(no subject)

[thewidewideworld]

{Continued from here}

Sinric heads down the stairs and out into the gardens, a wrap pulled around his shoulders and his hair still damp. He breathes in the scent of approaching evening as if committing it to memory before turning towards the lake.

He has no idea which way Athelstan might have gone but the lake always seems like a good place to start.

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

He nods, listening.

"I wonder why it is snakes should have such a bad name everywhere. Perhaps their coldness to the touch."

[thewidewideworld]

"Perhaps." Sinric frowns. "There was a rather beautiful python in the palace menageries. She was the colour of butter and gentle to touch."

[athelstanthescribe]

"A python? Those are without poison, yes?"

[thewidewideworld]

"Just so." Sinric nods. "They kill by crushing, by the strength of their bodies. But only to eat or to protect themselves. When we were putting on masks and revels she would often be brought into the hall. As part of a tableau."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I hope she was treated gently, then. Drunken guests might handle her too roughly."

[thewidewideworld]

"Her keeper was very careful not to let her be used too roughly. And Constantine was quick to command his guests to take care. She would still bite, if frightened. Her bite would hurt, but not kill. She struck at me once. I still have the scars."

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan nods.

"Which might have brought more harm on her, before her keeper could stop it. Constantine's anger after the fact would do little good."

[thewidewideworld]

"It was not his fault. Constantine knew that, no matter how upset he was at the time." He opens the shoulder of his tunic to show the two tiny scars, just below his collarbone at the joint of torso and arm. "A guest pulled at me while she was draped around Probus and myself and it startled her. Her handler was quick to untangle her from us and spirit her away. Constantine was more furious at the guest for touching me without his permission."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It would be a great breach of etiquette", Athelstan agrees. "The guest has obligations, as well as rights. Was he ever invited back?"

[thewidewideworld]

"Oh yes. A terrible breach. He was driven out of the palace and never allowed to return. Eldest son of a wealth family, he brought great disgrace with his actions."

[athelstanthescribe]

"So that his family disowned him", Athelstan guesses, "to try to distance themselves from his shame?"

[thewidewideworld]

"He wasn't disowned but he was sent him away. To the very edge of the Empire. Constantine was very careful not to let any of us handle her after that."

[athelstanthescribe]

"She was still a wild animal", he agrees, "gentle nature or not."

[thewidewideworld]

"Just so. And Constantine respected that. He didn't punish the handler but he was more careful at future masks that we not be too near her."

[athelstanthescribe]

"One more sign of his reasonable thinking."

[thewidewideworld]

"He was a good and fair man." And Sinric misses him sorely, like an wound to his heart.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan glances at him, then looks at the book.

"So, these stories..."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric nods, grateful to Athelstan for drawing him back from those memories.

He runs his hands over the pages, opening it to his favourite story. "I learnt this as a song when I was quite young. It is one of my favourite songs still. The hunter prince who falls in love with simple maid and peruse her, much against her will."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I remember other stories like that. Usually God - or a god - intervenes in some way to make the maid safe."

[thewidewideworld]

"Just so." He smiles. "Perhaps the same stories are told the world over, not just the same morals."

[athelstanthescribe]

"What became of her in this tale?"

[thewidewideworld]

"Read it." He urges gently. "The Persians tell the tale better than I do."

[athelstanthescribe]

He reaches for the book and begins to read in silence.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric fetches down a book for himself and moves to the couches under one bay window, big enough for them both to sprawl in comfort.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan glances up when he notices Sinric has moved, and follows.