Video 1

[theladyofhighever]

[the video opens with a sixteen year old girl who is doing her best to appear self-assured and confident. she's in armor and she's sitting ramrod straight in a plain, wooden chair. she takes a deep breath and speaks]

Hello. My name is Lady Mariane Cousland and I'm looking for sparring partners. I use a sword and dagger, but I'm willing to fight with any kind of swordsman. Or swordswoman.

I'm also willing to teach others to fight, so please let me know if you'd be interested in that.

[she looks away from the camera briefly, as though debating with herself whether or not to say anything more]

Any responses would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Comments

[soldier_blade]

You're a skilled warrior and yet haven't been taught basic hand-to-hand? [She could understand if she was a lady just trying to defend herself, but all signs pointed to this being a sort of career and occupation for her. Mastering hand-to-hand before mastering a weapon seemed the natural order of things.]

If you want. I'm already teaching someone. [She gives the days and time she usually teaches Margery.] You don't mind sharing a timeslot or a different day?

[theladyofhighever]

I'm a rogue, not a warrior. Rogues depend on quickness, subterfuge, misdirection, and poisons to win our battles. [it didn't start out as a career for her. no, she was intended for the marriage market to gain some valuable alliance with an Orlesian or Antivan nobleman. instead, her parents were slaughtered and she was drafted into the Grey Wardens]

I do want. Perhaps different days would be best?

[soldier_blade]

[Sonya finds herself flinching without realizing. She's known too many 'rogues' and other people who used such means to achieve their ends-none of them any good.]

[This wasn't the time though. With all else going around, they couldn't afford to make enemies on assumption] I would assume it's even more a reason to learn-something of a last resort.

Very well. I've been teaching her for some months now so until we know your skill level, private lessons might be better. Payment will be sword training.

[theladyofhighever]

[and she's known Zevran, Leliana, and her own mother. Zevran had his own code of morals, despite being an assassin and Leliana was one of the kindest people Mariane had ever known. and her mother was beyond reproach, and once the greatest pirate in Ferelden history.

and she nods] Indeed. In case I am disarmed. It has yet to happen, but [a small shrug] it might.

Very well, I agree to your terms. You will need both a sword and a dagger.

[soldier_blade]

Key word is always yet. [She spoke from years of experience.] As it happens, I have both. I've had some lessons here and there so I'm not a total novice.

[theladyofhighever]

I suppose. [but she considers it Unlikely] Ah, that's good. Our styles may need some time to . . . get used to one another.

[soldier_blade]

[She smirks at that, but it's less humor and more knowing.] It's called adapting. In a real life scenario there's no 'getting used to.

[theladyofhighever]

[she looks a bit flustered] No. No, of course there isn't. Not if you want to live.

[soldier_blade]

Just how long've you been training anyway? [She imagined it would've been for some years, if she's that much into form.]

[theladyofhighever]

Since it became clear that I would never gain the necessary stature to be a warrior. My mother taught me the sword and dagger and my sister-in-law taught me poisons.