Home Is Where The Girl Is
A/N: Sorry about the long sections of detail. Many of my fans will be crossing over from other genres I didn't want them to be completely lost.
Chapter 2 – Time to Dance
The next morning went as expected with a light breakfast as the two ladies headed to the large ballroom that had been converted to an exercise room, as Madame Vastra called it. The large hall had an entire wall covered with spacious windows and was very intimidating to anyone who entered, who did not know the lady of the house very well. Upon crossing the threshold, it was a visual assault to unsuspecting patron. The cook would not even enter the well lit hall.
For those who dared to study the room further, they saw all types and shapes of weapons hanging on the walls. The spectrum of metal looked used, not pieces from in a fancy museum. Littering the space, that once was a great dance floor, were various contraptions hanging or mounted about the room. Off to the side were three horizontal bars standing at three different heights, and behind them were a couple of large linens bags stuffed with straw. The patched bags had clearly seen the seamstress on more than one occasion, as they appeared to have been attacked by a sharp thin blade numerous times.
About an hour into the former match girl's training, Madame Vastra unexpectedly stopped. In a solemn tone, she confessed, "I realized last night Jenny, that I might have been too forward with you my dear."
Tugging at the bottom of her snug fitting vest, that Vastra provided, Jenny questioned, "Lawd above! What do yew mean miss?" Feeling a little odd wearing such expensive clothes, the brown haired beauty thought that perhaps her day out of that dress was already over. Internally, the maiden wondered if she had done something wrong that her employer did not approve of.
The eloquent woman side stepped her pupil and walked boldly close behind her. Letting out a small breath that sounded like a hiss, she added, "I may have of pushed you too hard, too soon." Spinning back around on her heels, the educated woman said, "You are still so young."
Allowing her mind to race wildly that she had disappointed the ancient warrior, the brown eyed girl sadly dropped the wooden sword she had been holding down at her side. Afraid she had been the one to insult the first person in a long time she respected, the maiden cautiously questioned, "I don't understand yaahr meaning ma'am?"
Lowering her own practice sword, Madame Vastra delicately wiped her brow with the back of her sleeve. "I believe I rather insisted you wear pants, when it is customary for the women of this time to wear dresses." Barely trying to avoid eye contact, the lizard lady sipped from a fancy goblet. "I mean are you even comfortable in that?"
Of course the Silurian was addressing the knee high leather boots and trousers that fit the former maid like a glove. Accenting the smart outfit was a fluffy long sleeve blouse that was held in place by a five button - black embroider vest. The cuffs and neckline of the white shirt maintained the shirt's femininity as lace trimmed the edges, but did not distract from its function; which in this case was fighting.
Standing across from her was a very differently dressed head mistress. The green scaled woman was wearing a loose overlaying shirt and a wide brown skirt. Pulling the two pieces together was a padded vest that provided a bit of protection. Fastening it closed, were fifteen silver buttons allowing the ancient warrior absolutely freedom with her movements. The color of Vastra's vests reminded the human of the carpetbaggers she heard so about in the Colonies across the pond.
Almost laughing out loud, Jenny shot back in her thick native cockney accent, "What deese pants?" The woman stroked her muscular thighs, "Blimy miss I actually feel mawer comfortable in trousers. When I was a kid I'd steal me bruvvers all da time. Gosh I would wear'em everywhere. Me mum would get so mad."
Tipping the goblet towards the brunette, silently gesturing if she wanted any, the warrior's smirk returned when the brown eyed beauty politely shook her head no. Jubilated, Vastra cried out. "Then unguard my dear!" While her left hand attacked the unsuspecting maiden, the warrior woman's right hand gingerly returned the expensive glass of water back on the table.
Although preoccupied, the skilled fighter still maintained her offensive position, forcing the maiden backwards. Smirking from ear to ear, that she was able to please the dark haired beauty, the scaly woman declared with amusement in her tone, "Rule #1 – Always expect the unexpected my dear Jenny."
The two women continued throughout the day and part of the night in a beautifully orchestrated evening of dancing; well not really dancing. They were sword fighting, but to both of them it felt to like well rehearsed ballroom dance. It was then that a long running joke started: just before they engaged in battle, one would ask the other, "Shall we dance?" Day after day they practiced until Jenny became quite good. She paid attention to every detail Vastra said. It often made the older warrior wish some of her sisters had listened that well.
On one particular evening, the ancient warrior was helping the inexperienced girl hone her skills. She had the basic moves down, now she was teaching the pale skinned human how to read her enemies body language. It was imperative to know when and where your enemy strikes before they do. According to the skilled hunter, it was had helped keep her alive all those years.
Across from her, the eloquent woman spoke, "Watch my body Jenny. See how I move." The woman was standing still, but was rocking her weight between her two feet. "Study my breathing." Taking in a deep breath the Silurian proclaimed, "See how my chest rises and falls." Unbeknownst the to lady of her house, the silence of the room engulfed them as her instructions soothed considerably to where she was practically whispering to the maiden across from her.
Jenny's dark brown eyes were locked on to every command her mistress gave. When she said, watch her feet. She did. When she told her to see how her body moved; she did with absolute pleasure. Feeling a bead of sweat slide down her back, the former match girl gripped her sword impossibly tighter as she quivered at the thought when Vastra told her to study her chest movements. She had to use every ounce of strength she had to concentrate on lesson at hand and not the thoughts that beckoned to swirl in her mind.
Out of frustration, the warrior dropped her sword and strolled over to the maiden. Placing her hands around the shaft of the sword and another on the girl's shoulders, the Silurian quipped, "Oh dear Jenny, you are strangling it." Gently positioning her hand over hers, the well educated woman instructed, "Relax your grip dear. You are not trying to choke it." A small smile tugged at both their faces. It was then that warrior woman realized that former match girl looked fatigued as several beads of water streamed down her temples. Concerned, the skilled fighter questioned, "Would you like to stop for the night?"
Secretly enjoying the intimacy they were having, the dark haired beauty shook her head no; worried her words might betray her. The woman practically embracing her pupil starred deep into her eyes. It occurred to the green skinned woman, that she had not been this close to a human before. Well not one she was not eating. The typically composed hunter quickly moved her head out of the direct line of site from the former match girl. Vastra gave a tender squeeze on the woman's shoulder. "Relax Jenny. We have all the time in the world." The well educated woman's blue eyes titled forward to look the dark hair beauty in the face. Her hand still holding the maiden's she apprehensively squeezed, "Relax your grip." As if it had been her own hand, the young maiden eased off and blushed.
Subconsciously, Vastra then swept a stray piece of hair and tucked it behind Jenny's ear. The skilled hunter had not realized until it was done, that she did it to better see the girl's face. Nervously stepping back, the reptilian stammered, "Now is that not better?"
Feeling her cheeks equally flush, the pale skinned human replied, "Yes Madame Vastra. That is be'er."
Returning to her position across from her pupil, the ancient warrior, who was suddenly experiencing suppressed breathing, choked out, "Ok where were we?"
"I was studying your body madam." If she had not been three shades of red before, the former match girl certainly was now. Not knowing what to say next, Jenny's eyes dropped to the floor.
"Certainly" quickly followed the young maid's absentminded statement. Attempting to regain her own composure, the skilled warrior opened and shut her eyes a few times until she was able to put her emotions aside and was completely in control again. It was imperative to teach the human the best she could. After all, the former match girl was becoming a woman whose blood the Silurian did not want on her hands.
The evening lessons continued as did they in the following days to come. Although the dark hair beauty was coming a long nicely, there was still so much to teach her. The warrior woman had not even touched on offensive maneuvers and inwardly she wished those lessons would never occur. The matriarch of the house secretly wished, the maiden would never be in battle. The skilled fighter wanted to always be there to defend the dark haired human.
In the meantime, Madame Vastra's attacks became more aggressive and Jenny's ability to get out of trouble escalated. Soon there was not a room, nor employee of the house that was not affected; except for the mistress' bedroom. That was one place the former maid refused to do combat in. But the feeling was mutual for the lady of the house. It was a place for sleeping, not fighting.