Ben Solo

XXX

"Faster!" Ben commanded, striking with the stave.

Mei deflected it, and pushed her damp hair out of her eyes.

"Good.  Remember, an enemy will not be attempting to clash blades with you. Rather, he will be trying to kill you. Again."

Ben slashed across, low, and Mei deflected it. He tried higher and she deflected it again.

Mei was an instinctive fighter, fast and coordinated. When she wasn't fighting however, that coordination seemed to disappear. They'd run through a great number of plates in the year he had been training her.

Ben had been distracted in his thoughts. Mei sliced and caught his side.

He winced, grabbing his side. It would bruise. "Nice work. I let down my guard and you took the chance to strike. Well done."

Mei beamed at the praise.

Ben stood straight again. "One more time, and then you can eat."

Mei nodded, and prepared herself.

The sticks they were using clashed together over and over, the nine-year-old already nearly as good as her master, twice her age.

Ben had to admit that she impressed him. To have learned that much so quickly, she must be very strong in the Force.

Luke had accredited it to Ben's own expertise.

This time, Mei slipped up and he clipped her wrist. She bit her lip and grabbed it.

"Did I hit your bone?" Ben asked, dropping the stave to make sure she was alright.

"No, just under it, the fleshy part," she said, flexing it.

"Get some ice and food, and then meditate on the Code," he assigned.  "And get some rest."

She nodded and left.

Ben picked up the staves and dropped them into the metal barrel that they were stored in.

His darkening hair was plastered to his forehead, and he ran his fingers through it to fluff it back up.

In the kitchen, Mei was shoveling food in her mouth, her wrist in an ice brace, which was exactly what it sounded like; a cloth brace that you kept cold so that the small pack would freeze.

He grabbed a plate of food and sat next to her.

Averann, and her Padawan, Aaron, came in a bit later.

Aaron was dark, like Mara, and of a larger build than the other padawans. He was still skilled at fighting though, but preferred to wrestle over blade combat.

They sat down to eat as well.

"What have you been up to?" Averann asked, sitting next to Ben.

"Blade combat, with staves. What were you doing?" He put a load of food in his mouth and chewed.

"We went out in the X-Wings on a patrol."

He nodded, his mouth still full.

Mei finished her food and washed her plate. "I'm going to go meditate now," she told Ben.

Ben nodded again in acknowledgment. He would have a good amount of time to talk to Master that afternoon, unless Averann wanted him to work on combat with Aaron. If he left soon, maybe he wouldn't have to duel him.

As he stood, Ilia came in, with Anina shortly behind her. He touched the tall girl's shoulder, and nodded to her Padawan.

In his room, he tried to get the attention of his Master.