Esme set out once again to the Plaza to explore more of the Kingdom, the leaderboard was now hung up, with Countess Raven sitting proudly up top, and the people gathered around were busy gossipping about it.

'Who do you think it is?'

'Whoever it is, they won't be able to hide long, Mayor Atlas won't put up with it.'

'I think he wants to give them a false sense of security.'

'Who in their right mind would do that, and in front of the entire Kingdom?'

All this talk was starting to get Esme nervous about her alias, if she was caught it would be bad, and now she'd started upsetting the townspeople as well. Maybe it was best to give this up? But if she did she'd never swordfight again, or if she did, it'd only be for a short while until word got out to the knights surrounding her. There was no choice here, she had to carry on. Although it was wrong, she had to take the risk, it was her best option.

She carried on through the plaza, and to the sign-up sheet which was now up for the next competition. Checking that there was no one around her, she scribbled down 'Countess Raven' in the box and walked away.

'Esme!', a young voice shouted, she turned around to see who it was.

'Esme! Wait!'

'Oh, hey Colin', she responded when she saw who it was, 'how are things? I hear there's another competition, I assume you're in training for that?'

'You're never going to believe it, that character has signed up, you know the one, Countess Raven?'

'Oh, that one, yeah I heard about it, but I wasn't sure what the problem was?'

'She, or he, but I think it's a she, completely obliterated everyone, we'd never seen them before, the whole town was taken aback. No one could believe Mayor Atlas even allowed it.'

'Well, I guess it's inspiration to train harder, right?'

'I guess...hey, you'll be watching right? Competition's tomorrow, right here, 1pm. Cheer me on, yeah?'

'Of course, Colin, I wouldn't miss it'

He tossed his blond hair back and pushed up his square glasses, 'thanks, I'll see you then.'

Back at the cabin, Esme pulled out her sword and started training for the next day, hanging fruit from the ceiling and praticing breaking it. She also sharpened the point, and shined the blade and garde. Nothing was stopping her now, if she was doing this whole thing, she was going to give it everything she had.

Knock knock.

'Esme? Can I come in?'

It was Theo.

'Err...one second, I'm getting changed', she lied, and ran to the cupboard to hide her sword. 'Come in'

He came straight through to the kitchen with some freshly baked bread.

'Theo, you didn't have to do that, thank you.'

He looked her up and down.

'You were getting changed, but you're in the same clothes?'

Esme panicked. 'I got out the shower.'

'You're hair's dry?'

'I only washed my body.'

Theo wasn't convinced. His blue-grey eyes squinted as he got more suspicious.

'I get it.'

'Get what, Theo?'

'You're a woman of great mystery, Esme, but you don't fool me. You had someone here'.

Esme knew this was her best shot out of this awkward conversation.

'That's right, Theo. I had someone here, I sent him out that window over there and he ran through the forest. We met at the market.'

'Oh, you mean Colin?' He sounded disappointed.

'Yes. It was Colin.'

Theo evaded eye contact with her.

'Well, if it's there, it's there I guess. I can't exactly stop you. I was just bringing you some bread and I'll get out your way.'

'Theo...'

'No, it's fine, he's a good guy Esme, and you've been hanging around together a lot recently, so I really don't know what I was expecting'

'It's not like that, I just got here, and he's my friend, he just came over to hang out but it's really nothing more.'

'Esme, it doesn't matter, it's your choice and that's what matters.'

She moved closer to him, 'it's really not like that, he's my friend, just like you're my friend, and that's what I need right now considering I just moved here.'

His face dropped. Of course, she wouldn't be looking for anything, considering she's only been in Bellicosus a short time, she was just wanted to settle in and make some friends. That was it.

Esme knew she's done something to upset Theo, and when he'd been so nice to her, it didn't seem entirely fair to do that to him, but she had to be a little selfish to stay alive, and he couldn't find that out. She had to push him away, he was a good friend but he could never know the truth. 

No, she reminded herself she owes no one anything. Although she had the slightest feeling that Theo lent her the cabin because he liked her, it wasn't like she was using him, he offered it to her. But she didn't owe him for it, and she didn't have to give him anything. So she just brushed it off and focused on what was much more important, her return as Countess Raven.

The next morning, Esme repeated her ritual. Hair up, white blouse, tunic, skirt, boots and cloak. Sword in sheath and she headed to the Plaza.

Mayor Atlas and Darcey took their seats up in the tower, looking down ominously over the kingdom. Knights guarded the fighting zone, and the scene was set for the competition. Mayor Atlas stood and unwravelled his scroll.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the second competition of the year. As it stands, at the top of our leaderboard we have Countess Raven, but she will have to fight to keep her spot, today could change all of that. Contestants, give it your best shot. Let the games begin!'

Theo