Duchess Scone, a prissy white puppy arrives, following Jeffeth.

Cheryl the Assistant Innkeeper, Scourge, a sweater wearing rat-dog arrive, following Mae.

It's a smaller crowd that's turned out at the Proving Grounds today, Bliss stepping onto the sands and taking a moment to turn and eye them all, nodding as she does and smiling before she waves out to the group. "Dueling outdoors in winter is the most awful thing!" she exclaims with a laugh, lifting her leg up and stomping down on the snow. "No one wants to come outside and watch, and there's always other things going on. But to those of you who did come out today - our real fans - thank you! We are going to try to put on the best show we can for you!" With that, she draws her rapier, but doesn't look like she's ready to fight just yet, turning and allowing Joslyn to make her introduction as well.

Pasquale is here for the show. He makes his way to the stands at a quick (for him ) clip, though, offering a sweeping bow to Bliss before searching out a place to watch.

Elgana and her ladies, in an odd display perhaps, have filed into the commoner stands today to watch the duel. "Fight well!" she calls to the sands, giving a little wave to the ladies on the sands. The cold does not, in fact, seem to bother her anyway.

Wrapped in layers of dark, shimmery fabric, Mae arrives, holding her little dog to her chest beneath the cloak. If anyone can catch the look on Mae's face, she is in firm agreement that dueling in winter outside is a bad idea. Still, she slips over into the commoner stands. Maybe it will be warmer in the stands...?

Elgana has joined the Commoner Stands.

Mae has joined the Commoner Stands.

The southern born woman finds herself with her cloak wrapped tightly around herself, shivering in spite of everything, Joslyn nods towards Bliss in agreement as she shakes her head. "Who's idea was it to do this outside?" Joslyn wonders, before she shakes her head with a laugh, the alaricite hairpins remaining in her tightly tucked bun, she draws, instead her rose shaped pin from beneath her cloak, twirling in between her fingers in a bit of a flashy display but also perhaps to restore feeling to her fingers. "Thank you all whom have come out! I'll certainly have my work cut out for me, trying to be as flashy as Bliss here," she winks towards the competetor. "But I'm sure we can make this all interesting enough!"

Melody was /just/ about to have a seat at the far more comfortable noble seating area, but upon spotting a couple of familiar faces, she changed course and squeezed through a small crowd of people to meet up with her friends.

Melody has joined the Commoner Stands.

Bliss checked dexterity + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 39 higher.

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

Joslyn wields the Rose of Stonewood.

Jeffeth has joined the Commoner Stands.

Barric however, does find a place to sit in the noble seating. He flashes Joslyn a smile and then moves to settle down onto his chosen seat to watch the upcoming display. Elgana and Melody get waves as he passes by them, spotting them in the commoner stands. Jeffeth gets a companionable nod as well.

Barric has joined the Noble Seating.

Cadern meanders his way in searching for a seat. The northern nobleman has a small flask at hand to sip at as he wanders. His eyes searching the area and considering as he nears the noble stands, "Who is taking bets?" He asks hopefully as his eyes track to the two contestants preparing themselves.

"Oh, we can definitely try!" Bliss says in response to Joslyn, not really doing anything that is quite remarkably flashy as she starts to turn her rapier in her hands, fingers dancing along the hilt and providing slow pressures that rotate the blade, spinning it in an easy circle as she approaches, the sound of the blade cutting through the air audible as it begins to pick up speed. "But how long have you been watching me fight, dear? Twelve years, now? Do you think a little damage to my arm is going to be enough to stop me from still beating you?" It's friendly banter, this, the jibes those between two old friends, and a grin on the woman's face as she stops the spinning suddenly and shifts into a fencing pose, her feet in that classic 'L' shape as she raises the weapon in the air, pointing it at the knight across from her. "Let's see how those hairpins really do."

As Barric passes, Elgana gives a waggle of fingers to the Grayson prince before she leans back to murmur with her companions.

"I'll put a thousand down on Champion Joslyn to win." Barric tells Cadern, "Been a while hasn't it Lord Cadern? I almost thought you'd left Arx to return back to the north."

Melody has left the Commoner Stands.

"Oh I'm not that little girl from Tor anymore," Joslyn says, twirling that pin between fingers some more, shooting a wink towards Barric before she fully faces her opponent. "A lot can change in twelve years, and if you wish to beat me," she throws her cloak back, revealing a tight leather corset beneath, leather padding covering her arms. "You'll have to hit me first." She flourishes, eyeing Bliss with a little grin.

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

"I'll take that bet." Jeffeth calls out from the common stands. "But how bout a little more? I'll put three down on Bliss Whisper."

Melody has joined the Commoner Stands.

Pasquale has joined the Noble Seating.

Bliss waits a long moment as the betting gets called back and forth across the stands, giving a grin to Joslyn. "A lot has changed, but I know I can still make you tremble, darling," she says to Joslyn with a playful wink. "And a little wiggle in those pins? It's all over for you." And then the two seem to take that as a simultaneous cue, and the fight is on.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Melody before departing.

Cadern grins at Barric, "Your Highness. Well clearly you've been avoiding the seedier taverns of the city if you've not been seeing me." HE admits with a wink as he drops himself into a seat. He seems about to take up Barric's bet and then raises a brow as Jeffeth increases it, "Interesting? No one's set odds on these? Clearly I should talk to the Golden Hart for the next tournament if no one is setting odds on these things." He shrugs and looks to Barric, "If he's going three want to match his bet or I can take the other two? I'll admit I don't know the fighters enough to offer odds myself."

"Sure." Barric calls over to Jeffeth, "Three it is." He looks at Cadern and chuckles, "Well if you want to take Bliss, I will bet you three thousand as well if you like." But then the fight is starting and he focuses on the performance!

Pasquale takes a place in the noble's sitting. Even if the commoner's stands are fashionable today, he sticks to his standard seat. His eyes are intent and focused on the fight as it gets underway. Occasionally, he indulges in some cheering.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Barric before departing.

The pair charge at each other like a flash, Joslyn's jade eyes bright with a grin as she moves in, with a quick close swipe of the pin as she rushes by, a twirl out of the way of the rapier, which glances just off of the leather of her corset, and Joslyn grins before she moves back in. "Oh my dear, I've only just begun!" she half-shouts before the pin once more finds a home and this time, drawing true blood from the tip of her pin, before she steps back and pulls away, a winning smirk on her face.

Bliss checked composure + performance at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

There's a deep set frown as Jeffeth looks over at Joslyn and Bliss at the dying action of the fight. A quiet huff of a breath is exhaled out. The large knight shuffles down the steps and makes his way over to hand over a coinpurse to Barric, before making his way to the Valardin ward.

Jeffeth has left the Commoner Stands.

Duchess Scone, a prissy white puppy leaves, following Jeffeth.

Bliss did manage to sweep a blade to graze against Joslyn's armor as the two pass before each other, but she had brought her weapon up for a defensive stance, practice predicting where the sword would be coming from - but it's not a sword that Joslyn is using. And in that brief instant of realization, that pin sinks into her deeply, and the Whisper grimaces as it's pulled out, her sword arm falling even as the other hand goes to press to the wound, blood beginning to gush around it. She is silent for a long moment, just staring at Joslyn, before a bright smile crosses her face. "Damn it, I'm out," she says with a laugh, shaking her head, teeth clenching for a minute at that admission. "Third place - at least - in the Champions Tourney goes to Lady Joslyn Stonewood!" she announces to the crowd with a smile. But there's very little of her usual bluster or fanfare, and soon, she's just sheathing her sword and just - walking off. Very, very, very quickly.

Mae wasn't paying attention. But now she is. Her eyes flash wide. "Oh!" she says, as she sees blood. Then Bliss is running off? Mae pops to her feet. "Bliss!" she calls, and without a word to anyone, is chasing.

Mae has left the Commoner Stands.

Cheryl the Assistant Innkeeper, Scourge, a sweater wearing rat-dog leave, following Mae.

Cadern liets out a low whistle as the combat begins and then ends. HE claps his hands. He looks to Barric, "Nicely selected. Remind me not to piss off that one." HE admits indicating Joslyn and grins, "Not htat I'll remember. Not a bad win." He says looking more than a little thoughtful at the end result.

Watching the fight, Barric is rather intent on the action, such as it is. The pair moving quick enough that it might be hard to see what is really going on. Barric smiles as he watches the back and forth, however fast it might be. When blood is drawn, real blood, Barric cheers and stands, clapping as he calls out, "Good fight!" When Jeffeth goes to bring him his winnings, Barric takes the coins with a smile at the big man, "Thank you Sir Bayweather." And then he is chuckling at Cadern, "Looks like it wasn't a good bet to take. Well spoken on not speaking my lord." He starts down from the stands and over towards Joslyn with a smile, "Very well fought Lady Joslyn."

Barric has left the Noble Seating.

As the fight just dies down, Elgana turns away from the conversation and blinks. And then Bliss is gone. Mae is gone. She sighs. "Well," she says as she turns toward Melody. "Where did you want to go have that chat?"

Pasquale applauds for both Champions. His eyes follow Bliss, narrowing slightly, but there's no pursuit on his part. Just a vocal "Well fought!" before he takes his leave.

Pasquale has left the Noble Seating.

Melody sighs alongside Elgana, glancing sidelong at the Redrain princess before dropping her voice into a murmur yet again.

Watching Bliss take off so quickly, Joslyn's grin fades a bit and she sighs, shaking her head before she turns back to the crowd, putting that big grin back on, lifting her arm in a triumphant pose. "Thank you all for coming! I suppose I'm coming after Master Sparte next, for a proper go this time around," She looks around, grinning towards Barric and dipping her head. "Thank you, Prince Barric. I thought for sure she would take me this time," she says, cleaning her pin and waving to Melody then. "Hey you! Thank you for coming! I guess you're going, but it was great seeing you again," she says, wrapping the cloak around herself once more as the chill of winter overtakes her.

Elgana rises from the stands and takes Melody's hand with a little smile. The retinue that is gathered with the Northern princess also moves as if on cue to make to follow.

Tossing a wave to Joslyn, Melody's cheeks would brighten a shade as she was picked out from the crowd. "That was -- Really well excuted. Well done, Lady Joslyn. I'll have to catch you another time, unfortunately. Hopefully soon, yeah?" At that, she'd flash a smile to the Champion and take Elgana's hand in her own, moving southwards.

Cadern grins as he tags along with Barric and he looks to Joslyn, "Indeed nicely done. Not your typical weapon." He says and then offers, "I'm sure it will be a fascinating match." He suggests to Joslyn but otherwise seems content to look curious and consider the crowd as it disperses and he grins as Barric says it was a good bet, "Guess I lucked out."

Melody has left the Commoner Stands.

Elgana has left the Commoner Stands.

Chantilly, the demure companion, Lille, the dauntless companion, 2 Crimson Blades Private, Venisse, the distracted companion leave, following Elgana.

Elgana leaves, following Melody.

"I had every confidence in you." Barric tells Joslyn, "It is good to see you though, where have you been hiding yourself?" He asks, "Or has it simply been bad luck. It's been months since that expedition to Stormwall." He waves over towards Melody and Elgana but they are already leaving. Looking at Cadern he chuckles, "I guess you did, I will take at least some winnings home tonight." He says with a wry grin before he looks after where Bliss went so quickly. Leaning in towards Joslyn he murmurs something softly to the Champion.