Meet the Characters Simon Simon is a young man who is sparring in his first tournament as a knight At one time he was the squire for Lord Roger He quickly proves his worth to Lord Roger Toby Toby a young boy is Simon’s squire He helps Simon get dressed in his knight’s armor before battles and he helps him during battles John John is Simon’s friend and spars with him in a mock tournament Later he and Simon serve under Lord Roger’s command in a real battle against Lord Andrew’s army 4
Lord Roger Lord Roger the ruler of North Ryeland leads the blue army He fights Sir Nicholas in a joust Sir Nicholas Sir Nicholas the leader of the green army fights Lord Roger in a joust He is an older knight Lord Andrew As ruler of South Ryeland Lord Andrew continues to battle Lord Roger over border rights Note The knights in this book are fictitous but the events surrounding them are not 5
Going to the Tournament Knights were the sworn protectors of their lord and his territory They began their training early in life learning all of the necessary skills to become a great warrior Chivalry bravery and excellent horsemanship were expected of these soldiers Armor and a mighty sword protected them during bloody battles 6
The fields behind Castle Rye bustle with excitement Today is the first tournament of the season For two young men it is their first tournament as knights Simon hurries to get ready with help from his squire Toby Toby bring me my armor But be sure you give them to me in the right order When I was Lord Roger’s squire my mistake earned me an unforgettable tongue lashing Don’t worry sir You’ll be well protected in the tournament 7
