Ch. 11 Dueling for a Heart

Alright, this is the chapter that the majority of my fans have been waiting for...we get to see two females go at it with the Chief on the line. Lucky damn Spartan. I will try my best to make a great fighting scene so bear with me please.

On another note, my LoS story is coming along nicely and so is my Skyrim story so check those out if you like dragons. Question, I have proven that there are a lot of people out there who want to read about certain pairings so why haven't they been done before me? If anyone can answer that please let me know.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of 343 and Bungie.

"Only you Chief." Cortana said as she shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" The Chief replied curiously.

Cortana let out a sigh. "Only you could have two women fighting over you and you not care in the slightest." Cortana replied exasperatedly.

"Your the one that got me in the mess if I recall." The Chief replied accusingly as Cortana gave a menial shrug.

"Think of it as a never ending mission Chief. Get married and secure peace between humanity and the Sangheili and you get the strongest female as a reward." Cortana said with a grin while the Chief shook his head.

"No thanks to you." The Chief said as Cortana started to laugh.

"Big baby and here I thought you Spartans were tough." she replied as the Chief bristled until he figured out that she was joking. "I do have some good news. Your armor should be ready tomorrow." she didn't miss the very small sigh of relief from the Chief. "John...one day you will have to remove that armor for the final time and I want you to be ready for it. You won't be able to wear it forever." she said softly as the Chief sighed.

"And that is what I fear the most." The Chief replied as he left the room. Cortana said nothing as she watched him leave.

"You're afraid of becoming useless John but there will always be someone to keep you from being that and she is fighting for you tomorrow." Cortana said to an empty room. "Even a Spartan needs an anchor."

-Scene Change-

The Arbiter sat in her room and stared out the window with a somber look. Tomorrow she would fight her former friend and her love interest was on the line but what scared her the most was the fact that she might end up losing. Not only would a loss mean that she would have to give up her pursuit but it would also mean that her ability to be the Arbiter would be called into question. The shame of having her skills even remotely questioned made her upset and worried.

'I won't be shamed again...not by her.' she thought to herself.

"Something is bothering you daughter." Dava replied from the door. "Your mother had that same exact face whenever she had a thought."

The Arbiter snorted. "It's nothing."

Her father sighed. "You may hate me but I know you better than most. You are getting worried about tomorrow aren't you." Damn her father and his ability to see through her!

"I won't lose tomorrow...and I will prove why I am the Arbiter." she said calmly as her father sighed again.

"What happened between you two?" he asked calmly.

"I lost my position as fleet master due to her. I beat her but the spar lasted too long and many began to question my leadership capabilities. I was removed from my duties and forced to re-earn my place in the fleet." The Arbiter replied bitterly. "The shame I had to endure because of her..."

"Is that all?" he asked and she turned to him. "That isn't why you dislike her is it?"

The Arbiter didn't reply.

-Scene Change-

The Arbiter and Kela stood across from each other in the ring. The rules were simply, first to admit defeat or leaves the ring loses and the winner gets the opportunity to marry the Spartan. Kela only wanted to test herself against her old friend but the Arbiter was actually fighting for the Chief. The entire courtyard was full of Sangheili eager to watch the two females go at it like rabid jackals.

"Are you both ready?" Stacker replied nervously. They needed an impartial referee and someone suggested a human. They both silently nodded and as soon as Stacker said go he got the hell outta dodge.

Kela charged the Arbiter and swung her right fist and the Arbiter easily blocked but almost missed the kick aimed at her mid-section. 'She got faster!' The Arbiter thought as she had to duck another blow. Kela had kept up the tempo with a relentless barrage of punches and the occasional kick had kept the Arbiter on the defensive with no room to strike back. Inch by inch she was forced back and she became aware of how close she was getting to the edge; she had to push back and it was when she got a brief lull she struck.

The Arbiter began to throw punch after punch and Kela had no choice but defend herself. Kela had gotten faster than she was but Thela wasn't the Arbiter in name only. As quick as lightning, Thela had thrown a punch and then feinted to the side and her hoof impacted on Kela's side and she crumpled.

"You have gotten faster but you still have the same old weak point, you always leave your side open." The Arbiter said mockingly.

Kela snarled as she stood. "And you never could just finish a fight. Instead you like to gloat and belittle but you never finish an opponent." The Arbiter growled lowly and rushed at her.

-With the Chief-

"I think this has less to do about you and more about themselves." Cortana remarked as Kela avoided an elbow to the face and kicked out with her right leg.

"I count 25 ways that either of them could've ended it by now." The Chief replied as he watched them. "This is becoming nothing more than a street brawl." he finished as the Arbiter went for a hip toss only to have her legs kicked out from under her and Kela started to pound on her.

"Sir, is it wrong to be slightly turned on by this?" Dubbo asked as he watched the Arbiter grab Kela's arm and use her body to throw Kela over her head.

"You're a male Private so no." Cortana replied with a small chuckle. "I will admit...the females do have great flexibility." she added when Kela twisted her body to avoid a body blow.

"100 on the Arbiter?" Dubbo asked hopefully as the Chief sighed.

"Just to humor you, I'll give you that." The Chief replied as Dubbo did an arm pump.

"Score." Dubbo replied as the Chief shook his head and yet he had a small twitch on his lips. Maybe Cortana was right about showing more emotion. He would have to look into it later.

-Back to the Fighters-

Sweat glistened off their bodies as they engaged again and again they were evenly matched. The Arbiter snarled as she wasn't able to get a good grip on Kela anymore and Kela narrowed her eyes as the Arbiter attempted to throw her on the ground but slipped. Breaking from the hold she did a few back flips and landed slightly panting.

"You aren't even trying anymore!" Kela shouted with rage. "Do you really think me beneath you that you wouldn't even try to fight?"

The Arbiter didn't flinch but everyone saw the slight twitch in her mandibles. "You also were never the smartest in training. If I tried then this would've been over in a few minutes. I have fought Spartans and Brutes along with the Parasite and have survived. I have numerous battles and victories underneath me and years of experience over you." she said as she sized Kela up. "Everyone here knows that you wouldn't win."

Kela only straightened up. "What happened to you? What did that war do to you?" the Arbiter responded by rushing her again.

"The war did nothing to me!" The Arbiter replied as she swung her fist again and Kela dodged. "I led my fleet and troops with honor!"

"Then why did you let me last so long back then? Why did you give me a chance to win even though you knew that you could've won easily?" Kela shot back and the Arbiter stopped.

"You didn't belong there." The Arbiter said slowly. "You didn't belong in the Covenant military. I wanted to give you the chance to prove me wrong and you almost did but in the end I knew that you didn't want to be there."

"And how would you know what I wanted?" Kela asked curiously.

"Because your heart wasn't in it. You only joined because you wanted to follow me even though I warned you against it." The Arbiter said as she clenched her fists. "I told you numerous times to not follow me and that you would be better as a Guard Captain for your Keep then a soldier in war but you didn't listen."

"So you let me almost win because you wanted me gone?" Kela questioned angrily.

The Arbiter shook her head. "I did that so you would see just how difficult it was. You heard the talk after the fight and how my leadership was questioned. I was demoted after that due to no-confidence in my skills because of it. My battle kills meant nothing next to one spar. I wanted you to see how extreme it was and how something so small could have big consequences. I took a fall so you would take a hint." she finished as Kela tilted her head.

-With Dava 'Vadamee-

"So you aren't angry at her after all daughter. You're angry about your inability to convince her that it was for the best that she leave before her life crashes down." Dava mused to himself. "You always put others before yourself haven't you."

"Has this gone on long enough?" An elder asked as Dava shook his head.

"It won't last much longer." Dava said as Falo nodded.

"They both have come a long way from the small children they use to be." Falo said as Dava huffed in agreement.

"Your daughter is indeed worthy of being your Keep's Captain of the Guard." Dava told Falo with a hint of pride.

"And yours is more than worthy of being the Arbiter of the Sangheili. She has proven time and again that she is the strongest." Falo replied just as enthusiastic.

-With the Fighters-

Kela lowered her head in thought. "You made your pride take a hit...for me?" The Arbiter nodded her head. "Why didn't you just order me to leave?"

"Because you were my friend and despite our ranks I wanted you to leave by your own choice." The Arbiter replied softly.

Kela for her part only nodded. "And I did...you were right; I wasn't meant for service."

"I know...shall we finish this?" The Arbiter asked with a Sangheili grin.

"Lets." Kela replied and they both charged.

Their moves became sluggish as fatigue began to set in but they continued. Punches started to find their mark due to their fatigue but neither gave an inch. When one landed a punch the other responded by throwing one back. Their arms felt like they had weights on but they shrugged it off and soon they resorted to kicking and punching to mix it up. Kela fought with wild fury but her fatigue caught up to her before the Arbiter's did. Kela knew that she was about to lose and yet she wasn't angry about it.

Seeing an opening, the Arbiter grabbed one of Kela's arms and placed her leg in front of her. With a firm grip on Kela she began another hip toss and in one swift motion tossed her on the ground and locked her arm behind her back and put her weight down. Kela was trapped and too tired to move at this point.

After a few minutes of struggling Kela finally had enough. "I...I submit." she panted out as the Arbiter smiled.

"Match over!" Stacker replied as the Arbiter got off of Kela. "Winner, Thela 'Vadam!" he said as held up her arm. All around them, the crowd applauded at the match.

"Kela...I'm sorry." The Arbiter replied as they faced each other again.

Kela shook her head. "I'm the one that should apologize." The Arbiter tilted her head before it hit her.

"You accused me of not trying and yet you didn't either." she accused as Kela grinned.

"I learned from the best." she replied cheekily as the Arbiter fumed.

"I want a rematch." The Arbiter said as Kela laughed.

"On one condition." she started as the Arbiter narrowed her eyes. "I want to be your honor maid at the ceremony." The Arbiter snarled in response as Kela laughed.

-Scene Change-

"He accepted then?" Dava asked his daughter as she got checked in the medical room.

"After careful thought and maybe a little persuasion." she replied as Dava let out a small chuckle.

"I will send you a list of possible dates and times that you may set at your leisure." Dava said as the Arbiter nodded and he walked out. 'You will be told the truth soon daughter. I only hope you will have enough self-restraint to handle it.'

And I will cut it off right there or else I won't stop lol.

A lot of info was thrown out in here regarding the Arbiter's actions in the past and we found out why she had a chip on her shoulder. She took a blow to her pride for a friend but she believes that she had failed to convince her to leave something that wasn't for her. We all have done that at least once for a friend in our lives though so it happens.

Nothing else to say except read and review and I'll see you all next time!