Briseis (spoil_of_war) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2012-06-23 07:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | briseis, deirdre of the sorrows |
Who: Deirdre of the Sorrows and Briseis
What: Teaching archery and gossiping
When: Wednesday
Where: Catskills
Warnings: TBD
When Briseis had said she wanted lessons, Deirdre had made a day out of it. There were plenty of practice areas in New York, but she found it best to learn in the forest. That and she needed the silent tranquility the forest offered. She'd had a migraine nibbling at the corners of her head for days and if she was to attend classes she couldn't let it control her. The forest always helped.
She'd also found one of her lightest bows, knowing that drawing one was always the hardest thing to learn. So when they had arrived at the small clearing she'd unpacked the bows and arrows, checking the arrows out of habit. She still made them herself, but took advantage of the newer arrow heads she could buy. After that she put up her hair and smiled to her friend, giving her the light bow. "Here, try drawing it back without arrows first. Get used to how that feels."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-23 11:17 pm (local) (link) Track This
Briseis had been looking forward to this, to their chance to get out of the city together, just the two of them. Even without the learning of a new and interesting skill it was a good day.
She took the bow from Deirdre was a smile and lifted it, holding it as though it were all ready to fire and working on pulling back on the taut cord. Briseis had strong arms but it was a different sort of movement than she was used to making and she smiled over at Deirdre as she practised. "Are we going to catch our own dinner tonight then?"
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-24 12:11 am (local) (link) Track This
"If we get lucky, maybe. No offense but you aren't used to this. Practicing and actually using it to hunt are completely different things. But I know there's deer around here so we'll try." She offered Briseis an arrow, "try and hit the tree. Here." She walked over to her friend to help her with her stance before stepping back.
"I learned this out of spite. I was supposed to learn how to play a harp, but I have no skill with instruments. And my foster mother said I shouldn't, as it wasn't fitting for a future queen." Sighing she rolled her eyes. "I would have made a terrible queen."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-24 10:58 am (local) (link) Track This
"Well, I was thinking all the catching things would be up to you," Briseis grinned at Deirdre. "If I even manage to fire this thing today I'll consider it an accomplishment." she frowned at the arrow as she put it against the bow the ways she'd seen it done in movies. "How do I, uh, load this thing? Like this? It's kind of awkward."
She smiled brightly at Deirdre's sigh and said, "terrible queens unite. Thank god for our special brand of time travel"
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-24 04:44 pm (local) (link) Track This
She moved behind Briseis and set her hands over her friends. "Put the end of the arrow b in your fingers and let the head rest over your other hand. Don't try firing it yet. Just draw it back a few times." She showed Briseis how to load the arrow before stepping back.
As Briseis practiced she looked for tracks. "Well if I find anything I'll see. I didn't prepare to bring something home. I'm glad you seem well today though. I worry."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-24 06:46 pm (local) (link) Track This
She let Deirdre's hands guide her own and did as the Irish woman told her, practicing the movements instead of actually shooting the arrow.
"It's nice to be out of the city," Briseis agreed with a small frown, both of concentration and of her mind now wandering elsewhere. "There's so many complications there, all the time. It's nice just to breathe", you know what I mean?"
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-24 07:07 pm (local) (link) Track This
She watched Briseis but didn't interfere. She knew she hated it when people kept correcting her and not allowing her to figure it all out by herself.
"All too well," although her complication had a name and a face. "I love the forest. Often I just want to run to it and hide as I did before, but I'd rather not give Conchobar the knowledge he drove me off again. He's back to steaming hot air, making vague threats." She shook her head, "Perseus has mentioned next time Conchobar bothers me, my ex may not be walking away." She smiled to that, "it's nice to know."
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sickness has left me and returned my brain yay!
[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-28 01:16 am (local) (link) Track This
"He's a pain in the ass," Briseis said, scowling at the thought of that man who had hurt her so badly. "As much as I feel weird around Greek hero types, I'm glad Perseus is around." She smiled over at Deirdre. "Besides," she added with a knowing smile, "you two are pretty adorable together."
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WOO YAY!
[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-28 01:23 am (local) (link) Track This
She sighed and went to straighten her friend a bit more, "bend your arm a bit, and you have no idea. I still don't understand his reasoning. I mean, who looks at a baby and decides 'I wish to marry her'." With a shake of her head she stepped back, "try firing."
She blushed then, "oh hush." She gave a softer smile then, "he loves me you know. Told me so a few weeks back. I didn't expect to feel so happy, but I do and if you let me I'm going to babble."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-28 01:39 am (local) (link) Track This
"Olden days men with their fantastically romantic ideas of marriage, that's who," Briseis said with a grumble. She was ancient Greek. If there was one thing the ancient Greeks looked down on it had been having actual affection for your wife. That was seen as a sign of a man being not quite right in the head.
Briseis pulled back the bow and fired, aiming for the tree. But instead it didn't go very far at all, shooting not that quickly into the earth five or six feet from where she stood. "Oh, I'm excellent at this!" Briseis chirped, grinning at her friend.
When Deirdre talked of love Briseis smiled, bright and genuine. "Please babble," she told her. "I love seeing you like this."
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-28 02:11 am (local) (link) Track This
"You cannot expect perfection on the first try. Keep at it. Practice is good for you." She then sighed to the previous comment. "I don't understand. He married before, and after. It was just because I was unattainable I suppose." She shrugged, "he knew the prophecy, I did not. And yet I'm to blame. Explain that one."
She ducked her head to the compliment. "I never figured any relationship of mine could work. I do come with a curse. But he did not walk away. He's stayed and defends me from Conchobar. And I know you'll say I can do it myself but I tend to freeze around him. Conchobar brings out the worst in me. And I do like being defended."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-28 02:15 am (local) (link) Track This
"Fucking patricachy," Briseis muttered as she drew back another arrow. This one she managed to fire properly and although it didn't come close to hitting her target Briseis whooped and laughed. "Yes!"
Briseis herself hated the idea of being defended, but she wasn't going to say that Deirdre had to. She wanted only what would make Deirdre happy. She chewed on the inside of her lip, picking up another arrow. "Do you know..." Briseis wasn't sure how to approach this subject but she'd thought about it a lot. "Does Perseus ever talk about his wife?"
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-28 02:31 am (local) (link) Track This
She laughed to the hit, "well that's the trick it seems. Get you angry enough." She smirked, "try for as long as you like. If you feel tired, don't push it. This takes time, and we both have plenty of that."
She shook her head, "sometimes yes. Not much, but he speaks of her. I looked it all up. She is his first love, his deepest love. Sometimes I feel jealous but I remind myself it's silly. You know I've talked myself into letting him go back to her if she shows up. I would never want to put him between the two of us, and by far she's the one with the most history with him." She shrugged and looked down, "strangely I wouldn't go back to Naoise though. What me and him had, it was mostly lust combined with teenage rebellion. I love him, but I'm not in love with him. Not like I am with Perseus."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-28 02:38 am (local) (link) Track This
"Pretend the tree is some bastard warrior, yeah," Briseis said, aiming again. She missed once more but that was okay. It was about learning to fire right now, not about hitting her target.
She watched Deirdre and when the other woman finished speaking Briseis gave her a small sympathetic smile. "I hope Andromeda stays gone then." She reached out and squeezed Deirdre's hand.
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-28 03:04 am (local) (link) Track This
She grinned, "it's how I learned. Then I learned how to fell animals out of necessity. Perhaps soon I'll take you on a hunting trip. It'll be fun, especially with the weather turning better."
She smiled to the squeeze, "perhaps it's selfish but so do I. Either way, enough about me. How about you? What's up with you?"
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-28 06:51 pm (local) (link) Track This
"I think it's more likely I'll end up only catching air, but I'm willing to come and watch the master at work." She'd never really been hunting or all that into the idea, but if they ate what they caught then what was the harm in it? The animal would have led a better life and met a more humane death than most of the steaks she relished.
"Selfish is okay," Briseis told her with a little smile. "Everyone needs to be a little selfish sometimes." She raised the bow again to aim as Deirdre asked her question and considered how much to say. She fired and once again missed the tree, before letting the bow fall to her side and saying, "I slept with Achilles." She sighed. "I really really shouldn't have."
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-29 04:44 pm (local) (link) Track This
She laughed then, "heavens I'm hardly a master. I just know a few things. I just like camping a few times. Takes me away from the noise of the city."
She tilted her head at the confession and went to her friend, setting her hand on Briseis' shoulder. "mind if I asked what happened?" The thing between her and Achilles seemed complicated, at best, and Deirdre didn't fully understand it. She was willing to listen though.
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-29 11:21 pm (local) (link) Track This
"The city does get deafening," Briseis agreed. She enjoyed all those people, but sometimes she longed for simpler and quieter days.
Briseis sighed. "He needed comfort, I needed comfort and... it just happened." She frowned, looking at Deirdre. "I love him, I do. I mean, my entire life story is 'the girl who loved Achilles' but it's more complicated than that now. I've found a place in this world and it's made me different, stronger than I was then. We don't fit anymore. I'd honestly probably have to kill him if we were involved like that now." She shrugged, unsure of what else to say.
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-30 12:57 am (local) (link) Track This
With a half smile she squeezed Briseis' shoulder before giving her a hug. She kept it for a moment before drawing back, "I understand. You're not in love with him." She shrugged, "I can't say much else there. These things, they're often confusing. Just avoid him for a while I suppose."
Smiling she shook her head, "this is from the girl who runs away from her problems though. I wish I knew what to say. Other then I ought to meet this Achilles. I don't think I have."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-31 12:55 am (local) (link) Track This
Briseis smiled at her. "He's a good man. Stuck in his ways, but a good man none the less. I think you'd like him." She raised her bow again. "I don't know how to tell Patroclus though. It gets more complicated there. Pat has all these feelings for Achilles and it's just... all so messy."
She fired and managed to hit the tree - right at the edge but Briseis still considered it a hit and grinned.
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-31 01:14 am (local) (link) Track This
She shrugged, "as long as he's nothing like my ex, I'm sure I'll like him. And regardless of your pasts, he is important to you. I want to befriend him for that alone." She sighed, "he told me. It is messy. Just tell them. Be honest."
She grinned at the hit, "there you go! Now don't shoot at me while I get these arrows."
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[info]spoil_of_war
2012-05-31 05:34 am (local) (link) Track This
Briseis watched Deirdre go to get the arrows and then said. "I love you." She smiled to the other woman. "I feel like I don't tell you that enough, or that you've made my whole life better just by being around."
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[info]depthofsorrow
2012-05-31 06:04 am (local) (link) Track This
She smiled to the words and walked back to her friend, offering another hug. "As I love you. Trust me, I would be so lost without you." With a sigh she let Briseis go. "Fate was kind to let us meet"