divide & conquer - semi advanced discussion

Sarine shook out her long blonde hair, raking her hands through it to pull out the loose braid. Leaving her hair out naturally, with it's unerring straightness, wasn't exactly considered royal. So she left the castle with it braided and nice and neat and royal, and then the instant she was free she let it out, or in a normal ponytail. For now she was going to let it out. "Come on, Sarabi." She coaxed her kitten, dangling a piece of yarn. In a moment, a tiny paw dabbed at it delicately out from under the large leaf the kitten was hiding under. She laughed softly, kneeling in front of the leaf and twitching the string again.

Savannah suddenly burst out from nearby Sarabi with a mrrow and pounced on the string playfully, her tail swishing as she batted at it.

Shortly after Savannah's appearance, one could hear giggling that could only be coming from one person; Teddy. His real name was Lusca, but no one ever called him that. Stumbling around the bush his pet had exploded through, he grinned at Sarine and said, "Hiya!" in his hand was a fistful of flowers, no doubt the latest bunch for his newest flower crown.

"Teddy!" Sarine said happily, turning to her little brother excitedly. "How are you?" She asked. She snapped her fingers and her kitten stumbled out on her shorter legs. Of course Sarabi promptly fell over into the princess's lap. She smiled, petting the kitten as she curled up in the folds of her dress. "What are you up to this time?" She teased, knowing that he would be up to something. 8 year old kids were always up to something, she knew. Especially 8 year old princes with unlimited resources.

Savannah started to chew on the string and Teddy moved to take it from her before she accidentally ingested some and had a hairball from it later. Sitting down near her so Savannah could play with one of the flowers he was now dangling above her head. "I'm gonna make mommy a flower crown!" he told her cheerily, holding up his fistful of flowers with a huge grin.

Sarine smiled at her little brother, happy that he was so happy. She adored her siblings and seeing one of them so excited was only good for her. "Those flowers you picked will make a very pretty one. Where did you get them? Remember what she said about messing around her roses." She reminded him, raising an eyebrow. She wasn't exactly the type that could warn effectively though, she was far too sweet and so her pseudo-threat fell short. Not that she minded. Being nice could be a weakness, but it was only a strength in her eyes.

"Oh no, I won't not never touch her roses again. I learned my lesson first time. They have all the painful thorns on them." Teddy said at once, shaking his head furiously. He'd only tried to pick roses once, and the response was him running wailing through the castle with his hands covered in thorns from grasping a rose like he did any other flower and pulling up, ripping several thorns off the stems. He hadn't even needed to be told not to touch them again once they finally were able to catch him and pull all the thorns out. Dropping the flower on Savannah's head (which promptly caused her to writhe in his lap as if the flower were alive) he moved to start weaving the flowers together into a crown to give to his mom.

"How is your hand healing up from that?" Sarine asked worriedly, reaching out and catching his hand gently to study it for any scratches. It had been a while ago, but she'd done the same thing with roses when she was little and it had left her sore for a long time. She released him after only a moment, smiling slightly. "How many flower crowns for Mother have you made just this week?" She asked in amusement, chuckling at him. Then she mock pouted at him, fighting to hide her grin. "What if I want one? Come on Teddy, will I ever get a famous Lusca Flower Crown?" She teased, poking his side playfully.

"It still kinda hurts a little, but all the scratches are gone now." Teddy said after a moment, looking down at his hand as well. There were a few scars from the thorns that had bitten deep, but most had healed without leaving a mark. "I wouldn't have to make mommy so many if Savannah didn't keep eating them all." he added in protest, pouting cutely. "I wanna make one for everyone, but she is being a flower field." he added, meaning fiend but not realizing the mistake.

"Well I can help. I'm a professional kitten wrangler, you know." Sarine said earnestly, reaching over and scooping his kitten up. She shifted to cross her legs, the fabric of her dress stretching between her knees to create a kitten play place. She set Savannah down next to Sarabi in her lap, shaking her head when her kitten promptly curled up and went back to sleep. "There. Now she's out of the way and you can make the crown." She assured him, dangling the string in front of Savannah.

"I am not, apposedly." Teddy said with a laugh, looking over at her as she moved Savannah to her lap instead and giggling at how eagerly Savannah went after the string Sarine dangled in front of her, flailing her paws wildly until she fell over on her back and promptly flailed all her paws. Biting his lip in concentration, he moved to start weaving the flowers together for the crown.

"I've had more practice, since I'm older." Sarine pointed out logically, then grinned mischievously over at him. "And I have spent eight of my years wrangling you, so that gives me an advantage as well." She teased, reaching over with her free hand to ruffle up his hair playfully. Then she returned to her duties at kitten distractor, looking down at the two in her lap. She waited for him to start the next conversation with his cheerfulness, happy to talk about whatever he wanted to.

Teddy nodded seriously, then grinned when she said she had plenty of practice with him and giggled. He could be a handful sometimes, but he was at his worst when he was given too much sugar. Then you could only really hope that he'd tire himself out on his own and fall asleep. "That's why mommy doesn't like me having too much sugar." he said with a nod to himself. "What was Sarine doing out here?" he asked curiously, watching Savannah roll around in her lap playing with the string.

"Well, it's either be out here or be inside. And Father told me I was spending too much time inside and reading in my room so here I am." Sarine shrugged, frowning slightly. She looked up at him, smiling once again. "What about you? I mean I know you and your flower crowns, but usually you make them over in the garden or just right by your flowers." She asked curiously, twirling the string.

Teddy giggled and said, "I followed Savannah here. I think she sensed your string." he grinned over at his kitten, who was flailing excitedly at the string twirling in his sisters fingers. "She came running right over to pounce on it, I'm sure."

"Kittens are very good at sensing things like that." Sarine agreed with a smile, "Especially yours. Sarabi is a bit too lazy!" She laughed, carefully scratching behind her fluffy kitten's ear. She grinned as Sarabi yawned and stood, only to walk in a circle and settle down again for another nap.

Teddy grinned over at Sarine, already a good way into his flower crown. "IT makes sense that she is as hyper as I am." he said with a giggle, watching as Sarine's cat circled and settled down for another nap.

"So that means that people are like their pets, huh?" Sarine mused, raising an eyebrow. She grinned over at him, raising an eyebrow. "And I already said that Sarabi was lazy, and she's my pet.... Does that mean that you're calling me lazy." She mock pouted.

Teddy giggled more and said, "No, I was saying its a good thing cause this means she can keep up with me. Silly." he tossed a flower at her playfully and watched Savannah leap wildly from Sarine's lap to tackle it to the ground, her tail swishing as she proceeded to rip all the petals off. "And that's why I haven't finished a flower crown yet." he said with a laugh.

Sarine giggled over at him, ruffling up his hair affectionately. She shifted in her spot, making her kitten squeak out in disapproval. This of course made her chuckle, and she pet Sarabi again, easily coaxing the small animal into relaxing once more. Not that that was hard at all, with how lazy the cat was. "Sarabi doesn't try and mess with what I'm doing, unless she's sleeping on it!" She giggled.

Teddy giggled with her, watching her cat and comparing her to his own, who was still destroying the flower he threw. "I'm glad Savannah is full of energy though." he said after a moment. "Even if she destroys my flower crowns." he grinned up at his sister.

"That does mean she's more like you." Sarine agreed with a smile, looking over at Savannah. "You're both insane little rascals!" She teased her brother as she switched her gaze to him, tickling is side with a laugh.