A pleasant noon it was, on the 28th September of this year, that many Carolingians gathered for the Falling Leaves Tourney at the Barony's Borough of Felding. The tourney itself was small, comprising only five fighters, but those fought doughtily and well. To aid the understanding of the many newcomers attendant, Lord Kale Harlansson of Gotland, recently appointed Deputy Knight Marshall in charge of lists, interrupted the string of bouts to have the fighters demonstrate the basics of their art. The tourney's individual bouts were followed by several contests of two against two as the afternoon wore on.
While the fighters battled, the spectators lunched, gossiped, and worked at crafts. The Needleworkers' Guild project, a Pennsic War tapestry, was present, which many helped embroider, while others labored on personal sewing, and Ilaine de Cameron, a new Felding from the southern East Kingdom, set up her spinning wheel. The Baronial Rapier Guild practiced on the farther field, and as the sun westered, Li Kung Lo supervised a bocce contest at the far end of the greensward, which yet held its rays. Then, as is traditional for the middle autumn event in Carolingia, the Ladies' Footrace occurred, with Baron Sir Patri du Chat Gris agreeably serving as its finish line.
By late afternoon the autumn chill set in, and the company retired to the hall for picnic suppers; dessert, provided by Cynthia of Felding, the organizer of the day's events, included various baked sweets and a tree of marzipan leaves. Then, with a herald's aid to quiet the gay chatter, did Cynthia present awards for the day's contests. Eirik Lambeson, victor in the tourney, had won a large crystal strung as a pendant; since he was no longer present, Master Kobayashi Yutaka accepted the prize for his squire. The other prizes were also crystal pendants, though of smaller size, and Master Kobayashi and Lady Caryl de Trecesson garnered such as the winning team in the bocce contest. Li Kung Lo then revealed that, with the aid of unnamed judges, he had run a secret flirting contest among the bocce gathering, and presented pendants to Juraj z Bratislava and Ilaine de Cameron, the male and female winners. Ilaine then received another pendant for her swiftness in the footrace.
That being the last award, the company then attended Lord Kale Harlansson, who related a piece of a saga, and after him the Carolingian Jongleurs' Guild, which performed several songs, including a surprising ditty attributed to certain mercenaries, and a new, older version of the Agincort Carol. Then the dancing began, and carried on for quite some time ere the evening's end, when all left content for a day's unhurried revelry.
Lady Eowyn Eilonwy of Alewife Brook
"My first event in Carolingia was Falling Leaves my freshman year. I had been in the SCA for about a year and a half in high school, so I had my own garb and a pretty good notion of what to do at events. It was a bright sunny day, and I brought out my spinning wheel and watched the fighting. Eventually I strolled over to the bocce game and chatted with some of the people I had met at dance practice. It seemed so innocent at the time. Little did I know I was being watched.
"I changed into my court garb for dinner, since it had gotten cold and the peasant dress I had worn during the day was too cold for the evening. During the feast which was a bring- your-own, Li Kung Lo gave out the prizes for the day's events. Apparently there was an event which had not been announced - a secret contest - flirting while playing bocce. Now, although I had spent the afternoon in something which might be construed as flirting, I never actually played bocce, so I figured I was safe. I started to worry when, after Li Kung announced the male winner, he said that the overwhelming female winner of the flirting- while-playing-bocce contest hadn't even been playing! Oh oh.
"Consequently, I earned my verse in the Felding Song rather sooner than most. I have to mention though that I didn't put on the infamous black velvet court dress (a flirt in and of itself) until after the contest had already been decided. I can get into plenty of trouble without any help, thank you very much!"
Ilaine at the Falling Leaves Tourney
In black velvet she flirted with style.
Though the prize was for flirting with bocce,
Just watching she won by a mile.
Provost: Cynthia of Felding (Fall); Ilaine de Cameron (Spring)