Dad’s Lesson
December 7
Several targets had been set up on the meadow. Each had been set up to resemble a person’s head, torso, and limbs, marked appropriately to identify each part. Sophie paced across the meadow, weaving in between the targets.
“Alright, if you don’t want to stay a helpless princess forever, as your song says, you need to learn how to fight. Lucky for you, you’ve got someone with battlefield experience here to help, free of charge. No power or anything at first, just the basics. We’ll start with drawing Enonon.”
Wilhelmina, standing in front of the targets, reached for her left side, where she had strapped Enonon’s sheathe. Grabbing the hilt with her right hand, she pulled the sword out, although she wasn’t that used to it and it took a few seconds. Even after that, she was now holding the sword at a weird angle.
Yeah, holding it like how those Fire Emblem lords do it looks weird in real life. How about like a Jedi knight then?
Sophie frowned. “Didn’t your dad teach you some basics?”
“That was like forty years ago.”
“What do you remember, though?”
“Just basic fencing stuff. Attacking with a thrust, like this…”. She stabbed forward.
Dad’s probably facepalming somewhere.
“Though I think my slashes have more power. Since I’m using two hands for them.” She slashed down to demonstrate, but in doing so, she lost balance and stumbled forward. Her glasses fell off and softly landed in the grass.
Sophie shook her head. “I would say too much power. Stance is everything. If you lose balance, you expose yourself to attack and won’t be able to defend yourself. Plus, losing your glasses in the middle of battle could be potentially fatal.”
“Yeah, I can
see that.”
Franz approves.
“Ha, ha.” Sophie wasn’t amused. “How about defensive techniques?”
“Dad taught me how to parry.”
“Let’s see your parry then.” Drawing a sword, Sophie lunged at Wilhelmina.
Wait, wait, wait! I’m not ready yet! No fair!
Wilhelmina instinctively raised Enonon. Her blade caught Sophie’s, and she pushed outward to redirect her strike. With Sophie’s balance thrown off and Enonon still in motion, Wilhelmina then lunged out, stopping Enonon several inches from Sophie’s face.
Sophie smiled. “Impressive. A riposte. Parrying and countering in one fluid movement. Your father taught you well.”
She suddenly swung again, and Wilhelmina moved Enonon away from Sophie’s face to intercept. But that gave Sophie the opportunity to punch Wilhelmina in the face and knock her glasses off again. “You fell for the feint. You have to learn to tell apart feints from real attacks.”
For someone who doesn’t technically exist, it still hurts. How does that work?
“How did you even hurt me?” Wilhelmina put her glasses back on. “And my glasses? I…what?”
Sophie shrugged. “Beats me. It won’t leave a scar or bruise or anything.”
Does this technically count as beating yourself up?
“I have so many questions.”
Sophie had already moved on. “You need to work on your offensive forms, but you seem to have the defensive forms done well. Fortunately for you, I know how to attack things.”
“But do you know modern fencing?”
“Modern fencing doesn’t work on the battlefield. It’s just a sport, after all. In my day, we learned actual swordfighting techniques for actual swordfighting.”
Okay boomer. Although wouldn’t she be centuries older than boomers? What does that make her, a super boomer? Frak, I’m getting a headache.
“Anyways, you seem to understand how to stab. We called it
stechen.” She stabbed out with her sword. “But we have other techniques as well. Sometimes, you’re not in a good position to stab. Which is why you can slash instead.”
“Yeah, I know how to slash.”
“That is, slashing down from above.
Oberhau, we call it. What if your enemy is shorter than you? Or you have the high ground? Or there’s a low ceiling? Can’t really slash down, can you? Instead, you can do a
mittelhau…”. She slashed from the side to a target’s side.
“…or an
unterhau.” She slashed up, hitting a target’s arm from underneath. “Try it out. But remember, watch your stance.”
First, Wilhelmina tried an
oberhau strike. She planted her feet solidly, making sure she wouldn’t fall over.
“You want to adjust your stance to the situation at hand,” Sophie said, “Sometimes, standing your ground is nice, but other times you may want to stay light on your feet and move around.”
Wilhelmina nodded. She then raised Enonon and slashed down from above, making sure not to use too much strength. The blade cut through a target’s arm. Next was
mittelhau. Fixing her stance, she swung from the side, and her blade cut deep into the target’s torso. Finally, there was
unterhau. She pulled the blade out of the target, but she used the momentum to swing around and then slash up, cutting off the target’s other arm.
“Impressive,” Sophie said, “Conserving your momentum. Good. Now let’s move on to guarding.”
“Like what?”
“First, the
ochs, or the ox. Simply put your sword like this.” She raised her sword to the side of her head, aiming the tip in front of her at a target.
“Oh, like Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Wilhelmina said, “Or Izumi.”
Izumi really doesn’t apply here because she uses two broadswords and a Chinese style, but Obi-Wan’s a Jedi, so whatever. At least she wears glasses like me.
Sophie looked puzzled. “I…guess so?
Obviously, she’s not a geek. I’m not surprised, but I’m still disappointed. Why am I disappointed. Who was I expecting, someone like Gunduz?
“Anyways, that’s a basic guard, which you can transition into either an
oberhau or
stechen. But I’ve got another guard you might find useful. The
alber.” Sophie lowered the point of her sword to the ground.
“That’s it?”
“Come on, attack me.” Sophie beckoned.
“Is that it?”
Sophie impatiently sighed. “Just attack me.”
Wilhelmina attempted a
stechen, stabbing outward, only for Sophie to simply flick her sword upward, parry Enonon, and bring its tip to a halt gently touching the bridge of Wilhelmina’s glasses. She nudged it a little, and flakes of blood fell off Wilhelmina’s lens like red snowflakes. “That’s why it’s called the fool’s guard. You trick your enemy into thinking you lowered your guard and exposed your upper body, but really you’re waiting until they make an opening of their own. Swordfighting isn’t just about your own technique. It’s about watching your enemy’s behavior as well. Exploit any movements and openings they make while attacking you, and use that to your advantage. Sometimes, they are their own worst enemy. For example…lock blades with me.”
“What?”
“Just do it.”
Wilhelmina slashed down, with Sophie putting up her sword to block the strike. With a loud clang, the two blades caught on each other.
“We seem to be in a bind, don’t we? Well, in that case, you can use
zucken, or tugging.” She suddenly stopped resisting Wilhelmina, who wasn’t used to the sudden shift in strength and fell off balance. Sophie repositioned her sword and slashed at Wilhelmina’s side, stopping an inch from her. “Very useful if your opponent is physically superior. Stronger, faster, younger, more agile. What can be a disadvantage for you can quickly become an advantage, if you play your cards right.”
“Especially at 56, when everyone I fight is probably faster and stronger than me.”
“Naturally. Now, let’s continue practicing. Back to stance training.”
“Stance training?”
“You heard me. Stance. Training.”
“Can we at least take a break?
“Stance! Training!”
How did I end up being tormented by either herself or someone who doesn’t exist? This is going to be a long day.
December 8
They were again in the meadow. Sophie walked in between the targets, circling Wilhelmina. The princess gripped Enonon and slowly turned to stay facing her, monitoring the stick in her hand.
Come on, make your move. The suspense is killing me.
“Hey,” Sophie said.
“Yeah?”
Sophie lunged at her just as she said that, quickly tapping Wilhelmina’s neck.
Ow! Not fair!
“On the battlefield, your enemies won’t play fair. And neither should you.”
“You’re starting to sound like Uncle Karl. He always went ‘chivalry is dead’.”
Sophie withdrew back to the targets and resumed circling. “Guess who else is dead?”
I admit, it was a bit of a shock to hear the announcement of his death. It was so confusing. Though I guess it matches up with his life since Bloody Tuesday. I don’t know if he was either the worst person who ever lived, just misguided, or a puppet. There was the time he deported those Japanese anti-Paulluist protesters to certain death. Or the times he slowly smothered the Augustinian Code to the effect of “haha, what are you going to do about it.” Or the time he legally disowned me. But there was another side to him. He was much nicer when I was a kid. He and Mom always had their disagreements, but he never failed to send me presents for my birthday and Christmas. He was the one who got me both my PlayStation and Final Fantasy VII. We didn’t talk much after Mom died, but he never did anything against me. He left me alone for as long as he could after Bloody Tuesday, even though he said what he said on TV. Even when the disowning happened, he asked me to keep fighting in my own way, right afterward. I don’t know what to make of him. So when they said he died, I’m not sure what really happened there. Was he going to defect? Was he going to reveal something important? Was he going to apologize to me and everyone else he’s wronged? I might never know for sure. I don’t know how to feel about Uncle Karl.
“Sophie, Uncle Karl doesn’t deserve that.”
Sophie stared at her. “What do you mean? He’s directly responsible for our current predicament and the world being what it is today.”
“I mean, yes, but I feel he’s more complicated than that.”
“What’s more complicated than ‘evil tyrant who rules by fear and wants to take over the world’? Don’t you fight those guys all the time in Fire Emblem?”
If you had played Fire Emblem, you’d see most of those tyrants have reasons for being why they are. Like, say, Medeus who wants to protect his fellow dragons from a vengeful humanity. Or Ashnard who had a very brutal interpretation of meritocracy infused with racism Or Arvis who wanted a fair and just society but got turned into a puppet for the evil cult who twisted his movement into something absolutely terrifying. Now that I think about it, Uncle Karl reminds me a lot of Arvis. He was an okay Kaiser, all things considered. Had a lot of controversies, but nothing bad really happened until Bloody Tuesday, which I could see as Belhalla. Then the cult would be the committee. And when Uncle Karl and Arvis outlived their usefulness to the committee in the end, they were left to die, and their deaths were spun into a narrative. At least that’s what I think happened, after piecing together the evidence.
Wilhelmina scoffed. “Play the games. It’s more complicated than that.”
Oh wait, you can’t because you don’t exist.
Sophie lunged again, but this time Wilhelmina was ready. She raised Enonon to parry, slicing off the tip of the stick.
“You’re learning, good.” Sophie dropped the stick and pulled out her sword again. “Let’s go back to real weapons.”
She charged with lightning speed, and Wilhelmina willed Enonon to glow. The two of them locked blades before disengaging and swinging again. The clanging of steel echoed across the metal.
Damn, she’s fast. I physically can’t keep up, even with the power helping me. I’m just too old. I need to find a way.
1994
Twelve-year-old Wilhelmina stood several feet away from her dad. Karl Eugen wasn’t that bulky of a man—he was around Elisabeth Alexandra’s height and a bit skinny—and that didn’t fit with the classic mustache he sported. A mustache that looked more fitting on Bismarck—that crazy old “iron and blood” guy—than on her dad. Mom saw no issue with it, though. Said it added to his “charm.”
Wilhelmina put her hands on her hips and sighed. “Dad, do we have to do this?”
They were in the house gym, which had some exercise machines lying around.
Dad always said he wanted to put on some more muscle, especially after Mom told him what some tabloids were saying. She doesn’t care too much for the tabloids, but she likes how they motivate Dad. He’s pretty reactive to these things. Unfortunately, he never got around to actually doing it.
“Young lady, it’s important that you know fencing,” Karl Eugen said,.
“But all of the other girls play tennis or something!” Wilhelmina replied.
Or golf. The other noble kids always brag about being the best at golf.
Karl Eugen sighed. “Kids these days…fencing is an ancient and prestigious art! Do they not get that?”
“They don’t.” Wilhelmina didn’t hesitate.
“Well, you will, Willie.” He walked around the gym, weaving in between the machines.
“What are you doing, Dad?”
“You have to be ready for attacks from anywhere. Asymmetrical warfare. Unfair fighting.”
“That’s not fencing, though. People do fencing in a straight line. With strict rules.”
“But not in war!”
“Have you ever been in a war, Dad?”
“…” Karl Eugen hesitated.
We both know the answer already, Dad. It’s not embarrassing. It’s 1994, we don’t do wars anymore. Nobody wants the Crown Princess’ husband to die on the battlefield.
“Have you ever had to use swords in a war? From what I remember, everyone uses
guns these days.”
“The answer is no,” Elisabeth Alexandra said, sipping her coffee in the doorway, “No, he has not.”
“Elisa!” Karl Eugen turned red. “How long have you been there?”
“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just watching…whatever this is.”
“Our daughter needs to learn survival skills.”
“I’m not doubting that, I’m just not sure you’re teaching the right ones.”
“You’re not backing me up here, Elisa!”
He said something about unfair fighting, right? Let’s show him a little unfairness.
Wilhelmina suddenly charged at her dad. Karl Eugen quickly noticed and raised his sword, but Wilhelmina ducked and rolled under his attack, coming up behind him. She climbed onto a machine and grabbed his mustache to immobilize him, then tapped his upper body with her sword.
“Boom, you’re dead.”
Karl Eugen laughed. “Nice job, Willie. But you have to remember to not overextend yourself.”
He simply picked up Wilhelmina and put her on the ground. For good measure, he tapped her nose. “Boop.”
He can still do that? Just like when I was 5? Am I really that light?
“Always remember to keep your enemy in mind, Willie. Know what they’re good at, and what they’re weak at. Know your own strengths, and keep in mind your weaknesses. Always make smart use of the tools at your disposal. That’s how you win.”
2038
Wilhelmina stepped back to slow down Sophie’s attacks. She raised Enonon in a defensive stance. Sophie drew back and prepared herself. “Interesting. What’s different now?”
“Oh, nothing. I just remembered more of what Dad taught me.”
“Then show me!” Sophie charged again.
Just as I expected. She likes charging with overwhelming force. Kind of like the Heer’s standard military doctrine for the last few centuries: attack quickly and overwhelm the enemy before it can fight back. I can’t make use of that tactic myself; I’m too old and slow at this point. But I can turn it against her.
She quickly moved behind a nearby target. Sophie tried adjusting her aim, but she only managed to slam into the target, briefly stunning her.
Wonder how that works. Did she actually hit the target? Will I see any damage on the target? What if she stabbed it? She stabbed it before, right? Should I see any stab marks? No, Willie, focus! You have the advantage, now press it!
She spun around the target and quickly tapped Sophie on the back of her neck. “Boom, you’re dead.”
Well, technically, you were always dead. Or were you never alive to begin with? Oh come on, this hurts.
Sophie laughed. “Impressive. You actually got the drop on me. But you have to keep in mind—”
She suddenly slashed out, but Wilhelmina flicked her wrist. Energy swirled around her hand, and suddenly Sophie’s sword flew out of her hand and into the grass.
Always make smart use of the tools at your disposal. I should really use that more.
“Yeah, I did,” Wilhelmina said, “Thanks, Dad.”
