The Final Task
1570 Words
I couldn’t do it. Not for the kingdom, not under these circumstances. If I have to kill William, it’ll be under my conditions. Crowley’s voice gives him in.
The creatures were very surprised I didn’t make a deal with them. I have left them in the prison and I walked away without releasing them. Maybe I didn’t achieve the alliance and federation just now, but I’ll definitely try in the future. It would certainly change my plan. I’ll have to adapt, but I’ll rather consider it twice than take one’s life for the sake of a favour.
For the moment, I need to figure out about the gown I’m going to wear this evening. I head to my room. When I’m there I pack all of my belongings. I will actually miss them, but I’ll have to travel light. The very moment they let out my secret away, the same moment I must be far away. I don’t doubt they’ll betray me as soon as they get the opportunity. I just hope I can enjoy my last night here, having a little bit of fun, dressing in a beautiful gown and be just Yara for one last time.
Suddenly, I hear a light knock on the door.
“Who is it?” I say quietly.
“Open the door, Yara, it’s William.” His voice is strangely filled with sad subtones.
I hide my baggage and open the door.
“Hello, William,” it slips my mouth and he eyes me suspiciously for one moment, but then he waves it away.
“Tonight, you’ll be supposed to be a princess guard. As you know your two months have passed and you’ll have to undertake the last exam now,” he almost whispers. It’s very strange to see him like that. He’s always arrogant, severe and fierce, but now, he hesitates and looks at me with a question.
We both knew this day would come.
We go together to the main hall with weapons. The whole time, there’s unbearable silence between us. I have my weapons with me. William stops in front of the door and then he turns to me, looks me in the eyes and says sternly.
“You will win, Yara. You have trained hard, you’ll succeed today.”
We both know what happens If I don’t. My opponent can’t really slay me, but William has promised to Sophia that he would kill me if I fail to become her guard. He is actually the one who can.
“Just concentrate and don’t lose your patience or balance. You can do it.”
I don’t think about it twice, but I kiss him. It’s a shy kiss on the cheek, but it’s still a kiss. He is astonished and winces at me few times, because he didn’t expect that coming. My heart starts to race, but in the very same moment I open the door and come in, while William follows me.
There are around twenty people, including Sophia and Sarah. The other men and two women, I don’t know who they are. They’re all dressed for the ball. Women look exquisite in their expensive gowns with all the jewels. They’re clearly annoyed they have to be here and participate in clearly uninteresting joy. The gentlemen wear tailored tuxedos and they don’t even look in my direction just as I was invisible. Only me and William are in combat clothes.
Who am I going to fight then?”
In the next moment, a door opens and two other men enter the room.
The first one is more or less the same age as me. He’s very handsome and also taller than me. He looks at me with a cocky smile plastered on his face. He resembles to Sophia a little. Is he her brother? I can’t really ask him, because he wears the same combat clothes as I do.
This is my opponent.
When I look closely to the other man, I think I might collapse on the very spot I’m standing. I try to breath, but it’s almost impossible. He holds the young man around his shoulders and smiles at him. I regain my posture and I pretend I’m calm even I am far from being that.
“Father,” Sophia squeaks impatiently with excitement, “let me introduce to you the adept for my personal guard, Yaroslava Svobodova.” She points to me and her father actually glances at me.
Father?
I’m trying to process it. The curtsy is the only thing I’m capable of right now. I lower my eyes very low so her father doesn’t see what is in my eyes.
Shock. Fear. Pain. Bitter taste of betrayal.
“Your highness,” I murmur while I’m still in a curtsy.
“Yara,” Sophia twitters with delight like a morning bird, “this will be your opponent in the duel. Let me introduce you to my brother Richard.”
Brother?
I glance at William who doesn’t look happy at all. He gazes at Richard and if stares could kill, Richard would be probably dead.
“Let’s get this over with and see, whether she’s worthy or no,” her father announces annoyingly, but still regally.
As you wish, your majesty!
Sophia is excited, Sarah is worried, William is pissed off, the other men wait impatiently for the fight and the other women are bored to death.
What an audience.
“Just kill her fast so we can continue in our entertainment,” one of the women squeaks in irritation.
“This is the entertainment,” one of the gentlemen retorts with his deep voice.
“You can choose a weapon, Yara,” William announces. “Choose wisely,” he whispers so only I can hear it.
I’m good with a sword, but he’s probably better than me. He’s stronger and a sword can make him way too strong. I can’t fight with nunchaku nor katana. A bow is not suitable not an axe is. A knife is not about strength, but about agility and nimbleness.
“I choose knives and daggers,” I pronounce so that everyone can hear it.
I hear loud hmps which indicates they are clearly disappointed in my choice.
“What weapons do you choose, Richard?” William asks plainly with no interest, but I know it’s not like that.
Wait a minute? He can choose as well? And after me? That’s clearly an advantage! But life is never fair.
They did it on purpose so I wouldn’t win. This is a murder, but luckily for me, I don’t have the time to think about it, because I hear Richard’s voice.
“I choose the sword,” he smirks while honouring me with his easy-win face.
Sword against the dagger. Small chance to win.
Let’s dance, Richard the Malicious.
When he unsheathes the sword and waves with it, he seems very confident. He stares at me as I’d be a negligible starter on his menu. Then, he points the swords at me and I know the dagger is not a great weapon nor a good protection against rough force, but at least it’s better than nothing.
When we start fighting, I’m actually glad that William was my teacher and that he didn’t go slowly at me, never spared me any pain.
Richard is fierce fighter and it appears to me he is keen on using brutal force rather than reason.
The only thing I need to do is to wait for the right moment. A sword is heavier than a dagger and I’m quite nimble.
“Don’t play with her, prince!” one of the gentlemen shouts.
Suddenly a barrier appears behind Richard. It seems we’re trapped inside of a circle. I don’t really have no way to run any more. I have to use the dagger.
Richards swings the sword few times and corners me (quite a funny thing considering the fact we’re in a circle lol). He wounds my leg a little while smiling broadly. I hear excitement from the audience. I hold my powers on the leash. They wish to heal my body, but I can’t allow this.
Richard is so cocky and arrogant that he doesn’t even admit my chance of approaching him and end this battle.
One of the most important thing is Don’t overestimate your powers, but don’t underestimate them too. In other words, too much pride or too much worry can kill you.
This is my moment. I just jump at him and he’s too slow to dodge. The sword slows him down, but he’s clever enough to take a knife from his pocket and throw it at me. It’s supposed to hit my abdomen, but I dodge and it just stops in the middle of my thigh. But I’m not taken back by the pain. The pain ignites my motivation and determination, and I end the fight by disarming my opponent and putting the dagger next to his throat.
He’s not easily fooled however and his hands are quick so he takes another knife. We threat each other with our eyes waiting who puts down the knife.
“Well, it seems that for once my daughter has found a person who is not completely useless,” the king sarcastically remarks.
I put down the knife from prince’s throat and he does the same.
Richard, the Malicious 1:1 Yara, the no one.
- Writer
