The Challenge

That night Nasir lay awake in his bed, staring into the darkness. This woman had, in nearly an instant, touched every emotion he was capable of feeling. She was so many things, beautiful yet beastly, intelligent yet impulsive, and passionate yet cold. And still he didn't know her name!

Nasir did not see the situation improving for her. At the very best, she would be made a slave. But given her abilities, she would have to be constantly guarded. What could he do for her? The offences she committed were against him. He could absolve her of the charges. But, then, he didn't think that would set well with her. She obviously wasn't looking for an easy way out. At that moment Nasir decided the best way to punish and to appease the Bedouin woman was to let her fight him. He would have to be sure to win!

--

As dawn broke and the muezzin called the camp to prayer, Nasir dressed, grabbed two swords, and left his tent for the prisoner side of the camp. Normally, the prisoners would be invited to pray as well, but Nasir suspected that no one would deem it safe to open the Bedouin woman's cage.

He was right. Fazia lay sleeping on the floor of her cage, her long, shapely body stretching the length of it. Nasir stood to admire her while he could. She looked peaceful in her sleep.

"Bedouin!" he whispered finally. "Bedouin! Wake up!"

"I am not a Bedouin." Fazia replied as though she had been aware of his presence for some while but hadn't stirred. "I'm Syrian. I only fight with the Bedouins."

"What's your name?" Nasir whispered.

"Fazia Habib." She was standing now and looking at him coldly. It didn't take long for her to awaken fully. He could see she was already restless.

"Well, then, Fazia Habib, I am called Imad ad-Din. Shall we?" Nasir asked abruptly while holding up the two swords.

Fazia snickered. "Gathered some courage overnight, did you?"

Nasir smiled. "Always ready, aren't you?"

"Always." No smiled touched Fazia's lips.

Nasir slowly opened the cage door and stepped back to release Fazia. To his surprise she didn't spring from the cage as he had expected her to but walked purposefully through the door and out onto the grounds.

"We should go a little further out so that we don't disturb prayer. Come with me."

Fazia walked toward him, her eyes held in a suspicious glare. "Where are we going?"

"Over there." Nasir and Fazia walked a distance from the camp before they had found a good level area for the duel. Nasir handed Fazia her sword and they wasted no time in beginning.

Fazia attacked first, her sword coming down swift and strong. Nasir immediately began wondering if this was really a wise idea. Their blades clashed over and over, steel against steel. The duelers groaned and grunted, pushing themselves beyond their own capacities. The duel was like an awkward dance, the dancers moving together, and yet working against one another.

Fazia drove Nasir backward, thrashing and swiping with her sword. Her agility mesmerized him. Suddenly, she slashed his leg with a low sideways thrust and he stumbled, gripped with pain. But Nasir's warrior instinct surfaced and as Fazia struck again he stopped her with a counter strike. The pain in his leg angered him, and he no longer felt inhibited by the fact that she was a woman. She would kill him if he faltered again.

Nasir was only a few inches taller than Fazia, but his body mass was much greater. Now using his full strength he was quickly overpowering her. He brought his sword down on her, and she raised her sword as a shield but succumbed under his force. As she fell to the ground, Nasir put his blade to her throat.

"Do it!" she snarled. "Do it, coward!"

Nasir started to laugh. "Its very tempting." He retorted through gritted teeth. "But I shall not."

"You bastard!" She still held her sword and attempted to raise it against him. He stepped down on her wrist.

"You are beaten. Surely you know that." Nasir was exasperated.

"I am not dead! Only when I am dead will you have defeated me!" She cried.

Nasir stood back from her. "Get up!" He shouted.

Fazia rose and readied her sword. As the two lunged at one another, she struck Nasir on the side of the head. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground like a massive stone. All was darkness.

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