Lucas has, in a way, lost to Mullendore several times already. Should that stop him from fighting? Certainly not. Live with the guilt, or die to do something right and be free from it? Even if there are others who could drive him mad enough to sign, by that point it'd hardly be him making the choice. Easier to say for someone else than me, but it'd be better to go insane with fewer regrets. What's worse- for history to discover long after that the man died a hero, though his reputation was ruined, or to let him live knowing himself to be a coward? Truth is a fickle thing. You can't suppress it forever with a signed document. Lucas has an equal amount to lose either way; dying friendless or living friendless. This is all if Mullendore actually fulfills his part of the bargain, anyway.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
If you can't beat them, join them. Only seems fair. Besides, Mullendore probably wouldn't give Leonard a decent one, well, a slightly better than the already bad one he has, if Lucas does not sign this.
Of course Leonard could always call a trial by combat and such or Lucas could do the same and Argella could make Drent fight or something.
This is the worst choice though, but I vote it anyway.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
[Refuse to sign the confession] As down as Lucas is right now, I don't think he'd ever willingly admit to killing his friends in cold blood. He may feel like he's responsible but never that -he- did it himself. So, I'm pretty sure he'd just ignore the paper and prepare himself for pain and to hold out as long as possible.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
[Agree to sign the confession] You know, depending who Mullendore serves, I might have to start siding with him. Nothing can stand in the way of the great Team Targ, and if that means we have to let Mullendore have another win, then so be it.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
[Agree to sign the confession] You know, depending who Mullendore serves, I might have to start siding with him. Nothing can stand in the way of the great Team Targ, and if that means we have to let Mullendore have another win, then so be it.
A great start for the chapter! First of all, I loved the scene of the ghosts from Lucas' past haunting him - really emphasizes all the mistakes we've made on the way, and all the regrets it has brought.
I recall speculating earlier that Mullendore could be Targaryen supporter, and now that seems only more likely. I'm feeling quite conflicted about that, because as much as I love Team Targ, seeing Mullendore win alongside them would really give a sour taste to the victory. Oh and btw, Maron seems to be severly underestimating Argella (you'd think he had learned after nearly being killed by a "little girl" )... gotta wonder if that will bite him in the ass later. But on to the choice...
[Refuse to sign it] This is a hard one. However, I feel like Lucas has more or less hit the rock bottom at this point. There isn't much Maron can do to him anymore, aside from more physical pain, or to kill him. As interesting as it would be to see Lucas in the Night's Watch, I feel like we should keep doing our best to complicate things for Mullendore.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
Yeah screw that. Mullendore ain't winning this one. First, Mullendore will find a way to kill Lucas even if he signs it. Second, Signing the confession would put Mullendore in a good position and we need all the enemines we can get aganist him. It is a heavy price, but I think its worth it.
You have an interesting thought there. Mullendore really gives him nothing but his word, so it is entirely in the realms of possible that he'd go against this word and would later betray Lucas either way. And you know that Mullendore does have a rather conflicted history when it comes to his word. As seen with his willingness to let Harpy go in the Chapter 6 finale, he does have a very peculiar sense of honour in strange situations, but then again, he did play Lucas like a fiddle in Chapter 4, so I can more than understand you being reluctant to trust him here. And of course, it can be safely assumed that signing this confession will make things a lot easier for him. The price of hindering his plans will most likely be heavy and in the end, you have to decide if the benefits truly outweigh the cost.
[Refuse to sign it] Yeah screw that. Mullendore ain't winning this one. First, Mullendore will find a way to kill Lucas even if he signs it.… more Second, Signing the confession would put Mullendore in a good position and we need all the enemies we can get aganist him. It is a heavy price, but I think its worth it.
[Refuse to sign it] As the others have said, Lucas is very much at rock bottom at this point and with basically everything taken from him already, I don't want to see him give in now.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
Lucas has indeed lost a lot to Mullendore. The man has broken him before through heavy torture, although it can be argued that Lucas hasn't really been himself in these moments, as you said. Completely unrelated to which choice I'd pick, I like this point you bring up. If he dies here, there is indeed a chance that he will eventually be remembered as a hero, though if he signs the document, any chance for that should be gone. It goes down to how important you see Lucas' survival and stopping (or at least harming) Mullendore's plans respectively, as well as how much you trust that guy to actually stay true to his end of the deal. All I can say is, I know that there is one outcome I personally see as the better one for this choice. It's intended to be a hard one though, I'm especially glad to see arguments for both sides
[Refuse to sign it]
Lucas has, in a way, lost to Mullendore several times already. Should that stop him from fighting? Certainly not. Liv… moree with the guilt, or die to do something right and be free from it? Even if there are others who could drive him mad enough to sign, by that point it'd hardly be him making the choice. Easier to say for someone else than me, but it'd be better to go insane with fewer regrets. What's worse- for history to discover long after that the man died a hero, though his reputation was ruined, or to let him live knowing himself to be a coward? Truth is a fickle thing. You can't suppress it forever with a signed document. Lucas has an equal amount to lose either way; dying friendless or living friendless. This is all if Mullendore actually fulfills his part of the bargain, anyway.
If you can't beat them, join them. Only seems far. Besides, Mullendore probably wouldn't give Leonard a decent one, well, a slightly better than the already bad one he has, if Lucas does not sign this.
Well, here I can confirm that Leonard isn't yet one of Mullendore's captives, as the preview for Jenna's part already hinted at. Though while Mullendore is not exactly having any personal issues with Leonard (unlike Lucas, whom he has a grudge against), it is doubtful he'd give him a deal better than the one he gave Lucas. Even a deal just as good (or bad?) would be hard to achieve.
Of course Leonard could always call a trial by combat and such or Lucas could do the same and Argella could make Drent fight or something.
To be honest, if I were in a trial by combat and I would have the choice between Lucas/Leonard and Drent, I'd be the knight. Drent is just a mere soldier, skilled, but not exactly knight material, wheras Lucas and Leonard both had training as it befits a highborn knight, as well as a lot more actual fighting experience than Drent. If there's a trial by combat, which is certainly in the realms of possible, then finding a champion that is actually better than what the knight can offer themselves will be hard in the current situation. Darren Tallwood would have been up for it, but he's too wounded. Emphryus would have not only been up to it, he would be capable of completely destroying Mullendore's fighter, but he is also way too wounded to fight. So... if there is a trial by combat, they will likely have to fight themselves.
This is the worst choice though, but I vote it anyway.
Well, as I said above to Tohabath, this is a choice where I would say there is one option that is better than the other. Depending on the one that wins, you're going to see it relatively soon, or at the end of the chapter at latest
[Agree to sign the confession]
If you can't beat them, join them. Only seems fair. Besides, Mullendore probably wouldn't give Leonard a d… moreecent one, well, a slightly better than the already bad one he has, if Lucas does not sign this.
Of course Leonard could always call a trial by combat and such or Lucas could do the same and Argella could make Drent fight or something.
This is the worst choice though, but I vote it anyway.
Hehe, yes, this thought has been brought up before. If I remember correctly, someone even made a poll back when this was first brought up, when Mullendore mentioned his true king and while I can't remember the exact outcome of this poll, I know that it was generally accepted that Aegon Targaryen is a strong contender for such a role. And it would fit Mullendore's personality. Well... all I can say is that you will learn the truth about this in the near future
[Agree to sign the confession] You know, depending who Mullendore serves, I might have to start siding with him. Nothing can stand in the way of the great Team Targ, and if that means we have to let Mullendore have another win, then so be it.
A great start for the chapter! First of all, I loved the scene of the ghosts from Lucas' past haunting him - really emphasizes all the mistakes we've made on the way, and all the regrets it has brought.
This is good to hear It was very much part of my intention here to show some of the biggest regrets Lucas has. Since most of them could have been prevented by diffrent votes (even if they, admittedly, have been very hard to achieve, such as Lunett's survival), I can only imagine that they are among the biggest regrets of some readers as well. On top of that, it felt like a nice touch to bring Lunett, Dairon and Harris back for this final chapter, even if it was only as a hallucination
I recall speculating earlier that Mullendore could be Targaryen supporter, and now that seems only more likely. I'm feeling quite conflicted about that, because as much as I love Team Targ, seeing Mullendore win alongside them would really give a sour taste to the victory.
I remember that you speculated about this before, yes! It has always been an interesting theory and one I can definitely either confirm or debunk over the course of this chapter. If I, for once, manage to keep up to my plans, then the late March should feature a part in which the identity of Mullendore's king is going to be revealed unambiguously. I agree though that it would make things more complicated rooting for the Targaryen victory, which is really the one thing that is set in stone. If Mullendore is going to be among them... well, you'll get your answer in time
Oh and btw, Maron seems to be severly underestimating Argella (you'd think he had learned after nearly being killed by a "little girl" )... gotta wonder if that will bite him in the ass later.
I can confirm that he isn't taking Argella seriously in the slightest. Her father maybe, but he really sees her as nothing but a spoiled little girl that might be a bit upset about losing her new knight, but ultimatly unable to cause much trouble. He had a similar opinion on Harpy (even worse actually, since his opinion on foreigners is the one thing that's worse than his opinion on women) and it cost him dearly, but he didn't really draw the right conclusions out of this. There's a very small amount of people Mullendore takes seriously as a threat (or even considers to be his equals in terms of cunning) and neither of them is in Raylansfair at this point.
A great start for the chapter! First of all, I loved the scene of the ghosts from Lucas' past haunting him - really emphasizes all the mista… morekes we've made on the way, and all the regrets it has brought.
I recall speculating earlier that Mullendore could be Targaryen supporter, and now that seems only more likely. I'm feeling quite conflicted about that, because as much as I love Team Targ, seeing Mullendore win alongside them would really give a sour taste to the victory. Oh and btw, Maron seems to be severly underestimating Argella (you'd think he had learned after nearly being killed by a "little girl" )... gotta wonder if that will bite him in the ass later. But on to the choice...
[Refuse to sign it] This is a hard one. However, I feel like Lucas has more or less hit the rock bottom at this point. There isn't much Maron can do to him anymore, aside from more physical pain, or to kill him. As interesting as it would be to see Lucas … [view original content]
Lucas has indeed lost a lot to Mullendore. The man has broken him before through heavy torture, although it can be argued that Lucas hasn't … morereally been himself in these moments, as you said. Completely unrelated to which choice I'd pick, I like this point you bring up. If he dies here, there is indeed a chance that he will eventually be remembered as a hero, though if he signs the document, any chance for that should be gone. It goes down to how important you see Lucas' survival and stopping (or at least harming) Mullendore's plans respectively, as well as how much you trust that guy to actually stay true to his end of the deal. All I can say is, I know that there is one outcome I personally see as the better one for this choice. It's intended to be a hard one though, I'm especially glad to see arguments for both sides
He had a similar opinion on Harpy (even worse actually, since his opinion on foreigners is the one thing that's worse than his opinion on women) and it cost him dearly, but he didn't really draw the right conclusions out of this. There's a very small amount of people Mullendore takes seriously as a threat (or even considers to be his equals in terms of cunning) and neither of them is in Raylansfair at this point.
A great start for the chapter! First of all, I loved the scene of the ghosts from Lucas' past haunting him - really emphasizes all the mista… morekes we've made on the way, and all the regrets it has brought.
This is good to hear It was very much part of my intention here to show some of the biggest regrets Lucas has. Since most of them could have been prevented by diffrent votes (even if they, admittedly, have been very hard to achieve, such as Lunett's survival), I can only imagine that they are among the biggest regrets of some readers as well. On top of that, it felt like a nice touch to bring Lunett, Dairon and Harris back for this final chapter, even if it was only as a hallucination
I recall speculating earlier that Mullendore could be Targaryen supporter, and now that seems only more likely. I'm feeling quite conflicted about that, because as much as I love Team Targ, seeing Mullendore win alongside them would really give a … [view original content]
[Refuse to sign it] This is a really hard choice, odds are that Lucas will give in and sign anyway, and you could argue that he'd get to live to fight another day. But I'm gonna choose to do the right thing and stay loyal. Stay true to yourself, no matter what.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
If you can't beat them, join them. Only seems far. Besides, Mullendore probably wouldn't give Leonard a decent one, well, a slightly better … morethan the already bad one he has, if Lucas does not sign this.
Well, here I can confirm that Leonard isn't yet one of Mullendore's captives, as the preview for Jenna's part already hinted at. Though while Mullendore is not exactly having any personal issues with Leonard (unlike Lucas, whom he has a grudge against), it is doubtful he'd give him a deal better than the one he gave Lucas. Even a deal just as good (or bad?) would be hard to achieve.
Of course Leonard could always call a trial by combat and such or Lucas could do the same and Argella could make Drent fight or something.
To be honest, if I were in a trial by combat and I would have the choice between Lucas/Leonard and Drent, I'd be the knight. Drent is just a mere soldier, skilled, but not exactly knight material, wheras Luc… [view original content]
And the last chapter of Book 1 has finally started!
RT:
I really like read of Lucas facing his own mistakes (and read again of some old faces)
Mullendore is now probably 100% Team Targaryen!Hurray!
I'm really curious if someone will reach Lucas before it's too late
About the choice:
[Refuse to sign the confession]
I know that probably Mullendore will succeed to make Lucas sign the confession but I believe that our knight won't do it just now, he need The Sphynx for this kind of decision.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
[Refudse to sign it] Yeaaah... Maybe Leonard's working on a plan with Argella. I don't want to see the wall. I've seen enough. So let's just stay strong, although I'll probably change the vote if this choice comes up after a bit of a therapy session with Mr. Sphynx. We'll see. Great beginning to a chapter, though!
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
I know this choice won't win and, quite frankly, I don't see what's stopping Mullendore from killing Lucas once he signs it, but assuming he is keeping his word, I'd actually like to see Lucas' story told from Castle Black.
Also about Mullendore's possible alliance with the Targaryen's, I think it's a very interesting theory and not something to stray away from, but I do have one question. If that were true, then why is Saerya (someone who is with the Targaryan's), trying to find incriminating evidence against Sherryl (who we know is currently allied with Mullendore)? Does that mean Sherryl is plotting to overthrow him for her own ambitions yet again?
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
Oh boy... I'm half expecting an anticipation of the heroic option, only to hide something good behind the Night Watch possibility.
Ah, a good thought. If I remember correctly, I think I did this before, where I had a situation where the readers acted in the way I expected, only for me to hide the better outcome in the seemingly worse choice, the one the readers to expectedly did not pick. It is entirely in the realms of possible that I'm doing such a thing again.
I've really joined in at the right time, haven't I? O.O
You surely have! This chapter should, in theory at least, hold some really cool moments and you joined just in time for it to start. There will be slightly less choices than usual, on account of some storylines only setting up stuff for the future, but the choices you will get should be really important, just like this one.
Oh boy... I'm half expecting an anticipation of the heroic option, only to hide something good behind the Night Watch possibility.
I've really joined in at the right time, haven't I? O.O
I can't confirm anything of course. That said, the Moggy is among Mullendore's most dangerous fighters, so he's certainly a possibility. However, he is not the only dangerous man in Mullendore's entourage. So, he's a good guess, but not the only one that would make sense.
Ah, and this is indeed a creepy character. They don't have this name without reason. Though, I can say that it isn't even nearly the most creepy character. There are others who deserve this place far more
And the last chapter of Book 1 has finally started!
At long last. It's funny to think how I originally thought I'd be fully done with the entire story by now. I guess planning ahead has never been one of my strengths This chapter should be shorter than the previous ones though, because a number of storylines will be very short this time.
I really like read of Lucas facing his own mistakes (and read again of some old faces)
And, without wanting to hint at anything specific, it might not be the last time such old faces are going to appear in the story I found it rather enjoyable to write this scene, so while maybe not in the exact situation, I might use such a thing later on as well, in different situations and with different characters.
Mullendore is now probably 100% Team Targaryen!Hurray!
Well, the hints are there. And there have been hints, that's all I can say. I can also reveal that there is one particularly strong hint that nobody has caught up to yet. This particular hint should all but spell it out. That said, Mullendore's allegiance will be confirmed in this chapter.
I'm really curious if someone will reach Lucas before it's too late
They are certainly going to try. Just like last time, Lucas is not without allies. Arguably, his situation is even better than last time, since his allies from Chapter 5 are still there, as well as new allies, in form of Argella and whomever else among the Raylansfair cast has an interest in saving his life. At the same time, Mullendore has learned as well and he is going to act a lot faster this time, knowing that his position is far from secure.
And the last chapter of Book 1 has finally started!
RT:
* I really like read of Lucas facing his own mistakes (and read again of som… moree old faces)
* Mullendore is now probably 100% Team Targaryen!Hurray!
* I'm really curious if someone will reach Lucas before it's too late
About the choice:
[Refuse to sign the confession]
I know that probably Mullendore will succeed to make Lucas sign the confession but I believe that our knight won't do it just now, he need The Sphynx for this kind of decision.
Also about Mullendore's possible alliance with the Targaryen's, I think it's a very interesting theory and not something to stray away from, but I do have one question. If that were true, then why is Saerya (someone who is with the Targaryan's), trying to find incriminating evidence against Sherryl (who we know is currently allied with Mullendore)? Does that mean Sherryl is plotting to overthrow him for her own ambitions yet again?
Well, an interesting question. Indeed, Saerya is very much against Sherryl. At the same time, it wouldn't be out of character for Sherryl to go against Mullendore as well, to further her own ambitions. One thing I can reveal, since it has been stated before, is that Saerya has confirmed that she has no idea whom Sherryl is working for. At least that's what she claimed in her talk with Jenna and finding this out has been one of the reasons for her going into a partnership with Jenna, whom she (correctly) sees as far less suspicious than herself.
There's a number of possible reasons for that and not all would go against the theory that Mullendore is a Targaryen supporter. The most simple explanation would be that Saerya simply has indeed no idea whom Sherryl is working for, since Sherryl herself is certainly not the person to share such a detail with, well, anyone. Or maybe she has no idea whom Mullendore is supporting, not knowing that she (potentially) acts against a man who could be an ally. Her own reaction to Mullendore's arrival in Raylansfair will be shown later in this chapter.
[Agree to sign the confession]
I know this choice won't win and, quite frankly, I don't see what's stopping Mullendore from killing Lucas… more once he signs it, but assuming he is keeping his word, I'd actually like to see Lucas' story told from Castle Black.
Also about Mullendore's possible alliance with the Targaryen's, I think it's a very interesting theory and not something to stray away from, but I do have one question. If that were true, then why is Saerya (someone who is with the Targaryan's), trying to find incriminating evidence against Sherryl (who we know is currently allied with Mullendore)? Does that mean Sherryl is plotting to overthrow him for her own ambitions yet again?
Well, now that I think about it The Moggy is already some sort of Hulk inside the story (big guy with absurd strenght and endurance but not a really big brain)
Great start to the chapter! Really liked the ghost scene. Fuck Mullendore man. I'm curious on what's gonna happen to Leonard...
[Agree to sign the confession] I really hope I'm not looking too much into this. I don't want to sign it at all. I'm just afraid that if he doesn't sign, serious consequences will ensue. I have a feeling that either way Lucas's name will appear on the confession or Mullendore will end up throwing him under the bus. If I'm correct, then I'd much rather do it now than wait after something bad happens and then do it. Either way, Lucas is fucked.
Act III: Wildfire
Chapter III: Valar Dohaeris
Lucas
“This is your fault”, she said sharply, as she stepped out of the shadows. His … morevision was blurred, the forehead right above his remaining eye was throbbing from the beating they had given him, but Lucas recognized her voice. He would have recognized it out of a thousand and just hearing it caused him to tense up.
There she stood. Her green eyes glared at him and every trace of the kindness he had fallen for was gone from her pretty face. He opened his mouth, but instead of words, he only managed to gasp, which soon turned into a heavy cough, as his dry throat ached at the attempt to speak. Her own mouth formed a thin line, almost cruel. “Pathetic”, she hissed in a chilling tone.
“Lunett...”, he finally managed to utter and she raised an eyebrow. Her face softened, if barely and now that his vision returned to him, Lucas saw the hint of red tears gathering in her eyes. “You sho… [view original content]
I fully expected this to be a hard choice, though I also had the idea that a majority of you might choose this. After all, this whole situation is bigger than just Lucas and Mullendore and even though Lucas is one of the most popular PoV's, he's still just one guy, whereas Mullendore's plans are a threat to quite a large number of people. The only thing that remains to be seen is how much you actually harmed his plans here and if it has been worth it. You'll see it eventually and to be honest, you won't have to wait too long for Lucas' next part, as one minor detail in it has to happen for me to be able to start some other storylines. As for now, you have made your choice and now Lucas has to live with the consequences. Or... maybe not
The next part should be out today. There's still a lot of writing left to do, but I am pumped for this chapter, so I will try my best to finish the part before going to sleep tonight. The problem is, I was busy on Sunday and I was gone for the entirety of yesterday, so I have made less progress than usual at this point. But well, it should be done reasonably soon. This next part is going to be a Jenna part, showing the state of the castle after the raid and the arrival of the Mullendore/Vyrwel army. There's not much else to say about it now, although I might not manage to give her PoV the length of a full part here, which leaves me with the possibility of including another PoV as well, though I have no idea whom it could be. I'd like to start Jaron's and Arthur's storylines soon, but their first PoV in this chapter absolutely requires a full-length part, so maybe Edrick? Ah, we'll see how long I'll manage to make Jenna's part, everything else will be decided upon when it's time for that.
Oh no, Grulk isn't a Hulk expy, that much I can say. There are similarities, to be honest, as Grulk is a very physical character, but I myself would compare him more to Hodor, in that he got his name from this 'word' being the only thing he is able of uttering, for a very specific reason.
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and the ones with the dragon, they outnumbered them tenfold on this courtyard alone.
These newcomers already did most of the work, as Nora and most of hers were unable to do it, due to their wounds. They had settled in the barracks as if they owned them and were already acting like the new force in charge. It was save to say that Jenna did not like them and neither did she trust them. She even found it hard to be grateful for them saving the city. Their arrival had been a little bit too timely for that.
She sighed and instantly cringed, as she put a hand onto her side. The spot where the Ironborn brute had hit her was still aching, something she hadn't even noticed during the raid. Now, after hours of calming down and a completely sleepless night, Jenna felt the pain. She felt even worse for allowing it to affect her. After all, she had been lucky compared to so many others. She was still alive, she hadn't even lost a loved one in this fight.
Her father had visited her a few hours ago, after he brought Hal Recton to the makeshift hospital that had been built on the central square of the city. He had been more quiet than usual, barely speaking, even as she had broken down in his arms. Even his presence had felt less calming than usual and he was not only stressed out, but also busy. Before Jenna had been able to ask him about it, he had excused himself and left again, to learn of the damage the raiders had done to the farm. And now she was alone again, in a city that was filled with new faces.
As she turned to the gates of the castle, Jenna spotted Saerya standing there and watching the corpse cart with a weary expression. After a moment of hesitation, she approached the other woman, who blinked as she noticed her, giving her a tired nod in the process, before looking back at the corpse cart, silently.
Jenna raised a hand, considering if she should put it onto Saerya's back to comfort her, though she hesitated a moment too long and awkwardly lowered it again, as she bit her lower lip. “I'm... glad to see you”, she finally said and Saerya sighed. “You survived”, she replied thinly.
Her gaze was still locked on Federico's corpse and Jenna clenched her fists. “I am sorry for Federico”, she said, as memories of his final moments flashed through her mind, as she remembered how that raider had carved his face in. “He... he was a good man. You knew him better of course but I... I think he really was a good one”
Saerya lowered her head, finally averting her eyes from the gruesome sight. “The best”, she replied, as she looked up. “But do you know what's the worst thing about it?” For the first time since she had met her, Saerya was struggling for words. “I'm not mourning him. I don't grief for him and I never will. I... miss him, but not as much as I probably should”
Jenna narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”, she asked and Saerya shook her head. “I have realized it the moment I saw his corpse. I know, what we had has never involved any feelings, not on my end, but... but I can't help but think that this is truly horrible of me. And I can't stop thinking how he'd feel if our roles would be reversed, if it would be me on that cart” She struggled again and blinked, though Jenna still saw the hint of wet in her eyes. “That's dragging me down more than his mere absence”
For a moment, Jenna was unsure what to answer. Saerya was denying it, but her face showed that she was grieving, in her own way. Seeing her so vulnerable was unsettling. She was supposed to be the strong one! “Perhaps he meant more to you than you thought”, she replied and Saerya shook her head. “That's... that's not it”, she said sharply, though her voice softened again almost instantly. “But I will miss him. I think I really will”
Before she was able to say something else, her attention was claimed by the doors to the Great Hall opening. “There we go...”, she mumbled and Jenna looked into the same direction as her. She saw two men walking onto the courtyard. One of them was Harlen Tyrell and she felt anger rising inside of her as she spotted him. The coward still had the nerve to act as if he had any authority here in Raylansfair. He was the reason Federico and so many others were dead.
The other man caught Jenna's eye immediately afterwards. Petyr Vyrwel, the Lord of Darkdell, the saviour of Raylansfair. She had seen him before, in the distance, though this was the first time she got a good look at him. There was a lot of Lucas Flowers in him, from his handsome facial features to the blonde hair and even the proud way he walked. The black and red of House Vyrwel was on his tabard, so similar to the house Saerya was serving and his clothes were fancy and fitting, better than any she had ever seen before.
He was talking to Harlen and the Castellan of Highgarden was laughing awkwardly, to which Petyr only sent him a mild glare. There was no smile on his face as he walked past the destruction the raiders had left. His tone was stern and even though he was too far away for Jenna to understand them, she at least understood that it was something important.
The two men walked across the courtyard and out of the corner of her eyes, Jenna saw how Saerya was tensing up. “I don't like this man”, Saerya whispered, as Petyr and Harlen walked closer. The former said something, to which the latter let out an inappropriate chuckle, though he stopped the moment he realized that it wasn't meant to be funny.
“This is... interesting”, he said, now close enough for Jenna to hear him. “My dear Petyr, I must say that you are indeed the most suited out of the current candidates. With House Raylan officially extinct, I agree that we can't leave this city without a lord, given its strategic value”
“So, you'll think about it?”, Petyr asked. As he walked past Jenna and Saerya, a pleased smirk formed on his face. He glanced at the two women and Jenna almost gasped as he gave her a wink, before moving past her. Heavily blushing at his audacious behaviour, she turned away from him and towards Saerya. “What... was that?”, she asked and the other woman still looked after the two men. “That was our new problem”, she said, before she grabbed Jenna by the hand. “Come”
Jenna did not resist, as Saerya led her to the servant's quarters. They entered the building and the hallway behind was lying in silence as they walked through it. Without uttering a word, Saerya pointed at the door that led to Jenna's room, waiting for her to unlock it.
Only after they had entered the room did Saerya relax again, if only slightly. “He's got Tyrell in his pocket already”, she mumbled, as she sat down on Jenna's bed. Jenna herself remained standing. Her gaze fell upon the faint splatter of red on the floor and she quickly turned away from it, her hands clenched to fists. Wolfius... with all that had happened in the past weeks, she hadn't had the time to clean after what remained of his attempt on her life. A different girl had bled on this floor. She had been weak. She should have died. Jenna wasn't that girl anymore. She opened her eyes again and glared at Saerya. “What are we going to do next?”, she asked.
Saerya shrugged. “I'm not sure about it myself”, she revealed. “Vyrwel's arrival really ruined a lot of things I had planned. He's the one I haven't expected. Hells, I barely expected Mullendore” Jenna raised an eyebrow. “What do you know about them?”, she inquired.
This time, it took Saerya a moment to answer. “Nothing of relevance. Maron Mullendore comes from a side branch of House Mullendore. His cousin is Cregan Mullendore, the Lord of Uplands, though Maron has lived most of his life in Oldtown. His father, Mandon, used to be good friends with Manfred Hightower, at least until his death at the hands of a drunken sellsword”
“Hard childhood?”, Jenna asked and Saerya shook her head. “Not enough to turn him into such a scheming bastard”, she revealed. “His father was dead, but Hightower gave the boy a good life, even knighting him when he turned sixteen. I heard some... chilling accounts on his time in the Dornish Marches, before he joined the city guard in Oldtown, but nothing that made me think he's any more than a dumb brute”
Jenna clenched her teeth as she heard this. A brute... She wasn't sure about this. Though she didn't know him, she had the impression that he was the one behind Sherryl. It was the first time that she truly doubted Saerya's knowledge on the situation. “Does that mean he works for Vyrwel?”, she asked.
Again, Saerya shrugged. “I have no idea”, she admitted. “Maybe they are partners, but for all I know, neither is the type to work with an equal” She glanced at the door. “And neither is the kind of person I saw as a threat to us until now” Slowly, her still sorrowful look got replaced with cold anger, a terrifying expression which Jenna hadn't expected to ever see on Saerya's beautiful face. “Sherryl is the one I have expected to call the shots. She's cunning, ambitious, dangerous”, she growled and narrowed her eyes. “And she's the one responsible for Federico's death”
“So, we're... stopping her?”, Jenna asked, correcting herself once more. Even now, she found herself unwilling to actually kill Sherryl, as inevitable as it seemed at this point. Saerya gave her a nod. “There's a lot she has to answer for”, she confirmed. “Although I haven't seen her since the raid began. She headed out into the city. With a bit of luck she's either dead or on board of a longship headed for Pyke. I doubt she'd do us the favour though. And honestly, I hope to get some answers out of her” Her steely gaze hit Jenna again. “So yes, we are going to stop her. It will be our next step”
Jenna was about to agree to this, as a new thought entered her mind. Hunting down Sherryl, wherever she was, it wouldn't be easy. It would take a lot of time. And there was someone in this city who would need their help sooner than that. One thing that probably shouldn't wait.
“What's with the knight?”, she asked and Saerya's angry expression softened, as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Flowers?”, she asked in return. “What about him? It's tragic, but I don't think he's our problem” Jenna sighed, putting her hand onto her side again. “So you're leaving him to die?”, she asked.
Saerya gave her a nod, before she rolled her eyes. “That came across as colder than I wanted it to sound”, she said. “I don't want to leave him to die and trust me, I have thought about helping him, even tried to make some arrangements, I genuinely did, but his captors guard him strictly. It's easy getting into that prison, but getting out is suicide”
Jenna narrowed her eyes at Saerya. “So this is it?”, she asked. “Is there nothing you can do for him?” The other woman shook her head. “Likely not. I've already asked Orys, but the situation is difficult enough as it is”, she replied. “I'm sorry, Jenna” Jenna sighed. “Perhaps I can provide you a favour in return?”, she asked.
Saerya raised an eyebrow. “You'd do that for a man you barely know?”, she said, the hint of mockery in her voice. Jenna gave her a nod without hesitation. “I'm not looking away this time”, she stated. She was surprised by her conviction, but just as she had said it, she knew that it felt right. This was what her father would do. On top of that, there was a reason why both, Mullendore and Vyrwel wanted him dead. If she'd help him, perhaps she and Saerya would learn important information.
Before Saerya was able to answer, heavy footsteps from the corridor claimed her attention. Both women moved to the door and as Jenna put her head through, she held her breath. “Oh no...”, she mumbled, as she spotted none other than Leonard Constantine. “What's he still doing here?”
Leonard was walking down the corridor at a steady pace. It was obvious that he had no experience with moving unseen. Jenna, who had spent her entire life being overlooked, saw the mistakes he was making. He stuck out already due to his looks, but the way he moved around didn't exactly made things better. If Jenna was able to hear him, she had no doubt that others would do the same.
“I thought he would have gone into hiding by now”, Saerya hissed in a low tone, as Jenna watched Leonard trying to open the door to one of the servant's rooms. “I think he's doing this right now”, she replied. “Hiding right under their noses. That's insane!”
“That's the last thing they'd expect. And he'd remain close to the action. It's certainly gutsy, but I understand his rationale”, Saerya replied calmly. “Good idea, horrible execution” She raised a finger, just as a new set of footsteps sounded from down the hallways, even heavier this time, accompanied by the jangling of chainmail. Leonard heard it as well, as he let go of the door he was unsuccessfully trying to open.
Just a moment later, a man walked around the corner. He was a knight, his colours revealing him to be one of Vyrwel's men, perhaps in his late thirties, with a plain, clean-shaven face and dark hair. His brown eyes looked calmly and his wide mouth formed a thin line. There was chainmail underneath his tabard and one of his hands was wrapped around the hilt of a longsword, without removing the weapon from its sheath “Constantine”, he said, his deep voice travelling far through the hallway without him having to raise it.
With an audible sigh, Leonard let go of another doorknob. He turned to the knight, while Jenna spied on their meeting through the small gap she dared to keep open. “Farnham”, he greeted the man, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I haven't expected you to remember me”, he replied in a tone that was surprisingly polite.
“How could I forget the finest blade in Darkdell”, Leonard answered. “It's been a while though. You're serving a new lord now” Farnham shook his head. “I still serve Lord Vyrwel. It matters not if his first name is Leo or Petyr”, he stated decisively.
“Oh, trust me, it matters a lot”, Leonard answered. “Why are you here, Hugo?” As he spoke, his hand moved to the hilt of his blade, though it remained hovering above it, as Farnham narrowed his eyes. “Don't do that, Leonard”, he growled. “I'm a better fighter than you on your good days and from the looks of it, you just had one of the worst in your entire life”
Reluctantly, Leonard lowered his hand again and Farnham smiled in a friendly way. “You know why I'm here”, he said. “The crimes you and your friend are accused of are numerous and...” Before he was able to continue, Leonard cut him off. “They are lies”, he stated and though his voice was calm, he was tensed up. “Listen, Hugo, I know you as a good man. Don't believe in Mullendore's lies. Do you think I'm capable of the things he accuses me of?”
Farnham sighed. “To be honest, no”, he revealed. “The things he accuses you of. Murder, rape, torture... The Leonard Constantine I met all these years ago wouldn't do that” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “Yet at the same time, years can change a man”, he continued. “That's why it's important that you come with me. Petyr is a just man and whatever is behind Mullendore's claims, I'm sure we can get to the bottom of it. Justice will be served”
Leonard chuckled dryly. “Not with Mullendore at the top”, he snarled. “Come on, Hugo. Just forget that you met me here. You can't be serious about trusting that asscracker” Farnham did not smile. Instead, his long mouth seemed to get even thinner. “I don't trust him”, he said. “Hells, everyone can know about that, but I don't trust him. But that's not the point here. I trust Lord Petyr and he gave me an order”
Leonard took a step back, though Farnham was quick to close the distance. “You can be lucky it was me who found you. Lord Petyr has sent a dozen knights to find you and Ser Maron has sent another dozen of his... thugs”, he explained. “I am not your enemy. If you're innocent, then I want to help you in clearing your name, but that won't work if you resist”
“Resist...”, Leonard mumbled. “What other choice do I have? I told you, there will be no justice when Maron Mullendore is involved” His voice started to grow more angry and his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword again, prompting Farnham to do the same. “It won't be just him. Petyr is interested in the truth. Mullendore won't get a say in this, I will make sure of it myself”
Jenna gulped, as she could sense the growing tensions between the men. Leonard was ready for a fight. Whatever he knew about Maron Mullendore, it made him afraid. Jenna knew fear when she saw it and this behaviour he displayed, it was the fear of a cornered animal. He'd go down fighting.
The other knight, Hugo Farnham, he tried to prevent the fight, but she knew, if Leonard would choose to attack, he'd defend himself. And though she didn't know him at all and didn't know Leonard all that much, she knew that he was right with one thing. He was better. Stronger, taller, well-rested and healthy, whereas Leonard was exhausted and wounded.
“You want to intervene?”, Saerya asked, to Jenna's surprise. At her questioning glance, she smirked. “We might be able to help him, so I'd be up for it”, she said. “I still think Flowers is a lost cause, but this one clearly isn't. There's just one knight between him and his freedom. And whatever information Lucas might have, Leonard should be good enough as well”
Jenna clenched her fists. “So... are we going to provoke a fight?”, she asked and Saerya heavily shook her head. “Gods no”, she replied, her voice barely a whisper. “This man could kill us and Constantine in a matter of seconds. No, we will not fight him. But still, he is just one man and look how uncomfortable he is with this” Her smirk turned into as sly smile. “And as one man, he has a certain weakness. A pretty girl could distract him, allowing Leonard to search a new hiding spot”
“A pretty girl...”, Jenna said and her eyes widened. “You'd do that?” Saerya's smirk grew smaller again. “It wasn't me whom I had in mind”, she said. “You want to save him after all. You want to be the one risking your life for a complete stranger” She raised a stern finger before Jenna could protest. “And you're easy on the eyes. Some men like the shy ones”
Jenna gulped, as she felt herself blushing already. “I... I don't want to risk my life for a stranger”, she stuttered. “But leaving him to die, I can't do that” She sighed. “Neither can I do this... Please, you got to help me” Saerya grinned endearingly. “I can”, she agreed. “Though this is not my task, not my goal. If you want me to help you, it'll cost you a favour” She glance at the door. “But I believe you can do this, if you just dare it” She raised an eyebrow in a cocky way. “So, what's it going to be, sweet Jenna? My help? Or do you want to give it a try?”
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
[District Farnham] I believe in you Jenna! Plus it's a chance for Jenna to learn. She could get better at this stuff with trial and error. She won't learn anything relying on Saerya, Saerya is amazing though so I wouldn't mind seeing her in action.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Comments
[Refuse to sign it]
Lucas has, in a way, lost to Mullendore several times already. Should that stop him from fighting? Certainly not. Live with the guilt, or die to do something right and be free from it? Even if there are others who could drive him mad enough to sign, by that point it'd hardly be him making the choice. Easier to say for someone else than me, but it'd be better to go insane with fewer regrets. What's worse- for history to discover long after that the man died a hero, though his reputation was ruined, or to let him live knowing himself to be a coward? Truth is a fickle thing. You can't suppress it forever with a signed document. Lucas has an equal amount to lose either way; dying friendless or living friendless. This is all if Mullendore actually fulfills his part of the bargain, anyway.
[Agree to sign the confession]
If you can't beat them, join them. Only seems fair. Besides, Mullendore probably wouldn't give Leonard a decent one, well, a slightly better than the already bad one he has, if Lucas does not sign this.
Of course Leonard could always call a trial by combat and such or Lucas could do the same and Argella could make Drent fight or something.
This is the worst choice though, but I vote it anyway.
[Refuse to sign the confession] As down as Lucas is right now, I don't think he'd ever willingly admit to killing his friends in cold blood. He may feel like he's responsible but never that -he- did it himself. So, I'm pretty sure he'd just ignore the paper and prepare himself for pain and to hold out as long as possible.
[Agree to sign the confession] You know, depending who Mullendore serves, I might have to start siding with him. Nothing can stand in the way of the great Team Targ, and if that means we have to let Mullendore have another win, then so be it.
The Velaryon's stand with Team Targ.
A great start for the chapter! First of all, I loved the scene of the ghosts from Lucas' past haunting him - really emphasizes all the mistakes we've made on the way, and all the regrets it has brought.
I recall speculating earlier that Mullendore could be Targaryen supporter, and now that seems only more likely. I'm feeling quite conflicted about that, because as much as I love Team Targ, seeing Mullendore win alongside them would really give a sour taste to the victory. Oh and btw, Maron seems to be severly underestimating Argella (you'd think he had learned after nearly being killed by a "little girl"
)... gotta wonder if that will bite him in the ass later. But on to the choice...
[Refuse to sign it] This is a hard one. However, I feel like Lucas has more or less hit the rock bottom at this point. There isn't much Maron can do to him anymore, aside from more physical pain, or to kill him. As interesting as it would be to see Lucas in the Night's Watch, I feel like we should keep doing our best to complicate things for Mullendore.
You have an interesting thought there. Mullendore really gives him nothing but his word, so it is entirely in the realms of possible that he'd go against this word and would later betray Lucas either way. And you know that Mullendore does have a rather conflicted history when it comes to his word. As seen with his willingness to let Harpy go in the Chapter 6 finale, he does have a very peculiar sense of honour in strange situations, but then again, he did play Lucas like a fiddle in Chapter 4, so I can more than understand you being reluctant to trust him here. And of course, it can be safely assumed that signing this confession will make things a lot easier for him. The price of hindering his plans will most likely be heavy and in the end, you have to decide if the benefits truly outweigh the cost.
[Refuse to sign it] As the others have said, Lucas is very much at rock bottom at this point and with basically everything taken from him already, I don't want to see him give in now.
Lucas has indeed lost a lot to Mullendore. The man has broken him before through heavy torture, although it can be argued that Lucas hasn't really been himself in these moments, as you said. Completely unrelated to which choice I'd pick, I like this point you bring up. If he dies here, there is indeed a chance that he will eventually be remembered as a hero, though if he signs the document, any chance for that should be gone. It goes down to how important you see Lucas' survival and stopping (or at least harming) Mullendore's plans respectively, as well as how much you trust that guy to actually stay true to his end of the deal. All I can say is, I know that there is one outcome I personally see as the better one for this choice. It's intended to be a hard one though, I'm especially glad to see arguments for both sides
Well, here I can confirm that Leonard isn't yet one of Mullendore's captives, as the preview for Jenna's part already hinted at. Though while Mullendore is not exactly having any personal issues with Leonard (unlike Lucas, whom he has a grudge against), it is doubtful he'd give him a deal better than the one he gave Lucas. Even a deal just as good (or bad?) would be hard to achieve.
To be honest, if I were in a trial by combat and I would have the choice between Lucas/Leonard and Drent, I'd be the knight. Drent is just a mere soldier, skilled, but not exactly knight material, wheras Lucas and Leonard both had training as it befits a highborn knight, as well as a lot more actual fighting experience than Drent. If there's a trial by combat, which is certainly in the realms of possible, then finding a champion that is actually better than what the knight can offer themselves will be hard in the current situation. Darren Tallwood would have been up for it, but he's too wounded. Emphryus would have not only been up to it, he would be capable of completely destroying Mullendore's fighter, but he is also way too wounded to fight. So... if there is a trial by combat, they will likely have to fight themselves.
Well, as I said above to Tohabath, this is a choice where I would say there is one option that is better than the other. Depending on the one that wins, you're going to see it relatively soon, or at the end of the chapter at latest
Hehe, yes, this thought has been brought up before. If I remember correctly, someone even made a poll back when this was first brought up, when Mullendore mentioned his true king and while I can't remember the exact outcome of this poll, I know that it was generally accepted that Aegon Targaryen is a strong contender for such a role. And it would fit Mullendore's personality. Well... all I can say is that you will learn the truth about this in the near future
This is good to hear
It was very much part of my intention here to show some of the biggest regrets Lucas has. Since most of them could have been prevented by diffrent votes (even if they, admittedly, have been very hard to achieve, such as Lunett's survival), I can only imagine that they are among the biggest regrets of some readers as well. On top of that, it felt like a nice touch to bring Lunett, Dairon and Harris back for this final chapter, even if it was only as a hallucination 
I remember that you speculated about this before, yes! It has always been an interesting theory and one I can definitely either confirm or debunk over the course of this chapter. If I, for once, manage to keep up to my plans, then the late March should feature a part in which the identity of Mullendore's king is going to be revealed unambiguously. I agree though that it would make things more complicated rooting for the Targaryen victory, which is really the one thing that is set in stone. If Mullendore is going to be among them... well, you'll get your answer in time
I can confirm that he isn't taking Argella seriously in the slightest. Her father maybe, but he really sees her as nothing but a spoiled little girl that might be a bit upset about losing her new knight, but ultimatly unable to cause much trouble. He had a similar opinion on Harpy (even worse actually, since his opinion on foreigners is the one thing that's worse than his opinion on women) and it cost him dearly, but he didn't really draw the right conclusions out of this. There's a very small amount of people Mullendore takes seriously as a threat (or even considers to be his equals in terms of cunning) and neither of them is in Raylansfair at this point.
Oh boy... I'm half expecting an anticipation of the heroic option, only to hide something good behind the Night Watch possibility.
I've really joined in at the right time, haven't I? O.O
Oh, dis gonna be gud.
[Agree to sign the confession]
I think Mullendore is on Team Targaryen, which means it's pointless to go up against him. Besides a storyline on the wall would be cool anyway.
[Refuse to sign it] This is a really hard choice, odds are that Lucas will give in and sign anyway, and you could argue that he'd get to live to fight another day. But I'm gonna choose to do the right thing and stay loyal. Stay true to yourself, no matter what.
Would Mullendore's champion be the Moggy?
[Agree to sign the confession]
I like to see the wall.
And the last chapter of Book 1 has finally started!
RT:
About the choice:
[Refuse to sign the confession]
I know that probably Mullendore will succeed to make Lucas sign the confession but I believe that our knight won't do it just now, he need The Sphynx for this kind of decision.
[Refuse to sign it]
[Refuse to sign it] we did not built such hate towards Mullendore to just go easy and follow his wishes...
[Refuse to sign it] I have the feeling that Lucas is going crazy which I would find a very interesting change in charakter
[Refudse to sign it] Yeaaah... Maybe Leonard's working on a plan with Argella.
I don't want to see the wall. I've seen enough. So let's just stay strong, although I'll probably change the vote if this choice comes up after a bit of a therapy session with Mr. Sphynx. We'll see. Great beginning to a chapter, though!
[Agree to sign the confession]
I know this choice won't win and, quite frankly, I don't see what's stopping Mullendore from killing Lucas once he signs it, but assuming he is keeping his word, I'd actually like to see Lucas' story told from Castle Black.
Also about Mullendore's possible alliance with the Targaryen's, I think it's a very interesting theory and not something to stray away from, but I do have one question. If that were true, then why is Saerya (someone who is with the Targaryan's), trying to find incriminating evidence against Sherryl (who we know is currently allied with Mullendore)? Does that mean Sherryl is plotting to overthrow him for her own ambitions yet again?
tfw you notice "The Unknown one" in the waiting list and it creeps the hell out of you. XD
For a moment I read "The Unknown Man" and it make me remember of the protagonist of an old Western trilogy!XD
Ah, a good thought. If I remember correctly, I think I did this before, where I had a situation where the readers acted in the way I expected, only for me to hide the better outcome in the seemingly worse choice, the one the readers to expectedly did not pick. It is entirely in the realms of possible that I'm doing such a thing again.
You surely have! This chapter should, in theory at least, hold some really cool moments and you joined just in time for it to start. There will be slightly less choices than usual, on account of some storylines only setting up stuff for the future, but the choices you will get should be really important, just like this one.
I can't confirm anything of course. That said, the Moggy is among Mullendore's most dangerous fighters, so he's certainly a possibility. However, he is not the only dangerous man in Mullendore's entourage. So, he's a good guess, but not the only one that would make sense.
Ah, and this is indeed a creepy character. They don't have this name without reason. Though, I can say that it isn't even nearly the most creepy character. There are others who deserve this place far more
At long last. It's funny to think how I originally thought I'd be fully done with the entire story by now. I guess planning ahead has never been one of my strengths
This chapter should be shorter than the previous ones though, because a number of storylines will be very short this time.
And, without wanting to hint at anything specific, it might not be the last time such old faces are going to appear in the story
I found it rather enjoyable to write this scene, so while maybe not in the exact situation, I might use such a thing later on as well, in different situations and with different characters.
Well, the hints are there. And there have been hints, that's all I can say. I can also reveal that there is one particularly strong hint that nobody has caught up to yet. This particular hint should all but spell it out. That said, Mullendore's allegiance will be confirmed in this chapter.
They are certainly going to try. Just like last time, Lucas is not without allies. Arguably, his situation is even better than last time, since his allies from Chapter 5 are still there, as well as new allies, in form of Argella and whomever else among the Raylansfair cast has an interest in saving his life. At the same time, Mullendore has learned as well and he is going to act a lot faster this time, knowing that his position is far from secure.
Well, an interesting question. Indeed, Saerya is very much against Sherryl. At the same time, it wouldn't be out of character for Sherryl to go against Mullendore as well, to further her own ambitions. One thing I can reveal, since it has been stated before, is that Saerya has confirmed that she has no idea whom Sherryl is working for. At least that's what she claimed in her talk with Jenna and finding this out has been one of the reasons for her going into a partnership with Jenna, whom she (correctly) sees as far less suspicious than herself.
There's a number of possible reasons for that and not all would go against the theory that Mullendore is a Targaryen supporter. The most simple explanation would be that Saerya simply has indeed no idea whom Sherryl is working for, since Sherryl herself is certainly not the person to share such a detail with, well, anyone. Or maybe she has no idea whom Mullendore is supporting, not knowing that she (potentially) acts against a man who could be an ally. Her own reaction to Mullendore's arrival in Raylansfair will be shown later in this chapter.
I see Grulk in the waiting list, that sounds alot like Hulk, I hope it's just a name thing, because that wouldn't go down well if it was a Hulk expy.
Well, now that I think about it The Moggy is already some sort of Hulk inside the story (big guy with absurd strenght and endurance but not a really big brain)
Great start to the chapter! Really liked the ghost scene. Fuck Mullendore man. I'm curious on what's gonna happen to Leonard...
[Agree to sign the confession] I really hope I'm not looking too much into this. I don't want to sign it at all. I'm just afraid that if he doesn't sign, serious consequences will ensue. I have a feeling that either way Lucas's name will appear on the confession or Mullendore will end up throwing him under the bus. If I'm correct, then I'd much rather do it now than wait after something bad happens and then do it. Either way, Lucas is fucked.
[Refuse to sign the confession]
Trusting this guy? Never. I'm 100% sure it's a trap.
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to refuse to sign the confession
I fully expected this to be a hard choice, though I also had the idea that a majority of you might choose this. After all, this whole situation is bigger than just Lucas and Mullendore and even though Lucas is one of the most popular PoV's, he's still just one guy, whereas Mullendore's plans are a threat to quite a large number of people. The only thing that remains to be seen is how much you actually harmed his plans here and if it has been worth it. You'll see it eventually and to be honest, you won't have to wait too long for Lucas' next part, as one minor detail in it has to happen for me to be able to start some other storylines. As for now, you have made your choice and now Lucas has to live with the consequences. Or... maybe not
The next part should be out today. There's still a lot of writing left to do, but I am pumped for this chapter, so I will try my best to finish the part before going to sleep tonight. The problem is, I was busy on Sunday and I was gone for the entirety of yesterday, so I have made less progress than usual at this point. But well, it should be done reasonably soon. This next part is going to be a Jenna part, showing the state of the castle after the raid and the arrival of the Mullendore/Vyrwel army. There's not much else to say about it now, although I might not manage to give her PoV the length of a full part here, which leaves me with the possibility of including another PoV as well, though I have no idea whom it could be. I'd like to start Jaron's and Arthur's storylines soon, but their first PoV in this chapter absolutely requires a full-length part, so maybe Edrick? Ah, we'll see how long I'll manage to make Jenna's part, everything else will be decided upon when it's time for that.
Oh no, Grulk isn't a Hulk expy, that much I can say. There are similarities, to be honest, as Grulk is a very physical character, but I myself would compare him more to Hodor, in that he got his name from this 'word' being the only thing he is able of uttering, for a very specific reason.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and the ones with the dragon, they outnumbered them tenfold on this courtyard alone.
These newcomers already did most of the work, as Nora and most of hers were unable to do it, due to their wounds. They had settled in the barracks as if they owned them and were already acting like the new force in charge. It was save to say that Jenna did not like them and neither did she trust them. She even found it hard to be grateful for them saving the city. Their arrival had been a little bit too timely for that.
She sighed and instantly cringed, as she put a hand onto her side. The spot where the Ironborn brute had hit her was still aching, something she hadn't even noticed during the raid. Now, after hours of calming down and a completely sleepless night, Jenna felt the pain. She felt even worse for allowing it to affect her. After all, she had been lucky compared to so many others. She was still alive, she hadn't even lost a loved one in this fight.
Her father had visited her a few hours ago, after he brought Hal Recton to the makeshift hospital that had been built on the central square of the city. He had been more quiet than usual, barely speaking, even as she had broken down in his arms. Even his presence had felt less calming than usual and he was not only stressed out, but also busy. Before Jenna had been able to ask him about it, he had excused himself and left again, to learn of the damage the raiders had done to the farm. And now she was alone again, in a city that was filled with new faces.
As she turned to the gates of the castle, Jenna spotted Saerya standing there and watching the corpse cart with a weary expression. After a moment of hesitation, she approached the other woman, who blinked as she noticed her, giving her a tired nod in the process, before looking back at the corpse cart, silently.
Jenna raised a hand, considering if she should put it onto Saerya's back to comfort her, though she hesitated a moment too long and awkwardly lowered it again, as she bit her lower lip. “I'm... glad to see you”, she finally said and Saerya sighed. “You survived”, she replied thinly.
Her gaze was still locked on Federico's corpse and Jenna clenched her fists. “I am sorry for Federico”, she said, as memories of his final moments flashed through her mind, as she remembered how that raider had carved his face in. “He... he was a good man. You knew him better of course but I... I think he really was a good one”
Saerya lowered her head, finally averting her eyes from the gruesome sight. “The best”, she replied, as she looked up. “But do you know what's the worst thing about it?” For the first time since she had met her, Saerya was struggling for words. “I'm not mourning him. I don't grief for him and I never will. I... miss him, but not as much as I probably should”
Jenna narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”, she asked and Saerya shook her head. “I have realized it the moment I saw his corpse. I know, what we had has never involved any feelings, not on my end, but... but I can't help but think that this is truly horrible of me. And I can't stop thinking how he'd feel if our roles would be reversed, if it would be me on that cart” She struggled again and blinked, though Jenna still saw the hint of wet in her eyes. “That's dragging me down more than his mere absence”
For a moment, Jenna was unsure what to answer. Saerya was denying it, but her face showed that she was grieving, in her own way. Seeing her so vulnerable was unsettling. She was supposed to be the strong one! “Perhaps he meant more to you than you thought”, she replied and Saerya shook her head. “That's... that's not it”, she said sharply, though her voice softened again almost instantly. “But I will miss him. I think I really will”
Before she was able to say something else, her attention was claimed by the doors to the Great Hall opening. “There we go...”, she mumbled and Jenna looked into the same direction as her. She saw two men walking onto the courtyard. One of them was Harlen Tyrell and she felt anger rising inside of her as she spotted him. The coward still had the nerve to act as if he had any authority here in Raylansfair. He was the reason Federico and so many others were dead.
The other man caught Jenna's eye immediately afterwards. Petyr Vyrwel, the Lord of Darkdell, the saviour of Raylansfair. She had seen him before, in the distance, though this was the first time she got a good look at him. There was a lot of Lucas Flowers in him, from his handsome facial features to the blonde hair and even the proud way he walked. The black and red of House Vyrwel was on his tabard, so similar to the house Saerya was serving and his clothes were fancy and fitting, better than any she had ever seen before.
He was talking to Harlen and the Castellan of Highgarden was laughing awkwardly, to which Petyr only sent him a mild glare. There was no smile on his face as he walked past the destruction the raiders had left. His tone was stern and even though he was too far away for Jenna to understand them, she at least understood that it was something important.
The two men walked across the courtyard and out of the corner of her eyes, Jenna saw how Saerya was tensing up. “I don't like this man”, Saerya whispered, as Petyr and Harlen walked closer. The former said something, to which the latter let out an inappropriate chuckle, though he stopped the moment he realized that it wasn't meant to be funny.
“This is... interesting”, he said, now close enough for Jenna to hear him. “My dear Petyr, I must say that you are indeed the most suited out of the current candidates. With House Raylan officially extinct, I agree that we can't leave this city without a lord, given its strategic value”
“So, you'll think about it?”, Petyr asked. As he walked past Jenna and Saerya, a pleased smirk formed on his face. He glanced at the two women and Jenna almost gasped as he gave her a wink, before moving past her. Heavily blushing at his audacious behaviour, she turned away from him and towards Saerya. “What... was that?”, she asked and the other woman still looked after the two men. “That was our new problem”, she said, before she grabbed Jenna by the hand. “Come”
Jenna did not resist, as Saerya led her to the servant's quarters. They entered the building and the hallway behind was lying in silence as they walked through it. Without uttering a word, Saerya pointed at the door that led to Jenna's room, waiting for her to unlock it.
Only after they had entered the room did Saerya relax again, if only slightly. “He's got Tyrell in his pocket already”, she mumbled, as she sat down on Jenna's bed. Jenna herself remained standing. Her gaze fell upon the faint splatter of red on the floor and she quickly turned away from it, her hands clenched to fists. Wolfius... with all that had happened in the past weeks, she hadn't had the time to clean after what remained of his attempt on her life. A different girl had bled on this floor. She had been weak. She should have died. Jenna wasn't that girl anymore. She opened her eyes again and glared at Saerya. “What are we going to do next?”, she asked.
Saerya shrugged. “I'm not sure about it myself”, she revealed. “Vyrwel's arrival really ruined a lot of things I had planned. He's the one I haven't expected. Hells, I barely expected Mullendore” Jenna raised an eyebrow. “What do you know about them?”, she inquired.
This time, it took Saerya a moment to answer. “Nothing of relevance. Maron Mullendore comes from a side branch of House Mullendore. His cousin is Cregan Mullendore, the Lord of Uplands, though Maron has lived most of his life in Oldtown. His father, Mandon, used to be good friends with Manfred Hightower, at least until his death at the hands of a drunken sellsword”
“Hard childhood?”, Jenna asked and Saerya shook her head. “Not enough to turn him into such a scheming bastard”, she revealed. “His father was dead, but Hightower gave the boy a good life, even knighting him when he turned sixteen. I heard some... chilling accounts on his time in the Dornish Marches, before he joined the city guard in Oldtown, but nothing that made me think he's any more than a dumb brute”
Jenna clenched her teeth as she heard this. A brute... She wasn't sure about this. Though she didn't know him, she had the impression that he was the one behind Sherryl. It was the first time that she truly doubted Saerya's knowledge on the situation. “Does that mean he works for Vyrwel?”, she asked.
Again, Saerya shrugged. “I have no idea”, she admitted. “Maybe they are partners, but for all I know, neither is the type to work with an equal” She glanced at the door. “And neither is the kind of person I saw as a threat to us until now” Slowly, her still sorrowful look got replaced with cold anger, a terrifying expression which Jenna hadn't expected to ever see on Saerya's beautiful face. “Sherryl is the one I have expected to call the shots. She's cunning, ambitious, dangerous”, she growled and narrowed her eyes. “And she's the one responsible for Federico's death”
“So, we're... stopping her?”, Jenna asked, correcting herself once more. Even now, she found herself unwilling to actually kill Sherryl, as inevitable as it seemed at this point. Saerya gave her a nod. “There's a lot she has to answer for”, she confirmed. “Although I haven't seen her since the raid began. She headed out into the city. With a bit of luck she's either dead or on board of a longship headed for Pyke. I doubt she'd do us the favour though. And honestly, I hope to get some answers out of her” Her steely gaze hit Jenna again. “So yes, we are going to stop her. It will be our next step”
Jenna was about to agree to this, as a new thought entered her mind. Hunting down Sherryl, wherever she was, it wouldn't be easy. It would take a lot of time. And there was someone in this city who would need their help sooner than that. One thing that probably shouldn't wait.
“What's with the knight?”, she asked and Saerya's angry expression softened, as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Flowers?”, she asked in return. “What about him? It's tragic, but I don't think he's our problem” Jenna sighed, putting her hand onto her side again. “So you're leaving him to die?”, she asked.
Saerya gave her a nod, before she rolled her eyes. “That came across as colder than I wanted it to sound”, she said. “I don't want to leave him to die and trust me, I have thought about helping him, even tried to make some arrangements, I genuinely did, but his captors guard him strictly. It's easy getting into that prison, but getting out is suicide”
Jenna narrowed her eyes at Saerya. “So this is it?”, she asked. “Is there nothing you can do for him?” The other woman shook her head. “Likely not. I've already asked Orys, but the situation is difficult enough as it is”, she replied. “I'm sorry, Jenna” Jenna sighed. “Perhaps I can provide you a favour in return?”, she asked.
Saerya raised an eyebrow. “You'd do that for a man you barely know?”, she said, the hint of mockery in her voice. Jenna gave her a nod without hesitation. “I'm not looking away this time”, she stated. She was surprised by her conviction, but just as she had said it, she knew that it felt right. This was what her father would do. On top of that, there was a reason why both, Mullendore and Vyrwel wanted him dead. If she'd help him, perhaps she and Saerya would learn important information.
Before Saerya was able to answer, heavy footsteps from the corridor claimed her attention. Both women moved to the door and as Jenna put her head through, she held her breath. “Oh no...”, she mumbled, as she spotted none other than Leonard Constantine. “What's he still doing here?”
Leonard was walking down the corridor at a steady pace. It was obvious that he had no experience with moving unseen. Jenna, who had spent her entire life being overlooked, saw the mistakes he was making. He stuck out already due to his looks, but the way he moved around didn't exactly made things better. If Jenna was able to hear him, she had no doubt that others would do the same.
“I thought he would have gone into hiding by now”, Saerya hissed in a low tone, as Jenna watched Leonard trying to open the door to one of the servant's rooms. “I think he's doing this right now”, she replied. “Hiding right under their noses. That's insane!”
“That's the last thing they'd expect. And he'd remain close to the action. It's certainly gutsy, but I understand his rationale”, Saerya replied calmly. “Good idea, horrible execution” She raised a finger, just as a new set of footsteps sounded from down the hallways, even heavier this time, accompanied by the jangling of chainmail. Leonard heard it as well, as he let go of the door he was unsuccessfully trying to open.
Just a moment later, a man walked around the corner. He was a knight, his colours revealing him to be one of Vyrwel's men, perhaps in his late thirties, with a plain, clean-shaven face and dark hair. His brown eyes looked calmly and his wide mouth formed a thin line. There was chainmail underneath his tabard and one of his hands was wrapped around the hilt of a longsword, without removing the weapon from its sheath “Constantine”, he said, his deep voice travelling far through the hallway without him having to raise it.
With an audible sigh, Leonard let go of another doorknob. He turned to the knight, while Jenna spied on their meeting through the small gap she dared to keep open. “Farnham”, he greeted the man, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I haven't expected you to remember me”, he replied in a tone that was surprisingly polite.
“How could I forget the finest blade in Darkdell”, Leonard answered. “It's been a while though. You're serving a new lord now” Farnham shook his head. “I still serve Lord Vyrwel. It matters not if his first name is Leo or Petyr”, he stated decisively.
“Oh, trust me, it matters a lot”, Leonard answered. “Why are you here, Hugo?” As he spoke, his hand moved to the hilt of his blade, though it remained hovering above it, as Farnham narrowed his eyes. “Don't do that, Leonard”, he growled. “I'm a better fighter than you on your good days and from the looks of it, you just had one of the worst in your entire life”
Reluctantly, Leonard lowered his hand again and Farnham smiled in a friendly way. “You know why I'm here”, he said. “The crimes you and your friend are accused of are numerous and...” Before he was able to continue, Leonard cut him off. “They are lies”, he stated and though his voice was calm, he was tensed up. “Listen, Hugo, I know you as a good man. Don't believe in Mullendore's lies. Do you think I'm capable of the things he accuses me of?”
Farnham sighed. “To be honest, no”, he revealed. “The things he accuses you of. Murder, rape, torture... The Leonard Constantine I met all these years ago wouldn't do that” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “Yet at the same time, years can change a man”, he continued. “That's why it's important that you come with me. Petyr is a just man and whatever is behind Mullendore's claims, I'm sure we can get to the bottom of it. Justice will be served”
Leonard chuckled dryly. “Not with Mullendore at the top”, he snarled. “Come on, Hugo. Just forget that you met me here. You can't be serious about trusting that asscracker” Farnham did not smile. Instead, his long mouth seemed to get even thinner. “I don't trust him”, he said. “Hells, everyone can know about that, but I don't trust him. But that's not the point here. I trust Lord Petyr and he gave me an order”
Leonard took a step back, though Farnham was quick to close the distance. “You can be lucky it was me who found you. Lord Petyr has sent a dozen knights to find you and Ser Maron has sent another dozen of his... thugs”, he explained. “I am not your enemy. If you're innocent, then I want to help you in clearing your name, but that won't work if you resist”
“Resist...”, Leonard mumbled. “What other choice do I have? I told you, there will be no justice when Maron Mullendore is involved” His voice started to grow more angry and his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword again, prompting Farnham to do the same. “It won't be just him. Petyr is interested in the truth. Mullendore won't get a say in this, I will make sure of it myself”
Jenna gulped, as she could sense the growing tensions between the men. Leonard was ready for a fight. Whatever he knew about Maron Mullendore, it made him afraid. Jenna knew fear when she saw it and this behaviour he displayed, it was the fear of a cornered animal. He'd go down fighting.
The other knight, Hugo Farnham, he tried to prevent the fight, but she knew, if Leonard would choose to attack, he'd defend himself. And though she didn't know him at all and didn't know Leonard all that much, she knew that he was right with one thing. He was better. Stronger, taller, well-rested and healthy, whereas Leonard was exhausted and wounded.
“You want to intervene?”, Saerya asked, to Jenna's surprise. At her questioning glance, she smirked. “We might be able to help him, so I'd be up for it”, she said. “I still think Flowers is a lost cause, but this one clearly isn't. There's just one knight between him and his freedom. And whatever information Lucas might have, Leonard should be good enough as well”
Jenna clenched her fists. “So... are we going to provoke a fight?”, she asked and Saerya heavily shook her head. “Gods no”, she replied, her voice barely a whisper. “This man could kill us and Constantine in a matter of seconds. No, we will not fight him. But still, he is just one man and look how uncomfortable he is with this” Her smirk turned into as sly smile. “And as one man, he has a certain weakness. A pretty girl could distract him, allowing Leonard to search a new hiding spot”
“A pretty girl...”, Jenna said and her eyes widened. “You'd do that?” Saerya's smirk grew smaller again. “It wasn't me whom I had in mind”, she said. “You want to save him after all. You want to be the one risking your life for a complete stranger” She raised a stern finger before Jenna could protest. “And you're easy on the eyes. Some men like the shy ones”
Jenna gulped, as she felt herself blushing already. “I... I don't want to risk my life for a stranger”, she stuttered. “But leaving him to die, I can't do that” She sighed. “Neither can I do this... Please, you got to help me” Saerya grinned endearingly. “I can”, she agreed. “Though this is not my task, not my goal. If you want me to help you, it'll cost you a favour” She glance at the door. “But I believe you can do this, if you just dare it” She raised an eyebrow in a cocky way. “So, what's it going to be, sweet Jenna? My help? Or do you want to give it a try?”
[Distract Farnham] [Ask Saerya to do it]
[Distract Farnham] I want to see if Jenna can pull this of.
[District Farnham] I believe in you Jenna! Plus it's a chance for Jenna to learn. She could get better at this stuff with trial and error. She won't learn anything relying on Saerya, Saerya is amazing though so I wouldn't mind seeing her in action.