Sherwood Rogue

Chapter Five

Rain pelting my face woke me. After a few futile moments of trying to sleep longer, I got up for some bread and goat's milk. It had taken me a while to get used to goat's milk, but it now tasted no different than my memory of cow's milk.

Nibbling on the hard bread, I went back to my blanket to put it and my few belongings into my pack, then covered it with a leather skin borrowed from Richard of Newcastle-under-Lyme to keep it dry. I sat down under the shelter of an elm to eat the rest of my breakfast.

Looking around at the others, I wondered how they could sleep. Watching, I saw many of them stir, pulling blankets over their heads.

I sighed, drinking my milk. The rain wasn't coming down hard, but I sure couldn't sleep through it.

By and by, Will walked over. Breaking off a piece of the bread he held, he chewed on it, dropping down to squat beside me. "You're up early," he commented.

"It's raining," I said, as if that explained the world. "Don't you ever sleep?"

"Not when it rains," he answered. "I don't see how they do it." He gestured to the rest of the men. "I could sleep through a tree falling on my head, but not rain. They hardly even stir."

He munched on his bread and I drank my milk, companionable in our silence.

"Are you ready to learn the sword today?" he asked, and stuffed the last of his bread into his mouth.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He stood. "Then wait here. I need to get some things."

I waited. A few moments later, he came back with two swords and a bundle, then we headed to the river.

"I'd teach you to fight with two swords," said Scarlet as we walked, "but it would be better to learn that from Frederick the Norman. He's a master at it, if you can talk him into teaching you. From me, you'll learn with one."

We went to the same spot where Much and I had fought. The river caught and absorbed raindrops, imprinting momentary craters on its surface and raising drops of water that danced to the rhythm of the rain. The wet grass smelled of earth. The leaves of the trees had turned a deeper green, like the grass.

I drew in a deep breath. "What a beautiful day," I said, wandering in a semi-circle, looking around at everything.

"Right." He tossed down the bundle and handed me a sword. I noted that the blade had been blunted. These were training weapons. "Beautiful or not, we've got work to do. Now, pay attention. You hold a sword like this." He demonstrated. I knew when I was being patronized, but I paid attention. I had been looking forward to this.

Scarlet showed me a few basic blocks, correcting my grip and stance. He took a few swings at me so I could use them.

"Remember," he told me, "this is no play at quarterstaff. I'm not looking forward to having my fingers cut off if you try to disarm me that way." He sarcastically reminded me of the trick I had used to disarm Robin. "If you need to rest, just ask me to stop. We're not enemies."

I nodded, ready for more.

He showed me another block, then swung at me again and again, forcing me to block as he'd shown me.

"You'll learn only defense today," he told me, still swinging. "That's most important. If you can't block a blow, you're dead. If you get knocked down with a quarterstaff, chances are you can get back up. You don't often get that chance in swordplay."

I lost my concentration for a moment and Will's sword stopped inches away from my ear.

"Pay attention," he snapped. "It's called swordplay, but there's nothing playful about it." He moved his sword away.