Post by The Stranger on Apr 20, 2008 17:44:07 GMT -5
Going to the market was one of Janos' more pleasant activities in Braavos. He the sounds and the smells, the shouting of the wares and the sights of the food. Parts of the city could be pretty, but the area where the Dornish Bazaar was was not one of them, which was why Janos enjoyed being somewhere else. He had wanted to accompany Beric the night before, wherever it was that he had been going, but the man had immediately told him no. He had not mentioned to anyone what he had done, not even Gaharr Tohn, which was just part of his lords sometime suspicious nature.
Janos bought three loafs of bread and a good basket full of salted fish, and making his way to the fruit stand saw a bravo arguing with one of the salesman. The young man seemed to be complaining about the apple he had just bought but the argument didn't seem too serious. Janos was about to walk off when he saw the young bravo draw his sword. The salesman just managed to leap out of the way of clumsy stab and Janos shouted at the man. The bravo looked over and seeing the angry look on Janos' face decided it was time to leave. The man ran off, but not before grabbing a whole basket of apples. Janos shoved his own shopping in a mans face and ran after the thief. The chase went through alleys and over bridges, but finally Janos was catching up with the man. Living in the desert it took longer for him to break into a proper sweat, and by the time they reached the fourth bridge, the bravo was panting. Janos was upon him, wrenching the basket ouf of his hand and swing with his fist right in the man's face. The bravo fell to the floor and started pleading with Janos not to hurt him. "Do you speak Westerosi?" he asked, but the man kept talking his own language. "Thought not." Janos said, as he hurled the man to his feet. By now some other men were approaching and Janos let them take care of him. He went back to the market and found the man whom he had given his barsket. He said the few words he knew in braavosi, which were "Sorry! Friend! Thank you!" and took the basket.
When he finally got home, Gaharr Tohn was the only one downstairs. He was busy cleaning his Halberd and when he saw
Janos enter he laughed. "Looks like you've been doing more than just shopping." "Huh?" Janos was confused. Gaharr laughed again. "Don't worry, I can tell when a man has been putting a lot of effort into something. There's a look about his eyes... though, I don't think it's a girl that's been making you sweat, hah!" Janos had to smile. He explained the situation, especially about his complications of conversing with the braavosi, which the big old man seemed to find amusing. "Well, the only other language I speak is the one with this." He said, indicating his Halberd. "I have never fought a man with a halberd, allthough I know how to defend against sword and spear." "Well!" Gaharr replied in his booming voice. "About time you tried it out."
Half an hour later he found himself in the yard, with bruises all over his body. It had been Morho who had found them a small supply of blunted weapons after the last ones had broke, and these were much better. "Boy, you have to remember something. With this thing I can stab and hack! Most important thing is to keep your eyes on where the blade is. Shouldn't be too hard to beat a halberd with a spear, albeit it will have to be in the right hands." Janos nodded and went into attacking position again. He had been trying the Viper, and not succeeding with it now took up the Scorpion. The small difference between this one and the Viper was that the spear was kept higher, at around face level of the opponent, which was a hard thing against Morho. It kept the enemy far away, because coming any closer meant impaling your own face. There was also more legwork involved with the scorpion, especially against a halberd, because it left the lower part of the body unprotected, and a halberd had a reasonable range itself. The Viper was more for speed than strength, and having worked on his muscles daily, Janos thought it was time to become better at the Scorpion. He launched a quick attack at Gaharr's shoulder, then sprung aside, pulling his spear accross Gaharr's chest and narrowly missing. The old man fell into an attacking position, giving a few quick jabs at Janos' chest before wrenching his weapon up and trying a slash at his kneck. This time Janos had anticipated the attack and ducked, giving him the position to stab his blunted spear at Gaharr's chest. The man stumbled backwards as the blade hit him and he smiled at the young soldier. "Perfect! Now, do it a hundred more times!"
Janos was exhausted by the time they were done. He doubted that he had gotten up to a hundred; he had lost count at around 45 but the training had done him good. As he put the spear against a wall he saw Beric standing at the door, watching. "Well done, Janos. Gaharr is not an easy man to best." "How.. how long have you been watching, Lord Beric?" The man smiled. "Please, we are not mere aquaintances anymore. I am Beric to my friends. As to you question: About half an hour. I could hear you two grunting upstairs so I had to see what the fuss was about." Janos smiled. Whatever Lord Beric had done the night before, it had put him in a better mood. And that was all that mattered.
Janos advances to Apprentice Running
Janos advances to Expert once improved Spear
Janos bought three loafs of bread and a good basket full of salted fish, and making his way to the fruit stand saw a bravo arguing with one of the salesman. The young man seemed to be complaining about the apple he had just bought but the argument didn't seem too serious. Janos was about to walk off when he saw the young bravo draw his sword. The salesman just managed to leap out of the way of clumsy stab and Janos shouted at the man. The bravo looked over and seeing the angry look on Janos' face decided it was time to leave. The man ran off, but not before grabbing a whole basket of apples. Janos shoved his own shopping in a mans face and ran after the thief. The chase went through alleys and over bridges, but finally Janos was catching up with the man. Living in the desert it took longer for him to break into a proper sweat, and by the time they reached the fourth bridge, the bravo was panting. Janos was upon him, wrenching the basket ouf of his hand and swing with his fist right in the man's face. The bravo fell to the floor and started pleading with Janos not to hurt him. "Do you speak Westerosi?" he asked, but the man kept talking his own language. "Thought not." Janos said, as he hurled the man to his feet. By now some other men were approaching and Janos let them take care of him. He went back to the market and found the man whom he had given his barsket. He said the few words he knew in braavosi, which were "Sorry! Friend! Thank you!" and took the basket.
When he finally got home, Gaharr Tohn was the only one downstairs. He was busy cleaning his Halberd and when he saw
Janos enter he laughed. "Looks like you've been doing more than just shopping." "Huh?" Janos was confused. Gaharr laughed again. "Don't worry, I can tell when a man has been putting a lot of effort into something. There's a look about his eyes... though, I don't think it's a girl that's been making you sweat, hah!" Janos had to smile. He explained the situation, especially about his complications of conversing with the braavosi, which the big old man seemed to find amusing. "Well, the only other language I speak is the one with this." He said, indicating his Halberd. "I have never fought a man with a halberd, allthough I know how to defend against sword and spear." "Well!" Gaharr replied in his booming voice. "About time you tried it out."
Half an hour later he found himself in the yard, with bruises all over his body. It had been Morho who had found them a small supply of blunted weapons after the last ones had broke, and these were much better. "Boy, you have to remember something. With this thing I can stab and hack! Most important thing is to keep your eyes on where the blade is. Shouldn't be too hard to beat a halberd with a spear, albeit it will have to be in the right hands." Janos nodded and went into attacking position again. He had been trying the Viper, and not succeeding with it now took up the Scorpion. The small difference between this one and the Viper was that the spear was kept higher, at around face level of the opponent, which was a hard thing against Morho. It kept the enemy far away, because coming any closer meant impaling your own face. There was also more legwork involved with the scorpion, especially against a halberd, because it left the lower part of the body unprotected, and a halberd had a reasonable range itself. The Viper was more for speed than strength, and having worked on his muscles daily, Janos thought it was time to become better at the Scorpion. He launched a quick attack at Gaharr's shoulder, then sprung aside, pulling his spear accross Gaharr's chest and narrowly missing. The old man fell into an attacking position, giving a few quick jabs at Janos' chest before wrenching his weapon up and trying a slash at his kneck. This time Janos had anticipated the attack and ducked, giving him the position to stab his blunted spear at Gaharr's chest. The man stumbled backwards as the blade hit him and he smiled at the young soldier. "Perfect! Now, do it a hundred more times!"
Janos was exhausted by the time they were done. He doubted that he had gotten up to a hundred; he had lost count at around 45 but the training had done him good. As he put the spear against a wall he saw Beric standing at the door, watching. "Well done, Janos. Gaharr is not an easy man to best." "How.. how long have you been watching, Lord Beric?" The man smiled. "Please, we are not mere aquaintances anymore. I am Beric to my friends. As to you question: About half an hour. I could hear you two grunting upstairs so I had to see what the fuss was about." Janos smiled. Whatever Lord Beric had done the night before, it had put him in a better mood. And that was all that mattered.
Janos advances to Apprentice Running
Janos advances to Expert once improved Spear