Flashback We're Going to be Friends [Tourmal]

[Jasper Rainsong]

Summer 30th 510 AV

OOCHope its okay!

It was nearing mid-day and Jasper was going to be late. Following her previous sparring session with Tourmal the two had agreed on a day and time to meet again. Jasper had spent a solid three days debating whether or not she would go or not, she had found herself incredibly embarrassed as she remembered her actions from their last meeting. If anything her brothers were what nearly convinced her that it was safer not to go, they had spent most of their time badgering her about who she was meeting up with and what she was doing. Apparently they weren't satisfied with the truth, she was meeting with a friend (well, she supposed that's a fairly apt description for a man she only barely knew) and she was sparring. To them though her reasons had to be false, in their opinion no body would bother sparring with her other than themselves. And according to them their little sister must be using her time to sneak around with a mysterious stranger, which wasn't actually that far from the truth. A small part of her worried that they would follow her and find out for themselves. She dismissed the thought though, her brothers were far too useless and idiotic to follow her without tripping up and Jasper noticing it.

Jaspers hair had been tied up in an intricate swirl at the back of her head, thanks to her mothers efforts in making her 'presentable'. She had spent most of the morning attempting to hide around her pavilion without looking too conspicuous as her mother had a habit of choosing men who were too old and too stern. Apparently, in the opinion of the one she'd had to displeasure of meeting today, crouching behind a barrel confiding to a dog about the misogynistic values of out-dated beliefs and culture was just plainly unsatisfactory and unladylike behaviour, which really just proved her point as far a she was concerned. Jasper and the dog disagreed with him. Her mother of course had been mortified and had ordered Jasper out of her sight, which Jasper promptly used as an excuse to grab her Tulwar and take off as fast as her legs could carry her.

Jasper slowed from her jog to a walk as she reached where her and Tourmal were to meet, craning her head and glancing around people as she tried to spot the tall, tanned man.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Summer 30, 510 AV The day was uneventful and Tourmal was counting the ticks till he could get out of the shop. He waited over for what seemed like forever, every day for someone to come in and ask for something sharpened. Or a polishing or something he could be of some use with. Generally he had a few customers here and there. But today there wasn't a single soul that walked through the tent entrance. The man sat slouched waiting for a bit of action anything. As he sat there he heard the rear flap open and his employer walked in behind him. The man took a look around and saw what Tourmal had been tolerating for near 4 bells. “Hey get yerself something to eat and take the rest of the day off” His employer said. “Yeh sure?” Tourmals head popped up with a grin on his face. The man must have looked like a puppy who had been waiting to play with his master all day and is master just came come. The older man looked at him and shook his head. “Yeh I'm sure, you aren't much good to me here now are yeh?” Without hesitation he stood up and was out he door faster than a speeding glass beak. The man went and picked himself up some food at the same place as last time. And sat for an hour letting it digest before he headed to his rendezvous point with Jasper. The two had agreed they would meet at the same location as last and get some more practice in. He with his light hammer and she with her tulwar. The girl could fight much better than he. He felt that he was being used more as a practice dummy, than a sparing partner. Only difference is that practice dummies don't kiss you when you are wrestling. The man smiled as he thought about his first kiss with her. “She was so innocent and unsuspecting. And despite his villainous deed she still wanted to keep it up. The sparring of course not the kissing. 'Or mabye...' the smithy thought to himself. As he approached the spot he noticed no one there. “She must be running late” He said under his breath. The man waited for half a bell twiddling his thumbs, kicking the dirt, and grass, he even tried an old trick his older brother showed him as a child. And pulled up a blade of grass, pressed it between his thumbs and blew. Trying to make a bit of a harmonica sound. Sadly he failed. The man persisted for about 10 chimes till he got it to make a faint humming sound when a familiar face appeared. The young woman's neck was stretched so far it seamed if her head wasn't connected it would fly off into the clouds. Tourmal waved his hand at her signaling where he was and stood up and walked her way. As he approached he could not hold back a smile, blatantly exhibiting his happiness for the reunion. “What kept yeh?” He smiled flirtatiously.

[Jasper Rainsong]

Finally spotting Tourmal, no thanks to her own observational skills, Jasper grinned broadly and hurried towards him, barely containing her excitement and she got closer. Her hand fell to the pommel of her tulwar for a sense of reassurance as she blushed, suddenly uncertain of herself.

"Sorry," She replied, scratching at her neck "Family business is all. You weren't waiting too long, were you?" Her eyebrows drew together guiltily at the thought and she bit her lip. He didn't seem irritated, at least not by the playful smile he was directing at her, but Jasper had had just about enough harsh criticism for the day and wasn't about to stumble into some more.

She allowed her eyes to brush over him quickly and took in the familiar bronze skin and broad shouldered build before noticing that the older man held a blade of grass between his fingers. "What were you doing?" She asked curiously, forgetting her earlier bashfulness as she leant forward onto the ball of her feet, eagerly some excersize and fun.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Summer 30, 510 AV The man nodded when she said she was late because of family. He would have been to if he weren't already at work and away from his brother. For some reason the two could not be in the same room without a dispute erupting. “Nah not too long I got off early so I had me something to eat. Then I just waited till it was all settled. And then waited another hour for you.” He smiled and winked. “Jus kiddin” When the lass bit her lip it stirred up something inside Tourmal and his heart grew warmer. Then he found himself staring at her lips. As soon as he noticed he jerked his head away and stared at the ground. Then the young woman asked about the blade of grass. “Ah I was just trying an old trick out tha me brother taught me when I was a youngin.” he looked at the blade. “Just got it to work too” he repositioned the piece of grass. “Watch this.” The man tried to replicate what he had done only a few chimes earlier, but failed. “Hold on” He tried again blowing a bit softer. Still nothing. “Come on” He said to himself. The man tried over and over again before he had a bit of a fit, and tore the blade of grass into as small pieces as he could then tried to throw them as far as he could. Just as he threw them a gust of wind caught them and blew them in his face and a few went into his mouth. Tourmal turned away from Jasper, spat and tried to remove the pieces with his fingers. Today wasn't going to smoothly for him but that would end soon hopefully with the training. As he was sure he got all of the pieces out he spat one more time for extra measure. Then embarrassed he rubbed the back of his head, shrugging his shoulders as he smiled at Jasper, not realizing that one of the pieces had landed on his teeth. “Sorry bout that” “You wanna get to sparring then? I won't add any of my secret wrestling moves this time.” He winked at the girl.

[Jasper Rainsong]

Jasper pulled a face at Tourmal, blushing. She wasn't one that was winked at often. She laughed as he tore at the blade of grass in frustration, and laughed even harder when the pieces were blown back into his face. Jasper clutched her stomach as Tourmal spat and pulled faces and ended up nearly doubled over, gasping for breath when he turned back around to face her. "Thank you Zulrav!" she snickered, stretching out a laughing cramp.

"It's fine." She replied, smiling impishly. She leaned forward and propped a hand on his shoulder as she leaned towards him to look at his mouth. "I think you missed a bit." She giggled, pointing to her own smile.
Jasper looked around to ensure they were in a clear space before taking a few steps back from Tourmal. She unsheathed her Tulwar and swung it through the air in a figure eight a few times, stretching her muscles. "No wrestling?" She asked in a playful voice, grinning at him again. "That's no fun!" She bounced on the balls of her feet

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Summer 30, 510 AV Jasper laughed hysterically during the fit and after she had regained control she motioned to her mouth, saying “You missed a bit.” “Aghh!” Tourmal picked his teeth till he came up with the last piece of grass on his finger. The area was open the two of them were where they needed to be. They had the equipment to get their training done. Now all that was left was starting. The young woman was ahead of the smithy here. Already giving herself some space, stepping back most likely planning her first attack. The man noticed. And set his feet just a bit wider bending his knees and shifting his weight forward. Jasper took out her tulwar and waved it around, indicating she was ready. The display was quite flashy. Tourmal responded in kind. Removing his hammer from the leather loop on his belt, and rolling his wrist twice, sending the head of the hammer in a small circle. The girl replied to his remark about wrestling. 'Eh, who knows maybe i'll work some more in today, she seems feisty.' He thought to himself. The man held his weapon in his right hand and advanced forward slowly, as he got closer he started by swinging his hammer at the girl then taking another step. Trying to close the distance and get her on the defensive. When he was about two steps from her he lunged forward quickly with his right leg forward swinging his hammer high from the right side over her head, then just a little lower back the other way. After that he moved his right foot back just a bit readying himself for a retaliatory strike. Then he lunged the head of his hammer straight forward toward the right side of her abdomen. He took it slow to make sure she had time to react. This was supposed to be training after all.

[Jasper Rainsong]

Jasper's face fell into a soft smile as she turned her mind to concentrate on what Tourmal was doing. She slipped back a step each time he swung his hammer at her, leaning to the side or backward. She jumped in surprise as she lunged forward unexpectedly and she scolded herself mentally, pressing her lips together tightly. She ducked from is attack, avoiding it sloppily as she was unprepared. She gripped her Tulwar in both hands and thrust her arms forward, jabbing towards his side. She then dropped one arm back, swinging the blade across Tourmals front, careful not to make contact. She pulled her arm in as the arc of her blade passed his body and hopped back a step.

She was better prepaired for Tourmals nest strike and twisted out of the way, feet pivoting in the dirt so that she ended up standing towards his left side and out of range of his hammer unless he turned. Grinning she jabbed her blade forward, ouching the flat of her blade o his shoulder and followed up with a quick swipe at his ankles.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Summer 30, 510 AV After Tourmals first two attacks, he dodged Jaspers counter lunge by bending his abdomen awkwardly and a small hop to the side. His hands went up instinctively, then she followed up with an attack to his front and he leaned backward, counterbalancing with his arms in front of him. After her two attacks he stepped back with his right leg and stabilized himself bracing for another attack. Then Jasper hopped back. When Tourmal lunged back she turned gracefully to his left side and slapped him on the shoulder with the flat of her blade. It stung a bit like a slap on the face, but didn't injure the man thankfully. She then swung at his ankles. The man not knowing what to do tucked and rolled away to his right to get some space between the two. Had he acted a second later he would have been lying on his back with a bruised achilles tendon. The man turned around and stood up and prepared for his next advance. He wanted to test the girls ability to guard. He knew he wasn't good but this training was for her sake and he had been around enough weapon wielders to pick up some of the concepts of battle. If he hadn't he wouldn't be much of a smith. Tourmal ran forward and brought his hammer across his body over his left shoulder and swung diagonally downward from left to right. He aimed for her shoulder intending for her to block the blow. It was slower than what he would normally do, and it wasn't so hard that he couldn't stop it if she didn't manage to block it. Right after he would bring his arm around in a circular motion up high and swing down diagonally, only this time from the his right side.

[Jasper Rainsong]

Jasper jumped back a step as Tourmal attacked and brought her Tulwar up and ready to guard against his attack. She wondered momentarily how in the heat of a real battle a sword was meant to block the brute force of a hammer. With that in mind she slipped to the side to avoid the blow. As the second blow came down she slipped back again, almost losing her balance in the hast of her feet. She squeaked in shock and stumbled a few steps before regaining her balance and facing Tourmal and his hammers once more.

Her feet scuffed the dirt as she started forward, feigning to the larger mans left and moving as though she was about to jab her sword at his ribs before twisting quickly toward his right side. Hoping to catch an opening she swung her blade down towards his shoulder.

[Tourmal Firemane]

Tourmal, Summer 30, 510 AV As the man swung the girl dodged each of them successfully. She stumbled a bit after his last swing but quickly regained her footing. When she squeaked, Tourmal could not hold back a smile, at how cute she was and yet this little girl was holding her own against him. Jasper darted forward feigning an attack toward the left side of his torso. The man twisted away from the lunge, when suddenly she twisted in mid stride and swung hard toward his right side. He wasn't entirely ready for it but despite the speed of the movement it was just easy enough to track, for him to get the haft of his hammer up in time to keep from losing an arm. 'Clang.' the sword met the handle of his hammer and was deflected away, just barely. Tourmal took advantage of the deflection, and grabbed the young Dryaks with his left hand turned her around to face him as he pulled her close, and placed the head of his hammer in her gut. He looked her in the eyes and winked. “Good idea you had there. You just shoulda followed up with another strike and I'da likely been done fer.” Now look at yeh.” He motioned with his eyes toward his hammer. “If I'da had a sword you'd be dead.” That seemed nice that he was able to get one up on her. But Tourmal failed to notice the point of her sword inches from his groin.