Fan Fiction ❯ The Duel ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The duel

Note: As in Chapter II, Chapter III is placed in the past before the events that made Siegfried the new Soul Edge wielder. This scene follows up Ivy's previous duel with the introduction of Siegfried in the history and his place in her past.

Chapter III

The Crow's Nest
London, England

-"Schtauffen, my good friend! You've made it!"

The tall, lanky man swerved around the tables of the very crowded "Crow's Nest" as soon as his eyes matched the figure of a broad-shouldered young man who sat down alone downing a pint with the one in his memories. As soon as he finally reached his table, hidden in a dark corner, far from the boisterous groups of loud card players and drunken nobles, he sat down on a beaten up chair beside him. The man lifted his head still covered by shadows as soon as his name was called out loud and put down the cup, the shimmer of his jade eyes glaring at the newcomer attentively. His broad arms crossed over a muscled chest.

-"In what kind of mess you're into now Steffenauer?", the blond man asked sternly.

-"Why, can't I show joy to see my former boss?" the redhead replied with a sly grin. Schtauffen gave the man a knowing expression and muttered a long sigh.

-"Fritz, the only moments you show any kind of positive reactions to my presence is when you're sunk up to your hair with problems."

-"Gee boss, I do like you, is just that you were too strict sometimes?"

-"Don't get me started on that Steffenauer. You're living on borrowed time, thanks mostly to me, or do you want me to remind you that time that we were hired by Baron Gustav of Bavaria and you decided to show our appreciation by being caught in too affectionate a manner with one of his daughters?" His tone had a decidedly hard edge and his face was acquiring a shade of red. The taller man lifted his arms apologetically.

-"Wait a second there, she specifically searched out for me with her personal guard. What could a man do but oblige to a beautiful woman's commands?" The former mercenary could not help an impish smile, his thoughts trailing to seemingly pleasant memories. His former boss relaxed at the man's roguish expression and suddenly, laughter surged from him.

-"Yeah, I guess I have to concede that much, although those same loyal guards were the ones who later spilled the beans about seeing you on Froilan Briggitte's room with your pants down to your ankles. Talk about details there, huh?"

-"The bastards, she feared they would sooner or later blackmail her. It was a difficult time with her scheduled engagement with that dumb Duke of Asturias. Damn, I didn't help her much on that, but at least she did manage to steal some moments of pleasure." A big grin adorned the man's face in obvious pride.

-"Fritz Steffenauer, the Rogue Mercenary, the seducer and heartbreaker of the Holy Roman Empire. What a reputation you built. I should demand from you the potential contracts we lost because of that damned reputation. We lost many promising deals because all the ladies feared for their daughters!"

-"Siegfried, that's all ancient history now. Besides, you ended up getting many of the contracts anyway because those same mothers wanted to catch you for their daughters. You could've been a very rich and powerful lord if you had wanted. I never understood why you refused those opportunities?"


Siegfried listened in silence to his friend's words. His handsome blonde looks and his reputation as a fearless leader and unwavering warrior had attracted many impressionable young debutantes and more than one eager mother had tried to concert a match with the German Mercenary, to no avail. He had countless opportunities to make himself rich and powerful through an arranged marriage and he could have belonged to the upper crust long ago, but he chose not to. A wife would be a hindrance in his present quest. His priority was set in one thing only: to find the famed Soul Edge and with it, avenge his father Frederick.

-"I'm not the marrying kind, Fritz. Besides business and tending lands and scores of servants is not my cup of tea. I'm a knight, a warrior. I live by my sword and I don't want that to change for a while. I guess I'm unredeemable."

-"If I were on your shoes, I would have taken any of those opportunities in a heartbeat. I would have never have to ask for your help like I have to now?."

Steffenauer's face suddenly went stark and pale. Lines of deep worry crossed his forehead. A nervous tick assaulted his hands. Siegfried looked at him stunned. Fritz had always been a brave fighter as part of the Schwartzwind (Black Wind). He wondered what could worry his countryman as to suddenly seemed overwhelmed by dread.

-"Fritz, what is going on?"

Steffenauer grimaced and offered Siegfried a weak smile.

-"You know me Schtauffen. I've always been the troublemaker, the gambler and seducer. After I left you guys I joined a Portuguese merchant group and managed to scramble some very decent earnings. After I returned to Europe, I've worked as advisor and hired hand for corsairs and adventurers who seek the riches of the New World. My services have been very solicited here. Many Britons wish to get even with those dastardly Spaniards, who have manage to seize the big New World bounty, and the British are none too happy. Anyway, I've taken quite a liking for cards and all sorts of games and lately my luck has been diminishing by the second?."

-"So?"

-"Yeah, I think you already guess my tribulation. I've gambled away more than I posses right now and the winners are already demanding their due money. I should have had pay about three months ago but I haven't found anyone that could lend me the money. Business has been slow all thanks to that cursed Cervantes. It's harder to find expert sailors to ship west because they're terrified he'll attack them. I've already received some not so kind warnings of possible "accidents" that might occur if I don't pay. They have even been kind enough to leave me some nice reminders. Here I'll show you???"

Fritz pulled out a slender dagger from his coat, still tainted by dry blood. Sweat started to crown his forehead damping the strands of hair that went over his forehead. His voice trembled slightly. Siegfried observed him back sympathetically.

-"See this scar on my cheek? This precious did it and they said that next time, I would be aimed higher, just enough to make me sport an eyepatch for life. By Jove, I'm on a tight spot!"

-"If it's money, I'm not sure I can help you with that. I'm out of the Mercenary business temporarily."

-"It's not money. I would never ask money, not from you. I appreciate you far too much. However, your fighting skills can be invaluable right now, more that you could ever imagine."

Siegfried's face had a questioning expression. What did Fritz meant? He hoped it wasn't that he was about to be hired as an assassin or a bodyguard. He didn't have enough time for either job.

-"Explain"

-"Have you heard of Countess Isabella Valentine, of the Valentine House in London?"

-"No, not really. I've been in England for a very short time. Besides you I'm not interested at all in High Society gossips."

Fritz rested his back against the chair, downing what was left of Siegfried's ale. As if strengthen by the drink, he resumed talking.


-"Lady Isabella or Ivy as we have take the liking of calling her is the beautiful daughter of Count Valentine. The Valentines are a very wealthy family and Isabella is considered to be on her prime years. However, the Valentines are also well known for their fancy for eccentricities. Count Valentine is rumored to be an alchemist and collector of shall we say, strange artifacts? His daughter is quite the catch but it also rumored she displays her own brand of distinctive eccentric streak."

-"Well, this family's accomplishments sound very interesting for some bland chit-chat but I still don't see any relation with either your troubles or me."

-"Would you let me finish? Mein Gott, still a hot-head Schtauffen! Anyway, our dear Isabella has refused to settle down and accept any marriage proposal. Now that I notice, you too are very much alike in that regard."

Siegfried frowned and got closer to the taller man menacingly.

-"Stop joking around and just cut to the chase, would you? I'm not here on a vacation and if you just wanted to see me to tell me the latest exploits from the English Nobles, you have the wrong individual."

-"OK, OK, calm down. Anyway, this woman is most interesting, not to mention enticing. OK, stop looking me like that Schtauffen! My latest debt, the largest, came after a bet against our beloved Ivy on a duel."

-"You are kidding me Fritz. A woman, on a dueling ground. And you're saying she???"

-"I swear on my dead grandmother's grave what I say it's true... I saw it with my own eyes. Darned wench cost me quite some gold coins."

-"Your grandmother is alive and well, you liar. Anyway, who she dueled against?" Incredulity was clearly expressed on the German's clear eyes; his lips curved on a smirk.

-"Lord Cavanough, Earl of Hastings. She took him down in less than ten minutes, not a drop of sweat fell from her exquisite face."

Dueling women! Now the German had heard it all. He would had deemed everything just a folly if it wasn't because the trail for Soul Edge had made him encounter female warriors from the far East, as beautiful as they were lethal. But why this woman dueled the cream of nobility. Was it to amuse herself, to humiliate men? He was truly intrigued by the tale, he had to admit to himself.

-"Interesting tale I'll admit; I'm quite amused by still I do not understand we have to do in it."

-"Simple Schtauffen. You will be her next challenger and since the bets are in her favor, I'll bet in your favor, you defeat her and I reap a fortune, enough to pay off my bloody debt and with gold to spare to pay you more than well. Simple isn't it?"

-"You are insane Steffenauer!"

-"I've thought about this for a long time now Siegfried. If there's only one person who can defeat Lady Isabella, it's you. I know you and I've also seen her fight. You are the only real contender in this bloody island. I'm desperate my friend. If I don't pay my debt, I'm as good as a dead man!"

Siegfried stood silent for a moment to study his former battle peer. He did seemed desperate, desperate enough to scheme such a idea. Then again, he was right. For a battle-hardened veteran like him, a duel seemed like child's play. Besides if this Count Valentine really dealt with arcana, he might tip him off on Soul Edge's trail. He might even offer his services to the Count, in order to advance his on quest. Of course, Fritz does not have to know this part. He had enough troubles already, the poor bastard. He figured that Stefenauer would eventually find his demise on a married woman's bed by the hand of an angered husband.

-"Siegfried..." the young redhead said sheepishly.

-"Worry no more Fritz, I once again become your insurance against the consequences of your stupidity. Now, rounds are on you. All this titter-tatter has my throat scorched, but better get something better than this watered down ale. How I miss our beloved home's beer."


-"For you Schtauffen, I'll run to the Black Forest and back to get you our country's best, but it will take me too long. How about some local wine instead?" The taller man's face had transformed as if a huge burden had suddenly been lifted from his shoulders. Siegfried smiled. It felt like the old times and it was a good thing to feel because he understood the trail he was following was hard and almost devoid of happy moments such as these. He missed the camaraderie of his band but for his father's sake, he would sacrifice everything, even himself.

-"Why the serious expression? Wine don't sound good. Wait till you add some generous and loving broads with and you'll see..."

Siegfried bursted out of his inner trail of thoughts.

-"No Fritz, no women, not for me or you. Our only objective is this dueling Englishwoman, Lady Isabella, and that's the only woman I want to think about for now. If she's that good, I cannot lower
my guard, not even for a petty sunset duel."

Disappointment was displayed on the redhead's face.

-"There you go again, spoiling my fun, but that's alright. I need you sound of judgement. You see, some of the people that are looking for me have grown impatient enough to want to torture me a bit, so I wouldn't mind if you sort of act as my bodyguard. I would like to make it out of this intact, you know."

Siegfried arched an eyebrow and directed his green gaze towards the ceiling. The nerve this guy had was beyond his comprehension!

-"Agreed, but you better concert this duel fast. I have more pressing issues to tend."

-"My friend, before the week is over, the German Mercenary from the Holy Roman Empire will face the heiress of the Valentine House, Isabella Valentine."

-"You make it sound like something important."

-"Because it is important. My young friend, I have the feeling this little event might mark an important milestone in your life."

-"More drunken incoherences from a fool, Steffenauer! I wonder if that's the reputed charm you used with your victims, err, ladies."

Fritz lifted an eyebrow and suddenly a loud, riotous laughter came from him as sole reply to his fellow countryman. It was rather obvious he was enjoying himself again. Forgotten momentarily were the threats to the redhead's life and the hedonistic mood of the tavern finally reached their table. But as they downed cup after cup of red wine that moistened and stimulated the remembrances of their glorious past narrated with the enthusiasm and glee of a young bard, the young Teuton's mind kept repeating his countryman's words. Maybe fate had it that in order to close in on Soul Edge he had to duel this mysterious Englishwoman who took pleasure in dueling upper-crust males for undisclosed reasons.

-"Who knows, it might be fun after all."