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Uneasiness crept up on her while Saya sat on the uncomfortable barstool, back to the bar, overlooking the crowded tavern. The room was well filled. At least 50 people were present, talking, shouting and drinking. Saya tried to count the people that looked like contestants for the games tomorrow. There had to be 16 total, herself included. She could count at least 12, which meant there were still some that had not arrived yet. Every single one of those she saw wore fancy clothing, jewellery and some even carried their weapon around as they went from table to table, showing off their expensive attire and polished swords. She had known from the start she would be the outcast, the underdog, in this competition. Her mother's kingdom was by far the poorest in the region, and both Saya and her mother were well known for not being able to pay for gold and silver jewellery, or silk and linen clothing. In contrast to the others, she wore leather and cotton, held together by messy stitching and buttons in illogical places. Her sword was used and blunt, even slightly rusted, despite careful maintenance. Everyone else had at least a few people with them on their trip to this new kingdom. They would help their master like they were their slaves, polishing and cleaning everything they were asked to. Saya had come alone. A small kingdom like hers needed absolutely everyone ready for a possible crisis, or in this era, a possible attack. According to the queen, an attack wasn't unlikely at all, because the kingdoms would all be distracted by the games for the next few days. She did not want to be an easy target again.

Saya had just turned around to take a sip from her cup when the bar fell dead quiet. Some dared whispers filled the silence. Saya turned around to see a figure in the doorframe. She wasn't very tall, but she carried herself like she was the tallest one in the room. She was thoroughly enjoying her big entrance and stepped into the tavern with a wide smile on her face.

"I'm here for the games," she said, loud enough for everyone in the back to hear her. "Obviously," she added, pointing out her outfit with a big hand gesture.

Saya raised her eyebrows. Full armour, she thought. "Must be uncomfortable." The realization that she had said the last part out loud came a little too late. Eyes turned into her direction and the smile fell off the girl's face like a brick. For a second, she examined Saya, first her face, then down to her clothes. She started walking in her direction.

"You dare say something about me, while looking like that?" She said spotting. "What's your name? Wait. I know. You're that poor girl, Saya, right?"

Saya, not intimidated by this show-off behaviour, replied;

"And you're that rich brat, right? The one whose father owns this sad kingdom? Wynn?"

Some of the onlookers dared to let out a small laugh. Wynn turned her head around like an owl and swiftly wiped those grins off their faces.

Wynn took another step forward. She was so close Saya could now feel her cold breath on her forehead.

"So, 'Poor Girl', what are you doing here?" Wynn said, almost in a whisper. "You're not here to fight, are you? You wouldn't last a minute in the arena."

Saya sighed. The 'poor girl' insult had stung a little, but she had gotten used to those kinds of things over the years. She smiled faintly , one corner of her mouth curling upwards. "Actually, I am here to fight in the arena. And I'm here to either die, or win. So I truly hope I get to see you there, 'Princess'." She spat out that last word, stood up, threw back the last bit of beer in her cup and walked up to the stairs leading up to the rooms, leaving Wynn behind right where she was. For a second, Saya thought she saw a vague expression of admiration on the girls face. But a second was all that it was.

Saya spent the rest of the evening in the room she had booked for the next couple nights.

Sitting on the bed, she took out the schedule for the tournament from her bag, and scanned through it. She had her first fight tomorrow morning. Her opponent was the son of the king of one of the three kingdoms adjacent to hers. She knew him well from when they were kids. This wouldn't be the hardest fight for her. She scanned through the other names on the flyer until she found Wynn. She would be fighting tomorrow in the afternoon, with someone Saya didn't know very well. She knew they were a decent swordfighter, but that's all she knew. She had seen them in the tavern that evening. Wynn was one of the best duellists of all kingdoms. She had never lost a tournament, with the exception of one, three years ago. She made sure to duel the guy she had lost to, later, and won, killing the man in the process.

Yeah, that wouldn't be an easy opponent.

But she didn't have to worry about that yet.

She just had to win the fight tomorrow. And then the fight after that. She would make sure to end up in that finale. Not to win the prize money, no, but to show Wynn what she could do.

To fight her.

To win from her.

To put her in her place.

In that moment, there was nothing in the world she wanted more than that.