Chapter 11: Atalaya’s Katas
Atalaya rubs her arms and thighs as she walks over to the water barrel and thirstily drinks another cupful of the water. She loosens the straps on her gambeson, and takes it off, enjoying the feeling of the breeze against her sweat soaked tunic and arms. She removes the headband she had tied around her forehead before the practice and wrings it out.
Vasilya walks over, looking concerned. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? Maybe we should put the hammock up and you can rest for a bit.”
Atalaya laughs. “I’m fine. I just need to cool off a bit before I start my own kata work. I think that it is actually harder to do the katas move by move like that, holding each position. It is definitely a strengthening activity. I’m going to be sore, and Cirilli is going to be very sore, although she doesn’t realize it yet.
Filling another cup of water, she slowly sips this one, watching Cirilli talking quietly with Nevil. As she finishes it, she restraps the gambeson and wraps the scrap of cloth back around her forehead. Picking up her longsword she hands it to Vasilya. I’m going to run through the kata we were working on at speed, and maybe a couple more of the short sword katas, but then I want to switch to longsword. When I stop, will you bring this to me and take the shortsword?”
Vasilya nods. “I can do that.”
Atalaya makes her way back to the open space that she had been working in. Breathing deeply for ten breaths, she shuts out the distractions on the ship and reaches for her centering space. When she feels ready, she bows and then moves through the kata she had been practicing with Cirilli. First at half speed and then at full speed. As she bows to the end of the first kata she moves seamlessly into the second kata. Loving the freedom of movement as she performs the kata at tempo she glides from one movement to the next. Caught in the rhythm of the movements she doesn’t stop after the first couple of katas, but moves through eight of them before slowly coming to an end. As she finishes and makes a final bow she stands at ease, breathing deeply and looks around for Vasilya. Surprised, she finds that Inman was also in the workout space and obviously finishing the kata with her.
Nevil leans close to Cirilli, narrating Atalaya’s moves. But as the forms progress Nevil’s attention is drawn to Inman, who has joined Atalaya, and her comments fall away. Everyone watches closely, but none more so than Nevil. I have not seen him perform these advanced forms since... Nevil’s heart swells and then drops as she realizes a truth within herself. It is different... but beautiful.. strong and full of grace. Her eyes well. I love a man who is my peer. My equal.
As Vasilya realizes that she has indeed finished her shortsword work, he cautiously approaches her, in case she was to start another form. But, when he realizes that she is watching his approach, he speeds up slightly walking directly to her. Taking the shortsword from her, he hands over the longsword. Atalaya smiles, caresses his face briefly and then steps back into the waiting position that Vasilya is coming to realize indicates that she is about to begin a form. He swiftly moves out of the reach of her longsword and makes his way back to the others to watch. She looks towards Inman, to see what his plans are, but he is already heading back to the spectator spot with the others.
Boz came trotting back. As the makeshift hammock was crowded, he sits on a crate near the group and watches Atalaya. Hot and breathing hard, Inman stands by the water barrel, filling his cup to drink. As Atalaya begins, he scoots in front of where Nevil is sitting, staying low to avoid disturbing the others. Nevil leans over to Inman, coming from behind, a hand draping over his chest, and she whispers in his ear. "You take my breath, for I love you in ways I had forgotten." Inman, watching Atalaya closely, hears only pieces of whispers muffled in the wind. He kisses Nevil's hand and holds it on his shoulder as she sits up.
Atalaya shook her head slightly, but then focused on her breathing and centering. Again, when the sounds of the ship faded and she is no longer aware that others were watching her she lifted her sword and made the initial bow. A smile lit up her face and she moved into the much more familiar first kata for the longsword. The movements are ingrained in her muscle memory. She doesn’t need to count, but effortlessly moves from one position to the next, falling into the familiar movements joyously, drawing energy from the ground deep under the ocean. The ship crashes through a larger wave but Atalaya maintained her balance and continued through the form as if there had been no change in the ship’s rhythm. [Dex save=25 Riverport] Atalaya continued through the katas, moving easily through the forms and she allowed herself to move into a deeper and deeper meditative state. [Insight check=23 (critical success) + 4=27] The aches and pains from the afternoon’s sparring and demonstrations with Cirilli faded away and she felt her body pulling strength through the roots of the ash tree that embodied her centering point.
As Atalaya completed the final longsword kata she reversed her hand grasp, now leading with the left hand. As she performed the first couple of moves for the first kata, she struggled with controlling the placement of her sword. But as she continued through the katas, she returned to her meditative state and her control of the movements of her body and sword returned. [Dex check=7, Dex check=20, Riverport] As she continued through the forms and she became comfortable with the switched hands, her face again reflected her joy in performing the katas. Her sword dance took her deeply into her centering point once again. When final form came to an end, Atalaya made her final bow and swayed and stumbled slightly as she came back to the material world of the ship. She heard the snapping of the sails as the wind blew into them. Annie started to tack to keep the ship on course and Atalaya unconsciously adjusted to the change in the ship’s motion. She is aware of the sun sitting about halfway to the horizon sending shadows across the boat. After a moment, she makes her way to Vasilya, allowing him to take her longsword and to help her settle herself on a crate.
"Well done," says Nevil. How do you feel? It looked shockingly effortless, given our work earlier."
"I'd say," says Inman. "I'm winded and did half that work.
“It felt great,” Atalaya said as she reached for a cup of water and sipped it. “As I said before, it’s been a while since I practiced the katas. Switching hands with the longsword gave me a bit of trouble at first, but it came back to me as I continued.” Taking another sip of water she continued. “I find it fascinating that I’m able to get into such a deep meditation state on the ship. When I’m focused the ship seems to fade away and I’m in the glade outside of Oleascoa where we practiced while I was learning.’
“Inman, I have a request. I need to start back with the katas for two swords. Will you demonstrate the first two and then repeat while calling it so that I can join you. I’ve learned them, but I haven’t practiced them since I left Master Elaria’s tutelage. I need a review.”
Inman kisses Nevil’s hand again and stands, "of course. Do you want comments or corrections?" He picks up his scimitars and walks to the center of the main deck.
“Definitely comments. If we run through it a second time, comments and corrections.” Finishing her cup of water, she hands it to Vasilya. She looks at her short sword. Shaking her head, she picks up two of the practice swords and follows Inman back to the practice area, testing the grip on each sword, looking for which feels better in her off hand. Atalaya finds a spot outside of the working area to watch during this first run through.
Chapter 12: Cirilli Opens Up
Cirilli looks at Nevil, “Inman is going to teach Atalaya?”
Nevil responds, “not exactly, it's more like spotting between peers of near equal skill. The relationship is not at all like that of a master and student where there is a skill gap and a contract and obligation.”
Nevil considers how to explain, “well, he's defining the nature of their current relationship. Atalaya may not wish feedback and may only be requesting cues. But she requested Inman's eye and experience to offer modifications to her form. It also means she respects him as a swordsman.”
Cirilli thinks for a bit and then asks, “What exactly did he mean by “comments or corrections? He’s not going to hit her, is he? I’ve seen people hit their students or apprentices when they don’t do something right the first time.”
Nevil looks at Cirilli, "In the old way Masters did hit students, but there are better ways to teach and to show respect. The only time violence is acceptable is if it is to save the recipient or in defense. Like when we stitched the captain’s wounds or when striking an attacker. I will not hit you. Inman will not hit Atalaya. It is not the way it should be.”
“That’s good. I don’t like to see people hitting others. Especially when they are little. Atalaya isn’t little, but I wouldn’t want to see her getting hit either. I don’t understand why people think that will teach anyone anything,” Cirilli commented, her eyes looking into the horizon as she remembers.
Nevil looks at Cirilli. Oh, Still Mother guide me. I have taken this moment for granted as something simple. Nevil sighs, "Cirilli, look at me. No child deserves to get hit. Whatever reason you heard, the fault is never the child's. Did you see that a lot when you grew up?”
“Yes. During lessons, we often got hit with a ruler if we didn’t know the answer or did a problem wrong. You could get hit if you used your left hand when writing. If you were disrespectful. If you asked too many questions. And at home Mother would hit me with a spoon or spatula all the time. Some of the older kids told us that they were hit by the people they had been apprenticed to. The smith seemed to do that alot.” She takes a deep breath, “It’s why Sandy, Summer and I built our treehouse. It was a safe place to go.” Cirilli seems lost in thought, but then looks directly into Nevil’s eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t hit me like that. Atalaya wouldn’t let you do that. But also, you made that promise to me when I said that you could be my Master.”
Nevil nods, listening carefully. Then Nevil looks very carefully at Cirilli, "what you have said is heavy. Do you understand that NONE of those are reasons that justify violence against anyone, especially a child? No one has that right over you. Not even your parents."
Trying to lighten the mood a little, "You're right, Atalaya would bring a force greater than a mother bear upon anyone that threatened to hurt you.
She allows me to mentor you, because she knows my heart, and that I feel so strongly about this, that I took vows against unwarranted violence in all forms. So yes, I made an easy promise to you too.”
Cirilli, reached out with her hand and put it on top of Nevil’s. “Thank you. It took me a while to trust any grown ups after what happened in Parabor and the temple. Actually school wasn’t always that bad. At first I loved going to school, it was a time away from my parents. But about a year or so before all the trouble in town, the priests and priestesses were slowly replaced and the new ones were really mean. It started slowly though. But when there were more of the new ones than the old ones, it started getting bad.”
After a couple moments as she reflected on what had happened, she patted Nevil’s hand again. “You and Atalaya are really good teachers. Even when I don’t do something right, you just help me. Joan was like that too, but I didn’t get to learn much from her.” She looks out at Inman and Atalaya, what are they doing now? Atalaya is just standing there.”
Nevil listens. So much I want to tell her about how it gets better. Baby steps. Patience. Give her space. “I hope she's not frozen again. They must be talking about something. Let's see if it's worth watching. I promised Sorrow some time.”
Inman nods and lowers himself into a working stance. "From neutral, shift weight right, pivot into guard left, downward arc, blade face turn..." Inman slowly performs the katas, describing everything he is doing in excruciating detail. Cirilli’s mouth gapes open, "that's everything he is thinking about?"
Nevil laughs, "in the beginning, yes, but it has become second nature. As it will for you." Nevil looks to Cirilli, "again you're free from your lesson until tomorrow, but I think you'd get a lot out of watching these two. Take it easy if you pick up another sword today. Don't overdo it." Cirilli nods and continues to watch from the hammock.
Nevil looks back at Sorrow, "Ready to play?" Want a moving target for guard forms with some leg work? I assume the Master had you run the same exercises she gave us. You know, position, guard, repost, into lunge, in series one through eight across the deck."
Sorrow grins, his eyes widen as he stands and picks up a practice sword. "Oh, you are a bad girl. Working me hard." Nevil grins as she stands, straps on a training sleeve, and grabs a second training sword, "Let's see what makes you sweat and if you can keep up." They both make their way to the open run of deck by the mast that runs port to starboard.
Boz felt like he had been sliced through his gut as he listened to Cirilli’s and Nevil’s conversation. While he wasn’t on the hammock with them, the crate he was sitting on was right next to the hammock, placed to promote ease of conversation and an excellent view of the practice area. Her emotionless recitation of her life in Parabor was crushing, like an iron band being tightened around his chest. His fists clenched as he fought to keep his cool and to let Nevil be Cirilli’s mentor and guide. However, he remained ready to interfere if he didn’t like what he heard Nevil say to her … and now he smiled to himself… to his ‘Daughter of my Heart.’ He had asked Atalaya what the elvish word meant and had immediately adopted it as his designation for Cirilli too. Nevil’s response to Cirilli reassured Boz. Atalaya chose well when she picked Nevil as a mentor for Cirilli. I don’t know that much about Eldath, this ‘Still Mother’ of hers, but I think her relationship with Eldath has molded her into someone who will be able to cope with Cirilli’s past. … And to help her move beyond it.
Boz climbed into the hammock after Nevil and Sorrow left to practice. He wiggled his way over until he was sitting next to Cirilli. “Are you okay? I heard most of what you said to Nevil.”
“Sure, I’m fine,” replied Cirilli.
Boz looked skeptically at her. “Come here, Cirilli,” he said as he held his arm out to her. “Come sit right here next to me.” He waited as she decided what to do. He saw the moment when she decided to trust. Boz’s arm slowly and gently pulled her into his side and he held her. When he finally felt her relax into his hold he said, “You know that Atalaya will hunt down and destroy anything or anyone who tries to hurt you. And if she can’t do it alone for some reason, she has all the rest of us to help her, even Seraphina and Joan.” Boz pauses and reflects a bit himself. “Now I understand why the Mayor of Parabor agreed to make you Atalaya’s ward in the first place.” He used a finger to tilt her head so that she was looking into his eyes. “And we are all going to help you learn the skills that you need to be able to take care of yourself.”
Chapter 13: Inman Instructs Atalaya
Keeping Cirilli under the shelter of his arm he said, “Let’s watch. I think that this is as interesting as watching her perform a kata that she knows.
Atalaya paid close attention to each move as Inman named and demonstrated them. She subtly shifted her weight as he described doing so in the kata. As he progressed through it she started to remember Master Elaria using the same words and tried to anticipate the commands. When he completed the kata she spoke up. “Good. It was coming back to me by the end. Now let’s see if I can perform it while you call it. Let’s keep it to half speed for now though, please.”
Inman smiles, "great, I'm glad it's helping. It's also nice to slow it down and to articulate each item. The things we take for granted."
"Ready," Inman said , waiting for Atalaya. When she took her starting stance he called the form in abbreviated half pace. "From neutral, pivot, guard down left..." Inman keeps the pace steady and his calls brief, allowing Atalaya freedom to find her form on as much instinct as his guidance. He smiles throughout, enjoying the moment.
Atalaya finished the kata, bows and salutes Inman and moves into an at rest position. “Your comments please,” she requested as she slowed her breathing. “I definitely needed the oral cues.”
"Considering how long it's been, not bad. Mature form, just rusty. It takes you a moment or two to find the sweet spot with each movement, but you get there before moving on. I think it will come back quickly with practice."
"A very minor suggestion," Inman demonstrates a movement with his swords, "lean the blade back just a little bit more on the blind turns to cover your backside. Nicely done.”
“Okay. Let’s repeat that, this time with corrections.” When she saw Inman nod, she again readied herself for the first call. Reaching back into her memories, she followed Inman’s cues until she heard him call out to hold a position.
"Ready," Inman says, waiting for Atalaya. When she takes her starting stance he calls the form at half-pace, "From neutral, pivot, guard down left..." Inman only stops for corrections using his words or light touch. "...hold, tuck the left elbow.... right foot wider... angle here." At the end, "Yes, see how fast it's coming back. Really good.”
As Atalaya ran through her second attempt at the kata, Boz drew Cirilli’s attention to the two of them. “Look there, he is correcting Atalaya the same way that Nevil was correcting you this afternoon. This is teaching. Let’s watch and see what happens next.” He maintained his arm around her shoulders, as they watched . As Atalaya completed the third repetition of the kata, he leaned in and said, “You know that I will never hurt you either. And I will also do my best to hunt down anyone who attempts to harm you.”
As she moved out of stance and reflected on what she had just done, and on Inman’s comments and corrections Atalaya said, “Yes, it is coming back. A final time, count and corrections only. Let’s see if I have it down well enough to practice it on my own.” Once again, she returned to the starting position and waits for Inman to begin the count.
"Ready," Inman says, "one, two... good catch, three, four… smooth..." At the end, "How did that feel?"
“That was much better. I have the pattern now and can work on perfecting the form. Let me do it one more time please. I’ll count it. Comments at the end, please.” Atalaya waited for Inman to nod and then moved easily into the steps of the kata, demonstrating more confidence as she moved from stance to stance. She realized that she was still struggling to get her sword into precise positions, especially with her off hand, but the pattern was indeed solidified in her mind and she knew that she could practice it without skipping anything. As she completed the final bow, she looked up to Inman. “Comments?”
Inman considers, "I hesitate to make corrections... I think the progression of improvement in this first kata shows that your body remembers more than you realize. But you are overthinking the movements. Go deeper in meditations and I think your body will remember and shape your forms again.”
Atalaya listened to Inman’s comments on the form she had just completed. Nodding as she took in his advice and filing it away to be even more closely scrutinized while she was meditating.
When Inman finished he asked, “Are we done? Or do you still want to tackle the second kata?”
Atalaya checked the position of the sun and took a quick inventory of how her body felt. “Let’s run through the second kata, as we did the first. And then I think I’m done for the day.
Inman examined her and made his own assessment of her ability to continue. “Alright. One more, and then you are done.” She is really pushing herself. Why is that? Where is she getting all that energy from? Or is it simply determination?
Inman continues to work with Atalaya, following the pattern they established with the first kata. His comments and his corrections of her form triggering Atalaya’s muscle memory as the kata comes alive for her again. As she finishes the final repetition, counting it out herself, she moves through the final strike and returns to a guard position. Then she stands, and salutes Inman. “Final comments?”
Inman shakes his head, "like the first form, go deeper and I think you will have what you need. I think we should see what shapes out on its own.”
As Inman finishes his comments on her final effort Atalaya breaks into a big grin. “Thank you. I wouldn’t have been able to work them out on my own. I’m going to take the next week to practice and then I’d like you to do another session of comments and corrections. Once you feel that I’m adequate with these you can show me the next two.” Atalaya grows silent, her cheeks reddening. “I mean, if you are still willing to help me with the katas. I could always ask Nevil, but she is going to have her hands full with Cirilli…” her voice fades as she tries to come up with other options if she has overstepped with Inman.
Inman laughed as he came close to hand Atalaya water, "of course that is all right. What would be wrong with helping a friend?" Inman grins playfully, "If Nevil can play with Sorrow, it is only fair that I can play with you."
Inman looks more serious, "but the language of judging what is "adequate" implies a more formal training relationship. I would prefer if you decide when to move to the next form.”
“That is fair. I remember these patterns now, and as long as we have time to practice during the next week. I’m not going to forget them. Perfecting them, that takes a lifetime.” Atalaya looks longingly at the pell for several moments, but shakes her head sadly and heads towards the hammock where Cirilli and Boz have been watching them, as Inman heads towards where Nevil and Sorrow are working to watch the end of that practice.
Nevil and Sorrow run lines back and forth across the deck. It is formal fencing in the style of courts. The fancy kind favored by rapier users. With each repetition Nevil weakly attacks a different body region. Sorrow applies a guard form, and reposts with blade control into Nevil's sleeved shoulder, arm, or chest. The leg workout is intense as a dozen or more repetitions are needed for one pass of the deck and all eight guard positions are worked with lunges or retreats a full length.
There is a constant rhythm of lunges, the sound of wood thuds into padding, grunts, exclamations, and encouragements. "one more... stick it... good contact... solid..." By the end both are digging hard, covered in sweat, and wobbly legged.
They hobble back to the water barrel together while stripping hot padding and dropping practice swords. Inman hands Sorrow and Nevil mugs of water. Nevil asks Sorrow, "was it worth your time?"
Sorrow pulls the gambeson over his head and tosses it. Steam curls from his skin like a heated kettle. He draws a forearm across his brow and reaches for the water jug. "Oh, yes," he says, talking a long gulp. "I'd gotten rusty. I don't do that nearly as often as I should."
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