Completed A Test of Might and Will

[Theo Popcampio]

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26th of Summer, 515 AV

Lester had guided Theo back to his personal residence. The walk wasn't much to talk about, Lester had been quiet throughout the affair; Theo himself was in no place to dictate the conversation. That being said, there were impending words in the air.

"Make yourself at home," Lester obliged Theo when they entered, guiding him past a shallow foyer of brief ornament and stone into a dining area. He then walked off and left Theo to sit on his own. Lester lived alone, Theo could tell. There was enough room for four men to get their elbows on the table, but seating for six. There was a candle lit on a nearly empty bookshelf, Theo could not read the text on the ruined bindings of what books that there were. Hung on the walls was a portrait of an old man, he was decaying in the picture. Lester's eyes were in him. Theo wondered why Lester had chosen such a late age to commission a portrait of his father.

Theo spent most of the time running the questions through his head, but his head was rushing too much to concentrate on one thing. He knew he was going to have to listen more than anything and pick his words choosingly.

When Lester came back in he brought a pot of stew that smelt of beef and garlic. As he set it down, Theo peeped in to see an assortment of carrots, potatoes, and onions within the mixture. It had been long since Theo had eaten anything he had deemed desirable.

"We can discuss you later," Lester said as he poured Theo a bowl of the dish, "we shall eat now." And so they did, and the dish was more than Theo could have dreamed for, the flavors were forgotten to him in his travels. It was a humble meal, but Theo ate it like it had been prepared in the finest of establishments. Lester beckoned Theo to take more as he polished off his first bowl, and again as he finished that one. By the end of it, the pot that was half filled and stood at head-height when set on the table was empty. Theo hadn't noticed that Lester had only sipped his one bowl of the stew slowly, eyes on his future apprentice at all times. Ser Vey had one eye more open than his other, "You can tell a lot about a man by the way he eats."

"I am in your debt, Ser Vey, the meal was delicious," Theo told him. "I am truly thankful."

"I can see that." Lester leaned back in his chair, "Tell me," he said, scratching his beard, "why are you here now?"

Theo pondered that a second. "The most direct answer is because you asked me to be here, but I have a feeling that's not what you mean. I'm a traveler, Ser Vey, this is a place from my past and my brother beckoned me here. Now I sit before you, a man truly with no idea with what fate has in store for him."

[Theo Popcampio]

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"A humble reply." Lester said, standing up. "We shall learn more of you once we test that metal... come."

And so he did, they took their journey the same as they had taken the one before---in silence. Lester walked Theo through parts of the fortress city that he had never seen before. The knights were abundant in these parts, and they all gave young Popcampio odd looks as they passed by. It was no matter to Theo, soon they would look at him with kinship, and, after that, with admiration.

Before Theo had really known it, they were standing on top of some sand in an open circle. There were some young people of Theo's age sparring throughout, but they all stopped and looked as Theo entered. The two of them stood there in everyone's attention and Lester pointed, "How would you fight him, if you were to right now, Theo?"

At the end of Lester's finger was a pudgy lad in full plate; they were all in full plate. "He's top heavy, I'd knock him off his balance." Theo said, with a sense of accomplishment. Everyone knew such things, he figured.

"Let's see it then. Thomas!" And with a flick of the head the pudgy young man stood before Theo. "How would you prefer to fight, Theo? We have plate mail ready for you if need be, you will spar with live blades, as you have suggested you have experience."

"No, Ser Vey, it would only hold me back." Theo looked on the shaky little man, "I take it you will not strike me down should you defeat me?" His fat foe nodded, clanking his shield accidentally to his hip. "Fine enough for me. May this fight bring you honor, friend." Theo drew his longsword off the scabbard mounted on his back, aiming the blade at his enemy.

"And to you too." The squire clanked his shield and sword together.

"Begin," Ser Vey said. Theo instinctively struck at his foes sword arm immediately. This forced the pudgy boy to move his shield across his body, and Theo kicked him in the belly before he could consider what next to do. The fat kid stumbled, and Theo pressed on with a flurry of blows. His stumble did not come to a halt, and all his back-peddling brought him to the ground. The squire had not caught any blows, but he had lost the match. "Again."

[Theo Popcampio]

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The two were about to square off again before a fourth party emerged from the crowd. "No, this street urchin is mine." A boy stood there, just as tall as Theo including the length of his helm. He drew his sword and shield like the one before him, but offered no honor before he marched on Theo. This boy charged Theo with his shield, knocking him immediately to the ground. The crowd gasped.

"Who do you think you are?" Theo beckoned as he dusted himself off, "I am no knight, but this is no fair duel."

"What you did Kitsly was unfair, you deserve no honor, street walker."

"Enough! Squire Naples, you will be an example for your fellow knights, one way or another, do I make myself clear?" Lester barked the boy into submission. "Now, we shall try that again, ready your swords! And... fight!"

This time Theo took the offensive, swinging hard over the top of Theo with his blade. The boy caught it with his shield, and glanced the blade off to the side. The squire stabbed at Theo's gut, barely missing as he juked to the side of the strike. The squire came with a broad swing from across his body, Theo caught it and dragged the blade to its hilt, much like a bandit had done to him. Theo, using his two-handed grip to his advantage, twisted the blade free from Naples' grip. He struck and struck aimlessly, trying to knock Naples back, but the squire stood firm behind his shield. Theo tried to kick him figuring that Naples would fall for the same trick as the one before him, it did not.

Theo only stumbled backwards as a result of the kick, allowing Naples time to reset himself. With sword in hand, Naples charged Theo again beneath the cover of his shield. This time, however, he struck downward to compliment the charge. Theo caught the blade with his own and staggered backwards and braced himself to hold firm. He had not caught the end of the shield on the charge, he made sure of with the back peddle, had he done so it would of been the end of the fight. His foe withdrew his strike, now baiting Theo into a parry.

[Theo Popcampio]

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It wasn't something that frieghtened Theo, in truth, and he swung headstrong at his foe in over the top. Naples, the superior swordsman in that moment, deflected Theo's strike with his sword, and stabbed again. Had it not been for Naples inability to contain Theo's range of motion, he would of caught Theo right there; instead, Naples struck air. Agitated, but with new vigor, Naples thought to bait Theo again. "Quit while you're ahead. You've already been proven the worse swordsman here with that blow, I do not wish to chance hurting you and ripping those dirty rags. Are those your only set of clothes, boy?"

That comment infuriated Theo, and it reminded him of why he was here in the first place, Rielly. He was proving himself for this man Lester because she had took back the opportunity she had promised him. It was only the seriousness of battle that kept Theo's anxiety at bay. The rage brewing inside him was sweltering, but Theo also knew now was not the time to let emotion overcome him, he was not a strong enough warrior yet to fight with passion. "You should not tempt a foe to emotion. You will learn that folly soon enough, but not by me. I will defeat you with calculation."

"Shut it, Urchin!"

Naples had his sword parallel to his torso, and his shield slightly off center from his chest, Theo could see. That's how he caught me last time. Up and down Theo looked, trying to spy a weakness. There wasn't any, as far as he could see, but Theo knew that anticipation might work against his foe: He would have to react. Theo thought it through, and he shifted in a circle while he raced his mind for thoughts. It was when Naples crossed his legs in the circular motion that Theo remembered a flash from his times of wrestling in his boyhood. His brother was yelling in the back of his head , "Don't cross your feet Theo! You make it easy to lose your balance!... You're an easy target!"

Theo strafed, waiting for his opponent to reveal himself once more, and when he did Theo struck. He swung his sword low so Naples wouldn't be able to parry the way he was anticipating he would be able to. Naples caught the blow with his shield, but when he went to counter with a hard swing overhead his bowed feet failed him. His left foot, trembling underneath the weight of the plate mail, had to hop to keep balance. Naples lost himself trying to stay on his own two feet.

Theo pressed with one long swing towards his opponent left, making the shield buckle under the weight of the swing. Theo struck once more at the same side, lower this time, and he caught a hard blow into the plate of his foe.

Lester quickly stepped in, "Enough, Squire, you have done what I have asked, return to your sparring." And Naples didn't even bother to speak back this time, but Theo could see a temper in his swagger. "You did good, Theo. You have earned my trust as a swordsman, more so than any non-knight has ever done."

"Thank you, Ser Vey. It was a pleasure to fight under your watch."

"And you have manners, that will get you far here," Lester spat. "You can see these rabble have to have honor drilled in them, which means they will never know anything of it, truly. It is rare we find one of your caliber wandering the roads." He smiled, "Tell me, Theo, will you be my squire? Will you bound yourself to my honor, and give to the rite of your tutelage?"

"It is all I want, Ser Vey." Theo smiled back. Despite the difference in privilege, there was an odd companionship between them budding already.

"I will see that you become a great knight, I assure you. With The Grandmaster's approval, you shall begin your training as soon as possible. Arrange for your things to be brought to the dormitory, and take the rest of the day to make your peace. Tomorrow you will be a squire of the Syliran Knights."

[Devi]

Your Grades have arrived! Theo Skills: Socialization: 1 Tactics: 2 Weapon Skills - Longsword: 3 Lores: Ser Vey: My Patron Knight Ser Vey: Lives by himself Ser Vey: A quiet man Location: Ser Vey's Residence Comments: A good introduction to your Patron Knight - he seems an intriguing man! You mentioned post length so for what it's worth the post length in this thread seems quite reasonable. The one thing I would suggest is to be careful with your skill level when writing combat threads. As Theo is still a novice with the Longsword it would be good to read more about what he's learning as he goes along. Patrons will always be more experienced combatants than their squires so they will always have something to teach or contribute when there's any sparring going on! Well done . +1 Shield Point for thread with patron +1 Shield Point for training thread. Let me know if you have any questions or feedback. Don't forget to edit your post in the Grade Request Thread to say it's graded and leave a link in there for the Storytellers. Happy Writing!