Vitalis enters the throneroom with keen eyes alight and the Princess Ophelia beside him, their heads tipped towards each other in quiet conversation until they make it to the front of the line of folks waiting to make their courtesies to the Crown. In turn they bow and curtsy before moving along to a place befitting Ophelia's station.

Seryna, a charming Lycene handmaiden, 6 Grimhall House Guards arrive, following Vanora.

The large form of Jeffeth Bayweather folds his massive arms and leans against the wall off by his lonesome, watching the throne quietly.

Lore arrives, moving through the gathering crowds to offer Jaenelle a smile and bow before slipping off to find herself somewhere to stand that's got good line of sight but is out of the 'splash zone'. She gives Sparte a small nudge and smile along the way.

Onida, a boglands wolf-hound, Tero the Iron Hound, Outi the Iron Hound, Gene Erique, Guardsman, 3 Iron Guardsmen arrive, following Jyri.

5 Redoubt Buccaneers, Bengalo, the sneaky black cat, Luna, the sweet, studious assistant, Francis arrive, following Carita.

5 Redoubt Buccaneers, Bengalo, the sneaky black cat, Luna, the sweet, studious assistant, Francis leave, following Carita.

Archeron takes a few steps into the Throne Room and across to a space at the side of the room, where he can watch goings on and also some of the crowd as well. The lanky Tyde lord's blue eyes slip along the crowd searching faces before he smiles, seemingly happy, and he turns to face the front and wait to see whether chaos will ensue.

Luna, the sweet, studious assistant arrives, following Carita.

Sparte nudges Lore right back, giving her a grin in turn before returning to staring spectator status.

"Not this year, apparently. But I'm sure the rest of the Compact will be redoubling their efforts to prevail for the next Tournament, so until then enjoy your well-earned accolades," Alaric tells Jaenelle. "But if you'll excuse me, we'd best get to today's business." He issues an inch-perfect courtly bow and turns to head back to ascend the throne. "Ah, good, good," he muses to Imi on the way. "You'll have to tell me if we're doing the second-story window climbing tests afterwards. Those are always entertaining to watch."

First time in the palace! It's hard not to gape and try as she might, Maja fails on this front. Yes, completely and utterly dropped the ball on looking cool. She wanders in with wide, wider, widest eyes and her pace slows as she looks up, down, and all-around. Sucking in a breath, she murmurs beneath it: "Wooooow..."

And then someone jostles her, a shoulder bang as another person moves past her. This brings her back down to earth and Maja hurries along, trying to wiggle in somewhere that will allow her a good view of the action.

Micana, 1 Saik Guard arrive, following Lucita.

"To look pretty /without/ people getting wet," Bhandn replies to Peri, still dry as dust and still keeping his voice closer to a murmur than normal volume. He's giving her a direct stare with his good eye, considering the patch (and bruise) concealing the other from view. "Next time I'll just tell Orrin to arrange for me to have a pole and a hooked line to fish you out."

Jyri arrives just in the nick of time and goes to find a spot to stand with the Whitehawk ladies, not dawdling on it. He does glance around with his one eye to see who else is here, expression mostly unreadable.

Lucita steps into the throne room, her manner quiet as she finds a spot to stand. A curtsy is given when close to any of the royals.

Once they've arrived at their eventual destination, Aethan stills, one hand sliding into the pocket of his coat as he watches. His gaze catches Evonleigh as she moves toward then, and he inclines his head to her. "Lady Evonleigh," he replies, and then say something lower as he waits.

Peri can not give a Bhandn a dirty look, for she is all clean. She smirks, and gives him a playful shove. A very hard one, since he is Bhandn.

A crisp salute - fist to chest - is given for the King. "I will ensure you do not miss the event if it occurs, Your Majesty," Imi answers with way more seriousness than the light jest requires. As soon as Alaric's moved away, the knight returns to her regard of the room as a whole, seeking out the tournament winners and the various attendees.

Alaric has joined the a magnificent high back chair adorned with the hand-carved sigil of House Grayson.

Jaenelle grins slightly, inclining her head, "I believe you have just given me an idea to throw a party to celebrate our victories. Perhaps the Crown wishes to assist in the offset of costs such parties tend to cost as it was the Crowns tournament. Just a though for your long walk to your throne, of course." Then Jaenelle herself turns to stand in the proud parent section, giving Lore a finger wiggle as she does.

Radhilde makes her way into the throne room and disappears within the crowd briefly, coming to stand near where the majority of people are but not close enough to be pressed upon by the curious. Her dark eyes search the room as she clasps her hands before her then sets her eyes upon the throne and the King.

When the Sword of Lenosia enters the throne room he is not alone but in the stunning company of the darkly dressed Princess Berenice. Despite the occasion he looks much like -- himself. The black-clad swordsman wears a shouldered cloak which favors the right side. On his left, low slung and peacebound, are his swords; the fabled Mirror Blade and Silverfang. Beneath the garment a fastened leather jacket with an umbra shirt beneath. The steps of his heavy riding boots are unfaltering and steady. As if there wasn't a huge crowd waiting to see him ask for something. Harlex couldn't look more like a sellsword; dangerous and oh-so-tenebrous in that moment, but for something which has him smile warmly and secretly and murmur toward the Oleander on their way inside before they must part company. He's expected.

Business at the King's open throne today opens up a little on the perfunctory side, as the issues of record tend to be the sort of quick, procedural thing long enough to get NPC minor lords and up-and-coming courtiers some face time in front of the extra attendance (alas these attempts at notability are ultimately unsuccessful due to being anonymously summarized in the set pose) but short enough not to annoy the King by eating into the scheduled portion of the day. Which is now! Heralds step up into place as Palace stewards escort Harlex to the front of the large empty area in front of the throne. A short, precise fanfare from some of the heralds with horns cuts down the general hubbub of the throne room, and into the resulting silence a formal list of Harlex's titles and accomplishments is read aloud. Once it is done the King leans forward in his seat and raises his hand in a beckoning gesture. "The Crown recognizes Harlex Valtyr, victor at the 1010 Tournament of Roses," Alaric declares in a loud, clear voice. "Approach the dais and state your petition."

While her escort might look very much a sellsword, Berenice looks like nothing less than the Princess of Lenosia that she is. There is a smug, vain sort of pleasure in the curve of her smile as she saunters in on Harlex's arm, her gaze drawing across the crowd as they pass them. She laughs, low and warm, at what Harlex whispers, and she murmurs low words in return before she finally steps back to let him approach the throne. She slips over to settle near Jaenelle, offering something quietly to her as well, humor bright in her eyes.

"Oh gosh, look! It's the King!" This is murmured excitedly by Maja -- her words likely lost to anyone except those near her to the general hub-bub in the room. The person standing next to her gets an elbow -- poke-poke-poke -- before the young woman points out Alaric to them. See? THE KING. This is all .. ever so exciting.

Yasmine looks up when the tourney winner is summoned forward. "This is so exciting," she says. "I wonder what he will request of His Majesty for his boon?"

Khanne watches while listening to the quiet murmurs of other curious people around her. She herself just smiles at the excited reactions of some, mist-grey eyes set upon the dais and the people there.

Ophelia is dressed in her ebony silks to honor the man everyone is celebrating today and she settles near Vitalis to watch with much pride and excitement. There is a little wave and grin to both Jaenelle and Berenice before her attention directs to the King when he starts to speak.

Jaenelle leans towards Berenice, her words equally as quiet though she cant even begin to hide the amusement from her features at whatever is exchanged. Her eyes shift between Alaric and Harlex, the woman then falling silent to hear what is asked for.

Making her way over close to Khanne, Willow remains quiet, attention on the happenings at the dias.

Vitalis's brow furrows at Maja's elbow elbow elbowing and he grins sidelong at Ophelia, intoning quietly for the both of them, deadpan, "I certainly hope so. That's definitely his chair."

Spotting that bit of movement gestured in her direction as she makes her way through, Radhilde smiles gently so as she lays dark eyes on Archeron and steps closer to stop at his side, her gaze shifting back to the King when he addresses Harlex and she chuckles at the buzzing that goes through the crowd at the request made, glove-clad hands smoothing out her silken dress.

2 House Velenosa Guards, Matteo arrive, following Arman.

Jyri's one eye look intently at Harlex for the most part, though he glances at his fellow Whitehawks here and there, the quartett having a murmured discreet conversation.

Vanora flashes a warm smile at Berenice and one at Harlex too, watching the proceedings from the gathered audience.

Bhandn's only real reaction to Peri is just to give her a long, pointed stare when she tries to shove him, then give his head a jerk in the throne's direction as Harlex is called upon to present himself. The knight of Solace then directs his own attention that way, his lips parting and words rumbling out of his mouth, but it's quiet, barely more than a whisper.

Bhandn mutters, "Here ... ..."

Harlex follows at the center of the stewards and all the horns and fanfare catch the corners of his bright eyes. He eases from a low, rough laughter at whatever the Princess murmured in reply and fades into something more suited to a soldier, now that he's addressed. His chin high, straightened in his posture. Darkly prideful, bright eyed. One hand rests on the wide buckle of his belt. When those list of accomplishments end, he steps toward the dais as instructed. "Much obliged, Your Majesty." There's a pause. He releases a breath and looks aside at something, or someone in the crowd, before his gaze returns to Alaric.

"I think that -- for this victory -- I'd ask the Crown to bestow me with the honor of -- one million silver. That should fine."

Reedy, a King's Own aide arrives, following Corban.

Carita leans toward Aethan as she stands watching with rapt amusement, to murmur a few quiet words as she picks a speck of nonexistent lint from her skirts and sends it to it's death on the floor.

Delilah watches the events from the sidelines, albeit very often engaged in soft conversation with her cousins and Lucita. The occasional shimmer of a smile or very low laughter echoes across her lips, hardly enough to draw attention to her.

Archeron offers a warm smile to Radhilde as she comes closer, a small bow of his head to the northlander. His eyes though follow hers, flicking back to the King, and the approach of the champion and his Princess-ly escort. Who is of course, Berenicely dressed. He seems about to say something to Radhilde before Harlex speaks, and Archeron quickly goes quiet to listen, a brow raising at the request. This is followed quickly by a sigh and a shrug. Well. This isn't going to be explosively scandalous.

Jasher remains near the door to the throne room, watching with a mixture of distant curiosity and patience. Being taller than a not-insignificant portion of the people attending helps.
Harlex's request gets his lips pulling straight, a fleeting shadow of the amusement lighting his eyes, but he holds his tongue.

Even though she isn't short, Maja goes up on her tiptoes -- there are a lot of people to look over! Just an ocean of heads, as far as the eye can see. "He has a beard," she comments, pointing Alaric out again in case Vitalis (and others around her) doesn't know who she's talking about. I mean, without the pointing, she could be talking about just any ol' dude! "I didn't imagine he'd have a beard." Pause. "It looks good." Man, she is losing cool points by the second..

Yasmine hmms when the boon is named, then turns her head to look over the reactions of the crowd around her.

Arman slipped into the throne room in his usual fashion, straying along the outer wall until locating his family members. Of course they were right up front! He gingerly maneuvered through the gathered crowd before he settled beside Jaenelle and Berenice to observe.

Rysen grins to hear Harlex's answer, and does not seem the least bit surprised.

The gasp is audible. Berenice is there, whispering quietly with Jaenelle, laughing about something, and then Harlex asks for his boon. Her eyes go wide as a hand flutters to her heart, her expression crumpling to shock and hurt as her breath hitches in her chest. She stares at Harlex, her eyes glimmering after that first shock, her hand reaching to grasp tightly to Jaenelle's arm as if she might lose herself entirely.

Sparte looks a bit disappointed by Harlex's request, but not so disappointed he isn't going to keep watching.

Jyri's jaw does drop a little hearing Harlex request. Clearly he did not expect that. He grins lopsidedly and crosses his arms over his chest.

"...huh." its the only response Lore seems able to muster, her jade gaze tracking from the mercenary to the King and back. She offers a faint smile and sketches out a bow for ARman as he slips in as well. Berenice receives a curious glance, her head canting to the side.

Whatever Carita says to him has Aethan letting out a little huff os his own amusement, and he murmurs something back to her, but otherwise watches the proceedings. He watches as Harlex makes his request, and if he is surprised, he does not show it. His gaze moves to Berenice then briefly as she gasps, but still he says nothing else.

Tabitha briefly looks a little disappointed that there wasn't a lovely romantic moment here, but she recovers soon enough and sile lightly. She looks over as Berenice looks shocked, but doesn't seem to be worried by it. She assumes it's just a bit of theater, amybe?

Kamaria's expression is nonplussed and her eyeroll audible. She crosses her arms and leans against a wall.

Khanne's expression is impassive as she hears Harlex request silver for his boon.

Ophelia glances toward her cousins, Jaenelle and Berenice, and then back to Harlex as her pulse begins to quicken. She then leans closer to Vitalis to murmur something to him.

When he hears Harlex's request of the Crown, Sir Bhandn just folds his arms, and leans his head towards Peri for just a moment.

Bhandn mutters, "Well, ... was boring."

Jeffeth Bayweather sends a sharp glance over through the crowd to Bhandn, a subtle shake of his head before the Knight Commander is looking back up to the throne.

Radhilde bites her lower lip, seemingly to hide a smirk as she looks on, listening and watching the reactions as she hears a gasp here and there and she looks over to Archeron briefly, dipping her head a touch, her eyes shifting again to Harlex and Berenice as she leans slightly.

Duskstone eyes follow impassively from Alaric to Harlex to Berenice and back. Willow seems unsurprised.

Peri replies back to Bhandn. Her gaze at Harlex is thoughtful.

"Harlex Valtyr, your petition is heard and approved. By the noble traditions of the royal boon, the Crown agrees we shall grant you the funding to pursue ambitions befitting a Tournament victor," Alaric proclaims regally. "May you continue to serve House Velenosa as the Sword with distinction, just as you have fought and triumphed in the Grand Joust with distinction. So let it be." With that, the King smiles and by royal decree, apparently that is that. Courtiers start applauding politely. A pair of burly palace stewards flanked by a pair of King's Own knights step up to the dais and with a bit of dramatic presentation unveils a medium-sized chest full of gold and platinum coins in a performatively casual display of a literal pile of wealth that gets a few oohs rippling around the applauding courtiers. "Rather than make you haul your own body weight in coinage back from the Crown Ward, I've taken the liberty of authorizing the Bank to credit the funds to your personal account," the King deadpans helpfully.

Jaenelle reaches over to console Berenice when Harlex's choice is made. Light pats. A few there, theres. "It might be for the best" she states with quiet resolve, "I think if his Boon is granted I can cut his wages for the next year? Think of what we could use that money for? Another Sword appointment."

Ian doesn't show any particular reaction to any of this, nodding from time to time when something is whispered to him, once shrugging.

When Berenice gasps, Evonleigh's gray-blue gaze darts that way, and she frowns with sympathy for the shocked woman, before murmuring something to Aethan and Ian on one side of her, then to the rest of the Whitehawk coalition on the other. She quiets for the king's response, smiling a little at his jest. "He's strong enough, at least," she says, more audibly, a glance of appreciation for Harlex.

Archeron is overheard praising Harlex: A most impressive victor of the Tournament - clearly a skilled fighter and a warrior Velenosa can be proud of. And I mean, well done on all the INCREDIBLY BORING money I guess.

Sparte ooohs with the rest of the audience. "Never seen coins like that before... Neat."

Man, everyone else seems to be all yawn, yawn, yawn but Maja is completely swept up in the spectacle of it all. I mean, there is a KING. And he's giving away ONE MILLION SILVER like it's nothing. And a noblewoman is almost FAINTING from the shock and awe and hurt of it all? The curly-haired commoner looks around with mouth agape, checking other people's absorption of the unfolding events. Are they seeing and hearing the same things she is? Does popcorn exist in Arx? Because Maja definitely would like some right about now.

Vitalis is overheard praising Harlex: Reassuringly mercenary.

Corban does his role with the Arxian equivalent of a giant novelty check, standing alongside the Knights who guard the haul. Eyes flick left and right for cat burglars.

Arman didn't appear to have much reaction at all to the to the requested boon, his hands coming to fold low behind his back and posture its usual staunch poise. Dark eyes shifted aside to both Berenice and Jaenelle, a hint of a smile rising beneath the curtain of his whiskers at Jaenelle's comments, but soon after his attention returned up front.

Khanne lets out a soft hmm as she watches Berenice's reaction with Jaenelle. The brow over her left eye arches curiously and her lips twitch a bit to the side. Still she says nothing but nods softly towards Willow.

Harlex checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Archeron claps for the award - because whether it is perhaps less scandalous or not, it certainly is a lot of money for a common man. And it was won in battle. His lips curl into a half grin at something Radhilde murmers and Archeron turns his head to reply before returning to watch the goings on.

Peri is overheard praising Harlex: He chooses a straightforward request that has caused no diplomatic incident. yet. well done!

Carita applauds with the rest of the courtiers, her smile transfixed with mild amusement before she spots Berenice's reaction. Her brows furrow a moment, puzzlement evident, before she leans to murmur to the Kennex's near her.

Radhilde is overheard praising Harlex: Well done. May you use your gift well.

Over here in dais-land, Harlex is oblivious to the crowds at first. Those burly stewards and the King's Own seem his focus as they bring that chest in presentation. "I mean I could probably -- " But he shakes his head. "Much obliged." He tips his head and then moves toward that display of wealth, stooping momentarily to examine one of the pieces. A mercenary through and through, he nods approvingly and drops it back into the chest. Oh, are there other people here? He looks aside, spying Berenice, and his brows only briefly cinch before he snorts and steps back away from the 'prize'. A bow is given in Alaric's direction. "I'll use it in good health."

Vanora too notices Berenice's reaction, and her brows furrow slightly in concern for the Princess. At this point she slips out of the throne room and away.

Seryna, a charming Lycene handmaiden, 6 Grimhall House Guards leave, following Vanora.

Peri is overheard praising Harlex: he could have asked for a broom apprentice. apprentice brooms do not work out well at all.

Alaric is overheard praising Harlex: You have fought and triumphed in the Grand Joust with distinction!

Delilah's vivid gaze takes in most of the reactions around her, though she hardly carries an element of shock to her expression. Curiosity measured by a tempered state of amusement keeps her relatively in place, especially as events bloom and play out like a writer's spectacle.

Vitalis's lips twitch at Maja's running commentary on His Magesty's hirsutorial choices and overflowing excitement. It's a little contagious, or at the least amusing. "It is rather exciting, isn't it." He pulls the arm that Ophelia's hand is linked through close to his side, murmuring something to her.

Kamaria slips out quietly, shaking her head.

As though now wondering if Berenice wasn't just making a little joke for the amusement of the throne room, Tabitha now looks towards the princess with a slight frown of worried concern on her face. She turns to speak quietly with Jyri, Evonleigh and Delilah. For a lip-reader, it might seem like she's saying something on the lines of, "She's alright, isn't she?"

Radhilde brings her hands together in applause, lightly so however, the fur of the gloves striking together, causing a muffle of sound but her head dipping in agreement to Archeron.

Yasmine slips out of the throne room.

1 Silvershields leaves, following Yasmine.

Aethan is hearing those around him whisper, and he's responding, too, but he's looking toward those near the throne, and his expression is even flatter than it was when he came in. His eyes move from one to the other, though whatever he thinks, he does not share.

"I'm sure you could, but as a tournament victor you're entitled to some special consideration in that regard. Hardly a befitting prize for making you conquer a physical challenge like the joust by giving you the challenge of hauling a severely weighted chest across the capital," Alaric notes breezily. "Well now, it seems like a delightful time to break for drinks to me. Stewards!" With that, open throne is apparently in intermission and the King descends the throne to get his wine on and do a bit of schmoozing.