Random Challenge #3
Oct. 24th, 2004 01:52 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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yrae
Title~ Introduction to Blade Archery
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ All mine~
Notes~ Not really a challenge. I made it up myself, cos I really need to work on the various aspects of training, both for warriors and healers. I've done absolutely bugger-all for healer training, and very little for army training, so I'll be working on that now. Blade archery is introduced in the forth year of army training, so 'may'd be 10 and Nol's 13. I like Nihqel, he's cool X3 I swear, he's prolly half the reason anyone takes up blade archery. The other half would be to beat everyone in the pub X)
Update~ 26/6/06 Yoryl was sure as hell not in the Own by this point. The second blade archer would be Geryn.
~ ~ ~
Nihqel, Nimay’s dagger master, stood with his back resting against the left wall of the archery range. He was idly twisting a short blade in his fingers, as he was wont to do, while chatting with two other men who did much the same. He raised hand in greeting as the group of forth-year warriors-in-training wandered into the range, then pushed himself away from the wall, leaving his companions to continue talking.
“Hello again, gentlemen-and-one-girl,” he said to the group, “Welcome to blade archery one-oh-one. Yes, I’m sorry to say you’re stuck with me for blade archery as well as dagger combat, poor saps.”
A snort of amusement ran through the contingent; they could be stuck with far worse weapons masters than Nihqel.
“Doubtless that, being the fine young Raykinian gentlemen you are, you probably all quite fancy yourselves with hurling pointy things at targets. You all do quite well firing at Middle Red in the pubs, I gather?”
The boys grinned smugly.
“However,” the dagger master continued, “hurling said pointy thing at someone who is hurling more pointy things in your general direction, while astride a somewhat unsteady camel, presents a considerably more difficult challenge.”
He waved over the two other men before continuing. “As with every other weapon, you lucky gentlemen get a demonstration from a few of the guys in the King’s Own, them being Kaen, Yoryl and my good self. No, I’m not actually in the Own anymore; Kaen stole my spot years ago, but we don’t have anyone else to demonstrate the third kind of throwing knife.”
He drew a flat piece of steel from the sheath on his right hip. There didn’t appear to be any hilt on the weapon, just a deadly sharp piece of steel. “Now, doubtless the other weapons masters have babbled to you about the noble quests the Own set out on, defending the kingdom and whatnot.”
Behind him, the two blade archers of the Own snorted and exchanged unheard words, as had every other pair of demonstrating Own members. Nimay had always puzzled over this, but had never actually asked.
“I, on the other hand, will bestow no such credit on the boys. I’ve been there, I know what it’s like, and it’s not half as glamorous as it’s made out to be.” He grinned deliberately at the prince. “One of my last… ‘campaigns’, for want of a better word, was to escort his dear Highness to have a meet and greet with royalty in Ryas, Kilyad and Assiraz, where he promptly broke his arm.”
The group turned to giggle at the prince, who displayed the back of his hand to the weapons master. There was humour in his eye though.
Nihqel was shaking his head. “Pitiful ride, Nol.”
The prince raised his eyebrows in contempt. “I’d hoped Majesty knew a smidgen more about horses than a seven year old.”
The dagger master grinned. “Take note of that the next time he tries to put you on a horse.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them eagerly. “Right, now that’s out of the way, we can move onto blade archery…”
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ All mine~
Notes~ Not really a challenge. I made it up myself, cos I really need to work on the various aspects of training, both for warriors and healers. I've done absolutely bugger-all for healer training, and very little for army training, so I'll be working on that now. Blade archery is introduced in the forth year of army training, so 'may'd be 10 and Nol's 13. I like Nihqel, he's cool X3 I swear, he's prolly half the reason anyone takes up blade archery. The other half would be to beat everyone in the pub X)
Update~ 26/6/06 Yoryl was sure as hell not in the Own by this point. The second blade archer would be Geryn.
Nihqel, Nimay’s dagger master, stood with his back resting against the left wall of the archery range. He was idly twisting a short blade in his fingers, as he was wont to do, while chatting with two other men who did much the same. He raised hand in greeting as the group of forth-year warriors-in-training wandered into the range, then pushed himself away from the wall, leaving his companions to continue talking.
“Hello again, gentlemen-and-one-girl,” he said to the group, “Welcome to blade archery one-oh-one. Yes, I’m sorry to say you’re stuck with me for blade archery as well as dagger combat, poor saps.”
A snort of amusement ran through the contingent; they could be stuck with far worse weapons masters than Nihqel.
“Doubtless that, being the fine young Raykinian gentlemen you are, you probably all quite fancy yourselves with hurling pointy things at targets. You all do quite well firing at Middle Red in the pubs, I gather?”
The boys grinned smugly.
“However,” the dagger master continued, “hurling said pointy thing at someone who is hurling more pointy things in your general direction, while astride a somewhat unsteady camel, presents a considerably more difficult challenge.”
He waved over the two other men before continuing. “As with every other weapon, you lucky gentlemen get a demonstration from a few of the guys in the King’s Own, them being Kaen, Yoryl and my good self. No, I’m not actually in the Own anymore; Kaen stole my spot years ago, but we don’t have anyone else to demonstrate the third kind of throwing knife.”
He drew a flat piece of steel from the sheath on his right hip. There didn’t appear to be any hilt on the weapon, just a deadly sharp piece of steel. “Now, doubtless the other weapons masters have babbled to you about the noble quests the Own set out on, defending the kingdom and whatnot.”
Behind him, the two blade archers of the Own snorted and exchanged unheard words, as had every other pair of demonstrating Own members. Nimay had always puzzled over this, but had never actually asked.
“I, on the other hand, will bestow no such credit on the boys. I’ve been there, I know what it’s like, and it’s not half as glamorous as it’s made out to be.” He grinned deliberately at the prince. “One of my last… ‘campaigns’, for want of a better word, was to escort his dear Highness to have a meet and greet with royalty in Ryas, Kilyad and Assiraz, where he promptly broke his arm.”
The group turned to giggle at the prince, who displayed the back of his hand to the weapons master. There was humour in his eye though.
Nihqel was shaking his head. “Pitiful ride, Nol.”
The prince raised his eyebrows in contempt. “I’d hoped Majesty knew a smidgen more about horses than a seven year old.”
The dagger master grinned. “Take note of that the next time he tries to put you on a horse.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them eagerly. “Right, now that’s out of the way, we can move onto blade archery…”