Earlier parts Here
Part 7
The Challenge
Come next morning we talk with ‘She’, over breakfast. She is not sure if we have done enough but accepts that we have reduced the threat somewhat. In discussion we decide that we should fall back on the original plan of going into the forest with the giants and covering their backs. However while we were still thinking and talking about our next step we hear a human voice calling to us. A knight is at the edge of the village, I go to see what he wants. He is Sir Gjallar and he is challenging Leatony to a dismounted fight. Questioning him I find out that he is working with the forest as he and his people live in the forest and gains power from it. So he is likely to be a mage knight, it seems we have upset the balance of the forest and so it has send a knight against us as we are effective against the spiders. Sir Gjallar has two pages with him as well as two hunters with wolves for Yogi and me to fight if we want to join in.
I talk to Leatony and he says he will fight this knight, he can’t really do much else or he faces loss of reputation. I cast ‘Translate’ and explain to ‘She’ about the personal combat. She says that she can cast Blade-sharp and Fire-blade on his sword. Leatony accepts this offer and he casts Protection on himself as well. Leatony wants Yogi to cast Vigor on him but I point out that this is personal combat and should only be between the two knights, Leatony says that Gjallar will be magiced up and I say but only with his own magic. So Yogi says no to the request much to Leatony’s annoyance.
Once Leatony is ready we all head to the edge of the village and along with Gjallar’s men await the combat. Leatony seems slightly bigger than Gjallar whose armour is maybe slightly better. Leatony has the advantage of sword and shield however Gjallar is using a greatsword so has reach and mass.
Leatony moves first closing to a couple of meters away and Gjallar thrusts his sword at him but Leatony parries with his shield.
Leatony swings his longsword which has flames running up it and gets past Gjallar parry to hit his left leg causing a bleeding wound.
Leatony attacks again but Gjallar parries him and causes him to overstretch [can’t attack on his next turn]. Gjallar counter attacks but Leatony parries with his shield again.
Both combatants attack and parry with their weapons or shield.
Leatony gets a hit in with no response from Gjallar and again hits his left leg. [Gjallar only has 2AP Leatony has 3 giving him the advantage]
Gjallar is in trouble now as the pain of his wounds means he can’t attack for a while giving Leatony a great advantage even though Gjallar is more skilful with his weapon.
Leatony attacks and Gjallar parries, then Leatony follow’s up with another attack which Gjallar parries and again overextends Leatony.
Both knight’s attack and parry with no one getting an advantage.
Leatony attacks again and again is forced to overextend.
Leatony attacks and is parried, Gjallar attacks and swings widely.
Leatony attacks and cuts his sword at Gjallar left leg again this time bringing him down with a crippling wound.
As Gjallar falls, dying, he makes a last swing with his sword which Leatony parries with his shield with ease. With the combat over Gjallar loses all his folk magic including the ‘Vigor’ spell which had protected him from fatigue and his blood loss which kills him.
The combat is over; Gjallar’s pages come to take his body home as Leatony rests on the ground from the exertion of the fight, glad that his love for Rozblack has proved true. As the pages withdraw they tell us that as we won the forest will let us go as long as we go now.
Talking with ‘She’ the giants are happy to give us two fruit for what we have done, that is we wanted so Leatony is happy. Once Leatony has recovered from the exertion we go to the cliff edge to see if our row boat is still there. It is but we realise that we didn’t arrange for the fishermen to come back at any time. So we will either need to return home through the forest, not something we relish or row home. We decide to row home, what other choice do we have and so lower all our gear down the cliff and then Yogi lowers Leatony and I down, then he uses the rope to aid his own descent to the beach.
The boat appears to be ok so we put our equipment in it and push it into the water and hop in. I take the helm again and Leatony sits and waits for Yogi to row him home. We think it is around 20 miles back to Floudehoug and it is going to take us some hours to say the least. As we row away we remember we hadn’t said goodbye to our new friends. Over the next 13 hours Yogi rows, getting tired and weak from the effort along with blisters. We are lucky he is so strong and uncomplaining. By the time we reach the harbour it is dark, again luck was with us as we could see the city light as the sun set and the moon rose.
We find a place to rest for what’s left of the night and the next day as Yogi is worn out and Leatony and I are feeling the effect of a long day. Next day we head to Scancole and Leatony heads straight to see Rozblack, while I go to see the head herald and report our adventure and the giants. Rozblack of Belin, Leatonays lady, is very happy to see him and spends the day with him talking and singing together. He gives her the fruit and talks about its use. Rozblack decides to just eat the fruit. This fruit is actually a seed that is edible and can just eaten as it is or in a jam. Just eaten it will enhance her presence and beauty by a lot for a month and her presence permanently also slowing the aging effects of time by 5 years as well. When made into Jam, which lasts for a year, you only get the monthly boost but it will give 12 portions. Leatony telling her that she is as pretty and perfect as she is and keeping her looks for longer and living longer would be its best use convinces her to just eat it.
That evening Rozblack takes Leatony and Yogi to see Fezonas, the sister of the king, who will entertain them both for the evening. Leatony had asked Roz to do this for Yogi so he could give her the fruit himself. Yogi spent most of the day being entertained by the ladies of the court who were very giggly over him; they loved his fur and fed him grapes and over titbits as they fawned over him. Fezonas is pleased with her gift and thanks Yogi and like the court ladies spends a lot of the evening talking with him and not Leatony. Fezonas eventually turns back to Leatony and Roz and mentions that they can’t marry till Leatony is no longer a landless knight. In other words he needs a fief; she says she will talk to Lord Black to see if he will give him one. Rozblack is over joyed and breaks into a song of hope and love. Rozblack gives Leatony a wonderful suite of Mail and Plate to show her thanks and love and Fezonas gives him a destrier saying ‘a knight needs a prober horse to fight on, Leatony only has a palfrey to fight on at the moment. Leatony realises that this extra horse will add to the cost of his stud of four horses, he definitely needs a fief to be able to maintain his status.
Over the next month’s Leatony will be kept busy doing service for Lord Black, who will look after his horses, which helps pay his way while Yogi will be busy for the next month or so helping the fishermen, he will have time in-between to do his own thing, mainly fishing and helping people. I will be attached to Castle Black to learn more about courtly affairs for now.
A Christian Warrior 