Tale Ten, a Merchant's Mark and a Warrior's Admiration

Near the coast of the Woodland, outside of the town of Victor's Hollow, famous for its arena and tourneys, dull, repetitive thunks echoed throughout the trees.

Thunk.

It never waned, occurring in uniformed precision and practice, almost as if denoting the beat of a song.

Thunk. Thunk.

Over and over again, creating a percussive atmosphere that would draw even the most critical minds of music. Yet, this art was for another reason entirely rather than its obscured instrumental notation.

Thunk.

In her mind, however, Tressa could easily use this sound as a selling point for some sort of investment in a musical sense. If she could find a theater wishing to profit from such an idea, then she could make a decent sum of leaves. Or that's what she thought as the noise broke her away from the markets in Victor's Hollow.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Three in a row now. What could have been making those sounds? Deciding to follow her curiosity wherever it may have led her, the merchant left the safety of the town's walls.

Thunk.

The sound picked up in intensity even as she left the nearby crowds of buyers and sellers. It wouldn't be long, she realized, before she would find the source of the beating noise.

Thunk.

After all, she wasn't as keen as Therion…

Thunk. Thunk.

Or as sensitive to her surroundings as Primrose…

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Or able to track like H'aanit… but damned if she couldn't follow a sound beckoning to her like a drum. Thinking on this, Tressa then realized that the noise had faded away, dying down into nothingness and turning into a memory. Before she could admit defeat, the merchant caught sight of a familiar pair of animals playing with each other.

Linde tried her best to sleep and ignore Hagan, who was trying to catch the leopard's consistently sweeping tale. Behind them was H'aanit returning from out-of-view with a bundle of arrows in her left hand and her trusted bow in her right. Upon noticing the merchant, the huntress nodded in greeting. Her companions simply watched Tressa as she approached the small group of wildlings.

"Hey, H'aanit! Was that you just now?" the merchant asked as she waved in greeting.

"'Twas what I?" the huntress questioned back curiously.

"That thunking just now. You know? The thunk, thunk, thunk."

Tressa rasped her knuckles softly against a nearby tree to help get her point across.

"Ah, that. Yes, 'twas I. Mine practice with the bow ist of daily necessity."

"Should've known."

Coming up to the group's latest traveling companion, Tressa noticed a tree opposite H'aanit. Unable to judge the distance, the merchant could tell it was a great deal from how the tree's shadow didn't even reach where the huntress stood. There, on the poor fir's bark, was a series of grouped gouges that could only be from a weapon striking it repeatedly.

Putting the pieces together and eyeing the huntress's weapons of choice, Tressa gasped in awe. "Did you make all of those shots?"

Turning towards her target, H'aanit grimaced. "Indeed, but 'twould seeme I needen more practice. One arrow ist too far right, another too far down."

"I can't even tell," the merchant admitted, squinting her eyes to see what the huntress was talking about. "Looks like you hit 'em all together to me."

"Then 'tis possibly my 'perfectionistic ways,' as Master sayeth," H'aanit admitted, patting Hagan when the wolf stared expectantly at her upon hearing talk about their master.

"Still that's amazing! I wish I could shoot like that."

The air of excitability dispersed as the merchant was grounded to reality by thinking of her shortcomings with one of their shared weapons of choice.

"Ah, yes, thou usith a bow, as well," the huntress remembered aloud.

Tressa turned towards her and the two animals, approaching Hagan and giving him a soft pat on the head. "Yup, but I'm nowhere near as good as you, H'aanit."

"Mayhaps not, but I couldst teachen thee, if thou wished."

The merchant beamed happily at the idea. "That would be awesome, H'aanit! You think you could teach me to do that?"

The red-headed huntress followed the finger Tressa was pointing towards the thick trunk of the tree that had, only moments ago, been a pin cushion for her bundle of arrows.

Nodding her head slowly, H'aanit admitted, "With practice, mayhaps someday. 'Twill taken concentration, though, and a constitution unliken any you hath had. Art thou prepared?"

Waving her hand, Tressa pulled her bow out. "Psh, yeah! I may not look like it, but I'm a decent shot."

At her eagerness, H'aanit could not help but chuckle.

"Very well, then thy first exercise is to shooten an arrow at the same trunk and haven it strike true."

"Alright, I can do that."

Taking an arrow offered to her by the huntress, Tressa aimed her bow at the tree. Tongue sticking out and one eye closed, the merchant marked her target in her mind and pulled back her arm. Satisfied with her aim, she pulled back on her bow and released. The arrow flew straight towards the target, eventually finding its way into one of the holes left by H'aanit's own target practice.

"Boom! Bullseye!" Tressa cheered, jumping up and down jubilantly. In the midst of her celebration, the young auburn-haired woman did not notice the arrow fall to the ground.

H'aanit crossed her arms, while her animal companions turned away from the commotion.

"Art thou so certain?"

Halting herself mid-celebration, Tressa turned to the target. "Of course, I'm… What!? It fell out! But that shot was so far, I put my all into it…"

Noticing the arrow on the ground caused Tressa to sink to her knees, her dress hiding her legs amongst the shallow grass. Crestfallen so easily, H'aanit began to wonder if the youngest member of the group was prepared for the endeavor of learning the hunter's bow.

"Do not sulke so easily, Tressa. May I see thy bow?"

Looking up from her position, the merchant acquiesced and handed the small bow she carried to the huntress. With a keen eye much like an eagle's, H'aanit intently inspected the weapon, noticing things only a hunter of S'warkii would. All the while, her new protégé watched in awe, impressed by the concentration and ability to pick out details in her bow. It was like watching a merchant peruse a line of stalls until he found the perfect treasure to buy. After moment of waiting with bated breath, Tressa's new teacher returned the bow to its owner.

"A good weapon, but 'tis not meant for the hunt."

"What do you mean?" Tressa curiously stood from her position, subconsciously wiping off any loose grass from her dress.

"'Tis much too small. Neither doth it hath the power, nor the ability, to maken a shot that would reacheth that tree. Here, looken at my bow. Thou shalt see."

Sheathing her own weapon, Tressa eagerly accepted the huntress's bow. Immediately there was a difference. The weight of the weapon was beyond what the merchant thought it would be, causing her to wonder if it was truly wood that was used to make this bow. When she went to pull at the taut string, Tressa found that she could hardly pull it back even half of its full draw. Releasing it with exasperation, she let out an aggressive wheeze.

"This isn't a bow, it's a weapon of mass destruction! How can you shoot with this H'aanit?"

Chuckling lightly, the huntress grabbed her weapon, a small gust causing the fringe of her tunic and strands of red hair to blow gently in the wind. For a moment, Tressa felt as if she was watching a goddess of hunting move in front of her. Before saying anything, H'aanit pulled back the bowstring with a practiced motion. The merchant swore she could see the huntress's shoulder and arm muscles become as taut as the string.

"'Tis in practice. It tooketh me many moons to properly wield this bow. Master wouldst laughen at me whenever I did." A small smile formed on H'aanit's face as she thought on the memory before she slowly released the bowstring back to rest. "Maken use of this bow is not easy, but the power in it will increase both range and penetration. Here, for now tryen to pull the string back half way. 'Twill help train you."

The huntress handed her bow to the merchant. Expecting something grander, or more interesting, Tressa stared at the bow half-expectantly, not really sure if she wanted to spend her time in such a way. Sighing, and deciding it would be best for her to brush up on her skills with the bow, the merchant accepted the weapon, holding it down range and carefully pulling back the string in an attempt at a half-draw.

She mumbled as she continued, "If you say so H'aanit…"

Leaves rustled in waves throughout the forest, some more violent than the others for but half of a second. If one was paying close attention, they would see a few branches tumble from the higher boughs. Below, an arrow protruded victoriously from the thick tree trunk.

A loud sound of celebration rang within the woods outside Victor's Hollow. There, Tressa jumped up and down, H'aanit's bow in one hand held up high and her vacant arm limp at her side.

"Yes! I finally did it!" she declared as the huntress nodded her head approvingly at the arrow sticking deeply, and clearly, from the tree they had been using as target practice.

It had been a few hours, but finally Tressa was able to muster up the strength to shoot the bow well enough for one arrow to strike true.

"Well done, indeed," H'aanit mused with a grin, proud of her impromptu protégé.

"Thanks! But, uh… H'aanit? How long is my arm gonna be limp like this?"

Both women's eyes turn towards Tressa's limp left arm. A sharp tingle ran up and down it, indicating it wasn't too damaged, and she could move her fingers, but the strength in her extremity had all but disappeared after that final shot. The huntress chuckled.

"'Twill regain feeling within the hour. 'Tis but one of the challenges hunters facen when learning the way of the bow."

"That's good to know!" Tressa replied with a chipper attitude, as if her arm hadn't lost all range of motion. "Here's you bow back. I think I'm done for the day."

Taking the bow, H'aanit replied, "Of course, if one of thine arms art not working properly."

"No kidding! Besides, I think someone else wants to talk to you."

Following Tressa's pointing finger again, the huntress was surprised to see Linde and Hagen being entertained by the warrior in the group of travelers.

Sitting on a trunk near the road to Victor's Hollow, Olberic stroked Hagen's fur, earning the grown man several tail wags from the wolf. Linde was much more skeptical, sniffing the man's other hand lightly. In turn, Olberic baited his time, waiting for when the snow leopard would trust him enough to give her attention. If Linde's eagerness indicated anything to H'aanit, it would not be long before she wished for the same affection Hagen was receiving.

"'Twould seemeth so," H'aanit mused, standing still as she curiously watched the interaction before her.

With her shoulder, Tressa bumped into the huntress excitedly, giving her something akin to a high five with her limp arm. "Go get 'em, tiger! Tigress? Whichever. If Olberic's here, then the others are probably at the tavern. Maybe I can guilt someone into buying me a drink with my arm."

The women shared a light chuckle before Tressa bid her teacher farewell and did the same to Olberic as she passed the towering man, now at the beckoning call of the two animals before him. In return, the warrior waved, standing from his seat – much to the disgruntlement of Hagen and Linde – striding towards H'aanit, a pair of eager animals following in his gait.

"How fares the training?" the warrior asked politely.

Hand on her hip, the huntress replied, "Tressa seemeth all the part of the huntress, just needen the proper guidance."

"I would assume as much, I wanted to ask to take her on as an apprentice of mine," Olberic admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "The way she holds a spear… if her technique was properly tempered, she would outdo me in speed without a doubt."

"She doth hath the will," H'aanit agreed with an air of challenge. "Alas, I believe I hath beaten thou to the young merchant. A huntress doth not let an apprentice go so easily."

Olberic guffawed. "What they say about the hunters of S'warkii is true: as stubborn as you are skilled. Do not worry, I would never wish to take a trainee from such an inspiring teacher."

A smirk graced H'aanit's lips. "Thou honors me with thine words."

"It is the truth. A strong woman stands before me, I cannot gloss over such a fact."

Now, a light blush crept up to the huntress's face. She did not know why, but the string of praise from the warrior brought about a slight nervousness that incited a playfulness along with it.

"Now, thou art just toying with me. What an honorable knight."

"Honorable, yes. A knight no more, however, so forgive me if I forget some of the aspects required of chivalry." With a little flourish, but a grin hinting his lack of seriousness, Olberic bowed his head, hand on his heart. "Would you forgive such a grievance?"

Following in his playful act, H'aanit grabbed the fringe of her tunic, pulling it up like the skirt of a dress and curtsying, mimicking – and mocking – the air of a noblewoman. "Thou art forgiven, sir knight."

The pair laughed at their antics, finding amusement in them where only they would. After all, neither the warrior nor the huntress were considered 'amusing' by their companions. It was in each other's presence that they could feel as if they were the least bit funny. However important a discovery this was, they only now discovered it.

A comfortable silence fell between the two as their hilarity tapered off, leaving them to watch the other easily and wait for the next move. Linde seemed to detest the quiet, nipping at one of Olberic's hands. Instead of receiving the pat on the head she wished for, the leopard only returned the warrior to his reasons for having searched for the huntress in the first place.

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Linde, I almost forgot."

In his hands, Olberic held a wineskin. "I thought we could share a drink. After fighting against those in the tournament, I am quite parched."

"'Twould be nice to taken a break," H'aanit affirmed, sitting on a stone not far from where her impromptu shooting range stretched out towards the targeted tree.

Sitting beside her, Olberic gave the wine to his companion first. Slowly, she took a drink of the offered wine, reveling in the smooth taste. Never had she tasted a conflicting blend of flavors that somehow managed to come together in an imperfectly perfect combination.

"This wine is oddly delicious. A local delicacy?" H'aanit inquired, curious as to the drink's origin.

"I thought so as well. A woman gifted it to me after the preliminary rounds. Primrose believed it was a token of affection. I disagree, it was just a welcoming gift," Olberic mused, drinking from the wineskin himself.

"Thou hast an admirer."

"Possibly. She said it was aquaoir wine: a beverage involving a fermentation process where these bottles are left in cages deep in the sea. I have never heard of such a thing, so I was eager to try it. It would seem it does have some impact on the taste."

Olberic took one more swig before handing the wine back to H'aanit, who followed the warrior's lead.

"Interesting but sharing in this delicacy cannot be the sole reason thou hast comen to find me."

The warrior, aware of the huntress's keen ability of observation, nodded his head. "It is part of the reason, but you are right. Tomorrow I will face off against Gustav in the tourney. We are allowed to have fellows fight alongside us. I wanted to know if you would join me as one of my fellows-in-arms."

"Thou wouldst come to me?"

"Of course. Your merit and skill are distinguishable amongst most in our group. Therion and Primrose are skilled, but in their own right. They would not do well in a sanctioned duel, what with their less-than-honorable methods." The warrior chuckled before continuing. "Ophilia and Tressa would do well, but they are not as versed in the ways of dueling. So, I thought I would ask Alfyn, Cyrus, and you to aid me: Alfyn for his unnatural knack for battle and first aid; Cyrus due to his knowledge; and you because of your skills in the hunt."

Thinking on his explanation for a moment, H'aanit asked, "And would they allowen Linde to participate?"

"There are no rules forbidding the use of beasts, tamed or otherwise," the warrior answered, taking another a sip of wine offered to him. "She can join and battle with her ferocity, it is another reason I chose to ask you to accompany me."

H'aanit smiled lightly, stroking Linde's mane. "She welcomes a challenge, always. And now 'twould seem I hath found out why she wanted thine approval."

"Ah, an ulterior motive. Crafty as she is strong."

"That she ist." Thinking on her words for only the briefest of moments, the huntress gave the warrior her answer. "I will joinen thou. Mayhaps 'twill prove an invaluable experience. And, though thou doth not needst it, a helping hand to watch thy back would be just as invaluable."

Smirking, Olberic joked, "Now you're making a joke at my expense? What a back-handed compliment."

Snatching the wineskin from the warrior's hands, H'aanit victoriously retorted, "Never did I sayeth I was not as well-versed with my turn-of-phrase as Primrose or Therion. A strong man can taken choice strong words, no?"

"From an equally strong woman, he can."

The candor between the two went back and forth until the tree's shadows became longer, prompting them to return to the tavern in Victor's Hollow. Walking back, even Linde and Hagen could notice the air of ease between the pair as they strode close to each other, exchanging the remainder of the wine as they held themselves with the strength so prominent in their characters. Two of the most stalwart individuals in Orsterra had not realized that they had now intertwined themselves so closely in the other's life with such ease.

Strength.

A word so engrained in society that people mistake it for the physical prowess or political power the most prestigious wield in Orsterra.

Even amongst the strongest, however, there exists strength that does not lie in the build of their muscle, but the appearance of their character; when one finds such a fortitude of demeanor similar to their own, then they find a partner.

Where the bond of such fortuitous companions progresses, only their power of will can decide, as we shall see…