Chapter 15 #2
“I’m fine. Really,” he said. “I know what it feels like to have a broken bone, and this isn’t it. I just hit the ground hard, that’s all. Not to mention, I took in a few nasty splinters.” He reached over and pulled out a shard of wood and threw it to the ground.
“Then you’re all right?” asked Raven, jumping to her feet as well.
“I am, but you were right. I must admit that I wanted you to think you learned the joust so you’d stop with all this nonsense.”
“It is getting nerve-wrecking for all of us,” said his mother. “We are only commoners and not used to this. We live a simple life.”
“Your mother is right, Jonathon,” said his father.
“I’ve never stopped you from doing what you want, but this isn’t a knight’s tiltyard.
It is my place of business, and needs to be treated as such.
My customers have been asking questions about what you’re doing out here, and I don’t want to tell them.
I’m afraid I’m going to get into trouble with the nobles, even though you and Lady Raven said we won’t. ”
“Jonathon, they’re right,” said Raven. “I suppose I should stop practicing here.” This made Raven sad, but she didn’t want Jonathon’s family to feel as if she were putting them in a bad situation, even if she didn’t believe that was so.
She had tried to stop before, but then Jonathon insisted he train her again. This time, it would sadly have to end.
“Yes, stopping might be a good idea,” said Jonathon, rubbing his chest and shoulder. He pulled out another splinter of wood and threw it to the ground.
“Hello?” came the voice of a man from inside the shop.
“We have a customer,” said his father, hurrying inside.
Jonathon and the others followed his father into the smithy.
His body ached and his pride was bruised.
The damned wench had it in her to actually learn the joust after all.
That was actually something he hadn’t been expecting.
He’d underestimated her, but also admired her at the same time.
He didn’t think her lance would ever touch him.
He’d told her not to hold back and she hadn’t, so he supposed he’d gotten exactly what he deserved.
“Guild Master Wilkin,” said Jonathon in surprise when he’d entered the shop. “What are you doing here?”
“Who is that?” Raven whispered to him.
“This is the guild master to whom I’ll be presenting my masterpiece, in order to be judged and hopefully become a master at my craft.”
“I’ve stopped by to collect the dues.”
“I-I’m not sure I have all of it right now,” said his father.
“I do.” Jonathon stepped forward and paid the dues, using some of the money that Rook had given him.
Wilkin recorded it, and stuck the coins into his pouch. “Jonathon, you’ll be presenting your piece to me and the rest of the guild in two weeks’ time,” said the man.
“Two weeks? That soon?” This news was horrifying to Jonathon. He had thought he’d have at least another month or so to decide what to make and to complete it. He couldn’t possibly create a masterpiece worthy of becoming a master in that short amount of time.
“Is this a problem?” asked the man.
“It’s just that I’ve been hired to help out Lord Corbett Blake with his upcoming tournament that will happen in a fortnight as well.”
“A tournament?” asked Wilkin.
“Aye,” said Jonathon. “I’ve been staying at the castle’s smithy.”
“Well then, we’ll just come to the castle during the tournament to judge your piece.”
“But-but can’t we wait and do it at a later date? In a month or two, mayhap?” asked Jonathon, feeling suddenly pressured since he hadn’t even started on anything yet.
“It’s either then, or you’ll have to wait until next year when we return,” said the man. “What is your choice?”
“Next year?” That sounded like an eternity to him.
“Nay, I don’t want to wait that long.” Jonathon felt his opportunity slipping away as well as another year of his life.
He was already twenty-three. His father couldn’t continue to pay two journeymen for long, since Avery was a journeyman now, too.
It was crucial that Jonathon have his own shop, but he couldn’t do that without first becoming a master.
He needed to do this if he was ever going to move forward.
It was also time to marry and have a family in his life.
He needed and wanted to be a master with his own shop.
The problem was, he no longer had the time to make the masterpiece that was required to get to where he wanted to be.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll tell the other judges and we’ll meet you at the tournament in two weeks to judge your masterpiece,” stated Wilkin.
“Nay, don’t do that.” Jonathon needed to make the man understand. “I haven’t decided on anything yet or even started on my project.”
“You haven’t?” asked the man. “Two weeks is not enough time to make anything that is going to be good enough to earn you the title of master, I can guarantee you that. This piece needs to be exquisite and the best work you’ve ever done. Only the finest quality craftmanship will win you the title.”
“I know,” said Jonathon, shaking his head in frustration.
It all came back to titles again, and him not having one.
“I have very limited time at the forge to work on anything, since I’ve taken this job for Lord Blake.
I’m sorry to say I will not be able to complete it in time.
I guess I will have to wait until next year. ”
“That’s a shame since I had a good feeling about you.
I thought you would make a fine master of your trade, just like your father,” said Wilkin shaking his head.
“We could use someone like you opening his own shop right now. There are many towns around here who need an armorer. You’d make a lot of money.
We have a lot of blacksmiths, but not many armorers at all.
Oh well, I guess that isn’t going to happen this time. Well, then, good day.”
“Thank you. Good day,” said Crispin, when Jonathon found himself lost for words. “Thank you for stopping by, Guild Master Wilkin.”
“Jonathon, what are you going to do?” asked Avery, after the guild master left. “This is your dream. It’s all you’ve been talking about for years now. How can you give it up so easily?”
“I don’t have a choice, Avery,” said Jonathon. “Without a masterpiece to present to them, I have no chance of being anything but a journeyman for at least another year.”
“Let me get those splinters out of your chest,” offered his mother, directing him to a chair.
Raven stood there silently, watching Jonathon’s family support him and take care of the wounds that she’d inflicted. Had her obsession to learn the joust and fight in the tournament cost Jonathon his dream? He seemed so downhearted, and she felt as if she were to blame.
It didn’t sit right with her. Raven felt stupid and also very selfish.
She was only fooling herself thinking she could go up against experienced knights in a tournament.
It took years of practice to learn the skill of jousting.
Why in the devil’s name did she think she could master it in such a short time? Or even at all?
Her foolishness had given her hope, but now she realized there was nothing she could do to change the fact she was going to have to marry whichever man won the blasted tournament.
Raven’s dream, just like Jonathon’s, was gone.
Her future was being determined by chance, and there was nothing she could do to change it.
Removing her armor, she placed it on the table, slowly running her hand over it reverently, in a silent goodbye. “Don’t worry about finishing my armor,” Raven told Jonathon. “I won’t need it anymore.”
With that, she walked out the door to wait for Jonathon to take her back to her prison—Blake Castle. She saw Guild Master Wilkin mounting his horse, and had an idea of how she could at least help Jonathon.
“Excuse me, guild master,” she said, approaching him, sloshing through the muddy street.
“Who are you?” asked the man, looking down at her from his horse.
“I’m-I’m a friend of Jonathon’s,” she told him, not wanting to reveal her true identity. He would probably never believe she was a noble anyway, since she wore dirty men’s clothes and was wallowing in the mud.
“What do you want?” he asked her.
“I want you to give Jonathon another chance to earn the title of master craftsman and to have his own shop. It is his dream. It’s everything he ever wanted.”
“Well, he’ll still have a chance but it’ll have to wait until next year.”
“Nay. He can’t wait that long. Isn’t there something you can do to help him?”
“I wish there was, but unfortunately it looks as if Jonathon has no masterpiece to present to the guild, and no time to make anything impressive enough in that short of a time.”
“Oh, but he’s a wonderfully skilled craftsman,” she assured the man.
“I don’t care how skilled he is. If he doesn’t have a presentation piece, then he won’t be considered for the position of master this year.”
“He does have something,” she blurted out in desperation, certain Jonathon could get something together in time if he just stopped wasting his time with her.
“He does?” The man’s ears perked up. “Then why did he say he didn’t?”
“It’s only because he is being modest.”
“He said he has no time to make anything.”
“He doesn’t think he has time to finish, but I assure you after today he’ll have much more time to complete his project for you. Just please give him another chance. I will promise you it won’t be a waste of your time. You’ll see.”
“Well, I don’t know.” The man didn’t seem as if he were going to agree, so she realized she would have to say something even more to change his mind.
“It’s something that you and the others have never seen before.” That wasn’t really a lie, she decided, since no one had seen it before since he hadn’t made it yet.
“Really?”
“It is unique. Plus, Jonathon only does quality work.”
“Like his father,” said Wilkin.
“Yes, just like his father. You won’t be disappointed.”
“That sounds intriguing,” said the man. She had finally got his attention. “What is the piece?”
“The piece? What’s the piece?”
“Aye. I’d like to know what I’ll be coming to judge.”
“I-It’s a surprise. I don’t think Jonathon would want me to tell you.
After all, it is not my story to tell,” she said, repeating her mother’s words when she told Raven to tell her father she was in love with Jonathon.
“Just give him a chance, please. I’m sure he’ll be finished by the time the tournament starts. ”
“Well... all right then, I will. Only because I know what wonderful work Jonathon does, and this mystery piece really intrigues me.”
“Oh, thank you,” she said, feeling elated. Mayhap Jonathon’s dream would come true after all, even if she had to give up hers.
“I will return with the rest of the guild masters to judge his piece. We’ll do it during the tournament, right there at the forge at Blake Castle, since he said he is employed there for now.”
“Yes, that will be fine,” she said with a smile. “I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.”
“We’d better not be,” stated the man. “Please remind Jonathon that his masterpiece needs to be complete upon our arrival. If it isn’t, he will have ruined his chance of becoming a master armorer.”
“Until next year,” she said with a nod. “I understand.”
“Nay, I don’t think you do,” said the man, making a sour face. “Now that the date and place is set, there is no turning back.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“We will arrive to judge his masterpiece. Our trip is far and it will keep us from doing other important things. Therefore, if for some reason he doesn’t have a presentation, or if it isn’t finished, it’s over.”
“What’s over? I don’t understand.”
“If he fails at completing it in time and we travel here and see nothing, then I am afraid he will have ruined his chance of ever becoming a master, because it will never come again. Good day.”
With that, the man turned and rode away, making Raven feel as if perhaps she hadn’t helped Jonathon but instead hurt him more, if that were even possible.
When she told the guild master Jonathon had a unique piece, she only made it up to give him more time to make something.
All she wanted to do was to give Jonathon another chance at his dream and not have it diminished because he deserved it.
She hadn’t realized that in trying to help him, she might have just sealed his fate as a journeyman forever.