"Of course, these are all just speculations." Lord Eaton said, suddenly snorting with laughter. His son smiled while Lady Lily sighed softly.
Their conversation moved to lighter topics, Lord Harrow's experiences a year ago during the conflict with Laluga, the prince's plans, and then, Lord Eaton asked him about the tourney.
"Many famous knights will participate, as will the sons of lords. Unfortunately, my son is a bit too young to enter, so only one of my knights will." Lord Eaton said before realizing something. "My son doesn't have the same physique as you, Lord Harrow, unfortunately…"
Lord Wes grumbled but didn't gainsay him, though he looked at Adrian as if wanting to say something.
"How do you think your chances will be in the tourney?"
"I'll do my best." Adrian said.
Before he could continue, Lord Wes spoke up, "Lord Harrow, would you be open to a spar after this?"
Lord Eaton sent a reprimanding glance at his son.
Adrian smiled. "Maybe not immediately after this, as I just arrived and plan to rest for a bit and see the town, but I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities."
Adrian said this mostly to avoid meeting other lords, even though he knew he shouldn't.
"Alright." Lord Wes nodded. They exchanged a few more words before Adrian finally left the room.
As Adrian walked back to his quarters with Dexton. who hadn't spoken a word the entire time following behind him, he pondered why Lord Eaton had wanted to meet him. The Lord hadn't explicitly stated his reasons. However, having noticed the glances between Lord Eaton and his daughter, coupled with Lady Lily's discreet looks at him, Adrian had an idea as to why he had been summoned.
Adrian sighed at the thought. One of the things Ela wanted him to do while he was here was to find a wife and produce an heir, she had told him to use this tourney as a chance to meet noble ladies and bring home a lady from a good family.
While he had told her he would try to look for one, it didn't mean he actually planned to follow through.
Even after all this time, given his situation with Ela, it was hard for him to easily accept a new person into his life.
It felt like opening himself up in combat, and he didn't like the feeling of being unguarded.
Furthermore, he believed, or at least wanted to believe in marrying someone he actually had affections for, not just because it offered benefits or was "good for him" as a lord.
If he was going to spend a lifetime with a partner, he would choose thoroughly.
And though, last he checked, separation was possible but it was complicated.
Other lords were also likely looking for matches for their daughters or sons. From what Lord Eaton had told him, more than forty titled lords had already arrived, and more were expected tomorrow, especially since the royal family had yet to appear.
Adrian planned only to say hello to the lords he happened to encounter, he had no intention of going out of his way to summon them to his room as the Baron of Westly had done.
Although Ela and his steward would reprimand him for his lack of social initiative, they weren't exactly there to stop him. Adrian soon returned to his room, changed into more fitting and loose clothes, and headed out.
--
"The first Sunblooded is born! Birthed from the sunrise and fiery blood! Then, twenty years passed, and the Sunblooded inspired the people and fought the clans!"
The audience saw the child actor replaced by a much older young man with hair painted yellow.
Behind him, men in rough clothes appeared. Adrian watched all of this while munching on a piece of roasted chicken.
He was seated, though because of his presence, no common folk sat near him, most squeezed to the sides to give him space.
Despite the people not knowing exactly who he was, his fine clothes, not to mention the five guards, two servants, and Dexton, the knight sitting behind him all signaled that he was a lord.
It might have been because of this that the actors on the platform performed even harder as they told the story of how the first king came to be.
Adrian knew the story, how the first king was supposedly born on a cliff that was now the kingdom's capital. They said he was born at the moment of sunrise and that his blood ran hot.
Legend claimed the first person to hold him was an elf who imbued his blood with magic.
Then, after twenty years or so, in the chaotic lands plagued by clans, tribes, and small wars, the first Attareus, who would become king rallied the people to fight and subdue their enemies.
They said the first king held a flaming sword and slew the barbarian Bear King, who was said to be three meters tall. After more than a decade of struggle, the Sunhaven Kingdom was born.
The play enacted exactly that, albeit with a bit of exaggeration.
"The Barbarian Bear King and his three warlords fought the Sunblooded!"
A large man wearing bear fur appeared, flanked by three smaller men, as they fought the Sunblooded youth. Then, someone lit the lead actor's sword on fire. The audience gasped.
"With this sword, I will bring light to the darkness of this land! Begone!"
Adrian cringed at the dialogue, but he had to admit the play was entertaining.
He longed for this kind of thing to appear in his own territory, the myriad of entertainment and the lively atmosphere of the town.
Soon, the play concluded with a fake head rolling onto the platform, the Barbarian Bear King had been beheaded, and the Sunblooded youth claimed victory. The audience clapped, and
Adrian did the same. He pulled out a gold coin and handed it to a guard to give to the troupe. Someone whispered to the actors on the platform, they turned toward him and bowed deeply.
Adrian nodded and left, inwardly sighing at having to give away a gold pound.
It was nothing to him now, of course, but it reminded him of the time he had to work hard for pennies.
Now, he was giving away gold wantonly. He felt rich and poor at the same time, it was a strange feeling.
"What did you think of the play?" He asked Dexton.
"First time I've seen one. It seems fun, but I prefer real action," Dexton replied honestly.
Adrian snorted. "Is my knight hungry for battle? You won't advise me to start a conflict, will you?"
"I wouldn't dare, my lord. The steward and Lady Ela already barrage you with enough advice."
"That is true." Adrian rolled his eyes. "What would you think about plays like that in our territory?" he asked as they walked through the sea of tents. People from all over had gathered.
Dexton raised a brow. "People would like it... for a week or two. Then everyone would have seen it."
"It's still a small place, our village," Adrian sighed.
"Is milord planning to hold one?" Dexton asked, before glaring at a drunk who almost stumbled into his lord's path. The drunk belatedly noticed the knight's gaze and immediately shrank away.
"I would like to see my territory grow well..."
Then, Adrian spotted one of his men, seemingly drinking and trying to woo a lady.
Adrian raised an eyebrow. He had allowed all the guards and servants not currently on duty to explore the area. He knew they had all brought coins in hopes of enjoying the tourney, so he didn't mind much.
However, the guard, who Adrian remembered was named Bron, froze upon noticing his gaze, his face turning awkward.
Adrian snickered, he knew Bron had been trying to get close to a lady back at the village, and here he was trying to woo another. Adrian shook his head.
"Should I try to discipline them a bit more?" Dexton asked as they passed the tent, Bron disappearing from their view.
"It's fine. This time is their own. As long as they don't cause trouble, I don't mind."
They soon came to an area with another small crowd. Since they were near the edge of the tent city, the buzz was quieter. It grew even quieter as Adrian approached and saw what the crowd was watching. On a small platform stood two women, one was singing and the other was playing an instrument a flute, it seemed, though quite different from what he was used to.
"Allura looked too much... Allura didn't stop..."
Adrian joined the small crowd. Some had seats, but most stood, all focused so intently on the woman's singing that they didn't notice him. Adrian listened and enjoyed the music.
The song was about Allura, a woman so beautiful she had many suitors, but only a handsome prince managed to win her heart. In the end, it turned out the man wasn't a prince, but someone using dark magic to live a lie.
The song ended with Allura surviving, but her beauty was gone and her suitors had vanished. The final line was…
"What lies beyond beauty?"
Adrian, who had never heard such a song, was in awe. It was eye-opening, he began to understand why other people loved to travel. It was a pity he was a lord and couldn't travel wantonly.
The crowd slowly dispersed as Adrian moved forward, intending to give a coin or two. The remaining people noticed him now and easily made way. He saw a basket where people left their coins and was about to drop in a gold pound when a robed figure stepped forward. Adrian watched in shock as the figure dropped five gold coins into the basket.
The robed figure turned and caught his gaze, and he saw the bluest eyes he had ever seen.