Title: The Prince of Thieves and a Moon Maiden
Author: Marie J.W.
Chapter: Seven
Rated: PG
Email: mariejwchan@yahoo.com (changed address)
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
A Half Hour Later:
Serenity swallowed hard. This was it. The tournament was starting and
there was no turning back now.
"Don't worry, boy." Matthew put a large hand on her shoulder, "It will
go fast once you're out there."
Worried? Serenity shook her head. She couldn't be worried. She was
good, Jarick told her so... So why was she so scared?
"TINO." The first name was called, "AND SHII."
Two men walked past Serenity and her group to the enterance. Tino and
Shii stopped at the enterance, shook hands and bowed before entering the
arena as if they were enemies and nothing more.
The crowd outside cheered and whoopied as the two men walked around
the ring. Serenity moved towards the enterance to watch. Tino and Shii
circled around the ring before walking steadily towards the middle,
drawing their swords. They stopped only five feet away from each other
before circling, staying parallel.
Serenity remembered this part of the ritual. Jarick had explained to
her that it would buy her time to size up her opponant and quickly find
his weaknesses before the real sword fighting began.
In the blink of an eye the two men were in heated combat. Tino and
Shii's sword hilts were locked together, both men's faces only inches
apart as they glared at each other. The crowd cheered their favorite
sword fighter.
Serenity felt sick to her stomach. Could she really do this? What if she
was just asking for a quick death? She mentally shook her head. No, she
wanted to live but she also wanted to prove to herself that she was just
as good as any man at sword fighting.
Tino and Shii separated and were once again circling each other.
Tino went in first and Shii blocked him before making his own attack.
Serenity watched, mentally screaming for them to make one move or another
before they got slashed.
Finally, in one fatal move from Shii, Tino was dead on the ground. Shii
had slashed Tino's stomach wide open. Serenity's eyes went wide as she stared
at the man now lying on the ground.
No... This can't be happening. He wasn't dead, was he?
Serenity had remembered watching sword turnaments since she was little
but never had she seen any of the men on the moon kill their opponant in
their battles.
"I feel sick." Serenity turned from the scene and fled to a corner of
the large room and vomited.
"It's his first time." She heard Matthew chuckle, "You'll get used to
it boy." He raised his voice so she could clearly hear him.
It's unnatural. This shouldn't be happening. Men dying for no purpose,
it didn't make sense for a man to die just because he didn't block ONE
attack.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"Excuse me, sir. How do we get into the tournament?" Lita asked a
man standing stiff with a large metal helmet on his head.
The man looked down at her, "That way."
Lita nodded, "Thanks."
Lita, Mina, Ray and Amy all now dressed in commoners clothing headed
in the direction the man pointed.
"That man needs to learn how to smile." Mina wrinkled her nose.
The group ignored her as Lita stopped in front of a booth.
"Four tickets."
Lita quickly paid for the tickets and they headed through the gate
into the stands.
Mina clipped her nose with her fingers, "It smells like sweat in
here."
"Over there." Ray pointed towards a seat way up at the top. The girls
hiked up there in their skirts, with Mina complaining all the way.
Once seated, Ray leaned back on the back-rest, "I'm............
tired..."
The crowd roared and a man sitting next to them jumped up in his seat
and cheered.
"What's going on?" Ray leaned forwards, "Oh-my-gosh! Is he dead?"
"Yes." Amy frowned, "I didn't know turnaments on earth were so violent."
"Niether did I, imagine, all those men from earth, murderers.
That's the last time I look at a earthen man again." Mina folded her
arms and glared down at the only man alive in the arena.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Serena slid down against the wall and put her head in between her legs.
'I can't do this. I'm not ready. I didn't mean for this to go this far...
I only wanted to prove that I was a good sword fighter and have some
adventure but this is turning out to be far more serious then I had planned.
But if I back out now, I will only be proving Jarick right. I am a girl, and
a weak one at that.'
"I'm a Princess, dang'it! Princess's are born to be leaders and defeaters.
I can win this... if I only had the stomach..." she whispered under her
breath.
"That's a boy, just settle down, it'll be all over as soon as ya'r step
out." Matthew looked towards the entryway with his hand on his sword.
Serenity lifted her head to look at him, he could very well become the
next famous captin if he lived through this tournament. He was
strong, compassionate but seemed to have a strong brave atmosphere
about him. Serenity was suddenly glad he was on her side and not the
opposite.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"I can't believe Tino let him win! And here I put some bets on him.
Great!" Jedite frowned.
Prince Endymion sighed. He was waiting for the boy to come out and
fight. He hopped that his fate wouldn't be one much like Tino's. Endymion
looked around the arena at the huge crowd going wild. For some reason he
felt a sense of calm alertness. He wasn't sure why. It was almost as if
he was supposed to be aware of his surroundings and aware of what was going
on around him.
The prince shrugged the feeling off and tried to focus on the games again
but his mind kept going back to the thought.
"This is it! It's Bruce T! He's up! Whoa, Whooh!" Jedite stood and clapped
his hands before letting out a loud whistle.
Endymion smiled, "Now, this might be interesting."
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Shii walked in with his shoulders back as he waved to the crowd.
Serenity watched him enter with a proud face and then sit down on a
barral. He took out his sword and with a dirty white hankershif began
to clean his bloody sword. Serenity glared at him. 'How can he been so
calm and cruel about taking a man's life?'
"BRUSE T!" The man called out.
"Who's he?"
"Awe, he's quite a fighter. It would be quite a feat to have a go against
him." Stephen nodded towards the man approching the enterance. Serenity
turned around to find a man several feet taller than her and buff as
ever. 'Woah, does he have muscels!' She stared in awe at the man. The
man passed her without a second look and walked strait out of the building
and into the arena. He waved to the crowd before pulling out his sword
and giving them a show with his powerful swings and tricks.
"Ahh... guys, what is he doing?"
Matthew grunted, "Showing off, can't ya see, boy?"
"Does he do that often?" She looked at Matthew.
Matthew nodded, "It's his usual rountine."
Serenity rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she learned from being
a Princess it did no good to show off just before you were heading into
a battle... even if you knew you would win.
Finally, after Bruce T. had calmed down into a walk around the arena,
the man called out his oppoinant, "DRAKE LAKE!"
All four men turned to stare at her.
"What?" Serenity all of a sudden felt confussed and embaressed at their
stares, "What?"
"That's you, son." Matthew gave her a grim smile, "'Tiss a little cruel
to send a boy such as you up against a man like that..."
All of a sudden the confussion left her. Serenity stared out the door at
the man standing in the middle of the arena. She was to go against the
man himself... 'Mr. Show Off'. She swallowed hard. This was it, this was
what she was waiting for... and now the moment was here.
Without another thought she walked past the men and barely brushed past
Matthew who quickly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "Laddie,
forget your pride and work with the moves." He nodded his head once and
let her go.
Serenity gave him a grateful smile before walking determinedly out to
the arena. When she walked out there was more of laughing and joking around
from the crowd rather than a 'whoa, you can do it'. Serenity didn't
mind, however, somehow she was going to prove that she was his equal
if not more.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Prince Endymion's jaw dropped before quickly snapping back together into
a grim line. 'Was this a joke? Did they mean to display this young boy as a
toy? They should have put Drake up to someone who was his own size and
strength. This was hardly a fair match!'
"Isn't that the boy?" Malachite leaned over and asked.
Endymion nodded, "Yes."
Malachite let out a sigh, "Looks like the boy has more than he can
handle."
"Yes." Was Endymion's only reply as he debated what to do. And in the
end, the only thing he could do was wait, for there was nothing he could
do now without distroying the boy's as well as his own image.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"She's not here. Why are we here? This is stupid."
"Hey, there's a little squirt out here!"
"He's punny. That guy is going to beat him into grape juice."
The men laughed evilly.
"Oh, what fun!"
To Be Continued...
Note: Sorry about the spelling!
Author: Marie J.W.
Chapter: Seven
Rated: PG
Email: mariejwchan@yahoo.com (changed address)
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
A Half Hour Later:
Serenity swallowed hard. This was it. The tournament was starting and
there was no turning back now.
"Don't worry, boy." Matthew put a large hand on her shoulder, "It will
go fast once you're out there."
Worried? Serenity shook her head. She couldn't be worried. She was
good, Jarick told her so... So why was she so scared?
"TINO." The first name was called, "AND SHII."
Two men walked past Serenity and her group to the enterance. Tino and
Shii stopped at the enterance, shook hands and bowed before entering the
arena as if they were enemies and nothing more.
The crowd outside cheered and whoopied as the two men walked around
the ring. Serenity moved towards the enterance to watch. Tino and Shii
circled around the ring before walking steadily towards the middle,
drawing their swords. They stopped only five feet away from each other
before circling, staying parallel.
Serenity remembered this part of the ritual. Jarick had explained to
her that it would buy her time to size up her opponant and quickly find
his weaknesses before the real sword fighting began.
In the blink of an eye the two men were in heated combat. Tino and
Shii's sword hilts were locked together, both men's faces only inches
apart as they glared at each other. The crowd cheered their favorite
sword fighter.
Serenity felt sick to her stomach. Could she really do this? What if she
was just asking for a quick death? She mentally shook her head. No, she
wanted to live but she also wanted to prove to herself that she was just
as good as any man at sword fighting.
Tino and Shii separated and were once again circling each other.
Tino went in first and Shii blocked him before making his own attack.
Serenity watched, mentally screaming for them to make one move or another
before they got slashed.
Finally, in one fatal move from Shii, Tino was dead on the ground. Shii
had slashed Tino's stomach wide open. Serenity's eyes went wide as she stared
at the man now lying on the ground.
No... This can't be happening. He wasn't dead, was he?
Serenity had remembered watching sword turnaments since she was little
but never had she seen any of the men on the moon kill their opponant in
their battles.
"I feel sick." Serenity turned from the scene and fled to a corner of
the large room and vomited.
"It's his first time." She heard Matthew chuckle, "You'll get used to
it boy." He raised his voice so she could clearly hear him.
It's unnatural. This shouldn't be happening. Men dying for no purpose,
it didn't make sense for a man to die just because he didn't block ONE
attack.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"Excuse me, sir. How do we get into the tournament?" Lita asked a
man standing stiff with a large metal helmet on his head.
The man looked down at her, "That way."
Lita nodded, "Thanks."
Lita, Mina, Ray and Amy all now dressed in commoners clothing headed
in the direction the man pointed.
"That man needs to learn how to smile." Mina wrinkled her nose.
The group ignored her as Lita stopped in front of a booth.
"Four tickets."
Lita quickly paid for the tickets and they headed through the gate
into the stands.
Mina clipped her nose with her fingers, "It smells like sweat in
here."
"Over there." Ray pointed towards a seat way up at the top. The girls
hiked up there in their skirts, with Mina complaining all the way.
Once seated, Ray leaned back on the back-rest, "I'm............
tired..."
The crowd roared and a man sitting next to them jumped up in his seat
and cheered.
"What's going on?" Ray leaned forwards, "Oh-my-gosh! Is he dead?"
"Yes." Amy frowned, "I didn't know turnaments on earth were so violent."
"Niether did I, imagine, all those men from earth, murderers.
That's the last time I look at a earthen man again." Mina folded her
arms and glared down at the only man alive in the arena.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Serena slid down against the wall and put her head in between her legs.
'I can't do this. I'm not ready. I didn't mean for this to go this far...
I only wanted to prove that I was a good sword fighter and have some
adventure but this is turning out to be far more serious then I had planned.
But if I back out now, I will only be proving Jarick right. I am a girl, and
a weak one at that.'
"I'm a Princess, dang'it! Princess's are born to be leaders and defeaters.
I can win this... if I only had the stomach..." she whispered under her
breath.
"That's a boy, just settle down, it'll be all over as soon as ya'r step
out." Matthew looked towards the entryway with his hand on his sword.
Serenity lifted her head to look at him, he could very well become the
next famous captin if he lived through this tournament. He was
strong, compassionate but seemed to have a strong brave atmosphere
about him. Serenity was suddenly glad he was on her side and not the
opposite.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"I can't believe Tino let him win! And here I put some bets on him.
Great!" Jedite frowned.
Prince Endymion sighed. He was waiting for the boy to come out and
fight. He hopped that his fate wouldn't be one much like Tino's. Endymion
looked around the arena at the huge crowd going wild. For some reason he
felt a sense of calm alertness. He wasn't sure why. It was almost as if
he was supposed to be aware of his surroundings and aware of what was going
on around him.
The prince shrugged the feeling off and tried to focus on the games again
but his mind kept going back to the thought.
"This is it! It's Bruce T! He's up! Whoa, Whooh!" Jedite stood and clapped
his hands before letting out a loud whistle.
Endymion smiled, "Now, this might be interesting."
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Shii walked in with his shoulders back as he waved to the crowd.
Serenity watched him enter with a proud face and then sit down on a
barral. He took out his sword and with a dirty white hankershif began
to clean his bloody sword. Serenity glared at him. 'How can he been so
calm and cruel about taking a man's life?'
"BRUSE T!" The man called out.
"Who's he?"
"Awe, he's quite a fighter. It would be quite a feat to have a go against
him." Stephen nodded towards the man approching the enterance. Serenity
turned around to find a man several feet taller than her and buff as
ever. 'Woah, does he have muscels!' She stared in awe at the man. The
man passed her without a second look and walked strait out of the building
and into the arena. He waved to the crowd before pulling out his sword
and giving them a show with his powerful swings and tricks.
"Ahh... guys, what is he doing?"
Matthew grunted, "Showing off, can't ya see, boy?"
"Does he do that often?" She looked at Matthew.
Matthew nodded, "It's his usual rountine."
Serenity rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she learned from being
a Princess it did no good to show off just before you were heading into
a battle... even if you knew you would win.
Finally, after Bruce T. had calmed down into a walk around the arena,
the man called out his oppoinant, "DRAKE LAKE!"
All four men turned to stare at her.
"What?" Serenity all of a sudden felt confussed and embaressed at their
stares, "What?"
"That's you, son." Matthew gave her a grim smile, "'Tiss a little cruel
to send a boy such as you up against a man like that..."
All of a sudden the confussion left her. Serenity stared out the door at
the man standing in the middle of the arena. She was to go against the
man himself... 'Mr. Show Off'. She swallowed hard. This was it, this was
what she was waiting for... and now the moment was here.
Without another thought she walked past the men and barely brushed past
Matthew who quickly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, "Laddie,
forget your pride and work with the moves." He nodded his head once and
let her go.
Serenity gave him a grateful smile before walking determinedly out to
the arena. When she walked out there was more of laughing and joking around
from the crowd rather than a 'whoa, you can do it'. Serenity didn't
mind, however, somehow she was going to prove that she was his equal
if not more.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
Prince Endymion's jaw dropped before quickly snapping back together into
a grim line. 'Was this a joke? Did they mean to display this young boy as a
toy? They should have put Drake up to someone who was his own size and
strength. This was hardly a fair match!'
"Isn't that the boy?" Malachite leaned over and asked.
Endymion nodded, "Yes."
Malachite let out a sigh, "Looks like the boy has more than he can
handle."
"Yes." Was Endymion's only reply as he debated what to do. And in the
end, the only thing he could do was wait, for there was nothing he could
do now without distroying the boy's as well as his own image.
= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
"She's not here. Why are we here? This is stupid."
"Hey, there's a little squirt out here!"
"He's punny. That guy is going to beat him into grape juice."
The men laughed evilly.
"Oh, what fun!"
To Be Continued...
Note: Sorry about the spelling!