Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree

Ky obediently scratched the name down.

Aleth nodded. "Very well. Anything else?"

"We'll send you out next week, to give you a head start on your diet here." Tomhas straightened. "That's all, I think."

"Great." Aleth pushed himself to his feet. Ky sprang upright, managing to get to her feet at the same time even though he'd gotten the headstart. She leaned forward and awkwardly closed her folder with her right hand so she wouldn't have to move her left arm. Aleth bowed slightly to Loquitur. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Ky turned towards him and bowed as well, twisting her wrist awkwardly to get the folder under her right arm, left arm at her side.

Constance followed them out. "We'll start training now." She tapped Aleth. "How's your swordwork?"

Loquitur exhaled once they had left and looked to Arianna. "Well, that went well, I think. I'd have liked to break his arm to sell it, but something tells me that would be too far."
"We could just pay him a hundred thousand and break his legs," Tarr suggested with a grin. "That would sell it."

"It's rather... lacking," Aleth admitted. "A beginner's overview would be lovely."

Ky got excited at the prospects again and she brightened. "May I watch?"

"Certainly," Constance replied. "I'll give you both a lesson, actually. Best to have all three of you prepared, eh?"

Aleth gave Ky a sideward glance. She seemed far too eager for the lesson. She was sorely mistaken if she thought he planned on letting her get good with a sword or letting her loose with one... but... Constance had a point. He’d gladly let Ky try to take on a beast over him having to fight one himself. “Yes, I suppose that’s wise.”

Ky smiled again, but tried to curb her enthusiasm a bit so it wouldn’t be so painfully obvious that she was excited. She’d always been fascinated by sword and swordplay. And now, even as terrible as the circumstances were, she’d be lucky to get a lesson... even though she wasn’t quite sure how well that’d go with her damaged abdomen and injured shoulder. Well, they’d see how they went. “Thank you, your ladyship.” She smiled again.

"My pleasure." Constance smiled slightly. "I've always enjoyed giving lessons in swordsmanship; my Ewan is the best fighter in the Realm because of it. I don't go easy, though; you'll both be hurting by the end of the day if we do this right."

Oh no. Ky felt uneasy, forcing herself not to cringe as she rolled her left her left shoulder. That probably meant that Constance planned on whacking her even more than Aleth already had. And, Ky wasn’t sure how well she’d be able to move in her binder but she was scared to even ask to take it off. Still, she was getting to learn swordplay, and it’s not like she hadn’t been bruised before. “I’ll consider it a privilege.”

Aleth bit back a sigh. Tarr had already beaten him enough for one day, but it’s not like he could refuse. The lessons were going to be on her terms or not at all, so may as well get the first beating out of the way now. With any luck, Ky would be even worse than he was, so he wouldn’t look quite so bad. And so that they’d have a head start on the beating she was going to get tonight. He forced a tight smile. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

(Shall we skip? I'm not very well versed in sword fighting and I've always found action scenes rather tedious. I can still do it if you want to but I wouldn't mind moving forward.)

(Works for me! I’m down for whatever)

(Great!)

The sun was dipping below the trees by the time Constance allowed Aleth and Ky to rest. She had been a patient, persistent teacher and allowed a decent amount of breaks for water and rest, but she was tough, as promised. Both Aleth and Ky had endured some bone-numbing strikes with a wooden sword (she had the sense to use practice weapons rather than spare with deadly weapons) and were likely going to bruise in a couple places tomorrow morning.
"See me back the same time tomorrow for another go," Constance called after them.
"Ky, may I speak with you privately a moment?" Tomhas added. He had come out to watch not long after they'd started and cheered on all participators with gusto.

Ky was sore beyond belief, but had a strange sense of satisfaction. Sure, she’d been terrible — but by the end of the lesson, she was less terrible than she was at the start. And she’d take improvement.

Lord Loquitur was increasingly moving up in Ky’s estimation. He was kind and cheerful. Such a refreshing change from Aleth’s iciness. Until. Ky froze, gaze snapping towards Aleth as her heart lurch.

Aleth looked at Loquitur irritably. It was a classic tactic, cornering an assistant to try to squeeze information out of them. But he hadn’t thought Loquitur would be so forward about it as to demand Ky in private, right in front of him. But, then, there was very little he could do about that. And they both knew it. He forced a tight smile. “Of course, my lord.”

He sent Ky a venomous glare, daring her to share anything with Loquitur. Ky’s heart lurched again. She knew that look. Knew what was coming when she got back to the room. She dipped her head submissively, heart racing, until Aleth took a few steps past them.

Then she took a deep breath and looked up to meet Loquitur’s gaze.

Tomhas glanced at Constance, and an unspoken agreement passed between them.
"Good work today, Ky," she said, patting Ky's shoulder gently. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she strode off.
Tomhas gestured to the bench beside him. "You look like you've been run over by a herd of elk, my good sir or miss. Come rest, and let's chat."

“Yes, sir,” Ky answered quickly. She’d enjoyed her last conversation with Loquitur. She hadn’t liked the consequences. Hadn’t liked how he could pick up on things she left unsaid. She suspected she knew where this was heading. And her mind raced to find a way to come out of it unscathed. She sat down, taking a deep breath before she returned her gaze to his face, waiting to see what it was he wanted with her.