Duty calls again

[Anonymous]

A lone figure stomped through the front gates. He passed by the ranks of young soldiers training and snorted in disgust. He was approching 60 winters himself, but he still figured he could outfight any ten of these young pups. The figure was non other then Helm The Wolf, though he doubted many would remember him. Helm was one of the best knights Adeala has ever seen and he knew it. He had had a good carrear, serving for 30 years of his life, since before he had a mans beard. The last ten of those he spent in command of the KIng's own guard with the rank of Lieutenet General, with only the king above him. That had all changed 10 years ago when he retired to spend the rest of his life with his loving wife.

The same wife had just died from a incurable fever and left him alone after 40 years. She had been barren and left no children, though Helm loved her the same for all of that. He was an old man, but the call of duty sang in his blood again and he answered. In his absence the palace guard came under the control of a lass named Tarlaka and he heard that she was skilled with the blade. He had decided to let her run the guard unchallenged and looked for a different way to serve. Helm was no fool, and knew he was too old to serve as a common soldier, so he chose to train the next generation of brave warriors.

Helm was old, but he was still a menencing figure. He was dressed in an old, but finely made breast and black plate, with greaves and guantlets. It was signifintally less then full armor for a knight, but it allowed him to move fast which was more important. Over his breastplate he wore a silk tunic with a graying wolf embrodied on the front. He opened his mouth and bellowed "Who is in charge of this piss poor excuse for a training center?"

[Anonymous]

He watched the eyes of the apprentice before him carefully, his blade raised, his body poised. The two of them circled each other in a secluded corner of the training yard. Rend took it upon himself to offer his services every now and then. One who had taken up his offer, was a lad called Guy (Pronounced like the french, "Gi").

Guy's arms were bird-like, and his reflexes had been poor at best. That was the way Rend had found him, but the boy was definitely improving under Rend's discerning eye.

A strike from the young one, an sharper parry by Rend, and a matching smile on his face.
"Your eyes betray you Guy, focus on mine. Block the rest out." He spoke calmly, his years of experience flowing through him letting every move become instinctive. Guy stepped forward bringing his sword through the air above his head.

Rend, yet again, deftly stood to the side and blocked the blow, speaking, instructing as he did so.
"Speed is your ally, use it! Not strength. Not yet!" He pushed against the boy and he toppled backwards, his balance shot. But Rend could see the look in the lad's eyes, he was enjoying it, and Rend knew him to be getting better with every passing day.

"Again." Rend said with a smile, "Give me your worst."
And now it was Guy's turn to smile, his tanned skin parting slightly about his lips as he opened his mouth in a smile, his white teeth shining through like lightning pillars,
"Whatever you say..."

Rend caught on all too quickly to the lad's intentions, raising his blade with beast-like reflexes as he darted to his left, his blade catching the most of the boy's attack. And suddenly Rend was fuelled with rage and anger. He gripped his blade tightly and launched himself at his student, engaging him with the blade, and a heartbeat later swept his feet out from under him deftly. He disarmed Guy with a flick of his wrist and pointed his own blade to the boy's neck. Guy, was not smiling any more. A single drop of sweat moved down his cheek.

"WHAT have I told you about magic!?" Rend's fury caused his very hands to shake, his eyes burned with an intense anger that clearly chilled the boy before him. Guy said nothing, and after a moment Rend straightened himself and moved to his side, kicking Guy's blade back to him.

"Never compensate your lack of blade skill with the devil's powers. It does not become you."

Guy said nothing as he stood, sheathing his blade. Rend turned his back.

"Today's session is over. I... I am sorry it ended this way. But you improve Guy." He listened as Guy moved away, not really caring whether he had hurt the boy or not. It was the only way he would learn. Magic, was the tool of the cowardly.

Rend cast his eyes over the area, and frowned slightly as they fell upon a rather aged looking warrior, adorned in armour Rend found traditionally splendid. He started toward the man as he spoke, and stopped short of him.

"Begging your pardon sir," He spoke as one would address a vagrant, with contempt and no belief in actually wanting the man's pardon at all, "But there is no place in these walls for language such as that." Rend set his face sternly and watched the man before him. Retired? Exiled? Disgruntled? Militia? He was uncertain, but cared not. Regardless of who he was, he had no right to speak in such a manner.

"Is there... something I might help you with?"

[Anonymous]

Helm stared in disbelief at the soldier who adressed him. Things must be worst then he thought if the language of a soldier offended this young noble looking pup that much. What reallly got Helm mad however was the disrespect in the lads voice. His stell gray eyes hardened into points as he addressed the lad. "Speak with more respect, Young Pup. I was defending this kingdom since before you were a gleam in your fathers eyes. Now get me who ever the fuck is in charge this second. Tell him that Helm the Wolf has returned." Helm told the upstart with his voice hard enough to split diamonds. Disipline and respect were two things that defentilly needded to be inproved here. Hopefully the training hasn't degraded to the point where he was an unknown now.

[Anonymous]

Rend's brow began to crease as this unkown old man spoke to him so, but he kept is composure, it was his way. He turned the left side of his mouth upwards as he looked directly into Helm's eyes, the furrow in his brow conveying his contempt obviously.

"I gave you more respect than you rightly command stranger." The fact that Rend had to look up to lock Helm's eyes did not phase him in the slightest.

"Whoever you were once, means very little to me presently. Now you will conduct yourself in a proper manner, else your meeting with our commander will be for entirely different reasons than you intend."

Rend's gaze did not waiver. He knew the type. Arrogant, full of self import. From the 'old days'.  The name was familar to Rend, a printed word on a roll of parchment from his studies within the castle walls. But little more. A true knight would have known honour and dignity and shown it in their everyday living. This thing before him, had done neither this day.

"Are we clear..." Rend purposefully omitted Helm's rightful titles. Titles, while indeed earned, Rend felt the old man to have forgone.

[Anonymous]

Helm stared in disbelife. "Thats what you call respect? I disagree. And I am behaving in a proper matter. The proper matter for a soldier, not a pampered young noble like yourself." Helm told him before pushing his way past and heading towards teh headquarters building. He was tired of dealing iwth this lad. If the King was as wise as he remembered, the commander here should be closer to himself then the young pup that was giving him so much attitude. Helm was a hair from putting the lad over his knee, but had a feeling that wouldn't put him on good terms with the old man.