There didn't seem to be any reason to wait on her lessons in self defense and the best time seemed to be in the long evenings during their trip. Callista was a bit self conscious about learning to fight so she requested that Eida meet her after supper just out of sight from the camp but not so far that it might have improper implications. She made sure she wore one of her older green casual dresses that suited traveling, as well as getting a bit mussed. May would have to teach Mercy how to wash linens on the road, and she supposed it wouldn't hurt for her to learn too.
The light slate blue dagger seemed heavier than it really was and she hadn't even attached the belt that Nezhno had made around her waist yet.
The light slate blue dagger seemed heavier than it really was and she hadn't even attached the belt that Nezhno had made around her waist yet.
Eida followed the Princess invisible to any watchful eyes, his steps padding silently in the long grass. The had something more practical to a learning environment with the dress she wore, but it suggested her femininity with the way the sash hugged her waist and left a shoulder exposed.
She held the knife in an open hand, still sheathed. It was mean, but this was probably the best time to teach a very important lesson. The fact that the dagger was made of feathersteel just made it that much easier.
As he walked past Callista, the weapon she held so cautiously slid softly out of its sheath and disappeared against Eida's wrist, pinned in place by one of his bangles.
He continued on a head and "came out" from behind the first line of trees.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you Princess, I hope that I will prove competent in my instruction. Today will be simple instruction. Using the tools we have comes after we understand them intimately. You have to know what you personally are capable of, and know the lines you as a person cannot cross before a weapon truly has meaning. Tell me, when you think of a weapon, what comes to mind first?" Before he could teach her, Eida needed to know where she would falter, where her steps would freeze, so he could help her up.
She held the knife in an open hand, still sheathed. It was mean, but this was probably the best time to teach a very important lesson. The fact that the dagger was made of feathersteel just made it that much easier.
As he walked past Callista, the weapon she held so cautiously slid softly out of its sheath and disappeared against Eida's wrist, pinned in place by one of his bangles.
He continued on a head and "came out" from behind the first line of trees.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you Princess, I hope that I will prove competent in my instruction. Today will be simple instruction. Using the tools we have comes after we understand them intimately. You have to know what you personally are capable of, and know the lines you as a person cannot cross before a weapon truly has meaning. Tell me, when you think of a weapon, what comes to mind first?" Before he could teach her, Eida needed to know where she would falter, where her steps would freeze, so he could help her up.
Callista was a bit started when Eida appeared from the shadows again. It seemed to be something he excelled at but no matter how many times he did it, he always managed to surprise her. It made her feel vulnerable, and if it had been anyone else doing so, she might have gotten frustrated but as it was his was always a pleasant face to see even if it appeared out of no where. ”When I think of a weapon I think of something that is made to cause harm. Whether it is for provoking an attack or defending against one, its base use is to hurt,” she answered him honestly. It might not have been the correct response, she was sure but to her weapons had always been violent things.
Eida smiled. Her answer was honest, and felt like her. She should not have been in the awkward position this power threw at her. He would not try to change her view, but to understand other meanings that they hold.
"We can work with that. I grew up with Jaeda at my side. A weapon to me, while it does harm others when used, is an extension of yourself. How you hold it, how you feel when it is at your side, the vulnerability you feel when it is not. It is there for the potential of a fight. They are your first defense, the confidence needed to move forward no matter the situation you find yourself in."
Jaeda was not always with him, like right now, and it made him feel unprepared in a new place. His nervousness was allayed with the knowledge that he can protect himself, and that was what he wanted to teach her today. How to hold yourself. The self-preparation needed to be willing to draw a weapon against someone else. He hated the idea of corrupting that innocent gaze of hers, but caution is never instinctive, it has to be learned.
"We can work with that. I grew up with Jaeda at my side. A weapon to me, while it does harm others when used, is an extension of yourself. How you hold it, how you feel when it is at your side, the vulnerability you feel when it is not. It is there for the potential of a fight. They are your first defense, the confidence needed to move forward no matter the situation you find yourself in."
Jaeda was not always with him, like right now, and it made him feel unprepared in a new place. His nervousness was allayed with the knowledge that he can protect himself, and that was what he wanted to teach her today. How to hold yourself. The self-preparation needed to be willing to draw a weapon against someone else. He hated the idea of corrupting that innocent gaze of hers, but caution is never instinctive, it has to be learned.
”I think Jaeda is a little different than a regular spear but I understand what you’re saying. It is not just the weapon that protects you but the knowledge of it. I don’t understand how it could by an extension of yourself, people weren’t made to have barbs and fangs,” she said but she couldn’t help think of the way the others fought while sparing. Donovan’s sure and steady movements, Cion’s constant motion and Ruby’s almost unpredictable dodges and rolls. Callista couldn’t imagine herself doing any of these feats but she knew she had to learn.
"Jaeda is not a spear, it is an extension of my will, just like Cion's blade, and your words. To expand what your will can embrace makes you more versatile. It's not the object that hurts others, it is the intent behind it. We have the ability to create tools we need for the task at hand. That rare gift across the mortal animals is near exclusive to us. The first weapons were hunting tools that the people made to take the place of barbs and fangs so that they could survive on more than just the scavenged foods of the local flora. From there they just evolved, just like the rest of what we know."
Eida sat down in the grass, the discussion was going well, he thought. She was hesitant to embrace something used to hurt others, but something thought of as a tool at hand instead he could work with for her.
"Self-defense, the lessons that I have worked to put together for you, is not about hurting others. It is about being aware of the tools at your disposal to discourage extended conflict."
Eida sat down in the grass, the discussion was going well, he thought. She was hesitant to embrace something used to hurt others, but something thought of as a tool at hand instead he could work with for her.
"Self-defense, the lessons that I have worked to put together for you, is not about hurting others. It is about being aware of the tools at your disposal to discourage extended conflict."
Callista didn’t really view Jaeda, a sentient creature as a tool but she realized that was not the point he was trying to make. Carefully tucking her skirt under her, she knelt down to join him on the ground. ”To know how to use something in self defense, or the defense of others is all I want,” she said as she moved to set the dagger next to her, but her brow furrowed when she noticed the empty sheath. "I seem to have dropped the blade before I could even use it," she said starting to rise to go look for it. Something that light she guessed falling out of its holder went unnoticed.
Eida took the feathersteel out of hiding and balanced it point-first in his palm before giving it a soft tap, letting it hang suspended in the air.
"Princess, the first lesson was on awareness of your tools. I used this in particular to help you with what I see as one of the most important points of defense. Knowing yourself as well." He walked around the hovering dagger as it slowly spun end over end. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Eida turned her around to look.
"When have you ever let yourself misplace anything? You have treated gifts like they were heirlooms, and this one was no different. Carry it in a way that you can get to it that others cannot. Know its traits like you know your own heart and it will never steer you wrong." He was inches away from her as he gave his lesson. He had felt her breath take in surprise at the floating blade and felt his own heart skip.
Eida took a breath and urged her to go out and take it from the air, drawing his own knife. a small curved grip with a short, hooked blade, like the talon on a bird.
"Princess, the first lesson was on awareness of your tools. I used this in particular to help you with what I see as one of the most important points of defense. Knowing yourself as well." He walked around the hovering dagger as it slowly spun end over end. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Eida turned her around to look.
"When have you ever let yourself misplace anything? You have treated gifts like they were heirlooms, and this one was no different. Carry it in a way that you can get to it that others cannot. Know its traits like you know your own heart and it will never steer you wrong." He was inches away from her as he gave his lesson. He had felt her breath take in surprise at the floating blade and felt his own heart skip.
Eida took a breath and urged her to go out and take it from the air, drawing his own knife. a small curved grip with a short, hooked blade, like the talon on a bird.
When he produced the blade Callista could feel herself flushing, not out of indignity that he had stolen it but because she was embarrassed that she hadn't even noticed it was gone. She gazed at him as he stood closely, unable to find an excuse for losing the dagger so easily or maybe her tongue was caught for other reasons, it was hard to tell.
”Yes, I'm sorry. I will carry it closer to myself from now on,” she said reaching out to catch the hilt as it slowly rotated towards her. ”I should have requested that Nezhno make a sheath that was more discrete, perhaps May will have one.” That would likely mean carrying the dagger closer to her more personal spots but it also meant she wouldn't have to walk around looking armed. Callista wished she had thought of this earlier but she never considered arming herself much. This was exactly why I am blessed to have Eida around, she thought to herself.
”Yes, I'm sorry. I will carry it closer to myself from now on,” she said reaching out to catch the hilt as it slowly rotated towards her. ”I should have requested that Nezhno make a sheath that was more discrete, perhaps May will have one.” That would likely mean carrying the dagger closer to her more personal spots but it also meant she wouldn't have to walk around looking armed. Callista wished she had thought of this earlier but she never considered arming herself much. This was exactly why I am blessed to have Eida around, she thought to herself.
"There is no problem, you asked for help because you were aware of a deficiency, that is strength, to know yourself and be willing to shore up your weaknesses. I grew up hearing a phrase that I took to heart. Do not take it in a negative manner, because that is not how I intend it. It was: Do not be sorry. Be better." He could almost hear Cuauhtli Yolotli chastising him for nearly the same thing during the Games.
"The sheath you have on is perfectly suitable for court, tying it to your sash would be a fine decorative statement, and it lets foreign dignitaries know that you do not only let your champion fight for you. Many cultures look on that as a sign of a great leader. Here during travels, something simpler and more intimate to yourself would protect you from the risks of cutpurses and vagabonds. I am sure that Mayumi or Rebekah can fashion something for you in a day or two." He tossed his kerambit into the air and made it vanish with a crossing of his arms as it settled in an armband.
"You need to understand what you have before you learn to wield it properly. This is much like meditation. Take your blade, feel its balance, learn its reach, know where the edge itself is sharpest. I want you to close your eyes and feel the knife."
"The sheath you have on is perfectly suitable for court, tying it to your sash would be a fine decorative statement, and it lets foreign dignitaries know that you do not only let your champion fight for you. Many cultures look on that as a sign of a great leader. Here during travels, something simpler and more intimate to yourself would protect you from the risks of cutpurses and vagabonds. I am sure that Mayumi or Rebekah can fashion something for you in a day or two." He tossed his kerambit into the air and made it vanish with a crossing of his arms as it settled in an armband.
"You need to understand what you have before you learn to wield it properly. This is much like meditation. Take your blade, feel its balance, learn its reach, know where the edge itself is sharpest. I want you to close your eyes and feel the knife."
Callista nodded slowly as he spoke, taking his advice to heart. ”I understand the idea behind wearing a weapon to court, but some might see that as a sign that I look for a conflict. I will take your suggestion into consideration, I suppose having options would not be a bad idea either.”
Letting out a deep breath, the princess followed his instruction and closed her eyes while holding the blade lightly in her hand. Had her fingers not been curled around the hilt, she would have barely known the dagger was there it was so light.
Letting out a deep breath, the princess followed his instruction and closed her eyes while holding the blade lightly in her hand. Had her fingers not been curled around the hilt, she would have barely known the dagger was there it was so light.
She looked so conflicted about the idea of holding a weapon while her hands ran over the feathersteel. "Now, without opening your eyes, tell me what you feel. Find the place your hand rests naturally. It is a tool. It has many purposes. Explore the length of the blade." His worn hands gently took her free hand and guided it up the shaft beyond the guard, careful to only let her nails scrape the edge until her fingers nicked the tip. "Mastery comes with understanding."
Her fingers wrapped around the base loosely as he guided her hand along the smooth surface. This was the first time she had held a weapon, with the intent of using it or in this case learning how to use it. With her eyes closed she felt its length and tried to get a feel for how far the end was from the base. She could feel the tip press into her fingers and a tiny drop of blood well up when it bit into her. ”I feel the many edges of the blade. It is lighter than even the dinner knives at the palace but longer than I realized.”
Eida smiled as she explored the piece, wondering how she really felt handling it. "Good, now hold it out in front of you and thrust. Feel the resistance it gives as you push it out in front of you. Remember it. Very few weapons need a lot of force." He moved over to her side as he was talking, making her more comfortable with where he was in comparison with his instructions. The sorcerer lifted his arm and let his hand hover roughly where he expected her knife to halt. This was an old technique that was used on him as a child. The first incident was usually relatively traumatic, but once you had an idea of what to expect after that, everything was downhill.
Callista took a deep breath and did as she was told, pulling back a little so she could thrust forward with as much strength as she could muster. What she had expected to feel was the blade glide through the air as the weightless thing should so she was utterly shocked when she was met with resistance. Her eyes opened and she immediately let go of the blade. ”Eida, your hand!” She said, forgetting that they were out in the open and taking his cut hand into hers to look at it. Her first impulse was to apologize for accidentally striking him but she quickly realized that if he didn’t want to be hit, he wouldn’t have been. ”Why did you do that?” Callista picked up the dagger to cut off part of her sash since there was plenty of material to it, May would scold her but it wasn’t like they were at court. ”Let me wrap that.” At least the sight of blood did not bother her, if anything she had seen it enough to not act as squeamish as one would think a princess would.
"Would you have done that if you had known?" Eida winced while the gash bled onto the grass. Callista ruined her own clothes to dress his would, which he thought was a little silly, but he let her tend to his hand. "I will be fine. The Nahuatl has an old phrase that translated to 'before the flesh, your own soul is their shield.' Before warriors are blooded in battle, their inexperience would leave them hesitating, unsure of the sensation of wounding another is. This tradition broke them of those often fatal hesitations. Forgive me, I could not have prepared you for that.' Short of stitching the wound closed herself, he was confident that there would not even be a scar left where he had marred him, so sure were her hands.
”I wouldn’t have stabbed you had I known!” She scolded as she carefully wrapped the green cloth around the wound making sure to allow the essence to guide her hands so that the wound was encouraged to close quickly. ”I don’t think you could ever prepare me for hurting you,” she sighed as she looked back up at him not caring how close they stood, her hands still lingering around his injured one. Callista didn't want to see him in any more pain ever. ”Are there other surprises in this lesson you should warn me about now?”
"There will always be surprises. Combat, self-initiated or not, is never predictable. You have to be willing to move against someone if they push you too far." He had worried her, and a knot had formed in his gut as he looked at her like a guilty puppy who stole a meal. He closed his hand around hers, hoping no one was watching. "I am sorry I hurt you. I should not have forced my traditions on you like that."
”You don’t have to apologize, I asked for you to teach me and I trust that you know what you are doing. I just wasn’t prepared for that, just like you said,” she sighed, unable to stay even a little upset with him for long. ”My grandmother used to say, the decision for action is often made long before the opportunity to act presents itself. I suppose accepting that I may have to inevitably hurt someone will keep me from hesitating should the need arise. Just not you. I cannot accept that,” she smiled a little but she meant it.
Moderators: cyranax Callista (played anonymously) Eida (played anonymously) Kellian Roux (played anonymously)