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“Who is that knight over there?” Diana asks her squire, motioning down the range to her last round’s opponent. “I cannot say I recognise her, or her family’s crest.”
“I believe that is Lady Kagari, mi’lord,” the young girl talks as she assists her Lady Cavendish into her armour. “I’ve heard she hails from a common family but has garnered some favour with her local lord despite that. They say she’s rather skilled with a lance, considering her upbringing.”
“Is that so?” Diana responds. “I believe if I can dismount my opponent in the first charge, I shall earn enough points to assure my victory in this tournament. I don’t believe that should be a challenge against an opponent as inexperienced as her.”
“You’ll knock her off rightly, mi’lord.”
“Indeed.”
After a few more minutes of preparation, Diana and Akko take their position for the first charge of their round. Two opposing knights, one a skilled and renowned knight in her circle, the other, a rising star, yet still unproven. Diana tunes out the sound of the crowds, and focuses on the flagbearer, about the commence the charge.
The flag is raised, and she commands her horse into action!
As the two riders fly down the range, Diana sees flaws in Akko’s stance. Mistakes she used to make as a knight in training, but have well addressed by now. The slightest lean betraying the slightest weakness in her stance. Diana can tell exactly where to aim to achieve the first charge dismount she desired.
As they approach one another, Diana lowers her lance and aims at the upper left portion of Akko’s torso. A solid hit there will be sure to send her flying. Diana prepares for the impact, but her opponent’s posture shifts at the last moment.
Akko leans forward, abandoning all sense of balance and stability in a desperate bid to reach Diana’s torso before Diana reaches hers. Such a ridiculous maneuver in a serious tournament? Surely she must jest!
Yet Diana is taken by surprise by the ridiculous maneuver, and cannot correct in time. Akko’s lance hits Diana a moment before Diana’s connects, causing her lance to hit Akko in the centre of her chest. It was a solid hit, but not the dismount Diana was looking for. The two of them would be awarded equal points for their round’s first charge.
Fury rises up in Diana. She turns around and proclaims to the irreverent knight “You disrespect this tournament with such vulgar tactics! A mere child could defeat you with jousting like that.”
Akko meets Diana and responds “Then how far Lady Cavendish must have fallen to be taken aback by such vulgar tactics that even a child could best! If you take issue with my jousting, then I invite you to show me its flaws with your lance, rather than your words, in our next charge,” she jeers.
Diana is stunned as Akko rides back to position to prepare for the next charge. “She merely used the surprise of an unconventional tactic to produce a draw,” Diana thinks with indignation. “However, she did much better than I ever imagined she could, I cannot deny that. Perhaps the fault truly does lie with me for underestimating her. I will have to pay more attention to this strange knight from now on. Lady Kagari. I will remember the name.”