FIRST MEETINGS – LOGHAIN AND MIKHAIL
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This as the title says shows how Mikhail and Loghain met, plus how Loghain ended up training him. Leave a review and let me know what you think.
I stood on the practice grounds watching new recruits that the king had chosen. Most of them were green behind the ears, their swings, long and awkward. Their stance atrocious, they would be easy to knock down if they were ever in battle.
Cailan had asked me to see the new recruits, to say the least I wasn't impressed. I walked father onto the grounds, some stopped, awe in there eyes as they watched. I was tired of this basking, The great Hero of River Dane. Bah, what a joke. I never asked for it, I was a farmer not someone to be awed.
"Teryne Loghain, so what do you think?" Engar asked as I neared. He was the one teaching these imbeciles. To get them ready for battle.
"You don't want to know." I grumbled with a scowl.
Swords clashing caught my attention, we both swung around to see what the cause. Most of the men had stopped to gawk at me, but it seemed there was one who didn't care.
A young lad about 16 stood there fighting another. The lad was getting bored quickly and them landed the other on their rear quickly. I heard his disgusted snort from here as he glared down at his opponent.
"Engar, is this the best you have?" He asked, a scowl marring his young face.
"Yes Mikhail." Engar chuckled as the young lad shook his head chuckling.
"Then I feel sorry for Prince Cailan if this is the best. The Maker, help Denerim if it's ever attacked." He muttered shaking his head.
"What makes you think you're better than them lad?" I asked with a bite to my words.
"Oh, let's see…could it be that I've been here for hours and haven't found an opponent that I couldn't beat yet?" He asked snidely. I knew it was rhetorical. This lad had spine talking to me in that manner.
"So you've fought all these men?" I asked curious, this lad had potential. You could see it in how he held two swords with ease as if they were an extension of his arms. He wasn't afraid of them or holding them daintily, he held them with a firm grip, swinging them lightly at his side. Not enough to be danger but enough to show he was annoyed. His young body was lean and muscular. When I watched his I had seen he moved with grace, smooth like a dance. He knew his weaknesses and guarded them well as he moved.
"No, are you nuts?" He laughed, a joyous sound, his head tilted back as the sound filled the grounds. "Have you seen these men, some are so afraid of their weapon that they hold it as if its going to turn around and bite them. There are others that are still looking at them as if they had never seen a weapon in their life. Then you have the really young one, a good wind would knock them down." He chuckled, with each problem he pointed to a certain trainee.
I had to admit he had an intuitive eye. He spotted their weaknesses right away. "Do any have potential?" I asked calmly. Testing his too see how much he actually sees. I saw a few that could have potential with training, maybe.
"Of course, those are the ones that I challenged. They have the bare minimum knowledge of swords and fighting, with training they will improve." He nodded looking a few that I had notice. Then he was looking at one priticular lad, one I hadn't noticed before. He had red hair, his body lean and lanky has he swung his sword. The Cousland crest adorned his shield as he fought another.
"What is one of the Cousland soldiers doing here?" I asked Engar.
The lad answered before he could. "By order of my father, he is to accompany me where ever I go." He grumbled with a sneering smile.
"Who are you?" I asked, very curious now. Who had beaten most of the men here without a challenge?
"My father is Teryne Bryce Cousland. I'm his youngest son." He muttered, rolling his eyes.
Huh, he must be the youngest son, the one that nobles are talking about putting on the throne. Those that don't support Cailan that is. Cailan was young and had his head filled with stories. Stories he wants to live and that worried the nobles.
"So you're Bryces youngest?" I asked, not positive that there weren't more children.
"Yes I am." He nodded, his focus turning back to the other lad. He was tiring, his swings becoming sluggish.
"So, Mikhail, you can come back here and train any time you want." Engar stated catching the lad's attention.
"I'll be back early tomorrow morning." He nodded before walking over to collect his companion. I watched as he stood there tapping his foot impatiently waiting his friend to finish. "Gilmore would you hurry up!" he growled.
Gilmore turned on the lad with a grin and swung at him. Mikhail, if I remembered his name correctly was unarmed. He caught the blade with the flat of his palms and kicked out. Gilmore stumbled back with a grunt. It was enough time for Mikhail's weapons to appear in his hand. Without warning he attacked. He was a menace, giving no quarter, but I noticed none of his hits were meant to hurt.
Gilmore had a hard time defending himself and tired quickly. His shield arm was becoming saggy as he received hit after hit. With a quick flick of his wrist Mikhail sent his weapon flying. Left with only a shield the boy did the only thing possible. He went to bash him but Mikhail had foreseen that. With a twist of his body and a nudge the shield was left on the ground discarded.
"Alright, alright you win," Gilmore sulked. Both lads walked away, Mikhail laugh caring to us.
"Engar, when he comes in the morning have me sent for." I ordered him.
"Of course, teryne Loghain," He bowed to me before moving off to the lad for the days teachings. I watched for a short time before retiring to the castle.
Cailan was nearby when I entered, his focus was on the men training as he watched through one of many windows overlooking the training grounds. "Who was that lad?" He asked his eyes bright with curiosity.
"Mikhail, Teryne Cousland's youngest son," I answered, watching closely to what he was going to say next, or what he was thinking.
"To bad, he would have been an asset to the Kings guards." He muttered. "I've never seen someone that young wield a sword that well." He murmured thoughtfully.
"Niether have I. That is why I want to know more about him." I murmured darkly. I didn't think he would be a threat to the throne but you never know.
Days flew by as reports that I had requested landed on my desk. Over the past few days I learnt more about the lad then I thought possible. I feared for the throne, I feared Cailan wouldn't be able to take it, that Mikhail would be chosen when the Landsmeet happens next month after Mikhail's birthday. I was shocked to learn that he was only 15, not quite old enough to take the throne…yet.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do. A part of me thought he would be the better canadate. While another knew I would never allow that to happen, not with Meric's son. I owed Meric that much at least.
Each morning I would go down to the practice grounds and watch Mikhail. He was always working with Engar, always using his to practice on. For the first time since watching his I stepped forward and challenged him. I smirked when I seen shock on his face. "Sure…" He shrugged unsure.
Four hours we battled, testing each other never truly striking. People stopped and watched, some had bets going but they would be disappointed. We were actually going to fight, he was learning. I could see that, everything he watched he learnt from, and remembered.
"How long have you been using a sword?" I asked him one day.
"Since I was strong enough to hold onto a sword, but if you're asking when I learned fighting. Then I would have been no more than five years old when my father started teaching me. Eight when he hired someone to teach me." He answered nonchalantly.
"How would you feel if I offered to teach you while you are here?" I offered him, this boy interested me. There was something about him that was intriguing.
"Sure, but I want one favor first." He stated bluntly.
"What that?" I asked with shrewd eyes.
"You call off all the lords that are trying to get me to sit on the throne. My father is still trying but without success." He muttered running his hand through his tied back hair.
I didn't answer but nodded, I was too shocked by the request. I hadn't been expecting that.