Closed Archery and Avora

[Drusilla]

Fall 5th 514 AV Drusilla silently trudged through the Avora Archery Range. It was no surprise that the Symenestra was getting perks with her relationship with a certain Endal. But in all truth, it made her uncomfortable... She had been trying to change her image to better fit her social position, whatever her standing was. She lived with an Endal, and she had slept with said Endal once. But they were courting so... She held a bow and a quiver in her hands, today she would practice. Drusilla had convinced herself that to keep Turrin in good standings she would have to be more Inarta. The first step had been her clothes, giving up her dress she donned Bryda and Vinati in dark red and black. Matching beads swayed in her hair along with feathers and braids. She found an open spot to shoot and claimed it her own. Reaching for an arrow her eyes wandered to her left arm which was bandaged, from misfire of the bow, the string hitting her arm. However she wouldn't admit to it if asked. She lined up her shot and let loose the arrow. It hit the edge of the target and Drusilla sighed. "At least I hit it this time...." She grumbled to herself. A male Avora passed her and unlike how she would of acted in the past, she stood straight and watched him. Her posture was less cowardice and more challenging.

[Azira]

A visit to the Enclave had occupied her morning, an occurrence that was becoming rarer and rarer these days. Hunt, shoot, mess around with birds but reading? It wasn't something that she did as much unless it was connected to hunting in some way. This morning had been spent reading for pleasure, the teen allowing herself to browse some of the old travel journals that she'd read time and time before while promising herself that she would go to the archery range afterwards to train. Her prowess with the shortbow was growing steadily but it was increasing, which was all that mattered to the Avora. As long as she could shoot well and hit more difficult targets then she would be happy.

The need to prove herself was still strong despite the length of time that she had already been a fully fledged huntress. Not fully fledged in her eyes however, lacking in areas that she considered key ones. Khara's ability to track, even though she was considered an inexperienced scout, was an enviable one. Azira knew how to find rabbits by their droppings and a few trivial other things. She could hunt, she could find and kill animals but she could only use the most obvious signs. She wasn't able to pick up the subtler signs that had become so glaringly obvious when the Chiet had pointed them out. There was no worse sting to her pride than knowing that a lower caste member could do something that she should have been able to do for her own job. It made the huntress feel like a failure. Her lack of tracking ability wasn't her only failing in her eyes. Trapping wasn't something that she was very skilled in either. The most basic traps that a child could make were what she was capable of. She was trying to change that, the book that she'd found on the subject upon the Enclave's shelves a valuable resource. From it she had made a net, a shoddy one but one that had served its purpose, which was what mattered. She still needed to peruse it further but she was going to improve herself; she was determined.

The twelfth bell saw her heading down to the Kitchens somewhat reluctantly although her stomach was grumbling. Her reading material was returned to their appropriate places before she went to get herself something to eat.

The feeding area was devoid of Dek except for any who were supposed to be helping in some way, gathering up empty dishes, cleaning, carrying things to and fro. They wouldn't have another meal until the evening and so they could only watch the higher castes with looks of envy. Even Yasi, mere children, could get more than they could and if one looked closely one would see the dark emotions in their eyes. The huntress saw and smacked the one nearest to the counter in the head for idling. She'd seen his spiteful looks directed in the direction of the children and the hit was only enough to sting and make him think better of his actions rather than to incapacitate him. As long as he could still work there was no harm. Drusilla wouldn't have approved of it, the woman having a soft spot for the lowest caste but then the Symenestra seamstress wasn't here.

As she approached the counter to order her food, she found her thoughts fixing on Drusilla for their subject. She hadn't seen the woman in seasons, not since that time the seamstress had called her to the Craft Gallery to design a dress for her. A dress that had been stupidly decided on and one that had never made it her way. She could have sought out the spider and demanded to know where her property was but she just hadn't been bothered enough. The two had become something like friends during their last encounter but after it and the more time they were apart, the more awkward the idea of meeting the woman again became.

Not that she hadn't heard of her, of course. There was talk of a Symenestra living in one of the Aeries with an Endal of foreign origin, a half-blood. There weren't too many of the spiders living in the mountain, Drusilla the only one that she knew of, and so she assumed that she had moved in with Turrin. The two had a connection after all and she seemed to have spoken fondly of him. The details that she knew were too coincidental for the rumours to be about anyone else. If the seamstress was indeed living with Turrin, or another Endal for that matter, then she would have gained status with it. She didn't know if they were living together in that sense or if it was a purely platonic and friendly relationship but it made no difference in her mind; it didn't interest her either way.

The Avora chose soup with a good thick chunk of bread to go with it and some fruit, deciding to leave meat until her evening meal. The soup was eaten at a steady pace, the young woman in no hurry to get to her training, the range wasn't going anywhere after all. The bowl was wiped clean with the last of the bread and the fruit was eaten as she continued to sit at the table, dropping the seeds into the bowl before gesturing the Dek she'd struck earlier to take her lunch things away. After that it was a few chimes walk to her room in the Darniva Commonrooms to fetch her bow and a quiver of arrows and she headed straight for the Avora range.

Second Quiver was moderately busy. A few hunters who hadn't gone out today, a few from other professions who had a day off, probably a few Chiet who'd been sponsored by an Avora. They were all given brief glances as she set out on her search for an empty target that she could claim as her own. As she moved into the range, searching ahead for a space her eyes caught on something that was uncannily familiar. White hair, freakishly pale skin, it could only be a Symenestra and one that could only be Drusilla. Her eyes couldn't believe it though. The spider clad in Inarta clothing in the Avora range. Her presence in the range could be easily explained, the woman benefiting from the perks of new status. The woman in vinati and bryda was too strange although the colouring suited her. There was no avoiding her either. There were empty targets beyond hers but she'd have to walk past the Chiet - or whatever she was now - to get to them. Even if she didn't notice Azira going past, she could easily spot her if she cared to turn her head at any time to see how the person so close at hand was faring.

Steeling herself she approached. Another passed ahead of her the spider looking at him defiantly as he stared at her in passing. So much for sneaking past her. The woman was certainly braver than she remembered. Her new status, whatever it was, had changed her if she could hold herself so boldly in front of an Avora. She'd no doubt see her as she came nearer and so the huntress tried to appear calm and somewhat aloof as she came to stand beside her. "Hello, Drusilla. Fancy seeing you here." Her voice was soft and aloof as her posture was trying to suggest. The closeness that had been between them before seemed absent although if the woman attempted to hug her or something, it was likely to melt away but not to any degree that would ruin her reputation of callousness amongst the other Avora.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

Drusilla watched the man as he stopped and watched her as well. More unwanted attention, but she didn't back down cocking her head to the side as she planned to continue out this staring match. She wasn't afraid, she had no reason to be afraid anymore. Standing beside Turrin, she could take on the world. The Avora seemed to grow uncomfortable with the Symenestra eyeing him and continued on his way. Drusilla made sure he saw her last glance was an unimpressed look. Honestly she was glad when the man hurried away, wearing her new clothes she felt naked. Her stomach was exposed along with her ribs which stuck out prominently, a result of her trying to bend the rules of the Symenestra diet and from that malnutrition. If that wasn't bad enough, her cleavage was visible in plain sight and without her wraps and dress concealing and binding them they were larger than she would of liked and found them cumbersome. She had left the detached sleeves that were in her opinion 'cute and trendy looking' at Turrin's as they would do nothing but get in the way of her shooting, but now feeling exposed she wished she had them. Shaking off the feeling of eyes watching her, she drew her bow. Only to hear a voice that made her smile and let out a giggle of sorts. Azira. She withdrew her arrow and turned to the teen still smiling, although she made no attempt to hide her fangs. "Azira! Hey, how have you been doing? Here to practice too I assume?" She was unsure how to greet the girl, last she bear hugged her Drusilla had assumed death was eminent. However Drusilla viewed Azira as a friend (she was unsure of how the teen viewed her) and wanted to greet her as one. She decided a quick hug was the best idea and did so quickly. As Drusilla pulled away she offered an apology, "I'm sorry, I still unsure what the correct greeting to use is. I've never been much social until recent years. I guess I missed that lesson as a child..."

[Azira]

Up close the Symenestra looked extremely different in her new clothing. She was extremely skinny as could be seen by her now exposed midriff. Curiously enough her skinniness didn't match up with the size of her bust. Had her breasts always been that big? Well there was nothing in the vinati to make them appear bigger or least she didn't think that there was. How she'd managed to hide them beneath her old clothing was a mystery. They were really very noticeable now, very out there.

You're staring.

Guilt filled eyes snapped back up to Drusilla's face. She doubted that the woman had noticed the stare, the seamstress too busy being enthused with the sight of the huntress. Was she really that glad to see her? Definitely not what she would have expected. The hug was just as unexpected and far more uncomfortable than it had been the last time. The fact that their height difference brought her considerably closer to the other woman's cleavage and that was very distracting. When she was released she managed to stare at the woman in a dazed way.

"Uh... I'm here to practice, yeah," she mumbled, shuffling uncomfortably on the spot. The huntress laughed shakily. "I think that the correct greeting is to say hello. It's worked well enough for me." The young woman's gaze shifted to the floor and then over to the target that Drusilla had been practising with. There was an arrow sticking at the very edge of the target, just barely on it. Apparently the woman hadn't become a good archer on her own, not that that was surprising. At least she'd been practising enough to manage that much. How much she'd actually taught the woman had slipped her mind. Maybe she'd had some help since. Her gaze hovered on the arrow. No, she probably hadn't had more help.

"How have you been getting on with the bow? You can hit the target at least, I see." Her gaze returned to the spider. She'd gotten over her discomfort now and could actually manage to look the other in the eye. "Have you been getting in much practise? I expect it's nicer for you to use the Avora range. It's nothing special to me but then I've been using it awhile." Her expression froze in place as she realised that she'd just referred to Drusilla's improvement in status. It probably wasn't a good idea to bring that up. Maybe the woman wouldn't want to talk about that. It wasn't like it was Azira's business although she was certainly curious about it.

Odd that she had been thinking about the seamstress and that she'd come across her now. Strangely coincidental that.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

Drusilla assumed Azira's silence was at her ribs that stuck out in an unhealthy way. "I-I don't eat like I should... I live mainly on overly ripe fruit and the soups and cooked meats. But an important part of a Symenestra diet is... well the liquefied insides of prey... I don't get that as much as I should. A good diet would be like a deer a week. I get maybe a marmot every two weeks... I feel so exposed in this, I hope I get used to this." Drusilla gave a nervous laugh, "Okay, okay I'll try to cut down on the hugging. It just seems like saying 'hi' is something we just do in passing. But, okay just a hello." Shyke she could be so dumb! She had no doubt embarrassed Azira and the other Avora must of thought she was crazy. "Oh! Here! Take a look! It's mine, I mean I bought my own bow. I know it's just a normal bow but. It's mine." Drusilla proudly showed her bow to Azira. "Yeah I hit the target once in a while. But hey, that's something at least. But, if I want to look good and keep Turrin looking good I need to be better. I need to practice more." Drusilla admitted. "It's nice here, but I don't like all the attention and these perks." She pulled an arrow and lined up a shot and let it loose . It flew and hit the target far to the right. Drusilla turned to Azira again, "I take it you want to know about what's going on with all the rumors and my status or whatever, right?" She gave a smile. "It's everywhere isn't it the spider in Aeries..." Drusilla sighed. "Durring the riots Turrin told me I should move in with him for safety, but I turned him down. After having to leave Wind Reach for fear of my life, I decided it would be for the best. There was.... one thing I negelected to tell you last winter, on my birthday last year Turrin and I had a drunken fling. That's right, I slept with him. We decided just recently to start courting and this all is from that. I didn't do it for this treatment, from the day I met Turrin as a child I have always loved him. He was interested in a glassblower girl and I backed off but now. Now we are courting and it is crazy and wonderful! But I feel pressured and constantly watched, so I have to be better be more Inarta. However, I no longer feel lost or scared. I've found my place. I have found confidence. I no longer feel the need to hide in shadows." Drusilla gave a chuckled. "Sorry, I've rambled." "I'd love to have you over sometime. Now, I've jabbered enough we should get to practicing."

[Azira]

The huntress looked quizzically at the Symenestra as she started to explain something about her diet. Where had that come from? She laughed nervously as she realised that the seamstress had thought she'd been starting at the bones that were prominent in her exposed midriff. She had but that had been far from her true focus. Part of the nervousness was more than embarrassment. The idea of eating liquefied insides was more than a bit disturbing. It didn't seem as if the other really noticed.

The bow was nearly thrust under her nose for her inspection and the Avora found herself leaning backwards a bit to avoid being struck in the nose. "Mmm," the girl managed as if to express interest. It seemed that the other was set to go on a ramble. It wasn't likely that she'd get much more than that in against such enthusiasm on the spider's part if she did start on one of her long speeches. The mention of Turrin made her perk up, her earlier suspicions apparently confirmed and she tried to smother the look of interest. Either the other would become offended or else she would launch into a long winded explanation.

Nothing came from the woman straight away and Azira thought that she'd gotten away with it as Drusilla focused on her archery instead. Her gaze became critical as she ran over the woman's posture and the way she held the bow, searching for bad habits that might need correcting. Oh yeah because you're an expert with a short bow, an inner voice pointed out sneeringly. Why are you bothered about her archery anyway? For once, she'd brought up something worth thinking about. Why was she concerned about whether the spider had acquired bad habits? It wasn't like the other's bow skills made any difference to her. Well I was the first person to teach her and she was sort of my friend last winter for about a bell. The huntress frowned at the thought, still unsure of her own motives.

Drusilla's arrow flew to the outermost edge of the target, striking on the right hand side but just barely. Immediately afterwards, Drusilla made it clear that Azira's interest had not gone unnoticed. A guilty flush invaded her cheeks, the teen shrugging in a parody of nonchalance. And then the dams broke, the huntress left drowning in the sheer volume of words that were being poured out to her by the seamstress and so quickly too. Herself and Turrin were lovers. They'd had a fling. They were "courting", an odd word that seemed to have been made up for she had never heard it used before. What was Drusilla trying to say? Was courting some odd translation of a Symenestra concept? Did it mean living together? Possibly, it did seem to fit and she did know that Turrin and Drusilla were living together or at least she had had her thoughts on the matter confirmed.

Just like that the flood was over and the Avora could breathe again. She tried to wade through the thoughts that the spider's words had left in their wake. Once she had them gathered, she stepped around Drusilla and moved to the empty target beside her. "Yes, practice," she mumbled as she moved past her. She took up her normal stance, standing with the target on her right side with her bow in the same hand, feet kept shoulder's width apart. Once she was in position an arrow was drawn from her quiver, the shaft and feathers examined for any signs of damage before it was carefully nocked. The huntress straightened, one finger above and two fingers below the arrow's shaft before the bow was raised. A moment's hesitance before she began to pull the string back as well, the two movements not quite in sync. Her right arm was held straight out, her left drawing the string back almost to her cheek. An inhale and the arrow released as the breath puffed out again.

The arrow struck the right side of the target as Drusilla's had done but it was halfway between that point and the bull's eye. She sighed. She was only warming up so there was nothing to worry about. She would get better, maybe not bull's eye better but certainly better. Her attention was turned to her companion once more. "So what exactly is this 'courting' which you speak of?" she asked, a hand swept through short red locks as she spoke. "Is it a Sym thing or a... Myrian thing. I haven't heard the word before, it sounds kind of like you made it up," she explained.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

Drusilla watched Azira's movements as she aimed hoping to pick up on something. Then she saw something, an exhale. Azira fired on an exhale, and while she didn't hit the target dead center. She had hit it far better than Drusilla ever had. Plus she had once seen Azira hit the center twice, splitting the first arrow with the second. Yes, watching and mimicking Azira was the way to go. After all her job relied on her archery skills. "You cut your hair... Last winter in was pretty long, now not so much. It's different from what I'm used to seeing on you, but it looks nice." Drusilla offered a smile and shut up. She had already spoke too much for Azira's liking. Heck, she spoke too much for anyone's liking and she knew it. But she had been raised to ask questions as a girl, probably for a future gleaning. Not that it ever happened. Too bad too, she would of been really good at it... Gathering information to add to the massive store that the Symenestra kept. Mimicking Azira she lined up a shot focusing all her attention on the target. She took a breath and exhaled. With her exhale she loosed the arrow. It hit. Not dead center, but it hit better than any other had. She celebrated in her head. Deciding she should pluck the arrows from the target to keep it clear. She returned to shoot again. Drusilla was lining up another shot when Azira's voice startled her and the arrow hit the edge of the target. "Huh? Oh courting? It's more Symenestra than Myrian." She looked at Azira for a sign for her to explain farther or to simply hush up. Azira had asked what it was exactly, so... "Well Symenestra are mainly monogamous, we mate for life. We marry. But we court before we marry, to learn more about one another, whether Turrin and I marry is yet to be seen. But we are dating one another exclusively. That is courting. Marrage is rare here. It's not common for Myrians, who take many husbands. Does that explain things?"

[Azira]

The huntress was nocking a new arrow into her short bow when the Symenestra commented on her hair. She paused, eyeing the woman warily for a moment before a small smile curved her mouth. "I felt that I needed a change. I cut it in the spring. It's better... for the most part," she replied, focusing on her archery once more. Her back was straightened, the bow raised and string pulled back. The arrow was held in place for just a couple of ticks as she aimed, focusing her one eye on the target's centre while the other was held shut. The missile was released and landed higher than she'd intended although it was central. It had missed the bull's eye by a few inches. A very good shot but the next one would only have to be a bit lower and she hoped that she'd have it.

Another arrow thunked into the target beside her just a few ticks after her own and she turned her head to survey how the woman had fared. The sight of the arrow made her eyebrows scale up her forehead. That had been a very lucky shot for a novice. Azira regarded the other through narrowed eyes for a moment as if that would somehow tell her if she'd had another teacher since her. Her stance had been dropped though, the seamstress moving to collect her arrows. It'd had probably just been a lucky fluke. The Avora would shoot one more and collect her own arrows from the target.

Her courting question startled the seamstress, driving her arrow way off course. The teen grinned sheepishly. Oops.

"Marriage is rare here all right. Staying with one person doesn't usually work out that well so few people even get as far as that. Most are more concerned with having fun than settling down. The Chiet and the Dek are free to do what they want, they aren't even able to raise their own children so it's not like they ever stay with whoever they had the child with. Avora and Endal can raise their own children of course but there are plenty of women left alone with them. Men, not so much but it happens." The Inarta shrugged, it wasn't a big deal to her. She'd grown up in that environment. She had no idea who her father was and her mother had never mentioned him much while she was alive. It would forever remain a mystery because Azira wasn't going to try to track him down with so little information to go on. All she knew was that he was an Endal and she didn't even care if she never saw him.

Another arrow was nocked and the bow was raised before the last thing that Drusilla had said sank in. "Did you just say that Myrians take many husbands? You mean the women? What about the men? Are they only allowed one wife or something that they have to share? What's up with that?" she asked incredulously.

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara

[Drusilla]

"Like I said, it looks really nice on you." Drusilla smiled, and returned to watching Azira seeing if she could pick up any tips or habits that would help her. She noticed Azira closed an eye when she aimed. Did it help any? Drusilla wasn't too sure. Wouldn't both eyes be better? Hmm. She'd have to watch Azira closely. The Avora loosed the arrow and it hit above the mark, just barely though. Maybe there was something to closing an eye. She'd have to try for herself to find out. But not right now. "If I had a wedding, you know like a party.. Would you come? Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself... Who's to say Turrin will propose? We might just stay like this forever..." She shut up again. Too much talking her mind screamed at her. Her mind drifted off to other subjects. Would Turrin marry her? Probably not, she was just getting her hopes up to have them shot down again. Shot down by an arrow perfectly aimed. She was the lover of an Endal, wasn't that good enough? It would have to be. It was more than most Inarta got in their lives. "Myrian culture dictates that government and all else be run by women. Women hold rank over men. A women will take the men she likes and add them to her harem. The men take their wife's surname. If a woman tires of a husband she can send him back to his family, he has no say on the matter. Be nice, huh? It's funny Myrians and Symenestra were blood enemies. They chased the Symenestra out of the area. We eventually ended up here in Kalia."

[Azira]

The woman had only been trying to be nice. She didn't seem to know what Azira's cryptic comment meant but then she wasn't supposed to. It wasn't like the huntress was going to share the various incidents that her hair had caused. She wasn't going to tell Drusilla that she'd been mistaken for a lower caste member more often than she would have liked. Most didn't think that she was a Dek because of her clothing but being mistaken for a Chiet was no better. No that was a fact best kept to herself.

The topic of wedding came up and she was momentarily confused. The woman had just said that the two were "courting" and that there was no indication that they would get married and yet here she was acting as if it was a given that herself and Turrin would be bound together by that goddess whose name Azira couldn't remember. Something beginning with C she thought but it wasn't that important. It was clear that the seamstress was getting ahead of herself but what she'd said was also very telling. She wanted to be married to Turrin and it seemed that the only one who hadn't come to a decision on the matter was the Endal himself. They were living together, they were lovers and while for most in Wind Reach that would be enough, she was desperate for that one further step. It was a part of her culture she supposed but marriage for Symenestra seemed to be fairly binding. Maybe she wanted the security that the half-Myrian wouldn't leave her. Leaving a partner was a very common thing in the volcanic city after all.

If such an event did come to pass though, Azira wasn't sure if she'd like to go. She thought that she wanted Drusilla as a friend and the woman obviously wanted her to be there but would the huntress like to be? She wasn't certain about it at all, the whole thing just seemed so strange and parties, well social interaction in general, wasn't something that she was very good at. Maybe if it was very small she might go but there was no guarantee that it'd even come about. Turrin could die out in the Unforgiving tomorrow and put an end to the spider's projected future. A horrible thought but something that could realistically come about. It'd be very easy for an Endal to go missing in very bad weather if they happened to be out at the wrong time. It had happened to Lavira and it had happened to Alori so why not to Turrin too?

"I haven't seen Turrin in awhile actually," she commented, prompted by her own thoughts rather than anything specific that Drusilla had said. She wasn't expecting any sort of response about it either; she was just saying.

She resumed lining up the shot that had been delayed to ask the question concerning Myrians. The bow was raised again, string tugged backwards and a brief squint used to help line up the shot. It was released, aimed lower this time and still missed the bull's eye. It struck below this time and again it was a few inches out. A hiss of frustration left her as she went to tug the arrows out again, careful not to damage them any further. The shafts were examined for signs of cracking before she resumed her previous stance in front of the target.

"So Myrian women run everything? And can get rid of a lover they don't like without the man being able to do anything? That's an interesting culture. I don't know what I make of it. It's going to seem strange to me anyway because we don't do things the same way but... I guess it sounds kind of nice," the huntress told her as she pulled out another arrow. Again it was examined just to be on the safe side before she nocked it. Her fingers were positioned with care, one finger above and two below as she began to draw the string back. The bow rose a tick later, the string extending further until it reached her cheek.

"Symenestra came from somewhere else?" she asked, sighting along the arrow with her tongue protruding from the side of her mouth as she concentrated. Her fingers relaxed, her hand moving backwards as the arrow flew and thunked into the centre of the target. It wasn't dead centre but it was in the small coloured spot of the bull's eye and that was good enough for her. "Finally." A broad smile spread across her face as she looked towards Drusilla. Her shot was no fluke shot because she had certainly taken the time to get where she actually wanted it. No beginner's luck like the spider's was. Maybe she should step in and help her now that she'd achieved what she was aiming for. The Avora would only feel disheartened if she missed the bull's eye now. Her own practice could wait until another day.

The bow was put down, her shoulders rolled backwards and her arms stretched above her head until the joints clicked. She relaxed again and moved closer to the other woman. "Funny that two people from races who are total enemies should end up together. Would you like some help? With the archery, I mean. I take it that I can still be your teacher although it's been awhile."

Nari | Common

Template courtesy of Khara