It is a few hours past dawn, and the tourney fields have been cleared of jousting rails and pavilions. The only thing that remains is the seating for noble observers on their cushions. The unwashed masses are left to find places at which to watch the knights of the realm hacking and slashing at each other in pursuit of glory.
There is a railed seating area within the stands for the Targaryens, and especially the dragon who this tournament honors, the noble Queen Daena. A wooden platform has been constructed before the stands, upon which perches the herald. He is flanked by men in arms of the Hightowers and Conningtons. “Your Grace!” he calls, and the chattering among the crowd begins to die. “Noble lords and fair ladies! Due to the largesse of the houses of Connington and Hightower, we gather here today to observe the knights of the realm in noble combat! The two great tournament societies have taken it upon themselves to add another chapter in their robust rivalry, for today they square off against each other in the Melee of Honor!”
Smallfolk cheer and noblemen clap. A few urchins steal coinpurses in the crowd.
“To the east, you will observe the noble knights of the Brothers of Battle. To the West, the great warriors of the Company of the Lance. Let them edify us before the seven with their skill, for all skill at arms comes from the Warrior! The rules are simple. Whichever side has the last man standing will be acclaimed the victor, and the right of boasting until their next meeting! Now, let the melee commence!”
Smallfolk howl for the blood of their betters and nobles lean forward in their seats expectantly.
Amongst the Brothers of the Battle stands Ser Ethos Mertyns. Usually one to attend tourneys, the Mistwood knight has been absent this week, though there are few that likely noticed. Now the Stormlands knight is amongst his ‘brothers’, a perpetual grin on the deputy’s face as he rests the flat of his blunted tournament blade against his shoulder. “I don’t remember much of the last melee, but I heard we lost. We’ll need to do better this time.” The man muses to whoever is nearest and listening.
Ser Humfrey takes the field in his sandy gold and sea foam white plate. Seven white silken plumes stream from his great helm; clipped to his pauldrons is his cloak of a thousand shells. His armor has a few dents and a several of the mother of pearl seashells are chipped, from his tilts with the White Lion and the Knight of Thorns, yet gorget, grieves, cuirass, and helm still blazes with a deep luster. Ser Humfrey rides atop a white courser, blunted tourney sword in hand; he lifts the blade in salute to Queen Daena Targaryen, then a sweeping sword salute and flourish to the commons. Turning to Farin he chuckles. “The Company looks wroth, Ser”
In the stands sits (for the time being) the Lady Andorea Smallwood, her eyes focused on nobody upon the field but Ser Mathin, the Knight who fights in her Favor. She seems a little more at ease this time around, perhaps having seen the success of Ser Mathin in the last tourney in which he won, has allowed her to supress some of her nervousness.
This day, there is no extravagance from Mathin Lannister. He is garbed in mail and his family’s rampant lion, with a blunted blade in his hand.
This day finds his knees to the earth; like every dawn, he approaches the day with a prayer. To the Warrior this one rises, a whispered intonation to the gods who grant him strength. Then the Lannister pushes himself up upon the strength of his sword, his starlit eyes flashing a Lion’s pride. A destrier awaits the Little Lion, a solid black steed, upon which he vaults himself.
Clad in full plate and seated on a chestnut courser, Ser Myles Hightower looks across the field at his foes this day, a haggard gleam in his eye. A flourish of a hand movement brigns down the visor on his helm. He draws his tourney blade as the herald calls for the beginning, and he gives his horse spurs; the beast leaps forward into the fray, and he angles towards the Lannister, though it will take time to close.
Argos Waxley takes the field opposite the Brothers of Battle, sitting atop a pale grey destrier. His armor is not expensive, nor flashy, nor much in the way of bearing a device of any kind. The tree-like man simply waits for the signal to begin, and as soon as it is given, spurs are set and the horse leaps forward, ready for Argos to bring his faithful weapon to bear against the nearest Brother’s midsection.
Boras slowly sits down in the stands, looking at the knights on the field, wishing he was able to participate.
Ethos isn’t one to wait around where battle is concerned, even mock battle. The knight kicks his horse into motion and charges recklessly in the direction of Waxley ahead of the support of his tourney group. He stands up in the stirrups a bit as he approaches and makes a wide slash at his foe with a loud yell.
Humfrey brings golden spurs to the flanks of his white courser and charges across the field toward the three lancers his sword, crouching close ot hsi mount he brings shield close to his cuirass his blade whistles in the mornign air as he swings out at the Riverland Knight Ser Willard Ryger.
Boras says, “when I recover from the injury I will take the field”
Ethos attacks Argos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
The younger Westerling’s armor is noticeably less decorated than his cousin, simply being unpainted plate with a Westerling surcoat. Ryckon once again bears his father’s shield and a wooden mace, and is mounted upon a black destrier that he appears slightly uncomfortable riding. Glancing around before putting on his helm as the herald signals combat, the squire follows Myles in riding for Mathin.
Mathin Lannister shuts his own visor, only to catch sight of Myles’ charge. His own benefactor it seems has now become his target and the Little Lion meets him headlong, his powerful destrier cutting across the field.
As Hightower and Lannister meet, Mathin throws a heavy blow at Myles.
Mathin attacks Myles with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Humfrey attacks Willard with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
It turns out that the closest Brother to Argos is Ethos, the ever crazy lead charger. Imagine that!
Argos attacks Ethos with his flail…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Andorea watches intently as Mathin engages, her eyes remaining fixiated on the action, wincing as Knight after Knight recieve blows, and seemingly seeming concerned with the well being of the horses as well.
A swift, yet mild blow hits Ser Myles, taking him in the arm. The solid plate there blunts the impact, however, and aside from a mild bruise it is like not to trouble the knight of Oldtown. He checks the gait of his horse and the beast stamps as Myles attacks Ser Mathin, bringing his sword crashing down towards Mathin’s shoulder.
Myles attacks Mathin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ryckon takes advantage between the fight of lion and tower, manuevering his horse to Mathin’s flank and swinging hard at the side of his back while the Lannister knight is distracted.
Ryckon attacks Mathin with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Mathin is driven from the saddle!
Yes, imagine that! What a surprise! Ethos and Argos trade blows, each battering the other with loud clangings sounding upon armor. Mertyns pulls hard at the reins and his horse rears. As it’s hooves hit the dirt again, the Stormlander is slashing hard at Argos.
Ethos attacks Argos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Argos is rocked back in the saddle by Ethos’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Andorea lets out a loud cry from the stands as she sees Mathin driven from his saddle. She leaps from her seat and moves to stand on the rail, gripping it tightly, “Unfair!”
Willard rides in and sees hit after hit land on his friend of the Lannisters, ser Mathin “Gangin up on him?” he cires as he sets upon Ser Ethos with his sword!
Boras nods in satisfaction as he takes in the action on the field
Willard attacks Ethos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ethos is driven from the saddle!
Melene Darry is also in the stands, watching the two companies strive against each other. She looks to Andorea after Mathin takes a heavy blow. “Oh, he will feel that in the morning.” She smiles a bit. “Oh, I keep meaning to say, please do not get your hopes up. He may have your favor, but that does not mean… Lady Andorea! Come sit, please. You are making a spectacle of yourself.”
Already, the clash between Argos and Ethos is exactly what a melee ought to be. Massive hits swatted out from both sides, but before Argos can react, Willard knocks Ethos out from Argos’ grasp. Tapping his helm for the Ryger knight, Argos rides off to find himself a new target.
Mathin attempts to reel his destrier around, his sword not finding much purchase upon Myles’ armor. But he is met, almost immediately by two blows.
One from the Hightower, which lands upon his shoulder, and the next upon his back. It is enough to throw the young Lannister from his saddle.
He tastes blood and dirt upon the ground, and loss. A first loss.
The Little Lion is slow to rise.
Watching the Lannister go down, Myles salutes him with his sword and spurs his way towards Ser Argos.
Andorea does not sit, despite what Melene has stated, perhaps she did not hear her. Her eyes remain on the Lannister as he is slow to get up, a look of concern and then turning to anger as her eyes narrow on the two responsible, however she is silent.
As Ser Myles approaches, Argos is not one to take the slow hit this time. Flail whirling overhead, he attmepts to bring it crashing down on Ser Myles.
Focused as he is upon Argos, Ethos never sees Willard come up on his flank. The knight is swatted off of his horse and hits the dirt, and stand almost immediately, “Cheap bastard!!” He yells after Argos, then turns a scowl on Willard and makes a rude gesture before flinging the blunted sword in Willard’s direction out of spite and stalking off the field.
Argos attacks Myles with his flail…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Myles is driven from the saddle!
Fast behind the Riverland Knight Ser Humfrey charges, his white coursers tears furrows in the ground of the tourney yard. He races after Ser Willard after his tourney sword whistling through the air. “Westerling!!!’ He swings down in a wicked ark at Ser Willard.
Humfrey attacks Willard with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Willard is driven from the saddle!
Ryckon hesitates for just a minute after unhorsing the Lannister knight not much older than he, but then brings his borrowed destrier to a circular trot, waiting for someone to come to him. When no one comes and he sees Myles struck down by Argos, he rears and charges with an exhilirated whoop.
Ryckon attacks Argos with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Argos is rocked back in the saddle by Ryckon’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
What’s that? Ethos changes his mind? It seems so! The knight grabs up the sword he threw earlier in anger after some dodging about, and climbs back onto his horse. There’s a certain knight that needs some payback… and his name is Willard.
Argos himself is rocked by the little Seashell, and yelps in a gutteral tone before wheeling about to return the favor.
Argos attacks Ryckon with his flail…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
As he approaches, Ser Myles raises his blade to attack, but he is caught almost by surprise by how quickly the flail whips down to strike at his head. He just manages to get his shield up to take the blow, but the sheer force of Waxley’s blow knocks him from the saddle, clattering to the ground. He is quick to rise, though, and is clearly not out of the fight yet.
And Willard is hit hard by Humfrey again. His own strike missing by a great margin as the other knight’s attack rattles him in his seat. He’s looking for a target and sees it in Humfrey. the knight who ousted him… Willard’s sword comes up…
Willard attacks Humfrey with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Ryckon grunts at Argos’s tough blow but is quick to respond to the response by bringing his mace up and quickly back down towards the Waxley’s shoulder.
Ryckon attacks Argos with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Argos is driven from the saddle!
Slowly, ever so slowly, Mathin rises to his feet; unsteady as he is, his eyes scan the field and come to rest at Myles. “Hightower!” he calls out!
“We are both unhorsed! Let us find out who is fit to saddle anew!”
Glancing ‘round for the sound of his name, Myles sets eyes upon the Lannister. “Gladly, ser!”
He charges at the Lannister knight, swinging his blade in a wide arc for the other’s midsection.
Myles attacks Mathin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Though the expert knight in the prime of his life is engaging a 15 year old face to face, his flail is not so quick as the boy’s mace, and a particularly hard blow breaks the knight’s concentration as well as cheap armor, and the Waxley knight…goes down. And there he remains, for a moment, picking himself up out of the dirt, and generally avoiding the swirling melee until a chance presents itself to remount and find the nearest Brother to exact vengeance upon.
The Knight of the Crag grunts and feels blood splatter over hsi teeth as the Riverland knight cracks him a good blow across the helm. “A fine blow Ser prepare for my reverb” the tourney sword comes down in a wicked arc toward Willard’s helm.
Humfrey attacks Willard with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ethos reaches Willard now and rides up behind him while the knight is attacking his fellow Brother of Battle, Humfrey. Mertyns swings hard, trying to catch Willard in the back.
Ethos attacks Willard with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Willard is rocked back in the saddle by Ethos’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Andorea winces again as Mathin is struck, and it is clear the smile that was upon her face at the Joust a day or so prior is no longer present.
Mathin is struck heavily again; yet he is young and the lion roars deep within his bones! Staggering back but a moment, he composes himself.
And orchestrates a composition of blade to mail, meant for the shoulder.
Mathin attacks Myles with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Willard escapes a narrrow hit here and there, one or the other taken on his shield and then there’s the counter on his foe, Ser Humfrey!
Willard attacks Humfrey with his sword…
...and misses by a narrow margin!
When Argos does get up again, it is nearer to Ser Ethos, the man who first struck him. On a vengeance streak, his flail goes up, and down onto Ethos’ unprotected (and hopefully unwitting) side.
Argos attacks Ethos with his flail…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Myles sees the blow coming, however, and twists to avoid. While the sheer speed of the blow means he cannot avoid it entirely, he does manage to make it merely a glancing attack. Planting his right foot, he changes his momentum to explode towards Ser Mathin, coming down in an overhand arc for the Lannister’s shoulder.
Myles attacks Mathin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
The Knight of the Crag ducks a quick blow from Ser Willard then follows it up with a retor, swiging low for the Riverland Knight’s lower chest.
Humfrey attacks Willard with his sword…
...and misses by a narrow margin!
Melene sighs. “Lady, please reclaim your seat. This is what these men live for. There is no need to distress yourself so. Your cousin would want you not to worry, even if he was there fighting with this brothers-in-arms.”
Ethos sees Argos coming up behind him, but his focus is still upon Willard for now. He grits his teeth against the hard blow to his unwitting side and then swings hard at Willard again.
Ethos attacks Willard with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Willard is driven from the saddle!
Andorea takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, turning to Melene and nodding, then returning to her seat beside her. She softly murmurs, “I can’t watch…”
As his former rescuer is brought down by the Mertyns knight, Argos lets out a bellow of rage, and swings again to avenge his comrade in arms.
Argos attacks Ethos with his flail…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Ethos is rocked back in the saddle by Argos’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Myles stings Mathin anew, the elder Knight proving both faster and stronger. The Lannister seems weathered now, he has but a few strikes left in such young hands. But it is youth and pride that carries him to drive his blunted blade to the Hightower’s midsection, hoping for purchase.
Mathin attacks Myles with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ryckon cheers at his second unhorsing and wheels around to join the Willard-clobberfest. However, seeing Argos rise again, he rides to the defense of Ethos, passing close to the duel of Mathin and Myles, all his discomfort with the destrier apparently gone. Reaching Argos, he throws the force of his charge into a blow meant for Argos’s stomach.
Ryckon attacks Argos with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Myles catches the blade with his gut; the plate blunts the blow, but it is delivered with an incredible amount of force and knocks the wind from him. The knight of Oldtown stagers a step back, swinging his blade forward and across his body wildly to buy himself some time.
Myles attacks Mathin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Mathin is driven from the saddle!
The Knight of the Crag rides fast to his cousin, His sword glimmering with bits of detris from Ser Willard’s plate. He swings at Ser Argos screaming ‘Westerling!!!” at the top of his lungs.
Humfrey attacks Argos with his sword…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
In the wild chaos of the melee, Humfrey and Argos are carried apart from one another.
Another stike slams into Mertyns and the knight stuggles a bit to stay on his horse. He yanks the beast about now to face Argos, but Ryckon is already coming to his defense. The knight cheers supportively and positions himself back to watch Hunfrey’s back instead, catching his breath.
Mathin seems to lean into the blow, his head sneaking out to meet the Oldtown knight’s blade. And so it is taken, and so Mathin falls to the ground.
This time he does not rise.
The chaos of the melee does not allow Myles time to check on the other’s health; he plunges back into the fray, seeking out foemen.
Willard is driven from his saddle with ease that shakes even him. How come? Who did? What? Are the question in his head, as the ground comes to hit him and knock him unconscious.
Having chosen not to look, Andorea is unaware that Mathin has been driven to the ground again and does not rise immediatly.
Ignoring everything else around him for the moment, Argos intends to take Ethos out while he’s still got fight left in him.
Boras thanks the participants on the field for the melee
Ethos sees Argos still coming after him and makes a quick slash at the knight first, cause he was waiting defensively.
Ethos attacks Argos with his sword…
...and misses by a narrow margin!
Argos attacks Ethos with his flail…
...and sees his blow go wild!
Ser Humfrey screams another battle cry “Seven and the Crag!” And swings at Ser Argos with a wickedly quick blow aimed at his right pauldron.
Humfrey attacks Argos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Argos is driven from the saddle!
Seeing no one from the Company of the Lance remaining upon the field, Ser Myles, being not a Brother of Battle anyway, turns immediately upon the nearest one he can find: Ryckon Westerling. He slashes at the man’s back as he charges into the fray!
Myles attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
Ryckon continues riding on for a moment after his successful blow on Argos before turning around and trying to level a similar blow at a similar position on his back, taking advantage of his distraction with Ethos. However, his cousin unhorses Argos first and the blow goes to waste!
Swearing beneath his helm, the squire pulls away from Humfrey as swiftly as possible and tries to charge towards Ethos. However, before he can do that, Myles swings at the young Westerling’s back and misses! Yelping in surprise, he awkwardly but quickly turns his horse around and aims his mace for Myles’s side.
Ryckon attacks Myles with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Myles is rocked back in the saddle by Ryckon’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Ethos is looking the most beaten of the group still on the field, and the knight quickly skims over those remaining. Since he works with Farin, beating up the other knight’s squire likely isn’t the most prudent or chivalric thing to do. But, Ethos isn’t all that chivalrous or prudent. Mertyns slashes at Ryckon’s flank while he’s engaged with Myles.
Ethos attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ryckon is rocked back in the saddle by Ethos’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Caught by the Mace, Myles barely manages to hang on, howling with pain and rage in the process. He leans forward and delivers a downward slash for Ryckon’s shoulder!
Myles attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and has his blow intercepted by Ryckon’s shield.
Aftet Ser Waxley falls the Knight of the crag surveys the tourney field and sees Ethos and Myles go after Ryckon. “Two Knights against one squire?” He chuckles then swings at Ethos
Humfrey attacks Ethos with his sword…
...and has his blow intercepted by Ethos’s shield.
Ethos manages to get his shield up in time to block the attack from Humfrey. “He joined the melee. It’s his fool choice.” The Stormlander says, laughing. He turns his attention upon Humfrey, swinging at Knight of the Crag next.
Andorea still sits in the stands,m the sound of the combat going on about her, but choosing to look more or less at the floor for the most part, the combat and the fact that Ser Mathin has been unhorsed, causing her to do so.
Ryckon is nearly toppled by Ethos and is certainly disoriented by the strike, but not so much that he can’t bring his shield up in time to block Myles (which he does). Seeing his cousin taking on the Stormlander, and hopefully distracting him, he carries on fighting Myles with a swing for his chest.
Ethos attacks Humfrey with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Humfrey is rocked back in the saddle by Ethos’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Ryckon attacks Myles with his mass weapon…
...and has his blow intercepted by Myles’s shield.
“Fool no….” Humfrey grunts as Ethos’s sword crashed against his cuirass. “He’s a brave lad.” Humfrey swings hard putting the full force of his body into the swing at Ethos’s head
Humfrey attacks Ethos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ethos is rocked back in the saddle by Humfrey’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Myles knocks the attack aside with a thrust of his shield and attacks Ryckon yet again, swinging his sword to bring it down upon the Westerling knight’s outstretched arm.
Myles attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Ryckon is driven from the saddle!
Boras jumps as Ryckon falls
Ryckon’s arm goes down, his shoulder goes down, he goes down as Myles catches his arm before he can pull away. For the first time he hits the ground, and he stays there waiting for an opportunity to rise again after pushing himself up with a grunt.
“Not brave if everyone—augh!” Ethos argues, barely weathering that horrible blow that clangs off his helm. He growls some obscenities in anger and spurs his mount forward, slashing hard at Humfrey’s throat with the dulled weapon.
Ethos attacks Humfrey with his sword…
...and sees his blow go wild!
Drawn from the black, Mathin rises groggily from his defeat. Setting himself back upon his haunches, he gestures to the crowd to let them know he has recovered. Then his eyes watch the last of the melee…unsteadily.
“Brother, swallow your curses less the seven smite you” The Knight ofthe crag swings back at Ethos after ducking a wild blow his retort aimed at his comrades’ gorget.
Humfrey attacks Ethos with his sword…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
Seeing Ryckon go down, Ser Myles turns his attention to the other Westerling locked in combat with Ser Ethos. There is an advantage to be had. He charges over and swings at Ser Humfrey from the other side.
Myles attacks Humfrey with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Humfrey is driven from the saddle!
The Knight of the Crag swallows a curse as his sword crashes against Ethos’s but fails to penetrate his parries; then Ser Myles is on him; Humfrey tries to wheel roudn in his stirrup to parry but is too late; Myles blow sends him reeling and he falsl to the ground heavily.
“I’ll swallow my curses when I damned well feel like it, son of a whore!” Good humor seems to have abandoned the Mertyns knight to be replaced with a new rage. He brings up his sword to slash at Humfrey again, but… Humfrey is in the dirt. Ethos sets his gaze on Myles instead and swings.
When the Myles is away, the Ryckon will play. He clambers back atop his horse unsteadily and settles himself in the saddle, spurring it forward and following Myles’s route to strike the Hightower in the back.
Ryckon attacks Myles with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Myles is driven from the saddle!
Rocked with a dual strike, Myles can do nothing but fall, dazed. A good showing, but he is done.
Ser Humfrey mounts a his courser again and wheels the mount round takign a fresh tourney blade from his squire. He charges at Ser Ethos, his blade whistling as he swings for Ethos’s gorget.
Humfrey attacks Ethos with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Ethos is driven from the saddle!
Entering the stands…is Farin Prester, accompanied by his usual retinue. Grim faced and tired, he takes his seat to watch…his horse.
Ethos watches Myles hit the dirt and shakes his head a few times, looking around slowly to see who is left. As Humfrey smashes into him, the Mistwood knight is struck from the saddle, gasping for breath after that brutal hit to the gorget. He’ll feel that one in the morning.
The Knight of the Crag flourishes his blade after Ethos falls and charges toward his cousin, his beautiful white mount tears the earth to shreads the dawn light illumine shis sword as he raises it high and charges at his cousin and then pulls up short, the beasts legs claw at the air and he stops mid charge canters the beast toward his cousin, and salutes the land. “A Brave boy, the day is yours cuz”
“Test the boy!” Farin calls out from the stands. More than a few smallfolk pick up the cry.
Ryckon turns around to hit Ethos, but is too slow and instead gets to watch Humfrey take him down. Letting out a single excited laugh, he readies for attack and raises his mace… only to see his cousin yield. If you could see under the squire’s helm you would see his eyebrow raised. “Truly, coz?” he asks, without lowering his mace.
Ser Humfrey doffs his greathelm there’s a dribble of blood at the corner of his lips where Ser Willard’s tourney sword nearly tore his helm from hsi head. “Truly . . . you have bested some of the realm’s best. The day is yours” Humfrey makes a move to take Ryckon’s gauntleted hand and lift it high.
Ryckon pulls his hand away, but does not (yet) attack. “You know, coz, that the smallfolk would never forgive either of us for this. Are you quite sure you wish to do this?” He pauses before adding with grandiose caution, “Are you sure you wish this to be upon our house?”
Ser Farin, despite his apparent fatigue, bursts into laughter. “Are they serious? This is how the boy is to win? By being handed the victory as a handicap? Oh, what /glory/ there is to be had here. Bah.”
Ethos finally gets to his feet again and just shakes his head. “Just hug each other and be done with it!” He grumbles, moving to leave the field.
The Knight of the Crag whips his head around toward Farin then turns to Ryckon “You are right, lad” He turns and rides to the end of the field replaces his great helm and charges blade whistling
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Farin takes his seat again, looking to the crowd around his, and spreading his palm out to indicate the battle, giving the universal sign language for “You’re welcome”.
Ryckon seems legitimately surprised by Humphrey’s sudden acquiescence to violence, and is unable to prepare for a quick strike. He retaliates by shouting “Honor, not honors!” and swinging hard at Humfrey’s sternum.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Boras shouts “come on Ryckon”
Even Mathin is brought to song, “Westerling!” he shouts!
The Knight of the Crag grunts and spits up another gob of blood at the air holes of his great helm; the boy was fifteen and his blows were hard as iron; yet Humfrey , may haps, was quicker. “Honor, not Honors!” His retort is a silver sun kissed blur of tourney still aimed at the lads helm
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Ryckon flinches to the side too late. He grunts in pain and swears in Valyrian as his helm is knocked off by Humfrey’s admittedly quicker blade. “Surely we can’t spend the whole day shouting our words at each other, coz!” He swings back at Humfrey’s side, hopefully unprotected by arms still swinging.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
Ethos leans against the stands near where Farin is sitting, his helm pulled off now. “He was going to just give him the victory. In a melee!” The man says, scoffing.
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
The Knight of the Crag dodges Ryckon’s tourney mace then parries the wicked weapon; after the parry he sends the edge of his blade in a forceful downward ark across Ryckon’s body in an effort to take him between mace and shield. “Your Valyrian is good coz, but your blows are laggardly”
Ryckon is indeed taken in the center of his body by Humfrey’s blow, making no sound but only wincing as the wind is knocked out of him. Regaining his breath, he manages to mutter, “My Valyrian is as good as my steel…” before aiming a sweeping blow for the side of Humfrey’s stomach.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...and has his blow intercepted by Humfrey’s shield.
His cousin’s Mace clips the edge of his shield, sending a jolt of pain down his arm. Humfrey’s takes hold of his blade with both hands and swings, and steers his courser with spurred feet. He swings at Ryckon’s left Pauldon, the air screams with the alacrity and force of his swing. “Then I dub you Brittle Steel.”
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and sees his blow go wild!
Ryckon winces as the blow comes for him, surely portending doom… but he is spared as Humfrey loses control of his blade and misses him! He laughs with sincerely joyful gratitude. “Surely you can think of a better name for me than that, coz!” He brings his mace arm up and around and at Humfrey’s chest.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
“Fire and blood” His wild blows fails to find purchase and the knight of the crag nearly loses his seat only to have Ryckon smash him full in the chest with his mace, blood pours from his air holes and the commons is filled with the sound and sight of mother of pearl seashell splintering and falling to the mud of the commons. Humfrey wrenches hsi own helm off his head and spits blood ont o the mud. He flourishes his blade and charges, swinging low for the joint pauldron and cuirass. “Little Lord, green shell” Humfrey’s blow sends a sharp whistle and a blinding ribbon of light across the commons.
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and merely strikes a glancing blow!
Ryckon jumps back in time to take most of the force out of Humfrey’s strike, though it still makes contact. He grins, clearly visible without his helm on. “I’ve learned a long time ago that our house’s sigil is hardly intimidating, coz. The same, of course, cannot be said for our house’s members.” Once again he aims his mace for his cousin’s sternum, hoping that his last strike will be the same as his first.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
Boras says, “Gods, they will be sore in the morrow.”
The Commons rings with the slash, swing and parry of tourney mace and tourney sword. The Knight of the Crag smiles at his cousin’s valor and bravado. The boy had spirit, and a double measure of the warrior’s own courage and recklessness’. “Yes, Ryck, though if a Kraken or a Wolf were to try to core your shell I’ll wager they’d damn well choke” Humfrey sees his opening, only a second but he feints then stirkes at his cousins left pauldron with another blow that whistles across the commons.
Humfrey attacks Ryckon with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Ryckon is rocked back in the saddle by Humfrey’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Ryckon is briefly sent into shock when Humfrey calls him by his father’s name and falls for the feint and the blow. Somehow, though, he struggles to keep his seat and succeeds. With no quip, only a wide grin, he reels back aiming a blow straight for Humfrey’s torso.
Ryckon attacks Humfrey with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Humfrey is driven from the saddle!
Boras shouts, “all hail Ryckon”
Ser Farin shakes his head slowly, his doublet hardly moving as his neck twitches back and forth. “Who would have thought?” And then he holds his hand out, and each of his men-at-arms place a gold dragon in his upturned palm.
The Knight of the Crag grins and rides toward Ryckon intent on finishing him, then he tries to lift his shield as the squire’s blow comes at his torso. The Force of the blow takes his shield and sends shield and mace crashing into hsi chest; his horse roars and shrieks and the knight of the Crag goes tumbling into the mud. For a moment he is struck dumb, spittign blood from his split lip and staring, the wind knocked form him bu tthen after a few seconds he stumbles to hsi feet; grinning at his cousin with blooded teeth. “The days -is- yours cos and fairly won”
Boras stands, waves goodbye and walks away from the field
“That brings the melee to a close, ladies and gentlemen. All hail Ryckon Westerling of the Brotherhood of Battle!” cries the herald. “Praise him with great praise!”
The herald makes his exit then, Hightower and Connington men in tow: the signal to get the hell out of here.