Sth different from the yak (also singing the petition lol), but I used sth for inspiration for my own fantasy worldbuilding and tbh imaging the monarch with it is just peak aesthetic: one alpine ibex with colourful painted horns as a riding animal! Also colourful bridle stuff! just.. imagine sth cute like the monarch returning and his ibex knew it days before, how would the ROs react to sth like that (an animal that was close to the monarch, got lethargic when monarch vanished and suddenly got livier again shortly before monarch returns)?
You are in luck, dear anon, for something similar has been planned already. In fact, every member of the royal family (only the monarch at the time of their first reign) is assigned a pet blue bear as official mount.
They are armored when led to war, and otherwise kept in barns in the palace or by the Monarch's throne. MC's bear was not with them when Dehyjr took the throne, and I'm not goinh to spoil you anything but you might get a reunion of sorts post-slavery...
