To Darkness Fled by Jill Williamson

paused. The knights watched him. Heat smoldered in the pit of his stomach. What did he truly know about swords? "Well, maybe it does."
    "No. You're doing fine," Sir Caleb said. "Go on."
    "Well, you'll build arm muscle using any sword, so the size of it based on your height isn't the issue. It's the reach, I think. If you're fighting an opponent with a longer sword, they'll be able to strike you, but you won't be able to reach them. Plus if they have a shield, which most do..." He stood and pointed to Sir Caleb's shield propped against his pack. "Sir Caleb?"
    The knight handed Achan the shield. Achan tossed it to Sparrow who nearly fell over trying to catch it. The boy examined the shield and looped his arm through the straps.
    Achan drew
Eagan
's Elk and handed it to Sparrow grip first. "Take my sword."
    Sparrow accepted the weapon. "It is lighter than I expected."
    "Aye. And you're much smaller than me. Take a swing."
    "Easy." Sir Gavin's lecturing tone rang out.
    Like the boy could actually do any damage. "Don't try and kill me, just reach out."
    Sparrow did, slowly. Achan gripped the end of the blade between his thumb and fingers and jerked it toward his chest.
    "There. See? You can reach me with a decent blade, despite your size. Look here." Achan gripped Sparrow's sword in his right hand. He was naturally left-handed, but Sir Gavin had taught him to fight with both. He reached out with Sparrow's blade. Even with his long arms, the tip remained a hand's breadth from the lad's chest. Sparrow's eyes bulged.
    Achan dropped the cheap sword in the grass. "Switch with me."
    Sparrow passed over the sword and shield and retrieved his sword from the ground. Achan gripped the shield in front of him, slightly to his left, and held the flat of
Eagan
's Elk against the shield's edge.
    Sparrow gaped.
    "Well?" Achan asked.
    "I see my disadvantage immediately. Not only do you stand over a foot taller and much stronger, but the shield covers most your body. Where am I supposed to strike?"
    "My legs and head," Achan said.
    To Achan's surprise, Sparrow darted left and lunged for his foot, but his blade struck the dirt.
    Achan whacked Sparrow's head with the flat of his blade, the way Sir Gavin had done to him time and again.
    Sparrow yelped and stumbled, clutching his head.
    The knights laughed.
    Achan fought back a smile. "You just lost your head. Keep your chin up. Look with your eyes so you can see as much as possible at all times and not leave yourself wide open. Oh, and you aren't digging a pit. Yours is a cutting blade. A dull one. But your grip is all wrong, as is your swing. Don't swing like you're afraid you'll miss. Put your heart into it. Passion increases a man's strength."
    Achan shrugged his arm out of Sir Caleb's shield and let it fall on the ground. "But none of that matters if your blade can't even reach me. And if your opponent slips his grip to the pommel, he can get another four inches on you."
    Inko chuckled. "It seems our prince is to be knowing a mite more than you were to be thinking, Caleb."
    "Aye, he knows some, but there are strategies for fighting against a longsword with a shorter blade or dagger. You and I will work on that, Vrell, and see if we can outwit our prince." Sir Caleb raised a bushy blond eyebrow at Achan. "And I don't care how much you know, Your Highness. If you keep throwing swords and shields in the dirt, they won't be useful for long. Bring your blade here and I'll teach you to clean it. Vrell, you can learn too."
    Achan knelt beside Sparrow at Sir Caleb's bedroll. "Honestly, you wouldn't stand a chance with that sword, even if you knew what you were doing. If we meet further opposition, I suggest you find a tree to hide behind. You'd cause more trouble in battle with us trying to keep you alive."
    Sparrow's bottom lip trembled.
    Pig snout, the boy was going to cry.
    "There's no shame in it, Sparrow," Achan said quickly. "We need you as much as you need us. If not for you, who would patch us up