There would be an inspection to make sure all buckles and straps were still secure, and that the knights were uninjured and able to advance again. They would assist the knight to make ready with a new lance. And then, it would all begin again.

Lady Alexandi explained that in a normal joust, points were assigned to the striking of the shield, the breaking of the lance, and unseating a challenger. But for Erec and Neron, it was different. The herald said at the start that their match was part of Neron's trial by combat. As such, they must go again, and again until one of them was unhorsed.

Lady Alexandi said that she had never witnessed a pair of knights to go more than three passes before one of them was unhorsed. Gwyndolyn suppressed a shudder. Even with the armor, such brutal blows must be terribly painful!

---

"Milord!" Drew pleaded. "You must let yourself fall before you are bruised too badly. The next match will not begin until one of you is unseated. If you are too badly injured now, how will you fare in the next match!"

"I will do what I must. But I will not fall first. The winner of this match chooses weapon for the next match. I have no wish to be pounded with Axe or Mace. I must keep my seat to be certain the weapon is swords."

"But if you are too badly injured..."

"Enough! I will do what I must." Erec ground out tiredly, more to convince himself than Drew. "Lance."

---

"Can they not stop this?" Gwyn asked nervously as the knights reached the end.

Zeus pawed wildly at the dirt and Erec seemed to have some difficulty reigning him in. Drew reached up to help, even as he spoke to Erec. Gwyn watched as the feathers waved wildly about as Erec shook his head.

Whatever it was, Erec's answer was nay.

"Nay." Lady Alexandi answered tensely. "It cannot be stopped unless one of them is unseated."

"But cannot his majesty...?"

"Aye, but why should he when this is such good sport? I have never seen two more determined knights. It is clear that they are sorely suffering from the blows they are fatigued under the strain of it. See, neither are able to keep a proper hold on their mount but the attendants must assist."

"But what sport will it be for the next match if they are too sorely injured from this match?!"

"I agree with you, Gwyndolyn." Lady Alexandi placed a hand upon Gwyn's forearm, "But I have no power to stop this. We can only pray for Erec."

"I wish—Robin!" Gwyn's attention was diverted as Robin suddenly was up and over the rail and running toward Erec. This would cause Erec to lose if...but no, John either heard her shout or saw the movement, for he met Robin before the boy had gone far, and stopped him well clear of Erec.

"You must go back Master Robin." John scolded. "If I had not reached you in time, you would have cost your father the match!"

"But this match must end. They cannot go again. If they are too badly bruised from this match, they will not do well in the next match. If Papa does not do well, then he will die, and I do not wish—"

"You are right, Master Robin." John nodded. "Now return to your mother and see to her safety. Look how you have frightened her."

Robin turned and glanced over his shoulder.

"But—"

"I will do what I can." John promised and turned Robin about by the shoulders before shoving him gently off. John waited until the boy was safely on the other side of the rail before he turned to see one of the king's official judges coming to meet him.

---

After Robin was again seated safely next to Baron Brecken, Gwyn turned her attention back to Erec. This was to be their fifth charge and she was very worried that he would fall off this time.

There was only so much abuse that one man could take...

John and Drew were arguing with a man wearing the surcoat of the royal guard. He did not wear any armor, but ordinary clothing beneath it. His hat was plumed, but not so grandly as the knight's helms. He was one of four such men that she learned were the king's judges.

There was one at each end of the field near the knights' attendants. They carefully watched over the lances that were held in a special stand built for the purpose. They were also very attentive toward the interactions between the attendants and the knights. They insured that nothing was unfairly altered.

There were two small stands at the center of either side of the field. They were small and square with two steps going up. This gave the judges that stood upon them the best view when the knights met. After each charge, the two judges climbed down from their stand and ran to the center where they conferred before returning to the safety of their stands.

In a normal joust, Lady Alexandi explained, they confirmed strikes and counted points. For Erec and Neron there were no points, though the judges still conferred after each charge. The one on the side of the royal dais met with a lad who ran up the steps and passed word to the herald who announced the results as the knights made ready for the next advance.

Her stomach turned and she placed a hand upon it, willing that it should still. She did not want to leave the joust before she knew the fate of her husband, but neither did she wish to lose the contents of her stomach before this crowd...

The man with the feathered hat nodded, and waved a red scarf above his head. The judge on the stand on the King's side ran forward to meet him. They conferred and after a nod, they gestured for the boy who carried the messages.

As Gwyn watched, her stomach churned anxiously. The message was passed, and passed again...Then the king spoke and the message was carried to the herald.

The crowd, rowdy as they were, had stilled. The excited roar shrank to a hushed whisper as they speculated on what would come of this.

Gwyn prayed that Robin's impulsive action would not adversely affect a decision against Erec—

A trumpet sounded interrupting her thoughts and silence fell instantly as they awaited the words of the herald.

"Lords and Ladies." The herald bellowed. His voice carried clearly.

His majesty has decreed that this match is ended in a draw. Neither knight shall claim victory.

Lord Neron and Lord Erec shall retire to the castle under guard where the royal physician shall attend them.

Upon the morrow, they shall cast lots to see who chooses the weapons for the second match, which is to be single combat to the death.

The lists are now open to all challengers.

Gwyn felt her knees shake and would have fallen had she not already been seated. With a sigh she rose.

"Where are you going?"

"To tend to Erec's injuries. I—"

"Nay. You heard the herald, did you not. They are to be kept in the castle under guard and only the royal physician will be allowed to attend them." Lady Alexandi explained.

"But—"

"Do not worry. One attendant will also be permitted to assist the knight with armor and to serve. Drew will be with Erec and he will not permit the Physician to do anything that will harm Erec. Aside," Lord Brecken consoled her, "Matilde will be servant to the knights, so she will be able to help Drew should he need it. Do not worry. Erec will be well cared for."

"I still worry. Does he not have to face Neron again, upon the morrow. And this time, it will be to the d--death." The last word stck in her throat.

Gwyn's stomach turned and her throat burned. Swallowing hard she placed a hand upon her stomach and gently rubbed.

"Come." Lady Alexandi smiled. "Milord, can you see that the children safe to their rooms when the jousts are over? I think I should take Lady Gwyndolyn inside to rest awhile."

"Aye. Worry not. I shall see them safe."

---

Stepping into the castle, Gwyndolyn blinked. Compared to the brightness of the sun upon the moors, inside of doors was dark as night. Slowly her sight returned and they made their way toward the stairs. At the foot of the stairs, they were met by a servant.

"Send a tray of flat bread and ginger tea to the Lady Gwyndolyn's room. Send up the tub and warm water for bathing."

"Yes, milady." The servant curtsied and was off to do as bid.

"I do not require—"

"Does Erec know?" Lady Alexandi cut her off sternly.

"Know?" Gwyn's eyes grew large. "Know what?"

"You are with child, are you not?" Lady Alexandi challenged. "You rub your stomach."

"It is just nerves. My husband—"

"I would tend to believe you," Lady Alexandi interrupted, "were it not for the fact that I have seen you do it many times over these past weeks."

"But I..." Gwyn let her voice trail off at the look of loving concern she saw on her friend's face. This was one debate she would not win. "I have not told him yet. I was going to tell him after the treaty was signed, but then this..."

"And you did not wish to distract him?"

Gwyn nodded.

"It was noble of you, but you must take better care. Sitting so long in the hot sun is not good for you. You might have been sick..."

"I almost was." Gwyn admitted. "I am glad to be inside of doors again...You will keep my secret?"

"I will keep your secret until after this is ended. If Erec is victorious, you will tell him then. If he is—well--In either case, you will stay with us and I will be here to help you."

"Nay. If Erec wins, we must return to Kingstown with his majesty."

"We shall wait, and see." Lady Alexandi said as a knock sounded.

Gwyn watched as servants brought in a tub and began to fill it. A tray appeared and Gwyn thankfully nibbled the flatbread and sipped at the ginger tea. It helped to settle her stomach and she wondered how Erec was faring. Surely, he was bruised bone deep.

His poor shoulder...

---

"I wonder that he stopped the match." Erec hissed air through his teeth as Drew helped him out of his mail. He wore the links so many days together since he was first knighted that he seldom felt the weight of them. But as they dragged across his battered shoulder, it felt as though it were weighted with stones.

"He would not have stopped it at all except Robin rushed out on the field. Do not worry." Drew hastened to explain. "John met him straight away so he never reached the field. Though he was quite worried about his Papa, he was also quite safe. He said that if you were too badly bruised from the joust, you would not make a good showing in the morrow's match."

"He was worried that I would make a poor show?" Erec raised a brow, then groaned as he tried and failed to lift his shirt over his head.

"He was worried that if you made a poor showing, you would wind up dead. He did not wish to lose another Papa." Drew said as he helped Erec from the shirt, garnering another groan as Erec once more had to lift his arms.

"God's Teeth!" Drew exclaimed when he saw the blackened color of Erec's lower back where he had used the saddle to leverage against the impacts.

"That is nothing." Erec cringed as he twisted to look over his shoulder, and chose to turn on his heel instead.

"By the bowels of Christ!" Drew cursed as his eyes fell on the blackened flesh of Erec's chest and shoulder.

The bruising went from the top of his shoulder nearly to his navel and almost all the way across his chest. His arm was bruising also, but not so badly. A knot was forming on his breast, below his collar bone and above his elbow. Maybe more than one knot? Swelling together?

"It is not so bad as all that." Erec tried to laugh but hissed as all of his tense muscles protested.

"I wonder that you can move at all." Drew shook his head. "Why did you not just let yourself be knocked down?"

"Neron."

"So?"

"Winning this match would give him choice of weapon, but I have said as much already."

A knock sounded and Drew answered to admit servants with a tub and several buckets of steaming water as they began to fill it.

"That looks heavenly." Erec gave a half smile.

"Alas, I am not so lovely as the Lady Gwyndolyn, but I shall do my best." Drew fluttered his eyes and sighed.

Erec laughed. It hurt like the devil, but it still felt good to release some of the tension coiled within him.

Drew rolled up his sleeve and tested the water with his elbow.

"I am not a babe so that you should need to test the temperature." Erec chuckled as he loosened his belt and began to climb out of his stockings. He felt the veriest of fools with his bare arse hanging out and his stockings stuck halfway to his knees, but the pain to his chest took his breath away when he tried to bend further. Had he not stopped, he would have swooned.

"I asked for a hot bath, but I do not wish to scald that pretty hide of yours, else your lovely wife shall have mine own tanned and hanging on the wall."

"She told you that?" Erec chuckled, trying to forget his embarrassment as Drew had to help him out of the stockings.

"In very nearly those precise words." Drew smiled as he stood and waved a hand toward the tub. Not a tub, per-say as they had carried up a horse trough that was lined with pitch to make sure it did not leak. It was longer and deeper and an ailing knight could soak away some of the pains between matches.

"It sounds like something she would say." Erec braced on Drew's shoulder as he climbed in and with a little assist, lowered himself slowly into the steaming water.

When first he saw the tub, he thought that it looked heavenly. Erec sighed and sank to rest his head on the edge so that his chest was submerged beneath the nearly scalding water. He was mistaken.

It felt divine...