Chapter Ten: The Sixth Suitor [Scene 5 of 6]

This time, for this duel, Tarrant refuses to be pushed back and up into a tree. Even if it means that bloody stomach ache of his has an easier time of finding him. He damns the courtiers – let them find out Alice is his! He doesn't care. She's already promised to bind his heart with her blood as his blood will bind hers. In the face of that, there is nothing these pathetic, petty, posturing nitwits can do.

Alice steps forward from between a rook and a bishop and it seems as if both she and Tarrant are of the same mind about the courtiers. She sweeps the crowd with her gaze until she finds him. And then she gives him a rather obvious and sincere smile.

Some nearby courtiers twitter behind their hands and send sideways glances at Tarrant. He doesn't take his attention off of his betrothed, not even when Stayne emerges from the opposite end to reluctant but polite applause. Tarrant feels his grin become strained. He wants to smack the lot of them across their powdered, painted faces. All they care about is not offending the challenger, in the event that he's chosen by the queen... or manages to slaughter her Champion.

Alice... your promise!

She faces Stayne now and the pair of them go through the ritual of removing the weapons they won't be using during the fight. Tarrant focuses on Stayne as the man removes a pair of daggers – one from his chest and another from his waist. A dirk strapped to his arm is removed by a knight and two pawns attend to his ankles. A quick glance assures that Alice is being subjecting to the same examination. An uncomfortable murmur goes through the hastily-gathered audience as weapon after weapon is removed from both the challenger and the Champion. Never before has such attention been paid to the removal of disallowed weapons!

When they both stand there in only shirtsleeves, trousers, and shoes, Nivens hops forward nervously. "Challenger! Queen's Champion! Choose your weapon!"

With bland smile, Stayne selects a broadsword. Tarrant tenses. He knows that Alice's arms are much shorter and her center of gravity is much lower than Stayne's, so her broadsword is a lot closer to being a short-sword than not. But Alice doesn't seem perturbed in the slightest. In fact, she seems to be almost looking forward to the fight.

Tarrant tries to borrow a bit of her confidence and tranquility – not enough that she'd notice, of course! Just to keep him from pulling the throwing knives from his gauntlets and taking care of Ilosovich Stayne... permanently.

He keeps his fisted hands at his sides as Alice and Stayne don't bow exactly... more like incline their heads briefly. No, Alice certainly doesn't trust him and she's let Stayne know it.

"The duel begins!" McTwisp announces shrilly, ringing the silver bell.

Tarrant tenses further, despite the bit of confidence and the tad of tranquility he'd gathered unbeknownst from Alice. With each perfectly executed stab or thrust and each successful block, Tarrant has to remind himself not to move. He cannot – must not! – interfere with this fight, no matter how intense his desire to do just that. He watches his betrothed face the man Tarrant could have – should have – killed three years ago on the Battle of Frabjous Day. So, close... Stayne's life had been there for the taking and Tarrant had let his disgust at the death of the Jabberwocky stay his hand.

Killing Ilosovich Stayne: of all the immeasurably stupid things to have not done!

The duel proceeds with perfectly-executed precision swordsmanship. Indeed, Tarrant has to admit, Alice has improved quite a lot since he'd last seen her fight with the sword. Her footwork is impeccable and her arms truly are strong enough to wield the weapon she holds.

Still... Tarrant can't help being suspicious: Stayne isn't even trying to tire her. Does the man honestly think he'll be able to persuade the queen to accept his offer, or, failing that, allow him to return from exile?

The minutes wind and spin away despite the insistence of Tarrant's pocket watch to the contrary. He remains tense, however. Something is not right here. Something he should know...

Just as Nivens raises the silver bell to announce the end of required time, Stayne makes his move. Tarrant gasps as the man thrusts his blade directly at Alice's heart!

She brings up her own sword and twists her torso. Each motion is just enough to save her life. Although it's not enough to save her shirt. Several courtiers giggle and look away as the fabric gapes open over Alice's chest. Tarrant stares at the unmarred flesh exposed over her heart and shoulder and upper arm until he's sure her lack of injury is not a hopeful delusion. He even sees the hint of the wrappings across her bust, but – thankfully – he does not see any blood.

Tarrant's traitorous body begins to relax.

Nivens rings the silver bell.

Alice, uncaring of her state of dress, turns back to a smiling Ilosovich Stayne.

It's the smile that reminds Tarrant that this contest is not over yet. A slow drumbeat of dread thuds against his breastbone and stomps his stomach against his spine.

Careful, Alice! Watch him!

She does. Unlike the previous duels, Alice does not charge him and finish the fight in a flurry of swordplay. She feels it too, then, he surmises. The bastard is Planning something...

"Tired, Alice?" Stayne wonders aloud.

She gives him a tight-lipped smile. Lifting her sword, they begin circling again. Tarrant notices her grip on the hilt: her knuckles are white. He glances up at her posture and notes, with relief, that she hasn't tensed up.

Just a bit longer, Alice. Draw him in and finish it...

She does. A thrust, and then another, and then she has the blade of her sword under Stayne's weapon. It will only take a sharp jerk to disarm him, send the blade flying over his arms and into the grass. Tarrant watches the disarming motion. In fact, he's so intent on Alice he almost misses the added momentum Stayne intentionally gives the sword. With a lurch of his shoulder and twist of his wrist... faster than it ought, the sword slices through the air like a spear...

... directly at Tarrant.

It happens too fast for screams, gasps, or winces.

One instant, Stayne's sword is tangled with Alice's and the next the knave has used Alice's thrust and a calculated motion of his arm to send it hurtling at Tarrant's chest. The events occur too fast for Tarrant's mind to truly comprehend and, suddenly, he feels something hard at his back, knocking the air out of him as he falls. The flash of silver is the last thing he sees before darkness replaces everything.


[End of Chapter 10: Scene 5 of 6]