This was no game.
This was a battle.
A battle of wills and perfect strategy.
At what point the simple game had become that, she wasn't entirely sure.
The redhead sat across from her at the little table. Clouds dark with rain and distant rumbles of thunder did little to distract her. She watched his face as he studied the board that stretched out between them.
The battlefield was scattered with few men left alive to continue the bloodbath.
His hand reached out tentatively. Her eyes narrowed as he moved for the knight. In this move, he'd taken none of her men, but she could see his plan. If she moved her rook, his queen could take her last pawn. Her white queen could easily dispatch his black knight, but that left the white king open to various attacks.
What was his next move going to be?
The next move was always more important than the previous one. Her mind played over the possibilities, trying to plan three moves ahead from where her warriors now stood.
She studied her pawn. In four moves, she could slaughter the black king, but that was a strategy based on luck. She wasn't fond of relying on luck.
She was in a dangerous place. A quick study of the board showed just how vulnerable she was at the moment. The white king was close to checkmate- the black bishop a looming threat. That was her immediate concern- but how was she going to save her king? Several options presented themselves to her. Moving her king was the easiest solution, but it would do little good. She needed a counter attack rather than a retreat.
Without another thought, she lifted her rook. She dispatched his bishop with ease. Her opponent managed to cover his expression with ease.
The first few drops of rain began to splatter against the black and white board.
"I do believe we should reschedule this for another time," he suggested with a smug smile. His false bravado was a tactic he rarely used. With that simple line, this battle became much more interesting.
She flashed a grin back to him.
"No."
They weren't running from this battle. Come hell or high water, she was determined to see this through to the end.
His eyes went back to the trenches he'd made. Her eyes played the game before he moved. She could see every possibility in that moment. She had to be careful, but so did he. She held the black king in check with her white rook.
The movement of his queen ment he would sacrifice his hold of possible check over her. The knight could take her queen, but that left him open to checkmate from her precious rook. He could still take her last pawn, but that was a shallow move and one she knew he could not risk.
The possibilities seemed infinite. But she knew him. He was too careful. There were really only a handful of moves he would dare.
The black knight he pushed forward blocked her rook from claiming victory, but also left him with his queen open to attack. She was, once again, in check.
The white king could not move, now.
She was trapped.
A small smile formed across her lips, and she did not miss the brow of her opponent furrowing in confusion.
Her rook was in the most immediate danger. Once it was gone, that would leave her with one pawn, her queen, and her king. Her queen could always move to protect her king, but that could only lead to suicide. The rook could challenge the black knight- in a way- but she felt that such a bold move would be overlooked in favor of claiming the white queen.
That left only one option.
She shifted her last pawn. It was a simple yet deceptive move she hoped he would overlook.
The fearsome black queen claimed her rook. She smiled.
Before he could pull back his hand and study the board, she acted. The white queen shot forward.
"Checkmate."
Even with the heavy rain drops splattering against the board, she could hear the resounding thunk the black king made as it fell.
Emerald eyes widened in shock, then settled into a small smile.
"That's the third time this week," he muttered. It was his way to congratulate her on her win.
She grinned.
Victory was sweet.
A/N: Please review!