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Post by Zugunruhes on Oct 28, 2019 23:01:10 GMT -6
Jove
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Here again.
How long had been since he was last sold? Before Emin Leovi there had been the opium merchant- or was she before he had been taken by the city? Jove did not remember. There were too many faces to easily recall their names sequentially. Only the cruelest were rooted in his memory and Emin Leovi, with his scathing temper, would not easily be forgotten.
Jove stared absentmindedly over his shoulder as he mused, watching familiar streets of the district disappear from view. Beside him trotted a lanky unicorn dressed in a fine crimson cloak bearing the mark of Leovi's house. The unicorn kept casting wary glances at Jove's thick hooves and hissed sharply when the pit fighter's broad shoulder bumped into him. "Watch it!" The unicorn reprimanded Jove with a sharp tug on his bridle, yanking his head around to glare at him. Jove stumbled and dropped his gaze, mumbling softly,"A-apologies Tayvu."
And his slaves are almost as bad as him. Does he pick them based on temper?
"Do not think I haven't noticed you staring over your shoulder with that wounded expression. As if my master would really take you back?" Jove did not answer and continued to pointedly study the cobblestone street, knowing too well not to interrupt the other slave. "Hurry up. Emin Leovi hopes we make a good impression with Lord Flewelyn and has entrusted that responsibility in my care." The unicorn set off, his shoulders taut, and Jove followed cautiously. Naturally Tayvu expected Jove was going to embarrass his former master's reputation further.
The bitted bridle stung painfully where it had caught his lip. Tayvu lacked the bridle, being too highly trusted and important to be bound. Yet there was something in his eyes, something malicious, whenever he looked back to regard Jove. Leovi had insisted that Jove leave wearing one. Jove avoided his gaze and let his mind dart, lest it settle on Tayvu's remarks or his final fight and stoke his temper.
Tayvu stopped and Jove tensed instinctively, but the unicorn was gazing up at the manor before them. Jove's initial apprehension was drowned by an odd feeling of triumph as he looked from the mansion to Tayvu's displeased expression. Eminent Flewelyn's home made Leovi's appear as if belonged in a lesser district. "Well, we don't want to keep him waiting, right?" Jove remarked, hardly masking the satisfaction in his voice.
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Post by kruuja on Oct 29, 2019 18:44:54 GMT -6
FLEWELYN With its black marble steps and the pale rows of pillars that adorned the elevated porch, the manor was indeed a grand, if not almost an imposing sight, as it stood silently before the approaching slaves. To other Emins though it was just another old house, direly in need of some refurbishing. For the Gods' sake, there wasn't even a statue of Ignacio in the garden! Nor any other for the matter, but instead there was a faint smell of apples and plums in the air - lilies, too. As the two reached the steps, the doors creaked open and an equine stepped into view from between the pillars. The silvery hippocampus was alone, but instead of another servile slave, it was Flewelyn himself who was smiling down at Tayvu and Jove now. The spark of curiosity was apparent in his gaze, but just like his smile, the words that followed his quick nod were nothing but courtesies. "Emin Leovi sent you, correct?" He called out as he began to descend the stairs, careful not to miss a step. The hippocampus gazed at the cloudy sky, seemingly amused about something for a fleeting moment, before continuing with the same polite yet indifferent tone; "Can't say that the sun is shining all that brightly on you two today, but nevermind that, I welcome you. And which one of you is... Jove, was it not?"Flewelyn stopped before the duo, letting his gaze wander from one unfamiliar face to the next. His eyes stopped on the tall stallion, and the Emin furrowed his brows ever so slightly at the slave's avoidant gaze - and even more so, at the needlessly complex bridle. Leovi surely had lost his marbles if he was keeping this bony little thing instead of the pit fighter, but that was his loss. Smiling, Flewelyn prodded, unphased by the size difference - his name was more than enough to keep him safe here. "You?" The Eminent hummed, ignoring the servile slave for the moment.
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Post by Zugunruhes on Oct 29, 2019 23:03:00 GMT -6
Jove
......At once Tayvu stepped forward, drawing himself up proudly to announce his presence in place of Leovi when he realized the horse greeting them was the Eminent himself and not a slave. The informality of it caught the unicorn off his guard and he stared rudely for a moment before catching himself and setting his jaw into a rather forced smile accompanied with an excessive dip of his head. Jove lowered his head too, not out of polite custom but merely to hide the fleeting mirth passing over his lips. In his attempts to follow custom and please the nobility Teyvu always ensured he made a pompous fool of himself. Jove noted mentally that of all things, he would at least miss that recurrence in Leovi's household.
The pit-fighter let his gaze meander over the manor while Tayvu began rifling in his satchel for Jove's official papers and contract as the Eminent descended. At last his gaze settled upon the hippocampus and he met Flewelyn's gaze with his own mismatched eyes before letting it fall back to some point in the distance. "Yes... yes, sir. I am Jove." Embarrassment welled inside him as he knew he had lingered on the eye-patch for a moment too long, belying his natural curiosity.
He did not even need to look at the unicorn to sense that Tayvu was bristling, uncomfortable whenever Jove spoke in his low and rumbling voice. How many times had it been that the unicorn told him to enunciate when speaking to nobility? Tayvu proffered the papers and piped up, "All of his records are here. My master received the sum earlier this week and thanks you for your business with him. " He then stepped back, offered another grandiose gesture of respect and turned to leave.
Unease flared inside Jove suddenly and he stole a glance back at the parting unicorn. He had never been anything close to friendly with Tayvu, yet every time he was sold he was forced into a new reality and had to adjust to another set of rules and customs. The unfamiliar was frightening. But they could not stand there and he forced himself to look back towards Flewelyn, choosing to let his eyes rest on the papers, his wariness apparent. ... ...
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Post by kruuja on Oct 31, 2019 15:18:39 GMT -6
FLEWELYN Flewelyn raised his brows at Jove's stare, but not a word was said as he turned to look at the fumbling unicorn next to the pit fighter. The hippocampus flashed a hollow grin as he took the papers being handed to him, nodding in approval. "Why, thank you. Please send his Eminence my best regards, it's been nothing but a pleasure to deal with him", he replied in a far less enthusiastic tone, but there was no denying the politeness of his words. Skimming over the papers, he gave another approving nod to the servile slave, allowing them to take their leave without further conversing. Finally left alone with Jove, he let the silence linger for a moment, curious to see whether they'd eventually raise their gaze once more. No such thing happened though, and with a soft hum, Flewelyn rolled up the papers he had been idly holding. "Well, the day isn't going to get any longer. Come now, surely you've had enough of waiting and wondering where you've ended up this time", the Eminent retorted and gave a contemplating look at Jove's bridle. There was no doubt in his mind that Leovi had likely left out some details when they had first discussed the deal, but this seemed a little excessive, even for a pit fighter. And a professional at that. As if he had been handed a rabid animal - except not. For a second it seemed like the Eminent was about to reach for the bridle, but just as suddenly, the hippocampus pulled his green teke back. Quickly turning around to head back inside, he merely added: "I must admit, you'll be the first of your kind in our House." If one hadn't known better, the Eminent sounded almost apologetic. Assuming the slave to follow right behind him, Flewelyn silently pushed the door open and stepped aside to let Jove in. The hall that greeted them was spacious, yet lacking the usual flashiness one might've expected from a house so big. Aside from the many doors and an arrangement of potted plants - stuffily nestled between the two sets of stairs - there wasn't much to look at. With a big family portrait placed on the opposing wall, it all felt very... cold.
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Post by Zugunruhes on Nov 1, 2019 23:10:19 GMT -6
Jove
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Jove understood the bridle as a snide gesture on Leovi's part intended for the Eminent Flewelyn and his new pit-fighter alike. In Leovi's halls Jove had not been bound by the cruel thing for he usually was a quiet presence, hiding his moods when they came. Only when his hooves touched arena sand did he alight with the misguided fury his opponents feared and the crowds relished. Elsewhere the fire dimmed and his gaze became curiously avoidant. It was safer for him to let the Aodhians buy his loyalty than try to raise a hoof in protest against them. Thoughts of rebellion... could bring the the Gods' retribution.
Now, fettered by the cold steel and biting straps, he felt a surge of raw hatred towards Eminent Leovi's parting gesture. This was the noble's revenge for disgracing him in his last fight: To ensure that Jove was seen once more a brutish and caged animal; to amuse himself with the thought that any noble would deign to spend their shards on a beast. Then the emotion crept away just as suddenly and buried itself lodged somewhere out of his present thoughts. Eminent Flewelyn was leading him inside and he hastened to follow.
"Has your family not dealt in pit-fighting before, sir?" He asked, curiosity forcing the question out before he could still his tongue. Perhaps it was for the better. He preferred to understand what each new owner preferred in their interactions with him early on to avoid their ire later. Usually they requested silence. A pit-fighter was an expensive weapon, not something to converse with, as one horse had once sternly reminded him. So he listened and had gained some understanding of the politics within the nobility and wealthy commoners who competed in the arena. Flewelyn's name had not come up before.
The entrance was a peculiar sight when compared to Leovi's gaudy and gilded quarters. Jove's eyes were drawn to the portrait and then around to the hall that felt so empty. Where are all of his slaves? He was used to servile slaves lingering in every room and corner for the other nobles he had served. Here there was only himself and his new master present, unless he counted the distant yet watchful eyes of the figures in the portrait. It occurred to him then that to some horses his query sounded rude, challenging perhaps.
"My master, I mean- Eminent Leovi," He began, immediately fumbling his words in his coarse, low voice, "did not explain." Again he tensed and mentally chided himself not to speak again unless prompted and to only answer simply.
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Post by kruuja on Nov 5, 2019 16:46:51 GMT -6
FLEWELYN Flewelyn gave him a quick look from the corner of his eye, before wordlessly beckoning the stallion to walk with him again. "Well, wouldn't that have been most peculiar." The hippocampus chuckled as his hooves clicked against the marble floor. Eminent Leovi was many things, but at least that fool knew better than to try and suck up to him by spreading blatant lies. As the two of them took a detour towards the doorway situated closest to them, Flewelyn replied more bleakly. "But I'm afraid not. Mines, silver, gold... That's what we deal in. Cold, lifeless things - just like this place essentially."The Eminent glanced at Jove with a lopsided smile, leaving it up to the slave to interpret his words however they wished. Although there was a grain of truth hidden within the half-hearted joke, it wasn't the building that made one's heart grow weary, but those living under its roof - the hippocampus himself included. His ever so slightly bemused yet indifferent demeanor could've fooled even his mother to think otherwise, though. Quietly he opened another door, this time revealing a dining hall, still basking in the afternoon sun's light. Uninterested in giving a history lesson like so many guests had expected of him in the past, he simply let Jove take in the view - uninterrupted and unchallenged. The ornate walls were nothing short of a masterpiece, created by a skilled artisan a lifetime ago, but all the Eminent could see was just another ugly reminder of the days gone by, and his gaze swiftly returned on the pit fighter. Noticing the restless expression on the stallion's face, he spoke up, his momentarily pinned ears perking up again. "Oh, don't you worry. My dear sibling will be back with the rest of our servants soon enough", Flewelyn gestured at the general stillness of the estate. "I didn't buy you to be a servile, though with some luck, you won't see that fighting ring ever again neither."
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Post by Zugunruhes on Nov 8, 2019 11:42:43 GMT -6
Jove
......His brow furrowed at the noble's afterthought. The pit-fighter could not deny that the manor's initial grandeur was already giving way to an eerie feeling of loneliness from its lack of occupants. In most homes Jove was comfortable with slipping away, his presence oddly diminutive when surrounded by chattering nobles, attentive serviles, and the glittering decor filling every open space. He was not sure how to answer Flewelyn's remark, nor certain if it was meant to evoke a reply. Yet he knew his eyes must have betrayed his uncertainty when they met Flewelyn's look before Jove managed to fix his gaze elsewhere once more. What would he want in a pit-fighter then?
The next room was both more inviting and familiar, the sun lit glow warming the decorative features that were more reminiscent of other noble homes. For all that Jove scorned the gaudiness of certain nobility, he could appreciate works of art from true masters and centuries of entrusted knowledge. He stole curious looks around the room, his mind fractured between the scene before him and a myriad of thoughts and worries of his new position. Comfort and ease did not come swiftly after trading masters so often in the past year.
Yet just as Flewelyn smoothed over one anxious thought the next answer he offered visibly startled Jove as though he had been hit by cold water and roused from a stupor. "What- what does that mean?" He voice rang out with emotion for the first time, not the passive tone he had greeted the Eminent with. It was as though being denied a bloody, grueling fight under the jeering and wild eyes of a massive crowd was the real cruelty. Jove raised one hoof, giving the impression he was going to step backwards or dart around suddenly, then mastered himself and let it fall.
He wanted to ask 'What are your intentions?" or even "Do you know what a pit-fighter is for?" Yet everything he considered was audacious and impudent, and he dared not let his temper nor fear weave his words. Worse when upset the right words were hard to find and he stumbled over them. "I- I'm.. I'm sorry, sir" He slipped out the title cautiously, "I don't understand why I'm here if not for the-the ring." He finished, his words faltering as he seemed to withdraw in himself.
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