CHAPTER 005
1136 Words
“Relax. Tonight, you’re a guest.”
A general whispered to Adam as the dinner ate deep into the night.
Adam had never eaten this well in his life. His table bent under silver trays and steaming platters, and for once, he didn't have to break someone's knose in the fighting arena before he could eat. Servants refilled his cup before it emptied and a general even offered him roasted turkey.
“I should negotiate peace more often.” He leaned back, pleased at the same time
Just then, a group of elites circled him and coins were pressed into his hands, rings and promises. A merchant bowed slightly and said, “For your sister.” A woman kissed his knuckles and whispered, “For courage.”
Adam accepted everything quietly, redistributing some to the servants without ceremony. His mind was elsewhere, he hoped Prince Eric would keep to his side of the deal. Just to save his dying sister.
Women, beautiful maidens with smiles from heaven would now and then wink at him; or check him out.
“You look better standing than crawling.” one said boldly.
Another smiled, fingers brushing his sleeve. “Does the descendant of a god smile?”
“Rarely,” Adam replied.
Princess Hilda laughed softly beside him. “Then I’ll consider myself lucky.”
Soso watched from across the hall, her fingers tight around her glass of champagne. Her eyes bore into Adam from across the hall; when he smiled faintly at Hilda, when he thanked a donor, when he declined a touch without offense.
She didn’t like the way the room leaned toward him.
Prince Eric lounged at the far table, one boot hooked over the other, glass of rum and dew dangling lazily from his fingers. He watched everything. The gifts, the glances and the way Adam never once looked impressed.
Interesting, he thought. Very interesting.
Eric stood and clinked his glass; the sound cut cleanly through the hall.
“To spice the evening up,” he said cheerfully looking at Adam, “I propose a bit of honesty.”
Laughter rippled but Adam kept a straight face. Prince Eric was a snake, an African f*****g black mamba on princely ropes.
“I will take the princess,” Eric continued, nodding toward Hilda. “Tonight. Anyone who disagrees may face me in combat.”
The laughter grew louder.
“Oh, he’s drunk.”
“He’s joking.”
“Have a seat, prince.”
Even Snotlehon chuckled once, dismissively. “Sit down, prince. I will not gamble my daughter with a fool.”
Eric didn’t sit. “I insist.”
Adam studied him carefully. What was this fool planning? And why now?
“Prince, you insult this court.” Hilda stiffened.
“I admire beauty when I see it.” Eric shrugged.
“Enough.” Adam stepped forward. “I accept.”
“Do you?”
“I do.”
The hall went still.
Soso’s breath caught. Don't do it, Adam!.
Hilda turned sharply. “Adam…”
“Now this,” Prince Eric laughed, raising his glass, “is entertainment.”
He added. “Tell me, are you fighting for honor, or jealousy?”
“Neither.”
“Then why?”
“Because you asked.”
The crowd murmured. Some stepped back, others leaned forward, hungry for a show.
Hilda pleaded with Adam. “Y’unno, you don’t owe me this.”
Adam smiled, overflowing with confidence
Eric laughed again, softer now. “I like him, he doesn’t beg.” He set his glass down. “Very well, let’s see what the God of War leaves behind when stripped of myth.”
Adam rolled his shoulders, flexing his iron arm as the hall drew back instinctively, forming space.
What are you really after, prince? Adam wondered. The answer, he suspected would come soon.
Prince Eric rolled his noble sleeves as if loosening boredom. “You should have stayed seated,” he said. “This won’t take long.”
“Then finish it.”
Eric swung his magic sword, Adam ducked and its blade hit the marble floor. The floor splitted.
“Hey, who would pay for that?” Snotlehon wailed.
Adam leapt forward as Eric’s magic sword slashed again through air, fracturing the air into angles and corridors, multiplying until direction lost meaning.
Adam tried to activate his superhuman strength but it bounced back on a ceramic armour on Eric’s chest.
“Ah,” Eric said knowingly. “You felt that.”
“You can’t touch your warlord strength near me,” Eric added. “This ceramic armour, gods hate it.”
The sword struck Adam's mechanical arm and he stumbled, breath knocked loose.
“Fair?”
Another blow; then another.
Adam dropped to one knee, grit filling his mouth. From the stands, Hilda’s hands clenched white.
“This isn’t right.”
Eric swung again and the air tightened around Adam like a closing fist, pain searing through him.
“I’ll end this,” Eric boasted. “And take the princess as promised.”
Adam breathed in slowly as a pocket of air struck him squarely. He rolled, came up hard and his metal hand caught the armour on Eric’s chest.
There was a sharp crack. Eric’s eyes widened as ceramic shattered like broken promises.
Good!
Adam inhaled and the world answered.
The birthmark burned and his Blood surged with strength returning like something reclaimed, not borrowed.
Eric barely had time to step back when Adam hit him wildly, just enough to send the conman… Eric, flying across the arena like one piece of dirt.
The crowd cheered, Adam had won.
Everywhere exploded into a roar of applause; and princess Hilda exhaled. Friday whooped. Even Snotlehon nodded with pride and satisfaction.
“Adam!”
“Our champion!”
“You saved her!”
Hands reached out and voices overlapped. Gratitude poured out freely now that fear was gone.
Adam bowed his head slightly, accepting none of it openly as Snotlehon stepped forward. “The fight is over.”
He did not thank Adam, the omission was delibrate.
Somewhere, a noble cleared his throat. “Such strength should serve the empire.”
“Yes,” another said. “An elite seat would…”
“No!” Snotlehon snapped. “Absolutely not!”
There was murmur among the elites.
“Adam!!... Adam!!... Adam!!”
The chant was loud and delibrate, like a messiah descended from heaven.
“Enough!”
Snotlehon’s jaw tightened. He lifted a hand but the chant didn’t fully stop.
Finally, he sighed in surrender disguised as authority. “Very well, Adam will be… considered.”
Adam said nothing. His thoughts were already elsewhere, on water, on dawn, on his sister.
Behind him, Prince Eric was helped up by Soso; his pride and authority had taken a nosedive.
- Writer
