Closed Spying for Love[Litani]

[Litani]

Rykanis. "I am Litani," she replied smoothly, transferring the reins of her Gildling idly from one hand to the other as she watched him. Something about her steady blue eyes might almost be unnerving, something about the way they stared and fixated and read inside him. Or so, perhaps, it might seem. "And I am no horsemaster... I only know Ansem, my companion." She glanced to the neck of the Gildling and ran a long-fingered hand along the hair there, soothing his stamping impatience. He settled in response and Litani glanced a small smile to Rykanis. "Most of your brothers were so born to that blade," she said to him softly, "but few find themselves here, now, as you do." She left the question unspoken, left him to intuit it on his own if he would. She wondered why he was here. Why he had been watching her. But something about the regal pride of her wouldn't ask; in truth, she suspected she might be wrong, that he hadn't been watching her at all, that he'd only chanced upon her amateur efforts and decided to take the opportunity to gently mock her. She had no way of knowing, really. After her experiences with Dasreide, nothing would surprise her. In silence, she watched the Akalak before her and swept her gaze over him briefly, taking stock of him as a male of the race to which her own was so often paired. Unreadable, her gaze settled back upon his eyes and she smirked faintly, adding, "Of the two of us, I should think your knowledge eclipses mine. Anyone can ride the right horse. Not everyone can dance with the blades." With this, her eyes rose up from him and glanced along the treeline, perhaps looking for another such as he or perhaps just re-familiarizing herself with the terrain now that she had left the trance of kata. She'd been snuck up upon once already - a second time just would not do. Satisfied, after a moment, that they were alone, she looked back into Rykanis' eyes. Her curiosity got the better of her; if her open eyes and faint smile were tinged with just the faintest glimmer of suspicion, then perhaps it was only the remnants of how women such as she were treated in the rest of the world, outside of Riverfall. Or perhaps just her personal experience. Who knows. Finally, she could not let her curiosity simmer any longer and gave voice to it instead. "What finds you here this afternoon then, Warrior...?" Her smirk slid into self-depreciation. "Surely my clumsy attempts are not so entertaining as all that."

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis noted the name, Litani, his other side storing it away for later, leaving him to concentrate on the conversation, her face, expressions, hers and his own. He simply looked back at her with his own gaze, not flinching or looking away, a half laughing smile on his face, as if he found the entire circumstances somewhat funny, while still vaguely interesting. Her horses name was Ansem, masculine? Male horse? "True, most don't find themselves here right now, I suppose I should consider myself lucky then for being here?" The way he spoke was a bit ambiguous, was it a statement? A question? Even Rykanis only half knew, and the half that did know was not telling the one that was talking. "I would reply with your own argument, anyone can wield a blade, in fact I think doing so is more instinctive and easy for people, as who does not instinctively defend themselves when seeing an attack coming at them? Who does not throw an arm up? And in our world, most everyone knows how to fight, it is a almost common skill, especially amongst this city. But I suppose then, their are similarities between the two, riding and wielding a blade." Rykanis paused for a moment, still smiling slightly, as he looked at her. Though this Rykanis was the one saying the words, giving them passion and energy, it was his other half fueling them, feeding him what to say. A odd mix of the two wholes which seemed to work well. "Both require you to understand your partner, to work together with them and their limits. For me, that is my blade, for you, that is your horse. But we both must respect them, and understand ourselves and our partner, in order to use them well. But I think I blade is much easier to come to understand, as it is constant, unlike a living breathing thing like a horse that can change and grow and think. When I pull my blade left, it always goes left. When you pull your horse left, might it not decide on day to go right? Perhaps for that, " Rykanis watched as Litani grew suspicious, and spied out the surroundings, perhaps thinking that another Akalak or hiding person laid in wait? He had not sensed anyone, nor had his other half. And he would like to think he was better at noticing things than someone who could be so easily sneaked up on... But even with his prowess with observation, it still happened. He could not help giving a small glance in the direction Litani searched. Then, her question. More direct than the others, wanting a answer. Rykanis smiled for a moment, or perhaps his smile just became more apparent and had been smiling the entire time... Either way, he responded, as always, without speaking a single lie. Without saying anything that was not true... "Clumsy? I would not call them clumsy. They could use some work, but they were not the worst I have seen. Perhaps some time we could practice, and I could help you get better with them. I do often visit the Sasaran." "As for why I am here... Why does anyone come to the woods? To experience. The sights, the plants, the sky, the shadows, all are alive and vibrant and food for the senses. Is it not a small wonder people do not come here more often? I feel like every time I come here, I learn something new, experience something new. Is that not the purpose in a day?"