lanselos_du_lac | [Open Post] ..only want to glean the purpose..

Since they learned of Shen Yuan's death, things have been subdued; rightly so, Lancelot reasons. He has done what he can to be a support for those he loves, and to keep his own worry and anxiety at bay. He worries about how they are all doing, about whether or not they are safe, about what he can do to make anything better -- which often feels like nothing. It's unsettling, and he wants to stay settled and present for them, so he determines to find a way to be so.

As has always been the case for him, being outside helps. The weather is warming and true spring is settling in. (He has difficulty keeping track of what time may be like back in Britain¹, but he suspects that it is early summer there. If so, then he supposes that means he is another year older, which is a strangely hopeful thought.) And so, after his lunch with Susan, he heads back out -- he might ride, or walk through the woods, or explore the lake. Whatever keeps him out in the sunshine, under the sky.

^{1: He has not quite realized this yet, but he has generally stopped thinking "at home" when he means Camelot, or Britain in general. That this place -- no, these people -- have become home in so short a span is something he has to take by degrees, lest he worry about what it means for his relationship with those he left behind there.}

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"Aye, and spring seems to be moving quickly," conversationally. "It's nice."

Dionysus' mood is contagious; Lancelot has been feeling fairly well, himself, but the worry and anxiety he feels for those he loves, those who are grieving, has been a constant thrum in the background. It's easing to see Dionysus made glad by something so simple as seeing the horses. The sunlight and the light breeze, and the smell of new things growing, all help, too.

"Apollo and I are both, ah, bad at winter. I think he has it a bit worse than I do," Dionysus explains as they walk. "I mean, I'm tied to nature, of course, but I can just go indoors and go dormant for a few months. I don't like being out in the cold, but that's why people invented buildings, y'know? Apollo -- well, he's a sun god. When the sun doesn't get to come out as much he shrivels. Thank goodness there's different hemispheres for him to visit." A pause. "I imagine when winter comes back around here he'll have a really rough go of it." That's saying nothing of Dark.

"Winter does not usually trouble me, much -- though this winter was longer than I am used to, and Dark was a trial. Still, I am glad for both of you that we have what is likely to be more pleasant weather ahead."

"I'm curious about how the summer will be. How hot it'll get. How frequently we'll get storms, that sort of thing."

He thinks back on his conversation with Laertes about swimming, and smiles to himself. To Dionysus, he says, "I wonder about this, too."

They're approaching the stable now; because the weather is good, both horses are out in the paddock. Rivelin whickers when he sees them and both horses start to move toward the fence to greet them.

Dionysus is grinning. "Oh, what beautiful darlings! Hello cousins!" he calls to the horses. Because that's a normal reaction.

They both come right up to be petted, or perhaps hoping for treats.

"The bay gelding is Rivelin. The mare with the pretty markings is Sagramore's Fenyes."

Dionysus happens to be closest to Fenyes when they walk over, so that’s who he pets first. “Oh you’re so pretty, look at your cute lil sockies!” He turns to Lancelot. “They’re both so lovely!”

"They are good horses," he affirms. "Wouldst like to give them treats?"

"I would love to give them treats!" Look he's just really excited, okay?

Lancelot chuckles and nods toward the barn, "Come I'm-- they will follow."

“I can’t wait until the baby is here,” he says as they head in.

"That will be wonderful," he agrees, "though it was something of an accident. And at least partly my fault."

Dionysus gives Lancelot a wry look. “You know, this may be hypocritical of me to say given that my father was in the form of a snake when I was conceived, but I get the feeling you aren’t the one responsible here.”

"Not directly," he chuckles. "No-- Rivelin came here with Arthur the day there were visitors. He and I put the horse up here. Then... well. It was a hard time, and I wasn't aware Rivelin was still here. He was not gelded, and so... you see."

"Ahh," he says, nodding. "Well, hopefully they had fun anyway."

"I think Sagramore was angry, at first, though not at me."

"Well, she seems to be doing alright now at least." He pauses, then turns back to Lancelot. "I'm just guessing though, I know a lot more about raising griffins than I do raising horses. Is she alright?"

"I believe so. As far as we can tell, and from what Sagramore has told me. There are also some here who can speak with and understand the horses, so-- I am fairly confident that all is well."

"Oh that's great then! I wish I could understand animals. I mean, I know every human language, so it's not as though I've ever been without conversation, but animals are so great, it'd be lovely to actually have a proper conversation with them."

"I have often felt we were having a conversation," thoughtfully, "without words. It did not occur to me that they might use words as well, an they could."

"I know what you mean. Certain animals¹, I know what they're communicating, but I couldn't give you a direct quote, or anything like that."

1. You know. Bulls, snakes, leopards, etc. His animals. This may be slightly different than what Lancelot is describing, actually.

"Exactly." There are a few small apples left, from a batch that Lancelot had found in one of the kitchens and brought out to set aside for the horses, and he grabs those and hands them to Dionysus.

"Oh, thank you dear," then, to the horses, "I've got snackies, dear cousins!" He puts one in his flat palm and offers it up to whichever horse is closest.

Lancelot watches this with amusement. Rivelin is the first to reach the apple, which does not surprise him.

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