I said that Lorenzo was outstanding with the blade, and he was. He’d likely never been beaten by anyone, ever. Well, I’ve been beaten plenty of times and there’s something to be said for it: it’s how you learn what’s truly at stake. The world isn’t a romantic stage play; it’s not all love or glory. And a sword fight isn’t always about skill or strength; sometimes—maybe even most times—it’s about who’s willing to take a blow just to make sure he delivers a worse one to his opponent.
