A Lesson in Humility

[Asfaloth]

Shawn was still adjusting to life as a Tower Guard. There was more responsibility, and surprisingly less oppurtunity for personal training. He was frustrated. He was proud to serve the Aes Sedai but if he couldn't train to improve himself he wouldn't be of much use to them. All he wanted was some time to himself, some time to improve his skills so he could better serve the sisters.

 

Yet, instead of having the time to himself that he needed, he was given more work immediately after he got off duty. He'd been walking past Vasya's office on his way to dinner when he was called in. It seemed the Captain wanted a message delivered. A simple letter to be delivered to the Master at Arms. The letter would never leave the Yards, there was no danger involved. He could have given it to a trainee.

 

In fact, he should have given it to a trainee. Shawn was beyond these simple tasks. He was a Tower Guard now. Luckily he kept his mouth shut until he was out of the Captain's office but he started mumbling to himself as soon as he was in the hallway. Really, why couldn't the Captain give this to a trainee?

[Andular]

Andular walked toward his office after having finished his inspection of the Warders Yard. The trainees, Tower Guards and Warders had been deep in training and few had noticed his presence as he passed. The ring of metal on metal and the clash of practice swords always made the Grand Masters blood sing. With a sigh he turned and began the walk back to his office where he would scour over reports of trolloc movement along the blight.

 

A young man appeared out of Vasya’s office right in front of him and began to walk ahead of him. He had not noticed Andular and the Tower Guard, Shawn he believed his name was, began to mutter and curse about being given a trivial assignment. Shaking his head in disgust Andular listened to the muted tirade for several moments before deciding a lesson needed to be taught.

 

Many newly raised guards felt they were above menial tasks such as delivering a note or running and errand. This could not be further from the truth. By setting and example of selflessness a Tower guards was providing example by leadership.

 

Clearing his throat to get Shawn’s attention Andular stopped the young man in his tracks. “Do you have a problem with a task assigned to you Guard?†Shawn stopped and turned to face the Grand Master clearly unaware he had been behind him.

 

“Tell me young man do you feel you are above menial tasks assigned you? Let me guess you feel your time would be better served in the yard working at your sword craft?â€

[Asfaloth]

"Do you have a problem with a task assigned to you Guard?" Oh great. Who could that be? Shawn turned around and found himself face to face with a grandmaster. This didn't look good.

"Tell me young man do you feel you are above menial tasks assigned you? Let me guess you feel your time would be better served in the yard working at your sword craft?" Interesting way to phrase it. Yes, of course his time would be better spent training.

 

"Actually Sir, I do think my time would be better spent training. I understand the character building value such menial tasks can provide but I've been through all that already. These tasks are better suited for trainees and I'm rather insulted that it was given to me." Well, that wasn't the way to talk to a grandmaster. Shawn wanted to stop the words but they just kept coming out.

[Andular]

Irritation at the young mans brash attitude was evident in Andular’s demeanor when he finished speaking. Nothing annoyed the Grand Master more than a servant of the White Tower thinking that something was beneath them.

As brother’s and sisters’s in arms all Tower Guards had to work together and do what was asked of them without complaint.

 

“So you are too important and to be bothered with such chores then?â€

 

Crossing his arms Andular remained silent for several moments letting the tension settle into Shawn as he waited.

 

“You will deliver your message and then you will meet me in the training yards where you will spar me with heavy lathes.â€

 

Shawn’s eyes widened at that but the young man nodded and turned to hurry off as Andular dismissed him.

 

The late afternoon shadows shaded much of the yard as he entered and made his way over to the equipment shed. Selecting two lathes he walked to a large tree and sat down next to it leaning his back against the hard wood and waited.

He intended to show Shawn how very little he knew and in the process hoped to make the young man learn humility.

[Asfaloth]

Great, a sparring match with a Grand Master. What had he gotten himself into now? On the other hand, he was a Tower Guard now and certainly capable of making it through such an encounter. Well, that may not be entirely true, but even if he lost he was sure to learn something. All these thoughts and more swirled through his head as he delivered Vasya's message to Borac and made his way back to the Yards to meet Andular.

 

He found the Grand Master under a tree, with one of the heaviest weighted lathes in each hand. "Before we begin I just want to say you were right to judge me harshly Sir. My attitude was unbecoming of a Tower Guard. I say that not to try to get out of the match but just to let you know I come here clear-headed and prepared to learn all I can from the encounter."

 

Andular tossed him one of the lathes and they started with a clash. It didn't take long for Shawn to realize just how far outmatched he truly was. And the extra weight of the lathe provided severe punishment for every missed block, as Andular had intended no doubt.

[Andular]

Deep within the void Andular felt out Shawn’s weaknesses and toyed with the man for the first few passes. He was really only getting a feel for how skilled the man was as the two circled one another probing at one another’s defenses.

 

Shifting on his feet Andular dodged a blow then struck. His scored a hit on the exposed left ribs earning a grunt as Shawn recovered. The sound of the two men breathing and the lathes clashing echoed through the yard. Shawn was good the Grand Master thought as he moved in landing another blow to the man’s shoulder.

 

He was just not good enough yet he smiled landing blows at will now. A few people had stopped to watch the spar as Andular attacked relentlessly. Shawn was a talented swordsman and he was sure the man was just having a bad day. It pained a part of him to have to defeat him thoroughly but at times a lesson in humility helped in the long run.

 

Shawn was breathing heavy now from the blows that had landed on his body and from his own effort to score a hit himself. Still Andular attacked and would not stop until Shawn finally yielded. Yielding was not something any student of the yards took lightly

[Asfaloth]

Shawn knew from the start that he would lose this match, but he couldn't bring himself to back down. The blows continued to rain down as he struggled valiantly to hold the Grand Master off. It took all he had to deflect the blows that would be fatal and turn them. Most of them still connected but in places where they merely left bruises or the occasional broken bone. He knew Andular was probably holding back but he was still proud that he'd kept himself from getting 'killed' in this spar.

 

By this point he probably had several broken ribs, and his body would be covered with bruises tomorrow. He could go to the infirmary and see the Sisters for Healing but he had a sneaking suspicion that Andular would see that as cheating in some way from the lesson he was being taught. He would be some time recovering from this lesson, and his recovery time would be increased proportionately as the spar continued. He should yield. He should admit he was wrong and beg forgiveness for his trespass. It wouldn't really be that hard, he'd practically done so before they'd even started.

 

And yet, he couldn't do it. Once again his stubbornness was hurting him. His persistence had earned him many rewards in his life but his stubbornness had caused him no end of pain. And there it was, a lesson beneath the lesson. He had learned something here today in addition to the humility Andular was trying to teach him.

 

He fell on his knees and laid his lathe on the ground before him. Hanging his head in shame he raised his eyes and found Andular standing over him. "Forgive me Sir," oh how it hurt to submit, but he knew he must yield or the 'lesson' would only continue. "You were right. As a Tower Guard, it is my responsibility to serve the Tower in whatever way I can. Nothing an officer or Sister asks of me is truly beneath me for I am nothing more than a servant."