En Garde at the Sparring Pits (Semi-Open)

Fiora had watched Shyvana intently, watching as the half-dragon shifted her left foot, putting more weight upon it. Fiora's eyes widened slightly as Shyvana leaped at her, gauntlet striking at her side. An enemy jumping..in a duel?

Ridiculous.

With a cry, Fiora sprang to the side, her body moving fluidly away from Shyvana's blow. It was as if she was liquid, melding herself out of harm's way. Her breath caught--the gauntlets were dangerous only if they hit her. As the Grand Duelist danced to the side, she steadied herself and lunged,the blow aimed at Shyvana's side,which would be exposed momentarily if Shyvana landed as predicted.

After successfully striking, Fiora darted nimbly back, her lips pursed. Shyvana was all brute strength, with little tact and poise. She blew a lock of hair lightly out of her face, exhaling slowly.

There was a moment when both champions surveyed each other. Fiora took that brief moment to silently bring her left hand behind her back. Suddenly, Shyvana resumed her attack, throwing a punch toward's Fiora's chest, flames crackling from her gauntlet. Quickly,Fiora's left hand went to the small of her back, expertly unsheathing her main-gauche and bringing it toward's Shyvana's blow, attempting to parry it by angling the blade so the gauntlet would glance off it away from her. Then, with her rapier in the other hand, she would aim at Shyvana's neckpiece, where the armor was less heavily plated.

Fiora cursed inwardly as her rapier slipped past Shyvana, missing the half-dragon. The hand holding the main-gauche throbbed slightly--Shyvana's gauntlets packed quite a punch. They were too brutal for her to properly parry, and that frustrated her.

As Shyvana swept her gauntlet towards Fiora's legs, the Duelist gave a cry and sprung backwards, this time much further away. Once balanced, she continued backing away, far from Shyvana's reach. The Duelist flourished her blade and readjusted her position and blew a strand of raven black hair out of her face.

'En garde!' she cried and moved, her legs becoming a blur. In two short dashes, she was upon Shyvana once more, rapier lunging outwards towards Shyvana. Very few duelists could dodge this approach, and Shyvana would most likely be forced to block this stab.

The crowd gasped as Fiora drew blood, but the Grand Duelist was too concentrated to notice. Quickly, Fiora realized that she had overextended slightly, and attempted to withdraw as smoothly as possible, knowing that she would not be able to take a direct hit from the Half-Dragon. But as she attempted to disengage, Shyvana's right gauntlet swept down, its metal teeth anchoring itself into the rapier.

Fiora snarled, her fingers gripping the main-gauche in her other hand tightly--but it was too late. The Half-Dragon had the rapier securely in her grasp.

The crowd may have let out a gasp, but the only reaction from Fiora was a pursing of the lips. Without hesitating to mourn for her blade, the Grand Duelist surrendered her grasp on it in order to weave away from the blow, leaving Shyvana's blow only grazing her cape.

"Pah," she spat, holding her hand out towards Adrien. Her brother, who had gasped along with the crowd, immediately went towards his own blade, intending to throw it towards his sister. But Adrien hesitated, hand on the hilt of his own rapier. Was it in the terms from the beginning of the match? He could not seem to remember. He turned to Lucas, eyes searching for an answer.

Fiora watched, coming to the same conclusion as her brother. Her weapon was broken; she did not care for the blade--it was one of many. But it meant that she was unfit to continue the fight. With a scowl, she sheathed her main-gauche. It was a parrying blade and therefore useless in duels by itself.

'I should've known better than to challenge zee Half-Dragon to a duel. Obviously you had to resort to destruction rather than disarming.'

The crowd murmured and someone shouted out, ‘Her blade was broken—and those were the terms!’ Adrien shot an angry look at the onlookers and directed his attention to Lucas, eyes narrow. ‘The half-dragon does not fight ‘onorably.’ he snarled, taking a step forward.

Fiora raised a hand, stopping Adrien in his tracks. Glancing at Shyvana, she smirked. ‘I may ‘ave lost this…so-called “duel”.’ she spoke softly, almost emotionless in her delivery. ‘But zis ‘as only proven ‘ow much of a brute you are, Shyvana. Eet was reckless was of you to challenge someone of a superior position, but to also resort to such uncouth techniques?’ The Grand Duelist snorted and threw away the hilt of her rapier. She did not care for it; there were plenty of rapiers back in Laurent Manor.

‘I think you might ‘ave proved more than you wished.’ she smirked, glancing at the onlookers. Some soldiers, perhaps one from families better off, had trouble disguising their appalled expressions. They all knew Shyvana could transform into a dragon---but to command that much strength even in human form? It was almost...monstrous.