My Order (Svart)

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:07 am

Am I not magnificent?

His own axe had suffered from a bit more damage, but that was normal. He couldn’t even remember how old it already was. Maybe it was time to forge a new one for himself. Now that he didn’t have much customers yet, he had enough spare time to either fix his old one or make a new one. Or do both, just for fun. The advantage of having a real house for once, gave him the opportunity to collect things. A traveller had to pack light, so he had to leave behind all the cool stuff he once owned. "They definitely will. If only because I'd hate to see them in a Saxon's hands, if I perished." She replied to his comment. The blacksmith laughed out loud. ”Well, then don’t die”, He agreed with a nod.

While they were walking back, he recognised some of the streets already. He wasn’t as focused as before though, since he was fidgeting with his hair. "Do those things in your hair have special meaning, or are they there to make you look pretty?" She asked, he could hear the curiosity in her tone. ”Are you saying I wouldn’t look pretty without them?” He replied jokingly. ”The feathers have a special meaning yeah, the beads make me look pretty”, He then said on a more serious note. ”In my first year of travelling I met this group of extraordinary women. They considered themselves guards of the forest, and they had developed a whole new battle style I hadn’t ever seen before”, He continued, with a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

”I had never been trained in fighting before, but they persisted I had to learn how to fight to survive in the wild. So I agreed. They taught me how to battle-dance, but this style was invented by them and for them. I was much bigger than they were and after my first lesson they started calling me baby eagle”, He chuckled, while looking over at Rhona. ”Because my movements reminded them of when a baby bird leaves his nest for the first time. I apparently was flapping my arms to keep my balance”, He then laughed. Next he grabbed one of the feathers and took it out of his hair. ”So every time one of them found an eagle feather, they would put it in my hair, as some kind of running joke”, He ended his story, realising how much he had talked.

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 3:52 pm

AXES

Rhona watched as Svart's eyes wrinkled into a laugh, and heard him say, "Well, then don't die." She leaned in and signaled him with a crook of her finger to move closer as well. She closed one eye and whispered, almost conspiratorially, "I don't mean to." Rhona straightened up, and added, " Not for some time, anyway," with a short laugh. They both wiped their sweat-covered foreheads and headed towards the market. Rhona listened as Svart explained the meaning behind the feathers in his hair, and found herself getting lost in his story. She watched other villagers walking past, on missions of their own, as he told her of the warrior women of the forest.

"If I ever find myself traveling from this place, I might seek them out. They sound fierce, and I am sure they would enjoy hearing how their baby eagle has progressed." They eventually reached the market stalls that sold food, and Rhona stepped up to the villager behind the table. She bought enough food for the both of them, and turned around, offering Svart half of the food in her hands. "A good fight always works up a great appetite. I hope you don't mind that I bought food for you, but you earned it on the training grounds," she said with a smile.

made by Lucas

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:25 pm

Am I not magnificent?

After his comment, she motioned to come closer. Curiously he obeyed, wondering what she was about to do. "I don't mean to." She then whispered, as if it was her biggest secret. The man snickered amused. "Not for some time, anyway," She continued with a laugh. As they were walking through the village, she asked if the decorations in his hair and beard had a special meaning. So he told her about the guardians of the forest, a group of fierce warriors who guaranteed the safety of the wildlife. Trespassers with bad intentions would soon regret trying to hunt down animals. But peaceful travellers like Svart were always welcome to join them for a while.

"If I ever find myself traveling from this place, I might seek them out. They sound fierce, and I am sure they would enjoy hearing how their baby eagle has progressed." Rhona reacted to his story. ”I bet they would”, He chuckled. He then reached out the feather. ”If you ever happen to meet them, you can give them this, so they know you can be trusted”, He said with a soft smile. Afterwards he waited for her to buy some food. He was hungry as well, but he would eat back at his shop.

It seemed like she had other plans though. When she turned around, he could see she had bought food for the both of them. "A good fight always works up a great appetite. I hope you don't mind that I bought food for you, but you earned it on the training grounds," She said. Thankfully he accepted the food. ”Thank you”, He replied softly, a bit caught of guard by her gesture. ”If I am ever allowed, I would love to go raid with you”, He said, seemingly out of nowhere. He was a blacksmith, but an adventurer as well. If raiding would take him to new places, he would never decline. He had to earn the trust of Björn Ironside first though, and that would be the real challenge.

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:59 pm

AXES

Rhona had just mentioned that she would like to visit the women from Svart's tale, saying, "...I am sure they would enjoy hearing how their baby eagle has progressed," when she saw him reach up and take one of his feathers out of his hair. He handed it to her, telling her that if she ever did, she could show them that feather so they would know she was telling the truth. Rhona was touched by his thoughtfulness; it was a rare occasion for her to receive something from someone as a gift, with no strings attached. She smiled softly to herself as she ordered their food.

After they had both sat down at the table outside the stall, they began eating. Rhona could never be called a shy eater. She ate what she had, and ate it quickly. Her history of living on the streets, and her training in the army thereafter, taught her not to waste any time with acting dainty around food. When they had finished, Svart gave her pause when he said, If I am ever allowed, I would love to go raiding with you," which caused Rhona to snort.
"It would be a memorable battle, to be certain, but you have a bear named Bjorn in your way at the moment. You must earn his trust, above all others." Rhona knew how mistrusting the villagers were, and it went doubly so for Bjorn. He had witnessed firsthand the chaos that strangers could bring, and she knew Svart had several hard tests ahead of him before he would be fully accepted by Ironside. Rhona decided to give Svart a warning. She caught his eyes and held them, allowing her love for her people and village to darken her face with anger. " You have a long road ahead of you, smithy. Your loyalty and honor must be tested before you are allowed to become one of us, and even the Gods will not be able to help you should you fail. Everything you have told me today, I feel I can believe. But I am not stupid enough to think you have shared all of your secrets with me, either. I will call you friend, and should you need help, I may provide it. But if it is found that you crossed me, or my people, I will use your blood to quench the thirst of the axes you made for me. Without a second thought. " With her warning given, Rhona sat back up, and smiled widely at Svart, and waited for him to speak.

made by Lucas

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:51 pm

Am I not magnificent?

By the time he was ready to leave the clan of guardians, he had collected so many feathers he had lost count. But every time he found a new one, he was reminded of the time he had spent in the dense forests. Sometimes he got homesick. It had been the first time he had stayed for an extended period of time since he had ran away from home. But eventually he decided to leave them too. He had never fit in completely. Even though they were most welcoming and friendly, and he made friends for life, he did not belong with them. Thus he moved on. It was a question that always crossed his mind when he arrived at new places. Would he fit in? Would he ever belong somewhere?

Maybe he would not even stay in Kattegat. Not because he had bad intentions, he did not want to betray anyone. Since his encounter with Björn, that word had kept him occupied. He did not choose to hurt anyone, but he also realised that must be how it felt for the other side. "It would be a memorable battle, to be certain, but you have a bear named Bjorn in your way at the moment. You must earn his trust, above all others." Rhona spoke, causing him to shift his attention towards her again, away from his thoughts. ”I am trying”, He said with a soft smile. ”But it will be hard. My first encounter did not went very smoothly”, He then told her. Maybe she had heard. He did not know how close the two of them were.

Suddenly he saw how her expression changed, which caused him to stop eating and gave her a confused look. Then she proved how scary and alike the citizens of Kattegat were. The warning made him feel a bit uncomfortable, just as Björn’s words had made him feel chilly. The only difference was that she smiled at him as if nothing had happened when she was finished. He found himself struggling to reply, so they sat in silence for a bit. ”Well that was intense”, He chuckled nervously. ”I got the message”, He continued. ”But there is one thing you should know. I don’t have any secrets. You can ask me anything and I will answer honestly. Just remember I have a lot of stories, since I’ve seen and experienced much. I can come across like a walking mystery, but I am not”, He then said, glad he had found his ability to explain himself again.

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:14 pm

AXES

"I am trying..." Svart stated. He spoke of how his first meeting with Bjorn did not go well, and Rhona did not doubt it. Bjorn's first concern was the safety of his people, just like any good ruler. Rhona finished her overt threat with a smile, and waited to see how he would react. Many would get offended, but Svart showed more of his personality in choosing to remain silent for awhile. It was only when he laughed nervously and said, "Well that was intense," that Rhona laughed again and said, "We are protective of our own, but if you stick around long enough to gain trust and acceptance, you will find no family more welcoming." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, and said," and I am always here if you need someone to talk with." Svart continued, telling her that he had no secrets and one need only ask to get an honest answer. Rhona pondered on his statement for a moment, and replied," truthful answers are what is needed, but what we don't know is, what are the right questions to ask? You may be accepted and trusted, but how do we know for certain that you won't stay, however honestly, and then one day, find yourself yearning for Uddevalla, only to leave and take all you've learned of us with you? This is why Bjorn is so wary. Have you thought of arranging another talk with him? " Rhona took a deep breath, knowing she had spoken for quite a while, and gave Svart time to think on her words as she rebound her hair.

made by Lucas

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:23 pm

Am I not magnificent?

These kind of sermons were not unfamiliar to a man like Svart. He had heard the same message in different words a hundred times before. He could understand why. He sometimes wished he had people of his own to protect with a passion like Rhona and Björn showed. The only certainty in his life was his cat, and he didn’t need Svart’s protection. He could take care of himself, not caring for acceptance of any kind. He, on the other hand, just wanted to be part of a tight community for once. But Rhona was right. It would be hard. Afterwards she tried to lift his spirits again, something he appreciated.

Next Rhona told him why Björn was so worried, and why she had warned him as well. He took in her words and thought of an honest and logic reply. ”Only the Gods now what the future holds”, He said softly. ”I can only tell you for sure that I will never go back to Uddevalla”, He then said confidently. ”The reason why I left was because I felt there was so much to see and learn Uddevalla couldn’t offer me. It’s my personality to be curious, I can’t help it”, He smiled. ”I have gathered a lot of knowledge along the way, and it’s true, I will learn new things here in Kattegat. But my knowledge is not for sale. It is not my intention to spy on people. Who would I tell about everything I’ve seen?” He spread his arms, pointing at the surroundings. ”I have no-one but myself.” The smith went quiet for a moment. "You're right, I should try to talk to Björn again", He then muttered, more to himself than to her.

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Thu Jun 01, 2017 11:00 pm

AXES

Rhona listened with an open mind, hearing Svart say, "Only the Gods know what the future holds," and she nodded in agreement. He continued, detailing why he had left Uddevalla in the first place, and said his knowledge was not for sale. He finished with, "I have no-one but myself." , and Rhona felt a rare moment of sadness for the new blacksmith. She had never experienced that degree of longing for a place to belong, as she had been born in Kattegat; still, it brought to mind how lonely she had been after her mother had died. Rhona resolved to do whatever she could, within reason, to ensure that Svart could prove his loyalty and finally find what he seemed to be looking for. She heard him mumble in agreement, more to himself, that he should seek Bjorn out again.

"I would offer to take a seat beside you at this discussion, but it is not my place to decide on such matters. If you really are going to find Bjorn, I would give you a tip; he will be taking this with the utmost sincerity. He rarely jokes, as he has much on his mind. Show him how serious you take this matter, and save the jokes for someone who will appreciate them. Like me!" She smacked his shoulder lightly, and continued, " and when you are finished, we can drown ourselves in mead. It has been a good long while since I have had a good drinking partner, and I invite you. Find me when your discussion is over, and we will drink together, in the Great Hall, or in your shop, if you're more inclined." With that, Rhona stood up and smiled.

"Shall we find another adventure, or do you have to get back to your shop?" she asked. Rhona belched, satisfied with her meal, and stretched while waiting for Svart to make his choice.

made by Lucas

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Fri Jun 02, 2017 4:36 pm

Am I not magnificent?

In fact he had a lot of friends, but they just weren’t with him anymore. He left countless little townships where he would be welcome at any time. He made friends easily. His impression on these people was always a positive one. The people of Kattegat were different. But he trusted his own social skills. He would, eventually, prove that he was not a danger or a risk. Maybe she was right by saying he should start with Björn. If Ironside could overcome his prejudices, it would be much easier to convince his entourage he was trustworthy. After his softly spoken words, Rhona gave him another tip. Then she invited him for drinks afterwards.

The prospect of some mead afterwards was a motivation to keep his promise. ”A great deal if you ask me”, He chuckled. "Shall we find another adventure, or do you have to get back to your shop?" She then asked. For a moment he wanted to jump up and join her on a new adventure. But then he realised he had duties as well. ”Maybe I should go back. The forging fire isn’t even lit yet, I don’t want to get the reputation that I’m lazy”, He said with a smile. Afterwards he stood up and looked around for a second. ”The shop is that way, right?” He chuckled, pointing at one of the streets he thought he recognised from earlier.

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart) Fri Jun 02, 2017 6:13 pm

AXES

Rhona heard Svart tell her that he had duties he needed to get back to, and she nodded. It would go a long way for people to find out how good of a blacksmith he was. She was excited to see what her knives would look like as well. He pointed at a street, and Rhona said, "Yes that will get you there. But remember to turn left after the dress maker's shop, or you'll end up visiting the bay. And don't forget my knives, smithy," Rhona finished with a smile.

made by Lucas

Subject: Re: My Order (Svart)

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