Once Upon A Knight ✔

Chapter 8: A Fateful Melee

Author's Note:

I am slightly happy with the way this chapter turned out. It is the time for the face off between Torryn and Henry and I got a lot of satisfaction with the ass whooping I had planned for Henry to get (pardon my French!). Enjoy the chapter and please don't forget to vote for it. Happy reading,

Love,

Mishty

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Sir Torryn sat on his prancing mount, awaiting the start of the tournament when he chanced a glance towards the battlements of the Durand Castle. The ladies and old noblemen were sitting there, fanning their faces in the hot sun. Many of the gentry believed that even a mock battle of the tourneys were too violent for ladies' sensibilities. Torryn could never understand their sentiments as he had seen his sisters beating him in sword fight as much as his brothers. Apparently, Lord Durand didn't share those same reservations as other nobleman for he could see that Elyss was among the spectators.

The ends of the lances that were going to be used in the tournament today were blunted with coronels to diffuse the impact of a blow. Similarly the swords had been blunted too so that no serious injury and death could occur. It was not very rare that a serious or fatal imjury could occur during a tournament but usually these tournaments were very tame affairs.

She was wearing a pale pink down with gilded leather girdle around her full hips, her hair gleaming in the high sun. Looking at her he could almost feel her gaze upon him. He felt more determined than ever, to free her from her betrothal by defeating Sir Henry de Verley and feel worthy of the love she had bestowed upon him. Torryn slowly lowered his visor and eyed the mounted knights lined up across the meadow all prepared with their helmets and chainmail. Henry was easy picking as a sitting duck in his shiny costly armor. He knew what the other noblemen thought of his dandyish behavior. Most of the knights' armors had seen better days but the dents and the clinks were what proved a warrior's worth. Torryn was sure with his demeanor that the Norman was marking his position too.

A sudden heat generated in Torryn's body and extreme hatred for the vicious lout seethed within him. It was apalling the way that dishonorable man was standing in the field. His love for Elyss was the only thing that stopped him from going over and burying him alive where he stood tall and proud on his steed. He could recognize Love and knew that it was much more than the lust he had felt in the past. Loving her meant not only that he desired her body but also that he cared for her and wanted her happiness more than anything. His love for her made him see that he respected and admired her. Never did it occur to him that she was a Norman and he thought her the most wonderful woman he'd ever met. And if this was not love, he had no other name to give it.

Lord Durand rode into the centre of the field mounted on a snow white horse with his family crest and colors of bright scarlet and gold. Accompanying him were two men carrying a bronze horn each. "We submit the fate of this Tourney and our self in the hands of our one, true God." Lord Durand loud voice carried clear across the field. "I pray that we do not need the tent for the wounded that we have prepared inside the main gate and that there are no deaths among you today. When the horns sound once, all prepare for battle. When they sound again, the tournament will begin. God be with you all."

With that, Lord Durand left the field and Torryn's grip tightened on his lance. He could remember all that he had learnt in his years of training. This wasn't a tournament that he could lose, there was too much at stake. For him winning his love's freedom mattered more to him than his life. He had decided that he would make sure that he would defeat Henry even if it meant risking his life. The horns sounded like a blast from the edge of the field and all the knights lowered their lances in unison. To Elyss it looked like a forest of trees falling from afar. With the next blast of horns Torryn kicked his heels into his horse's side and they shot out together like a canonball.