A Problem with Up

Writers: Estelle, Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 3rd July 2021

Characters: Olov, Lusilk, Jothi
Description: Olov and Lusilk are interrupted while sparring
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 6 of Turn 10

Lusilk

They'd chosen a glade not too far from the main Hold, close enough
that it wasn't annoying to walk to but far enough that there wasn't
likely to be any observers. Olov stepped back and wiped sweat from his
brow, smiling as he reached for his skin of water. "You're hard to
keep up with," he said, the ache in his ribs where Lusilk had gotten
under his guard aching from the blow.

It was sparring-- it didn't matter if he got hit, it was just another
opportunity to get better and feel sharp again. Guarding the Hold was
boring, and after escorting Lusilk back to the Hold, the stone walls
and stink of other humans felt closer and more confining than ever.

Pain -- delivered or received -- helped with focus.

"I'm smaller than you." She pointed out, wiping at the cut on her lip.
The glancing blow would swell a little; that would be difficult to
explain to Lorican, but the exercise had been so greatly needed. The
lack of activity had been driving her absolutely mad. Lusilk took a
drink from her own flask, the water refreshing despite the tepid
temperature. ""You have more bulk." Her lips lifted wryly. "Give me a
few months, then I'll be so bulky that I'll be an easy target for
you."

"Easier," he said, shrugging. Even with a distended belly and a
waddle, Lusilk would be a challenge.

She shrugged, a mirror to his own. "As long as I can stay out of your
reach. I can't beat you in an all-out grapple." Lusilk tightened the
braid at the nape of her neck. "I take it you don't spar often with
anyone of your..." A rustle and the loud tromp of steps stopped her
words and she turned, tensing as her hand whipped to the dagger at her
side in instant response.

With a snap of twigs underfoot and a high-pitched giggle, a couple
stumbled out into the open. The woman was short and curly-haired, with
the top buttons of her shirt undone to expose a generous curve of pale
skin, and she squeaked in surprise to see that the glade was occupied.

The other intruder was a younger man in his mid-twenties wearing a
guard's uniform, also in some disarray. He had his gaze firmly fixed on
his companion's neckline, and only when she hastily tried to cover
herself did he look up, his gaze passing over Lusilk to the big man
opposite. He blinked, then smirked, suppressing a guffaw. "Sorry! Did
we...interrupt something?"

Olov narrowed his eyes at the other guard. "Beat it," he growled.

Not many of the guards would have challenged Olov on the practice
ground, but out here, the young man bridled at being ordered around in
front of a female audience. Besides, the big guard was surely past his
prime. Still, he might have shrugged and retreated, but then the woman
tugged at his arm.

"Hey, Jothi. Isn't she the new smith's wife?" She half-smothered another
giggle. "Ooh, what a scandal!"

Jothi grinned maliciously. "Heh! Better hope the smith doesn't find out,
Polson, he might chase you round the Hold with his hammer." He eyed the
woman more closely and frowned, seeing where her hand was resting.
"Wait...what's she doing with that dagger? You teaching her how to use it?"

Though she was annoyed, Lusilk didn't even bat an eyelash as she
surveyed the interrupting pair. "I'm guessing you want him walking next
sevenday? Duties and all that." She tilted her head and without any
further hesitation the dagger flew. The spinning blade flew right
between the pair's heads, the blade coming close enough to the guard,
Jothi, ear to barely graze the ear before lodging into a tree trunk
behind them. Her voice dripped with false regret. "I guess my aim is
off. Need to practice."

The other woman let out a high-pitched shriek and darted behind Jothi,
putting the guard's body between her and Lusilk as he froze, staring at
her in amazement which quickly shifted to anger.

"Y-you could have killed me, you wherry-brained idiot!" Clearly, he'd
not quite grasped that the throw could have been anything more than a
fluke. He turned to Olov, scowling. "If you got to spar with little
girls to have a chance of winning, fine, but at least teach this one to
watch where she's chucking her blade."

Olov shrugged. "You teach her."

"Me?" He looked from Olov to Lusilk. "Fight _her_?"

"Teach her a lesson, Jothi," the woman behind him whined. "She tried to
kill us!"

"All right." Stepping into the center of the clearing, he beckoned to
Lusilk with a grin. "Come on, then. Clearly your husband doesn't beat
you enough, so it's up to me to - "

Lusilk glanced at Olov and stepped forward to face Jothi. Her face
didn't change expression as he began boasting, and in the middle of
his speech, she dropped into a crouch and spun her foot out, hooking
it behind his knee and yanking him off balance. Even pregnant, it was
easy for her to hop up and look down at him. "Looks like there's a
problem with the 'up' part."

The young guard landed hard on his backside in the dirt with a grunt,
and he stared up at her in astonishment that quickly turned to fury.
"You - you vicious little..." His face reddened and he scrambled to his
feet, then launched himself at her, fists swinging wildly.

Whereas Olov might have used sheer brawn and muscle, Lusilk had been
taught differently; she had muscle, but not the bulk for brawling, so,
her technique was different than this wildly swinging whershit. The
moment he got close, she caught his arm and used his own momentum and
speed against him. She flipped him over her shoulder and at the
_whump_ of his body hitting the ground, leveled a vicious but quick
kicking tap into his stomach. Keeping her eye on the man, she spoke to
Olov. "You still want him able to do patrols, right?"

Jothi rolled onto his side and groaned, clutching his stomach, as the
woman who'd been with him rushed to his side. With her help, he
staggered to his feet, but this time, he backed away, giving Lusilk a
poisonous glare. "You're going to regret this. Both of you!"

Olov snorted. "Run away little man," he said. "Unless you want to meet
me at the docks tonight."

The young man's snarl turned into a pained grunt as he pressed a hand to
his tender stomach. "You'll regret it," he repeated darkly, before the
woman with him hustled him away into the trees.

Olov snorted as the greenery obscured the pair from view. "Holders
don't know when to shut up."

"He's your man," she pointed out. "I think he needs better training."
She sighed, then walked to the tree where her knife was stuck. With a
quick yank, she removed it, checked the tip, and then sheathed it. "I
suppose I'll have to have a word with him and the girl about
rumors."

The big guardsman shrugged. "If you want. Nobody here will believe a
woman beat him in a fair fight, though, and most would approve of an
unfair fight anyway. Looks worse for him."

Her lips pursed in thought. "Fair point, I suppose. Next sevenday at
the same time?" She gestured to the clearing. "Or the Fights next time?"

Olov flashed his teeth in a feral smile. "Up to you."

She matched his smile easily. "I want to see these Fights of yours and
what kind of fighters are involved." Lusilk's eyes glinted. "I want to
see what this Hold has to offer."

"Best thing going at this sleepy place," Olov rumbled. "And maybe if you
decide to step in against me, this Hold'll see a real fight for once."

Last updated on the July 21st 2021

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