These poses are actually pretty good, but the nameless female is in real trouble - she doesn't have the reach or the shield, and unless she's far more skilled then he is, she's not going to get past his kite shield. Even if she does, a dagger and shorts word won't be of much use against armour. Believe me, I've tried.

In this fight, a smaller fighter like her should wield a halberd or a glaive - an armour piercing weapon that can hook round his shield and outreach his sword. She could use it to trip him up, "cut" his tendons or "slash" his neck. Because she can use it in both hands, she can both compensate for her smaller size and use reach to outmatch his defences. And trust me - polearms are much faster than most people give them credit for.

Oh she gets her ass kicked, totally in this fight. Magnus turns into a turtle and proceeds to break wooden training weapons all over her. You are correct. The fight was just to evaluate her skills, but Magnus used it as an opportunity to vent his displeasure with barbarians all over the field.

Which will make it all the more fun when she learns how to kick his ass.

It doesn't quite happen that way, but she does have to save his fat from the fire later.

Her short sword will indeed make a dandy shield -- once she's trained to hold it correctly.

training training