#anywhere

Whooops and Hollers.. from large trolls in Straw hats break out

Indeed it's handy to muffle whatever it was that Calanthe said, though her brows shot UP and then together in surprise and disapproval. Yet, she IS on display, and when the troll bumpkins break out, she retains her composure to show that SOMEONE around here is capable of doing so.

Teesha , stoicly, lets only a bit of wolf teeth show in a troll smile

Briar cheers too! To Gwen, "This is pretty great. If she lost she'd be a bitch, and if she won she'd be a snot, so it works for me."

"I'm not sure she won't manage both yet.." Gwen says glad for the crowd roar but she cheers too "SILVER WOLF!"

"Aroo!" Briar pumps a fist, carried along just to cheer for the hell of it.

Calanthe reaches the judges alongside Teesha, and after a moment, inclines her head just slightly to the troll commoner. "The addition of music was... intriguing. Did you find it affected your communication with the beast, having your own commands muffled in the sound?"

Teesha says "Not really. Teagan reads lips, but mostly he goes by hand gestures" Teesha does not bow but nods "Nice bird"

She does look intrigued. "Lip reading. Fascinating." And if she's offended by the lack of deference, the compliment to Veritas helps smooth that over a touch. "Yes, he is magnificent." Fondly.

And then the prizes are presented. One is a falconry glove, but with oddly crystaline elements.

the other is .. an egg! Warm to the touch yet seemingly made of silver

Calanthe's eyes widen at the egg, and she just barely resists reaching for it. "I would welcome an addition to my mews." She requests, though her eyes show she covets that item.

Teasha eyes fell on it as well, and then she says "Flip you for it"

The commoner is not just letting her have it?

But rather asking a judge to pull out a quarter

She frowns, but far be it for a fae to not accept the will of da'an, she agrees with only a slightly fussy look.

"Heads or tails, Dame Calanthe?" It would appear her title atl east lets her pICK

"Heads." She responds promptly, eyes on the coin.

And the judge, as impartial party, flips the coin

There is clearly no justice here on Gwydion lands! None at all! As the coin flaps down tails side.

"Your pick, Miss DeBuke" the judge says

"Thanks" Teesha says taking the silver egg, "No hard feelings" to Calanthe

Her eyes follow and spark at the injustice, but she lets it go. "Just so." Taking up the glove, and kenning it curiously, with all indication that this is just as desireable.

It might just be. there's a magic to it, hard to say what sort, one that can emcompass the bird resting on it

"My compliments to the Count." She accepts the (ugh, shared) win and returns to see to her bird.

"I think the gauntlet looks Nice" Gwen says trying to cheer the Dame up

She examines the crystals on it. "Better on a noble hand than a farmhand." She comments, but quietly, pulling it on over her manicured nails, and then holding it up to the hawk to step onto her newly gloved fist.

And her fine bird lands.. and veritas goes.. glassy.. almost transluscent.

A hand reaches out to carefully stroke a finger over the bird's back, ensuring that it is still well. "Veritas?" She queries of the hawk.

Veritas seems otherwise normal, ever loyal and ready

"Cool.." Gwen mutters in awe

She admires the new look and murmurs, "Oh, this may be very nice." Already forming ideas of how to incorporate a bird that can create flame trails within a crystalline form for her next competition. No dirt-footed farmgirl will best her THEN!

Experimentation shows the crystaline ghostly form does not last, only while in contact with the gauntlet is it 'on' but after that, there's a five second fade back in. Which is to say, for five seconds after launch, the bird is invisible, or at least nearly so!

Five seconds can be a moment.. or just long enough! She seems mollified. At least until Briar comments, "Still wonder what that egg woulda tasted like."

Gwen says "Well uhm.. we move on"

And just so, Briar snickering as they slip away before Calanthe can verbalize whatever she is sputtering about.

And over there, passing a silver egg in their oversized grubby hands among themselves, some farmers take the other prize to whatever cornfed hell they call home

.....................