Post by The Smith on Mar 31, 2008 21:49:07 GMT -5
As the second moon since his capture waxed and then waned, Lord Jaymes found that he was not unhappy. A heavy blizzard had hit the entire continent it seemed, sweeping down from the North in a matter of days. Even the Arbor had a covering of powder on the ground, and reports had come in of entire sections of the Trident and Blackwater rivers that were turned almost completely to ice. It had been more than a fortnight since Jaymes had first met Ser Edric Cuy, the heir to Sunhouse and since that day had beaten him black and blue more than a few times. The man, who was in reality a year older than Jaymes himself, had asked Jaymes to instruct him with the sword after the two met on the sparring field.
Though he had originally accepted due to a lack of anything better to do while in captivity, he took a quick liking to the other man. The two sparred with each other for several hours daily, and Ser Edric drank all the knowledge that Lord Jaymes offered him. “Hold your sword higher, Edric. A high guard will allow you to strike downwards and put the full weight of your blade into a strike.” Jaymes raised his own wooden sword into a high guard, and chopped downard several times, from both sides of his body. “An attack in that fashion will force your opponent to pivot his sword to parry your blows which leaves his weapon in an awkward position to strike back at you, while your own sword is still poised for another equally powerful strike.”
Ser Edric mimicked his stance, taking his own longsword in both hands. Jaymes had discovered early on that the sunflower knight knew more about one-handed sword fighting than he did; he had not used a longsword since Ser Mychel Hill had offered him his first bastard sword at four-and-ten. Edric chopped downward, and Jaymes pivoted his sword to parry the blow. Edric launched a flurry of blows, each coming down hard from above, but Jaymes turned every one of them aside. On the last blow, he flicked his wrist, and the point of his sword dropped downward. Edric’s sword was driven from his hands into the dirt while at the same instant the wooden edge of Jaymes’ blade delivered a stinging blow to the back of his leg. He almost lost his balance, but Jaymes shot out a hand and grabbed him before he fell.
“And that is how defend against someone attacking you from a high guard,” he said, with a chuckle. Ser Edric laughed, and Jaymes repeated the move more slowly, so he could see more clearly. An hour later, the two men made their way off the training guards, flanked as ever by Jaymes’ six guards. Made their way to the Arbor’s library and pulled several books off of the shelves. Lord Redwyne had graciously granted them use of the keep’s resources, though Jaymes had not seen him in three fortnights.
They covered a table with the chosen tomes, as well as maps of Westeros and the surrounding seas as well. They pored over the military treatises, suggesting stratagems and troop maneuvers, critiquing and modifying the other’s ideas. In this subject both men were naturally skilled but relatively inexperienced so they had decided to study strategy and command as well as train with arms. After several hours the guards began to shuffle about nervously and clear their throats. Jaymes looked up and realized that the sky had turned pink outside and the sun was setting; Lord Redwyne had ordered that he was to be returned to his tower cell by dusk each day. He closed the books and helped Ser Edric replace them on the shelves, before bidding the knight a good night and allowing the guards to escort him back to his cell.
Lord Jaymes Farman gains beginner Combat Instruction (Teaching)
Lord Jaymes Farman increases to Noteworthy Battle (Generalship)
Ser Edric Cuy increases to Expert Swordsman
Ser Edric Cuy increases to Noteworthy Battle (Generalship)
Though he had originally accepted due to a lack of anything better to do while in captivity, he took a quick liking to the other man. The two sparred with each other for several hours daily, and Ser Edric drank all the knowledge that Lord Jaymes offered him. “Hold your sword higher, Edric. A high guard will allow you to strike downwards and put the full weight of your blade into a strike.” Jaymes raised his own wooden sword into a high guard, and chopped downard several times, from both sides of his body. “An attack in that fashion will force your opponent to pivot his sword to parry your blows which leaves his weapon in an awkward position to strike back at you, while your own sword is still poised for another equally powerful strike.”
Ser Edric mimicked his stance, taking his own longsword in both hands. Jaymes had discovered early on that the sunflower knight knew more about one-handed sword fighting than he did; he had not used a longsword since Ser Mychel Hill had offered him his first bastard sword at four-and-ten. Edric chopped downward, and Jaymes pivoted his sword to parry the blow. Edric launched a flurry of blows, each coming down hard from above, but Jaymes turned every one of them aside. On the last blow, he flicked his wrist, and the point of his sword dropped downward. Edric’s sword was driven from his hands into the dirt while at the same instant the wooden edge of Jaymes’ blade delivered a stinging blow to the back of his leg. He almost lost his balance, but Jaymes shot out a hand and grabbed him before he fell.
“And that is how defend against someone attacking you from a high guard,” he said, with a chuckle. Ser Edric laughed, and Jaymes repeated the move more slowly, so he could see more clearly. An hour later, the two men made their way off the training guards, flanked as ever by Jaymes’ six guards. Made their way to the Arbor’s library and pulled several books off of the shelves. Lord Redwyne had graciously granted them use of the keep’s resources, though Jaymes had not seen him in three fortnights.
They covered a table with the chosen tomes, as well as maps of Westeros and the surrounding seas as well. They pored over the military treatises, suggesting stratagems and troop maneuvers, critiquing and modifying the other’s ideas. In this subject both men were naturally skilled but relatively inexperienced so they had decided to study strategy and command as well as train with arms. After several hours the guards began to shuffle about nervously and clear their throats. Jaymes looked up and realized that the sky had turned pink outside and the sun was setting; Lord Redwyne had ordered that he was to be returned to his tower cell by dusk each day. He closed the books and helped Ser Edric replace them on the shelves, before bidding the knight a good night and allowing the guards to escort him back to his cell.
Lord Jaymes Farman gains beginner Combat Instruction (Teaching)
Lord Jaymes Farman increases to Noteworthy Battle (Generalship)
Ser Edric Cuy increases to Expert Swordsman
Ser Edric Cuy increases to Noteworthy Battle (Generalship)