Jarel arches his eyebrows, "Wow, lots of people."

Waldemai shouts out from the stands, "What's a Lowers Lotto?"

Saoirse enters ... quietly. Quietly, behind Beaumont Valardin. Wearing a Valardin cloak buttoned all the way up to her chin, hood firmly on her head. She looks -- what's the word... /Demure/? Something's very strange.

Stojan, the assistant, 3 Thrax Guards arrive, following Denica.

Mirari arrives and finds a seat amongst the commoners, nodding to Waldemai with a smile.

Adriana loves a good duel. The girl, dressed primly as always herself, settles in the stands and waits expectantly for this one to to begin. She flashes a smile at a few familiar faces, Mirari among them.

Saoirse has joined the Judges Desk.

Some duels are tense. Some duels are INTENSELY tense. Others, though, are infused with a carnival atmosphere, and Tikva has done all she could to try to enforce the carnival atmosphere here at the proving ground. While Princess Saoirse has arrived looking hooded and demure, Princess Tikva has arrived covered in an obscene number of glittering beads and various accoutrements of jewelry that sidle casually up towards the border of good taste. Meanwhile, her assistant has been press ganged into doing a thing that she had never hitherto imagined that she might do, and is occupied with a heavy canvas bag that she is handing out ... random, brightly colored, rolled posters to people on a first-come first-serve basis.

Tikva has joined the Judges Desk.

Adriana has joined the line.

Almost Late: A Prince Luca Story - that's what they'd call it, maybe, if someone were writing a novel about the events of the duel to be fought. Surely it's a much more prompt title than some of his earlier stories, including I Slept Through My Duel, and Who Knew That Wine Was So Strong? The man arrives, is what's being gotten at here, dressed like he's going out for dinner somewhere with a beautiful women, a half-finished bottle of something in one hand, and a shortspear in the other, which he appears to be using much like some might use a walking stick.

Luca has joined the line.

Mirari has joined the line.

Tikva gets dual-wielding Bliss captured mid-leap from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Turn in line: Adriana

Turn in line: Luca

Denica has joined the line.

Bashira has joined the Commoner Stands.

"Lotto tickets! Two hundred silver! Get lucky! Spend it on the right guy or girl and get lucky then, too!" Mayir is shouting out to the world, waving about slips of paper. "Who wants to buy?"

Tikva gets Bliss holding a dagger and rose from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Turn in line: Mirari

Beaumont carefully stewards Saoirse in as a very proper sort of Valardin escort would, all polite gestures and chivalrous words. He escorts her to her place at the Judges' Desk and stands behind her, staid and solemn. Wait. The Peerless isn't being loud and grandiose? Second Saoirse on this one - something is very strange indeed.

Tikva gets Luca reclining with grapes from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Turn in line: Denica

Graham has arrived to watch the duel he's always interested in watching others do as such a thing to watch and to learn. He will move to join the noble seating though he sits lightly watching those who enter to see if he knows anyone that arrives.

Tikva gets Bliss and Luca in a dramatic clash of swords from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Bashira is wandering across to the commoner stands when she looks across and spots Luca and others as they are gathering. Her brother is also spotted, so she makes her way over to Caspian with a smile, "I'm glad I'm not running late." she muses to him as she finds a seat.

The Champion Whisper comes out onto the sands as well, striding out in a brightly colorful dress of gold and crimson, veils and ropes and thin fabric that just must be absolutely miserable in this cold weather, but there is a bright grin on her face. She whistles at Tikva, seeing the posters and lifting a hand in a wave. "Save the best one for me!" she calls out in her contralto, getting herself ready as she walks toward the center of the dueling ring, one hand falling comfortably on her rapier as she turns her head toward the crowd. "How about it?" she asks loudly. "Is everyone here to see a show tonight?!"

Saoirse flutters one hand to her ear. "Oh my, isn't she -loud-," Saoirse murmurs to those near her. "Is that ...proper? Heavens. Tut tut!"

Denica receives one of those posters and Denica looks on in a quietly rapt interest, giving Bliss an applause as a show of her support. Or desire to see a show, as it were. "Oh stop it, you're gonna make my knees weak!"

Waldemai shouts, "Yes!" since that seems to be the think to shout at the moment.

Adriana claps in girlish excitement.

Caspian has left the Commoner Stands.

Jarel looks at the group that has formed in the proving grounds. He seems quite excited, he opens up a bottle of hard liquor and empties it in five seconds flat. Then he cracks his neck. For all his looks people would think he was going to participate, but those that know the Barbarian Prince, are aware of how much of a fan he is duels and battles. So at the question posed by Bliss, Jarel laughs boisterously as he does. "I am indeed ready to see a great duel in this evening."

Seeing that the lotto tickets aren't selling, Mayir changes his barker cry. "Bliss poster! Buying a Bliss poster! Give me your best offer! One Bliss poster! Will pay cash silver!"

Coral, a critical clerk arrives, following Karadoc.

Tikva gives an airy wave as she claims a seat at the judges table, and turns a nod to Saoirse, following the forms of courtesy. "We are here, of course, to settle a dispute between myself and Princess Saoirse Velenosa," she says. "May Gloria's favor show us the victor." Then she settles her glittery skirts around herself and leans backward in her seat, folding her hands neatly with a certain shade of humor reflected in her gaze.

Luca walks out onto the sands, "It's too late. I think I already have the best one.", he assures Bliss, holding up his poster for her to see. Where did he even get that thing? He caught it in the wind, he must have. No matter, he he tucks it away somewhere inside of his longcoat, and takes a swig from the bottle he brought, before nestling it off the side, in the sands. "Are we doing a show?!", he asks, a little too loudly, a touch theatric. "I mean of course. What I meant to say is, are we ready for a show?!", he calls out to the crowds, putting on his best smile. Someone he waves to. Another person he blows a kiss to. He's certainly one for his people.

Jarel has joined the Noble Seating.

Karadoc has joined the Noble Seating.

"I think we should probably remind them what we're in disagreement over," Saoirse says, still so demure. So, so demure! "Princess Tikva took umbrage to my pointing out that Prince Luca's popularity contest was -definitely- rigged to name him most popular. Ergo, she challenged me to a duel, at which point I asked Prince Luca to defend me for disparaging him. Enjoy."

Mirari covers her her mouth in an attempt to keep from laughing out loud. She moves to sit next to Adriana, leaning in to speak to her quietly.

Mayir bounds over to Tikva, the one handing out the posters. "Tell you what," he says, frowning a little bit. "You're a princess, so it'd be gauche to SELL a poster. But give me two Blisses and I make a very generous donation in the amount you name to a charity of your choice. "

"Right, good point," agrees Tikva, tagging onto the end of Saoirse's explanation. "And my Champion, the inestimable Bliss Whisper, shall be defending the rightness of a popularity contest wherein she herself came second place." She widens her eyes at Mayir, and says, "But the posters are free! I paid that nice harried little man who works for Master Grayhope to make them for everyone. Or, well. Until we run out of everyone."

Karadoc's here, sorta. He takes a seat on the noble seating side and settled in to watch.

Jarel looks towards Saoirse "Ah, a respect match of sorts?"

"Look, if Bliss lost, clearly the contest was rigged," Denica descides with a shrug of her shoulders. "Clearly. I mean, just look at her!" Denica gestures towards the whisper dramatically.

These two should start a comedy duo. Saoirse turns to Tikva and flatly says, "Well said and said well." And then she buttons another button on her cloak, in case someone maybe saw a flash of chin or something.

Adriana looks puzzled as she tries to figure out just what this is all about.

"And since I was in second place in the contest!" Bliss cries out, lifting her hand in the air. "That means that it would have been me he stole the victory from! But I am here to assure you, all of you, that I support Princess Tikva in saying - I lost this contest fair and square!" And then she turns toward Luca, clapping her hands together with a grin. "So, Prince Luca," she begins to weave her words, adopting a singsong tune that is matched in tone by sway of her body, "It seems they mistook your win for cheating, and this bleating just continues on and on and on, but we know the truth. In a battle between us, there's just no choice for whom they should give their voice and their vote to - my darling Prince, why should it be me, when it's so obviously you?" It's simple. She's getting warmed up.

Bliss checked wits + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

"Well, yes, but I want one for my room and one for the person that I know is the biggest -- human -- Bliss Whisper fan in all of Arx and one, you're giving them randomly, and two, I can only get one. I mean, one poster." Mayir is being very logical here. He is ticking it off on his fingers as he reasons it through. "So. Three thousand for the Faith?"

Jarel looks at the proving grounds, albeit slightly confused. "All right, so whose fighting who, and why."

Beaumont stands a silent guard behind Saoirse, looking like the poster child for a nice spring wardrobe - silk pants and silk tunic, blowing in the gentle breeze. He could be a statue for all he's... no wait, he's moving - ah. To give a salute to the Champions, Luca and Bliss, as they enter the Proving Grounds. "Quite," is all he says to Saoirse.

Tikva waves her assistant over with the sack of rolled canvases. "I mean, I love the Faith of the Pantheon as much as the next girl," she says lightly to Mayir, "but considering the occasion, why don't you make that three thousand for the Champions, but there are several posters of Bliss, so you're still getting one at random, really. And then do enjoy watching the show, won't you?"

"I have no idea who to even root for! If Bliss wins she proves me wrong! If Prince Luca wins, than I was right but he beat the one that I think should've won in the first place so I..." she shakes her head. "What even is 'A Luca' anyway?" she adds, shooting a wink towards the prince from her place on the sidelines.

Adriana shares Jarel's confusion. She calls back uncertainly, "If Bliss wins the popularity contest was fair. If Luca wins it wasn't and it was rigged so he would win?"

Bliss seems to hear the crowd, points at Adriana, grins and nods. She's got it!

Saoirse leans backwards slightly to whisper to Beaumont. If anyone is watching her closely (creepy), they might notice a little smirk and a tiny, mischievous glimmer in her eye.

"Done!" says Mayir, beaming at Tikva and digging out the coin and sending off a messenger with full of good things to say about Tikva as he does. And then he keeps his hand out. Posters please!

Mayir is overheard praising Tikva: For striking a very fair deal for posters!

Tikva gets Bliss holding a dagger and rose from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Tikva gets Bliss and Luca in a dramatic clash of swords from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Luca cups one hand to the side of his mouth, to call out to Saoirse from the center of the sands, "You're lucky I like you!", and then a little more quietly, but still plenty loud enough for everyone to hear, "..someone has to!", and then he winks at her. Then Bliss starts waxing poetic at him, it would seem. He turns, giving her a strange look as if he's caught off his guard just a little bit. "Dear Bliss, dear Bliss. Your loss was a near miss. I'm glad we could bring this to the sands, put some weapons in our hands, and have ourselves a.. dance?". Oh no, that doesn't rhyme completely. The Prince must not be much of a poet! "Anyway. They all know, just look at the crowd. You're prettier, more stylish, you've got reasons to be proud. I guess we'll settle this the old fashioned way. With skill that has absolutely nothing to do with the argument that's been avowed." He reaches out and brushes a bit of something from Bliss' shoulder, like one might do to their own garment after making a point.

Jarel arches an eyebrow "So basically its over a popularity contest." Suddenly his steel grey eyes seem to show deep amusement. His lips curl into a smile as he holds both hands interlaced to look at the proving grounds and focus entirely on the match. "So one to claim the Popularity was not rig and one to claim it was. This will be, most certainly, quite amusing to watch.

Luca checked wits + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

"A man is -shouting- at me, oh DEAR," Saoirse school-marms. And it's insulting, so she -bristles-! "I have half a mind to write scathingly in my whites!"

Bliss checked wits + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 44 higher.

Tikva checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

"That's so troubling," Tikva says in sad regret, not at all laughing.

"Better than the Mummers on stage," Karadoc opines, but corrects himself. "Almost."

3 House Riven Soldiers, 1 Greenwood Tribe Blood Warriors, white-tailed eagle, Lianna arrive, following Mia.

3 House Riven Soldiers, 1 Greenwood Tribe Blood Warriors, white-tailed eagle, Lianna leave, following Mia.

Graham sits watching and listening for the most part. He looks back and forth in curiosity it seems though he is trying to figure out what exactly it is that he will be seeing.

At the brush from her shoulder from Luca, Bliss gives a faux-shocked gasp, putting a hand to her mouth as she steps away. "Hey, son," she begins again, "What happened to 'none better than Gray,'-son? Now I'm going to have to get in your way, son, and make sure that we put on a show. Now it's true that your flow-" and she starts snapping the fingers of her left hand as she continues, "isn't really so up to scratch, but by the end of the match we're going to see that there's no way that little old me, a commoner from Tor, really, such a bore, would ever be able to flip the tables and enable a man who is a myth and a fable to cheat in order to defeat me and take your seat as the most beloved, so shove it - you didn't cheat, I declare that I lost fair and square." Then she reaches down and draws her sword. "Now are you prepared to let Gloria prove me right? Shall we fight?"

Bliss wields a steel rapier with a swept hilt and red grip.

Jarel lays his eyes on the grounds, awaiting whatever was going to happen in this event. In a way it looked like he had no favorites yet.

Waldemai shouts, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Tikva is overheard praising Bliss: Fuck, they're really going to do the whole thing in verse.

Tikva is overheard praising Luca: All this crazy talent must be such a curse.

Lille, the dauntless companion arrives, delivering a message to Mayir before departing.

Lyric, an aspiring vocalist arrives, following Melody.

Karadoc has left the Noble Seating.

Coral, a critical clerk leaves, following Karadoc.

Luca grins at Bliss, leaning onto his spear just a little heavier, affecting a yawn, "Listen, Bliss. Feel free to get in my way. I've been put down by worse looking, and I didn't even have to pay. You say I'm the best, that I beat all the rest but I'm here to contest that you're better than the best. And..", there's a pause, and a languid smile, along with a shrug, "..I'm going to prove it. By just showing up, I can only lose it. You can thank Saoirse..", and again there's a hestitation. He realizes, maybe, he's backed himself into a corner on that one. "Ah, nothing rhymes with Saoirse.", so instead he lifts his spear, taking a step back from his opponent, and gives her a sharp, quick wink. "A commoner you might be, but you're uncommon to me. Rare? Maybe, we'll see after this affair. But let me tell you, this is crazy, to think a southern man's not so lazy as to win by cheating, my sweetling."

Luca checked wits + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 8 lower.

Luca wields Viper Riot, the Lenosian dueling shortspear.

A fight has broken out here. Use @spectate_combat to watch, or +fight to join.

"Here-ah. Seer-uh. Leer-sha. Fear-sha," Saoirse begins helpfully lobbing toward Luca. Then she seems to remember something, stands ramrod straight, and frowns. "Rhyming is uncouth!" What.

"That sounds like an untruth," Tikva reproves.

"No more rhymes now, I mean it!" the Velenosa princess tells Tikva.

Bashira has left the Commoner Stands.

Jarel looks over at the strange woman, Saoirse, "How exactly do you pronounce your name? And why is rhyming uncouth?" His confusion was only being excarcebated by Saoirse's words.

"Does that mean you wouldn't like a peanut?" Tikva asks, entirely inevitably.

"Oh, no," Saoirse says to Tikva, holding out a hand. Peanut please!

Tikva proffers the bag of glazed nuts so that Saoirse may select her own.

Mirari gets a gold-scaled layered gown of iridescent aeterna from a cylindrical ironwood sewing case.

Mirari gets some gilded aeterna open-toe slippers from a cylindrical ironwood sewing case.

With their quips done, rapier and spear both out, there's a long moment of silence as Bliss and Luca face off against each other. She holds the rapier out, then blows him a sudden kiss, before lunging forward with rapid steps. Blade meets shaft again and again as the two twist and turn, Luca's fancy outfit and Bliss's colorful veils intertwining at points. Then the spear manages to hit her side. Once. Again. Not the tip, but the bruising blows bring small winces from the Whisper. Didn't she just get pretty wounded a day or two ago?

Jarel looks over at Saoirse for a moment, not getting a response from her, the Redrain Prince shrugs and focuses on the fight that seemed to be favoring Luca, for now.

Prince Luca's never out of quips, really. So as the pair of them go at it, right there on the sands and in front of an audience (not like that, now), he steps past Bliss in a dodge and offers, "Not bad at all!", before he's turning on heel and following through with his spear, those aeterna ribbons fluttering from where they're tied off near the dangerous tip of the thing. He's being careful enough, it would seem, to use the side of the spear, rather than outright attempting to stab his opponent with it. That would just be rude of him, wouldn't it?

Adriana claps for Luca as he makes the first proper hit. "Bravo your highness!" Seems she can look at him without blushing on occasion.

Tikva gets charging Luca with dagger and blade from instrument case slung across the back on linen straps.

Bliss begins to twist as she hears that quip from Luca, and she laughs. "That all you've got?" she asks the man, bluster in her voice and impudence in her smile. "You remind me of some of my old fights, against knights full of bluster. What else do you have to muster?" she asks, keeping up that sing-song from before. Even with those hits, the two are mostly evenly matched, until Bliss gets thwacked again - this time actually letting out a sharp cry of pain. She quickly checks with her fingers - no blood, so she's ready to go.

Jarel looks at the battle as it continues. "Luca seems to be very fast and on his feat at all times. I have not seen Bliss land a decisive blow. Perphas he outmatches her. But then again fights can go either way." It didn't look like Luca was going to be defeated at this rate. "Prince Luca, are you so skilled in combat? You seem to be completely untouched and Lady Bliss seems hurt. I wonder..."

"Oh, I've got plenty. If I've got any.", Luca says, by way of response, somehow managing to keep himself in a rhyming state of mind while dancing out on the sands against Bliss. As if to prove his words, he catches her with the side of his spear again, blunt, but hard, still careful not to brandish the more dangerous tip of the thing at her. "Anyway. You remind me of some old fights too. But not knight-fights. Here, let me give you a clue.", and then when he strikes next, he's very clearly going for a bit of the woman's garment. Scandalous. Classic Luca.

Dreya, an older woman in Velenosan livery have been dismissed.

2 House Velenosa Guards have been dismissed.

Jarel looks at Luca with some awe and respect. "I would like to duel you." Jarel -knew- he was certainly no match for Luca, but he was the kind of northern man to find a thrill in combat with others, as well as learning from the duel. "Ah, yes. My introduction: I am Prince Jarel Redrain. Would you like to duel me, Prince Luca Grayson?" This was probably madness. He is certainly not experienced enough to fight Luca, but the barbarian seems to not worry about the reality (and gravity) of the situation. But he was deadset on it as he moves to the proving grounds and pulls his great sword from his back. "I will try to do my best."

"Yay, I knew it?" Denica seems a little uncertain and giggles with a bit of a shrug. "I knew Bliss should've won the popularity contest. Clearly it was rigged!"

It would seem there's a bit more motivation on the part of the Most Languid Prince when it comes to tearing up garments, rather than people. He angled for Bliss' gown when he thrusts out with that spear, catching it with a very precise sort of attack somewhere just beneath the hip. There's an audible ripping sound as he wounds the material, but he follows through with that as he steps past his opponent, giving the shortspear a fierce sort of jerking motion and turing the gown into something that shows a little more leg. Or, a lot more leg, if you're in Oathlander territory. He's quick, when he wants to be. He's perhaps faster when he smells blood just on the horizon. For a second he's behind her, then he's on the other side, a fantastic amount of the woman's clothing wrapped around his dueling spear, leaving her in something more like.. a very, very short sundress now. He winks, giving his weapon just the lightest twitch and scoring the front of her leg, high-up, with a stylized 'L'.

Oh no! Nudity. Saoirse FAINTS. FAINTS DEAD AWAY. Up there, at the judges stand, just -- faint.

Tikva checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Bliss checked stamina + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 52 higher.

Tikva moves to catch Saoirse before that maidenly swoon can damage her!

Adriana checked composure + etiquette at difficulty 20, rolling 4 higher.

It's maybe not really the fight with Luca that seems to drive Bliss on, but some of the claims from the crowd. That she isn't as good as he is, that she isn't on a comparable level. The Lycene's style shifts, a little more reckless, a lot more aggressive - that rapier kept at chest level. Oh, right. Legs. Just as she lunges over his head and he ducks and cuts into her dress, and the flesh beneath, a grimace crosses the Whisper's face. But only for a brief moment. That L stays in shape for a long moment, before blood begins to seep from it and down her thigh, turning the beige skin crimson. She looks at it, then she looks at Luca, and she just laughs with a grin, reaching out with her free hand to slap the man on the shoulder. "Hell of a fight, cheater!" she announces.

Adriana frowns a little to herself and folds her arms lightly over her chest. She may be slightly disapproving. She may be shifting to get comfortable. Her expression remains pleasant for the most part. But Jarels challenge has her a bit more animated. "Oh a proper Rite to Gloria would be nice way to end this!"

Mirari glances at Jarel when his challenge is offered and then towards Adriana. She leans in to bump the woman with a shoulder. "Why are you frowning?"

Jarel has left the Noble Seating.

Jarel has joined the Dueling Ring.

"Gloria has spoken," Tikva says in best declamatory fashion, pitched to carry, even as she holds up the fainted Saoirse. "Has anyone got any smelling salts? Fresh water?" What do when someone faint!?

Bliss is overheard praising Luca: First blood! Cheater.

Jarel nods towards Adriana "Indeed, it would be interesting to see a Rite to Gloria. In the meantime, it's up to Prince Luca, if he accepts my challenge. And while I know I don't compare, that has never stopped me before." And then he pulls his greatsword into his hands and assumes a pose where his body seems relaxed: one leg in front, two hands on the blade as its in a direct parallel to his body, does the blade points towards his opponent.

"What can I say? Lycene gonna Lycene.", Luca quips back at Bliss, a peculiar turn of phrase he's surely picked up somewhere. He's not one to drop vowels from his words, after all. She slaps him on the shoulder, and he slaps her on the.. hip, just a little lower than the hip, maybe, but it's a friendly gesture. There's no sense wasting bared leg after all. Then he turns to the audience, "I think we all can be assured, from this day moving forward, that I am clearly the most popular Champion by way of cheating! But that's okay. Because a win is a win." He winks at someone, then nudges Bliss, grabbing her wrist and lifting it over her head to put her through a slow spin out there on the sands, "Anyway, if she keeps dressing like this, I won't stand a chance next time. Cheating or not."

Jarel wields Lament, Woe of Men.

Saoirse slowly flutters awake - it's so PRINCESSY! She floats her wrist to her forehead and makes one of those Disney-whimpering sounds. "Oh. Oh, is the ...nudity..." she stage whispers to Tikva "finished yet?! Is it... /safe/."

"I don't think the legs are coming for you, don't worry," Tikva asides to the woman in her arms -- there's no poster of this, sadly -- and then pitches her voice to carry for the crowd: "Princess Saoirse, your Champion is the victor," Tikva declaims loudly. "I offer you my humblest apology for my ill temper. Clearly I should not have taken offense at what was obviously interplay between family and friends."

Adriana watches Saoirse and Tikva and bites her lip. The girl's blue eyes start to fill with tears and she chokes back a sob. Looking wounded, she pushes her way through the crowds and dashes off, skirts bundled in hand so she can run.

Adriana has left the Commoner Stands.

Butterfly, a morbid pygmy goat kid leaves, following Adriana.

With her hand lifted into that spin, Bliss laughs as Luca slaps her thigh, not seeming to mind at all, and goes right into the spin. Normally, her skirt would flare out at this point! But that doesn't happen, with half of it cut off. Instead, blood spatters onto the sands in a circle, the woman not seeming to mind, despite the wound almost definitely needing stitches. She leans in toward him after, lifting that leg to display the wound for the crowd - sorry Saoirse - and gives Luca a peck on the chin. "You know that's probably going to scar, right?" Adriana's exit is just taken in stride.

Saoirse sits up and waves her hand dismissively. "Oh, whatever, it was funny, Princess Tikva Grayson." The princess dusts off her cloak and unbuttons the top button.

"Did she just call legs, nudity?" Joslyn wonders, bliking curiously before she looks around. "And I've heard them call my people conservative..."

Jarel looks at Adriana, exiting the Proving Grounds, dashing with what could only be tears in her eyes. But he doesn't know her well enough to provide comfor."

Cale, the Highhill War Hound pup, Thunder, the Highhill War Hound arrive, following Seth.

Luca hasn't missed Jarel, he's just been waiting for the right time. He brandishes his spear toward the man, "We'll duel! But not now! I've places to be soon. But I appreciate your eagerness! See me, sometime!", and there's a smile for the man. The Fox-Prince catches some of Bliss's weight as she leans, lifting her leg to show off her wound, and offers in response, "I mean, if I'm lucky it will. Don't go putting any ointments on it or anything. Just a good splash of strong whiskey. It's sort of the best signature one can get, isn't it? You should do me, next time.".

Cale, the Highhill War Hound pup, Thunder, the Highhill War Hound leave, following Seth.

Somewhere during the midst of the duel, Melody had stepped into the crowd of spectators and even found herself a new poster. Neat! She'd find a nice spot to watch from the commoner stands, falling silent until she caught sight of that wound. "Um --" Then she's glancing around, likely looking for a Mercy or something similar, only to watch someone run off crying. "Uhh... Any Mercies around? Healers?"

Jarel chuckles boisterously at Prince Luca as he sheathes his sword. "Very well Prince Luca, I will await the day our challenge can be resolved. It will be a quite interestinf match, even if I lose." He looks concerned over Bliss "Is she going to be alright? Perhaps take her to a healer?"

"I don't think this is the first time you've asked me to 'do' you, is it, Prince Luca?" Bliss asks as she leans back a little, letting the man support her weight. And not putting her leg down, where it would have to bear weight. That would be bad. She smiles faintly at Melody's question, then says to Luca apologetically, "I don't think my friends are going to let me get away with that. Even if I'm totally fine." Drip. Drip.

Giving a polite nod to Saoirse and Tikva, Jarel asks "Is the Princess okay? She seems to have fainted, quite easily at that."

"Very well. We better get you to some friends quick then. I'm sure we've got a ways to go before we find any.", Luca responds, though a very clear thread of humor is sewn through his words. Rather than just letting Bliss hang on him and bleed all over the sands, he tosses his spear to the ground and shifts enough to sweep her up and cradle her, so she can bleed all over him. What a gentleman. "Where are they even keeping the Mercies, these days? I'm sure there's a healer around here somewhere." He turns to Tikva, Saoirse, "I should probably not let this woman bleed out. Who else would battle me with poetics if she died?".

"Yes, please do see to her wounds. Let's get her to Solace at the very least." Tikva fills her lungs and calls, "Praise be to the gods, for our dispute has been resolved. Thank you all for coming, enjoy the nuts, enjoy the posters! No dying allowed!"

Mirari gets to her feet, and takes another look at her poster before she makes her way towards the exit of the proving grounds.

Mirari has left the Commoner Stands.

a lithe, dark-cloaked Lycene woman leaves, following Mirari.