20
Ianto was in Myfanwy's stall. He was kneeling as he polished her hooves until they shone like glass. Black volcanic glass, of course. He became aware of someone in the background that Myf kept swinging her head to warn him of so he rose to face them.
A woman of wealth stood there staring at the huge creature and Ianto smiled as he acknowledged her "Good Morrow Dear Lady, may I help you?"
"I wanted to see her up close. The other day… in the War Room we saw… I was her. Wasn't it. The one dancing like that. She was magnificent. I wanted to see how big she was… my goodness." Her hand went to her throat as she stared at the creature and Ianto knew Myfanwy was amused.
"Myfanwy. She is a throwback to the old blood… like me." Ianto smiled and let her see him more clearly, her eyes widening as she drank in two exotic creatures now. "She is a rarity and you usually do not see one in public. An anomaly, like myself is usually highly prized and kept away from those who might seek a piece. However… she is mine and I do not care about old silly nonsense. She is too pretty to keep just for breeding purposes like some… cow."
She blew on him from behind and the woman watched tendrils of smoke waft around him like tentacles. "Myf, stop that ya beggar. I was not calling you a cow, I was saying you are not one. Although… technically…a female is…"
She pushed him gently from behind and he laughed, the pretty musical notes seeming to echo in the stables.
"My husband is negotiating with his highness for a couple to take with us… for breeding." She then said, turning to motion a quiet man near "This is our handler. He has never been near one let along tended one… do they require much more than a standard horse?"
Ianto smiled, then spent the next hour calmly explaining the differences and the complex things needed to be known, the man pulling out a small notebook and making notes now and then. Clearly a good man who does care, Ianto liked him.
"So… how old is she?" Gorsh finally asked as he closed his notebook.
"This girl? Ah… a yearling by their standards. Ah… in human years? Ah…. Let me calculate" Ianto spun to stare at her, then back to them "I believe she is close to eighty of your years."
"Bloody hell."
"Hmmm. They live for a long time… like ourselves. Myself is close to three hundred of your years, a near twenty five of ours. I have many more to go until I reach full adulthood… even with my life now shared and halved, I can expect to live for a good…. Eight hundred of your years… maybe more." Ianto shrugged, and then turned back to his Mount as both humans gaped at him in mute shock.
"Hey good looking!"
Ianto swung to find Jack entering the stables and he lit up with length, the entire place brightening as he rushed to him for a kiss "Cariad!"
"Hey Tiger. Lerrin… this is my bond mate Ianto. High Prince Ianto of the Elvish Royal House… clearly. That is his monster in there your wife is examining. Rare, isn't she?" Jack said with pride, one hand sliding down to the lower back of his beloved, pulling him close as he spoke. A natural thing, a simple thing yet it spoke volumes as he grinned.
"Your lovely wife tells me you are investing?" Ianto canted his head and the man's eyes widened as he heard Ianto speak.
"Old Blood. By the gods… you are a true Fae"
"Ah… I prefer to be a Ianto my good fellow" Ianto laughed "Yes. I am a rarity. A throwback... like my Mount. However… if you look to those in the pen out here, her older brother is one of those exercising. Full blood so there is a chance that he may sire a throwback one day ya know. There... see the one with the orange hue to his hide? Almost like he is glowing? That's Flicker."
"Oh my… gorgeous." The man sighed.
"I think you are trying to negotiate for two, am I correct? A stallion and a mare? I must warn you that they are strange creatures and are either totally solitary, or pack animals. To have breeders you need to ensure that they are a pack, not loners or they will not allow a coupling. Also… two would not work as you need to separate them for the final stages of her pregnancy. I have seen a stallion tear a stables apart to get to his beloved. No… three at least. That way when you separate her, he has another girl to occupy him." Ianto enplaned the complex creatures and Jack sat back and watched him wheedle the man to taking four of the creatures, one of them Fickler for almost twice per creature than the man had originally offered. By the time he was done, Lord Lerrin was willing to offer more if needed to secure these animals.
Especially Fickler who Ianto was happy to give. Myfanwy did not like him, never did. She would be happy to see him gone and Ianto knew the coin would boost the coffers in a spectacular way. Also… this man was a show off so soon others would come seeing their own Fire Mounts.
A good deal.