Natural Magic

Chapter 35 - Contest

Kairon regarded the young orc girl. He wanted to feign misunderstanding. He wanted to tell her to rescind her challenge. The hard stare she was giving him spoke volumes, however. This would not be avoided. There would be no hasty apology as she metaphorically picked the gauntlet back up. Her intelligent eyes told him of certainty. He had seen it so often in challengers before. By now he knew it would be foolish to question her.

“Weapons?” he asked when the crowd was at its quietest. His voice killed the chatter of the crowd.

Penelope finally lowered her hand, and Kairon guessed from the pause that she was trying not to look contemplative.

“Bare hands,” she said finally.

Kairon considered her decision, traditional in its simplicity. Bare hands were how he won his first challenge.

“Very well,” he called back. Looking at the sun, he did some mental math.

“We will meet in the circle in seven hours. I will make sure it is prepared. I hope you will do the same for yourself.” With that, he turned back to the so-called flamebeast.

“Three hours,” she said sternly, halting him.

The crowd ooh-ed. Kairon did not wince, but not for lack of empathy for the girl. Did she not realize she was throwing away her honor? She clearly did, but what did she seek to gain?

Being the one challenged, he could not disagree with her reasonable terms without appearing to be backing down. In order to prepare the circle for combat in time, however, he would have to personally watch over the clearing squad. Was she really ready, though?

“Three hours,” he assented, and gestured to Justafar.

The orc looked at his lord, and then at this cowbird monster, and wondered why he almost felt like siding with the cowbird. He grunted with frustration and strode off to gather the needed personnel, though not without hard feelings over being dismissed.

With Justafar gone, Kairon asked Penelope, “How will you feel if you die without resolving your trial? Can you accept that fate without ever knowing?”

There was no malice. There was no intention to undermine her dedication by instilling doubt. There was only curiosity.

She came down the remaining steps to confront the orc lord. She strained against the urge to look at Chicken, captured and bound as he was. She managed to hold Kairon’s gaze.

“Send someone to gather my squire, Salander,” she said, ignoring his questions, “I left him lounging on your throne. I’m headed to the circle.”

Pivoting on her heel, she followed Justafar alone.

****

“The invincible orc?” Salander asked again. There was no bemusement this time. It was being drowned by the rising concern.

“You’re fighting bare-knuckled against the guy who has risen to power by being undefeated at just that?”

She took to wrapping her arms herself while her voluntold squire grappled with grief.

In the circle, a gaggle of lizardfolk were tearing down the now fortified podium. The tables and chairs were easily removed, and the ones who removed them were now inspecting the rope laying in the dirt that defined the circle and sweeping the ground clean.

Penelope didn’t bother saying yes again.

“You were supposed to win the legal battle. That was enough risk, and I thought we had built up good odds by now,” he said, wagging a finger at her.