A commanding presence

The morning started about as Dahlia expected. While she had woken up early to be with Valentina, she had returned to bed after and had only just woken up when Bessie walked in. She squinted her eyes a bit and tried to see the maid more clearly but it was still pretty tough. It felt like she was looking through fogged glass.

Despite that, at the right distance and a bit of focus, she could make out details and she had done exactly that yesterday the moment her eyes were 'fully healed'. Due to a surplus of curiosity, the first thing she had tried to see at the time was her maid, and back then she was just a little surprised. This morning she was repeating that experiment with her sight to see if she was seeing things correctly before but… yup.

The maid was… how to say this? Incredibly well endowed. Maybe it was because of her minotaur-kin heritage, but her figure was so extreme that Dahlia had seriously questioned her new eyesight. Yet there she was, going about daily duties like she didn't have a pair of massive reasons to complain.

Frankly once she saw the woman's appearance, doubt began to creep back into her mind as to whether the maid could actually double as a guard. Again she tried to respect both Valentina for assigning her and Bessie for being honest, but the idea of this woman acting as a warrior was just hard to imagine.

Other than the features that had left Dahlia shaking her head in wonder, the rest of the maid was quite lovely. Long wavy auburn hair, pale freckled skin, emerald green eyes, and a pair of moderate sized horns were positioned at either of her temples. She had a mature disposition and appeared to maybe be in her forties, so despite the initial shock, the woman seemed to honestly fill the motherly role Dahlia associated with her in aesthetic along with her personality.

Being served by her though… it became a little awkward. Dahlia was already confident in her exclusive love for the Archduchess. There was something about her that fully captivated Dahlia like nothing else. Despite that though, the vampiress had also awakened Dahlia's sexuality and while she had no intentions towards her maid and would very much prefer to remain friends, she couldn't help but blush and avert her gaze whenever Bessie moved about.

'Oh gods, she's too much of a sweetheart for me to treat her differently like this. I feel guilty when I look at her but I also feel guilty when I look away. I just want to be friends with her so why am I like this?!'

Simply put, the answer was that she was just far too gay and shy. The combination was making her mind spin and she just wasn't able to keep up. Sighing, Dahlia braced herself and, despite the furious blush that spread across her face, she desperately struggled to behave nonchalantly and act normally.

She was actually doing a good job of that as well and she wouldn't have been caught if not for her tomato red face. Bessie however ignored it for the most part. She was more than accustomed to rude or unwanted looks and right now Dahlia was being totally harmless; if anything the girl was being pretty cute and tugged on the maid's desire to tease her but she held back.

Maybe in the future she'd do that, but if it went poorly, it could really put a crack in the foundation of their relationship, and she didn't want that. Instead she just smiled gently and treated Dahlia well, shaking her head at just how easily flustered the girl was. She couldn't help but think of the Archduchess and figured that Dahlia really did fit the prey motif that Valentina enjoyed so much.

The two were shockingly well suited for each other in concept, and if the few times she witnessed them interacting was anything to go by, then they were a wonderful pair in practice as well. There were just a few concerns that the maid had. While discussing things in her office, Valentina had shown such protectiveness and possessiveness that it seemed a little unhealthy. Not to the extent that she would lock the girl up, but it treaded a fine line. One that, depending on Dahlia's own personality, could very easily be crossed.

Bessie could only hope that Dahlia would be open to receiving that obsessive nature because from all of her experiences, she had never once noticed the Archduchess manage to adjust her personality. Small adaptations to fit a person or situation, sure. But this mania that Valentina had started to show seemed too innate and ingrained to be able to hide. If Dahlia could handle it, great! If not though… she just prayed it wouldn't be an issue. She dreaded to see either of the women hurt.

With breakfast already almost finished, Dahlia finally spoke up after a long silence as she finally got the courage to start talking to Bessie again.

"So uhm, what exactly do I need to know about my trainer. What was it? Lilli? Are there quirks I should be aware of, or anything in particular to avoid? Also, I'm kinda curious what their background and abilities are if it's ok to ask."

Bessie nodded, happy to finally have a break from the silence.

"Yes, so Lilli is the commander of all guards and personal soldiers of the Lukresh grand duchy. Because she's in such a high position, she typically does a lot of paperwork and is stuck in the castle, but just because she pushes paper don't let that fool you. She's a remarkable warrior, probably the strongest under the Archduchess' command. I've never beaten her and, although this might be sacrilegious, I suspect that Her Grace wouldn't be able to beat her either; she's just that much of a power house."

Dahlia began picturing a massive buff woman who used a giant sword to beat people to death. Just as that image began to solidify, Bessie dashed it away with a little grin.

"You'll have to witness her before you make too many conclusions because I can guarantee you she isn't what you expect. You asked if she has any quirks and I'd say… unless you want to fight her, don't bring up anything that might be demeaning. I know when I first met her I said she didn't look imposing and then she beat me within an inch of my life until I learned that she was far more imposing than I could have ever imagined."

She let out a chuckle as the memories flooded back. There had been a few instances like that where she slipped up in what was said and then immediately regretted it. The commander didn't hold grudges for things like this. She just beat the shit out of you to prove her point and then moved on with her day.

"Finally, I think you should figure some things out for yourself but I'll tell you a couple things. She has the bloodline of a valkyrie in her veins and also worships the goddess of death and battle. I'll keep things hidden for now, but I'll just give you a hint that she adapted her faith into her schema and it's pretty unique."

Dahlia nodded, understanding the need for some surprises later, but the idea of a religious schema was intriguing. It's not that she hadn't heard of them before. Clerics, warpriests, inquisitors, and paladins would all often use religious schema. The thing was, they were often very hit or miss. Because a deity's tenets would have to be incorporated into an aspect, if they didn't mesh well it could cause major problems.

However when done successfully they have been some of the strongest schema on record. Not because of their foundation, but because the specifier is so profound. Instead of a pair of words defining the mindset of the schema, instead the specifier would have the reinforcement of an entire faith behind it. Devotion and belief when paired with the right aspect could become absurdly strong.

Considering Lilli was well recognized for her strength, Dahlia could only assume she was a case where a religious schema was effective. Just thinking about witnessing it made her excited. Quickly, she finished up her breakfast and got ready. There was no set time to begin the lesson, it would just begin when Dahlia showed up, and now with what she had heard from Bessie she was eager to meet her new teacher.

On the way to the training area Bessie had to lead her in the right direction. The castle was too huge and she still lacked any sense of direction or location in the place. After about ten minutes of walking however, they finally arrived in a spot Dahlia wasn't expecting. When she heard training grounds, she imagined a dusty pit outside or perhaps a bare and rugged interior room. However what she found was an enclosed courtyard surrounded by trees and lush gardens with a grassy clearing in the middle. She was about to ask if this was really the correct place when a bright voice suddenly rang out.

"Oo, Bessie! I see you're here earlier than anticipated and you brought our new guest along. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you My Lady, I hope our training together is beneficial for you."

As the woman approached, the rattling of armour could be heard. It wasn't as loud as the full plate Dahlia was familiar with in the barony, but it certainly didn't seem stealthy. Squinting a little, she could make out that the commander seemed to be a rather short woman, around the same height as herself. Five foot six, with dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a set of scars running from her temple to her jaw, the woman, despite her size, radiated an imposing aura. It was a commanding presence impossible to ignore.

She was wearing a purple and black tabard with brigandine underneath, so she looked rather broad, but once her face could be seen, it was apparent she was actually quite fair. When she realised that the outfit made the woman look larger than she was and that she was actually similar to herself, Dahlia became a little excited. If someone with her physique can be a badass, so can I!

As if reading her thoughts, Lilli reached out and teasingly squeezed Dahlia's forearm before letting out a light laugh.

"And what are these for? Bessie, have you been malnourishing her? Where did her muscles go? All teasing aside, I could see it in your eyes. Although we may have similar stature, I'm far more muscular than you. Not just because I trained either. Trust me, I did a lot of that too, but I'm also naturally better at growing muscle than you."

It was like her hopes had instantly been dashed on a rock. 'No hope for me I guess' was already going through her head when a gauntlet-covered hand suddenly clasped her shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I said that not to tell you you were bound to fail. What I want is for you to understand that you're different from me. Just because we have some similarities, it doesn't mean we have to compare ourselves like that, got it?"

Dahlia nodded dumbly, not entirely sure how to take it all. Despite being rather forthright and intimidating at first, this commander seemed to be quite friendly and easy to get along with. She already felt herself sinking into a natural state of comfort in the woman's company.

"Now then, what I specialise in is sword and board, or sword and shield combat as the civies call it. I use a roundshield as a means to block and pin attacks as well as a source to hide vision of myself as much as possible and then attacking around the shield. Sword and board is all about holding off the enemy and then out manoeuvring them. I'd say that it isn't flashy, but it certainly gets the job done and matches well against a ton of other weapons."

Dahlia was already in student mode by this point and was obediently taking mental notes of anything and everything that seemed important.

"The reason why I tell you what I specialise in is so you can begin to build your own repertoire. You may not use this combat style, but knowing how it works can benefit you if you need to fight against it. I plan to put you through a few tests to gauge your abilities, but for now I'm suspecting this isn't for you. Although you don't need the strength to wield a claymore, holding a roundshield like mine in position for any length of time can wear on you. Add on that you are expected to block attacks and pin arms and weapons, and suddenly a fair amount of strength is needed. Something you don't exactly have."

Dahlia didn't need to look at herself to see what she was talking about. She was well aware of her lack of physique, though hearing it from someone else's mouth was certainly despiriting.

"What I'm expecting is that I'll be training you in something that lets you ignore strength as much as you can. That means we'll need to rely on your dexterity instead. Also, although ranged weapons might be more comfortable to you in concept, they're a nightmare to use in practice unless you have ideal conditions. Considering we are doing this to protect you for an assassination or something, you will basically never be in an ideal situation, so that entire variety of combat is out."

She pulled out a slip of paper and began writing down notes. Dahlia couldn't see it but when it was handed over to Bessie and the direction to get all those weapons came, Dahlia began to understand.

'That was a long list. Even if we spend only a few minutes on each, I'll still be late for my date - I mean tour.'

Seeing Dahlia fidgeting, Lilli just shook her head chuckling.

"Don't you worry. While Bessie is away, we'll be going through the tests. By the time she gets back I'll have narrowed down your options based on how you perform. I feel bad asking her to retrieve so many, but this will optimise our time. Now follow me, I set up the tests early this morning."

What followed was a set of tests that Dahlia had anticipated, as well as some she hadn't expected. Running laps, pushups, sit ups, curls, pullups, and more. An intensive workout that drove her to the brink was used to determine her body's limits. But instead of being done there, they continued onto categories she was less mentally prepared for.

Tests to dodge projectiles, to react to certain stimuli, to climb a wall with handholds, to play a strategic board game, to play a bluffing game. The list went on and by the end of it all, Dahlia was both physically and mentally exhausted. Even despite her academic acumen, some of the things they tested today made her brain think in ways it never had to do before.

Finally, the last test of the day was a 'sparring' session. Considering Dahlia didn't have a weapon or shield in her hands though, that really wasn't a fair title for it. Rather, Lilli wanted to test how Dahlia would react to an open ended solution while under pressure.

She reduced the speed of her attacks so they came at a crawl. Not only that, but she mixed in telegraphed attacks as well as sneaky hidden manoeuvres as well and by the end, this test above all else was telling.

Dahlia froze up in almost every single instance, however it wasn't out of fear or not knowing how to react. Instead she was hyper analysing things and then getting analysis paralysis. The girl who could process ideas and information rapidly would quickly succumb to her own thought processes and get overwhelmed by options and what-if scenarios.

The other notable part of this test revealed just how quick witted Dahlia could be. She may have been going in slow motion, but the initial reaction speed Dahlia had was actually remarkable. She would recognize the movements of a hidden attack before Lilli even planned to reveal it. Her ability to read body language was remarkable and if not for her freezing up, she'd probably be a natural at reading her opponents.

After all was said and done, Dahlia was feeling dejected as if she had failed everything, but Lilli had something very different in mind. Yes, there was a lot of work to do in order to overcome some issues but the promise the girl showed was incredible. She just needed a bit of polish and suddenly she would shine.

The commander walked over to the multitude of weapon racks that Bessie had set up and peered over them. As she watched from the sidelines, Dahlia could tell that the selection wasn't going to be arbitrary. Apparently, Lilli had already made a decision and all that was left was hunting the weapon down.

Dahlia could feel her heart sink. Something about the idea of being a total failure in this really didn't sit right with her. She had performed well in nearly all mental tests but in the physical ones the only one she performed even moderately well on was her reaction speed.

After being humbled by test after test, Dahlia was barely holding back the tears as she started to spiral and think about her uselessness. That is until a small cough could be heard as the commander cleared her throat. There, standing before Dahlia was Lilli holding one sword in either hand, both with substantially different shapes, sizes and overall designs. With a bit of a sly smile on her face Lilli dangled both blades in front of Dahlia before declaring her decision.

"This is going to be a style completely unique to you, but I'm going to train you to be the best damn dual sword fighter the world has ever seen."

…What?"