Donner and Thalia: Satisfaction is Demanded (Episode 3)

Chapter 10

10.

The audience cheered as Finely crossed his mace with Donner's bastard sword. Finley was using everything about mace combat Sir Angus had tried to imbue on him in his training. But Donner had been training with a man who won an entire war in an act of single combat, and it showed. The way he dodged, blocked, went for the body. The betting men in the audience knew Donner was a favorite to win the fight. With each scuffle the two semi-finalists had, Donner's betters grew more and more confident that they would be walking away with more coin than they had arrived with.

Finley tried to swing for Donner's side, and Donner, in a striking show of control, caught the shaft of the mace with his gauntleted hand and spun around, bringing the hilt of his bastard sword up to stroke finely's elbow.

Finley cried out, "Yield," as his mace fell to the ground. Donner patted his back and turned to the stands holding his sword up in victory.

"Semi-Finals winner, Sir Donner of Hillshade!" Alan McLaurin, Castle Woodsford's crier, announced as Donner stood over Sir Gregor of the Bear's Mace's squire. Finley went to pick up his mace. It was a challenging battle, not hard, but challenging. Donner had bested him though, earning himself a place in the finals of the Squires Tournament.

Donner turned to the audience and stood proud and raised his hand made sword as the cloak of Sir Theodore's symbol blew in the breeze coming across the dueling arena. White marble tiles in a square that stood twenty-five feet across with an arc of seats behind them. Nobles from all over Kinleath watching the grand tradition of the tournament of Squires appaluded.

As Donner made his way back, he saw Lord Hamish sitting in a booth above his bench. Lord Hamish was with Lady Phoebe, Donner didn't know why she was there, she was Lord Levi's wife. Donner always knew that Hamish was one to be friendly with any pretty lady, but a married woman? Hamish was a known playboy, always up to some debauchery as Lady Dema described it. Never mind it, it didn't involve Donner. He came to his bench and got a hard pat on the shoulder by Theodore, "Good show Sir Donner," Theodore said as the next two duelists came up to the arena. Lance and Myles. Donner took his seat next to Theodore and paid close attention as Lance made his way to ten paces in front of Myles. He watched as Lance spun his spear around with flair as Miles whipped his flail around a few times.

"That's Lance, Black Chain's boy. I figure you've had him spotted as your biggest competition today?"

"I can take him this time," Donner said as he studied Lance's battle stance. "But do you have any tips for taking on a spear with a bastard sword?" Donner asked.

"It's a hard fight, one that good with a spear, you're at a marked disadvantage my squire. Now see, Myles is using a flail. What he's going to try and do and wrap the chain around Lance's spear and disarm him. The flail is an excellent weapon for a disarming contest. Hughe says his boy has come a long way in his training. But I'd say that flail is in less than capable hands against an opponent like Lance."

"I've faced Lance before, I know some of his moves, and I know what to avoid. Besides," Donner held his arm up, mounted to his wrist, unused, was his auto-shield. Donner had made it through the first three rounds without even thinking about pulling it out. Against Lance, though, he would need every trick he could muster from up his sleeve.

"I'll have a shield when I face him this time," Donner said.

When the duel was called to start, Myles started to wail his flail around, waiting for Lance to make a strike so he could hope to grab the spear and rip it from Lance's hand, winning the duel outright.

Since their adventure with the Knights, Myles had seemed to carry himself, and his weapon, with a bit more confidence.

"You got it, Myles!" Donner called out, rooting for his friend and brother in battle.