The Squire's Quest Read Online Free PDF Page B

sympathy in his voice. "Alexander and Acoriondes, I wonder if you could tell me more about the empire. I suppose, since you have traveled so far, that you are at peace now?"
    For the rest of the evening, Arthur and Acoriondes talked about treaties and boundary disputes and the difficulties of governing distant territories. Alexander added little to this conversation. He looked disappointed and glanced often at the door through which Sarah had disappeared, to the interest and excitement of nearly everyone at dinner—especially Cligés.

    The first day of the tournament arrived, and it was all Terence and Eileen could do to get Sarah to attend the event. For a whole day Sarah had managed to avoid Alexander, and she didn't want to ruin it now. But when Eileen pointed out that since everyone else would be at the tournament, staying behind would make it easy for someone to find her alone, Sarah grudgingly agreed to go, on the condition that no one would touch any of her sleeves.
    Once there, it seemed as if Sarah had been worrying about nothing, because there was no Alexander to be found. Cligés and several of the Greek knights did well in the individual jousting, but Alexander did not appear. Just before the lists were closed, though, an unknown knight in black armor appeared from nowhere. He did not speak, but with gestures indicated his wish to compete. Arthur waved his permission.
    "Golly," said Kai, seated beside Arthur in the stands. "I wonder who
this
could be."
    Terence grinned and strolled away, finding himself before long standing near Dinadan, who never competed in tournaments. Dinadan met Terence's eye and grinned. "A mystery knight in black armor," he said with an expressive sigh. "And if he wins, what do you want to bet that he gives the prize to Lady Sarah?"
    "It's hard to imagine who he thinks he's fooling," Terence admitted.
    "It's not about fooling people," Dinadan said. "It's about playing the part."
    "What part do you mean?" Terence asked.
    "Remember that French love song that young Cligés was quoting the other night?" Dinadan asked. Terence nodded. "Well, it's one of a new sort of knightly song they're singing on the continent—not about adventures but courtly love."
    "What do you mean, 'courtly love'?" Terence asked. "Is that a special sort?"
    "Lord, yes," Dinadan said. "Courtly lovers are all the most frightful asses."
    "Nothing special about that," Terence pointed out. "I'd think that was normal for lovers."
    "But
courtly
lovers," Dinadan explained loftily, "are noble and tragic asses. Usually there's a knight who's desperately stuck on some other man's wife—"
    "Ah, I see," Terence interrupted. "That German minstrel's song about Tristram and Iseult the other evening."
    "One of their favorite tales," Dinadan agreed. "And one thing the courtly lover does in just about every tale is dress up in someone else's armor, so as to win a tournament for his beloved without betraying their secret love."
    "Ah," Terence said.
    "Ah indeed," replied Dinadan, nodding. "If, as he said, Alexander spent weeks in Champagne listening to this nonsense, then he has some very odd ideas about how things are done at court." Dinadan gave Terence a measured look, then added, "You might mention this to Sarah, in fact, because if she's really not interested in Alexander, she's doing the wrong thing."
    "What do you mean?"
    "In courtly love, the lady is
supposed
to act disdainful and to heap scorn on her lover in public. It's part of the game. Plus it gives him a chance to be abused by her, which is seen as a good thing."
    "Why, for heaven's sake?"
    "Don't ask me. I don't sing this trash. But whatever the reason, there it is. The lady nearly always treats the knight like a dog that's been rolling in something smelly."
    "So what should Sarah do instead?"
    Dinadan pursed his lips thoughtfully. "She might leave the country," he suggested.
    Terence sighed. "I'll tell her," he said as he walked on. Behind him he heard the