The Spectators on The Shining Path, part 3.

   I woke up in agony and could not feel my right hand. When I could open my eyes, I saw the wounded girl looking down on me. I looked up at her icy blue eyes and saw pity.
   'You'll live,' she said,' the healer has worked strong magic.'
   'It's called medicine,' I grunted, then remembered myself. 'How are you, lady? I did not expect to see you again.'
   'I was curious, if you would live or die.'
   'I see...'
   'I too was once a Knight of the Shining Path.'
   'There are not many of us left.'
   'Proably because of their ridiculous policy of forbiding shields.'
   'Maybe... Please pass some water.'
   I struggled to sit up, then drank. Only then did I inspect my right hand. Despite the heavy, bloodstained bandages, it was clear that I had lost three fingers. Only the thumb and index finger remained. 
   'Let's get out of here,' I said,' it reeks of blood.'
   She helped me back to camp and cooked us some soup. After that, I drank the last of my wine and slept.

   It was midafternoon when I woke again. My body was in severe pain, including phanton pain in my missing fingers- which seemed unfair. Again, she was stood over me.  
   'I've got some magic pebbles to help with the pain,' she said.
   I inspected the tablets.
   'They are called "more-fean"' I said, then added,' thank you. I don't even know your name, why are you helping me?'
   'My name is Molly... I'm helping you because when my leg was smashed there was no one to help me, and it was shit.'

   The next day, I went to the tourney market and bought a pair of metal gauntlets. They served to both hide and reduce my injury.
   We live in a brutal age, and must hide all weakness.

   When the tourney was over, we were on the road again. It was logical to travel together, and I had offered Sir Molly a job as guard and enforcer in my holding. I would need another pair of hands, and knew that my men would respect her experience. 
     

The Spectators on the Shining Path. PART 2.

   

 
I woke at dawn and doned what passes as armour these days- a steel breast plate, helmet and leather glooves. I ate a few sausages for breakfast, then sharpened my axes. Not that they needed the maintanance, but it was a ritual I favoured.
   At midday, I was to fight in the melee.

   "Ladies and gentlemen, in the red corner stand Sir Karl, Knight of the chalace. In the green corner, Dan of Suffolk. In the blue corner, Sir Mary, knight of the Golden Light. In the white corner, Grace the Tall. In the silver corner, The Namesless Knight of the Shining Path."

   That was I, a Knight of The Shining Path, stood in a corner of the Melee Pentagon... waiting for the crowd to stop cheering so we could start butchering each other.

   The problem with the melee is that someone is always going to be outnumbered at the begining. Maybe 2-3 or 2-1, but it's always going to happen. 
   Which was exactly what happened to me when Sir Mary and Grace the Tall decided that I was an easy target. Sir Mary came at me with round shield and sword, and Grace with her massive spear.
   I'm still not comfortable with the idea of fighting ladies... but maybe that is just an excuse for how easily they thrashed me. Grace maimed my hand as I lashed out at her spear, and Sir Mary side stepped round my guard and knocked me out cold.