Post by The Great Other on Sept 6, 2012 14:07:39 GMT -5
Lorraine watched the sky fill up with color. Blue of the day faded out to violet and then, as the sun began to sink below the horizon, red flooded the sky. It was bloodlike, to her. “Bloodlike,” she breathed. She had killed someone. And might have killed more had her shots not gone awry. Might have killed Lord Stark, too. She bit her lip, hard, trying not to think about it. He had forgiven her, and she had vowed not to take up the bow again. But perhaps she would find herself more useful if she would take it up again, and if she practiced…her mind was made up.
*****
You could hear the hammer from any part of the inn, it seemed. She had looked everywhere else for the man, and no one seemed to know where he had disappeared to. Finally after asking around, old Harald, Ser Edric’s second in command, pointed toward the inn’s small forge. “Just follow the sound my lady.” He said “he’s been in there since we arrived. You could tell him to stop with the clanging, as some of my boys are wanting some sleep.” Lorraine nodded, and had gotten at the doorway, but hesitated. What was she supposed to ask, “Teach how to kill better?” She didn’t know, but the silence was good for thought. The silence… “If it isn’t the little Lionfish,” said Crowl pleasantly from the doorway “I thought I heard someone sneaking up on me.” He seemed more bemused than anything else. He had a blacksmiths apron and white undershirt that revealed his muscular arms. Wiping his hands on a dirty rag, he looked tired and sad“Does the lady need anything from me?” Lorraine swallowed, and spoke quickly before her voice betrayed her. “I need to talk to you.” He raised one eyebrow, then nodded and motioned inside.
******
“Master Crowl…” Lorraine began, looking around the forge. “I need your help. Could you show me some of your archery techniques? You’re the best shot I know, and…well; I’m not much use on the field of battle.” Chuckling, he nodded “That’s for certain. Why, I could’ve sworn I saw a arrow strike Lord Stark in the back, and since I know it wasn’t my shot…” She went red. Did everyone on the trip know about that? He finished beating out his last arrowhead. “But I also saw a man die with a arrow through his spine, and that was not mine either, sure as sure.” He looked up at her “Do you want to kill men? Is it your wish to hunt them?” She saw again the man reach behind for the arrow, saw his face twist from rage and fear into… what? Puzzlement, shock? She shook herself. “I do not want these things… but if we are attacked again I do not want to sit scared with Aelinor and do nothing to defend myself. I wish to aim true and to not...” She didn’t feel it was necessary to mention it again “…shoot friends in the back.” Felric finished dryly. The slap sounded loud in the small space. Felric didn’t move at all, but the red flush creeping into his face bespoke the force with which she had done the deed. He looked dangerous now… But Lorraine would not be intimidated “I will not hear any more of that from you “ she spoke coldly “ You will help me improve so that I do not embarrass myself again, and I will not hear another upstart word from you.” Crowl grinned “Lion growls, but we’ll see if you have teeth. Meet me at sunrise then. You’ll have your lesson. And wear something that you won’t mind getting dirty.”
******
He was waiting for her, his two bows slung over his shoulder unstrung. Without a word he began to walk into the forest. She quickly followed him, and they wound their way through the trees, occasional sunbeams peeping down from over the foliage. Eventually they found themselves in a forest glade, and there Felric stopped and began to make a fire. Throwing the wooden bow to her, he spoke at last “Try to string that.” Biting her lip, she held the bow and stared down at it in uncertainty. String it? She had never tried to string a bow so big. This one was almost the same size as her! Taking the string in one hand, she bent the bow as best she could and threw her entire weight behind it, but the string was still a hand away from the other tip. As she strained, he began to speak. “Now I’m guessing that the fight in the mountains was the first time you touched a proper westeros longbow. Probably used hunting bows before, but if you want self defence I’m not going to mollycoddle you. Best thing would be to get you a composite bow, for someone of your build. Dothraki Horse lords use em, and they’re deadly accurate but don’t have nearly the range of these. Much easier to use and string though.” Plucking the bow from her he gently put it over the now roaring fire, spinning it up and down so the entire wood was warmed but did not burn. Handing it back to her, he motioned for her to try again. She took the string, took a deep breath, then pulled… and it bent easily. Fitting the string over the curve, she looked up with a smile. “First lesson done then. Now for some real practice.”
******
The arrows thrummed as they flew through the air. They hit the tree not a foot apart, and she could see how much she had improved already. They had been here for hours, monotonously shooting arrow after arrow, then retrieving, then shooting again. He didn’t speak much, just kept bending the great white bow alongside her, shooting a split second after her release. He seemed to be trying to hit her arrows with his own. They came close. When he did speak, he only did it once, maybe she thought because he only needed to say it once. “Breathe out, breathe half in, release. The bow is the thing that should be bending, not your arm. Straight back, until the feather tickles your ear.” The sun slowly rose, and the arrows kept flying. Finally, just as she was truly getting into the rhythm of things, he touched her arm gently. She looked at him as he placed a finger over his mouth, and motioned to the other end of the glade. A magnificent stag had just walked out of the forest, 12 points gleaming in the sunlight. It could not see the two hunters wrapped in shadows, and Felric put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to the creature. She closed her eyes, drew, set, pulled, opened her eyes, and released. The arrow flew straight and true.
******
The gold cloaks saw the two trudging back to the inn right before supper was to be served. The deer was over Felrics shoulders, and had a single red spot on it. Reeking of sweat, blood, and grime, a grin on her face, and a bow slung over her shoulder, Lorraine Lannister had found her teeth at last.
(Lorraine archery to Noteworthy)
(Lorraine hunting to Novice)
(Felric archery to Master)
*****
You could hear the hammer from any part of the inn, it seemed. She had looked everywhere else for the man, and no one seemed to know where he had disappeared to. Finally after asking around, old Harald, Ser Edric’s second in command, pointed toward the inn’s small forge. “Just follow the sound my lady.” He said “he’s been in there since we arrived. You could tell him to stop with the clanging, as some of my boys are wanting some sleep.” Lorraine nodded, and had gotten at the doorway, but hesitated. What was she supposed to ask, “Teach how to kill better?” She didn’t know, but the silence was good for thought. The silence… “If it isn’t the little Lionfish,” said Crowl pleasantly from the doorway “I thought I heard someone sneaking up on me.” He seemed more bemused than anything else. He had a blacksmiths apron and white undershirt that revealed his muscular arms. Wiping his hands on a dirty rag, he looked tired and sad“Does the lady need anything from me?” Lorraine swallowed, and spoke quickly before her voice betrayed her. “I need to talk to you.” He raised one eyebrow, then nodded and motioned inside.
******
“Master Crowl…” Lorraine began, looking around the forge. “I need your help. Could you show me some of your archery techniques? You’re the best shot I know, and…well; I’m not much use on the field of battle.” Chuckling, he nodded “That’s for certain. Why, I could’ve sworn I saw a arrow strike Lord Stark in the back, and since I know it wasn’t my shot…” She went red. Did everyone on the trip know about that? He finished beating out his last arrowhead. “But I also saw a man die with a arrow through his spine, and that was not mine either, sure as sure.” He looked up at her “Do you want to kill men? Is it your wish to hunt them?” She saw again the man reach behind for the arrow, saw his face twist from rage and fear into… what? Puzzlement, shock? She shook herself. “I do not want these things… but if we are attacked again I do not want to sit scared with Aelinor and do nothing to defend myself. I wish to aim true and to not...” She didn’t feel it was necessary to mention it again “…shoot friends in the back.” Felric finished dryly. The slap sounded loud in the small space. Felric didn’t move at all, but the red flush creeping into his face bespoke the force with which she had done the deed. He looked dangerous now… But Lorraine would not be intimidated “I will not hear any more of that from you “ she spoke coldly “ You will help me improve so that I do not embarrass myself again, and I will not hear another upstart word from you.” Crowl grinned “Lion growls, but we’ll see if you have teeth. Meet me at sunrise then. You’ll have your lesson. And wear something that you won’t mind getting dirty.”
******
He was waiting for her, his two bows slung over his shoulder unstrung. Without a word he began to walk into the forest. She quickly followed him, and they wound their way through the trees, occasional sunbeams peeping down from over the foliage. Eventually they found themselves in a forest glade, and there Felric stopped and began to make a fire. Throwing the wooden bow to her, he spoke at last “Try to string that.” Biting her lip, she held the bow and stared down at it in uncertainty. String it? She had never tried to string a bow so big. This one was almost the same size as her! Taking the string in one hand, she bent the bow as best she could and threw her entire weight behind it, but the string was still a hand away from the other tip. As she strained, he began to speak. “Now I’m guessing that the fight in the mountains was the first time you touched a proper westeros longbow. Probably used hunting bows before, but if you want self defence I’m not going to mollycoddle you. Best thing would be to get you a composite bow, for someone of your build. Dothraki Horse lords use em, and they’re deadly accurate but don’t have nearly the range of these. Much easier to use and string though.” Plucking the bow from her he gently put it over the now roaring fire, spinning it up and down so the entire wood was warmed but did not burn. Handing it back to her, he motioned for her to try again. She took the string, took a deep breath, then pulled… and it bent easily. Fitting the string over the curve, she looked up with a smile. “First lesson done then. Now for some real practice.”
******
The arrows thrummed as they flew through the air. They hit the tree not a foot apart, and she could see how much she had improved already. They had been here for hours, monotonously shooting arrow after arrow, then retrieving, then shooting again. He didn’t speak much, just kept bending the great white bow alongside her, shooting a split second after her release. He seemed to be trying to hit her arrows with his own. They came close. When he did speak, he only did it once, maybe she thought because he only needed to say it once. “Breathe out, breathe half in, release. The bow is the thing that should be bending, not your arm. Straight back, until the feather tickles your ear.” The sun slowly rose, and the arrows kept flying. Finally, just as she was truly getting into the rhythm of things, he touched her arm gently. She looked at him as he placed a finger over his mouth, and motioned to the other end of the glade. A magnificent stag had just walked out of the forest, 12 points gleaming in the sunlight. It could not see the two hunters wrapped in shadows, and Felric put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to the creature. She closed her eyes, drew, set, pulled, opened her eyes, and released. The arrow flew straight and true.
******
The gold cloaks saw the two trudging back to the inn right before supper was to be served. The deer was over Felrics shoulders, and had a single red spot on it. Reeking of sweat, blood, and grime, a grin on her face, and a bow slung over her shoulder, Lorraine Lannister had found her teeth at last.
(Lorraine archery to Noteworthy)
(Lorraine hunting to Novice)
(Felric archery to Master)