~HEARTS & FANGS~

16: MORE💜

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MORE💜

The ceremony commenced later as she had earlier been informed with her seated on the huge round bed in the bedroom, unable to bring herself to leave the room and be fed with all of his coquette actions and words. She pranced around the room, thinking of -or rather trying not to think of- everything else but him and failing woefully in flying colours. Oh what a phrase to describe her torturous predicament! Well, she had to let it go for it was fast becoming a bother to her. She needed to rest and could not do so if she was kept pacing round the huge bedroom solely by thoughts of him. She would have a shower and go to sleep. That was most surely the best way to be rid of every single thought of that mannerless asshole.

Meanwhile, at the Royal Pavilion, the emperor obviously kept glancing to the spot that had been reserved for his distinguished guest, the Lady Rose. He knew that she wasn't going to come to the ceremony in the innermost part of his mind, yet he dared to hope, still expecting her. He wondered if she was in his study room, venting out loud or in the library trying to pick a book to be distracted off thoughts of him or perhaps she was just lying in their huge round bed, sulking like a cute little child. Oh, she was always adorable when she did that and more so when she flung the things on his mahogany writing table to the ground to at least get a reaction from him, piss him off. Fuck! He could never be pissed at her for that. He only found the childish action hilarious and quite entertaining. He smiled ever so slightly at the thought then brought his wandering mind back from its wendy to the present.

The sparring competition between the seven ladies to entertain the guests present was just beginning and he needed to be completely focused on it, alert and observant. The referee announced the first pair of contestant. It was none other than Aquariana Genevieve of the Aqua territory and Miss Jocasta Shield of the War Dukedom. The fight was heated with Genevieve emerging winner after a short tense while. Colonial princess Nicolette of the Rainbow Colony and Princess Helen Thor of the Iron Kingdom went head to head until Helen emerged winner. He could tell without being told that Nicolette had gone easy on her opponent. He knew that trick. The lady was trying to hide her potential until the main competition so that she could shock her opponents when the time came. She was a wise little thing for being caught off guard always seemed to work especially on the female gender. Princess Melanie of the Verking Clan and Crown Princess Zoë of the Xing Kingdom went next with Zoë toppling Melanie in mere seconds. Zoë was a powerful Xing warrior. He knew that for she had once been his worthy opponent in a friendly spar. Princess Hera-Mera had been omitted in the pairing because she was from the head of the clans and hadn't a partner -he knew that it was all a big fat lie. They all did. It had been done that way because she was known to be the strongest of all the ladies. He totally agreed with that. Hera-Mera was an extremely destructive warrior when she was pushed to her limits.

The second round of the sparring competition began with the four left -Genevieve, Helen, Zoë and Hera-Mera. Genevieve and Zoë sparred first with Zoë emerging winner. Hera-Mera and Helen's was much too swift to be enjoyed. Then, Zoë and Hera-Mera came neck to neck. The Royal Pavilion was as silent as a graveyard the moment it began. Everyone was entranced at the intense fight. It took nearly twenty minutes before Hera-Mera found an opening and lanced Zoë with brute force, knocking her off her feet. She had her wooden sword pointed at Zoë the instant the lady tried to stand to her feet. The overall winner had emerged and the fierce match had finally ended.

This was quickly followed by the archery contest in which Jocasta awed the crowd with her archery skills. She was good but only when she concentrated hard enough. If she was an archer on the battlefield, she would be dead few seconds into the battle. Nicolette was extremely good at knife throwing. Melanie was especially good at sword dancing. Fighting with a sword and dancing with a sword were poles apart, completely different and challenging. Genevieve then graced their eyes with her wonderful ropewalking and agility skills. She was light on her feet, too nibble. Helen was good at magic and sorcery, making fireballs and coloured lights to entertain them. A huge applause followed her performance.