[Empire!] The Courtship of Arrēsa (Round 10)

[Gaius Hermicus]

I do not know what to do about Yegin Kw'Haleti, says Wenid to Rosie. They are a highly respected and influential member of the Korebita society and have many friends. In addition, their position as First in the Realm will make it very difficult to track them down if they choose to flee, and no warrior can match them in strength. It may well be impossible to arrest them, but I think it may be possible, through subterfuge, to incapacitate or kill them. I shall see what I can do.

[mystic1110]

KaSi is grey and silent at the King's sentence, the ruin of their life around them like a city sacked after a war, the lamentations of its women rising like a solemn song, the bodies of its men strewn in the street, their bones broken, their flesh creating a charnel wind swirling in the air.

No - I have dishonored Korebita enough. I accept my execution.

KaSi holds up their head low in the traditional Sewi display of brotherhood with the Blemmyae and walks towards the King and kneels on both knees in preparation for their penance.

As Rosie MacGill enters, KaSi looks at her and sneers.

Your majesty. If you permit a final word. A final poem.

KaSi closes their eyes and begins to recite, to sing, the final account of their life.

Hear O'Muses;
They wished for their name to never be Forgotten;
Great Deeds, Great Loves, Great Lives.

Listen O'Muses;
They journeyed far to make their name;
To make Sewi proud, to make Korebita proud.

Hark O'Muses;
They befriended great heroes, great kings;
Fought for what was right and worthy.

Heed O'Muses;
They saved the line of majesties twice over;
Warcaller, Questmaker, Hero.

Notice O'Muses;
That regardless of their power or ability;
Age is relentless and invulnerable.

Mark O'Muses;
Age is always at your shoulder;
And wears away your accomplishments.

Echo O'Muses;
You look back at your deeds;
History looks back at you, and says not enough.

Believe O'Muses;
The library beckons and demands more;
More pages, more stories, more deeds, more.

Watch O'Muses;
As they keep their old bones moving;
Alone, their friends abandoning them to their mad quest.

Mark O'Muses;
A final story they thought;
Beautiful young wife, dangled above them.

Accept O'Muses;
The thought of defeat, of a black mark;
Drove them mad, that Youth angered them.

Believe O'Muses;
This story should never should be forgotten;
A warning to all heroes, one should lay down to sleep.

Obey O'Muses;
This is the Tragedy of KaSi;
Recount that all stories must end and we must accept that.

[Minescratcher]

“I accept your challenge, Fish Who Shatters Bone! Do you wish to compete with arms, or without?”

"It looks like you carry only blades, so without seems safer for us both." Ren-Pera-Don grinned.

The Efra removed her spear and blade, setting them beside the ring with her shield.

Angna and Ren-Pera-Don circled each other in the ring, the ra’s veins shining with her inner light. She stood fully two feet taller than the Bel-Dan, and though Pera-Don tried to feint, her longer reach kept him from closing. The two continued to circle for a moment before Angna darted in, locking arms with the pirate. Pera-Don pushed harder, slowly driving the ra back, but as she tried to break away, he twisted and threw her to the ground. She was still too fast, though, and rolled away before he could pin her, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Angna picked herself up and charged straight for Pera-Don, aiming to overwhelm him with her greater reach and speed, but the pirate sidestepped and tripped her. She reacted fast, rolling away again, but the Bel-Dan guessed where she would end up and dropped onto her, pinning her.

“Not bad for someone so young,” Ren-Pera-Don chuckled as he rose. “With some more experience you’ll make a fine wrestler.”

Several expressions flickered across the ra’s face in succession: surprise followed by anger, quickly replaced in turn by a broad smile and a hearty laugh. “Ha! I’ll remember that trick. Well fought.” She reaches up a hand to him in good sportsmanship for help up from the floor.

[Frostwander]

Nikara didn’t bother to circle again – he couldn’t predict the pirate’s movements, so there was really no point. He charged Ren-Pera-Don, locking arms once again and pushing backwards. The pirate pushed back just as hard, raised his head for a headbutt – and found himself sprawling on the ground as Nikara twisted aside and threw him to the ground. Instinctively the efryt dropped his knee onto the pirate’s neck, holding him face-down in the sand until the muffled words “I give!” filtered up to the ring.

Ren-Pera-Don sat up and coughed up sand. “Well fought, young stutterer. May you find what you wish behind the palace doors.” He stood and bowed exaggeratedly, directing Nikara up the steps. The young efryt was still breathing in the careful, measured way he fell into when it came to physical exertion. This composure falls apart when, after returning a simple nod to the pirate - he'd had his speech insulted enough for the time being - he notices Angna observing him and immediately begins blushing, the flush beginning in his cheeks and rapidly filling up the rest of his face before climbing his ears, invading the skin of his upper chest and shoulders, and even his back - noticeable as he turns and races up the steps of the palace, leather cloak forgotten just outside.

Angna's voice rings out after Nikara as he ascends, "Where are you going, Efryt? Don't you wish to take my challenge, as well?" She picks up the cloak from beside the ring, "And you've forgotten something!"

[Aedilred]

"They present themselves at this great festival, like so many other, lesser, men, in hopes of winning the hand of your daughter, Arrēsa! While they cannot be recommended highly enough, neither may I discern which of them is the more gullible! I must rely on your wisdom for that, Uncle, if you will be so kind as to advise your nephew as to which is the greater fool for holding so steadfast a bond with a troublemaker as restless as I, through all these long years that I have known them!"

Etelīs smiled at his nephew's antics, but there was a slight disappointment behind his pleasant demeanour. He and his father had once hoped that the boy would fulfil the promise of his name, and that he would take his rightful place as ruler of his father's people, even after the family had left the lands of the Bel-Dan. The recent chaos in Ten-Fuj-Sa-Cos would have been the ideal opportunity for him to return and press his claim.

But Onoynoyis seemed to have no interest in that: in that he was more like his great-uncle, or Onodīs, than he was his grandfather, or perhaps even his father. Etelīs was fond of them both, but they were of little political value.

The king nodded to Eneinghlizi. "Easy to call an arm a fair trade when you can grow another. But there are those here who have risked and lost far more, with no hope of regrowth, in pursuit of their prize. Do you have the courage to do the same? Those who succeed will win the hand of the fairest maiden in the north. But those who fail..." he shook his head sadly, and beckoned over an attendant holding a dish.

There were a number of small round delicacies in the dish, crimson in colour and covered in some kind of glaze. He took one from the dish and popped it in his mouth. "Help yourselves," he said. "The price of defeat - and the spoils of victory."

---

Eventually, once it seemed all the competitors had exhausted themselves, the king ventured beyond the walls to address those suitors who had remained, rather than withdrawing out of embarrassment, injury, or in at least one case, it seemed, arrest.

"It is an honour to my house that so many have come to seek the hand of my daughter, but despite the company of champions gathered, only one can succeed. I shall say now that I expect all to respect and honour the decision made. The contest is at an end, and each of you stands witness and security for this match.

"I have discussed the matter with Arrēsa and have taken her feelings into account. The marriage of a princess is never wholly without consequence, but I would have my daughter be happy. I must admit," he said with a smile, "that I took some convincing. I suspect her choice is an onoya, but in the end, I was persuaded by the strength of character shown by this suitor. Gusuhaz Kw'Sewi, step forward: you have my blessing to marry my daughter."