Valen blinked her eyes gently then finally smiled a bit, "gladly."
The guards around started mutterings, "Valen may be strong but there's no way on earth he can take down Lord Lucas."
The two walk to the middle of the grounds, "the rules are very easy," Lucas started, "no weapons whatsoever for a clean battle, the first man who taps out loses and may the best man win."
He stretched out his arm to shake Valen, then Lucas whispered, "don't let me win..."
"I wouldn't dare that," Valen replied with a smirk.
Valen came in fast, all heat and certainty, like a storm that had already decided the ground would break for it. Her fist cut the air where knuckles humming with force. Lucas ducked, laughed breathlessly, and felt the wind of it skim his hair.
"Wow," Lucas said, straightening just enough to take the next punch on his forearm. "You buy me dinner before swinging like that, handsome."
Valen did not smile, she drove forward, shoulders tight, eyes sharp, and let her second fist follow the first.
Lucas retreated a step, then another, boots scraping grit. Valen's punches were clean and brutal, the kind that left no wasted motion. One caught Lucas in the ribs, a solid thud that rattled breath out of him. Lucas hissed, grinning through it.
"Okay, okay," Lucas said, backing again. "So you are the jealous type."
Valen pressed, she stepped inside Lucas's guard and threw an elbow that Lucas barely deflected. Skin slapped skin. The sound echoed as the guards started shouting.
Valen followed with a knee aimed for Lucas's thigh. Lucas turned, took it on muscle, and felt pain bloom hot and immediate. Lucas stumbled. Valen's hand clamped onto his shirt, twisted, and flung him hard.
Lucas hit the ground on his shoulder and rolled, grit in his mouth, heart banging. Valen was on him in a blink, dropping a fist that Lucas blocked with both arms. The impact jarred his teeth.
"You talk too much," Valen said, breath even, eyes cold.
Lucas looked up at her from the dirt and smiled. "You noticed."
Valen's next punch slipped past Lucas's guard and clipped his cheekbone. Stars burst. Lucas laughed anyway, a breathless sound that surprised even him. He shoved Valen's chest with his palms and rolled sideways, scrambling to his feet.
Valen followed, relentless, she landed a hook to Lucas's jaw that snapped his head back. Lucas tasted blood, he gently wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes bright.
"Aw," Lucas said. "Already drawing blood. That is usually my move."
Valen lunged then Lucas tried to slip, but Valen's timing was sharp. A fist sank into Lucas's stomach, the air left him in a hard gasp. Valen drove him back again, hands like iron, strikes measured and merciless. Lucas blocked what he could and what he could not, he absorbed. His ribs screamed while arms burned.
Valen caught Lucas's wrist, twisted, and yanked him close. Their foreheads almost touched. For a second, Lucas saw nothing but Valen's eyes, dark and focused, a flicker of something like frustration in them.
"This is over," Valen said.
Lucas panted and looked at Valen's mouth. "You always say the sweetest things when you are on top."
Valen snarled and headbutted him. The impact cracked like wood splitting. Lucas reeled, vision blurring. He staggered, nearly went down. Valen stepped in to finish it, his fist cocked back, weight shifting forward.
Lucas moved with agility, he let his body fall, not back, but sideways, dragging Valen with him by the wrist. Valen's punch went wide. Lucas rolled under Valen's arm, popped up inside his reach, and drove a short, sharp punch into Valen's side. Valen grunted, a sound forced out of her.
Lucas did not stop, he hit again, and again, quick body shots, not pretty, but precise. Valen's breath hitched, she swung back, anger flaring, and caught Lucas across the shoulder. Lucas took it and smiled, teeth red.
"There we go," Lucas said. "I knew you would warm up."
Valen spat out blood and charged, they collided chest to chest. Hands tangled. Feet slid. Valen tried to overpower him, tried to crush him down with sheer strength but Lucas was just too good.
Lucas bent, twisted, let Valen's momentum carry them. He hooked a foot behind Valen's ankle and shoved. They went down hard together.
Valen landed on top, of course. Her knee pinned Lucas's thigh while his fist came down like a hammer. Lucas raised an arm, felt the bone shudder, another punch followed. Lucas's head snapped to the side while dirt smeared his cheek.
"Stay down," Valen said, breath rougher now.
"Is the great Lord Lucas about to be defeated?" Voices echoed through the crowd.
Lucas looked up at him, eyes half-lidded, still smiling. "If you wanted me on my back," he said, "you could have just asked."
Valen snarled and threw another punch but Lucas caught it.
The grip shocked them both. Lucas twisted Valen's wrist just enough to make him shift. In that fraction of a second, Lucas bucked his hips, rolled, and reversed their positions. Valen cursed as the ground met his shoulders.
Lucas straddled him, breath ragged, chest heaving. He planted a forearm across Valen's throat, not enough to crush, enough to control. Valen bucked, strong even now, fists slamming into Lucas's sides. Lucas winced and leaned in, pressing weight down, face close.
"Hey," Lucas said softly, like he was calming a skittish horse. "Easy. I am right here."
Valen twisted, trying to throw him off but Lucas shifted with her, rode the movement, and slammed a fist into Valen's jaw. Once. Twice. Valen's head snapped sideways. Her strength was flattering and Lucas took it.
He drove his elbow down into Valen's chest, knocking the wind out of him, then followed with a punch that rang Valen's skull. Valen tried to sit up but Lucas shoved her back down and hooked Valen's arm, rolling them again so Valen's face hit the dirt.
Lucas rose with him, still holding the arm, and swept Valen's legs. Valen hit the ground hard. Before he could recover, Lucas dropped onto his back and locked an arm around his neck, forearm tight, bicep pressed.
Valen thrashed, her elbow slammed back into Lucas's ribs. Pain flared within, Lucas grunted and tightened his grip, legs locking around Valen's waist.
"Shh," Lucas said, breath hot against Valen's ear. "Relax. You are making this very intimate."
Valen clawed at Lucas's arm, tried to pry it loose. His movements slowed, strength bleeding out with every second. Lucas's own vision dimmed at the edges, pain and effort crashing together but he held on.
Slowly, Valen sagged.
Lucas loosened his grip and rolled away, coughing, chest burning. He lay on his back for a moment, staring at the sky, listening to his heart pound in his ears. When he finally pushed himself up, Valen was on his side, breathing hard, eyes open but unfocused.
Lucas staggered to his feet and offered a hand, Valen ignored it. The guards roared in cheers.
"Suit yourself, I told you to not let me win," Lucas said, wiping blood from his mouth. He looked down at Valen, expression softening just a touch. "For what it is worth, you hit like a dream."
Valen laughed once, short and incredulous, then winced. "You are insufferable."
Lucas grinned. "And you almost had me. That is what makes it fun."
He turned and faced where Kaelvryn always watched with a grin on his face, "I hope you enjoyed the show Kael," Kaelvryn was fuming with rage because he knew that Lucas never just spar with anyone.
Then he faced Valen, "you packed up a good one, I almost lost so now you owe me for winning," then he chuckled and left leaving Valen in the dirt, victorious, bruised, with a smile on her face.