Rebuilding the Blade

by **Aliana Hilt Terras** on October 25th, 2016, 4:53 am

☾ Title and Date ☽

Aliana watched the young man as he stepped forward and grabbed the pump. She was about to instruct him on slow steady pumps, but it seemed the boy had read her mind. Stepping back and leaning her hip against the anvil, the Isur watched the man. The woman was impressed with how well he had kept up the pace. Most his size could not keep a steady rhythm without having to start breathing heavily. Though shortly after the look on his face told her that the heat was getting to him slowly but surely. She was not surprised with the parka still on him. Shaking her head lightly the girl told him to stop. The dark haired woman grabbed her tongs and pulled the blade out looking at the progress made by the flames. It was just about finished, the only thing left was to finish off the bend. Once that was taken care of she would cool it off, then sharpen it. Surprise flashed across the woman's face hearing him ask her to help learn how to sharpen and polish the blade.

“Sure, but with how difficult it is to polish the blade. You may want to let me or others of the hold do that. If so much as a spec of dust is on it, and you polish it; the polish will eat holes in your blade,” Aliana stated, “I know you didnt hear it. If you want since it was take me a bit why not sit and listen to each strike? Each note will different and clear. It will take time for you to truly understand her, but it is worth the patience.”

The woman grabbed the hammer and began working once more. Her trained ear listened to the sword's song. Though to an untrained ear it would just sound like a lot of banging and clanging from inside. She truly wanted to the young man to hear it. Perhaps if he named the blade there would be a much stronger connection. Much like when a parent names a child an unspoken bond is created; the same can be said for a weapon and wielder. Finally happy with the balance and straight form of the blade, Aliana walked over to the barrel and dipped it in. The final stack of steam billowed out of the water before dissipating into thin air.

“Now to sharpen you,” Aliana stated.

She let her hand run over the blade finding it smooth and seamless. Not even a nick from where she had drawn the smaller blade across. Grabbing a clean rag the woman wiped any water left off the weapon, before moving over to the grind stone. Motioning him over the black haired beauty allowed him to watch her and answer any questions he had. Putting the blade slightly sideways, Aliana put her foot on the ground pedal pushing on it causing the wheel to turn faster and faster still sparks were flying from the metal.

hello
hello
hello
Hello
Hello

by **Solemn Warborn** on October 27th, 2016, 3:49 am

She seemed surprised at his request to have her teach him but was amenable to the idea. Probably because she didn’t want him to bring the blade back to her in the state it had been today. However, she did warn him, a novice weapon caretaker, against polishing it himself. There was a lot of damage he could do if he unknowingly made a mistake. Aliana was more observant than Solemn had realized, not just with metal but with people as well, and she proved it in her next words.

“I know you didn’t hear it.” She meant the song of the shashka. “If you want, since it will take me a bit, why not sit and listen to each strike? Each note will be different and clear. It will take time for you to truly understand her, but it is worth the patience.”

Stepping back from the forge, Solemn found a nearby wall, slumped against it, and sank until he was sitting on the ground. The fire and, even more so, the heat had sapped all of his strength. He hadn’t realized that fire alone was capable of that, but he had learned it now. Partly because he was exhausted and partly to listen for the song, Solemn closed his eyes.

Metal clashed against metal in an epic struggle, but despite the blade’s best efforts and Aliana’s as well, Solemn still didn’t hear the song. He had been listening to songs since he was born, first from his mother and then from his sister. They sang many songs, but lullabies had always been their favorites. Maybe his second sister was the same. If she sang a song, many had heard her lullaby on their way to their final rest. He let his head sink back against the wall. He would hear her song; that much, in hope, he knew. It just wouldn’t be today.

He lost track of time to the steady beat of hammer against shashka, but the sudden hiss of the sword cooling let him know Aliana was finished with the repairs. At her beckoning, he followed her to the wheel stone and watched her work. The blade had to be tilted at an angle to the sharpening stone, and she explained how different tools required different angles. Knives for chefs needed to be extremely keen, so the angle had to be narrower. Those tools used for heavy, forceful work (such as wood chopping axes) needed more strength and, hence, required a broader angle. Swords lay somewhere in between. When she was finally finished, Aliana handed him his mother’s blade, and Solemn paid herShashka Repairs= 2 gm
Whet Stone= 2 cm
Aliana’s Tip= 1 gm for her work and bought a whet stone of his own, tipping her an extra miza for the care she had shown his sister.

He didn’t bother sheathing the shashka as he took his leave from the weaponsmith with more thanks than was necessary. As he felt her familiar weight in his hands, he pondered her, wondering at what her song could be and wandering about what he should name her. It came to him as he entered his room in the Stables. Setting her gently on the hearth as he went to relighting his fire, he spoke softly to her.

“Hello, Sister Mine.”

by **Shaqira** on July 2nd, 2017, 11:17 am

G R A D E

S O L E M N

Click :

A L I A N A

Click :

If you feel I missed anything shoot me a PM.
Don't forget to edit your grade request here -

Completed Rebuilding the Blade