It must continue

"Subhi, nothing would make me happier at this moment than to see this come to an end with no more blood spilled," you tell him. "But your man was correct about one thing: this is a matter between him and Lady Trina. I cannot -"

Adbul charges in once more, cutting off your next words. He strikes this time with bold, strong blows, which Trina wards off but she is **** backward as she does. More than once you can see that Abdul has left himself open to counter-attack, but each time Trina is unable to recover from his previous strike to take advantage. At last he has knocked her sword aside, and a shout rises into your throat as he thrusts at her left side; Trina dodges out of the way with more desperation than grace, and once again Abdul's sword rips through her tunic. But this time, the edge of his blade comes away stained with red, and as she regains her footing Lady Trina is unable to suppress a wince of pain.

"I would if I could, Subhi," you say, barely keeping your voice steady. "I don't know if you can imagine how hard it is for me to hold my tongue; but I made a promise to Lady Trina, and I must honor it no matter what the cost. She would never forgive me otherwise, and I would deserve no less."

Trina's woolen shirt hangs loosely now, cut twice by Abdul's blade. Without taking her eyes from her opponent, she takes it by one sleeve and rips it free, tossing it aside. The band about her breasts is still in place, though Abdul's cut went through that as well; it likely afforded her at least some protection and made the cut less severe than it might have been, but the bloodstain slowly grows upon the cloth nonetheless.

"I offer quarter," Abdul says.

"I refuse," Trina replies, taking her sword in a two-handed grip and turns sideways to him, the wound facing him as if in defiance.

"So be it." Abdul takes a step forward, but Trina does not move; he steps in again and then she engages him, swinging her blade with what seems to be all her strength. She strikes his sword hard, and knocks it from his hand! It takes her a moment to recover, however, and in that moment Abdul is able to scramble for his weapon and grab it from the ground, backing away quickly so that Trina cannot take advantage. The crowd comes to life for the first time with a roar of approval; and also for the first time, you can see a hint of uncertainty in Abdul's eyes.

"She is stronger than she looks," Subhi comments.

"In every way," you reply.

Trina presses her attack as quickly as she can, moving in on Abdul with sweeping and cutting attacks, as he seems to favor when he goes on the offensive himself. Abdul is able to parry her blows, but to your eyes he does so more frantically than before; he has clearly lost some of his confidence! Then, one of her cuts takes him by surprise; at some point, unseen even by you, Trina has shifted her sword to her left hand and comes at him from an unexpected angle. Abdul blocks the attack, but Trina has stepped inside his guard, and with her bare right fist she delivers a hard blow to his eye! Abdul stumbles back, swinging blindly, and Trina is **** to dodge his blade and so cannot press in further.

"I offer quarter," Trina says, holding her sword at the ready.

Abdul does not respond, but instead charges in; his anger seems to have finally gotten the better of him! While you know that an angry opponent is weakened due to loss of focus, Abdul's attack is ferocious and brutal, and Trina is **** backward on the defensive. Abdul drives her back straight toward you and the Sultan, and you are both compelled to leap from your chairs and scramble out of the way as they come barreling through; Trina deftly dodges around the Sultan's seat without seeing it, and if it had been Abdul's intent to trip her up on the obstacle, it is thwarted. But she is compelled to miss a step, and in that moment Abdul cuts downward toward her neck! Trina's sword is raised to catch his strike, and the blades slide along each other until the hilts crash together. Abdul pushes back against her; he is taller and stronger, and so Trina is **** to stumble backwards.

What happens next is almost too quick for your eye to follow; Trina pushes sideways against his blade to try and unlock the hilts from one another and perhaps spin it from his grasp; but before she can complete the move, Abdul reaches behind her head with his left hand and grabs her flowing hair, pulling her head back. Their swords spin like a pair of clock hands gone mad, and Trina's blade drops while Abdul's sword goes to her throat!

"Yame!" Kuranoma Kuma shouts, the word to stop the fight - it would have been too late, except Abdul has arrested the killing strike of his own accord. The crowd has risen to their feet, clearly agitated at this turn. As for yourself, you cannot help but take a step toward them and even lay your hand on your own sword - but you know that to draw your blade now would be not only a grave dishonor, it would be futile.

"Yield," Abdul hisses at Trina.

"I will not!" Trina replies, her voice tight and defiant.

"You would rather die than submit to me?" he asks.

"There are worse things than ****," Trina says, and to your surprise a grim smile touches her lips. You cannot see Abdul's face, but you see his body suddenly stiffen - and then you understand why. Abdul's back is turned to you, and from between his legs emerges the point of Trina's sword.

"My blade is at your throat," Abdul says, clearly trying to sound forceful and intimidating, but he's not quite able to pull it off. "One heartbeat, and you will be dead!"

"One heartbeat is all I need to see to it you never claim a woman again," Trina replies calmly. "Do as you will!"