[IC] When the Flames Die

[Epsir]

"I'm pretty sure they take applicants down at the fairgrounds," Karl said, shrugging. On the rare occasions when Arduin II had held tournaments, he had never quite paid attention to the ones he'd been in attendance of. He had been about to finally return to the meal when a new stranger took his seat in their quickly growing group's vicinity. A gruff looking, long bearded fellow that he didn't quite recognize, but figured was seeking conversation by the way he had appeared. "'Morning," Karl said brightly, bowing his head in polite greeting to Ragnar before continuing. "The name's Karl Leid. I trust that you're enjoying yourself today?" Truth be told he hadn't seen anyone who appeared the contrary yet, although the absence of dissenters was an impossibility, especially at a time like this. There were a few faces out there he knew would spoil his day, but loud as the man was he had a way with staying out of real trouble that never seemed to carry into courts.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Jezin nodded along as Thomas described the rules of the tournament. He quietly hoped he wouldn't end up killing anyone. Even if it were within the confines of the rules, he imagined a foreigner who killed a man in a tournament would be looked down upon. "Sounds fair enough, I suppose." For a moment Jezin thought over how the tournament could go. As of now, he knew of two other combatants: Thomas and Redwyne Cole. Jezin glanced around the fairgrounds. "So, you know this Redwyne Cole fellow, right? WHat kind of man is he?" Jezin was still curious about the king's champion.

Sophia smiled as Gareth introduced both himself and the man across the table. "A pleasure to meet you Gareth, and you too, Karl." She looked between the two men, still eating the orange. "So you two are from nearby, I take it?" Sophia maintained her smile, quite enjoying herself so far. The two of them seemed to be talking about the tournament. It appeared nearly everyone would be involved. As she listened to the two men go back and forth about the tournament, she noticed another man take a seat nearby. He was tall and bearded, and seemed a bit older. Karl introduced himself first.

[Sightles]

Thomas smiled, slightly, at Jezin's question, "Sir Redwyne is as valiant and honorable as any man you'll meet." Thomas started, as the pair kept on passing massive field tents. Thomas scanned his head from left to right, occasionally, as if looking for something, ""Of our 20 members, only Sir Redwyne Cole is the only one made of the true steel. In the last year of the tumultuous rule of Arduin II the Lost, 9 of our Sword-Brothers in the Order of the Thistle led 33 members of the City Watch to kidnap Arduin II and force his abdication." Thomas continued his explanation of Redwyne, his voice becoming slightly excited as he went on, "That happened during my first year of service. Me, along with 8 other of my Sword-Brothers, met them in the Palace courtyard, while the rest of the Order of the Thistle focused on hiding the Royal Family, and getting the king out of the Palace. It turned out, they shouldn't have bothered. 6 of our's died at the hand of the traitors, and I would of been among those dead if it wasn't for Sir Redwyne. I witnessed him cut down 16 men in total, including 5 of our traitorous Sword-Brothers, without taking a single scratch." Thomas finished, pausing for a second, as he stopped moving forward. They had arrived at the dirt runway of the jousting area. The tournament director would be near here, Thomas figured, "Covered in the blood of his fallen traitorous brothers, he wept for them, because of how far they had strayed from the path, and for how the King had driven them to their actions."

[DrowsyPangolin]

The smile on Jezin's face turned into a look of solemn respect. He was right not to judge Sir Redwyne on his appearance. The was clearly quite skilled, and if Thomas was any indication, he was likely well respected amongst the other men as well. If he took down sixteen men by himself he'd be quite the opponent. Jezin nodded. "He sounds like an honorable man indeed. I look forward to this tournament." It seemed they had reached their destination. Jezin glanced around for the tournament director. He pondered Thomas' tale a bit more. It was clear Keilaudrin had had some problems in it's past. Jezin gave a respectful look towards Thomas. "From one knight to another, I hope your kingdom's troubles have come to an end." Even for men who had been trained to fight their entire lives, peace was preferable to chaos. He occasionally had been forced to remind himself of that fact.

[Sightles]

"As do I, Jezin." Thomas replied, with a somber tone on his voice, "I feel as though it's going to get a lot worse before it will get better, though." Thomas added, as he scanned his head left to right, once more, and finally spotted a clerk working the tournament. The clerk was currently writing on a piece of parchment, with a quill, no doubt writing down notes imperative to the tournament, "There's your ticket." Thomas said, pointing out the clerk, and making his way over to the man. The clerk spotted the pair before they had gotten too close, and immediately stopped writing. "Hello, Sir Thomas." The young clerk replied with a smile. The clerk warranted a look at Jezin, scanning him up and down, "I assume you'll be declaring for the tournament? Melee, jousting, or Archery?" The clerk asked, raising his writing hand in preparation for Jezin's answer.

[ravenDivinity]

"Ah, I see." Gareth had no clue where the fairgrounds were. He decided he would ask a knight about it and figure out where they were. Harker nodded to Sophia. "Indeed, I came to live here some month ago." That bearded man had sat at their table, and Gareth acknowledged him with a bow of the head. "Gareth Harker. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir." He stood up and looked around leisurely. A good round half- to full- hour was left before the feast ended, so he deemed it appropriate to sign up for the tournament, if he could figure out where the signups were held. "Anybody know in which direction the fairgrounds lie?" asked Gareth, leaving the question open to the table.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Jezin made no reply to Thomas' observation about the state of things, only a firm nod. It seemed they had found who they were looking for, however. A young clerk was jotting something down on a piece of parchment. The duo approached him. He gave a greeting to Sir Thomas, unsurprisingly. Jezin stepped forward as the young man asked him what portion of the tournament he intended to participate in. "Yes, I will. Jezin Tremora of Lyok. Melee." That was it. He would fight in the tournament now. A tinge of nervousness and excitement washed over him. He reminded himself that he would be fighting for the honor of Lyok.

Sophia looked up as Gareth rose from his seat. He seemed to want to enter the tournament, but had no idea where the fairgrounds were. The princes finished her orange and pulled over a plate of fish, which she began slowly breaking up and eating with a fork. She looked back to Gareth. "I'm not sure, my... escort went to go join up though." She directly avoided calling Jezin a bodyguard by name. Everyone around her seemed personable enough, but mentioning that her bodyguard had left her undefended was still a dangerous prospect. She took another bite of fish. It was delicious. Clearly the cook who prepared it had been especially skilled.

[Epsir]

Karl had been about to answer Gareth's question, but his open mouth closed in reaction into a frown when he saw someone approaching the table. The young man from yesterday, red haired and dressed properly, but in a manner that was not popular among the nobility of Keilaudrin. A white shirt tucked into black trousers and, the only detail important to Karl, a light blue tie. "You'll want to head for the front door. The fair ground is just outside the palace, just look for all the tents that have been set up. I'd imagine there's even a crowd on the way there, so it can't be hard to find." He spoke softly and smiled only slightly as he answered the question and took a seat at the table and idly began to fill his plate. Karl deflated a bit, but resumed his interest in the meal. He wasn't sure why he despised his retainers so much, but it seemed far out of place to have him in particular watched within the palace. He almost started laughing when he considered that special instructions might have been left by previous kings.

[Sightles]

The clerk wrote down the information he had been given, and looked up at Jezin, smiled and nodded, before walking away, and jotting down more notes. "The bracket for the melee should be up not too long from now." Thomas said, as he turned his attention to the dirt runway of the jousting area, "I'll be back in a little bit, Jezin. I need to find a friend of mine I made yesterday." Thomas said, as he bowed his head slightly to Jezin, excusing himself from the conversation, "See you in the tournament!" Thomas called out, as he walked away. Thomas walked back in the direction of the feast, hoping to make contact with Gareth. Thomas was interested in if Gareth was planning on participating in the tournament, and wondered what kind of skill the young man could possess.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth saw the change in expression on Karl's face as Leid's escorts approached, therefore he assumed by some decree they were ordered to keep surveillance on Karl. He dismissed this thought, though, for the tournament was at the forefront of his mind and thus was his current objective. "Very well, thank you! I will see you, perhaps later." With that, he gave a curt bow and started off, toting his bow and quiver on his back. Butterflies trod in his stomach while he strode to the fairgrounds, looking down at his feet and not paying much mind to where he walked. Harker hoped he wouldn't bump into anybody in his absentmindedness, assuming they should all take note of him and avoid an accident.

[Sightles]

As Thomas made his way through the army of tents that decorated the fairgrounds, before making it to the grassy courtyard of the Palace. As he did so, he saw Gareth exiting the Palace, looking as if he was making his way to the fairgrounds. "Gareth!" Thomas called out, hoping to get the man to look up and notice Thomas, "Done with the feast, I assume?" Thomas asked, with a soft smile. He was glad to see that his friend had made the decision to come back to the Palace for the celebrations. Seeing the half-elf made Thomas feel at ease, something he hadn't felt since his younger days at Alinor, when he was surrounded by those like him. Here in Keilaudrin, he felt like too much of an outcast to truly feel at ease. Even though Gareth wasn't from Alinor, it still reminded Thomas of his old home.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth stopped at Thomas and beamed up at him, a smile reaching his soft lips. "Ah, Thomas! Yes, I quite liked it." He bowed his head to the admirable knight, assuaging his anxiety. "It is, ah, nice seeing you here. I am on my way looking to sign up for the archery tournament," informed the younger man earnestly, hinting at his inability to find the signups on his own. Harker liked being in the company of Thomas. Other half-elves were rare, and it was nice to come across another half-elf, and not only another of the same race but one that was trained in all sorts of ways of kindness and justice. Perhaps Thomas could help him find his way to the tournament clerk.

[Sightles]

Thomas smiled as Gareth revealed he was going to be entering the archery section of the tournament, "Here, I'll show you the way to a clerk." Thomas said, holding his smile as he around, and started back to the fairgrounds, "You'll easily win the archery tournament. Not many people in Keilaudrin practice archery shooting in tournaments, plus you look like you'd be a good shot." Thomas spoke, adjusting his sword on his side. He had tried his hand at archery a few times, but never seemed to get a hold of the art. He was far better at swordplay than anything, "I'm in the tournament myself. I'm applied for jousting and the melee, though." Thomas added, as the pair walked towards the cabal of tents.

[ravenDivinity]

"Ah, thank you." Gareth ambled alongside Thomas, and he hanged onto every word, nodding along. Even still despite being told twice now to have confidence in victory, Harker denied any sort of prowess with the bow, but he remained silent on the matter out of respect for Thomas. The half-elf was pleased to hear about Thomas's competing and believed in Thomas's ability, for from a trained knight no less should be expected. Against the Morningstar, however, Thomas would be challenged greatly. "I wish you luck then, Thomas. I will cheer you on from the crowd." He granted Thomas his blessing in battle, and he made a covenant then to support Thomas in the tournament.

[Sightles]

"I appreciate your support, Gareth." Thomas said with a soft smile, as the two began to pass by the large tents, heading to the archery field. Thomas was eager to have the tournament begin as soon as possible. He always got slight jitters before a tournament. Not from being nervous, but from excitement. Thomas did a good job of hiding his excitement, as he wished to not be viewed as a child participating in their first tournament. "I hope you'll be attending the midnight feast, after today's tournament. Normally, they might not let those of more common birth come to the midnight feast, but I can make sure you gain attendance." Thomas said, as he spotted the archery field, along with a couple of clerks conversing with one another.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth nodded and was glad to hear Thomas's appreciation, taking his eyes and ears off the older man not once in the time they strolled to the clerks together. "Pardon any arrogance, but is that an invitation, Thomas?" If what Gareth asked was correct, he might find it endearing. "If so, it'd be my honor to attend." The half-elf was so fixed on Thomas, thus he nearly missed their approach to the clerks. The young Harker ceased ogling Thomas in admiration to pay his attention to the clerks as Thomas and he cleared the distance. He greeted the clerks with a smile on his face wordlessly, as he knew Thomas would initiate the dialogue.

[Sightles]

Thomas chuckled for a moment before responding to Gareth, "Yes, I do suppose it's an invitation. It'd be my honor to have another like me there." Thomas said, looking at Gareth with a smirk, glad he would be able to spend the midnight feast conversing with a member of his own race, and not the typical dry-humored politicians, or the humorless Order knights. Thomas turned his attention to the clerks, who looked at Thomas waiting for him to speak up, "My friend here would like to enter the archery section of the tournament. Gareth Harker." Thomas spoke up, taking charge of the exchange. One clerk pulled out a sheaf of parchment, and begun to write down Gareth's name, along with what section of the tournament he'd be participating in, "Okay, when the archery section of the tournament starts, you'll be expected to be here." The clerk said, with a slight smile, as he went back to conversing with his partner. Thomas turned to Gareth, with a soft smile on his face, "There you go. You're now in the King's Tournament." Thomas said, holding his smile, "I have to begin preparations at my tent, for the jousting section of the tournament, if you'd like to come with me." Thomas invited. His squires had already taken the initiative helping prep Thomas for the joust, but he still had some small details to take care of before competing.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth grinned. "Then I shall be there." His eyes watched the clerk record Gareth's information, and then he nodded to register his compliance with the clerk's instructions. When the clerk dismissed Harker, he turned his full attention to Thomas again. The older half-elf had offered to have Gareth along during preparations, and Harker gave himself no choice other than to accept, for his youthful heart found glee in the idea of being in Thomas's warm company. "Why, of course, ah, I shall." No compelling argument came against his decision. An evening with a knight, under an exclusive proposal, and time to see that knight before his glory awaited the younger and provided him with excitement, and popularity through victory would bring him to heights. The day held many good things for Gareth.

[Rupdeus]

"Hi. I'm Ragnar Berning. Have you heard about the north?

[Epsir]

"Ah, House Berning, I've heard the name but I don't think I ever managed to meet one of you," Karl said. "I've heard that there's a whole damn continent up north but I've not been concerning myself with the news from it for a while." Surely the man referred to one of the states immediately north of Keilaudrin, but Leid was more intent to incite further words from the man before he devoted himself to the topic. It was exaggerating his skills of deduction again, but he judged by the martial look the man had that whatever news he was bringing, it wasn't exactly the peaceful kind. That reminded him of something... and his retainer beat him to it.

The red haired man, new at the table, spoke up from beyond his plate piled full of food. "You mean Lachne, right?" He nodded to Ragnar, making sure the man knew he was talking to him. "I'm familiar with the nation, but I haven't heard much about how it's doing now." Mostly truthful, he knew a handful of people who were unfortunate enough to be directly involved in the conflagration. Despite the nation's proximity to Keilaudrin, there had been few refugees on account of the few survivors. The young man looked over his shoulder and leaned forward, looking a lot more interested in what Ragnar had to say. "What's going on up north?"