Renaissance Fair
The Texas State Fairgrounds have been transformed into a Medieval Village for the Renaissance Fair weekend. Where there was once twenty first century Dallas, there are now colorful tents and pavilions where merchants sell food, jewelry, trinkets, toys and all manner of souvenirs for the Fair. From one end to the other, the grounds are two and three tents deep, with taverns, music, puppet theater and all manner of entertainment. Gold, green, purple, blue and red streamers flutter in the wind from atop pavilions where "knights" and ladies relax and chat with visitors. Jesters in tri-colored hats parade about, entertaining children and adults alike. There is a human chess board, jousting and other Medieval pastimes. Booths line the "streets," and performers sing, dance and encourage visitors to join in the rollicking fun. Ale and wine flow like water, and there's no modern traffic to take away from the ambiance. Day or night, rain or shine, this is a party like no other in Dallas. Come, join the fun. Come to the fair!
It's evening. Normally, the faire would close at sunset — and the sun is certainly nearing its set — but, tonight, there's an all-night revel. Merchants, buskers, actors, and audience all mingle. The sounds of flutes and lutes, tabors and tambourines, can be heard above the hawking of wares, shouts and jibes of the players. It promises to be something of a bawdy evening, really, in the finest renaissance tradition. Not really a place for kids. At least, not those under the age of, oh, about 16 or so.
Still, there'll be a torchlight tourney for the Knights to show off their skills at arms and horse, magic spectacles and flamboyant shows of various sorts put on by the player company, and a final working out of the main pageantry of the day — an inventive intrigue wherein the Renaissance actors have portrayed King Henry VIII entertaining his mistress, Lady Anne Boleyn, in the countryside… only to be interrupted by the unexpected arrival of his wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon. The whole day's seen a show of the love triangle portrayed throughout various events — Jousts, wherein the Knights and Masters-at-Arms vie to prove the superiority of one Lady over the other; Human Chess tournaments, wherein the strategic abilities of one Lady are pitted against the other, their vassals wielding choreographed arms against one another to once again prove the superiority of their mistresses; and Entertaining Debates that often turn into amusing Royal catfights, the beleaguered King stuck in the middle until he bellows his displeasure and sends the combatants back to their own corners. All-in-all, it's been quite amusing, so far.
For his part, Corey's only complaint was that no one told him there was actually such a sport as jousting, still alive today. Outside of Medieval Times, that is. Guys actually get to do this for fun? Where does he sign up?
Dressed rather roguishly in an embroidered pirate shirt and vest with black trousers and tall boots, he's even got a fine, black-and-brocade jacket for the occasion. Add to it the red sash about his head and he looks at once both entirely dashing and incredibly silly. Not that this phases him in the least. His only complaint is that the armorer has insisted on holding on to the cool sword he bought until he's ready to leave for the night… all because faire safety regulations prohibit patrons from carrying weaponry.
It's such a shame.
Strolling alongside his 'Lady' for the day — if she'd even allow herself such a title — he's grinning widely and looking at the info brochure in his hands.
"Whatcha think? Jousting? Or peasant mudwrestling?"
He likes the jousting. But it's the peasant girls that are up to their ears in mud. There's a draw to both, far as he's concerned.
~
Steve is really not sure he wants to be here, and his face betrays his uneasiness. He's dressed in normal-people clothes: a buttondown over a pair of jeans, and leans on his modern cane as he navigates the 'paths' that help to make the fair just a little more disability unfriendly. He doesn't look particularly dashing or knightly, but he is heading for the turkey leg booth.
~
The 'Lady' in question is definitely not dressed as such. There's no heavy dresses, no bum rolls or chemises. There is no doubt that Leigh could pull off a costume of such finery, simply that they do not suit who she is. Besides which, it's exceedingly difficult to drive a motorcycle wearing a dress that falls so far below her knees. Unlike a horse, a bike doesn't allow her to ride side saddle.
"Jousting," replies Leigh. As fun as peasant mudwrestling sounds, jousting has more speed, more excitement.
Like her 'Lord' for the day, she's wearing a pirate outfit. Hers is decidedly more feminine — an off the shoulder ivory blouse, a gold trimmed and embossed leather corset, tight leather pants, and tall black leather boots that come up over her knees. A red bandana is tied around a leather tri-cornered hat. The bandana sways from side to side as she turns her head.
"Peasant girl wrestling sounds too much like work to me. I might be tempted to break them up if things got out of hand."
~
Corey laughs at that, blue eyes sparkling. "Can't have that," he concedes. "Jousting it is." Suits him just as well, anyway.
He holds up the brochure and examines the events chart helpfully provided within. Checking his watch — which is actually tucked inside a pouch on his belt — he considers. "Doesn't start for another 20 minutes. Maybe we should grab some food along the way." He glances, then, to the nearest food vendors: the turkeyleg booth and a chip shop beside it. "Think we got time to get through the lines before it all starts?"
He notes Steve making his way there, the mulch on the muddy path not really all that friendly for the other man's cane. Still, when his head cants it's not so much on account of concern for the disability on such rough terrain as it is the thought that the guy looks familiar somehow.
Corey just hasn't quite placed the face, yet.
~
"Yeah, uh…turkey leg," Steve requests when he gets to the front of the line. "No, nothing to drink," he says. "Not enough hands." That remark seems to puzzle the vendor, who insists on using Ye Olde Speake to tell him that it's three bucks. Steve stands his cane up while he fishes out the bills and then slides over to wait for the leg. He leans over and grabs his cane, looking over his shoulder at Corey and Leigh behind him. "Oh, sorry," he says, in case he was in the way.
~
"Twenty minutes?" Leigh scrunches up her nose, but concedes. She can't tell the horses to work faster, or the jousters to don their armor more quickly. "We might not have time to make it through the line, but I'll tell you what. If we don't, I'll stay behind and get the food. That's the woman's job, isn't it?" Even though she looks more like she'd be pilfering and plundering rather than purchasing.
"I should've dressed the part of a Lady," she teasingly laments. "I could have offered my favor to one of the jousters then!"
Like her escort, she notices the man. Though she notices the struggle more than the familiarity — someone didn't watch a whole lot of television when younger. "No need to apologize, we didn't mean to sneak up on you."
~
Brett was the Coleman glued to the tv as a kid, not Corey. Given his choice, the younger of the pair preferred to be outside doing things, rather than inside looking at things. Still, he became familiar with most of the shows Brett liked to watch — if only because there were times when his brother would yell at him and say, "Hey, Cor, you gotta come see this!" And sometimes, Corey actually would.
Thus…
"Captain Sunshine!" The words explode from Corey's lips before he has a chance to catch them. He snaps his 'eureka' at the same moment. "That's who you look like!"
It doesn't actually occur to him it could actually be the disgraced Captain.
"Sorry," he says quickly, then, apologizing to both the man and Leigh. "It just kinda slipped out. TV show my brother used to watch."
All. The. Time.
"And I wouldn't presume," he adds for Leigh's benefit, "to tell you one way or another what's your job — woman or not. If you wanna go battle for seats, I'm happy to cart the food. But, if you'd sooner cart the food, I'll happily go skirmish for a good view of the tourney." He's pretty easy, that way.
"Sorry if we got in your way," he adds to Steve, now. "Didn't mean to crowd."
By then, though, Ye Olde Vendor is impatiently waiting for an order, and it occurs to Corey he'd better give it or no one will be carting food anywhere. "Pair of turkey legs, please, and a couple of Cokes." A glance at Leigh. "That okay with you? Or you want something else?"
~
Steve grins at Leigh. "You know, I keep waiting for my senses to get heightened, but so far, no dice," he says in mock lament. He's a little startled by Corey's explosion. "Oh," he says, nodding a little. "Uh…yeah." He smiles. "No, no," he says. "You're fine. I'm just waiting for my leg, here." He finally gets his leg and stands still so he can take a big bite of delicious roasted birdflesh.
~
Officer Rossum is off-duty this weekend, having helped tie up a case with Detective Ocho. It's not a happy weekend to be off, as there will be services to attend tomorrow, yet she can't help but grin. "Mead for me. Or ale. Whatever you have handy." She's not fussy, she just wants something resembling a beer so she can actually relax and not be overly caffeinated.
"Battling for the seats seems a duty better suited for one that can charm his way into the best ones," she says to Corey with a laugh. "I don't mind carting the food, honestly. It's the least I can do for convincing you to come."
At the cry of Captain Sunshine, the werewolf actually jumps a little. Definitely not the ren faire speak she was expecting, and it took her by surprise.
~
Corey might be wearing the costume, but an top teir acting coach, never mind anyone lesser, would be hard-pressed to get him to sound even remotely Elizabethan. He's definitely a Texas boy.
"Make that two meads," he tells the server, grinning perfectly happily. "Or ales. Or whatever."
The server kind of rolls his eyes. There are both available on tap. But he pours them mead, since that was suggested first. Then, he quotes a crazy price — three bucks a piece for the turkey legs and then twice that for the alcohol. But, it's hardly unexpected, so Corey pays without protest.
"You goin' to see the jousting, man?" he asks the fellow with the cane, now. "I can grab you a seat, too, if ya'd like."
~
"Yeah, I am," Steve agrees, nodding a little at Corey. "Yeah, uh…that'd be really nice of you, if you wanted. I'll be a little slow getting over there, but it shouldn't take too long. If you can get an aisle seat, that'd be good, but if not, anything's okay. Thanks," he says, nodding genuinely. he grabs some napkins, using one to wipe turkey grease from his lips.
~
Corey may pay, but it's under protest. Leigh sets him with a steely look, and states, "I'm paying for the next round, Coleman." Her way of playing tough guy, and proving that she can take care of herself — like always. Though she does have to smile at him when he changes his order.
"There's time before the jousting begins, we can all head over there together if you'd like? I'll just be a minute or two here getting the food. It won't take me long to catch up."
Taking the two meads, she hands one over to Corey, and says, "You'll have to explain this Captain Sunshine thing to me once we're seated. I'm a little lost."
~
"Wouldn't have it any other way," Corey grins to the lady pirate.
Never argue with a lady. His mother taught him that.
Besides, it's not like he's ever forced the issue before. He knows full well she can hold her own. That's a large part of why he likes her. If she wants to pay next time, he won't stop her. Heck, it's not even something he tracks: who paid for what and when.
"I can get you an aisle seat," Corey tells the fellow with the cane broadly. "Not a problem." His is more of a Texas swagger than bragging bravado. All part of the nature of a young man from 'round these parts', as they say. "Be happy to."
He then flashes that charming smile of his at Leigh, along with a playful wink as she waits to collect their order. "Don't be long."
~
Steve grins at Corey, not put off by his confidence. Since that's all settled, he starts limping his way to the stands. His pace is a little slower than the average person's walking gait, so it's better if he gets a head start.
~
Which is why Leigh gets along with Corey, actually. He doesn't push the issue of the male always having to take care of the female, though she knows he was probably brought up to respect that. She doesn't keep track of who pays for what 'date'. Simply that she feels he shouldn't be taking the burden of paying for everything, so she'll spring the next time they go to the movies.
"I'll only be as long as it takes them to get me two of the choiciest drumsticks. I'll be along shortly." Her hat tips down at both men, as a bit of a playact, and she winks at Corey. "Besides, I can't leave you alone all that long. I've noticed some of the wenches watching you."
~
Corey puffs up obligingly and does a little strut at Leigh's jibing, as if to say: Let 'em look! He grins, then, and swaggers away with a rolling gait, thumbs tucked into his wide belt. No doubt he does attract a few looks, and a couple of laughs. But, it's all good fun.
Leaving both Steve and Leigh to catch up, he wanders along to the jousting and surveys the bleachers. As a concession to the heat, there are several awnings stretched out above the white-painted benches. Seeing a convenient, empty bench only half-a-dozen rows from the dusty field, he saunters his way down and plants a foot firmly on the end of it, striking a dashing pose as he holds that spot open for when his now-two companions to join him.
~
Of course Corey is going to attract more than a few looks. Leigh just shakes her head and laughs as she notices the women fanning themselves and pretending to swoon. She may be in line to be Alpha, but she's missing that mile-wide possessive streak. Besides which, there's no reason to be jealous when they're here for the fun and festivities anyhow.
It's a bit of a juggling act, handling her own mug of mead and two drumsticks, but eventually she makes it toward the jousting field. Handing over one of the drumsticks, she snickers. "Do I get to call you the Dread Pirate Roberts now, or Will Turner?"
~
"Oh, definitely Roberts," Corey grins, stepping aside to let Leigh past while he guards the aisle seat for 'Captain Sunshine'. He points to his golden head. "He's cooler." Which is more-or-less true, since only 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' has seen play in theaters. "And it's a scarier name. Besides, Turner's not blonde." Also true, since Bloom was trying to break from the whole Legolas look.
Be that as it may, he thanks Leigh for the drumstick as it's passed to him, and pulls a cloth out from a sleeve to wipe the dust of his boot sole off the seat the man with the cane will eventually occupy.
A grin is flashed to Leigh. "Shall I dust your seat for you, too, milady?" His eyes sparkle.
~
Steve takes a little while to make his way to the stands, but he does indeed make it. And he's doing a little of the walk-and-eat, too, so he has to pause occasionally to wipe his lips. When he finally finds Corey, he lifts his drumstick in salute. "Hey."
~
"As you wish," Leigh says with a laugh, not sitting until it has been made so. Not that she cares too much if she gets dirty. Heck, if she weren't trying to be at least a little proper, she may have hopped into the mudwrestling ring.
"I think you look better dressed as a pirate than Elwes did," she remarks in a sort of nonchalant manner. A compliment to be sure, but she's trying to make it seem less a compliment and more a fact.
Once her seat has been dusted, she sits down and takes a decent bite from the turkey leg. Chewing it quietly, she glances over at Steve when he finds the location.
"So this Captain Sunshine thing…"
~
Corey doesn't have much conceit to him, but even he thinks he looks better as a pirate than Elwys did. So, he grins, giving Leigh a playfully speculative look at her choice of comeback phrases. Flourishing a bow, then, he dusts the painted bench for her to sit… which, of course, garners a comment from a woman a row or two behind: "Oh, honey, you got him trained. Best keep him."
As he straightens, Corey grins a little more at that and chuckles indulgently. "Glad you like it," he says in response to Leigh's compliment, though it probably works for the woman up the stands, too. "Didn't want you to completely show me up." A beat. "Though, I think you did." Again, that wink.
Man, these two can be cloying to watch.
Still, as Steve arrives, he turns his attention back to him. "Hey, man. You found us okay. Good." He raises his own mug of mead in return salute, and then has to laugh as Leigh returns to the Sunshine thing.
"Our friend here," he says by way explanation, gesturing to Steve and then interrupting himself for Steve's benefit — "I'm Corey, by the way. And this is Leigh. Pleased to meet you." He'd offer a hand, but both are full, so it's another slosh of mead against the side of the mug, instead, as he resumes his previous sentence to Leigh, "Looks a lot like this tv hero my brother used to love watching. Captain Sunshine. Used to go out and battle monster… vampires and stuff, I think." A beat. "Mom hated the show." Probably because it showed 'monsters' not that dissimilar to themselves getting beat up.
Something else pops into his head, however, and he looks back to Steve quizically. "You aren't actually Captain Sunshine, are you?" A glance back to Leigh to include her as well. "Brett said he actually ran into him a little while ago." Back to Steve. "And… I think he said he had a limp."
~
Steve smiles at the two of them, turning the corners of his mouth down at the same time, showing his embarrassment. "It was just a job," he says. "But, I mean, I don't do that part anymore, so…" He smiles and shrugs, taking a bite of his turkey leg so he doesn't have to talk for a moment.
~
The comment from the woman has Leigh's cheeks turning color, which she definitely tries to mask by taking another bite of the turkey leg. Then Corey has to go and compliment her, and her cheeks turn red. Fanning herself, she mutters a delighted, "Stop that. You definitely look better than I do."
Taking a rather big swig of the mead to further try to hide the coloring, she nods to Steve. "Nice to meet you," she says, quite frankly. "I don't think I ever saw that show. Then again, I spent more time outdoors with my…" A pointed look to Corey. "… cousins." That is to say 'pack mates' but not something she'll voice too publicly.
"So what brings you to the renaissance faire, Captain Sunshine?" She's not gotten a name yet, so she'll call him what he seems to be known as. Though she keeps her voice low, since his previous employment seems to embarrass him as much as the compliments do her.
~
Corey has absolutely no idea what the Captain's real name might be. It's a piece of trivia that he was never interested in, before now.
Of course, right now, he can't help but grin at Leigh's sudden discomfiture. He's gratified to see such a reaction, really. As he settles down between the two, he gives Sunshine a nod.
"Actor. Yeah." He gets it. "Brett was pretty jazzed, though, about meeting you, though." He glances about as the seats fill in and the sun sets a little lower. "He'll be sorry he missed this."
Both the captain and the tourney.
Soon enough, players come out to start lighting torches around the outside of the fenced-in field.
~
"Turkey legs," Steve says, just before he swallows the rest of the food in his mouth. "My name's Steve," he adds. "And, uh…I was thinking of seeing how the thing was, in case I don't have anything going on next year this time and might want a job." He smiles a bit blankly at Corey, obviously not remembering anyone named 'Brett.' Maybe if he saw him.
~
Leigh most definitely isn't used to the compliments. She's much more used to the guys on the force ribbing her for being female, and having to snarl at them. So when the charm comes from Corey, it definitely causes a more feminine reaction.
"I'm sure you could get a job anywhere, as an actor. There's some sort of shoot or something coming up, since they've put in a request to the department for security. If you give me your info before you go, I can find out more about that for you."
Once her discomfort seems to subside, she takes smaller bites of the turkey leg and smaller sips of the mead as she turns to watch the torches being lit.
~
Fortunately, Corey doesn't expect Steve to remember Brett. Why should he? It's not even a jibe at his brother to say so. It's simply the reality that most people don't remember people they meet simply in passing. So, he merely returns Steve's blank smile with a more casual and genuine one of his own.
"Nice to meet you, Steve," he says sincerely.
He glances to Leigh as she offers a potential opportunity to the other man and straightens a little. His smile broadens just a little. That's his date. She's good. It makes him proud.
~
Steve nods slowly at Leigh's offer of help. "Yeah," he says, his gratitude understated but sincere. "That'd be great. I'll give you my card or something before you go." He has another big bite of turkey. "Nice to meet you too," he murmurs, mouth a little full. You can't eat a turkey leg politely anyway.
~
There may be a dark animal that lurks beneath Leigh's surface, but that doesn't stop her from being good people.
Smiling at Steve, she nods. "Perfect. I'll definitely let you know then. I should have details early next week." Provided the movie-shoot people get back to the department to follow up on their request.
There is an understood agreement about the turkey leg issue. It's hard to be dainty and cute when eating a greasy turkey leg. So she takes another bite, to finish off the majority of it, and wipes at her hand with a cloth napkin. "And still this isn't as bad as trying to eat a pork rib with your hands. Those things are greasy."
~
"Don't forget the sauce," Corey adds. What's a pork rib without a healthy helping of bbq sauce, after all? "Makes it all the better." And all that much messier.
For his part, he's attended to some of the turkey leg Leigh brought him, though he's had to suck on a couple of the long strands that lace the thing to get to the heart of the meat. Fortunately, the grease that drips off his chin before he can catch it lands on a bare patch of chest between the laces of his shirt and not on the fabric. A quick flick of his finger takes care of that.
"Oh, look," he says, now, gesturing to the field. "They're starting."
The torches now lit, squires come forth from out of the 'tiring houses at either end of the arena. Heralds with trumpets follow them and sound a flourish, signalling the approach of the Royal Court and the start of the tourney.
~
"If they're getting permits already, though, they probably cast everything. Best I could do at this point'd be extra," Steves predicts. "But I guess I'd take that." He lifts his chin to see the jousters better.
~
"Hmm, maybe," she offers to Steve, trying to catch a bit of the grease that drips down her hand with her tongue, before it drips down into the cuff of her shirt. "But even so, networking, right? Get involved as an extra, you'll get the contacts for the next shoot."
Leigh has an optimistic way of looking at some things, despite her job.
"You chose these seats," she accuses Corey teasingly, "Because they're too far away for me to give away a favor." With a broad grin she adds, "But that's alright. The person I want to give favor to isn't jousting anyhow."
~
Corey won't outright presume he's that person, but he does grin (somewhat hopefully), nontheless. He watches as the Knights ride out on horseback to salute the King and his Queen… and, in some cases, his Mistress as well. "That has got to be such a cool job," he says, shifting a little in his seat, perhaps almost boyishly with anticipation. "It'd hurt like hell when you get hit, but still… Frickin' cool!"
See, the idea of being on stage to play a T-Bird in Grease doesn't much interest him. And he'd dismay even the most stalwart of teachers that might try to teach him to act. But, the idea of being a Knight like that… well, there's still a little boy inside him that'd jump at the chance.
"And these are good seats!" He protests as almost an afterthought.
~
"Yeah," Steve tells Leigh, bobbing his head. Maybe he doesn't quite share her optimism, but he can at least be polite. He watches the jousters without comment on their coolness, then glances at Corey, who seems pretty excited.
~
There's no presumption, but there is a grin. Leigh can be satisfied with that, she'll tease him about it later. She'll never let on that it was him she was talking about either. Not unless outright asked.
"Why not join the group then? I think it's only something like thirty dollars a year." There were forms when they came in, and she's observant enough to notice everything. "I bet they give lessons on it. What's thirty bucks when it's something fun you want to try your hand at?"
She might even head out and watch him fall off the horse a few times.
"They're great seats," she agrees with a laugh. "I was just teasing."
The show begins, the riders taking their places. Two to the field at a time. Racing toward each other with the lances outstretched, trying to knock one another off the horse.
~
"Thirty bucks, huh?" There's gotta be hidden costs in there somewhere. Nonetheless, Corey glances to Steve. "Whatcha think? Would you do it, if you could?"
The fact the other man uses a cane hasn't escaped him. But, that doesn't mean Steve is dead. Maybe he can't joust, himself, but the question's hypothetically 'would you, could you'. Personally, Corey might just have to look into it.
Especially, if he gets to wear the lady pirate's favor.
There's a great thundering of hooves, now, followed by a resounding crash as the two knights clash. One loses his lance, the other clearly the victor. The crowd cheers, pages and wenches along the front row encouraging and directing the cheering.
~
Steve scratches his jaw, shrugging. "I don't know," he says. "I was never that interested in jousting. But if I wanted to do something and it only cost thirty bucks? Yeah, of course I'd do it." He bobs his head for emphasis, watching the jousters.
~
"Although," Leigh remarks as a second 'knight' is brought off the field in a stretcher, "I don't know if I really like the idea of you getting killed by a lance." The third set of riders are up and off. The tournament well underway as the cheers from the crowd grow louder.
"Well that's what the paperwork said. We can head out and pick up your sword, and take a look at it. See what that entails." Granted, there's likely extra costs for armor, and horse riding lessons, and jousting lessons, but joining the group? Thirty bucks.
~
"Yeah…" Corey concedes. "We can take a look, anyway."
And, really, he doesn't want to be carried off the field on a stretcher, either. On the other hand, it wouldn't be the first time he'd picked up a dangerous pastime. At the end of the day, though, he'll probably stick to parkour.
In any case, he's not inclined to leave until the clashing and smashing is over. And, with the torches lit all around, the firelight glittering off of the armor… it's one helluva show.
By the end of it, the Queen's Champion stands victorious, and Lady Anne is left fuming when Henry departs the field for the tavern with the Queen — all for show, of course — where the party's only just begun.
