(1312-04-25) Spring Tournament: La Grande Melee
Summary: What it says in the title.
RL Date: Sat Apr 25, 2020
Related: Spring Tournament
aidan andre antoine armandine ezio farah gal jacquet marco tancred yves 

Tournament Field — Eisandine Countryside

The wind billows pennants and banners as far as the eye can see, here. The terrain is generally flat, with some signs that areas of the plain might have been built up to help flatten it— one corner in particular overlooks a steep downward hill. The plain is partitioned off by fences into walkways and competition grounds, and in the middle of each set of fences feet have long worn away the grass, leaving the centers of each area naught but earth and dust, all the better not to accidentally trod in a hole and break oneself.

On the western edge of the field a huge mass of stands has been erected out of fresh beams of wood, all redolent of pine and of cedar, nailed in place with giant iron stakes and sturdy enough to stand firm below the mass of humanity which moves onto and off of it every day during the tournament competitions. Opposite the stands are the brightly colored pavilia, each with its banner waving overhead, where the competitors of each family might store equipment, rest and prepare. In the middle of the pavilia is a raised stand where the Duchesse, her family, and invited VIPs may sit under a canopy of their own and watch the games from closer to the action.


Excited chatter on the stands and on the benches has reached new levels of volume, as today the most anticipated event of the tournament will soon commence, la Grande Mélee. It will be a competition of the most martial nature, as a mock sort of battle will unfold on the tournament field. No rules, except one, that the winner will be the last one standing. Several renowned fighters, some noble and others common born are preparing to take part in the spectacle. They are wearing full maile armor, some even beneath a tabard in colors of their House. Blunted weapons are to be used. So while there aren't any nasty cuts to happen, painful bruises or the occasional broken bones are likely.

Again, the duchesse of Eisande presides over the spectacle, overlooking the field from her ducal box, where she sits with closest members of family and a few of her ladies. Not far from her stands the herald, who has a written out list of participants, he is looking at now, to check whether all those down there have properly signed up as they should have.

Arriving for the grand melee, the young lord Yves is wearing his usual well kept full-maile already with a proper tabard over it to indicate his family. He proceeds to the proper check-in procedures and then, carrying his helmet under his arm, he uses one arm to hop the fence and proceed out onto the proper combat pitch, turning around he signals for his sword to be thrown to him. "There we are," he says as he begins to limber up, as he usually does, twisting from side to side and working the kinks out and stretching himself so that he can get through this random battering with as few bruises as possible. With luck, he might do well, but this is only tentatively a contest of personal skill, and more of luck and how many people gang up on any one competitor. As he loosens up, he seems to detect some sort of problem with his armor and goes back over to the fence, signaling for an attendant to tighten the armor slightly.

Also arriving for the melee, Antoine is wearing his armor and carrying his helmet, shaking his head as he moves to study some of the other competiros, leaning against the fence for now. He raises an eyebrow at how Yves jumps back over said fence, shaking his head a little as he starts doing his own preparations.

Aidan makes his way out to the tourney grounds dressed for the melee. He pauses to take a drink of water before he finishes heading out to the field. He looks over at the other competitors as he tries to determine the order of the battle.

A rare sight in this tournament is Jacquet, sergeant of the city guard, a man weathered by years and some battles, as the scars in his features betray. Well. Those that are visible, before he dons his half-helmet. He wears merely the plain full maile, devoid of any colors or insignia, the armor worn but well kept, to a point. His dark piercing eyes sweep their gaze over the other competitors, and a nod will be offered to those that happen to look his way. He has with him a blunted tourney blade not too much unlike his own. And while others may be engaged in conversation with others, some even receiving last best wishes for their performance, the gruff looking captain stands there on his own, in silence. s if wasting any words would take away from his focus.

Prince Andre van Westerlo and his Flatlandish entourage are back on the tournament grounds and in the stands. They are dressed in the colours of Brabant as per usual, munching on roasted nuts and sipping mulled wine, while they wait for the spectacle to commence.

Never mind that the .. well, everything .. about Tancred makes him a rather juicy target for a melee. It clearly hasn't stopped him from coming. Clad in full, knightly mail and a tall sugarloaf helm, he leaves his coat-of-plates at home like the rules have said. Over this he wears a surcoat in the colors of House Baphinol - without the arms, of course, not being of blood but a mere retainer. The Skaldi takes his place at one side, pulling on the lace of his hauberk's wrist with his great tourney blade gripped in one hand, its spatulated point resting atop his chaussed foot.

Gal is less of a rare sight, at least this year. But now he's got a Sarge whose lead he can follow, and even if he's standing there looking all stoic and focused, Gal will come stand behind him and to one side, fidgeting a little bit, himself, with one of the straps at the side of his maile, but otherwise content to keep the peace and let Sarge focus his energies or whatever he's up to.

Lord Ezio, Vicomte de Vienne, has arrived for the grand melee! Though he had lost the dueling aspect of this tournament, he hopes to fare far better in the grand melee. His sword in hand, dressed in full maile and ready to go with sword in hand, he looks around a moment as he straightens out the tabard for the d'Aiglemort family. He glances at the other contestants…and this will be quite the battle.

Marco enters the area with his dusky skinned wife on his arm. Marco appears to be laughing, "Have you ever even SEEN me practice with a blade? Or in a training ring?" He asks his wife in bemusement as they make their way up and towards the stands, "Do you have a favorite out of the fighters?" HE asks her wearing his bright Mereliot colors. Marco's eyes continually drift over the area curiously noting the attendants and the participants with curiosity as they find seats near to the action apparently Marco is not above using his title for preferential seating.

Farah de Mereliot wears a light silken cape of blue over her dress of dark ultramarine. Tiny ornaments of golden fish have been embroidered on the bodice. Her dark hair has been arranged into a courtly do, and she smiles as she turns her head to address Marco at her side. "There are quite a few people… more than at the archery contest," she observes. André catches her look for a moment and she nods in his direction. "Ah, the Prince of Brabant," she smiles, before Marco's question makes her chuckle. "Never. I mean… never have I seen you with any weapon. It is not your style, is it?"

Armor properly adjusted and tested out with some more stretching, Yves returns to the tournament field. Hopping the fence again, he walks around a bit, loosening up and batting at the bottoms of his boots with the flat of his blade. Looking around at the people entering the field, he spots several familiar faces, but doesn't go over to say hello just now. He can drink with them later if they're so inclined to it. Having spent a long moment getting a look at his opponents, he pulls on his helmet and bangs it a few times with his fist to make sure it is sitting nice and square and doesn't bother him.

Ah, the dusky-skinned beauty again. Andre can't help gawking a bit and he returns her smile with a bright one of his own. Maybe the husband could have some mysterious accident in a dark alley some time. Plotting will keep him busy while he waits for the melee to start.

Jacquet turns his head, shooting Gal a dark glance over his shoulder. But then his weathered features pull into a wry grin, and he nods to the guardsman, rolling his eyes ever so slightly. And then his shoulders. "Will start soon," he muses, in his usual curt manner.

Marco smiles at Farah as he sits and draws her down beside him. He pauses at her clarification and raises a brow before laughing warmly, "Are these seats comfortable enough to you?" He asks of her fussing at least a little, "If I'm fighting against an individual with a blade then clearly some of my planning has gone awry." If he is aware of his accidental demise being a pre-game ritual he seems utterly oblivious to it. He does ooh, "It looks like Gal is competing." He says sounding intrigued.

Gal's eyes wide slightly at the dark look, then narrow again in the reflection of a smile when Sarge smiles at him. "Mhm," he agrees with the general assertion that things are getting into gear, as it were. Or at least all the competitors are. "This has been pretty fun. Even with all the extra crowds," he grins lopsidedly for the Sarge. A city full of tourists and visitors is never super fun to police, after all.

Antoine seems to have gotten himself ready for action. So for now, he just watches people, nods to some and even smiles to some. Turning to glance at the people in the stands as well, briefly.

Already in the zone, Tancred doesn't expect chatter nor does he initiate it. He waits by his side in the same posture, visor raised, flexing his left mailed mitt.

An inquiring glance is shot the way of the duchesse, and Armandine de Mereliot nods to her herald. "Yes, it is about time," she decides gently as she leans back in her seat, leaving the announcement to the man in her employ.

And there sound the trumpets, to make the crowd go quiet, so that the herald can address them. "People of Marsilikos! Lords! Ladies! Our visitors from foreign lands…" At which André van Westerlo receives a pointed glance, among others. "The battle is about to begin. Picture yourself in a Vralian valley, observing a skirmish between d'Angelines and those of that country. Or… Skaldia, as Camaeline troops fight off a mighty enemy. This here will be different though. While there may be alliances made throughout the melée, in the end there can only be one who wins it. Let the spectacle begin!"

At which the fanfare sounds again, the sign that the battle on the tournament field now is open to commence.

<COMBAT> Yves will attack Tancred this turn.
<COMBAT> Jacquet will attack Ezio this turn.
<COMBAT> Ezio will attack Jacquet this turn.
<COMBAT> Aidan will attack Antoine this turn.
<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Yves this turn.
<COMBAT> Gal will attack Ezio this turn.
<COMBAT> Antoine will attack Aidan this turn.

<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Andre has joined the combat as a observer.
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - ARMOR on Abdomen stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Light wound to Left Arm (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword but Jacquet DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Left Arm (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Critical wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Right Leg (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - ARMOR on Abdomen stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword - ARMOR on Right Arm stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Yves will spend luck on defense this turn.
<COMBAT> Yves has changed stance to evade.
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword - Light wound to Abdomen.
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword but Ezio DODGES!
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword but Yves DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword - Light wound to Left Arm (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Hand (Reduced by Armor).

Yves engages with the Skaldi as a matter of principle, not that he really cares about a civilized-ish Skaldi living in Eisande, since clearly he has bent the knee in some manner. Trading a few light blows and then taking a heavy hit to the chest, the young lord is staggered for a moment, but musters his energy and focuses on fighting evasively in an attempt to prolong the battle. "Well struck!" he calls out as he rubs at his chest through his armor and then offers a quick thrust to tap Tancred in the abdomen in return.

Aidan waits until the fighting begins and wades into the melee squaring off against Antoine. The longsword in the Delaunay's hand is held in two hands as he deftly dodges Antoine's attacks landing multiple hits to the man's chest while he only takes a glancing blow to his left arm. Stepping back to circle Antoine for just a moment he shakes his arm making sure there's no lasting injury there.

Antoine shakes his head as it is Aidan he faces so far. "Oh you again," he remarks, but as the last time, the Delaunay manages to dodge again. "Go away," he comments, with a laughter, turning around to not let the man circle him.

<COMBAT> Yves will spend luck on defense this turn.

Well, it would appear that for whatever reason, Ezio is being attacked by Jacquet and Gal. Ezio though is managing to fight off both men, but only by barely. Because of his sustained assault on Jacquet, Gal finds more than a few openings on Ezio's person, which seems to slightly aggravate the Vicomte. "Alright then…if I must face two of you, then bring it on." He says with a devilish grin on his face as he twirls his weapon, ready for the next barrage.

<COMBAT> Antoine has changed stance to evade.

Tancred - coincidentally, of Skaldi and Vralian ancestry - seems to have began the fight with his sword in middle guard, passing it through sweeping strokes to attempt to keep those who might mob him at bay. He changes tactics when Yves sees fit to pair off with him. Their first exchanges result in doubles, with him driving a particularly powerful cut from the wrath into Yves's shoulder. Well struck or no, he doesn't say anything except to grunt with the effort of redirecting his sword from a missed blow, leaving him a little vulnerable.

Jacquet moves forward, diving right into battle when the signal comes. He does so with an unmoving demeanor, as if doing his duty rather than something he enjoys. Ironically enough, it is the d'Aiglemort he singles out as his first target, and the sergeant roars a "Well met, m'lord," as he issues a mighty blow to Ezio's chest. His way of speech shows a bit of Camaeline accent, and his features twist into a grim smile as he continues to attack the lord, while evading most of the other man's strikes. Well, not all though. He takes two hits, but Jacquet reacts only with a low grunt, shooting a quick glance towards Gal who has joined him.

<COMBAT> Tancred will spend luck on defense this turn.

Gal keeps on Jacquet's flank, following along after his Sargent with puppy-like devotion onto the field of battle. He may stray to the side for a moment, but when Jacquet finds an opponent Gal will form up with him. It's not a super effective series of low jabs and thrusts, short slices that do nothing with blunted tips, but he tries only to harry the Sargent's opponent and finally gives him a good tap on the sword-hand, then dances backward a ways, tipping up his blade to beckon Ezio after him and take some of the heat off of Jacquet.

<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword but Yves DODGES!
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Serious wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword but Jacquet DODGES!
<COMBAT> Antoine has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Antoine spends a luck point to keep fighting!
<COMBAT> Aidan will attack Antoine this turn.
<COMBAT> Antoine will attack Aidan this turn.
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword but Antoine DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword but Ezio DODGES!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword - Serious wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Jacquet has changed stance to cautious.
<COMBAT> Tancred has changed stance to cautious.
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword but Ezio DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine attacks Aidan with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Antoine with Greatsword - Critical wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Antoine has been KO'd!

Antoine feels a bit outmatched here, and he even sinks to his knees briefly after one of the strikes. He gets up, and manages to spin out of the way of the next one, before he takes one to the head, and everything goes dark. He's knocked out, down on the ground.

To say that Yves trades some blows with Tancred is perhaps underselling the exchange, but fighting evasively might be working in his favor for the moment. Letting him somewhat recuperate from that mighty hit earlier, dragging their slogging mess of hits on longer than seems healthy, the bruises undoubtedly piling up beneath the full maile. While he doesn't talk, the young Valliers is still smiling a touch, enjoying the battle for its own sake.

Aidan shakes his head a bit, "Sorry about this." He pushes into the fight hitting Antoine with a solid blow to his chest again. Then some more dancing goat moves before a solid hit to Antoine's head leaving a ringing in even Aidan's ears, "I'm more sorry about that than I was attacking you from the gate." He steps away from Antoine to allow for a healer to pull him from the arena. Then the Delaunay's gaze sweeps the other combatants as he looks for a suitable opponent for now.

<COMBAT> Aidan will attack Gal this turn.

Ezio is getting the shit kicked out of him, but he keeps focused and locked on target: that being Jacquet. He seems to be ignoring Gal completely, even as the man strikes him with such ferocious blows! "Come on, is that all you've got?!" he calls to Jacquet as he continues his painful charge on the man.

Tancred trades a cut to the better-armored neck for a swipe at the hand. If Yves is unlucky, he might feel like something cracked in there a little bit through the mail glove. Unfortunately for the Skaldi, it may have been a poor decision - he buys some distance with his retreat, the neck hit making his head swim and breathing more difficult especially in that half-closed helm. It's not yet his time, at least. He raises his weapon to continue.

<FS3> Gal rolls Perception: Great Success. (8 4 8 3 1 8 7 5 6)

<COMBAT> Jacquet has changed stance to normal.
<COMBAT> Jacquet will spend luck on attack this turn.

Jacquet becomes slower in his movements, grunting as he continues to go at Ezio d'Aiglemort. Nevermind the pain from the harsh bruises, maybe a broken rib among them. But the captain stays on his feet, and that dark gaze of his stays focused on his opponent. "Gal," he rasps towards the guardsman at his side, maybe in initiating a regularly trained manoeuver?

<COMBAT> Ezio will spend luck on defense this turn.

Gal is doing his best to provoke a turn in Ezio's attentions, but the man only has eyes for the Sarge (and, like, can you blame him? Sarge is totally cute), so he just forms up in a flanking maneuver, trying to help subdue the other man by limiting the options he has to strike without becoming a target. It's only a keen eye that marks Aidan advancing toward their formation, and he turns, keeping his back to Ezio's back and pivoting around him to try to use the man himself as cover from the oncoming Aidan and still help out his Sarge.

<COMBAT> Gal has changed stance to Evade.

The battle is on, down there on the tournament field, and Farah watches, holding her breath as she leans forward in her seat. Flinching slightly, as she observes violence and sees Antoine go down. "Companions…" Her hand finds that of Marco beside her, gripping it lightly.

<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Light wound to Left Arm (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Critical wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword but Gal DODGES!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jacquet has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Jacquet spends a luck point to keep fighting!

<COMBAT> Ezio will attack Jacquet this turn.
<COMBAT> Jacquet will attack Aidan this turn.
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Jacquet with Broadsword but Jacquet DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword - Serious wound to Neck (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Ezio has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Ezio spends a luck point to keep fighting!

<COMBAT> Gal will attack Ezio this turn.
<COMBAT> Ezio will attack Gal this turn.
<COMBAT> Gal will spend luck on Defense this turn.
<COMBAT> Aidan will spend luck on attack this turn.
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Gal with Broadsword but Gal DODGES!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword but Gal DODGES!
<COMBAT> Yves has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Yves spends a luck point to keep fighting!
<COMBAT> Yves has changed stance to banzai.
<COMBAT> Yves will attack Tancred this turn.
<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Yves this turn.

Aidan wades into the fight between Ezio and the two guardsmen. He targets the one that Ezio wasn't fighting figuring if they're going to double team somebody they should be expecting to get hit from the side. Pushing the fight it looks like Gal is a dodging goat as well but he does manage to land a solid hit on Gal's neck. Despite being broadsided by Jacquet as he turns to engage Aidan instead of continuing his fight with Ezio. Taking a hit on the neck he's now keeping an eye on the other man dodging his second attack.

Yves takes yet another serious hit to the chest, this one knocking the wind from him for a moment, but after a split second he soldiers on. In response to something that'd been muttered earlier, he says, "I don't imagine this will be my win, but you've had the better of me today, and I'll lose honorably," he half laughs, clearly feeling the ache in his body from the hits, he rubs a bit at his chest.

As he's pulled off the field, there's some sound from Antoine, so he's at least still alive, it would seem. After a little while he stirs enough to open his eyes, but his attempt to sit up stops partway, and he drops back down. "Ow…"

Tancred, once more, doesn't answer Yves verbally. But he inclines his helmed head as if to say 'perhaps', right in a lull of the fighting where the two paired off have backed off with no obvious openings yet seen. He aches as well, unsteady on his feet, but lately he has been striking true, hammering flesh through riveted maille. With a conservative motion, he tries for the initiative with a half-committed middle cut.

Another hard blow to his abdomen, and Jacquet feels his knees give in beneath him, even as he tries to pay back Ezio in turn, with a strike for the other man's chest. "Not bad," he rumbles with his gravelly voice, before he rises to his feet again, focusing on Ezio just for a moment — before he dives away, to go for Aidan Delaunay, the man who just managed to push Antoine out of the contest. A faint smile was spared to Gal, acknowledging his approval of how expertly that manoeuver was managed, and perhaps he trusts in the guardsman to finish Ezio off all on his own. Jacquet strikes at Aidan, and that first attempt hits home, and he notes from the corner of his vision how Ezio d'Aiglemort goes down to a knee, and he smiles, nodding to himself.

Well, it seems an old switcheroo was performed, when Jacquet runs away from Ezio to tag in Gal, who now attacks Ezio with a strong blow! But Ezio seems to keep powering through. "Heh, your funny." Ezio states as he looks Gal in the eyes. He had a feeling that he already was not going to win, especially since it was a two on one from the get go, but only cowards make excuses. "Bring it on then." Ezio tells Gal, re-entering his stance.

Gal does expect it, thus the dust-licking pivot around Ezio's back that at least gets him out from Aidan's blade for a moment— until he catches up and around him and lands a blow just where his neck meets his shoulder, one he soldiers up under even if it makes his eyes bright with stars for a second. With the discipline of a guardsman he keeps his target in sights, stepping in when the Sarge needs to take a breather for a second and continuing to bring his blade to him, distracting his blade away from the Sarge entirely and allowing the Sarge, in turn, to start fending off the blows from his own flank, the pair of them ending up back to back, Gal facing Ezio and Jacquet facing Aidan, using each other as shields from attack by that quarter. Gal nods at Ezio, rattled but sure on his feet, as yet.

<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Gal with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword but Gal DODGES!
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!

<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Yves this turn.
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword - Serious wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Yves attacks Tancred with Greatsword - ARMOR on Left Hand stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Ezio attacks Gal with Broadsword but Gal DODGES!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Yves with Greatsword - Light wound to Abdomen.
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Ezio with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Ezio has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Gal has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Yves has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Gal spends a luck point to keep fighting!

<COMBAT> Aidan will attack Gal this turn.
<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Jacquet this turn.
<COMBAT> Gal will attack Tancred this turn.

Holding up a hand as he is hit firmly, Yves waves off, "Yours to win," and starts walk from the field. Rubbing at his chest as he walks to find a spot to watch the rest of the melee play itself out.

<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword - Serious wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Tancred with Broadsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Jacquet with Greatsword - Light wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Tancred spends a luck point to keep fighting!

Once again knocked down, Ezio sits back up and he seems mildly irritated. "Perhaps next time one of you will fight me one on one instead of doubles and switcheroos." He chuckles, before getting up to his feet and moving off the court. "Well fought." he finally adds, before the Lord d'Aiglemort takes his leave of the field proper to take a seat.

Tancred is not exactly feeling like a winner, even after Yves has retreated from the field. A bad hand-snipe from Gal's weapon makes something in his fist crack. That hurts. It'd probably a good time to throw in the towel, but the stubborn Skaldi adjusts his grip on his blunted two-hander, circling around the allied pair of Gal and Jacquet. It's clear he means to retaliate.

Aidan continues his fight with Gal and well it looks like Jacquet although he remains focused on Gal as that was his target despite the blows he's suffered from Jacquet so far it looks like Aidan's pushing Gal to his limits. But he's going to continue pushing Gal while trying to dodge and parry his flank from Jacques for the moment.

<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Jacquet this turn.
<COMBAT> Tancred will spend luck on defense this turn.
<COMBAT> Aidan will spend luck on attack this turn.

Jacquet had shown some sort of trust in Gal, as he left the guardsman to deal with Ezio. And while — perhaps unnoticed by him — the Skaldi fighter brings down Yves Valliers, leaving Tancred now free to attack him next, Jacquet maintains his focus on Aidan Delaunay, testing the lord's agility and tenacity. Perhaps trying to distract Aidan from attacking Gal. And now, the circle becomes complete, when Tancred who attacks Jacquet, is in turn attacked by Gal the guardsman. There are only four of them left by now, and the melee so far has obviously taken its toll on at least some of them.

Gal tries his best to keep low behind Jacquet and let his Sarge issue blow after blow to keep Aidan off of him while he gets in that last lucky strike against Ezio and nudges his blade upward in a quick salute. "Heh. S'what the duels are for. Melee is for teamwork," he pants, but doesn't have much more time after that — Tancred is storming the Sarge and Gal pivots about to swing up his blade and block what he can of the attack, getting a firm one in on the Skald of his acquaintance and almost having hope he's warded him off — but he comes back just as strong and Gal can't spare a thought for Aidan — his only hope is for Jacquet to guard him as he is guarding Jacquet from Tancred. Guards guarding guards.

<COMBAT> Gal will attack Tancred this turn.
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Jacquet with Greatsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Tancred with Broadsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword but Aidan DODGES!

<COMBAT> Jacquet attacks Aidan with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Gal attacks Tancred with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Jacquet with Greatsword - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Gal with Greatsword - Serious wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Gal has been KO'd!
<COMBAT> Jacquet has been KO'd!

<COMBAT> Aidan will attack Tancred this turn.
<COMBAT> Tancred will attack Aidan this turn.
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Tancred with Greatsword but Tancred DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Aidan with Greatsword - ARMOR on Neck stops the attack!

Aidan steps into the attack with Gal. His longsword finding a gap big enough to slip through impacting Gal's chest. Then he moves to the left bringing his sword back through for a solid thunk to Gal's belly. As Gal ends up unable to continue, Aidan's focus shifts as he goes to bring his sword around and… Jacquet is out of the fight as well so Aidan doesn't hesitate moving into a one on one fight with Tancred, "And then there were two."

Tancred forces past the warding attempt, beating away Gal's weapon in order to lunge low and drive the spatulated point of his blade into Jacquet's mailed belly. It's not as bad as it could be, hindered by a slip of footwork, but it seems to be enough. He's not sticking around, at any rate. Weary and distracted, he faces Aidan last. The big Skaldi braces, sniping a blow at the neck that simply doesn't bite hard enough into the mail.

Gal brings his blunted blade to swipe Tancred's thigh, but he's not there by the time the steel swings through. He does give him a firm smack to a hand for his troubles, fighting past the blow to his chest, but the one to his gut is just too much and he goes to a knee, holding up his hand and waving off further assault, tapping out before his lunch can land on the sand again. He tried his best, though, and he cranes his neck to smile at the Sarge, reaching out that hand so that he can help the Sarge up— and vice versa— while the two remaining combatants take their fight along away from them.

It is as if the fighting is finally taking its toll on Jacquet. The sergeant feels his sword arm move slower than before, and his vision seems to blur slightly as Adain dodges his next strike, and then Jacquet misses the Eisandine by a few inches, leaving an opening for Tancred to land a painful strike to his abdomen. It makes his legs give in beneath him, and he falls, landing on his knees, with the sword held as he tries to steady himself. Raising his dark eyes to meet the look of the Skaldi, Jacquet stares at him with hardly concealed animosity, in a wave of sudden rage perhaps. "Scum," he mutters before he spits out, crouching to the side then, to get out of the immediate fighting zone. The weathered sergeant slowly moves to stand, helped up by Gal, whom he leans on as he hobbles off to the side.

<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Aidan with Greatsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Serious wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).

<COMBAT> Aidan attacks Tancred with Greatsword - Critical wound to Head (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Tancred attacks Aidan with Greatsword but Aidan DODGES!
<COMBAT> Tancred has been KO'd!

Gal is a proud crutch for the Sarge. "What do you say, Sarge? Same time next year?" he grins, keeping it light as they make their way off to the side. There's no rush, with only two left, they're not going to have to dodge any more stray blows on their way.

Aidan takes a hit from Tancred on his chest although it glances and bounces off his armor as he swings his sword around catching the other man on the hand. Then he circles slightly before he feints with a sweeping blow low on before circling the blade around to bring it down sharply on Tancred's head. Blinking a bit at the once again slightly too serious of a hit to the head he steps back waiting to see if Tancred's out of the fight before grounding his sword and helping the man up.

"Wait," Jacquet rumbles towards Gal, as he pauses and turns to watch the final exchange of blows between Skaldi and the only remaining d'Angeline. Watching Aidan's combination of strikes hit home manages to bring a weary smile to the sergeant's features. "Yes. All is as it should be," he mutters then, nodding towards Gal as a sign that they can continue to where Jacquet may sit down near the healer's tent, to await his turn for a treatment.

The great big Tancred eats yet another snipe to the left hand. Crack! But it doesn't halt the momentum of the blow he attempts … which matters little, in the end, when the followup blow makes his helm (and head) ring soundly. His blow still comes but in time for Aidan to avoid it. Swaying on his feet, the Skaldi has no more fight left in him. He shudders, then falls to his knees, hands on the training grounds. Accepting defeat, he releases his sword and grips Aidan's arm, getting up on somewhat shaky legs. "Good .. good hit," he says, speech a bit slurred, and then he gets himself outta there to recuperate.

The moment has come. Only one fighter remains standing on the field, and a cheer rises in the crowd along with a long and enthused applause. People got hurt today for their entertainment, and this is how the crowd pays them back, cheering not only for Aidan but also for the others, for putting up a very memorable and dramatic spectacle.

"Aaand… the battle is over, and we have our winner," the herald announces, bellowing through the roar of the crowd. "Cheer for Lord Aidan Delaunay, Baron de Velaux."

Gal waits, as amenably as he had proceeded a moment ago, and he, too, turns, watching the end of the fight with a little more wince than the Sarge does. But he just got knocked in the head like that earlier this week, and remembers how bad it was. Plus, you know, he's met Tancred, and might not put him in the 'friend' category, but he at least thinks of him as an acquaintance instead of just a Skald. But he and the Sarge just have different perspectives, there. When they go on, Gal does so kind of bashfully, under the face of the applause.

Farah rises to her feet, as the melee concludes, and she too claps and cheers for the winner. Her dark eyes glow and a faint rosiness has touched her cheeks, from all the excitement. One doesn't get the opportunity to watch a melee very often these days.

Second sucks, Tancred and most other competitive sorts would probably think. But he lost fairly to Aidan, so he poses no further complaints. He doesn't have much energy to give applause, though - he's too busy sitting down on a stool with his head spinning and his tongue oddly heavy in his mouth, helm torn off so he can breathe.

Aidan offers a wave towards the crowds as he's declared the victor. Then he goes to the healer's tents to check on his victims of traumatic brain injury from the melee.

Jacquet for his part hasn't suffered any strike to the head from the Skaldi. But as he sees Tancred approach, he watches him with a sort of detached disinterest. It seems, his temper has cooled down a little. Or maybe he is just a weary old man.

Tancred looks too out of it to return Jacquet's animosity - or lack thereof, at this point. In fact, he's barely responsive at all. Worry at least would dissipate when he manages to get up and see to his horse, and at the least it shows he still has enough wits to handle his beast and take his leave from the finished melee.

At least by now Antoine has managed to get to his feet, taking some time to steady himself. Getting hit in the head like that hurts, even if the weapons are blunted.

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