Re: Nina (BlueSlime)
With another quick, courteous bow, Alrik let Nina lead on, opening the sliding door for her. Along the way, he listened to the student's words. "Despite the somewhat questionable approach to this whole thing, I do intend to make Lady Yura into my bride. Not all marriages are made out of love, at least initially. Surely you know about such matters." the man commented as Nina took him towards the hall.
Heading back to rouse the weapon master from her rest, Nina found her to be still awake, just lying on her back in the bed and looking at the ceiling. When the knight was mentioned, she sprung up from bed faster than the green-haired girl thought possible in her current drowzy state. "REALLY?" she went on, suddenly in a far more perky mood. Sliding off from the bed, she opened up one of the closets. Taking out what seemed to be the body and shoulder portions of a red-lacquered samurai's armor, she began to set them over her underwear after donning a pair of wide pants, these being black in color. As the horned woman dressed, she asked for specifics about the opponent, which Nina no doubt provided her with. After completing her armor with a pair of light greaves and an upright forehead plate that resembled a tiara or a small crown, Yura went briefly into the room nearby, coming back with a single katana on her belt. With the preparations done, the two of them went to see the man.
Despite Nina's initial thoughts about the location, Yura had other ideas, and switched them into the courtyard after a brief greeting with the man. Soon, the two faced each other in the light of the outside lanterns and the slowly descending sun with Nina on the side to observe.
Bowing to the swordmistress, Alrik took a brief moment to announce himself. "Sir Alrik Whitehall, son of Alfred Whitehall, the keeper of the Whitehall city. My style is Zandro-style sword and shield, my former master was Zandro Half-Shield." he said, holding out his weapon for Yura to see. "This is my blade, from the long-time head smith of Whitehall. Take a look and accept it as my weapon for this duel." the man carried on, offering the blade to Nina who should take it to Yura and let her have a look. Taking a very brief look, the horned woman nodded and gave it back. "I accept." she said, giving the finely-wrought sword back so Nina could bring it over to the knight.
As Alrik took his sword back, Yura began her own introduction to the duel. "Yura, former weaponmaster of the adventuring group Blades, nowadays a bored and tired woman living in the mountains. Don't have a style, totally self-learned. This is some blade I've picked up on my travels, it's an eastern katana, no information about the maker. Accept it as the blade of the duel for me." she went through the intro in a much more casual manner, giving the blade to Nina so Alrik could look at it. As the knightly fellow inspected the average blade, the weaponmaster threw him a prodding remark. "Is your father still sore from the trashing I gave him years ago? How about Zandro?" she said, sounding more than a bit insulting about the former challengers. But the man did not take any of it, ignoring the words and handing the blade back to Nina with his acceptance.
With both of the combatants now announced and prepared, the knight looked at Nina. "You will be the formal witness. Once the bout is to begin, give a sign." he instructed the girl about the witness etiquette before turning his gaze back into Yura. Both of them assumed stances of readiness, Alrik settling into one that reminded Nina of her own, Yura taking up a completely formless, vacntl and open stance with the eastern blade held casually at her side. The horned woman herself was focusing intently, no doubt eager to get it on. Despite her enthusiasm, the green-haired girl saw a terrible, grim gaze on the teacher's features. The previous drowziness was completely gone, a cold and ruthless depth now visible in the Sensei's brown eyes as she analyzed this man. It looked like the maid was now seeing her teacher's warface, a visage hardened by no doubt hundreds of bloody conflicts on a diverse array of landscapes. It was almost scary, how emotionlessly she faced down the possibility of injury or even death in the worst case.