Page 51 of The Champion

Lord Stryder had very few friends.

And she was one of them.

Friend to a knight. Who would have ever thought such? And yet, there was no denying what she felt toward him.

It most certainly wasn’t hatred any longer or contempt.

Nay, she respected him.

“What are you doing, Rowena?” she asked herself aloud. “You want your freedom.”

Aye, it was all that mattered to her. Lord Stryder might be appealing, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t the kind of man to stay at home while she built her school. He had his own calling in life.

One far nobler than hers. Leashing her wayward heart, she headed toward the hall where she hoped to put Stryder out of her thoughts.

But even so, she knew better. A man like him could never be driven out. Especially not by her heart that couldn’t really deny what she was beginning to feel for him.

Eight

It was well into the evening before supper began. Rowena sat with Kit while the king, queen and her uncle held court at the high table along with the Lord of Hexham.

The true festivities of the tournament were scheduled to begin tomorrow with a squire’s melee and joust.

Those who were to participate wore scarlet tunics emblazoned with their lord’s coat of arms. Druce sat in the midst of the youths who continued to brag that, though their lords might not best Lord Stryder, the boys could certainly best his squire.

Rowena felt badly for the boy who was being teased and she hoped, on the morrow, Druce trounced them all.

Not that she should have such thoughts. Still, she hated to see the fear and uncertainty on the boy’s face.

“Where’s your brother?” she asked Kit. Neither Stryder, his men nor his “friends” had been there all night.

Kit shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since I left the two of you at the chapel.”

Rowena frowned, wondering what kept the man from eating, while her gaze drifted around the other nobles present.

As soon as the meals were finished, the tables were cleared and moved for dancing.

Elizabeth and Joanna joined them, but not for long. They quickly went off to find partners for the dance.

Still, there was no sign of Stryder.

“He won’t come at this point,” Kit told her as he led her toward the floor. “Once he hears music, he retires for the night.”

“But we were to meet for lessons.”

Kit frowned at that. “I know how much you want your freedom, Rowena, but I beg you not to press him on the issue.”

“I haven’t.”

He nodded in approval as he led her through a lively dance.

Stryder ground his teeth as he heard the music coming from the hall. He hadn’t meant for his meeting with Nassir, Christian and Zenobia to last so long. But he had promised Rowena they could practice.

He’d hoped to make it to the hall before the revelry began. How he hated the sound of music and to watch dancers.

Even now he could hear his mother mocking his father whenever his father was gone. The man is as clumsy as a plow. I know not how he can be so uncoordinated off the battlefield while he is so successful on it.

His father had never known of her mockery and, though he hated to dance, his father had done so in hopes of making Stryder’s mother happy.