Belvedor and the Four Corners (Belvedor Saga Book 1) (8 page)

CHAPTER SIX

“Why thank you for gracing us with your presence.” General Ivo returned to his chair. “You may begin at your leisure,” he said with a flick of his hand.

She felt the burn of hundreds of eyes on her back.

“Ready when you are.” Grinda changed her stance, her axe now summoning Arianna to make the first move.

Arianna turned away from all of the shouting faces, trying to regain some clarity on her unfortunate situation. Mantras of
Risso
and
Belvedor
echoed throughout the crowd, the voices bleeding together in a haze. She slowly removed her cloak and let the cloth slip from her fingers. Before it could touch the ground, a hand reached out and caught it.

“Don’t want this gettin’ all wet, now do we? I think it might rain later, ya know.” She turned to find Noah with a feeble grin on his face.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” she said, looking at her feet. “I felt so stupid.”

“It's okay. Don’t worry about it, Ara. Just take care of yourself out there.” His tone turned serious which just made her feel worse. Noah never really acted seriously about anything. 

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Remember what you told me? If the sun is shining in the Four Corners, then it must be a good day!” She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, forcing a smile. “I can take her.”

She looked past Noah and found Liam gazing down at her with worried eyes. Her heart melted as fear spread across his ashen face. She should’ve confided in him.

Liam always kept her hopes high, and when she found herself in trouble, as she quite often did, he had always protected her… looked after her. Sometimes, like now, she found those three simple words of affection on the tip of her tongue, threatening their friendship.

She remembered them from a fairytale, but the feelings scared her. In fact, she couldn’t even decide if her feelings were real or just a reaction of the onset nerves. Regardless, she didn’t want to lose him out of weakness. No way would she risk that. Besides, she knew not to believe in fairytales, so she buried her words in her heart.

“I can win this,” she said as she took his hands in hers. The firmed, calloused skin felt rough on her fingers. He shook his hands free and instead cupped them around her face, so she had to step in closer. She felt the soft brush of his cloak on her arms, and he tilted her head up towards his so that his sandy eyes met her own.

A sweet, honeyed scent warmed her face as he breathed, and her lips parted slightly, wanting a better taste. She inched closer, closing her eyes but felt him flinch, breaking her daze. “Be careful,” he murmured.

She blushed as he dropped his hands to his side and backed away towards the crowd with a bowed head. Noah turned away to follow his friend, giving her a weak wave goodbye.

Arianna turned to face Grinda in the middle of the wide Square. “Don’t you worry,” she said in a malicious voice. “I’ll make sure your friends collect the pieces when I’m finished with you.”

Arianna held her tongue and gestured a sarcastic bow in her direction.

“Let’s get this started, shall we?” Grinda sneered through curled lips.

The loud hum of the Grand Bell sounded as a regulator slammed a mallet down on the metal. Grinda took the invitation with gusto, swinging her axe inches from Arianna’s exposed neck. She barely had time to unsheathe her swords, but she yanked them from her back and crossed them at her face, blocking the blow just in time. The steel on steel made for an earsplitting sound, and sparks sprinkled her face as the axe scraped against her swords. 

“Well, don’t just stand there, honey! I came for a fight.” Grinda stepped backwards, circling Arianna like a vulture on prey, trying to anticipate her next move.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” said Arianna. She took a step back, and Grinda mimicked her footing, amused at the challenge.

Arianna moved first, running forward with her swords swinging at her sides. Leaping high in the air, she came down hard with both blades, knocking her rival to one knee, but Grinda guarded well. She lifted the axe firmly in front of her like a shield.

Shoving back with impressive strength, she forced Arianna to stumble, falling backwards. Regaining balance before she could hit the ground, she maneuvered the fall and landed in a crouched position, her next attack ready.

With both hands on the ground and her head bowed low, Arianna’s hair dripped with water and sweat. She felt energized by the blast of adrenaline swimming through her body, and nothing swayed her focus on the task at hand.

I can do this.
Ferocity flashed across her eyes as she met a menacing look. Grinda pounced first, and Arianna sprang high into the air, forcing her knees to her chest. The sharp blade of the axe sailed just underfoot, barely missing its chance to sever her feet.

No matter. Arianna landed hard on top of the flat side of the weapon, pinning it to the muddy ground, forcing Grinda to relinquish her grip on the axe. Now weaponless, she charged at Arianna who held her swords up high, waiting to slice her open.

Arianna felt a burst of arrogance wash over her, letting her guard down a bit as Grinda neared, unarmed.
Bad move, Risso.
Was it? Grinda cocked her head to the side, grinning as she withdrew a small but very lethal-looking flail from a sheath at her back. She let the spiked-ball unravel in her hand like an uncoiling snake, the fail glinting in the flickering light of the lanterns.

Arianna staggered, smug feeling gone, when she spotted the remnants of Grinda’s last victim layering the steel. It looked as if she had dipped half of the flail into a bucket of scarlet dye and left it to dry in the sun. “Red Risso, we named you well,” called Arianna over the deafening crowd. Their shouts and screams melted in with the booming thunder, and she couldn’t tell one from the other.

Arianna anticipated the flail being swung towards her face as Grinda advanced with the weapon, but instead, she dived to the ground. Rolling, she let the flail thrash towards Arianna’s legs. With no time to block the surprise attack to her lower body, it slammed hard into her left knee, her leg buckling from the piercing blow.

She fell flat on her back, crying out as the pain shot through her body. Grinda ran towards her, and Arianna’s eyes grew wide as she clutched at her leg, watching Red Risso advance. She recognized the forgotten axe now lashing towards her heart like a tree stump to be hacked open. She heard the intake of breath all around her as the crowed waited anxiously for blood, but she had surprises of her own. 

Screaming from the pain it took to emanate enough strength to block the axe, Arianna lifted both swords in protection. Using her feet, she trapped Grinda’s legs between her own, causing her to lose balance and join her in the cold mud.

Arianna limped to her feet, her leg aching as blood trickled down her torn pants. Grinda fumed, wiping the mud from her face as she stood to her feet as well. Pausing for only a moment’s breath, they surveyed each other’s conditions.

Taking the first steps, Grinda dropped the axe and once again grabbed her flail. She twirled it in front of her like a protective shield and closed in on her opponent. Arianna backed away, careful to avoid any more encounters from the spear-headed ball that added her blood to its ranks.

She danced around Grinda with skill, mirroring Solomon’s techniques that gave him such allure during a battle. “Enough of this. Fight me!” said Grinda, her voice challenging even that of the crowd. Arianna continued to dodge her. “Oh, I see. Did the great Solomon Bell forget to teach you how to fight during all of your dance lessons?” Grinda cackled through her teeth.

The moment Grinda broke concentration and began to gloat, Arianna let out a roar of her own, wielding her swords in a motion that entangled the chains of the flail around one of her blades, giving her a clear open shot at Grinda’s center. Thrusting her free sword forward, the steel nibbled her arm, leaving a gash at her shoulder.

Grinda shrieked, covering the wound with one hand. With the other, she yanked the flail towards her so hard that Arianna lost her grip on her own weapon.

It took her a moment to realize what happened as she saw Grinda swinging her sword around the Square, mocking her as she entertained the crowd. Arianna maneuvered well enough with just one sword too, but she felt at odds without her double team, and the shock showed clear on her face.

The drizzle of rain started to come down a little harder now, a clap of thunder shaking the ground under her feet. Determination swept through her as she watched Grinda parade around the Square.
I want my sword back
. She spun around, bringing her lone sword down hard on its twin in Grinda’s hand. She countered the attack.

They continued, sword-on-sword, for what seemed like ages, matching each other in perfect unison until Arianna decided to alter the game. She spun around in a swift movement, throwing her long leg out so that Grinda’s stomach met her boot with a hard kick. Grinda lurched backwards coughing as she landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

Arianna didn’t stop to rest. She leapt into the air, her sword held high above her head, ready to come down on her with a final blow. Grinda sat ready. She grabbed her blood-covered flail from the ground and swung it so that it caught Arianna’s wrist. Before she could lay her sword into Grinda, the spikes burrowed deep into her skin, the chains coiling tight around her arm. She lost her grip on her weapon and on her focus.

Screaming at the pain as she met the hard ground, her voice became lost as it blended in with the chants of the crowd. Grinda recovered from her fall and began plotting her victory.

“Is that all?” she said as she brought her thick leg down heavy on Arianna’s chest.

Arianna cried out again as she felt the ribs crack beneath her skin like ice underfoot. She tried to reach for her sword, but Grinda kicked it away.

“Come on, get up!” shouted Grinda, her laugh sounding over the deafening storm. She danced around her in a circle, relishing in her pain.

The bystanders calmed now, silently waiting for the dramatic ending that seemed so inevitable. Arianna pushed to her hands and feet. From all fours, she could see the blood flowing down her arm. A deep gash opened in her wrist where the spikes ripped her open, and she was shaking. As she stood upright, she clutched at her side, gasping from the pain of her broken ribs.

Lifting her head, rainwater washed over her and cooled her skin. This match was over. Arianna knew when to admit a loss. She’d been trained well in that, but, in front of all of these people, she could not let herself down. Grinda may have taken far fewer blows and controlled the weapons on the field, but Arianna wasn’t going to give up so easily.

With a painful scream, Arianna motivated herself and lunged to the side where she had spotted the forgotten flail in the mud. She grasped for the long wooden handle. The attempt took Grinda by surprise, and she couldn’t act fast enough to stop it.

With great effort, Arianna swung the flail above her head, and released her grip. The weapon flew through the air, slicing the rain in its vicious path towards Grinda’s head. The spiked end caught her on the left cheek, tearing the soft flesh as her head lurched sideways. Grinda screamed in sudden agony and clutched at her face, blood warming her shaking fingertips. Enraged, she raced towards Arianna, weaponless once more.

The rain came down harder now, softening the ground and cleansing their wounds. As their fists and feet pounded each other, the rumbling clouds drowned out the drumming blows of the fist-to-fist battle.

Too late, Arianna saw Grinda’s leg swipe around and land at the side of her head. She felt dizzy and disconcerted as she floated to the ground. When Grinda came to stand over her, Arianna kicked her shin with great force. She fell to her knees, howling from the ache.

A sword lay a few feet in front, and the girls stilled, spotting it at the same time. Side-by-side, they both lunged for it, scraping through the mud.

Grinda moved faster.

She limped up with Arianna’s sword pointed at her chest, and Arianna clenched her fists as she looked up at the sharp end of her weapon. She felt the blood rush to her face. She hated this view.

“Yield,” said Arianna through clenched teeth. The word tasted like acid on her tongue.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” said Grinda. Her mouth twisted up in a sardonic smile. 

“I said—”

Before Arianna could mutter the degrading words once more, she felt cool steel slice through her flesh at her stomach.

“Speak up next time,” spat Grinda, withdrawing the blade from her belly, dripping with fresh blood. Grinda tossed it to the side, looking up to the black sky as the rain washed over her face.  

Arianna’s head spun in circles from the agony. She heard someone screaming in the distance, but then recognized her own voice. She curled to her side, trying to relieve the pain as a river of warm blood poured from her body.

Faces whirled about her, but who? She couldn’t recognize any. The red of the cloaks swirled together making her nauseous. Faintly, she heard people cheering in the background and General Ivo dismissing the crowd. Her stomach lurched at a sudden movement. She felt as if the earth had flung her to the sky in a painful heave, and, for a moment, everything went black.

“Arianna! Arianna… can you hear me? Hold on.” The voice seemed far away, but it called for her, she could tell. It seemed familiar somehow as the blackness blurred back into color.

“Liam?” She could barely form the word on her lips.

“Yes, I’m here, Ara. Don’t worry. I’m going to make this right.” He wrapped her cloak around her, lifting her to the safety of his strong arms. 

“I’m not worried,” she replied in a slur. She felt the rain pounding against her face. The throbbing at her side kept causing her to go in and out of a dark consciousness. She struggled to breathe through the pain, and her head lolled over his arm. She spotted her blood in a long trail behind them, and everything turned black again.