Author Topic: The scent of clay (Read 2758 times)

Aria · « **Reply #40 on:** August 22, 2011, 10:35:35 pm »

Cygnus waited for the door to close. She studied the interior of his quiet room one more time, an old habit to check for danger, a habit that refused to die. Assured nothing was going to attack whilst she was vulnerable, Cygnus undressed. She stepped into Jordan's pants, and pulled his shirt over her head. She smiled to herself faintly, detecting individual scents in the clothing- the smokiness from cigarettes, an earthiness of clay, and a scent entirely his own.

She stood there after folding her own discarded clothing carefully. Then she reached up and pulled the headscarf from her head, letting her hair tumble freely over her shoulders and down her back. Truth be told, it was stifling to wear, but it helped reduce the awe and fear she encountered on the streets.

Leaving her clothes, Cygnus stepped from Jordan's room and looked around, attempting to keep the pants from slipping too low as she walked. She found him in the kitchen. "Well. I believe I am suitably clothed in order to learn now?"

Anonymous · « **Reply #41 on:** August 22, 2011, 11:14:16 pm »

Jordan whistled, "I like the hair down. It's lovely." He moved closer, starting to thread the rope through her belt loops, "Here, this should help keep the pants up. I hope you are ready to get messy. Real art requires one to get dirty, to involve yourself into the piece."

Aria · « **Reply #42 on:** August 22, 2011, 11:26:55 pm »

Cygnus touched her hair, expression wavering between her usual stubborn poker-face, and a pleased smile. "Yes, well, the scarf is practical."

She tensed when he moved near, and watched his hands carefully that close to her hips. "Thank you. That should... help." Still looking down, she smiled. "Yes, I'm ready to get messy. If that's what it takes. I'm here to learn, after all, and you do seem to be a... skilled potter." She admitted that compliment with reluctance. "So... as I've heard it said- whatever you say."

Anonymous · « **Reply #43 on:** August 22, 2011, 11:36:14 pm »

"It is never practical to cover such beauty." Once he had tied the 'belt' he couldn't resist lifting a hand to his hair and lifting a silky lock, "And be careful what you promise. I could ask for a number of things."

He smiled and kissed the strand before turning and beckoned her to follow. Out back was his studio, in a simple, low building. Inside was much more cluttered than the house, with a potters wheel at the center and hunks of clay everywhere, all different colors and kinds.

"Today, we start with a simple bowl. Take a seat."

Aria · « **Reply #44 on:** August 22, 2011, 11:58:40 pm »

Cygnus blinked, going to pull her hair from his grasp, then her eyes narrowed a fraction. "It is simply a saying I have heard..." See, that is what she gets when trying to use the lingo of this stupid native's tongue.

Quite miffed by his invasion of her personal space, she debated the intelligence of her choice to learn a "hobby". What good was this hobby going to be anyways? Did she really need one? She could continue on just fine... surviving on bitter rage.

In the end, Cygnus followed after Jordan as he led her out back and to his studio. She breathed in deep, the scents of earth very strong in this room. It reminded her of the canyons of home, after heavy rainfall. "A simple bowl..." She echoed as she, begrudgingly obedient, did as he said and took a seat.

Anonymous · « **Reply #45 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:07:41 am »

Jordan sat cross legged next to her, "The basic shapes are easy, you'll be able to make things quickly. The trick, is learning to make something beautiful." His voice was low and easy as he started the lesson, teaching her about how to pick the right clay for the right job and how to mold it beneath her hands as the wheel spun.

Aria · « **Reply #46 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:14:54 am »

Cygnus, to her credit, was not a terribly bad student with most things. But she did have trouble relaxing enough in order to truly grasp how to mold the clay, how to push and shape it with her hands.

She grew frustrated after a failed attempt turned out lopsided and lumpy, angry at how it did not seem to yield beneath her fingers as she wanted it to. "This is... not working." She glared at the misshapen bowl, clay all along her forearms.

Anonymous · « **Reply #47 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:17:28 am »

"Because you keep forcing it. Feel what it wants to do and let it happen." Jordan moved behind her, taking her hands in his, "Like this." As the wheel spun, he started to fix the bowl, guiding her hands along to smooth it out, even the clay into the correct shape.

Aria · « **Reply #48 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:44:09 am »

"What it wants to do...? I guess that first bowl wanted to be a splatter on the wall, because that is what happened to it." She was of course irritably referring to her first attempt, that flew off the potters wheel and formed itself to the wall.

She glanced behind her suspiciously, not at all happy about all the close contact, but allowed herself to refocus on the wheel after a moment. Cygnus focused on the way he guided her hands, trying to memorize it so that she would be able to apply it herself. Of course, the clay worked perfectly under his guidance, much to her frustration. Still, with his help, she was able to make a bowl.

Anonymous · « **Reply #49 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:48:22 am »

"Just feel what it wants. You forced the first bowl too hard." Jordan set up another bowl, hands over hers again, "See how it wants to be taller?" He shaped it with her a little longer, "You aren't going to become a master in one afternoon."

Letting his hands drop, he let her work the bowl, "Remember, don't force it."

Aria · « **Reply #50 on:** August 23, 2011, 02:09:45 pm »

Cynugs was, truth be told, a little disappointed with herself. She'd been hoping, for some reason, that she would be a natural at pottery. She supposed that had been a truly childish wish, as no one was ever perfect without a little practice and hard work. "Yes, I know..."

In the moments following when he removed his hands, she was unsure, much like a child riding a bike after their parent has let go. But the end result, after she was finally able to simply let the clay become what it wanted to be, was not bad. A little too thin at the rim, and not the most beautiful belle at the ball, but it was a bowl. She tilted her head, frowning at it. "Well... at least it is not a splatter on the wall."

Anonymous · « **Reply #51 on:** August 23, 2011, 02:21:22 pm »

"Wonderful. You have a natural talent." Jordan smiled, still seated behind her, but being careful not to touch. It was so tempting to, slide his hands along her thin frame, stroke that lovely long hair. But it was too soon.

He hated being so blind, how much the headband clogged his vision. So many things he wanted to know about her, "Why don't you try making another one. Then we can see about that dinner."

Aria · « **Reply #52 on:** August 23, 2011, 06:28:26 pm »

Cygnus glanced over her shoulder at him, not unaware of his presence there, so close. "I still have a lot of progress to make," she muttered, humility and humbleness still second nature.

"Alright." She took her first real success from the afternoons lesson and set it aside, then went about choosing the right type and portion of clay, as he'd instructed her to do. Setting it on the potters wheel, breathing deep the scents of earth as she began to mold the bowl. Leaning over it carefully, Jordan's large shirt hanging loosely from he frame, Cygnus said,"It has bothered me since we first met, how you can be so at ease with this planet."

Anonymous · « **Reply #53 on:** August 23, 2011, 06:33:08 pm »

"I love this planet. I gave everything up for it." Jordan watched her hands closely, "Easy, don't force. Listen, shape. You and this clay are working together to make art. This place called to me, before I even knew it. I was made for it."

Aria · « **Reply #54 on:** August 23, 2011, 07:29:10 pm »

Cygnus felt a bitter twinge of envy for his outlook, as alien as it was to her. How someone could love such a barren planet was beyond her. "I'm not trying to force it." She said with an irritated sigh.

She took a deep breath, attempting to shake the tenseness from her back and shoulders. Perhaps she should approach it much like she would communing with plants, you had to be careful of what emotions you were feelings, else you would risk disrupting the flora's lifeforce, causing damage or wilting. She needed to relax. "Called to you?" She asked absently, as she hollowed out the middle of the bowl, forming the sides between her hands. "And so that's why you left everything behind? Submitted to them bolting a device into your head that kept you from your true ability?"

Anonymous · « **Reply #55 on:** August 23, 2011, 07:35:02 pm »

"Yes. And I would do so again." Jordan smiled softly, looking at something not in the same room with them, something far away only he could see, "I'm going to bring life to her. There is so much here, just waiting for a little help."

He shook his head, laughing as he tapped his headband, "This? Is nothing. I'll tolerate this for my Edanith."

Aria · « **Reply #56 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:04:50 pm »

Cygnus lifted her head, looking back at Jordan quizzically. It was so hard for her to comprehend his way of looking at it. "So, you see... potential, in it?"

"That is... admirable." Her voice was soft for a moment. It was admirable, that he would tolerate the very thing that kept them shackled, for whatever faraway dream it was he obviously saw.

"But also foolish." Cygnus couldn't very well be nice, now could she? Her brows pulled closer together, in her distraction her thumb had pressed into the side of the bowl, causing it to ripple and distort. She swore in her language, trying to smooth it out again.

Anonymous · « **Reply #57 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:09:56 pm »

"Sush pretty cat. Why do you never listen?" Jordan's hands came up again, guiding hers along, "Things don't have to be perfect to be beautiful." He pressed lightly against her thumbs, warping the bowl, but keeping it controlled, adding a new shape to the bowl, "Take the flaws and work with them."

Aria · « **Reply #58 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:45:19 pm »

Cygnus lifted her head stubbornly at the rebuke, but the pressure of his hands on hers once more stopped the angry words her mind had been searching to say. She watched as the bowl bent and reformed beneath the pressure of her thumbs. "Well... hmph."

"It is... unique." He was too close, leaning over her, his hands on her's. "This pottery hobby has turned out to be more frustrating then anticipated. But thank you, I acknowledge the wisdom of your words and guidance."

Anonymous · « **Reply #59 on:** August 23, 2011, 08:50:11 pm »

"Art is often frustrating, all that emotion makes the best pieces." Jordan smiled again, eyes still on the bowl as he guided her hands along it, "I'm going to let go, see if you can still work it. Remember, perfect isn't always flawless."

He moved his hands back, letting her control the bowl again.

Author Topic: The scent of clay (Read 2758 times)

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