"Very well," he said. He'd never heard of a 'naginata', but as the word sounded as though it originated from the Far East he didn't find that particularly surprising. Thankfully most basic principles of wielding a polearm were somewhat universal. "In the right hands, a polearm can be wielded with a certain amount of grace, but if you intend to wield one in earnest as you claim, you would be well served perfecting a solid stance and strengthening your arms before attempting anything like dancing with one."

He drew his own bone-tipped spear, affecting a basic ready stance by way of demonstration. "A solid stance should have your feet neither too close nor too far apart. If your stance is too narrow, your own weapon may overbalance you; this is doubly true for someone of slight stature, like yourself. If your stance is too wide, it will make movement awkward and your strikes will lack power as a result. When gripping your weapon, your dominant hand should be behind; it will provide most of the power behind your thrust, while your off hand helps to support and guide your weapon. Do you understand thusfar?"