|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:50 pm
Elias 8 "Yes!' the youngling answered, maybe a little too loudly. He looked towards the doors to the school, expecting his parents to come through them and his mother to scold him for yelling at an adult. If all these rules about how to behave were a common thing for noble's to learn growing up, he was glad to just be a common boy. He tried his best to listen, at least to what made sense to him such as not yelling at someone else unless you were playing a game, but sometimes it all felt a bit silly. Like who really cared hw straight you sat at dinner? Or how you pronounced your sentences? "M'sorry. But it is surprising. At least to me. I have, uh...." Raising his empty hand, Elias startd to count on his fingers all the family he knew about, whispering their names under his breath so quietly, one would have to lean with their ear to his mouth to hear the words. "Four I've met. My sister, mom and dad, and mom's brother. She says she has many more siblings up in Zena, but they've never come down here. That I know of."
There was an ache beginning to form in his elbow, but he kept his arm up, trying to focus on the exercises to help alleviate the pain. No way was he putting his arm down before he was told he could. He had a chance to learn some real skills. He wasn't going to let any weakness ruin this for him. Even if his arm was shaking just slightly. He never thought the wooden sword that heavy before.
"Would that really be okay? I don't have a lot of space at home in front of a mirror." So long as no one tried to drag him away for dance lessons, instead. His poor fragile trust might have been utterly broken!
Had the part about holding his arm been a joke? Elias pursed his lips into a frown, but quickly shook his head, realizing whether it was or not didn't really matter to him anyway. "Yessum!" he confirmed, once more too excited to stop his voice from naturally rising to a shout. Jumping quickly out of the way, the youngling forgot about the exercise he had been doing and let his aching arm lower to his side as he watched with eager eyes, his head following the progress of the sword through the air. He tried copying it with his own toy sword.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:49 pm
"No need to apologize, I know it's a lot of siblings." Replied Cahira with a laugh. "I enjoyed it though since we were always an energetic and supportive lot." Certainly there had been some bickering between the siblings, typical of many younglings, but other than that Cahira held real anger towards any of her family. She knew she was lucky, especially considering her mother's history and would always cherish everyone accordingly. A happy childhood was not always possible for others so she appreciated her family all the more. "Hmm. Then maybe one day you'll see more family along the way, but if they're not for your life then so be it." She replied, surprising herself with the advice considering how often she tried to be light-hearted and not linger on such things. Still, why mourn those who were never there in the first place? It was better to protect those who were and appreciate them as much as possible.
"It should be fine. They have days when the dancers don't use the main hall so I'm sure we can sneak in during those times." Replied Cahira with an encouraging nod. "You shouldn't need a mirror once you get the feeling of a stance, it'll be second nature to you after a bit." It was still a good way to get a good start to training, especially if they wanted to get a head start with how uncertain her own timing was for this current stay. Though maybe if teaching did turn out well then Cahira could be inspired to linger longer...though even she wasn't certain what to expect going forward. One student at a time. She mused with a small smile towards Elias, her gaze already full of hope for the future.
Slicing through the air, Cahira made certain to repeat her movements slowly so that Elias could get an idea of the movements he would need to practice. After the circling movements, ribbon cuts, wrist curls and stretches including squats she finally slowed down and focused back on him. "Alright, so those are some basic exercises that you can practice until our next meeting. Do you think you'll be here tomorrow or should I expect a couple of days in between?" She found herself asking, her head tilting as she studied him with curiosity. "Also don't train too much because it's best to not overdo it or you'll not be able to move next session, okay?" Speaking of overdoing things...did she even eat yet today? Cahira blinked at the thought, her stomach grumbling slightly, and a flush decorated her cheeks. "Another important thing is to always make certain to eat your meals so that you don't lose energy. There happens to be an amazing dumpling stall nearby if you would like to join me before being dismissed for the day? We could grab a snack while you wait on your family. My treat."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:10 pm
Elias 9 The movement of the toy sword stopped, hanging in the air in front of the boy as he thought on what Cahira had told him about family. Did he care about seeing the rest of his Zenan family? He didn't think so. He thought maybe his sister was curious, but than she was about everything nowadays, so that was no more important than everything else that caught her focus. His father never seemed to care about his unknown lineage. His mother didn't like talking about hers. Certainly didn't encourage any thoughts about her kids going to Zena when they were older. Elias might not be the smartest kid around, but he understood enough about adults to know when something was clearly bad. There was a reason his mother didn't like talking about her family.
Besides, who even wanted a big family? That meant less attention for you. And too many loud cousins. He assumed, anyway, from watching families in town.
"I don't think I mind if I never do," he answered solemnly, slowly swinging the toy through the air a few times. He gave it one large arch before pretending to sheath it at his belt like he'd seen swordsman at festivals when sparring with each other. "No? I suppose that takes a long time. Oh!" The youngling jumped out in front of the older hybrid, sword tucked behind his belt and bouncing against his thigh. "But I can do it, though! Promise! I will try really hard, every day! Or not too hard, I guess."
A large smile split his face, hearing the rumblings. Ah, so even experienced fighters forgot to eat sometimes, huh? Sometimes he got so caught up in his playing that he forgot about dinner. He never thought it happened to adults, too. "If it's your treat, it'd be rude to say no, right?" he answered with a sly smile. "So long as I'm not too far. Mom doesn't like it when I wander too far away. I'm not sure when they have next lessons. Can ask when they;re done? They know I'm outside."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 7:51 pm
Cahira chuckled at the enthusiasm. "I believe you." She assured him, her expression bright. "I'll do my best to be a great teacher and you'll do your best as my student. How can we fail?" She replied with optimism, not even worried about the potential of failure. She would work especially hard and even try to find some tomes or get pointers from family members about teaching others! Even if they didn't teach sword fighting surely there were certain things that dance instructors shared with other types of mentors.
"I would say so." Teased Cahira in return, hoping that it wouldn't be a problem to take the youngling to the nearby dumpling stall. Her mother would be upset if she worried any of the dancers, so it was best if Elias did at least go and ask first. So Cahira nodded encouragingly. "Feel free to go ahead and ask. The dumpling stall is right up the street from here so it won't take long to walk back." She explained before plopping down on a nearby bench. "I'll be here, so just come back whenever you can after speaking with your mother." It would give her a moment to actually process everything that had just occurred, especially considering how Cahira had never imagined actually taking on an apprentice! Still, she was not too upset and if anything she was actually excited by the new challenge of becoming a mentor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2023 5:14 pm
Elias 10 The smile was ever brighter on the youngling's face. It really did feel good to have someone believe in him, who wasn't a family member and a professional at that. Parents were supposed to say they were proud of you and thought you could do anything you put your mind to. It felt so much more different when it came from a stranger. Or, he guessed he shouldn't still think of her as a stranger anymore. Mentor. Teacher. Oh, exciting! So exciting, in fact, that Elias almost ran right off to ask Elka about going for dumplings without answering anything else Cahira had said. He sheepishly stopped and watched her sit down.
"I believe in you, too." He decided it would be polite to return the favor on the confidence boost. And he believed it. He felt like he'd already learned so much already and was finally on the right track to following his dream of using the sword when he was older.
With a wave and a smile, the boy darted off for the doors to the school, hoping he wouldn't be interrupting anything too important. And that his mother wouldn't object too much to anything that had just happened. Dumplings and tutorship both.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
