The Story Proper: In which there is a Joust.

Disclaimer and credits: See prolouge

I know practically nothing about jousting. Really.

The three travellers rode on through the forest. All three were more silent than usual -- Terence because he felt bad about turning Gawain into a toad, toad-Gawain because he couldn't, and Eileeen because no one else was. That was why when there was a soft "clank" from somewhere nearby, all three of them heard it.

"What do you suppose it is?" whispered Terence.

Eileen shrugged and toad-Gawain, who had been sulking for most of the ride, merely glared. Terence handed toad-Gawain to Eileen -- which earned him another glare -- and slipped off Guingalet and into the shrubbery.

Minutes later, he was racing back to Guingalet and the others. "Oh, blast it all," he muttered, throwing himself at the packhorse. "I hate armour, I hate jousting" -- he was throwing various bits of armour on the ground by this point -- "and most of all, I hate thumping people I don't want to thump!" He was trying to strap the armour on himself now, and Eileen stared at him in bewilderment.

"What do you mean? Is there a knight back there?" Eileen waved her hand in the general direction of where Terence had come from.

"Yes, there's a knight back there," replied Terence, fumbling with his breastplate, "and he's got to be an otherworlder. He spotted me, laughed, and told me to go back to my master and tell him to prepare for battle." He had the helm on and was fumbling with the gauntlets.

"And, since Gawain obviously can't fight, you have to," finished Eileen.

"Right," said Terence, scrambling on Guingalet. "I only hope that I'll thump him off his horse." He settled his lance. "Well, I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be." He glanced at the sun and took a deep breath. "Now there's nothing to do but wait."

He did not have to wait long. As he was speaking, the sounds of a horse crashing through the shrubbery began to make themselves heard. They seemed to be coming from the direction from which Terence had returned. Terence wheeled Guingalet around just as a beautiful bay charger with a knight in shiny new armour came into view. Terence moved Gawain's mountainous aughisky back a few steps to make room for the new arrival. Eileen, still holding toad-Gawain, did the same.

"Art thou the master of the squire whom I saw?" asked the knight.

"I am, sir knight."

The strange knight nodded to himself. "Fair knight, I pray thee tell me thy name."

"No."

The strange knight looked taken aback, as much as anyone wearing armour can look taken aback, but after a moment said, "That is uncourteously said. For no knight ne dreadeth for to speak his name openly but for some reason of shame."

Terence was a little confused, but answered calmly. "My name is no business of yours."

There was a pause, during which the strange knight again looked taken aback.

"Then thou shalt stay and joust with me, false knight!" said the strange knight finally.

Terence replied, unruffled, "And what if I refuse?"

"A toll. Your horse, your armour, your lady."

Terence nodded as if he had been expecting this. "Sir knight, I cannot help but think that a joust would be easier in a clearing. I know of one not -- "

"We will joust here and now!" the strange knight interrupted.

Terence shrugged. "Your death warrant." The strange knight was already hearing his horse to take a jousting position and did not hear. Terence followed his example.

By unspoken agreement, Terence, as the knight challenged, was to give the signal. Terence used this time wisely and studied the strange knight. As was common among the dandies of Arthur's court, the strange knight had a large crest on his helm. Terence could not make out what it was, but he could tell that it was quite fancy and intricate. Just to thing to catch and hold the point of a lance.

Terence nodded in satisfaction, set his lance for the point stroke, and gave the signal. Guingalet and the bay charger rumbled together. Just before his lance hit the strange knight, Terence shifted his lance to the sweeping stroke and bent low over Guingalet's neck. His lance hit the strange knight in the midsection and swept him off his horse. Guingalet reared at the impact and it was all that Terence could do to keep his seat. When he managed to get Guingalet under control again, he saw that the strange knight was on his feet and that both toad-Gawain and Eileen were nodding appreciatively.

"Hang on a minute while I get Ga -- my sword," Terence said to the strange knight. He rode over to the packhorse and dismounted, drawing the Sword Galantine from its scabbard. Toad-Gawain croaked something at him. Terence grinned at his master and said, "Sorry, Gawain, but I can't understand you." He walked back over to where the strange knight was standing. "Ready for some dents on your armour, knight?"

The strange knight roared inarticulately and rushed at Terence who dodged. Whipping his sword around so that it was held near his left side, Terence began an arc that was meant to hit the strange knight's knuckles. The strange knight, however, chose that moment to lunge at Terence's head. Galantine struck the strange knight's sword at the backstroke and deflected it enough so that the other blade went over Terence's shoulder. Then the two knights settled down to heavy, repetitive blows.

Finally, Terence aimed an overhead chop at the strange knight's head. The strange knight brought his sword up parallel to his shoulders, and Terence adjusted his aim. The Sword Galantine struck the strange knight on the knuckles. Terence pulled to the right, against the crosspiece, and the strange knight's sword flew out of his hand and stuck, quivering, into a tree. The strange knight sank to his knees and took off his helm, revealing a face that astonished Terence, toad-Gawain, and Eileen.

The strange knight looked like a younger version of King Arthur.
otherworlder -- a person from the world of Faeries.

Aughisky -- an Orkney water horse.