The Games Boys Play (Open!)

[victorie]

(( So bad at openers judge me!))

Where there is Unity

Victory Lies

It was a beautiful Autumn day, the kind that Ylisse is known for during it's long harvest months. A gentle flick of mist clings low to the ground, the air is sharp and crisp, cool enough to have the gentlest bite but just warm enough to rouse one's soul for the rest of the day. And quite honestly, who could avoid a scene as lively and fantastical as the tourney taking place within the field grounds outside Ylisstol. The yellow and orange trees shade the long course of the jousting list, branches and boroughs shrouding the stands on the right of the field of competition as heavy yellow leaves fall on the spectators that are packed to see the knights engage in their little game of risk and elegance.

It's a convenient distraction really, the tournament, a way for the common citizenry to escape the trappings of a world that seemed to be on the brink of breaking into anarchy at any moment. A way to get away and watch brave knights do brave things, indulge old fantasies and maybe just a small bit of blood lust in the spectacle. To say nothing of the feast that would be held later that night in commemoration of the year's first harvests.

But it was on this field that Victorie would find herself, her jousting lance leveled high in the air above her head and a wooden shield secured to her forearm. She looked like something from a story, as if she had just slew the Felldragon herself to save some poor maiden. From head to toe she was caged in intricate silver armor, her normal outfit now being supplemented by greaves and vambraces and a pronounced bevor for her to tuck her chin into. Along her shoulders was secured a heavy cape of light violet, the fabric shimmering in the light as she shifted atop the back of her white steed. Many had noted it was impractical, and a few close friends had rightfully called it dangerous, but father was quite insistent his wonderful daughter would be dressed like a queen.

And as such, she would guide her pegasus forward, the winged horse flicking it's wings as Victorie took up her spot to the right of Ser Hugh, a young lordling with golden blonde hair, a chin that could cut diamond and the face of an angel. Of course, he also had the realm's largest mouth. They would go through the pleasantness, exchange tidings with the lords in the audience and Victorie would even present the token of a rose to a young maiden in the front row before the two departed to either side of the lists to prepare to clash against one another.

"You and me Rose." She would whisper to her pegasus, leaning down to pat her ears before the woman sits up, an attendant passing her her helmet which she secured to her head with a small amount of trouble. It was also quite the extravagant thing, the great helm topped with a pair of golden antlers and making her look nearly two heads taller than she actually is. Her father made sure that the crest of the family would be present if she were to ride under his name.

But, the weight seemed to bother her little as the call was sounded and both riders thundered towards one another, sprays of dirt kicking up behind them and lances lowered as the cape trailed in the air behind her. "SUPERIOR"

### | Lilou Oliver | notes

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[Lilou]

KINGS AND QUEENS OF PROMISE

Ah, Ylisstol, the finest city of the lands, or so they said. Lilou supposed it was true, if you liked cities, and she did. Cities tended to have well-run police forces and courthouses. There were cities that didn't, of course, but Ylisstol wasn't one of them. That was all part of the reason it was the finest in the lands. "If I may, Sir Hugh," Lilou said, riding past Sir Hugh without stopping to even look him in the eye. She'd spoken to him before, when he was less sober and somehow even less mature. She had no intention of speaking to him at length ever again. "I have a personal interest in this bout." Her horse's name was Gwendolyn, and she was no fine thoroughbred, but she was a mare that'd had nerves of steel enough to stay calm in a fire and to chase down bandits afterward. Some heroes are born; others are made. Gwen's pedigree seemed reasonable enough--she had the broad forehead and narrow snout of a finely bred steed, although her low tail and long back made her either an aberration or a mutt. Lilou didn't care; Gwen had proven herself a worthy steed, and she was dressed like one in all the pomp and splendor a tournament deserved. Lilou was dressed just as well, her new armor more a masterwork of art than war, her helm an enameled mask if a divine dragon in all its radiance, her saddle adorned with a blanket of fresh carnations, her lance gilded so that it glinted in the sunlight. It wasn't practical, so in a fashion, it wasn't like her, but she bore the weight of her house with all due dignity and splendor--or rather, Sir Hugh's house, because she'd taken a shield emblazoned with his family's emblem. She drew Gwen along the audience, slowing down from a light trot as she scanned the crowd. Aurelia wasn't here, so at this point, Lilou searched for anyone that caught her eye--she found someone dressed in red near the front of the stands. "Crimson for courage," she said to him, passing along the reddest carnation she could pick out from her saddle. Lilou smiled, although it was brief, and her attention was soon diverted to observe her opponent out of the field. She brought Gwen around to where a squire fidgeted and double checked his work. Things were quite alright--she'd have noticed if something were terribly amiss--but she let the squire do his job without complaint. It was tricky to ride against a pegasus knight. They had a height advantage that made them difficult to unseat, but that same advantage was precarious one. Lilou patted Gwen on the neck. "Let us be civilized here, Gwen. No headbutting, no stamping, no biting, no rearing up like you're the hero of an awful penny dreadful. Understood? Excellent." Lilou lowered her lance and charged. Oliver victorie

[Oliver]

Now this was what Oliver was waiting for! The boy loved seeing heroes clash on the field of honor just as much as he enjoyed hearing tales of their glory, but before he hadn't been able to do more than take occasional peeks from the backs of tightly packed crowds. Now, however, he finally had enough gold on hand to get some up close seats to one of the finest jousting shows on earth.  To say the kid was ecstatic was an understatement.

However, what made him even more ecstatic was when one of the jousters approached him.  For a second he looked around, wondering to see just who the knight was approaching.  It was only when she took out the red carnation did he realize he was about to receive a jouster's token.  He stared in awe, a smile slowly creeping up his face as he took the carnation.  "Thank you so much, miss!" he responded, his smile the only thing wider than his eyes. He tucked it into the white part of his shirt, his outfit now even redder than usual.

He watched as the two jousters took their positions, for the most part focused on the one who bestowed her token but also taking a look at her opponent.  A knight on a pegasus, looking so very familiar to the boy.  He was sure he had seen her before somewhere, but where?

Maybe that tingling in his jaw would give him the hint.

Either way, there was no more time to think.  The show was about to start!  As the two mounted warriors charged off at each other, Oliver watched with the focus and precision of a laser.  Maybe after the joust, he'd go walk off and start doing some practice of his own.  While he knew he'd never compare to these two, he had to at least try!

Lilou victorie

[victorie]

Where there is Unity

Victory Lies

Victor grinned behind her helm, the shield raised before herself and back hunched as her stomach lifted and fell with each beat of Rose's hooves on the mud below her. This was going to be easy. Sir Hugh may well have been a lordling and utterly insufferable, but he was a poor jouster and very much an easy entry into the tournament. This was going to be a breeze! So much so, that she enjoyed the sensation far more than putting too much attention on her target, she already knew his mannerisms and the blunted tip of her silver and purple painted lance edged towards the open spot on his left that the boy insisted he should never have to cover. Lesson one, never become complacent.

She finally grit her teeth as those last few seconds come upon her, lance aimed forward and back arching as she narrowed her eyes. In those last few moments before contact she realized something was wrong, Sir Hugh had become taller, sir Hugh had covered that blind spot and Sir Hugh had pushed early. She didn't have enough time to process this and act before it was far too late, the silver clad knight turning, trying to adjust only to let out a sharp gasp as she took the point of Lilou's lance right on the head of the silver stag painted upon her wooden shield. There was a snap as the shield cracked, the stag splintering and Victorie's lance grazing along 'Sir Hugh's' as the younger woman found the world suddenly flew about her, brown mud blurring with the stands and then nothing but blue as she had a scant second of realization that she was indeed, falling.

And then there's the CRASH of armored knight hitting ground, the silver haired pegasus knight groaning as she lay on her back and gently balled her hands into fists. She couldn't even dwell on what would most certainly be a bruised rump, as she was far too preoccupied with how Sir Hugh could unhorse her! HER! She had one of the best 'mentors' one could ask for! Wait...

"Uuuurgh..." She'd groan, clamping her eyes shut and resting her hands on her helmet as if she were trying to hide her face. Why was she riding for Hugh? And why hadn't Victorie noticed it earlier? From the horse to the posture to the everything! Ugh!

"... She is going to give me that face, isn't she rose?" The knight would mumble, tilting her helmeted head back and forth as the snow white pegasus, who had come back about for it's rider after her unfortunate fall, noses at the collapsed figure. She looks a little pitiful now to be honest, purple cape muddied and one of those extravagant antlers snapped off from it's base, to say nothing of the ruined shield still held secure to her arm.

### | Lilou Oliver | notes

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[Lilou]

KINGS AND QUEENS OF PROMISE

The crowd cheered as the knights galloped towards each other. A part of Lilou had to admit that she found it grating to carry Hugh's shield, but it made little difference. The crowd was silent to her now. There was only her and Victorie, Gwen and Rose. Some jousters were showmen, and Lilou tried to appease the masses, but they faded away the moment Gwen started her charge--they didn't matter anymore. They clashed. Her lance struck squarely, splintering as it smashed into the painted stag. Her own shield--the one emblazoned with Sir Hugh's house--took a mighty blow. It held together, but the smooth surface with Sir Hugh's crest carved upon it was a spiderweb of cracks with fragments already splitting off. Sir Hugh wouldn't be using it again. The impact sent a familiar tremor down her arm, although it wasn't that familiar. She'd certainly never felt that sort of strength from Victorie before. Lilou pulled Gwen around, impressed. It looked like someone had been chasing her dreams quite seriously while Lilou had been gallivanting around uselessly with Dorian. Good. The world demanded a respectable knight to put the sniveling sorts in their proper place. She dismounted not far from Victorie. On her approach, she removed her helm and shook out her long hair. Definitely not Sir Hugh. Lilou smiled and was pleased. That didn't mean she intended to offer praise. "An ignoble landing," she said to Victorie. Lilou extended a hand, should Victorie want a bit of assistance back to her feet. "You ride through the air with such grace, surely you can be unseated with some amount of dignity too, no? Come, stand. There is no dishonor in a fair defeat." victorie Oliver

[victorie]

Where there is Unity

Victory Lies

Victorie heard the steps behind her, eyes still closed as she lets out a long sigh and stares upward into the sky through the slits in her visor. At least it was a beautiful day, which was only a small consolation to the fact that Lilou had chosen to end this tournament for Victorie on the first joust. And then that face will fill the sky above her, the younger woman squinting quite a fair bit as she's transported back five years earlier when this was a far more common occurrence. And yet, she couldn't help but feel that ecstatic rush of happiness fill her chest as this is the first time she's seen the red knight in years. And, even if she's currently on her back staring up at her, because really, who else has any right to unhorse her anyways?

So of course, she cannot help but grin as she takes the hand with her armored glove, the assistance very much needed and appreciated. Normally, getting up off her bum wouldn't be an issue for the pegasus knight, but then she was much more armored now than she would be in battle. As ironic as that may well sound. "Well, for one who is never dehorsed, it is quite easy to judge a fall." She remarks with a gentle nod of her head, her hand going up to lift her visor as she gives the other knight a beaming beautiful smile. She just couldn't help it, even if her butt was going to hurt so bad the next morning. "And you still attack with such ferocity, I have yet to meet any that hits with such aggressiveness." She remarks with a nod, her voice nice and flowery as the muddied knight takes Lilou's hand in her own and raises it high above their heads to show off the victor, even if the younger noble looks quite the silly sight with her broken antler helm and mud covered silver armor. Always the crowd charmer.

"And to the victor goes the spoils." She remarks with a sweet giggle and a wink at her childhood friend as she lowers their hands and groans a bit and gingerly rubs the side of her leg. "Back to the stables then?" She asks, patting her pegasus' cheek. "And I can promise you I am twice as graceful since we last met." She adds with a light chirp as she takes Rose's lead and gestures for the two to move so they can have a real conversation. And it seems, she's still married to her more leisurely way of talking. Never one of those pretty song birds at court, and Lilou would know that quite well.

### | @theredknight Oliver | notes

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