Sword and Mind

16

With her hands fixed to her sides, and her eyes loosely closed Rumah imagined a globe of stone around her as Nimshi taught her. Pallu, Nimshi, and Vinit circled her each with a stone in hand. Pallu tossed the stone at Rumah, who did not flinch even when it hit her back. Rumah hissed her protest, and her brow furrowed deeper. With a concentrated sigh, Rumah set to work, her mind filling the air a foot away from her body. Her ears picked up the sound of Pallu retrieving the stone, and the footsteps of the trio as they began circling her in erratic patterns. On a silent beat, three stones were tossed at Rumah. Two hit an invisible wall and fell harmlessly to the ground. One hit her on the leg.

Nimshi smiled. "Better. Much better."

Rumah could not help but grin.

"Well done, Ru." Pallu patted her shoulder.

Vinit tilted his head to the door. "Now get going, my Lady. You've done enough resting. I want you working until Crosof comes."

Pallu smiled mischievously and bowed. "As you wish, Master."

Pallu turned on her heel, cloak swinging out and sword slapping her thigh as she went. She sent silent well wishes to her sister when she reached the back door of Rumah's estate to which Rumah chuckled ruefully. Pallu's eyes cast about the garden as she considered where to begin her practice and decided on the west gardens, which to Pallu's mind where the more beautiful of Rumah's estate. Vinit and Nimshi of course disagreed while Rumah loved every inch of her estate and did not truly favor one part over the other. Once in a grassy area of the western gardens, Pallu unhooked her cloak and tossed it on a bench on the perimeter. She stretched her muscles as was her custom and sighed contently.

There were times she preferred to not always have to use her mind. She drew her sword, revealing in the ringing of the blade. With calculated movements, she settled herself into the beginning forms. Vinit's words floated through her mind, "Know well what is least before attempting the greatest." Though she was no novice to the sword, she began her practices with such forms if only to remind her of how far she had come and, more importantly, still had to go.

"Her Grace says she has never heard of such a person. Kindly remove yourself from her property."

"I will see her. I have a right to see my own wife."

Pallu growled at the voice as much as the words. How many more times would he come here? She stole silently to the entrance of the estate, hiding in the shadows of the stairs.

"Her Grace has no husband. Leave now."

"I will not leave!"

At the sound of a drawn blade, Pallu moved up the small flight of stairs with the silence of a snake. The tip of her sword found the back of the raven haired man's neck. Despite the time spent with her newly reunited sister, Pallu had never met Ocran. She knew he had come several times demanding to see his wife, as he called Rumah, but he was gone before she could have the pleasure of meeting him herself.

"If you desire your life, you will leave. I make no qualms of ridding my sister of your pestering."

The smirk on the doorman's face was all the evidence Pallu needed to confirm Ocran was taken by surprise. This pleased Pallu as Rumah had often held his prowess as a fighter, and she was always careful to use that word, in high, almost fearful regard.

Ocran turned deliberately to face his opponent. "Pallu, I presume."

"You do so correctly, Ocran."

"I finally meet the person responsible for stealing away my wife."

"The only person responsible for the loss of your wife is you, Ocran. Your inability to stay out of other people's beds is well known."

"I take that as a compliment."