eswareinmal | Gotta fight gotta strike...

WHO: Alanna and anyone who wants to learn to fight
WHAT: Training
WHERE: The Training Field
WHEN: ALL THE TIME :|
WARNING(S): None

Sir Alanna's routine is stringent. She wakes before dawn to stretch for about an hour. Then she eats. Then she heads to the stable to feed and clean her horse. After that, she heads to the training field, where she stores duplicates of her favorite weapons as well as spares for anyone who might want to use them.

She starts with the sword, running through one-person 'sets', demonstrating for anyone who might be there so early in the day. Then she practices with her axe, then the knives, then finally the bow and arrow. By lunch time she's covered in sweat, but she doesn't bother to shower after her meal. She heads straight back to the field so begin proper lessons, whatever is called for that day.

This is her routine, every day, unless something horrible happens to set things awry. If the sun is shining, Alanna is training or caring for her horse.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Show me," he demanded, holding the crossbow out to her.

She took the bow from him and quickly and efficiently loaded an arrow, pulled back the string, and immediately fired it at the target several yards away.

Then she repeated the process, this time much more slowly, and named the parts of the bow as she used them.

"Now you try it," she offered, handing the bow back without the arrow.

Faolan was prepared for it to be difficult [adults always made difficult things looks easy]. But the crossbow string was really hard to pull [all the better for giving the arrow force according to Hawk's physics lessons] and he whined with frustration until he finally managed it.

"Good," she told him with approval. Not at all bad for his first time. Then she pointed at the target.

"For now, just see if you can hit anything." After that, she would have him load and shoot as many times as he could, as fast as he could. It was more important at this point to get the feel and the motions down than to hit a target.

Faolan's face screwed up in concentration as he aimed and then pulled the trigger. The recoil was more than he had thought to prepare for, and he fell to his rear while the shot went wild.

She winced and went to retrieve the arrow. Lucky for him there wasn't anyone else around.

"Alright, try again," she instructed.

Prepared this time, Faolan braced himself so that he didn't fall over. Most of his attention was there, and his shot went wide, but at least it had gone in almost the right direction this time. He flashed a small, feral smile of victory at Alanna.

She just nodded and said, "again." He didn't get any more appreciation until she started to see some real improvement. He had to earn it first.

Faolan straightened at her terse response. He struggled to pull back the string, then smoothly drew an arrow. Planting his feet firmly about shoulder width apart, keeping himself loose enough that he could move easily just in case he needed to dive to the side, he took careful aim and fired.

While nowhere near the bullseye, it at least hit the target this time.

She nodded her approval and repeated, "again."

Faolan's eyes narrowed and he tried to figure out aim with the crossbow. It was difficult, and his next shot was overcompensated and missed the target on the other side.

She hummed thoughtfully.

"Don't worry too much about your aim. Try again."

Don't worry about aim? What was he supposed to do? Shoot blindly?

....oh. Okay, he would shoot generally at the target without worrying about hitting it.

And indeed, the next shot didn't hit the target. He was having an easier time staying on his feet each time he shot.

"Better," she nodded, glad he seemed to be getting it. Without needing to hit the target, he was able to relax more.

"Keep going. What you're doing is developing the muscles and muscle memory to shoot."

Faolan nodded and continued to shoot until his quiver was out of arrows. His arms felt very heavy at the end of it, and he whimpered softly.

She was tempted to fetch his arrows and make him go through another quiver. It's what any of her teachers would have done. But he wasn't training to be a knight, like she was, and she found she didn't have the cruelty in her. Instead she rested a hand on his head.

"That's enough for today. Make sure you stretch those muscles before you sleep tonight." He would be sore in the morning either way.

Faolan nodded, rotating his shoulders already. "Faolan had fun!"

She grinned wryly. He certainly had the spirit for it.

"Come back tomorrow, and we'll do it again. Your body will get used to it, and it won't hurt after a while."

"Yes! Faolan will come again!"

She gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"Then go home now, and do your chores. Rest up for tomorrow."

"I will!"

Impulsively, Faolan hugged Alanna again before dashing off to tell Hawk about it.

Gotta fight gotta strike...

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