The next evening a small crowd gathered at the stockade
to watch the match. Matilda had refused to fight in the nude as
was the rule in Stockade fights, so Richard had adjusted the rules to
allow topless matches under "exceptional circumstances".
Polite applause greeted the two fighters as they were led into the
enclosure by Richard Irving. He introduced the young vacationer
first:"On my right is Matilda from Oregon who
is here on her honeymoon! (Cheers from the crowd)
She's been boxing for 3 years, but this will be her first non-sparring
fight. She is 23 years of age, 5' 7" tall and weights 130 lb."
"On my left is Ruby who is from a close-by island.
She has been in training for just over 4 weeks and this will be her very
first fight! (Gasps of surprise from the crowd). Ruby
is 19 years of age, 5' 8" and weighs in at a healthy 135 lb."
Richard pulled a script out of his pocket and started
to read from it.
"Here is the scenario for this evening's fight! Matilda plays the
fiancée of the plantation owner's son, and she has just discovered that
her husband-to-be has a black slave mistress, played by Ruby!
Matilda has demanded that her fiancé stop seeing his slave and he has
reluctantly agreed to this. However when he tells Ruby she goes
wild and challenges Matilda to a stockade fight as is her right on this
island. If Ruby wins she can continue to entertain the pleasures
of the young master, but if she loses then she must move to another
plantation and never see him again!
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