Lucas
Lucas glanced from Argella, whose dark blue eyes looked at him with curiosity, to Harris, who sent him a piercing, green glare. He … moreclosed his eye and gulped. It was one thing to hide the truth, to postpone the reveal until a later time. Outright lying on the other hand would lead to no good. By doing so, Lucas knew he would shatter Darren's trust, his friendship and perhaps even his loyalty. At worst, he might even end up ruining his chances to bring Harris down at a later point.
He opened his eye again, this time knowing what he would do. “Darren told the truth”, he said. Harris let out a pained sigh, as he slowly glanced down onto the ground. Leonard threw him an alarmed look, while Darren gave him a triumphant nod.
“He murdered Ser Ilhan Lagoon, the previous master-at-arms in cold blood to secure his position. He tried to hide Lord Robert Raylan's last will in an attempt to take control over the city”, Lucas continued to exp… [view original content]
Indeed, Argella encountered no real trouble so far. It's like InGen said, since she is in Raylansfair on behalf of the most powerful king in Westeros, quite a number of people hope to profit from allying with her. Willfred is one example for this, as he has no loyalty to Raylansfair and simply tries to ally himself with the faction that promises the most benefits for his own kingdom. There's also the thing that she's been Argilac Durrandon's only living child and heiress presumptive for about a decade now, which means she is highly educated, especially when it comes to diplomacy. She knows exactly how far she can go with people like Lord Tyrell, what she can and can't say to them. As this part showed, she's also not without empathy, which helps her in winning over people like Lucas.
That said, if you wouldn't have chosen to undermine his position by revealing his actions to Darren and later to Argella, Harris would have proven to be quite the obstacle in her way. She has the education, but he has the experience and he knows the city better than anyone else. Unlike Tyrell, he also has the will to oppose her and despite the stark differences in terms of power, he would have been a formidable opponent. Now, it seems the only serious contender left is Hobert and it remains highly questionable if he can truly be a threat to her.
Yeah, it's certainly possible that Leonard will be pissed about this. At the same time, Argella is technically right. There is no House Raylan they can be loyal to. Wether or not that means that Lucas has the right to declare for someone else is probably up for individual interpretation, but at least legally, no one can stop him. However, while it is entirely possible that Leonard will be angry about this, it's also possible that it's going to be the other way round, that he would be angry at Lucas for failing to secure an alliance with Argella. It remains to be seen how he will react, but it can definitely go both ways.
Lucas
Lucas glanced from Argella, whose dark blue eyes looked at him with curiosity, to Harris, who sent him a piercing, green glare. He … moreclosed his eye and gulped. It was one thing to hide the truth, to postpone the reveal until a later time. Outright lying on the other hand would lead to no good. By doing so, Lucas knew he would shatter Darren's trust, his friendship and perhaps even his loyalty. At worst, he might even end up ruining his chances to bring Harris down at a later point.
He opened his eye again, this time knowing what he would do. “Darren told the truth”, he said. Harris let out a pained sigh, as he slowly glanced down onto the ground. Leonard threw him an alarmed look, while Darren gave him a triumphant nod.
“He murdered Ser Ilhan Lagoon, the previous master-at-arms in cold blood to secure his position. He tried to hide Lord Robert Raylan's last will in an attempt to take control over the city”, Lucas continued to exp… [view original content]
[Declare for Argella] Glad I managed to catch up. Well as much as I don't want Argella winning, she brings a good point about defeating Mullendore. I just hope there isn't a better alternative that comes along.
Lucas
Lucas glanced from Argella, whose dark blue eyes looked at him with curiosity, to Harris, who sent him a piercing, green glare. He … moreclosed his eye and gulped. It was one thing to hide the truth, to postpone the reveal until a later time. Outright lying on the other hand would lead to no good. By doing so, Lucas knew he would shatter Darren's trust, his friendship and perhaps even his loyalty. At worst, he might even end up ruining his chances to bring Harris down at a later point.
He opened his eye again, this time knowing what he would do. “Darren told the truth”, he said. Harris let out a pained sigh, as he slowly glanced down onto the ground. Leonard threw him an alarmed look, while Darren gave him a triumphant nod.
“He murdered Ser Ilhan Lagoon, the previous master-at-arms in cold blood to secure his position. He tried to hide Lord Robert Raylan's last will in an attempt to take control over the city”, Lucas continued to exp… [view original content]
Lucas is going to declare for Argella and House Durrandon
This was an extremely important choice, especially for Lucas himself. He is now going to declare his support to one of the most powerful houses in Westeros, which comes with all kinds of benefits for him personally. There are certainly worse people to serve under and I can already tell you that Argella was genuine with what she said to him. That said, there's still a lot of possibility for this to backfire. While Lucas undoubtedly pleased the most powerful person in the entire city, the reactions of the other people around him might be different. It's going to be questionable if Leonard will be pleased with such a drastic step, even if it just secured Lucas an alliance with House Durrandon. Further, there are people like Lord Tyrell, Hobert or Darren who are all going to have their own opinion on this matter. There will be consequences, though not necessarily only good or only bad ones.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. There is a lot of writing still left to do, so I may not make it in time. However, it is going to be a part from Drent's PoV, with a second PoV maybe thrown in as well, if there's still space left for it, though I haven't decided on this second PoV yet. Maya is a possibility, but so are Ilish or Garthon or Richard. Anyways, he last time we saw Drent, in Chapter 6, he was sent to the city to deliver food for the poor, together with his commanding officer Sergeant Montclair, the soldiers Edonia and Garen and Argella's advisor Tariel. As it turned out, Tariel has quite the history with the people of Raylansfair, who were not very thrilled by her return to the city. An argument broke out, which would have quickly turned violent when Garen just snapped. Ultimately, Montclair was forced to knock him out. Afterwards, Tariel explained to Drent, Montclair and Edonia why she is so hated in the city. She revealed that she used to be the lover of an influential merchant in the city. This affair was uncovered by his wife, who killed the merchant in her anger and ended up destroying his business with this action, causing many people who previously worked for him to lose their jobs, which in turn caused many of them to put the blame on Tariel. She also cryptically hinted that the Stormlanders shouldn't be in the city, though she did not elaborate on this. Drent's next part will start shortly afterwards, at roughly the same time as Lucas'.
It's going to be questionable if Leonard will be pleased with such a drastic step
My own version of what will happen in the next Lucas part:
Leonard:Ehi Lucas!How did it go?Did you succeed to convince the princess to aid us against the evil doer called Mullendore?
Lucas:Shut the fuck up Reach scum!I am now a knight of the glorious Kingdom of the Stormlands and I shall listen only the wise words of the members of House Durrandon!
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to declare for Argella and House Durrandon
This was an extremely important choice, especially for… more Lucas himself. He is now going to declare his support to one of the most powerful houses in Westeros, which comes with all kinds of benefits for him personally. There are certainly worse people to serve under and I can already tell you that Argella was genuine with what she said to him. That said, there's still a lot of possibility for this to backfire. While Lucas undoubtedly pleased the most powerful person in the entire city, the reactions of the other people around him might be different. It's going to be questionable if Leonard will be pleased with such a drastic step, even if it just secured Lucas an alliance with House Durrandon. Further, there are people like Lord Tyrell, Hobert or Darren who are all going to have their own opinion on this matter. There will be consequences, though not necessaril… [view original content]
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. “What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slightly blushed. “Or so I've heard”, she was quick to add.
“Sure”, Edonia said with a grin. “Doesn't change the fact that he was way out of line today. You gotta keep an eye on him” Tariel gasped. “I...”, she started to protest, but Edonia cut her off with a tired glare. “Just keep an eye on him, mylady” She narrowed her eyes. “Though you were going somewhere else with this. You weren't referring to the danger, were you?”
“What do you mean?”, Tariel asked in return and now it was Montclair who spoke. “I think, Bernile has the opinion that you're not telling us everything”, he answered on Edonia's behalf. “Which is an opinion I share”
Tariel, still blushing from Edonia's earlier comment about Garen, glanced around quickly and to Drent, she appeared visibly and almost uncharacteristically nervous. “What do you mean?”, she asked. Montclair, still driving the wheelbarrow that held an unconscious Garen, frowned. “I mean, mylady, that you're not entirely honest with us”, he answered.
“Do I... Do I have to?”, Tariel asked, her eyes still focussed on Garen, as if she was barely listening to the Sergeant. She tensed up and nearly froze in place, when a female voice called from behind. “Tariel?”, the woman asked in surprise.
Immediately, Tariel spun around, while Drent and Edonia turned around as well, their hands on their weapons. Considering their earlier encounter with people who knew Tariel in this city, Drent expected the worst. He got surprised. The woman there was dressed far better than the smallfolk, wearing a silken, green dress, which contrasted well with her pale skin and brown hair. Her eyes were piercing, blue crystals and her mouth formed a thin smile. She was beautiful, the kind of woman that wouldn't pale even next to the Storm Princess. Yet there was something else in her eyes, something that made Drent immediately wary of this woman.
In contrast, the look of joy on Tariel's face was genuine without a doubt. Her green eyes were widely opened in disbelief and Drent saw the hint of tears in them, while her smile was weak at first, though she soon burst into a genuine grin. She even shivered, her body, but her voice the most. “Sherryl?”, she answered.
And then she rushed towards her, nearly falling into the other woman's outstretched arms. They remained like this for a moment, Tariel's head resting on her friends shoulder, as she breathed out in relief. Then, she looked up in awe. “Seven Blessings, you've grown beautiful!”, she exclaimed and Sherryl smirked. “I could say the same about you”, she answered. “I've been hoping to catch up with you earlier. Heard you caused quite the trouble” Her smirk faded. “It's good to see you, Tari”, she said wholeheartedly, as she pulled her friend into another hug.
Finally, her glance fell upon the others and she raised an eyebrow. “Don't you want to introduce me to your friends?”, she asked and Tariel gave her an enthusiastic nod. “Friends would be a bit too much. They are soldiers”, she said and pointed at Montclair. “This is Sergeant Jax Montclair, the commanding officer of this unit. The other two are Drent Golton and Edonia Bernile”
Montclair gave her a half-hearted salute. “It's a pleasure, Lady Sherryl”, he said briefly, before his attention turned back towards Tariel. “Mylady, I believe you were just about to explain something” Tariel's eyes widened and Drent saw conflicting emotions in them. There was happiness and joy, but also hesitation. Finally, she sighed. “Alright, Sergeant. You've been good to me today and it is only fair that I'll tell you the truth”
Sherryl shook her head. “I don't think so. It's Sergeant, right? Sergeant Montclair?”, she asked and Montclair have her a confused nod. Unlike Tariel's warmer look, Sherryl glanced at them with cold pragmatism. “By all means, the nature of these plans is of immense importance. Too important to reveal them to a glorified foot soldier”
“Glorified foot soldier?”, Montclair growled, but Sherryl already ignored him. “Isn't that right, Tari?”, she asked and the other woman sighed. “I... I have to agree. I'm sorry, Sergeant, but this is too important. All I can confirm is that there is more to our stay here. Going into further detail is too dangerous right now. However, I promise, I will tell you the truth once we're...”
Sherryl cut her off, by looking towards the wheelbarrow. “Goodness, whom do you have here?”, she asked with a smile. “Who's that handsome guy and why is he lying in your wheelbarrow?” Tariel cleared her throat audibly and looked at the others for help. Drent sighed, before he had mercy on her. “This is Garen”, he answered. “A sellsword in service of House Durrandon and a piece of work. He was... knocked unconscious by smallfolk”
“They stole his purse”, Edonia added with a cheeky grin and Sherryl raised an eyebrow. “The smallfolk would use such violence against your men?”, she asked. Montclair shook his head. “He's not one of my men. He's just here because one of the Storm King's knights trusts him”, he explained.
“A sentiment you don't share?”, Sherryl asked again and Montclair gave her a brief nod. “He's skilled with a blade, but lacks discipline. He's a sellsword, not a soldier and that makes him less reliable than even the weakest man under my command”, he growled.
“But he's still useful”, Tariel was quick to add, before she gulped. “So I've heard, at least” Sherryl smirked. “Sure you did, Tari, sure you did”, she said. “Well then, I suppose we should return to the castle. It appears I need to make a few introductions. Have to speak to your princess” She started to walk towards the castle and Montclair slowly followed her. Tariel fastened her pace, to catch up with her friend.
As Drent looked up, he saw a man walking down the path, into their direction, perhaps in his thirties, with dark hair and a short beard. He was armed and armoured, though the armour was in poor condition, not showing any kind of crest on it. The man saw them and stopped, as he stepped aside to let the group pass him first on the narrow street, while giving them a friendly nod, which Tariel reciprocated. Then, as soon as they had passed him, he continued his walk at a faster pace.
“How's working for the Durrandon girl either way, Tariel?”, Sherryl asked and Drent instinctively narrowed his eyes. Tariel glanced over her shoulder, at Montclair, before she answered. “Princess Argella is... willfull, headstrong even. She got that much from her father”, she explained diplomatically. “It would be nice if she would listen to my advice more often”
“Perhaps she will once you gave her this city”, Sherryl answered, before she grabbed her friend by the hands, a wide smile on her face. “Oh, it is wonderful to see you again. We have to catch up. So many things happened”
“They have”, Tariel confirmed. “Speaking about, how was your time in Oldtown?” Sherryl's grin got wider and for the first time since they met her, he had the feeling it was genuine. “It hasn't been easy at first, but you know me. I made the best out of the situation, as always”, she answered and her grin got a sly streak. “I met someone there”
Tariel raised her eyebrows. “Oh Sherryl, how wonderful!”, she exclaimed. Montclair rolled his eyes. “Women...”, he mumbled and he and Drent exchanged a smirk. “Who is he?”, Tariel asked, her voice shivering with curiosity. “Tell me everything!”
“Perhaps at a later time, Tari”, Sherryl answered, as they reached the open gate of the castle. “For now...” She paused and narrowed her eyes. Drent followed her stare and spotted a group of people in the courtyard of the castle. One of them was Ser Emphryus, though he did not recognize the others.
It was Ser Emphryus who saw them first and he said something, which caused the others to look into their direction. One of the men, one of the older men, with brown hair and a bushy beard, wearing a fine, green vest, let out a visible sigh. He attempted to walk towards them, but another man held him back, younger and more handsome, with pale skin and reddish brown hair, held him back. For a moment, the older man narrowed his eyes. Then he broke free and rushed towards them.
“Sherryl!”, he exclaimed and the woman sighed. A cold, calculating look appeared on her face. “Harris”, she answered without even the hint of emotion in her voice. He spread his arms, trying to hug her, though she took a step away from him. Drent saw pain on the man's face, a pain that only got stronger in this moment, while the other men approached from behind.
“I am sorry, Sherryl”, he mumbled. “You are going to hear a lot of bad things about me in the next few hours. I am afraid... I am afraid they're all true” He closed his eyes, before opening them again. “Know that I did what I had to do. I am not proud of my actions, but I don't regret them either. I did it for this city”, he said and the stern look on his face softened. He glanced over his shoulder, where Ser Emphryus and the others were coming closer. “And I want you to know that I love you. You... have been a light in these dark times”, he whispered. “I hope you can forgive me”
A cold, almost cruel smirk appeared on Sherryl's face, just as the frown on the man's face got stronger. She approached him and finally, he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh Harris”, she whispered and Drent was only able to hear her words because he stood the closest to her. He had no doubt that the others only heard a faint, unintelligible murmur leaving her mouth. “I already know. I've always known”, she continued, in an even lower whisper. “You were useful, for a while. I'm afraid, it's time to move on now”
With these whispered words, she separated from him, while the man, Harris, widely opened his eyes in shock. “You... you mean...?”, he stuttered. She gave him a nod. “Farewell, Harris”, she said, as she turned back towards Tariel. “Come now, Tari. I'll show you where in this castle you can find a good drink” Tariel raised an eyebrow in confusion, but nodded in agreement. “Very well. You got a lot to explain, Sherryl”, she answered, before she turned towards Montclair. “I wish you a good evening, Sergeant. To your men as well. Please, make sure that Garen will be returned to his rooms, comfortably” After Montclair gave her a nod, the two women left together.
In a state of complete disbelief, Harris still stared after them. “Sherryl?”, he asked, his voice cracking. Then, the other men had reached him. Violently, Emphryus grabbed him by the throat and shoved him to the ground. “Do that one more time, bastard, and I'll put a sword through your gut”, he growled viciously, before his glance fell upon the others. “Sergeant Montclair”, he greeted them. “What happened to the sellsword?”
“I happened”, Montclair stated nonchalantly, while two other men behind Emphryus lifted Harris up, grabbing him by the arms. The man did not resist, his face showing a broken form of disbelief. “As well as Bernile and Golton, to be fair”, Montclair continued. “Garen was out of line, way out of line, and we had to intervene”
“Was it bad?”, Emphryus asked and Montclair gave him a nod. “Bad enough that I'll deal with him myself once he's up again. Not bad enough that I'll leave him to the Storm Princess' mercy. He fucked up, but eh, we all have fucked up before, haven't we?” He looked around. “Speaking of, where is the princess?”
A displeased look flashed across Emphryus' face and he pointed towards the walls. Drent looked up and to his surprise, he saw Argella standing there. She was talking to another man. “Ser Lucas Flowers”, Emphryus snarled. “Possibly a knight. Certainly a bastard and a damn ugly one on top” As he said this, Drent noticed the angry glare Emphryus received from the man behind him, the one with the reddish-brown hair. “She wanted to talk to him alone”
“The princess wanted to talk to a bastard?”, Montclair asked and Emphryus grinned grimly. “I guess it's fine, as long as she doesn't have to marry him” Both men chuckled, though Emphryus' chuckle died down the moment the man knelt down in front of the princess. Drent had seen the procedure often enough to know what he was doing and to know what he was saying. “He's swearing loyalty to her!”, he exclaimed and the men around him looked up.
“What the fuck, Flowers?”, the young knight with the reddish-brown hair mumbled, while Harris just shook his head in disbelief. Ser Emphryus meanwhile watched the scene with disdain. “She's never going to accept his service”, he stated, but the princess proved him wrong when she personally helped the knight up again, putting both hands onto his shoulders, before reciting her part of the oath. Even from afar, the wind carried a part of her words and Drent recognized them.
“Looks like you're no longer the only knight at her side, Ser”, Montclair stated dryly and Emphryus shot him an almost murderous glare. “Watch your tongue, Montclair”, he growled in return. “I've been serving House Durrandon for a decade now. This upstart bastard knight is no threat to my position”
“Of course, Ser Emphryus”, Montclair answered, still not sounding any less dry and almost mocking. The knight took it badly. He tensed up and had to pause for a moment, before he answered. “Sergeant Montclair, I think I already have a new job for you”, he said, with the faint hint of glee and Montclair sighed. “Ser, it's been a long day, my men are tired”, he argued, but the knight shook his head.
“It's going to be an even longer day, because the task I have for you is highly important”, he answered. Montclair glanced at the unconscious Garen. “Someone has to take care of the sellsword”, he interjected and Emphryus gave him a nod. “Leave one of your men here to deal with him”
The Sergeant looked from Drent to Edonia. The young woman in turn looked at Drent. “Ser, I can go. Let Drent stay here, I'd say he earned his rest”, she offered and Drent smiled thankfully. Montclair shook his head. “So have you, Bernile. I've seen you earlier, wearing that blasted heavy armour”, he said in return. “You did enough today. Just take care of Garen. Make sure he's comfortable, because I can promise, it's going to be bloody fucking uncomfortable for him soon”
Edonia gave Drent an apologetic look and he in turn smiled. “It's alright, Edonia”, he assured her, even though he was nearly as tired as she was. “If the Sergeant wants me at his side, I'm fine with that. But the drinks are on you tonight” To this, she smiled. “The drinks are on me the whole damn week”, she answered, before she saluted in front of Montclair.
“I'll bring Garen to his room. Any further orders?”, she asked and the sergeant shook his head. “None for the remaining day. Rest a little bit, you've earned it”, he answered. Edonia saluted. “As you wish, Sergeant. And... thank you. I saw an archery range earlier. Guess I'll take the time to practice”, she spoke and looked at Drent. “Care to join me later?”
He gave her a short nod. “Perhaps I will”, he answered. “Depends on what Ser Emphryus has in mind for us” With these words, Edonia separated from them, grabbing the wheelbarrow from Montclair and quickly making her way across the courtyart.
“Nice girl”, Emphryus commented and Montclair pressed his lips together. “A good soldier. I'd rather have one of her kind than a dozen of Garen's”, he answered and the knight glanced over his shoulder, towards her. “That is an opinion I can share”
The sergeant crossed his arms. “So, about that task you have for us...”, he started to say, regaining Emphryus' attention. “Aye”, the knight said. “Tell me, sergeant, while you made your way back to the castle, have you encountered a man? Tall, wearing sword and armour, but not in the best condition. At roughly my age, dark hair, full beard”
Montclair thought about it for a moment, but Drent remembered still the man he had seen a few minutes ago. “We have, Ser”, he confirmed. “What's the deal with him?” Emphryus took a step towards them, away from the other knights. “The deal is, I don't trust him. It's more than a feeling, but it's nothing I know for sure. He claims his name is Ian Shortwood”
“You don't believe him?”, Drent asked and Emphryus shook his head. “Indeed I don't”, he confirmed. “His reaction when seeing me... might have been a coincidence, but I don't think so. But I have no evidence. He simply reminds me of someone who shouldn't be here, someone who is certainly no Ian Shortwood and the resemblance is pretty big”
This gained Montclair's attention. “So, who do you think he is?”, he asked. Emphryus shrugged. “If I'd tell you and he turns out to be innocent, then I would have ruined his reputation. First, I need to know more”, he answered. “That's where you come in. I want you to follow him. He mentioned the tavern. Talk to the people there. Find out more about him. Report anything that seems... unusual”
The sergeant saluted. “As you wish, Ser”, he promised. “It's just... I could use a third soldier. Bernile was always good with people, perhaps we could wait until she...” The knight cut him off. “Bernile you say?”, he asked and turned around. “Hey, Bernile! Quit lurking in the shadows and get over here!”
Drent looked past him, expecting Edonia. He was disappointed, as her brother Torrence walked into his field of view instead. Ever since the princess humiliated him, a permanent frown was embedded on his face. “Anything the matter, Ser?”, he asked half-heartedly, as soon as he reached them. “Aye”, Emphryus confirmed. “Sergeant Montclair needs a third man for his mission”
As soon as he said these words, Torrence's eyes lit up. “Work, you say?”, he asked. “Well, count me in” It was only then that he noticed Montclair's frown. “With all due respect, Ser”, the sergeant said. “I don't think I need this Bernile. Torrence is, by all means, below average. He even managed to get beaten up by the princess, who is, with all due respect, not a warrior”
Emphryus grinned. “You're not giving her enough credit, Sergeant”, he chuckled. “You don't think Argilac Durrandon wouldn't train his heiress as hard as he can, do you? I've seen her sparring and I wouldn't be surprised if she could take you down” He looked at Torrence. “You said you need a third man, well, he's probably not the best, but he should be good enough”
Torrence looked up. “Sergeant, I know my skills haven't been the best so far. I know I screwed up big time that evening in the camp”, he argued. “But I am still a soldier under your command. Give me a chance to prove myself, to prove my loyalty, and I won't disappoint you”
“Disappointing me is hard, boy, for I never expect anything of my soldiers to begin with”, Montclair growled, before he looked at Drent. “What's your opinion on this matter, Golton? Another chance for Bernile's little brother, or not?”
[Advice him to take Torrence with you][Advice him to leave Torrence behind]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] Well he can't be that bad I mean, maybe he is not an elite, but he's not Irving either.
“Speaking about, how was your time in Oldtown?” Sherryl's grin got wider and for the first time since they met her, he had the feeling it was genuine. “It hasn't been easy at first, but you know me. I made the best out of the situation, as always”, she answered and her grin got a sly streak. “I met someone there”
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
I guess I used the wrong word here. A glorified foot soldier would probably be the correct way to describe what I had in mind here. Basically, I intended for Sherryl to mock Montclair's rank as a Sergeant, by calling him only marginally better than a common foot soldier and therefore not high-ranking enough to receive the information Tariel was about to share, which in turn angered Montclair. The word 'better' would be the literal translation of the German word I had in mind while writing this sentence. This word can be translated as 'better' and 'glorifed' in English and it can be used instead of the literal translation for 'glorifed'. It appears the English terms are not interchangeable. I have changed it now, thanks a lot for bringing it up!
I guess I used the wrong word here. A glorified foot soldier would probably be the correct way to describe what I had in mind here. Basicall… morey, I intended for Sherryl to mock Montclair's rank as a Sergeant, by calling him only marginally better than a common foot soldier and therefore not high-ranking enough to receive the information Tariel was about to share, which in turn angered Montclair. The word 'better' would be the literal translation of the German word I had in mind while writing this sentence. This word can be translated as 'better' and 'glorifed' in English and it can be used instead of the literal translation for 'glorifed'. It appears the English terms are not interchangeable. I have changed it now, thanks a lot for bringing it up!
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] Finally caught up again and dang that was a good chapter. Can't wait to see the tavern again, probably one of my favorite locations. And not even because my characters own it.
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. … more“What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slight… [view original content]
Drent is going to advice Montclair to give Torrence a chance
I'm not necessarily surprised by this outcome, not even by the overwhelming majority in favour of Torrence. Useful or not, it's unlikely that he's going to be an active burden for them, so perhaps he'll get his chance to prove his worth and to make up for his faux pas in Chapter 5. It also means that I'm going to get a chance to flesh his character out a bit more, which is an opportunity I'm gladly going to take.
The next part should be out later today. It is going to be a part from Ilish's PoV and it will start a day after her storyline in the last chapter. As you maybe remember, Ilish didn't have the longest storyline in the last chapter, although her few parts were important to properly build up her storyline in this chapter. The last time we saw her, she was chasing a thief across the fair that currently takes place in Raylansfair, until she stumbled upon a meeting between a group of people. One of them was Philip Loren, who, as you know, has expressed his wish to hunt down Wolfius' son, Kreep. He is supported by Torold Stratford, who is the local brewer and an influential man with contacts to the city guard, as well as Taenora, who owns the largest part of the fair. Philip suspects Kreep to hide somewhere on the fair, where he is by far not the most unusual sight, staying unseen amid the crowd. He also expressed his wish for Ilish to help them, as she is the only one who has actually seen Kreep. She agreed to this wish and decided to help them. The next part will start the next day, at the tavern.
PS:Obviously I'm joking,I really like Leonard as a character but,since the community choice to bring down Harris (something that to me seems really random even if I'm glad that Liquid succeed to write very good the consequences of it), I found obvious jump the shark from Lucas POV making his storyline take a very interesting change
PS2:You sure like very much your own character!Maybe even too much!XD
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave her a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice the pause. Apparently, she didn't, as she immediately answered. “Well, not much I can do”, she complained. “It's always Daisy, Daisy, Daisy. She's not even that pretty! The dress makes her look fat” This time, Ilish couldn't contain a glance down Megur's chubby figure. The other girl noticed it and frowned. “It's the dress with me as well!”, she claimed. “Damn Daisy had to copy me of course, but I wore it first!”
“Megur! Ilish!”, a hoarsy voice sounded from the taproom and again, Megus rolled her eyes. “We're coming, mother!”, she yelled in return. “Hurry, young lady! Your cousin can't do it all alone, can she?”, Audrey yelled again and Megur sighed. “Sure she can't...”, she mumbled, before she looked back at Ilish. “Well then, was nice having some time to talk again. Back to work?” Ilish gave her a nod. “Back to work”, she confirmed.
Both women stepped back into the taproom. It was noisy, the air was hot and smelled of sweat and ale, but as uncomfortable as it should have been, it also felt like home for Ilish. Behind the counter stood Megur's mother, giving them a stern look. “There you are”, Audrey snarled. “Megur, you help me at the counter. Ilish, you go the rounds. See if they need anything, help Daisy”
Megur grimaced, though in the presence of her mother, she remained silent. Ilish meanwhile walked around the counter. It was a usual afternoon, the taproom contained a couple dozen guests already and around the evening, there would probably be around a hundred of them. She almost felt guilty for leaving the others alone tonight, but she had more important things to deal with.
Slowly, Ilish made her way through the taproom. While Megur, plain and pudgy, was highly resentful of Daisy for her beauty, Ilish found it always refreshing to have someone like her around. Serving alcohol to dozens of drunken men guaranteed a few unwanted displays of attention each day, but with Daisy around, she drew most of it and Ilish enjoyed the feeling of being invisible around her.
She caught up to Daisy in the middle of the taproom. Her friend immediately spotted her and smiled sweetly. “Everything okay?”, Ilish asked and Daisy's smile faded into a sarcastic smirk. “Well, no one touched my backside today, so far at least”, she answered and chuckled. “So yeah, everything as good as it can be, though the night is still young”
Her smile faded. “Can you do me a favour”?, she asked and Ilish gave her a nod. “Always”, she answered and Daisy pointed down the taproom. Ilish spotted a group of people sitting on a table near the corner. She recognized several of them. There was the one-eyed sellsword, Gutten, together with his group. And there was a huge, bald man, who was speaking to them.
“Could you bring them their ale?”, Daisy asked. “I'd go myself, but... I'm not really sure what to make of that man. The bald one, I mean. His name is Daghan and I think he fancies me” She blushed slightly, glancing away from the table. Ilish raised an eyebrow. “He's not too bad-looking”, she argued. “Look at those muscles. A man like that could find work anywhere, surely provide for a family”
Daisy shot her a glare. “He's old enough to be my father!”, she hissed and Ilish smirked. “I'm just teasing”, she answered. “I understand you. Just continue your route, I'll deal with that table” Immediately, the frown on Daisy's face vanished. “Thanks, Ilish”, she said. “You're the best”
“I know”, Ilish confirmed, as she walked back to the counter. As she approached, she saw Audrey and Megur, arguing with each other. She had to walk even closer to understand what they were saying.
“I don't care what feeling she gives to you, young lady”, Audrey barked, flourishing her beefy hands. “She is your cousin, the daughter of my sister!” Though he words were sharp, she was smiling kindly as always and it was this kind smile that seemed to infuriate Megur even further. Defiantly, the young woman stared her mother down. “Your dead sister”, she retorted, with as much tact as she always showed and Audrey's omnipresent smile faded, just for a moment before she switched her attention to Ilish.
“Ilish, girl, how can I help you?”, she asked with a motherly, though visibly forced smile. Ilish put her arms onto the counter, looking from Megur to Audrey. “Five mugs of ale for the sellswords in the corner”, she answered and Megur frowned. “These people mean trouble”, she whispered and Audrey gave her daughter a nod. “That they do”, she confirmed. “It's never good when people like them stay in this city for too long” While she spoke, she filled a couple of mugs with ale, not even looking at her hands while working. “Here, child. Make sure they won't have to wait for too long”
With this, she carefully handed Ilish a wooden tray, leaving it to her to balance the mugs on it through the crowd, while she herself turned back to the counter, where she started to clean mugs that got returned from the tables.
Slowly and with exceptional caution, Ilish started to move through the taproom. She was used to this, it was not as bad as it could be. With enough room to walk, she carefully balanced the tray as she approached the table in the corner. The female sellsword, her name was Janae, looked up and touched Gutten on the shoulder. He stopped talking, as he glanced over his shoulder, a wide smile appearing on his face.
“There's ale, my friends!”, he proclaimed, as Ilish put the tray onto the table. “As much as you can drink, Ser”, she stated and he laughed. “Such manners!”, he exclaimed. “But I won't complain. Bring me ale and you can call me however you like”
“I'll keep that in mind”, Janae chuckled, as she reached for a mug. She took a sip and grimaced. “Anyone ever told you that this ale is rubbish?”, she asked and Ilish gave her a nod, followed by a grin. “More often than you think”, she answered. “Though I'm not the one brewing it” Janae shook her head. “You're the one serving it”, she growled in return and the other woman, more a girl, probably even younger than Ilish, a pretty thing with a thin frame and braided, dark brown hair of the same colour as the hair of the gruff man next to her, raised an eyebrow, as she took a demonstratively deep gulp from her mug. “Have some mercy on her, Janae”, she advised her. “The ale could be better, but the service is nice”
“That I can confirm”, the bald man answered. He smiled, which caused the scarred flesh on his cheek to shiver, though it gave him a surprisingly friendly look as well. Up close, Ilish doubted he'd ever harass Daisy in any way, though she could understand why her friend was cautious.
He moved his hand towards his purse and pulled out a couple of coins, copper hands. “Round's on me. That's two copper a mug, eh?”, he asked and she gave him a nod. He grinned. “I know highwaymen who give you more for that money”, he answered, as he reached back into his purse, to pull out a silver coin. “Keep the rest”
Ilish did a curtsy in front of him, clumsy enough to make him laugh. “Not quite handmaiden material, but I've seen way worse”, he answered. “Go on, girl. You got work to do, eh? If we need something else, we let you know”
With this, each of them grabbed a mug from the tray, leaving it empty for Ilish to take. She turned around, as the sellswords clunked mugs. “To fire and blood”, the bald man proclaimed. “May we see as little as possible of it”, Janae added, while the rest of their conversation got quickly drowned by the noise around them, as Ilish made her way back through the taproom.
All of a sudden, someone grabbed her arm. Ilish stopped and spun around, only to find herself face to face with Philip Loren. He seemed to realize how harshly he had just grabbed her, as he immediately let go of her, an apologizing look on his face. On his table, she saw Torold Stratford and Taenora, the woman from the fair.
“A moment of your time, Ilish?”, Philip asked and she sighed. “Now?”, she asked in return. “I got work to do. Audrey's not happy about me taking the evening off” Philip sighed, as he pointed at an empty chair. “Talking now will save us valuable time later” He looked around the taproom. “Looks Daisy got it all under control” Again, he pointed at the chair and Ilish rolled her eyes, before she sat down. “I'll try to make it as quick as possible”
Finally, Ilish realized where they were sitting. “This is Jarow's table”, she stated, recognizing the place the Lord of Bridges usually claimed for himself. “He could be here any minute and you know how crabby he gets if he can't get his table”
Philip shook his head. “Jarow got a crossbow bolt through the shoulder just days ago”, he explained. “I haven't seen him ever since and do you really think he is even able to drink with such a wound?” Ilish gave him a nod. “I believe Jarow is always able to drink”
“We won't stay long”, Torold said diplomatically and Taenora gave him a nod. “All we want to do is to talk to you, now”, she added and her tone sounded both, friendly and urgent. “Besides, there is another free chair for him, if he insists on sitting here”
“What is it then?”, Ilish asked. Philip crossed his arms. “It's about tonight. You're ready to hunt the beast?”, he asked in return and she gave him a nod. “My dear Philip, I was born ready”, she said with a small smile. “What's your plan for tonight?”
“We have our target”, Torold explained. “Kreep is currently hiding behind that cat mask. While it hides his face, it also gives him a distinctive look, far more distinctive than his usual appearance, I presume”
“At worst, it's not even him”, Philip argued and Torold shot him a glare, to which he raised an eyebrow. “What? It's true. We have no evidence that the man behind the cat mask is the same guy that attacked Ilish last week. We may waste our effort on hunting down a random eccentric”
“We're going to split up for this”, Taenora revealed. “To please both parties. Our focus is the man Torold suspects, the one with the metal helmet shaped like a cat's head” Taenora interrupted herself by starting to cough, rather violently until she took a deep gulp from the mug in front of her. From the sharp smell, Ilish knew it wasn't ale, but stronger booze. “Is everything alright?”, she asked and Taenora gave her a nod. “Just a cough, sweet girl”, she said with a smile, though her voice sounded more hoarsy than ever. “Perhaps I should let a healer look over it”
“Raylansfair has a good one”, Philip mumbled. “Perhaps I could make the necessary introductions” Taenora gave him a thankful nod, while another, far weaker cough left her throat. Torold continued on her behalf. “I'm not happy about splitting up, but Taenora made a good point”, he explained. “Her men can search the fair without being noticed. They know it better than anyone else. Meanwhile, we three will stick together”
“Understood”, Ilish confirmed and looked at Taenora. “How many of your men will help?” Taenora took another sip from her booze, before she answered. “There is Ulaf. Perhaps you remember him from the fair?”, she asked with a smile. “He claims to be the strongest man in the world and never gave me a reason to doubt him”, she explained. “Then there is Irnas, who is responsible for taming wild beasts. He's a fearless man and can handle himself in a dangerous situation. Gilbar Cale, our magician, who is more crafty with a blade than you'd probably expect. And finally, Edrick and Edwin, twins and acrobats, they are fast, nimble and know the fair better than even I do”
“Five men”, Ilish mumbled. “Eight with us”, Philip corrected her. “I would have preferred half a dozen guardsmen under Torold's brother, but admittedly, that could draw a bit too much attention. Besides, Kreep is all alone, just one man. We must find him”
“And we will”, Taenora confirmed. “Though before you leave for the hunt, Ilish, I want you to talk to my daughter, Nila” Ilish looked up and Taenora audibly cleared her throat. “I have good reason to help you”, she explained. “Nila is in your age, maybe a bit younger at most. Recently, she claimed that she feels watched. She even saw someone and I want you to listen to the description she can give. Perhaps you'll recognize Kreep”
“Will it change something to know that Kreep is after your daughter?”, Ilish asked and Taenora's expression hardened. “It will change everything”, she answered calmly. “Because if this bastard is trying to harm Nila, he's as good as dead. There are many things I can forgive. Threatening my child is not one of them”
“Very well. I'll talk to your daughter. It's going to take me another hour, but Megur was willing to take over my later shift”, Ilish said. “If that was all, I better get g... oh no” She looked towards the door, where a familiar, ragged figure just entered. Jarow, the self-proclaimed Lord of the Bridges, was looking older than before. His shoulders seemed uneven and he seemed to sweat, even though he just came from the outside. Quickly, his eyes spotted the table and widened.
“Can't believe he came after all”, Ilish muttered. “Look, you gotta go now, because Jarow is going to insist on his table” Philip shook his head. “We'll figure something out”, he mumbled. Torold looked up, seeing the old man. “Jarow, you say? The Lord of the Bridges himself?”, he said. “He's a capable fighter. Maybe we could use someone like him”
“Last week, Richard's plan nearly caused his death, Torold”, Philip said sharply. “The last thing I want is getting anyone killed. We're playing it safe. No need to involve him in this” Torold shrugged. “Well, just saying. If we face a killer, I'd love to have someone like Jarow near me”, he argued in turn.
Then, Jarow had reached the table. He gave them a wide grin, revealing his crooked, brown teeth, as he absent-mindedly combed his beard with one hand. “Greetings, lads”, he said in a friendly tone. “You're sitting on my table”
“Do we?”, Taenora said. “Never saw your name on it. It's Jarow, isn't it?” Jarow's grin got wider. “Aye. And who is this beautiful creature?”, he asked, as he took a polite bow in front of her. He was a madman living under a bridge, but Ilish was once again surprised how impeccable his manners were at times.
“My name is Taenora”, she answered and pointed at the empty chair next to her. “Sit down if you must. We're about to go either way” He followed her wish and the moment he sat down, she passed him her mug with the booze. Jarow's grin got wider. “Is that from Audrey?”, he asked. “Fine woman, that one, fine woman”
He grabbed the mug and took a deep gulp from it. “Ah, this is good. I believe I have nothing against drinking with Raylan's peasants”, he chuckled and his gaze fell onto Philip. “Now, if it isn't Philip Loren! What have you been up to these days?”
Philip grinned, though to Ilish it seemed forced more than anything else. She attempted to rose from her chair, but Jarow looked at her. “Oh, Ilish. Stay for a bit, lass. Haven't seen my favourite barmaid at all this week”, he urged her and she sighed, but stayed.
“You know, nothing too big has happened”, Philip answered. “I've recovered” He rose his hands, presenting them in the light of the candle and Ilish saw the burn scars on his palms. “It took me a few days, but thanks to Mathea's ointment, I can use them again. It still itches like hell at times, but she assured me I'll make a full recovery soon”
Jarow gave him a nod. “Yes, this Mathea, she's a damn fine healer. Pulled that blasted arrow out of my shoulder. It's been a week and I still don't have an infection”, he said with a wide, crooked grin. “That healer girl, I'm telling you, if I'd be two decades younger...” His grin faded and he looked confused for a moment. “Then... then I'd be thirty years old” He shook his head and his grin returned. “But ah, it needs more than an arrow to take the Lord of Bridges down”
“Lord of Bridges...”, Taenora said and Jarow look up. “Yes?”, he asked and she smirked. “I've heard that before, but I can't really make anything with it. You're not really a lord, aren't you?” Jarow had the courtesy to not look genuinely offended, though he raised both eyebrows. “Fair Lady Taenora, I am indeed a lord. The lordliest you'll ever find”, he claimed. “Lord Robert Raylan, may he rest in peace, awarded me with a bit of land and a title for my valiant service”
Taenora looked impressed, though she undoubtedly caught Torold subtly shaking his head. “I suppose there's a tale behind it”, she stated and he gave her a nod. “A tale of bravery in face of adversity”, he said. “A tale of sacrifice and duty and honour. Such is the tale of Jarow, Lord of the Bridges!” He took another gulp and emptied the mug entirely.
“You must know, fifteen years ago this city got attacked. Ironborn. It was bad”, he started to explain. Ilish gulped. She knew the story and it was one of the reasons she and everyone she knew always kept up with Jarow's ramblings. The man deserved more than he currently was and even though no one could give him back his sanity, she could at least make up for it by treating him with the respect he demanded.
“It was very bad”, Torold added glumly and Jarow gave him a nod. “Aye. You're going to find few people in this room who haven't lost loved ones during the attack. The Ironborn came in the early morning and they came from the sea, with two longships. The young Captain Nathamer led the charge that repelled them”, he explained. “But what few know is that a third longship landed a mile to the south, to storm out gates, to split our forces. A farmer spotted them and alerted Lord Raylan. He in turn send a dozen men to the nearest bridge, to hold it until reinforcements would arrive...”
He paused and his grin was gone entirely, replaced by a dark, glum look that was not in the slightest bit save. “I held it, m'lady. Two dozen men died by my hand that day. My brothers-in-arms died by the hands of my enemies”
“I...“, Taenora stuttered. “I am sorry to hear this, Ser. It must have been horrible” He gave her a sullen nod, before his grin returned. “Eh, I don't try to think about it too much. I keep my mind preoccupied, helping peasant folk like you. Robert has been a friend, an ally, it's the least I can do in return”, he said, before he looked around. “So... it's a pretty odd gathering here. You mind to tell me what you're doing here?”
Philip looked to the floor and Torold did not answer either. Only Taenora seemed as if she was thinking about answering to his question, though Ilish knew that this would be up to her again. She also knew, Philip did not want to drag Jarow into this. At the same time, she knew if she'd tell him the truth about their plan, he'd insist on helping. And she remembered his words, remembered just how many he had killed to hold his bridge against the Ironborn. Perhaps he could be useful, despite his wound.
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
[Lie to him] Let's leave him on the bench for now,I want him at 100% when the Ironbros will attack Raylainsfair
About the part I really like how you decide to start Ilish POV for this chapter giving more screentime for the workers of the tavern (the meeting place of the fic!XD),making Jarow comeback after a very long absence and obviously I really like how Ilish interact with the most loved sellswords of Westeros!
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave h… moreer a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice t… [view original content]
Comments
[Declare for Argella]
I think it's for the best.
I notice that Argella's breezing through this. She's not having much trouble gaining supporters.
People reconsider, and give more time. What if Leonard gets pissed because Lucas betrays House Raylan?
I'd think people are attracted to her (heh) because she obviously is the most powerful claimant. Kind of using her as a stepping ladder.
Indeed, Argella encountered no real trouble so far. It's like InGen said, since she is in Raylansfair on behalf of the most powerful king in Westeros, quite a number of people hope to profit from allying with her. Willfred is one example for this, as he has no loyalty to Raylansfair and simply tries to ally himself with the faction that promises the most benefits for his own kingdom. There's also the thing that she's been Argilac Durrandon's only living child and heiress presumptive for about a decade now, which means she is highly educated, especially when it comes to diplomacy. She knows exactly how far she can go with people like Lord Tyrell, what she can and can't say to them. As this part showed, she's also not without empathy, which helps her in winning over people like Lucas.
That said, if you wouldn't have chosen to undermine his position by revealing his actions to Darren and later to Argella, Harris would have proven to be quite the obstacle in her way. She has the education, but he has the experience and he knows the city better than anyone else. Unlike Tyrell, he also has the will to oppose her and despite the stark differences in terms of power, he would have been a formidable opponent. Now, it seems the only serious contender left is Hobert and it remains highly questionable if he can truly be a threat to her.
Yeah, it's certainly possible that Leonard will be pissed about this. At the same time, Argella is technically right. There is no House Raylan they can be loyal to. Wether or not that means that Lucas has the right to declare for someone else is probably up for individual interpretation, but at least legally, no one can stop him. However, while it is entirely possible that Leonard will be angry about this, it's also possible that it's going to be the other way round, that he would be angry at Lucas for failing to secure an alliance with Argella. It remains to be seen how he will react, but it can definitely go both ways.
[Declare for Argella]
[Declare for Argella] Glad I managed to catch up. Well as much as I don't want Argella winning, she brings a good point about defeating Mullendore. I just hope there isn't a better alternative that comes along.
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to declare for Argella and House Durrandon
This was an extremely important choice, especially for Lucas himself. He is now going to declare his support to one of the most powerful houses in Westeros, which comes with all kinds of benefits for him personally. There are certainly worse people to serve under and I can already tell you that Argella was genuine with what she said to him. That said, there's still a lot of possibility for this to backfire. While Lucas undoubtedly pleased the most powerful person in the entire city, the reactions of the other people around him might be different. It's going to be questionable if Leonard will be pleased with such a drastic step, even if it just secured Lucas an alliance with House Durrandon. Further, there are people like Lord Tyrell, Hobert or Darren who are all going to have their own opinion on this matter. There will be consequences, though not necessarily only good or only bad ones.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. There is a lot of writing still left to do, so I may not make it in time. However, it is going to be a part from Drent's PoV, with a second PoV maybe thrown in as well, if there's still space left for it, though I haven't decided on this second PoV yet. Maya is a possibility, but so are Ilish or Garthon or Richard. Anyways, he last time we saw Drent, in Chapter 6, he was sent to the city to deliver food for the poor, together with his commanding officer Sergeant Montclair, the soldiers Edonia and Garen and Argella's advisor Tariel. As it turned out, Tariel has quite the history with the people of Raylansfair, who were not very thrilled by her return to the city. An argument broke out, which would have quickly turned violent when Garen just snapped. Ultimately, Montclair was forced to knock him out. Afterwards, Tariel explained to Drent, Montclair and Edonia why she is so hated in the city. She revealed that she used to be the lover of an influential merchant in the city. This affair was uncovered by his wife, who killed the merchant in her anger and ended up destroying his business with this action, causing many people who previously worked for him to lose their jobs, which in turn caused many of them to put the blame on Tariel. She also cryptically hinted that the Stormlanders shouldn't be in the city, though she did not elaborate on this. Drent's next part will start shortly afterwards, at roughly the same time as Lucas'.
My own version of what will happen in the next Lucas part:
Leonard:Ehi Lucas!How did it go?Did you succeed to convince the princess to aid us against the evil doer called Mullendore?
Lucas:Shut the fuck up Reach scum!I am now a knight of the glorious Kingdom of the Stormlands and I shall listen only the wise words of the members of House Durrandon!
Leonard:....dafuq?
Drent
While Drent and Sergeant Montclair exchanged a quick, confused look, it was Edonia who spoke, commenting on what Tariel just said. “What are you implying with this, mylady?”, she asked curiously. “You mean to say we shouldn't be here?”
Tariel blinked, as she glanced over her shoulder, down to the city below. Her soft, mournful look hardened again, as she shook her head. “It's nothing”, she answered. “I mean, I just don't feel like we're welcome here. This city, it can be cruel. It never forgets, it never forgives. It might be dangerous here”
“Dangerous, huh?”, Edonia asked and glanced at Garen. “The last time someone pointed a sword at me, it was supposedly one of our own” Tariel sighed. “Garen doesn't mean to be like this”, she defended him. “He's rash, has a temper. He's really not a bad guy once you get to know him” She looked up, realizing that Drent and Montclair were both looking at her and to Drent's surprise, she slightly blushed. “Or so I've heard”, she was quick to add.
“Sure”, Edonia said with a grin. “Doesn't change the fact that he was way out of line today. You gotta keep an eye on him” Tariel gasped. “I...”, she started to protest, but Edonia cut her off with a tired glare. “Just keep an eye on him, mylady” She narrowed her eyes. “Though you were going somewhere else with this. You weren't referring to the danger, were you?”
“What do you mean?”, Tariel asked in return and now it was Montclair who spoke. “I think, Bernile has the opinion that you're not telling us everything”, he answered on Edonia's behalf. “Which is an opinion I share”
Tariel, still blushing from Edonia's earlier comment about Garen, glanced around quickly and to Drent, she appeared visibly and almost uncharacteristically nervous. “What do you mean?”, she asked. Montclair, still driving the wheelbarrow that held an unconscious Garen, frowned. “I mean, mylady, that you're not entirely honest with us”, he answered.
“Do I... Do I have to?”, Tariel asked, her eyes still focussed on Garen, as if she was barely listening to the Sergeant. She tensed up and nearly froze in place, when a female voice called from behind. “Tariel?”, the woman asked in surprise.
Immediately, Tariel spun around, while Drent and Edonia turned around as well, their hands on their weapons. Considering their earlier encounter with people who knew Tariel in this city, Drent expected the worst. He got surprised. The woman there was dressed far better than the smallfolk, wearing a silken, green dress, which contrasted well with her pale skin and brown hair. Her eyes were piercing, blue crystals and her mouth formed a thin smile. She was beautiful, the kind of woman that wouldn't pale even next to the Storm Princess. Yet there was something else in her eyes, something that made Drent immediately wary of this woman.
In contrast, the look of joy on Tariel's face was genuine without a doubt. Her green eyes were widely opened in disbelief and Drent saw the hint of tears in them, while her smile was weak at first, though she soon burst into a genuine grin. She even shivered, her body, but her voice the most. “Sherryl?”, she answered.
And then she rushed towards her, nearly falling into the other woman's outstretched arms. They remained like this for a moment, Tariel's head resting on her friends shoulder, as she breathed out in relief. Then, she looked up in awe. “Seven Blessings, you've grown beautiful!”, she exclaimed and Sherryl smirked. “I could say the same about you”, she answered. “I've been hoping to catch up with you earlier. Heard you caused quite the trouble” Her smirk faded. “It's good to see you, Tari”, she said wholeheartedly, as she pulled her friend into another hug.
Finally, her glance fell upon the others and she raised an eyebrow. “Don't you want to introduce me to your friends?”, she asked and Tariel gave her an enthusiastic nod. “Friends would be a bit too much. They are soldiers”, she said and pointed at Montclair. “This is Sergeant Jax Montclair, the commanding officer of this unit. The other two are Drent Golton and Edonia Bernile”
Montclair gave her a half-hearted salute. “It's a pleasure, Lady Sherryl”, he said briefly, before his attention turned back towards Tariel. “Mylady, I believe you were just about to explain something” Tariel's eyes widened and Drent saw conflicting emotions in them. There was happiness and joy, but also hesitation. Finally, she sighed. “Alright, Sergeant. You've been good to me today and it is only fair that I'll tell you the truth”
Sherryl shook her head. “I don't think so. It's Sergeant, right? Sergeant Montclair?”, she asked and Montclair have her a confused nod. Unlike Tariel's warmer look, Sherryl glanced at them with cold pragmatism. “By all means, the nature of these plans is of immense importance. Too important to reveal them to a glorified foot soldier”
“Glorified foot soldier?”, Montclair growled, but Sherryl already ignored him. “Isn't that right, Tari?”, she asked and the other woman sighed. “I... I have to agree. I'm sorry, Sergeant, but this is too important. All I can confirm is that there is more to our stay here. Going into further detail is too dangerous right now. However, I promise, I will tell you the truth once we're...”
Sherryl cut her off, by looking towards the wheelbarrow. “Goodness, whom do you have here?”, she asked with a smile. “Who's that handsome guy and why is he lying in your wheelbarrow?” Tariel cleared her throat audibly and looked at the others for help. Drent sighed, before he had mercy on her. “This is Garen”, he answered. “A sellsword in service of House Durrandon and a piece of work. He was... knocked unconscious by smallfolk”
“They stole his purse”, Edonia added with a cheeky grin and Sherryl raised an eyebrow. “The smallfolk would use such violence against your men?”, she asked. Montclair shook his head. “He's not one of my men. He's just here because one of the Storm King's knights trusts him”, he explained.
“A sentiment you don't share?”, Sherryl asked again and Montclair gave her a brief nod. “He's skilled with a blade, but lacks discipline. He's a sellsword, not a soldier and that makes him less reliable than even the weakest man under my command”, he growled.
“But he's still useful”, Tariel was quick to add, before she gulped. “So I've heard, at least” Sherryl smirked. “Sure you did, Tari, sure you did”, she said. “Well then, I suppose we should return to the castle. It appears I need to make a few introductions. Have to speak to your princess” She started to walk towards the castle and Montclair slowly followed her. Tariel fastened her pace, to catch up with her friend.
As Drent looked up, he saw a man walking down the path, into their direction, perhaps in his thirties, with dark hair and a short beard. He was armed and armoured, though the armour was in poor condition, not showing any kind of crest on it. The man saw them and stopped, as he stepped aside to let the group pass him first on the narrow street, while giving them a friendly nod, which Tariel reciprocated. Then, as soon as they had passed him, he continued his walk at a faster pace.
“How's working for the Durrandon girl either way, Tariel?”, Sherryl asked and Drent instinctively narrowed his eyes. Tariel glanced over her shoulder, at Montclair, before she answered. “Princess Argella is... willfull, headstrong even. She got that much from her father”, she explained diplomatically. “It would be nice if she would listen to my advice more often”
“Perhaps she will once you gave her this city”, Sherryl answered, before she grabbed her friend by the hands, a wide smile on her face. “Oh, it is wonderful to see you again. We have to catch up. So many things happened”
“They have”, Tariel confirmed. “Speaking about, how was your time in Oldtown?” Sherryl's grin got wider and for the first time since they met her, he had the feeling it was genuine. “It hasn't been easy at first, but you know me. I made the best out of the situation, as always”, she answered and her grin got a sly streak. “I met someone there”
Tariel raised her eyebrows. “Oh Sherryl, how wonderful!”, she exclaimed. Montclair rolled his eyes. “Women...”, he mumbled and he and Drent exchanged a smirk. “Who is he?”, Tariel asked, her voice shivering with curiosity. “Tell me everything!”
“Perhaps at a later time, Tari”, Sherryl answered, as they reached the open gate of the castle. “For now...” She paused and narrowed her eyes. Drent followed her stare and spotted a group of people in the courtyard of the castle. One of them was Ser Emphryus, though he did not recognize the others.
It was Ser Emphryus who saw them first and he said something, which caused the others to look into their direction. One of the men, one of the older men, with brown hair and a bushy beard, wearing a fine, green vest, let out a visible sigh. He attempted to walk towards them, but another man held him back, younger and more handsome, with pale skin and reddish brown hair, held him back. For a moment, the older man narrowed his eyes. Then he broke free and rushed towards them.
“Sherryl!”, he exclaimed and the woman sighed. A cold, calculating look appeared on her face. “Harris”, she answered without even the hint of emotion in her voice. He spread his arms, trying to hug her, though she took a step away from him. Drent saw pain on the man's face, a pain that only got stronger in this moment, while the other men approached from behind.
“I am sorry, Sherryl”, he mumbled. “You are going to hear a lot of bad things about me in the next few hours. I am afraid... I am afraid they're all true” He closed his eyes, before opening them again. “Know that I did what I had to do. I am not proud of my actions, but I don't regret them either. I did it for this city”, he said and the stern look on his face softened. He glanced over his shoulder, where Ser Emphryus and the others were coming closer. “And I want you to know that I love you. You... have been a light in these dark times”, he whispered. “I hope you can forgive me”
A cold, almost cruel smirk appeared on Sherryl's face, just as the frown on the man's face got stronger. She approached him and finally, he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh Harris”, she whispered and Drent was only able to hear her words because he stood the closest to her. He had no doubt that the others only heard a faint, unintelligible murmur leaving her mouth. “I already know. I've always known”, she continued, in an even lower whisper. “You were useful, for a while. I'm afraid, it's time to move on now”
With these whispered words, she separated from him, while the man, Harris, widely opened his eyes in shock. “You... you mean...?”, he stuttered. She gave him a nod. “Farewell, Harris”, she said, as she turned back towards Tariel. “Come now, Tari. I'll show you where in this castle you can find a good drink” Tariel raised an eyebrow in confusion, but nodded in agreement. “Very well. You got a lot to explain, Sherryl”, she answered, before she turned towards Montclair. “I wish you a good evening, Sergeant. To your men as well. Please, make sure that Garen will be returned to his rooms, comfortably” After Montclair gave her a nod, the two women left together.
In a state of complete disbelief, Harris still stared after them. “Sherryl?”, he asked, his voice cracking. Then, the other men had reached him. Violently, Emphryus grabbed him by the throat and shoved him to the ground. “Do that one more time, bastard, and I'll put a sword through your gut”, he growled viciously, before his glance fell upon the others. “Sergeant Montclair”, he greeted them. “What happened to the sellsword?”
“I happened”, Montclair stated nonchalantly, while two other men behind Emphryus lifted Harris up, grabbing him by the arms. The man did not resist, his face showing a broken form of disbelief. “As well as Bernile and Golton, to be fair”, Montclair continued. “Garen was out of line, way out of line, and we had to intervene”
“Was it bad?”, Emphryus asked and Montclair gave him a nod. “Bad enough that I'll deal with him myself once he's up again. Not bad enough that I'll leave him to the Storm Princess' mercy. He fucked up, but eh, we all have fucked up before, haven't we?” He looked around. “Speaking of, where is the princess?”
A displeased look flashed across Emphryus' face and he pointed towards the walls. Drent looked up and to his surprise, he saw Argella standing there. She was talking to another man. “Ser Lucas Flowers”, Emphryus snarled. “Possibly a knight. Certainly a bastard and a damn ugly one on top” As he said this, Drent noticed the angry glare Emphryus received from the man behind him, the one with the reddish-brown hair. “She wanted to talk to him alone”
“The princess wanted to talk to a bastard?”, Montclair asked and Emphryus grinned grimly. “I guess it's fine, as long as she doesn't have to marry him” Both men chuckled, though Emphryus' chuckle died down the moment the man knelt down in front of the princess. Drent had seen the procedure often enough to know what he was doing and to know what he was saying. “He's swearing loyalty to her!”, he exclaimed and the men around him looked up.
“What the fuck, Flowers?”, the young knight with the reddish-brown hair mumbled, while Harris just shook his head in disbelief. Ser Emphryus meanwhile watched the scene with disdain. “She's never going to accept his service”, he stated, but the princess proved him wrong when she personally helped the knight up again, putting both hands onto his shoulders, before reciting her part of the oath. Even from afar, the wind carried a part of her words and Drent recognized them.
“Looks like you're no longer the only knight at her side, Ser”, Montclair stated dryly and Emphryus shot him an almost murderous glare. “Watch your tongue, Montclair”, he growled in return. “I've been serving House Durrandon for a decade now. This upstart bastard knight is no threat to my position”
“Of course, Ser Emphryus”, Montclair answered, still not sounding any less dry and almost mocking. The knight took it badly. He tensed up and had to pause for a moment, before he answered. “Sergeant Montclair, I think I already have a new job for you”, he said, with the faint hint of glee and Montclair sighed. “Ser, it's been a long day, my men are tired”, he argued, but the knight shook his head.
“It's going to be an even longer day, because the task I have for you is highly important”, he answered. Montclair glanced at the unconscious Garen. “Someone has to take care of the sellsword”, he interjected and Emphryus gave him a nod. “Leave one of your men here to deal with him”
The Sergeant looked from Drent to Edonia. The young woman in turn looked at Drent. “Ser, I can go. Let Drent stay here, I'd say he earned his rest”, she offered and Drent smiled thankfully. Montclair shook his head. “So have you, Bernile. I've seen you earlier, wearing that blasted heavy armour”, he said in return. “You did enough today. Just take care of Garen. Make sure he's comfortable, because I can promise, it's going to be bloody fucking uncomfortable for him soon”
Edonia gave Drent an apologetic look and he in turn smiled. “It's alright, Edonia”, he assured her, even though he was nearly as tired as she was. “If the Sergeant wants me at his side, I'm fine with that. But the drinks are on you tonight” To this, she smiled. “The drinks are on me the whole damn week”, she answered, before she saluted in front of Montclair.
“I'll bring Garen to his room. Any further orders?”, she asked and the sergeant shook his head. “None for the remaining day. Rest a little bit, you've earned it”, he answered. Edonia saluted. “As you wish, Sergeant. And... thank you. I saw an archery range earlier. Guess I'll take the time to practice”, she spoke and looked at Drent. “Care to join me later?”
He gave her a short nod. “Perhaps I will”, he answered. “Depends on what Ser Emphryus has in mind for us” With these words, Edonia separated from them, grabbing the wheelbarrow from Montclair and quickly making her way across the courtyart.
“Nice girl”, Emphryus commented and Montclair pressed his lips together. “A good soldier. I'd rather have one of her kind than a dozen of Garen's”, he answered and the knight glanced over his shoulder, towards her. “That is an opinion I can share”
The sergeant crossed his arms. “So, about that task you have for us...”, he started to say, regaining Emphryus' attention. “Aye”, the knight said. “Tell me, sergeant, while you made your way back to the castle, have you encountered a man? Tall, wearing sword and armour, but not in the best condition. At roughly my age, dark hair, full beard”
Montclair thought about it for a moment, but Drent remembered still the man he had seen a few minutes ago. “We have, Ser”, he confirmed. “What's the deal with him?” Emphryus took a step towards them, away from the other knights. “The deal is, I don't trust him. It's more than a feeling, but it's nothing I know for sure. He claims his name is Ian Shortwood”
“You don't believe him?”, Drent asked and Emphryus shook his head. “Indeed I don't”, he confirmed. “His reaction when seeing me... might have been a coincidence, but I don't think so. But I have no evidence. He simply reminds me of someone who shouldn't be here, someone who is certainly no Ian Shortwood and the resemblance is pretty big”
This gained Montclair's attention. “So, who do you think he is?”, he asked. Emphryus shrugged. “If I'd tell you and he turns out to be innocent, then I would have ruined his reputation. First, I need to know more”, he answered. “That's where you come in. I want you to follow him. He mentioned the tavern. Talk to the people there. Find out more about him. Report anything that seems... unusual”
The sergeant saluted. “As you wish, Ser”, he promised. “It's just... I could use a third soldier. Bernile was always good with people, perhaps we could wait until she...” The knight cut him off. “Bernile you say?”, he asked and turned around. “Hey, Bernile! Quit lurking in the shadows and get over here!”
Drent looked past him, expecting Edonia. He was disappointed, as her brother Torrence walked into his field of view instead. Ever since the princess humiliated him, a permanent frown was embedded on his face. “Anything the matter, Ser?”, he asked half-heartedly, as soon as he reached them. “Aye”, Emphryus confirmed. “Sergeant Montclair needs a third man for his mission”
As soon as he said these words, Torrence's eyes lit up. “Work, you say?”, he asked. “Well, count me in” It was only then that he noticed Montclair's frown. “With all due respect, Ser”, the sergeant said. “I don't think I need this Bernile. Torrence is, by all means, below average. He even managed to get beaten up by the princess, who is, with all due respect, not a warrior”
Emphryus grinned. “You're not giving her enough credit, Sergeant”, he chuckled. “You don't think Argilac Durrandon wouldn't train his heiress as hard as he can, do you? I've seen her sparring and I wouldn't be surprised if she could take you down” He looked at Torrence. “You said you need a third man, well, he's probably not the best, but he should be good enough”
Torrence looked up. “Sergeant, I know my skills haven't been the best so far. I know I screwed up big time that evening in the camp”, he argued. “But I am still a soldier under your command. Give me a chance to prove myself, to prove my loyalty, and I won't disappoint you”
“Disappointing me is hard, boy, for I never expect anything of my soldiers to begin with”, Montclair growled, before he looked at Drent. “What's your opinion on this matter, Golton? Another chance for Bernile's little brother, or not?”
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] [Advice him to leave Torrence behind]
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
Eh, what the hay.
Great part once again!
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] Well he can't be that bad
I mean, maybe he is not an elite, but he's not Irving either.
Mullendore? Just saying.
Awesome part!
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] Let's give this guy a chance to shine!
“I happened”, Montclair stated
Montclair face at that moment
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
[Advice him to leave Torrence behind]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ
LOOK WHAT YOU DID
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
WOW! Amazing part for sure!
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] I demand more screen time! By the way, nice part. This might be one of my favorites so far.
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
I feel somehow pity for Harris now, everyone abandoned him. And Leonard surely isn't happy what Lucas did and I am not surprised.
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
I don't get it.
I guess I used the wrong word here. A glorified foot soldier would probably be the correct way to describe what I had in mind here. Basically, I intended for Sherryl to mock Montclair's rank as a Sergeant, by calling him only marginally better than a common foot soldier and therefore not high-ranking enough to receive the information Tariel was about to share, which in turn angered Montclair. The word 'better' would be the literal translation of the German word I had in mind while writing this sentence. This word can be translated as 'better' and 'glorifed' in English and it can be used instead of the literal translation for 'glorifed'. It appears the English terms are not interchangeable. I have changed it now, thanks a lot for bringing it up!
As I'm not a native English speaker I have no idea if such a phrase is actually used but it didn't really confuse me
[Advice him to take Torrence with you] Finally caught up again and dang that was a good chapter. Can't wait to see the tavern again, probably one of my favorite locations. And not even because my characters own it.
[Advice him to take Torrence with you]
(Advise him to take Torrence with you)
The Voting is closed!
Drent is going to advice Montclair to give Torrence a chance
I'm not necessarily surprised by this outcome, not even by the overwhelming majority in favour of Torrence. Useful or not, it's unlikely that he's going to be an active burden for them, so perhaps he'll get his chance to prove his worth and to make up for his faux pas in Chapter 5. It also means that I'm going to get a chance to flesh his character out a bit more, which is an opportunity I'm gladly going to take.
The next part should be out later today. It is going to be a part from Ilish's PoV and it will start a day after her storyline in the last chapter. As you maybe remember, Ilish didn't have the longest storyline in the last chapter, although her few parts were important to properly build up her storyline in this chapter. The last time we saw her, she was chasing a thief across the fair that currently takes place in Raylansfair, until she stumbled upon a meeting between a group of people. One of them was Philip Loren, who, as you know, has expressed his wish to hunt down Wolfius' son, Kreep. He is supported by Torold Stratford, who is the local brewer and an influential man with contacts to the city guard, as well as Taenora, who owns the largest part of the fair. Philip suspects Kreep to hide somewhere on the fair, where he is by far not the most unusual sight, staying unseen amid the crowd. He also expressed his wish for Ilish to help them, as she is the only one who has actually seen Kreep. She agreed to this wish and decided to help them. The next part will start the next day, at the tavern.
I hope you guys are happy Leonard is upset
I am.
Who is your favorite character? And characters you may have submitted?
I...I would like to know.
The real question is..who is not happy?
PS:Obviously I'm joking,I really like Leonard as a character but,since the community choice to bring down Harris (something that to me seems really random even if I'm glad that Liquid succeed to write very good the consequences of it), I found obvious jump the shark from Lucas POV making his storyline take a very interesting change
PS2:You sure like very much your own character!Maybe even too much!XD
Ilish
“And then he's like, 'I'm not into fat girls'”, Megur complained and Ilish raised an eyebrow. “Really?”, she asked and Megur gave her a nod. “That's rude!” Again, Megur nodded in agreement. “I know! So, I'm about to kick him right where it hurts the most, when suddenly his friends show up!”, she continued to explain. “One more handsome than the other. But do you know whom they were all looking at again?” She rolled her light blue eyes and turned away, glaring into the taproom and at her cousin. “Daisy of course. What's so special about her?”
Ilish had to bite her tongue to remain silent to this question. Daisy was her friend, a lovely person in terms of looks, but even more lovely in terms of personality. Under no circumstance would she say something bad about her. At the same time, she didn't want to hurt Megur either, by giving a careless answer.
“So, what have you done?”, Ilish asked, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice the pause. Apparently, she didn't, as she immediately answered. “Well, not much I can do”, she complained. “It's always Daisy, Daisy, Daisy. She's not even that pretty! The dress makes her look fat” This time, Ilish couldn't contain a glance down Megur's chubby figure. The other girl noticed it and frowned. “It's the dress with me as well!”, she claimed. “Damn Daisy had to copy me of course, but I wore it first!”
“Megur! Ilish!”, a hoarsy voice sounded from the taproom and again, Megus rolled her eyes. “We're coming, mother!”, she yelled in return. “Hurry, young lady! Your cousin can't do it all alone, can she?”, Audrey yelled again and Megur sighed. “Sure she can't...”, she mumbled, before she looked back at Ilish. “Well then, was nice having some time to talk again. Back to work?” Ilish gave her a nod. “Back to work”, she confirmed.
Both women stepped back into the taproom. It was noisy, the air was hot and smelled of sweat and ale, but as uncomfortable as it should have been, it also felt like home for Ilish. Behind the counter stood Megur's mother, giving them a stern look. “There you are”, Audrey snarled. “Megur, you help me at the counter. Ilish, you go the rounds. See if they need anything, help Daisy”
Megur grimaced, though in the presence of her mother, she remained silent. Ilish meanwhile walked around the counter. It was a usual afternoon, the taproom contained a couple dozen guests already and around the evening, there would probably be around a hundred of them. She almost felt guilty for leaving the others alone tonight, but she had more important things to deal with.
Slowly, Ilish made her way through the taproom. While Megur, plain and pudgy, was highly resentful of Daisy for her beauty, Ilish found it always refreshing to have someone like her around. Serving alcohol to dozens of drunken men guaranteed a few unwanted displays of attention each day, but with Daisy around, she drew most of it and Ilish enjoyed the feeling of being invisible around her.
She caught up to Daisy in the middle of the taproom. Her friend immediately spotted her and smiled sweetly. “Everything okay?”, Ilish asked and Daisy's smile faded into a sarcastic smirk. “Well, no one touched my backside today, so far at least”, she answered and chuckled. “So yeah, everything as good as it can be, though the night is still young”
Her smile faded. “Can you do me a favour”?, she asked and Ilish gave her a nod. “Always”, she answered and Daisy pointed down the taproom. Ilish spotted a group of people sitting on a table near the corner. She recognized several of them. There was the one-eyed sellsword, Gutten, together with his group. And there was a huge, bald man, who was speaking to them.
“Could you bring them their ale?”, Daisy asked. “I'd go myself, but... I'm not really sure what to make of that man. The bald one, I mean. His name is Daghan and I think he fancies me” She blushed slightly, glancing away from the table. Ilish raised an eyebrow. “He's not too bad-looking”, she argued. “Look at those muscles. A man like that could find work anywhere, surely provide for a family”
Daisy shot her a glare. “He's old enough to be my father!”, she hissed and Ilish smirked. “I'm just teasing”, she answered. “I understand you. Just continue your route, I'll deal with that table” Immediately, the frown on Daisy's face vanished. “Thanks, Ilish”, she said. “You're the best”
“I know”, Ilish confirmed, as she walked back to the counter. As she approached, she saw Audrey and Megur, arguing with each other. She had to walk even closer to understand what they were saying.
“I don't care what feeling she gives to you, young lady”, Audrey barked, flourishing her beefy hands. “She is your cousin, the daughter of my sister!” Though he words were sharp, she was smiling kindly as always and it was this kind smile that seemed to infuriate Megur even further. Defiantly, the young woman stared her mother down. “Your dead sister”, she retorted, with as much tact as she always showed and Audrey's omnipresent smile faded, just for a moment before she switched her attention to Ilish.
“Ilish, girl, how can I help you?”, she asked with a motherly, though visibly forced smile. Ilish put her arms onto the counter, looking from Megur to Audrey. “Five mugs of ale for the sellswords in the corner”, she answered and Megur frowned. “These people mean trouble”, she whispered and Audrey gave her daughter a nod. “That they do”, she confirmed. “It's never good when people like them stay in this city for too long” While she spoke, she filled a couple of mugs with ale, not even looking at her hands while working. “Here, child. Make sure they won't have to wait for too long”
With this, she carefully handed Ilish a wooden tray, leaving it to her to balance the mugs on it through the crowd, while she herself turned back to the counter, where she started to clean mugs that got returned from the tables.
Slowly and with exceptional caution, Ilish started to move through the taproom. She was used to this, it was not as bad as it could be. With enough room to walk, she carefully balanced the tray as she approached the table in the corner. The female sellsword, her name was Janae, looked up and touched Gutten on the shoulder. He stopped talking, as he glanced over his shoulder, a wide smile appearing on his face.
“There's ale, my friends!”, he proclaimed, as Ilish put the tray onto the table. “As much as you can drink, Ser”, she stated and he laughed. “Such manners!”, he exclaimed. “But I won't complain. Bring me ale and you can call me however you like”
“I'll keep that in mind”, Janae chuckled, as she reached for a mug. She took a sip and grimaced. “Anyone ever told you that this ale is rubbish?”, she asked and Ilish gave her a nod, followed by a grin. “More often than you think”, she answered. “Though I'm not the one brewing it” Janae shook her head. “You're the one serving it”, she growled in return and the other woman, more a girl, probably even younger than Ilish, a pretty thing with a thin frame and braided, dark brown hair of the same colour as the hair of the gruff man next to her, raised an eyebrow, as she took a demonstratively deep gulp from her mug. “Have some mercy on her, Janae”, she advised her. “The ale could be better, but the service is nice”
“That I can confirm”, the bald man answered. He smiled, which caused the scarred flesh on his cheek to shiver, though it gave him a surprisingly friendly look as well. Up close, Ilish doubted he'd ever harass Daisy in any way, though she could understand why her friend was cautious.
He moved his hand towards his purse and pulled out a couple of coins, copper hands. “Round's on me. That's two copper a mug, eh?”, he asked and she gave him a nod. He grinned. “I know highwaymen who give you more for that money”, he answered, as he reached back into his purse, to pull out a silver coin. “Keep the rest”
Ilish did a curtsy in front of him, clumsy enough to make him laugh. “Not quite handmaiden material, but I've seen way worse”, he answered. “Go on, girl. You got work to do, eh? If we need something else, we let you know”
With this, each of them grabbed a mug from the tray, leaving it empty for Ilish to take. She turned around, as the sellswords clunked mugs. “To fire and blood”, the bald man proclaimed. “May we see as little as possible of it”, Janae added, while the rest of their conversation got quickly drowned by the noise around them, as Ilish made her way back through the taproom.
All of a sudden, someone grabbed her arm. Ilish stopped and spun around, only to find herself face to face with Philip Loren. He seemed to realize how harshly he had just grabbed her, as he immediately let go of her, an apologizing look on his face. On his table, she saw Torold Stratford and Taenora, the woman from the fair.
“A moment of your time, Ilish?”, Philip asked and she sighed. “Now?”, she asked in return. “I got work to do. Audrey's not happy about me taking the evening off” Philip sighed, as he pointed at an empty chair. “Talking now will save us valuable time later” He looked around the taproom. “Looks Daisy got it all under control” Again, he pointed at the chair and Ilish rolled her eyes, before she sat down. “I'll try to make it as quick as possible”
Finally, Ilish realized where they were sitting. “This is Jarow's table”, she stated, recognizing the place the Lord of Bridges usually claimed for himself. “He could be here any minute and you know how crabby he gets if he can't get his table”
Philip shook his head. “Jarow got a crossbow bolt through the shoulder just days ago”, he explained. “I haven't seen him ever since and do you really think he is even able to drink with such a wound?” Ilish gave him a nod. “I believe Jarow is always able to drink”
“We won't stay long”, Torold said diplomatically and Taenora gave him a nod. “All we want to do is to talk to you, now”, she added and her tone sounded both, friendly and urgent. “Besides, there is another free chair for him, if he insists on sitting here”
“What is it then?”, Ilish asked. Philip crossed his arms. “It's about tonight. You're ready to hunt the beast?”, he asked in return and she gave him a nod. “My dear Philip, I was born ready”, she said with a small smile. “What's your plan for tonight?”
“We have our target”, Torold explained. “Kreep is currently hiding behind that cat mask. While it hides his face, it also gives him a distinctive look, far more distinctive than his usual appearance, I presume”
“At worst, it's not even him”, Philip argued and Torold shot him a glare, to which he raised an eyebrow. “What? It's true. We have no evidence that the man behind the cat mask is the same guy that attacked Ilish last week. We may waste our effort on hunting down a random eccentric”
“We're going to split up for this”, Taenora revealed. “To please both parties. Our focus is the man Torold suspects, the one with the metal helmet shaped like a cat's head” Taenora interrupted herself by starting to cough, rather violently until she took a deep gulp from the mug in front of her. From the sharp smell, Ilish knew it wasn't ale, but stronger booze. “Is everything alright?”, she asked and Taenora gave her a nod. “Just a cough, sweet girl”, she said with a smile, though her voice sounded more hoarsy than ever. “Perhaps I should let a healer look over it”
“Raylansfair has a good one”, Philip mumbled. “Perhaps I could make the necessary introductions” Taenora gave him a thankful nod, while another, far weaker cough left her throat. Torold continued on her behalf. “I'm not happy about splitting up, but Taenora made a good point”, he explained. “Her men can search the fair without being noticed. They know it better than anyone else. Meanwhile, we three will stick together”
“Understood”, Ilish confirmed and looked at Taenora. “How many of your men will help?” Taenora took another sip from her booze, before she answered. “There is Ulaf. Perhaps you remember him from the fair?”, she asked with a smile. “He claims to be the strongest man in the world and never gave me a reason to doubt him”, she explained. “Then there is Irnas, who is responsible for taming wild beasts. He's a fearless man and can handle himself in a dangerous situation. Gilbar Cale, our magician, who is more crafty with a blade than you'd probably expect. And finally, Edrick and Edwin, twins and acrobats, they are fast, nimble and know the fair better than even I do”
“Five men”, Ilish mumbled. “Eight with us”, Philip corrected her. “I would have preferred half a dozen guardsmen under Torold's brother, but admittedly, that could draw a bit too much attention. Besides, Kreep is all alone, just one man. We must find him”
“And we will”, Taenora confirmed. “Though before you leave for the hunt, Ilish, I want you to talk to my daughter, Nila” Ilish looked up and Taenora audibly cleared her throat. “I have good reason to help you”, she explained. “Nila is in your age, maybe a bit younger at most. Recently, she claimed that she feels watched. She even saw someone and I want you to listen to the description she can give. Perhaps you'll recognize Kreep”
“Will it change something to know that Kreep is after your daughter?”, Ilish asked and Taenora's expression hardened. “It will change everything”, she answered calmly. “Because if this bastard is trying to harm Nila, he's as good as dead. There are many things I can forgive. Threatening my child is not one of them”
“Very well. I'll talk to your daughter. It's going to take me another hour, but Megur was willing to take over my later shift”, Ilish said. “If that was all, I better get g... oh no” She looked towards the door, where a familiar, ragged figure just entered. Jarow, the self-proclaimed Lord of the Bridges, was looking older than before. His shoulders seemed uneven and he seemed to sweat, even though he just came from the outside. Quickly, his eyes spotted the table and widened.
“Can't believe he came after all”, Ilish muttered. “Look, you gotta go now, because Jarow is going to insist on his table” Philip shook his head. “We'll figure something out”, he mumbled. Torold looked up, seeing the old man. “Jarow, you say? The Lord of the Bridges himself?”, he said. “He's a capable fighter. Maybe we could use someone like him”
“Last week, Richard's plan nearly caused his death, Torold”, Philip said sharply. “The last thing I want is getting anyone killed. We're playing it safe. No need to involve him in this” Torold shrugged. “Well, just saying. If we face a killer, I'd love to have someone like Jarow near me”, he argued in turn.
Then, Jarow had reached the table. He gave them a wide grin, revealing his crooked, brown teeth, as he absent-mindedly combed his beard with one hand. “Greetings, lads”, he said in a friendly tone. “You're sitting on my table”
“Do we?”, Taenora said. “Never saw your name on it. It's Jarow, isn't it?” Jarow's grin got wider. “Aye. And who is this beautiful creature?”, he asked, as he took a polite bow in front of her. He was a madman living under a bridge, but Ilish was once again surprised how impeccable his manners were at times.
“My name is Taenora”, she answered and pointed at the empty chair next to her. “Sit down if you must. We're about to go either way” He followed her wish and the moment he sat down, she passed him her mug with the booze. Jarow's grin got wider. “Is that from Audrey?”, he asked. “Fine woman, that one, fine woman”
He grabbed the mug and took a deep gulp from it. “Ah, this is good. I believe I have nothing against drinking with Raylan's peasants”, he chuckled and his gaze fell onto Philip. “Now, if it isn't Philip Loren! What have you been up to these days?”
Philip grinned, though to Ilish it seemed forced more than anything else. She attempted to rose from her chair, but Jarow looked at her. “Oh, Ilish. Stay for a bit, lass. Haven't seen my favourite barmaid at all this week”, he urged her and she sighed, but stayed.
“You know, nothing too big has happened”, Philip answered. “I've recovered” He rose his hands, presenting them in the light of the candle and Ilish saw the burn scars on his palms. “It took me a few days, but thanks to Mathea's ointment, I can use them again. It still itches like hell at times, but she assured me I'll make a full recovery soon”
Jarow gave him a nod. “Yes, this Mathea, she's a damn fine healer. Pulled that blasted arrow out of my shoulder. It's been a week and I still don't have an infection”, he said with a wide, crooked grin. “That healer girl, I'm telling you, if I'd be two decades younger...” His grin faded and he looked confused for a moment. “Then... then I'd be thirty years old” He shook his head and his grin returned. “But ah, it needs more than an arrow to take the Lord of Bridges down”
“Lord of Bridges...”, Taenora said and Jarow look up. “Yes?”, he asked and she smirked. “I've heard that before, but I can't really make anything with it. You're not really a lord, aren't you?” Jarow had the courtesy to not look genuinely offended, though he raised both eyebrows. “Fair Lady Taenora, I am indeed a lord. The lordliest you'll ever find”, he claimed. “Lord Robert Raylan, may he rest in peace, awarded me with a bit of land and a title for my valiant service”
Taenora looked impressed, though she undoubtedly caught Torold subtly shaking his head. “I suppose there's a tale behind it”, she stated and he gave her a nod. “A tale of bravery in face of adversity”, he said. “A tale of sacrifice and duty and honour. Such is the tale of Jarow, Lord of the Bridges!” He took another gulp and emptied the mug entirely.
“You must know, fifteen years ago this city got attacked. Ironborn. It was bad”, he started to explain. Ilish gulped. She knew the story and it was one of the reasons she and everyone she knew always kept up with Jarow's ramblings. The man deserved more than he currently was and even though no one could give him back his sanity, she could at least make up for it by treating him with the respect he demanded.
“It was very bad”, Torold added glumly and Jarow gave him a nod. “Aye. You're going to find few people in this room who haven't lost loved ones during the attack. The Ironborn came in the early morning and they came from the sea, with two longships. The young Captain Nathamer led the charge that repelled them”, he explained. “But what few know is that a third longship landed a mile to the south, to storm out gates, to split our forces. A farmer spotted them and alerted Lord Raylan. He in turn send a dozen men to the nearest bridge, to hold it until reinforcements would arrive...”
He paused and his grin was gone entirely, replaced by a dark, glum look that was not in the slightest bit save. “I held it, m'lady. Two dozen men died by my hand that day. My brothers-in-arms died by the hands of my enemies”
“I...“, Taenora stuttered. “I am sorry to hear this, Ser. It must have been horrible” He gave her a sullen nod, before his grin returned. “Eh, I don't try to think about it too much. I keep my mind preoccupied, helping peasant folk like you. Robert has been a friend, an ally, it's the least I can do in return”, he said, before he looked around. “So... it's a pretty odd gathering here. You mind to tell me what you're doing here?”
Philip looked to the floor and Torold did not answer either. Only Taenora seemed as if she was thinking about answering to his question, though Ilish knew that this would be up to her again. She also knew, Philip did not want to drag Jarow into this. At the same time, she knew if she'd tell him the truth about their plan, he'd insist on helping. And she remembered his words, remembered just how many he had killed to hold his bridge against the Ironborn. Perhaps he could be useful, despite his wound.
[Tell him about the plan] [Lie to him]
[Lie to him] Can't put the Lord of Bridges in danger.
[Tell him about the plan]
[Lie to him]
[Lie to him] The man deserves some rest. Great part anyway, I enjoy Jarow's ramblings
[Lie to him] Yeah he could be useful but he hasn't fully recovered yet.
[Lie to him] Let's leave him on the bench for now,I want him at 100% when the Ironbros will attack Raylainsfair
About the part I really like how you decide to start Ilish POV for this chapter giving more screentime for the workers of the tavern (the meeting place of the fic!XD),making Jarow comeback after a very long absence and obviously I really like how Ilish interact with the most loved sellswords of Westeros!
[Lie to him]