[WFRP2e] The Power of One - Part 2 - "Transire Benefaciendo"

[BananaPhone]

Taalia Giovanni


Taalia remained focused on her opponent, the heart-rate throbbing in her skull as she parried here and deflected there. Her footwork had improved out of sight since her first ever true combat against the goblins all those years ago, as she was now more measured and deliberate, talking forward, slipping back, sure-footed each time as she kept her left shoulder near Daniele and providing cover for this 180 degree side of him. She even managed to poke her cudgel over the shield of her opponent, knicking him on the forehead and drawing a ripe bead of blood that mixed with the sweat of his forehead as a small thrill of standing her own against professional arena fighters cheered her confidence from the back of her mind.

"Lookout!" Daniele calls at the last minute, Taalia's reflexes pulling her out of the way at the last second as a cudgel intended for her head instead clipped her shoulder, a bright spark of pain running down through that half of her body. Drawing back, her defenses still safe, the girl glared through the eye-sockets of her leather helm at the larger combatant and the look in his eyes that she was all too familiar with. It was the same glare that would fall upon her from the Skaven foremen or fellow ratling slaves that saw in her just a weak, furless ape for them to trample across and propel their egos higher up the social order.

But, Taalia wasn't a slave any more. That skinny girl had grown and developed, and now she glared back with a venom in her eyes and steel in her jaw.

* * * * *

The Gallants seemed to be herding the enemy team towards a column, a slow, boxing maneuver that could, if it continued, neutralise their newly acquired numerical superiority. The dwarf, though clearly of no opinion one way or another, seemed to relish his position as some mercenary-for-hire whose allegiances were won and services greatly desired. Were the spud not in anyones hands, he would do nothing. If it were possessed by one of the team, he would attack their enemies - all while facing no such assaults himself. Who would attack him? No one. There was no point. His services were the point of the spud. And as Daniele and Taalia approached their flank of the column, the older veteran told her the plan, before his nimble proceeds carried him over a low-swinging flail that would have taken his feet out from under him.

Keep the dwarf off of him. Right. She could do that - couldn't she?

Watching the flail swing in and out of that mechanical groove in the column, Taalia took half a step forward, timed her jump and tumbled forward - sailing like a fish leaping out of the water and landeding on half her shoulder, rolled forward down her back and rose onto her feet in one, semi-graceful movement. Blinking, clearly not having expected to make it, Taalia dashed forward, keeping her body close to Daniele's and placing herself between him and the dwarf, ready to head the stunty fellow off and temporarily sacrifice herself so the team could make a stab at getting the spud and gaining control over this four foot, meaty menace.