Kierahn waited until he had been introduced, lacking in any title other than Prince, there was no need to bother with listening for these titles.  Besides, based on the rising volumes of meandering chatter amongst the nobles, most had quit listening to the Herald's introductions and gone back to their personal discussions they had been in prior to the trumpets.  He sat in his chair, looking at the court to determine what was happening where.  After all, it seemed unlikely they were intended to stay in the balcony, or there wouldn't have been so much ado about who was watching who.  He thus started to plan what he would do once introductions were completed.  "Why are we so high up, and the other nobles so much closer to the events?", he asked to Tamlin when a moment presented itself.

Caitriona smiled back at her father widely as she was introduced for the first time. A new face at court always generated interest. She waved at the crowd and smiled appropriately as they took their places. To her the wait had been worth it.

She sat next to Cador as he was her guardian for the day.

 "It is much louder up close than I thought it would be," she mused as the crowd settled and the knights were about to be brought in.

“If Caitriona could sit next to Oriana, and I on her other side, I’d appreciate it” Cador says quietly to Erica - expecting Marion to sit at her father’s side, as is her right as heir.

When it is his turn to be seated he proceeds graciously to the balcony, and reserves a seat for Caitriona.  Thankful that he doesn’t have to stand for the rest of the droning pomposity.  It gets longer every year.   Surely they could start skipping some of the titles ?

Erica answers Cador with a brief nod.  It would be wrong to say that she never stands on ceremony; there are times when it's important to maintain royal dignity.  But where she sits in the royal box, she literally couldn't care less.

"My sucker?  No Branwen.  This is just a bit of family fun." Something Branwen  has isolated herself from these several years.   Whether Marian forgives her sister for that is another matter entirely as she's seen the effect it has had on Caitriona.

As they head for the balcony, Marian will forsake her place and direct Caity to sit there.  It was a small gift, but a gift never-the-less.  She's also arranged for flowers for the family and young maid passes them out to various family members - something to throw in appreciation of just simply to adorn.  There's also knee blankets and cushions to make the seats a little warmer and more comfortable.

Caitriona gives Marion a hug for her gift of allowing her to sit in her eldest sister's usual place. She knows the order of precedence and understands the enormity of changing, even for one day.

Sitting between Corwin and Cador, Caity supposes that there is no safer place in Avalon than that.

"How do they decide who jousts against one another and in what order?" Caity asks Cador. "Do they draw lots or flip a coin or what?"

"Status means height to some people, and part of our family's job at these things is to be seen. Hard to do that from the first rank along the grounds," Tamlin answered his brother, "We won't be kept too long once things are under way. Everyone after the heir is a bit easier to do without."

In reply to Caitriona (msg # 111):

“It is mostly decided by lot” Cador answered.  “Unless a challenge has been issued and accepted.  The first few rounds will be younger knights wishing to display their skills.  After that, we shall see the flower of chivalry going at it”

He sighs “i’d pray that no horses die, but Aurelius gets disappointed when that happens”

"You ever seen giant eagles devour a horse, Caity?  Takes them about three minutes," Branwen deadpans, nodding gravely.  She has no idea whether this is actually true.  "Bones and all."

“What do you expect, sis?  A horse is too big to swallow whole” Cador shoots back with a thin smile.

"I've never seen it myself but would hardly be surprising, would it? Predators, particularly those of the carnivorous variety, tend to be efficient eaters taking their fill before they can be challenged by a greater one," Caity replied with an equal smile as if reading from an encyclopaedia.

She kept her voice lowered to the immediate area. "They rather mate the same way before a more dominant male can take their place."

Over the last few years, Caitriona spent a great many hours in the library in earnest study under the guidance of their bookish brother Tamlin and had the steadying influence of Marian to rein in the overly exuberant personality of the not yet teenager Caitriona from before Branwen ran away from home.

As a child, Cait was a little wild... a daredevil willing to go find her own adventures, usually dragging her twin along with her. It was not unusual for her to return home soaked in mud or scraped owing to a fall from a tree.

But time, events, and influence have their effects and the little girl had calmed considerably into less of a tomboy and now was a young woman entering society where certain behaviors were absolutely inexcusable. Being lively around family was one thing; being unchecked in public was quite different.

People would be watching and judging her based on how she behaved. For her first outing and with so many strangers surrounding them, Caitriona could not afford any major missteps. It was a little intimidating to see so many faces staring up at them.

"Don't lie to the youngest unless you want to find out what she's like mad," Tamlin told his siblings mildly, "Besides, you might put it in her head to get a bird that big and bring it around."

Corwin listened to his kids talk and tease each other with an amused grin on his face. So young. And better off relationship-wise than he had been with his siblings at that age. He looked at Lorraine with fondness and love. They had done a good job with this bunch, even with the problems they'd had with Branwen.

As the opening rounds of the tournaments started, a man would arrive at the royal balcony, bearing an invitation and wearing a hood that concealed his face. The guards, after a moment, would consult with the Royal couple and allow the man to enter, where he would find his way to a spot near Marian and wink at her.

In round 2 of the opening fight there was a surprise. Some of the younger knights had begun to declare their victories in the names of one or another of the Royal Family, usually the Emperor and Empress, though Oriana got a fair few. Marian and Erica were favorites, as was Cador and even Tamlin got a few. But at the start of the second round, a young knight stepped forward. He was tall, nearly six feet, with raven-black hair and bright blue eyes in a rounded face. He wore red armor with the crest of House Tremaine on it, and bore a a great double-headed axe. Several of the noble ladies in the stands swooned over his appearance.

Without warning, the knight bowed to the Royal Balcony, then knelt. "I declare my victory in the name of the Princess Caitriona! May my skill at arms prove worthy of her beauty!" He would then start to face off against another knight with a spear.


Oriana suddenly looked up in surprise and she leaned in to murmur to her grandfather and step-grandmother urgently.

He was a handsome young man but surely he was just being polite?

Caitriona blushed at the sudden declaration but smiled nevertheless and nodded, tossing him a rose of favor for the compliment.

"Who is he?" Cait asked Cador.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:21, Thu 01 Nov 2018.

Marian smiles to herself as the rather handsome knight makes his appearance.  Oddly, his crest happens to match the one that Caity is holding in her hand (even if she hasn't yet recognised this).   Marian might have said or done more though if not for a odd little expression that crosses her features and she too turns to her father as Oriana whispers urgently.  Seeing that her father has been alerted, she chooses instead to step aside (so she's not in the way of the others) her features quickly taking on a distant look.

Tamlin closed his eyes and seemed to slump slightly in his seat, almost as if he had dozed off. After a moment he shifted back towards a more alert posture.

The tournament to that point had only been tentatively holding her interest, but Branwen's attention was drawn to the red-armored knight, fixing him with a distantly contemplative stare, a little frown of concentration furrowing her brow.

“Sir Tristan.  Your first would-be suitor.  And far from the last, I expect.  Had your attendance been expected we might have sen more already” Cador answers, smoothly.  “Now one has declared himself, more will follow.  Be ready to face the jealousy of many Ladies of the Court tonight.”   He is not greatly concerned - yet.  The young knight’s gesture and its intent cannot have been missed.  “What do you think of him?”

"He seems quite bold and I hope he does well," Catriona replied, thinking. "But I would have to talk to him to find out what his personality, demeanor and intelligence are to know if I would be interested any further. If he has any degree of honor about him, he would want to learn the same about me and not just see my political and social benefits as well. Looks are a fine thing, but without intelligence and wit, a man is no more than the equivalent to my dolls and I've not played with those in a long while."

"Be that as it may, however, any would be suitors must come with a reasonable understanding that until my three elder sisters settle down, I will be a long time from available," Caity continued. "Besides, I've a great deal I want to do first."

“You will have your chance this evening, I think.” Cador replies with a bit of a smile.  “At least if he wins.” He halts to add a correction.  “Unless our parents find some reason to dissuade him. “ He looks heavenward, with a sigh.  “Politics.  Sometimes I wish... Never mind. He shall ask to dance with you tonight, and ‘twould be an insult to refuse”

"I would never dishonor him or myself by behaving so boorishly as it would reflect poorly on my family as well. I can't think of any reason to refuse him a dance, barring injury or illness," Caity assured her eldest brother. "I understand the manners attached. He must be formally introduced first by either the host (Daddy), his superior (you) or Master of Ceremonies. Otherwise, I mayn't dance or even speak with him at all. Also, he may have more than one dance if he should ask but never two in a row. I mustn't be seen as behaving with any manner of favoritism to a single gentleman in the course of my first ball. People would think liberties have already been taken and that will not do."

It was obvious that the youngest sister had been studying the etiquette of the day for a very long time in preparation.

On the battlefield, Sir Tristan was engaged in a spirited contest with the other knight, a young Sir Markham. Markham wielded his spear with a strong hand, using thrusts and jabs to try and keep Tristan at bay. Tristan was carefully working his way into the range of the spear, adeptly dodging from one side to another as he drew close enough to use his greataxe.

"Kierahn, up for a quick hike?" Tamlin asked his brother quietly.

In reply to Caitriona (msg # 126):

“Etiquette is all very well, although you will find that strict adherence to those rules is rare.” Cador informs his youngest sister.  “Politics is not so simple and ever-shifting.  Sometimes it is necessary to show favour to a House, sometimes to withhold it.  Alliances must be chosen carefully - and personal feelings must come second to the needs of the day”.

He looks to the field.  “Sir Tristan is a canny fighter.  So long as he does not overreach the victory should be his.”

From her second-row seat on the balcony, Branwen leans forward to rest a hand on Cador's armored shoulder and murmur gently to him, though her ice-blue eyes remain fixed on the field, cautiously curious.