Undestined: Fight your Fate

Chapter Six: Concerning Magic, Pt. 1

It seemed as if she had just fallen asleep when Silay felt someone shaking her shoulder. She groaned and rolled over, but the shaking continued.

"All right! I'm up!" A dim light glowed in Riya's hand, but otherwise it was still dark. Silay glared at her. "What do you want?"

Riya grinned. "It's time you learned to defend yourself. Get dressed and meet me outside. Bring your dagger."

Silay followed Riya out of the tent, wincing as her muscles complained about yesterday's horseback riding. Riya noticed.

"We'll stretch first. Follow what I do." She showed Silay how to stretch out the muscles she had used yesterday. When they were both warmed up, the lesson began in earnest.

Riya looked Silay up and down. "The way I see it, it's less important you learn how to fight properly than it is that you learn what to do if you're attacked again. What did Talis do first when he caught you?"

"He grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back."

"Which arm?"

"My right arm. Then he grabbed my dagger."

"All right. Let's start there. Stand in front of me."

Silay took a step forward, and Riya's hand lashed out, grabbing Silay's arm and yanking it behind her back.

"Ow!" Silay tried to pull herself free, but Riya didn't loosen her grip. "I thought you were teaching me, not attacking me!"

"I am teaching you. Now try to get free."

Silay struggled for a moment, then stopped. "I can't. And this hurts."

"It's supposed to hurt. And you can get free. Just think for a moment. You can't use your right arm, so what can you use?"

She though for a moment. "My left arm."

"And?"

"My legs?"

"Right." Riya paused before asking her next question. "What do you know about male anatomy?"

Silay twisted her head, trying to see Riya. "What do you... oh."

Silay could almost hear Riya smile as she answered. "Exactly. Now, remember your left arm? Easiest way to break this hold is to drive your elbow where it will hurt the most."

"What if it's a woman I'm fighting?"

"Aim for the stomach. Elbows hurt no matter where they hit, trust me. Now try it."

"But I'll hurt you."

"I'm protecting myself with my magic. You won't hurt me. Now try it. Drive your elbow back as hard as you can."

Silay did so, and her arm hit a wall of Riya's magic, which gave away gently. Riya released her, but before Silay had regained her balanced, Riya grabbed her arm. "Good. Do it again."

***

When Jarlen woke up an hour later, Silay was still practicing different ways to break Riya's holds. Jarlen watched for a moment.

"Learning how to fight dirty?" he asked.

Riya glared at him. "Learning how to fight usefully." She stopped the exercises, and they all sat down to eat a small breakfast before packing up and continuing their journey. Riya and Jarlen didn't say a word to each other the whole time. 

***

The days quickly fell into a pattern. Ride until dusk, set up camp, and fighting lessons first thing in the morning. After his comment about 'dirty fighting' Jarlen started alternating days with Riya, teaching Silay the basics of fencing, with two of the swords he had packed. While Silay found this interesting, she secretly thought that Riya's lesson were more useful. She didn't say anything about it though, for fear of stirring up trouble between her two companions.