i wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast

On days when he could think of few things less appealing than going home to be needled by his older brothers, Will was taken with visiting the menagerie. Near the lake's shore on the castle grounds stood a row of ornate cages holding magical creatures, the likes of which he'd never seen elsewhere.

Will sometimes bought a carrot for the centaur, but on that particular afternoon, he hadn't a penny to pay. He smiled, a bit sadly, at the creature as it cantered up to the gate, and shook his head. "Next time."

The centaur stared blankly at him for a moment, pawing the ground, then dashed off again when it became clear that no carrot would appear. Will watched it cavorting down towards the rocky bank of the lake before he continued on towards the other animals.

He walked past the gryphon in its golden cage, lost in the unsettling thought that he was to be sent to a boarding school in a matter of days. So distracted was he that as he approached the phoenix, stretching its wings experimentally on a tree branch, Will walked directly into someone else.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he began, his voice dying away on the last syllable as he realized who he had nearly knocked to the ground. "Your--your Highness, I didn't mean to--"

The heir apparent of Frell, Prince Tenzing Tharkay (someday to be King Tenzing Tharkay I), rolled his eyes and raised a hand to silence Will. "I'm quite sure you didn't. Don't trouble yourself."

"All right," Will agreed. The concern melted from his thoughts like snow in the spring, and he smiled at the prince. When the prince didn't smile back, Will turned his attention toward the phoenix before them. "It's a beautiful bird."

"Yes," agreed Prince Tharkay, his voice growing warmer. "I am quite fond of birds."

This is so much fun. ;-;

( hogwarts au )

This one is from That First Weekend When John Is Away, and I am still terribly uncertain about writing Tharkay's POV, but I can't pretend I don't like this one. I know I'd meant to write something else last night, but when I came back from the meat shop, I couldn't remember what it was to be.

( an independent air )

Poe Family Adventures, little bit of story number 2! Not nearly so many notes as the last one, because I don't feel the need to restate. >> I'm still not entirely sure about posting these, but I'm assured by Pelly that it'll make them easier to find in general, and that much is true, so. ^^;;;

In this episode: the Poe family doesn't need a pet cat, because one of their kids already creeps around like one.

( in which Susan has a scrape )