i just might love you (a hosie royalty au)

Part 11 "Welcome one and all."

A/n: I changed the title from what I promised because I split this chapter into multiple parts. a 4k word chapter just doesn't work when I call it "part".

• Content warning for mild violence •

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"Welcome one and all, to the annual Lykos Tournament." The King's voice boomed from where he stood in the royal box. "As most of you know, its a little different this year." He paused for a breath, studying the crowd before him with narrowed eyes and a small smile.

Lizzie and Josie exchange a worried glance.

"This year, due to my heir coming of age, the contestants will consist of suitors. Each one is fighting for the hand of my daughter." He gestured to the smaller chair to his right. The princess did not move or acknowledge that anything had been said about her. "Since this is a competition, I think it would only be fair that we add in some consequences for the losers." Then he motions to Lord Vardemus standing a few feet away from him. With a sigh, the Lord steps closer to the King and starts to drone on about tradition and honor.

At first, the suitors eagerly await an explanation for the "consequences" losers will face. After a few more minutes of talking without saying anything, Josie stops listening to him.

She subconsciously looks for Hope, her eyes landing on the chair beside the king before she even thinks to. Her brows furrow as she studies the outfit, it was very unlike Hope. Yet here she was, or Josie guessed it to be, wearing a fancy red gown. The veil was off putting, but the brunette couldn't decide if she wanted to see those eyes or not. They would hold judgement for Josie's upcoming performance, she was sure of it.

It had been Hope who taught her, it would be a reflection of her, she was bound to be disappointed once she saw Josie fail. This pressure that the brunette was putting onto herself weighed heavily upon her heart. She wanted to make Hope proud. She cared more for the affirmation than whether or not she won.

"... if they earn zero points throughout the day, they will be sent home."

"What!" Dana and her gaggle honk in unison.

Josie's attention snaps back to the present. Lizzie is grasping at the sleeves of Josie's shirt, trying to get her attention as the crowd murmurs in the stands around them.

"In the first round of the sword, we will have Sir Milton Greasley and Lord Jed Nolastamé." Lord Vardemus announces.

Josie's heart stopped beating in her chest. The sounds of the excited crowd blended together in a mishmash of white noise. She couldn't even feel her twin tightening the grip she had on her sleeve. It was all setting in.

She could be sent home. If she didn't score a single point she would be sent home. But how hard could it be? All she had to do was hit her opponent.

Josie looked to her left and right, realizing that all those who surrounded her were knights, or at least had much more experience than she did. With a shaky sigh, she followed her sister to the tents to prepare.

***

Two men walked forward, each of them holding a round wooden shield. One of the sheild's is green with what looks like a deer painted on it. The antlers stretch out like tree branches. It looks like a mighty coat of arms, even though it is crudely done. The second shield is half purple and half black. A white triangle resides in the center upside-down.

Josie smiles at MG as he straightens up, walking over a short way to pat him on the back and wish him well.

A taller boy with dark hair enters the enclosed area first, his chainmail shinier than MG's and without flaw. He accepts the broadsword offered to him and brandishes it around. The large crowd gathered starts cheering, anticipation keeping them on the edge of their seats.

MG calmly walks up to his sword barer, picking up the weapon and searching its narrow blade for imperfections. He already knew it's condition before he got to this point, but it was a relief to see it was still perfect.

They both take the offered shields, proud to display their house and family in the glory of battle, even if it's just for a tournament like this.

A horn sounds and both men charge toward each other. MG easily blocks the first swing his opponent throws with his shield, leaping back as another strike gets thrown towards him. He lunges forward and hits Jed's chest with the tip of his sword. The referee calls the point.

Jed shakes his head angrily as he pulls back. The crowd cheers wildly, stomping their feet on the wood planks, adding an eerie rumble. Josie shivers, her bottom lip stuck between her teeth as she nervously bites it.

They face each other again and begin to battle. MG dodges the wild swings of his opponent with fast footwork, enraging the green knight even more. But one wrong step leads Jed to earning a point of his own.

They go back and forth for a few more minutes. Both fighters show skill in their trained areas of combat. But MG's patience wins out as he gets two points in a row, winning the match.

The next match features Lady Dana and one of her followers. Lizzie reminds Josie that his name is Conner.

At the start of the match they circle each other, yelling taunts and riling up the crowd. When they start to fight even Josie can see its a little staged. It might be the most staged fight she has seen since those traveling performers dined with her parents back at home. A simpler time with simpler party tricks.

In the end, Conner let her win. It had so clearly been planned from the beginning that Josie couldn't help but look at the king. He had a chalice in one hand and a smile on his face. He was watching the crowd, and Josie wondered how much of the match he had even seen.

After some servants check the ring and the crowd bursts out into an impromptu sea shantey, it is Josie's turn. Somehow she has been paired up against her friend Kaleb.

Lizzie gives her a tight hug, and then shes being ushered out of the tents.

Some people wish her good luck, but she doesn't really hear them. She can barely stop her hands from shaking. But she musters up all the courage she can and walks confidently into the small fenced in area.

She could do this. It's quite simple really, all she had to do was score one point. Just get her sword to touch Kaleb's armor and then she could stay. She could do that. Hope taught her how to stand, Hope taught her how to swing. She was confident she could get one point in.

She picks up her sword, testing the weight in her hand an getting accustomed to it. She raises it experimentally, and the crowd cheers for her. She smiles back at them, her shoulders straightening and her nerves being replaced with something else.

Someone behind her coughs, and she quickly turns around, almost swinging the sword dangerously close to what the man is holding.

She eyes the shield extended to her, mind going blank as she looked at it. The sword in her hand already feels heavy, she looks over to Kaleb in horror as he rolls his shoulder, shield in hand. She stands frozen, two hands tightly clutching her sword to her body as she looks between her shield and Kaleb's. From across the ring he seems to notice this, silently passing his shield back to the attendant. The crowd jeers down at them in disappointment, their expectations full of blood.

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A/n: next chapter available soon. its half written, I'm just slow.