20th of Autumn, 514 AV
The squire beamed with a quiet pride, stepping into the training grounds once again, this time with a second blade strapped to his belt. His cloak was loose now, the squire almost taking pride in his arms, letting the flaps fly in the small gust he created by walking. He didn’t show them off, he wasn’t proud, no not even nearly. But they were there. And Aventis was no less of a squire now.
His knight, as per usual, was lounging in nearly the same spot, against the far wall of the grounds, leisurely watching squires and knights alike duke it out, assessing their combat stances and tactics with aged eyes.
This time, Aventis wasted no time, walking past the fighters and the onlookers and the few that tore their eyes away from the fight to catch a glimpse of Aventis’ arms, either set, without hesitation. He approached his knight, stopping a good three feet away, crossing his four arms behind his back, and standing to attention silently.
It took but a moment for the old knight to turn his head and assess his squire lazily. “You know you don’t have to do that.” he said. “Calling me ser is just about enough. You don’t need all this…” he waved his arm in a vertical motion, gesturing at the squire’s posture. “This… Formality. Really. None of the other squires do it. I won’t ask it of you.”
Aventis, in response, stood, silent, unaccustomed to his knight’s strategy of discipline. He had heard through the squirely grapevine that knights could have an… Unorthodox way of educating their squires, and Aventis wanted to be prepared for it, wrapping his head around all possible ways that Ser Utis could possibly teach him respect. So, Aventis figured, by jumping the gun and showing that he already knew respect, thereby proving no lesson was necessary.
The old knight sighed, bulging his eyes and rubbing his temples softly. “Alright…” he grunted, pushing himself off the wall and walking towards the same spot they practiced in a few days ago, motioning for Aventis to follow him, which he did without second thought or question.
“We’ll be working on three things today.” the knight shouted behind him as he walked, barely audible through the clatter of metal and the twang of bow strings. “First is gonna’ be that shortsword I see you finally got yourself. Second is gonna’ be using a shield. Third is going to be unarmed combat, which I certainly hope you’re good at.”
The knight stopped, standing the same spot he did before, and pointing to the same spot he did the last time, and Aventis stood where he commanded without question.
“Cloak.” He commanded, and Aventis removed his cloak, tied it into a ball, and tossed it onto the ground. “Weapon.” The knight shouted again, and Aventis drew his shortsword. “You actually got it?” the knight asked, and Aventis nodded. “You didn’t steal it, boy?”
“No, ser.”
Utis slit his eyes, nodding slowly. “Don’t suppose you know how to use it.”
“No, ser. Not other than what you have taught me.”
“Of course you don’t.” The knight responded, not a hint of surprise in his tone as he drew his own sword. “This is what I want you to do, squire. I’m going to lunge at you. You have choices. Either parry it with your own blade...” He stopped for a moment. “You do know what a parry is, right, boy?”
Aventis nodded. “I do, ser.”
“Alright. I’m sceptical. So I’ll be expecting you to utilize your other two choices. Number one, you can dodge by simply stepping to the side. Easy. Or, number two, if you think you have the strength, you can block with your own sword. Only do this if you want to waste a shortsword. Monica would cut through that lousy piece of metal like butter. But it’s an option.” he said, gripping his sword and getting into a stance. “Ready, squire?”
Aventis flipped the sword in his hand, spreading his arms apart and curling his hands into fists, readying himself. He spread his legs shoulder-width apart, holding his weapon in front of him.
“Ready, ser.”
His knight, as per usual, was lounging in nearly the same spot, against the far wall of the grounds, leisurely watching squires and knights alike duke it out, assessing their combat stances and tactics with aged eyes.
This time, Aventis wasted no time, walking past the fighters and the onlookers and the few that tore their eyes away from the fight to catch a glimpse of Aventis’ arms, either set, without hesitation. He approached his knight, stopping a good three feet away, crossing his four arms behind his back, and standing to attention silently.
It took but a moment for the old knight to turn his head and assess his squire lazily. “You know you don’t have to do that.” he said. “Calling me ser is just about enough. You don’t need all this…” he waved his arm in a vertical motion, gesturing at the squire’s posture. “This… Formality. Really. None of the other squires do it. I won’t ask it of you.”
Aventis, in response, stood, silent, unaccustomed to his knight’s strategy of discipline. He had heard through the squirely grapevine that knights could have an… Unorthodox way of educating their squires, and Aventis wanted to be prepared for it, wrapping his head around all possible ways that Ser Utis could possibly teach him respect. So, Aventis figured, by jumping the gun and showing that he already knew respect, thereby proving no lesson was necessary.
The old knight sighed, bulging his eyes and rubbing his temples softly. “Alright…” he grunted, pushing himself off the wall and walking towards the same spot they practiced in a few days ago, motioning for Aventis to follow him, which he did without second thought or question.
“We’ll be working on three things today.” the knight shouted behind him as he walked, barely audible through the clatter of metal and the twang of bow strings. “First is gonna’ be that shortsword I see you finally got yourself. Second is gonna’ be using a shield. Third is going to be unarmed combat, which I certainly hope you’re good at.”
The knight stopped, standing the same spot he did before, and pointing to the same spot he did the last time, and Aventis stood where he commanded without question.
“Cloak.” He commanded, and Aventis removed his cloak, tied it into a ball, and tossed it onto the ground. “Weapon.” The knight shouted again, and Aventis drew his shortsword. “You actually got it?” the knight asked, and Aventis nodded. “You didn’t steal it, boy?”
“No, ser.”
Utis slit his eyes, nodding slowly. “Don’t suppose you know how to use it.”
“No, ser. Not other than what you have taught me.”
“Of course you don’t.” The knight responded, not a hint of surprise in his tone as he drew his own sword. “This is what I want you to do, squire. I’m going to lunge at you. You have choices. Either parry it with your own blade...” He stopped for a moment. “You do know what a parry is, right, boy?”
Aventis nodded. “I do, ser.”
“Alright. I’m sceptical. So I’ll be expecting you to utilize your other two choices. Number one, you can dodge by simply stepping to the side. Easy. Or, number two, if you think you have the strength, you can block with your own sword. Only do this if you want to waste a shortsword. Monica would cut through that lousy piece of metal like butter. But it’s an option.” he said, gripping his sword and getting into a stance. “Ready, squire?”
Aventis flipped the sword in his hand, spreading his arms apart and curling his hands into fists, readying himself. He spread his legs shoulder-width apart, holding his weapon in front of him.
“Ready, ser.”
Aventis
