"Elizabeth Moon - Paksenarrion 1 - The Sheepfarmer's Daughter" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

Siger's blade with a crisp smack. He increased the pace,
and she struggled to keep up, irritated by his smile and by
the snide remarks of Korryn behind her. Again Siger
rapped her ribs, sore now from the earlier blows, and
Paks erupted furiously into wild strokes that hit nothing
тАФ until a sharp blow in the midsection knocked the wind
out of her, and she dropped the sword and sprawled
painfully on the ground. Korryn laughed.
"Always a mistake to get angry," said Siger, over her
head. "You've a lot to learn before trading killing blows.
Catch your breath, now." His voice chilled. "As for you,
recruit, that thinks it's funny, we'll have you next, if you
please." Paks gasped a moment or two, and clambered up.
"Still want to learn swordplay?" Siger asked. "Yes, sir.
It's тАФ it's harder than it looks, though."
Siger grinned. "It always is, recruit; it always is. Now
you've been blooded, I want you to put on a banda next
time." He jerked his head toward a pile of white objects
like cushions. "Not you тАФ " he added as Korryn moved
toward the pile. "I want to see if you think it's funny when
I whack your ribs."

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Elizabeth Moon - The Deed of Paksenarrion [vol 1] Sheepfarmer's Daughter


Korryn glared at him and snatched up a sword with
practiced ease.
"Ah-h. An expert, is it? You've handled a blade before?"
Korryn nodded. "We'll see, then. You need not confine
yourself to the hauk drill if you think you can do more."
But Korryn began with the standard movements, holding
his sword easily. "I'd say you were used to a longer blade,
recruit," commented Siger.
Abruptly Korryn changed from the drill pattern, and a
complicated rattle of blade-on-blade resulted; Paks could
not see just what had happened. Korryn tried a quick
thrust, but the short sword did not reach Siger, and Siger's
blade rapped Korryn's shoulder. Korryn scowled and
pressed his attack again, using his height and longer
reach, but he could not touch the Armsmaster, who kept
up a running commentary.
"Taught by a fencing master, weren't you? You like a
thrust better than a slash. You handle that blade like you
did most of your fighting in alleys. It won't do for us тАФ
you might as well forget it, recruit, and start learning it
right." And with that Siger began a furious attack that
forced Korryn back, and back, and back around the
practice ring, taking blow after blow, until Korryn lost his
grip and the sword flew out of his hand. Effa caught it in