Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron and all its characters. How sad for me.

Beta: Dawn - Can't thank her enough!

This is the second installment in my "Chivalry" arc. 1. Chivalry, 2. Lion House Restored

Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Setting is DotU in flavor but is AU in some ways.

Chapter 23

Keith gritted his teeth as Lord Kurt applied an ointment to a cut on his cheekbone. It was the morning of the final day of competition and the men, and women, of Lion House were doing all they could to ready the last five contestants for the event. Special attention was being paid to Keith as the expectation for him to win as overall champion had grown each day.

Lord Kurt chuckled at the grimace on Akira's face. "You can take a beating from Wesley with hardly a sound, but a healing ointment gives you pain?"

Cutting his eyes up towards the lord, he gritted out, "I am just thankful that Wesley didn't have that salve… or I'd have yielded in the first round."

A raucous laugh erupted from Kurt, and he slapped Akira on the back, bringing a curse from the young man's lips. "Ahhh! Sorry, Akira! I forget that you have been bruised, and I certainly don't want to be the one to cause you more pain!" Knowing that Akira had many bruised muscles from two days of events, he asked, "Did the liniment that Una gave you last night help your soreness?"

It had indeed helped. But it only helped the muscles that he could apply it to. The muscles on his back had only received a cursory application as it was difficult for him to reach that area. It was true there were any number of people who would have helped, but he had his unusual scars from the Right of Challenge to hide. Pushing thoughts of the woman that could have helped him to the side, he answered the lord. "Indeed it did, Lord Kurt. I plan to bathe with it after breakfast before we head out."

The comment brought on another round of laughter from Kurt. Once his laughter subsided, he glanced to be sure that none were near. "I spoke to King Olen yesterday."

Keith looked at him and raised a brow.

"He has heard nothing and no further news has been given of the queen."

"I'm not surprised. There really isn't anything else to be said until after the competition."

A look of concern crossed Kurt's face. "There's something you should know about today's competition, Akira."

"I don't understand… isn't it set up like the staff event? We complete in two, ten minute rounds that are scored. Blunted wooden swords and buckler shields are to be used. Has something changed?"

"No and yes." Kurt replied vaguely.

Keith's eyes narrowed. "Tell me now, my Lord. I don't want to be surprised at the games."

"The event is to be as you described. However, in the final round, combatants have the option to make a change." Kurt paused a moment to decide the best way to describe the possible change. "If both combatants are vying for the championship, the request can be made to substitute real blades for the wooden ones."

Closing his eyes, Keith asked, "What else?"

"If he requests and you refuse, he will automatically be crowned champion and the match will not be fought."

"And when I accept the challenge?"

Kurt noticed that Akira had already made his choice: the choice to fight no matter what. "You fight the two rounds. Since you will be using real blades, severe injury or death may result. If one is killed or injured so that he cannot continue, the other is declared victor and champion. If placed in a position where the person yields, the other is champion."

Finally opening his eyes, Keith asked, "So it doesn't have to be a fight to the death?"

With a soft voice, Kurt answered, "It doesn't have to be for you, Akira. However, I think we both know that if Wesley has the chance, he will kill you." Kurt had grown very fond of the young man seated in front of him. To think that a member of one of the noble houses would do such a thing because of pride and ego was abhorrent to him. But then, these were also men that had most likely kidnapped the queen. Nothing was beneath them.

Keith nodded at him in understanding, but asked a question out of curiosity. "How often is the request made?"

Dropping to sit on the bench beside Akira, Kurt replied, "The games have been going for over a century. In my lifetime and that of my father, the request has only been made twice." Lord Kurt stood after saying this and Akira stood to face him.

"And the outcome of the matches?"

Kurt saw the intensity in Akira's dark eyes. It was as if he already knew the answer. "Only one walked away from those matches."

Keith didn't let his eyes falter from those of the House Lord as he said, "Eleanor."

"She will be treated as a lady and nothing less. She can remain at the Hall for as long as she wishes. If she prefers to return to Karta, she will have a full escort. Have no fear for your lady, Akira."

Only nodding and walking away toward the dining hall, dark thoughts swirled in Keith's mind as he pondered what might happen to Allura…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Keith stood in the staging area looking at the match-ups. It would be another taxing five rounds. Even if the competition wasn't strong, just fighting for twenty minutes five different times would be wearing. For anyone competing for the title of champion, this was almost like a war of attrition. Of the ten men who had originally been slated to compete in all five events, only five remained. The rest had been injured in a previous event. But that only made things better for him.

In just an hour, the first two rounds were over. The caliber of the competition in the two rounds was lower than that of previous events because of those that had to withdraw. Round 3 was imminent, and Keith was facing a member of Caiman House. The two men were of similar build and height. Keith sensed that this man would be a tough opponent and when the gong sounded, he was proved right. The match was close with Keith only edging him out by a few points. Even though he knew from his vision that he was destined to be in the final match, he couldn't expect this vision to come true simply because he had foreseen it. No, he had to do his part, which seemed to require a lot of effort and bruising.

After the round, Keith walked to a bench to sit and catch his breath. Two rounds… Where were Allura and Doren? Time was running out. Keith came out of his private ponderings as Anton called him back to the arena for round 4.

Facing him across the circle was Jorrah, one of the men that had ambushed him in the warehouse behind the market. When the gong sounded and they stepped into the circle with their wooden swords and bucklers, Keith gave him a verbal jab. "I'm surprised to see you here, Jorrah. I didn't think you'd be honorable enough to attack me from the front."

The words sent Jorrah into a fury as he lashed out with hard and fast strikes that landed against Keith's buckler.

That's right, my friend, wear yourself out with anger, Keith thought to himself. Unfortunately for Keith, Jorrah had a lot of anger that fueled him into the second half of the match. At the break, Keith was ahead by only a few points.

Now that Jorrah was finally tiring, Keith could see breaks in his form that allowed him to get in some quality attacks. Finally, with only a minute or so remaining in the match, Keith was able to bring his sword down on Jorrah's sword arm. If it had been a real sword, Jorrah would have lost his arm just below the elbow. Instead, he only dropped his sword. Knowing that Keith had managed to win the match, Jorrah looked at him with hatred as he called out a disgruntled, "Yield!" as he held his injured arm tight against his body.

When the gong sounded, the scene that had played out numerous times over the last three days played once again. Well-wishers surrounded Keith while angry glares from the other houses were sent in his direction. Luckily for Keith, the members of Lion House and townspeople well outnumbered those of the other houses. Looking around the arena, he realized in about fifteen minutes, his last vision would come to pass. Allura, where are you?