The Iron Hostage (An Iron Fey Fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve: Competition

"I have called all of you here to help us."  Meghan said as she stood and walked to the center of the circle.  She cleared her throat.  "My brother's girlfriend, a mortal, is missing.  We need to find her.  A mortal lost here is not good."  She looked at the other leaders as if they were going to help her. 

'Your mortal, your problem.'  Kenzie thought to herself.

"She is not lost."  Titania said, Meghan turned to her in surprise.  Kenzie knew her time was coming up.  She pushed to the front of the other elites.  Dryads and red caps around her moved so they would not be too close.

"What do you mean?"  Meghan asked.

"I mean, I know where the mortal is."

"TELL US NOW!"  Ethan yelled.  Keirran grabbed his arm and Meghan raised her hand.

"Is she alright?  Safe?"

"Safe?"  Titania laughed,  "My dear, I took the best care of her.  She's my little fighter."

Tears were beginning to fall from Ethan's face.  Meghan looked from her to Ash.  "How can we get her back from you?  Any price is worth it."

"I have an idea in mind.  You must battle for her.  Not you physically.  Who wants her the most?"  Titania looked at Ethan.

"I do."  He said.

"Then you come here in the middle.  You will fight for her.  If you win you get her back."

Ethan walked over.  Ash walked over and stopped him, from his belt he pulled out his sword, giving it to Ethan.

"You got to pick our warrior, do we get pick yours?"  Meghan asked.

"No.  My dear, come come."  Titania clapped.  Kenzie walked over swiftly and stood next Titania.  All Iron gasped collectively.  "Here is my warrior, defeat her and you can keep your girlfriend."

"How do you know I won?"  Ethan asked.  Kenzie answered him as she too, pulled out a sword.

"By killing me."  Her voice was like ice.  She sounded dangerous.

"Ethan," Meghan interrupted, "Do you want to do this?"

He looked at his sister and then back to Kenzie.  "I have to."

Titania stood.  "All those who are not to fight must leave the field!"  Meghan and Ash went back to their spots and stared as Kenzie walked forward.

"Kenzie, please.  Don't.  Snap out of this.  It's me."  Ethan said.

"Snap out of what?  And how do you know my name?"

"I know you.  This isn't it."  They were circling each other now.

"This is me.  Like it or not.  But now, shut up and fight.  Or you'll never get your mortal back."  She stepped forward, catching Ethan off guard and sliced at him.  He moved just in the nick of time.

"Kenzie, stop this!"  It was like trying to reason with a wall.  Kenzie just kept coming at him with her weapon.  She didn't have the poisoned one this time, that is against the competition rules, one of the only rules Titania follows.

Their swords clanged against each other as Kenzie and Ethan fought.  She tried hard to keep him a good distance away, but he got closer each time.  At one point, Ethan grabbed the hilt of her sword and pulled it.  Kenzie wasn't fully aware of his strength and was thrown to the ground.  Weaponless, she stood to face Ethan.  Her fists were raised. 

Ethan took both his and her swords and threw them to the side, towards the empty section.  Kenzie watched in amazement as he did so.  She could just easily run over and grab both of them.  She looked back.  They had just passed the line of the section.  They were out of the center.  Kenzie's heart sank.  They couldn't be retrieved now.  Hand to hand combat now.

She ran over and threw a punch towards Ethan's face, which he went to block.  She switched to use her second hand and get him in the gut.  He fell doubled over and Kenzie stood over him.  He raised his hand in what looked like defeat, but it wasn't over yet.

"Get up."

"Kenzie please."  He looked up at her with sad eyes.

"I don't make the rules."

***

Titania was laughing while Kenzie fought Ethan.  Meghan looked at her.  "How could you do this?"

"Do what?"  She asked, as if nothing was wrong.

"Dad,"  Meghan said, something she didn't say often to Oberon, "Did you know about this?"

Oberon turned and looked at her as if for the first time in ages.  "No, I didn't.  But they are fighting now.  I have no way to stop them."  He looked back at the battle.

"Titania how could you!"

"I did what I want.  No one, not even you can stop me!  She was walking around the Wyldwood.  I did not go to your area and take her.  I saved her from the dangers out there.  She had no collar or return address.  You or your mortal brother should have kept a better eye on her!"

That shut Meghan up.  She brought her eyes back to her brother.  She gasped and brought her hands to her face when Kenzie punched him in the face when he wouldn't stand and fight her more.

"Get up!  Or your girlfriend stays in Arcadia."  She yelled to him.

***

"Kenzie.  I won't fight you any longer."  Ethan said as he stood.  His lip was slightly swollen and split on the bottom.  He kept an arm around his waist.

"Afraid to die?  Hate to break it to you, all mortals do.  Might as well go out now.  Save yourself the trouble of a life."  Kenzie said as she moved to hit him again.  Ethan grabbed her hand and spun her around so that he held her arms down.  All she had to do was kick him.

"Kenzie!  Stop!"

"Let me go!"  She struggled against him before she shook off his arms.  She jumped far away and slid on the ground so she wouldn't fall from lack of balance.  She turned back to him.

"How dare you grab me so!"  She yelled at him.

"Just listen to me!  You'll see that this isn't you!  You're different."

"Tell your girlfriend goodbye if this is how you fight."

"I won't tell you goodbye Kenzie."

"Excuse me?"

"I won't tell you goodbye Kenzie."

"I am not yours."  She roared.  Ethan stepped closer to her.  She was already up against a stone and could go nowhere.  His grip on her was tight, she was still catching breath.

"Just please, listen to me."  He said with his hands up.

"No."  She turned and jumped.  Her kick from before.  The male elite she trained with said to wait on this move, but he was getting too close.

Ethan was no other mortal.  He moved and caught Kenzie's arm as she spun by him.  He held both her wrists and for some reason, she couldn't kick him.  The two of them stood in the center of the circle now.  All eyes were on them.

"If I can't talk to you,"  He said,  "Maybe this will work."

He pressed his lips to hers.  An almost soundless thunder went through her and she dropped her arms down, kissing him back.  It tasted of blood from his split lip but they continued to kiss despite that all.  Memories of Ethan and her, fighting the Forgotten, kissing in an underground area while trying to stay alive; they all came rushing back into her mind.  She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ethan."  She whispered against his lips.