Ilithyia had made the long journey back to Vienda without style but with speed, sweating out the restlessness that plagued her skin. Lowering herself in the saddle to make it easier on the Chrove, she spurred him on, needing the wind against her face. She had done it; she'd won Scuro, she could tell. That woman was deeply interested. But why do I feel so... dirty, then? Gritting her teeth, Ilyia directed an expecially sharp kick into the Chrove's side, blood pounding in her ears.

"Yah! Yah!" And she sped into Vienda, careful enough not to knock into anyone but Alioe be damned thankful that she had the priviledge of being a Seventen and being able to do whatever the hell she wanted. Soon she was in the courtyard of the magazine, and after a few laps mounted, jumped off the Chrove and handed it to a nervous looking attendant. Wiping a hand across her brow, she waded off in search of a clean uniform. Hers was soaked with sweat, and though she felt like taking a nice, long run, it wasn't happening. Alstair wanted to know what had gone down with Scuro yesterday.

Drying herself off with a towel, Ilithyia mused whether or not to go the mens side and look for Alstair herself. No, a letter was good enough for me, it'll have to be good enough for him. Snagging a scrap of paper, she hurriedly penned her message.

Mr. Murdoh,

I believe I have found victory in our latest conquest. Please, if you wish to discuss (debrief) me on this subject, you can find me either in the the courtyard practicing or jogging around the complex for the next few hours. If I am not there, I will be either in the common room or asleep.

~Ilithyia

Smiling wanly down at her own handwriting, she placed it on her bedstand and changed into her practice clothes; loose trousers, cut at the knee, and an old shirt that was snug enough to keep things from... erm... bouncing. With that she pulled her dirk from it's sheath, collected the note, and strolled out of her room. Placing the note just inside the men's side where Alstair's name was plainly visible, Ilithyia rolled her shoulders and walked out to face a practice dummy. Mmm, I'm going to enjoy this.

Alstair had found the note and couldn't help but to feel giddy at the news. At the rate he was going this may be easier than he had first thought. His right shoulder throbbed slightly ash entered the courtyard a smile upon his face as he saw Ilythia.

"I must say a job well done!" He yelled at her sight. "I am most impressed that you could tame such a fearsome creature Ilyia.Come, you must have had a hard day. Let us talk where it is cooler."

Jab, hack, slash. Sidestep, parry, elbow the nose. Repeat. The sweat was rolling down her arms, the heat of the sun making it glimmer like salty little streams. Graze, feint, pull back. Each hit felt like a million tiny victories, wars won on the cellular level. The mona were beautiful... but even they stood back as muscle magic was played. Stepping back to the on guard position, Ilithyia wiped at the accumulating damp of her brow.

Alstair's words reached her just as she was about to go into the next set of attacks, so she paused, watched his approach. Hmm. He favors his shoulder... I bet I could easily use that to bring him to his knees. She wasn't surprised at the thoughts; everyone was a target when her blood was up.

"Maybe in a minute, Mr. Murdoh. I'm enjoying the light of the day." It was hot; there was no enjoying it. But it sharpened her, made the steel she was formed from that much harder. However, a fey wind pulled at her hair, and she smiled jerkily.

"Hmm... Mr. Murdoh... would you like to spar?"

Alstair studied her for a bit. Ilythia seemed to radiate life in his eyes. A woman so beautiful yet, so much like himself when he had been younger...

"I think that would be a wonderful idea madam." He said calmly as he removed his longsword from his side and set it down upon the ground. Slowly he pulled off his shirt careful of his shoulder.

"You don't mind hand to hand do you? I would rather not get a matching set scars." He said with a low laugh."Besides I really get teh feeling you may take me out in my old age."

Ilithyia noted the scar on his shoulder, but didn't ask. It felt... unfair to know how to attack it. Trial and error were so much more thrilling. Instead, she threw down her dirk. If she had thought about it, she would have brought her own wraps for her hands. However, they were tucked away in her chest, and she had no desire to go inside to get them. She would just have to live with the bloody knuckes for a few days, or have them healed up.

"I have no doubt you'll hold your own, Mr. Murdoh." Rolling her shoulders, she stood tall for a moment, and performed the proper bow, a respectful aknowledgement before combat. Alstair is my equal... currently. However his training as a soldier might prove difficult to beat. Ilyia dropped into the defense position, legs spread to keep her balance, back straight. The only flaw with being so tall what her center of gravity was far from the ground; long legs, instead of a long torso, was what kept her high. I am fresher and younger, likely quicker too; however, he has more expirience and definitely has more strength. Ilithyia found herself enjoying this prematch sizing up more than usual, perhaps due to the fact Alstair was a vision of virility. Mm. Let my peers keep their skinny boys, I'd rather fight with a man. The moment passed, however, and soon Alstair was nothing but a target.

"Ready when you are, Mr. Murdoh."

Alstair nodded as he began to size up his opponent. She had youth on her side but her body was a weakness. If he could get her to stand he could easily get her into a submission move and pin her to the ground.

Thoughts crept into his mind that were not appropriate in the least for sparring...

Alstair stood straight his feet turned slightly and his knees bent so that he could react quickly if she tried a take down.

"Ready and waiting madam." He said calmly as he flexed his left hand.

He was ready. Nodding calmly, she began to circle, easily sidestepping to keep her eyes on Alstair. Attacking that shoulder would do in a pinch, but she didn't want to win; she wanted to fight, and to fight hard. If she came away without at least three good bruises and a limp she would be horridly deject. Keeping her eyes flat and empty, Ilyia realized she would likely have to make the first attack. She really didn't want to... but she had wanted the fight.

Trying not to visibly tense, she coiled her stength in her right arm, and quickly feinted to hit his jaw, attempting to hit him in the gut with her left while he was distracted by the false blow, and if successful, quickly fall back into the defense.

Alstair smiled at his partner's attempt. His body tensed and with practiced ease brought up his right arm blocking the gut punch and swung low with his left aiming under the ribs.

If it connected she would be knocked windless but, it wasn't anything lethal. It was sparring after all.

Her blow missed it's mark, and instead she felt Alstair's fist sink into her belly, and she had to take a quick gasp to heep herself from ruining the next move. Yet the pain is just proof that I can do this.

Realizing how colse they were because of the last exchange, Ilithyia used it to her advantage. Hooking her foot behind his leg, she stepped back and tried using her shoulder to knock him off balance, and clipped his side with her elbow.

Even as he Fell his body twisted trying to pin her on bottom.

If only this were in a bedroom...he mused. as he feel to he ground. He had also managed to aim for his left.

Damn! She felt herself bing pulled to the ground, and fought Alstair's attempts to shove her underneath. I'm not gonna be defeated that easy.

She managed to land on her hip, and so as their momentum slammed them into the ground, she rolled him to her side. He had her partially pinned, her arm and side nigh useless. However, she had one free arm and both legs were free. Locking her knees, Ilithyia meant to immobilize Alstair and hopefully, get him down long enough that she could leap back to her feet.

Heh, one bruise down, three more to go.

Alstair had landed harder than he had wanted and with a twinge of pain in his side began to work his way towards a pin. He could only use his right since he had landed on his side. It was less than ideal but, savable.

Grabbing for Ilythia's free wrist he tried to angle himself to the side and work towards a pin. If it worked she would pinned with her arm held out against the ground.

She felt him grope for her wrist, his labored breathing in her ear. However, she would not allow herself to be felled quite so easily. Quickly pulling up her legs to dislodge his arm, she pressed against his shoulder hard enough to make him pull back. Scooting back on her rear in a rather undiginified way, she managed to get most of herself out of the tumble. She hoped to get back to her feet, and the entire process could begin again.

AL almost yelled in pain as his shoulder was hit. It may not have been much but there was still a bit of a spear in there. Alstair let her get out of the struggle and scrambled to his feet. He had learned early on that there was no such thing as dignity while in combat. Once freed he stood lower to the ground his knees bent slightly and and leaning a bit forward.

It was a defensive stance really. Good for blocking and getting in a little bit closer than many liked.

"Round. Two. Then?" He said with a slight gasp.

"Of course, Mr. Murdoh." More sweat, more strain. Her body had already been pushed far by the time Alstair arrived, and now it was being forced even further. It was wonderful! Ilithyia watched with cold eyes as Alstair pulled himself together.

Hmm, stay away from the shoulder... She took note of it, and filed away. It was no fun to win because of a pre-existing weakness. Much better to win on merit, or lose on it. Stretching fluidly, she placed herself back into a loose defense, hoping to draw him into an attack.

Alstair smiled as his mind began to plan his assault. He could strike for weak points. The knees and arms. would be a good point.

He made the first attack this time. His body was loose as he moved forward keeping low and then with left arm aimed a light punch at her right elbow. With a snap of the wrist he shot with his right hand moved for an uppercut at her opposite shoulder.

It felt good to fight. He realized with a relish.

Oof! ilithyia felt the impacact, and even knowing she set herself up for it, it still hurt. This... this is more like the former soldier I was expecting. Blocking as best she could, she managed to soften the shoulder blow, but her arm was knocked and she felt the tendons and ligaments stretch, however so far as she could tell the arm was still useable. I am not going to like that tomorrow, not one bit. Alstair's tactic of keeping low kept her from using one of her better advantages, long legs. Clipping him with her elbow during the block, she stepped forward and tried to uppercut Alstair on the uninjured shoulder. Alioe, I'm rusty.

His hand stung from the impact with Ilythia's elbow but, he pressed the advantage. Using his forward momentum he swung upward and wrapped his arms tight around her waist lifting her off the ground. Taking a step forward he began to tackle Iythia to the ground.

She felt herself being lifted, and then there was a sudden sense of vertigo. Oh, shi-

THWAM. Ilithyia his the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her. However, even as she should have tried, at least for a second to catch herself, she began squirming, using her arms to pry loose of Alstair's hold. She could knee him in a very sensative spot... but it was not very sporting. So, she tried to lean up on her right side, attempting to break his hold.

Alstair scrambled quickly breaking the hold and Wrapping a thick arm around her neck in a headlock. His legs began to try and wrap around one Ilythia's own and his body began to flex. It was a move that he had learned while in the corps it was a painful technique but, it was a wonderful submission move.

A sharp cry escaped Ilyia's lips as the initial squeeze pulled things in directions they were never supposed to go, getting shriller as he moved. She had thought she was prepared, but the sudden intensity of it made the scream break from her. However, it transformed into a growl at it's end and Illy rolled her shoulders trying to hit his face. She hoped to loosen Al's grip around her neck just a little, but even as she tried there she was elbowing him as hard as she could, hitting his ribs and below several times. All of this barely allowed her to turn over and face him, but at least this way her shoulders weren't being wrentched back.

Alstair ignored the pain of the Ilythia's hits tightening his grip like a vice. His teeth gritted with each blow to the ribs and his stomach. His mind was laser focused and it's only goal was to win.

"Do you submit?" He hissed between blows to his body.

Held down by her arm, and covered his body, Ilyia looked up at Alstair, well and truly pinned. She was doing all she could and it was not doing a damn thing. The sun sadowed his face, but his words were clear. Stopping her assualt, Ilyia suddenly realized how truly serious he was. There was a edge to his voice that hadn't been there moments earlier, and it was terrifying. It was also very, very attractive. A surge of heat flashed though her already searing body, and she was suddenly thinking of things very far removed from a sparring match in the courtyard. He could kill you right now, said some deviant thought, he has complete control. He could do whatever he wanted. The implecations sank in, and Ilithyia fought to stop the shiver than ran down her spine.

Turning her head so he wouldn't see her sudden change of focus, Ilithyia spoke whisper soft. "I submit." And, she did, relaxing her tense frame.

Alstair's body relaxed without a word he stood from the ground and held out his hand.

"Ready for round three?" He said with a smile. He was loving every second of this little exercise and his body ached exquisitely. "Or perhaps you would rather call it a day. You look rather flushed."

Ilithyia accepted the hand and smiled, said flush radiating even brighter on her cheeks. "Well, I still have news to tell you, Mr. Murdoh. So I say we... save the rest of this match for later. One in two is a good score for the both of us." Besides, having Alstair pressed against her like that was almost more than her mind could take right now. Who knows what she would do if things continued? Oh, no no no. Back to treason. At least she knew where she stood on that account.

Standing, she realized just how badly landing on bottom had hit her. Her hip, back and shoulders were a mess of pain, as well as whatever muscles he's pulled in her neck. Her arm was numb, and she knew it would be a pain sleeping that night. Not to mention bloodied knuckles, her scraped up legs, pulled stomach muscles and that her shirt was sweated right through and wasn't doing much in the 'covering' department. But damn do I feel good, and she smiled, picking up her dirk, and grinned at Alstair.

"Well, what's your plan? Do you want to hear my news now, or are we going somewhere else?"