Lady Gale: Chapter Seven: The fight and the end.
Gale yawned stretching and getting out of bed. It was well before dawn and many hours before her challenge, and she still hurt from jousting yesterday, but practise made perfect, or so they say.
Today Gale would face a Tortallan in a sword duel, her last challenge. Gale had no idea how well she had done according to the Tortallan judges in her previous tests, both academic and physical.
Taking out her sword, Steelwind, as she called it privately, after the ruler of the Celtic pantheon, and wind God's own sword. Gale went through the various offensive and defensive moves she had learned, and knew off by heart. Gale wasn't the best she could be though, at least by her standards. She always thought she was better fighting with two swords then with one. It provided a sort of balance in the arms. Unfornately, it was against the Knightly Code of Celta to use two swords.
" Dumb rule if ye ask me." Gale told Blizzard who was watching. Blizzard was the only animal that got up with her during these early morning practises.
" What rule?" came a voice.
Gale yelped and jumped about a foot into the air, spinning the minute her feet hit the ground, to see Kel stifling a snicker.
" Bloody 'ell Kel! Big 'uns like ye should be noisy!" Gale huffed.
"Well I did knock." Kel said, grinning, "And Seamus saw me enter the room."
Gale turned to the cat, which gave her angry glare a calm look.
"And ye dinnae tell me because?" Gale asked the cat.
I didn't want to break your concentration. Seamus stated coldly.
Gale sighed, you step a cat's tail once, and they never forgave you.
" So, how are you feeling?" Kel asked, sitting on the bed.
"Nervous as 'ell....what time is it?" Gale said
"About an hour before breakfast. Just enough time for you to take a bath." Kel grinned, pointing to the bathroom, a bath ready.
" Lady Kel figured you'd forget miss." Tobe grinned, walking out of the bathroom.
"Thank ye Kel." Gale said, "I'm off."
"See you later." Kel said, leaving, Tobe right behind her.
Alun of Stonestrong, carefully and quietly walked behind the young man, a conservative in Tortallan politics, his hands glowing with his yellow magic.
"Listen well Tortallan, you will kill Gale, the knight of no land. Is that clear?" Alun said, his voice soft, using just enough of his magic to put the command into the lad's head.
"I will." Said the man, in an empty hollow voice.
"Good." Alun said, walking away.
Gale sighed and whimpered slightly, stretching her muscles glancing over at her opponent, Mark, she hadn't caught his last name. He was a whole foot taller then her, at six feet two inches. Light brown hair was cut short, like he had his head shaved and it was growing back in. Dark green eyes that were intense, but somehow.... hollow. Gale couldn't put her finger on it, so she figured it was just her imagination. He didn't look overly strong, but looks could be deceiving, besides, strength didn't win a sword duel, skill did.
The Master of Ceremonies walked out to the middle of the duelling court, and so did Gale and Mark.
Good luck! Gale heard her dogs call.
Please win! I like the short lady who gives shrimp! Seamus called.
"Fight until one of you is disarmed or draws blood." The Master of Ceremonies said. Gale and her opponent bowed and the bell sounded for them to begin. The circled, each watching the other. Gale bent and pressed her left arm against her back, it helped fix the off balance ness she felt when fighting with one sword. Finally Mark struck first. It was a crescent swing to her side; Gale deflected it with a reverse crescent swing. From then on there was barely a moment when one of them wasn't attacking the other.
Swing, parry, slash, dodge, stab, block, swing, dodge, slash, and cut. Blood oozed from the clean cut in Mark's arm. It wasn't deep, but it was enough to end the fight. Or it should have been, but Mark roared and lunged at Gale, sword held high bringing it down hard, luckily Gale was able to bring up her sword in time. Gale looked into Mark's eyes and saw yellow lights flashing around in them. That could only mean one thing.
'Seamus! I need you to find someone with yellow magic whose using it. When find them, distract them anyway you can!' Gale pleaded to her cat, which had the odd ability to see magic even when nobody else did. She could only hope Seamus found him or her before Mark killed her!
After Seamus heard his mummy's voice inside his head, he jumped quickly on the tallest thing nearby, Numair. It was kind of like being up a tree, expect sweet smelling. Looking around, Seamus saw it, yellow light coming from a man from the court. He recognized the man as one of the people who wanted his mummy not only out of the courts, but also out of Celta, but at the same time, didn't want to make an Alliance with Tortall. Seamus quickly and carefully jumped from shoulder to shoulder; nobody cared though, they all watched, with a mix of horror and fascination.
'WHY DON'T THEY DO SOMETHING?!' Dive yelled, in the private animal way, so not even Gale or Daine could hear him. Despite the way he act most of the time, Dive was probably one of the fondest if Gale, he adored her to pieces.
'Humans are odd this way, believe knights should behave like a lone wolf, but still take care of the pack.' Blizzard answered.
Seamus jumped onto the magiker's shoulders and sunk his claws into his flesh, but got no reaction.
' Try to hurt mummy, that pisses me off, but ignore me? Your arse is mine!' Seamus growled, biting hard on the man's ear.
Gale grunted pushing hard against Mark's sword. Suddenly a man's roar of pain split through the air. The minute that roar sounded, Mark fell back.
"What the.." Mark muttered. Gale looked towards the stands to see Alun of
Stonestrong Mountain trying desperately to get a small orange puffball of a cat off his shoulder and ear. Smiling to herself Gale flopped onto the ground.
Gale fidgeted, standing in the throne room. Friends from Celta and Tortall were there, and important officials from both countries. Why did Kin Jonathan have to let that long winded ambassador of Celta tell them what would be done with Alun before declaring wither Gale would be staying, or leaving. Finally the ambassador finally finished apologizing to Gale and the Tortall court (mostly Tortall court) for Alun's awful behaviour and use of magic, promising the most severe punishment for him when they returned to Celta.
"Thank you ambassador Nilth." King Jonathon began, "First I want to thank our Celta allies for allowing us to entertain them and share in their secrets. Now without further ado, the results of Lady Gale of Celta's Tests." The Senior judge of the judges that tested Gale stood and cleared his throat and opened a scroll.
"We judges of those who wish to become Tortallan Knight find that Lady Gale Of Celta...is worthy the title, errant knight of Tortall, and that when it is time is to face to the Chamber of The Ordeal, and if she overcomes the chamber to be giving the title of Royal Knight of Tortall."
Gale barely heard the judge's last words because a massive roar of applause engulfed the throne room. Gale smiled and hugged her friend, and received slaps on the back of congratulations.
Soon people filing out of the room to the banquet hall to enjoy the Farewell/Celebration banquet. Gale was following close suit when Raoul pulled her over.
"Gale, I have to ask you something." Raoul began.
"Yes sir?"
"No sir, just Raoul. What I was going to ask was, would you like to serve in the Kings Own? I know you are on your way to becoming a knight, but knights are allowed to fight with us." Raoul grinned slightly.
"I'd be 'onoured, Raoul." Gale said wide-eyed. She knew the Kings Own had some of the best fighters in it would be an honour to aid them in their endeavours.
"Good then, come to King's Own's stables after the banquet." Raoul, and headed off to the banquet hall, Gale following.
"You'll enjoy working with us Gale." Kel told Gale as they walked to the stables. Kel, although she was a full knight, served with the King's Own. They had discussed over dinner, and Raoul told Gale that she would be serving with the Third Company with him and Kel.
When they got their, Raoul was standing in front of the most beautiful mare Gale had ever seen. She was a soft white all over; expect her mane was a silvery grey, like Silverwind's but softer.
Hello. The mare said, her mind voice soft like a bell chiming.
"'Ello you pretty pretty dear." Gale said going over, stroking the mare's nose, getting a soft whinny from her.
" Raoul, she's beautiful." Kel said, impressed.
"I thought so to. I figured Gale needs a horse with speed, and when I saw that Silverwind was a bit of a reverse reflection to this lady, I thought she would perfect." Raoul smiled.
"Thank you. What's her name?"
"I haven't given her one. That's your job." Raoul smiled.
Gale looked her over carefully. "Silversilk." She said with a smile. It looked like life in Tortall was going to great.
THE END.
A/N: Whoa... I'm finally done it. Wow. I am planning to do a sequel; it'll just be awhile...a long while. (Reviews will make me write faster.) Anyway I hoped you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. See ya on the flip side.
PS: I don't own ANYTHING! So don't sue me. Also, I apologize for my butchering and mashing of UK accents.