Family Secrets

Chapter: 4

Training Begins

Next chapter up and we start heading into the main plot idea. I hope you all enjoy.

The next morning Lina was awoken to Sylphiel's voice as she said, "Rise and shine Miss Lina. It's a wonderful day."

Lina rolled over like at two year old and asked, "Can't I just have ten more minutes?"

Sylphiel smiled at the young woman as she walked over to the bed. She sat down and gently shook Lina's shoulder while replying, "But, Miss Lina a proper day is the best for you. And, you can't have a full day without breakfast."

As soon as the word breakfast left Sylphiel's mouth Lina sat up quickly and looked at the cook before asking, "What are we having," while a childlike glee sparkled in her eye.

Sylphiel smiled knowing from years of experience that the best way to wake up an Inverse was to go to their stomach. She stood and moved toward the changing shade before saying, "Well, first you need to bathe and dress before I tell you what is on the menu."

Lina was out of the bed in a flash and into the bathroom that was connected to her bedroom. She turned on the shower and lathered up a washcloth. She cleaned herself as quickly as possible. Within five minutes she was out and warping a towel around her body and her hair. Lina walked back into her room and behind the changing shade that Sylphiel was standing near. She threw the towel over the shade so they would dry before replying, "Hand me an outfit out of my suitcase Sylphiel."

"Yes, Miss Lina," Sylphiel replied as she went to the suitcase to pick out an outfit for Lina.

A moment later Sylphiel handed Lina an outfit and waited as Lina changed. As she waited Lina asked, "So what is for breakfast?"

"Pancakes, bacon, and eggs," Sylphiel answered before continuing, "The perfect breakfast for your first day of training."

Lina's head poked out from behind the shade with a cocked eyebrow. She looked at Sylphiel for a moment before asking, "What do you mean by first day of training?"

Sylphiel blushed slightly before replying, "Oh, I forgot to mention. Zelgadis plans to train you in the ways of combat so that you can better fulfill your duty as lady of the castle."

Lina looked at Sylphiel oddly before asking, "From the way you describe it I'm going to be fighting street gangs or something to that nature."

Sylphiel smiled before replying, "No, the gangs know better than to start something big. Your main duty is to protect this land from any major threats and to settle any legal problems in the village."

Lina rolled her eyes before replying, "I don't even know the local laws. How am I suppose to settle things if I don't even know what's going on?"

"Don't worry Zelgadis with teach you in the law of the land as well," Sylphiel replied as she watched Lina come out from behind the shade.

Lina was dress in a simple outfit of a t-shirt and blue jeans. She walked toward the door followed by Sylphiel as they made their way to the dinning hall. As they walked down the long corridor Lina could not help but think, 'Wonderful. Now an ancient relic is my tutor in the ways of combat and law. What else could happen.'

Lina leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach while announcing, "Sylphiel that was the best breakfast I have had in years."

Sylphiel smiled at the compliment before looking at her watch. "Miss Lina you need to head to the central courtyard. Lord Zelgadis is waiting for you there."

Lina nodded as she stood and moved toward the hallway. From their encounter from the other night Lina had a very good idea that Zelgadis was a person that did not like to be kept waiting. As she strolled along she could not help but think about the past few days. How tiring the journey was, how surprising it was to be met at the train station by Gourry, and the biggest surprise to find that Count Zelgadis Greywords was alive and well. 'That was an interesting moment,' Lina thought as she moved towards the inner courtyard.

As she entered the courtyard she saw Zelgadis at the far end leaning against a tree. She walked forward before asking, "So what kind of training is this supposed to be?"

Zelgadis opened his eyes and looked at the new heiress of the castle. She had a great potential; he knew that from how she fought and her quick wit with his riddles. Now he watched as she approached him in the courtyard and saw that she moved quite fluidly even outside of combat. He moved from the tree and off to the close wall where he kept the weapons he wished to train her in. He grabbed a simple rapier and a basket rapier before moving towards Lina. "I'm going to teach you the rules of combat in case you ever need to call upon them."

Lina watched Zelgadis as he carried the two weapons towards her. She pointed at the rapiers and asked, "So which one of these swords is mine?"

Zelgadis handed Lina the basket rapier before he replied, "You will use the basket rapier at the beginning of the training. It has a very large hand guard and while more clumsy than a normal rapier it is perfect for beginners."

Lina nodded as she waited for the instruction Zelgadis would issue. She watched as he spread his legs apart five feet and squared his body towards her. He then lifted his right arm, which held the rapier, and then bent his wrist so that it angled the blade forty-five degrees downward. "Now do you best to copy this stance. Once you are there hold the position unless I tell you to change something."

Lina nodded and copied his stance as best she could. It was not everyday that you had to learn fencing just to live in a place. Lina stopped and watched as Zelgadis came out of his stance and walked towards her. He walked around her while looking at her form. She felt the flat of the blade tap her right arm before Zelgadis said, "Raise you arm more."

Lina corrected and changed her position accordingly. After a moment she felt the flat tap he left leg, "Out a bit more."

Lina huffed as she shifted feeling slightly odd with the stance she was in. After a minute without feeling the flat she saw Zelgadis come back in front of her and assume the stance again. He smiled before saying, "Now before we start the actual work on the sword play you must learn your footing."

Lina looked at him for a second before asking, "Footing," not being terribly familiar with the term.

Zel smirked and said, "If I move like this," as he advanced by moving his front foot and dragging the back forward, "Then you should react with the exact opposite. You should step away with the back foot and drag the front back into the position."

Lina nodded and did the move as instructed. It was not a hard concept but learning the correct moves during combat would take a while. "So what's another situation," Lina asked becoming interested in what the old Count could teach her.

Zelgadis kept the smirk on his face as he repositioned himself. 'Well at least she seems to be taking an interest in this,' he thought as he moved into the full position.

"If I move to the side like this," he said as he stepped to the side with his back foot and slide his front foot until he had centered himself again, "Now you do the opposite as well."

Lina copied the moved in the opposite direction that he moved. As she centered herself again she heard Zelgadis speak, "Good, you are doing very well. Now we will practice these simple movements until you can react without thinking. I will keep a beat from counting from one to three. Keep with the beat as best you can."

Lina nodded and began to moved with the beat as her first day of training began in the courtyard.

Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to size=1 width=100% noshade>