Esrahd gives Jasmyne a lesson

He stands in a lone circle as the sun breaks a rare showing in the morning light, his stance grounding him to the dusted hard packed clay. Like stone, he is the epitome of stillness, weight carefully folded to his back leg as the other juts out, only the ball of the foot balancing him. Today his weapons are still sheathed, hands engaged with two smallish wooden bars held at a peacefully pose before him, main hand slightly outward from the offhand. His breathing is slow, steadily misting the air in rythmic clouds as he holds the complex stance, his eyes drooped to half lidded slits it could be the man is almost sleeping or styled in some ritual reverie. [Esrahd]

Esrahd tells the group, '[Bondsense] A steady pulse if you weren't with him, a beckoning.'

It takes time for Jasmyne to saunter out of the Tower proper, her path a raven's flight to her destination as she approaches the training grounds. She might get a few odd looks along the way, but the Yellow pays them no attention. The sound of men hacking away at each other with wood lathes fill the air, yet the woman's path takes her directly to one training circle, ignoring all others. Stopping, Jasmyne removes the cloak and drapes it over a bench, then steps into the ring. She a shorter attired version of the man standing there, at least, the shirt and leather pants. But she makes it look cute. She tilts her head, admiring his form and stature. [Jasmyne]

"Nice outfit... I've been thinking about your martial training. I understand the subtleties of concealing weapons and have given enough training for you to use you're knives adequately. But... There are going to be times when your choices are limited. I think I've come up with a way to break this rule..." Still in his stance, the warders words are soft, a monotonous tone as steady as his stillness. "Say we go to your home... We are sent or requested at a dinner or a function. Would it be deemed appropriate to have numerous throwing knives on your person?" [Esrahd]

A small smirk and a shrug of a shoulder, "You dont expect me to wear a dress in this muck, hmm?" But considering his words, and mentally ticking off dinner appropriate wear, hidden knives would not always be appropriate or functional with some outfits. "No, the knives are fine with the riding dresses, but not a dinner or function, as you say." She pauses, allowing him to continue. [Jasmyne]

Esrahd nods, the first real movement he's betrayed for almost an hour. "Beyond wielding a dinner knife, one would need time, even the briefest moment to slip a hand to your knife. Sometimes that moment is all it takes. Assassination requires timing and in more than one way an intimate closeness. At range... Well that is my job, but in a situation where I’m not as close as your opponent, there is need to be able to startle, confuse and if needed incapacitate or kill your enemy..." The last of his words aren't even sounded when the shift happens, the warder's back leg muscles twitching violently and sending his fluidly stepping forwards towards you. Both hands tuck in and suddenly arc out, wrists curling intricately as the two wooden bars suddenly flare into twin fans, the way he rotates them causes the unfolding of the two to snap loudly in the crisp morning air.

A slow nod, Jasmyne listens attentively to him speak with hands resting on her slim hips. Watching his still form, the Yellow still curious where this particular lesson is heading - when his sudden lurch forward startles her. The crack of the twin fans producing a squeak as she jumps backwards, or stumbling backwards to avoid whatever forward momentum, Jasmyne curses under her breath, "Bloody hell, Esrahd..." [Jasmyne]

You tell the group, '(bondsense) startled, but intrigued.'

Esrahd heads off the flow as fast as it starts, coming up to his full height and both fans folding bar to simple bars in his long hands. "Point and case. If you were trying to kill me, you just lost the initiative..." He smiles, the look almost reflective as he transfers the right fan over before reaching behind himself and drawing out two slightly longer, elegantly crafted bars. "These are yours once you learn what to do." Tucking one easily into his belt, Esrahd flicks the second open, a shimmering rasp of sliding steel announcing the ash and golden pattern work of the exquisitely made weapon. Twisting a wrist, he offers the holder towards you. "Careful of the arch, or at least be ready with bandages"

Stepping back into the training ring, Jasmyne's lips quirk imperceptibly, but the intrigue is there. She knows her fans, but this takes it to a whole different level. "Interesting, the language of fans can be a deadly game, but this raises the bar." She carefully reaches forward, gently taking the folded fan extended to her. Deftly, her wrist flicks to one side, snapping the fan open, flutters it gently near her face as she gets the bearing of the fan. Heavier than what she is normally used to. In another deft motion of her wrist, she snaps it closed. Slowly she unfolds it to inspect the ribbing, eyeing the make curiously, before snapping it shut again. "Interesting." [Jasmyne]

"Deadly if used correctly." Folding his arms, Esrahd watches on at the play, a slight nod accentuating his approval. "After hearing the description on Saldeaen fan language I had the thought to have our jewelers and smiths here create these. I'm sorry but they cost us a lot of coin but for the attempts, these are exactly what I had in mind. Plus you already have a far greater working knowledge on fans, so it makes the following formwork a lot more easily taught." [Esrahd]

"We'll be here for awhile, it seems, so the funds spent can be replenished while we rest until we are ready to leave again." Jasmyne responds to the coin spent. What he might consider expensive, more likely is a pittance to the noblewoman. But again, she would rather pay good coin for quality, then skimp and pay for poor workmanship in shoddy performance. Arching an eyebrow, Jasmyne asks, "Formwork? There's more?" [Jasmyne]

Esrahd nods with a wolfish smile playing over his pallid face. "Of course there is. The practice I've been doing over the past weeks has been to refine certain forms to suit your unique weapons." Glancing towards the fan in your hand and back up, his smile broadens. "The benefits of studying both swordplay and military tactics astutely."

The fan lightly rests against her right cheek, Jasmyne inclines her head slightly, "I see. I had no idea you had taken from that conversation to look into something like this. These are beautiful." She gently, careful of the sharp edge, draws the fan across her cheek. Slowly sliding the ribs apart, she glances back at him, "So, form work, like dancing then?" she smiles at him. [Jasmyne]

Nodding, Esrahd reaches out with both hands, the right motioning for the bladed fan back as he offers the other two in his left. "Somewhat, though it's more intricate upon balance of footwork and arm work." [Esrahd]

You tell the group, '~@~ The two being offered are like "lathes" but for fans? non-bladed? ~@~'

Esrahd tells the group, '*nod* '

Esrahd tells the group, 'Weight will be slightly heavier and the arch span slightly shorter.'

Snapping the bladed fan shut again, she offers the handled end back to her warder, accepting the offered fans in return. She inspects the training fans one at a time, snapping it open, flutter, then snapping it back closed again. "Why would I need two?" She asks, her head tilted to look down at the second fan, the one in her left, snap open, flutter, then snap closed. Each time, learning the balance, weight, and span of the twin fans. [Jasmyne]

"You won't, but i'm biased towards being able to at least train both hands to work independently." He shrugs as he answers, hands tapping gently on the pommels of his blades. "For the moment we'll work on just one, though after suitably learning a movement you should devote at least some portion of time to blending both hands. This way if you have to swap hands for any reason, the control will still be firm." Taking a step back, Esrahd looks to you and asks, "Where apon your person would a fan be kept if not holding it?" [Esrahd]

"As you wish, I'll practice with both. The Language uses both hands." She tilts her head, considering his question, "It's held, or tucked away. Depends on the attire, the woman, the fan itself." Jasmyne replies, indicating the handle end of fan held in her right hand, "Some have a ribbon that can be slid on the wrist. Present, but out of the way. A simple pouch, if the attire allows it. Tucked into long sleeves." Jasmyne smiles a knowing smile, "Ladies can be quite versitile." [Jasmyne]

Esrahd nods, his tone turning brisk as he motions for you to stand beside him. "We'll go with tucked at the side for the moment, though i'm sure you can adapt the movement to suit your own... Versatility." He stands upright and tucks the fan to his left side, butt outwards as instructed by you. "The first is three forms that combine... First, Leopard in the tree..." Taking a smooth step forward, Esrahd crosses his right hand low and dips slightly in the movement, his moving arm sweeping out as if offering his hand to be kissed or preferred to dance. His hand in the motion had slipped up and tapped the fan in the process. "The form is simply getting yourself in a position to draw your weapon. For you, it's a subtle movement disguised to get close." Stepping back, Esrahd looks to you and continues. "Second. Unfolding the fan" The motion is fluid, right hand crossing and smoothly taking the fan out and arcing it upwards and away, wrist snapping the fan open in a vertical arc. Replacing the fan, Esrahd says evenly "The drawing form. With practice you can have the weapon bared the instant it leaves your person... And three. Dandelion in the wind..." (continued.)

Esrahd holds the fan to where unfolding the fan would stop, nodding towards you as a shortened step forward has the fan snapping down and across, its arch slicing down and away to his left even as he lithely steps away to his right. "The striking form. The aim of the Dandelion is to slash at a swordsmans wrist, thus disarming or startling him into withdrawing while you step away into a move favourable position..." Returning both the fan to his belt and back to his original position, Esrahd nods once. "Now, altogether..." It starts, graceful and completely unobtrusive, stepping forwards and sweeping the right arm across to gather the fan from its position, blade snapping out as the 'proffered' hand is swept up to be greeted... His momentum smoothly continues, angling to his right as the upward arch smoothly reverses and suddenly cuts down and away, slicing with a metallic whir through the air as the combination is completed.

Esrahd pants heavily, he looks exhausted.

You grin evilly at him.

Jasmyne moves to where Esrahd has indicated, watching his form, hand motions and foot placement. She mouths the words of each of the forms, her body twitching, her hand jerking in subtle movement. Its not the full movement, just a mental memorization, her body rocking forward from heel to toe when he steps forward. Its the subtle movements, slightly different, the twitch of her wrist for the second form, the rocking on her feet, as she concentrates on each of his movements. When he puts it altogether, she shifts to the side so she has a better view of the three forms with the fan. "Hmm." Tucking the fans to right and left, Jasmyne tries to mimic. Stepping forward and swinging her right hand across, she taps the handle of the fan (for now), then sweeps her hand back out to 'slash' with the imaginary fan. She missed the next step. Shaking her head with a small frown, she steps back beside Esrahd and tries again. (c)

A deep breath, a look of concentration, Jasmyne begins again. A step forward, her right hand sweeping forward and to the left to grab the handle of the fan and draw it out with a snap of her wrist and an arch to snap back down on the imaginary opponent as she steps to the right. The whole movement feels jerky to her, when she shakes her head again. Slipping the fan back into place. She closes her eyes, the movement of her eyes shifting under the lid as she reviews his movement. She shakes her head a third time, opening her eyes. "One more time, let me see you do it again." [Jasmyne]

Nodding, Esrahd moves forwards once more, Exaggerating the movements slowly as the fan is released and opened, rising upwards to neck height as his back foot turns slightly and his momentum is changed to a walking step around to his right. The fan reversed slowly, fluidly arcing down and to the left and a cresent action as the warder smoothly steps away from his imagined opponent. [Esrahd]

"Ohhh.." Jasmyne voices her sudden understanding with a nod of her head. She takes a step back, her movements less jerky than before. Eyes half lidded imagining the scene unfold, a faint smile tugging at the edge of her lips. Stepping forward, her dainty hand extending, shifting and sweeping to the left to lightly grasp the fan handle. A flick of her wrist snaps the fan open as she arcs it upwards to neck level, her feet following its course to the right, as the fan arcs down to the left. [Jasmyne]

Nods in approval to the triplet of movements. "Good. Make sure your hand movements are as fluid as your feet. Hesitance in the cut will often be noticed as a good swordsman wont be looking at your feet, but your eyes and shoulders." Taking his position back, he continues with an easy lilt. "If anything, get the first two motions down pat. For you these are your bread and butter so to speak. All movements will come from those and the better you are at them, the faster your attacks and defenses will be from them. Now try the first two again, but this time we'll use an adaption of the form called Parting the silk..." Readying himself in the position at the end of Unfolding the fan again, Esrahd nods to you before arcing the fan in a rolling crecent to his right, his left hand snaking upwards slightly as he twists to his left and steps away as the fan completes a horizontal slash at stomach height. "The aim of Parting the silk is to draw first blood in most instances, but given an unarmoured opponent and the right timing with stepping away, you can just about disembowel someone with the right force." [Esrahd]

You tell the group, '~@~ Can you send me the forms list that you have? ~@~'

Esrahd chuckles politely.

Your cheeks are burning.

Esrahd tells the group, 'done'

You thank Esrahd sincerely.

Listening to his instruction, Jasmyne tucks the fan back in on the left. She sweeps her arm to the left, taps the fan, the shifts her arm back upwards with a controlled jerk of her wrist, the motion of snapping the fan, then arcing her hand back down again. Just another practice movement. "If I'm faced against an assassin," Jasmyne intones softly, her eyes following the new form, "I doubt he or she would be completely unarmored. Unless they are a fool." Stepping back, feet together, she starts from the beginning with Leopard in the tree to step forward, hand sweeping to the left for Unfolding the Fan, and so aptly named for her circumstances as she snaps it open with the arc upwards with Dandelion in the Wind, remembering the step to the right, only to arc it back and across at gut level for the new form. She stumbles slightly in the step left, but recovers. [Jasmyne]

"And someone wishing to dance in leather or plate armour wouldn't attract attention?" Chuckling low, Esrahd shrugs it off. Keeping his eyes watchful over your movements. "Again, good. Practice is always the key. Now try each of those once more." [Esrahd]

Esrahd tells the group, 'Oh you stumbled! bad trainee go down.. er get down and give me 50! :-P'

You snicker softly.

"What about extra padding? Though I suppose with blades, even that wouldn’t protect much.." Jasmyne purses her lips, but glances at him when her lips part into a warm smile. Returning to the starting point, she gives him a sideways glance, as she tucks the fan back to the left. Closing her eyes and taking a breath, she slowly exhales. A few more of these, and she will be sore come tomorrow morning. Maybe there will be a hot bath and a massage ready for her. One eye peeks over at Esrahd, a hint of a smile, before she settles into the forms he's taught her. This time going through them more fluidly then the last, though there still is a bit of a hiccup toward the end, but she covers it well. [Jasmyne]

Esrahd tells the group, 'hahahah'

You wink suggestively at Esrahd.

Esrahd watches on with a clinical detachment, every move watched over carefully as the forms are linked together. "Much better, though you need to keep step through clean." Putting the fan away to his hip once more, Esrahd motions you over, his own form sinking easily into a cross legged sit on the clay ground. "Now a question for you. Of the two ending forms, both have you stepping away from your opponent. I mentioned one reason for it earlier but can you tell me another as to why each ends like that?"

Following, Jasmyne sinks down to her knees, then folds her feet under her rear and to the side. A movement that would be typical if wearing a dress. She considers the question thoughtfully, plucking imaginary dust from the leather pants, "You don't want to be in the same place they last saw you, otherwise it would be too easy to counter...?" Her voice lifts up into a question toward the end. [Jasmyne]

"Half way there. You don't want to be in the situation at all. Those movements are designed to get you away from your opponent all together. Consider the movements as a whole. Each to a trained assassin or swordsman would cause them to jump away from you in one way or another. Your movements are designed to put even more ground on them. Now a normal fighter will gain this ground and set himself for a good defense. You however, having a wepon that cannot block or parry cannot afford that." grinning at you, he adds almost flippantly "But we both know that give a sedai half a blink worth of time and...?" [Esrahd]

"So.. turn tail and run?" Jasmyne frowns slightly, giving a small shake of her head, "Or Embrace and wrap his, or her, assassin-ass up in air. Why give him the satisfaction of being able to hide and try again later? Or at least bind em long enough until you can get there." She inclines her head toward him with a wicked grin. [Jasmyne]

"Exactly. As much as I want you to proctice and do well with these forms Jasmyne, these fans aren't designed to go head to head against swords, dagger and the like." Tapping at the butt end of the one on his right hip, he says carefully, "These are weapons of deception and suprise. You, yourself are the true weapon." [Esrahd]

Drawing one of the fans from her hip, Jasmyne lightly spreads the blades apart one at a time, "Too flimsy to really go up against a sword, at least these, and even the ones I normally carry. Snapping someone on the nose gets their attention, but that was used against someone being an ass, not trying to kill me." She tilts her head to glance at him, "Each thing you've shown me is just another option. If I can't channel, for whatever reason, I don't want to be completely defenseless until you can take care of the problem." [Jasmyne]

Esrahd smiles, happy in the knowledge the lesson is there. "With that statement, we're done here. If only I had students with your intuition. Might have saved them more than a few punishments." Slowly gathering his legs under himself, Esrahd smoothly stands and offers his hand down to you. "Are you done? or would you like to practice some more?"

Stretching her arms to either side of her, swiveling arms in one direction than the other to stretch out the muscles, Jasmyne arches her back straining the fabric across the front with the rest of the stretch. "I feel done." Relaxing, she reaches up for his offered hand to allow him to help draw her up to her feet. "The difference between me and your past trainees, is I dont have grandiose ideas of duty and acts of heroism. I learn these things to ease your mind knowing that I have different tools to slip out of a situation." She tilts her head to smile up at him. [Jasmyne]

Taking a good moment to peruse your breasts straining against said fabric, Esrahd chuckles and lifts you up. "Very good to know. Keep your training up and next time I may teach you something a little more sneaky." Taking the pair of proper fans from his belt he hands them over. "For you. Don't go using them until yer sure of the movements." [Esrahd]

You tell the group, '~@~ Is it the same black and gold fans or are these different? ~@~'

Esrahd tells the group, 'Nope, the black and gold ones'

Accepting the gift graciously, she lifts her hand to the neck of his shirt and lightly tugs to bring his face down to her level. Lifting to tip toe, she brushes her lips across his cheek to whisper in his ear. After a moment, she draws back and releases his shirt. Ready to leave the practice field. [Jasmyne]

You whisper to Esrahd, 'Thank you, my gaidin. I'll be certain to use each tool you offer me, to the best of my ability. *teeth gently scrape his ear lobe*'

He grins with the whispered offering, head shaking as he gently shoo's her forwards, though under his breath he murmers for their ears alone, "Careful, or the tool offered might just poke you the wrong way." [Esrahd]

Jasmyne snickers softly under her breath, casting a glance over her shoulder toward him. "Is there a wrong way?" She blinks her cerulean gaze at him in wide eyed wonder. She does however, quicken her pace back to the Tower proper.


				*Jasmyne Sedai* *Esrahd gives Jasmyne a lesson*



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