4th of Cylus 722
While it wasn't exactly a common occurrence for units in the Imperial Military to train during winter-time, one stationed in the Winter Reach could scarcely be choosey about the weather, where it often and almost always snowed the entire year around. Even so, Cylus was a period of lulls even around Winter Reach, where they learned to adapt to the constant snowfall, by digging paths in the white stuff, by keeping everything cleared and neat and tidy.
So it was, that when the last training session was held in early Cylus, before Ashan arrived, Lorogh took it upon himself to participate. He wanted to be a good soldier for the Empire, and prove that Cadouri could be every bit the soldier as the tall folk! He owed it to his people, to give a good impression of himself. While there were other Cadouri who'd wandered to the Empire, he didn't know how many of them had enlisted in the army yet. Only that he was pleased to be among the first.
He arrived at the training yard in the fortress courtyard, where much of the snowfall had been swept away in preparation for the combat training. As part of the infantry, even though his sub-branch was dedicated to seige combat, he needed to know how to defend a position and hold his own should the enemy descend upon his engines of war. It was very important for everyone in the army to be able to defend themselves, even if they rarely saw direct combat.
So Lorogh took stock of the gathering at the yard and saw that a couple of squads had assembled, and little more. There were about a few dozen soldiers all told, and most of them engaged in joint formation training, learning to fight in a shield wall. Lorogh observed for a few moments, after picking out a practice sword and a shield. He was clad in a simple black outfit, that served as the fatigues beneath his black chainmail and plate armor. He pulled his blackened helmet over his head and looked for an opportunity to join in on the training.
It was then, that his eyes drifted to the people who were in single combat training, learning to square off against a single opponent with a shield and sword. One of them, a woman on the short side for a human at five feet tall, was engaged with a Stalwart. The stalwart made a comment, that caused irritation to flash across the woman's face. Within a few moments, she managed to outmaneuver him, trapping his practice blade between hers and her shield disarming him, and flipping him onto the ground. Lorogh was impressed, and more than a little intrigued by this woman. His eyes must've been lingering a little too long on her, as he was taken by surprise at a hand that fell on his shoulder.
"Hey Private Lerake." One of the men called to him. Lorogh knew him as one of the Stalwarts in his squad. "So you taking a fancy to that one?"
"I err... Well she is fetching but, I was more admiring her form."
The stalwart winked at Lorogh, "Yeah I getcha. Forget about it. She's a real ice maiden, won't entertain any suitors, and anyone who so much as tries to warm her up gets a thrashing."
"Is that what happened to that disarmed fellow?" Lorogh looked up at the stalwart, his brow quirked.
The stalwart shrugged, "Hell if I know. Just be warned." Perhaps Lorogh's penchant for chasing skirts had followed him from other parts? Or the man simply was being overcautious. But his warnings only made Lorogh more curious about this 'ice maiden'.
So Lorogh decided to be respectful, as he often was, in his approach to the woman. Maybe she'd like him, maybe she wouldn't, but at any rate she seemed like an ideal sparring partner, being short of stature and having only a foot of height on him.
He walked over, and gave her a otterish grin. "Hello! Let's train!"
She cast a glance over her shoulder at him, pointing her shieldarm at him to show him where to place himself. "Hmph, fine." She certainly seemed to have an icy disposition, even now as the stalwart had warned. But Lorogh wasn't one to be deterred. He was willing to bet she hadn't met his like before!
He stood at the point she'd set him to, and brought up his shield, keeping the blade well behind its rim. She took up a similar stance, only her sword extended a bit beyond the rim. Lorogh kept his ground, and waited for her to make the first move, which she did in just a moment. She advanced on him, and moving the shield to an open position, used that room to strike at him. Lorogh could just about get his shield in the way of her practice sword and his helmet. He could see now that he'd have his work cut out for him as a shorter soldier, defending his headspace. It'd become a very good target for soldiers and enemies that were taller than him.
Her sword bounced against the shield, but he didn't transition from defense to offense yet, but maintained his shield at eye level. Once more, her blade came down, albeit at a different angle, from the inside of his guard to try and bypass his stance and hit one of the unguarded arms. Lorogh twisted his body, and intercepted somewhat clumsily, but was able to protect his arm from a glancing blow by her sword.
The next time she brought her sword around for another attempt at his flank, he was ready. He pushed forward with the shield, simultaneously deflecting the sword. He bashed at her position with his shield as mightily as he could, which was to say not very much at all. He had trouble negotiating a strike with his sword around all the action he was performing with his shield, but supposed that a shield was as good an offensive tool as defensive in this particular situation. Besides, being small had its benefits when it came to having a big shield.
She grunted in consternation as he pushed on her position. Lorogh holding his shield above his line of sight made it so that he was blindsided, when she took her practice sword, and swept his legs out from under him. So down he went tumbling, shield, sword, and all. He held up his arms, in surrender. "Well struck!" He stammered with a slightly less otterish grin than when he'd first greeted her.
"Can I trouble you for a lift, Miss?" He asked, shifting his sword to his shieldarm, as he extended his arm to accept a lift... or not.
But no, she reached down to clasp his hand and pulled him to his feet. Her hands were warm. Human contact! Success! It was a start at least. Plus she wasn't as frosty to touch as the stalwart had led him to believe.
"That was a neat maneuver you did." Lorogh said, trying to warm her up with a compliment. "Can you teach me?"
She seemed to consider him for a moment as if wondering what his angle might be. A few trills later, she nodded with a smile. Really, what was that stalwart talking about? She was a perfectly warm and nice gal. She wouldn't entertain anyone, anyone at all? Well, she was talking to Private Lerake now, Jack!
At any rate, they had time to themselves and training in single combat. She showed him what she'd done, raining a few blows on his defensive position with her sword, earnestly trying to get by his guard and also raising his defenses above his line of sight. That was when she'd strike with a sword against his lower limbs. "Y'see," She began, "Since we're short, we're better positioned to go after the legs... Well, usually I'm shorter than my opponents. And having shorter reach isn't a problem if you're aggressive and ready with a shield, to get in close..."
Here, she tapped his shield with her own, causing him to commit energy to block that obstruction. And that was another opportunity to take her weapon and aim low.
Soon enough, she had him trying it on her. The other soldiers looked on as they giggled, tumbling on the ground over each other, having developed an interesting and warm repoire. The stalwart that had warned Lorogh against her just shook his head, with a smile. "Must be his whiskers. Ladies these days like facial hair."
