Fable - Ask Test Your Strength

[Mikko Cendrillon]

Another Homecoming came and went, but many of the Guardians chose to remain close to home after the events following the death of the Fire Guardian came to light. Sympathy and support came from the Descendants, and the Children of the Ancients were seen offering tokens to whatever Guardians they came across. Some even poured into the many House of Blessings in hopes that the Faith Guardian could be seen, who had given only a few sermons before retiring to the Yehven ancestral home to hide from the masses.

Despite the ease that came with his charge, Mikko was glad to not be needed to protect the Guardian of Faith... not that he made himself seen. Despite the rocky history between himself and the Yehven girl, he wished he was free to 'guard' a Guardian than be roped into overseeing the training of other Guardians of the Runestones.

It had been a heavily discussed topic whether or not the Guardians were required to defend themselves, an argument that then stemmed into whether it was protection of themselves or the Stones they were entrusted with. A fair few of them were once a part of the Vanguard, like Villam, Kaira, Vazia, and Mordred. Those he remembered at least, but not all of them rose to the occasion when the Vanguard offered their services to help train them in basic combat.

"Did anyone even show up?" Mikko grimaced at the empty training arena, a new structure that had been built into the New Town to accomodate the growing numbers of the Vanguard. This was one of the smaller arenas, meant for private lessons to newly inducted Vanguards or even for the junior division to carry out their tests in order to rise in rank. Mikko Cendrillon rounded to face his comrade with an impatient look. He had risen well before dawn in order to make it here to the Training Arena, and yet the sun had risen for the past hour and no one made their presence known.

Eryx, who had joined the Vanguard the same time as Mikko, had been leaning at the door that led to the larger arena waved a hand to shut Cendrillon up.

"Quiet. One of them just strolled in... Oh Ancients... I would rather take a new class of Vanguards than a Guardian gifted with power." Eryx sucked in a breath and he wandered back into the arena to stand beside Mikko. "You start the lessons. I am fucking awful with introductions."

Mikko gritted his teeth, elbowing the other Vanguard as the Guardian slipped through the archway.

"Morning and welcome. Should we get started?"

 

[Lyta]

Lyta Drømmer, Guardian of the Dreamstone, had never felt so ridiculous.

It was her brother who had finally convinced her to take up the offer of training that had arrived at their manor three days ago. When she had first received it she had dismissed it outright. Not only did her rune not lend itself to violence, but the tolls it took on her body were enough to make even a simple ride on Kuruk a dangerous sporting activity. A stumble over a root that would be barely a sprain to another could leave her in the infirmary for a week with broken bones. It seemed laughable therefore that she would even think about entering an arena where the whole purpose was to hurt one another. Which had brought her swiftly on to her third reason for rejecting the thought to begin with: Lyta hated violence. Amongst the people of their great city she was known for her kindness, her generosity, and her abhorrence to violence. Only a rare few had even heard Lyta raise her voice in an argument. Yet, knowing all of this, her brother had still insisted she attend these sessions. He who knew and loved her best.

"Please sister, if not for yourself then for me," he had begged on his knees before her. "I cannot be the next family to put their loved one in the ground. I cannot."

Dorian had been a skilled warrior and so, whilst Lyta was unsure what simple self defence would hope to offer her in the way of protection from the same criminals, she had agreed to come. To learn. Now that she stood inside of the arena she was quickly regretting her decision. She felt a fool dressed in warrior leathers her brother had had made for her. The tight breeches and jacket were designed, apparently, to leave little for an enemy to grab onto and use against her as her usual dresses could be. Underneath she wore a similarly scandalous - at least in her mind - shirt that might as well have just been another layer of skin. Her blonde hair had been braided back and pinned tightly in place least it get in the way of her eyes. She had foregone the usual diadem she wore with the runestone and had instead set it upon a simple chain that rested in the hollow of her throat.

Ridiculous indeed. She had no idea how Kaira had worn this stuff.

Green eyes the shade of a fresh meadow grass finally landed on her apparent instructor. How long had she been gawping at the arena? A faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"I should probably apologise now for what a poor student I will be."

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Mikko found himself bowing slightly, dropping his head to cut Eryx a look that meant to follow his lead. The other Vanguard hastily joined his comrade, and upon straightening up, the fourth generation Vanguard smiled at Lyta.

"I volunteer overseeing the training of some of the junior divisions... I think you will do just fine, Lady Lyta." He was unused to such manners, but felt as if he did an alright job keeping it at the forefront. He assessed her gear, noting how little muscle she had. It was not due to slimness, but he had heard the Guardian of Dream suffered exhaustion more so than some.

To begin the lesson, he waved off the other Vanguard who happily took to watching from the sidelines, eager to watch Mikko put on a polite mask for the day. This was how his twin would go about his day, to be cordial when needed and outgoing... but this was the opposite for him.

"Right. Your papers say you have absolutely no training... is that true?" He did his best not to grimace, keeping the king smile on his lips, even if it did not reach his eyes. "We all started at the beginning, so please, do not worry yourself and think on it too much."



Lyta

 

[Lyta]

So your papers say you are utterly useless?

Lyta made no effort to hide her wince. They were not the exact words he had used but it was easy enough to read between the glaring spaces in between and the sour expression on his face. It looked as though he had swallowed one of those bitter sour candies elderly relatives enjoyed handing out at the Harvest Moon feast but did not want to hurt their feelings by spitting it back out. Perhaps she should have gone to someone like Konstantin to teach her; it would have been far below him but their relationship was more of that between a father and a daughter. He might not have looked at her like... well, like Mikko was now.

She made herself relax her arms and clasp her hands behind her back instead.

"Not unless you count the various times my brother decided a sister would have to do for his wrestling games as children," her eyes briefly drifted to the other Vanguard member sitting on the benches before snapping back to her would-be instructor. "I'm a good climber, and I follow the fitness programmes Sir Brom has set out, but the nature of the Dreamstone... Well, it is not the most physical of runestones. I've never really had a need to learn before."

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

He nodded along to her as she spoke, now pacing as he thought on a plan to get Lyta to a requirement the Somners have asked the Vanguard to achieve. His own cousin's health suffered, but she was able to make it work and remain with the Vanguard... doing the paper work and administration not many were keen to tend to.

"Learning even one simple thing could save your life. I will not ask of you to wield a shield and sword, but... I think you will enjoy working with something smaller and less physically demanding." His cousin was scarily nimble with her knives, often causing the rest of the Cendrillons at the dinner table to keep a wary eye on her and a steak knife.

"Now, I think you would work with a small dagger quite well. No need to have strength to use one, you can just use the weight of the other advancing to really do harm."

"You could give old Brom a scare once you get the hang of it." Came the helpful input from Eryx.

Mikko grimaced, striding over to the table that housed different weaponry. They were blunt, unable to pierce the light armour the Vanguard wore during physical training. "What do you think, Lady Lyta? Worth a try?"

 

[Lyta]

The thought of Brom being scared by anything Lyta could do was tempting...

Lyta caught the grimace on Mikko's face and quietly managed her expectations. Her tutor clearly did not think she would be capable of scaring an older veteran like Brom, which probably meant she would be unlikely to scare an attacker too. The idea was to buy herself enough time to escape and go for aid. That was the sensible approach for someone in her position but... for some reason the grimaces made her want to prove him wrong. She could throw a knife. Couldn't she?

The Lady trailed after him to the table to examine the various weapons. She looked first at the knives that he suggested; they would be easy to conceal among her person and even in a dress she should be able to use them. But then her eye was drawn to the other variants on the table. She recognised the sword - that was what her brother preferred - and she could recognise the bow of course - her father used such for hunting - but there were others...

"What is that?" she asked, pointing to the quarterstaff.

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

"That... can be an idea." He knew immediately that Kaira would have something to say to him for assuming Lyta would only be adept at daggers if she caught wind, but Mikko lifted the staff and presented it to Lyta. "Eryx, fetch the other." Maybe Lyta would prove herself useful yet.

"The quarterstaff... might get you exhausted a little quicker but it is easy to learn. We may have to work in more training on building muscle... but I do not see why not." Mikko getured for her to take the centre of the arena, following closely behind just as Eryx showed up with another staff that he threw in Mikko's direction. With ease, he caught it and held it with both hands as he stood opposite from the Lady.

"This is only the first session, Lady Lyta. You need a break, you say so. Overwhelmed? Let us know. The worst thing right now is to overwork you... and I will hate for the higher ups and the Somners to come breath at my neck if you injure yourself." It was a kindness not offered to those that signed up for the Vanguard. His own father had trained him to work past the blisters as soon as he was the age able to hold a weapon, but he saw it himself when watching the new recruits train hard in the goal to protect Valenntenia and her secrets.

There were standards even he was still reaching, half-assing his way as a Vangaurd appointed to a Guardian. He knew if things were not so weird for him that he was appointed to someone below him in rank when she was in the Vanguard, or the fact they used to court... perhaps he would be better at his job.

And so, there he stood, training the other Guardians as a sort of punishment if one were to assume that of his father and grandfather.

"We are going to learn four basic steps to parry. Ready?"

 

[Lyta]

Then perhaps I should be telling you to stop now, tiredness ate away at her even now having only awoken a few hours ago. If she had been at home she might have retired for a nap to restore some of her energy to help her through the rest of the day. Dorian's death proved that she could no longer be such a liability. She had to learn to fight the fatigue and the damage to her body the stone wrought in order to protect it - to protect Valenntenia. So Lyta just gave the soldier a tight lipped smile and a brisk nod.

The stick - or quarterstaff as her instructor called it - was heavier than she anticipated. Lyta weighed it up in her hands regretting the decision to be bullish and not just stick to the daggers. She'd made her bed however so she stepped up into the middle of the training sands and awkwardly held it out in front of her. Even to her own eyes it looked pathetic so, grimacing, she attempted to copy his stance, spreading her feet further apart and not tucking her elbows in to her sides. Well... it still looked ridiculous but at least now she did not feel as though she would be pushed over so easily.

"Are you.. going to hit me or do I just... copy?"

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

Her question brought a genuine grin to his face, warming his presence tenfold as he showed her the position to start with. "Counter me. Your goal is to keep me at a distance as I advance. Each parry, you are to take a step back." He shrugged, the grin now settling into a small smile. "Think of it as dancing. Each step takes a new position."

Mikko's own mother gave him such advice, even offering to help train him when he was just a boy and she was on the cusp of her health declining.

He knew of Lyta's condition that came with her Stone, and was mindful. His mother too suffered early exhaustion, yet her illness kept her alive just barely, bedridden or carted around in a mobile chair. If learning this weapon became too taxing on Lyta's health, he was not afraid to steer her back to the daggers. His goal was to at least equip the Guardians a way of staying alive that little bit longer.

"First position, I want you to mirror me. Keep it tipping forward at the top, and the bottom should cross just in front of your thigh. I won't advance just yet. Not until you can recall these four positions well. Deal?"

 

[Lyta]

The grin was somehow worse than the grimace. This was a man who enjoyed what he did - fighting - and was good at it from the assured way he held his own quarterstaff. Which meant Lyta was likely about to get several bruises and maybe even a broken bone. She tried not to look as terrified as she felt. Taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart she nodded in dogged determination to his instructions. Defend. She could do that. Copy, step back, copy.

That sounded easy enough.

"That is very noble of you, thank you Sir," Lyta nodded in agreement. With the pressure of an impending attack taken off her shoulders she found herself making the first position with only a few minor errors. The second one she found easier but the third hardest. The fourth had her scrunching up her nose in concentration.

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

"Please... call me Mikko." Sir was what he likened to his father or grandfather. Perhaps even his elder brother. It felt strange for him, lifting his smile that much wider now as he continued the session and showed her the four positions.

They repeated this over a dozen times, and he saw the improvements she made in order to compensate. To give her a momentary rest, Eryx stepped in to parry with Mikko with the use of his longsword, taking the position of being on the offense and Mikko putting into practice the four defensive positions to keep Eryx at a distance.

"Well, what do you say, Lady Lyta? Fancy giving a shot to my advances? No need to change the steps..." He rolled his shoulders forward before twisting his torso from side to side to loosen up again. Of course, Cendrillon was used to a faster pace, but Lyta's drive was commendable. She certainly was not an unpleasant student, and maybe a little pride was harboured in him as he witnessed her improvements.

 

[Lyta]

A soft sheen already coated Lyta's skin. She had taken the brief recess as Mikko and his associate displayed how the simply movements she was learning were actually used in a fight. It was not as easy as just repeating the four movements. A good soldier needed to know which of the four was necessary to counter a certain strike. Position one would be of no help to a strike coming down for her head - that was better dealt with position number three, but then position number three would leave her lower half completely vulnerable and she would need to learn to be able to quickly move into position two to block any attacks to her knees or hip.

It was nothing like a dance, Lyta thought to herself glumly. It had the same elegancy and finesse to a certain extent but a dance you could learn and trust your partner to do the steps you knew. That was how they worked. This was... This was something alive.

"Very well," Lyta nodded and ignored the protests of her body as she stepped back into the first position and raised her staff once more. Once she was sure of herself she nodded for him to begin. The first few strikes were slow enough for Lyta to work out which position she needed to answer with, building her confidence. The next series were a little quicker though over exaggerated, teaching her what signs to look for. It was the third series of movements where Lyta felt like he actually tried to hit her and, of course, where it went utterly wrong.

As he swung in for a strike to her hip Lyta tripped and her staff went slamming forward right towards gut.

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

The way Lyta powered through each new bit of training astounded Mikko, the show of pride visible in his smile. They repeated it once more, her moves improving immensely than what she started with not too long ago. The third repetition was where Mikko regretted not donning a full set of light armour.

Lyta's trip was small, but enough for her to panic and send her staff towards his gut and winding him altogether. He was made of muscle, but that was an even more useless defense to the end of a quarterstaff. Mik fell to his knees and wheezed, doubling over and wincing as the feeling alienated him. Eryx hid his snickers behind his fist, unsuccessful in his efforts to stifle his glee at such a sight.

"Let's go again." Mikko slowly got up, still grimacing as he rubbed his stomach with one hand. "I'm fine." The half lie was accompanied with a smile, so forced through that god awful pain that slowly lingered.

The Cendrillon male took hold of the staff once again, attempting the same swing to get her a chance to notice it before deflecting. Maybe next time they will train somewhere with softer ground... dirt and dust was not at all a comfort to resort to.

 

[Lyta]

"Oh my gosh - I am so sorry!" Lyta cried and rushed forward. She would have dropped the stick if a tiny part of her did not worry he would use her defencelessness as a point to prove she should never be distracted. Her brother had done that quite enough as a child for the message to have sunk in. She drew up short before actually touching him however. Men could be a proud and stubborn sort and she doubted he wanted to be seen being helped to his feet by one of the weakest Guardians. Still, she hovered there fretting with worry in her eyes until he seemed able to breathe and stand again.

"I truly am sorry," the Dream Guardian murmured again and hesitantly raised the stick. There was a small, tiny part of her that was perhaps a little proud she had winded him enough that in those few seconds she might have got away. Yes, this stick was a good choice - who would have thought it?

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

"You are forgiven." At least she knew where to jab if all else fails. It was not even a harsh trip, no power behind the motion, but the shape the staff made was not gentle at his exposed torso.

"I have learned the lesson to wear my armour at our next session. If you succeed in wounding me gravely, you will be in a sorry state after training with Eryx here." And Mikko grinned widely hearing the protests that came from his comrade.

Mik slowly quickened the pace of his offensive advancements, his staff a lot more refined in their oncoming attack. He would let her grow accustomed to this before noting whether she improved or needing more work. Soon the feeling at his gut was forgotten, and they built a steady rhythm that rendered them quiet for a good minute to concentrate.

 

[Lyta]

Lyta's face flushed with embarrassment but she accepted the forgiveness with a gracious nod.

As they launched back into the training she tried not to let what had happened make her hesitate - not that Mikko gave her much choice in the matter. His attacks were quicker now and the extra flourishes made it harder to work out which type of defensive movement was best to use. Her hesitancy cost her a nasty bruise on the hip, upper thigh and one right across the wrist. The latter had especially hurt. The pain, she discovered quite quickly, only seemed to make her clumsier but not because of injuries sustained. No, it was because each hit made her want him to suffer a wrap of her staff instead.

She tried to move quicker to get an edge but no matter what she tried he was there ready for her. After her next rap across the back she held the staff up in defeat.

"I-I need... a... break," she panted. Indeed her skin was slick with sweat and her legs seemed to tremble with the effort of standing.

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

As soon as the words were spoken, Mikko withdrew his staff quickly and stepped aside. "I am impressed, Lyta." Truly, he was. He had at first handled her like she could break, but she still had that well of strength within her despite the side effects that came with her Runestone.

Eryx approached now, grinning widely as he offered a freshly poured cup of water to the Guardian. "An excellent credit to you and Brom's teachings, Lady Lyta."

"Come, take a seat." Perhaps she was beginning to tire, but he could not know for sure. Offering to let her rest and cool down was a polite thing to do after he kept her working. She actually reminded him of Kaira when she first started, unprepared to fight anything despite the lineage of warriors the Yehvans produced. There was something beautiful to witness something pretty turn into hardened strength and flourish against all odds, and Lyta just did that.

"Now, it is up to you. Shall we call it there? It has been... a little over an hour." There was sweat collecting at his dark brows, wiped away with the back of his hand as he took both staffs and laid them back on the display table. "Whatever schedule you wish to keep up for training, if you choose to continue at all, I will be happy to assist you."

 

[Lyta]

"Thank you," Lyta murmured gratefully as she took the cup and downed it in three long gulps that would have had her mother tutting at her. Ladies sip, not slurp like an animal Lyta, her mother reprimanded her in the back of her mind. She was so thirsty however that she did not heed it, though when she was finished with her first cup and Eryx offered to refill it, she at least had the courtesy to look embarrassed. Whilst he was doing that she limped after Mikko as he headed towards the benches. The staff, it turned out, was just as useful as a crutch and she leaned on it heavily to keep herself upright. The shaking in her legs seemed to grow worse with every step and she barely made it to the wooden seats before she collapsed into it with a relieved sigh.

When her head rolled back it looked as though she might very well fall asleep right there and then.

"I... I think I am done for today," Lyta admitted after a brief hesitation. She wanted to continue, she realised with a jolt. There was something rather satisfying she would admit at the idea that if someone did attempt to hurt her she would at least not make it easy for them. With visible effort she forced herself to sit up properly. "Could I come back? The day after tomorrow perhaps?" tomorrow, she knew, she would be laid out all day from what she had pushed her body to do today. Yet she did not have the time to give herself longer than that day. If she wanted to ever leave this city again she would need to convince her family and Solomon she could take care of herself.

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

The fact Lyta had asked to return so soon made Mikko grin as widely as his mouth could stretch, dropping his gaze as genuine happiness filled him. His first training session was a success! Even if Lyta turned out to be the only Guardian to take up the Vanguard's offer, he was happy to have watched what many believed to be the weakest of the Guardians improve before his eyes.

"Anything to get me out of sentry duty earlier." Reeling in the smile, he met the Guardian's gaze with warmth. "I must say you impressed me this morning, Lady Lyta."

"Hear, hear! And you even landed a blow on him!" Eryx chuckled, not so gently prodding the area where Lyta had jabbed him unintentionally, causing Cendrillon to grimace at the bruising. "I cannot wait tell the others." Mikko knew he would first inform Malik, Mikko's twin brother.

"Thank you, for trusting me. Also for proving to me you are capable of more than knives." Something his mother would no doubt chastise him for assuming of Lyta's capabilities.

 

[Lyta]

Lyta still could not work out whether that smile spelt good things or bad things for her future. From the aches in her body she was inclined to believe the latter. Still, when Eryx chimed in with his jokes she found herself returning their grins and believing - at least a small part of her - that they really were proud of what she had done today. She could only imagine Brom would have a list of notes from wherever the old brute was watching. He had refused to be her tutor himself but he would not be able to help himself from watching and offering his own opinions. As always.

"I am glad I was not as disappointing as you thought I would be," Lyta smiled and rubbed at her calf muscles. "It felt... it felt good, knowing that I might at least get to the point I would be a bother for somebody to attack."

 

[Mikko Cendrillon]

Mikko clicked his fingers and picked up the staff she had used. Twirling it around before stopping it at a horizontal position, he offered it to her. "Get yourself used to it in the days you are resting. I bet your hands and fingers will be sore after today's work, but you will experience that for a good while before your muscles strengthen enough to accommodate to working for longer." That did not mean he would go easy on her in their next session either.

"If your hands hurt too much... go see Kaira. Her mother taught her how to make some decent healing balms that do wonders." Growing up he had her mother rub salve over his bruises or his gashes and they always came away nicely after a few days. He was always thankful to have that kindness while his mother began to feel the effects of her illness.

"Other than that... I look forward to our next session."

"Do not forget your armour, Mik."

Mikko chuckled, "Soon enough, Lady Lyta will be wearing her own."

This first session had put himself in a great mood, keen to see what else the day brought and which Guardian would come by next to seek some guidance from the Vanguard.