My Fiancé Is The Duke's Disgraced Daughter

Ever since Kenric Wulf had injured his leg in battle, every healer, magical or otherwise, had said the same thing: it could never be fully healed. The best he could make of the situation was that he could use it for a short while before it collapsed. It took time and rest to heal it to a point where he could once again use it to its full capacity for a limited time.

So, Elizabeth Filangris' claim that she had a solution for it was a laughable notion at best. However—

"How?"

—Kenric was a man who refused to deny people their chance. If someone claimed something, then he would give them the opportunity to prove themselves.

Elizabeth hesitated, but then she squared her shoulders and stepped forward, "To be clear, I cannot heal your leg. If it hasn't been healed by now, then it is beyond my ability to heal. But you said last night that your problem was that you can't train. You said that your skills would deteriorate, and your enemies would surpass you one day. I believe I can do something about that."

"And that something is?"

"I can put your leg in a stasis of sorts," Elizabeth explained, "So long as I'm here and casting my magic, you can use your leg without it deteriorating." She looked nervous, like she wasn't sure what his reception would be, like he might even be angry that it wasn't the perfect solution he had been hoping for.

And it wasn't a perfect solution, but it was better than what he could do now, and that was worth trying.

"Show me," Kenric ordered.

Elizabeth blinked at the sudden request, before nodding. She unsheathed a wand from her dress sleeve, dainty and white, the pointed stick made of wood shined more like marble, and in the small pommel—like all wands—sat a glinting blue crystal.

She pointed her wand at Kenric's left leg and made a slow, twisting motion. A band of blue with deeper blue arcane sigils within neatly formed into existence around his leg. Kenric moved it, and as though he was wearing that band, it moved with his leg. He experimentally moved his cane through the band, but it passed through like the band wasn't even there.

Most importantly though, he didn't feel any different.

"Aida—" He began to call, before realising that she was only just now getting to her feet, still recovering from the strike to her stomach as she was, "—No. Edward, you will spar with me."

Edward, who had been watching from the sidelines beside Liam, nodded, "Understood, my lord."

Aida let out a sigh of relief, muttering, "Oh, thank the Parents…" Kenric gave her a look, and she said quickly, "Right, leaving."

As Edward took her place in the ring, Elizabeth said meekly, her wand still raised, "You wish to test the magic by fighting?"

Kenric looked at her, "Do you lack confidence in your magic?"

Elizabeth hesitated, "N-no, but…"

"Then we proceed with this," Kenric said. Edward took a ready stance, and Kenric stared him down. He was ready to begin, and was about to declare as such, but then he glanced at Elizabeth's nervous expression and sighed, "Edward is a fine knight who can stop at a moment's notice, and I know my abilities well enough to get away safely should something happen."

Elizabeth looked surprised, and Kenric turned his gaze back to his opponent, "Begin."

Edward circled Kenric, and Kenric held up his cane in front of him like a sword and bent his knees: he was putting pressure on his leg and his cane was no longer supporting him, it was time to find out how long he could make that last.

Edward flew at him, as was his style, and swung ferociously. He rained his attacks down on Kenric, one after another, and Kenric deflected each one smoothly. Kenric began twirling around Edward with each deflection, experimentally putting more and more pressure on his left leg, and it held firm throughout it all.

A savage grin began forming on his lips, he could feel the excitement thump in his heart. Batting aside Edward's latest swing, Kenric switched to attack. He struck quick, and he struck hard. Again, and again, he attacked, and Edward desperately tried to stop each swing from reaching him. Breaking through his defence was like moving aside rocks with a stick: laughably easy. But never did he go for the winning stroke.

Kenric's heart soared and his attacks got fiercer and fiercer, he was more batting around Edward by his sword than being deflected away, and he could feel the other man wilt underneath his attacks, and—

"My lord!"

Kenric stopped abruptly, his cane raised high for another swing, and Edward was on the ground now, his sword held fearfully in front of him. Kenric stepped back, his eyes wide, "My apologies, I… lost myself."

He had not expected that. It had felt so good to not have to hold back from stressing his left leg, it had felt so good to unleash a hint of his true power and skill again... He took a breath to master himself.

"Edward, go rest for a while," he ordered before turning to Elizabeth, "Your spell works, Lady Filangris."

"Would you like to test the magic some more? I can hold it for a while yet," Elizabeth said.

Kenric glanced at Edward, who was shakily standing up, "No. That was enough for now."

Elizabeth put down her wand, and the band on his leg disappeared. He pushed some of his body weight on it, and could once again feel it getting weaker by the second. Stifling a sigh, he put his cane on the ground again, and the weakening stopped.

Suddenly, Aida cheered loudly, "Whoo! Are you back in business now, my lord?"

"In a sense, perhaps," Kenric said, "Thank you, Lady Filangris." Once more Elizabeth looked surprised, but he had more to say, "You said this stasis spell of yours only lasts as long as you keep it cast?"

Elizabeth took a moment to recover from her surprise, before nodding, "Yes, it's a spell I have to maintain, and it takes energy. I can't keep it activated forever."

"I see," Kenric said, "Very well then. I expect you to meet me out here at seven in the morning tomorrow. Good day."