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 Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 5:16 pm
(This is a solo RP thread featuring various ponies owned by ToniCourtel. Please do not post unless invited.)
[Teepee]
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 5:18 pm
Quote: Nikolai Sani, now the Radiant Knight but formerly the Prince of Diamonds, makes a contemplative noise as he straightens up to survey his workbench. With the careful twitch of his lips he lifts and drops the final rough cut gem out from under his various magnifying tools and into the open mouth of a carry pouch. Giving an approving nod he then sets about nudging aside a heavy buckskin colored pouch that clinks musically as it moves over to rest beside its fellows. The raw diamonds within have all been graded and sorted accordingly, notated meticulously in two different ledgers, and are ready to be dispersed or sold as the accounts demand. Niko picks up a pen with his mouth, finalizes a valued sum, then sets it aside and restores the page mark cord down the spine, making an approving noise at the way the diamond braided into the tail end of it sparkles.
"That's you all done then. Now, on to the next project." Niko murmurs to himself and cranes his head around to pull the next page marking cord in the ledgers. This one is marked by a carefully faceted bead carved from a bright aquamarine, the next closest following the diamonds he had just finished evaluating. "Let's see where we're at before the ladies arrive, so we can keep to something of a schedule."
The soft narration of his process is mostly for himself and a little for the mouse attendants that scurry here and there helping with the alignment of tools, handling of gems, and other such fine detail work. It's part of his routine, but not falling on the normal ears of Cove and the others at the moment. It's just Niko, until some of the others arrive.
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 5:34 pm
Quote: Landing with a gentle scrape of claws and a rhythmic tapping of her rear hooves, Nahareynya trots a few strides down her little personally-carved runway and then slows to a halt with a gentle snort. Giving a glance around she folds her wings and then indulges in a gentle shake from nose to tail, righting the tumble of her mane that's been ruffled by her flight. Her wings are pressed close to her back, feathers smoothed, partially obscuring the saddlebags slug over her withers, their weight a steady, inexorable impression of presence.
Overhead, the trees whisper and sigh in the tug of the wind. The leaves all seem relatively new, sweetly green, fresh and pale and heavily scented of green. Though there are birds scattered among them, they sound like average songbirds with no inclination to socialize. Which means that, as per usual, Naha is alone aside from her usual companion, Erivai, but on her way to Niko for the next gem delivery and evaluation.
"See, that wasn't too bad of a journey." The teal and aquamarine colored mare murmurs to the disgruntled mouse coiled in her left side bag. "We made it in quite a timely fashion, and in my humble opinion, the gems are of peerless quality. I think he'll be quite pleased."
Ignoring the way the grey mouse grumbles and scolds from beneath the safety of the leather pouch flap, Naha moves into the glade and strides over to where she can now see Niko working diligently at his bench. There are scales and ledgers and pouches, grinding stones and brushes, a few magnifying objects and glass tools, and beyond all of them stands a Suti stallion crowned in gems.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Naha offers in a polite voice, soft but direct.
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 6:13 pm
Quote: Moving with his typical, deliberate but soft strides, Covellite Excelsior "Cove" has completed his errand list for deliveries, checking in on a few local artisans that have entered into trade agreements with the former members of the Court of Jewels that have begun to establish themselves within the lands. Cove has no problem being one of the known faces for such things, happy to step up so the ladies that work with them are not risked unnecessarily. Though he feels that their new business companions are the honorable sort, there's no telling what might befall them while on the road or lone traveling.
Best not to risk it. So for now, Cove will do the deliveries and scope things out.. and Niko will focus on grading and measure and inventories. The gem experts they work with are somewhat focused on their specialty stones, aside from their potential new associate Cara who is already an established gem merchant within the Faire. They haven't worked directly with her yet, but have an appointment to evaluate the opportunities for partnership and trade opportunities in the future. Cove hopes that all of this means they'll be quite busy, and can become part of this new herd in their new home.
"Nahareynya, always a delight to see you. I had the feeling you were our source for aquamarines, they've always been particularly excellent when selected under your watchful eye." Cove offered in his pleasantly rumbling tone. "I hope your travel was pleasant and uninterrupted? He should be ready for the next grading, if you don't mind walking with you? We're trying to get things squared away before our new Amethyst envoy arrives with a selection."
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Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2026 6:40 pm
Quote: Melina Weatherglass is truly happy to put the Courts behind her, though she knows in her heart that Jewels was more tolerable than most. Well, more tolerable and more tolerant, she supposes... That would be closer to accurate, though still delicately put. Woefully understated? But one learned to be circumspect in such surroundings, learned to be mindful and delicate. Particularly ladies, whether they were highborn or not.
Meli wasn't precisely highborn, though she was from a lineage that was well regarded enough that she could be a handmaiden for some of the truly highborn ladies. Accompanying Princesses or titled Ladies was not exactly thrilling, requiring manners and comportment and no small amount of patience for listening to stories that seemed well and truly endless, and at times, pointless. Feigning interest in minor things was a requirement, one she was happy to put behind her. This new life promised way more excitement, more opportunity, a wider range of individuals to meet and interact with and listen to.
Though she had arrangements to meet with some of the others who had left the Court behind, the young Hippogryph mare had happily wandered her way to the festival and market that seemed to host all manner of strange and interesting individuals. She had plenty of time to find a diversion and it seemed the festival occurring around her was willing to offer plenty of opportunity. Food, drink, snacks, art, various displays of craftmanship, and then there were the performers. Song and dance, music and story, visual arts like puppetry and choreographed fights.
"I can't wait to see what we can find to do here." Meli says with soft excitement to her companion. "Are you hungry or can we watch a show first?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2026 12:53 pm
Quote: "If you'll bring me the next ledger." Niko rumbles pleasantly at one of the attending raccoons as the diamond record is picked up to be re-shelved. "I have reason to expect Aquamarines and Amethysts are in route, to say the least."
He has just finished patiently resetting the desk with its contents, smoothing the swath of black velvet and reorganizing his tools with a quiet, meticulous air, when his silent contemplation is interrupted. The greeting is a polite one, albeit containing a title he does not feel he deserves and is trying very hard to leave behind.
"Niko, if you please, Lady Nahareynya." He demurs. "Or Nikolai, if you must? Please do not stand on ceremony here, I have never much cared for titles and I am far beyond my father's realm now."
Thankfully. Deliberately. Not without effort or cost, either. But worth it. So endlessly worth it, to be free of such things.
"I see that you've managed to find Cove as well, well done of you." He murmurs teasingly. "My gallant little half-brother has been out visiting our cousins and allies at the Faire. Perhaps if he has good news about matters of trade, he can share with us both?"
He gives the shades of blue Kirin cross stallion a pointed look, then moved to one side to help the attending raccoons with removing the saddlebags from Naha's back, settling the substantial weight of full gem pouches against the polished wood countertop and opening one to begin fishing out the different grade bags.
"I assure you I can measure and account while listening to you talk, unless you truly strive to be a nuisance." Niko chirps with feigned reassurance at Cove before settling in to work.
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2026 1:53 pm
Quote: To her credit, Nahareynya doesn't precisely startle at the sudden voice speaking to her left when her attention was focused on Niko, but it is something of a near thing. She is certainly surprised, but manages a graceful turn of her head rather than a squeaky whinny of alarm and a skittering of hooves.
All in all? It is a win, and she will take it, thank you very much. (And mind your own business about quiet ladies being alarmed, it's not polite to snicker at them.)
"Apologies, Covellite, I admit I did not see you there." She offers softly. "Greetings also to you. Good to hear that things are being kept as discreet and professional as always, even between brothers? I'm not sure if that's a business decision or merely an antagonistic sibling one, but I suppose I cannot really judge. I might very well have done the same?"
She teases about their dynamic but ducks her head in a demure acceptance of the compliment, unfolding a wing to half-obscure her face so that she can give him a shy look from behind the fanlike sweep of feathers.
"You flatter me, of course. Always good to be thought of well, and to have one's wares held in high regard. I thank you, and I hope that will translate to healthy sales and trades in our future." She returned with a hopeful lilt to the words. "As for the journey, it was quite pleasing. I made good time and am hoping to enjoy the Faire for a bit before I carry on, if things work out well."
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2026 2:32 pm
Quote: Though it was merely his intention to offer a pleasant greeting, and perhaps exchange some light banter, Cove can see he's managed to startle the young gem dealer. Nahareynya doesn't startle outright, no shying or shrieking or leaping away, but she has been surprised, shocked even.
"Apologies," he rumbles in a kind tone, not staring directly but merely glancing at her sidelong. "I didn't mean to intrude on your serenity, nor to shatter it. I merely thought to greet you and that we might travel on together, since we are headed in the same direction."
He gives a nod toward Niko though it is somewhat evident what he meant by the words.
"I assure you I am not offended to be unnoticed. I imagine it is a useful skill, if I could manage to shape it. As it stands, I probably need a little bit of work to accomplish it." He gives a shake from nose to tail, gemstone scales chiming melodically against themselves and their fellows. "As far as business matters, we have our strengths and areas of focus. Perhaps he didn't want to give me false hope, on the off chance you decided not to work with us now that we have struck out away from it all?"
Not that he would ever accuse Nahareynya of being loyal to his father or the rules of the Court of Jewels, that would be rather unthinkable. But it would make sense for a merchant to go where the clients could be most demanding and appreciative of her wares, and there was no guarantee that honor would fall to them.
"Are you traveling unaccompanied, these days?" Cove inquires politely.
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Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2026 3:10 pm
Quote: Stirring from his post of safety burrowed down in the depths of Melina's mane, the little gem mouse known as Agustus resettles at the high point of her withers and peers off over the fold of her wings to consider their surroundings. He is a serious little fellow, which he would argue the free-spirited gem merchant needs, even as she would call him boring or a stick in the mud. He can practically hear the age old argument starting up all over again, but he refuses to let it sway him.
"I thought we were here for trade reasons, Meli." He squeaks in his best, disapproving tone. "Didn't we talk about that? Leaving Jewels behind and making our own way in a new land? Why are you suddenly on vacation?" Quote: As soon as she hears the indignant little inhale, she knows her companion is about to read her the riot act. Barely stifling the urge to heave her own sigh, Meli settles for rolling her eyes since there's no chance he can see past the rich curl of her mane to catch her at it. 'Here we go again.'
And like clockwork, off he goes.
"You're always so dramatic, Agustus... Right to the absolute worse assumption with you, isn't it?" The gem trading mare scolded in a bright tone, rolling her eyes in amusement. "Cheer up, won't you? We've successfully run away from home, we're free! We have satchels full of gems to trade, and plenty more where they came from, located and obtained through our own efforts and not the herd's. We're in a beautiful new land, at an exciting festival, and there are vendors and productions and food that smells way too good to pass up. You like a snack as well as I do, right? So why don't you weigh in on what we get? There are candied chestnuts over there, oh and that looks like persimmons, someone is roasting corn and grilling veggies? Doesn't something sound delicious?"
She pointed things out as she paced along, eyes bright as they flit from point to point. "Or if you don't want to eat, it looks like there's poetry, and dramatic productions, oh and dancers... Come on, surely you can't hate the idea of all the different shows and stunts, right? We're here early, we might as well enjoy ourselves until it is time for our appointment. If we were to interrupt one of their other business partners, I think they would be more offended than if we were a little late or carrying a bag of roasted chestnuts."
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