Later in the evening at the main hall during supper, I was amongst some of the household staff at one of the lower tables dining and some of the men at arms and others were still exuberating over the spar that happened earlier in the day against me and Lord Rodrik. In what was the best out of 5 matches, I won them against the Heir to Ironrath. I managed to not get lost into my Jedi training and stayed away from performing more of my... Force-abled fighting maneuvers, I was still able to give a good fight and give a fair impression for myself amongst the Northerners. True I should had gone a bit easier and given a loss or two to Rodrik, but I was alone here in this land and thought it be better to have a better reputation for combat to help prevent any thoughts of weakness, with how I looked and being of a slim build that was a bit different from the rest of these giant Northman. Hopefully this will show a good foot forward to how Jedi are trained, and if in the future should I ever be rescued and leave the planet, perhaps I would be in a position to become a Guardian for this world and have a good relationship with it from my travels here. What are the odds with that I don't know, but I am hopeful and try to remain on the positive side for it all.
"Ser Ethras how in the bloody hells did you best Lord Rodrik so many times? I swears I never did see that style at all and it worked so well and you bested him clean so quickly! What gives?!" Laughingly yelled a guard named Ardos. A rolling laughter followed him at the table and after it died down a bit along with my blushed face, I was never one for massive praise of being at the forefront of attention, I took a drink of their ale they had, which I was still trying to get accustomed to, I chuckled a bit with them and answered straight forward.
"My good men, I just simple remembered my first rule when getting trained!" I laughed back at them.
A chorus of "what rule!", "what is that!" was yelled back at me.
I stood up and took another tall drink from my cup and looked around the table and said matter of fact. "Why, don't get stuck with the pointy end" While keeping my face serious for a few seconds before smirked and gave a wink at the closest man to me. A rolling wave of laughter and "ayes" came back at me and a few men jumped up and slapped me on the back giving me praise and saying that was a true "Northern spirit" and it would do well up here. After being encouraged to take a few more drinks in celebration, I didn't know how much longer I could survive this form of camaraderie and vast amounts of drinking. We usually had a few small cups of various drinks often on missions with my former master around the galaxy. Just enough to be civil and courteous when we visited new worlds to help out. But Northman seemed to drink as they would breath and seemed to trust someone more if they drank rather than turned down any offers.
I sat back down and ate a few bits more of this wonderful roast of an animal that was killed from a hunt earlier and they cooked it over a fire and served it in a stew and with some vegetables after asking what it was, I was very fond of it. It was very more appealing than some of the rations I have had to endure during my war travels and lack of free food on some planets. As I washed down some more stew, with water this time to help clear my head, I looked around the hall and took in all the sights of more of the household partaking in the feast and saw from the upper tables Lord Rodrik gaze at me and with a small smirk and look of annoyance that turned to respect, he tiled a cup towards my way and gave me a small nod my way. I lifted my cup back and gave a deeper head bow and took a swig and looked around the high table as Lord Forrester was talking to his Maester and another man who I believe was his Lady wife's brother, while his other family, specifically his daughters Mira was talking next to a younger version of her, a twin who I believe was named Talia, and they looked deep into a conversation. Talia it seemed looked my way and said something to Mira, who looked and had a slight nervous chuckle and turned a bit red from what Talia said. I hope it wasn't something to bad or teasing, it seemed as this family was very close which was nice to witness...seeing as I never had any sort of sense of family such as theirs. I sighed inwardly a little, it was a small thought that had been manifesting for the last few years. I would never really know any sense of what family I might have or could have had if I never became a Jedi Knight. I excused myself from the table and went out of the hall to clear my head and get some cold Northern air on my face to help overcome all the drinking I had been trying to keep up with around me.
The nights here in were simply amazing, one could gaze up and see every star in the sky and I found myself contemplating what everyone around me might be named, or if any planets were around that help life and a way back to the Republic. I do not know if anyone of this planet ever thought in such outwardly views but seeing as how I literally flew among the stars, now being so far away from them, it seemed a bit of cosmic humor and reality all at once crashing down at me. I soon heard soft steps behind me and now I felt a presence in the Force that I was learning to recognize.
"Heavy thoughts on your mind, Ser Jedi Knight?" Mira asked me softly while she walked up to the wall I was leaning on and gazing up at the sky.
"Just the normal amount I would say my Lady. Here in the North, everything seems a bit more.. slow paced.. and leads to more time to ponder and think of things I would say." Responding to her while I turned my head to where she was.
"Mayhap was it about the strong showing of your sword skills earlier?.." She said with a small smirk. "I must say I have grown up to my elder brother fighting and practicing many a time, with many teachers and various Lords from the North trying to show off skill and strength...and what I saw today was to say the least, very surprising to say a bit astounding. And given the little I know of combat at arms, it was simply unheard of." She said softly while keeping her gaze at me. I shrugged my shoulders slightly and gave a small sigh...
"I don't mean to lessen how I performed Lady Mira, or how great your brother actually is, which he is, I have no doubt about that, he moves very well and I'm sure.. But to say I was so great.. I shudder a bit at that thought.. only because, I too am still learning even with my gaining a Knighthood.. All Jedi more or less fight as I do and very many yet, still better than I, since I'm a bit new to it all really.. " I responded a bit shyly never being one to try to boost about what I felt about my skills.
"If you really are that humble, then what were you going on about to a whole table back in the dining hall, something about a 'pointy end' if I believe I heard right. " She asked half jokingly and yet serious at the same time.
With a chuckle I couldn't help but answer truthfully.. "Well.. men love to boast yes, and I'm not one to really go on about what I can do or not.. but I felt like they would enjoy a bit of tall tale even though I know they more or less witnessed the match we had and I don't take myself to serious and I will just say it was a bit of the ale that led me to boast a bit, where I usually would never do so.. I know my former Master would be giving me a warning and scolding about my conduct, but yet, what not a better way to make new friends than to talk as they do, wouldn't you say?" I asked back at her in a innocent tone. She shuffled from foot to foot as I saw her look down at the ground and seemed to be thinking.
"I can say that boys will be boys, to say the least, always trying to have someone look at them and join in at a story that sounds grand.. So I cannot seem to find you at fault.. I would never say that a proper Northman has never told great stories about his swordplay or beats of swordsmanship. So it seems like that trait might be far reaching, even from your far land it would seem..." She laughed a bit as she said it all.. But her face turned from amusement to a cold seriousness in an instant. "How did you though, quite seem to manage to wipe my brother to the defeat every match... it seemed to me that you knew, in some way, what he try to strike at, or swing his sword and then you somehow reacted to his movements."
I exhaled slowly while looking towards the sky a bit..."Well..."
Earlier that Day
"Whenever you're ready Lord Rodrik." I replied back to him and waited a few moments while a tense quiet descended around the training and I soon was able to hear small whispers of talk about what this foreigner was doing, if I was out of my mind, how could I be a knight without using armor, talk of being naked, and doubtful if I even knew how to use the pointy end of my sword. I calmed myself to help let the Force flow easily and naturally, while I took a small step back and to my right side. He mirrored me and took a step to his left while keeping his sword at his waist facing me holding his shield I could see his eyes studying me to see what I was going to do and he seemed more cautious yet eager to engage. I didn't need to feel the Force to tell he seemed more to wait then when an opening came, he would strike hard and all out with a fury. I just had to wait him out and make him loss his defensive advantage. I took three more steps while I would alternate between forward and backward movements to throw his sense of spacing off when I finally felt his gaze alter but a moment from me, I feinted a thrust at him and he reacted as I wanted, when he lifted his sword for a block then seeing no attack he charged in at me swinging his sword with a powerful diagonal attack from the top to bottom at me. I blocked and deflected it with my sword, so his strike went to my right side, then as he pulled back I took a swipe at his shield with him blocking it and I stepped back and waited while he swung a horizontal powerful strike and instead of blocking or retreating I stepped into his reach. Ducking under at the last moment as he overcompensated and partially rotated too much as I stepped behind him and sticking my sword right between his armpit armor joints and gave a strong push to make my hit.
"Do you yield my Lord?" I said softly while taking a short breath in. One could hear gasp as everyone was silent and wondering what they have just saw. "You hit his arm, that doesn't do anything to make a man yield" I heard a soldier say off to the side of the yard while people were talking amongst themselves. Speaking up to the crowd, "If I hit his arm yes that would not do a thing, but you see, I have hit in between his armor right into his armpit, if I were to thrust fully, I would hit his lungs and possibly his heart if given enough thrust. " More murmuring occurred after this. Ser Royland stood a bit openmouthed then started to nod his head up and nod slightly and gruffly said loudly to all, "Aye tis a killing blow"
"I yield Ser Jedi Knight, that was very quick I must say. Far quicker than many bouts I have had in many years. I am very impressed, would you care to try some more then? I am curious at what else you can do." Lord Rodrik spoke back to me as I lifted my sword from him and back away. "Yes I would have no problem with some more spars as you say" I said smiling back at him. I could of sworn I started to see some coins change hands and more people whispering and some running that eventually would gather others to witness as we kept at it for more rounds. Each one ended with me the victor as I somewhat danced around him and gave killing blows in key areas around the body and one time straight up overpowered a few strikes at him and was able to grapple him to the ground and hold my sword at his throat to end the final sparring. Helping Lord Rodrik up, he seemed a bit put off but then slapped me on the back heartily and said loudly "That's some of the best sparring I have ever had and you best my ass all told! Well done Ser Jedi, if I was to lose, I don't see any other way to go, that was well fought I must say!" He was explaining for all to hear and young Lord Ethan was off to the side just staring at me while he spoke with some other boys excitedly.
"I thank you my Lord, just excited to see some other forms of sword combat to add to what I have seen in my travels, I am very impressed as well." I shook his hand and went to put back my training sword when a younger man came and did that for me and I started to leave the training yard area and just return to my room to relax and meditate a bit since it was later in the day for a bit of rest when I saw upon one of the upper walkways Lady Mira watching with a younger girl that looked like her and a smaller young boy, all of them talking quickly it seemed yet Mira was silent and just looking towards where I was. I nodded and gave a small bow towards her as I left the yard and she gave a small nod back.
Present
"From our beginning days of training to be a Jedi Knight, we go through many, many repeat ways of trying to see without seeing when we enter into both life and combat. We try to look beyond with we see and start to see the un-seeable and when that starts to occur, our training intensifies even more so. In doing all of this, it helps us train our eyes, mind and.. senses to say the least, into what someone will do or might do and because of that.. We have a bit of knowhow or skill to help us be prepared for the unexpected that life and battles present to us. Does that make any sense Lady Mira?" I asked hesitantly towards her, seeing as she was deeply trying to comprehend what I was explaining, and such a concept I don't know if it had ever been performed in this area before.
"Hmm.. I can't say that I know fully on what you mean with everything you just said.. But to say it appears that you and your Order, other Jedi it seems, can read minds and actions of people?" She answered back in a questioning way.
"Oh I wouldn't say we are reading minds, we just seem to notice.. little things, what the eyes do, what the face makes when someone is about to do harm, how they body tenses up, if they shift their feet, sweaty palms, tense neck.. things like that and more. Your body says many things without you ever having to say a single word and when in combat.. how they act, how they attack.. dance so to speak.. that tells more about a person than any words could ever really, from my experience." I replied honestly. She looked at me holding her hands clasped in front of her and she was processing all of this. "I see... that seems to have a big advantage one could say in battle, to make sure you survive really"
"Yes it does have the benefit to say the least." I nodded back at her. She was going to say something more when her brother, Lord Ethan came running up excitedly towards the both of us.
"Ser Ethras!" he exclaimed loudly while catching his breath as it seemed he ran a little ways.
"Ethan! Mind your manners, you cannot go yelling about whenever you come upon people, especially if they are already in a conversation.. my word.. Mother would be scolding you so much right now, you must be starting to remember this one day, you will be a lord of a smaller keep or position within this family representing us. You must start acting accordingly.. really now." She let out a light scolding towards Ethan and he looked down in thought as he was used to this correction from his older siblings. I chuckled slightly as all of this.
"I apologize but I just had to come out here quickly!" he spoke back energetically, almost forgetting what Lady Mira and just said to him.
"Did you need something my young Lord Ethan hmm?" I asked him as I gave a small smirk to Mira who rolled her eyes a bit, no doubt used to him being like this.
"Yes! My father, err..umm.. Lord Forrester that is.. ahh ya, he wishes to see you in his solar to discuss some things with you in a few minutes, with supper starting to die down a bit, he can have time to talk to you! And he told me to go off and find you as quick as I could and I didn't mind so here I am!" he said speaking very quickly.
"Well now, I can't go and keep the Lord of this Keep waiting then can I hmm?" I chuckled back. I turned to face Mira, "With you leave my lady, you Lord Father is expecting me promptly", I bowed at her to be excused. She smirked back at me, "Yes I know how it works, alright then off with you, can't keep him waiting, we shall resume talking later I'm sure, Ethan be good and escort him to our Father's Solar please", she asked of Ethan, not that it was needed really. He started running off, "Oh yes, follow me Ser Jedi I will show you the fastest way!" he Yelled and I quickly followed him trying to keep up with his extreme energy, laughing a bit on the way.