In the summer, I remember

[rowancrowned]

WHO: Thranduil, Legolas, anyone good with a bow or who enjoys the wine on offer.
WHAT: ROOTY TOOTY POINT N SHOOTY ARCHERY CONTEST
WHEN: 8th of Bloomingtide, midmorning until sunset.
WHERE: Valley
NOTES: log for a friendly wager! 

The eighth of Bloomingtide began as a chilly morning; not quite cold enough to leave frost on the budding flowers and fresh-sprouted plants in the heights of Skyhold, but nearly, nearly.

By the time the sun was been in the sky for a few hours, most of the early-morning chill had burned off, leaving a day that promised to be nearly too-hot for those who would be stuck in full-plate and in direct sunlight. Thranduil wasn’t expecting any to come clanking down to his little fete, but had none the less secured a spot in the shade. Varric had apparently found him while he was still working on organizing—the target launchers are set neatly in line with everything else. Along the clay pigeon launchers were the standard, stock targets, blindfolds—and on a table off to the side was a few bottles of sweet wine beside loaves of brown bread and hard cheeses.

The contest did not pretend to be anything other than what it was; a chance to meet, and mingle, and possibly show off archery skills. The purses wrested next to the wine and cheese and Thranduil himself. He had found a chair to rest in while waiting for the contestants to arrive, dressed plainer than he had so far allowed himself to be seen. On his fingers, four rings glittered—but his confidence in Legolas was so absolute, he doubted he would lose even one before the days was out.

Comments

Kas | OTA

[issala]

He knows he's not the best one here, not by a long shot (pun intended), but he wanted to join anyway. Maybe to challenge himself, maybe to show off what he had learned in these months after joining the Inquisition... or maybe just because he could.

Using the bow Korrin gave him (although it had no fire rune) instead of the more sensible one he had gotten from Metaari, it was a clear part of showing off.

Kas doesn't do awfully on stationary targets, but he's not in the top ten since he misses the center a few times. Still, the boy seems proud of his accomplishments.

[gatheringstorm]

As one of those weeded out rather quickly, Korrin doesn't mind since it gives her the chance to observe everyone else. And naturally, she was hoping Kas would be among the participants. That he uses her bow gets a wide grin from her, and she claps and whistles whenever he gets in a good shot.

"Nice one, Kas! Show 'em how it's done!"

[issala]

The teen beams at her, waving a hand. "Did you see that?! I was so close to hitting it that time!"

It seems he doesn't care about being weeded out as well, looking quite proud.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin waves back.

"I did, that was excellent! You're doing damn well, Harding should be proud." And she is too, naturally. If that big smile doesn't give her away, then maybe her bragging about his skill to anyone who listen for the rest of the day and beyond will do it.

[issala]

"I hope so. We'll see when she gets back." He gives a little shrug, trying to hide how excited the thought makes him. She was his idol, after all.

"Do you know who's in the lead? Is Metaari?"

[gatheringstorm]

"I don't know, since it keeps changing. One person said him, another was sure it was Katniss. And that rifter elf archer -Legolas- is pretty incredible, too." She glances around briefly for him, though he's not currently showing off at the moment.

[issala]

"I bet either of them could win. Katniss is pretty good but the elf guy is almost scary." He gives a little shrug, starting to unstring his bow with a little smile.

"This bow is the prettiest one out there, you know."

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin grins at that, naturally tickled that he's using the one she gave him. "Sometime I'll get a rune for you to add to it, but I'm glad you enjoy it as is, too. If any Valo-Kas archers make it here, they'll recognize the design."

[issala]

He grins even wider at that, all pride and happiness. So unlike the angry, desperate and off-putting boy he had been not long ago.

Kas has grown a lot lately.... even if none of it was vertical.

"That would be cool... maybe an ice rune?" That would help with not burning down Skyhold in case he missed, honestly. "Does the offer to join still stand, by the way? When this is... over."

[gatheringstorm]

Hey, the vertical part will happen sooner or later. For now, Korrin's just glad to see Kas growing into himself in another fashion. "An ice rune or a demon-slaying rune, for those moments of rift fuckery. And hell yes, that offer still stands. I don't say what I don't mean, Kas. Besides, once Lena and Taaranda get to know you, it won't just be me doing the vouching."

Lena takes time, but she has no doubt Taaranda is on board with her plan already.

[issala]

He looks happy at that, almost beaming as he puts his bow away with his quiver and walks over to grab some water. "I bet I'd be a good mercenary." Kas says, almost talking to himself. "I'd be part of a kith again. Like back home."

Not that the Inquisition wasn't family, of course... but it wouldn't last forever.

"You... um... got any girls my age in the Valo-Kas?"

[gatheringstorm]

That innocently-asked question gets a chuckle out of Korrin, who grins and tries to restrain herself from teasing too much. She can't blame Kas for having that on his mind, after being surrounded by nothing but herself and a bunch of burly guys, race-wise. "Well, Taaranda's only a couple of years older. She's a real sweetie, too. At least off the battlefield. On it, it's a completely different story."

[issala]

"Taarandra?" He looks a little confused at that. "She's huge. Only a couple of years?" That was pretty amazing, really. Kas isn't sure what to think of the fact that he's tiny and wiry in comparison, though.

His poor male ego.

"...you guys should spar some time. It'd be cool to see a mage, a rogue and a warrior together. Kicking ass Vashoth-style!"

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin simply nods about Taaranda, certain of the silent comparison but obviously not someone who has a problem with significant height differences. If she was, she'd be in serious trouble.

"We definitely have, but I'll make sure you're around sometime for it, alright? We worked often and well together at least partly because of the combo, and I can't wait to see that happen on a mission again. But we're lacking a ranged attacker now." Knight-Enchanter training allows her to be much closer than before, so they'll have to get used to that.

[issala]

Pardon him, he's still imagining three kickass ladies fighting together. It's awesome.

...then he pays attention again when she mentions the next part. "Hey, I'm ranged! I can help!" Genius, really.

[gatheringstorm]

It absolutely is genius, and her grin encourages that. "Exactly. Come with us sometime and show them what you can do with that bow. Especially that one; Valo-Kas design isn't something they'll overlook."

[issala]

It's quite possible that he's going to explode from pride, the way he grins and puffs out his small chest. Valo-kas archer. He would continue to have the worth he desired so badly even after the threat was over.

It's such a relief to him, really. Sometimes he fears having to go back on the streets after Corypheus was defeated, but Korrin had changed that.

He'd still be someone.

"I'm glad I did pretty well, then. Gave them a show and all."

[gatheringstorm]

Don't explode, Kas, that would be messy. But she grins back, proud of how far he's come and happy to take him in as one of her own, officially. He's been unofficially one of hers for a while now.

"You definitely did that, lasted longer than me. But I'd expect that given how hard you train. For me, it'll never be a serious thing and I know it."

Re: Kas | OTA

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss is standing in the back, and when Kas comes off the field, she lifts her fingers in the three finger salute of hunters everywhere, a faint smile on her face. Not bad, not bad at all.

[issala]

Kas has never really been a hunter and just got into the archery thing, but he's seen it used before and throws up a hand in return with a big grin.

"I'll beat you one day!"

[the_effect_she_has]

"Of that, I have no doubt." Katniss stated simply, before she smirked. "But not today, my friend."

[issala]

"Hey, I started this archery stuff less than six months ago and you had a whole life learning it! I bet I'll beat you quickly." He boasts proudly, spinning a few arrows in his hip quiver.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Oh, we'll just see about that." Her smirk deepened at that, before she took out an arrow, spinning it back and forth between her own fingers.

[issala]

"Sure," he says with a smirk. "Let's see if you place in this contest first, so I know what to aim for when I beat you later."

[the_effect_she_has]

She solemnly winked. "Just watch me."