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“I accept the challenge,” Eric finally said, making sure he was loud enough to be heard. His arm erupted in cheers at the announcement and backed away slightly.
“Let it happen,” Christian replied confidently, stretching his body leisurely.
Josh handed him a sword just as Eric was handed a sword by his man of arms, and the two stood facing one another. Christian could not remember the number of times he had been in a duel. At this point, he felt as if he was a champion of them. He had learned from his mistakes, and he has grown as a fighter. He already possessed natural talent, which had only thrived and nourished as he had trained himself.
Christian could feel Eric’s fear as the two of them stood facing one another. He could see the faint trembling of his sword and the terror radiating in Eric’s gaze, which made him feel even more confident than he already was. Christian waited patiently as Eric immediately shot out his sword to hit him. Christian dodged by moving to the other side as if he had been expecting the move.
“Nae so easy, Gilmor,” he replied and used Eric’s loss of balance at the fallen hit to lunge ahead and attack him with the handle of his sword, which caused Eric to fall on his knees.
The crowd remained deathly silent, their eyes on the duel. Christian knew Keira would be watching, too, and the knowledge gave him more confidence. He wanted to make sure she knew he would keep his promise to her, and she would always remain his, and Christian would go to any length for that.
Eric stood up, raging like a madman, and immediately attacked Christian yet again, who he stopped with his sword. After three more failed attacks, Christian knew Eric was not only angry but even embarrassed since his entire army was standing right there behind him. He could not afford to lose face in front of them, yet there was no way he could win against Christian.
“I will kill ye, MacPherson,” Eric shouted, running towards him head-on with his sword pointing out.
Christian sighed deeply and stopped the attack by pushing Eric away and throwing his sword on the other wide. Eric fell down on his back, and within seconds, Christian was standing over him, his sword pointed towards Eric’s throat. Christian knew all it would take him was one swift motion to plunge the blade into Eric’s neck and make sure he was dead, but Keira’s words came back to him.
She had wanted him to not kill Eric in the duel, and he knew he would comply with her request. She had never asked him for anything, and even this was for Christian’s own benefit since she had no desire for him to have blood on his hands.
“Ye ken I can kill ye right now? Do ye?” Christian asked Eric, who nodded as carefully as possible, making sure the blade did not pierce the sensitive skin of his throat.
“But I will nae kill ye. I will let ye go,” Christian said, his voice lowering to make sure no one heard it but Eric. “Do ye ken why?”
“Why?” Eric croaked out, sounding hoarse.
“Because Keira asked me to leave ye alive,” Christian scoffed, “after everything ye put her through, she still does nae want ye dead. Ye never deserved her.”
Christian jerked back his sword and raised it in the air, making sure his victory was seen by all those present. His army roared while Eric’s people remained silent since their laird was on the ground.
“I have won this duel and spared the life of Laird Gilmor. Ye can retreat now and never return here again. Nay bloodshed happened this time, but I will nae be so generous if I ever see ye again,” Christian emphasized, moving back towards his castle.
Keira was waiting for him just by the door, a huge smile on her face as she watched him approach. He immediately scooped her into a hug, not caring that Eric was still present right there and could witness the entire scene. Not at all. Keira was his, and he wanted Eric to know that.
“Thank ye,” Keira whispered.
“What for?”
“For sparing his life,” she smiled at him.
“I only did it for ye,” he replied, looking straight into her eyes to make sure she knew he meant it.
Keira nodded and hugged him once again, but before they knew what was happening, Eric had already stood up from the ground and was fuming with rage. Christian knew how humiliating it would be for the young laird to first lose a duel in a battle that he had waged and then watch his betrothed in the arms of the man he had lost to in front of his entire army. Christian had wanted just that. He had wanted Eric to feel insulted in front of his own people.
“Ye wench,” Eric shouted, his gaze directed at Keira as he angrily stalked toward her and Christian. Christian once again stepped in between them, blocking Eric’s path.
“Ye were my betrothed! Yer faither gave ye to me, but he kidnaps ye and brings ye here, and ye decide to side with him? Side with the man who attacked me?!” Eric kept shouting as Keira stayed put by Christian’s side, anger flaring up in her chest.
“I was only yer betrothed in name, and ye ken that,” she shouted back, refusing to endure his insults calmly, “ye never loved me or respected me but only tortured me day after day, and I am glad to be rid of a monster like ye.”
“Ye are a bloody whore is what ye are!” Eric continued shouting.
“Shut up, Gilmor,” Christian said calmly, not wishing to shout. He had no desire to cause another scene.
“I will nae shut up. I want everyone to ken that this woman is a wench and would sleep with anyone that benefitted her cause!” Eric continued, and Christian grew angrier with every word that came out of his mouth. “I end this betrothal right now. I nay longer want ye in my life. Good riddance from this wench.”
“That is enough!” Christian shouted, his loud voice stunning Eric into silence. “I did nae kill ye earlier, but if ye say one word against Keira again, I will make sure yer death will be slow and painful. Do ye understand?”
“I do,” Eric whispered, fear emerging in his eyes. Christian knew he looked angry, and no one would dare to disobey him right now. There was no point in going against Christian, for Eric knew he would only lose again.
