Dreadlords The Tournament of Turin

[Edric]

"Uhh." Edric said with a slight frown, his gaze flickering over the rather large board of options laying in front of him.

The stalls here seemed to be entirely filled with nothing but meat. Flanks of steak, sides of pork, whole racks of lamb. The entire temporary street smelled like cooking fires and roasting meals to the degree it was almost overwhelming.

For someone like Edric, whose meals for most of his life had consisted of the worst the Academy had to offer it was overwhelming. He was better now, than he once had been. The missions he'd been sent on an the 'life' he'd experienced there having steeled him against the treacheries of food courts.

"That flank looks good." He said pointing. "I have a bout still coming up."

Edric noted. "Can't get weighed down too much."

 

[Olvir]

As Elspeth arrived Olvir moved to the side, letting his betrothed take her position. The smock around her waist quickly bundled and pressed against the man's throat, stemming the bleeding.

His beloved shouted, and Olvir turned his head in search.

No healer came.

"Shit." The young Noble swore, Elspeth's voice drowned in the cries of the tournament around them. The Medical tents being near enough the arenas that the crowds and minstrels drowned out anyone not nearby you.

For a brief moment he looked around more, then quickly turned on his heel. "I'll be right back!"

Olvir shouted, darting into the crowd and quickly ducking into one of the tents. Desperately searching for someone who would be of assistance.

"Healer!" He called. "I need a healer!"

Rushing from one tent to the next.

 

[Colette]

"My father works quite hard," Colette had never wanted for much but her family also never had so much coin as to grant her every luxury. The truest example of the growing middle class within the capital city of Vel Anir.

To the question at hand the mouse of a girl smiled and blushed.

She chanced a look at the flowing fabrics of the tournament and then collected herself. "All Anirians have to serve for a year or so. I turned out to be pretty good with a bow," she thinned her lips, trying not to brag, "and a friend helped me learn the blade."

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Oh, what are you competing in?" Wil asked with enthusiasm as he joined the line with his new friend and pointed to the flank and some ribs for himself. They shuffled down the line as the meat was cleaved for them then added to plates along with steaming potatoes and something called cornbread. Wil took his plate with a grin and passed over the coins with a hefty portion for a tip.

"I'm entering into the hand to hand later," he added conversationally as they wandered over to take seats at one of the empty picnic tables dotted about the place.

 

[Aelita]

Barbeque appeared to be popular to all the tournament goers and attendees. The style stood in contrast to most stands or restaurants. Large chunks of meat are slowly smoked over several hours. In contrast, most food stands would slice a piece of meat into smaller pieces in order to quickly cook them on demand.

Therefore, a variety of people had gathered to give the foreign cuisine a try. For example, it appeared a group next to the table that Wil picked out seemed to be enjoying the novelty of the food. A boisterous fellow at that table sported a Dornoch accent. Another person with long, blonde hair sat at this table – the back of the head facing Wil and Edric.

“I’ve never seen this before!” a woman’s voice exclaimed as she witnessed a slab of juicy brisket getting sliced before her.

Turning toward the source of this voice would reveal a trio of people. Someone with long blonde hair stood at the front of the three, with the rest of this person’s features hidden behind the armored bodies of the other two.

And just beyond all of the crowd gathering around to get some barbeque, another figure with long blonde hair walked by on the main pathway.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"Here! I'm a Healer!" a young man came bursting out of a tent to Ollie's right marked with the sigil of a city known as Brunhaven. He quickly followed the young noble over to the bloody scene and Elspeth looked up with a sound of relief.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Elsi intoned quickly but quietly to him so as not to cause a crowd ruckus, "if we can't get the bleeding stopped-"

The Healer nodded and quickly rolled up his sleeves, moving to stand on the opposite side of the wounded Knight from her and holding his hands out, palms down, just over her own where they pressed against his neck. Blood continued to bubble out from beneath her own as she watched. Minutes drifted by as nothing seemed to happen and the onlookers began to worry that it wasn't working. Elspeth kept her own expression schooled and focused, though she could not see any visual sign of the Healer's efforts, she could feel them.

It was a curiously familiar sensation ... like hearing a language you never learned but knowing it instantly as if it were your own.

For his efforts, the Healer had grown quite pale but he finally pulled his hands away, "That's done it. The artery is healed, you should be able to fix him up the rest of the way."

Blinking, Elsi carefully pulled a hand away to see that what he said was true and while there was still some bleeding, it was all superficial along the torn skin, "Thank you Sir, you've saved this man's life."

"Indeed," he replied woozily and promptly fainted to the ground.

 

[Olvir]

"Oh shit." Ollie said as the healer went tumbling to the ground, and then instantly slapped a hand over his mouth as he realized what he'd said in front of his betrothed. His palm drew away, and he flashed Elspeth an embarrassed smile before clearing his throat.

"Well, that was harrowing." He said, continuing on as he stepped over towards the now unconscious man, glancing over towards Elspeth. "I think we should probably get him out of the mu-"

Before he could finish, the Servant who had brought his lord here quickly swept forward.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you all!" The man said, repeating himself over and over again. "I assure you this will not be forgotten! My Lord is generous as he is kind! You will all be well rewarded!"

Olvir smiled, looking over towards Elspeth and not wanting to put words into her mouth. "All I did was run around like a headless chicken, your thanks should go to those who actually did the work."

The noble said, gesturing towards Elspeth and the now unconscious man.

 

[Edric]

"The Joust mainly." Edric said, suddenly realizing how much of a fucking idiot he had been in agreeing to get a meal.

A brief moment of panic flickered through him as he realized to eat he would actually have to take off his helmet. Fingers clutched tightly at the platter in his hand as they wandered over towards one of the tables. His leg kicking over the bench as he continued the charade of a conversation.

"Then the melee later." He tried to seem calm, and then noticed a blonde figure standing just behind where Wil sat. A frown touched his lips, was that... "You're a martial artists then?"

Edric said, lips thinning for a moment as suddenly he heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned, his armor rattling as he spotted yet another blonde woman with long hair.

Was his mind playing tricks on him?

It had to be, paranoia was grasping at his spine. He had to figure a way out of this before something disastrous happened.

Unfortunately, he had no idea how.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

Wil tucked into his meal oblivious to the fact Cerin hadn't started his. Nothing was spared from his ravenous stomach and he quickly picked apart bones and demolished the sides of fried potatoes and corn bread too.

"Mm... not exactly," he explained in between bites. "Nothing fancy like they have in Dornoch anyway," he'd had the pleasure of seeing some of their warriors once and they moved like water through their various martial poses. "My trainer like boxing, and he taught me quite a bit. I'm not bad with a sword, but there's something more..." he paused as he swallowed and thought of the right word. "It just feels more natural."

"Are you going to eat that?"

 

[Aelita]

The blonde standing behind Wil turned to walk away with a plate of food – revealing the face of a man.

The woman with long hair that Edric heard earlier appeared at least a decade older than Aelita.

The sounds of footsteps and chattered filled the air between Edric’s and Wil’s words. A couple passerby’s glanced at Edric – still wearing his helmet at a table.

The dirt by the table shifted.

FWUMP

Wil’s bench shifted under the weight of something. Or someone, rather, as Aelita appeared to materialize next to him.

“Hello,” Aelita said with a smile.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Despite social expectations of shock at Ollie's crassness, Elspeth instead bit her lips to keep from smirking.

"The Healer is the true miracle worker here," she confessed while packing the Knight's neck wound with gauze to prepare him for transfer into the medical tent where he might be more properly tended, "your Lord would have bled out were it not for him. I will do my best to fix him up the rest of the way. Danfried, if you please?"

One of Elspeth's team stepped over and carefully moved to pick up the unconscious Knight.

"Get him cleaned up and prepped for sutures, I'll be right in..." she then turned to Ollie where he stood by the Healer and joined him, "let's get this man back to his team. Did you see which tent he came out of?"

 

[Edric]

"Tell me about it." Edric said, a slight hint of complaint within his voice.

He had never much enjoyed using swords or...well, really any sort of weapon. Most of his fighting was done with his fists, augmented by the natural aspects of his magics. Duncan had toyed with putting him in the hand to hand, but after learning how brutal Edric had been both at the Academy and on missions had decided to shy away from it.

That, and their target was only participating in the Joust and Melee. There was no real reason for him to partake in the hand to hand, though he'd argued for it anyway. If only so he could do something he was actually good at in this damned tournament. "I su-"

Before Edric could finish speaking, the little blonde figure that had been haunting them suddenly plopped herself down onto the bench.

Immediately a tension flickered through his chest, lips thinning the hand he'd not placed on the table turned into a fist. He readied his magic to lash out at everyone and anyone nearby, prepared to take pieces of their vitality to quickly kill Aelita if he had to.

When he noted the cheery smile on her face though, he realized that the helmet on his face still guarded who he really was. Thus, he didn't move. Instead he dropped his voice and octave, forcing himself to ease some of the tension in his body.

"You have it." He said, looking at Aelita. "Seems you might have to share with your friend though."

 

[Olvir]

"Still! There will be rewards I tell you! Great ones!" Olvir only smiled as the servant continued, not having the heart to break to him that both he and Elspeth were probably far wealthier than the man whom they'd helped rescue.

His head only shook, and then he quickly stepped as Elspeth called to her companion.

Moving alongside with Danfried Ollie flashed the man a smile. Helping to pick up the unconscious healer. "I think it was that one."

He said with a gesture towards one of the larger tents in the medical section of the tournament. Above it flew a tall flag marking it as belonging to the College of Elbion. Something that he supposed made sense, given the fact that Turin was only a few leagues away.

Together Ollie and Elspeth's team member carried the unconscious man towards the tent. Elspeth heralding them as she pushed open the tent flap.

One of the people inside stepped up almost immediately, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. Clearly not having expected one of her fellow healers to be the one carried inside. "Oh, dear Coren. What happened to him?"

She asked with no small amount of concern in her voice. "He saved someone's life."

Ollie said with a smile, and the woman nodded. Quickly directing them to a table where the man could be placed. A few moments later, Elspeth and Olvir once again found themselves standing outside the tent. The chaos of just a few moments already forgotten by the milling people around them.

"Well, that was certainly something." He said to his betrothed. "But I'm sure you're far more used to it than me."

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Fuck!"

Wil made it half way to his feet out of pure fright, his fingers grasping the empty air where his sword should have been, when Aelita materialised seemingly out of thin air. Like one of those wraiths or banshees the soldiers whispered about hearing on the eve of a battle. Muttering to himself he made himself sit back down, though he shot Aelita a glare to show he was not pleased at being snuck up on.

"Look, if you're here to babysit I'm not interested. Me and my friend here err.. Ser... Ildren, yes, Ser Ildren, are going to enjoy our dinner and then I'm going to go watch him beat the shit out of someone. Understand?"

 

[Aelita]

Aelita’s eyes bounced back and forth between Ildren!Edric and Wil.

Still smiling even after their abrupt reactions. A few other people turned their heads after hearing rustling metal and a loud shout. But their attention quickly returned to their foot and drink.

After hearing Wil’s words, Aelita turned her head to Edric and greeted him with a nod, “Ser Ildren of the Joust? A pleasure. I’m Aelita.”

Turning to Wil, Aelita’s smile grew wider at his look. She reached into a pouch by her belt and handed over a folded piece of parchment to the Prince.

Aelita would say nothing if Wil took the letter. Her eyes would glance back and forth between Wilhelm and Anireth.

The letter stated:

By order of Captain Herman, you are to search for Prince Wilhelm Gabriel Maël Anireth. Upon finding His Royal Highness, you are to convince His Royal Highness to return the Royal quarters. If you fail to do so, you are to report the whereabouts of His Royal Highness to the Guard.​

Foul play is not expected. If His Royal Highness is under duress, you are permitted to use any means necessary end the threat.​

Signed by Captain Herman himself.

“I’m not interested in babysitting, but I can help make sure your plans go well,” Aelita would tell Wil if he read the letter, "You know the price."

 

[Edric]

Edric did not see the letter, of course, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Wil might have been slightly more important than he'd let on.

Aelita, he knew, was a dreadlord Initiate. From personal experience he knew that they weren't just sent around for anyone. That meant the guy was probably nobility of some sort, at least important enough to have someone deliver a message to him...and then apparently try to bribe him. "Errr, a pleasure to meet you a well!"

Edric said in his jovial put upon voice.

"I certainly wouldn't want to interrupt anything!" Lord Ildren declared, looking between Aelita and Wil. "Perhaps it is best I just go...?"

He asked. "I have a match soon anyway so probably better..."

The last thing he needed was to get caught in the middle of whatever this was.

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Bloody ashes," Wil cursed as he finished reading the letter.

"Blood and bloody ashes," he cursed again when Aelita laid out her terms.

"Wait! No, don't go," he insisted to his new friend with a pleading expression. He didn't want to lose the first fun person he'd met here. "Aelita is fine, really. Unless you're playing cards with her, then you might find yourself in a bad way," especially when there were forfeits involved. "Please, sit and eat. And you," he shot the girl a scowl. "Fine! Fine, you can bloody pick just one bottle from my fathers vault. One!" he valued his head attached to its body and his father wouldn't think twice to separate them if he found more than one bottle of his good alcohol collection missing.

 

[Aelita]

Aelita did not say anything in return to Ildren!Edric. She just glanced toward him with that same damned smile as usual.

Then that attention shifted back to Wil as he began to curse. She gave a little shrug at the suggestion that playing cards with her was a questionable call.

But her pristine smile broke with Wil’s last sentence – promising a bottle from the royal treasury, essentially.

“Oh... uh...” Aelita uttered as her eyes bounced around a bit.

“Um...” she continued as her clinched her teeth.

Then with a nod of her head, Aelita answered with, “Oh. Kay?”

A deep breath. Her smile returned, “I appreciate your generosity.”

Turning her focus back to Ildren!Edric, Aelita then asked, “So, how do you feel about your chances in the upcoming matches?”

 

[Edric]

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Fuck.

The word ran through Edric's head about a thousand times as he watched the small back and forth between the Mysterious Wil and the Aelita. A small part of him couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity at who Wil might actually have been, but it was largely overshadowed by the feeling of not wanting to be arrested.

"I errr..." Edric intoned, still putting on that slightly deeper voice as Wil bargained for his freedom. Aelita seemed to think for a moment, as if considering, and then slowly accepted the bargain.

Turning her attentions to him.

Fuck.

"Oh...you know..." Edric said, trying to think of what a Lord would sound like. Even one from a nowhere city. "There's a lot of good competition here, but...they're nothing...compared to me?"

He continued, smiling behind his helmet to try and inject some confidence into his voice. "Not a one is going to unseat me."

Edric boasted, still not entirely sure that was a good thing in the Joust.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

Still! There will be rewards I tell you! Great ones! Olvir only smiled as the servant continued, not having the heart to break to him that both he and Elspeth were probably far wealthier than the man whom theyd helped rescue.

His head only shook, and then he quickly stepped as Elspeth called to her companion.

Moving alongside with Danfried Ollie flashed the man a smile. Helping to pick up the unconscious healer. I think it was that one.

He said with a gesture towards one of the larger tents in the medical section of the tournament. Above it flew a tall flag marking it as belonging to the College of Elbion. Something that he supposed made sense, given the fact that Turin was only a few leagues away.

Together Ollie and Elspeths team member carried the unconscious man towards the tent. Elspeth heralding them as she pushed open the tent flap.

One of the people inside stepped up almost immediately, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. Clearly not having expected one of her fellow healers to be the one carried inside. Oh, dear Coren. What happened to him?

She asked with no small amount of concern in her voice. He saved someones life.

Ollie said with a smile, and the woman nodded. Quickly directing them to a table where the man could be placed. A few moments later, Elspeth and Olvir once again found themselves standing outside the tent. The chaos of just a few moments already forgotten by the milling people around them.

Well, that was certainly something. He said to his betrothed. But Im sure youre far more used to it than me.

"The triage tents never fail to keep one on their toes," Elsi nodded with a withered smile. Not that she rejoiced in pain, suffering, or death - but being of use and saving lives gave purpose to the many years of education spent abroad and a reason to continue pressing forward with her goals.

"But it looks as though everything else is in hand," and it also gave her the confidence that she could help Olvir in his own goals and pursuits in a way that truly mattered: keeping him alive. Expression warming as she glanced around, "it might be prudent to depart while all's well. Shall we?"

 

[Wilhelm Anireth]

"Oh really?" Wil didn't sound unconvinced. In fact, he sounded the complete opposite and stroked the afternoon shade that had begun to sprout along his jaw. He'd have to shave when he got back to his tent; bears were far too itchy. He didn't know how Lynus stood it. "If you're as good as you say, I might have to place a bet or two. What do you think Aelita?" he glanced at the woman, apparently completely forgetting only moments ago that he had been trying to hide from her. Clearly the Prince was convinced that the offer of a bottle from his fathers vault was enough to have her on his side.

The Guard never offered people alcohol. They were all about doing it for the 'honour' and shit.

 

[Olvir]

vir slowly looked around, as if double checking if anyone else needed help. When he found no one was screaming out in pain or calling for a healer, he quickly nodded.

Absconding with Elspeth now was probably the best case scenario. "Well then, my lady."

The Young noble said as he stepped over towards Elspeth and offered her his arm.

It was important to remember that they were still Nobles of Great Houses. There were many rules on decorum and proper manners, but they also weren't in Vel Anir. A little bit more familiarity, a little bit less structure and strictness would not be too forward.

At least he hoped.

"Can I interest you in something the Turians call 'Funnel Cake'? Perhaps with a cup of Fren Tea?" A substance that was supposedly delicious, and mildly alcoholic. "I have a bit yet before my bout."

He said cheerily, though keeping the time in his head just to be sure. Missing the melee would be rather embarrassing after he'd come all this.

 

[Elspeth Sirl]

"You most certainly can," Elspeth smiled and took his arm as easily and naturally as a bird alighted upon a branch, "perhaps you will enlighten me to the adventures you have had since our last outting?"

It had been quite a span of time since then and Olvir had been getting prepared to set off on a mission for his father. One he'd obviously survived, but the outcome of which remained a mystery to her.

 

[Fieravene]

My father works quite hard, Colette had never wanted for much but her family also never had so much coin as to grant her every luxury. The truest example of the growing middle class within the capital city of Vel Anir.

To the question at hand the mouse of a girl smiled and blushed.

She chanced a look at the flowing fabrics of the tournament and then collected herself. All Anirians have to serve for a year or so. I turned out to be pretty good with a bow, she thinned her lips, trying not to brag, and a friend helped me learn the blade.

Such a humble thing.

"I try to learn something from everyone I meet but admittingly I've not met many willing Anirians. Show me how the Anirian Guard trains its archers?"

 

[Olvir]

Ollie smiled wide as they began to make their way out of the medical section and began to head towards the more entertaining parts of the tournament. "Oh me? Well, forgive me my Lady but I must lower myself to the status of a braggart for a moment."

He said, a small amount of false humility injected into his voice.

"A man has to seize an opportunity, you see" From the way his voice played it was clear that he was jesting. "I faced a living nightmare and rescued a precious artifact from it's calamitous grasp."

Though he was jovial now, the experience had been quite the tumult. At times, even weeks after, he still woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat. Unable to shake the dream that he and Zael had shared. Even thinking of it now sent a shiver up his spine. "Then I was thrust into the Siege of Vel Hetren, where I was pivotal in the defense of the city."

Pivotal was a bit of an overstatement, but he and Kristen as well as Reynard had fought hard to keep the city safe. Even the Governor had been impressed, and supposedly they were to be given medals. Though Ollie would likely beg off his. "And now I'm going to win the Tournament of Turin."

He grinned at her, and Elspeth would know that every 'brag' he'd thrown at her was all in the for one cause; impressing her father enough to let him marry her. "I'm building up my reputation."

Ollie jested as they strolled into the food markets of the tournament.