Do you want it? (Attn Liitha)

[Sangreal]

With such a recent influx of trainees came another problem on the yards. More drop outs than usual. Considering the Yard had a budget nothing was worse than a quitter. Or at least that was what Sandre thought as he escorted yet another one to the entrance of the Yards and made sure he left.

 

It came as no surprise to Sandre that the he was recruited for an evaluation for a new recruit. He was told quite simply "Make sure he wants to be here." and Sandre was determined to make sure whoever this "Hall" was that he wouldnt be escorting him to the gates in a month.

 

Looking at the amount of trainees on the yard Sandre was not sure he wanted to bother looking for Hall. He felt bad for the current trainees in a way. The lack of space would delay training and make it less personalized. It would take longer to raise them this way. Putting his hands on his hips he decided to use his deep voice to draw the man out.

 

"Recruit Hall! Front and center!"

[Liitha]

Hall was runing laps around the yard to warm up, he had thougth about riding, but descided to wait till the evening when it was cooler for the horse to work. The beat of his heart was accompanied by the clinging of swords in the yard, and made a rythm for him to move too. He heard a shout, and it took a moment before his brain had descipered the sounds into his name, slowing down he looked around to locate where it came from, standing on his toes he was well able to have oversight of the yard, and togheter with the place instructions he managed to search out who had shouted.

 

He picked up his pace again and trotted through the yard towards the person, manuvering around those who were training. He started wondering if it wouldnt been better to just finish the lap jogging around, instead of trying to cut through, but eventualy he neared his aim. Bowing his head in respect to the tower guard he replied "Hall Vard, what may I help you with sir?" 

[Sangreal]

Sandre held up a stack of papers. "Your evaluation Hall. I will be handling it today. We want to make sure you want to be here." He motioned over to a bench where he began scribbling notes on the papers using his knees to write on. "How do you like to so far Hall? I remember being a nervous wreck when I first got here and my meeting with Thera made me question my choice to come here." If it could have been called a choice that is. He had to keep his word otherwise he would have never considered this.

 

"I was fortunate to have two very good room mates to show me around. Have you made many friends?"

 

All his questions were friendly but were also to tell him how much Hall had settled in to the place. Someone who was nervous and stressed and had no friends was more likely to leave. He stopped writing and looked towards Hall for his answer.

[Liitha]

Evaluation, he hadnt even thougth of that, he just been bussy doing his training not paying attention to the time he had spent in the yard. "Its interesting, to be honest I guess I sort of lossed track of time, so this come sort of a surprise on me, hadnt thougth it was time for one.." he smiled.

 

He thougth back on Thera, it wasnt much impresion he had of her, then again he had been slightly tumbeled by all the events prior. "To be honest with the Mistress of Novice, the meeting passed by without me being able to take much an impression, and I havent run into her enough to make up much of a picture of her.." He scratched his head above the left ear, "..mostly my entery was sort of confusing and chaotic, I had a run in with some less descent fellows, and got rescued by Shoar and Daemon, which guided me on my way here so that worked out well."

 

He looked to the barracks, "Those I goten to know of the other trainee's all seem nice enough, I changed room lately and got some newly arived people move in which seem descent, and its been interesting geting to know them.." he thougth back a couple weeks, "as well given me a chance to repeat some of my earlier gained knowledge in answering questions."

 

"But yeah training keep you busy, though it does keep you from getting to homesick in the beginning as well...though I am sure you would know all about that?" Hall couldn't imagine the yard any less active then what he had gotten used too, then again it suited him well, as idling wasn't something he had been used to from home.

[Sangreal]

Sandre nodded and continued his scribbling. It wasnt really scribbling. He was a better writer than both his brothers. "Well Hall we will find out today how much you want to be here. We are going to take a little run. You will be required to run as fast as you can. If at any point you slow down you will get a lash from this." he motioned towards a piece of bamboo. He wouldnt leave any damage on the guy. Just sting him. Another reason people quit was they did not like the pain of sparring. "Its the same wood used for sparring. We are also going to do some basic work outs. Move as fast as you can. If you slow down..." He motioned back towards the bamboo.

 

"I went through this same thing. It may seem harsh and it will be one of the hardest things you will endure in the yards. However when you come out of it you are awarded an extra day off tomorrow and an extra hour each day to study whatever you want."

 

It was more like whatever your trainers wanted you to study but still.

 

"Ok lets start." he said as he walked to a clear spot in yards with thick sand. "When I say down you drop and start doing pushups. If you dont go all the way down the bamboo will correct you. If you do not come all the way up or keep your back straight its the same thing. When I did this there was hardly an inch on my body that didnt have a welt. I hope you will do better. When I say up you jump to your feet and start doing knee ups. You will be corrected if your knees do not go high enough or you slow down."

 

Hall seemed to grasp what was being said. "Ok Trainee Hall, Down!"

 

OOC He will likely say down and make Hall do push ups until he looks to be tiring just a little then have him go up and do knee ups while his arms recover then back down again as he tires of knee ups. Up to you if Hall needs "Correcting" however it makes for a more interesting story if he does

[Liitha]

Hall nodded, it wasnt all what he had expected, then again he hadnt thougth too much on this, and thus not put to much effort into learning of it, he simply thought he had more time as such because had losted track of time.

 

He was glad he had been runing laps though, it ment he was already warmed up. He wasnt the fastest, but his long legs helped make up for it, as he took longer strides as such, so he could hold an ok pace he knew that, however it did limit his time to get down, he did ok for him, but had a disadvantage on the smaller more flexible persons which would get around like a ball poping from one position to another. He was just more dependant on tecniques as such due to his size, he had other advantages though, like easier reach of things.

 

The rutine excersises was nesicary he knew to build strenght, and he didnt mind much their tediousness as such, it wasnt worse then mucking out a stable, you got into a rythm and then your mind could wander while you worked. He felt the bamboo a couple times geting up in particular, but all over felt things were going well, or so he hoped, he had trained hard since he came to the yard, pushing even more at times then home at the farm.

 

He was on his way down again when his toe got stuck against a stone and he landed on his knee instead, he bit his teeth together as he sucked in air in slight pain, he moved back though to start doing push up, laying more weight on his good foot instead, it would bruise, but wasnt to bad, it was slightly distractive but he delt with bruised toes frequently at home from horses stomping on your feet, or fallings from the horse. You just had to compensate and try to do your best, his father never had embraced giving over for a damage. And he couldnt fail now, he felt the stings but bit his teeth togheter and tried to work his way through the push ups. As it wouldnt stop he closed hie eyes to block the world out, being better able to focus all his energy into geting through this, surely it wouldnt last forever.

 

ooc Hall isnt an expert but he does fairly well as he is structured and a hard worker, which i figured would be more of where he'd show weakness as he would be the type to try and overreach mayhaps at times in the aim to achive..or something, lol, still feeling out the char and how to play who he is suposed to be

[Sangreal]

Sandre watched and only has to correct Hall a few times. When he felt he has sufficiently tired Hall out he had the recruit get up and put on some of the old armor on the racks that was meant only for training to use armor.

 

"We will run in armor today. Its something that I feel we are not trained enough on in the yards. I recall getting very little training in it and so when I got my armor I began to wear it every day until it began to feel like a second skin. It also helps to get used to the chaffing it does to the body. We will be running today as though we are running into a fight meaning you will carry a tower shield and and a weighted lathe or spear. I will run with you. If at any point you lower your guard or expose a part of you will be corrected."

 

His intention was to run Hall to the ground. It was part of the evaluation. He wondered how long this would take in heavy armor with a helm restricting your breathing and the weight of a shield and weighted lathe or spear tiring his arms.

 

"After this I will have you spar with some trainees and we will call it a day."

 

OOC He intends to run Hall to the ground. You can decide when he cant go on even with the threat of a welt from a length of bamboo

[Liitha]

Hall didnt object, but he was starting to get the feel of this guy being one of those intense ones, it was just an evolution though, and it would be over sooner or later. He bit his teeth and donned the gear, much heavier then he would prefer, being large himself he had enough weigth to slow him down, if not adding heavy gear too it. The helm was an anoyance, as it restricted his view more then helped, he was used to being able to take advantage of his height for oversight. But it wasnt his way to object in an inferior position, unless there was risk of harmfull consequenes by going through with something, in this case there was not.

 

He could feel it way down on him though, and as he took up beside the tower guard runing, he felt he couldnt help but limp a little, which definably wouldnt be helping his speed. He used his length of leg in striding out, to help compensate as best he could, though more often felt the cane now. It also made it harder to find a good rythm that the armor was shifting with his movements, and restricting them from their natural flow. 

 

Trying to avoid a branch in their path which he couldnt duck under, he had to slow down, and when he took a long stride to try to catch up he felt his foot twist. All he could think of as he went crashing down, was oh no, "I'm sorry sir" he tried to get up in a rush and felt the restriction of the armor drag him down again. Finaly he managed to put himself back up on his legs, but as he took a step forth to try and pick up again, he knew there was no way he would be able to run well, he wasnt fully able to carry on the foot, and with the heavy armor on top of everything there was no way he would be able to compensate by shifting his weight. "Sir, I dont think I'll be able to go on" he felt the armor weigh down on him as if to demonstrate the weight of the words too him, he closed his eyes for a moment, disappointment of his failure spreading through him and felt himself slip back onto the ground. He felt the silence opressing as he waited for the response, just hoping by the creator this hadnt damaged his chances of being able to stay in the yard, he knew he would be welcome at home, but this was were he had chosen to be, where he wanted to be, and he knew his father was proud of him for it.

 

 

[Sangreal]

Sandre was concerned when he saw Hall twist his ankle and come crashing down. He walked over to observe the man

 

"Sir, I dont think I'll be able to go on"

 

Sandre smiled as he bent down to check the mans ankle. Already it was starting to swell so he took the Hall's boots off while he could. They were far out of the yards and Sandre was going to have to help him to the yellows. "I would not mark you negatively for an injury on such a hard evaluation. We will get you to the yellows to heal the sprain."

 

When the boot was off he grabbed Hall's arm and pulled his arm over his shoulders. Step by slow step they began the walk back. "When I was a trainee... I passed out in the physical class... pushed myself too hard because I was weaker than the other trainees. Had to try and push myself because I knew I would not pass this evaluation otherwise."

 

When they finally got to the yellows. He helped the man to a place where he could sit and wait. "You can continue today if you would like but I learned what I need to. As soon as you are healed. Its up to you. Just the sparring left anyways,"

[Liitha]

Hall had managed to avoid the infarmary so far, though heard some things about healing. He was curious, yet a bit frightened, and couldnt help but shrug from the chill who went through him when the Aes Sedai lay hands on him. He listened to the instructions, and based on everything was glad he had had only a minor damage, which allowed him to finish the session with the guard.

 

He was a little more lighthearted as they entered the yard again, from the words spoken in the infarmary. And he made sure to do his best performing in the spar, using his No Dachi which he was more familiar with the feel of. He had his mistakes, and a lot to learn, but it was something he was aware of, and was learning as best he could, and found himself less strict about when it came to self judgment. He was satisfied when he even managed to pick up a few things, and avoid some of his biggest flaws he had been worked hard on, while others was still present that he made mental note of working even harder on. By the end of the spar his stomach was growling enough to start distracting him though, and he was glad when he was told the spar was over.

 

ooc leaving it up too you if you wanna continue to lunch to talk, or if you wanna quit, either way is fine with me..

[Sangreal]

When the sparring was done Sandre sat and filled out his report. He didnt think Hall would be a quitter. Hall watched him and waited in case there was something else Sandre needed to ask or check before he was sent off to eat and recover.

 

"It was always a tense moment for me when I had to watch the instructors fill out these reports. Made me worry. I hope you work hard Hall as the work out you got today will be a daily thing in a few months from now. I know I wasnt ready and I worked twice as hard to get half as much progress as my fellow trainees."

 

He wasnt sure Hall would believe him. Sandre was a giant of a man now. Heavy in muscle, broad chested and tall. So tall in fact that the masterwork hand and a half sword on his back was actually longer than a normal sword and he wielded it just as well if not better.

 

"You only need to work on stamina as far as I can tell Hall. Your final will be in full armor and the few opportunities to train in armor you will have before then are not enough. You will need to use some of your free time. When you are issued armor wear it every day until its like a second skin to you. Unless its chain of course."

 

Chain mail put all the weight in the shoulders. No one could wear it for more than a few hours and still be at one hundred percent should the fighting start.

 

"Your dismissed Trainee Hall. Go eat and nice meeting you."