Not quite what's to come next week, but a very good warm-up...

4th Madidae, the 31th day of the month of Semens (Sem), the 3672nd year of Salvation's Landing

The crowd was getting rowdy. The grandstand portion of the audience only took up roughly a tenth of the massive oval parade grounds. The rest were these massive flat stone works that tiered upward four times. Essentially, they allowed massive groups of people to stand and observe the ceremonies, whatever they may be. The grandstand of course, was for the nobles and esteemed guests. Wealthy merchants and other well-to-do commoners were known to set up camps of sorts, with canopies set up and food and drinks brought. Those were always staffed with guards to keep the riffraff away.

The stands and parade grounds were a commissioned work of a group of earth magickers, capable of drawing up stone and moving it into the required spots. It was a unique facility that no other city in all the lands could claim. At least, that is what was told. The largest single work of earthen magick. It was simple, yet grand all the same with the smoothness of the stonework of the terraces, accompanied by the more elaborate work that came about in the grandstand.

Over the din of the crowd's growing energy a drum beat began, slow and rhythmic. A group of men ran out to the center of the grounds with an incredibly long rug rolled up. These were not small men, and there were at least fifty of them. Once to their spot, they dropped the roll and began unrolling it with haste. Once they massive run was laid out flat, the group of men turned and sprinted off toward the lone stone building on the far side of the grounds from the grandstand. That stone building looked small externally, but it had steps downward and underneath the ground there was an extensive network of rooms and chambers for various functions that were put on here.

Before the men reached the stone doorway, they slowed down as a flood of women came out, dressed in costumes that none had seen in the capital city of Polivander. They came out and twirled and tumbled and flipped about, waving to the crowds with bright smiles on their collective faces. The entire time they did so, they were making the way to the massive rug.

Freighla had been trying to hold her interest, but these kinds of things were hard for her to keep focus on. Frivolities in the big picture. She was more than anxious to see that man in action this day. Against what should be worthy competition. That sent her mind inward as her Lady was more than amenable to watching the dancing and speaking to the Princesses that had ended up sitting near them. The tiny one, Yelena had asked Freighla specifically if she could sit near her so that she might bother her with questions about the martial disciplines. It was Freighla's duty to acquiesce, of course. And it wasn't as if she did not like the cute little royal. She was adorable. And a seemingly endless well of smiles. Especially as of late. That was another point of interest for Freighla as well. And her sudden interest in the warrior’s way gave a bit of insight to the tall woman as well. Unless she was missing her mark, Freighla figured the little Princess was smitten with her brief childhood friend, the poor girl. Quite a few obstacles for her, chiefly being the whole class differential. Then there was the fact that Reglin was getting more and more popular by the day. Not to say that a Princess couldn’t lay her claim if she were able to.

That thought stirred something in Freighla’s mind. She really hoped that the Princess wouldn’t make that kind of power play. That made the warrior handmaiden face those nagging feelings that were just lingering in her mind. She selfishly wanted to have an opportunity to play her hand with the man. He was one of the few in this region that could make the statuesque woman feel feminine. It wasn’t something that she really required, but it did offer a little something more. But what chance did she really have? Especially if there were players like Yelena in the game.

“It looks a though my sister is looking for a little bit of martial insight from your Lady as well…” Princess Yelena spoke quietly. When Freighla looked to her left where Lady Wilmyna sat, she saw that Princess Katya had indeed taken the seat next to Freighla’s charge. The tiny Princess continued on, “It has become apparent that she has decided to make some sort of play on the dear Guardsman, whether out of her own amusement or what, I do not know…”

The Princess had a wry sound in her voice and a small smirk on her lips. For her part Freighla couldn’t keep the dismay out of her own voice, “Great… Another to vie for attentions that is so far above. Suddenly I feel my outlook is appearing quite grim…” Her voice was quiet, barely audible. Though the Princess seemed to comprehend given that her face formed a frown after the words. Might as well not try to hide it. She let out a sigh, “I have never had such a situation. When I have attracted to someone, it has always been due to the person’s combat prowess. It hasn’t always led me to sharing blankets with the most appealing of partners. Seems as though this time is different. The man that I am drawn to because of his skills also happens to have drawn many other eyes with his magnetism of personality and his obvious sex appeal…”

That was quite a profession of feelings Freighla had put forth. Perhaps more so than Princess Yelena was expecting, given the look on her face. To her credit, she only wore it for the briefest of moments before she wore a small smile once more, this time one that shown with a hint of conspiratorial knowledge. She leaned over and raised off of her seat so that she could whisper into Freighla’s ear properly, “I would not fret too much, Mistress…With as many eyes that look on him, he himself has his eyes on just as many in return. If you are not turned off by the idea of a bit of a scoundrel in the bedroom, I can guarantee that those eyes of his look at you with desire…” She pulled back a few inches and made a blatant look, the Princess’s eyes moving up and down Freighla’s body. “I mean, look at you Freighla… I am positive that you are something out a dream for many men. And women if I am being honest!”

Freighla’s eyes bulged at that last sentence. Yes, she had always been someone that the Nordling men had always found appealing. She had heard from others that the appeal of the same woman guarding your back and beneath you in bed was something quite titillating to the men. But Reglin was no Nordling. Would his mind run in a similar way to theirs? As to women? She had shared blankets with Wilmyna only, and they had only ever played with each other in the fantastical way that girls had done when thinking of the man of their dreams. The friend playing the role of the lover which led to nearly unending bouts of giggles rather than erotic pleasure. She shook her head, “So you say, Princess, but I cannot help but notice that I differ from most other women in a very sizeable way. I cannot help but wonder if that would not be appealing to him.”

The Princess looked at Freighla with a very dry expression, her eyes holding Freighla’s for some seconds. “Gee… I wonder what it is like to be so different than most women physically. I wonder how you might feel…” Her sardonic tone bludgeoned Freighla in a way that the large woman’s cheeks heated with embarrassment.

The Princess was so diminutive that Freighla sometimes did not think of her as a woman, but as something to protect and care for. Fetishizing size did run the other way as well, it seemed. “I-I am… I am sorry, Princess. Here I am feeling sorry for myself, not realizing that you just happen to be just on the other end of the spectrum from me…” Her words just came out and when she heard them, Freighla worried that she may have been a bit callous in her choice of words.

Luckily for the Nordling Handmaiden, the Princess was not particularly prickly about it. She was just letting Freighla know that she could empathize with the larger woman. She waved it off and looked out onto the parade grounds. “Nevermind all that Freighla. Just know that I am positive that Reglin appreciates the myriad forms that we women come in. So strange to think back on our childhood friendship and see him now…” Her last bit just trailed off. She spoke again quickly though. “The first match is about to start. The dancers are departing…”

Looking to the parade ground, Freighla saw that it was indeed clearing out, the dancers hurrying off and down the stairs of the stone building. A man was now walking out to the center in fine clothing and a cloak covering his shoulders, the hood dropped to the back. Freighla recognized the Caller from previous events in the capital.

The crowd grew quiet at the man’s measured walk, deliberate and almost ritualistic. He came to a stop and what looked like the exact center of the grounds, far from anyone else. For one-on-one matches, this venue did not offer the best views, given that it was made for true parades and the like. But it did offer the masses the best opportunity to come and watch some entertainment. With that, the Caller looked incredibly alone on the spacious grounds. Once most of the occupants were hushed, the Caller spoke in a voice that was not a yell but carried throughout the grounds. He was a magicker with distinct capabilities to amplify sound, or so Magistricia Tabitha had told them at the first time Freighla saw the man.

The Caller with his booming voice paid his respects to the King and Queen, who in turn rose from their seats and waved congenially to the grouped masses in attendance. Those masses responded with genuine cheers. King Oren had always been seen as a just and fair man in his Kingdom, even from a young age. Or so Freighla had been told. In her time staying in the Royal palace she had seen nothing to prove contrary to that notion. The rest of the Royal family was given their moment of respect, with Princess Katya rising first from the other side of Wilmyna, then Yelena from next to Freighla herself.

All those eyes looking in her exact direction made the Nordling Maiden feel a bit of anxiety and she unconsciously adjusted the neckline on her dress in the hopes of diminishing the amount of cleavage her risqué dress was showing to no avail alas. The dress resettled and continued to show off a substantial amount of her voluminous titflesh.

After Princess Cirsha was called and she rose, the Crown Prince Tilan was noted and rose. There was a bit less overall volume through the crowd, but the ones that did cheer did so noisily. His smile was easy on his face, Freighla thought. A face that was used to smiling. From the sounds of it, the man did live a life of leisure, so that was not surprising when she thought about it.

With respects paid, the Caller’s voice rose in volume, energy building in it. Freighla only half paid attention to the man’s theatrics but noted him introducing the three contestants that would be vying for the title of the Champion of Polivandria Proper. The champion would earn the right to face the champions of the Nords, the Marches, and the Southern Markets to possibly gain the title of the Champion of the Kingdom. Quite an honor, Freighla thought. She could not help but wonder how her kinsman would fare against Reglin should he win this day.

When the contestants were called, Freighla noticed that one of them was a Nordling guardsman, giving her people two chances in he was to win at the opportunity of Champion. She found herself rooting quietly for Reglin, but if her were to lose, she hoped it would be to this Girsk fellow with the two bearded handaxes.

The Caller spoke of each Guardsman’s feats of heroism and valor, surely exaggerating such tales for theatrical effect. Each snippet of information was given a pause for the crowd to cheer. The effect worked, as the crowd’s fervor grew with each pause. Freighla herself found it difficult to restrain herself from cheers.

After finishing the introduction of the Eve’s Watch representative, an average-heighted Marcher from the West with copper hair named Wat, the Caller’s hand moved to point out Reglin.

“And finally…” His voice boomed. “Many of you that hail from this great city have seen this lad over the years, though you’d likely not recognize the man you see now…” His arm gesture made a show of displaying Reglin’s impressive form. “He used to run messages around the city as a wee lad until he came into service of House Polivander itself. He served the Royal palace diligently and with honor. Alas, the boy needed more to prove to himself… And prove himself, he did!” The last a yell that startled some, “A young man sent to the Western Marches to try his hand against the Clans. In little time he proved his mettle, eventually forming up and leading a squad of men called Wytchhunters! Men who knew no fear! Who threw themselves at the savage magickers with no regard for their own well-being. We know not just how many of the fearsome wytches young Reglin dispatched, but we know that he bested an ensorcelled Chieftan, teeming with powerful magicks, earning the massive Flamberge as his spoils of war!” The crowd’s enthusiasm was brimming now, cheering wildly for their hometown hero that few rightly remembered. Freighla knew that mattered not though. “Even this is but a sample. Buy the man a drink some evening if you are lucky enough to see him about! Perhaps he might share a tale of his own! Perhaps you may even find out if the rumors of lands and title awaiting him are true!” The Caller carried on with an amenable demeanor before bellowing, “This is Reglin Farmstedt!”

With that lengthy introduction and plenty of pauses for ovations, the crowd hooted and hollered with an intensity that reminded Freighla of the drinking halls of her home to the north. The crowd around her applauded with the grace of nobles, so Freighla joined in as she watched Reglin. Under all the adulation, she thought the big man looked a bit embarrassed of it all. But once called out, he stepped forward and made an impressive flourish of rapid moves with his sword and sword-breaker. This caused even more of a tumult and she could see a smile on the stunning man’s face.

As the crowd began to subside, the Caller let all know that there had been an order matches determined earlier and that it would be a round-robin even where each would face the other two. As it turned out that her Nordling kinsman would match his dual axes against the spear of Wat, the Westerner. The three men milled about and touched weapons, smiled, and spoke some words before Reglin finally turned and made his way toward the small stone building. It was time.

~This is knowledge for the Reader~

The Affection Multiplier

~Mana: 371 (+2275) 2646 ~

~Mana Channels: ~Labiae Passionii (Lips of Passion) free, ~ Corpu Vigorii (Vigorous Body) 100, ~ Uirtau Proelium (Martial Prowess) 100, ~Mensu Lucidae (Bright Mind) 100, ~ Tactu Beatae (Blissful Touch) 100, ~Plurem Amatrixae Normalii (The Normalcy of Many Loves) 500, ~Corpu Libidaem (Lustful Body) 100, ~Corpu Spectabilum (Intimidating Body) 100, ~Mentulae Potencii (Potent Cock) 150, ~Limbu Infinitum (Endless Loins) 100, ~Voluptae Gustatum (Delightful Flavor, Gratify the Appetite), ~Figurae Cultura (Shaping Culture), ~Vulgum Venerae (The Love of the Masses), ~Corpu Vigorii Magii (A More Vigorous Body) 400, ~Fluxii Magickae (The Flow of Magick - Yelena Polivander) 500

~Lovers~ A: 300 E: 300 L: 300
~Tabitha~ Affectionae: 100 Erosii: 100 Libidae: 100 (Effective 80)
~Asha~ A: 100 E: 100 L: 100 (Effective 81)
~Princess Yelena~ A: 100 E: 100 L: 100 (Effective 65)

~Royal Polivander House~ A: -3 (+16) 13 L: 10 (+3)
~King Oren~ A: 7 (+3) 10
~Queen Delliah~ A: 4 (+4) 8
~Princess Katya~ A: -35 (+5) -30 L: 5 (+2) 7
~Princess Cirsha~ A: 24 (+3) 27 L: 5 (+1)
~Crown Prince Tilan~ A: -9 (+1) -8

~Nobles~ A: 132 (+5) 137 E: 13 L: 89 (+4) 93
~Lady Wilmyna~ A: 75 (+2) 77 E: 13 L: 64 (+2) 66
~Lady Falina~ A: 30 (+1) 31 L: 10 (+1) 11
~Lady Vidala~ A: 27 (+2) 29 L: 15 (+1) 16

~Royal and Noble maidens~ A: 255 (+15) 260 E: 25 (+3) 28 L: 174 (+15) 189
~Maiden Caterine~ A: 29 (+3) 32 E: 1 (+1) 2 L: 8 (+4) 12
~Maiden Gwynfuir~ A: 19 (+1) 20
~Maiden Erynna~ A: 13 (+2) L: 0 (+2) 2
~Maiden Oliyah~ A: 76 (+2) 78 E: 17 (+1) L: 61 (+2)
~Maiden Iridia~ A: 9 (+2) L: 0 (+2) 2
~Maiden Freighla~ A: 78 (+3) 81 E: 7 (+1) 8 L: 69 (+3) 72
~Maiden Deela~ A: 18 (+1) L: 2
~Maid Camilla~ A: 32 (+1) 33 L: 36 (+2) 38

~Day watch~ A: 253 (+9) 262 E: 3 (+3) 6
~Grahm~ A: 41 (+4) 45
~Lim~ A: 65 (+3) 69 E: 3 (+2) 5
~Boll~ A: 43 (+2) 45 E: 0 (+1) 1
~Halpern~ A: 29
~Nimit~ A: 22
~Gamil~ A: 10
~Magnurs~ A: 14
~Canith~ A: 12
~Yohan~ A: 9
~Sebestin~ A: 5
~Yorick~ A: 5

~Evening watch~ A: 22 (+2) 24
~Thedin~ A:10
~Vorn~ A: 12
~Wat~ A: 0 (+2) 2

~Night watch~ A: 6 (+2) 8
~Girsk~ A: 1 (+2) 3

~Palace Staff~ A: 62 (+7) 69 L: 8 (+2) 10
~Lina~ A: 48 (+2) 50 L: 6 (+1) 7
~Govren~ A: 9 (+3) 12
~Shonda~ A: 15 (+2) 17 L: 2 (+1)

~People of Polivandria~ A:2186