The deafening sound of the outside's crowd leaks into the wooden room, sunlight simirly shining inside, only obstructed by an auburn haired woman, her hair kept up with cloth tied above her head. She hunches down until her hand was within reach of the sleeping woman, the gap between their ages showing in comparison.

  "Hey." A shake on the woman's shoulder, id atop her bed. Discomfort showed itself through her expression, groans slowly climbing up from her throat signaling a simir condition. "...Wake up already, girl!" A click of the woman's tongue. "Ya' sleep like a damn rock!" The shakes gain intensity, enough to jolt her awake with a gasp that unches her up to sit. Her hand grasps her chest, deep breaths alongside her eyes darting along the room slowly calming her nerves.

  The older woman responsible for the harsh awakening waits on the side as the blonde that had woken up gather her senses. "Oh god..." The tension is released with a chuckle, her voice carrying a sleepy tone in itself still. "I had the craziest dream, you have no idea."

  The older woman presses her knuckles against her hips, her annoyance clear in her face as she watches the blonde woman gather herself. "Yes, yes... is it more important than that tourney you've been chewing my head over?" Her head nudges towards a window, the stone tiled road busier than usual with crowds walking. Their chatter loud enough to question how the blonde woman was able to sleep for so long. "They're already gathering the spectators." The news has the blonde woman jump from the bed, her movements hastened and janky as she changes to put on a simple combination of cloth pants and a shirt, topping them with pieces of padded leather to act as protection over the torso. A belt and a sheathed bde finally being strapped against her waist as well before she would move towards the door. "Ah! Ah... well, remind me to tell you about it when I return!"

  The auburn haired woman raises a hand to signal a pause amidst the blonde woman's exit. "Hold on. Meryl, honey." Her voice calm, gets the hastened steps of the younger woman to stop, turning back to listen to their words. "What's so important about this tourney?" An ever growing grin settles onto Meryl's face, her left palm pushing against the hilt of her sheathed bde before she speaks. "You see, they'll be giving the winner a big reward, as rumor has it! It's probably like money or something, I doubt there'd be so much of a crowd otherwise, right?" Without a glimpse of doubt she speaks. "Though, I gotta go, miss Pam. Don't wait for me for breakfast, alright?" A piece sign sent their way before she darts out.

  Her left hand remains holding onto her bde as she pushes forward inside of the crowd, time was sensitive, especially to someone that had no clue to what it exactly was. The streets of Vitrolon struggled to accommodate such foot traffic, the mass slowing down greatly aside from the woman pushing through it. It was a city that stood amongst one of the bigger ones that made up the entirety of Sletia, the nation itself holding the majority of the eastern continent. The city's size allowed it to have a prosperous house of nobles, responsible for ruling and also holding events simir to the one being held now. It kept the public happy and gave the noble house a little more allowance to spend for themselves.

  Tournaments were retively common, people enjoyed getting to witness swordpy with minimal consequence and seemingly only rewards at the end. Unofficial bets and the like added stakes to those that sought it as well, if they were not able to find it on the arena. An opportunity she wanted for a long time now, and awfully close to missing out on it too were she to make it te now. A push, an excused sneak across the crowd until she would make it to the amphitheatrical building. It was used for many different occurrences, be it for pys, announcements, races or like now, tournaments. The first front rows were left empty to get a safe distance between contestants and the spectators, though by now Meryl had found herself pressed against the sign-up counter on the side of the entrance. She was te, being the sole person to be in line. The attendants had begun packing their paperwork already, pausing to look at the young woman. "The entrance is just that way, ma'am. No need to pay." His hand points towards the obvious entrance the crowd was keeping busy. A bright smile covers her face before she answers, a push of the bde's hilt with her hand again to exhaust the glimpses of anxiety bubbling in her. "I was... here to sign up, actually! I'm not te... right?"

  The attendant squints, the wrinkles across his face gaining emphasize during his silent inspection, and judgement of Meryl. The tense expression melts, only to be repced with a snicker that soon builds up to a hearty ughter. "You... you came to sign up?" Some would believe he was choking if they had not witnessed the build up, his wheezes making it hard for him to speak as he leans onto the counter. "Oh, gods. You made my day, girlie." On the other hand though, her cheerful demeanor had shifted, overtaken by the anxiety that she was holding aback. Offense was present too, in his reaction. Sletia as a nation and the city of Vitrolon had rather "traditional" opinion on women, complications were expected by Meryl though being treated as a jester was an unexpected low. A hand is pced onto the ughing attendant's shoulder though, one of the guards overlooking the process having approached him to whisper. He had a distinct armband that dispyed his positioning as one of the noble house's personal guards,. His gaze watched Meryl carefully as each word out of his mouth calmed the ughter of the attendant, silence overtaking his demeanor as a nod follows. "Turns out we... have one more room, girlie." He wiped a tear from his eye as he found room on the list of contestants to add her name, finally tucking it away. The guard's attention idly remained on her for a few more moments, facing forward to watch the dwindling crowd now that the majority that made it in. A bead of sweat rolls down the attendant's forehead in the meantime, leaning forward to speak hushed words. "Though you are... aware this is a swords contest, right?" He had a worried tone to his voice as well, with little intent to cause further offense. Though the woman had already crossed her arms before him, tapping her foot on the stone floor in impatience. "Ugh... if that's all, can I just go in?"

  The man apologetically nods, his hand gesturing to the gate. "Yes, yes... of course. I am just confused... about why you'd want to..." A groan from Meryl pauses his words. "What's your deal, man?! I'm not the only woman in history to swing iron, am I?!" Words spew out of her mouth, though the man only sulks where he stands further, his hands showing their palms as an apologetic gesture before he gets the chance to speak himself. "No, it's just... considering the princess..." He gestures to the left, and right with his head, soon his eyes staring over Meryl's shoulder as his stature straightens. "Ah, salutations, ma'am!"

  His words gets a raised eyebrow from Meryl, soon turning around to look at what had captivated the attendant's attention. A group of guards, some with armbands simir to the one she saw and some connected to the military. In their middle was their escort, a dark haired woman hidden under an umbrel that only complemented the color of her hair. The guards' footsteps marching forward, moving accordingly to her own. Her dress stood out in its distinctiveness as well, its color left bnd to bring attention to its texture and luxury material while golden ornaments brought attention to the neck and waist. A crimson gaze looks forward, her footsteps soon coming to a sudden halt as they lock onto the blonde woman. Meryl straightens her posture simirly to the attendant, a polite smile kept towards their direction during the prolonged silence that follows. The dark haired woman slips through her entourage, their footsteps accompanying her to surround Meryl. "Well, isn't this... unexpected?" Her words spoken through a sole exhale as eyes continue their idle inspection, from the floor she stood on to her blonde locks that failed to resist the whims of the wind. "We haven't met before... have we?" Meryl shakes her head in response, her one hand instinctively rising to offer a handshake. "N-No... I'm Meryl M-" before her words finish, one of the guards smack away the offered hand along a step taken forward. Their size almost leaving both herself and the other woman in darkness. "Watch yourself before Princess Delih, swine!" His stern voice speaks, only for the princess' hand to simirly push against the armor covering his abdomen. His forward step retracts, the piercing gaze of the woman turned to him now, topped with a frown. "Don't be so harsh, and I won't have that nguage against the people... swine?" A huff ends her words as her attention returns to the blonde woman, her head craned to accommodate for the few inches they had in height. Her own hand is offered to the taller woman before her. "I am... Princess Delih, of house Vaugrenard. I apologize... for the brute." Her foot kicks against the metal calf guard by her left. Her annoyance is hastily repced with a smile then, waiting for her hand to be taken. "I have to ask... what has you participating today? I didn't... think a woman would be interested."

  Very hesitantly so, that hand is taken for a handshake. A red spot forming atop it from the previous strike, ignored by both sides while Meryl happily answers, all with a giddy grin. "Well... I heard people speaking of a pretty good reward this time around... I didn't want to miss out on the chance." The entire entourage surrounding the princess grumble and groan, their gazes staring in and through the blonde, all with a gasp heard from behind her by the attendant. Though despite their reactions the princess uses her free hand to hide her grin, a polite giggle following afterwards. She could notice glimpses of a soft flush of red over her newly made acquaintance's cheeks, though all was obscured by the hand before them. Once her giggles end though, the princess speaks. "My..." Her crimson eyes look to the sides before they would find the azure eyes of Meryl, softer and somber in their appearance this time as the next of her words are quietly mumbled. "...Then... please do your best. I will be cheering you on." A squeeze given into her hand before the princess would let go, being guided to inside of the arena to wait for the event to start.