Completed The Young Blacksmith

[Azira]

   

11th Summer 510AV

He was unbelievably gorgeous. She hadn't had that much of an interest in guys up until fairly recently but she couldn't say that she'd seen anyone through her new eyes before as attractive as him. He probably wasn't at his full height but he was all ready over five foot, not far over it but still tall in her eyes. His dark red hair was short and styled in uneven spikes, a form of organised chaos. His face was beginning to lose the fat of youth, his features becoming more angular. Slight muscles were beginning to appear beneath his skin, not yet as definite as those that would form in full manhood. The very sight of him made her sigh.

Azira wasn't the only one to have noticed. A pair of older girls were chattering excitedly about him, their dinner forgotten as they fawned over him. Leaning ever so slightly in their direction, she listened intently to their conversation hoping to learn something useful about the mysterious boy.

"...he's still an apprentice but I wouldn't say it'll be long until he becomes his own master. He's only fifteen but just look at him," one of the girls sighed, gazing wistfully at him as he stood at the counter waiting for his meal. She was extremely obvious in her staring, twisting a lock of hair idly around a finger. The other girl was not as bold, only shooting him the occasional glance and giggling to herself.

The other girl spared him another glance, her eyes moving done his body. Her gaze dropped immediately when he turned around but Azira noticed that the bolder girl didn't look away, obviously intent on catching his eye. The huntress dropped her own gaze back to her dinner, not wanting to see the possible exchange of meaningful looks. The girl was fairly pretty and she was also very interested, something the young man wouldn't fail to notice. When he sat opposite her, the teen glanced up in shock. 

"You don't mind, do you?" the boy asked casually. It was clear from his tone that he didn't expect a refusal. The apprentice sat frozen for a moment or so, her eyes staring into his own. They were such a pleasing shade of green, a light colour like one made by light playing on leaves. It certainly made her think of the forest. Somehow she managed to make herself shrug and pull her eyes away. She was certain that her insides were liquidizing, her stomach certainly seemed to feel strange as if it was sloshing around inside her. 

"I've never seen anyone with eyes that colour before you know, very pretty," he continued softly. Her eyes shot up to his, her mouth half opened in shock. He was grinning at her in a charming way. Her cheeks flushed and she mumbled a quiet thanks as she tried not to show that she was melting inside. She tried to stare at her dinner again, hesitantly beginning to eat again. The girl was terribly self conscious about him watching her eat now.

He let out a short laugh. "You aren't very talkative, are you? I'm Lorthen." His voice was soft and had a teasing tone to it. His smile was so infectious that she found herself smiling despite him being a complete stranger to her. The fact that the two other girls were shooting her resentful looks from the other table also helped matters. It was nice to have some attention, even their jealous looks.

At last she spoke. "I'm Azira." His smile was ample reward for breaking her usually sullen silence.

x

[Azira]

   

All through dinner the girl wondered why he'd chosen to talk to her. True, she could be considered pretty, womanly even thanks to the curves of her body finally filling out. Much of the previous season, she had found herself the recipient of a number of admiring looks from men now that she'd filled out but it didn't explain the attention of Lorthen. There were two other, far more attractive young women over at the next table, one of them clearly interested in him, yet he had chosen to sit with her. 

The fact that he might have seen her as easier to flirt with being alone, never crossed her mind. The girl was far too naive to think of such things, too unused to the interest she had begun to receive. She was so inexperienced in such things that the girl wouldn't even be able to pick up on flirting from the other teen. He was charming and knew how to talk to young women, knew how to use his good looks to his advantage and so she should have known he was a player. Azira had no idea though.

"Azira," he sounded her name out slowly, his tongue seeming to change it into the sweetest sound she'd ever heard. How had he managed to make her name sound so sexy? She had no idea but it made her blush, something that made him smile again. It only made her blush more. She ducked her head and tried to focus on the simple task of eating dinner. A difficult endeavour with the way her hands were trembling and sweating. Gods he made her nervous.

"Hmm... you're apprenticed, right?" he asked, looking at her thoughtfully. She nodded in reply. It could have been a lucky guess, or something that he'd easily surmised. She knew he was apprenticed but that was only because she'd overheard the other girls discussing him. She had no idea what work he did though.

"You shoot so you're training in hunting, right?" he suggested, his voice oozing confidence; he was certain that he was right. She gaped at him, shocked that he'd worked that out but also impressed. 

"How did you-? Wow, yes that's amazing," she gasped out. Lorthen laughed at her reaction, tapping the side of his nose, a twinkle in his eye. She found herself smiling shyly back at him. A movement in the corner of her eye made her turn her attention from him for a tick. The two girls had risen from their seats and  were leaving, shooting the pair dark looks as they retreated. It was nice to know that herself and Lorthen weren't being watched anymore but she still felt uneasy as if she had driven the other two away by talking to him. 

She returned her eyes to his only to find him staring at her with an intense interest that caught her off guard. 

"What?" she asked, feeling a little worried by the interest in his gaze. Had she done something interesting that she hadn't noticed herself doing? She didn't think so but still...

"Nothing," he replied, shrugging but smiling a secretive smile. "Were you going to try to work out what I do or were you just hoping that I'd talk about you more?" Azira gave him a look which made him laugh. "You going to guess or what?" he asked. 

The teen swirled her fast cooling soup with a spoon, considering. She glanced at him, trying to find anything that would give his occupation away. His arms looked strong but that meant nothing, her arms were strong too. He had callouses on his hands which could have come from gripping anything really, a bow, some sort of tool. She shook her head.

"I don't know, sorry. I haven't got your powers of deduction, I'm afraid," she told him, laughing softly.

"Powers of deduction? Could call it that all right," he sniggered, shaking his head. "I'm training to be a blacksmith. That's why I've got all this muscle, or at least I'm working on getting the muscle," he explained, patting his forearm before picking up his soup bowl and downing the last of it with a noisy slurp. She wrinkled her nose at the sound, something that the blacksmith apologised for when he saw the look on her face.

"So any plans for the rest of the evening?" he asked her casually. She didn't know that it was a pointed question and that her answer was important to him. The girl was far too naive to know the significance of what she was saying.

"Nope, can't say that I do. I'll just have to be bored or something, I guess. Maybe do some reading and call it an early night," she told him. The blacksmith made a rude noise at that. "What? There's nothing wrong with that is there?"

"Having fun might be a good idea. Do you know fun? Why don't you come out with me tonight and I'll teach you about it?"

x

[Azira]

   

Her spoon clattered into the bowl, soup sloshing up and splashing out onto the table. Her jaw dropped, her mouth half hanging open as she stared at him. Had he just asked her out? Like on a... date? She must be looking into it too much because that couldn't be what he was inferring, no way in hai but yet it certainly seemed like it.

"Go out with you?" she repeated slowly, staring at him. He was grinning, clearly enjoying her reaction. He nodded and she kept staring at him, her food forgotten for the moment. "Go out with you where?" Azira questioned, tilting her head to the side as she regarded him through slightly narrowed eyes. Lorthen looked at her with an innocent expression on his face.

"We could go to the Twin Lakes..." he suggested, one corner of his mouth curling up in a cocky half grin. The huntress looked at him thoughtfully. It was tempting to say yes, very tempting but she didn't know if she should. Maybe it would be a bit forward of her to say yes to the relative stranger but then maybe it wouldn't do her any harm. He was gorgeous and she was attracted to him so what was the harm really?

"But it'll be night time," she replied, her voice doubtful. He sighed and shook his head in disbelief.

"Excuses, excuses. It's summer, it'll still be bright enough. The light won't go for a few bells yet you know," Lorthen argued.

"I- Yeah, okay. The lakes it is then," the apprentice told him, her voice sounding bolder than she would have thought possible. The blacksmith's eyebrows rose in surprise, obviously he hadn't expected her to give in so easily but he nodded.

"All right, it's settled then. I'll meet you at the Sanikas Gate at the twenty first bell tonight." He rose from his seat, his food apparently gone and she felt disappointment that he was leaving so soon. Azira would just have to wait to see him again tonight on their "date" though she wondered what they could possibly be going to do at the lake. For now, she focused on finishing her dinner quickly so that she could get back to her room and prepare herself for what was to come. She had a date, an actual date! It was truly amazing, it really was and she was going to go off and has fun.

x

[Azira]

   

The closer it drew to the twenty first bell, the more Azira nervously anticipated her date with the young blacksmith. Once she was away from him she almost regretted saying yes but it was too late to change her mind now. True, she could have stood him up but she wouldn't do that so instead she worked hard to get herself ready, putting tons of effort into it.

As soon as she'd finished her food and dumped her food things up at the counter, the young huntress all but ran to the Tisuma baths. She scrubbed her skin until it went pink and unbraided her hair to wash it properly. She even had an attendant come to massage the tension from her shoulders and try to do something about her hair. By the time she left the baths, her skin was refreshingly smooth and her hair had been put up in a simple but elegant arrangement. The woman who had attended to her had partly braided it, placing one braid on either side of her head and tying it at the back. The rest of her hair was left loose to cascade down her back. She'd never worn it like that before but she decided she liked it.

The girl had put on a clean pair of  plain bryda and a simply adorned vinati that tied at the bottom of her back and also between her shoulder blades. She didn't have anything fancy to wear, something she regretted but then maybe she wasn't supposed to look as if she'd made a huge effort. Azira had absolutely no idea. Slipping on her boots and bringing along her katinu, the girl made her way down to the gate for her meeting with Lorthen.

When she reached the gate, she found herself alone. Panic took over as she believed that he'd abandoned her there, that she wasn't coming. It took her a chime or two to think straight again and when she did she realised that she was early as was her habit. The idea that he might still stand her up was one that played on her mind even as she tried to distract herself with her surroundings.

The evening was still warm, a chill only just beginning to permeate the air, making the teen uncertain about whether or not she ought to put on her katinu. For now, she placed the garment over one arm in case she needed it later. It would probably grow cold enough to wear it in a bell or so when the light had finally gone. For now though, Syna hadn't relinquished control to Leth yet, her rays colouring the sky a multitude of reds, oranges, yellows and even pinks. It was pretty but the girl couldn't fully enjoy it while she was still waiting for her date to arrive.

When she at last caught sight of the blacksmith, the girl's heart seemed to flutter in her chest and she wondered how she had ever regretted saying yes to him. It wasn't possible to say no to that face. He smiled that cocky half grin when he saw her and she found herself grinning back like a fool. She was just so pleased to see him and to know that he was interested in her was absolutely wonderful. Unlike herself, he was dressed in his katinu already and when she saw that she slipped her own one on, enjoying the warmth it brought in the growing chill.

"Hello again, Azira," he greeted her. Yet again the way he said her name sounded wonderful to her ears, exotic somehow. She let out a quiet sigh as he drew level with her.

"Hi. Are we going to walk down to the Lakes now?" she asked him breathlessly. Gods she sounded pathetic. He was just some guy she'd met at dinner. A hot, charming guy but that didn't mean that she had to be silly about this. He placed an arm around her waist then to lead her to their destination. His touch made her body tingle and she wondered who she was trying to kid? Of course she was going to be silly.

"Of course we'll head down now. No sense in waiting for our fun, right?" he chuckled softly as he steered her in the right direction.

"What sort of fun? What are we going to do?" she asked him, curiously. She had no idea what they could do at the lake at night time, it was a great mystery to her yet he seemed to find her lack of understanding amusing because he chuckled again and whispered in her ear, "Wait and see. It's a surprise." The teen pouted, disappointed that he wouldn't give her a straight answer.

"What if I said that I didn't like surprises? What then?" Azira replied in a sullen tone. She was acting like a child now but she didn't care so long as it got her answers. All she got in return however was another chuckle from her male companion and a whisper, "Tough."

------------

The journey down to the Twin Lakes seemed to pass in a flash, Azira hardly noticing the walk. She had no idea of the passing of time either, not noticing when the light rapidly began to fade, their path being obscured by shadow. All she was aware of was the young man beside her who provided witty conversation as they walked, constantly conscious of his arm around her waist and the warmth of his body beside hers. The sense of closeness with a person was new to her but it was nice or at least she thought so anyway. 

When they reached the shore of one of the lakes she was shocked to discover how dark it had grown. She glanced up searching for any sign of Syna's light but it was finally gone, Leth's light starting to creep around a cloud to illuminate the water. The water glittered in the soft white light, reflecting the sky above with near perfect clarity. It was so smooth and beautiful. It was also extremely romantic.

Lorthen's hand was removed from her waist at last and she felt disappointed by that. She'd become quite used to the contact and had been quite enjoying it. Azira watched as he drifted nearer to the water, leaning down to touch it. His fingers broke the surface causing ripples to spread out from the spot in tight circles, growing wider and wider as they spread out.

"It's cool," he informed her. "But it's not freezing though." The young woman frowned, not understanding what the temperature of the water had to do with anything. The blacksmith shrugged out of his katinu allowing it to drop to the ground to expose his bare chest. Surely he wasn't too hot. Although the walk had warmed her somewhat, Azira could still clearly feel the bite of a chill in the air. He must have seen her confused expression.

"What? You don't expect me to go swimming with my clothes on, do you?" he asked, his eyebrows raised as he crouched to pull off his shoes. Her face reddened, a gasp coming from her lips as she realised what he wanted to do at the lake and that he was stripping down so that he could...

"You don't expect me to go swimming too, do you?" she asked him, feeling uncomfortable. How had she not worked it out herself? What else could anyone want to do at a lake at night?

"Well I thought you came for fun. It isn't that different from the public baths, is it? It's a little colder but that's part of the fun of it," he explained, standing up and reaching for the band of his bryda to pull them down. She looked away. Clearly the young man had no shame but she wouldn't look at him, not like that. The girl couldn't imagine swimming naked in the lake with the young man. She hardly knew him and it somehow seemed very... intimate. If she joined him then she'd have a chance to get to know him but she didn't know that.

"Be like that then," Lorthen grumbled. A splash told her that he was in the water but she raised her eyes reluctantly to check. Yes, he was covered in water up past his waist, down there obscured from view. He was watching her uncertainly. He'd obviously thought that she knew what she was getting into and the girl wasn't going to make herself look like a fool.

"Give me a chime, okay?"

x

[Azira]

The huntress ran a hand nervously through her loose hair, steeling herself for what she was about to do. Her heart hammering in her chest she approached the water, slipping her katinu from her shoulders as she went. The cool air struck the bare skin of her arms and stomach and she shuddered with cold. Lorthen was watching her intently, something that she wasn't at all comfortable about. She wasn't going to get undressed in front of him, especially not with him scrutinising her like that.

"Do you have to watch me undress? Really? Can't you just not look for like a chime?" the girl asked, her voice whiny. He rolled his eyes, sighing in an exasperated way. He smiled at her though to show that he'd been joking so she didn't get annoyed as she ought to have done. The blacksmith turned and began to swim out into the centre of the lake, pale limbs flashing above the water's surface as he moved. Azira knew that now was her chance so she crouched to slip off her boots before rising to tug her bryda off. The ties of the vinati gave her some trouble as she tried to undo them with trembling fingers.

When she was naked, she left her clothes piled up on the shore and took a few hesitant steps into the water, gasping as the chilly liquid lapped around her ankles. Despite the chill, the girl kept walking, the water rising up to her knees then soaking her thighs. The teen took a few quick breaths then plunged herself into the deeper water. She howled in shock and pain as the cold suddenly hit her upper half. Shivering violently and with her teeth chattering a bit, she began to swim out to where Lorthen was.

The girl wasn't a particularly strong swimmer. Always uninterested in the swimming trips that the Yasi planned, the young woman had gotten very little practice. She could swim though, her mother having seen to that at a young age so she was able to cut through the waters, if a little slowly, to where the young blacksmith was waiting. She was hyper aware of the fact that they were both naked but he didn't seem to mind.

"You lied!" she complained, crossing her arms over her chest, partly for modesty and partly to show her annoyance. "The water is freezing!" She gave him a stern look. He just laughed at her and spread his hands in a placating gesture.

"Sorry, it seemed fine to me. I didn't know that you were so sensitive. I should have because you'e a woman but- Hey!" Azira cut him off by splashing water into his face. He splashed her back and a splash fight began, the huntress shrieking every time more cold water sloshed over her. After a few chimes, her hair was soaking wet and her cheeks were flushed. The girl had forgotten to be embarrassed for a time even.

"See? I told you we'd have fun," Lorthen laughed, swimming around her. She was beginning to remember now that they were both naked and that they didn't actually know each other that well. What was she doing acting like some hussy? What did it matter though? She was quite enjoying it.

x

[Azira]

Azira wasn’t that sort of girl though. She wasn’t some hussy who would allow a strange man to have his way with her. No, the young huntress wasn’t like that at all. No matter how charming Lorthen might be, she knew what he wanted but he wasn’t getting it. The boy must have realised the same thing because with one last thoughtful look in her direction he began to make his way to shore. She waited a moment before following him at a distance.

When the water became more shallow, the teen stopped. Crossing her arms across her chest to make sure her breasts were protected from the blacksmith’s eyes, she looked away from him, closing her eyes. She heard him splash out of the water and then heard him chuckle, presumably having seen her reaction. She listened intently for any sign that he was dressed but she could only hear the rustling of cloth and no more.

”Okay, it’s safe,” he chuckled, and she risked a peek. Yes, he was actually dressed. He was shivering as he pulled his katinu onto him. She didn’t move, something he didn’t notice until after he was fully dressed. Their eyes met for a moment and she saw understanding light his before he turned his back on her and began to walk away from the shore to give her a chance to get out.

Swimming forwards until soft sand squished under her toes, Azira walked the rest of the way out. As soon as the cool night air hit her wet skin, the teen began to shiver, her body shuddering violently. Her teeth chattered and her fingers trembled as she fumbled with her clothes. She hopped up and down to shake some of the moisture off her skin before holding her katinu in front of her body. First, she slipped on her undergarments, the material sticking wetly to her skin as she shimmied into them. Next, she slipped her vinati on, tying it closed only at the top before tying the katinu around her waist so that she could finish securing the upper garment.

”Are you not done yet?” Lorthen whined, though there was a teasing tone under it. Panicking, the teen tried to put on her bryda quickly, hopping awkwardly on one foot while the other leg was trapped in the material. With a squeal, she lost her balance and landed on her backside on the shoreline, little stones digging painfully into her skin. ”Ow, ow ,ow! Petch, that hurt!” she complained, lifting herself gingerly off her stony seat. A hand appeared out of nowhere at her side. She hadn’t even noticed the blacksmith’s approach, too distracted by her little mishap. Glancing up in horror, she found that he had had the decency to avert his eyes despite the fact that there wasn’t much for him to see. She took the offered hand gratefully, using it to get to her feet.

Once, she was standing, the girl finished putting on her bryda, wincing at the stinging cuts on her ass. She prodded the blacksmith hard in the arm and she stuck her tongue out at him when he looked at her. ”It’s safe for you to look around now. I’m decent,” she teased, pulling on her katinu. The warmth of the garments quickly put an end to her shivering and she was able to stand beside him without her body vibrating.

Grinning, the blacksmith rolled his eyes at her. ”Right then Miss Modest, shall we head back to the city?” he asked her, offering her an arm. Grinning wickedly the teen nodded.

”Sure thing. Let’s have a race back, shall we? How about if you get there first, you get to kiss me?” she laughed, the idea of the reward coming to her in the spur of the moment. Before she’d even finished speaking, the huntress had begun to skip towards the tree line but when Lorthen realised what was happening, the pair broke into a run.

Azira had never wanted to lose a race so badly in her life yet at the same time her competitive nature made her want to win. So as the girl hurried into line of trees, slowing down so as not to trip, she had no idea how this was going to pay out.

x

[Azira]

Moving quickly turned out to be a struggle. The cuts on her ass stun like hai for one thing and also the terrain was difficult to traverse too quickly without slipping and tripping all over the place. The ground was too uneven and covered with traps and pit falls for her to be able to move at any real speed. She had to move at a careful pace just so as not to break her neck.

The teen had no idea where Lorthen was though she could clearly hear him as his progress through the forest involved a lot of crashing through branches and undergrowth. She couldn't tell exactly where he was but yet the idea that he might be ahead of her was exciting. Though it made her feel a little bit nervous as well. The girl had never kissed anyone before, it was entirely uncharted territory and she had absolutely no idea what to expect. She knew that a first kiss was supposed to be special and the young blacksmith had an air of... experience about him so if she lost to him and they kissed, it wouldn't be bad. At least that was what she was thinking anyway.

A kiss! Why had she offered a kiss? It had just been a spur of the moment choice, both the idea of the race and the promised reward. It seemed to have caused a strong response anyway, the young man having taken off with great eagerness but still the idea of a kiss... It would be an entirely new experience for her but then she had never gone skinny dipping with a man, or swam naked at all, before this evening so it just seemed to be a time of firsts. There was also the genuine interest from another that was new to her as well. No one had asked her out before tonight. Lorthen obviously wasn't just out to get his bit because he'd been very respectful of her privacy so it wasn't like he thought she was easy or anything.

The journey through the trees should have been a reasonably short one but it seemed to go on forever. The trees seemed to make grotesque figures in the darkness that seemed to mock her as she pushed forward listening to the crashing progress of her competitor who noises moved in and out of her hearing. The young woman was sure that she had grown lost, it was just taking far too long but at last, she broke from the trees onto the Sanikas Road. Breaking into a jog, she headed in the direction of the Sanikas gate, the sense of urgency the situation roused in her making her increase her speed to a run.

When the young Avora arrived panting at the gate she found that her last, tiring efforts had been in vain. Looking very pleased with himself, Lorthen leaned by the gate, watching her as she approached. She gaped at him, amazed that he had arrived before her, presumably some time before because he wasn't in any way out of breath as far as she could see. She stopped, clutching her sides as she drew in short sharp breaths in an effort to get oxygen back into her body.

"I'll give you a chance to catch your breath before I claim my prize, shall I?" Lorthen asked in a soft voice, chuckling lightly as he watched her. She felt her cheeks flush and she hoped that he wouldn't noticed. She'd lost which meant he was going to kiss her now, just as she'd promised him. That thought didn't help her much, air coming in quicker and shallower breaths than before. She was very nearly gasping for air as her heart hammered wildly. The knees of the huntress suddenly seemed to weaken under her and so her legs began to wobble.

Azira couldn't speak, didn't know how to speak, as she stared at him, her entire body filled with anticipation of the moment that must come next. She was so unbelievably nervous as he approached her, his eyes wary as he scrutinised her reaction. She wondered idly how she must look to him but her thoughts broke apart into nonsensical segments when he reached out to cup a hand under her chin. For the first time, she became conscious of the height difference between them, the way he had to lean downwards even after he raised her chin to make her mouth easier to access.

Her eyes refused to close, stubbornly fixed open in a wide stare as his head tilted to the side slightly so that their noses would not crash into each other when his lips met hers. The contact when it came made her gasp and her eyes finally close as she tried to make sense of the sensation. It was not as she would have expected it, a contact that was soft and yet held a certain urgency as well, a hunger, a desire as the blacksmith sought to deepen the kiss.

The girl stood there feeling stupid, entirely unsure how to go about reciprocating his action. Placing hands tentatively on her chest as if to help balance herself, the teen tried to copy the movements of his mouth and tongue.

When the pair finally separated, the huntress gasped for air and finally became aware of the way her cheeks had flushed during their oral embrace. Her eyes moved up to his for only a moment, a sudden shyness having come over her now that she had a hold of her senses once more. His eyes had been filled with an emotion that she could not identify, the corners of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile. Despite her shyness she found herself shooting repeated glances at his features as if seeing them for the first time. She couldn't believe that this staggeringly gorgeous being had just kissed her. It was surely a product of her imagination yet somehow it was a reality.

"Shall I walk you to your room?" he asked, slipping an arm around her waist once more as if to guide her in the right direction. Unable to speak, Azira simply nodded, allowing herself to be led in her dazed state to her room in the Darniva Commonrooms, only emerging to point him in the right direction. She was left reeling by another kiss, this one sweeter than the one before, a kiss that promised more in the future, and went to bed feeling happier than she had felt in a long time. She had experienced the best night of her life and the one she had shared it with was no longer a stranger to her.

x

[Harrier]

Skills	Amount
Flirting	2
Observation	4
Running	2
Seduction	1

Lore

Meeting Lorthen, the blacksmiths apprentice

Lorthen: a date to the Twin Lakes

Skinny Dipping at the Lakes

Lorthen: Splash Attack!

Racing Lorthen Home

Lorthen: First Date, First Kiss

Additional Comments: Awww! Azira's so innocent and sweet in a...hardass kind of way.

(c) abstract