#rivervale_lodge

He stops.

Without speaking, she turns to stand next to him, and she gestures with her own blade, nodding for him to copy her.

He copies her stance.

A thrust, tip first, not blade first.

He copies, and not badly.

She repeats.

And directs an eyebrow at him.

He tries again, gets a little better. He is focused on the work.

To his credit, this must be how he got varsity.

A nod. Another repeat, with an additional element.

He copies, badly.... then tries again, correcting himself.

She nods. Then she goes through it as a slow four-step pattern, counting off 1-2-3-4 with the fingers of her off hand.

He follows.... clumsily at first, slowly. Learning.

She repeats it again, in rhythm, until he seems to be getting it.

And.... he does. Remember it, like muscle memory? No. But he gets it.

It is certainly a pattern that emphasizes tip instead of edge of blade. A few more repeats, and then she stops him and moves to face him. She counts off on her fingers a rhythm, 1-2-3-4, slowly, then in the same rhythm aims a slow thrust at him, one that can be parried by the first move of the sequence.

He whacks that away!

Does he follow with the next move in the pattern?

No....

She steps back and gives him a firm LOOK. Then she counts off again, slowly, 1...2...3...4... And starts again.

The boy looks almost taken aback..... it takes him a moment, but he regroups, nods, and follows the numbers.

If he does the moves properly, they will successfully parry and return each of her moves.

It is SLOW... but he does learn.

She doesn't seem bothered by slow. She maintains the pattern in a steady, slow rhythm for several repetitions.

He follows her lead, slow and steady.

...and slowly, as soon as he seems a little steadier...she begins increasing the pace.

He follows. It's like bball practice. Routines, skills, building......

It's a good thing he's familiar with drills. She continues the pattern until they're up to about 3/4 speed. Then she stops and steps back.

He's sweating in the cold, but eager. A few more moves, then...."What? I mean..... "

A hand up, and she moves to stand next to him again...and starts teaching a new pattern.

It takes him a minute to adjust his focus.... but he does, and copies her.

Several repeats, then establishing the count...and then she faces him and starts the slow practice.

The boggan watches from nearby, not wanting to intrude.

Her wings spread a bit with curiosity

Adam, totally focused, counts to four and faces the Chieftain with his practice blade, beating out the pattern.

The same slow rhythm...multiple repetitions...gradual increase of speed....

Lucia reads the relationship, as much as she reads the sword play.. no, more. Boggan's can't help it

Adam follows as he's shown.

After a few repeats, Brekke steps back, then steps in again, and resumes the first pattern slowly, and does the second pattern as a continuation.

It takes a minute, but he gets it and follows... getting better!

It's a longer sequence, but it does seem to flow.

Oh very interesting!

By the end of five repetitions, Adam should be sweating and breathing hard. Brekke...is not.

Adam totally is...

She steps back. "Enough. Good. Drink." She nods to the jug of water and cups she put near the ring before they began.

"If I might say now that it's over, that was very impressive" Lucia speaks up

Adam goes to drink, then pulls up. "Uh."

Brekke looks over at the voice, then nods. "Hello, Lucia. Yes, he did well."

"Begging your pardon, Chief. I didn't know the practice yard would be in use"

She is armed herself