Time Out Amidst the Leaves

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Welcome to the Gardens: one of the most tranquil areas of the Tower Grounds. Birds sing in the trees which line the wide paths between beautiful flower beds and serene lakes. There are benches to sit and listen to the waterfall, and there is neatly trimmed grass to lie on and rest. Novices and Soldiers as well as Warders in Training can be seen, sweeping the stone paths as Accepted and Dedicated study from books and relax under leafy trees.
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Andy
"A Crown of Swords"
Posts: 611
Joined: February 4th, 2017, 11:16 pm
PC: Alrim Farshera Gaidin
Location: UK

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Andy » March 2nd, 2017, 5:24 pm

"Perhaps you've just not thought the right way about it," he said slowly, pondering, "I mean, what is it you like doing? Apart from dealing with deadly birds of course" he asked, still intermittently eyeing the creature.

He was impressed when she just touched its beak, she clearly had a talent for the care and hunting with birds of prey. He wasn't sure what might compel someone to do so but it took all sorts, he reasoned. She was merely another small thread in the fabric that made up the Grey Tower, she had her place and things would likely be different were she not there, doing what she did.

"Sometimes I find that I look at something so hard it becomes impossible to see it properly. I think I have another few encounters here that have proven that. You want to talk about it then might as well be me, I'm honest enough and don't have a reason to say anything directing" he shrugged, she could talk or not, ultimately it was her choice.

Her next question, however, was the one he had been expecting from the start and was also the one he disliked having to go over again and again. It wasn't Avyra's fault so he did not blame her, people were curious creatures when they weren't being strange ones. He wondered, idly, if he should lie but knew that it would be discovered soon enough. No point in dissembling these days. Too much for him to lose by it.

"Fate brought me here," he said sadly, "or at least that's what I like to tell myself. Seems a bit like a joke to me. I wasn't a very good son and less good at work. Wine, women and song I think my father said. So, I am effectively disowned" he told her, words falling into place precisely, he knew it by rote by now.

"I don't think it's permanent, or that was what was said. Become a man, go tot he Grey Tower, do something useful and all that. I can't blame them but I don't pretend that I wanted to be here either. Seems I'm good enough with a sword so who knows, maybe I will get through it in one peace. If not...well we will come to that if so" he finished.

"What about you?"
~
Arafel Will Rise, Kick Matty's Butt & Be Totally The Most Awesome Land Evar
~

Avyra
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1079
Joined: February 21st, 2016, 10:03 pm
PC: Avyra *bloody* Moeryr - Accepted

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Avyra » March 11th, 2017, 7:12 pm

His answer didn't really hold the answer to her question, but she figured that it was much more complicated than she had thought it to be. It usually was. So she didn't push him to tell more; if there was one thing she had learned, it was people would reveal their troubles with time and trust, and she had neither of these with Alrim yet.

Still, he was a Drin, a potential bondmate. However, with her distinct lack of friendships or people who would want to bond her, she was starting to feel like that dream was a long dead hope.

His question brought her back to reality. "What about you?"

She merely shrugged. "I had the spark. I was basically thrown out when my father found out." She paused. "My mother, apparently, was a channeler who couldn't make it through the White Tower training. My father hated channelers. She kept the fact a secret." Avyra paused. "My father left and my mother sent me here. I used to write home a lot... now... I'm not sure what's happened..." She bit her lip and fell silent for a few minutes.

"I wish I didn't have these powers. I wish I couldn't channel. The more I stay here... the more I realize I'm not cut out for it." She paused. " I want to be good. But I'm just unnoticed. Sure, I got my ring, but... I'm not sure it means as much as everyone says it does."

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Andy
"A Crown of Swords"
Posts: 611
Joined: February 4th, 2017, 11:16 pm
PC: Alrim Farshera Gaidin
Location: UK

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Andy » March 13th, 2017, 6:07 pm

He was getting a taste of his own medicine for once, hearing the absolute lack of faith in self that Avyra possessed, aired in a tone that was all too familiar to him. He wished he could deny it but it was too clear to see to be ignored. He wondered, briefly, how tolerant those who had put up with him in that regard were. He supposed that they must be decent enough to keep pushing him, believing in him. Even if that belief came at the tip of a blade. He was offered a brief moment of self-reflection, within which he made the foundations of a vow that he was not sure he could keep but was more than he had moments before.

Doubt I can stop doing myself down fully but...a bit perhaps. Maybe half. Try to get in some self-belief. I mean I can do a lot of things better than most of my peers I suppose he mused, knowing he would return to the point later.

"I am sorry to hear that you were thrown out for being you," he started slowly, watching her as he spoke, "at least they had reason to do so to me. You had no choice. For what it's worth I am sure that those here are thankful you were sent here. As I hear it not many channellers about and certainly I don't know of any with falconry skills" he offered, it was all he had really, he was not long arrived himself.

He wondered whether Avyra read the situation rightly, he found it very difficult to believe that she was completely anonymous as a person. The Grey Tower was quire welcoming, even if it was hard on you at first. At least they thought that they were doing the right thing when they did so. Ignored? He did not think that was possible, especially not for a channeller. Perhaps, he reasoned, Avyra simply thought so little of herself - for whatever reason - that she saw what re-enforced it.

"I am sure that's not true, you hold great power and they would not let you use it if they ignored you, if they did not try to make sure that you were ready for it. I merely swing a sword, you can level mountains," he pointed out affably, "if you were not valued as good enough you would not be an Accepted. As for unnoticed, well we can't all be the Amyrlin or M'Hael. I think that I would rather be me than them. I wouldn't want to be the Master of Arms right now" he chuckled.

"Perhaps in time, with patience. I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to make a name for yourself Avyra, you have talents beyond the average woman. Why would you think that would never be appreciated? Or noticed?"
~
Arafel Will Rise, Kick Matty's Butt & Be Totally The Most Awesome Land Evar
~

Avyra
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1079
Joined: February 21st, 2016, 10:03 pm
PC: Avyra *bloody* Moeryr - Accepted

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Avyra » March 18th, 2017, 1:24 pm

"I just am," she replied sharply. Avyra gritted her teeth, trying very hard but failing to bore him with her emotions. Light, she was supposed to be the higher ranked one! How incredibly awful.

"Maybe at one time I had a future here. Maybe at one time I belonged. I have nothing now. The only one who I'm friends with is the M'hael. Which might sound like a lot. But its not. I used to have more friends, friends my rank. But they're either dead or have given up on me."

She stood up and huffed. "I'm forgotten. I'm too small to be great at anything, to be noticed. For anyone to want to bond. In fact, I'd be a burden to any bondmate. I'm not even that strong in the Power. Level mountains? Ha! The best I can do is Illusion, and frankly there are better at it than myself around this place."

She sighed. "But that future is over now. I should leave. I've been offered the way out. But. Then I'd be even more of a failure. Then I would throw out that last little chance of actually making a difference in the world." She paused. "Foolish as I might be, I'm not stopping until the last little bit of light I have for this place is gone. Friends or not, I am getting that bloody old shawl. Maybe then I wouldn't be treated like a child. Maybe then I'd be respected."

It sounded almost silly outloud. Avyra knew there was something else keeping her here, but she didn't know what it could be.

"What about you? How's your experience in this place?"

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Andy
"A Crown of Swords"
Posts: 611
Joined: February 4th, 2017, 11:16 pm
PC: Alrim Farshera Gaidin
Location: UK

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Andy » March 18th, 2017, 2:31 pm

He had hoped to change her mind, or at least get her to think differently upon herself. In that he failed abysmally, something he couldn’t condemn her for given his own views on self and circumstance. Still he felt for her, something must have happened for her to feel as she did. H did not wish to ask what it was, it would merely bring up difficult memories he presumed. Better to not force the issue, that was clear enough.

Still, I hope she changes her mind. Seems decent enough and the Tower likes to hold onto its people he told himself, wondering if they would let her go even if she wanted to. He doubted it.

“Who said you could not make new friends? Or that we were not friends. Okay we’ve just met but I am not running away, am I? As for the shawl, good. I have found so far that stubborn nature tends to win out” he pointed out gently before letting the subject fall for now.

He smiled at her and began walking slowly towards the pond nearby, stooping to scoop up a few pebbles as he motioned for her to follow. Approaching the edge he skimmed the first pebble, watching t hop several times before it died, drowning as only stone could. He waited for Avyra to come alongside him as he worked out in his mind what he would say. It was an easy and a difficult question at the same time.

“My experience is filled with lots of training, bruises, dirt and feeling tired all of the time,” he said between throws, “but overall it’s been alright. In some ways its the best thing as ever happened to me. Didn’t choose it but...well when you have nowhere to go and no skills but the ones people don’t like it is a decent place to live. To change perhaps” he stated simply, he didn’t go into detail, he tried not to think upon it all the time.

He skimmed another stone and snorted as it fell into the depths so early he might as well have not bothered. He tried again and was more satisfied the second time.

“What’s your favourite thing to do, Avyra? Apart from Falconry that is,” he asked her, “I like to read, gamble, drink, dance and so many other things. Don’t get much free time to do them these days but perhaps we could squeeze in something together eh?”
~
Arafel Will Rise, Kick Matty's Butt & Be Totally The Most Awesome Land Evar
~

Avyra
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1079
Joined: February 21st, 2016, 10:03 pm
PC: Avyra *bloody* Moeryr - Accepted

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Avyra » March 22nd, 2017, 2:13 am

Avyra swallowed her feelings, listening to him speak. He was... he was a friend. It. It was a good thing to admit. She had someone else.

He stood and made his way to the side of the water, picking up a few pebbles, skipping them in the water. She stood and followed him, standing up next to him by the water, green eyes searching the ripples that obscured her reflection in its surface, listening to him speak of his days at the yard. He threw another stone.

“What’s your favourite thing to do, Avyra? Apart from Falconry that is,” he asked her, “I like to read, gamble, drink, dance and so many other things. Don’t get much free time to do them these days but perhaps we could squeeze in something together eh?”

She stopped. What did she like to do? "I..." She stammered, pausing for a moment. "I snuck my flute in here to play it. I. I." She couldn't think of anything else. Her voice fell. "I can't do much else. I'm no good at dancing or drinking. I'm too small for both. No one wants to dance with someone they could step on, or drink with someone who'll be unconscious after the first glass." She paused. "I would love to do something with you, but I don't know what."

Her face fell and she looked at her feet. "I'm sorry. I'm not even supposed to act like this around a first rank. I'm supposed to be a role model, someone to look up to, not someone to look down at. Physically or mentally."

User avatar
Andy
"A Crown of Swords"
Posts: 611
Joined: February 4th, 2017, 11:16 pm
PC: Alrim Farshera Gaidin
Location: UK

Re: Time Out Amidst the Leaves

Post by Andy » April 6th, 2017, 4:21 pm

"I'm not sure you've done anything to be looked down at, we only just met and had a talk," he told her simply, "it's not like we had a tussle in the bushes and then burned down the gardens. I'd not worry about it and realise you're not as bad as you seem to think you are" he finished, throwing the last of his stones to skip across the water's surface.

He turned to look at her then, hands upon his hips and a considering look to his face. He was not sure she deserved any of the things she was telling herself. She hadn't even seemed to have done anything wrong in her life at all. He was inclined to believe her story of her past too, it rang true enough. Perhaps she just needed someone to tell her outright, firmly?

Then again, who am I to tell her anything? I am hardly a pillar of decency he wondered to himself.

"It seems you have much to figure out then," he told her in a gentle but firm tone of voice, direct, "but I can't do it for you. Tell you what, when you know what you want to do with me you'll find me in the Yards. Usually covered in dirt. I must go, I have lessons waiting for me" he grinned at her and clasped her shoulder briefly before turning away and taking a few paces.

"But remember," he turned and paced backwards as he walked, "you are better than you know. Light look at me, I was a criminal and I'm here, being better. You never hurt anyone in your life Avyra, start seeing how good you really are. And find me when you wish to" he waved at her before turning and making his way back towards the Yards.

He wondered if she would heed his words. He hoped so but he had no way of knowing if he had jogged her way of thinking. Not until next time. As for himself, it was on day at a time.
~
Arafel Will Rise, Kick Matty's Butt & Be Totally The Most Awesome Land Evar
~

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