Fatima: The Slave Princess-Chapter 91 - 90

"Rumors suggest Lord Alexander was granted a special pardon from the crown prince, and Princess Yuri's house arrest is soon to be lifted."

"My word! Where have you heard such an outrageous thing from, lady Claudine?"

They gasped as though something horrifying was just uttered. Drama queens! The lot of them.

"Goodness! What awful news!"

"I believe only George Bartrum, McMillan Valentini, and Ivan Wrotingthon will be his highness' opponents today. I must say, I am very much looking forward to their duels." Lady Claudine continued to prattle, completely unaware of Lady Florette's presence just behind her.

"Lady Florette!" the other ladies gasped in unison upon noticing her.

With her arrival, a nervous tension settled over the ladies, each watching her with apprehension, while the gentlemen, their eyes fixed upon her in amorous gazes, desperately competed for the smallest sign of her attention. Her entourage, a collection of pawns strategically placed by her mother, were entirely at her beck and call, ready to be used and discarded. She feigns a gentle and modest demeanor, a mask concealing her true nature, all the while cunningly employing her friends to execute her wicked commands. And when her plans go astray, the bitter taste of failure is theirs alone to swallow. This is the vicious cycle of high society that I've grown to loathe with a raging passion. Behind the dazzling light of wealth, glamorous gowns, glittering jewels, lavish balls, and elegant tea parties, there lurks a filthy world of corruption, coercion, and every imaginable kind of wretchedness. Ruling over that world and sitting at the very pinnacle of the social hierarchy, is the one and only Duchess Gwendolyn. The most powerful woman in all of Alkaraz.

"Look over there! Who are they?"

Great...their attention is now on us. *sigh* I hope this doesn't affect Clover in...

"What is your favorite color, Sir Uwol?"

Well, I suppose I was worried for naught. She seems to be quite smitten with that young knight. If anything, I'm now concerned about him. His bashful response to her advances shows how much of an amateur he is concerning matters of the heart. Will he be alright?

"Could they be foreigners?"

Ignore them, Ivy. Let's just pretend not to hear them.

"Unlikely, since the majority of the envoys this year are men." Lady Florette chimed in confidently.

The news of Marchioness Rocktenberry's adopted daughters has yet to make its round throughout the empire. However, considering the importance of the information and the time that has passed, it's reasonable to assume that word would have reached at least some of the high-ranking nobles by now. I was expecting Lady Florette, of all people, to recognize us first, but it seems our dearest elder sister beat her to it. Her eyes will bulge out if she continues to stare so intently.

"My lady, do you know this woman?" Sir Tomario whispered in my ear.

His low, deep tone, like a rumbling growl, startled me. He's become so stiff and formal now, quite unlike his casual manner in the past.

"*sigh* She's...our eldest sister, and the firstborn of viscount Perceval. Arabella Louise Perceval."

"Pardon? T-then..."

He seems rather startled.

+++

"Ladies and gentlemen!" bellowed the host through the megaphone in his grasp.

"May I please have your attention as the moment you have all been waiting for is upon us!"

As the host announced the crown prince and Lord George, the crowd's excited chatter morphed into a cacophony of cheers and shouts, a shower of vibrant confetti marking Nathan's dramatic entrance. However, they did not direct the same enthusiasm towards his opponent. In a scene of unrestrained excitement, the crown prince was met with enthusiastic displays of affection from women of all social classes; noble ladies and commoners alike, overcome with emotion, shouted his name, waved their handkerchiefs, and blushed profusely. Amid the surrounding commotion and clamor, his gaze remained unwavering, locked onto me, for reasons I couldn't fathom. The look of surprise in his expression right now means he likely did not expect to see me here.

"Please win, and don't get hurt." I mumbled as I gripped the rails in front of me, my heart racing inside my chest.

As if he possessed some uncanny ability to hear my quiet mutterings, Nathan, with a tender smile gracing his lips, nodded subtly in my direction before turning his attention back to his opponent.

"Did you see that smile? That was directed at me, I swear it!"

"Dream on, girl!"

"My heart nearly stopped."

"How can a man be so charming, even in such casual attire?"

Contrary to what I anticipated, Nathan is exhibiting a surprising amount of composure and calmness. Will he truly be alright? Oddly enough, I can't stop thinking about that day. I can still remember his expression from that time-a sight that will be forever etched in my mind's eyes.

"Fighters, get into your positions!" the host yelled, holding a small white flag in the air.

I'd been told they used to be friends, yet the palpable tension between them was quite striking, leaving me with a deep sense of curiosity and confusion regarding the nature of their relationship. Lord George glared at the crown prince, his eyes blazing with barely suppressed fury, as if he could tear him apart with his bare hands. Meanwhile, Nathan seems bored and uninterested.

"Their height difference is a bit...concerning."

"Goodness, it's like an ant standing in front of a giant bear. Hysterical! Haha!"

"On your mark...and start!" shouted the referee before scuttling away from the scene, leaving a trail of disturbed dust in his path.

In a display of fervent support, the crowd cheered wildly for the crown prince, their enthusiasm a pointed rebuke to his opponent, who appeared visibly stressed and struggling to maintain composure.

"Crush him, your highness!" they yelled, holding their fists in the air.

"Yeah! Make him beg for your mercy on his knees, my prince!"

Beg for mercy? Did something happen between the two?

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"Did you hear that, George? It appears the tides have finally turned after all these years. You didn't think the truth would stay buried forever, did you?"

His eyes widened, a look of utter surprise etched across his face, suggesting he hadn't expected this turn of events. I must say...The empress is indeed quite the formidable ally.

"I will clear your name if it's the last thing I do."

She wasn't bluffing, after all. I didn't take her words at face value then, but... I admit I'm quite impressed.

"You look like you have something to say. Go on then."

His previous expression toward me was one of intense anger and hostility, but now it has become remarkably similar to the frightened, timid look of a small puppy. He's trembling like a little leaf.

"Well, I suppose it would be more effective to converse with our fists from here on out." I suggested, while cracking my knuckles.

"I-I'm sorry! P-please spare me your highness! Please have mercy on me!" he cried out, unabashedly groveling on the ground before my feet.

His actions left the audience speechless, a hush falling over the crowd as his family shot death glares at him from their seats.

"On your feet, George Bartrum!"

His family's reputation as one of the founding cornerstones of Alkaraz is at play here. I may be angry at him for what he's done to me in the past, but it would be unwise of me to disparage the honor of such a prominent household. Should I accept his weak apology and allow him to forfeit the match, it would bring great shame upon his whole family.

"What's happening? Is Lord George yielding the match to the crown prince?"

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! How did any of them think it was acceptable to bully a member of the imperial family?"

"Not only that. They had the audacity to lie and play the victim all over the newspapers. Can you think of anything more sinister?"

"And he's the prime heir to the Bartrum countdom. Tsk! Tsk!"

"Isn't his father the Minister of Education? Shouldn't his academic acumen be called into question in that case?"

"Goodness! You're absolutely right."

*sigh* The longer this drags on, the worse it'll get. All these people whispering about them are making the situation worse than it already is. However the fault does not lie with them as they are merely stating the obvious. This scoundrel here is the real problem.

"Either you fight me, or I will end you right here and now. Choose."

That seemed to have knocked some sense into him-huh? He was...crying? What the-*sigh*

"Withstand five of my strikes. That is the only way you'll leave this place."

Pathetic... so utterly pathetic...

"O-okay, I-I can do-"

...and shameless at the same time. The last word died in his throat, replaced by the dull thud of my fist against his jaw as he let out a sharp, pained grunt that vibrated through the air. I deliberately didn't hold back, and the impact sent him sprawling across the arena, a look of sheer terror carved on his face as he coughed and wheezed, his body trembling like a leaf caught in a gale.

"Why are you just sitting there and not attacking? Is the ground that comfortable a place for you?" I asked sternly, casually striding towards him.

"In that case...I can pummel your face into it since you seem to like it that much."

I'm finished. Four more of those blows, and my brain will be a bloody mess, not to mention my teeth will all be gone. But...if I don't do as he says, I might as well go into exile.

~Moments Later

Although the audience was extremely loud in their cheers for the crown prince, the thumping of my heart was still loud and clear as I sat on the edge of my seat. After learning of the story behind this event from Sir Leonardo, I couldn't help but sympathize with Nathan. He must have endured everything on his own, silently facing the hard days without the luxury of support or companionship. How did no one realize he was being bullied until things escalated? My heart breaks just trying to imagine it.

"I wonder who'll be his next opponent? My heart is pounding with anticipation." Miss Ulissa cheered enthusiastically, clinging to Sir Leonardo's arm.

These two...

"It's so refreshing to see him in such an environment. He's always sitting behind his desk with a scowl on his face." Sir Leonardo added, staring into the distance.

There's definitely something between those two...

"I've always wondered what expressions he'd display in a fight." I interjected with a smirk.

"Well, on the battlefield he was always calm and collected even though he was drenched in putrid slime and blood. Some beasts would even try to flee from him, but none could escape his might." Sir Ulrick explained with gleaming eyes of admiration.

"What I wouldn't give to see such a thing!" I giggled cheerfully.

"Are you perhaps falling for his highness too, Miss Lottie? I'll be rooting for you if that's the case." Sir Ulyx teased playfully, prompting everyone's laughter.

Goodness! That startled me.

"Oh! N-no! No! Not at all! You are mistaken Sir Ulyx, I don't-"

"Quite the interesting conversation you're all having. Mind if I join in?" A familiar voice pierced through our conversation. My eyes grew wide, and I couldn't dare to turn around for I knew exactly who was standing behind me.