"No no no." Aran shook his head from his favourite little spot with Faith. The wonderful tree that would always be there for him, it was his favourite place to rest back and watch or sleep the day away, whichever worked better. It was also a wonderful place to sit while instructing trainees, like Ursana who was currently flailing about with the first lathe that Aran had picked up. A lathe that was lead lined no less, so it was rather heavy, but he was doing alright. Well, except for the fact that he needed to improve his technique, but that was what he was there for.

 

Aran was there to supervise.

 

"Water Flows Downhill is not The Boar Rushes Down the Mountain. The latter can but doesn't always act as a feint, moving one way then changing course on the downswing. Water Flows Downhill is... Imagine rain running down a hill, it follows the easiest paths rather than trying to go straight down. It is the same with the form, you're taking the easiest path to your opponent, sliding around their weapon rather than trying to beat by it or force your way over. Much more graceful, go on, get practicing."

 

Gesturing for the lad to continue, Aran smiled as he wriggled about in his spot before closing his eyes and dozing off. Quite an achievement considering the furious clack of lathes, the pounding of feet and the chatter that made the yards a lively place. But then, Aran was quite capable of ignoring just about everything around him when he wanted to, and something he chose to take advantage of at this time. Besides, Ursana needed to work on his technique himself, it was what Aran coined as 'independent learning'. Much better for everyone involved.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

The mid-afternoon sun beat down on Maev's back and shoulders as she took her second jog around the Warders Yards. It wasn't that she hadn't anything to do, but she seemed to need to fill some time between her training. Why not jog? As her long legs moved lithely across the field, she let her silver-blue eyes scan the area around her. Many trainees were practicing their forms and the sound of Tower Guards voices calling out orders to those Trainees was almost comforting to her now. At last, she was in a place where she could be treated as an equal to the men that she trained with.

 

Tilting her head to the side, Maev furrowed her brow at the site she saw before her. A trainee of whom she had no idea the name of, was struggling with forms. Right behind him lay a man in the regular garb of the tower trainees. White tunic and black breeches. He just lay there, his arms crossed over his chest, which rose and fell with the relaxed breath of sleep. Clucking her tongue, she shook her head and turned right around.

 

"This is absolutely ridiculous! That man should be punished for his lack of enthusiam for training! Just letting his partner do all the work." Her cheeks reddened with anger and her jaw set firmly. I can definately think of something that might give him a little 'kick'. Smirking, the Shienaran trainee took off running at a much faster pace than she had started out. Yes, this would all work out for the better is she simply took matters into her own hands.

 

Upon her return to the lazy trainee and his tree, she carried a large pail of freezing cold water. Softly, she crept up behind him. Her feet made no sound as she approached him. Lifting up the pail, she caught a glimpse of the other man who was training, and thought she caught a horrified look on his face. Dismissing it, she poured the water over the sleeping man. "That will teach you to lay about while others are working."

 

As the sleeping 'trainee' caught Maev's wrath, she stood over him with her hands planted firmly on her hips.

 

 

Maev Kiyosa

Tower Trainee

Mentee to Anwashawn

Spluttering, Aran half choked as he was doused in water. Coughing, he looked about wildly and two things immediately registered. The first was that Ursana was watching him in a complete state of shock, not to mention he was standing too far away to have done it. But what really caught his attention was the rather tall and oddly blond woman that was standing over him with her hands on her hips. It was about at that point that the words that had been spoken registered as having been hers.

 

People were rarely game enough to disturb him from where he was, and no one had done so simply to criticise him for resting. People knew better, they knew that he was a dodgy man to begin with and that anything done to him would be repaid in kind with interest. In a funny way of course, unless there had been broken bones like when Ginae had stomped his hand, but that had been a different matter entirely. And it certainly wasn't pertinent to the current situation with the trainee that was standing over him with her arms on her hips and her righteous indignation.

 

It was strange that she had been game enough to do that to a Tower Guard, or so Aran thought until he looked down at his wet clothes while shaking them dry as best he could. Black breeches and white tunic, similar to the other trainees if not the same. That or she was very very dumb, which Aran would not dismiss all things considered.

 

Getting to his feet slowly, Aran walked over towards the girl with a grin on his face that said that something was going to happen. Stopping less than a foot away, Aran looked up at her and couldn't help but wonder if she was one of those Aiel halfcasts that had been left in the wake of the Aiel war, and would of except for the fact she was too young to be one. Short blond hair, blue eyes that shone with an almost but not quite steely glint, Aran spoke rather quietly. She was going to be rather surprised if she thought he was a trainee.

 

"Whats your name, wench?"

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

Maev's eyes narrowed as she stood with her hands on her hips. Setting her jaw, she shook her head. Silver-blue eyes shone with anger. "Wench Who are you to call me wench?” Her lips practically turned into a snarl as she looked down at the short, dark haired man. Light I practically tower over him “You are the one that was sleeping while you should have been practicing, does none of this mean anything to you” As she spoke her arm swept out, gesturing to the scenery of the Yards around them.

 

Grinning impudently up at her, Aran was feeling much better already at pushing the trainee's buttons. Of course, he'd still like a name to go with the trainee, but that would come soon enough. "I was meditating, and last I looked you weren't my mentor. Not unless he's grown a foot, lost a little something about the crotch and gotten some breasts overnight. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing." The last said more as an afterthought, Aran reached over and poked her in the midriff. "Your name, wench."

 

Clenching her jaw, the muscles aching from the pressure of her teeth pressed against eachother, was all she could do from keeping her mouth to drop open in shock. However, her eyes revealed her astonishment as they popped open wide. His last comment made her cheeks burn with embarassment. He even had the guts to poke her in her stomach “Why should I tell you my name You have been nothing but rude and inconsiderate. Where do you come off speaking in such a manner and getting away with it Not to mention touching me” Truth be told, his words had only bothered her a little, she had spent much time with the warriors in the army in Shienar and heard their foul mouths, but around women they tried to hold their tongues and be honourable. However, none had ever made any comments about her be

 

It was amazing what sort of reactions a bit of blunt speech could reward Aran with. She might have been all confidence and righteous anger before but now there was a decent blush of embaressment to go with it. He'd just have to keep pushing that button now, besides which he wanted that name. "I see that with your head up in the clouds there you're finding it a bit difficult to hear, let me try and make myself easier to understand." Aran's voice slowed, elongating every single syllable in his question. "What is your name, wench?" His voice returned to normal. "Now was that clearer or do I need to babble the question insensibly at you like a woman so you can understand it better?"

 

No, she refused to let him get even further under her skin than he already was. Somehow, she had to get his words to bounce right off of her. But how Biting the inside of her cheek, she just stared down at the man. “I get it, you must be upset because you were not blessed with height.” Forcing herself to smile genuinely, she went on. “That’s ok, but you know, your harsh words don’t make you any taller.” Satisfied with her rebuttle, Maev attempted to get his joke about women out of her head. “Oh, and my name is Maev Kiyosa.” She raised her chin with pride.

 

"Maev Kiyosa..." Rolling the name about in his mind, he couldn't quite place it. Borderlander maybe, but seeing as the woman didn't have the look of any of them about her in particular, that didn't really help him at all. Now, which button to push now... "So tell me, Kiki, did you show a bit of thigh to a few people to get here or do you actually know how to use a lathe? Because I've got a strange suspicion that you wouldn't know one end of the lathe from the other. Of course, if you proved me wrong I'd have to apologise." The grin slid to a condescending smile. "But I have my doubts that you could."

 

Biting the inside of her cheek, Maev took in a deep breath to calm herself. Furrowing her eyebrows as she thought of something to herself up with, she thought of how badly she wanted to smack this horrid man right across his face. “Are you challenging me” She stopped short as she realized she didn’t know his name. “I believe I should know your name, as well. If I have to…I’ll beat it out of you.” It was then that her tension lessoned and her features turned mischievious. She was so sure of herself with the lathe…

 

Aran laughed. "If you can touch me with your lathe even once, I may deign to enrich you with my name. Now run run along Kiki, go get your lathe while I get mine." Walking away, Aran found the lathes he was after soon enough. Long daggers, the fake blades were a little longer than his forearms. Returning to where they had met, Aran grinned at her as he gestured with his right lathe for her to begin. The left he took in a murderer's grip, the lathe coming out of the bottom of his fist. It would be interesting to see what she had. "Well Kiki? You going to use that or you more at home barefoot in the kitchen?"

 

Maev scoffed and turned quickly on her heel to run and get her lathe. In no time at all she found herself positioned before Aran, poised and ready to strike or defend. Her lathes would resemble those of katanas. “We’ll see who ends up barefoot in the kitchen, short-stuff.” With a smirk on her face, Maev moved to make the first strike. The other man had been asking for it, most definitely. With her right foot, she stepped towards him, then crossed with her left and turned over her shoulder. Her hands weilding the lathes and stretched out to strike him. It did not surprise her that he blocked her attack. But she swore she would be ready for him. He wanted to fight, so they would. She’d show him…

 

There it was, the first attack. Catching her lathe on his left, his quick thrust took her a step back as she moved clear but Aran had no intention of going easy on her. She was alot taller and using much longer weapons, that gave her considerable reach. So Aran was going to stay up nice and close with her, inside her guard and make it as difficult as possible for her to defend herself. Reach became useless so close, and it was in this way he pressed her continually. Occasionally he'd tap her with one of his lathes on the thigh or along one arm or wherever else he was able to do so without actually hurting her. After all, he wanted her able to fight and continuing to do so until she dropped.

 

Maev's silver-blue eyes narrowed as she attempted to fight off the small man. His lathes slapped against her thighs, but only stung momentarily. He was much quicker than she, granted she was sure that he had been training here much longer as well. Annoyingly, he stayed in close to her, which frustrated her. It meant she had to continue to back up as she fought. Oddly enough, he never seemed to strike with the intent to hurt her. As they sparred, she smiled at him slyly. "I do not grow tired, easily, little man." Thrusting forward with a deep lunge she nearly struck but he ducked under the blow at the last moment.

 

Slapping away her lathe with one of his own, the other reached forward and tickled her ribs lightly in response which caused her to dance back. Not pursuing, Aran grinned at her, she had a bit of will at least. "Really? Lets see whether you can keep up." Darting in once more, it took him a little longer to get within her guard but once he was he proceeded to wreak havoc. He still only touched her occasionally with a lathe, but it was more the frenzied movements he made which left her parrying the entire time and without a moment to counter attack. He could take as long as was required, it just remained to see how long she could last.

 

"You certainly think highly of yourself, don't you?" She quipped between parrying. Light, how bloody annoying he was! What she would give to be able to thwack him hard against his head with her lathe. If only she were quick enough. Her height posed a problem, and she had to hold her arms in close to her, to be able to block him. A snarl formed on her lips, and she could feel her legs tiring from the deep lunging she was being forced to do. There was much she needed to learn. Maev was built for great endurance, but she was not used to accompanying it with fighting a person of his size. A low growl erupted from her as his lathe struck her again.

 

As they whirled and danced with their lathes, Aran had slowly been turning Maev around. Unnoticeable in the midst of their combat, he was now forcing her towards Faith. At the rate that she was tiring, by the time her back was to the tree she would have to be near on the point of dropping her lathe. Her strikes were becoming sloppier and her control was fading rapidly. Slowing down and most likely knowing it, she was still doing what she could to contain Aran's attacks. Not much considering her lack of training, but he nevertheless forced her back. All he had to do was get her there, and if need be he'd disarm her himself if she refused to surrender.

 

It became harder and harder for her to defend herself. Her legs grew tired and she practically let herself be guided by the other man. It grated against her will, but she was tiring! NO! she yelled to herself. There was no way she would let herself surrender. As he pushed on, not letting up, her arms seemed weighted down and sluggish. Her muscles burned as she attempted to defend herself. Without warning, she backed into a tree, hard. Her head slammed back against the trunk, and her vision blurred momentarily. It gave the smaller man a chance to knock her lathes out of her hands, disarming her. Glaring at the space above his head, she refused to look at him. He would be gloating no doubt.

 

Ending it had been a mercy, though it seemed like it wasn't one that was truly appreciated by Maev. Smiling, Aran prodded her stomach with one of his lathes. "Hey you, down here." Getting an irritated glance for his trouble, Aran's grin said everything. Well, nearly that is. It was one thing to pay her back but he didn't make a practice of beating down on trainees and trying to undermine their confidence. She had done well, and he planned on letting her know it. While he had offered to give his name to her if she touched him with her lathe, and she hadn't, she deserved it nevertheless. "My name is Aran, and the lad over there who is working away so hard would be Ursana, my student."

 

The grin on his face grew wider as what he said sunk in with Maev.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

 

Maev Kiyosa

Trainee

One of his students? "Mother's milk in a..." Her voice trailed off as she let her eyes meet with his. She was suprised that she had cursed and it showed on her face. Her silver-blue eyes opened wide. Her family had raised her to be polite and act with grace, honour and dignity.

 

They let Mentors treat their students like this?Maybe this Tower Guard thing wasn't such a good idea after all. With her back still up against the tree, Maev's chest still rose and fell with the hard work she had put into fighting this Aran. She let her eyes flicker from him to the scenery behind him. "So, that would make you a...Tower Guard, then?" As she waited for an answer, she used all the strength she had not to wince. If this man truly turned out to be what he said he was, and he surely fought better than most of the Shienaran warriors back home, she would most likely be in an awful lot of trouble. All she could do was wait and see what kind of response she would get and deal with the consequences.

 

Maev attempted a defeated look as she waited

 

Maev Kiyosa

Tower Trainee

"Yes, yes I am.  And stop staring behind me, eyes up."

 

His grin melting to a simple smile as Maev looked to him again, Aran's tone was a good deal kinder than before as he spoke.  "You're not bad for a first year, but in the future you should take a care not to jump to conclusions about those around you.  Doing so here only got you a bit of embarrassment, out there it could get you killed.  Tower Guards use their brains as much as their brawn, you'd do well to remember that in the future.  You have head, use it."

 

"Now, who is your mentor?"  Nodding at the answer Maev gave him, Aran reversed the grip on his lathes and putting them both in his left hand, he offered his right hand to her.  After all, he'd made the point and there was no need to belabour it or embarrass her simply for the sake of making her more uncomfortable.  "Your hand, please."

 

As her hand slipped into his own, he pulled her up onto her feet.  Holding his lathes out to her, Aran said.  "Take these and put them away along with your own.  Then go back to your training."  Turning away from her as she took the lathes, Aran frowned at Ursana who had stopped what he was doing.  "This isn't a Gleeman's story time, get back to work."  Clapping his hands together at his student, the lad was quickly back at it as Aran wandered over and looked at his form even as he forgot about Maev Kiyosa.

 

For now.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard