The Runaway Queen

Chapter 17

The picnic tables have been cleared away to create a ring of sorts. Laura is still tied to the tree, so before the fight I go over and crouch beside her.

"What did you do!" She moans as I untie her wrists. The rope falls, and she massages her sore hands. Then she glares at me.

"Relax! You've seen me fight before-I'll be fine!" I say confidently. I feel anything but confident. Laura bites her lip.

"You can't kill Electra. Every Amazon will just keep challenging you until you die. You're not going to come out of this if you kill her!" She says softly.

I study the ground instead of meeting her eyes. In my gut I know she's right.

"We'll see." I simply say. Then I stand up and face Electra.

The Amazon's close in around us, creating a impenetrable wall. I feel claustrophobic. I locate Laura in the crowd. She's at the back. I swallow hard and grab my sword. Electra stalks into the ring of women to loud cheers. Penay stands in the middle. She beckons for us to come forward.

"Fighting here today is our reigning ruler, Electra of the Amazon's!" Penay shouts. More cheers.

"Her challenger, Eadu of Faiyria." Penay mutters. Boo's and nasty shouts are directed toward me. I grin and take a bow. Making fun of people calms my nerves. Penay steps out of the ring, and the match begins.

Electra is good. Very good. I dodge her strike and roll away as I wonder what I've gotten into. How can I beat her?

I use my small, light frame to quickly escape her. I also use it to get in small jabs-not enough to kill, but enough to get her very mad. After half an hour, we're both sweating buckets. She has a small cut on her arm, but other then that she's fine. We're both fine. Although I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to last. Electra has made many efforts to stick me with her sword, and eventually she's going to get lucky. I'm feeling the effects of the battle, and Electra is starting to slow down. She's not as agile as she was at my age-Electra is at least 25 years older then me.

That's it.

I know Electra's tired. I'm not. I can use that to my advantage.

I strike with renewed energy, and the mood of the battle changes. Suddenly Electra is the one having to dodge my slices instead of the other way around. I push her up into the crowd to create space. I hear people screaming in anger as I fight Electra fiercely.

I watch Electra look around, and then look at me angrily. I know what she's going to do.

I know what I'm going to do too.

Electra steps up, using her height advantage to push me. I pretend to fall. A gasp arises from the crowd. I lie there looking at Electra, supposedly helpless. She smirks and raises her shining sword high over my heart. I force myself to wait until the sharpened steel makes its deadly arc downward.

"You lost." Electra whispers before pushing the sword downward. I roll sideways and come up crouching behind her. Before she can react, I chop her in the left leg as hard as I can. Electra screams and falls to the ground. I stand up and look down at her. She is writhing with pain. I wait. Eventually she calms herself and looks up at me.

She's waiting for me to kill her. Everybody else is too. I surprise myself by continuing to stand silently over her.

I don't know why I haven't killed her yet.

But I do know that there's a better way out of this. Laura's words come back to me.

You can't kill Electra. Every Amazon will just keep challenging you until you die. Your not going to come out of this alive if you kill her.

I know she's right. I can't kill her.

I lower my sword.

"What are you doing?" Electra whispers. I look down at her in disgust.

"I have a deal. A life for a life right?" I ask. Electra catches on to what I'm saying.

"You can go free if you don't kill me. On my honour." She says desperately. I take a deep breath.

"Not me. Laura." I tell her. Whispers ripple through the crowd as I continue.

"You can keep me here-do whatever you want to me if you let Laura go." I finish.

Mufar needs to know what's going to happen at any cost.

Laura pushes up to me.

"No! You almost already killed yourself for me. I'm not letting you do this." She yells at me.

I ignore her. I keep my gaze locked on Electra. I see her slowly nod her head.

"Yes. Ok yes. Laura may leave. But if she ever returns I will kill her myself." Electra says. I nod and turn my back to her.

I look at Laura.

"Go now-I don't trust them to keep their word. Please tell them." I murmur softly. Laura's eyes fill with tears.

"No-" She whispers. I grab her shoulders and look her straight in the eye.

"If I was ever your friend you'll do this for me. Please!" I tell her sharply. I don't give her a chance to say anything. I shove her towards a horse and watch her get on.

"Eadu be strong." Laura mutters. I nod, trying to swallow my own fear.

"Be safe." I whisper before slapping the horse hard. Laura's red hair blows in the wind before the tree's swallow her. I turn to Electra, who's sitting in a chair, with her leg propped up. I toss my blonde hair over my shoulder defiantly and stare back at her, trying not to show the fear that I'm feeling. Apparently I'm not doing a good job because Electra smirks. I grit my teeth and stand still.

"Get her tied up on the tree." She shouts. Women grab my arms and drag me to the tree. I don't even put up a fight. Much.

"What about me Your Majesty?" Tago bows to Electra, a smile evident in his face. He's obviously expecting to be rewarded. Electra laughs.

"Your job is done. Take him to the jail lady's." She laughs. Tago's eyes grow wide with fear.

"No!" He screams as he is dragged away.

Electra stands up, favouring her right leg heavily. She limps over to me, and grabs the whip.

"You made a very stupid choice Eadu. Your going to die here in the most painful way possible. This is what happens when you mess with me."

Electra's hot breath is on my neck, making goosebumps rise from fear. Im not even trying to hide how scared I am right now. Electra stands back and I brace myself for the pain that is soon coming.

It doesn't come. I open my eyes. And I wish I hadn't.

"What's going on here?" A tall blonde girl with grey eyes glares. I sigh. Today is just not my day.

Kaone stands there in front of me.