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

[fightingdirty]

Of course she is. Korrin deserves all the support. She's pretty much the only person who Lena thinks does, save her parents, maybe.

She continues drinking from her mug before leaning back on one hand and stretching out her long legs. Watching the competition, she lets out various murmurs or whistles at a particularly good shot. She's pretty good with a bow herself, but she's never liked fighting at a distance. And she likes sneaking up behind animals when hunting before stabbing them. Besides, she never shows off her skills in front of people, because people are nosy fucks who think doing it out in the open is asking for critique.

"Shit, that guy's good," she says out loud at one point. It's not said to the man beside her, but just in general.

[onlyhymns]

If he only knew her opinion on practicing in public, he'd actually agree wholeheartedly. But alas, he only knows Lena by her sudden loud, invasive presence, and his mood darkens with the more noise she makes.
He scoots away from her a bit, trying to put some distance between them so he can watch the tournament in peace.

[fightingdirty]

The scooting away catches her notices, because what doesn't, really? She's a rogue; she's always checking things out. But Lena is hardly offended. It leaves more space for her, doesn't it? She continues to lounge back on her hand, drinking until the mug is empty and she sets it on the ground against the straw bale. If she was a decent person, she'd take it back up to the tavern once the competition is over, but no, this is its new home now.

Even once Korrin is eliminated, she stays to watch the rest. She's vaguely interested in seeing who takes the whole thing.

[onlyhymns]

Cade follows the mug's path to the ground, as it infringes on more of his space, but he tries to pick his battles. He just rolls his eyes and looks forward again, trying to pay attention even if he can't stop thinking how uncomfortable he is with this woman beside him.

[fightingdirty]

The contrast is like night and day. A human man seated with a frown, looking like there's a stray piece of hay working its way through his pants for how uncomfortable he is, versus a Vashoth woman looking at ease, legs stretched out and amusement in her eyes as she watches her best friend leave the field.

The one good thing about this scenario? Lena doesn't yet know that Cade is on Korrin's shit list, hence he isn't on Lena's either. And because she's lazy, she doesn't bother poking at him to see what's got him so pissy. Maybe it's the horns, maybe he just has issues. It's really not a big deal to her.