Theodoric and Alexander
C-support
Theodoric grunted in dissatisfaction as he finished emptying the latrine in the outhouse he'd been assigned to clean out, a deep frown on his face. Finally, he was done with punishment detail for the day. Fortunately, most of the...contents had dried up enough in the pit that it didn't quite resemble nor smell too much like more fresh matter. That was reserved for cleaning out chamber pots in the bathrooms inside the monastery itself, which he'd had the displeasure of handling once already.
At least he didn't reek. Doric set the shovel he'd been using back into the shed he'd taken it from, pulling a timepiece out to check exactly what time it was. Hm. He'd been faster than he'd given himself leeway for, and now he had a decent amount of time to himself before late afternoon training and dinner after. What to do…?
Alex groaned, having finished his most recent chore. He had still had a little more work to do, but decided it would be best to take a break. Maybe he could get a little early training in. He groaned. Training by himself helped, but it was also a bit boring. He'd have loved to be able to take some time to spar.
"I suppose a training dummy will have to do again for now," he groaned, speaking to himself primarily as he walked along. It wasn't like he had people beating down the doors to want to train with him after his spectacularly abhorrent display. Stupid. He couldn't help but criticize his behavior the more he looked at it. He could have handled it better. Much better. He'd just been so annoyed.
Looking up he caught a glimpse of Theodoric. Had he just finished a chore himself.
"Come to return something yourself?" he asked calmly as he returned a few cleaning supplies.
Doric nodded as he glanced behind him. As much as he'd like to castigate Alexander for causing this entire debacle, he already had the feeling that the others were giving him much worse. Adding on to it wouldn't help beat the lesson in. Best to just...not bring it up.
"More or less. Finished with clearing out an outhouse's latrine today. I take it you've finished your punishment detail for the day as well, then?"
"Well part of it. I was given extra chores, remember?" Alex said calmly as he finished replacing his own equipment. He'd half expected something more from Doric.
"I was thinking I might try and get a little training in. If all I did was clean, especially other latrines I'll need to take care of later… ugh, I'd keel over of boredom, and disgust, before long."
He reckoned many would feel the same.
"What were your plans for the day Doric? Anything fun planned? Teaching Sherry a thing or two about humility and leadership perchance?" He asked with a small laugh. Ah yes, poking fun at sherry. His quickly growing new favorite past time. Although in this case, given his only
real experiences with Doric involved Sherry in some way (the battle and dinner), it felt appropriate.
"Directly? It'd do nothing. Yhriel only knows I've tried that before." Doric scoffed, inwardly lamenting said failures to calm Sherry down even remotely.
"Debate and arguments don't quite reach her, and I'm not good enough of a schemer to be able to manipulate her into at least making an attempt at being a more reasonable person. I wouldn't even know where to start." He had many, many more opinions on this matter. But none that were appropriate for someone he'd only just met. Let alone for someone who'd already shown he was incapable of not running his mouth upon getting angry.
A pause.
"As for plans...truthfully, I'd budgeted more time for this than it actually took, and now I find myself at a loss for what to do with my extra hours. You said you were planning on training? Would you mind at all if I joined you?"
"Not a good enough schemer, huh?" Alex chuckled a bit at the thought.
"Could have fooled me with how quickly you seemed to take the reins during the mock battle." Alex couldn't help himself. Doric seemed far more capable than he let on, though it seemed like something (possibly himself) was holding him back. Still, the young would-be Ravaleth heir shrugged.
"Although I could definitely see even the most gifted of minds giving up on 'educating' the young Lady Grimdall." And he did use the term lady quite loosely in this regard.
"Regardless, I wouldn't mind at all if you joined me. I'd love a good spar." Alex grinned, rolling his arms back a bit at the shoulders to help himself loosen up.
"Nothing like a little friendly combat to help find out your own strengths and weaknesses. I'll just color myself lucky you seem to have an extra bit of time on your hands." He turned to make sure the shed was sufficiently closed and then nodded.
"Off we go then," Alex said, a slightly more enthusiastic look in his face as he led the way to the training grounds.
"If I were better in that regard, perhaps we would have had a more definitive advantage during the mock battle. Though I'm mostly speaking of politics and backroom deals." Doric deflected as they started to walk off.
"Again, I'm sorry about Sherry. I know this doesn't excuse her actions, but she's had a...difficult childhood. She wasn't quite always so severe." He sighed.
"Anything beyond that isn't my business to say."
He wasn't quite going to say that Sherry was more than justified in whatever she'd said to Alex this time, considering that Theodoric had the lingering suspicion Sherry had likely escalated whatever feud they'd had beyond reasonable leeway. Still, considering Alex didn't seem too resentful at the moment, perhaps it wasn't as bad as his worst-case scenario.
As they reached the training grounds, Doric made a beeline for the weapon racks, picking out a larger wooden sword that suited his fighting style before glancing back at Alex.
"At your ready, then. How do you wish to do this? First to a number of strikes, or until first surrender?"
"I'm not so sure. Who could have accounted for the combat strength Victor portrayed? Even if we'd established a better advantage, there's no guarantee we would have been victorious," Alex replied calmly as he inspected the training swords. When he finally settled on a sword he moved a few paces away.
"And don't apologize for the princess. She may be a hardass, stuck up, and more than a little arrogant. But she's at least honest." He liked giving her a hard time, but part of that was because the girl made it so damn easy.
"Besides, if you spend all your time trying to cover for others, I doubt you'll end up getting very far yourself."
Alex hummed a bit as he swung the sword. He needed to check the weight, see out it felt. It wasn't particularly large, but seemed to fit well in his hands.
"Besides, I can at least trust Sherry enough not to play an underhanded trick behind my back. She'll come try to fight me head on," he added before getting into a ready stance, the sword held tightly in both hands, his stance a bit lower with legs bent slightly at the knees.
"Let's say until one of us yields. Usually makes for a slightly more interesting session."
Doric pursed his lips as Alex responded, but eventually shrugged. If that was how Alex chose to see the mock battle, fine. Though it was good to see he wasn't that badly inclined towards Sherry. Yet.
"Well, I'm glad you're not holding a grudge against her, at least. It would have made working together as a house far harder in the long term if you did."
He took his training sword up in both hands, sword parallel to the ground in a high stance.
"I do prefer yield, anyways. Makes for longer matches. Have at you!" Theodoric surged forward, opening with a quick pair of slashes towards Alexander's chest.
Alex chuckled a bit at Doric's expression. It seemed the blonde swordsman didn't quite agree with him about the mock battle.
"You're quite adept at holding your tongue Dori. I could learn a thing or two from you," he poked a bit of fun as he step back, avoiding the first of the slashed. Doric was quick, clearly skilled, much more so than Alex at least. He turned on his heel, shifting his weight to the left as he parried the second slash, and the moved in to attack himself.
"I'm glad we agree on our preferred method of sparring though," he chuckled.
"As for Sherry... she's ultimately harmless. I'm not looking to hurt her or let her do anything stupid to get herself or any of us killed on the battlefield," he said as he stepped in, swinging a horizontal slash toward Doric's midsection. Still, that was a rich line considering his behavior at the dinner. Was he baiting Doric to see if he'd get a legitimate reaction?
All the while, Alex anticipated a block or parry, perhaps a dodge. So, he'd press his attack with a following downward diagonal slash aimed at Doric left shoulder.
"I'd hope not." Theodoric grunted as he parried the first blow, eyes widening as Alex pressed the attack towards his shoulder. Without enough time to bring his sword back up for another parry, Doric dove to the side, tucking and rolling before coming up on his feet, sword leveled for another exchange of blows. Alexander had good instincts for combat, at least. Even if his bladework could use polishing. But that was what the monastery's instruction was for.
"She needs the leadership experience more than anyone else here, considering she's slated to rule a country."
Doric stepped forward again, sword raised up with both hands as if to bring it crashing down vertically. However, before he completed the stroke, he dashed forward and sought to smash the pommel of his wooden sword into Alex's forehead with a hilt bash.
"Nice roll," Alex couldn't help but comment as Doric parried and evaded the attacks. He smirked, turning to meet his house mate. He had a point about Sherry, though Alex was sure there was more to it than that.
"But shouldn't we also try to make sure that we're able and ready to back her up? Even if she makes the wrong decision, especially if she makes the wrong decision, while we still have the chance to learn from mistakes that would otherwise get us killed?" He thought back to the mock battle. None of them had really chosen to follow her or back her up. Even when Doric or Laila did, it had been long after the initial division of the team.
Still, Alex's eyes widened at Doric brough the hilt down toward his forehead. Alex brought the sword up to block with the flat of the would-be blade, grunting and gritting his teeth on contact.
"You're stronger than you look. Which is saying a lot since I didn't take you for the weak type," Alex said as he brought his leg up to try and kick Doric back. He was sure in a real battle he'd have stood no chance. Doric was clearly more powerful. But that wasn't about to stop him from trying.
Doric stumbled back from the kick, exhaling sharply as he sucked in a breath.
"That was the idea regarding Sherry, yes. I'm glad to see someone else understands, at least." He drew himself back up, smiling slightly in response to Alex's compliment.
"Don't sell yourself short. You're holding up quite well."
Theodoric brandished his sword in a defensive stance, knees braced as he waited for Alex to attack this time. In a real battle, he'd stay on the offensive and maintain pressure. But considering this was training, he was curious as to how Alex handled the attack himself.
"Heh, thanks. That means something coming from you," Alex replied calmly as he took the brief moment to collect his thoughts. Doric had backed off and assumed a defensive stance. He wanted Alex to attack this time. Well, he wouldn't keep him waiting. Alex took a deep breath and charged forward.
"Still, it's a little ironic to hear you say that," he said as he led with a cross slash, each one aiming to due damage to Doric's shoulders. A swordsman who could no longer wield his sword in a battle, after all, was hardly a threat.
"You seemed more than ready to leave her to the wolves and take control during the mock battle." In truth, Alex hadn't done much better. He'd stayed behind to follow Doric's lead. Were it a real battle, that would have been the smart choice. Didn't mean he wouldn't question it after the fact.
He had to try and anticipate how Doric would counter.
"How would that have helped Sherry grow? Or any of us for that matter? Seems it'd sow seeds of division if you ask me." One thing was for certain, Alex liked to talk. For better or worse, he would get a genuine reaction from Doric, or just walk away having learned a little more.
Doric grunted in exertion as he parried both strikes with the flat of his blade, taking one hand off the hilt in order to brace his sword.
"I can see how you'd think that," He murmured as he strained against Alex's blows.
"But Sherry needed...needs a humbling first and foremost. For her own good."
He moved in to deliver a shoulder check to Alex in the hopes of knocking him back and following up with a lunging thrust should he succeed.
"Otherwise, in the worst case scenario, you, your house, and the rest of Galbia are ruled by an overly arrogant tyrant in the years to come. I'd be a poor friend if I simply let her continue down such a path when I could make an attempt to influence it otherwise."
Alex grunted as Doric not only parried both strikes, but followed up with a shoulder check that would send Alex reeling back.
"Shit-" he murmured as he raised his sword, managing to just barely throw off the thrust, though he winced in pain. He might have avoided full damage, but the thrust had still nicked his side.
"I have no doubt she needs a lesson in humility. But in case you've forgotten, and as I've so poorly shown... time and place are everything." Alex stepped in once more. Many others might have attempted to back off, but it was likely Doric would simply press his assault now that he'd gained a bit of head way.
"Was the mock battle really the best place to make your point? Wouldn't it likely just make her resent you? Make it harder for herself to admit needing help or grow as a leader?" he asked, as he raised his sword to bring down on Doric from above.
Alex was under no impression though that he could overpower the blonde so easily in a clash of swords. He would have to follow up quickly. He'd follow the slash with a quick elbow aimed to the solar plexus. Doric would no doubt put a little more energy to stop from being winded. If things went well, Alex could press his attack with a slash aimed at Doric's side. Of course, there was always the chance Doric was good enough to counter this. There was a disparity in skill and experience. This seemed more a last ditch effort or perhaps a chance for Alex to see what his housemate was really made of.
Theodoric grit his teeth as Alex proved himself faster than he was, the blonde pushing himself to keep up with his classmate's quick slashes.
"Perhaps you're right. That decision was made under duress at the time as well. I hadn't expected Sherry to simply call for a suicide charge-oof!"
He grunted as Alex's elbow slipped through his defense, knocking the wind out of him. Doric staggered back, gasping for breath as Alex's sword came towards his side. He mustered all the effort he could, forcing his sword to his side to parry the blow before flicking his sword up in a disarm, tearing Alex's blade out of his hands. Doric leveled his own training sword at Alex's throat immediately, still trying to catch his breath from the blow to his solar plexus.
"Yield…?"
And there it was. Disarmed and defeated, Alex breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath.
"Damn… you really are good," he laughed as he helped up his hand to shake.
"I yield." Even if he'd
wanted to continue, winded with a sword pointed at his throat didn't paint the picture of a victor.
"You should work a little on speed. And maybe speaking your mind. You seem more sure of yourself now than on the battlefield. Or any other time you interact with someone. Like Sherry perhaps." Alex smirked.
"And if you have any advice for me, now would be the time."
Doric smiled as Alex surrendered, but his smile tightened somewhat as Alex mentioned his lack of confidence. A noble, speaking his mind? Between this and the incident with Lady Sylmare, how sheltered had Alex been to politics?
"You have a point on speed. As for the rest...we'll talk about that some other time." He tapped his chin in thought as Alex asked for tips.
"Hm, as for advice...let's see. Your swordplay is still somewhat sloppy. You compensate for it well just by being quick, but it's still evident. Work on tightening up your sword strokes and your transitions between strikes. Your cross slash had a bit too much follow-through, and the second blow likely would have struck me if it hadn't."
"I'll keep all of that in mind, Golden Boy," Alex replied calmly as he moved to pick up his training sword. He figured it would be best not to press the issue of speaking one's mind.
"We should spar again some time. I could stand to learn a few tricks," he added with a small chuckle as he replaced the training sword in its original place. Alex sighed though. He still had more work to do.
Glancing back, Alex smirked as his eyes fell on Doric.
"I'll be looking forward to our next match. Maybe I'll even manage to get you to yield," he said calmly as he made his exit from the training area.