Rangers: Training Grounds

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
First week of January
Training with Trastion

"Good. As you know, we're leaving in a few days. You had better hurry and let me know. So I can still ask Macardil, before we leave. You need to have something to do while we're having fun on the ship," she said lightly.

At Trastion's assessment of the situation, and his statement that she trusted Macardil enough, Kaylin nodded slowly. "I trust the King's judgment. Besides. He and Karis have been living under the same roof since the summer. And she's still alive. And happy. Seems like plenty of evidence to me."

She grinned. "Yes, he knows enough to teach you. It's his family's preferred weapon, or something? So he really knows the ins and outs." Kaylin cocked her head. "What do you think are all of these important things he has to do, trainee Leithor?" she asked, not hiding some of her curiosity. "By the way -" she added, and whether it was a coincidence she was following up that last question with this particular comment, would be Trastion's guess - "your 'ay's are a bit off." She lowered her voice, not that there was anyone nearly close enough to overhear them. "If you want to sound like a proper Linhirian. They say it just a little sharper. Way. Say. Today. Try," she ordered him.

[Lantaelen]

@Pele Alarion

Abrazimir Dimaethor
Sparring with Pele Alarion, Training Grounds

Oooh it hurt so much. Right on the bone. His ankle was throbbing. It was definitely going to swell tomorrow. Abrazimir scrunched up his nose and inhaled sharply and tried to shake or keep his foot moving. Anything to avoid resting and stillness, that would permit too much focus on the pain. He could power through. Stay strong, head high, totally invigorated. Tomorrow he’ll hide and nurse his bruises. No one would have to know…!

But Pele knew. She offered a respite and to call it a day. Probably healthier, to permit less pressure on his heel. ”Yeah…I think you got me.” Abrazimir confessed, lowering his guard, polestaff in the sand to anchor himself as he raised his wounded foot and stretched it a bit. Yeah, the pain was intense. ”This is pretty disabling. I’ll need a day on this. Can’t do my best sword dancing without both my legs in proper condition. Otherwise, I’ll be meddlin’ at best.” He pointed out with a hard grin.

”I need to learn some new tricks, I think you know all of mine, Captain. That’s why I can never beat you. But I will. One day.” He said with a grin and stumbled over towards her, offering his hand in an expression of good sportsmanship. ”I hope I didn’t hit you too badly.” He offered apologetically. She had won by one point. Always that elusive one point. But that’s why she was the Captain and he was just a knight!

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trainee Trastion Leithor
First week of January
Weekly training session with Kaylin

Trastion nodded in agreement. "I'll be sure and ask her as I see her next." He promised. "And I'll give you her answer as soon as I can." He grinned. "Can't have you off having fun, if I have none." He joked.

It seemed they were in agreement about trusting the king's judgement, anyway. Furthermore, he was interested to hear that it was his family's preferred weapon. In a way, that was why Trastion had chosen it, too. He gave a thoughtful little nod when she told him that. He was not, however, expecting her to ask him what he meant about 'important things'. He paused. What had he said? He'd said 'I'd think he'd have more important things to do'. So, at least he hadn't slipped up and said anything specific. He gave a little shrug. "I don't know," He answered. "Don't most people have things they do, which are important to them?" He wondered. "I just figured he might have his own things going on."

Before he could comment further on that, he was caught by surprise as Kaylin informed him that his 'ay's were off. Listening closely, he gave a slow nod and paid closer attention to how she said the words. "Way. Say. Today." He repeated, trying to make the corrections. Then with a playful smirk, he added, "Try."

"Is that better?" He asked, hopeful that he was doing better. "Way, say, today." He repeated again, just in case he needed more practice at it.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
First week of January
Training with Trastion

She rolled her eyes at Trastion when he added: 'Try'. Kaylin nodded next, though. "Much better. Don't forget. And - next time - don't pause as long as you did. You're clearly hiding something." She raised her weapons slightly. "Don't worryyyyy," she drawled. "I won't ask. I'm 90% sure you're hiding something related to that question, which means it's related to Macardil --- but I won't ask. Arnyn's non-orders were clear."

The redhead sighed. "Let's go again. This time, you go on the attack with your axes. I'll defend." Kaylin flipped the short sword around and clicked them together at the handles, so she had a double-bladed sword. Or polearm. Or whatever? It was the maethyr. A smirk tugged at her lips. "Waiting," she coaxed...

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trainee Trastion Leithor
First week of January
Weekly training session with Kaylin

Trastion opened his mouth to protest about whether he was hiding something, to explain that he had only been confused by her question. But she said she wasn't going to ask, so he dropped it. Better not to dig himself any deeper, he decided, and instead gave a small nod. He was glad that she was willing to drop it, because hiding things, especially from the people he was closest with, was rather difficult for him.

"I won't forget," He promised, instead. Returning to the topic of the 'ays', rather than the topic of Macardil. He smiled faintly as he watched Kaylin attach her weapons together to form one longer one, and tried to mentally prepare for how to actually fight someone using a thing like that.

He grinned in amusement when she declared that she was waiting, even though he was the one waiting on her. Then he attacked, swinging and slashing with his weapons. They kept that up for a little bit before swapping attacker/defender, and continued to practice with their weapons for a while until they were both ready to call it a day on training.

"You're really good with that thing," Trastion commented with a nod to her Maethyr as they began to gather up their gear, rather impressed by how good she'd gotten with it, despite only having it, what.. a month? "How'd you decide on calling it that, anyway?" He wondered, trying to recall if he'd heard that story or not. He wiped his axes and sword dry before putting them in their sheaths. His sword had accumulated a thin layer of snow while it leaned against the fence, while they were practicing with other weapons. There was a dusting of snow on the ground, too, but most of what had landed on him had melted from his body heat, and soaked into the leather of his armor. He'd have to clean it once he got up to his room, later. But first, they had a traditional stop to make. "A good hot cup of cocoa sounds really nice by now, don't you think?" He asked with a little smile, already looking forward to that.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Hyandaner Kaylin Maethyr
First week of January
Training with Trastion

"I know," she agreed with Trastion when he complimented her, before letting out a laugh as she pulled the maethyr apart and put it together again as a staff. "Oh,the smith who made it, suggested it. Actually. I think she and one of her friends were trying to name it," she recalled. "Anyway, it wasn't my choice. It'd be a little arrogant, naming it after my family name." Though she enjoyed pretending to be arrogant, because it amused her to do so from time to time, she wouldn't have done that. "But I figured the weapon's creator has a right to decide on its name."

Once they both had all their weapons back on their person, and at Trastion's suggestion they go get hot chocolate, Kaylin grinned. "Yes. Big sis hot chocolate for me. Puppy hot chocolate for you," she said, though her tone was nothing other than kind. "You know," she said lightly, as they made their way to the exit. "I'm glad you're willing to amuse me by taking the time to get a drink with me after training." She found it had helped them get to know what the other was like. Besides all the things Trastion was hiding. And besides the craziness both of them could sometimes bring to an outing. "I wish more of the rangers would agree to doing this kind of stuff," she shrugged. "Sometimes I do yearn for my army days. If only because... the soldiers were a little less... individualistic? Maybe a little more outgoing? I don't know." Kaylin offered Trastion a smile. "Of course, we were off to an exceptional start, with your little quest..."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Trainee Trastion Leithor
First week of January
Weekly training session with Kaylin

"I know Cali made it," He answered with a little laugh. He'd often seen her while she was making the weapon, after all. He'd seen it at various stages of completion, during the early mornings when he went to train with Arnyn. "That's interesting though." He added, when she added the part about Cali and her friend deciding on the name. "It seems perfect, anyway." He shrugged and slung the rest of his gear to hang over one shoulder as they started for the entrance to the training grounds.

He grinned at her choice of wording in referencing their different choices of hot chocolates. "Just so long as they don't get it mixed up," Trastion added. "That would be very, very bad..." He muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "What do you mean, amuse you?" He asked, glancing at her curiously. "I enjoy it. It's a nice sort of.. habit? Tradition?" He tried to find the right word, then shrugged and smiled over at her as she spoke about missing her army days.

Nodding slowly, he thought about how he missed a lot of things about his old life, at home with his family. "I guess it's always a bit hard when things in life change. Especially when the change is drastic." He said quietly, with an understanding nod. Then he smiled when she brought up the quest. "That was a great adventure, wasn't it?" He grinned as they walked out of the training grounds together, remembering the fun they'd had that day, despite the bit of danger.

[Pele Alarion]

@Lantaelen

Captain Pele Alarion
Sparring with Abrazimir

Pele was relieved to see that Abrazimir did not mind stopping their sparring for today, she could see that he was hurting, but so was she, and there was no need to push too much beyond pain on the training grounds lest they end up with injuries that are more unpleasant than mere bruises.

"It'll take a day, or rather two if you want to be top shape," she said with a slight grin, lowering her staff. "Don't force it with activities or I'll drag you off to the Houses of Healing. At least you can't threaten me with that even if you promise to come back and beat me here on the grounds." She laughed softly, and then reached for the water flask that she always with her.

"I might need a couple days to rest as well," she admitted once she had refreshed herself with a few mouthfuls of water. "You are quite a handful, always coming forward with a force of a hundred mumakil. I certainly feel those hits you managed against me. Though yeah... Perhaps you'd win if you did not so consistently fall back to the same strategy."

She took his hand for a firm handshake, and added with something of a grin on her face. "Whenever you come this way and want a good sparring session, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate, yes?"

[Lantaelen]

@Pele Alarion

Abrazimir Dimaethor
Sparring with Pele Alarion, Training Grounds

”Yeah, yeah, I’ll stay good and get some rest.” Abrazimir promised with a humorous roll of his eyes. With the threat of combat gone, he could approach and fetch a drink of water too from his own flask, knowing to drink slow, to slosh it around, not to consume too much too fast or else risk cramping. ”You know I don’t take my work and duties too vigorously…” he joked drily.

She had a few words of wisdom too regarding his strategies, mingling her critique with compliments. Now that was effective in getting through. ”Most foes I face in the real world aren’t as smart as you. But you’re right, it won’t stay like that forever and I should have a number of fallback points.” He agreed with her, vicariously testing his ankle and other bruises and aches with small amounts of pressure and flex. It might definitely be more than a day or two to recover. And rushing it would only elongate the process.

Pele put her hand out and Abrazimir boisterously grabbed it and shook it, beaming wide now, ear to ear. ”Always. I must always learn from the best, Captain. Until next time, yeah? Two days minimum, I promise.” Nothing strenuous before! And one day, the student will surpass the master. But that day wasn’t this day. As long as he kept her proud though, he could continue to wait for the day though. ”Namárië. Talk soon!”

[Pele Alarion]

@Lantaelen

Captain Pele Alarion
Sparring with Abrazimir

"Perhaps we can work on some points for you next time, if you wish," Pele offered, and then added with a laugh, "Not early than those two promised days for sure. But bye for now! I'm gonna stretch a bit before heading back to the city."

The vigour of sparring had been tiring enough that all she wanted to do was to lay down on the grass and not move at all at the mere thought of having to go all the way up to the sixth circle. However, she also knew that at least a couple of stretches would help her release the tension in the muscles and make the walk up slightly easier, even if it did nothing to help with the bruises.

Decision made, she set down all the unnecessary gear and took to doing a couple light stretching exercises while standing up before she went down on the ground to add some more stretches for the tired and bruised legs. That done, Pele simply sat a while, took a couple more sips of water and watched the clouds move in the sky before she made herself get up and continue with the day.

[Eldrith]

Istriel
February
-the day after meeting Pele at the Houses of Healing

Istriel had done, just as was expected of her. She'd gone to her temporary home at the Inn. She'd looked through what clothing she had brought to see what would be most suitable to move in, and had decided the divided breeches that fell like a skirt which she sometimes wore under her dress when she was helping with plowing and a longer tunic. It was perhaps, somewhat scandalous, without the longer skirt but she could move well in it Eryn had walked her home. She wasn't sure if the girl would be allowed to come and watch the practice but she really hoped she would.

She had worried that she would not sleep a wink from excitement that night but instead, and quite possibly related to crossing the whole city twice, she had fallen asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow. She'd had breakfast, and filled her skin with water. And then she'd made her way to city gate, close to the Training Ground. And waited. She had started out from the inn when there was barely any light and now it was slowly fading from blue to the early rose and golden of dawn. Had she made the right decision?
Well.. yes. She decided, with an almost mutinous light in her eyes. Trying was the right decision. Doing something good was the right decision. She knew her aunt might disagree with the choice, but she was loved deeply and well enough that there was not an instant's worry of being cared for any less even if she made decisions that others couldn't understand.

@Pele Alarion @Rillewen

[Pele Alarion]

@Eldrith , @Rillewen


Captain Pele Alarion
February, going out for her own exercise and to test Istriel

Pele had taken a light early breakfast that would give her enough energy to start the day and last through the training and had visited the small mess to put a couple handfuls of dried fruit and nuts into the snack pouch and to fill her flask with water. As she then headed out the door she would have passed for an everyday citizen if not for the black standard-issue ranger cloak to keep the warm as she briskly walked down the levels. Beneath that she was dressed in a simple set of brown leggings, a long-sleeved shirt and a leather jerkin on top of it. She carried no other weapons except a dagger at her belt.

By the time she had come down to the gate, any traces of sleep had disappeared, and she seemed to look with joy and hope towards the new day, a faint smile resting on her lips. It did not take long for Pele to spot Istriel - it was still early enough for people not to crowd around the city gates to get in or out.

"Good morning, Istriel," she greeted, coming to a stop near the young woman. "All set for some activity, I see. Are you not?"

She then turned to walk towards the Training Grounds, even as she made sure that her companion was prepared to join her.