The Honor Duel
in which Torlinque wins the position of 'Lesia's Champion from his father
Blog entry

03/15/2005

The honor challenge duel between Kharie'l and Torlinque was today. I was nervous. Torlinque wasn't.

I gave Torlinque my ribbon to wear, even though officially, because he is Captain, Kharie'l is the default Champion of the 'Lesi'a. Kharie'l was a little put out when Torlinque showed up with my white embroidered ribbon tied on over his red sash. He asked me why I'd done it. I repeated to him that none of this would be necessary if he had just listened to me instead of being so hard headed. Again, I explained my reasons for wanting to delay any stint at the border by Torlinque until (if? when?) I return.

It was business as usual on the field this morning. Kharie'l put the Adrastai through their regular drills and then had them break up into pairs for a 15 minute free fight. Next he had the senior Adrastai working with some of the newer recruits. Torlinque was set to help a couple of new boys with their stances. They didn't even have uniforms yet.

Tolirion and I were watching from the stone observation platform at the end of the field. I was about to explode, my nerves were so bad. The wait was horrible. I just pecked at working on this physical plane. It's a good thing there wasn't much going on.

When they broke for lunch, I went home for lunch. The duel was scheduled for 2.

Even though Tolirion was acting as Torlinque's second for the duel, Torlinque handed me his leather uniform jacket to hold when he entered the dirt ring on the far side of the field.

Torlinque and his father went at each other full force as I knew they would, and it was a sight to behold indeed. There was lots of that eerie sound that live steel makes when it slices through the air really fast. Not the "swoop!" you normally hear, but that higher pitched "whing!". Eek. There were lots of attempts made at kicking each other in the head too, most of which missed because the intended recipient ducked at the last second.

Kharie'l won first blood with a gash on Torlinque's back. That was the only blood of the duel though, thankfully.

Kharie'l tried to tire Torlinque out a bit by trying to get him to repeatedly rush at him, but Torlinque caught on and halfway disarmed him, knocking one of his fakhai'n out of his hand. Kharie'l ducked and rolled and snatched it up on the way though.

At one point, Torlinque jumped straight up into the air and twisted and came down kicking Kharie'l square in the chest. Kharie'l said, "Good one! Where'd you learn that?"

He was taunting Torlinque like I knew he would, trying to piss him off so he'd make a mistake. It didn't work.

Finally, Torlinque was able to completely disarm his father. He jumped up and flipped, hooking the tip of a fakhai'n in the end of the hilt of one of Kharie'l's and making him lose his grip on it. Then he swung around with a kick aimed at Kharie'l's head. Naturally, Kharie'l ducked to avoid the kick, but that's what Torlinque wanted him to do. He twisted and slid his other foot under Kharie'l and knocked him off balance. Kharie'l landed flat on his back, and Torlinque landed with his foot on Kharie'l's remaining blade. It was over then, but when Torlinque offered his arm to help his father up and Kharie'l took it, Torlinque employed the Touch of Threat I'd taught him and told his father softly, "I am not going to the border."

Kharie'l turned white. It was all I could do not to laugh.

"I concede!" Kharie'l said.

Torlinque yelled and turned toward the crowd with his fakhai'n crossed over his head, and they cheered. Torlinque had just kicked the arse of the Captain of the Guard. He didn't strut about it though. After that one yell, he came over to the side of the field where we were and started cleaning up. Tolirion handed him a towel.

Of course, Torlinque was respectfully mobbed by his fellow Adrastai. Kharie'l surprised me and did the noble thing. He came over and apologized to us, took back the comment he'd made about Torlinque going soft, and then he told Torlinque he was proud of him. Torlinque hugged his father and told him that all he'd ever wanted was to make him happy. "Well, today you did. I just wish I hadn't had to get my arse kicked for it to happen though." he said grinning. And then everything was OK again.

During the duel, there had been a small group of girls on the opposite embankment from where Kharie'l had had the Adrastai sit. They had run across the field while Kharie'l was talking to us and came to mob Torlinque too. "Serving maids" I said to Tolirion. They hadn't even seen me. One of them had run right through me.

Torlinque was gracious to them and sat down on the bench so they could squeal over him for a few minutes. They were young, not fully grown really, but close to it. They wanted to hug him, pet his hair, get kisses, etc. He gave them each a turn to hug him, but looked at me like, "What else can I do?".

Tolirion was getting annoyed by them. He didn't say anything but I felt it. I Sent to him that I doubted Torlinque was seriously considering any of their whispered propositions. (He would never, anyway.) Tolirion sighed. Then I Sent to Torlinque, and he grinned at me. Next I hear him send to both Tolirion and I, "Ah my pretty Tolirion, [Soul name] says I should tell you not to be jealous because yours is way bigger than any of theirs."

Tolirion laughed so hard he almost threw up.