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Post by Quorkbirb on Oct 30, 2015 11:24:27 GMT -6
A Long Awaited Appeal
Froya - Quirkylynx
Hira - Jennycallie
Setting:
In the late winter, with the spring of 1700 just beginning to poke its head out of the snow.
Night has just begun to fall and the snowfall starts to thicken.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Nov 1, 2015 14:08:43 GMT -6
It had been days since they set out and Skeldr town was just beginning to peak over a hill. Distant lights of the settlement started to come to life in the closing dusk, like fickle stars against the darkening horizon. Froya and Gegnir were used to long journeys over such rough terrain, but this time it felt different. Without the smell of apana engulfing them and their clan-mates beside them, this pilgrimage had a different weight to it. The unfamiliarity made Froya nervous. As Skeldr town grew in closeness, Froya's stomach twisted.
The herding mare wasn't usually one for nervousness or anxiety, but this was a day she had been preparing for for practically her entire life. She hoped Hira would accept her to the rank of Valkyrie, she had confidence she would, but what if she didn't? Gegnir said that if that happened, though he was sure it wouldn't, that they would simply return to their clan and continue training. They would return when Froya had improved. So if Froya was rejected, it would only postpone her ascension to a rank where she could serve under the War Lord Mare. Still, to be denied by someone she admired so greatly ... it would be devastating.
Nearly an hour had past and Froya and her father were finally approaching the War Lord's abode. It's stone walls were bearing down on them, overwhelming for those who made their lives in the open wilds of Onea. The snowfall had become dense in the deepening night, their coats frosted. Ice drops clung to Froya's whiskertips and clumps of fur were glued together with chill. Gegnir rose a snow covered hoof against the door in a knock, slushy snow sloughing off from the force. They waited in silence.
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Word Count: 294 |
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Post by Jennycallie on Nov 5, 2015 21:08:48 GMT -6
Ah, she was getting old.
With a stifled sigh, Hira looked up from the documents she had been studying and stretched out her stiff neck, first one way, then the other, and finishing with a vigorous shake that fluffed up her mane spectacularly. It also sent the parchments fluttering to the floor. This time she did sigh.
"Grabbing" the documents with a simple flick of her mind, she resettled them on the heavy pine table, reordered them. It was getting dark; soon she'd have to make the decision to light some candles and keep reading, or call it a night. Hira turned, looking up at the small, thickly-paned window set high in the stone wall. Snow was pattering softly against it, and that decided her. She was done reading these tiresome reports; she'd take a walk, instead. Stretch out her muscles. It was important that she keep herself limber, especially on the cold nights that liked to remind her of her age.
With a flick of her thick tail, Hira turned and left her "study", as she called the room, and paced down the dim hall towards the front door. Her hooves made soft, resolute taps that echoed quietly in the empty hall, flitting away in to the darkest corners.
"I'm going for a walk, that is all," Hira said to apparently no one in particular, not turning her head as she paused near the door.
A shadow detached itself from the wall, easing itself in to the flickering torchlight until the shadow was no more, replaced by a tall golden stallion. Hira turned to look up at him then, green eyes amused.
"Alone?" Alistair asked in his deep, quiet voice, which perfectly conveyed both respect... and disapproval.
"Yes," Hira said equably. "I promise not to poke any sleeping bears." She stepped towards the heavy wooden door.
A minute, almost inaudible sigh came from behind her, then-
"It's snowing. Take your cloak." Even as he spoke, the stallion was settling Hira's oil-skin cloak, lined with thick Apana wool, across her back.
"Yes, mother," Hira snorted, but without rancor. "I'll be back in-"
Boom, boom, boom.
She and Alistair both jumped, staring at the door from which there had just come three very definitive knocks.
Alistair made to move forwards, but Hira blocked him with a well-placed swing of her rump and swung the door open herself, peering at the two strangers before her. A stallion, and a filly- no, young mare.
She arched a brow.
"Yes?"
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Post by Quorkbirb on Nov 5, 2015 21:57:23 GMT -6
The impressive door suddenly opened and a mare older than Froya, yet younger than her father appeared. Froya's heart caught in the base of her throat. She mentally scoffed at herself, was she some love struck foal? Only her eyes betrayed her, widening in awe as she saw the horse she respected so greatly in the flesh, but not a second later she had composed herself once more.
With an abrupt, but respectful bow of the head, Gegnir spoke.
"War Lord, I am Gegnir, once a Shield under your father's rule. I have traveled here with my daughter to request audience with you. She is strong and I have trained her hard. She would be honored to serve as a Valkyrie under your command ..." he paused. During their journey, Gegnir had mulled over what he would say to the War Lord when they arrived. He sounded professional, respectable, and yet humble, like a decorated officer addressing his superior.
"...and I believe she will be a great asset to you."
Froya took a small step forward once she was sure her father was done, took a solid, strong stance, and presented a bow deeper than her father's but not deep enough to lose composure. She looked up, locking eyes with Hira. Determination burned in them brightly, her mouth a hard line. Her stare was bold, but not challenging.
"My Lord, I am Froya. Daughter of Shield Gegnir and herder Deodora. War Forged flows through my veins and Kaia's strength in my marrow. The mountain has hardened me and my father has honed me. I hope you would allow me the deepest honor to be refined by you and become a Valkyrie worthy of fighting by your side."
Upon finishing, Froya bowed again, but left herself in this way as an offering to the great mare before her. She would raise her head once more when she felt Hira found it fit. Snow settled gently onto her form.
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Word Count: 327
Total: 1037
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Post by Jennycallie on Nov 6, 2015 15:09:52 GMT -6
Ah, a Valkyrie appeal. She had rather thought it might be that, given the young mare's bold gaze and well-masked nervousness, under a veneer of practiced confidence.
Gegnir... She vaguely remembered the name, if not the face, but of course he was much older now. As was she, Hira thought as her neck reminded her of its stiffness with a nice twinge. She shifted her weight, eyeing the snow dusted pair. They looked as if they had been on the road for a long time. Not surprising; Onea was vast, and many equines still adhered to the more solitary, nomadic life, as opposed to the cramped bustling of Skeldr Town. At least her own home was further up the mountain, and quieter. Hira looked at the pair and wondered just how far they'd traveled.
"Few fathers would willingly see their daughters in the role of a Valkyrie, under my rule," she said slowly, watching Froya and not Gegnir as she spoke. "I appreciate this support that you show me, and will not forget it. Please, come in and warm yourself- My Shield Alistair will see you comfortable and with food and drink." She nodded behind her, towards where the palomino still loomed.
"Froya and I," Hira continued, "will be going for a walk." With that, the mare stepped fully through the door and down in to the glittering snow, her cloven hooves crunching softly. Without another word, Hira turned and paced away, quickly fading in to the shadows, her silvery tail a beacon for Froya to follow.
No matter what her father thought, Hira was most interested in Froya's opinions and character; those were what mattered. The snow was still falling, and it settled softly on Hira's cloak, the crystals mimicking the dusting of spots on her coat, hidden beneath the fabric. Her mother had once told Hira that her coat reminded her of the mountain; earthy brown, capped with a smattering of white. Hira had taken it as a sign, as a blessing from Kaia. She would be the mountain, she would be strong.
So did young Froya feel this same strength, this same fierce earth-born desire to be something more?
Hmm.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Nov 8, 2015 14:15:31 GMT -6
Without a moment's hesitation, Froya swung around to follow Hira. In the back of her mind she worried slightly for her father. Hopefully this Alistair had no bad blood with him, many shields that were disciplined alongside Gegnir did not hold him in high regard.
Froya quickly matched the Lord's stride and took up an air of a guard. She was tired, her father and her had pushed themselves in the last leg of the journey instead of resting for the night and arriving at Skelder town in the morning. However weary her legs were, she would not let it show. Her steps were strong and her head high. Besides, it was nice to see where Hira was going, where the Lord went when she was needing to think or relieve herself of her duties. Much could be learned from a person by knowing such things.
She expected to be questioned heavily and waited for Hira to speak. While she waited, she took in Skledr town, observing it in the quiet nighttime snow. This would be her new home if Hira accepted her. Stone and structure. It would take some getting used to. She would miss the closeness of the trees and changing scenery of wild Onea. Her determination would keep her here, but Froya could not understand those who chose to live such a cooped up stationary life without having some cause to do so. Hira was the leader, she must stay here and be accessible for her people. But simple townsfolk, those who decided to work and live in Skeldr when their careers and lives were not inherently tied to these stone walls. Perhaps she would come to understand better when she herself was confined to a stationary life.
She looked up towards mount Skeldr. Living here also meant being closer to the shrines, that was a plus.
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Word Count: 310
Total: 1710
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Post by Jennycallie on Nov 13, 2015 1:20:52 GMT -6
Hira listened as Froya fell in to stride with her near instantly, as she had known the young mare would.
For a while, Hira was silent as she wound her way higher up the mountain path, leaving young Froya to her thoughts and observations. The war lord could tell she was tired, but she made no complaint, and kept stride with a dogged determination despite the thick snow and deepening cold of night. Good signs, but not enough.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hira saw Froya look up the mountain, towards Skeldr's distant, invisible peak. Ah, perhaps she hoped to make the pilgrimage to the summit, to honor Kaia (and Alya as well, for only a fool would ignore the influence and power of the air god upon these snowy slopes). Good, that indicated ambition as well as bravery. Or perhaps foolishness; time would tell. But, Hira thought, it was another good sign. Perhaps she would not be turning this one away.
The mare paused as they reached a switch-back on the path. With a muttered prayer to Kaia that the damned cloak didn't catch on anything and embarrass her, Hira turned in to the steep rocky slope, then with one gathered bunch of her hindquarters, launched herself upon it and began scrambling, her cloven hooves finding the helpful crevasses and traction. After a few tense moments (and only one slip on the fresh snow), Hira reached level ground again. She didn't pause to see if Froya followed, but instead moved serenely forward, resettling her cloak with a shrug of her withers.
And then the mare finally halted, looking out across the shadowy expanse of Onea from her favorite (and rather secret) vantage point, so helpfully hidden from the main trail. It was a small outcropping, large enough for only two or three equines to stand on the exposed plateau and... reflect.
Hira stood quietly, the snowflakes clinging to her eyelashes until they blurred the dancing, glittering fires of Skeldr town, so far below her hooves. She flicked her tail, turning her eyes up to the sky and closing them, breathing in the sharp night air.
"What does your heart want, Froya?" She asked finally, eyes still closed.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Nov 18, 2015 2:41:46 GMT -6
Froya began to grow a bit concerned. The War Lord was so quiet. Should Froya be taking the lead in the conversation? It wasn't something she prepared for. After all, she expected to only speak when spoken to during her appeal.
She was grateful when the trail became a bit more rugged. It wouldn't be too reasonable to have a conversation while traversing the rocks, this would give Froya an excuse for silence if she needed one. Following her Lord, Froya made her way up the rocky hillside in just a few strong bounds, despite the ice slick rocks. She climbed the mountain slope with perhaps greater ease than Hira, appearing particularly at home on the jagged earth. Only an Apana could have scaled the slope with more casual confidence.
Heeling after Hira, the appealing Valkyrie took up her post beside her leader when the pair paused. Froya observed Hira at first as the elder gazed out over the snowy crag, but seeing that she was absorbed in the view, Froya shifted her ears away from her and towards the misty openness below them. The outlook reminded her of when her clan and flock had to camp upon mountain trails to reach alpine pastures. It twinged her heart, to think of the life she would be leaving behind, but at the same time the sight brought her warmth in the cold night. When she was missing her past, she could come to spots like these to remind herself of home and why she was here.
Eyes having glazed over briefly in memory, Froya started at Hira's sudden inquiry. Looking at Hira, Froya began to contemplate, organizing her thoughts and chewing her words before speaking.
"My heart wants Onea." She said, pausing for a second before continuing and turning to look over the darkened horizon. "It wants to protect the land in which I was forged and that I am tied to. It wants to blend it's blood with the blood of my ancestors, honor them, learn from them, but at the same time not follow them blindly. I want to better Onea and I want to do this under your rule." Lowering her head and eyes, she stared at some distant point just beyond her hooves and the cliff's edge, submitting her heartfelt words for Hira's judgement. She felt a tad embarrassed, hoping her words weren't too poetic and stood stoic in anticipation for her Lord's response.
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Word Count: 407
Total: 2487
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Post by Jennycallie on Dec 2, 2015 16:59:54 GMT -6
Hira listened as the young one spilled out her heart, passion and nervousness and regret all threading through the words at different intervals, different levels. But they all combined to weave a tapestry of determination, and Hira was pleased.
"All of this you could do, could achieve, as a scout," Hira commented finally, turning to fix Froya with her pale green eyes. She tilted her head slightly. "It would be an easier path. Oh, not in terms of physical danger, but in terms of..." and here the war lord paused, her nostrils flaring distastefully, "of respectability. It is no small thing to turn your hooves from the path trod by so many before you, and to forge your own way." Especially as a mare, hung the unspoken words in the sharp night air.
"The situation may be more... diffused, in the outlying settlements, but here in Skeldr many do not entirely approve of my Valkyries." Or of me. "Are you so willing to throw away your chances at respectability, as it is still understood for young mares? You may lose social opportunities, marriage offers, hospitality rights..." Hira trailed away, lest her voice turn too bitter. She had long since resigned herself to these things, but she had to make sure her girls knew, were aware, of the trade off. She would not consign them to such a fate without their consent.
She thought it was worth it, of course.
But did Froya?
Hira's eyes reflected the moonlight as she looked back at the young mare, waited for her response as the snow fell softly around them, only the barren rocks witness to the conversation.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Dec 8, 2015 1:39:52 GMT -6
Froya brought her head high when Hira responded and held her gaze, listening to the mare’s wary words. The herder’s eyes narrowed, she knew what Hira was ever so carefully avoiding. A fire grew in her belly and shone through her eyes, eyebrows furrowing into a tight knot.
“I may be brash in saying so, but those who lose respect for me in becoming a Valkyrie lose my respect for them in turn. Any stallion who finds my status offensive does not deserve my bond in marriage and perhaps what other social opportunities I will have lost were not worth my time in the first place.”
She stamped a hoof solidly into the fresh snow, striking the rock underneath and sending a small flurry of snow gently drifting away from the cliffside. “Besides, I will help prove them wrong. They will see that the Valkyrie rank is deserving of their respect and high regards, equal to that of the Shields. And hopefully, one day, there will be no division between the two ranks.”
Breaking her hard stare from Hira, she looked out to the drifting snow with an expression of great resolve. “Then, and only then, would the Shields be worthy to be graced with my father’s allegiance once more …” she murmured almost to herself, though she doubted this would come to pass within her father’s fighting years.
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Word Count: 229
Total: 2990
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Post by Jennycallie on Dec 9, 2015 18:48:14 GMT -6
Hira fought down a chuckle at Froya's fiery torrent; she had no wish to offend the youngling, but merely was amused at this reminder of her own youth. Indeed, Hira felt her heart swell as she beheld Onea's future in this little brown mare. Only time would tell, of course, but she had great hopes for this one.
"That is my hope as well," Hira replied when Froya had finished, choosing not to remark on the comment about Gegnir; she'd ask Alistair about it later, he would know. She paused a moment, tossing her fluffy mane as she followed Froya's gaze to the village below. Thinking of Alistair reminded her of how late it was growing, and the snow was still falling thick. "We had best get going," Hira said finally, giving her coat another shake and sending snow flying. "Otherwise Alistair might just send a search party for us." She turned, picking her way down the treacherous rocks carefully. "He can be a bit overbearing, but he's not too bad, for a stallion."
She paused, leaping the final few feet to land on level path once more, then turned to watch Froya, resettling her cloak with a shrug of her withers. "You'll quickly learn that, as a Valkyrie." The last words were delivered with a slight smile. "I think you will be a great asset to our herd, Froya. Now, come, I was not kidding about Alistair." She shook her head, muttering less than flattering descriptions of the Shield under her breath as she began to walk once more.
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Post by Quorkbirb on Dec 9, 2015 19:57:37 GMT -6
Embarrassment ticked the young mare’s heart when Hira laughed, but it was quickly whisked away with the Lord’s confession of shared hope. She breathed the icy air deeply, relieved that she was feeling her appeal had gone well.
Watching her superior shake her mane clear of snow, she then followed her obediently down the mountain trail. Smirking at Hira’s teasing of Alistair, she offered no verbal response. Froya still had to become used to being around Shields and she did not know how sharp Hira would allow her tongue to be on the subject.
However, at her Lord’s next words, Froya lost a bit of her natural composure. She paused on the trail, staring at Hira. That sounded like a confirmation … was she now a Valkyrie? The tiniest glimmer of a smile crept along Froya’s mouth and she bowed before her new teacher. “I will not disappoint you, my Lord.” With that she quickly trotted down the hillside, a bit of the weariness in her muscles disappearing. She would not sleep fast tonight, her mind thick with wonder of what tomorrow would hold.
Besides, this would be the first night she would sleep inside a stone box …
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Word Count: 199
Final Total: 3449
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