Treea asked. She eyed the men, after seeing the duke send away the servants, she feared this was more than a social visit, especially when she recognized the lieutenant who had boarded her ship. He was the one responsible for Hurley’s death.
"Nope." The duke said to Dorian, "When you win, do you think you will be able to part with her for an hour or two? Kind of as a repayment for posting your entrance fee."
"As long as she's mine after that or you'll have to enter the challenge yourself." Dorian Knox joked.
"How many more contestants?" asked Treea.
"Do you grow weary of the games or are you in a hurry to be off with me?" Dorian ran a finger over her smooth lips. The feel of them sent a quiver to his loins. He knew what he wanted her to do first with those lips of hers.
"I'm just tired of sitting here waiting. The sun is hot and it’s doing damage to my skin." She tried to sound the part of a higher class than she was to mask her fear of what was to come.
"Just so you know, there is one more contestant. We are waiting for him to arrive. Would you like to know who he is?"
Treea wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. Hadn't all the best jousters in the land arrived for the match today. "Is the gold prize that high? Surely they can't be all entering because of me."
"You can be so modest when you want to be," replied Ellington. "The last contestant is someone you know."
It couldn't be Dale. They were waiting for someone to arrive and Dale was already here. She raised a skeptical eyebrow in question.
The duke couldn't stand her not knowing. "Why it is your father, Captain Pellesi. Apparently the king has agreed to give him his freedom if he wins the joust. The lieutenant here has only defeated ten challengers so far. What is one more?" He walked behind her and spoke softly in her ear. "Your father obviously will give his life for you. Isn't that dear?"
The trumpets for the match sounded, announcing the arriving riders. It was time to return to the match.
"I will try to give him a clean, swift death. I promise my lady. I always liked your father. It will be an honor to joust with him today. I will return for you soon. I promise." Lieutenant Dorian said after taking her hand to give it a tender kiss before departing to return to the game.
As soon as the men were no longer in earshot and the servants had returned, Treea whispered a little prayer for her pop. "May the goddess watch over and protect you Pop. I will always love you." A lone tear trickled down her cheek.
Chapter 23
Captain Pellesi hadn't been on a horse since he could remember. Funny how sea legs can morph into an anchor to grip the sides of the mount. The fine steed had a broad belly, but his legs had no problem gripping about the girth firmly.
Someone had paid a high price for this horse. That person could have been none other than the king. It was a steed that was suited for a well-armored knight.
There was a time in the Captain's life when he did ride with the King's army. A cut to the upper part of his thigh retired him from duty before the age of thirty years, leaving him to find another form of trade to make his living by.
He had already married Treea's mother while he had been in the King's service. Treea arrived soon after, and he still had not found a means of supporting his family on a regular basis. They were forced to scrounge for food until he found his way to the docks and hooked his first fish.
An old sea captain watched him from the bows of his boat fish from the dock day and night. If the fish were landed, Pellesi would not return for a day or two, depending on the size of the last catch.
Word finally made its way to the ears of the captain that the man who fished off of his dock was in dire need of a job.
"Hey, Matey, I hear you are looking for work. I need a deck hand. Would you be interested?"
Pellesi hobbled over to the old man on his bad leg. It was healing, but slowly, it would never be the same, nor would
"Nope." The duke said to Dorian, "When you win, do you think you will be able to part with her for an hour or two? Kind of as a repayment for posting your entrance fee."
"As long as she's mine after that or you'll have to enter the challenge yourself." Dorian Knox joked.
"How many more contestants?" asked Treea.
"Do you grow weary of the games or are you in a hurry to be off with me?" Dorian ran a finger over her smooth lips. The feel of them sent a quiver to his loins. He knew what he wanted her to do first with those lips of hers.
"I'm just tired of sitting here waiting. The sun is hot and it’s doing damage to my skin." She tried to sound the part of a higher class than she was to mask her fear of what was to come.
"Just so you know, there is one more contestant. We are waiting for him to arrive. Would you like to know who he is?"
Treea wasn't sure if she really wanted to know. Hadn't all the best jousters in the land arrived for the match today. "Is the gold prize that high? Surely they can't be all entering because of me."
"You can be so modest when you want to be," replied Ellington. "The last contestant is someone you know."
It couldn't be Dale. They were waiting for someone to arrive and Dale was already here. She raised a skeptical eyebrow in question.
The duke couldn't stand her not knowing. "Why it is your father, Captain Pellesi. Apparently the king has agreed to give him his freedom if he wins the joust. The lieutenant here has only defeated ten challengers so far. What is one more?" He walked behind her and spoke softly in her ear. "Your father obviously will give his life for you. Isn't that dear?"
The trumpets for the match sounded, announcing the arriving riders. It was time to return to the match.
"I will try to give him a clean, swift death. I promise my lady. I always liked your father. It will be an honor to joust with him today. I will return for you soon. I promise." Lieutenant Dorian said after taking her hand to give it a tender kiss before departing to return to the game.
As soon as the men were no longer in earshot and the servants had returned, Treea whispered a little prayer for her pop. "May the goddess watch over and protect you Pop. I will always love you." A lone tear trickled down her cheek.
Chapter 23
Captain Pellesi hadn't been on a horse since he could remember. Funny how sea legs can morph into an anchor to grip the sides of the mount. The fine steed had a broad belly, but his legs had no problem gripping about the girth firmly.
Someone had paid a high price for this horse. That person could have been none other than the king. It was a steed that was suited for a well-armored knight.
There was a time in the Captain's life when he did ride with the King's army. A cut to the upper part of his thigh retired him from duty before the age of thirty years, leaving him to find another form of trade to make his living by.
He had already married Treea's mother while he had been in the King's service. Treea arrived soon after, and he still had not found a means of supporting his family on a regular basis. They were forced to scrounge for food until he found his way to the docks and hooked his first fish.
An old sea captain watched him from the bows of his boat fish from the dock day and night. If the fish were landed, Pellesi would not return for a day or two, depending on the size of the last catch.
Word finally made its way to the ears of the captain that the man who fished off of his dock was in dire need of a job.
"Hey, Matey, I hear you are looking for work. I need a deck hand. Would you be interested?"
Pellesi hobbled over to the old man on his bad leg. It was healing, but slowly, it would never be the same, nor would
Similar Books
