Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
Tisera
“No, you’re being too rigid, use more wrist!” I had to keep myself from yelling. “This is a much lighter weapon and needs finesse!”
I was halfway through my second training session with Leo but things were not going well. I’d been trying to teach him how to use a side-sword, but he’d been trained with an arming-sword and his stance and style were all wrong.
“No wonder you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. Whoever tried to teach you didn’t know the right weapon for you at all!” I sighed. “Just… forget everything you know and listen to me,” I said gently.
Leo, sweaty and frustrated, nodded.
We were on my long front lawn, not far from the cottage. If one was going to fall on one’s ass, this was a much softer place to do it than the packed earth of the yard. The lush grasses and softer soil here would add a bit of a cushion. We were both in a padded gambeson — I’d loaned him one of mine — and I could tell even just this slight added weight on the slender man fatigued him. He really needed to exercise more.
“Come on, sit down and rest,” I said, sitting, crossing my legs.
He followed suit.
“I’m sorry, Miss Tisera,” Leo said a little abashed and forlorn. “My trainers assumed I’d grow stronger and get used to the heavier weapons, like my brothers did.” He sighed.
“If they’d had half a brain, they would have trained you in many weapons to see what you were best with. And if they were going to make you use an arming sword, they should have worked you up to it with smaller or lighter versions first. You might have fared much better. As it is now, you’ll have to unlearn what you know to even begin with this weapon.”
I blew out a breath, trying to figure out where to start. He’d need greater stamina to survive any fight, where one’s strength could drain away quickly if one was too tense. Which also meant he needed to feel ready and able to face a fight, but that would only come with time and practice. Perhaps I shouldn’t even have started him with a sword. Perhaps just hand-fighting would be a better place to start.
I liked that option.
“I have an idea. Come on, stand up and take off your armor.” I did so first and threw the gambeson to one side.
He followed suit. The clothes beneath his armor — he’d come more adequately attired this time, in a lose shirt and pants — were sodden with sweat and clinging to his lean frame. He might not be big, but he did have muscles. I could see them now, the tight, high muscles of a young, lean body. They just weren’t developed for fighting.
I tried not to admire them too much, tearing my gaze off his tall form and getting back to business.
“We’re going to start with the real basics: stance, movement, observing your enemy. And all of that can be done while hand-fighting. Have you ever thrown a punch?”
He grimaced. “Some families may have siblings who roughhouse a little, but mine… did not. No, I have never punched anyone or anything.”
“Do you know how to make a fist?”
He did so and held it up. At least the thumb was on the outside, which was good.
“Good. Now what you want to do is have your arms up and ready. Most attacks will probably be aimed for your face or torso, so you need to keep your hands up to be able to block them.”
I demonstrated.
He mimicked well, even adjusting his feet to match mine… almost.
“You’re a little flat-footed, keep yourself up on the balls of your feet, knees bent, so you can move around on the spot a bit easier.” I swayed a little. He watched, then did as I’d done.
“Good!” He was a quick learner.
He smiled.
I moved over to him and took one of his hands. “When you hit, you want to hit here.” I put my hand to his fist indicating the flat part of the first two knuckles. “Otherwise, you might break some fingers.” I put my hand up. “Try it, lightly.”
He shifted, pushing his fist into my hand. I nodded. “That’s it. Now, we’ll try some basic punches and evasions.” I spent the rest of the afternoon running him through his paces. He was quite adept and mastered the few things I showed him.
“No one has ever made things this easy to understand,” he said as he ran through a series of moves, able to do it faster and faster every time he tried.
I smiled at his compliment.
“I bet there are women in the city who would love to know how to protect themselves. You could start a school, teaching women to fight.”
I didn’t think that likely.
Women wanted to be womanly… didn’t they? They didn’t want to be difficult and violent, like I was. Once they were able to fight, wouldn’t that mean men in general would be intimidated by them… like me?
“I don’t know,” I said shaking my head. “I don’t think many women want to be so… aggressive.”
“You’d be surprised,” Leo continued, confident.
I shrugged. “If you can find some women, I’ll give it a try.”
“I might take you up on that.”
I grinned. I wouldn’t mind the extra business, even if it didn’t seem likely Leo would find anyone willing to participate.
“Well, how am I doing?” he asked.
Quite well, even if he was a bedraggled and sweaty mess. And something about this beautiful man shadowboxing was turning me on something fierce. But that wasn’t what he meant.
“You’ve mastered those moves. Next time I’ll teach you some more. It’s going to take a while, but we’ll move you through more and more advanced unarmed combat, up to swordplay.” That should work well. “As it is, you’re going to be sore tomorrow, working muscles you haven’t really worked before.”
“I’m already feeling a little sore,” he said with a grin. “I don’t mind it. It means I’ve done something.” He stopped his practice and faced me. “I don’t suppose you’d want to show me an advanced move? I’m just curious.”
I grinned. “You sure?”
He nodded.
I shrugged. “As you wish. Throw one of those punches at me, full speed,” I said. When he raised a brow, I smiled even wider. “You remember how fast I am from last time, right? Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Go ahead.”
He shrugged, set himself, then jabbed with his right arm. He was fast, but not fast enough.
I easily grabbed his wrist with my left hand, then stepped in, turning and ducking under his arm, twisting it, while remaining in front of him. Then, with a bit of pressure to that locked arm, he fell back. I followed him. I didn’t have to end up on top of him, straddling him, but I did, holding his arm up as we both huffed out a breath.
“Whoa!” he said, blinking.
My heart pounded. A part of me wanted to lean down and kiss him.
Was that a flash of arousal in his sea-green eyes? If so, he blinked and it was gone.
“You’re…” He swallowed hard. “…Amazing. That was amazing. Can you release me now?”
Right…
When I let go, he flexed his arm and hand. I stayed on top of him a moment longer, enjoying the feel of a man between my legs, even if there was far too much cloth between us. I restrained myself from rocking my hips over him, but gods how I wanted to grind down on him, ride him like a fancy stallion.
“I hope someday I can get you on your back,” Leo joked, then seemed to realize what he’d said. His eyes went wide. He seemed about to stumble over an apology when I cut him off.
“I look forward to it.” Wow! That had come out all husky and breathy, with a lot more innuendo than I had intended. I cleared my throat and tried again in a more instructor-like voice: “It’ll mean you’ve learned your lessons well.” I got off him quickly and rose, helping him up. I hoped he hadn’t noticed.
I still didn’t know if he wanted me in that way, but more and more I felt a strong attraction to him. It had something to do with how gentlemanly and courteous he was, with his “Miss Tisera” this, and “Miss Tisera” that.
He listened to me, did as I asked. He respected me.
And he wasn’t intimidated by me.
No man had treated me like that, not since… Kel.
It was because Leo was my student, but still, some men would have balked and questioned everything. Leo never did. Also… Leo was gorgeous. All that together meant a part of me really wanted to rip his sweaty clothes off and ravish him.
I should ask him, right now, just get it out and see how he felt… but suddenly all my bravery and bravado fled. My throat closed up, and words wouldn’t come.
What would I say? I was blunt and crass and I didn’t think, “Hey, wanna fuck?” would be right for him. So… I didn’t say anything at all. The moment passed and I was his instructor again.
“That’s it for today. If you want to clean yourself up, you can pull some water from the well. Daz or Avela can help you if you need it. I desperately need a bath.”
I turned and left, hurrying to the juniper grove. I did want to get clean and soak, but I also desperately needed a release. My nethers were aching for a cock, but my fingers would have to do.
Not that long later, slumped low in the bath, I envisioned straddling Leo once again, only this time we were sweaty for a different reason and there were no clothes between us.
Gods! I desperately wanted that man!
I just had to figure out how to ask him…
…And hope he wanted to be with me too.