Metal strikes metal as spear clashes against spear. The crowd ooh-ed and other onlookers ah-ed. But the two fighters focused with steady hands and conflicted hearts. Marius wasn’t sure how things had ended up this way. It was supposed to be a minor duel set in a more private setting. But here he was, battling for the prince’s honor that was soured by the foul man in front of him. He was a mere knight, but he was one of the prince’s knights. And the words spoken about his liege can’t go unpunished; therefore, he challenged the man on the spot. As they were near a blacksmith’s shop, spears were easy to find. So the next minute they had spears in hand and townspeople had gathered around. He should have thought this through. The other man, Fredrick, hadn’t been in the Kingdom for an hour before he had been challenged. But who was he to decline? He was always up for a fight. Especially a deadly one. Fredrick’s spear whizzed past Marius’s skull, but he dodged before Fredrick could really do damage. The both of them weren’t wearing armor(and who’s to blame? The fool who challenged him in the middle of the street). This battle really tested Fredrick’s patience with how much he was willing to sacrifice. He had been undercover, because what kind of prince could walk freely through another kingdom? But he had to go and speak poorly of the prince(who he was friends with; it was merely a joke) and a young knight caught him. If his own country knew of this, the poor knight might be hung. Therefore he should drag this out and surrender. Preferably soon unless he wished to be skewered with a battle spear. The knight could and would if given the chance, Fredrick thinks. Marius notices Fredrick’s mind wander for a moment and he takes the chance to aim for for the chest with his next move. Unfortunately, Fredrick reacts quickly and just before the tip strikes its mark, it’s violently shoved to the side. Marius is pulled with the force but is quick to steady himself. He tried again, fiercer with his strike towards Fredrick’s abdomen. Fredrick easily evades and counterattacks with swift twirls of his spear and a few jabs towards Marius’s legs. Marius is forced to jump backward, distancing himself further. Fredrick almost found it funny how Marius moved to avoid the strikes. With amusement etched into his features he goes in again, forcing Marius back and towards the onlooking townspeople. Marius watches Fredrick’s moves as well as his face, and he grows angrier by the second. It was as if Fredrick was only playing with him. ‘A knight must be proud, never envious.’ He begins to recite in his head a few lines from the book of knighthood he was forced to memorize for situations where he was angry, ‘a knight must control his emotions, lest he be controlled by them. A knight must be brave, but never braver than his peers.’ He settles his heart and can finally parry. Spear versus spear, knight versus prince(though the others don’t know that). A few onlookers cried out for the knight and others chanted for the prince. They seemed more into the fight than Fredrick was. The first draw of blood was Marius’s. Fredrick had grazed his right shoulder. It was small but it stung, and it was shocking that a man not in the knighthood could draw blood. That was when Marius began to question who it was he was fighting. It couldn’t have been an ordinary citizen, but he knows most of the nobles. He even knows most of the royal family. So the man must have been an ordinary citizen, but perhaps he had been a knight? Fredrick was starting to get impatient. Marius wasn’t showing any particular big moves and didn’t seem to be trying hard to win the challenge. In fact, it seemed he had slowed down. But he couldn’t be tired already, could he? In that moment, Marius took a step back and raised his arms, spear held between them. He looked like he was raising a sword, preparing to enter a large battle. Fredrick felt uneasy. Marius swung the spear down, then with a singlehanded grip he swung the spear forward and jabbed right at Fredrick’s face, nearly stabbing his left eye. Fredrick hadn’t dodged fully and the spear managed to nip the side of his ear. The fight continued with Marius swinging his spear and misdirecting his moves. Fredrick felt exhilarating while parrying those blows. A swing and miss, a swing and his shirt was cut open, a swing and his spear barely blocked the slice to his shin. He was beginning to lose. A sudden murmur in the crowd distracted him, and his spear was flung from his hands and he was kicked onto his back. A spear pointed to his face. Marius looked down at the man, “do you yield?” “Of course I yield! I don’t wish to die!” Fredrick said. He began laughing at his own situation. How could he lose to a knight? A new curious voice joins the scene, “Marius? What are you doing?” The knight backs off quickly, startled. He saluted with a hand to his head, “your highness! This man had insulted you. I was only teaching him a lesson.” The voice shows itself, and Fredrick had never been more embarrassed. It was the Prince of Dreeg, Louis. Also Fredrick’s friend and the man he had insulted before this whole battle. Louis asked the knight, “do you know who it is you’ve pushed to the ground?” Louis seems to be trying to hold in a laugh. “No, your highness.” Marius glances down to the man, confused. Should he not have challenged him? Was he of important standing? “Didn’t I tell you Prince Frederick would be coming to the kingdom for the deal of the forest pass?” “Prince Fredrick?!”