Chapter 8

Dusty didn't remember much of what happened the rest of the day.

He knew that he won but he didn't remember how he did it.

Mark later asked him how he did a flip like that so that he hit the man in the back of the neck to knock him out, but Dusty couldn't have told him what he did or how he did it. Dusty just grunted and looked off into the distance.

The only thing that was burned into his eyes right then was his wife's lips on another man and how much he wondered if she seemed to enjoy it and why she didn't fighting to get away.

This triggered flash back of Lindsey and Chad at the nightclub and Dusty was a walking zombie the whole time as he relived the horror of that event.

Lori tried many times to talk to him and explain that it wasn't her fault, she didn't go looking for that and Suzan was the victim of what happened, but Dusty just nodded without saying anything and appeared to be looking through her as well. His mind was totally elsewhere and as she started to see it she stopped trying.

She for her part too was a little peeved that Suzan didn't try harder to fight him off.

Suzan for her part didn't speak to him and recognized the haunted look as the same one he had the morning he told her in such a quiet voice about his past with Lindsey when they first met.

Suddenly, even though it wasn't really her fault, she felt so guilty about what happened because of how badly he was now hurting. She had always said that she would never put him in the same situation or hurt Dusty like Lindsey did, and yet she still allowed for this to happen by not paying better attention.

Her mind couldn't wrap itself around why she just didn't push him away when she had the chance if she had then Dusty wouldn't be so upset now.

Dusty couldn't have told anyone what happened after the kiss, and chose to skip dinner and turn in as soon as his fight was over and he could get away from everyone. He left the festival well before anyone else and was already in bed when Suzan later came to the room.

Later that night Suzan tried to snuggle up to him but he didn't move. She could see from the low light that he was just staring at the ceiling and not doing anything else. All her questions to him got monosyllable answers.

As she lay in bed with him she decided she wouldn't cry because she didn't really believe that she did anything wrong other than not pushing him away, she hadn't gone looking for this to happen or done anything to make him believe it was something she wanted, but the tears still burned her eyes when she looked over at her husband and she knew what he was re-living.

The next morning was a change in Dusty.

He decided last night he was done moping around and tried to get past what happened.

Intellectually Dusty knew it wasn't Suzan's fault, she didn't ask for what happened, nor did she go giving him the impression it as ok to do to her, but it was just that emotionally he was hurting and beating his mind into believing it would be alright.

The only sticking point was that instead of pushing him away when he started she let him be the one to end the kiss and hung on for the ride right in front of him. That was what was holding him back from getting over it so quickly.

Dusty greeted everyone for breakfast and smiled at everyone.

The only stickler was when Suzan went to kiss him he quickly kissed her lips and pulled back keeping it a very brief kiss. She was shocked and hoped that he was over what happened by how he was acting, but now realized it was too much to hope for so soon.

Lori also noticed what happened, but hoped Dusty could find away to put it behind him.

As much as Dusty's actions bothered her, because Suzan was her friend long before he was, she sided with her.

Yet she had to admit that if it was Mark, and an attractive women had done that to him and he hadn't made her quit, she wouldn't be talking to him for almost a month and sex would certainly be off the table for the far flung foreseeable future.

They started early off for the Festival because the fights would take place in the morning and after lunch would be the awards ceremony for the winners of the other events and those who placed in the top five for this one.

Rachel again won easily and made it to the fight in quarter-finals of her bracket.

Daniel, as the current champion, was still having an easy time rising from the bottom of Rachel's bracket and was to be her next opponent in the quarter finals.

She had been closely watching all of his fights from day one and Rachel was dazzled and amazed by him. Anyone able to swing around that huge sword so easily one handed was impressive. Anyone watching her could see that he had totally captured her whole mind and soul.

His fighting style was a mix of unarmed combat and sword craft. He fought left handed with his sword and used his right hand to strike as well as use kicks, and it gave most of his opponents a lot of trouble. Rachel, as well as the others, could see why he was the current champ.

None of his fights lasted more than a couple minutes.

All too soon Rachel realized it was her turn again and she realized that this time she would be fighting Daniel. That made her both happy and nervous.

Entering the ring Rachel stood and waited for Daniel to enter. As he entered Daniel smiled at her and bowed.

"I'm not going for the cheap tricks Joseph used to win yesterday against your friend. You are a talented fighter. You've reached this point because you are quite good. I will not dishonor you by not giving it my all," said Daniel with a smile.

"You are an impressive fighter as well and I wouldn't have it any other way," said Rachel as she smiled back.

Daniel didn't want to admit it but he was happy. He hadn't felt this excited to face a woman since he could ever remember. Watching her matches so far put a fire in him that he had never felt before watching a woman before.

As the official called the start to the match, Rachel and Daniel rushed forward into the fight.

The ringing of their blades could be heard through out the arena and well beyond.

At one point Daniel threw an overhead kick at Rachel, but she stepped to the side, and as he missed she threw a savage elbow at his throat as she threw her sword arm at him that held her sword that had missed its mark earlier.

Catching her elbow with his free hand Daniel changed his missed kick into a high knee and tried to hit her in her side with it.

But since it didn't start from the ground, turning and leaning in to it, Rachel was also able to do a short jump away from him while raising her own knee to take all the power out of the blow to her side so that it didn't hurt at all and she barely felt it.

Breaking free they stood back and appraised each other.

Like a pair of lions they walked around, circling each other before they again leaped forward to meet blades ringing.

The crowd grew quiet and seemed captivated.

The brown haired beauty appeared to be holding her own against the current Champion. Every time they exchanged blows for a few moments and backed off to take the others measure, the crowd cheered. They traded blows and for every attack one of them got through the other had an answering strike for it a second later.

The match seemed to go on and on, but in reality it was only twenty minutes tops.

But as good as Rachel was she was starting to grow tired.

She knew it was only a matter of time before she made a costly mistake. Taking his blows and trying to get out of the way of the major ones she couldn't block was starting to take its toll on her. While she did get in a few good hits and kicks herself, they certainly didn't have the same power that his did.

That is why when they did another exchange of blows, and Rachel, who was now growing tired, fell for a feint and tried to capitalize on it by trapping his blade. But as she grabbed his sword and free arm while he was holding hers Daniel, using a thrust kick while the blades were entangled, sent Rachel flying out of the Ring backwards.

Thankfully she didn't hit her head, but she did injure her pride and her butt as she landed.

As the announcer announced a ring out, Daniel came to the edge, hopped down and extended a hand to Rachel.

"If I can be so bold, what is your name?" asked a sweating Daniel with a large smile as he pulled her to her feet.

"Rachel. Rachel Talbert," said a winded but sweaty Rachel with a large smile of her own.

"Rachel Talbert. That is a name I'm not likely going to forget and will remember for a very long time. Once we are done here we need to get to know each other a little better Madame Talbert, maybe over dinner?" asked Daniel with a genuine smile that Rachel could feel came from the heart.

Suddenly remembering what the older lady said at the tavern earlier about her always waiting for men to make the first move, and before she realized it, she leaned in, put her arms around him, and kissed him.

Before long the crowed started to "Awwww" as long as the kiss went on. Well the men and older married ladies did, all the single women scowled and booed.

Daniel, before he realized it dropped his sword and put both his arms around her and pulled her close as he returned the kiss. Jolene, from her seat just smiled and nodded as she along with everyone else watched. She knew this girl was the right one the moment she saw her.

Soon as the kiss was broken Rachel leaned back and smiled a bright smile at him and he was sure he had never seen anyone who was prettier than she was right at that moment all sweaty with her hair glued to her head.