How To Deliver Justice (with KiraMusani

Ruby came over to where Clair was. "Looks like we face each other. Hullo? Did you...?" She blinked as she took in Clair's design. "Wait, is that an invention you just came up with here? And is it even legal?"

One of the judges came over after Ruby flagged him. After several moments of study, he shook his head. He did flag Robin over to test the practicality of Clair's bow. "I say it's legal. Nothing in the rule book about guiding wheels for the bowstring. You're an archer, will it work?"
 
"Oh!, umm yes actually.. heh, and I never even thought about legality, I don't see why not," She thought to herself out loud before hearing what the judge had to say.

"Hmm, oh yes, it works, you see, I am not very physically strong, and pulling the string back is quite taxing, but these here make it easier, and it actually adds more speed to the snap of the string afterward, causing it to have just as much if not more speed and accuracy when fired." She explained, pointing out the wheels and string, as well as the bow shape.

Clair paused a moment.
"If you want we can both use this, if that would feel fairer to you, just be careful not to break it." She offered to Ruby.
 
Ruby was actually interested. "Can I see a demonstration of it in action before I commit to sharing?" The Cordonian princess asked, looking between the judge and Clair.

"One shot, before you two face off. If you share the bow, you would have to hand it back and forth after each shot during your competition. It's the only fair way for you two to still be head to head as intended. If that's fine with you ladies, we'll mark it in our books as using the same weapon." The judge stated. "And since Lady Clair invented it, and you asked for a demonstration, Princess Ruby, you'll have to shoot first, when you actually begin."

Ruby frowned, but finally shrugged, looking to Clair. "I'm okay with those changes if Lady Clair is."
 
Clair nodded and aim at a nearby tree, ensuring no one was in the way or behind it as it was beyond the scope of the festivities.
"It's hard to see but pulling back is quite easy compared to a standard longbow," she explained as she pulled back and took the shot, hitting the tree center mass as the shot flew as straight as the arrow she had shot.
"Make sure you use the same strand that I did or it won't work properly," she told her as she handed her the bow.

"Oh! yes and of course I agree that sounds perfectly fair to me." she nodded the most comfortable she had been all day as she was finally discussing something that was very much in her wheelhouse of expertise.
 
Princess Ruby thanked Clair and nodded. "Mom would adore this contraption! She's more a swordfighter, but she respects any archer worth his or her salt." She felt comfortable enough with Clair (as well as Olivia and Diana) to talk a little bit more about her mom, the Queen of Cordonia, Kenna Rhys.

Meanwhile, Olivia, Avenger and Aurora Service, duchess of Valtoria of the realm of Cordonia would head over to watch Clair.

Olivia called to her fellow warrior. "Diana! We're headed to watch Clair and Ruby square off! Would you like to join?" She, and those with her, didn't hear how Diana's match with Versailles of Gaul went, as the judges were still tallying. One has just discreetly brought Diana news, she had won by only fifteen points.
 
Clair blushed.
"Well, I am sure that I can refine it even more and maybe get the blueprints to her if she wants them" She offered with a smile, happy she liked it.

Diana nodded to the others.
"Of course, I'll come to watch, just heard my score, I won by fifteen points it was a close one, and nearly had me sweating" She smiled as she joined them.

She joined Olivia as they walked over toward where Clair and Ruby were shooting.
"Hmm, that is a strange-looking bow Ruby is using.." She said as they approached seeing the first shot being fired.

After Ruby shot Clair came up checking the wind as she walked up and took her shot, after taking the Bow from Ruby with a smile. She took her shot, managing a bullseye, then smiling at the bow and offering it back.
"Good to see the aim works perfectly at this range."
 
Olivia watched the princess of Cordonia hand it off to Clair, Clair take her shot, and hand it back. "Millimeters. This is going to be another close one." She smirked and elbowed Avenger a little harder than intended. "Takes after you, she does! Trained by someone trained by a goddess?"

Calla, rubbing her sore ribs, chuckled. "Like me, although I was lucky to be trained by her, it appears both have been blessed BY Artemis."

Ruby, meanwhile, still hit the bullseye with her second shot, just missing the center, but a little closer than her first. It really would come down to millimeters in declaring a winner between them. She smiled and nodded to Clair. "That would be exemplary, thank you. Although, I would love for you to meet my mom, and if you win the Dunwyn princess, you just might. No way would Queen Kenna miss Princess Calla's wedding."
 
Diana chimed in.
"If you look closely, you can tell the difference between who received her training, Clair shot well, but nothing like Artemis, did you train her in archery?" She asked Avenger.

Clair nodded.
"Oh, at this point if I win or not I think I'll be at the wedding to meet her, uhh, since my relationship with the Avenger that is..." She replied as she got the bow for her turn again.

She stood in place, checking her feet and micro-adjusting her position before taking her shot, seeing her this time was very much like the first, almost too familiar like she wasn't shooting as much as following a set of instructions. With that shot, she hit nearly the exact spot as she had before.
 
Calla made a face and shook her head. "And she claims not to have met Robin Hood either, before I introduced her a few days ago." She looked Diana right in the eye. "The only other explanation, then, is Artemis has blessed her. I didn't get the goddess's blessing until AFTER she started training me.'

Ruby took a deep breath, lined up her shot, and split her second arrow straight down the middle with her third fired arrow. "Darn. I was aiming for the center of my target, not my previous arrow." She sighed, handing the bow back to Clair.

"My word! I've only ever seen two archers split their arrows like that!" Calla gasped. "Artemis showed me how, but not even I have done it! Robin Hood, himself, was the only mortal I've seen do it!" This showed Diana, Calla had never seen her shoot.

Speaking of Robin, would he as one of the judges, honour the princess of Cordonia points for doing the deed? Although not dead center, splitting arrows is no easy task!

Olivia whistled softly. "Clair may have the accuracy of hitting the bullseye, but to split her arrow? The princess just upped the game. I think Avenger is onto something. Both shooters' eyes are truly blessed by Artemis."
 
Diana let out an audible gasp as the arrow was split.
"My word, Ruby is certainly a crack shot, I can agree to see the blessing of Artemis in her, Clair is good, but... I do not see the same thing in her, but I am not sure how else a merchant's daughter could learn to shoot like that."

"Oh! That was amazing!" Clair called out surprised at the shot, having never seen it before.
"Nice shot!" She declared as she got the bow back.

Clair took her position again, once again checking her footing, taking her arm, and seeming to focus on her shoulders and arm, actually closing her eyes as she pulled the string back and pausing before releasing the arrow, her shot once again dead center, placing between the other two already close arrows, creating a tightly packed trio of arrows with no space between them. She then opened her eyes.
"Damn! Almost did it too" She smiled, offering the bow to Ruby again.

Diana rubbed her chin.
"Did she just, close her eyes?"
 
Calla and Olivia both shrugged. "Hell, I've done that, Diana. I'm pretty sure we all have. It's used for centering oneself. I mean, look what Princess Ruby just did." Olivia remarked with raised eyebrow.

"I would have used the technique myself." Calla admitted.

"The princess is good, but I don't think I ever saw her split an arrow before. I probably would have recentered myself, too." Aurora commented to ease the uncertainty.

Ruby was undaunted. With one eye closed, and holding her breath, she shot her fourth arrow. Although all three previous shots were technically bullseyes, it was the first time the Cordonian princess hit dead center. With an audible sigh, Ruby handed over the bow to Clair.
 
"Okay, yes I know you two have done that, but as far as I am aware, Clair has not had your training, she is a civilian, remember?" Diana reminded them.
"That arrow split could get Ruby enough points to make this competitive," Diana suggested.

"Good shot!" Clair cheered, wanting to be supportive.

She took the bow and started her method, aligning her feet, lining up her shot, taking a breath, and pausing with her eyes closed before releasing the shot again. This last shot didn't split any arrows but did manage to shoot between the others she had set, pushing them to bend in order to make room for the new arrow.

Robin Hood started to approach and looked at Ruby, willing to let her finish the set if she wanted, but being ready to end it if she preferred. Meanwhile, Clair was holding the bow out for Ruby to take her turn.
 
Ruby looked at Clair and her target, and just shook her head with a chuckle. As she saw Robin approach, she knew what it signalled. The Princess nodded to him, and handed the bow back. "Well met." She smiled to Clair. "I know when I'm beat. You have four dead centre. If this was two years ago, we would have gone back and forth until one of us missed the bullseye. Alas, the rules are different, now. I have a feeling, we'd been here until dusk." She nodded again to Robin Hood. "I yield. Tally up our points."

Olivia scoffed. "Now it's a game of, well, millimeters." She shook her head. "I know, Diana, a warrior knows when she's beaten. I'd still have grabbed the 75 for another bullseye. Finish the game."

It wouldn't be until after Calla Grovershire was facing her opponent before it would be declared Clair as the winner.
 
Clair seemed confused as she got the bow back.
"What? I.. what? .. Oh... Okay, it was fun shooting with you" She replied, dumbfounded by her stopping.

"Perhaps she was just trying to respect everyone's time?" Diana offered.
"Though a warrior doesn't quit in battle when in games, we respect the rules and show respect for other contenders." She reminded her.

As Clair was named as the winner she blushed.
"Wow, thanks" She blushed showing the girls the bow she made.
 
Olivia rolled her eyes and grimaced, but gave a curt nod of agreement. She was used to games being completely played out.

Clair was told by one of the judges that she now had the narrowest of victories, having won by only five points.

Duchess Calla, on the other hand, blew her competition, another of the snobby noblewomen, completely out of the water, with three bullseyes. Her opponent couldn't even make one.

It was another mercy stop by the judges after the noble's third shot completely missed the target altogether. She threw her bow in disgust, causing Aurora Service to quip, "Somebody sure can't lose ladylike. What a travesty."

The Avenger bowed out just before the last duo was announced. The 28th place noble, snooty Bernice Beaumont, faced the princess herself. The princess handily won, as the Beaumonts of Ramsford were known for their wine not archery.

The long day came to an end about an hour before dusk, and Gregor frowned as his daughter FINALLY showed up by his side. "I knew you were here, Calla, and I'm going to tell you now, you're not acting a proper princess avoiding me all day."

Calla gave Olivia, Diana, Duchess Calla and Clair a wink. Those four KNEW why she wasn't around the king. She'd been hanging out with them all day. As the Avenger.

Gregor cleared his throat. "In fifth place after two events: Duchess Aurora Service of Valtoria, Cordonia. Fourth place, Ariel Mendes of Portavira. Third place, Princess Diana of Brittania Amazona. Second place Wendy Darling of Berkshire. First place is still Olivia Nevrakis of Lythikos.'

As Ariel heard her name announced, she patted Clair on the back. "No worries, amiga, you will join soon enough. I heard you got extra points for inventing a bow and sharing it with your competitor."

Although it wasn't announced, since only the top five were, Olivia was privy to the whole list, by being first. Later that night, after dinner, she came to Duchess Calla and Clair. "Congratulations, you two. You're both in the top ten." She raised an eyebrow, "Although ONE of you, just barely," she looked at Grovershire. She then smirked at Clair, hand on her hip. "You got major points for the invention and clustering your arrows in the centre like you did. Also, sharing the invention with Princess Ruby. You are only lacking three points from being in the top five yourself. You should be proud."
 
Clair watched the rest of the matches, offering for her friends to try the bow she made if they wanted.

Diana noticed but showed no reaction to the wink, not wanting to give any hints away in case someone was watching.

Clair blushed at the wink, also trying to hide her reaction but not doing well at that attempt.

"Congrats Diana, you are in third!" Clair smiled before looking toward Olivia.
"Thank you Clair" Diana replied.

"Wow, Olivia, you are still in first, you- that is Amazing" She blushed clasping her hands together.

As Olivia came over and complimented CLair she blushed heavily.
"Oh, wow I umm, I uhh, th-thanks, it wasn't really much of anything, I- I need to test bows, so go pretty good at testing their accuracy like that" She rubbed the back of her head.
"I am sure it was just a fluke, and I'll lose points soon, but my score is nothing compared to yours"
 
Olivia raised an eyebrow and glanced at the other two (Duchess Calla and Diana). "Do tell?"

Grovershire interjected, "We all know how good an invention it is. I know you're more the swordfighting type, so I tested it. No wonder Princess Ruby raved on it."

Olivia frowned, yet nodded. "I need a better way to hide my daggers. You never know when you'll fight off an assassination attempt. Talk to you ladies later, since I'm still in the top five. Duty calls." She motioned her head towards the King's table, or rather the inn where they were eating. Someone, either Clair or Diana, needed to remind her the princess was still in the doghouse with her father because she had called Duchess Calla, Olivia, Clair and Diana hers. Never mind, the princess had meant friends.

"Everyone to the inn, and let us sup." The king called. "To those afraid of Nottingham prices, fear not, your dining and room are covered. The inn is entirely ours until we leave for Grovershire at sunrise. Enjoy."

It wouldn't be until the morning, when they learn 25 of the ladies had already bowed out of the competition. Only 30 would be heading for Duchess Calla's home.
 
Clair blushed.
"To be honest, I am not much of a fighter in general, never been in a real one, only training." She admitted.

Clair suddenly got excited at what Olivia said.
"Oh! maybe I can make a way for you to hide your daggers!" She offered in almost a panicked state.

Diana paused at Clairs reaction before she nodded at Olivia.
"I'll go with you Olivia, you may be at the top, but I am still in the top five as well" She then whispered to Olivia.
"Don't forget the Princess is still on thin ice with the King"

Clair let out a sigh of relief at the King's announcement about prices, knowing she could not even afford bread and water here.
 
Olivia raised an eyebrow again. "We need to change that. Later on we spar. Nippon may hate us as a country, but there's some of their noble and peasant classes that have trained us in judo and other martial arts. I learned from a samurai, and can train you in hand to hand."

She then went to the table with Diana at the tail end of Calla being lectured. "... Galavanting all over the grounds was very immature. Crimson Avenger was with your friends most the day according to witness, while you flittered about. Mind you, I won't put up with this much. You are now head of your table of friends indefinitely, young lady. Until you show me you have some sense about you." Gregor looked up, and noticed Olivia and Diana. "Here's two of them now, the ones in the top five. Vacate thy seat and recline with them. You haven't seen them all day. Duchess Calla and Clair I'm sure will enjoy your company as well."

Princess Calla arose out of her seat, gave a curtsy, with her head lowered in shame, and walked solemnly to the two. "Let's get the other two, and find us a seat."

Olivia exchanged glances with Diana. She actually had no comment! How do you chew out a king you actually respect for shaming his daughter in public, especially when it was deserved?
 
Clair blushed at Olivia's response.
"I umm, y-yeah that sounds like a good idea" She nodded nervously, not sure why she didn't let her know her father has already trained her hand to hand, it would have been rude, right?
"Also, so where do you want your dagger to be concealed? arms, wrists? maybe leg or ankle? somewhere else on the body?"

Diana walked in and nodded to the King.
"Well said your majesty" She gave her warrior's bow to the King.
"Yes princess, we shall join the others" She declared, choosing not to reem out Gregor at all after her glance exchanged with Olivia.

As they got seated Clair would be talking with Olivia about her concealed daggers, having her notebook out to start discussing design ideas.
 
Olivia listened attentively, and explained she'd want them easily accessible to her, but not to those around her. "Arm, wrist, under the bosom... Hmm, that might be difficult as you would have to sew the concealer into the fabric of the outfit, there. If you know a way, do it. No assassins would allow a lady they tend to kill to bend down along the leg, so no lower than the waist." She thought about it. "One of our Queens, Dorothy the Meek, was attacked by three at once." She grinned, "Let's just say, meek don't mean weak. Especially in Lythikos." It was heavily implied that Dorothy had literally kicked her attempted assassins asses. And if Clair did know any European history... She'd read the accounts.

Grovershire looked across to Diana. "Pence for your thoughts, warrior princess?"

Calla ordered for the whole table, and it was soon crowded with almost every vegetable dish imaginable. Bowls of legumes, honey roasted, were set at each place. "I learned that these certain legumes are high in both fibre and protein. I don't know how true it is, but I have felt less exhausted bodily." She explained. The bowls contained what we would now call peanuts.
 
Clair thought to herself, not knowing about the assassination attempt at all, but was considering options for her daggers still.
"Hmm, what about some wrist-mounted device that can hold the dagger blade out, and when activated, use a spring to push the blade out into your hands." She suggested.
"Maybe even attack them to a connected thin metal string-like material, that can be pulled back or used for throwing the dagger if needed." She added.

Diana looked to Groveshire and nodded.
"This whole thing seems to be just buying time, sooner or later, the princess will need to let the cat out of the bag"

Clair would be happy to keep discussing the daggers while she ate.
 
Olivia nodded, pointing to one of the designs, "I take that's the spring activated? Is there a kilogram per square inch limit in sending the hilt to my hand as opposed to sending it into someone. I'd hate to skewer one of my allies by accident."

Grovershire sighed and nodded. "So you're wrestling with the same thing as I. How do we get to the knights on our side that want Avenger in the tower for a month before she gets knighted... And right now, as upset as Gregor is? He finds out his own daughter is the Crimson Avenger? Rest assured, he'd likely want to call Zeus himself down on her." A shrug. "Or Hera, one." A sigh. "Too bad we can't convince Artemis or Athena to vouch for her... She claims they're friends as well as teachers."

Princess Calla had overheard enough, although the duchess had tried to be discreet. "Look, if Diana can, yes, tell Lady Artemis. Lady Athena has stopped my sword training due to, according to her, not enough discernment in my wisdom." A grimace and glance to Diana. "Whatever Lady Athena meant by that."
 
Clair nodded.
"Well I suppose that depends on where that someone is, we could put a hilt blocker in, so it does not go past your hand too far, but it would still need to go far enough that you are grabbing a handle and not a blade." She replied.

Diana started to think when Princess Calla chimed in, raising a brow as she proclaimed she didn't know what Lady Athena meant by that.
"Oh? I could venture a guess, in fact, I am pretty sure that is why we are here in the first place. You act without thinking, jump without looking, and punch before making a fist. However you want to phrase it, wisdom is the ability to know enough to think a situation through when you need to" She whispered.
 
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Olivia made a face. "Then let's go with a design that brings the dagger to me, hilt first. At the same time, having the sheath on my person, without it being too obvious." She then turned her attention to the others and smirked.

Princess Calla looked over to her father's table, the one she, Olivia and Diana were currently exiled from. "I thought wisdom was just being intelligent."

Grovershire shook her head. "It is but it isn't. It's more than just being smart. It's why the goddess of wisdom broke it down into it's two forms. And why she stopped your training. As Olivia, Diana and I could all tell you, handling swords are more than just knowing how to use them. Think about it. Why can't you do more than fencing when it comes to swordfighting? You need to honour your blade. And in order to honour it, you have to know it and respect it. Athena could tell... You don't know it, and barely understand why to avoid the sharp end. That could get you killed, or seriously maimed."

The duchess then took a breath and changed the subject, aiming to involve Olivia and Clair. "I believe the next stop, before returning towards Dunwyn is Birmingham. We really should put our team together now, so that we're with ladies whose company we enjoy. We'll be playing polo."

Calla shook her head. "I have to play that as the Avenger. I only managed to get from 55th to 48th. Which reminds me. Clair, I overheard you and Olivia talking about your points, just before I went to sit at the table father kicked me from. You don't lose points, only positions. Your accumulated points can only go up."
 
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