It was surprising how quickly the news about the duel spread in the city, given the short time between the incident at the inn and the actual duel-only half a day had passed. Yet Dan found himself at the back of a line of excited spectators. There were brokers collecting bets, and to Dan's surprise, the main question was not about the winner, but rather the amount of money the warrior maiden might obtain for letting the young lord off the hook.
Dan rolled a single silver coin between his fingers, and then, to the broker's amazement, he placed it on the least popular option-he bet that the warrior wouldn't let herself be bribed. The brief exchange he had with her the previous night convinced him that her motivation for instigating the duel was something much darker than simply trying to scam money from a wealthy fool. She exuded a predatory air, and her gaze was too poisonous. Engaging in something that could stain her honor seemed too great a risk for a soldier, which might jeopardize her military career. Money did not seem like a worthy reason.
Eavesdropping unintentionally, he learned that the female warrior's opponent was the son of the city governor, a younger member of an influential family with substantial backing and wealth. This added to his confusion. Why would the woman challenge a member of such a powerful family, especially in an area under their control? Didn't she know the governor wouldn't let her off the hook if she harmed his child? He lacked some important facts to understand the situation.
Dan entered the area for the audience and strategically positioned himself at the front, near the judge's seat. While not the best spot, the better locations were already taken. Thanks to this, he could see the warrior standing alone next to the judge, and she appeared rather relaxed.
When the sun reached its zenith, the governor's entourage arrived. The man came accompanied by a group of five: the governor himself, an older man in an official robe; a bureaucrat in a uniform that resembled those of the prosecution office; and three burly men, likely bodyguards. They approached the judge, and the governor stepped forward, gazing at the woman for an extended moment.
"This is you," Dan nearly jumped at the words; they were barely audible. "What do you want?"
"Justice, obviously," the woman replied.
"My son will apologize to you, and I will not pursue... the other matter too, if you agree to settle the conflict peacefully."
She was silent, as if considering the offer. Dan wondered what the governor meant by "the other issue." He was about to find out because the response came in the form of a short, "No."
The governor sighed. "I've given you a chance. Everything that happens from now on is your choice, Miss Zanzi. My hands are clear." He waved to the prosecutor in the official's attire.
The governor's son smirked, and the bureaucrat cleared his throat before addressing the judge, bypassing the woman. "This person," he pointed at the woman, who raised an eyebrow in interest, "is unqualified to take part in a duel against a honorable man." He pointed to her prospective opponent. "As she is a person without honor, from a family of disgraced criminals."
The judge raised his head apathetically and looked at the accused. "Do you want to say anything, Miss?"
She appeared entirely unimpressed by the argument. "What the Lord's attorney is saying is true. My birth family has lost its honor. However, by the time it happened, I had sworn allegiance to another liege and had been a part of Lord Mercias' household. For those of us who swear such oaths, brothers in arms are the only family, and commanders are our only parents. This is a law as old as The Empire. Regardless of what my birth family has done, it does not concern me because my honor comes from serving His Majesty. I'm here under a name given to me not by my father but by Lord Mercias. I'm Yew, from the Hawks." She bowed slightly at the mention of the Emperor.
Dan could imagine a defeated expression on the bureaucrat's face. There was no room to argue as it would be tantamount to questioning the imperial majesty. This woman was impressive. Dan was particularly impressed when she mentioned the Emperor in the first sentence.
The judge nodded. "She's eligible."
The other side didn't say the last word, though. "Alright, as stated by Miss Yew, her background is in the army, while my young lord is not a professional swordsman. Chances are hardly equal. Based on that, we'd like to use a substitute."
Ah, that's it. Clever. So, that's what the three burly men were for. Dan concluded. When a professional fencer duels a civilian, the weaker party has the right to ask for help from another professional among their relatives who would substitute for them.
The judge directed his gaze back to Yew. She shrugged. "I will follow the code of honor. The substitute is acceptable, but I'd like to remind you that, in case I win, the offender is obliged to face me head-on."
Then, the governor's son stepped forward. "I warn you, Zanzi. My cousin is a sword master and adept in the Art of Strength."
She ignored him. Only started to play with her braids, and that was enough for a response. "Let's not waste time."
The judge got up, entered a small warehouse in the corner, only to return carrying two identical swords. The rules were clear: both duelists were to use identical weapons to ensure an even match. The judge passed each blade to the duelists.
Both warriors walked to the middle of the arena, bowed, and assumed their stances. They didn't engage in the kind of pre-duel banter that some fencers liked to indulge in. The governor's master was there to defeat the "insolent wench." There was nothing to say.
The governor's warrior was older, bigger, and more muscular. He immediately advanced towards her, turning his head in various directions to mislead her about where he intended to strike. His strike appeared light and effortless, but the ground cracked when the weapon hit the spot where she had been standing a moment earlier. He had struck nothing but air. Yew moved like a ballet dancer, and suddenly she was behind her opponent. She patted him on the shoulder, and when he swung at her again, she leaped as if gravity didn't exist, somersaulting over his head. Before landing on the opposite side of the arena, she used the man's other shoulder as a fulcrum for an elegant flip.
A hum of surprised whispers echoed among the audience. Now, everyone knew she was a martial artist, too, specialized in the Art of Swiftness or something similar. How exciting! A duel between two different schools!
The initial display revealed a difference in skill levels between the warriors. Yew was clearly superior. Her braids were not for show.
The sword master didn't appreciate being mocked. "Fight me!" He growled. "Or are you afraid?"
Yew performed another sequence of ballet steps, stopping in a theatrical bow before him. "I'm dying of fear!" She chuckled. "Oh, save me! Please! He's about to kill me! I'm scared!" She mocked, and in the middle of the last word, stepped forward.
Again, the man's sword stabbed where she had been a moment earlier, missing its elusive target. This time, Yew responded with a kick that pushed the other warrior to the ground. He got up with a roar, dirty and bruised. "Fight me, you bitch!"
Uncreative insult was enough for Yew to put an end to the duel. "I wonder why men always feel the need to call me names. You're welcome."
She stepped forward, no dancing movement this time, and struck him down with one precise cut.
A collective gasp resounded through the arena, followed by shocked silence. Yew approached the judge and the group of the governor.
"Can we continue?" she inquired. The younger man, whose substitute's body was being carried out of the arena, wobbled. The governor paled. The two remaining warriors placed themselves between the warrior maiden and their charges. The judge examined the fallen body, then said, "No rules were broken. We can proceed."
The governor almost spat at him. "How dare you! You'll regret it!"
The judge stared at him impassively. "Are you threatening me, Lord?"
"No," the governor replied, "I'm reminding you that tomorrow you'll still live in my city."
"It's the Emperor's city," Yew interjected, "it's the Emperor's world."
The judge remained silent, weighing all the pros and cons. He was a low-level imperial official, technically not under the governor, but the man could make his life hell starting tomorrow. However, he shifted his gaze to the audience and bit his lip. There was no way the incident could be swept under the rug, not with so many observers. The news would reach the Imperial court sooner or later, and a case of going against the code of honor in an official duel in the public arena wouldn't be taken lightly. Not punishing the responsible would be an attack on the very foundation of the Empire, its history, and culture.
Perhaps it was better to endure the local governor's fury than risk offending the highest power?
The judge maintained his blank expression. "I'll file a complaint against you with the imperial magistrate if you continue to interrupt, Lord governor. We follow the rules here. No one is to interfere. Proceed."
Yew turned around and took her position in the arena. "Come, let the heavens decide," she nodded at the man hidden behind two bodyguards.
The governor's son looked around, seeking help. Whistles and urging screams came from the observers. Encouraging cries like "Kill the wench!" at first, then urging "Move, boy!", finally demanding "Coward!" as he hesitated.
He stepped into the arena. "Why are you doing this to me?" He complained. "You used to be such a..."
"Sweet girl?"
"Yes. Look at you now, Zan. I didn't recognize you at first."
She laughed. "My name is Yew, and you've brought this upon yourself. Justice is on my side."
"What you're doing is not justice. It's revenge," the man argued.
"No. It's a duel. A trial before the gods. What happens in the arena is an expression of their will."
"You're not going to listen, are you?"
He raised his sword, but she was faster. Yew was next to him in the blink of an eye. Almost delicately, her blade touched his neck. The next moment, the audience released a collective scream as they watched the falling body. Yew jumped out of the arena, and the governor knelt next to the body. The judge signed an official document confirming the result of the duel. The governor called for the bodyguards who rushed at Yew. She, however, made a few light steps and jumped into the crowd. The sounds of clashing steel resounded briefly but disappeared in a wave of horrified screams as people rushed for the exit.
Dan released a long breath that he didn't realize he was holding. He wasn't sure what he had actually witnessed. This whole thing seemed otherworldly, ridiculous, and absolutely legitimate all at the same time. Either way, paying the entrance fee had been worth it. His initial bet turned out to be correct. What was the ratio, ten to one? His investment had just multiplied by a dozen. He got up rapidly, his heart was beating fast, something unexpected was happening. The middle-aged man felt that his life was at a precipice: to jump or not to jump. He walked in a daze. The entire event was like the stories he'd read in old books, poems about great heroes. He couldn't afford to miss this chance. It might be the only opportunity in his life to experience something so exciting. He got out of the viewer's area, walked along the street, turned into a narrow passage between two tenements, and waited. The female warrior appeared a moment later. She ran on cornices and ledges over the street, unobstructed and mostly unnoticed by the people below.
Ach! The city was about to talk about the events of the day for years. The netizens would retell the story to their children and grandchildren. "Do you want to hear about that one time martial masters trained in Strength and Swiftness dueled in our arena? What a sight it was!" History was being created in front of his eyes, and he had a chance to play a part in it!
"Here!" He cried. "Miss Yew, here!" and waved at the woman. When she landed next to him, he urged her deeper into the pass. "There! We'll exit at the butcher's square!"
She cursed but followed him. "What do you want?" Her clothes were covered in blood, as was her forehead, giving her a gruesome appearance.
"I'd like to go with you."
Her mouth dropped open. "What are you talking about?"
"Stop!" Dan heard a new, harsh voice.
From the back, someone was approaching. Dan couldn't see whose presence made Yew flinch.
"Stop!" Dan suddenly noticed the silhouettes surrounding them, and a cold ball of fear dropped into his stomach. The city guards! How did he forget about them? They were formaly under the governor's control! Running from a few personal guards and avoiding the entire city guard force were two different things!
He felt a strong hand grasp his tunic. The next moment, his feet didn't touch the pavement; instead, he felt roof tiles under his soles.
"Come on!" Yew jerked him to the next ledge, dragging him like a sack of potatoes.
Dan winced at the rough treatment, but as they moved, the urgent calls of the guards began to fade.
"So you're coming with me?" Yew asked without stopping. "Who are you?"
"I'm an accountant," Dan replied.
Yew stopped and turned her head to her companion, her face expressing shock, overshadowing all other emotions.
"An accountant?"
