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Post by Ellinda on Nov 9, 2007 7:36:12 GMT -5
Ser Anselm woke early one morning after a long night of dealing with the King crying through the night. He left his brothers to deal with the bad tempered child during the day and set out to try something he hadn't since the disasterous tourney of King's Landing when he had been so severely wounded that no one knew whether he would live or die.
Well he wasn't dead, and every breath didn't sound like a death rattle anymore, so he decided he needed to get back into practice, to learn to be a better fighter than he had ever been.
He once again avoided the very public yards of the Keep, and slipped down to the humbler yard of the Black Shields, back behind the Market Square. Occasionally people would recognize him as a Flowers but he would brush it off with comments about large families all looking alike.
There, in simple homespun clothing and the battered light padded jacket of a new Blackshields recruit, he would practice. He started from nothing, but then he fought young inexperienced boys, nothing themselves.
Anselm vs. Brack of the Breakwater
21 vs. 39
Anselm's fight exchange, like his last almost fatal exchange, did not go well. He was slow and the massive Brack got a whack in with his training sword. But Anselm recovered and they set at it again
78 vs. 42
Anselm recovered, ducked another strong blow and returned it with a solid blow of his own. "That's how it's done," he thought. They engaged again.
77 vs. 63
Anselm was beginning to get his rhythm, but so was Brack. Brack swung, Anselm blocked. Anselm swung, Brack blocked. Finally Anselm got in a glancing blow. Not hard but enough to hurt.
41 vs. 84
"Ooof," thought Anselm as Brack got in a wild blow to his midsection, winding him. He was going to be bruised in the next.
59 vs. -14
Brack tried another wild swinging move but this time Anselm was ready for him, and managed to disarm his opponent and got it a solid shot of his own. Brack ended up on the ground. "Heh," said Brack, "We was goin' at it like real knights there." Anselm grinned and gave Brack a hand up. "Yup," he said, "Next thing you know, they gonna ask us to join the Kingguard."
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 1:00:41 GMT -5
Next morning Anselm returned. This time his opponent was another young trainee, Fedro the Thief. He had gotten the name long ago when he was a pickpocket and the name had stuck with him even when he entered the Blackshields and tried to uphold the law.
The opponents squared off.
43 vs. 100
Fedro the Thief was an obvious ringer. The whack he gave Anselm was hard and true, and Anselm landed on the ground with a thud. He acknowledged the defeat but asked for a rematch another day.
A few days later they squared off again in the yard behind the market.
24 vs. 14
They both gave weak blows, injuring neither party, and prepared to fight again.
43 vs. 20
Fedro's defense was weak and Anselm got in a decent shot to the body but he inflicted only light damage. They continue the fight.
11 vs. 25
Anselm swung a whiffed, Fedro got in a wimpy strike to the leg. Anselm was injured but not badly. They were now even, each having been lightly wounded.
34 vs. 59
"DAMN!" thought Anselm as he jerked away from his opponent's blow. Fedro was good and had managed to land a very solid hit on him.
83 vs. 80
Anselm took a solid swing at his opponent but Fedro had a lightening quick defence and parried brilliantly.
3 vs. 95
Fedro returned the favor by taking a mighty swing at Anselm. Anselm went down like a rock and the ribbon crones had to be called for to bring him back to consciousness. He eventually staggered back to the Red Keep. It was a good thing that the king was well on his way to being potty trained because Anselm wasn't sure he could so much as change a child's diaper.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 8:59:06 GMT -5
A few weeks later, Anselm returns to the yard, determined to fight once again. Brack is again his opponent.
56 vs. 55
They trade blows with almost identical force, strikes being met with fluid parries.
32 vs. 9
A pretty girl walks by the edge of the training yard, one of the maidservants in the rebuilt Merry Maid. Anselm is slightly distracted but Brack is quite distracted, and Anselm manages to get a weak blow past his defenses.
56 vs. 15
The girl bends over to fill her basket with the potatoes stored by the side of yard and causes Brack to completely whiff another stroke. Anselm counters with a strong return strike that solidly connects with Brack's midriff.
40 vs. 78
Brack is angry when he frees himself of the siren's call of the fine ass of the servant wench and gets in a solid blow to Anselm's upper chest.
4 vs. 35
Anselm is in turn distracted by a hawk circling the yard and Brack gets in another solid shot.
-20 vs. 27
Brack follows this by another blow that feeling ferocious in comparison to the kittenlike defense the Kingsguard can must. Anselm is reeling and concedes, staggering away while he can.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 9:08:17 GMT -5
Anselm returns again for more punishment. He can sense he is learning but he is still so weak from his injuries and from the batterings he is receiving in the yard.
He faces Fredo once again, dreading the pain to come.
69 vs. 11
Fredo goes down with one blow. One humiliating fight avenged. Maybe he would live through this training process after all, thought Anselm.
They line up again for another fight.
45 vs. 93
Fredo returns the favor with an absolutely massive blow to Anselm's chest. Anselm staggers but he is relieved to find he has received only a typical injury.
46 vs. 93
Another brutal blow by Fredo again stuns Anselm. He slowly recovers and stands once again to face his opponent.
53 vs. 67
The blows exchanged this time are much more even but even a light blow rocks Anselm. He concedes the match. Fredo is obviously not an absolute tyro any more.
Result: Fredo has advance to beginner in sword play.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 9:12:28 GMT -5
Brack and Anselm face off once again.
86 vs. 14
Anselm once again drops like a brick. He is exhausted from all this fighting.
Two days later, Brack and Anselm are again parrying in the yard.
80 vs. 13
Anselm again collapses under a blow from his sparring mate. As Anselm lies there watching stars circle around his head, he bitterly reflects upon what a piece of shit he is as a fighter.
Result: Brack advances to beginner.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 9:16:37 GMT -5
The bruised and battered Anselm drags himself into the training yard. He must have learned something by now, he'd certainly fought enough battles.
He pairs up with a new comer, Ralf, a lad from the countryside.
52 vs. 61
They trade similar strokes with no advantage gained.
2 vs. 29
Anselm hears a hawk and is distracted once again. Thankfully the country boy doesn't take full advantage of Anselm's lapse and the kingsguard is only moderately injured.
68 vs. 44
Anselm returns the favor and gets a good thwack on the boy's ribcage.
40 vs. -2
The boy tumbles to the ground and concedes the match. Anselm helps him up with a grin. "Good match, my friend, thank you."
Result: Anselm returns to beginner status as a swordsman, and he returns to the Red Keep. Before he goes, he consults with the ribbon crones to try to find something to calm the savage bruises and cuts he is accumulating.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 9:39:22 GMT -5
Anselm again faces Ralf, the country boy
136 vs. 27
He lands a mighty blow that knocks him completely unconscious. Anselm feels wretched about this and runs to the ribbon crones for their help. They look concerned and don't know if Ralf will ever awake from his coma. Anselm leaves a purse behind for Ralf's care and returns to the Red Keep with a heavy heart.
The next day, a woman in a plain cloak visits the Merry Maid where Ralf is lying, still in a coma. Old timers who know recognize the small, well rounded woman, and nod approvingly. Ralf does eventually recover but gets sent back to the country with a purse to start him on a less dangerous career than being a Blackshield.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 11:47:33 GMT -5
Anselm grins at Fredo, a more worthy opponent, master of the wicked hard stroke. They start again.
98 vs. 54
Anselm gets in a solid stroke to Fredo's midsection. Fredo manages a weak parry but is still wounded by the blow.
112 vs. 76
Another strong blow from Anselm, he finally feels as if he is getting somewhere. He again delivers a Fredo an injury, this time a nasty blow on the shoulder.
118 vs. 108
Anselm delivers a brilliant stroke to Fredo's upper chest but Fredo dodges and parries, his old strengths showing again.
82 vs. 105
Fredo follows up with another brilliant blow. Anselm is tiring and receives a light wound.
88 vs. 61
Anselm pulls himself together and delivers one more light wound to Fredo.
The clock tower rings the hour and Fredo concedes. Both men smile at each. They are indeed worthy opponents and can see themselves improving as they work with each other.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 12:02:20 GMT -5
Anselm faces off with Brack the next day.
68 vs. 136
Brack delivers a massive strike, knocking Anselm over. He concedes, stiff from the battering.
After a break the two men resume.
115 vs. 109
They trade strokes, pressing each other back and forth, little advantage to be see to either opponent.
83 vs. 82
They continue to trade strokes, both tiring slightly on that warm summer day.
125 vs. 44
Then Anselm gives a mighty thrust to Brack's midsection. Brack falls to the ground and concedes.
Result: Anselm has just become a Novice swordsman, regaining what little skill he'd had before his injuries in the tourney.
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Post by Ellinda on Nov 10, 2007 20:00:34 GMT -5
Brack: Beginner +1
Fredo: Beginner
Anselm: Novice
(Takes three wins to advance to the next level)
Brack and Fredo face off with each to see who will get to Novice first
106 vs. 111
Evenly matched, they trade stroke for stroke.
94 vs. 69
Brack gets in a good bash, and Fredo sustains a medium wound on his sword shoulder.
122 vs. 68
Brack takes advantage of the wound and Fredo goes down with a thunk.
"Hah!" says Brack as he gives his companion a hand up.
Anselm takes on Brack, the winner of the previous bout.
119 vs. 82
Anselm gives a mighty thrust (he's been working on mighty thrusts and has developed a reasonably effective one) and spins Brack around with his blunted sword. "Oww," cries Brack.
51 vs. 41
Anselm continues with a weak blow that is returned by a weak blow on Brack's part. No damage is done to either side.
103 vs. 108
Each recovers slightly. Brack takes a good slice at Anselm but Anselm parries nicely.
73 vs. 36
Anselm pushes forward, parrying every blow Brack delivers, and then Brack trips on a stone in the yard. Anselm uses his advantage a delivers a solid strike to his midriff.
58 vs. 47
Brack battles back but Anselm matches him stroke for stroke. Then Anselm snakes in for a very light wound to Brack's trunk and Brack concedes the match. He's hungry and needs to eat.
Results: Brack Beginner +2, Anselm Novice +1
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Hope you all are well and happy.