Beside him, Ayren smiled as he whispered something to a Dravien noble that made the man's eyes widen. Even from this distance, Soren could read the words on Ayren's lips: "watching a wolf test its cub."
The first match began, knights saluting each other with formal precision before launching into combat that was more performance than true contest. Their blades caught the sunlight as they moved through sequences that demonstrated skill without risking serious injury.
The crowd responded with appropriate appreciation, though their attention frequently drifted toward where Soren stood, toward where Aric Lanther waited.
The true spectacle approached.
When the first match concluded, servants rushed to smooth the sand, erasing footprints and preparing the ring for what everyone recognized as the day's real purpose. The herald announced the victor with practiced enthusiasm, but the applause felt perfunctory, anticipatory.
