A Trial Of Emperors and Empresses

Chaptet 17

Evangeline POV

She could win this. She had to win this. No matter what, she was coming out of that arena as Empress, or as a box of ashes.

Adam POV

It wasn't a friendly competition anymore. It was a game of life and death, where the world could go downhill at any moment.

Warden POV

The time for hiding was finished. The time for sneaking around in the shadows was over. There would be none of that in the arena. He would be exposed. Bare.

Amaryllis POV

Magic was slowly dying out in the empire. Now, it had a chance to return again. Amaryllis swore to herself, she would win. No matter what it took.

Lauren POV

A true warrior never surrenders. They die for their land.

It was a lesson taught to Lauren at her initiation to the Royal Guard. And it was true. She wouldn't surrender. She would fight to her very last breath, for if she didn't, there was nothing for her to even go back to.

Evangeline POV

The trees billowed in the wind. The arena was much different than Evangeline had envisioned. But it was different every year, this one one of the more favourable ones.

The trees were the perfect cover, the perfect place to hide until the real fight could begin. The Fight could last for as long as months if nobody conceded.

Lauren and Amaryllis would be difficult. Warden and Mark would not be huge problems. Warden was sneaky yes, but useless when it came to straight out battling.

Evangeline wandered through the greenery, on the lookout for a good tree. She found one and climbed up, examining her two weapons of choice once she had stepped. She had chosen a long sword crafted from the finest metals and by the best wielders. Her second was a sharp dagger that matched the sword.

Evangeline watched over the fighting arena, waiting for the first brave soul to step into the ring, as well as her first victim. Evangeline smiled darkly as she spotted it.

Adam POV

"Mark." Amaryllis called behind him. Adam spun around, embarrassed and ashamed. He hoped that Amaryllis would just forget what had happened last night. It seemed like she was going to.

All smiles and beaming brightly at him, Amaryllis repeated her previous words to him. "Want to be allies? You look hopeless."

Adam understood. She wants to start over. To forget the past. He decided to go with it. "Sure." He replied.

Amaryllis sighed. "Come on. Let's go."

Adam followed her through the rough and leafy nature towards a clearing. Amaryllis unstrapped her sheaths and threw them to the ground, turning to look at Adam expectantly.

Adam threw down his own sword as well as his knife. Amaryllis scanned their arsenal.

"So we have three swords and a knife. And my magic." Amaryllis added, picking her swords back up. "Let's wait," She said, turning away to examine a tree trunk. "whoever is stupid enough to be the first in the ring will be the first to go. But they will also activate the battle and the bloodshed." Neither of them dare speak the words out loud. But Adam had to accept them. An alliance was only temporary. One of them would be dead sooner or later.