I watched over the woman as she rested, making sure she was completely okay. I walked toward the window and stared out into the scenery. She soon woke up and grunted softly. She sat up slowly and noticed me.
"H-Huh..? Who are you?" She asked.
"I am the man that saved you." I said then turned around and smiled. I walked toward her and checked on her once more. "The name's Ryoma Miyazaki."
The woman blushed as I held her cheeks and inspected her. "You smell incredibly nice.."
I smiled and looked at her. She stared into my eyes and parted her lips. I chuckled softly and turned her head gently then noticed the Crest of Royalty on her neck.
"I gave you my name, it's time you've told me...My Queen." I said softly.
She seemed surprised that I found her Crest. "I- Uh...My name is Cecilia Endellion. I Uhm....am not Queen anymore. My brother took over."
"And why is that..?" I asked and gently stroked her hair to calm her down.
She began to calm down due to my gentle touches. "It's because he sees me as unfit. You see...Selum is known for our exceptional skill in Martial Arts. The Legendary Beast of Selum is known as Asura. He's one of the Big Three Masters. He's known as the Master of Combat. He wants his power for himself..."
"Let me help you." I said and made her look at me.
"But we just met...I don't want you to get in between what me and my brother have going on." Cecilia said and stared into my eyes.
I smiled at her then let her go. "We both know you aren't going to make progress. From how ragged you look and your lack of feminine scent, you've been training."
Cecilia began to grow insecure because of how I commented on her appearance and her aroma. She looked down at the covers. "You really don't hold your tongue huh..."
I held her chin and she looked at me. "I don't mind it..~ It adds to your character. I love women of all demographics...even tanned skin, fit, beautiful women like you..~"
Cecilia blushed a lot from my statement. She smiled and looked away. "I'm...flattered that you think that, but your flirting isn't going to change my answer."
"Then how about a sparring match?" I asked.
She looked at me and rose an eyebrow. "Why?"
"If I win, I get to help you retake your kingdom, marry you, and restore honor to your name. If I lose, I'll simply go away." I said.
"Such high stakes, but you would go through all this just to help me?" She asked.
"This isn't a thing I wouldn't do for my wives. I literally fought against two gods in Ezusha for Hoshiyo." I said.
"I heard..." Cecilia said then blushed at the thought of us getting married. "You know...I have never had a husband before."
"Really?" I asked.
"All the men would normally run away from me. I'm perfectly fit and I'm physically the strongest Queen in all of Uthea. Well Ex-Queen. I guess I can be a bit tomboyish.." Cecilia said and held her arms. "I mean most of my siblings are men. I only have one twin sister and she's the opposite of me. She is to be Queen too, so if you marry me you have to marry her as well."
"Okay." I smiled.
"Eh? You're okay with that?" She asked.
"I usually don't go for sisters of Queens. I could've gone for Inoka and Therese but I chose not to out of respect, but if you want me to show her the same love I will for you, I have no problem with that." I said.
"That brings me to my next question. How many brothers do you have?" I asked.
"Four. The Oldest, Daika is the current King of Selum. He's pretty skilled in Combat. My brothers are Daika, Moroto, Klaus, and Soren. My sister's name is named Eirine. She's known as Lady of War in Selum Martial Arts Tournaments. This year will be our 30th Tournament." Cecilia answered.
I nodded and let her go. "Well. How about it? A sparring match?"
Cecilia smiled at me and sighed softly. "Alright fine."
-----
Cecilia and I stood in a pretty open area of the forest next to the village. She stretched and watched me. She noticed I wasn't stretching and just had my hands placed on my hips.
"If you keep staring, you might become too enticed to battle~" I teased and chuckled softly.
Cecilia blushed and turned away. "Hmph! And if you don't stretch, you'll pull a muscle, Prince Charming."
"Ahh I do love women like you. Bashful, strong, beautiful. I've hit all the checks..~" I said then put my hair in a ponytail.
Cecilia blushed even more then a vein popped on her forehead. She turned to me quickly. "Are we going to fight or are you just here to flirt?!" She barked.
I laughed and crossed my arms then looked at Cecilia. "I'm just stalling as all."
"Stalling..?" Cecilia asked. "You scared?"
Nebula whinnied softly in a laughing manner as Cecilia said that. She sat on a tree stump in her human form and watched.
I chuckled and smirked. "As if. I'm stalling for you because there is a zero percent chance of you winning."
"Your Crest evolves and now you don't know how to act!" Cecilia barked once again.
"It's not that." I said then uncrossed my arms. "I am grateful for The Crest of Henosis, but The Crest doesn't make me who I am. When I dominated Eyica during my reign, I fought most of all my battles using only my natural abilities. You believe I can be this arrogant by abusing the power of a Crest. I barely use my Crest of Emperor outside of my Emperor Forms."
"So what are you saying?" Cecilia asked and placed a hand on her hip.
"There's a clear skill gap when it comes to hand to hand combat. I know every Martial Arts technique. You are only a master at Wrestling. With my knowledge I can defeat you with both arms tied behind my back and with no projectiles." I said.
Cecilia looked a bit discouraged. She looked at the ground and sighed. "I-"
"But.." I started.
She looked back up at me and noticed my smile. "But?"
"I'm willing to teach you three stances that will help you." I said.
"Three? You mean the Stances of Eyica?! Y-You believe I am ready for such an honor?! The Rulers of each Country held so much power with those stances alone! I-I don't know what to say!" Cecilia said, becoming jittery.
I chuckled and watched her excitement. "These stances require a strict training regimen. Before I teach these to you these stances, I have to make sure your body is ready for such training."
Cecilia nodded and looked determined. I got into the Atren Stance. I crouched down a bit and held one hand behind my back and my other out.
"The All Counter Stance.." Cecilia said then shook her head and got into her stance.
"Come." I said.
Cecilia dashed toward me and groaned as she was struck with an invisible attack. 'He didn't even move..'
Cecilia was blown backwards, but she landed on her feet and slid backwards. She looked at me then noticed I was in the same spot. She grunted then dashed toward me again. She sensed the attack then dodged it. She slid under the next one then tried to sweep me off my feet. I raised the leg she tried to kick then trapped her leg between mine. She used her other leg to pull me to the ground.
I placed my hand on the ground then pivoted, twirling her around. I caught her then put her in a head lock. "Cunning..~ But it isn't good enough. I don't know how you dodged my Ubiquitous Attack, but overall I'm impressed."
I released her and pushed her off me. I stood up and helped her up. She went for an attack. My eyes shined and I weakened her strength. She struck my face and noticed I did no damage to her.
I taunted her with a smirk. She bellowed and began to rapidly strike my torso area with all of her strength. I took every attack as if they were nothing. She stopped attacking and softly panted. She stepped back then her aura surrounded her arms. She struck my face and noticed it did damage. She rapidly struck my body with attacks then knocked me away with a palm strike.
I slid backwards and chuckled. My eyes shined as I looked at her. "Counter."
Every strike she dealt to me went right back to her and she groaned then fell onto her hands and knees. She covered her mouth then coughed a bit of blood. I walked over to her and got on one knee and checked up on her.
I sat her down and noticed I accidentally struck a scar on her body. She was bleeding from her stomach area. I laid her down and noticed her panting heavily. Nebula hurried over to us as well.
Cecilia cried out in pain and her tears rolled down her cheek. "It hurts! It hurts so much..!" She squeaked.
"Nebula, use your Crest to nullify her pain." I said.
She nodded and held her hand over Cecilia's head then her ring shined and her Crest appeared over the diamond of her ring. She began to nullify Cecilia's pain. "E..a...sy."
I smiled, listening to Nebula still trying to talk in her human form. I held my hand over the scar on her stomach then Manami's Crest shined on my hands. The spirit of Manami came beside me and held my hand. A green aura shined over Cecilia's scar. The scar began to heal.
"What happened..?" I asked.
Cecilia closed her eyes and just laid on the grass. "It happened when I was fighting Daika in a Royal Battle for the position of Ruler of Selum. He sliced my stomach open with his Signature Move, Razor Swipe. If it wasn't for Eirine...I would be dead.."
"What happened in Selum during this war of overthrowing the Kings..?" I asked.
"That is what happened. A battle for the throne. My brother has been ruling for years now. Selum is not the same anymore. People are using Selum Martial Arts to kill...It is meant to protect.." Cecilia said.
"It is meant to protect. We shall not use our hands to kill and start more war, but shall use our hands to prevent more war. Emperor Atren III." I said and noticed she was also saying the quote.
"I'm so glad Emperor Atren III's teachings still live in most.." Cecilia smiled.
Nebula removed her hand then watched me move Cecilia's arm from her eyes. She looked at me and sat up on her elbows. I gently caressed her cheek and smiled at her. She blushed and closed her eyes.
"How do you do that..?" She asked.
"I actually had another woman ask me the same, but I can not share my sacred secrets of Serenade..~" I smiled.
She looked into my eyes and cleared her throat then quickly stood up. "I'm feeling much better now! Shall we continue our sparring?"
I chuckled softly and stood up then got into my Dagrax Stance. "Come."
Cecilia ran toward me and went for a kick, but I dodged it then ducked under her pivot kick. An after image of me appeared behind Cecilia then I appeared behind her and palmed her back. Cecilia groaned then ten more strikes hit her back, blowing her away.
"Now it's time for my Finishing Move, Tekken no Renda." I said then aura surrounded my hand.
I dashed toward Cecilia. She noticed me running toward her and dodged my first attack then grappled my arm. She jumped up and locked my head between her legs. She spun around my body then wrapped her arms around my waist.
"Twister...Piledriver!" Cecilia bellowed and spun around then lifted me off the ground and slamming me onto the ground.
She looked surprised that she pulled it off then noticed the clone had vanished. She looked surprised and looked around. She sensed an invisible strike then dodged it then groaned as she was struck on her back.
"Gotcha." I smirked.
I bellowed and struck her back then a barrage of strikes struck her. I sweeped her off her feet then kneed her back, launching her in the air. I ran up and tornado kicked her three times then caused her to twirl in the air.
"Tekken no Renda!" I bellowed and palmed her back, launching her to the ground.
She groaned then grunted as I caught her before she hit the ground. I smiled and set her down. I sat down beside her and sighed.
"I win." I chuckled softly.
Cecilia panted as she laid on the ground. "So...your verdict?"
"I'll teach you." I smiled and looked at her.
She looked back at me and sat up quickly. "Really?!"
I nodded then stood up. "I will start training you once we make it to the main city."
"O-Okay!" Cecilia nodded then stood up as well.
Nebula walked to me in her Horse Form then snorted. She nudged me and I chuckled softly. I climbed onto Nebula's back then helped Cecilia on.
"The Horse of Oblivion..." Cecilia said in awe.
"I recently found out that she's actually a RARE Legendary Beast. She just hasn't awakened her power." I said then clicked my teeth then Nebula began to trot ahead.
"Wait what? So she isn't a Mythical Beast?" Cecilia asked.
"Nope. She told me this when we were coming to Selum." I explained.
"Wow, no wonder you're so powerful." Cecilia smiled.
"I'm strong because of my own training, Nebula here is actually the MVP. The amount of times she's bailed me out." I chuckled and rubbed Nebula's neck.
Nebula whinnied and trotted happily and with pride.
I smiled and closed my eyes. "So how long until we reach the main city?"
"Two days." Cecilia answered.
"I hope you're up for a few conversations~ We're gonna be together for quite a bit." I said.
Cecilia nodded and wrapped her arms around my waist, gaining her balance. "Let's just go..."
"Onward, Nebula!~" I said then she neighed and galloped ahead.
To Be Continued...