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 Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:43 am
Muris almost laughed at the idea that she could be in some way stronger than the Countess, but held it in. It was true that she had a bit more self-control, but sometimes impulsiveness had it's benefits.
"No, you are right. I think I would have been on edge myself if one of my friends had been captured in such a manner. Though, I am much too cautious to even think of charging into the castle on my own."
It was part of her mousy nature, she knew, to be careful in any situation. After all, you never had any idea when a predator could be looming over in the shadows.
She motioned to the bow after trotting over to retrieve the second arrow,
"Would you like to try it?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:53 am
"And I'd have ended up in a cell next to you if I'd have followed through with my feelings, and probably have been wondering when I could get a kick. And had myself in worse trouble." Filix smiled weakly. She still felt almost as if she should have gone over there... if only to distract their attention from Muris to herself.
Which, logically, was a pretty stupid way to feel.
"Me? I don't know... I'm not very good with a bow." Filix looked embarrassed, "I'm afraid that I'd break it trying."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:57 am
This time, Muris did have to laugh,
"Believe me, you won't break it. It's incredibly sturdy, if nothing else." She ran her fingers along it, allowing just a little bit of pride in her manner.
"And so far as that goes, you would have been in a cell next to me only if they had decided to keep both of us alive." She shivered again, forgetting the pride from the bow and remembering again the insanity of the Moon Court,
"It's better to stay away from that lot. I'd rather die than end up there again. The spider one...she was the worst, I think. The cat was bad, but more because he startled me and frightened me being a cat than because he was particularly intimidating on his own. But the spider has all sorts of poisons and crazy mixtures."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:05 am
"I will now. Though I will more than likely end up stepping on every spider I see from now on, for your benifit. And don't worry, Muris. We'll never let them take you back there, or any other fey. We know about them now, they can't surprise us."
She took the bow, looking a bit embarrassed as she tried to hold it. "Now, let's work out this bow. It's beautiful... but I doubt it can do everything on it's own. So let's see what I can do..."
Filix did end up holding it close to being right. But the shot wasn't good at all, it ended up hitting the edge of the target and flipping onto the ground several meters away.
She glanced around... she could handle Muris seeing a bad shot, but Filix would have been mortified if Aesculus had seen that.
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:09 am
Muris laughed,
"I mostly end up avoiding whatever spiders I see. I never did like cats, though, so that's not a worry. We don't have any stable cats, even if horses do tend to like them...and I know that you will not let them take me again. Still, it was bad enough the once."
She had to laugh again at the terrible arc of her arrow,
"Ah..well, you might want to try aiming next time," she teased, "I've found that that helps."
She took on a more serious tone, though, a moment later,
"How about this: I will teach you to use the bow with at least some efficiency, if you would teach me to wield a sword. It would not hurt to have some sort of close combat ability."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:16 am
"I don't like cats... though nothing seems to bother me because of my totum. Other than fungal rot, or something else that kills away ferns." Filix's face went bright red, till she somewhat was the color of Rosa's hair. "I did aim, I can't help it if the arrow dislikes me."
She thought on Muris's offer only for a moment before grinning and nodding. "I think that's a very good idea, Muris. But... I'd like to keep it secret for now. I'm still not sure how the men would take to us women learning these skills."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:19 am
The mouse nodded,
"Oh, of course. I wouldn't tell anyone. Well, except perhaps for Alces, but only if he asked, and I wouldn't tell him about you practicing as well."
She nodded thoughtfully to herself. Not that that was a worry right now, with him off on some sort of mission for King Cervus.
Muris smiled,
"Here, you were holding it about right, but you have to remember to look at the target the right way in proportion with the arrow and the bow..." she wasn't sure precisely how to explain it with words, so she demonstrated instead, lifting the bow and eying the target properly.
"Just so."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:35 am
"I couldn't expect you to hold things back from Alces, of course. And if Aesculus... I may tell him what we are doing if he asks, but not about you as well. It is unlikely though, as he's ...well, not around." Filix added quickly, "He's often busy with his duties."
She watched Muris, and took the bow again. Filix's hold was a little better this time, but it was clear that she'd need to practice a bit more. "Like this?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:47 am
Muris tilted her head a bit,
"Aesculus?" she queried, her manner carrying no mocking whatsoever. Muris was quite fond of young Aesculus when she had been little, but she had not seen him in quite some time. She wondered briefly how his mice friends were doing.
She observed the stance this time, and shook her head,
"Not quite..." slowly, the mouse moved Filix around a bit so that she was settled properly.
"There, try that."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:54 am
"Yes... we were courting. I'm not sure if we still are. I haven't seen him for a very long time, and he hasen't contacted me. Or tried to. I don't know if he really feels as he said he did..." Filix added quickly, "But it's not anything too worrisome, I suppose."
She let Muris move her, and Filix paused for a few moments. She tried to memorize the way she stood, the way she held it. And then when Filix let go of the arrow, it hit around the middle of the target.
"Yes! I did it! I should get my own bow, to practice this more..." Filix grinned at Muris. "I have a good teacher."
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 12:03 pm
Muris smiled,
"Practice is the best teacher," she said sagely, then set her arms down at her sides, watching the other carefully.
"Courting? Really. I did not know. I cannot say that I'm surprised, though. Aesculus is a wonderful man. I think that perhaps he has just been busy. Maybe you should leave him a note or something asking him to come see you when he is not?"
She had done as much when Alces disappeared, but then he'd gone on his mission, and all. They hadn't even been formally courting, either.
Practice continued on in this fashion for a while, and the two exchange a few more stories about the old days when they were both children playing in the stables and Muris' parents and Filix's parents were the ones doing all the real work.
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:50 am
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