Tam rubbed his jaw. He thought he had heard Rule 6 before but could not remember what it was. “And that would be …”

Rezkin looked directly into Frisha’s eyes and said, “Do. Not. Get. Injured.”

Both of his companions laughed as though something humorous had occurred. He did not see what was funny about getting injured. Many injuries could be life threatening, especially when they involved swords.

He led his friends to the quarterdeck. The riverboat was moving steadily down the center of the wide channel now, and while it was swift, it was also fairly steady. Rezkin started by showing them both the proper way to position their feet to maintain balance and had them move their arms in various motions to simulate sword techniques. He also taught them how to fall properly so that they did not get injured. When Lieutenant Jimson arrived, he saw Frisha participating in the lessons and looked at Rezkin quizzically but said nothing.

The lieutenant stood back and nodded often as Rezkin spoke and adjusted his students’ motions and stances. To the lieutenant, it was obvious the young man knew what he was doing. In fact, he decided that some of his own men might benefit from the instruction. While recruits did learn basic techniques, the training period was short and left much to be desired. For the most part, most of the infantry simply learned enough not to drop their swords at the first sign of trouble. He eventually asked if a few of his men could join Rezkin in the lessons. Rezkin simply shrugged and nodded his assent. Who was he to stand in the way of men practicing their Skills?

By the time lunch was announced, Frisha and Tam were tired and sore. Frisha could not believe how exhausting the work was, and she had not even had the chance to hold a sword, yet! After a light lunch of fish and fruit, they broke from their training for an hour to allow the food to settle.

Rezkin examined the proffered blades and found them wanting. They were bulk quality, general issue—easy to rust, easy to break. It was what he had to work with, though, and it would suffice. For the remainder of the afternoon, Rezkin instructed his companions and a few of the younger recruits on their basic techniques.