Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 11, 2008 12:32:38 GMT -5
"Some of them should be amenable to coming out on a glove, and then you can get a close look," I told him with a smile. "But you won't be able to touch them or get familiar, I'm afraid- falcons don't quite work like that, they're not pets like songbirds can be, or even farm birds like ducks and geese. If they get scared they react as any wild animal may."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 11, 2008 13:43:15 GMT -5
“Oh, have no worries,” I assured her. “I will do exactly as you instruct and have no intentions of doing anything that may frighten your birds.”
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 11, 2008 13:46:29 GMT -5
"I'm only concerned because they can lash out when their temper is raised and I'd hate for you to get hurt," I assured him soothingly, brushing his arm with my hand in a friendly gesture. "Though they're little, and a bit delicate, they are vicious in their own way."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 11, 2008 16:05:12 GMT -5
“I have a healthy respect for all animals, even those supposedly tame. They are animals and prone to their own emotions and reactions. I think they should all be treated with due honor and respect,” I told her, smiling.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 11, 2008 18:07:13 GMT -5
Glad that he was willing to bear with my most-likely silly and unfounded concerns I smiled in understanding even as my cheeks took the faintest pink and I opened the door leading out to the yard where the aerie was placed.
It wasn't set directly against the house, but it was a tall, roofed enclosure, netted all the way around with tied curtains to let one in or out and the cages placed inside. The nets were my personal insurance; if someone less experienced opened a cage and the bird was molting or broody it may snap, and if the person ducked or jumped and the bird hadn't been properly jessed to the stand it would make a flight for freedom.
Smiling at the idea of seeing my birds shortly I stepped out and waited for Darien to join me before closing the door.
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 12, 2008 1:39:22 GMT -5
I followed Lessandrie, looking around as I did, taking in as much of everything as I could.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 12, 2008 17:58:52 GMT -5
The weather was still fantastic and I led him closer to the enclosure, where a bench rested. "If you'd like you can sit here and I'll bring the birds out," I told him with a smile. "Is there any one in particular you'd like to start with?"
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 12, 2008 21:23:59 GMT -5
“I will leave those sort of decisions completely up to you,” I said with a smile as I took a seat then began taking out my charcoals and a clean sheet of paper.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 12, 2008 22:43:41 GMT -5
I thought for a moment, then smiled and walked to the curtain of the enclosure; beside it was a cabinet with a variety of gloves and gauntlets; one pair to the side was my own, and I pulled on the gauntlets, since I didn't want to have to change from the gloves once I got to the larger birds.
Serenely I walked in the curtain and looked to my kestrel's cage- she was sitting quietly, unhooded for the moment, and I softly opened the door, quickly taking the jesses and urging her onto my wrist. Kestrel's aren't very big birds as far as falcons go, but they are bigger than songbirds and can take them, as well as the smallest animals like mice. As I stepped back out again I took the bag of scraps and she immediately perked up, looking around to see what there was she may be doing.
"This is my kestrel," I told Darien once we were close enough that he could see and hear me without raising my voice, but he was far enough that he couldn't be raked, bitten or buffeted by her wings.
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 12, 2008 22:46:59 GMT -5
I had been sketching the enclosure when Lessandrie returned.
“It’s incredible,” I said, my voice low, soft and even. My hand immediately changed position on the page and began to draw the pair of them. “Is it a male or female?”
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 12, 2008 22:58:02 GMT -5
"Female," I told him with a smile, careful to keep my arm steady. "You can tell by the coloring, though with some falcons that isn't the case. A male would have a grey head and tail, whereas you can see she's all brown with black spots, except for the belly and black bands on her tail-tip."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 12, 2008 23:07:07 GMT -5
“How old is she?” I asked, my hand flying over the paper to catch them before she had to take the kestrel back.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 13, 2008 13:28:28 GMT -5
"About four years, which is why I brought her first- she's one of the most calm due to her age," I explained. "This is the biggest she'll get. Kestrels aren't very large birds, and are fast and determined but very delicate."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 13, 2008 15:49:47 GMT -5
“How long have you had her?” I was nearly done and hoped to keep them in the same position for just a couple minutes more.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 13, 2008 20:24:02 GMT -5
"Two years," I said with a smile, willing her not to mantle before he was done drawing though she was beginning to get restless and eying the tidbit bag. "Wild-caught, which is why she's probably so patient until she's in the air."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 13, 2008 21:34:09 GMT -5
“Do you hunt her often?” I put the finishing touches on the sketch and gave the pair my full attention.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 13, 2008 21:44:01 GMT -5
"When I can, though the City has kept me busy enough that the trained falconers have mostly been taking her out," I told him, holding my hand slightly away as the kestrel spread her wings restlessly and reached my hand into the pouch at my side to bring her out a morsel of raw meat, which she took with a raptor's almost-frightening delicacy. "I did take her to the Palace hunt though, and she did very well."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 13, 2008 22:08:01 GMT -5
“That’s so impressive,” I said, smiling. “Thank you so much for showing her to me.”
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 14, 2008 14:53:38 GMT -5
"I'm glad you liked her," I said sincerely, then nodded and turned slowly to carry her back into the enclosure. "What would you like to see next- something larger?" I asked over my shoulder.
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 14, 2008 16:19:25 GMT -5
“Whichever you think is best, I trust your knowledge completely,” I replied, keeping my tone even so as not to startle the bird.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 14, 2008 20:55:43 GMT -5
Nodding again I carefully moved the curtains and returned the kestrel to her pen, taking pains to not tangle the jesses or wind her too tightly to where she couldn't reach the small dish of water hanging on the wooden bars of her cage. Steadily she settled back down and I closed the little door, then moved on and looked over the rest of the birds. The Lanner falcon I kept was looking molty and he was too large for me to handle alone in such a mood- he'd simply have to wait for another time. The next bird, though, was curiously looking about and his personality was almost charming, though I wasn't fooled enough to handle him carelessly; as with the kestrel I took his jesses securely and brought him out before Darien. "This is a Hobby," I told Darien as I brought him closer, though about the same distance as the kestrel. "He's not much bigger, but he's much differently shaped. These birds are acrobatic in the air and most commonly hunt smaller birds- they can even catch swifts."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 15, 2008 2:12:07 GMT -5
While she was gone I found a clean sheet and sketched the background. As soon as she appeared I began drawing the pair.
“Wow, that’s incredible,” I said softly.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 15, 2008 12:40:13 GMT -5
"This is a male, and the trainers call him Rafael," I said, smiling more widely as I kept my hand steady. "He's only two years old, and was caught as a fledgeling, which means he's a bit more restless at times, but doesn't have the fear of some of the wild-caught adults either. That's both a good and bad thing, since his lack of fear can at times make him aggressive if he hasn't been fed or he fails at a hunt."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 15, 2008 13:56:58 GMT -5
“Which do you prefer to take out hunting, him or the kestrel?” I asked, beginning to add shading to my sketch.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 16, 2008 9:19:45 GMT -5
"Usually the kestrel, because she's calmer," I told him honestly though with almost a trace of guilt. "They hunt the same sort of quarry and that often can put them in competition. When the weather's fair and his mood is good I'd rather take Rafael though, because watching him fly is such a treat and he's so graceful."
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 16, 2008 12:32:36 GMT -5
“He sounds quite the treat to watch,” I commented, putting the last strokes on the page and looking up at them.
“It’s amazing how something so small can be so deadly.”
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 16, 2008 12:39:12 GMT -5
"Well, he does have to eat as well," I said with a warm smile as I offered Rafael a tidbit from the bag. "Birds of his sort are called 'birds of the bower' because they ascend to a great height and then ride the winds until suitable prey is found. Their eyesight is very keen.
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 16, 2008 20:31:44 GMT -5
“I’ve heard that all birds of prey have excellent eyesight, is that not so?” I asked.
Carefully and was quietly as possible, I looked for a fresh page and found that I had none, so I closed up the notebook and set it aside.
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Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov
Noble (Staff)
Sovereign Duchesse of Eisande, Lady of Marsilikos *Voted Member of Best Storyline 2010*
Wife of Fydor Romanov
Posts: 2,623
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Post by Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov on Mar 16, 2008 20:36:19 GMT -5
"Some say that owls and buzzards don't," I replied, then noticed his getting out a fresh sheet and patiently waiting for me to bring out a fresh bird, which caused me to blush. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was prattling on so. I'll go get one of the others." A faint blush ran over my cheeks and I smiled shyly, giving Rafael another tidbit as I slowly turned.
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Post by Darien Kachine on Mar 16, 2008 21:14:55 GMT -5
“You weren’t prattling,” I called out, though still softly so as not to startle the bird. “I am out of paper and was enjoying listening to you.”
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