Chapter 10

“I’ll kill him!” Screamed my father when I explained what happened between me and Lord Wessex.

Mother laughed ominously and then suddenly started attending multiple tea parties and social events, while also planning to host several at our estate over the next month before the duel.

Yuri didn’t ask for details and wished me luck, before saying, “Not that you need it. I know you’ll win, Onee-sama.”

She got a big hug as a reward.

But I could see she was a little bit worried behind that smile.

“I never noticed just how blue the sky was.”

Yuri started acting as if I was already dead.

“What exactly are you doing?”

Yuri looked lazily back at me and forced a smile. “Ah, my old friend, Raena. It’s sad to think that you’ll be the last one to ever hear my voice.”

“I don’t suppose you were an actress in your past life. If not, you wasted your latent talent.”

“I’ll honestly miss these little chats of ours.”

“Remind me who it was that said I might be stronger than him?”

“But-!” But what if it doesn’t work?! What if he defeats you and you become a disgrace or depressed or-?!”

“Yuri.” I put the tip of my pinkie onto her head. “Have you forgotten who I am? I am Raena von Armina, future duchess of the great and powerful Armina duchy. I do not know the meaning of failure. Not now, not ever.”

“Even though you were doomed to die before I showed up?”

I pulled her cheeks hard enough to make her cry.

She brought this on herself.

Truthfully, even with all of Yuri’s doom and gloom, I was frightfully calm.

It was strange - I’d never met someone so blatantly enraged with me, someone who would do anything to bring about my ruin, yet I wasn’t scared.

Why was that?

Was I truly so confident - so arrogant - that I could win? Without ever seeing Lord Michael’s skill in person?

Or was it my emotions that forced me through whatever anxieties I might have had?

Whatever the case, I was okay with it.

I would prove my worth and defend my family’s honour.

And I would make Lord Michael swallow those disgraceful words he’d muttered to me about Yui.

She is mine and no one can say a single bad thing about her, no one but me.

***

A war of whispers played out in the social circles of the Wessex and Armina duchies, one that I think we won.

Whilst my family could easily speak of everything Michael Wessex had said and done that day, the Wessex family could not.

Lord Michael had decided to omit his possessive comments about Victoria and how he tried to intimidate a princess of a duchy into doing his bidding.

That was what led public opinion to lean more towards our family than the Wessex family.

Were they lying?

What were the Wessex family hiding?

Did they try and smear the Armina family’s reputation?

Still, the Wessex family were not deterred.

Not that I could blame them.

If Lord Michael performed brilliantly in our duel, easily defeating me, all while showing how cool he was and how graceful he was, while also drawing out my ‘worst’ qualities, the narrative would complete flip.

Not that I would let that happen.

Today, I asked Yuri to stay by mother’s side. They, along with father and Yui, were sat in one of the VIP booths in the arena.

Lord Michael’s father, Lord Cathburt, as well as his younger brother, Lord Pellen, were in the box opposite.

Victoria was sat with the other noble ladies.

I couldn’t make out what she was saying from where I was, nor could I read her lips, but she looked a little anxious.

“Stop leering at my woman.”

I chuckled. “Wow, how scary.” I lazily looked at him in his full plate armour. “I hope that wasn’t another threat against a noble young maiden.”

He snorted and smirked arrogantly at me. “There’s nothing noble about you. And you’re definitely no maiden.”

Well, right now, I certainly looked less like a maiden and more like a knight.

I wasn’t wearing a helmet like Lord Michael and my plate armour wasn’t as thick, but we were both dressed for a proper, honourable duel between knights.

A lady’s face is her life - I’d been told that by many people after refusing to wear a helmet, but this was a calculated risk.

Everyone knows how valuable a lady’s face is, especially among noble families. If Lord Michael wounded or disfigured my perfect face even slightly, he’d be forever doomed socially speaking.

Yes - I was forcing a limitation upon him. It was also an easy trap for him to fall into.

“Lady Raena, are you ready?”

“Yes!”

“And Lord Michael, are you ready?”

“Yes, judge.”

“Then, as the official judge appointed by the royal family, and before all these witnesses gathered here today, I ask the combatants to state their demands in the case of their victory. Lord Michael?”

“I demand that the Armina family apologise formally for attempting to smear my name and that of the Wessex family. After receiving this, I demand that Raena von Armina stops harassing my fiancé and trying to manipulate her with false promises of friendship.”

Well said, Lord Michael.

Put doubts into their minds.

Make them think they might have gotten it wrong, even just for a brief moment.

“And you, Lady Raena? What are your demands?”

An excellent question, one I had thought long and hard about.

Initially, I was only going to ask him to apologise to Yui and I, but then he tried to spread malicious rumours about the Arminas.

I couldn’t forgive that.

Maybe I could get him to break his engagement with Victoria, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings.

Maybe I could demand huge reparations or resources? Hit them economically to help lay the foundations for when I take my toy - my friend - Victoria away from him for good.

I smiled and said, “I simply want to clear up the misunderstandings about my friendship with Lady Victoria Highland. However, a sincere apology for Lord Michael’s harsh words about Yui and I would be appreciated.”

“Those are your demands?”

I shook my head. “Those are my requests.”

Ah, I saw you flinch, Lord Michael - you didn’t expect this outcome, did you?

I don’t need to demand anything from you.

I never did.

I needed a public stage to show the differences in our characters, and to breathe life into the rumours about both of us.

You had put some doubt in their minds about the truth of that day; I gave them confidence to believe that what the Arminas were saying was right.

Every time we clash, you believe we’ll use the exact same methods as our ‘hidden selves’ are similar.

But the way a noble lady fights is different to a noble man.

I nearly laughed as Lord Michael realised that he probably should’ve chosen a different helmet to a Barbute.

He should have hidden his entire face, so he wasn’t as easy to read.

“Then, combatants, draw your swords and wait for me to declare the start of the duel.”

He drew his longsword; I drew my short sword.

Range, power, strength and size were all on his side.

But I would win.

I know I would.

I was confident I would.

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.”

“Be-!”