Snippet #2169241

Brushing her wave of red hair over her shoulder, Ayla Demieno lent casually on the hilt of her sword, the end of the blade stuck in the ground. Around her, the jeers and cheers of the crowd echoed loudly around the dusty arena. Some were even calling her name, chanting for her. A satisfied smirk crossed her face. She knew no-one in the crowd, but it was evident that they had heard of her. And now they called for her, wished her luck or for her to take their token. Even still, it was the jeers that entertained her more. Some men called for her blood, others shouted hateful things that barely touched a nerve with her. It was all superficial. These people knew nothing of her and thus she should not let it touch her, or put off her fighting. Of course she would win, she was Ayla Demieno. Undefeated in any battle she had faced.

Wide, unblinking yellow eyes scanned the crowd as she awaited her unknown opponent. Lazily, she pushed off the hilt of her sword and started towards the peasant crowd. The crowd in that particular section quietened for a moment, as no other warrior had yet approached them. But then the noise grew loud again, the cheers and the heckling merging into one sound. The closer she came, the more her smirk grew. Until she was a mere metre from the fence where she stopped and her features turned unreadable. Until then she had no idea why she was approaching the flea-bitten crowd, but now it became clear, to her at least. To win their hearts.

Smiling her sweetest smile, she touched hands, spoke kindly and accepted tokens from the crowd. A dirty scrap of lace, a child's toy and lastly a red rose, which she tucked into her tunic, bestowing the young man who had given it to her with a kiss on the cheek. Without a single word, she turned upon her heel and walked slowly to the centre of the field again. A smile tugged at her lips. She could here more cheering than jeering now.

Yanking her sword from the ground, she sheathed it on her belt and turned to face the crowd.

"So where is my opponent eh?" She called loudly so that the crowd and the remaining warriors could hear her. "Where be my fierce opponent? Are they hiding from my wrath?" A chuckle escaped her lips, as she humoured herself. The crowd called louder, wanting blood, wanting a fight. Ayla had played them, winding them up and up until they all but lost control.

"Who dares to face Ayla Demieno?!"