Waiting patiently for the lesson to continue, the memory locked away in a recess of her mind for another time, Shai was confused when the rogue didn’t continue. Perhaps she ought to have considered what he had said earlier about this being a new facet on their relations, instead she had fallen back on the idea it was business. To her, bettering herself was business; she made no division between practice for work and the work itself. Listening in quiet contemplation the rogue offered his ear and arm to assuage her fears. Her first reaction was defensive and filled with contempt, for her own failings not his offer. Why do men always think I will fall to pieces without their aid? Always pushing me in the directions they view as best.
But as she sat in the pensive silence, leaned against him, Shai understood what he had been trying to say. While she found it hard to believe the man wouldn’t judge her past crimes she also had no intention of sharing them. She could explain the memory that had jarred her, there was nothing taboo about mentioning the geography but she again chose not to. The spider could explain to him about her home but that would not fix the problem, only knowledge could fix her ignorance which was the root of the fear in this case. So instead she sat awhile, removing further the past and drawing in this moment.
Stealing comfort from Antar’s presence, Shai had certainly regained her clarity but if not for Elise she might never have achieved an epiphany. Watching the falcon, the Symenestra learned a lesson in the same way adults often did from children; the simplicity of the concept was what had obscured it to begin with. She wasn’t alone, she had created something new in this surface world and this man and the amusing kelvic were part of that. To call Antar merely an associate or fellow gang member was lying, and she had been indulging in untruths for too long.
Spoiling herself with one last moment of contact before Shai signified it was time to complete their training. Her mind was clear, but her eyes were full of… her rogue as he slid back to his previous position. In response to his mien she flashed a rare halcyon smile, with her revelation transparent in her gaze.
Making careful mental notations of the weaknesses of this new art, the spider kept her expression from returning to terse concentration; she would remember this was not a job. All the while stroking the gentle fluff on Elise’s back. As the bird pulled away to strut across the furniture Shai couldn’t help but smile, no doubt if the falcon woke her she would be incredibly unamused but for now it seemed comical. Turning her simper to Antar she nodded, “One final shield then.”
With a breath she took in the meditative state again, pulling herself into self contemplation; she hadn’t been far from it considering her recent efforts to live in the now. She had pulled from the box before and she would do so again in a similar fashion, taking only what she needed and quickly resealing the imaginary chest.
Taking precious moments to examine the reserved djed she’d extracted, the novice attempted to comprehend what it was so she would be able to task it later. Her early metaphor for sunlight now hindered her; she couldn’t shake the idea that it was still an intangible ray of sun. For fear she might lose her tenuous control of the energy she let it flood out into her palms and formed it again into a web, only just realizing she hadn’t picked an item this time and instead shielded her hand. When she tasked the shield, she made a significant error and visualized it blocking the metaphor for djed instead of the actual djed. So when she opened her eyes to check her work, her hand was a strange congregation of patches trying to block out light instead of djed. Definite failure.
“Apologies, I have done it incorrectly. But perhaps that is sufficient for today? I am nervous about over stretching myself. I do not wish to push too far, surely there are severe consequences.” She could only imagine the strain from magic was a hundred times worse than overworking ones physical. “You must be tired as well. Our short time in Alvadas has not been particularly kind.” Shai had noted it in his posture earlier and the rigidity in his movement bespoke his injuries, she didn’t mind if he pushed her but she wouldn’t stress the injured. Not that she would ever dare call him infirm, he simply required time to recuperate.
But as she sat in the pensive silence, leaned against him, Shai understood what he had been trying to say. While she found it hard to believe the man wouldn’t judge her past crimes she also had no intention of sharing them. She could explain the memory that had jarred her, there was nothing taboo about mentioning the geography but she again chose not to. The spider could explain to him about her home but that would not fix the problem, only knowledge could fix her ignorance which was the root of the fear in this case. So instead she sat awhile, removing further the past and drawing in this moment.
Stealing comfort from Antar’s presence, Shai had certainly regained her clarity but if not for Elise she might never have achieved an epiphany. Watching the falcon, the Symenestra learned a lesson in the same way adults often did from children; the simplicity of the concept was what had obscured it to begin with. She wasn’t alone, she had created something new in this surface world and this man and the amusing kelvic were part of that. To call Antar merely an associate or fellow gang member was lying, and she had been indulging in untruths for too long.
Spoiling herself with one last moment of contact before Shai signified it was time to complete their training. Her mind was clear, but her eyes were full of… her rogue as he slid back to his previous position. In response to his mien she flashed a rare halcyon smile, with her revelation transparent in her gaze.
Making careful mental notations of the weaknesses of this new art, the spider kept her expression from returning to terse concentration; she would remember this was not a job. All the while stroking the gentle fluff on Elise’s back. As the bird pulled away to strut across the furniture Shai couldn’t help but smile, no doubt if the falcon woke her she would be incredibly unamused but for now it seemed comical. Turning her simper to Antar she nodded, “One final shield then.”
With a breath she took in the meditative state again, pulling herself into self contemplation; she hadn’t been far from it considering her recent efforts to live in the now. She had pulled from the box before and she would do so again in a similar fashion, taking only what she needed and quickly resealing the imaginary chest.
Taking precious moments to examine the reserved djed she’d extracted, the novice attempted to comprehend what it was so she would be able to task it later. Her early metaphor for sunlight now hindered her; she couldn’t shake the idea that it was still an intangible ray of sun. For fear she might lose her tenuous control of the energy she let it flood out into her palms and formed it again into a web, only just realizing she hadn’t picked an item this time and instead shielded her hand. When she tasked the shield, she made a significant error and visualized it blocking the metaphor for djed instead of the actual djed. So when she opened her eyes to check her work, her hand was a strange congregation of patches trying to block out light instead of djed. Definite failure.
“Apologies, I have done it incorrectly. But perhaps that is sufficient for today? I am nervous about over stretching myself. I do not wish to push too far, surely there are severe consequences.” She could only imagine the strain from magic was a hundred times worse than overworking ones physical. “You must be tired as well. Our short time in Alvadas has not been particularly kind.” Shai had noted it in his posture earlier and the rigidity in his movement bespoke his injuries, she didn’t mind if he pushed her but she wouldn’t stress the injured. Not that she would ever dare call him infirm, he simply required time to recuperate.
