Hilde and Dampierre staggered towards each other, both battered and bruised. They'd each gone down hard four times, the female knight losing her helmet in her last collapse, and whoever fell next might not be getting back up. Hilde thrust her spear at Dampierre, only for him to lean aside and step in with a punch. His brass knuckles slammed against her jaw, and she fell to her back. He jumped on top of her, raining down metal-aided punches to her beautiful face. He raised both fists and slammed them down hard, making her cry out as he struck her with such impact it sent him rolling forward off her.
The referee ran over to check on Hilde, who continued to lie motionless on her back. Seeing her helpless expression, eyes shut tight and mouth open, he waved his arms to call off the fight, but Dampierre walked back over and pushed him out of the way. Hilde's allies stared in shock and dread at the sight of the princess defeated, but didn't interfere as she had told them not to.
Dampierre knelt by Hilde and touched her full lips. Her head moved back and forth a bit, as if the injured warrior's fighting spirit still yearned to rouse her, but then stilled again. He nudged the fingers of her open sword hand, knuckles lying against the ground, and got no response. He wondered how her hands looked under those bulky gauntlets-if they were as graceful, and her nails as well maintained, as he pictured.
"Now let's see what's under that disguise," he said with a grin.
Her spear hand closed into a fist and punched him, sending him reeling away. Hilde's eyes opened. She sat up to glare at Dampierre, face indignant. "You shouldn't have said that," she spat with a scowl. "A line like that always presses my Continue button."