Post by allymarty on Mar 7, 2010 11:50:12 GMT 10
Title: Kinsmen VI - Wonderings
Rating: G
Length: 751 (not including the book quote)
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 2/A
Summary: Sixth in a series of stories about the relationship between two kinsmen and the eventual object of their mutual affections.
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Neal saw them bunch up and came to Kel's defense, dragging Zahir's friends out of his way. When Vinson hit Neal from behind, the prince yanked Vinson off him. Merric threw himself onto Joren's back. Faleron and Seaver went for Zahir. The battle ended only when Sergeant Ezeko waded in and pulled everybody apart....
"It's not fair," Merric grumbled as he wrung out sheets. "Zahir started it."
"But you lot didn't have to pitch in," Kel reminded him. "Besides, this may be the only time all winter that we get the mud out from under our nails."
Merric glowered at her, and Kel waited for the explosion. Instead he shook his head, smiling wryly. "Don't you get mad about anything?" he demanded in amused exasperation.
-- Tamora Pierce, First Test
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Although Joren of Stone Mountain was the best swordsman among the pages - and Nealan of Queenscove a close second - the young page from King's Reach also displayed a lot of natural talent during their practice duels. His younger kinsman from Hollyrose wasn't nearly as fortunate, but he tried very hard. Now that Lord Wyldon's punishment-by-laundry-duty for them was over, Faleron could spend a little extra time with Merric, coaching him on his sword work.
"Faleron," Merric asked as he leaned forward with a basic thrust. "Do you ever wonder if either of your sisters ever dreamed of becoming a knight?"
Faleron laughed. "You're joking, right?" He easily blocked and deflected Merric's practice blade.
As Merric used his shoulder to wipe the sweat out of his eyes, another one of Faleron's lightning-fast thrusts passed through his unprepared block.
"Pay attention, Merric!" Faleron said, his voice full of irritation. "You're barely even trying. Now do it again!"
"Sorry!" Merric apologized angrily and they went through the exercise once more. This time, Faleron was able to score a direct hit to his kinsman's chest with the wooden practice sword in less time than before.
"Blast it all, Merric!" Faleron's patience evaporated and he began to rant. "You're just wasting my time! You're always wondering about this or that when you should be concentrating on your opponent's next move. Now stop daydreaming!"
Merric narrowed his eyes and his voice had a defensive edge to it. "You needn't get upset. I was only wondering about Gaylia - specifically because she's friends with Princess Kalasin. And you told me that the princess had wanted to be a knight, so I was just wonderi--"
"Aagh! That's it! We're done for today," Faleron declared. "This is pointless!" And he angrily thrust his weapon down into the soft ground of the practice court.
The redheaded boy hung his head in frustration and mumbled, "I wish you were more like Kel - she hardly ever gets upset at anything I say."
Faleron's mouth dropped open, but then he shook his head and softly asked, "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," Merric replied, but he wouldn't meet the other boy's eyes.
Faleron sighed, and pushed his fingers through his thick, dark hair. His deep brown eyes locked on to his kinsman's pale blue eyes. Then he put away both of their practice swords and led Merric over to sit down on one of the wooden benches.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, Merric," Faleron said tiredly. "And no, unlike Princess Kalasin, Gaylia has never wanted to be a knight - she only wants to marry a knight. She wants to be just like our oldest sister Nelline, whose husband just became the second-in-command of Tortall's defensive forces along the southern coast."
"Oh, that's right," Merric said, "I forgot that Nelly married Sir Hiram of Legann. He's the one who fought and slayed all those hurroks in the western hills."
Faleron nodded, "Yes, and Gaylia also wants to wed a famous, gallant hero of a knight."
Merric smiled. "That figures. My sisters all want to marry brave knights, too. Father is presenting Desalyn and Rosalyn to court this year and the eligible knights of the realm were the only thing they talked about all summer long. Who knew there were so many of them roaming about the land? I couldn't wait to get away from their constant yammering!"
Faleron scratched his head and said, "Well, Merric, you know that every would-be knight must be able to defend his lady and his land with his sword - and that's something which you have not even begun to master. You're going to have to apply yourself if you want to see improvement any time soon."
"There you go again," Merric sighed. "You sound more like my father than my sponsor. I'll bet Neal doesn't lecture Kel this way."
"At least Kel can handle her blade," Faleron said and then he winced when he realized that his comment had hurt Merric's feelings.
"I wonder if ... um ... hmm." Merric began to speak, but then he let the comment trail off and looked away again.
Faleron studied Merric's now-red face. He had a fairly strong suspicion that his kinsmen would have inserted Keladry of Mindelan's name into that sentence. He also wondered if someday Kel, too, would want to marry a gallant hero of a knight. If so, Faleron decided that he definitely wanted to be the most eligible candidate for the job.
Rating: G
Length: 751 (not including the book quote)
Competitor: Faleron
Round/Fight: 2/A
Summary: Sixth in a series of stories about the relationship between two kinsmen and the eventual object of their mutual affections.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Neal saw them bunch up and came to Kel's defense, dragging Zahir's friends out of his way. When Vinson hit Neal from behind, the prince yanked Vinson off him. Merric threw himself onto Joren's back. Faleron and Seaver went for Zahir. The battle ended only when Sergeant Ezeko waded in and pulled everybody apart....
"It's not fair," Merric grumbled as he wrung out sheets. "Zahir started it."
"But you lot didn't have to pitch in," Kel reminded him. "Besides, this may be the only time all winter that we get the mud out from under our nails."
Merric glowered at her, and Kel waited for the explosion. Instead he shook his head, smiling wryly. "Don't you get mad about anything?" he demanded in amused exasperation.
-- Tamora Pierce, First Test
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Although Joren of Stone Mountain was the best swordsman among the pages - and Nealan of Queenscove a close second - the young page from King's Reach also displayed a lot of natural talent during their practice duels. His younger kinsman from Hollyrose wasn't nearly as fortunate, but he tried very hard. Now that Lord Wyldon's punishment-by-laundry-duty for them was over, Faleron could spend a little extra time with Merric, coaching him on his sword work.
"Faleron," Merric asked as he leaned forward with a basic thrust. "Do you ever wonder if either of your sisters ever dreamed of becoming a knight?"
Faleron laughed. "You're joking, right?" He easily blocked and deflected Merric's practice blade.
As Merric used his shoulder to wipe the sweat out of his eyes, another one of Faleron's lightning-fast thrusts passed through his unprepared block.
"Pay attention, Merric!" Faleron said, his voice full of irritation. "You're barely even trying. Now do it again!"
"Sorry!" Merric apologized angrily and they went through the exercise once more. This time, Faleron was able to score a direct hit to his kinsman's chest with the wooden practice sword in less time than before.
"Blast it all, Merric!" Faleron's patience evaporated and he began to rant. "You're just wasting my time! You're always wondering about this or that when you should be concentrating on your opponent's next move. Now stop daydreaming!"
Merric narrowed his eyes and his voice had a defensive edge to it. "You needn't get upset. I was only wondering about Gaylia - specifically because she's friends with Princess Kalasin. And you told me that the princess had wanted to be a knight, so I was just wonderi--"
"Aagh! That's it! We're done for today," Faleron declared. "This is pointless!" And he angrily thrust his weapon down into the soft ground of the practice court.
The redheaded boy hung his head in frustration and mumbled, "I wish you were more like Kel - she hardly ever gets upset at anything I say."
Faleron's mouth dropped open, but then he shook his head and softly asked, "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," Merric replied, but he wouldn't meet the other boy's eyes.
Faleron sighed, and pushed his fingers through his thick, dark hair. His deep brown eyes locked on to his kinsman's pale blue eyes. Then he put away both of their practice swords and led Merric over to sit down on one of the wooden benches.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, Merric," Faleron said tiredly. "And no, unlike Princess Kalasin, Gaylia has never wanted to be a knight - she only wants to marry a knight. She wants to be just like our oldest sister Nelline, whose husband just became the second-in-command of Tortall's defensive forces along the southern coast."
"Oh, that's right," Merric said, "I forgot that Nelly married Sir Hiram of Legann. He's the one who fought and slayed all those hurroks in the western hills."
Faleron nodded, "Yes, and Gaylia also wants to wed a famous, gallant hero of a knight."
Merric smiled. "That figures. My sisters all want to marry brave knights, too. Father is presenting Desalyn and Rosalyn to court this year and the eligible knights of the realm were the only thing they talked about all summer long. Who knew there were so many of them roaming about the land? I couldn't wait to get away from their constant yammering!"
Faleron scratched his head and said, "Well, Merric, you know that every would-be knight must be able to defend his lady and his land with his sword - and that's something which you have not even begun to master. You're going to have to apply yourself if you want to see improvement any time soon."
"There you go again," Merric sighed. "You sound more like my father than my sponsor. I'll bet Neal doesn't lecture Kel this way."
"At least Kel can handle her blade," Faleron said and then he winced when he realized that his comment had hurt Merric's feelings.
"I wonder if ... um ... hmm." Merric began to speak, but then he let the comment trail off and looked away again.
Faleron studied Merric's now-red face. He had a fairly strong suspicion that his kinsmen would have inserted Keladry of Mindelan's name into that sentence. He also wondered if someday Kel, too, would want to marry a gallant hero of a knight. If so, Faleron decided that he definitely wanted to be the most eligible candidate for the job.