She sat at Her Lord's right hand, back a little, but clearly visible. Her proper place. She wondered what the Lords would think of it. Many who were unfamiliar with Her Lord assumed that she was His wife. She wouldn't dare to dream of imposing upon the memory of Lord Inazuma's late wife, the Lady Yukiko.

The Lords however were very well acquainted with Lord Inazuma, Lord Shouki and Grand Lord Chouwa especially. The Grand Lord, head of all the estates, had known Inazuma when they were both children, and Lord Shouki had been close to Her Lord since adolescence, when They became acquainted at battle training sessions held at the Grand Lord's estates.

The receiving hall was filled with curious onlookers, from both the nobility and the lower class. She looked with sympathy at the peasants. She'd been one of them once. Only hard work and perserverance (and quite a few injuries) had gotten her where she was today.

And now she rather wished she was back with them.

Just for today.

Just for this fortnight.

Because she knew this would not be easy.

The Lords' entourages, Their servants, Champions, and Their best Knights, stopped before Lord Inazuma, and the Lords, including the Grand Lord, bowed before Him, although the Grand Lord merely inclined His head, rather than bowing from the waist as the rest of the Lords did.

Lord Inazuma was due this respect because He was hosting this conference. It was a yearly conference, and hadn't been at Lord Inazuma's estate for many years, mostly due to the fact that Her Lord had never had a proper chatelaine since the death of His Lady wife.

But now that He had finally hired a very skilled chatelaine, it was high time He offer to host the conference.

It would be just her luck that the year she finally made it to Lord's Champion was the year He would host.

No, that wasn't fair. As Lord's Champion, she'd have to accompany Him anyway. She was already sizing up the other Lords' Champions as she thought. No, it was better this way, actually. She was here, home, with a much better advantage than the rest of the Champions. She should count herself very lucky.

The other Champions were all male, of course. And suddenly she could feel eyes on her, and she looked, and the Lords were looking at her occasionally, as if trying to figure her out. This could not be good.

Lord Inazuma welcomed the Lords, and bid them not bow. "You are here as my guests. But I thank you for the respect that you have shown me in the past and are showing me now. My chatelaine, the Lady Dakota..." the Lords' eyes snapped to her curiously before returning to Her Lord, "will show you to your rooms."

They all hid their surprise very well when a different woman stepped forward with her helpers. She tried very hard not to laugh and managed it, although a smile crossed her lips.

"Before we go, Lord Inazuma, I was wondering something. Forgive my curiosity," Lord Shouki spoke up.

Lord Inazuma smiled at His friend. "Of course. What is on your mind?"

"Who would that be?" He nodded at her, which brought her smile to an abrupt end. She was now the very center of attention. "And where is your Champion?"

Lord Inazuma turned His head towards her as if to say, "Introduce yourself." She stood and started to bow before remembering she was wearing a dress. She managed to turn it into a curtsy.

"I am Kivrin, My Lord's Champion, Your Grace."

The Lords were stunned.

"Your Champion, Inazuma?" Grand Lord Chouwa asked. "Have you no decent Knights?"

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I fought for my place, and won it, against all of My Lord Inazuma's very best Knights." She tried not to sound put out. "I am as fit to be a Champion as any of Your men," she informed them, gaze sweeping briefly across all the Lords. She could not stay long on any one of them. It would be impertinent.

The Lords were not happy as it was. Lord Inazuma stepped forward. "This will be discussed in private." Turning to her, He ordered, "You will come to the Table in an hour. This will be discussed there."

She curtsied again and the Lords left, talking amongst themselves and amongst their extensive entourages.

The Table. The room where the Lords would sit and work out the problems and agreements for the next year. It was only right that the Lord's Champion be there. The Champion was not only the Lord's best warrior, but was often consulted for advice, especially in martial matters.

As she stalked back to her chambers, she decided to change clothes. She'd wear the proper clothing of a Champion now, make no mistake about That.

"Honestly, Inazuma. This...this...Woman, if such she can be called, as your Champion? Are you Insane?" Shouki asked, sipping his wine.

"Or are you just lusting after this girl?" Chouwa added, grinning, as he poured his own glass. It was nice not to have servants around ALL the time.

Yuukoo nodded. "She is quite fetching, if you like the type. She's got some spirit to her as well."

Chikaru nodded in agreement with Yuukoo but could not speak around the wine in his mouth.

Inazuma shook his head. "No, no, no. She told you the truth in the receiving room. She entered the Trials and beat all my men. It was incredible. She fights well, and her advice is sound."

Finally having his mouth clear to speak, Chikaru said, "Yes, well your estates are doing well this year, I see. And your manor hasn't looked this good since....in quite some time."

"THAT would be the Lady Dakota's doing, not the Lady Kivrin's," Inazuma reminded him. "But you are right on both counts. And I tell you now," he adressed all of them, "that that woman is the best Champion I've had to date. I pray to the gods that she remains Champion for years to come."

"Inazuma! Have you completely lost your senses?" Shouki asked him. "She's a WOMAN. I think Chouwa is correct on this. You're privately hoping to get this girl in the sack and are willing to just throw rank at her to keep her near you."

"I am not!" Inazuma slammed his goblet down on the table, sloshing wine onto his sleeve in the process. "I would NEVER do such a thing!"

Quietly, Yuukoo spoke around his own goblet. "Because Yukiko's memory prevents you?"

There was a silence you could hear, you could feel in your bones, like stifling humidity in the room. Inazuma slumped into a nearby chair and whispered, "Yukiko..."

Chouwa clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "She would not want you to suspend your life on her account. Inazuma, you are a man, and you have needs. We all know about those. If you need a woman in your bed, then take one. No one's talking about LOVE here, just...easing your own needs. And if you need one, there's no need to go about it in such a complicated manner. Giving rank to a woman is never a good idea. She'll start thinking she's a man's equal then..."

Inazuma shook his head. "I may have needs, and yes, it's been awhile, but I did not 'give' Lady Kivrin her rank. She fought for it, and won it, which shows her to be more than a man's equal at that, at least."

"She beat...what's his name? Your last Champion? That man was an OX," Shouki recalled.

Inazuma nodded weakly. "Yes. She did. She got behind him and struck a good blow on the thigh which dropped him to his knees. She got him in a choke hold and damn near killed him before he offered up his surrender. No, she's not as strong as he was, but she's a hell of a lot smarter, and faster too. She has fought off raiders and poachers on my estates numerous times, and although she and others have suffered injuries, all have always come back alive. No other Champion has accomplished that."

He ran a hand back through well-kempt azure locks. "Look, I know what it looks like, but I tell you, the facts bear it out. She won that rank honestly and she's damn good at what she does. Most of the time, I don't even think of her as a woman. I think of her...as my Champion."

The other four Lords looked at each other. Obviously they could not persuade him of his folly. They would simply have to show him. For his own good.

She strode with determination into the room. The Lords and the other Champions looked at her as though she were a DarkWorlder. She took her place with pride, standing behind Lord Inazuma's chair. She noted some of the other Champions were leaning against the wall. Disgraceful, in her opinion.

"Now that we're all here, let me repeat what I have told you all privately," He addressed the Lords. "Lady Kivrin is my Champion and is to be treated with the respect due that position and rank. Now I suggest we get down to proper business, hmm?"

The Lords nodded and the real point of the conference began.

They started with recounting last year's gains, yields, listing last year's raids and poaches, robberies, losses, and the like. She noted that Lord Inazuma had done comparatively well this year; even Grand Lord Chouwa could not boast so few battle deaths or so high a grain yield this year, and those were two areas at which he excelled. The manor's improved condition was entirely due to the chatelaine, Lady Dakota, of course, but Kivrin took some small pride in the knowledge that the rest of the estate had improved through her suggestions.

Lord Chikaru had not had a good year at all. Raiders were constant and extreme vigilance at all hours of the day and night was a necessity. Because of the need for protection, the plantings and harvest had not gone as smoothly as was needed. Men were needed for sentries, for guard posts, AND for working the fields. They simply couldn't be everywhere at once. Women could work the fields, to an extent, but they also had children to look after.

She cleared her throat, drawing attention. "If I might make a suggestion, Your Lordship?"

He looked at her blankly, as if the wall were talking to him. She frowned but continued. At least it was better than hostility. "The women with younger children can be sentries. The children can stay in the sentry towers with them. Send one of their slightly older sons up there with them. Those boys can relay messages; they're quick and eager to help protect in most cases.

"Those women whose children are old enough can work the fields, as can the older children themselves, and that should leave you with more than enough men to guard the manor and keep." She refrained from offering the surely outrageous suggestion that His Lordship train the women on how to fight.

"Sentry is not an easy position," Lord Yuukoo informed her, speaking as though to a child.

"It's not a hard one, Your Grace," she replied, fighting to keep the same tone out of her own voice. "I've held sentry position often enough, in peace and in battle. But I think if you give Your people, both men and women, young and old, a chance, You may be surprised at how willing they'll be to help in any way they can."

Lord Chikaru seemed thoughtful, but the other Lords frowned, obviously displeased by this.

One of the other Champions, Lord Shouki's, grunted. "All His Lordship of Rekka needs women for are to breed more men for his guards."

Kivrin narrowed her eyes at him. If it wasn't for this room, and this audience, she'd challenge him here and now. But that would not be wise. "One could argue that that is all one needs men for as well."

That had the Champions off the wall, standing upright and rather pissed. Kivrin closed her eyes and calmly pointed out, "If it angers YOU so much, why does it surprise you that it would anger me as well?"

One or two of them backed down, but Lord Shouki's and Lord Yuukoo's Champions were still belligerent. She ignored them in favor of the Lord of Rekka. "It is only a suggestion, of course. It is not my place to advise You, Lord." She bowed her head.

"It's not your place to be here at all," Lord Yuukoo's Champion growled. "It insults me to have to share a rank with you. Your place is either the kitchens or your husband's bed."

Lord Shouki's Champion chuckled lowly. "Or mine, if you wish." That elicited quiet, appreciative snickering from more than just the Champions in the room.

Kivrin went red, she saw red. Wisdom be damned. This boy was about to learn his lesson.

She stalked over to him, heedless of Lord Inazuma's warning voice.

"Any man who beds me must be of sound mind AND body." She looked him up and down and smirked as she added, "I don't think you're properly equipped."

"Why you little bitch...you'd do well to keep your tongue."

"Jinnai!" Lord Shouki barked at his Champion.

"Yes, Lord?"

"Outside."

The cretin smiled. "Yes, Lord."

Kivrin stalked out the door and headed for the nearest courtyard. She took up a stance as soon as she was a decent number of paces away.

The Lords and Champions gathered around. So did a few of the servants, who made it look as though they just happened to be working near the fight.

"Now you may teach her her place, Jinnai," Shouki granted.

"Thank you, Lord." And he attacked.

She wanted to laugh. He was a raging bull. Strong, yes, of course. The man had biceps the size of her head. But, as she ducked a blow easily, he was stupid and slow.

She ducked straight down and punched straight between his legs. He fell gasping and red-faced. She put her foot on his throat.

"Surrender."

He growled and threw her off of him, using only her foot as a hold. She hit the earth hard and made a mental note. Don't let him grab hold of me. That is the way this fight will end, and not with me as the victor.

He was charging again. She ducked and rolled between his spread legs. She toyed idly with the idea of kicking up as she went under, but she didn't want anyone to think that was her only resource. She came up behind him and put him in the choke hold that had bested a man about his size in the Trials. Everytime he tried to move, she tightened the hold, and jerked her arm up sharply. She kicked hard the sensitive spot on the back of his thigh to drop him to his knees and keep him there.

He tried to grab hold of her, but any movement made her tighten. Still he would not surrender. She felt his body sag and knew he was unconscious. She let go but caught hold of him and lowered him carefully to the ground. She dusted off her hands and clothes as Lord Shouki glowered at her.

Lord Inazuma, however, looked smug. He was talking with the other Lords; they were some distance away now and were keeping their voices low, so she couldn't overhear their conversation.

One of the other Champions, Lord Chikaru's she believed, came over to her. He was actually smiling. "Beautiful." She looked up at him, about ready to kick HIM. Now she was going to be HIT on? But before she could open her mouth, he added, "I've never seen a more BEAUTIFUL move. Right between his legs and then a choke hold before he even knew where you were. That hold was straight from the book too; perfect."

She smiled now, and received a wide grin. "Not that you aren't pretty cute yourself." She frowned in response and he held his hands up and backed away a bit. "Hey, hey, take it easy. I'll cut the personal compliments, okay?" He bowed to her. "I'm Sir Makoto, Lord Chikaru's Champion. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Kivrin."

"Thank you."

He straightened and then nodded at Lord Yuukoo's Champion, who seemed most displeased. "That's Yuusuke. Lord Yuukoo's man, but I think you know that."

"And I'm Han," came the final Champion, strolling over to them, grinning. "Trynna keep her to yourself, Makoto?"

"Hey, hey, watch yourself, Han. This one fights back, ne?" Makoto nodded over at the still unconscious Jinnai. Han laughed.

"Yeah, no shit man. Oh sorry."

Kivrin smiled reassuringly at him. "No shit indeed, Sir Han."

He and Makoto laughed again, before Makoto nudged Han. "Hey, look. They're headed back to the Table." He sighed and nodded at Han. "You wanna help me drag Jinnai's heavy ass back in there?"

"Nah. Let him wake up on his own. He can't do anything for Lord Shouki right now anyway, right?"

"Yeah good point. C'mon."

But Kivrin was already headed back inside. She was glad that not all the Champions were utter assholes. Yes, they hadn't believed she was capable of it, but having seen a demonstration, they had changed their minds. She liked them.

Inside, things were a bit different. Of course. Lord Inazuma's Champion has just beaten Lord Shouki's. For anyone else, that could mean a war of honor. Fortunately They're such good friends that They can remain allies. But have I damaged Their friendship?

Things were no longer so easy between the Lords as before. Between any of them. The remainder of the conference that day was divided between stern, tense reporting and uneasy silence. An even more unwieldy silence when Jinnai, having regained consciousness, returned and took his place behind Lord Shouki again, glaring at Kivrin all the while. She was glad when it was over, and fled with relief to the Knights' mess.

Here she was welcome. Hell, here she was In Charge.

She sat in her chair, back against one arm, legs kicked up over the other, a goblet of mead in one hand as she watched the fire flicker and listened to the guys kick it up.

The other Champions entered and were instantly surrounded by the other Knights, especially those who were competing in the Trials this year.

She wasn't surprised to find Makoto and Han headed her way. She smiled and bid them have a seat and some food. It wasn't long until the three of them were laughing like old friends, swapping stories and showing off scars. She had to help Han carry Makoto to his bed; he'd gotten a little too lost in the mead.

As she went off to her own bed, yawning, she wondered how she'd survive another thirteen days of this. Sleep kept her from finding an answer.

******