Mocha 28, Cayenne 7
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, during NIEE
Challenge: Mocha 28 (don’t try this at home), Cayenne 7 (combat training)
Toppings: None
Word Count: 591
Rating: PG
Summary: Jez decides it’s time to learn to fight, and she knows who to ask
Notes: Most of my prompts are going to be from the original story proper - it’s been written but it needs a lot of rewriting and editing so that’s where these come in. This is the first of these.
It wasn’t hard to find him. When she asked around, she got pointed out of the caves, to a grove of smaller, younger trees off to the side of the main encampment. Approaching, she could hear nothing but she peered through the branches and spotted him there. Hazel eyes distant, he was fighting imaginary foes, sword winging through the air in a deadly dance.
Instantly, she knew that she shouldn’t interrupt him, as much as she wanted to tell him that she had figured out what she wanted to be called and find out his name in return. She slowly stepped back, seeking to escape before she could distract him, but just as she was turning to leave, his voice stopped her.
“Nona.”
She turned at his nickname for her - short for “No Name” - and lifted her chin. “That’s not my name.”
“Oh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as a ghost of a smile tickled his lips, sweat dripping from his forehead. “What is then, beautiful?”
“My name is Jez.”
His face lit up. “Jez,” he repeated, testing the word. “I’m Brighton. But everyone calls me Bri. Except when they’re mad at me. Which can be frequently.”
She shifted her weight, now unsure what to say or do after disturbing him. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Jez inched forward. “I’d…I’d like to learn, though.”
“Learn to kill?”
Something about the way Bri said it sent shivers down her back, but she swallowed and forced herself to nod. “I need to know how to protect myself…and those who can’t.”
He smiled crookedly, sheathing his sword. “Admirable goal.” He nodded to a small pile of supplies a few feet from her. “There should be two practice swords in there. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Jez bent down, very aware of his scrutiny as she rooted around in the pile, coming up with two wooden swords. “Reardon says I have potential,” she said carefully, not wanting to sound as if she were bragging, especially after watching him just a few minutes earlier. She straightened, tossing him the sword, which he fielded easily, a cocky grin now adorning his face.
“I bet you do,” he said.
A minute later, they were facing each other and Bri nodded solemnly. “Now, don’t try this at home.”
She blinked at him uncertainly. “Why not?”
“Because, you don’t know enough yet. Once you’re actually good, then you can practice without me or Reardon, or even Nathaniel, if you insist, but until then, you have to deal with my company.”
Jez felt herself smile. “I think I can handle that.”
“Good! Now, sword up. Just try and block. Nothing fancy,” he said and stepped towards her, slashing at her slowly, a blow she blocked easily. As she continued to block and parry, he sped up his attack until he slipped past her guard and bonked her on the shoulder.
“Ow!” Jez yelped, stepping back and shaking out her shoulder.
Bri grinned at her. “Aw, don’t prove me wrong and turn out to be a wuss, Jez.”
She scowled instantly. “I am not a wuss!” she said, waving her sword in what she thought was a threatening manner.
He just burst out laughing, reaching past her sword to pat her on the head, ruffling her short hair a bit as he did. “I’ll be a little more afraid in a few weeks. We going to continue this or what?”
She eyed him. “You just patted me on the head.”
Bri beamed. “You bet!”
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, during NIEE
Challenge: Mocha 28 (don’t try this at home), Cayenne 7 (combat training)
Toppings: None
Word Count: 591
Rating: PG
Summary: Jez decides it’s time to learn to fight, and she knows who to ask
Notes: Most of my prompts are going to be from the original story proper - it’s been written but it needs a lot of rewriting and editing so that’s where these come in. This is the first of these.
It wasn’t hard to find him. When she asked around, she got pointed out of the caves, to a grove of smaller, younger trees off to the side of the main encampment. Approaching, she could hear nothing but she peered through the branches and spotted him there. Hazel eyes distant, he was fighting imaginary foes, sword winging through the air in a deadly dance.
Instantly, she knew that she shouldn’t interrupt him, as much as she wanted to tell him that she had figured out what she wanted to be called and find out his name in return. She slowly stepped back, seeking to escape before she could distract him, but just as she was turning to leave, his voice stopped her.
“Nona.”
She turned at his nickname for her - short for “No Name” - and lifted her chin. “That’s not my name.”
“Oh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as a ghost of a smile tickled his lips, sweat dripping from his forehead. “What is then, beautiful?”
“My name is Jez.”
His face lit up. “Jez,” he repeated, testing the word. “I’m Brighton. But everyone calls me Bri. Except when they’re mad at me. Which can be frequently.”
She shifted her weight, now unsure what to say or do after disturbing him. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Jez inched forward. “I’d…I’d like to learn, though.”
“Learn to kill?”
Something about the way Bri said it sent shivers down her back, but she swallowed and forced herself to nod. “I need to know how to protect myself…and those who can’t.”
He smiled crookedly, sheathing his sword. “Admirable goal.” He nodded to a small pile of supplies a few feet from her. “There should be two practice swords in there. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Jez bent down, very aware of his scrutiny as she rooted around in the pile, coming up with two wooden swords. “Reardon says I have potential,” she said carefully, not wanting to sound as if she were bragging, especially after watching him just a few minutes earlier. She straightened, tossing him the sword, which he fielded easily, a cocky grin now adorning his face.
“I bet you do,” he said.
A minute later, they were facing each other and Bri nodded solemnly. “Now, don’t try this at home.”
She blinked at him uncertainly. “Why not?”
“Because, you don’t know enough yet. Once you’re actually good, then you can practice without me or Reardon, or even Nathaniel, if you insist, but until then, you have to deal with my company.”
Jez felt herself smile. “I think I can handle that.”
“Good! Now, sword up. Just try and block. Nothing fancy,” he said and stepped towards her, slashing at her slowly, a blow she blocked easily. As she continued to block and parry, he sped up his attack until he slipped past her guard and bonked her on the shoulder.
“Ow!” Jez yelped, stepping back and shaking out her shoulder.
Bri grinned at her. “Aw, don’t prove me wrong and turn out to be a wuss, Jez.”
She scowled instantly. “I am not a wuss!” she said, waving her sword in what she thought was a threatening manner.
He just burst out laughing, reaching past her sword to pat her on the head, ruffling her short hair a bit as he did. “I’ll be a little more afraid in a few weeks. We going to continue this or what?”
She eyed him. “You just patted me on the head.”
Bri beamed. “You bet!”