A pat to the quietta's shoulder. ]

Even though a great many find them frightening.

[peacockherald]

She does not seem so bad. She seems rather well behaved absently.

[radiantwingedone]

I meant creatures, monsters. She is not of any particularly great size, even among normal monsters.

[peacockherald]

Then I have no wish to meet the monsters of your land. The ones here are more than enough to fuel nightmares.

[radiantwingedone]

... Any, I think, are capable of that, be they monstrous in appearance or not...

[ There's nothing particular terrible about his monsterkind, really... ]

[peacockherald]

Yes, I suppose so. I hate to say it, but my nightmares usually have nothing to do with monsters. People are scarier, I think, at times.

[radiantwingedone]

Because its harder to tell, and many attempt to conceal natures and....

[ Bitter. ]

[peacockherald]

And it is... astounding, the darkness that men can sink to.

[radiantwingedone]

Hmmn.

[ Agreeing noise, and Duke seems a bit... grumpy? Uneasy? Something.

Lovely topic. ]

[peacockherald]

_{[ Vanyel looked back and shook his head. ]}

Care to gallop a bit, get the wind in our hair?

[radiantwingedone]

[ This tilt of Duke's head is his way of indicating he's amused without actually smiling - it sortof looks like he has a very faint one. ]

It may be a good thing that am to follow.

[ Agreeing, that sounds fine to him. He taps the Quietta's neck, to make sure she knew he was talking to her. ]

Just don't hurt yourself following.

[peacockherald]

_{[ Vanyel laughed and he turned, Yfandes breaking into a light gallop. She could keep the pace for hours, if pressed, but that was of no concern here, not really. Crisp hair brushed at Vanyel's hair and cheeks, his eyes watering a bit as he listened to the chime of Yfandes' hooves, rocked with the roll of her gate.]}

You all right back there, Duke?

[radiantwingedone]

Has been some time since last rode, but yes.

[ His hair is doing its best to look like a tangled, living cloud of somesort behind him though, and his long coat is trying to rival that.

Duke might look a bit silly, although the quietta is thrilled to be out and running. ]