Chapter 9
"You've never seen Star Wars?" Isaac exclaimed.
"We don't get television down here, Isaac," Vincent told him.
"But Star Wars was a movie! It's become a classic and everyone quotes from it. I can't believe you haven't heard anything about it!"
"We do live very isolated lives here in the tunnels. Isaac, is it important to the lessons that I know about this movie?"
"Well no, not really…" Isaac said slowly. "It was just a quick reference for what we were going to be working on. In the movie Yoda…ummm, the teacher, blindfolds Luke and teaches him to use his other senses to 'feel' what is around him. I think if we get started you will better understand what I mean."
He guided Vincent to an open area away from where the others were practicing and then began to describe what they were going to do. As Vincent listened he realized that what Isaac was describing was very much like what his Bond with Catherine felt like. However, he was no more shocked than Isaac was when he was able to block the first gentle swing Isaac had sent his way. Their staffs thunked together about a foot from Vincent's thigh, which was where Isaac had been aiming.
"That was great!" Isaac exclaimed. "Was it luck or did you really sense me coming?"
"I felt the air move as you swung at me," Vincent admitted.
"Fantastic! Let's try it again!" Isaac suggested, eager to test this out.
Again and again Vincent was able to block every slow gentle swing that Isaac aimed at him and he was beginning to feel comfortable with the staff in his hands.
"Vincent, you're doing great! If you feel up to it, I'd like to step things up bit. Do you think you could handle a faster pace?"
He didn't even need to stop and access his current condition. Since his eyes had been bandaged he'd been off of any work detail, but this gentle workout Isaac had given him was less than he did most days before breakfast. He told Isaac that he was ready to try something harder.
The others had stopped what they had been doing several minutes before so they could watch Vincent working with Isaac. They weren't about to start again if the show was going to get better!
Isaac grinned as he watched Vincent tilt his head, listening for the slightest hint of where he might be and then the almost tangible feeling that Vincent had 'changed channels'. Suddenly he was no longer relying on his incredible hearing, or sense of smell to detect where Isaac was.
Vincent had let that part of him that enabled him to have the Bond with Catherine take control and he was literally 'in tune' with where Isaac was in the room. As he realized it himself, he switched from defensive mode to aggressive, surprising Isaac by sending a few quick, but light, swings in his direction.
If not for his training and instincts, Vincent might have caught him off guard. Instead, Isaac chuckled and switched into true sparring partner mode.
However, Vincent took that split second of lack of focus to press his advantage. He sent a powerful swing of his staff at the back of Isaac's knees. The other man was swept off his feet, landing on his backside. He opened his eyes to find Vincent, still blinded by bandages, standing over him with one end of his staff resting in the middle of his chest and a pleased grin on his face. With a chuckle, Isaac admitted, "You might never have seen the movie, but damn man, you have mastered the idea!"
Vincent's grin broadened, pleased with his success and then offered Isaac a hand to help him get back up to his feet. It was then that he heard the applause of his four classmates and friends. They came forward to congratulate Vincent and ask Isaac how soon they would be able to do what Vincent just had!
Isaac worked with all of them for a while after that and then dismissed the group, promising to be back on Saturday. He left them with directions to practice during the week so he would see their progress when they met again. Jenny eagerly volunteered to guide Isaac out quickly reverting to the idea that Vincent was helpless to do so even after the display they had just seen.
Resigned to the fact that until his bandages came off he would continue to be treated like an invalid, Vincent remained in the Great Hall to practice a bit more. He didn't linger very long, however, because Catherine was coming Below for dinner and because of the afternoons exercise, he felt a visit to the bathing chamber was in order.
