Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 23:35:16 GMT -5
The Royal Army Barracks was everything that one would expect. It was sturdy and functional, if a tad more ornamental than the soldiers would likely appreciate. And it was clean. So much so that at first glance, Fabrizio Deliambre had feared that the 'soldiers' it housed might bear little resemblance to anything of the sort. But he was pleasantly surprised to find actual competent men it the uniforms, rather than foppish nobles son's playing at war to appease their own ego's and avoid the priesthood. From there it had been a short slide into the cameraderie shared by all soldiers, for soldier Fabrizio certainly was. Even if they men of the Barracks continually reminded him that he was only a sailor not a proper soldier. Which devolved into course, if good natured, ribbing.
Then someone brought up his axes, and Rizio felt his good-mood sliding just a bit.
"Oh you think that do you?" He challenged the guardsman who'd wandered in late to the party and having taken an immediate dislike to not being included, decided to ruin everyone's good time. "You think they're toys not proper weapons yeah?"
"That's right." The other man sneered after taking a big gulp of the ale no one invited him to share. "They're too small. And that's before you consider that they're the weapon of barbarian, not a proper gentleman." Most of the guardsmen were laughing along, though the laughter hand changed a bit in tone now, some of the glances being shared betrayed nerves that hadn't been there before.
"Well, I am no Barbarian sir," Rizio declared, heat rising in his voice. "Were it not for the good times I had been enjoying with your fellows i'd call you to the field of honor over a remark like that. But.." pausing to take a long drink and then, to the amusment of the men he had been sharing company with, belching loudly, he continued [/b] "I see no reason to break up the party over your hurt feelings so." [/b] setting his mug down to one side, Fabrizio pushed himself to his feet, and after brushing negligently at the front of his shirt and the legs of his leather trousers, Fabrizio drew on of his francesca and tossed it idly in a lazy circle, end over end into the air.
"let's settle it with a wager then." He offered, holding his hand flat and out to one side while the axe spun once before landing back in his palm with smart, twack.. "Five gold coins says that I can knock an empty tankard out of your hand at ten yards," Rizio gestured absently with his free hand to the training yard besides which he and his companions had been relaxing, as he once again tossed and caught the axe. "Without taking your hand off."
"And i'm supposed to trust you?" The man sneered widely, looking incredulously from man to man amongst his fellow Guards, and finding not a sympathetic eye amongst the lot. "Five gold and my hand in the offing and all?"
"Fine." Rizio replied quietly, another absentminded toss and catch, and the fact that he wasn't even looking had begun to register to the other men watching. "My five gold against your hand then. If you win, you get the five and i'll pay for the sawbones. If I win, I keep my gold, you keep your hand, and I return to my party with these fellows, and you go find someone else to bother."
"Make it ten then." The man countered, his expression morphing from haughty to one which might be said to foreshadow panic. "It's only money to you."
"As you say." Fabrizio agreed lightly, tossing the axe a final time and taking his hand away to clap, once, sharply before again palming the haft of the weapon. "Right then, someone give the man an empty tankard, no reason to be wasting the ale, and let's begin!" The loud mouth looked sick, while his fellows cheered at their good fortune. Ale, and gambling? What more could a soldier ask for. Fabrizio smiled wolfishly as the man was lead into position, his expression flat and slightly green as he was given a tankard to grasp.
"Ready?" Rizio asked rhetorically. Without waiting for an answer, he threw. From outside the barracks walls, nothing could be seen, but an effete squeal was heard and then nearly drowned by cheers. A few moments later the pale, shaking guardsman emerged, clutching his hand and absentmindedly counting all ten fingers as he hurried off muttering to himself.
@tamarafontaine
Then someone brought up his axes, and Rizio felt his good-mood sliding just a bit.
"Oh you think that do you?" He challenged the guardsman who'd wandered in late to the party and having taken an immediate dislike to not being included, decided to ruin everyone's good time. "You think they're toys not proper weapons yeah?"
"That's right." The other man sneered after taking a big gulp of the ale no one invited him to share. "They're too small. And that's before you consider that they're the weapon of barbarian, not a proper gentleman." Most of the guardsmen were laughing along, though the laughter hand changed a bit in tone now, some of the glances being shared betrayed nerves that hadn't been there before.
"Well, I am no Barbarian sir," Rizio declared, heat rising in his voice. "Were it not for the good times I had been enjoying with your fellows i'd call you to the field of honor over a remark like that. But.." pausing to take a long drink and then, to the amusment of the men he had been sharing company with, belching loudly, he continued [/b] "I see no reason to break up the party over your hurt feelings so." [/b] setting his mug down to one side, Fabrizio pushed himself to his feet, and after brushing negligently at the front of his shirt and the legs of his leather trousers, Fabrizio drew on of his francesca and tossed it idly in a lazy circle, end over end into the air.
"let's settle it with a wager then." He offered, holding his hand flat and out to one side while the axe spun once before landing back in his palm with smart, twack.. "Five gold coins says that I can knock an empty tankard out of your hand at ten yards," Rizio gestured absently with his free hand to the training yard besides which he and his companions had been relaxing, as he once again tossed and caught the axe. "Without taking your hand off."
"And i'm supposed to trust you?" The man sneered widely, looking incredulously from man to man amongst his fellow Guards, and finding not a sympathetic eye amongst the lot. "Five gold and my hand in the offing and all?"
"Fine." Rizio replied quietly, another absentminded toss and catch, and the fact that he wasn't even looking had begun to register to the other men watching. "My five gold against your hand then. If you win, you get the five and i'll pay for the sawbones. If I win, I keep my gold, you keep your hand, and I return to my party with these fellows, and you go find someone else to bother."
"Make it ten then." The man countered, his expression morphing from haughty to one which might be said to foreshadow panic. "It's only money to you."
"As you say." Fabrizio agreed lightly, tossing the axe a final time and taking his hand away to clap, once, sharply before again palming the haft of the weapon. "Right then, someone give the man an empty tankard, no reason to be wasting the ale, and let's begin!" The loud mouth looked sick, while his fellows cheered at their good fortune. Ale, and gambling? What more could a soldier ask for. Fabrizio smiled wolfishly as the man was lead into position, his expression flat and slightly green as he was given a tankard to grasp.
"Ready?" Rizio asked rhetorically. Without waiting for an answer, he threw. From outside the barracks walls, nothing could be seen, but an effete squeal was heard and then nearly drowned by cheers. A few moments later the pale, shaking guardsman emerged, clutching his hand and absentmindedly counting all ten fingers as he hurried off muttering to himself.
@tamarafontaine