When the young woman arrived at her father's vast estate, she told him about the encounter on the road and her near escape from being defrocked or possibly slain. Every time she mentioned an exciting highlight her father would remark “My word!” However, it wasn’t until she mentioned the knight’s name that her father really gasped, “The Tarnished Knight thy say. It must be he - it’s just as thy described him; he wears a battered suit of armor and rides a black stallion. He’s a legend known far and wide and like thee said, no one has ever seen his face. He’s been known to save many a traveler from harm; why it’s even told that he ran into a lodging that was engulfed in flames and saved two small children. Rich or poor; it’s no concern for him because he’s never asked for even so much as a penny. It’s odd, whenever someone is in real jeopardy; he seems to appear out of nowhere and vanishes just as fast. Thy were most fortunate that he rescued you because I fear the four highwaymen you mentioned were none other than Bastard Jack and his thieving, murderous gang.”
After the young woman had related her tale of the knight rescuing her she asked her father, “Is there to be a jousting tournament very soon as the Tarnished Knight spoke of attending one?”
“Did he now?” her father mused. “Then we must go. We must meet this this legendary knight. Yes indeed – there is a tournament being held in the town of Middlefork within a fortnight.”
The days went by very slowly; the young woman dreaming every night of her gallant brave knight. In her dreams he removed his helmet but he always turned his head so that she never saw his face. But even so, his voice was enchanting, as mellow as a hypnotist and just as compelling. And, although she couldn’t see his face, she felt that he was a handsome man as she rode behind him on his black stallion across the country side, leaping over streams and at times like Pegasus, gliding through the sky and over rainbows. She was a princess and he was her princely knight.
Since Middlefork was a fair distance away, the young woman and her father left three days before the tournament. They wanted to arrive early and take in the full event, perhaps even meet the mystery knight before the joust. Her father got them rooms at the best inn and he, more than she, enjoyed the evening festivities of swilling back mugs of frothy beer and listening to the ribald tales told in the local tavern, which was located just a few buildings down the cobble-stone street from the inn.
At last the big event of the year arrived; knights and their pages could be seen making sure the weapons and horses were up to the challenge. The mayor and many of his dignitaries had their own special seats but the best seat in the house so to speak belonged to an actual princess; she was going to reward the winning knight a great deal of gold and his own estate. There was also some special seating arrangements for people who could afford the price and this is where the young woman and her father were sitting. The town folk and farmers gathered at each end of the tournament field, which was the starting point; the knights on their fiery steeds clashing somewhere near the centre.
Finally, after much anticipation, a long, slim brass horn sounded the beginning of the tournament. Pages led the colourfully decorated and armored chargers around the field; the knights sitting astride them in their shining armor, their lances held high; banners and ribbons blowing in the summer breeze, were a delight to all the attendants.
“That’s odd,” said the young woman. I didn’t see the Tarnished Knight; did you?”
Stroking his short beard thoughtfully, her father replied, “Nor I. Unless…Perhaps he has a special set of armor that he wears for such an esteemed event.”
The young woman and her father watched as many a knight was carried off the field; the pages retrieving their horses and leading them back to the stables. The event was nearing an end but still there hadn’t been an announcement of the Tarnished Knight and they were growing more anxious because it didn't look as if he was going to be a participant.
A hush came over the crowd when it was announced that the final joust would soon begin. It was the tournament's main event because the two knights jousting would be using real lances and not the wooden ones that just knocked the knights off their horses and for the most part did very little damage. However, when the final trumpet sounded the beginning of the event, the Tarnished Knight was still no where to be seen.
The young maiden was so disillusioned at this point after longing to see her knight once again, she barely noticed when the horns blared and the final two knights, their armor shining in the bright sunlight, sharp lances pointing at their opponents; their horses thundering down the grassy field towards one another.
All of a sudden the spectators gasped in unison when a little boy suddenly darted out between the charging knights. The young woman could scarce believe her eyes and neither could the crowd when a knight attired in gleaming armour, without any weapons or a shield, riding a big black stallion, suddenly plunged out into the field and raced between the rapidly closing combatants; blocking the boy from harm. However, although the little boy was saved, one of the lances speared the unknown knight squarely in the chest; penetrating his armor; the other lance, piercing his stallion's heart.
The people in the stands were all wondering which brave knight had given his life on the tournament field but the young maiden sitting with her father knew who he was; the long purple and gold ribbon, which was tied to the helmet, gently waving on the green grass; was none other than the Tarnished Knight.
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