River Waking up early seemed to be his thing now, even if he didn't particularly like it. River got up before the sun the next morning, trying to focus on the task at hand. Today would be the final competition for Ellie's hand. Whoever won today had a good chance of being the victor, the man she married. It was neck and neck between himself and Blade, and he couldn't stand to think of that dirty, underhanded creep winning. As he took a shower, letting the warm water wash over him, he concentrated on what he needed to do that day to beat Blade, but his mind was on other things. Ellie had been so beautiful the night before. He was so glad that her father had arranged for them to sit next to one another. When Blade had started that ridiculous argument, trying to make him look bad, she had