Tanner and Duffy Down by the Sword Yard

Tanner was down in the practice yard, sword clanging away against a man-at-arms. He had spent most of the past months in a variety of tasks. Some of the time had been spent discussing, and then arguing, military tactics and strategy with Gahanna’s senior staff. At other times, he had drawn up plans for improved fortifications that had never been seen, much less built. Most fortifications were walls with towers in the corner at best, and a sally gate here and there. Tanner wanted to improve angles of arrow fire so that defenders would cut attackers to pieces. From the theoretical to the practical, Tanner had rebuilt some piers on the river for Lord Gahanna. And of course, ‘Books’ had lived up to his nickname by spending much spare time in the library.

But not all time had been spent in matters intellectual. Tanner had spent time in the woods, and could reasonably find his way through them. The woods were a welcome respite from the castle. The forest reminded him of better times at East Point, when life was full of promise, and everything seemed his for the taking. Now, many things were still his for the taking. He had plenty of money, he had respect, and his mental acumen continued to grow. Tanner could take a position in Lord Gahanna’s army, teach engineering at Anglia City, or go home to Brown’s Ferry and do anything he wanted to. But…Tanner knew his friends were. Faolan, Jay, Worner, and Annah. Then everyone else. He wasn’t sure about many of them. To hell with them, especially Bexar and Samson.

Tanner had also practiced with the lance, and had picked up quite a bit of skill with this odd weapon. The old formula of force equaling the product of mass and speed was expressed most powerfully by this weapon, as the force came from a warhorse, not a man. Sentinel was proving quite adept at providing power. The massive dark bay was the most powerful horse Tanner had seen, more so than Comet, rest that poor beast’s soul. What was more, it seemed like Sentinel could think, and sense what Tanner was thinking, and reacted accordingly.

And down in the training yard, Tanner was knocking some rust off his sword arm. Gehanna’s men trained incessantly with the sword. They were good, but what good would it due against archers picking their targets at a distance? Quality archery was one thing that the Frontier had over its many enemies. It’s not that the Gahanna archers were bad, but Tanner had seen better. Tanner was intently practicing when the flat of a sword hit him on the back of his helmet. ‘Fight, you Southron bitch!’

Tanner’s practice partner stood down, and Tanner wheeled around to view his mystery assailant. A man in his late 30’s stood there, around six feet tall and hard. Duffy. One of the sword masters of Lord Gahanna. A man that trashed students and veteran’s alike.

‘Excuse me?’

‘Fight, you Southron dog! War machines won’t avail you now!’

Tanner looked incredulously at him. Pausing for a moment, he thought to himself, ‘If it’s a fight he wants, he’s about to get more than he expected.’ Tanner stood still for a moment and waited until his vambrace tingled. The world slowed down to Tanner. He touched his sword to his shield. ‘If you please, sword master.’

A small crowd gathered to watch the battle between infantry-man and engineer. Duffy swung the first blow. Tanner caught it with his shield to prevent it from hitting his body. Tanner swung hard and caught Duffy unawares. Duffy wasn’t stunned, but Tanner had his attention. Duffy was slightly shocked when Tanner whacked him again before Duffy had time to react.

Duffy pressed in again and tagged Tanner again. It was a good shot, but nothing compared to what an ape-man offered. Tanner responded with a slash to the right leg that Duffy wasn’t expecting. Duffy jumped back, and Tanner pushed in hard. Tanner was ticked off, but thinking clearly. Tanner seemed like he was trying to take Duffy’s head off with his next swing. Duff raised his sword to block it, as Tanner expected. The Sword of Justice crunched into Duffy’s arm and drew blood.

‘Blood!’ cried Duffy, and he stepped off. Tanner had seen this episode before. In Martin’s Ferry, when blood was drawn in the training yards, the fight was over.

Tanner spit to the ground on his right and coldly looked Duffy straight in the eye. ‘Is that the best you’ve got?’

‘Yes. Well met Master Hawkwood.’ Duffy walked off.

Some attendants came up and with looks of amazement. ‘Clean your sword, Master Hawkwood?’ ‘How did you beat him? No one beats Duffy.’ Everyone spoke too much.

Later that night, Tanner sat in his room drawing up plans for a home. It was something he might build one day, if he lived so long. There was a knock at the door and it opened. Paulina, a maid Tanner met at Yule Day, came in. She was good at making Tanner forget Rob damn Princess Bexar. Tanner stood up and embraced her, and poured them glasses of wine. He showed her the drawing of the home he was working on.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it. Where did you get the idea?’

‘It’s a house that once stood in the dying lands. It was supposed to be quite something for its time. It was beautiful and practical.’

‘How so?’

‘It had a dome as part of the roof. Apparently, that was quite rare for the time. The kitchens were buried into the side of the hill, and connected to the main house by a tunnel. It kept the house from over-heating.’

‘Not a bad idea.’

‘No. I wouldn’t mind building something like that sometime in the future.’

‘Tell me something, Tanner.’

‘Yes?’

‘How did you defeat Duffy today?’

Tanner rubbed his head and thought for a moment. ‘It’s better to be lucky than good. Duffy is good, I happen to be lucky.’