The Wishing Princess - Chapter 10

10. The duel (among enemies)

It was early in the morning, albeit still very dark when there was a knocking at the door. In a modest hut, in a village, a visitor came knocking. An old woman answered the door. When she opened the door, she saw a figure draped in travelling cloak. There was some unease background noise, but the figure quickly walked into the hut and carefully closed the door behind her.

The Wishing Princess had been coming door-to-door, and this time it's no different.

"Yes? What do you want?" asked the old woman.

"I heard that here lives a young man who wants to join the Queen's army today." said the princess.

"Yes, there is. Wait here. Let me get him to you. Please sit down." It was a modest room. Bare of the usual excess. Even to the princess, who was used to see functional rooms, this one felt particularly empty.

A young man entered the room a short time later. "Are you the recruiter from the Queen?" he asked her. "You're very early."

"No, I'm not. I'm here representing the people you will be fighting later today." said the princess.

"In other words, enemy!" said the youth, surprised.

"Yes. I am."

"Then, then, ... why are you here?" asked the youth, stammered.

"I'm here to challenge you to a duel." said the princess. "If I win, you will not join the Queen. If I lose, you may join her."

"A duel? Here? Against a woman?" asked the youth.

"Yes. Is that a problem? Do we have a deal?" said the princess.

"That's no problem. We have a deal." said the youth, fetching his sword. The princess directed them to move the table and the bench to the side to make room. After that, the customary dueling salute. And the duel began.

It wasn't much of a duel. Everytime the youth strike, the princess not only successfully parry, but also engaged in a skillful _riposte_. After a while, the princess simply brought down her blade to the youth's hand and the resulting strike caused the youth's blade to fall to the floor.

"I win." said the princess evenly. "Now you have to live up to our agreement and not join the Queen."

The youth stared at his cut hand. Then he looked at the princess. "How can I be beaten by a woman?"

"I am just a woman in the group. There are many good fighting men, and together, we will kill you if you dare resist us!" The princess said it loud and clear that it will happen as she stipulated.

The youth looked down to the floor, grasping his bleeding hand. The princess continued. "You need to take care of that wound. Wash it with some clean water and wrap it. It will take a few days to heal, and a few weeks before it is as good as before."

The old woman started to move around, but the youth simply stared at the princess. "I will still join the Queen!" he stated emphatically.

"You can't." said the princess. "Not with that wound."

"If not now, then later."

"You will be killed." said the princess. "We will kill you!"

"I don't care. I am willing to die for the glory of the Queen!"

"Why? Why her? Why not somebody else?" asked the princess.

"Because she's the biggest and strongest of them all. She managed to conquer all the kingdoms that stood in her way. That's why! It's just so easy to side with the victor!"

The princess raised her blade, adopting a thrusting stance. The youth simply stood proud. The old woman gasped and began pleading for the youth's life. For a few moments, there's only the old woman's pleading.

Then, the princess's face expression became that of sadness, and she began to cry. The old woman was confused, but the youth still stood firm. The princess finally sagged, her strength faded away from her and she sat on the bench crying. The old woman recognized a genuine sadness when she saw one, and so she pushed the youth to the door, to go outside, while she herself sat by the princess. The princess buried her face on the old woman's shoulder. The old woman hugged her close.

"Why? Why would they march to their deaths? Can't you see that is what will happen if you join the Queen?" the princess was just crying her eyes out. The old woman tried her best to comfort the princess, but she did not know what to do.

Finally, the old woman said, "There are many huts in the village. I'm sure not everybody will join the Queen."

But the princess kept crying. "You don't understand! This is the last one! I've gone from village to village, hut to hut, and *everybody* wants to fight! Why can't they just want to live in peace with everybody? Why do they have to fight?"

"Everybody?" asked the old woman.

The princess nodded, and kept crying on her shoulder.