The 7th Knight

15 THE JOYS OF JOUSTING

Kai woke with the dawn, the birds chattering in the single tree not too far from his window. He could smell the freshly baked bread from the kitchens already. When he had dressed, he ran down the stairs to the kitchens. It was so busy there than no one seemed to notice him and he fancied some breakfast.

He was halfway across the kitchen when Big Daffyd appeared from the tangle of people all doing something very busy and said: Help yourself to anything in the pantry. Fresh bread is in the baskets but some of its still hot, so be careful.

Kai went into the pantry and grabbed a range of things from nuts, rolled oats and dried fruit pieces to a pot of jam and some of that lovely hot bread. With a bit of milk, the oats, fruit and nuts made a nice breakfast cereal. He wolfed it down until he realised he was being watched.

Oats are for the horses, Big Daffyd said staring down at him. What you want to mix up all them good nuts and fruit into oats for?

Its a kind of breakfast we eat where I grew up. Its called muesli. Its very healthy. They were all still staring at him.

Mooo slay? said Daffyd. I dont see you killin no cow.

One of the young cooks said. Yeh, I heard of that, its from the Frankish or someit like that. You know moo on account of the milk coming from a cow and slay cause if you eat too much of it will slay you.

Shut up and get back to work! Daffyd shouted and the kitchen erupted into life once again. The big cook looked into the bowl with a thoughtful frown.

Kai finished his breakfast and cleared up after himself. He checked the sun and hoped he wouldnt be late. Sir Boyd had said that the jousting would be the second session after breakfast, so he needed to get to the castle.

He went back to his room and buckled on his sword belt, Daffyd had left him a silver hand clip with a glowstone inside, just like the one Llewellyn had carried the night before last.

When Kai was ready to go, he smiled. He was actually looking forward to seeing his friends again. Even meeting Abigail would be fun. He could tell her about the outlaws and their plans against Edward. That would make her smile – she liked anything that plotted against the black knight of Angland.

He went down the stairs again, through the kitchen to the cellar door. Daffyd absently asked if he needed help while pouring wheat into a pot of water. Kai told him he didnt and carried on down into the dark of the cellar.

By the light of the stone he found the space between the huge barrels, the tiny dragon carving that opened the door and stepped through into the darkness beyond.

The passageway hadnt changed and he hurried through towards the stairwell. As he passed passages that had no glowstones set in the area near the doorway, he shone his hand light down them and was surprised to see that these were tunnels that went down via rough-cut steps into the bedrock. They werent lined with bricks or cut stone like this passage. Kai shivered a little remembering Wraiths warning about creatures in the living rock.

The third one he looked into he thought he saw something run away from the light as he shone it down the tunnel. Something small and green and black. He picked up the pace and almost jogged to the stairs after that.

Climbing to the top he found the passageway blocked by a huge, solid wall of stone. He was used to this now and soon found the dragon symbol. The wall slid back in a surprisingly quiet and smooth way and when he stepped through he could almost immediately tell that he was back in Gwrych Castle. The stone, the narrowness of the passage, everything felt familiar.

Just before the stone door behind him slid shut, he thought he heard something. An animal screech or shout in the passages behind him. His hand flew to the hilt of his fathers sword, but the door thudded shut and the sound was cut off.