chapter nine! I'm excited to be posting this, and I am happy to say that I am (at least a little bit) back on track for writing! Last chapter, I have to be honest, I had no idea how to write the joust when they were actively jousting, so I avoided it. It is shown a little bit more here, in Abby's POV. I hope you have been liking this story, and I appreciate the people who have been reading and who have added it to their favorite/follow lists!
-owl
Abby watched from her window as Ziva led Tony to the stables. Unlike Tony, Abby knew what Ziva had planned for their date. Jousting. It was a beautiful day for the jousting tournament. There was no wind and the sun was shining.
There was a knock on her door, drawing her attention from the window. Abby walked to the door to answer it herself, as Olivia was taking her break. She opened the door to see Timothy waiting there.
"Good morning, Abby," he said, bowing. "I was wondering if you were going to be going to the village today."
Abby nodded. "I am, I was actually about to leave. I hope to check on some of my projects, but I also need to be at the presentation of knights at the joust."
"May I accompany you?" Timothy asked, offering her his arm.
Abby nodded, taking his arm and leaving her room. "We need to stop at the kitchens and the seamstress' first, I have a few things I need to pick up."
He nodded and let Abby pull him along towards the kitchens. As they walked, they talked about Tony and Ziva's date that day.
"She was annoyed that she had to accept his invitation. That was one of the reasons she chose the jousting tournament. She loves jousting, and wins quite a lot as well"
Timothy looked at her oddly. "She competes in the jousts?" he asked in a tone of disbelief.
Abby nodded. "You knew that she likes fighting, you two were sparring just the other day. That notwithstanding, she's been winning jousting tournaments for the last few years."
Timothy sighed. "I expected her to be more inclined to physical activities, but I had not expected her to be a jouster."
They didn't get a chance to continue their conversation as they had reached the kitchens. On the table right inside the door was a large basket filled with food. Abby grabbed it and the pair left the kitchens. The seamstress' workroom was just down the hall from the kitchens, so it was easy enough for Abby and Timothy to collect another large basket from the room. This one was filled with fabric. Timothy carried the basket of fabric.
"What are these for?" Timothy asked, nodding to the baskets as they made their way out of the castle and towards the stables.
"I like to help the village citizens when I can. I have a stall in the market that I bring things to whenever I am in the village."
"That's kind of you. I'm sure they appreciate that," Timothy said as they crossed the castle grounds.
Abby nodded as they entered the stables. Inside were all the horses used by the castle personnel, which were mostly for the knights and the royal family. Abby's horse was in one of the stalls near the entrance.
Unlike Ziva, Abby had chosen to name her horse. Burt was a pale gray mare who Abby had chosen as her when she was ten and Burt was just born. Abby carefully set the basket on a haybale and brought Burt into the walkway to tack up.
Timothy had disappeared to the back of the stable to get the horse he had ridden to Meadth. He got his mare tacked up and ready before Abby was done, so he grabbed both of the baskets and waited, already mounted.
Abby tightened the final strap on Burt's saddle and mounted him, sitting side-saddle on the account of her dress. She had a black dress that fell halfway down her calves, and was trimmed with silver thread.
"Here you go, Abby," Timothy said, handing her the basket of food. "Are you ready?"
She nodded. "Yes," she said, gripping the reins with her right hand and the basket in ehr left. "Let's go."
Timothy smiled and the pair rode side-by-side the entire way to the village. As they got closer, there were more people on the road, and they waved as they saw Abby pass. She could only smile in return, for fear of falling or dropping the basket.
When they made it into the market stall Abby always used, Timothy dismounted first, taking Abby's basket from her. Abby then also dismounted and started setting up the stall for the day. The first thing she did, though, was tie Burt to the tree behind the stall.
On one side of the stall, the food was arranged in neat rows, one loaf of bread in front of another. There were also some apples that had been thrown into the basket that Abby set out. On the other side of the stall, she set out the fabric, organized by color. The fabric was very stiff, and would hold up well against working outside.
"If you want to see the village, go ahead, Timothy, I can come with you. I normally let the stall run on its own, as I don't ask for anything in return. I just have to be in the royal box before the joust starts," Abby said.
"I don't mind going right to the joust. Besides, you don't need to watch the entire thing, do you?"
Abby shook her head. "Nope, just the beginning and the end of it. Kate would kill me if I were to be late to the presentation of knights."
Then Kate came riding up on her own horse. "Abby, we need to be in our seats in five minutes, get Burt and let's go."
Abby raised her eyebrow at Timothy, as though saying 'see what I mean?' even as she began untying Burt from the tree. "Coming, Kate," she said.
She mounted Burt as Timothy mounted his horse and they both quickly followed Kate towards the arena. The crowds were so thick that it was hard to get to where they were going, but they made it in time.
Both Abby and Timothy tied their horses to the hitching posts as they ran to their seats. Timothy sat in the regular stands, right at the edge of the royal box. Abby took her throne to her mother's left.
Just as she sat down, the bugle sounded, calling the knights to the front of the arena. There were twenty-four knights in the tournament that day, and as they were announced, they urged their horses forwards and bowed before returning to the line.
The participating knights of Meadth were called first, taking the first ten entries. They were all announced in the same manner; 'Sir whatever of Meadth.' Then Tony was announced, the eleventh to be so.
"From the Kingdom of DiNozzo, Prince Anthony."
Then the knights who had traveled to compete were called. 'Sir whatever of wherever.' and that group was the twelfth through the twenty-third entry. Ziva was the last to be called.
"And, finally, our reigning champion, in line to the throne of Meadth, Sir David."
Kate looked over to Abby and they stood up together to give their favors. Abby would always give hers to Ziva. Today, though, she was extra excited because she had embroidered a new scarf with arrows. Abby could remember the first favor she had given, a pretty stone she had found, to the late Sir Pacci, when she was six. Keeping with tradition, Abby handed her favor to Ziva, smiling as she did so.
To Abby's left, Kate was giving her favor to Tony. He nodded at her, and both Kate and Abby returned to the royal box. The bugle sounded again, and all but two knights left the arena.
Abby had the patience to watch the first five matches. To be fair, Ziva's first match was the fifth overall, so Abby kinda had to stay to see how she did. Ziva won, barely, managing to avoid the other knight's lance while shattering her own into his chest armor.
She had also ended up watching Tony's first match, which he won as well. He was in the third match overall, and was barely able to keep himself on his horse.
After having seen Ziva's first match, Abby exited the royal box. Timothy must have noticed her leaving, as he was waiting by the horses for her.
"What are you doing, Timothy?" Abby asked. "I would have thought you would want to watch the jousting."
He shook his head. "I don't really care for jousting."
"Oh. Would you like to come with me back to the stall? I normally let it sit by itself, but I also like to be there to help with handing stuff out."
Timothy nodded. "Sure, I can join you," he said, offering his arm to her.
She took it and they walked together to the stall, forgoing the horses. There weren't many people on the road now, as most people were at the joust. When they got there, the market was quite busy, people were crowded around stands selling hot food, clothing, and pretty trinkets.
Abby and Timothy stood behind the stall they had set up earlier. At least a third of the fabric had been taken.
Just as they arrived, a young woman with a baby in her arms came up to the stall. "Princess," she said, smiling. "Thank you for all you do."
Abby smiled back, handing the woman two loaves of bread and an apple. "I'm happy to help my people. Do you need fabric as well?"
The woman shook her head. "No thank you, Princess." Then she bowed, and left the stall.
Almost as soon as the first woman had left, a pair of dirt-covered children ran up. They were fighting over something the older one had in her hands.
"Hello," Abby said, smiling at the kids. "Has your mother sent you to get something?"
They broke off their fight and nodded and the older one spoke. "We need some bread and — Oh!" She had seen the fabric. "Some fabric would be nice as well."
Abby nodded and handed her the bread and showed her some of the fabric colors. They were all shades of dull greens and pale reds. The girl pointed at one of the red bundles, which Abby handed to her.
Then the fighting started again, luckily, neither the bread nor the fabric was dropped onto the dusty ground.
"I'm going to give it to her!"
"But I want to!"
"I'm older!"
Then a third child that could only be a third sibling, came running up and took the item being fought over.
"For you, Princess," she said, placing a woven flower crown of daisies and lavender on the stall.
The older two kids looked betrayed.
"Thank you!" Abby said, placing the crown on her head, balancing it carefully on top of her pigtails.
The kids giggled and ran off, still pushing each other around.
"The people really appreciate you, don't they," Timothy noted, watching the kids running off.
Abby nodded. "Yes, they really do. Our village here isn't too poor, but I know that anything they can get helps."
By the time they returned to the tournament, only a third of the food and fabric was left. They had helped at least ten other people; older ladies, young women, little kids, big kids. Everyone who needed food or cloth for clothes came to the stall.
Abby stood up, clapping for Ziva as she sent Sir Cassius of Jore tumbling off his horse and onto the ground. She had won! The knight bowed slightly to Ziva as he left the arena. Not acknowledging the crowd, Ziva turned her stallion towards the tents and went to freshen up before the closing ceremony.
After about five minutes, the bugle sounded for the final time for the tournament. All twenty-four of the jousters lined up in the same order as they had been in at the beginning ceremony.
Abby's parents stood up and walked to the front of the royal box, hand in hand.
"Knights, thank you all for an entertaining afternoon," Jenny said. "You have all proven your courage and strength."
"Would the winner please step forward?" Gibbs asked, looking directly at Ziva, who urged her horse forwards until she reached the royal box. "You have gotten one of my daughters' favors. Would you please reveal yourself to the crowd?"
Nodding once to her father, Ziva turned her horse to the main part of the stands as the crowd roared louder. She then pulled her helmet off of her head, letting her hair loose and enticing gasps from the knights who had traveled. Everyone cheered for Ziva, Abby the hardest.
When Abby left the royal box, Timothy was waiting for her, holding the reins of both their horses.
"Should we go check on the stall?" he asked.
"Sure!" Abby nodded and, while she took Burt's reins, neither she nor Timothy rode the horses to the market.
When they got to the market, they could see that the stall was entirely empty. When they had been serving people there, during the joust there had been a good third left. Abby smiled and grabbed the two baskets from behind the stall.
Then Abby and Timothy returned to the hitching post where their horses were. Waiting next to Burt, was an open topped carriage, with Abby's parents and sister in it. A team of four horses was harnessed to it.
"If you want to go riding, Abby," Jenny said as Abby and Timothy approached. "Your father and I can bring the baskets back to the castle for you."
"Sure, thank you, Mom," Abby said, handing the baskets to Kate, who had reached her arm out.
"Make sure you're back in time for the feast, Abbs," Gibbs said.
She nodded and untied Burt. As the carriage started its way back to the castle, Abby mounted Burt. Timothy was also mounted, and they rode together onto one of the trails through the forest fringing the castle.