Ch 7 - An so we fought for the first time

Everyone was getting ready on the chairs that the maids brought, placed around the practice arena due to the ridiculous event that is about to happen.

I could see the kid’s faces, poetic confusion as many didn’t even get what was going on, but hey! Whatever happens here I managed to drop Father and Mother of my case on marriage talks.

So all in all is a good thing --for me--, and even if I don’t win today, I can challenge the pedo-prince once a year after my birthday until I come of age to break up the engagement.

While thinking that the king stood up from his central chair and started speaking.

“Well then everyone gather around, by the power that my name holds, I King Garrett Beves Reiyah the Earnest in agreement with this castle’s lord, Lord Mark Regenald Decebal, High General, The Pegasus, we announce that our children will hold a practice match, in which will be decided the fate of both our heirs.

Lady Gatriel Decebal and Sir first Prince Higg Reiyah.

If the first prince Higg wins the match the two will be united by the bond of promise of marriage, in which they’ll be promised to each other, however, Lady Gatriel Decebal will enjoy the opportunity to challenge the first prince once every year on her birthday until she is of age if she so wills it, to break such engagement by winning the match.

In the opposite case, if Lady Gatriel Decebal manages to win this bout, the first prince if he so desires can engage the same rule of challenge, and once a year on her birthday until she is of age, to form again the engagement.

After said date, whichever side remains the winner the situation will be kept as is, without challenging rights.

At that time, if the winner is Lady Gatriel Decebal, my son the first prince will renounce as head of the Royal guard and join the pegasus squad as a new recruit.

In case of the winner being the first prince, they will be united in Marriage within six months time of the last fight.

Both parties are in agreement of this, and count with the blessing of their respective fathers.”

Total silence, even the birds went quiet, only the wind blowing through the garden can be heard.

Roxana is very unsettled, before the words of her father the king she cannot say anything, where as the queen seems to be just amused.

Some of my friends are holding their hands together as in prayer, what’s going on there? Why the praying mantis position? You want me to win that much?

While the knights are all serious looking at me and the prince in turns, hey hey hey old men, whatever happens is not like I’ll marry right away you know, I know you care for me but be at ease! I’ll do my best, I’ll show all that you have taught me until today.

while I look at the face of the prince, who is ready in front of me, wooden long sword on his right arm, and a wooden long shield on his left, the typical setup of a royal guard of the country.

Me? Well I’m ready, whenever the cue to start is given I’ll fight to the best of my ability.

The rules are simple, subjugation of the opponent decides victory, disarming your opponent and keeping him/her disarmed for over 15 seconds decides victory, it's forbidden to kill or to deal enough damage to incapacitate your opponent.

Fair and simple practice match rules for minors.

The witnesses will exchange glances, and once the two have clapped, the match begins.

*clap*

With the first clap, the prince’s air changes completely, his smile vanished as if it was never there, he lowers his posture a little bit, raises his sword to eye level pointing it at me and puts his shield in front of his body to cover it.

Darn, there are no openings.

Dueling this pedo-prince is going to be tough, I keep a basic stance, left sword pointing down front, right sword pointing back up and my legs. I am ready to kick the floor as soon as the second clap comes off.

*clap*

*kick, swish* in a second after kicking the floor, I advance the 2 meters between me and the prince and swing my sword upwards, trying to raise his shield with my left sword to break his stance.

*clank clank*

Managed to raise his shield, but it was not high enough, he blocked my second swing with his sword easily while carefully watching me move.

The cheers and talks are starting to fade away, I’m so focused on the fight that I’m starting to ignore anything that’s not inside the practice arena with each movement and contact of our weapons.

All I can hear is my and the price’s breath and his voice.

*swish clink*

The pedo-prince attacks me with a drop swing from high up to my left shoulder. I cross my blades and block his swing (it’s heavy damnit)

“Heavy”

I let out that word unconsciously while looking at the prince’s body trying to predict his next move, having both my blades used blocking his sword I’m expecting him to throw a kick.

*thud*

He tried to bash me with his shield, this fucker.

If I didn't slide his sword to my right blocking his shield path he would have rammed me with it.

*swish*

Kicking again the ground I jumped backwards to gain some distance.

This guy is good for his age, indeed good, far better than any of the kids at the Royal Academy (well I’m on the first period building, which has only the first 3 years, so the oldest kid is 13. Is to be expected) I need to attempt to confuse him with my speed.

I try to close up a bit of the distance running to his right and attacking from an odd angle, I’m aiming at his right wrist and make him drop his sword.

*clank*

The pedo-prince parries my odd attack with his shield and swings his sword from the lower end of his right upwards.

*swish* I dodged by a hair’s breath by dropping to the ground and rolling around to stand up again.

*swish* the prince follows me and stabs the ground with his shield, while I keep rolling around

*thud* I kick his legs trying to break his balance, he didn't budge.

Indeed I’m not strong enough, but at least managed to make him stop trying to stab me with the shield.

The prince backs away a little, allowing me to stand up again and regain my stance.

Here it is, I will try it again, I’m so focused into the fight I feel my body is light as a feather.

I quickly double kick the ground and charge at the prince rotating counterclockwise on my left leg.

*clang clang clang clang thud*

My two blades hit twice his shield and blew it out of his chest, and ended the maneuver with a strong kick to his side. Using the momentum of the rotation I landed the kick on his ribs and he lost his balance stumbling a little.

“You are good my dear lady Gatriel, I’m liking you more and more, I can't even imagine how strong you will be when we get married”

The pedo-prince was surprised by the attack but after stumbling to his left, he regained his composure and with a flirtatious smile dropped me that unreasonable line.

It pisses me off, gee, I want to get this over with soon but I recognize this man is a good fighter, it would be a dishonor not just to him, but to all the knights to lose on purpose.

“Thank you for your kind words lord prince, but there will be no marriage, that I assure you”

And returned him a fierce look. Not wasting any time the prince charges at me in a stance I was not ready for.

*thud*

He hit me with his shield, yes, he just ran with his shield pointed at my face and at the end of the charge he lowered it hitting me on my stomach.

“Ugg”

I went back a little and fell in one knee, and that was it, in the next second he rushed up to me and swung his sword stopping at my neck.

*rush swish*

If that sword swing wasn't stopped, I would have been knocked out unconscious.

I let go of my swords and raise my hands, I can't deny that it was a fun fight, very nutritive in terms of knowledge and battle experience. I’ll work hard to break his strategy next year.

I look up at the prince and what I found was an unbelievable radiant smile, this man... It’s not that he is proud he won, is just that he is satisfied that he won.

I can’t see ulterior motives in his expression, that pisses me off for some reason.

I stand up and bow down to the winner, and then the sounds around us returned, there were many claps and whistling going on, a lot of smiles and some frows, there were even tears in the crowd.

“Well Esteemed new fiance, you have won the match, as agreed upon our words, from today onwards I’m promised to you as you are promised to me in marriage. By the word of our parents, when I graduate from the Academy and become of age. Be sure ready to expect my challenge for a rematch next year, in which I will break off this engagement by winning, is that ok?”

While faking picking up my skirt raising it a little from the sides and bending down a little as the tradition and etiquette dictates for a lady to give her thanks, I said those words in the most polite way I could.

I was smiling as really I wasn’t unsatisfied with the fight.

“I will impatiently wait for our rematch next year after your birthday. For today’s bout I will consider it as this birthday’s one, I hope my esteemed new fiance can accept that gesture and allow me to rejoice on our promised marriage until next year”

While again holding his closed right fist to his heart and his left arm on his back, bowing a bit the pedo-prince said his words agreeing to my future challenge in advance.

“Hahahaha! Well that was a truly unique and interesting fight we just witnessed here, when Lady Gatriel Decebal did that strange round of strikes blowing off my son’s shield I thought she would win right there. Today is a good day! How about we celebrate eh!”

The king lightened up the mood, and the people started congratulating us both? Oh well whatever, I won’t complain about people congratulating me in becoming the fiance of pedo-prince it just makes no sense at all!

Between practice matches and food, I ended up talking with the pedo-prince a little, between being asked what I like and dislike, and telling me how was his previous mission which incidentally was his first since graduating from the Academy.

The day finished with several other bouts, where I crushed mercilessly my classmates and friends(yeah I vented out some frustration there, my bad). Got my ass kicked by my lord father twice.

Even got the chance to spar with the king which was a very odd yet nurturing experience, his style was very much like the prince, so I guess he was in the royal guard on his days as crown prince too?

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.