The Grey Tower

Sweat droplets made their slow progress down his forehead, cooling him just enough for the icy breeze of winter to turn him to ice in its thoughtful passing. He was tying to ignore its effect upon his practise forms, he needed warm muscles and though it was warmer here than in Arafel he had begun to acclimatise enough that it was a minor annoyance. He had to practise though, otherwise he’d get a lathe to the ribs for not showing enough progress - not too harshly but enough to make the point that if he didn’t like getting hit then he should get better at blocking.

Stupid forms! he snapped at himself as he lost his balance for the third of fourth time.

He genuinely couldn’t see the point of them, he knew guards and attacks but posing one stance after another seemed pointless, no fight ever went like a dance. Not a postured dance at any rate. Still, it was what was wanted so he took a deep, frustrated breath and tried to get back into the right state of mind. Unfolding the Fan came easily enough now, lathe beginning held over his right shoulder and pulled from an imaginary scabbard, coming around into a diagonal cutting motion that might be comparable to Swallow Rides the Air - or would when he was smoother and surer.

"Then again...given the events of that night I might need more practise than ever. That was an attack, don't care what anyone says about it being a good time...and it was" he murmured to himself

Stepping back he settled into The Ox Lowers its Horns, blade angled down towards and imaginary opponent and weight shifting to the back foot as he lowered himself down into the solid footing it required. He tried to grasp for the elusive ko’di that he had heard stories of but failed, he gave up. It was something for another time it seemed. He stepped forwards and then sideways so as to allow motion to change into the next stance - Apple Blossoms in the Wind, a low guard and one he liked as it allowed for a certain amount of relaxation. He took a few steps in this stance, moving so as to practise the footwork he had been told to practise, one leg moving and then that other catching up, trying not to cross legs and trip himself up.

“Two more to practise and then repeat” he muttered. His focus was upon protecting himself first and foremost as he went about the routine, but in the back of the mind a few names tickled him about needing protection he would be glad to give them.

The Creeper braces the Oak was a natural progression from Apple Blossoms, it required a slight shifting and a moving lathe but other than that was largely identical. The last one he had been taught to practise was The Heron Wading in the Rushes, a pivoting training move and not a true combat one. He managed to fail it at though, tired fingers slipping due to sweat, losing grip of the lathe to send it skimming away at shoulder height. He couldn’t tell the direction at first as he was still pivoting, circling on one leg.

"Burn my eyes" he snapped as he span.

When he managed to kill his momentum he shook his head, a little dizzy, and resolved to look for it. For now, though, he sat down with forearms resting atop his knees and cast his mind back with a smile. He regretted nothing of the night of the Ball, he had done his good deeds and perhaps, if he were crass, was rewarded for them. A knight, it was almost too amusing to not laugh at the idea, he couldn't even hold onto his lathe! Still, he had a fondness for the small Altaran now and a shared bond that may one day flourish into something else.

We'll see, she has her Prince already and he sounds a decent sort. As for me...long way to go before I'm worth the title I was given he sighed to himself.

A long way to go indeed.

His gaze was fixed on the middle distance as the shadow partially blocked the sunlight, not looking at anything in particular really. He just wanted to have a bit of a rest from the toil of a Drin's life. Just for a while. He blinked, tilting his head upwards to greet the newcomer, eyes adjusting to the slight light difference after a few moments. He saw no showing of rank that was apparent, the man was bare-chested like the rest of those training. There was a certain way he carried himself though that made him assume he was likely a middle rank - Dedicated or Ji that meant. He inclined his head momentarily in the required respect.

Looks as old as I am, calling me kid. This Tower is strange. Dark skin and hair...wonder where he's from. Altara maybe? Burn me I need to get out some day, go see these places he thought as a grin crept across his lips and he took the offered hand to help him to his feet.

Standing he noted they were both of similar height, the other man was slightly smaller but not noticeably. Lanky but respectably built the man clearly knew how to fight. The calluses on his palm were evidence enough of that but his posture reminded him of the military folk back home in Arafel. Always were a bit rigid to his mind. He dusted himself off before answering.

"I'd settle for expert myself, least that way I could sort out some of the Shadow's mess when the time comes," he ignored the kid comment, he wasn't one to find offence pointlessly, "though how long that will take me...well let's just say I might be grey by then. Still, usually better that this, having a bad day of it I think"

That was true enough, he was letting himself get distracted and the thought that he had been drunk and revelling whilst the Tower had come under attack bit deeply at him. Details were few but everyone knew it, there was a sense of urgency in the Yards of late. They were being driven ever harder, more ruthlessly, being prepared for a fight that may come sooner than expected. He had thought he was getting better, he supposed he still was. Yet he had farther to go than he had assumed, he now knew.

"No intrusion, was just thinking and that's dangerous for me. Alrim Farshera, Drin. And you are?" he asked jovially.

“Knight,” he chuckled, “yes that’s me all over. I think you’re more the Prince than I’m the Knight. She...sees the best in people” he said, it was the simple truth and something which Alric likely knew already.

He was polite as he listened to Alric’s tale of himself, or rather the tale he chose to tell him. Everyone had secrets, this was one of the core truths she had learned about Tower folk. Each and every one had things they kept hidden. Some were awful, others were sad. Some were shameful. A few were all three. For his part he told Alric the story he told most, leaving out his more scandalous history for another time. Either way Alric seemed more interesting than most and had clearly lived a life well beyond what Alrim had experience of despite their relatively close ages. He felt his initial concerns about the man fading away as he spoke.

Seems good enough, Affie knows her Princes he told himself with a soft smile. He blinked when the subject changed abruptly, trying to keep up with the flow of conversation.

“Probably right, I’m trying to better myself. Make something of myself. I can get...fixated at times,” he conceded slowly, “I’ll play along, see what you know” he nodded as he watched and then imitated Alric.

The man was right, he knew, after a few moments of going through Heron Wading In The Rushes. His balance was found easier whilst concentrating upon himself and without the weight of the lathe, small that it was, to distract him. He began to see what Alric was talking about with balance, it was about the self not the blade. He didn’t know how well he would manage with the lathe still but any form of lesson that helped improve him was appreciated greatly. He was finding his rhythm when Alric spoke up again, causing him to falter slightly but correct himself and carry on.

“She is quite...unique. Yes,” he said, hedging his bets, he didn’t know if Alric knew what they had gotten up to or even if the man would approve, “was hard to understand at first. But she is one of the better ones, I think. Despite the ear pulling. You’ve known her a while I take it?”

He kept up the form as they talked with difficulty, though he got used to it after a while.

He was so startled by the sudden outburst of laughter that he stopped going through the form entirely, standing with a half-smile upon his face and raised eyebrows as Alric doubled over in his mirth. It was certainly a point in his favour that he found Affie’s foibles as amusing as they were effective. Hands upon hips he suppressed the desire to laugh himself, there was no reason for the Yards to think they were flaming mental. He had a strange enough reputation as it was. What was said next, though, did make him shake his head with a chuckle.

“I might have taken the denial a bit too far, if I am honest,” he said wryly, “I told her that if I was a Knight then she was a Princess. Every time she protested I taught her something new of the dance so she couldn’t argue. I think she would have pulled them right off if I hadn’t stopped her”

He went back tot he form, other foot now and finding it easier as he went. He knew that Affie held Alric in high esteem, assumed that they were together. He didn’t wish to intrude upon that and so had left out the fact Affie had been pretty much straddling him for the ear pulling. And the kissing. And the curling up to sleep in his lap. In fact he was pretty sure he was quit a bad person in some respects but he regretted none of it.

“No need to thank me. She found me, earlier in the day during cleaning. Gave me food and said she might be seeing you but wasn’t sure. Told her to find me if not, mostly so she wouldn’t be by herself. Taught her to dance to impress you too, so please look shocked and admiring when she shows you,” he waved the man’s words away, “she hasn’t had much in her life. She deserved a little something for being her, for surviving” he muttered the last words sadly.

“I take it that the two of you are...together?” he asked, curious because Affie had never actually stated it explicitly. There had been hints but nothing like an outright claiming of relationship.

“And I also gather that you know Brawn too? Ah...Nate I meant. Good bloke, even if he got me sliced up” he nodded as he span.