Read Analog Science Fiction And Fact - June 2014 for Free Online

his back, but on the higher ground.
    "Didn't think you had the smarts, sunna Vikeram," he called out.
    Kal was brave, skilled, but prone to the reckless, so Teodorq fell to considering how he might turn that to his advantage. At some point, he was certain, Kal would swing double-handed as hard as he could and open himself to a counterstroke. Assuming that Teo could dodge that first stroke.
    The other legionnaires had pulled up on the flanks and were watching with varying degrees of professional interest. Some were shouting encouragements to one combatant or the other. Others were taking bets. Sammi was waiting for some sign and had pulled his boot-dagger from its sheath. But no man wants his deeds sung as treachery, so Teodorq shook his head and Sammi reholstered the knife.
    At that point, Yar Yoodavig rode between the combatants with his own longsword on sky guard. He pulled up hard on the reins and shouted. "All right! You two savages been aching for a fight since they first give you to me. Now I hate to put all that training into a man only to see it go down the outhouse, but the kospathin said to allow it, so you have it to do. But you owe the boss-man this much. Wait till he gets here so he can watch." He turned, checked rein, and turned back. "And get off my damned horses! I may got to lose one or both of you, but trained warhorses are hard to come by."
    Teodorq slid easily off his mount and Kal, seeing his initial surprise attack had failed, did likewise. A slap on the rump sent both horses trotting off the field, and the two men faced one another on foot. Kal held his sword "shoulder arms," both hands gripping the handle, the flat resting against his right shoulder.
    Shortly, the party from the Keep filed into the observers' benches. Someone laid down pillows for them to sit on and draped the Tiger banner over the banister. The kospathin sat in the center, flanked by his daughter and his Wisdom, with the other courtiers spread around them. The Wisdom scowled, whispered to his prince, but received a vigorous shake of the head. Teo suspected the advisor wanted to stop the fight.
    Teodorq sighed. He had it to do, and that was for sure. He stood with his sword point down, resting on the ground in fool's guard. He was apparently not on-guard at all, but from this position, he could transition swiftly to any number of other stances. He expected a more straightforward attack from Kal, but hoped he would put on a show good enough to satisfy the First.
    The argument between the prince and his Wisdom concluded and the princess waved a white banner to signal the start of the duel. Sometimes, Teo thought that she was the most bloodthirsty of the lot.
    Kal, as expected, rushed forward with his sword held in the "batter's stance"—the hilt gripped in both hands with the blade over his right shoulder, ready to swing into a hack or a slice as opportunity presented. Teodorq waited unmoving until his foe was three arms-length's away, then he swung Lifesaver up into "the bull," holding the hilt beside his head with his left arm crossed over, ready to push the pommel. This aimed the point of the sword at Kal's face and blocked the downward motion of Rabbit-killer on the aft part of the blade. Kal, disinclined to impale himself, checked his rush, spun to Teodorq's left, and disengaged.
    Kal held his sword in "plow," arm extended from the waist. Teodorq stepped forward, brushed the fore aside and thrust in long-point. Kal retreated again, but spun and threw an understrike, which Teo parried with an "iron pinwheel." Both he and Kal reset the combat.
    "You ain't as easy as I thought you'd be," said Kal.
    Teodorq grinned. "Hadn't planned to be."
    Kal rushed him with several hacks from the left and right, but Teo voided them and shifted guards. He stepped out in the batter's stance, made a right passing step forward and settled the blade onto his upper right arm as he turned his body into a left "augur." From there, he lifted the hilt up,