Chapter Thirty-One
Defend Yourself
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Camp sparring nights had quickly become one of Inerys’ favorite affairs. It was always a spectacle and with how evenly matched her companions were, the outcome of any one fight was always an unknown. There had been several occasions when she was certain she knew who the victor would be, only to have a single strike or lapse in control change everything. The sheer unpredictability of it all had a way of making her heart race even from the sidelines. As it was, she found it difficult to sit still as she watched. She leaned forward upon the sitting log, one arm braced at her side while she chewed the claws of her other hand in anticipation.
Ayduin attacked Rhydian’s leading leg and managed to flip him on his back in one quick, fluid movement. The two had been vying for control for several minutes and at this point, the take down was only one of many. However, it appeared as though it may be the last. She must have thrown him with more force than Inerys had thought, for a wheezing breath escaped him and he remained prone. A second later, he waved a hand in submission, still struggling to draw in anything more than a shallow breath.
While he and Cydan both had height and strength on their side, Ayduin had speed and what Inerys could only assume was a healthy amount of endurance. From what she had noticed, longer bouts often ended with her as the victor. She tended to bide her time, dodging most strikes she could not easily counter. So long as she remained out of reach, she excelled. Though, if either man caught a firm hold, she was often done for. She simply couldn’t match their strength, or whatever pin they chose to employ, depending. There had been a handful of occasions when she managed to slip free, but they were few and far between.
Inerys could not help but wonder how she herself might fare against them, if she had the skill. The others had asked if she were still interested in learning how to spar a few nights prior, but she had yet to give them a definitive answer. There was a certain amount of anxiety in trying something for the first time and when it came to any sort of martial practice, she knew next to nothing. Once she plucked up the nerve to take the first step, she knew she would be fine. Though, working up to that point was another struggle in itself. Being an absolute beginner among so many skilled fighters was not without its intimidations.
“Did you see how he changed balance when he thought she was going for his other leg?” Cydan asked.
“I think so,” she said.
“She feigned an attack in order to trick him into moving at the last second,” he said, “That’s how she got him.”
Slowly, she nodded, seeing where the opening had been now that he’d explained it.
Ayduin leaned over her fallen opponent, arms crossed and braid swinging as she peered down at him.
“Is someone a bit winded?” She asked.
Rhydian glowered up at her, still trying to catch his breath where he lay.
“It’s almost as if one of us went two rounds against Cydan before this match.” He said.
She shrugged a shoulder. “You volunteered, remember? It’s not my fault you decided your arse was in need of kicking. Besides, someone had to curb your ego after that winning streak.”
“Should I be thanking you for taking up the burden?”
The smile she gave him was all teeth.
“A little appreciation never hurt,” she said and offered him her hand.
He rose and brushed the errant grass blades from his arms with a shake of his head.
“Oh, I’m sure,” he said and looked to Inerys, “Are you sure you didn’t want to learn a few techniques? You never know when they might be useful.”
She glanced between he and Ayduin, but before she could voice her decline, Cydan took her by the hand and guided her to her feet. Her limbs seemed to follow of their own accord, leaving her mind alone to catch up as she sought some manner of excuse. She couldn’t fight them. She would only make a fool of herself.
“ I–”
“Don’t worry,” he said with his usual cheer, “I’ve already agreed to be the training dummy.”
“Wait, what do you mean, already?” She asked, but he only clapped her on the shoulder and danced into the center of their makeshift ring.
“We’ve been conspiring,” Ayduin cooed, leaning in as she passed her by.
She certainly didn’t like the sound of that . . .
Inerys half pivoted to face Rhydian in search of an explanation as he approached.
“We’ve been talking,” he clarified, “and after some discussion, we’ve all agreed there’s no harm in teaching you the basics. We’re not forcing you to fight, if that’s what you’re worried about, but you should know how to defend yourself, if the need arises.”
The fact they trusted her enough to actually teach her helped soothe some of her reservations. Sparring wasn’t exactly something one could do at a distance. The practice in itself required opponents to be within extremely close quarters. For them to feel comfortable doing so with her in a combat-like setting was . . . unexpected.
“You’re sure?” She asked.
He and the others all nodded as they exchanged looks.
“You’ve expressed interest in learning before. Has that changed?”
She hesitated, her fingers fidgeting.
“Not really,” she admitted.
His brow furrowed. “Then what is it? Would you prefer to practice with Ayduin to start? Cydan and I would hardly hold it against you, if it would make you feel more comfortable.”
“I– no. It’s fine,” she said and took a deep breath, “I’m only afraid I might . . .make a fool of myself? I hardly know what I’m doing.”
“Oh, come now,” Ayduin drawled, gesturing around at the others from her seat, “Do you honestly believe any of us are going to think any less of you because you were never taught? So what if you flounder around at first? We’ve all been where you are now, believe it or not. And if it makes you feel any better, Cydan still blocks with his face.”
“She’s not wrong,” he chuckled and still bore the split lip from an earlier match to prove it.
“Is that all that’s holding you back?” Rhydian asked.
Shifting on her feet, she gave a faint nod.
His expression softened and he offered a small, reassuring smile.
“We’ll start simple. There’s no expectation to impress anyone, I promise,” he said.
“Simple,” she said, “All right.”
He waved she and Cydan closer as he stepped between them.
“You don’t have to be as skilled as we are in order to protect yourself. In your case, we’ll be starting strictly with self defense. The goal will be to debilitate, disengage and run, not stay and fight. We also want to keep things easy and realistic, so don’t expect any flying knees and fancy footwork.”
“Kneeing an attacker in the dangly bits is all well and good, but lifting your leg puts you off balance,” Ayduin added, “and not every attacker will be male.”
Dangly bits.
She’d never heard anyone refer to a groin in quite that fashion, but it was still a fair enough description, she supposed.
Rhydian nodded his agreement.
“It’s best to go for the face and neck. Those claws of yours would be particularly effective against the eyes, but the nose is a good option as well,” he said, stepping beside Cydan, who winked, “it’s a relatively soft area, so landing a solid strike will leave most attackers stunned. What you want to do is take the heel of your palm and drive it up toward their nose. Not the center of your hand, not the fingers, but the hard, flat bottom. You don’t want to inadvertently harm yourself in the process.”
Inerys raised her hand as she watched his demonstration on Cydan. He slowed the motion down for her and only implied contact as his assistant ‘attacked’ him. It was remarkably straightforward and she could certainly see how such a thing might prove effective.
“For now, I’ll keep this one to a demonstration only. We’ll want to practice position and follow through later. I’d like you to see some of these moves before we add them to your routine.”
“We’re adding them to our exercises?” She asked.
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He nodded.
“Since you’re inexperienced, there’s a possibility you’ll lock up if you ever find yourself in one of these situations. We’ll need to build up your muscle memory and expectation in order to combat it.”
She grimaced, recalling what had transpired during her last tavern brawl.
“I don’t think that will be a problem, but I understand. Practice makes perfect, after all.”
“That it does,” he agreed, “the other techniques require some measure of grappling, depending on the situation, but the first few are quick. Again, we're looking to debilitate and disengage, not fight.”
“The hit to the nose being the debilitation?” She guessed.
“Exactly,” he said.
The two men faced one another and Cydan caught hold of Rhydian’s wrist.
“If someone tries to grab you, they’re trying to control you. Obviously, you, as the victim, need to get the upper hand as soon as you can. In a situation where someone takes hold of your arm, your first instinct might be to pull away, though ultimately, it doesn’t do much good. Instead, what you want to do is take your other hand and hold theirs down toward your wrist,” he said, doing so on Cydan, “Then, bring your arm up and over theirs while maintaining that hold on their wrist. Once you have them here, you push down.”
The movement twisted Cydan’s arm into a straight, awkward position behind his back, then forced him to his knees at the push.
“When done correctly, the pressure will cause your attacker to fall down. The position is difficult to escape, so long as you have control of the arm. If they try to stand, it only increases that pressure,” he said, “from here, I would recommend fully pushing them over before running.”
“Or giving their backside a swift kick,” Cydan said, voice strained as he tapped in submission.
Rhydian released him with a chuckle. “You could do that too. Here, I’ll have you practice on me to give his poor shoulder a moment to recover. May I?”
It took her a moment to register what he was asking, but she quickly nodded and he took her by the wrist. Biting her lip, she replayed the move in her mind. She took her opposite hand and placed it over the knuckles of his hand.
“Like this?”
“Yes, now swing your arm up and around and–”
He grunted as his knees hit the ground.
Inerys was quick to let off her hold and jump back.
“Sorry!” She squeaked.
“There’s no need,” he assured, rolling his shoulder and rising, “That was the whole point. Well done.”
“I’d say,” Ayduin purred, “It seems our student is a natural.”
For the next hour, she practiced both the palm strike and the arm twist. For safety purposes, Rhydian had her aim for Cydan’s shoulder to get the movement down, rather than his nose. It was more a thrust and follow-through than a quick strike and she’d been instructed to always bring her hand back after contact in order to protect her own face. Apparently, it was rather effective when performed against the underside of the chin as well. Ayduin had recommended a combination move for the latter, but Rhydian had argued it was a touch too complicated at present.
He and Cydan alternated for the arm twist maneuvers, though given how quickly she had taken to the first one, they had chosen to move on to a number of different variations depending on where and how she might be grabbed. They all involved some form of arm control via a twist behind the back, but some were more difficult than others. Largely due to the fact Inerys hadn’t been sure where to position her own body in relation to theirs during the exchange. Somewhere along the line, there had been a disconnect between seeing and doing. Though, a few slow repetitions were enough to remedy most of her confusion. As with everything she’d learned over the past month, steady practice upon a solid foundation was key.
The standing scenarios had given her a fair bit of confidence, for though the men were taller and stronger than she was, they had shown her there were always avenues for escape. The right move and correct amount of pressure could see her through most any engagement. However, the dynamic changed once she was on her back.
After the men had finished the demonstration and talked her through what to expect in the event of a mounted attack, Adyuin had offered to stand in for them during Inerys’ practicals. She’d been tempted to accept too, for the thought of being pinned and choked by either man, even in an educational setting, frightened her. In the end, she decided that was the point. If she were ever unfortunate enough to find herself in such a position, she’d be in a similar state and in significantly more danger. Learning what to expect when faced with a much larger opponent was in her best interest.
“Ready?” Rhydian asked.
Schooling her breaths, she nodded.
He took hold of her and in a deft movement, took a leg out from under her. Rather than throwing her to the ground the way an actual attacker might, he guided her down with an easy strength. She’d been expecting it, of course, but the sudden loss of control had her tensing.
“Sometimes, you lose the initial fight,” Ayduin said as she stepped beside them, “You end up on your back. You’re pinned. From this position, you have limited power and limited options. If your attacker is on top of you, he has the advantage.”
Straddling her waist, Rhydian squeezed her hips with his knees, all but locking her in place. During their explanations, she thought she had a decent idea of what it might be like to find herself pinned, but she’d been wrong. Flat on her back as she was with him atop her, the disadvantage was frighteningly apparent. She was entirely at his mercy. Her heart raced, blood rushing in her ears.
“Your ability to strike is also hindered. If you try to reach for his face,” she said and indicated Inerys do so, “you can’t reach him, but he can still reach you.”
She was right. Inerys’ fist was nowhere near his face and even if she tried to reach and flex her hand, the tips of her claws still fell short of his chin. His hands, however, still had full access to both her head and throat.
“Even if you do manage to land a punch, I’m going to move back and away with the hit. It limits the effect, whereas if I were to hit you, your head bounces off the ground,” he said.
The notion was likely about as pleasant as it sounded.
Ayduin nodded her agreement. “You could always try hitting him in his pride, in this position, but in the event it doesn’t work, you’re now engaged in an exchange of blows that you will lose. What you want to do is bring your elbows down against your ribs to keep his knees from riding up under your armpits. Cross grip and hook his wrist with your hand. This will give you lateral control, but he could still pull back and away. You’ll want to prevent that, so use your other hand to grab the back of his arm just above the elbow– good.”
She used two fingers to press the arm of Inerys’ wrist-grip down toward her chest.
“The closer your elbow is to your body, the more leverage you’re going to be able to use from your back. Now, take one foot and hook it over one of his legs. You’ll want to tent the knee, yes– Place the other between his legs.”
Inerys did so.
“Perfect. Make sure your grips are tight, now push up with your hips and roll.”
Unable to post out of the hold, her opponent tipped forward with the momentum and she managed to slip out of his grip when she rolled.
Cydan offered a clap from the sidelines. “Beautiful! Simply beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes at his antics and huffed a laugh in relief. She’d actually done it. She was proud of herself for managing what she’d thought was an impossible task. Against Rhydian, no less.
“Agreed,” he chuckled as he found his feet and offered her a hand up.
“Thanks,” she said, her cheeks warm as she took it.
“That grip strength of yours is impressive,” he said, “And to be fair, you could probably open an opponent’s throat with those claws of yours, but that would be rather messy.”
She knew just how unseemly artery cuts could be, having field dressed her fair share of deer in the past.
“I’ve no desire to, I promise,” she said, then bit her lip, “Can we try another?”
He shared a glance with Ayduin before he turned his attention skyward.
“We could probably run through one more. It might cut into your bathing time, though.”
“That’s fine,” she said, already preparing herself.
“Careful, Rhydian,” Ayduin hummed, “she’s a bit too eager now.”
“She’s just discovered the sparring high, Ayduin. Let her be with your teasing,” Cydan said.
Rhydian only chuckled and brought her back to the ground once she nodded her consent.
The position was not all that different from the first, only this time, he was positioned between her legs. Her eyes widened. Well, this was . . . different. A faint smirk edged his lips, but it vanished so quickly, she thought she may have imagined it. In an effort to spare herself from turning any more red than she already was, she focused on Ayduin.
“You won’t be able to throw your opponent as easily if he’s inside your guard,” she said, indicating Rhydian’s current position, “There are a few different ways to gain the upper hand, but we’ll start with one that’s less complicated.”
He moved his hands to the base of her throat with only a slight amount of pressure as she crouched beside them and pointed toward his arms.
“This technique targets the elbows. They’re weak compared to the rest of the arm and become vulnerable to leverage. The first step is to lock your opponent in place by wrapping your legs around their waist and closing your guard. That way, they can’t pull back and away once you apply pressure,” she said.
Rhydian guided her left leg up around the arch of his hip.
“I’ve found you have the best leverage if you dig your knees in right about here and cross your legs at the ankles.”
Hesitantly, she brought her other leg up to do so.
“Good, now squeeze.”
Again, she did as instructed and his hand returned to her throat.
“Feel secure?” Ayduin asked.
“I think so,” Inerys said, voice more shaky than she might have liked.
“All right, you’ll want to take control of the arms by bringing each hand across to the opposite elbow. Your forearms should be above his and placed horizontally above the bend like this, or it doesn’t work. Bring the elbows close together, then push down.”
Rhydian shifted back when she applied pressure and he gave her a half smile.
“Try not to break my arms during this next part, yeah? I don’t think Sorisanna will let us spar anymore if you do.”
Spirit’s breath, what did the next part entail, exactly?
“I’ll do my best not to,” she assured.
Ayduin only shook her head. “When you have the arms secure, you’re going to bring your legs up around his shoulders and raise your hips. You’ll be pushing his top half up and back while keeping his arms pinned against your chest. Mind yourself, though, we’re not here to break him.”
His shoulders were forced together when she repositioned herself and she could tell from the angle alone that snapping the joints would be all too easy with the right amount of force. To his credit, he didn’t hiss or curse when she performed the final step, but he did wince.
“Once your attacker is in pain and you’ve broken the joint, you’re going to let go, press one foot against his hip and kick yourself away. From there, you’re free to run.”
Her kick-off was a tad awkward, but she managed to find her feet without planting her face in the grass.
“Nicely done,” Ayduin said, peering around to inspect Rhydian, “Still in one piece?”
“Thankfully,” he said, sitting back on his knees as he brushed a hand over his hair.
Inerys’ heart was a wild, wicked thing in her chest.
“No breakage?”
He gave her a smile, “No harm done.”