The Grey Tower

Muireen could not be sure if it was anticipation or apprehension that had coiled around her stomach; she felt a little giddy at the prospect of her afternoon, but could have just as easily lost her breakfast at the thought of what was to come. Well, that's if she'll pay any attention to me... The rumor mill churned constantly, but for the first time in her Tower life, it had spat something useful at her - a Gaidar had returned, and she had rather... Exotic weapons. Weapons that were easily concealed, incredibly dangerous, and did not weigh as much as a small horse. Which was exactly what Muireen needed. She had been incredulous when someone had told her that Nani Gaidar used bloody fans to chop Trollocs to ribbons, but once more people chimed in, she couldn't let the opportunity pass her by.

If it had been some cruel prank by her fellow drin that could heft their swords and beat the pulp out of practice dummies with their maces, she could always enlist Avyra later on to prank them. But if they were being truthful about the Gaidar's weapon of choice, it was almost too good to be true. She strode confidently around the Training Yards, scanning all of the faces that had become familiar over the past month for an anomaly. Muireen ignored anyone that wore grey and tried to avoid meeting eyes with anyone that was not wearing gray - Ah! - that was certainly an unfamiliar face.

Tall, lean, and strong, Nani Gaidar had angular features that marked her a Borderlander, and if Muireen knew anything about the Borderlands, she likely had the temper to match. Muireen felt her feet falter beneath her, and swallowed hard. It would not be the end of the world of Nani Gaidar did not agree to help her, but it would likely mean that she needed to give up, pack her bags, and return home with her tail tucked between her legs. She knew a little of unarmed combat, and she knew a lot about running around the Training Yard until her lungs burned, but she had yet to find anyone that would take her desire to train as a warrior seriously.

Light, help me out here... That was about as close to a prayer as Muireen had ever come; things were truly dire. She tried to settle her expression and sought out the Void, and as reliable as ever, it slipped from her grasp. After three failed attempts, she accepted the fact that she was on her own, and strode towards the Gaidar.

"Excuse me?" She asked in her meekest voice, and felt like a five year old tugging on a tutor's sleeve, "I'm looking for Nani Gaidar," she said softly. "Someone told me that she might be willing to train me?" She regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth.Oh, excellent Muireen. Show the woman what a docile doe you are. Polite, charming, and completely incapable of cold-blooded murder. Nani Gaidar's expression did not budge by a fraction, and Muireen felt her cheeks heat. "I'm sorry for disturbing you," she blurted, "I just... Agh, I just want be good at something."

The morning had been blissfully quiet, something she hadn't felt in a while. The bond was gone, and so was her hard irrational anger at the world and Calder. Waking up and being the only one in her own head was always a good start, and something she was enjoying. A sigh escaped her lips as she got up and headed for the yards and her first batch of trainees. She was working them hard, so that they were ready for anything, but also to help put them all into a good solid unit to work well together. It was something she wanted to talk to Ravak, and the rest of the Warder Yards management, but splitting the trainees into smaller groups would help facilitate on a larger scale for basic training.

It also helped turn them into a well oiled cohesive fighting core. She was dressed in a dark forest green, with dark brown pants that concealed her weapons, and her lower back sheaths being displays as she ran the trainees through their paces. It was after lunch when she was running another group through their paces that she heard a soft voice behind her. Her body turned around so that she could look at the other girl, but her eyebrow rose as she looked down (something she was not used to) at the girl.

No more then 17, the girl looked like she was better suited to a ballroom, or a channeler's class then what was going around them right now. She was skinny, willowy, and looked like Nani could blow her over with a strong breath. The girl was also easily skinny enough that the Gaidar could run around the Yards with her on her shoulder. But a part of her saw her little sisters in the young girl. Her expression softened when she said that she wanted to be good at something and she gave the girl a small smile. "On moment Drin. You found her, I just need to dismiss the boys I'm training. They're done for the day." She said softly before she turned back to the group and raised her voice. "DISMISSED! Keep practising, and I will see you tomorrow." She watched them leave, before she gestured for the young girl to follow her.

Once they reached the shade, she sat down with her back against the tree with her legs crossed and gestured for the Drin to sit down across from her. "I'm willing you train you, however, you will have to be more specific about what you would like me to train you on. You must be specific in what you want child, or you will never get very far. And when asking for help, it would be to your benefit to sound less....innocent." She gave her advice while she looked at her.

Luckily for Muireen, Nani Gaidar did not leave her hanging out to dry.

"One moment Drin," she said beneath her breath, "You found her, I just need to dismiss the boys I'm training. They're done for the day." A smile broke across Muireen's features before she could help herself - Ah, finally! - and jumped when the Gaidar bellowed an order with the efficiency of a thunderclap.

"DISMISSED!" Muireen did her best to keep her eyes from looking like saucers; after a month in the Yards, one would have assumed that she wold be used to it by now, and she hated that she was not. Nani Gaidar continued her verbal assault, and the boys took it stone-faced. "Keep practicing, and I will see you tomorrow." After they had dutifully filed away, the Warder turned back to her, and motioned for her to follow. Muireen followed eagerly, and had to be mindful not to trip over the Gaidar in her enthusiasm.

Muireen was surprised that Nani Gaidar lead her to a grassy, shaded place on the edge of the Training Yards, as she would have expected to be led to a private training ring, or a room full of sharp fans, or pretty much anything but sitting down for a nice chat in the pleasant weather, but she was not about to complain about getting to sit in the shade while everyone else she knew was being worked to the bone. Nani Gaidar leaned against a tree and patted the ground before her - Muireen scrambled to take up her position, and sat cross-legged across from her saving grace.

"I'm willing you train you," the Gaidar said, gazing fiercely at Muireen. The drin held her ground, and took a moment to notice that Nani Gaidar's eyes were an incredibly unusual color - like raw amethyst - "However, you will have to be more specific about what you would like me to train you on. You must be specific in what you want child, or you will never get very far." Muireen felt her face color: now that someone had said it to her face, she realized why she had been floundering. I want to learn how to fight is terribly vague in a place that's dedicated to specializations... "And when asking for help," the Gaidar continued, "It would be to your benefit to sound less....innocent."

Muireen dipped her head respectfully. "My apologies, Gaidar. Gentility dies hard." She had not mentioned her roots to anyone, for fear of discovery, but she trusted that Nani Gaidar would be discrete. "Thank you for offering your help; Light knows I need it. I... I came here because I was angry that I couldn't break a man's nose," she admitted quietly, and more color crept up her cheeks, "And I'm still here because I don't want to go home as empty-handed as I left. I'll never live it down. So... I want to learn to fight. I know that I'm not strong enough for a sword, like Warders in the stories, or strong enough for much of anything like Warders in the stories." She coughed awkwardly, and searched for words that struggled to come to the surface.

"I know I'm not likely to pass any sort of strength test, and I'm not even sure why I've been allowed to stay, but the fact that I have been allowed gives me hope. I want to learn how to fight, but... Fight in a way that plays to the strengths I have, rather than the ones I'm supposed to have, if that makes any sense. I can't heft weapons of mass destruction, but surely, there are other methods of being able to hold my ground."

It was easy to see the slight surprise the girl had when she was invited to sit under the shade, but Nani loved being outside. It was more comfortable for her, and let her feel free. And free was something she cherished so desperately. The girl was quick, sitting down across from her, and Nani watched her face colour as she was told to be more specific. A small smile graced her lips, before she regarded the young woman more closely. Her reasoning for joining the tower was very interesting, and she would file that the young woman was of some sort of nobility in her mind for important information. It was always good to remember details like that. Nani's body shifted, moving from sitting cross legged to one leg up and one leg down. She leaned forward, her arm resting around the upright knee, while she regarded and listened.

"There are more swords then your basic short sword, or long sword. There is the Rapier, easily wielded by someone of your build, however, I think you are better suited to close combat where not being grabbed is paramount. You don't seem to currently have the strength to pull back a bow, though that will change before we are done here. Not every Channeler needs someone who is strong. If you were to pit me against someone like Dakson Gaidan or Sojin Gaidan, I wouldn't win in a long drawn out fight of physical prowess. However, if they never manage to catch me, I would win. And there is a great skill in that. Any brute can swing a sword. But to do what I do, and what I will train you to do if you last, we require more stamina and more ability to avoid being caught. People like us also make good assassins, for it is always the one you least expect to stab you in the back." Nani replied to her statements.

"And since you came to me, instead of approaching Dakson, Ravak, or Lysira Gaidar, I can only assume that you want to learn about exotic weaponry like my war fans." She continued, as she pulled out 2 red silk fans, 2 black silk fans, and 2 blue silk backed fans. "However, for you to learn these, you must learn a little bit of history. This is your last chance to go learn the Rapier girl. If you stay here, right now, you will be my disciple, more then the packs of boys that I run through paces with in the morning and afternoon. You will dedicate all your free time, and alternately, your class time set aside for other weapons you can no hope to use, to me and my teachings. Do you understand me, and do you accept these terms to learn?" She asked, her fans laying on her lap, tipped and dangerous.

"There are more swords then your basic short sword, or long sword," The Gaidar said lightly, in a nonchalant manner, "There is the Rapier, easily wielded by someone of your build, however, I think you are better suited to close combat where not being grabbed is paramount." A little spark of hope twisted in her gut; this felt like an actual endorsement from a Warder. Perhaps she was not as hopeless as she seemed! Nani continued her lecture, and Muireen listened carefully - she had found a pathway, now, and she did not want to offend the only person that seemed willing to help her.

"And since you came to me," Nani said, her words rolling triumphantly off of her tongue, "Instead of approaching Dakson, Ravak, or Lysira Gaidar, I can only assume that you want to learn about exotic weaponry like my war fans." Muireen watched, nearly entranced, as the Gaidar pulled six fans from her person - Where had they been hiding? I didn't even see them! Nani Gaidar spread the fans carefully; steel glinted in the sunlight, and iridescent silk shimmered gloriously. Mother's milk in a cup!

"However, for you to learn these, you must learn a little bit of history. This is your last chance to go learn the Rapier girl.” The Gaidar’s voice took on a low, dangerous tone. Muireen knew a warning when she heard one. Don’t shrivel now, or you’ll never be taken seriously. To her credit, she kept her spine straight, and held Nani Gaidar’s gaze. Her smile dissipated with apprehension, but she supposed that that would be to her credit as well – it was clear that Nani was only looking for serious candidates. “If you stay here, right now, you will be my disciple, more than the packs of boys that I run through paces with in the morning and afternoon.” Disciple…? That was an incredibly intimate word. Muireen could have sworn that she felt frost gather at the base of her spine. This would not be like a beginner’s class on daggers, this would not be like showing up at high noon for a two mile run – this would be a true commitment. If she became Nani Gaidar’s protégée… There would be no such thing as going home whenever she pleased. She would remain at the Tower until she earned her fancloak and bound to everything that it stood for. She would become a Warder, or she would die trying. Muireen swallowed.

“You will dedicate all your free time, and alternately, your class time set aside for other weapons you can no hope to use, to me and my teachings. Do you understand me, and do you accept these terms to learn?" The Gaidar’s proposition hung in the air, heavy and unanswered. Muireen looked from the dangerous war fans to the woman that was offering to take her under her wing – it was clear that this was the point of no return. Her hands balled into fists in her lap, and she stared thoughtfully at the Warder. A breeze stirred the air, tugging playfully at her uniform and her unruly hair, but it did not sweep away the tension; she could feel it, almost as if her thread in the Pattern was being deliberately pulled : this was a fork in the road, and she would make the same choice that she had made in all of her previous lives and in all the lives that were to come.

“What history do I need to know?” Her voice did not quaver, despite her fears. “I will learn whatever I need to.” The Library was vast and endless, and she had seen the section dedicated to fighting tactics and weaponry. Tomes on War Fans would be among them. I will need to write a letter to my father, she thought. The private revelation felt like a knife twisting in her gut. She could not bear imagine how disappointed he would be – but it was irrelevant now. She was going to be a Warder.

Nani was slightly impressed. The girl didn't wither like she looked like she would. It was very interesting to say the least, since she had been so meek, and slightly terrified when she had asked Nani for help earlier. It was good to see someone obtain a backbone, even if it was just through bravado. Her eyebrow rose as she watched the young woman puzzle through whether or not she wanted to be her little protegee. A part of Nani wanted her to say no, just to see if she would try something other then War Fans, but a greater part of her was hoping and praying to the Creator that she would say yes. That she would agree, irrevocably, that she would be her student.

The Gaidar would never tell anyone, but she loved teaching one on one, and with something as...exotic as her weapon, she wanted nothing more then to impart her knowledge to the young woman. And with her having little training, it would be so much easier to mould her in the way she needed to be, because there were no bad habits to break. She was in essence, fresh clay, ready for the potter's hands. Her face was graced with a soft smile as she looked at the Drin'far'ji. The girl had asked the all important question of "What history do I need to know?" For all intents and purposes, the girl was hers.

"First off, I want to know your name. We've been having this conversation, and not once have you told me what your name is." Nani said, before she picked up one of her blue silk fans, and took the bladed tips off of one, closing it with a soft snap and tossing it into the Drin's lap. "We start our history lesson now. Hopefully your memory is good, because there will be a small quiz when we are done." She spoke with authority, before she picked up her black backed silk fan. Hands skilfully opened it, and held it with the spokes facing herself, before she started to speak. "A fan is historically a female's weapon and originated in Saldea, though moved quickly to other Borderland nobility, and throughout the rest of the world as a brief fad, specifically for high born ladies to protect themselves with, since they tend to be on the slight side, like you." She pointed to the tips she had on her black fan. "The tips in the court would usually be decorative, and loaded with a slow acting poison, or merely appear dull, but be very sharp. This allowed noble ladies some protection, with something they usually carried with them. In recent times that trend has ebbed, except in some of the Borderland areas like Arafel, and Saldea, where it's part of our customs. The weapon is also called a Tessen."

Here Nani paused, as she regarded the girl in front of her. Without breaking eye contact, she snapped her fan closed, and with a quick movement, slammed the tipped end into the tree over her head. "The tips on the Blue fans are poisoned, hence why I removed them before I handed you that fan to look over. The black ones are sharpened and strengthened for the ability to actually stab someone with, or slice their neck open. The Red ones are also poisoned. All of these poisons are hard to counteract without the right antidote, and they're both slow acting, so it's even harder to notice." She reached up, and jerked her fan out of the wood, before sliding it open with a flick of her wrist and inspecting the blades for damage. Pleased there was no issues, she closed it, and started flipping it over and over in her hand, displaying her single handed skill with the fans.

"Now, typically I will colour code my fans so that I know what's on them. The red poison is a burning sensation that spreads through out the body, causes a deadly non contagious fever. The blue poison is one that will make the one poisoned very sleepy, and they will die in their sleep. I have three other colours, and three other poisons that all deal the same end result with different symptoms." She explained, as she continued to play with her black fan.

"As for your quiz, I want you to answer these three questions: Where did the War Fan originate from? Where is it still prevalent now? And finally, what is the technical name for the War Fan?" She watched the young drin in front of her, patiently waiting for an answer, and not giving any clues what so ever to what she had said before.

"Muireen do Morny a'Lordeine," the familiar syllables came forth reluctantly. "It's quite a large House in Murandy. I'm somewhere in the middle, I suppose." Important enough to require the signs of good breeding, but not quite important enough to have to live in knee-deep politics. She had signed her true name on the Master of Training's roster, but she had not tried to think of her surname since she had signed it in precise cursive. The bias against her was already strong enough, and she did not want to give her peers any more reason to think her unworthy than they already had. But, if she was to be Nani Gaidar's charge, she deserved full disclosure.

The Warder gave no outward sign of surprise or disappointment, but instead carefully plucked razor sharp tips off of one of the sapphire silk fans and laid them carefully beside her. She snapped the fan shut with a flick of her wrist, and tossed it towards Muireen; the drin fumbled a little as she caught it, and felt her face flame. The Gaidar was offering to train her personally, and she couldn't even catch the damn thing after it had been rendered harmless. "We start our history lesson now," Nani Gaidar said clearly, and promised that there would be a small quiz at the end. Muireen was surprised that the Warder didn't simply assign her ten books and demand that she slugged her way through them, but she was pleased by the practicality. She listened carefully to the short lecture privately resolved to pass the quiz with flying colors.

Muireen took a mental inventory of the information that Nani shared with her, and blinked when the woman stopped - It's called a Tessen... And? The Gaidar took a black fan and flicked it shut, tips still intact. She grasped it tightly in her fist, swung her arm over her head with a great deal of force, and buried the tips into the three. Muireen made a conscious effort to keep her mouth from hanging open; Nani Gaidar had been right, they didn't look that sharp at all! She continued to explain about her weapon of choice, and Muireen could not help but look nervously at the tips that Nani Gaidair had kept beside her after picking them off of the blue fan - Blood and bloody ashes, she thought, Where'd she get the poison? The Warder carefully pried her fan out of the tree, and examined the tips carefully - apparently satisfied, she began flipping the fan from front to back in her hand, and continued her lecture on poisons. Muireen very nearly asked what the other three fans were capable of, but didn't want to interrupt her instructor.

"As for your quiz," Nani said, still flipping her fan from front to spine in her hand, "I want you to answer these three questions: Where did the War Fan originate from? Where is it still prevalent now? And finally, what is the technical name for the War Fan?"

"It originated in Saldaea as a practical weapon for a noblewoman, spread, then lost popularity; it remains a relevant means of protection in Saldaea and Arafel and has become, ah.... Customary? And technically, it's a Tessen." Muireen allowed herself a little smile. "I always had excellent tutors, Nani Gaidar. My father wanted me to be well-educated."

"Muireen..." Nani rolled the name off her tongue, and smirked softly. It was a good name, even if she was from Murandy, and of slight noble birth. Her new student was very quick in learning, but fumbled catching the fan. It would come with practice, that Muireen would be able to handle the fans like an extension of her own arm. It was with a smile as she stood up, and pulled out her other blue fan, removing the tips and holding it out to the Drin'far'ji. "Good. Keep it in mind as you learn more today. I will be setting you a training regime that you are to complete as you are able between your classes. It will assist in strengthening your body to really do what is needed." Nani said as she waited for Muireen to take the fan from her. "Follow me. You're going to learn the basic stances."

The Gaidar made sure they had plenty of space since she wanted to be able to move around. She faced the Drin, her fans of black lace. Her red ones disappeared back into her boot sheaths. "There are three stances main stances. Misery, Loves, and Company." Nani slide down as she raised her right hand high, fan open, and held her left hand low near her waist fan closed, with her right leg bent, and her left leg held straight out. "This stance is Misery. If ever we do another festival around here, you and I may be able to use these stances as a starter and wow the crowd." She said, before she slid up, her feet shoulder width apart, and standing up instead of being crouched down, with her right fan covering the lower half of her face, and her left fan held over her breasts, both open.

"This is Loves, best used for confusing the opposition, or throwing your fans as a distraction. Now, the final one is Company." She said, as she slid down, her right leg extended completely, her left knee bent, right arm held high with the open fan facing down, and her left arm holding the open fan to cover her nose and mouth. "You can do these in any order, but you will, for now do them in the order I showed you." She said, watching carefully.

Muireen followed dutifully, near giddy at the prospect of learning more. It wouldn't have mattered if Nani Gaidar had said that they were going to learn the fine art of geese-strangling; the fact that any of the Warders had faith in her ability to learn and thrive was exhilarating. She knew that there would be a little grief after Nani released her for the afternoon - she would have to commit to communicating with her father, come face-to-face with her own cowardice, and likely have an explosive dispute on her hands. Ladies did not run away to become Warders... She kept her eyes locked on Nani Gaidar's back, and swallowed nervously. No, ladies did not run away to become Warders. Perhaps the fault was an internal one, and she was never meant to be a Lady anyway.

She padded along after the Warder like a stray puppy, only distancing herself from Nani once they had arrived in a training ring. The soft dust felt good beneath her boots; it had felt more like trespassing on sacred ground before, but she had purpose here, now. She had just as much right to be here as any of the other trainees. Muireen rolled out her shoulders and stretched her hands, taking little pieces of preparation from the other disciplines that she had learned some of, ready to watch and learn.

"There are three stances main stances," The Gaidar began, "Misery, Loves, and Company." Muireen could not help but smirk, and only barely stopped herself from laughing out loud. Misery does love company. Anyone that meets the Tessen would be very miserable indeed. However, Muireen's amusement quickly transferred to scandalized awe; perhaps she should have had some inkling of the sensuality involved, considering the War Fan's origin, but it had not occurred to her that the Gaidin were not spouting philosophy when they said that war was art. At the very least, learning a traditionally feminine weapon looked more like an art than Dax Gaidin's chicken dance.

The Gaidar slid down, almost into a lunge, right foot forward - her right hand came up, and flicked her fan open wide. Her left hand held a closed fan, held close to the leg that she had sunk down onto. Muireen watched carefully - the Warder's weight had shifted, and she kept her balance by slightly bending her right knee. She sank into the stance with grace, and it occurred to Muireen that she was going to need to be very flexible in order to use War Fans; Nani Gaidar looked barely strained - she probably could have done a complete split, if she wanted.

"This stance is Misery," the Gaidar announced, "If ever we do another festival around here, you and I may be able to use these stances as a starter and wow the crowd." Muireen did not have to see her features to know that she was smirking - it was abundantly clear that the Warder was aware of the effect of her stances. The Warder rose carefully, slippery as an eel, and her feet were shoulder-width apart. Her fans were held carefully: both were opened with a fluid flick of her wrist, and the one in her right hand covered the lower half of her face, while the one in her left covered her chest defensively. At least,]/i] Muireen thought weakly, As defensive as silk could be. It was beginning to sink in that this was a very vulnerable fighting style - she would not have much to defend herself. Muireen knew that she was not strong enough to heft an axe or swing a sword, but she had never before had an appreciation for the space that larger weapons could create between her an opponent - whether she was using throwing daggers or fans, she would be up close and personal.

"This is Loves, best used for confusing the opposition, or throwing your fans as a distraction," the Gaidar continued, seemingly unaware of the drin's revelation, and then sank again into the third and final stance. It was the reverse of Misery, at first, but Muireen noticed that she held her fans in different positions; her right hand was extended and held her fan upside down, and her left hand held a fan close to her face, protecting her exposed neck. "Now, the final one is Company. You can do these in any order, but you will for now do them in the order I showed you."

Muireen nodded fiercely, sending her curly hair bouncing, and took the second disarmed blue fan. She positioned herself carefully - right foot forward, left one back, and... Sink... It was a painful stretch, and her left thigh began to scream immediately; she had been trained in ballroom dancing and was graceful enough, but ballroom dancing never required sinking. Her left boot scraped in the gravel as she tried to force herself farther down. Muireen grit her teeth and looked to Nani Gaidar for reassurance. It felt so foolish trying to emulate the woman's grace, like a duckling trying to be a swan. She tried to discard her fears of looking foolish, and frustration flared within her chest - what sort of arrogance had taken hold of her, thinking that she would be good at something on the first try? Muireen breathed evenly and sought the Void, and it danced away as cheerfully as it always did. The ko'di would not aid her here. She'd have to rely on herself.

She took the fans and tried to hold them as Nani had: she fumbled with the fan in her right hand as she tried to open it and promptly dropped it. Muireen growled beneath her breath, dipped to retrieve the fan, and tried again. It clumsily opened for her, but that was better than dropping it again. She held it out in front of her, thankful that she did not need to open the fan in her left hand yet. If she dropped the fan while she was trying to use her stronger hand, she was sure that her left hand would be a disaster. She moved into Loves, carefully trying to stand again. Her left foot grudgingly obeyed, sliding back up at a faltering, choppy pace. Her face flamed, but she persisted. The fan in her right hand was already open, and once her feet were squared beneath her shoulders, she brought it up to cover the lower half of her face, angled to protect her throat as well. Instead of attempting to flick the fan open with her left hand, she carefully and slowly spread it open. Muireen didn't want to drop it again; flicking would could come with practice. For now, she was focused on the stances.

Once the left one had been opened, she brought it against her chest, covering her breasts, and she paused for a moment before sinking into Company. She kept her left leg forward and sank back on her right, making her right thigh burn like her left had before. It was a satisfying stretch, even if it was difficult to achieve. Once she had settled her center of gravity, she focused on the fans; the fan in her right hand was brought before her, and she awkwardly twisted her wrist so that it was pointing down. If it had been tipped, the tips would have been facing the ground. Her left hand came next, and the still-open fan was brought to cover her mouth and throat protectively.

She could not tell if Nani Gaidar was impressed or not. Muireen assumed that the Warder was not very impressed at all; they rarely were, and this one had just watched a drin'far'ji stumble through her life's work. Her face flamed again and she was grateful for the fan that covered the lower part of her face. She didn't dare ask for the Warder's opinion, but instead waited silently for the Gaidar to deliver judgement.

Nani was carefully observing her student, watching the very awkward movements, and knew that she would help her with the flexibility and smoothness of it all. However, for the most part she was able to do the stances, which was a great start. Her eyebrow rose when Muireen dropped her fan, but instead of getting frustrated and quitting, she merely picked up the fan again and kept trying. Each stance was awkward and rough, but with training, practice, and hard work Muireen would clean it up and be just as graceful as Nani. The Gaidar could see the strain, and made note of what muscles she would need to work out the most. Nodding, her violet eyes kept a careful eye on if the girl would fall or not, something she wanted to avoid. "I won't say well done. However, it's a very good effort Muireen. I didn't do as well as this when I started." She said, before she strode forward, and walked around Murieen. "You will do fifteen push ups, and fifteen situps three times a day, every day. There are to be no breaks, no rest days until such a time that you can do all three stances with ease, as well as clear that obstacle course" Here Nani paused and pointed over to the obstacle course in the Yards. "Without failing. You will also run every morning and every night to improve your endurance and strengthen you need to remain agile in a fight."

The Gaidar ran her hands through her hair before she regarded the woman in front of her. Reaching out, she grasped the woman's tricep, and gave a small nod. "To strengthen this, something you will need, you will put your feet up on your bed, and with your hands on your chair, you will lower your body down between the bed and the chair and back up. Do that once a day, 15 reps." Now Nani had a decision. She could run Muireen through the obstacle course, something Nani wasn't sure the girl was ready for, or take her to the local blacksmith's forge and show her how a fan was made. Both seemed rather intense for the smaller woman, but she would need to learn it all eventually. "Come on Muireen. We've got a bit more time, I'll be teaching you how to construct the fans, and procure you your own set. From there, I will finalise your training schedule, and schedule another day for us to work again." Nani said as she led the way to the blacksmith's forge. Once they were there, there was a small forge off to the side that was lit and running, but no one was working at it. It was there that Nani led Muireen.

There were hammers, and metal there, along with a pail of water, and the pliers used to handle the metal. "I have hand crafted each and every one of my fans. You will learn to do the same." Nani selected a piece of thin metal, and held it up. "There are ten spokes to each fan. So to make a pair of fans, you will be forging twenty of the spokes. Silk is easily picked up from the seamstress, and I'll teach you later how to attach the silk to the fans. For now, we will stick three of these metal pieces into the forge to heat up. Once they reach the proper brightness, we'll hammer them out together. I want to watch you do this as well, but I will be here to help." Nani picked up a hammer, and hefted it momentarily before handing it over the Muireen. "You should be able to swing this hammer continually without issue. Any questions?"