Anna stood on the side of the hill looking down at the armor-clad knight, Sir Ector, lying against a tree, seemingly passed-out. "Should we help him?" her friend William asked standing beside her. "He's due in the lists in two minutes. Two minutes or forfeit," the blonde reasoned referring to the tournament Sir Ector was currently competing in.
"Lend us those," Anna's brother Roland told Will gesturing to the nose plugs stuffed up Will's nose to keep away the stench coming from the noble. Will quickly dislodged the wadded pieces of cloth and handed them to Roland, who then walked over to Sir Ector and crouched down beside him.
Since they were siblings, Anna and Roland looked a lot alike. Both had dark hair and deep brown eyes, but Anna was a bit shorter than most females her age of twenty. Roland and Anna had been sent to work for Sir Ector when they were children and a few years later Will came along, he was only a year older than Anna. Both of them were very protective of her. They taught her how to defend herself as they learned to be squires and her a maid.
Roland sighed after seeing that Sir Ector was not breathing, "Dead."
"Eh?" Will questioned not quite believing.
"Oh that's not good," Anna stated as their other friend with fiery red hair, Wat, raced towards them.
Wat slapped Will's shoulder with a smile, "Three scores to none after two lances. As long as Sir Ector doesn't fall off his horse, we've won."
"He's dead," Anna told the redhead.
Wat's grin disappeared, "What do you mean?"
"His life's spark is covered in shite. His spirit is gone but his stench remains. Does that answer your question?" Roland growled at him.
"No, no, no," Wat screamed as he ran to Sir Ector's body. "No, he sleeps. Rouse him. We're minutes from victory. I haven't eaten in three days!"
"None of us have, Wat!" Will snapped.
Roland stood up and started back towards Anna and Will, "We need to fetch a priest."
"No, he's not dead!" Wat insisted. "You wake up! Come on!" Wat then proceeded to knock on Ector's metal helmet and try to shake him before kicking the body. "You manky git!"
William, Anna, and Roland shook their heads at Wat's antics. Will turned to see a rider in a red and orange robe approaching them. "Roland, Anna." The siblings turned around as well.
"Squire," the rider greeted coming to a stop a few feet from them. "Sir Ector must report at once or forfeit the match."
Roland opened his mouth to inform the rider of Sir Ector's death but Will stopped him, "He's on his way."
The rider surveyed them as Wat continued to kick the lifeless body behind them shouting, "I haven't eaten in three days! Three days! What did you eat, mate? If you wasn't dead, I would kill you!" The rider then took off back to the lists.
Roland and Anna glanced at Will questioningly. "I'll ride in his place," Will declared before turning around and heading back to the knight's body.
"What? Have you lost your mind?" Anna demanded but Will ignored her.
"Strip his armor. I'm riding in his place." Wat didn't hear him so Will pushed him away. "Wat, stop kicking him! I'm riding in his place. Help me." A very confused Wat helped Will unbuckle the shoulder pads and strap them on.
"What's your name, William?" Roland asked. Will didn't answer. "I'm asking you, William Thatcher, to answer me with your name." Will shot him a glare before continuing to put on the armor. "It's not Sir William. It's not Count or Duke or Earl William. It's certainly not King William."
"I'm aware of that," Will assured them.
"You have to be of noble birth to compete."
"A detail. The landscape is food. Do you want to eat or don't you?"
"The nobles' will spot you a mile away," Anna insisted.
"And if the nobles find out who you are, there'll be the devil to pay," Roland reasoned.
Will grinned cheekily, "Then pray that they don't." Roland and Anna glanced at each other and shrugged before helping Wat finish outfitting Will.
We then led Will, on horseback and fully armored with his helmet's shade down, to the lists. Wat grabbed one of the lances on the way in for Will to use in the joust. The crowd cheered as Wat handed Will the lance.
"The score stands at three lances to none in favor of Sir Ector," the rider from earlier announced on a small raised stage. He then called to Will's opponent, "Lord Philip of Aragon. Stand ye ready?" The knight raised his lance. The red and orange robed man then turned toward Will, Wat, Roland, and Anna. "Sir Ector. Stand ye ready?" Will raised his lance as well and received a curt nod.
"Ready?" Roland asked Will.
"Of course," Will answered threw his metal helmet. "I have tilted against Sir Ector many times, you know."
"In practice as his target," Wat reminded. "You were never allowed to strike him."
"And I doubt he was trying to truly knock you off your horse," Anna added.
"Badger me not with details," Will said.
Roland intervened, "The landscape then. Stay on the horse. He need three points to beat you. So a broken lance won't win it for him. He has to knock you off the horse."
"I know how to score, Roland," Will snapped a bit. "I've waited my whole life for this moment."
Wat glanced up at Will, confused, "You've waited your whole life for Sir Ector to shite himself to death?" Anna rolled her eyes at him but Will didn't answer.
"He meant to joust in a tournament, ya idiot," she hissed.
Just then the white flag was lowered and Will visibly tensed. Then the flag was raised and Lord Philip began to charge. Will kicked the horse, forcing Roland, Anna, and Wat to move out of the way as he began to charge. Anna, Wat, and Roland cheered and urged Will on as he raced towards the knight.
"Get it in the cradle. Get it in the cradle," Roland muttered.
"Get it in the cradle!" Wat shouted.
Suddenly, Will was struck on the helmet with the other lance, but he didn't fall off his horse! They'd won! The three friends ran to Will as fast as they could. "William, are you alive?" Anna demanded as Roland checked Will over.
"We won! We won!" Wat yelled over and over.
"Can you hear me?" Roland asked. Wat tried to hug Roland but was pushed off. "Get off me! William, can you hear me?" Miraculously, Will was all right. "He's breathing. He's breathing!" The three friends laughed joyously and hugged each other before helping Will get off the horse but didn't remove his helmet.
"Sir Ector," the Lord of the tournament called. The four friends turned to look at him and the Lord looked shocked at Will's helmet still hiding his face.
The rider from earlier stepped forward, "Sir Ector. Remove your helmet."
The four of them stiffened as Will answered, "My lord, I'm afraid the final blow of the lance has bent it onto my head."
"He says the final blow of the-" Wat began but Will hit him to shut him up.
"I present your champion, my lord," the rider announced. The crowd cheered and the lord presented Will with a gold feather. Roland helped Will pick it up, since he could not see, and hold it up for the crowd. They'd won, by some stroke of luck they'd made it this far and were now heading home. Or so they thought.