Surviving the Palace

Chapter 7

I felt Drake take my hand again and I looked up into his eyes as he told me "I will win in your honor." His eyes held the heat of battle to come and I wasn't as worried as I was before. I knew he could win first blood. Then I heard him whisper so that only I could hear. "Don't watch" I felt a fear start to bubble up inside my chest. Why didn't he want me to watch.

He gave me one last look as his hand held mine and then he turned and I saw him walk into the middle of the hall with Hansling oposite him.

I felt my other three warriors come up and stand at my back. It was Killian's voice now softly whispering. "Don't watch Princess." Another warning. But I shook my head slightly and I watched what I had put into motion. I had to watch what I had condemned Drake to do for me.

As they stood in the middle of the royal throne room they stood 10feet from each other. Drake stood and I could only see his back but when I looked at him. I saw something about the way his shoulders were tense and the way his feet moved a fraction of a bit farther apart. He was readying himself.

I saw Hansling though. Clearly. He had some kind of darkness around his aura. He was readying himself to use some kind of harmful magic. Hansling was beautiful just like all of the royal elves. He was wearing a golden robe and he had bright golden brown eyes and his long hair was the color of the blackest night with hints of blue highlights. He was so beautiful but he was not good. He had tried to have me killed then when that plan was foiled he had changed his plan to force me into a marraige. So that he could have the throne.

Then I heard the Queen say. "Begin"

In that instant Hansling used his magic to make a ball of blue flames and shot it at Drake but Drake was already gone. He had already drawn his sword and was leaping into the air over the ball of blue fire which came right for me but it hit the protective circle that surrounded the battle circle and dissapated with a hiss.

But Drake was in the air and his sword was over his head and it swong in an arc so fast that started up and then swong straight down. I was frozen in my body as I saw the blade cleave Hansling down the middle from the top of his head down between his legs in one swift bloody moment. Blood splattered all over and covered Drake in red.

For a moment I thought it couldn't be. It couldn't have happened. Then I heard the scream. One of the noble women were screaming.

I saw Drake standing there as the body stood for one horrifying moment and then it fell. Fell in two peices to the floor in a pile of blood and gore and death. Then Drake growled out standing over the body. "I have taken my first blood." Then I saw him turn slowly so that all the nobles could see him covered in blood and then he was walking to me and I had to look at him. I had to force myself to look at him.

Covered in a spray of blood. He walked to me and knelt before me and looked bowed his head. "I have taken his first and last blood Princess." I was silent. I looked at him instead of looking at the pile of what was left of Hansling.

The Queen's voice spoke then. "The match was to the first blood Basalisk. Why did you take his life?"

That was when he looked to her and said with deep growling almost hatefilled voice. "Because he dared to try try to harm my Princess your Majesty"

The Queen laughed then and I never took my eyes from Drake. His eyes slowly came back to me and I did what I needed to do there infront of my people and the court of the Elves. I reached out and laid my pale ivory hand against Drake's bloody cheek and I felt the warmth of the Blood against my skin. Making it wet and slick I felt a coldness inside me. I knew why he had done what he had done.