The final round began an hour later when Estela was given a chance to rest and drink water. Relma got her so water personally, and Estela ate so bread and wine cut with water. William, anwhile, was on the opposite side, kneeling beneath the shade of a tree. His hands were clasped in prayer. Once or twice, Felix approached to whisper into his ear, but Relma did not hear what was said. It had been a tense wait, to say the least. Finally, as Estela tested the weight of her sword, Relma approached her.
"So, do you think you'll be able to beat him?" Relma asked.
"Of course, I can beat him, Relma," said Estela, adjusting her shoulders and tying back her hair. "I'm ready for anything."
"Just be careful, okay," said Relma. "William isn't a pushover."
"I know. He wouldn't have made it to the final round otherwise," said Estela. "Cheer for , will you?" And taking up her helm, she donned it over her face, so only her eyes could be seen from it.
Then she made her way to the stairs and waited. Once again, she did not throw away her cloak. Instead, William stood near her, arms crossed, his shield slung over his back.
"...So, cousin, who do you believe will win?" asked Saphra.
"Gabriel, of course," said Reginald. "House Vortegex is nothing to compare to us. And House Gabriel is our equal."
"That's a bit presumptuous," said Saphra.
"Only if I'm wrong," said Reginald. "If I'm right, it will be prophetic. No one rembers the wrong predictions, only the right ones."
"Being lucky doesn't make you a prophet," said Varsus to one side.
"Would you care to make a bet on that?" asked Reginald.
"If you wish," said Varsus. "Fifty crowns that William defeats her."
"Fifty crowns on William as well," said Saphra.
"...Hang on, I thought I was the one who supported William winning," said Reginald.
"You don't imagine I'd bet against my own kin, do you?" asked Varsus.
"And William is likely to win," said Saphra. "Estela has gone up against weaker fair so far. De Cathe threw the fight out of respect. Garrick was beaten by technicality, and Fayn was probably lower tier.
"William at least won all his matches fairly."
"You sent him into a berserker rage with your scarf," said Reginald.
"I only determined his strategy for my amusent," said Saphra. "It didn't actually give him an unfair advantage. He might have chosen such a strategy anyway. And it did make for such a good show."
"Relma, are you in?" asked Reginald. "We need soone to bet against, or this pool is for nothing."
"Elranor says that gambling is wrong," said Relma. She was trying to be High King, so it seed like gambling was a bad habit to get into.
"Nor will I take part," said Frederick.
"Ajax, what about you?" asked Reginald.
"I don't have any money," said Ajax. "I hunt for my food and sleep outside. I bathe in rivers. Why would I weigh myself down with the stuff."
"Oh right," said Reginald. "So why did you enter the tournant."
"Glory," said Ajax, voice bitter.
"Splendid," said Saphra. "So we want to take bets, but everyone has decided the sa person will win the match."
"A hundred crowns," said a voice.
Relma looked up and saw Ham sitting with his head bowed. "I'll bet a hundred crowns on Estela just to see your faces. Match , or don't waste my ti."
"I'll match that," said Reginald.
Everyone else was. And that was how the bets were made. At the sa ti, Davian ca forward. Cheers ca from the crowd. "Friends and countryn! We now draw to the final round of this tournant! The culmination of all the matches that have taken place so far! On this day, we will see the final battle!
"A battle fought between a Princess of Escor and a powerful knight of Haldren. Between a demon slayer and a disciple of the Heir of Kings! Ladies and gentlen, first, I give you William Gabriel!"
William went forward. He unslung his shield and drew his sword before shrugging off his cloak. Felix took it and raced off. He was always in the shadow of his master, wasn't he? Cheers resounded as William raised his sword skyward.
"They certainly are enthusiastic, aren't they?" asked Relma.
"Well, this is the final round," said Frederick.
"I know, but I'm pretty sure they aren't the strongest people in the tournant," said Relma.
"We can leave that to the lee afterward," said Frederick.
"lee?" asked Ajax.
"Well, after all the matches are over, they end the tournant with a free-for-all," said Frederick. "It's viewed as a ans to regain so honor if knocked out early."
"...Who do you think is the strongest?" asked Relma.
"Myself, Ajax, or Garrick," said Frederick. "De Cathe was probably sowhere near them."
"Except for Garrick, you were knocked out in the first round," said Relma.
"I know," said Frederick, sounding bitter.
"And now, second to enter the arena, but in every way her opponents equal, Estela Vortegex!" cried Davian.
Estela moved forward, still wearing her cloak. She drew her sword and spun it in a series of flourishes before taking a stance. William mirrored the motion but without any of the flourishings. Instead, he raised his shield and glowered through his helm. Relma, for a mont, wondered if Estela wasn't facing a demon.
There was a long silence as they faced each other.
"Lady Estela, do you have any words to say to your opponent before the match begins?" asked Davian.
"Today, I will prove the valor of House Vortegex and avenge the slight upon my family you have dealt ," said Estela.
"If the truth gives you offense, the slight is deserved," said William.
"Then you will taste my steel," said Estela.
"By all ans, make an attempt," said William.
And then the match began. Estela went on the offense, striking at William. William mostly defended, blocking her strokes and moving as little as possible. He parried a thrust with his sword and shoved her back, and Estela stumbled and nearly fell, but he did not pursue. There was that strength he possessed again.
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Estela adjusted her tactics. She began to circle, looking for weaknesses. Whenever William sought to strike at her, she moved away. She had to avoid contests of strength if she would win this.
She moved with her sword, then stepped forward as William raised his shield. Estela knocked aside William's shield with her own and brought down her blade. Their swords flashed in the light and locked before Estela bashed him with her shield. William stepped back a few paces as Estela pressed her assault.
He recovered quickly, and soon they were fighting back and forth, circling even as they fought. Relma watched as the two went faster and faster in battle and found herself detached and bored.
"They certainly are going at it," said Saphra.
"Yes, yes, they are," said Relma.
"What's wrong?" asked Saphra, leaning back and flipping her dark hair. "Don't tell
this breathtaking display of martial prowess has wholly exhausted you?"
"I'm spent, alright," said Relma, looking away. "That whole ss with Fayn took a lot out of ."
"How wonderful," said Saphra. And she sounded like she ant it. "Perhaps we'll be saved from civil war."
Relma saw that William was now on the offensive. He had cast aside his shield and was now wielding his sword in two hands. Estela's shield was becoming dented beneath his attacks as he pressed her. Already a corner of it had been broken off by his strikes.
"How does that sword keep not breaking?" asked Relma.
"It's Nakmar steel," said Felix. Relma flinched. How did he keep appearing like that? He unsheathed the blade by his side. "I have one like it."
"Well, they'll have to do it without
watching," said Saphra.
"Where are you going?" asked Relma.
"I've lost interest," said Saphra. "Reginald, tell
how things turn out." Wait, after chiding Relma for losing interest, she was walking away from the fight?
What was wrong with her? Finally, her side was out there!
And she walked off. Relma looked to Reginald. "Is she usually like that?"
"All the ti," said Reginald. "Very few things can hold Saphra's interest for long. William is doing a fair job of it, but I don't think she cares much about the outco.
"I think she played that trick with the scarf because she was annoyed he interested her. So she's playing hard to get."
"Hard to-," Relma halted. "What would she do if she hated him?"
"I'm not sure," said Reginald. "I've never seen her angry enough to hate soone. Fayn and her used to get on well, though. They spent a lot of ti together growing up.
"I wouldn't call them friends, but Saphra has people she holds in affection."
"I can see where Fayn gets her worst traits," said Relma.
"You don't know the half of it," said Reginald. "Fayn never liked her parents. They always kept her to one side. Apparently, they had so pretty elaborate instructions for her upbringing.
"They went off into Blackfear, though, and never ca back. So then Fayn just tore up all the instructions and went knight-errant as young as possible. She worked with Saphra a lot, hunting undead and such."
Had they been working together?
But to what end?
Relma decided to change the subject and think more about it later.
"What are you planning to do when all this is over?" asked Relma.
"Not really sure. I thought I'd head into Escor with Varsus," said Reginald. "There are rumors of war brewing there, one not even Arengeth can stop. It will be a good place to earn so battle glory.
"What about you?"
"I don't really know. I an, I've got so vague, general ideas," admitted Relma. "Keep going as I was before."
"You might want to give the matter thought," said Varsus.
Estela had fallen to one knee and struggled to defend herself against William's attacks. Reginald smiled. "See, Ham, I told you she wouldn't last."
"He doesn't use his shield enough," said Garrick. "William only seems to do well when on the offensive."
"That's because of his trainer," said Varsus. "Raynald De Chevlon only has one working arm. So he can't train shields with him. I will write to my uncle and suggest he have soone compensate for the deficiency."
"Garrick, what are you planning to do?" asked Relma.
"Return ho to Sorn," said Garrick, eyes not moving away from the match. "I expect I'll find further work in the employ of rchant Lord Magnious. He will be pleased that Sorn won the archery contest."
"So does that pay well?" asked Relma.
"Actually, yes," said Garrick. "The work is safe, as well."
"Safe?" asked Relma. "In what way?"
"Well, mostly, we depopulate islands of natives. The ones who have yet to learn how to forge iron. Sotis we leave survivors, however. We force them to work on plantations." said Garrick. "Although we also do battle with pirates who prey on the cargo of those plantations."
Relma shuddered. "That sounds... uh... pleasant."
"It isn't," said Garrick. "It pays, however. And there isn't much threat to life and limb."
"A warrior of your caliber should seek more honorable employnt," said Frederick.
"I seek employnt that pays," said Garrick. "And I seek to be given ti to spend my money. Nothing else is relevant."
"A dust elven response if ever there was one," said Frederick.
"This coming from the man who escaped with a wanted criminal?" asked Garrick. "You are in no position to judge
on right and wrong."
"There is a difference between legal and right," said Frederick.
"No. There isn't," said Garrick. "Strip away the pretenses, and our moral code is only what we enforce. Suppose neither the governnt nor the gods curb a given tendency. In that case, that tendency is right at least in the eyes of society.
"Since the natives cannot stop us, they have no power to enforce their brand of right. Thus it is irrelevant."
"And I think that's my cue to go elsewhere," said Relma. She'd had realized what kind of person Garrick was. Did he really believe that? Then she walked over to Fayn, sitting with her hands clasped in front of her. "So, Fayn, got any plans?"
"No," said Fayn. "What do you want?"
"Well, see, I've been thinking about things, and you've grown up in a noble household," said Relma. "I was hoping you might be able to help ."
Fayn looked up incredulously. "... You're joking."
"No, I'm not," said Relma. "An alternate perspective is useful. And you're about as alternate a perspective as one can get.
"Seriously. If I ever beco King, and that's a big if, I'll need to work closely with you as a Steward." She offered a hand. "Truce?"
Fayn remained silent for a long mont. Then she took it after a mont and finally smiled. It was the first ti it had reached her eyes. "Truce."
"What is this about?"
Relma paused. "I'm interested in what happened between you and Benarus. I can tell he doesn't like you and doesn't seem to have liked your parents."
"Cervan and Jezebel deserved what they got," said Fayn. "They always treated
like an ornant. Like so doll they could put the right skills into it and use them for their own ends. Eventually, they went off to Blackfear and died; I don't care."
"Shouldn't you honor your parents," said Relma.
"Shouldn't you?" asked Fayn.
"I didn't know them," said Relma. "And I never will.
"You had the chance to know yours."
"That didn't help," said Fayn. "I never got anything from them.
"I might have been declared their successor while they were gone, but it was a front. They had a lot of people set up to run things for them. They did a lot of reading into old textbooks about alchemy, trying to beco gods. They were never going to let
inherit. Once they beca gods, they'd maybe hand
the estate when they didn't want it.
"I don't know, I didn't wait. See, rumor had it that Telix was looking for a new ho. And many of Cervan's people had their muscles in the Wolven Forest. So Vanion and Wrynncurth set things up with Benarus, and I hired the guides which Telix used. They wiped the bandits out.
"After that, I disposed of those idiot handlers who thought I was just so doll to be put on a pedestal. Except for Aklus, the son of a bitch. He got away and runs operations for criminals out by Antion."
"Why did you hate him?" asked Relma.
"Because he was psychotic," said Fayn. "All he ever talked about was killing people. Once, he killed a servant just because he was in the way. He followed orders from Cervan because Cervan enabled him. Cervan let him kill people, as long as they were people he wanted dead or who didn't matter.
"And he helped Jezebel get so of the people she used for her...
"Experints."
"What were they planning?" asked Relma.
"It doesn't matter what they were planning," said Fayn. "They're dead.
"I read enough of their books to know it had to do with so ancient unholy artifact. Apparently, they'd been setting up pieces in Gel Carn. Eventually, they had to set their plans and go to Kadan. Things were about to start really taking off for their evil sche.
"But they never got that far; they got killed by undead and eaten by ghouls. Rather poetic, really. Everybody wants to be the Dark Lord. They all go into the dark arts thinking they will be gods of the new world. They never rember that most people who enter the business get wiped out in the first hurdle."
Relma thought it was poetic. "You could learn by their example, Fayn.
"You and Saphra have been very unwise during this Tournant. You could end up like them."
"This is fun for Saphra," said Fayn. "She ca to this tournant to be entertained. And she has been." She paused and looked to the fight. You should pay attention. Things are reaching their climax."
Relma looked to the fight. "How do you know?"
William struck Estela in the leg. Estela gasped and fell to the ground. William kneed her across the helm with her leg, sending her sprawling. Estela brought her sword down to smash it against William's shoulder as she fell back.
William staggered backward a few paces. It was the largest reaction Relma had seen him do so in the fight so far. Estela began to rise to her feet. Relma expected William to attack, but he stood where he was and waited for her to get to her feet.
There was a mont of silence.
"Nice move," said Fayn.
Then Estela pulled off her cloak and threw it. It caught around William, and he struggled to try and get it off. Before he could, Estela hit him across the helm, sending him to the ground. Cheers ca from the ground as Estela put her sword to his throat.
"It's over!" said Davian. "The fight is over! Estela Vortegex has won!"
The crowds went wild. Relma frowned. "That was hardly fair."
"Everyone else has had years of experience or magical powers," said Fayn. "I think using a cloak to blind your opponent is fair."
"He let her rise to her feet when she knocked him prone," said Relma. "I don't see why she couldn't have returned the favor."
"I imagine the money might have sothing to do with the fact," said Fayn.
"Possibly," admitted Relma. She was going to have to ask Estela about this later. This, technically-not-cheating was getting out of hand.
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