Private Tales Beauty and Beast

[Raz El'Sadaaweh]

I stood once more upon the sand. The hard scales of my feet were hot in the sun baked white of the training grounds. My body moved with practiced grace through the various forms. The slow deliberate movements designed to imprint them in my mind so that when the time came it would be natural. The golden light of the Daystar bathed the world and blazed with the heat of mid morning. In a few hours even a child of the sands would be seeking shade.

I closed my eyes and continued the slow dance that had been my life. The strong sinuous muscles honed by fight after fight moved beneath scaled skin with the deliberate control of someone who knew themself well. The gladius in my hand was light in my grasp and felt no different than a hand or foot would. It was as much a part of me as any appendage. It was odd being able to do this training freely. To not have a task master dictating my time, but after so many years it was as if something was missing.

I would have to compensate by training longer.

Nymeasha

 

[Nym]

Nym was sat perched on the balcony that looked over the courtyard, her jade hues trained on the draconian and narrowed slightly against the sun's glaring reach. She'd been there for a while, watching him move with his weapon and the sinewy shimmer that seemed to sparkle in the light like a river might, captivating on the surface and much more dangerous in it's depths.

The princess enjoyed a challenge. She'd fought Uvogin several times now, and though he was far stronger than she was, they'd been well matched in terms of skill. She'd managed to rough Gerra up a little before he'd broken her. But she'd never fought a draconian, and her curiosity had piqued when she'd found him here. Finally she slipped from her perch, lifted her weapon and padded barefoot down the steps and onto the court, clearing her throat to announce herself.

"Need a partner?.." she asked casually, a soft smile reaching her eyes as she took her place opposite him. Clearly, regardless of his answer, he'd be sparring with her whether he liked it or not.

Her weapon of choice was a double-ended polearm and she was dressed for training, her dark hair scooped up and knotted, leaving a few stray locks to catch the rare breeze.

 

[Raz El'Sadaaweh]

I paused a moment and held my pose as I finished an upward slash. My yellow gold eyes sharp and focused on the invisible foes that I visualized during these training sessions. Muscles taught like compression springs ready to release at a moments notice. Until the lilting feminine voice drifted across the air like the scent of flowers and reached past the beast in me to rouse the thinking being.

"My Lady?" I replied as if I didn't hear what she very clearly said.

She moved with the tell tale confidence of someone who knew well the capabilities of their body. Her large eyes and full lips were easy to recognize as beautiful even for a non human and I found myself confused by the thought. The sunlight cast one side of her face in shadow as she crossed the grounds with her urgosh styled pole arm. Unconsciously, I began calculating her reach with the weapon and how to defend. Even when I caught myself I couldn't help but admire the way the motions of her clothes hinted at her lithe form. I envied those light garments for a moment before the realization of where my thoughts had led hit me. She likely couldn't read my expressions, most humans couldn't, but I gave her a deep bow just the same.

"As you wish." I said simply though 'Anything you wish' lingered in my mind.

I straightened and assumed my stance again, gladius held up perpendicular to the ground before me. I was ready.

Nymeasha

 

[Nym]

Nym looked vastly outmatched as she stood opposite him. He looked strong enough to withstand a tidal wave whilst she appeared so delicate that a feather in the breeze might knock her over.

Narrowed eyes wandered over his form, studying him now that she stood closer to a dragon than she ever had. They’d always intrigued her. She’d only ever witnessed them fight from afar, not likely a sight she’d ever forget. With or without a weapon, he was no doubt one of the deadliest creatures she would ever face, and the thought caused a shudder of excitement to dance across her spine. She wondered if his chest held the hearth of burning fire that some did. If he used tooth and claw. How attuned to his true nature he really was.

Full lips twitched in response as he obliged and she rolled her shoulders before walking slowly around him in a full circle, pondering.. examining.

“I’ve never met a Draconian..” she told him enthusiastically.. “What should I call you?..”

Dainty feet twisted in the dirt as she came back to her starting position with a flourish of her weapon, and she lowered her centre of gravity as she readied herself.

She moved like a coiled viper lashing out at its prey, a single step forward as she allowed her spear to slip through her palm to the edge of her blade before her fingers tightened on it, and the weapon swung at him with one hand in a slashing motion aimed to cut through the air just short of his throat.

 

[Raz El'Sadaaweh]

I watched her closely. How could I not? She gave away little as she circled me as if appraising new stock at auction. It would be off pitting for some but I took it in stride. It was far from the first time I'd been appraised. Like whispers of truth or the promise of sunshine her loose clothing hinted at a lithe lean form beneath and I knew she was as dangerous as she was beautiful.

I had spent years reading the faces of an opponent but even then I almost missed the slight hardening of her features as she attacked. Her motions so fluid and natural you could almost think she was her own force of nature. I had fought against weapons with greater reach before and move as she swung. Tensed muscles sprung into activity like a hunter's snare snapping up a foolish hare.

I raised my left arm high as I rushed to cut off the arc of her swing. I moved to take the brunt of the pole arm's weight against my ribs and drop my arm over the weapon intending to hook it and trap it against me. Then I moved to run my gladius down the haft of her weapon in an attempt to force her to release it.

Nymeasha

 

[Nym]

Her teeth flashed in a bright smile as he trapped her weapon, and she could feel in his grip alone how strong he was.. how outmatched she was in strength, at least. He was fast too, and agile, and as his weapon slammed down into her own, her bones rattled and her hands let go. A single move and she was disarmed and without the required strength to take the polearm back.

Nym feigned a stumble forward to pick up a handful of gravel which she tossed up at the dragon's eyes, a hand reaching to the spike that held her hair up, the raven locks tumbling free as she slid the weapon into her palm. Swiftly she spun her body low, the weapon aimed at a gap in the cage of ribs protecting his heart, though she'd stop short if she was quick enough to land the blow.