”Parry, parry... dodge! Now counter-parry... no, higher! Okay, let's have a break now.”
Hellrien set the tip of her sword against the dais, panting and sweating heavily under the awkward helmet. Burwod's tutoring style might have been more agreeable than Ranesora's, but that didn't mean he let Hellrien off any easier when it came to training. After all, as he liked to point out, her life might some day depend on it.
”Time for a theory lesson of the day”, Burwod said. ”Remember what I taught you the day you encountered the giant?”
”Don't...” Hellrien huffed, ”attack before you know what you're up against?”
”Nice. The idea is simple, yet hard to execute. For example that giant. How would you disable him?”
Hellrien stretched up, catching her breath. ”Stay out of reach. Wear him down.”
”I asked you how to disable him, not how you would beat him.”
Hellrien lifted her hand to scratch her head, only to poke her fingers at the cold, hard metal of the helmet. She had no idea of the difference between 'beating' and 'disabling'. ”Uhh... with poison?”
Burwod shook his head, looking displeased with Hellrien's response. ”No way. You don't attack a big foe like that like you're attacking a brigand or an orc. You must take it down to your level. Blind it. Go for the throat. Cut it's tendon if you can.”
”Now there's a nice idea, I didn't even think of that!” Hellrien interjected.
”Or you can take advantage of your environment. For example...”
”Hello to the both of you”, an old, authoritative voice interrupted them. An old man had appeared on the dais behind Burwod, a squire following on his heels. Burwod turned around.
”G-grandfather...”
”Burwod, how are you? The atmosphere in the stronghold has been quite heated today”, the old man chuckled.
”I'm fine. All are not here yet.”
”Jorgon and Ranesora are. They have been arguing the whole day. Let's get inside.”
They walked over to the courtyard. Hellrien spotted two figures standing in the courtyard - a taller and a shorter shape. As they came closer, Hellrien recognized the taller one. It was Aaverie, the Beorning woman of the Lone-Lands. The short one was a hobbit, restlessly fidgeting on his bare feet.
”Well met, Aaverie”, Burwod said in a friendly voice. ”Hellrien here has told me about you. I am Burwod Ordthrain.”
”And I am Ordmir Ordthrain, at your service in friendship, Lady of the Wild.”
Aaverie gazed a long look at them all. The hobbit waved at everyone and bounced about, full of restless, nervous energy. Hellrien felt like smiling.
”I see”, Aaverie said, sounding reserved. ”Why was I summoned here?”
”I'm not sure”, said Burwod. ”Ranesora has summoned everyone here.”
”Another summons from the old man? If it's nothing serious, I'm leaving.”
Burwod briefly related all that had happened in Archet to Aaverie and the hobbit he called 'Fidgit'. Hellrien thought the name fitting for the hyperactive hobbit, and wondered if it was a given name or a nickname. Aaverie looked satisfied when she heard about Ranesora's misfortune.
”I wish I could have been there to see it myself”, she said. ”I would have been tempted to put an arrow in him too...”
”If you stay for training, you might get your chance”, Burwod said.
”What, are you going to make a training dummy out of Rane?” Hellrien japed, tongue in cheek.
Burwod harrumphed and shook his head impatiently. ”Let's get inside.”
