[Thread] Brits Battling Before Breakfast

[puritanjustice]

Characters: OU Alice Liddell, AU Solomon Kane
Where: The Park, by the pond
When: Daybreak of December 8
Summary: Alice's latest duelling partner is a vagrant swordsman from the Elizabethan era.
Warnings: Sparring-level violence

Comments

[darker_alice]

Alice, true to her word, was there in the morning. She had decided to dress down this time, wearing an outfit that befitted the times more. She wore a pair of simple khaki colored shorts that came to the knee and a sensible short sleeved shirt. Unlike most in Econtra, Alice did not get cold. She had, after all, braved far frigid temperatures, and there had been little prevention of drafts in the asylum.

The clothing was new and mostly awkward to her, but that was entirely the point. She intended to move as freely as possible, and to get a much needed workout. It had not, in truth, actually occurred to Alice to wear something like this until she battled with Leonaidas: she found that her excursions with the Spartan had made her sweat profusely, and for that reason she intended to not let something like this get in her way.

Stepping into the sunlight made her nostalgic for a moment: she thought fondly of the Vale of Tears, where the sun beat down on the grass and everything was gigantic. It was a dangerous time, but also calming, much like this.

She had chosen, unsurprisingly, an old favourite: the Vorpal blade. There were several other weapons at her disposal, but Alice had vowed to be wary with these: she did not want to attract unwanted attention to herself again.

"Solomon Kane. Glad to see you lost a little sleep, coming to see me! I'm honored!"

[puritanjustice]

Garb that granted her freedom of movement. Commendable. He expected her speed to make up for her strength, even if appearances in Econtra were often deceiving.

"The honor is mine, lass." Kane stepped away from the tree he'd been leaning against, sunlight illuminating the gloom beneath his hat. No other words were necessary; you could mope over a missing friend or pick yourself up and forge on. She'd chosen the latter.

He halted a few paces before her, eyes dropping to the wickedly sharp knife in her hands. "A fitting choice for one of thy build."

[darker_alice]

Alice nodded, and started to slowly rotate her limbs, stretching them out. She appreciated the politeness: she hadn't gotten to experience it all that much in Econtra, and it reminded her of home. She didn't intend this to be a small affair, and she DID intend that this duel should last them a good part of the morning. The one part of her outfit that DID stay, of course, were her knee high buckled boots, which were very good at treading over snow.

Alice smiled. "You work with what you're given, of course. It's my favourite. I figured the used of long ranged projectiles at this point would simply be unfair. Arm yourself."

Having said that, Alice got into offensive position, moving slinky toward her opponent, her knees apart and her position fixed as if she were grappling. Another stance taught to her by the Spartan, but she needed no instruction about how to hold a knife. That was something that came as naturally as breathing.

[puritanjustice]

The Puritan allowed the wind to part his cape, revealing a gloved hand resting on the pommel of a Spanish rapier. This he drew, the icy tune of steel sliding on steel a perfect prelude of a song for their snow-bound arena. He tapped the blade once on the ground before lifting it before him in a one-handed German stance.

"Have at thee." This was delivered not with aggression or provocation, but simple encouragement to give him the exercise they both needed.

[darker_alice]

Alice regarded the weapon a moment. It was skinnier than the Vorpal blade, but it had a longer reach: it was also light, so Alice knew she could not engage him at too long of a distance. She would have to stay short ranged and she would have to stay about him at all times.

Alice darted forward first, showing that she was indeed quite fast: she had to be to outrun most of the dangers that had come at her in Wonder land. She started with an upward slash toward his abdomen, her legs poised to change position in the next moment. First she wanted to feel how well his steel was against her own.

[puritanjustice]

She came at him with the speed and ferocity of a jaguar. A lesser man, one who underestimated Alice, would've been run through then. But gone were the days of misjudging his opponents. This also wasn't his first clash with a worthy knife-fighter.

A silver flash and the Puritan's blade snapped up, an adder's fanged kiss. The cutting edge of her Vorpal knife screeched against the slimmer one of his rapier and came to a stop against its hilt. Kane stood his ground, arm knotting. Their blades wouldn't be the only thing he and Alice would then find locked; their eyes did that as well.

Then the wanderer, with a strength that had overcome jungle warriors many times larger than he, gave a sharp push.

[darker_alice]

Alice took the push: clearly, she had not thought as much as she should about her opponent's ability to match her strength and give his own. That did not bother Alice: the point of this was not who was stronger, but could think the fastest on their feet.

In Alice's case, taking the push was necessary to rebound again, her right arm adorned with blade flying free a moment before protecting her front again, her legs bracing against the ground. That was irritating. She certainly hadn't expected to be lifted like that. Still, it couldn't be helped. She came back with a lower slash, but advanced a little closer now, meaning to match the push.

[puritanjustice]

Her rebound was so free-flowing, so instinctual, that it seemed to come in the same motion she'd been pushed back. Clearly, she'd had her share of battles using more guile and speed than brute strength.

This time, Kane lowered his stance and backpedalled. His long arm sent the rapier blade in a two-fold flick and riposte. Classic response to a normal attack.

[darker_alice]

He was quite good, albeit different from the normal slash and gash fighters she'd had to deal with. He involved much more evading, and certainly offensive attacks of her own. Alice, however unprepared as she was for a fencer, knew enough about stances and fancy footwork to keep herself from losing balance.

Alice met Kane's parry and came at him with a powerful forward thrust, her legs bent enough to keep her stance stable and continue to meet the rapier at an acceptable distance.

[puritanjustice]

The knife lanced forth in a mighty thrust. Another step back, and when their blades met again the wanderer slid to the side in a quarter-circle. Allowed Alice's forward momentum to carry her past him and reverse their positions, but not before her blade sliced through the hem of his trailing cape.

At rapier's length once again, Kane feinted twice. One aimed high, one aimed center...and then an actual center thrust instead of a third one aimed low.

[darker_alice]

Alice shifted her movement, annoyed that she'd allowed him to have moved er again. She was going to have to be careful where she shifted her weight again, if she was going to be in control. She brought the Vorpal Blade out in front of her now, intending to use it as intended.

Alice let loose with a series of stabs now, and this time she kept a close eye on the rapier. The thrust Solomon made nicked her arm at the last moment, so now there was a line of blood from Alice's arm.

[puritanjustice]

The Puritan's rapier wove a white fan of steel about him, matching parries to stabs. No real easy task; Alice was as fast as Le Loup had been all those years ago and she was gaining ground. He concentrated on his defense with a cold mathematical mindset.

Another dodge to keep from getting cornered, but that came with a price borne of the girl's speed. The Vorpal blade tasted of the flesh on his forearm and sent drops of blood falling to the snow. Nothing deep, but visible.

His brow wrinkled in grim approval. Then his free hand unfastened his cape and let the wind carry it away.

[darker_alice]

Alice knew enough that she was gaining ground, although she had felt a little bad abut the stabbing. She hadn't meant to get that violent, but there was little either could do about it. After all, she wasn't properly versed in the art of fencing and she wondered if this man had to actually use his fighting skills to truly destroy anyone.

She watched as the man unfastened his cape and kept her offensive up. She'd see if it made a difference now.

[puritanjustice]

Kane hadn't meant to get that violent either, hoping Alice would have dodged the stab that had nicked her. But she'd drawn blood in return, so things were even in his eyes.

The cape loss was more symbolic than anything. Steadily the young lady would find the wanderer's parries take a more glancing effect on her cuts, while his counter-attacks came quicker and more frequently. As if he were an octopus who'd decided to use the rest of his tentacles instead of relying on two.

It wasn't long before they were both on the offensive.

[darker_alice]

Ah. The symbolism of the loss of the cape had not gone unnoticed by Alice. Ina way, in her imagination, it would have bee strange if he had not sudden;y gained a second wind. But that was fine. He was playing to his strengths now, and it was definitely giving the girl more of a workout, not to mention aggravating her wounds.

Alice couldn't have been happier if it was King Leonaidas again.

She found herself lost in this sort of battle dance, matching him, maneuvering herself to find different rays to slash back, and soon the two of them would be covered in pinpricks. Why not? That was how a real battle happened.

"Not tired yet, are you?" Alice asked at one interval.

[puritanjustice]

The wrinkled eyebrow from before found a counterpart in the curl of his lip. Despite the sunlight, his face seemed lost in gloomy shadows once again. "Should I be?"

Their blades clashed, locked, and broke away yet again. And Solomon Kane knew, with a primal blaze that ignited his warrior's soul, that this was going to be a long morning.