closed | I got caught up by the chase

[clario]

Date & Time: Morning today
Location: Training building
Characters: Robb Stark & Sweet Pea
Summary: Sweet Pea puts a king on his back. King doesn't know how to handle this.

[ it isn't their first practice. most of the time it ended embarrassingly quick. sweet pea's hands had quickly been torn open by the wooden sword's hilt. her arms ached, her shoulders ached, her back, her thighs... it was worse knowing robb was holding back so much.

she was slow, and clumsy and thoroughly unused to any weapons. she wanted to know whose brilliant idea it was to give her a greatsword and expect her to be able to use it. still she stuck to it out of a stubborn sense of pride. if she was going to have it, she may as well learn to use it.

today is the first time she has worn her initiative-gifted weapon, the outfit she had nicknamed the magdalene, underneath a raincoat she refused to remove.

today is also the first time she managed to not only disarm robb (and inside of four moves), but also got him on his back, the practice sword pointed at his neck. the surprise on her face, she is sure, matches his. ]

I think you yield.

Comments

[wolfskin]

[ surprised? more like shocked.

it had taken much to persuade him but in the end he had given her his word. she had proven to be a good student despite her failings, and it gave him something to set his mind too.

he told her she held promise despite how clumsily she gripped the sword. he did not lie, she held some promise though he was exasperated in her lack of progress. (he encouraged her regardless)

today she proved him correct.

however robb could not think of it as such, she improved too quickly disarming him within a few moves then had him on the floor with her practice sword at his neck. no one improves so swiftly.

rashly he blames his lack of focus, having only returned from his mysterious absence some hours ago, brow furrowing. ordinarily he would not yield, he would fight on but this is no training session with jon or theon and his pride is sore enough already. ]

You have improved. [ suspicion laces his tone, a hand reaching up to push the wooden blade away. ]

[clario]

[ though sweet pea catches the suspicious edge, she ignores it. she does not understand it any more than he does. it's not like he can blame her for cheating when she did nothing. today, for some reason, she could move easier, could almost read what he was going to do before he did it. ]

Guess I'm finally getting the hang of it.

[ she lets the sword hang at her side and holds out her other hand to help him up. the parts of her palms not covered in scabs have begun to build callus. she prays the injuries close over soon. the sooner they do, the sooner she can practice with less pain. ]

[wolfskin]

[ he could not blame her for cheating, certainly not. her movements were not of one who cheated, even if she managed to read his moves with such surprising ease. ]

Mayhaps.

[ despite the wound to his pride he takes her hand, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. trying to appear less wounded than he is. ]

[clario]

You okay? [ she drops his hand once he's up and lightly touches his shoulder. ] We go again?

[wolfskin]

[ he dusts himself off and nods. he is more determined now at the very least. ]

Aye, again. [ taking a few steps away from her he picks up his practice sword and assumes position, falling easily back into form as if she didn't just drop him on his back moments again. ]

[clario]

[ she drops back to her starting position, mentally reviewing the lessons she had been given thus far. feet, balance, defense and she lifts her sword and dives in.

the practice sword no longer feels heavy in her hands. it is a comfortable weight and it goes where she wishes it to. sweet pea matches robb thrust for thrust, parry for parry. she focuses with almost single-minded determination yet she smiles when she realizes she is actually sword fighting. it no longer feels like a painful chore; she is not even breathing hard.

sweet pea presses her advantage in an attempt to make him yield again. but more than the desire to win is the slow realization that she is enjoying this. this is fun.

it is easy to forget that she is practicing to use something aimed at taking another's life. ]

[wolfskin]

[ she matches his moves fluidly and for a moment he manages to forget his irritation, becoming rather impressed with the staggering amount of progress she has made.

it allows him to put a little more force into his swings, just a little, far from his full strength and effort, but enough to up the challenge. even so she manages to take advantage, but robb stark is not easily made to yield. he holds his ground despite the creeping knowledge of him possibly being overcome (and with that his irritation swells again).

he shifts his weight, pulling another swing she matches with ease. her enjoyment is not unnoticed, mayhaps on another day he would be pleased by it.

today he is not, today he is releasing his frustrations with every swing and a bitter taste begins to fill his mouth. ]

[clario]

[ she can tell something is off by the force behind his blows. is this because she beat him earlier? she had not thought him such a sore loser. ceding does not occur to her. now she just wants to win.

sweet pea batters him harder, hoping to at least knock the sword from his hands. ]

[wolfskin]

[ he puts up a valiant effort, truly he does, up until the point her blow sends his sword from his hands. robb curses inwardly, instinctively making a move towards it but stops himself. he knows better, she has him no matter what he does. were their swords real he would be dead before he managed to reclaim his own or move from her reach. ]

[clario]

[ she does not boast. rather, the moment she sees she's won she lowers the weapon. ]

You sure you're doing okay?

[ because really she's glad she's finally improving but she's also slaughtering you dude get a grip. ]

[wolfskin]

[ a heavy question, he does not answer straight away. ]

I am, or was. [ he move to reclaim his sword, swinging it around lightly before frowning. ] Your improvement is greater than I thought.