She was a strange woman, but he could see what someone might find endearing about her. The lady had an odd quality about her that was intelligent yet manic, but Kasimir supposed someone might say that a man who found that attractive might have some problems of their own. He shoved the thought away, and nodded at her question. "Yes, the first bouts were ones where one man could challenge another beforehand. They're supposed to be more noteworthy, but really they're mere preliminaries compared to the real mélee."

Below them, courtiers and squires hustled back and forth, clearing the arena of fallen men and arms, moving the fenceposts and raising banners for the knights and champions that would be fighting in the coming battle royale. Grimly, Kasimir wondered if Oderick would have been one of the contenders, had he not died the night before. The time moved swiftly, and soon there were twelve men in heavy plate of varying designs, armed with swords and shields. One man held an axe in both hands, and another bore a great hammer. Kasimir was somewhat interested in the bout, but his eyes still wandered. The paranoia of assassins did that to the mind, and it was by Ulric's blessing then was the time he had chosen to do it. 

As the trumpets sounded, and the men's cries rose up for battle, Kasimir spied a pair of eyes looking directly at him atop one of the wood towers overlooking the tourney. It took him the span of a second to realize it was a crossbowman, and he saw the main raise his weapon in his direction. Kasimir sucked in a breath, and then shoved himself into Eleanor, pushing the both of them off her chair to the floor as the quarrel struck the back of Kasimir's chair, quivering from the impact. Kasimir hadn't noticed it had been meant for him, until he looked up from his prone position and realized he had saved his own life instead. The crossbowmen must have been either a bad shot, or had wanted to eliminate him so that Eleanor would be an easier target. 

"Let's go." He whispered to her, helping the shapely woman to her feet. He looked back at the tower, and saw the crossbowman had disappeared. 

The two of them managed to squeeze their way past the other nobility, through the side corridor leading out of the stands. Unfortunately, they had to pass through a thick crowd of commoners congregating around the small areas outside of the stands where they might catch a glimpse of the bout. Kasimir walked ahead of her, eyes peeled. 

"Kissymir!" She shouted, and he turned to see one of the teeming masses break off to his left, glimpsing the flash of steel. Kasimir pivoted and sidestepped, pushing Eleanor away as the claoked man, wielding a shortsword, cut and stabbed at him. Kasimir ducked and leaped back, and stepped behind a wooden support beam. The short sword, slicing at his head, cut into the wood. Kasimir grabbed the man's forearm as he tried to pry the weapon free, and punched him in the face as hard as he could. He went down in a heap, and those commoners that saw only watched in wonder, not bothering to help.

"Who are you!?" Kasimir ordered, stomping on the man's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Who in Ulric's name do you work for?" 

As Kasimir grabbed the man's collar, he saw the fellow's face, finally. He had a long nose and a wizened visage, despite being younger than forty. His eyes wild, he smiled wickedly, and Kasimir saw one of his teeth missing. Within moments, foam and bile rose from the assassin's throat, and he began convulsing. 

"Poiee-san" Eleanor gasped. 

Kasimir stared a moment longer as the man turned into a corpse, and he dropped him to the floor.