You agree to a sparring match.

You leaned back against the wall and said, "You want to train? Well i'm going to need my weapon, it's important to my style."

"Really? You use a sword, does it matter if it's curved or not?" Aera asked a bit surprised,

"It's about balance," You explained as Aera turned around and walked to a chest. As she opened it and received your sword, "I'm sure with your training you think of your weapon as a tool, correct?"

"Yeah of course, it's a useful tool but I was always taught that I need to work without it encase I lose it." Aera replied as she handed your sword back to you,

"See that's a basic training thought, I learned that lesson as a child. That was how I first learned to fight but by the time I was ten I learned that a my weapon should be thought as an extent of the body." You continued to explain,

"Ten?" She asked wide eyed, "You've been training and fighting since you were a kid?"

"Indeed, it's been my life. My specific training isn't just fighting, it's an art form." You replied as Aera lead you out the back door into the training yard. The yard was very simplistic, a simple stone arena was in the center while they had a few training dummies and archery targets, "This is your training yard?"

"Yeah, the city guard didn't really have much funding." Aera replied a bit embarrassed,

"Uh-huh." You said with a small nod, "Then i'm right to assume that you don't have training armor or weapons either."

"Yeah..." Aera replied as she stopped in the center of the arena, "We keep our sheaths on."

"Well I suppose we can do that." You replied as you positioned yourself, "Let me ask you something, you were surprised by how long I've trained. How long have you been training?"

"I joined the guard two years ago, before that I was the daughter of a baker." She said with a little smile,

You looked at her and slowly shook your head before smirking, "Well i suppose I should take it easy here."

For the next three hours you and Aera sparred with each other, despite her best attempts she continued to fail against you. Simple deflections or moving around her to access her weak points continued to put you ahead. You finally called for the end of training, "Alright, alright, I think that's enough for one day."

"What? No! I am just starting to get this, I can beat you." She said as she took some heavy breaths,

"Well you're thinking wrong. The only thing that will make you get this is time and rest. You've learned as much as you can today, now you're trying to use brunt **** to overwhelm my defense." You replied simply, "You still did well, but that's enough."

Aera continued to breath heavily as she wiped her brow of sweat, she angrily dropped her sword and grabbed her long hair that was sticking to her skin and tied it into a ponytail, "Fine, tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow." You replied agreeing with a nod,

She took a slow breath and stuck out her hand to shake yours. You took hers and shook it firmly, "Thank's for this John, with Alto doing what they're doing I'd feel safer with better training."

"Of course, if i'm being honest I think all of you should have a better level of training. We didn't have the numbers but you guys do, meaning if you fight well you could have a chance against Alto." You said firmly,

Aera nodded thoughtfully before picking up her sword, "I could spread the word, maybe you could lead a training detail." She said with a little smile as the two of you headed back into the guard house.

You nodded as you put your sword on a shelf, and turned away heading towards the door, "I'll think it over, have a good night Aera."

"Hey John, hold up a second." Aera called to you as she took off her chest plate, "I get relieved for the night in about an hour, want to head to the tavern, get some food?"