Rimehold, Svafa Tents: Ashilda (Samheen 14th)

Post by **Tygress** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:56 pm

(Ashilda from: Rimehold, Temple of the Ice Queen: Ashilda (Samheen 14th))

Samheen 14th

Once Ashilda made her way back to her family's tent, she found her mother standing outside the home she had grown up in, obviously waiting for her daughter.

Her mother gave Ashilda a long, penetrating look.

"Where have you been, child? I thought you would be back sooner. We need to determine what you will take to Fronigtalle for your sacrifice to the Goddess. Did you have something in mind?"

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Mon Feb 16, 2004 2:10 am

Seeing her mother waiting as she approached, Ash increased her pace a little. Her face flushed a little at the mild rebuke, but she answered respectfully, "I apologise if I kept you waiting, mother, but I felt the need to spend some time meditating in the temple. I met Ingvildr there, and we were speaking together of the Rite and what it means to undertake it."

She considered her mother's question carefully. It was something she had often thought about these past few days, and she had still to reach a decision. Finally she replied ruefully, "I have thought long on this, but I have to admit that I'm at a loss. What do I possibly have that is worthy of a sacrifice to the Goddess?"

OOC: Sorry that this in kind of short, but I'm at as much of a loss as Ash. What would be appropriate to take as a sacrifice?

Post by **Tygress** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 8:46 am

Her mother shook her head, and motioned Ashilda inside the tent, where it was warmer then standing in the bitter winds.

"No, daughter, nothing you have is worthy. Remember, it must be something you make or catch on your own. An offering of food for the sacred beasts of the Valley is the usual fare. I remember, I brought a lovely brace of white rabbit."

She smiled in fond rememberance of her own Rite, then looked down at her daughter. "Keep in mind, child, it must be something you do all on your own. Even this much is part of your Rite, proving you can look after yourself and your needs."

OOC: Hope that helps ;D

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 11:53 am

Ash nodded slowly, a slight frown creasing her features. "I'm not much of a hunter," she admitted. "And I've never been hunting alone. Am I allowed to take a companion if they don't help to actually hunt my offering?" She would ask her brother, if it were permitted, she decided. They were good friends, as well as siblings, and she knew she could trust him to watch out for her.

"I will have to borrow weapons," she mused, as much to herself as to Anushka. "I never had any need for my own... I didn't use them often enough. But what to hunt? What would please the Goddess and her servants most?" She raised enquiring eyes to the woman who had been her role-model for as long as she could remember. "I would hate to think that my gift would be considered unworthy or... well... demeaning to them." She flushed slightly, hoping her mother would not take that as a slight against the brace of rabbits she had offered. Yet, while rabbits were all very well, Ash wanted to be able to offer something impressive at her Rite. She wasn't sure rabbits would be enough, but doubted her ability to bring down anything much larger with her megre skills.

OOC: It did. Thanks.

Post by **Tygress** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 8:14 am

Ashilda's mother smiled a bit, and then reached up on a high shelf above the niche that served as her sleeping quarters. She handed the leather wrapped bundle to Ashilda.

"These are for you. You're father wanted you to have them for your Rite. You don't think we were going to send you to the Valley unarmed did you? It's a dangerous trip."

Inside was a lovely quiver, worked in leather and copper in designs she recognized as her sister's handiwork. The arrows inside could only have been made by her brother. The sturdy shortbow inside was carved with runes that made it thrum softly in her hands.

Her mother pointed to the runes indivdually. "This is for luck. This here is for protection, and these here are for courage and good aim.."

She grinned. "Your brother will help you learn to use them. With such as these you will have no problem finding a worthy offering. And remember, daughter, that whatever you take down, you will ave to be able to carry up into the moutains. A whole deer, as glorious as it sounds, would not only smack of vanity, but be impossible to drag up with you.."

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 4:36 am

Ashilda unwrapped the package and stared for a moment in wonder at the contents. A quiver of fine arrows and a bow, all showing the loving care that went into their making. She traced the patterns on the quiver with a delicate finger, then ran a hand reverentially over the bow. The power in it was obvious, and she listened entranced as her mother pointed out the meanings of the runes carved into it. I can study them, she thought with pleasure. I can memorise the forms while I travel, so that I'll be familiar with them when I begin my training.

So wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost didn't catch her mother's cautioning advice, she took a moment to assimilate the words and returned the older woman's grin with a weak one of her own. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted with a small laugh. "I suppose it would be a little much to carry a deer, wouldn't it?" She sighed ruefully and ran her hand over the bow again. "Is it alright if I go and practise now? I'd like to head out on the hunt as soon as possible."

Post by **Tygress** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 7:54 am

[ooc: I've added your arrows, quiver & bow to your inventory

]

Her mother smiled and shook her head. "If you are truly going to continue in this hope of learning the runes, Ashilda, you must, MUST begin to practice thinking things through. No more of this rushing about frantically.. "

Her mother turned back to the rolled out skin she had been studying, and nodded, making a shooing motion with her hand. "Yes, of course, go on- you'll need as much practice as you can get in between now and then.. "

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 1:38 am

OOC: Thankies.

IC:

Ash left following her mother's gesture, but wondered what the older woman had meant by rushing about frantically. She wasn't really doing anything untoward, was she? I'm excited about finally becoming an adult, she thought with a touch of exasperation. She just doesn't remember how exciting this time is - it was a long time ago for her! So she probably forgets... or maybe she just didn't think it as important as I do? Mulling over this, she headed out to the practise area. Perhaps she would see a few of her friends on the way, so she could show them the lovely new bow and arrows she had. Smiling, she ran her hand over the smooth wood again. She had never been concerned much about hunting or weaponry, but now that she had a fine set of her own she felt inordinately proud of them.

Even better, perhaps her brother would be around somewhere. She wanted to thank him for the work he had done on her gift, and maybe to ask him to help her practise. If not, she was sure there would be someone else there who would give her some advice. She would need to get a feel for the bow and the arrows, both of which were of better quality than the ones she had occasionally practised with. She wondered what difference the runes would make, and if she would feel the difference in power when she drew the bow or when she released the arrow.

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 10:42 pm

As Ashilda approached the practice area, she noticed that someone else was already there. The male form was familiar, and it soon became apparent that her brother had anticipated her desire to use her new weapon. There he stood, just as she'd hoped, a broad grin on his face and awaiting her arrival.

((OOC: Sorry for the brevity, but I wanted to get this moving again.

By the way, what is your brother's name?))

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 12:12 am

OOC: Good question. I went and looked over my old notes and found he didn't have one. So half an hour and a dozen baby name sites later, here we go.

Apparently the name means "steadfast", which seemed to work with my impression o fhis character.
Oh, and sorry for the delay in getting gback to this. It's been one of those weeks where nothing goes right. *sigh*

IC:

Ash's own grin mirrored her brother's as she quickened her pace to meet him. Glancing around to see that there was no one within easy earshot, she reached out to embrace him as she greeted, "Konsti, thank you! Your workmanship is, as always, wonderful." The nickname for her brother, Konstantin, dated back to when she was a small child and unable to pronounce his full name. It had stuck, but she did try to only use it in private - it was hardly a fitting name for the skilled hunter her brother had become.

Konstantin da'Svafa was eight yahren her senior, but despite the difference, the two had always held a close friendship. Ashilda had idolised her older brother when she was younger, but as they had both grown older the relationship had also matured into one of deep respect and affection. She also privately thought that he brother, with his dark hair and fathomless dark eyes, was extraordinarily handsome and new that he would serve as the benchmark if she ever decided to look for a husband.

Holding out her new posessions so she could admire them again, she said wryly, "I suppose you've already seen them all, but would you be so kind as to help me practise with them? I know I don't spend as much time out here as most, but until today I'd never regarded that as a problem." She sighed. "Suddenly, faced with the task of hunting the offerings for my Rite, I wish I'd begun practising sooner."

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 7:07 pm

Konstantin's grin grew broader as his sister joined him. He could see how pleased she was with her gifts.

"That's what I'm here for," he said in reply to her request for his help. Sure enough he had his own bow and quiver waiting nearby and these he took up as Ashilda confessed her realization of her need for the skill.

He had known that the day would come and he was glad to help her in this step toward her adult status. The rite was a pivotal time in any Trothgardian's life, and a vital element of their culture. It was not merely a symbolic shift from childhood into adulthood, but it was a very real test of an individual's character and acceptability to the Ice Queen. Konstantin knew in his heart that dearest little sister would meet this challenge with the burning determination that he knew was within her.

"Let's get you accustomed to your new weapon then," her brother said, with a calm that belied the importance of this practice.

They went over how to hold the bow correctly, until Konstantin was content with Ashilda's grip and stance. He made small adjustments, often so small that his sister could hardly tell that there was any difference. Burns went by and she hadn't even released her first arrow.

Just as Ashilda began to wonder if she would ever progress beyond this, she realized that the bow was beginning to fell like an extension of her body.

"That's it, Ashilda!" her brother declared, as if he to had noticed the change.

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 1:26 am

Time passed as Konstantin adjusted Ash's grip and stance. Her arms were feeling the strain of holding the bowstring taut and she vowed that when all this was over she was going to continue to practise with the bow - one never knew when it would be useful, and she couldn't stand the thought of letting her muscles become so unused to the action that it would cause so much discomfort. Of course, it might not be so uncomfortable if Konsti let me release it... She swallowed the uncharitable thought, reminding herself that he was far better at this than she was ever likely to be and that she shouldn't even consider being ungrateful for his help.

Finally the moment came when her grip on the bow felt perfectly natural. She was in control of it, and sensed the easing of sore muscles across her shoulders and upper arms. At her brother's exclamation, she darted a glance at him and smiled. "This is what we've been striving for, isn't it?" she asked. "This feeling that it's all natural to be holding the bow? So, can I try shooting now? I think we're going to have to spend twice as long working on my aim." She chuckled lightly, then glanced at the bow and remembered the runes carved on it. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all?

Zhavon Mikhalrian · Post by **Zhavon Mikhalrian** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 10:36 am

((OOC: Hey Ashilda, I'm just posting temporarily for Twilight while she's sick.))

Naturally, Ashilda's muscle tone would build with practice and she could be very sore come the next morning, but it was all worth it in the end.

Konstantin smiled and applauded his sister enthusiastically. "Would you like to work on target practice?" He chuckled, knowing that she was probably right about becoming a crack marksman so soon. As soon as she agreed, he was striding quickly across the practice area to a far tree where a padded target had been tied at about chest level. What its colour had been originally, Ashilda was unable to tell, but it was now a sort of dirty, off white hue with a rust coloured stain in the center that was likely to have been made with animal blood at some point. It would serve, as it had for all of those aspiring archers and hunters.

He rejoined her, winking jovially at her as he came up along her left side. "I don't want to be hit accidentally, you know..." Again, he laughed, looking back to the target as he teased her. "Go ahead and take an arrow from the quiver. You're going to want to rest the shaft against the fingers of your left hand, using them as a guide." Konstantin paused, wondering precisely how to explain how to grip the opposite end of the arrow. "You'll sight along the shaft, using the arrowhead as a needle to your direction..." Looking to her again, he ran a hand through his hair and smiled. "Would it be easier for you if I showed you? I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well."

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:41 am

Ash nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion of target practise. It would be good to actually shoot something and test her new bow. She had always been a fairly indifferent marksman, not spending enough time at practise to build up any great skill, and she was curious to see what a difference the runes inscribed on the wood would make.

She watched her brother adjust the target before returning to her side. Chuckling, she retorted, "Would be silly of me to get you hurt, Konsti - who else could I trust to watch my back when I go hunting?" Releasing the bowstring gently (to the great relief of her arms) she took one of the finely crafted arrows and tried to do as her brother suggested. She had seen the hunters hold their weapons all her life, so she understood the theory of where the arrow should rest, but she was out of practise and it wasn't as easy as it looked. On the first attempt, the arrow slipped sideways off her hand as soon as she trid to draw the string back. With a good-natured curse, she replaced it and tried again - with the same result. A frown creasing her brow, she turned to her brother in appeal. "How do you get it to stay put?" she asked plaintively.

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:36 pm

Her brother chuckled softly.

"Your thumb, sister mine. Use your thumb," he replied. "Just lift the tip a little so that the shaft rests on your thumb nail." As he explained, he showed her with his own weapon.

It was a subtle change in the way Ashilda grasped the bow, but an effective one. The previously erstwhile arrow now stayed in place, balanced just on the side of her thumb nail.

"That's it. Now, keep the arrow steady and try your aim," Konstantin encouraged.

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:01 am

Ashilda's eyes widened as she found what a difference the slight change of grip made. The arrow now firmly in place, she nodded and sighted down the arrow towards the target. The tip seemed to dip and weave a little and she sternly ordered her muscles to behave themselves. Trying to hold it steady, she finally decided that she had a reasonable line to the target and let the arrow go.

The string whistled past her face, lightly clipping her cheek and drawing an involuntary eppithet from her. As she lowered the bow and put up her free hand to rub her smarting cheek, she grinned ruefully at her brother. "I guess I should have turned my face away before I released, yes?" Shrugging, she looked over towards the target to see how well she had shot.

OOC: Sorry so short - I'm posting from work during my break. And the string to the cheek thing comes from personal experience of my one attempt at archery.

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 10:10 pm

The arrow sailed toward the target, but the rub to Ashilda's cheek caused the aim to go off and it planted itself in the ground at the target's base.

"OK, little one," Konstantin replied, with a twinkle of unspoken mirth in his eyes. "Tilt your head just a little, so that the shaft doesn't graze you and you should be fine." He held up his bow, notching an arrow and holding it so that his little sister could see how he sighted the arrow without interfering with its flight. "Just so," he said, just before letting off on the draw.

Then he put down his weapon and handed Ashilda another arrow, encouraging her to try again. With the adjustment, the next shot hit the bottom edge of the target and Konstantin awarded her with a proud smile, before handing her another arrow. Practice would quickly sharpen her skills, he knew and he took pride in his sister's determination to learn and to take her place in their society. Never had he doubted that she would, and now Ashilda was rewarding his steadfast faith in her by allowing him to be part of this vital process.

"You're doing well, Ashie," he said encouragingly, calling her by his pet-name for her that he had used since she was a baby. He would never dream of using it in front of anyone else now that Ashilda was growing up and on the verge of becoming an adult.

((OOC: Me too, oddly enough

))

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 1:57 am

After watching her brother carefully, Ash copied his action and was rewarded with a hit on the target - albeit not in the middle. Resisting the urge to bounce up and down in excitement (that was a child's response, and unbecomming of the young woman she was soon to be) she returned Konstantin's grin and accepted another arrow. She aimed a little higher than last time, hoping to get closer to the centre of the target.

She noticed that now she was not sighting towards the centre of the taregt, but a little above it. Then again, when she had aimed for the centre it had hit too low. Puzzled, she held the shot for a moment to comment, "So it's better to sight above what you're aiming at... How far above? Does it depend on distance?" Shrugging? She took aim and let the arrow go. Konstantin would probably answer her question, but she wanted to see for herself the effect of the change in aim.

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:20 am

Konstantin watched her next shot before answering.

"That's right. The greater the distance the more you compensate," he explained, nodding is agreement with her and pleased with her second shot. It landed with a firm 'thunk' almost half way between the centre and the bottom of the target. Ashilda was clearly getting the feel for her new weapon.

Turning back to his sister, he continued, "But you'll have to adjust that as your drawing arm gets stronger. The longer the draw, the farther you can shoot before you'll need to adjust your aim upward." Then he shook his head as if to forestall her complaints. "I know, I know! It's complicated, but you'll get it and you'll start to know by instinct when to compensate and how much." He gave Ashilda an encouraging pat on the shoulder before handing her another arrow.

They went on like this for nearly another full burn, before Ashilda's arms were getting tired and her shoulder muscles were starting to burn with the unfamiliar exertion. By this time, the girl had managed to get the last several arrows into a nice cluster near the centre of the target. Although she had not hit the actual centre, her brother was very impressed with her performance.

"You've done really well this Tradetide, little sister! Much better than most," he declared with obvious pride. "But that's enough for today."

Then he turned and went over to his leather satchel that sat on the ground a couple of paces away. He rummaged through the contents for a moment, before pulling out a small ceramic jar and handing it to Ashilda.

"You'll need this," he said with a grin.

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:28 am

Ash looked at the cluster of arrows in the target and smiled with pleased satisfaction. It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly better than she'd performed the last time she tried shooting. Her aim had improved markedly, and she was starting to understand how to compensate for the length of the shot. It was tiring work, though, and she felt the strain in her arms and back. She rolled her shoulders back a few times, trying to ease the tension.

Looking over to her brother and the jar he held, she raised an eyebrow in query. "What is it, Konsti? Something that will make me shoot better?" She chuckled at her own whimsy - if there really was such a thing, she would have used it in the begining. "How far would you say I have to go before I should try hunting for real, anyway?"

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:43 am

Tapping the jar gently with his index finger, Konstantin smiled as he replied, "This slave will stop your muscles from seizing up by Morningtide. It's got calendula in it," he said, his smile fading into a frown as he tried to answer her question. "And lavender, I think.... But I'm not sure what else."

"Anyway, it works," her brother declared. "So make sure you use it, little sister, tonight and in the Morningtide."

Considering her next question, the young man was silent for a moment before he answered.

"A few more days and you should be ready, I think. Two at least, to be sure," Konstantin said thoughtfully. "Gotta make sure your arms are ready to handle it."

They were beginning to lose the light now, as Tradetide moved into Eventide. Konstantin gathered up his equipment and encouraged Ashilda to do the same. The arrows were undamaged and all could be easily salvaged, except for the first that had pierced the ground and broken it's head on a rock.

"I'll take this one and try to replace the head," her brother offered, examining the damaged arrow head and shaft closely for a few flickers.

"So, tomorrow Morningtide then?" he asked her, looking up from his inspection of the arrow.

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:22 am

Ash nodded in understanding and accepted the jar gratefully. "I will, for sure," she assured Konstantin. "You're a dear for thinking of it." She gave him a warm smile.

The jar tucked away safely, she set about gathering up the arrows from the target. They all seemed to be in good condition, but the one that had embedded itself in the ground had not fared so well. She frowned in annoyance to have lost one of her new arrows so soon, until her brother offered to try and repair it. Her face lit up with gratitude. "Would you really? Oh, thank you! What would would I do without you, Konsti?"

Gathering the bow and quiver, she smiled at him and nodded. "Morningtide, definitely. I'm going to practise as hard as I can, so that I can hunt my offerings soon." She waited for him to gather his things as well, then asked as they left the practise ground, "What did you take on your Rite? Mother said she took a pair of white rabbits on hers." Her voice held nothing more than friendly curiosity, but she was still trying to decide what she wanted to take with her as her own offering to the Ice Queen.

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:22 am

Konstantin's face took on a faraway look as he thought back, not for the first time, to his rite of passage. He smiled at the memories, his blue eyes, so like his sisters, lit with joy.

"I took a silver fox and a plump Ptarmagen. The fox was a beauty, but the bird was really something!" he related with obvious pride, gesturing with his hands to illustrate the prodigious size of the foul. For some, this would like be a 'fish story', but Ashilda knew her brother far to well to doubt his word.

"I think that whatever you're supposed to take will come to you, Ashie," he declared philosophically, returning his focus to the present. "You'll find the right offerings when the time comes, little sister, I'm sure of it," he reassured her with a pat on her shoulder. he was not being patronizing, but rather understanding of the nerves she must be feeling.

"To tell you the truth, I went out looking for rabbits," her brother confided with a soft laugh.

Ashilda da'Svafa · Post by **Ashilda da'Svafa** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:39 am

Ashilda's eyes widened with appreciation as Konstantin's hands sketched out the size of the bird he had caught. She had been too young at the time to really appreciate what her brother was doing when he had disappeared for a while, but when she searched her memories she found that she did dimly recall him coming home and showing off his catches before he left. The significance of the event had eluded her at the time, but now she gave him a smile as she took his arm and gave it a squeeze.

As they headed companionably from the training compound towards the family tents, she said, "Thanks for the advice, big brother. Not to mention all your help. I'm actually looking forward to going hunting in a couple of days."

Twilight · Post by **Twilight** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:19 am

(Ashilda continued:Hunting Plains: Ashilda (Samheen 16th))

THREAD SKILLED