What a strange day... {Atten Cetaile Sedai}

[TaiDashan]

D'Ashan drank thirstily from the dipper before wiping his brow on the back of his arm. The unseasonably cold weather was starting to chill him, as the wind tried to dry the sweat on his bare torso. He had just finished practicing Forms with some of the other trainees and his muscles were still warm and pleasantly aching from the exertion.

 

It was close to mid-day and he had some time before his afternoon training classes, as miraculous as that sounded. He decided to head for the Mess to get some food before relaxing in his room with a book that had recently caught his fancy. The usual clatter of practice lathes and grunts, the sounds of shuffling feet, all washed over him unaware. He had become used to the sounds of the Yard, so it was that it was a sight not a sound that caught his attention.

 

There were women in the ranks of the Yards, if not as many as the men, so the sight of a woman was not in itself startling. It was more the woman herself.

 

Quite short, about a full foot shorter than himself, she was deeply tanned and had rich, caramel colored hair cut short to her shoulders. She was gripping a knife in her hand fiercely and taking instruction from one of the men here at the yards. With a shock he noticed a flash as the pale winter sun caught her great serpent ring. He had been told that Aes Sedai came to the Yard for weapons training, but he had never seen one do so. In fact, the only Aes Sedai that he had truly met was Shaneevae, and he was sure she was anything but typical...

 

He leaned against a nearby tree and watched this peculiar creature for a moment. Frankly Aes Sedai facinated him and Shaneevae had done nothing to change that fact. They were supposed to be all serenity and calm. This did not look to be so...

[claireducky]

Cetaile grunted as the blow of the training knife impacted with her ribs.  The weapons were made of polished wood, but they would leave a nice bruise to anyone too slow to get out of their way.  She had been too slow to avoid the blow, but she held her knife at the neck of Horace, her training partner.  That would have been a deadly strike; she likely would have survived the cut to the ribs if these knives had been live steel.

 

"You'll no be winning any prizes for style, Cetaile Sedai, but you do have me, fortune prick me if you don't."

 

Her training partner took a step back and regarded her.  The Gray straightened her stance and nodded at him.

 

"Thank you, Horace.  I appreciate the time you've taken with me to get me this far; I know I'm not the most willing of students.  Shall we train again tomorrow? Same time?"

 

The grizzled Illianer nodded. "That do be sounding fine, Cetaile Sedai.  Maybe tomorrow I can teach you how to do more than stick your opponent with the pointy end."

 

He laughed and turned on his heel to walk back to the warmth of the barracks.  Cetaile was sore all over; she stretched for the sky, loose trousers clinging to her hips.  As she lowered her arms, the Gray sister noticed a trainee watching her.  He was bare chested and leaning against a tree nonchalantly like the cold wind was not cutting right through him.  He stared at her openly, and Cetaile ran a hand over her brow and hair to make sure her locks weren't sticking out at odd angles like they were wont to do.  When she discovered nothing amiss, she scowled at the lad.  He finally seemed to realize she had noticed his attention upon her, and stood up straight suddenly.

 

The petite Atha'an Miere stalked over to where he was and demanded, "What exactly are you looking at, young man?  Do you think you can learn how to guard an Aes Sedai just standing around?"

 

He looked poleaxed, and Cetaile crossed her arms under her bosom while waiting for his reply.  She had noticed that men seemed to lose their wits when she did that.

 

Cetaile

/grumpy and exotic as always

 

[TaiDashan]

D'Ashan Watched as the man training the Aes Sedai walked away, Horace was it? The Sister stretched languorously for the sky, working muscles that must be tired from exertion. The light wind was starting to feel bitingly cold on his skin, now cooled from lack of motion. He considered replacing his shirt in a moment of consternation as the Sister smoothed her hair. He almost grinned to himself smugly, missing her scowl. It wouldn't be the first time a Sister had admired his muscled frame. He stood up straight, opting to leave the shirt off for the moment, before the Sister came over to him.

 

"What exactly are you looking at, young man?  Do you think you can learn how to guard an Aes Sedai just standing around?"

 

D'Ashan's jaw almost dropped open. He sputtered a little and attempted to cover it by pulling his shirt quickly over his head. He regained his composure without too much lost and bowed deeply to the Sister.

"Forgive me Aes Sedai. Sometimes standing still and observing your surroundings can guard your Aes Sedai better than constant motion." He added, stifling a grin. "My name is D'Ashan, a Tower Guard Trainee. One day I hope to serve the Tower as Gaidin." He wondered to himself silently why he added that last bit.

[claireducky]

Cetaile grunted with amusement when the idle boy suddenly threw his shirt over his head, as if he had forgotten about it this entire time.  He gave a formal bow full of the confidence of youth.

 

"Forgive me Aes Sedai. Sometimes standing still and observing your surroundings can guard your Aes Sedai better than constant motion." He added, stifling a grin. "My name is D'Ashan, a Tower Guard Trainee. One day I hope to serve the Tower as Gaidin."

 

She sized him up, making no effort to hide her study of him.  "You might make some Sister a good Gaidin someday, if you learn to keep your focus.  If you lose your concentration on what is important during a battle, you will be dead and no use to your Sedai."

 

Cetaile shifted on the balls of her feet and let a small smirk appear on her face.  She was still warmed up from her exercise with Horace; perhaps she could take this whelp on.  With a flick of her wrist, the training knife was at the throat of D'Ashan, who started backwards in surprise.  She turned and walked back to the training area in the center of the yard.  When he didn't follow she looked over her shoulder and called, "Well?  Are you just going to stand their gawking, or are you going to come give me a bit of a challenge?"

 

 

[TaiDashan]

The praise was noted and taken for value, but the next comment was what he truly heard. "If you lose your concentration on what is important during a battle, you will be dead and no use to your Sedai." He nodded, recognizing the truth in her words.

 

Suddenly she shifted to the balls of her feet. Before he could wonder what she was up to the training dagger was headed for her throat and he backed up in surprise. what in the Light...? he thought. She turned on her heel and walked back to where she had been training previously. He stood their considering her retreating form. She was gruff, with a sense of humor. Seemingly hard as nails, yet willing to give praise. Truth be told, she fascinated him.

 

"Well?  Are you just going to stand their gawking, or are you going to come give me a bit of a challenge?"

 

He gave a small start. She wanted to spar? He had not watched her long enough with Horace to gauge her ability beyond knowing she knew which end went in the bad guy. He had grown up learning knives with the beggar Old Onetooth, he felt confident. Calmly walking to the rack he hefted a few of the hardwood training daggers before finally selecting a pair. If it was a spar she wanted, he would be more than happy to oblige.

 

Briefly he closed his eyes, felling the knives in his palms. Shifting his grip he opened his eyes and ran through the mental exercise known as the Spring. Dropping into a ready stance he shifted his weight to the ball of his lead foot, keeping his off foot light on the ground.

 

"Ready when you are..." He said with a slight grin.

[claireducky]

D'Ashan picked out a pair of training daggers and strode confidently towards her.  He readied himself in a stance she didn't recognize and said with a grin, "Ready when you are..."

 

She smiled back wickedly and launched herself at him.

 

 

~~~Several Minutes Later~~~

 

Winded, Cetaile sat on her heels and watched D'Ashan as he did the same.  She had a fine collection of bruises starting on her ribs, shoulders, and legs...but she also knew that she had landed a few good blows on the trainee as well.  He was rotating an arm with a slight wince.

 

She stood with a wince of her own and crossed the short distance to him.  He looked up at her warily as she spoke.  "I appreciate you taking the time to spar with me.  It was...educational.  I know that your arm can't feel the best after that blow to the inside elbow I dealt you.  Will you accept Healing?"

 

 

[TaiDashan]

Cetaile Sedai was light on her feet and very balanced, something D'Ashan couldn't help but admire. Not that he had much time to do so mind you. They danced around the training circle, strike and defend in one motion. That was one thing about dual weapons D'Ashan took great joy in. When using a weapon in each hand, one could defend while the other could attack. It was like a single fluid motion that did not end until the fight did.

 

Oh the forms had taught him how to be graceful with a single weapon, but dual weapons required a balance and concentration that only served to heighten that grace. He got too cocky and flourished at the wrong moment, taking a nasty strike to the inside of his elbow that would have left his arm useless were her blade steel. Even though it were wood, the blade struck tendon and the remainder of the fight was short lived. She had done very well. Old Onetooth would have been impressed. Thinking of the old beggar brought back memories of the old days, ones D'Ashan had no wish to relive.

 

They both settled back on their heels to catch their breath for a moment, him gazing at her apraisingly. She was beautiful as well as rough, like an uncut gem. She stood and crossed the short distance to him and he eyed her, wondering if she was ready for more so soon.

 

"I appreciate you taking the time to spar with me.  It was...educational.  I know that your arm can't feel the best after that blow to the inside elbow I dealt you.  Will you accept Healing?" D'Ashan chuckled. She appreciated it? Light but it had been fun!

 

"It was my privilege Aes Sedai," He said with a small bow, wincing for his arm. "I would very much like to make that a common occurrence. Healing would be appreciated, tell me, where did you get your training?"