Jigano perked his ears forward eagerly, pleased to hear Samuel getting what they needed, at least until the nervous man started going on about... silverware? Or a king's ransom in actual gold, which had the horse shaking his head in desperation. "No, no, that's not--" But he wasn't fast enough, and then the list ran to weapons and Jigano stepped back, trying to interrupt the flow of words, but it was far too late. He might have tried to say something else, to salvage the situation as he watched the vizier's expression shift from annoyed to surprised to horrified, but something hard was pulling at his mouth, silencing him and pulling him further back still, hooves slipping on the hard cobbles.
"You would drain the kingdom's treasury and then kill the firebird?" The vizier was aghast, dark eyes fixed on Samuel. "Rest assured, peasant, if you kill her there will be no place on earth you could hide where the king's soldiers would not find you!" Anger blazed, burning brightly and then as quickly fading as a calculating coldness came into his gaze. "But... very well. I told you I would not question your... expertise. I shall see to it. The gold will be brought to the stables by tonight. And the weapons." As he turned his lip had started to curl in a wicked smile, but he strode away before Jigano could be sure.
The horse was too busy dealing with the unhappy realization that the reins were attached to a bit, and that Samuel had the reins in hand - and no idea what he was doing. He couldn't growl - though he tried - but only managed an explosive snort and a bunching of muscles as he gave himself a good shake at last to get his friend's attention.
"You would drain the kingdom's treasury and then kill the firebird?" The vizier was aghast, dark eyes fixed on Samuel. "Rest assured, peasant, if you kill her there will be no place on earth you could hide where the king's soldiers would not find you!" Anger blazed, burning brightly and then as quickly fading as a calculating coldness came into his gaze. "But... very well. I told you I would not question your... expertise. I shall see to it. The gold will be brought to the stables by tonight. And the weapons." As he turned his lip had started to curl in a wicked smile, but he strode away before Jigano could be sure.
The horse was too busy dealing with the unhappy realization that the reins were attached to a bit, and that Samuel had the reins in hand - and no idea what he was doing. He couldn't growl - though he tried - but only managed an explosive snort and a bunching of muscles as he gave himself a good shake at last to get his friend's attention.
