Free The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris Page A

the black iron. She could hear the Black Knight's labored breathing, but Beaumains was ominously silent. And then, leaping and swinging and turning all in one fluid movement, Beaumains reached through the Black Knight's defenses, rapping his helm
so sharply that it fairly flew off his head and across the clearing. Bareheaded now, the Black Knight raised his sword again, refusing to yield. "Who are you?" he managed to gasp, just before Beaumains severed his head from his shoulders.

    Lynet turned away from the gory scene, but her heart beat with an odd exhilaration, and she sighed in relief. Roger gently guided his horse between Lynet and the corpse, and he said simply, "Well done, Beau."
    Beaumains removed his helm and brushed his fair hair away from his proud face. He looked at Lynet, a hint of challenge in his eyes, and Lynet swallowed. "Beaumains, I ... thank you. And I'm sorry. I've been a terrible shrew on this journey, I know, but ... I really didn't mean ... I didn't want you to be hurt, so I tried to talk people out of fighting you. I was protecting you, I thought, but now ... now you've protected me. Thank you."
    Beaumains bowed to her with the grace of a true courtier, and Lynet's heart beat very fast indeed as she looked at the handsome warrior who had delivered her. Roger turned his back to them both and sat very quietly, looking into the dark woods.

VI. Knights in Many Pretty Colors
    It was over an hour before they could resume their journey, because Beaumains had taken a liking to the Knight of the Black Woods's armor and had to trade it for the armor Sir Kai had given him. This took a while, since the armor was a bit messy and had to be cleaned. Lynet steadfastly looked the other way.

    The delay gave Lynet time to regain her composure. From the moment that the Black Knight had threatened her until the moment that Beaumains struck off the knight's head, Lynet's heart had pounded with a potent mixture of fear and fascination. Her stammered apology and thanks to Beaumains had sprung from relief and from an odd shyness. When at last the three travelers were ready to continue, Lynet was outwardly calm, but suspecting that she would be too
self-conscious riding beside her handsome defender, she chose to ride with Roger instead.

    "Roger?" she asked quietly, after several minutes of silence.
    "Mmm?"
    "Beaumains is ... he's quite good with a sword, isn't he?"
    Roger glanced at her quizzically, but only said, "One of the best."
    The blunt statement took her by surprise. "Really?" she asked, lowering her voice even more.
    "Ay. Gawain's better, of course, and Sir Lancelot—wherever he is. Tor could match him, I think, and maybe this Saracen chap, Sir Palomides, who's been in the south recently. Beyond that, I can't think of his equal." He turned in his saddle to look at Beaumains, who was dropping farther and farther behind. "Stay in sight, Beau!" he called. "Don't want you to get lost!"
    Lynet pondered the dwarf's words for a minute, then said, "He's more than just a kitchen knave, isn't he?"
    Roger hesitated, but said at last, "Seems that way."
    Eagerly, Lynet continued, "Do you think he's really a knight? In disguise?"
    "What do you think, my lady?"
    Lynet nodded quickly. "I think he is. I think he's really a famous knight who wanted to be unrecognized in Arthur's court. That would explain why he hid himself from Squire Terence. He was afraid that Terence
would know him if he saw him without his beard and long hair." Lynet allowed herself a small smile. "He
does
look different now," she added dreamily.

    Roger ignored this last comment. "Why wouldn't he want to be recognized?"
    Lynet paused. "I don't know. Didn't he say something about a quest earlier? Maybe hiding his name is part of it. A vow or something."
    "Sounds a bit loony, doesn't it?" Roger's voice was expressionless.
    Part of Lynet rather agreed with Roger, but only a small part. "I wouldn't say that," she protested.
    Roger sighed softly. "No, I