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 Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:21 pm
Ah. Bang on. Well, he had expected no less from a shining example of a Hellenic warrior. Castor nodded; again. “I understand your feelings Meleager hallah,” he said softly, peering out at the warriors again and wondering how many felt as their leader did and how many were happy just to pretend-fight for all their lives. “As we have said, losing the edge, the spark, is a worry... but I don’t think that there is all that much to be done but resist laxness for now.”
Conquest was not the way to go. Larger borders were harder to defend, and the Nequus who had previously owned whatever lands they might take would doubtless resent them and seek to destroy them, to take back what was theirs. Had the Hellenes themselves not been made when almost crushed beneath the hooves of others? A foe, Castor decided, was often at its most dangerous when almost defeated.
Yet Meleager had a point.
It was a poser and no mistake. Perhaps he would have to talk the matter over with Iris, or maybe with the Commandant when she returned. Certainly he didn’t want to talk about it with Meleager. With the dapple grey, he suspected, he would have to be firm in his ‘no conquring’ position. Goodness knew he didn’t want the impulsive warrior taking it into his head to rush off and not do as he was advised.
It must be tempting, the crossbreed thought, for such a passionate soul to act by his heart and by the fire in his veins rather than his head. Yes. The heart could quite easily take you too far either way; too wild or too tame. Humm. Well he’d be careful of that too, then, he didn’t think that the herdleader’s attitude would be infectious, but it was worth guarding against all the same.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:47 pm
...Another advisor who he would be unable to persuade, then. Oh well, at least Castor had tried to see his side. Meleager honestly hadn't expected him to agree to the idea of seeking battle - after all, Phaedra hadn't, Iris hadn't, and they were probably right. As much as he hated to admit it, as much as the lack of excitement irritated him, there was nothing to be done. Except wait, and spar with the soldiers, and attempt to keep busy and ready.
And, possibly, distract himself. Meleager toyed idly with the idea of trying to court Iris again, but she had always been thoroughly unresponsive to his advances, and he had a feeling that this was one battle he was destined to always lose. There were other mares in the herd, of course, none who had particularly caught his eye... but he hadn't really been looking. Peacetime, he supposed, was a good time to raise children. Perhaps he ought to look for a mate. Gods knew he needed an heir, since Melantho was not only unsuitable but nowhere to be found...
The dapple grey stallion pushed all thoughts of his black-coated daughter firmly to the back of his mind, and belatedly turned back to reply to the tactician. "...I suppose you're right," he admitted absentmindedly. "Still, peace can't last forever, as you said earlier. Sooner or later, hopefully sooner, something will happen to break this calm - and until then... as you said. 'Resist laxness'," he echoed, "and just... keep busy, I suppose." ...Damn.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:58 pm
He couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for the warrior. He himself was perfectly content with peace, it must be infuriating if you rather liked conflict, the excitement of battle and all that... Would giving suggestions seem condescending? True Meleager was not as intelligent as he, but the dapple was no fool. Doubtless he already did all he could to occupy himself already.
...Still. He could think of something to do just for one day, and maybe thinking of things one day at a time was the way to go. Besides, this was more of a request than a suggestion in any case. If he didn’t want to do it, the Reya was quite free to refuse.
“Meleager hallah,” Castor said after a few moments of silence, “I wonder if I might ask a favor of you... I understand if you’re busy but, if you have time, I would love to introduce you to my father. He holds you in high regard, higher even than most of the herd does... I know it would mean a great deal to him to speak to you in person, even if only for a few minutes...”
It might cheer the old stallion a bit, Castor thought with an internal sigh. He had known that Ambrosia’s actions and subsequent exile would hit his sire hard but it still upset him to see the bulky stallion so sad.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:23 pm
"Hmm? I'm not that busy, Castor," the grey stallion grinned. "Of course, I'll talk to your father." It was true - he wasn't that busy. He had been going to spar again, which might have been good in his current restless state, but it wasn't as if he couldn't do that another time. No, there was all the time in the world to practice, and he could spare the time to talk to a herd member.
And of course, he remembered, as his trains of thought finally connected, there had been that unfortunate business with the new master tactician's sister - perhaps that had something to do with this request, although he couldn't think quite what. He didn't mind, in any case - he quite enjoyed meeting new people. And then again, it would kill time, and be at least something different to do.
So. Even if he'd never met the Nequus in question before, he might recognise a name or description. Meleager turned to Castor, head tilted questioningly. "What's your father's name?" he asked. The more he could pretend to have already known about his family, the more flattered the tactician's father would be. And the Reya stallion would remember to throw in some suitable compliments about his son's talent and obviously inherited gifts, too. The crossbreed may have ended up with the worse combination of physical characteristics, but his intelligence had to have come from somewhere.
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Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:36 pm
Castor smiled fondly at the thought of the towering blue stallion he still called riruy in private. “His name is Diokles,” the half Aeri informed his companion, “and thank you... I could tell you a little more on the way if you like, of myself as well, if you’ll hear it.”
No harm in having Meleager know him after all, it would probably be advantageous in fact, and he might even get some useful bits of information in return.
Giving the herdleader another smile, Castor gestured to the southeast with one dark wing. “Our home is in this direction,” he elaborated, “shall we go?”
Today, the Master Tactician decided as he waited for Meleager to set off, was rather a good day indeed. He knew more of his leader’s mind, and he had succeeded in striking up a friendly acquaintance with him, had even got him to come to meet his sire without any trouble at all. Hopefully, Castor thought with another small smile, this was a sign of times to come.
He did like it when things went smoothly.
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