Private Sticks and Stones

[Skadi Lightbane]

Dromund Kaas

Tag:
Aerik Lechner​

Skadi circled around the muscular form of Aerik, golden eyes trained on his form as she remained on the defensive, her guard up before her as she gripped the hilt of the saber in her hand, waiting for him to make the next move and initiate the next round of katas they both had been instructed to practice and learn until it became second nature. Before coming to Dromund Kaas and becoming the apprentice to the one known as the Shadow Hand, she had never held a lightsaber. Her weapons had been traditional: bows, swords, axes known as a skeggox.

Lightsabers, it seemed, were the favored weapons of those known as the Sith, and their foes - the Jedi. Skadi liked how the metal felt in her hand, the heat that radiated off the glowing, angrily spitting blade. It was a marvel to her how such a thing even existed or worked; how was it able to clash against others and not phase through, since it appeared to be made of light? How was it able to make the sounds or noises it did? Was it light, or was it something else? And how the feth did a crystal power the whole thing?

These were questions she thought about often, but not in the moment as her sole focus was her comrade, and her opponent for this match. She had learned very quickly and early on that these weapons could kill her - they were dulled or made soft or weak. That was not how their Master operated. If they died by the sword in practice, then they were too weak. She rather liked it that way, though. It made her focus, kept her sharp, and kept her ready at all times.

Like now - she didn’t watch Aerik’s face, or his hands, or his saber…but his feet. His feet would tell her when he was moving next, how he shifted upon them. Subtle cues like that were things she had been taught by her Shieldmaiden Mother and her Father, when they both taught her how to fight with a blade. The concept was the same here - even if the sword was a humming, spitting rod of red light.

It was also a rather good distraction from her thoughts, which had plagued her since the fateful and rather embarrassing day when she’d been caught in his quarters by the girl Irina…and then Aerik. And then the Dark Councilor Quinn Varanin.

The initial raw embarrassment of that situation had since worn away, but it still lingered like a bad aftertaste. She didn’t know if Aerik hated her now or wanted nothing to do with her; truth be told, she’d been avoiding him when she could, but she couldn’t avoid him forever. Especially when they were to train together…like today.

Her focus faltered for a moment, and if Aerik noticed it, it would be enough for him to catch her off guard…

 

[Aerik Lechner]

WEARING: xxx | TAG: Skadi Lightbane​

“Combat is the purest form of communication.”

Quinn’s words echoed in his mind. They had been from a lesson she taught him while he was still young and at the Jutrand Academy. It was likely the moment he realized that he had had a crush on his teacher. He had not dared to tell her that Carnifex had already ensured he had been educated in Echani Martial Arts, but he supposed she would figure it out as the lesson went on. Until then, Aerik was certain to play dumb and get some of the stances wrong so the woman would have to get close enough to correct him.

His eyes flashed at the Valkyri across from him. Her red lightsaber was gripped tightly in her hand. He could tell by the way she moved and held her weapon that she had been trained from as young an age as he had. The difference, and perhaps the advantage for the young pup, was that his lightsaber was his own, and had been for five years.

He wanted to blame her for what happened when Irina had tried to surprise him, but as much as he tried, it had been his invitation which allowed her to feel comfortable. Irina had been the one to make assumptions and nearly burn his apartment to the ground because of it. Then there was the matter of the way Quinn left.

"Thank you for the inclusion, Aerik. But as your friend said, we're not peers. I'm not part of your pack."

Irina’s jealousy and emotional reactions had cost him someone close. The moment the wall of their professional relationship was put back in place, Aerik had felt it. There was a subtle change in her eyes, the way her posture adjusted every so lightly, and how she fought back the tears the others would have missed. She had not only instructed him in Echani Arts, she had taught him how to speak their language.

Quinn was distant… maybe even gone.

Skadi’s eyes fell to his feet. He smirked lightly as he recognized another advantage. She was relying on sight and not the force. This was going to be an interesting session, and one where the wolf inside of him was tempted to play with its prey before going in for the kill.

His ice cold blade snapped to life. The silvery blue hue of the blade reflected the color of a cold evening moon. The pup had taken off a Jedi that had tried to kill him when he was on a training exercise for the academy. He had chosen not to bleed it for the sake of remembering where it had come from. Perhaps there would be a time when he would, but for now the contrast of colors was as ironic as his fire and her ice. Perhaps they ought to trade hilts considering.

He stopped moving completely. Aerik slowly shifted his stance into the opening position for his father’s favorite form, Shien. He wanted to see if he could overwhelm her, though he already knew the answer to that question. The Lupo and Nocna Mora hybrid was naturally strong in ways that would put Darth Carnifex himself to shame. It was still his secret, one he refused to let anyone outside of his immediate family know. Aerik would have to restrain himself as he attacked.

The form was aggressive, so after a long pause, and a mistake on her part, Aerik moved in. He swung across her midsection. Even if she was distracted, it was a maneuver easily blocked. Aerik did not want to kill her, even if would have likely drawn praise from their master.