From: bwilson@eng.auburn.edu (Brian Scott Wilson)
Subject: Meridies Crown List
Reply-To: bwilson@eng.auburn.edu
Organization: Auburn University Engineering
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 16:33:20 GMT

Greetings from Sir Brian

Sorta don't like to blow my own horn, but very few Meridians are on the
Rialto. 

It seems that this past weekend I won the Crown of Meridies in what I think
was the toughest list in the past several years. My Champion ( In Meridies
the King's Champion is ther person who came in Second) will be Lord Boru
Aelwine, one of the finest examples of skill at arms and chivalry in the 
Kingdom.  He fell to me in the top of the winners bracket in an unlucky step
(He is left handed, I am RH and he zigged when he should have zagged). He
handily defeated his next opponent and faced me in the final rounds. He is the
current King's champion and was a heavy favorite to win.

The final round was two out of three. We exchanged several flurries of blows
and I finally landed a good head shot and Boru went down. We then stood to our
next bout and picked and hewed niether finding the advantage. Then a split 
opening appeared and I snapped a clean head shot. As I watched him fall I 
realized that the opening was created by the blow that just struck my face
and bounced hard into my chest. I slowly crumpled to the agonized groans of
those who thought the suspence would let up. (Talk about the hardest blow I
have had to call, it would have been over then, but to win the crown at my 
own dishonor never entered my mind.)

The next round was the longest. We fought for what seemed like an eternity, 
blows blocked only mere fractions of an inch from victory. The battle raged 
as ferocious as a combat between a bobcat and a wolf, Boru well representing 
the wolf he carried on his kite shield. Myself, straining to the utmost to win
the unequal battle. My center grip round was weighing heavy in my hand. I 
closed suddenly in an attempt to get over the top off his shield since his 
masterful work so far had kept me from stealing victory by going around it.
I was rewarded by being knocked to the ground after having all my blows 
blocked.  The growl that Boru let out as I lay there, broke the tension for a 
moment as the crowd dissolved into hysterics. I arose and continued the battle
anew. Boru threw the double snap over the top ofhis shield, the same blow that
stole my chances at the thrones the last crown I fought. Handily I blocked
both of them. I had practiced in my mind the defence to that combination many,
many times and would not fall to that today. But, Boru was a most excellent 
opponent and timed a third blow, which struck me in the eyeslots and was my
first true loss of the day.

I entered the third combat cautiously, feeling my chances at the crown slipping
from my grasp. Two brief exchanges past, wityh blows thrown so fast the eye
could hardly follow. I sidestepped and threw the wrap that had taken him in
the first combat we had in the day. I felt my mistake intantly as I collapsed
my legs taken as stepped into the blow. Boru stood for a second, the 
realization hit that I would lose, Boru was far too good a fighter to lose when
he had the advantage of standing while I fought kneeling. Then he whispered 
"Yes, that was good", saluted and fell over. Evidently my blow had landed and
I hadn't even seen it. I hugged him in the extacy of the moment remembering the
taste of the defeat he would be feeling, for I had felt in three times in the 
past. No better champion could I ask for!

I crowned my lady wife Mistress Aeruin ni hErain  Crown Princes of Meridies that
evening. A proud moment for me.

Sir Brian Mac Brand

Heir to the throne of Meridies



P.S.

To those of you in Ansteorra I will be attending Bordermarch Melees in November.

Pavel, I'll be coming to Calontir at some point too.

Jafar, Good luck at your own Crown in the Middle, I would dearly love to call 
you cousin, Pennsic will be great fun.