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

Cyril Ashara OTA

[samahl]

Cyril has a bow and arrows, but he hasn't signed up for the competition. Honestly, he's far more curious about watching other people and cheering on his favorites. There's also a part of him that's so curious about Thranduil and Legolas. He has a strong attachment to Galadriel and he honestly can't imagine how he'll feel seeing or meeting even more elves like her.

Honestly, he wasn't prepared for just the sight of the two of them. The first time he had seen Galadriel he had felt his body filled with this strange sense of loss and longing. With father and son duo, its a much more familiar sense of longing.

So, despite his usual confidence, Cyril stays away from them for the most part. Instead, he's with the crowd watching the contest and waiting to see who wins.

[el_tybs]

There is a clear look of distraction on Cyril's face when Sam finds the elf. So this was what it was like when Cyril was completely distracted, as he's mentioned before. For a time Sam just stands there behind him, considering, before he eventually leans in a bit closer.

"Cyril," he says from behind, his voice of normal volume.

[samahl]

Cyril turns at the sound of his name and then adopts a very casual smile. It's easier to focus on Sam, even if his stomach does flip a bit at the sight of him. "Hello handsome," he says. "Did you come to see the contest?"

[el_tybs]

At the compliment he huffs a bit in amusement, lips curling up into a slow but wide smile, straightening up just a little bit. "Why hello to you, too. I did as a matter of fact." His eyes glance out over to the contestants before looking back at Cyril. "It seemed like a fun event to be at."

[samahl]

Cyril chuckles a bit. "A lot of Dalish hunters have contests like this, when there's not much else to do. It is always fun."

[el_tybs]

"Honestly this is the first time I'm watching an archery contest." Didn't have much of that in the Circle and this is the first time the Inquisition is doing one. "Ellana was suggesting one for mages, but that might be a little harder."

[samahl]

"Oh, you could throw fireballs. Fireballs are exciting."

[el_tybs]

"Fireballs would be a thing. I think we'd have to do more contests about speed though since it isn't that hard to hit a target once you know how." A pause then a laugh. "That and we might need a lot more targets in order to replace the burnt ones."

[samahl]

"I think that might be a wonderful idea. It would help show people you have control of your magic as well... Provided there were no accidents."

[el_tybs]

If there was no accidents. "I'm sure if such a thing came to happen we would have mages on the side to prevent wayward spells."

[samahl]

"Right. So we make sure there are fail safes and plan Bs. It would be fun."

[el_tybs]

"Suppose it could be something we suggest to the Mage Council and the Advisors then."

[samahl]

"I'd help with that, if you needed someone who wasn't a mage to be excited about it."

[el_tybs]

"That would probably help," he says with a chuckle. "Having non mages asking for it to happen as well would certainly make it sound more popular."

[samahl]

"Once we figure out a bit, I can make flyers for it and post it around the castle."

[el_tybs]

Flyers. He hadn't even thought that far. "I won't stop you if you want to do that. I'm sure a number of mages would like to sign up. We might have to consider different levels for like beginners."

[samahl]

Cyril nods. "Or different games for different types of magic? It can't all be fireballs."

[el_tybs]

"There is only fireballs." He's joking. "Different tiers with different magic. Wouldn't be fair for some of the younger students to take on an experienced caster. Could probably have ice sculpting as one." Adelaide would like that.

[samahl]

"That or you could put a target on the ground and use lightening? Similar to how you'd do with a fireball only the target isn't across from you?" He seems to be pretty taken with the idea. "That one might need a safety zone around it though. I wouldn't want anyone accidentally shocked."

[el_tybs]

"We'll probably need a safety zone for all of it. Even practiced mages can have issues if someone decides they're just going to go where ever they want." Seeing how Cyril is getting pretty excited by all this it makes Sam smile. "Maybe you should write some ideas down when you get them. Ask people what they'd like to see or suggest. I'll do the same."

[samahl]

"I will," he says. "It would be fun. We'll have to see how many people would be interested in it. And we should talk to the Rifters about their magic and see if they want to join."

[parkourprince]

And sometimes actual avoidance, this inadvertent effort to stay away, drew the attention much more than anything else would. Legolas took his time observing everyone, and few — if any at all — escaped his notice. And in the most natural fashion he wound up gravitation towards most everyone of interest to him, one way or another. The competition was still going and his attention was divided, but easily so, between the shots and the folk he spoke with or... sought out.

"Why not take part, for the fun of it alone?" The bow this elf held, after all, was difficult not to notice, yet Legolas had not seen him among the competitors.

[samahl]

When Legolas come to him, Cyril felt a odd twist in his chest that was similar enough to the one he felt whenever Galadriel approached him. Similar, yes, but still different enough to notice.

"And why do that when watching you is fun all on its own," he replied, and with any other man it would have had a tinge of lewdness, a hint of something sensual. With Legolas though, there's awe instead. It's just a tinge though, he's not ready to make a complete fool of himself. "You're from the same realm as Lady Galadriel, are you not? The way she speaks of the skill of your archers is bound to make anyone curious."

[parkourprince]

Realm as known to the folk of Thedas, indeed, but it was all a touch more complicated than that. All the same, Legolas didn't think it was the right place or time to get into the matters. The history of elves on Arda was long, and not the most pleasant either, and most certainly not a subject for the very fist conversation with someone.

"We both call Arda our home, indeed, and my father as well," he said with the ever present smile, not glancing away to seek for Thranduil among the crowd. He knew where he would find him, and without doubt if this elf recognised him — after a fashion — then he would know who he was talking about just as well. Here or anywhere, Thranduil made for a striking figure, easy to pick out.

"Had I known the Lady Galadriel had spoken of the ability of my kin, I would have entered the contest myself to prove it to all," if there was one thing in all the world he knew he could count on — besides Thranduil — it was his own skill with the bow and arrow; his shots always flew true, his aim never faltered, and so Legolas spoke with easy pride and certainty. "Alas, we had thought it to be terribly unfair to offer a game where the end result were to be set from the very beginning."

[samahl]

The boast might have annoyed someone else, but for Cyril it just came off as exceptionally charming. "Oh? I like a man who understands his own talents," he said, flirting a bit before he could stop himself.

He also didn't seek out Thranduil when Legolas spoke of him. His attention was so focused on Legolas himself. He let himself enjoy those cheek bones, for one.

"As for myself, I've been focusing a bit more on building traps and other devices. You don't happen to have any tips do you?"