My first crown tournament. Its seems almost impossible to convey the worry, angst, and stage-fright I felt before this tournament. Its now gotten to the point that when I enter a normal tourney, its seems to me to be no especial thing. Crown tournament however, was different. There was a much more formal atmosphere. We had to sign one document stating our intentions, that we had a willing consort, and that both our consort and I fulfilled the requirements of crown of Ansteorra. Then we preceded into the presence of their majesties in order of precedence. I was second to last, but the lady who was last was also fighting for her lord who was also fighting, and since he was a higher order of precedence, Gilyan and I were at the end of the line.

We were very lucky, Chandra offered (at his lady’s idea) to herald us into court, but there was still a very long wait while couple after couple preceded Gilyan and I into the presence of their majesties Timotheous and Allyson. After everyone went through (there were exactly 41 couples ahead of us) Gilyan and I (with Chandra announcing us) entered the presence. We knelt before their majesties, and they asked if we had something to ask them.

Gilyan and I had never heard of this before (turns out neither had several others), but thinking quickly I asked their Stellar Majesties for their permission to enter the list-field of crown tourney. His Majesty Timotheous asked if there were any who would speak for me. A couple of the knights of Ansteorra nodded and spoke their assent, but Sir Asoph overrode them, saying that HE would speak for me.

“Indeed, I have another matter that I must discuss with him. With your leave your majesty?” he queried.

Timotheous nodded his assent. I turned and faced Asoph. Asoph looked at me and said, “We have talked many, many times in the past about squiring, and I ask you know if your mind is still the same?”

“Yes,” I replied quietly. “This,” he said, holding up a red belt, “Is my squires belt, that I now give to you. My brothers,” said he to the knights assembled around him, “this is my squire. If he does well, tell him. If he does poorly, tell me.” And with that intonement of the ritual phrase for the student, I was once again a squire.

Gilyan and I rose with their majesty’s blessings, and his majesty opened court. Timotheous and Allyson called up all that were going to fight for the right and responsibility to be crown. There we all gathered, either touching the Sword of State, or for those who could not get close enough touching someone who was touching the Sword of State. There we all sword that we would and could fight for crown, and that if we won, we would serve to our best. I must admit in a moment of inappropriate levity, that when His Majesty was giving us the words of the oath and said “I, state your name” I was very close to saying “I, state your name” instead of “I, Jean Paul de Sens”. Luckily, I did not, but the urge was there nonetheless.

Following the oath, they announced the pairings of the first round. My actual fighting in crown tournament was limited to one fight. Crown tournament is a single-elimination, best two-out-of-three tournament. Their majesties had decreed that in this crown tournament the first round pairings would be decided by listing everybody in order of precedence, and then folding the list over. Basically, the lowest person on the order of precedence would fight the highest. The second-lowest (me) would fight the second-highest (in this case, Duke Jean Richard).

Suffice it to say, although I gave it all I had, Duke Jean Richard bested me fairly quickly. I lost both of my fights to him in a reasonable amount of time. Jean Richard did come at me fairly hard, and though I struck hard and with my best attacks, he deflected them all, and sent me out of crown tournament.

There were many great fights that day. Count Daffyd and Sir Duncan struggled back and forth till finally Sir Duncan landed the final blow. Sir Jason McPhearson fight in the final round with Duke Jean Richard. Earl Barn’s fight with his excellency Baron Thorgrim.

There were several long fights too. Sir Miguel and Duke Kein’s fight lasted almost 45 minutes. The fight of Sir Duncan and Count Mahadi lasted almost as long.

In service to the Kingdom and Mooneschadowe

Jean Paul de Sens
Squire to Sir Asoph Hearts

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