Alright first I'd like to apologize for how late this chapter is. Things have happened and I'm afraid that my muse lifted its hands in disgust and took off. Sadly without my muse I'm stuck doing formal reports with as much creative juice as a turnip. Okay I'm done whining . . . for now. So enjoy the fruits of my labor.

The morning air was . . . cold. Very, very, very, very, very cold. The only composition was the sunrise peeking up over the horizon creating a light show with the mist.

Wonderful. Umi thought. Here I am standing in a cold, misty field waiting for someone to come and stick a sword in me. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen he finally caught me. The Prince has called me out, and I the respectable Duke would look a coward if I refused. Even though I haven't the faintest idea on how to use a sword.

Umi glanced down at the length of steel strapped to her side. It was a work of art. With a shiny new blade, and a gold interlacing basket hilt. A gift from Fuu.

Which was probably the straw that broke the Prince's back. To have his woman give a gift to his rival. She frowned and shook her head. I wouldn't be surprised if she did it on purpose. That naïve innocent act doesn't fool me; something tells me that under that mask is a very evil person. Especially since a sword is a noble's weapon and being born and raised a commoner, I've never even held a sword. Tell now.

"Damnit." She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that Umi?" Ascot asked.

"Nothing you'd want to hear." Umi said smiling up at the tall student mage. "Thanks for acting as my second Ascot. Are you sure this won t put you in bad graces with the Prince?"

"Ferio and I have been friends since childhood. I know how to weasel my way back into his good graces." He said chuckling.

"Well I hope so, because here he comes now . . . and for some odd reason he doesn't look happy." Prince Ferio and his second, which irony upon irony turned out to be Clef, slowly came into view. Seeing the Duke, AKA Umi, the Prince glowered. Upon seeing Ascot shaking in silent mirth. Glancing over at the Master Mage she saw him trying to fight against a grin.

"Bastards. Damn all Mages back into the hell you all crawled out of." She whispered, loud enough for Ascot to hear. Which only intensified his shaking. Finally giving in to her impulse Umi rolled her eyes, and turned her attention back to the field. She could see Clef slowly making his way to the middle of the field.

"I believe that's your cue." She said to Ascot. As he made his way towards Clef, Umi looked at her opponent. He had a serious look on his face; she could also see him fingering his sword.

I'm dead. Kill me now because I am so dead.

Ascot returned to Umi a grin plastered onto his face onto his face.

"It seems we have two chooses. You can either be declared a coward and leave never to return, or you can fight the Prince and some how keep him from killing you. Which is what he really wanted to do, by the way."

"No kidding. And to think I though he wanted to invite me to tea."

"So . . . then you'll choose the second option right?"

"Yes." She said through gritted teeth.

"Well then I guess I'll go tell them what you said."

"Yes, you go do that." She forced out of her, what felt like, permanently clenched teeth. Standing there Umi looked outwardly serious and focused. Inward she was raving and cursing, stamping her feet, pulling her hair, and banging her head against the preverbal wall. She was doing all of this so inwardly and so well that she didn't notice Ascot come back. That is until he stood right in front of Umi and smiled, in her opinion, rather evilly.

"Master Clef or shall I say the Prince says that he will fright you and since he is a gentleman and a solider that he will not hurt you."

Hearing this Umi stood there and blinked.

"You . . . have . . . got . . . to be kidding me. That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. That's like saying I'll rob you but I wont steal anything. Come on Ascot pull the other one it's got a bell on it."

Ascot stared at Umi a confused look on his face.

"Oh right!" He suddenly said the look of confusion evaporating. "Sorry I meant he will not kill you."

"You know Ascot."

"Yes."

"Its times like this that I could really hate you."

"You don't mean that."

"Want to bet. Okay so I don't entirely mean it. But if I die here I'm going to come back and haunt you for the rest of your miserable life."

With those hostile parting words Umi stepped out to the middle of the field her sword drawn and ready to get . . . eliminated.

I'm working on the next chapter as we speak . . . or type . . . one of the two. Anywho I am working on it I swear! And I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter like I said in the beginning my muse has given up on me. Sigh Once finals are over I'll finish this stupid thing. Thanks for reading and please review!