Damn it, that was supposed to be a spoiler But yeah, I think now I can reveal that Mullendore's champion is the four-armed cyborg general of House Selwyn. Up until now, I doubt anyone would have seen it coming. That said, I hope it is still going to be a visually amazing scene, even if it will end with a disappointingly easy victory for Lucas. And on a more serious note, well-played, this one just killed me
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
How I loved that scene. Generally, I loved General Grievous as a kid. He definitely was my favourite. Now when I'm older, I don't like the man... robot as much, but I do still like him a lot.
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
ATTENTION EVERYONE!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORUNITY HERE
I have a very special teaser for you from an upcoming scene in a coming chapter.
Lucas's trial by combat.
Enjoy:
An unanimous voting, which is a rare, yet perfectly understandable thing. You are right that Leonard hates being lied to, so as harsh as his reaction will be now, a later reaction would have been even worse. That said, it is not entirely clear if there would have been a later reaction at all. Maybe Kersea would have successfully kept her past a secret from him for the rest of their shared time in the story. Of course, keeping such a secret is putting the redemption she seeks at a pretty terrible start, so while she won't be thrilled by Richard's decision here, maybe she will appreciate being relieved of this burden in the long run.
The next part is going to be out today. I apologize for the later than usual part, though this week has been tremendously busy. There will be room for writing today, so that's what I will do. And this next part will conclude the storylines for Samantha and John in Book 1. Last time we have seen Samantha was a while ago. Back then, she witnessed the burial of I'lian and Lenrianda, together with Sasha, Jaro and Nymeria. While Nymeria mourned silently, Jaro got into more detail about his history with I'lian and their younger brother Akjen, the man you know as Bear and he reveals that he blames himself for raising him badly. Their emotional moment was cut short by the arrival of Davith Lanser, who wanted to reveal something of importance to Samantha. Left with the choice to speak to him right away or to first check up on Nymeria, you decided on the former. Meanwhile, John wasn't seen all that long ago and I don't really think you need a recap for him this time. His next part will happen a bit later, after he returned to the tavern, to gather his companions as Saerya adviced him to do.
Also, I am sure you have noticed that there has been yet another terrible forum update. Seriously, is anyone at Telltale ever testing these things, or are we their beta testers? That is the only explanation I have for this. Good thing is, the edit button for the main post of the thread is back, meaning I don't have to use a direct link anymore. Bad thing is everything else, ho boy. Most importantly, I am aware of log-in issues, since passwords seem to have a minimum length now. If any of you encounter such troubles, Blind Sniper has offered a workaround in this thread: https://telltale.com/community/discussion/115904/having-trouble-logging-in-after-site-update-you-may-need-to-change-password-via-forgot-password.
Also, the notification system and our feeds are all messed up for now and I am low-key expecting the web team to not fix this issue until the next update a year from now. Because it would be a first if they actually provide working forums instead of just breaking more stuff. For now, I hope everyone will see new parts in time, but the lack of a notification is surely not making things any easier. I am going to send a couple of PM's to you in the next days, to see if any of you encounter any problems I could help with and well, if you want a notification for a new part, then I believe PM notifications still work. If any of you want such a PM notification when I finish a new part, let me know and I'll gladly be of service
Aye. Such an awful update. Literally nothing is good (except the Edit button). They added some new avatars sure. But they also fucked the my account thing up, sending you to 'my games' which by the way has no games for me right now for some reason. They fucked up the feed, not showing the followed discussions. They also fucked the 'profile', showing my 2 latest comments and a thread for best tv-series promo I made back in september. They also made the login thing absolutely shit. Some people has to login everytime they want to make a comment, I also see nill reason to change the password thing and that you have to write in your e-mail instead of user. And they made the grey quote line a little larger... Like that was necessairy or wanted in any way!!
Fix the things we want you to fix TTG. Please bloody gods.
The Voting is closed!
Richard is going to reveal the truth about Kersea
An unanimous voting, which is a rare, yet perfectly understand… moreable thing. You are right that Leonard hates being lied to, so as harsh as his reaction will be now, a later reaction would have been even worse. That said, it is not entirely clear if there would have been a later reaction at all. Maybe Kersea would have successfully kept her past a secret from him for the rest of their shared time in the story. Of course, keeping such a secret is putting the redemption she seeks at a pretty terrible start, so while she won't be thrilled by Richard's decision here, maybe she will appreciate being relieved of this burden in the long run.
The next part is going to be out today. I apologize for the later than usual part, though this week has been tremendously busy. There will be room for writing today, so that's what I will do. And this next part will conclude the storyl… [view original content]
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At the same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that something obviously bothered him came as a concern to Samantha.
As she started walking, Sasha accompanied her wordlessly, something she was quite glad about. Her friend had recovered at least somewhat, though she was still pale and affected by the heavy blood loss. It was a small miracle she survived at all, a light in the darkness that surrounded them at the moment.
“Are you alright?”, she asked and Sasha gave her a nod. “I will be”, she replied calmly, as a hand moved to the bandage around her neck. “At least Stone got it worse than me” Samantha chuckled dryly, not as an expression of joy, but merely to let out some of the stress. She put an arm around Sasha's shoulder, pulling her into a light hug. “I'm glad you're still alive”, she said, to which Sasha flashed her a grin. “What am I supposed to say to that?”, she replied. “I'm glad as well? Sounds cheesy” She sighed. “I am glad you are still alive though”, she answered. “As close as it was...”
Finally, they had reached Davith, who spread his arms. “There you are!”, he said and Sasha accepted his hug. “Sash, you look terrible. What happened to you?” The woman frowned. “Sasha”, she corrected him. “And I could ask the same. We thought you dead”
Davith smiled at her and then at Samantha, though she spotted how fake it was. She responded with a similar forced expression. “I saved the day, did I not?”, he stated. “Though I had help, people who saved me from the Solvers. Part of the reason I will stay in the city. I have to find someone, have to give her a message” He shook his head. “But more about that later. We really need to talk”
This time, Samantha gulped. That tone did not promise much. Already preparing for the worst, she had to ask herself just what exactly the worst would be. What it could be. When it came to horrible things, she was hard to surprise, but in a way, she already knew that she'd be proven wrong in a moment. “What about?”, she asked.
Davith sighed. “Oh man, where to start...”, he mumbled. “I really don't want to be the guy telling you this, but you deserve to know this just as well. We can work at this, together. Though we might need more allies as well” He was breathing more heavily now, his fists clenching in what she recognized as anger.
“Get to the point, Davith”, Sasha growled sharply, though she tensed up visibly, nervous at what she would just hear. Davith gave her a nod and the grim expression on his face returned, harder than ever. He looked at Samantha, almost apologetically. “I...”, he stuttered. “It's about the force that came here, the supposed allies that drove out the Ironborn” Samantha raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”, she asked and Davith gulped. “Well, you're never going to guess who leads them”, he answered.
No Choice for this part
John
It took John hours to talk his way out of the situation he had gotten himself in. Daghan remained at the castle, to make contact with the other Targaryen knights, though John himself, he headed back to the tavern as quick as possible. Despite the hour being late, it was still busy in the taproom, filled with drunken soldiers who were celebrating their victory.
John wasn't looking for any soldier though. Instead, he found Temari, as expected, sitting for himself near the fireplace, his one eye staring into the flames, tears streaming down his cheek, a half-empty jug of something in his hands.
“Hey”, he said as he approached the man. His friend, one of the oldest he had. Right now, Tem looked at him the same way he would look at a stranger. There was anger in his gaze, sorrow and he was surely far from sober. “I got nothing”, he growled in return and John sighed. “I might have”, he answered, as he sat down next to him. “One of Daghan's friends. She might know more. She's going to help us and we're going to find them”
“And if not?”, Temari answered sullenly. “John, I've been out there. Scouting that whole fucking town and its godforsaken surroundings” He shook his head. “Nothing”, he gasped. “Either someone did a good job hiding their tracks, or there are no tracks to begin with”
John raised an eyebrow. “What's that supposed to mean?”, he asked, as he beckoned the barmaid to come over. It was the red-haired beauty, the one that painfully reminded him of Cass. Right now, she looked tired, hollow-eyed and visibly upset about something, so much that she barely managed to give him the obligatory smile of a barmaid.
“One for me, same he has”, he orderded. “And another one for him as well” The girl gave him a nod, before she silently stepped away again. This time, John didn't even look after her to admire her features. Instead, he instantly looked over to Temari again, who sighed.
“What if they were taken by the Ironborn?”, he asked. “We're looking for tracks, but a ship doesn't leave any. The guards say one escaped. What if Hara and Janae have been on it? What if these animals do... what if...” He cut himself off, tearing up and staring into the flames again.
“That won't happen”, John assured him, even though he was far from certain himself. But Temari was his friend and he wouldn't leave him alone in his current situation. What little assurance he could give him, he would do it. “Janae knows what the Ironborn would do to her. She's too smart to be taken alive. We would have found her body in that case”
“And what if there is no body left?”, Temari growled. “What if the fire took them?” Once again, John shook his head. “The position we left them at, it has been far away from the fire. They haven't gotten close to it, so no, that's not what happened”
“But you don't know it for sure!”, Temari barked. “And that's... that's the worst part. I don't know if she's alive, or... or... if she had to suffer, if she suffers right now, I don't know!” His hand began to shake and he took a deep gulp from his jug, which barely helped with it. “She's my sister. My family. I'd cut down this world for her and now I am powerless to help”
“You are not”, John told him calmly, but Temari glared at him with anger. “Don't give me that talk”, he snarled. “How can you be so calm? What would you do without Janae?” John gulped. “I'd be a dead man”, he admitted and Temari gave him a nod. “I'd be a dead man”, he confirmed. “For years now, Behara has been my reason to get up, to carry on, to try and become a better man” With a single, wide eye, he stared into the flames. “I don't know what I'd do without her”
“Then help me find her”, John told him with an urgent voice. “They are out there, alive and they need us. Daghan's friend is going to find a lead and we do the rest” He extended his hand, giving his friend a stern, questioning look. “Can I count on you?”
For a moment, Temari looked genuinely surprised. “Are you for real right now?”, he exclaimed, as he grabbed the hand tightly. “If you lead me to Behara, I will follow you to the end of the world and beyond, my captain!” The two exchanged weary, but determined smiles and John allowed himself to feel a ray of hope.
This hope only got stronger as Daghan entered the room. John spotted the huge, bald man right away and raised his hand for him to see. “Daghan!”, he greeted him, as the knight took a seat next to Temari, warming himself at the fire. “How's it going? Have you heard anything from your friend?”
Daghan shook his head. “Not yet”, he replied. “Though I had an interesting talk with my general” John narrowed his eyes at the mention of this man. It had been his idea to keep Rodrik Stone alive and it cost the lives of I'lian and Lenrianda. He respected the warrior, but felt slight contempt for the man of honour that was Orys Baratheon.
“He gave me new orders”, Daghan continued. “I am to return to Dragonstone with him, Gordar and Rahaerys. The war I was talking about earlier, it's coming. Letters have been sent and the king has made his intentions clear” A grim smile appeared on his face. “The great war of our time. Those who do not bend the knee will die in fire and blood”
John gulped at this dark vision of the future Daghan was painting. Sure, he had nothing about fighting in a war. Under other circumstances, there could have been coin to make. But right now, the prospect of more death was abhorrent to him. Without his maiden fair, there was no point in fighting. “And how is that supposed to help me in finding Janae and Behara?”
Daghan's smile faded. “It won't”, he admitted. “But it means that I myself cannot accompany you. My orders come before any friendship” He had the decency to look genuinely ashamed and regretful. “I am sorry. I consider you a friend and trust me, if there would have been a way, I would have followed you”
These words caught John only slightly off guard. He never truly expected Daghan to give up his post to join him. He only hoped to have the knight by his side in his own war to come. The fact that he would have to face this without him, it made things only harder. He sighed. “I don't blame you, Daghan”, he mumbled.
“Doesn't change the fact that I feel rotten”, the man answered. “I wanted to help, but I am needed by the king's side” Now, his slight smile returned. “However, there is one thing I was able to do for you” Only now did John notice the bag on Daghan's belt, the very same bag the knight removed, to hand over to John. It was heavy and as he opened it, his eye widened at the sight of gold.
“Half of it came from Orys, to make up for taking me away. The other half comes from me. It's all I have with me”, Daghan explained and John gasped. “Can you give it away like that?”, he asked and Daghan shrugged. “Who cares?”, he chuckled. “I do with it what I like. Orys is okay with it and the only man who could object has greater things on his mind” His gaze got serious, as he put a hand onto John's shoulder. “Use it to find your girl. Both of them”
John nodded. “I will”, he promised, as he reciprocated the smile. “And thank you” Daghan's smile turned into a fullblown grin. “You know, once this is all over, you and me have to meet up again”, he stated. Scarred from battle, worn down and grey, but living life to the fullest”, he exclaimed. “You and me in this tavern, laughing at old stories, crying at old tragedies”
Hesitantly, but genuinely, John grinned as well. “I would like that”, he stated. “And I would have liked to fight for your king. In a better world, I would have” Daghan sighed. “In a better world, there would be no war to begin with”, he admitted. “But this is the one we're living in. All we can do is to do the most with it. What we're best at. You find your woman. I... well, I split skulls, any man my king commands me to kill”
“Sounds like a grim life”, John mumbled and Daghan gave him a nod. “But it is one I am terribly good at”, he answered. The warrior, this ox of the dragon, rose from his chair. “Goodbye, John Gutten” He put a heavy hand onto his shoulder. “Farewell, Daghan Oxus”, John answered. His smile was thin, but genuine, as he watched the knight that became an unlikely friend walk out of the room. He knew, it might have been their last talk. Men like them, they didn't get to meet again, old and grey. It was only a nice thought they kept with them until they died, young on the battlefield.
Samantha and the others were next to arrive, after the fire had gotten smaller and the taproom emptier. By now, John and Temari had gotten almost completely silent, as neither man had much to say. They understood each other wordlessly, a silent agreement. Though disappointment over Daghan's inability to accompany him remained, John was glad to have at least this seasoned warrior by his side.
He could immediately see that something was not right. Sure, she came from the funeral of a good friend, but beyond that, Samantha was terrified, her fists clenched, tears forming in her eyes, a growing flood she was barely able to hold back. In comparison, even the albino woman seemed composed and the pain on her face was worse than what even John felt at this point.
While Nymeria walked by them and to her room silently, without even acknowledging their presence, Samantha stopped, though she remained standing. Jaro took the seat Daghan had left empty, whereas Sasha and the man, Davith, stood behind Samantha as if to support her. She was shaking slightly, it was clear to see as she got closer.
“John”, Jaro greeted him and John gave him a nod. “I am sorry for missing the funeral”, he replied and Jaro sighed. “Don't think about it. You had other things on your mind” His tone was understanding, yet the look in his eyes made it looks like an accusation. “I don't hold it against you”
“But you do hold something against me”, John mumbled, knowing exactly what it was. Jaro hesitated for a moment, before he gave him a nod. “I don't blame you for I'lian's death. You haven't killed him, it has been that bastard Rodrik Stone. But without your order, I could have prevented it”
In shame, knowing that the man was fully right, John averted his gaze. “I am sorry”, he said. “I... thought I could get to Janae and Hara” Jaro nodded understandingly. “She is your family”, he replied. “And Behara is Tem's. You'd do anything for them. Just like I will do anything for mine”
John looked to the ground, though out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Temari raised his head, a suspicious look on his face. “What is that supposed to mean?”, he growled and now, it was Jaro's time to sigh apologetically. “I am not going to help you going after those whoresons that took Janae and Hara”, he explained.
It took a moment until John fully realized what this meant, though Temari was quicker to react. “What the fuck?”, he barked. “Then what are you going to do? Just sitting around, doing nothing, leaving us alone? Is that your way of taking revenge?”
Jaro shook his head. “I don't believe in revenge”, he replied. “I believe in family. Mine got smaller yesterday, but I still have one brother left” Now, John clenched his fists. “Bear”, he growled. “Akjen”, Jaro corrected him softly. “My youngest brother. I thought him dead, but it turns out, he turned into something much worse”
“So, you're going to kill him?”, John mumbled and Jaro raised his eyebrows. “No”, he said. “I will go after him and I will save him” Temari chuckled at these words. “Redeeming Bear?”, he spat. “Oh, come on, you cannot be serious. He's a murderer, a monster!”
“He is”, Jaro confirmed. “And it is my fault. He is my responsibility, always has been. I made him this way and I will save what's left of him” John gulped. “So, you're leaving us alone”, he muttered. “In favour of your insane brother”
“In favour of my brother, yes”, Jaro replied. “If my actions prevent Akjen from stealing another life, then I have made the right decision. You are the toughest man I know and Janae, she's the toughest woman. You'll get through this, even without my help. I know it and that is why I can go without feeling bad”
“Go then!”, Temari spat. “Go after your fucking brother! And stop wasting our time” A look of visible pain flashed over Jaro's face, as he indeed raised from his chair. “I will remain in the city for the time being, arranging some things before I will try to find Akjen”, he said. “Just because our paths no longer align doesn't mean we won't be friends anymore” He patted John on the back. “If you want to, go talk to me anytime”
After he was gone, John opened his eye again, the look in it hurt and disappointed. If anything, he would have expected Jaro to follow him loyally, had counted on him. A cold smile formed on his lips as he glanced to Samantha and her friends. “Please don't tell me you're leaving me as well”, he joked.
The attempt to humour her quickly turned into terror, as he saw the answer on her face. In this moment, he knew he had to make it on his own, just he and Temari. Samantha bit down onto her lower lip. “I would like to have a talk with John”, she said. “Alone”
Sasha nodded, pulling Davith with her, while Temari waited for John's agreement, before leaving his chair, following the others upstairs. Just John and the young woman he had grown to admire. His smile was still there, but by now it was like hers, an expression of sadness instead of joy. “Samantha”, he said as she sat down. “Sammy”
Her smile widened, as the tears began to pour down her face. “What is the matter?”, he asked and she stared at him. “He is here”, she said. “The man who murdered my family. The man who murdered Lunett and Dairon”
John understood the importance of her words. “Butterfly”, he gasped and she nodded, almost giving up on preventing the flood of tears from breaking through. It was the first time he had seen her like this and she reminded him of a young girl right now, the broken girl that had lost everything due to one man's madness.
“He is here. The bastard is leading this city now”, she muttered, helpless to stop crying. “I've seen him in Oldtown and ever since, I cannot stop thinking about him. He's sitting high in his castle now, laughing, feasting, while everyone I ever loved is rotting in a nameless grave” She closed her eyes. “He must die”, she growled, with determination. “I have to kill him. And because of that, I cannot follow you when you leave Raylansfair”
John sighed, not without bitterness. Daghan had been a disappointment. Jaro had been even worse. But Sammy... it was crushing. She was the one he would have counted on. He would have been willing to bet his remaining eye that she'd come with him. “Sammy, I need you”, he urged her and she shook her head. “No...”, she whispered. “John, I need you”
The two just looked at each other, him beyond any disappointment, her beyond grief. “You have always been good to me. You are my captain and my friend. I admire Janae, I adore Behara. Leaving you alone, I can hardly live with myself. But if I leave Butterfly, if I do not take this chance, then I know, I cannot live with myself at all”
“I cannot do this without you”, John uttered weakly, but she shook her head. “I know you can”, she assured him. “Because Janae is the one you'd do anything for. Your reason to live” Her gaze got colder and for a moment, John saw the wounded woman beneath the mask. “Mine is vengeance”, she said. “You have always been good to me and... I think a part of me needs to know you understand this. I... I need to know you're not hating me for this”
“I do not hate you for this”, John assured her and Samantha shook her head. “Give me your blessing”, she said to his surprise. “I have to leave you, one way or the other, no matter how much it tears at me. But if this is farewell, I do not want us to part with bitterness and resentment” She smiled at him, sweetly now. “I just want to know that you feel the same”
[Give her your blessing][Refuse to give her your blessing]
[Give her your blessing] Samantha's gotta do what she's gotta do, same as John. Though I don't know if its a good idea for her to try to mess with Mullendore, especially blinded by rage.
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
[Give her your blessing] There is no reason for John to end his partnership with Sam in a bad way
RT:
Sam really had a short PoV
I'm still curious to discover at who Davith have to give a message
I'm really curious to read how John and Temari will find a clue of what happened to Janae and Behara
Am I wrong or you had mentioned a certain Ironbro in this last John PoV?
And Daghan decide to leave Raylainsfair with his targaryen friends to do..targaryen things (at least he give to John a lot of money)
With I'lian dead,Janae and Behara MIA,Jaro that decide to try to make the impossibile possible and Samantha that remain at Raylainsfair to have another shot against Mullendore this part end The Gutters as we know leaving only John and Temari of the core members
Only two PoV (and an epilogue) before the end of the first book!
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha's gotta do what she's gotta do, same as John. Though I don't know if its a good idea for her to try to mess with Mullendore, especially blinded by rage.
It is almost certainly a bad idea, I'm afraid. And if things would got as Samantha would like them to go, she'd throw herself at him right away, trying to kill him without any regard for her personal safety. The good thing is, she has friends by her side, Sasha and Davith, who are a lot more concerned for her than she herself is right now and you can bet that they will keep an eye on her. Next time we're going to see her will be after the two-months timeskip, so she will at least be somewhat fine in the meantime, as well as probably a lot calmer than she is right now, having had some time to cool off.
[Give her your blessing] Samantha's gotta do what she's gotta do, same as John. Though I don't know if its a good idea for her to try to mess with Mullendore, especially blinded by rage.
The hour of the Dragon is near, and Westeros won't be same ever again.
Oh yes, oh yes! Perhaps one of the most important times in the entire Ice and Fire history and we're approaching it fastly. I legitimately cannot wait to finally get there, as it has been planned for a very long time. Epic moments await and I hope to do them justice
[Give her your blessing] Is better if they part on good terms, even if they probably won't see each other on a very long time.
The hour o… moref the Dragon is near, and Westeros won't be same ever again.
"There can only be one king, bend the knee or burn"
Aegon Targaryen
There is no reason for John to end his partnership with Sam in a bad way
Sure, that is indeed not the most logical choice there. However, there is an emotional reason for that. John is terribly disappointed at Samantha putting her own revenge before her friends. He himself would never do that and can't really understand how she feels. As a result, you get the choice if you want him to be a bit more understanding, or truly bitter about this, influencing how he is going to part with her. I kind of guess most will choose the more forgiving choice here, but well, there is an option to let him give in to his disappointment and it will shape his character in some capacity.
Sam really had a short PoV
She had and I feel a bit sorry for that. If you would have talked to Nymeria, the part would have been longer (and Nym would have also gotten a role in John's PoV), but as it is, I knew I wanted to end her part exactly at the moment where Davith is about to reveal Mullendore's presence in the city. There was no way to drag it out any longer, so I had to give her this very short second PoV. But be assured, Book 2 should hold plenty of epic moments for her
I'm still curious to discover at who Davith have to give a message
I thought it would be almost clear by now I actually think it has been outright stated in a certain earlier part. This message will be delivered offscreen, due to the two-months timeskip between Book 1 and Book 2. Brandon has given him this message, to be delivered to a certain person in this city, so that one major Book 2 PoV is free to follow the storyline I have planned. That should tell you a bit more and probably give you a clue on what to expect. The very early next chapter will give you a definite answer for sure though
I'm really curious to read how John and Temari will find a clue of what happened to Janae and Behara
Again, this will happen during the timeskip. Abbas is a master tracker and he knows of the danger Janae's friends will pose, so he has hidden his trail. However, if anything, Saerya is a master of her own when it comes to uncovering secrets and hidden things. Not a particularly skilled tracker, she has connections and these connections are almost certain to give some result the two can work with.
Am I wrong or you had mentioned a certain Ironbro in this last John PoV?
Uh... now I am really curious where you have gotten the impression. I can assure you, this was not planned and a coincidence. Do you mean Temari's comment about one escaping? He did not mean one Ironborn, but one entire ship, namely Edward Anturion's. The other two ships got captured by Mullendore's men (which means Raylansfair now has something resembling a fleet), but Edward was quick to retreat once the tide of the battle turned. That's why he killed Torvin, to make sure that some will follow his retreat, so that the ship can sail. Garthon (as well as Rell, Tedyn and Hjalgar), are currently still Mullendore's captives, but only the inner circle of Mullendore's men knows about their survival at all.
And Daghan decide to leave Raylainsfair with his targaryen friends to do..targaryen things (at least he give to John a lot of money)
Targaryen things, yeah That is a nice way to describe starting the most terrible war the continent has seen since the Long Night. As it is, his duty comes first, unfortunately. However, Daghan holds at least some loyalty and admiration for John, so he insisted on paying him, to hopefully give him some support.
With I'lian dead,Janae and Behara MIA,Jaro that decide to try to make the impossibile possible and Samantha that remain at Raylainsfair to have another shot against Mullendore this part end The Gutters as we know leaving only John and Temari of the core members
Surely, John has not expected this. He has counted at least on Jaro and Samantha to support him and was really hoping for this. Now, there's only him and Temari left to chase after two highly dangerous slavers who have a lot of time to prepare for such a confrontation. That is a huge problem for him, but maybe there will be a chance to encounter new allies down the road.
Only two PoV (and an epilogue) before the end of the first book!
Yes! Arthur, Lucas and then the epilogue which is going to be written from the perspective of a new one-shot PoV. Then comes the interlude, although I might have to take a few weeks off from writing in August, due to me taking a vacation to Finland. Maybe I have wi-fi during this vacation, but well, it's more likely that I won't. Anyways, I think I will finish at least the interlude this month, maybe even get the first parts of Book 2 out. Book 1 is certainly going to end next week and I cannot wait to see everyone's reactions to it.
[Give her your blessing] There is no reason for John to end his partnership with Sam in a bad way
RT:
* Sam really had a short PoV
… more* I'm still curious to discover at who Davith have to give a message
* I'm really curious to read how John and Temari will find a clue of what happened to Janae and Behara
* Am I wrong or you had mentioned a certain Ironbro in this last John PoV?
* And Daghan decide to leave Raylainsfair with his targaryen friends to do..targaryen things (at least he give to John a lot of money)
* With I'lian dead,Janae and Behara MIA,Jaro that decide to try to make the impossibile possible and Samantha that remain at Raylainsfair to have another shot against Mullendore this part end The Gutters as we know leaving only John and Temari of the core members
* Only two PoV (and an epilogue) before the end of the first book!
First of all, welcome! It's great to see new readers still finding their way here. I'm glad you decided to check out the story and naturally, I'm also happy about your characters. They are nicely done, so of course I added them to the list. I'm liking them a lot and think I will be able to put them to good use. Shouldn't take me too long to introduce them to the story proper. Hopefully you will enjoy them
Also, I'm glad you commented here in the thread, because there is a very important question I have about one of your characters. I see you have sent me a PM, so I will answer to that right away and also ask you that question.
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Man, this part set the stage for so many exciting things to come in the next book! John and Temari going after Janae and Behara, Samantha seeking vengeance on Mullendore, Jaro trying to redeem his brother, and the biggest of them all - the great war of our time, as Daghan put it. There were also so many great interactions here, all of them emotional in their own ways. John and Temari having a moment of hope amidst all the hopelessness, John and Daghan having a bro moment and a touching farewell, John and Jaro disagreeing and bitterly going to separate ways, and lastly the farewell of Samantha. Great stuff!
[Give her your blessing] I see no reason to separate on bad terms here. Sammy is going to go after Mullendore anyway, and being a dick to her now will just leave a bad taste to both John's and Samantha's mouth. This way, if by chance Sammy survives her really dangerous mission, she might one day reunite with John and co.
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
[Refuse to give her your blessing] It may not change anything but I want Samantha to know that this isn't okay. John wants to save lives and it seems Samantha would rather take some than do something that really matters. Killing Mullendore will change nothing for her, she won't feel any better and her family will still be dead. Honestly I'm disappointed in her, Janae is still alive and needs help but apparently that isn't a good enough reason for Samantha to abandon her quest of vengance.
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
It might be the last time we see her, might as well make it good.
Men like them, they didn't get to meet again, old and grey. It was only a nice thought they kept with them until they died, young on the battlefield.
The feels man. Daghan the feels. This makes me think of General Douglas MacArthur's farewell address, although what he says is a little different, the tones definitely are similiar:
“When I joined the Army, even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfillment of all of my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that ‘old soldiers never die, they just fade away.’ And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Good-bye.”
I had forgotten that stuff about Samantha.
I have a feeling many of these characters will never see each other again. A shame, but that's what life is like right?
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At … morethe same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that somethi… [view original content]
Man, this part set the stage for so many exciting things to come in the next book! John and Temari going after Janae and Behara, Samantha seeking vengeance on Mullendore, Jaro trying to redeem his brother, and the biggest of them all - the great war of our time, as Daghan put it. There were also so many great interactions here, all of them emotional in their own ways. John and Temari having a moment of hope amidst all the hopelessness, John and Daghan having a bro moment and a touching farewell, John and Jaro disagreeing and bitterly going to separate ways, and lastly the farewell of Samantha. Great stuff!
I am so happy you enjoyed this part It is true, many of the events hinted at here are gojng to be major plotlines for Book 2 and 3. Of coure, none will be bigger than the coming war, but John/Temari, Samantha and Jaro are all going to have their own adventures to come and they will influence a lot about how the future chapters are going to play out. They separated for now, perhaps forever, so I am glad I achieved such a reaction with their farewells. This has set the foundation for lots of exciting things to come
This way, if by chance Sammy survives her really dangerous mission, she might one day reunite with John and co.
Ah, she hopes so. Out of everyone that has left John in this part, nobody wants to reunite more with him than her. Of course, her mission is a dangerous one and John's is even worse, so it remains to be seen if they actually get a chance to reunite, but I'd say it is not impossible.
Man, this part set the stage for so many exciting things to come in the next book! John and Temari going after Janae and Behara, Samantha se… moreeking vengeance on Mullendore, Jaro trying to redeem his brother, and the biggest of them all - the great war of our time, as Daghan put it. There were also so many great interactions here, all of them emotional in their own ways. John and Temari having a moment of hope amidst all the hopelessness, John and Daghan having a bro moment and a touching farewell, John and Jaro disagreeing and bitterly going to separate ways, and lastly the farewell of Samantha. Great stuff!
[Give her your blessing] I see no reason to separate on bad terms here. Sammy is going to go after Mullendore anyway, and being a dick to her now will just leave a bad taste to both John's and Samantha's mouth. This way, if by chance Sammy survives her really dangerous mission, she might one day reunite with John and co.
Yeah, that is something I can understand very much. Vengeance is rarely a moral thing and though Samantha certainly has legit reasons for her hatred towards Mullendore, it is unlikely this will achieve much for her to actually feel better. Then again, she has a very messed up way of coping with her grief, by just trying to appear cheerful until the pain goes away, so as a result she hasn't really gotten over any loss she suffered at Mullendore's hands. So, learning that he is here, especially after Lunett and Dairon died due to him as well (something that weighs incredibly heavy on her), Samantha is not thinking straight. In a way, she is barely thinking at all. She's probably going to regret her actions here, as it will only add to her guilt. Of course, stopping Mullendore can also be seen as something that matters quite a lot, as he is a severe danger for the entire Kingdom of the Reach, but to be fair, that is not really what she's thinking about right now. However, getting not only vengeance, but justice, will be the reason she won't back down from her choice once her initial anger has faded. All in all, if she would be able to think straight right now, she would likely decide to help John first, but this is by far the most emotional she has ever been.
[Refuse to give her your blessing] It may not change anything but I want Samantha to know that this isn't okay. John wants to save lives and… more it seems Samantha would rather take some than do something that really matters. Killing Mullendore will change nothing for her, she won't feel any better and her family will still be dead. Honestly I'm disappointed in her, Janae is still alive and needs help but apparently that isn't a good enough reason for Samantha to abandon her quest of vengance.
Hah! Maybe we'll see a team-up between Sammy and Aylard to take Mullendore down. Would love that!
Well, this is for sure not impossible. Mullendore has made many enemies for himself, Sammy and Aylard being among the ones with the biggest grudge. Others who would definitely love to fight against him are Davith, Kersea, Lucas and Leonard, as well as Jaron and Harpy. While probably not all of these are going to team-up, you can expect at least some alliances against Mullendore to form in Book 2. With a shared connection through Lunett, Samantha and Aylard are among the more likely allies.
[Give her your blessing] Sure, why not? Leaving as good friends works better.
Hah! Maybe we'll see a team-up between Sammy and Aylard to take Mullendore down. Would love that!
The feels man. Daghan the feels. This makes me think of General Douglas MacArthur's farewell address, although what he says is a little different, the tones definitely are similiar:
Ah, I was not aware of that speech. I agree, the tone is a similar one, fittingly so
I had forgotten that stuff about Samantha.
Yeah, I figured that it hasn't really been brought up in a long time, ever since she returned to Raylansfair, after which her struggle against Rodrik Stone took centre stage. However, it is a key motivation for her storyline in Book 2, so I really wanted to give a reminder about this that there are very few characters who have such a grudge against Mullendore like her.
I have a feeling many of these characters will never see each other again. A shame, but that's what life is like right?
Well, that will in many cases come down to your choices. I consider it extremely unlikely that they will ever meet each other again in this particular constellation, but depending on your decisions, there can very well be a couple of reunions later on. Much later though, as each character is going to head into a different direction for now, each with their own agendas.
[Give her your blessing]
It might be the last time we see her, might as well make it good.
Men like them, they didn't get to meet a… moregain, old and grey. It was only a nice thought they kept with them until they died, young on the battlefield.
The feels man. Daghan the feels. This makes me think of General Douglas MacArthur's farewell address, although what he says is a little different, the tones definitely are similiar:
“When I joined the Army, even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfillment of all of my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barrack ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that ‘old soldiers never die, they just fade away.’ And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and jus… [view original content]
And oh man, I think this has gotta be one of my favorite lines from the story.
Hehe, I wasn't really expecting this while writing the line in question, but given that I myself enjoyed writing it down, I am very happy to see that you found it to be such a good line. A fitting one as well, though there might be a bit of hope for John and Daghan still.
[Refuse to give her your blessing]
I'm kinda afraid that Samantha's gonna get herself killed. And oh man, I think this has gotta be one o… moref my favorite lines from the story.
Men like them, they didn't get to meet again, old and grey. It was only a nice thought they kept with them until they died, young on the battlefield.
Well, there have been surprisingly good arguments for refusing to give her this blessing, though in the end, I can understand why most of you want a clean, friendly parting of ways between these two. Samantha is going to regret this a lot, as she now basically left one of her best friends to search for two other friends, all in the name of vengeance. That be said, vengeance has always been a primary motivation for her. It will be a dark, yet hopefully exciting storyline for her in Book 2, as she might get closer to her goal, no matter to which end it may lead.
Now, the next part should be out today. It has been an active voting (though I am still missing some regulars), making me hopeful that you all made it through that utterly terrible update. Our feeds haven't been fixed yet and at this point, I somewhat doubt anyone at Telltale even cares for how much they break the forums. But ah, who knows, maybe they surprise me. It can only get better from here on. Luckily though, this will not change my writing speed, so you can expect the new part out later today. It will be the penultimate part of Chapter 9 and the final voting for Book 1. I have waited for this part a long time and cannot wait to see your thoughts on it. It will be the finale of Arthur's storyline in Book 1. Last time we saw him, he and Edonia investigated the death of Jax Montclair. At the spot where he was shot, they found blood, likely from the archer, whom Edonia claims to have shot and likely killed, as well as a priceless bow from the Summer Isles, last seen in posession of Sherryl. Following the trail of blood, Arthur found another track of heavy boots, though he decided to ignore them in favour of the blood. And well, this might indeed lead to him finding something
The Voting is closed!
John is going to give Samantha her blessing
Well, there have been surprisingly good arguments for refusing to gi… moreve her this blessing, though in the end, I can understand why most of you want a clean, friendly parting of ways between these two. Samantha is going to regret this a lot, as she now basically left one of her best friends to search for two other friends, all in the name of vengeance. That be said, vengeance has always been a primary motivation for her. It will be a dark, yet hopefully exciting storyline for her in Book 2, as she might get closer to her goal, no matter to which end it may lead.
Now, the next part should be out today. It has been an active voting (though I am still missing some regulars), making me hopeful that you all made it through that utterly terrible update. Our feeds haven't been fixed yet and at this point, I somewhat doubt anyone at Telltale even cares for how much they break th… [view original content]
It was only a fleeting though, one Arthur quickly discarded. “Forget about the bootprints”, he said. “The blood is more likely to lead us somewhere. Anyone could have passed through here, but that trail right there, it's going to lead us to the archer”
“Or what's left of him”, Edonia mumbled. “I mean, that is a lot of blood. The man I hit, and I know I hit him, he should be in a pretty bad shape by now. Maybe he's dead already” Arthur frowned at her words. “Then our answers would die with him”
“Maybe not”, Edonia brought up. “Sherryl is still somewhere out there. She is involved in all of this. Perhaps even Tariel knows something” A determined look appeared on her face, an expression Arthur found particularly enticing. “Only one way to find out”
The two started moving, with Arthur taking the lead, as they followed the irregular trail of blood. It wasn't hard to do it. Though partially dried, the red still heavily contrasted with the darker wood and there has been no effort made to hide it. Someone had been dragging themselves down that alleyway, leaving blood whenever touching the walls.
Finally, they reached what might be the archer's destination. It was a large, open door, the trail clearly leading inside. Arthur narrowed his eyes as he noticed the building. “The warehouse of Stratford's brewery”, he mumbled, as he glanced inside. “The backdoor”
“So there is another exit?”, Edonia asked, as the two entered the large room. It took them a moment to adjust to the dim light inside, though Arthur quickly noticed the rows of barrels, undoubtedly filled with Stratford's ale. As soon as Edonia spoke, there was a sound, a surprised gasp from above.
“The main door”, Arthur said, pointing across the room. “However, there is only one way down” Edonia gave him a nod, as she reached for an arrow, casually holding the white golden bow in her other hand. Arthur gave her a stern look. “We need this archer alive”, he reminded her, to which she smiled slightly. “I will not kill him”, she promised. “Just trust me with that. If anyone gets down here, they won't get far”
Arthur reciprocated the smile. “Take care of yourself”, he told her, to which she raised an eyebrow. “I assume you're the one that wants to check upstairs”, she replied. “Seems I'm not the one that should look out” Her smile faded. “For real though, don't get killed. Imagine the fallout this would cause for us”
“Got no intention to die here”, Arthur assured her, before he turned to the staircase right next to him. “Torold?”, he yelled. “Melany?” He paused for a moment, as no reply followed, before he headed upstairs with quick steps, reaching for the cudgel on his belt in the process. He hoped that there wouldn't be a fight, but someone was up there and he wanted to be prepared for anything.
The upper floor of the warehouse was a dim hallway, containing only a single, half-open door, which Arthur instantly headed to. There was a thin trail of blood, some of it on the ground, some on the wall, telling him that he was indeed heading into the right direction. His throat, sore from the dust he was breathing in, caused him to cough slightly, which caused the breaths coming from the room to get louder. Someone was afraid, panicked perhaps.
Raising his cudgel, Arthur moved his hand to the doorknob, glancing into the room. It was brighter than the hallway, hurting his eyes for a moment. Still, he instantly saw the petite figure near the window and as he pushed the door open entirely, he recognized her without a doubt. Clad in a brown cloak and having her back turned on him, her face turned to the sole window of the empty room, it were the light brown locks falling over her shoulders that gave her identity away. “Sherryl”, Arthur growled.
“Don't come any closer”, she mumbled, her voice sounding slightly slurred, stressed from fear and something he recognized as pain. There was dry blood on her hands and some on the sill of the open window. And though he wanted nothing more than to charge at her, Arthur calmed himself down and followed her order. She sighed. “I knew someone would find me sooner or later” There was something else in her voice, a tone of defeat, of grief even.
“A trail of blood”, Arthur explained. “If there's others searching for you, I am surprised we have found you first” Again, a sigh came from her, as she looked out of the window. “You weren't the first”, she replied thinly. “Though you might be the last”
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”, he growled. “It means that I know why you're here”, Sherryl answered. “Your father wants me to answer for the things I am accused of” A lump formed in Arthur's throat. “My father is dead”, he told her. “Died on the castle courtyard, defending the people to the bitter end. The gates didn't close”
Sherryl gulped audibly. For a moment, she was only silent. Then, she replied. “I am sorry”, she mumbled. “For whatever that means” Anger flared up inside of Arthur and he started to approach her, the floor creaking as he took the first step. “I SAID DON'T!”, she shrieked, as she turned around, causing Arthur to gasp in shocked surprise, as he stopped dead in his tracks.
Edonia had told the truth. In the end, she had hit her mark. A mere inch to the left and it would have been a clean shot to the head, killing Sherryl instantly. As it was, the arrow hadn't killed her. It merely grazed her left cheek, splitting it open from the lips all the way across the side of her face, exposing raw skin, gum and her upper teeth, before taking away the lower portion of her left ear. Tears streamed down the woman's face, further irritating the wounded flesh. “Gods”, he gasped.
Her breaths came faster as she noticed the shock on his face. “Gods indeed”, she replied. “Or would you not say I deserve this?” Arthur pulled himself together, as he couldn't avert his eyes from the disfiguring wound. It was a surprise that she was even able to stand, yet her posture clearly gave away that she was in agony.
“So, you did take the shot”, he concluded and she nodded, a new wave of tears forming in her blue eyes. “I aimed for the princess. The Stormlander got in the way”, she explained. “I didn't want to kill him, but I had my orders”
Arthur clenched the cudgel. “Your orders...”, he growled, as he took another step towards her. This time, Sherryl quickly reached for her belt, drawing a sharp knife. “Don't!”, she barked. “Not. Another. Step” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You are in no shape to fight”, he told her, though as he tried to raise his foot to continue his way towards her, she quickly turned the knife on herself, holding it to her free arm, ready to slash through the artery. “Stay where you are”, she ordered. “If you want your answers”
This time, Arthur lowered his cudgel, before dropping it entirely. He knew, he wouldn't need it. This woman was desperate and in helpless pain. She was, at best, a threat to herself. “I want answers”, he confirmed. “You murdered the Stormlander. But more, you have stolen many lives by sabotaging the gate. Why?”
Sherryl's lower lip shivered and though she still pressed the tip of the knife into the soft flesh on her arm, she averted her eyes, a look of shame in them. “I loved him”, she whispered and Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Petyr Vyrwel”, he concluded. “You've been working for him all along and you... loved him?”
He noticed the brief attempt at a smile. The clean, beautiful side of her face managed to form the expression, though the moment she tried to move the gruesomely ruined cheek, a gasp of agony left her throat, as she stumbled backwards against the window. Wordlessly, she raised the knife again, preventing any attempt to get closer towards her.
“Vyrwel”, she repeated in disbelief and shook her head. “Why should I be satisfied with a pawn? I was drawn to the only true player in this game” And slowly, Arthur realized what she meant. He tilted his head sideways in surprise. “Mullendore?”, he gasped. “Really? I mean, he's...”
Sherryl gulped. “What? Old? Ugly?”, she muttered. “I never cared for looks. I have... I had enough for both of us. I cared for the man that lifted me up from the gutter. Who educated me, supported me, taught me how to use my talents. The man that gave me a feeling of worth. Without him, I would have ended in one of Oldtown's brothels years ago. He gave me dignity, he was the only one to saw more in me than a pretty face” By now, the pain on her face was not only physical. “I owe him everything I ever had and for that, I loved him, with all my heart. And... I thought he loved me as well”
“What happened?”, Arthur asked and Sherryl bit down onto her lower lip, as a new wave of tears shot into her eyes. “He found me first”, she whispered. “I was half-mad with pain, sure I would die, unable to just look at what had happened to me. Barely able to think straight, but I lit up when I saw him. I knew he would help me. I did not care for the eye he had lost and thought he wouldn't care for my wound. I... I thought...” She paused, silently weeping, as tears streamed down her face. “I thought we could be together at last”
Arthur sighed. “It did not work out”, he stated and she gave him a nod. “He was calm when he spoke”, she explained. “Told me that I am of no use to him anymore. That I have made too many enemies to be his agent. That he wouldn't even keep me as a lover now that I lost my beauty” She paused, struggling for words, gasping for air beneath desperate sobs. “He told me I was worthless to him. He left me alive for my years of service, for... for warming his bed, for...”, she stuttered. “But he told me that I have to leave. If he'd ever see me again, if I just speak to anyone about this, he would make me regret”
“And yet you speak to me”, Arthur said and she nodded. “And I regret”, she added. “I trusted him. He meant the world to me and just once, just once I thought I'd mean the same to someone else. I felt loved, I believed him, I believed in him” The look of utter despair on her face finally got to Arthur, who found an ounce of pity, one that wasn't even fully crushed by the thought of what she had done.
“I was drawn to him. A brilliant mind, a true visionary”, she mumbled. “And in the end, I fell for him. I was nothing but another pawn, as much as I thought different” Arthur sighed, as he contemplated walking closer towards her. “That doesn't excuse your actions”, he told her.
To his surprise, Sherryl gave him a nod. “I know”, she agreed. “In a way, I have always known. And yet, I believed in his vision. I thought it would be worth some sacrifices. The deaths of a few for the lives of many” Arthur raised an eyebrow, hiding his anger at these words. “You think differently now”
Still crying, Sherryl gave him a nod, sending tears flying. “I made a mistake”, she spoke and though these words could have sounded hollow, Arthur noticed that it was the first time since her return where Sherryl spoke genuinely. It reminded him of how she used to be before she left Raylansfair. “He... talks a big game, but in the end, he only cares for his own power. I trusted him and... I made a mistake” Now, Arthur glared at her. “People died!”, he barked, to which she gave him a look of true defeat.
“And it is my fault”, she admitted. “I regret what I did, but I do not deny it” The disfigured cheek shivered. “And I deserve this” Arthur tensed up. “For love”, he stated, to which she gave him a nod. “I loved him and I thought he loved me back. I wanted to think so at least. For a time, I truly believed him. He was the first to make me feel wanted, needed. How could I not love him? How could I not support him?”
“So all you did... all the people that died, it was due to his orders?”, Arthur growled and Sherryl gave him a nod. “He needed chaos in this city”, she stated and Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Why?”, he snarled. “If you're following his orders, then what are his goals?”
Sherryl sighed bitterly. “I believed they were for the greater good”, she said. “But now I am not so sure anymore. He wants to take over Raylansfair and eventually, half of the Reach, to dispose the old king and give these lands to a ruler worthy of them”
“What's wrong with Mern Gardener?”, Arthur asked and Sherryl gulped. “He is a weak king”, she explained. “Even now, after seeing Maron' flaws, I can still say for certain that he was right about Mern. His nobles have no respect for him, the other kingdoms laugh at him. His rule made this situation even possible. A true king would have intervened already. Under a true king, the petty quarrels that hold us back would never even come up”
“And I believe Mullendore wants to be this true king?”, Arthur concluded, to which Sherryl merely shook her head. “His goals were ambitious, but not like that”, she replied. “He wanted to give the Reach to the strongest king in Westeros. He wanted to give it to Harren Hoare”
Arthur's eyes widened. “Hoare?”, he spat. “He wants to sell us out to a tyrant!” Sherryl gave him a nod. “A tyrant he might be, but that doesn't make him a weak king. He control the Riverlands, keeps them stable despite their history. No other man in Westeros could manage this. Whom else could lead the Reach to glory?”
“You still sound as if you believe in this”, Arthur remarked, to which Sherryl shook her head. “I don't. It's just what he told me”, she replied. “He believes in this. I believed in him and now... now I pay the price for it. A fool to the end” She glanced at the knife in her hand and Arthur was quick to clear his throat, regaining her attention. “Is there anyone else involved in this?”, he asked.
Sherryl gave him a nod. “Petyr Vyrwel of course”, she answered. “His closest ally, but by far not the only one. Devrin Oakheart is working with him as well and through marriage, he wishes to strengthen his ties to House Redwyne. With their backing, more will follow”
“Oakheart...”, Arthur mumbled. “Sherryl, you cannot keep this a secret” Despite the fact that half of her expression was ruined beyond recognition, he noticed the weary look in her eyes. “I just told you, didn't I?”, she replied calmly. “It's up to you how you're going to use this knowledge”
Arthur sighed, before he gave her a nod. “And what about you?”, he asked, to which she stared at him. “It depends”, she revealed. “What are you going to do with me?” This time, Arthur looked down at the cudgel he dropped to the ground and she followed his gaze. “Is it revenge you want?”, she asked. “Then strike me down if it helps you”
Now, Arthur looked up, his fists clenched, his gaze fixed on her wounds, her ruined beauty. “You have suffered enough”, he said. “Up until now, I thought you to be evil, a cold-hearted schemer. Now... now I see you're just a fool, falling for the wrong man and doing his bidding without questioning a single one of his orders”
The look of pain on Sherryl's face grew stronger. “A fool indeed”, she agreed. “Though you haven't answered my question. What are you going to do with me?” She gave Arthur a curious look and he sighed. “There will be no vengeance”, he told her. “But justice. Fool or not, your actions have caused dozens of deaths. Princess Argella wants you to stand trial in Storm's End”
“So, you do her bidding now”, Sherryl mumbled. “Better than Maron, I presume. And justice... a nice thought, but there won't be any” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Do you intend to resist?”, he asked and she shook her head. “I am a fool”, she admitted again. “But if you think you can get me out of this city, you're even worse. Maron will not allow this”
“He let you live”, Arthur informed her and she gave him a nod. “And my life was over the moment I decided to tell you all this, his plan, his allies”, she stated. “Now, if you try to bring me out of this city, he will notice this. He is going to punish me and you as well. You still have a family to lose. Don't throw them away for this” For a moment, determination grew stronger than pain and regret on her face. “I know what he is capable of”, she hissed. “I will not be taken by him and neither will I allow you to suffer”
Arthur realized what she was about to do. “NO!”, he yelled and rushed towards her, just as the knife dug into the flesh. He wasn't quick enough, only reaching her as she had already opened the entire length of her forearm with a single slash. Blood began to pour out of it, as the knife fell out of her weak hands. With a sigh, part relief, part pain, part regret, she sank into Arthur's arms, as he gently helped her lying down.
“Why?”, Arthur barked. Though no healer, he knew such wounds were often fatal even with immediate help. And the only healer he knew of was at the other end of the city, buried in her work. Sherryl had, at most, a few minutes. “Why would you do this?”
Tears streamed down Sherryl's face. “A fool to the bitter end”, she stated. “But this is good. I deserve death and yearn for it. And you... you will not throw your life away trying to get me somewhere Maron does not want me to be” She shook her head, her strength already fading. “Now it is up to you to use my knowledge. Mullendore. Vyrwel. Oakheart. All working for Harren Hoare”
Arthur clenched his fingers around the cloak she was wearing, as blood stained the ground beneath him. “I am but one man”, he uttered. “What could I even do?” This time, numb from the loss of blood, Sherryl smiled, kindly and genuine. “You can start with not repeating my mistakes”, she told him. “Don't believe a word he says. Be a grain of sand. Let there be justice”
“Justice...”, Arthur said and to his surprise, he noticed how tears formed in his eyes. No matter the woman she became, Sherryl had been a friend once. Her coming death left him with no satisfaction. Instead, he felt sorrow for the girl she used to be, the one that looked for love in the wrong place. And that, as he realized, would be how he would remember her.
The smile faded, replaced by nothing but pain, as Sherryl began to tear up again. “Tell... tell Tari I am sorry”, she gasped. “Tell her...” She cut herself off. “There is nothing else. Just tell her I am sorry” Arthur gave her a nod. “I will”, he promised. “Is there more you know? Anything? You have to tell me!”
Sherryl seemed to think about this for a moment. Finally, she nodded. “Ask anyone from Oldtown about Butterfly”, she replied. “I... gods, I was so blind. Ask them and they will tell you what he did. What he is capable of. Why I rather die than suffer his wrath” She gave him a sharp look. “He is Butterfly. A traitor. A murderer. Never trust him”
With a lump in his throat, Arthur gave her a nod, as he gently put her down onto the ground. “I will go now”, he told her and instantly, he noticed a surprising panic in Sherryl's eyes, as her hands clawed into the fabric of his tunic. “Don't!”, she begged him, crying helplessly, though her voice was already getting weaker. “Don't leave me... please, I told you everything I know...” The tone in her voice was defeated, yet desperately pleading. “Please don't let me die alone”, she mumbled, her voice almost a whisper. “Just... stay for a little longer”
Arthur looked at the puddle of blood that had formed beneath her, at the blood that continued to pour out of her slashed artery. It was a matter of minutes at most, possibly less. And she had told him a lot. Perhaps more than he wanted to know. Mullendore and Harren Hoare... the implication of such an alliance were terrifying, they were something he had to act on. Yet was this enough for him to grant Sherryl this final wish? Was this enough for her to deserve it? And could he truly deny it to her? He looked back at her, the broken, dying woman, and he knew what to do...
Arthur
It was only a fleeting though, one Arthur quickly discarded. “Forget about the bootprints”, he said. “The blood is more likely to … morelead us somewhere. Anyone could have passed through here, but that trail right there, it's going to lead us to the archer”
“Or what's left of him”, Edonia mumbled. “I mean, that is a lot of blood. The man I hit, and I know I hit him, he should be in a pretty bad shape by now. Maybe he's dead already” Arthur frowned at her words. “Then our answers would die with him”
“Maybe not”, Edonia brought up. “Sherryl is still somewhere out there. She is involved in all of this. Perhaps even Tariel knows something” A determined look appeared on her face, an expression Arthur found particularly enticing. “Only one way to find out”
The two started moving, with Arthur taking the lead, as they followed the irregular trail of blood. It wasn't hard to do it. Though partially dried, the red still heavily contrasted… [view original content]
Arthur
It was only a fleeting though, one Arthur quickly discarded. “Forget about the bootprints”, he said. “The blood is more likely to … morelead us somewhere. Anyone could have passed through here, but that trail right there, it's going to lead us to the archer”
“Or what's left of him”, Edonia mumbled. “I mean, that is a lot of blood. The man I hit, and I know I hit him, he should be in a pretty bad shape by now. Maybe he's dead already” Arthur frowned at her words. “Then our answers would die with him”
“Maybe not”, Edonia brought up. “Sherryl is still somewhere out there. She is involved in all of this. Perhaps even Tariel knows something” A determined look appeared on her face, an expression Arthur found particularly enticing. “Only one way to find out”
The two started moving, with Arthur taking the lead, as they followed the irregular trail of blood. It wasn't hard to do it. Though partially dried, the red still heavily contrasted… [view original content]
Comments
Damn it, that was supposed to be a spoiler
But yeah, I think now I can reveal that Mullendore's champion is the four-armed cyborg general of House Selwyn. Up until now, I doubt anyone would have seen it coming. That said, I hope it is still going to be a visually amazing scene, even if it will end with a disappointingly easy victory for Lucas. And on a more serious note, well-played, this one just killed me 
How I loved that scene. Generally, I loved General Grievous as a kid. He definitely was my favourite. Now when I'm older, I don't like the man... robot as much, but I do still like him a lot.
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Maron Mullendore: UNLIMITED POOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWAAAAAAA
I seems like we have just gotten a step closer to accepting Ser Jar-Jar of Binks into this story and I am not sure how to feel about this
The Voting is closed!
Richard is going to reveal the truth about Kersea
An unanimous voting, which is a rare, yet perfectly understandable thing. You are right that Leonard hates being lied to, so as harsh as his reaction will be now, a later reaction would have been even worse. That said, it is not entirely clear if there would have been a later reaction at all. Maybe Kersea would have successfully kept her past a secret from him for the rest of their shared time in the story. Of course, keeping such a secret is putting the redemption she seeks at a pretty terrible start, so while she won't be thrilled by Richard's decision here, maybe she will appreciate being relieved of this burden in the long run.
The next part is going to be out today. I apologize for the later than usual part, though this week has been tremendously busy. There will be room for writing today, so that's what I will do. And this next part will conclude the storylines for Samantha and John in Book 1. Last time we have seen Samantha was a while ago. Back then, she witnessed the burial of I'lian and Lenrianda, together with Sasha, Jaro and Nymeria. While Nymeria mourned silently, Jaro got into more detail about his history with I'lian and their younger brother Akjen, the man you know as Bear and he reveals that he blames himself for raising him badly. Their emotional moment was cut short by the arrival of Davith Lanser, who wanted to reveal something of importance to Samantha. Left with the choice to speak to him right away or to first check up on Nymeria, you decided on the former. Meanwhile, John wasn't seen all that long ago and I don't really think you need a recap for him this time. His next part will happen a bit later, after he returned to the tavern, to gather his companions as Saerya adviced him to do.
Also, I am sure you have noticed that there has been yet another terrible forum update. Seriously, is anyone at Telltale ever testing these things, or are we their beta testers? That is the only explanation I have for this. Good thing is, the edit button for the main post of the thread is back, meaning I don't have to use a direct link anymore. Bad thing is everything else, ho boy. Most importantly, I am aware of log-in issues, since passwords seem to have a minimum length now. If any of you encounter such troubles, Blind Sniper has offered a workaround in this thread: https://telltale.com/community/discussion/115904/having-trouble-logging-in-after-site-update-you-may-need-to-change-password-via-forgot-password.
Also, the notification system and our feeds are all messed up for now and I am low-key expecting the web team to not fix this issue until the next update a year from now. Because it would be a first if they actually provide working forums instead of just breaking more stuff. For now, I hope everyone will see new parts in time, but the lack of a notification is surely not making things any easier. I am going to send a couple of PM's to you in the next days, to see if any of you encounter any problems I could help with and well, if you want a notification for a new part, then I believe PM notifications still work. If any of you want such a PM notification when I finish a new part, let me know and I'll gladly be of service
Aye. Such an awful update. Literally nothing is good (except the Edit button). They added some new avatars sure. But they also fucked the my account thing up, sending you to 'my games' which by the way has no games for me right now for some reason. They fucked up the feed, not showing the followed discussions. They also fucked the 'profile', showing my 2 latest comments and a thread for best tv-series promo I made back in september. They also made the login thing absolutely shit. Some people has to login everytime they want to make a comment, I also see nill reason to change the password thing and that you have to write in your e-mail instead of user. And they made the grey quote line a little larger... Like that was necessairy or wanted in any way!!
Fix the things we want you to fix TTG. Please bloody gods.
Samantha
Samantha understood Nymeria's pain, she really did. Losing a loved one, that was a feeling she could relate to all too well. At the same time, she knew that sometimes, as terrible as it was, this was a pain one had to face on their own. She had to and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if someone would have tried to console her during these dark months in her life.
On top of that, she didn't know Lenrianda very well. She had liked the woman, her wit, her bravery, but as sad as it was, she hardly knew her in the end and now, there was no chance for her to ever change this. It felt wrong to invade something as private as Nymeria's farewell to her best friend.
Instead, she turned to Davith, who was patiently waiting beneath the trees. The young man was looking at her, a grim expression on his face and it surely did not come from witnessing the funeral. He hadn't known I'lian or Lenrianda at all and the fact that something obviously bothered him came as a concern to Samantha.
As she started walking, Sasha accompanied her wordlessly, something she was quite glad about. Her friend had recovered at least somewhat, though she was still pale and affected by the heavy blood loss. It was a small miracle she survived at all, a light in the darkness that surrounded them at the moment.
“Are you alright?”, she asked and Sasha gave her a nod. “I will be”, she replied calmly, as a hand moved to the bandage around her neck. “At least Stone got it worse than me” Samantha chuckled dryly, not as an expression of joy, but merely to let out some of the stress. She put an arm around Sasha's shoulder, pulling her into a light hug. “I'm glad you're still alive”, she said, to which Sasha flashed her a grin. “What am I supposed to say to that?”, she replied. “I'm glad as well? Sounds cheesy” She sighed. “I am glad you are still alive though”, she answered. “As close as it was...”
Finally, they had reached Davith, who spread his arms. “There you are!”, he said and Sasha accepted his hug. “Sash, you look terrible. What happened to you?” The woman frowned. “Sasha”, she corrected him. “And I could ask the same. We thought you dead”
Davith smiled at her and then at Samantha, though she spotted how fake it was. She responded with a similar forced expression. “I saved the day, did I not?”, he stated. “Though I had help, people who saved me from the Solvers. Part of the reason I will stay in the city. I have to find someone, have to give her a message” He shook his head. “But more about that later. We really need to talk”
This time, Samantha gulped. That tone did not promise much. Already preparing for the worst, she had to ask herself just what exactly the worst would be. What it could be. When it came to horrible things, she was hard to surprise, but in a way, she already knew that she'd be proven wrong in a moment. “What about?”, she asked.
Davith sighed. “Oh man, where to start...”, he mumbled. “I really don't want to be the guy telling you this, but you deserve to know this just as well. We can work at this, together. Though we might need more allies as well” He was breathing more heavily now, his fists clenching in what she recognized as anger.
“Get to the point, Davith”, Sasha growled sharply, though she tensed up visibly, nervous at what she would just hear. Davith gave her a nod and the grim expression on his face returned, harder than ever. He looked at Samantha, almost apologetically. “I...”, he stuttered. “It's about the force that came here, the supposed allies that drove out the Ironborn” Samantha raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”, she asked and Davith gulped. “Well, you're never going to guess who leads them”, he answered.
No Choice for this part
John
It took John hours to talk his way out of the situation he had gotten himself in. Daghan remained at the castle, to make contact with the other Targaryen knights, though John himself, he headed back to the tavern as quick as possible. Despite the hour being late, it was still busy in the taproom, filled with drunken soldiers who were celebrating their victory.
John wasn't looking for any soldier though. Instead, he found Temari, as expected, sitting for himself near the fireplace, his one eye staring into the flames, tears streaming down his cheek, a half-empty jug of something in his hands.
“Hey”, he said as he approached the man. His friend, one of the oldest he had. Right now, Tem looked at him the same way he would look at a stranger. There was anger in his gaze, sorrow and he was surely far from sober. “I got nothing”, he growled in return and John sighed. “I might have”, he answered, as he sat down next to him. “One of Daghan's friends. She might know more. She's going to help us and we're going to find them”
“And if not?”, Temari answered sullenly. “John, I've been out there. Scouting that whole fucking town and its godforsaken surroundings” He shook his head. “Nothing”, he gasped. “Either someone did a good job hiding their tracks, or there are no tracks to begin with”
John raised an eyebrow. “What's that supposed to mean?”, he asked, as he beckoned the barmaid to come over. It was the red-haired beauty, the one that painfully reminded him of Cass. Right now, she looked tired, hollow-eyed and visibly upset about something, so much that she barely managed to give him the obligatory smile of a barmaid.
“One for me, same he has”, he orderded. “And another one for him as well” The girl gave him a nod, before she silently stepped away again. This time, John didn't even look after her to admire her features. Instead, he instantly looked over to Temari again, who sighed.
“What if they were taken by the Ironborn?”, he asked. “We're looking for tracks, but a ship doesn't leave any. The guards say one escaped. What if Hara and Janae have been on it? What if these animals do... what if...” He cut himself off, tearing up and staring into the flames again.
“That won't happen”, John assured him, even though he was far from certain himself. But Temari was his friend and he wouldn't leave him alone in his current situation. What little assurance he could give him, he would do it. “Janae knows what the Ironborn would do to her. She's too smart to be taken alive. We would have found her body in that case”
“And what if there is no body left?”, Temari growled. “What if the fire took them?” Once again, John shook his head. “The position we left them at, it has been far away from the fire. They haven't gotten close to it, so no, that's not what happened”
“But you don't know it for sure!”, Temari barked. “And that's... that's the worst part. I don't know if she's alive, or... or... if she had to suffer, if she suffers right now, I don't know!” His hand began to shake and he took a deep gulp from his jug, which barely helped with it. “She's my sister. My family. I'd cut down this world for her and now I am powerless to help”
“You are not”, John told him calmly, but Temari glared at him with anger. “Don't give me that talk”, he snarled. “How can you be so calm? What would you do without Janae?” John gulped. “I'd be a dead man”, he admitted and Temari gave him a nod. “I'd be a dead man”, he confirmed. “For years now, Behara has been my reason to get up, to carry on, to try and become a better man” With a single, wide eye, he stared into the flames. “I don't know what I'd do without her”
“Then help me find her”, John told him with an urgent voice. “They are out there, alive and they need us. Daghan's friend is going to find a lead and we do the rest” He extended his hand, giving his friend a stern, questioning look. “Can I count on you?”
For a moment, Temari looked genuinely surprised. “Are you for real right now?”, he exclaimed, as he grabbed the hand tightly. “If you lead me to Behara, I will follow you to the end of the world and beyond, my captain!” The two exchanged weary, but determined smiles and John allowed himself to feel a ray of hope.
This hope only got stronger as Daghan entered the room. John spotted the huge, bald man right away and raised his hand for him to see. “Daghan!”, he greeted him, as the knight took a seat next to Temari, warming himself at the fire. “How's it going? Have you heard anything from your friend?”
Daghan shook his head. “Not yet”, he replied. “Though I had an interesting talk with my general” John narrowed his eyes at the mention of this man. It had been his idea to keep Rodrik Stone alive and it cost the lives of I'lian and Lenrianda. He respected the warrior, but felt slight contempt for the man of honour that was Orys Baratheon.
“He gave me new orders”, Daghan continued. “I am to return to Dragonstone with him, Gordar and Rahaerys. The war I was talking about earlier, it's coming. Letters have been sent and the king has made his intentions clear” A grim smile appeared on his face. “The great war of our time. Those who do not bend the knee will die in fire and blood”
John gulped at this dark vision of the future Daghan was painting. Sure, he had nothing about fighting in a war. Under other circumstances, there could have been coin to make. But right now, the prospect of more death was abhorrent to him. Without his maiden fair, there was no point in fighting. “And how is that supposed to help me in finding Janae and Behara?”
Daghan's smile faded. “It won't”, he admitted. “But it means that I myself cannot accompany you. My orders come before any friendship” He had the decency to look genuinely ashamed and regretful. “I am sorry. I consider you a friend and trust me, if there would have been a way, I would have followed you”
These words caught John only slightly off guard. He never truly expected Daghan to give up his post to join him. He only hoped to have the knight by his side in his own war to come. The fact that he would have to face this without him, it made things only harder. He sighed. “I don't blame you, Daghan”, he mumbled.
“Doesn't change the fact that I feel rotten”, the man answered. “I wanted to help, but I am needed by the king's side” Now, his slight smile returned. “However, there is one thing I was able to do for you” Only now did John notice the bag on Daghan's belt, the very same bag the knight removed, to hand over to John. It was heavy and as he opened it, his eye widened at the sight of gold.
“Half of it came from Orys, to make up for taking me away. The other half comes from me. It's all I have with me”, Daghan explained and John gasped. “Can you give it away like that?”, he asked and Daghan shrugged. “Who cares?”, he chuckled. “I do with it what I like. Orys is okay with it and the only man who could object has greater things on his mind” His gaze got serious, as he put a hand onto John's shoulder. “Use it to find your girl. Both of them”
John nodded. “I will”, he promised, as he reciprocated the smile. “And thank you” Daghan's smile turned into a fullblown grin. “You know, once this is all over, you and me have to meet up again”, he stated. Scarred from battle, worn down and grey, but living life to the fullest”, he exclaimed. “You and me in this tavern, laughing at old stories, crying at old tragedies”
Hesitantly, but genuinely, John grinned as well. “I would like that”, he stated. “And I would have liked to fight for your king. In a better world, I would have” Daghan sighed. “In a better world, there would be no war to begin with”, he admitted. “But this is the one we're living in. All we can do is to do the most with it. What we're best at. You find your woman. I... well, I split skulls, any man my king commands me to kill”
“Sounds like a grim life”, John mumbled and Daghan gave him a nod. “But it is one I am terribly good at”, he answered. The warrior, this ox of the dragon, rose from his chair. “Goodbye, John Gutten” He put a heavy hand onto his shoulder. “Farewell, Daghan Oxus”, John answered. His smile was thin, but genuine, as he watched the knight that became an unlikely friend walk out of the room. He knew, it might have been their last talk. Men like them, they didn't get to meet again, old and grey. It was only a nice thought they kept with them until they died, young on the battlefield.
Samantha and the others were next to arrive, after the fire had gotten smaller and the taproom emptier. By now, John and Temari had gotten almost completely silent, as neither man had much to say. They understood each other wordlessly, a silent agreement. Though disappointment over Daghan's inability to accompany him remained, John was glad to have at least this seasoned warrior by his side.
He could immediately see that something was not right. Sure, she came from the funeral of a good friend, but beyond that, Samantha was terrified, her fists clenched, tears forming in her eyes, a growing flood she was barely able to hold back. In comparison, even the albino woman seemed composed and the pain on her face was worse than what even John felt at this point.
While Nymeria walked by them and to her room silently, without even acknowledging their presence, Samantha stopped, though she remained standing. Jaro took the seat Daghan had left empty, whereas Sasha and the man, Davith, stood behind Samantha as if to support her. She was shaking slightly, it was clear to see as she got closer.
“John”, Jaro greeted him and John gave him a nod. “I am sorry for missing the funeral”, he replied and Jaro sighed. “Don't think about it. You had other things on your mind” His tone was understanding, yet the look in his eyes made it looks like an accusation. “I don't hold it against you”
“But you do hold something against me”, John mumbled, knowing exactly what it was. Jaro hesitated for a moment, before he gave him a nod. “I don't blame you for I'lian's death. You haven't killed him, it has been that bastard Rodrik Stone. But without your order, I could have prevented it”
In shame, knowing that the man was fully right, John averted his gaze. “I am sorry”, he said. “I... thought I could get to Janae and Hara” Jaro nodded understandingly. “She is your family”, he replied. “And Behara is Tem's. You'd do anything for them. Just like I will do anything for mine”
John looked to the ground, though out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Temari raised his head, a suspicious look on his face. “What is that supposed to mean?”, he growled and now, it was Jaro's time to sigh apologetically. “I am not going to help you going after those whoresons that took Janae and Hara”, he explained.
It took a moment until John fully realized what this meant, though Temari was quicker to react. “What the fuck?”, he barked. “Then what are you going to do? Just sitting around, doing nothing, leaving us alone? Is that your way of taking revenge?”
Jaro shook his head. “I don't believe in revenge”, he replied. “I believe in family. Mine got smaller yesterday, but I still have one brother left” Now, John clenched his fists. “Bear”, he growled. “Akjen”, Jaro corrected him softly. “My youngest brother. I thought him dead, but it turns out, he turned into something much worse”
“So, you're going to kill him?”, John mumbled and Jaro raised his eyebrows. “No”, he said. “I will go after him and I will save him” Temari chuckled at these words. “Redeeming Bear?”, he spat. “Oh, come on, you cannot be serious. He's a murderer, a monster!”
“He is”, Jaro confirmed. “And it is my fault. He is my responsibility, always has been. I made him this way and I will save what's left of him” John gulped. “So, you're leaving us alone”, he muttered. “In favour of your insane brother”
“In favour of my brother, yes”, Jaro replied. “If my actions prevent Akjen from stealing another life, then I have made the right decision. You are the toughest man I know and Janae, she's the toughest woman. You'll get through this, even without my help. I know it and that is why I can go without feeling bad”
“Go then!”, Temari spat. “Go after your fucking brother! And stop wasting our time” A look of visible pain flashed over Jaro's face, as he indeed raised from his chair. “I will remain in the city for the time being, arranging some things before I will try to find Akjen”, he said. “Just because our paths no longer align doesn't mean we won't be friends anymore” He patted John on the back. “If you want to, go talk to me anytime”
After he was gone, John opened his eye again, the look in it hurt and disappointed. If anything, he would have expected Jaro to follow him loyally, had counted on him. A cold smile formed on his lips as he glanced to Samantha and her friends. “Please don't tell me you're leaving me as well”, he joked.
The attempt to humour her quickly turned into terror, as he saw the answer on her face. In this moment, he knew he had to make it on his own, just he and Temari. Samantha bit down onto her lower lip. “I would like to have a talk with John”, she said. “Alone”
Sasha nodded, pulling Davith with her, while Temari waited for John's agreement, before leaving his chair, following the others upstairs. Just John and the young woman he had grown to admire. His smile was still there, but by now it was like hers, an expression of sadness instead of joy. “Samantha”, he said as she sat down. “Sammy”
Her smile widened, as the tears began to pour down her face. “What is the matter?”, he asked and she stared at him. “He is here”, she said. “The man who murdered my family. The man who murdered Lunett and Dairon”
John understood the importance of her words. “Butterfly”, he gasped and she nodded, almost giving up on preventing the flood of tears from breaking through. It was the first time he had seen her like this and she reminded him of a young girl right now, the broken girl that had lost everything due to one man's madness.
“He is here. The bastard is leading this city now”, she muttered, helpless to stop crying. “I've seen him in Oldtown and ever since, I cannot stop thinking about him. He's sitting high in his castle now, laughing, feasting, while everyone I ever loved is rotting in a nameless grave” She closed her eyes. “He must die”, she growled, with determination. “I have to kill him. And because of that, I cannot follow you when you leave Raylansfair”
John sighed, not without bitterness. Daghan had been a disappointment. Jaro had been even worse. But Sammy... it was crushing. She was the one he would have counted on. He would have been willing to bet his remaining eye that she'd come with him. “Sammy, I need you”, he urged her and she shook her head. “No...”, she whispered. “John, I need you”
The two just looked at each other, him beyond any disappointment, her beyond grief. “You have always been good to me. You are my captain and my friend. I admire Janae, I adore Behara. Leaving you alone, I can hardly live with myself. But if I leave Butterfly, if I do not take this chance, then I know, I cannot live with myself at all”
“I cannot do this without you”, John uttered weakly, but she shook her head. “I know you can”, she assured him. “Because Janae is the one you'd do anything for. Your reason to live” Her gaze got colder and for a moment, John saw the wounded woman beneath the mask. “Mine is vengeance”, she said. “You have always been good to me and... I think a part of me needs to know you understand this. I... I need to know you're not hating me for this”
“I do not hate you for this”, John assured her and Samantha shook her head. “Give me your blessing”, she said to his surprise. “I have to leave you, one way or the other, no matter how much it tears at me. But if this is farewell, I do not want us to part with bitterness and resentment” She smiled at him, sweetly now. “I just want to know that you feel the same”
[Give her your blessing] [Refuse to give her your blessing]
[Give her your blessing] Samantha's gotta do what she's gotta do, same as John. Though I don't know if its a good idea for her to try to mess with Mullendore, especially blinded by rage.
[Give her your blessing] Is better if they part on good terms, even if they probably won't see each other on a very long time.
The hour of the Dragon is near, and Westeros won't be same ever again.
"There can only be one king, bend the knee or burn"
Aegon Targaryen
Hey LiquidChicagoTed James Arnold and The mask character is added by me.Thanks for adding my character
[Give her your blessing] There is no reason for John to end his partnership with Sam in a bad way
RT:
Btw if you are a new reader I give you my welcome as a fellow reader!
HAHAHA that was funny but The mask dosent look like that and yeah I am a new reader.Thanks for the fellowship
[Give her your blessing]
[Give her your blessing]
It is almost certainly a bad idea, I'm afraid. And if things would got as Samantha would like them to go, she'd throw herself at him right away, trying to kill him without any regard for her personal safety. The good thing is, she has friends by her side, Sasha and Davith, who are a lot more concerned for her than she herself is right now and you can bet that they will keep an eye on her. Next time we're going to see her will be after the two-months timeskip, so she will at least be somewhat fine in the meantime, as well as probably a lot calmer than she is right now, having had some time to cool off.
Oh yes, oh yes! Perhaps one of the most important times in the entire Ice and Fire history and we're approaching it fastly. I legitimately cannot wait to finally get there, as it has been planned for a very long time. Epic moments await and I hope to do them justice
Sure, that is indeed not the most logical choice there. However, there is an emotional reason for that. John is terribly disappointed at Samantha putting her own revenge before her friends. He himself would never do that and can't really understand how she feels. As a result, you get the choice if you want him to be a bit more understanding, or truly bitter about this, influencing how he is going to part with her. I kind of guess most will choose the more forgiving choice here, but well, there is an option to let him give in to his disappointment and it will shape his character in some capacity.
She had and I feel a bit sorry for that. If you would have talked to Nymeria, the part would have been longer (and Nym would have also gotten a role in John's PoV), but as it is, I knew I wanted to end her part exactly at the moment where Davith is about to reveal Mullendore's presence in the city. There was no way to drag it out any longer, so I had to give her this very short second PoV. But be assured, Book 2 should hold plenty of epic moments for her
I thought it would be almost clear by now
I actually think it has been outright stated in a certain earlier part. This message will be delivered offscreen, due to the two-months timeskip between Book 1 and Book 2. Brandon has given him this message, to be delivered to a certain person in this city, so that one major Book 2 PoV is free to follow the storyline I have planned. That should tell you a bit more and probably give you a clue on what to expect. The very early next chapter will give you a definite answer for sure though 
Again, this will happen during the timeskip. Abbas is a master tracker and he knows of the danger Janae's friends will pose, so he has hidden his trail. However, if anything, Saerya is a master of her own when it comes to uncovering secrets and hidden things. Not a particularly skilled tracker, she has connections and these connections are almost certain to give some result the two can work with.
Uh... now I am really curious where you have gotten the impression. I can assure you, this was not planned and a coincidence. Do you mean Temari's comment about one escaping? He did not mean one Ironborn, but one entire ship, namely Edward Anturion's. The other two ships got captured by Mullendore's men (which means Raylansfair now has something resembling a fleet), but Edward was quick to retreat once the tide of the battle turned. That's why he killed Torvin, to make sure that some will follow his retreat, so that the ship can sail. Garthon (as well as Rell, Tedyn and Hjalgar), are currently still Mullendore's captives, but only the inner circle of Mullendore's men knows about their survival at all.
Targaryen things, yeah
That is a nice way to describe starting the most terrible war the continent has seen since the Long Night. As it is, his duty comes first, unfortunately. However, Daghan holds at least some loyalty and admiration for John, so he insisted on paying him, to hopefully give him some support.
Surely, John has not expected this. He has counted at least on Jaro and Samantha to support him and was really hoping for this. Now, there's only him and Temari left to chase after two highly dangerous slavers who have a lot of time to prepare for such a confrontation. That is a huge problem for him, but maybe there will be a chance to encounter new allies down the road.
Yes! Arthur, Lucas and then the epilogue which is going to be written from the perspective of a new one-shot PoV. Then comes the interlude, although I might have to take a few weeks off from writing in August, due to me taking a vacation to Finland. Maybe I have wi-fi during this vacation, but well, it's more likely that I won't. Anyways, I think I will finish at least the interlude this month, maybe even get the first parts of Book 2 out. Book 1 is certainly going to end next week and I cannot wait to see everyone's reactions to it.
First of all, welcome! It's great to see new readers still finding their way here. I'm glad you decided to check out the story and naturally, I'm also happy about your characters. They are nicely done, so of course I added them to the list. I'm liking them a lot and think I will be able to put them to good use. Shouldn't take me too long to introduce them to the story proper. Hopefully you will enjoy them
Also, I'm glad you commented here in the thread, because there is a very important question I have about one of your characters. I see you have sent me a PM, so I will answer to that right away and also ask you that question.
[Give her your blessing]
[Refuse to give her your blessing]
I'm kinda afraid that Samantha's gonna get herself killed. And oh man, I think this has gotta be one of my favorite lines from the story.
Man, this part set the stage for so many exciting things to come in the next book! John and Temari going after Janae and Behara, Samantha seeking vengeance on Mullendore, Jaro trying to redeem his brother, and the biggest of them all - the great war of our time, as Daghan put it. There were also so many great interactions here, all of them emotional in their own ways. John and Temari having a moment of hope amidst all the hopelessness, John and Daghan having a bro moment and a touching farewell, John and Jaro disagreeing and bitterly going to separate ways, and lastly the farewell of Samantha. Great stuff!
[Give her your blessing] I see no reason to separate on bad terms here. Sammy is going to go after Mullendore anyway, and being a dick to her now will just leave a bad taste to both John's and Samantha's mouth. This way, if by chance Sammy survives her really dangerous mission, she might one day reunite with John and co.
[Refuse to give her your blessing] It may not change anything but I want Samantha to know that this isn't okay. John wants to save lives and it seems Samantha would rather take some than do something that really matters. Killing Mullendore will change nothing for her, she won't feel any better and her family will still be dead. Honestly I'm disappointed in her, Janae is still alive and needs help but apparently that isn't a good enough reason for Samantha to abandon her quest of vengance.
[Give her your blessing] Sure, why not? Leaving as good friends works better.
Hah! Maybe we'll see a team-up between Sammy and Aylard to take Mullendore down. Would love that!
[Give her your blessing]
[Give her your blessing]
It might be the last time we see her, might as well make it good.
The feels man. Daghan the feels. This makes me think of General Douglas MacArthur's farewell address, although what he says is a little different, the tones definitely are similiar:
I had forgotten that stuff about Samantha.
I have a feeling many of these characters will never see each other again. A shame, but that's what life is like right?
[Give her your blessing]
I am so happy you enjoyed this part
It is true, many of the events hinted at here are gojng to be major plotlines for Book 2 and 3. Of coure, none will be bigger than the coming war, but John/Temari, Samantha and Jaro are all going to have their own adventures to come and they will influence a lot about how the future chapters are going to play out. They separated for now, perhaps forever, so I am glad I achieved such a reaction with their farewells. This has set the foundation for lots of exciting things to come 
Ah, she hopes so. Out of everyone that has left John in this part, nobody wants to reunite more with him than her. Of course, her mission is a dangerous one and John's is even worse, so it remains to be seen if they actually get a chance to reunite, but I'd say it is not impossible.
Yeah, that is something I can understand very much. Vengeance is rarely a moral thing and though Samantha certainly has legit reasons for her hatred towards Mullendore, it is unlikely this will achieve much for her to actually feel better. Then again, she has a very messed up way of coping with her grief, by just trying to appear cheerful until the pain goes away, so as a result she hasn't really gotten over any loss she suffered at Mullendore's hands. So, learning that he is here, especially after Lunett and Dairon died due to him as well (something that weighs incredibly heavy on her), Samantha is not thinking straight. In a way, she is barely thinking at all. She's probably going to regret her actions here, as it will only add to her guilt. Of course, stopping Mullendore can also be seen as something that matters quite a lot, as he is a severe danger for the entire Kingdom of the Reach, but to be fair, that is not really what she's thinking about right now. However, getting not only vengeance, but justice, will be the reason she won't back down from her choice once her initial anger has faded. All in all, if she would be able to think straight right now, she would likely decide to help John first, but this is by far the most emotional she has ever been.
Well, this is for sure not impossible. Mullendore has made many enemies for himself, Sammy and Aylard being among the ones with the biggest grudge. Others who would definitely love to fight against him are Davith, Kersea, Lucas and Leonard, as well as Jaron and Harpy. While probably not all of these are going to team-up, you can expect at least some alliances against Mullendore to form in Book 2. With a shared connection through Lunett, Samantha and Aylard are among the more likely allies.
Ah, I was not aware of that speech. I agree, the tone is a similar one, fittingly so
Yeah, I figured that it hasn't really been brought up in a long time, ever since she returned to Raylansfair, after which her struggle against Rodrik Stone took centre stage. However, it is a key motivation for her storyline in Book 2, so I really wanted to give a reminder about this that there are very few characters who have such a grudge against Mullendore like her.
Well, that will in many cases come down to your choices. I consider it extremely unlikely that they will ever meet each other again in this particular constellation, but depending on your decisions, there can very well be a couple of reunions later on. Much later though, as each character is going to head into a different direction for now, each with their own agendas.
Hehe, I wasn't really expecting this while writing the line in question, but given that I myself enjoyed writing it down, I am very happy to see that you found it to be such a good line. A fitting one as well, though there might be a bit of hope for John and Daghan still.
The Voting is closed!
John is going to give Samantha her blessing
Well, there have been surprisingly good arguments for refusing to give her this blessing, though in the end, I can understand why most of you want a clean, friendly parting of ways between these two. Samantha is going to regret this a lot, as she now basically left one of her best friends to search for two other friends, all in the name of vengeance. That be said, vengeance has always been a primary motivation for her. It will be a dark, yet hopefully exciting storyline for her in Book 2, as she might get closer to her goal, no matter to which end it may lead.
Now, the next part should be out today. It has been an active voting (though I am still missing some regulars), making me hopeful that you all made it through that utterly terrible update. Our feeds haven't been fixed yet and at this point, I somewhat doubt anyone at Telltale even cares for how much they break the forums. But ah, who knows, maybe they surprise me. It can only get better from here on. Luckily though, this will not change my writing speed, so you can expect the new part out later today. It will be the penultimate part of Chapter 9 and the final voting for Book 1. I have waited for this part a long time and cannot wait to see your thoughts on it. It will be the finale of Arthur's storyline in Book 1. Last time we saw him, he and Edonia investigated the death of Jax Montclair. At the spot where he was shot, they found blood, likely from the archer, whom Edonia claims to have shot and likely killed, as well as a priceless bow from the Summer Isles, last seen in posession of Sherryl. Following the trail of blood, Arthur found another track of heavy boots, though he decided to ignore them in favour of the blood. And well, this might indeed lead to him finding something
Oh boy... you're getting me hyped!
Arthur
It was only a fleeting though, one Arthur quickly discarded. “Forget about the bootprints”, he said. “The blood is more likely to lead us somewhere. Anyone could have passed through here, but that trail right there, it's going to lead us to the archer”
“Or what's left of him”, Edonia mumbled. “I mean, that is a lot of blood. The man I hit, and I know I hit him, he should be in a pretty bad shape by now. Maybe he's dead already” Arthur frowned at her words. “Then our answers would die with him”
“Maybe not”, Edonia brought up. “Sherryl is still somewhere out there. She is involved in all of this. Perhaps even Tariel knows something” A determined look appeared on her face, an expression Arthur found particularly enticing. “Only one way to find out”
The two started moving, with Arthur taking the lead, as they followed the irregular trail of blood. It wasn't hard to do it. Though partially dried, the red still heavily contrasted with the darker wood and there has been no effort made to hide it. Someone had been dragging themselves down that alleyway, leaving blood whenever touching the walls.
Finally, they reached what might be the archer's destination. It was a large, open door, the trail clearly leading inside. Arthur narrowed his eyes as he noticed the building. “The warehouse of Stratford's brewery”, he mumbled, as he glanced inside. “The backdoor”
“So there is another exit?”, Edonia asked, as the two entered the large room. It took them a moment to adjust to the dim light inside, though Arthur quickly noticed the rows of barrels, undoubtedly filled with Stratford's ale. As soon as Edonia spoke, there was a sound, a surprised gasp from above.
“The main door”, Arthur said, pointing across the room. “However, there is only one way down” Edonia gave him a nod, as she reached for an arrow, casually holding the white golden bow in her other hand. Arthur gave her a stern look. “We need this archer alive”, he reminded her, to which she smiled slightly. “I will not kill him”, she promised. “Just trust me with that. If anyone gets down here, they won't get far”
Arthur reciprocated the smile. “Take care of yourself”, he told her, to which she raised an eyebrow. “I assume you're the one that wants to check upstairs”, she replied. “Seems I'm not the one that should look out” Her smile faded. “For real though, don't get killed. Imagine the fallout this would cause for us”
“Got no intention to die here”, Arthur assured her, before he turned to the staircase right next to him. “Torold?”, he yelled. “Melany?” He paused for a moment, as no reply followed, before he headed upstairs with quick steps, reaching for the cudgel on his belt in the process. He hoped that there wouldn't be a fight, but someone was up there and he wanted to be prepared for anything.
The upper floor of the warehouse was a dim hallway, containing only a single, half-open door, which Arthur instantly headed to. There was a thin trail of blood, some of it on the ground, some on the wall, telling him that he was indeed heading into the right direction. His throat, sore from the dust he was breathing in, caused him to cough slightly, which caused the breaths coming from the room to get louder. Someone was afraid, panicked perhaps.
Raising his cudgel, Arthur moved his hand to the doorknob, glancing into the room. It was brighter than the hallway, hurting his eyes for a moment. Still, he instantly saw the petite figure near the window and as he pushed the door open entirely, he recognized her without a doubt. Clad in a brown cloak and having her back turned on him, her face turned to the sole window of the empty room, it were the light brown locks falling over her shoulders that gave her identity away. “Sherryl”, Arthur growled.
“Don't come any closer”, she mumbled, her voice sounding slightly slurred, stressed from fear and something he recognized as pain. There was dry blood on her hands and some on the sill of the open window. And though he wanted nothing more than to charge at her, Arthur calmed himself down and followed her order. She sighed. “I knew someone would find me sooner or later” There was something else in her voice, a tone of defeat, of grief even.
“A trail of blood”, Arthur explained. “If there's others searching for you, I am surprised we have found you first” Again, a sigh came from her, as she looked out of the window. “You weren't the first”, she replied thinly. “Though you might be the last”
Arthur narrowed his eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”, he growled. “It means that I know why you're here”, Sherryl answered. “Your father wants me to answer for the things I am accused of” A lump formed in Arthur's throat. “My father is dead”, he told her. “Died on the castle courtyard, defending the people to the bitter end. The gates didn't close”
Sherryl gulped audibly. For a moment, she was only silent. Then, she replied. “I am sorry”, she mumbled. “For whatever that means” Anger flared up inside of Arthur and he started to approach her, the floor creaking as he took the first step. “I SAID DON'T!”, she shrieked, as she turned around, causing Arthur to gasp in shocked surprise, as he stopped dead in his tracks.
Edonia had told the truth. In the end, she had hit her mark. A mere inch to the left and it would have been a clean shot to the head, killing Sherryl instantly. As it was, the arrow hadn't killed her. It merely grazed her left cheek, splitting it open from the lips all the way across the side of her face, exposing raw skin, gum and her upper teeth, before taking away the lower portion of her left ear. Tears streamed down the woman's face, further irritating the wounded flesh. “Gods”, he gasped.
Her breaths came faster as she noticed the shock on his face. “Gods indeed”, she replied. “Or would you not say I deserve this?” Arthur pulled himself together, as he couldn't avert his eyes from the disfiguring wound. It was a surprise that she was even able to stand, yet her posture clearly gave away that she was in agony.
“So, you did take the shot”, he concluded and she nodded, a new wave of tears forming in her blue eyes. “I aimed for the princess. The Stormlander got in the way”, she explained. “I didn't want to kill him, but I had my orders”
Arthur clenched the cudgel. “Your orders...”, he growled, as he took another step towards her. This time, Sherryl quickly reached for her belt, drawing a sharp knife. “Don't!”, she barked. “Not. Another. Step” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You are in no shape to fight”, he told her, though as he tried to raise his foot to continue his way towards her, she quickly turned the knife on herself, holding it to her free arm, ready to slash through the artery. “Stay where you are”, she ordered. “If you want your answers”
This time, Arthur lowered his cudgel, before dropping it entirely. He knew, he wouldn't need it. This woman was desperate and in helpless pain. She was, at best, a threat to herself. “I want answers”, he confirmed. “You murdered the Stormlander. But more, you have stolen many lives by sabotaging the gate. Why?”
Sherryl's lower lip shivered and though she still pressed the tip of the knife into the soft flesh on her arm, she averted her eyes, a look of shame in them. “I loved him”, she whispered and Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Petyr Vyrwel”, he concluded. “You've been working for him all along and you... loved him?”
He noticed the brief attempt at a smile. The clean, beautiful side of her face managed to form the expression, though the moment she tried to move the gruesomely ruined cheek, a gasp of agony left her throat, as she stumbled backwards against the window. Wordlessly, she raised the knife again, preventing any attempt to get closer towards her.
“Vyrwel”, she repeated in disbelief and shook her head. “Why should I be satisfied with a pawn? I was drawn to the only true player in this game” And slowly, Arthur realized what she meant. He tilted his head sideways in surprise. “Mullendore?”, he gasped. “Really? I mean, he's...”
Sherryl gulped. “What? Old? Ugly?”, she muttered. “I never cared for looks. I have... I had enough for both of us. I cared for the man that lifted me up from the gutter. Who educated me, supported me, taught me how to use my talents. The man that gave me a feeling of worth. Without him, I would have ended in one of Oldtown's brothels years ago. He gave me dignity, he was the only one to saw more in me than a pretty face” By now, the pain on her face was not only physical. “I owe him everything I ever had and for that, I loved him, with all my heart. And... I thought he loved me as well”
“What happened?”, Arthur asked and Sherryl bit down onto her lower lip, as a new wave of tears shot into her eyes. “He found me first”, she whispered. “I was half-mad with pain, sure I would die, unable to just look at what had happened to me. Barely able to think straight, but I lit up when I saw him. I knew he would help me. I did not care for the eye he had lost and thought he wouldn't care for my wound. I... I thought...” She paused, silently weeping, as tears streamed down her face. “I thought we could be together at last”
Arthur sighed. “It did not work out”, he stated and she gave him a nod. “He was calm when he spoke”, she explained. “Told me that I am of no use to him anymore. That I have made too many enemies to be his agent. That he wouldn't even keep me as a lover now that I lost my beauty” She paused, struggling for words, gasping for air beneath desperate sobs. “He told me I was worthless to him. He left me alive for my years of service, for... for warming his bed, for...”, she stuttered. “But he told me that I have to leave. If he'd ever see me again, if I just speak to anyone about this, he would make me regret”
“And yet you speak to me”, Arthur said and she nodded. “And I regret”, she added. “I trusted him. He meant the world to me and just once, just once I thought I'd mean the same to someone else. I felt loved, I believed him, I believed in him” The look of utter despair on her face finally got to Arthur, who found an ounce of pity, one that wasn't even fully crushed by the thought of what she had done.
“I was drawn to him. A brilliant mind, a true visionary”, she mumbled. “And in the end, I fell for him. I was nothing but another pawn, as much as I thought different” Arthur sighed, as he contemplated walking closer towards her. “That doesn't excuse your actions”, he told her.
To his surprise, Sherryl gave him a nod. “I know”, she agreed. “In a way, I have always known. And yet, I believed in his vision. I thought it would be worth some sacrifices. The deaths of a few for the lives of many” Arthur raised an eyebrow, hiding his anger at these words. “You think differently now”
Still crying, Sherryl gave him a nod, sending tears flying. “I made a mistake”, she spoke and though these words could have sounded hollow, Arthur noticed that it was the first time since her return where Sherryl spoke genuinely. It reminded him of how she used to be before she left Raylansfair. “He... talks a big game, but in the end, he only cares for his own power. I trusted him and... I made a mistake” Now, Arthur glared at her. “People died!”, he barked, to which she gave him a look of true defeat.
“And it is my fault”, she admitted. “I regret what I did, but I do not deny it” The disfigured cheek shivered. “And I deserve this” Arthur tensed up. “For love”, he stated, to which she gave him a nod. “I loved him and I thought he loved me back. I wanted to think so at least. For a time, I truly believed him. He was the first to make me feel wanted, needed. How could I not love him? How could I not support him?”
“So all you did... all the people that died, it was due to his orders?”, Arthur growled and Sherryl gave him a nod. “He needed chaos in this city”, she stated and Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Why?”, he snarled. “If you're following his orders, then what are his goals?”
Sherryl sighed bitterly. “I believed they were for the greater good”, she said. “But now I am not so sure anymore. He wants to take over Raylansfair and eventually, half of the Reach, to dispose the old king and give these lands to a ruler worthy of them”
“What's wrong with Mern Gardener?”, Arthur asked and Sherryl gulped. “He is a weak king”, she explained. “Even now, after seeing Maron' flaws, I can still say for certain that he was right about Mern. His nobles have no respect for him, the other kingdoms laugh at him. His rule made this situation even possible. A true king would have intervened already. Under a true king, the petty quarrels that hold us back would never even come up”
“And I believe Mullendore wants to be this true king?”, Arthur concluded, to which Sherryl merely shook her head. “His goals were ambitious, but not like that”, she replied. “He wanted to give the Reach to the strongest king in Westeros. He wanted to give it to Harren Hoare”
Arthur's eyes widened. “Hoare?”, he spat. “He wants to sell us out to a tyrant!” Sherryl gave him a nod. “A tyrant he might be, but that doesn't make him a weak king. He control the Riverlands, keeps them stable despite their history. No other man in Westeros could manage this. Whom else could lead the Reach to glory?”
“You still sound as if you believe in this”, Arthur remarked, to which Sherryl shook her head. “I don't. It's just what he told me”, she replied. “He believes in this. I believed in him and now... now I pay the price for it. A fool to the end” She glanced at the knife in her hand and Arthur was quick to clear his throat, regaining her attention. “Is there anyone else involved in this?”, he asked.
Sherryl gave him a nod. “Petyr Vyrwel of course”, she answered. “His closest ally, but by far not the only one. Devrin Oakheart is working with him as well and through marriage, he wishes to strengthen his ties to House Redwyne. With their backing, more will follow”
“Oakheart...”, Arthur mumbled. “Sherryl, you cannot keep this a secret” Despite the fact that half of her expression was ruined beyond recognition, he noticed the weary look in her eyes. “I just told you, didn't I?”, she replied calmly. “It's up to you how you're going to use this knowledge”
Arthur sighed, before he gave her a nod. “And what about you?”, he asked, to which she stared at him. “It depends”, she revealed. “What are you going to do with me?” This time, Arthur looked down at the cudgel he dropped to the ground and she followed his gaze. “Is it revenge you want?”, she asked. “Then strike me down if it helps you”
Now, Arthur looked up, his fists clenched, his gaze fixed on her wounds, her ruined beauty. “You have suffered enough”, he said. “Up until now, I thought you to be evil, a cold-hearted schemer. Now... now I see you're just a fool, falling for the wrong man and doing his bidding without questioning a single one of his orders”
The look of pain on Sherryl's face grew stronger. “A fool indeed”, she agreed. “Though you haven't answered my question. What are you going to do with me?” She gave Arthur a curious look and he sighed. “There will be no vengeance”, he told her. “But justice. Fool or not, your actions have caused dozens of deaths. Princess Argella wants you to stand trial in Storm's End”
“So, you do her bidding now”, Sherryl mumbled. “Better than Maron, I presume. And justice... a nice thought, but there won't be any” Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Do you intend to resist?”, he asked and she shook her head. “I am a fool”, she admitted again. “But if you think you can get me out of this city, you're even worse. Maron will not allow this”
“He let you live”, Arthur informed her and she gave him a nod. “And my life was over the moment I decided to tell you all this, his plan, his allies”, she stated. “Now, if you try to bring me out of this city, he will notice this. He is going to punish me and you as well. You still have a family to lose. Don't throw them away for this” For a moment, determination grew stronger than pain and regret on her face. “I know what he is capable of”, she hissed. “I will not be taken by him and neither will I allow you to suffer”
Arthur realized what she was about to do. “NO!”, he yelled and rushed towards her, just as the knife dug into the flesh. He wasn't quick enough, only reaching her as she had already opened the entire length of her forearm with a single slash. Blood began to pour out of it, as the knife fell out of her weak hands. With a sigh, part relief, part pain, part regret, she sank into Arthur's arms, as he gently helped her lying down.
“Why?”, Arthur barked. Though no healer, he knew such wounds were often fatal even with immediate help. And the only healer he knew of was at the other end of the city, buried in her work. Sherryl had, at most, a few minutes. “Why would you do this?”
Tears streamed down Sherryl's face. “A fool to the bitter end”, she stated. “But this is good. I deserve death and yearn for it. And you... you will not throw your life away trying to get me somewhere Maron does not want me to be” She shook her head, her strength already fading. “Now it is up to you to use my knowledge. Mullendore. Vyrwel. Oakheart. All working for Harren Hoare”
Arthur clenched his fingers around the cloak she was wearing, as blood stained the ground beneath him. “I am but one man”, he uttered. “What could I even do?” This time, numb from the loss of blood, Sherryl smiled, kindly and genuine. “You can start with not repeating my mistakes”, she told him. “Don't believe a word he says. Be a grain of sand. Let there be justice”
“Justice...”, Arthur said and to his surprise, he noticed how tears formed in his eyes. No matter the woman she became, Sherryl had been a friend once. Her coming death left him with no satisfaction. Instead, he felt sorrow for the girl she used to be, the one that looked for love in the wrong place. And that, as he realized, would be how he would remember her.
The smile faded, replaced by nothing but pain, as Sherryl began to tear up again. “Tell... tell Tari I am sorry”, she gasped. “Tell her...” She cut herself off. “There is nothing else. Just tell her I am sorry” Arthur gave her a nod. “I will”, he promised. “Is there more you know? Anything? You have to tell me!”
Sherryl seemed to think about this for a moment. Finally, she nodded. “Ask anyone from Oldtown about Butterfly”, she replied. “I... gods, I was so blind. Ask them and they will tell you what he did. What he is capable of. Why I rather die than suffer his wrath” She gave him a sharp look. “He is Butterfly. A traitor. A murderer. Never trust him”
With a lump in his throat, Arthur gave her a nod, as he gently put her down onto the ground. “I will go now”, he told her and instantly, he noticed a surprising panic in Sherryl's eyes, as her hands clawed into the fabric of his tunic. “Don't!”, she begged him, crying helplessly, though her voice was already getting weaker. “Don't leave me... please, I told you everything I know...” The tone in her voice was defeated, yet desperately pleading. “Please don't let me die alone”, she mumbled, her voice almost a whisper. “Just... stay for a little longer”
Arthur looked at the puddle of blood that had formed beneath her, at the blood that continued to pour out of her slashed artery. It was a matter of minutes at most, possibly less. And she had told him a lot. Perhaps more than he wanted to know. Mullendore and Harren Hoare... the implication of such an alliance were terrifying, they were something he had to act on. Yet was this enough for him to grant Sherryl this final wish? Was this enough for her to deserve it? And could he truly deny it to her? He looked back at her, the broken, dying woman, and he knew what to do...
[Stay with her] [Leave her to die alone]
[Stay with her]
A fool indeed, but no one like her deserves to die alone in a cold, dark warehouse. At least she felt regret at the end.
And Oakheart? I'd like to hear more about this character in the future.
[Leave her to die alone] Haven't been active for a while. I should be back soon though.