Spectators (Open)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

A thread for spectators to meet while the jousts and melee are ongoing.

Corrine watched the jousts with a little more interest than usual. She had placed a 5GD bet on Aerion Storm to be the final victor, and laid a plan to add extra benefit, should he be triumphant. She had purposely set Ellie next to her, to make her good-sister easy to find.

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

(OOC: Set before the joust between Baelon and Theomore for timing reasons !)

Ser Alfred had returned from his tent rather quickly, once the Maester was done with him. he still sported a few minor abrasions, but apart from that and the sling he was carrying his right arm in, he was more or less doing well. Having swapped his armour for just his mail with the grey surcoat, he had now arrived at the stands, where he'd be able to follow the remainder of the competition in relative safety.

"Is this spot still available, Milady ?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

Corrine looked up at the Knight and smiled.

"It is, Ser. Join us. I trust the maester took good care of you?"

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"With pleasure !" He bowed curtly and took up the unoccupied place next to Corrine, shortly looking down to the splint on his arm.

"He did indeed, splendid work ! No comparison with some of the glorified butchers some tourneys have for these tasks." Ser Alfred looked as if he wanted to add something, but then thought better of it. He shortly looked at Corrine thoughtfully. "Has the joust has been entertaining for you so far ? There have been some competitors that have shown considerable skill, some expected, some unexpected, I'd say. Which one left the best impression so far, if I may ask ?"

(OOC: Does Corrine wear anything that allows a guess at her House affiliation ?)

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[To make things easy for you, I'll say Corrine is attired in the Marsten colours of silver, black, and blue, with the Marsten lightning bolt sigil embroidered in a motif around the sleeves. For a further point of potential interest, she also wears a silver arrowhead on a silver chain, and a more homemade-looking necklace sporting three shadowcat claws on a cord, spaced with glass beads and decorative knots.]

"I have been cheering on my husband, of course, but I've also been watching Ser Harbert's squire with interest. Quite the performance, for a newcomer, don't you think?"

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

He nodded.

"Indeed, as far as I have seen, he is doing extremely well, but then, who knows how long Ser Harbert has let him do that. Perhaps he has been secretly training as a mystery knight, too, I heard that has recently come back into fashion..." Ser Alfred chuckled and rubbed his chin. "In any case, his riding is quite good and the way he wields the lance is exemplary. Whereever he learned that, it definitely paid off. As long as he doesn't completely dominate the joust, it should be quite an interesting sight."

"Ah yes, Lord... Marsten. He did quite well himself, even if he got a bit reckless when he was up against Ser Loreth, but bad luck also played into it. Still, with five victories, he presented an impressive showing, nobody can argue that."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"He does the House proud," Corrine agreed, with a warm smile. "As long as he can stay in one piece through the melee, I will be happy. Am I right in remembering you as Ser Alfred Haigh?"

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"I'm sure he'll do his best not to be cut to ribbons, Milady. After all, the only thing worse than getting hacked into a mess would be putting you through the sight of it happening and he won't have that. I guess few would if in his position, if I might be bold enough to say so." In Ser Alfred's opinion, the melee was a bit trickier than the joust. After all, in the joust, it was rather unlikely several people ganged up on somebody... But Ser Benedict had good chances of taking at least some people out if he was still true to form. As Lady Corrine asked him for confirmation of his identity, he nodded. "You are indeed remembering it correctly, Milady. I'm honoured."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

She gave an affirming nod.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ser. So, are you backing anyone with more than cheers in the events?"

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

He laughed.

"Not as such, no. I have found that while I'm somewhat lucky with bets or wagers, that diminishes as soon as money comes into play. It's difficult when I'm involved in the actual event myself, it tends to make a realistic estimate more complicated, for me at least. It is quite a spectacle the Drakeson's have on offer, is it not ? Albeit the occasion does lend some justification to it."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"The first ever heir to a new House? I would say so. Have you seen Mikael? He's a darling little baby. I have no doubt he will make his parents proud," Corrine commented cheerily. "Though, in my experience, it is easy for a parent to be proud of their children."

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"I can't say I have, no. But then, there will be enough opportunities to see the child or hear about it later on, so I didn't really see the need to go out of my way to see him." He nodded solemnly. "Indeed. It is always different when it is about one's own children. Their failures or triumphs are naturally closer to us than those of other children, although expectations towards the children also play an important role, of course. But it's something that some who don't know what it's like can't get their head around."

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Just so," Corrine nodded. "Do you have any children, Ser?"

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"I do, a son, to be exact. He is due to receive his knighthood at some point this year, if nothing out of the ordinary happens to prevent it. He's been squiring with my brother-in-law, and it will be good to see them after all this time and see how he has developed. I'm looking forward to that a lot."

After all, it would also allow a judge of Malcolm's character, depending on the descisions he made as soon as he was his own man. If that was his choice, that was...

"How are your children doing, if I may ask ?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

[I have just realised where this falls in the timeline, so she'd be noticeably pregnant right now. Oops!]

"Very well, thank you," Corrine replied. "We only have one at the moment, Bethany. She's almost a year old. And we are expecting twins in a couple of months."

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

[Not a problem !^^]

"I see. You must be looking forward to that immensely ! I have to admit, I'm not too good with younger children, I get along them best when they are around six years and older. But then, I have never really been in a position where I have had much to do with the younger ones, so there is that. Do you already have the names for them ?"

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"There are names I'm thinking on, but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Frankly, I'm a little more preoccupied with the frightening prospect of having twins."

She realised she had not introduced Ellie, and quickly gestured to her in greeting.

"I have briefly forgotten my manners, apologies. This is my good-sister, Lady Ellien Blackthorne."

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"Which is understandable, but I'm sure things will go well for everyone involved."

As his attention was brought to Ellie, Ser Alfred looked somewhat embarrassed shortly.

"The loss of all manners is all mine, Lady Marsten. Please forgive my insensitivity, Lady Ellien !"

[Benedict Marsten]

Ellie smiles politely and gives a small curtsy. "No need for apologies, Ser." She nods. "Nor, My Lady." She places her hand upon her good sisters affectionately.

"It is often a blessing to remain out of most's attention. You can have a lot more fun that way." She grins playfully

[Lady Corrine Marsten]

"Corrine giggled.

"Yes, this one is mischief. But we love her," she beamed affectionately.

"So, Ser Alfred, am I right in thinking House Haigh is a Tullison banner House? I confess my Riverlands knowledge is not as good as it should be."

[Ser Alfred Haigh]

"The most charming guises seem to hide the most mischieveous minds. I will have to be careful, I think."

He attempted to sound as serious as possible, but the smirk helped convey he was not as serious as he could have been.

"House Haigh is a banner house of Lord Frey of the Crossing, Lady Marsten. However, I serve Lord Tullison, that much is correct."

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