On a 10+, you win your duel with Grace Winterthorn.

"Alright now," Fay says. "Now you're a scarecrow armed and dangerous, with a wand at hair trigger, and a breast full of bile to vomit forth at your opponent. Now give us a kiss."

You tip your head down and give Fay a kiss. It's as she says. With Fay's extra prompting and practice this morning, your limbs are singing with excitement. Will this end up earning you a Prefect's badge in House Leontes? Too early to tell.

You follow one of the Prefects to Leontes' Dueling Pit. You feel the tingle of the wards helping to protect the officers and the spectators from stray magic. The wards don't always work, but they help make it less dangerous to be a bystander, whether there to cheer on one or the other, to watch the spectacle, or to actually study the combatants' technique.

The Prefect conducts you to one end of the long cleared alley. Grace Winterthorn is already waiting at the other end, looking game, and, well, looking beautiful. As best you can see through the sparkling ward separating you in the midst of the alley. You push back your flyaway hair and take a deep breath to compose yourself. You suppose there must be other students from Leontes watching, but your eyes are fixed sharply down the alley at your opponent.

Preston Sharper, Leontes' Tutor, an old duelist himself, stands in the referee's box. He takes your measure with his wand, lifting it to call for your attention. "When I lower my wand, the Ward will fall, and the duel commences. Winterthorn, are you ready?"

Grace answers in the affirmative.

"Woodbine, are you ready?" the Tutor asks you.

"Ready, sir!" you reply. You feel magic crackling in you, waiting for release. Something simple, fast, and straightforward.

"Very well. Combatants stand ready," the Tutor says. He lowers his wand and the sparkling ward disperses. The spell leaps from your wand as soon as you see Grace clearly.

⚃⚅ + 4 = 14.

When you HAVE A MAGIC DUEL, on a 10+, you prevail. Gain +1 XP or remove a CONSEQUENCE or (as the stakes of the duel) have them do something you want.

Grace stands confused, pointing her wand in your general direction. Her eyes are vague as she blinks at you. "Morgan, are we having a duel?" she asks. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Do you concede?" you call down the alley.

"Well, of course," she says. She shakes her head. "You could have just asked me, you know, instead of having us march down here and make a big deal of it."

You hold a straight face as Grace struggles under the influence of your CHARM. At least it should be easy for the marshals to dissolve it without lasting ill effects. Unlike that Sending, ugh, or your failed Banishing, double ugh.

Preston Sharper announces, "The duel is over. Lower your wands and stand in your places. Grace Winterthorn, you have conceded defeat. Please follow the Assistant Warden to attend to you. Morgan Woodbine, you are the victor in the first round. Come forward to the centre."

You walk down half the length of the alley to the referee's station. The Tutor pins a badge upon your robes, a little golden laurel wreath with crossed wands. "Good start in becoming a true Leontes," he murmurs, with a pat on your shoulder. "Next one for you this evening. Chain and Conker go in a few minutes."

"Thank you, sir," you tell the Tutor.

You have +2 Ambition, -1 Bravery, +2 Cunning, +0 Diligence.
You have 5 XP.
Your FRIEND is Fay, also a freshly-minted fellow Leontes.

What's your next move?

• Stay and watch Sextus Chain and Albert Conker's duel. You may roll +BRAVERY(+1) to ENCOUNTER Grace Winterthorn (while she's still under your CHARM), perhaps to ask a FAVOR from her to help prepare for the next round.
• Go look for Golondrina Redmoor. After all, she got you into this. Maybe she was in the audience watching. Roll +BRAVERY(-1) to ENCOUNTER her.
• Rest up until this evening and go fresh to meet your next opponent. Roll +CUNNING(+2) to HAVE A MAGICAL DUEL with Chain or Conker.