other than the mighty Gorgon
himself.
All thoughts of terror faded for
the moment as Summer watched Bose wield his broadsword high, bringing down blow
after powerful blow upon a man astride the collapsing destrier. In fact, it
seemed that Bose was actually pushing the horse and rider to the ground with
his tremendous strength, and Summer winced when the final blow from Bose's
powerful sword sent the man to the ground once and for all.
It had been quick, bloodless and
swift. Somehow, Bose's battle hadn't been a fight to the death and Summer
found her distaste for the game oddly eased. As she continued to watch the
massive warrior astride the black and white charger, Bose turned to the man
next to him and plowed through the unfortunate knight as if he was no more than
a child.
Summer observed with a mixture
of fear and fascination as Bose bloodlessly unseated yet another hapless
victim. With an additional rival sent to the earth, he appeared to pause
slightly to discern just who would be his next casualty. As Summer watched, he
moved directly for a red and white charger.
"He's going after
Stephan!" Genisa's cry suddenly mingled amongst the shouting of the crowd.
"Stay away from him, you beast! Stay away from my husband!"
Summer watched intently as Bose
and Stephan exchanged brutal sword blows. Metal against metal, strength against
strength, the two men battled furiously as their chargers screamed and snapped
at one another. Genisa gasped with terror as Summer continued to observe,
frozen in the peculiar world of awe and apprehension as the ruthless battle
waged before her.
As other horses crashed to the
ground and knights were summarily dishonored by being unseated from their
mounts, Stephan and Bose appeared to do battle much longer than was usual for a
single bout. They continued to hack away at one another as their horses turned
circles upon the earth, screaming and grunting in the heat of battle.
Summer forgot her distaste of the
melee; watching Stephan and Bose compete in a fierce battle was exactly as she
had imagined the tournament to be. Now, finally, she was glimpsing the essence
of the games within the powerful blows and deft skills of her brother and Bose
de Moray. No injured horses, no flowing blood, only talent and knightly prowess
as it was meant to be. This, she decided, was definitely worth watching.
Summer was hardly aware when the
field cleared, leaving Stephan and Bose to do final battle as if they were
Lucifer and Gabriel. With their comrades shouting encouragement from the
sidelines, Summer could do nothing more than watch the brilliant demonstration
of mastery, knowing how fatigued the warriors must be but neither willing to
concede defeat. Certainly, Stephan considered himself the best competitor in
the realm. And, undoubted, Bose considered himself the same. More hacking, more
grunting, until finally, a broadsword clattered to the earth.
It was Stephan's.
Genisa whimpered as her husband
struggled to regain the mace secured to his saddle, dodging Bose's heavy blows
but absorbing others. It was only a matter of time before Bose was able to
unbalance Stephan enough to give him a hard shove and send him smashing to the
earth. As a roar of victory went up from the lodges and sidelines alike, the
knights on Bose's team congratulated their victor for a job well done and
Summer could not help but cheer for him as well.
Her applause, in fact, was the
only praise Bose heard. Aye, he had seen her seated at the edge of the lodges
with Stephan's wife and Lord du Bonne. He could not keep his eyes from her as
the competition began, coming dangerously close twice to being pummeled. But in
the heat of the battle, he had found distraction by the lady's lovely presence
and had delved into the melee with his customary vengeance. One man, two men,
five... all of them had succumbed to the Gorgon's mighty sword.
Including Stephan; Bose had
already disposed of Ian when he sought out the man's older brother,
himself.
All thoughts of terror faded for
the moment as Summer watched Bose wield his broadsword high, bringing down blow
after powerful blow upon a man astride the collapsing destrier. In fact, it
seemed that Bose was actually pushing the horse and rider to the ground with
his tremendous strength, and Summer winced when the final blow from Bose's
powerful sword sent the man to the ground once and for all.
It had been quick, bloodless and
swift. Somehow, Bose's battle hadn't been a fight to the death and Summer
found her distaste for the game oddly eased. As she continued to watch the
massive warrior astride the black and white charger, Bose turned to the man
next to him and plowed through the unfortunate knight as if he was no more than
a child.
Summer observed with a mixture
of fear and fascination as Bose bloodlessly unseated yet another hapless
victim. With an additional rival sent to the earth, he appeared to pause
slightly to discern just who would be his next casualty. As Summer watched, he
moved directly for a red and white charger.
"He's going after
Stephan!" Genisa's cry suddenly mingled amongst the shouting of the crowd.
"Stay away from him, you beast! Stay away from my husband!"
Summer watched intently as Bose
and Stephan exchanged brutal sword blows. Metal against metal, strength against
strength, the two men battled furiously as their chargers screamed and snapped
at one another. Genisa gasped with terror as Summer continued to observe,
frozen in the peculiar world of awe and apprehension as the ruthless battle
waged before her.
As other horses crashed to the
ground and knights were summarily dishonored by being unseated from their
mounts, Stephan and Bose appeared to do battle much longer than was usual for a
single bout. They continued to hack away at one another as their horses turned
circles upon the earth, screaming and grunting in the heat of battle.
Summer forgot her distaste of the
melee; watching Stephan and Bose compete in a fierce battle was exactly as she
had imagined the tournament to be. Now, finally, she was glimpsing the essence
of the games within the powerful blows and deft skills of her brother and Bose
de Moray. No injured horses, no flowing blood, only talent and knightly prowess
as it was meant to be. This, she decided, was definitely worth watching.
Summer was hardly aware when the
field cleared, leaving Stephan and Bose to do final battle as if they were
Lucifer and Gabriel. With their comrades shouting encouragement from the
sidelines, Summer could do nothing more than watch the brilliant demonstration
of mastery, knowing how fatigued the warriors must be but neither willing to
concede defeat. Certainly, Stephan considered himself the best competitor in
the realm. And, undoubted, Bose considered himself the same. More hacking, more
grunting, until finally, a broadsword clattered to the earth.
It was Stephan's.
Genisa whimpered as her husband
struggled to regain the mace secured to his saddle, dodging Bose's heavy blows
but absorbing others. It was only a matter of time before Bose was able to
unbalance Stephan enough to give him a hard shove and send him smashing to the
earth. As a roar of victory went up from the lodges and sidelines alike, the
knights on Bose's team congratulated their victor for a job well done and
Summer could not help but cheer for him as well.
Her applause, in fact, was the
only praise Bose heard. Aye, he had seen her seated at the edge of the lodges
with Stephan's wife and Lord du Bonne. He could not keep his eyes from her as
the competition began, coming dangerously close twice to being pummeled. But in
the heat of the battle, he had found distraction by the lady's lovely presence
and had delved into the melee with his customary vengeance. One man, two men,
five... all of them had succumbed to the Gorgon's mighty sword.
Including Stephan; Bose had
already disposed of Ian when he sought out the man's older brother,
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