Training

“Get Up!”

Graus winced, willing himself to stand.  It was a hard labor, and Nevin standing over him was no help.

“You want to help fight?  Then stand!”

Slowly, haltingly, Graus took his knee.  The wooden sword in his hand shook as he pulled it from the dirt.  Graus was battered and bruised, and felt liked he’d not felt in a while. 

Nevin seemed to relax.  He placed his feet shoulder width apart.  Graus took pains even to meet his eye, easily five feet over his head, and settled on looking him in the white beard. 

With more dogged effort, Graus pulled himself to stand, shaken, but determined.

“Heh, that hurt Uncle…”

Nevin waited a moment, then responded, “Oh, yeah, and what are you going to do about it?”

Standing at full height, Nevin was two full feet taller than Graus. 

“I’m gonna stand!  That’s what I’m going to do.”

“Heh,” Nevin stood again, obviously beaming with pride over the child’s progress.  ”Sure, but why am I gunna let you?”

Graus took his stance, wood sword at the ready.  Nevin just stood, arms folded, wood sword in his elbow, looking down.  Tension filled the space between them.

“You didn’t see it coming…”

“I’ll see the next one and dodge it no problem.”

“And you only just now shook off the ego whip.”

“It won’t happen again…”

“It shouldn’t.  I taught you how to empty your mind…”

“Uncle,”

“Well, shall we try that again?”

“No ‘party tricks’ this time!”

“And ruin all of my fun?  All I did was jump out of range and hit you with my extended reach…”

“You promised not to use those until you taught me!”

“And you’d of learned them by now if you were paying attention!”

“Uncle…”