Disclaimer:I do not own.

The following week they reached Paris and Wat had still not come back. "No Adhemar," Geoff announced after he came back from signing Will in.

Will sighed and repeated, "No Adhemar." Suddenly, they heard a whoop. It was Wat riding towards them. Will grinned, "Wat. Tell me, did you see her? Did she read the letter."

Wat nodded, "Yes. And yes."

"And?"

Wat was quiet for a second and looked like he had bad news, "She's coming to Paris!" Will laughed joyously.

"Did she give you anything for me in return? Did she give you a letter? Or a token? Did she give me a token? She did. Well, what is it, Wat? Come on, give it to me," Wat had a disgusted look on his face. Suddenly he kissed Will before spitting on the ground.

Will's eyes widened and he started dancing around happily, "Yes! Yes! Hell, yes! She-Because she's-That means she-Yeah!"

Anna chuckled, "That was, quite possibly, the most disgusting thing I've ever seen."

That night everyone but Will went down to the tavern for a drink and they happened to meet a group of Frenchmen who wanted a bet. Geoff came back with the details, "All right. They wager they wish to make is that a Frenchman, and not Sir Ulrich, will win the tournament. However, the bet is sixty florins."

"That's all we got," Kate pointed out.

Geoff half-nodded, "Yes and if we had seventy the bet would be seventy."

"If we lose we'll be stuck in France," Anna added negatively.

Roland shook his head, "Even money, but Ulrich against every Frenchman here?"

"Come on, he's won four tournaments in a row. And once again Adhemar is not here," Geoff insisted.

"I check shields too. John Beaumont's here. Count Theobold of Shoship, Philip of Burgandy, all three French champions."

Suddenly, one of the betting French men stood up, "An Englishman will not win this French tournament. English legs are unsteady on French soil." The other men laughed.

"Pardone moi," Geoff shouted at them.

Wat yelled as well, "You shut your mouth, all right?!" The Frenchmen made chicken noises causing Anna to roll her eyes. Wat turned to her brother, "Come on, Roland. It's a good bet. Win and I can buy my own tavern."

"I could write full time," Geoff submitted.

Kate looked at her goblet, "And a forge for me."

"I could start designing clothes again," Anna begged her brother.

Another one of the Frenchmen spoke up, "Yes, and because French wine is too much for English bellies."

Wat stood up, clearly pissed off. "All right, I'm this fonging close, mate. I swear to God, Quasimodo."

"Listen," Roland interrupted as Wat sat down. "All I want is to go home, and I already have enough to make that trip a hundred times."

The third Frenchman stood up, "And most importantly, because the pope himself is French!"

That was it for Roland, "Well the pope may be French, but Jesus is English. You're on." The four others at the table cheered. "He won't lose, not with the princess here watching him."

"He's blond! He's pissed! He'll see you in the lists! Lichtenstein! Lichtenstein! He's blond! He's tan! He comes from Gelderland! He comes from Gelderland!" They sang-shouted at the top of their lungs for the whole pup to hear.

The next morning, Geoff was about halfway through his speech announcing Will, "…the Protector of Italian Virginity…the Lance that thrilled France…the Harasser of Paraser! He gave them hell as La Rochelle! The Enforcer of our Lord God! The one, the only… Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein."

As the crowd's cheering died down, the flag dropped and the match began. Will rode forward a bit before stopping. "What are you doing?" Roland demanded.

"Losing," Will answered simply.

The four of them shared a look. "I don't understand."

"Well, neither do I."

Just then Will's opponent broke his lance on Will, showering them with splinters. Geoff ran up to them. "Uh, are you blind? Didn't you see the flag?" he demanded fro Will.

"I saw it, okay?"

Wat spoke up, "I know. You wanna drop behind for a more dramatic victory."

Will shook his head, "Look, Jocelyn told me I should lose I prove my love."

"Oh God, I'd rather you were blind," Geoff groaned.

"As romantic as that is, Will, did it have to be today?" Anna questioned remembering their bet.

"Don't be foolish, Will," Roland told him. "Each woman wants proof, that's all."

"Excuse me?" Anna questioned, a little offended.

Geoff whispered in her ear, "He doesn't mean you."

"Proof of what?" Will asked.

"That their legs have not been uncrossed for nothing." Anna gagged a bit.

"Roland, I haven't uncrossed her legs."

Wat threw up his hands, "Well, then, why in the name of Saint Swithin are we doing this?!"

"Because-" Will didn't get a chance to finish because his opponent rode towards him again and they all had to get out of the way quickly. Will took another blow but bounced back quickly. "Because…I love her."

This was going to be a long day.