--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alek was right behind her now, his body…" description: "\"Alek was right behind her now, his body pressing close as he adjusted her sword arm. She hadn't realized this fencing business would be so touchy. He g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/scott-westerfeld-928_arms_alek-was-right-behind-her-now-his-body-p_2267416.jpg" --- # Alek was right behind her now, his body pressing close as… ![“Alek was right behind her now, his body pressing close as he adjusted her sword arm. She hadn't realized this fencing business would be so touchy. He grasped her waist, sending a crackle across her skin. If Alek moved his hands any higher, he might notice what was hidden beneath her careful…” quote by Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/scott-westerfeld-928_arms_alek-was-right-behind-her-now-his-body-p_2267416.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/scott-westerfeld-928_arms_alek-was-right-behind-her-now-his-body-p_2267416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e8/scott-westerfeld-928_arms_alek-was-right-behind-her-now-his-body-p_2267416.jpg) > “Alek was right behind her now, his body pressing close as he adjusted her sword arm. She hadn't realized this fencing business would be so touchy. He grasped her waist, sending a crackle across her skin. If Alek moved his hands any higher, he might notice what was hidden beneath her careful tailoring. “Always keep sideways to your opponent,” he said, gently turning her. “That way, your chest presents the smallest possible target.” “Aye, the smallest possible target,” Deryn sighed. Her secret was safe, it seemed.” [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character uses physical proximity and positioning in combat to protect a hidden secret, emphasizing tactical awareness and subtle defense. **In simple terms:** Use positioning to protect secrets in conflict. Key Takeaway Mind your stance to shield vulnerabilities. Themes strategy defense secrecy combat trust Mood tense protective strategic Type advice narrative dialogue When to use this quote - fencing duel - personal secret - team training - high‑stakes mission - dangerous encounter Key Concepts tactical awareness body language protective deception Questions to Reflect On - How does positioning change power dynamics? - What secrets do we hide in plain sight? A Different Perspective The tactic may fail if the opponent anticipates the maneuver. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Fencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fencing/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved/) [Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents/) [Possible Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-target-5241999/) [Realized Fencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-fencing-5241997/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Sideways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sideways/) [Sighed Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sighed-secret-5241998/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Sword Arm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword-arm-3122072/) [Target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/target/) [Touchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touchy/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“When I asked him how this cramping might affect his sword arm, he assured me it was only the narrow grip of the writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-levkoff/when-i-asked-him-how-this-cramping-might-affect-his-sword-arm-he/) [Andrew Levkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-levkoff/) > [“They offer a wrist-grasp of peace, but that is only to hold you close, by the sword-arm,' he told us, sucking ale off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-low/they-offer-a-wrist-grasp-of-peace-but-that-is-only-to-hold-you-close/) [Robert Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-low/) > [“Strength to your sword arm!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/strength-to-your-sword-arm/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [Humans are nervous, touchy creatures and can be easily offended. Many are deeply insecure. They become focused and energized by taking offence; it makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/humans-are-nervous-touchy-creatures-and-can-be-easily-offended-many/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [Honest people are never touchy about the matter of being trusted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/honest-people-are-never-touchy-about-the-matter-of-being-trusted/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I'm an observer in life, not a participant. That's why I'm a documentarian who looks through a camera. I'm not a touchy-feely person; I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-berlinger/i-m-an-observer-in-life-not-a-participant-that-s-why-i-m-a/) [Joe Berlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-berlinger/) > [The thing that gave me most pride about it was to see the smiles and the pride on my staff's faces, because a restaurant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rankin/the-thing-that-gave-me-most-pride-about-it-was-to-see-the-smiles-and/) [Paul Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rankin/) > [If you watch the evening news, Dr. Kissinger is very often brought on to sort of be the statesman of his age and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/if-you-watch-the-evening-news-dr-kissinger-is-very-often-brought-on/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [“I’d take a physical fight over Touchy-Feely Share Time, hands down”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/i-d-take-a-physical-fight-over-touchy-feely-share-time-hands-down/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [Everybody wants to manage me; management is a touchy situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boi-1da/everybody-wants-to-manage-me-management-is-a-touchy-situation/) [Boi-1da](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boi-1da/) > [I hate touchy-feely things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/i-hate-touchy-feely-things/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [...and then she glared at me, the same glare my stepmother used to give me when I gave her the Nazi salute. That woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/and-then-she-glared-at-me-the-same-glare-my-stepmother-used-to-give/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I don't think JetBlue has a better chance of being profitable than 100 other predecessors with new airplanes, new employees, low fares, all touchy-feely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bethune/i-don-t-think-jetblue-has-a-better-chance-of-being-profitable-than/) [Gordon Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bethune/) > [My own parents were touchy-feely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/my-own-parents-were-touchy-feely/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Trust is the foundation of real teamwork (there is nothing touchy-feely about this).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/trust-is-the-foundation-of-real-teamwork-there-is-nothing-touchy/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) ## More by Scott Westerfeld > [“She thought of the orchids spreading across the plains below, choking the life out of the other plants, out of the soil itself, selfish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/she-thought-of-the-orchids-spreading-across-the-plains-below-choking/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [But it's always taking a risk, when you ... kiss someone new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/but-it-s-always-taking-a-risk-when-you-kiss-someone-new/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [The Rusty Ruins were the remains of an old city, a hulking reminder of back when there'd been way too many people, and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/the-rusty-ruins-were-the-remains-of-an-old-city-a-hulking-reminder-of/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [High school wasn't a trial by fire or some ordeal that had to be survived. It was all a big joke. You just had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/high-school-wasn-t-a-trial-by-fire-or-some-ordeal-that-had-to-be/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [And you've actually watched it yourself?' I asked. 'Willingly?' Sure. I had to see it, you know? Besides we should be safe. Only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/and-you-ve-actually-watched-it-yourself-i-asked-willingly-sure-i-had/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Sometimes, the hardest thing was doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/sometimes-the-hardest-thing-was-doing-nothing/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Sure, zombies can “be a metaphor.” They can represent the oppressed, as in Land of the Dead, or humanity’s feral nature, as in 28…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/sure-zombies-can-be-a-metaphor-they-can-represent-the-oppressed-as-in/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“You don't look very happy." Tally tried to smile. David had shared his biggest secret with her; she should tell him hers. But she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/you-don-t-look-very-happy-tally-tried-to-smile-david-had-shared-his/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Dude, I just watched you climb up a f\*cking building!-Lace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/dude-i-just-watched-you-climb-up-a-f-cking-building-lace/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Weird, even for one of us. Or maybe she's worse." "Worse how?" "Normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/weird-even-for-one-of-us-or-maybe-she-s-worse-worse-how-normal/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Tally smiled. At least she was causing trouble to the end. "I'm Tally Youngblood," she said. "make me pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/tally-smiled-at-least-she-was-causing-trouble-to-the-end-i-m-tally/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Out here, you find out that the city fools you about how things really work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/out-here-you-find-out-that-the-city-fools-you-about-how-things-really/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“Growing up like rewriting is simply admitting how clueless you were not so long ago.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/growing-up-like-rewriting-is-simply-admitting-how-clueless-you-were/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [“The beauty of the world…has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. —Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/the-beauty-of-the-world-has-two-edges-one-of-laughter-one-of-anguish/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [Cure for writer's block: blow something up(in the story)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/cure-for-writer-s-block-blow-something-up-in-the-story/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) [Explore all 321 Scott Westerfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Alek was right behind her now, his body pressing close as he adjusted her sword arm. She hadn't realized this fencing business would be so touchy. He grasped her waist, sending a crackle across her skin. If Alek moved his hands any higher, he might notice what was hidden beneath her careful tailoring. “Always keep sideways to your opponent,” he said, gently turning her. “That way, your chest presents the smallest possible target.” “Aye, the smallest possible target,” Deryn sighed. 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