The Mark of A Cursed King

9

"This isn't baseball." Roman teased lightly as Virgil gripped the sword tightly. "You aren't trying to hit for a home run."

"I'm sorry?" Roman chuckled as he shook his head a bit.

"Here, may I?" Virgil narrowed his eyes but nodded curtly as Roman walked over to him. "Think of the sword as an extension of you, Virgil. Cliche I know but it's accurate." The prince smiled softly as he walked behind him and gently wrapped his arms around him. He slowly brought Virgil's arms down to about his waist before lightly pulling one of his hands away so that Virgil was holding it with only one hand. "Relax your shoulders. You don't want to be to tense. The looser you are the more fluid your movements." He carefully positioned Virgil's feet with his own, missing how red Virgil's cheeks were completely. "It's a short sword, Stormy." A shudder went down Virgil's spine as Roman practically lulled in his ear. "You don't need two hands to hold it."

"Uh... Right." Roman smiled wider as he moved in front of the melting at the sight of the younger before him.

"Holding it single-handed means higher mobility and flexibility in movement and attacks. You only really need to hold it two-handed when you want to increase strength in your thrust or slash. Or even to add stability when your blocking. Otherwise your just limiting your movement." Virgil nodded as he took a deep breath. Roman summoned a dummy and Virgil tensed, not really used to the sword yet. "It's ok, Virgil."

"Whatever." Virgil started his 'reps' as Princey called it, while Roman watched getting a bit lost in thought.

"You know Virgil..." Roman mumbled a bit as he filtered through his memories. "You were very good with a bow."

"Yes, well... Remus taught me how to use one when we younger." Roman's eyes widened a bit as Virgil brought the sword down onto dummy only to wince.

"Relax your grip." Virgil frowned as he shot Roman a look only to get a smile in return. "You're holding it too tight. You can't absorb the shock. It's putting to much stress on your arm." Virgil sighed as he nodded as lessened his hold a bit before just staring at the dummy. "Virgil, it isn't going to just fly out of your hand."

"But... but what if it..." Virgil jumped as once again Roman walked around him and placed his hand over Virgil's. He held securely but not to tight and Virgil's eyes widened as he matched the strength of his grip to Roman's.

"Now. When you go to slash..." Roman ease Virgil back into him so that their movements were the same as Virgil literally stopped breathing. "Don't hesitate. Imagine the same as a bow. Ok? When you fire the arrow you have to commit, yes." Virgil swallowed hard as he nodded letting Roman bring the sword down until it hit the dummy. It wasn't a hard swing at all. Just slow but it proved his point. This time when Roman moved away Virgil let the sword dip a bit in thought. "Hey... Roman? Who is it... nevermind it's not important." Roman's eyes darkened as Virgil returned to his practicing trying his best to match what Roman had shown him.

"What were you going to ask?"

"It's not important." Roman sighed, knowing better than to push a subject with the man.

"Ok, well... I have one of my own." Virgil's brow quirked as Roman smiled with a nod. "What exactly did my brother teach you?"

"Archery..." Roman nodded again as Virgil paused for a second to look over at him. "He also taught me hand-to-hand and a few knife styles. Not really anything else. He just wanted a sparring partner really. Being that I am Anxiety as 'Fight' and flight... I can't am a bit a fighter."

"Huh." Virgil glanced over to see Roman's expression and... He was a bit confused. Roman's eyes seemed to shine with this look of pride and awe yet... He didn't understand why Roman would be impressed with him.

"It's really nothing, Ro."

"Nothing? Really?" Roman laughed as he shook his head, before obviously sizing Virgil up making the youngest blush a bit.

"W-What?"

"Nothing. I'm just thinking..." Roman smirked as he waved his hand making the dummy vanish into glittery dust. "We all have different ways of learning and teaching."

"Yea?"

"Logan learns literally in any way... he is logic." Virgil shot him this look that clearly said get on with it making Roman laugh. "Patton learns by watching and thus teaches that way. I learn by doing and experiencing. I only got stronger the more fights I was in." Virgil's eyes went wide as Roman pointed at him limply. "Remus doesn't 'learn'. He just does. What happens happens and he doesn't care. It's safe to say his teaching methods would be the same. Throw you into shark-infested waters and see how you swim, yes?" Virgil tensed a bit as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Given everything I know... and what I know about you... I'd say you probably learn through reaction."

"What?"

"Throw a baby into the water and they'll react by kicking, learning how to swim. It's a natural response in the wild. Most creatures learn through reaction." Virgil handed Roman the sword as the prince held his hand out for it, far more interested in what was being said anyway. "Another example is... an animal getting too close to a fire. It burns itself and learns fire hurts."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I've been teaching you wrong." Roman gave the other an apologetic look as he let the sword he was holding vanish. "I must apologize first though, Virgil, as I was going easy with you. I... I didn't want you to get hurt. However..." Virgil glared over at him as Roman laughed awkwardly. "I will not make that mistake again. That being said I think it's time to switch it up." Virgil jumped catching something in his hands shooting the prince a confused look.

"A stick?" Roman laughed with a bright glowing smile as he just shook his head.

"Not a stick, Virgil. A bo staff. I figured weapons wise, it's a good instrument to know. Plus... I didn't want us messing with swords until you've better handled it." Virgil frowned, his confusion growing until he finally noticed princey spinning about his own staff. Oh... shit. "So? Let the lesson begin."