A.N. Hey I got a review! Yes. I am dedicating this chapter to HolyDragoon for complimenting me on an original idea. Now this next chapter is the last one I wrote so you'll have to give me a little time to get the next one going so enjoy this and I'll try to update again next week. Till then my adoring fans (yes I know you're out there somewhere) enjoy.

Chapter 8

However home was not always a peaceful place and the debates on the rest of the business at hand raged across the room as each side fought tooth and claw to hold their ground against the other. Finally the Speaker stood and the room fell silent. Both groups looked up to see her laughing.

"Oh my children it is good to have you both returned. Tomorrow true council will be held but the night is upon us now so go to your beds. We will continue from where we've left off in the morning." With glares directed across at each other the groups did as they were ordered. The councillor however caught Rtas and the Arbiter before they could leave and sent the others on their way back to the ship. As the door closed behind them three of the Shal'qui stayed back as well.

"Dez'ionia," Rtas said quietly as one of the Shal'qui approached them. She had three rows of spikes laid flat along her head the tips a dark burnt orange that matched her eyes.

"Ah, Rtas my mate it has been far too long that we have been apart." She said embracing him. The Arbiter looked away clenching his hand he didn't like the reminder of his own Myir'saw.

"Come," Y'lii said as the other Shal'qui embraced the Councillor with the familiarity of long affection. Hesitantly the Arbiter followed her down a hallway to a smaller gathering room though there was no doubt that it carried out the same business of its larger more formal cousin. The Speaker lounged on a cushion in one part of the room while a number of Shal'qui that he recognized were scattered around the rest of it. His steps slowed as he studied them warily. His warrior's heart freezing as he realized what could be to come. Tw'bwasee and Rtas drifted in with their Myir'sawyie at their sides. When they entered the doors were sealed behind them. Mentally the Arbiter ran though every curse and swear he knew in Covenant, Human and Shangeili.

"Now Arbiter we have one final thing that must be cleared up before we can retire for the night." Y'lii said as another door opened and two Shal'qui escorted an annoyed female inside. "It is the matter of you and Sh'reei."

Sh'reei was clad in her off duty robe as well, either they had grabbed her or else they had believed that it was best to keep both of them as weaponless as possible. Belatedly the Arbiter noticed the blue ring inlaid on the floor that Y'lii had conveniently placed him in. The Shal'qui forced Sh'reei into it was well. Her bright emerald eyes focused on him like twin pits of fire and her spikes half rose revealing the emerald fan connecting them.

"Myir'saw." He said reluctantly, the fan rose a little higher.

"Myir'sow." She spit out the word as though the taste of it burned her tongue.

"Well this is an improvement last time they didn't even get this far." One of the Shal'qui who'd escorted Sh'reei in, her sister, observed.

"Did they leave the circle?" Rtas asked idally and the Arbiter could feel his gaze on him.

"No, they're both to stubborn to yield to the other." One of the other Shal'qui observed.

"Please continue talking as though I can't hear you." The Arbiter bit out not taking his eyes off the female in the circle with him, he wasn't foolish enough to.

"Hello I'm in the room here." Sh'reei snarled at the same time. The two of them looked at each other for a moment then realised that they'd agreed on something in the snarls rose again.

"How long do you give them?" One of the Shal'qui who had been at the last meeting asked another.

"Till he does something to tick her off." Was the response Sh'reei twitched one brow in amusement.

"You're here and you're breathing that's already two faults with this situation." Sh'reei told him sweetly. He bared his teeth.

"Are you going to try and rectify that situation?" he responded and this time the fan flared to it is full height foot and a half height leaning down before her menacingly before dropping back.

"It's a good match," someone told the Councillor, "She's Jax house so you know how that temperament is. It's said that there was a match one time that took longer then this one has so far and the two of them almost killed each other at the first meet."

"Roanda and T'rix, they were quite the pair." The Speaker reminisced fondly, they hadn't existed in her life time but she carried the memories of her predecessor as well who had witnessed for them.

The Arbiter shook his head and muttered something, it was a dumb move, he knew it was a dumb move, maybe that was why he wasn't surprised when Sh'reei slammed into him and the fight began. He stopped the blow aimed at his head as her momentum carried them to the ground however he wasn't fast enough to avoid the blow of her knees on his stomach as he cushioned her fall. He really hated the rules of the circle, though he could blame a large part of that on instinct as well. He had to restrain her without hurting her while she was free to pound on him all she liked. He knew the logic, the belief and the symbolism behind it and he could also understand the necessity, but that didn't mean he liked it any better. The last time the two of them had met it had been a first meeting where there was no circle so the rules had been different. This time the wrestling match was for real and neither of them could afford to give ground. So he suffered another blow before he managed to push her away from him and roll to his feet in the center of the ring. She was on her feet as well and looked at him with her head tilted to one side debating.

He could feel the chill run of blood down the side of his face but after years of battle and war it was a feeling that he could ignore. Except that it had been his mate who had dealt the blow and damned if that didn't give the chill of blood a different feel. It focused him and called to instinct that he hadn't known he had. He knew from their last encounter that she was skilled and was bound to be more so now. He couldn't give her blow for blow this time he had to find a different way to get her. She was as skilled as he was at least and he'd never her seen her style of hand to hand before while she knew his technique move for move. Of course the whole point of the circle was to give her the upper hand which she really didn't need but was going to take advantage of anyway.

With a move the Arbiter undid the knot at his hip and drew his sash off, she decided to get him while he was occupied. They hit the ground again this time though he struggled with her. She was as skilled as he remembered. Trying to hold her and ward of blows at the same time was like trying to plant a seed in the dessert. Impossible, though he did give it a try. Suddenly he got lucky and her wrist rested momentarily against the sash. Taking advantage of it he twisted the sash around it and then a movement from her sent them rolling across the circle. When the stopped his head was ringing and blood was dripping from him liberally from a bite on his shoulder. However this time she'd ended up on her belly under him and he wasted no time taking advantage of the rare opportunity. Hooking his own leg under one of hers and over the other he dropped hid other leg and hoped that would take care of that while he caught the remaining limb and contorted the sash until it was looped under her neck and around her other wrist. She snarled at him be he was heavier and her hands were literally tied.

"Myir'saw," he panted saying the ancient phrase because those were the only words that he knew would end the fight, "Myir'saw." he closed his eyes, did he really want to be trapped with this hellfire for his whole life, did he have a choice? "Myir'saw." With a heavy heart he sealed his end of the ritual for better or worse he could feel the shiver in the air to his right. There was a reason why for matches like this the Speaker was present. Sometimes only with her power was the ritual strong enough to hold. Below him Sh'reei struggled but he could feel the defeat in her, he had her and she knew it. However knowing and admitting it were two different things. Finally she went still but her head spikes relaxed. However he could still feel the fire and the rage in her. He may have won but their fight wasn't over yet.

"Myir'sow," The syllables were a death knell in his mind, the air was harder to breathe as the bond began to form, the beginnings he'd formed with his chant, now knotting with hers. "Myir'sow." She tensed below him, she didn't want to say the words but she didn't have a choice. She let out a long sigh, the fire in it audible but dampened for the moment with resignation. "Myir'sow." The weight pressed harder then released as though it had never been. Quickly he untied her and backed away as she rose off the ground. With a one handed jerk she straightened her robes then looked over her shoulder at him.

Hesitantly he allowed a sliver of appreciation into his mind. She was beautiful in her defiance, skilled as well. And she was his now, whether either of them wanted it or not.

"Wear your shield to sleep, Myir'sowii, and hope it'll stop my blade." Never gracious in defeat, never truly defeated he thought. Apparently the old saying was based on truth.

"I'll do that." The Arbiter said, "Myir'sawyie." Though he had his doubts about whether or not he'd won either.

To be continued…

A.N. well that's it! What do you think? Review and let me know.