“What’s that?” Emma’s eyes grew wide as I approached. I held the sword out at arm’s length, offering it up to her.
“It’s a sword. You’ll need it for the tourney. I forged it for you during class.” I was glad I’d found a good use for my project.
Her mouth opened slightly. “You made this… for me?”
“Of course I did. You’re my mate. It’s customary for a potential king to present his sorceress a weapon before the tourney begins.”
Emma’s hand raised. She paused, and said, “You started making this for me long before I said yes.”
I felt blood rush to my cheeks, and admitted, “Yes. Perhaps I did.”
I extended the blade to her. She took the hilt from my gloved hand. She did a few experimental swings with it before her face brightened. “I like this. It fits perfectly.”
I gave her a smile. “You’ll need to christen it with a name before we begin. It’s good luck.”
“What are the Malovian words foriceandstorm?” she asked.
“Ice and storm? Hm. That’d belodandburzan, respectively.”
“Okay then.Lodburzanit is,” she replied. “Icestorm.”
She glanced at me. “Did I do that right?”
I laughed. “You did fine. It doesn’t need to be complicated.”
I grabbed the sheath. My arms wrapped around her waist as I buckled it around her hips. Emma’s breath hitched. I could smell her blood as it pumped faster through her bloodstream. In response, my dick tightened in my pants.
With all the work we did getting this armor on, no way it was coming off… no matter how badly I wanted it to.
Emma slidLozburzaninto its sheath and turned to me. “I’m ready. Let’s get this thing over with.”
I was more than happy to oblige. The sunlight hit our faces as we left the tent. The temperature was mild, though a light snow was falling delicately from the clouds above. Our friends were waiting for us in the stands— they’d been assigned special seating as our court.
Emma and I walked through the tents and to the Field. It was a gigantic wooden structure over three hundred feet tall and seven hundred feet long, and open to the elements. Twenty thousand people were sitting in the stands today. The rest of Dolinska was sitting in their homes, watching the broadcast live.
The other competitors were gathered outside the Field, waiting to go inside. Everyone was wearing armor, like us, and stood speaking with the officials and their sponsors for the tournament. Lord Lucien was waiting for us at the gate.
“There you two are,” he said in a relieved tone. “You were the last to show up. I was afraid you weren’t coming.”
“Shouldn’t have worried,” Emma said. She was ridiculously pale. I was afraid she was going to pass out.
Lucien gave her a grim smile, and said, “Courage,dzika. You’ll do well. I’m sure of it.”
He walked off to talk to an official. Emma leaned in. “What exactly did he call me?”
“He called youmy child.It’s a common blessing in Malovian, for protection,” I informed her.
Emma swallowed and squeaked, “Great.”
Elijah and Gabby were sending us harsh sneers, as normal. Both of them were dressed in black armor, and had used so much war paint over their eyes I was shocked they could see.
At the sight of Gabby, Emma’s lip curled and she seemed to buck up a bit. The color returned to her face, and a sharpness like steel came into her eyes as she turned her back on them.
“Someone’s tense this morning,” I remarked under my breath as Elijah shot me the finger behind an official’s back.
“I’d rather die than see that snobby bitch get the crown,” Emma hissed. “Even if we don’t win, we make sure they don’t, either.”
“Agreed.”
