Read The Blue Falcon for Free Online Page A

fault must be mine.”
    Conan turned and looked at his young brother. “ If this is trickery, Galen, there is no blame. You did your job well.”
    Galen looked up to Conan. “ Someday, Conan, I will prove m y worth. Someday I will be as skilled as I am faithful. It is my promise.”
    Conan smiled at him. “ I have no doubts, brother. And the day is not so far away, I vow.”
    When Conan turned back to his friends, he was met with Mallory’s grave and determined stare.
    “ Push him, Conan,” Mallory urged. “ If you do not, you will find yourself faced with his treachery again.”
    Conan smiled slyly and tried to bend his painful hand. “ Yea, he will make another attempt one day. And I relish the opportunity.”
    Udele looked to Medwin’s box and saw Chandra sitting on the edge of her seat. Her hands were folded in her lap and her back was straight, but the maid chewed her bottom lip nervously. She did not seem interested in the new knights making ready for the next contest. Rather, she intently watched the men gathered about Conan’s pavilion. Udele could nearly feel the upset churning in Chandra’s stomach. “ Ah,” she thought angrily. “ She loves him! It is plain!”
    Lady Udele sent a page off to find out the extent of Conan’s injury, but her mind was not occupied with that. She bit her finger in concentration as she studied Chandra. It was clear that Chandra had set her sights on Conan. Udele knew Chandra to be a willful lass, and to further the burden, she was lovely and would become more beautiful with the passage of time. Already many young swains were looking in her direction.
    The page returned and knelt at her feet. “ Sir Conan’s hand is badly broken, lady, but he says ‘tis yet good enough to see the day well met. He wraps it tightly for the next match.”
    “ My lord, you must stop him,” Udele said. “ He will do some further injury, and at the very least will lose because of it.” Udele touched the sleeve of Alaric’s great robe, for he did not move a muscle, but looked straight ahead to the lists. “ Alaric? Stop him, I pray you.”
    “ Nay. His life is his own. I gave him his last command when I told him to live by his oath.”
    “ He will do as you order!”
    “ Aye, he will,” Alaric replied, looking at his wife and setting his jaw.
    “ We will be humiliated should he -- ”
    “ Madam, I will not have a son whose only strength comes f rom his father’s order. He will do as he will -- and live with the result.”
    Udele gritted her teeth, for she had never succeeded in moving Alaric to her will and the frustration grew greater as the years passed. “ He may well live with a stump at the end of his arm. And that would please you well.”
    “ Silence yourself, madam! Give credit to Conan’s good judgment. It was years in the making.”
    It seemed an eternity before Conan was ready to ride again. Udele held her breath as she noticed his opponent bore the crest of the black rose. Given the best circumstances, Conan would find it difficult to best Sir Garrett.
    Udele cast a glance toward Chandra to find the maid giving all her attention to the contest while the other young women all around her chattered and flirted. Why would one so young give anything such serious attention? Udele wondered. To think that Chandra was ready for marriage was unsettling.
    Conan and Garrett rode toward each other. Conan’s lance was braced under his right arm, but he used his left hand to steady it. Garrett’s blunted lance struck Conan’s shoulder, but glanced off. Conan’s lance did not reach his opponent. They passed, came around the tilt to change sides, and made ready to charge again. Conan shifted his lance and moved it to his left side. It was an impossible position, giving Garrett every advantage.
    “ See,” Udele said, tugging at Alaric’s sleeve. “ Conan uses his left hand and the weapon is heavy. He will lose. He may be badly injured.”
    Alaric grunted. “ He may indeed,