Day 21
Universe non-specified.
VICTORY
At first she blames the frantic heartbeat in her chest to the usual excitement any sort of competition awakens in her. The wind rushes through her hair as she spins and thrusts and slashes and parries his attacks gracefully, but with effort. He doesn't look in much better form, so used to being the most skilled fighter of his group, unaccustomed to the level of concentration she requires from him as an adversary. But he seems excited as well. Is he excited? She is. It's the first time she's found someone capable of going toe to toe with her in any sort of competence…besides her sister, that is. She blocks an incoming slash just barely and takes a few steps back, eyes set on him, trying to stop herself from heaving as much as possible.
"Ready to accept defeat?" she throws at him. He pretends not to notice the droplets of salty sweat sliding over his brow and smirks. She can see him holding back from heaving as well.
"Not really…but if you want to, we can stop now"
For all answer, she points the tip of her blade at him defiantly, her heart a-flutter. He follows suit, his smirk widening, and they start over. It's been like this at least half a dozen times, when they started the sun was setting and now it's almost midnight. Ah, both are exhausted, but they're also so stubborn. The only way this will ever stop is when one of them loses.
And she's so tired.
And he's the one always saying how the end justifies the means, right?
So in one swift movement, when his body is stretched forward in a thrust, she dodges the blow and draws so close to him that she can hear his heartbeat, as frantic as hers; and sees him start, taken by surprise, his eyes widened, his jaw slacked. He smells like insence and clean sweat and the wax he uses in his beard and mustache and she takes a moment to inhale…
One movement, is all it takes after that. Before he knows what's happened he's lying on his butt in the floor, still gaping at her. She smiles, the tip of her sword pressed against his breastplate.
"I win"
And he does something she doesn't really understand. Smiles, his eyelids drooping the slightest.
"Indeed"
Her heart is still beating frantically, and she realizes: No, it's him who has won.
C.C (a) the Author here.
Have you seen that concept art from the movie featuring these guys with swords as if on par? That's what inspired this. I would have loved to see something like that on film...
