Practice swords clanged together, the echo through the training courtyard noisesome but not unpleasant as Anper er Yecine secretly watched his sons move through their forms in a second practice. Kaland led Ajoreal, who followed a half-beat behind despite being a year younger. Their movements showed off promise to their father, with the essential footwork operating at a strong level and disciplined strikes with aggressive forward pressure that all but defined Yecine combat philosophy to outsiders.
Then Kaland changed into a defensive stance. One learned at the Youth Guild, he was sure. Blade angled to redirect rather than meet force directly. To try and outmaneuver power instead of sparring with intent to match it. After taking Ajoreal's strike and sliding it away, the other boy mirrored him without hesitation. They traded attacks like this… and Anper's jaw tightened in displeasure.
'That is how my daughter fights. Not how a Yecine man fights.'
