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 Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2023 12:26 pm
"Not so hard, Vetra! You'll make it worse."
Vetra white knuckled the mallet before letting out a sharp exhale and taking a step back. Training with Hana had it's good days and it's bad. The stouter Elarian was well respected in her craft, but as stubborn as Vetra herself and far less wavering. If her technique wasn't followed to the letter then she wasn't afraid to criticize which she had - in earnest - every day since Vetra agreed to apprentice under her.
As a blacksmith it was their duty to make sure their sisters had proper equipment not only to hunt with, but also to practice with. Crafting training swords was just as important, if not more so, and getting the balance just right was something that Vetra was struggling with.
"There's too much weight on the hilt - why is the tip bulging? - I've seen sharper edges on yaeli scissors - "
At the moment Hana was doing her best to show Vetra how to repair a chipped blade and while the woman meant well Vetra wanted nothing more than to dunk her head in the molten metal. It was painfully easy to envision how the woman's dreads would melt away first and how awful they would smell -
"Are you paying attention?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Vetra groused.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 3:29 pm
Heike 1 One rough training session later and Heike was too sore to do much else than wander the large settlement. She had naively thought she had learned everything there was to know about using the spear. Had studied it and practiced almost every day of her life, the only thing keeping her from it was either being so ill, she couldn't rise from bed, or so injured from training, she also couldn't rise from bed. She felt so guilty when she missed a day. But clearly she still had a lot to learn. Such as not underestimating an older Aishan and thinking, just because your body was younger, that you could over-powered her easily. Not the case. The Elidae had lost track of the amount of times her grandmother had taken the feet right out from under her, leaving her to slam hard against the ground with a dulled spearhead to her throat and a disapproving scowl above.
No wonder her own mother had been so rough with her growing up. Not that you would find her complaining. She'd rather a teacher who tossed her to the ground over one who took it easy on her. How else was she to learn, than?
Rolling her shoulders to ease the tension in them, Heike neared closer to the sound of work, not really meaning to. Maybe she was just drawn to the sounds of weapons. Either way, she found her feet taking her closer and closer, until she could see more clearly, eyebrows raised towards the sight of another Elidae. The second one she had seen since leaving Kiros, where before she had expected to find none. Were they being allowed to wander more freely than before? Part of her thought about bothering them. Didnt her dagger need a bit of a touch-up, anyway?
She walked closer and cleared her throat, trying to make it sound like that was all she was doing.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2024 1:36 pm
Vetra wasn't in the habit of keeping one eye on her surroundings so the approaching Elidae went completely unnoticed. She hadn't seen it as a crucial skill given the nature of her apprenticeship and instead had devoted the entirety of her attention to the task at hand. Or rather, she normally would have if her mentor wasn't being such a pain.
She had already raised her hammer once more, ready to strike down on the blade when something caused Hana to put a hand on her shoulder. Immediately thinking the worst, Vetra brought the hammer down anyway in a fit of aggravation and struck the anvil with it's face. "What do you wa - Oh."
Vetra rolled her shoulders as she straightened to her full height. A thick layer of sweat and grime covered her skin, but it was still just as pale as the midnight moon compared to the Elaria at her side. Which made the sight of another of her kind all the stranger. Other than herself and Enya she hadn't seen another Elidae in Zinris, which...wasn't surprising, given their reputation. For half a second she turned to Hana, just to see what the older Aishan would do, but one look had it. Hana was 'subtly' motioning toward the other Elidae, acting as if she were merely 'cleaning her arm'.
Right. Time to work on her personal skills. Handing her gear over to Hana, Vetra moved away from the smoldering work station to come closer to their patron. "It's not everyday I see a Sister in Zinris. What can I do for you?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2024 5:30 pm
Heike 2 Heike watched the two silently, her calm exterior hiding the rabid beating of her heart. Her experiences over in Jauhar had taught her a lot about interacting with others, but the thought of having a conversation with someone she had initiated an encounter with herself could still cause her to pause and rethink her actions. As she was trying not to do right now. Why did she always feel like this? As if everyone was watching and judging her. No one was. No one was even looking at her.
The Elidae's eyebrows raised as her presence was noticed, creating what sounded like a tense situation. It wasn't her business, though. She took a deep breath and stepped forward a little more, pulling off the sheathed dagger from her belt.
"Indeed. You are actually not the first." Now for the reason she was here, Heike held out the dagger, noting how worn the handle looked in her hands. It had certainly seen better days. "I was wondering if you could give my dagger a few touchups. Or perhaps I should just order a new one?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 9:23 am
A dagger? With her interest piqued, Vetra stepped forward and looked over the blade without taking it from the other. Her hands were still encased in thick, metal working gloves, but as she visually inspected the piece she started to slip them off. "Mmm. It's lived a hard life, but the blade has promise." Once her hands were free Vetra set her gloves to the side and gingerly took the dagger into her own hold. "The grip should be replaced and the handle feels weak to me. What sort of work do you plan on using it for?" If it was simple carvings and personal projects the restoration process would be simpler. If it were for battle, though...
When she lifted the blade, it was to catch the light from the fire so she could look at any chips along it's edge. "The blade shows promise. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you'd rather order a new dagger entirely, but I don't see any reason why this one couldn't be restored."
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Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2024 6:50 pm
Heike 3 The Elidae tried her best to hold the dagger steady, held straight over the palms of both hands. It certainly had lived a hard life. It had travlled with her from Kiros to Jauhar, and now to Yael. Mostly it was reserved for self-defense while she wondered the different landscapes she found herself in. But it was known to be pulled out for other uses if she had need of a sharp blade. It should have been replaced back in Emeka, but well, she hadn't gotten around to it. And than she was moving on. A new dagger had taken its place in the meantime, as this one grew more and more worn down to the point she was afraid to keep messing with it herself. Now it served as a good excuse to force herself to talk to someone else. She didn't particularly care all that much about it, otherwise.
"Mostly just for self-defense. It's comforting having it on my belt as a last resort if anything goes wrong." Heike noted the care with which the other Elidae took the weapon from her hands. Was it so close to falling apart and she hadn't noticed? She put her hands down by her sides awkwardly. "I am fine with it being replaced. Would seem a waste to get rid of it if it still has some years ahead of it."
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Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:23 am
Vetra gave a thoughtful 'hmm' as as she looked over the piece. There was little in this world that held her interest, but crafted pieces held a sway over the Elidae's heart. Even now, as she looked over it, she barely heard what the other Aishan was saying because her mind was miles away. Who made this dagger? What was it's initial role? How long could it survive if left untreated? How long would it survive if she treated it? So many mysteries...
"Frankly? See these bits here?" She pointed out to the spots she'd previously mentioned. "It's all superficial. At it's core the dagger is as strong as it ever was, but it needs new support. If you give me...." Vetra clucked her tongue and waved her head side to side for a moment before speaking, "two days I can have it fixed for you. It'll have to wait until a few of my other projects are finished, but it's small so I should be able to squeeze it in. Unless you need it sooner?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 5:32 pm
Heike 4 Leaning forward slightly, Heike tried her best to follow along with what was being said. While she knew how to fix her bow, or even make a new one if it was beyond repair, she had never before really looked at the blade end of anything she used. She could, and sometimes did, make her own arrows, getting arrow heads through trades with others or even making her own out of the rare stone she could find that would be suitable to the task. But she'd always focused more on how she used each weapon instead of how they worked themselves.
"I see," she responded, settling back on her heels with her eyebrows slightly furrowed. It wasn't as if the dagger held any special significance for her, though she still was glad to hear it wasn't as bad on the inside as it looked on the outside. "No, it can stay here." If need be, Heike also had her hunting knife if she did leave to explore or hunt around Zinris within the next few days. This dagger here really was only as a last resort weapon, if she lost her spear during a fight. Which wasn't as likely to happen. Most of her fights were with animals.
Turning her head, Heike was about to set her feet into motion to leave the other Elidae to her work, when a sudden curiosity came over her that surprised even herself. "It's been a long time since I left Kiros. Have you been here long? You look settled." She glanced at the Elaria than back again.
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Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2024 10:46 am
Sensing what seemed to be the end of the conversation, Vetra had lifted the blade and was mid-turn when the Elidae caught her attention. When she looked back she hadn't expected the woman to still be hanging around, much less actively looking her way. She hadn't come across as sociable, but...well, no one really did in Zinris so maybe she'd just assumed? Either way, Vetra found herself turning back and offering a small, if not awkward, smile.
"Not as long as you'd think." As she talked the Elidae shifted the blade from one hand to the other, passively peeling back strips of leather to start disassembling the dagger. "Initially I hadn't planned on coming to Zinris at all. A...friend wanted to visit with her family so I came as an escort."
The older Elaria's scoff audible even over her work. When Vetra turned to glare at her the woman just waved a hand. "She means she chased a girl she liked and the girl didn't like her back so-"
"So I'm making the best of a piss poor situation." Vetra quickly surmised. Her cheeks were warm at that point and she was near ready to strangle her mentor. "I've decided to spend a few years clearing my head and strengthening my skills before going back to serve Azehra. And you?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 6:10 pm
Heike 5 Maybe it was the fact this was another Elidae, someone born of the same tree as her, that made Heike remain and ask her question. She did feel more of a kinship with those of her own Sisterhood over the others, causing her to become more curious over them and their lives than she normally would have been. It was a feeling she wasn't really used to. Didn't know what to do with it.
Heike shifted uneasily on her feet, watching without much interest to the methodical stripping of her dagger. She should have left when she had the chance. She still could. But in her experience with other Aishan communities, it was always a good thing not to be intentionally rude if you planned on staying around for a while.
"Ah. I see. I left for...Personal reasons. I am here visiting my grandmother for a bit before returning to Kiros." To stay, was the plan. She had had enough of traveling for the rest of her life. Hadn't wanted to go do it in the first place, but home had held far too many bad memories. She needed to become stronger in order to face them once more.
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Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:01 pm
"Is that so? Whose your grandmother?"
Spending time with Enya's family - and now, hearing another Elidae speaking of her own - made Vetra wonder if she had kin here. Or rather, if her mother did. Vetra's markings were her own - just as her blood- but that mattered little when it came to families. Maybe she should try to look for them while she was here? It would give her something positive to think about instead of her wounded pride.
As she pondered the concept, Vetra reached for her gloves and slipped them on. The leather was far from new and didn't quite go up as far as they should - given the width of her bicep - but they were good enough for an apprentice.
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Posted: Sun May 19, 2024 5:12 pm
Heike 6 Heike looked around her before answering, as if afraid the woman would appear out of thin air as soon as her name was spoken. "Mayella." Not that she was afraid of the Elaria. Or intimidated. Little phased her, really, but it was so strange to think of having family. She found she was still trying to wrap her head around having a cousin, despite having spent years in Jauhar with her. Heike was so used to being alone, whether by choice or not. Often by choice, these days. The only company she could say she enjoyed was her grandmother's. The older Aishan was a well of knowledge, clearly shoving as much on her wayward granddaughter as she could in leu of the other one. Doesina barely trained, was still soft in the arms. Like two different branches on the same tree, they were. Heike couldn't get enough of it and Mayella was more than willing to provide. Sometimes even going as far as to grumble about Doesina's laxness.
Heike shifted her feet once more, not sure if she should give up more information than that. Mayella had lived in Zinris her entire life. Whereas her aunt and cousin didn't often come out this way. Only to visit.
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Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2024 6:42 pm
Hoshi Lockhart Sorry for the shorter/delayed tag! Muses got hit HARD.
As she spoke Vetra added a pair of long tongs to the fire as well before reaching for the dagger. She took a smaller tool, just barely bigger than the blade itself, and started to strip the weapon of any bits that weren't metallic, all of which she set to the side.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2024 7:37 pm
Heike 7 Oh. Rather stupid of her to think the very name alone would be enough. Her grandmother had such a presence, Heike found it difficult to think of anyone not knowing her. Describing her wouldn't be of much help. She was never very good at more detailed descriptions or noticed things like style of dress. There was nothing she could say about Mayella that she couldn't also say about the dozens of other elderly Elaria in the area.
The Elidae opted for another shifting of her feet, kicking a small pebble that had been lodged underneath one heel. Now this was getting into uncomfortably territory, reminding her why she rarely talked to anyone outside of her own family, who already knew all about her business. Which wasn't something she enjoyed, either.
"You could say that," she answered, looking away for a moment at someone else two buildings down. Not that it had ever been her intention on visiting. But since she was here..."I guess she keeps to her own circles. Though I can't lie it isn't nice being unknown by others."Painted Moose I understand! That's their nature. Can't work all the time. Mine's been a struggle, too.
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Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2025 1:20 pm
Once the metal was well and truly glowing she sat it down atop the stone to start her work. Each stroke was a practiced maneuver taught to her by both Elidae instructors and most recently, her Elarian mentor. The precision that went into them, however, was all her own and each stroke had both the power of her frame and the shrewdness of her blood fueling to fuel them. If something seemed off Vetra had little qualm lifting the entire dagger, returning it to the flame and starting again.
Each piece that bore the touch of her hammer was a reflection on not just her, but her kind. Far too many Elaria liked to lift their nose at the Elidae that returned to Zinris. She would never allow such a thing; on her own personal character nor any of the souls who carried her works.
Even if it was a touch up this piece would meet her standards and that was that.
"Well, she isn't unknown now." Vetra lifted her head and wiped the back of her brow with a gloved hand, turning to look at Heike for just a moment before returning to her work. "And neither are you. So if you need anything you can come here. Don't have to talk much; I'm not a fan of it. Honestly I've said more today than I usually care to. If it strikes you, you can stop by, say your piece and move on." A few more strikes and she added, "But since I've got you, do me a favor?"
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