The Tournament of Blades (Private rp with Abbster)

[mainehorse]

Plot: The quiet cobblestone streets of the Kingdom of Silvercrest are coming alive as everyone prepares for the Tournament of Blades being hosted by the royal family in the capitol city of Stormhaven. Knights from across the vast kingdom have traveled to the city to compete, both those who have been newly anointed and those with more experience. From swordfights to fencing and even jousting, there will be many competitions for these knights to prove their prowess in.


The characters

- Cassidy Gautier (knight)
- Princess Isabelle 
- Kennadee (Kenn) Fox (knight)




NPC's (will be updated as needed)

- King Albert
- Queen Maria
- Princess Charlotte 
- Princess McKenna
- Gale

[mainehorse]

Cassidy sat on a bench in the barracks, her greatsword resting in her lap. In one hand, she held a whetstone that she ran in long even strides across the blade of the sword, her other holding onto the hilt of the sword to keep it from slipping as she sharpened her weapon. Falcon sat perched on her shoulder, preening himself contently. The tournament was still a few days away, and everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming competition. She had been encouraged by her mentor to enter. From the looks of it, there were very few female knights competing, not that this bothered her. She was confident in her ability. She had trained just as hard as any of them, and had made a name for herself as a knight. She could recall seeing one other female knight, though she had yet to actually meet her or hear her name in passing. She hadn't really met any of the others yet.

[Abbster]

Kennadee was grooming Shadow in the barn that was used for the tournament’s. She was so far unbeatable, and she wasn’t about to break her streak. She looked up as she heard foot steps. “Hi” Kennadee said. When she realized it was the princess who had just walked in, Kennadee instantly felt embarrassed. Clearly she had caught the princess of gaurd. “Your highness, I’m very sorry” Kennadee said. Isabelle laughed. “It’s alright.” Isabelle said. “You’re here for the tournament?” Isabelle asked. “Yes.” Kennadee said. “Im Kennadee Fox.” Kennadee said. “But, everyone calls me Kenn” She said. Isabelle nodded. “Have you seen the arena yet?” She asked. Kennadee nodded. “Yea, I was actually about to do some early morning training with Shadow in there if that’s ok” Kennadee said. “Of course!” Isabelle said. “Good luck out there, Kennadee” Isabelle said. “Thank you your highness” she said. Kennadee smiled and lead Shadow out into the arena, where it was open for training.

[mainehorse]

Once she was satisfied with the condition of her sword, Cass slips it into the scabbard on her back and rises to her feet. Falcon flapped his wings slightly to steady himself as she stood. Cass reached up slightly to give the bird a gentle scratch once she was sure he was steady on her shoulder once more. She exits the barracks and makes her way over to the stables to check on Bayberry. As she approached the barn, she could see the other young woman whom she presumed to be a knight leading her horse out of the barn and toward the currently empty arena. She nods slightly in greeting before stepping through the heavy wooden doors of the barn. Bayberry sticks his head out of his stall upon hearing the familiar heavy sound of her boots on the wooden floor of the barn and he greets her with a quiet nicker. On his stall door, there was a sign warning anyone else not to get too close, since with anyone else, the large destrier stallion was liable to bite. But one wouldn't know it seeing how he reacted to her coming. She could see another young woman in the barn, who judging by her attire was likely a member of the royal family. She nods slightly to her in greeting as well before approaching the blood bay stallion's stall to get him out.

[Abbster]

Isabelle noticed the other knight walk into the barn. She smiled at her before continuing to her own horses stall, just as Talon flew into the barn. Isabelle looked down at her falcon. “Talon” she said, as he landed on her shoulder. “You know I love you sweet bird, but how many times has father said don’t fly in the barn!” Isabelle said. Talon flapped his wings as if he heard her. Isabelle just laughed and opened Sunrises stall door. She too had a note on her stall door. Accept it was different than the blood bays. Sunrises note said: Sunrise is the princess’s horse, please don’t touch her, groom her, or ride her. Thank you. -King Albert. “Father insisted on the note Talon” Isabelle said as Talon let out a little tweet. Isabelle laughed again.

[mainehorse]

Cass clips a lead to the halter of her stallion, clicking her tongue quietly. She could hear the younger woman, whom she assumed to be the princess talking to her bird. Falcon was watching the other bird with a quiet curiosity. But he remained perched on his owner's shoulder as she opened the stall door and led the destier out of the stall. He pins his ears, snorting as a squite who had just entered walked a bit too close. The squire's pupils widen slightly, though Cass had a good grip on the stallion, not letting him get close enough to nip the teenager. "Back up, slowly. Don't take your eyes off him. No harm will come to you" Cass says sternly. The boy gulps, nodding slightly as he backs up if instructed. When he was a few feet away from the stallion, he relaxes, turning his neck to nibble on Cass' hair.

[Abbster]

Kennadee finished up her training with Shadow, then she mounted him easily, as Glimmer, her eagle, flew into the arena. Now, Glimmer was the type of eagle who only trusted Kennadee. If anyone tried to streak his head, he would instantly peck them. Glimmer didn’t trust any human being, besides for his human, Kennadee. He let out a squawk to let Kennadee know he had arrived. “I can see you Glimmer” Kennadee said as she began trotting around the arena on Shadows back. She had only gone a lap when Glimmer swooped down towards her. Kennadee started laughing. “Glimmer!” She said. “I’m training!” She said. “Go on, sit on the ledge over there” Kennadee said. Glimmer looked over at the ledge and then boated, flying towards it and perching as he watched Kennadee ride.

[mainehorse]

"You would do well to read the sign next time kid." Cass says gruffly as she leads the stallion out of the barn. The kid was fine, so she saw no need to coddle him. Hopefully he would learn his lesson. Normally she would saddle her horse, but for today she could ride bare back. She leads the stallion over to the arena, seeing the other knight training. The arena was big enough for the both of them, so it wouldn't be an issue. She holds one arm up to encourage Falcon to climb onto her arm. Once the bird was steady, she raises her arm up higher to encourage the bird to take off. "Go on" she says. She could see the eagle nearby, but she knew that falcon would keep his distance from the larger bird.

[Abbster]

Kennadee looked up as she saw the other knight enter the arena. She watched as her falcon flew away and caught Glimmer eying it. “Hey” Kennadee said. “Will your falcon stay away from my eagle?” She asked, trotting over to the other woman. “Oh, I’m Kennadee, Kennadee Fox, but feel free to call me Kenn” Kennadee said as Glimmer took off and flew to the other side of the arena, away from the falcon. “Are you the other female knight in the tournament?” She asked. “Just so you know, I’ve been doing this for about 6 years, and so far I’m unbeaten” Kennadee said as Shadow let out a little snort. “Easy Shsdow” Kennadee said.

[mainehorse]

Cass turns her head slightly at the sound of approaching hoofbeats. She quirks her right eyebrow slightly as she listens to the younger woman speak. She tried not to put much stock in first impressions, but so far this other woman seemed rather full of herself. Going on about how one was unbeaten wasn't exactly the best way to make a first impression. It came across as though she thought herself better than the competition. "Falcon will stay well away from her, provided she does the same," she says, watching as her falcon circled overhead. "Cassidy Gautier, and yes I'm the other female knight," she says pausing. "Many a knight who brags about being unbeaten is brought down by their own hubris. You'd best let your skill speak for itself instead" she says. She never saw any need to bring up her time in service or past victories, instead letting her reputation speak for itself. She had worked hard to build a name for herself in a field dominated by men.

[Abbster]

Kennadee nodded. She liked the willingness in the girl. Kennadee trotted back to other side of the arena. She didn’t really know what else to say to this woman, so instead, so just trotted to the other end of the arena to work on her training. She rubbed Shadows neck and then asked for a canter, which Shadow picked up almost instantly. “Good boy, Shadow” Kennadee said, rubbing his neck again before cantering around the arena. She looked up and watched Glimmer with a careful eye. He had better not try anything with that falcon.

[mainehorse]

Cass hoists herself up onto Bayberry's back with ease and she gives him a gentle but firm squeeze round the middle to get him moving. She clicks her tongue, giving the stallion the cue to run through their dressage routine. A knight and their horse were expected to be as graceful as they were strong. The stallion responds immediately, starting at the top of the routine. He knew it well, given that this was normally how Cass got him warmed up before moving into the more strenuous training exercise. It got his blood flowing and helped to ease his mindset into being ready to concentrate.

[Abbster]

Kennadee looked over and then she saw the princess walk in. She sat down in her throne that she sat in for the tournaments. Princess Isabelle watched the two knights. “Don’t mind me.” Isabelle said. “Father has asked that I keep an eye on the knights who are training at the moment” she explained. Kennadee felt awkward having the princess watch her, but she knew it was needed, so she nodded and continued about her training routine. She passed Cass a few times and she slowed, looking at her. “Princess Isabelle is in here. We can’t make ourselves look like a fool” Kennadee said, patting Shadows neck.

[mainehorse]

"I wasn't planning on making myself look like a fool regardless of whether or not the princess was present," Cass says, keeping her focus on her horse as they moved through their dressage routine. As far as she was concerned, the princess was just another person who happened to have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. It wasn't uncommon for people to observe knights training from the sidelines, nobles would do so often with the knights working for them. After all, they wanted to ensure that the knights they hired were working properly and performing well. So she was used to working while being observed. Though it seemed like Kennadee was a bit nervous being observed. Either she wasn't used to being observed, or she had placed the princess on a pedasal in her mind, and as such was worried about slipping up in front of her in a way she wouldn't be worried about doing so in front of another person.

[Abbster]

Kennadee half smiled at the other knight. She wanted to make herself look like she knew what she was doing in front of the princess, because she had totally embarrassed herself earlier that morning. Which of course Cass wouldn't have known about. Kennadee did about 30 more minutes of training with Shadow before haulting him and dismounting swiftly, then she lead him back to the barn, and whistled for Glimmer, who swooped down and landed switly on Shadow's back. "Don't peck him, Glimmer" Kennadee said to her eagle as she walked back into the barn. When she got to Shadow's stall, she put him in and then brushed him down once more before giving him some fresh hay and grain.