A joust was held three days after the parade. Wooden stands were constructed around a sandy arena and nobles and commoners alike clamored for the best seats. Some even stood right against the fence, willing to get sprayed by debris if it meant they could get a better view. Dust in the air mixed with the scents of mustard seed, pepper and buttery pastry from the pies sold by vendors around the field.
Nicole curtsied politely to the ladies-in-waiting of Queen Imelda, then took her seat with Daniela's ladies. Marie seemed excited, Lynette relaxed, and poor Paulina looked like she would rather be anywhere else in the world.
They were seated directly behind Daniela and the King. Nicole watched them; they didn't say two words to each other. She was more convinced than ever that they had not consummated the marriage. If they had, surely Daniela would have said something. They had always talked about everything. The only reason Daniela would keep it private, Nicole thought, was if they had not done it, but wanted everyone to think they had. Very well, she would keep their secret.
Horns blared, announcing the start of the tournament. Cheers swelled as four knights rode out to the field in shining plate armor. Each bore a different colored flag, and their armor, shield, and horse were decorated with pennants to match. The fourth knight bore the red of the Aram royal family. Nicole leaned forward to see as he took off his plumed helm. It was Thomas Phillips, the Captain of the Guard. Applause rose around her from those seated near the Ternhaligons, and Nicole happily joined in.
Thomas tucked the helmet under his arm and thrust his flag up into the air, reveling in the high spirits of the crowd. He was so at ease, as he always was. So self-assured, but without pretension. Above all other men Nicole had met, Thomas was the most diverting; the most agreeable. He was valued by all who knew him for his skill and competence.
Nicole knew that her position as lady-in-waiting was an opportunity to make a good match. And she had met many eligible Lords and Barons in the last few days. But what could she do if none compared to the captain?
"Isn't he just magnificent?" Marie leaned over and whispered.
"What?" Nicole felt like her private thoughts had just been overheard.
"Duke Pearson." Marie sighed, gazing at the duke, who would ride under a green banner. "He must be the most handsome man in Aramdeau."
"Oh. Yes, he is very fine to look at." And he was, though seeing him gave Nicole no pleasure. Daniela had told her what he had said at the wedding, and it left Nicole with a bad taste in her mouth. But... perhaps he was simply an undeniable flirt. Nicole watched as the duke took up his lance and lowered the tip toward a group of ladies in the crowd, who each tied a ribbon around it.
Even a flirt should draw the line at the wife of his cousin, especially when that cousin was the king. Nicole had also heard that King Charles and the duke were close, more like brothers than cousins. Why would Duke Pearson say what he did about such a dear friend?
The first match was between Thomas and a knight draped in yellow. They each rode to one side of the field and took up long wooden lances. They faced each other and took off at a gallop. The pounding hooves of the horses kicked dirt into the air, and it took only seconds for them to meet in the middle, each rider lowering his lance as they rode.
Crack!
Thomas's lance hit the yellow knight's shield squarely, shattering its end and sending wooden splinters flying. Nicole noticed Daniela flinching at the strike. Daniela had never been to a joust before, Nicole remembered. In Daniela's first year at the Abbey, Nicole had snuck away with some older girls to see one. Daniela refused to join them, of course. Nicole wished she had heeded her friend, because when she was caught she was punished with scrubbing floors for a month.
Both riders took new lances and charged again. This time, the yellow rider had the upper hand, and broke his lance on Thomas's shield. Thomas was pushed back in his saddle, but did not fall off. With their third and final lances, Thomas managed to hit the yellow knights shield with a glancing blow, which was enough to win the round. Nicole stood and applauded with those around her. Thomas dismounted, bowed to the King and Queen, then bowed and waved to the rest of the crowd.
The second round matched Duke Pearson against a knight in blue and black. Duke Pearson broke his first lance against the blue shield with a solid hit. Nicole could see Daniela wincing again, although she looked like she was trying to minimize her reactions.
"Look," Marie whispered in Nicole's ear. She pointed discreetly at the space between Daniela's seat and the King's. King Charles had reached out and rested his hand on the back of Daniela's wrist. He was now silently comforting her; rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.
Nicole's eyes widened, and peaking around the other side of Daniela's chair she saw tell-tale redness creep up the back of Daniela's neck. She laughed silently to herself at the predictability of her friend. Now she knew for sure they had not yet laid together, but maybe there was nothing to worry about.
With his second lance, Duke Pearson knocked the blue knight clean off his steed, winning the round. Gasps mixed with cheers as the crowd waited nervously for the fallen blue knight to rise. He did, thankfully, and heartily congratulated the duke.
Finally, Thomas and the duke were set to compete. Lynette elbowed Nicole gently and she realized how far forward in her chair she had been sitting. She moved back, but couldn't help gripping the edge of the seat.
The riders broke into a gallop, and Duke Pearson struck Thomas's shield. It was not enough to break the lance. The duke held the lead, but not by much.
As they raced forward with their second lances, the duke's was too far lowered! Thomas pointed his own lance up in the air and tried to pull his horse away, but it was too late. The duke's lance struck Thomas hard on the armor on his thigh. No points would be awarded, and the crowd booed in disappointment. Thomas's hand went immediately to his leg, and Nicole could see a dent in the steel where the blow had landed.
Both men seemed to ride faster than ever with their third lances. Thomas held his lance steadily, and it collided forcefully with Duke Pearson's shield. The lance did not break, but the duke slid sideways in his saddle. He struggled for a moment to stay up, but the jostling of his horse shook him off and he landed flat on his back.
Nicole stood and cheered for Thomas. Even Marie, who so admired the duke, could not help applauding. Thomas dismounted and gave Duke Pearson a hand up. The duke was a good sport, and bowed gracefully to Charles and Daniela. Thomas bowed, then came forward to claim his reward. He took off his helmet as he approached, and Nicole thought for a second that she caught his eye.
Young squires began to set up for an archery competition, but Nicole was tired of sitting still for so long.
'"Where are you going?" Lynette asked her as she rose.
"I thought I might take a look at the merchants." she pointed beyond the arena where little tents and stands had been set up.
"Alone?" Paulina asked.
"Would you like me to join you?" Lynette moved to get up, but Nicole stopped her.
"No, no, I'll be perfectly fine. Don't worry." She left before they could try to be helpful in any other way. Nicole was adjusting to the customs of living at the castle, but they could be stifling.
As she moved further away from the arena, the cheers faded and the sounds and smells of a make-shift marketplace filled the air. She was starving, and quickly bought a custard tart and a strip of venison that had been impaled on a stick and roasted over a fire.
She ate while watching and laughing at a surprisingly violent puppet show accompanied by drums and pan flute. She tipped a coin and was walking toward another group of musicians when she saw Thomas striding in her direction. He was out of his armor; his hair was dampened with sweat and a little tousled, and his shirt clung to his shoulders. He was drinking from a tankard and had not seen her yet. Nicole slowed so their paths would cross.
"Lady Nicole!" Thomas spotted her and flashed a smile, then bowed in greeting. "Are you enjoying the joust?"
"Yes, very much. Congratulations on your victory, Captain."
"Thank you, my lady. It was hard fought; my opponents were very worthy."
"How is your leg? Are you much injured?"
Thomas patted the side of his leg. "A little purple, but I'll be right as rain in good time. Not to worry! Are you staying for the afternoon's tournament?"
Nicole shuddered to think of the bruise he must have, but was glad to hear he was not in too much pain. "I am not yet sure. I have some letters I hoped to write today. Are you competing again?"
"No, actually, I am heading back soon to relieve some of my men. I could not let them miss out on a fine day such as this, could I?"
"Indeed, I should think not!" He's kind to his men, too, Nicole thought.
"My lady... If you intend to return to the castle without accompaniment, shall I escort you?"
Finally, the customs of the court were working in her favor. "Yes, thank you. I think I will go back," Nicole said.
"Excellent. Will you wait by the musicians? I must speak with my squire and fetch my sword."
He returned in his guard's uniform, and they set out across the grass, away from the fighting and festivities.
"Are you in a hurry to get back, my lady? The long way is much shadier, and follows a stream, which you may like to see."
"I am in no hurry." They turned away from the open field that stretched up to the castle walls, and walked into a grove. "And you need not call me 'lady' when it is only the two of us. It is so hard to get used to hearing."
"Is that so? Then your wish is my command, my-I mean, Nicole." He lifted up a thin branch for her to duck under. "Will you call me Thomas, then?"
"May I? I don't mean to make you, if you prefer to be 'Captain Phillips'."
"If there ever comes a day where I prefer to be called 'Captain,' you can run me through with my own sword."
Nicole smiled. "Very well, you shall be 'Thomas' from this day forth. Oh, let's cross there." Nicole pointed out a line of stepping stones crossing the stream. She hopped onto the first one, then saw they were farther apart than she originally thought. Slowly, she reached out her foot to the next mossy stone. Thomas followed her.
She put her foot on the last stone, but the moss was slick, and she slipped and began to fall backwards. Thomas grabbed her hand and stopped her fall, though her foot still landed in the icy water. They made it across, and she couldn't stop laughing as she poured water out of her slipper.
"Lady Paulina would have a fit if she saw me right now." She pulled off her other shoe, and carried them both in one hand, while climbing a grassy knoll that emerged from the little forest.
Thomas reached the top first and pulled Nicole up, back into the sun. "This is one of my favorite views near the castle."
"Lord..." Nicole exclaimed. The hillsides that surrounded them fell away to reveal a vast valley that seemed to slope into the distance forever. "I feel like I could see the end of the world."
They sat in the grass facing the valley while Nicole's shoes dried out a little.
"You rode wonderfully today." Nicole said. "I mean, I knew already that you rode well, but I guess you weren't trying to show off the other day."
Thomas leaned back onto his elbow. "I've worked with horses my whole life. I was a stable boy for most of the time I've lived at the castle."
"When did you move here?"
"My family lives a good way past the edge of the valley." Thomas pointed toward the horizon. "They run a farm on Lord Sutton's land. My elder brother will run it after them. As a second son, it was best for me to find work elsewhere, so I came to the castle as soon as I was old enough. I think I was eleven? Maybe twelve?"
"I was eight when I moved to the Abbey, although I did not have to work like you did."
Thomas shrugged. "It was hard work, but it was satisfying. And I learned I was much better with a horse and a sword than I ever was with crops."
Nicole grinned at the thought. "I'd like to see you with a big straw hat and a pitchfork. It's hard to picture it."
"I think I would have gone mad if I had been raised in an abbey."
"Oh, I nearly did!"
"Is that so?" Thomas laughed.
"Yes, I could never stand being cooped up when I was young. The Reverend Mother always thought I would grow out of it, though I never really did. I was not an easy charge for them."
"I have seen nothing to fault you with." He looked at Nicole so directly that she had to turn away for a moment.
"I suppose my behavior has improved a little. By Daniela's-by Her Majesty's standards, I was positively feral when we were kids. She was always better suited for studying and the like."
"I cannot say I've ever heard a lady described as 'feral'."
"You know, noblewomen are just women, after all. Although, I barely qualify as one myself, so perhaps I cannot speak on the subject."
Thomas stood and gave Nicole a hand up. "So, what will you do with your new freedom away from the Abbey? Is there anything you have always wanted to try?"
"Oh, certainly. Already today I got to attend a joust without having to worry if I'd be caught." She held out her hand so Thomas could help her across a log back to the other side of the stream. "I think... I think I would like to learn to shoot a bow."
"Archery? Really?"
"Why? Does that surprise you?"
"Oh, not at all, it's just you have chosen the one thing I am worst at!"
"Truly? No, I don't believe you!"
"Anyone can tell you that I am the worst archer in the guard. Even His Majesty is twice as good as me and he never even practices."
"And they made you the captain?" Nicole elbowed him.
Thomas held his hands up in front of him. "Hey, firing a bow and commanding a unit of archers are two entirely different skills. Don't you worry, the castle is in safe hands."
"That's reassuring, thank you." Nicole teased. "Anyway, I don't need to master it, I'd just like to try it once or twice."
"As long as you aren't expecting to become very good, I would be honored to be of service." He bowed with a flourish.
"Really? Will you teach me?
"Yes, certainly. In exchange, you must give me something of the utmost importance; a dance at tonight's banquet."