Fateful events

[Oznerol]

The chapter of the Order of the Garter had proceeded as expected, amidst a rigid protocol and a lavish ceremony, John Montagu joined the ranks of the Order, now wearing the robes and regalia of the Garter. The king presided the events, as grand master of the chivalric order, founded by his grandfather Edward, who was inspired, some malicious tongues say, by Joan of Kent, the king's own mother, in a typical twist of Plantagenet debauchery. Noneless, the grand event, housed at Windsor, was as splendid as required, including masses, a feast and finally, a grand tourney.

The most significative element of this tourney was the king was to join the tilts personally. Riding a horse covered in embroidered white harts, in green and white, and his helmet crowned by the leopard of his father and grandfather, the king looked imposing atop his horse. He wears a close-fit, splendidly crafted golden suit of armor, partially covered by an embroidered surcoat in green and white, his mother's colors. A flock of squires surrounded the king, who was handled a lance, that was to be aimed against the knight who, across the yard, readied himself for the tilts. A knight who was none other but the king's cousin, Lord Hereford, the so-called Henry of Bolingbroke. Scores of courtiers filled every available spot, banners and standards displayed every lord's heraldic devices and badges, including white harts, lions, greyhounds, swanns... The colorful scene was as splendid as those organized in Prague or Paris, or so the king intended. No expense was spared, and all the knights of the Garter were expected to join the tilts. Still, the king would be first, his horse pawing the ground, nervous. A white stallion, Iberian in origin, of Arabian breed. Trumpets signaled the start of the tournament.

Queen Anne watched everything from a throne, the dais covered with her imperial arms, including the lions of Bohemia and the regal eagles of the Romans. The sweet and mild-natured queen was surrounded by all her ladies-in-waiting and several other ladies of great standing, including the Duchess of Lancaster or the countess of Norfolk. Among those ladies was an unexpected woman, Lady Philippa of Coucy, former countess of Oxford and Duchess of Ireland, who the king had personally invited to court, publicly welcoming his cousin and bestowing lavish gifts upon her; it was said the king intended her to be remarried and there was talk of the chosen lord being created Earl of Bedford, her father Enguerrand's peerage.

[Gandalfus]

Bolingbroke sat in opposition to the King upon his stallion, dark green caparison emblazoned with the Bohun Swan. Shorter and stouter than Richard, his close fit armour was simple steel, the surcoat being Bolingbroke's own arms; England and France quartered, with a label azure of Lancaster. In his hand, a tournament lance, blunter than the spears used upon the battlefield. Hereford was ready and prepared, horse bridling below him. He'd done this a dozen times before, but never had he been chosen as the honoured member to open the lists with a joust against the King himself.

--

In the crowd watched Sir John Beaufort, standing with his chest puffed out, like a peacock, proud to appear here as a legitimated son of the Duke of Lancaster by his siblings, Thomas and Henry - Joan stood with their mother and lady Hereford. Eagerly, they observed, waiting to see who would triumph: their brother of Hereford, who would surely not hold back even against the King, and their royal cousin who had favoured them with so much.

[Mary The Quene]

Lord Salisbury ofcourse attended the grand tourney, as expected from a member of the order of the Garter to do so, Lord Montagu now wearing the robes and the regalia of the Garter stood proud among the lords, it added to the prestige the Montagu's already had due to being large landowners and the coming journey will only improve that Lord Montagu hoped. Salisbury is prepared and ready for combat ready to show his skills to his fellow peers, he hoped for a good match to fight.

---------------------------------

Lord Neville refuses to attent because of private reasons.

[Barry Goldwater]

The Duke of Ireland is present among the (awfully sparse, it seems...) tourney audience, having recently returned from the Emerald Isle. He could scarcely recognize any of the nobles in attendance beyond his king's Holland half-brothers and their families, the Lancastrians and Montagu of Salisbury - a pity, as it meant fewer lords who could in turn recognize his handsome features and expensive wardrobe.

[Oznerol]

The thunderous charge of both horses was the only thing a man inside the helmet could or would hear. The heavy breathing, the narrow slit being like a stab of light. The foe approaching at full speed. The heart beating, slowly, encased in steel and leather, as the moment arrives. The arm aiming the lance, trying to deliver a square blow. The breathing, the sweat covering the brow, the deafening sound of the steel. Mere seconds. Seconds that could make a difference. The king aims his lance at Bolingbroke's chest, he sees the lance breaking against the Lancastrian chest, but something impacts against the helmet, he senses something breaking, like a wall crumbling and barely senses the impact against the floor.

The king is down.

Queen Anne gasped, alarmed. She gestured to her ladies. She looked deeply distressed.

"The King isn't moving, he's on the floor. Hurry yourselves"

Everyone moves very slowly. Or so it seemed. Both Hollands, duke and earl, where wearing their own suits of armor, one had even donned his helmet, but both hurried themselves to the tilt when they heard the court's conmotion, finding a likely confused Bolingbroke and a king, on the ground, several individuals trying to awake him or remove the battered helmet. Exeter tries to pass through the crow using his elbows recklessly:

"Let me pass! I'm the king's brother! Step aside you filthy idiots!"

Kent, who was closer to the event, could approach his fallen brother quicker. His son, who was to participate on the tournament later on, was by his side.

"Send word to your mother. Bring Mortimer"

He said, in a hushed tone. Surrey leaves in a hurry, visibly frowning. Finally, Kent reached his brother, the king. Richard was unresponsive.

"Your majesty! Brother! Bring the physicians!"

[Gandalfus]

This time, Bolingbroke felt that he had got it entirely right. Lance aimed at the chest, the right momentum, that gut feeling that God had favoured you, that the connection would be solid. Winning, even.

The horse stumbled, or skittered. Sweating beneath his helmet, the Earl of Hereford couldn't tell entirely what the issue was, but it threw his lance upwards right upon the point of impact. It splintered, catching something hard, just as the King's own lance caught him square, sending him tumbling from his horse with a muted grunt, air knocked from his lungs.

He spluttered, tearing off his helmet, as a mass of courtiers flocked around the unresponsive form of Richard, lain flat out on the ground. Hereford groaned again, squiting in vain to try and restore his senses, temples throbbing. Must have landed on that, he decided, not entirely sure of his surroundings. . Richard was dead. He'd killed him. Father was in France, yes, he remembered, signing that treaty. Alone he was there, over a king's corpse, with a pack of sycophants.

"What..." Came the mumble, as his squire Buckingham brought men to help pull him to his feet. Some were leaving, including Holland's son, but the rest were crowding around the King. Bolingbroke staggered forwards, beginning to comprehend the weight of the events unfolding before him. "Is... Is he dead?" He asked dumbly, in wonder, as they began to squabble over the corpse. ​"Is... Is the king dead?"

[The Mad Skylord]

Maltravers had, of course, attended, and seen the whole result. He looked on calmly, hiding the eagerness in his eyes. A careful glance at Hereford, the man deserved a dukedom if he'd managed to kill him

[Mary The Quene]

Salisbury stood calm before the whole host of people that attended the king, in his mind he already started making calculations on what is to happen if the king potentially dies, even if the king is to survive he guessed that the king would not take lightly what Bollingbroke just did, Salisbury just decided to wait how things would proceed.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Henry Percy had come to attend the tournament. It had been awhile since he witnessed such a spectacle given his post far in the North. He hoped that this sort of entertainment would bring the realm together again and forget the recent events involving the failed and insignificant Arundel Rebellion, the short-lived power of the Lords Appellant and others that transpired as a result. Yet as he watched the King make his show, he would go down in an instance and never rise. Percy paused for a moment before noticing other nobles rushing out to attend to the King. He rises and makes his way down, stopping to hear what words were said. He looks at Bolingbroke.

The King needs to be moved... He needs to be out of sight and within a safe place. We can't let our neighbors know of this or they will certainly see this as a chance to strike.

[Gandalfus]

"We need to get him out of here." Hereford agreed, casting a long look at Percy and Maltravers. His head still throbbed, though this perhaps presented an opportunity. "They'll seize the government." He gestured to Exeter and Kent, who had seemingly already begun their ploy for power. "They can't. This will only get worse."

[Oznerol]

Holland placed his ear against the chesplate and checked if the breathed. Kent motioned for the royal yeomen:

"Carry the king to the royal appartments"

He said. His younger brother, the Duke of Exeter arranged the guardsmen and tried to open a passage, trying to break through the scores of courtiers.

"Begone, let us pass, inmediately! Or I will carve us a path"

The yeomen lifted the king, who was seemingly unconscious and unresponsive. The Queen hurried herself by her husband's side.

"Does he breath? Beloved husband, hold on... Someone call the physicians!"

Anne looked around, trying to find one of her ladies.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"And without a Lord Chancellor we are leaderless." Percy says quietly as he looks down at the King yet his peripherals were trained upon Exeter and Kent. "We don't have the means to block them unless we bring armed men into the city, and we all know how that went down last time." The memories of the Lord Appellants rebellion, when Gloucester still led them, against the King was still fresh. "What do you suggest my Lord Hereford?" He keeps speaking quietly and subtly.

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[Gandalfus]

Holland placed his ear against the chesplate and checked if the breathed. Kent motioned for the royal yeomen:

"Carry the king to the royal appartments"

He said. His younger brother, the Duke of Exeter arranged the guardsmen and tried to open a passage, trying to break through the scores of courtiers.

"Begone, let us pass, inmediately! Or I will carve us a path"

The yeomen lifted the king, who was seemingly unconscious and unresponsive. The Queen hurried herself by her husband's side.

"Does he breath? Beloved husband, hold on... Someone call the physicians!"

Anne looked around, trying to find one of her ladies.

"And without a Lord Chancellor we are leaderless." Percy says quietly as he looks down at the King yet his peripherals were trained upon Exeter and Kent. "We don't have the means to block them unless we bring armed men into the city, and we all know how that went down last time." The memories of the Lord Appellants rebellion, when Gloucester still led them, against the King was still fresh. "What do you suggest my Lord Hereford?" He keeps speaking quietly and subtly.

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Hereford grimaced. Perhaps the calming influence of a clergyman over this matter would have been useful indeed.

"We need allies. Holland will likely try and usurp the mantle of governance in Richard's absence. I fear we must name one of our own as Lord Protector." One of the royal dukes would suffice; Gaunt and Langley were badly missed. "If the King expires, it will be a bloodbath. With no declared heir, we are all in danger."

[General Brewster]

Edward of Norwich the son and heir of the Duke of York came running to the corps as well. It was his first public appearance and he had received a new Full plate armor graciously painted with the white Yorkish rose on its breast and a great sword. He fell to his knee's before the Kings body knowing very well that he had died.. Edward was somewhat in disbelief, his father was in France together with his uncle. He was but a mere knight.. What could he possibly mean in this situation? Would the realm fall into despair over the succession? Fact was Edward was the heir of a powerful Duke, the grandson of a King. He might be a mere Knight but his role in feudal society was cemented.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"What possible allies do you think we could gain quickly?" Henry inquires quietly as he ponders deeply on the situation. Holland would surely do as Hereford predicted; he was the only Duke in the city presently, the King's half-brother and a powerful noble. It was unfortunate that Lancaster and York were gone with Buckingham still a child. "Perhaps we should approach Mowbray, the Earl of Norfolk. I might be able to convince Neville to join us, we understand each other perfectly." He pondered upon Mortimer who had just became a man and Hastings far off in Wales.

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[Gandalfus]

"What possible allies do you think we could gain quickly?" Henry inquires quietly as he ponders deeply on the situation. Holland would surely do as Hereford predicted; he was the only Duke in the city presently, the King's half-brother and a powerful noble. It was unfortunate that Lancaster and York were gone with Buckingham still a child. "Perhaps we should approach Mowbray, the Earl of Norfolk. I might be able to convince Neville to join us, we understand each other perfectly." He pondered upon Mortimer who had just became a man and Hastings far off in Wales.

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"Mowbray will support us." Bolingbroke considered Norfolk an ally, and a useful one. "Neville isn't here to support us, though he would be useful. Salisbury would perhaps tip the balance in our favour." Hereford was considering his options. They had to act fast, and time was running out with the King in the hands of Hollands.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"I will send a message to call forth Neville from his home in the North. Would you advise bringing any guards? My son could surely bring mine." Northumberland was already preparing to move away to perform his tasks. His eyes glancing for a spot to perform a disappearing act among the crowd.

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[Gandalfus]

"Yes, bring soldiers. This may get bloody." Hereford wheezed, stretching to make sure none of his ribs had cracked. So far, so good.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Percy nods before moving through the crowd and making off towards his estate. Soon, blood would surely be split. There was no other alternative that Northumberland could see.

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[The Mad Skylord]

Maltravers stood silently and listened to Percy and Hereford. "I will ride now and secure the backing of my Uncle, the Archbishop of York. His approval may give us the legitimacy we need to secure the government from a Duke." He grimaced. "If the King has anything broken, moving hin may worsen the injury."