Early that morning, Medea left the palace with her cloak trailing behind her as she walked towards the barracks. The air was cool and crisp, and the sky was a soft shade of gold and pink.

Zarpha's streets were busy with the sound of merchants setting up their stalls, kids running through the alleys, and the steady beat of soldiers' hooves on cobblestones as they moved through the city.

But none of that mattered to Medea. Her mind was fixed on one thing: the barracks.

She had heard the soldiers of Zarpha were well-trained, and she wanted to see them in action for herself. Not because she doubted their skill, but because she wanted to know where they stood compared to her own expertise.

And if war was coming, as Adrian suspected, then knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the army could be crucial if they were to be allies.

When she arrived at the barracks, she found a quiet spot along the training grounds to observe. She crossed her arms, watching the men spar and drill with practiced ease.

There was a rhythm to their movements, but to Medea's trained eye, it was obvious that many of them were too rigid—too dependent on drills rather than instinct.

It didn't take long for her presence to attract attention.

"Oi!" a gruff voice barked.

Medea turned her head slightly to see a tall, broad-shouldered man striding toward her, his brow furrowed in confusion. He was clearly a captain by the insignia on his armour, and his posture screamed authority. "What're you doing here, woman? This is no place for ladies."

The patronizing tone hit Medea like a slap, but she kept her cool, letting a slow smile spread across her lips. "I was just watching how you train these men," she said sarcastically, "men that with no doubt won't survive a battle with that lackluster technique."

The captain's eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring. "And what would you know about training soldiers or battlefields, eh?" He sneered with contempt.

By now, several of the other soldiers had started gathering around, curious about the brewing confrontation.

Medea's smile didn't waver. She took a step forward, her voice as cold and sharp as a blade. "A lot more than you could imagine, Captain."

The soldiers watching began to murmur among themselves, intrigued by the exchange. The captain's face flushed red with anger, and he took a step closer, looming over her. "I don't know who you think you are, but around here, we don't take orders from some spoilt noblewoman."

Medea raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Spoilt noblewoman?" She chuckled softly, her voice dripping with mock amusement. "It's funny, coming from a man who's likely never faced a real opponent in his life. All that bluster and not an ounce of substance."

A ripple of laughter spread through the soldiers, and the captain's face darkened further. His hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword, but he hesitated.

Medea tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with challenge. "How about this—let's stop wasting time with insults. How about a duel? I don't fancy words. Action, they say, speaks louder than words. Right?"

The captain scowled, clearly weighing his options. "I don't fight women."

Medea's eyes flashed with amusement as she folded her arms across her chest, pushing her boobs up a bit. "Why? Afraid one might put you in your place?" She stepped closer, her tone growing more teasing. "Or are you scared of being humiliated in front of your men?"

The soldiers surrounding them grinned, some nudging each other as they waited for the captain's response. The pressure was mounting, and Medea could see the fire flicker behind his eyes. It was working.

"Enough!" the captain barked, drawing his sword. "You want a duel? Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you."

Medea's smile widened as she reached for her own sword, unsheathing it with a flow. "That's more like it," she purred, stepping into the center of the training ground. The soldiers formed a circle around them, eager to witness the fight.

Without waiting for formalities, the captain lunged at Medea, his sword slicing through the air with surprising speed. But Medea was faster.

She sidestepped effortlessly as she parried his next strike with ease.

The clash of steel echoed through the training grounds, and the soldiers erupted into cheers, some rooting for their captain, others curious to see what this mysterious woman was capable of.

The captain pressed forward, swinging his sword in wide arcs, but Medea remained calm, her eyes never leaving his as she blocked each strike without effort.

She could see the frustration growing in his eyes, the way his grip on his sword tightened with each failed attempt to land a blow.

"You're too predictable," Medea said calmly, blocking another strike and using the momentum to spin around, landing a quick slash across his arm. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to draw blood and make the captain stumble back in shock.

"You'll have to do better than that," Medea taunted. She twirled her sword, her body moving like a predator sizing up her prey.

The captain growled in frustration and charged again, this time with more fury. Medea smirked, dancing out of the way as his sword missed her by inches.

She landed another blow, this time a sharp tap to the back of his leg, causing him to stumble. She could have gone for a more serious hit, but she was toying with him now, showing him just how outmatched he was.

The soldiers cheered louder, some laughing as the captain's frustration boiled over.

"You're not even trying," the captain spat, breathing heavily as he raised his sword again.

"Why should I?" Medea replied coolly. "This fight was over the moment you drew your sword."

Fury flashed in the captain's eyes, and he lunged at her again, his sword aimed at her chest. Medea sidestepped once more, this time spinning behind him and pressing the tip of her sword to his throat in one fluid motion.

The crowd went silent, their eyes wide as they watched the captain freeze in place, sweat dripping down his brow.

"Careful now," Medea whispered in his ear, her voice like ice. "One wrong move, and this could be your last day."

Before the captain could respond, a voice boomed from behind them. "Enough!"

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