Page 46 of Picking Up the Gauntlet

“Slow isn’t a word I use often, and neither do I like it.”

“Then I’ll teach you to accept it,” he said, reaching out and brushing back a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “I know we don’t belong together and that it could never be between us. Still, I can’t help wanting to enjoy every minute I spend with you.”

“R-really?” she asked, her eyes flashing down to his mouth and then back up to his eyes again. “Jonathon, I have to admit that I-I like you, too. Even though I know it’s wrong and against the rules.”

“Funny, but somehow I thought you lived to break the rules.”

“Who said I didn’t?” She grinned and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth, right out there in the open.

“Slowly,” he said, looking around to make sure no one saw them. “Perhaps we could start the training now,” he told her, when he realized that they both needed to get their minds on something else. Too bad that the ‘something else’ he wanted to do with her had nothing at all to do with jousting.

* * *

“Now try it again, and this time keep your eye on the rings. Every one of them,” said Jonathon a week later, impressed by how quickly Raven was progressing with her training.

The space where he’d set up the practice field once housed the bakery and several other shops before they burned down years ago. The shops were moved to a different part of town afterwards, leaving the land empty.

Jonathon had brought Raven here every day since he’d found her in the woods after sneaking away to try to learn this sport on her own. His family liked her a lot, and that made him happy. After practicing all morning, today Raven actually had been helping his mother and sisters preparing the meals. That was something he never thought he’d see. Jonathon worked with his father on orders that had been coming in, while Avery and Gerold tended to things back at the castle’s forge. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Jonathon had also started on Raven’s armor, and it was coming along nicely. He sometimes worked on it here, and other times back at the castle at the end of the day. His family’s home was only a simple building. They didn’t have a lot of anything, even though they were well paid for completing jobs for the nobles.

Raven didn’t seem to mind the close quarters or even the smoky smell from the forge anymore. Yesterday, she had even picked up a broom and swept the floor on her own. He tried to stop her, since nobles shouldn’t be doing such menial tasks. She told him she wanted to do it—she was tired of being told how to act and what to do. This had been her own decision.

Jonathon’s mother had been making Heathcliff’s old clothes smaller for Gerold. Not realizing that Raven even knew how to sew, Jonathon was shocked to find her helping with that as well.

His mother and sisters lovingly accepted Raven into their family. Jonathon noticed a lot of laughing coming from the kitchen when the girls were all together. He didn’t even realize that Raven knew how to laugh. Back at the castle, she always seemed angry or serious. He decided bringing her here each day was a good idea after all.

He let her act as if she belonged here, always watching her from the corners of his eyes when she didn’t know it. Damn, it felt nice to have a woman in his life. Nay, it felt good to have Raven in his life. Sadly, her lifestyle and his would never coincide. Having her spend time here with his family was only making it harder on both of them. Raven kept telling him how much she liked being around him and his family, and that concerned him. This would be over in a few weeks, and then what would happen to them? He didn’t really want to know.

“I can do this,” said Raven, riding her horse back to the start while Jonathon’s young brother, Heathcliff, placed metal rings with ribbons attached, hanging from poles stuck into the ground.

“All right, go,” said Jonathon, slapping Raven’s horse, sending it off at a run. Raven had been having trouble getting all five rings, usually missing the last one. This time, however, she surprised him, spearing each ring onto her lance and riding back to him with the lance held high in the air.

“I did it!” she exclaimed, handing her lance to Heathcliff and getting off the horse. She excitedly ran over to Jonathon, and hugged him. “Thanks to you and all your help, I did it.”

Jonathon liked the feel of her arms around him, but realized how risky this was since they were out in the open. He didn’t want any of the townspeople or his family to think anything was going on between them. That would only mean trouble for them both.

“Aye, that wasn’t bad,” he said, stepping away from her and turning away. “For a girl,” he added softly, teasing her and meaning for her to hear it.

“Not bad?” Her smile faded. “It was very good, and you know it. Even for a girl,” she added, narrowing her eyes at him when he stopped to look back over his shoulder.

“Oh, you heard that?” he playfully asked.

“Of course, I did.” Then she saw him smiling.

“You are teasing me, aren’t you?” She ran over and pretended to hit him. Jonathon laughed and grabbed her arms. They lost balance and both fell to the ground. Having her atop him made his mind race in many directions. Prone on the ground, she looked deeply into his eyes. Jonathon had the feeling she wanted to kiss him again. That scared him a little since someone might see. He hurriedly stood up, pulling her to her feet.

“Just admit that you think I could learn the joust,” she told him. “Say it, because you know it’s true.”

“Mayhap in time you could learn the basics,” he agreed. “But remember, it takes six months to a year for a trained knight to be able to joust. It’s not like you can learn it in a few weeks. That’s a crazy thought and you know it. Especially for a girl.”

“Well, you know how to joust, so practice with me. I am running out of time.”

“Running out of time? What do you mean by that?” He turned around fully to face her.

“I-I just mean I’m in a hurry. To learn it before I’m married and my husband forbids me to ever do it again.”

“Yes. So you’ve said. However, I’m starting to get the feeling there is something you aren’t telling me.”