Grant me the Courage to do this

S

Shalamar Ovanisse

Well-Known Member
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565
OOC First Name
Linda
Wand
10 3/4 maple with core of unicorn hair
Shalamar held tight to the broom, her knuckles almost white her grasp was so tight. With a deep breath she placed it on the freshly cut grass of the pitch and stepped back. Trying desperately to remember everything she had been learnt, she felt the same old anxiety that she always felt creep up on her. This was crazy, she was crazy. Vertigo didn't simply go away because a handsome boy engraved something meaningful onto a broom. She just hoped fervently that the potions her uncle had concocted would be enough to get her in the air at least. Her insides seemed to be squeezed tightly together and she faltered.

Another deep breath, this was not going to be easy. Her hand shook and she pulled it back. Clenching it into a fist, angry with herself for not just doing it but it really wasn't easy. Perhaps for everyone else but when being even a foot off the ground made her swoon, Shalamar knew it was going to take more than a few deep breaths and potions. She had no confidence in her ability, recalling briefly how she felt when Henric had rescued her from the lake and flown her higher than she had ever been, she all but fainted on the spot.

Instead Shalamar sank to her knees infront of the broom and gently touched it.
"Please, I am not made for flying but if you will help me today, I will try my best" she bowed her head low over the broom, knowing she probably did look silly but her people always asked and thanked the spirits for even the simplest of things.
"Grant me the courage that I need now" she said quietly.
 
Danny walked out on to the pitch with his trusty nimbus in hand, he had figured at this hour of the day it would be fairly empty and glancing into the barren skies was glad to see it was. His mood dipped slightly when he saw what appeared to be a girl kneeling on the grass. Walking over to her it looked like she was praying.

"You ok there?" Danny figured he could still get plenty of flying in but why pass up the chance to speak to a pretty girl and she was damn pretty. He was used to the other girls at this point but there was something almost fragile about the girl kneeling on the ground. Was it a bit much to be feeling protective of her without even knowing who she was? Danny had acted like quite the fool over plenty of girls in his time but had never gone out of his way to act like the shining knight. Still sporting the black eye from his herbology class Danny leaned on his broom and watched her.
 
Shalamar turned her head slowly to see shoes near her, allowing her gaze to travel slowly up the form of a tall boy she was almost blinded by the sun that kept his face from her view. Raising her hand to shield her eyes from the rays she turned, carefully picking up her broom and standing up gracefully with gentle slow movements. Turning to the older boy she inclined her head slightly and with a kind smile nodded her head.

"I am fine" she told him holding her broom tightly again as if doing so would give her the courage she needed, "I am gathering courage to take to the skies. I do not do well with heights".

Shalamar was never very forthcoming, so was amazing herself now that she would be with a complete stranger. She put it down to nerves immediately as her thumb trailed over the silver lettering on her broom. If any one could give her courage, it was the one who had inscribed those words on her broom just as he had inscribed his mark on her heart.
 
Danny scratched his head, he had never attempted to help anyone with flying before and didn't know if he was actually equipped to teach her anything now but may be just his company might be ok.

"Well if you want I can hang around to make sure you're alright?"


[lame - o ]
 
Shalamar knew she would be more nervous by anyone standing there while she made some vain attempts to get airborn. She could feel the nerves within her take over and took some deep breaths, none of which seemed to ease her jitters any. Looking up into the sky was no help either. What she needed was her uncle here giving her the guidance she needed, the strength she required to even straddle her broom and hover.

Perhaps it would be saver to have someone, anyone here with her in case something happened. She glanced at the broom in her hand and sighed. She was an object of interest to him. Out of nowhere the thought crept on her and she frowned slightly. Why she thought that now she was not sure but it goaded her to put her hand out and straddle the broom. That much as least she had accomplished.
"That might be wise" she told him glancing over at the boy. Another thought, how else has he made me feel? she ran through everything they had spoken to one another until something else came to mind. 'I am not a toy to him... yet' She managed to kick off the ground and hover there for a moment before touching down again.

Shalamar closed her eyes, it was no good. She needed more to get her to stay up.
 
Danny went and sat down on the bench to watch her, ready with broom in hand in case he needed to get up in the air at a moments notice to do some heroic stuff. She seemed to be doing alright so far but he couldn't help chuckling as she barely hovered off the ground. He waited another while and when nothing happened he frowned.

"Do you need any help over there?" Danny stood up and began walking over slowly to her just incase.
 
She heard the slight hint of laughter and blushed against it, embarrassed that she was so useless in front of a complete stranger. From the corner of her eye she could see him about to walk over and put her hand up immediately.
"No, I have to do this" she told him and with more determination kicked off from the ground. At first she hovered but no dizziness over came her so she tilted the broom slightly and as her leg still could touch the ground, gave another small kick against it. Instantly her hands grabbed the shaft of the broom as it took off, shot into the air with ferocious speed.

Shalamar's heart began to hammer wildly, her head began to thump as if being hit with a bludger, she knew that the dizziness would over come her soon. She was terrified and because of it could not control the broom. It seemed to swing her about like a rag doll. Shalamar had been completely unprepared for this and still the broom rose higher and higher. Soon she would black out and fall in a pitiful heap to the ground and yet all she was concerned about in that moment of realization was the broom and all the hard work that Henric had put into it, would now be smashed into pieces on the pitch.
 
"Nice to see the broom's being put to good use..."

The familiar, seductively cold crawl crept through the air and seemed to freeze the skin of all who heard it. Henric Lee sat casually, upon his broom, both hands on either side of it as he sat upon his broomstick like he would on a bench. He seemed calm and perfectly in control of this flying instrument, leisurely flying to the side bit by bit. "But you know, achieving high speeds isn't always the goal; control and flexibility is the main purpose-" The pale boy's hand shot out and grasped hold of Shalamar's broom handle with a surprisingly strong grip, balancing it as he flew alongside here, using his other hand to promptly clap her back once to make her straighten up. "Brooms can feel you..." He murmured, more to himself than to her. "It can tell you're nervous..."
 
Before complete and abject fear could grip her his voice resounded all about her. She actually sighed almost in relief, knowing that no matter what happened now he was here and it didn't matter. Was he always then to come to her rescue? She hoped so but also hoped not, Shalamar still had some pride and being the constant damsel in distress was not a roll she was used to but it seemed to be the one fate had every intention of making sure she played, at least when Henric Lee was around.

Shifting her gaze she saw him as cool as a summer breeze gliding along side her, so comfortable as to make her look as if she had been through the wars. His strong hand grabbed her broom and still leaning forward on it she felt his hand on her back that made her sit rigid straight. The distance from her and the broom seemed too great now and she was certain that she would fall off but his words seemed to keep her calm.
"I... I wasn't trying for speed. I just wanted to fly" she could not even tear her eyes from the broom now to look at him her fear was that strong and yet with him beside her she almost didn't feel the constraints of her phobia. Was he the antidote she had been looking for all this time?
 
Daniel waited as she had asked and turned to walk back to the bench, missing the drama that unfolded as he admired the layout of the pitch walking from it. Whoever kept this in shape did a bang up job. Convinced he heard some sort of cry or something he looked around but couldn't see the girl any where so walking slowly backwards to the bench he kept his gaze skyward until he eventually spotted her going at break neck speed.
Was she alright going like that? He scratched his head and wondered why she had been nervous she looked fine enough from this distance. Of course she was pretty high up and steadily climbing. Soon she'd be a dot. Danny wondered if he should go up after her just in case when out of no where he saw a swift form approach her.

He hadn't even noticed anyone else come out to the pitch. Now he simply sat down deciding if he should stay put or not.
 
Henric Lee stifled a yawn as he glided airily alongside her, his eyes brilliantly piercing as usual, but he was obviously tired. "Quidditch tryouts." He purred, answering a question she may have asked before she even asked it, his sharp eyes appearing to flick from side to side and mark their every motion, predicting her every move. "Keep your hand steady on the broom, you should be able to do it; don't look down, look up, and think of butterflies, birds, or whatever flying creature your love." He stretched expansively, his broom hovering dangerously as he let go of the grip. "You should be able to do that - I can do it, and I've been here for awhile."
 
Afraid that it was her he was tired of, tired of coming to her rescue and her company she tore her gaze from the broom to look at him as he yawned but as if he could read her mind explained why he was so tired. She smiled, reassured beyond words and turned back to her broom. His instruction she attempted to follow to the letter. Not to look down or up seemed easy enough, but when he told her to think of whatever flying creature that she loved, though the first thing to enter her head was a dragon, the one that subsequently stayed was Henric. So he wasn't a creature but he flew and he flew beautifully, if not extremely recklessly as well. She had made a point of seeing the quidditch games the year before though from a ground view and not the stands.

Shalamar did not notice him stretch his arms out at first as she glided along, thinking only of flight, of the motion her broom was in at that moment and of Henric.
"The flying isn't the hard part" so honest always, "It's being up so high" she turned then to see that his hands were no longer on the broom and gasped. The broom tilting downward as she did so.
 
"Up. Up. Raise your broom." Henric reminded her quietly, gliding along as he peered down at Danny, who was watching from far below. "Height is nothing. Think of it as a dimensional barrier. You need feet to walk, and you need a broom to fly." He gestured with one hand as the other returned to steer the broom handle. "Think of flying as walking. Air is like the ground, and the brooms are your feet." He shrugged, still sleepy and lightheaded, before asking suddenly, "Will you come watch the Quidditch matches?"
 
She did as he commanded tilting her broom upwards, he had kept his voice steady and quiet and she felt relieved by this. If he had gotten frustrated with her she would most likely have lost it altogether, as it was all her focus was now being put into the broom so as to make sure she didn't think about where she was or what she was doing. She liked his metaphors and thought it made sense to see it that way flying just a way of walking on air. If she were to tell him that she walked on air every time he was around she was almost certain he would turn his broom around and land leaving her up in the sky to her own fate. As hard as she was concentrating she spoke her words without thinking of their context, usually she was more guarded, more careful around him.
"Only your ones and from the ground. If I don't turn soon I will be going straight on until dawn, how do I turn?" she felt utterly stupid wishing she had paid more attention in class or to her uncle.
 
Daniel watched the two in the air and stretched out his long legs in front of him. He began debating whether or not he should hang around. She had been really cute after all and this lone ranger blowing in and acting like the hero sort of upset his plans a bit. Standing up he gave them one last lingering look before taking his own broom and slowly walking off the pitch. He was certain he'd get another chance to talk with her and if fate didn't step in to help out then he'd simply give fate a bit of a push.
 
Henric watched Danny go with an amused look on his face, before he redirected his attention to her. "Depending on the make and model of the broom, there's certain variations." He swerved to the side with astonishing ease, then proceeded to weave in and out of the air all around her while speaking. "As yours is one of the newer models, there's automatic steering and braking. Thinking you want to turn is the key - the broom will start moving in the direction you want, and with a light tap it will go the way you prefer." He gazed up in the air as he spoke next, "In addition to that, if you go too fast, simply wanting to stop will cause the broom to slow, and pulling it up brakes it altogether."

"Will you come watch the match against Gryffindor?" Henric asked casually as he stopped using his broom's flexible steering mechanism and fixed his eyes on her.
 
She smiled when he made it sound so easy and effortless. It was a shame that other things in life were not quite so straight forward. Think about it and it will happen. Could she seriously think hard enough and her ridiculous engagement to Shang would not exist? Shalamar was so intent on the business at hand that she did not notice the figure walk away, she was trying desperately hard not to focus all her attention on the boy flying about her which in itself was helping to curb any distress she knew she would be other wise experiencing. Thinking she wanted to turn the same moment he asked her if she would come to watch the Slytherin match against Gryffindor. The broom slowly turned but seemed to turn in his direction as if both her thoughts collided.
"Sorry" her smile was lighthearted, simply happy she had managed to turn it at all, "Are you playing?"
It was not fair that he was always the one asking questions of her and then suddenly leaving her, feeling brave enough she ventured a look his way only to find him looking at her. His steady gaze unnerved her but for reasons quite beyond her, the broom did not falter and she did not go toppling from the sky.
 
"Yes, again." He cast his eyes down at her, watching her every move. "When you watch. Maybe you'll know what kind of person you're talking to." Henric leaned forward, his gray orbs turning malevolent for a split second before returning to their calm nature. "Do I seem like the prince rescuing the damsel in princess?" He leaned in, even closer. "Or do you see beyond this mask?" His chilling, icy breath ran down her neck as he spoke next. "See me for who I am.
 
Shalamar knew better when he spoke to her of princess and princes to ever consider him as one.
"I have seen you play, I have seen how cruel you can be" the breath down her neck was cold and yet she wanted nothing more than to lean back into it, to submerse herself in it but trained herself to keep focused on the broom. Eventually stealing a glance his way her deep brown eyes looking into his.
"I will not judge you Henric for how you choose to behave" and she knew she never would, "I have seen more than one mask, heard so many stories. Some fit and others don't. Would you rather I was afraid of who you really are or myself for not minding any of it"
Sometimes she knew she did amaze herself, when she had watched the games the year before and how he had cost the Gryffindor chaser the use of her arm and the rest of the game; Shalamar should have been shocked by his tactics but it was a game.
"Is everything to you a game?"
 
Henric Lee didn't reply immediately, merely adjusting her broom and checking her form. At last, when he was satisfied that she could stay in the air with sufficient balance and confidence, he canted his head to the side and broke eye contact with her, instead staring up into the skies. "A game?" He asked questioningly, turning as he started to fly past her into the distance. "You can win a game." On that enigmatic note, a genuinely sad smile was poised upon his lips for a second, before he disappeared into the sky, just a small speck amidst the clouds.
 
It was the words he spoke and the difference in his tone that turned her head abruptly. This mask she had never seen before and Shalamar's eyes opened wide as she realized this was no mask. She had been allowed a rare glimpse of the boy. She could only watch him fly from her and had to let him go. It was another five minutes before she realized she was flying on her own but she didn't feel any fear now for that, just for the boy who had flown away and taken her heart with him. She couldn't explain why she feared for him, she simply just did.

Another ten minutes before she landed, gracefully she managed to slide from her broom and walked to the benches. Only then realizing that Danny was not there, her thoughts did not stay with Danny though they drifted far up in the clouds after Henric Lee.
 
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