by K. J. Nessly
His first opponent was a Lord Grenville, a man he knew to be a pompous windbag in his father’s court, but equally well known for his strong arm on the sparring field. However Lord Grenville was not as young as he used to be and he preferred his reputation from his younger years do the fighting for him. He was good, yes, but his style was severely outdated and couldn’t account for new maneuvers and techniques that any recent Guardian graduate, or even newly appointed knight, had been thoroughly grounded in.
However he was a very good warm up exercise and David let the man thrust and attack until his own muscles were warm and fluid. Then he struck, not in a quick and rapid form that so many of the newer knights preferred but a slow and steady approach that ensured that he made no mistakes. Each challenger he faced he tackled the same way, giving ground for a few moments into the fight before standing firm and utterly destroying his opponent’s defenses.
Darcy was his first opponent in the semi-finals round. David knew his brother’s strengths lay in agility and swiftness rather than the heavy handed blows Lord Grenville preferred. Quickly he exchanged his two handed grip for a one handed grip to allow for fast returns and parries.
As the two fought, David had to admit that his older brother was indeed quick, not to mention devious. There were several times during the fight when Darcy had appeared to swipe at David’s legs, to change direction at the last second and aim for his shoulders or arm only to change direction halfway through and strike at the legs again. David had often used the double feint attack, aiming at one target and then switching to a different one at the last second, but he had never heard of, let alone seen, a triple feint attack. It took enormous wrist strength and flexibility to change the momentum of a moving sword and to do it twice in a row was a considerable show of control and strength.
Suddenly it was over, a quick side thrust from David and his brother was abruptly disarmed. Surprised, David looked at his brother and saw the answer in his eyes. He threw the match. The truth surprised him, Darcy had always been competitive when it came to swordplay, and yet here he was, throwing the match to his younger brother. David would have to ask him why later.
Finally it was down to Lord Tanner, Derek, and David. Interesting, David thought as he faced off Lord Tanner, The champions from the jousting tournament once again facing off on the field. Only this time, I shall be the winner, he vowed has he lunged at Lord Tanner.
Tanner was good, David had to admit it. Tanner used the same triple feint attack that that Darcy had used earlier, only Tanner used it with more skill and ease. After the fourth triple feint attack, David understood why Darcy, who wasn’t nearly as effective or at ease with the technique, had used it. To prepare him for Tanner.
Finally David had decided he had had enough. A rapid fast series of thrusts and false attacks had Tanner disarmed. David fought to keep a smile off of his face. When it came to sword fighting, he was a fast learner and the technique hadn’t been nearly as taxing as he’d expected it to be. Both men stood panting in the hot sun. Because Tanner had been defeated he would face off with Derek and the winner of their match would face David.
Grateful for the respite, David watched his brother fight. Derek had a style that was completely his own that was difficult to predict. David instinctively knew he would end up fighting his brother so he paid close attention to the small signs that signaled his brother’s next move, rather than watch Tanner.
His prediction was correct, Derek emerged the victor. The two men bowed to each other, Tanner’s a bit begrudging.
After a half radian break, to give Derek a chance to rest, the two brothers faced off.
As their swords clashed, David felt the steely strength behind Derek’s blow. Quickly he brought his sword upwards towards his brother’s head, only to flick his wrist and send it whipping around at the last second to aim at the ribcage. Derek wasn’t fooled by the maneuver and quickly brought his sword around to block David’s strike.
The Crown Prince angled his sword for a strike at his opponent’s left arm, which David easily blocked, only to feel the Derek’s sword sliding up his own sword. Quickly he spun away, dropping his shoulder and pulling his neck away to prevent a strike that would have probably ended the fight. As soon as his back was facing Derek, David raised his sword over his head, the tip pointing downwards, blocking the strike he knew had been coming. Turning your back on an opponent during a fight usually resulted in your death, David knew, but the row of shields that now faced him had provided a makeshift mirror that had only confirmed his prediction of Derek’s blow.
Spinning, he went on the offense with rapid fire strikes. His first blow was aimed at the neck—blocked. Thrust at the ribcage—blocked. Thrust back at the head, whipping away at the last second to the right knee—blocked. His fourth thrust touched his brother on his arm, but did not score as a disabling injury.
Derek swung his sword in a wide cut, David jumped back to avoid being caught in its path, only to realize that as he jumped back Derek jumped forward ending the wild cut and changing to a thrust aimed at his middle.
As he turned away from his brother, David brought his sword down, managing to deflect most of the attack. Derek aimed an attack at his feet, instead of leaping backwards; David leapt up and brought his sword around for a side cut.
His sword too low to parry his brother’s attack, Derek jumped back and to the side. David’s sword missed him by centimeters—but a near miss didn’t account for anything in this game.
Derek leaped forward with an attack aimed at his brother’s head which David parried, but instead of parrying with a moving block, David held his sword steady. Their blades locked, the brothers looked at each other, each putting all his strength behind his sword, hoping to crush the other’s block. Knowing that remaining locked would drain his strength faster than David’s, Derek flicked his wrist, releasing his sword and sending it into a wide circle that brought his sword up again in time to block the younger man’s cut at his head.
David had had quite enough. He picked a point on the ground and refused to give any ground, weaving right and left, back and forth—always returning to the same spot, while at the same time running through several two and three point feint attacks in rapid succession. Derek barely managed to keep up, and a sharp flick of the wrist brought David’s sword clashing down on his brother’s near the hilt. The sting from the sudden sharp vibrations loosened Derek’s grip on his sword and another rapid strike from his brother’s sword disarmed him.
The crowd went wild, but neither brother paid them any mind. David picked up the sword and handed it back to Derek who accepted it with a graceful loser’s bow.
The second jousting tournament took place three radians after the morning meal the following day. All of the Dragons but Matt made it into the final joust. Lord Tanner, Kathryn was pleased to see, didn’t make it through the second qualification round. The final event took place at midmorning on the day of the final ball. Crown Prince Derek was the winner and received the victor’s crown and scepter with pleasure from his proud father.
Chapter 27
The third and final ball outshone all the rest. All day long the servants put forth a tremendous effort to make this ball a night to remember. Freshly washed and polished, the mosaic dance floor glittered as if made up of precious gems instead of crystal and colored glass.
The King’s Royal Guard, the only other service which employed gifted individuals fully trained in the ways of the Guardians, had used their gifts to transform the ballroom into an enchanted forest. Small planters had been brought in and placed at intervals along the walls. From the planters, the guards gifted with plant control had caused woody trunks to entwine their way up the ballroom walls. When they reached the ceiling, the trunks had splintered into numerous branches which stretched across the expanse of the room to form a canopy of limbs. Light gifted guards had filled glass orbs fitted with wire loops with their light and, with the help of wind and telekinesis gifted guards, had floated the glas
s lights up into the branches and suspended them above the dance floor.
Behind the far wall opposite the entrance specialized pipes and collecting trenches were crafted to resemble a thick growth of vines extending from rocky pools at the base of the wall, and with a little persuasion from water gifted guards, a steady stream of water poured down the wall creating a delicate sheet waterfall. Behind the water, small glowing pebbles had been inserted into the wall, adding to the illusion. The gardens outside had also been decorated. The paths had been lined with glowing rocks and any water, whether standing or flowing, had glow rocks illuminating the depths below the surface.
As the nobility prepared for the night, the kitchens spent all day busily preparing the delicious feast that would be enjoyed at the twenty-fourth radian that night. The musicians practiced until they could perform the music selections flawlessly and those servants attending the ball as helpers, frequently freshened their uniforms.
Nobody wanted this night to be a failure, nothing was to go wrong— it was to be perfect.
“Kathryn I think you should wear this dress!” Natalie exclaimed pulling a gown out of the closet.
Kathryn turned to look at Natalie’s selection. “I don’t know, Natalie, it seems a bit formal,” she frowned at the older girl’s choice—a two piece ensemble consisting of a shimmering white under-dress with wide off the shoulder straps and an off the shoulder sheer overdress that formed sheer sleeves. It was designed in the same style as the blue gown she had worn the first night but definitely had a more formal…more regal appearance, despite its simplicity.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Jenna commented from the dressing table where Rachel was doing her hair. “And besides, balls are supposed to be formal. You should wear it.” Kathryn frowned remembering her conversation with Jasmine earlier that day.
“Where did you get that beautiful blue gown you wore to the first ball?” The princess asked as she sipped her tea. Kathryn and Jasmine had left after the conclusion of the sparring tournament and were taking a midday meal on Jasmine’s balcony.
Kathryn, in the process of reaching for a sandwich, paused. “I thought you had it made for me,” she replied slowly, carefully watching Jasmine’s reaction.
The older woman shook her head. “I asked Madame and she said that she would never have thought to create a gown like that.”
“I have no idea where the gown came from then.”
“Whoever it is, I’d like to have them designing my gowns,” Jasmine commented as she sipped her tea.
Kathryn however was unsettled by the news—swearing not to wear a single dress whose origin’s she didn’t know.
As she considered the dress before her, Kathryn couldn’t remember seeing that dress earlier. “Where did you get the dress, Natalie?”
Natalie, in the process of holding up the dress to the light, looked at Kathryn like she’d lost her mind. “From your closet, silly. Where else would I find it?”
Kathryn shook her head. “It’s just that I’ve never seen that dress before.”
“Probably because I had to dig through all the rest of your dresses before I found this one,” Natalie said as she held the dress out to Kathryn. “Come on, put it on. I bet David would appreciate it.”
Kathryn stared at her confused. “What in the kingdom does that mean?”
Natalie wrinkled her face in disbelief. “What else is it supposed to mean? He’s a man, you’re a woman. Men like to see pretty women dressed in pretty things.”
“Is that why the women at court wear so many necklaces and rings they look like one feather could tip them over?” Cass giggled. Lindsey and Elizabeth joined her.
“I’d give anything to wear a dress that simple,” Rachel sighed wistfully. “Do us all a favor and wear it Kat. At least one of us can be comfortable.”
“Hear, hear,” Amy agreed. “This corset is going to be the death of me. Why does it have to be laced so tightly?”
“To enhance your figure,” Natalie informed her primly.
“My figure is just fine without it,” Amy retorted firmly. “Why the dressmakers have to sew court dresses two sizes smaller than everyday wear I will never understand.”
“Well, how else are you going to catch a husband?” Leia teased.
“I’m not looking to catch a husband. I catch outlaws.”
“You sound like Kathryn,” Natalie muttered. “There isn’t a romantic idea between the two of you. Now put on that dress!” she ordered, seeing that Kathryn hadn’t moved to change.
“It’s hard to be romantic when the only men you meet are breaking the laws of the kingdom,” Elizabeth commented wryly as Kathryn reluctantly complied with Natalie’s edict.
Rachel, who had finished styling Jenna’s hair, called Kathryn over. “How do you like your hair done?” she asked as she brushed Kathryn’s long locks.
Kathryn scowled at her in the mirror. “No one listens to me when I give my opinion, so why do you ask?”
Natalie breezed over, looking at her jewelry selections. “Nobody listens to you because you don’t have an inkling as to what’s in style,” she explained as she picked out a pair of earrings and put them on. “I’m next,” she told Rachel.
“You mean the style that you all are griping about wearing?” Kathryn muttered as Natalie moved away with the swish of her skirts.
Rachel gave her a wide grin in the mirror before reaching out to finger Kathryn’s hair. “How come you never wear this down?” she asked softly.
I let it down at home. Just not when anyone’s around, Kathryn mused. “It still gets in my way.”
Rachel smiled and picked up a white jeweled barrette. Deftly she pulled the hair ornament through Kathryn’s hair until one side had been pulled away from her face. Snapping the barrette in place, Rachel made a few minor adjustments then smiled. “There, that looks nice.” Cass stepped over, stood behind Kathryn and placed her hands gently on her shoulders. While looking at their reflection she beamed, “Oh, Kathryn you look absolutely stunning! The look suits you.”
Kathryn shifted uncomfortably in the chair causing some hair to uncoil and fall in front of her left eye. “What do I do when the other side gets in my way?” Kathryn wanted to know as she puffed air out the side of her mouth attempting to move the offending lock.
Rachel laughed and shook her head. “Would you like me to pull both sides back?”
“Please.”
Smiling, Rachel redid the style so that the sides of Kathryn’s hair was twisted back and anchored with the barrette.
Amy hurried over. “What kind of makeup should I use?” She asked Natalie.
Natalie considered Amy’s deep green gown. “I think gold eye shadow would complement the trim on your dress nicely. You could use dark green eyeliner to match your dress.”
Kathryn vacated the chair she was sitting in so that Natalie could have her hair done and Amy could use the mirror. She moved over to the bed where all the jewelry had been laid out.
“Kathryn do you remember when we pierced your ears?” Amy asked as she applied blush.
Kathryn frowned at her. “I remember you saying it wouldn’t hurt only to find out that it did.”
“Just be glad you didn’t get an infection,” Amy laughed at her in the mirror.
Cass came up to stand beside Kathryn. “Here,” she handed Kathryn a pair of teardrop earrings, “these would go better with your dress than with mine.”
“I can’t take your earrings,” Kathryn protested.
“Yes you can,” Cass insisted. “Besides, Lindsey already said I could borrow a pair of hers, gold hoops go better with my dress than those.” She motioned to her deep green dress with gold embroidery and Kathryn had to agree.
Eventually all the girls were ready to go. Laughing they made their way to the ballroom where their escorts had agreed to meet them.
“Matt, stop fidgeting,” David laughed. “They’ll get here when they get here.” He gave his green and gold tunic one last once-over to make s
ure everything was in place. His mother had insisted that he wear the new clothing she had commissioned for him. Personally, he felt like it was a little overdone, that it looked too royal, but after his sisters had joined their mother’s side he’d surrendered.
“How long does it take to get ready?” His friend complained as he tugged on the collar. David suppressed a smile. How Matt had managed to prevent his hair from clashing with his maroon tunic he couldn’t comprehend, but he was impressed. Daniel stood nearby in a white tunic with green embroidery looking dignified. He looked more like a prince than David did at his best. It was a little discouraging.
Tyler huffed. “They’re girls, Matt, forever.” He was dressed in a red tunic with unique white embroidery. Most nobles David was familiar with preferred gold or black embroidery on a red tunic.
Luke, standing next to him and looking extraordinarily handsome in a deep blue and silver tunic, rolled his eyes as he detected some movement down the long corridor. “However,” Luke added returning his gaze as the girls came into sight. “Forever is worth the wait.” Quickly he hurried over and took Cass by the arm, “Shall we?”
Cass giggled. “If you like, milord.”
David watched the two enter the ballroom with a grin. Luke was a lady charmer and he knew it. One by one the rest of the escorts claimed the arm of their ladies.
David held out his arm to Kathryn. “Shall we, milady?”
“You sound like Luke,” she muttered as she took his arm.
David’s grin grew, “I didn’t realize that that was a bad thing,” he said as they made their way down the wide steps.
“I’m just glad that this is the last night,” Kathryn said as they took their positions for another dreaded waltz. This time, the waltz required that they literally dance cheek to cheek. It would provide them the opportunity to talk privately, but the close proximity to another person was already making Kathryn uncomfortable.