(AN: I started this story before Lady Knight came out so its staying that
way.BTW I haven't even read Lady Knight.gotta go get it. Soon, too.)
"What do you remember from jousting? What can you still do?" Raoul asked, running his fingers through his hair in thought.
"I remember everything you've taught me. I don't forget that quickly, Raoul. Not with Merriam and Darien about." Loki answered, twirling a strand of hair back into her bun. "You know that, Raoul. After all, you did study with them for a while when you were younger. Merriam told me about it."
"I know that." He answered dryly. "Kel, why don't you take that horse of yours and go to the other end of the lane and let's see what our little princess can do."
"She's not a Princess." Kel answered, obeying her former knightmaster.
"Okay.whenever you're ready, Loki." Raoul called. Loki nodded and started her Shadowbane at a gallop down the lane. She raised the point of her lance at an angle, just slightly above where most people would have and slammed into Kel, the force broke the lances and Kel plopped from her saddle and landed with a thud on the ground.
"That was not something I was expecting, and you can stop laughing now, Sir." She got up, rubbing her bottom. "How did you do that, Loki?"
"Just a trick that Darien taught me. With the Shang arms, I can raise my point higher and connect with the top of you shield. Then using that, I can pry you out of a saddle. A nifty think he taught me." Loki answered. "Do stop laughing now, Raoul. It isn't that funny."
"I know. But seeing Kel get unsaddled is something that hasn't happened in a while. In fact, not since Cavall." He said, brushing tears from his eyes.
"Do shut up, Raoul." Buri scolded, walking onto the field. "Let's see you go against her."
"Yes!" yelled the audience. Alanna, Jon, and a few other people watched the training session.
"Alright, then." Raoul grabbed a lance and moved to get ready. "Are you ready?" He asked. Loki nodded and positioned the lance where she wanted it. He thundered down the lane, kicking dust up as he went. She followed his suit and lifted the point of the lance as she had done for Kel. A span of time passed, making seconds seem like eternities and.
WHAM! The two lances broke and when the dust finally cleared, Raoul was sitting on the ground on his bum. Buri and Alanna both collapsed in tears of laughter. Jonathan hid his amusement behind his hand and Kel fell off of Peachblossom, hooting. Loki stared on in amazement. She was the first person to unsaddle the Lord Knight Commander in over a decade!
"I get your point, Buri. Alanna. You can stop laughing at me now." Raoul said in a pleased tone. "Now if you can unseat Wyldon of Cavall, then I think I can safely say that you're the best on the lance. Although Liam did beat me once. He never did unseat me though."
"Then you think that I have a chance against Liam?" She asked, brushing her ebony locks from her face. "I still don't think I'm good enough."
"Good enough?" Alanna asked incredulously. "No one has unseated that man in years! If you could stay in your saddle against Cavall then you would be among the best of the best!"
"But she wouldn't be the best. And that's what Loki is used to. She is after all the first Shang Phoenix in over 3 centuries. And the youngest at that. Loki is used to being the best of the best, not among them." Darien offered, helping Raoul from the hard ground.
"She won't rest until she is the best. You know that, right?" Merriam asked, looking into the eyes of each spectator. "Now she's going to have to look up Wyldon of Cavall and challenge him into a quick joust and won't stop until she beats him."
"You know me too well, Darien, Merriam." Loki laughed. "Anyone know where I can find this Lord Wyldon of Cavall, who saved me all those years ago from those Hurroks?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So you want me to have a quick joust with you? Just to see if you can beat me?" Wyldon of Cavall repeated, looking at the young girl who stood before him.
"Yes sir. Would you honor me in a quick match?" Loki repeated, staring into the handsome, yet scarred face of Wyldon. "It would be an honor to face the man who saved my life as a child."
"Very well." Wyldon sighed. He got up and followed her to the stable to ready his horse, Cavall's Heart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ten gold nobles that Loki unseats Wyldon." Kel told her friend Owen.
"Okay.She won't unseat him. No one's unsaddled him in years! Not since he was a page, Kel. What makes you think an eighteen-year-old girl can? Even if she is a Shang Phoenix. The chances are very low." Owen answered, watching the princess in the hot sun.
"Are you ready?" Kally asked, holding up a scarf that served as the flag. Wyldon nodded.
"Ready." Loki called, raising the point of her lance. She took a deep breath and whispered to her mare. "Charge, Love."
Shadowsbane took off, thundering down the field and met nearly head on with Cavall's heart. Time seemed to slow and everyone gasped and the dust finally returned to the earth and everything was clear again.
"I do believe you own me ten gold nobles, Owen." Kel said, holding her hand out to her squire friend. Lord Wyldon of Cavall sat on the ground, surrounded by shards of broken wood.
"I do believe I was just beaten." He finally said, being the first to speak, minutes after Kelandry's remark. "I haven't flown in years." He took Loki's hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "I fear for young Liam. I've heard you were going to joust against him tomorrow. I think that this would be the time for me to warn him. He will eat the dirt."
"I hope I haven't hurt you, my lord." Loki whispered, looking at the floor, ashamed that she had beaten the great man who had saved her life so long ago.
"Don't be silly, girl. You've beaten me fair and square. Nothing is hurt but my bottom. Now I'm glad I risked my life so long ago to save you children. Who would have known I have a part in the life of such a great Shang Warrior. If someone had told me 12 years ago that you were going to become a Shang Phoenix, I would have laughed at them. I'm glad I was wrong, girl."
"Then you aren't upset? And you're glad I beat you?" Loki asked, her eyes wide in happiness.
"Of course I'm not upset. And I'm glad you beat me. I've been looking for someone to beat me for years.I was hoping that Mindelan would be that person, but she only got tilt-silly. And your brother, Liam was never good enough to tilt against a crippled man, as he said. I've been looking for someone to teach for years and years!" Wyldon announced.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Can you do this?" Neal asked, running his hand down the bare back of his lover. "Can you beat your brother?"
"I hope I can." Loki answered, turning over to face Neal. "I don't think I could deal with losing to him. Not after all he's said about you and to me." She relaxed against Neal's beating chest.
"But it won't matter. I love you and that's all that does matter." Neal said, leaning down to place another kiss on the princess's already abused mouth. "Midwinter's luck, Lianne."
"Midwinter's luck." She kissed him back. "Why do you insist on calling me Lianne?"
"Because that's your name, Princess. And I love your name."
"And I love you." She answered. "Can you believe that all of this happened in only 2 days? I've only been back for so long and already I've got an enemy, friends, and someone to love."
"The Goddess must love you to bless you so, Lianne." Neal kissed her, slowly turning that innocent kiss into the dance of passion.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE NEXT MORNING
Loki took a deep breath and let her horse go, charging down the list and banging into Liam's lance. She took the hit without much of a sound and lifted her point just in time to bash into Liam. *Please Mithros, let me have unseated him * She prayed in her thoughts. Time froze as Shadowsbane turned around so that she could get a full view of Liam and the results of the match. The crowds erupted in cheers and shouts of joy.
"You've done it, Lianne!" Neal yelled, pulling Loki from her chair and kissing her enthusiastically. "I can't believe it!"
"I really did it?" She asked, watching Liam's dark eyes as he bore into the picture of her and Neal.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I will kill her!" Liam hissed, allowing the man who had sought him out the day before.
"And I, him." The Rogue answered. Thad watched Liam pace the small room. *Mithros, he's scary when he's angry! * Thad thought, letting himself fall into deep hatred for the heir to the Duchy and Ducal Crown of Queenscove. *How dare he take the love of Loki?! That is mine and mine alone! *
"I will ripped her, limb from limb, and I will make her watch as I feed those pieces to the lions. She will watch as I pry her still-beating heart from her chest and carve it into an intricate flower. And she will watch as I rip the throat out of that Queenscove bastard!" Liam screeched.
"Yes." Thad agreed, nodding his head. *WOW! He really is creepy! Very scary and sick. *
"What do you remember from jousting? What can you still do?" Raoul asked, running his fingers through his hair in thought.
"I remember everything you've taught me. I don't forget that quickly, Raoul. Not with Merriam and Darien about." Loki answered, twirling a strand of hair back into her bun. "You know that, Raoul. After all, you did study with them for a while when you were younger. Merriam told me about it."
"I know that." He answered dryly. "Kel, why don't you take that horse of yours and go to the other end of the lane and let's see what our little princess can do."
"She's not a Princess." Kel answered, obeying her former knightmaster.
"Okay.whenever you're ready, Loki." Raoul called. Loki nodded and started her Shadowbane at a gallop down the lane. She raised the point of her lance at an angle, just slightly above where most people would have and slammed into Kel, the force broke the lances and Kel plopped from her saddle and landed with a thud on the ground.
"That was not something I was expecting, and you can stop laughing now, Sir." She got up, rubbing her bottom. "How did you do that, Loki?"
"Just a trick that Darien taught me. With the Shang arms, I can raise my point higher and connect with the top of you shield. Then using that, I can pry you out of a saddle. A nifty think he taught me." Loki answered. "Do stop laughing now, Raoul. It isn't that funny."
"I know. But seeing Kel get unsaddled is something that hasn't happened in a while. In fact, not since Cavall." He said, brushing tears from his eyes.
"Do shut up, Raoul." Buri scolded, walking onto the field. "Let's see you go against her."
"Yes!" yelled the audience. Alanna, Jon, and a few other people watched the training session.
"Alright, then." Raoul grabbed a lance and moved to get ready. "Are you ready?" He asked. Loki nodded and positioned the lance where she wanted it. He thundered down the lane, kicking dust up as he went. She followed his suit and lifted the point of the lance as she had done for Kel. A span of time passed, making seconds seem like eternities and.
WHAM! The two lances broke and when the dust finally cleared, Raoul was sitting on the ground on his bum. Buri and Alanna both collapsed in tears of laughter. Jonathan hid his amusement behind his hand and Kel fell off of Peachblossom, hooting. Loki stared on in amazement. She was the first person to unsaddle the Lord Knight Commander in over a decade!
"I get your point, Buri. Alanna. You can stop laughing at me now." Raoul said in a pleased tone. "Now if you can unseat Wyldon of Cavall, then I think I can safely say that you're the best on the lance. Although Liam did beat me once. He never did unseat me though."
"Then you think that I have a chance against Liam?" She asked, brushing her ebony locks from her face. "I still don't think I'm good enough."
"Good enough?" Alanna asked incredulously. "No one has unseated that man in years! If you could stay in your saddle against Cavall then you would be among the best of the best!"
"But she wouldn't be the best. And that's what Loki is used to. She is after all the first Shang Phoenix in over 3 centuries. And the youngest at that. Loki is used to being the best of the best, not among them." Darien offered, helping Raoul from the hard ground.
"She won't rest until she is the best. You know that, right?" Merriam asked, looking into the eyes of each spectator. "Now she's going to have to look up Wyldon of Cavall and challenge him into a quick joust and won't stop until she beats him."
"You know me too well, Darien, Merriam." Loki laughed. "Anyone know where I can find this Lord Wyldon of Cavall, who saved me all those years ago from those Hurroks?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So you want me to have a quick joust with you? Just to see if you can beat me?" Wyldon of Cavall repeated, looking at the young girl who stood before him.
"Yes sir. Would you honor me in a quick match?" Loki repeated, staring into the handsome, yet scarred face of Wyldon. "It would be an honor to face the man who saved my life as a child."
"Very well." Wyldon sighed. He got up and followed her to the stable to ready his horse, Cavall's Heart.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ten gold nobles that Loki unseats Wyldon." Kel told her friend Owen.
"Okay.She won't unseat him. No one's unsaddled him in years! Not since he was a page, Kel. What makes you think an eighteen-year-old girl can? Even if she is a Shang Phoenix. The chances are very low." Owen answered, watching the princess in the hot sun.
"Are you ready?" Kally asked, holding up a scarf that served as the flag. Wyldon nodded.
"Ready." Loki called, raising the point of her lance. She took a deep breath and whispered to her mare. "Charge, Love."
Shadowsbane took off, thundering down the field and met nearly head on with Cavall's heart. Time seemed to slow and everyone gasped and the dust finally returned to the earth and everything was clear again.
"I do believe you own me ten gold nobles, Owen." Kel said, holding her hand out to her squire friend. Lord Wyldon of Cavall sat on the ground, surrounded by shards of broken wood.
"I do believe I was just beaten." He finally said, being the first to speak, minutes after Kelandry's remark. "I haven't flown in years." He took Loki's hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "I fear for young Liam. I've heard you were going to joust against him tomorrow. I think that this would be the time for me to warn him. He will eat the dirt."
"I hope I haven't hurt you, my lord." Loki whispered, looking at the floor, ashamed that she had beaten the great man who had saved her life so long ago.
"Don't be silly, girl. You've beaten me fair and square. Nothing is hurt but my bottom. Now I'm glad I risked my life so long ago to save you children. Who would have known I have a part in the life of such a great Shang Warrior. If someone had told me 12 years ago that you were going to become a Shang Phoenix, I would have laughed at them. I'm glad I was wrong, girl."
"Then you aren't upset? And you're glad I beat you?" Loki asked, her eyes wide in happiness.
"Of course I'm not upset. And I'm glad you beat me. I've been looking for someone to beat me for years.I was hoping that Mindelan would be that person, but she only got tilt-silly. And your brother, Liam was never good enough to tilt against a crippled man, as he said. I've been looking for someone to teach for years and years!" Wyldon announced.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Can you do this?" Neal asked, running his hand down the bare back of his lover. "Can you beat your brother?"
"I hope I can." Loki answered, turning over to face Neal. "I don't think I could deal with losing to him. Not after all he's said about you and to me." She relaxed against Neal's beating chest.
"But it won't matter. I love you and that's all that does matter." Neal said, leaning down to place another kiss on the princess's already abused mouth. "Midwinter's luck, Lianne."
"Midwinter's luck." She kissed him back. "Why do you insist on calling me Lianne?"
"Because that's your name, Princess. And I love your name."
"And I love you." She answered. "Can you believe that all of this happened in only 2 days? I've only been back for so long and already I've got an enemy, friends, and someone to love."
"The Goddess must love you to bless you so, Lianne." Neal kissed her, slowly turning that innocent kiss into the dance of passion.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE NEXT MORNING
Loki took a deep breath and let her horse go, charging down the list and banging into Liam's lance. She took the hit without much of a sound and lifted her point just in time to bash into Liam. *Please Mithros, let me have unseated him * She prayed in her thoughts. Time froze as Shadowsbane turned around so that she could get a full view of Liam and the results of the match. The crowds erupted in cheers and shouts of joy.
"You've done it, Lianne!" Neal yelled, pulling Loki from her chair and kissing her enthusiastically. "I can't believe it!"
"I really did it?" She asked, watching Liam's dark eyes as he bore into the picture of her and Neal.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I will kill her!" Liam hissed, allowing the man who had sought him out the day before.
"And I, him." The Rogue answered. Thad watched Liam pace the small room. *Mithros, he's scary when he's angry! * Thad thought, letting himself fall into deep hatred for the heir to the Duchy and Ducal Crown of Queenscove. *How dare he take the love of Loki?! That is mine and mine alone! *
"I will ripped her, limb from limb, and I will make her watch as I feed those pieces to the lions. She will watch as I pry her still-beating heart from her chest and carve it into an intricate flower. And she will watch as I rip the throat out of that Queenscove bastard!" Liam screeched.
"Yes." Thad agreed, nodding his head. *WOW! He really is creepy! Very scary and sick. *