So it was that before what seemed to be much of the nobility, Ser Jaesin Lannister was called before the king, and was sworn into the White Swords while Lord Loren watched with pleasure—despite losing his heir, some would say—and his brother Jonn seemed stricken. The High Septon himself lead the golden-haired knight through his vows, the king fastened his cloak about his shoulders, and Lord Commander Reynard Caron himself assisted him to his feet to greet his new Sworn Brothers. Among them, his great friend Prince Aemon, embraced him. From there the king gave Ser Jaesin his first command, to serve as sworn shield for the beautiful Princess Daena, the previous day’s Queen of Love and Beauty. Naming her precious, he said that she would never be more so, now that he had to accede to the small council. It was unclear at first of what he spoke, and then many believed that at last the king would betroth his sister and prepare to marry her, making her his queen. But when he called the toast, it was to announce that the princess was to be betrothed to his brother, the Prince of Dragonstone, Baelor. It was a surprise for many, yet they cheered nonetheless.

After the momentous occasion, it is no surprise that Princess Daena seemed a bundle of nerves as she disbursed rewards to good and honest knights and ladies who had assisted in the recovery of certain items of worth, rather than allowing the unscrupulous to make off with them. Among those so honored were Lady Elyn Ryswell, Lady Kellyn Lannister, Lady Marian Stark, Ser Bonifer Buckwell, SethBlackwood, Ser Almer Connignton, Ryssa Waters, Lady Reyna Saltcliffe, and Ser Bryon Waynwood. Once they received their rewards, the feasting resumed in full force, with much more to discuss and gossip about than before. Many lords and ladies showed their grace and courtesy during the dancing that became a favored activity in the later hours of the feast.

There was no hesitation, as seven new-made knights challenged the champions, Sarmion Stormbreaker’s former squire, Ser Ethos, challenging Sarmion’s previous squire, Ser Almer. Fourteen knights charged, with Ser Ethos being overthrown with a few other knights in the first pass, and the rest were vanquished soon after, leaving all seven champions in charge of the field. And then the challenges came fast, with Ser Triston facing Gueren Water’s son, Ser Ondryn, whom he defeated, and Ser Bonifer Buckwell facing and then defeating Prince Cadan Martell. As the day wore on, the flow of challengers slowed, but there were over a hundred who had meant to take part, and it would be well into the afternoon before those final jousts were completed.

Other notable contests included Ser Gueren, who had ridden brilliantly up to that point, facing the famed Ser Roger Ryger, who managed to unseat the crownlands favorite and take his place. So, too, did Ser Almer fall to his rival, Ser Dagur Saltcliffe. Balian Blackwood faced many challengers as well, the lone lance who was not a knight among the champions, and he acquitted himself well as he defeated Ser Benedict Rogers and several other notable knights before the Bastard of Three Towers, Ser Endran Flowers, knocked upon his shield and soon unhorsed him to take his place.

Prince Aemon the Dragonknight rode as brilliantly, all agreed, and had more luck, defeating among others Ser Anders Dondarrion—who gave the Dragonknight several hard-fought passes before succumbing—and Ser Ingram Swyft, called Bluespurs, the Knight of Cornfield. Ser Aidan rode well as well, though he received fewer challengers than some, perhaps because few would find any great honor in defeating a Dornishman. Yet Ser Ardon Tyrell discharged his oath to seek Ser Aidan out, and was driven from the saddle in the first past, which he appeared to accept with equanimity, and then not long after Ser Kavan Paege the Young, tried his luck. In two courses, all the lances were broken, but Ser Aidan’s placement was the better and he forced Ser Kavan from his saddle.

Ser Endran did not rest on his laurels, nor did Ser Roger, as they fought a number of challengers. Some would say the Bastard of Three Towers had the harder contests, facing the likes of Ser Walder and Ser Halder Frey, the Twins of the Crossing, in succession and unhorsing them both in the first pass. The crowd cheered him on, as he seemed to be in the finest possible form. Then Lord Hugo Smallwood, known as Oakshanks for his size and might, came and challenged Ser Roger Ryger. After four courses with all but one lance shattered, the muscular Lord Smallwood hammered Ser Roger to the earth, and roared his victory as he took possession of the champion’s place.

One of the last contests of the day was for Ser Dagur Saltcliffe, who had been in fine form after overthrowing Ser Almer. But it was Ser Janden Melcolm who proved his undoing. The valeknight was not widely known, but had been the second place knight on the first day, and h e proved it was no fluke when he forced the Iron Serpent from the saddle and took the champion’s place. Ser Bonifer also faced a late challenger, Ser Eben Bolling of the City Watch of King’s Landing, but had better luck holding the knight off, defeating him after a pair of courses.

And then shortly after, there were no more knights to challenge. No less than four knights had kept their places as champions throughout the day, and all of them fought at least ten challenges in the process, with some significantly more, such as the Dragonknight.

At last it was the final contest, and due to his many challenges Ser Aemon was allowed to sit out the initial contests. Ser Bonifer faced Oakshanks, and was hammered from the saddle by such a blow that it is said ribs were seriously bruised, or perhaps even cracked. Ser Triston and Ser Janden traded courses, until at last Ser Janden had the better of his fellow valelord and pushed him to the ground. And Ser Aidan Dayne fought a close contest against the Bastard of Three Towers, ultimately defeating him.

When Oakshanks faced the Dragonknight, however, it proved a different story for him, and he was soon defeated. The Knight of the Twilight faced the bold Melcolm knight, who strived to at least match his performance on the first day, but nothing came of it as he was defeated. This left a last contest, between the Dornish jousting prodigy and the man considered by many to be the finest knight in the realm. Prince Aemon and Ser Aidan saluted one another before charging down the lists ... and they both unhorsed one another with the force of the blows!

There was a delay, as King Daeron and the herald hurriedly conversed, and then the herald called on the men to lay on with tourney blades to decide the outcome. They set to with great courage and prowess, but from Dayne’s tactics it was clear he doubted he could match Prince Aemon blow for blow. Instead, reversing his tactics from some tourneys before when he fought the Iron Serpent on foot, he forced the Dragonknight to chase him until he was near one of the barriers, and then lured him into flinging a decisive blow that ended with the tourney blade embedded in a barrier, the new wood and layers of whitewash sticking it fast. Ser Aidan flung away his shield and attempted to hammer the prince down as he struggled to remove the sword, but Aemon abandoned it and defended himself with his shield before the Dornishman’s withering, desperate attempt to take the victory.

It was his vigor that seemed like to prove his undoing. Hacking and slashing at the shield, at one point it split the shield part way down its length, and before he could withdraw it from the near-ruined shield, the Dragonknight gave a heave. The sword was ripped from the Knight of the Twilight’s hand, and Prince Aemon flung sword and shield both away. Then unarmed, for a moment they stared at one another ... and hunger for glory and victory, before took up the long narrow daggers at their belts, a standard part of a knights’ equipment which is rarely used on the tourney field and is thus never replaced with a blunted one. At that moment, the king’s voice roared out as he called for a halt.

After further consultation with the herald and Prince Viserys, the king determined that both men had proved their prowess equally well, and if the gods could not decide between them with either lance or sword, it would be called a draw and they would share in the prize purse. Both knights agreed to the king’s decision, naming it just, and upheld the right of Daena to wear the crown of Queen of Love and Beauty. Such a contest, and such a result, was surpassingly strange, and few knew how to take it. Some thought the king was kind to the Dornishman, perhaps even favoring the man as some accused him of favoring the Dornishmen in general. Others merely thought it good sense, to stop the contest before blood would be spilled in their eagerness to gain renown. The original first prize was no less than twenty thousand dragons.

Prince Cadan Martell of Dorne, bearing a mysterious blue and white favor, then challenged the young lancer Seth Blackwood, who wore the favor of Lady Marian Stark. After saluting each other courteously, the two riders clashed. Though bruised from earlier matches, Prince Cadan seemed to get the better of the first pass, though the Blackwood held his seat with skill, and both broke lances. On their second pass, Seth delivered a strong blow to the Prince, breaking a second lance and unhorsing the Martell. Both men were cheered for their good showing.

Following this victory, Seth Blackwood courteously challenged Ser Almer Connington to a tilt, and the Griffin accepted the lancer’s challenge with equal courtesy. The two riders faced off, and whilst both broke lances, Seth was knocked from the saddle by the knight. Already battered from previous jousts, Seth fell hard, though he was aided in rising by Ser Almer, who clearly admired the man’s courage. They exchanged more courteous words, to the crowd’s pleasure, and once again the Connington saluted both his lady and the lady of his opponent.

Cadan next challenged the Black Lion, though both knights appeared to be the worse for wear after their previous tilts. Though both shattered their lances, the mystery knight was hammered from the saddle by the Prince, and this time he lay unmoving. After a time, several Lannister retainers were forced to remove the Black Lion on a gurney, much to the alarm of the Lady Kellyn and other ladies in the stands.

Prince Cadan Martell then challenged Ser Almer Connington. The Prince cracked a lance, but the Griffin shattered his, and the Martell was struck from the saddle as if by a hammerblow, tumbling to the hard earth. The crowd cheered the bout, and the Stormlanders in particular, who seemed to savor the win as revenge for the Prince’s prior defeat of their Stormbreaker. Ser Almer, concerned, dismounted to help the senseless Prince up; he was politely rebuffed, however, and Dornish attendants helped Cadan back to his pavilion.

With all immediate challengers vanquished, Ser Almer prepared to retire from the field, until a latecomer, Ser Bonifer Buckwell of the Antlers, who bore the favor of Lady Elyn Ryswell, issued a challenge to his cousin. Ser Almer, who by virtue of his victory on the first day was precluded from winning the Joust of Love, nevertheless accepted. On the first pass Ser Bonifer broke a lance, whilst Ser Almer shattered his, and Ser Bonifer held his seat, the first knight of the tourney to survive a pass with the Griffin! The crowd erupted, and Ser Almer, in deference to the Buckwell’s feat, gallantly forfeited, leaving Ser Bonifer in possession of the field!

Other contests ensued, including that between Ser Osbert Bettley, the Breaker of Yronwood, against the mysterious Weeping Knight. Known for his fierceness in battle, Ser Osbert was unhorsed by the mysterious, unknown knight. And then, it was noticed that without much fanfare, the Jousting Lord had been industriously challenging knights, particularly when he put Ser Bonifer Buckwell to the challenge, and promptly unhorsed him; it seemed Lord Whalon Rosby had determined to perform a feat of arms, namely outdoing Ser Jace Rollingford’s mark of twenty-five jousts. It was noted by many that Rollingford was thirty years Rosby’s junior, yet that did not seem to tell with him. From Buckwell, he challenged the Weeping Knight, who unhorsed him after three well-fought passes, In the meantime, Seth Blackwood challenge Ser Bonifer Buckwell, and was unhorsed by a hammerblow that rendered him incapable of challenging further. After all the wounds he had taken in previous jousts, the onlookers were amazed he managed so many challenges, giving his best on behalf of Lady Marian.

And then some harsh words, and it became less of a matter of love, as the Black Lion—having returned much refreshed from his earlier defeats—spoke crudely to him when Rosby challenged him. Alas, the mystery knight defeated Lord Whalon in the first course, but the old lord gamely got up again to take a rest and then find some new foes as he climbed towards the mark he was aiming for. And then there was the matter of Ser Dagur Saltcliffe, who in being insulted with crude remarks regarding his lady set out to defeat all the foes he could. Great knights were challenged—Ser Osbert, defeated; the Black Lion, after a pair of courses, also defeated; Lord Whalon, defeated in a course, and still the ironman sought to assuage his rage. Next he set his eyes on the Weeping Knight ... and was unhorsed in the first pass, dampening his rage.

Others still jousted, from Ser Bonifer trading two courses with Triston Templeton until the young Vale knight defeated him. At this point, arriving quite late in the day, Ser Aidan Dayne, the Knight of the Twilight, appeared with the Lady Aisling Ryswell leading his horse behind her. About his arm was a favor, clearly belonging to the lady, and curiosity was aroused from some—not least her step-sister Sylvina, and her bastard uncle Henly Snow. Ser Aidan promptly declared himself, offering to joust any man who wished to challenge him for love of his lady, but none took him up on that. He also declared a feat of arms that he wished to pursue, to joust no more than three courses with each knight who had defeated him in the previous days. The first to satisfy the Dornishman was Ser Almer Connington, and the two knights showed great prowess as they rode three courses to no result. Even as this joust began, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who had not armed as if to take part, proceeded to do so—likely to chivalrously assist Ser Aidan in completing his feat of arms.

But all this would be overshadowed by Ser Bonifer Buckwell’s challenge of the Weeping Knight, who was unhorsed in the first course. Buckwell dismounted and drew his sword, but left it up to his lady, Elyn Ryswell, to determine what he should do—force him to unmask, let him keep his identity, or give the mystery knight the chance to fight on on foot. Elyn, proud of her would-be suitor and eager to see him gain renown, had the two knights cross swords. For long they seemed well matched, and all the while other knights still jousted, beginning with Prince Cadan’s challenge of the Dragonknight, who promptly unhorsed him.

Another late arrival, appearing with great pomp and pageantry, was Prince Aegon, bearing the favor of his mistress, Cassella Vaith. Soon there was a challenge with Ser Victor Reyne, which proved a hard fought match until the Targaryen prince managed to unhorse him after several courses. And then Whalon Rosby followed Victor, challenging the Targaryen prince, giving him the honor of being his twenty-sixth challenge. The crowd cheered the Jousting Lord as he gave the younger man a hard fought match lasting four courses with six lances broken between. Lord Whalon lost a tooth in his fall, and needed help from three men to get off from the field, but he grinned to the crowd and won their approval.

And then the crowd had more reason to roar, as Ser Bonifer lost his helm to the Weeping Knight’s blows, and seemed to be in danger not only of losing, but of real harm. The swordsmen continued, fighting for glory, as others jousted, with the Martell prince reentering the lists to challenge and defeat Ser Triston, and then challenging Prince Aegon. Many cheered for Aegon, only to see him overthrown by the jubilant Prince Cadan. Nearly at this same moment, Ser Bonifer rally and defeated the Weeping Knight with a marvellous blow that felled him and dented his mask. When the knight at last removed it, he revealed who he was for all to see: Ser Ardon Tyrell, a knight of renown. The crowd was pleased, and Buckwell covered himself in glory for finally unmasking the Mystery Knight.

The last joust of the day, before the voting, was between Ser Aidan and Prince Aemon. With Templeton busied with other contests, and Gueren Waters and Lord Manfred Dondarrion not taking part, Ser Aidan’s feat of arms was doomed to failure, but the joust against the Dragonknight would not soon be forgotten. Three times the knights challenged one another, and six times did they break their lances, shattering them with tremendous force, a rare show of skill and nerve. The crowd approved, even if a Dornishman was involved, while the ladies of the court began to determine which knight was the winner of the day. When it proved to be the absent Seth Blackwood, who had recovered from his many wounds and required convalescence, there was general approval of the choice—his endurance of pain and suffering, and boundless courage, was right and proper for the victor of the day.

Afterwards, the Blackwood esquire tried his lance against the Knight of the Twilight, who overthrew him, and the mystery knight managed the same feat against the Iron Serpent. As speculation continued to run as to the knight’s identity, the final title was called ... and the Weeping Knight was driven from the saddle by the Knight of the Twilight in the first pass. Yet for his valor against Ser Halbert, Ser Aidan gave him parole to retain his mask, laying on him the charge to seek the Dornishman in the lists when the opportunity appeared. And so it was, that on the sixth day of tourneying, a Dornishman took him the prize of fifteen hundred gold dragons, and the right to crown the Queen of Love and Beauty for the day. The good knight took the offered crown, and seemed unsure where to bestow it. He rode to where most of the Dornish hostages say, before his cousin Lady Tanyth Toland, whom had notably taken away her favor over some undisclosed disagreement. Her brother Ser Tamlyn had carried it on the previous day, with some success. But Ser Aidan announced that he would not have her think him too kind, as the lady had apparently accused him of being, and rode back down the stands to near the royal seats. There a very surprised Master of Laws, Lord Terin Ryger, found his good-niece Aisling of House Ryswell presented the crown made of golden roses from Highgarden. He named her two victories in the contests for women, in the last two days, as a feat no knight might claim (save himself, but that went unsaid). And with that, the day’s tourneying was done.

The field for the men’s competition was much larger, the targets somewhat more difficult, and the distances greater. The first round was taken by Ser Bryon Waynwood, a knight from Iron Oaks in the Vale who proved himself a dangerous archer as the competition continued. So, too, did Ser Aidan Dayne, who took second place in the first round. In the first culling, Ser Triston Templeton, the heir to Ninestars who won the first day’s tourney, proved victorious in the lists. Following him in the second culling was Ser Bonifer Buckwell, and then in the third Ser Jossart Vaith. After this, the competition grew more heated as the distances grew greater and greater. Sex Axell Farman, who had performed impressively, finally fell away, and then Seth Blackwood did the same. With only a handful of competitors left, it seemed to many that the contest would reach the full hundred paces, or even beyond, before it was winnowed down to two worthies. But Ser Sarmion Baratheon faltered at eighty paces, as were two others, and they were eliminated in favor of Ser Aidan and Ser Bryon. At a hundred paces they let fly their arrows ... and the Dornishman proved at last the victor, though it was a near thing. Rewarded by the king, Ser Aidan was given a thousand gold dragons and Ser Bryon five hundred.

Following this, those who lost competitions continued among the other defeated. Ser Tamlyn defeated Ser Axell, Ser Halder defeated Ser Beendict, Ser Ondryn unseated the luckless Vaith knight, and Ser Aberyn succeeded in defeating the Lord of Blackhaven. The contests continued among the winners, as Prince Aemon shattered a lance agains the Knight of the Twilight, who was unhorsed, and Ser Victor Reyne managed to shock everyone be defeating the ironborn Dagur Saltcliffe. Ser Jaesin drove Seth Blackwood from the saddle with tremendous force, so much so that Blackwood forfeited further matches. In the final contest of the round, Ser Janden defeated the immovable Ser Corrent after a hard effort.

Then it was the two Dornishmen against one naother, Tamlyn and Corrent, and Tamlyn eventually took the victory. Ser Halder of House Frey continued on without a contest, after Blackwood’s forfeiture, and the Iron Serpent defeated Ser Ondryn Waters. So, too, did the Knight of the Twilight win against Ser Aberyn Crane to lead towards a promising match between the two worthy knights. When Prince Aemon met Ser Victor Reyne, he unseated the westerlands heir, just as the heir to Casterly Rock did to Ser Janden in turn.

Then the lists saw a rare pair of combats, as Ser Jaesin challenged the Dragonknight in the lists, while Ser Aidan and Ser Dagur did the same. Whereas Lannister and Targaryen fought for seven courses, breaking many lances between them, Ser Dagur and Ser Aidan swiftly unhorsed one another at the same time. It was decreed they would fight on foot until one would yield, and it was a lusty battle between two swordsmen of rare quality. The Iron Serpent was forced back step by step by the Knight of the Twilight, who sought to pin him against on the fences. Even as the Dragonknight succeeded in at last forcing Jaesin Lannister to ground, Ser Dagur rallied and used his great strength and weight to win back from being briefly disarmed. Shoving his shield at the shorter, lighter knight, he nearly knocked Aidan from his feet before recovering his sword and then unleashing hammerblows that kept the Dornishman unbalanced. The crowd roared for victory, and out of excitement to have seen such skill in arms in the joust and on foot, and when Ser Dagur found an opening that drove Ser Aidan to his knees and led him to shout his surrender, it was sheer pandemonium.

In the meantime, almost forgotten, Ser Halder faced Ser Victor Reyne, and the two fought boldly until Frey proved victorious. Ser Dagur soon had to face another knight, Ser Janden, whom he defeated in turn. Last of all, Saltcliffe fought against the Twin of the Crossing, only to find himself flung from the saddle by a well-placed pass from Ser Halder, who went on to face—and then be defeated by, after nearly unhorsing him—Ser Jaesin Lannister.

With his victory, Ser Jaesin had clawed his way back to the chance of once again challenging his friend. But Ser Jaesin gallantly forfeited, on the belief that Aemon’s earlier victory proved he was the day’s champion. Receiving the gold and the crown of queen of love and beauty from King Daeron, he did as he always did and deliver it directly to his sister, Princess Naerys. The crowd was joyful beyond all measure, for no knight seems more beloved than Prince Aemon the Dragonknight.

The knights who initially held the four pavilions were Ser Jace Rollingford, the Knight of the Fountains, Ser Derrick Marbrand, the Silver Lion Ser Hector Hill, and Andros Blackwood, the heir to Raventree Hall. Ser Jace held off three knights, including a hard-fought match with Ser Albert Hill, son of the famed Silver Lion, before Ser Harwin Marbrand unhorsed him in their third tilt. Ser Harwin chose to joust against his youngest sibling, Ser Derrick, instead of taking the Knight of the Fountains place, and defeated him as well. Coming up against Ser Hector, however, there were three passes with no result when on the fourth the Marbrand knight’s horse stumbled in the final moment and Ser Hector’s lance took him full on the helm. Driven from the saddle, blood pouring from a broken nose and knocked full unconscious, Ser Harwin was carried away and eventually revived with a maester’s assistance.

The contest proceeded, with Ser Jace defeating two more challengers before being defeated by an unheralded hedge knight, who chanced contesting against Ser Derrick, and defeated him in turn before choosing to hold the second pavilion. Again Ser Jace was challenged, this time by a Ser Victor Reyne, who fell to the Knight of the Fountains. On it went, until at last Balian Blackwood managed to defeat the defenders of the first three pavilions, and chose to hold it besides his brother Andros. The next joust saw Ser Jace defeat Ser Osbert and Ser Halbert of the Kingsguard in turn, when Ser Creon Waynwood defeated him and choose to take on the hedge knight who had so far held the second pavilion. Ser Creon defeated him after a hard-fought contest, and chose to take his place.

So it went throughout the day, with Balian Blackwood keeping two challengers knights from taking his place or that of his brother, until Aleyn Foxglove entered the lists. The homely but well-loved White Sword defeated Ser Jace as if he were merely riding at rings, and did the same to Ser Creon, before defeating Ser Balian in the third tilt. He pressed on from there, however, finally giving Andros Blackwood his first contest. The Blackwood heir performed well, holding off Florent for four passes before being unhorsed in the fifth. The contests continued, with Ser Jace finally being replaced after no less than his twentieth-fifth joust whereat the Jousting Lord defeated him and promptly chose to defend the first pavilion against the remaining challengers. Four knights thirty and forty years his younger were vanquished in turn, when at last his streaks of victory were broken by Ser Aberyn Crane, who seemed to doubt his chances against Ser Creon and held the first pavilion in turn. He succeeded to defeat Ser Durance Darklyn and Ser Ermen Frey before Foxglove’s nephew Ser Dalton defeated him and then went on to challenge and defeat Ser Creon Waynwood in a remarkable upset after six punishing courses where he refused to be unhorsed. With Ser Creon defeated, Ser Dalton opted to hold the second pavilion, leaving Balian Blackwood unchallenged.

With only eight challengers left, Ser Aberyn was put to the challenge and was bested by Ser Noel Upcliff, a knight growing old but still notably fierce and tenacious. No less than eight lances were broken between them before Crane fell. Ser Noel opted to hold the first pavilion, and weathered four more young knights before he was at last overthrown by Ser Benedict Rogers, son of Arson the Bastard. Ser Benedict weighed his chances, and tried his luck against Ser Dalton, defeating him in turn and took his place. Ser Eben Bolling then tried Standfast, only to find him true to his name and unwilling to vacate the pavilion. This left the final challenger, one of the Twins of the Crossing, to meet Ser Noel. Ser Walder, the heir to the Twins, defeated Ser Noel in his fourth pass.

At last the four pavilions were held unchallenged: Ser Walder Frey, Ser Benedict Rogers, Balian Blackwood, and Ser Aleyn Florent prepared to face one another. Foxglove faced Ser Walder and dominated him for three passes, before Ser Walder managed to catch him hard on the chest and force him from the saddle with a great clamour of amazement at the feat. Balian Blackwood had an easier time against Ser Benedict, but that stormlands knight did not make it easy. In the end, the contest came down to one between two riverlords, and Balian Blackwood proved to be in fine form as he unhorsed Ser Walder in the second pass. Taking the prize of a thousand gold dragons and a place in the grand final, he placed the crown of queen of love and beauty on the lap of his lady wife, Dalonne Locke.

The first group recreated the romantic tale of the motley knight, Florian the Fool and his Jonquil. The act was quite over the top, from the men dressed as women (complete with melons down their shirts) to the hyperactive Florian who enjoyed interacting with the onlookers. When his true Jonquil (a rather large man in costume) ran away he rushed around the hall, bestowing flowers upon various ladies, taking each of them as his Jonquil, begging for their love. Eventually the real Jonquil returned and embraced her Florian, concluding the scene.

The Braavosi troupe was called for next and some are still wondering just what the purpose was. The performance appeared to be a number of Westerosi houses (for each mummer was dressed as some of the great houses’ sigils) fighting over a blue stone first held by a falcon. The dance/fight was interrupted by a giant of a man painted like the Titan of Braavos. He strode into the hall and claimed the stone for himself, declaring that this jewel belongs in Braavos.

A young man calling himself the Peacock Bard strode in next, singing a rather scandalous song that had many maids blushing and no doubt many septas furious. He was not afraid to work the crowd, approaching many a young lady and offering looks that were quite suggestive. There was a sizable crowd that did enjoy his tune and he left to mostly cheers and applause.

The final act was a rather grand re-telling of the Conquest of Dorne. The reaction was quite mixed, with hoots and hollers from some, uncomfortable silence from others. Mummers in masks to represent the Dornish houses fought against those in Westerosi ones, including an amazing dragon handled by two performers. The dance was quick, the battle of Sunspear fierce and it is said that the hunting of the outlaw Vaith upset a few of the onlookers, though thankfully the mummers refrained from any displays of blood.

When all was done guests were asked to cast their vote with stones handed out to them and while the voting was said to have been very close, the King awarded the prize to the Braavosi troupe.

It’s well known that in the North, the ways are different enough that women might well have more training to ride with skill, but for southron lordlings it was an unusual sight indeed! And what of the daughter of the riverlands? Each time, she matched Lady Aisling, until a last course was called to determine the victor. In the end the Piper maiden faltered, and Lady Aisling took home the prize of 50 gold dragons. All the contestants were also awarded a golden ring, inscribed with the king’s name and the date of the contest.

Following this, Ser Axell Farman met with Ser Bryon Waynwood in the lists, only for the westerman to be defeated by the valelord. Ser Endros Buckler, who had defeated Olyvar the Green Oak in the lists in the first day’s jousting, met Ser Aidan Dayne. The Knight of the Twilight had defeated him after his defeat of the Kingsguard knight, and here he had a chance to have his revenge only to find that it was not to be as the Dornishman promptly knocked him from the saddle. Another Dornishman, Ser Corrent Gargalen proved too determined an opponent for Ser Bonifer Buckwell, who was defeated. In the last match of the round, Ser Dagur Saltcliffe faced Ser Jossart Vaith, who was tenacious in refusing to yield, but was ultimately thrown from the saddle by the Iron Serpent’s lance.

The next round of jousting followd, with the Stormbreaker overthrowing Ser Doran’s brother, Ser Anders, and then Ser Gueren Waters sending the Dornish prince to the ground. Prince Cadan had managed to break three lances, however, and was paroled to fight with his compatriots. The knight from Starfall in turn overthrew Ser Bryon Waynwood, while the Iron Serpent defeated Ser Corrent Gargalen ... but not before Gargalen broke his third lance, and won a chance to joust again thanks to the parole.

This left the Stormbreaker to joust against Ser Gueren Waters, one of the finest jousters of the crownlands—second only, some would say, to the Dragonknight himself. Yet fortune was with Baratheon, and Ser Gueren fell before him. But the contest which was on the lips of the spectators long after it was done came next, and none would soon forget it: Ser Aidan and Ser Dagur, men who had crossed swords in Dorne, faced each other in the lists at lass. Seven lances were broken in the course of five tilts, and it was in that last tilt that at last the Iron Serpent was overthrown. Ser Aidan’s contest against the Stormbreaker was anticlimactic, as Ser Sarmion fell more easily to the knight, leaving him the only knight to remain undefeated. Ser Sarmion raged at again being defeated by the famed young knight, and raged yet more when a knight, Ser Janden Melcolm, mocked his performance. Ser Sarmion attempted to challenge him to single combat then and there, but Ser William Waxley intervened and Ser Sarmion returned to the parole contest.

The parole contest followed, where the Black Bolt fell after nearly unhorsing the Iron Serpent in the first pass andSer Gueren shattered another lance to drive Ser Corrent from the saddle. It was then that insult was added to injury, for the weakened Prince Cadan Martell—still feeling the ill-effects of the unhorsing Ser Elmer Crakehall meted out two days before—refused to forfeit despite the Stormbreaker’s thirst for vengeance… and despite all odds, Prince Cadan managed to unhorse the giant Baratheon knight. When the king had to then decide who would avoid jousting an extra time, he determined that Ser Dagur’s great battle against the Knight of the Twilight won him reprieve, only for Prince Cadan to finally succumb to exhaustion and give up the field to Ser Gueren. It was thus that those two great knights met, but Ser Gueren—charged with zeal to win before the eyes of his king, his peers, and his family—defeated him.

Thus the field was set for a great battle between the undefeated Aidan Dayne and the puissant Gueren Waters, but perhaps Ser Aidan’s long rest before resuming proved his undoing, or perhaps his steed’s flagging energies did. Regardless, Ser Gueren overthrew him in the first pass, breaking his tenth lance of the day to great acclaim. Receiving the king’s reward, he named his lady wife, Jeyna Sunderland, the queen of love and beauty.