9
“Wow, you’re fast.” That’s Nelson speaking. He’s the new guard and my latest sparring partner today. After last night’s disaster at the ball, I’ve spent all day in battle practice. Nelson’s my latest victim. We’re both wearing fitted shorts, and I just dodged his attempted elbow strike to my chin.
“Focus on the battle, Nelson.” To emphasize my point, I deliver a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Though I don’t use as much force I could. Nelson’s a newbie.
“That was even faster.” Nelson wobbles a bit, so I give him a few moments to recover. Today, my new guard and I are practicing on what will eventually be the autumn tournament green. It’s an open space surrounded by wooden frameworks that will soon become seating pavilions.
“Can you do that kick again?” asks Nelson.
Nothing
