The combats had started. Taichi could hear the hits of the swords and the screams of the battle happening outside the antechamber.
Shadows around him and the little windows lightings just the necessary, it is a space for meditating before the combat, as soon as his pupil Takuya ends his battle he could go for the gold and defiant his own opponent, Motomiya Davis, a subordinated of the Sea King . If the subordinate was as skilled as his king Taichi would had no problem triumphing.
The meditation was suppose to focus the inner strength, but Taichi couldn't stop thinking about the past night.
The giggles of the next battle didn't let him sleep, and he had leave his bed to walk around the arena, then he had listened familiar sounds from the backup area. Maybe someone was training, maybe someone was fighting. He walked with caution already regretting didn't bright his sword with him.
The Sea King was fighting against the Wolf Knight. It wasn't a furious combat, they were doing everything in slow mode.
"Come on" had said the knight "it has to look like a real battle"
"I know, I know; thank you Yamato, I don't deserve your patient" The King laughed.
"You are just so lucky that I am going to be your first opponent Joe" the relaxing expression making look even more endearing than usually
Taichi get surprised by the familiarity of the calls. It didn't look like a King and his Knight, it looked like two old friends playing at war, it was almost childish.
Taichi forced himself to come back at the reality, he must clear his mind and get ready for the battle. But at the same time he had get so impressed with what he had seen. Not only the moves of the wolf knight were elegant and accurate, but the kindness between the two men made him feel something, he had prepared pupils, but this was something else.
The Sea King, was a clumsy man, he knows, he had known him since childhood, his strength was his diplomacy, his honesty and his ability to call the people on his side. How was the old light proverb? The right King wasn't the one who made the people fight for him, but the one who made the people live under his wings. Joe Kido had inspired at the son of a merchant to become one of the bravest warriors, Taichi knows that there was a story that he didn't know. He wish he could skip all this preliminary fights and jump until the final, if all goes well he will confront the Wolf Knight.
He closes his eyes against and try to concentrate, the next fight, his wishes to become a king, to take the hand of the princess on holy married. Yes, the princess. once again the remember of the past night haunted him.
"It's good, you just need to do it faster" The wolf knight had said at his old pal,
"you said it easy" the King answered
"Come on Kido, I had seen you survive worst things".
Yamato had not finished laughing when a hooded figure suddenly appear. The knight hight his thin and sharpy sword just in time to collide with the firm blade of his mysterious opponent. The figure attacked with firmness, a sword in one hand and the other making the shadow of a shield; Taichi thought on intervene but the Wolf Knight was handle it. In one move of his foot send at the Sea King at the floor, the sword on the left hand and his right on his back, he moved with grace around the place, desesperement at his opponent. The swords were every second more closed of the flesh, finally the Sea King recovered himself and scream "Princess, what an honor"
Yamato stopped immediately and the heavy sword gets an inch of his face. The princess get off the hood and revealed herself, proud eyes and red hair.
"Your highness" Yamato incline in confuse "What the hell… " he got interrupted by Joe polite cough "I mean what an honor to know you, is this a tradition by this lands?"
"It is not" Responded the princess "I had to said that I would be on a big trouble if anyone know I'm here, but I'm going to trust that you wouldn't said nothing" she share an accomplice glace with Joe Kido, and then come back at the knight " You all are fighting for my hand, the least I could do was know what kind of men could be my husband"
"I'm assure you that I hope the best for the kingdom" Said Yamato shyly still on his kneels.
"Me too" answered the princess smiling.
The bells of the clock tower ring on the midnight and the princess get aware of the time and place.
"I had to go, but if it not to much to ask I would like to see you, all of you" she said in a louder voice "tomorrow, at the banquet, maybe i would be able to talk to a future King"
The princess get in disguise again a run away for the passages where Taichi was hidden. A last look back and Taichi could see the smile of the princess, maybe for him, maybe for the Wolf Knight.
"She, she is really… " Yamato said to Joe once the princess has gone.
"I know, I'm bet you two would be so happy together" Joe said like it was nothing as he shaking the sand for all over himself.
"Don't said that!" His friend yelled as his face get all red. "What are you talking about?
"For what you think you are fighting?" Joe asked
"To be king, it's not about a princess, I mean, it is, but…"
That has been when Taichi stopped listening.
Of course the princess had going to see at the Wolf Knight, he was handsome and has a story of real battles, on real wars. All that Taichi has was a high noble position and the biggest record of winning combats. The story of the peasant that could be king was so much seductive than the one noble who was educated by the light until what? the six, seven years old, it was hard to remember with clarity.
He has to prove himself. Prove that he was more than the highest noble, he was a warrior, a leader, he was the Knight of the Light! he was the best one to become a King.
Takuya finally come back. His right hand over his own shoulder and shame on his eyes.
"I'm so sorry master, I lost" said the young apprentice.
"Do you know at who you was confronted?" Taichi asked him with a smile "Your opponent was Iori Hida, son of the Cold King"
"What? The one at who The Sea King defeated… but what he is doing on the tournament?"
"Because Joe Kido is a benevolent man, who forgive at who must be forgiven. At the end of the war of the Islands he offered the title of knight in return of loyalty, at him and at the rest of the high children under the protection of the Cold King"
" And he accepted? Live with the murder of his own father? A man like him, becoming King of all the lands, he could be dangerous, I must had defined him."
"You fight bravely and for more time than any one with your time training would do; Iori Hida is famous for his use of the traditional style of sword fighting of the Honest islands. Now that you confront him you can answer one important question, son"
"What is it master?"
"Is he stronger than me?"
Takuya smiled at his teacher "absolutely no, master. You would defiant him in a blink"
"Good, because right know I must confront at his adopted brother"
Taichi went out at the arena. The people whistled and acclaimed him, the past fights must be boring. The Wolf Knight against the Sea King, on a battle that was more than compromised, and the young apprentice of the Light against the Forgotten Prince, an unbalanced battle, maybe good at the eyes of swords lovers, but by the common eye both fights must be so quiet.
The Knight of Light looks at his opponent, a young man of vivid eyes and magnetic aura, The adopted brother of the Forgotten Prince, trained by the Cold King himself, a man who grow up from the tragedy of his own family and the biggest one of the family who gather him.
The princess Ritsuko, widow of the king brother, ring the bell and the fights began.
Taichi drew his sword first, attacking frontal. Davis jump just when he felt the strong of the oldest man against him. An elusive tactic. Taichi didn't stop, the swords collided on loudly timing. The both circle the arena, Taichi on the advanced, always attacking, always walking forward.
The princess must looking at him winning, the knights must to see him dominating and the people must to see him competent and straightforward. But his opponent, that small child was see him through a big smile, much bigger that one that someone with his back story must ever had, that was the face of a man with a plan.
And then, Taichi realized, the little bastard was trying to tired him. He stopped his attack as breathing heavily, Davis raised himself, much more composed, at by first time, he attacked. Taichi throws his shield losing pound, goes for the direct confront of the swords, Davis was stronger than he looks. Taichi lose balance and Davis goes for his feet.
A welt calculated move, but not against Taichi.
The Knight of Light went at the floor with all and his opponent and before Davis could tell Taichi was over him, with his sword on his throat and his sweat dripping all over Davis' face.
The bell rang and Taichi won.
And somehow the young man under him laughs. A bright and honest laugh.
They both raise and before Taichi could think Davis extended his hand.
"Great fight, I learn so much, I hope we would fight again"
Taichi doubt for a moment, the hand of Davis was warm, and his heart was clean. For a moment Taichi could look at himself on Davis, a few years ago, when he was hungry for learning and opportunities. The same brown eyes and messy hair.
When things started to be so complicated?
He inclined in front of the princess, who conceded him a smile, and walked toward the sits of the winners. The Wolf Knight and The Forgotten Prince were there, as far as possible one to each other.
Taichi took the sit next to Yamato ishida. Who has his hands over his old sword, maybe it was the only one that he had. Maybe it was the same that he used to cut the head of the Cold King. Yamato became a Knight on the war gains Iori father. Maybe that was all the reason behind all the knights of the island on the tournament, for a oportunity to slide a sword across the neck of the wolf Knight
Yamato was tense, Taichi wasn't sure if he had noticed that he sat next to him, if had even saw his combat, why he would been? with the intense look of the Forgotten Prince over him all that he can do was take care of his own life. But his face change all sudden, the blue on his eyes get brighter and a small attempt of smile try to appear.
The next battle was starting.
The last knight of the Honest Island, Ken Ichijouji agains Prince Takeru, son of the king's brother and the only one on that tournament that wouldn't really need to marry the princess.
All the air get tense, the heiress princess herself get to ring the bell, but before, the Prince Takeru put out a flower, walked at the crowd and dropped in front of the entourage of The Lord of The Light.
Taichi looked confusing as his own sister blushed at the impertinent act, which without doubt was for her. Childhood friends on his dreams, for sure. The Knight of Light has never wish luck for the knights of the Honest Island until that moment.
Ken Ichihouyi was a slender man, tall for his age and with delicade traits, whose eyes goes from Davis on the crown to Iori on the winner sits. He was handsome, on a different way of Yamato, not that Yamato was his standar of handsomes. However, his toughts were all over the place.
The bell rung. And the combat started.
The two young men fight with strength since the beginning, his completion and height where almost the same, it will be a skill combat. The prince was fast and accurate, with an annoying smile plastered on his face; but the knight was even faster, attacked a little less but he moved for all over the place, forcing at price Takeru to move too.
A move of the slim sword cut a little of Ichijouji's hair forcing him to hit the ground, but the man was skilled and transformed his fall on a kick on Takeuchi's legs. The crown scream, and the battle became an acrobatic one, both men hit the ground and get up easily.
"Novices" thought Taichi for himself. As spectacular as it seems, it was a waste of energy.
The fighters ended tired and sweaty, having spent the best of their moves on nothing. Taichi get over his sit and get a glance at his fellow winners partners. The forgotten prince looked angry, almost as he can see the same mistake that Taichi, Yamato was at the corner of his sit, with his hand still on his sword, murmuring for himself.
On the arena, both fighters get at the last of their strength. Ken Hichijouji composed himself and get over Takeru on one final attack. By his surprised Takeru didn't evaded him, he raised his free hand and attached the sword with his flesh and armor.
Yamato get over his sit and Ichihouyi scream at the presence of blood, but The Prince Takeru didn't go back an inch, throw his own sword and punch Ichihouyi on the face throwing him until the ground, disarmed. Then, with a calm that he hasn't before, he pick up his sword and threat Ichijouyi, the foot over his chest and the end of his sword over his throat.
The bell ring again. And there was a winner.
Taichi could see his sister screaming on the crowd, Maybe she could be a good queen.