"Nay, for I do not believe our majesty to be evil. I believe that the decisions he makes are not for the purpose of causing harm." Gwyn frowned in concentration as she tried to find the words to make her friend see reason. "It is simply that his majesty has no care for anyone, save himself."

Alexandi smiled. Gwyndolyn was obviously beginning to grow frustrated. "Again, you support my point."

"Nay. You see, I have won." Gwyn smiled. "Let me give an example that you cannot dispute."

Alexandi nodded.

"Suppose his majesty wanted a particular piece of land, and said piece of land was occupied."

"Then he would simply seize it. He would send his soldiers and they would take the land."

"Yes. They would take the land. They would force the previous owners off the land, forcing them to take their family and belongings and move elsewhere."

"Yes." Alexandi nodded cautiously. Gwyn's smile grew as she prepared to make the winning point.

"And if Lord Neron wanted a piece of land?"

"He would take the land." Alexandi answered quickly. "Again, you only serve to prove my—"

"Yes. But Lord Neron would not force the previous owners off the land. The previous owners would simply disappear and the land would simply be Lord Neron's."

"Aha!" Alexandi set her mending on her lap to clap her hands. "Well done!"

Gwyndolyn bowed her head as if she were an actor upon a stage and laughed.

"I still do not understand why you feel it so important that I learn to argue..."

"Not argue," Alexandi clarified, "Reason. You must be able to defend your statements. In court you will not always be so openly admired as you are among Erec, his men, and the people of Brecken. In future, when Erec returns to Kingstown, you will be much in the company of nobility and their wives while in court. You will be challenged, and you must be able to—"

"I know." Gwyndolyn laughed. "To support my claims with indisputable proofs and present them in such a way that they cannot be dismissed."

"Very good." Alexandi nodded, resuming her mending. "Now, what do you think of this tourney?"

"I think a tourney a good form of entertainment. It is good to let the men test their metal. They came expecting war and found only peace. They are not disappointed, but all of that anticipation and ...hmm...energy?" Gwyn paused; Alexandi nodded and Gwyn continued. "must be redirected before there is trouble."

"Excellent observation." Alexandi smiled proudly.

"Mama?" Robin knocked politely and waited at the door until Gwyn looked up with a big smile.

"Well done, Robin!" she praised, "Come. What is it?"

"Papa has sent me to tell you that he will be staying in the garrison this night. He and the others are training hard for the tourney. He has long been away from the joust and wishes to keep his head upon his shoulders. As it is a clear night, and the moon is near full once more, they will keep training."

"Thank you. I am certain you kept his words, if not his meaning."

"I kept his words...mostly." Robin shrugged. "There were a few he added that were not fit to be spoken in the presence of a lady."

"Has he seen fit to teach you these words?" Gwyn raised a brow in challenge.

"Nay." Robin grinned cheekily. "I learned them all of my own, but he said that there is a time and a place for such words. He insists that I learn that as well, if I am to keep using the words."

"I see." Gwyn bit her cheek to keep from laughing, though she could not stop the smile.

Robin laughed at her, and she gave up her efforts, joining him in laughter as Alexandi had already done.

"Very well, off with you. Tell Papa that I thank him for advising me. I shall miss him, but I understand. Tell him that I also should also like it if he were to keep his head upon his shoulders."

Robin laughed as he turned and scampered off. Gwyn suspected that a servant would come to tell her that the children were sleeping in the garrison near Erec again. It was indulgent, but they were so long without a father, and the tourney would be dangerous. She wanted them to have time together, even if it was a bit unconventional.

Aside, Erec spent his youth at his father's feet in much in the same way before his father died. And Erec turned out fine.

...more than fine,she amended with a smile.

---

Just before the tourney, in the king's stables.

"I do not like it, milord." John frowned. "Trial by combat should not be treated this way. He has turned it into mere sport. News of this tourney travelled further and faster than that of the signing of the peace treaty. Most of those who left after the treaty have returned."

"Gwyn is right. It is a wise move, if not unfortunate for me to be matched against so capable a foe."

"Wise!"

"Aye. You know better than most how a soldier gets inside when he rides toward battle. And these knights travelled far expecting battle. They are aching for a fight and a tourney is a good way to release that energy without harm to an innocent."

"I had not thought of that." John frowned. "I was thinking only how it upsets me that after all you have done for his father—and for him—that he would—"

"Enough." Erec gently scolded. "It has been many years since I have been anything other than the king's champion. It is an honor to serve the crown thus. I am on the side of right, and therefore I shall win."

"I could only wish that Neron were less..."

"He is." Erec answered quietly as he set a had upon John's shoulder.

John nodded.

"Milord, it is time." A boy bellowed as he ran toward them.

Zeus did not like the noisy attacker and reared up, nearly knocking John over. Erec scooped the boy up and turned around, putting himself between Zeus and the terrified boy.

"Now, quietly, be off with you." Erec scolded gently as he turned his attention to Zeus. "I shall be out directly."

The boy nodded and walked away, slowly at first, but then breaking into a run as he neared the door.

Settled once more, Zeus dipped his head as if nodding his consent for the joust to begin. After a final check that all was as it should be, Erec mounted. John walked alongside carrying the feathered helm. They waited until they were announced to make their way to the start where Drew and Dermot waited.

As the herald made his speeches and introductions, Erec took his helm from John. Searching the royal dais, Erec was disappointed not to see Gwyndolyn and the children. Surely, they—John rapped against Erec's leg.

"They are here, milord." John gestured behind them to the stepped seating on three of the four sides of the arena.

Erec turned and there, in the very front row, seated upon bales of hay, was his family, also Lord Brecken and his wife. Erec was pleased that the Baron looked after Gwyn, but as he was the King's Champion, they should be in the Royal Dais. Or at the very least, seated in one of the shaded areas set up for nobility and royal guests.

"I am glad that they are here." Erec nodded and his children waved at him. "You must go to them and see them moved to seating in one of the shaded places."

"They will not be moved, milord. They wanted to be as close to you as they could be, and that was the closest place. His Lordship set the bales of hay for them, so they are not upon the rough boards. There are servants standing near that can fetch water as needed."

Erec felt his heart would burst with pride.

"I am unworthy of the honor they give me." He said, "But I shall bestow an honor upon them in return."

Turning Zeus, he reached for his lance, settling it upon his foot, so that it pointed skyward. Riding a few steps, he stopped facing them.

Sofi, bless her little heart, leapt from her mother's lap and began to jump up and down as she clapped her hands and chanted Papa! Papa! Papa!

Erec felt his eyes sting, and blinked rapidly. This was no time for the gentler feelings. They would joust with blunted lance, for the sake of sport. The king wanted the amusement to last. But it was still a bruising experience and if his head were not clear...he could break his neck.

Gwyndolyn was busy loosing one of her scarves from her head covering. With a smile he could not stop, he lowered his lance and moved Zeus forward until she could reach it. He would proudly carry her favor into battle. When she finished tying the scarf, he raised the lance and called a command to Zeus.

Zeus could not fully execute a proper bow, as he could not kneel without tripping on the caparison. But Zeus obediently dipped his head in a nod as he pranced. Erec dipped the lance once more before he turned and returned to the start. John met him and Erec lowered the lance.

"Tie it to my arm, above the elbow." Erec said as John slipped the scarf free.

Just as John finished tying it, the trumpet sounded, and Erec moved Zeus into position. The trumpet sounded a second time a moment later.

"Lord Erec, make you ready!" The herald called out.

Erec dipped his lance and settled it into the cradle of his arm, so that it rested across his body and pointed forward.

The herald did the same for Neron and as the trumpets sounded a third time, they charged.

---

Gwyndolyn had never been to a tourney, so last night Lady Alexandi told her what to expect. The lady suggested wearing an extra scarf so that if Erec favored her with his lance she should have a favor to present to him. The lady also said that the knights would be in parade armor. It was lighter, shinier, and more colorful than battle armor.

Save for Erec and his knights as they rode away from Brecken before the ambush, Gwyn had never seen a knight in full armor. A knight in battle armor was an impressive sight. But this...this was something altogether different.

Gwyn's heart raced. By necessity of his great height and broadness of shoulder without his armor, Erec's mount was larger than many. Zeus was a beautiful horse when he was in stable but in parade armor, with Erec decked out upon his back...

Zeus's shaffron was painted sable with simple, yet striking decoration. The thick outlines were leafed in gold as were the rest of the clasps and buckles. It well complemented the black and gold brocade of the finely embroidered caparison. The clasps and buckles also appeared to be leafed with gold. The mighty black horse was truly a sight fit to carry the King's own Champion.

And the champion was also impressive, bedecked in his parade armor. It was plain, but it was smooth and shone brightly in the sun. At his shoulder, there was a small shield of sable with a horse in raised relief and leafed in gold. The horse stood upon the hind legs, gouging the air with forelegs and the mouth was open bearing teeth.

It was a war horse...like Zeus.

Gwyn's smile grew as she took in the sight. Erec was speaking with John about something.

Black feathers rose impressively from his helm and curled out in all directions. If it were not for the fact that she knew feathers to be very light, she would wonder that Erec managed to keep his head upright, as the plumes were twice again the size of his helm.

John pointed and a moment later, Erec lifted his lance. The children waived and Gwyn felt her heart would pound right out of her chest. But then Erec turned Zeus and rode toward them. And when Erec stopped before her and tipped his lance...the sight took her breath away.

Were it not for Lady Alexandi jabbing an elbow into Gwyndolyn's ribs, she would have forgotten all about the favor as she tried to remember how to breath.

The children stood excitedly near the rail that was set to keep the spectators clear of the field. They waved and shouted as Erec rode back to his place. It was not until the second trumpet sounded and the herald called out that this all became very real to her. Any moment now—and then the third trumpet sounded and they charged.

Gwyn jumped to her feet; her hands pressed to her chest as if the gesture could keep her heart from pounding free. She held her breath and watched with a peculiar mixture of awe and fear.

The area was leveled in preparation for the tourney, and then packed hard so that the horses could run without fear of falling in a hole or soft spot. This created bare patches of dirt, which created dust, but the ground was watered where it was problematic.

Of course, it would not do for his majesty to get dust upon his person...

Gwyn fell back upon the hay and blinked. It was over so quickly, but she had seen it so very clearly...as if they were walking and not charging madly toward one another.

They lowered their lances and charged. She was surprised that the lances held steady instead of bobbing about as they charged. As the horses ran, their hooves dug in and tossed bits of dirt in their wake. Gwyn was reminded of the smell of rain when the first drops begin to wet the earth.

The crowd came to their feet, cheering as the knights charged. Gwyn noticed for the first time that Lord Neron was bedecked in armor similar to Erec's but it was bright blue and white with a lion upon the shield.

The roar of the crowd increased as the lances lifted the instant before they met.

Lord Neron lifted his chin, but Erec did not.

Gwyn saw the very instant that Erec's lance struck Neron. The knight curled back and was lifted up and partially out of his saddle from the blow, but Neron managed to keep his seat upon the horse.

A roar from the crowds was deafening and it smothered the sound of the lances striking the shields. It smothered also the break, as both lances snapped like dry kindling fodder. Bits of lance flew out in all directions. Seemingly unaffected, the knights rode on to the end of the field where they reined in to wait for their pages and squires to arrive.