This is a large, long hall, with a high, vaulted ceiling and a floor of polished golden hardwood, scarred with many nicks and scratches. The air is ripe with the smell of sweat and oiled steel. Windows are set high in the far end of the west wall, and two massive chandeliers hang overhead, lighting the large space brightly. At the north end of the room is a very tall door to the outside. Just left of the southern doorway, a long bench sits leaning against the wall. On the right side of the doorway, a table is pushed up against the wall. Ghobii is sitting near here. Punzel, Edanya and Tellus are standing near here. Anabeth, Radulf, Jayland, Sarin, Angron, Zenaida, Yamazama, Burgherwiesen, Ethelbald and Duraze are sitting on a long wooden bench. Wildfire is standing near the tall north door. You, Andrew, Edouard, Corporal Petris, Robert, Allenya, Watchman Artegal, Watchman Zero, Mydion and a cat are standing near the south doorway. An oaken trunk is sitting beneath a long table. Kimli is sitting near a long table. Watchman Lucas and Duren are sitting on a long table. Noddi and Starke are standing near the west wall. Gaerin is standing beneath the high western windows. Myrth is standing near Andrew. Martel is standing near Edouard. Kiera is standing near Robert. Judith is standing near Twulf. Gareth is standing near Watchman Zero. Erin is sitting near Ghobii. Twulf is standing near Gaerin. Alpha is sitting near Charmiam. Penn is standing near Zenaida. Sinistrelle is standing near Starke. Charmiam is sitting next to Duraze. 

Gareth frowns, "And what is the cause of this challenge? A public, or a private matter?"

Corporal Petris glances covertly at Allenya.

Corporal Petris raises his eyebrow.

Punzel approaches Watchman Zero.

Watchman Zero tells Gareth, "A private matter."

Starke snickers.

Gareth says, "And what is the type of challenge? A plaisance -- for love -- or a outrance -- to the uttermost?"

Punzel asks quietly, "May I speak, or is it in appropriate?" 

Gareth nods to Punzel, "Ye may speak as ye list, for this is thy challenge."

Watchman Zero nods to Punzel.

Punzel tells Gareth, "This duel concerns ser Starke's slights against my honor as a swordswoman. He claimed I could not conduct myself honorably in a duel."

Starke nods, "I still do"

Edouard glares at Starke.

Corporal Petris smiles silently.

Martel smiles confidently at Punzel.

Martel ignores Starke disdainfully.

Watchman Zero gazes proudly at Punzel.

Gareth nods, "Then, as this duel shall be over the sake of honor, I would suggest that this be fought only "a pleasance," for it is to prove capability, and not to press a point unto death. What sayeth thee, Sera Punzel? This is thy challenge."

Punzel assures Gareth, "It was never considered as a possibility to make it a duel to the death, ser."

Gareth nods.

Punzel says, "But only to first blood."

Starke nods, "I'd not kill her"

Martel growls softly at Starke.

Gareth says, "Then, the first to land such a blow, let that be the condition of the duel."

Gareth says, "Ready thyselves for this encounter."

Punzel gulps nervously.

Gareth says, "Let all who witnessed this know that this shall be fought to first blood, and over honor!"

Starke shakes his head.

Punzel moves from Watchman Zero to the center of the room.

Martel nods reassuringly to Punzel.> Corporal Petris nods firmly.

Gareth bows to Punzel.

Starke gazes idly.

Edanya murmurs to Punzel, "Go get 'em, sis."

Gareth bows to Starke.

Punzel tells Gareth, "Ser, my opponent needs a sword, or I fear I shall defeat him all too easily."

Punzel smiles slightly.

Gareth raises his hand silently.

Martel grins.

Starke smirks, "Maybe"

Corporal Petris takes a sword.

Gareth says, "Doth anyone have a sword for Ser Starke?"

Edouard suggests, "I'd offer mine, but..."

Starke nods thankfully to Corporal Petris

Starke accepts a sword from Sinistrelle.

Starke takes a sword.

Starke moves from the west wall to the center of the room.

Gareth says, "Combatants, ready thyself!"

Punzel nervously watches Starke.

Starke gazes at his sword appreciatively.

Starke wields a sword.

Punzel wields a long sword.

Punzel begins to examine Punzel's long sword.

Gareth says, "Draw swords, salute, and, when ready, do battle."

Punzel curtsies respectfully to Starke.

Starke laughs, "A curtsy?"

Starke bows mockingly.

Punzel smiles sweetly at Starke.

Starke accepts Punzel's challenge.

Punzel salutes Starke.

Starke salutes Punzel.

Punzel shifts into a guarding stance.

Punzel watches Starke quietly.

Punzel sighs impatiently.

Starke sneers at Punzel, "What, your not going to attack while I salute?"

Martel squeezes his hands.

Punzel taps her foot.

Starke drops into a guarding stance.

Punzel quickly parries a thrust by Starke.

Starke desperately parries Punzel's blade and launches an attack of his own -- which Punzel deflects easily.

Starke parries a cut made by Punzel and pulls back his sword.

Punzel nervously eyes Starke.

Even as he pulls his blade back, Starke quickly parries one of Punzel's thrusts.

Starke expertly circles his sword with an intricate dance of footwork.> Punzel parries a cut made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Punzel's and Starke's blades come together with a metallic crash as each of them parries the other's attacks.

Starke smirks.

Punzel parries a thrust made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Even as he pulls his sword back, Starke quickly parries one of Punzel's thrusts.

As Punzel brings her blade back, Starke launches an attack which Punzel barely parries.

Starke parries a slash made by Punzel and pulls back his sword.

As Starke brings his sword back, Punzel launches an attack which Starke barely parries.

Punzel parries a thrust made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Punzel parries a thrust made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Punzel nervously gulps.

As Starke brings his sword back, Punzel launches a slash which Starke barely parries.

Starke begins to rest.

Trying to gain his wind, Starke parries Punzel's attack.

Starke drops into a guarding stance.

Punzel parries a cut made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Punzel begins to rest.

Punzel slides into a guarding stance.

Starke parries Punzel's thrust.

Starke waves his sword menacingly.

Starke parries Punzel's thrust.

As Punzel brings her blade back, Starke launches an attack which Punzel barely parries.

Starke parries a swing made by Punzel and pulls back his sword.

Punzel parries a cut made by Starke and pulls back her blade.

Punzel watches Starke closely.

Starke barely parries Punzel's slash; their swords ring together.

Starke kisses his hand.

Starke quickly parries a thrust by Punzel.

Starke exhales at Punzel.

Punzel parries a thrust made by Starke and pulls back her sword.

Punzel blushes deeply.

Even as she pulls her sword back, Punzel quickly parries one of Starke's thrusts.

Punzel glares at Starke.

Punzel moves from the center of the room to Starke.

Punzel takes a step towards Starke, barely parrying his slash.

Punzel's and Starke's blades clash and ring as they parry each other's attacks.

Starke quickly parries a thrust by Punzel.

Starke swings at Punzel while her guard is down, successfully wounding her.
Starke and Punzel stop dueling. Punzel has been declared the loser.

Gareth says, "Hold!"

Punzel suddenly grabs her waist.

Starke cheers triumphantly.

Gareth says, "Ser Starke is the victor."

Punzel dazedly glances at Starke.

Martel says, "Viola!"

Punzel grimaces painedly.

Martel holds Punzel, "viola?"

Corporal Petris moves from the east wall to the center of the room
Edouard moves from the south doorway to Starke.

Starke gazes at Punzel patiently.

Corporal Petris says to Starke, "My sword, ser."

Starke nods to Corporal Petris.

Punzel proudly straightens.

Starke removes a sword.

Martel glares hotly at Starke.

Starke offers a sword to Corporal Petris.

Corporal Petris accepts a sword from Starke.
Corporal Petris takes a sword.

Martel growls darkly at Starke.

Corporal Petris puts a sword in Corporal Petris' Winter Watch scabbard.

Gareth bows to Starke. 

Starke smiles sweetly at Martel.

Gareth bows to Punzel.

Corporal Petris says to Starke, "Well fought."

Edouard watches Martel carefully.

Starke bows to Corporal 

You grumble at Starke, "And I thought I was good at making enemies."

Martel exhales slowly.

Punzel curtsies painedly to Starke, "Well fought, ser. The victory is yours."

Starke says, "Thank you for the sword, ser"

Corporal Petris says to Punzel, "Well fought."

Gareth says, "Peace!"

Martel holds Punzel, "Where does it hurt?"

Starke nods to Punzel, "Of course"

Corporal Petris nods to Starke.

Gareth raises his hand quietly.

Martel takes nine bandages.

Martel offers a long bandage to Punzel.

Punzel accepts a long bandage from Martel.
Punzel takes a long bandage.

Punzel wears a long bandage.

Punzel grimaces slightly.

Martel smiles proudly at Punzel.

Gareth says, "Are there any more challenges?"

Martel glares hotly at Starke.

Starke asks Punzel, "Well, honor has been served, yes?"

Martel growls at Starke.

Punzel curtsies to Starke, "I am defeated this eve, and your accusations therefore deemed true, and so I plan to never again wield a blade, to cease pursuit of the sword path, for it would hold honor for me no longer."

Starke nods approvingly to Punzel.

Martel glances at Punzel's long sword.

Punzel removes a long sword.

Martel turns to Punzel.

Punzel offers a long sword to Martel.

Martel accepts a long sword from Punzel.
Martel takes a long sword.

Gareth says, "SILENCE!"

Martel wields a long sword.

Punzel tells Martel quietly, "I do thank you for the loan of your sword, ser."

Martel cries softly.

Corporal Petris glances at Martel.

Corporal Petris raises his eyebrow.

Punzel painfully holds her waist.

Martel glances at Edouard.

Gareth says to Starke, "Ser, shall ye accept this offer of Sera Punzel, or shall ye lever her to leave in peace and honor, and able to wield a sword?"

Corporal Petris watches Starke curiously.

Eduard turns to Starke.

Starke considers.

Punzel watches Starke solemnly.

Punzel grimaces.

Martel holds Punzel comfortingly.

Starke shrugs, "She's learned her lesson. I'll not stop her from holding a sword again"

Gareth smiles, "Then honor has truly been served."

Punzel painedly shakes her head.

Punzel murmurs to Martel, "I can't. It isn't right. He's been proven right ..."

Martel says to Punzel, "He's been shown the better fighter. That is all."

Punzel gazes at Martel's pair of dark brown eyes, "Like Cedric said ..."

Gareth says, "Then, without further ado, I shall declare this duel quit and won and lost -- with honor."

Punzel grimaces painedly.

Martel gazes firmly at Punzel's pair of gray eyes, "Only better with a blade. For now."

Starke nods approvingly to Gareth, "Excellent job, marshal"

Edouard nods to Punzel, "Martel is right.."

Martel holds Punzel's hands, "These hands can still do good."

Gareth says, "If I may call for the aid of the Watch, can we clear this room???"

Martel touches Punzel's head, "This head, think good thoughts. And do good deeds."

Corporal Petris announces, "Okay, everybody move along, show's over!"

Martel smiles at Punzel, "You are no less than you were an hour ago."

Punzel asks Martel quietly, "Can we ... it hurts ..."

Martel nods, "To the duelist rooms."