Page 151 of The Robber Knight
The opponents cantered past each other, bothstill on their horses.
Fortunately, Sir Tomasso's lance had beenswept aside as it ripped the shield from Reuben's arm and hadn'tstruck him this time, thank the Lord. But what about the next time?Reuben's opponent still had his shield, while he himself wasdefenseless. Reuben gritted his teeth in anger. He was going tolose this. He knew it!
He was about to turn charge again, in a last,desperate attempt, when on the other side of the courtyard, he sawSir Tomasso hesitate.
“Cannot your squire bring you another shield,Sir?” the Sicilian called out, causing the crowd to go quiet.
“I have no other shield, nor a squire tobring me one,” Reuben called back. “I came here alone, to testmyself against the greatest knights of the Empire.”
“Very well then. We shall fight on equalterms.” And with a fluid movement, Sir Tomasso discarded hisshield. It landed, clattering on the ground. An “Ooooh” went upfrom the crowd, and Reuben sucked in a breath.
“I came to joust against the greatest ofknights,” he repeated, “and my wish has been fulfilled. I amhonored to pit myself against you, Sir Tomasso. Shall we?”
“We shall, Sir Reuben.”
Sir Tomasso spurred on his horse. Among thetumultuous cheers of the crowd, the two knights galloped towardsthe center of the courtyard, the point where all would be decided.As they raced closer, and closer, the crowd cheered louder andlouder. All bets were forgotten now. Such chivalry the people ofPalermo had not seen in a hundred years!
Reuben savored every inch of the way. Therush of hot blood in his veins, the wind pressing through hisvisor, the roar of the crowd—this was what he had been seeking.Adventure! Excitement! A way to prove himself! And now, he wouldprove himself beyond all measure.
Or you willfail, a tiny voice whispered in his ear.
But against the greatest of the great, wouldfailing really be such a shame? A knight had to be humble.
Yes, but not if itinvolves landing in the dirt in front of that many lovelyladies, the voice whispered, and Reuben couldn't helpbut agree.
He gritted his teeth in resolution. Today wasnot a day to lose. The sun was shining, the air fresh, he wasyoung, and his arm was strong. Just now it felt stronger than ithad ever been. And as Sir Tomasso raced towards him, it grew instrength with every single inch.
Determination. That was another virtue whicha knight had to have.
“Hüa!” he roared, spurring his horse on toeven greater efforts. “Hüa, Ajax!”
The horse accelerated. He took the last fewyards in series of gigantic leaps. Instead of leaning back, thistime Reuben struck forward, putting all his weight, will, and powerbehind the single blow aimed at Sir Tomasso. He did not see if ithit the target. The answering blow was so strong it nearly knockedhim off his saddle, and all went black before him for a moment.Strange shades danced around him in the darkness. He could hardlyfeel his arm, or the rest of his body. Where was he again? Atournament? Why a tournament? Shouldn't he be at Limburg? That washis home, was it not?
Then, sight, knowledge, sound all camerushing back to him in a tidal wave. And he heard the crowd aroundhim, all the crowd now, not just half, cheering his name. “Reu-ben!Reu-ben! Reu-ben!”
Grasping the reins of his horse again, whichin his stupor had slipped out of his hands, he turned Ajax around,and saw him lying on the ground: Sir Tomasso, all his limbsstretched outward, completely motionless.
He had won!
And at that moment, he didn't care.
Paying no heed to the cheering crowd or thegesticulating herald, Reuben drove Ajax forward into the side ofthe lists where Sir Tomasso had fallen. Coming to a stop with ajerk of the reins, he jumped off his horse and landed on his feetwith a clatter of armor.
“Sir Tomasso! Sir Tomasso, are you allright?”
For a moment, there was no reply, andReuben's throat tightened. Then, a groan emanated from the fallenknight.
“You, Sir,” he croaked, his lilting accent alittle off, as if he were drunk, “have a right arm like a batteringram. I should be glad to shake the hand which is fastened to itsend.”
“That you shall!” Reuben laughed, and heextended his right hand to the knight, who grasped it, and letReuben help him to his feet. The Sicilian waved off his squire, whojust at that moment came hurrying into the lists, a terrifiedexpression on his face, both hands extended.
“Oh, calm yourself, boy, calm yourself.” ToReuben, he added, “he's never seen me fall off a horse before. Heprobably thought the world would end before that everhappened.”
“To be honest, so did I,” Reubenadmitted.
“Come now. Don't underestimate your ownabilities.” Turning to the spectators, Sir Tomasso raised Reuben'shand over their heads and shouted: “I relinquish my laurels,milords, ladies, citizens. Greet the new Champion of Sicily—SirReuben von Limburg!”
There was a roar of applause and cheeringfrom the crowd. This was why they loved to watch knights! Normalpeople would be angry about losing to other men, but these peoplecould shine in victory or defeat, simply through their virtue. Orat least some of them could. Faint expletives in Polish from behindthe stands suggested that not every knight was as knightly as heought to be. But not one among the spectators paid attention to SirAlbin at that moment. They were too busy cheering their heroes.
