“Now compete with me in something I know I can win,” Sir Ivan says, pulling out his sword in preparation for a duel with the queen.
“You better not dare say you took it easy on me after you find yourself on your back in defeat,” Chalyela says in confidence. The two of them stare at each other in their en guarde positions.
Her first swipe is swift, but misses.
“Ha ha,” Ivan taunts avoiding her sword effortlessly.
Both press forward until their swords bind between them with such force that sparks fly as metal runs against metal.
Ivan backs away quickly, rendering the queen unbalanced. While she is attempting to regain a steady stance, Ivan strikes a blow on her back plate. She spins and falls on her back.
Chalyela will not give up so quickly. She hops up and gets into her ready stance.
She barely dodges a blow to her sabaton.
While Ivan’s back is turned from a full swing of his sword, Chalyela sees her chance…
She moves forward quickly, but not quick enough. Ivan swings his sword back around, hitting her with full force on her foot…
…knocking her on her back once again. “Have you given up yet, my fair lady?”
His statement only makes her angry…
“I am not your lady!” She says in a snarl as their swords meet yet again.
A blow to the chest and both of her feet are off the ground. This time, Ivan uses his knee to keep her from falling on the ground. He helps her up, but this is a mistake!
“You are to never help me up again!” She demands, her face full of intensity.
Staring into her angry eyes, Ivan suddenly has the urge to kiss her. “Are you sure my queen?”
Staring into her angry eyes, Ivan suddenly has the urge to kiss her. “Are you sure my queen?”
“Of course!” She says in the middle of a full swing that misses Ivan’s foot.
“OK,” he says, striking a blow while she is again unbalanced. He swipes her with a blow to her chest plate while she is down.
The queen is forced to surrender, as she has exhausted all of her stamina. She bows on her knees.
Ivan thrusts his sword forward, but stops two feet away from the queen. “I am at your mercy,” she says admitting defeat.
I van holds his sword up in victory. Chalyela slowly rises to her feet, “You fight well,” she admits.
As she is walking away, Ivan calls her back.
“What is it, Sir Ivan,” she says annoyed by her loss.
“You fight well also, M’Lady.”
“You fight well also, M’Lady.”
“And you are gorgeous when you are angry,” he adds.
The queen turns away. She does not want to hear any pleasantries from Ivan.
The queen turns away. She does not want to hear any pleasantries from Ivan.
“Do not say such familiar things to me,” she says in anger.
Ivan hangs his head, “my apologies.”
Ivan hangs his head, “my apologies.”
“I have things to do. Please see to your duties,” she says refusing to look at him.
Chalyela returns to her throne and Rat Catcher Ferris approaches Ivan, “Sir Ivan, how brave of you to duel with the queen like that.”
“It was not brave,” he says shrugging his shoulders, “It was foolish.”
“It was not brave,” he says shrugging his shoulders, “It was foolish.”
“Why do you say so?” Ferris asks.
“Because I would like anything to get to know her as a woman, but now she is angry with me.”
“Because I would like anything to get to know her as a woman, but now she is angry with me.”
“Impossible!” Ferris says, “she is very much smitten with Bloodletter Gavin. The two are often seen sneaking off together.”
The two of them glance over at the queen. She appears to be bored there sitting on her throne.
“Would you like to place a small bet?” Ivan asks Ferris.
“What sort of bet?”
“What sort of bet?”
“That I can indeed make her forget all about the Bloodletter.”
