Fear and Running : Ursana

[Urais]

- - - - - The sweat gleaned on Sovald's body under the harsh sunlight. His arms strained against the sandbags as he lifted it, finally raising them to drop on the top of the wall. Then, he stepped back, to look at it. A good couple hours labor. He grabbed a towel, wiping himslef down... He had a trainee to find. Bothersome trainees. But then again, someone had to break them in. Most of them were far too soft... Shaking his head, he headed towards the track, trying to remember. Ursana. Brother to Rosheen, bonded of the White Tower. Born on the Border. Very interesting... He'd have to see how tough this one thought he was. Sovald would find someway to break the boy down, he was sure. But maybe this boy would actually know something before he came to the Tower. Or maybe he just was following his sister, and was as empty as the rest of the Trainees that came here. As the crowd parted for him, he spied the boy. He was watching the Yards, where a Guard was sparring with a trainee, lathes clicking as he slowly cornered the trainee, executing a perfect Grapevine Twines to toss the lathe across the Yard. Shaking his head, the Guard motioned for the boy to go retrieve the lathe. Sovald raised his voice. "Ursana Than Sakhr, to attention!" By the way the boy's back stiffened at the voice, Sovald could see this one would need some discipline. Disappointing. Sovald smiled, coming around to in front of the boy. "I am Sovald Rul, and for the next years of your life, I will be your Mentor here in the Yards. When I tell you to do something, you do it. Period. You are a tool, unfashioned and crude. It is my job to shape you, to grind you down as far as I can, to make you sharp and cutting." His smile grew across his face. "You like to spar? That's too bad. You'll have none fo that. Do you even know how to run boy?" Without stopping, Sovald motioned to the track. "Twenty laps, around the track."

 

OOC: General impressions of the city, the Tower... Then go ahead and get running.

[TaeaDawn]

The day was young as Ursana made his way around the Yards. He was supposed to start training today so he had come early to try to get a feel for the Yards. As with his earlier impression, he felt the ease of the Yard around him. Not ease as in lacking in work or discipline, but in the practiced routine that happened around him. The training grounds were a stage and the trainees were well rehearsed in the parts they played as they moved around each other. Some seemed strangers, others spoke kinds words, while still others exchanged hard looks. It was a place to work hard for a craft and for other people's respect. It was something he could understand.

 

Sana wasn't a soldier, though he had handled a staff before in his father's caravan. He was, however, a man with few options. He had been left in Tar Valon by his family who had moved on with their trade while he had been healing. He didn't know when they would come back, though his sister had said a month. He didn't believe it. He didn't believe his family would take the loss they would suffer if their trade route was disrupted that much. Instead, he expected them back in maybe a year.

 

In the meantime, he was a stranger to the city and had no idea of what to do next. Rosheen's comment about him joining the Tower Guard if he got bored had been innocent at the time, but it had stuck. If he had known how to protect himself better, he wouldn't have been in this position in the first place. The idea had seeped into his brain quicker than he could stop himself and he had agreed pretty quickly to it. Maybe his father was right. Maybe the Arafel soil had seeped into his blood. Maybe something about learning to fight satisfied him on some level he hadn't begun to understand.

 

Or maybe he had just understood his own threshhold for boredom and knew he needed to do something constructive in his time in Tar Valon. Thus, today he waited for his first meeting with his mentor and the man that would teach him to fight.

 

"Ursana Than Sakhr, to attention!"

 

Sana heard the command in that voice and straightened up to look at the man that walked towards him. He didn't have any time to respond before he started again.

 

"I am Sovald Rul, and for the next years of your life, I will be your Mentor here in the Yards. When I tell you to do something, you do it. Period. You are a tool, unfashioned and crude. It is my job to shape you, to grind you down as far as I can, to make you sharp and cutting."

 

Years? He didn't let his mind dwell on that one as the rest of his mentor's words came through. A tool, huh? An unfashioned tool at that. He fought the smile that came too easily to his lips. He'd always liked challenges. He liked taking things on that people didn't think he was capable of. Life was nothing if you didn't learn new things, didn't experience new things. Becoming a sharp edge in battle seemed beyond him now, but by the light, if Rosheen had been able to, he would too.

 

"You like to spar? That's too bad. You'll have none fo that. Do you even know how to run boy? Twenty laps, around the track."

 

Sana nodded, without saying a word. A rare occurance for him as he happened to like to talk, but he figured he'd better save his breath. Fighting, he needed training for. Running he could do. He'd been running by his father's wagons since he learned he could keep up. Without further ado, he walked to the track, having stretched his muscles out earlier, and began his run, the watchful eyes of Sovald Rul on him.

[Urais]

- - - - - Sovald watched the boy's form carefully. The foolish boy hadn't even bothered to stretch, that would get him a firm lecture -- but his form was fine. A bit off-center... he watched carefully, noting the lack of... drive in his step. But still, the boy ran, and he certainly was better than most of what Sovald had seen recently. He still wasn't entirely sure what to make of the boy. He did not tire too quickly -- some of those city boys would be panting and staggering after the first several laps. When, finally, Ursana collapsed at the end of the run, Sovald brought the water. "Drink. You'll need your energy." Sovald shook his head. "No cramping? Always remember to stretch before running -- your body will make you pay far worse than I can if you don't." He watched Ursana gulp down the water thirstily. When the boy could, at last, look up from his drinking for long enough to breathe and stand, Sovald nodded at him. "Come boy, we're going for a slightly more... leisurely walk." Ursana fell in step alongside of Sovald, as Sovald set a brisk pace. "How much do you know of war and weapons boy? Has your time taught you anything about such things as you think you want to dedicate your life to? For that matter, what makes you think that you want to do this? The Tower takes your lefe -- what reason have you to give yourself as such?"

[TaeaDawn]

"Drink. You'll need your energy."

 

Sana looked up at Sovald and took the offered water. He was used to walking all day long, trotting beside his family's caravan for long stretches. Running laps wasn't something he was used to. He tried not to gulp the water down too fast, but he was sure he only half way succeded.

 

"No cramping? Always remember to stretch before running -- your body will make you pay far worse than I can if you don't."

 

Sana nodded at that, though he was still too winded to speak. He was used to the exercise, however he knew that his mentor was right. His body wouldn't put up for that kind of abuse for long if he didn't take care of it first. He finally got his breath back and he stood up again. Sovald nodding at him as he did so.

 

"Come boy, we're going for a slightly more... leisurely walk." The pace he set was good for Sana, and he was sure it would help work out any kinks his lack of forethought would give him. At least it would if the rest of the day wasn't too taxing. Well, he deserved to be sore in the morning if he couldn't remember something as simple as stretching as part of his new daily routine.

 

"How much do you know of war and weapons boy? Has your time taught you anything about such things as you think you want to dedicate your life to? For that matter, what makes you think that you want to do this? The Tower takes your life -- what reason have you to give yourself as such?"

 

Sana thought for a minute before answering him. What was he supposed to say? Well, easier to tackle the first question. "I don't have a lot of experience with weapons. I was trained a little by the guards that we sometimes had travelling with the caravan, but nothing of the intense training i've seen here or in the borderlands." He said honestly. "I've used my staff to defend the caravan a time or two, but that's it. I used a staff to defend, but it was more of a walking stick for me and I'd like to find a more... effective looking weapon. Not that the staff hasn't done well by me so far, and I'd certainly like to learn it's use better, but a walking stick in a man's hand looks like a walking stick. I'd prefer a weapon that looks like one. Saves a lot of trouble with raiders if they know you're armed." He said, giving Sovuld a smile. "I guess you could say that's what set my path here." He decided to tackle the second question then. "Been wandering with my family all my life, learning bits of this and that. The only thing that really interested me was the Borderlands though. The dedication they had in their soldiering. My father says it's the Arafel soil I was born on that seeped into my blood. But I'm a free spirit and their sometimes narrow view of things never fit me. I came here with my family to visit my sister and..."

 

He paused, not wanting to go into the full story. His pigheaded refusal to see Rosheen and his gambling, his injury and waking up alone in the Tower after healing had been done on him, his initial feeling of betrayal at being left behind while his family continued on and then his own decision that he needed to make things work here with he and Rosheen. It had seemed a simple choice to stay here where he at least admired the dedication and thought it might be something that would hold his interest.

 

"Well all parties decided I would be better off here learning a trade." He finally said. "I'm a quick study though and I work hard." He added quickly. "And I don't take it lightly. I've seen what can happen to men in battle who don't take their training seriously. Who don't have training at all."

 

He'd seen more than he wanted of that sort of thing. Travelling the way they did, he had seen a lot of the world and it always amazed him the wool-headed fools that decided to take off and find Glory. Their Glory normally ended up being a quick death. The lucky ones came back scarred and broken. He didn't think much of Glory seekers and their kind. His own life had been mostly good, though without direction, and what fights he'd been in had mostly been defense. Defending his family's train and his own self when in towns with closed minds that didn't trust outsiders.

[Urais]

- - - - - He listened with one ear as the boy went on about his past. He was still panting between words, but it was coherent. Little experience with weapons? Unfortunatly was the matter the boy felt himself a fast learner -- that would be crushed quickly, but it might be a tad painful. Pain was learning, and experience. His face twitched slightly as he motioned the boy forward. "Very well." The two of them, deathly quiet, strode down the path. It was time to begin. "We will get you settled in, first of all. As a trainee in the Yards, you are expected to behave, both here and in the city, if you should be allowed that far ever. No commotions. If you have a problem with another trainee, resolve it as you will. Just make sure that the resolution does not attract the Guard. Absolutely hands-off on the women -- personally, if you are stupid enough to toy with those who would be Sedai, you deserve to get burned, but alas, we still must try and punch it through your thick skulls. Not that it works, but at least we warned you." He nodded to himself. "You will be up early every morning for training. Every morning, a short little job like you had today, and I'll tell you more after that. Right now, you are a piece of rock, and ingot of iron, not worth much of anything. This will help to melt you, so that you may be shaped. For now, before I let you out to your room, you are first to come with me to the armory." Sovald held up a hand. "Yes, you will get to pick a weapon. For now, you will not be handling it though. Think of it as a goal to work towards. One that you might well not achieve. Ve that as it may, you still get the privelege of access to some of the finest craftsmenship around." They turned a corner, passing by the walls that contained a blazing forge that Sovald himself had often worked over, and to the large, locked doors. Producing a black key, finely worked for the lock, Sovald pushed the massive wood aside, and heard the boy gasp. They all did, confronted with this spectacle. Walls of weapons, sharpened. Dozens of everything. Armor, shields, pikes, bows, quivers upon quivers of arrows... it was all here. Dozens of staves hung on the wall, different sizes. Crossbows, two-handed swords, even some one-of-a-kind dagger sets designed by some of the old Guards that had served. If it was a weapon, it was here. The small door in the back to the smithy was nearly hidden beneath it all.

- - - - - Turning back to Ursana, he saw the boy's mouth still open. "The armory of the Tower. For each Guard needs a weapon, and if you should make Guard, you will be needing it. It will be your friend through blood and death, if you should make it that far. But look around, see what there is. This is to be your arm, your hand, something that there will be no true replacement for. Think carefully. Look carefully. And don't touch too much. The last thing we need is to clean another foolish trainee's blood off these floors..."

 

OOC: Go ahead, primary weapon time :) Oh, and sorry about that :S Teach me to 'remember' to post what I write during finals :p

[TaeaDawn]

"Right now, you are a piece of rock, and ingot of iron, not worth much of anything. This will help to melt you, so that you may be shaped."

 

It was an interesting analogy and Ursana rather liked it. The thought that someone could mold you into something greater than yourself.

 

"Yes, you will get to pick a weapon. For now, you will not be handling it though. Think of it as a goal to work towards. One that you might well not achieve. Ve that as it may, you still get the privelege of access to some of the finest craftsmenship around."

 

As Solvald led him into the armory, Ursana stared in amazement. He'd been around guards all his life and he'd seen the weapons they'd carried. He'd never seen anything like this before. Light, he didn't think he'd ever seen a single weapon made with the care and precission that each of these were. He shook his head, trying to get the dazzled look out of his eyes. Just what he needed was for him mentor to think the was an idiot. He took a step forward then, keeping Sovald's comment about touching firmly in his mind. He went back and forth between them all, looking to see what captured his attention the most. In the end, the staff seemed more like something he would use on the trail with his family, but a swrod was what caught his eyes.

 

Sana stood in front of the Katana and eyes it carefully. A good weapon, not too big to use like some of the two handed monsters were. He looked back at his mentor. "I think this one." He said, pointing at the blade.

[Urais]

- - - - - Sovald stepped forward and took the hilt of the katana in one hand, pulling it up and out of its sheath. The cold steel whipped through the air in a clean slice. Turning it over in his hand, it gleamed in the light, the blade shining back at the boy. Sovald took the sheath and replaced the sword. "Very well. If this is the blade you will aspire to carry, so be it. It is the hope of these Yards that you will survive long enough to carry it into battle, and perhaps not end up on another's sword when you do." Sovald carried the sword out the doors, the boy reluctantly following. He had walked about a hundred paces when he turned. "Unfortunatly, boy, the Yards say that we are to give you some... time to settle in. The rest of the day is yours. Training starts tomorrow, half an bell from sunrise. And be ready." With that, Sovald turned back and strode off.

 

- - - - - After doing his own morning exercises, Sovald stood around impatiently waited. He still was taking a drink of water when the boy finally showed up. Late, too, it appeared. Extra work that. Sovald stood from the bench, looking him over. "When I give you a time, I mean that time, not five or ten minutes later!" He shook his head. "Come along boy. Let us see what you have." He walked paces out into the middle of a sparring ring, where there lay two staves on the ground, one long, one somewhat shorter. Sovald picked up one, then nodded to the other one. "You say you've foughten with a staff, boy. Try, try and attack me. At least you won't be able to cut off your fingers with a piece of wood.." He stood back, waiting and guarding."

 

OOC: Day one is over, and you're just getting started. Oh, and next time, feel free to send a reminder ;) After finals, and moving, I went a week without remembering to search for posts with my name, then noticing that I missed one :p Go ahead and try to attack me. Just try to hit me ;) He'll just be defending, testing you.

[TaeaDawn]

Sovald had taken the weapon from Sana and had unsheathed it. At least he hadn't laughed, which Sana had been afraid he would. The man seemed to not like him already which wasn't a good thing.

 

"Very well. If this is the blade you will aspire to carry, so be it. It is the hope of these Yards that you will survive long enough to carry it into battle, and perhaps not end up on another's sword when you do."

 

As they walked out Ursana took one last look. There had been a number of weapons that had interested him and he wondered if he'd get a chance to learn even half of them. He thought to be a Tower Guard would be to understand them all, to learn them all. He shook his head. He probably wouldn't even be there long enough to learn how to hold just this one.

 

"Unfortunatly, boy, the Yards say that we are to give you some... time to settle in. The rest of the day is yours. Training starts tomorrow, half an bell from sunrise. And be ready."

 

"I will be ready." Ursana said as he turned and walked away from Sovald. Tough nut to crack, that was sure. He made his way back to the barracks then and got himself settled in. He didn't have any roommates yet, but he had been told that he would eventually. For now, he got unpacked and sat on his bed, looking at the letter from his father. The letter that explained why they had left their injured son in the White Tower with only his older sister to look after him. The older sister he felt had abandonded him and betrayed him. The sister he had signed up for all of this for. Surely there was a way to bridge this gap before his mentor decided to kill him.

 

With a sigh, he laid back in bed and fell into deep, untroubled sleep.

 

 

Which was not such a great thing when he woke up the next morning and realized he was late. Late with the mentor that didn't seem to like him in the first place. Good idea Sana, he berated himself as he threw himself together quickly. He needed to stretch himself a bit before he reached Solvald, he knew from the previous day's lecture so he did it quickly, then ran out to meet him.

 

"When I give you a time, I mean that time, not five or ten minutes later! Come along boy. Let us see what you have."

 

Sovald walked into the middle of a sparring ring and Ursana followed him.

 

"You say you've foughten with a staff, boy. Try, try and attack me. At least you won't be able to cut off your fingers with a piece of wood.."

 

He picked up one of the staves and felt it for a minute, the weight in his hand, the length. It would have been a good walking stick for him and that was what he had always used a staff primarily for. The fact that he had been in a couple fights with it had been a matter of necessity. When your wagons get attacked, you fight with what you have. It had turned out to be a good weapon and his familiarity with the staff had been a boon.

 

He eyes Sovald for a moment, then got into a good stance. Legs shoulder width apart, the staff gripped firmly with both hands. Instead of the obvious slash that some would make, Ursana took the weapon in hand and drove straight for the mid-section. It was more easily blocked, but he hoped to at least surprise Sovald that he hadn't gone for something obvious. When it was blocked, Ursana used the momentum of it to spin around and attck from the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

((OOC: **ACK! I thought you were on LOA!***))