Nightfighting once more
I’ve been too busy to work on the final draft of “Nightfighter” since the first week of January (paid work took precedence), but tonight, at long last, I was able to resume work on it, at Chapter 10 of 34.
That was nice. I missed my book.
And this time I’m not going to stop until it’s done; I want a final draft in hand by the last day of March.
Ironically, in Chapter 10 a young Caina learns about the virtues of knives, which rather nicely dovetails with the things we discussed in yesterday’s “chicks with swords” post. An excerpt:
“Well, then,” said Sandros. He reversed the dagger, took Caina’s hand, and pressed the handle into her grasp. “You should not be afraid of knives.”
“Why not?” said Caina, her throat dry.
“Because knives, they teach respect,” said Sandros. “All the tricks that Akragas will teach you, all the moves with your hands and feet, they are useful, but they are limited. Most men, they will always be stronger than you will ever be.”
“Akragas says I must never fight fair,” said Caina.
“True,” said Sandros. “Hand to hand, it will be hard for you to defeat a man of equal skill. But blades…ah, blades, are the great leveler. In a skilled hand, a knife can kill anyone. And knives, as I said, teach respect. A man may view you as a victim, as prey to be exploited…until you hold a knife to his throat.” He chuckled. “Then he will think of you rather differently.”
-JM