Winds of Change Chapter 24 PART 2
Winds of Change Chapter 24 Part 2
Rizzles Fan Fiction
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Even though it was early in the morning a huge crowd had already gathered on the fairway and at the tournament grounds. As Jane and Maura passed they were given slight bows and they heard and saw the comments and pointing fingers at the purple birds. The two with Maura rode on one shoulder together, they perched on the side away from Jane. The dark warrior somehow knew they did that to cover the Queen from her unprotected side, because Jane protected Maura on the opposite side. The remaining two purple birds each rode on the hilts of the crossed swords that Jane wore on her back. The Pinehearts had been right about everyone noticing King Raven’s birds.
“I am glad Lady Vivienne helped prepare us for how everyone would treat us now. I feel nervous enough already with everyone staring at us. I would hate to add the insecurity of how to act to that. I would probably break out in hives.” Maura smiled at the crowd as they passed and waved to the young ones that waved at her.
Jane was doing much the same, but also aware of the warriors dressed for the tournament sizing her up. “I am glad also. I would be totally creeped out by now.”
The honey and cinnamon haired woman’s smile grew as she fought a laugh at her mate’s words. Jane often expressed herself in words that surprised Maura, however she imagined she did the same to Jane. They truly were opposites that attracted, yet fit together amazingly well.
The Royal couple entered the tournament grounds to find the stands full all the way around the field. Even the ground in front of the stands had people sitting in chairs and on blankets and the walk ways between bleachers was filled with standing spectators.
Warriors were gathering in groups across the field. Jane saw one group held the warriors of her party who had left early. Warren was one of them and he held a pole with the Royal Lycan flag waving from it. She grinned and stood a little straighter upon seeing it. Every group held a flag representing the village or family they were from. Jane escorted her lady to the raised area in the center of one side of the stands surrounding the field. There were three rows of seating. The Pinehearts and a few other Elders were already present in the back rows.
Maura paused before the steps turning to her warrior. “Good luck out there today. I know you will do well.” She drew a green bit of cloth that matched her dress, from her cleavage. Smiling as the crowd nearby whistled. The smaller woman slid it under the outside section of Jane’s Royal band tying it firmly in place before giving her wife a thorough kiss. The crowd loved it as did Jane.
“I will fight well for you.” King Raven stated when they pulled apart.
Queen Snow smiled up at her love. “I know. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Jane kissed her hand and watched until her wife was seated front row center in the covered booth with Emily beside her and Millie next to Emily. Evie sat on Maura other side as Alexi moved to Millie’s other side. Marcus stood near the stairs and the two purple birds now perched on the opposite ends of the front railing. Her wife was well looked after.
Zeon, Nina, General Poledio, and Jeremy stopped at the edge of the field directly behind the King’s Warriors who were formed directly in front of the Royal box where Maura sat. Laird Raven strode confidently onto the field with much applause. The remaining warriors of her party who were competing walked with her. She moved to the front to stand by Warren.
The Master of Ceremonies was an Elf with salt and pepper hair and a matching trimmed beard dressed in red from top to toe. You definitely wouldn’t miss him on the battle field. He favored his grandfather Master Pineheart.
He raised his hands to silence the crowd. The pendant around his neck glowed as he spoke, his voice amplified for all to hear. “We are all gathered here today to watch the mighty warriors of Hecation compete for top honors and to watch for the first time in many, many centuries the King of the Lycans compete on a field of battle.” Cheers from the crowd erupted.
Raising hands once more the crowd quieted for the man in red. “Warriors you have all been given the rules. You will all fight with honor today. Dishonorable fighting is not allowed on this field of battle. The unranked warriors will compete first earning their chances to fight the warriors who have competed in tournaments before. We have warriors here today who have fought in tournaments from all over Undrehiel, not just our Province. It should be a grand day of competition. Now let our tournament begin.” The crowd and the warriors all cheered.
None in Jane’s party were new to tournament competition so they did not compete until later in the day. Their first rounds began around noon. Jane knew she would be run ragged by then. She was the only unranked warrior competing in every event, only a few of the high ranked warriors were doing so. Bouncing from event to event over and over would be what her entire day consisted of as the competition continued to get harder, unless she was defeated.
The warriors split up gathering at the areas where each event was to take place. Jane’s first event was single heavy sword fighting. The young fighter she faced looked cocky as did the older fellow coaching him.
“Do you want advice or coaching or me just to stand here and look pretty?” Warren asked.
Jane laughed, her tension broke. “I think you are doing just fine. Are you going to be following me around with that flag all day?”
“I will be, unless I am competing then someone else will hold it. The citizens want to know where their King is competing.”
“There is no use in me ever trying to fly under the radar is there?”
“No Laird. You and your Lady are well and truly out of the closet in many different ways.”
The black clad warrior chuckled again. “You are very good at easing the tension of the moment Warren. Thanks for that.”
“Anytime you’re Majesty. Anytime.” They spoke no more as the match was called to begin by the event referee’s. There were three at each event.
The cocky young man performed some fancy sword moves as he approached the cordoned off competing area. Jane slipped off her crossed swords handing the straps to Jeremy who now stood beside Warren. Ethan now held her bundle with staff and bows. “I’ll be back shortly to collect those.” She winked at Jeremy before turning to approach the referees. Her exercise that morning and the walk over helped to loosen her up, but she still rolled her shoulders and shook out her arms and legs bouncing on them a few times much like a boxer before fighting.
“No running out of the area or throwing dirt or grass in your opponent’s face. The first one to press blade to throat or heart, or force their opponent to throw down their sword wins. You may also win by forcing your opponent to leave the marked area. Now step into the center of the battle area and face off. Do not begin fighting until I give the signal.”
Both warriors nodded and moved to the center and faced each other.
The instructions Lord Fenrir gave her were running through her head. Look for the advantage and finish the early bouts as quickly as possible to save energy, but don’t be over confident. Unranked did not mean unskilled.
A whistle sounded as the ref called fight. The male warrior came at her in a flurry of fancy blade work attempting to distract. Jane waited calmly watching, when the opening came she reacted quickly. Her blade flashed up catching his in mid flurry spinning it from his hand before bringing the flat of her blade down and around to sweep his feet from under him.
The cocky warrior soon found himself flat on his back wind knocked from his lungs, and a blade to his throat having no real clue how he got there, it had happened so fast.
The crowd cheered wildly. The large sheet of canvas suspended by magic above the center of the field shown on both sides a close up of the first event the new King fought. All saw how quickly she had won.
After being declared the winner Jane offered her hand to the warrior helping him to stand. Unsure what to say she clapped him on the back. “You fought honorably. Good luck in the rest of the competition.”
The man only nodded as the King walked away to join her group. Her morning continued on in the same vein. She would observe and act quickly defeating her challengers one after another. The knife and axe throwing and the archery competitions were different. They lined up in batches of ten being as the events had the most competitors. Much younger and much older beings could also compete in the events. A strong arm and good aim was all that was needed.
Jane used the same technique she used to focus her will for strength and speed to focus her aim within herself consistently hitting the bull’s-eye advancing bracket after bracket throughout the morning.
At lunch Jane only had thirty minutes to eat and replenish some energy before the much more difficult afternoon began. She joined Maura who had food and drink waiting. It felt good to sit and she sighed as she sat next to her love.
“I am so proud of you, Jane. You are doing so well.” Maura kissed her breathless.
Once she caught her breath she laughed. “For kisses like that I will keep doing so.”
Her comment caused the elders around them to laugh.
Maura smiled. “Here eat your sandwich and drink your juice. You don’t have much time.” “You really are doing great. It was good strategy finishing your bouts so quickly. You are looking much fresher than I thought you would at this point.”
“Fenrir and I talked about it last night. I am really glad the overall strength competition as well as that of wills is tomorrow morning and if I can rank high enough today I will get a longer recovery time from that before my turn through the battle obstacle course.” Jane plowed through the meaty sandwich which also had plenty of veggies on it, but she was too hungry to care. She drank a very good dark red juice and started on the second sandwich Maura handed her.
“Me too. The Elders have really organized the tournament well.” Maura sipped her juice and slowly ate her much smaller sandwich.
Jane sat for a few minutes relaxing her body and mind after eating enjoying the simple pleasure of holding her wife’s hand as she watched the tournament continue. Maura had the best seat in the house. She could easily see the entire field and with the large suspended canvas giving her close-ups of certain bouts, Maura wouldn’t miss much of the action.
Reluctantly she stood. Leaned down and kissed her wife deeply for luck before leading her guards back onto the field, an apple in hand. Her lady had slipped it to her as she eased from the kiss. Jane smiled as she bit into it, the sweet tarty juice dancing in her mouth. Her woman took very good care of her.
That warm happy feeling helped her easily get through the mid-level rounds of the completion. She had now begun to face a few of her own warriors. They fought well, but Jane fought better. She observed and absorbed everything around her cataloging new things and watching for strengths and weaknesses in potential adversaries. Giving advice to her warriors when one fought someone she had observed. Her warriors were doing very well in the tournament. All making it into the top ten of their events before being defeated by her or another skilled warrior. Jane defeated Max during a light sword bout and Silas in a two sword face off. In staff fighting she took Ethan out.
The fights were getting longer and harder, but Jane never gave up and always fought on with cool focus and determination. The final rounds of axe, knives, and archery were a nice respite from the grueling bouts of fighting. The crowd cheered wildly as a surprised Laird won the top spot in each event.
Those victories alone would push her up the ranking for the later start time in the obstacle course the next day.
She raised her arm still holding her bow up to the cheering crowd. “You are so brilliant my sexy warrior. I am so very proud of you. Now go kick some more butt. I am giving you a very thorough massage later. I’ll take care of all those wonderful tired muscles of yours.” Maura slid through her mind.
“Jesus woman! My shorts just got tighter in a certain area and it is a good thing this bra is thick leather or my nipples would be sticking out.” She smiled as Maura’s laugh sounded through her mind. “I love you sweetheart and I will do my best to kick some more butt.” Jane headed back to the section of the field where the last rounds of fighting was happening.
She faced one of her own again, but this time in hand-to-hand. Herron was a member of the group of guards from the Raven’s Lady. A wiry Lycan jaguar. He fought well and was tough, but Jane stuck it out to the end catching the man in a flip move that sent him flying out of the fighting ring. That victory put her in the final match for the event.
It seemed like hours later and Jane felt tired and sore. However, she stood with six other warriors in front of the crowd. The seven of them were the final warriors remaining. One bout remained in each of the six events left of the day.
King Raven had already won the knife and axe throwing as well as long and short bow archery events, now she stood as one of the finalists in hand-to-hand, staff fighting, and the four different sword events. The crowd was going crazy. It had been many years since a warrior had won so many events and even longer since a warrior had won them all. Everyone was excited to see if King Raven could do it after starting off at the bottom of the heap as an unranked warrior.
Jane had no idea if she could. The crowd kept her adrenaline up, but she was getting tired and she now faced the toughest competition of the day. Each match would take center stage and happen back to back with short fifteen minute periods between each one. That period had been extended from the original five minutes. It was in their rules to do so if a warrior was to fight in all final bouts.
King Raven’s warriors formed ranks on one side of the now raised battle platform. Jane closed her eyes relaxing her muscles and mind. She brought her will up building it tightly within her forming a great ball of energy. She siphoned some off into her weary body holding the rest in reserve as she would need it. She briefly wondered if the others were doing the same. Lord Fenrir told her all great warriors learned to create energy from their force of wills when they needed it.
The first bout was hand-to-hand fighting, neither warrior wore weapons or shoes. The large Lycan bear she faced was beefy with lots of big muscles and a hairy body she wasn’t real thrilled to get up close and personal with. She was going over moves in her mind to try and keep herself out of the big man’s reach as much as possible. The man was a skilled brawler and liked to use his size and weight to take an opponent down. That was how he had defeated Warren to get to the finals.
As soon as the whistle blew he charged her in an attempt to take her down fast. She ran at him sliding under his reaching arms kicking him in the back as he passed causing him to stumble down on one knee on the platform, but he didn’t go over the side. He was up quickly, more wary now of his opponent. As he closed in Jane met him in the middle of the platform not wanting to get trapped too close to the edge. For a big man he was fast. The pair exchanged hits and kicks. Fortunately Jane avoided and managed to block more than he did. There was one close call when he grabbed her arm pulling her close and attempted to squeeze the life out of her. She used her forehead and long legs to get out of that one. After one solid blow to the sternum that winded him good, she was able to sweep his legs causing him to go down hard. Jane was on him quickly arm around the stunned man’s neck cutting off his wind pipe and pressing hard on pressure points to knock the man out. They never got that far. He tapped the floor signaling defeat seconds before he would have passed out.
Jane stood bent at the waist breathing hard as a healer checked the man over. The healer declared him okay, he only needed to catch his breath.
King Raven was once again declared the winner and the crowd once more went wild. Shouts of Raven! Raven! Raven! were being chanted around the field. Jane raised her fist high in acknowledgement before shaking her opponents hand and nodding to him. Neither spoke as they were both short of breath, just in different ways.
Jane stepped down off the platform accepting water and towel from a grinning Jeremy. She ruffled his hair as she passed before sitting on the stood on her side of the platform.
Jeremy brought her boots and socks and Jane began putting them back on. As she worked she spindled a little more energy into her body. No one spoke as they watched the Laird prepare for her next match. Staff fighting was the next event.
Once her boots were on Jane spent the remaining minutes meditating gaining focus and replenishing her body as much as possible.
She faced a Fae warrior on the platform. The female warrior was as tall as Jane with equal reach. They appeared to be fairly evenly matched. The match was another long and brutal fight with a few close calls for Jane that brought the crowd to its feet. Finally in a flurry of moves so fast the spectators could hardly follow Laird Raven backed her opponent up to the edge of the platform, where with a quick change of strike she hit the Fae warrior in the chest sending her falling backwards off the platform to land in the sand around it.
The chanting began again as King Raven was announced the winner. Her between bout routine continued. The next four matches were the most dangerous. Many injuries had already happened from the sword events. One serious injury that could have ended in death if Maura had not have stepped in helping to save the Elven warrior. Proving to all Queen Snow was equally as powerful in her way as King Raven was in hers.
Jane faced another female warrior in the light sword competition. She came out with a minor cut on her arm, but had enough control to never once bleed her opponent. However, she did disarm her and pause her killing strike which could have run the other warrior through the heart.
Maura’s voice ran through Jane’s mind as the King stepped down off the platform with the blood on her arm. “How bad is it and do you need me to heal it?”
“I am okay baby. It is a minor injury and one that the field healers can easily close. I hardly feel it. I promise.”
“Alright, but I am still looking it over when I get you to our room later.”
“I look forward to it sweetheart.”
“You are doing so well Jane. I am not sure I should admit this, but seeing you fighting the way you are and hearing everyone chanting your name is really turning me on. I really like knowing that badass warrior everybody is rooting for is all mine.”
Jane chuckled ignoring the looks the healer at her arm gave her. “I am glad babe. I like having the Angelic Lady Snow as mine. The woman who can bring warriors back from the brink of death. I have heard many warriors on this field talking about the beautiful Angel that is their Queen. I wanted to be totally childish and tell them…Neener, Neener, you can’t have her cause she’s all mine. But I didn’t think a badass warrior King would do something like that.”
It was Maura’s turn to ignore looks as she laughed. “I love you sweetheart. You only have three more events to go and then I will feed you and take you to our room for a nice shower and massage. Now go kick some more ass so I can get you alone.”
“Yes, my Lady. I love you too.”
Jane climbed back up the steps of the platform the rapier replaced by her sword. The warrior she faced this time was part Magi and part Fae and carried a large broadsword with a long reach. She sighed, it would be another long bout, but she didn’t have it in her to give less than her all. This was a day where her stubborn streak and her competitive nature served her well.
The large warrior was skilled, but relied on brute strength too much. Jane matched his strength as she deftly blocked and countered his blows. They had been exchanging strikes for long minutes when Jane faked a weakness that her opponent went for and soon found himself on his knees with a sword at his throat. He dropped his sword in defeat.
Only two more to go was what Jane was chanting to herself as she meditated and recharged as much as she could. The sword and dagger event was next and was another long fight with a skilled fighter, but her opponent was getting tired quick as the match continued and had misjudged a few times and bloodied Jane on her leg and side. It was a great mark of honor and skill to defeat your opponent and not draw blood. So far Jane had been successful at it all day long. As her opponent tired Jane picked up the pace until she once again sent an adversary off the platform into the sand. She immediately sent reassurances to her wife that she was truly okay. They were only shallow injuries.
Jane sat as the healers did their job sealing the wounds while she released even more of the ball of energy into her tired, sore, and injured body. Her next fight would be the toughest of all. She faced the father of the young cocky fighter she had faced first thing that morning. Jane had been careful all day to not open her mind to others so she could keep the fights fair, however the warrior was sending great waves of dislike at her and she knew he was not planning on pulling his blows. He wanted to bleed her as much as he could. He was a Lycan jackal, the leader of his clan and did not plan on ever answering to any King. He already ignored the council as much as possible. The jackal planned to show everyone that the woman King was less of a fighter than a real man and couldn’t handle herself in a real fight.
The warrior was a true enemy, one she had earned simply by existing, and aggravated by defeating his son and all comers throughout the day, leaving him to prove she could be beaten.
Laird Raven stood taking her double sword rig from Jeremy and strapping it on with his assistance. She ruffled the boy’s hair again. “Thank you for all your invaluable help today Page Jeremy.”
She bounded up the steps refusing to show her foe how tired she was.
The man only topped her height by maybe an inch, but he was a lot wider in the shoulders and didn’t appear to have an inch of fat on him. He did not bow to her as they faced one another so she didn’t give him the courtesy either. Jane wasn’t going to stoop to his level, but hell would freeze over before she bowed to the arrogant prick.
The jackal was a great deal fresher, only having fought a handful of times that day, but Jane knew she had more heart and a stronger backbone than he did. This was one fight she was determined to not lose, yet win in the most honorable of ways.
The big burly man drew his swords rapidly as the whistle blew going for a cross cut to Jane’s abdomen. The crowd booed him when it became obvious he was purposely trying to bleed King Raven. Jane’s swords were in her hands instantly as she nimble side stepped his attempt to cut her stomach.
The referee called a warning on the jackal at the deliberate move. The fierce battle continued for forty-five minutes non-stop, the jackal always trying to seriously wound. Jane had many chances to return the favor, yet didn’t. The man finally caught her across her stomach with a shallow slice, but seeing the blood on her seemed to enliven the warrior more. Raven refused to stoop to his level.
“You may bleed me all you want, but I refuse to draw yours. I will prove what an honorless warrior you are and defeat you without losing my own. We both know I could have easily done so many times by now. Everyone watching knows it. You are proving to all how much better I am than you.”
Jane was not aware that her voice would be magically picked up and carried for all to hear, but the crowd roared as she spoke and began chanting Raven! Raven! once again. The audience further enraged her enemy and he began trying to also use his force of will on her which was a big no-no in the event. The only events you were allowed to use it on others was at the test of wills and during certain parts of the obstacle course.
Alarms went off around the raised platform and an orange haze formed around the jackal indicating he was the one cheating. They referees began blowing whistles declaring the jackal disqualified, but Jane stopped them from ending the fight.
“Let us finish this. I will defeat him fair and square.”
The refs backed off as the jackal growled, his face changing, and he charged. Jane’s swords flashed, and in his rage she was finally able to disarm him and put her sword to his throat. However, his hands shifted to claws and he swiped at her again. He spun away from with the wild blow and Jane brought the hilt of one sword around smacking him hard at the base of his partially shifted head sending the defeated Lycan to the sand below. He was already unconscious before he hit the ground.
The crowd went crazy as the tired bleeding King raised her swords above her head in victory. She had fought hard and with great honor winning the day. The King was nearly knocked off her feet when her beautiful wife ran up and wrapped herself around the larger woman.
Jane quickly sheathed her swords and caught her flying wife. The crowd loved the romantic scene of the Lady kissing the daylights out of her warrior.
Security surrounded the downed jackal as he began to wake. He was officially suspended from the tournament and possibly more. They heard the Elders say they were going to file an official complaint with the Hecation tournament board for further action for such dishonorable tactics.
While security was paying attention to the father, the son leaped onto the platform to charge the King while she held her Queen, but the Royal bodyguards instantly closed ranks. Furthermore the young warrior was taken down by four bright purple birds. One charged his face, one his chest while the other two hit him in the back of his knee bends. The young jackal was toppled from the platform in a roar of laughter to land beside his shamed father. Both warriors now suspended from the tournament.
Jane kissed her lovely wife once more. “Are you ready to take me home now? I have lots of placed for you to kiss and make better.” She forgot about the fact the crowd could hear her while still on the platform and wild cheers, whistled, and many ribald comments flew around the field. The King was too tired to blush and only smiled and shrugged her shoulders in apology to her wife.
“Let’s get you home and I will take VERY good care of you!” Maura smiled as the stands and the field erupted even more. It was a highly charged night and Jane took in that energy and jumped off the battle platform with her wife still in her arms. The crowd parted like the Red Sea as the victorious King carried her Queen away.
R&I R&I R&I R&I R&I
So what do you think? It is a little longer but I got into the fighting stuff and the chapter grew. I hope I did okay writing about the events Jane competed in. So how did I do writing action, haven’t got a lot of experience at it. I have spent so much time on this chapter that I haven’t even started on the next chapter of Twists of Fate. I will have to work on that soon. I hope you enjoyed and I would love to hear from you. Until Next Time…