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Boed i Anadl y Dreigiau
lenwi'ch Adenydd.
(May The Dragons Breath
Fill your Wings.)
Lutrego 18, 1016
Bedwyr found a quiet spot, not so much hidden but just away from people wandering by and disturbing him. Ever since his parents death two arcs ago Bedwyr had tried to withdraw into himself. He knew that he hadn’t been overly social before, willing to spend his time by himself doing his things. Living on the ranch had helped that as while there were plenty of people they were often off doing their work. Here among his extended family people did there work but there was more people to find him when he was quietly working in the garden, or happily wandering in the woods.
Today though he had a purposes in his quiet. He held in his hand the spear he had been given to practice with. He wasn’t actually worried about practicing the spear in public most of the other boys weren’t doing much better then himself but he wanted to avoid being watched by one person. He looked around and feeling that the he was by himself in the little grove he liked visiting he got to practicing.
He thought through everything that the Weapon’s Master had taught him. He decided that the best thing to do would be to practice the moves that he had gone through at the lesson. He took the stance he had been shown and began to make the same movements that he had gone through at the practice. He held it across his body with his hands on either side. He moved the stick so he was tilting it up on one side and then the other as if he was in a battle and trying to stop the imaginary attacker. In his mind eye he could see the incoming attacks and he lifted and blocked several more times as he moved his arms and then turned the side to block another imaginary opponent.
He flipped the hold on the spear as he went on the offensive holding it two handed and pushing the blade of the spear forward. He thrust forward several times as he stabbed at the imaginary opponent, and then flipped back toward defending against attacks. He tried to remember the stuff that he was taught but tried to do it moving quickly. He moved the spears pole to block any incoming attacks from the enemy in his minds eyes. As is the way with children he imagined he scared his opponents and they turned and ran. He imagined then that another enemy was spotted in the distant with a spear he was about to throw. Bedwyr made sure to grab the spear at its balance point, or at least what he hoped was the balance point and threw it at the target. While it was a decent throw it still fell short. Of the tree stump he was aiming at.
At that moment a spear flew out of the woods and embedded itself into the trunk he had aimed for. Bedwyr looked around in surprise but not particularly scared. Who ever had thrown that was quiet enough that Bedwyr hadn’t heard him approaching and so if he had intended him harm could have done that harm. He saw one of his older cousins coming out of the trees.
His cousin was tall a willow and his skin was a brown that while it didn’t have the color changes of the bark on the trees around him was similar enough to make him not stand out quickly. His wings were folded pack so they didn’t stand out to much. He walked up to Bedwyr with a grin on his face. His cousin, Bedwyr had a lot of them, but this one was name Llyferbryf, and was one of the families hunters who protected the forest around estates. He was twenty arcs old and Bedwyr had seen him around since he moved to the family estates.
“Practicing.” He asked in his gravely voice.
“Yes.” Bedwyr said feeling his skin turn red in embarrassment. His cousin eyed him noticing the flush of color, but didn’t say anything as he indicated to the spears.
“Bring the spears over here and I will give you a real sparing partner.” He said standing next to the Bedwyr who was looking up at his cousin. It took a moment before boy to comprehend and then he raced across the space, pausing to pick his spear up from the ground. He then went to grab the spear from the stump. It didn’t come out. Bedwyr paused and tried again. After the second attempt Bedwyr set his spear down and tried pulling with both hands. Eventually he pulled it out but fell backwards and landed on his bottom. Llyferbryf walked over and picked up his spear. “When you throw a spear you have to throw it with the intention of burying it into your target. Anything less and the odds are that it will just bounce off assuming it will even get through.” He walked back towards a distant. “Trying throwing it from here.” He said.
“But that is shorter then what he had us practice.” Bedwyr offered.
“The Weapon Master’s believes in developing distance first. For me I found it easier to go for impact first.” He pointed to the spot and said. “Throw.”
Realizing that fighting with the person offering to help you practice wasn’t wise Bedwyr came to the spot and check for balance and threw. This time it did hit the stump but didn’t stick. The older cousin nodded as if that was exactly what he expected.
“Again.”
Bedwyr came back again and threw it again. He hit a different spot on the trunk but again didn’t burry the spear head in. The continued that several more times. Bedwyr felt himself growing tired from the constant throwing and his arm was beginning to hurt. Finally Llyferbryf told him to stop.
“For starters you are taking the approach to finding the balance of your weapon wrong.”
“But” Llyferbryf spun in spear in a circle before himself and in the blink of an eye shifted grip and threw the spear. While the staff of the spear was still shaking from the impact into the trunk the older cousin looked at Bedwry.
“I a fight you don’t have time to carefully find the balance point to throw a spear. If its your weapon you find the balance point when you claim it. If the balance point is wrong you choose one that is right. Then you don’t have to pause.” He picked up Bedwyr spear. “You had it more right when you fought the pretend enemies. You will train your muscles to do it right. All of you has to throw the spear not just your arm and you brain. You need to trust your spear or what ever weapon that you claim as your own so that you know how it works.”
“But what if its not my spear for some reason.”
“Then again trust your body to know what to do. Over thinking something in a fight can get you killed. Now that isn’t to say don’t think in a fight, but you do your planning as prepare for the fight. When your in the fighting you need to have your mind open to counter what ever your fightings next attack not trying to decided the perfect balance point.” Llyferbryf said handing over the spear. He went to get his own and pulled it out with much more ease but still had to use both hands to pull in.
He went to his bag and pulled out some items, and then came and sat down on the ground. Bedwyr plopped on the ground next to him and watched his cousin. “Something that is always important is taking care of your weapon.” As Bedwyr looked over his own spear he showed him how to check it to make sure the spear tip was secure, that the shaft wasn’t cracked and then how to sharpen the blade. “A sharp blade is merciful, and dull blade is torture.” He said ash he handed Bedwyr the sharpening stone.
“Aren’t you more likely to cut yourself on a sharp knife.” Bedwyr said.
“Only if you are stupid when you play with it.” He cousin said. “It needs to be more of an angle.” He said and helped Bedwyr adjust the blade. “Yes a sharp blade will kill quicker, but a dull blade will still kill but usually more slowly and more painfully.”
Bedwyr nodded his head while he though about that some more. “Alright Cousin.” Llyferbryf said. “Besides taking care of your spear I want you to hold the spear out in front of you first with one hand and then the other. Hold it as long as you can in each hand. As you build up arm strength and endurance you will throw harder but also be able to fight long. Do that at least every other trial.”
Bedwyr nodded his head as his cousin stood up and watched Bedwyr stand up. The two walked home the older supporting the now sore younger boy. Bedwyr wasn’t happy about the sore ness from the exercises but was please with the practice.
Today though he had a purposes in his quiet. He held in his hand the spear he had been given to practice with. He wasn’t actually worried about practicing the spear in public most of the other boys weren’t doing much better then himself but he wanted to avoid being watched by one person. He looked around and feeling that the he was by himself in the little grove he liked visiting he got to practicing.
He thought through everything that the Weapon’s Master had taught him. He decided that the best thing to do would be to practice the moves that he had gone through at the lesson. He took the stance he had been shown and began to make the same movements that he had gone through at the practice. He held it across his body with his hands on either side. He moved the stick so he was tilting it up on one side and then the other as if he was in a battle and trying to stop the imaginary attacker. In his mind eye he could see the incoming attacks and he lifted and blocked several more times as he moved his arms and then turned the side to block another imaginary opponent.
He flipped the hold on the spear as he went on the offensive holding it two handed and pushing the blade of the spear forward. He thrust forward several times as he stabbed at the imaginary opponent, and then flipped back toward defending against attacks. He tried to remember the stuff that he was taught but tried to do it moving quickly. He moved the spears pole to block any incoming attacks from the enemy in his minds eyes. As is the way with children he imagined he scared his opponents and they turned and ran. He imagined then that another enemy was spotted in the distant with a spear he was about to throw. Bedwyr made sure to grab the spear at its balance point, or at least what he hoped was the balance point and threw it at the target. While it was a decent throw it still fell short. Of the tree stump he was aiming at.
At that moment a spear flew out of the woods and embedded itself into the trunk he had aimed for. Bedwyr looked around in surprise but not particularly scared. Who ever had thrown that was quiet enough that Bedwyr hadn’t heard him approaching and so if he had intended him harm could have done that harm. He saw one of his older cousins coming out of the trees.
His cousin was tall a willow and his skin was a brown that while it didn’t have the color changes of the bark on the trees around him was similar enough to make him not stand out quickly. His wings were folded pack so they didn’t stand out to much. He walked up to Bedwyr with a grin on his face. His cousin, Bedwyr had a lot of them, but this one was name Llyferbryf, and was one of the families hunters who protected the forest around estates. He was twenty arcs old and Bedwyr had seen him around since he moved to the family estates.
“Practicing.” He asked in his gravely voice.
“Yes.” Bedwyr said feeling his skin turn red in embarrassment. His cousin eyed him noticing the flush of color, but didn’t say anything as he indicated to the spears.
“Bring the spears over here and I will give you a real sparing partner.” He said standing next to the Bedwyr who was looking up at his cousin. It took a moment before boy to comprehend and then he raced across the space, pausing to pick his spear up from the ground. He then went to grab the spear from the stump. It didn’t come out. Bedwyr paused and tried again. After the second attempt Bedwyr set his spear down and tried pulling with both hands. Eventually he pulled it out but fell backwards and landed on his bottom. Llyferbryf walked over and picked up his spear. “When you throw a spear you have to throw it with the intention of burying it into your target. Anything less and the odds are that it will just bounce off assuming it will even get through.” He walked back towards a distant. “Trying throwing it from here.” He said.
“But that is shorter then what he had us practice.” Bedwyr offered.
“The Weapon Master’s believes in developing distance first. For me I found it easier to go for impact first.” He pointed to the spot and said. “Throw.”
Realizing that fighting with the person offering to help you practice wasn’t wise Bedwyr came to the spot and check for balance and threw. This time it did hit the stump but didn’t stick. The older cousin nodded as if that was exactly what he expected.
“Again.”
Bedwyr came back again and threw it again. He hit a different spot on the trunk but again didn’t burry the spear head in. The continued that several more times. Bedwyr felt himself growing tired from the constant throwing and his arm was beginning to hurt. Finally Llyferbryf told him to stop.
“For starters you are taking the approach to finding the balance of your weapon wrong.”
“But” Llyferbryf spun in spear in a circle before himself and in the blink of an eye shifted grip and threw the spear. While the staff of the spear was still shaking from the impact into the trunk the older cousin looked at Bedwry.
“I a fight you don’t have time to carefully find the balance point to throw a spear. If its your weapon you find the balance point when you claim it. If the balance point is wrong you choose one that is right. Then you don’t have to pause.” He picked up Bedwyr spear. “You had it more right when you fought the pretend enemies. You will train your muscles to do it right. All of you has to throw the spear not just your arm and you brain. You need to trust your spear or what ever weapon that you claim as your own so that you know how it works.”
“But what if its not my spear for some reason.”
“Then again trust your body to know what to do. Over thinking something in a fight can get you killed. Now that isn’t to say don’t think in a fight, but you do your planning as prepare for the fight. When your in the fighting you need to have your mind open to counter what ever your fightings next attack not trying to decided the perfect balance point.” Llyferbryf said handing over the spear. He went to get his own and pulled it out with much more ease but still had to use both hands to pull in.
He went to his bag and pulled out some items, and then came and sat down on the ground. Bedwyr plopped on the ground next to him and watched his cousin. “Something that is always important is taking care of your weapon.” As Bedwyr looked over his own spear he showed him how to check it to make sure the spear tip was secure, that the shaft wasn’t cracked and then how to sharpen the blade. “A sharp blade is merciful, and dull blade is torture.” He said ash he handed Bedwyr the sharpening stone.
“Aren’t you more likely to cut yourself on a sharp knife.” Bedwyr said.
“Only if you are stupid when you play with it.” He cousin said. “It needs to be more of an angle.” He said and helped Bedwyr adjust the blade. “Yes a sharp blade will kill quicker, but a dull blade will still kill but usually more slowly and more painfully.”
Bedwyr nodded his head while he though about that some more. “Alright Cousin.” Llyferbryf said. “Besides taking care of your spear I want you to hold the spear out in front of you first with one hand and then the other. Hold it as long as you can in each hand. As you build up arm strength and endurance you will throw harder but also be able to fight long. Do that at least every other trial.”
Bedwyr nodded his head as his cousin stood up and watched Bedwyr stand up. The two walked home the older supporting the now sore younger boy. Bedwyr wasn’t happy about the sore ness from the exercises but was please with the practice.
