[closed post: I have been made to protect you]

[ravkanwitch]

Nina had told Lan Wangji that she was searching for more purpose in her life – and then they found her sword together. The timing was perfect. Her sword is perfect. The blade is straight and double-edged, narrower at the base, similar to some of the Fjerdan weaponry she has seen before. That association doesn't bother her as much as she thought it would. She could use some Fjerdan ruthlessness; sometimes she does wonder if she would be able to kill Jarl Brum if he ever came as a visitor, as she and Luo Binghe had discussed. The hilt and the scabbard, though, is where the sword truly shines. Both are made of a creamy white-colored bone - though of what animal (human included) is uncertain - and carved in a darker color with intricate designs of waves, wind, electricity, and other elemental ornamentation. She notes that it seems to be everything Grisha can control through the Small Sciences. The sword is currently sheathed in its scabbard and it thrills her that she can sense it near her, an almost comforting presence.

She's carrying it as she searches for a certain someone. There are many skilled swordspeople at the mansion but there is only one person she wants to learn from.

Comments

[sagramore]

"It hits close to home, doesn't it?"

[ravkanwitch]

"It's like the old Ravkan proverb says, Those with wandering thoughts have a well-travelled spirit," Nina tells him solemnly as they arrive at the training grounds, then flashes him a small grin to let him know she's just joking around with him.

[sagramore]

"I think well-travelled is putting it mildly."

[ravkanwitch]

"Your worldly brain," Nina amends.

[sagramore]

He laughs. "All right. Draw thy sword and let me see thy stance."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina draws the sword and sets the scabbard over to the side, out of the way, for now. As seen with Lan Wangji, she does have a good amount of upper body strength from practicing the Small Sciences -- but the angle of the sword is all wrong and she's struggling to remember half of a fencing stance that Laertes taught her.

[sagramore]

"May I?" Sagramore asks as he comes over to move her hands into the right position, and then to nudge her feet. "One in front of the other, a straight line."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina looks down at her hands, trying to both see and remember where to place them. "This feels much better," she comments.

[sagramore]

"It should feel comfortable, aye. This is thy starting point; it should feel right to return to it when thou art not attacking or retreating."

[ravkanwitch]

"Alright," Nina says. "We also have to ground ourselves when using our abilities, so it's a little like that."

[sagramore]

"Perfect, thou hast a basis. Thy starting stance should feel natural, but make it easy for thee to push off with thy back foot to lunge forward, like this," dropping into a loose, easy stance from which he pushes off, forward, with his outstretched sword like an extension if his arm. "Or push off with thy front foot to fall back."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina can be extremely distracted and overly exuberant at times -- but just like with Lan Wangji, whenever she is trying to absorb information, she stills and focuses. She first imitates Sagramore's forward push half-heartedly, trying to get a sense of the movement before committing to it. The second time, she attempts it with the sword fully stretched before her. "Like that?"

[sagramore]

"Good! Thou shouldst practice that -- we can practice it together -- until it feels easy, until thou canst move without thought."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina performs the move one more time to get the hang of it, then nods. "Got it. What next?"

[sagramore]

"When thou hast practiced that a thousand times, I'll tell thee." And then, as if sensing this isn't quite fair, "Let's trade a few blows, and I can see what thine instincts would have thee do."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina did give Sagramore a mildly resigned expression at that but she brightens slightly at the second request, positioning herself at the ready. "I'm ready," she tells him, quite dramatically.

[sagramore]

He draws his own sword and settles into his stance. "Mow, thou seest my weapon is two-handed. That makes me slower than thee, but my blows are more powerful because there's more weight behind them. Use that to thy benefit. Be light on thy feet." Then he swings.

[ravkanwitch]

Nina's used to battle, possibly much too used to battle, but she's used to it from a distance where she can control her opponent's heart or control corpses and bone shards to attack her opponent. She stifles a small shriek as Sagramore swings his sword towards -- but her instincts are fast and she takes two quick steps back. She tries to land in the ready stance that he showed her but that takes focus away from her sword and as his sword hits it, albeit with less force than if she hadn't stepped away, it knocks it down to her waist level. She quickly scrambles to raise it back up again.

[sagramore]

"Very good, the block is good, and it's well that was thine instinct," Sagramore says. "Choose it with more conviction. Thou wilt need to brace thyself firmly and put all thy strength into it or I'll knock thy blade down again, and that leaves thee open for attack."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina nods. "Try again," she tells him, bracing herself this time.

[sagramore]

So he swings again, another overhead strike right towards her. He does have good control of his blade; if for some reason she didn't block he'd be able to avoid actually hitting her.

[ravkanwitch]

This time Nina is ready. Her form is still not completely intuitive, but her expression is determined when Sagramore swings and she brings her sword up to block it, only dropping an inch or two this time.

[sagramore]

"Good," approvingly. "Thou'rt better already. We'll practice this, too, until thou'rt heartily sick of it. Thou hast the instinct to protect thyself, and that's well, but thou wilt have to learn strength and reflex."

[ravkanwitch]

Nina makes a little face at the thought of work and repetition, even thought it was her idea to begin with, but she nods. "So basically, I need to practice that stance a billion times and then come back and see you when I've done that."

[sagramore]

"I'm afraid so. But thou needst not be away from me for the practice; we can do it together, if that would make it less tedious. I'm easily bored by that sort of thing myself," in the tones of a confession.