Kate Bray - 3rd place winner in Vindicator Love Story contest

Kate Bray won third place for her entry. She won a $25 gift certificate to Sunrise Inn.

Of the entries submitted for our annual Love Story Writing Contest, here is the third-place winning entry to our fictitious love story, “Strangers in the Knight.” Click on the links in this story to read the first- and second-place winning entries.

Each was written in 750 words or less and received by the deadline.

The stories are in their original format.

Kim Welch wins 1st place - See winners in Love Story contest

Meredith Deichler - 2nd place winner in Vindicator Love Story contest

First, here is the beginning of the love story:

As their horses thundered down the Renaissance fair jousting field, Sir Hal considered his options.

Should he aim high on the breastplate, where his lance might strike the shield and be deflected harmlessly? Should he aim low, where he might strike below the waist and be disqualified? Should he deliberately strike the shield, so that his opponent would have more difficulty lifting it on the next pass?

Hal had a split-second to decide. The reigning champ opted to keep it simple. He aimed right for the center of the breastplate.

CRASH!!!

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Hal barely managed to deflect the incoming lance. But his own lance struck his opponent square in the chest and shattered, the foe taking all of the impact with silent, motionless stoicism.

Hal had never seen someone so strong, so confident in the saddle. He knew that there was no way he could defeat this foe, but he had to try.

But on his third pass, Hal was unseated. Victory would wait for another year.

Hal lay gasping on the ground as his foe wheeled the enormous horse around toward Hal, dismounted, and graciously offered him a hand up. Hal accepted, stood, and faced his opponent.

Hal offered his hand, conceding defeat. The crowd roared as these two plate-clad titans clasped hands like the excellent sportsmen they were.

Hal shouted above the din, “Might I look upon the face of so mighty a knight as to unseat the reigning champion?”

His opponent said nothing, but simply offered the audience a wave.

Hal again asked, “Please, might I have the honor of looking thee in thine eye?”

Once again, his foe said nothing.

“Thrice I ask and done, Sir Knight –”

“Dame!” the knight replied.

“I beg your pardon?”

“My title, good sir, is ‘Dame,’” the knight replied. With that, she deftly removed her helmet and arming cap, allowing her golden locks to fall. Offering Hal a dazzling smile under stunning gray eyes, she continued, “Dame Charlotte, at your service.”

Entry

Hal immediately swallowed. Her grace, her confidence, her beauty startled him. However could he look upon such an angelic beauty that defeated the seemingly undefeatable?

His throat was dry, his words quivering with anxiety. “Mine...mine eyes do take notice of thee, Dame Charlotte. Thou...thou hast unseated the reigning champion! Come, let us parade the field!”

They mounted their horses, and Hal followed behind Charlotte dotingly, feeling his heart thumping to the beat of the horses’ hooves. The roar of the crowd was deafening as she rode to the center of the field, waving and blowing kisses. The audience couldn’t contain their excitement. The ground itself shook with the sound of their applause. Hal rode to Charlotte and graciously conceded victory.

Hal could barely make out the words as Charlotte asked, “Might I interest thee in a drink, sir knight?”

Her hair was blowing in the wind. Hal’s heart skipped a beat; he had never seen anything so beautiful. “Nothing may interest me more, Dame Charlotte, than the opportunity to share a drink with the champion of the joust!”

She dismounted with such grace and elegance that Hal could not help but stare. Her gray eyes were glimmering; her every move was so entrancing that his mouth was agape. His chest was thumping with excitement at the thought of speaking privately with her. He couldn’t believe that someone so beautiful would ever consider the brutal sport of jousting. In the six years he had been competing, he’d never met a woman jouster.

As he entered the Brewer’s Tent across from the jousting field, his excitement was palpable. He waited for Charlotte to enter the tavern, restless with anticipation. He adjusted his faire blouse, smoothed his hair, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Charlotte entered the tavern in traditional Renaissance costume, dressed in a scarlet blouse secured with a black whalebone corset and a long, flowing scarlet skirt. Her hair was pinned up in a loose, curly bun, hiding her luscious golden tresses.

She was not alone.

“Might I have the pleasure of introducing you to Dame Elizabeth, sir knight?” her voice cooed.

Hal stared.

“Hey man, it’s nice to meet you! I’m sorry you lost to my wife; I know you guys take this stuff pretty seriously. I know Val does. I mean Dame Charlotte! Sorry, I’m not used to this stuff yet.”

Hal continued to stare.

“I bet you about dropped your pants when you saw her take off that helmet! I know the people around me in the stands did! She takes this stuff seriously, too. I’m so proud of her; she’s been training for this for months! Val–I mean Dame Charlotte, what did you say his name was?”

–Kate Bray