"Well, sweetheart? Did you miss me?"

Aelina's purple eyes and dark-red hair brought everything about the night he was defeated back to him. His heart ached in his chest, sending pain throughout his entire being.

"I see you're single again, then. Who is this with you?" Ansel gave all he had to refrain from breaking down.

What is wrong with me? Why do I feel this way, and why do I shake and tremble?

"Stop trying to change the subject, Ansel. I want you to fight for me the way you just fought for Sonya. I want you to be mine. You couldn't because of the other man, but now he is dead, so come after me-"

"No. I won't."

"Even if I let you have me for a night?" Aelina said, seductively.

"No, I still won't. I have a woman I love, and before I embark on my new journey, I want to marry her. No offer you make could ever overcome the way I feel for Sonya. If you try to stand in my way, I will kill you. I'm sorry, that's just how it goes, Aelina. That's what you get for breaking my heart." Ansel spouted, coldly.

"I guess that's where I step in." The other knight took his helmet off, and Ansel smiled.

"As I live and breathe! If it isn't the infamous Serele the Green! How's the life going? Are you missing your other eye? I gotta say, you must be desperate for revenge if you want to fight again."

Serele walked up and yanked Ansel's katana away from him, and snapped it in half. "I want to fight you hand to hand, you coward."

Ansel smirked. "I don't suppose orcs would have it any other way, huh?"

Serele threw a strong left hook into Ansel's cheek, and the impact made Ansel fly a couple feet backward. He landed on his back, and just barely escaped Serele's next assault. He rose to his feet and spit the salty blood out of his mouth.

"Hey, Sonya, is it? If Ansel wins this, I'm taking him away from you, and if he loses, I'm still taking him away from you. Sound good?" Aelina taunted.

Sonya jumped down from the stands and drew her sword. "I'm not letting you hurt Ansel again!"

Ansel roundhouse kicked Serele in the nose, breaking it and sending blood spewing down his face. "That was for Lady Reina."

"Oh, the lady who's son I killed happily?" Serele licked his blood and laughed wickedly. "You're next!"

Serele sent a flurry of punches that all landed in Ansel's abdomen, and Ansel fell over on his back again. Serele jumped on top of Ansel and started hammering his face with punches.

"You know, after I'm done with you, Aelina is going to kill your beloved Sonya and then we both will kill the Princess. Then, I'll take your body and let Aelina do whatever she wants with it."

"Hey, Serele! I'd prefer if he were still living, y'know!" Aelina shouted, and then sent Sonya flying into a stone pillar with a kick.

Serele pulled Ansel up by his hair and forced him to look at what Aelina was doing to Sonya. "Don't look now, but I think your wife is about to lose her life!"

Ansel was shattered inside at what he saw. Sonya was nearly beaten to a bloody pulp, with her nose and mouth both bleeding. she had purple bruises and cuts that went all up and down her body, and her clothes were torn. Ansel exploded from the inside with rage.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!" The golden light radiated from within Ansel's heart, and the irises of his eyes turned sky blue and his hair turned beach blonde. His wounds instantly healed, and he grabbed Serele's arm and broke it.

Serele dropped him and then screamed in pain as Ansel hammered him with a relentless assault. 

Aelina stared with amazement and gave Sonya enough opening for her to recover her blade and stab her through the eye. Aelina screamed in pain and ran away, holding her right eyesocket with her hand.

"I will return for you, Ansel! Count on that!" Aelina vanished as Ansel continued his assault on Serele.

"I yield, I yield!" Serele screamed, and then his eyes turned crimson.

"I show no mercy to the merciless!" Ansel picked up the hilt of his sword, and as Serele stood up, Ansel ran up his torso, backflipping off of Serele's chest and then he drove the hilt of his sword into Serele's heart.

Serele disappeared into darkness, and Ansel ran over to Sonya and knelt down and held her.

"Sonya, I'm so sorry that you got hurt! You didn't have to protect me-"

Sonya put a finger to his bloody face. "Love protects those it holds."

Ansel cried and then collapsed from exhaustion, and the last thing he heard was the crowd cheering wildly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 days later.......

Ansel stirred in a bed, waking up to see Sonya, fully healed.

"S-Sonya? Where are all of your wounds?" Ansel said, surprised that she had healed so quickly.

"Tesalia's magi are known for crafting really good healing potions, so I just drank some after you passed out. The Princess wanted it to stay dramatic, so she didn't want you waking up for a couple days. Although, they did give you something to heal your wounds, it didn't fully take the scars away from your face."

Ansel sat up and then hugged Sonya tightly. "I'm sorry for getting you hurt. I didn't want you to, but-"

"But nothing. She had the crimson eye thing that all those evil guys had, so whenever I beat her, she activated it. It healed her and then she over-powered me. It wasn't anything, love."

The warmth in Ansel's chest rose, and the room shone with sunlight.

"Where did that power that you have now come from, though? Your hair is back to normal."

"Normal?" Ansel asked, confused.

"Yeah. Your hair turned blonde and I saw you shrouded in light."

"I couldn't stand the sight of you getting hurt, and all I felt was an explosion in my heart- like I had enough. They broke my sword, though."

The door opened and Ansel saw the two princesses standing side by side.

"Oh, you're awake, just as I thought you would be. See, Sonya? I told you he would wake up in two days." The Princess of Tesalia said, teasing Sonya.

"I guess if this is what is the result of you awakening your bloodline's power, then we need to get you trained in a couple of days," Cecilia said, sitting on the bed next to his. 

"Well, first, they need to be married, Princess of Eos." The Princess of Tesalia's voice was playfully stern. "Lightsworn, you would be glad if you got married soon, right?"

"Uh... I guess so, milady." Ansel said, in a daze because he was still trying to wake up.

"Good, and you can call me Caroline, Lightsworn. You're getting married tomorrow night. Also, about your sword- local Tesalian legend states that the Ancient King's sword is stashed away in the depths of the Hopeless Heights. You will travel there immediately after your wedding."

"But, Lady Caroline, if I may," Ansel said, flustered, "could Sonya and I get a break from all this travelling and wedding stuff for a second? I mean, I've almost lost my life 14 days in a row, consecutively."

"Nonsense, Lightsworn. If anything, that should drive you to marry your love quicker. Also, since you defeated her husband-to-be, you must marry her immediately. If you do not, you will dishonor her and my court and be called a weakling in all of Tesalia. We make preparations for your wedding starting tonight. Report to the Palace Oratorium that is near the barracks to begin your preparations."

"Starting now? I just woke up-"

Sonya and Caroline both slapped Ansel on his hands. "You had better get prepared now, Ansel, because if you don't, I'll make you clean this whole castle." Lady Caroline said.

Ansel nodded, and jumped out of bed and stretched. "I'll do this only for you, Sonya."