Free Tournament Trouble: Sword Girl Book 3 by Frances Watts Page A

you be buying anything at the fair, Sword Girl?’

    â€˜You merchants are all the same, Bevan Brumm,’ Nursie scolded.
    â€˜Always wanting people to buy things. But our sword girl is more interested in the tournament, aren’t you, dearie?’
    While the sabre and the dagger argued over which was better, a tournament or a fair, Tommy’s spirits sank lower. She’d never seen a tournament or a fair.
    As she sighed for a third time, a slender sword with a slightly curved blade spoke up. ‘It must be hard to be cooped up here in the sword chamber when there’s so much excitement going on outside.’ Jasper Swann, a squire, had been close to Tommy’s own age when he died. Perhaps that was why he often seemed to understand what she was feeling.

    Tommy looked at the sword in her hand. ‘I wish I could be out there in the courtyard,’ she said. ‘Riding a horse and jousting.’ She thrust the sword forward at an imaginary opponent. It was Tommy’s dearest wish to one day become a squire. ‘But they’ll probably never let a girl ride in a tournament,’ she finished gloomily.
    â€˜Don’t be downhearted, dearie,’ Nursie advised. ‘Your turn will come.’
    â€˜That’s right, Sword Girl,’ Jasper agreed. ‘After all, whoever thought a kitchen girl would become the castle’s Keeper of the Blades? And look how quickly you—’
    But before he could finish they heard a cry so loud it made Tommy drop her sword in fright. ‘What was that?’ she gasped.

CHAPTER 2

    T OMMY RUSHED TO THE DOOR of the armoury. Smith and Reynard were there already, watching the scene unfolding in the great courtyard. The squires had gathered around a boy who was lying on the flagstones. His face was pale and his eyes were closed.
    â€˜That’s young Edward,’ said Smith as Tommy joined them. ‘He was Keeper of the Blades before you, Sword Girl.’ He shook his head. ‘Fell from his horse, poor lad.’
    Sir Hugh, who had been leading the squires in their practice, was kneeling beside the injured boy.
    â€˜Go fetch the physician,’ he ordered, his voice loud.
    Edward moaned and Tommy felt a twinge of sympathy.
    â€˜There now, that’s enough goggle-eyein’,’ said Smith as the physician hurried across the courtyard, his robes flapping. ‘Back to work.’
    Tommy returned to the sword chamber, still thinking of the pale-faced boy and his terrible cry. She hoped he would be all right.

    When she had finally finished sharpening and polishing all the swords, Tommy hurried outside to find Lil. She would know if there was news about Edward. But Lil wasn’t in any of her usual spots in the great courtyard – probably all the clamour and clatter of the knights and squires practising had disturbed her. So Tommy went through the low arch leading from the courtyard and out the castle gate. Sure enough, there was the black and white cat, lying on a patch of sun-warmed grass beside the moat. The crocodiddle, who guarded the moat, had his head resting on the bank beside her.
    â€˜Have you heard anything about Edward, the squire who was thrown from his horse?’ Tommy asked as she joined her friends. Tommy had discovered that most of the animals at Flamant Castle could talk, though they didn’t talk to everyone – only to those who were good at listening, as Sir Benedict put it.

    â€˜Horses,’ snorted the crocodiddle. ‘The way people go on, you’d think the horse was the only noble creature the castle had ever seen. And it’s worse during tournaments. The horses get all dressed up in coats and hoods and wear ribbons in their tails. What about the noble crocodiddle? No one bothers with him.’ He pouted and splashed the water with his tail.
    Lil stretched then sat up. ‘Edward is still being tended to by the physician, Tommy.’
    â€˜I hope he’ll be able to