Festival of the Burning Fields (IC)

Ravys purchased the ale and meat, and sat down with the Vecavvian, offering her the first choice.

"My name is Ravys.

May I know more about you? What is your name, and what brings you to Pendor?"

The Veccavian sat without ceremony and helped herself to the ale. Her guards stood a distance away.

"My name is Boadice, after the famous queen of my land. I've come to Pendor to see if it's true that you allow men to rule the land. You truly are barbarians."

Ravys took a sip of his ale, and a bite of meat.

"I think barbarian is a bit too harsh of a word, m'lady. Some men are rather despicable, but I don't think all of them are. Hopefully, your visit here, and this conversation, will change your mind," he said with a smile.

Boadice looked to the new arrival, who happened to be Gilaver, for a brief moment.

"I don't see how. The men here are too wild. They don't know good discipline. Barbarian is the right word."

Rayvs raised his eyebrows.

"Too little discipline? Rather, I think many of them have too much discipline. Anyways, I heard you say something about how you could not afford to lose the archery contest. If you don't mind me asking, what did you mean by that?"

"You misheard me, Male. You should listen more with your ears, and not with what's down below. I said I could afford to lose. I've taken your unbalanced brethren's coin all evening!"

Gilaver ignored the woman and her proclamation, instead opting to take a seat and order a cup of Ethosian wine. While it wasn't very clear, he was eavesdropping on the pair after that, while taking occasional sips from the goblet. He didn't want to rush it, instead taking this moment to enjoy the sweet taste.

The Dragon knights were thirsty and didn't want the Griffon's offer to go to waiste, so Karstan spoke up to his captain;

"We're going to the drinking tent, Pendor celebrations have too little ale."

Aelos agreed heartily and together they made their way to the tent where they found Gilaver. They looked like barbarians, covered in sweat due to their mockfights and Alm was so massive in his appearance he could've been confused with Wolfbode the Slayer if he lived six generations earlier.

Gilaver took a handful of coins and gave them to the barkeeper.

"Large mugs of your best to the Dragons."

His tone had regained its normal monotone edge, as there was no swordfighting involved.

Rayvs smiled. "I'm sure that you said you couldn't afford to lose, but I might be mistaken, given how much I was distracted by your beauty."

Changing his tone, he said, in a teasing manner, "You didn't take one of us 'unbalanced's' coin in particular, but I'd be quite interested to know how you became so skilled in archery."

"Now that's a King's man!" Alm bellowed. Suprisingly they had shipped Ravenstern Ale across the great lake and everyone knew that it was the best.

Aelos took note of the woman and her companion, but decided to ignore them as he approached the Griffon once again.

"Much obliged," he said when he raised his mug slightly and sat down at Gilaver's table. "your skill suprised me, Sir Gregale. Where have you learned those techniques?"

"In my youth I trained with the Royal Archers. It's quite easy you see. Women are superior to men in most fields of skill. Especially when the men know better than to stare while we train."

She sipped down the ale and began to eat the meat. She didn't devour it, however, but ate more properly... with her hands all still, though.

Rayvs finished his ale and called for more.

"I think you'll find the men here to be much more skilled than the average vecavvian man. Have you travelled Pendor much since you have arrived?"

"It is only proper after a friendly duel, don't mention it."

Gilaver took another sip from his goblet. He was slightly regretting his decision to buy ale for the whole noisy bunch.

"The basis is the standard Griffon forme, although I have added my own elements to compensate for my slight lack of bulk. There was also the..."

Gilaver didn't finish the sentence, instead trailing off. His hands seemed to break his usual gracefulness with their shaking.

"I've found the men in Pendor to be even less skilled than the men in Veccavia. At least Veccavians know their place, and the limit of their abilities."

Boadice took a sip of ale before continuing.

"I've been to Valonbray. I heard some priest rambling about how men should be chaste. The poor fool didn't even realize that gelding accomplishes that!"

Rayvs shook his head.

"I assure you, there are quite a few exceptions to your ideology. I've fought renegade Vecavvians many times in the past, and the proof of my skill is the fact that I am sitting here ungelded with you."

"Valonbray? You haven't seen much of Pendor then. You must see the D'shar cities of the south, the grand cities of the Empire, and the cold keeps of the north."

Rayvs smiled. "Did you tell the priest about gelding, then? Or did he discover it first hand?"

Aelos eyes widened as the Griffon's hands started shaking and stood up.

"Karstan! come here."

The veteran knight approached Gilaver with a serious look. He had seen many kind of wounds and was considered most wise on the subject, but Dragons didn't deal with physicians so basically he knew very little.

"What's wrong lad? Did ye strain yer hand?"he said before he emptied his mug and dropped it on the table.

"I only have to men with me. The priest had at least a dozen. He should learn of gelding though. His knights would keep their vows if they couldn't break them in the first place."

Rayvs frowned.

"What of Knighthood orders that don't have chastity vows? I think you would enjoy the rest of Pendor, instead of the uptight Valonbray theocracy.

"...Dark..." Gilaver whispered before he started to forcefully compose himself. First the shaking of his hands started to subside slightly, then more clearly and after a few seconds completely. His face regained its usual neutrality and he spoke

"I am fine, thank you. Although, I would appreciate if you didn't bring this topic up again."

"How would you control the breeding stock otherwise? Would you really have the weak breeding? I swear, you Pendorians are senseless barbarians!"

Boadice's voice was loud enough for most everyone to hear.

Ravys frowned.

"I happen to be a part of one of those orders, and I can assure you I am not weak. What about weak women? Do you have those in Vecavvia?"

"They work with the men. But we always have enough good breeding men to make more strong women!"

She took another sip of ale.

"And what Order are you part of?"

Though Karstan had rushed to the Griffon knight, Alm looked around and noticed a woman in the tent he hadn't seen before. Not the smartest man to realise she wasn't what he thought she was, he approached her.

"You! woman. Make yerself useful and help that man!"

Trying to take another gulp, ge raised his mug a little too far and half of the ale went over his short beard instead of into his mouth.

Meanwhile, Karstan and Aelos both nodded to Gilaver and the latter sat down to pretend as if nothing had happened.

Gilaver didn't react to their nods visibly, instead proceeding to look at the noisy Dragon.

"...I hope he realises he is talking to a Veccavian Warrior, likely a skilled one too."

He then looked at Karstan and Aelos, as if asking them something.