Maud: the Daughter of the Count of Nocturne

Chapter 3: The Joust

      The rain blew under the shade cover and soaked through Maud's dress. The Ladies around her grumbled and complained but Maud wasn't really paying attention. She didn't really care about what the women of different countries had to say about the weather. Maud continued to ignore the women until a woman with a thick German accent and an equally soaked purple dress spoke to the woman beside Maud.

      "People can be such savages," she said with a matter-of-fact tone. "For example, the Count of Nocturne. The man brings his daughter to all of his jousts. His Daughter! The Nobles of Saxony would never do anything like that."

      Maud slowly turned to face the woman behind her and forced herself not to slap the German Lady across her face. "Madam, i would prefer that you not talk poorly of the Count of Nocturne," Maud asked as politely as possible. She could feel the eyes of every woman boring into her skull as she spoke.

      The woman looked Maud up and down before speaking again. "And why would I do that? The man is going to die anyway."

      Maud puffed up like a rooster and stared at the woman with cold eyes. "Sir Amadeus is a much better man and knight than your Sir Morik." Maud could hear murmurs around her but she ignored them. Maud spoke again, much louder this time and with a voice full of venom. "Amadeus is no more savage than Morik or Xavier is."

      The German woman stared at her with disgust. As she opened her mouth to speak, another woman, who appeared to be about Maud's age, laid her hand on the German Lady's shoulder. The young woman spoke instead, revealing her French origin. "Please ladies. We should not fight. Let us leave that to our Knights." The women in the area nodded in agreement and turned back to face the jousting arena. Maud turned away from the German lady and was surprised when the French woman sat down next to her.  

      Maud was unsure of what to do. "Thank you for interfering. I do believe if you had not, i would have ended up hitting that woman," Maud said nervously.

      The young woman smiled at her. "You are quite welcome." The woman paused before speaking again. "My name is Philomena. What is yours?"

      Maud's voice disappeared as she tried to speak. Most people ignored her or looked down on her so never once had she needed to announce her title. She stared at Philomena for a moment before answering. "I am Maud, the daughter of the Count of Nocturne."

      Philomena nodded sadly before she spoke. "One of us is losing family today. Aren't we?" Her face had gone from regal to scared as she spoke. Her hair and dress were also drenched in water, giving her a more childish appearance.

      Maud sighed. "Or we both will." She could see the pain in Philomena's face and quickly changed the subject. " Is Sir Guy your brother?"

      Philomena nodded. "Yes he is. I am surprised you know who he is."

      Maud smiled slightly as she remembered her run-in with Guy and Xavier at the Inn. "I met him briefly earlier as Xavier threw him out of the nearby Inn."

      Philomena laughed. "So you were the woman he almost crashed into. He felt really bad about that."

      As Maud opened her mouth to speak, the horns announcing the start of the joust were blown. Maud and Philomena  both turned back to face the field as Avery rode out. Maud sat, bored, as Avery did his speech and began to introduce the knights. She was lost in thought for most of the joust until Philomena gasped and grabbed Maud's arm. 

      Maud looked at the field just as  Xavier  hit the ground. Blood poured out of the man's neck and everyone knew he was dead. His body hit the ground with an audible thud and jerked once before falling still. Sir Morik stood over him, smiling maniacally. Morik then began to advance on Amadeus. His sword still dripped with  Xavier 's blood as he swung it through the air at Amadeus. Amadeus was unable to move fast enough and caught the sword with his shoulder. Amadeus grunted and swung for Morik's face, but the younger knight dodged the strike. Maud found herself wanting to run to her father's aid but knew she would be unable to help him. Morik quickly removed the sword from Amadeus' shoulder and swung again, this time for Amadeus' head. Amadeus tried to dodge it by leaning sideways but it was not enough. A spray of blood accompanied the blow. Amadeus' neck had been sliced open but not severed.

      Maud flung herself from her seat and over the fence, the bottom of her skirt tearing as it snagged on a post. Squires tried to grab her but she shook them off as she ran. She reached her father just as he hit the ground and the tears began to roll down her face. "Please don't die, please don't die," she muttered over and over as she knelt by her father. She could hear Sheridan speaking to her but couldn't comprehend a word he was saying.

      Amadeus' bloody hand came up slowly to touch Maud's face. "So much like your mother," he gasped. "So much like your mother." He paused as he coughed up blood. "Your future is not in Nocturne my dear. You cannot go back. Blue and Silver are your friends now." He coughed some more and his hand began to slide from Maud's tear-streaked face. "So much like your mother." With those final words, he left this world for the next.

      Maud was so heartbroken that she didn't notice when Sir Guy drug her to her feet and off of the field. Her tears continued to flow, causing the blood on her cheek to run down her neck. She couldn't believe he was dead. He had been the only family she had left. And what did he mean about Silver and Blue being her only friends? Guy forced her all the way back to the Inn where they met up with Philomena, her face tear streaked as well. Maud didn't care though. She just wanted her father back.