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Post by Yuliya Dukhkin' on Oct 12, 2008 14:23:20 GMT -8
Just on the outskirts of town, Yuliya found a dusty clearing void of life. Satisfied that she had found a perfect place, she drew out her long Tachi sword, Straykar, which, in the common tongue, meant Striker. She had named it after the sword of the woman warrior in a Cossack tale, a woman who had fought to defend her tribe from Russians that had tried to fence the Cossacks in. Yuliya gave a smirk as she knew that would never happen.
She gave the cold air a hard slice as she re-accustomed herself to the feeling. She tossed it up in the air and caught it with her left hand and gave another slash. Yes, that's what she would do. She would practice with her left hand. Every Cossack knew that you should be skilled using both hands. Every part of you was useful, they would say. That's why Cossacks never mounted their horses from a specific side.
Yuliya settled into a routine, letting the movement pour out from her like a waterfall. But her movement didn't have passion in it until she imagined herself as the bearer of the original Straykar. She stabbed invisible invaders, invaders to the Cossack lands. Cossacks would never go to the other side. They were free. She remembered part of the poem of Vechir Zoria, the woman warrior,
The poison tried to seep through the land
Battle tried to meet it, but always failed
Until a savior came with a sword of moonlight
And a horse like a rainstorm
She broke from the walls, through the night
Demons gave her arms strength
And Straykar came down like lightning upon the enemy
"The Cossacks will not bend to your will," she cried
Anger swept through Yuliya as she put herself in that place. How dare they try to chain them! How dare they try to control them! Without noticing, her sword hit the ground.
"Fight with your head, not with your heart," Apollo said gravely, but with a bit of a chuckle in the back of his throat. Yuliya sneered but laughed.
"Who were you killing this time?" Apollo asked.
"The Russians," Yuliya said defensively.
"Vechir Zoria?"
How does he always know? I swear he can read minds...
Yuliya gave a grim look as she wiped imaginary blood off Straykar, and set back to fighting. |
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Post by starsandstripes on Oct 12, 2008 17:04:14 GMT -8
Peter wandered around the perimeter of the town. He rounded a corner and saw a girl, practicing with her sword. The clearing she stood in was empty of life. He reached around to where his sword should have been, but his hand grabbed empty air. The young prince remembered then that it was being sharpened.
His snake, Basil slithered around his arm and flicked his tongue againsts his arm. Yes, of course I remember. he said to his snake knowing what his snake was asking. There was no form of communication between the two. Peter always seemed to know what his snake was trying to say to him.
He sighed out of dispair because he didn't have any weapon to practice with her besides his bow. He didn't know who she was, but he was willing to bet that she would spar with him.
Peter looked at the girl and noticed how her movements flowed from her mind to her arm and sword. It was just like his sword master had taught him, your sword is just an extension of your arm. He stood there watching her for a while.
He soon noticed the dog beside her, but it was sitting out of reach of the sword. She fought against an invisible enemy, one that had seemed to have caused her great harm at some time. She seemed to sneer at something, but there was no one there.
Peter walked closer to the moving girl and cleared his throat. He didn't want to startle her, but that would be pretty funny. "You seem to be pretty good with a sword." he said complimenting her swordsmanship. He wondered why it was that this female could probably best him at a spar. he stood wit his arms behind his back.
{Finished}
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Post by Yuliya Dukhkin' on Oct 13, 2008 16:46:51 GMT -8
Yuliya stopped abruptly, paused in mid-swing, startled a bit by...whoever startled her. When she realized that it was nothing she'd needs to attack...yet, she let her arm fall to her side. However, the scrutinizing was not done. And Apollo took scrutinizing to a whole other level, as the dog was glaring at the newcomer with a look of ice, giving a low growl in the back of his throat.
"I suppose so," Yuliya said simply, putting Straykar back in it's sheathe that was strapped around her waist. Her eyebrows were raised in permanent suspicion, but of course, Yuliya was suspicious of everyone. She couldn't think of a single human that she could trust, let alone with her life. Not even her father and brother. They were family, but her life? That was a lot to put at stake. Nope, it was too risky. Risks came with grief, especially when they involved other people.
"What's your business?" she asked promptly. She couldn't go on practicing, not if she knew she had an audience, well, a human one. To her, it was a private thing, her alone with her battles; battles she had already fought, battles fought by other people, battles she knew she would face...
Watching her fight would be like trying to get into her mind, or dreams, and she hated that idea. It put someone else in control, and control was something she valued highly, even though she rarely had control of herself. Her head was a place she wanted no prodding in. Her memories were her own, even if she wished that she didn't have them.
Apollo trotted forward and glued himself to Yuliya's side, something he was skilled in doing, and often did, especially in the presence of strangers. Apollo's trust of strangers was even less than Yuliya's. If he had things his own way, she wouldn't have any contact with humans at all.
"I shall call Streak," Apollo growled to her.
"There's no need."
"You can never be sure of that."
Yuliya held in a sigh. If Apollo was going to call Streak, he was going to call Streak. There was no point in arguing. And sure enough, she soon saw a brown smudge in the air, circling, as if waiting for when he would be needed. |
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Post by starsandstripes on Dec 26, 2008 11:48:45 GMT -8
Giving the dog a glare, Peter stepped closer to the girl. The dog had no reason for the boy’s hate, it wasn’t the dog that was the problem, well actually it was, but Peter didn’t like animals that have fur. His reason for that is because they become dirty filth ridden animals, which disgusts Peter. It wasn’t just animals he despised; it was anything that was at least semi-dirty. Dirt was one of the most disgusting things in Peter’s mind. Besides, of course, Peregrine.
Peter smirked at her promptness, didn’t she know her manners? He figured in his head that she didn’t know he was one of the three princes of Saor, so he decided to let her off without any harm. "My business, you want to know my business?" Peter replied, trying to keep his cool. Who was she to ask him what he was doing, he should be asking her that question. "Isn’t it I who should be asking you that?" he said with just a touch of smugness in his voice.
As the dog moved to the girls side Peter stepped back half a step. He would never admit that he was afraid of this dog, not to anyone, not even someone who Peter trusted a lot. The dog growled again, as if he and the girl were communicating together, but not speaking out loud. It was almost like Peter and Basil, not really talking, but knowing what the other is trying to say. |
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Post by Yuliya Dukhkin' on Dec 26, 2008 12:13:41 GMT -8
Yuliya raised an eyebrow. Who did this person think he was? King of the world? Yuliya was used to, at the least, being treated with respect. After all, she was the Ataman's daughter, not that it meant anything here. But even if she weren't, she wasn't the kind of person who groveled or begged. She was dignified, and also, though she didn't admit it, proud, but it was true she didn't show her pride often, because it only came out when with humans, which was not something that happened often. And right now she was acting very proud, and insulted, even though to most people what had happened could barely be considered an insult.
She tilted her head upwards slightly to see the brown smudge she knew to be Streak circling above. If she asked him, he would dive down and peck out someone's eyes unquestioningly. If there was one thing she would never doubt, it was Streak's undying loyalty. After all, Yuliya was the only thing Streak knew. He cared for her as much as she cared for him. Whereas Apollo was obviously her chaperone, she and Streak were more equal. Streak performed solely on love, and Apollo, though he carried the same amount of love, also ran on duty, and that duty was the promise he had made her father to take care of her, even though her father didn't know how truly he had taken it to heart.
She lowered her head again to look this person in the eye with a cold stare.
"You already know my business, it is to practice my swordsmanship. However, I have no idea was you are doing, and for all I know, you could have been sent here to kill me," she said harshly, not caring at all if she had offended him or his honor, however nonexistent it may have been. In fact, she didn't care much for the feelings of others, only the feelings of animals. after all, they were what was important. They were the ones that were worth it.
"So, are you going to tell me willingly, or do I have to put this sword to your throat?" she threatened, getting tired of wasting her valuable time.
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