Persephone had gone to speak with his father, and though Iason was tempted to simply linger outside the door and listen in, he forced himself instead to seek distraction elsewhere. Dorothea had walked with his fiancee while he spoke with their father, and so he went to seek her opinion and spend time with the sister he hadn't thought he would see for years after he'd left. It didn't take him long to find her, she was predictable as always and he grinned to see that not so much had changed in the months since he'd seen her last.
The tree was one they'd called their Reading Tree when they were young, and tutors many a time ended up beneath its branches with the Dimitrou children in order to get them to learn anything. It was close enough to the house that the tutors didn't have to lug their things too far, but with a view of the paddocks and forests beyond and though Iason would have preferred to take his books onto the back of one of his favorite horses when he'd been younger, that was frowned upon by those who insisted he focus their way.
"Morning, sister."
He blanched slightly as he remembered the state of him when she'd walked into Persephone's room that morning, bracing himself for the many barbs he knew would be thrown his way. Somehow they'd managed breakfast without her entirely demolishing his sense of self-confidence, but there were no further guarantees now they were alone. Still, he owed her some sort of explanation and apology for his very un-Iasonlike behavior earlier.
"How have the foals grown since I left? Is the black one still bandy-legged or has he grown into himself yet?"
Horses were a familiar and comfortable topic in the Dimitrou clan. For all their bloodstock was not so fine looking as their rival Leventi, in his opinion there were no grander horses than those that had been bred and brought up by the trainers and staff in his father's house. In fact, he had been thinking that now he'd returned both he and Persephone needed new mounts and Doro was the best eye for them aside from his father himself.
After her walk with the queen this morning, Dorothea found she had quite a bit to mull over. Yet, there was one opinion she was still missing—Iason’s. They had spent only moments together since his return and in particular, this morning was not their finest. Rather than seek him out, she took a book and made her way to their Reading Tree. It would serve as a distraction until he thought to look for her, which she hoped would be soon. Until then, she figured she may as well brush up on their library’s offerings of Athenia. It would do well to feel more current on the place, although the absolute most current news was currently having a discussion with her father.
“Is it still morning?” she remarked, giving him a sly smile. “I feel as though I have experienced a thousand things and yet the sun has not even reached it’s peak.” She teased him, in part, because she must. She was his sister and although she was not planning on sharing what she had seen this morning with anyone else, she had to give him some trouble for it. Initially, she had found the state of undress her brother had been in to be shocking, but that had rather worn off by now and was funnier than anything. Dorothea noted the look on his face as he seemed to remember it, somewhat glad his embarrassment hadn’t worn off! He knew their household in the mornings. Why should he expect to be left alone? More likely, he was too distracted to remember that, she thought wryly.
Rather than tease him more, Doro let Iason ask his question, guiding the conversation into safer territory. And horses she could talk about all day. “We call him Onyx now,” she told her brother, thinking fondly of the weanling colt. They had thought him hopeless for the first several months of his life, but Dorothea had convinced their trainers not to give up, even taking a personal stake in his training. It had certainly paid off when the young horse finally found his legs.
“He gave us some trouble for awhile, but he’s come around,” she told Iason. “I think he’ll make a fine colt, given more time. He’s approaching a year soon enough and the real work will begin. Onyx can be quite the trickster, but he’s sweet as a button once he gets to know you. Would you like to go see him?” She wanted to do more than talk about horses, but if that was the way to start the conversation, then Dorothea was on her way.
Her smile didn't pass his notice, and Iason felt his face heating uncomfortably, shifting his weight from one foot to another and choosing to pointedly ignore her sly comment. He would no doubt have to deal with this for months, if not years from now as Dorothea reminded him constantly of his shameful morning in one way or another. It wasn't even as if he had done anything wrong, they were engaged after all, and aside from kisses and a few touches that had been less than chaste, both of their honors and virginities were very much intact. Not that he needed to explain this to her, he would very much prefer she know far less than she already did about his sex life.
"According to the dial, yes. Though barely."
Iason was relieved when the change of topic he offered took, and grinned to hear that the colt was doing well. Of course he would have recovered and begun to grow well, when a Dimitrou took an interest in a horse and time to work with them, they flourished under the attention. It was one of the reasons he believed their animals to be of superior quality than the Leventi stock. They were raised with love and genuine respect and care, none of the family themselves were above spending a night in a stall to help hand raise a foal or watch an ill or injured animal.
"Onyx, I'd love to see him. And the others. The Athenians don't have much to do with horses, I'll need to spend weeks in the stables just to feel I've caught up on time."
Holding out a hand to help her to her feet, the siblings made their way towards the stables and pastures that sprawled across the clearings in the woods, and Iason grinned at the sight of the beasts that had been turned out that morning to take their exercise. He recognized several old favorites, including the bay gelding that had been his personal mount before he left. Clicking his tongue, he was delighted to see the horse lift his head in recognition, ears swiveling until he caught sight of the two approaching the fence and kicking up his heels in a burst of energy before trotting up close. Iason in turn found himself picking up his pace and once at the fence found the bay's head pressed to his chest in an affectionate greeting.
"Ahh I missed you old boy. It's been too long."
The baron turned back to his sister with a grin, the sounds of a few weanlings bickering and squealing from the next gate over catching his attention next. Doro hadn't been wrong, the little black colt looked far better than he had when Iason had left, his legs had all but straightened out and for all his ears were currently pinned back as he made a move to nip at the rump of another he was still a handsome fellow.
Dorothea could see her comment and smile had it’s intended effect to embarrass her brother, watching a blush creeping up on his face. This would be something she might just be brining up for awhile, however that was all she would say for the moment. It was all good fun to tease her brother, but he was back when she was not expecting to see him for many years. So, she would leave most of her teasing aside in order to enjoy her time with him. Although he was back, with a deposed betrothed in tow, Dorothea was uncertain for how long he would stay. She didn’t just mean how long before he went to his own estate, but how long before he left the country again. For now, Persephone was in mourning, but what about later? When the words of revenge began to whisper in her ear? Dorothea knew another strong-willed woman when she saw her. She was not sure Persephone intended to remain her forever. Despite whatever the woman had promised Dorothea’s brother in the moment.
For now, however, Dorothea wouldn’t worry about that. Not in this moment. It was wonderful to have Iason back and she would enjoy as much of that as she could. So, she took his hand, getting to her feet and together they moved in the direction of the stables.
“That’s a shame,” she remarked, referring to the Athenians’ lack of affinity for horses. “They don’t know what they’re missing out on.” The two moved together towards the stables, entering after several minutes. Dorothea felt as though she had a million questions about Athenia, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend the first of them asking why they didn’t care for horses.
Dorothea smiled as Iason lit up when they entered the pastures near the stables. His old gelding perked up at Iason’s whistle and made his way over. Her own gelding, a particular friend of Iason’s also made his way over, spotting his mistress. She grinned, reaching out to him as he begged for his own attention. “Yes, you and I have a date later, don’t you worry,” she told her mount. “You think they’re starved for attention they way they act,” she grinned, directing that to Iason. “I promise, we’ve taken care of them.”
It wasn’t long before the young ones caught Iason’s attention and his eyes traveled in that direction, taking in the sight. Dorothea gave her own mount another pat before heading towards Onyx. She gave a whistle and he perked up at the sight of her, moving over to the fence, away from the playmate he’d been bothering.
“I can hardly take all the credit,” she told her brother. “Though Onyx and I have spent a fair many days together.” She rested a hand on his head, indicating to Iason that he ought to come over. “He likes me better than most, but he’s learning to trust others. Come, let’s see how he does with you.”
She still had a dozen questions for her brother, but they could wait. At least a few minutes more. For now, it was nice to simply enjoy spending time together.
Iason's heart warmed to see his old gelding still remembered him, pressing his forehead into his master's chest with a heavy exhale as if exasperated that it had taken the man so long to come back. Bucephalus had been his since they were both young, nearly thirteen years spent together had made the departure from the old boy heartbreaking. Now that he was home though, with plans to return to Chaoedia once he'd spent the proper amount of time with his family and could take up the reins of his barony once again, he could bring the bay back with him and they could be reacquainted.
Patting his sister's own mount, he gave a chuckle at her reassurance that they had been taken care of them and they weren't as starved for attention as they appeared. If there was one thing he knew about the Dimitrou family, it was that they would never treat their horses with anything but the utmost respect and love. The Leventis could claim to breed the fastest or the most beautiful, but the Dimitrou bred were the most loyal and steady, good traits for those that would be ridden into battle and used to work closely with their humans. They could do more than sprint about in a circle.
He watched Dorothea as she patted a hand on the black colt, approaching as she beckoned him and holding out the back of his hand for the little one to sniff. The foals had grown substantially since he'd last seen them, and he felt a bit of a pang in his heart that he had missed watching them grow. It was always one of his favorite ways to mark time, by seeing their progress from birth to training. Onyx pinned his ears flat for a moment but held still enough as his nostrils flared as he breathed in the unfamiliar scent of the man, hesitating before his ears relaxed slightly and his lips brushed against Iason's hand to test and see if what was offered was edible.
"You've done well. He's a handsome lad, even if he does seem to have a temper to match your feelings of men."
Shooting a look in her direction with brows that mimicked their father's whenever he spoke of the hopelessness of finding a match for Dorothea, he gave a grin to indicate his jest as he let the colt lip at his palm a moment longer, giving him a reprimanding tap when he used his teeth. Their father had little to worry about, Doro would make the choice when she was ready, and no doubt being who she was it would be only her choice. There was no use rushing any of the Dimitrou siblings into anything they didn't want to do.