57 Ash, Year 122
[Closed]
It had been a good couple of days. There had been a Ball and she hadn’t fallen flat on her face. She had found Khyan and enjoyed a meal with him. Cakes had been baked and delivered - to Arvaelyn and Finn, to Æros by way of Khyan, to Æden’s domus, where the servii were getting a bit used to her dropping things off for Dominus Æden and his parents. Vasilei and his family had gotten one, and he, in turn, had gifted her one of the new succulents that had been brought in from the south. She was still holding onto two cakes in case Raithen came by again. Hayima’el had been raced with her old friends and not found wanting, though Hilana knew he could go faster with the right practice and conditioning. Practice that would continue after the Pilgrimage. But she had sent with them more treats after a great night with them. Her prize had been captured for her sacrifice to Deus and Domina. All in all, she was having as great a time as any leading up to her birthday, and considering the last couple in Tertium, it was far and away preferable.
That meant that she could now follow up with one of the Patricians she had danced with at the Aurisian Ball regarding wyvern riding. Raithen could fly. Finn and Arvaelyn were learning through the Order. Khyan already knew. She assumed Dominus Æros had training, considering he was of a Noble house and his mother was Platinum. Dominus Æden flew Hilana’s favourite wyvern in the world. Inasmuch as she adored Hayima’el and he was always going to be her first choice for going out into the sands, Hilana didn’t want to fall too far behind the others when it came to navigating and traversing the desert. All the better to be able to do it from both land and air. While plans were underway to get her first Rune, she was hardly going to be of any value in a fight; so staying relevant in terms of travel was important.
The girl was early; because she knew better than to keep anyone waiting, especially someone of a higher Caste. Her instincts proved correct, because she hadn't been waiting longer than ten minutes before Valerian strode up towards the Eyrie, dressed in linen and leather, strapping on some fingerless leather gloves. “Ah, Hilana,” he greeted her with a smile as Hilana curtsied, sweeping her red and gold skirts up with a smile of her own. “Good to see you again,” his eyes went over her form as she straightened. “Ready to go, are you?”
“Always, Your Lordship,” she was cheerful. “Thank you again for your offer, I’ve been looking forward to it ever since. Have you been well?” She fell into step a pace behind him, not so far away as to make it difficult for him to talk to her, but also deferring and letting him lead the way as was proper. Her skirts swept along her feet, but with her long legs she stayed with him easily.
“Long days and longer nights, but well indeed. You said you rode once?” He glanced at her, taking in her delight at being in here. The Equestrian was bright-eyed, looking around and taking it all in. She was dressed far differently than she had been at the ball; but in a way, it showed her off quite nicely. Dress up, dress down. He already knew from the dance floor that she could move, and while she was from the next Caste down, there was family money in Tertium. And lots of it.
“Once, earlier in the season,” Hilana confirmed. “Dominus Æden of House Camillus gave me a ride on his wyvern.” She decided to leave out the ridiculous reason as to -why-, but the fact she was apparently chummy with the Platinum Elf meant something. He had seen her with him later at the Ball, after all, and they had apparently left together. The girl moved in strange circles that might be worth a look, if she had status enough amongst some of the elite members of the Populus Ex-Re’ha, and she was certainly worth a wild romp somewhere…
“So this is Nagas,” he introduced Hilana to the enormous, golden-scaled wyvern. “I should think that you are already familiar with equipment and where what goes where.” She nodded along, scrutinizing the equipment. It was different seeing the equipment in normal lighting, because while her vision at night was excellent with the stars and the moon… she could see the similarities now between what Nagas had on and what Sandworm had been fitted with. She could see holds and grips that she had missed before. But for all her exuberance, Hilana just named each piece of the tack indicating with a finger the different pieces as he nodded along in turn. “You do, good.” With the reins in hand, the wyvern followed the young Patrician along with the girl. Nagas was a good size, almost as big as Sandworm, and he did have a lovely colouring to his scales…
“Easier to take off up here,” he explained once they were at the upper level of the eyrie. “It is smoother than starting at ground level. I’ll get up, and then you can climb on in front of me, hm? That way you can get a handle for what we’re doing. You’re not going to learn as much behind me.” Hilana nodded in assent, stepping back and watching as he climbed up into the saddle. It was solid reasoning, but she wasn’t naive - he would certainly enjoy the positioning, and the girl didn’t mind, either. When he motioned for her to climb on, Hilana bowed to the wyvern first, greeting him by name, before touching his shoulder. Valerian looked amused. “Do you always do that?” He asked her as Hilana made short work of the handholds, and settled in front of him, adjusting her bright skirts.
“I do,” Hilana agreed cheerfully enough. “I feel it’s important to be respectful since I’ve not got Mesmer. Besides, they are incredibly smart, and a little respect goes a long way. I always greet my snakes, too.” She let Valerian ease her back against him, watching as he belted her in along with himself, and put her hands on his as he held the reins.
“Mesmer would certainly help you with this, and everything else,” he admitted. “But since you’re only just learning, it might be for the better that you don’t. No fear, Hilana, ever. But if you’ve snakes… you already know that, don’t you? Like any other mount, confidence is key. Do you have any other Runes, then?”
“Not at present,” the girl had to concede. “But I’m soon to be initiated and begin training in Elementalism by a Grandmaster of House Saelyen.” She understood Patricians, at least, and from their dancing at the Ball and their conversation at the time… They kept a close eye on status, but the Vastiana wasn’t about to make introductions that would irritate or impinge on the goodwill of her Elvish friends. It always surprised her how much of the city thrived on ‘who’ you knew rather than ‘what’ you knew like she was used to in the Sands, but it was what it was. And Patrician or not, those were hardly introductions Valerian could make himself. But he nodded, breathing in her scent from the closeness. Fruit and a flower, though he had no idea which…but it was enticing all the same.
“Right, well, we’re going up. So you’ll use your legs and squeeze, give him the reins, and urge him to take off. Let’s go, Nagas,” Hilana paid close attention, and the wyvern began to bound towards the edge of the earthen ramp. "Rise!” Valerian urged, and those wings spread, sending them skyward as Hilana kept her hands on his. “Each wyvern is different. Some use different commands; but you’ll figure out what they are from your trainer, who will be familiar with that mount,” he put the reins in her hands. “You know the lay of the land, surely. Guide him out. It’s the same as one of your ground mounts. No need to pull or move too hard, he’s paying close attention to you and he will until or unless there’s a threat.”
“Oh, Founders,” the girl laughed now that they were alight, and applied light pressure with her foot and the reins to urge the wyvern to make a turn in order to guide him away from the city and down along the Vasta. “Does this ever get old to you?” She asked him, feeling his hands on her waist, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“It’s great, isn’t it? If you want to go higher, you’re going to tell him to rise, like we did earlier,” Valerian advised her. “To go down, the word is below.” Hilana nodded, her skirts trapped by her legs and otherwise rippling in the air from the speed.
“Are there feet and rein positions associated with those terms as well?“ the girl asked him curiously. Much of her own riding involved a great deal of the seat and reins, but this one…
“None you need to worry about. He’s been attuned to vocal commands, and aside from turning… your legs don’t do too much. I have Mesmer, so he’s more attuned to me in that regard. Magic and vocal commands are how we fly.” Valerian explained. “Would you have an interest in learning Mesmer? There’s a number of tutors here that I could recommend.”
“I think so,” Hilana admitted. Dominus Æros had made good points with regards to learning it, but she also needed Elementalism and Semblance at a good level, and two was already a good start. She couldn’t hardly start plans for a third when the first two were vital to what she needed, especially if she could learn to manage a wyvern without it. Khyan did, after all, with Semblance. “That’s very kind of you, I’m happy to take names.” Though she already had three Master Mesmers amongst her friends, and Hilana was certain one of them would teach her if she asked, it didn’t hurt to have a network. Who you knew, after all… “Rise, Nagas,” Hilana urged the wyvern, and the massive reptile responded, adjusting their altitude as she turned him away from the Vasta to start a course back across the sands.
The two hours passed more quickly than Hilana could have anticipated. The travels, the conversation, the company… but they soon were returning, and she let Valerian guide her through the landing once they were back at the Eyrie. He unbuckled her, and Hilana slipped lightly from the saddle, landing neatly on the sandy ground as her cotton skirts swirled out. Valerian was right behind her. “I think you’ll get the hang of this quite quickly with some more practice. Are you interested in getting your own?” He asked her as he turned Nagas over to the Eyrie master, and Hilana bowed to the wyvern once again.
“I’d like to look into that, yes,” the girl admitted. “Would you know someone selling one that would be suitable for a beginner?“ Word of mouth, after all… She scooped up her rucksack from where she had left it, and from within the depths, offered him the coin pouch with the 50 avens.
The young man thought about it. “The Nykaras are interested in selling Græcos if a buyer comes along. He belonged to Khyan, the son of the last Consul Minor, before the family was sentenced to slavery after the Lex Agni,” Valerian was pensive. “I haven’t seen him flying at all since the trial, and that’s the word from my friends that have mentioned it with them. If you do get him, there’s private eyries all over the city where you can board him… and we can keep going with our lessons.”
Hilana curtsied to him, not letting her expression change and keeping herself in check. He was a Mesmer, after all, and she couldn’t know if he was trying to read her Symphony for hints about her opinion on the matter. But one could assume that for someone who was not afraid of trying to move up the ladder... owning the wyvern of Khyan Nykara was a good start. Even if the nomad’s reasons were far different. This was an opportunity to snap up Khyan’s wyvern, but if they were already looking to sell him... and Khyan had been worried about what would become of him... then, well, at least he would be safe with Hilana. And Hilana could perhaps bribe Dominus Æros and Khyan into flying lessons through him. “I’ll go and look into him, then. Thank you again, Lord Valerian. I had a wonderful time and you’re a great teacher. I’ll keep you updated, and if you’re willing, we could arrange for the next lesson when our schedules can align.”
Valerian had a small smile on his face as she straightened, looking her over appraisingly. “How about dinner?”
[Closed]
It had been a good couple of days. There had been a Ball and she hadn’t fallen flat on her face. She had found Khyan and enjoyed a meal with him. Cakes had been baked and delivered - to Arvaelyn and Finn, to Æros by way of Khyan, to Æden’s domus, where the servii were getting a bit used to her dropping things off for Dominus Æden and his parents. Vasilei and his family had gotten one, and he, in turn, had gifted her one of the new succulents that had been brought in from the south. She was still holding onto two cakes in case Raithen came by again. Hayima’el had been raced with her old friends and not found wanting, though Hilana knew he could go faster with the right practice and conditioning. Practice that would continue after the Pilgrimage. But she had sent with them more treats after a great night with them. Her prize had been captured for her sacrifice to Deus and Domina. All in all, she was having as great a time as any leading up to her birthday, and considering the last couple in Tertium, it was far and away preferable.
That meant that she could now follow up with one of the Patricians she had danced with at the Aurisian Ball regarding wyvern riding. Raithen could fly. Finn and Arvaelyn were learning through the Order. Khyan already knew. She assumed Dominus Æros had training, considering he was of a Noble house and his mother was Platinum. Dominus Æden flew Hilana’s favourite wyvern in the world. Inasmuch as she adored Hayima’el and he was always going to be her first choice for going out into the sands, Hilana didn’t want to fall too far behind the others when it came to navigating and traversing the desert. All the better to be able to do it from both land and air. While plans were underway to get her first Rune, she was hardly going to be of any value in a fight; so staying relevant in terms of travel was important.
The girl was early; because she knew better than to keep anyone waiting, especially someone of a higher Caste. Her instincts proved correct, because she hadn't been waiting longer than ten minutes before Valerian strode up towards the Eyrie, dressed in linen and leather, strapping on some fingerless leather gloves. “Ah, Hilana,” he greeted her with a smile as Hilana curtsied, sweeping her red and gold skirts up with a smile of her own. “Good to see you again,” his eyes went over her form as she straightened. “Ready to go, are you?”
“Always, Your Lordship,” she was cheerful. “Thank you again for your offer, I’ve been looking forward to it ever since. Have you been well?” She fell into step a pace behind him, not so far away as to make it difficult for him to talk to her, but also deferring and letting him lead the way as was proper. Her skirts swept along her feet, but with her long legs she stayed with him easily.
“Long days and longer nights, but well indeed. You said you rode once?” He glanced at her, taking in her delight at being in here. The Equestrian was bright-eyed, looking around and taking it all in. She was dressed far differently than she had been at the ball; but in a way, it showed her off quite nicely. Dress up, dress down. He already knew from the dance floor that she could move, and while she was from the next Caste down, there was family money in Tertium. And lots of it.
“Once, earlier in the season,” Hilana confirmed. “Dominus Æden of House Camillus gave me a ride on his wyvern.” She decided to leave out the ridiculous reason as to -why-, but the fact she was apparently chummy with the Platinum Elf meant something. He had seen her with him later at the Ball, after all, and they had apparently left together. The girl moved in strange circles that might be worth a look, if she had status enough amongst some of the elite members of the Populus Ex-Re’ha, and she was certainly worth a wild romp somewhere…
“So this is Nagas,” he introduced Hilana to the enormous, golden-scaled wyvern. “I should think that you are already familiar with equipment and where what goes where.” She nodded along, scrutinizing the equipment. It was different seeing the equipment in normal lighting, because while her vision at night was excellent with the stars and the moon… she could see the similarities now between what Nagas had on and what Sandworm had been fitted with. She could see holds and grips that she had missed before. But for all her exuberance, Hilana just named each piece of the tack indicating with a finger the different pieces as he nodded along in turn. “You do, good.” With the reins in hand, the wyvern followed the young Patrician along with the girl. Nagas was a good size, almost as big as Sandworm, and he did have a lovely colouring to his scales…
“Easier to take off up here,” he explained once they were at the upper level of the eyrie. “It is smoother than starting at ground level. I’ll get up, and then you can climb on in front of me, hm? That way you can get a handle for what we’re doing. You’re not going to learn as much behind me.” Hilana nodded in assent, stepping back and watching as he climbed up into the saddle. It was solid reasoning, but she wasn’t naive - he would certainly enjoy the positioning, and the girl didn’t mind, either. When he motioned for her to climb on, Hilana bowed to the wyvern first, greeting him by name, before touching his shoulder. Valerian looked amused. “Do you always do that?” He asked her as Hilana made short work of the handholds, and settled in front of him, adjusting her bright skirts.
“I do,” Hilana agreed cheerfully enough. “I feel it’s important to be respectful since I’ve not got Mesmer. Besides, they are incredibly smart, and a little respect goes a long way. I always greet my snakes, too.” She let Valerian ease her back against him, watching as he belted her in along with himself, and put her hands on his as he held the reins.
“Mesmer would certainly help you with this, and everything else,” he admitted. “But since you’re only just learning, it might be for the better that you don’t. No fear, Hilana, ever. But if you’ve snakes… you already know that, don’t you? Like any other mount, confidence is key. Do you have any other Runes, then?”
“Not at present,” the girl had to concede. “But I’m soon to be initiated and begin training in Elementalism by a Grandmaster of House Saelyen.” She understood Patricians, at least, and from their dancing at the Ball and their conversation at the time… They kept a close eye on status, but the Vastiana wasn’t about to make introductions that would irritate or impinge on the goodwill of her Elvish friends. It always surprised her how much of the city thrived on ‘who’ you knew rather than ‘what’ you knew like she was used to in the Sands, but it was what it was. And Patrician or not, those were hardly introductions Valerian could make himself. But he nodded, breathing in her scent from the closeness. Fruit and a flower, though he had no idea which…but it was enticing all the same.
“Right, well, we’re going up. So you’ll use your legs and squeeze, give him the reins, and urge him to take off. Let’s go, Nagas,” Hilana paid close attention, and the wyvern began to bound towards the edge of the earthen ramp. "Rise!” Valerian urged, and those wings spread, sending them skyward as Hilana kept her hands on his. “Each wyvern is different. Some use different commands; but you’ll figure out what they are from your trainer, who will be familiar with that mount,” he put the reins in her hands. “You know the lay of the land, surely. Guide him out. It’s the same as one of your ground mounts. No need to pull or move too hard, he’s paying close attention to you and he will until or unless there’s a threat.”
“Oh, Founders,” the girl laughed now that they were alight, and applied light pressure with her foot and the reins to urge the wyvern to make a turn in order to guide him away from the city and down along the Vasta. “Does this ever get old to you?” She asked him, feeling his hands on her waist, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“It’s great, isn’t it? If you want to go higher, you’re going to tell him to rise, like we did earlier,” Valerian advised her. “To go down, the word is below.” Hilana nodded, her skirts trapped by her legs and otherwise rippling in the air from the speed.
“Are there feet and rein positions associated with those terms as well?“ the girl asked him curiously. Much of her own riding involved a great deal of the seat and reins, but this one…
“None you need to worry about. He’s been attuned to vocal commands, and aside from turning… your legs don’t do too much. I have Mesmer, so he’s more attuned to me in that regard. Magic and vocal commands are how we fly.” Valerian explained. “Would you have an interest in learning Mesmer? There’s a number of tutors here that I could recommend.”
“I think so,” Hilana admitted. Dominus Æros had made good points with regards to learning it, but she also needed Elementalism and Semblance at a good level, and two was already a good start. She couldn’t hardly start plans for a third when the first two were vital to what she needed, especially if she could learn to manage a wyvern without it. Khyan did, after all, with Semblance. “That’s very kind of you, I’m happy to take names.” Though she already had three Master Mesmers amongst her friends, and Hilana was certain one of them would teach her if she asked, it didn’t hurt to have a network. Who you knew, after all… “Rise, Nagas,” Hilana urged the wyvern, and the massive reptile responded, adjusting their altitude as she turned him away from the Vasta to start a course back across the sands.
The two hours passed more quickly than Hilana could have anticipated. The travels, the conversation, the company… but they soon were returning, and she let Valerian guide her through the landing once they were back at the Eyrie. He unbuckled her, and Hilana slipped lightly from the saddle, landing neatly on the sandy ground as her cotton skirts swirled out. Valerian was right behind her. “I think you’ll get the hang of this quite quickly with some more practice. Are you interested in getting your own?” He asked her as he turned Nagas over to the Eyrie master, and Hilana bowed to the wyvern once again.
“I’d like to look into that, yes,” the girl admitted. “Would you know someone selling one that would be suitable for a beginner?“ Word of mouth, after all… She scooped up her rucksack from where she had left it, and from within the depths, offered him the coin pouch with the 50 avens.
The young man thought about it. “The Nykaras are interested in selling Græcos if a buyer comes along. He belonged to Khyan, the son of the last Consul Minor, before the family was sentenced to slavery after the Lex Agni,” Valerian was pensive. “I haven’t seen him flying at all since the trial, and that’s the word from my friends that have mentioned it with them. If you do get him, there’s private eyries all over the city where you can board him… and we can keep going with our lessons.”
Hilana curtsied to him, not letting her expression change and keeping herself in check. He was a Mesmer, after all, and she couldn’t know if he was trying to read her Symphony for hints about her opinion on the matter. But one could assume that for someone who was not afraid of trying to move up the ladder... owning the wyvern of Khyan Nykara was a good start. Even if the nomad’s reasons were far different. This was an opportunity to snap up Khyan’s wyvern, but if they were already looking to sell him... and Khyan had been worried about what would become of him... then, well, at least he would be safe with Hilana. And Hilana could perhaps bribe Dominus Æros and Khyan into flying lessons through him. “I’ll go and look into him, then. Thank you again, Lord Valerian. I had a wonderful time and you’re a great teacher. I’ll keep you updated, and if you’re willing, we could arrange for the next lesson when our schedules can align.”
Valerian had a small smile on his face as she straightened, looking her over appraisingly. “How about dinner?”