Nala, the Lightbringer, visited the Temple of Ernalda to make arrangements for the appropriate worship of her mother. She introduced herself to a Priestess known to her, Alia, as Nala the Lightbringer. Once Alia was over her confusion and realised Nala was serious, arrangements were made and Nala, the Lightbringer, was given a place to dance with space for an audience. Tiwr, not being initiated into Ernalda’s secrets, was made to wait outside. There were also Maran Gorites there, purifying the temple or simply having a dance that would break it a bit.
Nala danced until it was time for her audience to have a break. One of the Maran Gor dancers poured red wine into a bit of bread that did service as both cup and sponge, offering that she should eat and drink destruction before dancing destruction. Nala thanked her and said she would not eat. The other woman looked angry about this, and extended her hand with the bread in it over the dancing square squeezing out wine that looked oddly like blood, and which cracked when it hit the ground, turning into powder. Nala danced and danced and got so deeply in contact with the Spirit Realm that she fell over, with the smell of the Dead Place’s acid dust clear to her. When she came to, it was face to face with a very impressed initiate who showed her where she’d made flowers appear. Tiwr was less impressed, as he desperately wanted to get down the ladder to find his partner and people were not cooperating.
Meanwhile, Dormal made his own way to the location of Xenofos’ impending duel and found a reasonable vantage point from which to observe. He had an entire Lunar riding on the outcome. Xenofos and Berra made their way to the location together and occupied one portion of the copse of trees usually reserved for such purposes. Mellia and Varanis also approached the site together and took up a position as close as they were permitted to do so. Rajar turned up with three colleagues from the Storm Bull Temple and some beer. They were the loudest of the observers by far.
Xenofos’ opponent made his appearance, with his second. There was a brief consultation between seconds, and Berra came to Xenofos to pass along the message that his opponent was still willing to accept an apology. Xenofos declined the generous offer, unsheathed his rapier, and made his way to the centre of the field.
Xenofos was bigger and fast, and took the initiative, but neither could get past each other’s guard for a while. Xenofos took the time to aim for his opponent’s head, but failed to make contact, and then had to block a blow meant for his leg, badly damaging his shield. Back on the offensive he fully failed to threaten his opponent at all. Hofhrai then gave him a nasty cut to his right leg and first blood was drawn. Both men parted and Horgrai asked if an apology was forthcoming. Xenofos did not offer one and for a moment, it looked as if they would fight again. But Hofhrai turned away. The duel’s terms were, ‘first blood unless no apology is offered’ meaning that Hofhrai had assumed now would be the time for apologies.
The end of the fight had the unfortunate effect of inspiring the Storm Bulls to start a new one. While Rajar was happily drinking beer, his new friends charged up the hill with weapons drawn. Everybody sprang into action.
Berra stepped out with Hofhrai’s second to make a screen for the duelists. Xenofos and Hofhrai tried to join them, so Berra stepped forwards. Xenofos moved next to her, and they ended up racing each other, headed directly towards the charging Uroxi. Xenofos got ahead, being faster downhill despite (or maybe because of) his wound. Mellia ran to go touch xenofos and heal him. Hofhrai and his second also tried to join in, but were slower than Berra and Xenofos. While Dormal lamented his lack of a bow, Varanis charged in, drawing the attention of the lead Storm Bull, who peeled away from her peers to come at the Vingan. She became enthralled by Varanis’s magic, who sent her back to fight with the other Uroxi. Unfortunately, by the time she rejoined the others, they were laid out flat, one mortally wounded by encountering Rajar’s dagger-axe, one having fallen over after Berra his him exactly where Xenofos had been wounded. Happily for the Storm Bull, there was still a Rajar. There was also a Berra, who had not been on the instruction list for Varanis and the three engaged in a brief clash. Berra wounded her again, in approximately the same place as she had wounded the first, and Rajar hit her hard enough to put her down, then sat on her and punched her a lot.
During the fray, Mellia had managed to come close enough to Xenofos to slap some healing on him even as he fought. She kept herself out of harm’s way during the clash with the Storm Bulls, but was quick to respond as soon as the last fell. Unfortunately, there was little she could do for one of the men, who expired on the field, as her magic was not flowing easily. She patched up any others who needed it, and the remaining Storm Bull dragged his unconscious companion away, accompanied by Rajar and the beer.
Dormal disappeared to collect his winnings and go back to the house his own way.
Berra walked Xenofos back to House Saiciae, although it was unofficial and he did not mind company. On getting back, Xenofos headed for the baths and then some wine, sending someone to tell Serzeen he needed a new shield. Zinat joined him in the baths for a bit. Mellia and Varanis laid in wait for Dormal so that they could query him about the possible problem presented by the pretentious pile of presents. The discussion failed to shed any further light on what the presents might mean. They could represent someone mistakenly trying to influence Xenofos regarding marriage, or someone purposefully trying to do it, or someone trying to undermine grandmother, or various and sundry other possibilities. Dormal agreed to try to investigate it and asked Mellia to arrange a meeting with Venlar for assistance.
Venlar was on his way to the temple for a dusk service, and walked a short way with Dormal. He deflected any attempt to get him to work for the house by first sking if this was official and from Grandmother, then suggesting Dormal meet Silor. Dormal asked for a thrall to do the introductions and Venlar supplied one.
In conversation with Dormal, Silor did not agree that as a foreigner he was well placed to find out what the House could not find out, but he let himself be argued into it, on the grounds this would help to restore his son’s standing in the eyes of Grandmother.
