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<blockquote data-quote="Drusilia Nailo" data-source="post: 520746" data-attributes="member: 2062">First LessonHer arms hurt.&nbsp; They were a mass of gashes, some deep, some not.&nbsp; But all of them hurt.&nbsp; The blood was starting to congeal, creating itchy scabs.&nbsp; Drusilia tried not to cry, biting down hard on her lower lip.&nbsp; When the tears started to form anyway, she growled in disgust.&nbsp; She threw the dagger down to the ground.&nbsp; &quot;I hate you,&quot; she said to it, her voice quavering.&nbsp; It had failed her.She heard the door open, and Kennic's voice called out into the garden, &quot;Drusilia, come in for dinner.&quot;Drusilia scowled, wiping her tears away with bloodied hands.&nbsp; &quot;I'm coming, Kennic,&quot; she said, casting one more venomous look at the dagger, before leaving it there in the moonlight.She went into the house with a heavy sigh, ashamed.Kennic stared at her.&nbsp; &quot;Gods,&quot; he said, sitting down.&nbsp; &quot;He said that he went hard on you, but...&quot;&nbsp; He sighed, and held his arms out.&nbsp; &quot;Come here, Drusilia,&quot; he said gently.The gentleness of his tone was all it took to make her cry in earnest.&nbsp; She ran to him and flung herself into his arms, sobbing.&nbsp; &quot;He-he cut me all over,&quot; she said.&nbsp; &quot;He said that my enemies wouldn't go easy on me, so neither would he.&quot;Kennic tightened his hold on her.&nbsp; &quot;There, there,&quot; he said.&nbsp; &quot;You survived, anyway.&quot;Drusilia started sobbing harder.&nbsp; &quot;But I won't!&nbsp; I couldn't stop him!&nbsp; I couldn't stop anyone from hurting me.&nbsp; Not ever.&quot;He was quiet for a moment, and then started chuckling.&nbsp; &quot;Drusilia.&nbsp; You are so very young.&nbsp; Most children your age have never touched a weapon, let alone used it.&nbsp; You did well for your first lesson.&nbsp; Tensin himself said so.&quot;Drusilia sniffed, pulling back so that she could look at Kennic's face.&nbsp; &quot;Really?&nbsp; He said that?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Don't tell him that I told you so,&quot; said Kennic, his eyes twinkling.&quot;Too late,&quot; came a voice, Papa's, from the doorway.&nbsp; &quot;I caught you at it.&quot;&nbsp; His tone was neutral, but neither Kennic nor Drusilia missed the glint of humor in his eyes.&nbsp; &nbsp; Drusilia glared at him, suddenly remembering that she was angry with her heartless father.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa nodded to her.&nbsp; &quot;Where's your dagger?&quot;Drusilia felt a moment's embarrassment, for leaving it untended in the garden, but resolved that she wasn't going to show him that.&nbsp; &quot;I threw it away,&quot; she said, jutting her chin out stubbornly.Papa pulled the dagger, her dagger, out of his cloak, and set it on the table.&nbsp; &quot;I saw that,&quot; he said mildly, crossing the room and sitting in one of the chairs.&nbsp; &quot;And thought that it showed that we needed to have a talk.&quot;Drusilia scratched at her arms, not mollified in the least.&nbsp; &quot;About what?&quot;&quot;Your lesson.&nbsp; As Kennic said, I was pleased with your progress.&nbsp; But I get the impression that you are less than pleased.&nbsp; Why?&quot;&quot;You cut me.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa glanced at Kennic, and then said, &quot;Kennic, a moment alone with my daughter, please?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kennic nodded stiffly, clearly not happy with Papa either, and left the room.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa turned back to Drusilia.&nbsp; &quot;My daughter will not be weak.&nbsp; We are beginning your training now so that you will always be strong.&quot;&nbsp; He leaned forward, capturing her with his gaze.&nbsp; &quot;Part of being strong is knowing what to expect from pain, and acting anyway.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Drusilia frowned, but moved closer to him.&nbsp; &quot;What do you mean?&quot;&quot;Many a young fighter is undone the first time he gets hurt.&nbsp; The first time someone sneaks past his guard and cuts him.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you've already been cut, you won't be surprised, and unable to act, when it happens.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; As much as Drusilia hated to admit it, she could see the wisdom in his words.&nbsp; &quot;So you cut me to get me used to being hurt?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa nodded.&nbsp; &quot;In part.&nbsp; It also teaches you how to fight.&nbsp; You won't make as many mistakes if you know that you are going to be hurt if you do.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Drusilia sighed, sitting down.&nbsp; &quot;I don't think that I did very good tonight, no matter what you say.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;If this had been a real fight, you would have died.&nbsp; But it wasn't, so you will live another day to learn more.&nbsp; Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is your starting point.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Alright,&quot; said Drusilia with a heavy sigh.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; With a tiny smile, Papa reached inside of his cloak again.&nbsp; &quot;When you are older, you should not expect to be coddled like this, but for now -&quot; he held out a tiny vial.&nbsp; &quot;Drink this.&nbsp; It will make you feel much better.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Drusilia drank, unquestioningly, and stared at the wounds on her arms as they knitted themselves closed.&nbsp; &quot;Thank you Papa,&quot; she said, breathlessly.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;You will meet me in the garden again tomorrow afternoon, for your second lesson,&quot; he said, rising to his feet.&nbsp; &quot;Now.&nbsp; Kennic and I are going out.&nbsp; Celia will be guarding you.&nbsp; See to it that she gives you a bath.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Drusilia nodded, and watched her father stride from the room.&nbsp; &quot;Good night, Papa,&quot; she said, too quietly for him to hear.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Drusilia Nailo, post: 520746, member: 2062"] [b]First Lesson[/b] Her arms hurt. They were a mass of gashes, some deep, some not. But all of them hurt. The blood was starting to congeal, creating itchy scabs. Drusilia tried not to cry, biting down hard on her lower lip. When the tears started to form anyway, she growled in disgust. She threw the dagger down to the ground. "I hate you," she said to it, her voice quavering. It had failed her. She heard the door open, and Kennic's voice called out into the garden, "Drusilia, come in for dinner." Drusilia scowled, wiping her tears away with bloodied hands. "I'm coming, Kennic," she said, casting one more venomous look at the dagger, before leaving it there in the moonlight. She went into the house with a heavy sigh, ashamed. Kennic stared at her. "Gods," he said, sitting down. "He said that he went hard on you, but..." He sighed, and held his arms out. "Come here, Drusilia," he said gently. The gentleness of his tone was all it took to make her cry in earnest. She ran to him and flung herself into his arms, sobbing. "He-he cut me all over," she said. "He said that my enemies wouldn't go easy on me, so neither would he." Kennic tightened his hold on her. "There, there," he said. "You survived, anyway." Drusilia started sobbing harder. "But I won't! I couldn't stop him! I couldn't stop anyone from hurting me. Not ever." He was quiet for a moment, and then started chuckling. "Drusilia. You are so very young. Most children your age have never touched a weapon, let alone used it. You did well for your first lesson. Tensin himself said so." Drusilia sniffed, pulling back so that she could look at Kennic's face. "Really? He said that?" "Don't tell him that I told you so," said Kennic, his eyes twinkling. "Too late," came a voice, Papa's, from the doorway. "I caught you at it." His tone was neutral, but neither Kennic nor Drusilia missed the glint of humor in his eyes. Drusilia glared at him, suddenly remembering that she was angry with her heartless father. Papa nodded to her. "Where's your dagger?" Drusilia felt a moment's embarrassment, for leaving it untended in the garden, but resolved that she wasn't going to show him that. "I threw it away," she said, jutting her chin out stubbornly. Papa pulled the dagger, her dagger, out of his cloak, and set it on the table. "I saw that," he said mildly, crossing the room and sitting in one of the chairs. "And thought that it showed that we needed to have a talk." Drusilia scratched at her arms, not mollified in the least. "About what?" "Your lesson. As Kennic said, I was pleased with your progress. But I get the impression that you are less than pleased. Why?" "You cut me." Papa glanced at Kennic, and then said, "Kennic, a moment alone with my daughter, please?" Kennic nodded stiffly, clearly not happy with Papa either, and left the room. Papa turned back to Drusilia. "My daughter will not be weak. We are beginning your training now so that you will always be strong." He leaned forward, capturing her with his gaze. "Part of being strong is knowing what to expect from pain, and acting anyway." Drusilia frowned, but moved closer to him. "What do you mean?" "Many a young fighter is undone the first time he gets hurt. The first time someone sneaks past his guard and cuts him. If you've already been cut, you won't be surprised, and unable to act, when it happens." As much as Drusilia hated to admit it, she could see the wisdom in his words. "So you cut me to get me used to being hurt?" Papa nodded. "In part. It also teaches you how to fight. You won't make as many mistakes if you know that you are going to be hurt if you do." Drusilia sighed, sitting down. "I don't think that I did very good tonight, no matter what you say." Papa shrugged. "If this had been a real fight, you would have died. But it wasn't, so you will live another day to learn more. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is your starting point." "Alright," said Drusilia with a heavy sigh. With a tiny smile, Papa reached inside of his cloak again. "When you are older, you should not expect to be coddled like this, but for now -" he held out a tiny vial. "Drink this. It will make you feel much better." Drusilia drank, unquestioningly, and stared at the wounds on her arms as they knitted themselves closed. "Thank you Papa," she said, breathlessly. "You will meet me in the garden again tomorrow afternoon, for your second lesson," he said, rising to his feet. "Now. Kennic and I are going out. Celia will be guarding you. See to it that she gives you a bath." Drusilia nodded, and watched her father stride from the room. "Good night, Papa," she said, too quietly for him to hear. [/QUOTE]

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