Self-Defense (1/2)

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 15th April 2025
Series: Guarding Gil

Characters: R'ayl, R'lor, Tr'vel, Gilbek
Description: Gilbek gives R'ayl a self-defense lesson, supervised by R'lor and Tr'vel
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 3 of Turn 12

R'lor

Tr'vel

Delorth landed next to the Weyrlingmaster's dragon, in a secluded grassy
spot on the land side of the Weyr. Here, a short walk away from the
cliffs, but the bustle and noise of the Weyrbowl had been replaced by
the rustling and buzzing of insects and the chirping of avians. A few
dragons were visible on the heights, but otherwise they were alone and
unobserved.

Even so, R'ayl was nervous and couldn't help glancing around him for
places an attacker might be concealed. He trusted R'lor, but since the
incident in the dining cavern he didn't feel completely safe anywhere
but in his own weyr. Looking up, he saw a third blue gliding down
towards them, and swallowed. "Is that...?"

"Tr'vel is bringing Gil," R'lor said. He wasn't _completely_ sure
about this, but Gil had saved R'ayl's life.

R'ayl felt a little less anxious hearing that. He'd hardly spoken more
than a few words to Gil, but he knew the man had helped his mother and
that she approved of him.

Delorth greeted Eboroth with a rumble as they landed and the men
dismounted, Gil more slowly to avoid straining his back. It was the
first time he'd been outside the Weyr in months, even if they weren't
far away, and he looked around him with interest before following Tr'vel
over to meet the others.

"Weyrlingmaster, Bluerider R'ayl." He nodded politely. "Tr'vel said
there was something I could help you with?"

"First of all, Gilbek, you have my deepest thanks for saving R'ayl's
life," the Weyrlingmaster said. "Which is what brings us here. R'ayl
would like some more advanced training in self-defense, so he can
protect himself in the future."

"Oh - well, of course, I'd be happy to help, if you need me." Gil
sounded surprised - he'd not thought he'd be trusted to use his
guardsman's skills again. He looked at the young boy, who gazed at him
apprehensively, with round eyes. "Is self-defense part of a
dragonrider's training?"

"Every weyrling is taught how to defend themselves. Afterall, they
hold two lives in their hands -- their own, and their dragon's," R'lor
felt himself slipping into teacher mode. "Though up until recently,
there hasn't been much need for such skills."

"I see." For a moment, he seemed embarrassed, remembering how he'd
served the men who'd planned those attacks on dragonriders. The feeling
passed, though. "R'ayl, do you remember anything from your training?
It's all right," he added. "It's not a test, only to know where to start."

"I - not much," R'ayl admitted, with a guilty glance at the
Weyrlingmaster. He'd found that class one of the most difficult, and
wished he didn't have to disappoint R'lor by showing his inexperience.
"I remember they said we should try to run away if we could instead of
fighting, or call for help." That had been the easy part. "And then
there was something about how to get away if they grab you, or if..." He
shivered.

"If someone attacks with a weapon?"

The boy nodded. "But I froze. I was too scared."

"That's all right. It's normal," Gil said. His voice was gentle, falling
into the remembered rhythm of reassuring a nervous recruit. "Most people
would react that way. You just need to practice enough that avoiding the
attack becomes your natural reaction. Like those drills you do, flying
in formation, so you move without thinking about it." He looked to the
two older dragonriders for confirmation.

Tr'vel nodded. **He's good with kids. Oh no.**

"Exactly," R'lor said. "I could fly Thread again today if I had to,
but if someone came at me with a knife, I'm not sure I'd react fast
enough."

"Perhaps you can both practice," Gil suggested, with an easy smile. "How
about we show you, first. Tr'vel, would you attack me?"

Tr'vel was surprised at the request, but it made sense to give the
young bluerider a demonstration. "With or without a weapon?" He'd
brought practice knives and swords.

Gil thought for a moment, but he could imagine what the boy most wanted
to know. "With a knife. If you bring it down overhand, but not too fast,
so he can see?" He backed up a pace, turned so he was side-on to the
Weyrlingmaster and R'ayl, and rolled his shoulders, hoping his back
wouldn't let him down.

Tr'vel retrieved a wooden knife from his bag and shook his muscles out
a bit. He tried to remember what he'd seen in that terrifying moment,
the way Ingrizon had come at R'ayl. Then he charged at Gil, knife
raised.

Gil neatly sidestepped Tr'vel's rush, caught his knife arm as he passed
and turned on his heel, pulling the arm up behind his back. It was a
move all the guards had practiced over and over in drills, and he was
relieved to find he still had the trick of it. "There - you don't have
to be strong, you can use his momentum to help you. From here, you can
bend his arm, which will hurt and make him drop the knife. Or if you
don't want to risk it, you can let go and escape." Since he didn't want
to hurt Tr'vel, he did just that and backed up a pace. "Is that
something like what the weyrlings learn?"

The Weyrlingmaster nodded. "Protecting yourself, disarming your
opponent. The main goal is to get out of danger."

Tr'vel shouldn't be surprised how easily he'd been disarmed. Gil _had_
been a guard not long ago.

"All right, do you want to give it a try?" Gil asked R'ayl. Seeing the
boy's apprehensive look, he guessed which of them would be the least
intimidating opponent. "You could pair up with the Weyrlingmaster - by
your leave, sir - and then we can step through the move together, slowly."

"That sounds good," R'lor said. He'd been somewhat apprehensive at the
idea of Gil training R'ayl, but so far Gil seemed to be a good
teacher. Tr'vel handed him the wooden knife and the Weyrlingmaster
asked R'ayl, "Ready?"

R'ayl felt his heart begin to race, even though he knew R'lor would
never harm him. He bit his lip, trying to remember what Gil had done.
"Y...yes. I think so."

"We'll go slowly at first. Follow what I do." Gil nodded to R'lor, then
as the weapon began to descend, he stepped to the side and raised his
hand to where the attacker's arm would be, followed a moment later by
R'ayl. "Turn into him and keep hold of his arm - there. Now he can't get
the blade to you. Right, Weyrlingmaster?"

R'lor shifted his arm to show that he could barely move it. "Right.
I'm not able to attack like this."

"Good. Let's go again," Gil encouraged R'ayl, who was looking uncertain,
as if he suspected they might be indulging him. "Slowly still, but this
time I'll just watch and talk you through it."

They repeated the exercise again - sidestep, block, turn - and then
again, gradually increasing the pace as the boy's movements became less
halting. "Very good - you've got it. Now you just need practice." Gil
imagined the Weyrlingmaster's time was limited, though. "Maybe with a
friend, or someone in your wing? Or I could..." He glanced at the others.

Last updated on the April 22nd 2025

[Prev: Race Day] Series: Guarding Gil [Next: Self-Defense (2/2)]

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Self-Defense (1/2)