The One Knight Stand

.: Jumping Long :.

22 | Jumping Long

The morning brought the bray of the tournament horn, and thus began the long jump event.

The day's misadventures don't bear repeating,

Blue wasn't, in any sense of the word, long, so it made sense she would never jump as far as, say, Nomi Gervas, who could bound over a herd of cows in a single leap. Apparently Gervas could also do it while winking and slicking his hair back and didn't the lords and ladies just absolutely squeal at that.

The event lasted five hours, and if that seems excessive, it's because it was.

The squires were each given ten shots to improve their personal best and beat out the others, and each attempt lasted about three minutes including the running vault and calculating landings.

And after that the knights demonstrated their skill in a scoreless exhibition. The stadium went silent when Sir Pilar geared up for her jump, and her deadly accurate landings made the squires look like toddlers fussing in a sandbox.

At the end of the day Squire Hodge left with a shiny new brother chord on his uniform (a record 30 ft to the inch, Squire K'awai as a close second) and Blue left the Playing Circle blessed with grit in every crevice.

The raw physicality displayed in the sand pit convinced Blue she should've tacked extra miles onto her morning run.

Dueling/sword mastery was the only event she had even half a shot of winning, and that was the day before the Final Feast.

I hate to put all my eggs in one basket but my prospects are looking mighty dim.

Yeah, okay, Blue could win the ball dancing event maaaaybe, but Torrance used to bust some sick ass moves in the barracks and those stone faced Oolas looked like they could cut a rug with the best of them.

Blue remained oddly optimistic. Red and the girls said they'd light candles to Valasa for her victory and, no, she didn't have muscle or royal heritage or intensive preschool wilderness training but she had her wits and her family.

She'd done more with less before, hadn't she?

I'll do better tomorrow. I'll blow everyone's minds tomorrow.

Perhaps that was a little too hopeful.

Free hand climbing went as well as could be expected.

They weren't even racing up actual rocks -- the 'mountain' was a sixty foot wall with pegs and various awkward handholds welded into the side. Surely that should've made it easier. Surely.

Blue didn't even get ten feet in the air before she lost her grip and plummeted. Hard. Her legs jellied from the impact, the stuffing battered out of her like one of Sienna's dolls meeting with Saffron's wooden baton.

The squire could only lay on her back and watch the scurrying feet and pert butts of the squires who actually knew what they were doing.

"Oh no! Looks like Squire Sanlanh is the first eliminated from the running. Good thing Team Anachakar has two other capable competitors still in the game. What an exciting display!"

Blue coughed, trying to remember the last time she got the wind so soundly knocked out of her. She prayed Usha wasn't watching. She hoped the bookkeeper's fiancé wasn't in the crowd, that way he wouldn't have anything embarrassing to tell Usha over dinner -- like her dear old friend giving knighthood a good college try.

Laughable.

Sir Pilar paced the sidelines, arms crossed. Her eyes flicked to where Blue laid before she refocused on Wu and Torrance's wild lunging up the vertical.

You know, the pupils who actually had a decent shot.

Wu made it to the top first, ringing the bell on the highest platform. Hodge and Gervas howled in disappointment while the others began the steady descent down from where they ended. Blue finally regained enough feeling to sit up, checked for broken bones, and shakily stood to her feet.

Princess Hadwisa and Prince Rowan passed Blue by, not even deigning to look upon the fallen squire.

Or so she thought.

"Oh, dear. That was quite the fall. Don't you live under a mountain, Squire Sqanklah?" Prince Rowan straightened his fairy silk embroidered tunic with a smile. "I heard you Anachakarians are as sturdy as billy goats. Was your agility accurately compared, or do you merely resemble the beasts in temperament and... hygiene."

On the surface this was normal friendly ribbing but Blue knew better.

Sussing out weakness? Instilling doubt and shame? A classic move.

If the jabs were delivered with any sort of class or creativity Blue might've even been impressed.

"The name is Sanlanh. A well versed man like yourself should be able to pronounce it well enough. And you weren't too far up the wall either, Rowan."

Old anger resurfaced, and Blue remembered just who the hell she was. Not one to be trifled with. "If you were paying attention you'd know our crest is a hornet. Fierce. Protective. Strength in numbers. I suppose you were too busy sniffing your own ass to notice."

Prince Rowan's mouth tightened at the corners, and Blue got the feeling if they were behind closed doors he would've decapitated her without hesitation.

Behind him Princess Hadwisa's thick eyebrows ticked up half a centimeter. Was she roused? Disgusted? Apathetic? There was no telling.

"I so do hope we're matched during the duels. I'd love to see how a hornet stands up under a real challenge."

"I very much hope so." Blue promised.

Rowan nodded in dismissal and trotted off to his adoring fans.

I'm gonna destroy him. There's no other option.

Princess Hadwisa lingered for a few moments, eyeing Blue as if she were a fresh specimen, a new breed of human entirely.

Blue did the same, not bothering to hide her curiosity.

What's she even doing here? Shouldn't she be back at her castle fanning herself, picking out pink curtains for her powder room, fainting at the sight of a rose from a charming suitor in the royal garden?

Well, a small voice piped up, she has just as much right to compete here as you. She's probably wondering the same thing.

Why don't you ask?

The squire managed a small smile, not her usual sardonic bitter grin but a genuine attempt.

I actually do want to know how she got her braids so neat. Here's my chance, I guess.

Before Blue could ask the princess about her haircare secrets Wu jogged up. He whipped his new brother chord in the air with a mob on his heels.

"Score one for Anachakar!" He cheered, betraying his gentlemanly composure. "Let's pray to Valasa for many more! A round on me so long as you can reach the barstool!"

Blue hurriedly congratulated the squire and pushed out of the cheering crowd, but by the time she freed herself Princess Hadwisa was long gone.

"Looking for someone?" Torrance asked.

"Nah," Blue frowned, standing on her tip toes.

Weird.

She shelved the mystery of the royal siblings for another day. Wu scooped Blue into his arms and the squire pinned the chord onto his tunic with a smile.

"Keep making us proud, man. Not to take away your victory or anything, but did I hear something about a free pint?"

With Blue riding their shoulders, Wu and Torrance hooted and danced all the way to the nearest swill dispensary.