Calm, Then Frustrated

Shaking your head lightly, you take a few steps back. “We don’t need to do this. I’m not less of a ‘man’ because I refuse to duel you.” Taking the high ground was not as fun, or exciting, but it was satisfying until you heard Sfen let out a short, sharp laugh and say.

“I didn’t say you ‘d be less of a man. I think you’d be a bitch. It’s just a sparring match.”

You stopped where you stood and then, against your better judgement, approached him aggressively. You got closer, causing him to blush and lean back as your face was near to his and he got a better look at your lips and the general shape of it. Your smooth hair. Unlike you, he channelled his frustration fully into confidence and began walking towards the circle the moment the two of you exchanged a second wordless challenge.

“Real swords is fine?” Sfen asked.

“I promise I won't actually hurt you, it’s just more comfortable swinging something around that’s the correct weight. I’m sure you feel the same, Fin. I know by the way you’re looking at me that you think you are better. This way there’ll be no doubts.”

“No doubts is good. Just don’t complain after you lose.” Sfen took the ribbing far better than you could take his. He seemed happy to be challenged by you, while you only felt annoyed.

Dammit… let’s get this over with. Even left-handed I can win.

The two of you had already drawn your swords by the time you entered the ring. Your sword, a gift from your stepfather, was a Glasian longsword. The Glasian style of sword was double-edged with a tapered tip, rather than a diamond. It was flexible, designed to swipe and stab. Sfen’s sword was a Teoran style longsword. Still double-edged, but thicker with a diamond tip. The whole blade was meant to flex and bend less, making it excellent as a weapon of raw strength. The handle was long and the guard a thick cross, making it easy to wield in one-hand or two. Glasian styled swords had a much more subdued guard, and the handle was around the same length as the Teoran sword.

You circled the inner edge of the ring, keeping your sword handle at your waist with the tip pointed towards Sfen. Your range advantage was negated by his height and the length of his arms, which meant that you needed to outmanoeuvre him, but that is where you were confident. It was your hand that was injured, not your feet. As you both got ready, you noticed the remaining Squires stop what they were doing to come watch. Roy observed with his maid just outside. Heilan watched, but surprisingly seemed to be paying as much attention to Sfen as she was to you. Kara was of course behind you, cheering you on.

“Go Fin~” She clapped.

“Go go~”

“Shut the hell up!” You scolded.

“That is SO distracting.” She met you halfway and only kept the clapping going.

“You’re getting anxious already and we haven’t even started.” Sfen teased. He was the first to move in. The man approached slowly with his guard up, but it was frustratingly casual. He was underestimating you. As soon as he got close enough for the tips of your swords to touch you darted in a circle around him towards his non-dominant side, took a step in and swiped for him. You were ready to hold the strike, since you assumed it would hit, but Sfen just turned, following your position exactly with his feet remaining in the same circled stance. His sword swiped yours away and he continued his advance, pushing you towards the edge.

Dammit… I see what he’s doing.

“What’s happening?” Kara asked Heilan.

The dog said without looking away from the fight. “Not gonna explain every little thing that’s going on from the sidelines… That’d be weird and distracting and a little embarrassing for everyone.”

“Oh.” Kara’s ears drooped.

“I’m not embarrassed. I’ll keep it short and sweet.” Roy claimed, walking up behind Kara with his maid.

“Sfen is using his size advantage and sturdiness to box Fin out. Your master is going to have to tire himself out running around while Sfen is consuming very little energy. Fin’s swordplay also seems to only be on par with Sfen, while Sfen is just stronger.”

“Shut the fuck up!” You shouted at the annoyance in frustration while running around Sfen to the other side to get distance. Along the way you tried to flank the Squire, but he once again just turned within his stance on his heels and parried away your sword. It was exactly as Roy said.

“You’re annoying!”

“See?” Heilan remarked, arms crossing over her chest. She looked to be expecting a short match.

These bastards judging me by my left hand is so fucking annoying. You thought. It was what you had decided. In hindsight, you might have been a bit cocky. At the same time, you might have underestimated Sfen by a lot. He was a fortress against you.

If I try to get around him he just turns his feet and follows me. If I try to outplay him in front his reach beats mine, and he is stronger. Is this seriously just a lose-lose situation?

“What’s wrong? You were so confident before.” Sfen smirked at you.

“Shut your big stupid mouth!” You warned.

“My big stupid mouth? Are you a child?” Sfen laughed, smoothing his blonde hair back with his off-hand. The moment you saw his hand block his vision for a second with that nonchalant gesture you rushed into blind spot. You got right up on him, your sword’s tip almost reaching his chest when it stopped. You felt a pain in your wrist and lost your grip, but didn’t drop it. Eyes swivelled down to see what had happened. Sfen let you get in close, no… maybe it was a bait and he played you perfectly. In either case he had used the pommel of his sword to stop your wrist. While you were surprised he reached down with his hand that was already up near his head and grabbed your collar. Before you could move your sword into any position to reach him, he brought his to your neck. The flat of his blade practically rested on your shoulder. Your cheeks flushed deeply.

“I give! You win…” You hoped he would accept a fake surrender like Heilan did and face justice for that. You waited for it, but Sfen was savvy and noticed your sword remained tightly in your hand. If anything it was tighter. He smiled and used his dominant leg to take out both of yours as he pushed you back and climbed on top of you.

“H-hey!” He wordlessly straddled your waist. In the background both Roy and Heilan simply went back to what they were doing.

“It’s not…” You squirmed and struggled uselessly as Sfen pried your sword out of your hand. You held firm for a few seconds, shouting.

“It’s not over!”

“Heh.” He cruelly twisted your wrist.

“Ow!” You dropped your sword and he dropped his.

“Surrender for real.” He ordered, looking down his nose at you. He pinned your sword hand. Your heart pounded as you stared up at him defiantly. He noticed your gaze and assumed you weren’t giving up. He was right.

“You-” As he was about to speak again you lifted your back off the ground to loosen him off of you, then raised your legs and tried to put yourself in a position where you could wrap them around some part of him and flip things around. In response, he simply dropped his weight again and easily pinned you down by straddling you closer to your thighs. You couldn’t move at all as he took both of your wrists in just on hand of his and pinned them above your head. Your heart thumped again.

“Th-this is-”

“Overr.” He stated, holding you like that until you stopped moving. You gritted your teeth, still staring up at him.

“You’re making it hard for me, since I promised I wouldn’t hurt you…” He huffed.

“You’re making things a bit tough for me right now.” He then grinned and added.

“Only a bit.” As he looked you over beneath him, he was awfully close and seemed to realise that. His body was against yours and whatever he was thinking or feeling, his cheeks flushed a little, but he never dropped that cocky, superior look he was giving you.

“You gotta learn.”

“Learn?” You grunted, still trying to squirm out. Your heart thumped again as he pinned you harder and got closer. He seemed more unsure of himself when he got close, but it didn’t stop him. Kara was watching from the background with her golden cat's eyes, covering her mouth with her palm.

“Learn-” He adjusted himself, making movement even more improbable. You tried your hardest to move, but only got tired. Your muscles began to ache.

“That I’m better.” He offered seriously.

“Stronger.”

“Hah. I bet it’d help your ego if I did that, huh?” You strained to say.

“Yours.” He corrected.

“What!?”

“Look at you. Your ego is out of control. How strong did you think you were to have this much confidence? To still have this much confidence?” He was getting frustrated, but not in any way that satisfied you. You were starting to feel flushed.

“That’s…” You wanted to say that you were right handed, but it felt like such a cope and the thought occurred to you. Sfen was skilled and strong. In some ways he could even be right. You shook your head vehemently.

“Dammit! No! I was using my-” Before you could say that, he took it as an excuse and shouted down at you.

“Let someone else be stronger than you, dammit!” He went from frustrated to upset.

You gulped. “Sorry?” Those words struck you deeply.

“You’re not everything. The world doesn’t revolve around you. You aren’t the strongest or the most skilled. If- If you keep thinking you are you’re going to get yourself killed, and I don’t plan on letting that happen to anyone here.” He stared down at you with a calm sadness. You were drawn in by that solemn expression with what seemed to you like such deep tones behind it. He let you go and thumped his chest with his fist.

“I’m here. Let me protect you, and if I’m in trouble, protect me. That’s how this should go. Talk like you’re tough shit, tease and fool around. That’s motivating, but when things are really happening you need to be real, Fin. You understand?”

You nodded once, your heart beating quickly. You couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. With much **** you uttered the words.

“I surrender. I’m sorry.” In your mind you knew that you literally had one hand behind your back, but your heart was telling you that he was right.

“Good work.” He patted your side as he got up off of you.

“Did you mean that? That you’d protect me?”

“Hm?” He looked at you and gave a short nod.

“You get my back, I get yours.” He stepped forward and rested a hand on your shoulder.

“If you want, we can start training together more earnestly. I really think you could be as good as you think you are.”

“That’s” Your face became bright red. It was a pure compliment that you weren’t expecting. He all but acknowledged that you were better than the duel you both just had. You thought he was just a cocky prick. Sfen was that, for sure, but he was also sensitive. He was sensitive, handsome, protective….