Noon

"This is ridiculous." Dom said; for the hundredth time that day. "I'll end up embarrassing her," He added as Tobe cinched the breast plate.

"I thought Lord Raoul used you for a practicing dummy when you were with the Own. And you did well enough with the quintain this morning." Tobe grunted as he lifted an arm piece.

Dom jerked a shoulder, half-shrugging. "I only practiced with Raoul a few times. I was young and stupid—and by the end, I was usually half-unconscious. I barely managed to touch him with the lance before I went flying."

"Lord Raoul is one of the best in the land; milady says so all the time. If you lived through his practices, you should be able to survive this."

"But how am I supposed to win?" Dom asked; a little unnerved by Tobe's confidence.

"Leave it to Peachblossom." Tobe suggested, shrugging.

They walked out of the tent and approached the gelding in question. Peachblossom snorted and bared his teeth at Dom. The gelding knew it wasn't Kel under there.

"Peachblossom, listen, we need your help." Tobe explained quickly. "Milady is gone, but if people realize she isn't jousting today, she'll forfeit the tournament. Let master Dom joust with you—just this once."

Peachblossom eyed Dom critically. He snorted again and stepped closer. Tobe translated. "He says, no flying away."

88888888888888888888

Dom sat awkwardly in the saddle, fingers wrapped tightly around the lance. Peachblossom's eyes rolled back to check on his rider, making sure that Dom was holding on. The big horse readied himself for a trick he'd been practicing.

The bell sounded, and Peachblossom took off, not waiting for Dom's signal. The solider grasped onto the horse as tight as he could; trying simultaneously to aim his lance.

When the knights were almost within striking distance, Peachblossom suddenly took a couple steps to the outside, which brought Dom temporarily out of Prosper's reach. Then the charger darted back in, closer to the center of the field where he snapped at the flanks of the opposing horse.

In mid-gallop, the mare screamed in surprise and tried to sidestep. She stumbled and one of her legs collapsed. She overbalanced, toppled, taking her rider with her. Prosper was forced to throw himself out of the saddle to save his leg from being crushed as his horse fell.

Peachblossom shook his head delightedly, but kept all four feet on the ground. He pranced to the other side of the ring and waited for the referee to signal their win.

Dom stared in amazement at the fallen knight before him. That wasn't as difficult as he'd expected. He didn't even use the lance.

888888888888888888888

Daisuke watched as Ansil of Groten paraded across the field. The man was contemptible; a bigoted conservative who already tried to provoke Daisuke into a dirty fight the night before. Unfortunately for Ansil, Daisuke possessed more self-control than the Tortallan could hope to imagine.

Isamu tensed under his rider, ready for the bell. They'd already taken a turn, and the warriors were tied. Daisuke and Isamu had used the first run to test a theory on Ansil. If they'd read their opponent right, the knight's second attack would be all airs, and he'd waver right before contact.

Isamu took off, and Daisuke calmly lifted his lance, taking his time as he searched for the perfect moment. There. Ansil's pause was right on schedule. Daisuke jammed his lance under the knight's shield and popped the conservative right out of the saddle.

Daisuke grinned in amusement as he listened to Groten's curses. It was too bad Saru had missed this. According to the other players, the unconventional Shang stole a horse last night and took off for destinations unknown. Daisuke was delighted to hear the stolen horse belonged to the Gallan wrestler from the other day.

888888888888888888888888

Yuki was waiting for Daisuke in his tent. "We need to talk." She said crisply, in Yamani. Daisuke frowned. His sister rarely had time to 'talk' with the likes of him. A master-less warrior and court clown.

"What will you gain if you win this match?" Yuki asked quietly.

Daisuke shrugged, but his twitched into a crooked smile. "I won't. Keladry-san is far better at this game than I am. I entered this tournament to test the Tortallans, to see what they can do. I was hoping to find someone worth following. It seems I will wander for a while longer." It wasn't that all the knights were terrible. But none had moved with the unerring force of Asano. It was thanks to his assiduous training that Daisuke had made it this far.

"You've been doing all this to try and find a new overlord?" Yuki asked, baffled.

"Our family has made it clear I'm of no value to them as I am now." Daisuke said quietly. Ronin were looked down upon by the rest of the warrior class. They had no patronage; and were often grouped with mercenaries—men who sold their loyalty for coin.

Yuki gave her head a little shake as she tried to clear her thoughts. "I agree that Keladry-san would beat you in the joust, but she isn't here to do that. She disappeared last night, and Dom-kun is riding in her place."

"Is that allowed?" Daisuke asked incredulously.

"We didn't bother to find out." Yuki replied. Her eyes said it all.

"I'll be…careful." Daisuke agreed. Keladry might kill him if he injured her sweetheart. Daisuke remembered their sparring match and shuddered at the thought of facing her in a duel.

888888888888888888888888

It wasn't until Kel had been on the road for almost a day that she realized she was forfeiting the tournament by not attending. She gave a mental shrug. It'd mean very little to win the tournament if the prize was a town full of corpses. She hoped Prosper or Daisuke won.

She spared a glance behind her and noticed someone following. As the figure came closer. The dark skin, acrobatic body, and impish grin were unmistakable.

"Why are you following me?" Kel shouted, mystified. The Monkey caught up with her and grinned.

"You're running off to do some fighting, and I figure you could use the help. I'm hell with a glaive, myself."

Kel shook her head with disbelief and spurred Hoshi back into a canter. They'd have to stop soon to rest, and Kel prayed to the Goddess to protect Hoshi's stamina.

When they reached a convenient inn, Kel stabled her horse and booked a room on Raoul's credit. She'd repay her former knight master the next time she saw him. If there was a next time. If not, he'd have to come to the divine realms to collect. She set up a pallet for the Shang monkey, who collapsed theatrically on the bed.

"Where are we headed, Protector of the Small?" She asked breathily.

"I am headed back to New Hope, to stop an attack that hasn't happened yet. And don't call me that. It's a stupid title." Kel shooed the Monkey off her bed.

"It's an accurate title. Those are usually the worst, since they stick so well. At least you're not a Shang, where a childhood nickname can become your life."

Kel frowned. "Do you regret becoming a Shang?" She asked.

Saru propped her arm up and rested her chin on it. "I was always the family trouble maker." She said slowly. "When I was little, people swore I was Kyprith's own offspring. I could climb anything; do somersaults and cartwheels before I learned to swim. When the Shang came recruiting, my family handed me over all too easily. I was just one more mouth to feed, and full blooded Rakas like my family couldn't afford that."

Saru rose and went over to the window. She stared out, not really seeing anything. "I was happy enough, I suppose. I liked the tricks they taught me, the leaps and kicks and tumbles and flips; even if meditation was," Saru wrinkled her nose, "boring as a grandfather's porridge."

Kel grinned at Saru's description. "How did you come to know Daisuke and Yuki?" She asked.

Saru shrugged. "I was traveling with the Shang Crow; my teacher at the time. We found ourselves in the Emperor's court, and decided to stay a while. The Yamani isles are the closest thing we Shang have to a home; it is where our first master perfected his skills. Daisuke was…" She shrugged, thinking. "I suppose he was roughly the equivalent of a Tortallan squire." She waved her hand aimlessly.

Kel nodded. She once considered joining the Yamani warrior class if Tortall refused to train her.

Saru continued, "We became close friends on the practice courts." She hesitated again. "Yuki never liked me. I played with Daisuke, and I played rough. I trampled over his emotions playing my games, but he always forgave me." She let out a deep, lovelorn sigh. Kel had a feeling it wasn't a players' affectation.

"I began to care—to love him." She corrected. "It was unavoidable. He was always ready for tricks and sparring, adventures through the gardens—or the mountains. He was the only Yamani man that understood how to have fun." She looked exasperated.

Slowly, her eyes saddened as the silence stretched. "Then something changed. Dai's overlord—his mentor—acted out against the emperor's wishes. The entire household was ordered to commit honorable death. Except Daisuke. He was considered too young to understand what his master had done, and his family was too highly regarded to order the death of their eldest son."

"Then what happened?" Kel asked, intrigued in spite of herself. They needed rest. But Saru needed it in more ways than one.

"He suddenly became very serious, very dark. No more adventures, no more fun. I let him go, and the Crow and I continued on our way. I see Dai now, and I think he's getting better. All that wandering has helped calm him, in a way."

"And you? Have all your travels made you any more…grounded?" Kel asked wryly.

Saru's face flashed into roguish grin. "I am the Shang Monkey." She said theatrically. "What do you think?"

I think you're leaving out parts of this story Kel thought. However, she kept her mouth shut and settled in for sleep.