closed.

[tender]

WHO: Vanadi + Derrica
WHAT: knife lessons
WHEN: post abomination, early august
WHERE: the gallows
NOTES: n/a

Knife tricks are not handy anywhere but in a tavern.

Derrica knew this even before her discussion with Vanadi, before they stepped into the ring in the training yard. The pirates she sailed with taught her where to aim for with a knife, where was best to drive a blade in to incapacitate a man long enough to get clear when she couldn't bring lightening down on top of him. The holds of ships aren't made for big, showy magic like that.

Vanadi has a few inches on her. She's left her stave laid carefully across a bench at the edge of the training yard, easily seen out of the corner of her eye, and suppresses the nervous urge to flip the dagger through her fingers.

"Where did you begin, when you were learning?" she asks, prompting a little as she watches him square up alongside her.

Comments

[highborn]

A good answer. Vanadi nods, falls into the same stance, and invites her in with a quick toss of his head.

It's slower now, more deliberate -- and it comes with spoken instruction this time. He points out the angle of hand on wrist, the shift of the weight, the pull. This time it's less of a throw and more of being made to stumble after her own limbs, and there's a good chance Derrica can save herself from the outright fall at the end.

Thoughtfully, at the end, Vanadi adds, "This would be considerably easier with mats. I don't expect there's much of that around here, though."

[tender]

"There's hay," says Derrica, good-natured for someone with a whole new set of bruises. She's pleased with the instruction, but more so with the fact that Vanadi passed it along to her, spent so much of his time to impart all of this in the wake of the upheaval and terror of the abomination. She stretches, grimacing a little, before extending a hand to him.

"If you like, I can show you a good tavern and buy you a meal in repayment."

Good is a little bit subjective, but.

[highborn]

He eyes that hand thoughtfully, as if tempted, but his eyes flick back up to hers again with no move made to take it.

"Hmm." A tiny smile quirks his lips. "I hope you mean eventually. Why, you've not even thrown me yet, and I'm certain to be the easiest target you'll ever have a chance for."

Not that he's eager to meet the ground today, he never is, but he'd like to make sure his impromptu pupil has at least picked up a thing or two.