Ulric slowly exhaled in the House Treny training hall, drawing his Rapier and moving his free hand behind his back. There was no training dummy, no sparring partner, no wooden target for him this cold evening, just the very air itself. He felt the comfortable weight of the blade in his hand, a solid friend that had been a gift to him on his appointment to the house guard and he all but slept with the weapon, so much was it a part of him now.
In a single fluid motion, he lunged, extending his leg behind him to increase his reach, then withdrew and lunged yet again. Perfection, absolute focus on his craft, was something that the weapon masters of the house had drilled into him time and time again and he was not about to shame them with sloppy footwork. Again and again he repeated the extensive motion, continuing to literally drive the point into a non-existent home.
He wasn't the best, not yet anyway. He had heard of heroes going forth and coming back with treasure and stories... of men who could split boulders with their axes and of those to whom the night was a second home. But he knew that with time, focus, and dedication, he would be able to prove himself of value and worth to a house that was of an arcane bent.
A bead of sweat formed on his forehead as he continued to lunge and recover, but he ignored it. It was a point of his technique to continue on for as long as he could. Part of him wanted to cavort, to tumble, to roll... but the lunge needed work and so he focused time and time again, driving the glittering steel into the air time and time again.
Time passed, marked by the slow movement of the sunlight across the floor, but Ulric continued to focus on what he perceived as a small weakness in his technique. Anyone could pinpoint a target on a board, it took a little more skill to strike a dummy without it clouting you in the back of the head, and of course, sparring partners were always there with their own techniques, tactics and tricks.
He drew himself up into a standing stance once more, then flicked the Rapier forward before rotating his wrist in a feint then attack. Once more, he went through the drill, seeking to pour the knowledge into his muscles so that when the time came for the technique to be called upon, it would be as seamless as possible. His life would depend on it... along with the lives of any that he was with.
Finally, his body starting to shake, he knew that he had reached the end of his endurance and he sheathed the Rapier in it's scabbard and walked slowly to the door. It had been a productive session he felt, but self assessment was always tricky. He knew it would take someone else to properly evaluate him, but for now... he had a meal to have and work to do.
He walked out of the hall and saluted one of the house guards who came to attention as he passed. He was still getting used to his position as a Captain of the House Guard of House Treny. But he knew with time, it would be as natural as breathing. And the art with the rapier would continue to grow... he smiled as he walked into the barracks of the house to have a meal.