#bergen_county

The archery competition at Caer Falken begins. Here's a contest the Rivervale trolls don't dominate, and this year, don't even have a competitor for!

Until one sees Sir Carowyn awaiting his turn, he is talking to Sally Mae "I'm not the best archer, Sally Mae. Merely proficient."

"Well, Nadeen is hoping Rivervale shows in one way or another in many areas. So just showing up is better than nothing. And think of this way, you're also representing Truthbranch"

He says "I don't want to embarrass the banner house OR The lodge"

"You never could" She kisses him, then swats him on his butt "Now go forth and try not to shoot the Count in the rump"

He chuckles and moves on ,w aiting his turn.

And many try, commoners as well as nobles, many of the Yoman with no title still happy to represent their lords and fiefs. Others just doing it for their own glory!

A female Fox Pooka dressed in a Robin Hood outfit is announced as "Vikki Vixen of Vulpinewood, Archer and love of alliteration"

Alas, snazzy Lincoln green does not a master archer make, and while her shots in the target, she does not score high.

She hangs her head low, wipes at her face with a single tear "Sorry, Marion" And walks off

"Next, Sir Griskye of House Fiona, of the barony of..." The Fiona being announced comes forward and lines up.

He is only slightly beats out the fox pooka. and frowns. A wind did pick up, but a good archer compensates for that.He bows to all then heads out. No doubt his baron not going to be happy

Carowyn looks surprised. At this rate, if he does' okay' he won't look bad. But he's not crazy about others having a bad day to make it happen

A stout yoman boggan lass, a squire, but house unknown, walks out with her grandfather's bow, takes a breath. her little arms are stronger than most would guess at first glance, for as they pull back, the definition goes from 'stocky to DEFINED

She is announced "Squire Berti of Teaneck"

And she fires

Groans as that same flickering wind chooses the worst moment to kick in and it barely hits the target.

Claps all around. that was not her fault. It is, however, her problem. Baron Kealan gives her a drink and pats her on the back , some might hear him saying "Well I surely wouldn't have hit it either"

A plain faced Satyr walks out , a graybeard, looking in his forties he is simply announced as "Art Buckner. Doing this for all Commoners everywhere" Some of the nobles frown at the implication but non sidhe cheer.

Even before he fires

and when he does fire...

He takes the lead easily! No bullseye but not bad!

In fact dangerously deep

Cheers and perhaps the ill luck and ill winds plaguing this are broken?

And Sir Carowyn swallows and moves to take his turn "No pressure"

"Sir Carowyn , House Liam of The Truthbranch Bannerhouse, affiliated with Rivervale and sharing honors with!" The herald announces

When the string snaps, some will suspect incompetence, he is a Liam. Some will expect sabotage and others begin to mutter that the entire archery field has some kind of hex, or that it is an ill omen!

The wound on Sir Carowyn's face will take tending, as Sally Mae rushes to his side with a gasp as his blood flies

The event is.. postponed. Pending a brief investigation

*************

The muscical category might throw Piper off a bit, she got picked to go FIRST

And there's Siv and Jonas cheering her a welcome. Well Siv louder than Jonas

Seeing Siv watching her, she stumbles a little and plays the first couple bars of the jazz for the Troll’s upcoming dance- a quick fix that almost no one will catch as she smoothed it out! But the judges. The judges know!

The judges mutter.. to anyone else it sounded wonderful, and it was, but it was a flawed kind of wonderful at that crucial start. And that takes points off. Still, applause all around, not the most enthused she's gotten, and she must bow and leave stage

She blows a kiss to her lovers! Hiding disappointment, but still smiling as she joins them to watch the rest.

"That was wonderful" Siv says, perhaps a bit biased

Jonas is more speculative "It was good, odd change up at the start"

Pink!

"That was Piper McCormick, Of Rivervale. Next we have Spencer DeBuke of the Farmhold."

Turning to cheer! “This will be great!” She advises the others.

Colton listens "I had never heard that song before" he says holding Sylvi's hand

"Me neither, except maybe I've heard her practicing those better-than trills. I like it." She squeezes his hand and gives him a smile.

And Spencer begins to sing, and it's good! It's golden, the gambler by Kenny Rogers. With that mortal dreamer's passing, many are nostaglic about the song, and some sing along softly. This doesn't count against Spencer, but it's not his best effort, damn good, but damn good is not what you want when there are so many greats. And then it happens. A verbal slip..

"And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke steven..."

And some pooka..snickers

Sylvi's eyes go wide. She really should try to pretend she didn't notice, but she doesn't think of that in time and her hand flies to her mouth in surprise.

And others look a bit confused, some chuckle, and a few wince in sympathy. It was near the end of the song, and there's no saving it really.. so he ends it with one more refrain and bows. But Sylvi and a few others might notice that slight flush at the cheeks and that look that he wants to kick himself

Many DeBukes give him welcome, pat him tell him it's okay, and what the Gambler and Steve do together is THEIR business. Ah, family

Sylvi bites her lip. "Oh, wow," she murmurs quietly to Colton. "That hurts."

"Oh he's not going to win" Colton says the obvious