Chapter 13

This was a battle that all wanted to see, although nobody believed that Frang would win. Thorburn was too good with the claymore, the weapons appeared to be totally mismatched; maybe with the axe, but not with some dinky little stick of a sword. They formed a circle, the two combatants in the middle and everyone else on the outside looking in. A few side bets were quickly made, but the odds for Thorburn were astronomical. Every one of the men had felt the flat of Thorburn's blade multiple times. No one was familiar with Frang and his little sword.

"One thing, big brother. You can whack me with the side of your sword. This rapier is made for one thing, and that's to pierce that big, dumb hide of yours," Frang opined. "I don't want to kill you, so we need something to stop that from happening."

"Let me see it," Stuart said

Frang handed it over and Stuart examined it. As Frang had said, the point was extremely sharp. Stuart thought a moment, then went to the wood pile. He picked up a piece about an inch in diameter, grabbed Bjarkë's axe and cut a piece of it about another inch long. He pushed it onto the point, forming a cap.

"That should do it," he said, handing the sword back to Frang.

Frang took a couple swings with it, testing the balance and behavior of the blade with the modification.

"Aye, this will do. En garde, you big oaf."

Frang assumed a position with the point aimed at Thorburn, weight evenly distributed between his two feet. He waited and Thorburn didn't make him wait long, a long, whistling stroke from right to left, aimed to knock the blade aside, so he could step in on the reverse stroke and strike Frang on his right side. With a slight motion of his hand, Frang dropped his blade, avoiding the strike, and stepped forward, his wooden point touching Thorburn's right chest.

"One," he said, stepping backward.

"Niftily done, little brother," Thorburn said, rubbing his chest. "Little pointy stick, one, meat cleaver, none. I'm impressed."

Thorburn realized that he might have to be a little more careful with his younger sibling. He could maneuver his blade very quickly, much more rapidly than he could the larger claymore. He was right about something though, it didn't have the weight to withstand any direct hit with the claymore. Perhaps a sudden overhead strike.

As went the thought, so went the action, the claymore rising over his head and coming down hard. Instead of attempting to block it directly with the rapier, Frang raised the sword and the huge claymore went sliding down the blade, deflected just out of line with Frang's body, then the point dropped and with a half step forward, the point touched Thorburn's chest again.

"Two," Frang said. "One more and I'll have your silver coins, brother."

Ailene was amazed. It did not seem to her that the smaller Frang with his tiny sword could be besting Thorburn, who she had never seen defeated on the training grounds. It did not matter the blade, he was master of all, and only Stuart could best him at archery. That Frang had touched him twice with the point with barely no movement astounded her. It seemed to her that Thorburn was also taken aback at his failure to lay his sword on Frang. He began a rapid whirling of the claymore, using one hand which very few men could do with the two handed sword. Back and forth, left and right, up and over, so quickly the blade was a blur. Thorburn had no thought that he should be giving up two silvers at this point.

He began advancing on the smaller man who retreated, but forever maintaining his balance, one foot before the other, and the point of his blade pointed at Thorburn's chest. The faster Thorburn advanced, the faster Frang retreated, going in a wide circle within the center of the men. Frang watched the whirling blade, accessing the rhythm, looking for an opportunity to penetrate the steel shield the blade presented. Finally he saw a chance, he feinted at his brother's groin, causing him to step to the side and slide his own blade to block, but the rapier was already moved out of the line, it flicked upward and with a lunge, the point touched Thorburn's heart.

"Three, and you can pay me later, Thorburn, over your finest ale."

"Odin's spear, Frang, I would not have believed it. It's such a wee blade. I have not seen it's like before. How is this done?" Thorburn asked.

"The smaller blades are replacing larger ones in France and Italy," Frang replied. "All of the fighting is done with the aim of placing the point in the body. It does not really use an edge as most other blades do. It is light and easily maneuvered with one hand. I would grant you, Thorburn, that an untutored man would do better with a larger edged weapon, against an untutored man with this blade. He can flail about and manage to hit something, do some damage, but with the practiced hand, the rapier is the superior weapon."

"Well, I canna in all honesty say that is untrue. You've bested me and the last time that happened was when I was twenty summers."

"It's a lighter weapon, easier to carry around, light enough to be used by a woman, if we..."

"Wait!" Ailene interjected, "You can teach me to fight like that?"

"Anyone can learn it. As long as you apply yourself. You must develop strength in your arm and wrist. That will require exercise and constant practice, but aye, I can teach you," replied Frang.

"While you're at it, Frang, pick out a few more of the younger lads and teach them too. We can use a few more handy at different weapons" Thorburn said.

"Can we start now? I would dearly like to learn, Frang," Ailene said.

"Stuart, do you have objection to Lady Cameron learning the sword?" Frang asked.

"Nae, it might help protect her from the depredations of bandits, don't you think?" he replied, smiling.

"Aye, that it might," laughed Frang. "All right, lassie, come into the armory, let's pick you out a weapon."

They went into the armory and Frang went to the lighter weapons. He picked up a number of them, testing them, finally he found one he seemed satisfied with and handed it to her saying, "I want you to try this one, it's called an epee. It's lighter than my rapier, but heavier than a foil."

She took the handle in her hand. Frang showed her how to hold it. He had her wave it around a bit, checking for balance he said. Had her hold it out at arms length as long as she could to check her strength of arm and how much the point drooped when her arm got tired.

"I think this will do fine," he said.

They went outside and found the spot where Frang had been practicing before. There was a post with straw tied around it at about chest level.

"The first thing you must learn is how to stand," Frang explained. "That forms your base. Always you want your movement to come from your base. If you don't maintain it, you will lose your balance. If you lose your balance, you're dead, never forget that. Are you right handed?"

"Yes."

"Point your right foot towards your target, then your left foot a little more than a shoulders width in back and pointed toward the side. Now lower your body, like you intended to squat, but not quite that much, maybe six inches or so down."

She took a position and asked, "Like this?"

"Not bad, point the front foot a little more, not quite so far apart on the back leg, and a wee bit lower, there, I think that's good."

Frang came up to her and pushed at her from the front, a little movement, but not bad. He circled around her and pushed at her back and again, there wasn't much movement. She had a good base front to back. As he walked back to the front, he pushed at her from the side and she stumbled a little.

"Your base will always be a little better from front to back, because of the width of your stance, and weaker side to side because only the width of your foot provides for the base in that direction," Frang said. "Your legs will get stronger and balance better with training. Now, do you remember how I moved when Thorburn came after me?"

"A little."

"I want you to try moving like that."

She gave it a try, stumbling a little. She was not near as smooth as Frang had been. He had practically glided when moving backward. He showed her again.

"First, until your training reaches advanced stages, you never move either foot more than six to nine inches at a time, just move them very quickly if you want to move quickly. It can be almost a little hop, but always keeping one foot on the ground. That's how you will maintain balance. As you progress, you'll start doing jumps, double jumps, but not to start. The faster you move, the more you remain in balance. When I had to move in the circle, there had to be some sideways movement, not all straight back because it was a circle. But you can go sideways as well, because it's little steps. Try again."

She tried again, following his instructions. She did much better this time.

"Again, forward."

"Again, back."

"Forward."

"Back."