Passages of Time

Month One Striking A Deal

"You want me to do what?!" Stayne asked his jaw dropping. Alannah sighed, and then repeated her request.

"Teach me how to use a sword. I have some skill with the dagger, but I want to learn sword fighting as well, and who better to ask than you?"

Stayne rubbed his forehead. "I don't know, maybe someone who doesn't want to see his pregnant lover hurt herself or the child? You are a month pregnant! What are you thinking, Alannah? What if something should go wrong?"

Alannah sighed in annoyance, and then walked over to the swords hanging on the armory wall. Stayne narrowed his eye, and groaned in exasperation as she reached up and pulled a sword off its hangings, hefting it in her hand with a grin of triumph.

"This blade will do quite nicely, I think. Now, where shall we begin?"

Stayne buried his face in his hands. "Alannah, I am not going to teach you to use a bloody sword! Can't you just be satisfied with the dagger?"

He gulped as the sword point was pressed lightly against his throat.

Alannah leaned in, her eyes flecked with red. "I want to learn, Ilosivic. You're the best swordsman in Underland. Who else am I going to ask?"

Stayne gently pushed the sword aside. "How about Tarrant? He's rather skilled, plus he won't be constantly worrying about you!"

Alannah frowned deeply, and then grinned.

Stayne sighed. "I know that look, love. It's the same one Chessur always has. What do you have on your mind?"

Alannah's grin grew larger. "How about I make you a deal? You teach me sword fighting, and I'll teach you to swim."

Stayne rolled his eye. "Hardly a fair exchange."

He sighed deeply as Alannah slowly raised her sword into the en garde position, a wicked smile on her face. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

Alannah grinned wider and shook her head. Stayne nodded in defeat, and then drew his sword.

Hours later, Stayne found himself marveling at how quickly Alannah picked up basic sword skills. While she was a long way from being able to be called an expert, he had to admit to himself that she could hold her own. True, he had managed to disarm her four times out of five, but the third and fourth times he had been hard pressed. The fifth time, she had managed to disarm him. Stayne grinned at her.

"Well done, love. Now, I think it's time we took a break. I do have to say, you are quite the fast learner. I'm impressed."

Alannah bowed. "Why, thank you."

She placed her sword on the floor and walked over to him, then reached up and grabbed his shirt, yanking him down into a deep kiss. He responded eagerly, and then gently pulled away.

"Alannah, I don't think the armory is the best place to be doing this. If someone should walk in, they'll get quite the shock."

She nodded thoughtfully. "You're absolutely right." She walked over to the door, locking it. "There, now nobody can get in."

She grinned wickedly then walked over to him. "Now, where were we?"

Stayne's last coherent thought was that his lover was quite the expert in other areas.