Kyra
For a moment, Kyra closed her eyes. As she opened them again, the gaze in them was steely and determined, glaring at Herman, but rig… moreht through him at the same time. Damon... There was anger growing inside of her, as she thought about how deeply his duplicity went. He had tricked her and for a moment, she feared that even her decision to come here had been influenced by him.
“In the name of Harren of House Hoare of the Black Blood”, she intoned. “Iron King, King of the Isles and the Rivers, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind and Lord Reaper of Orkmont...” She narrowed her eyes, noticing how Herman did not even flinch. The crippled man showed no fear, to an almost admirable degree. “I, Kyra of House Greyjoy hereby sentence you to death by decapitation. You will not be brought back to Harrenhal. The sentence will be carried out immediately”
Briefly, he sighed and she couldn't tell if it was regret or relief. Gravven next to… [view original content]
Kyra
For a moment, Kyra closed her eyes. As she opened them again, the gaze in them was steely and determined, glaring at Herman, but rig… moreht through him at the same time. Damon... There was anger growing inside of her, as she thought about how deeply his duplicity went. He had tricked her and for a moment, she feared that even her decision to come here had been influenced by him.
“In the name of Harren of House Hoare of the Black Blood”, she intoned. “Iron King, King of the Isles and the Rivers, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind and Lord Reaper of Orkmont...” She narrowed her eyes, noticing how Herman did not even flinch. The crippled man showed no fear, to an almost admirable degree. “I, Kyra of House Greyjoy hereby sentence you to death by decapitation. You will not be brought back to Harrenhal. The sentence will be carried out immediately”
Briefly, he sighed and she couldn't tell if it was regret or relief. Gravven next to… [view original content]
[Promise him] I'm not choosing this out of any love for Damon (though I do think he is a pretty cool character), but rather to start shifting Kyra's loyalties away from King Harren. The Hoares are not worthy of Kyra's loyalty, and the last thing I want is her to go down with them. Of course, siding with Damon has its dangers as well, but at least it is not doomed to end in dragonfire.
Kyra
For a moment, Kyra closed her eyes. As she opened them again, the gaze in them was steely and determined, glaring at Herman, but rig… moreht through him at the same time. Damon... There was anger growing inside of her, as she thought about how deeply his duplicity went. He had tricked her and for a moment, she feared that even her decision to come here had been influenced by him.
“In the name of Harren of House Hoare of the Black Blood”, she intoned. “Iron King, King of the Isles and the Rivers, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind and Lord Reaper of Orkmont...” She narrowed her eyes, noticing how Herman did not even flinch. The crippled man showed no fear, to an almost admirable degree. “I, Kyra of House Greyjoy hereby sentence you to death by decapitation. You will not be brought back to Harrenhal. The sentence will be carried out immediately”
Briefly, he sighed and she couldn't tell if it was regret or relief. Gravven next to… [view original content]
[Promise him] Seems like going with this would mean that Damon would be less inclined to do something against Gravven, and it would also give Kyra a better insight into what Damon is planning here since he mentioned they would be "equals". While I don't doubt Gravven and Kyra can handle themselves quite well and I don't think Damon would do something to hurt his sister, he is still a scheming snake and you can never be too careful around those.
Kyra
For a moment, Kyra closed her eyes. As she opened them again, the gaze in them was steely and determined, glaring at Herman, but rig… moreht through him at the same time. Damon... There was anger growing inside of her, as she thought about how deeply his duplicity went. He had tricked her and for a moment, she feared that even her decision to come here had been influenced by him.
“In the name of Harren of House Hoare of the Black Blood”, she intoned. “Iron King, King of the Isles and the Rivers, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind and Lord Reaper of Orkmont...” She narrowed her eyes, noticing how Herman did not even flinch. The crippled man showed no fear, to an almost admirable degree. “I, Kyra of House Greyjoy hereby sentence you to death by decapitation. You will not be brought back to Harrenhal. The sentence will be carried out immediately”
Briefly, he sighed and she couldn't tell if it was regret or relief. Gravven next to… [view original content]
Hm, for certain, Kyra siding with Damon here will be a pretty big step away from her loyalties to House Hoare. It's clear that there are two routes for Kyra to go forward in her parts, this being a route in which she stays loyal to House Hoare and one where she stays loyal to Damon. I can confirm, both routes do hold their dangers, though there's also a chance to survive in either route. The only thing that should be certain is that while she can make choices to benefit both sides for some time (such as executing Herman to keep Damon safe but potentially later on refusing to promise him loyalty), that likely won't suffice to satisfy either of them in the long run. But as I said, both routes hold potential for death or survival, so following Damon might not be the only way Kyra gets out of this alive. I can confirm that one route will be clearly more dangerous though, which on this is remains to be seen
[Promise him] I'm not choosing this out of any love for Damon (though I do think he is a pretty cool character), but rather to start shiftin… moreg Kyra's loyalties away from King Harren. The Hoares are not worthy of Kyra's loyalty, and the last thing I want is her to go down with them. Of course, siding with Damon has its dangers as well, but at least it is not doomed to end in dragonfire.
Aye, you got that one right. Promising Damon loyalty might be enough for him to believe Kyra when she swears that she got Gravven under control. After all, while the true depths of what he learned still evade him, Herman's words gave him something to think about and Damon rightfully fears that given enough time, he could realize what is truly happening here. And while you are right, Damon is very unlikely to ever do anything to directly harm Kyra, the same protection does not apply to Gravven, which is something Kyra is quite afraid of.
[Promise him] Seems like going with this would mean that Damon would be less inclined to do something against Gravven, and it would also giv… moree Kyra a better insight into what Damon is planning here since he mentioned they would be "equals". While I don't doubt Gravven and Kyra can handle themselves quite well and I don't think Damon would do something to hurt his sister, he is still a scheming snake and you can never be too careful around those.
RT: 1) Well well am I wrong or in this part we have the first FoT execution? 2)After months finally someone decide to join the deceased list!Hurray! 3) I forget something or this part is the first time that we read of Vickon aka the third Greyjoy sibling? Btw after read such a nice story about this character I'm curious to read where you plan to use him 4) So all the events of Kyra storyline for this chapter happened because Damon wanted to silence one of her men 5) Damon is showing to be a man that will stop at nothing to reach his goals! I can say that I really like how you portrait him (and his relationship with his sister) and I hope that we will see more of him 6) After all this talk about silence Gravven I'm curious what Damon will do after he see Rell Vessel deliver his message to the King (let's remember that his father know of the Greyjoy plans to betray the Hoare and He probably could decide to betray the cause if he see that his son is not anymore in danger) 7) Speaking of people that know about Damon intentions..where is good old Gabin?It seems ages that we don't see him and I'm curious to learn what he is doing now
Kyra
For a moment, Kyra closed her eyes. As she opened them again, the gaze in them was steely and determined, glaring at Herman, but rig… moreht through him at the same time. Damon... There was anger growing inside of her, as she thought about how deeply his duplicity went. He had tricked her and for a moment, she feared that even her decision to come here had been influenced by him.
“In the name of Harren of House Hoare of the Black Blood”, she intoned. “Iron King, King of the Isles and the Rivers, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind and Lord Reaper of Orkmont...” She narrowed her eyes, noticing how Herman did not even flinch. The crippled man showed no fear, to an almost admirable degree. “I, Kyra of House Greyjoy hereby sentence you to death by decapitation. You will not be brought back to Harrenhal. The sentence will be carried out immediately”
Briefly, he sighed and she couldn't tell if it was regret or relief. Gravven next to… [view original content]
1) Well well am I wrong or in this part we have the first FoT execution?
You know, I think you are actually right. At the very least, this is the first formal execution of a named character. There was the failed attempt to execute Wolfius and there were a couple deaths that were effectively executions (Himani and Halla to be precise), but this is the very first time someone with an actual right to execute someone did such to a named character in a perfectly lawful way, means this was the first time an actual execution took place. It... is quite likely not going to remain the last.
2)After months finally someone decide to join the deceased list!Hurray!
And Herman won't remain the last for long. I always intend to keep the deaths from piling up at the end of the chapter, but it has just sort of happened so far. Here's hoping it will change in Chapter 3, though I can for sure promise that Chapter 4 will be a lot closer to the Raid on Raylansfair in the way deaths are structured throughout the chapter
3) I forget something or this part is the first time that we read of Vickon aka the third Greyjoy sibling? Btw after read such a nice story about this character I'm curious to read where you plan to use him
I think there have been minor mentions before, of Kyra's brother. A quick search told me that Vickon has been name-dropped only one, namely in Chapter 5 of Book 1, during the meeting of the Riverlords, but only off-handedly. I can promise that he will appear in person, but he is currently back on Pyke and not in the right condition to travel over larger distances, so it is likely you'll have to wait until the narrative reaches the Iron Islands for him to actually appear.
4) So all the events of Kyra storyline for this chapter happened because Damon wanted to silence one of her men
Aye, it has all been Damon's rather complicated attempt to silence someone (A Riverlander named Edgar to be precise, formerly a member of the Sons of the Trident, whose betrayal allowed the Ironborn to capture and eventually execute the Sons' former leader Addam Wode) who knew too much without the deed being able to be tracked back to him. Since he always has a backup plan, he furthermore used this necessary deed to strengthen his connection to the Sons of the Trident. And then he manipulated Kyra into killing the only man who knew about his duplicity, as he very much expected her to kill Herman Irons. That whole scheme is pretty much Damon in a nutshell.
5) Damon is showing to be a man that will stop at nothing to reach his goals! I can say that I really like how you portrait him (and his relationship with his sister) and I hope that we will see more of him
Oh yes, you will see more of him! In fact, Damon will be a major character in Book 2, whose importance has grown in the same amount as Kyra's, from only appearing in two chapters of Book 1 to becoming an active player in the Riverlands storyline. Kyra is going to be a main PoV and Damon is part of her main conflict, so I am really glad you enjoy him so far!
6) After all this talk about silence Gravven I'm curious what Damon will do after he see Rell Vessel deliver his message to the King (let's remember that his father know of the Greyjoy plans to betray the Hoare and He probably could decide to betray the cause if he see that his son is not anymore in danger)
You bring up a really small, but potentially crucial detail here. It is true, Simon Vessels has entered into an alliance with Damon back in Book 1 out of anger and concern for his son. Now Rell returned safely and Simon might decide that he doesn't need to support Damon's cause anymore. Be assured, Damon has the same thoughts and he is contemplating what to do, but his alliance with Simon will be brought up at a later point for sure.
7) Speaking of people that know about Damon intentions..where is good old Gabin?It seems ages that we don't see him and I'm curious to learn what he is doing now
And there you bring up the other guy who knows of Damon's true intentions! Be assured, Gabin is still at Harrenhal, I just had no room to show him so far. However, he will appear in quite a big role in Book 2 and he will most likely reappear in the next chapter. Same goes for Simon Vessels, actually, but Gabin will have a vastly increased role indeed.
[Promise him] I like this choice more
RT:
1) Well well am I wrong or in this part we have the first FoT execution?
2)After months final… morely someone decide to join the deceased list!Hurray!
3) I forget something or this part is the first time that we read of Vickon aka the third Greyjoy sibling? Btw after read such a nice story about this character I'm curious to read where you plan to use him
4) So all the events of Kyra storyline for this chapter happened because Damon wanted to silence one of her men
5) Damon is showing to be a man that will stop at nothing to reach his goals! I can say that I really like how you portrait him (and his relationship with his sister) and I hope that we will see more of him
6) After all this talk about silence Gravven I'm curious what Damon will do after he see Rell Vessel deliver his message to the King (let's remember that his father know of the Greyjoy plans to betray the Hoare and He probably could d… [view original content]
Actually, we got a vote tie here, in a very active voting on top of that. As such, the first vote wins and Kyra is not going to promise Damon her loyalty. This was the most important Kyra choice to date and one of the big choices of the chapter, with consequences that are going to be quite big, though not necessarily negative, or entirely negative. It will change the tone of her storyline for the next chapter for certain and well, let's just say that Damon will be anything but pleased with her decision. If he's actually going to risk doing anything about it is another question entirely though.
So, the next part should be out later today. I got another forum thing going which I wish to finish first and I cannot stay up for particularly long today, as I have to get out earlier than usual tomorrow. As in, pretty much the middle of the night. As such, the new part might not be released until tomorrow. I am currently writing a Garthon part, though I am not entirely satisfied with it so far and might decide to cut it in half, giving him another part in a week or two and giving you a different choice here. In that case, I can also include an Arthur part. So, last time we saw Garthon, he had a discussion with Petyr Blackwood about their future course of action. Petyr informed him that he wishes to get more active in the growing rebellion against House Hoare. For this, he wants to meet with his allies, though he was not sure if he should first meet with Brandon Frey, Elmont Piper or Edmyn Tully. Garthon eventually adviced him to meet with Piper first, the only of the three whom he himself has never met before. Meanwhile, last time we saw Arthur, he entered into an alliance with Rodrik Grimthorn, better known as the Sphynx, Ryler's uncle and unexpected ally against Wolfius. Rodrik was quick to come up with a plan to find Wolfius, as he believes that the man in return can lead them to Lupin, whom he suspects to be the true mastermind behind Woodbark's killing spree. As such, he himself wanted to meet with the Tom, to ask for support, counting on their mutual grudge against Wolfius and Lupin, whereas Ryler was supposed to head back to Mathea's place to meet with Rosalie Mettel, whom Rodrik hopes can offer valuable intel, as the only survivor of Wolfius' attack during the Raid on Raylansfair. Arthur decided to accompany Rodrik and that is where we're going to pick up in his next part. Just a word of advice, should I manage to give Garthon a full-length part, Arthur won't appear in the part after the next one, as I wish to give that one to Edrick to finish the Riverlands storylines for this chapter. In that case, the return to Raylansfair will happen in two parts from now.
Hello! I've done some drawing for FoT again, a portrait this time, that being Damon Greyjoy. Just wanted to drop this before Liquid posts the next part
Oh, this is definitely a welcome surprise! I am currently a bit struggling with things unrelated to the part itself (among other things, my keyboard decided that today would be a perfect day to effectively die), so I can only hope to release the next part before heading to bed, but I can say for certain that FoT portraits are always something I enjoy Damon is definitely a character I enjoy writing, so this portrait is particularly welcome! Like with his earlier drawing, you really captured the guy, not only in terms of looks, but also in terms of expression, I like this subtle, yet menacing vibe he gives off. So, thank you very much for the portrait, this is a great addition and made me only more excited for some of the material coming up for him
Hello! I've done some drawing for FoT again, a portrait this time, that being Damon Greyjoy. Just wanted to drop this before Liquid posts the next part
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” Petyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house. This marriage is one of despair, for he had no other options for his daughter after severing ties with us” A thin, hopeful smile formed on his face. “Besides, the man has three daughters. Raymon remains unpromised, so perhaps we can form an alliance of a more permanent manner”
He patted Garthon onto the back and the two men shared a smile. “You are truly welcome here!”, Petyr then said. “After Harrenhal, after your brother, I... we all feared that this would be over. The day I returned home, me and Evelyn had perhaps the only fight in over two decades. She called me reckless, told me I had endangered everything we have worked for all these years” He sighed and his smile faded, replaced by the sullen look Garthon had come to know from him. “Worst part is, she isn't wrong. I was sick of doing nothing, so I had become reckless”
“Many have”, Garthon replied, biting down on his lower lip as he remembered Torvin's fatal mistake. “Though we can still make it right” Petyr smiled at the hopeful suggestion, before he carefully nodded. “With you by our side, maybe we can”, he agreed. “Your brother nearly woke the Riverlords from a hundred years of apathy. I hope this is a fire not easily quenched”
Garthon narrowed his eyes. “Not if I have a say in it”, he growled, clenching his shaking fist as he spoke. “Harren made sure to destroy every trace of Torvin's legacy. All but this. He murdered my brother and for that, I'll see his line ended”
“We will”, Petyr promised. “What he did to my family, or Frey's, or Tully's, it cannot be undone, but I can make sure that my children grow up in a better world” He extended his hand and without hesitating, Garthon shook it. “Now, you have given me much to think about. Our next move, how far I am willing to go in this... it requires contemplation”
Garthon got the hint and he smiled slightly. “I will leave you to your thoughts then, mylord”, he replied and Petyr nodded. “Go and meet my wife”, he spoke. “She will assign you and your companions rooms in the castle. You are my guests and whatever it is you desire, say the word and I shall acquire it for you!”
With this, they separated and Garthon left the room, with Petyr remaining behind with his thoughts. It had been a more successful day than he would have expected this morning. Perhaps the Sons of the Trident had a chance in the war to come, with House Blackwood by their side. That being said, a bad feeling remained at the though of having to meet Edmyn Tully again one day. Though his motives had been understandable, he still abandoned Torvin and Garthon found it hard to remain objective in that case. Still, Tully remained the most powerful of the Riverlords.
Out in the hallway, the next surprise awaited. Leaning against the opposing wall, his arms crossed, stood Maurice Mad-Eye, Petyr's advisor. The ugly man was looking at him, arms crossed, his eye twitching slightly. Then, he nodded. “Breaker”, he spoke and Garthon gulped at the displeased and unsettling stare. “Your... name is Maurice, right?”, he replied
Again, Maurice nodded. “I am called Mad-Eye, if Maurice feels to personal for you”, he replied firmly, even if his tone was slightly on the cold side. Garthon sighed. “I don't mind”, he assured him. “Though I suppose I owe you an apology, for talking to the lord alone, I mean”
A subtle smile formed on Maurice's lips. “Oh, do not worry”, he said. “I haven't listened to your conversation” He shrugged and his smile became slightly smug. “Albeit I hope you are aware that Lord Petyr will inform me later on” Garthon nodded at this. “Figured that much. Doesn't change that I wanted to talk to him alone first. In this entire castle, he's the only man I know, my companions aside”
“Ah, of course”, Maurice said, before he pointed down the hallway. “Would you walk with me, Ser? There is much to discuss” He began to walk, not waiting for Garthon, who nonetheless quickly followed. “What is this about?”, he asked quickly, as Maurice stopped already, in front of a wooden door. Reaching into his coat, he grabbed a key, which he used to gain entrance. “Follow me, please”, he said softly.
The room behind was not Maurice's private room, as Garthon had half expected, but a smaller room, similar to the one he had just been in together with Lord Petyr. There was a desk, as well as two chairs, next to a small cupboard, filled with scrolls. “Take a seat, please”, Maurice said, as he closed the door behind Garthon.
As soon as both had sat down, the Riverlander leant forward, his twitching eye glaring at Garthon for a moment, before he pulled himself together, his thin lips forming a smile. “Truth be told, I am not angry that you insisted on speaking alone”, he revealed. “Because it means that right now, only you and Lord Petyr know the full extent of your discussion. Not me, not the Blackwood family, not the servants or your companions... another topic I would like to talk about in a bit”
Garthon tensed up a the man's tone, though he gave him a nod. “Go on”, he said and Maurice leant back in his chair. “I was doing just that, yes”, he said smugly. “So, let me get to the core of the issue plaguing Raventree Hall at the moment, the reason why I agree with your decision, as much as I would already like to know about the details of your conversation with my lord” He placed his elbows on his belly, folding the hands just below his chin and calmly glancing at Garthon. “I believe that there is a spy in this castle. Someone with a connection to Harrenhal, sending intel right to the king”
This fit with what Edric Rivers had told him before, part of Garthon's reason to be here. If Maurice knew about it as well, this gave more room for the rebel's fears about Hoare's agents within the walls of this castle. “Why are you telling me about this?”, he asked. “I mean, why are you trusting me with this? I am Ironborn after all”
“Yes, that you are, and make no mistake, I am not fond of your kind”, Maurice assured him. “At the same time, you and your companions are the only ones in this castle I can trust, aside from my lord, his lovely wife and their children of course, for you have only just arrived. I might not particularly like you, Breaker, but it doesn't change the fact that you are an ally and the only one I can reasonably trust in this”
“Besides Lord Petyr, I presume?”, Garthon brought up, though to his surprise, Maurice shook his head. “Not in this case, not with my suspicion”, he spoke. “See, what I am about to tell you must not reach the lord's ears, or else I fear he might do something... foolish” His tone was stern and strict and Garthon had no other way but to nod, knowing of how serious the man was.
“I know someone is informing the king about our actions here, about Petyr's next move and the fact that he is not willing to give up after what your brother did”, Maurice began to explain. “I fear, in time the king will learn of your arrival. Might take a week, might take two, depending how frequently the spy sends word to Harrenhal, but make no mistake, word of your survival will reach Harren”
This caused Garthon to tense up. There was only slight worry for Rell, but even more so for himself. A lot of the plan depended on Harren believing him to be dead. “What can we do about this?”, he asked and Maurice sighed. “I have put some research into this before you arrived”, he said. “There are two individuals whom I believe to be suspicious in this. Might be just one of them, might be both, or, if we're unlucky, it might be neither”
“And you can't keep an eye on both at the same time”, Garthon deduced, to which Maurice shot him a brief, honest smile. “See, already doing the work”, he complimented him. “Indeed, I need a partner in this. I will take on one of the targets, while you keep an eye on the other. That way, we might have a shot at uncovering the true traitor”
Garthon nodded. “And whom do you have in mind?”, he asked, to which Maurice raised an eyebrow above his twitching eye. “Does the name Redloon mean anything to you?”, he spoke and Garthon sighed, remembering Harren's underling, the Riverlander bootlicker Velmont. “Met the man on several occasions”, he replied. “What about him?”
“Well, his sister-in-law is working here in the castle. His family has lived in the area for a long time and even though his brother has died years ago, the girl still works here”, he revealed. “Marie Redloon, young widow, seemingly dedicated servant, yet equipped with a sort of intelligence that is simply unsightly for a woman. Notably the only person in this entire castle with an active connection to Harrenhal and to a man right by the king's side nonetheless” He shrugged. “She's not the, ahem, difficult target though, not the one I wish to keep a secret from Petyr. I am afraid the other potential option is none other than Ser Torvin Hale”
Ignoring the shiver he felt at the mention of the name, Garthon sighed sharply. “Petyr's father-in-law”, he stated and Maurice nodded with regret. “The motive would be simple. There is nothing worse than mourning what you have lost and Torvin is no difference”, he explained. “Only a minor lord he has been, but master of his own keep and ruler of his own land. No one has lost more to the union of Petyr Blackwood and Evelyn Hale. A man like that can be tempted by the riches our king has to offer, or tempted by old grudges, dwelling over a lost fortune”
“You believe he would betray his daughter's husband?”, Garthon asked and Maurice merely shrugged. “I say he has been acting suspiciously, like the Redloon girl and unlike anyone else in this castle. If anyone is the spy, it's one of them, or else we're really in some deep shit, if you don't mind me saying” The twitching around his eye grew a bit stronger. “And I want you to focus on one of them. Choose, then I will keep an eye on the other one”
[Focus on Marie Redloon][Focus on Torvin Hale]
Arthur
The castle had changed. Arthur hadn't noticed it in the days that followed the raid, where grief and anger had clouded his mind. But right now, following Rodrik Grimthorn, the change was undeniable. It was no longer the dead husk it used to be during the late reign of Robert Raylan, nor was it the tense, paranoid place Harris had shaped it into. But he wasn't able to say if the change was for the better. There was something dark about it now, a gloomy, pressing atmosphere, though at the same time, perhaps it was just his imagination, the lingering feeling of dread over what Sherryl had told him.
One thing the castle definitely wasn't though was lifeless. In fact, it was crowded, especially with the new arrivals from Selwyn Tower. Servants bearing the sigil of House Selwyn were still carrying crates into the keep, containing the numerous belongings of the lord and his family. Walking past them, Arthur had to wonder just how much of his personal belongings the Lord of Selwyn Tower had taken with him and for what reason. If it was just to show off his riches, he definitely succeeded.
Rodrik had said preciously little during their walk, not that Arthur cared much for small talk. The man had put his mask back on, fully becoming the Sphynx once more, a man to fear, a man to dread, an unexpected and unlikely ally, yet Arthur had to ask himself already how long this could remain. Once Wolfius was taken out, once Lupin was found, what would they do? Rodrik was not a friend and after all that Sherryl had told him, the Sphynx might even be an enemy in the future.
Leading him into the keep and through a set of hallways, the Sphynx approached the lord's audience room. Muffled voices came from out of it and two of Vyrwel's guards were present in front of it, the older Hugo Farnham and his companion, the former hedge knight Ian Shortwood. It was the latter who did not tense up at the sight of the Sphynx, keeping his cool while Hugo subconsciously placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
“What do you want, Sphynx?”, Ian snarled harshly and Rodrik stopped. “Lord Petyr is busy. Talks with Donnel Selwyn” Though the mask covered his face, Arthur was certain to hear Rodrik's smirk as he replied. “Be assured, it's not Lord Petyr I seek to talk to, nor do I have any desire to talk to Selwyn. It it the Tom I wish to speak to. He's in there, I believe?”
“Actually, I am not!”, a deep, purring voice sounded from beyond the corner at the other end of the hallway. Arthur slightly shivered at the sound and he was only half certain the man with the white and golden mask did not wait behind it for his moment. He stepped beyond the corner and he had the white-haired giant with him, the Moggy, who towered over even the tallest man Arthur had ever met by a solid foot.
What truly filled him with dread though was the third figure, led by the Moggy. It was a short man, in sharp contrast to the Moggy, yet beneath his grey tunic, his oddly well-shaped body was clearly visible. Though his skin was as white as that of the giant, he was entirely bald, even lacking eyebrows, as Arthur noticed. There was something truly unnerving in his dark eyes, a wild look, more feral than anything he had ever seen before from a human being. Even Wolfius at least had some form of intellect, but the way this man looked around, sniffing the air, giggling slightly and smirking a crooked, hungry smirk, it reminded him of a rabid hound. In fact, the man was led in chains, his hands wrapped into thick iron, tied to his body, with the Moggy holding the chain with one of his hands, the other one resting on the prisoner's body.
Rodrik sighed as the trio approached and by now, Arthur noticed that Hugo was shivering, while Ian's smug expression quickly faded, replaced by genuine concern. “What the fuck is that...”, he mumbled and the wild man's attention snapped right towards him. His mouth opened into a grin, revealing a row of teeth, filed to disturbing points.
“That is the reason why we must speak to the lord at once”, the Tom ordered and by now, the two knights did not dare to resist. The Tom was Mullendore's favoured, he won the trial by combat, it was widely known. His influence was enough to command them around, as Arthur noticed and reluctantly, Hugo turned around to knock at the door.
It took a moment for the door to open. Petyr Vyrwel stood behind, an annoyed look on his face, though it quickly faded as he saw the chained prisoner. “By the Stranger, does this has to happen right now?”, he spat, anger mingling with shock at the disturbingly feral man. “Do you have to lead this to my audience room?”
“Ser Maron's order has been clear”, the Tom replied calmly and Petyr turned to glare over his shoulder. Behind him, Maron Mullendore emerged, shrugging nonchalantly. “The timing could have been better”, the one-eyed knight admitted. “Yet I assumed we'd already be done with the negotiations. Never expected it to last this long”
“You flatter me”, a third voice came from inside the room and as Petyr and Maron both stepped outside, the man in question followed. He was older than either of them, with notably tanned skin and a blonde comb-over. His mouth formed a thin line and his eyes were narrowed, giving him a stern, almost dour frown as he spotted the masked men. “But what does this mean? I do not appreciate being interrupted”
“Mylord Donnel, these are some of Maron's servants”, Lord Petyr explained, seemingly ignoring the presence of Arthur, who was actually somewhat glad to be overlooked in this situation. He was well aware that the Tom was staring at him though. “Coming with a solution to one of the problems that plague our fair city” He sighed. “I... hate to interrupt this talk, but may I ask you to wait for a moment, while I sort this out?”
He turned to the masked men, as Donnel Selwyn behind him sharply inhaled. “I will not be ignored, Petyr!”, he warned him and after his brief outburst of anger, he put on a wide, charming smile. “We had a nice talk going on, would be a shame to cut it short right now, wouldn't it? I know, and I don't think I'm alone with that feeling, that we're close to a breakthrough in the negotiations”
Petyr gulped, as Donnel tilted his head. “What I want is, that you tell me what these... fine men want to do right now”, he said. “And then we can continue our talks” To this, the Lord of Raylansfair sighed. It was clear how hesitant he was around this man, a sight that surprised Arthur. Before that, he had always experienced Lord Petyr as a determined and uncompromising man.
“As I said, they offer a solution to one of the problems that haunt Raylansfair”, he revealed and the chained man giggled audibly at this. “Two criminals are on the run, a man and a woman, both incredibly dangerous” Maron was quick to nod. “The man, Leonard Constantine, he...”, he began, though he did not manage to continue his sentence.
Before, there were traces of affability on Donnel Selwyn's face, but the moment Constantine got mentioned, they faded. His mouth tightened, though his eyes slightly widened with anger. “What is your deal with Constantine?”, he growled and Maron raised an eyebrow in surprise. Arthur had spent his life with the interrogation of prisoners and he knew how a liar looked. Mullendore wasn't even trying to hide his feigned surprise. “You know Constantine?”, he asked and Donnel was quick to nod. “Of course I do!”, he replied sharply. “The man is dishonest, he's a fraud and a false knight!”
Petyr's surprise was genuine and he smiled at the unexpected opening. “May I ask what he did to offend you in such a way, mylord?”, he asked. “Let me assure you, you won't find any friend of Constantine in this city” Donnel, still visibly angered at the mention of Ser Leonard, now managed to take a deep breath. “My daughter, Vanesha, she's fond of him”, he revealed. “Of him! A landless knight, without any ties to the great houses of our wonderful kingdom! He has switched his liege more often than most foreign sellswords! What more does a father need?" He shook his head, his anger growing again and he raised a finger, as he continued his tirade. “In fact, he even tried to dishonour my daughter and when I confronted him about it, he had the nerve to attack me!”, he barked, as he shook his head. “Should have shown him how justice is done at Selwyn Tower right there!”
“That might have been for the better, mylord”, Maron agreed. “Because I am afraid the charges we currently want him for are worse than that” He sighed. “Constantine allegedly murdered a girl, over in Oldtown. Would that surprise you?” To this, Donnel shook his head. “No, it would not”, he admitted. “Though it is low, even for him. Maybe hearing this will finally make Vanesha see the truth about her knight” He shrugged. “Terrible with that girl in Oldtown, of course. I take it you are on to the case?”
Maron nodded and with the briefest of smiles, Donnel patted him onto the shoulder. With this, the knight turned to his liege. “Lord Petyr, I got this. I'll deal with the Cats, while you can continue the negotiation with Lord Selwyn” This seemed to satisfy both, Petyr and Donnel, as the Lord of Selwyn Tower already turned back to the room. “Very well then. With me, Petyr”, he ordered and with a small sigh and the barely visible rolling of his eyes, Petyr followed.
“Shall we walk for a bit?”, Maron asked and the Tom, glancing at the knights, nodded. Then, the red-haired man was the first to turn to Arthur. “And you are?”, he growled. Looking into this one, cold green eye, Arthur tensed up and for a moment, the irrational fear of the man reading his mind threatened to overcome him. If Mullendore would know what he knew, what Sherryl told him... the man was a monster, worse than the Alley Cats, worse even than the feral man they kept with them.
“Arthur Nathamer”, he introduced himself. “Of Raylansfair's city guard” Maron glanced at the Sphynx, before he nodded. “A surprise meeting I'd sure like to hear more about once...” He pointed at the feral prisoner. “That is out of the way. Though your opinion might be welcome. Come with us and I shall explain”
Reluctantly and only after Rodrik's seemingly reassuring nods, Arthur followed the order, accompanying Maron and the Alley Cats into an adjacent room. It was one of the smaller halls who hadn't been used since the days of Lord Raylan's father. Dusty linen was placed over the furniture and only few rays of sunlight entered through the dim windows.
Lifting one of the line sheets, Maron seemed satisfied with the state of the chair below and he seated himself, sighing slightly as he stretched his weak leg, resting the wooden cane next to him. He stared at Arthur, then quickly at the chained man. “When I asked for a solution, I did not expect you to bring me a madman, Tom”, he growled, his voice cold and without any affability.
The Tom met his gaze with a similarly cold one of his own. “You asked for the most effective solution. I thought about it and here we are”, he explained, pointing at the chained man, though careful enough not to get too close to him. With an almost hungry gaze, the prisoner stared at the Tom's fingers. “Maron, I want you to meet the Fang”
As he said the man's name, the prisoner giggled in an unnerving way, revealing his fanged teeth. If anything, even Mullendore seemed unsettled by him. “Can it... speak?”, he asked and to this, the Fang himself nodded. “Oh yes, the Fang listens”, he growled, his tone bearing the heavy accent of a man from Dorne, yet without showing any of their features. “The Fang just doesn't speak very often”
“Where did you have him all this time?”, Maron asked and the Tom shrugged. “Chained in a cage”, he replied. “We don't let him walk around freely, not after the incidents” Beneath his mask, his eyes narrowed. “But he is effective, he proved himself in these regards. In fact, I'd say you won't find a more effective way to find the targets”
“Constantine and the girl”, Maron was kind enough to explain towards Arthur. “Both wanted killers. In fact, we believe the girl has been involved with the death of Lord Raylan” Briefly, Arthur tensed up as he remembered a girl, the one who was with the one-eyed killer, the day both delivered Wolfius to the Nathamer estate. Back then, he already suspected their involvement. Could it be her? Though he remained silent, almost too intimidated to speak at the presence of the Fang. For some reason, the almost runtish man managed to be the most menacing next to Maron Mullendore and three Alley Cats.
“I asked my right-hand man for a solution and a solution he delivered”, the knight continued. “I suppose this... Fang will track them down?” To this, the Tom nodded. “We can trust the Fang with killing his mark”, he confirmed. “Getting him to come back might be the issue”
To Arthur's horror, a slight smirk appeared on Maron's face. “They are in Oldtown”, he said, his hand moving across the scarred side of his face, the flesh shivering at his tough. “That city chose its own doom when they rejected me. If the price for Constantine's death is the Fang's freedom, then they deserve having to deal with it” With this, he directly stared at the feral man. “Fang!”, he addressed him and the Fang giggled. “Will you do as I order you to do? Will you kill Leonard Constantine?”, he growled.
The Fang's grin widened, wider than any grin ever should be and if Arthur wasn't horrified at the scenery and the implications already, he'd be at the sight of this expression. “Yes”, he simply hissed. “The Fang promises to kill the man” This seemed to suffice for Maron, who gave Arthur a nod. “Just thought you should know. We are working on keeping the city safe, you see. Constantine and his girl are never going to threaten us again once the Fang is done with them”, he said in an almost jovial tone.
“At the expense of Oldtown”, the Sphynx, of all people, mumbled, before he clenched his fists. “Maron, I must protest! The Fang is... he is too much. Not a practical solution to the problem at hand. In fact, I fear he will create more issues than he solves” The Fang's grin did not fade and he even managed to give a small, audacious nod.
“If Constantine manages to destabilize Petyr's rule, this city will collapse”, Maron argued in return, though the Sphynx shook his head. “But Constantine will fail”, he claimed. “Send someone else. Someone we can control. The Fang cannot be tamed. He promises you one thing, but in the end, we can't even be sure about that”
“You seem to hesitate, Sphynx”, Maron spoke. “Is that weakness I sense in you? Are you not willing to do whatever it takes to keep the city safe?” He glanced at Arthur, smiling thinly. “As so many of the good men of the city guard did during the raid. Your father, I have heard? My condolences”
“That is not the issue”, Rodrik protested. “The Fang... he is one of Lupin's creations. One of the few we kept alive, for whatever reason. You have barely known Lupin, but I can assure you, he is, without any doubt, the most rotten and most dangerous being you can imagine. Now think of what his creation is capable of”
A sly smile formed on Maron's face. “I'm doing it right now”, he said. “And I believe this... man is precisely the weapon we need against Constantine” His smile faded, replaced a cold, cunning look. “Your criticism has been noted and dismissed, Sphynx” He looked at the Tom, who moved a gloved fist to his heart. “While I agree with the Sphynx about the danger the Fang poses...”, he began and Arthur noticed how Maron narrowed his eyes. “I trust your judgement. The Fang is the only one I know of who can reliably find Constantine in Oldtown”
“Good”, the knight confirmed, seeming pleased with the Tom's support. “Now, with that out of the way, are there any other contributions?” He glanced at Arthur, who was frozen in naked fear of this deranged beast right there. “If not, we can proceed to set him on his way and get it over with, yes?”
Arthur knew, any protest would likely amount to nothing, as seen with Rodrik. Yet at the same time, it was Rodrik's protest that made him so uncomfortable. If even this man had objections to the use of the Fang, could he truly remain silent? Surely, Maron was the one in power here and he wanted to hear words of support, but Arthur wasn't so certain if he could swallow his conscience enough for that. As futile as it was, could he truly walk out of this room without at least trying to discourage Mullendore from using this monster? And would it be worth the consequences of potentially angering the castellan of Raylansfair?
[Protest against using the Fang][Speak in favour of using the Fang][Remain silent]
[Focus on Torvin Hale] I seriously doubt he would betray his family for something as meaningless as money or a keep. I know it sounds naive, but hoping to get a nice reward from Harren Hoare is like approaching a wild animal without knowing what it is; it can kill you or do nothing.
[Protest against using the Fang] While I don't think Mullendore will listen, letting someone as dangerous as the Fang wander freely would be releasing a wild beast in a populated area. If he's even crazier than Wolfius, then they should just return it to the cage were he belongs.
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
[Focus on Torvin Hale] Don't really know the guy, so we don't have bias. Maurice would though.
[Remain silent] Yeah, uh, unless Arthur wants his hand bit off or something, it's going to be a no, even if I like Leonard.
“Well, his sister-in-law is working here in the castle. His family has lived in the area for a long time and even though his brother has died years ago, the girl still works here”, he revealed. “Marie Redloon, young widow, seemingly dedicated servant, yet equipped with a sort of intelligence that is simply unsightly for a woman. Notably the only person in this entire castle with an active connection to Harrenhal and to a man right by the king's side nonetheless” He shrugged. “She's not the, ahem, difficult target though, not the one I wish to keep a secret from Petyr. I am afraid the other potential option is none other than Ser Torvin Hale”
Sexist!
“My daughter, Vanesha, she's fond of him”, he revealed. “Of him! A landless knight, without any ties to the great houses of our wonderful kingdom! He has switched his liege more often than most foreign sellswords! What more does a father need?" He shook his head, his anger growing again and he raised a finger, as he continued his tirade. “In fact, he even tried to dishonour my daughter and when I confronted him about it, he had the nerve to attack me!”, he barked, as he shook his head. “Should have shown him how justice is done at Selwyn Tower right there!”
Oh, what a terrible crime. The shame! The dishonor!
Okay, so remember how I said that the Rat reminded me of Rukh (I was pretty wrong, better with the Ib connection). Well, this thing, the Fang, even if he isn't a perfect physical match, he's Rukh in role. A weird unnatural creature/thing sent to track down and eliminate our heroes? Bingo. He's real freaky, and I am very concerned for my dear Leonard (and Kersea too...I guess). I doubt that Arthur saying anything here will actually do something (in relation to the Fang being sicced after Leonard and Kersea), it will probably just impact on they perceive Arthur, so the neutral choice is the best (although I remember long ago that we chose neutrality, and it ended...poorly).
Also, this connection to Lupin interests me. I haven't forgotten about him...
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
I actually believe the traitor to be Torvin Hale, but spying on Petyr's father in law could potentially sour our relationship with House Blackwood if we were to be discovered, so it's best to leave it to Maurice.
[Remain Silent]
There's not much Arthur can do to change the situation, best not to anger Mullendore.
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
[Focus on Marie Redloon] I've been trying to think about this choice in terms of which is the smarter option, but with info we have now I honestly can't say. So, instead I'll base my choice simply on which character I'd like to learn more about, and Marie Redloon seems quite interesting.
[Remain silent] The less Maron pays attention to Arthur the better. It is kind of worrying to see him in the midst of all these terrible people, but for now the smart thing to do is just to lay low. And it seems Lupin is being built up as the main antagonist of Arthur's storyline, which should be interesting. We've heard so much of him, and seen all these freaks he has created... I gotta feeling he'll be a huge pain in the ass for Arthur, and potentially many other characters as well. Also, I liked Donnel in this part more than in his introduction scene, there was imo a better balance here between the humorous stuff and establishing him as a character (rather than just a Trump caricature).
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
Aye, you encountered one of Maurice's least sympathetic traits. The man is, among other things, unashamedly sexist, to a degree that raises eyebrows even in the setting. Ironically, given whom he is serving, it is a very Ironborn point of view.
Oh, what a terrible crime. The shame! The dishonor!
Well, if we take Donnel's version of the events at face value, it actually is quite a serious offense. Seducing a lord's daughter, alright, that is shameful but more for her than for him. Attacking a lord though, as Donnel claimed, that is definitely a crime and a serious one at that. The fact that Leonard served other houses after his falling out with Donnel might indicate that his version cannot be entirely taken at face value though and that the truth is more complicated than that.
Okay, so remember how I said that the Rat reminded me of Rukh (I was pretty wrong, better with the Ib connection). Well, this thing, the Fang, even if he isn't a perfect physical match, he's Rukh in role. A weird unnatural creature/thing sent to track down and eliminate our heroes? Bingo. He's real freaky, and I am very concerned for my dear Leonard (and Kersea too...I guess). I doubt that Arthur saying anything here will actually do something (in relation to the Fang being sicced after Leonard and Kersea), it will probably just impact on they perceive Arthur, so the neutral choice is the best (although I remember long ago that we chose neutrality, and it ended...poorly).
That is a brilliant comparison, actually! The Rat definitely isn't Rukh, but the Fang, he is far closer in terms of his role, being this unsettling thing sent to track down the heroes. The main difference is probably in their general temper. If I remember correctly, Rukh was rather focussed and stoic, whereas the Fang is so unhinged that even the Sphynx, being ever the pragmatist, ends up having second thoughts about using him. Concern is definitely in order, because this man is not to be taken lightly in any way. While he is definitely unhinged and borderline uncontrollable, he has promised to hunt down Leonard and Kersea and he is not one to break his promises.
Also, this connection to Lupin interests me. I haven't forgotten about him...
And you shouldn't forget about him. While it will still be some time until we are first going to see Lupin, there are several connections, most recently with him being the one having a hand in the Fang's current condition. You will definitely learn more about the sort of experiments he allegedly did while working for the Alley Cats, as the one previously donning the Sphynx title before Rodrik stepped up.
[Focus on Torvin Hale] Don't really know the guy, so we don't have bias. Maurice would though.
[Remain silent] Yeah, uh, unless Arthur wa… morents his hand bit off or something, it's going to be a no, even if I like Leonard.
“Well, his sister-in-law is working here in the castle. His family has lived in the area for a long time and even though his brother has died years ago, the girl still works here”, he revealed. “Marie Redloon, young widow, seemingly dedicated servant, yet equipped with a sort of intelligence that is simply unsightly for a woman. Notably the only person in this entire castle with an active connection to Harrenhal and to a man right by the king's side nonetheless” He shrugged. “She's not the, ahem, difficult target though, not the one I wish to keep a secret from Petyr. I am afraid the other potential option is none other than Ser Torvin Hale”
Sexist!
“My daughter, Vanesha, she's fond of him”, he revealed. … [view original content]
And it seems Lupin is being built up as the main antagonist of Arthur's storyline, which should be interesting. We've heard so much of him, and seen all these freaks he has created... I gotta feeling he'll be a huge pain in the ass for Arthur, and potentially many other characters as well.
Oh yes, the build up for Lupin as a main antagonist is certainly there. If he is truly the one behind Wolfius' actions, sort of the enigmatic puppet master in the background, then this will make him one of the main antagonists for certain and there is also the role he played with the Alley Cats, his actions in the North and potential other deeds not yet revealed. At the very least, everything points at him being a major antagonist and a severe pain in the ass. I can reveal, there are two characters introduced who know him personally without being utterly terrified of him, these two being the Tom and Alphyn. But he has not personally appeared yet, so the full extent of his personality remains to be seen. He will appear in Book 2, though more towards the later chapters and I intend to fully establish him even before he'll leave the waiting list.
Also, I liked Donnel in this part more than in his introduction scene, there was imo a better balance here between the humorous stuff and establishing him as a character (rather than just a Trump caricature).
Ah, I am really glad to hear this! I think I said it before, Donnel is a hit or miss character. Characters based on real people are always hard to write and it's not getting any easier considering that Trump is someone provoking vastly divisive opinions. There is this humorous aspect to his character, not only in terms of inspiration, but simply because his whole personality and some of the stuff he is going to do will cause some hopefully hilarious reactions from the other characters (as seen with Petyr being really nervous about how to even properly interact with him without offending him), but the character as a whole should grow beyond a caricature and I do not intend for him to always be a comic relief. Finding the right balance between referencing Trump in serious and humorous ways and establishing Donnel as his own character beyond the inspiration will be the big challenge I face with writing him, so I am really glad that this second appearance was apparently more well-fitting. I suppose in time I will grow truly comfortable writing him, making it easier for me, once he is fully established.
[Focus on Marie Redloon] I've been trying to think about this choice in terms of which is the smarter option, but with info we have now I ho… morenestly can't say. So, instead I'll base my choice simply on which character I'd like to learn more about, and Marie Redloon seems quite interesting.
[Remain silent] The less Maron pays attention to Arthur the better. It is kind of worrying to see him in the midst of all these terrible people, but for now the smart thing to do is just to lay low. And it seems Lupin is being built up as the main antagonist of Arthur's storyline, which should be interesting. We've heard so much of him, and seen all these freaks he has created... I gotta feeling he'll be a huge pain in the ass for Arthur, and potentially many other characters as well. Also, I liked Donnel in this part more than in his introduction scene, there was imo a better balance here between the humorous stuff and establishing him as a character (rather than just a Trump caricature).
The first choice actually surprised me, not because I did not expect it to win, but because it looked quite different on the first day of voting, with the first votes all going in favour of Torvin Hale, before coming around and ending up in favour of Marie Redloon. I am neutral here, both are characters I wish to develop better and in fact, interactions with both are in order next chapter. It's just that now, Garthon will place special attention on Marie, while Maurice is going to focus on Torvin, that does not mean the other won't have screentime regardless. This was the final part in this chapter for Garthon and Arthur both, meaning two more storylines to be finished. More are to come, but things are progressing rapidly, at long last.
Now, the next part is hopefully going to be out today. If not, then I don't know when I will be able to release it. See, there is something I must address and I am afraid it is serious. I mentioned it very briefly before, my grandfather is suffering from cancer again. This time, it is worse, it is incurable and barely untreatable to begin with. He was scheduled for chemotherapy later this week, but just yesterday, he collapsed. Ever since, he refuses further treatment beyond medicine against the pain and it is certain that he will not live for much longer, it is looking that bad. After hearing about this yesterday in the evening, I have made plans to visit him and I will drive to his house tomorrow. Originally intending to stay until Sunday, he himself talked me out of it and now I'll stay there until Thursday. While there is nothing I can do for him, I want to say my goodbyes and support my grandmother as much as possible before my uncle will take over during the weekend. I will take my laptop with me, mostly because I feel like I could use the distraction in the moments where my help is not required, but I can not say how much there will be to begin with. So, I will try to finish the next part today, if that does not work I will try to finish it at some point over the next three days, but expect my online presence and general writing activity to amount to nearly nothing until the weekend, this includes votes and private messages. I have kept some of you waiting for the latter quite a while now and I am deeply sorry for it. All I can do is to try and get it done once I am back, but the next few days will be exhausting. Yet another reason to finish writing today, but we'll see how it goes. It also means that I don't expect to be all that active in general, in regards to voting and private messages. The next part will go to Raenna and it will likely be her final one for this chapter. While Edrick would be the next in line, I decided that nope, I want to write Raenna first, so that is what I'm going to do, showing her confrontation with Kory Umber outside the Last Hearth.
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” … morePetyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house.… [view original content]
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly crouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Kory Umber. The woman laughed at this, harsh and without any joy. “You must be mad if you think I'll tell him of your failure”, she replied. “No, you're coming with us”
First, there was silence, then sudden movement and the sound of steel being drawn. Someone gasped and the woman chuckled. “Nice try, Treearms”, she said in a deadpan tone. “But we've come prepared. Now, you better give us something more, something better, or else I don't think we have much of a choice”
“Listen, Myrla...”, Kory stuttered. “I don't have much, but I'm about to get a breakthrough, I swear” He gulped audibly, before continuing. “I need maybe one more week, two at most and I...”, he claimed, but the woman cut him off. “You honestly think I believe you?”, she hissed. “Look at what you're wearing... Kory, huh? Looking like a Kory already. I think you're enjoying it”
“Well... sure I do”, Kory admitted. “But I stand loyal to the Half-Thenn! I gave my word and I intend to keep it” This time, his sentence ended with a yelp of pain. “Do not mess with me!”, the woman barked, loud enough for even Roffe to hear. As Raenna glanced over her shoulder, she noticed that the Lord of the Last Hearth had rose from his crouching position and she knew, she couldn't keep her own presence here a secret for much longer.
“Kory gave a promise yes, a promise the Half-Thenn had to force out of him”, Myrla continued. “Are you stupid, or do you just start to believe your own lies, Markus?” A second male voice, harsh and hoarsy, chuckled at that. “He's really into his role, Myrla”, the man said. “Maybe you should give him a chance. Might even convince the Half-Thenn”
“I don't fucking care”, the woman snarled. “I demanded results and what I got was dead silence, followed by shit I still had to force out of him. What am I supposed to do now, huh?” She groaned in frustration and Kory used the opportunity to speak up again. “I can give you more”, he promised. “I just need time to convince these newcomers”
“Yeah, the newcomers”, Myrla replied. “Just by chance, there's a group of southerners coming to the Last Hearth, huh? And you're trying to tell me that you do not think about selling us out?” There was silence, followed by Myrla's dry chuckle. “Forget about it, Markus. I would have believed Umber, he's the honest kind. But you? Is there any oath you haven't broken yet?”
Raenna tensed up, as the other woman lowered her voice and she risked getting closer, pushing herself through the underbrush to listen to the rest of their conversation. “Maybe you want to tell me now where he is?”, Myrla whispered. Just in this moment, something cracked beneath Raenna's feet and she froze in terror.
“What the...?”, Myrla muttered. “Crow, take a look!” Footsteps sounded on the wooden floor, as Raenna crouched down, hoping the underbrush would hide her enough, even if the light shining against her face proved to her that it would be futile. A man glanced out of the window, pushing it fully open in the process. He was fair-skinned and dark-haired, his green eyes scanning over the underbrush.
Raenna held her breath, though her hand wandered down to her dagger. Being discovered was inevitable by now, but perhaps she could still draw first blood, to even the odds. That was when the man's eyes widened and he rose his arms, revealing a short bow. “There!”, he yelled and Raenna let herself drop to the ground. The moment she did so, she felt the force of the arrow passing over her head.
“They found us!”, the man yelled and the wildlings began to rush around. “Grab your weapons!”, Myrla yelled, as behind Raenna, Roffe let out a guttural battle cry. Giant chimed in, howling with his master, as both charged towards the hut. Harrold Hornwood followed and as Raenna glanced over her shoulder, she saw Johannes rushing after his lord. “Stay with her!”, she yelled, as she noticed that Eon attempted to follow as well. He looked at her and understood, giving her a slight nod before grabbing Briar, whose eyes had widened with fear.
Now, Raenna jumped up, noticing that Roffe had passed her already. The Lord of the Last Hearth reached the door of the hut the moment it got opened. Raising his axe, he buried it in the chest of the unlucky wildling who tried to rush out first. Kicking the corpse back into the room, the lord followed, while Harrold and Johannes covered his back. For a moment, as he roared, with his massive axe in his hands, the Lord of the Last Hearth was truly a giant among men.
Raenna herself had a different target in mind. Instead of trying to enter the room after Roffe, having to avoid the wide swings of his axe in the process, she charged at the window and without hesitating, she jumped into the room. Her move came as a surprise to the wildlings inside and her knife found its mark, gutting the first man just as he had turned to her. The sharp blade easily sliced through fur and flesh.
There were others, probably nearly a dozen. Kory was there, unarmed and with visible fear on his face. The only woman was likely the one who had spoken, Myrla. She was young and fair, with fiery red hair going down to her shoulders, yet her eyes were dark and furious and her expression was harsh. There was a spear in her hands, though she kept to the backline, next to Kory and the man who had spotted Raenna.
Having fully entered the room, Roffe was locked in a fight with a burly wildling man, similarly wielding an axe. Behind him, Harrold and Johannes pushed into the building, the former forcing his opponent into the defense with quick strikes of his axe, while Johannes, wielding a sword, was more evenly matched against his opponent.
“Get her!”, Myrla shouted, pointing at Raenna and the wildling closest to her reacted. Raising his weapon, a thick club, probably made out of bone, he roared as he charged towards her. Raenna braced herself for the attack, knowing she had to get close to hit him. There were three more wildlings, two of which turned towards the fighters, a third, his back to the rear window, proved his intelligence as he merely shrugged before climbing out and trying his luck by making an escape.
The man with the club had reached Raenna by now and she ducked below his first strike, trying to stab him in the gut as she did so, but he evaded her attack by taking a step to the side. Letting his club go down at her, she had to jump back, putting more space between them and placing him at an advantage. Beneath the man's wild beard, a wide grin formed, revealing brown, rotten teeth.
Roaring in triumph, Roffe had managed to downright decapitate his opponent, the man's severed head flying through the room, as the Lord of the Last Hearth laid eyes on his next opponent. “Traitor!”, he barked as he saw Kory, charging towards the man, who was jumping back, bumping against the wall. “Myrla!”, he yelled and the woman, without hesitating, threw an axe from her belt at him, which he captured hilt first.
Raenna dodged the next attack, striking at her opponent again, though she had to admit, he was fast, surprisingly so for a man of his size. The lack of any armour probably played a part in it, as he nimbly evaded her strikes, using his superior reach to force her into the defence. The face that she wouldn't even dare to parry the brutish club only further supported him in this duel.
One of the wildlings made the unlucky decision to charge at Roffe before he was able to reach Kory. The Lord, in the heat of the battle, made short work of his new enemy. Instead of dodging the attack, he outright took a knife to the shoulder, the fur and leather covering it preventing anything but a superficial wound. The one he gave his opponent in return was anything but superficial though and Raenna herself slightly winced as she saw the axe hitting the man's groin at full force. Without even slowing down, he pulled the weapon out of the man's body, before splitting his head in half and continuing his charge at Kory and Myrla.
The wildling woman dodged Roffe's attack and he did not bother with her any further, as she danced around him, spear in hand. Instead of attacking him from behind, she turned to Raenna though, while Kory gasped in terror. “The fuck are you doing?”, he yelled, as he desperately parried Roffe's savage attack.
“This one's yours”, she replied with a wide, bloodthirsty grin, as she glared at Raenna. “This one's mine” She gave her a sly wink. “Hello, beautiful”, she greeted her. “Came a long way to die, huh?” And with this, Raenna had two opponents, with both, spear and club putting her at a disadvantage, the wildlings slowly pushing her back and forcing her against the wall.
An arrow went past them, only narrowly hitting neither and Myrla was distracted for a moment. Glaring at the archer, she spat onto the ground. “Bloody hell, stop shooting at us!”, she yelled. “Grab a blade and fight!” The archer nodded sheepishly, as he indeed dropped his bow. With this, he charged at Harrold and Johannes.
Raenna had taken the opportunity to dodge the club-wielding man's attack, to strike at the distracted Myrla. However, she noticed halfway through the movement that she had underestimated the man's speed once more. He grabbed her right by the throat, pushing her back and smashing her against the wall, back first, pressing the air out of her lungs and causing her to drop the dagger, as he pressed the club against her chest.
Myrla shot her a grin once more. “Say goodnight”, she hissed, as she raised her spear, the tip pointing right at Raenna's throat, as the woman was struggling to break free of the wildling's grasp. Her eyes widened as she stared at the weapon, her moves becoming more desperate. No, this would not be the end, this could not be...
Just in this moment, something came crashing through the window, a growling, barking mountain of fur. Giant jumped at Myrla, sinking his teeth into the fur covering her arm and causing the woman to scream in surprise and pain, as both went to the ground. The man with the club suppressed a curse, as he let go of Raenna, who briefly sank down, trying to regain her breath.
Tears of exhaustion had welled up in her eyes and she saw how the club-wielding wildling slammed his weapon down at Giant's back. Yelping in pain, the wolf let go of Myrla, who clutched her arm. No blood was seeping through the ruined fur, yet she still crawled back, staring at the large wolf with wide eyes.
Yelps of pain quickly turned to a growl of pure rage, as Giant snarled and snapped at the man. Myrla meanwhile reached for her spear, just as Raenna reached for her knife. The wolf jumped at the man, whose club proved to be utterly inefficient against a ferocious beast. This time aiming for his throat, the massive wolf dragged him to the ground, as the man desperately tried to protect himself.
The two were struggling right between Raenna and Myrla. The red-haired wildling woman was on her feet first, but Raenna didn't take much longer, as both glared at each other. Then, glancing at the door, Myrla sighed. “Later then”, she muttered as she rushed towards the door. Just as Raenna tried to follow her, the man, having pushed Giant off him and injuring the wolf with a heavy kick, jumped up, roaring with anger. His hands were stained with his own blood and his throat was clearly injured, yet he tackled Raenna to the ground, screaming at her, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva into her face.
A moment later, his eyes widened, as Giant had grabbed his ankle. Pulling him off Raenna, the beast bit down heavily into the exposed flesh and the man screamed. Letting go of the leg, Giant jumped onto his back and before the man was able to turn around, he had bitten down into his neck.
Not bothering with the man being mauled to death, Raenna took a moment to get an overview of the situation. Roffe was still fighting with Kory, though he clearly had the upper hand, only his rage preventing him from ending this quickly. Johannes had killed one opponent, now fighting against the archer, while Harrold was cutting down his final enemy, now having killed two. He wasted no time with getting into Myrla's way.
For a moment, the red-haired woman glared at him, before she attacked with a savage scream. Harrold parried, before knocking the spear aside. His own attack was less decisive and easily blocked, though he had put enough strength into it to split the spear right in two. She jumped back, only holding the longer and blunt part of her weapon, while Harrold spread his arms, grinning at her, his gaze a cocky one.
“Now, I don't like to hit women, so why don't you just...”, he began. The rest of his sentence got cut right off as Myrla's closed fist smashed into his face, causing him to groan and stagger back. The blunt end of her spear targeted his leg, knocking him over and sending him to the ground, as she jumped over him and towards the door.
Raenna knew this would happen even before Harrold had reached the ground. Taking aim, she raised her knife, throwing it right at the woman. The blade pierced through the air and missed her only barely, entering the wood next to the door. Myrla gasped as she stopped for a moment, glaring over her shoulder, through the carnage and right at Raenna. Narrowing her eyes with anger, she continued her escape and a moment later, she was gone in the night.
This left Roffe and Johannes still fighting. The Lord of the Last Hearth was bringing his axe down at his own brother, with the clear intent of killing him, while his wolf was savagely mauling the dying wildling in the background. Meanwhile, the guardsman was in an evenly matched fight with the archer, though the death of his companions had clearly shaken the wildling.
Roaring with anger, Roffe swung his axe wildly, having forced Kory back against one of the windows. He was livid with pure rage, while Kory looked rightfully terrified more than anything else. His wide swings made it impossible for Raenna or Harrold to intervene and as such, all she could do was to regain her breath, looking at the carnage all around her. To think she had brought Briar into this...
Her silent curse was interrupted as Roffe's roar turned into a grunt of pain. Kory had ducked below one of the strikes, embedding a small stone knife in the lord's upper leg. He tried to use this moment to break free and jump past his brother, making a desperate run for the door, but Roffe was still faster. Though he almost dropped his axe, he managed to grab Kory by the collar of his coat. “Not so fast!”, he barked, as he yanked his brother backwards and, in blind anger, right through the window.
Realizing his mistake, Roffe stumbled towards the window, staring out into the night. “Coward!”, he screamed. “Traitor! I'm going to fucking kill you!” With one final roar of rage, he moved his hand to the knife still embedded in his leg, removing it with one single, painful pull, before turning around, glaring at the final wildling. Giant let go of the mangled wildling corpse he was gnawing on and growled in a low, threatening tone.
To his credit, the man was quick to realize what danger he was in, surrounded by four fighters and a vicious wolf. He gulped and instantly let go of his sword, before going down on his knees, folding his hands behind his head. It was a gesture Raenna wouldn't have expected of a wildling. Much more surprising was his voice though, as he started to speak. “I surrender”, he said, without even a hint of the strong accent the other wildlings had. “Shit, I surrender”
Roffe limped towards the wildling, while Giant rose to his full height. The man was sweating in obvious fear and behind him, Johannes gave his lord a stern glance. “He surrendered, mylord”, he spoke and Roffe nodded slightly, before he grabbed the younger man at the collar of his fur cloak. “You better give me one fucking reason not to kill you on the spot!”, he snarled and the man grew pale. “I...”, he began, cutting himself off, before taking a deep breath. “I can talk. If you want to know what just happened, well, fuck Myrla, fuck the Half-Thenn, I can talk, if it saves my life”
The Lord of the Last Hearth had shown no sign of emotion, as he pushed their captive into the Great Hall. Bound with tight rope, the prisoner stumbled forwards, looking up at the surprised faces of Jorn Mormont, Malina Karstark, Dag Umber and his three sisters. Out of the three, the only one who remained calm was Runa Umber, though there was clear concern on her face. “You're bleeding, Roffe”, she remarked, but the lord simply waved his hand.
“Tell them”, he growled. “Tell them what you told me. All of it” He staggered backwards, finally sinking into a chair, while groaning with pain. Johannes tensed up. “I'll fetch the maester”, he offered, glancing at Roffe's still bleeding leg wound and this time, the lord was too weak to resist. Instead, he merely nodded, as the captive staggered forwards.
“What is this about?”, Dag asked, looking at the prisoner. Kari Umber clenched her fists as she glared at the man. “Who is this?”, she hissed. “And where is Kory?” Roffe merely groaned and it was Eon who spoke in his stead. “We followed him to a house in the woods”, he explained. “There, we interrupted a meeting between him and a group of wildling raiders. Several of them escaped, but this one surrendered instead”
Raenna felt Briar's hand in her own. The girl was still looking scared and Raenna had to curse herself for having brought her along. It was foolish and seeing the look on her face and the disapproval Jorn Mormont showed her after he realized, it made her realize what a close call it had been. Never again, she swore, would she be this reckless with the girl's life. Briar was all she had left of Kersea and for the sake of her friend, she'd keep her safe. As the captive spoke, she moved around the table, lifting Briar onto a chair next to Jorn, who looked at her with silent concern.
“My name...”, the prisoner began. “Is Erik Flowers. I... was a brother of the Night's Watch” He paused after this and Nea Umber was the first to understand. “A deserter”, she deduced. “You bring a deserter to our halls?” She glared down at Erik, her expression no less severe than Roffe's.
“I am a deserter”, the man admitted. “Forced to join the Watch for minor theft. Figured it's not fair I have to spend the rest of my life guarding some useless wall, when hundreds of thousands of thieves get away with it every single day, so I deserted first chance I got. Ran into Myrla and her group and they took me in”
“Myrla...”, Harrold mumbled, his hand still stained with the blood from his nose. “Seven hells, that woman has quite a punch to her” Ignoring his input, Erik straightened his back as he continued. “Myrla, you must know, is one of the sub-leaders of Horik the Half-Thenn and I can tell you, she is seriously scary”
Nea narrowed her eyes. “I know the Half-Thenn”, she admitted. “Ice River clan, is he not?” Erik shrugged at that. “Honestly, I have never met the man and Myrla hasn't really spoken much of him. She's terrified of him, that much I know” Nea narrowed, still glaring at the deserter. “For good reason”, she agreed. “Horik has led raids to our lands countless times” Her closed fist slammed down onto the table. “His men have killed our father”
“I know that much”, Erik admitted. “Myrla was part of the group. She was barely thirteen, her first raid and that was one of the things she never tired to talk about” He raised his hands at the hostile glares from the Umbers. “But I was not there, I swear! I've been with the wildlings what, a month? Two at most. Spent most of my life down in Old Oak”
Nea cut him off by raising from her seat. “Do I look like I care?”, she asked dryly. “My brother kept you alive for a reason and I bet it wasn't about your past” Erik shook his head. “I... I know something about your brother”, he stated. “See... I don't know the full story, but I'm not stupid. Myrla told me a bit and I think I got a hang of the rest” He took a deep breath and Raenna tensed up as she prepared for hearing again what Erik had told them back at the house.
“Myrla's goal was to raid the Last Hearth itself. Don't know why she'd do that, but that woman lives for a good fight. Probably wants to prove her worth to the Half-Thenn”, he explained. “For that, she sent two scouts ahead. One of them is Markus Treearms, a wildling by birth. The other one is his friend and, well, your brother, Kory... Kory Umber”
Kari gasped, while Nea clenched her teeth. Runa merely lowered her head, sighing as if she already knew it. It was Dag who continued, keeping his calm even though his voice was shivering. “So you mean to tell me that Kory betrayed us?”, he growled and Erik shrugged. “I don't know his reasons”, he stated. “Never met the man, but I think Myrla implied he's being forced by the Half-Thenn”, he was quick to answer. “But that's not the thing. See, before today, I haven't met either. They have already crossed the wall by the time I ran into Myrla's group. But the man I met today... he wasn't your brother. Myrla addressed him as Markus and I... I think he was tricking you this entire time”
“You mean to tell me that man... that wasn't Kory?”, Kari asked, looking horrified at the thought. Erik nodded nonchalantly. “I am afraid not, mylady”, he replied in a dry tone. “Markus Treearms, the man who went south together with Kory. Once here, we met only him and well, your brother kinda crashed the meeting before he could tell us about Kory's whereabouts”
Dag sighed and Raenna wasn't sure if it was shock or relief. “That explains a lot”, he admitted. “How he never really fit in. How the animals hated him the moment they first saw him” Roffe nodded, still sitting on his chair and clutching his wounded leg. “Once, I had to stop Giant from mauling him”, he muttered. “Should have let him, that fucking wildling arse”
“Then where is Kory?”, Kari asked sharply, her hands now openly shaking. To this, Erik merely shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don't know”, he said, as Nea reached for her axe. “That is all you know?”, she spat and the man took a step away from her, immediately bumping into Eon, who glared down at him.
“Almost!”, he said. “See, I don't know where your brother is. The only one who knows for certain is Markus Treearms, the man who posed as him for months” He placed a hand on his chest. “And if I had to guess, he regrouped with Myrla and they are going back beyond the wall”
“We have to stop them”, Kari demanded, but Dag shook his head. “Finding two wildlings in these lands? Sister, you should know better”, he stated. “I suppose our prisoner has an idea? One that might save his life, if I presume correctly” Now, Erik had the brief audacity to smirk. “Oh yes, I have an idea”, he replied. “And your brother had nothing against it, if I may add”
Tired, Roffe gave him a nod. The lord's behaviour had changed the moment he heard the truth. His strength and defiance had faded and he looked angry, yet defeated. “I fear we have to work with this deserter worm”, he admitted. “He's not a wildling at least, but he still knows the lands beyond the wall”
“I know the clans”, Erik claimed. “I know where Myrla will be headed once she has crossed the wall, where we can catch up to her and Markus. If we're lucky, we can do that before she regroups with the Half-Thenn and his men” He placed a hand on his chest. “I offered my service, if it means I'll be spared from the rope. Your brother's life, or at least clarity about his fate and punishment for Treearms, in exchange for my freedom once we have found him. This is what I offer”
“No way”, Nea was quick to hiss, but Dag raised a hand, looking visibly unhappy as he did. “I fear we have no choice, deserter”, he admitted. “We may need your help beyond the wall, if we are to find out what truly happened to Kory. I accept your offer, but if you betray our trust, you will be the first to die” He sighed, as he looked around, especially at the guests. “My friends, this is more than I expected and more than I can ask for. With my brother injured, I myself will accompany Erik Flowers beyond the wall, but I cannot demand that you follow me”
“I will, Ser!”, Jorn was the first to volunteer, causing Raenna to raise an eyebrow. The soft-spoken man seemed determined for once. “I might not be much of a fighter, but I know how to survive out in the cold. Whatever I can add to your task, I will do” Raenna spotted Harrold and Eon exchanging a glance and the Dustin man subtly shook his head, before Hornwood sported a wide grin. “Nobody shall claim a Hornwood doesn't dare when even that Mormont pansy volunteers to go!”, he proclaimed and Eon instantly placed a hand on his face in frustration. “Suppose I gotta come with you”, he mumbled. “That's just fucking great...”
Malina leant forwards, interest in her gaze. “Obviously, I cannot offer to come with you”, she stated. “I will accompany you until we reach the Nightfort, for my family has friends at that place. However, I won't set foot beyond the wall” With this, she smirked subtly. “But I know the man you have spoken about. Horik the Half-Thenn... from what I heard, he only speaks the Old Tongue. Anyone proficient in it? No?”, she asked, looking around and even Erik Flowers had to shake his head. “Then, I might offer some advice... I suppose you might need a reliable ally, one who can actually speak with the wildlings if necessary”
“Oh, fuck me...”, Roffe mumbled, as he realized what she just hinted at. “You're telling me we'll need the Skagosi? That fucking half-wild bastard and his crazy horse?” Without missing a beat, Malina nodded. “If you allow it, mylord, I will write a letter to be sent to Winterfell at the soonest. I am certain Mace Crowl will be glad to help you out”
The Lord of the Last Hearth rolled his eyes. “Don't you say it...”, he groaned. “Don't you fucking dare saying it!” Despite the situation, Dag couldn't contain a brief grin, an expression that was almost instantly replaced with the appropriate concern, but still, for a moment, he seemed to be gleeful. “It means you'll be in debt to Mace Crowl, dear brother”, he said and this fact seemed to bother Roffe more than the revelation that he had been living side by side with a wildling impostor for months.
In this moment, Raenna felt Briar's hand around hers clenching more tightly. The girl looked up and though her eyes were reddened from crying and she seemed exhausted, something hopeful appeared in them as well. “Will you go to the Wall?”, she asked and Raenna gulped, as she looked at Dag Umber. “I... suppose I will”, she admitted. “I stand in service of House Stark now and I was tasked with helping out the Lord Umber” She sighed. “Though it's going to be fu... very cold”
Jorn smirked at her correction, though Briar didn't seem to have noticed it. Her eyes widened. “Can I come with you?”, she asked. “Just until we reach the Wall? I want to see it... please, please, please, please, can I?” Getting more lively again with every passing moment, she looked at Raenna, then at Malina. “And when you go beyond it, I stay with Malina and I go with her, back to Winterfell”
Malina nodded at this. “If you allow it, mylady, it'll be my pleasure to look after the little one”, she offered. “I haven't seen the Wall either, but I heard it is quite the sight. A once in a lifetime opportunity” Jorn however seemed more serious. “Winterfell is where she should have been all along”, he stated and Briar shot him a glare. “I don't know what happened today, but I bet it was a close call. Just think what could have happened. The Wall might not be all that dangerous, but I think she should be back behind King Torrhen's walls as soon as possible”
As soon as he said this, Briar frowned at him, narrowing her eyes, though she quickly regained her sweet demeanour. “But I want to see the Wall”, she begged. Jorn, who noticed Raenna's hesitation, sighed. “Oh, come on, you can't be serious”, he hissed. “You know what will be best for the girl, don't you?”
[Take Briar with you to the Wall][Send Briar back to Winterfell]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
I Really like this part and it is for the totally biased reason that two of the characters that I created(Myrla and Erik Flowers) were introduced in it. It is so cool seeing characters that I made in this story and I can't wait to see what you do with them. I'm most likely going to say this everytime a character I made is introduced but I am really excited for it.
Although I really have to ask, since I only joined the forums in April, Which means Characters like Myrla and Erik didn't exist at that time, what were you going to do with this part before they were created? Would someone else have taken these roles or did you only come up with this idea for the storyline when you got then?
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall] This development was certainly unexpected, and it makes you wonder how are they going to find them. So Erik Flowers is a bastard from House Oakheart? then what is his relationship with Devrin Oakheart and the rest of his family?
Seeing the Wall and finally meeting Harrigon Hoare, that will be interesting.
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] Bad idea taking her.
Wilding scum. They'll pay, all of them.
Also, I meant to say this earlier, so sorry about your grandfather. I was wondering if something had happened to him when I saw a drought of posting in the thread. Even though words are fickle, just though that we are here for you friend.
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Firstly, I really enjoyed this part, very entertaining and action-packed! Also, it's nice to see my fellow Free Folk finally getting a role in the story And oh man, "Kory" being a completely different infiltrator was a genius twist - exactly the kind of trickery I'd expect from the wildlings Makes me wonder what sort of man the actual Kory is...
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] I'm not too disappointed if the other option wins because I really enjoy the interactions between Raenna and Briar. However, I think this part served as a reminder that Raenna should be a bit more responsible with Briar.
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly cr… moreouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Ko… [view original content]
Comments
[Don't promise him]
[Don't promise him]
[Promise him] I'm not choosing this out of any love for Damon (though I do think he is a pretty cool character), but rather to start shifting Kyra's loyalties away from King Harren. The Hoares are not worthy of Kyra's loyalty, and the last thing I want is her to go down with them. Of course, siding with Damon has its dangers as well, but at least it is not doomed to end in dragonfire.
[Don't promise him]
[Promise him] Seems like going with this would mean that Damon would be less inclined to do something against Gravven, and it would also give Kyra a better insight into what Damon is planning here since he mentioned they would be "equals". While I don't doubt Gravven and Kyra can handle themselves quite well and I don't think Damon would do something to hurt his sister, he is still a scheming snake and you can never be too careful around those.
Hm, for certain, Kyra siding with Damon here will be a pretty big step away from her loyalties to House Hoare. It's clear that there are two routes for Kyra to go forward in her parts, this being a route in which she stays loyal to House Hoare and one where she stays loyal to Damon. I can confirm, both routes do hold their dangers, though there's also a chance to survive in either route. The only thing that should be certain is that while she can make choices to benefit both sides for some time (such as executing Herman to keep Damon safe but potentially later on refusing to promise him loyalty), that likely won't suffice to satisfy either of them in the long run. But as I said, both routes hold potential for death or survival, so following Damon might not be the only way Kyra gets out of this alive. I can confirm that one route will be clearly more dangerous though, which on this is remains to be seen
Aye, you got that one right. Promising Damon loyalty might be enough for him to believe Kyra when she swears that she got Gravven under control. After all, while the true depths of what he learned still evade him, Herman's words gave him something to think about and Damon rightfully fears that given enough time, he could realize what is truly happening here. And while you are right, Damon is very unlikely to ever do anything to directly harm Kyra, the same protection does not apply to Gravven, which is something Kyra is quite afraid of.
[Promise him]
[Promise him] I like this choice more
RT:
1) Well well am I wrong or in this part we have the first FoT execution?
2)After months finally someone decide to join the deceased list!Hurray!
3) I forget something or this part is the first time that we read of Vickon aka the third Greyjoy sibling? Btw after read such a nice story about this character I'm curious to read where you plan to use him
4) So all the events of Kyra storyline for this chapter happened because Damon wanted to silence one of her men
5) Damon is showing to be a man that will stop at nothing to reach his goals! I can say that I really like how you portrait him (and his relationship with his sister) and I hope that we will see more of him
6) After all this talk about silence Gravven I'm curious what Damon will do after he see Rell Vessel deliver his message to the King (let's remember that his father know of the Greyjoy plans to betray the Hoare and He probably could decide to betray the cause if he see that his son is not anymore in danger)
7) Speaking of people that know about Damon intentions..where is good old Gabin?It seems ages that we don't see him and I'm curious to learn what he is doing now
You know, I think you are actually right. At the very least, this is the first formal execution of a named character. There was the failed attempt to execute Wolfius and there were a couple deaths that were effectively executions (Himani and Halla to be precise), but this is the very first time someone with an actual right to execute someone did such to a named character in a perfectly lawful way, means this was the first time an actual execution took place. It... is quite likely not going to remain the last.
And Herman won't remain the last for long. I always intend to keep the deaths from piling up at the end of the chapter, but it has just sort of happened so far. Here's hoping it will change in Chapter 3, though I can for sure promise that Chapter 4 will be a lot closer to the Raid on Raylansfair in the way deaths are structured throughout the chapter
I think there have been minor mentions before, of Kyra's brother. A quick search told me that Vickon has been name-dropped only one, namely in Chapter 5 of Book 1, during the meeting of the Riverlords, but only off-handedly. I can promise that he will appear in person, but he is currently back on Pyke and not in the right condition to travel over larger distances, so it is likely you'll have to wait until the narrative reaches the Iron Islands for him to actually appear.
Aye, it has all been Damon's rather complicated attempt to silence someone (A Riverlander named Edgar to be precise, formerly a member of the Sons of the Trident, whose betrayal allowed the Ironborn to capture and eventually execute the Sons' former leader Addam Wode) who knew too much without the deed being able to be tracked back to him. Since he always has a backup plan, he furthermore used this necessary deed to strengthen his connection to the Sons of the Trident. And then he manipulated Kyra into killing the only man who knew about his duplicity, as he very much expected her to kill Herman Irons. That whole scheme is pretty much Damon in a nutshell.
Oh yes, you will see more of him! In fact, Damon will be a major character in Book 2, whose importance has grown in the same amount as Kyra's, from only appearing in two chapters of Book 1 to becoming an active player in the Riverlands storyline. Kyra is going to be a main PoV and Damon is part of her main conflict, so I am really glad you enjoy him so far!
You bring up a really small, but potentially crucial detail here. It is true, Simon Vessels has entered into an alliance with Damon back in Book 1 out of anger and concern for his son. Now Rell returned safely and Simon might decide that he doesn't need to support Damon's cause anymore. Be assured, Damon has the same thoughts and he is contemplating what to do, but his alliance with Simon will be brought up at a later point for sure.
And there you bring up the other guy who knows of Damon's true intentions! Be assured, Gabin is still at Harrenhal, I just had no room to show him so far. However, he will appear in quite a big role in Book 2 and he will most likely reappear in the next chapter. Same goes for Simon Vessels, actually, but Gabin will have a vastly increased role indeed.
The Voting is closed!
Kyra is not going to promise Damon her loyalty
Actually, we got a vote tie here, in a very active voting on top of that. As such, the first vote wins and Kyra is not going to promise Damon her loyalty. This was the most important Kyra choice to date and one of the big choices of the chapter, with consequences that are going to be quite big, though not necessarily negative, or entirely negative. It will change the tone of her storyline for the next chapter for certain and well, let's just say that Damon will be anything but pleased with her decision. If he's actually going to risk doing anything about it is another question entirely though.
So, the next part should be out later today. I got another forum thing going which I wish to finish first and I cannot stay up for particularly long today, as I have to get out earlier than usual tomorrow. As in, pretty much the middle of the night. As such, the new part might not be released until tomorrow. I am currently writing a Garthon part, though I am not entirely satisfied with it so far and might decide to cut it in half, giving him another part in a week or two and giving you a different choice here. In that case, I can also include an Arthur part. So, last time we saw Garthon, he had a discussion with Petyr Blackwood about their future course of action. Petyr informed him that he wishes to get more active in the growing rebellion against House Hoare. For this, he wants to meet with his allies, though he was not sure if he should first meet with Brandon Frey, Elmont Piper or Edmyn Tully. Garthon eventually adviced him to meet with Piper first, the only of the three whom he himself has never met before. Meanwhile, last time we saw Arthur, he entered into an alliance with Rodrik Grimthorn, better known as the Sphynx, Ryler's uncle and unexpected ally against Wolfius. Rodrik was quick to come up with a plan to find Wolfius, as he believes that the man in return can lead them to Lupin, whom he suspects to be the true mastermind behind Woodbark's killing spree. As such, he himself wanted to meet with the Tom, to ask for support, counting on their mutual grudge against Wolfius and Lupin, whereas Ryler was supposed to head back to Mathea's place to meet with Rosalie Mettel, whom Rodrik hopes can offer valuable intel, as the only survivor of Wolfius' attack during the Raid on Raylansfair. Arthur decided to accompany Rodrik and that is where we're going to pick up in his next part. Just a word of advice, should I manage to give Garthon a full-length part, Arthur won't appear in the part after the next one, as I wish to give that one to Edrick to finish the Riverlands storylines for this chapter. In that case, the return to Raylansfair will happen in two parts from now.
Hello! I've done some drawing for FoT again, a portrait this time, that being Damon Greyjoy. Just wanted to drop this before Liquid posts the next part
Oh, this is definitely a welcome surprise! I am currently a bit struggling with things unrelated to the part itself (among other things, my keyboard decided that today would be a perfect day to effectively die), so I can only hope to release the next part before heading to bed, but I can say for certain that FoT portraits are always something I enjoy
Damon is definitely a character I enjoy writing, so this portrait is particularly welcome! Like with his earlier drawing, you really captured the guy, not only in terms of looks, but also in terms of expression, I like this subtle, yet menacing vibe he gives off. So, thank you very much for the portrait, this is a great addition and made me only more excited for some of the material coming up for him 
Garthon
“I know we can count on Brandon Frey”, Garthon spoke, before he clenched his fists. “And the same applies to Tully... I suppose” Petyr gave him a nod, apparently not noticing the anger in his voice as he mentioned the Riverlord who abandoned Torvin. “But I don't know anything about Lord Piper aside from what you told me. I think I'd like to meet the man”
“Then I shall keep your advice in mind”, Petyr promised. “Truth be told, I've been leaning towards Piper for a while now. I urged Edmyn to approach him last time, but he rather sought the support of a wealthy lord, such as Mallister” He frowned. “And we all know how that ended. Unfortunately, Mallister even seems to have gotten away with it. Last thing I heard, his poor daughter had to marry Harren's beast of a firstborn”
Garthon gulped at these news. “Nobody deserves that”, he stated calmly, a statement which Petyr nodded to. “Alas, I fear Arrec's greed has doomed his house. This marriage is one of despair, for he had no other options for his daughter after severing ties with us” A thin, hopeful smile formed on his face. “Besides, the man has three daughters. Raymon remains unpromised, so perhaps we can form an alliance of a more permanent manner”
He patted Garthon onto the back and the two men shared a smile. “You are truly welcome here!”, Petyr then said. “After Harrenhal, after your brother, I... we all feared that this would be over. The day I returned home, me and Evelyn had perhaps the only fight in over two decades. She called me reckless, told me I had endangered everything we have worked for all these years” He sighed and his smile faded, replaced by the sullen look Garthon had come to know from him. “Worst part is, she isn't wrong. I was sick of doing nothing, so I had become reckless”
“Many have”, Garthon replied, biting down on his lower lip as he remembered Torvin's fatal mistake. “Though we can still make it right” Petyr smiled at the hopeful suggestion, before he carefully nodded. “With you by our side, maybe we can”, he agreed. “Your brother nearly woke the Riverlords from a hundred years of apathy. I hope this is a fire not easily quenched”
Garthon narrowed his eyes. “Not if I have a say in it”, he growled, clenching his shaking fist as he spoke. “Harren made sure to destroy every trace of Torvin's legacy. All but this. He murdered my brother and for that, I'll see his line ended”
“We will”, Petyr promised. “What he did to my family, or Frey's, or Tully's, it cannot be undone, but I can make sure that my children grow up in a better world” He extended his hand and without hesitating, Garthon shook it. “Now, you have given me much to think about. Our next move, how far I am willing to go in this... it requires contemplation”
Garthon got the hint and he smiled slightly. “I will leave you to your thoughts then, mylord”, he replied and Petyr nodded. “Go and meet my wife”, he spoke. “She will assign you and your companions rooms in the castle. You are my guests and whatever it is you desire, say the word and I shall acquire it for you!”
With this, they separated and Garthon left the room, with Petyr remaining behind with his thoughts. It had been a more successful day than he would have expected this morning. Perhaps the Sons of the Trident had a chance in the war to come, with House Blackwood by their side. That being said, a bad feeling remained at the though of having to meet Edmyn Tully again one day. Though his motives had been understandable, he still abandoned Torvin and Garthon found it hard to remain objective in that case. Still, Tully remained the most powerful of the Riverlords.
Out in the hallway, the next surprise awaited. Leaning against the opposing wall, his arms crossed, stood Maurice Mad-Eye, Petyr's advisor. The ugly man was looking at him, arms crossed, his eye twitching slightly. Then, he nodded. “Breaker”, he spoke and Garthon gulped at the displeased and unsettling stare. “Your... name is Maurice, right?”, he replied
Again, Maurice nodded. “I am called Mad-Eye, if Maurice feels to personal for you”, he replied firmly, even if his tone was slightly on the cold side. Garthon sighed. “I don't mind”, he assured him. “Though I suppose I owe you an apology, for talking to the lord alone, I mean”
A subtle smile formed on Maurice's lips. “Oh, do not worry”, he said. “I haven't listened to your conversation” He shrugged and his smile became slightly smug. “Albeit I hope you are aware that Lord Petyr will inform me later on” Garthon nodded at this. “Figured that much. Doesn't change that I wanted to talk to him alone first. In this entire castle, he's the only man I know, my companions aside”
“Ah, of course”, Maurice said, before he pointed down the hallway. “Would you walk with me, Ser? There is much to discuss” He began to walk, not waiting for Garthon, who nonetheless quickly followed. “What is this about?”, he asked quickly, as Maurice stopped already, in front of a wooden door. Reaching into his coat, he grabbed a key, which he used to gain entrance. “Follow me, please”, he said softly.
The room behind was not Maurice's private room, as Garthon had half expected, but a smaller room, similar to the one he had just been in together with Lord Petyr. There was a desk, as well as two chairs, next to a small cupboard, filled with scrolls. “Take a seat, please”, Maurice said, as he closed the door behind Garthon.
As soon as both had sat down, the Riverlander leant forward, his twitching eye glaring at Garthon for a moment, before he pulled himself together, his thin lips forming a smile. “Truth be told, I am not angry that you insisted on speaking alone”, he revealed. “Because it means that right now, only you and Lord Petyr know the full extent of your discussion. Not me, not the Blackwood family, not the servants or your companions... another topic I would like to talk about in a bit”
Garthon tensed up a the man's tone, though he gave him a nod. “Go on”, he said and Maurice leant back in his chair. “I was doing just that, yes”, he said smugly. “So, let me get to the core of the issue plaguing Raventree Hall at the moment, the reason why I agree with your decision, as much as I would already like to know about the details of your conversation with my lord” He placed his elbows on his belly, folding the hands just below his chin and calmly glancing at Garthon. “I believe that there is a spy in this castle. Someone with a connection to Harrenhal, sending intel right to the king”
This fit with what Edric Rivers had told him before, part of Garthon's reason to be here. If Maurice knew about it as well, this gave more room for the rebel's fears about Hoare's agents within the walls of this castle. “Why are you telling me about this?”, he asked. “I mean, why are you trusting me with this? I am Ironborn after all”
“Yes, that you are, and make no mistake, I am not fond of your kind”, Maurice assured him. “At the same time, you and your companions are the only ones in this castle I can trust, aside from my lord, his lovely wife and their children of course, for you have only just arrived. I might not particularly like you, Breaker, but it doesn't change the fact that you are an ally and the only one I can reasonably trust in this”
“Besides Lord Petyr, I presume?”, Garthon brought up, though to his surprise, Maurice shook his head. “Not in this case, not with my suspicion”, he spoke. “See, what I am about to tell you must not reach the lord's ears, or else I fear he might do something... foolish” His tone was stern and strict and Garthon had no other way but to nod, knowing of how serious the man was.
“I know someone is informing the king about our actions here, about Petyr's next move and the fact that he is not willing to give up after what your brother did”, Maurice began to explain. “I fear, in time the king will learn of your arrival. Might take a week, might take two, depending how frequently the spy sends word to Harrenhal, but make no mistake, word of your survival will reach Harren”
This caused Garthon to tense up. There was only slight worry for Rell, but even more so for himself. A lot of the plan depended on Harren believing him to be dead. “What can we do about this?”, he asked and Maurice sighed. “I have put some research into this before you arrived”, he said. “There are two individuals whom I believe to be suspicious in this. Might be just one of them, might be both, or, if we're unlucky, it might be neither”
“And you can't keep an eye on both at the same time”, Garthon deduced, to which Maurice shot him a brief, honest smile. “See, already doing the work”, he complimented him. “Indeed, I need a partner in this. I will take on one of the targets, while you keep an eye on the other. That way, we might have a shot at uncovering the true traitor”
Garthon nodded. “And whom do you have in mind?”, he asked, to which Maurice raised an eyebrow above his twitching eye. “Does the name Redloon mean anything to you?”, he spoke and Garthon sighed, remembering Harren's underling, the Riverlander bootlicker Velmont. “Met the man on several occasions”, he replied. “What about him?”
“Well, his sister-in-law is working here in the castle. His family has lived in the area for a long time and even though his brother has died years ago, the girl still works here”, he revealed. “Marie Redloon, young widow, seemingly dedicated servant, yet equipped with a sort of intelligence that is simply unsightly for a woman. Notably the only person in this entire castle with an active connection to Harrenhal and to a man right by the king's side nonetheless” He shrugged. “She's not the, ahem, difficult target though, not the one I wish to keep a secret from Petyr. I am afraid the other potential option is none other than Ser Torvin Hale”
Ignoring the shiver he felt at the mention of the name, Garthon sighed sharply. “Petyr's father-in-law”, he stated and Maurice nodded with regret. “The motive would be simple. There is nothing worse than mourning what you have lost and Torvin is no difference”, he explained. “Only a minor lord he has been, but master of his own keep and ruler of his own land. No one has lost more to the union of Petyr Blackwood and Evelyn Hale. A man like that can be tempted by the riches our king has to offer, or tempted by old grudges, dwelling over a lost fortune”
“You believe he would betray his daughter's husband?”, Garthon asked and Maurice merely shrugged. “I say he has been acting suspiciously, like the Redloon girl and unlike anyone else in this castle. If anyone is the spy, it's one of them, or else we're really in some deep shit, if you don't mind me saying” The twitching around his eye grew a bit stronger. “And I want you to focus on one of them. Choose, then I will keep an eye on the other one”
[Focus on Marie Redloon] [Focus on Torvin Hale]
Arthur
The castle had changed. Arthur hadn't noticed it in the days that followed the raid, where grief and anger had clouded his mind. But right now, following Rodrik Grimthorn, the change was undeniable. It was no longer the dead husk it used to be during the late reign of Robert Raylan, nor was it the tense, paranoid place Harris had shaped it into. But he wasn't able to say if the change was for the better. There was something dark about it now, a gloomy, pressing atmosphere, though at the same time, perhaps it was just his imagination, the lingering feeling of dread over what Sherryl had told him.
One thing the castle definitely wasn't though was lifeless. In fact, it was crowded, especially with the new arrivals from Selwyn Tower. Servants bearing the sigil of House Selwyn were still carrying crates into the keep, containing the numerous belongings of the lord and his family. Walking past them, Arthur had to wonder just how much of his personal belongings the Lord of Selwyn Tower had taken with him and for what reason. If it was just to show off his riches, he definitely succeeded.
Rodrik had said preciously little during their walk, not that Arthur cared much for small talk. The man had put his mask back on, fully becoming the Sphynx once more, a man to fear, a man to dread, an unexpected and unlikely ally, yet Arthur had to ask himself already how long this could remain. Once Wolfius was taken out, once Lupin was found, what would they do? Rodrik was not a friend and after all that Sherryl had told him, the Sphynx might even be an enemy in the future.
Leading him into the keep and through a set of hallways, the Sphynx approached the lord's audience room. Muffled voices came from out of it and two of Vyrwel's guards were present in front of it, the older Hugo Farnham and his companion, the former hedge knight Ian Shortwood. It was the latter who did not tense up at the sight of the Sphynx, keeping his cool while Hugo subconsciously placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
“What do you want, Sphynx?”, Ian snarled harshly and Rodrik stopped. “Lord Petyr is busy. Talks with Donnel Selwyn” Though the mask covered his face, Arthur was certain to hear Rodrik's smirk as he replied. “Be assured, it's not Lord Petyr I seek to talk to, nor do I have any desire to talk to Selwyn. It it the Tom I wish to speak to. He's in there, I believe?”
“Actually, I am not!”, a deep, purring voice sounded from beyond the corner at the other end of the hallway. Arthur slightly shivered at the sound and he was only half certain the man with the white and golden mask did not wait behind it for his moment. He stepped beyond the corner and he had the white-haired giant with him, the Moggy, who towered over even the tallest man Arthur had ever met by a solid foot.
What truly filled him with dread though was the third figure, led by the Moggy. It was a short man, in sharp contrast to the Moggy, yet beneath his grey tunic, his oddly well-shaped body was clearly visible. Though his skin was as white as that of the giant, he was entirely bald, even lacking eyebrows, as Arthur noticed. There was something truly unnerving in his dark eyes, a wild look, more feral than anything he had ever seen before from a human being. Even Wolfius at least had some form of intellect, but the way this man looked around, sniffing the air, giggling slightly and smirking a crooked, hungry smirk, it reminded him of a rabid hound. In fact, the man was led in chains, his hands wrapped into thick iron, tied to his body, with the Moggy holding the chain with one of his hands, the other one resting on the prisoner's body.
Rodrik sighed as the trio approached and by now, Arthur noticed that Hugo was shivering, while Ian's smug expression quickly faded, replaced by genuine concern. “What the fuck is that...”, he mumbled and the wild man's attention snapped right towards him. His mouth opened into a grin, revealing a row of teeth, filed to disturbing points.
“That is the reason why we must speak to the lord at once”, the Tom ordered and by now, the two knights did not dare to resist. The Tom was Mullendore's favoured, he won the trial by combat, it was widely known. His influence was enough to command them around, as Arthur noticed and reluctantly, Hugo turned around to knock at the door.
It took a moment for the door to open. Petyr Vyrwel stood behind, an annoyed look on his face, though it quickly faded as he saw the chained prisoner. “By the Stranger, does this has to happen right now?”, he spat, anger mingling with shock at the disturbingly feral man. “Do you have to lead this to my audience room?”
“Ser Maron's order has been clear”, the Tom replied calmly and Petyr turned to glare over his shoulder. Behind him, Maron Mullendore emerged, shrugging nonchalantly. “The timing could have been better”, the one-eyed knight admitted. “Yet I assumed we'd already be done with the negotiations. Never expected it to last this long”
“You flatter me”, a third voice came from inside the room and as Petyr and Maron both stepped outside, the man in question followed. He was older than either of them, with notably tanned skin and a blonde comb-over. His mouth formed a thin line and his eyes were narrowed, giving him a stern, almost dour frown as he spotted the masked men. “But what does this mean? I do not appreciate being interrupted”
“Mylord Donnel, these are some of Maron's servants”, Lord Petyr explained, seemingly ignoring the presence of Arthur, who was actually somewhat glad to be overlooked in this situation. He was well aware that the Tom was staring at him though. “Coming with a solution to one of the problems that plague our fair city” He sighed. “I... hate to interrupt this talk, but may I ask you to wait for a moment, while I sort this out?”
He turned to the masked men, as Donnel Selwyn behind him sharply inhaled. “I will not be ignored, Petyr!”, he warned him and after his brief outburst of anger, he put on a wide, charming smile. “We had a nice talk going on, would be a shame to cut it short right now, wouldn't it? I know, and I don't think I'm alone with that feeling, that we're close to a breakthrough in the negotiations”
Petyr gulped, as Donnel tilted his head. “What I want is, that you tell me what these... fine men want to do right now”, he said. “And then we can continue our talks” To this, the Lord of Raylansfair sighed. It was clear how hesitant he was around this man, a sight that surprised Arthur. Before that, he had always experienced Lord Petyr as a determined and uncompromising man.
“As I said, they offer a solution to one of the problems that haunt Raylansfair”, he revealed and the chained man giggled audibly at this. “Two criminals are on the run, a man and a woman, both incredibly dangerous” Maron was quick to nod. “The man, Leonard Constantine, he...”, he began, though he did not manage to continue his sentence.
Before, there were traces of affability on Donnel Selwyn's face, but the moment Constantine got mentioned, they faded. His mouth tightened, though his eyes slightly widened with anger. “What is your deal with Constantine?”, he growled and Maron raised an eyebrow in surprise. Arthur had spent his life with the interrogation of prisoners and he knew how a liar looked. Mullendore wasn't even trying to hide his feigned surprise. “You know Constantine?”, he asked and Donnel was quick to nod. “Of course I do!”, he replied sharply. “The man is dishonest, he's a fraud and a false knight!”
Petyr's surprise was genuine and he smiled at the unexpected opening. “May I ask what he did to offend you in such a way, mylord?”, he asked. “Let me assure you, you won't find any friend of Constantine in this city” Donnel, still visibly angered at the mention of Ser Leonard, now managed to take a deep breath. “My daughter, Vanesha, she's fond of him”, he revealed. “Of him! A landless knight, without any ties to the great houses of our wonderful kingdom! He has switched his liege more often than most foreign sellswords! What more does a father need?" He shook his head, his anger growing again and he raised a finger, as he continued his tirade. “In fact, he even tried to dishonour my daughter and when I confronted him about it, he had the nerve to attack me!”, he barked, as he shook his head. “Should have shown him how justice is done at Selwyn Tower right there!”
“That might have been for the better, mylord”, Maron agreed. “Because I am afraid the charges we currently want him for are worse than that” He sighed. “Constantine allegedly murdered a girl, over in Oldtown. Would that surprise you?” To this, Donnel shook his head. “No, it would not”, he admitted. “Though it is low, even for him. Maybe hearing this will finally make Vanesha see the truth about her knight” He shrugged. “Terrible with that girl in Oldtown, of course. I take it you are on to the case?”
Maron nodded and with the briefest of smiles, Donnel patted him onto the shoulder. With this, the knight turned to his liege. “Lord Petyr, I got this. I'll deal with the Cats, while you can continue the negotiation with Lord Selwyn” This seemed to satisfy both, Petyr and Donnel, as the Lord of Selwyn Tower already turned back to the room. “Very well then. With me, Petyr”, he ordered and with a small sigh and the barely visible rolling of his eyes, Petyr followed.
“Shall we walk for a bit?”, Maron asked and the Tom, glancing at the knights, nodded. Then, the red-haired man was the first to turn to Arthur. “And you are?”, he growled. Looking into this one, cold green eye, Arthur tensed up and for a moment, the irrational fear of the man reading his mind threatened to overcome him. If Mullendore would know what he knew, what Sherryl told him... the man was a monster, worse than the Alley Cats, worse even than the feral man they kept with them.
“Arthur Nathamer”, he introduced himself. “Of Raylansfair's city guard” Maron glanced at the Sphynx, before he nodded. “A surprise meeting I'd sure like to hear more about once...” He pointed at the feral prisoner. “That is out of the way. Though your opinion might be welcome. Come with us and I shall explain”
Reluctantly and only after Rodrik's seemingly reassuring nods, Arthur followed the order, accompanying Maron and the Alley Cats into an adjacent room. It was one of the smaller halls who hadn't been used since the days of Lord Raylan's father. Dusty linen was placed over the furniture and only few rays of sunlight entered through the dim windows.
Lifting one of the line sheets, Maron seemed satisfied with the state of the chair below and he seated himself, sighing slightly as he stretched his weak leg, resting the wooden cane next to him. He stared at Arthur, then quickly at the chained man. “When I asked for a solution, I did not expect you to bring me a madman, Tom”, he growled, his voice cold and without any affability.
The Tom met his gaze with a similarly cold one of his own. “You asked for the most effective solution. I thought about it and here we are”, he explained, pointing at the chained man, though careful enough not to get too close to him. With an almost hungry gaze, the prisoner stared at the Tom's fingers. “Maron, I want you to meet the Fang”
As he said the man's name, the prisoner giggled in an unnerving way, revealing his fanged teeth. If anything, even Mullendore seemed unsettled by him. “Can it... speak?”, he asked and to this, the Fang himself nodded. “Oh yes, the Fang listens”, he growled, his tone bearing the heavy accent of a man from Dorne, yet without showing any of their features. “The Fang just doesn't speak very often”
“Where did you have him all this time?”, Maron asked and the Tom shrugged. “Chained in a cage”, he replied. “We don't let him walk around freely, not after the incidents” Beneath his mask, his eyes narrowed. “But he is effective, he proved himself in these regards. In fact, I'd say you won't find a more effective way to find the targets”
“Constantine and the girl”, Maron was kind enough to explain towards Arthur. “Both wanted killers. In fact, we believe the girl has been involved with the death of Lord Raylan” Briefly, Arthur tensed up as he remembered a girl, the one who was with the one-eyed killer, the day both delivered Wolfius to the Nathamer estate. Back then, he already suspected their involvement. Could it be her? Though he remained silent, almost too intimidated to speak at the presence of the Fang. For some reason, the almost runtish man managed to be the most menacing next to Maron Mullendore and three Alley Cats.
“I asked my right-hand man for a solution and a solution he delivered”, the knight continued. “I suppose this... Fang will track them down?” To this, the Tom nodded. “We can trust the Fang with killing his mark”, he confirmed. “Getting him to come back might be the issue”
To Arthur's horror, a slight smirk appeared on Maron's face. “They are in Oldtown”, he said, his hand moving across the scarred side of his face, the flesh shivering at his tough. “That city chose its own doom when they rejected me. If the price for Constantine's death is the Fang's freedom, then they deserve having to deal with it” With this, he directly stared at the feral man. “Fang!”, he addressed him and the Fang giggled. “Will you do as I order you to do? Will you kill Leonard Constantine?”, he growled.
The Fang's grin widened, wider than any grin ever should be and if Arthur wasn't horrified at the scenery and the implications already, he'd be at the sight of this expression. “Yes”, he simply hissed. “The Fang promises to kill the man” This seemed to suffice for Maron, who gave Arthur a nod. “Just thought you should know. We are working on keeping the city safe, you see. Constantine and his girl are never going to threaten us again once the Fang is done with them”, he said in an almost jovial tone.
“At the expense of Oldtown”, the Sphynx, of all people, mumbled, before he clenched his fists. “Maron, I must protest! The Fang is... he is too much. Not a practical solution to the problem at hand. In fact, I fear he will create more issues than he solves” The Fang's grin did not fade and he even managed to give a small, audacious nod.
“If Constantine manages to destabilize Petyr's rule, this city will collapse”, Maron argued in return, though the Sphynx shook his head. “But Constantine will fail”, he claimed. “Send someone else. Someone we can control. The Fang cannot be tamed. He promises you one thing, but in the end, we can't even be sure about that”
“You seem to hesitate, Sphynx”, Maron spoke. “Is that weakness I sense in you? Are you not willing to do whatever it takes to keep the city safe?” He glanced at Arthur, smiling thinly. “As so many of the good men of the city guard did during the raid. Your father, I have heard? My condolences”
“That is not the issue”, Rodrik protested. “The Fang... he is one of Lupin's creations. One of the few we kept alive, for whatever reason. You have barely known Lupin, but I can assure you, he is, without any doubt, the most rotten and most dangerous being you can imagine. Now think of what his creation is capable of”
A sly smile formed on Maron's face. “I'm doing it right now”, he said. “And I believe this... man is precisely the weapon we need against Constantine” His smile faded, replaced a cold, cunning look. “Your criticism has been noted and dismissed, Sphynx” He looked at the Tom, who moved a gloved fist to his heart. “While I agree with the Sphynx about the danger the Fang poses...”, he began and Arthur noticed how Maron narrowed his eyes. “I trust your judgement. The Fang is the only one I know of who can reliably find Constantine in Oldtown”
“Good”, the knight confirmed, seeming pleased with the Tom's support. “Now, with that out of the way, are there any other contributions?” He glanced at Arthur, who was frozen in naked fear of this deranged beast right there. “If not, we can proceed to set him on his way and get it over with, yes?”
Arthur knew, any protest would likely amount to nothing, as seen with Rodrik. Yet at the same time, it was Rodrik's protest that made him so uncomfortable. If even this man had objections to the use of the Fang, could he truly remain silent? Surely, Maron was the one in power here and he wanted to hear words of support, but Arthur wasn't so certain if he could swallow his conscience enough for that. As futile as it was, could he truly walk out of this room without at least trying to discourage Mullendore from using this monster? And would it be worth the consequences of potentially angering the castellan of Raylansfair?
[Protest against using the Fang] [Speak in favour of using the Fang] [Remain silent]
[Focus on Torvin Hale] I seriously doubt he would betray his family for something as meaningless as money or a keep. I know it sounds naive, but hoping to get a nice reward from Harren Hoare is like approaching a wild animal without knowing what it is; it can kill you or do nothing.
[Protest against using the Fang] While I don't think Mullendore will listen, letting someone as dangerous as the Fang wander freely would be releasing a wild beast in a populated area. If he's even crazier than Wolfius, then they should just return it to the cage were he belongs.
[Focus on Torvin Hale] Don't really know the guy, so we don't have bias. Maurice would though.
[Remain silent] Yeah, uh, unless Arthur wants his hand bit off or something, it's going to be a no, even if I like Leonard.
Sexist!
Oh, what a terrible crime. The shame! The dishonor!
Okay, so remember how I said that the Rat reminded me of Rukh (I was pretty wrong, better with the Ib connection). Well, this thing, the Fang, even if he isn't a perfect physical match, he's Rukh in role. A weird unnatural creature/thing sent to track down and eliminate our heroes? Bingo. He's real freaky, and I am very concerned for my dear Leonard (and Kersea too...I guess). I doubt that Arthur saying anything here will actually do something (in relation to the Fang being sicced after Leonard and Kersea), it will probably just impact on they perceive Arthur, so the neutral choice is the best (although I remember long ago that we chose neutrality, and it ended...poorly).
Also, this connection to Lupin interests me. I haven't forgotten about him...
[Focus on Torvin Hale]
[Remain Silent]
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
I actually believe the traitor to be Torvin Hale, but spying on Petyr's father in law could potentially sour our relationship with House Blackwood if we were to be discovered, so it's best to leave it to Maurice.
[Remain Silent]
There's not much Arthur can do to change the situation, best not to anger Mullendore.
[Focus on Torvin Hale]
[Remain silent]
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
[Speak in favour of using the Fang]
[Focus on Marie Redloon] I've been trying to think about this choice in terms of which is the smarter option, but with info we have now I honestly can't say. So, instead I'll base my choice simply on which character I'd like to learn more about, and Marie Redloon seems quite interesting.
[Remain silent] The less Maron pays attention to Arthur the better. It is kind of worrying to see him in the midst of all these terrible people, but for now the smart thing to do is just to lay low. And it seems Lupin is being built up as the main antagonist of Arthur's storyline, which should be interesting. We've heard so much of him, and seen all these freaks he has created... I gotta feeling he'll be a huge pain in the ass for Arthur, and potentially many other characters as well. Also, I liked Donnel in this part more than in his introduction scene, there was imo a better balance here between the humorous stuff and establishing him as a character (rather than just a Trump caricature).
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
[Remain Silent]
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
[Remain Silent]
Aye, you encountered one of Maurice's least sympathetic traits. The man is, among other things, unashamedly sexist, to a degree that raises eyebrows even in the setting. Ironically, given whom he is serving, it is a very Ironborn point of view.
Well, if we take Donnel's version of the events at face value, it actually is quite a serious offense. Seducing a lord's daughter, alright, that is shameful but more for her than for him. Attacking a lord though, as Donnel claimed, that is definitely a crime and a serious one at that. The fact that Leonard served other houses after his falling out with Donnel might indicate that his version cannot be entirely taken at face value though and that the truth is more complicated than that.
That is a brilliant comparison, actually! The Rat definitely isn't Rukh, but the Fang, he is far closer in terms of his role, being this unsettling thing sent to track down the heroes. The main difference is probably in their general temper. If I remember correctly, Rukh was rather focussed and stoic, whereas the Fang is so unhinged that even the Sphynx, being ever the pragmatist, ends up having second thoughts about using him. Concern is definitely in order, because this man is not to be taken lightly in any way. While he is definitely unhinged and borderline uncontrollable, he has promised to hunt down Leonard and Kersea and he is not one to break his promises.
And you shouldn't forget about him. While it will still be some time until we are first going to see Lupin, there are several connections, most recently with him being the one having a hand in the Fang's current condition. You will definitely learn more about the sort of experiments he allegedly did while working for the Alley Cats, as the one previously donning the Sphynx title before Rodrik stepped up.
Oh yes, the build up for Lupin as a main antagonist is certainly there. If he is truly the one behind Wolfius' actions, sort of the enigmatic puppet master in the background, then this will make him one of the main antagonists for certain and there is also the role he played with the Alley Cats, his actions in the North and potential other deeds not yet revealed. At the very least, everything points at him being a major antagonist and a severe pain in the ass. I can reveal, there are two characters introduced who know him personally without being utterly terrified of him, these two being the Tom and Alphyn. But he has not personally appeared yet, so the full extent of his personality remains to be seen. He will appear in Book 2, though more towards the later chapters and I intend to fully establish him even before he'll leave the waiting list.
Ah, I am really glad to hear this! I think I said it before, Donnel is a hit or miss character. Characters based on real people are always hard to write and it's not getting any easier considering that Trump is someone provoking vastly divisive opinions. There is this humorous aspect to his character, not only in terms of inspiration, but simply because his whole personality and some of the stuff he is going to do will cause some hopefully hilarious reactions from the other characters (as seen with Petyr being really nervous about how to even properly interact with him without offending him), but the character as a whole should grow beyond a caricature and I do not intend for him to always be a comic relief. Finding the right balance between referencing Trump in serious and humorous ways and establishing Donnel as his own character beyond the inspiration will be the big challenge I face with writing him, so I am really glad that this second appearance was apparently more well-fitting. I suppose in time I will grow truly comfortable writing him, making it easier for me, once he is fully established.
The Voting is closed!
Garthon is going to focus on Marie Redloon
Arthur is going to remain silent
The first choice actually surprised me, not because I did not expect it to win, but because it looked quite different on the first day of voting, with the first votes all going in favour of Torvin Hale, before coming around and ending up in favour of Marie Redloon. I am neutral here, both are characters I wish to develop better and in fact, interactions with both are in order next chapter. It's just that now, Garthon will place special attention on Marie, while Maurice is going to focus on Torvin, that does not mean the other won't have screentime regardless. This was the final part in this chapter for Garthon and Arthur both, meaning two more storylines to be finished. More are to come, but things are progressing rapidly, at long last.
Now, the next part is hopefully going to be out today. If not, then I don't know when I will be able to release it. See, there is something I must address and I am afraid it is serious. I mentioned it very briefly before, my grandfather is suffering from cancer again. This time, it is worse, it is incurable and barely untreatable to begin with. He was scheduled for chemotherapy later this week, but just yesterday, he collapsed. Ever since, he refuses further treatment beyond medicine against the pain and it is certain that he will not live for much longer, it is looking that bad. After hearing about this yesterday in the evening, I have made plans to visit him and I will drive to his house tomorrow. Originally intending to stay until Sunday, he himself talked me out of it and now I'll stay there until Thursday. While there is nothing I can do for him, I want to say my goodbyes and support my grandmother as much as possible before my uncle will take over during the weekend. I will take my laptop with me, mostly because I feel like I could use the distraction in the moments where my help is not required, but I can not say how much there will be to begin with. So, I will try to finish the next part today, if that does not work I will try to finish it at some point over the next three days, but expect my online presence and general writing activity to amount to nearly nothing until the weekend, this includes votes and private messages. I have kept some of you waiting for the latter quite a while now and I am deeply sorry for it. All I can do is to try and get it done once I am back, but the next few days will be exhausting. Yet another reason to finish writing today, but we'll see how it goes. It also means that I don't expect to be all that active in general, in regards to voting and private messages. The next part will go to Raenna and it will likely be her final one for this chapter. While Edrick would be the next in line, I decided that nope, I want to write Raenna first, so that is what I'm going to do, showing her confrontation with Kory Umber outside the Last Hearth.
[Focus on Marie Redloon]
[Protest against using the Fang]
EDIT: Oh, oops. I hadn't scrolled down after reading the part so I didn't notice voting is closed, sorry.
Raenna
Getting closer wasn't much of a hard task. Raenna went on her own, though she kept a line of side to Roffe, who had reluctantly crouched down in front of the other Northerners. One of his hands was resting on Briar's shoulders and not for the first time, she was uncertain if bringing the girl had been the right course of action.
“...months!”, a female voice growled from the inside, harsh and stern. She spoke the common tongue, but there was something guttural in it, something . “It has been two months and that is all you deliver?” She mumbled something else, though Raenna wasn't close enough to understand it. As such, she decided to sneak closer, even if it slowly started to become risky. There was a half-open window, light illuminating the underbrush in front of her, though any noise she'd make would undoubtedly find its way inside.
“Please, pass on my apologies to the Half-Thenn”, another voice spoke and Raenna recognized Kory Umber. The woman laughed at this, harsh and without any joy. “You must be mad if you think I'll tell him of your failure”, she replied. “No, you're coming with us”
First, there was silence, then sudden movement and the sound of steel being drawn. Someone gasped and the woman chuckled. “Nice try, Treearms”, she said in a deadpan tone. “But we've come prepared. Now, you better give us something more, something better, or else I don't think we have much of a choice”
“Listen, Myrla...”, Kory stuttered. “I don't have much, but I'm about to get a breakthrough, I swear” He gulped audibly, before continuing. “I need maybe one more week, two at most and I...”, he claimed, but the woman cut him off. “You honestly think I believe you?”, she hissed. “Look at what you're wearing... Kory, huh? Looking like a Kory already. I think you're enjoying it”
“Well... sure I do”, Kory admitted. “But I stand loyal to the Half-Thenn! I gave my word and I intend to keep it” This time, his sentence ended with a yelp of pain. “Do not mess with me!”, the woman barked, loud enough for even Roffe to hear. As Raenna glanced over her shoulder, she noticed that the Lord of the Last Hearth had rose from his crouching position and she knew, she couldn't keep her own presence here a secret for much longer.
“Kory gave a promise yes, a promise the Half-Thenn had to force out of him”, Myrla continued. “Are you stupid, or do you just start to believe your own lies, Markus?” A second male voice, harsh and hoarsy, chuckled at that. “He's really into his role, Myrla”, the man said. “Maybe you should give him a chance. Might even convince the Half-Thenn”
“I don't fucking care”, the woman snarled. “I demanded results and what I got was dead silence, followed by shit I still had to force out of him. What am I supposed to do now, huh?” She groaned in frustration and Kory used the opportunity to speak up again. “I can give you more”, he promised. “I just need time to convince these newcomers”
“Yeah, the newcomers”, Myrla replied. “Just by chance, there's a group of southerners coming to the Last Hearth, huh? And you're trying to tell me that you do not think about selling us out?” There was silence, followed by Myrla's dry chuckle. “Forget about it, Markus. I would have believed Umber, he's the honest kind. But you? Is there any oath you haven't broken yet?”
Raenna tensed up, as the other woman lowered her voice and she risked getting closer, pushing herself through the underbrush to listen to the rest of their conversation. “Maybe you want to tell me now where he is?”, Myrla whispered. Just in this moment, something cracked beneath Raenna's feet and she froze in terror.
“What the...?”, Myrla muttered. “Crow, take a look!” Footsteps sounded on the wooden floor, as Raenna crouched down, hoping the underbrush would hide her enough, even if the light shining against her face proved to her that it would be futile. A man glanced out of the window, pushing it fully open in the process. He was fair-skinned and dark-haired, his green eyes scanning over the underbrush.
Raenna held her breath, though her hand wandered down to her dagger. Being discovered was inevitable by now, but perhaps she could still draw first blood, to even the odds. That was when the man's eyes widened and he rose his arms, revealing a short bow. “There!”, he yelled and Raenna let herself drop to the ground. The moment she did so, she felt the force of the arrow passing over her head.
“They found us!”, the man yelled and the wildlings began to rush around. “Grab your weapons!”, Myrla yelled, as behind Raenna, Roffe let out a guttural battle cry. Giant chimed in, howling with his master, as both charged towards the hut. Harrold Hornwood followed and as Raenna glanced over her shoulder, she saw Johannes rushing after his lord. “Stay with her!”, she yelled, as she noticed that Eon attempted to follow as well. He looked at her and understood, giving her a slight nod before grabbing Briar, whose eyes had widened with fear.
Now, Raenna jumped up, noticing that Roffe had passed her already. The Lord of the Last Hearth reached the door of the hut the moment it got opened. Raising his axe, he buried it in the chest of the unlucky wildling who tried to rush out first. Kicking the corpse back into the room, the lord followed, while Harrold and Johannes covered his back. For a moment, as he roared, with his massive axe in his hands, the Lord of the Last Hearth was truly a giant among men.
Raenna herself had a different target in mind. Instead of trying to enter the room after Roffe, having to avoid the wide swings of his axe in the process, she charged at the window and without hesitating, she jumped into the room. Her move came as a surprise to the wildlings inside and her knife found its mark, gutting the first man just as he had turned to her. The sharp blade easily sliced through fur and flesh.
There were others, probably nearly a dozen. Kory was there, unarmed and with visible fear on his face. The only woman was likely the one who had spoken, Myrla. She was young and fair, with fiery red hair going down to her shoulders, yet her eyes were dark and furious and her expression was harsh. There was a spear in her hands, though she kept to the backline, next to Kory and the man who had spotted Raenna.
Having fully entered the room, Roffe was locked in a fight with a burly wildling man, similarly wielding an axe. Behind him, Harrold and Johannes pushed into the building, the former forcing his opponent into the defense with quick strikes of his axe, while Johannes, wielding a sword, was more evenly matched against his opponent.
“Get her!”, Myrla shouted, pointing at Raenna and the wildling closest to her reacted. Raising his weapon, a thick club, probably made out of bone, he roared as he charged towards her. Raenna braced herself for the attack, knowing she had to get close to hit him. There were three more wildlings, two of which turned towards the fighters, a third, his back to the rear window, proved his intelligence as he merely shrugged before climbing out and trying his luck by making an escape.
The man with the club had reached Raenna by now and she ducked below his first strike, trying to stab him in the gut as she did so, but he evaded her attack by taking a step to the side. Letting his club go down at her, she had to jump back, putting more space between them and placing him at an advantage. Beneath the man's wild beard, a wide grin formed, revealing brown, rotten teeth.
Roaring in triumph, Roffe had managed to downright decapitate his opponent, the man's severed head flying through the room, as the Lord of the Last Hearth laid eyes on his next opponent. “Traitor!”, he barked as he saw Kory, charging towards the man, who was jumping back, bumping against the wall. “Myrla!”, he yelled and the woman, without hesitating, threw an axe from her belt at him, which he captured hilt first.
Raenna dodged the next attack, striking at her opponent again, though she had to admit, he was fast, surprisingly so for a man of his size. The lack of any armour probably played a part in it, as he nimbly evaded her strikes, using his superior reach to force her into the defence. The face that she wouldn't even dare to parry the brutish club only further supported him in this duel.
One of the wildlings made the unlucky decision to charge at Roffe before he was able to reach Kory. The Lord, in the heat of the battle, made short work of his new enemy. Instead of dodging the attack, he outright took a knife to the shoulder, the fur and leather covering it preventing anything but a superficial wound. The one he gave his opponent in return was anything but superficial though and Raenna herself slightly winced as she saw the axe hitting the man's groin at full force. Without even slowing down, he pulled the weapon out of the man's body, before splitting his head in half and continuing his charge at Kory and Myrla.
The wildling woman dodged Roffe's attack and he did not bother with her any further, as she danced around him, spear in hand. Instead of attacking him from behind, she turned to Raenna though, while Kory gasped in terror. “The fuck are you doing?”, he yelled, as he desperately parried Roffe's savage attack.
“This one's yours”, she replied with a wide, bloodthirsty grin, as she glared at Raenna. “This one's mine” She gave her a sly wink. “Hello, beautiful”, she greeted her. “Came a long way to die, huh?” And with this, Raenna had two opponents, with both, spear and club putting her at a disadvantage, the wildlings slowly pushing her back and forcing her against the wall.
An arrow went past them, only narrowly hitting neither and Myrla was distracted for a moment. Glaring at the archer, she spat onto the ground. “Bloody hell, stop shooting at us!”, she yelled. “Grab a blade and fight!” The archer nodded sheepishly, as he indeed dropped his bow. With this, he charged at Harrold and Johannes.
Raenna had taken the opportunity to dodge the club-wielding man's attack, to strike at the distracted Myrla. However, she noticed halfway through the movement that she had underestimated the man's speed once more. He grabbed her right by the throat, pushing her back and smashing her against the wall, back first, pressing the air out of her lungs and causing her to drop the dagger, as he pressed the club against her chest.
Myrla shot her a grin once more. “Say goodnight”, she hissed, as she raised her spear, the tip pointing right at Raenna's throat, as the woman was struggling to break free of the wildling's grasp. Her eyes widened as she stared at the weapon, her moves becoming more desperate. No, this would not be the end, this could not be...
Just in this moment, something came crashing through the window, a growling, barking mountain of fur. Giant jumped at Myrla, sinking his teeth into the fur covering her arm and causing the woman to scream in surprise and pain, as both went to the ground. The man with the club suppressed a curse, as he let go of Raenna, who briefly sank down, trying to regain her breath.
Tears of exhaustion had welled up in her eyes and she saw how the club-wielding wildling slammed his weapon down at Giant's back. Yelping in pain, the wolf let go of Myrla, who clutched her arm. No blood was seeping through the ruined fur, yet she still crawled back, staring at the large wolf with wide eyes.
Yelps of pain quickly turned to a growl of pure rage, as Giant snarled and snapped at the man. Myrla meanwhile reached for her spear, just as Raenna reached for her knife. The wolf jumped at the man, whose club proved to be utterly inefficient against a ferocious beast. This time aiming for his throat, the massive wolf dragged him to the ground, as the man desperately tried to protect himself.
The two were struggling right between Raenna and Myrla. The red-haired wildling woman was on her feet first, but Raenna didn't take much longer, as both glared at each other. Then, glancing at the door, Myrla sighed. “Later then”, she muttered as she rushed towards the door. Just as Raenna tried to follow her, the man, having pushed Giant off him and injuring the wolf with a heavy kick, jumped up, roaring with anger. His hands were stained with his own blood and his throat was clearly injured, yet he tackled Raenna to the ground, screaming at her, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva into her face.
A moment later, his eyes widened, as Giant had grabbed his ankle. Pulling him off Raenna, the beast bit down heavily into the exposed flesh and the man screamed. Letting go of the leg, Giant jumped onto his back and before the man was able to turn around, he had bitten down into his neck.
Not bothering with the man being mauled to death, Raenna took a moment to get an overview of the situation. Roffe was still fighting with Kory, though he clearly had the upper hand, only his rage preventing him from ending this quickly. Johannes had killed one opponent, now fighting against the archer, while Harrold was cutting down his final enemy, now having killed two. He wasted no time with getting into Myrla's way.
For a moment, the red-haired woman glared at him, before she attacked with a savage scream. Harrold parried, before knocking the spear aside. His own attack was less decisive and easily blocked, though he had put enough strength into it to split the spear right in two. She jumped back, only holding the longer and blunt part of her weapon, while Harrold spread his arms, grinning at her, his gaze a cocky one.
“Now, I don't like to hit women, so why don't you just...”, he began. The rest of his sentence got cut right off as Myrla's closed fist smashed into his face, causing him to groan and stagger back. The blunt end of her spear targeted his leg, knocking him over and sending him to the ground, as she jumped over him and towards the door.
Raenna knew this would happen even before Harrold had reached the ground. Taking aim, she raised her knife, throwing it right at the woman. The blade pierced through the air and missed her only barely, entering the wood next to the door. Myrla gasped as she stopped for a moment, glaring over her shoulder, through the carnage and right at Raenna. Narrowing her eyes with anger, she continued her escape and a moment later, she was gone in the night.
This left Roffe and Johannes still fighting. The Lord of the Last Hearth was bringing his axe down at his own brother, with the clear intent of killing him, while his wolf was savagely mauling the dying wildling in the background. Meanwhile, the guardsman was in an evenly matched fight with the archer, though the death of his companions had clearly shaken the wildling.
Roaring with anger, Roffe swung his axe wildly, having forced Kory back against one of the windows. He was livid with pure rage, while Kory looked rightfully terrified more than anything else. His wide swings made it impossible for Raenna or Harrold to intervene and as such, all she could do was to regain her breath, looking at the carnage all around her. To think she had brought Briar into this...
Her silent curse was interrupted as Roffe's roar turned into a grunt of pain. Kory had ducked below one of the strikes, embedding a small stone knife in the lord's upper leg. He tried to use this moment to break free and jump past his brother, making a desperate run for the door, but Roffe was still faster. Though he almost dropped his axe, he managed to grab Kory by the collar of his coat. “Not so fast!”, he barked, as he yanked his brother backwards and, in blind anger, right through the window.
Realizing his mistake, Roffe stumbled towards the window, staring out into the night. “Coward!”, he screamed. “Traitor! I'm going to fucking kill you!” With one final roar of rage, he moved his hand to the knife still embedded in his leg, removing it with one single, painful pull, before turning around, glaring at the final wildling. Giant let go of the mangled wildling corpse he was gnawing on and growled in a low, threatening tone.
To his credit, the man was quick to realize what danger he was in, surrounded by four fighters and a vicious wolf. He gulped and instantly let go of his sword, before going down on his knees, folding his hands behind his head. It was a gesture Raenna wouldn't have expected of a wildling. Much more surprising was his voice though, as he started to speak. “I surrender”, he said, without even a hint of the strong accent the other wildlings had. “Shit, I surrender”
Roffe limped towards the wildling, while Giant rose to his full height. The man was sweating in obvious fear and behind him, Johannes gave his lord a stern glance. “He surrendered, mylord”, he spoke and Roffe nodded slightly, before he grabbed the younger man at the collar of his fur cloak. “You better give me one fucking reason not to kill you on the spot!”, he snarled and the man grew pale. “I...”, he began, cutting himself off, before taking a deep breath. “I can talk. If you want to know what just happened, well, fuck Myrla, fuck the Half-Thenn, I can talk, if it saves my life”
The Lord of the Last Hearth had shown no sign of emotion, as he pushed their captive into the Great Hall. Bound with tight rope, the prisoner stumbled forwards, looking up at the surprised faces of Jorn Mormont, Malina Karstark, Dag Umber and his three sisters. Out of the three, the only one who remained calm was Runa Umber, though there was clear concern on her face. “You're bleeding, Roffe”, she remarked, but the lord simply waved his hand.
“Tell them”, he growled. “Tell them what you told me. All of it” He staggered backwards, finally sinking into a chair, while groaning with pain. Johannes tensed up. “I'll fetch the maester”, he offered, glancing at Roffe's still bleeding leg wound and this time, the lord was too weak to resist. Instead, he merely nodded, as the captive staggered forwards.
“What is this about?”, Dag asked, looking at the prisoner. Kari Umber clenched her fists as she glared at the man. “Who is this?”, she hissed. “And where is Kory?” Roffe merely groaned and it was Eon who spoke in his stead. “We followed him to a house in the woods”, he explained. “There, we interrupted a meeting between him and a group of wildling raiders. Several of them escaped, but this one surrendered instead”
Raenna felt Briar's hand in her own. The girl was still looking scared and Raenna had to curse herself for having brought her along. It was foolish and seeing the look on her face and the disapproval Jorn Mormont showed her after he realized, it made her realize what a close call it had been. Never again, she swore, would she be this reckless with the girl's life. Briar was all she had left of Kersea and for the sake of her friend, she'd keep her safe. As the captive spoke, she moved around the table, lifting Briar onto a chair next to Jorn, who looked at her with silent concern.
“My name...”, the prisoner began. “Is Erik Flowers. I... was a brother of the Night's Watch” He paused after this and Nea Umber was the first to understand. “A deserter”, she deduced. “You bring a deserter to our halls?” She glared down at Erik, her expression no less severe than Roffe's.
“I am a deserter”, the man admitted. “Forced to join the Watch for minor theft. Figured it's not fair I have to spend the rest of my life guarding some useless wall, when hundreds of thousands of thieves get away with it every single day, so I deserted first chance I got. Ran into Myrla and her group and they took me in”
“Myrla...”, Harrold mumbled, his hand still stained with the blood from his nose. “Seven hells, that woman has quite a punch to her” Ignoring his input, Erik straightened his back as he continued. “Myrla, you must know, is one of the sub-leaders of Horik the Half-Thenn and I can tell you, she is seriously scary”
Nea narrowed her eyes. “I know the Half-Thenn”, she admitted. “Ice River clan, is he not?” Erik shrugged at that. “Honestly, I have never met the man and Myrla hasn't really spoken much of him. She's terrified of him, that much I know” Nea narrowed, still glaring at the deserter. “For good reason”, she agreed. “Horik has led raids to our lands countless times” Her closed fist slammed down onto the table. “His men have killed our father”
“I know that much”, Erik admitted. “Myrla was part of the group. She was barely thirteen, her first raid and that was one of the things she never tired to talk about” He raised his hands at the hostile glares from the Umbers. “But I was not there, I swear! I've been with the wildlings what, a month? Two at most. Spent most of my life down in Old Oak”
Nea cut him off by raising from her seat. “Do I look like I care?”, she asked dryly. “My brother kept you alive for a reason and I bet it wasn't about your past” Erik shook his head. “I... I know something about your brother”, he stated. “See... I don't know the full story, but I'm not stupid. Myrla told me a bit and I think I got a hang of the rest” He took a deep breath and Raenna tensed up as she prepared for hearing again what Erik had told them back at the house.
“Myrla's goal was to raid the Last Hearth itself. Don't know why she'd do that, but that woman lives for a good fight. Probably wants to prove her worth to the Half-Thenn”, he explained. “For that, she sent two scouts ahead. One of them is Markus Treearms, a wildling by birth. The other one is his friend and, well, your brother, Kory... Kory Umber”
Kari gasped, while Nea clenched her teeth. Runa merely lowered her head, sighing as if she already knew it. It was Dag who continued, keeping his calm even though his voice was shivering. “So you mean to tell me that Kory betrayed us?”, he growled and Erik shrugged. “I don't know his reasons”, he stated. “Never met the man, but I think Myrla implied he's being forced by the Half-Thenn”, he was quick to answer. “But that's not the thing. See, before today, I haven't met either. They have already crossed the wall by the time I ran into Myrla's group. But the man I met today... he wasn't your brother. Myrla addressed him as Markus and I... I think he was tricking you this entire time”
“You mean to tell me that man... that wasn't Kory?”, Kari asked, looking horrified at the thought. Erik nodded nonchalantly. “I am afraid not, mylady”, he replied in a dry tone. “Markus Treearms, the man who went south together with Kory. Once here, we met only him and well, your brother kinda crashed the meeting before he could tell us about Kory's whereabouts”
Dag sighed and Raenna wasn't sure if it was shock or relief. “That explains a lot”, he admitted. “How he never really fit in. How the animals hated him the moment they first saw him” Roffe nodded, still sitting on his chair and clutching his wounded leg. “Once, I had to stop Giant from mauling him”, he muttered. “Should have let him, that fucking wildling arse”
“Then where is Kory?”, Kari asked sharply, her hands now openly shaking. To this, Erik merely shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don't know”, he said, as Nea reached for her axe. “That is all you know?”, she spat and the man took a step away from her, immediately bumping into Eon, who glared down at him.
“Almost!”, he said. “See, I don't know where your brother is. The only one who knows for certain is Markus Treearms, the man who posed as him for months” He placed a hand on his chest. “And if I had to guess, he regrouped with Myrla and they are going back beyond the wall”
“We have to stop them”, Kari demanded, but Dag shook his head. “Finding two wildlings in these lands? Sister, you should know better”, he stated. “I suppose our prisoner has an idea? One that might save his life, if I presume correctly” Now, Erik had the brief audacity to smirk. “Oh yes, I have an idea”, he replied. “And your brother had nothing against it, if I may add”
Tired, Roffe gave him a nod. The lord's behaviour had changed the moment he heard the truth. His strength and defiance had faded and he looked angry, yet defeated. “I fear we have to work with this deserter worm”, he admitted. “He's not a wildling at least, but he still knows the lands beyond the wall”
“I know the clans”, Erik claimed. “I know where Myrla will be headed once she has crossed the wall, where we can catch up to her and Markus. If we're lucky, we can do that before she regroups with the Half-Thenn and his men” He placed a hand on his chest. “I offered my service, if it means I'll be spared from the rope. Your brother's life, or at least clarity about his fate and punishment for Treearms, in exchange for my freedom once we have found him. This is what I offer”
“No way”, Nea was quick to hiss, but Dag raised a hand, looking visibly unhappy as he did. “I fear we have no choice, deserter”, he admitted. “We may need your help beyond the wall, if we are to find out what truly happened to Kory. I accept your offer, but if you betray our trust, you will be the first to die” He sighed, as he looked around, especially at the guests. “My friends, this is more than I expected and more than I can ask for. With my brother injured, I myself will accompany Erik Flowers beyond the wall, but I cannot demand that you follow me”
“I will, Ser!”, Jorn was the first to volunteer, causing Raenna to raise an eyebrow. The soft-spoken man seemed determined for once. “I might not be much of a fighter, but I know how to survive out in the cold. Whatever I can add to your task, I will do” Raenna spotted Harrold and Eon exchanging a glance and the Dustin man subtly shook his head, before Hornwood sported a wide grin. “Nobody shall claim a Hornwood doesn't dare when even that Mormont pansy volunteers to go!”, he proclaimed and Eon instantly placed a hand on his face in frustration. “Suppose I gotta come with you”, he mumbled. “That's just fucking great...”
Malina leant forwards, interest in her gaze. “Obviously, I cannot offer to come with you”, she stated. “I will accompany you until we reach the Nightfort, for my family has friends at that place. However, I won't set foot beyond the wall” With this, she smirked subtly. “But I know the man you have spoken about. Horik the Half-Thenn... from what I heard, he only speaks the Old Tongue. Anyone proficient in it? No?”, she asked, looking around and even Erik Flowers had to shake his head. “Then, I might offer some advice... I suppose you might need a reliable ally, one who can actually speak with the wildlings if necessary”
“Oh, fuck me...”, Roffe mumbled, as he realized what she just hinted at. “You're telling me we'll need the Skagosi? That fucking half-wild bastard and his crazy horse?” Without missing a beat, Malina nodded. “If you allow it, mylord, I will write a letter to be sent to Winterfell at the soonest. I am certain Mace Crowl will be glad to help you out”
The Lord of the Last Hearth rolled his eyes. “Don't you say it...”, he groaned. “Don't you fucking dare saying it!” Despite the situation, Dag couldn't contain a brief grin, an expression that was almost instantly replaced with the appropriate concern, but still, for a moment, he seemed to be gleeful. “It means you'll be in debt to Mace Crowl, dear brother”, he said and this fact seemed to bother Roffe more than the revelation that he had been living side by side with a wildling impostor for months.
In this moment, Raenna felt Briar's hand around hers clenching more tightly. The girl looked up and though her eyes were reddened from crying and she seemed exhausted, something hopeful appeared in them as well. “Will you go to the Wall?”, she asked and Raenna gulped, as she looked at Dag Umber. “I... suppose I will”, she admitted. “I stand in service of House Stark now and I was tasked with helping out the Lord Umber” She sighed. “Though it's going to be fu... very cold”
Jorn smirked at her correction, though Briar didn't seem to have noticed it. Her eyes widened. “Can I come with you?”, she asked. “Just until we reach the Wall? I want to see it... please, please, please, please, can I?” Getting more lively again with every passing moment, she looked at Raenna, then at Malina. “And when you go beyond it, I stay with Malina and I go with her, back to Winterfell”
Malina nodded at this. “If you allow it, mylady, it'll be my pleasure to look after the little one”, she offered. “I haven't seen the Wall either, but I heard it is quite the sight. A once in a lifetime opportunity” Jorn however seemed more serious. “Winterfell is where she should have been all along”, he stated and Briar shot him a glare. “I don't know what happened today, but I bet it was a close call. Just think what could have happened. The Wall might not be all that dangerous, but I think she should be back behind King Torrhen's walls as soon as possible”
As soon as he said this, Briar frowned at him, narrowing her eyes, though she quickly regained her sweet demeanour. “But I want to see the Wall”, she begged. Jorn, who noticed Raenna's hesitation, sighed. “Oh, come on, you can't be serious”, he hissed. “You know what will be best for the girl, don't you?”
[Take Briar with you to the Wall] [Send Briar back to Winterfell]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
I Really like this part and it is for the totally biased reason that two of the characters that I created(Myrla and Erik Flowers) were introduced in it. It is so cool seeing characters that I made in this story and I can't wait to see what you do with them. I'm most likely going to say this everytime a character I made is introduced but I am really excited for it.
Although I really have to ask, since I only joined the forums in April, Which means Characters like Myrla and Erik didn't exist at that time, what were you going to do with this part before they were created? Would someone else have taken these roles or did you only come up with this idea for the storyline when you got then?
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall] This development was certainly unexpected, and it makes you wonder how are they going to find them. So Erik Flowers is a bastard from House Oakheart? then what is his relationship with Devrin Oakheart and the rest of his family?
Seeing the Wall and finally meeting Harrigon Hoare, that will be interesting.
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
Let's give Briar a full tour of Westeros!
[Send Briar back to Winterfell]
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] Bad idea taking her.
Wilding scum. They'll pay, all of them.
Also, I meant to say this earlier, so sorry about your grandfather. I was wondering if something had happened to him when I saw a drought of posting in the thread. Even though words are fickle, just though that we are here for you friend.
Firstly, I really enjoyed this part, very entertaining and action-packed! Also, it's nice to see my fellow Free Folk finally getting a role in the story
And oh man, "Kory" being a completely different infiltrator was a genius twist - exactly the kind of trickery I'd expect from the wildlings 
Makes me wonder what sort of man the actual Kory is...
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] I'm not too disappointed if the other option wins because I really enjoy the interactions between Raenna and Briar. However, I think this part served as a reminder that Raenna should be a bit more responsible with Briar.
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] Yeah, I don't think it's a very smart idea to take a child, especially one like Briar, to the Wall.
[Send Briar back to Wintefell]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
[Send Briar back to Winterfell]