swordmaiden

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

"I see," he replied with a single nod of his head. He too had been in a similar situation with the bow and arrow. He was not gifted with Hunt, making him behind most of the other rangers. They had no problem hitting their targets while Perseval rarely hit his, and it made his frustrated with the weapon altogether. His father urged him to continue his training, and now the bow is one of his favorite weapons. "It will take time, but once you have gained some skill, it will be more satisfactory."

Isa's nose wrinkled. "I will never get better it at," she said bitterly. Nor does Isa wish to get better at it, for fear should she get better at embroidery and poetry and painting that she would forget swordplay, archery and fighting. For surely a girl of her size could remember to do only so many things. But had she not already promised to follow in the ways of a proper lady? It was all so terribly confusing.

Instead the confusion that bordered on anger was turned on the other man. "Who are you anyway?" And what right did he to ask her such intimate questions, regardless of how willingly she answered.

[Victor chuckled a bit, shaking his head.] Yes, I am. And if I should come across any information on how to protect yourself from shark attacks, I shall tell you straight away. Now. [Victor looked to the darkening sky above them.] I think it is well past time for you to be on your way. I can see you home, if you like.

#ch #ch:victor #ch:team octopus rules!#but the bromance is still glorous!#also yeah we should probably wrap this up #especially with all that has happened since

Isa scoffed and jutted out her chin. "I'm perfectly capable of walking by myself thank you. Nothing scares me."

Startled by the sound, Isa gave a little jump as one of the local drunkards gave a shout as he started singing a drunkard song, on his way to another tavern no doubt. Isa gave Octopus man a side glance, a sheepish smile played on her lips. "But I suppose...I mean, if you want to..."

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

That was what Perseval was looking for. Now he was getting some answers, but those answers were just causing more questions. She had multiple fathers, according to the way Isa worded herself, and Perseval wondered about Isa’s origin. Was she an orphan, taken in my a traveling group of people, or was she a whore’s daughter, sold away to a group of bandits for a hefty sum of coin? There was no telling what the truth was without Isa telling it, and he didn’t want to push her forever. He would see her again, and maybe then he could push a little bit more.

"There’s no shame in liking swords, bows, and fighting, unless you use these weapons and tactics when unprovoked. And do you like needles, poetry, embroidery, and the like?"

No, her mind answered for her. Behind her back, away from his view, Isa nursed the index that had been pricked by the embroidery needle so many times. She knew there was no shame in liking swords, bows or fighting. But that was not the point.

"Well, I'm still trying to get good at it..." She said, ebbing away from his actual question. Suggesting that perhaps if she was only as good at it as she was a sword and a bow perhaps her like for it would grow. For now, she positively loathed the needles and the strings and the books that she struggled to read and even more so to understand.

[Victor admired her hopefulness. It was a quality that he’d long since lost. But this girl had much more potential than himself, more determination. And if she wanted to swim beside a shark, she probably would.]

Well, when you do, be careful. I would hate to see one of those things turned upon any human, but especially you, Miss Isa.

#ch #ch:victor #ch:team octopus rules!#yaasss #omg!#ughh man #these two #I can't even handle

Isa shrugged, she was not worried. Isa Christine laughs in the face of danger. Or so she liked to think so anyway. "I've found that animals only really turn on you if they find you a threat. And it's not like I'm going to go about swimming with my sword or anything. Anyway, you're going to tell me more about the shark so I'll be ready for anything. Know your enemy and all that stuff."

aseaofquotes

E.M. Forster, A Room with a View

#insp #quotes

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

Perseval had learned much from Isa by simply listening to what she said and how she said it. It seemed she didn’t know why she was with the Princess, by her expression, and it made Perseval all the more curious, but he wasn’t going to bother figuring it out. As long as Isa was safe, he was fine with it, and he trusted the Princess. The noble woman most likely had noble intentions.

"Did you become interested in swords while with the ‘fat kitchen woman’?" he asked, still stuck on the fact that a Princess’s companion was interested in weaponry. It seemed uncommon.

#ch #ch:perseval #ch:nolstagia's a bitch #also #Lady is what she named her sword #just so you know :)

"One of my fathers' gave me Lady," the answer came without so much as a moment's hesitation. "He taught me some, and the bow and arrow, he taught me that too. And then I learned to fight because of my brothers." Not that she complained much, for it had proven useful when it came to handling some of the bullies she's met.

Realising that she was telling the Ranger much more than she intended to, she bit back her tongue and whirled on him. "Stop insisting that I'm interested in swords! I-- I'm supposed to like needles and embroidery and painting and poetry... and... and embroidery!"

[Isa’s barrage of questions took him off guard, mostly because he did not have all the answers. But he did his best to respond to each question in turn, though he was no kind of authority on sharks.]

These creatures are called sharks. [He pointed down at the drawing once more with his branch.] They can very in size, as there are many sorts, but I believe in adulthood they can be as long as two of me from head to foot. Maybe even more. Their fangs are for capturing their food, which happen to be any poor fish that come across their path. I shall have to learn more about them in order to answer your question about their lack of scales but… [Victor trailed off with a shrug.] That these things even exist is fascinating. Why, I imagine there are creatures swimming in the seas that no one even knows about yet. Astounding…

#ch #ch:victor #ch:team octopus rules!#lol #isa is a little shorter than maisie williams #because age #but even then tom has a good 30 cm over maisie if not more

Sharks...how very curious. Isa tried to recall the last time she saw the ocean. All she managed to catch a glimpse of was the water. What other strange and fantastical creature could be lurking beneath the surface? It seemed all too wonderful.

She turned to look up at Octopus man and tried to imagine a creature that was two of him in height. "That's a big fish..." Isa heard herself murmur. She tried to imagine it. A hideous, giant eel like fish with giant serrated fangs that could tear right through fishes."One day I'm going to swim with that fish. One day I'm going to swim with a shark."

Needles and Strings ↳ isa + sophia

hair-like-stardust

Sophia’s hair wanted cutting, too. It had been too many weeks, and her hands were smeared black from sketching all day. Charcoal blackened her fingers, and stuck to a few bits of her hair. Her thoughts had been in the clouds and her books and the languages she learned.

Well, trying to learn anyway.

She was on her way to her room again, a few books in her arms, hair caught beneath them. It was the echo down the hall that made her stop and turn. The voice belonged to a girl, someone young no doubt. Sophia turned and made her away to the source of the sound: Isa Christine sewing.

Wasn’t she the girl who had the kitten a while ago? What had happened to it? And why was she trying to sew? She put the books down with an unexpected thump that actually made her jump.

#ch #ch:sophia #ch:embroidery sucks

Startled by the thudding of books, Isa's needle missed and once again pricked her finger. The girl cursed loudly and shoved the sore into her mouth, before bringing it back out to examine the wound. Already red she was unsure where it was the needle pricked exactly. Suddenly realising that the sound must've had a source Isa turned and felt her blood run cold.

She swore. In front of a princess. If there was ever a chance that her day could get worse, it just did.

She sat her sewing things aside and stood to meet the Princess with her best attempt at a curtsy. Considering how she is able to sprint across roofs and wield her sword with one hand, the curtsy was a hideous display of grace. But credit where credit was due, it was a lot better than the curtsy she delivered the princess in their first meeting.

"Apologies princess, I didn't mean to swear-- well, I did, but not in front of you." Well that went just about as horrifically as she thought it would. "That sounded better in my head I promise."

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

Perseval was honestly a bit impressed by the girl’s answers. “That makes you nearly a Lady, then, since you live in the palace and all. How did that arrangement come to be?”

Isa opened her mouth, but found that she had to close it again for she had no real answer to give. "I don't know..." She said. "First time we met I nearly stabbed her mind." Although to her highness's credit she took it incredibly well. "She just called me up one night and asked how I'd feel if she were to take me off the fat kitchen woman." Now that she thought about it, Isa was suddenly very much aware of how little she knew of what the Princess had planned for her. Doubt was what Isa started to feel, and doubt was not her friend.

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

"Uh huh," Perseval commented. It was obvious the girl had an interest in weapons, but he wasn’t going to keep pushing, although he found it oddly fun, which was out of character for him. He usually was always the nice one, the one who never teased, but this girl was an exception, and he was getting information out of her by doing this.

"Oh, the Princess? Well, that changes everything," he replied a bit sarcastically. "Why would the Princess give out clothes? And to which princess are you referring?" He could tell the girl wasn’t a thief, just as he wasn’t, but he was curious about this girl. She said she didn’t know her bloodline, yet she conversed with princesses and admired fine swords.

#ch #ch:perseval #ch:nolstagia's a bitch #man those were good days #*wipes tear*

Isa was not known for her small ego, for she had plenty of it and it especially inflated with mentions of palaces and princesses. "I'll have you know that you are in the company of Princess Astrid's companion." Isa said, standing in her full height (although it was not all that tall). "I have a room in the palace and everything." The room was also one of the Princess's long abandoned study, but Isa paid no mind, any room was better than the broom's cupboard she called a room while she was still under the Fat Kitchen Woman's care.

Needles and Strings ↳ isa + sophia

The dress felt too heavy on her small arms and even more so on her petite frame. For a while, it seemed that for every time the needle poked out from beneath the cloth her finger was pricked. Isa's index was smeared red with both blood and saliva from the many times she had to stick her sore in her mouth. She wore no sword frog and strapped on no quiver for both had found its resting place in the chest where she kept all her weaponry. She even relented to wearing those shoes that the princess bid her wear, the pair that she long neglected for her own warn out ones. As beautiful as the pair was, it was terribly uncomfortable and it hurt her little toe. Her hair was braided and grew somewhat longer now as she had been told not to cut it. Ladies should not cut her hair, she was told by one of the maids once, she should leave it long and beautiful. And as the Day of the Brothers passed, she was now fourteen, which led to talks of Isa flowering (whatever that meant), and only once you did were then a proper woman. Isa hated that the most.

Isa hated everything, but she nevertheless conceded for her loathing of everything distracted her from the more painful things.

It was hideous, she decided as she glanced at her work. Her lines were crooked and what was meant to be the forest was now a mess of black, white and grey. "Sod it," she cursed and went on to battle the strings with her needle.

#ch #ch:sophia #ch:embroidery sucks #not feeling very creative with my tags of late #this could be a problem

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

He nodded. It was true that a Lady was a person of nobility, but even the most distant of nobles were given titles. Anyone who dressed well could very well be a member of some noble family from somewhere.

"You’re a bright one," he smiled down at her, amused with her words. "I assume you have found a sword for you, hmm?" He crossed his arms, peering over the passing crowd. "And what if I did steal these clothes? If I told you I did, would you tell me if you stole yours?"

#ch #ch:perseval #ch!nolstagia's a bitch #sassy eyebrow is sassy #also #that scene from got is also one of my favourites #back when it was rainbow and unicorns and everyone was happyy

"Well I--" No Isa those days are long gone, you're fourteen now. Practically a woman. "No. I told you, I'm not interested in swords, or bows, or hitting things..."

Ironically enough, she found herself glancing back at the very blade. She wanted to touch it again.

Her gaze snapped back to the Ranger (or is he?), thoroughly offended by the accusation. "I don't steal!" Isa was a lot of things, but she was not a thief. She wouldn't even run away from the fat kitchen women for fear that she would be stealing herself from her. Of course it wasn't as if she had anywhere to run to, but that was a minor detail.

"It was given to me by the Princess herself, I'll have you know."

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

Perseval listened to the girl, taking notice of her interest in the weapon and her obvious knowledge about swords. “You seem more interested than most.” He took a long look at the sword, examining the hilt like she had. It did have a nice look, but he wasn’t interested in it. He liked simple things, with more practicality than dazzle. “You say you’re not a lady, and yet you look like one.”

Isa looked down at her dress. All her dresses had been very clean of late. So was her hair and her nails and there were little to no new scratches that adorned her hands. Perhaps she did look a little like lady. But she did not feel like one.

"A Lady is only a Lady if she is of nobility. I don't even know what line I'm from. Anyway, you may look like a Ranger, but it don't mean you are one. You could have stolen those for all I know." That was, after all, what she thought of Willem upon first meeting him. "And I don't know that much about swords. Besides, everyone knows a good sword for 'em once they've held it for a bit."

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

Guard duty wasn’t as entertaining as riding a horse through the Black Forest, but Perseval had no place to complain. He was closer to his family this way, closer to the people he needed to protect, and he could do a better job of it this way. His father was unable to work and his mother was untrained, having relied on her husband for most of her live. It was Perseval’s job to provide for them now.

He was watching a cat make its way across the marketplace ground when his eyes caught something red. He turned and found a young girl with a sword in her hand. With a smile on his lips, he approached, seeing that the blacksmith was too busy making a sale to keep his eyes on the girl. He hadn’t seen her before, and although she seemed harmless from behind, he had to be wary. “I’ve never seen a lady care about a sword as much as you have.”

Startled, Isa's hands fumbled with the sword for a moment before she managed to catch a firm hold of the hilt once more. Head whipped to the direction of the intruder her ego died down once she realised who it was that she was addressing. And here she thought she was doing such a fine job of avoiding Rangers. She sat the sword back in its place. "I'm not a lady," she said. "And I was just..." Her eyes trailed back to the sword, she could feel her fingers itching towards it again, "I was just looking. The sword is too heavy anyway, and even if I was interested--which I not, I would have to try for a smaller sword. Skinnier and lighter so the balance would be right. But it doesn't matter anyway, because I'm not interested." Obviously.

#ch #ch!perseval #ch!nolstagia's a bitch #here you are friend!#hope it's okay!

Broadsword ↳ isa + perseval

It was a broadsword. Newly made with golden hilts adorned with polished rubies. Much too heavy, much too big, and much too rich. But she has not held a sword in a long while now, and the familiar feeling of the steel in her hands were much welcomed. She knew she would have to return it when the blacksmith comes to catch her, but for now, she would revel in the feeling of such a fine blade.

[Victor chuckled at her frantic declaration.] Alright, alright, I believe you. Now then. [Reaching the mouth of the alleyway, Victor looked around to find something he might use to etch into the snow with. It didn’t take too much searching, thankfully, to find a stick. Clearly some unused firewood.] These creatures are a fair bit more frightening than the octopus. Imagine a fish with no scales, with a long, lean body and fangs, serrated like knives. [Victor paused as he drew out the image of a shark in the snow beneath them.] There are different sorts, if I am not mistaken, but this one here is the variety most seen in the seas of the South. I would hate to swim alongside one of those things! [He looked up at Isa then, curious to see how she would react.]