Orion sat int he same place that he always did, at the same time he always met his now Aes Sedai mentee. He felt akward teaching Aramina now that she was Aes Sedai having such a low opinion of them at the moment. Strange because she wouldn't be much different than when she was Accepted, hopefully.

 

Orion set the two lathes that had been on his knees down next to him and reached over his shoulder to grasp the sword he had been given on his tenth nameday. He drew it slowly relishing the rasping sound of steel on leather. His other hand groped for a the small whetstone he had brought with him. His fingers closed around it and Orion began to slowly sharpen his sword. In his mind going over the basic forms he had learned what felt like so long ago.

 

 

Orion

Aramina made her way to the yards quickly today. She was Aes Sedai now, with a lot of things she was focusing on, but she wasn't about to let her weapons training fall behind. It would have been easy to send a letter to Orion and cancel today's meeting, and she was certainly tired enough with her battle training, but she felt this was important. She walked through the grounds, watching in admiration at the grace the warders and tower guard displayed. She had her own share of grace, she knew, but it would never match theirs in battle.

 

With those thoughts she found Orion in his customary spot. She moved quietly, but she was sure he heard her coming. " A beautiful day for training." She said as she reached him. "Unless you intend to pummel me well, then I suppose when it's over i'll say it was a bad day to train." She said with a small smile. He couldn't see her smile, but he would hear it, just as she was sure he knew a beautiful day surrounded them with it's sun beaming down, the boisterous noise of the yard, and the raised spirits around them.

Aramina made her way to the yards quickly today. She was Aes Sedai now, with a lot of things she was focusing on, but she wasn't about to let her weapons training fall behind. It would have been easy to send a letter to Orion and cancel today's meeting, and she was certainly tired enough with her battle training, but she felt this was important. She walked through the grounds, watching in admiration at the grace the warders and tower guard displayed. She had her own share of grace, she knew, but it would never match theirs in battle.

 

With those thoughts she found Orion in his customary spot. She moved quietly, but she was sure he heard her coming. " A beautiful day for training." She said as she reached him. "Unless you intend to pummel me well, then I suppose when it's over i'll say it was a bad day to train." She said with a small smile. He couldn't see her smile, but he would hear it, just as she was sure he knew a beautiful day surrounded them with it's sun beaming down, the boisterous noise of the yard, and the raised spirits around them.

Teh soft sounds of footsteps on the grass were the only warning that someone was appraoching. Orion's hand stopped passing over his blade to better concentrate his ears on the steps instead of the sound of the stone passing over the steel. " A beautiful day for training. Unless you intend to pummel me well, then I suppose when it's over i'll say it was a bad day to train."

 

The joy and happiness apparent in Aramina's voice was enough to make a smile bloom on Orion's face, albiet a small one. Although Orion could not see what was happening around him he could still feel the sun beating down on his face, the scent of flowers mixed with the more earthy scent of the Yards, all mixed together to form an image for Orion that spoke that it was a good day.

 

Orion stood slowly, sliding his sword back over his shoulder with a soft click. In his right hand he held the two lathes they would need for the day, taking one for himself he held the other out for Aramina. "The amount of pummeling you receive today depends on how fast you learn. The hardest class for me to teach is the forms, which is the lesson for today, because since I cannot see what you are doing I must judge you by striking."

 

Orion took a few steps back. "The first few are rather simplistic so watch carefully. Leopard in the Tree is more of a stance than a sword form. Start with both hands on the hilt, knees bent and leaning foreward slightly. From here you can move easily and is used ot prepare for other forms."

 

"Unfolding the Fan is the preliminary unsheathing teachnique. It combines drawing your blade with an attack and is used when you are caught of gaurd or in an akward position. Folding the Fan, is the exact opposite and goes from the gaurd stance to sheathing the sword all in one motion."

 

"Lion on the Hill is a basic guard stance, with the sword held at shoulder height ready to battle." Orion brought his lathe down after demonstrating the forms along with his verbal description. He put the point of the lathe into the ground. "Now star from Leopard in the Tree, attack me and switch to a gaurd stance to defend. After I attack pretend to sheath your sword, using the forms I just showed you. Begin."

 

 

Orion

"The amount of pummeling you receive today depends on how fast you learn. The hardest class for me to teach is the forms, which is the lesson for today, because since I cannot see what you are doing I must judge you by striking."

 

It was always interesting to work with Orion, Aramina thought as she listened to him. His blindness caused many problems with this line of work, but his hearing had excelled to the point of compensating almost completely to her way of thinking. She had no doubt of his ability and when she fought with him it had never occured to her to try to do less than her best. His blindness rarely factored into her thoughts of him so it was always with interest that she noted this sort of thing.

 

She took the lathe he handed her and paid close attention to the forms as he spoke of them, then demonstrated. "Now start from Leopard in the Tree, attack me and switch to a gaurd stance to defend. After I attack pretend to sheath your sword, using the forms I just showed you. Begin."

 

Aramina assumed the pose immediately, trying to emulate his earlier position. She began quickly then with Unfolding the Fan. He blocked easily which irked only slighlty with his experience, and she moved into Lion on the Hill, ready for him to counter attack.

Orion pushed the attack away lightly. Enveloped in the void he could hear every small step, every swish of the blade. He could pick out the different sounds and isolate them even with how much background noise there was which was the only reason he was able to fight, the only reason he was still here.

 

Orion took a small step to the side and took his lathe in both of his hands, feeling slightly akward as to not having a blade in both. He started with Arc of the Moon, a slash towards Aramina's neck which she blocked. Orion smiled slightly at the block, knowing Aramina was begining to learn. He switched to the Grapevine twists and then came back with an overhead slash of The Courtier Taps his fan.

 

 

Orion

As Orion began to attach overhead, Aramina came up to block but knew that it was too little to late. She deflected the blow, but it hit her shoulder. She took a step back and muffled a curse before it could come out of her mouth. Orion's attack stopped as he realized he had hit flesh.

 

She took a deep breath. "I'm alright." She said in a tight voice. "Just a little slower than I need to be." There would be a bruise tomorrow she was certain. She could ask a Yellow Sister to heal her, but it would serve as a better reminder if she left it be. A little pain now was better than a sword wound later.

 

She took the lathe in both hands again, waiting to see if Orion would attach again, or if it was time to learn something else.

Orion lowered his lathe slowly and nodded to himself, chewing on his thoughts silently. She had shown she at least knew the basics of the forms, and that was all that mattered. Moving on then.

 

"The next few are all attacks, which will make the evaluation a little different. Arc of the moon is next, A simple slash, meant to take off an opponent's head. Probably begins at midbody level, arcs to neck, and ends back at guard stance. It's a good attack if you are being forced on the defensive as it puts the other off balance and lets you go back to the gaurd. The Courtier Taps his Fan

,a quick, powerful overhand blow, meant to split the head. If connected both of these are killing blows but if done incorrectly can leave you very open." Orion paused and demonstrated the two forms slowly at his invisble opponent, pausing afterwards to see if there were any questions from Aramina, which there were none.

 

"The Falcon Stoops, An abbreviated version of The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback. A quick overhand thrust, returning to a guard position just as quickly. The Grapevine Twines a circular motion when blades are locked, used to disarm an opponent. The Grapevine Twines is a difficult one to master so until you have a lot of practice I would not suggest trying it. Unless you want to bruise those knuckles up pretty good." Orion again deomnstarted and then took a step back.

 

"Now just practice on me a little. Let's see if you can hit me. We'll continue when you are ready and I'll try and give you some hints and corrections as you practice."

 

 

Orion

Taken on their own, the forms were not difficult. Aramina had good balance and she was a hard worker, practicing hard between lessons to make sure that her progree never slowed. It was in the interaction of the forms that Aramina had issues with. Sparring wasn't something she was used to and it seemed like she would need to do more of that to keep up with the forms that Orion was teaching her now.

 

As he demonstrated more, Aramina watched, her mind categorizing and memorizing as she did. When Orion was ready to begin the spar again Aramina stepped up and got into a neutral stance. She began with The Falcon Stoops. It was blocked quickly and Aramina moved on with Arc of the Moon. Another block. She then decided to try Courtier Taps his Fan.

Enveloped in the void teh small sounds of the lathe moving through the air was enough to giv off where the attack was coming from. He steped back to his right and lifted his blade to intercept Aramina's blade as it was moving down. He let his blade fall and nodded. "Good, we will move on."

 

"The next form you will need to know, Parting the Silk, a more controlled slash, probably used as a precision block or strike. Directed at the abdomen, a good move to draw first blood or inflict nonlethal damage to an opponent." Orion nearly sighed to himself as he displayed the newest form. He hated this class and how boring it was, and was glad he was on the last few forms.

 

"Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose, a quick thrust in the face. Will at least deter an opponent, and will usually kill a charging opponent outright. Blade should start from shoulder height, though it may be performed from any level less quickly."

 

"The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback. begun while the sword is at shoulder height or higher, a downward stab for the abdomen. Begun when the sword is lower than shoulder height, a downward stab meant to cripple a leg or the groin." Once again Orion stepped back after deomstrating, raised his lathe in Lion on the Hill and waited for Aramina to strike.

 

 

Orion

"Good, we will move on."

 

Few words, but Aramina always felt relieved when Orion was ready to move onto something new. She was learning more and more and carried a sword with more profeciency than she had before but she had never held a weapon before she had begun working with Orion. Her mind shifted into gear as Orion began demonstrating the new forms for her. Parting the Silk, Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose, The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback. She watched each one carefully and in her mind repeated each. She worked the sword in the same way she had learned to work the One Power, seeing clearly in her minds eye the work she would do before it started, until the time when she could do each without envisioning it.

 

As he finished and took a guard stance Aramina took her lathe and prepared herself by getting into a neutral stance as well. She performed the forms as he had taught her, each in order and was blocked each time. It was somewhat frustrating to work with someone that was so much farther along than she was. It would have been nice to feel like she was almost a match for him, but she was no where near his level, which was why he taught and not her.

 

As she lowered her lathe from the workout she realized she wasn't as exhausted as she normally was from their classes. Perhaps the extra training she was getting was finally paying off. She smiled lightly at that.

 

Orion turned slightly and tossed the lathe from his hand fully expecting it to be caught. Aramina was progressing well but there was only so much that could be learned from fighting those stronger than you are. He took a few steps back ready to judge the small spar, waiting to give the instructions.

----

Maric hopped up quickly and akwardly caught the lathe, rushing to stand opposite from the Aes Sedai that Orion had been training. Standing he bowed slightly and not for the first time began to worry about sparring against the Green. He had only been training for a few months and did not need the wrath of an Aes Sedai upon him if he struck her to hard.

 

But he would obey his instructions as needed. And if part of his training was to spar an Aes Sedai he would so he could become a Tower Gaurd. Orion began to speak the instructions as Maric raised the lathe in front of him. "Maric here has been training for about the same time as you. You are both equal in skill so this will be a good judge of skill for you Aramina. Strike him and you win, if he hits you he wins. We will be finished if you win, if not well, I have nothing to do for the rest of the day."

 

 

Orion

Maric- NPC Trainee

"Maric here has been training for about the same time as you. You are both equal in skill so this will be a good judge of skill for you Aramina. Strike him and you win, if he hits you he wins. We will be finished if you win, if not well, I have nothing to do for the rest of the day."

 

Aramina noticed a couple things immediately. Maric moved with less grace and surety than Orion did. That was the first thing. The other was the way his eyes darted back and forth from Orion to herself. Either he wasn't happy about sparring with a girl or he wasn't happy sparring with an Aes Sedai. Especially a Green Sister who's tempers were known to be tempermental.

 

She nodded her head slightly to him. "Don't fear to hit me Maric." She said calmly. "I train for battle, not for ego. What you should fear is what I will do if you don't try your best to hurt me." She let herself smile slightly then. She might not use the One Power against someone, but she'd been an Accepted a very long time. There were plenty of pranks she could pull that wouldn't violate her oaths and would leave him with no doubt who he had wronged.

 

She meant what she said too. She wasn't wasting her time in the yards just to pretend she could use a weapon. She was a Battle Sister and she had ever intention of getting out of the Tower as soon as possible and getting right into the middle of things.

 

She waited for the slightest nod of his head and then attacked before he could regroup. There was a lot to be said for understanding an opponent and Aramina didn't think he'd be prepared for her to attack with such vehemence. She fought to win, it was the only way she knew how. Parting the Silk was blocked quickly though and she was on the defensive end.

 

Orions tood as still as he could and listened to what was moving in front of him. His mind painted the pictures of the sounds. He had always found this was the best way to teach his student, he could divert his entire attention to his student and try and 'see' their mistakes.

 

Maric was hesitant at first, falling onto the offensive with Aramina's immediate attack. But he switched to the attack as he blocked the Aes Sedai's attack. He moved foreward with a slash to her middle and shifted his stance and rough the lathe down on wards to strike her in the head after his first attack was blocked.

 

He changed in mid slash and spun to her side thrusting towards now exposed side. Orion raised an eyebrow at teh unexpected change in attack. He hadn't thoght Darrik had taught Maric that much, but he was confident in Aramina's skill.

 

 

Orion

OOC: Go ahead and finish it up

Aramina barely noticed the change of motion in time to block. Afterwards, she'd be thankful that her mind had been trained for minute observation since her birth, but noe she had little time for thought, only reaction.

 

She took a step back into Lion on the Hill, then attacked again before he could respond. Arc of the Moon was blocked and she followed it quickly with The Courtier Taps his Fan.

 

He was good, Maric, but though he had trained in the Yards the same as she, she'd been in training with the White Tower for years before that. Her mind learned quickly and as she watched him she looked for signs of weakness and tells of motion.

 

He attacked this time, with Parting in the Silk and as she blocked, followed it quickly with Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose. Aramina's block was almost too slow and she wondered if her determination not to get healing after this would have lasted if she had ended with a bloody nose or black eye.

 

Another step back and she went on the offensive again. He was playing hard now and Aramina smiled slightly at the recognition that he was doing more than just humoring an Aes Sedai. She thrust her lathe back in his face, repeating his move with Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose, but she immediately moved again, using the momentum of his block to prepel her. Another block was followed by The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback.

 

To Aramina's surprise, The Kingfisher caught flesh. She took a step back, letting Maric recover from the blow for a moment, before lowering her lathe.

 

"Do you require healing?" She asked politely. Inside, she wanted to jump in circles like a gleeman she had once seen in her youth.

 

"No he will be fine, the bruise will help him remember to practice and be quicker to block." Orion smiled and nodded his head towards the boy who took the hint and turned towards Aramina.

 

Maric bowed slowly, akwardly since he did not do so much. But Orion had told him to be respectful towards the Aes Sedai and in all the stories he had heard the lords always bowed to ladies when they were leaving. "I thank you for the lesson Aes Sedai." He stood back up straight and then turned before half running back to the barracks to tell his roomates that he had met an Aes Sedai in person.

 

Orion smiled at the boy's fleeing footsteps before turning his attention back to his Aes Sedai student. "I beleive we are finished for today Aramina, and I am sad to say that we are almost at the end of your training. A week or two more and I think you will be ready to fight as readily with a sword as with saidar. And if you do not have any more questions or concerns, you are free to go."

 

 

Orion

"I beleive we are finished for today Aramina, and I am sad to say that we are almost at the end of your training. A week or two more and I think you will be ready to fight as readily with a sword as with saidar. And if you do not have any more questions or concerns, you are free to go."

 

It surprised Aramina to find herself saddened by the thought of losing Orion. She enjoyed his teaching and his company was neither overbearing or demanding, just accepting of their place and their individual responsibilities.

 

Which meant she needed to cut this off quickly once she was done with her lessons. Aramina wasn't the kind of person to let people get too close to her, no matter who they were. "Thank you Orion. Today's lesson has been very enlightening." With those words she turned and walked away, wondering about her Ajah, sacrafice, and anything that would keep her from thinking of lonliness.