[memory] The Eagle and the Falcon

[Riven]

36th day of Glade, 113th year of the Age of Steel

It was, apparently, Riven's last day in the Palace of the First Wind; Talon had managed to convince his father about letting Riven stay in a room until he made a full recovery; then, he would have to move out to the small gardener's cottage in the grounds and tend to Talon's garden. That was also Talon's doing; the Shokaze would have been happy to kick him out of his estate and even Kalzasi, but his son had pleaded, reasoned and even argued with the most powerful person in the city to let Riven have a stable place to live; to be taken in by their house as a sign of Synnekar hospitality. Of course, Savien couldn't stand the Kathar... But at that point, Riven had already learned to bow his head, treat him by his honorable title and say yes to anything that meant he and Talon could stay close.

Riven's full recovery would be determined by a skilled healer from House Ahtivin; a young Avialae man around twenty-five years old with a bright smile and an easygoing attitude; his green eyes sparkled with glee whenever Riven told him he was feeling better, gaining mobility. He didn't seem to care about the boy being a Kathar; according to him, he would care for anyone that needed his medical abilities until they were back in full shape. And Riven knew he could trust him; he had quickly determined that most of Riven's cuts and injuries were inflicted by another person, and Riven had asked him not to tell anybody. He wouldn't be able to endure an interrogation on that matter. Surprisingly, he had agreed, wanting to minimize his suffering. The healer was there to check on his broken wing; it was the most complex and hardest of his injuries, and it took the longest to heal. Riven was pretty sure that he was already in perfect shape and ready to fly, but he had been asked to stay on the ground... And he obeyed; the man knew what he talked about after all.

A couple wing flexings, some palpations and some close listening on Riven's black wings and the doctor's eyes sparkled and his brown wings fluttered; he even hugged Riven before announcing he was fully healed. Riven grinned; yes, he was getting kicked out of the palace... But he was getting a home to call his own! And he could take to the skies, run, fight, lay on his wings without having to open them... He was probably moving out within that day, but he didn't care; he thanked the doctor with all his heart and rushed outside, spotting a flash of silver a tad further. Talon was there, sparring with some of his guards. He had told Riven the previous day, when the younger had excitedly brought the news of his discharge from treatment. He walked there slowly, admiring Talon's stern look and his calculated style; he wielded a training Kalzasern longsword as he used to, and he parried all blows with short, fluid movements and slight changes of posture. He hated to admit it, but he missed fighting. It was the only thing he had done his whole life, other than reading books, so it was the only thing he was really good at. He sat on a rock, staring from a distance; he didn't want to interrupt Talon, and he knew some of the guards didn't seem to happy with the fact that the Kathar boy had been taken care of.

[Talon]

Talon kept his breathing steady. His eyes were focused on the soldier in front of him. His sword was kept calmly at the ready as he stared down the man that was presently his sparring partner. He didn’t move. There was no pacing back and forth as the two of them observed each other for signs of movement, for a break in the other’s keen sight and stance. Talon heard the fluttering of wings and for some reason he felt his heart rate pick up pace to an even greater degree. It was at that moment, where he had the briefest of distractions, that the guard decided to strike. He lunged forward.

Talon side-stepped the edge of the training sword, narrowly missing being jabbed by the wooden blade. He brought his training longsword up and engaged his temporary enemy. Talon did not go into a series of blows so much as he parried the blade that was thrust at him. He side-stepped and dodged as much as he physically could, opting to adopt a more defensive battle-stance than a truly offensive one. Talon had no desire to cause intentional harm to anyone but he knew that he was expected to be a strong and capable warrior. He was the firstborn son of the Shokaze, with that came certain expectations; the ability to serve in as well as command soldiers just being a few of them.

Again, Talon felt as though he were being watched and he glanced to the side only to see a pair of black wings and the brief sight of someone who had come to make him very happy. He immediately knew that Riven was watching his sparring match. But that distraction apparently provided his current sparring partner with the opening he needed. Talon felt the sting of being slapped upon the arm by the flat of the wooden blade. Talon hissed and was immediately put back on the defensive as he worked to fend off the flurry of swings that were now being directed at him by the soldier he was sparring with. He was in the middle of trying to parry another blow when the guard caught him by surprise and reversed his maneuver and managed to disarm Talon.

“You’re distracted, my lord.” Talon shook his wrist and flexed the fingers of the hand that had held his sword. The disarming had jarred his wrist slightly but he would recover within a short while. The young man gave his instructor a smile.

“Apologies, Teacher. You are correct. I am a little distracted.” Talon turned to look at Riven. He raised his hands into the air and beckoned the other boy to come closer.

“Riven! Come! You can watch me make a fool of myself!” Talon grinned and the soldier beside him chuckled.

“You have much to learn, my lord but you are not so bad. Your defensive techniques are becoming quite sound. Even I had difficulty getting through all of your maneuvers. But you must still be mindful of the movements of your opponent. Your footwork needs some finer training.” Talon merely bowed and nodded. He was not one to argue with any of his teachers. Again he called out to Riven.

“Riven!” He motioned once more for the Kathar Avialae to join them.

[Riven]

Riven smiled as his gaze and Talon's connected; they both smiled as the Synnekar noticed him, but it was a fleeting moment. Talon's distraction (no other than Riven himself) had given the guard fighting him the opening he had needed, and a quick series of swings were enough to disarm him after the prince had been thrown off balance. He felt slightly guilty about distracting him... But he had to admit, Talon's bladework was really something; he had some minor balance issues, but he moved with an enchanting elegance and fluidity. Riven had never seen anything like it in Lorien; was that a Kalzasern style?

He grinned as Talon beckoned him closer, and stepped down; he was about to rush to hug him and give him the great news... But his regal entourage reminded him that in Kalzasi, Talon was someone important and that he would have to act accordingly around his people. There would be time for laughing and hugging when they were by themselves, he guessed. Hoped, rather. Talon had been the first person in Kalzasi to show genuine care and kindness to Riven, and he hadn't ever stopped. Not a single day. Grateful wasn't even close to describe the beautiful, complex relationship that had bloomed between the two boys. He arrived and stood next to the other guards, armor-clad tall figures in a circle around the fighters. He was a tad intimidated... But also an expert at concealing that kind of feelings, luckily for him.

"I'm sorry I distracted you, Talon, but watching you make a fool of yourself is quite nice. You aren't that bad though!" He said, allowing himself to play along Talon's little joke. "How about you try again? I don't want to interrupt your training, so I'll try not to distract you this time." He offered with a half smile, as Talon nodded and assumed positions in front of his instructor again. Riven was right; in Lorien things were more... stiff.

Talon's style reminded Riven of his first fights with blades. He waited for his opponent's move, and tended to parry most hits and dodge calculatingly to measure his efforts properly; he had a calculating gaze... And he waited for an opening. He clearly had learned from his instructor, who moved as easily as water in a pond; calm, moving around Talon and stinging at the right moments, never overdoing his attack if he was properly blocked. It was like watching a mesmerizing martial dance; all thrusts dispelled, all swings parried. Everything was silence except for the murmur of the city and the clash of wood against wood.

And then Riven spotted the issue. The instructor saw a slight opening and lunged in; Talon stepped back to parry... But the weight wasn't properly distributed, and he hesitated; a couple of blows to distract him that he managed to block, and his instructor sweeped the foot he kept forward and where most of the weight was placed, easily managing to knock Talon to the ground and put the tip of the training sword on his throat. Talon looked distraught for a second, but he owned his mistake and laughed it off, grabbing his instructor's arm to pull himself back on his feet.

Riven reflexively opened his mouth as all heads turned to stare at him; he couldn't stop himself thought. "Uh... Talon? Thing is, when you step back, your back feet is always a bit wobbly, because you hesitate..." He began shakily, but stopped at Talon's instructor nodding. He seemed to agree. "If you leaned back more and placed it a tad more outwards and more solidly, you would have avoided the sweep." He said. Everyone was staring at him, most of the guards puzzled. He blushed, his cheeks tinted a pink hue.

[Talon]

Talon wanted to lay there on the ground as the world spun in his vision. He was frustrated. There was no denying it. In Riven’s direction he could feel a sense of amusement but also the inquisitiveness that he’d learn to associate with the young man. With every passing day, Talon felt as though he could get a sense for Riven more clearly. At time he swore he could almost hear the other Avialae’s thoughts. It was puzzling but it was also frightening. Talon was careful to guard his thoughts and his reactions in those times. He’d heard of Avialae bonding to someone out of the blue. It was uncommon but it happened enough that it was not unheard of. Talon wasn’t sure how he felt at the idea. He didn’t have long to think about it however as he was helped to his feet by his teacher. The guardsman pat Talon on the shoulder, he merely laughed at himself and shook his head. That was when Riven spoke up.

Talon listened to the Kathar boy’s critique. It brought a surprised look to his face. Talon had suspected that Riven knew how to fight. One did not flee the grips of Lorien without the means of being able to survive the journey. Besides, if anything he’d heard about his brethren still shackled in Lorien was true, they were a brutal lot. He arched an eyebrow at Riven but was not offended. He was more surprised the boy had spoken up in front of the soldiers and his teacher. Riven appeared to gain more confidence with his words when his teacher nodded in unison.

“What do you know about fighting, boy?” One of the soldiers, a broad and muscular Avialae with the wings of a condor glared at Riven.

“The Kathar thinks he knows better! Just because you’ve fought a few rabbits, boy, doesn’t make you a fighter.” Another one of the soldiers piped in. Talon frowned.

“Gentlemen.” The laughter died out. Talon’s face reflected his anger. He always felt a coldness enter his veins whenever the anger crept up in him. It was a displeasure at injustice, at bullying and other things he perceived as utterly wrong. Picking on Riven was most certainly in the category of wrong in Talon’s mind.

“This is a circle of learning. We are all students and we are all teachers here. Tell me, do you know his skills?” Talon zeroed in on the condor winged Avialae. The man shrunk slightly in Talon’s gaze. It was in these moments that they were reminded of who Talon was, a student he might be, but he was still the firstborn son of the Shokaze. He was still the heir to House Novalys.

“No, my lord. Forgive me.” Talon’s gaze swept over the other soldiers. Murmurings of apology came from those who met his eye. He brought his attention to Riven. Talon gripped his training sword tightly. Spinning on his heel, he folded his wings in tight then took up a stance on the opposite side of the sparring circle. He fixed his gaze upon Riven. There was no anger in his eyes, not for Riven. But there was the stoic determination of a warrior intent on a purpose.

“Riven? Come teach me something.” Talon flourished the training sword. He went into his battle mindset. He would do his best to heed Riven’s words. Despite his outward demeanor, Talon quietly thought to himself and he hoped that somehow, impossible as it might be, that Riven would hear his thoughts.

Show them what you can do.

[Riven]

Riven stared at the guards that had mocked him after he had talked. He couldn't say he didn't expect that kind of reaction. He was a Kathar, he had never shown any kind of battle expertise in Kalzasi, and all those guards knew about him was that he was injured. Well, not anymore. He was glad Talon's teacher approved of his words, rather unsurprised, but the guards bothered him. The displays of arrogance and dismissal of his possible abilities was something rather common back in Lorien before that foe could get out of the training field limping. He breathed in; he didn't want to be the cause of a stupid scene with Talon's partners. Luckily, Talon rushed to defend him. Riven had never made his upbringing clear to the Novalys, but he seemed confident on Riven's skill. Riven thanked him with a quick nod, before answering the guards.

It was a cold, blank stare at both the condor winged guard and his friends; his eyes burned in contrast, the blue animated thin rings swirling in fast, unsettling patterns. "Rabbits are surprisingly hard to catch when they move fast enough... But I guess scavengers like you never had such a problem?" He asked in a flat tone, completely unagressive, as he stared at the half-open condor wings. He half smiled at them he walked into the circle, and then offered Talon a full smile. He had already taken a stance. He seemed excited to see what Riven could do in a fight; the Kathar was a tad rusty... But he had seen Talon fight, whereas Talon hadn't ever seen him. And he was sure they had roughly a similar load of experience; Riven had been fighting lethally for eight full years.

"I don't know if I have much more to teach you... But I'm going to try. I'm sure you've never clashed swords with-" He stopped, staring at the guards again with a mischievous grin "-a demon from the east. Just let me get a weapon." He said, checking the stash the teacher had brought with him. There wasn't anything similar to his rien dual blades; daggers were too short. He spotted the training short swords the rude guards held though; those looked a little longer than his usual, but the extra wood would help add solid weight and protect Riven from the longsword's reach. With a smile, he extended both hands and the instructor gave them a long stare, compelling them to give both swords to Riven. He picked both up and gave them a quick acrobatic flourish with both hands, the blade getting dangerously near to their faces; he clearly knew what he was doing. Satisfied, he stepped back to the training field and faced Talon. He could feel his pride and his encouragement, somehow.

"I hope you're ready. Out of respect for you, I won't actively try to injure you to win... but I won't hold back either, Talon." He said, stretching his muscles a bit. He fully extended his wings for a moment, then folding them back; it felt amazing to move them freely again. He was warmed up; he assumed the stance. Low; a sword forward and one backwards. He was ready for that longsword, but Talon seemed hesitant to move. Riven would have to set things in motion; he suddenly lunged forward with an explosive step, but Talon parried both blades with a swift, fluid longsword move. His footwork was a tad slow still, as Riven had planed; he opened his wings and boosted himself upwards to jump over Talon, frontflipping over his head and landing fast enough for him to hesitate; he clearly had never seen anything like that. Riven swiftly kicked his unprotected back, making him stumble a few feet forward, enough distance for Riven to regain his defensive stance. "I'm sorry. Think faster!" He encouraged Talon; he knew it was only the element of surprise that had allowed him to do that. There wouldn't be a second time.

[Talon]

Seeing Riven in motion after watching him recover was of great joy to Talon. In their time together, Talon had learned some things about the Kathar boy. While he did not speak much about his life in Lorien, he had shared with him things that he had enjoyed in his time away from the Kindred cursed land. It was strange, in a way. All Talon had grown up with were just stories of the rotted crows. His mother and father had only ever told him of the legends of centuries past and the feats of the brave warriors who had lead their people to freedom far beyond the borders of ancient Lorien. To be faced with a young man who had not only come from that far off kingdom but who had lived through what the stories professed to be a reality there, it was eye opening. It made the Kindred more real...as well as the threat they posed to everything he loved.

In a flash, Talon was parrying the assault that was coming from the front. Riven moved swiftly though his movements were still a bit unsteady. The weeks upon weeks spent healing after such an arduous journey must have taken its toll on his strength and agility. Still, Riven moved with the familiarity of one who knew how to work a blade quite well. That came as no surprise considering everything Talon knew about his Kathar brothers. He was surprised when, with a flex of his wings, Riven was flipping over him. Talon stumbled forward, catching himself with the assistance of a flap of his wings. He pivoted on one foot, swinging around to face Riven with his sword at the ready. There was a smile on Talon’s face. There were frowns on the faces of some of the guardsmen who watched. They weren’t expecting this level of skill in a boy so young. It made Talon happy but he felt a sadness in him as well.

What kind of life had Riven lead?

“Speed is one part of battle, Kurohane. Precision is another.” With that, Talon jumped forward bring his sword out in a wide arc to force Riven into sweeping his blades before him in order to block his attack. Dual blade wielders were deadly. They often moved with speed and a level of flexibility that allowed them to use their swords as both weapon and shield. But it meant they relied heavily upon their agility in order to maneuver in combat. From his short display alone, Talon knew that he would not win in a battle of speed against Riven. So he had to be precise. He had to be attentive to the other Avialae’s movements so that he could either predict them or at least brace for them.

Talon blocked a flurry of swings from Riven, leaning into the assault rather than pulling away from it. He kept up his defense until he saw an opening and then he took it. Bringing his longsword forward, he ducked down, spun on the ball of his foot and swiped his sword through the air, catching the edge of the wooden sword upon one of Riven’s thighs. Talon then pushed back, taking flight and hovering slightly in the air with a grin on his face.

“Patience is rewarded, my friend.” He gave Riven a wink. Excitement thrummed through Talon. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a sparring match. He didn’t know why but he was thrilled to be able to match blades, even training ones, with Riven.