The One Knight Stand

.: Last Time :.

29 | Last Time

"Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to the final combative event of the season! The original test of knighthood and chivalry. It separates the weak from the strong, the babies from the brawny. Yes, that's right, folks. BRAWWWWLINGGGG!" Lady Asger roared the word with a voice better suited to a possessed ogre, and not, you know, a petite southern belle.

"The stands are absolutely stacked, the chicken grease is sizzling, and there has never been more perfect weather to slice and dice to the top! Here our beloved squires will demonstrate their sword skills in one v one tourneys, advancing through the rounds to the final battle! The last man, or woman, left standing will be declared today's champion!"

On the sidelines Sir Pilar strode up to a chromium clad Blue. Her trusty Dha hung limp in her dominant hand. Her mahogany eyes were sightless, unfocused, glancing somewhere on the horizon.

"Sanlanh. A word."

Blue snapped from her daze and cleared her throat.  "Yes, Head Knight?"

"I'm warning you three about the official rule changes tomorrow. The ball is no longer an awardable event. After a hard two weeks the board figured you all need a chance to relax. Focus on soothing aesthetics instead of physicality. And the coaches would like to see this invitational end without any bodily injury... like last time."

"Cool. Not like I was gonna win it anyways."

"...And you know today is your last chance to earn a brother chord, right?"

By then everyone else won an event except Blue and Prince Rowan.

Viciousness was going to be at an all time high. How could a classically trained royal come away from this beaten by a silly commoner? He might as well not even return home. The Mornamis were a prideful bunch, even more so than Anachakarians.

Blue faced a different dilemma.

What would Indigo say if she knew Blue had a chance to fix all their problems only to blow it all the last day? How could she explain it to Saffron and Sienna without dissolving into pitiful tears?

Prince Bo was already through with her, so why would her family even keep her on after this?

This is it. My last shot.

Red's face flashed through her mind. A younger, softer Red. A pink.

A dark hand held her thin shoulder, shortly after their first loss. The smell of blood. Their pockets a little lighter.

It was her fault. She parried when she should've blocked. A rookie mistake.

(Forget about it, Boobie. Yeah, we got beat, but it's alright. Cause you're still better than every cat out there. You wanna know why? Cause you're brave. And you're a fighter. And you've seen more life than any of these stuffed shirts ever will. Use that. Own it. And next time you face off with em, you'll know just how to tear that fucker to shreds. Right?)

(Right.)

They hugged. One of the safest, warmest hugs Blue ever had.

(Love you, sis.)

(Love you too, Red.)

(Now let's go buy some sweet buns before the market closes.)

Inner peace, a cool zen known only to devout yogis and the newly dead, washed over Blue.

She knew what she had to do.

"It is what it is," she simply said. Blue locked her face plate and strode into the ring. Sir Pilar eyed the squire wondering if she needed to hire an exorcist.