Read Online Champion of the Heart by Laurel O'Donnell - Free Book Online

will be victorious today. There are none on this battlefield I fear. Lord Graves is a great warrior, but I have plans for him. I’ll put him into the ground he is so aptly named after.”
    Suddenly, a trumpet sounded and Jordan turned her head to see her father climbing the stairs of the platform, a group of older men trailing behind him. He came to stand beside her, clasped her hand, and squeezed it briefly, smiling warmly at her before releasing her fingers. Then he turned and his gaze swept the field, taking in the assemblage of battle-ready combatants. A grin of satisfaction touched his lips. “Welcome to the tournament!” he called.
    “Huzzah!” the gathered throng of warriors shouted, dozens of glistening weapons thrusting skyward. “Hail to Lord Ruvane!” filled the field. “Hail to Lady Jordan!”
    The peasants surrounding the field erupted into gleeful shouts. “Huzzah!”
    The crowd of onlookers was massive; it looked as if villeins from every neighboring village had gathered here today.
    Jordan turned back to Evan to wish him luck, but he was gone, already moving into his place among the knights. She looked back to her father.
    Lord Ruvane let the excited cheers fade away, let the crowd calm for a moment, before continuing. “I know the greatest warrior in all of England has come to visit us today. I know he is out there amongst you fine men.”
    Again, the men erupted into excited cheers, all of them claiming to be that man.
    Lord Ruvane turned to face Jordan, taking her hand into his. She smiled nervously at him and he smiled back. “This is how your mother and I met, Jordan. This is how our love began. This is where fate led us to bringing you into the world. You know you are my greatest joy. I only want a lifetime of happiness for you.”
    “I know, Father,” Jordan said softly.
    “Don’t be afraid, child,” he reassured her. “Today will be magical. Today will be a day you will treasure for the rest of your life, as I treasure the day your mother came into my life.”
    Jordan nodded softly to her father.
    Lord Ruvane released her hand again and turned to face the crowd of fighters anxiously awaiting the signal to begin. He nodded to Jordan.
    Jordan hesitated, but only for a mere moment, suddenly wishing she could be with the children... or anywhere else. But the day was here and there was no turning back now, no way to deny what fate had in store for her.
    She lifted a yellow cloth high in the air.
    Beside her, the noblewoman gasped in anticipation. The sound of swords being drawn echoed through the field. Horses whinnied, their hooves clawing at the dirt. Men gripped their weapons tightly, shifted their shields, preparing to do battle.
    And then there was utter stillness. Even the mutterings of the gathered crowd dwindled into whispers, then faded into complete silence.
    For the first time, Jordan saw a knight she hadn’t noticed before. He was clad in black armor from head to foot and rode a magnificent black stallion. He clutched a mighty blade in one hand, an unadorned black shield in the other. His face was hidden beneath his black visor, but even from this distance Jordan could feel his gaze boring into her. A tingle of foreboding shot up her spine.
    “Jordan,” her father whispered to her, pulling her thoughts away from the mysterious dark knight.
    Jordan dropped the cloth, and the yard exploded with action as the two sides rushed at each other with a loud war cry that threatened to break open the sky and bring a crash of lightning to the meadow. The wooden platform rumbled and shook beneath Jordan’s feet as the armor-clad men raced to meet their opponents. The charges ended in an explosion of metal against metal as swords clashed and rising shields met striking axes.
    Jordan couldn’t help the feeling of dread snaking through her body as the warriors battled. But even with her misgivings, the battle was tremendous and exciting to watch. All around her, the nobles screamed and