place for arena posts

  The Arena  was slowly getting  filled, Midweek games were not near as full, as  end week games. But  the word of the High Priest and the Colonel having  to Fight to the death.

 The Emperor's Box was going to be crowded this  day. Meats, sweets and drinks  we being set out..

In reply to arena (msg # 2):

Making her way towards the Emperors private box Myranda greeted those who were assigned to duty guarding or attending to duties there. Entering the Box she stood to one side taking in the scene of the stadium.

Brie strolled into the Arena alongside Kree and any one else who had came with them.  She held her head up high and as proud as a fellow Arrow could be.

She looked around and then to Kree.  Where do we head first?  Box seating?

  Kree  turns up the steps  towards the Box and Is Ushered in, most of thr party was seats  to either end  and behind, but  above  some  fancy chairs That the emperor and his party will sit.

Kr'wyn leaves the sage-quater of town andreaches the Arena in time to follow Kree and his fellow Arrows into the Emperor's Box, where he seats at the far end of the box. He is curious what the program will bring and what will happen with the one who will survive the fight between the Priest and the Colonel. He would set his bets on the Priest, as his spells could save the day for him.

  There  are Horns Blaring  and   troops  spread out to give  the Emperor and his people a clear path to their booth. Neck  does not where the robes of  a Mage  this day, but is  dressed in expensive leathers,  that would make him look like  an Adventurer , ( except  for all the  finery added to it)

 The Princess walks alongside Luthien, she  too is dressed in Leathers and carries her bow, Trying to look the part of an Arrow.

  the   remaining  handmaiden is dressed likewise, Minus the  circlet on her head.

  Axe handle  brings up the rear, and they settle into their  seats

  The Emperor and his consort are in the Middle, (she wears her robes, but bears a nasty  , curved long knife)  Axehandle sits on the other  side of the Consort, along  with the  Chief  Sage.

  The  Princess sits to the right of the Emperor  with Luthien  next, and her Handmaiden next to Luthien.

  Nelk seems in grand spirits,..Captain Quickshadow?... How long since you have watched the Games?

 ...Must  be  years, Your Highness...not since the  CatFolk captain had to  fight the Bog creature...

 The Chief Sage  spoke up, in a very sickly sweet Voice  as he said, I find it ....refreshing, who you give he Elf the Title of Captain, when he is not longer  in your service?...and..that it wasn't more the  3 years ago, he had to fight in this very arena , to Prove he was not guilty of treason...

 Nelk Appeared , not to notice, the tone of the Chief Sage. He looked  out over the    arena, it was , indeed filling. His head inclined as he looked down his noce, with half lidded eyes  , noting the   different 'types' of people,..Good Sage,  Captain Quickshadow is the leader of his  unit... and...he served my father and  myself, well, until he felt he needed to leave....

 Kree , accepted cold glass of wine from the attendant, added,..aye.... fight i did, Chief  Sage. I am sure your books  recount, that i am still here, and the three accusers ...are not...

 Axehandle speaks up,...Your Highness... in a few moments you will have to announce the start of the games.

By this point, Luthien is back in his gleaming plate...if everyone else is going to be wearing leathers, then it is appropriate he wear the armor of his station, polished bright so the morning sun reflects off the metal. Shining Armor, indeed.

Brie sat a seat or so away from Kree, but still within earshot if she had questions.  She left room for Ivy to come sit in case he decided to show up.

Boy, they don't let up, she said leaning towards him.  Like a bunch of carnivorous carrion.

She nodded and greeted the others who arrived and gave the Princess with her newly acquired Arrow ornaments.

Madame, she said to her politely.

Diana decided she didn't want to sit in the box seats with the others. She wanted to experience the games from a "local" perspective.  She always found it interesting what people thought about things, and "mingling" was a good way to find out.

So, she bought a ticket of her own, and went to take her seat.  She stopped by to get something to drink and eat.  It had been a long time since she had been to the Arena.  She was glad she was on this side during the games.

Lucy had never been a big fan of the Arena games.  Although, they were quite popular up north.  She had been on both sides of the Arena.  Having spent time inside the Arena, as well as an observer.

Ironically, the Marauders had volunteered to fight in the Arena.  It was a complicated turn of events.  It had been a mercenary unit vs Mercenary unit affair, and the losers were to be the slaves of the winners.  All or nothing.

There were no survivors of the other unit.  It had been a nasty, bloody affair,

Still, she was looking forward to today's games.  The Priest vs Colonel, no doubt, was the "Main Event"

She got a program, and decided to make a few bets on the early contests. For the Main Event, she would put her money on the colonel.

Roused from her deliberation by the fanfare which heralded the Emperors arrival; Myranda rose from the seat she had occupied. Moving to one side of the pavilion she followed Kray's lead, in greeting the Royal party as it moved closer.

  Nelk stepped ujp and the horns blared,  he  Spoke into the grand Brass  horns that were in front of the  box,..Greetings, this  day,  People   of Ironmound, and  her visitors....

Axehandle handed him a paper.

 The  contests today will be of a mixed bag..something for everyone,,,,as they say.... he reads then speaks, The first  Contest is to first blood... The members of the Gilded Helm will face  three members of the  Iron Blades..the winners  will be awarded a contested contract they feel  they are both owed...

 ..The second contest is between  archers of various  compaines a series of  targets,  the high score  will recieve 100 gold..


 ..The Third Contest, is the  right  of freedom... Brerl of  Ancot was captured  aboard  a pirate ship, and deemed a pirate..he said he only fought in self defense.. he will face off  against the SGT of the   Marines that boarded his vessel.. if he wins, he will be set free..if he looses  he will be sent to the shipyards  as a convicted  worker....

 ..the LAst contest..is to the death... The High Priest of   The Alpower,  Vs   The Former  Colonel of the Palace Guard... the winner  will be exiled  from the City, and will liked on sight, should they be found in any Empire lands....

 LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

 The Crowd  roared.....

Brie leaned towards Kree. That last one should be altogether interesting.

She say back in her seat and relaxed. She pondered who else would be coming.

Diana made a few wagers on the games.
She put money on the Iron Blades, mostly because of the name.  Although, she did put another bet on the Gilded Helm, after hearing some of the patrons around her talking.

As for the Archer's contest she didn't bet much, only a gold here or there.  She didn't really thing much of them, although, she did watch with interest.

The third contest she found interesting.  She also double betted on this match.  Although, she bet more on the Marine then on the former pirate.  Again, she was persuaded somewhat by listening to those around her.

The last contest, though, was the one she was looking forward to.  The Colonel vs the Priest.  Sure a priest could heal themselves, but what was the fighting skill level.  That was everything.  Healing oneself didn't matter if you were missing body parts.

She put most of her money on the Colonel, although, she did wager a smaller "cover your butt" bet on the priest.

Either way she hoped the day would turn a nice healthy profit.

Lucy didn't met on all the games.

She bet on the Iron Blades.

She passed on the archery contest, although, as she watched it, she figured any of the members of the Arrows could probably shoot better.  Although, she did appreciate some of the harder contests.

The pirate vs Marine she also bet on.  she bet on the marine, although, did place a smaller bet on the ex pirate.  He would be desperate, and it meant a hell of a lot more to him, then the to the marine.

The Colonel vs priest she bet on the colonel.  She actually bet rather heavily on the colonel.  Although, at the last second, just before the contest started, she did place a smaller wager on the priest.

Sir Luthien, as both a Knight and as one sitting with the royal family chose not to bet at all, figuring it wiser to maintain the dignity of himself and those who've elected to him sit with them.

Kr'wyn placed a bet on the fight of the priest and the colonel only. He betted in favor of the priest; not only could he heal himself, but priests with an evil background were often able to cast nasty offensive spells as well and could deal quite a lot of damage themselves with their deity's favorite weapon too.

Watching the matches with an speculative eye Myranda assassad the skills of the various contestants. During lulls in the events she spent time watching the Emperor and his entourage or the immediate area to pick up a feel for the crowd .

Haildas' ship pulled into port late in the morning. After gathering his belongings he decided it was still early enough in the day that he might as well do some exploring.

"Plenty of time for an inn", he thinks to himself,"let's see what marvels I can't locate."

He winds his way lazily thru the streets until he begins to realize that the town seemed a little empty. Inquistively, he approaches a local vendor to ascertain why and, to his delight, is informed of some sort of gaming event. Having never seen such things he immediately asks for directions and heads off to see for himself.

    A Blare  of trumpets  the   two Merc Guilds  spread out, 4 of  each,  ..each team had  an archer.

 the Moved  around the   oval... min the  Middle of  the area  was   round lake  that was   groomed to be a perfect circle. The waters from Pike  Lake to the east near the wall, The Ivory Stream that flowed into the Storm also fed the   constructed lake.

 the trees  from the orchard  could be seen if one looked  right, and on the Storm River  side of the   arena the   top of the prison factory and  shipyard, .. the masts of a Man-of-war  that was  almost finished towered  over the prison walls

 the   lake in the middle served as  something to race  around, or cover... some  folks braved  , swimming  across the  100 yard diameter , to  try to escape or head of others..but..no one knew what lurked in the waters

 The  Archer  for the   Gilded Helm ( all of them had greek-like golden closed face helms ) Fires two shots at the Archer  for the iron Blades, the first Missed , but the second One stuck in the fellow thigh, he howled  and went down.. the  crowd roared or cursed, depending on their Bets, the fellow  was   taken from the file d my prisoners as the Iron Horn  spread Out  and began to close in .....

  The Archer for the Gilded Helm turned  to his right and  Fired  two more shots  at one of the Man closing in from that side. The arrows sailed   high, and to the Left, all three men sprinted towards the groups that stood in front.

   The Iron Blade  From the (his) right closed  in  and  smashed  shield to  Shield againt the fellow at that end, He slashed with his sword, and  Cut the man's  right  ankle  slightly, But enough for a proctor to raise  a Flag , Guards  escort that Gilded Helm help off the  Field

 The two remaining  Helms moved to  keep a wall in front of the Archer  who tried to  fire  at the  Fellow he missed before, but had to  wait for a shot, becaus e  he was fighting one man, while  the other  two shifted  and were attacking  the other...

 It was plain they had to get rid of at least one swordsman

In reply to fight (msg # 22):

Stiffling a yawn brought on by the way this contest was developed Myranda rose from the chair and strolled to the rear of the Emperors booth. Turning to scan the audience on both sides of the enclosure.

Brie shifted in her seat as she watched the battle proceed on and would give a low murmur of cheer when the Gilded helm would gain strides.

  The  Bets were now  closed  on this fight, the   fighters  Moved in carful jabs and steps, trying spread the Guild Helm apart,  the Archer  fired off to the Left , but the   Iron Blade deflected the arrow with his chiled,  the other  two men rushed the  left side of the Archer,  Blades  and  shields flashing, the left most Guilded Helm went  dwon with a cut across his   sword arm and   left thigh...

 marshals  came int to heard him away. Now?   two  Now  one  swordsman and the archer, against two Iron Blades ....

This was indeed quite the display, something Haildas had never encountered.

"What a most gruesome and spectacular engagement", he stated aloud to no one in particular. "There certainly must be some wonderous prize to be had by these combatants."

   One of the people a few rows in front , turn back...these two Merc Groups  are fighting a Contract contest. Winner gets a  500 gold  contract for the Merchant's Guild, to escort  caravan in round trips for the enxt month.

 He sees a few others  lookign at the Chits they recieved from the  'bookies' as the  betting was closed  for this fight.

"Ahh yes, of course...that most powerful of intoxicants, gold. In time, many shall come to realize the foolishness of such endeavors.  Gold will eventually lose its luster, and gems will cease to sparkle. Tis a tragic life indeed."

In reply to Haildas the Wanderer (msg # 28):

"Ahhhh.. perhaps true in the future.  But who knows what the future brings." Diana said.
"There here and now is what matters.  Sure, when one is old and perhaps feeble the luster will have worn off, but as long as one has the ability to fight, and can do the job, gold and jewels are like flame to a moth." She said, with a smile.

"Tis true for many, it would seem. I myself seek riches more vast than any simple hoard of gold. There are things in this world of immeasurable value that neither sparkle nor shine...although in fairness, many of them do", he belts out a mighty laugh, clearly amused with himself terribly.

In reply to Haildas the Wanderer (msg # 30):

Really?" Diana says.  "And what kind of riches would those be?  Friends? Family?  If you can find those, they can be very nice to have at your back.  Especially in the mercenary business." She says.

Her arrows affiliation is clearly showing, as she's made no effort to hide it.

"Ha! Family! No, such things hold little interest to me. Now magic! AHA! Knowledge...now that is worth more than any amount of gold!"

In reply to Haildas the Wanderer (msg # 32):

"Aye, power and knowledge are nice, but when the proverbial shit hits the fan, they will not have your back when the odds are stacked against you." She said.

"In fact, I'd say that they are the reason the proverbial shit has hit the fan." She said with a chuckle.

"Nay, I'd rather have brothers and sisters in arms at my back.  Some gold in my pocket." She said with a smile.

Sir Luthien remains up with the royal family watching events. He's Knight enough to make note of the techniques being used, and points some of them out if he thinks His Majesty might've missed.

  The  Two warriors  or the Iron Blades , spread wide, the Archers  stood  behind the  footsoldier as they talked.

  With a yell,  both Blades charged  forward The Archer   said something  and  truned to the Left , and Fired, the  Arrow  sunk deep into the   Blade's  wooden shield, but he  kept  coming. The two footsoldiers   clashed together in a  flurry of   sword  swings, when  suddenly the archer  s   , who was  reloading   ran backwards and Pivoted towards the  two, and Fired.. the Arrow, Fired low , hit the  Blade in the  Him and he went  down, causing proctors  to run forward blowing whistles.
  The  Gilded Helm foot soldier  was already  pivoting to cut off the attack from their  foe.

 It  would be a race...would the  archer get his  next arrow  nocked?..would the Helm meet the Blade? or would the Blade reach the Archer!

.................

 Up in the Box, some   servants  brought slips of parchment  for the Emperor to read.

The sound of whistles prompted Myranda to glance back at the spectacle, it looked like the event was near its end. Hopefully the next contest would be a little more eventful.

Rolf had little use for arena games.  They were unheard of in the lands of his youth and the seemed of little point.  Gambling upon the outcomes seems to be of even less point.  The bow work does draw Rolf's professional eye however.

Dueling to first blood and target practice seems tame enough, duels to the death when both are known to be guilty.  Execute both and have done would meet with Rolf's approval.  It would be mildly interesting to see how well the priest would acquit himself against the former soldier.

Slipping across Myranda perched near the Princess, leaning closer she quietly asked how her evening was with the Roller; giving the recent arrow a concerned smile. Despite the Princesses Position she had accepted the pin and was now a Crimson as such was as much apart of the Company as the longest serving member, and was to be afforded Myranda's protection and council, least the Princess fall pray to the web of diplomatic Entreaties and deceits.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:28, Mon 20 June 2016.

 The Blade an Helm Met  in a clash of Shields the  Archer  Could  not fire, But the Proctors Blew the whistle...The  Blade  and  received a bloody  Lip from the Helm's shield, Thus..counted as a 'wound'.

  The three were  lead Over to the Emperor's   Box. The  Took off their helms as he addressed them.

  By way of the Contest ... The  Golden Helm has  won rights to the Contract.  However.... The display put on  by both groups, have won some bids, from other merchant groups....

  He hands the papers  to  the SGT near him who hands  them to the proctors, who, in turn  sorts them out to each group.

 ..you put on a  fine show....but i trust, in the future. you will settle  these  thinks, as though you were Business folk?

 the  Groups  Bowed  and  went off to exit the arena.

 BRING ON THE NEXT GROUP!

Kr'wyn thought there would be an archer contest now, which interested him as a bowmanhimself, so he gives the arena his full attention now. About the last contest, he was impressed by the actions of the archer in that battle as well.

Of course, Sir Luthien was already keeping an eye on things in the royal area, but he salutes at Myranda all the same. There were things his allies could see that even he'd miss.

Brie giggles as the Golden Hells won.  She leaned forward and patted on Kree's shoulder. I knew they would win, she sat back a bit more relaxed but confident.

   The lead  Proctor stood   near the  large  pool in the middle,  two  trooper s  held  two , overly  large horns  to help his Voice  carry.

 People of Ironmound, and  Visitors. The archer contest, will be of the Combat Shuttle.... Each Archer  has  prepared two  arrows  for each target, Proctors  Have  set them in the sand, points down... The archers  Must fire  Both arrows at the Target and  run to the  next... There is a Proctor who will turn an sandglass when the archer nocks  his first arrow... when the archer   finishes  his last target, he must sprint to the Glass he started at, to get his time.......

 it would be noted that the archers  wore the colors Orange, Red, Blue and green.. the arrows they prepared were the same color as their  tunics.

 they stood  50 yards  from the targets... 2  rings  with a 'head sized' red  dot in
the Middle...they would receive points according to where they hit. Those points  would be counted as seconds and subtracted  from their  times..to get the winner.

 Only  a few of the people knew the archers, as they were from various  Companies...
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:16, Wed 22 June 2016.

In reply to the games (msg # 43):

Diana was deeply disappointed in how the blade vs helm contested ended.  A bloody lip? Seriously?  She lent her voice to the boos from some of the crowd.

For the archer contest, she wagered on Red and Blue, but only 5 gold on both.

Lucy could only shake her head.  What a disappointing ending to the helm vs blade contest.

"Do such contests always end with such a wimmper?" She asked the person next to her.
"That was a sorry way to end such a contest.  A blood lip."  She said, spitting on the ground.

For the archer contest, she thought about not wagering, but at the last minute wagered 5 on orange, 10 on Blue, 10 on Red and 5 on Green.  She could only hope that this contest ended better then the last one.

Kr'wyn waits till he sees the archers before he decides about betting on the outcome of this contest.

During the blades competition, Rolf had been more focused on watching the watchers than he had on the contest.  Contests didn't bother him, people watching and wagering on the outcome didn't bother him, but this aggrandizement of it was somehow distasteful  The ending of the contest, with a bloody lip, seems a poor test of the combatant's skills.  By rights, they should continue.

Rolf is a bit more interested in the archery contest though, considering it something more of a contest of skill and his attentions are more fully on the scene below.  However, he still doesn't feel any desire to bet on the outcome.

Myranda glances across at the Roller then leans forward You and I should have a chant about that fellow she quietly suggests to the Princess

  The eevent  starts  Each archer  fires his   first arrow. all hit the target, then dip down to pick up the  second arrow  of their color  and Fire  it,The green archer doesn't even watch  where/if his second arrow hits, heis sprinting through the sand ( counter clockwise) to the   next postion, he   plucks the first arrow from the sand , takes a breath before loosing it.

  The Red archer watched with pride  as his second  arrow hit, then  begins to run to the next spot...

 the  Blue  archer did about the same,..the ornage archer  missed  with his first shot...took a bit long for his second( bullseye ), then  trotted towards the next spot.

 The Princess looks back for a second, then retruns her  attention to the  event as she says,I think.... I am good, on that  part, Good lady.... she smiles a bit  as she watches the green archer  sprinting.

 Nelk says,Captain?..how  do you think you would fare in such a contest?

 kree chuckles,Your  highness?.... We have to shoot  and move, as a manner of staying alive?...  these fellows  may be good..or maybe here to win some coin...but they could not complete, with the youngest of  my Arrows.

In reply to games (msg # 49):

Myranda gave the Princess an indulgent smile.You have no objection to his obvious self seeking association.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Wed 29 June 2016.

I fear, Madame?  You are speaking ill of one of your own Comrades? her eyes  shift to Kree who his watching the archers with a bit of distain.

 what would your Captain , think of this?

In reply to Princess (msg # 51):

Myranda curtsies to The Emperor.My comment could be viewed as such. However it can also be instruction from one Crimson to another.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Wed 29 June 2016.

Luthien, it must be noted, is CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS. So not only is she badmouthing him, she's essentially doing so to his face.

Despite this, Luthien declines to pay attention to Myranda. Taking the high road.

In reply to Luthien (msg # 53):

Noticing the fellow glance in her direction. Perhaps the Roller would care to clarify his attentions, towards the Proncess. If in his oppinion they are not as observed self seeking perhapd he should take steps to modify his conduct.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Wed 29 June 2016.

In reply to Myranda of the Glenn (msg # 54):

"What, exactly, do you think I'm seeking? I have been guarding her all this time, and I am her friend. If you're trying to imply I'm courting the princess, THAT would actually take considerable negotiation between myself, the Emperor, the Temple, the Knightly Order, possibly the Commander, and several other parties before I could even begin such a thing. Once politics gets involved, nothing is simple anymore. And when a princess is involved, there are ALWAYS politics involved. It is more likely that no matter how much his majesty likes me, it isn't politically feasible to proceed. And I have to honor his hospitality all the same."

IE, he hasn't slept with the princess, and, for that matter, hasn't even kissed her, even when they were on the road, he's been entirely genteel in everything he's done, and he's taking into account both the Emperor's and the princess's position before he considers what to do next.

In reply to Luthien (msg # 55):

Myranda raied an eyebrow in an We all have our sister in arms wellfare in mind and are privilaged to be considered her friends. Manner as she assessed the Princess'es and Emperor's reactions.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Wed 29 June 2016.

  The Princess. leans a bit away from Myra  and looks at her as if trying to judge the  elfmaid's intentions.

 The Emperor his looking out over the Arena, his  Voice is Remains even, but there is indeeda slight change n his  smile,I find such talk, so very Tiresome?..Don't You Commander?

 Kree was  Not quite paying attention, but  gave Nelk a slight bow of his head,Indeed. Your highness... sometimes  my people fail to choose the proper  time,when teasing thier comrades....

 his eyes shifted to Myra,I am sure, such talk will stop, in light of its  poor timing and very poor subject matter...

 Nelk simple nodded as he said,...Indeed....

 the  archers   were  all on the  third  target, the orange  fellow was hitting all his, but  began to stumbe as the50 yard   sprints were talking their  toll.

 The Green fellow  was talking a bit longer to take his shots,  the Blue  and red archers were about  even, but  ran on wobbly legs

In reply to Games (msg # 57):

Myranda gave Shadow a cheeky grin Gave a diplomatic curtsey then made her way from the Box, out of the arena. Leaving the blood crazed dullards who should be occupying their time far with better tasks. Myranda makes her way to the Temple district.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:56, Thu 30 June 2016.

  Kree  gave a slight shake of his head as Myra departed.

 The Princess  smiled a Bit  at him and a bigger  smile  at Luthien. The Emperor , still not  taking his eyes  off the  event, smiled  slightly.

  The   Archer  and Green  made it to his  4th spot  and Fired, he took a few more breaths between shots this time, but only one hit, then he sprinted  for   the Hour glass  the proctor  held..Red  and Blue   were Just reaching their 4th spot.. the red fellow  missed  both his shots... the Blue  missed one.

 the  orange fellow   was only half  way between  his 3rd and 4th target area,, though his first two targets  where hit with both shafts, the third one  hit  high, and the second shot  missed in the sand in front.

 Captain? some people do not like this form of  archer  contest? what are your thoughts?

 Kree shrugged,Your highness? This  is suited  for  people , such as myself... we will never  be in a position, where   we line up our archers  and fire until or foottroops clash.. we have  to fire, run and Fire again...and , most times, we are not in a wide open area, or cleared   field...

 Axehandle  speaks up,You have  collect some...odd pairings  of folks, since  you took on the quest, Quickshadow?

 Kree  grinned at that,Aye, but it makes for a relatively strong  force? But? when you run a band  such as this.. people come and go, so you cannot  recruit  exactly what you need, but...instead, take those  who are willing to follow.

 The Dwarf nodded  as he  drank a deep gulp of  cool ale,Aye...lots of Companies out there.. few have  succeeded as the Arrows...

Looking at the achievements of the contestants, Kr'wyn is glad he had not placed bets on this contest. Neither archer would have been good enough to last long in a serious battle. He turns his attention to the discussion nearby. He wonders why Myra had set such a strong opinion where some diplomacy would have been far better. In silence he adrees with Kree, but it is sad that such a way of acting could divide the Arrows, even if it is just marginally.

  The green archer  Hit  his  hour  gals  sidewise to stop the  Sand... then the Red,  and the Blue reached thier's..the ornge fellow  came in a very poor . last.

  the   Head Procter went from glass to glass  a while others   counted the   points    the colored  arrows  had made ( if they hit the target).

  when they gathered together the    horn-holders  came  to the Head Proctor, he announced  the winners...

  The Green archer  has  won... By 2  Points!... followed  By the Red  Archer, and the  Orange archer, with Blue coming last...


 people booed or cheered  depending how the rooted.

 Kree Looked at the Emperor,..Though speed  is  Important. Captain...so is  hitting your target... The Green fellow  did well, but t the  deductions for missing are great..the Orange archer  is  slow but hit many more, and higher targets , then the Blue...

 Do any of these Archers  Strike you as  winning a spot on the City  Guard?

 Kree left out a chuckle, this causes the Emperor to raise an eyebrow, in what looked  concern...The Green fellow has a chance, maybe even make a decent scout? The Orange fellow  should be on a wall or  tower, he will be , next to useless, in the field... the read and Blue, should  just be lumped into the mainstream archers....

 ..The green Archer,,is  MY Nephew..on my late  wife's side......

 Indeed? But that does not change what skill he has  shown, fi he has  royal Blood in his veins, then he should take up the challenge to may proud, his name?

 The Princess spoke up,and  what of  My skills, Captain? 

 Kree bowed his head,and smiled,Good Lady?... Your skills are Raw at best. But   your heart is  strong as is your will. Should you  put  both of those to work, in shaping the first?.. you can be a grand  archer....

 she frowned and  looked at Luthien,..so?.. you are saying  i am ...at best.. a poor  archer?

 Kree smiled, the smile of  a teacher with a promising student,..I am saying, Good Lady... your  skills need to be honed... this  does  not come with breeding, nor  with  coin...if you make a mistake in a courtly dance, then only your ego suffers  as  folks titter  and giggle. If you make a mistake in the filed, you..or worse yet, those who count on you could die....

 ..So?... I am no good to the Arrows.....

 ..Good  Lady... I would stand with you in a fight, again Your  strenghts  have showen brightly.... once  you have honed your  archer skills, and practiced with the Blade, I have no doubt you will shine in those areas as well...

 She smiled  a bit  at kree,at this.

 Nelk Looked  a bit angry,So?...CAptain, You would take  my untested  daughter, before  My archer Nephew?

 It was kree's  turn to laugh  as the Emperor's head snapped around to glare,Your Highness?..I already have... The Good Lady wears  an Arrow, as does the her two loyal handmaidens...could very well be, the time comes  , when  i call upon your Daughter and her  LAdies to join out Team, should the right Mission come up.....

 She almost shot  out of her seat at this, Nelk's mouth dropped open.You would dare to take  the Crown Princess into danger?

  Kree turns his head   as he watches the archers get their  rewards and smiles, yet again, Dara has  learned much this last Month...she has  seen the world , outside of Polished floors and  warm fires.....with or without the Arrows, she will never be as she once was. And that,  Your Highness... is a step upwards...

"I might add, your majesty, that those who wear a crown are never really out of danger. Even now, there are probably a dozen people seeking your life for various political reasons. If she continues to travel with us, the odds of her life actually being taken go down. Guards are wonderful, but ultimately, the best person at taking care of a person is themselves. It is why, your majesty, I would recommend most royal heirs take up combat training. They will inevitably need it."

There are more then a few paths Dara could take in her training.

"If she takes up the ranger's path, she will become woodwise as well. Also a very useful talent for those in power to have."

   proctors come out, they place a spear at the  east and west side of the  lake.

   Then the  Jam a short sword  into the sand at the east and  west  sides of the lake


  then,  a shortbow  and 3  arrows  are laid in the  sand by the north and south doors.

  The Head  Proctor speaksBrerl of Ancot. a village   north and east of  Engar, was taken  aboard the Pirate Vessel, Dark Cloud.... Sgt Buirt  is charged with his capture  and voted  against  Brerl's  freedom., this battle will be  until first Blood, or death, whichever comes first..... The  contestants  have  20 minutes  to fight the match...If , in 20 minutes there is no clear Winner, Brerl will be set free... as ordered by the High Captain.... You may Move ,  once the horns sound.

 Proctors line the  walls and the Horns  sound, the  SGt  scoops Up the  bow  and three arrow as as he makes his way to the east sword...

 Brerl gathers  up the bow and  arrows  and heads  for the spear.

Brie happened to hear the conversation and leaned towards Kree.  She then looked around and figured that Ivy was still attending to his own needs and took a seat next to Kree.  Hearing the comment about the Princess or the nephew archer, she snorted.

I'd choose the princess over pompous head any day, she replied and crossed her arms settling back into the seat.

Rolf, hearing the comments as well, observes, "Signing on with the Arrows is a matter of skill and dedication.  One who is worthy should be afforded the opportunity if they wish to pursue it, accidents of birth not withstanding."

Kr'wyn is surprised to hear that the king would prefer a mediocre member of his family above an excellent professional when it would come to protecting the king. Of course there is the matter of loyalty, but even in the best families not everyone is loyal and there were loyal professionals, like the arrows that would put their own lives in the balance to keep someone else safe. He would have no doubt who to choose.

  the Two ran about  the  Lake,, Both  had  their Bows  Nocked  and ready. The SGT Fired  first, the  arrow  Cam a few inches from hitting the Big Northman.  the Northman smiled as he sprinted  counterclockwise to  try to 'catch Up to the SGT.

  As he  went to round the  far end, the Northman leaped on sidewalk that boardered  lake , not  only Cutting  of yards he had  to Run, But Surprised the SGT, who had his Bow ready for him, when he  came around. As the Northman Leaped  from boarder  he threw his Spear, The SGT   tries  to Turn and run, But the spearwent through his  thigh and Pinned him to the  Sand.

  with slow deliberation, the  northman walked slowly up to the SGT  who gritted  his  teeth in agony, reaching  down in the sand, he picked up the SGT's  sword .

 The Proctors   called the Contest, but is looked like the   Big man was still Going to strike, until the other proctors  Drew back their bows

 The   Head Proctor  announced,Brerl Of Ancot is Deemed innocnet, by trial of combat, he will be released this  night with a fitting purse to compensate  for time served....

  The  Northman walked to the far end  waving to the crowd, while   healers and a clearic of the Alpower came out to help the  wounded SGT.

................


 Nelf  nods,I do hope that SGT  can continue his duties? I hear he was , rather a scourge , for the  river pirates?

 Kree pointed  with his  brink hand to the Northman, ..I think i would rather have Brerl....

In reply to fight (msg # 67):

Diana had wagered on the pirate.  There was something about him that she liked, she couldn't exactly put her finger on it.

When he won, she kept watching, smiling slightly, when it seemed the sgt might be run through.  A wry smile indeed.

Lucy had become somewhat bored so far.  After the first competition, things seemed to slow way down.  The one on one of the pirate vs sgt grabbed her attention once again.  She wagered on the pirate, and watched as the competition unfolded.

She clearly rooted for the pirate, despite herself.  When it was over, she clapped for the victor.

  The  Last fight was ready to start.  Horid  stood in , rather  Rich looking Leathers , that were decorated with  Symbols of the Alpower. he had a Staff that sported a point at the end.

 The Colonel wore Infantrymen's Leather  and  carried a stock sword and a buckler

 This is the last fight of the Day..It will be to the death, the winner will be exiled  from Ironmound  and  all lands that  fall under Her  flag....the Loser's Body  will be dropped into  The Storm as an Offering to the Gods who watch out water ways.... Begin.....

  the two circle  about the sand ,the Proctors set up a wall, Preventing them from moving to far  around the Lake..they were stuck.

 as the Moved the  Head  Proctor  shouted,in 15 minutes, if there is not a winner, both shall die.....

 this  quickened the Pace. Sand Flew  as the Colonel  moved, the portly cleric  struggled to move, though his staff seemed to have a  life of its own, it  did not seem to show how  good he can move..

  the Colonel suffered a  few Whacks  at his thighs   and  shoulders, The  Fat cleric  suffered  a few nicks of his legs and   arms.

 2 minutes..... the proctor shouted.

  The  Colonel waded   in  and  rammed the  heavy man with his shoulder, the    Cleric, turned  just a  bit as he  took the blow, then stabbed the  Colonels  right  Foot into the sand  with the point staff, As the Colonel, howled in surprise, deftly the staff   came   but and  swirled  hitting the Colonel in the Face, the man barely hit the sand, when the  staff as  slammed into his throat,The Colonel  struggeled a minute or two, his eyes   wide  as htr  e  tried to  remove the  staff from his throat, But Horid, had  His Full weight on the  staff, until the light  vanished  from the Colonel's eyes.

  The portly Cleric  was brought before Nelk's  BoxHorid?.. you have  survived..yoou have   2 days before   posters with you face and NAme  are spread about the Lands...a 1000 Gold  bounty on your head....a  Griffon rider was sent to Engar this  morning,  Your  families  estates are being sold, and your family being turned out into the  countryside  to live  as commoners...They should take Eta  and Neta , that fortune has seen fit  to allow them to live....have you anything to say?

 the  Cleric   was breathing heavy as he saidYou will see me again.  Your Highness... and that dog of an elf will die by my hands.....

 Nelk gave him a cold  smile,be off..and tarry, not long. 2 days  flies fast, when 1000 gold  is on the line.

 The  Left and Nelk and said to the crowd,Now that  the games are done, and the traitors to the Crown are dealt  with.. I am Pleased  to award The Crimson Arrows, thier contract  sum and well as  a Bonus....should all companies    be as loyal to the Crown, we should never  fear our foes!

 Most of the crowd  roaring, but  it would be less then honest to say that there were some who were more  worried about collecting their own sums.

  Nelf  shook hands  with all the arrows who attended Thank You Captain, should  we have Need, we will send a runner to  The  Plank.

   Indeed, Your Highness...and you have  some arrows who  can make that run for you...

 The  Lady Smiled   as  did the Princess.

  The  Arrows  left  first  as   The Emperor greeted  some  out of  town 'high borns'.

  all right.... we get this back to Reedrick and see what we  get... meet at The Plank an hour after  Sundown.

 kree to the Plank>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Diana was surprised at the victory of the Priest.  As she watched, she noticed that the colonel might not have been the soldier she had thought.

When the priest slammed the staff into the colonel's foot, she nodded in approval.  That was certainly an unexpected, and slick move.  Then the end came.

Diana could only shake her head.  The Colonel clearly had gotten very soft in his later years.  To be caught off guard by the priest.

She had bet heavily on the colonel, but had also bet some on the priest, just to cover.  She went to collect the meager winnings on the priest.

Afterwards, she made her way to the Plank, eventually.

Lucy had bet evenly on both.  She was tempted to bet heavily on the colonel, being the military man, yet something told her to watch out for the priest.  So, instead, she had wagered evenly on both.

When the priest slammed the staff into the colonel's foot, she applauded.  It was a very slick move.  But then to watch the colonel be easily dispatched afterwards, she was, honestly, surprised.  She had certainly expected much more of a fight by the colonel, in fact, she had expected him to win.

Yet, here was the priest being exiled.

Well, so be it.

She went to collect her winnings.  She had a pretty damned good day at the arena.  perhaps she could get into a few games of cards tonight, and her luck might extend.

Eventually, she made her way back to the Plank.

"What a simply stunning display", he thinks to himself, "but I wonder what a priest could have done to earn such an end.  Even my transgressions never warrented so serious a fate.  I wonder if I can track him down before he vanishes", and with that thought begins winding through the crowd.

Rolf shakes his head in response to his dark thoughts.  What good came from this contest?  The priest's life was saved, the colonel's life forfeit.  Both were well placed to have many secret alliances and now the priest has even more cause to despise the crown than he had prior to the fight.  He was now more desperate, and any hunter knows that the desperate prey is the more dangerous prey.

But the people had their spectacle and the crown had it's amusement.  Rolf hopes the price for them would not prove more than they could afford.

  When the  carriage  stopped  at the entrance,  tropers from the Building  lined up to give passage for those who arrived  in the carriage, and  entourage .

 Dala  Dismounted    with her  weapons and waited for Luthien to escort her  in.

 Sir Navies   stood behind them, a few others who rode  Horse , lined up behind him.

 they would make their way into the arena  , as cheers  erupted, , and the  cordon of troops   gave them free  passage to the  Emperor's box.

In reply to Luth (msg # 75):

Things were so different last time he was here...

Upon dismounting, he does indeed dismount and escort Dala to the Royal box.

He didn't miss how people cheered, nor who they were cheering for. As Navies had predicted, it wasn't the Emperor for whom they cheered. No. It was Dala, when she entered, that got all the attention.

It reminds him how blessed he is to be courting someone so loved by everyone around her.

as they settled into thier  seats, they noted   some runners who were running and   Jumping  over obstacles, to see who would finish  first.

 People watched  as they ran in groups of  10, with the top two going on to the next groups, until there were only 4.. then they ran for the prizes..

In reply to Luth (msg # 77):

Races...

Well, he wouldn't win those. He's not built to be the fastest runner around. But he also appreciates the effort it took each one of those racers to be as quick as they are. The final 4 are quick indeed.

"They had to work deceptively hard to be that fast."

  The payout  was  2 Gold..1 gold 2 silvers 1 silver  for the  4 Finishers..

  The next  event  was   javelin..a   line was  marked   at the emperors' end.. and   a Dummy was  set  100 yards  away  with   a three ring  , bulls eye.. Distance combined with how close  they  came to the  Dummy would  determine the  winner ..beginf  the 100  yard  dummy  , one another  set at 110...and another behind it, set at 120


 12  throwers  lined up for the first   tosses.

In reply to Luth (msg # 79):

Luthien continues to watch the sporting events. Javelins? He'd never specialized in that, and these people clearly had. He expected to see some impressive long range accuracy.

  The throwers were good, none were  further out then a javlin lenght, from the line. One  fellow, smaller then most   was deadly with the   javeli  hitting the  2nd  deepest, twice out of his three throws.

 He woul Be  the winner in the  end, getting   the  2  Gold.

.......

 the  next  group to try  was  an obstacle  course.. climbing, swing  from a rope,  going  over and Undelr   logs and  walls, a mud pit  at the end, followed by a water   pit, and a  30 yard sprint to the finish...10  runners  would run.

 Men and woman competed  in the advent together, there were 5 of each.

This would be interesting. Making this a co ed event means the differences between men and women must cancel out enough for a co ed event to be fair.

It's interesting to see where the women will have an advantage in the course.

This was also a good time to bring something up...

"Your majesty...I didn't see anything like a joust on the competition list. Have you ever considered adding one?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:07, Sat 24 Sept 2022.

   The Emperor  turned to Luthien with a bit of a smile.Most of  the Civilized  areas   do not know  about jousts. Some folks have   bow and Javelin  contests from horse back. But you would need to  go towards the  Northlands  for Jousts?. I myself, have never seen a joust, i learned from my teachings, of the world.

 Might be something to have  for....wedding games..Eh?


  ....

  The contestants  were   J running hard, Jumping  climbing  diving.. woman seemed faster and More agile, while the men   used strength  to  propel them when  it  came into play

"That would be an excellent occasion to have one, yes. I meant to ask your majesty for permission to that end."

But...Luthien has had some good times in the lists.

"I remember watching my first joust as a kid. Armored Knights, each sporting plate shined enough to reflect the sun, no way to tell one knight apart from another but the heraldry on his shield, the favors they wore from the ladies they championed...it was exciting times."

But then he really starts to grin...

"But not half as exciting as when my order put ME on the horse. Watching is nice and all, participating is 20 times better. Astride a mighty steed in the lists, shield in one hand, lance in the other, aiming carefully at the other warrior. The crack of a broken lance. What's really fun is if you manage to unhorse the other knight. It almost never happens to the experienced knights, though anyone can get unlucky. Mostly it happens to the younger knights who don't know how to guard against it yet. Most of the time, jousts are won by the broken lance...it's worth twice as much as merely hitting the other guy."

Lutbien is fairly fired up about the idea of bringing a joust here. It would be a fantastic idea, from his point of view.

"More than all that, jousts have entry fees, audience fees, and so on, and you can delegate a decent chunk of that to a charity of choice. Most of the Holy Knight Orders who host one do that, so they can make sure some good happens out of the event. You do have to allow some time to set one up, particularly since Ironmound has never had one and nobody will be expecting it...and the Knights do need time to arrive and so on. Also need to set up the judges and things like that. I think it'd really get the imaginations of the people going, as it once did me."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:23, Sun 25 Sept 2022.

 Nelk Nodded to Luthien,  He then stood    waving his hand  to the top four finishers for them to collect their  coin and   colored  pin ( gold for first..silver..Bronze   and copper. ) for their placement.

   the  next event  was on the  track thaat surround the  sands of the  Arena.  10 runners ( who had  competed during the week to see which  10 would run) lined up.

 Dala spoke,almost as a challenge to the Consort and  Emperor..after this?  I make my  way to the   filed, for archery..

Nelk Frowned.

 The Consort   smiled   a bit and said,May  The Sisters Guild  your  shafts....

 This is but a contest, i will not bother  the  Sisters  for thier aid.. I should  be able to  win it on my own..

For this one...

"I believe in you. Go out there and win it all."

He doesn't mention the Huntress is also a pretty good shot, as she wants to know she did it with her own practice and skill. Still, it's tough not to mention the blessing he wants to add. ...marriage is like that though. Sometimes you gotta zip it.

After she leaves and heads down for the shooting, he tells The Emperor, "I think she's going to win, your Majesty."

Luthien's not far wrong on the first flight...only one of the soldiers actually outshot Dala, and he was known to be the best shot in the army to begin with.

"Probably be between her and that guy, and I think she's got the final round."

As predicted, she easily advances to round 2.

  out of the  15  archers. % were  removed  as thier  points were the loswest.

 Dala   moved on  with  the  others, with the  targets  being carried  bacl 5 yards, and a new  target shet placed on them.

 each archer   had a small  ring of paint to seperate them fro others.. Dala   had a pink stripe.

After the second flight, that top marksman of the guard won the 2nd round too, and one of the other top marksmen got really close to Dala's score, but ultimately fell ever so slightly short.

"It's the third flight where she has to beat him. Your majesty...an idea if you like. If she wins, let her propose the schedule tomorrow. She might have some ideas for what to make all the suitors do."

  The Consort chuckled  at Luthien's  suggestion. The Emperor  smiles a bit,That would  prove interesting?

 below  and behind them, those suitors who heard this, shifted  uncomfortably. Sir Navies  just grinned.

......................

 The  middle butt was moved back     5 yards.  to make the   conterst last a few minutes longer. the last  5  shot at th same target, from lowest to   Highest...The  expert trooper  used  his Military  bow, that was  , by its look, reletively new. The others  had thier Bows, that, again, were  well cared for,

 Dala  stood, with her Black Timber bow that   shone at times, in the sun from the  care she has given it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:04, Fri 30 Sept 2022.

This time, it wasn't even close. The expert trooper and his number 2...it isn't quite fair to say they had trouble...they were still amazing shots.

But Dala racked up bullseye after bullseye. The bullseye had an outer and an inner ring, and all were in the inner ring. Her second shot was so perfectly placed she could only equal it by splitting her own arrow with the third shot. And that happened. Maybe she'd heard Luthien's idea way down there and was extra inspired to be practically perfect.

"I don't know if she heard us or just really wanted to win, but wow. Easy gold medal for her there." Maybe she saw the looks on the faces of those shifting uncomfortably. That would be really hilarious.

Totally flawless.

  The Emperor  stood  hge  clapped  as  did others  around him, but he was  clapping for his daughter.

 The  awards   were given out ,   Dala raised her  bow to the  Crowds who  screamed out her  name.

 The Consort  says,the next two events  are the horse  races, and the    mounted  Javelin throw...

 Dala  Came Up  Beaming   like a childe  with the winter  gift surprise.

"That last round was totally flawless, Dala. I'm so proud of you." Love. Pride. Respect. These things had different meanings, but right now, she was in the center of all of them, her place in the sun quite secure.

Not forgetting that other thing he'd mentioned to his Majesty.

"Tell her about what she gets to do tomorrow, your Majesty."

He's just as excited for that part!

   The  when by.. the horse  racing  was one lap around the arena. starting and  ending at the Emperor's box.

 The  Coins and medals handed out.

  The  Mounted  Javelin was  interesting.   mounted riders  had a  quiver of 6  Javelins. they rode  hard  as   6 Targets  of  'horses'  and  'riders' were rocked back and  forth  by  arena  workers. One  attack per   rider. if you missed..no points..if you hit the  horse, you lost one, if you hit the Rider, you got  two points.

    The Emperor looked around at those  in the Box.There was still one 'Tou Suitor" in the mix.You lose a point  for hitting the Horse, since it is   deemed  'unchivlrous' 

 The Tous   Suitor said with  some Snark.Perhaps you should  tell your Barbaric  alies in The Timber, that. They seem to bring  down Horse  at the  first volley..

 Dala  snapped,That is because, Tou  riders canot  fight without there horse, nor can the run away!... and.. she  grins at Luthien,..the captain says  Tou Horse meat is a real treat!

 The Suitor  stood his  face  red.

 Axehandle   snorted,sit down, young fool? do you seek to challenge the Princess?

 The   Young Man wanted to say something, when  The Dwarf  said,have you ever  supped on Tou Horse flesh, Sir Luthien?

Luthien thinks back on his travel with the Captain...

It didn't really stand out in his mind for good or ill though. Except...suddenly he remembers!

"Oh, that's right. A few months ago, we were fighting Tou and...yeah, now I remember. It does taste surprisingly good. Thought it would be gamey, considering how much horses are trained, but it was surprisingly tender. I think the Captain has some tricks he uses for cooking too."

It took him a while to recall.

 The  Fellow,   Drest of Tou, a Captain  of  a Horse unit, Stood, pointing at Luthien , he looks at the Emperor.... You allow  a Crimson Arrow to  lay suite to your daughter?

 The Middle  Sister  says,..it is much better then allowing a  Horse....lover... to   lay suite

The Consort speaks up, Nonchalantly , as the Javelin rider began  their  runs  at the  ' Moving ' targets.I think it is a  goodly thought, to have Dala   pick  tasks for the suitors... give us  some form of payment, for the  food and housing you all have taken advantage of over the  last few months.

Many heads  truned at this.

 Then it is settled, Dala will present some tasks  for the suitors and  deliver them to  night at the hall during the dance  and  food. There will be  no  grand  dinner tonight, to observe th Holiday. The dance  and food s their  will suffice.

Luthien is going to have so much fun with this. He figures there's a decent chance the suitor count will be cut in half because they won't be able to unbend their pride long enough to get their hands dirty.

While he put the idea in his Majesty's ear, he also wants to see which of several roads she wants to walk for deciding the activities of tomorrow.

Every startled or frightened looking face among the suitors makes him grin a little wider, as he leans Dala's way.

"The fun you are about to have is beyond measure."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:17, Fri 07 Oct 2022.

  when the   mounted  Javelin ended, The Emperor  stood.It is time to return to the Palace.... the  dance will be  at 8:00... Dala, will have her list ready for those   who still wish to stay  and  give suit  , to my daughters.

   everyone stood. Counting   Luthien there were  still 20 suitors left for  3 princesses...perhaps, it was  time to weed the garden

The garden will be weeded quite a bit, he thinks. He must still escort her back first.

"Shall we?"

He offers his arm, of course, at least till she gets to her horse again. He remembered she didn't want help up.

 Everyone waited  for the Emoeror, Constort  and   two oldest  princesses to   enter the carriage.

  Dala   , playfully slapped  a , well meaning  SGT's  hands  away as he   tried to  use his cupped hands   to aid her  in mounting up. Once in the saddle she looked down at him and giggled,If I cannot   get into the saddle myself? I should not  Ride. But thank you for  your thoughtfulness..

 He was stunned , to say the least.Not being a Palace guard, he knew  very little  about the Princesses..but at that moment, Dala had a new  follower.

  Sir Navies chuckles softly as he says , quietly to  Luthien...she may be the most hard to handle of the  Three Ladies?, He is head strong, to say the least...

"Who said anything about handling? The idea is to encourage her and let her shine. Besides, where else am I gonna find someone who will cheerfully go adventuring with me whenever I feel like it? You just witnessed her beating the best shot in the guard. For the record, that third flight tends to be the range a slaver is when they're running away from the Arrows."

The other two princesses are fine ladies, to be sure, but they wouldn't be caught dead adventuring by choice.

 With  the Carriage out in front  with riders  in front of them, Luthien  and Dala   were  a few  length behind the carriage,  with  suitors behind them... Trops  marched on either side, , mor to keep people from running  out and getting hurt, then crowd  control . There  seemed to  be no  disgruntled   people,  the worst  looks they may have received , were from   the  por folks who just watched the  procession go buy as they  waited  so they could get on , with  whatever  jobs then needed to do.
........

 when the  finally reached the Road Of Kings.. the  City Guard Gave way to the Palace guard  that lined the boulevard  , as the Emperor  returned home.

Luthien does pay attention to the looks of the people around him as it goes by. The fact people mostly seem inconvenienced by the road block at worst was always a good sign. But there's nobody shouting about some wrong that was done to them.

There's also quite a bit of anticipation on his part for what's about to happen to all those suitors trailing behind them.