She's good - you're better

The young woman is surprisingly good. After what you have seen so far from the men of Athenapolis you had expected wild swings much like her brother's inept attempt in the garden this afternoon. Instead she uses a style popular among gladiators and duelists.

Her blade is held at three-quarters height and her off hand is low and to her side. Most training given to the hoplites of Heliopolis was in formation fighting with shield and spear. A regular fighting man separated from his phalanx might be at a loss when confronted by this brash young woman.

Fortunately for you, your childhood experience as a street-rat and the extra training you received to prepare you for this type of special missions has you familiar with this style of fighting. In fact, you and your men had trained in the same gladiator pits as the men who used this style. Still, you approach the proud teen with caution, her blade looks as sharp as yours and neither of you are wearing any armor. Circling her just out of her reach you try to distract her with your questions.

"Where did you learn to fight girl?" You ask her as you feint a slash towards her left thigh. Her blade begins to drop in a graceful parry just as you expected, but she recognizes the feint easily and returns to her guard position before you can launch a real attack.

"My brother hated weapons training, so I talked his tutor into teaching me in his place." That explains a great deal, the boy's undisciplined attack in the garden as well as her practiced skill, but leaves more questions unanswered.

"Your father allowed..." Before you can finish the question Adriana throws a classic combination: a high thrust, then fake a low swing followed by a roll of the wrist over the dropping guard of the defender and a vicious thrust to the belly. You had practiced this exact combination many times and even used it more than once to good effect. Instead of trying to block the low slice you shift your feet and are ready for the thrust when it comes.

You are able to grab her wrist as she extends her arm in the lunge and pull her off balance and against your chest. She gasps as she feels your blade rest on her clavicle.

“Your father allowed this?” You ask again as she freezes knowing that with a slight movement of your arm you could slice her neck open and spill her blood onto the white tiled floor. “And however did you convince this weapon's master to teach you instead?” What could this pretty thing have offered to a make a professional risk his reputation and livelihood?

“Of course not!" Adriana snorts in a mixture of contempt and amusement "But Father hated swordplay even more than Nicky did.” She tells you as she awaits her fate “He never visited the gymnasium, and as for Kylotanes that hairy old satyr would do anything for a young girl to fuck.” You feel a flash of anger as you realize that someone else had already stolen this slut’s cherry. Still unwilling to damage your prize, you instead slice her dress cutting through the material over her left shoulder. The razor sharp blade cuts the shear fabric easily and the dress falls away exposing her flawless tit. You push her away laughing at her as she resumes her guard position irritated by your action but refusing to change her stance for the sake of modesty.

“So you let this hairy old man fuck you in exchange for training you?” You tease hoping to provoke her into another overly aggressive attack.

“What?” She is clearly stunned by your words “Not me you idiot!” She accompanies the angry words with a double slash to your face that makes you step back. “I’d bring him father’s slaves to enjoy.” Her angry pride makes you smile, of course an aristocratic beauty like Adriana wouldn't have let herself be used by a common swordmaster. That is until you best her and then she’ll be yours to do with whatever you like. Spurred by this new thought you drop to the floor and attempt a leg sweep, but she nimbly hops over your leg swinging at your withdrawing foot as she lands.

“Try that again little man!” She returns your taunts. “I’ll break your kneecap next time.” She looks just like an Amazon as she stands with her sword in her hand defiantly mocking you and making no attempt to conceal her bare breast.

You're better than her, you have no doubt of that, but unlike you this young woman has no reservations about cutting you to bloody pieces, you on the other hand need to find a way to defeat her without damaging this beauty. Already you regret letting her out of your grasp when you had your blade to her throat.