[Flashback] To Shoot an Apple off a Bale

by **Alevadra Druva** on May 31st, 2011, 12:30 am

Spring 45th, 501AV

It was Spring, and a warm one at that. Ale had finally hit another growth spurt and stood a proud five foot two. Such a monstrous height compared to her meek stature only a season and a half before. It had taken such sort time for the woman to grow like a weed into, unbeknown to her, her full adult size. The young woman finally appeared as that, a young woman, not longer and awkward child struggling through the changes that plague teenagers for years. This was one fortunate thing for Ale, while she had a particularly painful puberty, she fortunate enough to have one that was quick in passing. So while the woman was only sixteen, she was able to enjoy able to enjoy clear skin and minimal awkward appearances.

It was mid afternoon when Alevadra finished up various duties she had taken up, most of which involved cleaning the floors in the mess, a chore no one particularly enjoyed doing. After he tasks were done, the squire had committed herself to honing her skills. Soon she would be going on her knighting quest, and she needed to be in top shape. Of course, soon was still three or more years away, but she still wanted to be as prepared as possible.

The Druva had decided to work on fighting on horseback. Over all, a fairly simple idea with a much deeper complicated process and method. Alevadra was going to get her horse and work on arching from the horse. Luckily it would be easy to use the training area where dummies and targets were set up for Ale to practice. So the woman went back to the barracks and gathered her items, bow, glove, quiver and of course, an apple, there was always an apple involved when it came to Lyris, the mare had grown to expect it.

The young woman left the barracks with her items and headed to the stables. They were bustling in a subdued manner, things were happening, but it was not chaotic. Ale moved through the stables, avoiding wheelbarrows and fellow squires as she made her way to her favorite mare. Lyris was awake and happily munching as always. “Ready for a busy day, Lyris?” The woman asked with a small smile. The horse looked at her with large brown eyes, chewing slowly. “You'll get your apple after we finish for the day. It'll be your reward.” The woman set her things to the side on the ground and went about preparing Lyris for the day. A quick brushing to clean off some of the dirt then the saddle blanket and saddle. The reins were put on the mare last, as Ale had been told it was not the most pleasant thing for a horse to have a bit in for a long time.

Alevadra picked up her items and lead Lyris out of the stables, smiling and nodding towards her fellow squires and knights. The woman and mare headed towards the practice grounds where dummies and targets were set up. The woman would have to set up her own target practice, but that was of little concern, her largest concern was being in the way of others.

The Druva entered the large area with Lyris and headed towards and open area and moved to the back right corner where several dummies for archery were set up. Ale let go of Lyris's reins and held a hand out in front of her face, a silent 'stay'. The woman moved and adjust some of the dummies, a few were shifted back further, while several were moved closer.

The woman turned back to the horse and with a small nod spoke. “Don't worry, I doubt I'll have you move at all, Lyris, I need to get the hang of just shooting while mounted, I don't need to toss moving into that mix.” The woman smiled at the horse, and went to string her bow.

by **Alevadra Druva** on June 6th, 2011, 8:31 pm

Alevadra carefully bent the bow over her leg, looping one end of the string over the nock at the upper limb. The bow string was taught, like it was supposed to be. Ale inspected the bow, looking at the nocking point through to the sight window and arrow rest. It was aligned properly, her string appeared in good health. With a small smile, the squire turned towards Lyris.

The young woman took her bow and looped it over the horn of the saddle, she would have to find a better way to hold onto her bow while mounting. Her small hands gripped the creatures saddles and hefted herself onto the large beast. With a small sigh the squire picked up the bow, turning her torso to face the targets. The position was awkward and the lower limb of the bow kept bumping her knee. The young woman frowned. Blast. Now what? How am I to shoot when my knee keeps getting in the way? The young woman looked down at how the lower limb was placed, and how it interacted with her knee.

A moment passed while Alevadra wiggled her leg about, trying to find a proper position. What a pain. After a few chimes of Ale stretching her leg and bending her knee in awkward ways something dawned on her. Why be restricted to the stirrups? Why be restricted to a saddle? The saddle question would best be answered at a later time; for now, the stirrups. The young woman unhooked her leg, but now, to let it hang like a dead fish? The squire continued to think, no, that would be a foolish idea. If her leg were to hang like a sack of potatoes while riding, it would become increasingly difficult to stay mounted.

The squire then tucked her leg up, bending it at the knee and pressing her calf against the skirt and rear housing of the saddle, it was secure, and out of the way. Perfect. The squire held the bow out in front of her pointed towards the targets that waited patiently. Her right hand reached over her back to grab an arrow. She nocked the projectile swiftly, closing one eye to look down the arrow and through the sight window. Ale took a slow breath in and held it, aiming the pointed object to a target ten yards away.

The world fell to the side lines at Ale focused; little did she realize what a mistake that was. Lyris shifted her weight and the squire scrambled not to lose balance. The arrow went flying, missing the target entirely, only to burrow itself in the wall of hay set up behind the targets. The young woman cursed under her breath as her heart pounded. The mare was blissfully unaware of the trauma her shifting weight had caused. A small whiny was all the horse offered.

With a small grumble, Ale began again. “Unlike the ground, horses move of their own accord.” Ale shot daggers at Lyris before returning her attention to the targets. Her legs became aware now, feeling the horses muscles, the slightest tension was important now. She needed to notice everything of Lyris and herself now, this is why it would be complex. Alevadra nocked another arrow, inhaled another breath and held herself steady, she let her hips and low back move as needed to adjust for her mount.

With a sharp twang and arrow flew true, piercing the human-esque shaped target in the belly. A hit, a fatal one at that, well, eventually fatal. The squire smiled and patted Lyris's mane. “Even if you trip me up, you're only doing it for my benefit, eh?” The horse didn't react to the squires words, just shifted her weight again.

by **Alevadra Druva** on January 3rd, 2014, 2:54 pm

The only response evoked from the horses was a snort and shake of her head. It was clear that Lyris had no interest in this activity; all she was doing was standing and impatiently waiting for Ale to give her sweets and apple bits. The young squire shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position to shoot from, her current position was anything but helpful. She felt awkward upon the horse, which was an unusual feeling for the Druva.

The twist at her low back, the slight lean, the tucking leg… It was all so strange, and the squire knew that if Lyris was even to start at a low walk, she’d be off balance and hit anything but the target. As such, the young woman began to move about in the saddle, shifting her back and adjusting where her weight was. She tried leaning back, shifting her weight along her spine—no good. She shifted again, moving her weight to press her inner thighs into the thick leather saddle. Ale frowned, that was no good either!

She shifted once more, this time putting her weight in the stirrups, pressing the balls of her feet into the hardened leather. Oh! Suddenly it felt like everything fell into place. While the new position was—without a doubt—going to make her legs burn, she felt comfortable holding the bow aloft and aiming. Ale felt secure, as if once Lyris chose to move her joints would respond appropriately and she could remain steady while aiming.

“You know, if mum was around, this would be loads easier.” Ale sighed, nocking an arrow and aiming at the target once more. She exhaled slowly as she pulled the string back to her ear, eyes narrowing upon the target. Just as she was releasing the string, a voice chirped up behind her. “Ya’know, you should probably get so you can hit the target on your feet before you try on a horse, Ale.” There was then a crunch of teeth biting through the flesh of an apple.

Patrick. Of course. The arrow darted off, grazing the shoulder of the target before plunging into the bale of hay behind the figure. Brown eyes looked over to the knight with a note of irritation. “Gee, Ale, that’s not how you should regard your patron.” The knight teased, walking up to Lyris and offering her the remainder of his apple, which she happily accepted. “Well…. Ser Frent, you made me miss.” The man laughed and shook his head. “Naaah… Your weak little chicken legs made you miss.” He jested, grabbing hold of her calf and wiggling it.

“Hey!” She was suddenly unstable and ended up hunkering down on the saddle, grabbing it with a hand. “Finish up here, we have work to do, meet me in the stables in a bell.” The man smiled and then calmly walked away. With a resigned sigh, Ale slipped from the saddle, landing softly on the dirt. The bow was unstrung and she fetched the arrows she had shot before taking Lyris by the reins and leading her back to the stables.

by **Alevadra Druva** on January 23rd, 2014, 7:27 pm

Patrick had left without much more of a clue of what was going on that day other than meeting in the stables. Of course, that could mean plenty of things. She could be stuck mucking out his stable—after all, he hated doing that and had confessed to Alevadra that she was far better at it than he ever had been. Of course, that remark could very well have been to just encourage her to continue doing it rather than being actually honest.

She’d gone about cleaning up the practice area as was the way things were done before heading back to the stables. While Ale’s mood was not bright and cheery, she wasn’t quite the irate teenager some would expect. After all, at her age, it wasn’t uncommon for one to think they already knew everything. The Druva knew a great many things, but, above all else, she knew that Patrick knew much more than she did. The was the reason she so willingly gave up her endeavor to shoot from horseback—at least she had some of the basics down.

Lyris was returned to her paddock and the squire set to taking off her saddle and other accoutrements. Once the mare was bare of the bits and bobs necessary for comfortable riding, the young woman set about brushing and tending to the horse. Assuring her water was fresh and clear, her food replenished—and of course, some treats for not being completely temperamental about the morning’s activities. Her coat was brushed, her mane combed through with Ale’s pale, calloused fingers. “There, you could be mistaken for a parade horse now,” She joked, Lyris ignored the squire preferring to pay attention to the feed now before her.

Several chimes remained until Patrick would be there. Without enough time to actually go off and do something, the squire waited in the stables, wandering and peering in paddock after paddock, calmly greeting the horses that felt social and petting the soft, velveteen noses that were stuck out for her. The squire tried to be friendly with other squires and even knights, but she often came off as queer and a bit too to-the-point for most of them. She was focused and driven, and while all the others were as well, it seemed hers was all consuming, as if all that was left in her young life was achieving this goals placed before her. Of course, there was always the question of, what then? Which was a question Ale did not wish to think on yet.

The chimes passed with ease and the familiar sound of someone entering the stables filled her ears as Patrick showed up a chime or so early. “Alright, Ale, lets get you so you can hit a target, and not just hit any target,” The man pulled an apple from his pocket to show the young woman. “When you can shoot this at twenty paces, then we’ll look into training you to shoot off of a horse.” The woman looked rather confused. “That’s not that hard… I’ve done it before.” The man smiled, of course there was a catch—there was always a catch. “We’re going to go right out of the city walls, where the elements are strongest. Being able to hit that in the practice grounds is good and fair… But reality is much harsher,” He set a hand atop her blonde head. “Get your things and we’ll go for a walk,”

by **Alevadra Druva** on January 23rd, 2014, 7:28 pm

Walks with Patrick were always interesting. He was a very social knight, more than happy to start up a conversation with almost anyone. Perhaps it was thought that Ale and Patrick would get along in that regard. However, after Jasme’s death, the little Druva was anything but a socialite. So Patrick would greet and talk to those who passed him by and Alevadra would watch the cobblestones as they walked over them, a quiver of arrows over her back and the unstrung bow in her hand.

“Ale, you really need to get some social skills.” The squire bit her tongue so as not to say “And you really ought to mind your own business.” Ale was, however, his business. He was sculpting her, molding her into the knight that he could take pride in knowing he trained. So, instead, her attention glanced to him for a moment, as if thinking over what he said. “I’m not that bad. I just never know what to say.” The man nodded slightly, waving to an elderly woman who knew his name. “Sometimes the best thing you can do is say nothing at all. Just listen.”

They continued to walk as Ale thought over that bit of logic. “Wait,” The squire halted her movement, eyes lifting to lock onto her patrons green ones. “Am I a bad listener?” The knight let out a chuckle and nodded to keep walking. “Sometimes, Ale. Sometimes you hear what is said, but do not listen to what is said. What I mean is, sometimes, you need to look like you care.” He pointed out an index finger, wiggling it in an oval near Ale’s face. “Half the time I’m talking to you, you look like you’re planning how to skin me and cook my flesh.” He stated rather lightly. “Well, that’s because I am.” Patrick paused a moment, looking to Ale rather surprised by her serious tone. “That was a joke, you should know that.”

Patrick raised is hands in mock defense. “Hey, can’t fault a guy for worrying. You get a look in your eye when you’re intent. Try… Not looking so crazed when you’re listening.” A sigh left the woman and she nodded. “Right. No sociopathic expressions, got it.” A silence fell between them as they continued their walk. “How about this Ale,” Patrick stopped and turned to face his squire. “I hear the way you talk to horses, you’re soft, kind, loving. Try… try to imagine everyone as horses. They need that tenderness I know you have in you. You had it when you were younger too.” There was a pause, an in that silence an unspoken understanding was passed. Her callousness was not for a dislike of others, it was her own defenses kicking in and keeping others at arm’s length. “You’re sweet with me, kind, it’s easy to talk with you, even when you get in your moods. You gotta loosen up around others, Ale. Knights need to be approachable. You’re who people go to when they are in need. I’m not saying give everyone hugs and sweets when they come asking your aide, but at least be… Sympathetic.” Green eyes shifted to look at the gate.

“Ah! Well, I hope you’re ready Ale. I’m sure this will be an adventure. Never a dull day with you around.”
-fin-

by **Vanari** on February 11th, 2014, 7:28 pm

Alevadra

Observation	+2 XP
Horsemanship	+3 XP
Weapon: Bow	+3 XP
Rhetoric	+1 XP
Socialization	+1 XP

Lores :

Notes :