THE THORIAN SAGAS: 1. THE TRADER. (Completed).

A Challenge!

"You said that the necklace could not be traded, but could be won?" Monique would not let it go.

He nodded, knowing where this questioning was likely to lead; counting on it.

"How?" Her interest was obvious.

He looked at her.

"By a direct challenge."

He smiled, seeing her consuming interest in gaining that necklace for herself. A necklace like that one, always commanded attention.

He would get little rest tonight until she had her way. He would have liked to have rested, or had more of that wine, but what did it matter?

"How?"

He explained. "You challenge me to a contest. We agree on the stakes. In my case, this necklace that you want. You need to decide what you would be prepared to lose, to possess it, or agree to what I decide I would like to have, if you lose."

He warned her of other things.

"However, if you challenge me, then I get to choose the contest. If you agree, then we decide the rules and what we will complete for, and then we compete. The winner gets what has been agreed upon."

Now, she was interested.

"So, I could win it from you that way?"

"You could. But remember what you might have to lose."

She was thinking about that.

"If I challenge you, what contest would you suggest? I am thought to be a good archer."

He came back at her.

"That would not be fair."

Was he that good an archer?

Probably.

She had seen a massive longbow inside his wagon, and arrows that would tear a hole through even the massive gates of the city.

"The only contest I am skilled in, that you could participate in with me, and stand a chance of surv... winning, without weapons; is wrestling, but that would not be fair either."

She would not let it rest now. She did not dwell on that word he had glissaded over... 'surviving'. Surely, it would not be that kind of a contest, but he seemed to use those words 'contest' and 'combat' interchangeably.

"If I challenge you, is that not my decision? Fair or not?" She wondered if she knew what she was getting into. Males and women of their city did not wrestle together. The males would always lose.

He nodded. "If you dare to challenge me."

He looked at her, seeing her determination, but she still did not know what lay ahead of her.

"What rules would there be if we wrestle?"

Did she really need to ask? Did she know so little of combat? The rules were almost the same, except that both contestants would walk away, even if battered, bruised, and usually bloodied. Except she was nothing like the men he usually fought. He would have to set rules that would give her at least a chance, and also would not leave her injured.

"When men wrestle, there are no rules as you might know them. When we grapple with each other, it is as though we were in a fight to the death together. It can never be anything less, though we always stop short of injuring the other. There is no other way to train that prepares us for what lies out there." He nodded to the gates and what lay beyond them.