Chapter 21 #2
“Not if you win, you won’t. If you win, my mother explained to me that my father will have no choice but to imprison you for this deception. You might even be condemned to death for pretending to be a noble.”
Jonathon’s smile quickly faded. “If it means you are free from being a prize at a competition, being treated no better than a side of beef, then I don’t care.
” He reached down and put his fingers beneath her chin.
“I will go to my death knowing that I did everything I could to try to help you and to show you my undying devotion. I truly love you, Raven. I will go to my death with those words on my lips.”
Raven was really crying now. Everyone would see her, and she didn’t really care.
“Please, stop this madness, Jonathon. I love you and don’t want to lose you,” she tried to convince him one last time.
“I will live on in your heart,” he told her, lowering the visor. “Rook, give me my last lance. I need to make this my best run. I’m about to win this entire tournament.”
“Aye,” said Rook, picking up the lance.
“Nay, let me give it to him,” said Raven, taking the lance from her brother.
When she handed it to Jonathon, she walloped him with all her strength right in the gut.
His hand went out to stop her, his arm getting hit hard in the process.
The horse became spooked and reared up, causing Jonathon to lose his balance, bringing him to the ground.
When he tumbled from the horse, he fell on his right arm, and cried out in pain.
“God’s eyes, what the hell is the matter with you, Raven?” snapped Rook, running over to help Jonathon.
“I can’t let him win. That’s all there is to it,” she said, staring straight ahead.
“Och, Raven, here comes yer father and he looks madder than a wet hornet,” said Lark.
“Can you get back up on the horse?” asked Rook. “Can you finish the joust?”
“Aye,” said Jonathon, pulling himself atop the horse but wincing in pain. “Nay. I think my arm is broken. I’m not sure I can hold the lance.”
“What the hell is going on over here?” shouted Corbett, approaching them with Devon running to keep up. “Raven, did I just see you knock Sir Nevar off his horse with the lance?”
“Yes, you did,” she answered nonchalantly. “I decided I didn’t want him to win after all.”
“I will not let you get away with treating a nobleman this way,” spat Corbett.
“Sir Nevar is not noble,” explained Raven. The crowd was in a frenzy and thankfully no one else could hear their conversation.
“What the hell are you talking about?” asked Corbett.
“I wanted to win the tournament so I wouldn’t have to marry the winner,” she told him. “So I entered the competition as Sir Nevar.”
“Quit lying. I am looking right at the knight.”
“She’s not lying, my lord.” Jonathon flipped up the visor to let Corbett see his face.
“You?” asked Corbett in confusion. “What the hell are you doing up on that horse? You can’t enter the competition. You have to be a noble.”
“Father, listen to me,” said Raven. “I have something to say.”
“I’m not going to be made a fool of, Armstrong. I have no choice but to imprison you.” Corbett was doing exactly what they thought he’d do, but Raven couldn’t let him. Jonathon didn’t deserve it.
“Father, listen to me,” she cried.
“Corbett, I think you’d better give your daughter your ear,” said Devon. “After all, she is in love with Jonathon, and he is the one she wants to marry.”
“What? You knew about this?” Corbett now glared at Devon.
“In Mother’s defense, she didn’t know that I, or Jonathon, entered the competition,” said Raven.
“What about you?” Corbett asked Rook. “If you’re helping the armorer, you must have known as well.”
“I just found out today and tried to help Raven,” said Rook.
“I wanted to win so she didn’t have to marry a fool like Whitehead.
” Whitehead used this delay to his advantage, holding his lance high and getting the crowd to cheer for him.
“Then you disqualified me and ruined that plan,” finished Rook.
“That’s why I’m jousting,” explained Jonathon from atop the horse. “I’m doing it to save Raven from having to marry a man she doesn’t love.”
“And from getting killed, since she can’t joust worth a damn,” added Rook.
“I’d normally be angry at you for that comment, Brother, but unfortunately it’s true,” Raven told Rook before turning back to her father. “I love Jonathon, Father. I would do anything to marry him.”
“You can’t marry him.” Corbett’s anger grew. “He’s just a commoner. He’s a goddamned armorer.”
“He’s also a mercenary and good fighter,” said Rook, coming to Raven’s defense. “Father, I have to disagree with you on this one. Raven should be allowed to marry Jonathon if she loves him.”
“Thank you, Rook.” Raven smiled at her brother.
“Nay. This can’t be happening.” Corbett ran a hand through his hair. “All I ever wanted was for my children to marry nobles. Is that too much to ask?”
“It is, when it is someone I don’t love,” said Raven. “Father, please. I want to marry Jonathon.”
“My lord, I know I have nothing to offer,” said Jonathon, looking over to Raven now, holding his hurt arm.
“That is, I have nothing but my love to offer your daughter. I will do anything to protect her, and try my hardest to give her the life she needs, I promise. Just give me the chance is all I ask.”
“I don’t need anything but you, Jonathon.” Raven looked up at Jonathon, holding on to his leg. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”
“Nothing could hurt as much as watching you marry anyone but me,” Jonathon answered.
“All right, that’s enough,” said Rook. “Remember, we’re still in the middle of a tournament here.”
“Nay. Nay, I can’t agree to it,” said Corbett through gritted teeth. “Raven, you are to marry a noble at the end of the tournament, and I won’t change my mind about it so don’t try to stop it again.”
“We’ve already coupled,” said Raven, getting ready for her father to pull Jonathon off the horse and strangle him with his bare hands. “I can’t marry another man. What if I’m already pregnant?” she asked.
“You what!” Corbett’s eyes bore fire. “Keep your voice down,” he ground out. “God’s eyes, I will kill you, armorer, for touching my daughter.”
“I initiated it, Father,” Raven admitted, raising her chin. “And I want you know that I lost my virginity long before I ever knew Jonathon.”
The herald called out that it was time for the final pass. They were tied in the score and this pass would determine the winner of the competition.
“Raven, you will be the death of me yet,” said Corbett looking ready to explode.
The crowd cheered and roared, wanting to see the end of the competition.
“I’m sorry, Father. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.” Raven truly did feel sorry for everything. She hadn’t really thought about how her decisions would affect so many others in a bad way.
“Do you understand what kind of position you put me in?” asked Corbett.
“I do now,” she answered. “That is why Jonathon needs to withdraw from the competition.”
“Aye, I agree,” said Corbett. “I cannot let this charade go on any longer.”
“Father? You aren’t really going to declare Whitehead the winner, are you?” asked Rook.
“Well, I can’t declare Jonathon the winner, because if I did, it would bring doom to us all,” said Corbett. “I will not do anything to bring about the downfall of my family.”
“Corbett, don’t make our daughter marry a man she doesn’t love,” said Devon. “Have a heart.”
“I have no choice, Devon,” he told her. “The purpose of this tournament was to find a husband for our daughter. I can’t let a commoner get away with impersonating a knight, and I certainly cannot let him win the competition.”
“You can’t proclaim Whitehead the winner,” spat Raven. “Please.”
Corbett looked over at Raven next. “It no longer matters because Jonathon can’t compete anymore now that you’ve broken his arm. He has no choice but to withdraw. I’ll tell the herald to announce that Sir Whitehead is the winner.”
Corbett left to talk to the herald.
“Nay,” cried Raven, running over and clinging to her mother. “Mother, do something. Please, change Father’s mind.”
“I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll try to talk to him,” said Devon. “I only wish you would have gone to him in the first place like I asked you to. Now, there isn’t anything any of us can do to change the outcome.”
She followed her husband.
“Well, I guess that’s it, then,” said Jonathon, holding his arm and wincing in pain. “Rook, can I ask you to help me from the horse? I’m in a lot of pain and don’t want to fall again.”
“Of course,” said Rook, helping him dismount. “Well, at least, now no one has to ever know Sir Nevar’s true identity.”
“I suppose it’s better this way,” said Jonathon. “Raven, the last thing I ever wanted was to put you or your family in such a horrible position. I’ll pack up my things and leave at once.”
“Nay,” cried Raven. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Sir Nevar has withdrawn from the competition with a broken arm, having nothing to do with the blow from his competitor,” called out the herald, causing the crowd to hush.
“Therefore, Sir Whitehead of Liverpool is declared the winner of the tournament by default. He has won the hand of Lady Raven in marriage. Please join your husband-to-be up at the nobles’ platform, Lady Raven. ”
“Nay,” cried Raven, terrified to go.
“Sister, go. If you don’t, it will only be more problems for all of us,” Rook told her.
“I won’t go. I won’t leave Jonathon.” Raven’s world was crashing down around her and it was all her own fault.
“Cousin, ye must,” said Lark. “I’ll go with ye.”
“I’m not going,” she said stubbornly.
This time Rook grabbed her by the arm. “We have all been through hell and back for you, little sister, but it has come to an end.”
“I told you, I’m not your little sister. We’re twins, you fool. Let go of me.” Raven struggled under his grasp.
“Raven, please go. It will be the best for all,” said Jonathon sadly. “Do it for me.”
“I’ll go, but this is far from over,” said Raven, letting her brother lead her away.
Jonathon gave the horse’s reins to Albert, and made his way back to the smithy, feeling like his life had come to an end. He’d tried everything in his power to help Raven, but there was nothing more he could do. He loved her and didn’t want to leave, but he had no other choice.
He was a commoner.
She was a noble.
They would never be together again.