Stolen Heir

Chapter 4

Armored in grey metal plate over a quilted tunic of white leather. Her armored skirts, greaves, boots, gauntlet, and braces personally created and crafted by Bennard to fit her bodice, designed with wolves – a sigil of their house. He grabbed the helmet and handed it to Celine, her armor clinked softly when she moved, only her head was bare.

Celine looked at her older brother and smiled. Bennard took a step forward, placed a hand on her cheek, and rested his forehead to hers, which Celine did and closed her eyes. Finding comfort from the radiating warmth coming from her older brother.

"Be careful." Bennard mumbled.

"Can't promise you that." Celine replied, mischievously.

Bennard glared at Celine, only earning a chuckle from her.

"Why don't we make a bet?" Celine proposed, raising her eyebrow.

Bennard scoffed and took a step backward, shaking his head, "Will that benefit me?" He asked.

Celine hummed, pondering what she'll say to him, "I think so...?" She answered, shrugging her shoulders.

He laughed, finding his younger sister adorable, "Okay, let's hear it, then." Celine immediately grinned hearing his answer and placed a hand under her chin.

"If I win and be announced as champion. You will do everything I will command you to do." Celine said.

Bennard furrowed his eyebrows, thinking whether to accept it or not, "Why do I think that this is a trap of yours." He mumbled, Celine rolled her eyes, "Okay. And if you'll lose. You'll get to do everything I will say." He added.

Celine grins and loops her hand to his arms, they both walk outside her chambers and go towards where the tournament will be held.

Bennard personally accompanied his younger sister to the tent where contestants waited for the tournament to start.

Stopping just at the entrance, Bennard turned towards Celine and placed a kiss on her forehead, a sign of good luck to her. Celine smiled and hugged him. Bennard then nodded his head and left.

Turning towards the tent. Her hands and feet began to sweat, she exhaled a breath and went inside. Holding her helmet, everyone turned towards her and received disapproval looks as soon as they identified that she was a woman.

Ignoring their burning gazes towards her, she sat down and placed her helmet beside her and crossed her legs and arms across her armored chest as she joined them to wait.

Three men stood in front of her, a smug smirk plastered on their faces, their lust filled eyes roam to her body, one shamelessly ran his thumb on his lips and bit it, Celine coldly looked at them.

"I think you entered the wrong tent, beautiful. My room however is close."

"My room is the closest, maybe that's where you meant to go."

"My bed is the warmest, we can go there right now and prove it to you."

A smirk slowly formed on her lips as she uncrossed her legs and looked at them through her lashes, the three of them misunderstood this as their smiles blossomed, maliciously.

"May I know your names, kind sers?" Celine asked.

"Ser Cadel of House Cole."

"Ser Evander of House Tyrell."

"Ser Igor of House Lannister."

Celine nodded her head, remembering their names and faces.

"The tournament will start soon. I'm sure we don't want to be late, right?" She asked, sweetly smiling at them.

"Sure, darling."

"But we can after this, right, little dove?"

Celine hummed, "Let's see." She replied as they heard the sound of the trumpet indicating the start of the tournament.

The three men left her alone to prepare themselves. As soon as they turned around, Celine menacingly grinned at them, mentally putting a red dot on their heads. Her first three targets she'll happily eliminate.

Celine stood up and wore her helmet, resting her hand on top of her sword. A voice from the outside was heard, it was a man's voice. With the introduction of each contender, the crowd went ballistic, the number of knights inside the tent dwindled down, the roaring of the claps, shouts, and cheers from the crowd can be heard thundering throughout the arena.

The crowd grew intense, an obvious sign from their continuous cheer of how they're growing impatient, that they could not wait for the tournament to start. Celine was the only one standing inside, she closed her eyes waiting for her name to be called.

"And the last one to compete. Lady Celine of House Stark."

Upon the announcement of her name, she opened her eyes and slowly pushed the flap to the side. The crowd instantly goes silent, silent enough that you can hear a pin drop to the ground. She held her head high and walked towards the circular platform where a total of 30 knights stood.

Arriving at her destined position, Celine quickly finds her older brother and as soon as she locks eyes with him, she smirks. Gone was her nervousness and only replaced with a drive to win the tournament especially their bet.

She gave him a wink, seeing how her brother's shoulder shook, imagining him chuckling at her. She turned her attention back to the man giving instructions.

"The rules are simple. You are to simply knock your opponent out of the ring. Throw them out, push them out. The remaining four will move to the finals. And the one who will remain will be declared champion."

The silent crowd were once again thundering with claps and cheers.

"Let the tournament begin!"

Everyone immediately moved, knocking every knight they could. Grunts and groans can be heard around.

"I'm going to win this time."

"That's my line."

Metal clashed as chaos started. She approached the two knights and sent each one of them a kick enough for the both of them to stumble out of the ring.

Celine smiled at them only receiving glares as they begrudgingly accepted their defeat. A hand on her shoulder caught her attention.

"I think it's time for you to go home and be a lady."

Celine turned around, tightly gripped his breast plate, flipped him around and kicked him, he landed outside the ring with a groan.

The tournament started to go brutal, seeing everyone with mashed faces, blood splattered everywhere. Celine moved her eyes to find her targets, the three of them doing very fine. Killing every knight who attacked them. Celine slithered her way to her first target from the House Cole, Ser Cadel. The man's eyes lit up with lust as he saw her moving towards him.

"Ah, here to accept the offer?" He asked, seductively, and took a step forward.

"I'm here to win." Celine replied and kicked his crotch, he doubled over in pain, she unsheathed her dagger and swiftly slit his throat, "And to kill you might I add." She added and stood up, kicking his dying body out of the ring, "Your mistake to ran that mouth in front of me." Celine whispered.

Moving to her next target from House Tyrell, Ser Evander. His body almost doubled on Celine, but she didn't mind and stalked behind him as she saw how he killed every knight by breaking every bone and throwing them outside the ring.

"Hey." Celine called, without batting an eye she slit his throat, blood splattering her armor. He kneeled down, placed his hand on his throat, putting pressure to stop the blood. Celine hummed, satisfied at what she did and kicked his body out of the ring. She looked around and saw only 4 knights standing, including herself.

The man announced the remaining knights and ordered them to stand side by side, he held a goblet with wooden sticks inside it.

"The first round will be fought between contestants who draw the same number."

He began to approach each one of them and let them take one. Celine took the last one, flipping it over, a number 2 was engraved in it.