35. Winning streak

Shirleen stood at the balcony of the hotel suite Angela had booked for them in advance. She occupied the VVIP rooms at the very top floor of the hotel comprising of the whole floor. She could see the lights that glittered for as far as she could see. She had not expected the queen's capital to look like a city out of a fairy tale. The architectural design of the city itself was old but the buildings inside were updated. The streets were cobbled instead of tarmacked and relatively clean compared to what she had imagined. There was no chaos like she had thought there would be and the docks were filled with luxurious yachts and boats. The capital occupied the whole island and the security controlling the in and out traffic via the ocean and the airlines was impressive indeed. Only private jets or aircrafts were allowed to land within the only airstrip and everyone else who wished to gain access to the capital came by boat or ships from one of the other islands located very far away from the queen's capital. The security was indeed very serious when it came to any access to the queen's capital which by the way was the size of a small country. The queen's capital was simply marvellous and everything that was being sold within it was either stolen, smuggled or a replica of the original which you couldn't differentiate in the first place. "The tournament will begin early tomorrow. You need rest," Stacey said approaching her on the balcony. Shirleen turned to look at the woman she had once despised. Stacey had been nothing but kind throughout their forced companionship and that simple fact had thrown her into a loop.

"You must be really scared of Adrian to have been this kind to me," Shirleen observed.

Stacey smiled coldly, "Your boyfriend is the most ruthless bastard in our continent. Sometimes I wonder if you are too stupid to realise, he is psychotic or just too courageous to think you can tame him."

"He can never hurt me," Shirleen said laughing out loud, "No one can tame him not even me. I adore him just the way he is and he knows it."

"Well I sincerely hope so because the stories I have heard about the dragon heir will frighten even the most capable man," Stacey replied leaning over the railing on the balcony. "But he is not the person who frightens me most," she added in a whisper.

"I don't care about what he has done. What matters is that he is mine and will remain that way until the end of my days," Shirleen replied looking back into the city. "Do you think Angela will tell me where my mother is buried when I win and become queen?" she asked softly. Stacey was quite for a while and turned to look at the girl who had caused her mistress the most pain in this lifetime.

"Tell me what would you do if you found out that Adrian has never loved you? That all he has been doing was use you to be able to live with the woman he loved?" Stacey asked. The first thought that came to Shirleen's mind was 'show him the same pain he had put her through' but she couldn't say it out loud because that would put her in the same exact position Angela has found herself in. Stacey didn't need to hear her answer instead she said, "Exactly." Shirleen couldn't find a word to articulate anything instead she remained silent. "Go to sleep you have a big day tomorrow," Stacey said sympathetically.

The next day dawned and Shirleen made her way to the arena in the middle of the capital with both scimitar's strapped to her back. Just like Angela had promised they had arrived a week before giving her a chance to practice and get used to them before the fight. Adrian had whole heartedly approved with Angela and her advice thus giving her the courage to go on. She wore blood red tights, black knee-high leather boots, blood red leather top with leather blood red vambraces around her lower arms and her popular silver mask. She had no idea what Stacey gave her to mask the pain around her still healing ribs but she did not feel the pain. Stacey had assured her it was not anything illegal and couldn't be detected during the physical examination before the tournament. At first, she had not believed her until she got a call from Adrian who assured her it was something from one of his medical labs that would ensure the pain of her previous injuries was masked and dulled until after the fight. Anyone who was found using drugs to enhance their strength was automatically disqualified but that rule did not include drugs to mask pain of previous injuries so she was technically not cheating. The fight began when the queen arrived and just like Angela had predicted they banded against her almost immediately. With Angela's training still in mind she managed to separate the two and wound one badly and by badly she meant she put her sword through her waist not killing her but putting her out of commission ensuring she was taken out of the arena before she bled to death. She turned to look at her remaining opponent and smiled a wicked smile. Her remaining opponent was strong but unfortunately lacked her experience in an actual fight like Shirleen was used to when it came to the martial arts cage matches she attended. They gave her the idea of how easy it was to die in a ring giving her experience and determination. The fight was long and brutal but at the end of it she won. She stood in the middle of the arena shocked beyond words when her opponent fell down unconscious but not dead. All she heard was the shouts that filled the arena of the people who had paid to watch the fight. She felt like she had been transported back to history when gladiator games were the norm during the time of the Caesars in Rome. She raised her swords high and the crowd went wild. Her smile appeared on her lips in response, she was the final contestant against the queen and she was one step away from being able to avenge herself against her enemy, Angela.