"In the time it takes me to write this, I will have wondered what has become of my time, or if I am wasting it all together. I was told however, that it is wise to keep a journal. Mostly for memory purposes. And of course, if I want to write about the new moves that I have learned through the time that I spend with the man who is teaching me to be better with my blade, Teodor Dragomir. It means alot to me that Teodor would teach me and is teaching me. I learn whatever I can from him. And that 'winning' a fight is not always the answer or necessarily right. I know that succeeding at a fight is more of the lines of survival. But it is a dance with a blade. It is using your whole body, including the sword as another arm. Using all the time, and noting the moves of the enemy.
"I will never forget the mountains of my home town. They call to me even in the late nights with the snow covering the scripts of this book. It is in the cold night that I feel most alive, and most with thought. Mostly I am alone, but sometimes the other guards come and visit with me. Times used to be hard on me, and my family, especially with the loss of one so close to our hearts. That taught many of us valuable lessons. Lessons to never forget those that you love. To always keep them close to your heart in whatever means you can.
"I've had many brushes with death, I've seen friends die since that time that I left home not so long ago when I first turned eighteen. Rivers that ran red with the blood of my country men. Things that would make, a person cry and not want to leave their abode. Things that I cannot talk about even in this journal because of promises made. I think my turning point was when I saw Private Jorga, die with three recruits he brought into the forests that gloomy night. I had a bad feeling about it all...Zeidenburg is normally safe this time of year, save for the rebel activity. When I saw the first of the Invidian Calvary that trotted from the trees on their fine horse back, I was impressed. Taken back. But it was not long before words started to spew from the mouth of that officer of whose face I vividly remember but no name was ever found. The rain didn't seem to wash the blood away after the battle, nor the blood of my brothers off of my hands and face when I fell in the mud. After that night, I would never feel the same. I felt powerless against all these forces constantly pushing on me. I had to take steps to get and become stronger.
"I am a Vallaki Guard and my town is not a nice one on most days. It is a town that survives on it's brute instincts. Most of us grew up with nothing at all, but I was different than that simply because I grew up in a small town. But some of these children have nothing within the city. I have to give them hope, to strive for something greater than they are. To be something great, to be a legend and to be one of those stories that may be passed down for generations to come by doing wonderful things. But, that may mean my time comes swiftly to end me before I am old and gray. Or that I may be a private for eternity. I want to give these people hope more than anything. Because that's what we need. Hope to start the day, hope to end it and shut the windows. Hope a vampire does not slaughter their children. Hope that a werewolf does not eat their cows and chickens.
"This is our town and nothing will harm our people. That is what I want them to feel. If something does, then I hope..and I pray that this thing, whatever it is runs off and never returns again, or we get to the bottom of it, and slaughter it. It is unfortunate most days we are not equipped like the outlanders. But most of the outlanders are witches, and produce vraja from their hands. I've seen it with my own eyes. We cannot combat the creatures of old Noapte without the outlanders. But it is not our duty. Our people know to stay in, within the night time. Our people know what will happen to them if they don't. The fear is there. But here I stand, out in the night, protecting our people because I love them. Everyone of them, from the oldest man to the smallest baby. I would get to know them by name if I could, but I am often on patrol when I look at them. They may just see me as another guard but at end of the day, I want to be that smile that they are assured of, that nothing will get them in the night.
"Decebal is a good man. I've been through much loss lately. And I need a good man to lead me in ways when I cannot see properly of what is in front of me. There is much I could say of him here, but I don't want anyone who happens to read my journal to think I am all too mushy. Most people in life find love. And when they are apart it simply grows. That is the way things work, or so I am told. We will see where it goes and how well it appropriates.
"Since Teodor, I've only ever just swung my sword, and practiced as much as I could since I was a little girl. I had no idea there was different stances that one could take. Guards or so they are called. He has taught me much since that day that I first came to Vallaki and met him. This one is called
"Boar's Tooth". He has instructed me with the right foot forward, which is odd to me because usually I am of the left foot forward. But I have tried it with the left foot in practice, and it is simply not balanced right when I do this with the left food. The sword point is down and the blunt end of the weapon is direct to the sky.
"Teodor uses a greatsword, and the techniques are much different than that with a bastard sword, mainly due to the weight. I've discovered though, that in practice with the dummy, I can step back and distribute the weight evenly with a shield in hand. Balancing both sides of my body. It feels right. And when I am ready I spring forward at the dummy and tear it asunder. It is a manual motion and a smooth motion. I know I am getting better at it the more that I use it. But Practice is still in order before I can master it, practice not only from a dummy, but from a man with talent. Teodor. I never knew there were different guards one can use when switching defenses. Perhaps I will learn more in time.
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((Photos courtesy of Deviant Art. Photo one (1) by angelganev, Photo two (2) by zureul, photo three (3) by hadvm, Lisa. ))
((Photos for visual effects, not actually in the journal.))