She was like a wild flower that infatuates with purity,
And her untamed beauty basically doesn't belong to anybody.
In the captivity of your hands,
suddenly with thorns she fends for herself.
You tried to captivate her with a wire,
drowned her in pure adrenaline.
You destroyed all of her dreams,
you bombarded her happiness with your doubts.
You thought that everything would stay the same.

Chapter II

Measuring the two men who fought over his daughter with his eyes, Mihawk leaned back in the chair, tipping it slightly backwards. He wished that he could just kick up his feet on the table and tell them that this discussion was completely needless, but nothing good would come from him stealing all the attention away like that, scaring was not a thing to resort to now. Not now when there was actually a chance of him achieving his own goals too, with Eira accepting the young Fire Devil as a possible Groom.

It was still bugging him, the reason to why she had chosen to reject her heart and instead go against what everyone had taken for granted, that she would wait for Lolonoa. But whatever the reason for her change of heart, that pathetic man who was the cause of it and now stood before the priest along with Eira and the greenhaired man wouldn't get away with it. Now all those lessons he had given Zoro would pay of, he would get to see what the younger male truly was capable of, fighting for his heart's desire. Watching them sign the document for the Challenge with their own blood, so that no-one of them could break out of it when the fights had begun, he wondered if they knew that he knew.

"Now, Challenger and Groom, who are your Fighters?"

"Portgas D. Ace, Portgas D. Luffy, Gorwedd Usopp and Esgyrn Sanji." The names were spoken in a firm voice, it was obvious that he had great trust in them and as far as the Duke knew, he had every reason to feel so. The Portgas brothers were known for their strength and he knew that Zeff had trained his adoptive son hard and good, so the only query was the longnosed boy. But the Gorwedd family was known for one thing and that was sniping, hopefully this son had inherited the abilities and would meet an enemy who it was successful against.

"Rob Lucci, Diolegu Kaku, Treisgar Jyabura and Sownd Blueno." Warriors from the Second Hell, fierce and thirsty for blood had Jinbei told him. And it seemed like he was right as usual, the males standing at one of the walls truly emitted a dangerous aura.

"And are these men willing to sacrifice their lives in this, your battle for the Bride?"

"Ie, rydym yn." Answering in the old language, all the males stood up, his daughter and her suitors moved aside so that they too could sign the document with their names written in blood. When it was done, all the names started to glow with an eerie light and the paper rolled itself up into a scroll, before the priest took the dagger which had punctured all of their fingertips too draw the blood.

Chanting, he held the blade above the document as the blood dripped down to form a seal where the edge met the rolled paper. Then he pressed his signet ring into it, to prove that the covenant had been made under the eye of a servant of the Dark Lord.

"Gyda'r pŵer mae ein Dark Arglwydd wedi rhoi i mi, rwy'n herefore ynganu hwn feud dechrau. Mae'r enillydd yn cael y Bride's llaw, a bydd y loser am byth wedi colli ei cyfle at ei chalon."

His eyes drifting to the face of his daughter, he noted the deep breath she took, how that wrinkle appeared between her brows. She looked so much like her mother then, worry shining through at the though of battle, that he felt a pang of pain in his chest. The feeling of loss spread inside of him and as Eira shifted her gaze to him, he couldn't keep a bit of it from be seen in the way he lifted the corners of his mouth.

But seeing her walk past all the men to stand beside him, it ebbed away and instead he felt only pride as he looked up at her nervous face. The cold deadness in her eyes had disappeared at the same night as Lolonoa came back to this Hell, and from then she had started to become the girl he had raised in his castle. And he had really missed her.

"Then, Offeiriad, who will be the first to clash?" Only one fight was decided from the beginning, and that might not even take place. The others was decided with a drawn made by the document they just had signed. Breaking the seal, the priest read aloud from the bottom line, to where two of the names now had moved.

"Esgyrn Sanji and Treisgar Jyabura will be the first to fight." The two men straightened their backs, looking at each across the room. Ice meeting raw muscles, this fight would surely be an interesting one.

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"Stop being so damn nervous, shitty marimo. I won't lose." He took a deep drag of his cigarette, before blowing out the smoke in a nonchalant manner which he knew irritated Zoro. And Dark Lord did he need a distraction? The man was rigid as a violin string and looked ready to make a hole in the nearest wall with his fist.

"Shut it, ero-cook. I kno-" Watching the greenhaired man close his mouth quickly before he let his tongue run away with him and say that he trusted the blond Devil, Sanji leaned his back against the wall and shoved his hands down into his pockets. Faking a calm facade, he blew the smoke in the other's face.

"You know, what? That I'm so strong that I'm never gonna lose against some kind of dog?" The words were met by a low growl, a flash of red eyes and sharp, white teeth. But just as fast as they were there, the features was gone again. "Listen, you need to relax, she's just gonna freak out if you look like you're gonna snap any minute and kill the bastard right there on the spot." He didn't say anything about the fact that Eira-sama would be even more torn up if she saw him nervous like this, that was tacit. But his words seemed to calm something inside of of the Fire Devil, as he cracked his neck and nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Milords, it is time." Both of them looked at the old little man who appeared bowing at the threshold, neither had heard him approaching. That was actually a quite scary ability the Serving Demons had, to able to move with such quite and unnoticeable steps, in opposite to the Devils whos' powers and magic betrayed them everywhere unless they trained to hide it.

"Let's go then."

There was no need for a response, instead the cook just followed behind Zoro who followed the old man. Under his pale skin, he felt his magic move and sting, nervousness and anticipation mixing so hard that he couldn't tell them from each other. So he didn't try to, instead focusing on smoking his nicotine and watching the architecture which passed by. The Centre really had a different style...

"Ouf!" So stuck in his thoughts, Sanji didn't notice how the Fire Devil before him stopped before the giant door which led outside. As a result of that, he walked right into the other's back.

"Oi, what are y-"

"Sanji, I..." Pretending that the fact that Zoro addressed him with his name and not some shitty nickname didn't surprise him, the blond man took his cigarette from his mouth.

"What is it now?"

"Nothing, just do your best." He didn't say anything about the color on the greenhaired man's cheeks, just pulled another drag of smoke.

"Doesn't I always?" Grinning at each other, they walked out through the door and into the sun which shone so strongly that it almost blinded them. All around them the people went silent as the shithead and his fighter also stepped out into the sun across the courtyard. Even if the air was high and clear with a clear blue sky, there was a heavy mood hanging in the air and as the Groom and Challenger looked at each other it just seemed to intensify with electricity.

"You got to give the guy credit... For not killing the shitty bastard at the spot." Sanji knew that neither he would be able to accept that a woman he loved would marry a man she didn't love, which meant he was against all marriages which was done only for the sake of power, money or status. But that the marimo would be able to realise that a Challenge was his only chance, that was a little surprising as he used to just go for it and ignore everything around him. "Maybe love can help even the most hopeless cases."

Smiling at the thought, the cook shoved his hands down into his pockets nonchalantly and walked beside Zoro up to the platform where Eira was sitting along with her father and the Offeiriad. Watching her stand at the same time as they reached them, he felt the Fire Devil beside him tense up. In her hands she held a blue and white rose, still carrying its thorns and symbolising her own love and heart, which she would give to the one who held the most roses at the end of this Challenge. "Attaining the impossible, eternal love, loyalty and purity." He still remembered what he had read in a book for flower language, the symbolism of the rose's color.

As she opened her lips to speak in that calm voice of hers, he took the cigarette from his own mouth to crush it into the stone beneath his boot. Inside, he vowed that he would do the same to the dog who was his opponent, whatever the cost might be. He wouldn't let a lady become unhappy if he could do anything about it.

"Men, fight just and true, fight with all your might and strenght. I have faith in that only the best of you will prevail. Now, let this the first duel begin!"

Turning against his opponent as Zoro and Spandam left the duelling arena, marked by ribbons red as blood, he watched the other man grin under his moustache and pull of his tie to throw it at the ground behind him. Then his magic started to radiate from his body, his feet growing longer, his broad chest widening even more as his face got pulled out at his nose. Now being completely covered with fur, he threw his head back and howled at the sky.

"Gyaaaa ha ha ha ha! Come on little Devil, I'm gonna tear you to bloody shreds!" Licking his lips in a wicked way, the way he stared at the blond male made Sanji feel like he was a piece of meat up for the measure. Ignoring the feeling, he calmly took a cigarette out from his pocket along with his lighter while muttering.

"We'll see about that, you shitty piece of low class meat."

Then the deep 'Dooong' which signaled the start of the duel echoed through the crisp air. And suddenly his opponent wasn't standing before him anymore...

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The blond Devil apparently got shocked at the wolf-Demon's fast movements, since in the next second he had to block a sudden attack from the front with his leg. The power of the clash sent a shock wave through the air and the smaller male was sent flying backwards.

Wincing, she gripped harder at her seat above the crowd. This was most likely not going to be a long fight, with such eager participants.

In the next moment the wolf got kicked over the duelling area, crashing into the magical fence, budging it with the force of the impact. With blood dripping from his forehead, the Ice Devil glared at his enemy. She could feel his determination, a young spirit with the force of an avalanche. "He must be born during the end of the winter..." Out of a very old habit, she noted in her mind the most likely time of his birth. Not that it mattered right now, it was all too late to do a forecast of his destiny.

A new serie of attacks, the man named Jyabura charging at the cook who dodged the clawing attack and instead delivering crushing kicks to the other's back, earning high shouts from the public.

Throwing an eye at the young princess, she saw how she gripped hard at the armrest with her hands. If the poor girl was anything like her mother, then she despised fighting. Then how bad mustn't it be for her to have men fight for her sake? As her turned attention back to the duel, she found the wolf-Demon on the ground, white frost marking the spots where Sanji had kicked him.

Then, he looked up at the other with an almost pleading look in his eyes. His lips moved, but she was too far away to hear exactly what he said, but it seemed like the blond male took it in and believed him for his words. In the next second he kicked the larger man up into the air as he tried to attack him from above.

Jumping and spinning, the Ice Devil kept delivering devastating kicks to his opponent, the crowd cheering and gasping at his strength. Avoiding the last attack, Jyabura crouched to the ground, before he started to jump around, his magic leaving a trace behind him. As time seemed to slow down, he delivered a body crushing fist to Sanji's chest. Not having the time to react, the blond Devil was sent flying over the paved area, dropping his cigarette at the ground.

Charging again after his prey, he clawed at the suit clad body, drawing blood. When his opponent was lying motionless on the ground, he howled to the sky in triumph.

Fear trickled her senses, was the youngster going to lose this fight? That was not what she had seen! Praying to the Dark Lord, she sighted in relief as she saw him stand up, staggering. With no mercy, the wolf kicked him in the chest with both his feet, the power from it making the very air move.

He was laughing... Blood dripped at the stones bellow... But she had her strong belief in her prediction, so the young Devil was going to stand up again. She just knew.

And he did, with magic flowing of him in waves and dark wings springing from his back. Calmly moving his lips, he then charged at Jyabura, white flakes falling from his legs. The Demon was sent flying over the area, over the crowd and landing in a smoking pile with the frost spreading over his chest. The crowd went silent... Before starting to cheer again! The noise was making her deaf and as so many stood up she couldn't see it when Eira walked over to the winner and gave him the rose.

But she guessed that he would kiss her hand, he seemed like the type. Now, she would instead go back to her room and keep trying to predict the outcome of this Challenge, since it surely would affect all of the Hells...

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A/N; I want to apologize for the wait! But I've had quite a writer's block for some time now and is just starting to get back in the game. Please bear with little me's late updates... I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Here is a list of the Welsh I used in this chapter;

Gorwedd - lies
Esgyrn - leg
Diogelu - protection
Treisgar - violent
Sownd - firm
Ie, rydym yn. - Yes, we are.
Gyda'r pŵer mae ein Dark Arglwydd wedi rhoi i mi, rwy'n herefore ynganu hwn feud dechrau. Mae'r enillydd yn cael y Bride's llaw, a bydd y loser am byth wedi colli ei cyfle at ei chalon. - With the power which our Dark Lord has granted me, I herefore pronounce this feud as started. The winner gets the Bride's hand, and the loser will forever have lost his chance to her heart. (I'm really sorry if this is the wrong translation, but it was what Google translation gave me...)
Offeiriad - priest

Btw, I hate Sanji's last name =_='

Please review so that I feel that I have to write as a thank-you! *hugs all her lovely readers* Mata ne~