The day of the tournament had arrived. The guards led Witt and Renly into the arena, where the stands had expanded since a few days ago.
It seemed Stannis wasn't one to let money slip through his fingers; he was certainly thorough when it came to making a profit.
Flags of noble families from all over were planted around the arena. Outside, contestants preparing to compete were inspecting and polishing their weapons and armor. They were cleaning their horses and fitting them with exquisite horse armor, making their final preparations. Even if they couldn't win, they had to maintain appearances.
The crowd was steadily filing into the stands, each person dressed in their finest attire. The tournament was not only a sporting event of the age but also an important occasion for interacting with various nobles. Many nobles brought their unmarried children, hoping to find opportunities to connect with other young nobles.
As members of the host family, they naturally didn't have to worry about seating.
On the main platform, Prince Rhaegar and Robert sat comfortably in the highest two chairs, drinking and conversing.
The three ducal families represented by Oberyn of Dorne, Albert of the Vale, and Eddard of the North each had a seat.
The stands closest to the dais were occupied by Stannis, his two uncles, and several other noble families of the rank of Earl. Witt naturally took the empty seat next to Renly.
As for Barristan and Arthur, the Sword of the Morning, they had to stand. This was a formal occasion, and as members of the Kingsguard, they were responsible for the prince's escort and protection. Witt overheard them talking about their upcoming matches.
The tournament was divided into three events: jousting, archery, and melee combat. The nobility placed greater importance on jousting and melee, considering archery a mere spectacle, and generally did not participate due to their high status. Therefore, the archery competition was more of a stage for landless knights and soldiers to seek glory.
Robert, seeing that the seating was mostly filled, waved his hand. Over twenty soldiers in full plate armor, wearing cloaks emblazoned with the crowned stag of his sigil, blew a series of coordinated fanfares with their long trumpets, and the tournament officially began.
Because of the large number of participants, the competition would last for several days, starting with preliminary rounds for each event.
Archery, being able to accommodate multiple participants at once and having a simple method of determining the victor, had its champion crowned on the first day. A squire from the Grandison family won the title and was knighted on the spot by Robert.
Witt, due to his young age, could only be a spectator. Unlike Renly, who alternated between exclamations and dozing off in the stands, Witt moved around, and when there were no matches, he would take his guards and wander around the city, making notes in a small book and recording information.
The second day was the final round of the melee combat.
The rules for the team melee were simple: a captain would lead several knights or squires, representing their respective houses. Traditionally, each match had seven teams, though exceptions were made if there weren't enough participants.
Prince Rhaegar and the Sword of the Morning weren't competing; Barristan represented the royal family. His squire, Jon Connington, represented House Connington. The final seven teams entered the arena, clad in heavy armor and armed for battle. Those lacking in skill or stamina were quickly defeated and eliminated.
As the numbers dwindled, Ser Barristan of the Kingsguard first defeated Jon Connington. Then, he bested Lord Leyton Hightower of Oldtown, a man whose age was beginning to show. Jon wasn't expected to win; he was there to learn. Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill, while not as skilled as the other champions, was a master of commanding armies. Now, he was alone, his team already eliminated, and at a disadvantage. He faced Robert. Robert's use of the hammer was unlike any other fighting style. Though the matches weren't meant to be fatal, a blow from the hammer could still jar the body through the armor. Randyll was caught off guard, and a blow to his breastplate sent him sprawling. He was helped from the arena by the guards.
In the stands, many nobles envied the Valyrian Steel sword, Heartsbane, that Randyll carried. No noble present, not even the Prince, possessed a Valyrian Steel sword. They were not for sale, and even the wealthiest man in the realm, Tywin Lannister, had been trying for over a decade without success. Many suspected that Randyll's true purpose in the competition was to show off his family's prized blade.
Barristan and Robert met next. Robert's brute force with the warhammer was no match for Barristan's experience and swordsmanship. Despite swinging his hammer with all his might, Robert couldn't land a blow. Barristan dodged or deflected each attack, while Robert grew increasingly exhausted. Finally, Barristan put his sword to Robert's throat and ushered him from the field.
The final match of the team melee was between Ser Barristan of the Kingsguard and Oberyn of Dorne.
Dorne was the only region in Westeros with a desert climate. The heat there was so intense that metal armor would become scorching. Therefore, the Dornish often favored light leather armor, with metal plates protecting vital areas. To compensate for the lack of defense, they used long spears, combined with agile footwork. It was said that Aegon the Conqueror had used the swords of the defeated to forge the Iron Throne. The Dornish, however, merely smiled at this.
Prince Oberyn, though skilled and fond of showing off, was of noble birth. In his early twenties, he was handsome, with an exotic allure, and, most importantly, unmarried. After every victory, he would twirl his spear, showing off, and always earned shrieks of delight from the girls.
Furthermore, as Dorne was home to many desert vipers, scorpions, and venomous lizards, Oberyn was also a master of poisons. The tip of his spear was always coated in poison. Coupled with his penchant for wearing red, he earned the moniker of the Red Viper. Although he wouldn't use a lethal poison at the tourney, he certainly used ones that caused pain or dizziness.
The Red Viper, relying on the reach of his spear, circled Barristan and probed at him, occasionally thrusting a heavy blow. Barristan, clad in heavy armor, was already starting to pant. Facing this kind of attack, he abandoned the stance of holding his sword with both hands to face a knight in plate armor. Instead, he chose to hold his sword in one hand and use the other to maintain his balance, adding to his imposing defense.
Before a heavy thrust could land, Barristan saw his chance and struck the spearhead downwards, driving it into the ground. He quickly moved closer to the Red Viper. The Red Viper's spear, knocked downwards, managed to halt before the spearhead pierced the ground, but his flowing attack was disrupted. He yanked back his spear to create distance, but Barristan was already upon him. Unable to use the advantage of the spear's reach, the Red Viper was knocked off his horse and onto the ground.
Barristan, representing the royal family, won the team competition.
The final stage of the jousting competition on the third day.
Both sides wielded wooden lances and shields, mounted on horseback. This required a full set of plate armor, which commoners couldn't afford. Therefore, all participants in this event were nobles.
The participants were all nobles, and their armor and shields bore their respective family crests. Each knight on the field represented their family's honor.
The Red Viper, Oberyn, faced Prince Rhaegar in the semi-finals. Everyone knew the Dornish were masters of the spear, and Oberyn was particularly skilled. Prince Rhaegar, on the other hand, primarily used a sword. After a few rounds, a slight breeze swept through the arena, kicking up dust. Oberyn made a mistake and was knocked off his horse by Prince Rhaegar. Rhaegar advanced to the final. Oberyn picked himself up, removed his helmet, and rubbed his eyes, as if something had gotten in them. He ended up taking third place.
The final jousting match pitted the Sword of the Morning against Prince Rhaegar. They fought for thirteen rounds, shattering twelve lances. In the thirteenth round, the Sword of the Morning's shield was broken, and he was unseated. Since he was called the Sword of the Morning, perhaps his spear skills were merely average.
Prince Rhaegar won the jousting tournament.
The lively tournament concluded. Some remained at Storm's End to continue business or host guests, while others, with longer journeys, prepared to depart. Merchants began dismantling their tents and loading their wagons, ready to move on to the next location. Those with close ties were inevitably dragged back to the castle by Robert for more feasting.
Witt, finding the post-tournament activities dull, sought out Stannis. They, along with Maester Cressen and their two uncles, were in the study calculating the tournament's earnings. Taxes from local and foreign merchant caravans accounted for a small portion, but gambling was the primary source of income.
The Seven were the dominant faith in Westeros. The Seven's teachings disapproved of gambling, and condemned bastardy, with the most severe curses reserved for incest and kinslaying. Everyone considered incest and kinslaying to be grave offenses, punishable by death or banishment to the Night's Watch. However, gambling and bastardy were not considered as serious crimes, with a significant disconnect between what people preached and what they practiced.
Witt had spent the last few days cataloging the various goods he observed, preparing for future development. However, he was disappointed to discover that this world seemingly had everything. Goods from the nine Free Cities overseas, including wine, exquisite tapestries, and perfumes from Lys. Glass windows and glassware from Myr. Silk from Volantis, and highly distilled brandy from Tyrosh. Westeros also had soap, salt, and simple alloys.
It seemed there was no path for a transmigrator to make money!
Witt watched his uncles announce the numbers. Maester Cressen calculated with paper and pen, while Stannis recorded the totals. They were discussing how much money they had made from the huge upset in the jousting competition, where the favorite, the Red Viper, had lost to Prince Rhaegar. They were calculating how much to give to the Red Viper, and complaining about his high asking price. They were also figuring out how much profit remained after deducting the prize money and expenses.
Am I really going to become a transmigrator who gets rich through gambling?
Taking three-tenths of the poor's money and returning the rich's money in full... wouldn't that mean being permanently hung on the pillar of shame, constantly mocked?
....
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