I looked up to the iron balconies and saw they were filled with finely clothed lords and ladies.Atlas and Torgrin stood on the same balcony as before, an elegant man with slightly greying hair and a small, trimmed beard between them.He wore a fine blue tunic, and the sword I had made was strapped to his waist – the elusive Lord Warwick.
Next to them were two striking young women with raven hair and emerald eyes.Lord Warwick’s daughters?Both were wearing blue dresses and long veils secured by thin silver circlets.In front of them was a raven-haired boy.He jumped up and down, leaned on the flowered rail and pointed at Nightmare with awe on his face.
I dragged my attention back to the arena, where I saw several targets and large sacks hanging from a colossal wooden frame.
A soldier approached us and explained the task we had to complete.
We were to take a spear and hit the target at the far end, then weave between the sacks on horseback to collect a quiver of arrows tied to the top of the frame.Five smaller targets were lined up on the other side.The winner would be whoever hit the most targets closest to the bullseye as they rode past without pausing.
The first two tasks seemed easy.The target was far away, but I was confident I could throw a spear that distance with enough accuracy.I was also confident that Nightmare would weave easily through the hanging sacks.The last challenge was tricky.Hitting a target while riding a horse was hard, and hitting a bullseye five times was nearly impossible.
I positioned myself towards the back of the group, allowing me to observe how my competitors tackled the challenges.
As the first competitor went to retrieve a spear, two lines of soldiers took up positions on either side of the hanging sacks.We watched as they dragged the sacks back individually and gave them an immense push.The weight of whatever was inside created momentum, keeping the sacks swinging.
I was thrilled to see another obstacle that would prevent many from advancing beyond the initial challenge.
A Murus man, unlucky enough to be first, raised his spear and aimed at the target.His spear made it through the first swinging sack but not the second.
The crowd let out a disappointed ‘Ohhh!’at his failed attempt.Soldiers escorted him out of the arena towards the gates leading back to the street.
The next competitor was a soldier.He hit the target with a spear, and the crowd roared.His horse carried him through the sacks safely.He grabbed the hanging arrows and rode past the five smaller targets, hitting only two bullseyes.Next, another man from Murusstepped forward.A swinging sack knocked him off his horse, and waiting soldiers promptly carried him out of the arena.
It was unfortunate for him, but it meant I only had to get three bullseyes to get through to the next round.While Nightmare and I waited patiently for our turn, all the red-banded Murus men failed to get through to the next round, but another blue-banded soldier hit three bullseyes from the back of his moving horse.
There was one soldier before me and one behind me.The soldier before me threw his spear and avoided the swinging sacks with little effort.A knot formed in my gut as I watched him hit all five bullseyes.
Cheers and whoops of joy echoed around the arena.He was the first to hit all five, and they thought they had their winner.They didn’t even bother removing his arrows from the targets.
I set aside my nervousness and summoned my determination and focus.Taking a deep breath, I took up a spear and waited for an opening.
There was one chance at getting a clear shot, and as the last sack slowed, I threw my spear, hitting the target.Leaning forward on Nightmare and staying as low as I could in my armour, I gave Nightmare her head.She moved through the swinging sacks like lightning.I remembered to raise my hand and grab the quiver of arrows hanging at the end.I let go of the reins entirely and held on to Nightmare with my knees, leaving my hands free.The hardest part would be firing and loading fast enough to hit all five targets.
I slowly exhaled and focused on my first target.I let my arrow fly, hitting the bullseye right next to the other arrow.My hands were a blur, and I released all but my last arrow.They all hit the bullseye, but as I came to the last, I was running out of time.Nightmare and I were going to be ahead of the last target before I could release my final arrow.Praying I could do it, I stood in the stirrups and firedbehind me.I didn’t know if I had hit the bullseye until the crowd’s roar told me I had.
When Nightmare and I returned to the target area, I could see that my arrow hadn’t only hit the bullseye – it had split my opponent’s arrow right down the middle.
CHAPTER 7
The soldier and I waited side by side as the last competitor in our group took his turn and failed to hit all the bullseyes.Only the two of us remained.
I looked at the balcony where Lord Warwick, Atlas and Torgrin conversed.They were deciding on a tiebreaker.While I waited, I finally found the courage to search the crowd for Cillian, and it was as if the intensity of his stare drew me to him.
He was sitting on a bench a few rows back, and I couldn’t quite read his expression, but he gave me a subtle nod.
There was a flurry of activity in the arena.They had decided on the tiebreaker.I watched as men set up two targets at the furthest end of the arena.Then, both the soldier and I were told to dismount and only bring our bows.
We stood side by side, and they gave us a single arrow each.I was now facing away from Cillian and those on the balcony above.I could feel their eyes boring into my back, which had become uncomfortably hot under the armour.
A soldier approached me with a blindfold, and dread filled me.He gestured for me to take my helmet off.
I shook my head.
‘Take it off,’ he ordered.
I shook my head again, refusing to do as he asked.He looked up to the balcony behind me for guidance.Thankfully, those above just wanted to see this tiebreaker go ahead, and the soldier allowed me to keep my helmet on.
The crowd laughed as he tied the blindfold over my helmet visor.I waited unseeing while the soldier I was competing against had his blindfold tied.I guessed he had taken his helmet off because there was no more laughing from our excited audience.
