(no subject)
"Hektor," said Priam wearily, looking down at the dusty face of his son, "Melanippus tells me you have been giving Alektryon all sorts of trouble today."
"It wouldn't have been trouble if they had just let me alone," muttered the boy.
"No matter how well you think you know Podargos and Oinops, they are still war-horses," Priam pointed out. "And while they may like you well enough, they're my war-horses. They know my mind- not yours. You should have known better."
Hektor kicked at the floor with one sandaled foot, but said nothing.
"What were you thinking, to climb into a pen that small with Oinops? He could have killed you just by leaning against the wall while you were there!"
"But he didn't, Father! I've been in there plenty of times, and-" He bit his words off; but it was too late.
"What's this, now?" said Priam, one dark eyebrow rising. "Have you been sneaking in with that horse?"
"A time or three, sir," Hektor murmured, wanting to hunch his shoulders and duck his father's gaze. It would do him no good, though, so he fought back the shamed gesture and looked back to his father. "I brought him treats, to show him I meant no harm, and so that he would be used to me when I was there for longer. That's all."
"Well, that shows some sense, at least," Priam said grudgingly. "But it remains: you put the stables into a panic today, especially the Horse Master, and you have been sneaking around behind his back doing things that could have gotten you killed. I can't have that, Hektor. You know that."
Hektor nodded glumly.
"You took no injury today, is that so?" Priam asked. When the boy nodded again, he said, "Good. I don't like to do this, but it's best you remember what comes of deceiving and disobeying."
"Yes, sir."
"It wouldn't have been trouble if they had just let me alone," muttered the boy.
"No matter how well you think you know Podargos and Oinops, they are still war-horses," Priam pointed out. "And while they may like you well enough, they're my war-horses. They know my mind- not yours. You should have known better."
Hektor kicked at the floor with one sandaled foot, but said nothing.
"What were you thinking, to climb into a pen that small with Oinops? He could have killed you just by leaning against the wall while you were there!"
"But he didn't, Father! I've been in there plenty of times, and-" He bit his words off; but it was too late.
"What's this, now?" said Priam, one dark eyebrow rising. "Have you been sneaking in with that horse?"
"A time or three, sir," Hektor murmured, wanting to hunch his shoulders and duck his father's gaze. It would do him no good, though, so he fought back the shamed gesture and looked back to his father. "I brought him treats, to show him I meant no harm, and so that he would be used to me when I was there for longer. That's all."
"Well, that shows some sense, at least," Priam said grudgingly. "But it remains: you put the stables into a panic today, especially the Horse Master, and you have been sneaking around behind his back doing things that could have gotten you killed. I can't have that, Hektor. You know that."
Hektor nodded glumly.
"You took no injury today, is that so?" Priam asked. When the boy nodded again, he said, "Good. I don't like to do this, but it's best you remember what comes of deceiving and disobeying."
"Yes, sir."