could you expect to live through with that kind of attitude? Go for all-out offense if all you seek is an honorable death.”
“He’s been teaching me to wield a weapon in each hand,” Jymoor said.
“Dung. Dung. Dung. Now, here is the basic concept. I want to thrust you straight through and through. That’s why my sword is pointed at your heart.”
Kasil thrust for Jymoor’s heart. Jymoor jumped back, a bit too late. The dull sword poked her.
“You see it is difficult to stop. This is why the thrust is the best technique. First, it’s very sudden and direct: you can’t see it coming like a big swing. Second, it’s harder to block than a swing. Finally, once driven home, it inflicts lethal damage. A hack or a swing may only wound an arm, but a thrust to throat or chest is often immediately fatal.”
Jymoor nodded.
“A thrust is clean and efficient,” Kasil continued. The master stepped forward suddenly, thrusting her sword forward. “I can thrust all day long. A wild swing, a desperate series of hacks, will tire a woman out on the field. Then she’ll be easy prey.”
Jymoor imitated Kasil’s thrust. It felt clumsy.
“Step forward with it for now,” Kasil said. “Then later, we’ll skip forward. You can cover a surprising distance forward very quickly when you get good at it. But today I want to start on defense. Your mission: to deflect an opponent’s thrust with minimal movement, leaving your own weapon in line for a counter.”
Kasil started attacking. She tapped the leather over Jymoor’s chest over and over. Jymoor was stunned at the speed of her instructor. She managed to bat Kasil’s sword aside from time to time when she got lucky, but her weapon was never in line for a counterthrust.
Kasil showed her several different defensive positions and exposed Jymoor to many different kinds of attacks. Eventually, Jymoor’s sword arm tired. Kasil had her switch hands. Of course, Jymoor was even worse with her off hand.
When Jymoor was exhausted, Kasil backed off and let her don the moon armor. Jymoor felt strength return to her tired muscles. A wave of confidence joined it.
Jymoor stepped out wearing greaves, breastplate, and gauntlets.
“The helmet as well, if you please,” Kasil said.
Jymoor donned the helmet. Kasil walked to the weapons racks and selected two greatswords. She gave one to Jymoor. The weapon was heavy, but the moon armor lent her its strength. Master Kasil was dwarfed by her greatsword, yet she somehow managed to carry it gracefully in both hands.
“It’s not the size that matters. Or so the knight who taught me said. He was my first,” Kasil winked at Jymoor.
“When did you learn?”
“The sword or the bed? Doesn’t matter. The answer is the same. I was but fourteen summers.”
Kasil cut the conversation short by dropping the sword down in an attack. Jymoor deflected it to one side, but Kasil simply spun with it, sending the huge weapon in a long arc to attack Jymoor from the other side. Even with the moon armor’s strength, she couldn’t bring the heavy weapon around in time to block it. It smashed into her arm with a clang, almost knocking her off balance.
The pain awakened Jymoor’s aggression. She swung back angrily. The huge weapon made noise cutting through the air. Jymoor swung again, forcing Kasil back. Then she lined up the sword for a thrust.
“Impressive!” Kasil said. Suddenly, she smashed Jymoor’s sword aside, letting her own sword fly way out of kilter, then smashed its pommel into the side of the moon helm. Jymoor staggered back and fell.
“If you want to fight a knight, then rough play is the order of the day!” Kasil trumpeted. “Both in bed and out, believe me!” she added more quietly.
Jymoor shook her head. Such skill! Kasil’s arms were strong, but they were hardly suitable for slinging such weapons around. Yet she could easily best Jymoor.
“I think that’s the only time I saw your sword go out of line with my heart,” Jymoor said.
“Of course. I can hardly skewer you through that moon armor, can I?” she answered happily.
Kasil fought her gracefully for several more minutes. Jymoor slashed and hacked at the sword master, but Kasil always ducked, dodged, or leaped her way out of trouble. In return, Jymoor received a few nasty bruises from her opponent. Finally, Kasil raised her open hand in submission. The sword master was gasping for breath.
“Enough. I yield. I’m not the young woman I used to be,” Kasil admitted.
Jymoor pulled off the moon