Closed A Twinkle in Their Eyes (Ardal)

[Kanri]

Before she knew it, Ardal had worked his way around her and slammed a pile of snow over her shoulders. Kanri collapsed under the sudden weight. He stood over her, snowball raised. 'The only rule is no ice balls.' Really? The only rule? Why hadn't Kanri made more rules? Kanri ducked her head just in time to avoid being pelted directly in the face. The snowball cleanly smacked her in the head. He was close enough that even the snowball hurt. In reaction, Kanri kicked her legs out from the snow and lashed out at Ardal's legs. Even covered in snow, she caught him by surprise and knocked him over, thankfully into the snow so he didn't really get hurt. Kanri clumsily pushed herself to her feet, grabbed a few of her snowballs, and hurled them in Ardal's general direction. They all missed, except one which caught him on his leg as he got up.

But Kanri didn't dash away like last time. "Ardal, are you okay? I'm sorry for kicking you. Maybe we should come up with a more concrete set of rules to work off of? You know, make it into an actual game instead of just a free-for-all?"

What if, they made it into a defense sort of game? What if they built a snowmanThis is another thread goal so here's a nice way to mix it in!Sorry for being thread-goal crazy. I just decided for Winter, I wanted to try to do that. and one person would be a defender and the other an attacker? The attacker would try to land ten hits on the snowman and the other would try to score ten hits on the attacker. That way, with more structure, it would be more intense! And the loser would buy the winner a nice, warm cup of tea! Or something like that. Anything warm would be nice, frankly. Kanri was getting fairly cold, after soaking a lot of the water resistant Katinu as well as getting snow in her Bryda from kicking through it. Not that the cold bothered her so much as the wetness of the snow.

"What do you say, Ardal? For one round, we will each have a turn at attacking and defending. Best of three?" Kanri challenged.

[Ardal]

Just as he thought he had won he found himself on his back, looking up to the clouds. He got himself up slowly not even aware that she was hurling snow his way. He brushed himself off and rubbed the back of his head; he must have hit the ground hard. She had asked if he was okay, the truth was he was in a lot of pain. However, he still put on a brave a face so she’d not worry. “Oh, I’m just fine, don’t worry about me. It was my fault anyway; I was the one who took it too far. Ha-ha.” He winced a clutched his ribs when he laughed. He must have gotten hurt during the match at some point. “Don’t worry about me I’ll be fine.”

She had made up an elaborate game. It seemed like a game that would work on a larger scale; with more people involved. Anyway, he didn’t want to have to fight anymore more, but he did still want to spend more time with her. “Well, I’m not sure I can handle any more fighting and we’ve already made such a mess…but I’d enjoy making a snowman. If we put our minds together we could make the grandest snowman Wind Reach has ever seen!” he started to grin at the very idea of it. It even took his mind of the discomfort he was in.

He had decided that he wanted to share his gloves with her. “Here, you can borrow these for a little bit. They’re a little bit wet but still warm, my hands have been warm long enough, anyway.” He handed them her direction while withdrawing his has hand up into his sleeves. “Then after that we can have some tea, or perhaps a simple stew.” The truth of the matter is, he’d like to spend the whole day with her if he could.

[Kanri]

Kanri happily accepted his gloves and set herself to work on making a much larger snowball. Ardal's hands were a bit smaller than hers so his gloves almost didn't fit. Yet, she was okay with that because they were better than nothing. She only felt a little guilty. If he had wanted his gloves, then he shouldn't have offered them. She found she had trouble starting the snowball without the warmth of her hands but once she finally got one rolling, it picked up snow simply with its own weight. And her hands hadn't been that warm anymore anyway so it hardly mattered.

She found herself thinking about Ardal lot. Maybe more than she should. She didn't think he was an Avora, like her. He didn't quite seem bright enough for that. Then again, she probably didn't seem skilled enough for that, to most people. But if she didn't ask, he wouldn't tell her and then she wouldn't know. If she didn't know, then it would be okay, right? She just hoped no one would point it out. It wasn't like it was strictly bad to talk to Chiet Caste members. And they weren't Dek. But they were generally Not The Sort Of People To Talk To. Most of them she had met simply bored her. Ardal was interesting but then again, he had been a bit of a fling she had met on a festival day. No doubt he deserved her respect for something but maybe she really shouldn't...

She decided. She simply would not ask about that and then, they could continue to be friends regardless of the castes. All castes had their places, after all.

Her thoughts moved off of boys very quickly to more interesting matters. She started thinking about castes. Sometimes, though, Kanri still wondered if it were all worth it. Especially with the stuck-up, arrogant Endal.

"Hey Ardal," Kanri called across the square, striking the conversation back up. "Don't you think that the Caste system is a little ridiculous at times? I know I do. Just the other day, my mother got cheated out of an eagle figurine she had made because an Endal thought it was pretty. I know our castes are important but it seems like the Inarta are all brainwashed sometimes. After all, animals that can't adapt to change die. Maybe the Inarta will die out someday because we stupidly cling to these Caste systems."

She wondered if she was boring Ardal. This was the second time she had gone a strange soliloquy about whatever popped into her head. She had often subjected plenty of people to these monologues. But she did a lot of thinking! She might have made an even philosopher than Glassworker!

"Additionally, the Inarta never leave this volcano. I love Wind Reach as much as everyone else here, but a volcano may not be the best place to live. Especially since volcanoes do erupt every now and then. I know I don't want to be around for that. I know it’s scandalous and such to want to live elsewhere, but there are plenty of other perfectly good places we could live. Places that would be accessible to others. If we are going to survive forever, we will need the help of some of the other races, to grow and expand our ideas. But instead, we close ourselves off from outsiders. I am not saying outsiders should all be our best friends, but we should think about what they say. They probably have some great, innovative ideas that could bring even more life to this city!"

Kanri stopped herself before she launched into her next topic about immigrants, which would surely lead to her talking about the chaos of the party they had met at and the incompetence of the Endal named Red who had been the "leader" of the group. She breathed a sigh of relief, happy to get out her thoughts. The Inarta really did not think enough. Kanri knew she was guilty of not thinking things through either.

She noticed her snowball was getting too big for her to manage comfortably on her own. It was sort of lopsided... But that was her signature in glassblowing! And it frequently led to her failing to meet the demands of the shop.

"Ardal, this is done. You want to try to stack these two snowballs?" Kanri asked.

[Ardal]

As she took the gloves with very little hesitation, they hardly fit on her hands. This was rather unmanly reminder of how small of a person he really was. She seemed happy to accept them anyway which made him happy in return. It wasn’t THAT cold anyway; or at least he kept trying to tell himself that.

He liked her. He was unsure if it was she liked him too or was just being nice. At any rate she was the first friend that he made on his own. Most of the people he would associate with were his sister’s friends and once she left town they would stop talking to him as well. He was shy, but not introverted or at least he didn’t want to be.

He was working on his own section when she had broken the silence she had started a rant. No, this wasn’t a rant it wasn’t out of anger that she said these things, but he didn’t quite know what to call it otherwise. She had asked of his opinion with a lot of questions at once. He took a moment to think on his answer, “Well I for one don’t think the Castes are all that bad. Not in the way you describe anyway,” Pausing for another moment before continuing. “We rely on the upper castes to survive. We need the hunters for food and the glassworkers give us trade goods for things we can’t make on our own, and bring a reason for many people to even come this far away of any other city to even see our little mountain town. Yeah, some of them are abusing their status over the rest of us, but still.” He stopped rolling is mound for a moment. “The thing that I find unfair is that while growing up the other kids would get hunting apprenticeships over me even though I was a far better shot than they were. I’m not saying I was the best; I just wanted to have the opportunity that I worked so hard for.” He started to roll the ball again over to where they had planned to set it up. “I know I’m better than just putting arrows together. But, it’s not like it’s too late. I’ve heard that Chiets like us sometimes get picked up as apprentices or even bond with an eagle! I just can’t give up; if I keep working hard it will pay off, it just has to.”

Once they met in the middle he had the task of stacking the two together. It was heavy but he tried not to let it show on his face. He hoisted and rolled his mound onto hers and twisted it in to place for stability. “You work on the head. I’ll fill in the space between the two, to make it look more of a body shape than a giant number eight.” He then started to pack snow around the new torso of their project.

He noticed his hands were getting quite red and were starting to tighten up some while he worked. He tried to keep the conversation going “Hey you’re about the same age as me right? Then why is it that I‘ve never seen you until that festival? Wouldn’t we have seen each other as Yasi? Like, in classes or a Bendi or two?”

[Kanri]

Ardal's placid views on Kanri's rant calmed her. He had a very good point and she was grateful for the alternate view, especially since it cooled her off. They stacked the snowman and, as Ardal began to work on filling it in, Kanri began on the head. Ardal asked why they had not met sooner.

"Well, maybe we have met briefly before and we just didn't know it. I'm terrible with names and faces so I could have met you before and I would never remember. Besides, just last Spring, a little before the storm, my hair was quite a bit longer and I got it all cut off. It was like becoming a new person!" Kanri mused. She quickly formed a nice, round head and plopped it atop the snowman. "Tah-dah!" She exclaimed excitedly. "He's wonderful! Thanks for joining me, Ardal!

Kanri was still very soaked through and now it was really starting to bug her. She took off Ardal's gloves, handed them back, and began to breath on her hands to warm them up.

"Tea sounds good. Are you going to join me for a cup? No where special, we can just go to the Communal Kitchens," Kanri offered.

[Ardal]

Taking a few steps back to admire the now complete snowman it was a bit lopsided and didn’t even have a face yet but he was cold ready to stop anyway so he didn’t bring it up. His gloves were soaked through, so it would do little good to put them back on and stuffed them away into his pocket. She had invited for tea. He would not pass up this opportunity for the world.

He followed close behind her. Grabbing a cup and filling it with hot water and tea leaves. He took a seat near to where she sat looking into his cup watching the leaves dance at the bottom of his cup and the water change color. He took a sip of the tea grimaced at the taste as he forgot to add honey to sweeten it. He added the small amount of honey to his cup “Hey, Kanri…” he froze up afraid to finish his thought afraid to put his emotions out in the air but if he didn’t say what was on his mind he’d regret it, just like he regretted not asking her to dance at the festival. He didn’t want to let this pass by too “Kanri, I’d like to spend time with you again; and I-I kind of-sort of like you. Even though I hardly know you I feel as though I can talk to you. On top of that you’re smart, nice, passionate in your ideals and,” he blushes a little, “and I think you’re cute.”

“If you don’t feel the same we can just be friends, but can’t we at least try?” He looked into her eyes waiting for what she would say in return. He had left his emotions out in the open

[Kanri]

Kanri sipped her tea and let the warmth seep into her. It was always so wonderful to warm up again after ring out in the cold. That was probably the most satisfying part. Ardal suddeny grew very serious and she wondered what was wrong. But he let him take his time. Maybe it was her imagination.

Then,he asked her out. Kanri felt excitement. No one had ever asked her to date them before. But she also felt a little scared. She wasn't sure she did feel the same way. Her immediate reaction was to pretend like she didn't know what he was talking about. But that would be cruel. Honesty was the best policy.

"Oh, Ardal, of course I like you. You're a great guy. But I barely know you! I don't know if I am ready to date you, just like that. Besides, the heart is the most fickle thing of all. It doesn't always make sense. Sometimes, it can just spin ad change on a dime, especially with people you don't know well. I don't want to hurt you with lies or pretending..." Kanri said carefully as she could manage. She paused for a moment to think.

"However, with this in mind, is your offer still there? Because I'd love to go on more dates like this with you!" Kanri decided. She had put her initial protest in as a warning. But in truth, she did want to spend more time with him. She just hope that such quick business would turn out well in the end.

[Ardal]

She had started off by “letting him down easy” as they say. He felt dejected but had expected this; he looked down to the table where they sat. However, she paused and turned is entirely around to what sounded like a “yes,” he perked up quickly. He had set himself up for rejection so much that he wasn’t really expecting this response.

He had never even asked someone out before; he had no idea what the next. Do they make plains? Where would they go? What is considered romantic? Are they supposed to kiss now? Is he merely to walker her to her home? He didn’t have the money to take her anywhere nice. It’s not like she likes him for his money anyway. His chain of thoughts in his head swam in his mind. So, as odd as he thought it would sound to ask, he decided to ask of her opinion anyway. He swallows the last of his cup and states, “I’ve never asked anyone out before.” he looks to her and asked, “What do we do next?” He was hoping she would have more insight.

[Kanri]

Kanri could not help but laugh at Ardal's oblivion to dating. She smiled at him and said, "Ardal, really, you are over-thinking this. When you 'go out' with someone, you just agree to spend more time with them. It is like any other friendship! You just gotta let things happen naturally and not rush it. When you 'go out' with someone, it just means you are willing to make a commitment to this person for a while. It is not really that fancy or anything... unless you want it to be."

Kanri took a sip of her tea and thought for a minute, just letting it all sink in. She really did worry this may cause trouble down the road. However, if she dealt with it honestly and fairly, then it would all work out in the end. She knew that.

After the lull in the conversation, Kanri thought of something to say. "Ardal, have you ever thought of leaving Wind Reach? Do you know anyone who has left Wind Reach? I don't. But I have read a lot of books about it. You know, I used to want to be a storyteller of sorts, maybe a writer or something. But my father talked me out of it because of the way of our society."

Kanri smiled a little, remembering. She remembered those days fondly but it also left a slightly sour taste in her mouth.

"But those books from the outside world... I am not exactly fluent in common, but I understand it well enough to read those books. They make the outside world sound so exciting. There are all these adventures and people going around and living real lives, where they do something important. There are a lot of people out there concerned with Matters of Consequence, and here I am dealing with daily trivia. Whereas I sit here and think and whine about the caste system and whatnot, there are other people fighting things and dealing with gods. It all seems so magnificent! I sometimes wish Wind Reach could be more like other places. And all those other places seem fine without a caste system! Someday, I want to see the world myself. That's my dream. Maybe I just feel so trapped because it is winter and I can't go outside the city, not that I do when I can though..."

A calm, but slightly sad emotion caved around her. It was always there, since a while back, and it made her sad. It never lasted and she snapped out of it the moment Ardal began to reply.

[Ardal]

She explained it so simply he didn’t quite understand. If it’s just spending time together, then what that difference between a regular friend and a girlfriend? Is he overstepping what their relationship really is? It made him even less confident than before.

He sat to think on it of a bit before she broke the silence with a couple of questions. He gulped down the last of his tea before starting. “Well I almost left last spring, there was a traveling caravan stocking up on glassware and talon swords. My sister never really had the skills to make it as an Avora but she was a people person so she managed to join up as a merchant’s apprentice. She asked me to go with her. I thought about it, but I’m not good with meeting new people or adapting to new places. Wind Reach is what I know; it’s where I feel safe.” He knew it wasn’t what she would have wanted him to say, but he was just being honest.

“Oh, and hey if you wanted to be storyteller, why not just go and do it? You have such a way with words that I can’t help but want to listen to every word. And if you had the proper training who knows how amazing you could become at it! I may not know your father but, so what if he doesn’t like it? Follow your heart! Even if you just learn in your free time what’s wrong with that? Whatever you do I’m sure your father would still love you.” he paused for a moment to catch up to his thoughts. Took a deep breath and slowed down his speech. “You talk about ‘living life’ elsewhere but nothing is stopping you from doing it here, in Wind Reach. There are people living the mundane wherever you would find yourself. And do you know what the difference between them and the heroes of the stories?” he then looked into her eyes, “Passion, which I know you have a lot of. If you focus and give it your all you can achieve great things whether you stay here or leave!” He felt a rush of pride in what he was able to say. “On top of all that, you can get a shy, timid, boy like me open up to you so freely. You don’t need to be somewhere far away to do something great. I think you are already amazing.”

He then stood up and stretched, “Well, it’s starting to get late; if you’re ready to leave I could maybe walk you home if you’d let me. There’s no need to rush. You can finish your tea first”