Seraphina came before as Demian grumbled behind her. The damned girl doesn't listen, does she? Demian thought, but his eyes moved to the silvery-gazed man who had a smirk as if he had won. He wanted to bash his face with the nearest crate however, now that Seraphina had announced, the fight had to begin.
Demian had heard of how powerful swordsman Casian Vermemce was and he might not harm or put a scratch on Seraphina, but he would surely make her look miserable. If anything came that far Demian shall step in. He would never let anyone brought shame upon Seraphina.
His worried eyes moved, once again to Seraphina but the worry replaced with a frown. Seraphina stood with her chin held up as a grin played on her lips. She wasn't scared nor had any worry if Casian put a dent on her after this match. As she brought out her weapon from its sheath, the excitement surfaced on her face. Demian shook his head.
She just wanted to try her new sword, didn't she?
He smiled inwardly as his worry vanished in the air.
"Seraphina," Demian called out as she tilted her head above her shoulder, "Don't let me down, otherwise, you're going to serve me tonight," he put a smirk on his face, "all night long."
At that, Casian's jaw found a place on the deck and Seraphina looked at him with wide eyes as her cheeks flustered. Demian found the opportunity to cast outside of their duel range as he took a seat on a crate so he can see them clearly and beside him, he found Alonzo with his moustache fluttering in the air and cheeks turning red.
"Err... Your Highness, do you need some snacks?" Despite Alonzo, the poor steward tried his best to approach steady, his voice crumbling to see how the young couple was growing faster in his head.
"No, Alonzo, stay focused on the match."
Seraphina's heart thumped in her ears as she looked at her opponent, tried to focus on him but the statement from Demian made her all riled up in different ways.
How dare he say that in front of everyone! She thought and shook her head.
Casian now seemed to be over with it as well as he remarked, "My, my, it seems, our little Prince is taking good care of the human princess."
Seraphina cast him one of her best scowl as she took one leg back and put her weight on the other. She put her loose hand behind her back the way she learned from the best swordsman-or woman.
Casian's eyes followed her posture and from the raised brow he placed on his forehead, she could get he was a bit impressed and certainly he hadn't expected that.
Casian brought out his sword and followed the same posture as Seraphina's eyes narrowed at him. The way he stood firm in his place with his strong legs, she could tell he was a fine swordsman.
"Now, shall we?" He grinned and immediately vanished before her sight. For a moment, Seraphina's eyes couldn't follow him as his speed increased drastically and she moved her eyes around, he wasn't there. But she felt the enormous aura from up above her.
He now, held the sword's hilt with both of his hands and went for a kill with one shot. Seraphina grinned as she swung her newly made sword up and held the tip with her other hand for a defence. The swords clanged when came with the contact and Seraphina jerked back at his force however, her legs were strong enough to hold it. She had dealt with that move over hundred times and she would degrade Merlene's name if she was defeated by it.
As soon as Casian landed on his feet, he went for a strike from another direction and Seraphina stepped back avoiding the tip but stumbled upon her legs. What the hell! Had she forgotten everything Merlene had taught?
"Ho! I thought 'Strength, power and skills are something that even a woman can possess'." Casian said his tone laced with mockery as he moved back and walking in a circle to find her openings, "my one strike can make you loosened your balance, your Highness..."
Seraphina tightened her hold on the sword as she clenched her jaw. Damn! It was because she hadn't practiced it in a while that her skills had gotten rusty and besides, even though the sword was made finely for her, she wasn't still accustomed to its weight.
She was thinking about how to overcome this dilemma when Casian made his move. He swung his sword and at the same time, she swung her sword. But this time the swords didn't collide, instead he switched it in a lightning speed and the sword came to his left hand and he striked upward as the tip made it to her abdomen to her lower chest putting a scratch. He didn't give her any major wounds as Demian was there. But he could have been sliced her.
Seraphina stepped back as sweat coated her forehead. He was dangerous...
"What happened, Princess Seraphina...?" He asked in a velvety voice feigning pity but his silver eyes showed how much he was enjoying putting her in misery while Demian was witnessing this.
As his eyes moved to where Demian sat, Seraphina realised it wasn't her, Casian was aiming. It was Demian where he was striking. The look in his eyes said how much he liked to belittle Demian. Because Demian was superior, he couldn't do anything but if Seraphina lost here, it would certainly bring down Demian's morals and they would find an opportunity to mock him.
Seraphina paused and took a deep breath.
"What happened, princess, are you finally going to withdraw from the match?"
She looked at him with a straight face and let all the pressure flow through as she exhaled. "Who said I was withdrawing?"
She tilted her head over Demian who seemed restless and bore a grave face still managing to display no emotions. She cast a smile at him as he raised a brow asking 'what happened?'
"Prince Demian, if I win this, will you serve me tonight?" She shouted as all the sailors who had accumulated there with interest and both Casian and Alonzo's jaws smashed on deck together.
"Dare you to make me serve you, woman!" Demian growled and added, "Win this thing or else I will tie you and throw you in the ocean!"
Seraphina chuckled as she straighted up her back and shrugged, "Haven't I got a very caring husband?"
And she concentrated her eyes on Casian as if her opponent got a hint that Seraphina's move and postures had changed a little, he got serious.
"Be sure to watch your back, Prince Casian. I may not very good at putting only scratches." As she finished, with a leap, she reached before Casian and lurched her sword offensively as the stone glowed.
Casian was prepared as he took the sword with his large blade but what he wasn't prepared for was the sword suddenly glowed with power and the hit increased by ten times as he stumbled back. She slashed at him again and again and again as he defended it each time but his back touched the railings of the ship. The sailors howled with joy and it irked Casian however, he gave off a deadly vibe with a grin.
He hadn't expected Seraphina's strikes would be powerful enough to put his back on the railings. Seraphina didn't give him a chance to strike back but Casian defended her last strike as he swung it up where her neck was.
Seraphina bend to her side and a strand of her curls cut down by it. Casian turned the tide of the flow as he started to strike offensively and this time, Seraphina defended it. Their swords hissed and both of them had grins plastered on their faces. No one was faltering back. The crowd cheered more encouraging them as clangs of metal resonated in the salted air.
Seraphina lounged her sword forward to defend again but Casian's sword moved its direction and it went for her sword's hilt. As it landed on her fist flatly the sword she had flapped away from her grip as he held his sword at the neck of her neck.
Casian smiled, "Seems like I won!"
Seraphina grinned, "Prince Casian, would you forgive me for my next move?"
Casian cast a questioning gaze, "Why?"
Seraphina moved around swiftly and her leg landed a gutty kick on his abdomen as he went flying to the nearest crate and collided against it. "Because, fight can't be won until the opponent is unable to move."
The crowd cheered as Casian stayed there sitting against the crates, his sword still in his hands. He surrounded by a dark miasma as if the asleep dragon had woken up. Seraphina felt cold sweat all over her body as Demian stepped out and stood before her.
Seemingly, even Demian could feel the power and before anything happen and it could shatter the relationship between them Demian announced, "The fight ends here! It was a good show and now," he looked at all the sailors present there, "I want everyone to move back to their work."
Suddenly Casian started to laugh making everyone stay still as he stood up with the help of his sword. "It was amazing!"
He looked at Seraphina and asked as he cast a smile, "I would like to know who your master is, princess Seraphina. I might as well have a chance to see meet him someday."
Demian tried to find any unusual motive behind her smile but his smile seemed genuine.
"Ah, well. She is my friend and she taught me everything."
Both Casian and Demian looked at her with gapes in their mouths as Casian asked, "Your master is a woman?"
"Err... Yes?"
"Your Highness, have you got any wounds?" Alonzo came running along with him a few people who had bandages and ointments ready came behind him.
"I am fine, Alonzo..." Seraphina smiled nervously as she took the sword from the ground and the scratch on her abdomen hurt.
"No, you're not!" Alonzo glared from behind and ordered the men to take her immediately. They held her and almost pulled her like a rag before vanishing to the compartments.
Demian was about to follow them when Casian asked in a low tone which only two of them can hear, "Say, Prince Demian, what if you found out that your princess is hiding something?" He looked at Demian with a dark smirk as Demian halted. "What if she told nothing but lies? What would you do?"
Demian met his eyes and saw how devilish Casian's silver gaze grew but Demian didn't falter instead he gave him a wicked smile and added, "Casian, there is something you should know very well about me before you conduct your judgement."
Casian raised a challenging brow as his grin intensified and Demian said, "Nothing is ever hidden from me. Just because I disregard everything doesn't mean I have no knowledge on that," Demian scoffed and added with a deep voice, "and if she is hiding something, I'm sure she has her reasons and I will wait until she tells me. I don't think I need to hear it from others."
Casian laughed and said between his breaths, "Your Highness never misses to amuse me. It was simply a joke, dear cousin. Don't get so serious or else I'd be stripped of my position by my father." Casian came near and placed his hand on his shoulder as he whispered, "However, I feel Princess Seraphina is more amusing..."
Demian was irked at how lusty he sounded and he flapped away Casian's hand from his shoulder and as if a hungry lion would look at its prey, Demian looked at him, his anger reaching to his ears. Both of them stayed there looking intensively.
Demian wanted to rip his throat apart but Alonzo intercepted. "Your Highness, you might go to Princess Sera..." Alonzo halted as he noticed the tense atmosphere between Demian and Casian and he asked, "Um... Your Lordship, do you need something? I shall ask for it."
Casian cut his gaze and looked at Alonzo with a smile, "No, Alonzo. I think I'll go have rest because last night was very tiring."
Alonzo nodded and cast him a smile but his moustache hid it. "I'm certain it was because of recent affairs."
Casian said to the steward before leaving, "No, Alonzo. It was women."
Alonzo stood there with a blank face and as soon as he registered Casian's words, his moustache flustered along with his face. "Err... Your- your... Highness... Do you need anything else?"
"No. I'm retiring to my room and see what's Seraphina up to. Don't call me before dinner." Demian ordered as Alonzo bowed.