Duelling Round 1

Alice and Claire entered the square from different sides. Claire held her sword tightly as she paced around the edges, whilst Alice did some gentle swings of the Halberd in her hands.

"This is going to be fun." Alice said to Claire with a grin on her face.

"Can we just get this over with?" Claire replied, not impressed that her friend had gone against her in the first round. It was an obvious show of power in one of the only things Alice was better than Claire at.

"Fine, you are no fun!" Alice replied. Swinging the halberd at Alice, who ducked and rolled underneath.

"You'll need to try a bit harder." Claire teased, blowing her hair from her face that had moved there during her roll.

"I take it back, you are a little fun." Alice replied with a grin, before swinging the halberd down at Claire again who rolled away once more.

"I'm not just going to just let you win." Claire replied, diving forwards with her long sword towards Alice, who quickly blocked with the shaft of her halberd, a grunt escaping her lips as she was pushed back slowly. Alice pushed Claire back, swinging the bottom of the Halberd and catching Claire on the shin.

"1 Point to Alice Roberts." Sergeant Briggs announced, as the two separated from each other.

"That was a messy point." Claire commented, "Was almost mine."

"Agreed." Alice replied with a smile, "You won't get another chance."

Alice quickly swung the halberd at Claire, who went to roll away, but was met with the back swing of the halberd. The original swing had been a faint and Claire had fallen for it. The halberd caught her on the side and she grunted in pain.

"2 Points to Alice Roberts." Sergeant Briggs announced again.

"You need to watch for faints Miss Thompson." Captain Allard commented, who happened to walk past at that point. "Never trust your opponent to do what is expected."

Claire acknowledged the comment, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow that had just appeared. The nearby male's who weren't currently in a battle had all stopped to watch this fight. Hearts tight as Claire wiped her sweat away. Both Claire and Alice were good looking, and a battle like this grabbed a lot of attention.

"Get back to your own duels." Captain Allard shouted to the gathering students, who all quickly headed back to their own locations. Captain Allard smiled at himself before heading off to watch someone else fight.

"1 Point to go." Alice commented with a grin.

"At least let me get one back!" Claire growled, before charging at Alice with her sword pointed forwards. Alice quickly span away, taping the back of Claire's back with the bottom of her halberd.

"3 points to Alice Roberts, Congratulations." Sergeant Briggs announced. "Miss Alice Roberts shall move on to the next round. Please leave the square so that the next two can step forwards. Mr Kai Dawson and Princess Elizabeth Medici."

Claire grumbled, but was quickly hugged by her best friend Alice and dragged from the Arena. Shortly after both Kai and Elizabeth headed forwards, putting on their protective gear and stepping in to the square.

Their fight didn't last long, Elizabeth moved in a quick unpredictable pattern and tapped Kai on the chest. He didn't recover from the shock that the shut in Princess , that rarely attended class, had swiftly gained a point from him. She followed up on her next two attacks by being unpredictable and unreasonably fast and won 3-0 just like Alice had done.

Next up were Andrew and Florence. Florence was staring daggers at Andrew as she entered the square, flicking her metal whip loudly on the floor.

"Ready for a beating Andrew?" She queried with a smile.

"By you Flo, whenever and where ever." He replied with a grin.

Florence stamped her feet as her cheeks went read, flicking the whip aggressively towards Andrew. Andrew quickly blocked the attack, catching the metal serrations in his sword and slowly turning his blade. Florence who was holding the whip tightly, quickly fell to the floor face first, as the whip was pulled away from her. Andrew tapped her on the back gently with the tip of his sabre.

"1 Point to Andrew Claudius." Sergeant Briggs announced.

"Damn it Andrew!" Florence snapped angrily, wiping the dirt from her face and her knees.

"Sorry Flo, would you like me to let you win?" He replied as a gentlemen.

"No!" She declared angrily, before doing a quick flick of her whip towards his face.

He quickly blocked with his sabre, before she did a secondary whip and caught him on the side.

"No point." Sergeant Briggs announced, "Dangerous attack on the face, if this happens again you will be declared the looser. I'll also be having a word with you afterwards."

Florence grumbled an apology to the Sergeant before getting her bearing again, ready to attack.

"I hate seeing you like this Flo." Andrew commented, "It doesn't suit you."

Florence growled, flicking her whip at him, slashing it from side to side in the air in front of her. Andrew pushed his sabre forwards, catching the whip in the air and spinning it around his sabre again. He pulled her towards him, catching her as she fell in to his arms.

"I think this is my point?" He laughed as he let her go when she gathered her balance.

"2 Points to Andrew Claudius." Sergeant Briggs announced.

"I'll get you this time!" Florence commented, getting herself prepared.

"There is no need, I accept defeat." Andrew announced, leaving the square with a big smile.

Dom burst out in to laughter at Florence's shock, that quickly turned in to anger, that then turned in to shyness as her cheeks blushed and she stood behind her friends Claire and Alice. Andrew really liked to wind her up when he could and he laughed as he patted Dom on his shoulder.

"Mr Andrew Claudius has accepted his defeat, Miss Florence Chan will move forwards." Sergeant Briggs said, "Next up are Mr Dominic Lazarus and Prince Edward Medici."

Dom grabbed his spear and stepped in to the square, soon joined by Edward who was holding his mace tightly.

"Look your highness." Dom started, "I apologise for my clumsiness, occasionally I just don't see where I am going."

"I understand." Edward replied, "However, I feel I need to give you a beating to appease myself."

"Be kind." Elizabeth shouted from the side lines.

"Leave them to it!" Alice commented gently, "It's going to be fun to watch."

Dom stepped forwards, holding the spear in to the side of him. It was much smaller than the Hoplite spears he had seen the Hoplite use, but it should allow him to try the new technique he wanted to test. Edward swung the mace in his right hand gently in to his left hand.

"Ok, if that's how you feel." Dom said, "Then let's see if you can appease yourself."

Edward grinned, before charging forwards, swinging the mace towards him. Just as Edward closed on him, expecting Dom to block with the spear, he instead lowered the spear, anchoring it to the ground with the point directly facing the on running Edward.

Edward noticed the move too late and ran in to the spear tip, which was thankfully blunt and he was wearing the protective armour.

"1 Point Dominic Lazarus." Sergeant Biggs announced.

"That wasn't a very honourable way to fight." Edward announced, "why did you not block and counter like a warrior?"

"I'm trying something new." Dominic replied with a hunch of his shoulders. "This is all about real life practice."

"That is it." Captain Allard commented, as he appeared beside Sergeant Briggs to watch this fight.

Edward learned from his mistake, taking his time as he approached. Dom didn't wait and stabbed his spear forwards quickly and multiple times. Edward dodged side to side, before grabbing the spear end and rolling himself down the shaft of it, before catching Dom on the arm heavily with his mace.

"Damn that hurt," Dom winced. "The spear just isn't long enough for that tactic."

"1 Point to Prince Edward Medici." Sergeant Briggs announced.

"You'll have to do better than that." Edward announced, before coming on the attack again.

This time Dom didn't stay stationary, quickly stabbing his spear towards his foe before moving to the side and doing it again. This kept Edward at bay, who struggled to get his mace in to the fight. Eventually Dom caught Edward on the shoulder and was now leading 2-1.

At this point Edward was angry, having expected to win this easily enough and get a small bit of revenge on his annoying fellow student.

Edward charged in, swinging his mace heavily at the spear shaft as it came towards him, cracking the flexible would so the tip snapped off. He then continued forwards and elbowed Dom in the ribs.

"2-2" Sergeant Briggs announced. "Next point wins."

"Would Mr Lazarus like a new spear?" Captain Allard asked.

"No, its fine, let's play honourable as he has asked. He broke it fair and square but I am not defeated yet." Dom replied.

Edward, who had been seeing red, calmed a bit and nodded I'm acknowledgment. He then charged forwards one last time, aiming to finish the fight quickly.

Unfortunately Dom held the shaft like a quarter staff instead, spinning himself away and whipping the back of Edwards knee with the blunt shaft, driving him to the ground.

"This isn't over Lazarus." Edward scolded, before standing up and leaving the square, not even waiting for Sergeant Briggs to announce the end. He walked towards his sister and stood beside her with a grumpy look on his face.

"Someone is a sore looser." Sergeant Briggs commented. "Congratulations to Alice Roberts, Princess Elizabeth Medici, Florence Chan and Dominic Lazarus. The next fight will be between Miss Roberts and the Princess. Dominic, I advise you to get a new spear before you fight Miss Chan."