the crow;

writing blog.

[ironinkpen]

When writing couples, I like to use the Kiss Rule:

If they have to kiss for you to know they’re in love, you’re not writing a romance right.

[demytasse]

I couldn’t agree more with this. As someone who has been married for 7 years (together for 9), kissing hardly proves anything of love, at least on its own. The starry-eyed lover type of intimacy is cute, but using it exclusively is like eating fondant off a cake. It’s sweet, looks polished and pretty, but lacks robust the flavour of combined elements — fillings, frosting, toppings, and the cake itself.

It’s gestures often overlooked, silent acts of respect without calling attention to them. Subtleties mixed with the obvious.

The good, bad, and the ugly.

playful banter, ribbing, insults/backhanded compliments

recognising ticks/tells and how to respond (e.g. specific throat clear before they speak)

tolerating inconsequential bad habits (e.g. puts dishes beside dishwasher, not in it)

listening to the same stories multiple times as if they were new

developing similar quirks (e.g. particular laugh)

inside jokes

mock fighting, mini competitions

blatant honesty, humble apologies, knowing when to drop an argument

saying nothing/talking for hours

tending to illness or injuries

pokes, pet/pats, head/shoulder bumps, bites, tickles, cuddling, long gazes, stroking hair

grooming, restraighten clothing, touch up hair, brush off crumbs

singing and dancing together

understanding your partner’s hurt rather than just apologising

trust and respect

knowing how to cheer the other up, how to piss them off, humour them

reassurance (e.g. I’m here to talk, you’re doing a great job, your insecurities don’t define you)

associating sights, smells, touches, songs, phrasing, etc with them (e.g. “I saw a pigeon today and thought ‘is this my partner?’”

hating dumb things they do, but finding them hard to live without and secretly loving them

compromising, sacrificing, reciprocation

Love is unspoken, tolerant, and a spectrum of emotions.

It’s accepting that you’ll fuckin’ hate their entire being at times, exclaim with vitriol, “god, you’re so fucking annoying” while you smile and know that it’s trivial in the grand scheme.

It’s real. It’s healthy. It’s fun. That’s what I try to encapsulate in my sappy romantic fiction because realistic fluff is so much more gratifying.

I hope this helps.

[owl-mug]

Reasons to Keep Writing

•everyone starts small. just because you’re not big now, doesn’t mean you’ll never be. and if you’re just starting out, keep in mind those bigger blogs have been writing for much longer than you. building a following takes time. 

•there will always be someone who enjoys your writing. every like, reblog, and comment is one person who enjoyed what you wrote and i can assure you they want more! and remember, not everyone remembers to leave evidence that they liked your writing or they might just be too nervous to interact with you. invisible fans exist, and you’ve got them.

•going along with that last one, your writing has the potential to help others! you could write about a minority, or maybe you could publish a little something comforting at the exact time someone else needs it. and most of the time, when you affect someone like this they’ll tell you, whether it be through tags, or a private message or whatever. that’s an amazing feeling.

•getting a compliment from someone becomes a sure-fire way to make your day better. nothing feels greater than seeing a comment from someone saying how much they love something you worked hard on. maybe write down these comments somewhere, so you can look at them when you’re feeling negative about your skills as a writer.  

•writer’s block is not the end of your writing career. it sure feels like it sometimes, but everyone, even the popular writers you look up to, suffer from writer’s block. everyone puts out work they’re not 100% satisfied with sometimes, and that’s okay! when you get out of this slump, your writing will be better than ever before and you’ll enjoy it again. keep writing through a block so you can get there sooner.

These are the things I think about when I feel bad about my writing, so I hope they can help someone else too.

[loghainmactir]

i wanna say my biggest tip re: creating anything is “do it every day”, but it ties into my Even Bigger Tip, which is

Finish Your Fucking Projects

trust me, 100%, finishing shit will get you somewhere. leaving it and skipping to other stuff like a stone on water isn’t helpful, especially if you wanna make a career out of it.

do some of it every day. obviously take breaks where you need to, but seriously: even if it’s a little bit of colouring, parts of the comic you’re working on, a few sentences, whatever, you NEED to do it.

if you forget, keep a reminder to do it on your phone. set a time every day. do it between loading screens of a game you like. on the bus on your phone. whatever: just 👏 do 👏 it 👏

there’s gonna be days when that’s difficult. that’s ok! you have all the time in the world, literally, it’s not a race, take a break. customize this advice to suit your own ability and your own mind & body.

speaking from experience, i know a LOT of us get really salty when we look at other creators getting a lot of attention & recognition for their work or upcoming projects— don’t lie, i do it, too. but truth is all y’gotta do is finish stuff. make sure people see what you’re capable of & what your heart and soul is like, ‘cause that’s what’ll get you there in the first place.

people WILL see that fic you did. people WILL see the painting you poured hours into. people will read the comic you’re working on.

but it won’t happen until those things are done.

🎉🎉🎉🎉 i believe in you! you can do it! 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[galwednesday]

The single best piece of writing advice I ever got was from a professor teaching a playwriting class, who told us that in every scene, especially scenes that were just dialogue, every character should want something. Making every character in a scene have a goal is an easy way to avoid dialogue that’s just exposition, and to make sure your dialogue drives the plot forward and/or reveals characterization. 

It doesn’t have to be complicated or super weighty–as long as the characters have a goal, there will be tension in the scene even if the goals are small. Character X wants to borrow a pen, and character Y wants to make a good impression on character X. X wants to insult Y until they go away, and Y wants to annoy X by pretending not to notice the insults. X wants Y to give them the last slice of pizza, and Y is super full but still doesn’t want X to have it. No matter what your character’s goal is, it will reveal something about who that character is to the reader, and the conflict between your characters’ goals will give the scene momentum.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide: Common battle wounds and how to fix them

Arrow wounds: Now if the lung, heart, kidney, other major organ is hit, there may be little to do. The kidney has a back up, so maybe a skilled surgeon could save him, not exactly sure however. If hit by an arrow and not hit dangerously in an organ or artery, we can help. Firstly, DO NOT REMOVE arrow by yanking. Arrow must be worked from the skin by skilled hands. Once arrow is out, wash would with clean water/alchohol/herbal remedies. To heal slow, sew up wound and wrap in bandages. To speed it up, cauterise the wound with fire. It will hurt and patient pay pass out but now the arrow wound can heal faster. This works for crossbow bolts as well. On the gross side, arrows may be smeared with dirt or shit, so sepsis is a danger. This is how the great Richard the Lionheart died. Sometimes the mighty lion is killed by a shit arrow. But hey, shit happens. Arrow wounds take a couple of weeks to heal.

Sword slashes: if shallow, wash and bind up. May require stitches. If deeper, repeat process with more stitches and more bandages. Even if shallow, the cut must be washed using alcohol or clean water. May take a few days to weeks to heal depending on wound depth and severity.

Stab wound: Again don’t remove knife or object. If already removed, wash would and sew it up. You may need to cauterise. If guts, organs, brain, is falling out, there is nothing to do. This may take a couple of weeks to months to heal depending on wound.

Broken Bones: A break must be splinted with a board of wood and bandages. Slings can support arms and wrists. If your character breaks a leg, it may be worse. Breaks don’t heal great without modern medicine. Your character may have a limp or leg pain. In you’re are living in a hot climate, you’re pretty much fucked because infection sets in fast. These may take months to heal.

For @maslovianwench

[sunnydwrites]

Writing Dynamic Relationships

Hey y'all, Abby here with another writing post! Today we’re going to be talking about dynamic relationships.

In my opinion, dynamic relationships are better to write than static ones because they bring an element of change. Dynamic relationships change we learn more about the characters and go through the story, and our characters experience more outside of their regular lives. And, on top of that, the change of a dynamic relationship can show the reader how the characters are dealing with the events of the story. So, here we go.

Plot out the relationship throughout the book. If you’re writing a series, decide how it’s going to start, end, and change throughout. When you start with one idea that you know is going to be involved and end with a different one, you’re given the freedom to choose how it happens. That’s typically how I do it – I plot out my book first and decide where the start and end points of the relationship are, then I let the plot decide how it happens. Or, you can plan out every detail – as long as you know the general idea of what you want to happen. Whatever works for you, as long as you have an idea of wheee you want it to go.

Understand that relationships have ups and downs. If you plan to model your relationship after real life, you’ve probably realized that relationships don’t travel in straight lines. People have arguments and good times and awkward phases and internal issues that affect how they interact with others; if you want your characters to come off as human, they need to exhibit these characteristics.

Realize that each relationship will be different and has its own path to follow. While the state of your character’s other relationships will affect your character’s demeanor and behavior towards others, these are generally temporary. If your character is dynamic, they will need to take time to recover, but eventually they will recover. And your relationships will reflect that. But just because one relationship isn’t doing great doesn’t mean the same goes for the others. Your character’s willingness to contribute to the relationship controls that.

Don’t leave out relationships where your main character is not directly involved in. Other characters’ relationships will also affect their behavior towards your main character, which is also something that will affect the relationship. It could even bring in a new subplot of your character trying to be nosy and make amends, or just trying to figure out the issues between the other characters. And, with a degree of secrecy and a curiosity-rising plot, you could create a killer plot twist or two.

That’s all I’ve got for today! See you next time with another writing post; until than, much love!

[ladyelfriede]

Excuse me sir/madam/otherwise, i read your maria/f hunter fics and just want to say bless you, you are doing god's work!

thank you so much!! ;-; (and it’s madam, haha). i’m glad the response to my little drabbles has been so positive! i love this pairing a lot and sadly there just isn’t a lot of content for it so i’ll try to provide some more!

[badassunicorn2016]

Writing Tip June 4th

A list of body language phrases.

I’ve included a very comprehensive list, organized by the type of body movement, hand and arm movements, facial expressions etc. In some cases, a phrase fits more than one heading, so it may appear twice. Possible emotions are given after each BL phrase unless the emotion is indicated within the phrase. (They are underlined for emphasis, not due to a hyperlink.)

Note: I’ve included a few body postures and body conditions as they are non-verbal testimony to the character’s physical condition.

Have fun and generate your own ideas.:-)

Eyes, Brows and Forehead

arched a sly brow:  sly, haughty

blinked owlishly:  just waking, focusing, needs glasses

brows bumped together in a scowl:  worried, disapproving, irritated

brows knitted in a frown: worried, disapproval, thoughtful

bug-eyed:  surprised, fear, horror

cocky wink and confident smile:  over confidence, arrogant, good humor, sexy humor

eyes burned with hatred: besides hatred this might suggest maniacal feelings

eyes flashed: fury, defiance, lust, promise, seduction

eyes rolled skyward: disbelief, distrust, humor

forehead puckered:  thoughtful, worried, irritation

frustration crinkled her eyes

gaze dipped to her décolletage: sexual interest, attraction, lust

gimlet-eyed/narrowed eyes: irritation, thoughtful, mean, angry

gleam of deviltry:  humor, conniving, cunning

kept eye contact but her gaze became glazed: pretending interest where there is none/bordom

narrowed to crinkled slits:  angry, distrust

nystagmic eyes missed nothing (constantly shifting eyes):  Shifty

pupils dilated:  interested, attraction to opposite sex, fear

raked her with freezing contempt

slammed his eyes shut:  stunned, furious, pain

squinted in a furtive manner:  fearful, sneaky

stared with cow eyes:  surprised, disbelief, hopeful, lovestruck

subtle wink:  sexy, humor/sharing a joke, sarcasm

unrelenting stare: distrust, demanding, high interest, unyielding

Place To Place, Stationary Or Posture

ambled away:  relaxed, lazy

barged ahead:  rude, hurried

battled his way through the melee:  desperate, anger, alarm

cruised into the diner:  easy-going, feeling dapper, confident

dawdled alongside the road:  lazy, deliberate delay for motives, unhurried, relaxed

dragged his blanket in the dirt:   sadness/depressed, weary

edged closer to him:  sneaky, seeking comfort, seeking protection, seeking an audience

he stood straighter and straightened his tie:  sudden interest, sexual attraction

held his crotch and danced a frantic jig: demonstrates physical condition – he has to pee

hips rolled and undulated:  sexy walk, exaggerating for sex appeal

hovered over them with malice/like a threatening storm: here it’s malice, but one may hover for many reasons.

hunched over to look shorter:  appear inconspicuous, ashamed of actions, ashamed of height

leaped into action feet hammering the marbled floor:  eager, fear, joyous

long-legged strides:  hurried, impatient

lumbered across:  heavy steps of a big man in a hurry

minced her way up to him: timid, sneaky, insecure, dainty or pretense at dainty

paced/prowled the halls:  worried, worried impatience, impatient, diligently seeking pivoted on his heel and took off:  mistaken and changes direction, following orders, hurried, abrupt change of mind, angry retreat

plodded down the road:  unhurried, burdened, reluctant

practiced sensual stroll:  sexy, showing off

rammed her bare foot into her jeans: angry, rushed

rocked back and forth on his heels: thoughtful, impatiently waiting

sagged against the wall:  exhausted, disappointment

sallied forth:  confident, determined

sashayed her cute little fanny:  confident, determined, angered and determined

shrank into the angry crowd:  fear, insecure, seeking to elude

sketched a brief bow and assumed a regal pose: confident, mocking, snooty, arrogant skidded to an abrupt halt: change of heart, fear, surprise, shock

skulked on the edges of the crowd: sneaky, ashamed, timid

slithered through the door:  sneaky, evil, bad intentions

stormed toward her, pulling up short when: anger with a sudden surprise

swaggered into the class room:  over confident, proud, arrogant, conceited

tall erect posture:  confidence, military bearing

toe tapped a staccato rhythm:  impatience, irritation

tottered/staggered unsteadily then keeled over:  drunk, drugged, aged, ill

waltzed across the floor:  happy, blissful, exuberant, conceited, arrogant

Head Movement

cocked his head:  curiosity, smart-alecky, wondering, thoughtful

cocked his head left and rolled his eyes to right corner of the ceiling:  introspection

droop of his head: depressed, downcast, hiding true feelings

nodded vigorously: eager

tilted her head to one side while listening:  extreme interest, possibly sexual interest

Mouth And Jaw

a lackluster smile:  feigning cheerfulness

cigarette hung immobile in mouth: shock, lazy, uncaring, relaxed casualness

clinched his jaw at the sight:  angered, worried, surprised

curled her lips with icy contempt

expelled her breath in a whose:  relief, disappointment

gagged at the smell: disgust, distaste

gapped mouth stare:  surprised, shock, disbelief

gritted his teeth:  anger, irritation, holding back opinion

inhaled a sharp breath:  surprise, shock, fear, horror

licked her lips:  nervous, sexual attraction

lips primed: affronted, upset, insulted

lips pursed for a juicy kiss

lips pursed like she’d been chewing a lemon rind: dislike, angry, irritated, sarcasm

lips screwed into: irritation, anger, grimace, scorn

lips set in a grim line: sorrow, worried, fear of the worst

pursed her lips:  perturbed, waiting for a kiss

scarfed down the last biscuit:  physical hunger, greed

slack-mouthed:  total shock, disbelief

slow and sexy smile:  attraction, seductive, coy

smacked his lips: anticipation

smile congealed then melted into horror

smile dangled on the corner of his lips: cocky, sexy

smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder:  conceit, sarcasm, over confident

sneered and flicked lint off his suit: sarcasm, conceit

spewed water and spit: shock

stuck out her tongue: humor, sarcasm, teasing, childish

toothy smile:  eagerness, hopeful

wary smile surfaced on her lips

Nose

nose wrinkled in distaste/at the aroma

nostrils flared:  anger, sexual attraction

nose in the air:  snooty, haughty

Face in General

crimson with fury

handed it over shame-faced

jutted his chin: confident, anger, forceful

managed a deadpan expression:  expressionless

muscles in her face tightened:  unsmiling, concealing emotions, anger, worried

rested his chin in his palm and looked thoughtful

rubbed a hand over his dark stubble:  thoughtful, ashamed of his appearance

screwed up her face:  anger, smiling, ready to cry, could almost be any emotion

sneered and flicked lint off his suit: conceit, derision, scorn

Arm and Hand

a vicious yank

arm curled around her waist, tugging her next to him:  possessive, pride, protective

bit her lip and glanced away:  shy, ashamed, insecure

brandished his fist:  anger, threatening, ready to fight, confident, show of pride

clamped his fingers into tender flesh:  anger, protective, wants to inflict pain

clenched his dirty little fists: stubborn, angry

clapped her hands on her hips, arms crooked like sugar bowel handles:  anger, demanding, disbelief

constantly twirled her hair and tucked it behind her ear:  attracted to the opposite sex, shy crossed his arms over his chest: waiting, impatient, putting a barrier

crushed the paper in his fist:  anger, surrender, discard

dived into the food: hunger, eager, greedy

doffed his hat:  polite gesture, mocking, teasing

doodled on the phone pad and tapped the air with her foot:  bored, inattention, introspection

drummed her fingers on the desk:  impatient, frustrated, bored

fanned her heated face with her hands: physically hot, embarrassed, indicating attraction

fiddled with his keys: nervous, bored

firm, palm to palm hand shake:  confident, honest

flipped him the bird: sarcastic discard

forked his fingers through his hair for the third time:  disquiet/consternation, worry, thoughtful

handed it over shame-faced:  guilt, shame

held his crotch and danced a frantic jig:  physical need to relieve himself

limp hand shake:  lack of confidence, lack of enthusiasm

propped his elbow on his knee: relaxed, thoughtful

punched her pillow:  restless, can’t sleep, angry

rested his chin in his palm:  thoughful, worried

scratched his hairy belly and yawned:  indolent, bored, lazy, relaxed, just waking

shoulders lifted in a shrug:  doubtful, careless discard

slapped his face in front of God and country:  enraged, affronted/insulted

snapped a sharp salute:  respect, sarcastic gesture meaning the opposite of respect

snapped his fingers, expecting service:  arrogant, lack of respect, self-centered

sneered and flicked lint off his suit

spread her arms wide: welcoming,  joy, love

stabbed at the food: anger, hunger, determined

stood straighter and smoothed his tie:  sudden interest, possible sexual interest

stuffed his hands in his pockets: self-conscious, throwing up a barrier

sweaty handshake:  nervous, fearful

touched his arm several times while explaining:  sign of attraction, flattery, possessive

wide sweep of his arms:  welcoming, all inclusive gesture, horror

Sitting or Rising

collapsed in a stupor:  exhausted, drunk, drugged, disbelief

enthroned himself at the desk:  conceit, pronouncing or taking ownership

exploded out of the chair:  shock, eager, anger, supreme joy

roosted on the porch rail like a cock on a hen house roof:  claiming ownership, conceit, content

sat, squaring an ankle over one knee:  relaxed and open

slouched/wilted in a chair and paid languid attention to:  drowsy, lazy, depressed, disinterest, sad, totally relaxed, disrespectful

squirmed in his chair: ill at ease, nervous, needs the bathroom

Recline

flung himself into the bed: sad, depressed, exhausted, happy

prostrated himself: surrender, desperate, miserable, powerless, obsequious, fawning, flattering

punched her pillow:  can’t sleep, anger, frustrated

threw himself on the floor kicking and screaming: tantrum

Entire body and General

body stiffened at the remark:  offended, anger, alerted

body swayed to music:  dreamy, fond memories, enjoys the music

bounced in the car seat, pointing:  excitement, fear, eager

cowered behind his brother:  fear, shyness, coward, desperate

curled into a ball:  sorrow, fear, sleepy, defensive

heart galloping:  anxiety, joy, eager

held his crotch and danced a frantic jig

humped over his cane, each step shaking and careful: pain, aged

inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly: buying time to find words/thoughtful, reconciled

quick and jerky like rusty cogs on a wheel:  unsure of actions, self-conscious, tense, edgy

rocked back and forth on his heels:  impatient, cocky, gleeful

manhandled the woman into a corner:  bully, anger

slumped shoulders: defeat, depressed, sad, surrender

stiff-backed:  priggish, haughty, affronted

stood straighter and straightened his tie:  sexual interest, wants to make an impression

stooped and bent: aged, arthritic, in pain

stretched extravagantly and yawned:  tired, bored, unconcerned

sweating uncontrollably: nervous, fear, guilt

tall erect posture:  confidence, military bearing

was panting now at:  afraid, exhausted, out of breath, sexual excitement

-Sharla Rae

[ladyelfriede]

proposal (lady maria/f!hunter)

Pairing: F!hunter/Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower

Word count: 500-600

Rating: T

Summary: Lady Maria has a proposal for the hunter, one the hunter only happily accepts.

The light of the morning sun spilled into the small bedroom, stirring the Hunter’s peaceful sleep. She slowly cracked one eye open, her eyes needing a little time to adjust to the bright rays of sunshine. The first thing she saw was the woman next to her, who was studying her with a soft smile on her face. The Hunter could not help but smile herself, a loud yawn escaping her.

“Morning, sleepyhead”, Maria spoke, running her pointer finger softly across the Hunter’s cheek.

“Is it noon already?”

“Not yet, but you did quite well nonetheless. It’s around ten-thirty.”

“How long have you been watching me?”

“Not too long. I wanted to huddle a little closer to you, but you looked so peaceful I figured it’d be a pity to wake you up.”

“You’re such a charmer”, the Hunter giggled, Maria’s lips brushing against her own in a short kiss.

The Hunter sat up slowly, moving her legs over the edge of the small bed she shared with Maria. Before she could stand up, Maria’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against the blonde’s strong torso. Maria’s chin rested gently on top of her head, their height difference letting the Hunter lean her head back against Maria’s shoulder. The Hunter enjoyed the daily moments such as these; where Maria was so ruthless and aggressive on a hunt, the blonde was so incredibly gentle whenever she held the other hunter.

“I have a little surprise for you”, Maria said softly, her breath tickling the Hunter’s ear.

“What is it?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it? Shut your eyes.”

The Hunter chuckled, one of Maria’s arms leaving her waist as she closed her eyes. She then felt Maria’s hand run gently down her arm, reaching her palm.

“Open your hand.”

The Hunter held her hand up, instantly feeling something cold touch her skin. The object in her palm seemed to be small and made of metal, curiosity instantly overtaking her.

“No cheating! Alright, you may open your eyes.”

The Hunter opened her eyes, her breath hitching in her throat as she stared at the small piece of jewelry in her hand. It was a ring, a beautiful golden ring, set with a small white gemstone. Maria’s hand remained on the Hunter’s wrist, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Would you marry me?”

“Are you…serious? You wish to marry me?”

“There’s no one else I’d rather spend my life with, dear. Would you agree for me to be your wife?”

Maria smiled broadly as the Hunter took a hold of her chin, turning Maria’s head ever so slightly, the Hunter’s lips pressing softly against her own for a brief moment. The Hunter’s eyes gleamed in joy, a widespread grin on her face as she retreated from the kiss.

“I assume that means yes?”, Maria said, her lips forming into a smile.

“Of course it does, you oaf!”

The Hunter slid the ring around her finger, admiring the simple beauty of it.

“Can we agree on one thing though, dear?”, Maria asked.

“What is it?”

“Can you please promise me not to ask Djura to prepare anything for the ceremony or reception? The last thing I want is our wedding turning into an inferno.”

The Hunter laughed loudly as she replied. “That I can do dear, that I can certainly do.”

[ladyelfriede]

distractions (lady maria/f!hunter)

Pairing: F!hunter/Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower

Word count: 900

Rating: T

Summary: Now a member of the Healing Church, Laurence wants Falyn to undergo a basic hunter training. Who else is the best candidate to train her but Lady Maria? Falyn is @letsgetonwithit’s hunter! This is the first fic/drabble I’ve ever published as I’m a new writer, so feedback is appreciated!

“Maria, is this truly necessary?”, Falyn asked, her shoulders and back stiff from the position Maria was forcing her body into. She slouched her shoulders downwards on instinct, a form they had automatically found to be in after so many hours of sitting bent over her desk, studying the blood intensely.

“Of course. If you continue to fight in this stature, your back is not going to enjoy it. Now stop slouching!”

Falyn gasped slightly in surprise as one of Maria’s arms moved around her shoulders, drawing them back. Despite her agitation with today’s training regiment, Falyn enjoyed how close Maria was standing to her. She had joined the Healing Church to do research foremost, but Laurence had, for some forsaken reason, found it necessary for her to undergo basic hunter training. As Laurence had recommended a female trainer, the options of who would train her were limited. Ludwig’s small group of Church Hunters only had one female member, but Laurence had rejected her instantly, claiming there was no need for “two heretics who will one day blow the workshop to smithereens”. Thus Maria, one of Gehrman’s students, remained.

Falyn could feel her cheeks burn as Maria’s hands moved to her hips, slightly pushing them forward.

“Don’t get too excited”, Maria teased, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“I’m not excited!”, Falyn blurted out a little too quickly to be a natural response. “I’m standing correctly now, aren’t I? Let’s just get started.”

Maria’s hands let go of her, taking a few steps back before moving to stand a few feet away from Falyn.

“Alright, I’m going to swing this sword at you, and I want you to block my strikes. You could try to stun me, but if you go for a stun you need to succeed. If you fail, you’ll leave an opening that will certainly get you killed in regular combat, understood?”

Falyn nodded, strengthening her grip on the axe’s hilt. Maria lunged at her much faster than she had anticipated, and with a slight panic she swung her axe to the side in a desperate attempt to stop Maria’s strike. The weight of the axe made it slip out of her hands and launch away from her as she fell to the ground, landing on her backside. A loud crashing sound followed, but Falyn’s attention was directed right above her. Maria’s blade was at her throat, a soft chuckle coming from the blonde’s lips. Maria extended her hand to Falyn, pulling her back on her feet. Falyn blushed once more at the amused smile on Maria’s face, who did not yet let go of the princess’ hand.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I am fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“Perhaps I should’ve taken it easier on you, I apologize.”

Maria moved her hand towards Falyn’s face and gently took a lock of white hair between her fingers, placing it behind Falyn’s ear. Falyn could feel the heat rise to the tips of her ears, swallowing the lump in her throat as Maria finally let go of her hand and inspected the area around her, a confused look on her face.

“Say Falyn, where’s your axe?”

“I don’t see it, it couldn’t have gone far.”

The two women turned around as they heard a loud shout from the workshop. A visibly upset Laurence exited, followed by Ludwig, who was roaring with laughter.

“I just had those windows replaced!”

“Now what did you say about not wanting to have one of mine train Falyn?”, Ludwig spoke amused, putting one hand on Laurence’s shoulder. The vicar shrugged the taller man’s hand off, dragging Falyn’s axe behind him and dropping it at her feet.

“Next time you’re going to practice throwing that axe, do it outside of the reach of the workshop, if you’d please. I’ll be sending the repair costs to Corivia.”

Laurence then stormed off, Ludwig following him once more. Falyn picked up the hunter’s axe, Maria holding a hand in front of her own mouth to hide her grin. When Falyn heard a rather badly concealed snort come from the older hunter, she couldn’t keep it in any longer herself. As soon as Laurence was out of audible reach she laughed loudly, Maria joining in shortly after.

“Well that was an interesting session”, Maria spoke once she had composed herself. “I had a great time, but let’s not make property damage a habit.”

“I’m sorry”, Falyn mumbled softly.

“All is well, I know how you can repay me”, Maria mused, a somewhat sinister smile on her face. The twinkle in the blonde’s eyes made Falyn look away from her nervously.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Have dinner with me tonight? Just the two of us.”

“You’re joking?”

“I’m completely serious. There has to be lots for us to talk about, besides hunting that is. I’ve quite missed the presence of other women.”

That last statement was accompanied by a wink, which almost made Falyn drop her axe once more.

“A-Alright! If you’d like then I’ll be ready around 6?”

“That sounds wonderful, I’ll pick you up at your chambers.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Then I’ll see you later, I’m looking forward to it Falyn.”

Falyn nodded eagerly, positive that the blush on her face was not yet gone but stronger than ever. Maria smiled at her one last time before she turned around and left the workshop area. Once Maria was gone, Falyn buried her face in her hands, letting out a little yelp of joy. Perhaps hunter training wasn’t going to be so bad after all.