Chapter Seventeen – Champion
The battle would take place on a football field. The huge area was level and flat with special sheets of tempered glass erected between the field and the spectators. The glass was a foot thick to stop from shattering if the Dragons were hurled into it and treated so it wouldn't melt from Dragon fire.
Dozens of people were on the field, although Julia had been assured that only four of them were challengers. She could pick out those ones quickly enough. They were bare except for a pair of boxer shorts, oil being massaged into their skin. She wasn't sure what the oil was for, but since Benjamin was also getting the stuff spread all over him, she assumed it was some sort of fire retardant.
Her lips were bloody from picking at them. She was sitting in a box with a good view of the whole field, Henry in her lap. This fight wasn't her idea of a good thing to bring a baby to, but Benjamin had insisted since he was going to make a special announcement before the fighting started. Nerves twisted in her stomach, making her want to run down there and put herself between her prince and the challengers, to stop this from happening. Not that a small human like her could do anything against these giant Dragon warriors.
Caitlyn sat in a box across the field. If Julia didn't know better, she would have thought that the Northfall queen looked just as nervous. She glanced over to where Julia was and Julia looked back to the field.
Benjamin looked up to where she was and smiled. The tight nerves in her stomach eased. He knew what he was doing. She had to trust that if nothing else. He would win these battles, circumventing war, and they would live happily ever after.
She just had to keep telling herself that.
Somebody brought a mic out to the field and handed it to Benjamin as the Dragons started to form a line facing him. Was he meant to fight them all at the same time? Julia clamped her teeth down on her lower lip, wincing as she tasted blood. Benjamin took the mic and strode to the middle of the field.
"All bear witness to this battle between champions." His voice echoed over the field. "Our terms are as follows: If the champion of Northfall wins, I marry Queen Caitlyn and she rules both kingdoms once my mother, Queen Maria, steps down from her throne . . . "
Julia struggled to pay attention as he continued. If any of the others won, then the kingdom would bow to them. None of them would claim it as their territory outright but Enderby would be under their law, no longer a free state, and Benjamin would bow to that kingdom's kings and queens. Her stomach twisted tighter no matter how much she tried to trust in Benjamin's strength. He was strong, yes, but they were all strong. That was why they had been chosen as champions.
"And finally," Benjamin said, pausing a moment to glance up at Julia. "I would like to take this opportunity to formally announce that I have a son. A boy was born to me, and I am approaching marriage with his mother. When I win this challenge, she will be made my queen and our son will grow to be king after me."
The noise of people talking to each other filled the stadium. Julia shifted Henry, hating being out in the open like this. She wished that there could be someone else in the box with her. Queen Maria, maybe. But she was still in the hospital, although she had approved of Benjamin's plan.
All the champions except for Benjamin and a brawny, pale-skinned man left the field. They nodded at one another. Julia found it difficult to watch or breathe as she waited, but she couldn’t look away. Her heart hammered in her chest.
He won't die, she thought. Whoever gets the other pinned on his back first wins.
It was almost like wrestling. If wrestling included claws and fire. Both Dragons Shifted at once, the monstrous reptiles seemingly bursting from their skin. Julia had never seen Benjamin in his Dragon form before. He was magnificent: twice as big as an elephant with a stocky body, graceful neck, and a tail that ended in three spikes. His scales glittered silver-blue. The Dragon that launched itself at him was pure white.
Both Dragons roared as they clashed, tearing at each other with claws and teeth. Blood spurted into the air and Julia couldn't stop herself from screaming. Henry gave a giant jerk. His eyes widened, then his face crumpled. He started to wail and Julia lifted him to her shoulder, trying to soothe him. Her arms and body were rigid and it only took a few moments for her to realize that she was only going to make it worse.
She jumped to her feet and rushed to the back of the box where Heather waited. The queen's nurse accepted the baby and whisked him off, away from the violence and noise. A giant cheer rose, making Julia's heart jump to her throat. When she turned around, she saw the white Dragon slinking off, limping on three legs. Benjamin twisted towards her and winked.
"Yes!" she screamed, pumping her fists into the air. "Yes!"
From the sidelines, the other three challengers charged onto the field together. They transformed as they hurtled towards Benjamin. He turned to face them all too late. One of them gave a mighty flap of its wings and lifted into the air high enough to dig all four claws into Benjamin's back.
"No!" Julia hung off the edge of the box, fists clenched. "Not fair! Foul! He's only supposed to fight one at a time."
Nobody else seemed to care. They shouted and cheered, stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Benjamin twisted, clamping his jaws over the wing of the one that held him while the other two barreled into his side. He wrenched to one side as they knocked him over but threw out a wing to stop himself from landing on his back. His legs kicked out, striking a black Dragon across its face while dragging the green one by its wing to his other side. The golden Dragon backed up long enough for Benjamin to regain his feet.
The three surrounded him, tearing into his back and legs. Benjamin roared in pain, rearing to his hind legs. The black one dodged in and he came crashing down upon it. A loud crack rang through the air and the black Dragon roared. Benjamin threw it into the golden one, then turned to the Green Dragon. Claws raked across his face and he whipped his tail around. The spikes drove deep into the green Dragon's flank, causing it to tear away from him. Benjamin grabbed its wing in his mouth while his front legs kicked out. Yanking his head to one side, he lifted the Dragon up and used his body to throw it down onto its back. It gave a plaintive cry.
The golden Dragon jumped onto Benjamin's back, snapping his neck, while the black one sunk its teeth into his flank. Benjamin roared and twisted this way and that to dislodge them. The green one got back to its feet and Julia held her breath, certain it was going to attack again. But it slunk off the field, leaving Benjamin with the last two.
The black one ran under Benjamin's legs, clawing at his belly. He threw himself to one side, crashing heavily on the golden one. It tore at his side, sending silver scales flying, but as the black Dragon dodged in, he whipped at it with his tail. The impact sent the smaller Dragon flying. Benjamin rolled back to his feet, then seized the golden Dragon by the throat. He threw it back to the ground, using his bulk to pin it down. It bit at him, but a swift blow from Benjamin's clawed hand made it go limp.
Benjamin staggered as he turned to face the black Dragon again. It held itself low to the ground as it crept forward. Julia held her breath, her heart hammering so hard she was afraid it might burst. Her fingers dug into her face, head whirling.
The black Dragon lunged for his throat. Benjamin sidestepped it, using a wing to bowl it over. As it stumbled, he pounced, snarling and growling, as his teeth sunk into the Dragon's shoulder. He flipped it over and collapsed on it, pinning it to its back. It gave a mighty roar, then went still. When Benjamin stood on shaky legs, the black Dragon flipped over. Julia screamed but the Dragon only nodded and headed off the field.
The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts. It was over.
Benjamin had won.
Julia collapsed to her knees, sobbing in relief. He had won and it was over. No more war; no more threats. He had proven himself strong and now they could live together, happily ever after.