The morning found us all in line outside an open-air tent. Meera and Lily darted around in excitement, occasionally bumping onto people. While Felix looked nervous. I leaned over, poking his side. "Nervous about meeting the Mayor's daughter in the marriage bed, eh."

Felix made a barfing sound before telling me he wants the second place prize. A storage ring with ten cubic yards of space. I nodded. It makes more sense for a man who wants to be a traveling smith when he finishes his apprenticeship with his Dad.

When we got to the front, I snatched up Meera while Felix grabbed Lily as we walked toward the three people sitting behind a long table. One young woman waved us over. "Kids obstacle course signups are here." The other two waved Felix over and began asking him several questions and handing him a crystal that glowed a dull green before waving him through a gate to the side of the tent. May and I took Meera and Lily to the young woman while the rest of the group split off to find good seats to watch.

We got the two signed up, and May left with the girls I was about to follow after Lily's family when the young woman asked if I wanted to sign up for the tournament too. I laughed. "No, thank you, my girlfriend would kill me if I took home a fiance." Most of the adults laughed.

A sneering face suddenly broke the good mood. "The cripple knows he has no chance so why try, you should hide behind that woman the rest of your life like a coward."

Smirking, I continued to walk away, throwing a remark of my own back. "How's the family jewels? I think I heard a pop last night when you threatened to rape my girlfriend. I had hoped you might have learned a lesson, but I suppose I could ask May to give a remedial course." His face paled, but I don't know if he said anything else as I disappeared into the crowd looking for our spot.

A pleasant voice spoke to my side. "Why won't you fight that young man he did insult you and your girlfriend?"

Not even looking, I answered without thinking. "I don't fight with children."

A soft laugh from the person walking to my side caused me to glance over. I couldn't say she made an impression, she stood an inch or so under me, and she had green eyes—soft pale silk-covered everything else. "You realize how silly that sounds coming from one who is obviously younger than the Young Master Brightstone."

Brightstone, why is that name so familiar? "Sorry miss, I need to find the group I came with. I want to watch my daughter play on the obstacle course."

She raised a dainty eyebrow. "Daughter? Well, whatever, you will find the children over on the east side. By the way, what's your name, if I may?"

I told her as I walked toward the direction she pointed. What was her deal anyway?

I found the group relaxing under a tree. Rachel sat leaning back against her husband's chest, watching smugly as May was surrounded by a gaggle of women near the obstacle course. A group of four to ten-year-olds also surrounded Meera and Lily. I looked around curiously until I spotted a group of older children grouped around a more complicated apparatus.

A few minutes later, a man with a red sash talked to the children then shooed them into a line. He dropped a small white cloth that made a bang a moment later, and the children darted off. Most of the children had focused looks on their faces, but a few, like Lily and Meera, would swerve to jump into every mud puddle while laughing merrily. Those children also seemed to get the most attention from the crowd. I could also point out the parents of the children who took this game seriously as they all had smug looks on their faces regardless of whether anybody cared who won.

Meera and Lily were holding hands while balancing on a wide plank laid over a huge mud pit when a young boy shoved them off laughing the entire time, even as both Meera and Lily grabbed his legs, dragging him down too. That's when an impromptu mud fight began attracting every child but three to join. I felt bad for those three. They passed the finish line, but nobody paid them hardly any mind. The referee handed them a sack each before going to watch the children in the mud pit. The boy and two girls looked between their parents and the mud pit before tossing the sacks and joining in. Two men walked out to pull the planks away to make more room, getting a few splatters for their trouble.

I watched Meera while leaning against the tree. That's how I was when a man with a sash ran over shouting, "Walter Liu, who is Walter Liu? You are wanted on stage three for your first fight." I stood frozen as everyone under the tree turned toward me in confusion. Except for Rachel, she had a most disapproving look on her face. Faster than I thought possible, May and two muddy girls also arrived. May's face was dark and threatened bad things to come, while Meera looked shocked.

"I don't want a stranger for a mommy; I want May." Meera said while stomping her tiny foot and looking like she was going to cry at any moment.

Ignoring the staff member, I knelt. "I would never bring a mommy without discussing things with my little girl first." Then I stood to face the man. "I never signed up for this tournament, and I have no interest in being a pawn in some wealthy family's games."

I planned to take Meera's hand to leave when we could hear the familiar voice of the Young Master Brightstone over the crowd's murmurs. "That's right, walk away, coward, hiding behind a woman and child. That's all a cripple is good for."

I sighed. "Why do you want to fight me? I don't know you, nor do I care to get involved in whatever farce this tournament is used for." I noticed his eyes dart to May for a split second. "Ah, so that's it the mayor's daughter isn't enough for you, and you think you are owed more, is that right? You took a fancy to May, and you think you have the right to take her for yourself. Well, I got news for you, buddy. That is something May can decide for herself. Me fighting has no bearing on what May does. Even if by some miracle you beat me, do you honestly believe she will follow you willingly? Have you ever considered who her parents might be? Or mine, for that matter." Of course, I wasn't too sure myself. Hints I picked up from May's conversations and how Rachel treated me after talking to May's parents, I am somewhat certain they were important to the Liu clan.

"Enough, none of this changes the fact that you are a coward who hides behind a woman." Brightstone shouted red-faced.

Why don't you fight May if your so interested in her? was what I wanted to ask, but instead, I turned to May in exasperation, who shrugged. "Fine, we can fight, but I have no interest in the tournament, so we can get this over with here and now. When we're done, don't bother my family or me again, got it?"

With a look of glee, Brightstone stood tall. "This duel is to the death. Everyone here is my witness." This time everyone shook their heads but agreed. The staff raised a brow then invited us to use the stage. Then he ran off to explain what was happening to the rest of the staff and the leading families who put this show together.

I took Meera's hand and walked by May's side toward the stage indicated by the pompous moron. At that moment, a familiar face leered at me from the crowd. I see, so that's why the name Brightstone is so familiar. I nudged May, indicating the man. She scoffed, "that figures it must be a blood disease." I continued to keep an eye on the man even watched him pass something small to the boy I am about to fight. I shook my head. Great, I wonder what those two fools have cooked up?

May and I sat side by side with Meera flopped over in my lap while we waited for the staff to get things set up. Neither Meera nor I cared about the mud, but May kept trying to wipe us off, only managing to smear it more and tickle Meera. Her shrill laughter, for some reason, seemed to really annoy the two trouble makers nearby, which made me all the happier to keep it going. Nearly ten minutes passed before an old man with pure white hair and a long goatee stepped onto the stage, explaining to the crowd why the tournament was being delayed for the upcoming dual. Nobody seemed to mind since so far, the fights have been amateur boy's swinging sticks or using less than stellar martial moves.

The old man did a long special while introducing the pompous prick, but May suddenly stood and darted to the old man whispering into his ear when it came to my introduction. When she returned, she winked at me before sitting back down. "His opponent Third Young Master of the Liu clan Liu Zhang-Wei." I raised an eyebrow, having never heard any such name. May shrugged then explained that her mom found my registry at the sect. I shrugged. As long as she calls me Walter, I guess it doesn't matter to me. But that makes me wonder who was the asshole that took my arm and how is he related to me.

When I stepped on stage, the crowd was silent. I turned around, noticing a colorful pavilion filled with richly dressed people. Probably those in charge of this fiasco. They all stared with pale faces except one, a familiar girl with only her green eyes showing they were as wide as saucers as she watched me. I frowned as I noticed her hands wringing a cloth nervously. Strange, is she worried about the idiot? I got the impression she didn't particularly care for the brat. Whatever, since this is her tournament, I will go easy on him. It's not like Brightstone has a chance to kill me. I certainly have no plans to kill him. He is not worth the sleep I might lose over the whole thing.

I nodded politely to those under the pavilion, then did the same for the referee, then the crowd, which seemed to please everyone, and they all nodded or bowed back. Except for the Brightstone brats, they were crouched low, whispering something to each other. I don't know what they were saying, but I caught the words cripple and trash a few times, so I am really not interested. When the young master stepped on stage, he didn't greet anyone, only stuck his nose in the air and pulled a flimsy-looking sword that he probably stole from his parent's mantle. His rude behavior was not taken very well by most of the people under the pavilion. I could see many glaring at a couple sitting toward the front who also seemed annoyed at the boy.

I met the eyes of the couple that was probably his parents. I could see how rigid they sat. I gave them both a reassuring nod, and both of their shoulders relaxed, but the woman still looked like she had a lemon in her mouth. I suppose with a son like hers. I would be in a perpetual bad mood too. The referee waved us to opposite corners before calling for the fight to begin.