Kingdom's Quest (9 page)

“I have always been able to connect to some degree with the horses I've cared for, but Triumph is different.” Her eyes diverted to the steed.

“It's almost as if he chose to connect with me first. I can almost sense his thoughts … and I suppose he can mine,” she said. Then she looked away, as if she wished she hadn't said it.

“Is that so?” Gavinaugh said, resisting the temptation to tease her. “What does he think of me?”

She looked at him as if she were trying to decide if he was sincere. “He thinks you are quite headstrong and a bit too impulsive at times.”

Gavinaugh smiled. “Well, in your next conversation with him, tell him that I'll try to work on that.”

As if on cue, Triumph snorted.

“Oh, and he says that you don't feed him enough sweet apples,” she said without cracking a smile. Now it was Gavinaugh's turn to try to discern if she was sincere. But then she grinned slightly, and he laughed at himself. Gavinaugh looked into her eyes, and she paused at his gaze before turning aside.

“I should be getting back,” she said quickly and took a couple of steps toward the haven.

“Keanna.”

She turned and looked at him. He wanted so much more than to exchange just a few words with her.

“I … I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of Triumph,” he said, looking for some sign from her that they might eventually become friends … and maybe more.

“You're welcome,” she said and proceeded on her way.

Gavinaugh watched her disappear into the haven and then lingered with Triumph a bit longer.

“Well, Triumph, what do
you
say she thinks of me?” he asked.

The animal snorted and jerked his head from side to side.

“Yes, I suppose you're right.”

“Talking to horses, are we?” came a voice from the darkness behind him.

Gavinaugh was startled—only a Silent Warrior could come upon him so stealthily. The owner of the voice stepped out from the shadows of the trees.

“Porunth!” Gavinaugh exclaimed. “It is good to see you!”

The two embraced. “And you, my friend.”

They talked briefly, and then Porunth became quite serious.

“I am on a mission and have a message for you. You are to travel to Thecia and take the word of the Prince to that city. You must be vigilant, Gavinaugh, for we have received information that the forces of the Dark Knight are plotting to kill you. It is difficult to predict more than that, so you must be on guard at all times.”

Gavinaugh looked at Porunth and nodded.

“I understand. Thank you,” he said.

Porunth looked as if he needed to say something more, so Gavinaugh waited.

“This Keanna you have discovered …” Porunth paused and looked intently at his friend. Gavinaugh began to suspect that words of distress were soon to be spoken.

“She is apparently important to the kingdom in some fashion, for the Prince has commanded that you are to continue protecting and training her.”

Gavinaugh was relieved and pleased.

Porunth put his hand on Gavinaugh's shoulder. “You must help heal her sorrow, for there is more to come,” he said.

Gavinaugh wanted to ask more, but Porunth ended the conversation and prepared to leave. They exchanged farewells and parted.

Gavinaugh found it difficult to sleep that night. His mind flitted between thoughts of Keanna, Thecia, and the Dark Knight. Only when he focused on thoughts of the Prince did he find the peace and elusive rest his body sought.

The next morning, Weston looked at Gavinaugh and seemed to know what was ahead.

“Where to?” he asked.

Gavinaugh was a bit surprised by Weston's discernment.

“You don't hide your thoughts very well,” Weston said with a smile.

“Yes, where do we go now?” Sandon asked.

Gavinaugh and Weston looked at Sandon in surprise.

“Penwell is not large enough to contain my enthusiasm. Please let me travel with you, or I think I should wither to nothingness.”

“I was hoping as much.” Gavinaugh clapped his friend across the back. “Tomorrow we leave for Thecia.”

COURT OF THE LORDS

The road to Thecia was long, hot, and dusty. There were smaller villages along the way that Gavinaugh found it impossible to pass through without proclaiming the Prince. Some of the men from Penwell who were contrary to his words about the Prince had brought testimony to the village leaders against Gavinaugh, and they had stirred up great dissension. On two occasions, he and his companions found it necessary to flee the villages in fear for their lives. Others, however, received Gavinaugh's words with great joy, and more knights were added to the order.

Once in Thecia, Gavinaugh, Weston, Sandon, and Keanna took lodging at an inn not far from the colossal amphitheater that was the centerpiece of the city. Thecia was the largest city they had yet visited, and it was nothing short of marvelous. The architecture of the buildings was spectacular, for the Thecians took great pride in their city. Here the pursuit and preservation of nobility had attained new heights. The social strata of the people were well defined, and they functioned within their estate based almost exclusively on their birth status—nobility, mercantile, or peasant—with no hope of rising beyond the freedoms and rights granted therein.

Since the nobility were at the crest of the social pyramid, all
activities were either directly or indirectly performed to serve them. Within the nobility were levels of prestige and power that a knight could actually rise to, given that he possessed excellent skill with the sword and some good fortune. There were various methods by which an aspiring knight could accomplish this. Gallantry and courage on the battlefield were preferred, but battles were not as frequent as nobility required. The natural solution was to provide competitive events among the knights that afforded such opportunities.

Over many years, the prestigious Thecian tournaments evolved into the grand spectacle of the present and provided opportunity for knightly progression within the nobility estate. Many tournaments were held throughout the year in the massive stone amphitheater located at the city's center. People often traveled many days to participate in or observe the games. There were gladiator-style preliminary events where slaves from different regions were forced to battle one another, but the climactic events were the duels between knights of honor.

Gavinaugh and his companions quartered their horses in nearby stables and walked toward the amphitheater where large white columns encircled the outer walls. What was perhaps more impressive was the Court of the Lords near the entrance of the amphitheater. The four were drawn to thirty-two statues arranged in a circle about an elegant pool and fountain that were ornamented with intricate carvings. Each statue stood three times as tall as a man and bore a name in the marble pedestal beneath it. The statues were regal in form, each depicting a powerful man of obvious knighthood. There were also bronze placards affixed beneath the marble carving of each statue with the names of knights and ladies beautifully engraved upon them.

Weston and Sandon were each drawn to various statues, as were Gavinaugh and Keanna. Gavinaugh read each name as he passed: Lord Culverton, Lord Willoughby, Lord Barrington … He stopped at one that caught his attention. It read
The Unknown Lord
. The other statues showed the noble face of each man, but this one's face was covered with
a helmet. Gavinaugh also noticed that a brightly colored ribbon with intricate markings was tied about the right foot of each of the other statues, but there was none on this one, and no names of knights or ladies were engraved in its bronze placard.

“This one is different,” Keanna said, breaking Gavinaugh's concentration.

“Yes, I wonder why.”

“Because no one knows his name,” said a young voice behind them.

Gavinaugh and Keanna turned around to see a boy standing near them.

“Who are the other statues of, lad?” Gavinaugh asked.

“Those are the greatest lords that have ever lived in all the kingdom. We honor them with these statues and with the tournaments,” the boy replied. “I'm Julian,” he said with a broad smile. He looked to be about twelve years old. He set a bundle he was carrying on the ground and put his hand out.

Gavinaugh shook the boy's hand. “I am pleased to meet you, Julian. This is Keanna, and my name is Gavinaugh.”

“You're obviously a knight … Are you here to fight in the tournament?” the boy asked.

“No, that is not my intention. Tell me, Julian, why don't they know his name?” Gavinaugh said and motioned to the statue they were standing beneath.

“There is a legend that tells of a great knight who battled a fierce dragon to save a young maiden from being devoured. The dragon was so powerful that all who encountered it were destroyed. But this knight wounded the dragon and freed the young maiden from its lair. He then disappeared without anyone knowing his name. The noblemen of Thecia were fearful to not have a statue in his honor, for it is believed that he will someday return to kill the dragon that still hunts humans by night.”

Gavinaugh marveled at the legend and was inspired by the boy's words.

“And what of the ribbons about the ankles of the statues?”

“Oh … those are the ribbons of the mighty knights fighting in the Tournament of Lords tomorrow. This tournament is the grandest of them all and is held only once a year. Each knight chooses one of these great lords to honor at the games as well as a lady from the women of nobility who will be watching. The names of the winning knight and the lady of the tournament are engraved in the bronze placard beneath the lord that is being honored. The highest-ranking knights get to choose first. Lord Culverton is always the first to be selected since he brings the best fortune to the knight who fights for him. Lord Rowland is also a favorite.”

Gavinaugh looked around the circle of statues, and his eyes fell once again on the Unknown Lord.

“There isn't a ribbon here. Aren't there enough knights to fight in the tournament?” Gavinaugh asked.

The boy began to laugh. “Hundreds of knights come hoping to fight in the tournament, but none are foolish enough to fight for the Unknown Lord.”

“Why not?”

“Because every knight who has ever fought for the Unknown Lord has been defeated in the first round of the tournament,” the boy said. “It is believed that there is a curse—if a knight fights for the Unknown Lord and is unworthy, he will be defeated.”

Gavinaugh realized that he had the perfect opportunity to gain the attention of the whole city in a day. He looked at Keanna. “May I have the ribbon from your hair?” he asked. She hesitated but yielded the white ribbon to him.

Gavinaugh went to the foot of the statue and tied the ribbon about its ankle.

Julian looked shocked. “But, sir …”

“Julian, how do I let the tournament officials know that I wish to participate?”