Chapter Seventeen

Hi guys I am sorry to do this to you again but today I will be posting two chapters because I am not going to be able to post next week. I have had a busy and chaotic year and I am planning a week away with my boyfriend camping in Sussex (hopefully the weather will stay nice). Please review and enjoy the two chapters and usual posting one per week will be back to normal from w/c Monday 5th August. Please leave me some reviews to come back to.

As always enjoy,

Love C.J.

Rillian and Sebastian headed to the centre of the tiling yard. They shook hands and nodded to the royal box. The box of course should be occupied by the King of Narnia but as the Kings rarely visited the Lone Islands it was usually occupied by his representative: the Duke of the Lone Islands as it was on this day. The Duke sat not on the throne, that would be considered disrespectful. Instead he was sat beside the throne his other son Charmon much younger than Sebastian or Eleanor stood on the edge of the box, too enthralled to sit down the joust was one of the most exciting things he had ever seen.

Eleanor sat in the spot that should have been reserved for the Duchess of the Lone Islands but she had sadly died three years previously so as the eldest, in deed the only daughter, of the Duke Eleanor took the seat instead. Unlike Victoria, whom the crew simply insisted on calling Lady, something she disliked as it was her mothers official title, Eleanor really was a lady given the title as a young child. She was beautiful, and Victoria acknowledged that if she had been a girl at boarding school back in England she would be the kind that other girls would be jealous of. She had a slim frame, much slimmer than Victoria who had what her mother called "child bearing hips." She had shoulder length blonde hair, dark brown eyes and a pretty face. Victoria was sat across the royal box from Eleanor with Henry after a few minutes Victoria had noticed that Henry was only partially paying attention to the joust. He was more focused on catching glances at Eleanor.

"If you are going to do that," Victoria said out of the side of her mouth. "At least make it look a little less obvious Henry." He simply looked guilty for a second before the two exchanged a smile in the only the way siblings or the best of friends can. They were interrupted by a loud voice announcing the entrance of Sebastian Bern and King Rillian. Victoria was soon gripping the edge of her chair again.

"Here." Henry said kindly offering his left hand to her. She gripped it and he regretted the decision.

"Sorry," she said "but what happens if he dies or something?"

"It is a joust Vic not fight to the death."

"I know but what about a horrid accident?"

"They will be fine," Henry said sincerely and Victoria smiled weakly. They and the rest of the audience turned towards the two figures on horseback in the tilling field. They put the covers over their faces and began to gather speed. Victoria was caught between wanting to turn away and a desire to ensure Rillian was alright. Both men rushed at each other Sebastian's lance caught on the lion shield of Rillian's smashing the lance to splinters. Rillian was forced back and almost unseated but he held on and limped to the end of the field. They both turned around and began again. This time it was Rillian who caught the upper hand by catching his lance on Sebastian's shoulder something cracked and everyone looked forward wondering if it was Sebastian's shoulder but the crack had gone down the length of Rillian's lance. When he reached the end of the field like Sebastian had a turn earlier he changed his lance.

As the pair rushed towards each other a third time Henry was convinced they were running faster and harder than before. He was right. The consequence of which was that when Rillian's lance caught Sebastian square on the shield as neatly as anything he was unhorsed. Everyone gasped for a second not because a man had been unhorsed, this was a joust after all, but because Sebastian's spur had become caught in his stirrup and when his horse continued it pulled him along. Rillian saw immediately what happened turning the horse around and cutting the stirrup Sebastian stopped. It was a good cut as the trick was not to hurt the horse but to cut hard enough so that the stirrup snapped.

The crowd paused for a minute before standing up and applauding. Sebastian tried to push Rillian to the limelight but he wouldn't and instead the pair stood in the centre of the square. Sebastian accepted a scroll from his sister and father who shook his hand. It was then Rillian's turn to collect his scroll and a purse of gold. He announced the gold would be put towards the poor school in the Lone Islands which was met with loud applause.

Eleanor then kissed the King on his cheek as she passed over the scroll, quiet possibly this was met with more applause. Victoria knew she should be happy, perhaps they had finished their quest but her heart wasn't in it.

"I hope the favour brought you luck." Eleanor smiled.

"I am sure it did." Rillian replied "and you are a wonderful person Lady Eleanor but I have to tell you," he leant in and said something no one but she could hear. To this day no one but they will know it but they both smiled and parted friends.

Two days later when the Queen Elspeth put out to sea the Duke and his family where at the head of the crowd waving the party off. Rillian shook hands with Sebastian the two had become firm friends and when Sebastian became Duke of the Lone Islands some years later Rillian's faith was rewarded as he became the fourth Duke, whose name is still held in reverence for his kindness in the Lone Islands.

He also shook hands with Eleanor and little Charmon before the Duke wrapped him in a bear hug. The company of the Queen Elspeth walked up the gangplank waving all the time to the people of the islands until they were out of sight and heading south west to Archenland.

Eleanor was introduced some years later to Darman, the young Duke of Terebinthia. They were married a year later and ruled Terebinthia wisely and kindly. But they often returned to the Lone Islands to renew the bonds of friendship between the two islands.