[The Academy] Denvali Dances [Alana Kaye]

[Talen Stirling]

OOCSelf-mod permission granted by Legion

56th of Summer 503 A.V. A wind swept across the Academy courtyard, tousling hair and for the most part messy clothes of the kids standing in a halfcircle around Oliver Camlach. Talen rubbed a foot against the dirt impatiently as he stared eagerly at the man who had ordered them into formation. To him, this place might as well have been sacred ground for here he would be allowed to train himself, prove himself against his peers and learn the skills he so admired. Bright eyes glanced momentarily across the crowd, his whole young frame visibly animated by excitement. It wasn't their very first lesson, nor would it be the last. Those few had gone with picking out weapons for themselves, learning the very basics of the weapon and how to do even the most basic of things. Talen's own wooden blade lay at the feet of the man alongside the others, so close yet still so far away from his touch. He itched to dart forward and pick it up, it's handle crying out with promise of adventure and competition. Perhaps one day he would get the chance to wield one in earnest against the enemies of Denval, but for now he had only practice and dreams. "I believe I made a promise... That if y'all did good, you would get to test your mettle at some sparring." Camlach's voice rang out and immediately earned dead silence, it's gruff simplicity toned with a natural authority as well as the promise of a moment of freedom and competition. He held a moment's pause and surveyed the group of kids with a humorous glance that captured them in terrified suspense. "And I intend to keep it --" Talen and some of the most eager gibbed and moved to dash for the practice swords but were stopped in their tracks by their teachers voice ringing out with amused authority "-After you've warmed up! Pair up with the person to your left. Take turns to practice the movements, guards and attacks like we've practiced." Talen stared up at their teacher in horror, and then turned to face the person next to him. A boyish, blonde girl looked back at him, and he almost screamed in defiance as he picked up the wooden sword and took up position before her. He put both hands on the hilt of the shortened and weighted to fit long sword, and took up a standard pose with a curious look at his unlikely opponent. The hilt of the blade hovered around his midsection with the point of it rearing towards the skies in his mimick of the pose Camlach had shown them just a few days ago. His pale eyes darted up the brown ones before him, and a slightly provocative smile crept across his lips. "You wanna be the attacker doe-face?" By the tone of his voice, it was clear the boy didn't mean that as a compliment.

[Alana Kaye]

Once again Alana found herself standing out in the Academy courtyard facing Oilver Camlach. She swept her hair behind her ears - the breeze continually blew it into her face. Around her, fellow students fidgeted, eager to begin the session. Alana herself was not so excited. She hadn’t quite made up her mind about learning the sword; the wooden blade didn’t feel right in her hand. Perhaps she just needed more practice. She flicked her eyes from her peers and focused her gaze on their teacher as he began to speak. His voice was laced with a natural authority so even the rowdiest of the kid fell silent. Alana was one of the ones who hung back; she made no move to rush and grab her wooden sword from the ground. The boy next to her had stopped in his tracks as Camlach continued to speak, obviously itching to get started with practice. He turned to face her, thus making himself her partner for the day. Alana moved over to grab her blade from where it lay, and when she moved back to him, the boy was already positioned. Their swords were identical; smaller, wooden versions of the longswords Denval’s military used. Her opponent seemed more than comfortable holding his; it appeared natural to him, like it was second nature. Alana’s stance wasn’t quite so confident. Brown eyes met his, and his peculiar smile puzzled her a little. When he spoke, she blinked in surprise, and her eyes narrowed. She gripped the hilt of her wooden blade tighter and readied herself. With an unexpected surge of determination - most likely sparked from the boys comment - Alana lunged at him, performing the attack the group had been taught in previous practices. She swept her wooden blade out to the side, bringing it round as though she was aiming for the boys waist. She had the hilt gripped tightly, trying to put her full force behind her lunge.

[Talen Stirling]

Talen blinked momentarily, almost forgetting what he was supposed to do out of surprise. He had not expected the decisive surge of violence from Alana, blonde hair whipping around what had been a pretty, and somewhat nervous, blue-eyed face. Fortunately he'd been taught the standard parry a dozen times over by both Camlach and his father. He pulled the hilt of his blade left and downwards, attempting to meet her strike as close to the base of his sword as possible. That way the blow would be easier to match and hold, and he threw a little of his weight into the block. His heart raced suddenly, and if he'd had the presence of mind he might have looked upon the girl with renewed respect. As things were, the boy was too busy defending himself to pay it any mind. Meanwhile all around them the others were practicing the various attacks and guards in turn and in slow motion, before the actual sparring could begin. Clearly, Talen had earned more than he had bargained for with his ill-advised taunt.

[Alana Kaye]

OOCSorry for the delay! And Alana has brown eyes.

Alana’s swing came round to meet the boy’s blade, and the two wooden blades came into contact with a loud crack. The boy had put his own weight into his block, and he was obviously stronger than she was. The solidness of the blades was enough that the impact sent a jarring sensation up both of her arms. It was also enough to snap her out of her angry onslaught. Alana sprang away from him, her heart racing. Surprise was evident in her large brown eyes; she had not expected to have reacted that way at all. She let go of her blade with one hand and flexed her fingers, removing the last of the odd sensation the impact had left. She glanced up at the boy, gouging his reaction. No apology was offered; he was the one who had taunted her in the first place after all. She took her blade up in both hands again, but kept her relaxed posture; she had no idea what this boy was like. Would he attack her back, or would he want to practice in slow motion like they were meant to?

[Talen Stirling]

OOCI don't even know how I got that wrong... I suck, sorry !

He swept his sword back into it's upright position and studied his assailant with a curious smile. "My name's Talen.." He hesitated, and then his expression turned a little provocative, "What's yours? And are you gonna bring it on so we can get on with this?" He didn't mind this unexpected opponent now, if she had the heart to actually bring a fight his way. His left foot tapped the ground impatiently, and his sword wavered a little in it's position. If she moved, when she moved, he matched her blows with careful study. Despite his brash nature, there were some things his often absent and preoccupied mind could always focus upon. At any natural pause, a few questions flew her way. "How old are you? I'm eleven.. Who are your parents?" The questions flew quickly inbetween combat, any child's judgement of another person defined by the strangest of things.

[Alana Kaye]

His expression was curious; Alana couldn’t quite read it. She returned his smile with a hesitant one of her own, blinking at his questions. ”My name is Alana...” She gripped her wooden blade with both hands again, looking back at Talen with a somewhat wary expression. He seemed very forthright, and while Alana was often impulsive, she wasn’t brash. She readied herself properly and then moved toward him in a lunge once more. She reined herself in more than she had done last time, but her attack still had a measured force behind it. Her blade moved in the same motion as it had some before, and she pulled back if and when it found contact. Alana would then try and block his retaliation attacks with blocks of her own. She found his questions curious; all the other students were practicing in stony silence. ”I’m eleven too.” Often she would have to wait till the next pause in practice to answer him, her eyes alighting with new curiosity as she returned his own questions. ”My father is Juan... he’s a weaponsmith... my mother works on the farm...” Alana was starting to find the practice somewhat fun; perhaps it was the accompanying conversation. ”Who’s yours? ...Do you want to be a soldier?”

[Talen Stirling]

OOCI am sorry about the delay O:

Talen parried her attacks with a mind growing increasingly absent, letting himself be drawn into conversation and curiosity rather than focus. The block was still there, but his arm jarred a little at the blow and he sidestepped faintly in surprise. He asked his questions, and then mirrored her blow with his own, the small wooden sword being brought up with both hands in a carefully executed blow without force. She answered his questions, and he answered them just before he moved again. "My dad's a guard! My mom is a seamstress." He puffered up visibly at the mention of the profession, and smiled with hesitant pride and visible eagerness at her second question. "Yeah, I want to be a guard like my dad! Then everyone will be safe." He smiled, and then launched another slowmotion blow, this one coming down from the top left towards her shoulders. "What do you want to do?" He looked incredulous, as if the question in itself was truly a wonder. What did girls like to do anyway?