AelKennyr Rhiano
Today he parried the thrusts. Today he ducked and whirled, and he heard the sword sing in his hands like a savage thing. Today he walked out of the practice arena a litte less battered and bruised for the time spent, learning the way of the blade from a grim faced, silent male Drow. There were no words exchanged between them. There never are. The male makes plain the lessons through grunts and gestures and by feints and blows he rains down upon the elf, when Nimros was too awkward or slow. Rapidly over the passage of weeks, as Nimros followed the male out to the arena and hefted the heavy practice sword, the young elf collected bruises, cracked ribs, cuts, but he also grew in strength and stamina. And he learned to watch the male Drow, to mimic how he moved, how he handled his sword.
Oh, yes, Nimros was learning. That first day, he did return to his room to find the tome missing, as he suspected would happen. Time and time again, when he was alone, he would pull out the pages he had torn from the book and poured over the words. He watched, carefully the male drow's face for the slightest twitch of lips, glint of eye, the barest of expression, and over time, the young elf came to realize that there was nothing in the male drow but disdain for his student and distaste for his task. He noted how the hallways leading to the practice arena was always empty, both going and coming, yet he suspected that there was a great population here. The size of the practice areas, the array of weapons...those things and more told the Telerin that he right in his assessment.
She is keeping things from me, he would think walking to practice. She is keeping things from me, he would think again, walking back. And as he waited the long hours between her departure in the "morning" and her return in the evening, the thought is there. She is keeping things from me.
He refolded the paper and tucked it away. He knew the words by heart. It was time, he decided, that she reveal all that she has hidden from him. It is time he walked among her people and gain acceptance into their company. It was time she taught him the ways of the Drow, time he had a place at her side. Time he came into his own.
Yes, he thought, as he settled into wait for her. He would show her tonight, he was ready to take his palce in her world. She WOULD do as he wished. He would make her see.
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Oh, yes, Nimros was learning. That first day, he did return to his room to find the tome missing, as he suspected would happen. Time and time again, when he was alone, he would pull out the pages he had torn from the book and poured over the words. He watched, carefully the male drow's face for the slightest twitch of lips, glint of eye, the barest of expression, and over time, the young elf came to realize that there was nothing in the male drow but disdain for his student and distaste for his task. He noted how the hallways leading to the practice arena was always empty, both going and coming, yet he suspected that there was a great population here. The size of the practice areas, the array of weapons...those things and more told the Telerin that he right in his assessment.
She is keeping things from me, he would think walking to practice. She is keeping things from me, he would think again, walking back. And as he waited the long hours between her departure in the "morning" and her return in the evening, the thought is there. She is keeping things from me.
He refolded the paper and tucked it away. He knew the words by heart. It was time, he decided, that she reveal all that she has hidden from him. It is time he walked among her people and gain acceptance into their company. It was time she taught him the ways of the Drow, time he had a place at her side. Time he came into his own.
Yes, he thought, as he settled into wait for her. He would show her tonight, he was ready to take his palce in her world. She WOULD do as he wished. He would make her see.
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