(no subject)

[goldtoes]

[ Traditional of the indigenous people of Sankharthali, a leader cuts his hair when he wages a war - a signal to the opposition of conflict.

Dhani's, when left loose and straight, moves about his feet thick and dark and coarse. His advisors pull it up out of his face and away from his temples, loosely contained so that it ought not to drag about the floor. When he's working in the fields alongside his people he has it pulled up in colorful fabrics.

Now, as he moves out of the archway and toward the stairs, it's pulled back and woven into place, ghosting at his ankles; he's dressed in bright, warm colors, saffron and reds and crimsons, a collection of loose, light robes with a headchain and hands, arms and ankles decorated in golden jewelry; his nose and lip are both pierced.

Flanked by a pair of bodyguards, he shoos them away and has them stand back as their guest arrives - he has no desire to be intimidating, even if they've dressed him up like a plaything. It's the best way to showcase the exports - precious metals, jewels, beautifully woven fabrics. It feels too ostentatious, still. ]

Welcome, my friend. It's an honor to have you visiting -- [ his hands are gentle and soft as he reaches out to take one of his new guest's, and his accent is cozy and warm. ]

Comments

[goldtoes]

Bao tips his head, amusement soft but evident. "Dhani can point you my way when you need me. If not, I spend most of my time in the barracks' war room. It's the first door on the left when you enter the hall."

He turns his head and glances over his shoulder at the sound of uneven, pattering footsteps on stone.

"Speak of the devil himself. Enjoy. And good luck."

It's said lovingly, of course. He sees Dhani as an older sibling, more or less, but not so much so that when he rounds the corner, moonlight splashed across the side of his face and the edge of steel flask, Bao straightens up and bows his head in greeting and deference. Alpha and omega matters little here - not compared to rank, anyway. Bao grins - coy, the little bastard - at Umber and sweeps off in a bundle of black.

"Gooood morning," Dhani brays, speeding up to break into a trot.

[suncut]

Speak of the devil himself.

Umber's eyes widen to some degree, a look of realization and vague anxiety ghosting over his face before he turns his head towards the sprightly footsteps. It's like he'd somehow fucking forgotten how much Dhani is, and he's only just now remembering as Dhani's barreling towards him with all of his enthusiasm.

Good luck? He'll need it, definitely. Is there something stronger? Maybe Bao will pray for him. He should.

"Good morning, yes..." Even at this hour Dhani is fresh, dazzling the morning with pleasant looks and charm. Umber is almost annoyed... He feels washed-out and a bit withered in comparison, but then again, he could have forced himself to sleep more. It's his own blunder.

He's about to make another, evidently, by staring dumbly. Gods... There's a basket on Dhani's arm, though, and yes- there, that's it. He can manage a basket. "Would you like me to take that?" Umber reaches a hand out, gesturing towards the basket, ready to relieve Dhani of his burden.

[goldtoes]

Bao is off with his rhythmic, drill-honed click-click against the stone; Dhani traipses across them in leather sandals, kohl-ringed eyes wide and bright despite the hour as he passes the basket over.

"I would appreciate it, thank you -" it's heavier than it looks, but maybe that's Dhani being lightly built, stronger than he looks. He's bright, grinning, extends his free hand like one might escort royalty. His hands are soft - but sword calloused.

"Come, then. I see you've met Bao'aat," he starts, sounding pleased as punch about it. "How did you sleep?"

[suncut]

Umber's surprised by the weight of it- Dhani had carried it easily, he'd half-expected the thing to be light. He compensates well, though, and even manages to touch Dhani's hand without making an idiot out of himself.

"Bao'aat, is it?" He'll have to remember that. Umber hadn't asked his name at the time. He'd only seen a little of Bao'aat, but he'd liked him so far... As for how he'd slept, he hums and shrugs. "Well enough. It's always difficult in a new place." He pauses then, eyeing Dhani... "Did you sleep? At all?" Is he ever still or quiet long enough to sleep...?

[goldtoes]

"Bao'aat, yes. Mal'aat's favorite. One of our scouts - or, that's how started, anyway." He grins, bright and dimpled and cheeky. "Is there anything I can do to make your time here more comfortable?"

Dhani pulls at the braid over his shoulder, twirling it around his hand, and he laughs. "I did, yes, believe it or not. I always do!" And really, could he be this bright without sleep...? Hard to tell. "I slept, I got up, made the rounds, bothered our entire kitchen, got smacked--! The audacity! Can you believe?"

Yes, actually, we can all believe that.

[suncut]

Umber nods as he soaks in information, then gives his head a quick little shake, brushing Dhani's concern away. "You've done more than enough, honest." The accommodations have been perfect, really. It's just, well, Umber. Something in his nature keeps him tense. He'll settle in a day or two, and he knows it.

He may be a little tired now, but he's also gotten comfortable like this- walking with Dhani, listening, watching; he's like an entire swarm of bees, active and noisy and fascinating.

Umber manages to keep the smirk from showing itself on his face, but he fails at hiding it from his voice. "You were what? What ever for?" If Bao hadn't already told him about Dhani being smacked in the kitchens, Umber would find the story startling. Knowing what he does, though, he's instead entertained.

[goldtoes]

"If you're su-ure," it's singsong, too, like everything he says, and he's dragging a hand along the stone as they walk. It's - a waltz, almost, somewhere between a skip and a glide, and it's not hard to imagine him, younger and less polished, somehow, making leggy gazelle's leaps down the expanse.

He glances down as the morning bell rings, the kind that echoes in one's chest - Bao is moving across the grass toward it where Aanya waits, patient but mostly just on the outside. Most omegas with child that Dhani's seen over the years - and oh, there have been many - move like they're aware of precious cargo. Bao's distressed, inconvenienced by it.

But his attention comes back, fast and easy, and he's laughing, grinning. "I was stealing food. But in my defense," there's always a defense, and he raises his eyebrows and nods solemnly, "I was hungry." Which is as much of a defense as he has at all, in fairness; he's not got a better argument for being a thief.

[suncut]

Well. Dhani has done everything appropriate that can be done.

He cracks a small smile, keeping the comment to himself. Voicing it would be more along the lines of Pallo's style. Thankfully, Umber has been able to resist falling in to Pallo's bad habits.

And, of course, Dhani's defense is right on target. Properly whimsical. "We'd better get this put down soon then, shouldn't we." He adjusts his hold on the basket. A few stolen grapes would only be a short-term solution... "Are you going to keep your hands to yourself while I unpack it, or will you need to be smacked again?"

[goldtoes]

"Is that a threat," Dhani chirps, laughing as he turns on the ball of his foot to walk backwards, facing Umber, with both brows lofted and a cheeky, dimpled grin.

God, he's insufferable. "I suppose I can keep my hands to myself, though," he says it like it's such a big ask, not stealing snacks, and he whirls around again as they approach their place of observation. Once, many years ago, there had been artillery here on the hills, but now it's just lush grass, dappled in tree-tamed sunlight with a view of the grounds. Dhani unrolls a blanket that he's had tucked under his arm, flapping it to get the wrinkles out. Ridiculous.

[suncut]

He is excruciating. Umber envies the freedom Dhani is allowed. "Only a little threat?" A little threat that he won't be able to make good on after all, if Dhani keeps his word.

As with all things, the blanket-setting is dramatic. "Interesting technique." It works though, doesn't it? Umber watches and waits patiently until it's all settled before kneeling, setting his load down and rolling up his sleeves proper before seeing what goodies are inside the basket. Or what ones Dhani hadn't already snuck out of it and eaten in the kitchens. "You can help, but if I see any hint of misbehavior..." It's fine. They're alone. They can banter.

[goldtoes]

"A little." Dhani holds his fingers up a millimeter or so apart, laughing as he settles atop their picnic blanket and stretches, toeing his sandals off and flinging them off into the grass (of course.)

The basket is full of snacks - bread that's still warm, fruits, cheeses, dips and spreads, cured meats. He outright sits on his hands to stop himself from snatching grapes, tipping his head from side to side in a playful singsong. "If you do, then what?" He's chirping, easy, joyful. It's almost hard for house staff to find him annoying, as much as they want to, because he's just so cheery about the whole thing. Menace.

Finally he gives in and reaches over for a small mandarin orange, plucking it out of the basket as fast as he can and hugging it to his chest. "You didn't see that."

[suncut]

It may be difficult for house staff to find him annoying... But Umber can see why it's so easy to slap him. "You--" How the hell had he gotten an orange? Wasn't he just sitting on his hands? Umber can't even look away for four seconds...

Dhani is a viper and he can not be trusted around anything edible.

Umber picks up one of the blunt utensils required for spreading condiments and leans over, reaching out to bap it against Dhani's knuckles. "Put yourself in order." His tone edges towards strict, though nowhere near angry. Irked in an entertained way. The drills that everyone has worked so hard on will go ignored, at this rate.

It's not his fault Dhani is a handful...

He quickly sets about dressing up one of the slices of bread, using the same hand-smacking tool to slather it with some sort of spread, maybe a bit of cheese or meat as well. Something for Dhani to tuck in to. "Here, take this. Do something with your hands before I have to pop them again."