Cursed by Bandits (Once Upon A Curse)

29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I sat through the next set of competitors, seeing nothing that was happening before my eyes. The only thing I could focus on was Milo. I needed to know that he was okay so I could kill him. I know he said he was entering the tournament, but I never expected him to joust. He was an inventor. He made things to make life less dangerous. He did not run headfirst into a big wooden stick that would knock him off his horse and get himself injured, that was something I would do without even thinking about it.

I excused myself, making my way back to the changing area. Milo was waiting. I breathed a sigh of relief to see him standing there, ready to help me switch back to Robin .

“What were you thinking? You could have got yourself killed!” I hissed at him while maintaining the smile pasted on my face as I walked over to the stables.

Milo shrugged. “I told you I had entered.”

“I know, but I don’t want to have to worry about you while I’m trying to win.” I stormed away, needing to become Master Robin and having zero time to focus on what I thought Milo should or shouldn’t be doing.

As I changed, the nervous energy transformed into focused determination. This was my chance to prove myself. Archery was my best event, after all.

Pulling my cap down over my hair, I sauntered out of the stables, only to hear the incessant whistle of the sheriff. I turned to run back, but thought that might look suspicious. So I turned again to continue on my path, knowing I was going to have to interact with Montfort.

“Master Robin!” Montfort called out. “I’ve wanted to speak with you.”

“You have?” I asked with a gulp.

He clapped me on the back, full of jovial camaraderie, something I would have never associated with my uncle’s henchman.

“I want to congratulate you on your win against Prince Connor. Not many would have been brave enough to continue fighting once they knew it was the prince. You seemed to have no issues at all.” His weasel-like smile was something that would haunt my dreams.

I cleared my throat, remembering to drop my voice an octave or so. “I’m sorry I didn’t get your name. Do we know each other?”

“Jocelin Montfort, Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, at your service.” He bowed. “I’m Laird Jonathan’s right-hand man.”

“How nice,” I muttered. “Jocelin, what a unique name. Where did it come from?”

Montfort’s face turned red. “It’s a family name, on my mother’s side. I’ll see you at the archery range.” He tossed his last words over his shoulder as he walked away.

I followed Montfort to the archery range, arrows in my quiver and my bow resting on my shoulder as I made my way through the crowd. This event was different from the rest. Every other event was one-on-one, but the archery competition was done in heats. Thankfully, I was in the first heat and would have time to show up as Lady Rowan before the competition was over.

As I took my place next to the other competitors, I grabbed my bow. The weight of it reminded me of everything I cherished in life, from my father teaching me how to shoot, to the days at the nunnery on the practice field, and finally, to the special tools Milo had created to aid in my endeavors. Standing there, the bow became an extension of my arm. My lungs filled with the chilly air of the day as the familiar rush of adrenaline mixed with a deep sense of calm came over me. I exhaled. This was my arena, my home. I could do this.

Each contestant had targets set at varying distances in front of them, each shot required precision and control. I drew my first arrow, focusing on the center of the closest target. The world around me faded as I released the string, the arrow flying true. I didn’t even watch to see if it hit the bullseye before moving to the next target. As soon as the arrow left the bow, I knew exactly where it would land.

The cheer from the crowd confirmed what I already knew, but it was still gratifying to hear. From that moment on, my focus was on the next target, and then the next. Arrow after arrow, I hit the targets with unerring accuracy. By the time the final target was in my sight, my confidence was soaring. I released the last arrow and walked away from the center of the arena. The roar of the crowd had me releasing my breath. The screams, clapping, and stomping of those watching let me know I was accurate in my assessment of the arrow’s path straight for the center of the bullseye.

I turned back to the crowd as I reached the exit of the arena. I thrust my bow above my head. The roar of the crowd was deafening as I lowered my bow and left to change once again.

It felt like mere moments before I was back at the archery arena as Lady Rowan taking a seat by my uncle’s side.

“Where have you been? You just missed one of the most impressive displays of archery I’ve ever seen.” My uncle didn’t even look at me. His eyes were fixed on the next round of competitors. This heat had both Prince Connor and Montfort in it.

I tried to hide my smile. Little did my uncle know that I was the one he was admiring. “I’m sorry, Uncle, I needed some quiet.”

At my words, he glanced over. “Where’s your crown?”

I clenched my hands in my lap to prevent them from flying to my head. “My head ached. I left it in my room.”

“Rowan.” The muscles in his jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth. “That is unacceptable. After the event is over, get your crown and ignore the pain.”

I nodded, thankful for an excuse to run as soon as the event was over.

Connor had gone. His aim was quite good, not as good as mine, but he almost challenged my score by hitting the bullseye on all but the last target. Montfort was next. I tried not to hold my breath as he fired his first shot and it hit right outside the center. It went on like this until the last arrow hit the outside ring of the target.

His miss meant I had won. I wanted to jump up and down as the excitement of winning coursed through me. Instead, I stood sedately.

“Uncle, I’m going to go retrieve my crown. I want to make sure I have it for tonight’s festivities.” I didn’t wait for his reply but walked off, my pace sedate, until I knew my uncle could no longer see me. Then I hurried to the stables to once again change who I was, replacing the luxurious fabric of Lady Rowan with the scratchy clothes of Master Robin. The exhilaration of winning had erased my exhaustion as I made my way to the quarterstaff competition.

It was the only event left for today. Tomorrow, the final challenge for me would be the joust, the only event that had me truly worried. For now, I pushed aside my concern as I entered the arena to face the competitor in front of me right now, my head and my muscles still buzzing with energy from the archery win. This was a different kind of challenge. Archery required concentration, patience, and skill; the quarterstaff required both strength and agility. I rolled my shoulders back as I let out a deep breath, centering myself before I stepped into the ring and the competition began .

My opponent was huge and I had never seen him before, but the research Jane and I had gathered meant I was prepared, at least mentally. We circled each other, setting the tone of our intricate dance, staffs at the ready. He struck first. The power of his blow sent vibrations up my arms and through my fingers. I almost lost my grip on the staff, but I dug my fingers into the wood, grasping it as if my life depended on it. At this point, all I could do was counter his moves.

The fight was the most intense battle I had ever been a part of, a flurry of strikes and parries. I was in awe that a man so large could move so quickly. My muscles screamed at me, begging for me to end this, but I pushed through. I fell back on my training and Jane’s words to fight my fight, not my opponent’s. I crouched down, swung the staff out, and swept the legs of my opponent out from under him. He landed with a thud, his staff flying from his hands and rolling to the edge of the ring.

The crowd erupted in applause, its cheers washing over me. I had won, taking down someone almost twice my size. This morning had been a rough start, but I had redeemed myself and was even closer to winning the entire tournament .

As I left the ring, Jane was there to greet me, her face alight with joy. “That was amazing! You were amazing!” Jane pulled me into a hug.

Milo’s smile was warm and proud. “I knew you could do it.”

I smiled back. “I’m still mad at you for this morning, though,” I said before shifting over so he could join our hug.