Referee
Suddenly knights and squires rush towards the rope while three guards approach the grand stand and raise their horns. Expectant silence falls over the field. Only the neighing and snorting of the horses is heard over the gusty wind. On the throne King Andrasz lazily motions the guards to proceed. The horns are blown and a knight enters the tiltyard. He wears no armour and no helmet to hide his long fair hair. His tunic is embroidered with pearls and silver threads. His left arm holds a hexagonal shield that shows a crest you haven't seen before: A double headed eagle holding an apple. He waits on the other side of the field for Sir Perilake to enter.
Perilake the Gilded Knight
A majestic black horse canters to the opposite side of the tiltyard, carrying Ser Perilake. Resplendent in his shining armour, the Gilded Knight salutes his opponent before lowering his helm and bringing his lance to position. "Courage old friend" he whispers to his steed "This will be but brief, and we have faced worse together." When the charge begins, Perilake spurs Blacwyn on to greater speed, hoping to smite his rival into the dirt and avoid getting his armour dirty with a foot battle.
Referee
The Free Knight spurs his steed yells "Liberty!" in a surprisingly high voice and gallops towards you aiming - as predicted by Sir Ludmer - at your shoulder. But immediately before you both meet he seems to hesitate for a heartbeat and ducks under his shield vaguely pointing his lance in your direction instead.
Sir Gieselfried's aim is too high and his lance glances of your shoulder plate. Your lance strikes true though and pierces his side. The Free Knight tumbles off his horse and lies bleeding in the mud.
There is a hushed murmur in the crowd while servants run towards Gieselfried to pick him up. But when the King starts clapping, first the courtiers and then the other spectators chime in for a thunderous if slightly forced applause.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
The faintest hint of a smile creeps across Anastaz's face as he watches from afar.
Perilake the Gilded Knight
Perilake wheels his steed around, and salutes the king and the audience. He raises his helm and smiles at the applause, basking in his early victory. But the smile falters as his gaze falls across the slumped form of his opponent, a low moan barely audible beneath the cheering. Handing the splintered lance to a footman, he brings Blacwyn alongside and climbs down from the saddle.
"Get this man to the healers" he barks at the footmen. "He will need a stretcher and clean water. And bring him wine!" Briefly, the light of the gilded knight is dimmed by concern, by the dark red soaking the tabard of Gieselfried, dripping between the silver pearls. But with the man removed from his sight, the dark thoughts are quickly banished to the horizon, replaced by the well wishes of the court (and perhaps, the smiles of certain fair maidens). For surely the knight of liberty will recover, and be the stronger for it. Surely ...
Before taking his place in the stands, Perilake seeks out Heldris. "I look forward to our bout, my friend." His good cheer flickers for a second. "Please do keep your shield up."
 |
| Sir Anastaz dismounts the Trail Knight |
The horns sound again and the next bout is announced. The wind drives shadows of dark clouds over the tiltyard. Heldris, you spot Lady Hedwig on the other side of the field with Tonda on her side. They seem to be in a disagreement that the Knight cuts short by having her steed rear up. Tonda throws her arms up in disgust while the Tankard Knight rides towards the grand stand in a trot. She seems to sway slightly in the saddle.
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris starts at Perilake’s voice, but he quickly recovers his composure. “Impressive lunge my friend," he smiles, then he gulps nervously “I look forward to our bout too.” Heldris looks at the pendant that Perilake has left in his hand. An eerie memory of his late curse creeping into his mind. “Well,” he whispers, “if anything beastly still lingers in me, I shall need it today…” and he proudly dons the pendant.
His gaze flies to the Tankard Knight and he wonders about her odd behaviour. He starts walking towards, but a gust of wind seems to steer him back on the right procedure. He walks his horse in front of the king and his retinue, then bows graciously letting his flowery tunic touch the floor
Referee
Lady Hedwig looks straight ahead, you see an ugly jagged scar on the side of her neck. Her warhorse prances nervously trying to snap at you but she keeps the reigns tight. " Ah dear Dove Knight, such grace when bowing, such innocence ... Do you feel the excitement of the crowd, the lust for blood?" She turns towards you, mustering you sombrely. She looks paler than before. "Well, I do! We should give them what they want!"
Heldris the Dove Knight
“My Lady, I hope Tonda wasn't the bearer of ill news, just before. Yes, I do hear the excitement of the crowd, the eyes of the court upon us. But it is a game we play for them, let our oaths not be clouded by it. May the best knight win!” Heldris gently strokes his horse’s head, as to reassure it “just a game, my little dove…”
Referee
The Tankard Knight adjusts her round shield with the crest of Crown and Flame and shakes her head. She turns her charger and and rides back to her side of the field. Over the wind you can barely make out her last words. "That is where you are wrong my, sweet Knight. Life is just a game and I'm ready to wager mine." Then she spurs her steed, raises lance and shield and yells: "DEATH!"
Heldris the Dove Knight
The Dove Knight sets his lance in position, and as a last gust of wind hits his back, his winged scale armour spreads in a show of sparkling glory, making him blush (or smile?) under his helmet. And he charges forward!
Referee
You meet in the middle, the Tankard Knight raises her lance, clearly aiming for your heart, readying her shield to bash you off the horse. But her lance is unsteady and doesn't land.
Heldris the Dove Knight
As the Dove Knight catches the sudden movement of Lady Hedwig's left arm, he almost stands on his horse's stirrups to thrusts his lance forwards to hit her shield, throwing the Tankard Knight, who was expecting a blow to the chest, off balance.
Referee
She raises herself up in her saddle about to use her shield to hack at you when your lance catches her shield and thrusts her off the steed. She crushes onto the ground all air leaving her lungs. She looks down at her body and blinks in astonishment that she is still alive, your lance hitting her shield instead of her. She looks up at you her eyes clear again and without sorrow and says: "What are doing, you fool, help me get up!"
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris dismounts quickly and lends her a hand, the shadow of a smirk under his helmet. “Just a game, Lady Hedwig…” he helps her up.
Referee
She seems completely changed: unlike the sombre angel of death she had been just moments ago she smiles and invites you to her pavilion after round one is finished.
 |
| Just two NPCs having the most thrilling bout in Round 1 |
Referee
The next two jousts are quickly over. Lady Katarzina and Sir Johann expertly dismounting their respective opponents.
In the most anticipated bout between Vladislav, the king's brother, and Sir Benedikt, the Sheriff of Szalai Keep, the two riders pass each other twice, hitting and dodging until in the third meeting they both dismount each other. They continue fighting on foot Vladislav with his spiked hammer, Benedikt with a crook-blade, both land terrible strikes but Vladislav is the last man standing although with a deep wound in his side.
In the next two bouts Sir Johann beats Lady Wahntraud and Lady Dagmar makes short work with Lady Gundhold. There is a little bit of time before the last joust between Sir Ludmer and Sir Anastaz.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
Anastaz takes his time saddling his scaled steed, Tibor. He does it somberly but with devotion, patting and stroking the creature's ridged hide.
Ludmer the Trail Knight
Ludmer brushes Věrný's coat, taking solace from the serenity of his trusty steed "I apologize for putting you through this, little one. You deserve better than that. That clamor must be so intimidating for you. It is all so senseless too. I wonder how you can bear all that with such inner peace". Věrný snorts, shakes her head and lazily swats a fly with her tail "You're right. We are supposed to be knights." Ludmer chuckles "At least I'm supposed to be one. You are already as noble a steed as I could ever want. Let's go and try not to die out there."
He saddles Věrný, puts on his gambeson, fastens his beak hammer at the saddle and takes the lance " I am a knight. I am Sir Ludmer Šedý, only son of Drahoslav Šedý. My duty calls me to do my best and by the Seers, I will" He rides into the arena.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
Anastaz canters out to the center of the field astride his horse. He gives a curt nod to the assembled nobles before looking across at Ludmer. "Fight well, Trail Knight!" he yells, before returning to his side of the field
Ludmer the Trail Knight
"Best of luck to you, Sir Anastaz".
Referee
As the two knights of the black fleece - bound by oath and fate - return to their starting position the sky opens up and the tiltyard is bathed in the golden light of autumn.
Ludmer the Trail Knight
"Alright, girl", Ludmer thinks. "We will attack. Like lions. If we strike first, we won't get hurt. But I'm sure Anastaz will have the same idea. Maybe we should be more cautious". Before Ludmer has made a decision, the trumpets blow and Věrný is gallopping towards Anastaz. In a split second, Ludmer decides to stay safe and concentrate on dodging Anastaz' attack. His own lance glances off Anastaz' armor, barely making a scratch, but at least he's still alive..
Anastaz the Salt Knight
Anastaz wonders how best to proceed, hoping not to hurt Ludmer too badly, but also not wanting to disgrace himself or insult Ludmer by taking it easy on him. He resolves to aim firmly at Ludmer's left breast: a solid strike if it hits, but perhaps Ludmer will have time to evade it. In seconds, however, Tibor has accelerated to a breakneck speed, the wind cutting at Anastaz's face. But the lance does not connect, and Anastaz witnesses Ludmer lunging out of its path just in time to avoid the blow. Anastaz hardly notices Ludmer's lance drag along the Salt Knight's coraline mail. As he reaches the other end of the arena, he lets out a laugh. The boy is learning. He rears around, preparing for the next tilt.
Anastaz tries to calm Tibor before the next tilt, but the beast huffs and drags its hooves through the ground, seemingly enraged at Ludmer or his serene steed. Anastaz tries to take aim at Ludmer's left breast again but the furious pace makes it difficult to stay steady. Before he knows it, he hears the crunch of bones as his lance crashes into Ludmer's collarbone. For a couple of seconds, Anastaz sees Ludmer held aloft on the tip of his lance, before he slips off and plummets to the ground. Mortified, Anastaz brings Tibor to a grinding halt before dismounting and running over to Ludmer. Only as he kneels down before his friend does the Salt Knight register the burning pain from where Ludmer's own lance broke his jaw.
Ludmer the Trail Knight
Winded and tired, Ludmer turns around. "Anastaz doesn't look tired in the slightest", he thinks. "No way through it but through it, I guess", he thinks as he rides on, training the lance straight at Sir Anastaz' right shoulder. As the lance connects, Ludmer feels a sensation of pride and elation. His Father would have been proud of him. As he passes Sir Anastaz, he feels the Salt Knight's blood on his face, salty on his lips. He sees a tooth flying through his field of vision. It is only after Sir Anastaz has passed by him that he notices that Věrný's hoofbeat has stopped and that she has turned around, after having ridden on without him for a few meters. Before the pain sets in and the world goes black, he sees the nostrils of his trusty steed, noble as ever, and the worried face of his friend and erstwhile opponent Anastaz, growing dim, replaced by pain and burning shame.
Referee
Another murmur from the stands for the ferocity of the bout. Servants run onto the field now turned red by autumn sun and blood. They carry the unconscious Sir Ludmer away. Tonda tends to Sir Anastaz broken jaw while the stands slowly empty out.
Anastaz the Salt Knight
Anastaz spits out another tooth. "Why couldn't it have been Perilake?" he mutters, as Tonda continues her ministrations
Perilake the Gilded Knight
Perilake turns to Heldris. "Damn the fates, looks like I bet on the wrong knight! I was sure Ludmer would be the victor. A brave performance from both though" he looks Heldris up and down. "I suppose only one question remains over this tourney. Is it you or I who will face Anastaz at the end?
Heldris the Dove Knight
Heldris nods pensively. “Indeed, there is always more to the Salt Knight than meets the eye, but they both have honoured their title and their friendship.” A warm smile draws upon his face, “let's follow their example then, I know you wouldn’t want me to hold back, and neither do I."
Perilake the Gilded Knight
Perilake returns the smile, then stares over the field to the surgeon's tent where both Ludmer and the unlucky knight of liberty were taken. Perhaps for the first time, he considers the strange concept of 'holding back'.
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