The Homecoming 26.

A Contest...

As the mild winter's afternoon continues, the duel event in the tourney goes as sir Percavelle Lé Dic predicted. With he, along with Tamric Drubine defeating everyone that goes up against them.
The two of them, nobleborn from two different kingdoms, go through round after round with ease. Either by easily defeating their opponents, or moving on because their opponent forfeits the duel.
It's in the late afternoon when the shadows are long on the field where the tourney is taking place. That sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Tamric Drubine meet in the final round of the duel event. One of the three, along with the joust and the grande melee, that are the most prestigious events to be held in any tourney.
The former earl of Lé Dic, Percavelle has just defeated his last opponent, and there's now a short break before he's to face the remaining duelist, Tamric Drubine.
As the heavily armoured knight sits down on a camp stool infront of one of the changing tents, where Tamric Drubine is already sitting, waiting.
In the nearby crowd who are eagerly waiting for the final round in the last event of the first day of the tourney, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy turns to Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and quietly asks him "Who you got?".
"Percy" is the reply of Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who then asks the elven spy "And you?". "The same" is the answer from Dalinvardél Tanith.
The ranger Hait nods, then looks over at who is sitting on an upside down empty barrel, and says "Lis" followed by "Who have you got?"
"Percy" is the reply of Lisell Maera, both the mercenary ranger and the elven spy nod, then Riley Hait looks at who is standing beside the teenage orphan from the city-state of Vexil.
"Percavelle" says Shur Kee the monk, the mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait, then looks at who is sitting on the ground a bit further to the right of Lisell Maera and Shur Kee the monk.
"Dorc" says the ranger Hait, who then adds "Who have you got?". "Huh?" says Dorc da Orc who looks at Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who gestures towards the nearby tent, which sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Tamric Drubine are sitting infront of.
The large ork looks that way when the mercenary ranger says to him "Who do you think will win the final round?".
The ork warleader with a wide grin upon his big, green, feral looking face, looks back at the mercenary ranger and tells him "Tam".
With a raised eyebrow, Riley Hait says to the ork weaponsmith from the bottom of the world in a slightly dry tone "Really?".
"Yeah cunt, really" says the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who grins once more.
Not knowing if the large ork is just saying that because he hates sir Percavelle so much. The ranger Hait knows that if anyone can pick a winner between the former earl of Lé Dic, and the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, it's the warleader of the ork race.
"Really Dorc?" dryly says Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson, the grin slowly disappears from the feral looking face of the large ork, who then scowls then mutters "Fucken shitbags" followed "Oh alright" he then adds "Not Tam then".
Dorkindle with an extremely sour look upon his face, says "That cunthead fuckface will win" he briefly pauses before adding "But only just" the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks then mutters "The shitty fucken prick".
The ranger Hait nods, then he glances at Dalinvardél Tanith beside him, who nudges his right elbow. Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks to where the elf from the principality of Alínlae nods.
There across the field, and across the lists, in the stand where the nobility and others of importance are sitting. The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen, sees lord Milburn in deep conversation with others around him, including his granddaughter, lady Linara Lé Dic.
"What's he saying?" quietly asks Riley Hait in elven, he then adds "Can you hear him?".
"They're discussing who'll win the last duel" is what Dalin says a few moments later in his native language, the elven spy who was once in the service of one of the largest, and more influential noble houses in the principality of Alínlae continues with "He's hiding it, but he's a bit sour that Percy has made it so easily into the final round".
The spy Tanith, with his naturally enhanced hearing, listens carefully so he can decipher what's being talked about across the field in the stands, over the noise of the gathered crowd on this side of the tourney field.
Nods his hooded head a few moments later, then he says "He thinks Percy will beat Tam with ease, just like everyone else he's faced so far" he briefly pauses before continuing with "The young lady of the fief doesn't seem to think so, she wants her uncle Percy to win, but she thinks it's going to take some doing on Percy's part to do so".
"She's a better judge of swordsmen than her grandfather" dryly says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, the mercenary ranger looks over at the nearby tent, which sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Tamric Drubine are sitting infront of, and waiting.
"I'll be back in a bit" quietly says the ranger Hait in elven to Dalinvardél Tanith, then he makes his way infront of the crowd, over to where the former earl of Lé Dic and the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin are waiting.
A pair of soldiers at first don't let the mercenary ranger pass, they finally do so, when sir Percavelle Lé Dic calls out to them "Here now chaps, be a couple of good fellows and let my friend the ranger by".
Riley Hait makes his way over to where the heavily armoured knight is sitting, the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen kneels down beside the former paladin in the order of Saint Mar-che, and quietly says to him "Percy there's something i want you to do".
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson knows it'll be impossible to have sir Percavelle throw the duel against Tam, and asking that will be a complete waste of time.
So instead, after the former earl of Lé Dic says "Of course" followed by "What is it that i, the great sir Percavelle can do for you".
The mercenary ranger says in a quiet voice that no one nearby can overhear, including Tamric Drubine "I want you to make this final round with Tam last as long as possible".
The former paladin frowns, and is about to protest, when the ranger Hait shakes his head, then nods across the field to where the stand is on the otherside of the lists.
The nobleborn knight looks that way, and frowns, until he slowly nods in understanding as Riley Hait quietly explains something to him.
After the mercenary ranger has explained it to him, sir Percavelle Lé Dic who briefly grins, clears his throat, and after he glances in the direction of Tamric Drubine, he quietly confesses to the ranger Hait "I doubt it will be quick anyway".
The former paladin who is a member of the knightly order of Saint Mar-che continues with "The youngster Tamric is rather good, and it will take some effort on my part to defeat him".
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson lifts an eyebrow in surprise at hearing such honesty from the former earl of the Lé Dic fief, who is usually a boastful character. But admitting something, such as taking a good bit of effort to defeat Tamric Drubine in the final round of the dueling event of the tourney, is something you'd never normally hear from the nobleborn knight.
"Well" says the ranger Hait, who continues with "Don't hurt him either" who then adds in a slightly dry tone "If you do, you might be in trouble with you know who if he finds out".
It takes a few moments for the heavily armoured knight to figure out who Riley Hait is referring to. And when he does, he winces at the prospect of accidentally harming Tamric Drubine, and if lord Farque was to find out about it.
"Besides it's best not to waste our healing potions because of a duel in a tournament" quietly says the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen "Quite" says the former paladin.
The ranger Hait looks over at the nobleborn teenager sitting on the camp stool further away to the right, and raising his voice, Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman says to him "Tam don't beat up on Percy too much".
Tamric Drubine wryly smiles as he thinks that is very unlikely to happen. The mercenary ranger then tells him in elven "Be careful". The former heir to a previous knight of castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin nods to that.
Riley Hait nods to the two duelists, then he makes his way from the front of the tent as sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Tamric Drubine are called forth.
The ranger Hait makes his way infront of the crowd to where the rest of the group are waiting, once he joins them, Dalinvardél Tanith asks him in the elven language "What did you tell them?".
"To be careful" is the reply of Riley aka Zubutai the son of Timagin in the same language as they watch the final two duelists approach one of the marked off circles from either side "And i told Percy to make it last" continues the mercenary ranger who then adds "He seems to think it will take a bit of time and effort to beat Tam anyway". And that infact proves to be true.
As the cheering of the crowd dies down a bit so that the judge of the final round of that duel event can be heard. The opponents, who know each other well, stand opposite one another in the circle.
They're both relaxed, and after they both nod to the judge to acknowledge that they heard his instructions, and to inform him that they're ready.
The crowd starts cheering again as the judge raises an arm up, and brings it down as he shouts "Begin!" so he's heard over the noise of the cheering crowd.
They're both in a low guard, with their swords pointed down at the ground as they stand on opposite sides of the circle. Neither one budges as the crowd cheer and holler.
As they stand there completely still for some time, and the noise of the crowd starts to fade as those watching wonder what's going on. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic starts to smile behind the visor of his full helm. As does Tamric Drubine behind the visor of his as they stand there facing one another.
Then as the gathered crowd start to get restless as they wonder what's going on. The duelists, both nobleborn from two different kingdoms. Explode into action, moving at the exact same time, and moving in the exact same way as they swing their swords at speed.
This final round in the dueling event of the tourney, is not like any other round that's happened so far.
In this the final round, the two duelists, one standing not quite six foot tall, and the other a couple of inches over six foot. Who are nearly thirty years apart in age.
Move with such speed and power in comparison to everything that's happened previously in the dueling event. That they like two completely different beings compared to the other competitors in the event.
They go back and forth across the circle, striking each others blades, occasionally hitting one another's armour. When that does happen, they don't slow down or let up, as they continue to attack, or defend.
Most of the sword strikes are in a quick flurry, with a few moments of pause between attacks. Both duelists are knocked to the ground at times, but when that happens, they get up quickly, neither incapacitated, and still in possession of their swords.
No one in the gathered crowd, with the exception of the group who travel with Tamric Drubine and sir Percavelle Lé Dic have ever seen such a duel between two swordsmen. They've quieted down as they watch in awe as the two competitors duel like no contest they've ever seen before, and none they're ever likely to see again.
They watch in near silence, until the duel finally comes to an end, and they cheer both the victor and his opponent who he defeated . . . . . .