Finn gave a shake of his head at her and rolled his eyes. “You will regret that,” he muttered under his breath.
Valor turned his attention back from the crowded streets and smiled at her. “Did you not have a chance to see Vanguard at the spring games?” he asked, and gave her a look that suggested she had missed one of the most important events of her life. “And, no, the bit isn’t solid gold. That is far too soft a metal. It’s plated,” he said, patting the horse on the neck.
“I suppose I must have missed seeing you joust,” she admitted with a shrug. She was positive she would have noticed a knight with a gem encrusted horse on the field. The bridle alone was worth enough to feed a large city for a week. She had only gone to the first day of the Joust and then spent the rest of the games wandering through the markets. On the day she had gone, the armor and horses had been impressive but nothing like what Valor wore now.
“Well we will have to make sure you see it this year. The Joust truly is the best part of the Spring Games. It’s what most come to see you know.” He patted the horse’s neck again and smiled proudly. “And Vanguard is the best horse on the field there. He is sired by Wilhaven’s Roan stallion who goes back to Selvin’s Glorified, an excellent animal, probably the best in Arovan, or he was before Vanguard was foaled. On the top side anyway. On the bottom he is of Archlen stock with a pedigree that goes back to Foxfire who was known as one of the best chargers ever to take the field from any land. Foxfire’s line is rare now since he was lost in the last Seravae conflict.”
Jala blinked a time or two and looked to Finn. “I have no idea what he is talking about,” she whispered.
“Valor, she doesn’t know Arovan horse bloodlines. You are just babbling to yourself and not impressing her at all,” Finn called to Valor who looked ready to continue the genealogy of his horse.
“He knows his horse’s lines better than I know my family lines,” Jala said with a sigh. She hadn’t even named her gelding yet, though she had a feeling that wasn’t something to mention to Valor after his recital. After Marrow’s teasing her about Cap’s name she was hesitant to try to choose one and had decided to wait until the perfect one came to mind.
“Well how is she supposed to learn if I don’t tell her?” Valor asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I think she has enough on her plate to learn without the addition of pointless equine bloodlines,” Finn countered with a smile.
“Pointless?” Valor demanded, turning to lock his gaze on Finn.
Smothering laughter, Finn looked to Jala and shrugged. “In Avanti, you show prestige by clothing and jewels. In Firym, it’s weapons and skills. In Arovan, it’s your horse,” he explained.
She raised an eyebrow and let her gaze travel across Valor from his glittering horse to the silk and linen of his suit, to the finely polished long sword at his side. “So Valor is in fashion in any district,” she observed.
“Valor is what practical people call a dandy,” Finn said with a smirk.
Turning slowly to look at Finn she made a point of letting her gaze slowly travel across his own mount and silver filigreed tack, then up his shiny knee-high black boots to the pair of swords in their gleaming scabbards, resting finally on his face. “And what are you?” she asked in amusement.
“Talented, handsome, charming, and feared,” he answered smoothly with a smirk.
“Arrogant, vain, smug, and a bully,” Valor corrected with his own smirk.
“Bully?” Finn complained, looking at Valor with a wounded expression. “I’m no more of a bully than you are.”
“Technically I think most would consider us both bullies,” Valor said with a shrug. “We do tend to get our way, either through charm or force,”
Finn shrugged carelessly. “And what’s wrong with that?” he asked lazily.
“Depends on how you bully and who,” Jala said, bringing the gazes of both men to her. She shrugged her shoulders at them and sighed. “Well, if you are bullying a Rivasan or Cassia I likely won’t care. They earn it as far as I can see. If you two make a habit of being bullies to those that don’t deserve it though, you are asses,” she clarified.
“You have married a judgmental woman, Finn Sovaesh,” Valor said haughtily and smirked at Finn.
“I don’t bully those that don’t deserve it so I’m not too worried,” Finn said and let his gaze drift across the crowded streets to the looming archway ahead of them. “Have you ever been to Arovan’s district, Jala?” he asked.
Shaking her head, she studied the arch as they rode under it. It was a dark metal of some kind, though she couldn’t say exactly what. The top of it was carved in the likeness of two knights jousting with trails of engraved flowers covering the sides. The city beyond was so different from the one she had left she caught herself glancing back through the arch just to make sure they hadn’t, in fact, used a portal.
Small cozy houses lined both sides of the street, made in a charming beam and stucco style. The spaces between the houses were wide and open with garden plots or pools of water alternating. Her gaze was drawn to the sound of splashing and giggling, and for a moment she watched several children at play in one of the pools before returning to her sightseeing. No matter where she looked, the city was clean with grass and trees lining the streets. There was no sign of trash strewn alleys or beggars. Rounding a corner, they began to ride up a small hill toward a massive manor house.
“Does your brother rule here?” Jala asked, gazing at the house in awe. It stood like an ivy clad sentinel above the city with two massive willows flanking it on either side. The lawn stretching out before it was manicured with a spectacular array of topiary.
Valor shook his head and grinned like a mischievous child. “He is more like the captain of guards here.” She could hear the amusement in his voice.