The Appeal of the Duel

I suddenly wondered if I was born with an inherent appeal to being fought for.
Perhaps my fascination with Disney movies extended to include the knight in shining armor wielding his sword to conquer the heart of a princess.
Maybe God Himself created me with a congenital aspiration to give my heart to he who has fought the good fight and battled all odds to claim me as the prize.

Whatever the source of this desire, the undeniable fact remains it exists;
The Appeal Of The Duel.

The appeal is so strong that in the absence of a human opponent, I create one.
Flick through the chronicles of my life and witness the great battles between man and
timing
distance
circumstance
age
ambition
Each opponent subconsciously conjured up by me for the knight at hand to battle to the death for me.

Alas, with every victory comes the introduction of a new opponent, until, having made it to the final round,
having outlasted my imagination and sub-conscience, he faces
The most dire of the adversaries. The most deadly of the contenders. The most terrifying of all foes.

Should all other obstacles be overcome, should each battle be won, the war is not over until you have fought

ME for me.