Welcome to Gaia! ::

When Amora and Lin finally made it to the training compound where Amora did her training, the sun was still low in the sky - a good thing, since it meant that it wouldn't be quite too hot yet for training. Though they would be in the shade, which would help.

Lord Elwin was waiting for the two girls. Wearing only a thin set of spidersilt pants and a matching vest, he was standing just outside the compound, watching for them to arrive. He smiled warmly when he saw them, bowing low.

"Good morning, my ladies," he said warmly.

Amora smiled back at him. "Good morning, my Lord," she replied, giving him a small curtsey.

Lord Elwin chuckled softly at Lin, then turned his attention to Amora. "Your Highness has a visitor, I see," he said warmly. "Pray introduce me."

Amora smiled at the young lord and bowed her head to him. "Lord Elwin of Daal-Kregger, Lin Winters of Gaia."

Lord Elwin held held out one hand and took Lin's hand in his own, then bowed low over her hand, almost as if he were going to kiss the backs of her knuckles (though he didn't). "A friend of their Majesties is always welcome," he said formally. "I hope that your visit is a pleasant one."

Lord Elwin smiled warmly. "I'm glad. But come, his Majesty has expressed the need for Princess Amora to train."

"As much as I'd rather not," Amora muttered under her breath in English.

Lord Elwin looked at the girl reproachfully. "Princess," he said in a scolding tone, speaking now in English, "you know that you must, and you do know why. You need only overcome your fear. It is not strength that you lack."

Lord Elwin nodded. "I was not here when that happened, but I ... do know of it," he murmured slowly. "Come inside ... if ... you would truly like to know, then there is something that I would first like to test, if I may."

Amora was confused. "By all means," she assented, "but ... may I ask why?"

Lord Elwin led them into the building and shook his head. "I will tell you afterward, if that is all right with you."

Amora exchanged a glance with Lin and shrugged.

Amora nodded. "That works for me," she agreed. "If it counts as part of my two hours."

The young lord chuckled. "It does, Princess, don't you worry." He led her and Lin into the compound - a small room, since it was private - and leaving them at the door he headed towards the weapons rack on the other side of the room.

Amora's eyes were on Lord Elwin, and she was rigid with apprehension, waiting to see what he was going to bring her.

"Catch," he called suddenly, tossing something at her.

Amora was taken by surprise, but she reached out and caught the wooden sword in her right hand, exactly as if she had just drawn it from a sheath. She looked at it almost in shock, then looked at Lord Elwin.

He chuckled. "As I thought."

Amora was still staring at the wooden sword in her hand. "I ... have no idea," she said, bewildered.

Lord Elwin chuckled, picking up a wooden sword as well. "How does it feel in your hand, Princess?" he asked her, meandering slowly towards her, his other hand behind his back.

"Um ..." Amora swung it a bit, tried a lunge, block, thrust. "It feels ... good," she admitted.

Lord Elwin nodded at Lin. "Indeed," he agreed. "Princess, return the wooden sword to me, please."

He held out his hand - the one that held his own wooden sword - and Amora placed hers obediently in it. He tossed it aside, then took a few steps back so that there was once more some space between them.

"Catch," he said again, tossing her another object from behind his back. It was exactly the same throw as the last one had been, but this time, though Amora reached for it, the handle hit her hand and then clattered to the ground.

Amora stared at the sword on the ground. It was one of the training swords, a real sword. The same size and shape as the wooden one she had been using only a moment before ... even the same weight.

"My hand," she murmured, her eyes turning to look at the hand in question. "It ... it wouldn't ... I couldn't ..."