Duncan MacCloud (_highlander_) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2017-03-29 13:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !completed gdoc, ~2017 march, ~25 points, ~~duncan macleod (_highlander_), ~~~reyna ramirez-arellano |
WHO: Reyna Ramirez-Arellano and Duncan McCloud
WHERE: Boarding House
WHEN: Wednesday
WHAT: Chatting
RATING: PG
STATUS: log; completed
She was slipping. People had gotten injured under Reyna’s training regime before, but that had been when they were training against each other, or hunting monsters. Never while they were standing in place working through a drill. Never mind that Kenny had warned her he was accident-prone or that he was immortal. She should've seen the signs of his tiredness and insisted he stop before he hurt himself. But she hadn't, and he had. It was just fortunate the injury wasn't as bad as it could've been. Was she getting soft here? Forgetting what had made her so effective as a Praetor? That would not be good. She prided herself on being a good commander and trainer, and even if she wasn't a Praetor here, she was still a good commander and trainer. Or so she'd thought. If nothing else, she was still a good baker, and pounding dough was still a very good way to get her frustrations out. *** Duncan found that he liked life here in Madison Valley. It was quiet. Routine, most of the time, and there were good people here. He also, surprisingly, learned that he liked having the young ones here. It was refreshing to get a chance to see life through their young eyes. He had to work today, closing shift, so he had time to relax with some coffee and breakfast. He came into the kitchen in time to see Reyna abusing some dough. It didn’t escape Duncan’s notice that the women in his life seemed to take their anger to the kitchen, but he was modern enough to know that he should definitely not point that out. “Reyna?” he said as he came in. “Is everything ok?” *** “Yes, everything is fine,” Reyna replied in a tightly controlled voice. She didn’t look up when Duncan came in, and instead delivered a blow to the dough that would’ve taken out a grown minotaur. Once that was done, though, she settled down and released a breath that ruffled the tendrils of hair that had escaped her braid. “The person I’ve been training in swordwork almost took out his own eye the other day. Under my supervision.” It galled her to admit it. Whoever said that getting things off your chest would make you feel better was a liar. *** It wasn’t just getting something off your chest that made you feel better, but talking to someone who understood. Fortunately, Duncan had been in her position so he smiled in understanding then sat down at the kitchen table. “Why don’t you let off pounding innocent dough and talk with me about it?” His brows lifted in invitation as he gestured to the chair across from him. *** “Not much to talk about,” Reyna said, but she put a moist towel over the dough and went over to sit. “I was training someone in sword fighting,” she explained. “He's been doing well, so I let him have a real sword. The first few practices went well, but yesterday - I could see he was getting tired, and I should've stopped him. But I didn't. I wanted to see what his limits were. And he almost took out his eye.” *** Duncan nodded. As a teacher that sometimes happened. No one was perfect, and mistakes were made. It could have been worse. “You aren’t perfect, Reyna.” Duncan’s voice was quiet, sympathetic. His smile echoed that. “Sword fighting isn’t just a game. You know that. Mistakes happen, and I bet you both learned from this.” *** In general, Reyna was realistic with herself. And no one had actually died or been seriously injured while training under her - not unless there was a game of Capture the Flag involved. So why was she so upset with herself now? “I certainly have. But I wish it didn't take that to make me learn.” She was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I worry I'm losing my touch. That I've been here so long I've forgotten how to be a Praetor.” *** Duncan shook his head. “The very fact that you are worried about that says that you haven’t. It’s important to you, part of who you are. I doubt very much that you could forget how to be yourself.” He reached out to take her hand. “One mistake doesn’t unmake you. It shows you where you need to focus your teaching.” He offered her a reassuring smile and a squeeze of his hand. “Understand?” *** Reyna wasn't entirely sure about that, but she appreciated the sentiment all the same. She might have had a hand in saving the world once or twice, but she was still a teenage girl in need of a father figure. This pep talk was helpful. “Thanks,” she replied, squeezing back. “I needed that.” *** Duncan smiled as he gave her hand a shake then let go. “And if you ever feel you need to brush up your skills you can always come to me or Methos.” He winked at her. “We’ll give you a work out.” Methos had more experience than he did, but Duncan felt he would be more serious about it. “Now what are you making?” *** [ooc: posting for Aurora] |