Renar Hagen and Felix Brias
The more Renar spoke, the angrier he got. It was a miracle he still managed a smile. An irritated, smarmy smile, but a smile nonetheless that could simply be passed off as a polite gesture. With Sir Adeforth’s blessing, then, he had no reason not to follow through. He was assured of his victory after all. A crown Knight couldn’t be losing to the Iron Roses. Certainly they were worthy of some manner of respect, but if their organization was better than the Crown knights, it’d look bad on all of them.
“With Sir Adeforth’s blessing, very well. Those are acceptable terms.” Felix laughed. “I’d say I’d worry about such a thing myself, but lets face it, it’d be an improvement.” Felix would lead the two of them outside, his steps quick and forceful as the Crown Knight would soon reach their destination.
Outside, he’d turn to face his brother.
“Shall we then, Brother? Would be a shame to drag this out any longer than needed.”
"You call that a ‘blessing’?" Renar resisted the urge to snicker as best he could.
"Truly, subtlety is wasted on you. But, very well. Let’s begin this exhibition." He sighed, reaching for his sword.
Really, who did Sir Adeforth think he was kidding? Only a complete imbecile would fall for the transparent excuse that this was some sort of planned exhibition match, and not two brothers tearing at the bit to cut each other to pieces.
"But I agree." Renar ripped his cape from his shoulders and hurled it away before he took his sword in both hands, raising it up level with his head and settling into an ox stance.
"Come, Felix. Care to replicate how badly you’re beaten back home?"“The only thing we’ll be showing here,” Felix drew his sword, quickly assuming his own ox stance as he stared down Renar. “Is why the Crown knights are clearly superior than the Iron Roses.” Felix wasted no time in closing the distance towards his brother, taking an aggressive posture, swiftly switching to a tail stance and bringing the blade into an upward strike.
From the first stroke, Renar knew Felix hadn’t changed much in his swordplay. All aggression, no thought. As Felix lowered his blade and started to bring it up, Renar quickly brought his own sword down, beating Felix’s into the ground. Before his brother could recover, Renar pinned the tip of Felix’s sword down with his foot and brought his blade up in his own upward cut, aiming to lightly gash Felix across the chest and bring the duel to a swift end.
Had it been so easy, then really he’d have no place being a crown knight. The blade was pinned under Renar’s weight, Felix knew that perhaps, he had messed up just slightly. Still holding onto the blade with one hand, he’d move the left half of his body away from the blow, narrowly avoiding being grazed by the blade as he’d yank his own out from under Renar’s foot.
Would that this wasn’t a formal duel. Had they been on the battlefield, Renar would have done any number of dirty tricks on Felix by this point. Still, he’d maneuvered both of them into this fight, and he’d have to live with it.
There were only a limited number of moves he could commit from this position that would be deemed acceptable by a noble audience. Even as Felix yanked himself out of the way of the cut, Renar didn’t stop, twisting his own body to the side as he rushed forward, aiming to shoulder check his brother. His arms didn’t stop moving either, readjusting his grip so that he could bring the pommel of his sword crashing down on Felix’s head as he was distracted adjusting to the shoulder bash.
Felix grunted as Renar ran his shoulder into him, having freed his sword but lost any footing or momentum he had in the fight. Still, he wasn’t completely helpless. Gritting his teeth, Felix instead of trying to counter or deflect and recover in the middle of being assaulted, would instead move with the shoulder bash and take several steps backwards, avoiding the pommel of the blade and taking a defensive stance, holding the blade in front.
As the two brothers resumed a neutral position, Renar took up a similar stance to Felix’s, holding his blade out in front of him. Both knights were close enough for their blades to nearly cross, and Renar made his move. His left hand shot off his sword and moved to grip Felix’s wrists together, pinning them as he raised the pommel of his own sword and pushed hard against Felix’s blade, aiming to disarm the Crown Knight.
Felix, once more grit his teeth. He couldn’t twist his arms, or move his blade like this! In fact, what exactly could he do with his limited movement options? He had only seconds to figure something out as the pommel of Renar’s blade hurtled towards his own -
clang“...What-?”
Too late.
Renar’s blade struck his with enough force to cause the Crown Knight to gasp in surprise as the blade would slip from his grip.
The Bastard of Brias leveled his blade against the side of Felix’s neck, scratching it just enough to draw blood.
"Disarmed, and blood drawn. I believe that’s unequivocally my victory, brother." Renar’s expression was placid enough, but his eyes gave off a hint of absolute glee at humiliating his half-brother in noble company. He drew back, picking Felix’s sword off the ground and returning it to the man before sheathing his own blade.
"My lords, ladies, and fellow knights!" Renar grinned as he retrieved his cape, hooking it back around his shoulders.
"I do hope you’ve enjoyed this exhibition. This wouldn’t have been possible without the ever-so-charitable suggestion of my brother, of course." He chuckled as he returned next to Felix’s side, offering him a warrior’s handshake.
Of course, in this time and place, Felix would have no choice but to reciprocate, lest he breach protocol and decorum. So as they clasped wrists, Renar leaned in, whispering lowly enough so that no one else but Felix could hear him.
”Far more than you deserve, frankly. Be grateful I didn’t decide to maim you.” Renar hissed venomously in his brother’s ear.
Cold steel against his neck.
Warmth of blood slowly trickling down.
He had lost.
And so easily.
“Yes, quite well fought brother.” Felix exhaled, reciprocating the handshake. “I’m sure the noble lords and ladies enjoyed the match. I’m only a bit ashamed It couldn’t be drawn out longer.” He roughly, and somewhat abruptly ended the handshake, turning away from Renar as he’d sheathe his blade.
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