Solo Dancing in the Rain with a Dagger and Resolve

[Ketrien Ymiir]

Summer Day 22 early morning

The sound of rain steadily beating on the roof of the inn brought Ketrien from his sleep. Sitting up he rubbed his shoulder tenderly, the ache of the arrow wound flowed through his shoulder like wildfire. Moving slowly he walked to the window and opened the shutters inhaling the humid city air, wincing in distaste. The people of Riverfall busied themselves in rain or shine, vendors hawking their wares, the beating sound of a hammer striking a anvil far off in the distance.

"Another tedious day of city life." Ketrien whispered to himself. "Better get to it then."

Ketrien grabbed his sheathed dagger and tied it to his belt, and headed downstairs for a light breakfast of sausage and bread, asking only for the serving lady to fill his waterskin. After paying Ket left the compound, the rain drenching him head to toe in minutes. He was still a little weary from his injury, but knew it would happen again if he didnt do something about it.

Vendors called out to him trying to catch his attention with expensive silks, shiny gold jewelry and exotic spices, but he ignored them entirely. He walked around the city, weaving through the anxious shoppers, his hand resting lightly on the leather strapped hilt of his dagger. Not for concern of thieves or troublemakers, but for the lone reason that cities are unsettling to him. High walls and tons of people within.

'Almost like an overcrowded cage.'

Ket carried on, the chill of the pouring rain making the ache in his shoulder less tolerable. Stopping for a brief moment to take in his surroundings, he noticed a far off park of some kind, where unmoving forms stood still and upright. Ketrien took in the scent of the area, though humid wet grass was the most prominent smell, no one seemed to be near.

"Good. Time to get to work." he said with a smirk and started for the training ground.

[Ketrien Ymiir]

Ketrien reached the outer stone circle rather quickly, grabbing his open leather vest and slid it down his shoulders, letting it drop heavily to the ground. He kept moving slowing his pace to a brisk strut until he reached the middle of the inner circle. As he had suspected, this was indeed a training area, for knights or squires, or even to teach the young to defend themselves when needed, but for today this place would serve as Ket's workout grounds.

Taking in a deep calming breath he stretched, first his stiff shoulder, rotating his arm clockwise then counter clockwise. Next he pulled his arm to his chest one at a time and with a quick gesture reachds defiantly to the dark rain filled clouds above, he then tucked his body and spun low kicking his leg out, letting it glide through the puddles as he circled. Using his good arm as support, Ketrien leveraged himself and pushed himself up into a small back flip using the small amount of momentum he had gathered and landed on his feet almost barely.

In a fluid motion he spun low drawing his blade with his left hand, shoving it up into the air at an angle, hilt first. The soreness in his wounded shoulder flared up, but he ignored it the best he could. Standing slowly he stalked toward the first dummy, a padded log of wood with spinning pegs that simulated points of attack. Drawing in a deep breath Ket hit the first peg with an open palm strike, the peg swinging quickly and striking his weakened arm hard.

Ket cried out in pain cursing, the blade dropping from his hand, the sound of metal ringing against stone. Gritting his teeth he leaned down reaching for the dagger with his right, Ket paused realizing this and grabbed the blade with his left hand instead, wincing as his shoulder protested. He hunched over studying the dummy for a moment, before striking the peg again.

This time he lifted his forearm blocking the strike, then dipped low slashing across the abdomen of the dummy and received a nasty blow to the face for his effort. The momentum of the peg caught him off guard slamming him in the face, knocking him on his backside.

'This was to be expected!' Ket realized as he wiped his nose of blood. He sat there on the rain soaked ground. Steam rose off of his body as rain continued to pelt it. Droplets rolled down his corded muscles mixing with sweat.

"What am I to do?" he whispered, shaking his head.