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lyre could be heard entertaining the throng and Summer was about to comment
on the beauty of the song when a great black banner caught her attention. It
was the same black banner that had saved her from a pig-masked fate. She turned
to Stephan.
    "Is that de Moray's
b-banner?" she asked.
    Distracted from a game of
slap-and-tickle with his wife, Stephan passed a glance at the towering
standard. "Aye," he replied, casting his sister a curious glance.
"How did you know his name?"
    Summer pursed her lips wryly.
"Good Heavens, Stephan, you spoke the man's name and it was only obvious
that I should hear you," turning from her brother, she once again eyed the
flapping colors. "Who is he?"
    Stephan took a contemplative
breath, adjusting his pinching helm. "God's Beard, where to begin? What is
it you wish to know?"
    She cocked her head thoughtfully.
"Everything. For example, do you know how he acquired his unusual
name?"
    Stephan shrugged. "Mayhap it
is an old, well-used family name."
    "B-Bose," Summer
repeated softly, drawing out the long 'o' until the name sounded like 'Bow-z'.
"Where does he come from?"
    "He has a keep outside of
Salisbury called Ravendark, and he's been on the tournament circuit for four
years," finding a comfortable position for his helm, Stephan once again
glanced to the foreboding standard. "Until he joined our ranks, my
competition was limited. Now I am lucky if I run a close second to de Moray's
talents."
    Strangely, Summer felt a good
deal of pleasure at that statement. Her brother was praising the man who had
saved her from certain torment and she smiled faintly, feeling oddly attached
to the fearsome black banner. "What is that on his standard? I do not
recognize the s-symbol."
    Stephan, disinterested in
speaking of a man he would very shortly be competing against, kissed his wife's
hand fondly before lowering his visor. "'Tis a Gorgon."
    "A Gorgon?"
    "Aye," Stephan's voice
was muffled behind the steel protection. "They call de Moray the Gorgon
because he is massive and dark and ugly. Therefore, the term has become his
crest."
    Summer’s brow furrowed. “I
b-believe I have heard of a Gorgon. Isn’t that a demon?”
    Stephan nodded. “Greek demons. Oddly
enough, however, they are female, but the very name means ‘dreadful’, which
describes de Moray perfectly.”
    Summer's smile faded as he looked
to her brother. Somehow, in calling de Moray ugly, it was inferring that he was
imperfect. Flawed. Just like she was, in a sense - her imperfect speech against
his imperfect looks. But having never seen the man's face through his lowered
visor, she had no way of disputing Stephan's claim. After a moment, she turned
away and refocused her attention on the field before her.
    "How cruel," she
murmured. "You should not taunt him for his lack of b-beauty."
    Stephan snorted, catching a
glimpse of his charger near the small tent bearing the red and white du Bonne
colors. "You have yet to see the man, Summer. Just because he saved you
from Ian and Lance's foolery, do not permit yourself to have any romantic
notions regarding his magnificent knightly appearance. In spite of that fact
and other nasty rumors regarding his reputation, however, he has no shortage of
admirers."
    Feeling somewhat defensive on the
knight's behalf, Summer frowned at her arrogant brother. "Rumors that are
lies, I am sure. Sir B-bose is noble and chivalrous, unlike several other
knights I know who shall remain nameless. Women are able to sense good within a
man regardless of his physical appearance."
    "That is not the reason, my
ingenuous little sister," Stephan said patronizingly, waving to his squire
to let the boy know he was on the approach. "The women who pursue de Moray
are simply interested in his wealth and nothing more. With all the winnings he has
acquired over the four years of tournament play, he is amply loaded with the
stuff and the wealth alone is enough to outweigh the darker implications of his
name."
    Bidding his family a