Under One Banner

Well, I decided to upload again (wow! second one in two days!) because I had it already written. I haven't gotten around to writing 39 but I will be working on that soon! 

Dedicated to Nonnie, cause well... she guessed on my story and was right. :D haha. 

Thanks for reading! Please vote, you don't have to comment. haha! :) 
And most of all.. enjoy. and if you hate my story, please do tell me! hah! I can take it.. lol.

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They continued on until almost dusk before stopping and setting up camp. They set up camp around a small group of young trees. They were able to collect enough firewood for a fire that night. They refrained from starting it until full dark fell. 

“Sheridan,” Aryanna began. 

He looked up. “Yea?”

“I was thinking, we should probably start training. James has no experience with weapons and in the coming war he will be useless,” she glanced at James. “No offense,” she said. 

James smiled slightly and waved a hand dismissively. 

Sheridan glanced at James as well then back to Aryanna. “You actually trust me to train him and not kill him?” 

Aryanna’s eyebrows raised, she stared at him, her gaze hardening. 

“I’m kidding,” he said quickly smiling. 

“Funny,” Aryanna replied sarcastically. His past hostility towards James not helping her find it amusing. She tried at a smile though, but wasn’t sure of how well it worked. 

“But seriously, I thought you wanted me to be nice to him, not beat him up with a sword,” Sheridan continued. 

“I do want you to be civil, however, he needs to be taught. Don’t go to hard on him, he may still be detoxing on a small level, and he is still recovering from his many beatings,” she said. 

Sheridan nodded and rose to his feet, Aryanna stood with him. “When should we start?” he asked.

Aryanna shrugged. “Anytime I guess,” she said. 

Sheridan nodded. After hesitating a moment he walked away from the camp, casting about looking for something. Aryanna shrugged and sat down near her packs, pulling out her sharpening stone and cloth for cleaning her knives. She unsheathed her knives from the various locations on her person and laying them out in front of her. She set about sharpening them, removing any dents on the blade. 

She looked up after a moment as Sheridan came back, carrying two semi long, thing sized staffs. He tossed one to James who caught it awkwardly. 

“Come on, get up, I’m going to show you how to use a sword,” Sheridan ordered. 

James stood warily, holding the branch in his hand awkwardly. “Sheridan, this is a piece of wood,” he said. 

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Sheridan replied sarcastically. “I don’t think anyone here would take kindly to me slicing you up tonight. We are starting out with these staffs, pretend it’s a makeshift sword,” Sheridan told him. 

James nodded slowly.  

“Let’s see what you have,” Sheridan said. 

James’s eyes flickered but he didn’t say anything, only swung the ‘sword’ around in his hands, testing it out. 

Aryanna noticed this is smiled, he was already learning. 

Sheridan attacked suddenly and James leapt out of the way, Sheridan’s blow missing him barely. 

“Well, good, you are fast on your feet,” Sheridan said. 

James attempted a smile, though his eyes were fixed on Sheridan warily. 

“This time try to block me,” Sheridan said. “You can only retreat so far.”

James nodded and concentrated, watching Sheridan’s eyes. 

Sheridan lunged towards him, swinging his blow for James’s upper legs. James blocked but only partially and the makeshift sword hit his leg. He winced but didn’t drop his guard. 

Sheridan nodded to himself and swung again, this from the other side, aimed towards his neck. Again James blocked, holding the block against Sheridan’s sword as Sheridan applied more force on the swords. James grunted and his sword wavered. Sheridan relieved the pressure on the sword suddenly and as James stumbled forward Sheridan swung his sword and hit James in the thigh. 

James whirled back to face him, his face set in determined lines.