(TESSA)
We are laughing so loud I am sure it could be heard all throughout the Institute. Cecily and I are watching Will practice. Well actually Will was trying to teach Cecily how to throw a sword into a target. Cecily thought it would be hilarious (and it was) if she dared Will to stand on his head and try to throw his misericord at a target across the room. Of course, he gets into the hand stand pretty quickly and he seems pretty sturdy but as he reaches up to throw the sword he falls flat on his face. Cecily and I burst into laughter, and when Will sits up he is laughing, too. It is nice laughing. It feels right the three of us sitting here laughing, over the past few weeks I have noticed changes in Will; he smiles more, and laughs, not that arrogant laugh that he normally has, but real genuine laughter. It is a nice sound to hear. He also seems less arrogant and snarky lately. He has been kinder to those around him. It is nice to see him so happy.
"So, was that embarrassing enough for you?" Will asks jokingly to his little sister.
"Yes, perfect," and we break out laughing again. "I wouldn't mind if you tried that again actually."
"Maybe later now it is time to get down to business." He gets up off the ground and puts up his misericord and grabs two less dangerous looking swords. "Ok, who wants to go first?"
Ever since the lessons stopped with the Lightwood brothers, Will has been instructing me along with Cecily. At first it was really awkward between the two of us, but soon it became a nice happy environment. Sometimes I still feel his gaze on me sometimes, and others I catch myself gazing at him. I watch the graceful way he moves around the room showing us different tricks, and I can feel his gentle touch as he helps me hold my weapon and when he teaches me a different way to stand and different grips. He really is a good teacher.
"I'll go first," exclaims the eager Cecily. She has been a little ball of persistent, committed energy. " She easily handles every new task we give her, and she can be seen studying large volumes form the library in her spare time. We have become good friends over the past few weeks. She is kind, and funny, but at times you can see she is down. Like she has some terrible burden on her shoulders. I know she misses her family but she is glad to have Will back. I don't know exactly what happened to drive her to the Institute, Will won't really talk about it, but I can tell its far from good.
Will and Cecily practice for a little while and then it is my turn. Will and I have been practicing basic blocking skills. He does different exercises where he comes at me With a sword and I have to perry his attacks, slowly I am getting better, but today we are starting hand-to-hand combat.
"Ok, Tess, first I want you to show me the defensive stance, you would take if someone was coming at you, and they were about to hit you."
I felt really funny as I took a position that I thought was pretty defensive. My hands curled up into fists and brought them up in fro of my face. I looked ready to fight. I stood there for about three seconds before he started bursting out laughing."Whats wrong?" I asked my cheeks starting to get really warm.
"Its just that that is definitely not the right way to hold yourself. Your hands are up way to high. Yes, it might help you protect your face, but if your attacker tries to strike any other part of your body, you don't have a very good chance to block it. Besides having your hands up that restricts your view giving you a disadvantage." He walks over to me and his hands rough with callouses from the many years of training, but gentle as they lower my arms until my hands at positioned even with my chest, about half a foot in front of me.
"There, now spread your feet out so that they are even with your shoulders. This will help keep you steady." He looks up at me and gives me one of his dazzling smiles, that I love so much.
"Good, stand as you normally would. Now I want to see how fast you can get into that position again." We practiced for a little while longer and then we all went down to dinner.