Open Post: Welters

[sorrowandsorrow]

It's probably been noted before, but Janet's not actually dumb. The people of this mansion are varied and mercurial. They're not like Fillorians, some of whom are little bitches but who were largely cow-eyed and willing to accept her authority just because she was a pretty girl from another world.

So. She has to win people over. Maybe everyone needs a little fun to take their minds off things. Conveniently, welters is absolutely Janet's idea of fun. There's a bunch of insane rules, violence is encouraged, and you win if you're good at magic and being bossy.

The mansion grounds are also a little tempestuous as to their character, but apparently the master magician toying with all their lives is feeling charitable today. She's found a big, flat stretch of undisturbed grass, and she's sketching out welters squares with a piece of chalk.

Comments

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Yeah," Janet says, and despite herself, her tone is a little fond, too. She plants a glancing kiss on his cheek. "You didn't actually answer my question."

[sagramore]

"Oh, which one?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

"You know, I think I was pretty much asking you to brag. Or show off, or whatever. Unless," she adds brightly, "you really are mainly just good at sex. I can accept that."

[sagramore]

"Oh! Yes, mainly sex, I'm afraid. I'm not a very good knight." He does not seem remotely perturbed by the fact.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Humble and good in bed, wow." Her tone is a little bit mean, but it's just how she shows affection. "I don't hate knowing I could probably beat you in a fight."

[sagramore]

"Not only don't I hate that, I'm open to experiencing it."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Yeah? You want me to beat the shit out of you with my scary magical ice axes?"

[sagramore]

"Something mildly less grievous than that."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"I'll go easy on you." Janet grins. "Aren't you going to give me a ride? She's no motorcycle, and we don't have any real roads here, but..."

No offense to Fenyes. Janet's not a horse girl, and she kind of prefers to travel by pegasus when she can convince them, but she's done enough dramatic fantasy horseback riding around Fillory by now to appreciate the utility of a horse.

[sagramore]

"My queen," in a come now kind of voice. "Surely you know I only wait on your word." And he straightens up, reaching for Fenyes' reins.

[sorrowandsorrow]

Well, speaking of dramatic fantasy horseback riding. Thank God Janet has done enough of that she can look practiced, maybe even a little bit cool, as she steps into one of Fenyes' stirrups and then pulls herself onto the horse's back.

[sagramore]

Fenyes is probably a bit more boring than the average fantasy horse, and she continues to basically ignore them and crop grass, even as Sagramore hands Janet the reins.

[sorrowandsorrow]

At least Fenyes being fairly biddable means Janet isn't likely to make too much of a fool of herself. "Can she carry us both? I'm trying to make this an extended foreplay thing."

[sagramore]

In mock-offense, "My lady queen, she's a warhorse. She can carry a man in full plate." Then he grabs the back of the saddle and swings up behind her.

[sorrowandsorrow]

Immediately, Janet is more than happy to nestle herself back against him. Eliot used to love to laugh at her about her taste in men (like his was better?), but for once she has an okay feeling about this. "Too bad we can't go far," she says, easing Fenyes just into a walk to start.

[sagramore]

He sets his hands at her waist, both because that's the natural place and because he doesn't think she'll mind. "You can still get her to go flat-out if you try hard enough. She's responsive, though, so a light touch on the reins."

[sorrowandsorrow]

Janet hums acknowledgement. She urges a little more speed out of Fenyes, obedient for once in her approach to steering as she directs them toward the outskirts of the mansion grounds. "I get spoiled when the pegasi agree to carry me. With them, all you have to do is say where you want to go. Also," she adds with a smirk that he can probably hear although it won't be visible to him, "then you're flying."

[sagramore]

"That would be entirely novel," he says, in a tone that suggests he knows she knows that.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"It's incredible." Not even Janet can make her tone ironic about that one. "When the world... when Fillory was ending... well, I hated it, but the view was unbelievable from up there."

[sagramore]

"What was Fillory like?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

For this conversation, Janet's actually glad he can't see her face. She's taking Fenyes fairly far afield, brushing up against the edge of the woods that seem to hem them all in here. "It's like a movie. Kind of. It was better than I thought it would be when we got there, but it was worse, too. People didn't die in the books. They always got through whatever caper without lasting consequences. But Fillory can be brutal."

Ugh, that doesn't really answer any of his question. "We ruled in a spinning castle with this huge forest just outside. There are dwarves and turtles under the earth. The whole thing is flat, and there's basically Evil Fillory on the flip side. I've been there, too."

[sagramore]

"It sounds like a story. Hardly real."

[sorrowandsorrow]

Janet's quiet for a minute, looking straight ahead. Fenyes doesn't really need guidance this attentive, she's such a good horse, but Janet concentrates on that anyway, and on keeping her hold on the reins loose. It's not Fenyes' fault she can't get back.

"It felt like that too," she says, finally. "Even the bad parts."

[sagramore]

"Even though it was your country?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

Janet laughs. "I'm not from there. You can't be the queen if you're from there. We fought our way in."