Flashback [Endrykas] Energetic Youths (Vanator)

[Arundel]

495 AV, 10th Day of Fall
Silverbreeze Racing Pavilion

Arundel was bumped and jostled as she shoved her way through the crowd of bodies in the main pavilion - ninety percent of them adults, laughing and shouting amongst each other as they prepared for the races. It would soon be time to register for the first one of the day, and the pavilion was buzzing with excitement, comradery, and competitive attitude. She ducked under a stray elbow that went flying, and accidentally stepped on some bare toes, getting a pained shout in response. "Sorry, sorry!" she called back above the noise, unable to see now who she'd stomped on. Her tongue stuck out with the effort of wading her way toward her favorite fruit vendor - he was here for almost every race day, and was very popular.

She'd never asked where exactly his imported delicacies came from, but she didn't really care either. His peaches were melt in your mouth delicious. By the time Arundel made it to his stand, registrations had started. Her father would be signing up right then. "Hello, Arundel," the vendor said with a big smile. "Hi Jakob," she rushed, practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. The infectious energy of the crowd and the knowledge that she was about to have one of her favorite treats had an effect on her every time. "Can I have a-," she started, but he cut her off. "Of course you can have one, that's all you ever eat! I'm surprised you haven't turned into a peach yet." She smiled, and ended up walking away with two.

Her mouth watered, but she made herself wait. Arundel rushed through the milling spectators, squeezing and elbowing and pushing headlong between seemingly immobile Drykas. She was panting by the time she made it to the track, and positioned herself halfway between the start and finish line. The perfect viewpoint. Her father had made it in time for registration - he was already lined up with the other four racers. Several of the striders danced in place out of sheer excitement. Nothing was immune to the energy of this place. It was one of the best places in the whole of Endrykas to her. Her eyes drank in the sight of each magnificent horse, raring to test its metal against its comrades. Their riders concentrated fiercely on the flag bearer who made his way to his position at the starting line.

Arundel took an eager bite out of one her peaches, chewing excitedly and straining up onto her toes as a woman walked by with her loud baby. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the flag dropped. The shouts of encouragement from the crowd were almost deafening, though her own high voice screamed with them, urging her father forward. The riders all surged toward the finish with expert kicks to their striders' flanks, sending the horses into flat gallops. She jumped up and down and waved her hands clutching her treats as her father thundered past, overtaking two riders before leveling out in third, then being passed again by the fourth place competitor. "Go! Go!" she yelled, feeling her throat strain and protest.

And then the race was over as quickly as it had started. There were cheers of glee and groans of disappointment all throughout the crowd as the adults either won or lost their bets. Right at the finish line her father had managed to retake third, but just barely. Not a bad placing in the eyes of a child - because he hadn't outright lost - but he would be disappointed. Arundel took another bite of her peach, chewing happily as she picked her way toward the finish line where her father was dismounting. The crowd was dispersing to prepare for the next round of betting while the racers took care of their mounts. She looked over at a pair of girls around her age who dashed by giggling, and accidentally ran right into the hard back of a man. The impact sent her straight onto her butt in the grass.

[Vanator]

The Silverbreeze races were a favorite among the Drykas, no less for the young Denusk man, coming up on his twenty first birthday the next season. Vanator peered through the crowd to the assembling participants. His cousin had registered for the race, and Van gave his kin a thumbs up over the the mob. The Denusks took turns participating in the races, to make it more affordable, so this day Vanator was a spectator. He did not wager on the races, not only because his father had instilled him him the value of the miza's they earned, but also because his cousin wasn't a very good racer and a bad bet, and it would have been poor form to bet against him.

With plenty of hooping and hollering, Vanator urged his cousin onward, watching him strive for the finish line. The heat was a good one, though his cousin did not place. Van made his way to the finish line to console his kin, gnawing on a strip of cured venison as he waited for the man to dismount and walk his Strider over. Van's cousin had been detained by one of the other racers who stopped him to encourage the ill-placed Denusk. Suddenly, something, or someone, bounced soundly off of his back. The jerked meat slipped from his hand onto the grass, to be trampled by the victor and his cheering compatriots, and his Strider. Vanator was thoroughly enjoying the treat, and was rather upset at it's demise. He spun around to find the culprit.

Behind him, and now at his feet, sat a girl, unceremoniously plopped onto the grass. She had probably seen nine or ten winters, and clutched a delicious peach. That would certainly be sufficient recompense for the treasured strip of meat that now lay dirty and buried flat in the grass. Looking down at the curly haired girl, Vanator scowled. "What are you doing? Get up, you are gonna get stomped on." Reaching down, Van grabbed the girl by the arm and yanked her to her feet. Then he leaned down and picked up the meat jerky, the strip now caked in dirt and a few blades of grass. His gaze lowered again to the child. "I was eating this."

[Arundel]

Arundel frowned up at the man she'd rammed in to. It happened so quick that for a moment she was dumbfounded as to how she ended up on the ground, and looked at him with a completely idiotic look of surprise on her face - mouth hanging up and eyebrows furrowed. The peach she'd already started on had fallen from her fingers and lay in the grass beside her, while the one yet uneaten was still clutched in her fingers, if a little smooshed. Still completely edible, at least. When she was unceremoniously tugged to her feet, she stumbled and almost fell again from the suddeness of it all. "Ow!" she whined angrily, pulling her arm from his grip and glaring at the man. Instinctively, she tried to push him away, but did little more than wrinkle his shirt. He was a wall of solid adult.

Indignant, she stooped and picked up her dropped peach, then turned back to the man and offered what she hoped was a good glare. It wrinkled her little nose, and her eyebrows furrowed into a 'v'. She looked more like she'd just smelled something foul instead of trying to stand up to a full grown Drykas. Arundel huffed and held up her peach, just as he did his jerky. "And I was eating this," she countered, making a face. There was grass stuck to the juicy inside that had been exposed earlier by her teeth, and some dirt. Who knew what else. Maybe even manure. Her lips twisted in disgust and a challenge. "Wha'dya want me to do about it? You were just standing there like a dumb person."

Arundel was thoroughly affronted over being manhandled by this rude stranger. Was it a crime to accidentally run into someone? "Should have kept better hold of your food!" He didn't see her all upset about some dropped food. After all, she had a spare. "Lady hands," she mumbled, making a jab at his obviously poor grip. She then turning up her nose as only a child could and stomped right around him, after a few angry signs to emphasize herself. Using the ends of her fingers still holding the peaches, she lifted the skirt of her dress and stormed away from him imperiously. The next race would be starting soon, and she wanted to be well away from the brute.

[Vanator]

The girl was a spitfire, jerking free of Vanator's grip and giving him a vain but spirited shove. The ire at being slammed into was fading as he turned the corrupted jerked meat in his hands as the youngster pick up her ruined peach. She fumed with all the indignation of a true Drykas woman, which made the young Denusk man stifle a grin. Her peach looked pitiful, much worse than his meat strip. The girl did not relent in her tirade, however, her harsh tone turning to insults before the older, bigger man.

"Dumb person. Lady hands?" Vanator repeated, as if he couldn't believe the whelp had said the words. A few passersby overheard and laughed at him. "Why you little shyke!" He started, turning back to the girl, but she was already gone, heading back towards the track.

Shrugging off the encounter and tossing the spoiled meat treat way, Vanator made his way back to get a place to watch the next race. His cousin joined him and they muscled their way to the front, along the track. The next heat was getting ready to start. The crowd jostled closer to the rail, anxious to see the Striders streak by. Vanator shifted as an attractive Opal clanswoman between them, he offered her a smile, feeling something under his foot as he moved. Looking down, he saw his boot standing on the toe of a smaller shoe, one attached to a familiar ill-tempered green eyed girl. Uh oh.

[Arundel]

She'd escaped the bad encounter, bringing only indignation with her. That, Arundel could handle. She had older brothers, after all. Men were all alike, she had already learned at her young age. Especially Drykas men. She sniffed daintily, feeling very superior from how she'd handled him. It was all a lot more impressive in her mind, when she thought back on it. She'd been poised, righteous, and absolutely dominant. Surely? Arundel watched people mill about on the other side of the track - she'd found a new vantage point away from Lady Hands. Her fingers flexed around the fluffy outer skins of her peaches, and she frowned. Brute.

Some striders paraded by, prancing and throwing their beautiful heads in excitement. She watched in awe how their bonded riders so effortlessly kept their mounts controlled merely with their thighs. There was nothing in this world she wanted more than to be bonded to a Strider. That, of course, and be a member of the illustrious Watch. Her eyes glazed over a little just thinking about galloping across the Sea at high speeds, off to battle unimaginable danger. A shout from the crowd shocked her from her thoughts, and she looked back at the track. A man was walking its length, checking for holes and foreign debris.

Suddenly Arundel felt something crush a few small, fragile toes on her right foot. It took a moment to register the pain. She blinked in surprise and confusion, then the sensation flooded her brain. Her face reddened and tears welled in her green eyes, and she squealed loudly, jerking away. She backed into an elderly man, who caught her clumsily and sat her back upright. The confused, irate youngster was just about to reply to the man's worried inquire when she got a good hard look at who had smashed her foot. If she was Vantha, her eyes would have went red. Instead, her face went several shades of scarlet darker. "You!" she accused, outraged.

Arundel face and throat burned with the effort not to cry as her toes smarted and ached. "You!!" she said again, nearly shouting. Her face pinched with the effort not to just throw herself at him and bite him, or something. First he yanks her arm, and whines like a young babe over some dropped food. Now this rude Drykas steps on her foot, obviously to get back. She hadn't seen the attractive woman he'd tried to impress by moving his big flanks out of the way. Vengeful brute! she thought vehemently. "What is wrong with you? Are you soft in the head?!" she hissed, trying to angrily sign around the peaches in her grasp. Speaking of which. Arundel looked at them for a moment, then back at him, wishing her stare could catch his blond hair on fire. Deciding to be petty, she cocked her arm back, and threw the partially eaten peach she had dropped right at him.

"Venhrehk!" she shouted, letting that new insult fly like her food. Arundel had learned the Tukant curse only a few days ago from one of her older brothers. She fought the urge to look over her shoulder and see if her mother would be there, arms crossed and foot tapping. An impossible childhood paranoia to shake. She decided to end with a little flourish, feeling courageous from the liberating curse. "Lady hands! Soft head! Ignorant boy!" Her face was flushed, and her heart was racing. Arundel would get a hiding if her parents heard all this. Why did this man seem to make it his personal mission today to ruin hers? Her young mind was starting to feel overloaded and overwhelmed. She could handle what happened earlier, but seemingly being unable to shake him was getting ridiculous.

Arundel glared at him, offering an obvious challenge with her red rimmed eyes. The green irises stood out starkly against her puffy, flushes face. Her lips and chin trembled, no matter how much she tried to force them not to.

[Vanator]

To his dismay, the foot he had just stomped on was attached to the sassy peach girl. The sharp tongue he had experienced just a few chimes earlier was now vehement in its accusations. Van looked down at her, mouth agape. How did she get there? Where did she come from? The girl's mouth was vile, and as she launched her verbal rebuke, her thin arm cocked back and lobbed a half eaten peach at him. Too close to get much force, the fruit still bounced off of Vanator's shirt, leaving a wet stain and a sting.

As more insults were unloaded, Vanator's cheeks began to blush, others around him were staring now, including the attractive woman, who simply shook her head at him and pushed her way into the crowd. "Wait, its not me, its her!" Van pleaded, but the accusing eyes of the adults seemed to lay blame totally on him. He shrugged, hands gesturing at the foul-mouthed child. But when he turned his eyes back down to his antagonist, her voice had fallen quiet and she glared at him in fury, and he saw the redness and her eyes, the tremble of her bottom lip.

"No...no, don't." Anger he could deal with, but tears...well, that would be his undoing. Van quickly needed to make amends, eyes were on him, and the young face that threatened to either bite him or burst into tears.

"Ok, ok, look. I will buy you more peaches. Just show me where the guy is selling them." Van spoke quickly to avert further damage. Just shut up kid, geez. He looked around, the other patrons around him satisfied to turn attention back to the starting of the next race. "Come on, I promise not to step on you or knock you over again."

[Arundel]

Arundel eyed him with clear suspicion. She really didn't care about getting a new peach. There was still another - although smooshed - clutched in her angry little fist. She dashed away the moisture pooling in her eyes with the back of her hand, blinking rapidly to clear her blurry vision. Carefully she wiggled her toes in her shoe, frowning when they smarted. Fatter than he looks. Sniffing daintily, she tried to smooth her features into a more ladylike mask. Still flushed, she lifted her small chin and glared at him defiantly. Might as well milk this for all it was worth. "He's in the big pavilion." She hated that her voice didn't sound as sure as she wanted it to. With that, she picked up her skirts and stomped past him, leading the way.

The throng of people was thick, but the young Drykas managed to forge a path for the two of them. It thinned out as they moved further from the side of the track. The next race was starting, so most of the people were congregated there. She ducked under the neck of a Strider that stood waiting as its rider talked animatedly to a companion. Within a few chimes, Arundel had led Vanator to the stall in which she purchased her precious fruit. She smiled sweetly at the Jakob, the merchant. He looked up from counting some of his profits and returned her smile, though in surprise. "I didn't expect you back so soon! Is everything-?" His voice trailed off when his eyes fell upon the man accompanying her.

"Hello, lad," he offered kindly, signing a greeting in Pavi. "You with the little Dinos here?" Arundel's face puckered at being referred to by her family's name.

[Vanator]

The girl wiped the threat of tears from the corner of her eyes, accepting his offer to make amends, but her demeanor was not forgiving. Vanator glanced at his cousin, rolling his eyes and giving a slight shrug. "I will be right back." He promised with a half-hearted sign. His eyes darted to the attractive woman, making sure she saw him buddying up to the little girl he had stepped on. The young Denusk man followed the Dinos child through the crowd, walking around the strider she had simply ducked under, and into the large vendor tent. With a sigh, he stopped with her in front of Jakob the fruit merchant.

Dark, gold-flecked eyes wandered around the interior, disinterested in his current task and just wanting to get the girl her peach and send her on her merry way. The older Drykas vendor addressed Van, who's attention suddenly snapped back to the business at hand. So, she was a Dinos. Not that it mattered who she was.

"No, well, kinda, not really..." Vanator looked down again at Arundel, "Just pick what you want." He insisted with a small wave of his hand towards the displayed fruit, his other hand digging for some coin. "I don't have all day." His eyes drifted again to the crowd milling through the pavilion.

[Arundel]

Arundel's eyes flashed with a sudden idea. She looked at Vanator's distracted face, watching how he barely glanced at her. He wanted to be rid of her, just as much as she wanted him far away. Her fiery green orbs locked on Jakob, who raised an eyebrow at her in a silent question. He had no idea what was going on. Hopefully he didn't tell her father about what she was about to do. She'd surely get a hiding. Arundel shifted uncertainty on her feet, glancing again at the young Denusk man. Would he chase after her? He looked around the pavilion, more interested in what was going elsewhere. It was his own fault for not paying attention.

Moving quickly, the young Drykas scooped a large helping of fruits off the stand - a mixture of peaches, apples, and several other sorts. With her other hand she bunched up the skirts of her dress into a makeshift bag or sorts, and caught a vast majority of her haul in the folds. Hiking up the materials and holding everything in place with her little fists, she turned and dashed into the crowd with a fearful scream. Her slender legs flashed and jumped and danced as she dodged fellow Drykas and their horses. Some people glared as she ran past, and others laughed at the sight of her. Several who had been standing by them at the stand hooted at the look on Vanator's face as she abandoned him with the expenses.

The last thing he saw of her was her back disappearing in the throng of spectators at the far side of the pavilion. Her skirts were drawn up high almost to her butt, showing her skinny little chicken legs running fiercely. Arundel lost one of her slippers on the way, but didn't dare stop.

[Vanator]

Only after hearing the girl yelp as she dashed away, did Vanator turn to see Arundel hurrying off with an armload of fruit. His eyes darted back to Jakob, who looked back with a helpless stare. In a tick the Denusk realized the whelp had loaded up with goods and made off, the fruit vendor expecting Van to pay up for the girl's plunder.

"That little shyke..." He muttered, watching the girl disappear into the crowd. Eyes were upon him, and he decided not to go after Arundel. She had caused the young man enough grief for the day. Reluctantly, Van reached into his pocket, pulled out a fist full of different rimmed mizas and proffered the total sum rung up by the skinny little bandit. It had been a costly day at the races, and without even making a bet.