[Quiet Man Cometh]

Mistral tried to conceal some of her excitement. Most of these knights she knew by name, but she had never seen them before, and now she was in their company.

She tamped down the pride she began to feel at hearing her name called for the joust, for it was both unknightly and unChristian, but still, she had a smile on her face as she urged her horse forward. She was still new to the joust, but could hold her lance, and Claude could be depended upon to run a straight line.

Greeting her opponent, who she was pleased to find was another woman, Mistral offered her sincere “God be with you” before taking her place at the start of the list.