Heroine

“Your majesty.” Anti chuckled. “Why don’t you take a look in my wallet here, we can work something out-“

“I will do no such thing.” The heiress cleared her throat. “Ahem. I’m not tired.”

The witch raised her dainty fingers, her white nails appearing invisible on the thick snowy air. In a concentrated burst, a stream of hail came down upon the cheater like a damning arrow from god.

“You think that’ll be enough…?” Anti struggled under the heavy pressure, but did not collapse. “Have it your way…!” He charged the woman, drawing his knife.

“You are prepared to endanger your innocence for the sake of this goal…? I see.” The charge was halted instantaneously when a powerful gust of wind blew him backward. The knife almost left his hand, but his grip remained true as he refused to lose a second tool. “At least you are determined, if nothing else.” Still she looked down on him in contempt, narrow, icy eyes appearing as if they were looking into a pile of garbage that wasn’t even impressive in its size, much less its value.

Shivering in pain and freezing from the heavy weather, Katie rose to one knee, trying to see past the snowy gray fog that made up the surrounding area. Egelfride turned to see this girl, still moving after everything that had been done to her.

“That said, this one seems far more impressive than you in that aspect.”

“Let me… fight…” Katie wobbled as she failed to stand, clutching her stomach as she refused to bow down to reason.

“I apologize, but as your ruler, I refuse to see a subject of mine let herself get hurt.”

While the princess was seemingly distracted, Anti charged with his knife. He didn’t plan to kill her, but he had come to terms with going to jail for his efforts. So that Bozo could achieve his dream, and so that he could finally get back at these villains who humiliated him, he would ignore the law- for justice’s sake.

Egelfride didn’t let herself show the pain she felt when he perfectly slashed her arm, limiting her movement without hitting somewhere that would let her bleed out. Still, watching her life force dye the snow, Katie worried for her.

“Don’t be scared. I swear… I will protect you.”

The girl’s eyes lit up as the princess shielded herself with her arms, the clouds above her twisting as they released an aerial bombardment of almost pressure-washer like rain upon both her and Anti. As he screamed, she said nothing. Showing no pain, no fear, and no weakness, she put Katie’s heart at ease. In the master’s deft movements, she saw through the snow something that reminded her of who she always wanted to be.

“Ugh…!” Anti grunted, standing again as he chose to press forward. But now that she was giving him her full attention, she was a much more slippery of a target. Ducking and dodging every swipe of his blade, even the unstoppably skilled Anti was useless against her.

“What is this…? Kidney trickery? You filthy cheat…”

“A robber will not talk down to a princess.”Making distance between her and the assailant, she once again raised her palm, this time prepared to deliver her most astounding blow yet. “Now bow to your superior.”

The bolt of lightning came down without hesitation. Anti shook with a lot of pain, though mostly electricity, as her mighty attack rattled him inside and out, sending him back to the ground, knifeless and defeated.

“In the name of Snowfall Kingdom, you are under arrest. Please do not resist.”