This was posted a couple of hours ago on the wrong account so I'm reposting it under the correct account, I would appreciate a reason if it gets taken down.

​

"Father! It's time for you to step down." Maria announced, "The citizens have gathered into a mob, and are headed here."

"It's not the first time. Everything will be fine." Seraph spoke with confidence.

"Daddy please." There was desperation in her voice. "Don't do this." She approached him, he had his back turned to her. Suddenly he spun around and she realized she'd made a mistake.

"Maria, I'm sorry." He spoke with no emotion as he swung the sword down onto her. Suddenly Maria saw Skarlet dash past her, Skarlet caught the blade with both hands, blood drizzled down her arms. Her hands weren't enough, the blade kept going and cut into her shoulder. She hissed in pain and her ears pressed against her head but clamped her hands down on the sword holding it in place.

The blade was dug deep into her shoulder, Skarlet winced in pain. The blade dug into the skin on her palms and blood dripped down her arms. Her shoulder burned like acid was poured on it. Her tail lashed back and forth in alarm and fear.

She couldn't really do anything else at this point, she could sense it though, death waiting hungrily. I can't draw any of my weapons and I can't let go of this sword. It's check.

Suddenly Skarlet felt a hand on her shoulder, she let go of the sword and was pulled back. Seraph struck the ground, Skarlet fell onto one knee, gasping. "Damn, go, get out of here girl." Skarlet ushered Maria to leave but she didn't, she stepped past Skarlet. Skarlet paused for a moment, watching as the young fourteen-year-old Maria, brandished a sword far too big for her.

Skarlet glanced over at the wall, the shield above the fireplace was missing two swords.

"Maria, you've never had sword training." Seraph warned, taking a stance. Skarlet noticed that it was a sloppy stance.

"Yeah and you're old, I think I'll be fine dad." Maria's voice trembled but she stepped forward anyway, she held the sword in a defensive position. I'm not ready for this, She thought, but raised her sword regardless. She felt her heart beating faster than normal, and the cold look in her father's eyes didn't help.

"Fine." He stepped forward and swung downward. Maria struggled to Avoid the swing, barely deflecting it with a weak swing of her own. I'm not strong enough to wield this sword, but he's not much better. Maria could see the sweat collecting on her father's face and his swings were only a little faster than her own.

Maria brought her sword around as her father struggled to lift his own. She barely missed as he side-stepped her, he was faster, bringing his sword around he dragged a cut through her arm. it burned, like ice-cold water.

"Ah!" Maria exclaimed stumbling, she pulled back, he smashed the sword down where she'd been moments before. The fire roared, painting their shadowy figures against the bookshelves in their slow deadly dance.

Maria circled her father, able to move her feet better than him, but her sword was slower. Surprisingly they balanced out, her father winced as she finally landed a hit, glancing off his lower arm.

She brought the sword back around to hit him in the leg when seemingly out of nowhere he kicked her legs, Maria stumbled and fell backward. Seraph's sword wasn't that far behind as it stabbed into the ground between her feet.

She scrambled backward, to her back was her father's desk. He approached quickly and swung a hard arcing strike from above. Maria avoided, rolling backward over the desk. He sliced open her thigh, and she hit the ground with a thud. Her chest hurt as the breath was knocked from her lungs and the desk was split in half. She gasped, pulling herself up, realizing they weren't as evenly matched as she originally thought.

Another burning cut sliced into her side, she stumbled back. Not used to the pain, he swung again forcing her to duck, she brought her own sword forward and sliced at his legs. He kicked outward, smashing his foot into her face. She tumbled backward smashing into the wall-length window, it cracked behind her.

"Maria! Hold on." Skarlet called, she'd tended to her wounds already and was trying to get up.

"No, I got this!" Maria exclaimed, standing up shakily. She held her sword once more, her confidence shaky, her sense of danger was screaming at her.

"I'm sorry Maria." Her father sounded at least a little sincere as he lifted his Sword overhead before swinging downward.

Maria stepped forward, her father's eyes widened, watching her sword slide against his. She slipped past him and his momentum brought him to the window. She slammed her sword through his back and through the window.

The momentum is too much, I'm going with him. She slipped over the edge, she twisted mid-air trying to find something to grab when relief swamped her. A hand grabbed her own and her descent stopped, she looked up to see Skarlet hanging from the window, her hand gripped Maria's. her ears twitched in what was either annoyance or relief, possibly both.

"That was stupid and reckless, and. . . Amazing." Skarlet sighed as she hoisted her up into the window.

Maria was in a lot of pain, "I-I've never been cut before." Maria gasped, wincing in pain. "I can't imagine getting stabbed, you deal with this every day?"

"I'm an adventurer, I get hurt often, it's guaranteed that I'd build up a pain tolerance." She sighed as she set Maria down, she placed her hands over the girl's wounds, she cast a healing spell. Maria sighed with relief, the pain subsided.

"Hahahaha-haha-ha." Maria laughed, a pained laugh.

"What?" Skarlet asked as she sat down beside the girl

"I'm the head now, I have full control over the Macuroll family and I won it in a sword duel." Maria exclaimed with relief, pain, sadness, and triumph swirling behind her green eyes. the emotions clashing violently, causing her eyes to appear far older than her eyes let on if only for a moment.