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"When you're ready," Caranthir said, looking from one participant to the other.

Both of them nodded, and Caranthir stepped quickly out of the way. "Go!"

The lieutenant hesitated just a moment, adjusting his grip on his staff, which told Alassëa all that she needed to know. Still, she waited for him to make the first move. It took him a few seconds, but eventually he did: taking advantage of her weak grip on the staff, he attempted simply to knock it from her grasp.

Alassëa used one foot to kick her staff up into a more usable position for her and in the same movement, rapped him on his knuckles and used the rebound to whack him solidly over the head. He was so surprised by this that she even had time to whirl about and deal him a powerful blow to the back of his head, which knocked him to his knees, sending his staff clattering to the ground.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd as the lieutenant grabbed his staff back and lumbered to his feet. His eyes were fixed on Alassëa, who had stepped back and was waiting, one ear tilted slightly towards him, waiting for his next move.

Jess and Aranxia were impressed.

"She's just as good as you said," Jess murmured to River.

River just grinned, her eyes fixed on the two in the circle.

The lieutenant circled Alassëa slowly, poking at her cautiously every few seconds, testing her reactions, and Alassëa countered his every move, following his movements and countering his weak attacks.

Suddenly he thrust his staff at Alassëa's foot, clearly trying to surprise her, but she whipped her foot out of the way just in time and used the momentum to whirl around again and jab her staff into the man's stomach. She didn't let up this time, though: she whirled her staff forward quickly to hit the man between the legs. He countered the blow desperately, swinging his staff downwards to block the strike, but it left his face open and, since her staff would not help her in time, Alassëa reached up with her elbow, catching him in the jaw. Since he was so much taller than her, it was little more than a glancing blow, and he used the moment in which she was slightly off balance to push forward with his staff against her back and shove her away.

There was a collective "Oooooooh," from the crowd; it seemed that Alassëa had already won the sympathy of the people, if nothing else.

Alassëa stumbled but she caught her balance just in time to keep from falling over. Randir didn't let up, though: he had already made the mistake of taking it easy on her. He moved forward in a flurry of attacks, but Alassëa managed to block all of them. His strength was such that she could not counter them, however, and she was pushed back farther and farther, closer and closer towards the crowd.

Her falcon was growing more and more agitated, and finally it started circling above the two. It let out a screech and dove towards the lieutenant - but just before it struck him, Alassëa thrust forward with her staff, knocking the bird off course and saving the lieutenant from a nasty wound. Unfortunately, it also left her open to his attack, and she took his staff straight in the face. There was a loud crack, and she fell back with a cry against the crowd behind her.

Nor was Miyuki the only person to shout Alassëa's name. Aethos was being held back by Wren and Aerin, though he was straining against them and looking very much as though he wanted nothing more than to run to his fiancée's side.

The lieutenant stepped back after Alassëa fell and allowed her to get back to her feet. Her nose was bleeding, but there was a look of intense concentration on her face. She was absolutely determined not to let the hit stop her, even if she had taken the hit while protecting the man who had hit her. She wiped her nose with her sleeve and shook her head to clear it.

After a moment, Randir attacked her again, but this time Alassëa was just the slightest bit faster than him: instead of blocking the blow, she sidestepped it and, holding her staff like a baseball bat, swung it with all her strength. It caught the lieutenant just below the ear. His fingers loosened, his staff clattered to the ground, and he fell like a rock to the ground.

There was dead silence all around, and Alassëa, unsure whether or not the man was still in the fight, stood in a defensive posture, muscles taut.

River and Jess were craning their necks to see. "I can't tell," River muttered in annoyance.

Not far from where Alassëa now stood, Aethos finally broke from from Wren and Aerin and ran towards Alassëa. He was worried about her - that had been quite the hit she had taken, and straight to the face!

As it turned out, it was not a bright idea.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Alassëa turned and swung her staff once more, hitting Aethos in the shoulder and sending him flying. Before he hit the ground, however, her expression had turned anxious. She had sensed that the person she had hit that time was not the same person whom she had been fighting.

When Aethos hit the ground, there was another gasp from the crowd, this one a gasp of sheer disbelief. Had she actually hit Aethos-sola, the man who no one ever dared touch?

"Our winner!" Caranthir declared loudly, not daring to wait any longer to see if the lieutenant would be getting up again.

The crowd didn't seem to know what to do. Some of them cheered, whilst others looked onwards to see what would become of Alassëa after her attack on Aethos.

Alassëa hurried to Aethos's side, tossing her staff aside and running her hands over him.

"I'm so sorry," she said anxiously. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes," Aethos replied, sounding even more worried than her. "But you - your face ..."

Alassëa reached up and touched her blood-covered nose. "I think it broke," she said uncertainly, "but if it did, it's healed now. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Which of course didn't make the blood that covered her face and sleeve look any better.

"Wow!" Jess exclaimed, eyes bright as the others caught up with them. "That was amazing! Way to go, Alassëa!"

Alassëa nodded, though her attention was now on Aethos' shoulder.

"I always have," she said absently, her fingers moving slowly over Aethos' shoulder. Soon enough, she found what she was looking for, and a look of concentration came over her face.

After a few moments, Aethos relaxed. "Thank you," he murmured.

Alassëa whacked him upside the head with her open palm. "Next time don't run in in the middle of a fight," she lectured him angrily. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

Aethos looked well and truly cowed, and he nodded meekly. "Yes, dear," he said sheepishly.

Alassëa blinked and rose again, turning towards Miyuki's voice. "Speaking of fine," she said, sounding slightly worried, "how is the lieutenant?"

Aethos pushed himself to his feet and took Alassëa's arm. "This way," he murmured, leading her to where the other man was still lying motionless on the ground.