Backstory: Some Exercise and a Spar

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I walked into the sparring room and stretched. I had a lot on my mind and I wanted to work off some negative energy. I had always found comfort in my practice, even if it was part of my past.

I had on a pair of pants and a short shirt. The clothing was not traditional, but it allowed for free movement. I only wore these in the closed walls of the House.

Under my pants hid my daggers, tied around my ankles. I always wore them, hidden on the inside of my ankles. The only acception was if I had an assignation. It was hard to hide them if I was nude.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

Even with my preparations begun and my pregnant state I still had a good deal of energy and grew easily frustrated with the efforts of well-meaning peopel to keep me still; finally I managed to make my way to the salle, staff in hand, to see Ellette there as well. Nodding and smiling a greeting I stepped in, wearing my own sparring outfit of a loose skirt, somewhat slit up the side, and a shirt tucked into its waist. "Hello again," I greeted the girl.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

Allisande walked in soon after I had started stretching. She carried her staff, a weapon I had never really tried myself. I smiled in greeting but stayed in my stretch, "Hello Allisande, how are you doing?"

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

"I'm well enough, thank you," I told her as I began to stretch- she must not know about my condition yet, she didn't look at me in askance, as though to wonder why I was here. "And yourself?"

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

"I am doing as well enough," I told her. I didn't really feel like going into a long conversation about my current drama, but I wasn't going to pretend to be more cheerful than I was either.

I switched poses, stretching out my back and strengthening my arms at the same time. When I was in place I asked, "do you practice here often?"

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

"Constantly, these days," I told he with a smile, noting a bit of tension hanging about her but deciding not to ask. After all, if she wished she would speak with me when she was ready."Care for a little sparring session?"

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I raised a brow at Allisande's offer to spar. I had not spared with her before, I had actually kept that activity to a minimum. Since I found it hard to repress the skills I had learned as a child. I had no problems keeping myself from hurting anyone, but anyone with a good eye could see what lie underneath my moves.

I stood up, I did not want to turn her down and seem a coward. "Ok," I said with a challenging smile, "a spar. What weapons?"

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

"Whatever you prefer versus my staff," I offered. "I think we'll be quite evenly matched in that sense. Much more fair than if I tried to use your daggers, or you my staff." Honor seemed the correct route to take, as well as the most fulfilling one.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

"Sounds fair enough," I said as I leaned over to pull my daggers out of their sheaths on my ankles. I had spent many hours perfecting a quick draw move, one in which I crossed my wrists to pull the daggers out of their usual location without any awkwardness.

We had not started to perry yet, so I pulled them out calmly. In good humor I brought one up by my face and smiled, "may the best weapon and wielder win."

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

"Ah, such boasting when one hasn't even seen my skill yet," I teased, eyes glowing a bit at the challenge as I swung the staff in a graceful arc, feeling my fingers find their balance. "Until falling, or calls halt. Shall we begin?"

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I nodded, it was a common ending for a spar and one that would work out well. I would have to disarm her without hurting her, in truth sparing could sometimes be more difficult than a true fight.

I seperated my feet into a stance that allowed for greater balance and start to move around her in a circular type pattern. I kept my moves unpredictable and watched her at first, seeing if she would be the one to take first strike. I always prefered to be the second, since I could gage a person's skill and some of their menthods easier.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

She watched, and waited, and I respected that of her; the staff is rarely an offensive weapon, but there were some moves and I was somewhat eager to begin. With a quick, smooth motion I feinted at her legs, then stepped back, waiting for her reaction, testing her in my own way.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

As Allisande moved toward my legs I jumped back, keeping my stance light in case I needed to do so again. She seemed to have only feinted however, since she did not use the entirety of her staff.

I started to move more around her, trying to gain her side.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

She circled me and I smoothly shifted to keep facing her, attempting small blows in an effort to herd her the opposite direction. She may have blades, but I had a staff- and therefore the greater reach, and her with little chance to sincerely parry or block.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I jumped when Allisande went toward my feet and ducked when I needed too. At times my small stature had its advantage. I was able to see a little how she moved and decided to see if I could do anything. I jumped at her, daggers ready, though I waould use them to parry more than anything else. I had to keep an eye out for her staff, it's length giving her an advantage.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

As she came at me I backed up to retreat her blades, staying out of their reach as I swung at her hands; a good hit would numb them and cause her to drop the blade without much force being used at all.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I saw Allisande retreat, but I also saw her perry at the last moment. I managed to move my hands up, though I did not completely avoid it. A small pain blossomed on the bottom of my left hand. I jumped back, I kept my right and up for defense and shook my left hand behind my back briefly to make the pain subside. I kept a watch on her at the same time, seeing what she would do next.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

With only one hand available for her to use I advanced, making careful swings to her legs with enough force to sting and cause a little loss of mobility but not actually damage. Still, as I knew, the wound to her hand was the same; soon, it would regain sensation, and so I kept my eyes open and cautious as I watched her, looking for the signs that her hand was good once again. At that time I would jump back and guard, for no doubt she'd be ready to take the offensive.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I saw her move at me and I jumped backward pushing off strongly with my legs so that I could shift my stance a little and put my good hand forward. I felt a brush on my leg but I ignored it. She was able to hit me so it was time for me to step up my own movements.

Deciding to catch her a little off guard I took a few more quick steps back, not in retreat but to put some distance between us. I took the leaps quickly, though keeping my body movement forward to not give away if I was going to move back again or move forward.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

Her retreat was clean and I backed up a few steps myself, not willing to take the chance on the possible feint she could be making. So far, things were working out quite evenly, making me smile inwardly- it sated something in me, to be so well matched, and cured some of my eternal restlessness that seemed to follow me since getting with child.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I gained the distance that I wanted and ran forward, using all of my speed. I lept, over compensating a little, but with reason, antcipating her next move.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

She jumped toward me and I ducked, then stepped forward under her as I spun around to keep from exposing my back.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

My over jump worked more to my advantage than I expected, with Alli ducking under. When I landed I dropped low and used my hands to steady myself. I swung my leg down and around toward her ankles, hoping to use her spinning to my advantage.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

I'd known she overestimated, but had been incorrect how much, and just barely managed to jump over her kick while continuing to back away, swinging at her strong arm in the hopes of deadening it further.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I was annoyed to see my kick miss but could not think on it long. As I was pushing myself back out of the position I saw her staff come at me again. I quickly flattened myself, my back falling to the floor. I feel hard but ignored it as I quickly rolled away so that I could regain my composure. I made a note in my head to bring a more suitable weapon the next time I fought someone with a staff.

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

As soon as she hit the ground I stepped back, bringing my staff to relaxed ready, the butt of it pressed to the sawdust of the salle floor. "Fair match," I commented as I collected my breath and moved to sit.

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I was ready to run and strike again when I saw Allisande put her staff in a non combat position. I realized how focused I had become in the fight and straightened myself, shaking the fight out of my head, though not visibly. Though Dahlia's knew how to defend well they were not often prone to blood lust. I had at least kept my composure enough during the fight to keep from full on attacking her.

I put my two daggers in one hand, deciding I would replace them later. I wanted to move through some of the fighting stances later, I needed to renew my techniques. It seemed I was getting soft, not something I could allow myself to do.

I walked over to sit next to Alli. "It was a good match, the staff is a formidable weapon and you wield it well."

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

"Thank you- you're quite clever with those daggers as well," I replied, slowly catching my breath. "I was worried I was slowing down with my condition, but it seems I can still manage to hold my own."

[Ellette nó Dahlia (D)]

I am sure the curiosity showed in my voice but I had to ask, "condition?"

[Allisande nó Dahlia]

I'd forgot she hadn't heard, but smiled at the opportunity to tell her. "I'm expecting," I said as I set my staff off to one side. "I lit my candle to Eisheth and now I'm pregnant. You didn't know?"