Auberon

The warm summer shower sprinkled drops over the crowd, sprinkling over the spires of Shae and turning to gold and rainbows in the sunlight. A faint roll of thunder sounded in the distance as the clouds began to break and clear over the palace.

King Auberon moved from the window where he had been watching the tourney field anxiously. "Then we shall have a tourney, my lords and ladies of Summer," Auberon said as he resumed his seat. "Knights and warriors will come from all over the realm to joust and feast in honor of your appointment as Champion of the Queen.

"If they are half as eager to see your success as they are to joust, they do us both a disservice. Still, I will not try to prevent their celebrating," Auberon said with a smile. "Tomorrow I shall celebrate with with you all. I look forward to it."

One young attendant leaned forward eagerly, eyes as wide as plates. "A tourney," she breathed. The Lady Caelia was a slip of a woman seated to the right of the queen, ready at hand for any advice or support she might need. 

"As do I," Queen Titania said as she looked out the window. "It is a beautiful day for a celebration. Congratulations, Syr Lanval."

"Indeed, your majesties," Syr Lanval said as she looked out the window. "I know that you have requested an old fashioned tourney, but there is something I must ask. May I have the honor of riding in the queen's honor?"

The golden queen smiled at her former ward, a foundling who had reached a prodigious skill at arms, if current court gossip could be believed. "Could you ever ask anything that I would deny you, Syr?"

"Anything, your majesty?" Lanval said with a devilish grin.

"No, I can think of something that you might ask that I might deny you."

"My queen is a most gracious hostess. I have no need to ask. I hope to ride in your honor, m'lady," he said as he bowed to the queen. "I hope that nothing prevents me from doing so."

"Then I will have to make certain you are there, Syr," she said as she gave him a wicked grin. The queen reached out, and a small golden trinket appeared in her hand. She held it out to Lanval. Auberon's eyes tightened briefly, but he made no move to stop the exchange.

The knight reached out and took it. He held it for a moment and it transformed into a golden helm. "You are a most gracious hostess, my queen," Lanval said with a bow as he placed the helm upon his head. Once on his head, the shining golden helmet transformed, metal feathers shifting shifting into a crest of gold with a green plume.

"It will be my great pleasure to honor you and your house in the tourney tomorrow," Auberon said as he stood again. "But we have much work to do. We've had a late start to the day, and I'm afraid I have neglected my duties as host."

"Indeed, my king," one of the courtiers said with a sigh, "Perhaps if we put our minds to it, we might still have time to play a few rounds of cards before we dine."

"I doubt it," Auberon said with a chuckle. "If we are to feast tomorrow, it is a hunt we must have today!"

"A hunt?" one of the ladies said with a smile. She turned to the closest courtier and said, "I think you'd better stay close to me tonight, my dear. I'm frightened by how fast your bow is."

The courtier seemed to consider this. "Maybe I should stay inside. If you're frightened, you might need my protection."

"A hunt!" Lady Merewen said with a giggle. "I haven't been on one of those in ages."

"I wish I could go," another lady said with a sigh. "I haven't hunted for so long!" She looked to one of the other ladies. "What do you suppose they have in mind? A buck? A boar? A wolf or two?"

"Yes, a boar!" interrupted one of the other courtiers said as he raised his goblet. "To the hunt!"

"I'll get the hunting party ready, my lord," said one of the knights. "And the huntmaster. We'll need dogs if we are to hunt a boar."

"A boar hunt, your majesty?" Caelia asked.

"Indeed, my lady. The knight of the forest cannot be outdone, if I'm to be queen," Titania said with a smile. "It will be a boar hunt, with a friendly wager to see who can take the boar."

"I am no gambler," Lanval said, but even he looked ready to hunt.

"Never, Syr Lanval?" Auberon said as he stood and brought his own goblet up. "To the hunt!"

Every knight raised his or her glass, drinking deeply before following the king from the room. The Queen's guard and attendants followed the king, the Queen and Lady Caelia with them.