"Lady, do you even realize what you are speaking?" Baldrick sneered, folding his hands, his sword dangling by his side. "You must have lost your sanity to challenge me when everyone knows the result. You will not stand a chance against me." He declared with pride, and some of the ladies in the audience shrieked in excitement. Baldrick smiled at the group of ladies before he faced the girl in front of him again.
"We will know if I stand a chance or not once we start fighting. Looks like Minister Baldrick is scared even before we started. If that is the case, I cannot do anything." This was an obvious jab to Baldrick's pride, and he narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"What did you say, Lady?" He seethed, controlling his anger. His hand was grasping his sword tight, and the veins on his arm were bulging. The man was just short of losing his cool. "I warn you to take them back."
"I won't, not until you fight me. Let the winner be declared after we fight." The girl did not surrender either, and Ascian smiled, admiring her confidence. Unlike Baldrick, who was filled with ego and arrogance, the girl was filled with courage and credence. She apprehended what she was doing, and Ascian perceived her to be here with a motive in mind.
Ascian could still not see her, and he was not in a hurry too. He was waiting for the fight to start and once it did, she was bound to show her face to him. He folded his hands, waiting for the fight the start. The vampires behind him too were intrigued by the girl, and they waited in anticipation, cheering for the brave girl in their minds.
By now, Baldrick was irked and provoked. He was done being the nice man, and now he was prepared to show her his skills. However, he decided to be fair one last time. "Lady, I will allow you to retreat before this ends up badly. Think wisely."
However, the girl stood in her place, smiling sardonically at him, and that was Baldrick's cue to attack. He lifted his sword, his eyes gleaming in wickedness as he observed the girl who did not have any characteristics that a lady had. Unlike the other ladies around him, the girl was wearing a creme-colored high collared blouse with a dark brown waistcoat and a pair of trousers of similar shade.
Even though she was unprepared, she was optimistic and poised. Confidence was radiating from her face, and Baldrick was conflicted. Though he was sure he would win, he did not want to hurt the girl as he had injured Lorcan to secure his win. 'I need to be careful. I cannot hurt her in front of everyone. Otherwise, I will be mocked for life.'
With that thought in mind, he gestured for the girl to attack first. However, to his surprise, the girl shook her head. "I will never attack first." That was all she said and waited for the man to take action.
"If you say so, Lady. But where is your weapon?"
"Sir, you do not have to worry about me or my weapon. Please concentrate on your work." She chided him, igniting Baldrick's anger again. The man's control snapped, and with a roar, he attacked her, swishing the sword through the air.
His sword stopped when another sword clanked against it. His eyes widened in shock, his mind losing its ability to comprehend what had happened. One moment, the girl was standing silently without moving, and the next instant, she had defended herself. She had been quick to pull out her sword from her sheath.
Nobody but Ascian had seen her pull out her weapon. Even the vampires behind him had missed seeing it, and just like the humans, they too stood dumbfounded in the places. Everyone in the arena sensed the change in the girl's demeanor, and it took them by surprise to see her sudden shift.
Baldrick composed himself, and feeling the gazes on him, he pulled back and attacked the lady with all his might. And just like before, she defended herself. She did not stop just at that. Gritting her teeth, the girl forced Baldrick to move back, her force making him stagger. Audible gasps filled the arena, and Ascian's smile widened.
Now, Baldrick's ego was stabbed. His eyes were blazing with fire, and all he wanted to do was kill the girl who stood in front of him with an innocent smile. Unable to accept that the girl had pushed him away, he lifted his sword again and attacked her. But before he could even get to her, the girl was charging towards him.
She dodged to the left when Baldrick aimed his sword at her right arm, rendering his attack unsuccessful. Seizing the chance when the man was still recovering from his attack, she kicked him on his knee from behind. The impact of her kick was so strong that Baldrick dropped to the ground, groaning in pain.
With a smirk, she turned around, tilting her head as she stared at the man, who was now kneeling on the ground on one knee. She waited for Baldrick to get up, giving a good view of her face to Ascian. The moment she turned around, the vampire lord was enthralled. Her small face was glowing in the sun, and even though she had a darker tone of skin, it did not hinder her beauty. Her ombre hair, which she had secured in a clip before the fight, had started had come loose, and some unruly strands were blowing with the wind.
Compared to the other ladies around him, the girl in the arena had darker skin. She even looked ugly and unruly, her attire adding more to hideousness. However, that did not obliterate the strong, unfamiliar emotion Ascian was feeling. He was captivated by her, and for the first time, Ascian could not understand what he was feeling.
Baldrick stood up, glaring at the girl who had dared to kick him. Without thinking, he started to attack the girl vigorously, which the girl shielded brilliantly. Having had enough of the man who was like a wild beast wishing to rip her head off, the girl took a deep breath, preparing for the final strike.
Baldrick storm towards her once again, and this time, the girl swerved right before he raised his sword, and the moment he did so, she twisted his hand that held the weapon with her free hand. Baldrick howled in pain, and the next instant, he dropped his sword.
With a victorious smile, the girl pulled back, freeing him. "I won, Sir." She declared the result loud and clear, and without another word, walked away from the arena, leaving a flabbergasted crowd and an equally stupefied Baldrick, who had no idea what had transpired.