Post by opalgirl on Feb 21, 2010 2:18:29 GMT 10
Title: Nosy Old Grandmothers
Rating: PG
Length: 422
Competitor: Buri
Round/Fight: 1/E
Summary: “Nosy old grandmother you are, Thayet,” she growled, annoyed. The queen asks too many questions for Buri's comfort.
Thayet patted the heavily-pregnant mare on the flank and stepped out of the stall. “Onua says she could birth her foal at any time,” the queen commented, rubbing the mare’s nose gently.
Buri sighed and leaned against the half-door of an empty stall. “As if there aren’t enough ponies around?” she asked.
“For the grandchildren – I’m not giving any of them one of the ponies Larse puts trainees on,” Thayet explained, and Buri shuddered.
“Grandchildren. Horse Lords, you should hear yourself – the baby’s not even old enough to walk, Thayet!”
“I’m an old grandmother, Buri - there’s no need to remind me. And as soon as she’s big enough, Roald will have her on ponyback, my word on it.” Thayet brushed the stable dust and straw from her working clothes – did the woman not understand she would look glorious in a burlap sack, tossed over the back of a horse? – and seemed to think for a moment.
“Does Raoul know?” Thayet queried suddenly and Buri nearly jumped.
“What?”
The queen’s eyebrows rose, as if daring her to deny it. “You’re far from stupid, Buri – it doesn’t become you to act like it. Does Raoul know you’re bedding the lady knight?”
Oh. Buri tried to keep the blush from her face. “Yes. He knows.”
Thayet grinned and patted her shoulder. “Good. I don’t need the details.” Mischief glimmered in her eyes and a tiny smile tugged at her mouth. “As I understand from Roald’s studies of Yaman prior to Shinko’s arrival, that sort of thing happens in the Islands quite routinely.”
Buri scowled and wondered how Thayet had become privy to that particular bit of information. “Who told you?” she asked her old friend’s retreating back.
Thayet flapped a hand at her, headed for the door of the stables. “I heard a bit, here and there, and it was accurate, for once.”
“Nosy old grandmother you are, Thayet,” she growled, annoyed.
The queen turned about, grinning, and they looked at each other and laughed, Thayet dissolving first. It reminded Buri of an earlier time, when they had time to be in each other’s company – when Thayet hadn’t been occupied by her duties as queen and Buri hadn’t been off fighting wars.
“I am a nosy old grandmother,” Thayet said, slinging her arm about Buri’s shoulders, “but at least I didn’t make my chosen man wait twenty years. And I didn’t trick the public into thinking the best of the king’s men is a fool.”
Buri smirked. “Raoul? A fool? They’re mistaken, Thayet – in more ways than one. He’s not… excluded.”
Rating: PG
Length: 422
Competitor: Buri
Round/Fight: 1/E
Summary: “Nosy old grandmother you are, Thayet,” she growled, annoyed. The queen asks too many questions for Buri's comfort.
***
Thayet patted the heavily-pregnant mare on the flank and stepped out of the stall. “Onua says she could birth her foal at any time,” the queen commented, rubbing the mare’s nose gently.
Buri sighed and leaned against the half-door of an empty stall. “As if there aren’t enough ponies around?” she asked.
“For the grandchildren – I’m not giving any of them one of the ponies Larse puts trainees on,” Thayet explained, and Buri shuddered.
“Grandchildren. Horse Lords, you should hear yourself – the baby’s not even old enough to walk, Thayet!”
“I’m an old grandmother, Buri - there’s no need to remind me. And as soon as she’s big enough, Roald will have her on ponyback, my word on it.” Thayet brushed the stable dust and straw from her working clothes – did the woman not understand she would look glorious in a burlap sack, tossed over the back of a horse? – and seemed to think for a moment.
“Does Raoul know?” Thayet queried suddenly and Buri nearly jumped.
“What?”
The queen’s eyebrows rose, as if daring her to deny it. “You’re far from stupid, Buri – it doesn’t become you to act like it. Does Raoul know you’re bedding the lady knight?”
Oh. Buri tried to keep the blush from her face. “Yes. He knows.”
Thayet grinned and patted her shoulder. “Good. I don’t need the details.” Mischief glimmered in her eyes and a tiny smile tugged at her mouth. “As I understand from Roald’s studies of Yaman prior to Shinko’s arrival, that sort of thing happens in the Islands quite routinely.”
Buri scowled and wondered how Thayet had become privy to that particular bit of information. “Who told you?” she asked her old friend’s retreating back.
Thayet flapped a hand at her, headed for the door of the stables. “I heard a bit, here and there, and it was accurate, for once.”
“Nosy old grandmother you are, Thayet,” she growled, annoyed.
The queen turned about, grinning, and they looked at each other and laughed, Thayet dissolving first. It reminded Buri of an earlier time, when they had time to be in each other’s company – when Thayet hadn’t been occupied by her duties as queen and Buri hadn’t been off fighting wars.
“I am a nosy old grandmother,” Thayet said, slinging her arm about Buri’s shoulders, “but at least I didn’t make my chosen man wait twenty years. And I didn’t trick the public into thinking the best of the king’s men is a fool.”
Buri smirked. “Raoul? A fool? They’re mistaken, Thayet – in more ways than one. He’s not… excluded.”