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 Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:28 pm
She watched him after she gave her review of him, expecting perhaps some sort of anger for showing his flaws. His friend had been more than just a little angry, but smart enough not to act out infront of her. But this male was agreeable to them, which rose him in her eyes by a fraction. Most were too proud to admit they had made a mistake. Then he posed a question.
"For others yes, it is not always accurate. If it was, I'd be far more intimidating." She took anther shot at a high set target, hitting it without looking almost. She tucked a lock behind a large black ear before turning to him to answer his next question.
"As your house has trained you to withstand pain, mine trained me to improve myself. I'm the second daughter. My dear...sweet...sister is heir to our Matron. She took it upon herself to show me all my flaws and would beat me until I corrected them." In truth, her sister took pleasure in berating and humiliating her infront of everyone. Slowly but surly it had built up into an intense hatred for her sister.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:59 pm
Val watched the arrow fly for a moment as it left the bow, but did not seek to follow its path into the darkness, assuming it would hit its intended target with or without his voyeurism. Privately, he thought she was plenty intimidating without being any more accurate, though he also thought she was less intimidating than many he had met here. He remembered how shocked he had been to learn Sornzar was a son of House Zaumtor, and how willing he had been to be intimidated by his agemate based solely on his house. He had learned there were other reasons to find Zar intimidating, but these did not make him uncomfortable. Shrilyn's form of intimidation did not make him uncomfortable, either. She was observant and blunt, like many of his instructors. It was something with which he was familiar.
He listened with interest as she mentioned her house for the first time. She was the second daughter, which made her a person of relative import, even though her house might not be particularly high-ranking. He didn't know about that. He knew very little about her house, or other houses beyond Baen'duis, though he was learning quickly. His friends, amazed at his ignorance, were determined that he be as aware of the politicking going on around them as everyone else. After all, they were the ones who would be dying for it, as Adin pointed out. No one else had noticed that Zar winced a little at that very accurate statement.
When Shrilyn mentioned her sister, however, and the treatment she had received at the hands of the first daughter of her house, and his eyes widened in unconcealed horror as he heard what she was not saying as well. Baen'duis might be known for its flagellatory practices, but public humiliation was not one of their common practices. They were whipped as punishment, but by the priestesses of their temple, who administered the lashings as penance, so that their misdeeds would be purged and they would once again be closer to Lloth's graces. The only time a whipping was public was if there was a point to be made or both parties agreed to it in advance. Val had been beaten before the entire house, almost unto death, but he was the first one in nearly his entire lifetime. There was a difference.
"Thank you for telling me," he said finally, otherwise at a loss for words. "I will hold that in confidance if you wish that it not be widely known."
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:06 pm
Shrilyn actually laughed at the idea of anything being kept in confidance. Her laugh was unusual, as she rarely made such a display of emotion. It sounded maniacal, with a tone that would send shivers up the spine of any normal person. It was during her laughing moments that Shrilyn took on the visage of the most cruel drowess imaginable. It was whispered amoung the archers that secretly, Shrilyn had gone mad many years ago but her mother was able to control her. That's why she was a warrior, to channel her maddness into something usefull. But the cream haired drowess rarely found humor in a situation and if she did, it was mostly likely a very bad situation at whomever was being laughed at. She turned her amber eyes to the male, whom she suspected was quite confused at the moment.
"Nothing I do is secret." She looked up into the darkness that filled the above of the underground. "For those that know my house it is well known what my family thinks of me. I have no magic skills like mother. I don't have the devotion to Lloth that would allow me to enter the priestesshood like my sister. I was born second and am the last daughter of my house. Even my aunt has nothing but sons. I am merely an extra female to keep the males in our house in line. Hence why they sent me here. I had no aspirations to be a warrior. It was chosen for me."
In truth, Shrilyn was glad she had been sent here. She didn't have to deal with her sister's merciless torment. She didn't have to endure her mother's words of shame. All she had to do was fight and win. It was a simple demand despite the obsticles put infront of her. Defeat her enemy. She twirled an arrow in her hand with just as much skill as if it were a bo staff. Oh sure, she could use other weapons. She just excelled in archery. Her amber eyes in the low light had a strange glow to them, like a raging fire hiding behind a stained glass window.
"You see, I have no purpose once I graduate from this. Most likely I'll be made some sort of guard for my sister. Or something more menial. Despite having this path chosen for me, no end was ever created. So you see, I need not have any secrets. For my future is nothing but an illusion."
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:32 pm
Val's shock and surprise grew when Shrilyn burst into peals of less-than-reassuring laughter. He certainly had not meant to be humorous, though clearly he had been. He waited for her to recover herself and listened to her explanation, refraining from mentioning that he had heard nothing of her house until she had mentioned it just now. He didn't know exactly how things worked in her house, but he knew that in most households with only two female offspring, the competition was brutal, even if one was clearly the superior heir. As it was between Shrisin and Trielnolu. Sort of. Shri usually ignored Tri-no completely, which goaded her to further efforts, most of which failed because Shri anticipated them or Val handled them in advance.
"Why not slay your sister when your training is complete?" he asked earnestly.
It was probably too forward a question, but it seemed to him the sensible solution. He thought about the matter a little more. He knew little about Shrilyn besides what she had shared with him just now and what he had heard through rumor, but she seemed to be totally dedicated to her studies, and when she found something deficient, she was usually finding a flaw in herself or another, not in the training itself. He guessed she actually rather enjoyed a warrior's simpler life, which meant that matronhood was not for her.
"Actually, forget I said that. It's not my place to make suggestions - particularly not ones that involve the death of Lloth's priestesses - and that's probably not the best suggestion anyway, unless you want to take over as matron?"
A half-formed idea was in his mind, and he tried not to poke at it, because he knew that would cause it to evaporate or vanish before coming to full form. It had something to do with Shrilyn's future, and another possibility. He opened his mouth, hoping that if he spoke the idea would worm its way to fruition more quickly.
"It's unfortunate that you have no end goal in mind. Myself, if I survive training, I'll be made a member of the Scourge - Baen'duis' elite guard."
Hm. His idea had had something to do with the Scourge, too, but it was a slippery thing, and he couldn't quite catch what it was. It would come to him, he hoped, if he waited patiently.
"There might be other options available to you, when you complete your training here. If you're not bound to return to your house."
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:51 pm
"Slay my sister? Oh believe me, you aren't the first to suggest it. The idea of her blood flowing freely as she looks upon me in hatred and horror all at the same time is tantilizing. But it is not the discussion that is best for right now. I still have much training to do before I decide on that kind of matter." She examined her bow string, reminding herself to restring it when she got back to the barracks It wasn't completely worn but a good archer kept her equipement in top shape.
"Oh I am sure I will be bound to return. And I will for a short time perhaps. But I do not see myself staying there." She stared off into space for a moment, her destiny shown to her as if looking through sleep filled eyes. It is hazy, unformed, and only hints at what the complete picture will be.
"No, something else waits for me. My talents will not be wasted on my dead house. For that is what I believe it is. Despite it's rank, it is a dieing house. And I will not die with it." It might be daring to say such a thing about one's own house but she had though it over ever since she had come here. She looked at every flaw in her own house and had deemed it unworthy of staying in existance. The only reason it hadn't been erased from memory as of yet was it's connection to the temples.
"Lloth is never clear in her messages. And I prefer it that way. I would hate to be spoon feed my life to me, like some child unable to care for itself. No, Lloth demands I learn through hardship and hard work. And so I do. I remove all flaws that I can find in whatever fashion it requires. For I am no stranger to pain." She knocked another arrow and fired at a body target. It stuck with a sickening thud square between the eyes of the dummy.
As the drowess turned, her back was partially illuminationed. For she only wore shirts that covered her upper back. Along the dark skin were obvious marks of whippings. But they were no scars from careless instructors. Someone with a true eye for the practice could see they were made in the position of someone whipping themselves.
"Pain is merely another teacher. One who corrects immediately and needs not explain it's reason. I think it can be the greatest teacher, no living thing can compare." She knocked her last arrow and let it fly through the hardess target. A set of six small rings in a row with the target behind them. The arrow flew straight, it's feathers not even touching the brass circles as it struck the middle.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:30 pm
Val still wasn't sure if that meant Shrilyn had plans to take over her house, or just kill its heir and leave it irreparably crippled. He didn't blame her for wanting to seek revenge. It was, after all, a noble drow pursuit. Almost everyone he knew was after some sort of revenge, even including himself. He would be more than happy to revenge himself and Shrisin upon Trielnolu, given the opportunity. He did approve, though, of her unwillingness to let her skills go to waste in a dying house. It was that sort of confidence in the value of one's abilities which could make someone truly great. Val was quietly confident, because he knew he was skilled, but he was practical enough to know that he was out of shape, even if he was talented, and that it could take a long time for him to reach peak condition again, and until that happened, he could not realize his full potential. He accepted that, having little other choice in the matter.
His gaze accidentally fell on her back and he saw that she bore marks of abuse with a lash. This caught his attention. He knew, now, that her sister had beaten her, and he assumed that she would use a whip of some sort, since that was the instrument of choice for most females otherwise untrained in the use of weapons when they chose to inflict pain personally. However, he was very, very experienced with all forms of marks left from lashings and he could tell that the scars ran the wrong direction and were in the wrong place to have been inflicted by someone else, unless that someone else had gone to a great deal of effort to place them as they had been. To place them so that they looked self-inflicted. It went along with her next words.
"It's an interesting way to use pain," he said. He considered continuing: "Negative reinforcement can be effective, I suppose, especially in the training of dumb animals, but I've never seen it used to any great effect on a sentient being." But he didn't. It wasn't really his business if Shrilyn used physical punishment as incentive to improve herself. She had mentioned that her sister had done so for her in the past.
"My family is known - where we are known - for being unparalled when it comes to skill with any form of whip. We utilize them in our devotions to Lloth, to do penance and purify ourselves. Some of the priestesses claim that they achieve an altered state of consciousness through a session of flagellation which gives them the ability to commune directly with the Spider Goddess, Herself. Rarely do we use a lashing as actual punishment, though. Only for the worst of crimes..." He trailed off unconsciously as his mind went to the last time he had received a decent lashing. Decent was a bit of an understatement, really, he thought with a rueful smile.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:44 pm
Shrilyn smiled a bit as he spoke his opinion of pain as a teacher. "Ah but it is an excellent teacher for the sentient. Think of your training. More importantly the hand-to-hand combat." She took a simple fighting stance; legs slightly apart, her hands held before her chest and stomach, her arms tucked close to her sides. The muscles of her upper body rippled under her skin. An archer was exceedingly good at upper body fighting as they were the most used muscles in their body.
"If you stand wrong, a punch will be landed causing pain. You remember that pain, even after it is gone and always remember the proper stance. Pain is a teacher, because it's lesson stays with you long after it has passed" From her stance she began to strike a practice dummy with quick hits. All were pressure point hits with a few fatal ones. "Also, when striking an opponant, you must strike with the correct part of the body. If you do not, then you will feel pain. Once again, the pain will always be in your mind to remind you how you are suppose to hit."
She stood once again and looked to him. "A sentient being corrects himself but also looks at how the pain was delievered. Then that being can create knew ways of preventing that pain. Which is how many fighting styles were created. All from pain."
She listened quietly to him speak of his house before responding. "I know of your house, we reside in the same city as you do. Just on opposite sides. That's actually where I got the idea for my own focorrections. And again, I do not see it as punishment. Merely as a training method. I do not take care to check my aim, so I think of how I can improve my aim as I am hit. The pain sears the proper aim right into my very blood."
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:01 pm
Privately, Val had reservations about her methods. There were definite rules established for the lashings administered by the priestesses and everyone else. Everyone had a signal word that they could give when it got to be too much to be borne. He supposed one could say that Baen'duis used its lashings to correct bad behavior, but that wasn't really it at all. The lashings weren't to make one behave better in the future, but to absolve him of his wrongdoings in the past. Or, in some cases, the pain was used to amplify pleasure by creating a contrast. He had been on the receiving end of lashings of both sorts, and he had occasionally administered lashings of the second sort upon command. Only a priestess could administer the first sort of lashing to any effect, as they were the only ones who could declare a person purged.
It occurred to him that the feeling of unease which came from learning of Shrilyn's methods of improvement might be something akin to the revulsion he had seen on Zar's face the first time he caught Val performing his devotions. One could, of course, engage in self-flagellation in the absence of a priestess, according to his house's unique doctrine, but it was preferable that another administered the lashing, because it was safer. People were usually overly zealous, which lead to serious injury, or too gentle, which made a mockery of the exercise, when doing their own penance. That was what worried him the most about Shrilyn's activities, he decided. The risk involved from someone inexperienced inflicting bodily harm on herself.
"It is a valid point," he admitted, regarding her lecture on the development of most fighting styles and the improvement of those who make a study of them. "But there are dangers inherent in your method which could arise from being overly enthusiastic."
He hoped she couldn't see him flushing dark because he had not been aware that her house and his were located in the same city. That was bad, even for him. Maybe if he didn't mention it, she might forget his lapse.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:13 pm
If she had noticed his lapse, she kept it to herself. She listened to his words with the look of someone who had been told such things before. "Oh I am very aware of that. But as of yet I have not come up with a better solution. No trainer here is willing to deliver properly so I cannot ask them. Not to mention the times I have they've said it was a waste of their time."
Shri had gone to her supriors to ask for harsher punishment but was turned away for many reasons. Some where revulsed by her idea of improvement, claiming it did nothing but damage the very thing she needed to improve. Others felt she was trying to suck up by asking for more punishment even though she out performed some of the other archers. Others she didn't ask because she knew she wouldn't survive the first hit. So, out of ideas, she did it herself. Even then she did not like it. She couldn't gage her hits and think of her error at the same time. It was difficult.
"So I am left with only myself to deliever proper instrustion. It is not the best way, but currently it is the only way. I am aware I could do serious damage to myself, maybe even permantant damage. But if I were afraid of such things I wouldn't be a warrior. So I face my challenge and do what I can with what I have." She said this as if it were something she had lived with all her life. Which it was. Being the unfavored daughter, Shrilyn had been left to her own devices but without much of anything to pass her time. So she had created games, she had built her own toys, she had even made her own schedule to follow every day. All she had was herself.
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Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 8:33 pm
Listening to her, Val wondered what it must have been like to grow up isolated. He grew up ignored, but not actively avoided. He had an older brother who was much older and several older sisters, who were also much older. They were all sired by different males. Only he and his little sister, Shrisin, shared a father. Their mother had kept him for many years after Shri's birth, and had been uncharacteristically distressed when he was killed on a hunt when Shri was twelve. By that time, Val had appointed himself the role of guardian to his sister, nearly two decades his junior and clever and reckless to a fault. He didn't really remember much of his life until Shri came into it, and after that, he had always been with her, unless she sent him away, which she rarely did. Often, she would follow him around like a shadow while he performed other duties or trained with the guard.
Val admired Shrilyn's dedication to her craft, and though he doubted she concerned herself as much with her own safety as she ought to, at least she recongized the danger. He looked at her carefully and considered very thoroughly his next words. What he was about to say would have been considered blasphemous, and cause for much penance, but if he could just make his mind form the perfect words, even that could be taken care of. If she would agree to it, and wasn't insulted or horrified or repulsed by the idea. If any of the above turned out to be the case, he would just have to backpedal very quickly, and hope she would forgive him.
"A thought," he said, almost murmuring, hoping he was not making a grievious mistake. "I could...help you. I know what I'm doing, so I can promise you there would be no risk of serious injury."
He didn't bring up the second part of his idea, because he had to gauge her reception of his first proposal before continuing and asking for a favor.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:16 pm
Shrilyn blinked a moment as the male made a suggestion that would normally earn him a sudden arrow in the leg or arm. He was suggesting that she assume a submissive position to him while he inflicts pain upon her with purpose. This was completely against everything her mother and sister had ever told her. But then again, she hated both of them so why listen. She face remained blank and unreadable, a true warrior's face as she considered this interesting proposal.
He was correct in that she could hurt herself as she has no proper whip training, at least the kind that makes you hit yourself. His family was well known for their abilities with a whip. Even then, he could give her tutoring on problem self punishment. Maybe in return she could improve his archery a bit, as he said he was a poor archer. And the true punishment it would be. Pain inflicted by a male that she submitted too. Any lesson she wished to teach herself would be ingrained her memory at the idea of doing so. Something blasphemous to any proper Lloth worshiper. But then, it seemed to fit what she strived for in her style.
"So you wish to help me. Your family is more knowledgable about the weapon I use. So your instruction, in any means, interests me." Now to see what else he was going to say, for obviously he was a smart male who held his tongue so he could gage the reaction to his first offer. Foolish males would simply continue on but he knew to step lightly over the cobra pit.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:55 pm
Val imagined he could see the thoughts going through Shrilyn's mind as she considered his proposal. It was totally unorthodox, and he could understand her dilemma. Still, once she had expressed an interest he gathered his courage and spoke up.
"I appreciate your willingness to give this...unconventional situation a try. I would like to ask you a favor, if you would allow it. Even if you don't, I'll still do what I can to be of assistance to you."
Here was the hard part. She wasn't family, and she wasn't a priestess. The likelihood she would misunderstand him was very high. "Would you assist me in my devotions to the Goddess?"
She would probably understand what that would entail. He had explained somewhat what his house believed in terms of worshipping the Goddess.
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:04 pm
Well that is an interesting request. Shrilyn had some training in a whip, mostly against unruly house males. But never for this purpose. But she wasn't as ignorant as one might think to the Baen'duis house's worship practices. Even though her house was lower on the rank system, her sister went to the same semenary as a female from his house. She didn't know who the female was but her sister was content to speak as much about the strange female as she saw fit.
"Since you are willing to take such a risk considering your house's beliefs and the society sure. Why not. If nothing it's good training. And I actually know quite a bit about your worship. My sister is a priestess-in-training with a female from your house."
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:39 pm
Val blinked, deeply startled by her ready acceptance. Of course, it wasn't particularly unnatural for a female to be in a position to strike a male, either with a whip or some other instrument, or even with her bare hand as it was for the positions to be reversed, but he was still surprised. If he had asked someone else, he might've gotten a beating, but not the sort he required, really.
He was less surprised that Shrilyn's sister knew a relative of his. Most of his sisters had received some training at the seminary in Llurth Dreir, as had his cousin Malree. Ree's training was complete, as was that of his oldest sister, Laelafae, but to his knowledge he still had two sisters training there. He didn't know if Shri was there or not. If she was, she would have just begun her training, since she was too young when they were separated to have begun training by the standards of most houses and establishments. Fifty was not quite old enough to begin schooling for a vocation, after all.
"I appreciate that," he murmured. "Truly."
He changed topics rapidly, shying away from the uncomfortable topic of conversation regarding their mutual agreement. "That's interesting to hear. I suppose she's met one of my older sisters, then. Laelafae's much too old. Maybe Faertana. She's only about forty years my senior. Or perhaps Etheshalee, though she might've finished before your sister began her training. She's nearly seventy years my senior, after all, and not quite stupid."
He shrugged. In his opinion, Shri was the cleverest of their generation, as well as the most beautiful. Everyone agreed that the blood of House Baen'duis ran strong and true in her. She was the best of them, and deserved to rise to the status of matron upon their aunt's death. Even though it meant she would likely marry their somewhat odious cousin to make the succession progress seamlessly. Marriage was only a legality, he reminded himself, and it wasn't as if she could or would marry him anyway. That would be stupid, and she was never stupid.
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:20 pm
The drowess saw the surprise in the male's face, knowing that her agreement ot his request was highly unusual. But so were many other things about her. So why not tack this onto it as well. Val seemed suddenly shy about the whole subject as he changed it to her statement on knowing a house female.
In truth Shrilyn's sister hardly gave first names. She only ever gave last so as to spread the shame all over the house instead of confining it to just one person. The only person she soley concentrated on was her little sister, and in the harshest ways. She would speak of the whipping priestess as if she were scum and beneath all things that represented true devotion to Lloth. "I know not which woman it is. My sister is rare in details involving names unless it's the house's name. Apparently she thinks little of your house."
"Myself I could care less. A house is a house. So long as the members are strong and loyal I see no reason for their practices to be made fun of or reviled at. No drow is the same, that is how Lloth made us." She went around picking her arrows out of the targets as she spoke. "I will have to take a few of these to the fletcher house. I always go late at night so those babbling idiots don't bother me." Her eyes looked at him out of the courner, wondering if he would catch her real meaning for saying that.
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