Trapped in His Darkness * Completed*

Jealousy

I started to get out of my bed. Mary and Rose stopped what they were doing, "What are you doing?"

"I want to get out of bed and see the joust."
"Ivy, you need rest."
"I'm fine. I want to see it."

      Rose and Mary helped me get into a new dress. I still have the bandage on my chest. I told them it was a little tight because of the bandage, they let the dress out a bit in the back. So it would be easier for me to breathe.

***
Vance's POV

      I promised myself that if Ivy came back I would win her affections and steal her away from Victor. Now she can be mine. I can take her away. Saving her twice now she's closer to becoming mine. Victor will have no chance of getting her back. Victor might have her body, but I will have her heart and soul. Then soon after I'll have her body too.

       My squire has been busy making sure that my horse and armor is ready for the joust. I jumped on my horse, then my squire gave me my helmet, I looked at my helmet. I discovered that my helmet required some minor repairs since my last tournament.

I handed my helmet to my squire. "Tend to it, Henry."
"Yes, sir."

    He bowed and I saw Ivy and her two servants walking behind her. Her pink dress brings out her beauty. How the sun is shining on her makes her look even more beautiful.

Victor's POV

       Every year we have the festival. The joust is my favorite part of the tournaments. I've been busy lately with everything being King I don't get to train with my knights. This is a fun way to train with them and I can fight for my beloved.

        The joust makes me think of simple times. My squire and the squires remind me of when Vance and I were younger. Normally sons born of noble families and who were slated to become knights were sent away at the age of seven to live in the house of a lord or uncle. There, they would become pages and begin their knight training.

        It was possible (but not common) for a man of ignoble birth to become a knight by performing courageously on the battlefield. But for Vance and I were orphans. A lord found us and took us in. He raised us, he was like a father to us. He's the man I want to be. Even if he had a taste for young women and drink. He taught me everything I know.

       At the age of fourteen, Vance and I began as a page then we became squires, and then we apprenticed under a knight under the old king. The knights that we did appreciate under died the night I became knight. I remember him being strict, but he wanted us to be the best knights we could be.

       As Vance and I were squires, we trained constantly so our bodies were perfect weaponry skills. Many boys were winnowed out during the squire stage because the training was so difficult. Vance and I were the perfect simple squires, even if we got into trouble many times. Squires who made it through the training program were usually knighted around the age of 21. Vance and I became knights at 21.

       A squire's responsibilities included helping the knight get dressed, taking care of the knight's horse, serving the knight food, and cleaning and polishing the knight's weapons and coat of armor. The cost of armor, weapons, horse, and shield, becoming a knight was extremely expensive. You had to take good care of your belongings. Squires are taught how to take care of the knights belongings on day one. A full suit of plate armor weighed more than 50 pounds, but because the weight was evenly distributed all over the body, armored knights had remarkable mobility.

       The purpose of tournaments was originally to train for battle, but since the losers often had to give up their horse and armor to the winner. In my kingdom, the winner gets a bag full of coins, and a kiss from anyone in the kingdom. Widowed, young, old, a part of the harem or not.

         Mostly the church is not in favor of tournaments since many players were injured and killed. The churches in my kingdom agreed to look away if no one gets killed for a fee.

***

      As my squire gets my horse and armor ready for the tournament. I see Ivy and her two servants walking behind her. I couldn't help but to smile. My beloved Ivy is giving me a token for luck. A token is usually a lady's ribbon or handkerchief that she gives to a knight of her choice or a joust. It is said to bring the knight luck.

I will surely win if I have Ivy's token.

      Ivy and her two servants stop at where Vance is getting ready for the tournament. I walked closer to where they were standing, I hid behind some hay. Vance looks happy to see Ivy. Ivy is smiling and blushing. Her cheeks are pinker than her dress. Her two servants behind her are giggling about the situation. None of them are aware that I am seeing everything.

         I was about to walk over there when I saw Ivy give her handkerchief to Vance. My blood is boiling with anger. I'll make sure he doesn't win this tournament if it's the last thing I do and I'll make sure Ivy gets punished for betraying me.