[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia was still annoyed that her dagger had a big chip out of it. She would have to replace it soon. It was a few brightenings later and she was back in the clearing to practice more types of stabs, slashes, and movements. She was starting to really develop a love hate relationship with her dagger. It was obvious that she’d never turn out to be a fighter in this life. She sighed and let her mind drift back to Meg’s drawing room and the lessons Meg’s bodyguard was giving his new trainees.

“Now, you need to learn how to slash with your daggers. There is a proper and improper way to do so! Properly… dagger held hilt towards you… fingers down, blade perpendicular to your body pointed at your opponent … draw dagger from the side of your head downwards. Repeat! Daggers up, slash down… daggers up… sash down….” Grintil bellowed, repeatedly in the manner only dwarves could get by with.

Viskyia struggled to mimic her memory, and finally got the blade moving in a smooth unjerking fashion as she practiced the maneuver. Her left hand, as usual, was impossible to get convinced to master the motion. She practiced a long time with it, before dredging up more of the memory of that day in Meg’s sitting room.

“Time to slash inside to outside. Daggers up, chest centered. Drag the dagger in the direction of your opponents right side, when using your left hand… head level.. yes slash up, drag inside to outside… repeat.. daggers up, slash… inside to outside.” The dwarf kept bellowing...

Viskyia kept practicing, kept flexing, kept pushing herself. She practiced the slashes over and over again until her ‘victim’ the bush was practically denuded of extra branches. Had it been spring and its leaves were full, it would be leafless as well. Slash, switch hands, slash, switch techniques, slash, switch hands, slash… her arms ached by the time she was done. It was time to call it a lesson as well. She turned and jogged for home.