Chapter 3 #3
“Yea,” said Guy, his forehead furrowed. “I have never seen you clumsy afore this.” The younger knight furrowed his brow at Alex’s amused grin. “Are you ill?”
Alex laughed. “Nay.” Speaking under his breath, he confided, “Jamie might have won without my help, but ’twas my intention to assure he did.”
His friends stared back at him, open-mouthed. “Why?” they asked as one.
He raised his brows. “Have you not observed Jamie is smitten with Lora but she pays him little attention? When I saw Lora closely watching, I thought to give Jamie a boost in her eyes.”
“Ah,” said Rory. “I begin to understand. ’Twas great-hearted of you. But your lord father will think you are slipping.”
“Nay, he will not,” said Alex. “After I’ve defeated the two of you,” he said with a grin, “I will meet him.”
“Ho! The arrogance of our leader!” cried Rory.
“Then let the next match be mine!” said Guy.
“You shall have it,” said Alex, a slow smile crossing his face. Guy was the youngest of Talisand’s knights. His most difficult tests lay ahead of him and Alex was glad to show him the way.
In the next two rounds, Alex defeated his friends. Guy had learned much in Normandy but his lesser experience showed in the end. Rory made a single error that Alex quickly seized upon.
When he finally challenged his father, Alex was winded, but determined. He approached the Lord of Talisand who stood observing the remaining matches. “ ’Tis you I would next lock swords with, Father.”
The Red Wolf turned to face him, proud, erect and secure in his ability. His reputation on the battlefield was legendary even before Alex was born. His chestnut hair was now streaked with gray and framed a lined face that bore witness to the decades he had served the Conqueror.
“Are you certain you do not need a brief rest to recover?” his father asked, amusement twinkling in his eyes.
“Hardly. And do not go easy on me, Father. I would have a real test of my skill. We’ve not sparred since I left for Normandy.”
The Red Wolf returned him a predatory gaze. “Very well.”
The crowd’s conversation faded to a hushed silence as father and son faced off in the center of the clearing, circling each other slowly. Alex reminded himself of his father’s reputation. He might limp at times from the old riding accident, but as he circled Alex, ’twas not apparent.
Gray eyes met gray eyes as each took the other’s measure. Alex had been schooled by his father not to be hasty but to consider the other man’s moves before attacking. Hence, they continued to circle, eyes narrowed, each waiting for the other to strike. Alex was determined to be patient.
“I suppose I must begin this,” his father said in a low voice, “else we will be here all day. And your mother watches with a worried face from the sidelines as it is.”
The Red Wolf stepped back and with a powerful arc of his sword sending flashes of light into the air, brought his blade down hard upon Alex’s sword raised in defense.
As one, the crowd inhaled, the air hissing through their teeth.
The blow sent a wave of shock through Alex’s arm, but he held firm. “You will not end it so easily, Father. I have grown stronger.”
His father grinned back. “I have noticed.”
The Red Wolf tapped the end of Alex’s blade, testing his reaction.
Alex did not leap into the void, but waited until the opening he had wanted appeared.
With quick reflexes, he slashed his sword first right and then left, the sound of clashing blades loud in the clearing.
He had not confused his father, as he had hoped, but he’d gained movement forward nonetheless.
Striking again and again, he drove the Red Wolf back, but the older knight recovered and came at him with another powerful blow.
Their swords crossed, bringing their faces close together over the blades, two pairs of gray eyes shooting sparks at each other, their chests heaving short breaths.
Another long round of their clashing blades followed, at the end of which, his father loudly proclaimed, “I declare a tie!” Stepping back, he raised his sword in front of his face, pointing the tip to the sky, a signal the match was concluded.
“A tie it is,” said Alex, sheathing his sword and bowing before the knight he respected above all others. If he had to stand in anyone’s shadow he wanted it to be this man’s.
The crowd seemed to approve. Loud shouts of praise were followed by “Ale for Talisand’s wolves!”
His father laughed. Wrapping his arm around Alex’s shoulder, he led him to the blue and white tent. “ ’Tis time you had your own banner, Son. What do you say to a black wolf?”
“Aye,” said Alex, accepting the large cup overflowing with amber liquid. “Mayhap on a crimson field.”
His father smiled his approval. “So be it!”
Joined by their fellow knights and men-at-arms, expounding on the fine points of the morning’s contests, Alex and his friends happily imbibed the ale that was set before them.
It was another hour before they left for the hall, Alex’s steps unsteady and his speech slurred.
But it had been a good day and he regretted naught of it.
At the door of the hall, he waved off his two friends and headed for the manor, his only thought a comfortable bed where he might sleep for a few hours before the evening meal.
* * *
After the matches were finished, Merewyn and Lora walked along the bank of the River Lune speaking as two friends long separated. It was one of several conversations they had enjoyed in the months since Merewyn had been back, most of them concerning changes at Talisand.
In her hand, Merewyn still carried her bow, hardly aware of it or the quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder.
“Tell me more about Wales,” Lora asked. “You seem so different since your return.”
Images of warriors clad in brown and green flickered in Merewyn’s mind. “They are fierce in a fight, each one skilled with a bow. Few of the women seek to have such skill, but they did not discourage my interest. Rhodri’s encouragement and his approval gained me a place among them.”
“Why did it mean so much to you to go? I missed your company.”
“I had to go, Lora. I wanted to be able to protect myself. You know what I faced here. And you know the stories about Lady Serena as well as I. Imagining her dressed in an archer’s clothing, killing a Norman knight to save the Red Wolf, I wanted to be like her.”
“You very nearly are. The men now speak of you with admiration.”
Merewyn smiled to herself. “Mayhap they will respect the bow where they did not respect the girl and stay away.”
“You want the men to stay away?” Lora asked, a look of disbelief on her face.
“Aye.” Most of them. She would not speak of her feelings for Alex she kept locked in her heart or the change that had occurred in her thinking about him. Turning her friend’s attention to the match, she said, “The sword fighting was exciting, do you not agree?”
“I liked the fight between Earl Renaud and his son. Except for the years that separate them, the two fight in similar fashion. Alex was so… powerful.”
Merewyn had hoped Lora would speak of Jamie, but having seen her watching Alex, she was not surprised this contest had drawn her friend’s attention.
The Red Wolf had seen many battles and his experience showed in his practiced moves and his powerful strikes, but Alex’s skill did nearly equal that of his father.
“ ’Twas exciting to see them spar, even frightening, but there were other matches. Did you not think Jamie did well?”
The dark-haired daughter of Sir Alain smoothed the skirt of her leaf green gown, while appearing to ponder the question. She stood taller than Merewyn, her height gained from her father, the huge knight who carried the Red Wolf’s banner.
“He won,” Lora finally said, “but only because Alex stumbled, else it might have ended differently.”
Merewyn wanted her friend to see the good in the golden-haired English knight who, like Merewyn, had been taken under Lady Serena’s wing. “Earl Renaud has much confidence in Jamie,” she said. “ ’Tis an honor to be named captain of the house knights.”
Lora tossed her thick hair behind her. The sun glistening in the long strands made them appear like burnt umber. It was not difficult to imagine why Jamie was so enamored of her. And Lora had a good heart, using her knowledge of herbs, gained from her mother, for others.
“Jamie is an honorable knight,” Lora admitted. “But I have known him all my life. He was already the Red Wolf’s squire when I was born.”
Merewyn laughed. “Yea, but he is not old. Have you never asked yourself why such a well-favored knight is unwed?”
“I just assumed ’twas because of his service to Talisand’s lord.”
Merewyn shook her head. “Nay, I think not.” She fingered her bow, wondering if she should say the words that were on her tongue.
Mayhap they would help Lora see the prize that was hers to claim.
“The man is too shy to speak his heart, but you can see his words in his eyes.” Meeting her friend’s dark gaze, she said, “ ’Tis you, Lora.
Whenever you are near him, he looks nowhere else. ”
Lora stared at her with a perplexed expression.
“Aye,” said Merewyn, “I was right in thinking you were unaware. I only tell you so that you do not discourage Jamie overmuch.”
“Jamie? Interested in—” Her words trailed off as she looked toward the grass growing at the edge of the river.
Merewyn put her arm around her friend. “To win the affection of one like Jamie is not a small thing. There are many women at Talisand who would gladly have him, but he waits for you.”
Lora’s eyes filled with tears and she turned and hugged Merewyn. “Thank you.”
It pleased Merewyn to realize she had done the right thing in speaking to her friend. “Go tell him how well he did today and see his eyes light like the sun.”
Lora nodded and hurried back toward the palisade gate.