amy s wrote:If there were feuds and more feuds, then the faire should have more in-fighting present during the actual competition. Everybody but the bad guy is very civilized in your world. If that isn't the case, then add in some personality conflicts.
A few complications:
(1) The nobles were more or less distanced from the real feuds and in-fighting that was going on given they had the resources (men, money, gear) to clamp down on any opponent. So nobles were on the fringes of things that were going on - they would have cattle stolen etc., but they also had the means to be judge and jury for anything that happened on their land, so reivers (and the feuds) were much more prevalent and applicable to the other classes.
(2) There were feuds, but one day two families would be at each other's throats to meet in the pub or at a soccer/football game the next day to drink and laugh and joke together, only to be at each other's throats again the next week. A few horse races and soccer games did end with heaps of violence. Then there were truce days. So there's a lot going on that will be coming out over the series. It's way too much to cram into the first book - I'm already thinking I've been adding too much already.
This said, I received a good review and there is a spot in NS CH22 where I can expand on the inter-relationships, feuds and so forth on the border and the nobles' 'distance' from it all without being overly preachy or obvious.
