Chapter 4: A Swordswoman’s Eyes
Altaya
Altaya was excited. It had been a stressful two days and she was looking forward to cutting loose in swordsmanship class. She still had major questions about the meeting they had just had but as she strapped on her training sword and harness which was held on hooks just outside the dueling yard she decided that Julien could think about all the political stuff. She was about to dive into her favorite pass time. She was excited to indulge herself in the purity of the blade.
The rest of her squadmates all looked apprehensive at the treatment they would receive since they were late to the class but she knew it would likely be some hard sparing with the other teams and while the others would find it tedious with the exception of Aramin and Julien she reveled in the simplicity of studying the sword.
They made their way into the sandy but sparsely grassed area that was the dueling yard. It was little more than an area to the East of the main building within the inner wall that was of little use to anyone due to the amount of sand in the soil. It was fenced in with a wooden fence and a wooden outbuilding sat next tot he entrance gate. Inside the outbuilding leather harnesses. a collection of straps and two hardened triangle leather plates that covered the upper left side of the chest and back.
Inside the yard groups of at least twenty students in uniform with leather harnesses moved back and forth in pairs working on parries and counters each one taking a turn striking or counter attacking.
Their instructor Knight Captain Eryk was a war veteran from the last inter kingdom war with Farun. That was more than thirty years ago. The older man’s white beard was trimmed neatly and his rotun build had many questioning if he was still capable of fighting. Luckily she hadn’t been the one to test him in her first year. That honor had gone to her dumb teammate Aramin. Well she had to be fair to the big man she had doubted him as well. Well they had learned the truth soon enough.
“Well well well look what the dragon drug in!” The Knight commander exclaimed sauntering over to them. The other groups of cadets carefully kept their focus on their practice but Altaya was sure they were curious. They just knew better than to look up.
Eryk looked them up and down as they stood to attention but his smirk had faultered. A grim shadow crossed his face briefly before a smirk returned in full. She braced herself for the punishment running he was sure to have them do but he surprised her. But he just sighed, “ Pair up and begin your sparring all except you.” He pointed at Julien with these last words and an unexplained jolt ran up the length of her arm.
Normally she would’ve sparred with Julien as he was the only one who could keep up with her within the squad. Aramin was a close second but he still used too much of his brute force. She’d spent her whole life with Julien by her side. It just felt… empty anytime they were separated. She wasn’t moon touched even within her own mind she knew how that sounded but… she shook her head, now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.
“Cadet Sherman you will have the honor of practicing with yours truly.” It took her a moment to realize she hadn’t heard what else he’d said. She couldn’t however admit that she hadn’t been paying attention by asking what he had said. So she just nodded. Although she saw the slight smirk Julien gave her as they all split up. He knew her too well.
She sighed and loosened her training blade in her sheath before following the aged Knight Commander across the field to the other side.
“Alright it’s been awhile since I’ve tested you thus so, we will start slow before going full force. I hope you have been practicing your counter parries.” He pulled his own practice blade from his sheath at his waist and got into a ready stance front leg bent to the toe, legs shoulder width apart blade held in a double grip sword pointing to the sky.
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Altaya felt a jolt of adrenaline and she couldn’t hide the grin that always broke out on her face when it came to swordplay. She mimicked his stance with her own, her sword came easily from its sheath with hardly a sound.
They started slow just as the Captain had said. They matched speed and tempo each attacking and blocking with the correct forms. With each strike she felt her joy soar. Nothing quite got her so excited as this. Her mind and heart raced, beating as one with the tempo of her strikes until the Knight stepped back.
“Good! You haven’t let yourself get sloppy. Now let’s pick it up!” With no further warning he stepped forward and struck in an over head strike. She knew better than to try to block such a strike so she simply stepped out of its path to the left. Her plan was to strike his right side but the man wasn’t a sword instructor for nothing he moved with a speed that bellied his size. His sword turned from the front strike to the side and up. At the same time he pivoted to face her. His sword pushed hers aside as he tried to turn the parry into a stab.
She felt her smile widen as she twirled the tip of her blade in half circle throwing his stab of center and causing him to almost over extend himself. She struck out with an over head side and even leg attack but he blocked or dodged them all. They danced like this for nearly twenty minutes before the Knight did something unexpected. He feinted a stab at her chest then rolled his wrist causing the flat of his broadsword to rap her knuckles, hard. She squealed in surprised pain but before she could recover a jolt at the base of her blade from a quick but powerful strike knocked the training blade from her suddenly nerveless fingers. He danced backward sweat pouring down his face but a smile evident on his lined visage. Her own breath was ragged but under control even as her shoulders heaved up and down she was careful not to try to sit or crouch.
“Everyday you seem to get better girl, I can’t even begin to imagine what you will be like in the future,” the knight said as he slipped his blade back in its sheathe. Altaya felt her cheeks heat at the praise but she pushed the feeling away. The last twist he had pulled off was running through her mind’s eye over and over again and she knew with certainty she would be able to replicate the move with enough practice. It had always been like that for her. Most had just thought she was naturally talented but she had a secret. Whenever she saw a move she could always remember it and copy it later. She didn’t know why and it didn’t seem to work with anything else but it had allowed her to earn a reputation as a genius swordswoman. She called the phenomenon her swordswoman’s eye.
“Well that’s enough for today I think since you were all late to the class you guys can be the last to leave.” He raised his voice suddenly and it was then that Altaya and became aware of the rest of the cadets standing around. They had been watching their bout. This was nothing new they always seemed to be watching after they finished their own sparring sessions. Julien had been paired with Katrina but now both sat off to one side their backs to the fence as they watched her. The amusement in Julien’s eyes sent a jolt of heat rolling down her spine.
“Everyone! Our next class is in two days but I expect everyone to be going over their counter parries and feints. You are dismissed.” As he said this last part he turned his chain coat clinking as he walked toward the gate to the yard. The other students began grumbling as they began to undo their harnesses and walk toward the shack by the gate. The captain froze halfway to the gate and turned back a surprised expression like he had just remembered something on his face.
“Oh I almost forgot Julien your squad can leave after you give me 30 laps around the yard in full harness.” The smirk on his face seemed to say, did you really think I’d let you get away with being late. The groan that came from her own squad-mates echoed over the yard. Altaya heard snickers from the other cadets but she ignored them. She looked to Julian and the others. He refused to look any of them in the eyes. He just took off at a slow jog his training blade bouncing off his leg. Altaya looked at the rest of the squad Carlouse was openly glaring at Julien’s back, Katrina just looked annoyed, Aramin the crazy bastard that he was was grinning. She however just sighed and followed her charge breaking into a jog as the sun began its decent past the fortress walls in the west.
What do you think of the world name Aleu?
