In the end, Valiant is determined to be the winner and receives the golden cup from the queen. After one last "huzzah" the crowd disperses to their cars. Some players head to the backstage area while others move to funnel patrons towards the exit for a final goodbye.

I follow Cat and the other players towards the campsite where the entire cast and crew stays during the festival weekend. Out of view of the guests, hats and gloves are pulled off, and phones are removed for every conspicuous hiding place I could ever have imagined. I tell myself I don't need to look for the Black Knight to catch a glimpse of him. I'm certain he's headed to the stables with the rest of the fight core to brush down the horses and put them away for their dinner. We only have forty-five minutes before we all have to be at the Blackfryr Pub for the evening's announcements and cast party.

Pirates, wenches, and nymphs stumble into trailers, and I hear a roar of laughter from somewhere in the woods. I love this part of the day when the pressure of the show is behind me. The sky is splashed in red and orange and yellow when I open the door to my parent's airstream. Cat follows me inside where she shucks her wings and flops down onto a devan that my mom recovered with a bright blue brocade. The entire trailer was gutted at one point, and my parents filled it with colorful wallpaper and a bunch of mismatched, thrifted furniture.

"What just happened?" I ask Cat. I hope I don't look too flushed. My face feels warm.

"I think you just got pulled into the best bit of the day." She reaches out her fist and I bump it with mine.

"Did you recognize that guy?"

Cat shakes her head. "No. Why? Did he just sweep you off your feet?"

I laugh and it's a high strained sort of laugh. "No. no. no. no. no. He's just new so I wondered where Greg found a guy like that to join the fight core."

"A guy like what? Hot?"

"You saw him. He could act circles around the other knights. The fight core is pretty much the jocks of the ren faire. We put up with their bad acting because they're willing to swing really authentic weapons at each other."

A wide grin spreads over Cat's face. "You like the hot knight."

I put my hands on my hips and give her an exaggerated eye roll. "I do not. I don't even know him. For all we know, he could be a total jerk when he isn't in character."

"Then just hook up with him. I would if I didn't have a loving boyfriend who thinks my love of renaissance faires is quirky and adorable." She sends me a cheesy grin.

"We just did a bit together. That doesn't mean we're going to hook up."

Cat watches me. "If you say so." She doesn't look convinced.

I got to the fridge, pull out two bottles of water, and toss one to Cat. She takes the cool plastic and places it behind her neck.

"I think I need to move my character in a new direction," she says.

"Away from the Fawn's Hollow?" I tease.

"No. Like, I think Joan Strangeways isn't a fairy. Fairies are so overdone."

"But you love working with the kids. Kids love fairies. And bubbles."

"I know..."

"Did you make a lot of tips today?" I ask. The street performers aren't paid as much for their day rate as the stage performers. Some street performers just do it for fun because they love being part of the festival, but the right character can make you a killing in tips.

"Yeah, I crushed it, but I'm just not clicking with Joan."

I nod, but I'm not entirely sure what I can do to help. "Maybe you need the right costume. The right costume can make or break a character." Please tell me to make you a costume. I would do anything not to sit idle during the week — not that I ever would. My mom will give me a million things to do around the shire, but I don't want to take any chances. I don't want to think about BSU and Cat going back without me at the start of September.

"If you want to, I guess," Cat says with a shrug.

My heart races as I mentally start to sort through what fabric is left in the costume office. "What do you want me to make for you?"

"Maybe Joan Strangways is a traveling bard with a trunk full of curious curiosities." Her eyes sparkle a little as she imagines this new twist to her character. "I'd like a nod to my heritage, but I'm not doing anything mysterious or sexy. I'm not being the Dragon Lady and I don't need drunk dudes coming up to me to tell me how exotic I look."

I wrinkle my nose. Because Cat's Chinese she seems to get the worst of the creeps. "I think I can make something that will work."

~

The Blackfryr pub is packed with players, musicians, employees, artisans and every other person who has worked behind the scenes of today's fair. People line long tables in various stages of costume. Some men have already changed into T-shirts and cargo shorts so they look less like pirates and more like every dad at Home Depot, but others look like extras on the set of a blockbuster fantasy film. One artisan, a guy who sells hand-carved wooden pipes, is still in his full-length wizard robes — dragon-headed staff and all.

My mom and dad take the stage at the front of the Blackfryr. There's a band dressed like Viking marauders behind them getting ready to play. The crowd quiets as my mom, Bess Lovell steps up to the microphone. Cat is at my side and she nudges me as a group of knights stride into the hall — late of course. There are some old faces in the mix, but I almost miss the Black Knight. He's not in a suit of armor, but his long hair of chestnut waves is hard to miss. It's odd to see him in a white T-shirt and jeans that are rolled at his ankles, but I really like the round-framed glasses he has on.

"Attention please," mom calls from the stage.

The crowd obeys and voices are replaced by the shuffle of feet and the thud of tankards as they're replaced on the tables. There have to be nearly a thousand people crammed into every level of the shire's largest pub.

"Thank you," mom says. She rests a clipboard on her hip. "First, I want to thank you all for an excellent dress rehearsal. That went about as well as we can hope so I think tomorrow will be even better when we have the first crowd of the season. I want energy high from everyone and make sure to drink water and grab something to eat at some point during the day. Temperatures are going to be climbing every week from here on out so you'll need to stay hydrated."

While she checks her clipboard, I sneak a peek over to the fight core. The Black Knight watches with a little grin on his lips. There's the sparkle in his eyes of a kid on Christmas, and now I know I have to go over and say something to him. This is Disneyland for some people and those are my people.

My mom starts up again and I tear my eyes away from the fight core. "Now for some more thank-you's before we get to today's best bit which is why you're all here." A cheer rises up from the crowd and several people bang their mugs of beer on the tables. "We owe a huge round of applause to the set crew. They've been working all year to make the shire look its best."

The crowd gives them a hearty applause and there's some loud whooping from the crew.

"Then there's the vendors and out vendor coordinator who have filled these streets with the finest handmade goods in all the land!" The thank you's go on, but soon everyone is restless for the final announcement of the night. "And now for the best bit of the day."

There's no sound, no movement now as the restless crowd stills.

"There's no doubt about it... based on feedback from guests and your fellow players, the best bit of the day was Musty and Crusty our lovely wenches for taking a disgruntled customer and turning them into a happy one with a bawdy joke and some well-plied ale vouchers. Musty and Crusty you will drink free tonight."

This merits another cheer from the crowd. At this, the Viking band kicks off their tune and the cast party begins. A day working a festival is long, hard work so a great many head for the campsites or to their cars to head home for the night if they live close. The faire grounds are pretty remote so most people camp out during the weekend.

The knights stay and I try to work up the courage to go over, but my feet don't seem to want to move.

"Are you going to go over and say something to him?" Cat asks. She leans around me to get a better look at the table of knights who seem to be getting rowdier by the minute. The band is leading the entire pub in a pirate shanty that involves a lot of drinking.

"Quit staring. You're not subtle at all."

"He's looking over here," Cat says with a wicked grin.

I can't help it. I spin around on the wooden bench, which isn't easy to do. Sure enough one of the knights hasn't joined in the drinking song. The Black Knight has turned his back to his table and is scanning the crowd. His gaze falls on me and recognition dawns with a little line between his brows. A smile erupts onto his face and he points directly at me. "You," he mouths.

"Is he coming over here?" Cat leans to watch him get up from his seat. "If you want me to get out of here just work 'pernicious pock-marked strumpet' into the conversation and I'll leave."

"No!" I grab Cat by the hand. "No! Stay! I need the emotional support — I'm bad with this sort of thing."

"You're kidding? You already improv'd with him in old English today and this is what makes you nervous?"

I shush her as the knight approaches. He runs a hand through his hair and sweeps through his fingers like silk. The action leaves his wavy, dark hair swept to the side. "Hello there," he says, his voice a familiar, velvet-like caress on the ear.

"Hey," Cat says when she realizes I haven't said anything.

The sound of her voice makes me realize I'm truly staring. "Sorry! Hi," I say.

"I'm Gavin Reed," he replies with his hand stretched out to me. "And you are?"

"Morwen Lovell." I shake his hand and I can't help but think of the feeling of his lips there. "And this is Cat Page."

Cat stands and reaches across the table. "You may have heard of me as Joan Strangeways?"

Gavin's head flops to the side as he thinks. His hair flops too and it's freaking adorable. "With the bubbles?"

"Yeah!" Cat jumps up and down. "That's me!"

Gavin laughs and it is a warm, strong sort of laugh. "We were just talking about that in the stables tonight. We were saying how much we would love to chase bubbles around, but a knight would never lower themselves to such frivolity."

"Why not?" Cat exclaims. "The kids would love it — for a knight in his full armor chase down bubbles with them."

"Really? Do you think I should do it?" He's asking me.

I'm caught a little off guard. "I guess it's up to you—"

Gavin shakes his head. "I want to know what you think. You're the improv expert. Do I bend historical accuracy in the name of fun?"

I laugh. "I'm really not an improv expert; I'm strictly a behind-the-scenes girl. But as a life-long Rennie, I say bend historical accuracy in the name of fun always."

Gavin's brows shoot to his forehead in shock. "Behind-the-scenes? You're joking! You looked like a pro out there tonight."

"About that," I say.

"Oh!" Gavin's face falls into a look of concern. "I'm sorry if I put you on the spot. You were practically on the edge of your seat so I figured you were game for some repartee. I honestly expected you to refuse the kiss, but you were so ready with your responses."

"Thanks, but it's probably best to do the improv with the King's Players. They're the ones who rehearse their characters for weeks and weeks. I was just going off what I know from growing up on the renaissance faire circuit and what I've learned from the handful of acting classes I've taken in school."
"That's not true!" Cat interjected. "Gavin, you can interact with whoever you want. Just know you may ruffle some feathers of the more important players, but almost everyone here is a good sport — especially when anyone can win best bit."

"In that case," Gavin takes a seat and straddles the bench directly next to me. "Morwen needs to show off her improv skills more."

I laugh, but it's all tight and nervous. "I don't have a character."

Gavin looks me over and I try not to blush. I can't tell if it's the heat of bodies crushed into the pub, but I'm probably not successful.

"Gavin!" Someone calls over to us and I recognize Alex Bailey who has been a staple of the Great Midwestern Renaissance Faire for as long as I can remember. He has dark skin and it looks even darker thanks to a full day in the sun. His black hair is cropped tight against his skull and he wears his puffy-sleeved doublet open over his bare chest.

"You two know each other?" I ask. Alex's parents are in one of the bands that get booked year after year. He's three years ahead of me and Cat, but he and I used to be babysat together while our parents worked faire days.

Gavin stands. "Alex!" They do a typical guy hug where they bump chests then slap each other on the back. I'll take that as a yes.

Alex sits down on the bench opposite Gavin. "I caught the joust. Great job pulling Mor into your scene. I've been telling her for years that she needs to be on stage, not hiding in the costume department." He works as one of the street performers — this year he gets to be William Shakespeare and hurl bawdy insults at people who refuse to pay for him to write them a sonnet.

"Wait! How do you two know each other?" I ask.

"We're both in the theater program at Carnegie," Alex replies.

My mouth falls open. "Woah." Carnegie U's theater program is no joke. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are few drama programs out there who share the same caliber of reputation.

Gavin places an elbow on the table, but it seems like he still leans in towards me. "Alex is the one who told me about the faire circuit and I was so fascinated; I'm a history and drama major."

I let out a loud "ha!"

Cat scoffs playfully. "Well, that explains a lot."

Gavin looks between her and I. "What does that mean?" His gaze stops on me, searching for his answer. "You're good at this whole thing — good for a knight."

Alex chokes out a laugh at this.

"What?" Gavin is still confused.

Alex reaches across to place a kind hand on Gavin's shoulder. "How do I put this politely... the fight core is kind of the jocks of the circuit."

"Steel for brains," Cat clarifies.

A smile sweeps over Gavin's lips. "Seriously?"

"They're great, but you can act circles around them all," I say and I swear I see Gavin's cheeks flush with color. He bites his lips to hold back a smile and it makes my insides go wibbly-wobbly.

"Okay," Cat says. "So this is your first Renaissance faire, but where did you learn to joust — and ride?"

Gavin runs his hand through his hair again as he thinks. "I've been working on it for about a year. I went to stunt school last summer and that's where I learned I've got a knack for stage combat —"

"Gavin!" One of the knights approaches our table and clamps a hand down on Gavin's shoulder. "Hey man, we wondered where you went."

"Oh," Gavin replies. "I was just having a chat with my friends."

The knight recognizes me, probably from the joust, and he grins. "I don't mean to steal you from your lady fair, but Greg wants to take us all out for ice cream. Apparently, it's tradition."

"Oh, okay." Gavin stands and gives us a little shrug. "I guess I'll see you all tomorrow for opening day?"

"Yep," Alex replies.

Cat points a menacing finger at Gavin. "You'd better come find me between jousts."

Gavin chuckles. "I will." Then he looks at me expectantly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," I say, and I really hope I do.