The Grey Tower

Avalan swiped the back of her hand across her forehead after she dropped the last of the wood onto the wood pile. A tree had fallen last night, and she and several other Drin had been set to cleaning it up this morning. She stared at her bleeding palms, then swiped them down her pants. She hurried across the grounds at a jog, wanting to clean up a little before her Unarmed lesson with Alrim Gaidin.

She wasn't in her room during the daytime much these days. After her meeting with Ranus and all she'd learned, she'd thrown herself into her training, and even her chores, anything to avoid having to think about it. She threw on a clean shirt, washed her face, and wrapped her bleeding hands. Maybe she'd been a little...rough, with the ax. It'd been good for stress release. She took a long drink of water, then strode from the room.

She headed straight for the Warder Yards, not wanting to be late and keep her instructor waiting. She saw a man lounging on a bench, feet propped on a stool, surveying the Yards. She stepped up to him and bowed. "Alrim Gaidin? I'm Avalan Mond'wil, I was supposed to have a lesson in Unarmed combat with you today."

Avalan was taken aback by his concern over her hands. Most Gaidin, Aes Sedai, and Asha'man showed only an aloof concern or awareness of the learning ranks, at least as far as she'd seen. Not all were like this, Riahana Gaidin certainly wasn't, but thus far it held true for most she'd met. She looked down at her hands, turning the palms up. "This is my own fault. A tree had fallen and needed cleaning up. I took up an ax never having done much work with one. I lost myself in the work and when I finished, well..." she shrugged and dropped her hands.

She looked at him as he rose to his feet. "It shouldn't be a problem, Alrim Gaidin. The pain isn't too bad, and if the rags get in the way, I can just take them off. The bleeding's mostly stopped by now anyway. I mean, unless you plan to have me only work with open palms," she smiled wryly. That could prove to be a bit much. But she didn't anticipate working with fists and feet to be a problem.

She hoped he wouldn't postpone the lesson. She'd been looking forward to this, and was eager to advance her training in Unarmed combat. Ever since her first day at the Tower she'd known she wanted to take this skill as far as she could.

Avalan's lips twisted in a wry half-smile, and she nodded when he suggested she work for him instead of hacking at trees. Just as well, she wasn't that eager to do that again. Her arms were a little tired, but she knew her shoulders would pain her tomorrow.

She followed him into the open, watching him assume a loose stance, his left foot forward. Orthodox stance he called it, and its opposite, Southpaw. She tucked these names into her mind and walked forward when he motioned her forwards.

She knew right off the bat that her stances and movements would reflect her time at sea. The fighting that she had learned, she'd learned from her father's sailors while on the ship. Her stances had always been wide for balance, and she knew they hadn't taught her anything proper, just enough to place a well aimed kick or punch if someone should threaten her. They hand't much bothered with defensive stances, probably assuming she'd never stick around for a real fight.

She rolled her own shoulders to loosen them up, then placed her left foot forward and right foot back. The stance immediately struck her as awkward. From this stance, she knew she wouldn't be able to use her right hand as powerfully as she could her left if the stance were reversed. Which she did now, placing her right foot in front and the left foot back. The Gaidin waited patiently as she tried out the stances. The second, Southpaw he'd called it, felt much better and she felt herself adjust to the stance.

She grounded her feet, knees slightly bent, her body swaying slightly as if she was on a swaying ship. She eyed Alrim Gaidin, noting his relaxed stance, but not mistaking it for careless or unaware. "See if you can hit me" he'd said. She took a breath, steadying herself on her feet. She threw a short jab at his jaw, hoping to distract his efforts there, but before she'd fully extended her right hand, she shifted her body and threw her left fist forward at his torso.