Jack shifted, leaning against the side of the wagon, one leg up, one leg over the back, looking at us. His tone was serious when he said, “Tonight, we’re sparring. You’re going to remind me how good you are with a sword before we go into a war zone.”
“War zone?” Dove said, confused and frightened.
I glared at Jack and hushed her. “I’ll tell you everything later, rest for now.”
Luckily, she did. It was a testament to all she’d been through how easily she was quelled. But Jack wasn’t wrong. I’d never been in a full-out fight. I’d fought the mistweaver but not a large-scale battle. I’d never been amidst the chaos of war. I nodded to him, and he nodded back. I’d need to be well prepared for what was to come.
And that evening, when Jack and I began to spar, I was surprised that Dove wished to practice as well. Luckily, one of the trunks with us was a chest full of weapons of all sorts. Jack selected twin dueling blades, I took a rapier and parrying dagger, and Dove took a longsword, one with a long grip, enough for two hands. We thought we’d be doing two on one against Jack, until Maverick stepped in as well. He joined with his thick-bladed arming sword and a large shield. He proposed a different “game.” Each of us would attack one person while defending from another. All it took was a tap from the flat of the blade and that participant was out. I had Maverick attacking me while I tried to attack Jack. Dove had Jack attacking while trying to hit Maverick.
I quickly realized my little parrying dagger wouldn’t be much use against that heavy arming sword Maverick wielded. So… I threw it at him, offhand and awkward. He blocked with his shield, though that left Dove an opening. She, however, was preoccupied simply defending against the onslaught of two smaller but no-less-deadly swords from Jack.
So… I changed the rules.
The best defense is a good offence, right?
Exactly,Auwei agreed.
So, I left off trying to attack Jack and attacked Maverick. “Smart girl,” he said with a grin as he caught on.
I was quicker than Maverick, but not by much; his years of experience made him frighteningly quick with that massive blade of his. And with Dove not attacking — doing everything she could to defend against Jack — he could also defend with his shield. I was surprised when I landed a tap on his calf. Though even more surprised to feel a tap on my back. I spun to see Jack grinning and Dove grimacing and shaking her head.
“You left yourself open,” Jack said. “You didn’t think I’d attack, even though that’s what you were doing yourself.” He glanced at Dove. “Your sister is good, but once I didn’t have to worry about you attacking, I quickly overwhelmed her with two blades, and then I could turn my attention to you.”
I sighed. I’d won and lost.
“Worse,” Maverick added in. “Your strike to me would most likely have been debilitating, but not fatal. But Jack’s strike to you would have been fatal. You sacrificed your life for a minor wound upon a foe.”
I nodded, seeing it all now. “I need two weapons,” I said looking at my empty left hand. “Or a shield. That parrying dagger is good against some weapons, but against anything heavy, it’s useless.”
“Agreed,” Jack said. “I use it fighting pirates with cutlasses and sabers, but against a hardened warrior with an arming sword or halberd…” He shook his head. “He looked at his twin rapiers. “Even with these I need to get out of the way often enough. I trust to the longer reach I have with these when fighting someone with a heavier weapon, unless it’s a polearm or claymore.”
“Then what would you do?”
Jack grinned. “Leave fighting them to Ant or Maverick and move on to someone else.”
Maverick glared at him, clearing his throat. A clear indication that that hadn’t been the right answer.
“I’d do my best,” Jack said, amending his answer. “Try to get in close, where their larger two-handed weapon isn’t as useful.”
Maverick nodded to that.
I had practiced mostly with the rapier, a little longsword and some staff work with Ant. I was curious. “What weapon am I the best with, when I spar with you?” I asked Jack.
He tilted his head and smiled. “I’m glad you finally asked that.”
Yeah, I couldn’t believe it had taken me that long to ask either.What do you think I’m best with?I asked Auwei.
“The staff,” Jack said after a moment of thought.
The staff, Auwei confirmed.
And for a moment I had the two of them talking at me in unison:
“You’re also exceptionally strong with your hand-fighting skills, your kicks being your strongest attack.”
I think perhaps you are just a little afraid of bladed weapons.
“The staff can be used to augment those attacks, used to propel a kick farther, stronger.”
