Post by Yngvord Aurvanding on Aug 11, 2013 2:25:40 GMT
Chapter I
Friendship lies first in the South
Friendship lies first in the South
"áfram," called the Aurvanding to his field horse, as he tossed one last stone into the cart, which was beginning to roll forward again toward the other side of the furrowed field. Two of his kin walked in front of him. The younger of the two had nearly reached the rock pile, where they hadagreed to have mid-day meal.
Then, as one Aurvanding to another, the younger called to his elder cousin, who was still walking beside his horse. “Yngvord, give me a ruling will you?” he shouted back, motioning to the stone he had just brought to his shoulder. Yngvord laughed to himself as he walked, then raised his hand into the air, and after a breath or two, brought it sharply down again. That was all the young one needed; He threw himself into a vigorous spin, and after few rotations, tossed the stone from his shoulder. High into the air it went, about 4 heights into the air. Just before it landed, the younger Aurvanding sent another stone into the air in the same manner, then a third, a fourth, a fifth--which went surprisingly higher than the rest--and finally a sixth. By then, Yngvord had nearly reached the rock pile himself, and gave his cousin a sound ruling.
“Four--Five--Four--Three--Seven--Four, for an average of Five and a half in Eleven seconds. Not your highest, but definitely one of your faster attempts." The young Aurvanding laughed in satisfaction, “a bit more power and I’ll be ready” said he.
Yngvord remarked in turn “I think you wise to focus on your speed; the power will come naturally with time, but one should never neglect to focus on control... it is easily lost.”
“of course, of course... I seem to have done alright this time though.” said the younger to the elder, as he looked back at the six stones with a sense of accomplishment.
“Well enough for a line,” replied the elder to the younger, “but lines are at least three times easier than the perfect circle the council will expect... It’s the final reckoning factor that serves to humble those who lack understanding in practice, for strength without control is no strength at all... ...that much at least is self evident, but it makes me glad to see you improving so. I imagine it won’t be much longer before we see you competing in the winter games.” he said with a smile.
“I know, I can hardly wait!” the young one said enthusiastically, stepping aside a bit to lean against the boulder. His ears then alerted him to the voice of his father, toward which he turned and caught the dumpling that had been tossed his way. He casually relayed the morsel to his elder cousin, who suddenly put out his hand to catch it.
Surprise swiftly overtook Yngvord, when he saw his long awaited lunch bounce out of his grasp. It was falling--no------
Snatch... ...He’d taken it back before the ground could, though he’d wound up on his back in doing so. “Ho-whoahoho--oop!” began the young one in amazement, before his own dumpling hit him in the shoulder for lack of turning round to catch it himself. Yngvord had seen as much coming, having quickly pulled off his shoulder cape, and thrown it on the ground against the stone to keep anything so delicous from getting soiled.
“By thunder! You saved them both! What a feat cousin Yngvord; would that I could act as swiftly at a moment’s notice."
Yngvord chuckled as he sat up, turning at last to say. “Put yourself in a position of greater responsibility, and you may find yourself learning that, as well a good many other things, out of necessity--this one nearly got away from me.” he gestured, tapping the dumpling lightly with his finger.
“How does one go about learning it though?”
"Hmm... I suppose, simply by living, and, at that, living with aim to learn. Experience is usually the best teacher, strict as it may be. It’s lessons are memorable, and favor the diligent. If you’d like to get a head-start though, I recommend you try and improve your ability to anticipate the unexpected as well as the expected. Beyond that, it’s all about resourcefulness, limited only by the mind of the individual... Just like it says in that one proverb. How did it go again uncle?” He said as he turned slightly. “Would you happen to know it? The one that speaks of the locks of fate. Do you remember?”
“Most of it, but not all. Give me a moment.” came the reply behind the two, as they watched their respectable elder redirect his thoughts. “I have it” he said before too long. “And of the means of your mind, increase well both Cleverness and Foresight, perchance to use them together, to pick through the locks of fate.
“Aye, that was it, many thanks uncle... To put that to you more simply cousin, using Foresight, one can see his future, while, using Cleverness, one can change his future, before it happens.” Yngvord then raised his eyebrows and began enjoying his well-earned lunch.
“So that’s it then?"... The young one asked rhetorically, turning his head to stare at the horizon ..."the concept seems so simple... ...though I imagine it proves difficult to apply.”
His father spoke again, having just finished a few more sips of mead, “There is yet another dynamic... that of greatness. Add greatness to cleverness, and it is possible for one to change his future even as it happens.”
The two youths thought on these words as they heard them, letting their eyes wander near, far, and about each-other, as they understood why they were true. Then their elder continued, “You can call me an old fart for saying so, but if you want proof, I’d say you needn’t look any further than that dumpling in your hand.”
Yngvord did so as he fought back a chuckle or two. Laughing and eating never seemed to mix very well for him, but his uncle’s words echoed in his mind with a sound verity. Yngvord then met the gaze of his cousin, pointed at his uncle twice, and tapped his nose the same number, tilting his head and shrugging with another muffled chuckle--which proved itself a might contagious.
"It was a great catch, said the younger with a laugh."
A peaceful silence prevailed afterwards, until the three of them gradually noticed the coming of a lone rider, approaching them from greater area of the house on the one side of the field. The rider began to slow his pace, and Yngvord had all but recognized him by now; A silent sigh of familiarity escaped him, as the rider came to a stop.
“Brother!” the rider called to Yngvord. “The High Council have called a meeting. There is word from the Band of the Hawk, to the south.”