>>5608420When you arrive in the courtyard in question, you find it to be a field empty of everything but a thin layer of manicured grass. You arrive in time to see the last of whatever overgrowth ahs occurred swept aside by a halfling servant with a scythe—the first of these small, slim folk you have seen, though you know them by reputation. He is not the only one there, though—Prince Alexos has not yet arrived, but word must have spread, for you see various other noblemen and women, and what look to be their guards and servants-are there as well. You se nobody that you would take to be Paladin King Archos, but you DO see Princess Ekaterine, and standing near her a blue-cloaked and thinly-bearded man with a crown like that of Alexos—their brother, Rufos, you presume.
You bow to them both, and before you can even rise—or anyone can move to stop her,--the Princess of Hawksong ahs rushed towards you. There are some murmurs from the crowd. The Princess hears them, wincing a little at the gossiping taking place just loud enough for you to catch the scandalized tone, but she does not turn to face them. Instea,d she asks you:
“Mister Long! What is the MEANING of this?! I… I LIED to my brother for you, to spare you, even in SPITE of your… R-rudeness… And this is what you do with that mercy? You challenge him to a fight?! I was trying to AVODI this!”
“It is a friendly ssparring match,” you reassure her.
“To what END?!” she demands. “This is… There is no point in it! It’s senseless!”
“I have to admit,” the succubus disguised as the Green Knight says, “I’m not sure what the game-plan is here, either, Wangy. What are we doing here?”
You begin to answer their inquiries, but you’ve barely got more than a couple words out when two trumpets are blown. The three of you look up to see Prince Alexos. He has traded in his courtly garb for a gambeson, with the city’s eagle symbol stitched upon his breast. He gingerly removes his crown, setting it upon a pillow proffered by a servant, as two more approach bearing dulled swords in the same Northwestern make as Kinslayer: double-edged, straight-bladed, with a crossguard.
What is your plan here?
>Fight to test yourself, but fight fairly and in a ‘friendly’ manner>Fight to humiliate—to crush this human princeling’s pride and establish dominance>Fight to cripple him—a ‘sparring accident’ to make an invalid of the Paladin King’s heir>Fight to kill—there will be no playing it off as an ‘innocent accident’ if you do, but it is worth it>Write-inDo you do anything to make it ‘more interesting’?
>Place a bet on the bout [what terms? Something related to Ekaterine, to a royal favour, or otherwise?]>Suggest using your regular armaments, rather than these play swords>Take a handicap—one hand behind your back, for instance, or a blindfold [specify]>Write-in 