Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

Theodas laughed, then said, "Don't worry, they're scared of her; with you around? Nothing's gonna happen, I'm certain." Theodas smiled to Dayn and said, "I assume you're going to be in the swordplay games tonight? You'll be facing off against Matthias, among others. If you're doing the men's hand-to-hand, it'll be myself and Matthias. I usually beat him in that, but he's real good. I'd like to see how you fair, I bet you could give him a run for his money."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn turned back to Theodas, smiling as he shrugged. "Why not? I could use a good workout anyway." Dayn wasn't much to brag to begin with, but if he was going to be competing against Theodas and Matthias he wasn't about to talk tactics before the stepped into the ring. No, that would come later, as would his revelation to the rest of the group. "Speaking of, where is Matthias? I haven't had a chance to speak with him other than in passing yet."

 

[Dragongal]

Theodas nodded over his shoulder as he grabbed another bow to string. "Out back, setting up the fighting rings and the log toss, I'd assume." Arryn thanked Theodas, then took Dayn's hand and led him out back. Numerous torches were set into the ground, along with a number of braziers and a few glowing orbs above the rings. Matthias was putting pegs with coarse hemp rope into the ground in large circles for the designated fighting rings. He smiled when they saw them. "I was wondering when you two would get here! Have you met up with Theodas and Kalie yet?"

 

[BookWyrm]

"We found them on our way out, otherwise we might have been out here sooner." Dayn smiled before extending a hand. "I haven't really had a chance to thank you. Your wife already turned down my offer to repay you, but I'm going ahead and telling you that I still plan on it."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias smiled and shook Dayn's hand. "Please, you've done enough for us, helping Atria. She mentioned how you two have fought together and helped each other. I admit, she didn't go into details, but it's evident from the fact alone that she's actually smiling that you've been good to her, and good for her. I'm glad to see you're better, by the way - spooked all of us, with the condition you were in."

 

[BookWyrm]

"I had good doctors." Dayn looked to Arryn and smiled. "She's told me a lot about you all. Some of it has been, interesting to say the least."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias laughed. "Now you have me quite scared! Did she tell you that she had to help me ask Kalie for a dance? If she's told you nothing worse than that, then we're in the clear. Of course, I have plenty of stories about her." "Oh, dear. I've been trying only to show him my good side," Arryn laughed. "He knows about my temper, but nothing specific." "Oh, that'd be fun, telling him! Like the first time you got drunk."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn laughed. "I must say I am surprised Matthias. I never would have thought of you as the shy type." Dayn smirked at Arryn. "She's mentioned here and there about some of her old bar fights. Personally it's kind of attractive to have a woman who can handle herself as skillfully as my lovely betrothed can."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias shrugged. "Well, what do you do when you could ask the girl you've quietly admire from afar to a dance - when she's also one of your best friends - known for being tough as steel - and probably the best archer in Trulane? I'm normally not shy, but I was petrified. And Atria's barfights came later. The first time she got truly drunk was entirely different! Quite hilarious, actually. What was it you sang to your ma when we nearly carried you home?" Arryn smiled, saying, "'I was drunk last night, dear mother; I was drunk the night before. But if you'll forgive me mother, I'll never get drunk anymore.' Of course, I didn't quite keep to that."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn laughed hard enough he started coughing. "Just.....give me a moment." When he finally started recovering his breath he put his hands on his hips and leaned back some before laughing a little more. "Oh my. I can see you singing that!" Finally, after another short round of laughter Dayn got a hold on himself. "You see, our relationship began a little differently. An axe and an almost split open head were involved, but I didn't hesitate after everything was said and done. Of course I had to wait for the doctor to release me, but it was worth the attention."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled to him. "Sometimes I swear you got hurt just so I had to patch you up. Now, in my defense, I'd been on a two day drinking binge after Tomlain had died - not that I remembered that by the second day." Matthias nodded. "Took you two days to get over the hangover too, since your mother wouldn't give you anything to fix it or tell you the recipe. Though I admit, nobody was in the best of states after Tomlain died." "Oh, how many of the team are here tonight?" "I'd say just a few. Most have gone travelling for the meantime. They'll return soon, with winter coming."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn pulled Arryn close and hugged her. He really didn't have a reason for it other than he wanted to be close to her. "So how do these games work? I've only ever competed in tourney's, so I figure the rules are different."

 

[Dragongal]

“Not too much different, just far more informal. Stay in the ring, win, don’t kill your opponent, don’t get too rough. They’ll announce the official rules later,” Matthias explained, “If you’re in the swordplay, you’re provided your equipment. If you’re in the hand-to-hand, you’re not allowed to have weapons.” Arryn nodded, ascertaining what was said, before she added, “I think I’ll join the women’s hand-to-hand. Do you think I should, love?”

 

[BookWyrm]

"Only if you promise me that you won't end up hurting your shoulder." Dayn figured he would talk with Lenza about getting a healing salve just encase. He knew Arryn was a brawler and ran the possibility of pushing it with her shoulder. Might as well be prepared. Besides, I know she loves getting massaged.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and said, “Then it’s settled. I’ll sign up when everything’s set.” Matthias smirked good-naturedly and said, “Don’t sign up too early, none of the other girls will join in.” Arryn smiled and shrugged a bit, just as Norim came up from behind and clapped Dayn on the back hard - though not on purpose of course. Matthias winced a bit, sympathetically, and Arryn turned to see Norim. “Norim, please, don’t break my betrothed.” Norim laughed and said, “Worry not, lass, he seems plenty sturdy t’me. I’m glad to see yeh decided to come, lad.”

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn felt the fwhoomp of Norim's hand reverberate through his whole body. He coughed slightly, feeling like it might have knocked the dust loose in his lungs before turning to the dwarf with a smile on his face. "Well I knew this lovely lady would be here, so I thought I might come and try to make myself look good." Dayn laughed before continuing, "I wouldn't miss this for the world." He kept his arm around Arryn's waist, his thumb gently running up and down her side as they stood together. "So, Norim, there wouldn't happen to be a good dwarven porter around would there? I haven't tasted a true dwarven porter for years."

 

[Dragongal]

Norim laughed heartily, and said, "What kind of party would it be if we didn't have any? In fact, here," Norim reached into his coat and drew out a flask, offering it to Dayn. Arryn began, "Norim-" before he cut her off, saying to Dayn,"Ah always keep some o' the finer porter on meself." Matthias made eye contact with Arryn, wincing slightly. He'd tried some of the "porter" in the flask when he was younger.

 

[BookWyrm]

Despite remembering Arryn's fore warning Dayn took the flask and popped the cap before taking a healthy swig of the contents. He swallowed the liquid without trouble before smiling and handing the flask back to Norim. "That, was definitely a true dwarven porter. Some of the dwarves back home brewed fire water and dragon's spit, but nothing beats a porter." Dayn turned to Arryn, a cheesy smile on his face. "Father hired several dwarven instructors back home. When Hamish and I were old enough they thought it time to give you boys eh proper comin' o' age party."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn cuffed his shoulder lightly , smiling. "You let me worry over nothing!" Matthias nodded approvingly, saying, "That drink near knocked me on my ass the first time I tried it." Norim was laughing heartily, and took a swig himself before saying, "Yeh've near proved t' me that you're good fer Atria just with that drink! Not bad a'tall for a young human."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn had a good laugh as Arryn decked him. He cupped his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. "I can't give away all of my secrets." Dayn then squished her cheeks together and laughed before wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug, picking her up off the ground as he laughed. "Besides, I had to make an impression somehow."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn laughed, and once her feet touched the ground she said, "Well, that's a good way to do it." Theodas walked over with a smile, talking to Norim. "The bows are strung and the targets set." Kalie walked over as well, taking Matthias's hand. "The games won't start for a while yet - why don't you two go have some fun? There'll be dancing soon." Arryn looked up to Dayn and smiled. "That's a good idea. Come on," she said as she led him back inside. They weren't inside long at all when she heard a bit of a commotion from outside, holding Dayn's hand and following to the noise. Inder was outside, berating some dwarves for having gotten into a drunken brawl (neither of them seemed to care) but he luckily hadn't seen Arryn yet. She sighed heavily, glancing up at Dayn. "Should we make him shut up before he gets tot the evils of liquor?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled as they walked back inside. Dancing would be fun, if it weren't for drunken dwarves suddenly rousing the holy ire of the ass in cloth himself. Dayn sighed, already tired of the priest even though he just met him. "Yes, lets get this done. If it must happen let it happen now before the festivities begin." As they started towards the commotion found himself feeling slightly cocky, which could be bad. Has the porter started to mess with me? "I'll give you the honors of starting our civil dispute with the ass in cloth."

 

[Dragongal]

She looked up at him with a mischievous smile. "Civil?" There were two types of people when it came to insults. Those who stuck with insulting words, like bitch, and then Arryn's kind, who purposefully aimed for their enemy's weak points to twist a knife through their spirits. Arryn walked forward, gently laying her hand on the shoulder of one of the dwarves, turning her back to Inder as she looked at the dwarf, running her thumb over a cut on his head before glancing over her shoulder at Inder. "Perhaps you should either let them find a healer or get hurt, instead of berate them - they're not listening to you anyway. Nobody does." That was going a few steps too far, bu she didn't care. She straightened up, looking at Inder. He replied, quite taken aback. "Miss Eleran, if I am not to teach them, who will?" "Life. Really, anyone's a better teacher than you."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn kept himself from laughing as he stepped forward to join the festivities. "My teachers never sat there and talked at me, then again my teachers also knew their ass from a hole in the ground." Dayn smiled as he stepped into the priest's view. "Dic mihi, quae sordes tuus fundo albo panno residere ore?"

 

[Dragongal]

The priest gave Dayn a scalding look. He was used to Arryn acting like this, but who did this man think he was? "As priest, it is my responsibility - " Responsibilities?! Arryn thought, feeling her temper light like a torch in her heart. She snapped, "Your responsibilities don't include spreading rumors and encouraging people to hurt others out of fear!" Everyone around them went silent. Arryn was getting pissed, and they all knew that wouldn't end well for Inder. "You did not care for responsibilities then, and you don't know, you just like pretending you're important and hearing the sound of your own damned voice!" Arryn knew she should have stopped, she knew she should have exercised some restraint, but she ddn't; this was her old temper coming back.