By the Sword (June 2nd 7AM) [open]

[Deleted]

Steel clashed in the morning light letting out a satisfying ring that appealed to every true warriors heart. Krutz stood there, effortlessly wielding his two swords, spinning the blades around his body in a deadly dance. Once again he was shirtless wearing his burgundy wool pants and black boots. He strolled around the training circle that happened to be included in the .... what was the word the gilded king used? Embassy! That's the one. Included in the embassy they were allowed to stay in. He didn't like any of this. Not on bit. And now that he was alone with his ward he certainly didn't have any problem saying so. "This nothing but one big trap! We shouldn't even be here with these people. Well, we should be here sacking these lands and further proving the strength of our kingdom. Have you seen the riches here? Golden kingdom indeed. But we certainly shouldn't be fighting any bloody war with people that live on the moon! Firstly, I'm pretty sure our boats won't sail that far. Second, who in their right minds would ally themselves with such a mad king? Lastly, Pick up your shield and fight boy! By the all-father we've only just started and you're already breathing heavy."

[Zoisite]

Despite the heat, Zoisite wasn't shirtless the way his advisor was; he was dressed in a pair of forest green pants and a sleeveless white undershirt, a pair of well-kept brown boots protecting his feet. His long dirty blond hair was tied back in its customary ponytail. He was wielding a sword, but in his usual fighting style, it was used much more to parry than strike out. Likely quite frustrating to his opponents, Zoi's area of expertise as fighting went was more in the area of parrying and dodging than attacking. It was rare that anyone could even touch him in combat... but all anyone really needed was that one rare mistake to prove fatal, right? That was why he participated in this brutal training despite his personal distaste for combat.

His advisor took this alone time to come out with his own opinions. Krutz thought they shouldn't be in the Golden Kingdom except to pillage, and that they definitely shouldn't be fighting against people from the moon.

"I'm afraid the moon people may be bringing the fight to us, if we don't find a way to take it to them first. Either way, this battle may be inevitable," he said with a frown. "From what I'm told, the moon people would like nothing so much as to take the whole world over, the Northern Kingdom included. That's why we have to help defend against them."

He was sure even a grumpy savage like Krutz would have to see the logic of that.

"Shields are big and clunky," Zoi protested the man's last remarks. "I have to be able to move quickly and freely; that's the way I fight. You should know that by now."

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Krutz listened intently to Zoisite's reasoning. He did make sense. But there were still so many unanswered questions and problems. Simply it just didn't make any sense. "You may be right but something doesn't make sense. Why? If it is conquest why give us an ultimatum? Why not just attack. They clearly have the numbers and superiority on a massive scale. How do we now this isn't a way for this gilded king to seize more control and power. We need to keep a level head and play this smart. Perhaps we need to get another ally."

The boy's comment irked Krutz. he cocked an eyebrow at the boy as he whined about the weight of the shield. It was true in combat Zoisite was far better with light armor and weapons. He always tried to wear an opponent down and tire them but if you don't attack or go against an opponent with half a brain them that plan has it's flaws and the boy needed to see that. A three step attack occurred that would have startled anyone and left them wondering what exactly happened. So for the sake of all of us we'll break it down. With out so much as a sign he was coming Krutz kicked a cloud of dirt towards the boy's face with his left foot. As soon as it planted back down he immediately flipped the wooden shield on the ground towards the boy. Ending with a spinning motion that twirled Krutz to the boy's side and bringing a training sword to the back of the boy's leg which should should send him on his royal backside.

[Zoisite]

"I don't know, maybe the moon people are just not like us in the Northern Kingdom. Maybe they don't really want to war and pillage to get what they want. Or maybe they're bluffing, and they really don't have the power they say they do. Maybe they're hoping we won't call their bluff, that we'll just surrender our planet willingly. Maybe that's how they build their empire," Zoi guessed. He couldn't answer the question regarding the Golden King, since he didn't know enough about the man to judge. But it was the suggestion of getting another ally that had him most perplexed. "A new ally like whom? We don't know anyone in this part of the world.

The whole time he was speculating, he had still been easily dodging and parrying every attack, and he could practically see the exasperation on his advisor's face. Then, suddenly and abruptly, his streak came to an end. It took only a second or two, and he found himself sprawled on the ground with a sore ass and a dirty face. Zoi blinked both to clear the dirt from his eyes and out of surprise for what had just happened.

"What was that?"

[Deleted]

Krutz looked down upon the young prince. Confident that his point would be made. "That, boy, is war. It is fast, unrelenting, unfair, and savage. Do you honestly think I've been coming at you with everything I've got? You're not ready for that. A shield is important. It's both defensive and offensive. I don't care if you use a buckler or a wall of human beings you need a strong defense and you have to attack!!" Krutz spun the swords in his hands and planted them into the ground. He extended his hand out to the boy and kindly said, "Come on boy, let's do it again. I'm not talking about an ally on this world. I'm thinking we speak to the lunar queen directly."

This is one of those moments when one would truly realize the nature of Krutz and Zoisite's relationship. Krutz truly cared about the boy, not that he'd ever say it. Krutz was definitely an actions speak louder then words guy. He simply didn't want to see him fail. He knew how strong zoisite could be. He'd seen his potential. He just had to help Zoisite realize it.

[Zoisite]

If it had been anyone else, Zoi would have suspected he was just cruelly mocking him, but he knew Krutz had his best interests in mind.

"I know," he said with a sigh as he allowed the larger man to help him up. "I'm just not very big or strong, so I try to make the most of what I have- my speed and agility. But I guess I can't count on just that to keep me alive in a real fight." He pouted in that adorable way that used to always get him what he wanted as a little kid.

It wasn't even that he didn't know how to really fight- he had been trained in fencing and sword fighting for as long as he could hold a fencing foil or a wooden training sword. But he neither liked doing it nor did he think he was especially good at it. Not to mention his low tolerance for the sight of blood and gore...

"All right, one more time." Zoi picked up his sword and (reluctantly) the shield and took up his best defensive stance. He nearly dropped them when he heard what Krutz said next. "The Lunar Queen? And how the hell are we supposed to get up there to see her?"

[Deleted]

Kurtz methodically began to stroke his beard and ponder the current situation. It was true he certainly didn't trust the gilded king and this entire situation smacked of treachery. The only question now is how. How do we get in contact with the moon? Kurtz being the sword wielding savage that he is certainly didn't know but being the tactician that he was he knew he had to figure tin out. "I'm not sure. If we are going to survive though I believe that a meeting with the queen is our main option. Let me ask around and see what I can discover in all of this soft and spoiled kingdom there has to be someone with the means to get us there. However right now.... defend yourself."

With that Kurtz spun on his heels drawing his swords and whipping them around in a flurry of dirt and blades. He drove the swords toward the prince, confident that he had learned his lesson on defense.

[Zoisite]

The Golden King would probably know how to get in touch with the Moon Queen, but they couldn't just ask him, not if they planned on going to bargain with her behind his back. But there had to be some way to do it without his knowing. They just had to get creative about it. Krutz volunteered to ask around and see what he could find out.

"Just be careful, all right? You don't want to raise suspicions, especially with our being guests here."

And if his advisor got caught plotting, then what? Would Zoi take the blame and punishment upon himself, or would he let Krutz take it all, even if it meant death or public humiliation? The very fact he wasn't sure what he would do troubled him.

His mind was still elsewhere, an uncertain look on his face, as Krutz resumed the training. Zoi startled and blocked the initial attack with the shield his advisor had insisted he needed; he must have wanted to show exactly why. He still ducked and dodged around a lot- that was just the way he fought- but he tried to strike out any time he found an opening and actually used the shield when necessary (even though he still found it cumbersome.) Hopefully Krutz would feel it was at least an improvement, even if he still needed work.

[Deleted]

( I think we’ve done all the damage we can here.)

thread closed [\b]