"How do you do that!" Alya exploded at Bassam, smacking him in the chest. He stumbled backwards, laughing.
"I do not know!" He clambered up a column when she smacked him again. "I am just good at free-running." He grinned down at her from his perch.
"You could at least let me win every now and then," she muttered under her breath, stalking into the massive library just off the entry hallway. A light thump echoed behind her and Bassam appeared at by side.
"Where are you going?" he asked, oblivious to her comment. She glared at him and sighed.
"To follow Sayyid's advice and get in some last minute practice before going to bed. You should do the same you know." She paused at one of the many bookshelves and glanced at the nearest titles.
"It is no fun to follow the rules all the time, Alya." Bassam threw his arms wide and spun in a graceful circle. "You need to have a little fun... And where did you leave Sayyid?"
Alya snorted and ducked to browse a lower shelf. "Sayyid is stuck behind a farmer and his sheep in the market." Nodding to herself, she pulled a scroll from its place and waved it at Bassam. "Fun for me is defeating you when we spar."
"Your manners leave many things to be desired," Bassam said wryly, offering a hand to her her up. Rolling her eyes, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
"And of course yours are perfect." Alya walked to a desk piled high with papers, books, and scrolls. Smiling, she handed her selection to the librarian. "I will have this one please, Jaddah." The old woman smiled back at her and carefully recorded the title before returning the scroll.
"I never said that I have perfect manners," Bassam continued as they left for the living area. "I merely stated that you need to improve upon yours." His teeth glinted in his famous smile before his hood completely shadowed his face.
Alya sighed. "My manners are fine when I am around anyone else. Only you annoy me enough to cause me to slip up." She smiled teasingly and he laughed.
"I do my best."
They walked in comfortable silence to her rooms. Turning away from the door, she asked, "Are you going to join me for practice?"
Bassam's smile widened and he backed down the hall towards his quarters. "Of course!"
With a numbing crack, Alya blocked Bassam's staff with her own. Ducking to the left, she feinted and slid under his arm, smacking her staff into side. Bassam grunted and stumbled back, spinning his weapon to keep her away. Without warning, he switched his grip and swung directly at her stomach. Throwing herself into a back-bend so deep that her head touched the floor, Alya barely avoided the crushing blow. Snapping up in a snake-like movement, she slanted her staff to deflect his secondary shot and sent her boot crashing into his chest.
The breath whooshed from his lungs and he went flying backwards. Sliding to a stop just inches from the wall, he barely had enough time to bring his weapon to bear before Alya was attacking again. Stabbing at his head with the butt of her staff, she barely missed her mark when he rolled to the side.
Snarling, she swung at his hips, only to have him do a half-somersault and use his legs to launch himself away from the wall. In the same movement, he spun on his back and scissor-kicked her legs out from under her. Landing hard, she twisted her away from him, pulling her staff close to her body and using it to pull herself up into a crouch.
Bassam lurked a few feet away, his strange blue eyes sparkling. "Truce?" he panted.
"Not a chance!" she hissed, flipping her staff around and launching it at him like a spear. Ducking just in time, Bassam was not able to avoid her flying tackle. Slamming them into the ground, Alya locked her legs around his chest and arms, effectively pinning him. She leaned forward as he struggled and pressed her forearm across his throat.
Applying steady pressure, she pushed harder until he stopped struggling. "Do you yield?" she hissed.
Gasping, he nodded. Beaming victoriously, she rolled off his chest to sit beside him. He sat up and rubbed his throat. "Well done." he coughed.
"Now we are even." Alya stood and reached down to pull him up as well.
"Agreed. Next time, though, please let me call a truce before you crush my airway." He winced when he spoke, his voice scratchy. Alya laughed softly.
"Bassam!" A lean, muscular young man ran up as Bassam walked down the hall and clapped him on the shoulder. "When did you get back, my friend?"
"Fadi!" Bassam pulled the boy into a bear hug before playfully shoving him at the wall. "Alya and I reached the wall this morning at dawn."
Fadi laughed. "Ah, so you beat her back again?"
"Not only her," Bassam said, grinning from ear to ear. "Sayyid as well. He is still stuck in the market." Fadi jumped around him in excitement. Bassam laughed. "You need to calm down, youngling. You are going to explode if you keep it up." He grabbed the boy and pulled him into a headlock.
"Bassam!" Fadi protested, laughing. "Let me go!"
"Baby," Bassam teased, scrubbing his head and pushing him away. "What have you been doing while I was gone?"
"Training." he replied, pushing him back. "I went up a rank!" Fadi's whole face lit up with happiness.
"Congratulations my friend!" Bassam shook his head in wonder. "You are being promoted faster than anyone I have ever known."
Fadi was suddenly serious. "I had a good mentor."
Bassam paused and studied his friend quietly for a moment. "That means a lot to me." The boy smiled softly.
"I would not have said it if I had not meant it. Now," he said, pulling his friend along. "Let's go get something to eat!" Bassam laughed and allowed himself to be towed down the hall.