Open A Quiet Day

[Tamzyn]

36th Day of Summer, 514

Tamzyn felt the wind ruffle her hair and chanced a look around. It was relatively warm in the city, as it generally was, but as she looked up at the peak of Mt. Skyinatra and the sky above she imagined the cool air rushing by the eagle riders. She sighed deeply as she ruminated on her lack of companionship. She’d love to explore more of the area she called home but felt far too timid to do so on her own. Instead she contented herself to spend the days wandering the streets, sticking to the shadows so as to avoid notice. It was not that she had anything to hide, just that human interaction often overwhelmed her. Luckily her slight frame helped her slip by unnoticed and the red hair that would stand out anywhere else blended in perfectly with her kinsfolk.

Soon tired of walking, she settled herself on a small stone bench and brought out her charcoal. Despite loathing interaction, Tamzyn was fascinated by human nature and could spend hours observing and drawing people. Since she dreaded the idea of asking for models to practice sketching, she focused on mastering movement and gesture drawing as people went about their daily lives. Capturing the clumsy exuberance of a child running by or the pose of a woman arguing with her neighbor required quick observation and a knowledge of the human form. Tamzyn had finally gotten to the point where she could see the impression of the individual she was trying to capture within a few minutes but knew she had a long way to go before she mastered the complexity of the human spirit. She soon fell into a spell of concentration and quick hand movements.

To her surprise, she looked up from her drawing to see a pair of feet nearly touching her crossed knees. She squinted into the sunlight to try to make out the form above her...

[Khara]

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If there was one thing Khara prized during the warmer seasons it was the glorious few days she had free from work. Most would be spent trying to better herself somehow. It wasn't rare for the majority of her free days to end up being spent at the Bent Arrow, watching as much as practicing, hoping to pick up on some technique an Endal had perfected. But today? Today was going to be spent relaxing. You've earned it became a constant mantra every time Khara found herself trying to come up with reasons not to.

Maybe it was for that reason that all the aimless walking she had done that morning had felt so awkward. Another mental tug of war where she was trying to tell herself that archery was relaxing had started when a relatively still figure sitting on a bench caught her eye. It wasn't exactly unheard of to see someone in Wind Reach drawing, what seemed odd was more the fact the other woman seemed like if she knew how, she would have turned herself invisible if not disappear entirely. Khara thought only the drudge were capable of giving off such a demeanor.

As she approached the faint pinpricks of memory begin to nag at her. Hadn't there been someone like that with the same shade of red hair when she had been a Yasi? Surely this girl was just about her age...

The thought process burst suddenly as the other woman looked up and Khara immediately felt foolish for how close she had forced herself. An embarrassed laugh was held in and somehow turned into a not entirely successful look of amusement. A quick glance was cast at the unfinished drawing.

"That's really good." The words felt stupid as soon as they left her.

Trying to recover, Khara began scanning the crowd looking to suss out the subject of the charcoal rendering. "So," she let the word drag for a moment before turning back to the artist with a conspiring smile. "It's that Avora over there gorging himself on cherries, isn't it?"
☀

[Tamzyn]

Tamzyn's look of surprise turned to a small smile in spite of herself. Her face warmed with a mixture of bashfulness at being confronted by a stranger and pleasure at having her drawing’s subject identified. Maybe all of her practice was finally paying off... She analyzed the girl in front of her, admiring the way the sun reflected copper in her hair. The stranger was shorter than her and Tamzyn liked how lightly she must move to be able to approach unnoticed. She quickly took in the calluses on the standing girl’s fingers. An archer perhaps?

All but shaking her head Tamzyn tried to break off her reverie. No time for self analysis now, she prodded herself, as she frantically scanned her brain for something to say. She managed to splutter “Y..y..yes...actually it is!” before she hit her stride. “If you want, you can help me pick the next one,” she continued shyly, moving a little to make room on the bench.

Her heart raced in her chest. She could not believe she was being so forward! Perhaps the isolation had finally caught up with her and the desire for a friend finally outweighed the desire for solitude.

[Khara]

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"Oh gods above I wouldn't even know what to draw." A slight roll of her eyes preceded the eying of the open space that the other girl had created next to her. The barest shrug of a shoulder was given before she spun on her heel and dropped down unceremoniously onto the bench."Never really had an eye for that sort of thing. Mum and the teachers tried to shove me towards painting but I never really could catch on without having a real idea of what I wanted ahead of time."

Khara reached out before her slightly, her fingertips vaguely wiggling at the passing people before them.

"Think I wasn't really born to be an artist, though Lhex would have it I'm not really one meant for the more aggressive stuff either, apparently. A hint of bitterness coated the last word. A minute shake of her head was paired with the mental shoving off of such things. Recent events were far too fresh on the mind.

Khara peeled her gaze away from the passerby's, casting a look briefly skyward before turning to face her new companion for the moment.

"I was thinking about heading to the Suren Cliffs at some point today, watch the amateur cliff divers, maybe do something stupid..."She left the sentiment unfinished, lingering with the unasked questions.

"I'm Khara, by the way." Introductions always felt stale, as if somehow the sharing of names was something expected more than having any real purpose aside from calling someone hey you.
☀

[Estrellir Konrath]

Tamzyn

Withheld due to inactivity
Withheld due to inactivity

Khara

Socialization +2
Observation +1
A face half remembered
Art: Eternal mystery

Notes

There wasn’t much for me to give, but I did my best! I hope you’re alright with it, Khara, as your writing is always enjoyable. PM me with any questions or concerns!