The Landen stood, hunched, with one hand resting upon a walking stick. He was in the center of a large circle, which was etched into the ground between the Smithy and the Tanner's. The circle was roughly thirty feet wide in all directions, and it was surrounded by other Bonded. All of them were young, all of them were Landens, and all of them looked very tired. The old instructor's faded pupils roved over them for a minute.

Aldon's eyes lingered as he spotted his Bondmate, Leilei. The young Landens were giving her a wide berth, and several of their whispers were concerned with why the two were not standing next to each other as they usually did during lessons. As Aldon began to raise his fingers, so he could bring a silencing whistle, he heard her amused voice within his mind ::Did you have to get them up so early?::

Aldon let out a single piercing trill as he replied ::Yes, and you know why.:: A hint of amusement was detectable in Leilei's voice as she retorted. ::Yes, I do...but a sleepy Landen is one more likely to chop off his own fingers.:: Aldon chuckled, knowing full well that no Landen in this group would be so lax around weaponry. With no further discourse between he and his bondmate, the instructor began the lesson.

"Most of you are probably wondering why I have dragged you out here much earlier than you are accustomed to it." His crisp tone was not loud, but it cut through the night air, leaving no question as to what he was saying. "Well, believe it or not, it was for a reason. And that is to illustrate the first part of this lesson...maybe the most important one there is."

"That, is the matter of convenience. Now, the convenient thing ta' do, woulda been to go right back to sleep. However, sometimes you do the inconvenient thing because you have to, like the lot of you coming down here. I'm now going to tell you a story...about a young Landen who did the inconvenient thing, not because he had to, not because of obligation, but rather because he thought it would make him seem braver."

Here Aldon hobbled closer to the Felinepairs, staff clunking against the earth on every other step. His clouded blue eyes locked each of theirs in turn, and none but the bravest among them held it for more than a few seconds. As he looked down at the ground, some of them were given odd shudders by the ferocity with which he next spoke...

"This Landen was hot-headed, he guarded his Drake like all of you should..." Murmurs of general assent and agreeable grumbles rose from the crowd, but were nigh-instantly quelled. "However, one night in a village, the two coincided...the hotheadedness and protection. What happened then, haunts that Landen to this very day...The Drake and Landen were having a drink together, an' a couple of young Aristos were pretty smashed. They were sayin' some lewd things about 'er between themselves, and saying 'em loud too. She was getting kinda uneasy about it, too...so the Landen, he jumps up and challenges one of the Aristos."

By now the Landens had realized the true topic of this lesson, and were so excited that it took a growl, and a reinforcing mental command from Leilei to truly silence them. When they had quieted again, Aldon continued. "Well, tha' Drake begged 'im to stop, but, of course, once it's done, it's done. He wouldn't stop.. 'till first blood was drawhn...So the men stepped outside, an' drew their weapons. Now, it woulda come to naught, I think, if the Aristo hadn't been drunk. But as it was, he stumbled and the Landen's sword went deeper than it shoulda... As the Aristo lay bleedin' the Drake gave the Landen a look...this look...it couldn't 'ave hurt him more if a thousand swords had pierced his heart."

Here Aldon limped back to the center of the circle, and proceeded to finish this part of the lecture. "And tha' thing is, it hurt the Drake too. I...er, the Landen could see it in her eyes as she healed the brat. So, to spare all of you that pain, and yer' Drakes too. I tell you this: warn them all you want, threaten anything, but never duel someone just because they've been bothering your Drake. Never duel because it seems like the proper, or right thing to do...but only when there's no alternative, and there's always an alternative. That's not to say you'll never duel, but if you're smart, it won't be your choice..."

Now the old Landen pointed to one burly young man, and to a small rack next to the back of the Smithy. The Felinepair ran over, and he dragged it next to Aldon. A couple of the Bonded gave little approving gasps at the assortment of weaponry on the rack: daggers, swords, bows, dull, shiny, mundane and just plain outlandish, decorated it in rows on it's surface.

"Would anyone here like to have a crack at choosing a weapon?" Aldon pointed at a Landen in the back, who walked forward and took a gold-hilted and beautifully decorated sword, without even glancing at the others. Aldon gave a nod, barely supressing a chuckle as he raised two fingers and moved them toward himself in a movement which could only be translated as "come get some". The Landen nodded and drew the weapon, which seemed to glow pure silver in the light.

He dashed forward, and intended to feint at his Teacher's side, assuming him unarmed. A loud clang echoed into the night as three things happened. First, Aldon's walking stick clattered to the ground. Second, his cloak ruffled, and finally, the young Landen's sword fell in pieces to the turf, leaving Aldon's simple, dull blade, in its place. A sheath was empty by his side, and his back was unbent, his body in a perfectly tensed fighting stance. He stood to his full height, waving the stunned young bonded back into the group. He began to speak once again, this time louder and clearer than before.

"Who knows where Quinn went wrong?" No one replied, so Aldon went on to answer his own question "He made his judgements with his eyes, not his gut. He picked the best looking weapon there, and thought I was unarmed." ::Not to scold you, boy, but to teach them.:: Aldon silently reassured the young Landen as he continued, feeling glad that the transmission of this thoght didn't make his head hurt all THAT much. "So, he ended up with a rather attractive, poorly made, and now broken, sword. Made of silver. And was aiming to feint away when he should have swung home. Now, tha's not to say that he didn't have the right intention. And that brings us to the next part of the lesson...Honor."

A sudden chuckle, supressed almost as it began, reached Aldon's ears from the back of the group of assembled Landens. Instantly, the usually-docile teacher looked furious. He singled out one Felinepair with his eyes, speaking quietly, but intensely. "What is so funny, Jareth?" The pupil looked obstinately back "It's not like the Aristos do" Aldon glared at him once more. "Aye, they do, and even if they didn't, we still would..." He halted his glare, and continued the lesson in a much more controlled voice.

"Honor, is simple in it's teaching...yet it's application is being debated to this day. However, what I tell you now, is what you need to know about it, coupled with what you all already know..."

"Firstly, Firstly, respect your opponent. Bow at the start of a fight, and fight your very best, anything else is an insult. Never toy with an opponent, or humiliate them, regardless of how badly they deserve it. Take no relish or pride in your ability to fight. Fighting is a messy thing, made messier by the fact that we have to sully our hands by doing it. Get things over with as quickly as you can."

"Second, never attack unfairly. Let yer' opponent get up if he falls down. Help him if he can't get up, never hit anyone in the back, and don't attack after you've disarmed someone."

"The third, and most important part is this: If you lose, admit defeat, and go on your way. Don't linger, or contest it, you've lost. And..." Here his voice dropped low as he spoke "Despite what some of you may think, you will lose. When I first went out there, I made that same mistake. I thought that no Aristo would ever beat me. Then one did...he was more experienced, and a little bit smarter."

"That's the lesson I want all of you to take to heart:Despite being tough and fast, there's always someone tougher and faster. Someone with more experience, and more drive...and, there's a good chance you'll run into that person. Yes, as a Landen, you'll probably end up in the most actual Duels, but if you lose...your TG won't fault you."

"Now, the fact that I have told you all this does not mean that you can immediately go out and start dueling, nor does it mean I expect you all to duel right away. However, after today, your formal weapons training will begin." Here a wide grin reached his lips as he remembered Leilei's report that a couple of his students had been beguiling some young smithguilders into lending them weapons to practice with. However, he had disregarded it...they always did. It was best if they all got used to the feel of a weapon in their hands before they began to learn to use it properly.

"There will be no further lessons until Secondday, now, back to your beds with ya." At his dismissal, the students looked slightly disappointed, Leilei mentioned the reason to her bondmate. ::Shouldn't you have let them have some practice?:: He chuckled and twined his fingers into the fur at the back of her neck, as they began to walk back toward the Hall. ::No, I've decided to cram an extra lesson into their tired minds.:: ::Any chance you'll tell me what it is?:: She retorted. ::Patience, Leilei, Patience.:: ::Is that an answer, or a reprimand?:: He didn't answer her question, so they ended up walking the rest of the way back to the Bondhall in companionable silence...

Written By Rift