#rfms.joust

both jousters ready themselves once more, all in attendance at the edges of their seats for this finale. as the ride towards one another no soul can guess who will come out victorious, but as lord rodrick’s lance strikes the king in his center chest and unseats him from his horse, the winner is clear. 

the next round ends with both jousters hit, both taking a lance to the chest though prince rhaegar manages to remain upright in his saddle, lord brynden tumbling back to the arena sands below. the officials rule this as a valid hit, declaring prince rhaegar targaryen the victor to mixed emotions.

prince rhaegar crowns his youngest sibling, princess pimchanok targaryen, as the queen of love and beauty for the tourney.

match one

kai rogare rides against prince sunwoo stark

a new fan favorite rides out to great fanfare , poised against the new prince stark. the bell tolls and the horse hooves set off , pounding against the sand. all is silent as the riders close the gap , a collective gasp filling the arena as prince sunwoo is unhorsed , kai's lance hitting dead center at his chest.

kai rogare advances to the semi finals.

match two

prince rhaegar targaryen rides against lord brynden tully

north against south has the crowd roaring before they even mount their horses. many anticipate a good match between the two , coming out to witness who they placed their bets on. but the dragon prince seems to have luck on his side , and perhaps skill , his lance hitting bryn's side while lord brynden's doesn't even leave a scratch.

prince rhaegar targaryen advances to the semi finals.

match three

lord darnell arryn rides against lord vorian dayne

not much can top the match of brother against brother , but yet the anticipation of the match fills the air. bets are evenly placed , and the men mount their horses to screams in their favor. when lord arryn's lance tilts to the right the match is lost, lord dayne striking his side and coming out entirely unscathed himself.

lord vorian dayne advances to the semi finals.

match four

victario of lys rides against prince abraxas martell

dornish pride is in full bloom for this match , many screaming for their last remaining prince in the tournament. the prince's own boisterous nature seems in full bloom , a stark contrast to the quiet and mysterious underdog found in victario. the riders set off at the sound , and the match is over as quickly as it started. victario is flung from his horse via the lance at his shoulder , prince abraxas suffering a shattering lance at his side but managing to remain atop his horse.

match one

lord connin chyttering rides against lady adrielle ironmaker

the lord previously knocked from the competition has returned to applause, once again seeking the favor of lady emira tyrell. it’s hoped that her favor can bring him better luck than before as he takes his place in the ring, lady adrielle asking of the favor of the high king himself, quellon greyjoy. the silence is thick as no response is given, the lady eventually turning from the crowd to set herself for the match. in a show that hadn’t been seen since the joust in winterfell, neither knights are victorious as both manage to piece the others armor  —  a hush falling over the crowd when blood appears on them both. the round is halted, the maesters declaring both unfit to continue when it is shown that severe injuries have been sustained. lady adrielle having been using an unapproved lance, sharper than most that has pierced lord connin chyttering’s side, and lady adrielle not properly fitted in her armor and taking a direct blow to the chest. neither advance to the next round.

match two

 prince doran martell rides against lord auster oakheart

having already been given his favor, the prince searches for lord lannister in the crowd. lord auster follows in the steps of others before him, favor offered to the ruling lady of his region with a bow, accepted out of courtesy, before he takes his place. it was unevenly matched from the start, the power behind the lance of the martell prince far harder than that of lord auster’s, though in an attempt to even the playing field a jab is taken as they pass each other, one that none can see the affect of until after the officials have separated the two. a last volley finds the lance shattering upon lord oakheart’s armor, splintering into pieces with one lodged into his eye. prince doran advances to the next round, the maesters descending on him to treat the arm held limply at his side.         

match three

lord qhorin drumm rides against mikael beesbury

when asked about a double elimination, the drumm had scoffed that he had nothing better to do. another kiss given to his cheek by lord lukas harlaw with more eyes rolled in the crowd as his horse is turned to the starting point. lord mikael beesbury, known for being a wild card in tourneys and not one that is bet upon unless feeling extremely lucky requests the favor of grand maester to the north, lady kaina upcliff. it is clear between the two who is more experienced, yet mikael makes an error in over correction. landing a blow that is too soft to send the drumm off his horse but enough to put himself off balance, qhorin strikes the beesbury in the shoulder and pushes him from the horse. qhorin advances to the next round, brushing off attempts from the maesters to look under his armor.    

match four

prince jon stark rides against natarie algood. 

none known much about the algood, a new knight to make her debut in her first joust. she seeks no one’s favor, the stark prince calling attention to the bright purple of the lady dayne’s favor resting against his chest. the match is doomed from the start, a false start on natari’s part before it begins —  her lance swinging wildly as it isn’t held with a grip needed to be secured. a gasp rises in the stands as it smacks against the stark’s helmet, his own hitting the center of her chest and lifting her up and off of the horse. the prince advances to the next round, holding his head as he is lead away.

double eliminations

hours pass as the maesters work quickly to try to give ointments, salves, and bandages to those that need it. it is announced that lord connin chyttering and lord auster oakheart couldn’t be helped, both of them dying. lances have been switched out, horses watered, and rules of what is allowed and what’s not re explained before the next round begins.   

match one 

kai rogare rides against prince doran martell

it is obvious from how the prince is riding upon his horse that despite the maesters best efforts, the injury he sustained is still one that is troublesome. the volley is one that given past performances, no one expects to be over as quickly as it is. kai’s lance hits doran in the chest, doran’s numb arm proving to be a nuisance in trying to joust on his weaker side. kai rogare proves victorious to advance to the next round, while the prince is ushered to the maester’s tent once more.     

match two

prince sunwoo stark rides against lord qhorin drumm 

the luck that was on the drumm’s side thus  far seems to have run out as the match begins,  wide jabs of his lance not coming close to the new stark. it gives sunwoo opportunity to land a blow, unfortunate in that it hits in the same place the beesbury had struck and sends the drumm to the ground. prince sunwoo is declared the winner and sent to the next round.      

match three

prince jon stark rides against prince abraxas martell

it was said that the maesters had not cleared the stark for the next round of the joust, woflish stubbornness having him back in the saddle despite the warnings. the two princes would seem evenly matched, this round of the joust one that stirs up the watching crowd to see who will come out on top. in the end, it is prince abraxas that is declared the winner, with the stark seemingly disoriented and off balance on his horse. it doesn’t take much for jon to be knocked from his perch, and abraxas advances without issue. 

match four

victario of lys rides against lord timur blacktyde

another wild card match that no one can find themselves betting on. the observers are split down the middle as to who they think will win, iron born roaring in the crowd for their own in typical boisterous behavior. as the two get set, it is victario that lands a blow that has many wincing as timur goes down. the maesters are quick to swarm the arena to check over the blacktyde while victario is declared fit to move to the next round.

match five

aranya baratheon rides against lord vorian dayne

one of the sole woman riders that has not been knocked out of the competition, lady baratheon is the favorite picked by many to continue her winning streak. it is thwarted as her lance is off to the right upon her volley, the lord commander of dorne’s hitting her side. it’s enough to send her sprawling from her horse, thus ending her reign of victory. vorian is the victor of this round and entered for the next.

match six

darnell arryn rides against osric arryn

another hush falls over the crowd before it grows loud, eager to see two family members pit against each other. the elder with more experience, the younger having the aptitude to be one that could become a successful tourney knight in his own right. the round begins with the crowd loud enough that you can barely hear the thudding hooves of the horses, the sand in the arena clearing to show that osric arryn has been pushed from his horse. darnell arryn is made the winner and moved to the next round.

match seven

prince rhaegar targaryen rides against prince ryon martell

with more experience on his side, there is the thought that rhaegar will take the entirety of the tourney but there are still those that root for the underdog. three volleys, the most in the tournament so far, are taken as the pair seem to be evenly matched on strength alone. it is a flick of ryon’s reigns that lead his downfall, his horse stepping to the side on the last volley that allows a direct hit to his armor that throws him from the saddle into the sand. rhaegar is made the winner to move to the next round.

match eight

prince cregan stark rides against lord brynden tully

with no one expecting for cregan to not have been knocked out in the first round, the final match up is one that has everyone on the edge of their seats. one volley leaves a non declared victor, each man sitting high astride their horses, the second having a shattering sound filling the air. another lance has broken, prince cregan off his horse, but thankfully, declared to have not sustained any injuries as lord chyttering had. brynden tully is declared the winner.

match one

grand maester kaina upcliff rides against kai rogare

grand maester kaina upcliff requests the favor of their son, theomore pyke, which is given as the child leans down to hand it to his mother happily. not much is known about the elusive cousin of the tarths, aside from his large stature. he requests the favor of his cousin, lady calla tarth, which is given with warm wishes for his success. murmurs begin in the crowd as kai’s lance pierces the armor of the upcliff, sending them off of their horse. the rogare advances to round two after helping her up.

match two

prince doran martell rides against lord corlys velaryon

lord velaryon rides into the tourney with fanfare, bowing from his horse before trotting towards the crowd, requesting the favor of the ruling lady of highgarden herself, lady saadet tyrell. a whispering of the crowd begins, spectators wondering if it is the beginning of a courtship  — opinion changing when the ruling lady rolls her eyes, but offers the favor nonetheless. the prince of dorne’s request is less showy, murmured words only lord mavrick lannister can make out. his favor is offered with no upset, those close enough to see a soft caress between the two of them. the ego of the velaryon lord becomes his downfall, lance missing the martell entire while doran’s lance lands squarely in the middle of corlys’ chest for doran to advance to round two. 

match three

lord andar royce rides against lord sunwoo lannister

it is to no one’s surprise that the favor of lady guinevere lannister is sought out from her brother, handed over easily with well wishes. lord andar royce requests the favor of no one, riding into the arena and immediately taking his place. the crack of their lances shatters the air, but lord royce’s lance barely grazes prince sunwoo’s armor, a true hit to his own. prince sunwoo advances to the next round.  

match four

lord cemal tyrell rides against lord qhorin drumm

the favor requested of his long time betrothed, lady betha tully, is rejected to the shock of onlookers. gasps shock the crowd into silence as the slight against cemal, and their hosting family, has been put on display for all to see. the lord seems nonplussed, riding to his twin, emira, to request hers which is given with a roll of her eyes. lord qhorin’s request to lord lukas harlaw is quite the opposite, a smacking kiss to the islander’s cheek as it is handed over with ease. there is an expectation of a homefield advantage, that is quickly proven otherwise. qhorin is successful in knocking cemal from his horse, advancing to round two. perhaps it is the rejected favor that diminishes his luck.

match five

prince abraxas martell rides against lady betha tully

prince abraxas requests the favor of his wife, princess sharra martell. it is offered with a kiss, and wishes of luck as he rides to his starting point. lady betha enters the arena to still stunned silence, requesting the favor of none  — luck seemingly not on their side as abraxas knocks her from her horse with ease to advance to the second round. one can only think that it may be karma for insulting their hosts that the lady tully didn’t stand a chance.

match six

king harrion stark rides against prince jon stark

it is a match that moves the onlookers to the edge of their seats, wanting to see which stark would best the other. king harrion stark requests the favor of his cousin, lady thalina tully, mutterings rumbling of his divorce as roslin’s lack of presence is noted. prince jon stark eyes search the crowd, horse moving over lady dovasary dayne to request her favor. shocked rumbles begin when the words “ i didn’t think you had the gumption” is heard, helmet removed for the pair to share a kiss before the favor is turned over. jon is announced as victorious, advancing to the second round.

match seven

victario of lys rides against ser tharon redsmith

the sworn shield of the targaryen princess enters the arena, many expecting a repeat performance of his advancement as he had in the last tourney. what begins the tittering is the request of the favor of lady melony drumm, who looks surprised before handing it over with a blown kiss and words of him not getting hurt, as that is her job. ser tharon redsmith boldly asks of the favor of ruling lady saadet tyrell, which is rejected soundly. dramatics of the redsmith may be the reason for why his lance goes astray, with victario advancing to the next round.

match eight    

lord timur blacktyde rides against liege vika ryswell

the requested favor of princess nymeria martell by timur elicits confused murmurs, even more so when she accepts and offers it up happily. is this the beginning of a new courtship ? did the martells really approve this for their youngest child ? more chattering begins as the ruling liege of the rills requests the favor of pimchanok targaryen. the usually stoic princess offers a smile and wink along with their favor. both jousters take their place, seemingly evenly matched but the round ends in timur’s advantage for him to advance to the next round.  

match nine

daeron of braavos rides against lady aranya baratheon

 it is to the surprise of none that aranya requests the favor of her betrothed, princess rhaenys targaryen. it is accepted, handed to the baratheon before she rides to take her place. when daeron of braavos enters the arena, he requests the favor of lady melony drumm as well  — chattering starting before she offers another to him with well wishes for her friend with a grin. with previous performance, it is expected for the match to be in daeron’s favor yet aranya’s lance hits him with enough force for his horse to misstep, and the lady baraethon advances.

match ten

lady aaliyah mormont rides against vorian dayne       

neither riders choose to request a favor, it seems, though there is a startling hint of purple seen amongst his amour that is a different shade than what his sister offered earlier, suggesting that it’s not from starfall. the lack of experience is clear in this match on the mormont’s side, resulting in them unseated and landing in the sand with minor injuries. vorian advances to the next round.  

match eleven

lord connin chyttering rides against lord osric arryn

the lord from the crownlands is known for his prowess, looking towards the crowd to shyly request the favor of lady emira tyrell. it is given to him with well wishes, while osric takes his place, apparent choice of choosing not to request the favor of anyone. despite the thoughts that the match would go to connin, osric emerges victorious with a great effort and is going to move to the next round.   

match twelve

lord darnell arryn rides against lady myriah yronwood

the match begins with lady myriah beseeching the favor of lady alys karstark, the request accepted amicably as alys allow her son to give the favor to the yronwood. with whispers already started about the child being a bastard son of one of the starks, is it a an attempt to cover up the rumors swirling about torrhen’s parentage ? with the royce sitting to the side in the stands, lord darnell requests the favor or lord andar royce, which is given though with many looks of confusion. this match is another that is even, a last minute grip switch of the yronwood’s lance not aiming quite as high as needed while darnell’s aim is true, sending him to the next round.    

match thirteen

lord sebastian manderly rides against prince rhaegar targaryen

though not unusual for a guard to ask of the favor for his charge, the arena still holds their collective breaths as lord sebastian manderly asks for the favor of princess alexia stark, which is accepted with a laugh and a grin, wishes offered for luck. the prince requests the favor of his youngest sibling, princess pimchanok targaryen. the gods seem to be smiling down on the prince as after three rounds of volleying due to the skill level of both riders, prince rhaegar targaryen is who advances.     

match fourteen

lord maron harlaw rides against prince ryon martell

the ego of the harlaw is unmatched, having already been trash talking the crown prince of dorne before the match had even begun. residual tensions from dorne, no doubt, and the imprisonment of his older brother a likely source for the bad mouthing that didn’t seem to come to an end until the request for lady melony drumm’s favor is rejected with a scathing dismissal. a pivot towards princess denyse martell to request her favor is rejected as well. when ryon rides to request his wife’s favor it is given with a soft kiss, quiet instructions to knock the harlaw onto his ass which the crown prince does easily. ryon advances to the second round while maron is left to nurse his shattered esteem.   

match fifteen

lord rodrik arryn rides against lord brynden tully

as the pair had just welcomed a child now just shy of six months, there is none of the excitement that has come with previous favor requests, all nodding approvingly as rodrik asks after his wife, alicent arryn’s, favor which is given easily. murmurs begin as lord brynden enters the arena due to his sibling’s previous actions, but no favor was sought. with rodrik being the victor of the tourney in winterfell, all are surprised to seem him felled from his horse by lord brynden, who passes through to round two. 

match sixteen

prince cregan stark rides against lady lusia botley