The 'King' and 'Queen' of Saturday morning
June 14-16, 2002
This year was my first Jubilee (the first time I've even been vaguely close, now my new barony puts it on). We arrived on site early Friday evening, and still parking was... difficult. We signed in at the gate and went searching for a place to camp. Gwyn and Deitrich had saved us a spot in the back of their (and three other's) pavalion. So we got to be the trailor trash in our yellow nylon tent, surrounded by pavalions...
Saturday dawned warm. Signy and I ate breakfast and I got into my armor in a most leisurly fashion. Signy went down the hill to man the info booth (she had been chatilaine for a while week by then). I got my armor inspected, threw my helm and polearm into the gear truck (wonderful wonderful idea), and sat down to wait.
Eventually, we all lined up for the parade. I joined up with five or so other fighters from Illiton, all in new spiffy tabards the baronesse had made for us. We made two lines and felt very spiff and together. Walking behind the bagpipes was weird. I got a little stage-fightened as we rounded the bend where all the people were waiting, but I was in the middle and safe with my sword buddies.
After the 'king' was introduced, the fighting demo started. We were supposed to fight in groups of 1 to 5. I didn't feel like being pummled (pole versus any semi-decent fighter), so I conned the other baronial fighters into fighting as a unit (and we looked so spiff in our matching tabards). We challanged Von Brandenburgs. Bad idea. WHen our turn came, we were slaughtered. I was the last man standing for Illiton, and I got clubbed by three people at once. Ouch.
Then came the big everyone melee to end the combat demo for the morning. I lined up with my Illiton buddies. When 'lay on' was called, I raced forward eagerly. People hit at me, but miraculously, all were light or glancing (I swear, it was surreal, I esxpected to die and none of the shots were good). This is the truth, it has been twisted in rumor to some funny stuff. This is what really happened! I was preparing to charge a spear and decided to check my sides to see if I was being persued. I saw one man, out of range (I thought at the time, didn't realize he had a spear and was in perfect range). I looked back to my victim and started to charge. And the Hand of God smote me down. I tried to yell something along the lines of "A little hard, don't you think?" though I doubt I actually made any noise. The marshal gaffed me out and I declined to get up, which worried them. I was hurting, so I couldn't open my mouth to talk, which also worried them. I ended up being half carried off the field. What had happened, I had not seen the guy next to the spearman on my side, but I looked his way, so he thought we were engaged. The blow came in a little hard, and the edge of my helmet hit me, through my padding, right above my left eye. No permanent damage, he did not hit me from behind! He did apoligize profusely. I didn't fight again that day.
I spent some time working Kid's Games, gosh that's fun! They have little crossbows that shoot suction cup darts at big targets. The kids are cute, it's easy volunteering, and lots of fun. I recomend it.
I also spent a good portion of my time in the Info Booth (my lady was running it). I think I talk too much to do that much, but it was interesting.
At the end of the day, we went up to feast. We han't pre-signed ourselves seats, so we found an empty table (with two other lost folks), and set up. The dinner conversation was lots of fun, I think I'm beginning to see why people might enjoy feast, even sitting next to strangers.
That night we went schmoozing. We spent far too many hours at Gwyn and Deiterich's pavalion talking to anyone who came by (and lots of cool people came by).
Sunday morning, again Signy goes down the hill and I armor up and find the other Illiton fighters. After the parade, we again challenge House von Brandenburg and get our rear ends whomped. I spent some time in the Info Booth, and Signy and I wandered the fair and had icecream and rootbeer.
In the afternoon demo, we took on a different shire, who then teamed up with us against the von Brandenburgs. We didn't get whomped quite so badly that time. In the big ending melee, I was part of a flanking unit, and as I turned my head, I got thrust rather hard in the throat. As I lay dead on the ground, the guy who hit me stopped fighting to make sure I was OK. Afterwards, he apoligized profusely again. I can only assume I was having a cursed event.
The 'King' and 'Queen' of Saturday morning
More of Saturday morning parade, including the Baronesse of Illiton
And even more of the parade