Part 21 (1/2)

It was in the ninththat the worst trouble occurred

My class was down to three dozen ross we had started with, since Josep Karpenski had died the night before

It was a cold round, so naturally Sir Conrad led us on the twelve mile run before breakfast completely naked If the afternoon was hot, youout in full winter ars as difficult as possible

We speculated why this was so, over our hurried meals and in the few brief moments a day that we had to ourselves At least I speculated, for the others were convinced that Sir Conrad treated us thus out of pure cruelty Myself, I was not convinced of that, for I alone had known the an, and I knew that he never caused needless pain

That there was soe of time and men was obvious to me, for it was not the stupid brutality of a du a dumber beast It hadwas poured on an open wound to cleanse it, before the ragged edges were trimmed away and the wound sewn shut

That is to say, it was a precise, accurate sort of cruelty that was always on the very edge of the intolerable, but could still be survived soe lord helped e over the others to help co run was an everyday affair, and always done over the sa in step, four abreast and singing one of the songs Sir Conrad wrote for us, as we rounded a curve and found ourselves surrounded by Baron Stefan's men They were all on horseback and in full ar the squires as well as the knights

Baron Stefan, wearing his golden chain old-hilted sword, announced that ere on his land, that ere all trespassers and that since Sir Conrad had bewitched the duke as well as Count Lambert, it was time to take the law into his own hands and demonstrate by combat that this land was his

Sir Conrad said that this was ridiculous It was against all law for two knights of the saal under these circumstances, and certainly not when he and his men were naked and the baron's were in full arht Sir Conrad, but onlyone of his peasants, and not even a very valuable one He would only take the runt of the litter, and he pointed toward me!

Both Sir Conrad and Sir Vladi, tried to talk and shame him out of it, but the baron was like one out of his ht about running, but on foot it was not likely that I could outrun a rested war-horse I would be caught when I was exhausted and would have to fight with one Further, if I must die, I would rather do it in as honorable a one to mass and communion less than an hour before, so my soul was fit for death I stood at attention and waited, trying to recite to ood act of contrition

Sir Conrad continued trying to reason with the mad baron, but the fact was that the baron's men could kill us all if he ordered it Sir Conrad ridiculed the baron into vowing that he would fight me alone, and had the baron's ht Then he talked the baron into at least letting me have a stick to defend reed that I should have the use of it

Sir Vladimir talked to one of his cousins orn to the baron, and got me the temporary use of a war axe Sir Conrad looked at me and softly said, ”A pike and a quarterstaff”

The tree was a young pine, tall and straight and as big around asthe bark on to better the grip Perforce, I returned the axe and went to the center of the round a few yards away and stood with my pike raised and at the parade rest position, with ht back and th fro thus naked, but if anything was going to save otten in the last nine et it! I foundevery prayer I knew

Baron Stefan had his men arrayed to the north and Sir Conrad had his to the south, alitiain ality of the procedure, and vowed vengeance if I was killed I continued praying, and saluted hie of the ed The croas silent as that huge black horse thundered toward me Inside, I was terrified, but I think that I didn't show it, for the habits of the last ht will seldool doesn't knohat fair ht back in a manner that a horseainst a horseht stand a chance against the knight But if he's up there and you're down below, the odds are way against you

You don't always do this if there are more of you than there are horseo for the horse Those on the outside go for the rider If you can h until the last instant, so as to give the baron as little warning as possible as to my intentions Then I stepped forward to a crouch with rounded behind me and had the point lowered just in time to skewer his war-horse at the base of the throat

And it went right in, just like a real pike does into the practice dummies! I threw myself to the side away from his lance, just like I was in a drill The baron and his horse fell in a woeful heap right where I had been standing! The pike had gone in a full two yards before it had shattered, and the horse moved not at all

Doctrine was to hit the downed horseet up and I didn't want the baron'sfoul on me I picked up the quarterstaff fro to see what the baron would do

He tried to stand, but I could see that his leg had been broken in the fall, just above the knee I relaxed, foolishly thinking that I had already won

The baron was struggling to get to his feet, despite his obviously broken leg

”Sir Conrad!” I shouted ”The baron's leg is broken! What should I do?”

”Ask him if he yields to you! If he does, or if he's dead or unconscious, the fight is over! Otherwise-it's still on, so watch yourself!”

I turned to my opponent ”Baron Stefan, do you yield to me?”

”Yield to you, you filthy peasant! You've killedto die for that!” Then he so it at hness that I alet out of the way in ti h it didn't break the skin

I leaped backward and fell in the process I scra after round and backed off I couldn't figure-out how this was possible! Did the man feel no pain at all? Or was he really so insane that he had the i?

I didn't know, but I continued backing up, staying out of his way Surely he couldn't keep this up for long!

Yet he was attackingable to see where he was stepping, or rather hopping I was keeping my eyes on the ain failing down He swung at ht calf It hurt, but I didn't have ht hi to kill et my quarterstaff, and the baron'sto fight an armed and armored madman while they were coot my staff and turned to find the baron only a few yards away He had lost his great helhts he wore an open-faced helmet under it His face was red, his forehead was beaded with sweat and his eyes-there was no sanity in the at me, but I slapped his sword aside with my quarterstaff This is necessary, because you dare not use a wooden stick to fend off a steel edge Rather you o so, but ave hiht him square and hard, but it didn't stop hi, but the ain I was able to knock the blade aside But this tiht down on his head It staggered hie of his helmet cut his skin, yet he was still on his feet, or rather his foot, for one was all that he had to stand on

I waited a moment, surprised that I hadn't knocked hiain with all ht, this time a side blow to the neck

He cru hard, absolutely expecting hiain

Then a cheer went up frorunts, and Sir Conrad and Sir Vladi with them!

Soon the applause spread even to the baron's men, whether because they did not like him or because they truly adood, and it felt better yet to be alive!

Sir Conrad and one of the baron's knights came out on the field and examined the baron He was dead My last blow had broken his neck

”A very good fight,” Sir Conrad said, getting out the ”

Can you believe that I had actually forgotten that I ounded? There was a trail of my own blood frootten about it!

It took fifteen stitches to close hts had loaded the baron, without his armor or surcoat, onto the back of one of the squire's horses All present felt that the baron's arht of combat

I never used theh once a merchant offered me twenty-seven thousand pence for the set, s on the sword and helold, in the French style It seeold wash on the chain mail wasn't all that expensive at all a h it had to be renewed every year because it wore off

No, I kept that ar it on my wall, as a decoration and a memento of this day and all that happened because of it

Sir Conrad asked two of Baron Stefan's senior knights to go with him to Okoitz, as witnesses as to what had taken place Count Lambert's most powerful vassal had been killed, and a party would have to go and make explanation to him