Captain Valerius had spent the morning running his men through stretches and drills. He knew he’d been a little hard on the men Golden Shields that morning, but he did not regret it for a minute. Many of them would be going to Egypt for the first time, but nearly all of them were familiar with the challenges of battle – of war. They knew this war with the Egyptians would be no different than what was demanded of them when they fought with their northern enemies. The proud captain had kept his focus on his men, their form, their preparedness. He’d spent very little of the time running his own drills. So, now with the men dismissed to find their amusement for the remainder of their brief time ashore, Valerius had found his way to the practice grounds of the city the Colchian fleet was visiting as they resupplied for the final leg to Egypt. Here is where the dedicated soldier would spend the rest of the daylight hours. Throwing his javelin, swinging his sword, ramming his shield against imagined enemies.

He’d already been at it for a couple hours. Val had shed his armor after throwing the javelin for a while and before starting in with the sword; though his leather armor was lighter than the bronze version that many Colchian’s wore because his unit primarily consisted of peltast warriors rather than hoplite soldiers, it was still just as stifling when one had been working out as hard as Valerius had been. He wore a fine pair of breeches - his tunic having been shed along with his armor) as he twirled and spun with his long sword in great slashes, moving with a grace that seemed incongruent with his size and musculature. Ever had Valerius been skilled with keeping an excellent balance, his center of gravity near perfect with every move. Valerius came to a sudden halt in his sword dance, the edge of his sword held at the level that would have brough it right against the side of an enemy’s neck. He held the pose, breathing deeply, covered in sweat, his jaw set firmly. Val’s narrowed brown gaze shifted beyond his sword and caught sight of a woman in Colchian arraignment across the way, practicing with a shield and knife.

Val lowered his sword, flipping it over and sliding it back in place in the sheath hanging from the belt at his hip even as he brough his rear leg forward to stand at his full height. He strode across the packed dirt of the practice arena, toward the woman. He watched her as he did, noting her stance and maneuvers. ”Spread your feet. Lift your shield higher.” It was instinct after so many years as captain, to fall into that instructional attitude. While it was unheard of in Taengea for a woman to train, it was accepted in Colchis; and while it was unusual even in Colchis for a woman to train with anything other than a bow, Valerius had always been a firm believer in any soldier being prepared for any fight. He paused at his pile of equipment to retrieve his own shield along the way – it too was lighter than, made of dense wood and covered in a thick and tanned hide. He brought his shield to bare so that his face was only visible from the front from the eyes up. He bent his knees and set his feet, the right slightly further back than the left, with toes angled out. ”Come… attack.” It was an offer, the woman could refuse if she wished, after all he was not her commanding officer… but the astute captain suspected that she would not back down from a challenge.

As Val braced himself and set his feet – an automatic muscle memory movement that he didn’t even have to think about anymore – he started to think the woman was going to rebuff his offer of a sparring partner. But then she moved in close and pressed her shield against his. The captain had not viewed his instructions as rude or intruding. He’d simply seen where her techniques could be improved upon, and he did what came naturally to him after ten years of being a captain, and more than a few years of being a lieutenant before that. He followed the line of her sight, and could see she was searching for a way through his defenses. Yes, it was sword against knife. But it would likely be so on the battlefield as well; it would be best she learned how to defeat the longer weapon now.

’I normally prefer to train alone, but I suppose I can make and exception just this once.’

That tone, that biting annoyance. He’d been subject to that before. But where? He narrowed his eyes as he studied her face more closely, trying to place where he could have known her from. But his thoughts were interrupted as his warrior instinct kicked in as the woman very nearly got her knife tip in close enough to nick his sword arm. But he turned his own blade about and deflected her thrust, then he shoved his shield against hers with all his considerable strength– she did not seem to be holding back, so neither would he. ”A fair effort. But fair will see you slain on the field of battle. You led me to your intentions with your eyes.” Val swung his sword in a tight circle, his wrist rolling with the ease of years of practice. ”I too usually practice alone, but nothing can compare to an active sparring target. A chance to learn what your weaknesses are against another warrior.” He smirked and reset himself, tapping the front of his shield with his sword. ”Again!” he challenged.