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]

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."

[sagramore]

"I don't think I realized that."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"It's insane, objectively. But I'm not gonna complain -- it made me a queen." His hands are warm on her hips. That's nice.

[sagramore]

"Which you like," sounding amused. "And you're rather good at."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"I'm not too bad at it, no." She smiles, more easily than she does when he can see her face. "I think I'm the only one of the four of us who really likes the boring parts. Making rules, getting people to follow them, getting shit done."

[sagramore]

"There are four of you? To one kingdom?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

"There's me, obviously. Eliot is technically High King." She says his name with the kind of dismissive derision she reserves for talking about people she loves the most. "Josh and Poppy are the other king and queen. Poppy's pregnant. She's a badass, though."

[sagramore]

"You and Eliot?" he asks. He's been the target of a fraction of that tone of voice enough to know Janet doesn't dislike Eliot.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Are we having a baby? I'd rather die." Janet's laughing, though. "Why, are you jealous?"

[sagramore]

He laughs too. "No, no, I'm constitutionally incapable of jealousy. I meant is he your king?"

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Technically. But," she continues, overtly smug, "I'm his queen. And his best friend. So he still listens to me." Usually.

[sagramore]

"As all men should," cheerfully.

[sorrowandsorrow]

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." She reaches back with one hand to pat him on the thigh. There's no particular destination here -- there can't be, for obvious reasons -- but there's something pleasant, anyway, about taking Fenyes on a broad circle of the grounds, and the sun shining down on them.

[sagramore]

With anyone else, he might let his arms slide around her waist, or kiss the back of her neck. As it is, he says, "I hope several, actually."

[sorrowandsorrow]

"Hmmm, you're pushing your luck, buddy." But it's said with a smile in her voice, and she squeezes his thigh before she has to bring her hand back to the reins.