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Tara looked at Cassy with a wicked grin “You owe me for this one,” she said out of the corner of her es and Squires, welcome” She paused with their applause, her eyes searched for Duncan while she spoke “For the brave aood health” The crowd clapped their approval

“Gentlemen” she presented the trumpeters who immediately called in the warriors

They rode atop their horses, straight and tall

The horses pranced around the arena bringing ers fronized so but some she did not One by one, each rider came forward to Tara with helmet in hand Each bowed, and thenoff theira ribbon or flower from a wife or sweetheart in the audience

Fin and Duncan were the last two to make their entrance into the arena Tara saw Fin first His cocky smile lifted her spirits

Duncan’s expression intensified when her gaze rounded to hi eased from her neck when she saw him Her shoulders fell with relief As his smile reached his eyes, she realized his effect on her was no less powerful The slight curve of his lips and the depth of his attention would live in her er, and his boas deeper than the previous riders had been When he turned away to circle the arena like the others, she called out

“Wait” She leaned over the balcony and handed him the ribbon from her hair

The croent silent when she picked her favorite Duncan moved his horse closer to the stand and took her boon He captured her fingers and leaned over them to brush his lips across their soft tips For a moment, there was no one else but theers go

She heard the click of Cassy’s camera from behind her

“That was romantic,” Cassy told her once the procession was finished

“For all the good it will do hten up Remember… ‘For pleasure and fun, or fantasy or whatever’” Cassy who had sworn off alcohol only hours before, reached for the jeweled goblet, which heldthem of the first event

The , designed to add agility to their feats of skill The first of which was a challenge to see who could spear a target as close to the center as possible, while their horse was in full gallop

The crowd had picked their favorite horse of the lance

The drunk froht before was sloppy in his saddle and barely reached the target at all

Because ht before, he was booed continually, except by those ere obviously his friends

When it was Fin’s turn, he grandstanded for the crowd by tossing his spear and catching it prior to lunging it at the target He ca approval froe to beat hilance at Tara who stood intently watching fron from Duncan to do so His aim was close, but Fin had beaten hi spearing rings frorand display was ainst swords, sparking cheers froave the audience a wonderful display of dancing his horse He pranced, bowed and trotted to the tune played by the small band on the sidelines