Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

".........." everyone looked at Raymond and then Leo, unable to understand why their master was looking at Raymond as if he had committed a felony! 

Something was not right there but before they could point it out, Raymond smiled and the spring arrived. His voice and nature was pleasing to the eyes of everyone among the knights.

"Of course, it had been days since we had spared last time. I would love to try fencing with you or cold combat, anything you might like!"  His words were carefree and his expressions were bright as if he could not see the death stare of Leo. that only made Evan narrowed his eyes at them.

'Are they enemies? Did the knights say that they were friends! Or is that the way of talking between the knights!' She was speculating if she could be the reason for their strange behavior when she saw Raymond smiling so brightly and her heart felt at ease.

She might be over thinking about the situation. But did it mean that she would see Leo wielding his sword? She had heard from many maids and staff that Leo was a magician when it comes to sword wielding.

Even the noble ladies who did not even like violence were mesmerized by his sword wielding!

"Close combat that is then." replied Leo curtly as he raised his eyebrow challenging the other man who nodded with the same calm smile, not a least bit affected by the cold look of his master.

All the other knights were silent as if only two of them were standing there.

They both took their stand and everyone else took several steps back to give them space while continuing to surround them.

"Why did the master suddenly want to fight with Sir Raymond?" asked a knight as he looked at them with uneasiness.

"Do not think too much. Master just wanted to hone the skills of Sir Raymond as he was praised too much!" said the one who just lost to Raymond.

"Ha! You are saying so because you lost to him. Sir Raymond never felt arrogant no matter how many times he had won! He even helped me in learning a new step of attacking yesterday. He is my hero!" spoke the only female knight standing among them. Stars could be seen forming in her eyes.

"Then could it be that he did not like that we talked to his future wife. She was standing beside Sir Raymond when the master came!" 

"Ssh, you will dishearten the lady. Master could not be that petty and cruel to her!" 

"What are the rules, master?" asked Raymond while looking at his friends. It was his way to tell them they do not talk further. Their voices were getting loud and the master could hear them.

They all pursued their lips as they looked at him with an embarrassed face.

"There are no rules except that one will not take the life of another." his eyes fell on confused Evan for a fleeting second before going back on Raymond who nodded his head in acceptance.

"Arden!" Arden cussed when he heard his name. He wanted to hide somewhere and disappear so that he would not be tormented by his master further who was going crazy these days.

If he was a cold statue before, he had turned into an indecisive man who didn't even know what he was going to do next moment. 

Weren't they here just to give a look and then would have checked all the armory and made a list to send to the royal palace!? Why was there a fight organized suddenly?

He took slow steps as he walked towards the center when everyone started staring at him.

"Yes, master." he bowed his head as he cried over his bad luck without tears!

"I want you to be the judge. If the other person did not stand after being attacked within a minute then he would lose. And the attack should not be severe enough to make another cripple or give serious injuries! And…" the list continued while everyone looked at them in horror.

"..."why did it feel like it was not a friendly match but a serious fight where there was a chance that Leo could Raymond. That was why he was making so many rules!?

"Yes, my lord." even Arden gulped and looked at Raymond with sympathy when Leo stopped talking. But there was not even a flicker of worry on the face of Raymond. If any, he seems to be enjoying the cold glared of Leo with that bright expression of his.

"My lady, you should come and sit with us. The proximity is too close to the combat area." The knight who was talking to Evan from the start came closer to her and offered her a seat at a far away area.

Evan was still lost in hearing the rules. Even she felt that the matter was a bit severe even if it was part of the training. She turned to look at the knight who was looking worried too but nodded her head silently as she did not want to create trouble for others.

She did not know why but she had a feeling that she was responsible for the match. Could it be that Leo did not like how she asked for equality for the knights? But why? He was normally impartial when it came to man and woman and never mistreated her.

She walked slowly behind the knights while lost in her thoughts and sat after bowing her head to the man gratefully who only looked embarrassed by her act.

Arden looked at his master for one last time and sighed when his expressions did not change and announced,

"Then let us start!"

Just the words left the mouth of Arden, the smile on the face of Raymond vanished as if it was never there and cold bloodlust filled his eyes. Without waiting for a second, he took a turn and gave a roundhouse kick to Leo on his abdomen.