Sparring Gone Wild (Razia)

[HG]

The midafternoon mugginess made the loose white tunic cling to his chest in places he rather it wouldn't. His tan colored pants fit well but were not tight with brown boots that came to below his knees. Despite the heat, he was not sweating as profusely as when he had first arrived in the South. As always he was looking forward to this time of day, set aside for training the Weyrlings how to fight and spar. Today was a sparring day.

Practice had been getting more and more intense as they went along. The Weyrling Master's Assistant was putting them in pairs today according to skill level. Sparring practice was actually something he had done before coming to the Weyr. All Lord Holder's were taught sparring. As far as he knew it was a custom to protect oneself and keep one fit. While when they had first begun training this had been an advantage. Now it seemed that there were more people he was evenly matched with skill wise.

This meant that he had no idea whom he was going to be paired with. Names were being called in pairs and as the list dwindled he caught himself thinking about who was left. No one who could really challenge him. Or so he thought. Everything was going well until the man called his name in connection with hers. “N'var and Razia.” He wasn't sure his hearing was working correctly. Did he just say Razia? Oh Faranth, why him?

The girl was worse than a plague the way she carried on. He did not hate all women, just this one and a couple of the more stubborn ones on the Expedition with him. Most of the others knew when it was better to shut their mouths than to argue with a superior.You will get a good workout. She makes you angry, throw it into your sparring and let me take a nap!Oh, go sleep. I'll do what I must. Irritating dragon.

Shaking his head he thought, females. Moody, judgemental and completely wrong about pretty much everything. How other men could live with the stubborn ones like Razia he did not know. Surely they had to be the worst pushovers and cowards of any men. Walking over to where Razia was standing, he said, “Come on, lets get this over with. It should be a short fight.”

He had no doubt he could whoop her arse at this. Along with being a better dragonrider, actually having a love life and well obviously having more class, he knew he was better than she was at this. Even if she refused at first to believe it. He would get into her head and things would begin to go his way. There was no way in the world he was losing to her.

[Ise]

Ah sparring, it was something that Razia enjoyed doing. Most of the sparring matches had been fairly laid back, just working on moves and helping out partners while having fun with it all. She had the advantage of having a sister in the Dragon Shield, one who enjoyed being able to help her younger sister out. Aside from their chess games it was one of the few times Razia and Akorma got along without someone annoying the other.

The afternoon heat was making her feel a little drowsy and the mugginess wasn’t helping. After this she would have to take Suli out to the lake, then the two of them could enjoy the cooler waters. A small smile flickered onto her face as she let herself daydream a little, pulling her hair back into a runners tail as the names were called.

Her little daydream of a pleasant afternoon was shattered though as she N’var’s name followed by her own. Of course she had to have the rotten luck of being paired with him. The sad thing was that N’var wasn’t too terrible at this sparring thing. When they had first started she had been looking forward to seeing him get laid out on his rear every fight. Instead he had always been the better fighter and had come away from every match gloating.

A flicker of a wicked grin crossed over her lips as she realized that this might not be such a bad thing after all. Sure she’d have to listen to N’var run his mouth, the boy didn’t know how to shut up, but being the first one to beat him would make it all worth it. Oh he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if she was the one to take him down. Not only would it be a girl who beat him, but a Southerner girl.

As her fellow green rider joined her, she gave him a pleasant little smile that never touched her eyes.
“Well I’m glad you’re willing to admit that this is going to be fast. Don’t worry, I’m sure that brown rider of yours will come and kiss your booboos for you and make you feel all better after I beat you.”
The nice little smile never left her lips as she taunted him, keeping her voice low enough that the assistant master wouldn’t hear them and stop the fight before it had even started. Razia got herself in the ready position, waiting for the fight to start.

[HG]

The greenrider's eyebrow raised at the comment.“Someone is bitter. What's the matter Razia? Afraid no man wants you? Well at least you have a dragon to console you, when you realize you've got more ego than you have skill with the blade.” With that N'var took his position opposite the young woman. Oh she really had no idea what she was doing trying to make him angry when there was nothing shameful about actually being in love. K'dyn would probably like to help him kill her but seeing as he was alone he'd have to at least beat her in this sparring.

As he moved away watching her like a feline watched its prey, he took deap breaths. She was ready was she? His smile was one of a confident ease. Leaning his weight proportionally to his legs, N'var made sure to keep up with his footing. Now formulating a plan of attack he did not want to wait long enough for her to attack him. Being a man he was stronger than she was and therefore going to have the advantage in this situation.

His feet were steady beneath him and even his breathing was calm. He felt his head was clear, prepared for what was about to come. Advancing towards her the look on his face was nothing short of challenging. His eyes met hers and he knew it was time. Immediately after advancing he took the opportunity to begin an attack, his sword coming down diagonally from her upper left to the lower right side. Then taking his sword back toward his own chest to protect himself form any reaction she would have.

[Ise]

“Bitter? Why would I be bitter? I’m just not the one who’s going to need someone to pick me up off the ground like you will. Don’t worry, I think it’s cute that you and the brown rider have finally decided to hook up instead of make eyes at each other during lessons.”
Really, it had been getting a little sickening to see the two boys peeking looks at each other then they thought no one was looking. Everyone but them had known that they had the hots for each other. And if they weren’t the two most annoying, obnoxious Northerners, she might have been a little disappointed that two of good looking guys had eyes only for each other.

The same look of confidence was on Razia’s face as well. How could she lose when she had one of the Dragon Shield members giving her personal lessons? Yea N’var actually was good at this but she was still better. He might be a little bigger then her but she was faster. And smarter. And just better then him. Poor dimglow wouldn’t know what hit him.

She allowed him to make the first attack. No battle between them would be won on the first strike. Her parry was an effortless one, redirecting his blade to the side before making a quick little strike that he blocked. Razia watched him closely, almost paying more attention to his body language then his blade. She just had to wait until he showed an opening and then strike fast. Lots of fast, little strikes would do him in and draw out the fight long enough for everyone else to watch her beat him.

[HG]

(permission given from Ise for the slight summary in the post)

He sneered at her words, “At the end of this you'll be lucky if picking you up off the ground is what they are worried about. You've got nothing to worry about though I'll make sure you're still alive when we're done. We wouldn't want to lose any dragons...” Women at their best were hard for him to get along with. When they were permitted to act and speak as Razia was he disliked them even more. He laughed a cruel impetuous laugh, before coming at her again with his sword. That they were evenly matched was going to be proved wrong here and now. She would soon see that pairing with him was a mistake and then they would place her below his skill level. His plan was perfect. Of course it was!

As their swords clashed and clanged, each seeming to keep their footing well, it became more and more apparent that this was no playful sparring to gain experience. This was a fight to the almost death. No matter how hard he brought his sword down or how close she came to finding that hole in his defense, they seemed to be able to deflect and move on. Each time he was dissapointed in making her bleed made him angrier. Why wouldn't she make a mistake already! That they were the same level was no joke and now that they were both out for blood, not one of them was able to end the fight.

N'var's movements were fluid and the turns of practice at the Hold were actually a benefit more because of his ability to not have to concentrate on his swordplay and his footwork at the same time. He knew how to move when her sword came close. She had not drawn blood yet but then neither had he. The intensity of the fight grew with each advance. He was sweating more than he thought he would but he let the salty fluid run down his determined face. N'var would not lose.

Or'yn was watching after having been beaten once again by one of the bigger people in class. Sparring was obviously not his best. Though the fight in front of him was worrisome. Maybe he should get inbetween them. The assistant was busy trying to help some of the others with their technique. Or'yn was not helpless but a small part of him was intrigued at the intricate dance of the two dueling Weyrlings. He wished he were evenly matched so that he could fight all day and never have a winner

[Ise]

Razia only rolled her eyes at his taunts. Northern dimglow didn't know what he was getting into. Just because women in the North were weak, spinless things didn't mean the ones down here were. Being able to take N'var down would be will worth what few bruises she got. She was pretty sure that she would be the hero of lesson if she could take N'var down, the only person who seemed to never get annoyed with him was that brown rider.

Things didn't go as quickly as she wanted them to though. In fact, she was unpleasantly surprised when N'var turned out to actually be good at sword play. Her lazy parrys were quickly replaced by hard thrusts and quick deflects. A few times she came so close to catching skin with her blade but every time he managed to stop her. It was frustrating that he was actually good at this and she pushed herself harder to try and find his weak point. Razia didn't think it was fair that he was actually good at something, she should have beaten him by now and moved on to another match. Instead she was going full out, hoping to get him good and draw blood. Forcing him to spend a few hours in the infirimar would be the best reward she could get out of this.

Though her hair was pulled back, strains of it had come lose and clung to the side of her face as she grimmly watched and coutered each attack that he made on her while he did the same. She couldn't remember ever having to work so hard to beat anyone yet. If it had been anyone but N'var she wouldn't have minded it, she would have enjoyed it. She couldn't even bother trying to taunt N'var into making a mistake, she needed every breath for the fight. She just hoped that the assistant stayed busy with others, she didn't want the fight to be broken up before she had won, she just needed to hold out a little longer until he made a mistake, one that she could make him pay for.

[HG]

The onslaught continued even as he thought she was growing tired. With each strike of his weapon, hers blocked and then she came at him with twice the force. He was agile enough though that strength may not win the day in this case. At the moment it felt like the battle would continue forever. Focus was something he was trying to keep. Refusing that some Southern girl would win a fight kept him going. Razia in this instant was worse than any enemy he could think of despite the recent attacks. If N'var were the type to put away negative feelings and move on, he and Razia might be friends. However, this was not the case and no amount of good would make up for the wrong doings of the past.

A bead of sweat dripped down the middle of his head as he tried hard to concentrate. His jaw locked, muscles tensed for the next attack. He knew her movements as if they were his own. Sadly they were very much like his own and with that he wondered how they could have so similar a style of fighting? He grew up in the North and she in the South, surely the rules of swordplay were different on each continent. Maybe they weren't, he thought parrying her attack and thrusting his arm forward towards her, in time for it too to be blocked.

“Is that all you've got?” He asked with a snide comment at the ready for her response. Pressing buttons could be a good thing...maybe. N'var was unaware of the gathering audience as other pairs were beginning to finish their matches. Blue eyes were intent on the next movement of Razia's feet, where her sword angled, how her mind was working to find his weakness. Oh yes, sparring was not only about strength, skill and agility it was also about strategy. Something it seemed that each of them were skilled at on an almost equal level. Almost...for he was going to win and prove that he was better than a woman, any day of the week.

Or'yn's eyes were glued to the scene before him. With each blow they missed, he sighed inwardly with relief. The closer they came to drawing blood the more anxious he was. Even in sleep, Rath was feeling his rider's anxiety and began to wake. Is something wrong Or'yn?[/color] Nothing is exactly wrong but something about this sparring match is not quite right. If it is not right then it is wrong. I'm not sure if it is or isn't. They just seem to be getting a little too intense about it. You should tell the Weyrling Master or his Assistant. And be known for telling on people, no thanks. The dragon made his equivalent of a mental grumble. Suit yourself.