Post by The Light on Dec 8, 2012 13:59:43 GMT -5
Vickon awoke with a start, a single narrow finger resting on his nose. “What the shit-“ he breathed out when another finger touched his lips. Bright blue eyes looked down on him as the little girl put a finger up to her mouth and motioned for him to follow her. It was early, before the crack of dawn and the men had not stirred from their rough wooden cabins. The fires had sunk low into their pits, and it was silent in the bay. Vickon followed the small girl to the side of the Grey Horse, the ship pulled all the way up on shore so its bottom was exposed. Leman stood underneath, scraping the scuttles and seaweed from the smooth planks. Two axes were leaned against the wood, and Leman looked a little tired. “Vickon! Good morning. It’s time to begin.”
Vickons eyes lit up, and he motioned back to the huts “Should we get the men up then, start work cutting trees?” Leman shook his head with a strange look in his eyes “We’ll start by cutting true enough. But the keel must be laid down before anything else, and that is the spine of the ship. It is the most important piece, that can never be replaced. Planking ,masts, sails, all those other bits are expendable. If the keel breaks, the ship is dead. I think I’ve found the right tree for it. Let’s head out.” Taking the two axes, the men headed out into the forest, the little girl staying behind perched on the beached ship.
They walked for what seemed like hours to Vickon, winding their way through the green maze that seemed to never end. Eventually the ground began to slope downward, and the trees grew taller as light seemed to fade from the world. Vickon’s eyes began to droop as the monotony took its toll on him and before he even knew it, Leman pronounced “We’re here” in a strangely somber voice. Vickon looked up and saw white wood, red leaves. They were in the middle of a weirwood grove, white trees that seemed to grow up to the sky. Centered in the middle of the grove was a thick tree, strangely different from the others. Vickon couldn’t place it, but then Leman moved out of the way and he saw the face carved into it, a face that seemed to be freshly made, its mouth stretching red and wide across the surface of the wood. It’s face was fixed in a terrible smile, while its eyes seemed to cry blood. Vickon was disturbed slightly by it, but turned to the now silent iron captain. He saw with a start that the man’s face was stone, eyes fixed on the tree before him. Vickon felt suddenly awkward, like he was not supposed be here, like he had impeached on something sacred.
The man turned to him, and wiped his eyes before speaking “You’ll have weirwood as your keel. It’ll never rot, its stronger than most others, and I’ve always wanted to try cutting it. Couldn’t believe it when I found a grove this far south, most of them are gone. Which tree do you want?” Vickon lifted his axe and pointed at the tree with the face carved into it. "How about that one?" Leman stirred little, his eyes still transfixed on those of the tree, both staring into one another's souls. Eventually, the Ironborn shook his head slowly. "There are others." Vickon raised an eyebrow. "I say we use the one with the face." Leman turned to him then, a cold furor in his eyes. "I said no.” He was puzzled. "Why? It's not like either of us care for Old Gods or their trees! If we use that one, it proves how weak their gods are." Vickon waited for a response but none came, Leman had turned his attention back to the tree. Vickon shook his head. "Old Gods be damned." He stepped forward and swung his axe at the tree.
His axe stopped mere inches from its target. Leman Harlaw's outstretched hand held him at the elbow, preventing him from moving his lower arm any further. In shock, he turned back to the old sea captain and noticed the deep sadness in the mans eyes. "There is a power here which must be respected. We have the sea, true enough. But the land ever belongs to others. And they will be respected in my presence." He released his grip and Vickon took several steps back. "Ok. Another tree." He turned his back from Leman and walked over to an old strong-looking weirwood on the other side of the grove. He swept back his axe and swung with all his might. The metal bit deep into the white wood.
After many more hours work, they finally got the tree down and got the men to haul it back to the beach. There, Leman set to work cutting and sanding the great white tree, until finally there was only a great curved rectangular piece remaining. The men laid it down in the sand, and the work on the ship began.
Leman's Carpentry to Master (1/2)
Vickon's Carpentry to Beginner
Vickons eyes lit up, and he motioned back to the huts “Should we get the men up then, start work cutting trees?” Leman shook his head with a strange look in his eyes “We’ll start by cutting true enough. But the keel must be laid down before anything else, and that is the spine of the ship. It is the most important piece, that can never be replaced. Planking ,masts, sails, all those other bits are expendable. If the keel breaks, the ship is dead. I think I’ve found the right tree for it. Let’s head out.” Taking the two axes, the men headed out into the forest, the little girl staying behind perched on the beached ship.
They walked for what seemed like hours to Vickon, winding their way through the green maze that seemed to never end. Eventually the ground began to slope downward, and the trees grew taller as light seemed to fade from the world. Vickon’s eyes began to droop as the monotony took its toll on him and before he even knew it, Leman pronounced “We’re here” in a strangely somber voice. Vickon looked up and saw white wood, red leaves. They were in the middle of a weirwood grove, white trees that seemed to grow up to the sky. Centered in the middle of the grove was a thick tree, strangely different from the others. Vickon couldn’t place it, but then Leman moved out of the way and he saw the face carved into it, a face that seemed to be freshly made, its mouth stretching red and wide across the surface of the wood. It’s face was fixed in a terrible smile, while its eyes seemed to cry blood. Vickon was disturbed slightly by it, but turned to the now silent iron captain. He saw with a start that the man’s face was stone, eyes fixed on the tree before him. Vickon felt suddenly awkward, like he was not supposed be here, like he had impeached on something sacred.
The man turned to him, and wiped his eyes before speaking “You’ll have weirwood as your keel. It’ll never rot, its stronger than most others, and I’ve always wanted to try cutting it. Couldn’t believe it when I found a grove this far south, most of them are gone. Which tree do you want?” Vickon lifted his axe and pointed at the tree with the face carved into it. "How about that one?" Leman stirred little, his eyes still transfixed on those of the tree, both staring into one another's souls. Eventually, the Ironborn shook his head slowly. "There are others." Vickon raised an eyebrow. "I say we use the one with the face." Leman turned to him then, a cold furor in his eyes. "I said no.” He was puzzled. "Why? It's not like either of us care for Old Gods or their trees! If we use that one, it proves how weak their gods are." Vickon waited for a response but none came, Leman had turned his attention back to the tree. Vickon shook his head. "Old Gods be damned." He stepped forward and swung his axe at the tree.
His axe stopped mere inches from its target. Leman Harlaw's outstretched hand held him at the elbow, preventing him from moving his lower arm any further. In shock, he turned back to the old sea captain and noticed the deep sadness in the mans eyes. "There is a power here which must be respected. We have the sea, true enough. But the land ever belongs to others. And they will be respected in my presence." He released his grip and Vickon took several steps back. "Ok. Another tree." He turned his back from Leman and walked over to an old strong-looking weirwood on the other side of the grove. He swept back his axe and swung with all his might. The metal bit deep into the white wood.
After many more hours work, they finally got the tree down and got the men to haul it back to the beach. There, Leman set to work cutting and sanding the great white tree, until finally there was only a great curved rectangular piece remaining. The men laid it down in the sand, and the work on the ship began.
Leman's Carpentry to Master (1/2)
Vickon's Carpentry to Beginner