"So, anyone one of your group have talent?" Douglass asked his Squire, stretching.
Kydd snorted, taking off his tunic. He had on sturdy leather boots, a pair of brown leather pants, and a loose cream-colored shirt tucked into it. His sword-belt hung at his side, the blade it carried sheathed. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail and tied it with a thong. "I'm guessing that implied you didn't have much luck?"
The Knight Master gave a small shrug.
"Well, this one cocky kid, Eric," Kydd stressed with a wicked grin, "is a natural. He hit the bull's eye seven-out-of-ten times, and the rest were close. The other two were raw beginners, though. I think the tall boy has some talent, though. He caught on quickly. So, how 'bout you?"
Somewhat shocked, Douglass picked up his sword and buckled it to his belt. "That boy sounds pretty impressive. I had two who knew how to shoot. One of them was all right, while the other was great. She's another one with natural talent."
"Hmm..." Kydd mumbled, stepping into the dueling ring. "Do you want me to take her and my boy for more advance archery training?"
The knight considered this as he also stepped into the ring. "That might be a good idea. I'll ask Buri about it when she returns."
Grinning, Douglass drew his sword. "Time to fight, boy."
Kydd did the same, stepping up to meet him. They both saluted each other, and began the match.
Douglass lunged forward, slicing down. His squire sidestepped the move, quickly countering with a jab of his blade. The knight brought his sword up, deflecting the hit. He broke back, and the two circled. Kydd grinned wickedly, shooting out a comment.
"You're loosing your touch, old man!"
His Knight Master chuckled, not responding. He was ready when Kydd jumped at him, slashing in an upward arch at the man's shoulder. He stepped back, letting the blade slice into open air, then charged at his squire, thrusting out his blade. Kydd attempted to whirl out of harm's way, but was caught in the side. The dull practice sword ripped his shirt, and scratched the skin. A few drops of blood leaked out.
"First blood," panted Douglass, "I guess I'm not as old as you think."
With a sigh, Kydd shrugged and walked out of the ring, chucking his practice sword into a pile. "I guess not," he replied, fetching a bandage from a rack. He shed his shirt and opened up a jar of numbing salve and slathered the cream over his cut. With a deftness that comes from much practice, the boy wrapped a bit of bandage around his middle.
Douglass looked somewhat smug as he walked out of the ring, shedding his sword. "For all you're the best archer amongst the squires, you still have much to learn when it comes to swordplay."
Shrugging, Kydd threw his shirt back on, making a half-caring attempt to tuck it in. "At least I'm the best at something."
"You go get some food and then get back to your room. I'm going to go...freshen up," said Douglass, straitening his messy hair up a bit.
"Fine," replied Kydd, "I'll meet you back in our rooms."
Kydd snorted, taking off his tunic. He had on sturdy leather boots, a pair of brown leather pants, and a loose cream-colored shirt tucked into it. His sword-belt hung at his side, the blade it carried sheathed. He pulled his hair back into a ponytail and tied it with a thong. "I'm guessing that implied you didn't have much luck?"
The Knight Master gave a small shrug.
"Well, this one cocky kid, Eric," Kydd stressed with a wicked grin, "is a natural. He hit the bull's eye seven-out-of-ten times, and the rest were close. The other two were raw beginners, though. I think the tall boy has some talent, though. He caught on quickly. So, how 'bout you?"
Somewhat shocked, Douglass picked up his sword and buckled it to his belt. "That boy sounds pretty impressive. I had two who knew how to shoot. One of them was all right, while the other was great. She's another one with natural talent."
"Hmm..." Kydd mumbled, stepping into the dueling ring. "Do you want me to take her and my boy for more advance archery training?"
The knight considered this as he also stepped into the ring. "That might be a good idea. I'll ask Buri about it when she returns."
Grinning, Douglass drew his sword. "Time to fight, boy."
Kydd did the same, stepping up to meet him. They both saluted each other, and began the match.
Douglass lunged forward, slicing down. His squire sidestepped the move, quickly countering with a jab of his blade. The knight brought his sword up, deflecting the hit. He broke back, and the two circled. Kydd grinned wickedly, shooting out a comment.
"You're loosing your touch, old man!"
His Knight Master chuckled, not responding. He was ready when Kydd jumped at him, slashing in an upward arch at the man's shoulder. He stepped back, letting the blade slice into open air, then charged at his squire, thrusting out his blade. Kydd attempted to whirl out of harm's way, but was caught in the side. The dull practice sword ripped his shirt, and scratched the skin. A few drops of blood leaked out.
"First blood," panted Douglass, "I guess I'm not as old as you think."
With a sigh, Kydd shrugged and walked out of the ring, chucking his practice sword into a pile. "I guess not," he replied, fetching a bandage from a rack. He shed his shirt and opened up a jar of numbing salve and slathered the cream over his cut. With a deftness that comes from much practice, the boy wrapped a bit of bandage around his middle.
Douglass looked somewhat smug as he walked out of the ring, shedding his sword. "For all you're the best archer amongst the squires, you still have much to learn when it comes to swordplay."
Shrugging, Kydd threw his shirt back on, making a half-caring attempt to tuck it in. "At least I'm the best at something."
"You go get some food and then get back to your room. I'm going to go...freshen up," said Douglass, straitening his messy hair up a bit.
"Fine," replied Kydd, "I'll meet you back in our rooms."