A Call For A Knight (3)

Earlier, Nicolaus had put out his pipe, threw the tobacco leaves, and tucked it in his pocket after Mikael had a fit of cough from the smoke

With the circled audience cheering loudly, the third match between two junior knights finished. Now, the fourth match was about to begin, and consistent energy filled the air as the new contestants stepped onto the makeshift arena.

But...

Despite the excitement in the crowd, Nicolaus and Mikael went on without speaking to each other, their unresolved conflict causing the thickness to settle in the air.

In the middle of this, Aurel subtly distanced herself from the couple, retreating away to a corner of the structure. From there, she watched the matches unfold.