“Why are you two pouting? I clearly told you not to bring your training to the table.”

“Uncle Rizontie refuses to spar with me.”

“I told you to spar with me. I need to prepare for the junior knighthood challenge too.”

“Your Highness is not as strong as uncle.”

“Rizontie!”

“I apologize duke, but I certainly told the kids I was too tired to spar today.”

“Azura stop working my father, like a zombie.”

Another chaotic dinner for the precious Alisud to contemplate why he was even there in the first place. But he was always familiar with this, even when she was not participating, she would always be so hyper-focused on the competition.

“I can spar with Zura if she wants.”

“My favorite cousin, thank you Sud. We will spar after dinner okay. Do not go easy on me.”

“Why are you always so soft on her brother? She will grow a bad habit,” Dune scolds.

“What about me, who will spar with me? Dune?”

“Fine, I will try. Just behave.”

The knighthood festival was the north’s tourist attraction festival. Many dragons and humans alike come to the festival to highlight their swordsmanship skills. Many have built businesses over the prize money and most business flourish with the increase in customers during the festival.

“Wow, it is beautiful, has snow ever looked that pretty?”

“It is always majestic during the knighthood festival. Come you said you wanted souvenirs; I know a good shop.”

Today, after the festival, Kaldor is planning to take a carriage back to the capital before returning after a week. But Azura could feel how he wanted to take her with, but most attempts have failed, because she remembers what happened a few months back when she became ill.

“The curse mark mutated.” The Archimage said, “She collapsed because of the new change in the curse mark. It is extremely hard to hide it; our previous spells do not work.”

“But what happened to her to had a mutated curse mark? It has never hurt the duke before, nor has it ever. mutated.”

“I am unaware yet duchess, but the mark will reappear every six days, unlike the permeant spell.”

“What are the chances of dragons inhabiting my land at the same time as a life-threatening secret struggle to get out?”

She remembers clearly that she was told to be careful not to show her back, but if she goes with him. The chances of having her back exposed rose tremendously. She cannot risk her family’s safety.

“Are you still not coming with me?”

“I have told you, I need permission. to go around; I am 10, you know.”

“Almost 11.”

“I can’t go, really.”

“I will protect you. Please, I really need you there. You are the sanest person I know.”

“Fine, I will talk to my mother and see what happens. Now we can buy Souvenir and go win the competition.”

“Yes master.” Like a heartbeat he answers just in time. He had practiced this so much it felt like a second greeting him.

“Welcome to the seventh annual kinghood festival, please be happy to eat to your heart’s content. We will be Starting with the junior knighthood, let the little knights battle it out for the first crowning of the junior knight. Here are the rules: in the first round, the little knights will have a random pairing, and there will be mass elimination in this round, whoever loses in the pairing will be eliminated by only sixteen Junior knights are on the left. Then comes round two, there will be eight pairings. where only eight of the sixteen knights proceed to the next round. The third round is very tricky for many; it incorporates the northern knight’s solidarity. With the eight little knights, they will be a team of two chosen at random and they will go against another team of two. The remaining four will be paired randomly to battle it out until only one little knight is crowned.”

Simple rules she has heard many times, but she has never had a chance to enter the competitions. She only had been able to watch.

“Ah Lady Azura, it has been a while” Azura and Kaldor hear a voice among the group of little knights among them. A little blonde boy with a smirk on his face, Kaldor had never seen him before. But Azura clearly doesn’t like him.

“Carter.”

“I hope you pass this round; I would like to spar with you and beat you.”

“Hmph, whatever.”

Azura doesn’t entertain him, but Kaldor has a temper since there is a small pain in his heart when he watches. Azura folded this quickly.

“You are very bold, aren’t you? What makes you think you can beat my master?”

“Master?”

Carter laughs at the ridiculous remark Kaldor has made, master? Azura Neferpitou? How presumptuous of this little prince to call such a girl his master.

“Now, our little knights should look at the board. Your matchups have been shown, go to your designated positions and let us start.”

Maybe someone was playing tricks on Kaldor because he was so suspicious of all the little knights that had entered, his first matchup had to be him. Carter.

“Huh, your highness, how good is that? I must beat Azura’s pupil first. Makes me happy.”

The smirk on his face made Kaldor mad, how dare he speak like that to him? This arrogant man is going to regret this, he is going to regret ever disrespecting him.

The program director made sure to tell everyone the safety rules before the competition starts. It was clear which little knights were stronger based on the amount of elimination that were happening.

Oliva O’Dea had eliminated five contestants in the span of minutes. Azura had eliminated ten, but Kaldor and Carter still struggled to eliminate each other. The four little knights were sure to be in the finals, which is what everyone hoped, but it did not become a reality.

“Kaldor Uyilleozia and Azura Neferpitou has been disqualified.”

Only gasps can be heard, Kaldor being held back by Azura with Carter on the ground bleeding.