Princess of the Blood Moon

“W-What on earth is going on?”

 

Sir Percival looks on in shock as dozens upon dozens of bandits start swarming the arena, closing in on the band of mercenaries now trapped in the middle before moving to attack as if out for blood. Tori’s mercenaries are well trained and easily outclass the bandits as they fight to fend them off, but the attackers more than make up the difference in sheer numbers. To make matters worse, the mercenaries are not at their best, still weary from the competition.

 

For as hard as the mercenaries fight, they cannot push back against such a large group, and several of them have already suffered injuries at the hands of their attackers. At this rate it’s only a matter of time before they start taking casualties. The audience is in a panic at this turn of events, unsure if any of them are safe considering the bandits had been hiding amongst them all this time.

 

Elise can only watch on in fear. This has to have been what the queen was talking about yesterday, did Tori not take her warning seriously enough?

 

“This is quite odd, isn’t it?” Professor Levenne says as she watches the chaotic scene play out. “I thought the bandits were leaving the capital alone for the most part, I’m not sure why they’d go through the trouble of hiding among the people until the end of the event like this, either.”

 

“What does it matter?” The queen says as Sister Elizabeth helps her to her feet. “We are under attack, and must evacuate at once. We’re lucky that they seem to be focused on those mercenaries for the time being, let us hope that gives everyone time to escape without any important people being harmed.”

 

“Of course. I guess we should get going then. Right, princess?” Levenne looks to Tori, who has just been silently watching the arena ever since the bandits showed up. The princess doesn’t even seem to acknowledge the professor trying to talk to her. “Princess?”

 

Levenne waits a few more moments for a response, but just as she’s about to leave her on her own, Tori suddenly breaks out into a huge grin before leaping over the side of the platform, much to the shock of everyone else, skillfully performing a safety roll as she lands in the arena below. The stunt grabs the attention of everyone in the stadium, not just the bandits, who show confusion at her arrival, but also the attendees, who stop panicking and start to wonder what the princess is doing, both worried for her safety and wondering what she could possibly hope to do against such a threat.

 

“Hey!” The princess calls out with a smile as she draws her greatsword and points it towards the mass of intruders. “How ‘bout we even the odds a bit?”

 

Before the bandits even have a chance to respond, she bounds forward and immediately strikes one of them down with her sword, swinging it with just one hand, followed up with a powerful punch to another bandit with her free hand. Everyone outside the arena can only look on in awe as she begins her assault on the bandits.

 

“The boss is ‘ere!” One of the mercenaries calls out, and the group finds their second wind thanks to Tori jumping in to help. They push back against the bandits with renewed vigour, creating an opening for her to reach the group.

 

“If any of you knights out there are still standin’, would appreciate if you came out here and helped!” The princess yells out as she kicks a bandit square in the stomach, sending him flying into one of his friends. “Got some mercs with injuries that we need to get out of here!”

 

It only takes a matter of moments for a small group of Sir Percival’s knights come running out, eager to help deal with these unexpected opponents. The extra backup helps keep the bandits under control, and thanks to Tori doing her part to thin the numbers, the knights clear a path for the mercenaries, allowing the members of their ranks who had sustained serious injuries to flee to an area outside the arena where some of the knights in no shape to fight can help treat their wounds. A younger mercenary who had taken a club to the leg is rendered speechless as one of the more physically capable knights, covered head to toe in full armour, evacuates her with a princess carry.

 

The mood from the audience continues to shift as Tori continues to take out bandits left and right, turning the tide of the battle almost single-handedly. What was once concern changes to wonder, and it isn’t long before they start to cheer as the princess brutalises her foes, almost as if this was all just another part of the event.

 

“What are they doing down there?” Sir Percival says in response to the crowd’s reaction. “They’re really cheering for this… this brute!?”

 

“You have to admit that she’s pulling off quite the feat here, Percival.” Professor Levenne calmly points out. “You can hardly blame anyone for being impressed at how easily she’s fighting them back.”

 

“If you can even call those sloppy movements of hers fighting, she’s just showboating! Her form is all over the place, and she’s barely keeping a proper grip on her sword!” He retorts. “Really, where’s her sense of honour?”

 

“Well I can’t say I know much about all of that, but still, for her to have gotten that strong and agile without any form of magical enhancements… it’s… truly fascinating…”

 

The professor watches Tori with great interest, and she’s not the only one to do so. On the other end of the platform, Elise stands there with a stone faced expression, finding herself unable to take her eyes off of her beloved, despite her usual distaste for such violent scenes. She takes note of how the princess, her sword caked in blood, starts laughing out loud as she delivers a powerful punch square into someone’s jaw, causing a tooth to go flying as they fall to the ground.

 

She isn’t just defending her mercenaries, she’s having the time of her life as she beats these people up. Elise continues to watch the fight play out as a number of questions run through her mind. When did the princess start finding joy in such things? How is this so enjoyable to her in the first place? What does she see in it? Is there anything she could do herself to make the princess feel this way?

 

Ba-Bump?

 

…Why is this brutal scene making her heart race like this?

 

The number of bandits still standing continues to dwindle, and it’s not long before the few that remain decide to cut their losses, fleeing from the arena as Tori is met with thunderous applause. The princess turns to the mercenaries who remain in the arena, and while some of them are in rough shape, they’re all accounted for. She’s managed to defeat the bandits without losing any of her own.

 

Once everyone’s had a moment to breathe, she asks a few of the better off mercenaries to chase down the bandits that escaped, and basks in the crowd’s adoration as the others are led off by the knights to receive medical treatment, pumping a fist in the air to invigorate her audience even further.

 

“I’d say we’ve done a pretty good job proving ourselves out here, huh?” Tori calls out. “Dunno what those guys were doin’ here today, but I’m not gonna let anyone try and mess with my mercs! And not just them either! When I’m queen I’ll make sure everyone in my kingdom is safe from bastards like them!”

 

The crowd practically erupts at this announcement, and the queen looks down from above with fury in her eyes as Tori continues to win the crowd over.

 

“Wasn’t just us who beat those bandits, though! Percy’s knights did a great job helpin out there too, only goes to show how well we can both work together, eh? Once things have calmed down I think it’ll be good for all of us if my mercs and the royal guard start trainin’ together, bet we could all teach each other a thing or two!”

 

“That vulgar girl!” Sir Percival says, fuming at the princess’s unexpected announcement. “What could she possibly have to teach my knights?”

 

“Well, her team did beat yours, didn’t they?” Levenne points out.

 

“Indeed. Perhaps it would be wise to employ some humility, all things considered.” Sister Elizabeth says, and Percival simply stammers in response as everyone else on the VIP platform redirects their attention to the princess once more.

 

“There’s somethin’ important I have to tell all of you before we celebrate too much, though! Somethin’ to do with the council that’s in charge of runnin’ this kingdom!” Tori smirks and gives the VIP platform the side-eye, a gesture that does not go unnoticed by her mother.

 

“Been talkin’ with a lot of people since I got back the other day, and my mercs have been doing some investigatin’ on the side. We’ve found out one of the council members has been up to some very shady business!”

 

The spectators murmur amongst themselves, waiting to hear more.

 

“Would seem that Baron Houndsvale, the man in charge of collectin’ taxes from all of you, has been takin’ more than a little extra and keepin’ it for himself!”

 

Gasps can be heard from all over the stadium as Tori slowly walks around the arena.

 

“I know! As if the way he was treatin’ you all on his nights out weren’t bad enough! Checked the numbers myself and he was pocketin’ a lot of money from that little racket of his!”

 

The audience’s mood quickly turns to rage, the people demanding answers as to how this was allowed to happen.

 

“You’ve all got every right to be mad, that’s why I asked my mercenaries to find him in town last night to ask him about it, and guess what? The coward turned tail and ran!”

 

“It’s true! I saw ‘im running off into an alleyway from me window last night!” Someone in the crowd calls out.

 

“Far as I can tell, no one’s been able to find him today either! You know what I think? I think he realised the jig is up now that I’m back, and he fled the kingdom!”

 

While there’s some amount of relief that the baron’s crimes have come to an end, it does little to quell the crowd’s anger over the damage that has already been done.

 

“That’s not enough to make up for it, I know, but listen to this! We didn’t find the baron, but what we did find in his mansion last night was a whole lot of money he was hoarding for himself! So I’ll tell you what! We’re gonna give all of it back to you guys! I don’t know how much he’s stolen over the years, but I’ll do my best to make things right by everyone!”

 

This does a lot to lift the spirits of the townspeople, with many of them breaking into applause. The queen and her council above can only watch in disbelief at the ease in which Tori has revealed the Baron’s crimes, and gotten the townspeople onto her side.

 

“And that’s not all! On my honour as princess, I promise that once I’m queen I’ll make sure nothing like this ever happens again! And I never break a promise!”

 

That last statement makes Elise’s heart flutter a bit as she remembers that unforgettable night under the blood moon, and the audience starts cheering.

 

“But! For the time being I’m just a regular ol’ princess, I’m sure there’s someone else you all wanna hear from about all this. Right, Queen Izabella?” Tori points at the queen, awaiting a response.

 

“...What exactly is it that you’re asking of me?” She asks after a few moments.

 

Tori smirks. “Well, obviously you didn’t know what the baron was up to because you would have put a stop to it if you did, but either way it was a member of your council doin’ all this. Do you have anythin’ to say about it?”

 

The queen raises an eyebrow, unsure what Tori hopes to gain from offering her an out like this.

 

“It is as you say. I was completely unaware of these crimes up until this point.”

 

“And what are you going to do about the baron? Can’t let a crime like this go unpunished, can we? Would be a real bad look for the council otherwise.” Tori asks.

 

Queen Izabella sees the hundreds of people looking up at her expectantly, and sighs. “...Very well. I do not know he has truly fled the kingdom as you have claimed, but if he does show up I see no choice but to have him tried for his crimes.”

 

“Hear that, everyone!?” Tori yells. “Don’t gotta deal with the baron anymore!”

 

The audience starts cheering once more at the news, and the queen is beside herself from the fact that they would so openly celebrate the downfall of one of her council members.

 

“I reckon that’s enough excitement for one day though. Hope everyone had a good time today, and I’ll see you again at my coronation!”

 

“No! The coronation is a prestigious event that only a select few are permitted to attend!” The queen calls out.

 

“Well I’ll see what I can do, would love to have everyone there!” Tori waves to the crowd as they begin to leave.

 

Queen Izabella just stands there silently, stewing in anger over this turn of events.

 

Sir Percival approaches her apprehensively. “Your majesty, I-”

 

“I don’t want to hear it, Percival.” She responds sharply, suddenly turning towards the exit. “I gave you a chance, and look what has happened! She has made a mockery of us all. Today’s events have made it clear that I must reconsider who I can trust to get the job done.” She says before walking off, leaving Sir Percival to silently watch as she’s followed by Sister Elizabeth and Professor Levenne.

 

---

 

Once the crowds have cleared out, the mercenaries that only needed minor treatment have rejoined Tori in the arena.

 

“How we doin’ this, boss?” One of them asks.

 

“Same way we always deal with criminals like these, find the ones that’re still breathin’ and get ‘em to tell us what they know.” Tori says with a smile, still revelling in their victory “The ones that ran have probably been caught by now, so let’s round up who we can here and start interrogatin’.”

 

“Uh, ‘bout that…” One of the mercenaries who is currently inspecting the bandit’s bodies says. “Don’t think there’s much to round up here. Not sure you actually left any of ‘em alive this time…”

 

A look of shock flashes across the princess’s face for just a moment as she looks across the pile of dead bodies, almost all of whom were felled by her hand. “A-All of them, huh? H-How about that! That’s…” She trails off for a moment before returning to her usual confident persona. “Well, there’s still the ones who got away, we’ll be able to get them to talk! May as well leave all these bodies for the council to sort out then if there’s nothing here for us. I’ve got some stuff I gotta look into at the castle, but keep me updated on what you find out, and when we’re done with that we’ve got a victory to celebrate!”

 

The mercenaries cheer before returning to their base of operations, leaving Tori to her own devices. She will eventually leave the arena herself, but for the moment she remains, looking unusually shaken as she silently stares at the dead bandits.