The courtyard waits as the time limit of three hours begins to reach it's final moments. Prince Kranoc stands with his exotic woman he had enticed to come back with him. Zilo's team on the other hand looks toward the entryway worried.
Aria left the Courtyard about 1 hour ago, claiming that now that it was getting dark, she should close up the bar, but no one believes her. It seemed clear she just didn't want to see another woman hanging onto Zilo's arm.
Luther begin to speak, "Well it seems that since Zilo has failed to bring along a woman, we must decla-"
"Not so quick Luther, It seems that won't be necessary." Interrupts Maldrek with a smug smile.
Zilo walks into the courtyard with a giant grin, but he is alone. Luther squints and walks over, asking, "Duelist, where is your prize?"
Zilo smiles and raises his arm into the air, saying, "She and I worked out an entrance, trust me this will blow your socks off." The bard snaps his finger and somewhere nearby the beat of powerful wings is heard and above the courtyard a powerful sleek Bronze Dragon flies over head and lands in the courtyard.
The onlookers and competitors begin screaming and fleeing as the guards all shake and raise their spears, muttering that they don't wish to die. Seeing the crowd's understandable reaction Zilo leaps out in front and waves his arms shouting,
"WAIT! Stop! She won't hurt you, I swear this was just meant to be a cool entrance!"
"I told you this wouldn't work." Growls the dragon.
"Oh hush."
Jin had fallen over in shock as the dragon landed, but Leo looked up at the beast and squinted before remembering and his eyes shooting open, "Tess!?"
The Dragon smiled toward the magus and answered, "Good to see you remember me Leo."
The dragon's form begins to warp and shrunk, the shining bronze scales soft skin and the horns falling down shifting over into long blonde hair. The wings closed in around her and melted down into a flowing elven dress. Before the crowd stood the beautiful elven dragon disciple, Tessa'ladra Hare'nela.
The guards and crowd relax a bit, and a fair number of the men in the crowd stare at the newly emerged woman in awe. Maldrek turns from the page in his book saying Fireball and puts away his spellbook before saying, "Well seems the bard has surprises even I don't know."
Luther was one of the onlookers taken in by Tess's newly shown beauty, but he quickly coughed away his trance and said, "Well then, ladies, please come closer and introduce yourselves."
The prince's attendant was the first to approach with a curt bow and a practiced angle of the head. a sign of a noble upbringing from the human kingdoms to the far east. She spoke in a soft, but inviting voice, "Umie Xunchu, visiting dignitary of the Empire of Han and 11th in line to be empress. Better known to the people as the Dove of South Lidan."
"Ah, I've heard of your arrival my dear, pray tell, why did you come all this way to our land?"
Umie playfully covers her mouth and smiles coyly and speaks, "Why it seems I'm here to help the prince earn victory." Luther smiles at that as Maldrek and Tess both give the woman a look of incredulity. Maldrek cuts through the mood with his own voice,
"And you, miss, tower elf from the look. You are?"
Tess smiles and kneels like that of a soldier and speaks, "Tessa'ladra Hare'nela of the Western Tower Elves. I'm formerly a member of the elven Spell Dancers, but due to my latent abilities my skills were better served as a Dragon Disciple."
"Ah so you are born of a mixing of beast and elf then." Remarks Luther in a snide fashion. Tess rises, smirks and counters with, "If you wish to compare who's parentage would reign supreme then let's see our fathers settle this."
Luther face flushes red as Tess blinks and opens her left eye to show her emerald dragon gaze with a spark of electric power. She continues in a sarcastic tone, "I'm sure a father as great as yours would be more than a match for a great bronze dragon."
Luther turns from her look toward Umie and says, "This elf is a poor excuse for a woman. Umie is cultured, well mannered, and of noble blood."
Maldrek shrugs and says, "Just because a woman has more of a backbone than you doesn't mean she ceases to be a lady. On top of that she clearly is skilled in powerful magic, has a sharp wit to match her sharp combat skills, and, like most elves, she is a splendor to behold."
Luther turns back to Maldrek and says, "Enough."
"Awh I want him to keep going," Comments Tess with a teasing smile. Luther brushes her off and continues, "We clearly have two different view points on how a woman should be. Luckily we have another method to decide who is the better woman."
Luther snaps his fingers and shouts to a guard, "Find a guard in the castle and relieve him, send him to this court yard and tell him naught of this duel." The guard bows and then Maldrek turns to the duelists and says, "If you would please return to your sides, to not give away which woman is your pick."
Zilo and Kranoc give Tess and Umie a quick glance. Kranoc blows he a quick kiss, to which Umie giggles at be for returning the kiss. Zilo and Tess look at this display in a dubious fashion before the two of them give each other a knowing nod and Zilo walks away.
Before long a new guard exits the castle and Luther and Maldrek approach him, Maldrek starts with, "Sir, we require you as an impartial judge between two choices."
Luther follows with, "Indeed, as you can see we have two ladies here, pick the one you prefer."
The guard's face goes red and he looks at the two women. Umie smiles warmly at the guard, while Tess staggers her stance a bit and places her hand on her hip. The guard breathes heavy and looks back and forth between both choices before eventually beginning to walk over to Umie and raises his hand to point to her.
"Hold a moment good guard." Shouts Tess, stopping the guard's movement.
"He's made his choice! Let him-"
"I'm not arguing his choice!" Luther furrows his brow confused before Tess explains with a smile and a squint, "I want him to explain his choice."
The entire group looks to the guard who glances to the group and removes his helm to get some air and relieves some of his head's heat.
"Well, um I never seen a foreign girl or an elf a'fore. Honest truth is I prolly got a better shot with my own kind, after all elves like a step above."
"Step above?" Luther questions. Tess Smiles, knowing she has it in the bag.
"Obviously I prefer the elf, but I wouldn't have a shot wif her in centuries."
Maldrek beams a smile and Zilo pumps his fist as Luther grimaces and the prince hangs his head, once again as the defeated party.
No comments:
Post a Comment