"Of course there isn't, cousin," Javier replied. "If you wish to forfeit to me, I would accept your surrender with the utmost respect."
Hierro smirked at the response and shook his head.
"Some men can't be saved from themselves," Hierro commented.
"No, indeed not," Javier agreed then he turned to Kiram and spoke quietly. "If I call for my shield, I'll need it and my short sword right away."
Kiram nodded, then he and Ariz withdrew from the dueling ring. Across the grounds, Elezar and his Yllar opponent began their duel with a resounding crash of metal. Javier and Hierro, on the other hand, circled each other in silence. Suddenly Javier lunged forward, thrusting in for Hierro's stomach. Hierro blocked the blow. Javier's cielyo blade bowed back and Javier suddenly flicked the blade up, making it strike Hierro's extended arm like a whip.
Hierro jerked back as blood spilled from his slashed palm and wrist. Javier drove after him and for an instant Kiram though he might win the duel in this one attack. Then Hierro took his blade in his left hand and deftly drove Javier back. This time, when Javier flicked the cielyo's flexible blade, Hierro parried before it could touch him. He blocked four of Javier's attacks and then scored two hard blows of his own. The cielyo did little to slow Hierro's heavier sword and Javier was forced to bound back to the edge of the dueling ring to keep Hierro from scoring a deadly blow against him.
Kiram felt a terrible dread, realizing that Hierro was not only better rested than Javier but he was also a master swordsman and apparently ambidextrous. He assailed Javier as precisely as he had his previous opponents, raining blows down against Javier's elbows, shoulders, and knees. All with his left hand. Blood poured from Javier's left shoulder.
"Shield!" Javier bellowed.
Kiram leapt forward and then suddenly something caught his foot. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ariz, and then he fell. Javier's shield and short sword skidded across the ground. Kiram lifted his face from the dirt to see Javier collapse to his knees. Hierro arched over him, sunlight flashed across the edge of his blade.
Kiram gripped his lotus medallion and turned it to catch the bright light, reflecting it at Hierro's face. He flinched as the light flashed in his eyes and Javier drove his sword into the swan emblazoned over Hierro's heart.
"Tornesal!" the judge shouted. For an instant Hierro seemed too stunned to move. Then he simply bowed his head to Javier and stepped back from him.
In the stands the crowd leapt to its feet with a mighty roar and the prince's trumpets sounded loud triumphant notes.
Kiram scrambled to his feet and went to Javier. As he helped Javier get out of his helmet and onto his feet Javier leaned into him, whispering, "You have to be the sneakiest, most brilliant young man it has ever been my pleasure to know."
Kiram felt as if his chest would burst with pride at Javier's words.
"You're welcome,' Kiram replied.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Javier's left arm hung in a sling and dark bruises colored both his hands. Yet he beamed as he knelt before Prince Sevanyo and accepted the gold cloak and circlet of a Grand Champion. Hierro received a silver circlet as did Elezar, both of them winning the title Honorable Champion. The three of them stood and Prince Sevanyo bade the crowd to recognize the brave sons of Cadeleon, the defenders of the kingdom.
Though the throngs of people gathered in the stands were of far different classes, from common laborers and servants, to merchants and nobles, they all cheered raucously. A deafening roar burst across the stands and didn't fade. From his vantage point in the Grunito box, Kiram could see the slightest discomfort in Javier's stance. He was used to being respected and certainly feared, but this kind of broad admiration was not common for him. Kiram shouted his name as loudly as he could. Beside him, Nestor grinned and clapped like a madman.
At last Prince Sevanyo raised his gloved hands and the crowds in the gold pavilion quieted. Javier, Elezar, and Hierro returned to their seats in the stands and the prince spoke briefly on the subject of valor. Javier crumpled down into the seat next to Kiram. Elezar dropped down on the other side of Javier. Both fighters looked exhausted and pleased with themselves. When the prince led the crowd in a prayer, neither Elezar nor Javier opened their eyes, just mouthed the words as if saying them in their sleep.
Kiram bowed his head in respectful silence. He felt Javier's fingers brush against his hand, tracing the sensitive curves of his fingers. The prayer ended and Javier withdrew his touch.
"You're feeling better?" Kiram asked him.
"Good as new." Javier gave him a crooked smile. Kiram was in no way fooled, but the faint white flashes that flickered through Javier's bandages assured him that Javier would soon recover.
"I'm all right too. Thanks for asking." Elezar slowly flexed his bandaged knee and scowled.
"Shouldn't Ollivar be attending you?" Kiram hadn't seen Ollivar since all four of them had dragged themselves to Scholar Donamillo to have their respective sprains, cuts, and bruises treated.
"Scholar Donamillo kept him. He got a nasty bump when that last Yllar bastard flew out the dueling ring and landed right on top of him," Elezar replied with a pleased smile.
"You could have aimed him a little better, don't you think?" Javier asked.
Elezar shrugged. "Too much blood in my eyes. Anyway, Ollivar will be fine. He might miss out on the evening's festivities, but he'll live."
"He might not want to when he finds out he missed his chance to dance with the prettiest girls in the city." Nestor stole a quick glance across the stands to Riossa. "You're coming to my mother's party, aren't you, Javier?"
"I'll be there, despite the pretty girls and their glowering mothers," Javier replied. "I'm bringing Kiram to use as a human shield, in fact."
Elezar snorted and Nestor frowned. Kiram just rolled his eyes.
"Some Grand Champion, hiding behind a scrawny Haldiim from a bunch of girls." Kiram was cut off when Master Ignacio chose that moment to call all of the Sagrada students out onto the grounds. They and their Yillar adversaries marched past each other, briefly grasping hands in ceremonial friendship as they crossed the grounds and left the gold pavilion to a theatre troupe.
Master Ignacio informed them that he expected to see them all back at the school in time for afternoon chapel tomorrow and warned them not to sully honor won in battle with poor behavior off the field. Then, to Kiram's surprise, Master Ignacio dismissed them to enjoy the rest of the day as they pleased.
For Javier, that meant an afternoon nap. Kiram joined him, dozing on the bed fully dressed. As they slept their bodies sought each other. When a servant's knock at the door roused them, they woke with their arms entangled and their faces bowed together. Kiram jerked back guiltily and almost fell off the bed.
"I locked the door, though God knows no one would come in even if it weren't locked." Then he raised his voice and shouted towards the dark wood door, "What is it?"
"You instructed that you should be woken before fifth bell, my lord." The servant called politely through the closed door.
Javier rose and opened the door. "Have water heated. My underclassman and I will both require baths. Oh, and Kiram will need some other clothes to wear to Lady Grunito's celebration. See what you can find of mine that might fit him."
"As you wish, my lord." The servant spoke without lifting his gaze to Javier's face and bowed deeply before departing to prepare the baths.
"I do have clothes of my own, you know," Kiram said.
"Yss, but I'd rather to see you in my colors than the academy's." Javier sauntered back to the bed and dropped down beside him. "Though if I had my choice I'd prefer you naked."