by Vannor » Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:40 pm
Ely edit 19 February 2022:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x
Total: 4 qps
*****************************************
PART TWO
“Well if it isn’t my favourite scrawny offspring!” Caela exclaimed, pulling her horse to reign in beside Vannor and ruffle his hair. The warhorse Caela rode looked more a packhorse, with various mugs and tankards attached clanging together and against two full sized kegs hanging from either side of the saddle. Examining the kegs, Vannor was glad at least for the horse’s sake they looked mostly empty.
The Red Eagle slid from her saddle to stand beside Vannor, planting her hands on her hips as she eyed him up and down. “Nope, you still look about the same. How long does it take for kids to grow up these days?!” Caela laughed, slipping an arm around Vannor’s shoulders as she walked the horse to its stable.
“Glad you made it back from Almoth in one piece” Vannor said as he followed, and he meant it, having come to terms with his mother’s utter lack of maternal tendencies. Caela snorted a laugh as she unlatched the saddle, pushing it from the horses back to send it to the floor of the stable with a loud crash. “Seanchan raids are at an all time low, was a bare handful of raids in the last few months, and none at all in the last few weeks” Caela eventually said, leaning against the horse to pat its nose. “Troubling, since it feels like they’re planning something a little bigger. I haven’t seen Tzao or Nargus take the field in weeks..” she continued, shrugging. Straightening, Caela again threw an arm around Vannor and began guiding him back out of the stable “Come on, let’s see what the good Mistress has cooked up for my big homecoming” she said.
Vannor and Caela entered the cottage to the delicious scent of a giant pot of beef stew bubbling over the fire and baked rolls fresh from the oven. Seating herself at the table and slamming her fists against the wood, Caela loudly declared to the room “Amazing! As always, Mistress Ayellin. Remind me to tell the Women’s Circle to give you another raise, again.” Mistress Ayellin smiled at Caela, before grinning at Vannor who was now seated by the fire. Vannor grinned back at Mistress Ayellin, knowing that exact comment had been made almost every time Caela came home, and almost every time never happened.
Their meal passed in much the way they always did when his mother returned. Caela was always interested in the goings on of the townsfolk, who had married who, who had left, who had arrived, that sort of thing. Hours passed and Mistress Ayellin, having divulged all of Emond’s Field secrets, retired to her bedroom, leaving the mother and son alone at the dining table. Vannor planned his moment to make his proposal, having tried to time it with Caela’s fourth or fifth mug of ale, it was hard to keep track.
Clearing his throat, Vannor picked at the leftovers of his bread roll while he stared down at the table. “I’m applying for the Night’s Watch tomorrow” he said quietly, during the latest lull of conversation. “Everyone expects me to grow up and be a famous Red Eagle like you, and I do too. I’ve been practicing every day, and today I finally hit the bullseye during my archery. I’m ready” he stated, emphasising the last. Long moments passed, and Vannor looked up to see Caela frowning at him over her mug of ale.
Setting her mug down, Caela studied the boy for what felt like a painfully long time. Finally, she grunted in his general direction and stood from the table, pushing her chair back. “Did you now..” she mused, moving across the room. She stopped by the door to take her long red woollen cloak off its hook, the same cloak worn by all Red Eagles. Caela opened the door, “Well, let’s go take a look” she said, waiting for Vannor to follow.
Caela whistled appreciatively as she stood out in the night air, examining the lone remaining arrow affixed to the target’s bullseye. Vannor stood staring at it with her, suppressing the small twinge of pride he felt whenever he looked at it. “I’m not sure that one bullseye makes the Eagle” she laughed, turning to kneel beside him. Placing both hands on his shoulders, her face took a serious tone “You be whatever you want to be. I was the first ever woman to join the Red Eagles, so don’t listen to whatever the others say” she said quietly. Caela was silent a moment, and then tapped Vannor’s chest and the side of his head with her hand. “You might not hear it yet, but somewhere in each of those places are two voices. One will tell you what you want, and the other will tell you what you need. Listen to those and do whatever is they tell you” she finished.
Vannor was left speechless. Over the years, and for as long as he could remember, his mother had always treated him like any of the other boys running around the village. No special treatment, no parental guidance, and never a conversation as serious as this. Caela had always left that kind of what she called ‘nonsense’ to Mistress Ayellin.
Caela grinned at her son, breaking the moment “Who knows, maybe you want to be a Wisdom. There’s never been a male Wisdom! You could be the first!” she exclaimed as she stood, gazing into the forest with a faraway look. “I could see it now.. Vannor al’Cair, Wisdom of Emond’s Field and scrawniest man to ever live” she prophesised. Tilting her head down towards him and giggling a little, Caela whispered “You know your uncle Dougras tried to join the Wisdoms once. We have that particular letter framed in the Manor.”
Vannor looked back at his mother in disbelief and laughed despite himself, shaking his head. While Dougras wasn’t his real uncle, obviously, he certainly acted like one, and his habit of being ridiculous made him a town favourite, especially among the younger folk. Caela quirked her head at him “Not the Wisdom’s then? Heart set on the Night’s Watch?” she asked, and Vannor nodded in reply. Caela laughed herself then and gave Vannor a wicked smile “Well i’ll have to make sure old Celeborn knows you’re coming. Can’t let it be said you got an easy ride for being the kid of a Red Eagle or anything” she threatened and began marching back to the house. “Into bed then!” she announced, not looking back to see if Vannor followed, “Big day tomorrow!” Caela called back as she stomped through the door.
Vannor sighed, watching his mother disappear into the cottage. Looking back at his one solo arrow, alone in the night, it didn’t look so impressive anymore. Glancing back at the house, and the warm light of the fire glimmering from the windows, Vannor slowly walked over to where he’d set down his bow and quiver. Restringing his bow by the light of the moonlight and drawing an arrow from his quiver, he turned to face the target.
Ely edit 19 February 2022:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x
Total: 4 qps
*****************************************
PART TWO
“Well if it isn’t my favourite scrawny offspring!” Caela exclaimed, pulling her horse to reign in beside Vannor and ruffle his hair. The warhorse Caela rode looked more a packhorse, with various mugs and tankards attached clanging together and against two full sized kegs hanging from either side of the saddle. Examining the kegs, Vannor was glad at least for the horse’s sake they looked mostly empty.
The Red Eagle slid from her saddle to stand beside Vannor, planting her hands on her hips as she eyed him up and down. “Nope, you still look about the same. How long does it take for kids to grow up these days?!” Caela laughed, slipping an arm around Vannor’s shoulders as she walked the horse to its stable.
“Glad you made it back from Almoth in one piece” Vannor said as he followed, and he meant it, having come to terms with his mother’s utter lack of maternal tendencies. Caela snorted a laugh as she unlatched the saddle, pushing it from the horses back to send it to the floor of the stable with a loud crash. “Seanchan raids are at an all time low, was a bare handful of raids in the last few months, and none at all in the last few weeks” Caela eventually said, leaning against the horse to pat its nose. “Troubling, since it feels like they’re planning something a little bigger. I haven’t seen Tzao or Nargus take the field in weeks..” she continued, shrugging. Straightening, Caela again threw an arm around Vannor and began guiding him back out of the stable “Come on, let’s see what the good Mistress has cooked up for my big homecoming” she said.
Vannor and Caela entered the cottage to the delicious scent of a giant pot of beef stew bubbling over the fire and baked rolls fresh from the oven. Seating herself at the table and slamming her fists against the wood, Caela loudly declared to the room “Amazing! As always, Mistress Ayellin. Remind me to tell the Women’s Circle to give you another raise, again.” Mistress Ayellin smiled at Caela, before grinning at Vannor who was now seated by the fire. Vannor grinned back at Mistress Ayellin, knowing that exact comment had been made almost every time Caela came home, and almost every time never happened.
Their meal passed in much the way they always did when his mother returned. Caela was always interested in the goings on of the townsfolk, who had married who, who had left, who had arrived, that sort of thing. Hours passed and Mistress Ayellin, having divulged all of Emond’s Field secrets, retired to her bedroom, leaving the mother and son alone at the dining table. Vannor planned his moment to make his proposal, having tried to time it with Caela’s fourth or fifth mug of ale, it was hard to keep track.
Clearing his throat, Vannor picked at the leftovers of his bread roll while he stared down at the table. “I’m applying for the Night’s Watch tomorrow” he said quietly, during the latest lull of conversation. “Everyone expects me to grow up and be a famous Red Eagle like you, and I do too. I’ve been practicing every day, and today I finally hit the bullseye during my archery. I’m ready” he stated, emphasising the last. Long moments passed, and Vannor looked up to see Caela frowning at him over her mug of ale.
Setting her mug down, Caela studied the boy for what felt like a painfully long time. Finally, she grunted in his general direction and stood from the table, pushing her chair back. “Did you now..” she mused, moving across the room. She stopped by the door to take her long red woollen cloak off its hook, the same cloak worn by all Red Eagles. Caela opened the door, “Well, let’s go take a look” she said, waiting for Vannor to follow.
Caela whistled appreciatively as she stood out in the night air, examining the lone remaining arrow affixed to the target’s bullseye. Vannor stood staring at it with her, suppressing the small twinge of pride he felt whenever he looked at it. “I’m not sure that one bullseye makes the Eagle” she laughed, turning to kneel beside him. Placing both hands on his shoulders, her face took a serious tone “You be whatever you want to be. I was the first ever woman to join the Red Eagles, so don’t listen to whatever the others say” she said quietly. Caela was silent a moment, and then tapped Vannor’s chest and the side of his head with her hand. “You might not hear it yet, but somewhere in each of those places are two voices. One will tell you what you want, and the other will tell you what you need. Listen to those and do whatever is they tell you” she finished.
Vannor was left speechless. Over the years, and for as long as he could remember, his mother had always treated him like any of the other boys running around the village. No special treatment, no parental guidance, and never a conversation as serious as this. Caela had always left that kind of what she called ‘nonsense’ to Mistress Ayellin.
Caela grinned at her son, breaking the moment “Who knows, maybe you want to be a Wisdom. There’s never been a male Wisdom! You could be the first!” she exclaimed as she stood, gazing into the forest with a faraway look. “I could see it now.. Vannor al’Cair, Wisdom of Emond’s Field and scrawniest man to ever live” she prophesised. Tilting her head down towards him and giggling a little, Caela whispered “You know your uncle Dougras tried to join the Wisdoms once. We have that particular letter framed in the Manor.”
Vannor looked back at his mother in disbelief and laughed despite himself, shaking his head. While Dougras wasn’t his real uncle, obviously, he certainly acted like one, and his habit of being ridiculous made him a town favourite, especially among the younger folk. Caela quirked her head at him “Not the Wisdom’s then? Heart set on the Night’s Watch?” she asked, and Vannor nodded in reply. Caela laughed herself then and gave Vannor a wicked smile “Well i’ll have to make sure old Celeborn knows you’re coming. Can’t let it be said you got an easy ride for being the kid of a Red Eagle or anything” she threatened and began marching back to the house. “Into bed then!” she announced, not looking back to see if Vannor followed, “Big day tomorrow!” Caela called back as she stomped through the door.
Vannor sighed, watching his mother disappear into the cottage. Looking back at his one solo arrow, alone in the night, it didn’t look so impressive anymore. Glancing back at the house, and the warm light of the fire glimmering from the windows, Vannor slowly walked over to where he’d set down his bow and quiver. Restringing his bow by the light of the moonlight and drawing an arrow from his quiver, he turned to face the target.