10th Trial of Saun during Arc 722
Following: This
Following: This
On Immortals Tongue
"Yer right, it's beautiful, innit?" Vega smiled at Cho as they stood together on Immortals' Tongue. "An' if it made that noise every trial, we migh' wanna think about bringin' some of them back with us. But it doesn't. In Cylus an' Zi'da, the sound is well gnarly." She'd searched and looked around and there were no people chasing them off. Vega wondered if perhaps Teq had been on the other side of the island, or perhaps near a particular shrine. That might well be it.
Looking at the tree, she spoke to Cho. As she always did when speaking to children, she spoke to him like he was an adult; mostly because one day he would be and also because she believed that children hated being spoken to like children. It was a thing adults did, and a thing she tried hard not to do. "Why does the sound change?" Cho asked and Vega shrugged, slightly. "I believe it's cos of the higher wind, faster that is. An' also the cold temperatures. It combines to make it gnarly. But equally, right now it's well beautiful, innit?" Cho nodded.
Vega then pointed to the three trees in their view. "We're goin' to take thick branches from each one," she said. "But we're not choppin' down any one tree." Cho glanced at her and frowned slightly. "Why?" Vega thought he knew, in all likelihood, but the young man had an enquiring mind. "I plan on takin' enough that we don't kill the tree, is the thing, an' that way there'll still be three trees here at the end of the trial. That make sense?"
Cho nodded and Vega gave a grin. "Come on then, I'll show you how to safely saw stuff." Cho nodded and the two of them moved off. Flo watched as she gathered herbs and she smiled to herself.
Back in Sweetsong
When they got back, Vega helped to unload things and then she made her way over to her family camp. She'd brought more than enough Whistle Wood for Teq's purposes, but Vega wanted to do something extra for Teq. But first, she sat and spent some time with the children. She spent a happy hour cuddling Akor, singing to her and watching Conlan crawling around. This was a new thing and she watched him carefully. Her son had a very natural curiosity and he wanted to explore everything, but not everything was safe for exploration of course. So, while she gently rocked the baby, she watched the other baby and wondered at the directions her life had taken her.
Once she'd spent an hour with Akor and Conlan, she then moved to make sure that she was also spending time with Wren, Joy and Ru. The older children were playing a game with sticks and a ball. Vega was unsure what the rules were, but they seemed happy. So, she spent time with them, joining in their game; she didn't understand the rules any better when she finally extricated herself, but she'd laughed a lot and they were enjoying it and engaged together and that was what mattered.
Then, she turned her attention to the wood and the schematics Teq had given her. This "Horn of Booming Voice" seemed relatively straightforward, but she noted a few things about the design that he'd created. Vega lay out the wood, looking at what she had; she knew that she had much more than she needed and that was deliberate ~ she wanted to make something for herself afterwards.
The schematics were clear about how the wood had to be laid ~ even going so far as to direct the direction that the wood should lay, with the grain clearly identified. She was happy with doing that, and she decided that she'd take a bit of extra time to make this particularly sturdy and to provide some nice effects for Teq. So, firstly, she concentrated on making sure that the wood was treated with primer and all the things needed to ensure it would endure . Presumably, Teq would use this quite a lot, so she wanted it to last. Vega used all that she had learned in order to ensure that it was as touch as it could be.
Making the piece itself had certain challenges, but Vega's biggest one was getting the shape right. It had a curved, conical shape and that was tricky with wood. Thankfully, Vega was up to the task and she rummaged in the wood they had until she found the right piece. The thick branch was just right and she set about the slow and careful task of hollowing it out.
"What'cho do?" Ru asked. Vega looked up to see Ru and Joy standing together, hand in hand. She grinned and patted the ground next to her. "Hello you pair," she said. Then, when they were both seated, Vega explained. "I'm goin' to turn this bit o' wood into a horn," She was sure that was a clear answer, right until Ru asked her favourite question. "Why?"
Vega smiled. She was always happy to answer the question. "Well, Boo, you remember when that nice man came an' asked me to get some wood?" Ru nodded, running her fingers over the wood in question. "Well it were cos he wants to make this, an' I'm good at makin' things, so I thought I'd make it for him." Ru listened to Vega's words and thought about them. Joy, too, leaned in and looked at the wood.
"What will you make with the rest of it, Mama?" Joy asked, and Vega grinned.
"I thought I'd make some musical instruments," she said. "For you two an' Wren. Maybe for Akor an' Conlan too. " Ru looked up in pleasure and Joy first considered it then nodded. "That sounds wonderful," Joy said and Ru beamed at her.
"But for now, I've got to think of the nicest way to decorate this," Vega said and the two girls looked at the Horn of Booming Voice. "I'm reckonin' that it'd be nice to have a sort of wave pattern what shifts through diff'rent colours, what do you two think?" One of the things that Vega adored about her children ~ and while Ru was Harts and Vega never forgot that, she was also Vega's, because she was family ~ was just how seriously they dealt with things. The two of them looked at each other and Joy asked Ru "What do you think?" Ru looked at it and nodded, then the two of them turned to Vega. "We likes it," Ru said and Joy nodded her assent.
"Righteo," Vega said with a smile. Then that's what I'll do."
It was a tricky technique, and Vega had to be careful as she worked the wood . The technique she had developed was to slowly and carefully carve, gently working it in layers until she achieved the effect she desired. She put a wave-like pattern on the widest part of the Horn of Booming Voice, so that Teq could see it when he was speaking into it, but she did the same on the outer rim of it, that part which would be facing outwards. It was slow work, but it was the kind of precision work which Vega enjoyed and so she was happy to do it.
In fairness, she thought, she'd learned a lot about the Whistling Wood by creating this item. She had been happy to see Teq as it was, and of course she was more than happy to help out with what she could. Vega needed nothing in return, it wasn't her way, she was just happy to help out. What she hadn't factored into it was the fact that she'd taken the time to have some time with Cho and Flo and also that she'd learn a bit more about woodworking. Another trial, she determined, she was going to use this wood to make those musical instruments for the children. She thought they'd like that, very much. It would be Conlan's birthday next season and, besides, she thought it was something the children would like.
She put the finishing touches to the piece and, when she looked at it, she figured it was good. She was happy with it and as she tried to cast a critical eye, she realised that she couldn't do so, so good enough would have to be just that. But, either way, it was ready and Vega moved over to her tent in order to let Teq know.
