Private An Expected Journey

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

While Rex Valhoun was gathering sticks and kindling for firewood, Lori got to her feet and then dug the tent out of her backpack. She set it down and then brushed aside some small rocks with her feet before unrolling out the tent and assembling the poles. The tent was an easy one to put together that had enough room for two, and within five minutes it was already up. She then got out her bedroll, blanket and pillow and slipped inside of the tent to get her side all made.

Once finished, Lori left the tent and dug inside of her backpack again for her cooler bag and water bladder. She set them down near the fire that Rex was building and then sat down cross-legged, taking a swig of her water. "I brought some meat for us, just in case we couldn't find anything else. Not that I expected us to do so on the first day." She chewed the inside of her cheek a little, what was it that they were going to do again? Oh yeah! "You still up for that spar after we eat?"

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex put another large log on the pile, then looked at it for a moment. It should be enough to last the night. He brushed off his hands, then turned to Loreena as she explained that she had brought some food for the first day. Rex had also brought some food, dry food, but enough to last a day. Before he could respond, she asked if he still wanted to spar.

He hadn't expected her to want to do it on the first day of the trip, but now that she had asked, he was ready. "I am if you are. I don't blame you if you chicken out, I wouldn't want to lose either." He offered a smile to reassure her that he was kidding. Behind the smile, he hoped he wouldn't eat his words. How embarrassing that would be...​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori smirked a little as she brought out a small metal rack from the front pouch of her cooler bag to place the meat on. The meat was packaged in foil, along with butter and herbs. She put the foil packages on the rack and then placed it over the fire in the middle.

"Are you so sure that I'd lose, Mister Rex Valhoun ? Or are you just suggesting that I back out because you don't want to lose?"

Rex was a quick study. Their two races up the canyon walls were a testament to that. She may beat him at first, but for the second rounds, Lori figured that she'd have to use different tactics altogether. That was something that she'd have to keep in the back of her mind.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

She had seen past his friendly ruse, calling him out on not wanting to lose. He quickly responded with a very sarcastic, "Nahhhh!"

Then he stretched his arms a bit as he thought up a strategy for the spar to come. He assumed they'd just use sticks, so Loreena wouldn't be able to keep a distance. However, she knew he was mostly untrained, and would probably wait for him to make an error in his form before countering with her own strike. So he'd have to be careful.

He had always preferred to play defense in fights. However, he found that when defending he rarely blocked, and instead dodged again and again, which often caused him to be placed in an unfavorable situation. Against someone with Mandalorian training, he would need to be careful to not make that mistake.

He was probably overthinking something that was meant to be a friendly spar, but he really didn't want to get embarrassed by someone he was supposed to marry. It'd be hard to get over...at least for him. So in his mind he couldn't prepare enough for the spar to come...​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori grinned, feeling a little more relaxed now that it seemed as though Rex Valhoun was joking around with her. They needed that. That was what this trip was about. A time for them to be themselves without the pressure of being under the watch of those that wanted this arranged marriage to happen.

She listened for the sizzling of their food while it cooked. She had to keep an eye on it, for the last thing that she needed was to burn the first meal that she had ever cooked for him.

"I wonder if they are all anxious to find out what's happening. No doubt we won't be able to leave their minds this entire week. I sure hope that my aunt isn't blabbing this all to my brother."

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex found opportunity in Loreena's statement regarding her brother. "Hmmm, your brother...is he the Mandalorian? I'm sorry, I'm just trying to remember everyone. It's a lot to take in..." He hated apologizing, but he felt like he was intruding in her personal life, and they were just now getting to know eachother. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but the joking from moments ago had helped in a big way. He needed to keep a mixture of seriousness, and playfulness throughout this trip or it would become unbearable, or pointless.

As he waited for Loreena to answer, he began laying out some of the food he had brought. It was mostly bland stuff, all similar in taste, but if he separated everything, it looked like quite the selection. Combined with whatever meat Loreena was preparing, they'd have a fairly decent meal....​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori shook her head quickly with a chuckle. "No, no, no. My brother was trained by the Je'daii. He was taken from home before I was. He's a Jedi now and moves from one sector of space to the other, fighting in wars against the Sith and others. He's a really good Force User because of all of his training." She wasn't a good Force User however. Her skills were minimal at best. But that was moreso because of the lack of training.

She flipped the packages of meat and veggies over with the help of a couple of sticks, being careful not to break the foil.

"I don't know if I'll ever reach that level, but I'm a better pilot and engineer than he is. So...it might not be as favoured or important, but it's better than not having any skills at all." There was sibling rivalry there, and it was all one sided. At least consciously. Lori knew she was jealous in that all of her accomplishments were over shadowed by him doing it even better. It was probably lucky that she wasn't much of a Force User, or else the Darkside could seduce her.

Rex Valhoun

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex nodded along as Loreena explained part of what he wanted to know. She hadn't revealed the Mandalorian family, but she cleared up her brother's part in her life. Rex thought he noticed some bitterness in her words when she mentioned her own skills compared to her brother's. But maybe it was all in his head. He'd find out eventually. Until then he offered a lighthearted compliment, "Well, you're the one with Mandalorian training. Heath told me about the ancient Mandalorian-Jedi war..." He assumed she knew the tale. Of course, most in the galaxy had forgotten the events that took place thousands of years ago. It was Heath that studied history, and taught it to every important person within The Empire. He swore that history held the secrets to success. He was right, of course. Those who forgot history were doomed to repeat it. Examples being The First Order, and The CIS.

He wanted to know about the Mandalorians. The Empire wanted an alliance with the clans, and like Heath, Rex was very interested in and respectful of their culture. They had his respect. But he wouldn't pry. Maybe after their spar she'd reveal more...since she'd likely be using her Mandalorian training during it. Rex tensed up as he thought about getting his butt kicked by a Mandalorian. The odds were against him. It was going to be embarrassing​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori nodded. The Jedi-Mando wars were both ancient and recent. Much like the Imperial-Rebel wars, the Jedi-Sith wars, and everyone-verses-the monsters wars. History often repeated itself, and the lessons were hardly ever learned.

"Yeah, I guess that's something that he doesn't have. But it doesn't mean that he can't fight or can't fight well. You don't have the Mandalorian training, yet I'm sure that you can fight well. Of course we'll find out soon enough, but I betcha I'm right."

All that they had to do was eat first. Lori took the foiled packages out of the fire and opened them. Immediately the smells of the herbed meat wafted through the air. She gave Rex Valhoun his portion before digging out their utensils and distributing them out. "Enjoy." She started to dig into her meal right away. Not only was she hungry, but she was eager to have their first spar as well.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex smirked as she made her guess that he could fight well. In honesty, he wasn't sure. He'd beaten monsters back, but he hadn't done much sparring at all. He may be decent, but he could also suck...

But that was later. For now, food was ready, and it smelled delicious. Eagerly, Rex bit into his meal. Within seconds he knew it was good, whether it was Loreena's cooking, or the people that got the meat to begin with, it was juicy and well seasoned. He quickly ate the first one, and grabbed for another, giving Loreena a compliment, "You cooked it very well. Trying to get me too full to fight?" He suppressed his grin by taking a bite of the second piece as he waited for Loreena to try and counter his joke.​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori grinned as she munched on her meal. The meat was perfect. It was juicy, not dry. And the seasonings just amplified the flavour.

Her eyebrows rose as Rex Valhoun made hus little joke. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Perhaps. Or too full that it'll make you sluggish." Lori snickered and had another big bite.

The playful banter reminded her of her training days and sparring matches with her Mandalorian mentors. Such funny quips always added to the joy of it. Sometimes life was just too serious.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

He finished his food, he could always eat more later, or save some food for tomorrow in case they failed top hunt anything. He took one last cracker, then stood up, "I'm going to look for a flat area to spar. Don't want any twisted ankles."

Then he did as he said, walking away and searching for an area to spar. This was also a way for him to stretch his arms and legs before the fight. Finally he found an area that was mostly flat, apart from a few sticks and rocks. He quickly picked up the rocks, tossing them to the side, but putting the sticks in a pile; They could be used in the fire later.

With a spot picked, he called out, "Hey Lori, I found a spot!" He wasn't trying to rush her, though it could be interpreted that way. He hoped it wouldn't be, he wasn't the type to hurry on most things. Especially when the thing was his certain defeat and embarrassment....​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori continued to eat while Rex Valhoun went off to find them a good spot. Twisted ankles would surely be a bad thing. And although she expected to get a few bruises, it wasn't her goal to hurt him much, and she was sure that the same could be said in reverse.

Once he had cleared out a spot, she had finished her meal, letting out a satisfied burp under her breath. It wasn't a loud one, but still she patted her belly and got to her feet. "Coming!"

Lori stretched and rocked her head from side to side while she headed over to him, loosening up her joints and relaxing her muscles. She found his chosen spot to be ideal. "Nicely found. So....shall we then?" She got into a defensive stance, her legs shoulder width apart, knees bent and her arms up as though she was ready to snatch at whatever hands or feet he'd attack her with. A grin widened on her face as she locked her eyes onto his in anticipation.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

She was ready. Rex rolled his shoulders one last time before taking his own defensive stance...a very standard one with bent knees and raised fists, nothing more. He was certain he would lose the spar but there was no backing out now. "We shall." He replied, and with the response the duel began.

He had always been defensive in fights, and today would be no different. He kept his distance from Loreena, maybe his arm length was more than hers and he could potentially use that to his advantage. It would make Loreena get closer, and if a grapple ensued, there was no question that he was stronger. He also decided to avoid kicking at all costs, he needed to keep his balance and a kick was too risky.

That was the extent of his strategizing for now. He could always change it once he had an idea of what Loreena's own style and strategy was...​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori studied Rex Valhoun as he got himself into position. And for a while, nothing happened. They both took up the defensive.

She began to circle him slowly then, and doing the usual taunts that one would expect.

"Is this a lady's first kinda deal? Or are you just uncomfortable striking a lady first? In battle it doesn't matter. An opponent is an opponent. The same goes for a tournament too. So show me whatcha got." Whether or not Rex would strike first as a result of her taunts, she didn't know. But it was fun either way.

 

[Rex Valhoun]

The taunts flew over his head. Well, mostly , they made him less inclined to attack for a variety of reasons. First off there was some truth to them. It was going to be a lady's first deal. While the young heir may not be afraid to do what was needed for victory, regardless of whom he may offend, this was just a duel with someone that may well become his wife soon. He didn't need to strike first. Then there was the tactical reasoning...Loreena was trained by Mandalorians and she was showing confidence by taunting him. If she was so sure of victory, Rex would make her take the first attack, as she clearly wanted him to go first.

So instead of attacking, Rex simply moved around a bit, nothing fancy, just keeping his legs ready to move. He had learnt long ago that if one was moving, they could react quicker to anything that came their way. Other than this, Rex simply gave a smile and a quick shake of the head to Loreena. She would have to attack first....​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori smirked as Rex Valhoun shook his head and remained silent as they continued to circle eachother. "Why Rex, with the way you're moving, one might think that you'd rather dance with me instead." Her smirk turned into a grin as she winked at him.

And so she twirled and spun, moving about on the tips of her toes as she moved her arms with the graceful flair of a ballerina. Or rather as someone that tried to look like a ballerina in any case. Lori couldn't help but burst out in laughter in spite of herself, before throwing herself at him. "Catch me, oh dreamy dance partner!"

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Rex grinned, then let out a laugh as Loreena made the joke and twirled like a Tweliek dancer inside a Hutt Palace. Why was that the comparison he made? He didn't even know. He never watched the dancers, and he'd only been to a few Hutt palaces. Perhaps it was the inexperience that was evident in the dance, similar to the poor girls forced to dance by Hutts without experience. Regardless of why he made the comparison, it was good ammunition for his own taunting...

"Well, Loreena, with moves like that maybe we could give you to a Hutt as a gift."

He gave a smirk at the taunt, hopeful that the queen wouldn't appreciate the notion of giving a living person away as a gift to some oversized slug. Maybe it would be enough to make her attack. If not, it was certain that he would need to attack first, which he did not want to do. He wasn't even certain about letting her hit first. What if she knocked him down on the first strike? He shook the though off, keeping his eyes on Loreena. He couldn't let himself be distracted, he needed to stay focused on her or else she would knock him out in a single strike.​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori smirked at Rex Valhoun 's taunt. Give her away as a gift? In some respects she was already given away as a gift to Rex, should she accept the arrangement that her aunt had made. And re-gifting her wouldn't be a good thing for him to do. Of course she knew that he was kidding, but it was funny to think about.

And as she threw herself at him with a dancer's elegant flair, she hooked her arm around his neck and clung tight to her wrist with her other hand, effectively putting him into a headlock.

"Not even married to me yet and already you want to give me away to someone else? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Just wait till your Father hears this one..."

 

[Rex Valhoun]

Well...the taunt....worked.


And just like that the heir found himself in a headlock. The bad end of a headlock. At first he had braced to be punched, kneed, thrown to the ground, or otherwise punished by the obviously superior fighter. Instead he found himself on the receiving end of a playful threat. He didn't laugh this time....instead he thought up a few options. He could land a few punches in her gut, maybe force her to let go, but it was likely that she was tough enough to take the hits with little to no difficulty. Option two was to try and fall, and hopefully pull her down with him.

After a second of thought, he chose option two. Taking a breath, he pulled his legs up and let himself fall back. With luck Loreena would also fall, and it would become a grapple, where his superior strength could give him a victory in the spar. Of course Loreena could just let go and make the heir look like a fool, instantly giving her the high ground as he would scramble around in the dirt....​