Sheilah and Fialla’s fencing instructor was a lithe woman a bit taller than Sheilah herself, with glossy black hair in a complicated plait starting at the crown of her head and pulling all of her hair into a thick black rope that brushed her shoulders. She wore a snug leather outfit that seemed more painted on than worn.
“You two are my new students?” She asked in a crisp voice with a sharp accent. Her office was small and adorned with charcoal sketches of men and women fighting with swords. She glanced over Sheilah, and then focused her attention on Fialla, her eyes narrowing.
She looked over the paperwork on her desk. “Private lessons, too.” She muttered, her tone thick with complaint.
“The King asks, and I obey.” She finally stated. “Come with me.”
Her training area was smaller than Sheilah’s study, but it maximized the space completely, with no wasted space. There were a number of thin swords in a rack on the wall, and the floor was covered in stitched leather.
“First, I’ll have the two of you strip. Don’t worry, we’re all women here, and my office is locked.” She announced. “Hop to it; we haven’t got all day, and I’d like to get started quickly.”
Sheilah and Fialla disrobed quickly, though there was some reluctance being naked in front of a complete stranger.
“I forgot to introduce myself, miladies. I am Antonia. I teach fencing to the noblewomen so that they can protect themselves; no doubt you will play at ‘dueling’ with your friends.” She began sourly. “However that’s neither here nor there. Stretch up on your toes, please, and let’s have a look at what we’re working with-”
She cut off her rapid, brisk speech as she saw Fialla with her ears uncovered.
“...right.” She remarked sourly. She was silent for a long moment, and then finally repeated herself.
“Turn your backs to me, arms up over your head, up on your toes.”
Sheilah went and copied the woman’s instructions, and after a moment, Fialla copied her.
“...huh.” Antonia remarked after a moment. “Excuse me a moment, but hold that pose.” She put one hand on Sheilah’s belly and using the fingers of her other hand, prodded back and sides experimentally, and then probed at her spine. Antonia then squatted and then prodded Sheilah’s thigh and calf muscles.
“You’re healthier than the usual noblewoman that comes here, thinking to master the blade.” Antonia begrudgingly approved. “Come down off of your toes and let’s have a look at your arms and shoulders. Which do you use the most, left or right?” She asked.
Sheilah gave her a confused look, but answered, “I can use either just the same, but I prefer to use my right.”
Antonia looked thoughtful. “Both the same?” She asked, and Sheilah nodded.
Antonia prodded her arms and shoulders experimentally.
“Huh.” She replied, and then looked to Fialla. “You’re next, I suppose.”
She subjected Fialla to the same examination, and then frowned.
“You’re not completely elven, are you?” She asked Fialla.
“I’m half.” Fialla replied.
“I had no idea crossbreeding could happen.” Antonia replied, but shrugged. “You’re going to be taller than your average elf, and likely stronger. You’re probably not going to be as nimble as the average elf, given how your muscles are arranged, but there’s ways around that, as I’ll teach you.” She looked towards Sheilah.
“As for you, young princess, you’re going to be a tall one. I’ll have to hand you off to my brother soon.”
“I don’t understand.” Sheilah replied.
“Teaching women and teaching men how to duel is fundamentally the same thing. However, women are shorter and more petite than men, so there’s adjustments made. For example your elven friend is going to have to focus on closing with her opponent quickly, getting inside their guard and striking accurately. Men naturally have longer reaches, and can threaten a larger area, so as I said, you’ll need to make changes.”
“What do you mean I won’t be as ... nimble as an elf?” Fialla asked. “And what did you mean, when you said that there’s a way around that?”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Antonio pointed to the muscles on Fialla’s arms, and then pointed to the corresponding groups on Sheilah’s.
“They’re placed slightly differently, which means they move differently. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be trained to compensate for that.” Antonia explained.
Sheilah nodded, and after a moment Fialla nodded, too.
Antonia stepped back. “Okay, you can put your tits away. Get dressed. Today we’ll start with footwork.”
As Sheilah and Fialla dressed, Antonia rolled out another leather sheet, with numbered marks for feet.
Fialla laughed prankishly. “Look Sheilah, it’s your favorite.”
“I’m going to hit you.” Sheilah warned.
“You’ve seen something like this before?” Antonia asked, though she seemed to understand what Filla was saying.
“Dance practice.” Fialla confided with a laugh.
Antonia nodded. “Dance footwork is very similar in concept.” Antonia replied seriously. “It’s about posture, weight distribution, how you move your body, shifting your weight. Since a sword fight also has a partner, it’s just as important to be aware of how your opponent moves- the difference between the two is embarrassing your partner or killing them.”
She took her place in the circle. “These are the basic maneuvers for your feet. Watch my feet, watch my body, watch my posture, watch how I keep my weight and balance distributed.” She picked up a sword similar to Sheilah’s and assumed her stance, then she moved around the circle, stepping through each pattern smoothly. She didn’t slide or drag her feet, she didn’t shuffle, she made a corrective step that moved her sideways and forward as she slipped in and out of several loosely described circles on the mat.
“She moves like a hunter.” Fialla whispered.
Sheilah nodded. It was like Antonia was facing an invisible threat in front of her, and even though she was holding her sword straight in front of her and not doing anything with it, it completely looked to the two girls that Antonia was probing for a weakness.
After three full circles, Antonio dropped her arm that held her sword, and turned to the two girls.
“Were you paying attention during your gossip session?” She asked acerbically.
Sheilah gestured for the sword, and Antonia handed it over. Sheilah stepped onto the leather sheet and settled her feet before holding out the sword as Antonia did.
“First mistake.” Antonia called, “but keep going.”
Sheilah prowled around the circles, trying to follow the footwork that Antonia showed, while Antonia called out the increasing number of mistakes.
After the third circle, Antonia waved her hands. “Stop, stop, stop. You’re done. I’ve seen enough.” She shook her head.
“You favor shifting your body away too much- it’s fatal. If this were a fight, I could cut the sword out of your hand, and without a hand, I could kill you at my leisure.” She pointed down at her own feet. “You move your foot like this-” she demonstrated, “When you really should just step sideways... or back. You need to keep your posture, keep your balance, and you’re giving that up when you move your foot like that.”
Sheilah frowned. “It feels wrong to move that way.” She complained. “I should be going forward instead of to the side or back.”
“Well, your feelings will get you killed.” Antonia replied caustically. “In a sword fight, you have a sword that can kill them, but they also have one, and they’re just as interested in killing you... so take a step to the side or a step back, so that you can live a little longer.” She rolled her eyes. “Your first mistake was not raising your weapon before you found your feet. Threaten first; everything comes afterward.”
After several hours of footwork practice punctuated with Antonia’s scathing and mocking commentary, Antonia finally called an end to the session.
“Despite how it might have seemed, I’m impressed with you- the both of you. Most women give up after I make them strip. The ones that stay quit after the first hour.” Antonia complimented. “You’ve got the strength and endurance to duel well. In a few days, we’ll see if you’re fast enough with a blade to make it all worthwhile. In the meantime, eat well.”
They stepped from the training area to Antonia’s office, where Andrea was waiting. She gave a respectful bow to Sheilah, and a nod to a scowling Antonia.
“I locked that door.” She accused.
Andrea nodded. “So you did. However, I am friendly with most doors, and so when I asked nicely, it opened for me.”
Antonia narrowed her eyes. “Don’t ever do that again.”
Andrea looked pointedly at Sheilah, and then back to Antonia. “You know as well as I, who she is and what she represents. In the interests of keeping her safe, I think we should come to an amicable arrangement.” She passed a leather clad bottle to Sheilah, and another to Fialla. “Cool tea, miladies.”
She then refocused her attentions on Antonia.
“I don’t like you.” Antonia decided.
“I can’t say I’m fond of you, either.” Andrea replied. “But our responsibilities are the same.”
Antonia nodded at that.
Sheilah and Fialla left, accompanied by Andrea.
“You have skills beyond what is expected, don’t you?” Sheilah asked curiously.
“Well, I suppose it depends on your expectations,” Andrea replied. “But my skills are the reason that I have earned the Queen’s explicit trust, and it’s my hope that I will eventually earn yours.”
Sheilah and Fialla traded looks.
“We’ll see.” Sheilah replied, but Fialla added something extra: “Thank you for the tea.”