Bloodless Knights Read Online Free PDF Page A

my already
swollen chest. Suddenly my legs got quicker and I rushed the scene. My father
was the first to see me; the look he gave me was undeniably the worst look I
had ever received in my life.
    “That
should be thee!” He yelled, pointing a long, bony finger at my brother. “THEE!”
He turned the appendage at me.
    Before
I could react, let alone respond, a watchman from a tall nearby tower screamed
the most bone-chilling thing I had ever heard in my young life: “DRAGON!”
    What?
Did I hear correctly? I examined the tower that was adorned with tournament
banners and saw a long spear extending from the caller’s arm pointing toward
the Montour Mountain Range. Against the pale blue sky, what appeared to be a
bird, quickly ascended from the hill. I had never seen a dragon, but I knew I
had also never seen any winged creature move as swift, nor appear as large, as
what was soaring toward us.
    “Take
cover!” People pushed each other as they headed for the nearest building or
tent. I watched the cowards run from my brother, including my father. Only my
mother remained. I knew in my heart that Brendan was probably dead, but I
couldn’t leave him on the ground like a forgotten soldier from a lost battle.
    “Mother,
go!” I yelled as I reached Brendan. My mother looked to me and then to the sky.
Seeing I was there to help her youngest son, she nodded, and ran for shelter.
    I
tried to pull Brendan over my shoulder but I didn’t have the strength to lift
him. He looked really bad; the knight had hit him with a force that hadn’t
seemed possible from such a miniature rider. I looked up and saw a large blur
appear over the arena. It took me a moment to realize that it wasn’t a cloud
offering shade, but a mammoth, greenish-brown monster hovering over the city.
    I
grabbed Brendan’s wrists and attempted to drag him. My strength failed me. I
decided to lie on top of Brendan to protect him. Just as I had accepted my fate
to do so, Sir Lugina ran over - still wearing full armor - from under the
grandstand and gruffly called out: “Grab hold.”
    Sir
Lugina grasped Brendan’s ankles as I took hold of his wrists. We pulled Sir
Brendan Dow’s lifeless body almost to cover, when a large, scaled face pointed
its eye toward me and hovered too close to my head. The eye appeared full of
yellow and black water and studied my face for what seemed ages. I braced
myself for the fire I had heard was expelled from deep places in a dragon;
however, none came.
    I
realized I had closed my eyes. I opened them when I felt a force pull my brothers
hands from mine. The looming beast had wrapped its claws around Brendan and
tore his body from our muscular hands. I reached upward in a vain attempt to
retrieve my baby brother, only to have the dragon raise him higher and fly back
toward the mountain.
    Sir
Lugina and I stared in shocked disbelief. Other riders and townsfolk reappeared
from their hiding places. Every eye watched the flying creature get smaller as
he hurried away.
    “Dragon’s
bring evil!” King Ladislas appeared from under a rock, or wherever he had
scurried away to like a coward. He straightened his robe and didn’t seem at all
bothered that his youngest son had been taken away by a flying serpent.
    “I
think thy majesty meant: evil brings dragons.” Friar Thespis approached from
behind me. “Our city is apparently cursed and thy youngest son has vanished.
God is angry with us.”
    “Oh
button it, Thespis. God is not angry with us, he’s angry with Sir Lugina and
that is why Tristen will go slay him.” Ladislas shrugged his shoulders as if he
chose the only solution.
    “But,
your majesty, Sir Lugina tried to help Lord Tristen bring Sir Brendan to
safety. It was purely an accident. That is the nature of a tournament. Thou
can’t order something so ridiculous.” The Friar’s unsolicited comment was met with
a disdainful look from the king.
    “I’m
the king! My orders will be carried out. Tristen, take this knight