To Move With Grace [ATTN: Marla/Dax]

[Roan]

Just after her return to the Tower, Riahana had plenty of free time to focus on her own training in the Yards. Since becoming Gaidar Captain, though, time for herself and to herself were becoming rare. Between her archery classes, mentoring new Drin' as they signed the roster, and training those who wished to become more proficient in either bow or sword, Ria found she had precious few moments of her own. She made the most of them, spending time with Lex to improve her skill with mounted archery or mounted combat with her sword, or practicing solo with either weapon when she could.

After a rare, but pleasantly long ride with Lex, the Gaidar Captain headed to the Yards for her next appointment. It seemed she was training more and more on the use of the sword, and it was something she took great pleasure in. As she waited for her latest pupil to arrive, the Gaidar Captain selected a practice sword and found her favorite portion of the sparring yards unused. Taking up a spot, and going into a relaxed position, Ria opted to stretch as she waited.

((OOC: Short opener, but it gets us going...))

[Sunny]

“That’s what your mother said last night,” Dax snapped his fingers, and the Ji’alantin across from him scowled, his hand moving to his sword hilt. “Oh for the love of the Creator it was a joke. Learn to laugh at yourself, Mortran, life is too short to be so serious.” Mortran’s annoyance visibly grew, but Dax’s attention had already shifted to devouring the plate of ham and eggs in front of him.

“How someone like you got raised to Ji’alantin is beyond me, Dakson,” Mortran said after a long moment.

Dax turned his eyes back to him, eyebrows quirked up in assumed surprise, his hands busy cutting his meat. “How do you mean ‘like me’?” he asked in a mild tone, his eyes glued to this not entirely unexpected adversary. “Are you referring to my way with the ladies, my skill with a blade, or the fact that I recognize a pompous meathead when I see one?”

The Andoran Ji’alantin’s fists hit the table with a resounding thump, and heads turned to look at them. “I mean someone with so little honor that he would sell his sword for gold and fight dirty in the Yards. Someone with so little respect that he would insult a man’s mother at the breakfast table, and so little propriety that he would sleep with every woman in Hama Valon,” he snapped, standing to lean over the table to stare at Dax, blue eyes sharp and cold.

“Sit down, you’re going to hurt yourself,” Dax said. To his delight Mortran’s face immediately went several shades deeper purple, and he seemed to be hunting for words that would not come. Dax just stared at him without saying anything until finally the other Ji’alantin dropped back into his seat with a string of curses, his fingers drumming angrily on the edge of the table.

Satisfied, Dax stood and dropped his napkin on his plate. “Honor and morality are highly subjective and easily influenced by circumstance,” he said as he adjusted his sword belt, “and unless I bed your wife, my sleeping arrangements are none of your business. I am Ji’alantin because I earned it in the eyes of the only people whose opinions matter. If you ever feel the need to insult me again, please remember this: I will happily scrub pots for a year if it means I get to teach a spoiled rich child an abject lesson in humility first. Growing up in the slums, it’s no hit to my pride to pay the price for such a satisfying activity.” He smiled, touched his brow with his fingers in a mocking salute, and left the seething Ji’alantin at the table.

He had more important things to do. It seemed Bree had decided that it was time for him to learn more about the “Forms” that the Gaidin were so bloody excited about all the time, and had informed him the night before that he was to attend a session with Riahana Gaidar to begin that process. His attempt to explain that he did not need such frippery had ended poorly; his ears still rang at the memory.

When he arrived in the Yards, he could see the Gaidar doing stretches in one of the marked off sparring areas. He paused to collect a practice sword, and sauntered over to join her. “Morning,” he said, giving her a perfunctory bow. Then he removed his live blade from his belt and placed it on the rack provided for that purpose. Then he, too, began to stretch, feeling the impact of his encounter with Mortran fade with each move. “Where do we begin?”

---

OOC: Sorry-not-sorry for the totally unrelated intro. I got caught up in his breakfast encounter, and had to write it out. XD

[Roan]

There was a chill to the morning air, and a light frost settled over the Tower. Footsteps marred an otherwise white carpet that seemed to settle over the grounds. Not a cloud marred the dark blue sky as it started to lighten with the rising sun, and soon, the frosty carpet would melt away. Given the chill in the air, the Gaidar took extra time to stretch and warm up. Just as she finished stretching her legs, her latest student arrived.

Inclining her head in response to Dax's bow, Riahana replied, "Good morning, Ji'alantin." She moved to the rack where he placed his personal sword, and placed hers next to his before she moved so that she was opposite him in the sparring area, "Where we begin depends on where you currently are with your sword work." She offered a small smile, "I know you are not a rank beginner with the weapon, though I have not watched you in the Yards before."

Placing the tip of her practice sword on the ground, Riahana studied Dax for a moment, "So, how would you assess your skills with the blade?"

[Sunny]

Dax paused in his stretching to eye the Gaidar. It had not been easy for him to accept that not only were women allowed to train with weapons at the Grey Tower, every single administrative position in the Warder Yards was held by a female. Now here he was, being trained by another woman. His mates on the last merchant train he had worked for would laugh themselves sick. And yet....she wore fancloth and he did not. Grudgingly, Dax forced his resentment back into its box. It did him no good here.

"My brothers taught me a little when I was young," he said, twisting his torso from side to side. "As I grew older they married away or died, or both, and I had to find my training elsewhere. I took the first opportunity I could on a trading caravan, and never looked back. Between then and my arrival here, I had near constant work as a guard for caravans, taverns, money changers, self-important merchants, and nobility. Usually alone, occasionally leading a handful of others. In that business you either learn quickly or you die quickly- it's been fifteen years, and I'm still alive." He flashed her a nonchalant grin.

"My fellow trainees think I'm a dishonorable cheat, that I fight dirty and break the rules. I say I do what has to be done to stay alive, and they can burn their abstract concept of honor. That isn't a popular opinion in these parts, apparently." He kept his voice and expression carefully bland, belying his true opinion of such a narrow perspective of fighting. "Anyway, the Forms are a rich man's tool. In my former line of work I had no time to give my movements fancy names. When someone says the Serpent Strikes, I look for a snake in the grass, not my opponent's blade. It's worked so far, but Ubriel Gaidar seems to think otherwise." He shrugged, and moved on to leg stretches.

[Roan]

Riahana listened as Dax outlined his experience with the sword, and defending himself with the blade. She rewarded him with a small smile in response to surviving fifteen years with the skill he acquired. She did not give anything away when he mentioned fighting dirty. Purists would say dirty tricks were not needed if one was skilled enough. Experience told Riahana that you used what you must to survive, though she was careful when she relayed such information to those she trained. Relying on dirty fighting was not wise, but neither was ignoring opportunities that would give you an advantage over your foe.

The Gaidar Captain considered her reply carefully as she finished her stretching. "The Forms are a rich man's tool, you say, and that you had no time to give your moves fancy names. You are not the first to say such things, and I can understand where the sentiment might come from. Perhaps you did not have time to learn the forms in the past, but here at the Tower, as part of the Yards, you have as much time as you wish to dedicate to such things."

Settling into The Cat Crossing the Courtyard, Riahana appeared relaxed and at ease. She held the practice blade casually, not in any apparent guard. "What if I were to tell you that you did not have to abandon your knack for dirty fighting to incorporate the forms into your fighting style?" She watched Dax as she circled him, "While it is generally poor form to bring in dirty tricks when you are sparring, doing so when you are fighting for your very survival is allowed, as far as I am concerned. The purpose of the forms is to act without hesitation. . .to recognize openings your opponents leave, and to take advantage of such moments. I'm not saying you will be unstopable and invincible if you perfect the forms, but I do think you will see they can give you an advantage."

[Sunny]

"What if I were to tell you that you did not have to abandon your knack for dirty fighting to incorporate the forms into your fighting style?" The Gaidar circled him like a cat, suddenly radiating danger. Dax pivoted to face her, keeping his eyes on her shoulders, though his ears were open to every word she said. "While it is generally poor form to bring in dirty tricks when you are sparring, doing so when you are fighting for your very survival is allowed, as far as I am concerned." That shocked him. In all the years he had been at the Grey Tower, not a single Gaidin or Gaidar had acknowledged that some fights could not be won fairly.

"The purpose of the forms is to act without hesitation. . .to recognize openings your opponents leave, and to take advantage of such moments. I'm not saying you will be unstopable and invincible if you perfect the forms, but I do think you will see they can give you an advantage." What she said made sense, damn the woman.

"Is that thing you're doing now a Form?" He asked directly. He knew how to intimidate with a mere twitch of his muscles, but what Ria did was something else. There was no bluster in the way she stood, only cold, relaxed, arrogance. Self assurance so strong it oozed from her. She nodded, and Dax frowned thoughtfully. "So the Forms are not just fancy names for the way I already use as word?"

"Some of them refer to stances, some to attacks, some to defense," his instructor told him, still prowling in her circle. "Some you may know, some you may not." He thought about that for a long moment. still watching her. Would she attack, or was she simply demonstrating her point? He didn't want to risk getting injured.

"Despite my apparent need to drown myself in drink, I am actually quite fond of being alive," he commented light-heartedly, "and though I can be sarcastic, disrespectful, and occasionally crude, I see and respect how hard the Gaidar and Gaidin work to keep up their skill. If you will teach me, I will do my best to learn. Where should I begin, Gaidar?"

[Roan]

Coming to stand squarely before him, Riahana Folding the Fan to sheath her sword, and allowed a small smirk to cross her lips. "I know the Tower can be quite strict regarding discipline and the like, and there is reason for it. Your attitude is yours to handle and deal with resulting consequences. Right here, today, and any day we stand before each other, be it as trainer and student, or eventually as peers, all I care about is your focus and willingness to learn."

Scanning the yard as she paused, the Gaidar Captain chose her words carefully, "Even I must be willing to learn. . .open to the possibility that one day, those I train may well surpass me, and then it is I who must learn from them. All I ask is that same willingness." She finished her statement as she looked directly at Dax with slightly raised brows, "Now then, where you should begin might seem. . .extremely basic, but it is as important as any other form you might learn. The simple act of unsheathing your sword should be fluid and graceful, with no hesitation."

Demonstrating Unfolding the fan, Riahana withdrew her practice blade in one motion, culminating in a smooth arc before she settled into a simple middle guard. "Many who take up the sword take this one motion for granted, but if you perfect this, then you can perform the motion as you launch into a direct attack in one of the more advanced forms. Such an act gives you an advantage over your opponents, and when it is your life on the line, you should leverage any and all advantages you can."

Riahana smirked slightly as she Folded the Fan again, "Like I said, I know it may seem beyond basic, and perhaps beneath you, but it is the foundation of everything else. When you are done, and ready to sheath your weapon, you do the opposite. I've used Folding the Fan twice now, and it is almost the reverse of the other form. Now, if you could humor this Gaidar, and practice each. I can guide and critique as necessary."

Teaching was one aspect of her time in the Yards that surprised Ria. She found a great sense of joy and accomplishment working with those who wished to learn bow or sword, and pride when she saw them progress. Ji'alantin Prewtez was one of her students that continued to impress her, as not only had his sword skills improved significantly since her first session with him, but he also took to teaching others in the Yards. He was an extremely proficient teacher, and his own students showed tremendous growth.

These were fleeting thoughts as the Gaidar Captain watched Dax and offered pointers here and there. "I do not know how much you have practiced pulling the Void around you, or the Oneness, as some say. If I hadn't already let the Void settle around me before drawing my sword, I will often use the motion to settle into it, letting outside concerns and distractions slip away to focus on the present," she advised. Different students learned to grasp the Flame and Void or Oneness in their own way and time. It wasn't something Riahana had taught many, though how she learned from Master Ives was still strongly imprinted in her memory.

Once satisfied with Dax's progress with unsheathing is weapon, Ria gave a simple nod, "Good. If you were to talk to any of the others I have worked with here in the Yards, they would likely say I stress footwork as much as bladework. The reason is that without graceful footwork, graceful transitions from one form to another are nearly impossible. Being balanced and able to adjust your footing with confidence knowing you've got a good center of gravity, and the ability to move in whichever direction you might need. . .without thinking about it. . .is critical.

"I do not know if you aspire to gain the Heron, but if you do, then the next form is crucial. . .BUT, never, and I will stress this again. . .NEVER use this form in combat," Ria explained. Before naming the form, she demonstrated as she held the blade at shoulder height, and pivoted on her right foot, bringing the blade around in a horizontal slash. When she'd done a full circle, she rotated the practice blade so that the 'edge' pointed in the opposite direction, and did the same move, pivoting on the opposite foot.

"Now, I would like you to try The Heron Wading the Rushes, and given your experience with the blade, tell me why it is not appropriate in combat?"

((OOC: Hope this format works for you?))

[Sunny]

Dax had come to the Grey Tower with certain ideas about women and the positions they were supposed to hold in the world. Head of the entire Gaidin training program had certainly not been one of those he thought appropriate, and he had spent the years since struggling to come to terms with the fact that he, a seasoned fighter, had to listen to women. Watching Riahana, he acknowledged for the first time that perhaps his take on the world was incorrect. At least...it was in terms of the Grey Tower.

She demonstrated drawing and sheathing her sword. She dubbed it "Folding the Fan" and acknowledged its simplicity. He found himself grinning, hand resting on his sword hilt. It was simple, and yet....if every move had a name, then of course this did as well. He noticed she held her arm a little differently than he did; when she indicated he should practice, he Unfolded the Fan first the way she had, and then the way he normally drew his sword. Her way actually feels like opening and closing a fan, he thought, surprised. He tried again; this time she touched his elbow, guided his hand, pointed out where his feet had shifted in an unforgivably sloppy manner while he concentrated on his hands. Oops.

She spoke of the Void while he practiced, and he chewed on the inside of his lip in silence. He had heard of the Oneness before. When his adrenaline surged and he knew the only way out was through the person who opposed him, his mind could focus, guiding him from move to move with clear intent. It sounded similar to what the Gaidin described.

"I do not know if you aspire to gain the Heron," she said, and Dax barely kept himself from making a face in his shock. He supposed it was a possibility, but he had survived this long without being a Blademaster. If he died, he died...who would mourn him? Shaking his head, he watched as Ria demonstrated a new form. He had seen a few Gaidin practicing it, and thought it an odd position to hold a blade.

He imitated her, sword at shoulder height, pivoting on one foot, then turning the blade to move in the opposite direction. It felt smooth, and as he moved, he became glaringly aware that his feet had once again shifted out of position; the weight of his sword nearly unbalanced him. He adjusted his feet and tried again. This time was better, but the glaring holes in his defense as he moved distracted him from enjoying how it flowed.

"It leaves you wide open for attack," he said, after drawing the sword back and forth several times. "With my hands up like that, my legs and stomach are defenseless, and my arms and blade are twisted in such a way I couldn't get my blade down to stop it." He wiped sweat from his forehead. "I noticed my feet were wrong just by the way I moved, though, and I can see how that would be useful in practice."


OOC: Yes, that's fine. I apologize for the very long delay. <3

[Roan]

Training students who already had a foundation with sword presented its own challenges for Riahana. Some would come to the yards assuming they needed no training, and had everything they needed to stay alive in a sword fight. Most would be humbled during their first spar against most Gaidin and Gaidar, and even a number of Ji' as they would find the gaps and bad habits of those who were overconfident in their skills, and take advantage of them. It would be easy to ridicule for such bad habits, but to what end?

When Ria worked with students of the sword, she expected them to give her their full attention. Through her demonstrations of each move, and how it could work to one's advantage, she hoped to make it easier for those working with her to set aside their preconceived notions about how good they might be with their weapon. . .and strive to be better.

It was no secret that Dax was not fond of the concept of sword forms, but as their lesson progressed, he made real effort with each form and concept Riahana demonstrated. To hear him admit his feet were wrong was impressive, as others Ria trained with a similar take on sword forms never seemed willing to admit they learned something from her. She didn't teach for student accolades, or acknowledgement she was helping, though. She taught because she wanted the Drin, Ji and Gaidin and Gaidar to be the best they could be with the blade (or bow), so that they might survive to fight another day.

Riahana inclined her head in a slight nod to acknowledge Dax's comments, "Good. . .there is a more functional variant of the form which we may attempt later today if we have time. We will not get through all of the forms today, but I do want to go through a couple of guard stances, a couple of strikes, and a couple of defensive moves before we call it a day. I would suggest you practice the forms on your own without a sparring partner at least a couple of times a week until they become second nature. Whenever your foot work fails, or you lose balance, slip into The Heron Wading the Rushes and do the move three or so times to work on the footwork and find your balance again."

The Gaidar Captain didn't like to deliver long speeches when she trained someone, but sometimes it was necessary. She paused for a moment as she mentally went through what forms she would demonstrate today, and couldn't help a small smirk, "I will do my best to give you forms that will work with your desire for flexibility with dirty fighting, but I need to balance it out with forms that will ultimately make you a well-rounded swordsman. As we go through the forms, I want you to consider which are defensive forms or offensive forms, and why. There are some forms that have multiple purposes, and might start defensively, but allow you to then strike without missing a beat."

She paused again, then asked, "Any questions?"

[Sunny]

Dax listened quietly as the Gaidar explained her plan for the day. It seemed reasonable enough. If all the Forms were as formal as the Heron Wading in the Rushes, he could not imagine having the presence of mind to use any of them in battle. At the same time, Riahana moved with undeniable grace. Perhaps there is something to it after all. The fact that she was even willing to acknowledge that his preferred method of combat had a place in her world mollified him considerably.

She asked then if he had questions, and he tipped his head thoughtfully.

“I thought I would be learning lists of names and bored out of my mind,” he said slowly. "I have never known much abut the forms, and what little I did know, seemed stilted and slow. The thing is, you’ve already shown me a way to center myself and identified a hole in my stance....and now you tell me I can work the forms into my own fighting style. Any questions I might have had are moot….Gaidar.” The title came out hesitantly, but -perhaps for the first time ever- respectfully.

He stepped back into a center guard, checked his feet, then flashed her a smile. “I'm an old dog, but I like new tricks. What’s next?”


OOC: sorry for short. I don't think I, as a writer, know enough to know what questions would be appropriate.