Niklas walks in with Sabella on his arm and looks around the tournament grounds. Plenty of people are working to set up for the evening's contests. "Hm. Perhaps it was a surprise for everyone else, too."

Sabella is bouncing excitedly on her toes beside Niklas as they enter, laughing at his most recent comment and probably several from before, "That you put it together at all was a lovely surprise and I'm thrilled you were so sweet as to put something like this together. I--is that a chocolate cake?!" She stops what she's saying to stare at it, "It almost looks too good to eat! Almost. Where did you get it?!"

"Mistress Corvo. Candace, not Keskialetta. I know she makes your favorite cakes. I told her something with strawberries and chocolate or something with tart cherries." Niklas sizes up the cake and says, "Well worth the money, I must say."

"It's like a work of art unto itself! That woman is a marvel!" Sabella enthuses, letting go of her excited grip on Niklas' arm to go give the cake a closer look. "I adore Lottie and Mistress Petal, but I have to say that when it comes to cakes, Mistress Candace is certainly the baker I think of first. Is she technically a baker or more of a dessert...person? Is there another term I'm not aware of perhaps?"

Oswyn lopes onto the tournament grounds. Disappointingly, he has once again left Oliver and Milton behind at the shop, so... sorry, Isabelle. He squints at the pair ahead of him. "Hullo!" Oswyn waves if they turn around. "Happy birthday again!"

"Her bakery is just called The Bakery, so I think that means she styles herself as a baker. Then again Gianna just up and came up with 'Nightingale' herself, so who knows. Perhaps Mistress Corvo calls herself the Earl of Pies or the Mistress of Pastries or the Cake Boss. Something along those lines." Niklas waves when Oswyn approaches. "Scholar Oswyn! Glad to see you!"

Rodrigo arrives, following Alessandro.

Sabella laughs loudly and puts one hand on her stomach and the other over her mouth to try to stifle it a bit, "Cake boss? I like that. You should suggest that to her and maybe she'll give you a discount. Scholar Oswyn! Thank you so much! Have you seen this cake it is amazing!"

Oswyn is just making his way to the glorious cake on display. "I haven't! Did I hear you say it came from The Bakery? I've always wanted to try one of those cakes." He comes up on the chocolate and cherry marvel and says, "That's really lovely. Is it strange to call a cake lovely? But it almost looks like it should be in a painting." He, as usual, has his satchel slung over his shoulder.

"Here's hoping it is as good as it looks. Though if the cakes she has prepared for Sabella's family dinners are any indication people will end up fighting over slices." Niklas wanders over to watch people setting up for the grand melee. "I wonder if any of my cousins will show. I don't think Ian likes contests. And Ford believes that if he refuses to participate in things like this then people will believe him when he calls himself a swordmaster."

Tynan wanders into the grounds fashionably late. Well, or just plain late. "Princess Sabella! Congratulations!" He pauses a beat, "Again. I think I've told you this a number of times now, but this is the one that really matters, right? You have to forgive me. I tried to think of something to bring as a gift, but you seem blessed with happiness and everything else one might desire, so all I have to offer is my poor excuse for company." He wanders on over, stopping to give both Niklas and Sabella a quick bow with his hand splayed across his chest.

"It does, doesn't it?" Sabella beams at Oswyn, "I shall have to send her a very nice thank you note. I had mentioned earlier it looks almost too pretty to eat, but at the same time I very much want to eat it. Do we need to wait on that or can we just get to cutting?" She glances around like someone will appear with a bunch of plates and forks just for that. "Are those cherries? Oh, Nik!" She gives him an adoring look, then she laughs at Tynan's greeting, "When I was young I used to insist I had a birth month, so this is just in keeping with tradition! And your company is one of the best gifts I could receive, so I thank you very much for coming. And relieve you of any more congratulations you might need to wish me for the rest of the year, how about that?"

Oswyn straightens up, smiling at Sabella - he's not going to protest immediate cake - and squinting at Tynan. "Master Grayhope? Congratulations on your Docent test. You performed admirably."

Alessandro enters even later than Tynan, but better late than never! Or at least, one hopes. He looks around, spotting Sabella of course, and he starts toward her with a widening smile. "Happy birthday," he says as he approaches the group. "I hope it has been wonderful thus far. And that you were properly surprised." He grins at Niklas then with a nod of greeting, and then a wave of greeting for Tynan and Oswyn as well.

"A birthday month? Quite a concept, yeah? Would be nice, I suppose. All the cake you can eat and people fulfilling your wishes. Then again, when I was the same age, I imagine that's what I would have figured Princesses do year around." Tynan says with a quick, "But offer not accepted. It is your birthday party, you are not to give gifts on them, only accept them." He waves his finger towards Sabella quickly a few times in the air before turning his attention to Oswyn with a quick dip of his head, "And my thanks for administering it. I had several that didn't want to do it before you, so glad you took the responsibility there." Then again, "My Lord." As he takes up a spot alongside Alessandro.

Oswyn immediately bows a polite bow toward Alessandro, having tracked 'my lord' thataway. "Good evening," he greets. As he straightens up, he adjusts the strap of his ever-present satchel. "Not a problem. I have a paper with potential questions leftover from when I was coming up for things for Prince Niklas to investigate for his test. At least I didn't give you Angus the Goat."

"Scholar Oswyn, do you know Lord Alessandro Greenmarch? Lord Alessandro, this is Scholar Oswyn Spencer! I have him write all my white journals. He's very good at punctuation!" Sabella gestures to either man at the introductions, beaming a smile at both of them. "And Master Tynan it appears you already know everyone, something that does not surprise me. And you're not all that wrong about what Princesses do. Though rather than having people around fulfilling your wishes, they're usually telling you to stand up straighter, show some decorum, and marry that nice young prince over there."

"I rather liked Angus the Goat. That was the sort of history I like to hear. It fits with my theatrical sensibilities. Dramatic, funny, good lesson learned in the end, true heroism and sacrifice. And if you hadn't asked about him I'd never have known!" Niklas nods to Tynan. "Congratulations. Now off to the Shrine of the Thirteenth for you. Let me tell you, my week was mostly spent pushing myself back to my feet. Bring a second set of shoes. Mine were wet every day I went in and I'd end up slipping on the very shiny floor. Also, I could never figure out if you were allowed to sit on the benches." Niklas gives a big grin when he sees Alessandro and holds both hands apart. "Now I knew you would show! Though perhaps it's for the joust they're holding this evening?"

"Master Tynan," Alessandro replies, "always a pleasure to see you. If you wish to have some company in the Shrine, you need only let me know, as I spend an inordinate amount of time there already." Sabella's introduction has him turning that way, looking between her and Oswyn. "Not officially," he says, "but I have heard things about Scholar Oswyn in my travels through the archive. All good things, of course. A pleasure." And of course, he can't resist giving Niklas a hug, though his is probably not as good as Jeffeth's. "All for the surprise, of course," he says when he pulls back. "Though I will enjoy watching the joust as well. Don't tell Margret."

"It is a funny story," Oswyn admits, nodding to Niklas. To Sabella, he says, "Only through correspondence. I believe I sold a copy of Principia's Anatomy to Lord Alessandro. Good to meet you in person, My Lord." At least, he thinks this is the first time they've met. He squints at Alessandro. "And thank you! I didn't know people, um... talked about me." That makes him furrow his brow.

"Your Highness, always a rebel. Didn't marry a prince. Does it count if the one you marry becomes a prince afterwards?" Tynan muses on that for a second at Sabella's remarks before turning to Oswyn, "A goat sounds like a lovely dinner guest. You can give him to me any time." He adds with a grin, "I fear he wouldn't stay long, however." He adjusts his bag, slinging it further back onto his back, out of the way. "I have visited the shrine before, although not with such determination. There seems to be some concept floating around that a lawyer needs to be a Mirrormask as well, but my visits are probably too short for them to accept me as such. Even if Lord Alessandro generously offered introductions there." He gestures towards his patron, "I would be glad to have you there, too. I'm led to believe the Silent Reflections are not the best of conversationalists."

Dreya, an older woman in Velenosan livery arrives, delivering a message to Niklas before departing.

Sabella laughs, "I decided to make my own Prince Charming, it's true!" She asks, reaching over to pat Niklas' arm. "I don't mean to be rude, my love, but if you don't cut this cake I'm going to start eating it with my hands and no one wants to see that. I'm pretty sure most people here were walking by and smelled it and are now wandering over rather than having received an invitation, so let us not entice a riot by not serving this deliciousness before everyone hits each other with swords and arrows."

"That," says Niklas to Sabella, "is fair!" He walks over to the cake, picks up the fancy cake slicin' knife that Mistress Corvo included for just a few silver more, and starts slicing up the cake. That there aren't a whole lot of people here just means everyone gets a ridiculously huge slice. "It wasn't a bad experience. Certainly interesting. But no, Silent Reflections aren't much for chatter, even if you're willing to do all the hard work. Don't bother bringing a banjo, either. Speaking of which!"

"Ah yes, you did! Thank you very much for that," Alessandro replies to Oswyn with another nod, though a laugh escapes him a moment later. "All good things," he says. "I was pointed in your direction to help me answer my questions, though I ended up finding them before I sent you a message." He peers interestedly at the cake, though Tynan's last words bring his gaze to the other man. "That is the case," he laments, though with just a hint of amusement. "Though it seems it has been a lot busier of late. There are many new members of the scholars, I think."

"Oh," says Oswyn. "Oh, no, it's not an actual goat. It's a person, named Angus the Goat. A question about a person named Angus the Goat," he explains. So earnest. He nods to Alessandro as well. All good things? Okay!

Anya, the cool as an ice cube Champion apprentice, Renn, the mousy, scholarly brunette, Morgan, a roguish looking gentleman arrive, following Caspian.

Tynan side-eyes the cake like he hadn't noticed the second he walked in the grounds. "I find that the things that you are responsible for yourself are more satisfying. I'm not sure if that counts for Princes, or husbands in general, however." He remarks with a quick smile as he turns to Alessandro, "Yes, it does seem to be an influx of them, doesn't there? Some part of me wishes that I had taken the tests sooner, just because of this. You know, so everybody could celebrate me without having the attention split. Cake?" He gestures past Alessandro to where it's being cut.

Sabella takes one of the first slices as is her prerogative and digs in immediately, "Oh, gods, these are tart cherries! I thought they'd be sweet and I just love tart cherries! Never mind sending a thank you note, I think I'm going to invest in Mistress Candace's business so she can always have one of these cakes at the ready. Please, everyone! Have some. Nothing like a bunch of cake and chocolate before athletic feats of strength and ability!" She pauses, "There's probably nothing like it because it's a terrible idea, but really, when is chocolate or cake ever a bad idea?"

"Angus the Goat was a Northern shav warchief who lead a war party against a town called Redhill. Part of it involved going across a bridge." Niklas starts parceling out gigantic slices of cake to everyone, but to Sabella first because he values his life. "A single Oathlander knight, Sir Erec, stood on the far end of the bridge and killed dozens of the shavs who attempted to cross. Eventually Angus the Goat had his archers feather the knight. When they crossed and checked to see if he was dead he killed a few more. When they finally got to Redhill they found that it had been abandoned. At this point the second in command, Vjergold the Practical, went ahead and kileld Angus and they headed back home, deciding they didn't want to deal with Oathlander lunatics anymore." Niklas brings a slice over to Oswyn. "It would make a fine play. I can even imagine how we'd do the arrows."

3 Iron Guardsmen arrives, following Calaudrin.

Titus, a young wolfhound, Joan arrive, following Gaston.

Oswyn takes the slice of cake from Niklas and immediately - and politely - passes it to Lord Alessandro or someone else who has a title. "Thank you. It might make an interesting play, yes. Er. How would you do the arrows?" There is a large, luscious cake and thick slices are being handed out. They look ridiculously delicious.

Alessandro takes the cake with a murmured thanks, lifting his fork toward Tynan in a mock toast, though he waits for everyone to get one before he takes a bite. He's too interested in what Niklas is saying to mind much, anyway -- probably a reason he wanted to join the scholars. "That is quite a tale," he says. "Maybe I should add it into the book of legends for the Gala."

Rowenova suddenly dashes onto the mysterious scene and shouts aloud, "SABELLA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Did she just forget the title words? Oh no! Oh well! "I AM WISHING YOU THE ABSOLUTE BEST! I AM SO SORRY I AM SO LATE!"

Tynan steps up to accept one of those pieces of cake, because, cake. Why wouldn't you? "Interesting." He remarks to Niklas' explanation, because there's cake and then there's cake in his mouth and that's about how eloquent you get under those circumstances. He's partly through that piece when Alessandro waves the fork at him, and there's a soft "Mphpm." back at Alessandro with his own, chocolate covered, fork.

Sabella starts a bit when Rowenova comes in shouting, but gives the other woman a bright smile, "Scout Rowenova! Thank you! Have some cake, we have more than enough! Do you know everyone here? Lord Alessandro, Scholar Oswyn, and Master Tynan?" She points her fork to each in turn, then picks a cherry off the top of her slice. "And don't worry about being late, I think we'll see a bunch of people file in for the last night of the tournament! I'll be running the joust and hopefully not the melee. I feel like that's going to get...messy." she wrinkles her nose.

"I see an enormous wheel as the backdrop for the action. As the second act plays out, Sir Erec fights off shav after shav and in the backdrop the wheel turns and a sun painted on the wheel rises and sets. The lights go out. When the lights come back up the sun rises again, but we're on the other side of the wheel, it's actually a second sun but this is the theater and none need know that. What is different about this side of the wheel though is that as the sun moves and the archers get into place, painted on the wheel are hundreds of arching arrows, so the sun moves and the arrows chase it. As both come down, Sir Erec is pinned to a tree. The arrows there are pushed out from inside the tree. Someone will have to be cast as Tree Number One to push the arrows out quickly, so it looks like he's being struck by the arching arrows." Niklas almost looks fevered as he describes the staging. "It would make for a hell of an act. And for the other two acts the sun can just stand high in the sky." Niklas gives a nod. "Now I just need a script." He looks up when Rowenova starts shouting and waves to the scout. "Ahoy, Scout Rowenova! Have a handful of cake or two!"

Rowenova calms down after those kind reassurances, and she wolfishly weaves through the startled servers to finally arrive much closer to the Princess now before offering out a scribed card, "Yes, yes, and no!" She smiles brightly to the Greenmarch Lord and the Awesome Scholar then looks over to Master Tynan, "Greetings!" Then, over to Niklas, "Thank you, Prince Niklas! I so will!"

Jordan strides down the steps of the tournament grounds, his loyal steed in tow. Or is it through an alternate entrance for horse riders? Nevertheless, he's tugging on the young destrier's reins. Quietly adjusting each piece of his plate armor, he also hefts his shield, reaching into his saddlebag for a cloth to polish it. His visor is down, so his exact expression at present is obscured.

Alessandro takes a bite of the cake then, just in time for Rowenova's entrance. He smiles, waving the fork at her, though does not speak, since that would, of course, be rude. But it's a greeting! For real. He turns then to hear Niklas' expansion of his play then, his smile widening a little bit at the man speaks, but he doesn't add anything for the moment, because cake.

Tynan abandons eating that cake for a moment to dip his head towards Rowenova as he's introduced. A second to wipe crumbs of his face first, but it's there. "I don't believe we have met before, no. A pleasure. See," He adds afterwards in the same breath towards Sabella, "There are some people that I do not know still, Your Highness. I will check you off the list now, Scout Rowenova." The last bit added back to, well, Rowenova. "Wait, there's a melee?" Tynan looks around him then, as if oblivious to the other preparations being made and takes a step back from nothing in particular as if it was to break out then and there with him in the center.

13 House Velenosa Guards, Bianchetta, a powerful white Ostrian horse, Hiss, the Lenosian viper, Oleander, the tarantula arrive, following Eleyna.

Eleyna, Chianti, a majestic black Ostrian horse, 6 House Velenosa Guards arrive, following Talen.

Oswyn raises his hand to wave to Rowenova. "Hello, Scout," he calls out. His head bobs as he listens to Niklas; the man's enthusiam is infectious. "That sounds quite clever, really." He gave away his slice of cake. Fortunately, someone passes another to him. He thanks them, looks for a noble to pass it on to, and discovers that it is now, if he likes, his slice. And he would very much like. "I'm sure the tree part would be wonderful for someone maybe fighting a bit of stage fright." He's talking to Niklas naer the cake.

Hiss, the Lenosian viper have been dismissed.

Prince Biscuit, the seadog puppy arrives, following Helia.

Oleander, the tarantula have been dismissed.

Bianchetta, a powerful white Ostrian horse have been dismissed.

Letatria arrives, following Aahana.

Aahana arrives, following Fecundo.

Prince Biscuit, the seadog puppy have been dismissed.

Waldemai has joined the General Seating.