Davrin wished he'd thought to speak with Cimar ahead of time on the matter, but he'd been so drunk and astonished last night that the details of the matter had escaped him. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"List them. Tekker will have the right to reject one, and I'll pick the final three from there."
That wasn't how it was meant to be done, but Davrin tamped down his frustration and only said, "The tests I had in mind were: Endurance, Quest, Race, Duel, and Joust." He'd picked them with care. Grayne would not be able to resist an endurance challenge or the duel. But he was, for a knight, a terrible horseman and would hate the race and joust, but he'd also hate the quest. Traditionally, the person challenged had the right to discard one test and replace it with his own, but even if he replaced it with one of the easier ones, that left Grayne to face two tests where he was weak. Even with King Rorlen's alteration of the rules, he was left with one guaranteed weakness.
Tekker was a bastard, but he wasn't a fool, and the look on his face said he saw the trap and hated it.
"Lord Tekker, which would you discard?"
Tekker glanced briefly at Grayne, who after a long, strained moment jerked his head. Looking back to King Rorlen, Tekker said, "We discard the race, Your Majesty."
"Very well. I'm discarding the joust. That means, knights, that you will face a quest, a test of endurance, and a duel. I will announce the quests tonight at supper, and you'll have until the opening ceremony of the frost fair to complete them."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the knights chorused.
"Dismissed." He walked off while they were all still bowing and replying.
Korena cast Davrin a bare look, a whisper of a smile on her lips as she nodded in farewell. Good luck as plainly as she was allowed to say it.
Tekker and Grayne departed without looking at them, though Davrin had every faith if they could have committed murder right then, they would have. If they'd shown restraint with Ballior, none of them would be here.
When they were gone from sight, and Davrin and Cimar were alone, Davrin said, "Thank you again for taking up arms for me. I will never forget you did this for me."
Cimar smiled. "The honor is mine. You chose some fine tests. I think Grayne soiled himself when you listed the race and joust. He might have wished for one of those two, however, because the quest is always the most difficult."
"I hope I did not pick any of your weaknesses," Davrin said with a faint smile. "I cannot imagine you have any."
"Endurance could be, depending on the exact nature of it, but I suspect, given the season, that it will be a matter of standing out in the cold in nothing but what the Goddess gave us."
Davrin laughed. "I sort of hope that's true, because Grayne will hate it, but I also do not want you to suffer so." There was also that Cimar was smaller than Grayne, likely to grow cold much faster, but Davrin would not return Cimar's noble gesture by failing to trust him.
"Unlike Grayne, I grew up in this weather." Cimar turned his horse. "Would you like a ride back to the castle, my lord? Why did you walk all this way?"
"I avoid horses as much as possible. They don't like me, and I don't like them. One broken leg was more than enough. Have you had breakfast?" When Cimar shook his head, Davrin said, "I'd be honored if you'd join me in my chambers for a meal, then."
"I am happy to accept that offer." Cimar held out a hand. "Now get on the horse, my lord. I promise you'll come to no harm. I'm an excellent knight, and Frostbite is a fine horse."
Davrin grimaced but took Cimar's hand and clambered up behind him, settling stiffly as they rode off.
"Relax, my lord, and the ride will be much more comfortable."
"If you say so." Davrin rested his head against Cimar's shoulder to ward off the wind biting his face.
But he had to admit it was nice to be back in the castle in only a few minutes rather than the half hour it had taken him to reach the field. Dismounting in the yard, he bowed slightly. "I will arrange breakfast and see you shortly."
Cimar smiled and nodded before riding off to the stables. Davrin turned on his heel and climbed the stairs into the keep.
He flagged down a servant and secured breakfast, then headed off to his rooms. There, he stripped off his gloves and set them aside, then strode over to the fire and warmed himself.
Dozens of thoughts, fears, and doubts rattled around in his head, each one vying for his attention. But it was ultimately the most selfish and frivolous of them that he finally latched onto: was it true that Cimar's wife had left him?
Davrin shouldn't be happy about that, but he'd never thought Mistress Farra a good fit for Cimar. She was his antithesis, and rare was the instance where combining to such strong opposites made either anything but miserable.
Going to his dressing table, Davrin picked up a comb and set to work on his hair. He worked hard to follow the Goddess's Virtues, but he admitted he faltered slightly when it came to his hair, of which he was proud—even vain. Traditionally, all nobles kept their hair long, as both sign of their station and reminder of their place. Sadly, most nobles remembered the former but forgot the latter. They were too busy being wealthy and powerful to remember to be humble guardians of those entrusted to their care.
When he'd woven it into six braids, he wove those together into a knot at the base of his skull, securing it with a hairpin that was decorated with a white rose at the top—the flower of mourning.
He looked at his reflection and sighed, hands falling to his sides. If only Ballior were still alive, and Cimar was visiting his chambers for an entirely different reason. No matter how impossible it was, and even with all the years that had passed, Davrin still pined for the impossible. But maybe… maybe when all of this was over… he could see what might be possible.
Romantic and sexual relationships between lords and knights were not forbidden, but they were generally frowned upon, given their respective stations and duties. The laws that governed the lords and ladies of the kingdom were:
To Respect the Goddess and Keep Her Temple
To Serve the Crown Faithfully and Diligently
To Care for the People and Maintain the Kingdom
To Speak for the Welfare of All
To Succor the Weak and Abandoned
To Be Honest, Diligent, and Kind
To Do No Harm
To Never by Dishonorable Means Cause Harm to be Done
To Refuse No Challenges Brought by an Equal
To Live Nobly and Wisely
Knights, meant to serve, had their own list of strictures to live by:
To Respect the Goddess and Fight in Her Name
To Defend the Crown at All Costs
To Protect the People and Guard the Kingdom
To Fight for the Welfare of All
To Rescue the Weak and Abandoned
To Be Courageous, Steadfast, and Merciful
To Bring Harm Only as a Last Recourse
To Never by Dishonorable Means Harm or Cause Harm to be Done
To Answer as Champion when Called Upon
To Live Honorably and Humbly
They were meant always to work in tandem, nobles and knights, but never intimately. A noble too close to a knight relied over much on the sword to solve his problems; a knight too close to a noble found his edge dulled; both found themselves less earnest in their duties.
And, naturally, the crown preferred to keep its different powers clearly divided and more easily controlled. So marriage was forbidden, intimate relationships strongly discouraged, and even friendships should not run too deep.