Page 143 of The Robber Knight's Love
The Emperor nodded, graciously. Reuben gavehis horse the spurs again, and knew that all eyes followed him—theknight who had dared to address his Majesty in person.
Urging his horse to go still faster, Reubengalloped to the area where all the other knights waited to becalled to the joust. Most of them didn't have their visors downyet, and Reuben could see their eyes watching him with suspicion.He could almost hear their thoughts.
Who is thisupstart?
Hmm... He’s big. But thebigger they are, the harder they fall.
Crusade? The Crusade whereall the ladies showed the army their naked b—
Only Sir Wilhelm von Richtershalden didn'tlook at him appraisingly. The black-bearded knight stared at Reubenin abject horror. Reuben knew why perfectly well. He had just heardReuben's titles being proclaimed and confirmed in front of hundredsof people by the Emperor's own herald—the very titles which he, SirWilhelm, had called into question in a manner which in no wayconformed to the code of chivalry. Worse, the Emperor himself hadrecognized Reuben's name and greeted him. Reuben could see thepossible consequences slowly beginning to dawn on the beardedknight.
Reuben gave him a polite smile, and took hisplace among his fellow fighters.
Meanwhile, the herald had once more steppedinto the center of the courtyard.
“Your Majesty, milords, ladies, citizens. IfI may, I will now set out the schedule of the festivities.”
After waiting a moment for a nod from theEmperor, the herald carried on: “Today, as a preliminary to themain event, we will hold jousts between the brave knights who havecome hither to pit themselves against each other. In each joust,the fighters will run against each other in the lists three times.The knight who first manages to unhorse his opponent wins thejoust. If neither of the contestants should be successful inunhorsing his opponent, his Majesty the Emperor, who in his gracehas agreed to preside over this tournament, will decide the winner,based on the knights' general display of the arts of warfare.”
The herald took a deep breath and produced awax tablet from under his tabard.
“I shall now announce the first pair offighters who are to ride against each other. Please take up yourpositions... Sir Tomasso di Zaragoza and Sir Ottavio diMercuro.”
A young knight to Reuben's left flinched andalmost fell off his horse. This, Reuben gathered, was Sir Ottavio,and he had apparently not reckoned with having to ride against thechampion in his first joust. Reuben just caught a glimpse of hisghost-white face before he slammed his visor down and fumbled forhis lance. The pursuivant appeared, and with a bow gestured for himto proceed to the lists, where Sir Tomasso was already waiting.
It ended as Reuben had suspected. Sir Tomassocatapulted the young fellow out of the saddle in the first charge.He was even a little gentle about it, giving the quivering youthjust enough of a nudge for him to land on his behind and not breakany bones.
Ah... so the Sicilian had a soft spot, didhe? Reuben filed the information away for later use. It might comein handy when he himself was fighting, for he definitely did nothave a soft spot. He kept all the demands of chivalry, but he sawno sense in pampering people who had sworn the same oaths and takenup the same arms as he.
Accompanied by a storm of applause from thecrowd, the winner rode to the Emperor's box and was discharged witha graceful nod.
“I declare Sir Tomasso the winner of thejoust!” the herald called out while his pursuivant helped thebattered young knight off the courtyard.
Once again consulting his wax tablet, theherald continued: “And the next pair to fight are... Sir AdrianRakowski and Sir Hugo di Savona.”
The giant Pole, it soon became clear, did notshare Sir Tomasso's sensibilities. The knight who took up positionopposite him was just as young and inexperienced as Sir Ottavio hadbeen. Yet the Pole’s lance hit his opponent's shield like abattering ram, and the young knight flew more than five yardsbefore he crashed onto the ground. Reuben saw the collision onlyout of the corner of his eye. His attention was still on the hugePole. As he had suspected, the man used brute force—no finessewhatsoever. That would be worth remembering.
The next joust was between another one of theyoung, drunken knights and the Saracen. Reuben didn't know wholooked more amusing in this picture: the young knight, who was sodrunk he could hardly stay in the saddle, or the Saracen, who washaving considerable trouble with the lance that had been handed tohim by the pursuivant. He held it rather like an overlong club. Itwas obvious he had never used such a weapon in his life before.
In the end, the Saracen managed to unhorsehis opponent. Hisses and boos went up from the crowd as he rodepast the stands. He didn't pay them any attention. Neither didReuben.
“The next contestants are... Sir Reuben vonLimburg and Sir Wilhelm von Richtershalden.”
A grin spread over Reuben's face. His friendthe herald had managed it. He had the partner he wanted. His eyesfound Sir Wilhelm and bored into him. The bearded knight lookedgrim—but still, not disturbed in any way. He was sure of hisvictory. After all, Reuben was only just past boyhood. This was nomere fistfight. This was the art of chivalric warfare. He, SirWilhelm, was sure to win.
Reuben's grin widened as he read thesethoughts on the face of the other man who had not yet closed hisvisor.
As they took up their positions, the crowdfell silent, and most of their eyes fell upon Reuben. Distracted bythe fights, they had almost forgotten about this strange youngknight who seemed to have some kind of personal connection to theEmperor. But now their attention was back on him. He didn't seemquite like the other young knights who had come to fight theirfirst tournament. The way he sat on his huge, black horse, so calmand relaxed, made one wonder...
The herald raised his arm.
“Ready?”
When neither of the two knights gave a sign,he took this as affirmation. His arm came down in an arc.
“Laissez-lesaller!”[64]
Reuben spurred on his horse. At the other endof the lists he saw Sir Wilhelm do the same, but his horse wasobviously not in the same class as Reuben's Ajax. The black chargersprang forward with incomparable speed.
