”Ah, so you can talk to me,” he quipped as she finally spoke. He didn’t know the girl well enough to have a read on her meaning. It was entirely possible Ellen thought herself better than he; she wouldn’t be the first teenager to have an issue with the older squire, nor would she be the last. A few lucky shots while he was learning the feel of another weapon and suddenly they were on top of the world, riding Orion’s back the entire way.
He could let that happen, now could he?
Orion’s shield remained at the ready as he observed his fellow squire at work. She was tense and uncertain in her skill. The way she kept shifting her grip didn’t strike him as someone who was trying to keep her enemy off guard. Dinah did that to him when they were sparring. Her stance changed constantly to force him to adjust on the fly. With his sparring partner, it was nowhere near the same. Blue eyes flitted from her hands to her face to her legs as he waited for her first sign of aggression.
He was somewhat surprised by the way she went about attacking him. Despite having a shield strapped to her arm, the blonde squire went about trying a two handed swing. It came at Orion rather awkwardly, but with his shield ready, he prepared himself to deal with it. Shuffling his feet to the right Orion met her strike with his shield, angling the barrier he held to help try and redirect her strike towards the ground. By moving his center of gravity and not taking the blow directly, it saved him energy and made it simpler to create a glancing blow.
Additionally, it allowed him to have a little bit of fun. Instead of striking, Orion stepped inside of her attack, moving his face a few inches from hers. ”Why don’t we make this a little more interesting? Loser has to do whatever the winner wants. Within some reason, I suppose.” He bit his bottom lip, engorging the fleshy skin, turning it red as he applied the pressure. With a teasing wink, the squire backed away from Ellen, drawing the ire of the Weaponmaster.
”Orion,” Lucius growled. ”What did I tell you? Stop wasting both of our time. You need to take this seriously.”
Orion half shrugged at the Weaponmaster before giving a sheepish grin and a bow of his head. ”Forgive me, Weaponmaster Lucius. If the aim of this was to make it a competition, I have a bit of a thing for high stakes. Squire Ansgot here doesn’t have to accept, but I figure with the lead in our little game, she’s got to get one hit before I get two.” He leveled his gaze on Ellen, eyes twinkling mischievously. ”The odds seem pretty good there, wouldn’t you agree?”
”Just get back to it!”
”Yes, Ser.”
Orion nodded to Ellen, taking up a wide base stance once more. Regardless of whether she accepted his absurd little wager, he would be ready for their next conflict.
He could let that happen, now could he?
Orion’s shield remained at the ready as he observed his fellow squire at work. She was tense and uncertain in her skill. The way she kept shifting her grip didn’t strike him as someone who was trying to keep her enemy off guard. Dinah did that to him when they were sparring. Her stance changed constantly to force him to adjust on the fly. With his sparring partner, it was nowhere near the same. Blue eyes flitted from her hands to her face to her legs as he waited for her first sign of aggression.
He was somewhat surprised by the way she went about attacking him. Despite having a shield strapped to her arm, the blonde squire went about trying a two handed swing. It came at Orion rather awkwardly, but with his shield ready, he prepared himself to deal with it. Shuffling his feet to the right Orion met her strike with his shield, angling the barrier he held to help try and redirect her strike towards the ground. By moving his center of gravity and not taking the blow directly, it saved him energy and made it simpler to create a glancing blow.
Additionally, it allowed him to have a little bit of fun. Instead of striking, Orion stepped inside of her attack, moving his face a few inches from hers. ”Why don’t we make this a little more interesting? Loser has to do whatever the winner wants. Within some reason, I suppose.” He bit his bottom lip, engorging the fleshy skin, turning it red as he applied the pressure. With a teasing wink, the squire backed away from Ellen, drawing the ire of the Weaponmaster.
”Orion,” Lucius growled. ”What did I tell you? Stop wasting both of our time. You need to take this seriously.”
Orion half shrugged at the Weaponmaster before giving a sheepish grin and a bow of his head. ”Forgive me, Weaponmaster Lucius. If the aim of this was to make it a competition, I have a bit of a thing for high stakes. Squire Ansgot here doesn’t have to accept, but I figure with the lead in our little game, she’s got to get one hit before I get two.” He leveled his gaze on Ellen, eyes twinkling mischievously. ”The odds seem pretty good there, wouldn’t you agree?”
”Just get back to it!”
”Yes, Ser.”
Orion nodded to Ellen, taking up a wide base stance once more. Regardless of whether she accepted his absurd little wager, he would be ready for their next conflict.
