Wolf-Heart (The Mórrigan's Wolf, Part 1)

Chapter 29

Having assembled the guard in the chilled, sodden training yard, Uhtred looked over everyone; the newer men who had hopes of earning a place in his guard were standing in a group separate from everyone else. This would be the final day in a week of trials for the newcomers to prove themselves and potentially become official members of the guard. None of them looked overly promising, but he still had to give them the chance to prove their aptitude and trainability.

Faoladhean stood in the endless drizzle, muttering under her breath in Gaelic about the rain. Facing off with her partner, a tall, lanky young blond Dane named Grimmundr, Faoladhean blinked the rainwater from her eyes as Sihtric called out the forms, Finan and Uhtred watching the hopefuls carefully. Form by form they practiced both offensive and defensive blows and strikes, the sound of wood clashing on wood echoing around the training yard. Faoladhean glared at Grimmundr, who seemed intent on tripping her into the mud, regardless that they were not meant to be working on grounded combat. Luckily, her smaller stature gave her the advantage of agility and speed over his seeming clumsy oafishness, and she was able to avoid ending up on her arse.

Forms completed, they moved into sparring. Faoladhean clenched her teeth in frustration as Grimmundr swung his staff for her head, which she quickly ducked with her shield up. His overhead strike left his side completely open, which she capitalized as she came up and swung around. Striking him in the ribs, she then swept her leg into his knees and knocked him flat on his back in the mud. Poking the end of her staff on his neck as he lay on the ground with his nostrils flaring in anger, Faoladhean smirked but said nothing. She withdrew her staff and turned around to step back, allowing him room to stand.

Facing off again, Faoladhean could see he was going on the offensive and allowing his frustration to lead him. He lunged at her with a forward strike of his staff which she easily deflected with her shield. Faoladhean quickly moved herself close to him and thrust her staff at his ribs again, as he had, again, left himself wide open and unprotected. He swung his shield around, aiming for Faoladhean's chest; her foot slid in the mud as she tried to dodge. A shocking jolt vibrated through her head as the edge of Grimmundr's shield connected with her chin and he pushed her back with it, effectively toppling her.

Faoladhean hit the ground with a grunt and the wind knocked out of her. She lay there for a moment, trying to catch her breath, and felt blood dripping down her chin. "Shite!" She sat up cursing in Gaelic as Grimmundr smirked at her, looking all too pleased with himself.

"Hey! What happened? Faoladh, ya all right?" Finan had jogged over as soon as he saw her flat on the ground and slow to rise, his brow set low with concern as he squatted down beside her. "Let me see," he said sternly, ignoring the hiss Faoladhean let out as he grasped her bloody chin to inspect the damage.

"Ach, the dreich weather and all the mud. I lost my footin' and landed my chin on that eejit mac-na-galla's shield." Faoladhean spat out irritably, obviously upset at such a stupid injury.

Finan glanced at the smirking young man, anger rising in his blood, but he kept calm and helped Faoladhean to her feet. Injuries happen when sparring, and he knew it wasn't intentional; it was the fact that the lad lacked the slightest bit of remorse. That lack of compassion for fellow guards was not a good look, and he made note to himself to tell Uhtred to pass him over. "Looks like ya need a couple of stitches, it went pretty deep. Let's get ya off to the healer." He wrapped an arm around her, then threw a dirty look over his shoulder at Grimmundr, who had enough sense to stop smirking as he caught the fire in the Irishman's eyes.

"Finan," Faoladhean said as they headed to the gate of the training yard, "I can take myself to the healer. Ye have to be here to help Uhtred with the prospects." She stopped and looked up at him, seeing the tension in the set of his jaw and concern in his eyes. "I will be fine." She laid her hand on his cheek and felt a muscle twitch under her palm as she tried to give him a reassuring smile.