Chapter 1 #2
“You see, they are waiting for the new king to rise, and they expect him to be young, handsome, and brave.” Sage gave Rutherford a significant look.
“We all know that the kid’s out of his depth.
He only rose to his position because of his birthright.
He’s too young to lead. You know it, I know it, and deep down, he knows it too.
He was the most useless clan member, since he was a child, and is not worthy of the title.
This land needs someone strong and capable, well distinguished, worthy. ”
I glanced at Tynan, his face was hard, like stone. His eyes burned into the old man, following every move he made.
“And what do you suggest?” Halsey asked, no longer daring to be confrontational.
“I am sure you know about the ancient tradition of solving every dispute in a fair duel. The gods want only the best to take the lead of both clans, and there is no better way to find out who is the most deserving. The gods want you to beat this good for nothing boy and take control of both clans. Just imagine, both clans united, under your control. But you obviously don’t want your brave warriors to kill your new subjects from the black clan. ” Sage concluded.
My eyes shifted to the gash on Tynan’s shoulder that was slowly oozing blood. His right hand was too injured to move, the skin on his neck was raw and burnt, and claw marks slashed down his back. It would not be fair at all. He could not fight.
“It is the way of the first dragon’s spirit to clearly state its will. What is for you, will not go by you.” Sage smiled and to my horror, many warriors from the different clans nodded in agreement.
“No! No!” I shook my head, still not willing to believe that this was happening.
“That’s right!” someone shouted.
People all around us started chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Sage’s mouth stretched into a happy smile.
“This is ridiculous!” Lord Halsey sneered, and for the first time, he looked out of his depth, and frightened.
“My Lord, you don’t have to fight if you don’t feel like it.” Sage inclined his head to Tynan in a gesture that looked like fake sympathy.
“You can’t do this. There has to be another way.” I gripped Tynan’s elbow.
“There is no other way,” he responded and his eyes met mine.
“You’re bleeding.”
Tears streamed down my face and I did not care if the others could see it. Nothing mattered compared to this pain and there was nothing I could do to stop the inevitable.
“Don’t worry,” Tynan whispered, taking my hand and placing it to his lips.
“If you win, you’ll be the ruler of the black clan and you will get your bride,” Sage said in a calm voice. “If you lose, Tynan will take your place as a leader of your clan, but clearly—”
“That’s not going to happen.” Rutherford finished.
“You are right, milord. Impossible.” Sage shook his head.
“Let’s get this over with,” Tynan said.
The clan warriors cheered all around us and their voices echoed in my head making me dizzy. Tynan was going to fight for his people, for me. He was going to put everything on the line to protect me. I wrapped my hands around his torso, dreading the moment I had to let go.
I can’t let you go!
“Do you trust me?” he whispered in my ear.
“Yes. Gods, yes.” I touched his face, his cheeks, not willing to part.
What if this was the last time I could hold him in my arms? What if he never comes back to me? What if it was my destiny to lose everyone I loved?
Soon, all too soon, the crowd formed a circle.
Rutherford stepped in the center. Everything about him showed that he was confident that he could defeat Tynan. He paused, turning toward us. His face was blank, like a warrior mask.
The very last minute I had left with Tynan had come to an end.
“Please,” I whispered, but I had no idea what I was asking.
“I’ll take care of this.” Tynan placed a light kiss on my forehead.
“I can’t let you do this.”
“Alina . . .”
“No.” I shook my head.
“I have to.” His voice was soft, tender.
“I’m not . . . leaving you.”
“You have to trust me.”
Someone pulled me to the sidelines and when I turned my head, I saw Denis’ face.
“Let me go!” I tried to break free.
Tynan watched us. His dark eyes stayed on Denis for a long moment, then he inclined his head slightly. With horror, I watched him release his sword and walk toward the opening. I bit my lip so hard, the metallic taste of copper filled my mouth.
The two opponents circled each other. Tynan, in black leather with streaks of blood and dirt on his face, in his hair, and all over his suit, held an irregularly shaped sword.
He looked like a demon of chaos and destruction next to the neat and well groomed Rutherford, in his snow white suit with a shiny sword that gleamed with its carefully crafted golden engravings.
Rutherford attacked first, and I could not hold back a gasp. Tynan’s eyes shifted in my direction, for only a moment, and he nearly had his defense pierced by the enemy’s sword.
“You have to stay quiet,” Denis whispered in my ear.
I could not take my eyes off the deadly dance that unfolded in front of my eyes.
Tynan had a strong disadvantage, his dominant arm was out of commission. He was forced to fight with his left arm, and he could barely escape the vicious attacks from his opponent.
Denis was saying something else, but I was not listening. My eyes were on the two males who were fighting to the death. One for me as the heir to the red clan to rule the land, the other to save all that he loved.
Rutherford took his time, clearly enjoying the fight. He delayed going on the offense, toying with Tynan, trying to show everyone how much stronger he was. He purposefully cut him again and again.
Every time his sword slashed Tynan’s suit, my heart broke a little more. Then the anger, the hurt, rose up deep in my chest, and I could not take it any longer. Denis’s hands pressed down on my arms, but I still tried to shake him off.
“Give him more time,” he whispered.
Rutherford slashed Tynan’s back and he fell to his knees, his good arm pressed against the dirt.
“I think it’s clear who’s been chosen by the gods!” Rutherford shouted for everyone to hear.
The smugness, the belief that he was somehow better than anyone else.
The power hungry spark in his eyes. The ugly curve to his mouth.
How I hated his face. If only I could do something to erase his disgusting smirk.
To make him stop talking. To hurt him as much as he hurt Tynan. I would do it in a heartbeat.
“You bastard!” I shouted, trying to break free from Denis’s grip.
“I’m going to teach you manners later; when you are on your back with your legs spread open.” He snickered.
The whole crowd roared, and my vision turned blurry.
Tynan lurched forward with incredible speed. At first, I could not even see what happened because he did not go for the torso. Seconds later, I realized that he had slashed Rutherford's ankle. The blade cut the artery and a fountain of blood sprayed from the wound.
The look on Rutherford's face was one of pure confusion and disbelief. His neatly combed hair, disturbed by the violent shock of pain, covered his face. He leaned forward and tipped to the ground. What was left of his foot remained planted in the dirt.
This was one of the most brutal and violent fights I had ever witnessed. It was not a competition, it was not a test to determine skill levels. Tynan had only one objective; to kill.
Slowly, Tynan got up, adjusting his shoulders.
Blood poured to the ground from a wound on his stomach.
He could barely move, stumbling stiffly toward Rutherford who rolled on the ground screaming.
Tynan stopped right in front of Rutherford's chest and kicked away the sword that the latter tried to grab. Tynan’s chest was rising and falling as he looked his opponent in the eye, his blade pointed downward.
Before anyone could react, Tynan plunged his sword straight into Rutherford’s heart with a powerful thrust. The forward motion made him lose his balance, and the next moment, he collapsed on his knees, too injured to move.
“We have a clear winner! Tynan from the land of Darragh just won in a fair fight!” Sage exclaimed, raising both his arms.
The crowd exploded with shouts. Knights from the white clan stood in silence, stupefied.
“Not so fast. I’m challenging you, Darragh.” Halsey moved forward.
“But milord, you are not a part of the fight,” Sage protested.
“You said it yourself, the gods want to know who’s the most deserving one.”
Halsey did not want to face Tynan until it was obvious that he was too injured to fight, or even stand up straight.
“But . . .”
“If he forfeits, I will take control of both clans.”
The steel of his narrow sword flickered in the light of the torches.
“No!” I shouted.
Tynan’s hair hid his eyes. He did not raise his head. He did not respond to my voice at all.
The sky was laced with thick clouds and a sudden gust of wind blew my hair forward, obstructing my vision.
“Not fair. Not fair,” the uneasy murmur rippled all around me.
“Coward!” Denis roared.
“The gods wanted—” Sage attempted to explain.
“Shut up, you drunk.” Halsey walked toward Tynan with his sword raised.
Someone had to stop it! Someone had to intervene. I thrashed against Denis with everything I had left.
Halsey was shortening the distance between him and Tynan. His large, disproportionate figure was stuffed into an ill-fitting suit. His bulging, triumphant eyes made his face unbearably ugly.
I fought Denis’s grip as time slowed.
Tynan’s eyes were closed, his body swayed slightly.
“Stop him!” I shouted.
All of a sudden, the crowd came to life, roaring with outrage.
Halsey prepared his blade, aiming a deadly blow.
At the same time, Tynan moved upward, his arm extended.
It took me a moment before I realized what just happened.
Tynan threw his sword. The entire blade had disappeared into Halsey’s chest, right up to its hilt.
Halsey’s eyes opened wide, blood mixed with spit came from the corner of his mouth.
Tynan slowly moved toward him. He placed his hand on the grip of his blade and twisted the sword before pulling it violently to the side.
A gush of blood burst from Halsey’s flesh, then he finally dropped to the ground, dead in an instant.
“Tynan!” I pushed Denis away, and ran toward him.
Dropping to the ground beside Tynan, I gently smoothed his bloodied face, unable to believe that it was over. He had been challenged twice, and won both of them.
“Princess,” Tynan whispered, his arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer.
“What is for you, will not go by you.” Sage proclaimed.
“The king has returned!” someone yelled, their voice loud and clear in my ears.
“Aye! Here, here! Aye!” the crowd hollered.
“Three clans? What are we going to do with them all?” I asked.
My hands roamed his cheeks, his hair. At this moment, I was incapable of letting him go. I needed to feel him, his warmth. His scent, so intimately familiar, was mixed with the smell of steel, blood, and dirt.
His lip curved and his gaze shifted to my lips. The next moment Tynan’s head dropped to his chest and his body relaxed in my arms. He passed out.
“The great king has returned!”
“Darragh!”
“Darragh!”
The crowd kept chanting.