Chapter 4- Attack on the way home

The town was located a good five miles from the fairgrounds, and at one time there was a huge caravan heading back, however their horses were old and slow, and they trailed far behind the others until it was just them bringing up the rear.  Jen got out and walked for part of the trip back into town. 

“I could have sent a horse for you in the morning.” Said Tinker.

“And what? Spend the night?” said Jenn. 

“Tell me Jen, would you not wanted to spend the night with a knight who looks like him?” asked Chandelle.

“Perhaps” said Jen, a large smile growing on her face at the thought. 

Jen was walking because she had forgotten to visit the privy before leaving the fairgrounds, the wagon was rough and bouncy, and didn’t do her much help.  Now that they were far behind the others to be out of sight, and that they started to enter the dense forest, she considered now a good time to take a stroll.

She excused herself and took her stroll, and headed back to where she came.  The other girls and the tavern master stopped before she headed out to have a quick dinner of apples and cheese.  Jen was growing a bit hungry herself and was looking forward to the fast meal before heading home, which was only three more miles away. 

She heard a sound that she hasn’t heard in a long, long time.  An Uruk-hai scream.  She stopped dead in her tracks.  She followed what she was taught; she fell to the ground, paced her breathing and quickly searched for any signs of the fell beasts.  She started to crawl on her hands and knees, regretting what she was doing to her new velvet dress. 

She peered into the bushes, and could see the stopped wagon and all the other ladies heading inside.  The Tavern master had out his longsword and short shield, ready for a fight.  Jen considered jumping out and running to the wagon, but she had a distinct sense to stay put.

Three Urukhai jumped into view, and within a moment the tavern master was slain.  Jen felt sick to her stomach.  One of the Urukhai ran into the wagon and Jen covered her ears to soften the shrieking.  Within only a moment the three girls were tied to each other and one of the orcs was tying up the tavern master’s body like wild game.  Jenn kept quiet, watching.

The Urukhai shouted to each other in their native tongue, which she could speak only little.  She understood they were heading somewhere.  Somewhere up north beyond the Granite mountains.  They jeered and called the women delicacies only fit for an Orc king. 

When they appeared to be gone, Jen backed up slowly, and turned and ran.

Chapter 3- Encounter with a knight

Afterwards Jen and the other ladies started packing up the caravan.  Jen carried a medium size basket full of fruit bought from the local fair after the tournament and made her way towards the caravan. 

She couldn’t get thoughts out of her head of this knight.  His muscular build, those eyes, that amazingly booming voice.  This man was a natural leader.  This man was capable of many great things.. This man was..

“You need to smile more”.  Said a voice beside her. 

“Pardon me?” she said, turning around and looking into the crystal blue eyes of that very same knight.

“Smile more.”

She found herself smiling.  When she realized what she was doing, she immediately turned.

“Good’dy sir”. She said quickly.

“Hey! Wait!” he said.  “Stop for a moment Woman!”

“Is there anything I can help you with?  What do you want?” she said.  She stopped as their eyes met again.

“Forgive me sir, it is hot and my mind isn’t straight.” When she realized how curt she had been.

“Excuses.  You just didn’t want to talk to me, I see how it is.” He said.

“Truly sir, I’m sorry.  You did look quite amazing out there today, congrats at winning the golden cup”. 

“You are truly welcome for the entertainment. I have not seen you the night prior.  Did you just arrive?”

“Somewhat”.

“Betrothed yet?”

“What? No.  Not betrothed.  Why would you..”

“Excellent.  Care then to accompany me to the feast tonight at the bonfire?”

Suddenly it was made very clear.  He wanted to get her drunk and she will end up in the morning in some haystack with messy hair and lots of regret. 

“Thank you for inviting, but the sun is setting and I need to attend to the others before we head out.”

“Leaving then, alright.  I’ll just find some other woman to hang off my arm”.

She bit her lip and screamed at herself in her head.  Haystack, messy hair.. a drunken mess. 

“G’night sir” she said as she turned around and quietly cursed at herself.

Chapter 2- The Joust

As they peered out of the caravan at all the festivities, Jenn couldn’t help from feeling a chill of excitement.  It had been far too long since her last tournament, even though the tavern girls think that this is her first time.

They stopped and got out, and started to unpack.  Their two servants started putting up their tent, while the girls sat inside starting to get ready for the first tournament of the day.

Jen did admit that she enjoyed seeing so many bright and colorful dresses among the crowd.  Last time it was quite obvious who the nobility and the peasant were, but on this occasion it was hard to distinguish. 

They took their place on the bench in front of the Duke of Goldshire’s box, where the Duke and his wife sat.  The Duke’s own son, Keaton, was going to be fighting that day.  Keaton was a regular visitor of the tavern and thus invited the ladies to the coveted spot.

The horns started blowing as everyone settled to their seats.  Suddenly, like a wave, people started to stand to great the jousters.  They entered the field, all five of them, all in different garish colors.  Three of them looked to be older gentlemen, and the other two younger, one being Keaton of course, with his balding blond hair. 

The tournament started, and Jen couldn’t take her eyes off of the dueling.  The other girls grew bored after the first match, and continued to talk amongst themselves, or asked the servants to purchase pastries and other tasty goods.  Jen ignored them, fixated on the fighting.  She loved the incredible thrill of watching the horses run towards each other, the clashing of the lances, and the entertaining taunting of the two riders. 

“I wonder if the ground fighters would be more attractive.  Nothing but old men this year”. Said Chandelle.

“Except for Keaton.” Said Emilee, they all knew she was attracted to Keaton.

“There is another younger one, I believe.” Said Jen, her eyes still fixed to the running and clashing. 

The herald entered the field once again, and started calling out the next fighters.

“Introducing, for the first time, two new fighters to the Goldshire Tournament.” He said, cheering ensued.  All the girls turned forward for this was Keaton’s match. 

“On the left side, we have the newly made Sheriff of Goldshire, the son of Duke Saul, Keaton!”  More cheering.

“And on the right side, we have the privilege of gaining a special traveler, not even remotely from these parts but known all over as Lord An-drek!”

The crowd cheered as Andrek walked his horse along the crowd.  Jen stopped and stared.  His face was beyond the most handsome she laid her eyes upon, with high cheekbones and the most perfect chiseled profile.  She could tell he had elven blood within him with such fair features.  What was the most striking were his crystal blue eyes against his dark hair.  When he smiled he looked friendly and inviting, it was refreshing as a warm drink on a cold winter’s day. 

She looked over to the other ladies beside her; they too seemed stunned at this Lord’s presence.  It seemed he had all the ladies present in some sort of hypnotic trance. She turned her attention back at him and their eyes briefly met.  For the whole second when their glance locked she felt her eyes burn with such a fire she has never felt before.  She bowed her head and folded her hands.

The two fighters took their places, the herald called out to start and they ran towards each other.  The match itself was more interesting than the others and was very well fought.  The jousters shout playful insults back and forth before each run, amusing the crowd. 

At one point the town’s earl jaunted and said “Son! Win this one for your town! Win this one for your father!”  Keaton raised his lance in agreement.

Andrek laughed and pointed to Jenn and the others.  “Win this for your father, but I’m winning this next run on those beautiful ladies sitting below there.”

The maidens playfully giggled, Jen even managed a smile herself.

“They are only here due to my good grace.” Said Keaton, readying his lance. 

They ran towards each other, and Keaton touched Andrek’s shoulder with his lance.  Massive cheering ensued.  Andrek wasn’t too disappointed; however, he ended up winning the match, but only by one point.

Chapter 1- Tavern gal

Great expectations are what were supposed to be in store for her. 

“Great expectations, huh.” She said to herself, pulling clothes off the clothing line behind her small home. 

She wasn’t disappointed in her circumstance; she just admired the ironic nature of the whole situation.  She was, indeed nobility.  The blood of kings ran through her veins.

Jen walked inside, carrying the basket full of women’s clothing.  She lived with three other girls, all a good deal younger maidens behind the tavern at the village of Goldshire. 

They were watched over by the Tavern master, who gave them jobs working in tavern in exchange for having a place to stay, and a chance to land a peasant husband who would someday pass through the Tavern doors. 

It’s not like Jen couldn’t land a man, there have been plenty of suitors.  Being the oldest, and according to some  the most beautiful of the bunch, she became somewhat popular with the single peasant men and merchants who traveled through.  She didn’t boast at all the attention; in fact, she was happy being just polite and refined.  She wasn’t loose in any sorts.   She could hold her ground, especially if a drunk got too frisky.

Jen sat down in the chair in the small kitchen near the back of the house, and contemplated more about the various men in her life who tried to pursue her.  From the different men coming in and out of the taverns, who could never meet up with either her amount of intelligence or just weren’t plain fun at all, to elven men who thought she was fun to pursue for awhile.  Elven men are rarely interested in anything long term with a human as opposed to the long-living elven women.   Then there were the men of the past, like the stable boy, or the various men of..

“Jenn-ee!” said a playful voice behind her.

“Hm?” she said, looking up into Chandelle’s playful brown eyes and smiling face.

“We got something to show you! C’mon!” she said, pulling Jenn’s arm and leading her out into the hall and up the stairs.  “Close your eyes!” she said.

Jenn sighed quietly and did as she was told.  She could feel herself in her own room, whispering around her, a short and fast giggle. 

“Open!” yelled Chandelle.  Jenn opened her eyes on a beautiful burgundy velvet dress, with gold trim and a low, low back.  Underneath the dress was a brown chemise with white satin ribbon.  It was a beautiful dress that brought back so many memories of days old. 

“A dress?  It’s beautiful.  Is this what all of you were up to?” she asked the others.

“Well you don’t have a nice one, and the festival is tomorrow.” Said Tinker.  Everyone referred to her as Tinker, even the tavern folk.  No one really knew her real name, but no matter, Tinker was Tinker.

Jenn laughed, “So I can just go in this?” she amusingly asked, referring to her own dress she was wearing.

“If we all are in beautiful satin and velvet dresses, then that would guarantee a new suitor.” Said Emilee, who was a cute red head. 

“Speak for yourself!” said Tinker.  Tinker was betrothed to marry a commoner in town, the Baker’s son.  In a few months they were to be wed in a fabulous ceremony right before Beltane.

“Yes, if you go in just.. that.” Said Chandelle, referring to Jenn’s present clothing.  “You would look like our servant.  None of the jousters or nobles, or anyone of good breeding would want anything to do with you.”

Jenn rolled her eyes and playfully shoved Chandelle into Emilee.