As the fight previous to them ended, he put on and secured his headgear, and looked over at Rodney. “Any final advice?”
“Yeah. Breathe!” he barked, laughing like a nut and clapping him on the back. Luke shrugged, and went out to face his opponent.
The judge admonished both of them to fight fair, and observe the already stated rules of the tournament. After a bow to each other, they began fighting. Luke quickly parried his opponent’s aggressive swing, and then another, followed by another. He relaxed, realizing that this guy was going for broke quickly, and had no idea what he was doing. He spent most of the first round parrying aggressive low swings, and waiting for the high swing, finally getting one high and open enough that he was able to stop the force of his arms up high, and swing in with a solid blow to the body. The fight was quickly called in his favor, and he relaxed, turning back to the sidelines.
Luke settled back in, enjoying the spectacle as he sipped gatorade and ate some trail mix. He began to take in his surroundings a bit as his nerves calmed, and noticed some rather royal looking people settled in on a couple of makeshift thrones. “Who are they?” he asked Rodney.
“The king and queen. The king fights in the armor tournaments, and gets the crown for a year. He chooses his queen, usually his partner. This king won at the winter invitational and will reign until the next one.”
He took them in. The king was a man of medium height and build, handsome, with long hair and a closely-trimmed beard. His queen was blonde, with wavy, long hair, and stunning green eyes. She was curvily built, and her movements seductive, and he felt immediately drawn to her, though he couldn’t explain it. He shook his head, and went back to watching the action.
Several more fights unfolded in front of them, and Rodney continued his analysis, which he was actually rather enjoying. The competition was better this round, as the more experienced fighters had obviously risen to the top. After a few more entertaining rounds, he was called to prepare again. “Remember…” Rodney began.
“Yeah, breathe. I know,” he countered.
“No. I mean, yeah,” he said, chuckling. “It’ll be tougher this round. Your opponent will be more cagey. More experienced. Just remember to take him out of his game.”
Rodney’s advice turned out to be right on the money. The first round was an uncomfortable draw, with Luke’s opponent constantly trying to bait him. The second was no different. Finally, near the end of the round, after a particularly hard charge by his opponent, he managed to wield a shot to the leg. Forced to stand on one leg, Luke saw his opportunity, and continuously attacked in from side angles, until he had gotten his opponent off balance enough to strike a shoulder shot. Now, with one arm and one leg, it was quick work before he scored a solid body shot, and the fight was called in his favor.
Luke was preparing to go off to the side and watch again, until he heard a rumbling voice. “Sir knight! Sir knight! Come take audience with the throne!” He looked over, and it was the king, calling to him. Luke didn’t know what he wanted, but remembered that he had been cautioned that many in this “game” took it quite seriously. He trotted over, bowed low, and stepped forward in the 3/4 stance he had been shown by Rodney yesterday.