Fishing Lessons

Cecilia has been rather quiet of late, keeping out of trouble and trying to prove to her fiance that she can be the respectable woman he wants her to be, much to her annoyance. She\'s still having a hard time adjusting her behavior, but the rumors have at least eased a bit.. mostly due to the distance she\'s been keeping from Elaos.

As the sun begins to sink down to the horizon, the healer is standing in the open courtyard in a shirt, overdress, and pants, working through some stretches. She\'s enjoying the feeling of the grass between her toes and doesn\'t seem to be mindful of anything else around her.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Mobeorn comes along, licking his fingers, bees buzzing around his head, faint smell of honey on the man. \"Well, hello there, lass,\" he greets, grinning stupidly. \"When\'s the wedding? Shouldn\'t you be embroidering a dress?\"

Cecilia is in the process of stretching her arms over her head when the skinchanger approaches. She lowers to her hands to her sides and graces him with a wide smile. \"Mobeorn! Hello!\" The healer laughs at his question. \"Not for a while yet.. I think. My father and Mogel\'s keep arguing over a date... How are you?\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Good, good,\" Mobeorn shrugs. \"Any word on how Mogel\'s injuries healed? How is the lad doing?\" He rubs at his forehead, where the line of a scar can be seen. \"Been wanting back up on the Pass myself soon, but I was told to work up to it. Sort of like that--\" He points to Cecilia, apparently indicating the stretching she just finished.

\"Oh, he\'s okay. I\'m not sure what he\'s up to right now.\" Cecilia shrugs, not pretending to know what her fiance does in his free time. \"It\'s good to work stiff muscles, yes. Unless.. they were implying that you\'re getting out of shape?\" She asks in a teasing fashion, a wide grin on the healer\'s face. \"Maybe you\'re getting too soft. Too much honey!\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Never too much honey,\" Mobeorn grumbles, \"but if you think I\'m getting soft, then I dare you to try to punch my gut.\" He grins.

Cecilia laughs and flexes her fingers into fists in consideration, then grins. The healer steps foward swiftly, trying to get a quick jab at his midsection with her small fist, not bothering to pull the punch because Mobeorn is far stronger than she could ever be.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Ha!\" The shapeshifter chortles with glee as he simply sucks his breath in and steps back a fraction of an inch, the girl\'s punch hitting nothing but air. Then he reaches out and flicks a large (honey sticky) hand toward her jawline.

Mobeorn attacks you with his Beijabar Fists!...

...and he hits! Ouch!

Cecilia laughs at first, until she feels the sticky residue on her chin. Then the healer gasps. \"Hey!\" She reaches a sleeve up to wipe away the honey with a scowl on her face. Then the young woman looks up with vengence on her face lunges at him, trying to grapple the far larger man.

You blindly attack Mobeorn with your Bare Hands...

Your attack against Mobeorn mildly wounds him!

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Mobeorn laughs again, even as Cecilia manages to grab one of his arms. Then he lifts his left and tries to smear honey on her hair.

Mobeorn attacks you with his Beijabar Fists!...

...and he hits! Ouch!

Cecilia doggedly hangs onto his arm, trying to drag him off balance. When he smears the honey into her hair the healer howls, \"Noo!! Not in my hair!\" She lifts her leg and tries to knee him in the groin, hard.

You blindly attack Mobeorn with your Bare Hands...

Mobeorn dodges your attack.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"HEY!\" Mobeorn jumps back and out of the way, growling dangerously. \"Now that\'s dirty fighitng!\" he says, sending a quick punch out toward the woman\'s stomach. \"Honey can be washed out!\"

Mobeorn attacks you with his Beijabar Fists!...

...and he misses!

Cecilia scampers back out of the way quickly when Mobeorn grows angry, but she\'s laughing and pointing. \"See? You are getting soft.\" The healer taunts, but looks apologetic after, \"I\'m sorry.. I\'m used to sparring with my brothers.\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Still,\" Mobeorn growls, \"that\'s looking to hurt a man for real. Might be a good tactic to use on the enemy, but not on your fellow villagers.\" He turns, making to go.

\"I.. no, wait Mobeorn! I\'m sorry.. please, don\'t be angry!\" The healer hurries after him to catch his arm, sounding rather upset now.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Grinning now, Mobeorn turns back. \"Not angry, lass. Now if you hit me...that\'d be another story. But, what\'s on your mind?\"

Cecilia relaxes when the beijibar grins, sighing in relief. \"Nothing, I just didn\'t want you to be angry with me. I don\'t.. well, I haven\'t had much time to spend with friends lately.\" Not entirely accurate, but close enough.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Oh?\" Mobeorn scratches his head, then immediately regrets it, as some of the honey on his hands sticks to his hair, so that his fingers are caught up for a moment in hair. He pats at it, making it worse, then frowns. \"Wedding plans? More orc hunting? Healing?\"

\"Noo.. My father won\'t let me go out with a hunting group unless you or Vernon is there. The wedding planning, well.. my mother is taking care of most of that. I just don\'t get to see my friends much anymore. Mogel doesn\'t really like it, he\'s worried about reputation.\" Cecilia reaches up to pick at her own hair, scowling when she feels the sticky honey in it.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Mogel.\" Mobeorn grunts the name, making a poor attempt to disguise obvious dislike. \"I suppose you\'re going to marry him, then?\"

\"He is just different, that\'s all. People don\'t understand him.\" Cecilia answers with a troubled frown, her gaze drifting away to look over the courtyard. \"Everyone keeps asking me if I will marry him, as if there is a choice in the matter.\" She says quietly, perhaps not intending for Mobeorn to hear.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Mobeorn grumbles again. \"Last I heard, the families of this village weren\'t forcing their young ones to marry against their will,\" he notes, also quietly. \"I can\'t imagine your father forcing it with Mogel, Bear Clan or not.\"

\"It\'s more complicated than that, Mobeorn.\" Cecilia answers softly, giving up on her hair finally and accepting that she\'ll simply have to wash it. \"There\'s more to it than just the marriage.\" Have Cecilia -ever- sounded so serious about something?

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Cecilia -hasn\'t- sounded so serious before--so much so that Mobeorn turns, stops, and looks at her. \"You mean the clan alliances? Those are important, but marriage is forever, and if you are miserable, then no alliance is worth it. Let one of the children of your brothers marry into the bear clan when they come of age. Mogel is...deficient. Cub will never last oen season on the HIgh pass, and he has no knowledge of healing nor of lore. What good can he possibly be?\"

\"No!.. He\'s not! People just don\'t understand him. I just have to get to know him better. Everyone has things that they are good at. Mogel doesn\'t.. he\'s just different. That\'s all.\" Cecilia struggles to defend her fiance, \"And he promises that he will take care of me. That\'s important.\" The healer sounds as if she\'s trying to convince herself more than the bear.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Hmph.\" The shapeshifter snorts, bear-like. \"Well. As long as it is a choice that you can live with for the rest of your life, lass. But remember--noone can make that choice for you. Not even the clan skalds.\"

\"It\'s complicated.\" Cecilia says again, sitting down in the grass now with a glum expression on her face. \"Mogel is just one person, and he\'s not so bad. If I walked away from this, my entire family and his would be angry with me. It would be shameful.\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"That\'s complicated, isn\'t it....\" Mobeorn frowns, looking down on the young woman. \"You see now why I avoid the village and all its twists and turns? I much prefer the woods and my own kind. Things aren\'t as twisted.\"

Hakr has found himself possessed of a wandering urge this evening. Restless at home after a long day spent on the river, the young man has decided to make a slow tour of the village, slowly winding his way northward. At the sound of voices from the courtyard, Hakr will head that way, looking in the moonlight for the voices and calling out so as to make himself known. \"Hello there! Who\'s out tonight?\"

\"You see? It\'s easy for people to say that I should do as I desire, but my family expects this of me. I would be letting them down if I refused.\" Cecilia sighs, \"Besides, Mogel .. he is trying too.\" The healer insists. When another voice drifts towards them, she pushes away her glumness and smiles. \"Hello!\" She calls in return.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Mobeorn\'s first reaction is to sniff the air, but then he grins. \"Don\'t suppose that orcs would get this far, nor would they call a friendly greeting,\" he notes to Cecilia. \"Mobeorn and Cecilia!\" he calls back. \"And you?\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Just Hakr the fisherman!\" Hardly anything to be too worried about. He\'s able to pick out their shapes now, and strolls over, a hand raising in greeting to the brim of his trademark hat. \"Does the evening find you well? I certainly hope I\'m not interrupting anything important here.\" He\'s not exactly intimate friends with either of the pair, but he\'s not overly worried - based on what he knows, they\'re good people.

Cecilia gives the fisher a brilliant smile as he approaches, greeting him again cheerfully. \"Good evening, Hakr! How are you? A good day\'s catch?\" The healer climbs to her feet again, all traces of her depression gone now.

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"No, not interrupting anythign at all, fisherman,\" Mobeorn answers. \"Just trying to advise Cecilia here on the folly ...or the importance...of her marriage to Mogel. Can\'t decide which,\" he frowns. Mogel, Hakr would probably know, is the anemic, runny nosed disappointment of a son to the mighty Bear Clan Skald, leader of the fearsome warriors who fight orcs on the High Pass. Only Mogel is anything but fearsome or a warrior.

Hakr will remove his hat to scratch his head as he listens to Mobeorn - Mogel isn\'t exactly someone he has the greatest respect for, but he is an important man, and arranged marriages are a matter Hakr would like not to think about. \"Oh, I suppose it\'s a very serious matter indeed...\" is all he\'ll say on it. Cecilia\'s question about the day brings a smile, though - the fisherman is always willing to talk about his trade. \"Oh it was a great day for it - a good catch, if I do say so!\"

\"Mobeorn..\" Cecilia speaks the man\'s name in a pleading tone with an expression that\'s begging him to drop the matter. \"It will not be folly. It will all work out.\" She insists, and turns her gray eyes back to Hakr. \"You have a fishing boat, don\'t you, Hakr?\" The healer gives him a sweet smile. \"Do you think I could come one day? I\'ve actually never gone fishing.\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"All right, all right.\" Mobeorn rolls his eyes, then yawns at the change of topics. \"Are the salmon running?\" he does ask, though, eyes lighting up at the thought.

[Hakr(#3217)] \"That\'s right - purchased my own boat earlier in the year.\" He\'ll grin at the mention, quite proud of the acquisition, as it\'s a sign of him coming into his own as a fisher. \"You\'ve never been? I guess that will have to change - the daughter of a skald should do these things at least once, right?\" Spearfishing in particular is often seen as an artform, and it\'s not uncommon for important men of the village to pursue the activity in their spare time. \"Oh, the salmon are starting to run, sir - won\'t be long now before they\'re coming in droves.\"

Cecilia grins broadly when Hakr agrees, looking quite delighted. \"Yes! I should, shouldn\'t I? I will have to ask Mogel if he does not mind, but I don\'t think he will care so much.\" The girl says cheerfully, then glances over to Mobeorn again, \"When the salmon come we will not see you again for a week.\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] \"Oh, you\'ll be able to see me if you know where to look.\" Mobeorn grins--the river is full of bears every year, after all, going after the salmon. \"How far you go downriver with your boat?\" he asks Hakr.

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Well... Not too far yet - I\'m usually by myself, so I don\'t like to go much further than a day or so down river. I imagine once the salmon come though, that might change.\" He\'ll give a bit of a shrug and a smile - once the salmon come, it will start to get busier. \"If I see you, I\'ll have to point you towards some good areas!\" How you would tell one bear apart from the others, of course...

\"I don\'t want to jump around in the water with a bunch of bears, catching fish..\" Cecilia says, laughing. She smoothes her dress out over her leggings, fussing to be certain that Mobeorn didn\'t get any honey on the garment. \"Do you ever see goblins, Hakr?\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)] Mobeorn laughs and shakes his head. \"I\'d best be off. Lands to patrol tonight...\" He shrugs, lifting a hand to the two.

Hakr will raise his hand to Mobeorn, a small smile on his face. \"Happy hunting, now!\" The mention of goblins will quiet him some, though, and he\'ll shake his head as the smile disappears. \"No - none on the river as of yet. If I had, you can be sure they\'d get a fishing spear or two through them for their troubles.\" Like most of his kin, Hakr has been raised with an enmity towards the creatures. \"Why, has there been mention of goblins near the town?\" Surely they wouldn\'t come too close, right?

\"No!.. No.. I was just wondering. You said you go as far as a day south.\" Cecilia bends down to pluck a flower from the ground and straightens again, twirling it between her fingers. \"They\'re too scared to come close to the village.\" The girl grows silent, thoughtful as she lifts the flower to tap against her chin. \"So you do not grow bored, alone on the boat all day?\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Sometimes. It\'s peaceful though - quiet and free. I can go as far in either direction as I like, come back when I like, and I enjoy the job.\" Hakr is known to be laidback in general - some of the more disapproving villagers might say lazy. He\'ll offer a shrug in explanation. \"When it gets lonely, I always have home, but the river has a freedom of its own, as long as you respect it. Do you not sometimes find life here boring?\"

Cecilia laughs, nodding. \"Oh yes, sometimes. When there is no one to care for in the infirmary and I need to stay there all day, just in case.. I can get very bored. It was not so bad when Elaos and I worked together, but..\" The healer trails off, frowning. \"Well, we cannot do that anymore, so I shouldn\'t dwell on it. Is spearfishing difficult?\"

Hakr will wave a hand, as if dismissing the notion of difficulty. \"At first, I suppose - but once you\'ve been at it for a while, the spear just becomes an extension of your arm and it all becomes second nature. That\'s when the real art begins.\" Elaos... Is that a name he should know? He doesn\'t, but he\'ll return to the issue anyways. \"What happened to... Elaos?\" Maybe he just moved on.

\"Oh, Elaos is fine. He\'s been living out near the woods, taking care of his friend. Mogel doesn\'t really like him and asked us not to work together at the infirmary anymore. It sounds silly, but Mogel is just worried about our reputations.\" Cecilia says, speaking delicately. \"Do you think I could learn? I am decent with the longbow. Is it the same?\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Oh. I see... Reputations are important, I suppose.\" he\'ll say, nodding slightly as if giving it thought. Most of his comments on things like clan politics are similar, trying not to give an opinion. It\'s nothing that he should meddle with anyways, right? The change of topic is a welcome one though, and his smile will return broadly. \"Anyone can learn, of course! It\'s not... Exactly like archery, of course. The aiming may be similar, but it\'s more than just drawing back - if you don\'t follow through right, you\'ll miss by days!\" He could go on for hours about this, but as Cecilia doesn\'t know much about the trade, he\'ll save it for now. \"Why the interest all of a sudden? Getting tired of the firm ground?\"

\"I just wish to try something new. And, perhaps Mogel might like to learn as well. If I try it I could show him.. It could be something for us to learn together, maybe? I do not know what he enjoys.\" Cecilia shrugs, prattling on with little care that she\'s standing around in the dark talking with another man. Of course, this is exactly what all the rumors are about.. her friendly attitude towards men.

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Have you asked him?\" If Mobeorn was right and the two of them are getting married, it seems to Hakr that they should know these things. What he has heard about Mogel has him doubting very much that the man would enjoy something like spearfishing, but in a moment of wisdom, he won\'t mention this. \"He may already know, if he is a skald\'s son. They do such things occasionally. You should ask him, though.\" Come to think of it, would it be proper if she went out on the boat with Hakr and he wasn\'t there?

\"Oh, I will! The next time I see him.. whenever that is.\" Cecilia seems unconvinced by her tone though, \"He might have gone fishing, but.. I don\'t think so. I don\'t really know what he does with his time. I have asked him before and he didn\'t tell me.\"

Hakr will cock an eyebrow - political marriages aren\'t always perfectly loving, but this arrangement seems to be a... distant one. \"Do you not see him often? I would have thought you would have been spending time together at least.\" It\'s not his place to criticize, of course. The skalds are the skalds, and wouldn\'t approve of a fisherman questioning their actions.

\"Not as much as I would like, I guess. I am sure he is simply very busy. I get busy too, when there are people that are hurt.\" Cecilia says, again trying to spin a more positive attitude on things. \"Or, maybe he is upset with me.. It is possible.\" The healer frowns at that, but her concern is passing. \"What about you? Are you married?\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Me? Oh no... I haven\'t really given the matter any consideration. I suppose I should, but right now there\'s still much more to consider, like the trade. I don\'t spend many of my days in town.\" Time is starting to go by though, and at his age, Hakr knows that he should start looking around. As the eldest son, it\'s something of a responsibility. \"Perhaps after this season, I will be in the village more, helping to teach my brothers.\" Another responsibility. Enjoy the easy-going life while you can.

\"Oh? .. No one has caught your eye? Well, take me with you and teach me spear fishing, and I will find the perfect woman for you, Hakr.\" Cecilia says with another grin, reaching to pat him on the arm in a reassuring fashion. \"Soon enough you will have the ladies lining up at the docks.\"

Hakr will grin as this image forms in his mind, nodding along. \"Yes, I think this is a fair trade. I help you catch fish, you help me catch a wife. Surely the two can\'t be so different - you just need a larger net for women, I\'m told!\" The thought has him laughing for a good minute or so before he can catch his breath. \"Of course, I\'m only joking... Women are far too crafty for such things. In all seriousness, though, you are both welcome to accompany me if you like. There is much joy to be found in simple fishing.\"

Cecilia gives the man a sweeter smile when he makes the more open invitation. \"Thank you, Hakr. I will ask Mogel. Even if he does not wish to go, I will certainly try my hand with the spear.\" The healer wraps her arms behind her back, clasping her hands together. \"So what kind of women are you interested in? It will help me to know, of course.\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Uh... Well... Let me think...\" The hat comes off again as he scratches his head in thought before shrugging. \"I don\'t know. I suppose she would have to like the river. I do not think I could do well with a wife who would not ever want to accompany me. Someone who is nice, and good with children. Not totally dependent on me, perhaps?\" Is it obvious he hasn\'t given this much thought? \"Again, I don\'t really know. I suppose that is very picky.\"

Cecilia grins, watching as he runs his fingers through that dark hair. She can\'t help but compare the man against Mogel. She compares -everyone- against her fiance. \"Not so picky.. I will find the perfect woman for you.. just wait and see!\" The healer promises, her face full of mirth. \"I see all sorts of people at the infirmary, so I can ask around.\"

[Hakr(#3217)] \"Well, thank you miss. That is very kind of you.\" Who would have thought a casual acquaintance could be so helpful? Everyone out here is doing their best to survive, of course, so should it be so much of a surprise that they help each other? He\'ll offer a smile before looking up at the sky. \"Perhaps I should be getting back, if I am to be out early in the morning. The fishing is best early in the day.\"

\"Oh? I did not know that.\" Cecilia admits, then sighs as if just remembering something. \"I should get to the river. I must wash my hair, Mobeorn got honey in it.\" There\'s disgust in her tone but she brightens again quickly. \"Thank you for inviting us, Hakr. I will find Mogel tomorrow and see what he thinks about going fishing.\"

Hakr nods, bringing a hand up to the brim of his beloved hat. \"Of course. And thank you for your help, Cecilia. I do hope that the two of you will join me some fine day - the season\'s about right for some good fishing.\" Still can\'t quite picture Mogel enjoying it, but why bring that up? With another nod, Hakr will head off towards the south again, whistling a tune as he heads towards home.

\"Good evening, Hakr!\" Ceci calls after him cheerfully, then moves off to the west, towards the river. Whether she is truly happy with the marriage or not, she doesn\'t seem to be letting it ruin her life.