Stubborn problems always require a shift in paradigm.

[praiseandglory]

Porthos was nothing if not stubborn, and he refused to let this transformation keep him down. With no specific deadline to look forward to, he felt that he had no choice but to train, until he regained, even in this body, at least a modicum of skill at what he usually did best: fighting. It didn't help that the breeches he'd secured for himself in this form were a lot tighter than anything he was used to, but he was learning to move about in them well enough.

Much more troubling by far was the weight of his broadsword. The Schiavona was much too heavy for his current strength, but it was all he had to practice, and so he found himself outside in the gardens, going through the basic motions of swordfighting as if he were only getting to know it, hoping that repetition would help. But in this body, not only was his sword too heavy, but his balance was off, and even his very style was wrong for someone who could no longer fight like a force of nature.

Fifteen minutes into his exercises already found his oversized shirt sticking to his back with sweat, and after stumbling through yet another move that should've been easy, he pulled off the kerchief he wore over his hair and threw it aside in a show of temper, planting his sword down in the soft damp soil and looking about as frustrated with himself as a not-a-lady Musketeer could get.

Which was, apparently, a lot.

Comments

[averygoodshot]

Yes, yes, switched back, yes And then they can explore together. "You are so confident," Arsmis smiles. Apparently he needs that right now.

[praiseandglory]

"There's no other way to be," Porthos points out with a grin, and claps his hand on his friend's shoulder, a much lighter clasp than it normally would have been. "Come on, let's go find something to eat."

Swordplay is also hungry work, and while Porthos needs to eat less now than he normally does, his change has not diminished his love of food in the slightest.

[averygoodshot]

It's reassuring too. And while Aramis may not clap Porthos on the back like he normally would, he does smile more easily. "Have you too gotten used to how salty everything is?"

[praiseandglory]

He breaks into one of his typical grins, then. "I just drink all the more wine." It's not so much that he's gotten used to it, more that he will gladly embrace that particular consequence. Make the most of that oddity.

[averygoodshot]

Aramis can hardly argue with that logic. He does though notice that there is much more water drunk here. It must be safe, though he is in no hurry to find out. "Are there many here who have been trapped for ages?" For the few days he's been here, he's met very few people.

[praiseandglory]

"I'm not rightly sure," Porthos admits as they fall in stride. If a census was ever done, he isn't aware of it. "But I don't think so. A lot of people seem to come and go?"

[averygoodshot]

"Except us," replies Aramis dryly. "Aren't we the lucky ones?" He runs a hand over his hair, then settles his hat down over his head. His cuts are healing and he's glad of it.

[praiseandglory]

"At least we get bed and board," Porthos remarks with a half smile. "Could be much worse."

Yes, he'll happily focus on the good. Focusing on the bad when they can't do anything about it is a recipe for madness, and he doesn't fancy losing his marbles.

[averygoodshot]

True words, those, and Aramis toasts to that, taking a long swallow of the wine. "And where do you go to play cards?" Because of course Porthos gambles. Nlt everything had to change.

[praiseandglory]

"Where do I ever go to play cards?" Porthos replies with a toothy grin. The tavern, of course, only this 'Smoking Room' is nothing like the taverns back home. A lot less raucous, for one thing.

[averygoodshot]

"And do the men you play against underestimate you in this form?" Aramis asks, amused. "Do they think that a woman cannot play the cardsharp?"

[praiseandglory]

"To be fair, men underestimate me at cards even when I don't look like a woman," Porthos replies with another grin, a quick one, because it's good to be underestimated. "If anything, they're less likely to grow violent when I take their money, I've found."

It's probably a good thing, even if instinctively, he wouldn't say that it is. He likes violence too much.

[averygoodshot]

They both do. Aramis just likes it in women a bit more.

"Their downfall," he acknowledges with a grin. "Though we know now that if they do try to assault your person, you can assault them back."

[praiseandglory]

"Well, now I could properly assault them back," Porthos happily corrects that statement, because there's very little doubt that had such a thing happened, he would have assaulted them back regardless of how likely he was to succeed.

[averygoodshot]

"Here, here," Aramis says, raising his glass to that with a grin.