Board Thread:What Would You Do?/@comment-32347114-20191220154424/@comment-44464716-20191220231637

"I'm sorry," I immediately blurt out, "I didn't know this place was inhabited. It did look abandoned from the outside."

As soon as that last phrase leaves my mouth, I regret it. I expect her to be furious with me for that, but instead she just glances around before shrugging.

"I guess. I barely use this place anyway" She notes, "It's hard to find good men in these parts, especially thanks to this blasted human war recently."

I notice that last part. Curious, I ask her, "You don't like this war?"

"Of course not!" She answers; more angry about my honest question than my remark about her house. "I train in the melee arts for the purity of the art... and finding men; I can't stand war. Too many die too young, and the oafs that start it don't lift a finger themselves."

"...I hear you," I tell her, "I learned to fight just for the fun of it, and for defence. I don't agree with any of the reasons for this war, and I fled here to avoid getting drafted. Can I stay for a little while?"

She just grins. "Alright. You can stay." She turns to walk away, but, after a couple steps, she abruptly stops and her tail stiffens. "Wait; you said you know how to fight?"

"I did," I answer. Immediately, she grabs two wooden practice swords from the rack on the wall and tosses one at me, and, as I fumble to grab it, she yells:

"Duel me! Now!"

Figuring it would be best not to disagree with the person hiding me from the military, I agree. We duel for a brief while. She's faster, stronger, and more experienced than I, and it's only a few minutes before I'm knocked to the ground.

"Huh," She laments as she stands above me. "And here I hoped I'd finally find a worthy opponent." However, When she brings her sword down to land the final blow, I shift to the side, and the power of her thrust drives the sword into the mud. I get up and, as she struggles to pull the blade out, I knock her into the ground and make a quick thrust to the chest.

"You- You beat me," She exclaims. "...Are you single?"

"Uh, yeah. Wait- what?" I stammer; completely confused. Before I can react, she leaps at me and sends me back onto the ground with her on top of me, and she kisses me.

"You beat me; you can have me," She explains, and it's only then that I remember what I once learned about Lizardmen marrying any man that can beat them in combat. I decide to go along with it. Best sparring session I ever had.