Chapter 10

“Are you really sure that you want to go through with this, Cerise de Vernase?” Prince Caspian said as he wielded a rapier with the same fleur de lis design upon it like Roselle’s. “I’ll even handicap myself by dueling with my left hand. But even so, it will not be enough for you to win a duel against me, whether it’s magic or sword fighting.”

Cerise gulped. The situation looked dire. But Roselle’s life was at stake here. She couldn’t possibly let someone as horrible as Prince Caspian take away her beloved Princess. She couldn’t condemn Roselle to a miserable life producing heirs for such a man. There was absolutely no way.

“I don’t go back on my word,” Cerise said. “But I’m not sure if I can trust you, Prince. Are you sure that you will release Roselle from her prison and bring her to me if I duel you?”

“As I see it, there’s no chance for you to defeat me,” Prince Caspian said while flicking his light green hair. “But do as you wish. I’m not stopping you from making reckless decisions. In fact, I savor the thrill of battle.”

Cerise held her own rapier. She had no idea how to do swordplay or make the same maneuvers as Roselle with her beautiful footwork, but damn it, she had to try! She had to fight for Roselle’s sake. Using her rapier. The rapier was light in her hands, though perfect for jousting. Roselle must’ve specifically asked for a magic enchanted rapier that was light to lift. There was a memory of a spell that lingered back in her mind, but she wasn’t sure how she would use it in this situation. A bubble to breathe air underwater. How was she going to use that in a sword duel? She didn’t know.

Caspian lunged forward with speed that the human eye couldn’t perceive. Cerise narrowly dodged it lifting Roselle’s rapier to block the thrusting lunge. Her rapier clanged and Cerise felt the vibrations ripple through her hand and arm and it eventually spread through her entire body. What could she do against such a monster?

I might not be able to save Roselle, Cerise thought in despair. I can’t…

“Giving up already?” Caspian said in a taunting manner before he nicked Cerise’s cheek with a flick of his rapier. Stung, Cerise backed off and put a hand on her cheek. Blood smeared over her hand, and she looked over to Caspian while trembling.

“I’m going to mar your face so that Roselle won’t want to look at you anymore,” Caspian said in a serious tone, and he lunged forward again. He sliced a little bit into her clothing, marking her, in vital spots that could’ve easily killed her if he sliced through her vitals. That was when Cerise realized that Prince was merely toying with her. She was never a challenge, to begin with. He wanted to make a spectacle of her humiliation, with thousands of onlookers within the ring, including Roselle, to witness her defeat.

“Cerise!” Roselle shouted from the top of the box overseeing the whole tournament. “Don’t you dare lose to him! Don’t lose to Caspian!”

Cerise looked towards Roselle, then turned back to Caspian, who was eyeing Roselle with a certain longing. He probably wanted the unattainable, the things that he couldn’t get because he was so used to getting what he wanted all the time, Cerise felt. She didn’t think that Caspian actually loved Roselle, and instead thought of her as a precious trophy wife that he would hang on his arm to show off his status. The thought made Cerise’s blood boil. Cerise’s beloved reduced to a mere trophy wife? She wouldn’t let that happen! Roselle once told her that she once wanted to marry for love instead of being in an arranged marriage, but after everything that has happened so far, it was a little hard not to fall in love with her somewhat haughty yet achingly vulnerable Princess. Her beloved Roselle.

“I’m going to win this duel,” Cerise said. “No matter what it takes!”

“I wouldn’t count on it, peasant!” Caspian said. “Why do you still stand, even though you know you[’ll be beaten down again? Why do you keep on fighting a hopeless battle?”

“Because” Cerise said with gritted teeth. “I promised Roselle that I would save her father and that I will protect her. That I will stand up how many times it takes no matter how hard I get beaten to the ground. Roselle gives me hope; she opened my eyes and showed me someone who was strong, compassionate, and with the heart of a real ruler. You’re merely a man who desires power and status rather than love, and that’s why I won’t let you take Roselle!”

“You think my life was so perfect, huh?” Prince Caspian said as he nicked a red line across Cerise’s neck. IT was barely visible and didn’t bleed, though Cerise knew that there was killing intent behind that blow. Caspian truly hated her, and he would end this match on his own terms rather than allow Cerise any chance of winning.

“Take a good look at Roselle up in the stands,” Cerise commanded. Caspian stopped his assault and looked up to the stands, seeing Roselle was redfaced with tears, screaming at Caspian. She was being restrained by Viola, the combat medic nurse because it looked like Roselle wanted to duel the Prince himself. Maybe slice him to ribbons, if she could. “Do you think that her heart will ever yours if you kill me here? Those tears are not for me, Prince Caspian, but for you. How long will you make yourself fall further from decency until you become a lowlife?”

“I am no lowlife,” Prince Caspian said, though there was hesitation in his golden eyes. “Do you think that will stop me from killing you?”

“If you want to cross a line that shouldn’t be crossed, then so be it,” Cerise said. “But remember this, Prince Caspian. A ruler doesn’t enforce himself or herself through fear. You see the true personality of a noble when you see how they treat their lessers rather than their equals. For now, you’re just putting on a grand spectacle to humiliate me and then intend to kill me. Is that you’re going to rule your Kingdom, Prince Caspian. If so, I don’t want anything to do with the Soreno Kingdom and I will die for the honor of the Rozarre Kingdom gladly.”

“Silence,” Caspian said as he slashed against Cerise’s chest, digging into her shoulder and narrowly missing her heart.

Cerise coughed up blood, but she wasn’t finished yet. Oh no.

She put all her desperado emotions into this one attack. Cerise called upon the magic within her ro rush forward at lightning speed, slashing against the prince. With one swipe of her sword, she disarmed him, and she put her rapier against his throat.

“I told you…” Cerise said. “To not underestimate the wrath of a woman.”

“Then why don’t you kill me?” Prince Caspian said.

“Because… I believe in mercy, even to those who don’t deserve it. For sparing your life, I will say that you live on and redeem yourself.”

“How can I redeem myself now?” Prince Caspian asked. “Roselle surely hates me now.”

“Live on and repent for your sins,” Cerise said to Caspian. She saw the Prince seeing her in a different light now. Probably because he had been bested by a plain peasant girl when he had all the advantages.

Viola released Roselle from her restraints, and Roselle began running down the steps and into Cerise’s arms.

“Oh, Cerise!” Roselle said, chanting her name like a prayer or a promise. “I knew that you could do it. I knew it! You showed some exemplary skill, maybe we can make a Grand Duelist out of you yet!”

She finally turned to Caspian, who looked heartbroken, though he tried his best to smile for her. “Caspian.”

“You’ve bested me, Cerise de Vernase,” Prince Caspian said. “I will call the marriage off and I won’t hold you guys hostage in the Soreno Kingdom. You are free to go.”

“Thank you, Prince Caspian,” Roselle said before she took one of his hands within her own. “One day I will spar you again. I don’t want you to hold back against me, all right? I want to earn the Grand Duelist title with my own two hands.”

Caspian gave a little smile towards Roselle, before saying. “I will give it my all, Roselle.”

“All right,” Roselle said before pointing her finger towards the docks. “The reason why we headed into the Soren Kingdom, Caspian, is because we wanted to teach Cerise magic.”

Cerise nodded.

“I want you two to become good friends,” Roselle said, putting Cerise’s hand into Caspian’s hand, pulling them together. “Forget the past and move forward together. Caspian, I’m sorry I can’t return your feelings. But you spared Cerise and redeemed yourself.”

“I did it for you, Roselle,” Caspian whispered. Viola appeared by his side.

“I know,” Roselle said, before she said. “Caspian, you’re a great tutor of magic. I want you to teach Cerise how to use magic.”

“I see,” Caspian said. “I can’t deny your wish, Princess Roselle.”

“Good,” Roselle said with a smile, and she kissed Caspian on the cheek.

Caspian flushed a deep shade of red, which Cerise almost found so comical if he didn’t look so serious about it.

“I would like for Viola to accompany on your journey as well,” Caspian said, once he got over his initial flustered state. “Because Princess Nautilus and I cannot accompany you on your journey for the Philosopher’s Stone. Yet with Viola being there with you, then my mind and heart will be at ease.”

“My Prince, are you sure?” Viola said while she bowed down towards him, and Prince Caspian smiled towards her.

“I am certain,” he said.

“So it looks like you’ll be staying in the Soreno Kingdom for a while,” Nautilus said. “You will need to learn about the lore of the kingdom and everything else possible to search for the Philosopher's Stone. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of lore about it except in the most ancient of texts, though from what I remember, the PHilosopher’s stone was created by a Magician named Nicolas Flamel and it was said to be able to grant powers of immortality. What the methods are used are unknown, though I’ve heard that some shards of it have been scattered throughout the continents and a man named Faust is trying to piece them together.”

“Faust?” Cerise said while tilting her head, while Princess Nautilus nodded her head.

“He’s a very mysterious man. I think that Viola might’ve had a connection with him at one point; which is why she should be a valuable asset to your journey. That, and I think that Prince Caspian wants to keep an eye on you and Roselle.”

“Hmph! I so do not,” Prince Caspian said with an injured sniff before he smiled again. “In all honesty, Roselle, I’m glad that you found someone who could open up your heart.”

“Well,” Roselle said with a flush on her face as she intertwined hands with Cerise. “I want you to be the ring bearer at our wedding, Prince Caspian.”

“You’re certain?” Capsian asked while Roselle nodded towards him.

“Of course. You were my childhood friend, after all,

“So! In order for you to go on your journey, I will teach Cerise my magic,” Capsian said. “And Nautilus will teach Cerise how to summon her own familiar.”

“My own familiar?’ Cerise asked. “Is that even possible?”

“It’s very possible,” Nautilus said. “You managed to defeat my Kraken and communicate with the jellyfish underwater to save Roselle, didn’t you?”

“Oh, about that, Princess Nautilus,” Cerise said. “Your Kraken bumped its head pretty hard during the dance competition. Is it going to be all right?”

“Viola is the best that we have,” Nautilus said with pride. “She can patch up anyone and anything with her medical skills.

“Interesting,” Cerise said before a smile beamed on her face. “I’m glad to have met you all, truly. You[’ve given me the chance to grow and open my eyes and ears to the world. It used to be so much smaller when I thought that the world was out to get me. But now that I learned to trust other people, trusting Roselle, trusting Prince Caspian, I became a much better person for it!”

“The real training starts tomorrow,” Prince Caspian said. “Be prepared.”