Scene #6418: Duel of Noble Daughters

Owner	Pose
Cordelay Levail	Cordelay stands at the edge of the sparring ground, thrusting and slashing at the air in practice. Her face is serene as she does so, every movement precise and controlled.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia happens to enter the same room as Cordelay. The princess blinks in surprise to find the room occupied at such an hour, but she only smiles lightly and watches Cordelay for a few moments before she pulls out her weapon. Unlike Cordelay's elegant weapons, Sarracenia's weapon is a hammer that is as tall as she is with a solid head that must weigh more than she does. She takes up a spot opposite Cordelay and starts into her own warm up routine. Despite the heft of her weapon, her movements and attacks are as graceful as a dancer or gymnist. Her battle dress's skirt billows upward somewhat with each twirl and her long reddish-blonde hair flows with her movements.
Cordelay Levail	Taking notice of the new arrival, Cordelay ceases her motions and comments, "That's quite the weapon. Would you prefer to spar rather than each of us practicing alone?" She smiles warmly, her eyes bright as she appraises the princess. "Ah, forgive my mistake. I am Cordelay Levail, daughter of Sartaire the Dragon. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia spins to a stop as Cordelay speaks up, then smirks lightly. "Of course. Actual combat is always better than simply swinging one's weapon around at the air." she says, then gives her hair a toss. "I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, Crown Princess of the Sundew Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you as well." Her smirk widens. "Well, shall we get started?" she says, and Cordelay has only a moment to get ready before Sarracenia leaps forward, spinning like a top. Her hammer is a blur of motion, and she pirouettes like a ballerina as she closes in. If she manages to hit, there is a small explosion unleashed at the point of impact. Nothing too big, more like a strong firecracker. It is more for show than damage. The ton of hammer should take care of that!
Cordelay Levail	Cordelay attempts to dive away from the blow, but is just too slow to do so. The hammer slams hard into her side and releases its explosion, sending her sprawling into the grass. "You're quite fast for using such a heavy weapon. This will be very interesting!" Cordelay rolls to her feet and slips into her ready stance, her smile replaced with the wide grin of someone who thrives off battle. "Indeed, this will be a glorious duel, fit for two women of nobility!" Before she's even finished speaking, the blonde rushes forward with the speed of a charging warhorse, throwing one of her swords' chain out in an attempt to entangle Sarracenia's hammer while the other blade thrusts at her center of mass like a steel needle.
Sarracenia	She might be fast in her attacks, but all that momentum makes it hard for her to avoid hits as well. Sarracenia yelps as that sword strikes home, managing to deflect it just slightly with the haft of her hammer Rather than center mass it strikes along her side, cutting through the black leather and leaving a gash in the fair skin beneath. She leaps back after that, swinging her hammer more to get Cordelay to back up than for an actual attack. "You are pretty fast yourself! I wasn't aware you are nobility, though! Are dragons like nobles of your world? ...wait, why do you not have wings?" The chain catches, keeping Sarra from moving too far away but doesn't restrict her movements too much. The hammer just has too much weight to slow down easily.
Cordelay Levail	Cordelay rolls backward to avoid the hammer blow, her typical grace failing her for a moment as she lands hard on her arm in the attempt. Wincing slightly, she nevertheless laughs at Sarracenia's question. "My father may be 'the Dragon', but he is not /a/ dragon. His allies and rivals dubbed him such for his strength and prowess on the field of battle." Freeing the chain from around the princess's hammer, Cordelay swings the other blade by its own chain. This time, though, she isn't aiming to entangle - the gleaming short sword is aimed directly for Sarracenia's neck.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia's eyes widen at the sword coming at her neck! It hits, but luckily nothing major. The princess stumbles back, holding her neck. "G-geeze! I know this is not real combat, but..." Luckily this is the Shrine, so while there is a gash it is mostly cosmetic. It still hurts quite a bit though, and some red does trickle down Sarra's side. "Ugh. This is why I usually try to avoid combat with bladed weapons. So messy." she huffs. Rather than hopping back again, Sarracenia uses the close quarters to her advantage. She pulls her hammer back until the head is against her side, then thrusts it forward like a pool cue, aiming the massive head right for Cordelay's middle. "So, your father is a warlord, then?" she asks after the strike.
Cordelay Levail	Cordelay steps to the side, the hammerhead missing her midsection and striking her leather-padded arm instead. Not that it made the blow hurt much less. "A warlord, yes, but only in the sense that our region has no king. All the warlords wish to become that king, my lord father among them." While speaking, she attempts to subtlely loop one of her sword chains around the princess's ankle in the hopes that it will hinder her avoidance of the other blade stabbing just below her chestplate.
Sarracenia	This time the chain does its job. Sarracenia is tangle up, but Sarra manages to crouch just enough that the sword hits her breastplate rather than beings skewered. Which just means that she feels like she got hit with her hammer rather than getting run through. She stumbles back, which causes her to trip thanks to the chain, adding a bump on the head to her list of injuries. "Gah! You really do not hold anything back, huh?" She gets untangled and rolls away, then grins. "Fine. I have not done this in a while, so I hope it is not too much!" She rolls to her feet, then holds her hammer in front of her in a stance more appropriate for a sword. There is a spark, then golden sparkles of energy start to flow off of it. The aura soon surrounds Sarracenia and her hair starts to billow upward as her blue eyes gain a slight glow. "There is a reason this hammer is one of the most feared weapons in my world!" she says as the golden sparkles become a flowing aura that surrounds her and the hammer, as if they are now one. "Here we go!" Sarrach charges forward, swinging the hammer up and down like a woman possessed. Judging by the somewhat malicious grin on her face now, she might actually be possessed by the hammer for the moment. Hit after hit is delivered, each like having a train car dropped on you. This goes on for nearly half a minute before the energy starts to ebb and Sarracenia's expression softens at least somewhat.
Cordelay Levail	Cordelay's eyes widen at the sudden onslaught by the princess, the sight enough to take even her off-guard. She doesn't realize her body isn't moving until it's too late and by the time she tries to dodge, the hammer is already coming down on her leg. It's only after she feels the pain and hears a sickening crunch that she realizes she can't get out of this one. Once Sarracenia's devastating barrage finishes a klaxon sounds to signify the end of the match, the Shrine's power restoring all wounds and fatigue from the battle. "That was... incredible." Cordelay manages to say as she recovers from her injuries and pushes herself to her feet. "That hammer looks too unwieldy to use in battle, yet you manage to do so with the greatest of ease. I must train harder to match you, Your Highness."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia has to take a moment to catch her breath after the attack, but when she does she turns to Cordelay with a happy smile. "Thank you~ I have been practicing with it for years. It took quite a while to get the graceful style down!" She twirls her hammer a few times and giggles a bit. "I am quite glad we are in the Shrine. That last time I used that, the poor girl who was hit was barely recognizable. I actually felt bad." She keeps happily dance twirling around with her hammer, seeming extremly happy to have won. "But you were an incredible opponent, too! I doubt I could have held out against more than a few more strikes!" she says as she slowly twirls her way about the arena.
Cordelay Levail	Sarracenia's joy is infectious as Cordelay smiles back at her. "It seems we both have much to learn from each other. Princess Sarracenia, may I request that we do this again in the future? I feel like sparring with you will be an excellent way for me to test how my skills are improving." She clasps one fist to her chest in a warrior's salute, though the happiness on her face ruins the stoicism of the action slightly.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia smiles even more at that. "Really? You want to fight me again?" she says, seeming elated now to not only have won but to have possibly made something of a friend. She stops her twirling to face Cordelay when she salutes, then gives a royal curtsey in return. "I would be happy to battle with you again. It is a highly effective way to improve ourselves!" She reaches into her satchel and pulls out a couple of bottled grapefruit sodas. "Would you care for one?" she asks before opening her own and taking a polite drink. She lets out a satisfied 'aaah' after and smiles. "A battle can be quite thirsty work."
Cordelay Levail	After a moment's hesitation, Cordelay accepts the soda and takes a sip, her eyes widening from the unfamiliar taste. "This is quite pleasant. Thank you very much, Your Highness." She takes another, larger drink and adds, "I must see about introducing this to my lord father's realm. We have no drinks like this there." Remembering her initial point, she smiles broadly and raises her bottle in a toast. "To our mutual growth, then!"
Sarracenia	Sarracenia's eyes widen. "Your people have not invented carbonated beverages?!" she says, then laughs and smiles. "I imagine there are many things in the Multiverse that your world and your people will want to experience." she says, then reaches into her satchel and pulls out...an entire six-pack! She hands it to Cordelay then clinks her bottle to Cordelay's. "To our mutual growth!" she says cheerfully.