![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Feb. 21st, 2020 11:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
steady_handDespite everything, you don't expect to see Sky Warriors once in your lifetime, never mind twice. Well, maybe Solveig had. She'd spent all morning glancing at the horizon, but whatever the gods were telling her, she hadn't bothered to share. Then came the flying boat—"Stormwolf," they'd called it—audible before it was visible, touching down far enough away from the Ascommani camp that the winds of its passage didn't disturb anything. Aila figured that's what Solveig had been waiting to see, since unless Russ showed up to ask what he'd missed lately, nothing more interesting was likely to happen.
As gothi, Solveig got to be part of the welcoming committee, the youngest of the lot by years. Aila just stared along with everyone else, unable to hear what was being said, but whatever it was, it took the Ascommani delegation by surprise, even Solveig. It took Aila by surprise as well once the news was announced, but after the battle Fenris had seen, it made sense the Sky Warriors needed more recruits. It was just the fact they'd come for women this time that struck her as unusual, though given the disgruntlement on the faces of some of the men, Aila couldn't bring herself to be overly suspicious about the change. She was too busy being smug.
It represented a blow to the Ascommani, certainly, especially losing Solveig, but the Sky Warriors said there were enough broken tribes now that they would certainly be able to absorb the survivors. And it wasn't up for debate, anyway. Aila passed all her weapons to Tyra before she left. The tribe needed them more and the Sky Warriors would have better.
The Sky Warriors had of course noticed her distinct lack of gear, and Aila had shrugged. "If a man attacks me, I'll take his. If a god attacks me, being armed won't make a difference." This seemed to meet with general approval if the barks of laughter were anything to go by, and then she was too busy being disoriented by the noise and vibration of the flying boat, which caused more amusement, though it was good-natured.
"Land at the Aett," the eldest Sky Warrior called to no one Aila could see, presumably the helmsman, which earned him sidelong glances from his peers. "We're skipping orientation. They've already fought offworlders, and we don't have weeks to wait." The others looked grim at the reminder, and the rest of the trip passed in silence, or as much silence as the roar of whatever magic lifting boat allowed, which wasn't a lot.
As the Sky Warriors and their retainers herded the Ascommani off the boat and into their aett, Aila tasted the cold bite of mountain air but didn't see much besides an enormous pair of doors set into the rock, which slid aside at no signal and by no method Aila could see. Magic everywhere, but at the home of the gods, there would be, wouldn't there? Their path led them through a cave, but an impossibly smooth and orderly one, with level floors and symmetrically arched ceilings. Had the Sky Warriors carved their own dwelling into the mountain? They must have, somehow. No natural cave looked anything like this, and Aila traded wide-eyed stares with the other Ascommani.
"This is the Aett, on Asaheim," the elder said gruffly, but she got the feeling they were all gruff. "The land here is stable and your needs will be provided for. Your only concern will be to succeed at the trials ahead of you." Aila suspected he'd timed that announcement to avoid any questions, because he finished right as their little party arrived at a smaller, less impressive door. "Rest," he said, gesturing at the room beyond, and before Aila could protest that it was early afternoon, added: "You'll need it."
As gothi, Solveig got to be part of the welcoming committee, the youngest of the lot by years. Aila just stared along with everyone else, unable to hear what was being said, but whatever it was, it took the Ascommani delegation by surprise, even Solveig. It took Aila by surprise as well once the news was announced, but after the battle Fenris had seen, it made sense the Sky Warriors needed more recruits. It was just the fact they'd come for women this time that struck her as unusual, though given the disgruntlement on the faces of some of the men, Aila couldn't bring herself to be overly suspicious about the change. She was too busy being smug.
It represented a blow to the Ascommani, certainly, especially losing Solveig, but the Sky Warriors said there were enough broken tribes now that they would certainly be able to absorb the survivors. And it wasn't up for debate, anyway. Aila passed all her weapons to Tyra before she left. The tribe needed them more and the Sky Warriors would have better.
The Sky Warriors had of course noticed her distinct lack of gear, and Aila had shrugged. "If a man attacks me, I'll take his. If a god attacks me, being armed won't make a difference." This seemed to meet with general approval if the barks of laughter were anything to go by, and then she was too busy being disoriented by the noise and vibration of the flying boat, which caused more amusement, though it was good-natured.
"Land at the Aett," the eldest Sky Warrior called to no one Aila could see, presumably the helmsman, which earned him sidelong glances from his peers. "We're skipping orientation. They've already fought offworlders, and we don't have weeks to wait." The others looked grim at the reminder, and the rest of the trip passed in silence, or as much silence as the roar of whatever magic lifting boat allowed, which wasn't a lot.
As the Sky Warriors and their retainers herded the Ascommani off the boat and into their aett, Aila tasted the cold bite of mountain air but didn't see much besides an enormous pair of doors set into the rock, which slid aside at no signal and by no method Aila could see. Magic everywhere, but at the home of the gods, there would be, wouldn't there? Their path led them through a cave, but an impossibly smooth and orderly one, with level floors and symmetrically arched ceilings. Had the Sky Warriors carved their own dwelling into the mountain? They must have, somehow. No natural cave looked anything like this, and Aila traded wide-eyed stares with the other Ascommani.
"This is the Aett, on Asaheim," the elder said gruffly, but she got the feeling they were all gruff. "The land here is stable and your needs will be provided for. Your only concern will be to succeed at the trials ahead of you." Aila suspected he'd timed that announcement to avoid any questions, because he finished right as their little party arrived at a smaller, less impressive door. "Rest," he said, gesturing at the room beyond, and before Aila could protest that it was early afternoon, added: "You'll need it."
