Maize watched the tournament grounds from where she sat next to Laris on the king's pavilion raised above the crowds. She hadn't heard from Ress since the night before and was worried that something had happened to him in his search for the herb. Or that he had truly agreed to be Cade's proxy and he was busy getting ready to have his ass handed to him... or worse.

Though there was no sign of Ress, her gaze did settle on someone she wasn't expecting to see so suddenly, or so close, or also to be looking right back at her.

Findara and Cade were given an unexpected seat of honor across from the king's pavilion, with their own raised dais overlooking the fields— a position generally reserved for the kingdom's closest allies and trading partners. Maize didn't know Alynthi was so special to Dreduor's trading capitalism beyond their less-than-legal dealings, but it didn't matter— Findara still looked like she had a stick up so far up her ass she could taste it in her throat. And Cade— he looked pale and exhausted, and the crutch was strategically positioned behind his chair, as if to make sure anyone who saw him knew the ordeal he had survived at the Wild Hunt, or if they didn't, would see the crutch and it would be enough to a trigger for them to ask and him to elaborate.

But now that the Lady of Alynthi had seen her, had made that eye contact, and the stare had been returned, Maize couldn't look away. That would be losing a game she hadn't even yet started to play. So she made sure Findara watched her, knew she saw her looking back, and Maize winked with a slight curve to her lips.

Maybe Findara made an audible noise— there was no way Maize would have been able to hear it across the tournament field over the cacophony of the crowd— but whatever she did caught Cade's attention. Maize watched them exchange small, intimate whispers before he turned his attention back towards Maize's direction. The look he sent her was one of warning, if not laced with subtle amusement. Like he knew something she didn't, or at least like he thought he did.

Wonderful, she surmised as she leaned forward just a bit to ensure they both knew she was more than willing to engage them in this cat and mouse staring contest. She even caught Laris cast a curious glance towards her out of the corner of her eye, and after pointing surreptitiously towards the pavilion across the field, his attention also dragged over the field to see the pair from Alynthi engaged in this odd silent challenge.

Maize wondered how long it would have carried on for, and just as her eyes started burning from the dust and lack of blinking, the trumpets sounded to announce the beginning of the tournament. The purpose they were there after all.

Findara broke first, turning her head towards the procession of horses and knights and court representatives taking part in the Grand Tournament, and Maize leaned back in her back, letting out a relieved sigh as she wiped at her eyes.

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Laris asked as he leaned in to whisper close to her ear so that only she could hear his question.

"Just some innocent court posturing," she murmured in response with a sly grin back at him. He went to open his mouth as if to ask more, but she leaned in and gave him a soft, gentle kiss. Part for show, part because she didn't need to tell him what Ress was up to, or what had been agreed upon with Cade. And part because she wanted to, because she needed Findara and Cade to know who they were dealing with if they were truly thinking of making an enemy out of her.

How she would have loved to prolong that kiss, and would have too, if she didn't feel another pair of eyes on her. Glancing up and over Laris' shoulder, Lawson Forge was unabashedly staring at Maize and the Prince locked in their public display of affection. With the amount of attention he seemed to be giving her lately, especially when she was with the prince, she almost wondered if he was jealous he wasn't propositioned first.

That thought alone was enough for her to pull away from Laris' addictive lips, but not before she gave Forge one last smug grin then lay her head on Laris' shoulder.

And there she remained as the procession continued, but still there was no sign of Ress. She wouldn't have minded— truly, she preferred it that way, his place wasn't in the tournament field anyway— but it was Findara who seemed more perplexed with each minute that passed. As the knights jousted and the court representatives combated, it was growing closer to Alynthi's time and still, there was no sign of Ress.

"Are you alright?" Laris asked her, placing a hand on her knee to get her attention.

Maize hadn't even noticed that she had moved from his shoulder to sitting on the edge of her seat, her leg bouncing nervously as she bit at her nail watching the Grand Tournament progress. His hand ceased the bouncing of one leg, however transferred it to the other before she smoothed out her dress and sat back.

"Fighting makes me nervous," she told him, almost honestly, as her gaze drifted back to Cade and Findara. They were thieves, not warriors. Sure they could hold their own if it came to it, but nothing that trained knights couldn't easily deflect. And while Maize was nervous,Findara looked outright outraged while her attention darted between her husband and the gates leading onto the field.

Finally, it was Alynthi's turn on the field, and Maize felt sick to her stomach. If Forge wasn't watching her— if the whole kingdom wasn't watching her— she would have excused herself to her room and waited for someone else to tell her the final results. But she had a part to play as Laris' pretty courtier, just as Ress was playing his part as Cade's proxy and representative of Alynthi.

Or he should have been. Until the procession was finished, the announcements were completed, and the beginning of the tournament was upon them.

A scream sounded from across the tournament field, drawing attention from not only those nearest, but the king's box as Maize, Laris, Forge, and anyone else she could see within her peripheral vision peered to determine the source. Another commotion sounded, and what looked to be a confrontation as a figure moved through the stands, forced their way down to the ground, and marched onto the playing field.

"I CHALLENGE MAIZELYN!"

A shocked whisper murmured across the tournament as Findara of Alynthi trudged her way through the mud in her dress and heels. Those within the king's box glanced Maize's way. Even Laris, with his beautiful brows arched, looked in her direction.

She caught his stare and frowned. "What the hell is going on?" she whispered harshly, just loud enough for the Prince to hear.

He leaned in to respond. "A challenge can be issued at any time during a tournament, though usually for show than anything else. It's like a peacock displaying their feathers between potential suitors, or a more violent way for minor lords to show off rather than resolve territorial conflicts." He tsk'd and glanced at her. "Rarely is it done at the beginning of the event, nor between females—"

Maize scowled. "That's rather misogynistic of you."

Laris sighed. "Regardless, the challenge can't be denied. Both parties must meet at the center of the field, and either talk their way towards a resolution, or..."

"Or what?"

He looked her up and down. "I hope you can fight in that dress."

Maize's jaw dropped as she was about to protest when the same announcer who had previously introduced each territory boomed across the tournament field again.

"A challenge has been issued. Challengers to the field."

"I can't fight her," Maize protested as she turned to face him.

"Then you can try to sweet-talk your way out of it but—" Laris glanced over her shoulder towards the field. "It looks like Findara is already choosing her weapons."

You'll die. She'll die. He'll die. They'll all die.

Panicked gripped at her chest. Maize gripped the arms of her chair as if they would will everything away. Ress was missing and her Revenant was awake. She needed the herbs—she needed him— and he wasn't there, and—

A warm hand rested on top of hers and everything immediately stilled.

She looked up to meet Laris's gaze, his expression one of understanding, and she so wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and tell him everything she was and everything she was doing— whatever she could to get out of this shitty situation she was in. Even Laris looked like he wanted to say something, his beautiful mouth parting, his breath warm where it caressed her lips as he leaned in closer.

But a shadow hovered over them, pulling both fo their attentions away from the other and up over their shoulders. Lawson Forge blocked the sun, but his furious gaze was targeted directly on Maize. "A challenge has been issued."

"She's more than aware—" Laris began but Forge cut him off.

"Then she knows she cannot reject the demand," he snarled. "And as she is now representing Dreduor on the tournament field—" he leaned in closer as if his presence alone would intimidate her. "— she better not lose."

On the contrary, Maize just wanted an excuse to get away from him. "It's fine," she said quickly, standing and moving away from them. From Laris before she revealed too much, and from Forge before she punched him in the face. But a hand gripped her hand again and she was about to snap a Forge when it was Laris who stood.

His eyes blazed into hers, but it was a recognition she hadn't seen before. He brought her hand to his lips, and kissed as that lethal gaze remained on her.

"You won't die."