tensions for the final joust are high as many recover from the gory sights of the day prior. talks of cancelling the joust circulate but are ultimately shot down, is it vanity that prompts the continuation ? some of the darker personalities look down upon house stark for the decision, but both finalists agree to dedicate the joust to the memory of lord orwyn royce.
flags of the vale and house royce nearly overtake the arena, many choosing to support the ruling lord and honor his wifeâs kinâs memory. no member from house lynderly dares step foot into the arena.
both men mount their horses, sights locked on one another as they lower their helms and are handed their lances. the cheers roaring throughout the arena are nothing but a distant murmur to both jousters.
at the sound, they ride, aims true, the sound of their lances splintering heard throughout winterfell as they meet their targets. king harrion takes a lance to the shoulder, lord rodrik to the side. neither man is unseated, neither crowned victor just yet.Â
both jousters ready themselves once more, all in attendance at the edges of their seats for this finale. as the ride towards one another no soul can guess who will come out victorious, but as lord rodrickâs lance strikes the king in his center chest and unseats him from his horse, the winner is clear.Â
lord rodrick is the victor, and promptly crowns his wife, the lady alicent arryn, the queen of love and beauty of the tourney.
though the arena is still fraught with tension, it is nothing like the last final in winterfell. red and black flags of the targaryens fly high in the stands, the red and blue of the tullys occupying the other side of the stands, making for a clear divided expectation of what's to come. the joust begins with words from the ruling tyrell, well wishes for both that joust, though there are many that can't help but to think that with a favor of red and blue, the tyrells have chosen the lord tully to be the victor.
both ride into the arena to great cheers, the loudest that it's been the entirety of the joust, intense focus as brynden and rhaegar take their places. the round is shorter than anyone had expected, a well aimed lanced hitting the tully in the side and sending him flying from his horse.
it is the officials that rule the first round as invalid, divided amongst what could be considered an illegal hit, or if it was true. the jousters take their positions again, none sure what was going to happen next.
the next round ends with both jousters hit, both taking a lance to the chest though prince rhaegar manages to remain upright in his saddle, lord brynden tumbling back to the arena sands below. the officials rule this as a valid hit, declaring prince rhaegar targaryen the victor to mixed emotions.
prince rhaegar crowns his youngest sibling, princess pimchanok targaryen, as the queen of love and beauty for the tourney.
with the tourney now concluded, attentions shift to focus on the summit that's to follow, eyes now turning to the southern king that had brought them all to highgarden.
the fourth day of the joust commences with a change that no one saw coming. thus far, kai rogare had been sweeping the competition but an injury prevented his return, a familiar face riding into the arena in his stead.
match one
lord brynden tully rides against prince abraxas martell
with the first crack of lances against armor, it is clear the pair is evenly matched. multiple rounds yet neither find themselves unseated. it's the minute tense of muscle, brief that no one would have been able to have caught it that twitched the prince's horse to the side more than it needed to be, the lance of lord brynden finally catching him in the side and sending him to the sands below. there's a sudden silence in the arena as it takes longer for him to rise than anyone expects it to, the prince leaving the arena clutching his side with the maesters in tow. lord brynden tully has advanced to the final round.
match two
lord vorian dayne rides against prince rhaegar targaryen
the match goes faster than the first, though it was still a toss up as to who would emerge victorious. the first blow against the lord commander's chest is vicious, enough force to rock him back in the saddle yet remain seated, the second pass not giving the same result. slumped forward and unmoving, the maesters are called down to the pitch as the officials rule the win in prince rhaegar's favor, declaring the dayne medically unfit to continue in the joust.
lord brynden tully will ride against prince rhaegar targaryen bright and early tomorrow. will he be unseated by the prince again, or will the tullys have a new victory to celebrate ?
day three and the clear tension is felt throughout the air. no longer is this joust just a jovial way to pass time , but spectators have vested interests in the winner of each match. the bets are placed , the riders are set , and it's clear that the crowd favorites are set to ride today. will your favorite advance to the semi finals ? or shall they meet their end at the tip of another's lance ?
match one
kai rogare rides against prince sunwoo stark
a new fan favorite rides out to great fanfare , poised against the new prince stark. the bell tolls and the horse hooves set off , pounding against the sand. all is silent as the riders close the gap , a collective gasp filling the arena as prince sunwoo is unhorsed , kai's lance hitting dead center at his chest.
kai rogare advances to the semi finals.
match two
prince rhaegar targaryen rides against lord brynden tully
north against south has the crowd roaring before they even mount their horses. many anticipate a good match between the two , coming out to witness who they placed their bets on. but the dragon prince seems to have luck on his side , and perhaps skill , his lance hitting bryn's side while lord brynden's doesn't even leave a scratch.
prince rhaegar targaryen advances to the semi finals.
match three
lord darnell arryn rides against lord vorian dayne
not much can top the match of brother against brother , but yet the anticipation of the match fills the air. bets are evenly placed , and the men mount their horses to screams in their favor. when lord arryn's lance tilts to the right the match is lost, lord dayne striking his side and coming out entirely unscathed himself.
lord vorian dayne advances to the semi finals.
match four
victario of lys rides against prince abraxas martell
dornish pride is in full bloom for this match , many screaming for their last remaining prince in the tournament. the prince's own boisterous nature seems in full bloom , a stark contrast to the quiet and mysterious underdog found in victario. the riders set off at the sound , and the match is over as quickly as it started. victario is flung from his horse via the lance at his shoulder , prince abraxas suffering a shattering lance at his side but managing to remain atop his horse.
prince abraxas martell advances to the semi finals.
the second day of jousting begins in great fanfare, trumpets singing through highgarden in announcement for all to find their seats to be prepared for the next round. just as many, if not more people file into the arena. favors are presented proudly upon the armor of those that have advanced, but it seems new additions have been added to the tourney. those jousting were asked if they would mind being part of a double eliminations, those rounds the first to take place.
match one
lord connin chyttering rides against lady adrielle ironmaker
the lord previously knocked from the competition has returned to applause, once again seeking the favor of lady emira tyrell. itâs hoped that her favor can bring him better luck than before as he takes his place in the ring, lady adrielle asking of the favor of the high king himself, quellon greyjoy. the silence is thick as no response is given, the lady eventually turning from the crowd to set herself for the match. in a show that hadnât been seen since the joust in winterfell, neither knights are victorious as both manage to piece the others armor â a hush falling over the crowd when blood appears on them both. the round is halted, the maesters declaring both unfit to continue when it is shown that severe injuries have been sustained. lady adrielle having been using an unapproved lance, sharper than most that has pierced lord connin chytteringâs side, and lady adrielle not properly fitted in her armor and taking a direct blow to the chest. neither advance to the next round.
match two
 prince doran martell rides against lord auster oakheart
having already been given his favor, the prince searches for lord lannister in the crowd. lord auster follows in the steps of others before him, favor offered to the ruling lady of his region with a bow, accepted out of courtesy, before he takes his place. it was unevenly matched from the start, the power behind the lance of the martell prince far harder than that of lord austerâs, though in an attempt to even the playing field a jab is taken as they pass each other, one that none can see the affect of until after the officials have separated the two. a last volley finds the lance shattering upon lord oakheartâs armor, splintering into pieces with one lodged into his eye. prince doran advances to the next round, the maesters descending on him to treat the arm held limply at his side.    Â
match three
lord qhorin drumm rides against mikael beesbury
when asked about a double elimination, the drumm had scoffed that he had nothing better to do. another kiss given to his cheek by lord lukas harlaw with more eyes rolled in the crowd as his horse is turned to the starting point. lord mikael beesbury, known for being a wild card in tourneys and not one that is bet upon unless feeling extremely lucky requests the favor of grand maester to the north, lady kaina upcliff. it is clear between the two who is more experienced, yet mikael makes an error in over correction. landing a blow that is too soft to send the drumm off his horse but enough to put himself off balance, qhorin strikes the beesbury in the shoulder and pushes him from the horse. qhorin advances to the next round, brushing off attempts from the maesters to look under his armor.  Â
match four
prince jon stark rides against natarie algood.Â
none known much about the algood, a new knight to make her debut in her first joust. she seeks no oneâs favor, the stark prince calling attention to the bright purple of the lady dayneâs favor resting against his chest. the match is doomed from the start, a false start on natariâs part before it begins â her lance swinging wildly as it isnât held with a grip needed to be secured. a gasp rises in the stands as it smacks against the starkâs helmet, his own hitting the center of her chest and lifting her up and off of the horse. the prince advances to the next round, holding his head as he is lead away.
double eliminations
hours pass as the maesters work quickly to try to give ointments, salves, and bandages to those that need it. it is announced that lord connin chyttering and lord auster oakheart couldnât be helped, both of them dying. lances have been switched out, horses watered, and rules of what is allowed and whatâs not re explained before the next round begins. Â
match oneÂ
kai rogare rides against prince doran martell
it is obvious from how the prince is riding upon his horse that despite the maesters best efforts, the injury he sustained is still one that is troublesome. the volley is one that given past performances, no one expects to be over as quickly as it is. kaiâs lance hits doran in the chest, doranâs numb arm proving to be a nuisance in trying to joust on his weaker side. kai rogare proves victorious to advance to the next round, while the prince is ushered to the maesterâs tent once more.  Â
match two
prince sunwoo stark rides against lord qhorin drummÂ
the luck that was on the drummâs side thus far seems to have run out as the match begins, wide jabs of his lance not coming close to the new stark. it gives sunwoo opportunity to land a blow, unfortunate in that it hits in the same place the beesbury had struck and sends the drumm to the ground. prince sunwoo is declared the winner and sent to the next round.   Â
match three
prince jon stark rides against prince abraxas martell
it was said that the maesters had not cleared the stark for the next round of the joust, woflish stubbornness having him back in the saddle despite the warnings. the two princes would seem evenly matched, this round of the joust one that stirs up the watching crowd to see who will come out on top. in the end, it is prince abraxas that is declared the winner, with the stark seemingly disoriented and off balance on his horse. it doesnât take much for jon to be knocked from his perch, and abraxas advances without issue.Â
match four
victario of lys rides against lord timur blacktyde
another wild card match that no one can find themselves betting on. the observers are split down the middle as to who they think will win, iron born roaring in the crowd for their own in typical boisterous behavior. as the two get set, it is victario that lands a blow that has many wincing as timur goes down. the maesters are quick to swarm the arena to check over the blacktyde while victario is declared fit to move to the next round.
match five
aranya baratheon rides against lord vorian dayne
one of the sole woman riders that has not been knocked out of the competition, lady baratheon is the favorite picked by many to continue her winning streak. it is thwarted as her lance is off to the right upon her volley, the lord commander of dorneâs hitting her side. itâs enough to send her sprawling from her horse, thus ending her reign of victory. vorian is the victor of this round and entered for the next.
match six
darnell arryn rides against osric arryn
another hush falls over the crowd before it grows loud, eager to see two family members pit against each other. the elder with more experience, the younger having the aptitude to be one that could become a successful tourney knight in his own right. the round begins with the crowd loud enough that you can barely hear the thudding hooves of the horses, the sand in the arena clearing to show that osric arryn has been pushed from his horse. darnell arryn is made the winner and moved to the next round.
match seven
prince rhaegar targaryen rides against prince ryon martell
with more experience on his side, there is the thought that rhaegar will take the entirety of the tourney but there are still those that root for the underdog. three volleys, the most in the tournament so far, are taken as the pair seem to be evenly matched on strength alone. it is a flick of ryonâs reigns that lead his downfall, his horse stepping to the side on the last volley that allows a direct hit to his armor that throws him from the saddle into the sand. rhaegar is made the winner to move to the next round.
match eight
prince cregan stark rides against lord brynden tully
with no one expecting for cregan to not have been knocked out in the first round, the final match up is one that has everyone on the edge of their seats. one volley leaves a non declared victor, each man sitting high astride their horses, the second having a shattering sound filling the air. another lance has broken, prince cregan off his horse, but thankfully, declared to have not sustained any injuries as lord chyttering had. brynden tully is declared the winner.
a hush has fallen over highgarden as day one of the joust commences. eyes are glued to the jousters as they file into the arena, waiting in buzzing anticipation to see who will be asked for their favor ; and who will be rejected for another. Â
above the cut is the quick listing of who went against who, below the cut are details on favors + match insights if applicable. bolded names are the winners who advance to day two.
1. grand maester kaina upcliff vs. kai rogare
2. prince doran martell vs. lord corlys velaryon
3. lord andar royce vs. prince consort sunwoo stark
4. lord cemal tyrell vs. lord qhorin drumm
5. prince abraxas martell vs. lady betha tully
6. king harrion stark vs. prince jon stark
7. victario of lys vs. ser tharon redsmith
8. lord timur blacktyde vs. liege vika ryswell
9. daeron of braavos vs. lady aranya baratheonÂ
10. lady aaliyah mormont vs. lord vorian dayne
11. lord connin chyttering vs. lord osric arryn
12. lord darnell arryn vs. lady myriah yronwood
13. lord sebastian manderly vs. prince rhaegar targaryen
14. lord maron harlaw vs. prince ryon martell
15. lord rodrik arryn vs. lord brynden tully
16. prince cregan stark vs. lady lusia botley
match one
grand maester kaina upcliff rides against kai rogare
grand maester kaina upcliff requests the favor of their son, theomore pyke, which is given as the child leans down to hand it to his mother happily. not much is known about the elusive cousin of the tarths, aside from his large stature. he requests the favor of his cousin, lady calla tarth, which is given with warm wishes for his success. murmurs begin in the crowd as kaiâs lance pierces the armor of the upcliff, sending them off of their horse. the rogare advances to round two after helping her up.
match two
prince doran martell rides against lord corlys velaryon
lord velaryon rides into the tourney with fanfare, bowing from his horse before trotting towards the crowd, requesting the favor of the ruling lady of highgarden herself, lady saadet tyrell. a whispering of the crowd begins, spectators wondering if it is the beginning of a courtship â opinion changing when the ruling lady rolls her eyes, but offers the favor nonetheless. the prince of dorneâs request is less showy, murmured words only lord mavrick lannister can make out. his favor is offered with no upset, those close enough to see a soft caress between the two of them. the ego of the velaryon lord becomes his downfall, lance missing the martell entire while doranâs lance lands squarely in the middle of corlysâ chest for doran to advance to round two.Â
match three
lord andar royce rides against lord sunwoo lannister
it is to no oneâs surprise that the favor of lady guinevere lannister is sought out from her brother, handed over easily with well wishes. lord andar royce requests the favor of no one, riding into the arena and immediately taking his place. the crack of their lances shatters the air, but lord royceâs lance barely grazes prince sunwooâs armor, a true hit to his own. prince sunwoo advances to the next round. Â
match four
lord cemal tyrell rides against lord qhorin drumm
the favor requested of his long time betrothed, lady betha tully, is rejected to the shock of onlookers. gasps shock the crowd into silence as the slight against cemal, and their hosting family, has been put on display for all to see. the lord seems nonplussed, riding to his twin, emira, to request hers which is given with a roll of her eyes. lord qhorinâs request to lord lukas harlaw is quite the opposite, a smacking kiss to the islanderâs cheek as it is handed over with ease. there is an expectation of a homefield advantage, that is quickly proven otherwise. qhorin is successful in knocking cemal from his horse, advancing to round two. perhaps it is the rejected favor that diminishes his luck.
match five
prince abraxas martell rides against lady betha tully
prince abraxas requests the favor of his wife, princess sharra martell. it is offered with a kiss, and wishes of luck as he rides to his starting point. lady betha enters the arena to still stunned silence, requesting the favor of none â luck seemingly not on their side as abraxas knocks her from her horse with ease to advance to the second round. one can only think that it may be karma for insulting their hosts that the lady tully didnât stand a chance.
match six
king harrion stark rides against prince jon stark
it is a match that moves the onlookers to the edge of their seats, wanting to see which stark would best the other. king harrion stark requests the favor of his cousin, lady thalina tully, mutterings rumbling of his divorce as roslinâs lack of presence is noted. prince jon stark eyes search the crowd, horse moving over lady dovasary dayne to request her favor. shocked rumbles begin when the words â i didnât think you had the gumptionâ is heard, helmet removed for the pair to share a kiss before the favor is turned over. jon is announced as victorious, advancing to the second round.
match seven
victario of lys rides against ser tharon redsmith
the sworn shield of the targaryen princess enters the arena, many expecting a repeat performance of his advancement as he had in the last tourney. what begins the tittering is the request of the favor of lady melony drumm, who looks surprised before handing it over with a blown kiss and words of him not getting hurt, as that is her job. ser tharon redsmith boldly asks of the favor of ruling lady saadet tyrell, which is rejected soundly. dramatics of the redsmith may be the reason for why his lance goes astray, with victario advancing to the next round.
match eight  Â
lord timur blacktyde rides against liege vika ryswell
the requested favor of princess nymeria martell by timur elicits confused murmurs, even more so when she accepts and offers it up happily. is this the beginning of a new courtship ? did the martells really approve this for their youngest child ? more chattering begins as the ruling liege of the rills requests the favor of pimchanok targaryen. the usually stoic princess offers a smile and wink along with their favor. both jousters take their place, seemingly evenly matched but the round ends in timurâs advantage for him to advance to the next round. Â
match nine
daeron of braavos rides against lady aranya baratheon
 it is to the surprise of none that aranya requests the favor of her betrothed, princess rhaenys targaryen. it is accepted, handed to the baratheon before she rides to take her place. when daeron of braavos enters the arena, he requests the favor of lady melony drumm as well â chattering starting before she offers another to him with well wishes for her friend with a grin. with previous performance, it is expected for the match to be in daeronâs favor yet aranyaâs lance hits him with enough force for his horse to misstep, and the lady baraethon advances.
match ten
lady aaliyah mormont rides against vorian dayne   Â
neither riders choose to request a favor, it seems, though there is a startling hint of purple seen amongst his amour that is a different shade than what his sister offered earlier, suggesting that itâs not from starfall. the lack of experience is clear in this match on the mormontâs side, resulting in them unseated and landing in the sand with minor injuries. vorian advances to the next round. Â
match eleven
lord connin chyttering rides against lord osric arryn
the lord from the crownlands is known for his prowess, looking towards the crowd to shyly request the favor of lady emira tyrell. it is given to him with well wishes, while osric takes his place, apparent choice of choosing not to request the favor of anyone. despite the thoughts that the match would go to connin, osric emerges victorious with a great effort and is going to move to the next round. Â
match twelve
lord darnell arryn rides against lady myriah yronwood
the match begins with lady myriah beseeching the favor of lady alys karstark, the request accepted amicably as alys allow her son to give the favor to the yronwood. with whispers already started about the child being a bastard son of one of the starks, is it a an attempt to cover up the rumors swirling about torrhenâs parentage ? with the royce sitting to the side in the stands, lord darnell requests the favor or lord andar royce, which is given though with many looks of confusion. this match is another that is even, a last minute grip switch of the yronwoodâs lance not aiming quite as high as needed while darnellâs aim is true, sending him to the next round.  Â
match thirteen
lord sebastian manderly rides against prince rhaegar targaryen
though not unusual for a guard to ask of the favor for his charge, the arena still holds their collective breaths as lord sebastian manderly asks for the favor of princess alexia stark, which is accepted with a laugh and a grin, wishes offered for luck. the prince requests the favor of his youngest sibling, princess pimchanok targaryen. the gods seem to be smiling down on the prince as after three rounds of volleying due to the skill level of both riders, prince rhaegar targaryen is who advances.  Â
match fourteen
lord maron harlaw rides against prince ryon martell
the ego of the harlaw is unmatched, having already been trash talking the crown prince of dorne before the match had even begun. residual tensions from dorne, no doubt, and the imprisonment of his older brother a likely source for the bad mouthing that didnât seem to come to an end until the request for lady melony drummâs favor is rejected with a scathing dismissal. a pivot towards princess denyse martell to request her favor is rejected as well. when ryon rides to request his wifeâs favor it is given with a soft kiss, quiet instructions to knock the harlaw onto his ass which the crown prince does easily. ryon advances to the second round while maron is left to nurse his shattered esteem. Â
match fifteen
lord rodrik arryn rides against lord brynden tully
as the pair had just welcomed a child now just shy of six months, there is none of the excitement that has come with previous favor requests, all nodding approvingly as rodrik asks after his wife, alicent arrynâs, favor which is given easily. murmurs begin as lord brynden enters the arena due to his siblingâs previous actions, but no favor was sought. with rodrik being the victor of the tourney in winterfell, all are surprised to seem him felled from his horse by lord brynden, who passes through to round two.Â
match sixteen
prince cregan stark rides against lady lusia botley
the lady lusia botley is known for her prowess, the crowdâs pick for winning this match against cregan, despite her hailing from the islands. lusia asks after the favor of lady gisele farwynd, rejected as the ironborn turns and places a resounding kiss onto lady ferah tyrellâs lips to gasped questions of the arena that only grow louder as cregan asks after lady melina hightowerâs favor, which is handed over. as with the rest of the attempts that have gone rejected, creganâs lance send lusia off of her horse for the conclusion of jousting on day one.  Â
day four of the joust brings forth almost the highest attendance yet, all of westeros showing out to cheer on their picked favorites. the bets have been placed, stakes high, what will today bring ?
match one
lord mazhar bratheon rides against lord rodrik arryn. both men have shown skill in their jousting thus far, the match is highly anticipated and many argue could be the best of the day... though, they argue against two other highly ranked matches as well. the lords mount their horses, determination in their eyes as they meet across the arena. at the sound they take off, both lances striking their opponent in the dead center of their chests. a collective gasp is heard throughout the arena as none other than lord mazhar baratheon is the first to slip from his horse. lord rodrik advances to the next day.
match two
king harrion stark rides against prince ryon martell, still on his high horse for defeating his uncle the day prior. perhaps it was the boasting and celebrating? perhaps by pure skill alone? but as the jousters ride towards one another the princeâs lance slips sideways and misses the king completely while harrionâs lance strikes true center. the king advances to the next day.
match three ( tw: blood, death, murder )
ser gurnar lynderly has gathered quite the following throughout the matches, a brash and bold man that hardly gets along with any other knights of the vale. he rides against lord orwyn royce, kin to the current ruling lady of the vale with a modest reputation for himself. heâs been the underdog throughout the entire tournament, many anticipate his face at the finals.
but as the jousters ride towards another and lord royceâs lance strikes true, what happens next is not expected at all. a sore loser indeed, as lord royce rides his victory lap itâs ser lynderlyâs anger that all witness. when the lord rides near his sword strikes out, slicing the manâs ankle and causing him to fall from his horse. but the knight is not done yet, proceeding to let all witness as he stabs his blade through the narrow gap of armor at the lordâs neck. the arena is dead silent throughout all of this, but a screaming cry can be heard throughout from the lady of the vale as she watches her family member die on the field.
the response is quick, knights filing into the arena to detain ser gurnar and drag him off to the dungeons.
no man from this match advances to the next round.
