Hunting Plains: Ashilda (Samheen 16th)

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Ashilda da'Svafa

Post by Ashilda da'Svafa »

Ash nodded solemnly. "I know the Ice Queen will watch over me," she replied softly. "But I also know that she's not likely to intervene if something goes wrong. The Rite is supposed to be about doing it ourselves - she won't change that, I'm thinking."

She gave her brother a rueful smile as she replied to his next question. "I want to learn how to use the power of the runes, like Mother does. Like almost all the family does. I know I have it in me to do well. Mother doesn't think so, I feel sometimes, but I want to prove her wrong! I want to be the best!" Her voice had grown more impassioned as she spoke, and now she checked herself and flushed sheepishly. With a half-shrug, she finished, "I think it's what I'm meant to do."
Twilight
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Post by Twilight »

Konstantin chuckled, but with understanding and sympathy flickering in his eyes in the firelight.

"Mother is not yet ready to see you as an adult, little sister," he answered with his customary directness, as he checked the roasting bird, adjusting it's position over the fire.

Around them, the frigid night wind howled, blowing snow above them to land several paces to the leeward side, creating a bowl of relative calm around their camp. It was a well-chosen site, as the temperature with the windchill was beyond bone-chilling and it kept them out of the worst of it.

Their meal was quite plain and the meat of the hawk was very gamey, but it was hot and quite filling when supplemented with the dry rations they had brought with them. Their long day of walking and the excitement of the hunt caused them both to eat heartily, and in relative silence.

After the meal, Konstantin indicated for Ashilda to bank up the fire while he packed the remaining meat from the bird in snow and wrapped it in a square of cloth. It would make for a decent snack on their hike in the morning.

Sleep called to both of them, but her brother knew that nerves would also be plaguing Ashilda. He regarded her with sympathetic eyes as he asked, "Ready to get some sleep?"
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Ashilda da'Svafa

Post by Ashilda da'Svafa »

Ashilda grimaced slightly at her brother's comment about their mother. "Well, she sighed, "She'll have to realise I'm an adult if I come back with my feather." The young woman smiled at the prospect.

She was glad when the bird was finally cooked. It was a filling meal, and the heat of the food was welcome enough to overlook the plain fare. Considering that she would be fasting in the Valley, she knew that she would be glad enough of the solid meal come the morrow.

When they had both eaten as much as they wanted, she carefully banked the fire while Konstantin wrapped the bird and stored it safely for the following day. She had the fire's coals covered over carefully by the time he had finished - they would give off a little heat through the night if they lay close by, but more importantly they would keep until the morning and make it easy to stir the fire up to a blaze again and make a hot drink before they set off.

At her brother's question, she looked across and saw the sympathy and understanding in his eyes. She managed a wan smile as she replied, "I guess so. Tomorrow will be an important day, so I'd be better to face it well rested." She leaned over and gaver her brother a brief kiss on the cheek. "Sleep well, Konsti. And thank you for everything you've done for me these last few days."

Wrapping herself in cloak and blanket, she lay beside the fire and tried to compose her mind for sleep. Her mind, however, seemed to have other ideas and whirled about as if storm-tossed. Tomorrow she would reach the Valley and make her offering to the Goddess and the hippogryphs. If she was judged worthy, she would finally be accepted as an adult member of the Clan. What if she wasn't found worthy though? What if one or the other didn't accept her offering? Please, my Queen, accept me so that I can serve you well. I place myself in your hands as I stand on the cusp of womanhood. I want only to learn from you, to learn to control the power that is one of your gifts to us. I pledge that if you help me, I will use that power and all of my skills and abilities to serve your will. The prayer was heartfelt, for all that it was silent, and she raised an edge of the blanket to wipe away the tears she felt clinging to her lashes before they could freeze solid.
Twilight
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Post by Twilight »

(Ashilda continued: Fronigtalle: Ashilda (Samheen 17th))

THREAD SKILLED
Last edited by Twilight on Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:19 am, edited 2 times in total.
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