A Tournament Knight

by A Tournament Knight (lit)

  Now he had lost it all and had been outsmarted by a woman. But the bitch would pay. He was going to make sure of that. Looking over his shoulder, Nicholas found the two men-at-arms closely watching him. Snatching up his belongings, he roughly shoved them into his saddle bags. Once he finished, he brushed past the two waiting men. They followed closely behind him.

  Reaching the bailey, Nicholas found Sir Guy waiting for him. "I will give you one warning, and one warning only. Should you ever return to Nunney, for any reason at all, I will be sure to cause you to regret it." Receiving no response from the minstrel, he then pushed on. "Your horse is saddled and awaits you at the stable. I suggest you leave, now."

  Nicholas walked past the older knight, then turned back around. "She may have won this time, but she has messed with the wrong man. I will make sure she gets her own."

  "I would expect no less from you. Try if you wish, but you are finished."

  Giving one last snarl of rage, Nicholas stomped away. He was far from finished with them.

  Chapter Twenty

  Pulling the hood of her cloak closer around her face, Beth shifted from one foot and then to the other. Would he never leave?

  Peering around the corner of the pavilion she stood behind, she checked to see if Terric had left his. Seeing his horse still picketed out in front of the pavilion, she groaned to herself. A quick second later, she shot back out of sight when the flap of Terric's pavilion opened. After counting to ten, she then moved out into the open. Terric was just disappearing from view.

  Picking up her skirts, Beth crossed the space between the two pavilions. Not bothering to announce her presence, she pulled open the flap, stepped inside, and then pulled the flap back closed.

  Edwin could not hide the shock he felt. Beth was the last person he expected to see at this tournament. "What do you here, my lady?"

  Beth shook off her hood. She could feel Edwin watching her every move. Not really sure why she did it, she reached up and pulled her unbound hair from beneath her cloak. The long light blonde tresses tumbled down her back. She heard Edwin's breath hitch in response.

  "I need your help, Edwin."

  "I thought …." Hearing how his voice cracked, Edwin cleared his throat and tried again. "I thought you were with Lady Jacqueline."

  "I am." She watched as Edwin thought that one through. Looking at him, really looking at him this time, she realized he was quite handsome. All the other times she had been in his company, she really had never noticed his good looks. Grief had overshadowed a lot of her senses.

  "You mean Lady Jacqueline is here? At this tournament?"

  "Aye, she is here. That is why we need your help."

  He could not tear his eyes away from Beth. She was everything he found attractive in a woman. But he knew she could never be his. It was not just their differences in rank, but also the ghost of her dead husband which separated them.

  Pushing back the emotions he was unable to act upon, Edwin asked, "What exactly would you have me do?"

  Beth smiled brightly. "Jacqueline is going to challenge Terric in the list. All you have to do is make sure he accepts it."

  "She what?" He began to furiously shake his head. "There is no way I can accomplish that. Terric will recognize William's name when he receives the challenge."

  "She will not be using her brother's name. She will be keeping her name unknown."

  "All right, then I can manage what you are asking of me." Then suddenly he remembered something else. "I thought Lady Jacqueline was with child. How can she ride in the list in that condition?"

  Beth shook her head. "Jacqueline is no longer with child."

  "She lost the child?"

  "Nay, do not be ridiculous. Jacqueline bore a healthy son, a month past." Beth paused to make sure she had Edwin's full attention. "Terric has a son."

  Edwin let out a whoop. "I knew it. I knew the babe was his."

  Picking up Beth's hand, he placed a lingering kiss upon it. With his lips hovering above her hand, he then looked deeply into her eyes. "I am your servant."

  * * * *

  The start of the tournament circuit did not bring Terric much feeling of excitement this time around. Not like previous years. It felt as if he was only going through the motions. The anticipation of meeting opponents in the list was gone. Nothing felt the same since he had lost her.

  He had come full circle now. He was now back at Portchester Castle in Portsmouth where he had first met Jacqueline posing as William. He had not realized then that she would change what he wanted out of life. The dream of earning enough coin through tournament ransoms so he could buy land was not so pressing anymore. What good would the land be without Jacqueline? She was the one and only woman he wanted as his wife. Without a wife, land held no interest for him.

  Edwin quietly began to help him don his armor. Terric blandly accepted his assistance. "Who is my first opponent?"

  Standing behind Terric, Edwin let a secretive smile play upon his lips briefly before he answered. "I am not sure. This knight has chosen to keep his identity hidden."

  Terric turned to look over his shoulder at his squire. "Who else did this unknown knight challenge?"

  "Only you."

  "Just me?" Terric found that surprising. Why him?

  Edwin nodded. "Aye, just you."

  Now Terric was curious as to who this knight could be. And more importantly, why he had been singled out.

  Slapping Terric on the shoulder, Edwin signaled that he was done arming him. When they arrived at the list, the unknown knight was already waiting for him. Terric saw the white blank shield sitting on the knight's left arm. With his helm in place, there was no way to tell who he was. Even the knight's young squire was unfamiliar to Terric.

  Taking to his end of the list, Terric accepted his first lance from Edwin. At the first pass, both lances shattered as they impacted against the hard surface of the shields. After the second pass, he found something vaguely familiar about his opponent's form. Why he did, he could not put his finger on.

  Taking up his third and final lance, he closely watched as the unknown knight readied for the final pass. The sense of familiarity grew. Kicking his horse in its sides, Terric started down the list. His opponent followed suit.

  A quarter of the way down, Terric watched as the knight who barreled toward him, adjusted the aim of his lance. He cursed under his breath.

  With only a moment to spare before they met, Terric threw his lance away, forfeiting the match. Quickly turning his horse back around, he watched his opponent leaving the list with some hurry.

  Edwin met Terric as he returned to his end of the list. He gave his master a timid smile. In response, Terric leaned down and grabbed him by an ear. Edwin began to dance on his toes, trying to escape his grasp.

  "You knew all along. Did you not, Edwin?"

  The squire started to nod his head, but thought better of it when it caused the pain in his ear to increase. "Aye, I knew."

  "And why did you not see fit to inform me?"

  "Well, you see, I figured no harm would come of it. They were so desperate, and I so much wanted to help them, and …."

  "Enough!" Terric bellowed at him. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he tried to keep his temper under control. "I believe you have stated your case, or should I say, buried yourself deeply enough. All I want to know is one thing. Where are they?"

  Swallowing audibly, Edwin pointed in the direction of the pavilions. "At the very far end. Out of sight."

  Even before Edwin had his last word spoken, Terric released him and set off in the direction he had indicated.

  Just as Edwin had said, Terric found the lone pavilion not far from the main group of tents. It sat behind a small copse of trees that created a natural screen.

  Picketing his horse next to the one already standing out in front of the pavilion, Terric began to roughly unlace his helm. As he stepped through the entrance, he pulled it completely free from his head.

  She onl
y had enough time to remove her own helm, when Terric rushed into the pavilion. Jacqueline could see he was angry, barely keeping himself restrained. His still gauntleted hands were clenched into fists at his sides. Even though he was not at all pleased with her, she was happy. She had accomplished what she had set out to do. She had Terric's undivided attention.

  Terric stared at Jacqueline. Seeing her still dressed in her armor made his temper simmer all the more. Trying not to give it free rein, he punched out each word he spoke through his clenched teeth. "Just what in hell were you doing out there today?"

  Jacqueline closed the distance between them. Pulling off one of her gauntlets, she placed her palm on his cheek. "Getting your attention."

  Grabbing her wrist in a vice like grip, Terric pulled her hand from his face. "Why could you not seek it in the usual way?" He released Jacqueline's wrist and took a step away from her.

  "I need your help, Terric. I could not afford to take the chance of your refusing to see me."

  "You need my help." he said blandly. "What about your husband? Can he not do it?"

  "Nay." Jacqueline moved closer to Terric again. After so many months of being separated from him, she felt the need to be close to him. "Nay, he cannot. Forwin is dead."

  All at once, Terric felt his world right itself. Jacqueline was free, but there still was something that caused him to tread carefully. "What of the child? Forwin's heir."

  "You left Nunney before I could explain."

  "So you could explain how you came to sleep with another man and bore his child?"

  Jacqueline shook her head and smiled. "Terric, do you actually think I would give myself to Forwin? Well I did not."

  He wanted so much to believe her, but the child could not be so easily dismissed. "You have not answered my question, Jacqueline. I did not ask about our meeting at Nunney. Changing the subject will not deter me."

  "As you wish." Wanting to keep clear headed, Jacqueline put some space between herself and Terric. "I gave birth to a son, a month ago. Your son."

  Terric shook his head in denial. "That is not possible."

  "Why not? I was only married to Forwin for seven months. He died on the same day our son was born." She could see he was still not completely ready to accept what she was telling him. "Terric, add up the months."

  "If what you say is true, then you were already with child when …."

  "We were to wed. Aye. It was the night at the grand tournament I think."

  Removing his gauntlets, Terric set them on the ground next to Jacqueline's own. "All right, I believe you. Now what? You are a wealthy widow, able to be independent. You do not need me."

  Taking two steps forward, Jacqueline moved to stand before Terric. Reaching up, she laced her fingers through his hair at the back of his head. "How can you say that with all seriousness? My feelings for you have not changed. I love you, Terric. I always will."

  With a clang when their armor met, Terric pulled Jacqueline into his arms and kissed her thoroughly. Waves of intense pleasure swept throughout her whole entire body. Jacqueline had craved his touch for months. Groaning, she gripped the edges of his armor, hating the barrier it created between their bodies.

  The sound of her son crying caused Jacqueline to quickly pull away from Terric. Looking over his shoulder, she found Beth standing inside the entrance while Jordan made his displeasure known to all. Beth appeared to be completely frazzled from the baby's fretting.

  "Sorry Jacqueline, but he will not stop crying. I have tried everything. You are going to have to nurse him, or he will not settle."

  Jacqueline could not help but smile at her small son's lusty cries. "What the little lord wants, he gets. I just have to remove my armor, then I can feed him."

  Before Terric could go to Jacqueline's side to assist her, Beth stepped around to face him and held out the crying bundle of baby. His first inclination was to back away, but curiosity to see what his son looked like won out in the end. Tentatively, he held out his arms to accept the baby. Beth gently passed him the small bundle, then went to help Jacqueline in the removal of her armor.

  Careful of the steel encasing his arms and chest, Terric pulled the blanket back to have his first glance at his son. The baby's face was bright red, while his eyes were tightly screwed shut with tears streaming down his soft cheeks. With hands fisted, he waved them in the air in indignation. Terric chuckled at the baby's display of displeasure.

  "Come now little man. It cannot be as bad as all that." At the sound of a new voice, the baby stopped crying and opened his eyes. Terric found himself looking into eyes the same color as his own. Though their child had taken after Jacqueline in looks, the boy's eyes matched his father's. Terric felt a sense of connection with this small being he held in his arms and a strong feeling of protectiveness.

  The baby began to whimper, unhappy that Terric was not giving him what he wanted. Filling his lungs with air, he then began to wail once more.

  Jacqueline touched Terric's hand. "This is your son, Jordan. Now, before he brings too much unwanted attention to us, I had better feed him."

  With great reluctance, Terric allowed Jacqueline to take Jordan from his arms.

  Once she was comfortably seated in a camp chair, Jacqueline put the baby to her breast. His cries instantly ceased. Enthralled, Terric could not pry his gaze form his son as he suckled.

  "Now tell me what could be so dire that you must enter the list to gain my attention, Jacqueline."

  Chapter Twenty One

  Jacqueline took a moment to collect her thoughts, then she began to tell Terric all that had happened since her father had stolen her from Carisbrooke. She did not leave out any details. Even explaining why Forwin had brought Nicholas to Nunney. She also told him the lie she had given about already being pregnant only to find out later it was the truth.

  Now replete, Jordan stopped sucking and fell asleep. Switching him to her shoulder, Jacqueline patted his back. She then continued with her tale. "With Forwin gone and Nicholas on the loose, my father will find out how he was tricked."

  Terric was aghast at what Jacqueline had endured. If only he had stayed at Nunney long enough to have found out what was really happening to her, she would not be so vulnerable now. "I was a fool to leave you with those two."

  "Do not blame yourself. You did not know. But you are here now, and you can still save me."

  "I will not abandon you like that again, I promise. Whatever it takes, I will do to keep you from your father's clutches."

  "And that, Sir Terric, is exactly what we hoped you would say." Having been momentarily forgotten, Beth broke into the conversation. She then breezed passed Terric and went to the entrance of the pavilion.

  Pulling the flap back, she signaled to someone who obviously had been waiting for just that. Not at all surprised, Terric watched Edwin step inside. But what he had not expected was to see a priest following closely behind his squire. Terric looked over at Beth, who smiled sweetly up at him.

  "If you want to keep Jacqueline safe, marry her. Here and now."

  Still holding their child in her arms, Jacqueline stood, watching his reaction, pleading with her eyes for him not to balk at this, but to accept what they had put into motion.

  Terric closed the space between her and himself. Moving to her side, he put his arm around her shoulders and turned her to face the priest. "Well father, it looks as if you have a marriage to perform."

  * * * *

  With Beth and Edwin acting as witnesses, the ceremony became a very simple matter. Jacqueline's mother had procured a special license so that the banns could be overlooked. Beth had been given possession of it before she left Carisbrooke with Sir Guy. Lady Elizabeth had known it would be put to use.

  When the priest pronounced them man and wife, Jacqueline kissed Terric. After their lips parted, she smiled lovingly into his eyes. She knew now everything would be all right. Her father could no longer touch her, she was safe. With Terric as her husband, he would hold Nunney's
lands until Jordan came of age. Who better to protect her child than his own father?

  His job now complete, the priest departed. Jacqueline had to give him credit. He had not blinked an eye at the bride being dressed as a man.

  Terric felt a sense of euphoria wash over him. Jacqueline was his. "Now, wife, are there any other plans you have inside your pretty little head? Something I should know about?"

  "Nothing too drastic, husband. We go home to Nunney. The longer we are absent, the more I worry."

  "Then we leave within the hour. I can finally claim you as my own. No man will take you away from me again." Seeing he had everyone's attention, Terric continued, "Once we all are behind Nunney's walls, we can breathe a little easier."

  * * * *

  He had not anticipated on this taking so long. He had assumed it would be no great feat to gain the presence of the Earl of Salisbury. Who would have guessed the man traveled around so much?

  After a month of just missing the earl, Nicholas had finally arrived in time to try and gain an audience at Castle Rushen on the Isle of Man, one of the earl's other holdings. Presenting himself as a traveling minstrel, he had gained entrance into the castle. But to have speech with the earl, was proving to be no easy task. The man had no tolerance for those beneath him. And also being styled the King of the Isles of Man did nothing to change the earl's attitude. He let no one forget that title.

  The evening of his arrival, Nicholas had performed in the banqueting hall in the state apartments. The hall itself was the largest room in the castle measuring some thirty-six feet by twenty-one feet, with an enormous fireplace that was necessary to keep such a large room heated during the winter.

  After what Nicholas had thought was a perfect performance, he tried then to speak with the earl. But when he had approached the raised dais, the earl had in no way acknowledged him. Feeling like a fool standing there, he finally gave up.