Geddoe (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
trueltning_fury) wrote2009-03-08 01:47 pm
trueltning_fury) wrote2009-03-08 01:47 pm
Prose log with Belcoot (BACKDATED)
Who: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
trueltning_fury and kanakan_falcon
When: about two weeks ago, in the middle of the Sun Rune fiasco
Where: the dojo
What: a private discussion, followed by sparring
There wasn't much for Geddoe to do while remaining at the castle, but with things as they were and a second sun in the sky now, he couldn't justify being anywhere else. He came up the stairs from the dungeon already looking around to see if there was anything going on in the main hall, whether it was a friend to chat with or someone to bother for information.
Belcoot had been holed up in his room ever since a bug had crept up on him during the rampant weather changes. The more recent addition of another sun had done little to comfort his mood or physical state, but it did bring him outside for longer than a few minutes at a time.By the window of the manor now and gazing outside, the man was resting heavily against the wall, looking rather shell-shocked.
Geddoe could not mistake that broad-shouldered figure for anything, and he smiled faintly to himself to see him there. "Belcoot," he greeted him as he came up behind the other man. "Hey."
Shaken from his view out the window, Belcoot turned, pleasantly surprised to see a friend. "Geddoe," he smiled, looking rather relieved, but still a little weary, as if he hadn't slept properly recently. "It's a lot better to see you than that... sun."
"Are you all right? You look worn out," Geddoe noted, coming up beside him. "Yes, the sun. It's on my mind a lot as well." His brow furrowed; the reminder of their working together a year ago in another conflict was hard to squash down, but standing here now, he thought to himself that Belcoot could probably help him.
Turning to glance outside at the aforementioned sun again, Belcoot shook his head. "I'm fine, I've just had a little trouble coping with all the alterations in the weather." Pushing himself up and off the wall a little, the ex-gladiator straightened, stretching a little. "It's on everybody's minds, I'd guess. ... How long has it been up there?"
Geddoe still frowned. "Oh, about three or four days now. At least it dims at night, or I'd be taking those extra blankets off our bed and throwing them over the windows," he grumbled. "I've seen a lot with runes in my lifetime, but this is something new."
Belcoot couldn't help a slight chuckle at the mental image of Geddoe throwing blankets over windows. "Perhaps that's why I've had at least a little difficulty discerning night from day in my sleep." He said lightly, but then his face seemed to grow a little more serious at the mention of runes. "... Something new, indeed. I suppose I can only assume that... the Sun Rune...?"
The mercenary captain nodded solemnly, and then glanced toward the stairs. It wasn't obvious where the Queen was rooming, but it was somewhere up there now. "This isn't a good place to talk about it," he said in a low, warning tone. "Let's find somewhere else, as far from the manor as possible." He snorted in dry humor. "It's nice and warm outside, good for a walk or even sparring."
Belcoot smiled wryly, still able to feel amused despite the warning that preceded the joke. "Of course, it's a perfect day for a bit of a fight." He bowed his head a little as an indication that he had heard the warning, already beginning to make his way to the door. He had completely forgotten about the strong presence of Queen's Knights here.
Heartened a bit, Geddoe walked with him, outside into the doubly-warm sunshine. The stones and steps were dry but the ground in between was soft and muddy, soaking up the melted ice and snow. As they headed down towards the dojo, Geddoe laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I've been working, but not really training lately," he admitted. "Something tells me this is a good time to brush up on my skills."
"Better now than never, hm? Especially with... well." Belcoot didn't bother to elaborate, just vaguely gesturing with his hand towards the sky. "Training would do me a little bit of good, too, having been trapped in my room as of late." He sounded a little wistful. "I haven't been aware of anything that's happened around here."
"Up until very recently, there hasn't been much to be up on," Geddoe noted. "It's been a relatively quiet winter, and I don't mind that part. Queen's been up to some mischief, but since it involves dating and I'm not available, I haven't paid much attention."
"I received a few cards concerning that," Belcoot said suddenly, as if he had just remembered it himself. "The dates... they haven't been scheduled to occur yet, thankfully." He paused, as if thinking over the prospect of the dates. "... Though I really have no idea what to expect, nor am I quite interested in... that." As he admitted it, he looked a little embarrassed.
Geddoe had to look at him with a grin. "You got roped into it? You have my deepest sympathies." He laughed, fairly easily considering everything on his mind. "Be careful what you say. The last time I said that so boldly, I ended up falling in love in under a month." They had reached the dojo, but the field next to it was riddled with puddles of meltwater. It seemed they would have to fight indoors, or in a mess.
Belcoot shook his head again, laughing a little. He was a little skeptical at what Geddoe was saying, but he took it with good grace. For starters, he knew nothing about that kind of emotion, and... well, a part of his mind wondered who he would be meeting in the first place. He pushed that thought away, however, as they came upon the dojo. "A splendid state of affairs, I see," he muttered, as he glanced around at the wet grounds.
"Naturally, it'll be dried up by tomorrow," Geddoe sighed. "But we're sparring now. I suppose it's indoors, then." His eyebrow twitched slightly. "The better to keep our words to ourselves."
"It's really that dangerous?" Belcoot sounded a little worried, already having a clue as to how the rune could affect a person's mental state. He began to walk into the dojo, unable to help but glance around a little wearily at his surroundings as he entered. Of course, it would've been refreshing to see someone like Kyle's face, but when talking about the Queen in such a negative fashion...
"Unfortunately...yes." Geddoe followed him in, wiping his boots before heading onto the floor. He couldn't remember the last time he had to train indoors, usually he preferred the field where could go all-out. "Most of the other Falenans who heard the Queen's declaration, when she cast this spell, were afraid. They said it would be best if we didn't provoke her or the knights, for now."
"They're certainly correct." Belcoot turned to face Geddoe again, and seeing the man wipe down his boots served as a gentle reminder for him to do the same. The last thing Belcoot wanted was to slip on the floor while fighting. That... would be embarrassing. "Provoke her now and anything could happen. The knights... might be more reasonable, but they're bound to her command."
Geddoe paused before drawing his blade with his hand on the hilt, looking at the floor. "I'm worried about Kyle," he admitted openly, knowing that the two swordsmen were friends in past times. "He's walking a dangerous line, between serving his queen and trying to orchestrate a solution. I'm afraid he might make some wrong decisions if he's not careful."
"He's trying to come to a solution?" Belcoot looked up at Geddoe at that, not exactly, surprised, but... well, now he was worried, too. Even so much as a hint of that before the queen would be a death sentence of sorts for Kyle, surely. "... He should know he's in no position to do that."
Geddoe blinked at the floor before raising his head. "I'm sure he's just trying to do his duty - to keep her from harm. Because there's always the possibility that in order to stop the Sun Rune, someone may have to kill the vessel." He said it heavily, obviously not taking any glee in such an option.
"It's possible..." Belcoot didn't see much way around it if things kept going as they did. He had never seen a second sun before, after all. His knowledge of the Sun Rune wasn't full-encompassing, certainly, but he knew a little bit about it from his participation in the war. "The last time it was stopped, it had something to do with the Twilight and Dawn rune, if I remember..."
Hearing that, Geddoe lifted his head. "Do you know much about the Sun Rune? You've told me a few things, about the war, and the like. I'm trying to fill in the gaps in my knowledge, bit by bit...now that it's important."
"The Sun Rune..." Belcoot thought it over for a moment, trying to compile what he already knew in his head. "I don't know as much as, say, somebody like Jeane or Lady Sialeeds, but I do remember hearing bits and pieces about it during the war." He paused, looking at Geddoe again now with slight curiosity in his eyes. "... How much do you know?"
Geddoe shook his head and started to pace around the dojo. "I haven't seen her use it, exactly, but I can see the effects now. And seeing her actually call the sun into being..." He rubbed at his chin as he thought aloud. "I remember Kyle telling me...that when the Queen was killed, the Rune returned to a statue where it was kept. He's trying to do the same now, except without the killing."
"That's right..." The ex-gladiator nodded, recalling the events as he watched his friend pace. "Though he'll have a tough time doing that. It would take some serious Rune work, wouldn't it?" Belcoot seemed thoughtful for a moment, shaking his head slightly. "What exactly does he have in mind to accomplish that?"
"I don't know," Geddoe said honestly, and a little helplessly. "I'm doing what I can on my end, but...Kyle and I can't really communicate. I'm afraid what I'm devising won't be to his liking." He paused in his pacing, and then came back closer to Belcoot, lowering his voice. "There's one thing I wish I knew, though. How someone managed to kill the Queen once."
Belcoot was about to question what Geddoe had been 'devising', but upon hearing the words in the lowered tones, he averted his eyes, looking slightly uncertain for a moment. "I sometimes forget that she should be dead," he said quietly before continuing, "But... Kyle never spoke to you of how the Queen died?"
Geddoe shook his head silently. "It was never an issue. And sort of none of my business. But now that I need to know...no one will tell me."
"It's something nobody wants to speak about, I suppose." Belcoot admitted, not exactly fond of the suspicion surrounding a trusted ally and friend at the time, either. He visibly hesitated. "During the war, Georg Prime was accused of murdering Her Royal Majesty by one of the Queen's Knights."
Geddoe's expression changed to disbelief. "What, Georg? But wouldn't he have been protecting her?"
"Perhaps he was." Belcoot shrugged, looking like he was going to go silent again, but instead he continued. "It's feasible, considering what the Sun Rune apparently does to a person. ... Georg left shortly after the accusations, but he did come back. I remember he was cleared of all charges by another one of the Queen's Knights later on."
Geddoe stood there in silence for a moment, his gaze drifting, but then things began to fall into place. Roy's words, and now Belcoot's, adding up. "I think I get it. At least, if the picture that's forming is correct...then there may be no way to do the deed a second time. At least...not without a rather large mess." He closed his eye and sighed. "I was afraid of that."
"You'll have to elaborate," Belcoot said sheepishly, not quite catching on with what Geddoe was talking about. "Do you mean sealing the Rune inside a statue again? ... You mentioned that you were devising something else, different to what Kyle may be doing."
"Mm...no, I was thinking about..." Geddoe paused and backtracked slightly, wanting to be clear and not get ahead of himself. "Sealing the rune seems to be the best course, but it isn't the most foolproof one. There are a lot of variables involved, and not even I can keep track of them all. But there are other ideas being floated, and there's always the last resort...in case the Rune goes out of control. Impossible though it sounds."
"The last resort being killing the queen?" Belcoot's face remained impassive as he listened, though he shook his head slightly at the idea of it. "History repeating itself if it comes to that, I suppose. ... But what are these other ideas?"
Geddoe rubbed at his temples. "Watari has gone seeking the Night Rune. Roy is after a statue for Kyle's idea. But...the hitch in all the plans is the Queen herself. If she is unwilling to give up the Rune, or look for a way to quiet its influence...everything will fall apart."
"... That's right. None of this will really come to fruition if the Queen does not submit." Belcoot found himself sighing a little. This kind of news and situation after recovering from being ill wasn't the best way to jog his mental state, but it was inevitable, and definitely... troubling. "If she lashes out, there really is only one way to end it. And that way is what everybody wishes to avoid."
"Exactly. I don't have any desire to kill her, but if the Rune takes her over completely, it might be the only way to stop her from destroying the entire castle and half the continent." Geddoe glared at the floor. "As it sounds like Georg had to do so long ago."
"... If only the Commander were here again..." Belcoot found his mind constantly venturing towards those thoughts: if only Sialeeds were here, if only the Prince were here, and if only Ferid... "But there's no use in wishing. What does the Queen and the Rune want, anyway?"
Geddoe had thought the same thing, but he was too practical - he knew that Budehuc's twists of fate sometimes fell to their benefit, and sometimes to curse them. They couldn't count on Ferid or Georg or a rune sage to just appear in the courtyard and make it all better. "I have no idea," he sighed. "It's difficult enough to know what my own Rune wants sometimes, without trying to guess another's will. Part of the reason we're trying to track down the Night Rune," he added.
Belcoot let the words settle around them, musing over the situation. He had no such experience with sentient runes, his only rune being his Falcon which wasn't exactly a demanding being, and so he couldn't comment more on that. "... You and Watari know where the Night Rune is, then? At least, you have a hint?" He asked hopefully.
"Somewhat." Geddoe looked more directly at Belcoot in order to share the story. "It lives in the incarnation of a sword. I actually came into contact with it during the war, in the possession of a young man named Edge. Watari and I both fought alongside him. But it's been six years, so there's no knowing how far he's traveled from here."
He raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. "You've come into contact with a lot of True Runes." Belcoot said, chuckling a little. The chuckle stemmed from his words as well as the small bit of hope he gained hearing that they at least had a... clue as to where their potential solution was. "... Let's all pray that sword gets found, then."
Belcoot's humor made Geddoe smile just the smallest bit. "I've been around a long time," he noted. "Yeah. One thing at a time. But...what you've told me helps. The more I know, the better." He clapped Belcoot on the shoulder and then laid that hand on his sword's hilt. "We came down here for another reason, didn't we?"
Belcoot nodded, having almost forgotten that they had come to the dojo to sparr. "That's right." Grinning back at his friend, he touched the hilt of his own sword as well, resting it lightly on the worn material. "We seem to get carried away speaking of affairs such as these, don't we?"
"Old habits die very hard," Geddoe admitted sheepishly. "You can take the mercenary out of the corps, but he's still a mercenary. Investigating and all." He slipped Wild Geese casually from its sheath. "But he also likes a good fight now and then, so he doesn't go soft."
"I can't ever imagine you going soft," Belcoot responded lightly, amused at the mere idea. "... But if you insist, I'd be happy to offer up a good fight. Or as good as I can offer, anyway, having been out of shape for so long." Taking a step back, he drew Gvozdika, the blade slightly heavier than usual in his hands.
Geddoe stepped back to leave them enough space to begin the match, straightening his back. "We've owed each other this fight for a long time," he noted. "This should be interesting." He raised his sword slightly, savoring the chance for a moment before diving in. He jogged forward slightly and slashed for Belcoot's off shoulder in his usual testing move.
Belcoot had been about to reply, but he immediately opted against it as he saw Geddoe closing in on him. Bringing his sword up to meet the slash, he allowed Gvozdika to catch the blow for a moment before pushing his sword back and out to force his opponent away.
Geddoe's arm took the brunt of the block, and he stepped back to flow with it, the expression on his face already changing to one of eagerness. There was a lot of power under that quiet demeanor, he always knew, and now he got to face it head-on. He slid in close again, making a few swings one after the other to see how fast and how hard Belcoot could stop him.
Belcoot stayed calm under the pressure, used to sparring with his overeager students and their strong advances. The swordsman wasn't exceptionally fast, but he had enough stamina to keep up when absolutely necessary... for a while, anyway. Trying not to give up too much ground as he caught the flurry of hits with his own blade again, Belcoot decided to try and create an opening for himself, suddenly swinging his blade hard against the oncoming swing rather than simply defending.
The impact sent Geddoe's arm off in a direction he hadn't wanted, and he gritted his teeth at the strength behind it. It was clearly time to get serious. Rather than back away, he let the momentum carry his arm back into an arc, and then reversed, ducking down and swinging low for Belcoot's legs, trying to get under the sweep of that great long sword.
It took Belcoot a moment to realize that Geddoe was attacking rather than retreating completely, and, having over-committed to his last swing, Belcoot had to force himself to draw back to avoid the swing, stumbling a little to break away from the momentum that had already brought him forward. Deciding to recover and defend rather than go on the offensive again, Belcoot brought his sword up in front of him, his face betraying nothing as he waited.
Geddoe straightened up from the lunge and began to circle Belcoot warily, conscious of the reach of his sword as well as the very stable, close defense he put up. His style was extremely dissimilar to the last two-handed swordsmen Geddoe had fought, too. He chose to turn his body, putting his off shoulder toward Belcoot and rushing in so that his move was hidden until the last minute, when he could bring the sword up from under guard in a piercing move.
Deciding to risk it and stay put rather than stepping back and giving up more ground, Belcoot waited until the last moment to see just exactly how Geddoe would move. Upon the first signs of an upwards assault, Belcoot keeps his arms steady as he drives his blade down in a heavy smash to try and knock Geddoe's sword towards the floor. Not even pausing to see how hard his swing collides, he immediately swings at Geddoe's torso.
Wild Geese rang as it hit the floor, and Geddoe let out a grunt as he found himself needing to suddenly bend his body backwards in order to avoid the follow-up swing. It whifffed within a hair's breadth of his chest and chin. He wanted to come out of it with a shoulder into Belcoot's gut, but he was off-balance and had to retreat instead. "Damn," he breathed. "You almost took my head off with that one."
Hearing that comment seemed to bring Belcoot back to his senses, his demeanour having changed completely while he was focusing. Smiling sheepishly now, he couldn't help but apologize. "Sorry," he smiled a little, but then didn't hesitate to press his advantage, attempting to push forward again with a lunge and a downwards swing.
"Don't be," Geddoe said before moving to block and then counter Belcoot's moves, panting a bit. "It was a good move." He was playing too gently, and he knew it, so he decided to step it up. Since it looked like Belcoot was right-handed, Geddoe moved towards his right side, parrying the blade itself as he moved inward, trying to get him to over-extend.
Belcoot's left hand lost its grip upon his sword's hilt, his right hand's hold on it not exactly firm as his blade was pushed to the side. Caught off-balance from that and unable to properly attack with his weapon, Belcoot decided to use his body weight and push forward, elbow out in a clumsy offensive move to hopefully throw Geddoe off and push him off his offense.
Interestingly enough, that was almost exactly what Geddoe had planned to do himself. Belcoot's lunge took him off guard and forced him to yield a step before he could recover. Likewise foregoing his sword, he kept his right arm up as a block while he came around, almost circling Belcoot and grabbing with his free hand, catching a hold of one of the straps holding his leather armor on. Belcoot was heavier than he anticipated, though, so Geddoe could only really throw him out of range so they could both recover.
Caught in the maneouvre, Belcoot was roughly slung a few steps back before he knew exactly what was going on. He had been on the offensive during one moment, and then he was stumbling to catch his balance in the next. The distance and chance to recover was a welcome reprieve, though, as his hands repositioned himself on Gvozdika's hilt and he re-adjusted his grip so as to not suddenly lose his handle on the weapon again. "... Not so bad yourself."
"Heh." Geddoe paused a moment to catch his breath, testing his grip on Wild Geese as well. "When was the last time you had a knock-down, drag-out match with the likes of a mercenary?" It was his way of saying that he was enjoying the exercise. He squared his shoulders and practically marched in, raising his sword for a short but heavy-handed swing about shoulder-height, trying to draw the bigger blade outward.
"Far too long ago," was Belcoot's short, verbal reply. His breathing was also a little faster-paced now that they were really getting into it, and he hadn't noticed that until they had both paused. Seeing Geddoe coming to attack again, though, he took the last few moments he had to gather himself again before swinging his blade up to deflect the blow, somewhat falling to the bait.
Geddoe let his blade bounce off Belcoot's, though the power of the meeting jarred his arm, and used the momentum to quickly sweep it down under his guard. Rather than jab, he twisted his wrist and slapped Belcoot's chest with the flat of his blade instead, almost a warning not to make that mistake twice as he jogged away to his left side.
Belcoot realized what Geddoe was doing far too late, and not having a chance to pull his sword down to defend against the next swing, he copped the slap, looking a little flustered as he drew back. He opened his mouth to say something, but then clamped it shut, shaking his head as if to throw himself out of a stupor. Determined to make up for that mistake, Belcoot readied himself before lunging in for a low swipe at Geddoe's legs, ducking his head to not leave himself too open.
Those kinds of hits were hard for Geddoe to avoid, he was fast but not agile. Leaping over the huge sword was only marginally helpful - he still got a rap against the sole of one boot and landed awkwardly, unable to retaliate right away. Instead, he circled away to Belcoot's right again, keeping his blind-side shoulder toward his opponent to disguise the move he planned to make. At the right moment he lunged in, striking for the shoulder.
More prepared this time, Belcoot had turned to face Geddoe as he leapt away, keeping a close tag on him as he circled. For a moment, he had considered attacking again, but he was too cautious, especially seeing as he was unable to gauge how Geddoe would attack next. Keeping himself defensive, he made a move to sidestep when he saw the first hints of the lunge. He was fast, but defending didn't exactly give him the initiative, and so he felt a sharp burst of pain in his shoulder as Geddoe's blade clipped its target. Trained to ignore this sort of pain in the heat of battle, though, Belcoot continued to counter-attack, bringing his sword around to swing at the other's torso.
Geddoe was in so close that the strike was going to hit him, no matter what he did to parry. He twisted to awkwardly block, but Wild Geese hit too close to the other sword's handguard to effectively turn it aside. The hit landed against the leather pauldron below his belt, which only stopped the edge from cutting - the blow itself sent Geddoe staggering sideways with a grunt of pain. It was like being struck with a polearm right across the flank.
Belcoot's first instinct was to continue his offensive movement with another follow-up strike in the style of Roundier Haia's hard-and-fast-attack teachings, but the pain in his shoulder finally registered in his mind, urging him to pull back to assess the wound and Geddoe's current state. He gritted his teeth as his eyes glanced at his shoulder, checking the damage. There was blood, but not too much, and the cut wasn't deep and life-threatening, so he brang his sword up in front of him again, watching his opponent. "Looks like it worked out to be a blow for a blow." He grinned a little.
Geddoe was bent over slightly, breathing hard, but he already knew he wasn't bloodied. "Yeah. Nice move. You hit like a ton of bricks." He eased up a little, shoulders squared, sword held low, and eyed Belcoot's ready stance before deciding which move to make. His aim was to knock the man over or disarm him before one or the other got too tired to go on, so he decided to hammer Belcoot with strikes, changing direction quickly and even reversing his grip on Wild Geese in order to throw off the pattern.
At first glance, Belcoot seemed confident that he would be able to meet all of Geddoe's blows thanks to his skill with his Falcon Rune, but in reality, his mucles felt like they were burning from all the duress he had suddenly placed on them after being confined to his room for so long. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping the aching far from his mind right now, but even that was being mixed and worn down with exhaustion. He met the blows effortlessly to begin with, but once Geddoe began changing things up, he was forced to bring his sword back to meet the strikes at more awkward angles, and the abrupt force he felt every time he deflected a hit was numbing his arms fast. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Belcoot realised that he was giving up ground as he moved back, his swings becoming slower and clumsier.
The sweat was starting to run down Geddoe's neck, but he could see that his strategy was working, more or less. He had to risk getting inside that long blade's reach, though, if he wanted a full take-down. And, he needed a firmer grip on Wild Geese. He drew his arm back in order to hastily flip the sword back to the right way, simultaneously lunging in with his left shoulder leading. He intended to get close, inside Belcoot's arms almost, before striking.
He had been sub-consciously getting used to the oncoming onslaught of swings when Geddoe suddenly lunged in. Still in the mindstate of reacting to a fast and heavy swing, Belcoot's mind was torn on how to respond to the sudden attack. He knew that if he didn't move fast he'd be hurt critically, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time if-- ... Coming to a split-second decision, Belcoot threw his body out of the way, allowing his sword to fall to the ground as he rolled to recover, effectively disarmed.
Geddoe screeched to a halt, having never even brought up his arm. He paused to make sure Belcoot was all right, and then started laughing gruffly. "Well, that's one way to do it."
Belcoot was shaking his head a little, disorientated after what he just did. He had come out of the roll on his knees, a good few feet away from Gvozdika. "I wasn't sure what to expect once you had gotten that close," he confessed, remaining knelt for the time being.
Geddoe raised his sword arm and just tapped the blade on his armored shoulder. "I was going for a close hit," he admitted, "maybe even a pommel to the gut. Anything to try to knock your sword loose." He took a deep breath and huffed. "You all right?"
Belcoot nodded, though the aching was starting to kick in with full-force now. He took a few seconds before he finally forced himself to his feet, grunting a little. "No worse for wear, although that was rather intense."
Sheathing his sword, Geddoe stepped back, smiling vaguely. "It was. I haven't had a serious workout like that in a while. And your strength...!" He shook his head wryly. "I'm going to be feeling these bruises for a week. Oh...your shoulder, Belcoot..."
Belcoot laughed, moving to pick up his sword, still a little out of breath. "My strength makes up for my lack of finesse, I suppose," he was saying before he shook his head at the last bit. "Ah, my shoulder will be alright. A few bandages will do the trick."
"All the same. I didn't mean to get you with such a bite." His hand went to his right side, where he ached from the return hit. "You paid me back for it. That was a good session. That really cleared my head."
"Glad to have helped," Belcoot grinned as he gingerly touched his wound, pulling his hand away to glimpse at the smeared blood before wiping it away on his sleeve. "Though investing in a wooden training sword is seeming like a good idea."
Geddoe patted him on his uninjured shoulder and guided him along to the door. "Do they make them that big? I have to say...there are reasons mercenaries don't use two-handed swords, but you make it look so easy. I'd hate to be on the wrong end of a fight with you, for real."
Belcoot followed along, chuckling. "You're exaggerating," he said humbly, seeming a little embarrassed at the praise. "You're just as lethal -- even moreso thanks to your Rune." He was now sheathing his sword as well, though it felt like an effort to even move his stiff arms now.
Geddoe shook his head again. "I don't usually count it in my arsenal. I prefer to use my own strength. Something like that is a last resort." He glanced behind them as they stepped out of the dojo. "Hm. Hope Juan doesn't mind the blood drops on his floor..."
"Ah, I should've cleaned it up." Belcoot turned his head to glance back, looking like he wanted to go do it now, but... he sighed. "He's probably used to it, right?"
"Probably," Geddoe agreed. "It's more important that you get it wrapped up." He figured on walking with Belcoot back up to the manor anyway, since they were both going the same way more or less. He hazarded a glance at the second sun, but only shook his head, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
Belcoot caught Geddoe's line of sight, remembering the situation that the castle was in. Though, it was hard to forget in the first place. He almost said something in relation to it, but decided against it at the last minute. "It's admirable of you to want to fight without that Rune."
Geddoe whiffed a slight chuckle. "I managed to go fifty years without doing so, even in a pinch. Now that I don't feel a need to restrain myself...I simply don't, out of habit. Unless I'm in need of it strategically."
"It's comforting to know that people can refrain against that kind of power and hold it back." He said, smiling. That was the closest he was willing to relate the conversation to the Sun Rune.
"Mhm." Geddoe left it at that, too tired from the sparring to go into any lengthier diatribe on resisting Rune wills and such. He clapped Belcoot on the back once more. "Good fight, my friend. We'll have to train again, so I can learn how to dodge people like you."
"I have a feeling you'll learn in no time," Belcoot nodded at the suggestion, though, keen on the prospect of another training match. "I'll have to use this downtime to learn how to deal with people like you, as well."
"Dirty tricks and all," Geddoe acknowledged with another gruff chuckle. They were at the manor door, so he paused briefly. "Go get that taken care of. I think I'm going to go scare up a bath, after all that hard work."
"You enjoy that, then." Belcoot said, smiling genuinely. "I'll make sure to drop by the infirmary and get this sorted out." He self-consciously touched the wound again.
Geddoe chuckled slightly at his unassuming manner. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Belcoot."
He mustered a small wave with a hand, grinning. "Till next time."
trueltning_fury and kanakan_falconWhen: about two weeks ago, in the middle of the Sun Rune fiasco
Where: the dojo
What: a private discussion, followed by sparring
There wasn't much for Geddoe to do while remaining at the castle, but with things as they were and a second sun in the sky now, he couldn't justify being anywhere else. He came up the stairs from the dungeon already looking around to see if there was anything going on in the main hall, whether it was a friend to chat with or someone to bother for information.
Belcoot had been holed up in his room ever since a bug had crept up on him during the rampant weather changes. The more recent addition of another sun had done little to comfort his mood or physical state, but it did bring him outside for longer than a few minutes at a time.By the window of the manor now and gazing outside, the man was resting heavily against the wall, looking rather shell-shocked.
Geddoe could not mistake that broad-shouldered figure for anything, and he smiled faintly to himself to see him there. "Belcoot," he greeted him as he came up behind the other man. "Hey."
Shaken from his view out the window, Belcoot turned, pleasantly surprised to see a friend. "Geddoe," he smiled, looking rather relieved, but still a little weary, as if he hadn't slept properly recently. "It's a lot better to see you than that... sun."
"Are you all right? You look worn out," Geddoe noted, coming up beside him. "Yes, the sun. It's on my mind a lot as well." His brow furrowed; the reminder of their working together a year ago in another conflict was hard to squash down, but standing here now, he thought to himself that Belcoot could probably help him.
Turning to glance outside at the aforementioned sun again, Belcoot shook his head. "I'm fine, I've just had a little trouble coping with all the alterations in the weather." Pushing himself up and off the wall a little, the ex-gladiator straightened, stretching a little. "It's on everybody's minds, I'd guess. ... How long has it been up there?"
Geddoe still frowned. "Oh, about three or four days now. At least it dims at night, or I'd be taking those extra blankets off our bed and throwing them over the windows," he grumbled. "I've seen a lot with runes in my lifetime, but this is something new."
Belcoot couldn't help a slight chuckle at the mental image of Geddoe throwing blankets over windows. "Perhaps that's why I've had at least a little difficulty discerning night from day in my sleep." He said lightly, but then his face seemed to grow a little more serious at the mention of runes. "... Something new, indeed. I suppose I can only assume that... the Sun Rune...?"
The mercenary captain nodded solemnly, and then glanced toward the stairs. It wasn't obvious where the Queen was rooming, but it was somewhere up there now. "This isn't a good place to talk about it," he said in a low, warning tone. "Let's find somewhere else, as far from the manor as possible." He snorted in dry humor. "It's nice and warm outside, good for a walk or even sparring."
Belcoot smiled wryly, still able to feel amused despite the warning that preceded the joke. "Of course, it's a perfect day for a bit of a fight." He bowed his head a little as an indication that he had heard the warning, already beginning to make his way to the door. He had completely forgotten about the strong presence of Queen's Knights here.
Heartened a bit, Geddoe walked with him, outside into the doubly-warm sunshine. The stones and steps were dry but the ground in between was soft and muddy, soaking up the melted ice and snow. As they headed down towards the dojo, Geddoe laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I've been working, but not really training lately," he admitted. "Something tells me this is a good time to brush up on my skills."
"Better now than never, hm? Especially with... well." Belcoot didn't bother to elaborate, just vaguely gesturing with his hand towards the sky. "Training would do me a little bit of good, too, having been trapped in my room as of late." He sounded a little wistful. "I haven't been aware of anything that's happened around here."
"Up until very recently, there hasn't been much to be up on," Geddoe noted. "It's been a relatively quiet winter, and I don't mind that part. Queen's been up to some mischief, but since it involves dating and I'm not available, I haven't paid much attention."
"I received a few cards concerning that," Belcoot said suddenly, as if he had just remembered it himself. "The dates... they haven't been scheduled to occur yet, thankfully." He paused, as if thinking over the prospect of the dates. "... Though I really have no idea what to expect, nor am I quite interested in... that." As he admitted it, he looked a little embarrassed.
Geddoe had to look at him with a grin. "You got roped into it? You have my deepest sympathies." He laughed, fairly easily considering everything on his mind. "Be careful what you say. The last time I said that so boldly, I ended up falling in love in under a month." They had reached the dojo, but the field next to it was riddled with puddles of meltwater. It seemed they would have to fight indoors, or in a mess.
Belcoot shook his head again, laughing a little. He was a little skeptical at what Geddoe was saying, but he took it with good grace. For starters, he knew nothing about that kind of emotion, and... well, a part of his mind wondered who he would be meeting in the first place. He pushed that thought away, however, as they came upon the dojo. "A splendid state of affairs, I see," he muttered, as he glanced around at the wet grounds.
"Naturally, it'll be dried up by tomorrow," Geddoe sighed. "But we're sparring now. I suppose it's indoors, then." His eyebrow twitched slightly. "The better to keep our words to ourselves."
"It's really that dangerous?" Belcoot sounded a little worried, already having a clue as to how the rune could affect a person's mental state. He began to walk into the dojo, unable to help but glance around a little wearily at his surroundings as he entered. Of course, it would've been refreshing to see someone like Kyle's face, but when talking about the Queen in such a negative fashion...
"Unfortunately...yes." Geddoe followed him in, wiping his boots before heading onto the floor. He couldn't remember the last time he had to train indoors, usually he preferred the field where could go all-out. "Most of the other Falenans who heard the Queen's declaration, when she cast this spell, were afraid. They said it would be best if we didn't provoke her or the knights, for now."
"They're certainly correct." Belcoot turned to face Geddoe again, and seeing the man wipe down his boots served as a gentle reminder for him to do the same. The last thing Belcoot wanted was to slip on the floor while fighting. That... would be embarrassing. "Provoke her now and anything could happen. The knights... might be more reasonable, but they're bound to her command."
Geddoe paused before drawing his blade with his hand on the hilt, looking at the floor. "I'm worried about Kyle," he admitted openly, knowing that the two swordsmen were friends in past times. "He's walking a dangerous line, between serving his queen and trying to orchestrate a solution. I'm afraid he might make some wrong decisions if he's not careful."
"He's trying to come to a solution?" Belcoot looked up at Geddoe at that, not exactly, surprised, but... well, now he was worried, too. Even so much as a hint of that before the queen would be a death sentence of sorts for Kyle, surely. "... He should know he's in no position to do that."
Geddoe blinked at the floor before raising his head. "I'm sure he's just trying to do his duty - to keep her from harm. Because there's always the possibility that in order to stop the Sun Rune, someone may have to kill the vessel." He said it heavily, obviously not taking any glee in such an option.
"It's possible..." Belcoot didn't see much way around it if things kept going as they did. He had never seen a second sun before, after all. His knowledge of the Sun Rune wasn't full-encompassing, certainly, but he knew a little bit about it from his participation in the war. "The last time it was stopped, it had something to do with the Twilight and Dawn rune, if I remember..."
Hearing that, Geddoe lifted his head. "Do you know much about the Sun Rune? You've told me a few things, about the war, and the like. I'm trying to fill in the gaps in my knowledge, bit by bit...now that it's important."
"The Sun Rune..." Belcoot thought it over for a moment, trying to compile what he already knew in his head. "I don't know as much as, say, somebody like Jeane or Lady Sialeeds, but I do remember hearing bits and pieces about it during the war." He paused, looking at Geddoe again now with slight curiosity in his eyes. "... How much do you know?"
Geddoe shook his head and started to pace around the dojo. "I haven't seen her use it, exactly, but I can see the effects now. And seeing her actually call the sun into being..." He rubbed at his chin as he thought aloud. "I remember Kyle telling me...that when the Queen was killed, the Rune returned to a statue where it was kept. He's trying to do the same now, except without the killing."
"That's right..." The ex-gladiator nodded, recalling the events as he watched his friend pace. "Though he'll have a tough time doing that. It would take some serious Rune work, wouldn't it?" Belcoot seemed thoughtful for a moment, shaking his head slightly. "What exactly does he have in mind to accomplish that?"
"I don't know," Geddoe said honestly, and a little helplessly. "I'm doing what I can on my end, but...Kyle and I can't really communicate. I'm afraid what I'm devising won't be to his liking." He paused in his pacing, and then came back closer to Belcoot, lowering his voice. "There's one thing I wish I knew, though. How someone managed to kill the Queen once."
Belcoot was about to question what Geddoe had been 'devising', but upon hearing the words in the lowered tones, he averted his eyes, looking slightly uncertain for a moment. "I sometimes forget that she should be dead," he said quietly before continuing, "But... Kyle never spoke to you of how the Queen died?"
Geddoe shook his head silently. "It was never an issue. And sort of none of my business. But now that I need to know...no one will tell me."
"It's something nobody wants to speak about, I suppose." Belcoot admitted, not exactly fond of the suspicion surrounding a trusted ally and friend at the time, either. He visibly hesitated. "During the war, Georg Prime was accused of murdering Her Royal Majesty by one of the Queen's Knights."
Geddoe's expression changed to disbelief. "What, Georg? But wouldn't he have been protecting her?"
"Perhaps he was." Belcoot shrugged, looking like he was going to go silent again, but instead he continued. "It's feasible, considering what the Sun Rune apparently does to a person. ... Georg left shortly after the accusations, but he did come back. I remember he was cleared of all charges by another one of the Queen's Knights later on."
Geddoe stood there in silence for a moment, his gaze drifting, but then things began to fall into place. Roy's words, and now Belcoot's, adding up. "I think I get it. At least, if the picture that's forming is correct...then there may be no way to do the deed a second time. At least...not without a rather large mess." He closed his eye and sighed. "I was afraid of that."
"You'll have to elaborate," Belcoot said sheepishly, not quite catching on with what Geddoe was talking about. "Do you mean sealing the Rune inside a statue again? ... You mentioned that you were devising something else, different to what Kyle may be doing."
"Mm...no, I was thinking about..." Geddoe paused and backtracked slightly, wanting to be clear and not get ahead of himself. "Sealing the rune seems to be the best course, but it isn't the most foolproof one. There are a lot of variables involved, and not even I can keep track of them all. But there are other ideas being floated, and there's always the last resort...in case the Rune goes out of control. Impossible though it sounds."
"The last resort being killing the queen?" Belcoot's face remained impassive as he listened, though he shook his head slightly at the idea of it. "History repeating itself if it comes to that, I suppose. ... But what are these other ideas?"
Geddoe rubbed at his temples. "Watari has gone seeking the Night Rune. Roy is after a statue for Kyle's idea. But...the hitch in all the plans is the Queen herself. If she is unwilling to give up the Rune, or look for a way to quiet its influence...everything will fall apart."
"... That's right. None of this will really come to fruition if the Queen does not submit." Belcoot found himself sighing a little. This kind of news and situation after recovering from being ill wasn't the best way to jog his mental state, but it was inevitable, and definitely... troubling. "If she lashes out, there really is only one way to end it. And that way is what everybody wishes to avoid."
"Exactly. I don't have any desire to kill her, but if the Rune takes her over completely, it might be the only way to stop her from destroying the entire castle and half the continent." Geddoe glared at the floor. "As it sounds like Georg had to do so long ago."
"... If only the Commander were here again..." Belcoot found his mind constantly venturing towards those thoughts: if only Sialeeds were here, if only the Prince were here, and if only Ferid... "But there's no use in wishing. What does the Queen and the Rune want, anyway?"
Geddoe had thought the same thing, but he was too practical - he knew that Budehuc's twists of fate sometimes fell to their benefit, and sometimes to curse them. They couldn't count on Ferid or Georg or a rune sage to just appear in the courtyard and make it all better. "I have no idea," he sighed. "It's difficult enough to know what my own Rune wants sometimes, without trying to guess another's will. Part of the reason we're trying to track down the Night Rune," he added.
Belcoot let the words settle around them, musing over the situation. He had no such experience with sentient runes, his only rune being his Falcon which wasn't exactly a demanding being, and so he couldn't comment more on that. "... You and Watari know where the Night Rune is, then? At least, you have a hint?" He asked hopefully.
"Somewhat." Geddoe looked more directly at Belcoot in order to share the story. "It lives in the incarnation of a sword. I actually came into contact with it during the war, in the possession of a young man named Edge. Watari and I both fought alongside him. But it's been six years, so there's no knowing how far he's traveled from here."
He raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. "You've come into contact with a lot of True Runes." Belcoot said, chuckling a little. The chuckle stemmed from his words as well as the small bit of hope he gained hearing that they at least had a... clue as to where their potential solution was. "... Let's all pray that sword gets found, then."
Belcoot's humor made Geddoe smile just the smallest bit. "I've been around a long time," he noted. "Yeah. One thing at a time. But...what you've told me helps. The more I know, the better." He clapped Belcoot on the shoulder and then laid that hand on his sword's hilt. "We came down here for another reason, didn't we?"
Belcoot nodded, having almost forgotten that they had come to the dojo to sparr. "That's right." Grinning back at his friend, he touched the hilt of his own sword as well, resting it lightly on the worn material. "We seem to get carried away speaking of affairs such as these, don't we?"
"Old habits die very hard," Geddoe admitted sheepishly. "You can take the mercenary out of the corps, but he's still a mercenary. Investigating and all." He slipped Wild Geese casually from its sheath. "But he also likes a good fight now and then, so he doesn't go soft."
"I can't ever imagine you going soft," Belcoot responded lightly, amused at the mere idea. "... But if you insist, I'd be happy to offer up a good fight. Or as good as I can offer, anyway, having been out of shape for so long." Taking a step back, he drew Gvozdika, the blade slightly heavier than usual in his hands.
Geddoe stepped back to leave them enough space to begin the match, straightening his back. "We've owed each other this fight for a long time," he noted. "This should be interesting." He raised his sword slightly, savoring the chance for a moment before diving in. He jogged forward slightly and slashed for Belcoot's off shoulder in his usual testing move.
Belcoot had been about to reply, but he immediately opted against it as he saw Geddoe closing in on him. Bringing his sword up to meet the slash, he allowed Gvozdika to catch the blow for a moment before pushing his sword back and out to force his opponent away.
Geddoe's arm took the brunt of the block, and he stepped back to flow with it, the expression on his face already changing to one of eagerness. There was a lot of power under that quiet demeanor, he always knew, and now he got to face it head-on. He slid in close again, making a few swings one after the other to see how fast and how hard Belcoot could stop him.
Belcoot stayed calm under the pressure, used to sparring with his overeager students and their strong advances. The swordsman wasn't exceptionally fast, but he had enough stamina to keep up when absolutely necessary... for a while, anyway. Trying not to give up too much ground as he caught the flurry of hits with his own blade again, Belcoot decided to try and create an opening for himself, suddenly swinging his blade hard against the oncoming swing rather than simply defending.
The impact sent Geddoe's arm off in a direction he hadn't wanted, and he gritted his teeth at the strength behind it. It was clearly time to get serious. Rather than back away, he let the momentum carry his arm back into an arc, and then reversed, ducking down and swinging low for Belcoot's legs, trying to get under the sweep of that great long sword.
It took Belcoot a moment to realize that Geddoe was attacking rather than retreating completely, and, having over-committed to his last swing, Belcoot had to force himself to draw back to avoid the swing, stumbling a little to break away from the momentum that had already brought him forward. Deciding to recover and defend rather than go on the offensive again, Belcoot brought his sword up in front of him, his face betraying nothing as he waited.
Geddoe straightened up from the lunge and began to circle Belcoot warily, conscious of the reach of his sword as well as the very stable, close defense he put up. His style was extremely dissimilar to the last two-handed swordsmen Geddoe had fought, too. He chose to turn his body, putting his off shoulder toward Belcoot and rushing in so that his move was hidden until the last minute, when he could bring the sword up from under guard in a piercing move.
Deciding to risk it and stay put rather than stepping back and giving up more ground, Belcoot waited until the last moment to see just exactly how Geddoe would move. Upon the first signs of an upwards assault, Belcoot keeps his arms steady as he drives his blade down in a heavy smash to try and knock Geddoe's sword towards the floor. Not even pausing to see how hard his swing collides, he immediately swings at Geddoe's torso.
Wild Geese rang as it hit the floor, and Geddoe let out a grunt as he found himself needing to suddenly bend his body backwards in order to avoid the follow-up swing. It whifffed within a hair's breadth of his chest and chin. He wanted to come out of it with a shoulder into Belcoot's gut, but he was off-balance and had to retreat instead. "Damn," he breathed. "You almost took my head off with that one."
Hearing that comment seemed to bring Belcoot back to his senses, his demeanour having changed completely while he was focusing. Smiling sheepishly now, he couldn't help but apologize. "Sorry," he smiled a little, but then didn't hesitate to press his advantage, attempting to push forward again with a lunge and a downwards swing.
"Don't be," Geddoe said before moving to block and then counter Belcoot's moves, panting a bit. "It was a good move." He was playing too gently, and he knew it, so he decided to step it up. Since it looked like Belcoot was right-handed, Geddoe moved towards his right side, parrying the blade itself as he moved inward, trying to get him to over-extend.
Belcoot's left hand lost its grip upon his sword's hilt, his right hand's hold on it not exactly firm as his blade was pushed to the side. Caught off-balance from that and unable to properly attack with his weapon, Belcoot decided to use his body weight and push forward, elbow out in a clumsy offensive move to hopefully throw Geddoe off and push him off his offense.
Interestingly enough, that was almost exactly what Geddoe had planned to do himself. Belcoot's lunge took him off guard and forced him to yield a step before he could recover. Likewise foregoing his sword, he kept his right arm up as a block while he came around, almost circling Belcoot and grabbing with his free hand, catching a hold of one of the straps holding his leather armor on. Belcoot was heavier than he anticipated, though, so Geddoe could only really throw him out of range so they could both recover.
Caught in the maneouvre, Belcoot was roughly slung a few steps back before he knew exactly what was going on. He had been on the offensive during one moment, and then he was stumbling to catch his balance in the next. The distance and chance to recover was a welcome reprieve, though, as his hands repositioned himself on Gvozdika's hilt and he re-adjusted his grip so as to not suddenly lose his handle on the weapon again. "... Not so bad yourself."
"Heh." Geddoe paused a moment to catch his breath, testing his grip on Wild Geese as well. "When was the last time you had a knock-down, drag-out match with the likes of a mercenary?" It was his way of saying that he was enjoying the exercise. He squared his shoulders and practically marched in, raising his sword for a short but heavy-handed swing about shoulder-height, trying to draw the bigger blade outward.
"Far too long ago," was Belcoot's short, verbal reply. His breathing was also a little faster-paced now that they were really getting into it, and he hadn't noticed that until they had both paused. Seeing Geddoe coming to attack again, though, he took the last few moments he had to gather himself again before swinging his blade up to deflect the blow, somewhat falling to the bait.
Geddoe let his blade bounce off Belcoot's, though the power of the meeting jarred his arm, and used the momentum to quickly sweep it down under his guard. Rather than jab, he twisted his wrist and slapped Belcoot's chest with the flat of his blade instead, almost a warning not to make that mistake twice as he jogged away to his left side.
Belcoot realized what Geddoe was doing far too late, and not having a chance to pull his sword down to defend against the next swing, he copped the slap, looking a little flustered as he drew back. He opened his mouth to say something, but then clamped it shut, shaking his head as if to throw himself out of a stupor. Determined to make up for that mistake, Belcoot readied himself before lunging in for a low swipe at Geddoe's legs, ducking his head to not leave himself too open.
Those kinds of hits were hard for Geddoe to avoid, he was fast but not agile. Leaping over the huge sword was only marginally helpful - he still got a rap against the sole of one boot and landed awkwardly, unable to retaliate right away. Instead, he circled away to Belcoot's right again, keeping his blind-side shoulder toward his opponent to disguise the move he planned to make. At the right moment he lunged in, striking for the shoulder.
More prepared this time, Belcoot had turned to face Geddoe as he leapt away, keeping a close tag on him as he circled. For a moment, he had considered attacking again, but he was too cautious, especially seeing as he was unable to gauge how Geddoe would attack next. Keeping himself defensive, he made a move to sidestep when he saw the first hints of the lunge. He was fast, but defending didn't exactly give him the initiative, and so he felt a sharp burst of pain in his shoulder as Geddoe's blade clipped its target. Trained to ignore this sort of pain in the heat of battle, though, Belcoot continued to counter-attack, bringing his sword around to swing at the other's torso.
Geddoe was in so close that the strike was going to hit him, no matter what he did to parry. He twisted to awkwardly block, but Wild Geese hit too close to the other sword's handguard to effectively turn it aside. The hit landed against the leather pauldron below his belt, which only stopped the edge from cutting - the blow itself sent Geddoe staggering sideways with a grunt of pain. It was like being struck with a polearm right across the flank.
Belcoot's first instinct was to continue his offensive movement with another follow-up strike in the style of Roundier Haia's hard-and-fast-attack teachings, but the pain in his shoulder finally registered in his mind, urging him to pull back to assess the wound and Geddoe's current state. He gritted his teeth as his eyes glanced at his shoulder, checking the damage. There was blood, but not too much, and the cut wasn't deep and life-threatening, so he brang his sword up in front of him again, watching his opponent. "Looks like it worked out to be a blow for a blow." He grinned a little.
Geddoe was bent over slightly, breathing hard, but he already knew he wasn't bloodied. "Yeah. Nice move. You hit like a ton of bricks." He eased up a little, shoulders squared, sword held low, and eyed Belcoot's ready stance before deciding which move to make. His aim was to knock the man over or disarm him before one or the other got too tired to go on, so he decided to hammer Belcoot with strikes, changing direction quickly and even reversing his grip on Wild Geese in order to throw off the pattern.
At first glance, Belcoot seemed confident that he would be able to meet all of Geddoe's blows thanks to his skill with his Falcon Rune, but in reality, his mucles felt like they were burning from all the duress he had suddenly placed on them after being confined to his room for so long. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping the aching far from his mind right now, but even that was being mixed and worn down with exhaustion. He met the blows effortlessly to begin with, but once Geddoe began changing things up, he was forced to bring his sword back to meet the strikes at more awkward angles, and the abrupt force he felt every time he deflected a hit was numbing his arms fast. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Belcoot realised that he was giving up ground as he moved back, his swings becoming slower and clumsier.
The sweat was starting to run down Geddoe's neck, but he could see that his strategy was working, more or less. He had to risk getting inside that long blade's reach, though, if he wanted a full take-down. And, he needed a firmer grip on Wild Geese. He drew his arm back in order to hastily flip the sword back to the right way, simultaneously lunging in with his left shoulder leading. He intended to get close, inside Belcoot's arms almost, before striking.
He had been sub-consciously getting used to the oncoming onslaught of swings when Geddoe suddenly lunged in. Still in the mindstate of reacting to a fast and heavy swing, Belcoot's mind was torn on how to respond to the sudden attack. He knew that if he didn't move fast he'd be hurt critically, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time if-- ... Coming to a split-second decision, Belcoot threw his body out of the way, allowing his sword to fall to the ground as he rolled to recover, effectively disarmed.
Geddoe screeched to a halt, having never even brought up his arm. He paused to make sure Belcoot was all right, and then started laughing gruffly. "Well, that's one way to do it."
Belcoot was shaking his head a little, disorientated after what he just did. He had come out of the roll on his knees, a good few feet away from Gvozdika. "I wasn't sure what to expect once you had gotten that close," he confessed, remaining knelt for the time being.
Geddoe raised his sword arm and just tapped the blade on his armored shoulder. "I was going for a close hit," he admitted, "maybe even a pommel to the gut. Anything to try to knock your sword loose." He took a deep breath and huffed. "You all right?"
Belcoot nodded, though the aching was starting to kick in with full-force now. He took a few seconds before he finally forced himself to his feet, grunting a little. "No worse for wear, although that was rather intense."
Sheathing his sword, Geddoe stepped back, smiling vaguely. "It was. I haven't had a serious workout like that in a while. And your strength...!" He shook his head wryly. "I'm going to be feeling these bruises for a week. Oh...your shoulder, Belcoot..."
Belcoot laughed, moving to pick up his sword, still a little out of breath. "My strength makes up for my lack of finesse, I suppose," he was saying before he shook his head at the last bit. "Ah, my shoulder will be alright. A few bandages will do the trick."
"All the same. I didn't mean to get you with such a bite." His hand went to his right side, where he ached from the return hit. "You paid me back for it. That was a good session. That really cleared my head."
"Glad to have helped," Belcoot grinned as he gingerly touched his wound, pulling his hand away to glimpse at the smeared blood before wiping it away on his sleeve. "Though investing in a wooden training sword is seeming like a good idea."
Geddoe patted him on his uninjured shoulder and guided him along to the door. "Do they make them that big? I have to say...there are reasons mercenaries don't use two-handed swords, but you make it look so easy. I'd hate to be on the wrong end of a fight with you, for real."
Belcoot followed along, chuckling. "You're exaggerating," he said humbly, seeming a little embarrassed at the praise. "You're just as lethal -- even moreso thanks to your Rune." He was now sheathing his sword as well, though it felt like an effort to even move his stiff arms now.
Geddoe shook his head again. "I don't usually count it in my arsenal. I prefer to use my own strength. Something like that is a last resort." He glanced behind them as they stepped out of the dojo. "Hm. Hope Juan doesn't mind the blood drops on his floor..."
"Ah, I should've cleaned it up." Belcoot turned his head to glance back, looking like he wanted to go do it now, but... he sighed. "He's probably used to it, right?"
"Probably," Geddoe agreed. "It's more important that you get it wrapped up." He figured on walking with Belcoot back up to the manor anyway, since they were both going the same way more or less. He hazarded a glance at the second sun, but only shook his head, not wanting to talk about it anymore.
Belcoot caught Geddoe's line of sight, remembering the situation that the castle was in. Though, it was hard to forget in the first place. He almost said something in relation to it, but decided against it at the last minute. "It's admirable of you to want to fight without that Rune."
Geddoe whiffed a slight chuckle. "I managed to go fifty years without doing so, even in a pinch. Now that I don't feel a need to restrain myself...I simply don't, out of habit. Unless I'm in need of it strategically."
"It's comforting to know that people can refrain against that kind of power and hold it back." He said, smiling. That was the closest he was willing to relate the conversation to the Sun Rune.
"Mhm." Geddoe left it at that, too tired from the sparring to go into any lengthier diatribe on resisting Rune wills and such. He clapped Belcoot on the back once more. "Good fight, my friend. We'll have to train again, so I can learn how to dodge people like you."
"I have a feeling you'll learn in no time," Belcoot nodded at the suggestion, though, keen on the prospect of another training match. "I'll have to use this downtime to learn how to deal with people like you, as well."
"Dirty tricks and all," Geddoe acknowledged with another gruff chuckle. They were at the manor door, so he paused briefly. "Go get that taken care of. I think I'm going to go scare up a bath, after all that hard work."
"You enjoy that, then." Belcoot said, smiling genuinely. "I'll make sure to drop by the infirmary and get this sorted out." He self-consciously touched the wound again.
Geddoe chuckled slightly at his unassuming manner. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Belcoot."
He mustered a small wave with a hand, grinning. "Till next time."