milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

oom: I can't give up actin' tough; it's all that I'm made of / Can't scrape together quite enough to ride the bus to the outskirts of the fact that I need love

The Easter respite at Downton has passed quickly, and it's time again for Lord Grantham's family to return to London.

Mary's had a chance to talk to Anna about which outfits she'll need in London, and now that that's settled and Anna is at work packing her trunks, there's really nothing left for Mary to do. Her riding gear is already packed, so that's out of the question, and she's too restless for reading.

Lucky, then, that the library door opens into Milliways instead. After six months away, it's a welcome site, if only for the change in routine. She orders a pot of tea—it's too early for anything stronger, for her at least—and settles in.

[ooc: Open all weekend! Expect slows, as mun will be cleaning her house all weekend as well.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If Thayet is worried only about the crown, and not her exquisite gown, then Mary supposes she should let things be.

"I do," says Mary, standing to follow Thayet out. "My father's stables are quite fine."

[ooc: Ahahahaha. Horses horses horses horses horses. I know that Mary's is... black.]

The air is crisp, the scenery beautiful. Thayet pauses, gives a contented sigh.

"I do love the lake here."

She starts walking, holding her dress so it doesn't drag in the dirt. It is not, at least, as expensive as the pink tissue dress she once ruined on horseback.

"I have a mare, though I'm just as apt to ride any of the smaller horses we bring in for the trainees. It's good for them to have different riders."

"It's beautiful," says Mary, sounding almost surprised. "It reminds me very much of home."

It's not the type of scenery she much expected to see at the end of the universe. And how this coexists with the chaos outside the observation windows she cannot fathom.

"What sort of trainees? You may be an oddly informal queen, but you cannot convince me you are the resident riding instructor as well."

"I've heard it was designed to be like a place called Scotland," Thayet informs Mary. "I like it, at any rate."

She doesn't answer right away, instead taking a moment to enjoy their surroundings and the crunch of damp earth under their feet.

(Her shoes will definitely be ruined.)

"Have I not mentioned my Riders?" A fierce grin. "The Queen's Riders, formed when I realized the Army was too cumbersome to strike in a quick or timely manner.

"And when I realized I needed something of my own to occupy my time."

She slants a look at Mary.

"I train and ride with them when I can. Everyone is welcome, if they can complete the training. Usually the groups are small, under ten, and each group has a nickname." She laughs quietly. "I'm especially fond of the Fourth and Sixth."

"Yes, now that you've said that, I can see it," she says. "I have cousins in Scotland, and my own family's home is not too far south of there."

And just like in Scotland, the air still has a slight chill in it, despite the sunshine. Mary may not be dressed for riding, but at least her morning skirt and plain leather shoes are somewhat practical.

"No, I don't believe you have.

"I admit I've often wished for something more meaningful to occupy my time"—she thinks back to her recent conversation with Cousin Matthew where she had admitted just that—"but I wouldn't have thought to start my own military unit."

Of course, she wouldn't have the authority to do so, even had she thought of it.

"And what is special about those groups?"

She's honestly curious. Having never led anything she hasn't the foggiest what would make Thayet grow fond of her subordinates. (It doesn't occur to her that this could be anything like her own relationship with some of Downton's servants. They're part of life, not a choice.)

"Their nicknames," Thayet replies with a mostly straight face. "They are called The Queen's Rabbits and Thayet's Dogs, respectively."

Who wouldn't be proud of that?

"Is Downton in need of a military unit?" she teases.

Edited 2013-04-08 21:04 (UTC)

The Queen's Rabbits sound like especially fierce warriors.

"No, not particularly."

Who would they defend themselves from? Sheep?

"In fact, I'm rather sure the King would not look too kindly on us if we tried to found one."

They are very fierce. The name is a distraction, surely. A fake-out. Or possibly a joke.

(Sheep can be very frightening in a mob.)

"What is like, your king?"

"The King is... the King."

She met His Majesty, once, but she doesn't actually know him.

"He is steady, but not a particularly interesting man."

"Steady is preferable to tyrannical, I imagine."

Thayet glances down at the toes of her fancy shoes.

"My father the Warlord would have benefited from a more steady approach to ruling. Luckily Jon was born to such a king as yours, and whenever his temper gets the better of him he has myself and the Lioness to argue against him."

"Yes, I imagine so as well. We've had our fair share of tyrants in the past, but none in recent memory."

Englad is still emerging from Victoria's shadow. She could easily be described as a forced to be reckoned with, but a tyrant, no.

"Who is the Lioness? Another of your Riders?"

It's a much more imposing title than Rabbit.

Bright peals of laughter erupt from Thayet.

"Horse Lords, no."

What a thought. She'll have to tell Buri of it later, just to watch her scowl.

"The Lioness is my husband's Champion. A most argumentative one. They have been friends since their training began." A fond smile. "She is the first lady knight in many, many years."

"You have female knights as well?"

They already established that knighthood in Mary's time is very different than in Thayet's, but Mary hadn't envisioned that.

"I can't imagine many women would want the job."

"Just the one," Thayet explains. "The Lioness hopes for more, but it is, well, complicated."

She slants a pointed look at Mary.

"Tradition, you understand. Even if it wasn't always so."

"Of course. Change is always slow."

For better of for worse.

But they're drawing near the stables, so Mary can force away any thoughts in that direction in favor of their purpose.

"Do you keep your own mount here?" she asks. "Or do the horses belong to Lady Bar?"

Thayet tilts her head, considering.

"I believe most belong to the bar. I do not, but I know Alanna kept a horse she stole from Jon here for many years. Mithros, a chestnut gelding."

She gives an unladylike snort.

"My husband is not very good at naming his mounts."

"I see," she says. But doesn't, really.

"Mithros is a common name in your world?"

"It is the name of a god. An important one."

Thayet stops short of rolling her eyes at Jon.

"Well, he must think quite... highly of this horse."

Mary mostly suppresses a laugh.

"Mmmm. He was most put out when his Champion stole it out from under his nose," Thayet smirks, "and then had the gall to laugh at the name."

Beat.

"She named her own horse Moonlight, you see. And her cat Faithful. Not very manly names for a girl pretending to be a boy."

Thayet turns to smile at Mary as they step into the cooler, shadowed stables. The smile widens. Ducking into the tack room, Thayet procures a pair of boots -- rubber, muck covered boots.

Edited 2013-07-15 12:57 (UTC)

A girl pretending to be a boy to be a knight?

"How very Shakespearean of her."

Mary looks... unimpressed by the filthy pair of wellingtons Thayet produces. She even goes so far as to raise a questioning eyebrow.

"Shakespearean?"

Thayet laughs at Mary's very elegant disdain.

"For me, not you. Though there are more." Her eyebrow does a similar dance.

Leaning against a wall, Thayet slips off her shoes and struggles to get the first boot on, ignoring the way the wood at her back pulls at her gown.

"That's a secret, Lady Mary," she says with all the gravity of a royal proclamation. There might be a hint of dismay in it, if not for the shrewd look in her eyes. "The young Squire Alan makes his way to the bar from time to time, I hear. It would be unfortunate if he knew he was found out."

The boot goes on with an audible pop and Thayet catches Mary's eye.

"Still, I imagine it was hard for him. Hiding that. Sometimes I think Alanna is still unsure how she feels about being a woman."

Mission Get Alanna More Girlfriends is a go.

"He's a playwright from my world. It's... not really important."

In a normal social situation, this would be an occasion to express disdain. But how could someone from a different world be expected to have the same knowledge?

"I'll keep that in mind should I meet your champion," she says, while examining the offered boots. She pulls up her hem, looks at her own footwear, and decides her regular walking boots will do.

"Yes, I imagine that would be difficult," she says. "It's not always easy, wearing a mask."

Being a woman is an unsure proposition, even when one isn't wielding a sword.

Mary would understand, however different her circumstances, and that was exactly Thayet's point. She smiles to herself as she pulls on the other boot.

"It isn't, is it?" She looks up with a bright smile, straightening with her unconscious grace. "Now, let's have a look around, shall we?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only