The flag dropped, and both horses sprang forward at the same time.
Instead of slowing when he approached, Ruexner continued to charge his horse forward. With an enraged roar, he slashed his sword downward as he reached Valten, slamming the blade onto Valten’s head and shoulder as he thundered past. Valten, unable to turn Sieger out of the way without forcing him into Ruexner’s horse, took the full force of Ruexner’s blow, but he dealt a blow of his own to Ruexner’s helmet.
Valten, as far as Gisela could tell, was unfazed, but Ruexner’s head hung low. After a moment, he straightened and turned his horse around. As soon as he did, Valten was upon him. Ruexner raised his sword just in time to block the blow.
The two crossed swords again and again, the sound of clanging blades ringing through the open air as they parried each the other’s strike. Please don’t let him make a mistake, Gisela prayed, clutching the arms of her chair. The fight was punctuated by Ruexner’s roars and growls as he seemed to fight out of an evil fury, a special hatred for Valten. But Valten’s experience and skill were legendary. He would defeat this foe as he had defeated many others. Please, God, let it be so.
Valten seemed to get the upper hand, and forced Ruexner to lean away from him and turn in his saddle. If he could throw Ruexner off balance … Suddenly Ruexner slashed downward, farther than necessary. Valten pulled on Sieger’s reins to move him aside, but it was too late to prevent Ruexner from deliberately striking Valten’s horse. Sieger screamed.
Valten took advantage of Ruexner’s lowered sword and awkward angle to thrust his blade into the small space under Ruexner’s arm that was unprotected, between his plates of armor.
Sieger, still reacting to being struck, reared, unseating Valten as Ruexner roared with pain and rage, and both Valten and Ruexner went down.
The crowd gasped as the two warriors landed on the ground at the same time, their horses sidestepping out of the way.
Gisela prayed under her breath, hardly knowing what she was saying. She clasped her hands over her mouth as Valten and Ruexner scrambled to be the first to get to their feet.
Chapter
11
Valten braced himself as he hit the ground, barely feeling the impact as he focused on keeping a hold on his sword, getting to his feet before Ruexner, and trying to land the first blow. He was unable to see where Ruexner had struck Sieger, but he hoped the blow had been a glancing one, and that the saddle and the fabric of his horse’s caparison had saved him from significant injury.
Ruexner was still struggling, moving slow as he rolled over. Valten got himself to one knee and was pushing himself up with his sword when he was hit in the eyes with stinging sand.
The dirt came through the eye slit in his visor and the air holes in his bevor, choking him and obstructing his vision. He clawed at his helmet with his free hand but it was futile; he couldn’t do anything to wipe the dirt from his eyes. He blinked, and the sand seemed to cut his eyelids.
Forcing his eyes open, he stared through the dust, holding his sword in a defensive position. He could barely see and couldn’t find Ruexner at all. Where had the devil gone? Or was he there in front of him, still trying to get to his feet, and Valten just couldn’t see him through all the grit in his eyes?
This sort of behavior would not win over the crowd. And striking Valten’s horse was a violation of the tournament rules. He couldn’t tell Ruexner that, even if he’d wanted to, because his throat was too clogged with dust.
He fought the urge to close his eyes, ignoring the burning and the tears streaming down his face.
Ruexner roared, then Valten saw him running toward him, his sword high over his head.
Valten stood still, waiting; then, just before Ruexner’s sword landed its blow, Valten lunged to the side, slashing Ruexner under his other arm.
The man must be bleeding from under both arms. But Ruexner spun around and came after Valten again, still roaring his fury, as he struck over and over. Valten parried and landed a few blows that forced Ruexner back. Then Ruexner surprised him and struck at his left side, landing a blow on Valten’s unprotected left hand, as he wore a gauntlet only on his right. Valten ignored the pain, and while Ruexner was stretching for Valten’s left side, Valten used his foot to cut Ruexner’s feet out from under him. As the man fell, Valten’s sword wrapped around his opponent’s blade and sent Ruexner’s weapon flying. It landed in the dirt some thirty feet away.
Valten stood over his foe, his foot on Ruexner’s chest and his sword tip under Ruexner’s chin, pushing his head back.
“Surrender to me! And swear you’ll never challenge me again.” Valten said the last part quietly, for only Ruexner’s ears. He was sick of this man’s grudge. “Or should I dispatch you to your maker?” He deserved it, the dishonorable cur.