"May the victor approach the place of honor to receive Ascalon from His Holiness!"
Maxi finally let out the breath she had been holding. Despite her best efforts to appear composed, she could not stop trembling.
"Are you all right, my lady?" Gabel asked, looking concerned.
Maxi nodded, her eyes still fixed on Riftan. She was torn between the urge to hit him or pull him into a crushing embrace. Her body practically ached with the desire to run to the arena and check him over thoroughly.
As her husband ascended to the place of honor, where the monarchs of each kingdom sat, a man in a purple robe declared, "Remove your helmet and pay obeisance!"
Riftan removed his helmet, revealing a face as cold and hard as steel, cast in a pale gray shadow. The noblewomen around Maxi gasped in awe, and she immediately understood why. He embodied the very essence of a knight.
After passing his helmet to a servant, Riftan got down on one knee before the seven thrones. As the roaring cheers in the stadium subsided, the pope, dressed in a snow-white cassock and golden mozzetta, slowly stood.
"Raise your head."
Riftan looked up at God's earthly representative.
“Not only have you impressed us with your unrivaled swordsmanship, but you have also shown the true spirit of chivalry,” the pope said in a gentle, yet commanding voice. “You have proven yourself worthy of the holy sword before everyone here.”
Maxi swallowed, feeling her mouth go dry.
The pope swept his gaze over the spectators, then signaled to a cleric in a somber black habit standing behind him. The cleric approached Riftan, carrying a chest about two kevvettes in size.
"You have valiantly proven yourself, Riftan Calyspe. I shall now bestow upon you the holy sword as promised."
As soon as the pope finished speaking, the cleric lowered the iron-framed chest before Riftan and opened the lid. Maxi craned her neck forward. Though the distance made it difficult to make anything out clearly, she could see what looked like a worn hilt resting on crimson satin. Riftan peered at the quite ordinary-looking relic before reaching toward it.
Maxi tensed. Was he intending to test the legend? A hush fell over the stadium.
In this breathless quiet, Riftan grasped the edge of the chest. Maxi heard someone gulp loudly.
A faint light emanated from the chest. Or was she imagining it? She widened her eyes, trying to confirm if what she was seeing was real.
Then, in a swift motion, Riftan closed the chest lid. The audience, previously waiting with bated breaths, began to buzz with murmurs. Paying no mind to the reaction, Riftan offered the chest back to the pope.
"Your Holiness, being deemed worthy of the holy sword is honor enough," he said in a calm voice that bordered on indifference.
The murmurs grew louder. Though his statement was respectful, it was a clear refusal.
Glancing around, Maxi saw disappointment etched on many faces. Some even sneered, suggesting Riftan was too scared to test the legend.
Maxi did not dare to blink as she watched him approach. As he stopped near the top of the stairs, the spectators collectively held their breath. This was the most important moment in a knight's life, and no one was fool enough to interrupt.
Riftan crouched on one knee before her. Soon, he began to speak the sacred words of the oath a knight could only pledge once in his life.
"I place my head at the feet of my king,
My body on the dirt of the battlefield,
And my heart in the palm of your hand."
Maxi's hand flew to her mouth, covering her trembling lips. Riftan looked up at her, and in his warm eyes, now free of all pain, anxiety, and troubles, Maxi saw her reflection. It was those eyes that made her feel like the noblest of women.
In a low but resolute voice, Riftan recited the last verse of the geas.
"My honorable lady,
Will you grant me the honor of becoming your knight?"
Maxi blinked. Though she wanted to offer him an elegant smile like the princesses and the ballads, it was impossible.
Tears blurred her vision, spilling over her cheeks. The desire to embrace him and sob like a child was overwhelming, But she restrained herself in the presence of the world's greatest knight. With immense effort, she willed her shaking legs to stand.
"I-"
Her voice broke so pitifully that she paused. She bunched her skirt in her fist, determined not to ruin this moment. She would not allow it. Gathering her strength, she lifted her head high, cleared her throat, and spoke with newfound clarity.
"I gladly grant you the honor."
Thunderous cheers shook the stadium. Maxi gazed down at her husband, her eyes shimmering with emotion. His shone with pure joy.
She could not hold back anymore. Leaning forward, she wound her arms around his neck. His laughter mingled with the deluge of fervent cheers and blessings. Dizzy with happiness, Maxi squeezed her eyes shut.
Flashes of their journey together raced through her mind - from the day he arrived at Croyso Castle to lead her into the world, through their tranquil days at Calypse Castle, her quest to join him on the battlefield, their heartbreaking separation, and their passionate reunion three years later. Their love now was stronger than ever.
Looking up to meet his eyes, a fiery joy surged from the depths of her heart. In that moment, she realized she had been put on this earth to meet this person.
I was born to love this man.
She pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss - her knight, whom she had waited so long for.
His beautiful eyes shone with even greater intensity. Those eyes, she knew, would be etched in her memory until the end of time.