[Ponte Alto] "Is that Anne? ... In armor?!?"

[Robert Capozello]

Why yes, yes it is.  :-)

At Hero's Portion in the Barony of Marinus Saturday, the Kingdom held
it's first official Siege War Practice.  Ponte Alto added one new Siege
Engineer and two new Sappers (non-contact siege crewmen) to the growing
ranks of the Baronial Army.

Our two new Sappers are none other than the illustrious Mistress Anne of
Carthew, and our Baronial Bard Lady Cassandra Arabella Giordani.  Our
newest Siege Engineer is Geoffrey ap Clwyd, the Baronial Rapier Marshal.
Two new siege engines were added to the Baronial Arsenal - "Splat"
(property of Geoffrey) and "Mini Me" (property of Marcellus and
Belphoebe).

It was a long, hard siege of the castle at Hero's Portion, with many
turnings of the tides of battle.  Mini Me, crewed by myself and Mistress
Anne, and Splat, crewed by Geoffrey and Cassandra, were placed on the
side of the attackers.  Also on the attacking side was an Onager named
Upchuck, crewed by Baron Jonathas of Dun Carraig and members of his
Barony.  All of the combat archers present were placed on the side of
the defenders.  The overall battle took over an hour, with only a few
holds and one water break.  

In the end, the attacking forces (assisted by a constant barrage from
the siege crews) were victorious!  The winners then split up the booty
from the Box Of Many Things (a wonderful viking chest created and
donated by Lord Mungoe, the autocrat of Hero's Portion).

It was with some amusement throughout the day that we heard the phrase
"Is that Anne? ...  In armor?!?!?!?" repeated again and again.
Hopefully she will be an inspiration to others (as if she wasn't one
already? ;-) to join us on the heavy field - as fighters, archers,
engineers, and sappers.

Both Belphoebe and myself are extremely proud of all the fighters in
this great Barony of Ponte Alto.  We cannot wait to assemble on the
field at Pennsic, and drown our foes in a sea of Black and Gold!

YiS,

-- Marcellus