Closed Hanging with an Endal (Lavira)

[Azira]

The huntress rested her chin on her hand. Lavira was definitely venting and she wished she wouldn't, it was seriously ruining the mood. It was a horrible way to think considering as they were talking about real people but just because it was true didn't mean that she wanted to hear about the Dek situation over dinner. Sure she was finished eating but talking about the hardships of the Dek wasn't a good topic for relaxation. That didn't mean that she interrupted the Endal though but allowed the woman to get everything out of her system.

Azira could understand why the plight of the lowest caste affected her companion so. She'd become very close to being in such a position herself so the Avora couldn't blame her for being a little opinionated on the subject. Surely she could have chosen a better time, or even a better person to have this conversation. Perhaps she'd struck a nerve without her knowledge. That was certainly a possibility. Azira was very good at accidentally riling people, it was a hidden talent of hers.

When the eagle rider mentioned the Dek being used for sex by the upper castes, the girl actually flinched. Yes, she could understand someone looking at you that way. It wasn't something that she liked to think about at all. She'd had two scares this season that she might end up one of the lower caste members and so the horror at the idea of being used that way was still fresh in her mind.

When her colleague began to question her about the incident with Samen, the teen looked away and fidgeted. "Yes, it really did happen. Some bastard called Samen. Turrin sorted it though so I didn't need to report it. It was my own fault I suppose though," she mumbled, her cheeks warming and bile rising in her throat at the very thought of the man holding her close to him. She shuddered. Best not to think about that, it would only stir up other unpleasant memories.

She glanced up at Lavira and tried to smile reassuringly. She wasn't convinced that it came out that way. "Honestly don't worry about it. I'm... used... to it..." she trailed off, dropping her gaze once more when she realised what she was saying. How did that sound? It made it sound like every man in Wind Reach was out to force himself on her. It might seem like that sometimes but that certainly wasn't the case. Gods, what would the woman think of her? What if the Endal decided to interrogate her on the subject?

The girl paled at the idea of so many questions, worried that she'd let something sensitive slip. What if she mentioned Lorthen by accident? How hard would it be to ask after the Dek? Her breathing had begun to quicken and she had to try to came herself before she fell to pieces in front of the woman's eyes. A brief glance up to meet the woman's gaze, she tried to plead with her not to ask, hoping that the other teen wouldn't pry.

x

[Lavira]

There would be a long moment of silence between them as Azira tried to put into words her thoughts, the endal across from her patient and still as she waited. If nothing else in her life, the young woman was patient. Few could discredit her that.

But Azira's revelation brought the riders brow down into a very intense frowning furrow. The news was a shock; it was very rare that an Endal would force themselves onto another non Dek. Though Chiet typically were frowned upon when it came to resisting the blackmail of the higher castes, they could try and say no. But for an Avora to be assaulted? Vira rose from her side of the table, swinging her leg over the bench and coming around to the huntresses side.

She sat next to her for a moment, her hands folded in her lap, though one on occasion would seem like it would reach out to her before being closed over by the other. Her seeing eye flicked between the other woman and the tabletop, as if unsure if what she wanted to do was alright. Eventually, the nurturer in her won over and Vira reached out with both arms to wrap Azira in a hug, cheek to ear, chin to shoulder, hand folded on the opposite shoulder. Azira was such a resistant when it came to contact, it seemed, that the teen wondered if she would freak out and shove her away; nonetheless, the effort was made and nothing would change that.

"That isn't something you should become used to, Azira. Our positions afford us the opportunity to decline invitations, and if the hints are not taken seriously, then the actions against them warranted." If Azira did not resist too much, Vira would release the hug but leave her left hand on the other womans shoulder, her right hand extending for a finger to touch her chin so that the endal's seeing eye could meet the avora's own gaze.

"Turrin is a good man for helping in the situation, but his position does not negate reporting the incident. If this Samen is going to attack you like that, he's going to attack another; only the Valintar can fully discourage that." And Vira wholeheartedly believed that as she released Azira's chin and wrapped her in a second hug, sharing with her what emotional strength she had before backing off completely and returning the polite boundaries of before.

One thing was certain, though, Vira would not dig for more answers on the matter; it was clearly one Azira was uncomfortable with. No sense in prying. "I don't know what I'd do in that situation. I was lucky, considering where I came from before Mohya. Yasi and Chiet and Endal were there all the time vying for a chick's attention; the Endal were there for the safety of the birds, of course, like the other attendants were, not that anybody heeded anything the Dek workers tried to say." But her tone was neutral on this last bit, dictating that it was not another rant to be.

[Azira]

Lavira's reaction caught her by surprise and also off guard. She hadn't expected the woman to come and sit beside her and she never would have predicted the hug that the Endal gave her. The contact made her stiffen though she was too stunned to do anything about it. Lavira was a stranger, really and truly. Though they had shared some experiences that could have created a strong, fierce bond between them, Azira had never dropped her barriers to allow such a link to form so it hadn't happened.

Her companion began to explain that the huntress should not stand for such treatment. She knew it was true but there were two things that stopped her from reporting such things: pride and shame. The Avora was too proud to ever admit the full extent of the treatment that she received, small details might slip off her tongue but never the full horrible and humiliating details. Shame for acts committed against her, violating acts, was too much for her to ever think of sharing. The idea that she had let such a thing happen and that someone might learn of it was something that she could not do. So her only response was to press her lips firmly together and to say nothing at all in reply.

The woman released the hug but left her hand on the girl's shoulder. She probably thought it was comforting but to the Avora it meant that her body was still filled with tension, even at that minor, less intimate contact. The eagle rider her made her look at her as she explained the necessity for such a report. The idea that the man might try something like that with someone else, and perhaps succeed, was terrible. The fact that she could prevent it make her instantly uneasy. She was obliged to report such an action yet she did not want to. The dilemma was not a happy one.

Again, Lavira embraced her, making the young woman want to squirm from her grasp but she refrained, waiting impatiently for the natural release. When it did and the boundaries between them were reformed, the tension began to leave the teen's body as she was able to breathe easy again. The only problem now though was that she felt awkward for sharing such a thing and provoking such a response. She had to say something.

"Perhaps I will say something to the Valintar, perhaps... it's for the best," she replied glumly, fidgeting uneasily in her seat. The idea wasn't at all appealing. It was something that she didn't want to deal with alone but yet it wasn't an experience that she wanted to share with somebody. Yet if she did have to share it, it would be with Lavira. There was something similar between the young woman and Kovac that just seemed to make you trust them, made you want to tell them your darkest secrets. It was a strange thing but Azira actually wanted to ask the woman to accompany her.

"Lavira? Would you..." she trailed off, the courage to finish the sentence gone.

x

[Lavira]

The others discomfort was painfully obvious, but so had Vira's been when another had tried to help console her in her most deep time of need. She had been miserable and on the verge of ruin when she had been embraced. It was strange that a hug could help someone so much if done correctly. Alas, Vira did not know the science behind it; she could not know that a hug could genuinely relieve stress if tight enough. It caused the body to release endorphins which would quiet the stress they were under.

But Azira was not being comforted by it and eventually, she withdrew her contact entirely, folding her hands into her lap and just smiling sympathetically towards her. "Of course, I'll go with you, Azira. You and I may not be that close yet, but it's the least I can do. Vigilance is the key; you simply cannot let such as this Samen take advantage." Her smile softened out of sympathy and into endearment. "Just tell me when you are ready and I will go with you. Be courageous, Azira."

Vira hesitated again, her arms wanting to hug her again but she did not want Azira to clamp up again and shut her out. In the end, she decided to be as her statement suggested: vigilant. She leaned in and embraced her tightly once more. "You'll be fine, whatever happens." It was short lived, Vira letting her go immediately after and swinging her legs back over the bench.

Once done, the teen would get to her feet and brush her palms down her bryda in a blatantly habitual fashion (three downward strokes with the palm starting at her hip and middle fingers following the seam before stopping at mid thigh and leaving her bryda to start at the top again). She turned to face Azira one last time, dipping her chin and forehead down in a courteous nod. "We should do this again....well...maybe not the weird parts, but, this." She gestured to the two food bowls. "And another hunt sometime. I'll bring Tulaj next time, too; I could show you some tracking techniques, if you want, and you can show me how to shoot better maybe?"

The teen stepped around the Avora now, squeezing her shoulder briefly before heading back to the other side to grab up her bowl and plate and return it to the cleaning cart for, well, cleaning.

[Azira]

The young woman had not been able to finish the question but yet her companion had understood what she had been trying to ask. The Endal was kind about it, clearly indicating that she would go with Azira whenever the girl felt prepared to do so. However, the woman's words also made her feel under pressure as if she had to go as soon as possible to report the incident. It seemed as if her failing to speak out would lead to others being taken advantage of. If such a thing happened then it would be all her fault and she would never be able to forgive herself if such a thing happened.

Again the teen hugged her and the Avora had to endure an embrace once more, though not for long because Lavira had had the cop on to release her before her discomfort grew too great. It was a relief when she swung her legs over the bench, apparently going back over to her own side of the table. The young eagle rider surprised her however, squeezing her shoulders before moving to collect her bowl and plate and carry them up to be cleaned. Before she left though, the girl had said that she would like to do this again, the hunt and dinner thing anyway. She wasn't in any way referring to a repeat of their weird conversations.

Rising from her own seat, the huntress picked up her own bowl and plate and followed the Endal up to the cart. She walked quickly so as to close the distance between the two so that she could catch up to Lavira to get in a few words with her colleague before she left,something she assumed the woman would do as soon as she was done dropping her things off.

"Hey, Lavira! Thanks for agreeing to go with me, to the Valintar I mean," she began awkwardly as she fell into step beside her. "I was thinking, if you didn't have any plans or anything, that you might be willing to go tonight, well... now actually. The sooner I do it the better because it might put a stop to Samen's antics tonight and also the sooner I do it, the sooner it'll be over and done with. I don't want this on my mind for longer than necessary. I just want to sort it out and never have to think about it ever again. You can understand that, right? she said in a rush.

Placing her dishes on the cleaning cart, she turned to look at the other young woman, biting her lip as she tried to see signs of Lavira's response from her face.

x

[Lavira]

Vira stopped when the other called out to her again, the teen turning with the tray still in hand. The gratitude Azira showed at her consideration and concern softened the younger womans face and she bobbed her head, depositing the tray where it belonged. "You're welcome, Azira, and I'd be happy to go."

She followed the huntress with her eye up to the cleaning cart as well, reaching out to give her forearm a squeeze. "I'm here to help, afterall. A friend helps when their friend is in need. Now let's go before you chicken out." She let go of the others arm and turned to head up, walking with quiet confidence alongside Azira, hoping her own calmer and pleasant aura would give the Avora strength.

While they walked, Vira remarked, "My da used to sing this song to me when I was afraid. He said it was something Cedar had taught him; I remember mom better, but...da was always a wonderful singer. He said that it was a song the War Hawks would sing when one of their had fallen, sometimes, or when about to face something that could be beyond their strength. I hope you'll forgive my horrible voice, but maybe it'll give you a little courage?" She offered another kind smile to Azira then cleared her throat, dropping into a mezzo soprano pitch.

A single note was hummed as she sought the right note before singing in a low and soft harmony,

"Well we busted outta class,
Had to get away from those fools,-" Vira tapped her hand against her side to keep the tempo and nudged Azira with her elbow lightly.
"We learned more from a three chime woodland hike,
Than we ever learned in school.
"Tonight I hear the Revelry drummer sound,"
"I can hear my heart begin to pound,"
"You say you're tired and you just wanna close your eyes,"
"And follow your dreams down..."

"Well we made a promise,
We swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender.
Like War Hawk on a winter's night,
with a vow to defend,
No retreat, baby, no surrender."

Her voice fell away for a moment, humming the instrumental quietly while they bent down the warrens towards Kaden's office. When the next verse came up, they were nearly there, the large Thunder Bay eagle standing on its perch watching them stoically.

"Well now Yasi faces grow sad and old,
"Lavak grow cold,
We swore Endal brothers against the wind,
Now I'm ready to grow young again,
And hear your mum's voice callin us home,
Across the open stone,
Well even we could call someplace our own
With these arrows shot from afar."

"Cause we made a promise we swore we'd always remember,
No retreat, baby, no surrender.
Endal Brothers in a winters night,
With a vow to defend,
No retreat, baby, no surrender..."

The teen let her voice drift off then rubbed the back of her neck, looking sheepish. "Da' had a much better voice for it. Well, let's get this over with then, hm?" Vira held out her hand to Azira, then, to lead her in, a show of support to her fellow hunter that this would be done without stress.

[Azira]

So the young woman had agreed to go with her but there was more to it than that. She'd also called her her friend. Azira wasn't friends with the Endal, no she was just barely able to call her an acquaintance instead of an enemy or something. They weren't friends and oddly enough she wasn't sure if she even wanted Lavira as a friend. Yes, she did want friends but not necessarily the Endal before her, she didn't know why, maybe because she didn't trust her. Maybe she was expecting the woman to seek retribution for the Dek thing if the huntress let her guard down. She'd been nice so far but maybe it was an act to make her trust her so that she could hurt her when it would do the most damage.

The girl sighed as they left the kitchens, Lavira telling her about some song or other but the Avora wasn't really listening. She was only wondering about whether the Endal was trustworthy or not, and also anxiously anticipating the meeting with the Valintar. She might not trust her companion but she'd take her with her gladly rather than face that situation alone. It wouldn't be an enjoyable experience and Lavira's song didn't help; it made her edgy. She wasn't a terrible singer but the sound of the song just grated against her nerves for some reason. She was also starting to feel sick.

When the woman stopped singing, it did nothing to relieve the discomfort of the young huntress. They were so close now and her stomach was starting to rebel. She was feeling seriously sick and she could just imagine herself throwing up outside the Valintar's office. It could be worse though, she could make it far enough to see Kaden and then vomit all over him. What sort of punishment would you get for throwing up on the leader of Wind Reach? The thought made her laugh aloud, the sound high with a hysterical note to it. She wasn't sure if she could do this but Lavira was holding out a hand to her, ready to lead her in. It wasn't helping. Words from the past drifted to the surface of her mind that made her freeze on the spot with no hope of moving.

"I know you'll never tell anyone. You won't go to the Valintar, even if he could help your sorry arse. You'd be too ashamed to ever let anyone know, you'll never swallow your pride to let anyone know that someone laid a finger on you. Wouldn't want anyone to know that anyone would want to touch you and that you couldn't stop them. Prudish little shyke, that's what you are..."

The words made her tremble at the very idea. The man who'd spoken them had been right, she'd never tell. It was a matter of pride. She'd rather nobody knew but then Lavira knew, as did Turrin, about the most recent near attack on her person so it wouldn't be like never having told someone. It wouldn't be as hard to breathe a secret that she had already breathed. She could manage it. It was just one more person and then it would be over.

"Okay. Let's do this," Azira whispered, taking a hesitant step forward and allowing Lavira to guide her in.

x

[Memento]

GRADES
Azira

Skill	XP
Braiding	1
Observation	4
Planning	1
Socialization	5

Lore:

• Location: Lavira's Aerie
• Lavira: Considerate
• Lavira: Scars make movement difficult
• Ditsy: Lavira's first bird
• Lavira and Garren's experience
• Lavira's thoughts on the caste system
• Small braids: Time consuming
• Braiding: Simple Plait

Notes: A really nice thread. It really seems like Azira and Lavira could've become good friends. It's a pity it was cut short, as I'd like to see how the meeting with the Valintar went.


If you have any questions about your grade, or think I've missed something, please PM me.