Ronegan will look at the others uncertainly and then add "No one suggests that you should drop your uncle, sire. He is a canny general and a valuable asset to have but his people skills are much to be desired. Kings are judged by how their courtiers handle people, and if Sir Jasper continues to behave in such a manner, he will give your majesty a bad name and perhaps drive away those who care for you."

The halfling will spend the rest of the night finishing up the reader he's prepared for Ran and will begin a letter to his sister Lavinia describing the tournament and his sister's new role.

"Ronegan....," Onyx pauses looking pained. "I realize you must think I am unable to shoulder the weight of my father's crown. I doubt myself too but know I am certain that...," he clenches his fists, "I know who to trust and not to trust. Our goal now is to take every ally we have and worry about their flaws later," he adds curtly. "My uncle is from another age where servants are seen and not heard. Bear that in mind and show him the respect his rank commands. I dare not speak against him now that he shields my mother from the church's reach. You do understand we were not the only one's threaten today nor are we the only ones suffering indignities," he pauses to rubs his temples and exhale. "We all need to know our place here at court. Any deviation, any toe out of line within or without these walls in this cursed place is being watched," he adds with a hard rasp of tone. "Now rejoin your compatriots. I am tired and wish to brood on my thoughts awhile before sleep. I thank you for your support and aid but please let us speak no more," he finishes dismissing Ronegan with a wave of his hand now wearing the seal of the house Firstforge.

The young king calls the knights who enter and usher the party out. Onxy stares into the common room fire and tugs on his short beard growing longer by the day as he looks bereft of hope but steeled in purpose.

OOC: I am going to say Ronegan gets no reply. He's been dismissed by the king and will respect that wish.

Leaving the room the party finds themselves barred from the door by Jubel's own knights. Onyx is brooding but they know tl leave him be and make plans for the night and day ahead of them.

OOC: Where y'all at?

OOC: Varen and Elavor were going to the Cartographer's Guildhall, to introduce her to the Guildmaster and to continue searching through maps for clues to another entrance to the Umbryl Arcana.

Petal looks between Ronegan and Ran sheepishly, “Well, I suppose we need to know our place then. I’ve never understood you city dwellers and your hierarchies. Where I’m from everybody has a say...” 

Her head hangs down as she processes the ramifications of the tournament before she looks up at Ran hopefully,   “I guess things will get a lot worse though if you don’t win tomorrow Ran, I know you have concerns, but I think Ronnie and I might be able to um.... help, if you let us. Maybe we can discuss a plan, Ronegan’s really good at those!”

Fixing her eyes on Ronegan, her eyes widen with concern  “ If this tournament goes the wrong way, we’ll be in a lot of trouble. I just hope Varen and Elavor’s research is going well....”

Ran smiles down at Petal. 

"I suspect that where you come from," Ran says and pauses searching for the right words. "the communities are small in size. The group of us here can all have a say, but if there were one hundred of us, or one thousand of us, how would that work? Nothing would ever get done. We would be endlessly discussing every little thing."

He then thinks for a moment about the offer Petal is making.

"You risk much if you're caught. And, yes, I do not like the idea of magic spells being used upon me. But," Ran says, "I have less issue with spells being used on my opponents. At least those who are not our allies. What do you have in mind?"

After making sure they are in a private space, Petal answers, “I could make you or your horse friend faster, make you tougher like I did with Varen, or stronger or more nimble? I don’t think I could do anything to your opponents without them knowing, but I could spy on them through their horses eyes? Maybe find out their strategies?”

On the way to the Guildhall, and Elavor's place, he speaks to Varen "I hope this works, Varen.  There's certainly got to be another way to the Umbryl Arcana for you all... The Guildmaster may be asleep at this hour, but we might just luck out. Either way, we'll have access to more maps and records... "

Varen meets Elavor's eyes. He can tell she's worn out from the day's events, but there is a glint of determination in her eyes and in her stride. "I hope so. We must find another entrance. If we can't find anything in your guild, we'll need to get creative."

As they walk, she takes a look at Elavor with an assessing eye. "Tell me, how did you come to be a cartographer, among your... other talents?" 

"I would give whatever aid I can as discreetly as I can," Ronegan replies before bowing out for the evening after receiving a note from the king that's he's required to go to thr libraries the following morning to investigate doctrine about succession and the laws protecting the houses from the church's control.

He leaves Ran and Petal to discuss a plan for the following day's events.

......

On the ferry Varen and Elavor find a thinning crowd of revelers returning to the city from the palace isle but reaching the docks they see a nearly silent city. None but the watch is gathered in any large numbers. Varen and Elavor being dressed well do not seem to draw much interest. Moving into the old town where the cartography guild stands they pass the Blue Boar tavern and see it's still doing business. It's nearly midnight but Elavor can enter his rooms at the guildhall at any hour.

Upon reaching the building they find the doors lock but Elavor uses a key to enter. There they find a younger man snoozing at the guild master's desk with his feet up. There's a roaring fire in the hearth behind him and plenty of papers and scrolls spread over the large work tables in the guild master's office.

After a long pause filled with silent thought, Ran nods at Petal.

"You and Ronegan are risking much, and are willing to sacrifice more," Ran begins. "And you are right. The stakes are high. Perhaps higher than we know as I suspect much is going on in the back corridors of the palace. If the darkness enters me because of a spell we need in order to win, so be it."

He clenches and relaxes his hands, rolling his shoulders at the same time, forcing himself to relax.

"In the joust I think it unlikely there is much strategy we need to discover. The challenge is simple. Stay on your horse, while knocking your opponent off. The horse really just needs to run forward so there might not be any advantage to making them faster or stronger. Strength to put behind the lance and strength to stay in the saddle would help."

Petal clutches Rans hand, looking up at him with eyes like pools of water. ”I’m sorry that so much rests on you Ran. It’s foreign to me to begin with, that kings are decided by who can push someone off a horse. Maybe it makes sense, like the hierarchies because of the number of people, but I don’t understand it and I don’t like it. But most of all.... I don’t understand how, amongst all of this madness, someone could hold the bravery and selflessness that you do. You don’t need to fight for us, but you do it anyway. And, as much as I’m glad you’re here for us..... I’m scared. Scared that you might become a target, or be taken from us like Opal.”

Petal wipes her eyes before delivering a chipper smile. “Anyway, you’d better get to bed big guy! It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. I’ll channel my blessings to you before the joust, and then hopefully Varen can find this ‘umbral Arcana’ and we can be back before the battle.” 

Ran smiles down at Petal and her earnestness. 

"I don't think you have much to fear there, Petal," Ran says. "Unlike Opal, I don't have anything anyone wants. I'm inconsequential. If someone needs a pawn, I'm the kind of soldier that gets put forward."

He nods again to himself and heads towards the bedrooms.

"Get some sleep yourself, Petal."

Varen, wondering if Elavor is suddenly a bit shy, makes the introduction. She steps up to the desk, across from the napping man, and raps her knuckles against the wood in a knock - audible, but not sharp or angry. "Good evening, apologies for waking you up at this hour. I'm Varen, one of Elavor's companions and of House Firstforge. We could really use your help. Things are... heated, between the houses. And salvation may be found on one of the maps in this hall."

(Incase it helps: Persuasion: 19)