Satele Shan (blood_of_revan) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-05-14 00:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, rowanne, satele shan |
"Perhaps I ought to do a lecture on modern misconceptions.."
Who: Satele Shan and Rowanne
What: Discussing medieval lectures and really, really unexpected sparks
Where: UC Irvine and then a coffee shop
When: Today
Status: Complete!
Rating: PG
Satele thought she'd made a good choice in her guest lecturer today. The woman seemed to know what she was talking about, which was rare for reinactors.
Rowanne was currently demonstrating the weak points on a suit of armor and actually strapping a replica onto a student as she spoke. She was now moving toward the bottom of the armor as she spoke. "Now, when a warrior needed to do his business, but was in the middle of the field, what was he gonna do?" she asked the class, then moved to demonstrate a small hole built into the armor. "If he was rich or could afford it, that wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, if he wasn't..." she let that thought trail off.
Satele covered up a snicker with her mouth at the assorted reactions of the students. That was a good point that few people ever actually brought up!
Rowanne let the students have their reaction before moving on. "Now, let's talk about those women in their skin tight, chainmail bikinis. NOT a very good idea for marching out onto the field..." she pressed on in the demonstration and, honnestly, she couldn't shut up once she had gotten started. She couldn't help it. Some things were in the blood or something.
Not a good idea, but a lot of fun. Satele nodded along as Rowanne talked. She was hitting all the best points. It was impressive! She interjected a few times in order to clarify things in a way her students could understand.
Rowanne nodded, and explained most of the points a little further as they came up and Satele clarified. Mostly this had to do with technical terms and such, or other major things. Either way, she was really enjoying herself here, and looked pretty at home.
Once class was dismissed, Satele gathered up her things, "Would you like to get some coffee? I'd like to discuss some of your finer points." She had no idea how that actually sounded.
Rowanne blinked a little, but, no, that probably didn't mean what she thought it meant, and smiled. "I would love to, actually. I hardly ever get the chance to talk about this sort of thing."
"Excellent!" The brit clapped her hands together, picking up her pack, "Come with me then, Rowanne. I know just the place!"
Rowanne slung a backpack over her shoulders as the last of the students filed out and she'd packed everything away. "Sounds great." She agreed cheerfully.
Two of the students snickered as they walked out. Teacher has a daaaaate. Oblivious, Satele led Rowanne out of the lecture room, and down the hall, "That was an excellent point, with regard to armor weight."
"Well, thanks." Rowanne followed along. "Learned that one the hard way I'm afraid." she added a llittle ruefully, and rubbed the back of her neck in memory of the moment.
"Oh? Well now I'm curious and you'll have to spill all the beans."
"Well," Rowanne smiled at her. "I'd practiced in padded armor before, gotten to where I thought I was a fair hand with the sword. But then, they put the real stuff on me. Real replica anyway. That was a bit of a nasty shock." she shook her head, grinning. "I must have knocked into the entire group that day."
"People always assume knights were slow moving and awkward. That a big sword was unweildy. But they trained for it. I've seen people recreate the proper fighting styles." She smiled, "They're fast, and the real power of a claymore is momentum and speed."
"Definitely." Rowanne is nodding. "Once you're used to it, well, you start to see it. Not that I could hoist a claymore I don't think. I'm typically a bastard sword myself." She smiled back.
"I prefer swordstaffs and the like myself." She walked out of the building, leading the other woman to her car. She drove an Audi A6 in impeccable silver.
"Really now? Sounds impressive." Rowanne perked with interest. "For very long?"
Satele unlocked the car, and opened the door for Rowanne before walking to the other side, "I was attending a lecture and picked one up. It sort of came naturally to me."
"Sounds amazing." Rowanne slipped in and smiled, appreciating the car. "Nice ride, by the way. I haven't tried anything like a sword staff myself just yet. Well, at some point I would like to learn to joust a bit but not quite yet."
"I like it. It gives me reach without some of the disadvantages of spears. It has its own, of course.." Satele shrugged and smiled at her again, "There's a reality show about that."
"There IS." Rowanne agreed. "I admit I sort of liked the gingery guy best. He seemed to know the horses really well." Which was obviously important. "Me, well, still getting to know the beasties just a bit better. And yeah the reach. That'd be important." She personally favored more of a speed approach for her smaller size but pole arms were an option too.
Satele grined, nodding her head, "Its dangerous. Do you think you can do it?" Historically it was a sport that women did not particularly participate in. She wouldn't mind seeing that change.
"It would depend on the horse I think." Rowanne said, thoughtfully. "I get up on the wrong one, definitely not. But one that knows what they're doing, at least at first, well, I hope so someday."
"Well you have my morale support, if nothing else." The coffee shop wasn't far, and she was able to park close, "Perhaps I ought to do a lecture on modern misconceptions.."
"That could be really interesting." Rowanne nodded. "There's so much,. well, fantasy that they've thrown in. And well, it's not because the real thing was any less boring but...just..different. You should see what some of our cooks are finding."
"Do tell!" Satele orders some coffee and took a seat to wait.
"Well, at our last event, they were experimenting with new sauces, pretty heavily spiced." Rowanne explained. "Things you would not even THINK included with the meats. And they worked really well."
"Tell me about your events?" Satele looked and sounded very curious.
"Well, it depends on what we're doing and when. Usually I fight in tournaments, but there are workshops and classes too, and you can sit in on most of them and learn just about anything you'd like to know. We worked on texttiles at a meeting last month..." And she was off explaining about learning how to card wool and spin.
It was utterly fascinating to Satele, "Perhaps I could sit in on one."
"We'd love to have you come." Rowanne bounced a little in her seat. "We like new people, and with your experiences, you'd be welcome."
"It might be fun. I don't get enough fun." She tapped the edge of her coffee cup, "Too busy."
"Oh I bet. As awesome as all of this is, I couldn't imagine just teaching and researching forever. People like me appreciate that sort of thing but, I don't know." she admitted, frowning thoughtfully. "Maybe it's that I don't have the patience."
"You had more than enough patience today, Rowanne!" She reached over and squeezed her hands, "You're an excellent lecturer!"
Rowanne was a little surprised at the squeezeing and all, but she also found it was nice in a way. "Well thanks. I just sort of...did what felt natural. Went with the questions most people have and well, built it from there, you know?"
"That's what makes a good teacher," She assured her. "I was nervous myself, before I went into teaching. But its a lot more fun than business."
"Business sounds..." she wrinkled her nose. "For some reason, I couldn't picture you there, no." There was something about the woman that wouldn't fit her mental images as that was concerned.
"Family business. I'm fortunate in that they let me follow another dream. I just need them to live forever." She winked at the other woman. She did look like she belonged on a field somewhere with a glowstick weapon and her hair braided out of the way.
There WAS something of the romantic about her, yes, Rowanne thought, and she liked the idea. It would be great to see her with a weapon in her hands somehow. "well there's a relief then. For now at least."
Satele laughed, "What I've always wanted to do was some field work, but its not so easy to break in, and I'm content where I am. Although if a position opened up at my alma mater I'd take it in a heartbeat."
"And where was that?" Rowanne smiled. "Here or...I did notice the accent." She quite liked British accents too, if they were genuine. They just felt...right to her or something. Comfortable. Not that she could pin down why.
"Oxford," She replied, with not a little pride, a slight blush on her face.
"Congratulations." Rowanne was clearly awed by the look on her face. "That must be really something. No wonder you're so well detailed and thorough." She was going to have to look up some of her work someday.
"Well it runs in the family." She nodded her head, "Listen to me, bragging. Where did you go to school?"
"Well, actually just high school for me." Rowanne admitted. "Well, the fire academy. I've just graduated." she added. "Everything I've learned about, well medieval things comes from these events."
"Really?" Both of her eyebrows went way, way up, "How would you like a little personal tutoring?"
"Personal tutoring? I'd...really like that actually."
"You have a lot of potential and practical experience, I think we can refine that." Satele found herself wanting to get to know the woman better.
"And you seem like somebody I could really get along with." Rowanne was beaming now. "Same interests, but different applications. Combined...incredible."
"Combined we would be incredible." Satele laughed, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"And could do almost ANYTHING." Rowanne laughed a little, imagining the possibilities. "But provided we take over the world, I want an Island chain as part of my claim."
"An island chain? Tropical? Or some other climate?" Satele tilted her head, like this question was somehow important.
"Well," Rowanne took a few minutes to really think this out. "Just somewhere where the nice despot can escape to when things get too intense, you know?" Of course, her intense, and other people's intense were very different things.
Satele laughed, her eyes crinkling, "And whats intense for you?"
"Well, now let's see. Intense in that scenario, probably along the lines of Napoleon leading a string of panzers armed to the teeth and with, maybe wild animal escapees."
"You have an usual definition of intense, Rowanne. I believe my students would call you hardcore."
"Why thank you." Rowanne laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It was meant as one." She took a long sip of her coffee, cataloguing her reactions.
She was pretty. Really pretty, Rowanne thought now as she sipped her latte and considered this. She'd never really thought of herself as the kind of girl who noticed other women. She didn't have any problems with it, but...it had never occured to her to be attracted to one before. Now, though, well, if she had liked girls in that way, she probably would have a crush right now, she decided.
Satele put down her mug. She really liked Rowanne. She thought they could be friends. There might even be a little crush, except Satele Shan simply did not have crushes. They were for people who gave into passions and hormones and all that nonsense. She had work to do, and a new padawan student to teach.
"So, if you're going to be helping me, it's only fair I let you know our meeting schedule and things." Rowanne told her. "That way, you can figure out when there are times that might be better if you want to check it out."
"Excellent!" Satele might have answered that a little too fast. She pulled out her iPad, bringing up her schedule, "What's your email?"
Rowanne quickly shot hers off for Satele. "And I have your school one, but is there another that's better to reach you at?" Ooh forward sounding there, Rowanne.
A smile crossed her lips, and she gave Rowanne her personal email, "If its not University related then it would be best to use that one. Too many scandals, you know?"
"Oh yees." Rowanne jotted it down. "World domination schemes and everything else SHOULD be kept private."
"Everything else?" Satele picked up her drink and took a sip. Why was she so curious?
"Well, whatever comes before then. Incidentals, details" Rowanne shrugged. "Better to play it loose until we know for sure, right?"
"I'm not sure I want to be queen, though. Maybe we should delegate responsibility."
"And here I was thinking I could be the knight. ALthough it IS a pretty big world isn't it?" Rowanne laughed. "We'd probably need the pair of us to do it right."
Satele looked thoughtful, "Why can't we both be knights? That sounds like more fun."
"Comrades in arms!" Rowanne raised her coffecup in a toast. "I like it!"
"Shield-sisters!" Well, sword-sisters perhaps?
Of course in a lot of places shield brothers slept with one another but she wasn't going to think about that.
"Shield sisters, yes!" Rowanne was entirely too pleased with that. And they did, didn't they? Shield mates. Hmm... Not that she was going to say anything out loud either. It felt kind of like...well the feelings were too new to know what to do with.
"When is your next event? I have an actual sword-staff." A real one that she'd had restored. She could afford it after all.
"We have a general public exhbition thing on Saturday if you're interested.You probably can even bring it by, though they'll probably want to peace bond you. I'd love to see though."
Satele nodded her head. She felt a surge of excitement, her face reddening, "I'd love to show you!"
"So is that a date then?" And Rowanne wondered at her choice of words but...they didn't feel wrong to her either. Weird.
A date? Did she just...A reckless feeling surged through her,and she replied, "Okay. A date it is then."