Ava twisted her wooden sword and threw Pheros's own weapon from his hand. The five recruits had been training for nearly thirty days now and Ava continued to far outperform her fellows. Pheros watched his wooden sword skitter away, before throwing down his shield and saying solemnly, “I never thought I'd see the day when I was disarmed by one of my own recruits.”

“Sorry, I don't try to be this good,” Ava said apologetically.

“Then I don't know why you are,” replied Pheros, picking his sword back up. “One day you might outclass Valeseus.”

“No, no, no,” Ava insisted, waving her hand dismissively, “I could never be as great as Valeseus. He’s the commander of the Athenian Guard, Athens’ greatest hero. He led our army to victory against Sparta, he slew a trio of ogres and even beheaded a sea serpent!”

“And you  disarmed Pheros after one month of training,” said Pheros flatly.

Ava shrugged. “I'm just a servant girl, you know. It's all I’ve ever done.”

“Maybe you have a greater destiny,” replied Pheros as he readied to fight Narsus, “perhaps you have missed your calling all these years.”

Ava sighed and stared at the ground for a while.

“I'm not born to be a hero,” she said finally, looking up at Pheros.

“Says who?” came a strong voice from behind her.

Ava turned and saw a man approaching. He wore the uniform of an Athenian Guard, his plumed helmet held under his arm. He looked thirty-something, with a warrior's build: tall, broad, and muscular.

“Aaron,” Ava greeted him, saluting.

The man looked at her curiously. “You know me?”

“Of course,” Ava replied, “you’re a close friend of my master Delynqis. You often come to parties at his house.”

Aaron looked a little bewildered, then nodded and said, “Yes, now I recognize you. How long have you been a servant for?”

“Ever since I was young,” Ava replied casually.

“The greatest warrior since Valeseus is a servant girl,” Aaron muttered in disbelief, “well, I’m surprised.”

“The greatest warrior since Valeseus?” snorted Aelynda, walking over and giving Ava a cold look, “says who?”

“Pheros, as it happens,” replied Aaron. “I am here to witness this prodigy.”

Seeing Pheros finish his duel with Narsus, Aaron turned to Ava and asked, “Would you mind giving me a demonstration?”

Ava saw Pheros ready his sword and shield as he stepped forward to face her. Ava turned to him and readied her own weapon. Several moments passed in silence before Aaron shouted, “To battle!”

Ava and Pheros strode towards each other, shields raised. Pheros struck first, his wooden sword clanging off Ava’s shield. As the fight went on Ava realized that Pheros was fighting his hardest, not in the easy-going style he usually used with the recruits.

The fight was long, but eventually Ava knocked Pheros’ shield aside, struck him in the chest with her sword and rammed him with her shoulder. Pheros was knocked to the ground, dropping his sword and shield. Ava put the tip of her sword against his throat, signaling her victory. She stared down at him, breathing heavily, unable to quite believe what had just happened. As Pheros got to his feet, Ava glanced around and saw that everyone was looking at her. She turned slowly to Aaron, who was nodding in approval.

“I didn't mean to be this good,” she said apologetically.

Aaron strode forward and seized her shoulders in a firm grip. He smiled broadly.

“You are the finest recruit I’ve ever seen! The Athenian Guard needs more like you.”

He slapped her shoulder and turned to go, then turned back and said, “Sorry, I forgot to ask your name.”

“Ava,” she told him.

“Keep up the good work, Ava,” he said with a smile, then looked at the other recruits and added, “and the rest of you. I look forward to fighting beside you.”

*   *   *

The next day, after their training was finished, Pheros told the five recruits that he believed them sufficiently skilled to be made fully-fledged Athenian Guards.

“No longer are you recruits,” he told them, “from now on you shall gather here at midday and train with the rest of your battalion.”

Whereupon he presented each of them with a medallion. “Keep these as a symbol of your status.”

As he handed Ava her medallion, he paused.

“You are destined for great things, Ava,” he said solemnly, “mark my words.”

*   *   *

The next day began as expected. Ava woke up early and went about her chores, reminding herself that training would begin at a different time from now on. She arrived at the training grounds at midday, finding it packed with a hundred or so soldiers. She learned that half of the soldiers comprised her battalion, commanded by Aaron, while the other fifty were another battalion under the command of a woman named Nalynis. Ava met up with Narsus and the two of them trained side-by-side. In between exercises, they had the chance to meet some of their new comrades, including Aaron himself who expressed his delight at having Ava in his battalion.

At training's end, Ava and Narsus walked home together in the afternoon sun.

“Look, Ava,” he said suddenly, “I don't know what it is you see in me, but I feel honored that the greatest hero since Valeseus chooses to walk beside me every day after training.”

Ava smiled and rolled her eyes.

“Narsus, I'm just a servant girl, there’s no need to feel honored.”

Narsus stopped and gave Ava a solemn stare.

“You're not just a servant girl, Ava,” he insisted. “How many servant girls are commended by Valeseus himself?”

“What?” asked Ava confusedly.

“Valeseus was at our training grounds today,” Narsus explained. “I didn't notice him either, I think he was trying to be incognito, but Pheros knew he was there and he told me that Valeseus had told him...”

“Yes?”

“That you were the best recruit he’d ever seen.”

“You're kidding.”

“I am not!” insisted Narsus, “we all know it, even if you don't.”

He turned and continued walking. Ava followed him.

“Anyway,” Narsus continued, “what I'm saying is that I don't know why you choose to walk home with me.”

“Because I like you, you're a friend,” replied Ava more angrily than she had intended, “isn't that a good enough reason?”

“You like me?” Narsus asked in surprise.

“Of course, I like you,” said Ava, “you're a nice person.”

Narsus paused, then smiled and said, “I like you too, Ava.”

“Stop embarrassing me,” muttered Ava, but she was smiling too.