Alright guys time to get back on topic, or if you want I can split the topic in two and create a new one for the duel discussion. To sum, actually battles with infantry have a chance to increase your swordfighting skill, it's just very slow, and in the past at least age did affect the decline of your skill (skill has a constant decline at the moment, all skills).
Now back on topic: Vix just created a new realm and signed peace with them, so the north has an 'extra' enemy so it seems and Caligus was the first to declare war.