The Winged Fae (The World of Fae) (17 page)

Niall and Creshion clashed again and both remained seated. Again, everyone cheered the two men on.

“They appear to be well–matched,” Sessily remarked, a smile in her voice.

But would it be enough? Sir Reginald jousted constantly. If Creshion hadn’t, just like Niall hadn’t, then he might be at the same practice level as Niall.

“But you did tell Micala where you would be in case he wanted to check on you?” Sessily finally asked, returning to the previous topic.

“No.”

Sessily turned her full attention on Serena. “Since he is your betrothed and not Niall…”

Serena waved away the notion. “Only momentarily. Micala is not interested in me. He’s much too in love or infatuation or something with the human girl.”

“Hmm,” Sessily said.

“What?”

“If Queen Irenis learns of this, all of us will be in trouble.”

Serena took her eyes off the men racing to unseat each other and saw the smile on Sessily’s face. So the lady wasn’t concerned about the queen’s wrath should she learn that Lady Sessily herself was harboring a wayward bride–to–be. Good. Serena didn’t know where they could have stayed if not here.

Sessily shrugged. “Niall is a handful,” she said as if warning Serena not to get her hopes up about him.

Instantly wary, though not able to see that he would be, Serena asked, “How?”

Sessily smiled and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

***

The joust ended at a draw, neither man unseating the other. But they were of good spirits and both would practice that evening and again in the morning. For now, the servants hurried to do their chores. Sessily had a contract to fulfill and Creshion was worried about her safety enough that he went along with her.

Which left Serena and Niall alone to walk in the gardens covered in a light mist that afternoon.

“I am curious, Niall. Other than rescuing me from towers and dungeons, what do you normally do?”

“The most arduous of tasks, and I’m afraid I’m not very good at it.”

“At what?”

“I am to keep Prince Deveron out of too much trouble. As his cousin, I serve as his friend, companion, and bodyguard. So does Micala. But lately, the prince has had less time for us and spends more time with Alicia, which means—”

“I am the lucky one. What exactly did you intend to do with me when you found me painting on that wall?”

“My duty as a dark fae. Stop you, question you, and—”

“But you didn’t plan to put me in the dungeon, did you?”

He shook his head. “I would never have put one as delightful as you in such a place.” Though after she had knocked him out with the sleeping potion, he’d had second thoughts.

“Even if I had deserved it?”

He gave her a small smile.

She smiled back at him. “Will your queen be very angry with you for stealing me from the dungeon?”

“Most likely. But I wouldn’t have done it any other way.”

She nodded, satisfied. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Pardon?”

“I know nothing about you. Your cousin said you were a handful. What did she mean by that?”

“Blue.”

“What?”

“You asked my favorite color. I love the sparkling blue waters of the Gulf and the brilliant blue sky. It’s cool and soothing and expansive.”

“Ah.”

“And yours?”

“Hot pink.”

He raised his brows. She smiled. “My mother wouldn’t allow me to wear such a color. So yes, I’d very much love to wear it. So what did Sessily mean about your being a handful?”

“I dumped her out of a boat once.”

“On purpose?” Serena asked.

“Is there any other way?” he asked with a dark twinkle in his blue eyes. “You know what the dark fae’s motto is? We don’t get angry, we get even.”

Chapter 15

All week long, Niall and Creshion practiced their heart out at jousting. And every evening after the last practice, Serena and Sessily with her ghostly father making mental notes and suggesting them, shared poisons and sleeping draughts with each other. Serena was delighted to learn about love potions also.

By week’s end, Serena had made a true friend in Sessily, and Creshion and Niall had become like brothers. Sessily’s staff seemed to adore Serena and her winged uniqueness, and she delighted in the time she’d spent at the castle with Sessily and her people.

But the dreaded day of reckoning had arrived. Serena gave Sessily a heartfelt hug and said goodbye to Creshion and Sessily’s staff, who had made her part of the family. But would Niall’s practices have given him enough of an edge to work a miracle against the Black Knight?

Serena feared it would not.

***

When Serena and Niall arrived at the jousting arena at the fair in Texas, they expected the only spectators to be there that of the dragon fae, and maybe a few bolder humans. But the area around the jousting field began to fill up with the dark fae—the Denkar, having gotten word, stood beside the fence—barrier to the west. A few of the turtle fae cousins of the Denkar were also in attendance.

Shocked and overwhelmed to see those present, Niall stared at the assembled courtiers who included Queen Irenis herself, her ladies–in–waiting, her advisor, Prince Deveron, Princess Ritasia, Lady Sessily, and Prince Creshion. Micala hurried to tell him he would serve as his squire, which pleased Niall no end.

Most of all, Niall’s grandmother, Anna, gave him a cheery smile and a thumbs up as Micala brought her a chair to sit on.

Who had told all of the kingdoms that Niall would be jousting against the dragon fae knight? His cousin Sessily had to have sent word.

The Denkar women dressed in garments of emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red, and a smattering of gold satins and silk gowns, and the men in their tunics and breeches of the same vibrant colors filled the area in rampant support.

To the east of the jousting arena, the Mabara were gathered, wearing spring colors of peaches and soft yellows, robin egg blues, and mint greens. Their costumes were made in elegant silky fabrics, rippling in the gentle hot breeze.

Queen Verbenia was flanked by both her daughter, Princess Serena, and Magdana, the witch. It didn’t seem to Niall that the Mabara treated her with anything but respect. Instead, a man hurried to bring her a chair to sit in, and she was given the utmost reverence.

To the south, dragon fae filled the area, dressed in red and black satins and velvets. To the north where the human King Henry VIII and his queen would normally preside over the joust, King Tibero, his daughter, Princess Viviana, and his granddaughter, Princess Alicia, and a number of other notable courtiers filled the dais a story–and–a–half above the proceedings.

Minor scuffles ensued wherever humans attempted to slip in front of some of the fae to watch the unscheduled tourney. No doubt the unusual costuming of the courtiers, the fact no one wore human civilian clothing, and that the joust was not one of the typical performances attracted human interest.

Even King Henry, the pompous human who thought to defy the proceedings before the joust began as only he would normally sit over the regularly scheduled events, while no others could be performed, was led away by an officious–looking dragon fae, who no doubt wiped the king’s mind of what was going on. A female dragon fae shoved a mug of ale into his hand, and that was the end of the faux king’s interference in fae affairs.

The event began with Niall riding a palomino into the arena. The Denkar, having learned somehow of the impending joust in ample time, had ensured the horse wore the symbol of the golden lion on his red cloth caparison, the fabric covering the horse’s back.

And Niall was outfitted in the same colored tunic with the bold print of the lion over his chainmail, the gold veil that Magdana had given him to wear, proudly tucked in his belt for all to see.

Reginald wore a black tunic with a silver dragon shooting golden flames from his mouth. The knight rode a beautiful black horse as his mount pranced around the arena.

More minor squabbles broke out between dragon fae and the turtle and lion fae at the corners of the arena where west and south converged. The same happened on the southeast corner of the ring where the Mabara and the dragon fae had words.

Niall was surprised to see the Mabara royalty with their wings fully on display, not hidden as he would have expected when in the presence of humans.

A few fake human fairies had gravitated to the site, looking as though they wished to join the real winged fairies, but the Mabara would have nothing to do with them.

As soon as Niall and Reginald rode in front of their respective courts, cheers went up, but as they cantered past their enemies’ temporary claimed spot of territory, jeers echoed across the field. Niall imagined the fae crowds and their enthusiasm for the sport as deafening as the fae’s response was put the humans to shame when the humans half–heartedly rallied for their pretend favorites.

Which of course brought even more curious humans to investigate what was going on that was eliciting such a huge response in the jousting arena.

Finally ready and with only a motion of his gold and ruby ring–clad hand, King Tibero signaled for the joust to begin.

Kneeing their horses, Niall and Reginald galloped across the field, the heavier duty, six–pound lances readied, as weighty as Niall was accustomed to using. They rushed past one another, their horses’ hooves sending the dirt flying and the hardwood struck hardwood making a resounding
smack
! The jarring motion traveled up Niall’s arm with a jolt, but neither the count nor the knight knocked the other from his mount.

His heart thundering in his ears, Niall turned his horse and waited while Reginald reached the far end of the arena and readied himself for another pass. Serena was right, Niall had to admit. The Black Knight had the decided advantage with having jousted twice a day for the past several weeks. Niall had always been good at the task, but he could tell the way the muscle in his arm twitched from the impact that he hadn’t shifted to balance in his saddle as well as he could, which meant he was still a bit out of practice.

Yet, Niall had the best motive in the world to unseat the knight and to bring honor to his people. With determination to prove the Denkar could trounce the dragon fae on their own stomping grounds for one of their kind attempting to break up a lion fae’s marriage contract with the Mabara, Niall felt invincible.

But Reginald had a lot to lose if he should have to concede to Niall, while facing his king and his people, but with Serena and her kind there also, if he lost today, he’d lose much more than a lovely winged fae as his bride.

Reginald charged forth and this time he appeared to want to end this now, as if the first pass was only for show and now he meant business. Except Niall knew Reginald had hoped to easily unseat him from his horse the first time. What a boon that would have been. No contest at all.

With the sound of the horses’ hooves pounding against the earth and the spectators perfectly quiet, the sun beating down on them mid–afternoon, and lances poised, Niall and Reginald clashed so hard, Niall was thrown from his mount.

Cursing to himself, Niall lay in the dirt on his back, not sure if he was the only one down or not. His people called to him, shouting encouragement, booing Sir Reginald as the knight’s people laughed at Niall. He had the sinking feeling he had lost the joust.

But all he cared about was Serena and her welfare.

Micala, acting as Niall’s squire, hurried to help him up, his cousin quickly saying, “Niall, you knocked the fire right out of the dragon. He’s fuming mad, cursing out loud, not a good sport at all.”

“He’s down?” Niall managed to get out.

“Aye.”

“I knocked him down?”

Micala grinned at him. “Aye. Though he got you, too. But you were well–matched. Despite that he’s been practicing for weeks, and you’re a bit rusty in the saddle. Just imagine if you had been training as long and hard as he has. He fell on his face in the dirt, not half as elegant as the way you landed on your backside.”

Niall smiled, ready to do further battle. Although if Sir Reginald wished to end this as a draw as it was now, he would concede the joust was a tie. He didn’t expect Sir Reginald to give up just yet, but it was an honorable way to end the joust. No matter what though, Niall wouldn’t give up Serena to the dragon fae.

Once Niall was on his feet and had steadied himself, he bowed to his queen, which made the Denkar roar with good cheer as if they were one mighty lion. Then he turned to the Mabara, and again bowed, only this time he removed his helm and winked at Serena. Her pale face flushed crimson as her ladies giggled next to her. The Mabara went wild with cheers as the dragon fae attempted to outdo the Mabara and lion fae with jeers, boos, and hisses of their own.

With the help of his squire, Reginald finally made it to his feet, standing stony–faced, the once pristine silver dragon on his tunic covered in dirt, the dragon’s flames doused. He didn’t even acknowledge his own people, his rage building, his eyes smoldering with gold–ringed venom.

While Niall was receiving so much adoration, Reginald grabbed a sword from his squire and stormed across the arena toward him.

Micala hastily handed Niall an unfamiliar sword. “From Queen Verbenia herself. Her deceased husband’s sword. The honor is all yours.”

Niall glanced in the direction of Serena’s mother, and the queen gave him a small smile and a nod of her head. Niall quickly showed his reverence to her, genuflecting, then rising to face the onslaught of the highly pissed–off dragon fae.

Their swords clanged and clashed as the two of them fought, the crowds now silent. Niall observed Reginald’s swings, the way he was so full of rage and appeared to want to end this joust quickly with a kill, that he wasn’t fighting in the best form.

Twice, Niall swung his sword to his advantage as he kept his feet apart and his body balanced. Twice, Reginald fell back, only able to defend against the mighty blows.

But then Reginald roared and rallied his strength, swinging his sword as a man possessed. His sword connected with Niall’s with a loud metal clang, tearing Niall’s weapon from his hand.