DISCLAIMER: UC: Undercover and its characters belong to the writers, creators, NBC, and a dozen others. NO infringement intended. All other original characters belong solely to the imagination of the author. Also, I know nothing of government operations and this is purely for fun. I hope I don't piss anyone off. If I mention certain groups for entertainment they were from a program at a local Ren fair and I will not use correct group names.
In this section and all sections of the story that take place at fair I will use the names that each has taken for fair. Any link of these events and people to real people and events are not intended.
3 A Token
Lord Uther had almost completed his preparations for the upcoming fights and bowed to Cassandra saying, "If you please, my lady, will you accompany me to the field of honor?"
"I would be most honored to accompany you," she replied and curtsied.
The knights assembled with their squires and made ready to proceed to the fighting ring.
A distinguished knight called out: "My Lord Uther! Do you wish to lead or follow?"
"I shall follow, your Grace."
With that, they began to march out of the encampment and through the fairgrounds to the fighting ring.
When time came for Uther to move into the line, he offered his gauntleted hand to Cassandra. She placed her hand upon it in courtly fashion and they moved into line at the end.
"Are we permitted to speak, my Lord," Cassie inquired.
"Yes, of course," he replied smiling at her.
"Why did his Grace ask where you wanted to be in line?"
"Well," he replied, " I am the highest ranking knight and as such, I am allowed the choice to lead or follow. The others must line up in deference to this."
Cassandra nodded her head in understanding and they proceeded to the fight ring.
For ten minutes or more, members of the group went out among the fairgoers and announced the fighting so that by the time the knights arrived, there was quite a crowd. Lord Uther settled Cassie in a spot just inside the ropes so that he could have her close to him. The first fight was between a squire and a knight who had just received his knighthood within the past month. They faced off to one another with sword and mace and proceeded to fight. The crowd went wild with the idea of possibly seeing blood spilled when they realized that the two young men were actually hitting each other with these weapons. The fight proceeded with neither man gaining an advantage until finally exhaustion took the young squire and the knight was the victor.
The next battle was between two of the women fighters and they battled with a ferocity that surpassed the men. The clang of metal upon metal was heard throughout the area and more people gathered when they heard that there were two women doing battle. The women fought with swords and shields. Cassie was amazed that she could actually see sparks fly off of the swords! They wore armor that combined hardened leather with metal. It was less weighty, but still offered the required protection. This was only for show. The fights were not choreographed as a staged fight, but there were rules to be followed for the protection of the combatants.
As the fight grew on, one of the women lost her sword, but instead of yielding to the other, she tripped her and used her opponent's sword to gain the yield by turning it towards the others' neck.
The last fight was to involve Lord Uther and as he made ready, he turned to Cassandra. "My Lady, may I have a token to take into ring?"
"My Lord, I have nothing to use as a token," she replied shaking her head.
"What of the leather that holds you hair," he asked.
"As you wish." Cassie removed the leather from her hair and gave it to Uther.
He removed his gauntlet. "Tie it around my wrist, if you will." Cassie did as he asked. The leather only circled his wrist once. "Now tuck the ends." And she wrapped the ends around it. He then replaced his gauntlet and moved into the circle.
Lord Uther was matched against Lord Douglas (a very accomplished knight looking to make a name for himself by defeating the currently undefeated Uther). They made ready to fight, and when it came time to salute the lady whose favor they bore, Uther turned and saluted Cassie with his sword and she blushed fiercely. The fight began. They went at each other with axe and mace (any combination of weapons was permissible) and the clanging was unnerving to Cassandra, who was worried that Lord Uther would be injured. Once when Lord Douglas lost his axe, Lord Uther allowed him to reclaim his weapon. This was not the case when Lord Uther lost his mace. Lord Uther did a roll and grabbed his sword that was next to the ring, coming back to his feet just in time to block a crashing blow from Lord Douglas' mace.
The battle moved back and forth as each combatant gained and lost the advantage. Just when it seemed it would go on forever, Lord Uther fainted a slash with his sword and dealt Lord Douglas a blow with his axe. This put Lord Douglas on the ground with the point of Uther's sword at his throat.
"Do you yield," Uther yelled.
Lord Douglas' reply was to hold his hands up in the gesture of submission. At this, the crowd cheered. Uther offered his hand to his opponent and helped him regain his feet. He embraced the other man in a bear hug and each slapped the other's back. He turned to Cassandra and saluted her once more.
Cassie stood there amazed. She thought surely that someone would have gotten hurt, but no one did. Lord Uther came out of the circle and his squire helped him remove his helmet and gauntlets.
He touched the leather that still circled his wrist and glanced up at Cassie. "You brought me luck, my lady."
"No my Lord, it was not luck that caused you to win, it was skill. You fight very well."
"Practice…lots of practice. Come, we will make our way back to the encampment so that I can remove this armor. After that, if I may, I will show you the rest of the fair."
He held out his hand to her and she placed hers on his in courtly fashion and they left the fight area.
When they reached the encampment, they proceeded to his tent so that he could remove his armor. "May I help, My Lord," she inquired.
"No, my Lady. My squire would think you were taking his job. If you would not mind, please pour some of the water from that pitcher into my tankard." Cassie did as he asked and brought it to him. "The biggest problem with fighting is that one dehydrates very quickly." He shook his head and continued to remove his armor.
Annoyed at how her hair was getting into her eyes every moment, she pulled another piece of leather from her pouch and made her hair fast with it.
Lord Uther cocked his head to one side and looked at her. "I guess I will have to fight again to get that other piece of leather away from you."
"Why ever would you need another one, My Lord? You have one already?"
"Yes, my Lady, but I like to see your hair down around your shoulders. It should never be bound back. It is much too beautiful."
Cassie's eyes immediately found her feet and she blushed. Even as she did, he laughed and pulled the leather from her hair.
"It seems you have won this round also, My Lord, for I have no other pieces of leather with me."