[Jakobi's Yard] Riding Lessons (Zandelia, Ximal)

[Ana Sol Starris]

Winter 30th, 512AV Jakobi's Yard She had become increasingly cold towards people that day, and especially to Jakobi, not because he had done anything wrong, or that anyone messed up. It was just Zandelia and Ximal were going to arrive to the Yard soon for riding practice, since Jakobi's Yard was the only place horses seemed to stay. Multiple times she pestered the man in the day, and the night before to not get extremely personal with her while her friends were near. Friends? The idea was quite unheard of to Jakobi, and he had teased her a bit for it, thinking she was being just a little recluse of a girl. Word passed around Spires easily enough, it wasn't hard to figure out who Ana spent the most time with, or where she usually would be during the day. But to be formally introduce? Ana had kept her friends, and her love life seperate for the most part and now her two only friends wanted riding lessons. That, unfortuantly for Ana, required Jakobi to allow them access to the horses inside the small stables and in the Yard itself. The paranoia of which Ana felt was beyond belief, she didn't exactly know what Zand thought about Jakobi, and hadn't asked either. Nor did she know what Ximal thought of him, the same case as with Zandelia, she had not asked him. She was too timid to do so, she didn't want to involve them with him for in fear of tension to be created. "Don't pat my butt while they're here Jak," Ana chided at the mans childish antics. "Wouldn't think a thing about it Anasol," he grinned widely, chuckling at her paranoia. As if he enjoyed seeing her flounder about like a fish out of water. "I'm being serious, don't, and.." she paused as she glanced around, her disbelief evident as she mumbled "oh, they're here." Ana's gaze landed on the both of them, eyes furrowing as she pushed her fears down below the surface of her skin. Crossing her arms and scowling darkly as both Zandelia and Ximal would arrive one after the other, she tilted her chin downwards as she kicked at the ground lightly. Jakobi seemed to take this as a chance to introduce himself, a rather hyper, and energetic man; of which he regarded Ximal with a glance suggesting he wasn't exactly happy over his woman being near other men, but of which he seemed to be better with Zandelia "So you're Anasol's friends? I'm Jakobi" He clapped his hands together and rubbed them about during the pleasentries, the grin never leaving his face "she hasn't really told me much about you both, but I've heard.. things.. about what you're all doing together!" He glanced back at the smouldering Ana in the background, trying to be as unnoticiable as possible. The small thief inched herself closer to the small group which had formed, watching them aprehensively, and keeping her distance from Jakobi as much as possible. Towards Zandelia she stood next to, and kept her head slightly down but looked above with her eyes to continue glancing at the woman nervously. Her eyes would begin following any conversation which followed, her somber stare a dark contrast to her lovers chipper aditude. If she were greeted, she would nod slowly to acknowledge the both of their presences. Divine forbid a fight breaks out here.. Or something bad happens.. Ana thought uncertainly, hopefully.

[Ximal]

OOCXi stopped by the wood carvers shop before the start of this thread and picked up a mask from there i scaled up the price to 1GM due to the fact it's made of ebony and pretty funky looking i hope that's ok ?

Xi stepped through the cold air up to and towards the boundaries of jackobi's ranch/ stables. Whatever they were, still Xi wore something he'd only gotten earlier that day. Something he probably should have gotten himself a lot earlier but it would probably serve him better now anyway. Still Xi thought it would be good to practice wearing it so he had his mask on, the deep dark black wood carved to resemble a faceless face with two eye holes. each one cut to offer maximum viewing ability without sacrificing protection, With his hood up he'd freak the living shyke out of ana when he saw her hopefully. Still beneath it he smiled to himself as he drew closer. He reached his hand up to adjust the wood, it even covered his beard snugly and he could breathe. Smiling he walked over and caught the end of a conversation between ana and jackobi apparently there was trouble in paradise. Xi crept ever closer just keeping his head down and his face out of sight till he was within earshot of the group. Xi kept his gaze downwards before hearing a male voice speaking. So this was the " jackobi" Xi'd heard about...To be honest Xi really didn't know why she'd chosen to go with someone like him however it was her choice adn Xi was not one to bother too much with things like that. And so Xi may as well have completely blanked him for how much attention he paid to him. Speaking loud enough to hear but still a little muffled by the mask. "Hello...Jack? And hello Ana, how are you today? It's a bit cold isn't it . Hehe."

the mask :

[Zandelia]

Zandelia could not help but relish the day and the opportunities it would most likely afford her. There were many reasons for her to feel confident about the tasks she has set herself, those which had been set by the three of them and those of her own secret agenda that few were privy to. The first, and most obvious, benefits that the day would hopefully bring would be some much needed experience in horse riding, something she had not received since the battering ride from Sunberth she had arrived on. She had not so much received training formally as learnt to hold onto the damned saddle – the next few days would hopefully be much different. The second, and more interesting factor, was that she finally would get to meet the fable Jakobi. So far she had mostly had him watched or watched him herself, she had not managed to find time to actually meet and assess him.

He msut be special if he has managed to open our Neilles’ legs, now we will see just how special he is she msued as she brushed her hair from her eye, pulling her cloak closed and trying not to let a smile ruin her neutral expression – others reacted better of they thought they were winning you over after all.

“No one ever got anywhere by being happy from the start” she muttered to herself as she finally entered Jakobi’s yard and got a glimpse of the third thing that caused pleasure to well up inside her – Ximal…in a wooden mask.

What in the world… she cackled inwardly to herself, her battle to keep a grin from her face now decidedly hampered.

“Hey Ximal, have you finally noticed that it was your face keeping you from bedding a woman? Or did I really hit you that hard with my forehead?” she asked him by way of greeting, he knew by now when she was jesting and when she was being serious.

As they two greeted each other with returned flippant remarks they were joined by two others – the deliciously delightful Ana and the apparently overflowing Jakobi, all smiles and rubbing of hands, though she noted he gave Ximal a colder shoulder than herself. She wondered if he would do the same if he knew Zandelia would quite happily have given Neilles’ the kiss of her life just to see what reaction it provoked. She extended her hand to share a wrist-lock with Jakobi briefly, feeling the muscles and the callouses upon his palm as their hands brushed – she could tell much about such things with enough information. As Neilles came to stand beside her she let her arm reach behind the other woman and wrap around her waist warmly.

“Oh? Has she been telling tales of us has she?” she looked down at Neilles with a feigned stern expression, “good things I trust? I would not worry Jakobi, we may come from a rough city but we are honourable citizens here – we even help protect the Spires. She shan’t get into any trouble with us for a while I can promise you that” she returned Jakobi’s tone and manner of speaking, reflecting it so as to quickly establish a rapport via feigned similarity

“Right then! Ana here says you’re good at riding and seeing as you own the Yards I’m not inclined to disbelieve her, she has told us many things about it but I hear direct experience is best hmm? Shall we get to it?” she asked, slapping Ana’s rear sharply, but not hard, partly to see what Jakobi’s reaction would be and partly to send Neilles a signal to stop being surly without any words needed.

Not to mention that many of my words can be taken several ways, depending upon perception. Let’s see what kind of perceptions this Jakobi has and what can be done to harness them she mused as she kept her gaze upon the man warm and her face only slightly creased in enjoyment.