risked a quick look at my feet.
“All of your movements should come from this spot. When you are placing your feet, always think, is my center where it should be? Or am I at risk of overbalancing and being overpowered?” He kept his gaze on me as he spoke. “Imagine if you will, that your tailbone was in fact your third leg and it has broken off. You need to balance as if it was still there, all the while keeping your center toward your opponent.”
Jasper and Bones went from Brie to Sully to me and back again, repeating the process until we had our footwork and guards to Bones’ satisfaction.
He walked the line of trainees and nodded in approval at our stance. “Great. Take a quick breather and then we will try some movements with those thoughts in place.”
“When are we going to learn how to fight?” Sully asked.
“We will get to it in good time, Sully.” Bones spoke with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Jasper has suggested you all learn how to fight properly, just as we were both taught when we were young men.”
“Do you mean that we will really be fighting, as in fighting to kill?” I asked, my gaze locked onto Bones.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean,” he replied. Bones lips curved up in a smile as if he was laughing at me, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
We took a five-minute break, and then he called us back to it. For the next forty-five minutes Bones drilled us, pushing us to the limit. Our arms were aching when he finally called a halt.
“Take a break, everyone.”
I was flushed and had sweat running down my face. I was fit, but even a few more minutes would do me in. The swords were heavy and would take some practice before we were able to use them easily.
“That was so cool!” Sully exclaimed, gulping down big breaths.
“How did that feel for you, Brie?” Jasper asked.
“That was just fabulous, Jasper. I feel so powerful with the sword in my hands.” Her face was glowing with joy, and she was bouncing around us with the biggest smile.
Jasper laughed at her enthusiasm. “Looks like we might be doing a fair bit of this over the summer, Bones.”
They both looked at me at the same time. I felt like a bug on a stick. “Yes, I did enjoy it. Once we get sword fit, it will be great. My arms feel like I have been carrying around a bucket of lead, though.”
“By the time the holidays are over, you won’t notice it when you pick up your sword, Nera. It will weigh nothing compared to today,” Bones said. “Mind you, your friends at school will probably want to know why your arms have bulked up so much.”
“Bonus.” Sully flexed his arms. “Can we do just a little bit more, please?”
I laughed. One would never call Sully a weedy type of guy, but the extra muscles obviously appealed to him. We gathered together and prepared to spar with one another again.
Jasper partnered with Brie, and Sully and I took turns with Bones. I let Sully go first and stood on the side watching them. Bones was patient with Sully, but after five minutes, I could see Sullyflagging, the weight of the sword making his arms ache.
“That will do for now, Sully.” Bones turned to me. “Your go, Nera.”
He watched as I patted Sully on the shoulder and walked over to stand in front of him. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Ready, Nera? Why don’t you start?”
I placed my feet and lifted my longsword. I lunged at Bones, and he easily parried my cut. I swung my sword from a different angle, and again he blocked me. Every time I attacked, he was ready and swatted me away. After a short time, I could feel the sweat running down my face again and my arms ached.
“I think that will do for today.” Bones looked as cool as when we had started.
I nodded my head and ran my hand over my face. I leaned onto the sword with one hand as I heaved in deep breaths.
“That feels so good,” I said. “Exhausting but good.”
“It suits you.” He watched me
“All of your movements should come from this spot. When you are placing your feet, always think, is my center where it should be? Or am I at risk of overbalancing and being overpowered?” He kept his gaze on me as he spoke. “Imagine if you will, that your tailbone was in fact your third leg and it has broken off. You need to balance as if it was still there, all the while keeping your center toward your opponent.”
Jasper and Bones went from Brie to Sully to me and back again, repeating the process until we had our footwork and guards to Bones’ satisfaction.
He walked the line of trainees and nodded in approval at our stance. “Great. Take a quick breather and then we will try some movements with those thoughts in place.”
“When are we going to learn how to fight?” Sully asked.
“We will get to it in good time, Sully.” Bones spoke with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Jasper has suggested you all learn how to fight properly, just as we were both taught when we were young men.”
“Do you mean that we will really be fighting, as in fighting to kill?” I asked, my gaze locked onto Bones.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean,” he replied. Bones lips curved up in a smile as if he was laughing at me, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
We took a five-minute break, and then he called us back to it. For the next forty-five minutes Bones drilled us, pushing us to the limit. Our arms were aching when he finally called a halt.
“Take a break, everyone.”
I was flushed and had sweat running down my face. I was fit, but even a few more minutes would do me in. The swords were heavy and would take some practice before we were able to use them easily.
“That was so cool!” Sully exclaimed, gulping down big breaths.
“How did that feel for you, Brie?” Jasper asked.
“That was just fabulous, Jasper. I feel so powerful with the sword in my hands.” Her face was glowing with joy, and she was bouncing around us with the biggest smile.
Jasper laughed at her enthusiasm. “Looks like we might be doing a fair bit of this over the summer, Bones.”
They both looked at me at the same time. I felt like a bug on a stick. “Yes, I did enjoy it. Once we get sword fit, it will be great. My arms feel like I have been carrying around a bucket of lead, though.”
“By the time the holidays are over, you won’t notice it when you pick up your sword, Nera. It will weigh nothing compared to today,” Bones said. “Mind you, your friends at school will probably want to know why your arms have bulked up so much.”
“Bonus.” Sully flexed his arms. “Can we do just a little bit more, please?”
I laughed. One would never call Sully a weedy type of guy, but the extra muscles obviously appealed to him. We gathered together and prepared to spar with one another again.
Jasper partnered with Brie, and Sully and I took turns with Bones. I let Sully go first and stood on the side watching them. Bones was patient with Sully, but after five minutes, I could see Sullyflagging, the weight of the sword making his arms ache.
“That will do for now, Sully.” Bones turned to me. “Your go, Nera.”
He watched as I patted Sully on the shoulder and walked over to stand in front of him. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Ready, Nera? Why don’t you start?”
I placed my feet and lifted my longsword. I lunged at Bones, and he easily parried my cut. I swung my sword from a different angle, and again he blocked me. Every time I attacked, he was ready and swatted me away. After a short time, I could feel the sweat running down my face again and my arms ached.
“I think that will do for today.” Bones looked as cool as when we had started.
I nodded my head and ran my hand over my face. I leaned onto the sword with one hand as I heaved in deep breaths.
“That feels so good,” I said. “Exhausting but good.”
“It suits you.” He watched me
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