Swordfighting

I walk in calmly and sit down looking at my neclace

It was, perhaps, not so astonishing that August was feeling nervous about her return to the Camelot training ring. After a year away from the school she had no idea whether she'd still be the equal of her classmates and to fail in front of her yeargroup was not exactly on the top of her to-do list.

It wasn't that she hadn't been training while she was away, quite the contrary. Training had taken up almost half her free time. No, the worry was that her peers had been training more.

Sword clanking lightly in it's scabbard, August strode out into the arena. The hard-packed earth floor was firm from decades of feet tramping it down in the very same drills she was about to perform. It was a sobering reminder that she represented the end product of hundreds of years of breeding, and that it would be an insult to waste that time.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see a boy, younger than her but not small, examining what appeared to be a necklace.

Great. A spectator.

August glanced at him, her gaze flicking between the boy and her sword, half out of it's scabbard. Making a snap decision she let the sword slide back into it's sheath. She strode over, her pace quickening as she got nearer before coming to a halt only a meter away.

"Hello there," she shot him a brief smile. "The name's August."

I stood up a little startled and saw the girl apparently named August.
"hello then August I'm Zachary" I say hiding my necklace under my shirt and smiled back at her.
I size her up and see that she has a sword by her side and I immediately begin thinking of what combat style she used.
I stepped forward a bit my sword clanking kinda loudly which I hated excepcially because I like being stealthy.
"are you new to school?" I ask politely trying not to stare

Zachary eh.

August had known a few Zacharys in her time. The boy down the road with the plague of freckles. Her cousin, in fact, was a Zachary. She didn't really like that cousin, but not all Zacharys were alike. Hopefully this one would be an improvement.

She didn't miss the quick glance he gave her sword as he stood up. It was understandable really. They were both knights, both warriors. You always wanted to assess someone when there was a possibility of combat. Or even when there wasn't an apparent possibility of combat. It paid to be prepared. For example, she'd already checked out this Zachary fellow and noted the sword hanging heavily from one hip.

"I suppose you could say I'm new to the school. I've been here since I was able to, but I left for a year last year. My mother wanted to give me tutoring."

She made a face which clearly showed her opinion of mothers in general, and especially the one that happened to be hers. It was not a very complimentary expression.

"So. You know how to use that clanker then?" August gestured to his sword.

Real combat was so much better than hitting a dummy.

"I'm also new and yeah I can use my sword very well" I say.
I look at her trying hard to think of what her next move would be.
"so where are you from?"
I ask trying to keep my mind off of other thoughts that where new problems and old ones.
I carefully hide my emotions but a worried look slips though for a second then disappears.

I walk over to the girl "who are you?" I ask politely and note what book she was reading

"hey it's alright" I tell her quietly "I'm zachary kilravock"

"yes and you must be a sorcerer" I say smiling at her and listening to the birds

"the hood and mysterious personality, which I like" I tell her and look of she has a weapon on her

"nice sword" I tell her then draw my claymore "this is my family's sword"

"I don't know exactly yet" I say putting my sword back "where are you from?"

"that's a nice place, I'm from Scotland" I say politely and look at what she is doing

"how old are you?" I ask now really wanting her to take the hood off

"16, I've always wanted to be 16" I say smiling and looking at the part of her head that's uncovered

"no, nothing I was just thinking I've seen you before"