It had worked and that was everything that mattered, a rush of glee rising inside her. Elsa hid it, as she did everything else, because frankly, revelling in victory in front of a woman who was neither her friend nor her enemy, seemed unwise. Stepping back, she switched the dagger to her other hand, rotating her wrist. Only the weak impact from her near hit had jarred her arm, and it was tingling. Not wholly unpleasantly, there was a tinge of satisfaction in a limb well used, but she was aware that she was too weak. The advice of being stronger was sound, but difficult to adhere too. Maybe in that other lifetime that Elsa did not remember she had been a stronger woman, but many weeks on the road with little food and shelter had withered any greater strength she might have had.
Studying her opponent, Elsa thought that Imenry hardly had that problem, the woman was made out of lithe muscle, her body just as determined as that glint in her dark eyes. Looking down at her dagger again, it was hard to recall that fierce determination she had felt only an hour ago. The dagger was a distasteful tool and even though she had asked to be taught, she found she no longer cared much for the lesson.
Moving the weapon back into her right hand, she drew a deep breath, focusing. She wanted to go back to the village, but she did not want to admit defeat. Her only option was therefore to stay and fight, however little she wished for it. Changing her grip on the dagger slightly, Elsa stared at it, wanting it to lie as comfortably in her hand as that huge sword did in Imenry's. Pursing her lips with determination, she gripped her hand more tightly around it, spreading her will, letting it seep into her arm, into her hand and into the dagger. It surprised her by turning slightly warm to her touch, and then she felt that tingle on the back of her neck, connecting directly to the dark well of power inside her.
This time, it was not just her who attacked, it was almost her dagger pulling her towards Imenry, the blank shock of it clearing any other thought from Elsa's mind. Attempting the feint and attack once more - because attempting something else when she had found one trick that did work just seemed stupid - Elsa dove towards Imenry. There was more strength in this attempt, but there was also the strain of holding a weapon almost vibrating with insistence to fight.