"Don't worry about it. Now go!" she said laughingly "Picture the other attacker, picture them lunging."

(I'll be back in 35-45 minutes! Gotta drive to work lol)

Holly looked at the dummy, her eyes were focused. With a deep breath she ducked down and pushed her sword upwards to block an attack. While her body leaned to the right, her feet moved to the left. With great speed she pulled herself round to the left, her sword moving in a delicate arch, moving in to attack.

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(No problem love. I'll be here. You must think I have no life at all...)

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(not at all! I would be doing the same thing! It would bt hypocritical of me to think that XD)

She clapped once more. "Great! Now we learn the swivel sword." pipe in mouth, Lairiel drew her sword and stood in front of a second dummy. "This is to block off fast attacks. Stand like this," she demonstrated the stance, "Hold your weapon like this," she firmly showed Holly, "and here's the block." she moved her sword from left to right in quick succession, the blade pointing up, then she swing the sword down and moved from right to left and the lower position, as to block attacks to the legs.

(Hehe. I do have a life. I just love doing this. It is a nice distraction.)

Holly watched Lairiel intently, nodding to herself as she memorised her movements. When she was done Holly started, she stood in the position Lairiel had showed her and held her sword the same way too. "Like this?" she asked to make sure.

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(Agreed!)


Lairiel nodded "Exactly like that. Now try it." she puffed intently on her pipe, watching Holly carefully.

"Ok," Holly said as she replayed Lairiel's movement in her mind. I can do this. This is easy. Holly urged herself on. At least I am doing well so far. It was true. Holly had surprised herself. Her mother, as much as she loved Holly, did not encourage her dreams to be a ranger. Holly's mother could see that Holly was a small woman and thought that she did not have enough strength to be a ranger.

Holly shook her head and focused again. Holly moved her sword from left to right swiftly. Holly then brought her sword down and moved it from left to right, protecting her legs.

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"good! Now faster." she drew a deep puff on her pipe, her hood hiding her face. She looked over to see some men looking at Holly. Lairiel did not approve of the way they laughed and nudged each other, and thy obviously didn't notice Lairiel, if they did they mistook her for a man because of her pipe poking out from under her hood. "Keep practicing. I will be right back." she said gruffly and approached the men, her head bent low so they could not see her face yet.

(would you mind taking the part of the men quick?)

(No problem )

Holly looked round at Lairiel. Her eyes followed Lairiel's to the men. Holly paled as she saw they were looking at her, she bit her lip nervously. Holly turned her attention back to the dummy and forced herself to practice. Forced herself to take her mind of the men. It was no use. What if they are friends of uncles? What if they have come to take me back to him? What if... her thoughts went on and on as she practiced.

The mens eyes widened slightly as they watched the hooded figure approach them. They straightened, their eyes glaring menacingly.

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Lairiel set her pipe down carefully, and drew her sword as she approached them. her voice was low for a woman's die to years of smoking her pipe. She lowered it just a bit more, snarling as she spoke.
"You looking at something, boys?" she purposely insulted them. They deserved no less. Her body remained loose, to all appearances like she was not ready for attacks, yet inside she was calculating everything. How many of them there were, their angles of attack, their body types, everything. Inside she was a dangerous animal, ready to spring at the first sign of provocation.

One of the men stepped forward, his sword dangling by his side. He was a big brute, his dark brown eyes glaring at Lairiel. He glanced round at his companions snickering. "What is it to you?" He demanded.

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"It's everything. You look at my companion as though she is a piece of meat." she snarled again, her voice taking on a more menacing tone as she could feel the animal ready to get put. She felt the hair on the back of her neck raise with her anger.

"Hey now! There is no harm in looking. It's not as if I was going to hurt her. I would feel too guilty. All defenceless and all..." he smirked as he watch Holly practice. "What's her name anyway?" He became all business like. "Looks familiar..." He peered at Holly curiously. One of his companions was becoming impatient. "Brother...We have a job to do. Let's get on with it," he laid a hand on his brothers shoulder. "That cannot be her. He said she was harmless. Looks to me as though she can defend herself no problem." The first man stared at Holly. "He did say there was one thing we were to look out for. Some sort of birth mark on her inner arm...I wonder..."

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Her sword went up and her eyes flashed as she raised her head sharply, her hood falling back. "You will not touch her, so help me, you'll be dead before a single finger falls on her." she snarled out at them, her eyes glittering dangerously.

The second man held out his hands. "I'm sorry, miss truely. But we have a job to do." The first man batted his brother away. "You need to get a back bone, brother!" He hissed. "We just want to see something. If it is not there to be seen then you can continue with whatever you are doing. We won't bother you again."

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