Page 19 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

“Lord Corbett was talking to me,” said Orrick. Having the gift of being a sorcerer and seeing premonitions in his mind, Orrick knew that Lord Irwin wasn’t going to wait. Orrick raised his sword just as Lord Irwin’s came crashing down toward him. Metal clanked and the crowd shouted. Corbett shouted as well since neither of them waited for him to signal the beginning of the round.

The more Lord Irwin tried to win, the more Orrick felt alive. Everything came back to him now and he felt just like that young man on the battlefield once again. His skill as a warrior was strong and he didn’t miss a step in fighting with Lord Irwin. And as the crowd’s shouts echoed in his ears, Orrick let himself go, not holding back as he fought against Lord Irwin.

Orrick had the upper hand and it felt good. He knocked Irwin to the ground and stood over him with his sword aimed right at him. But when he saw the man’s eyes, he froze. It reminded him too much of that poor soldier that he’d killed on the battlefield.

In his split second of hesitation, Irwin raised his sword and stabbed Orrick in the side. Orrick heard the sickening thud of steel cutting into his flesh and felt the blade slide between his ribs. However, it didn’t hurt. Orrick never felt any pain. Blood gushed out but it would be gone in a minute.

“Nay!” shouted Corbett, running across the field to them. The women in the lists screamed and the men shouted. Orrick turned his head slightly to see Lady Hope watching in terror from the lists. She ducked beneath the wooden bar and ran across the field toward them with her sister following.

“You bastard!” spat Orrick, grabbing the sharp blade with one hand and yanking it from his body, throwing it to the ground.

Irwin’s eyes opened wide in surprise that he could do this. Any other man would be cut badly and be lying on the ground dead right now, or at least severely injured.

“Dammit, what are you doing?” yelled Corbett, rushing over to the men. “I said no killing.”

“I didn’t kill him,” spat Irwin, pushing up and getting to his feet.

“Nay, but not from lack of trying,” growled Orrick.

“He was going to kill me and I had to do it in self-defense,” shouted Irwin, trying to justify his action. His eyes focused on Orrick’s side. “Why aren’t you on the ground and where is the blood I saw? Where is the gash and why aren’t your hands bleeding from pulling out the sword?”

“Take a respite, everyone,” Corbett called out, grabbing Orrick by the arm and spinning him around. Orrick’s sword dangled from his fingers. “Let’s get you the hell out of here. What were you thinking?”

“Sir Rick, Sir Rick, are you all right?” Hope ran up with her sister. Her eyes dropped down to Orrick’s side where he was stabbed by Irwin’s sword. There was still blood on his tunic, and the cut in the cloth, but Orrick knew his wound had already closed and healed. “Let me wrap your wound for you.”

“I’ll wrap the cut on your hand.” Grace picked up his hand and frowned. “Where is the cut? I am sure I saw blood.”

Orrick replaced his sword in the scabbard. “It wasn’t as bad as it looked.”

“Mayhap not, but I saw Lord Irwin stick his blade into your side,” cried Hope. “How is it you can even walk?”

“Ladies, please remove yourselves from the practice field,” Corbett commanded. “The competition will start again shortly, so please go back to the lists and wait while I take Sir Rick back to his room.”

“We’ll take him,” offered Grace.

“Aye, let us do it,” agreed Hope.

“Nay, I wouldn’t ask a noblewoman to do that,” said Orrick. “Thank you, Ladies Hope and Grace, but Lord Corbett will make arrangements for someone to tend to my wounds.”

Orrick left the girls standing there looking severely disappointed. He and Lord Corbett left the field, headed to the castle, and climbed the spiral staircase to Orrick’s tower room. Once inside the chamber, Corbett closed the door.

“Do you want to tell me what the hell just happened out there?” asked Corbett, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I fought like a knight and it felt damned good.” Orrick collapsed atop the bed and kicked off his boots.

“You did no such thing. Neither of you did. What I saw had very little to do with the knightly vows and honor.”

“I might have gotten a little carried away.” Orrick lifted his tunic and looked at his side. There was a light pink line there, but no incision or blood at all. He still felt nothing.

“A little?” asked Corbett, blowing air from his mouth. “From what I saw, you were ready to kill the man.”

“Aye. I suppose I was.” Orrick pulled off the leather gauntlets, throwing them atop the bed. “Something came over me and I couldn’t stop fighting him. I felt anger and vengeance flowing through my blood. And every time he taunted me, it only made me hate him more. Sadly, I probably would have killed him today if I hadn’t seen the look in his eyes that reminded me of a man I killed by accident in the past. It brought back horrible guilt. As I looked at Irwin, I felt all the anger, sadness, fear, and pain that the man I killed so many years ago felt. It wasn’t a good thing and I wish I could forget it.”

“No doubt Lord Irwin saw that you meant to kill him and he really did strike you in self-defense.”

“I suppose so.”

“By right, I should be punishing you, Orrick.”