Joust

The moment he put on the Armor of Agilulf, he was years younger in thinking, flexibility and combat expertise. Yet rather than spin about and perform some acrobatic turns he sat in his Tourney chair and thought about Tournaments past. His eyes closed he saw through his mind’s eye his first opponent, Sir Theo Bettincour, who he bested three times out of three; the manied faces came and went as did his memories of warhorsers and foremost was Thunderbolt, his destrier, killed in the Storm of Chaos. A solitary tear ran from the corner of his left eye and down his cheek.. He called for his squire and Cobina entered. They exchanged looks and she got him his parchment, his quill, ink, seal and wax. He enjoyed the new found ability to move easily whilst wearing the enchanted armor.

He completed the written instructions and sealed it with the d’Ascoyne seal. He got up and began to remove the armor. Within minutes all his aches and pains and stiffness returned. He wrapped each piece of armor in linen and put it back into his Chest of Opar wood. This he placed on the table. He took the Sword of the Lady’s Champion and placed that into its box as well. The Weapons box he placed atop the Armor box.. He placed candles at either end of the weapons box and lit them. He got down on his knees and prayed to the Lady of the Lake.

“Mlady, I present myself before you and I thank you for all my blessings, both those known to me and the myriad of blessings which you have bestowed without telling me. I pray you receive my words and adjudge my heart after having seen it.”

He stopped praying. It was the same prayer beginning he had used since he was 10 years of age. He thought a bit. What was a prayer but a conversation with a powerful deity? He would have the conversation, but without the flowery phrases.

“Lady of the Lake, I stand before you asking for a sign, a judgement. You know who I am. I have drawn the precious fluid from the Grail which you gave me after slaying the Iranna Dragon. I have looked into your eyes and have sworn my allegiance to you. Throughout my life I have defended my country, my family and your shrines. The reason I have put up the Armor of Angilulf and the Lady’s Champion Sword is simple; I have no need to wear it in this simple Tournament! I am your thrall and will not sully sacred armor nor purpose for a simple contest.

I only ask that when I bruise, it be lightly done as my bones are old and creak with age.” A roguish look and a spreading grin across his face. “If that is what you wish, M’Lady. This old warrior still serves with a willing heart.”

The story continues in  

Just Before the Tournament - a chance encounter