| A Lesson in Jousting |
| Summary: | A long ago conversation about jousting lessons comes back around, and Graham seeks to give Emilia her first lesson in jousting. (Seriously!) |
| Date: | 1866-09-15 |
| Related: | Somewhat related to The Hips Don't Lie |
| Players: |
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| Tourney Grounds - Pacitta City - Pacitta |
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The tournament grounds stand ready for use at a moment's notice. The stands are setup with the well-to-do sitting in the center, with the best seats, and for any courtiers present. A half canopy has been established to help keep the shade in the area and protect from any of the elements, a thick leather trim going across the area where the VIPs are sitting raised up about fifty feet and supported by heavy wooden poles and tethers tying it. The benches have been formed of thick wood in the gallery, with lesser galleries set to the side for commoners, guards, and those who are watching and not immediately involved over in the arena. There are roughly eight rows of seats set up for the commoners stretching off the full length of the viewing gallery, and roughly three rows thick for the VIPs to sit upon. Among the rows are those who are bringing beverage and refreshments. The arena is dusty, a pit formed in the ground which has been dug down flat with padded dirt roughly two feet down from the main tents, the incline designed to give the crowd a better view. The center of the arena betray tell-tale markings where it is apparent that the rail for jousts could be set, if not set already. The dirt is thick and solid, packed down as firmly and evenly as it can be to ensure good footing. From the opposite ends of the exhibition pavilions are a pair of berths where the combatants would enter from and where judges and guards would otherwise sit, as well as attendants to quickly go and tend to the injured or break apart the combatants should it be necessary. The main pit is larger than the pavilions, being roughly fifty horse lengths wide, enough for all the combatants to have plenty of room to brawl without being so spread out that the main viewing area would risk losing track of them. |
| 1866-09-15 |
The Tourney grounds will play host to many of the events while the games are going on, but right now the day inbetween games it is rather calm and silent or well would be if not for the hooves falling in rapid span. One knight is getting his reps in it seems with his horse. Graham is not wearing his heavy armor today apparently not planning for contact to be made. The Lily knight may sport a few bruises from the beaten taken in the melee but oh well. He pauses from each pass looking back as if expecting someone and hoping they did indeed bring their horse.
In time enough there is another horse that appears, black in color and prancing a bit for being in the unfamiliar city. Or having had to pass through it after the unpleasant turn through a faegate. The lithe rider gives the edgy beast a patting to the neck. The dark heared young woman looking almost tiny atop the light charger. Emilia pulled Onyie up to a halt as she reached the end of the riding route of the grounds as she watched Graham in his latest pass.
Graham pauses in his run after making it to the end as he hears the other horse and the rider show up. He will smile as he makes his way over waving to his cousin. "So you want to learn to joust? No contact this lesson though as well not enough armor." he says asking her.
A hand rises and waves in return, Emilia dressed in her usual riding leather. And well, if one actually gave much attention to it, there were Huntresses yet shadowing her on their own horses. The future King of Rivana's sister being kept a watch over in the foriegn city. At Graham's words, Emilia's brows rise just a hint,"Oh! Of aye…If you had of said, I would have dressed of different." Nudging Onyie a little bit closer. "What is of being of first? As I am of guessing it would make of sense no of contact in first of lessons, even in of swords..I am knowing forms are of taught first before there is of hitting of at."
"We may test you with a lance and a target first, its an awkward thing holding a lance diffrent than a sword or even a bow." Graham says though he looks back to the grounds a moment and ponders "Hm well you probably know most of the rules from watching them in the past, but if not I can cover them so we'll start with basics of the match first follow me?" He nods to her words "Yes it wouldnt do well to just take up arms and start thwaping each other with them.
"Of aye…I am of sure it will be of awkward, those of things are much of long." Emilia had seen the things, and likely helped cart around one of five for her brothers. Even if never properly…or on a horse. Emilia gives a faint nod,"Of aye, I am of familiar with the rules, Graham." She gives him a faint look..how many brothers had been knights? And how many tournaments did they hold at Ironhold? Giving Onyie a light tap with her heels to follow along with Graham.
Graham smirks and nods "I thought so, but I had to ask cousin no disrespect meant of course." He says and nods about the awkwardness of lances and holding them while riding and all of that. He will lead her to the starting line of one side he'll ride beside her. He'll pause "Okay copy my posture." the Lily Knight will strike out as if he's got the lance and is ridiing towards his opponant its a subtle shift of hips his arm holding the lance posture of head and neck, once she's done her copy he'll ride closer and reach to make any slight adjustments if they are needed.
"Of course, of not…None of taken." Emilia continues to direct Onyie along to the starting position. Reining the beast in to a stop. A nod comes at his instructions to copy his posture. Shifting just a touch in her saddle to try and do likewise. Her hips shifting just so, her head lifting a little and that arm coming around, though likely curved out a bit to much. Perhaps more in the fashion of how it might look from the sidelines.
The Lily Knight will watch her and nods "Not bad, but you've got the angle as if from the stands there." he will reach out and help her adjust but its not very major things which he must do to help her. "Okay so I know you dont flinch from combat, which is a great start. Its a bit.. hmm how can I explain un-natural to charge down another horse such as it is." Lets get you used to riding in such postsure you dodnt need to go full speed perhaps take the first slowly and work up to it?"
Emilia's eyes follow Graham as he moves about her, trying not to turn her head but keep that posture. Her arm shifting about at his touch and direction. A glance down at the new postion. "Is not of exactly of natural to be of charging and facing of each of other in of combat." Even if Emilia never quite had to charge into combat. Least not in the way calvarly had to. Giving a little nod,"Of ok…" And giving Onyie a bit of a nudge to move along at the line, taking a slow pass. A light trot worked to, Emilia rising just a little in the saddle within the motions.
Graham smirks "No.. no it isnt, but add being upon a horse and it becomes even less so." The knight will say though he nods at her posture when she kicks off and the horse makes down the pitch. He will follow with his own so he can watch her as she does this and she doesnt do too badly with the posture which he's taught her. The end of the pass he'll nod "Very good with the posture but one new thing." he will ride over beside her "Center of gravity." he says "Stand up a little." he will see if she will and if so with one arm behind her he'll push on her shoulder catching her if she wobbles with the hand behind her. "Now if your centered." he will show hunkered down a bit in the saddle and nod when she follows suit and do the same and she shouldnt move this time.
<FS3> Emilia rolls Horsemanship: Good Success. (6 7 1 6 5 8 2 4 3 2)
"Well…of aye, cause plus have to contend with of the horse and if it is of wanting to be of rushing of head of long at something of to," there was a reason war horses were so expensive. Conditioning and training took added time. Emilia's head turns and she relaxes a bit as the end is reached and Graham comes up along side again. She does stand up within the stirups as she is bidden. There is a bit of shifting about about, more of a twisting when he pushes on her shoulder, some turn of her ability with horses and riding showing with the fact she doesn't wobble and sit right back down. But she certainly would tumble on a solid hit..or well any hit… Looking to the demonstration he gives, Emilia nods before settling back to the saddle and mimicing the hunkered sort of position. Bringing her arm back up to try and put the original posture together with this new turn of things.
"You've got good balance Emilia. I knew that of course but that's a good thing, as well it cant really be /taught/ so much as you can teach some one to use a lance or a sword." Graham says when she hunkers down a bit he smiles "Exactly like that." He says smiling at her picking things up but she's quite smart he knew she woul do so. "Another pass perhaps a bit faster?"
There is a light nod,"Comes in of handy when of climbing of trees." Oh, if Graham frets over the little things, he should see when she is bounding about from tree limbs. He'd have a heartattack! Emilia having the training of a Huntress and some additional combat training, did help with these beginning bits, least it seemed. She gives a nod,"Of aye, I shall try it a bit of faster." Getting Onyie turned about to face back the way they'd come. Before geting the stallion that nudge with her heels and sending him straight to a trot before speeding up to a run by the time the other end is reached. Her arm bobbling a little bit more this time around. But she manages to keep her seat fairly solidly.
Graham ponders this "I suppose that would indeed be handy." He arches a brow though he's not sure he wants to know exactly. He nods to her trying a faster run he turns his own horse around and will follow along with her. He looks on as she rides and when the ride ends he nods "Very good, we may need to see about a proper lance for you and work on getting used to it." He looks over a moment riding to the side to find a lance though a practice lance and will move back over to his couisn. "Try this out see if you can hold it in posture but if you cant its alright.. it takes time its awkward."
The mysterious things Huntresses did within the forests of Ironhold! Onyie is pulled up once that other end is reached once again. Emilia's head does cant just a little bit at the idea of holding a proper lance, she was not the strongest thing. Dark eyes look over the lance that Graham does bring back, a hand reaching to take it up. And at first all seems to be fine, her hand gripping it and the thing points skywards. But the moment she starts to shift it to point it along in the proper position…It just wobbles before the pointy end goes crashing down into the ground causing Onyie to prance and side step along.
He will watch as she holds the lance and then it crashes down. Graham nods to this happening but he'll take the lance back if she offers it. "It will take time your first lance and there are once we can practice with lighter onces and work you up to the tourney weight if that's okay?" He smiles encourgingly to her "Lets try a pass practice passing each other show me how you hold the lance and then strike." he will simulate the motion which isnt a ton of movement really for when riding on a horse as it is.
Emilia's eyes widen a bit when the lance tumbles along as it does, especially with how quick it seems to do that. Certainly lacking the forearm strength to pull that off just yet. Trying to right it, with little success. Her other hand reaching around to try and upend the lance to a more proper position and having marginally more luck until she leans back in the saddle and…up we go! Though the long pointy thing wobbles about to and for. Wild lance on the loose! It is quickly offered over before it pokes out someone's eye! "Of aye…something of lighter….would be of best to be of starting of with, I am of thinking." Perhaps a little relief coming when he takes the lance back. Giving a nod at the suggestion,"Of aye, sounds of easier to be doing." The lance eyed a little bit before Emilia moves Onyie around, patting the beastie on the neck a bit and giving Graham time to put the lance away. Before she settles into the posutre he had been teaching her, ready to do the pass and attempt to poke at with the imaginary lance! Likely to go through several passes before they might bring an end to this first lesson.
The Lily Knight agrees though he smiles proud of his cousin for the first lesson on the way to her being a jousting machine. Graham will place the lance back before taking his place opposite the pitch and after their practice passes which their are many and more instruction after each. He will call for a retirement for the day and the duo can go and get something to drink and eat to relax from the hard training done.