After seven day of festivities, the mood of King’s Landing was lightened, although in certain quarters the violence and bloodshed of the riots were still a sharp memory. The City Watch of King’s Landing maintained an iron watch over the city, to make sure there’d be no repetition of the troubles that led to the disgrace of the former commander, Ser Richard Harte, and this included the day of the tourney in the Cobbler’s Square sponsored by the guildhalls of the city. Thirty-two knights and esquires fought for the glory of victory, as a good portion of the court made an appearance. Prince Viserys and Princess Daena were upon a dais amidst the nobility, with masters of several guilds rubbing shoulders with great lords and lovely ladies. The commons were packed full, ready to cheer on the champions, and had particular cause to do so: his grace, King Daeron, would take part in the tourney himself.
Besides the king, other famous names were to take part: Lord Commander Reynard and Ser Osbert of the Kingsguard, the ever-enthusiastic Lord Whalon the Jousting Lord, the Black Bolt Ser Doran Dondarrion, Ser Andry Chester, and the Iron Serpent, Ser Dagur Saltcliffe. Champions from the king’s grand tourney also took part, such as the young, bold Ser Triston Templeton and the tenacious esquire, Seth Blackwood, while less known names—from an unheralded hedge knight, Ser Sorin of Sevenstreams, to Ser Urston Coldwater, Ser Harmon Massey, Ser Durance Darklyn, Ser Raynard Locke, and Ser Malon Selmy. And one other name, less liked than most: Ser Lormon Buckler, a royal kinsman by marriage following his exploits in the Dance of the Dragons, where the singers claim he slew a dragon, or a king, or both. The tourney started in good style, with a quick series of joust to winnow the field to half its size. After this, a loser’s bracket was established, bringing the total jousts on the day to nearly four score when all was said and done.
Various noted feats of arms were carried out during the contest, with King Daeron nearly being unhorsed by the hedge knight Ser Sorin before rallying and driving him to the earth. Yet the king would meet his match in the next contest, when the Kingsguard knight Ser Osbert, the Breaker of Yronwood, drove the Young Dragon from his saddle. There was a brief shock at the violence of the king’s fall, but Daeron rose up spryly enough, and saluted his vanquisher with chivalrous grace. Ser Urstom Coldwater had less success than the king would have, losing his first match, but he defeated Ser Andry Chester—a knight of burgeoning repute—in a hard-fought match, before losing his third match respectably to Lord Whalon after he was placed in the loser’s bracket by Ser Dagur Saltcliffe. Seth Blackwood would carry himself well in the tourney as well, fighting lengthy contests against the likes of Ser Malon and even the Jousting Lord, proving the tenacity that won him the joust for love during the King’s grand tourney.
It was Raynard Locke who sent Blackwood into the losers’ bracket, the northern knight—dogged by rumors concerning the betrothed Rosalind Hill, and her missing Ser Endros, and even his curious relationship to the Seven—proving himself to be a capable jouster after defeating three opponents. Defeated by the Iron Serpent, he would come to face Ser Lormon Buckler, who had been defeated by Ser Osbert in his second joust only to ride in ferocious style against Ser Harmon Massey and the Black Bolt, who had defeated Ser Reynard Caron and the skillful hedge knight from Sevenstreams. Facing Ser Raynard, Ser Lormon seemed as like to want to kill him as joust him . . . and it seems he proceeded to attempt just that after Locke was unhorsed. His squire fetched him his sword when he called for it, and Buckler shouted at Locke to tell him what had become of his son—the missing Ser Endros—until the City Watch restrained him, and the king himself intervened. Buckler threw down his sword and departed the lists, forfeiting his place.
This prepared the way for the final contest, after King Daeron met the Breaker of Yronwood a second time, and had the better of him in the lists. He went on to face Ser Dagur Saltcliffe, the ironborn knight who seemed unstoppable on the day after defeating his first opponent readily enough, and then Ser Reynard Caron in a well-fought contest in which seven passes and a dozen broken lances were needed before a result, the Jousting Lord, Raynard Locke, and Ser Osbert. Unstoppable he seemed, and unstoppable he proved as he unhorsed the king in the first tilt. As always, the king was gracious, and the crowd cheered lustily for him and his vanquisher alike. Accepting the prize of a weighty gold necklace, the ironborn knight delivered it to his watching wife, Lady Reyna of House Tyrell, before lifting her upon his horse and riding away with her from the lists.
Afterwards, small gatherings and feasts closed out the remainder of the festivities, but it’s said the king turned his attention to the infamous Ser Lormon Buckler, holding a private audience in which Buckler no doubt laid his complaints regarding Ser Raynard Locke before the king. Afterwards, Buckler was seen to take up residence in the Red Keep, but barely paused in his quarters before seeking out the officers presently in charge of the City Watch.