Learning to Serve

[Marine Lecavalier]

At the suggestion of Lira Terranova butchering anything, Marine lifted an eyebrow.

“I think whoever told you this is jealous, that you can speak our tongue better than we can speak yours.”

In spite of the fact that it had been years since Prince Tristan had married Princess Razielle, and almost as long since the Consortium had entered a politicial concordance with the Alliance, instances of Hapan's speaking Basic were about as common as males in positions of power. For the average Hapan, it was considered simply not necessary, but a good many members of the palace staff had become passable speakers. Marine had insisted that the Chume'doro and Chume'nor learn, as it was clearly the tongue that the Chume herself preferred to use.

Marine glanced about, first at the open training yard, then at the clear sky above them.

“It is a good day. If you have no duties to attend to, I have time now. I can teach you a few things, if you like?”

[Lira Terranova]

Lira had never considered that, but it was very probably true. She had experienced some other small signs of jealous aggression when Razielle had chosen to keep her at the queen's beck and call, rather than elevate some noble Hapan-born lady to the position of honor. It had made some waves initially, which was also when she had first started learning Hapan.

"I had not though of that.", she admitted, a little sheepish that it had held her back for so long.

Following the major's gaze to the training yard, Lira arched a brow looking down at her dress. "I have time. If you have something else I can get changed into?"

[Marine Lecavalier]

“I have just the thing.”

It had been a long time since Marine had worn anything remotely like Lira’s gown, but once they reached one of the barracks kit rooms, the Major made surprisingly quick work of helping the lady out of her dress. The barracks had an armoury with an abundance of suitable alternatives, including sets of lightweight body armour that were worn by royal guards in the making.

“Have you worn armour before?” Marine asked, as she lowered the breastplate over Lira’s head.

[Lira Terranova]

When the major said she had just the thing, Lira followed along trusting and maybe a little eager. The schedule of her previous days had been a routine, one that did not include any kind of training. The unexpectedness of today was making her stomach flutter in excitement. Or maybe that was just due to the way Major Lecavalier had her out of her gown. Lira was reminded of Renart's efficiency with the task as well, wondering at the growing trend of beautiful Hapans undressing her, and how it made her feel.

Pulling her hair free from the breastplate as it dropped around her shoulders, Lira nodded. "I have.. not exactly like this though. It was not plated. It was leather. Meant more to protect me from chapping and chafing than an attack."

[Marine Lecavalier]

“Leather?” Marine lifted her eyes to Lira’s for a moment, one eyebrow arched somewhat skeptically.

“Arms up.” When Lira complied, Marine worked with deft fingers to fasten the breastplate into place. It was the final piece of the training armour.

“Bon,” the Major said, placing her hands on Lira’s shoulders for a moment before stepping back to take a look at her from head to toe. Her lips twitched at the edges with a smile; Ta’din Terranova actually looked like a rather convincing member of the Chume’doro.

“It is not too loose, too tight?” she asked, stepping closer again, inspecting of the clasps on the vambrace covering Lira’s left arm.

[Lira Terranova]

Lira's lips pursed. "Yes, leather." For what she had been doing at the time, her armor had been appropriate.

Another time, maybe, she might tell the major more, she felt strangely compelled to. It was not a good sign really. Lira loved indulging her curiosity about others, but preferred to remain reserved herself, for her own peace of mind, and for the secrets she kept, some of which she no longer had to.

Marine had her all fastened up, and Lira managed to only squirm a little. She gave her arms a little movement, and her torso a little twist.

"It seems to be just right.", she surrendered her arm to the major. "It is lighter than I thought it would be. "

[Marine Lecavalier]

“It must be light. You should be able to fight and move easily.”

Back out in the training yard, where Lira could pass for any one of the handful of other women practising close-quarters combat or drilling martial katas, Marine lifted her chin towards the far corner of the yard. There was a rack of weapons, with everything from daggers to the long polearms that the Chume’doro carried when stationed, statuesque, beside the Queen.

“Run. Get something that appeals to you, and one for me also, cadet,” Marine added, maintaining a suprisingly neutral expression.

[Lira Terranova]

Lira's normally 'restricted' policy about smiling seemed to have been momentarily forgotten. She no longer looked or felt like, the mostly fictitious, Ta'din Terranova. With surprising eagerness, she did as the major told her, dashing off to peruse the racks of weapons kept for training in the yard.

Most of them she could not identify, let alone picked one up before. Certainly she had no training with them, but..there were simple things that she did know the basics of. Her fingers skimmed over the hilts of a few different daggers before she found one of a similar size and weight to what she had once been proficient with, on Onderon in the service of Queen Adraudia and her personal safety. She took it, and one that matched for Marine before returning to the major's side.

"Will these be alright?"

[Marine Lecavalier]

“Will these be alright, commander,” Marine countered, as she took one of the short blades by the hilt. A few of other women around the training yard were stealing glances in their direction. It wasn’t often that Major Lecavalier spent time one-on-one with a recruit, not unless they were particularly problematic.

“While you wear that uniform, you address me as your superior,” she said, the hint of a smile in her eyes. Without looking away, she tested the weight of the dagger in her hand.

[Lira Terranova]

"Right.. Of course."

Lira was not put off by being corrected. It had been a while since she had been in the position of being subordinate to anyone, apart from Beatrix and Razielle, but it was a position she had spent the majority of her life in. Being in the service of strong women that she respected. Marine was no different really. She was as awestruck by her as the other fresh recruits. She was just very good at being composed.

"Will these be alright, commander?"

[Marine Lecavalier]

“I believe so, cadet.”

It was not typical for the Chume’doro to be seen carrying anything other than a polearm, but that did not mean they knew nothing of other weapons. The training yard was a testament to that. Marine, like all of her guards, liked to maintain a confident proficiency with just about anything that she could use to protect the Chume.

“Why did you choose this? Can you fight with it already?”

[Lira Terranova]

"I can, commander.", Lira confirmed, with a touch of pride.

"All of the queen's ladies were taught basic self defense. Onderon can be a dangerous world. I was better than some of my peers and proceeded to learn other skills. I can fight with a knife in close combat, and I have some skill with a crossbow at distance, and while mounted, of course."

To Lira, there was no question of what mount she refereed to. The only kind the daughter of a famed Beast Rider would ride. She clarified it all the same. "Atop a drexl.."

[Marine Lecavalier]

Marine's head tipped back a fraction as she considered the newly armed ta’din and the prospect of her brandishing a bow atop a warbeast.

“Someday you must provide me with a… demonstration of that, cadet,” she said, almost certain that she had heard of Onderonian drexl being imported - along with many other exotic and potentially deadly creatures - into the Consortium. In the Cluster, there were relatively few game beasts that had not been hunted to extinction, so it had been considered rather fortunate that Onderon was home to so many fascinating animals.

The Major took a step backwards, twisting the dagger into a reverse grip, the hilt held lightly in her fist.

“Show me.”

[Lira Terranova]

Lira gave a nod. To begin with she had learned only defensive tactics, during her combat training on Onderon. How to take a strike aimed for her, or her royal charge, and quickly turn it against the attacker. She was good at it. Knocking strikes, away. Grabbing the forearm, or wrist of her opposition and turning the blow. Before the next attack could fall, she would have already made one potentially deadly slice across a throat. Or, stick a body full of holes if it came to it. She had been determined to protect Queen Adraudia. She had been devoted to Princess Razielle, but Beatrix she was simply bound to with love. She would give her life for the girl without hesitation.

The grip the Chume'doro commander had chosen was telling. She was very strong, and could use that strength to send that blade through flesh with the force of a hammer hitting an anvil, Lira had no doubt. To compensate, she would have to be fast. Very fast..

Knowing her skills worked best on the defensive, she tried to draw the Major into an attack, leaving herself open seemingly naively as she took a loose stance, and made a show of a slice through the air..

[Marine Lecavalier]

If the swipe had been meant as bait, Marine didn’t take it.

“A little closer, cadet,” she said, as she took another two steps backwards, all the while keeping her eyes locked with Lira's. “You won’t cut me from over there.”