Sword of Light (Lady Kay)

[WolfMortum]

Heading downstairs felt like a chore, one of those things that you didn't want to do yet you knew you had to. There were certain obligations that kept Veiere reluctant from telling her not to mention the possibility of embarrassing himself and potentially ruining the relationship they held already; he felt like a youngling again some days when he thought to much into his feelings. It had been a great many years since he had pursued any sort of romantic interest, not since he was senior Padawan back on Svivren. At the time the lectures from the Masters seemed to be so crucial, so necessary to distance ones self from their feelings, see straight and clear without the haste of ones heart and the desire for anything outside of the oath that they had given. Nowadays, thinking back on how things had gone then, it wasn't difficult to see why some disagreed with the teachings of the Jedi Order and thought them to be extreme in their expectations...

...Still, the fact was that the feelings were very much there and Veiere was his own man now, with his own pursuits and interests to prioritize. Being with [member="Lady Kay"] was one such priority; She had been there through his leave of Exile when everything else seemed to amount to failings. She had comforted and encouraged him after mimban where the shroud of darkness and death had stained his aura and soured his mind and now here on Commoner, without her help, his life would be looking very different.

Finding the center of the living room however, Veiere lowered himself to the wooden floor, crossing his legs and pulling his robe around him to keep the nights edge at bay. Meditation was and would always be an exercise that he would continue to practice throughout his life. If the Order had taught him anything it was that clarity and communication through the force was vital in finding peace in ones self. It was in these moments where his consciousness would thin and his body and mind be opened to the flow of life that ran through all things living in the world, that he could be himself and acknowledge his feelings, his concerns and try to find answers to them. The Galaxy had become a vastly different place, powers rose and fell as easily as life was given and taken sometimes. It left a lot to be concerned about when considering Commoner's interests and knowing that Kay would be the one to drive those interests forward and protect them. She was the pillar in which Commoner would lean on, and while he continued to breath, he would be hers. Regardless of whether or not he would be able to express how he felt about her.

The hours of the night would pass comfortably, time being a sentient constraint and in his meditation, something that could be forgotten about until he would once more feel the warmth of the sun on his back and listen to the sounds of the wild-life awakening within the surrounding forest once again.

 

[Kay-Larr]

It was the light of dawn that woke Kay up, as always. For her, that was sleeping in. To be up before dawn was early. She yawned and stretched out all of her muscles. It was a dreamless sleep, thankfully. Her mind was active enough while she was awake. To have it working on overdrive while she was sleeping would be too much. She slipped out of bed, got dressed and then made the bed. Kay couldn't be a messy guest afterall.

A few minutes later she headed downstairs, some of the steps creaking while she walked on them. She wasn't aware of it last night, but now that it was really quiet, she did notice it. Smart. Leaves less of a chance of someone sneaking, unheard. Kay kept her footing light, however, so that if [member="Veiere Arenais"] was sleeping, she wouldn't wake him while she made her way into the kitchen.

Tea of course was the first matter of business. So without further ado, she put a kettle on and began preparing the Sapir tea leaves in the cups. Kay wondered what lessons today would bring while she listened to the animals that greeted the dawn like she did. At least it was a nice day outside. Good practicing weather.

 

[WolfMortum]

Everything was serene, calm and peaceful. The Force flowed to him as if it were riding the currents of a placid maelstrom and he were its center; his body and his mind taking it all in and revitalizing his consciousness, awakening slowly from his trance to look ahead of himself taking a moment to acknowledge the quiet footsteps of [member="Lady Kay"] within the nearby Kitchen, his lips curling in a faint smile remembering that he still had her company in the morning. It was something that he could get used to. "Good morning.." He said, entering the Kitchen to see that she had already made the tea and smiling widely he looked to her admiringly; "You are too good to me" He chuckled softly, reaching for his cup and moving to the nearby table that they'd been seated at the previous night discussing the future of their own and Commoner's.

Placing his personal datapad to the table beside his drink, he spared the device a glance in consideration of what they would be doing for the day; yet he refrained from mentioning it straight off the bat, instead wanting to enjoy the first moments of the morning with her rather than jumping straight into their training together. "How did you sleep?" he asked instead, wondering if his bed wasn't to uncomfortable for her given the things she were likely accustomed to within the presidential palace these days. Despite her reassuring him that she had slept in worse places, it didn't stop him from wanting better for her. "I'll make sure things are better set up in the future...".

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled softly as [member="Veiere Arenais"] came in, giving a light shrug of her shoulders as if it was all nothing. "It's just a little something that I do." And then she laughed a bit as she brought her cup to her lips and had that welcoming first sip of her morning tea. It was a nice distraction from that warm and inviting look that he gave her. Still she wasn't quite sure of whether or not the feeling was mutual. Deep down she knew, but the irrational part of her told her that maybe it was all in her head. So she didn't want to make things uncomfortable between them, especially when she didn't want to give him an excuse to distance himself from her. And then of course there was always that fear that she could lose him as she did her late husband.

Hopefully not.

Kay sat down at the table in the same spot as yesterday, cradling her cup in both if her hands as she lay them on the top of the table. "I slept rather well, thank you. No dreams, no interruptions. Just peace and quiet. How about you, Veiere? How did you sleep?" She imagined him all curled up on the floor, using his arm as a pillow. Or maybe lounging on a chair somewhere. He certainly didn't snore. Kay wondered though if she did...

 

[WolfMortum]

"I suppose you could say that I slept, in a sense" He smiled some more, "I spent much of the night within meditation, it's during these times where I can commune with the Force in it's strongest connection. It also meant that I could keep tabs on anyone nearing the manor, best if I were alert to all the movements in the area". He didn't mention the fact that he spent much of his time arguing with himself silently within over whether his feelings for her were going to lead him to a bad space or not. He'd not come up with a conclusion in the end and yet with all the frustration of questioning it all, he started to doubt and even detest the fact that it felt as if he had no self-control over his own lifestyle and the things that he wished for. Many would have laughed at him in great and humored disgust for his old school sense of integrity; 'there's a beautiful woman in your bed and you're sitting on the floorboards meditating like a monk' he assumed would be the sort of things that they'd tell him yet he, above all else, believed himself to be a man of honor and a gentleman as far as women were certainly concerned. "Sometimes it is best that we learn to let go of the troubles of the mind, free ourselves from our worries for a time..." He added though he hadn't succeeded in doing so at all over the night, in truth. It was not that he was lying to her but more so the fact that he knew that's what he should've managed and yet hadn't been able to stop himself from second guessing the position he'd found himself in of late.

"In any case..." He spoke up once more, this time a little more enthusiastically as if to try to shake himself from his own train of thoughts to continue the conversation forward in a possible and more importantly, useful direction; "Do you have any desires for the day, things that you'd like to tend to before we begin our training together. Perhaps even an idea around what you wish to grow stronger in, which branch of abilities and the like. Swordplay aside of course, I will be leading you through some sessions there, regardless" He grinned fondly of her, soon raising his cup to his lips and taking a quiet sip, the tea a welcome addition to his morning.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wondered if meditation allowed for the kind of rest that the mind and body required to be refreshed for the day. She hoped that [member="Veiere Arenais"] would get the proper sleep needed. Afterall, she was the one that was supposed to lose sleep, not him. Her decisions, right or wrong, could either shapen or ruin Commenor.

At least he was keeping vigil. Yet a droid could do that as well, which could alert him of trespassers and give him time to sleep. Hmm. Just a few things for her to think about for him.

She sipped her tea, tilting her head to the side after Veiere asked her of what she would like to do first. Her stomach growled a little, as if it was answering his question for her. "I think that breakfast would be a good start. We can't train on an empty stomach afterall." And then she thought of what skills that she would like to learn besides swordplay. "I know a little about Force push. And given that I have had bounties before, been captured a few times, and am once again a priority target, I think that I should learn more of that skill so that I could manipulate the locks on the doors or the cuffs that bind me." Most don't know that she's a Force user, so she had that to her advantage. It was partly why she had kept such a secret.

 

[WolfMortum]

Breakfast...-Now there was a thought. Veiere turned to glance back towards the Kitchen thinking for a moment in great question just what he had stored in the cupboards; fruit and breads of a kind, not much else before [member="Lady Kay"] had come baring what looked like groceries the previous day. His brows lifted somewhat, though he offered something of a perplexed and almost embarrassed glance back to Kay in realization; "Truth be told this is probably the most time I've spent here lately in one sitting. The last few days working on the yard and now your visit but I hadn't given to much thought to stacking the shelves..." He chuckled, he couldn't have done much else. Between the work he was doing in Chasin City with her and then his own pursuits here which fell most of the time to an after-thought, he hadn't been prepared. Had the even eaten the previous evening? It'd slipped his mind entirely. "The next time you visit, I'll have this place sorted; I apologize" his right hand lifted to scratch the side of his neck in something of a nervous habit though soon left him as he stood from his seat and moved to the kitchen in order to see what was left available to them. To his surprise though not necessarily his relief, she had brought with her, quite a fair bit. The Cooler held a variety of meats and the cupboards an equal amount of various foods, some that Veiere wouldn't have thought to acquire. Spices and the like for cooking. "Teach a man the wonders of the Force and he can become a Jedi...-Teach a Jedi to learn a simple life and he becomes a fool" Veiere muttered to himself though admittedly there was some humor in his words to mask the shame.

"Perhaps we'll start with Breakfast then..." He turned to look back to her, silently hoping that she'd come to greet him and the prospective breakfast with a hint as to what she might prefer; "Any suggestions?".

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Well, I guess that I do keep you busy and away from home quite a bit. But I must admit that this is a pleasant place to escape to." Especially when they were there together. Kay smiled at his apology. If she was in his place, she would probably have done the same. The scratching on the back of his neck was a habit of hers as well when she was feeling a bit uncomfortable, and maybe a bit sheepish as well. "It's not the furnature or decor that makes a house a home, it's the company within it."

She got to her feet as he opened the cooler and approached. [member="Veiere Arenais"] was taller than she was, so she couldn't look over his shoulder. So Kay stood close beside him instead. "We could always have a simple porridge for breakfast, or if you'd like something a little more hearty and filling, we could cook up some eggs, slices of meat and toast up some bread. It all depends on how hungry you are." There were some people that didn't know how to cook well, but as she had told both him and Viktor during their lunch together, her tests had revealled that being a chef was the right vocation for her. Yet Kay had learned to cook a variety of things out of boredom when she was in her own exile after her husband was murdered, as well as out of necessity. Eating out was usually much more expensive.

 

[WolfMortum]

"If porridge is that slimy and gluggy slosh that some of you call breakfast, the sort of sandpaper soup that I'm thinking of, I think we're better off going the full nine yards" Veiere laughed aloud at the suggestion though the latter sounded wonderful in honesty; "eggs..-I see we have bacon thank the force; the quickest way to any mans heart is a breakfast with bacon..." He grinned widely, making a grab for each of the ingredients before turning and winking at [member="Lady Kay"] with something of an enthusiastic and dare she think it, cocky look that crossed his face as he moved to unload it all upon the bench. Moving soon after, he looked for a decent sized pan to fry it all up. "There should be in the lower cupboard on your left" he glanced back at her, looking down passed her thigh and pointing near to her side; "Bread's the easy bit, I'll leave that to you. If I can combat the Sith and survive, tackling the cooking shouldn't be too hard a task...-Right?" he chuckled softly there again to himself and turned back for the oven top to which he fired up one of the stoves and began to cook the eggs first; the bacon being added not to much longer afterwards.

As the pair cooked the meal, Veiere found the time to comment on what he wished to teach Kay a little later after their meal together. "There's two things I want to go over with you regarding the Saber arts. There will be more but for now I think it's best we look into Form Three, known as Soresu; it's a very defensive stance and one that will benefit you best I should think considering that you're more likely to come up against those wielding blasters than you might those wielding lightsabers", or he atleast begged the Force itself that she wouldn't face an Assassin skilled in the Dark Side for some time yet until he could properly educate her; "The other is the mind-state of Sokan, making the most of your environment around you. I will explain why when we get out there and begin. Telekinesis on the other hand is something I am most skilled at and will not be an issue at all to teach".

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay watched [member="Veiere Arenais"] with pure amusement. She had never seen him in such a bubbly mood before. It was very nice to see, and she couldn't help but laugh at his comments on her handling the bread while he tackled the rest. She couldn't help but quip up sarcastically, "Gee, I dunno...the bread...so much could go wrong with it. I mean it could be sliced too thin or too thick, or it could be under-toasted or burned. You sure that I can handle it?" She winked right back at him and then took the bread out, placing it on the bench. With Veiere at the stove, it gave her the space to slice the bread with the knife and not worry about getting knocked accidentally.

Occasionally she glanced over at him. Normally she would cook the bacon first as they took longer, but everyone had a different style in cooking. At least she learned of something that he loved. Bacon for breakfast. Not a hard thing to remember.

While she put the bread into the oven to toast, Kay listened to his ideas on what to teach her. Yes, blasterfire was the most that others would attack her with. And she was fortunate enough that any Sith Lord that came to her, always ended up having a discussion over tea. Hopefully that would always be the case. But more than likely, it wouldn't be.

"I am more of a defensive person, rather than an offence. I just don't like to hurt others, though I am well aware that there will be times when I have to."

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere couldn't help but let loose a hoarse laugh at [member="Lady Kay"]'s sarcastic bemusement; his head lowered as if to bury his amusement or hide it some whilst still concentrating on the job at hand yet he responded with a very amused tone, sparing a brief glance behind him "It's good to see that all your humor hasn't been stolen away by your new found job in Chasin City...-It does me good to see you enjoying yourself. Things lately have been rather tense, fast moving..." he stopped himself from acknowledging too much of the negative, Kay knew well enough without his reminding just how run off their feet they'd been lately. "...-Though you're right, focus on the task at hand. I would hate for you to burn yourself or force forbid, our breakfast" He chuckled softly, returning the sarcasm with a teasing smirk.

It wasn't before long that their breakfast would be ready and he'd begin serving it up, pinching the toast and soon placing the eggs atop of each piece, a couple pieces of bacon on the side and naturally, Kay's famous tea to go along with it, Veiere took both plates and stepped passed her to put it on the table where he expected she would seat herself. "Breakfast...-Arenais style...-Because everything else is too expensive" He joked, taking his seat and waiting for her to do the same before stabbing the top of the egg gently, running a knife across both it and the bread to separate a piece and try it. Looking to Kay, he paused a moment as if it might very well kill him due to some kind of poisoning; "Think it's safe? I'd hate to be responsible for the assassination of Commoner's new lady..." He grinned at her, "Ought to do my job I suppose...-What any body guard would do...". He took the first bite, an enjoyable and light-hearted start to their meal.

It was true, his mood was high. Unlike most days, this was a change, starting the day with company where as commonly he would've been on his own and left to his own devices.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay laughed at [member="Veiere Arenais"] while she followed him to the table, carrying fresh cups of tea that she had prepared while the bread was toasting. She sat down and readied herself to dig in with her knife and fork when Veiere hesitated. Fortunately that was all part of the joke as well and she sat there watching while she counted, "Five...four...three...two...one...Okay, you're still concious, still breathing, we're good." She grinned and cut through the toast and egg, eating the forkful that she put into her mouth. When the bite was swallowed, Kay smiled. "Well, we can add chef to your list of skills, Veiere. They say that the best chefs cook with their emotions. There's a lot of happiness on this plate." Or maybe she was reading too much into it. There's always that.

She averted her gaze to her plate while she cut up another piece to eat, slightly embarrassed that maybe she was overreaching a bit. It was a hard thing to just openly admit something when you had no idea what the response would be. It brought up the words from a song she used to know; 'Fear can stop your loving. Love can stop your fear'. That was just all too true right now. Maybe it was better to not say anything about it right now.

Kay sipped her tea and then started on the bacon,changing the subject and her thoughts to something else entirely. "The Elders would really like you. Maybe I could arrange for you to meet them, that is unless they haven't done so already?"

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere chuckled warmly at the remark about being a chef who cooked with his emotions, he turned to give her a sideways look with a half smirk and respond as easily as her words had been received, "It's the company that pleases me, not so much the breakfast though all in all I suppose it hasn't turned out quite so bad".

It was then that [member="Lady Kay"] mentioned or rather suggested that a meeting with the Elders of Commenor might be a pleasurable thing for the both of them. It was a curious thought and one that Veiere hadn't really considered with a lot of interest. They were the advisers of the world, the political and emotional support of the one who would lead Commenor into it's future true, though it hadn't been something that he had thought to do, at the time she had been instated, Veiere had been a mere body guard of a former senator, nothing in the way of the recognition that he received from those around Kay Larr these days. "Might that be something you'd like me to do?" He asked thoughtfully before taking another mouthful of his breakfast and glancing back outside a moment in wonder, unsure if it really would have anything of an impact on her business as Madame-President but likely more just a personal thought that she found promising; "I suppose it couldn't hurt..." He chuckled softly afterwards, so not to put her off of the idea thinking that she would prefer that it happen.

The breakfast was quaint and the time at the table sharing a meal together was enjoyable, he almost preferred to prolong the end of it when his plate was eventually empty and yet he knew that the training and exercises that they would begin to do, would be vital for her continued safety and thus he slowly moved to stand only once they were both finished, extending a hand in offer to take her plate before they move to the outdoors where the courtyard had been cleared for their use.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smiled a little and dipped her head, her cheeks turning a slight shade of red when [member="Veiere Arenais"] mentioned that her company pleased him. The feeling was mutual, however she wasn't quite sure how to say it just yet. She sipped her tea in an attempt to hide her faint blush to her cheeks and then ate more of her breakfast.

Veiere seemed a bit hesitant when she asked if he would like to meet the Elders. It wasn't as though he was going to meet her parents, though in a way it was both for professional and political reasons. "The Elders need someone that they can trust in case something happens to me. Though they have their own people and means of getting information in ways that I can't yet comprehend, you are closely connected to me, have no desire to take over the leadership, and that would be important to them." Hopefully though, certain crises would never go that far.

By now though, the meal was done. Veiere was the first to get to his feet. She handed him her plate and then finished her tea before she eventually stood from the table. "I'll wash after we finish our lesson." Kay stretched and then grabbed her newly constructed lightsaber on her way out to the courtyard. She wasn't sure if they were starting out with that today, but she brought it with her, just in case.

 

[WolfMortum]

"I'm not sure if they would like the fact that I am here less for Commenor's interests and more focused and here for yours, though they are one in the same at the end of the day, I am here because of you. That's not to say that I don't agree and admire what it is we are doing here, please don't misunderstand; the simple fact is that I've seen governments rise up and fall before. My first priority will always be you" Veiere turned to glance over his shoulder to her as they walked, meeting eye contact and offering only a genuine look of trust and affection for her before breaking the lock and turning his focus to the clearing around them, the cobblestones beneath their feet and the open beauty of the natural world and the force in all it's strength around them; "I will meet them if you would like that, but not for political reasons. I know it's difficult to forget sometimes but beyond all that we've been doing, I'm not a politician nor do I overly enjoy the role that surrounds that life. That's more your game of cards, I'm afraid" He smiled to assure he that the remark wasn't in jest or distaste, the simple truth in his preference towards all things political.

"As for where we begin today..." He moved to put some distance between them, turning a few feet away and facing her once more as most students often did when first initiating a sparring match, a competitive practice in which students would seek to best each other in the pursuit of mutual learnings. "You're not new to the workings and practices of the Force so we will begin with what you do know..." His right hand moved to his left side, detaching the lightsaber hilt from his belt buckle and lowering it to his side, his head soon dipping in a formal bow of etiquette and respect before standing upright once more and elaborating; "Show me all that you are able. Set your lightsaber to a lower frequency so that our blades do not injure one another and then hold nothing back. If I am to help you, I would first like to see your strengths and where you could improve".

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay followed along behind [member="Veiere Arenais"] while he spoke. He was here only because of her? Well she did hire him to be her bodyguard, so of course she would be his top priority. But then that look in his eyes as he held her gaze gave her pause. It had been over a decade since anyone had looked at her in such a way. She smiled a little and looked down to her feet as he turned his head. Maybe meeting the Elders soon wouldn't be such a good idea. It would probably be better if she just let him stick to the things that he liked. Afterall, she wanted him to be happy here, not to be miserable.

Veiere had stopped and turned, bowing his head as he gave her a little bit of instruction. And it was one that she wasn't entirely comfortable with. Kay bowed her head in return and then placed her thumb in it's designated spot, providing the pressure point needed before connecting with the Force just enough to push the internal ignition switch. She turned the dial near the top of the hilt, lowering the frequency of her blade as he wished. "I don't often attack first. Even on my missions. I was always defending myself and usually not against another lightsaber. So I just hope that I'm not too clumsy."

And with that she took a few steps forward rather quickly, so that Veiere's saber would be in reach. Holding her saber in both hands, she dropped the blade downwards and went for a diagonal strike upwards, going from her left knee and up towards his neck. It was probably a silly move, but she wasn't used to being the aggressor.

 

[WolfMortum]

It was interesting to note the stance that [member="Lady Kay"] was employing; a two handed grip upon the hilt of her lightsaber even as she moved to make the first strike, she lacked the strength that he did but it looked to him at-least initially that she was utilizing the form of Djem So. The form itself was an offensive form created to end a dual as quickly as possible; where as Veiere maintained his priority on using Soresu - a defensive form of lightsaber combat that relied upon maintaining stamina where as duels were concerned, so that the other might ware themselves out first before the practitioner would strike the final blow. This of course was theoretical for the time as Kay certainly wasn't someone that Veiere would wish to challenge in a true fight for fear of harming her.

A snap-hiss sparked the air as a stream of blue plasma ignited from his hilt held in his right hand, the brilliance of the light only echoed by the sound of it's ignition and continuous hum of the blade contained and controlled by the make and design of the weapon. He had noted her hesitation to go on the attack yet she hadn't questioned it and chose curiously as to her first placed strike. Veiere watched as her sword lowered and she moved to bring it up from his right through to his left; his own blade swinging down to point to the ground just ahead of his right foot to halt the momentum of her weapon before it could connect with his shin; instead of attacking with the lightsaber however, his left hand reached out for her mid-section and with an open palm met with her stomach. There was an instant where nothing happened and he simply smiled cheekily to her though the instant was gone before she would likely realize an between the small gap of his hand and her front, the force built up in presence and seemed to swell with telekinetic energy, the result being a gentle burst that unless countered, would only propel her several paces away from Veiere while he could again take a readied stance, sword in hand and arced down towards the ground.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay expected [member="Veiere Arenais"] to block her strike with ease, but what she didn't expect, was that he was going to use the Force against her as well. His pause and cheeky grin made her wonder if he was even going to go through with it. The answer to that came rather quickly as she was suddenly pushed back a few paces, stumbling a little to keep her footing. "Isn't that cheating?" She knew how to create a shield around herself to protect herself from many attacks such as blaster fire and Force lightning, but this was a different matter altogether.

She smirked at him, raising her blade high as though she was meaning to remove his head from his neck in a cut from her right to her left. Yet before her blade got close to his neck, she turned her wrist and brought the saber into a sweeping arch that brought her blade to his stomach instead. Kay wasn't trying to plan ahead, she was just acting on a whim. There was no form or grace in the way that she moved.

 

[WolfMortum]

"How so?" Veiere answered curiously, looking to her in their moment of silence and inaction as he explained himself; "Where are the rules in the field of live combat where ones life is on the line, that say that you must only ever fight by the same mind and ability as your opponent. If all men and woman thought that way, there'd be no victors, only casualties...". Entering into combat was never a thing to be taken lightly, putting ones own life at risk at the behest of an ideal or someone elses well-being or need. At-least for people such as himself and [member="Lady Kay"]. "Conflict is not a game of fairness nor a moral or honorable thing no matter how your Mandalorian associates place it in their society; people are wounded and killed, fewer ever live to walk away and none of them played by someone elses rules other than their own...." He dipped his head once more, his response concluded and awaiting her next move.

Precognition was a curious thing, marvelous in that it honed his instincts and allowed him to predict moments of a fight simply by listening to the force and the way that Kay's body spoke in it's language, the way her shoulders tensed when seeking to run him through, the pivot of her steps and direction of her arms as she wielded her lightsaber with an uneasy care. Rather than blocking her strike, he swiftly stepped backwards just shy of the blades reach and with his own, more or less slapped her lightsaber to pass quicker than she'd intended only to raise the hilt pointing directly out in front of himself towards her chest; he stopped then. "It is good you prefer to fight defensively. I am much the same, allowing your opponent to make the first move and drawing them to you has it's advantages. The best offense however is one seeking to overwhelm your opponent rather than focusing on only one blow at a time, think ahead and keep your opponents mind busied, their concentration on what you might do so that you may find a gap, confuse or stress them and land a decisive strike. Come at me with more than one strike, push me as much as you can in your offense and then we will switch positions..." He lowered his blade, slowly stepping backwards to return the original distance between them so that she might start again.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay frowned slightly as he countered her move in a way that she never thought of. This was going worse than she had expected. Her late husband kept her away from battles and fighting. Now she wished that he hadn't. Her skills may have been far better than the beginner's skill set that they were at right now. But one never knew where a different path may take them.

And now [member="Veiere Arenais"] had a slightly different set of instructions, and ones that didn't boost her with any more confidence than the last. "Easier said than done. You may be able to predict what someone could do and plan ahead, but I can't. I don't have a strategic mind." As always, she just ran on instinct. And when that failed she had others that she could rely on. It was a wonder that she wasn't killed yet.

With her confidence level as low as the tip of her blade as she held it towards the ground, Kay quickly stepped towards him and swept her saber low, as if wanting to cut off his legs. She did that twice in quick succession, followed by another diagonal strike upwards going from her bottom left, to her top right by his shoulder.