"Emeric Halden, Your Majesty." He inclined his head, his voice carefully neutral. "And this is my wife, Isolde."
"Lady Isolde." The Queen’s gaze shifted to Isolde’s chair, and something flickered across her face but it was quickly hidden. "I remember you. The Storm Mage. You were quite the sensation, once."
"Your Majesty is too kind." Isolde’s voice was ice. "I was simply doing my duty."
"Duty." The Queen smiled, and it didn’t reach her eyes. "Yes. We all have our duties, don’t we? Some of us are simply... better suited to them than others."
The words hung in the air, a subtle poison. Emeric felt Isolde stiffen beside him, but she said nothing.
"Lord Kylian," the Queen continued, turning back to him, "you offered an insult to this man’s wife. That is unbecoming of a man in your position. But I suspect you already know that."
Kylian’s face flushed. "Your Majesty, I was provoked—"
"You were provoked by your own pride." The Queen’s voice sharpened. "You always did have too much of it, Kylian. It’s the reason you never rose higher than you did."
The words were a public flaying, delivered with surgical precision. Kylian’s face went white, then red.
"Your Majesty, I—"
"I don’t care what you meant to do." The Queen waved a dismissive hand. "I care about what happened in my hall. And what happened is that you made a scene. You embarrassed yourself. And you embarrassed me." She paused, letting that sink in. "I don’t like being embarrassed, Lord Kylian."
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I—"
"Your apology means nothing to me." The Queen’s eyes moved to Emeric, and there was something he couldn’t quite place. "You, on the other hand, you defended your wife. That takes a certain kind of courage. I respect courage. Even when it’s wasted."
The last word was deliberate. A reminder that she saw them as beneath her. Beneath her notice, beneath her concern, beneath her interest.
"Your Majesty," Emeric said carefully, "I meant no disrespect to the crown. I only sought to defend my wife’s honor."
"Your wife’s honor." The Queen smiled, and there was nothing kind in it. "How noble. How utterly predictable." She turned back to Kylian, dismissing Emeric completely. "You wanted satisfaction, I believe. A duel."
Kylian’s eyes widened. "I—yes. Yes, Your Majesty. I demanded satisfaction."
"And he accepted?" The Queen’s eyes moved to Emeric, and there was something like amusement in them. Cold amusement.
"I did, Your Majesty."
"Interesting." She studied him, her head tilted slightly. "A man who is Unblessed now accepts a duel with a Tier 6 opponent." She laughed, a sound with no warmth in it. "You are either very brave or very stupid, Lord Halden. I haven’t decided which yet."
"I’ll take that as a compliment, Your Majesty."
"You shouldn’t." The Queen’s eyes narrowed. "Bravery without sense is just recklessness. And recklessness tends to get people killed." She paused, letting the words land. "But I admire your conviction, if nothing else. I will grant permission for this duel. It will be conducted at the training grounds, at dawn, with witnesses and a neutral judge. The terms are first surrender, not first blood—my decision."
Kylian’s face fell. "But Your Majesty—"
"My decision, Lord Kylian." Her voice was steel. "You have your duel. Do not push for more, or I will withdraw my permission entirely."
Kylian’s fell silent, his jaw tight.
The Queen turned back to Emeric, her eyes cold. "And you, Lord Halden. I suggest you think very carefully about what you’ve just agreed to. Lord Kylian is not a kind man, and he does not forgive slights easily. If you win"—she smiled, and it was a predator’s smile—"you will have made an enemy of someone far more dangerous than that."
"Your Majesty." Emeric met her gaze steadily. " I accept it willingly."
"Do you?" The Queen studied him, and for a moment something flickered behind her eyes—curiosity. "Very well. I will have my steward send word to both of you with the arrangements." She paused, her eyes moving to Isolde one last time. "Lady Isolde. A word of advice, from one woman to another. If your husband dies tomorrow, you will be a widow. And widows in this kingdom have very little power. I would suggest you prepare accordingly."
Isolde’s face was stone. "I have no intention of being a widow, Your Majesty."
"None of us do." The Queen smiled, and it was like looking at a winter sky. "And yet, so many of us end up as one." She turned away, her robes sweeping behind her. "The training grounds. Dawn. Do not be late."
And then she was gone, the crowd parting around her like water around a stone.
The tension in the room eased, but the damage was done. Kylian was still standing there, his face a mask of barely contained rage.
"You." Kylian’s voice was low, venomous. "You’ve made a fool of me tonight. I’ll remember this."
"I’m sure you will." Emeric’s voice was flat. "Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to take my wife home."
He pushed her chair through the crowd, ignoring the stares and the whispers.
***
They sat in silence for a long moment. The city lights flickered past the windows, the only sound the clatter of hooves on cobblestone.
"Tell me you can win," Isolde said finally.
"I can win."
"Tell me you’re not doing this for me."
"I am absolutely doing this for you."
She laughed, a broken, disbelieving sound. "Emeric. He’s quite strong."
"I know." He said, as if considering the possibility for the first time. "I just couldn’t let him say whatever he wanted about my wife."
"You’re so adorable." She said, laughing as she let her head lay on his shoulders.
"I believe in you," she whispered. "I believe in us."
He kissed her then, letting himself drink in the feeling of her without restraint.
He could do this. He had to do this.
[BOND METER: 53 → 56]
[TIER PROGRESS: 78% → 82%]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: DUELIST’S RESOLVE (PASSIVE)]
[EFFECT: IN COMBAT AGAINST A SINGLE OPPONENT, GAIN +15% TO ALL STATS. EFFECTIVENESS INCREASES WHEN DEFENDING THE HONOR OF YOUR LEDGER TARGET.]