Maame Water: The Legend Of The Fish Queen

Duel

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I really worked hard on this so I really hope you like it!

The council members watched as the elder and the Princess circled each other with their swords drawn. The other elders were rooting for Elder Neequaye. To them, the Princess did not stand a chance. She was the frail woman whose husband had left her because she could not give birth. She was the pathetic girl who had cried all day and night in her room after her husband disappeared. How could she possibly win against a seasoned warrior like Elder Neequaye? They were of course blind to how deftly the Princess swung Kabu's sword, how intently she examined her opponent and how gracefully she moved. No, to them, the Princess was a stain on the royal cloth that was about to be removed.

"I will give you one last chance, Princess," the elder said, "Withdraw, and you may yet keep your head."

The Princess rose an eyebrow, "I would only withdraw, old man, if I were you."

"AAAAAAH!" Elder Neequaye struck first but the Princess easily deflected his blade.

"Oh, come on old man. Surely you can do better than that."

The elder charged at the Princess again with full force but the Princess was too fast. She saw through all of his attacks countered them effectively. It was only then that the council members realized what a formidable opponent the Princess was. She was short and small, making her a difficult target to hit. She was also agile and fast, countering Elder Neequaye's brute strength with her speed. They sought comfort in the fact that the Princess was on the defensive and had not yet attacked the elder. They would soon find out that the Princess was merely teasing her prey, testing him, looking for weaknesses and waiting for the right moment to attack. Blades continued to flash and the elder began to tire. His breath came out in pants and his own sweat blinded him. Elder Neequaye swung his sword at the Princess's head and the Princess blocked the attack, leaving her right side vulnerable in the process. The Elder did not hesitate to exploit that weakness and thrust his sword at the Princess's right side, aiming for a spot directly below her ribcage. His sword was angled in such a way that if it had hit the Princess, it would have punctured her lung. The Princess, who had deliberately left this opening, easily deflected the attack. The unexpected counter caused the Elder to lose his balance and the Princess gracefully spun, elbowed the elder in his right eye, pushed him forward with her sword hand and slashed him across the back. The elder screamed and stumbled to his knees.

Silence.

The council members were starting to wonder whether Kabu had in fact tripped. The Elder stood up and wiped his watering eye. It was no use; the Princess's blow had blinded his right eye, leaving his right side prone to her attacks. If he could not match her speed with two eyes, what could he do with only one?

"Tired, old man? What was it you said about me withdrawing?" the Princess teased. "About time you took your own advice."

The elder said nothing.

"No? Well you can't say I didn't try." And with that the Princess lunged. The Princess was on the offensive now and it was clear to even the stubborn council members that she was merely toying with the elder. Coaxing him with openings and gaining advantages when he took them. Taking every opportunity she got to mark him with her sword, without injuring him severely. It was clear that the Princess's aim was to utterly humiliate the elder before she finally ended his miserable life. The Princess suddenly increased the velocity of her attacks, causing the elder to move backwards as he tried to parry them. After taking many steps back, the elder was met with solid wall. He knew he would never be able to evade the Princess's attacks with a wall restricting his movements so he made one last desperate lung for the Princess's stomach. The Princess easily evaded his attack, struck his sword hand with the hilt of her sword, causing the elder to drop his sword, and elbowed the elder again, this time in the sensitive part of the chest, between the lungs, leaving the elder both weaponless and breathless. The Princess, wasting no time, shoved the elder into the wall and placed the point of the sword over his heart. Elder Neequaye's eyes widened.

"Now you die," the Princess stated.

She was about to deliver the final blow when the King shouted, "WAIT!"

"What is it brother?"

"I beg you to spare his life. Think about what you are doing, sister," the King pleaded.

The Princess shook her head, "This man has dishonoured his own daughter. In order to defend her honour, he must die by my hand."

"So you would take the life of her father?"

The Princess hesitated. "I-"

"And what do you think she would do when she wakes and finds her father slain by the one she calls 'best friend',  all in the name of her honour."

The Princess looked down.

"She would hate you-"

"She would never!"

"If you kill her father she will!" the King continued. "Blood is thicker than water, sister. No matter what this man has said, he is still her father. Killing him will only make you her enemy. Spare his life, sister. You have already proved his weakness by disgracing him in front of the whole council. There is no need to take his life too."

The Princess looked into the elder's eyes. "I swear, were you not her father, I would have driven this sword into your black, black heart." She shoved him into the wall again and said,

"Your daughter, whom you called a whore merely minutes ago, has saved your worthless hide. She is more honourable than you will ever be, elder. You do well to remember that."

The Princess backed away from the elder and continued, "I will let you go this time, but if you dare insult your daughter in my presence again, I will carve out your black heart and set it on the highest pike in the center of the kingdom so all my brother's faithful subjects can see the crows tear at that putrid, vile organ you have trapped in your cowardly chest. Is that clear... elder?"

Elder Neequaye swallowed. "Yes, Princess."

The Princess walked towards her brother, the sword still in her hand.

"There will be no trial, brother. Adotey will be castrated at the dawn of tomorrow."

The King's eyes hardened. "Know your place, princess, you do not order me."

"No," the Princess admitted, "I do not. But the law does."

"There are exceptions."

"There will be no trial."

"I cannot accept that."

"He must be castrated!"

"I must hear him out first!"

The Princess was now standing in front of the King. She lifted her sword and touched it to the King's crown.

"You would challenge me?" the King asked, incredulous.

"Justice must prevail," the Princess replied.

"And you do not think me just?"

"Not in this case, no. You are blinded by your kindness. Justice can be cruel at times."

The King nodded. "And if you win? You will have me castrate him?"

"At the dawn of tomorrow. And if you win, you can have your trial. Do you accept, my lord?"

The King hesitated and looked around him. The Princess, discerning his thoughts shouted, "The council is dismissed! Leave us be!"

The King nodded at them to obey; after all he did not want to lose face in front of his people.

When they were the only one's remaining in the council room, the Princess asked the King, "Do you accept my challenge?"

The King nodded and drew his sword from its sheath.

"Yes, I do."
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