[open]

[katabasis]

WHO: Wysteria Poppell, Flint, & U
WHAT: Catch-all for Kingsway
WHEN: Throughout the month - backtagged and forward dated to your heart's content.
WHERE: Kirkwall, various
NOTES: Wildcards welcome; let me know if you want some specific and I'll pull something together for us.

[Starters are in ye olde subthreads.]

Comments

[onlyhymns]

As frightening and as exhausting as they can be, heavy talkers are actually some of Cade's favorite people, because not being able to get a word in edgewise translates to him as not being required to speak. He could stand in silence and be rambled at all day, and it would be a good day, as long as the attention isn't on him.
But then she asks a question and ruins it.

"Oh-- uh--" Caught off-guard. "I did all right." He clears his throat. "...it was nice."

[heirring]

"Really, you must be more descriptive. I've never been to a tournament, grand or otherwise, and honestly can hardly imagine it. What kind of competitions are there? Archery, obviously. And swords, I expect. Oh! There must be horses. Is it racing or fighting from the saddle. Now races I have seen, actually. There's one every year in Clarmere. Which of course you won't know at all, but suffice to say it's always quite the to do."

Not to worry Cade, she clearly only requires a word or two of encouragement with which to carry on the conversation.

*SWEATS AUDIBLY*

[onlyhymns]

Though she asks a question, she then blows right past Cade's opportunity to answer, which would suit him fine if it didn't mean he's constantly opening and closing his mouth in trying to keep up.
When it seems the woman has finally taken a real pause, he carefully ventures, "...there's a joust."

R i p cade

[heirring]

Here she lights up like the sun, attention suddenly rapt rather than rambling.

"A joust! With armor and great monstrous lances, you mean?"

[onlyhymns]

He's alarmed, but gives a small, timid nod. Oh Maker he didn't anticipate this

[heirring]

She inches closer to the edge of the crate she's sitting on, lacing her fingers together in her lap. It's a very prim way of sitting - all straight backed and riveted -, not unlike a child in lessons waiting for instruction.

"How perfectly wonderful. Do you know anyone who competed? Oh, and you must describe the mounts. I've seen quite a few completely wild animals in the Inquisition stables; are they allowed in the joust, or is it only meant for horses? I imagine the difference in size and shape between them might present some added difficulty for the whole thing--"

She gasps, equal parts appalled and delighted: "--Were there a great many injuries?"

[onlyhymns]

"I--" suddenly anxious, "--well I did. Um. The Inquisition didn't do very well." A faint smile, his face growing quite red. "We only used horses, just... regular horses for the most p--"

Injuries... probably.

"...just, um, the kind you'd expect." Bruised ribs, hairline fractures, destroyed egos.

[heirring]

"So horrible crushed ribs and splinters the length of my arm." She gestures for emphasis, bright with good cheer over the mental image of someone being driven from their saddle from the blow of a lance end.

How fantastically dramatic.

[onlyhymns]

Cade looks a little queasy.
"Sure," he admits, deciding to let her have this, if it means she'll stop prying. He personally just got bruised up, but the thought of the other suggestions is not a pleasant one.
"...nobody was killed," he helpfully adds.

[heirring]

Here her macabre interest evidently stops. Her lips purse thin; nose wrinkling. "Of course not. That would be appalling."

Let's steer hard away from the topic of corpses, shall we? Perhaps back to the original topic at hand? She clears her throat, looks to the targets at the end of the range, and brushes some dust from her skirt. When she flicks her attention back to Cade, she's intent once more.

"Where did you learn to shoot? If I might be so bold as to ask."

[onlyhymns]

Oh, all right. Well at least ...this leg of the conversation has concluded. Cade isn't entirely sure why he's still standing here, apart from being terrified to go anywhere else while a lady is talking to him.
"My, um. My father taught me," he replies, "when I was little." That's something he hasn't thought about in ages.

[heirring]

"Oh, that's lovely." And she does sound perfectly charmed by it. What a nice thing to learn from a father. A very sensible, reasonable skill. It makes her think very briefly on her grandfather and the sort of man he'd been when she was still small and everyone thought her mother might yet have a son. Now those had been golden days indeed.

"Did you grow up on a farm? Or near a forest? Or were your lessons purely extracurricular?"

Apparently she's loathe to let him escape back to his practice. Not just yet.

[onlyhymns]

"Um... near a forest," Cade replies, abruptly wishing the conversation hadn't taken this turn, but... here they are. "But mostly, um. Extracurricular." For the brief amount of time he even spent with his family, anyway.

[heirring]

"How nice. I'm in a very similar position myself, actually. My family's house is rather near a wood and my grandfather taught me something of shooting when I was a girl. An entirely different kind, of course. I've never met an archer before. It's exceptionally romantic."

Don't worry Cade, she's clearly loathe to linger on any particular point.

"Do you find it relaxing? I've always found sport to be very soothing."

[onlyhymns]

Cade has a hard enough time talking to women as it is-- including the woman he lives with-- and the last thing he needs is one of them calling anything he does romantic. His face flushes a bright red, and he drops his gaze with a little nod, willing her with all his might to just let him go back to practicing.
Yeah, soothing. Totally relaxing. It's great

[heirring]

"How wonderful. It's so important to have hobbies one can relax with. I've find I like a good, brisk walk now and again. Best if it's done in a wood or along a road where no one at all is likely to interrupt. I do my best thinking when left alone with my thoughts and allowed to charge about without any company whatsoever. Time for one's self without the obligation of entertaining anyone is so very gratifying."

She's relentless. And viciously oblivious, apparently.

[onlyhymns]

"Mm," Cade agrees, growing more anxious by the millisecond. Yes, alone time is very important. Quiet time. Without a battery of questions from a terrifyingly chipper stranger.
His hands twitch on his bow, really wanting to start again, but not daring to be so rude.

[heirring]

"I'm so glad we agree. It's always a relief to find a kindred spirit," she says, quite cheerfully and then - miraculously or nightmarishly - lapses abruptly into a clearly expectant silence. She gives him an encouraging smile.

[onlyhymns]

A long, painfully awkward pause, a stilted and uncomfortable nod from Cade, and he doesn't answer otherwise. Just Let Him Die

[heirring]

It stretches on, spinning outward for a long, torturous beat as Wysteria sits there with her hands folded in her lap until eventually her smile begins to droop just slightly at the corners. Eventually, she clears his throat and glances back toward the target at the end of the range.

"Well. I suppose I should let you get back to it, shouldn't I?"

[onlyhymns]

Cade nods rapidly. Maker, yes. Please. Free him

[heirring]

Wysteria lingers there, blinking and waiting. Will he not return to his study? Is he waiting for her to say something? After a moment, she offers:

"It was very nice meeting you--oh!"

She thrusts her hand out at him. "Excuse me. I've been awfully rude. I can only hope you'll forgive me. I'm Miss Poppell."

[onlyhymns]

Though alarmed by the sudden outburst, Cade at least understands it, and tentatively takes her hand to shake it. "Cade Harimann," he replies quietly. He'd invite her to stop by for archery lessons, but she is terrifying.

[heirring]

"It's my very sincere pleasure, Messr Harimann. Thank you so much for being such lovely company." That's-- not entirely true, but it's a very kind white lie. He had mostly answered all her questions, and what more can she really ask for?

"Please, don't let me keep you any longer from your practice. I'll sit here very quietly and only watch for a few minutes more if you don't mind."