Ah, glad you like them! They are, in fact, all mine, as I wanted to show that there's more to the warlocks than just Irae, Moros and the so far unseen Undying Ones. I figured there has to be some sort of a council running the day to day business of the warlock order, stuff the Undying Ones either do not care to bother with or can't due to them being just borderline alive at all. So I got the idea for the council and after a while, I settled for the six members that appeared in this part and I hope I managed to set them apart from each other well enough. Being among the elite of the warlock order, they will be a driving force in Irae's storyline and I have some pretty nice plans for them later on.
[Insist on folllowing your approach]
The warlock council is very intriguing and intimidating. I like it. Were they all submitted by the users or you’re the creator?
This one was a pretty big choice. Arguably, it is the more morally good option, because the warlock's approach to the situation would have been gruesome, to say the least. At the same time, it would have been ruthlessly effective, as all things the warlock council does. They will be displeased over this decision, with the possible exception of Garath Garraman, who is essentially the public relations guy of the order and as such more concerned with how mutilating and mind-raping a rich merchant's daughter would have appeared to the nobility of Qarth. However, it will mean that Irae will place Naela's well-being higher than the wishes of her order, to a degree at least, which is a pretty big step for her. Of course, neither option is all that wonderful, as she is still going to bring her to the Blood Witch and while the warlock's plan would have been fool-proof, this approach does hold the potential of failure and with it the threat of destruction to Qarth and its citizens at the hands of the Blood Witch's Dothraki horde.
The next part will be out... tomorrow. For once, I can safely say that I will not get it done today, even if I am making some good progress. It will finish the storylines for Drent and Keat in this chapter. Last time we saw Drent, he was fighting in the melee against dozens of warriors, sellswords and knights, including Argilac Durrandon himself. With a mixture of intelligence and luck, Drent managed to defeat several opponents, among them one knight and most importantly, Warrick Fell. He even made it to the final six, the only commoner to come that far, with Argilac being knocked out before him. Unfortunately, that is as far as he could come, as the other ones remaining were the elite of the Stormlander knights. He himself was pretty swiftly knocked out by Landry Swann and the next part will show the aftermath. Meanwhile, Keat's part will, as I announced last time I closed the voting, show his conversation with Samuel Puffer and his siblings, where he will bring up the upcoming heist. As I said, I hope to finish the part tomorrow, so until then have a good time!
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat, but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every inch of his body protesting against it. There, on the other bed, he spotted Torrence, leaning against the wall, arms crossed behind his back. “What's with the groaning?”, he asked. “Be glad we even have a room. Brand's men have one for every fifteen men” He glanced to the door and smirked. “Suppose having friends in high places can help sometimes”
“You suppose right, Torrence”, another voice called and Drent took a deep breath as once more, he moved his head, spotting Argella there, leaning against the doorframe. She still wore the yellow dress she had during the tourney, though the silver circlet was now in her hands, as her fingers slightly and perhaps nervously ran over the small antlers that adorned it. “And they still say I'm not generous to those who earned it”
Drent cleared his throat, which ended in him coughing. On Argella's sharp glance, Torrence jumped up, handing him a cup of water, which he nearly emptied in a single gulp. “My... my princess”, he finally managed to say. Then, he paused. What was he supposed to follow this up with? 'I'm glad you're here?' perhaps, or maybe the more appropriate 'What are you doing here?'...
“I see that blow to your head hasn't affected your memory”, Argella spoke as he hesitated too long, raising an eyebrow. “Albeit it seems you can't really hold a conversation” Torrence snorted and it was only pain that stopped Drent from rolling his eyes. “It's good to see you”, he spoke and she nodded. “Naturally”, she merely replied. “Though it's likewise, as I have to admit”
Drent smiled as he somehow managed to raise an eyebrow. “Did... did I win?”, he asked. Her laughter was crystal clear, yet with a sharp mockery to it. “Define 'winning'”, she answered. “The actual tourney, no. But you made a good figure as Landry Swann almost bashed your head in. That fall has been stupendous”
“She did not laugh though”, Torrence revealed. “And she's been here two times already, checking up on you” Argella shot him a glare, though she did manage to pull herself together remarkably quickly. “Of course I had to check up on my champion”, she claimed. “It would have been my fault had something happened to you”
To this, Drent chuckled, though he regretted it instantly, as the pain flared up in his ribs. “Well, define 'something”, he spoke right back at her. Her smile faded into a crooked smirk. “Alright, you have proven me wrong”, she admitted. “Turns out you can hold a conversation” There was genuine appreciation in her tone, if perhaps not in her words.
“How long have I been out anyway?”, Drent asked as he let his head sink back onto the pillow. By the gods, right now there was nothing he wanted more than a long sleep. Argella shrugged. “Not terribly long. Four hours, I'd say. The tourney is over and right now they prepare for the feast, so I took the opportunity to sneak away” She rolled her eyes. “Thank the Seven that Buckler is in no shape to dance, else my father would insist on it”
“And... who won the tourney? The melee, I mean. Tell me about the melee first”, Drent then added, somewhat more hesitantly. That being said, he still felt the pride from having knocked out Warrick Fell. “Landry Swann, obviously”, Argella revealed, as if it had been clear from the very beginning. “I mean, after he knocked my father out, there wasn't really anyone left to properly oppose him”
Swann... Drent had to admit, it wasn't too surprising. Faintly, he remembered how it had been the man himself who knocked him down. “He defeated a dozen men in the melee”, the princess explained, slightly clenching her fists. “To be fair, Gerald Grandison came close to beat him. They were the last two standing, locked in a duel of the likes this castle hasn't seen in decades” She shrugged. “Or so I've been told. Father got all excited watching it”
“I can only imagine”, Drent grunted and Argella chuckled. “You did good as well”, she complimented him. “Smart choice, staying out of unnecessary fights. Though you took down an armed knight” He managed a weak nod. “Who is he?”, he asked and Argella raised an eyebrow. “You fear retaliation?”, she asked, before she shook her head. “Don't. The knight you defeated is Bryan Cafferen, the heir to Fawntown. A hot-headed man, but not a bad one. He grew up at Storm's End, always in the company of my brother, Artos, so I know him quite well. In a way, he's gentle as a lamb”
A few months ago, Drent would have probably managed a stilted chuckle, but now, it only made him groan. “That was terrible”, he told her and to his surprise, this caused Argella to grin. “Aren't you supposed to laugh either way?”, she asked. “At least this is the impression I got from a small army of handmaidens”
“Not a handmaiden”, Drent replied and Argella nodded. “Thank the gods for that”, she spoke. “You would look atrocious in a dress, don't take it personal” They shared a smirk. “Yeah, how can I take that one personally?”, her asked. “So, who won the other ones? Archery and the joust”
Argella's smile faded. “Edonia lost the archery contest, unfortunately. She defeated Arwin Staedmon, Theon Toyne and most importantly, Jonathan Errol, but lost in the final round against Tristan Wylde”, she patiently explained, before she shrugged. “Well, it happens”
“It is a damn shame though”, Torrence mumbled. “I heard Wylde got quite the price. Edonia could have retired from duty and we would have been rid of her” Argella tilted her head, as she gave Torrence a smile, outwardly sweet yet with underlying mockery. “Be glad that your sister remains by your side for a bit longer, Torrence”, she told him.
Before Torrence was able to answer, Drent rose his arm, surprised that he was able to do it without further pain. “The joust”, he spoke, to stop any argument about Edonia in its tracks. Last thing he needed was Torrence complaining about his sister again. That being said, he felt relief, hearing that she'd remain in the company.
“Thankfully, it wasn't Bernard Buckler”, Argella said with a smirk. “Qoherys told me his arm is broken and his ankle sprained at the very least. Emphryus lost that round, but he made sure to take his opponent down with him” She shrugged. “No, that one actually went to Gerald Grandison. Doubt anyone expected him to get up again after the beating he received from Landry, but there he was, sitting atop his destrier, unhorsing three more knights before father gave him the victory”
That, Drent had to admit it, was actually impressive, though he narrowed his eyes at the almost dreamy tone in Argella's voice. “Grandison, huh?”, he mumbled. “Never heard of him” Argella noticed the frown on his face and she shot him a grin. “Oh, I am certain you will. The entire castle is talking about him right now. Renowned, from a respectable house and without a bride, as far as I know. Half of my handmaidens is going crazy over the man” As soon as she said this, the hint of colour appeared on her pale cheeks. “Not me though!”, she was quick to clarify. “He's loud and impulsive and arrogant, hardly worth my attention”
Rolling his eyes, Drent exchanged a glance with Torrence, who smirked at him. “Sounds like someone I know”, he mumbled and Argella's smile faded. “Yeah, tell me all about it, Torrence”, she spat. “In any way, that is not why I'm here. Not entirely at least” Her smile still did not return as she looked back at Drent and he tensed up. “I, well, I wanted to check up on you, to be fair” With this, she stepped closer. “I... you did a lot for me today and I wanted to make sure you're alright. I owe you” She sighed. “Besides, I wanted to let you know about your next assignment”
This caused Torrence to sit straight at once. “You never said anything about that”, he spoke and Argella raised an eyebrow. The soldier gulped. “My princess, I mean”, he added, to her pleasure. “That is because I wanted to wait until Drent is awake”, she explained sternly. “No sense in repeating myself” She looked back at him, lying there in his bed and Drent suddenly realized what a pathetic figure he must have been just now. Covered in sweat, dirt and blood, bruised and beaten, in the presence of his future queen.
“What is it?”, he managed to ask and she bit down onto her lower lip. “Father is sending you away”, she revealed. “Your unit, led by Ser Emphryus. You will accompany Buckler and his friends back home” It was only now that he noticed her tightly clenched and slightly shaking fists. As he looked back at her face, she was staring past him towards the small window. “Qoherys has received word from old friends”, she spoke, her voice stern and notably stressed. “The bastard is going to march against us. Targaryen's bastard, I mean”
Drent understood. “Orys Baratheon”, he said and she frowned at the mention of his name. “He saved my life in Raylansfair, even after all the things I have said about him”, she finally replied with a sigh. “So I will not repeat myself. I might have been wrong about him before” A moment of regret got replaced by the fury he knew so well. “But if the bastard thinks he can lead an army into my father's lands, into my lands, then he will find me not so agreeable should we ever meet again”
“What is the order?”, Torrence asked, before Drent was able to and Argella merely glanced at him. “Emphryus has volunteered”, she spoke. “He will lead you north, where you will support Lord Buckler in hopefully repelling Baratheon's first assault. It is not going to be a long assignment though, Father has promised to send you back to Storm's End once you repel the bastard's army”
“Buckler?”, Drent finally asked. “There's houses to the north, sworn to your father” Argella shook her head. “There might be, but we cannot count on their loyalty. If a thousand men march through their lands, whom do you think they will follow? Benedict Buckler is a good man, a loyal man and I have no doubt that he will stand ready Three hundred men-at-arms from Storm's End will come to support him”
“And us among them”, Torrence sighed. “Just my fucking luck again” Argella briefly smirked at him. “Wait until I'm done, Torrence”, she said slyly, before she looked back at Drent. “Believe me, if I could, I would urge my father to reconsider. But I cannot do this to Emphryus. He yearns for a chance to fight the invader and my father had to grant him this much” She sighed. “Though there is more...”
This time, she paused until Drent raised an eyebrow. “My princess?”, he asked, as she extended a hand towards him. Opening it, he saw the small object in her palm. “The winner takes the spoils in this tourney. Landry Swann, Gerald Grandison and Tristan Wylde gained riches and glory. You however risked so much without even the chance to gain anything. It... seemed unfair”
Drent looked into her open palm and he held his breath as he gazed upon the ring in it. It was a thick one, made out of solid gold, a red stone embedded in it. Undoubtedly worth a fortune, it was the kind a man like him would either sell immediately or hold onto for the rest of his life. “I can't take this”, he said at once. “I didn't do it for a reward”
“You did not?”, Argella asked and she seemed genuinely surprised by this revelation. Quickly, she pulled herself together though, her smile a weak, sincere and thoroughly nervous one. “Are... are you sure?”, she asked, before she cleared her throat. “I mean, no matter what, this is mine and I want to reward you. It was a service well done and you earned it”
A moment passed and Drent noticed how Argella grew slightly nervous. After all, how often did it happen that someone outright refused a reward from her? But he was willing to. After all, he didn't do it for some token, a ring or a bag of gold. He did not want to seem rude by refusing, yet at the same time, he didn't want her to think he only did it for the riches.
[Accept the ring][Refuse it]
Keat
“So, let me get this straight...”, Samuel spoke, as he had brought wine for them to drink. Taking a swig from the bottle, he handed it to Erik, who in return took a deep gulp, followed by yet another one right away. Only then did he hand the bottle to Keat himself. “You return to Oldtown after months, still horribly in debt, now working for Hishi and you're telling me you plan to rob the Hightower to get out of that mess?”
Keat gulped. He had an arm around Nalia, who was smiling gently. His younger sister was clearly overjoyed and even now, she was looking at him with obvious love in her eyes. It was the reason why he cared for her so much, because she would never not love him back. Things were differently with Adian. His younger brother stood in the corner, arms crossed, glaring at the scenery. “You mean to leave again, is that right?”, he growled.
“Pretty much, yeah”, Keat admitted, unsure how else he could react. Noticing Adian's anger, he gave him an apologetic look. “Listen, I'm doing this for you as well, for you and your sister. So that you can live a better life, without some low-life thug trying to kill you for my debts” He placed a hand on his chest. “I know I fucked up, okay?”, he admitted, giving Adian his most charming smile. “But give me a chance to make things right”
Adian rolled his eyes. “You had enough chances already, Keat”, he replied, his words cutting, angry and notably more serious than anything Keat ever heard from him. It was in this moment more than any other time that he realized his brother had matured into a young man since they had last seen each other. “But do what you gotta do. I'll believe it when the coin is on the table”
Keat sighed, exchanging a look with Samuel, who slightly shrugged, while Erik chuckled. “I like that one”, he admitted, earning himself an angry glare from nearly every person in the room, with the exception of Nalia. Promptly, the thief decided to ignore the man assigned to guard him, as he gave Adian an almost pleading look. “I won't ask of you to change your opinion today, Adian”, he said. “I left for months, you didn't even know if I survived or not and I know that cannot be excused. I can only hope you can forgive me one day”
The serious words were heartfelt and they seemed to have the intended effect. Adian's expression softened ever so slightly, though the hard, disappointed look in his eyes remained. “That will depend on how your big heist goes”, he spoke. “One way or the other, it will be the last. If you want to keep me and Nalia around, it better will be”
This caused their younger sister to look up. “Huh?”, she asked. “Don't drag me into this, big brother. I want to stay here, with Keat” She shook her head. “And I don't want you to leave either. Just get along, please” Adian sighed, almost the same expression as Keat on his face. “You gave me a lot to think about today, big brother. Just don't count on my help”
“Never did”, Keat said thruthfully, before instantly realizing how this must have sounded. “I, uh, I mean...” Adian cut him off. “I know how you meant it”, he said bitterly. “Just don't fuck this one up. It's not just all about you, you know. It's me on the line and Nalia and before you do something utterly stupid again, I'd rather leave before you screw us over as well, again”
“He won't”, Samuel said at once, giving Adian a stern look. “Because I will be there to watch over him” He nodded at Keat, who smiled in return. In fact, he had to suppress a sigh of relief. “Thank you”, he said and now, Samuel flashed him a grin. “Hey, that's what friends are there for”, he replied. “Besides, I feel fine again. Should be able to help you out there”
“Again?”, Erik perked up. “Anything happened to you lately?” Samuel shook his head, before he sighed. “Not much, really”, he said. “Ran into an old friend while Keat was gone. I kinda got dragged into something, but I got out of it just in time” He leant closer. “As far as I know, my friend and his allies broke into the labyrinth beneath the Hightower”
Erik raised an eyebrow, a gesture that was clear mockery. “Oh yes?”, he asked. “They as well? Were they screwed out of their payment as well?” He chuckled dryly. “Oh, don't listen to me. Just keep in mind, I'm done risking my life without upfront payment”, he added, before he shrugged. “Luckily, Hishi's a friend of that method. Already got my retirement all planned out after we're back from the Hightower”
“You're making it sound like a piece of cake”, Adian growled from behind and Erik nodded. “That's because I did it before. Puffer's team here did it before. As far as I know, Harrington did it at least twice”, he explained. “You all tend to get intimidated by the sheer freaking size of that thing, but honestly, it isn't all that impressive if you got the right team behind you”
“That means you and Samuel”, Keat spoke. “And the other two. Vivielia and Nicola, if they agree to help” He nodded and for the first time since his encounter with Bannister, he felt actually hope. With the right team, he could pull this off indeed. Paying his debt to Hishi and to all the others, making sure his siblings would never have to worry about anything ever again.
It was in this moment that a commotion from outside claimed their attention. There was a high-pitched, female shriek somewhere in the distance. Samuel narrowed his eyes, while Erik placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Then, the barking of dogs in the distance. Not just any dogs, as he realized. He'd recognize Thorrin Bannister's beasts anywhere.
The sound of someone beating against the next door. Another scream, this time closer. “Help me!”, a woman yelled. “Please, you have to help me!” Keat raised an eyebrow and Samuel shook his head. “Don't get involved”, he spoke. “Not in this part of Oldtown. Save way to get you killed”
Erik nodded at this. “Have to agree with that guy”, he said. “Unless the girl pays well or looks mighty fine, I'd stay out of this” However, he flinched as she began to bang against their door. “Is anyone there?”, she yelled. “Please, open the door! Please!” He looked to the ground, perhaps even in shame.
Keat however did not look to the ground. He was gazing at Nalia instead. The girl's eyes widened. “Keat, we have to help her”, she said and before Samuel was able to intervene, Keat gave her a nod. “Fuck this”, he said. “It's a woman, she needs our help” Instinctively, his hand moved to the patch of linen that covered his missing ear. “Besides, if Bannister is after her, I might get a shot at revenge”
“Keat...”, Samuel hissed in a low tone, as Keat rose from his seat. He slowly walked over to the door, with the woman still banging onto it. Perhaps she had heard them talking, because he could swear she was taking longer for them than for the previous door. But the thought of someone such as Nalia being on the other side, it kept him going.
It wasn't someone such as Nalia not even remotely. Instead of the young girl he half-expected, a young woman glanced in as soon as he opened the door. In her mid-twenties perhaps, she was a beauty, even beneath the stains of dirt and tears covering her face. Her dark brown hair was tied into a loose ponytail, the hair in a clear disarray. Dark blue eyes were staring at him, tears pouring out of them and down her slim cheeks. Her lower lip was trembling, as she was standing there.
“Oh, thank the gods!”, she exclaimed. “This... this man is out there. He and his... his beasts are... fuck, I think they are hunting for me” As if they had heard it, the hounds howled in the distance, indicating that they were slowly coming closer. Bannister was coming and with him either trouble or, with the help of Samuel and Erik, a chance to get his revenge.
“Send her away, Keat”, Samuel said sternly. “This is not our business to deal with” The woman glanced past Keat, her eyes widening. “No, oh no please don't, I'm begging you!”, she urged him. “You'll kill me if you send me away” Keat felt a lump in his throat, though he glanced at Samuel and Erik. The sellsword mustered the woman from head to toe. “Eh, whatever, I say she can come. Don't want to have her guts all over the streets”, he said with the empathy of a brick wall and loud enough for the half-panicked woman to hear.
“Strangers in Oldtown always spell trouble”, Samuel warned him and the woman shook her head. “My name is Rose”, she said. “See, I'm not a stranger anymore. Please, just let me hide here for an hour or two, until the beasts have lost my scent. I... I can pay you, please” This clearly caught Erik's curiosity. “Hm, sounds like a deal to me”, he said. “What do you say, Keat?” In this moment, the dogs barked once more, now definitely closer than ever.
[Send her away] That guy gave us an earful last time. I'd much prefer to not experience that again.
“She did not laugh though”, Torrence revealed. “And she's been here two times already, checking up on you” Argella shot him a glare, though she did manage to pull herself together remarkably quickly. “Of course I had to check up on my champion”, she claimed. “It would have been my fault had something happened to you”
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
[Accept the ring] Even if there's no hope for their romance, he should at least take it. The battle at the Rainwood will certainly be interesting, mainly because Rhaenys and Meraxes haven't arrived to the scene yet.
[Let her in] Something tells me she could be important after all. Is a risk, but Bannister won't mutilate him further if he knows his message was heard loud and clear.
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
[Accept the ring] I see no harm in taking it. This could very well be the last conversation between the two, at least in a long while, so it'd be nice for Drent to have something to show for his adventures with the Princess. Anyway, this was a very enjoyable part and a nice relaxed conclusion for the tourney arc. I'm excited to see what's coming next for our Stormlander crew!
[Let her in] Now that Keat is under Hishi's protection I don't think Bannister will give us any more trouble. Quite a coincidence that a woman he's chasing ended up behind Keat's door though, I wonder what's her deal.
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat,… more but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every … [view original content]
Even if there's no hope for their romance, he should at least take it. The battle at the Rainwood will certainly be interesting, mainly because Rhaenys and Meraxes haven't arrived to the scene yet.
Aye, hopeless is actually the best outcome they could, well, hope for, given that Argella has a duty to marry someone suitably highborn one day. She might not like any of the suitors her father has found for her so far, but eventually, she knows the day will come where she cannot refuse anymore. When it comes to the Rainwood, I think you are mistaken there. The Rainwood lies south of Storm's End, the forests near the Buckler lands are actually the future Kingswood. Admittely, they were part of the same forest once, but I am certain this is no longer the case during the War of Conquest, given that the Durrandon bannermen have likely settled inbetween the two forests.
Something tells me she could be important after all. Is a risk, but Bannister won't mutilate him further if he knows his message was heard loud and clear.
On top of that, don't forget that last time, Keat was alone and at Bannister's mercy. This time he is accompanied by Erik and Samuel, both experienced in combat and definitely more than a match for Bannister and his hounds. Naturally, he also has to find out which house Rose went into. His dogs can help, but there is the good chance that he won't even notice that Keat helped her out.
[Accept the ring] Even if there's no hope for their romance, he should at least take it. The battle at the Rainwood will certainly be intere… moresting, mainly because Rhaenys and Meraxes haven't arrived to the scene yet.
[Let her in] Something tells me she could be important after all. Is a risk, but Bannister won't mutilate him further if he knows his message was heard loud and clear.
I see no harm in taking it. This could very well be the last conversation between the two, at least in a long while, so it'd be nice for Drent to have something to show for his adventures with the Princess. Anyway, this was a very enjoyable part and a nice relaxed conclusion for the tourney arc. I'm excited to see what's coming next for our Stormlander crew!
Aye, this will be their last conversation for the time being and I can confirm, Argella will not appear in the next chapter (albeit her role in Book 2 is ultimately not going to be decreased all that much when compared to her Book 1 role), so if Drent takes the ring, he will have some sort of a memento. I am glad you enjoyed the part! The tourney is over, but Drent still has tons of stuff left to do in Book 2 and I legitimately cannot wait for some of the turns his journey will take
Now that Keat is under Hishi's protection I don't think Bannister will give us any more trouble. Quite a coincidence that a woman he's chasing ended up behind Keat's door though, I wonder what's her deal.
Hishi's protection is definitely worth something. We have seen how close the people at the Thousand Shades of Flowers are, with Lanford willing to fight against the Solvers just to avenge Keira's death in Book 1. Keat might be new in Hishi's service, but the position comes with certain benefits and Bannister definitely would think twice before he lays hand on him again. That being said, you bring up a good point there. It might just be a coincidence that Rose ends up at Keat's door and she did try several doors before reaching his, but it brings him and Bannister together again, so time will tell if there's more to her arrival.
[Accept the ring] I see no harm in taking it. This could very well be the last conversation between the two, at least in a long while, so it… more'd be nice for Drent to have something to show for his adventures with the Princess. Anyway, this was a very enjoyable part and a nice relaxed conclusion for the tourney arc. I'm excited to see what's coming next for our Stormlander crew!
[Let her in] Now that Keat is under Hishi's protection I don't think Bannister will give us any more trouble. Quite a coincidence that a woman he's chasing ended up behind Keat's door though, I wonder what's her deal.
Ah, I thought that much, I think that is usually the case when readers are not around for a couple weeks. Welcome back, I hope your holiday was a good one
To be honest, those were the expected outcomes. I am particularly glad about Keat's choice, because Rose is going to be quite an important character in his storyline going forward. Meanwhile, Drent taking the ring, well, I am not certain if Argella's intentions here have been all that clear. She did not consider this ring as giving him a memento to their shared adventures, but as a purely material reward for a service well done. Drent might consider things differently, but this will send a message to her. Considering that she heavily expected him to take the ring, she is not going to be disappointed or anything, but as said, this ring was her form of payment.
The next part is going to be out later today. It will bring us back to Willfred's storyline and to the schemes at the court of Raylansfair. Last time we saw him, Willfred had a talk with Maron Mullendore and Devrin Oakheart, where they eventually formed an uneasy alliance to gain intel on Petyr's plans, as the latter two suspected him to try and sway Willfred to his side. Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Prins, one of Willfred's guards, who informed him of his belongings being moved to another room to make space for the Selwyn household. As he rushed there, he found Maester Eddard, just inspecting the mysterious box he got from the archives. In a fit of anger, Willfred considered knocking the box from the maester's hands, not able to stand someone else even just touching it. However, he managed to calm himself enough to allow Eddard to let go of the box on his own accord. As I said, the next part will be out later today, I hope you'll enjoy it
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, he blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't explain what you even want here to begin with”
“Ah, of course”, Eddard said, though he tilted his head at the knight's words. “I suppose you will not allow further talk about this trinket of yours?” Willfred did not reply. Instead he merely gave the maester a glare so dark that he could watch the man shiver. “As I thought”, he mumbled. “Curious, certainly curious” He took a deep breath, pulling himself together, as he gave Willfred a friendly smile. “See, I am new in the castle and to be honest, I don't know much about the new lord and his entourage”
“Bloody ask them then”, Willfred growled. There was something about the friendliness that made him hesitate. He would have never called himself good at spotting a lie, but right now, it was more than just a feeling. Eddard was hiding something from him, something about his true intentions.
The maester shrugged. “That would be quite embarrassing, don't you agree?”, he replied. “I spoke to some. The merchant Helenys, the Gardener knight Kasyn and to one of the servants, a charming young woman by the name of Saerya” His smile got wider. “And well, they have painted quite the picture. I was wondering if you could tell me about your opinion on Lord Petyr and Ser Maron?”
Willfred wanted to answer, he really did. However, his gaze wandered to the box Eddard had placed on the table. He noticed that his fists were still clenched and as he opened them, he felt the pain. “No”, he merely whispered. Eddard raised an eyebrow. “No?”, he replied, perhaps in disbelief and Willfred shot him a glare. “You heard me”, he growled. “Now get out of my room”
For a moment, Eddard seemed genuinely baffled and it was clear, this wasn't what he expected. But Willfred was in no mood to answer his questions. The maester would leave the room, or by the Seven, he'd send him straight to hell. Silently, he prayed Eddard would choose correctly.
Thankfully, the man did. Pulling himself together, he gave Willfred a nod. “Another time then, Ser”, he spoke. “I am sorry for intruding” He walked past him, his stride cold and firm, though he at least had the decency to close the door behind him. As soon as he left, Willfred sighed in relief, as he noticed how tensed up he had been.
Quickly, he looked at the box, narrowing his eyes in the process. “What is it with you?”, he growled, as he placed a hand on his head. Looking at this box, this thing, it was nauseating just as it was strangely pleasing. And something was deeply wrong with it and by extension, with Willfred himself.
“I nearly attacked that man”, he whispered. “You would have liked that, would you not?” He sighed, as the box remained silent. “What are you doing with me?”, he asked again, this time a bit louder, with notably more anger in his tone. And to his surprise, he received an answer this time.
“Ser?”, a voice asked and Willfred gasped, as it took him a moment to realize that the reply came from outside of his room and not from inside the box. He clenched his fist, slamming it down onto the table. “What?”, he growled, recognizing the voice as Jack's. “The door is open, come in”
The one-eyed soldier did as he was asked to do and a moment later, he entered, saluting just as he had passed the doorframe. He scanned the room, gulping notably as he put his gaze upon the box. “Lord Petyr has sent word, Ser”, he revealed. “He wishes to meet with you at once, in his audience room”
Petyr... Hearing the name caused Willfred to snap back. “Of course”, he said, remembering Mullendore's request. More than that, he remembered Helenys' advice. Driving a rift between Mullendore and Vyrwel... it seemed easier than ever. That is, actually easy, to begin with. And Willfred smirked. “Lead the way”, he said.
Jack saluted once more. “Follow me, Ser”, he spoke, as he turned around. Willfred remained in his room, just a little bit longer. His gaze wandered back to the box once more, while his thoughts went back to Maester Eddard. And with a frown, he grabbed a satchel from the pile of his belongings, placing it on his belt, as he reached for the box.
As he touched the wood, a pain flashed through his head, a blow more heavy than anything he ever received before. It was a small surprise that he remained standing. And for a brief moment, he saw something on the window. It was a butterfly, black and orange, pressed against the glass. Instinctively, he moved to touch it, yet as he blinked, it was gone again. All that remained was a stain of blood where it used to be.
With a heavy heart, Willfred turned to the door, still clinging onto the box. As he spotted Jack, who gave him a concerned look, he slowly placed the wooden trinket in the satchel on his belt. “Just had to take care of something”, he said and Jack nodded. “Yeah, I've seen that”, he mumbled, glancing at the satchel. “Ser, I...” He cut himself off as he noticed Willfred's dark expression.
“Yes?”, the knight growled harshly and Jack tensed up. “Nothing”, he replied quickly. “Let's go” He began to walk in silence, yet Willfred knew something was bothering him. However, he wasn't in the mood for a confrontation either. As such, he was content with silently walking next to one of the few men still following him. Though if he'd knew what was going on, everything regarding the box, Willfred had to wonder, would he still do it? Jack and Prins both, how would they react? And Tallian and Roger?
Before he could dwell on these dark thoughts, Jack pointed at a door in the distance. “There it is, Ser”, he spoke. Just as he said these words, the door opened and the lords Donnel Selwyn and Devrin Oakheart stepped out. Oakheart was chuckling loudly, which caused Selwyn to grin, as he placed a hand on the back of his brother-in-law. Both lords greeted Willfred with a brief, silent nod as they walked past, leaving the door to Petyr Vyrwel's audience room wide open.
“I think he is waiting...”, Willfred mumbled, as he managed to smile at Jack. “Stay ready”, he spoke. “Something is going on and I don't like it. Make sure no one enters my room while I'm away” Jack saluted firmly in response. “Of course, Ser”, he confirmed. “Good luck during your talks”
They separated, with Jack taking the route back and Willfred approaching Vyrwel's room. He hesitantly knocked on the door, clearing his throat as he did so. “Mylord?”, he said, glancing in. Petyr Vyrwel was sitting there, a glass of wine in front of him, resting his head on one hand. He sighed as he spotted Willfred. “Come in, Ser Willfred”, he spoke.
Willfred did as he was told, closing the door in the process. “You have called for me”, he said as he came closer. “Though if this is not the right time...” Petyr was quick to cut him off. “It is the only time”, he replied. “I kept you waiting for long enough to grant you an audience. Not your fault that the previous talk has been... tiring. Sit down”
“Your talks with Lord Selwyn weren't fruitful?”, Willfred asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a seat on the opposing side of the small table. Petyr smirked thinly. “Devrin warned me”, he admitted. “Told me Lord Selwyn can be hard to negotiate with” He shook his head. “Gods, I had no idea. That man has very specific demands and he won't move one single bit”
Willfred leant back against the chair. “I'm not an expert on these things, but if you don't agree with him, maybe you shouldn't do it then”, he spoke and Petyr flashed him a quick grin. “I can see that”, he replied. “That you're not an expert, I mean. Tempting as it would be, Selwyn remains the head of an old, influential house. And unlike many of the other houses, he is very willing to negotiate. He accepted my invitation at once and that makes him someone I can't just ignore”
“May I ask what you want to achieve by having him around?”, Willfred asked, knowing he might overstep his position with this. Petyr raised an eyebrow. “The details are not really your business”, he growled. “Yet I actually want something similar from you. Support in my goals, to be precise”
“Which would be?”, Willfred asked, crossing his arms. The satchel on his belt felt heavy as he spoke these words and he frowned ever so slightly. The lord seemed to notice this and he leant closer. “I can't go into details with you, Ser, this should be clear”, he stated. “I barely know you, after all. But I know our goals can align, unlike those of certain other groups of interest in this city”
The image of the butterfly flashed through Willfred's head once more and he narrowed his eyes. “You are talking about Maron Mullendore”, he deduced and for a moment, Petyr's eyes widened. “You are correct”, he confirmed, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. “My ally, my friend, my castellan and second-in-command. We have joined forces because we both have ambitious goals. I just do not think that his vision aligns with mine as much as either of us would like it to”
His words caused Willfred's heartbeat to quicken. “You think he's working behind your back?”, he asked and Petyr chuckled dryly. “Ser, I never speak about mere assumptions”, he clarified. “I know he works behind my back. I know he undermines my authority and has done so repeatedly ever since King Mern appointed me as the new Lord of Raylansfair. His men form a secondary city watch answering to him and not me, he sends word to the lords of the Reach without my approval and lately, he started bloody killing people! Sure, he claimed the farmer attacked him first, but I spoke to his daughter and I believe the poor girl more than him, simple as that”
“You speak as if you're powerless to stop him”, Willfred brought up, noticing the slight twitch in the corner of Petyr's mouth, the sudden clenching of his fists. “And you speak of things you obviously don't know much about”, he replied sternly. “Allow me to explain. Do you know how large Darkdell is? My old lands to the south, compared to Raylan's up here?”
Willfred shrugged. “About the same size?”, he spoke. It was not a topic he felt comfortable with. His knowledge on the other Lannister bannermen was already not as his father would like it to be, but Gardener's? It was a guess at the best. That being said, Petyr's expression told him he did not guess correctly. “They are actually smaller”, he corrected him. “Not all that much, but even at the height of our power, House Raylan had more land to control. I had enough men to keep Darkdell and the Vyrwel lands safe. Can you see where I'm getting at with that?”
“You don't have enough numbers to protect the city”, Willfred realized, his eyes widening as he thought about what this would mean. He came to take men away from the city and if Petyr had none to spare already, it could only mean a bad fate for his mission. “Not on my own”, Petyr confirmed. “When Mern Gardener appointed me as the new Lord of Raylansfair, he did not snap his fingers to double my soldiers. My brother Otho succeeded me in Darkdell and naturally, I had to leave more than half of the men to keep his lands under control. Last thing I want is chaos back home”
It was then that Willfred realized what he was talking about. “So, you need Mullendore's men”, he concluded and Petyr sighed. “Precisely”, he confirmed. “They make up about half of the standing forces of Raylansfair and they are loyal only to their master. The rest consists of my own men and the pathetic remainders of those that survived the raid. The former is loyal to me, the latter still harbours resentment for my takeover”
Willfred leant forward, carefully looking at Petyr Vyrwel. “So you need my help as much as I need yours”, he spoke. Petyr nodded. “I want to be frank with you, Reyne”, he admitted. “I cannot give you the men you desire. Five hundred, that would be over a third of what we can muster right now. Perhaps in several years, when the city had time to recover, when we had time to strengthen our numbers and repair the damage, but right now? Not a chance”
Devrin Oakheart's offer came to mind. He was to find out more about Petyr's plans, in return he'd be given twice the number of men from Oakheart's lands. And as little as he knew about Gardener's bannermen, he knew Devrin Oakheart was one of the big ones, one of the powerful ones. He looked at Petyr, gulping as he noticed the look in his eyes. “How may I help, mylord?”, he asked.
Petyr sighed. “There might be one way I can give you the men you need. Maybe not the five hundred Robert Raylan promised, but three or four hundred. Better than nothing”, he offered, followed by a friendly smile. “I do not wish to remain in debt to your kingdom, to leave Raylan's admittedly foolish promise unfulfilled. Who knows, it might even open the door to a stronger partnership”
The way he worded this caused Willfred to look up. “I would like this”, he spoke, even though he did not like the tone in Petyr's voice, not at all. “Though of course I cannot speak for my father, nor for King Loren” Petyr gave him a nod. “Of course, Ser”, he spoke. “You have their ear though. You are your father's heir and you will marry the king's daughter. I wouldn't exactly call you a man without influence”
Admittedly, that was true, even if Willfred hated the very thought of it. Begrudgingly, he gave the lord a brief nod. “What would you like me to tell them”, he asked. For a moment, Petyr's smile grew wider, an expression of smugness followed by a sly chuckle. “I would like for you to warn them, Ser”, he spoke. “And I want to request their aid. It is, I would like to believe, in their best interest”
This didn't sound good. Willfred had to admit, he hated the sound of it. “A warning...”, he mumbled. “Of you?” Petyr's laughter was bright and almost genuine. “I'd hardly tell you if that'd be the case, eh?”, he replied. “No, I have come to consider my goals to be surprisingly well-adjusted to your own”
“Mullendore then”, Willfred deduced, the image of the butterfly flashing through his head once more, almost as if someone tried to push it down his mind. Petyr smirked slightly. “I want to be straightforward with you, Ser, just this once”, he spoke. “Me and Maron, we have goals that align in some parts. We both desire a strong king for the Reach. Unfortunately, Maron wants to take things a step farther, a step too far for my liking. He wants to eliminate all of our kingdoms enemies one by one”
Willfred tilted his head. “That would be good, wouldn't it?”, he asked, even if Petyr's voice implied it wasn't in the slightest. The lord sighed. “And what then?”, he asked in return. “What do you think would happen if Maron succeeds? A strong king leading a strong kingdom without any natural enemies?” Willfred gulped. “You're saying...”, he stuttered.
“Every king needs an enemy”, Petyr replied. “Every kingdom needs a rival. Every house needs another with similar ambitions, to keep each other in line” He raised an eyebrow. “Can you tell me why?” It seemed an honest question and Petyr looked at him with genuine curiosity. Willfred gulped, as he had to shake his head. “I don't know”, he admitted.
Petyr sighed. “A kingdom without an enemy is a kingdom that will turn on itself”, he told him. “At best, which is a term I'd use lightly here, it would mean a tyrant, placing his attention onto his own lords” His smile returned. “Not good for me, as you can imagine”, he spoke. “At worst, it means a royal family that turns on each other. Children slay their parents, brother fights brother until one of them is king of the ruins”
“So you wish to stop Mullendore's plans?”, Willfred asked and Petyr shook his head. “Make no mistake, I know the sort of man he is. He is violent and petty, ruthless and utterly without remorse”, he explained. “And I want him to succeed. I work with him because yes, there are aspects where we want the same. If you have a problem with that, you won't find an ally in this city”
Keeping Mullendore's earlier talk in mind, Willfred clenched his fists. “If he succeeds, would that be bad for my kingdom?”, he asked straightforwardly and to his growing horror, Petyr nodded. “Only if I don't succeed at the same time, so pray that I do”, he spoke. “Maron needs to advance his goals, but I need to remain in control in our partnership. It is something he's been trying to undermine for months now, probably longer”
“Then you need to remain in charge”, Willfred stated and Petyr flashed him an honest grin. “With a bit of investment from your kingdom, I can repay you tenfold”, he promised. “I cannot grant you any men right now, but I can promise, I will” Willfred leant forward. “What sort of an investment are you talking about?”, he asked and Petyr smiled. “The sort Donnel Selwyn would not grant me so easily”, he spoke. “I require men to keep Mullendore in check. I need to prove my strength in front of him and that of my allies”
Realizing the irony, Willfred could not help but chuckle. “You ask for men from the Rock?”, he asked and Petyr joined in on the chuckle. “An unexpected turn of events, isn't it?”, he spoke. “But yes, I need men from the Rock to grant me power over Maron. I want to kick part of his men out of the city, these unsettling freaks he surrounds himself with. Once that is done, once my men are in the majority, we can talk about how to repay you. That way, I can assure that me and Maron will work in ways more beneficial to your kingdom as well”
“So that our kingdoms can be enemies?”, Willfred asked and Petyr shook his head. “Not necessarily”, he replied. “But as much as I want a strong Kingdom of the Reach, I have no desire to have it stand alone in this world” Noting the confused frown on Willfred's face, he narrowed his eyes. “You seem tired, Ser”, he realized. “Haven't slept well lately?”
Willfred shook his head. “Barely”, he confirmed. “And what you told me has been a bit much” Petyr nodded slightly. “Of course”, he said. “Unfortunate, but understandable. In this case, Ser, I would request only two things” He raised a finger. “Rest”, he ordered. “And reflect” He glanced at the door and Willfred realized what he meant.
“The talks are over then?”, he asked, to which Petyr shook his head. “Not at all”, he replied. “I know my request might be a bit much, but once you think about it properly, I have no doubt you will see it is to our mutual good” He extended his hand and without even thinking about it, Willfred grabbed it. It was in this moment that something flashed through his mind. It was not so much a memory, not anything he could actually grasp, more a feeling. Lies, ambition, greed and a city drowning in it.
“I would like a further talk”, he agreed. “Maybe tomorrow?” Petyr nodded. “Tomorrow it is, Ser”, he said, as Willfred rose from his chair, quickly leaving the room. He sighed as he entered the empty hallway, once he closed the door behind him. This had turned more complicated than he ever wished for and not for the first time, he found himself yearning back for the time where all he had to deal with was that stubborn bastard Harris Flowers.
“Tough talks, huh?”, a gruff voice sounded from his right and Willfred suppressed the urge to flinch as he spotted Maron Mullendore, almost literally emerging from the shadows of the nearby door. On his one-eyed face was an expression so utterly unreadable, but Willfred tensed up as he spotted the butterflies on his tabard.
Finally, he managed a smile. “Worse than I thought”, he said and Maron pointed to the door behind him. “Care to join me, Ser?”, he asked. “For such occasions, I prefer Arbor Red” Though hesitating, Willfred realized it hadn't been an offer he was able to refuse. Wordlessly, he came closer and Maron allowed him to enter the room first.
It was a small, but lavish dining room, likely used for smaller parties, who would not fill the entire Great Hall. Apparently, Maron had been dining, small, dark bones littered over a silver plate, a large knife next to it. There was also the wine he promised and he quickly moved to hand Willfred a second glass, limping over to him in order to pour in.
“The kind I came to expect from Petyr”, Maron revealed, as he nearly emptied his glass in a single gulp. “Ah, that is the good stuff. Barely heard any good about the bastard who came before me, but he knew his wine, gotta admit it” He smiled in a wide, cheerful way as Willfred took a sip from his glass. It was a strong, but sweet taste, slowly running down his throat and causing him to sigh. “It is a good wine”, he admitted.
“Didn't just ask you in here so that you can drink my wine, red lion”, Maron spoke, his voice growing momentarily colder, though he seemed to pull himself together quickly. He cleared his throat, his smile seeming almost apologetic. “No, I mean, I called you here to learn what you just discussed with Petyr. He wanted to meet you on a very short notice, so I presume it has been important” His single, green eye narrowed sharply. “I take it you haven't forgotten our earlier agreement?”
[Tell him what you discussed with Petyr][Lie to him][Refuse to tell him]
[Refuse to tell him] Honestly, none of the options are particularly promising, but refusing is possibly better than trying to deceive a deceiver like him. The box has certainly strange powers.
An enemy for the Reach eh? Well, they will find it soon enough, and he won't need that much time to change the entire landscape of Westeros. The fist will unclench and extend for mercy, of which there will be none.
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
[Lie to him] Lying. I like lying. Especially to bad men. Although I got a bad feeling about this. Lies, corruption, deceit, theft, debauchery. Who is who? Where is the enemy? Who is the enemy? Why is the enemy?
"I take it you haven't forgotten our earlier agreement?"
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
A lot of prophecies in this chapter, it seems like Mullendore is in trouble, judging from the imagery of the orange butterfly turning into a splatter of blood. Makes me wonder if Petyr is really the big bad here.
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
[Lie to him] It seems conflict between Maron and Petyr is imminent, and I'd much rather Willfred side with Petyr. Sure, we know Maron and Devrin are promising more, but their allegiance to Harren makes those promises null, whereas Petyr seems to imply here that he doesn't wish to destroy the Rock.
Oh man, the artefact really adds some spice to Willfred's parts, and seeing its effects is equally entertaining and terrifying. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of his conversation with Mullendore!
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
I'd say that is a good idea. A lot of the current choices require knowledge from the previous chapters, this one being one of the more important ones actually. As such, getting to know the events and characters from the previous chapters could help. Though later chapters are definitely longer than the first ones, I am glad to hear that catching up is going well for you
An enemy for the Reach eh? Well, they will find it soon enough, and he won't need that much time to change the entire landscape of Westeros. The fist will unclench and extend for mercy, of which there will be none.
Aye, while Petyr hopes that the Reach, under the rule of Harren Hoare, will have an enemy and won't remain uncontested (mostly because he knows that a ruler as harsh as Harren needs an enemy to keep him busy instead of focussing onto his own lords, he is definitely going to get more than he ever wished for. That being said, his words here are quite far-sighted. Keep in mind what is going to happen to the Targaryen dynasty. When they had no enemy left to conquer, they had the terrible habit of attacking each other. There were cruel tyrants such as Maegor, Aegon IV and Aerys II, who had way too much time to focus on how to strengthen their own power over their bannermen and the realm suffered for it. There have been several civil wars coming as a result of Targaryen kings who fought their family instead of outside enemies and it can be argued that the lack of outside enemies only allowed for further problems as ever since Aegon conquered Westeros (or at latest since Dorne joined), there has never been any genuine threat to the kingdom from the outside. Petyr fears that without a common enemy to focus on, the strong kingdom he seeks to create will crumble and the future will actually give his words some merit.
[Refuse to tell him] Honestly, none of the options are particularly promising, but refusing is possibly better than trying to deceive a dece… moreiver like him. The box has certainly strange powers.
An enemy for the Reach eh? Well, they will find it soon enough, and he won't need that much time to change the entire landscape of Westeros. The fist will unclench and extend for mercy, of which there will be none.
Who is who? Where is the enemy? Who is the enemy? Why is the enemy?
People always ask "Why is the enemy?", but no one ever asks "How is the enemy?". Maybe a lot of problems and hostilities could be avoided if people would just consider the feelings of their enemies a bit better.
"Oh yes, I tooooootally remember it."
Aaaah, you... don't? I can explain, no worries. I mean, Willfred remembers it for certain, it hasn't been that long ago for him. Basically, Maron and Devrin spoke to him earlier in the chapter and they reached sort of an agreement. Willfred would tell them about Petyr's plans and schemes, as they (correctly) fear he works behind their back as much as they work behind his. In return, Devrin and Maron would send twice the amount of men to aid the Rock (though given their true loyalties, it was pretty clear to the readers that this was a treacherous offer). This is the agreement Maron is referring to here.
[Lie to him] Lying. I like lying. Especially to bad men. Although I got a bad feeling about this. Lies, corruption, deceit, theft, debaucher… morey. Who is who? Where is the enemy? Who is the enemy? Why is the enemy?
"I take it you haven't forgotten our earlier agreement?"
"Oh yes, I tooooootally remember it."
So much to be explained...
A lot of prophecies in this chapter, it seems like Mullendore is in trouble, judging from the imagery of the orange butterfly turning into a splatter of blood. Makes me wonder if Petyr is really the big bad here.
Mullendore has always been in trouble and the problem is, he knows it. He knows Petyr uses him as the fall guy, the one who actually got blood on his hands, crimes that can be proven if one searches stubbornly enough. It is the reason why he seeks to grant more power within their alliance and why Petyr wishes to stay in control. When it comes to the big bad status, I would say Maron is at least the more villainous one of the two, even if both are not innocent in the slightest bit. However, the big bad is, of course, going to be the main villain, the guy actually in charge of all this. There, it remains to be seen who comes out on top in this little power struggle and if either of them might do something that makes them more or less villainous than the other.
[Tell him what you discussed with Petyr]
A lot of prophecies in this chapter, it seems like Mullendore is in trouble, judging from the im… moreagery of the orange butterfly turning into a splatter of blood. Makes me wonder if Petyr is really the big bad here.
It seems conflict between Maron and Petyr is imminent, and I'd much rather Willfred side with Petyr. Sure, we know Maron and Devrin are promising more, but their allegiance to Harren makes those promises null, whereas Petyr seems to imply here that he doesn't wish to destroy the Rock.
There is indeed a conflict between them, the natural consequence of having two men working together while neither is actually willing to have a role of lesser importance when compared to the other. They are both strong, ambitious leaders and that sort rarely works well together. And if Petyr has been honest here (it could have been another trick of course), one key difference is that he indeed does not wish to see the Rock destroyed. He is perfectly content with climbing in influence under a strong king such as Harren, if said king still has outside forces to keep an eye on, especially forces he already is at war with. The Rock is Harren's enemy and if he takes over the Reach, they will be enemies of the Reach. Petyr wants to keep things that way, instead of giving Harren the free time to think of ways to limit the power of his bannermen.
Oh man, the artefact really adds some spice to Willfred's parts, and seeing its effects is equally entertaining and terrifying. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of his conversation with Mullendore!
Ah, I am glad to hear this! I am never sure how much I should show of the artifact, as I know such mysteries can be frustrating if not done correctly. However, I am glad you enjoy it so far, I can promise there will be further development down the line. And Willfred will have one more part in this chapter, showing indeed the rest of his conversation with Maron here.
[Lie to him] It seems conflict between Maron and Petyr is imminent, and I'd much rather Willfred side with Petyr. Sure, we know Maron and De… morevrin are promising more, but their allegiance to Harren makes those promises null, whereas Petyr seems to imply here that he doesn't wish to destroy the Rock.
Oh man, the artefact really adds some spice to Willfred's parts, and seeing its effects is equally entertaining and terrifying. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of his conversation with Mullendore!
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
[Lie to him]
This is a very tough choice and one that I am honestly not sure about either way. I want Willfred to keep what he's learned from Petyr to himself but on the other hand, I am not too sure he will me able to fool Maron here. As I said, this is a very tough choice and one I might actually change my mind on.
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, h… moree blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't expl… [view original content]
Comments
[Insist on folllowing your approach]
The warlock council is very intriguing and intimidating. I like it. Were they all submitted by the users or you’re the creator?
Ah, glad you like them! They are, in fact, all mine, as I wanted to show that there's more to the warlocks than just Irae, Moros and the so far unseen Undying Ones. I figured there has to be some sort of a council running the day to day business of the warlock order, stuff the Undying Ones either do not care to bother with or can't due to them being just borderline alive at all. So I got the idea for the council and after a while, I settled for the six members that appeared in this part and I hope I managed to set them apart from each other well enough. Being among the elite of the warlock order, they will be a driving force in Irae's storyline and I have some pretty nice plans for them later on.
The Voting is closed!
Irae is going to follow her own approach
This one was a pretty big choice. Arguably, it is the more morally good option, because the warlock's approach to the situation would have been gruesome, to say the least. At the same time, it would have been ruthlessly effective, as all things the warlock council does. They will be displeased over this decision, with the possible exception of Garath Garraman, who is essentially the public relations guy of the order and as such more concerned with how mutilating and mind-raping a rich merchant's daughter would have appeared to the nobility of Qarth. However, it will mean that Irae will place Naela's well-being higher than the wishes of her order, to a degree at least, which is a pretty big step for her. Of course, neither option is all that wonderful, as she is still going to bring her to the Blood Witch and while the warlock's plan would have been fool-proof, this approach does hold the potential of failure and with it the threat of destruction to Qarth and its citizens at the hands of the Blood Witch's Dothraki horde.
The next part will be out... tomorrow. For once, I can safely say that I will not get it done today, even if I am making some good progress. It will finish the storylines for Drent and Keat in this chapter. Last time we saw Drent, he was fighting in the melee against dozens of warriors, sellswords and knights, including Argilac Durrandon himself. With a mixture of intelligence and luck, Drent managed to defeat several opponents, among them one knight and most importantly, Warrick Fell. He even made it to the final six, the only commoner to come that far, with Argilac being knocked out before him. Unfortunately, that is as far as he could come, as the other ones remaining were the elite of the Stormlander knights. He himself was pretty swiftly knocked out by Landry Swann and the next part will show the aftermath. Meanwhile, Keat's part will, as I announced last time I closed the voting, show his conversation with Samuel Puffer and his siblings, where he will bring up the upcoming heist. As I said, I hope to finish the part tomorrow, so until then have a good time!
Drent
As Drent awoke, the first thing he noticed was the pain. It hadn't been the first time waking up after being knocked out in combat, but there were some things he'd never get used to. The headache was one of them, that vicious feeling of nearly having his skull bashed in. It'd probably last for days. He groaned as he looked around, slowly realizing where he was.
It came as a mild surprise that someone had bothered with bringing him to his own room, but there he was, in his own bed and not on some mattress surrounded by others in conditions even worse. A delightfully cold, wet rag had been placed on his head, though it did little to numb the pain. Though the jaw ached badly, the worst part was at his left cheek, which was at least slightly swollen, given how he could barely see out of his left eye. As he tried to narrow it, he groaned in discomfort.
Instantly, he heard movement to his right. Reluctantly, he moved his head, every inch of his body protesting against it. There, on the other bed, he spotted Torrence, leaning against the wall, arms crossed behind his back. “What's with the groaning?”, he asked. “Be glad we even have a room. Brand's men have one for every fifteen men” He glanced to the door and smirked. “Suppose having friends in high places can help sometimes”
“You suppose right, Torrence”, another voice called and Drent took a deep breath as once more, he moved his head, spotting Argella there, leaning against the doorframe. She still wore the yellow dress she had during the tourney, though the silver circlet was now in her hands, as her fingers slightly and perhaps nervously ran over the small antlers that adorned it. “And they still say I'm not generous to those who earned it”
Drent cleared his throat, which ended in him coughing. On Argella's sharp glance, Torrence jumped up, handing him a cup of water, which he nearly emptied in a single gulp. “My... my princess”, he finally managed to say. Then, he paused. What was he supposed to follow this up with? 'I'm glad you're here?' perhaps, or maybe the more appropriate 'What are you doing here?'...
“I see that blow to your head hasn't affected your memory”, Argella spoke as he hesitated too long, raising an eyebrow. “Albeit it seems you can't really hold a conversation” Torrence snorted and it was only pain that stopped Drent from rolling his eyes. “It's good to see you”, he spoke and she nodded. “Naturally”, she merely replied. “Though it's likewise, as I have to admit”
Drent smiled as he somehow managed to raise an eyebrow. “Did... did I win?”, he asked. Her laughter was crystal clear, yet with a sharp mockery to it. “Define 'winning'”, she answered. “The actual tourney, no. But you made a good figure as Landry Swann almost bashed your head in. That fall has been stupendous”
“She did not laugh though”, Torrence revealed. “And she's been here two times already, checking up on you” Argella shot him a glare, though she did manage to pull herself together remarkably quickly. “Of course I had to check up on my champion”, she claimed. “It would have been my fault had something happened to you”
To this, Drent chuckled, though he regretted it instantly, as the pain flared up in his ribs. “Well, define 'something”, he spoke right back at her. Her smile faded into a crooked smirk. “Alright, you have proven me wrong”, she admitted. “Turns out you can hold a conversation” There was genuine appreciation in her tone, if perhaps not in her words.
“How long have I been out anyway?”, Drent asked as he let his head sink back onto the pillow. By the gods, right now there was nothing he wanted more than a long sleep. Argella shrugged. “Not terribly long. Four hours, I'd say. The tourney is over and right now they prepare for the feast, so I took the opportunity to sneak away” She rolled her eyes. “Thank the Seven that Buckler is in no shape to dance, else my father would insist on it”
“And... who won the tourney? The melee, I mean. Tell me about the melee first”, Drent then added, somewhat more hesitantly. That being said, he still felt the pride from having knocked out Warrick Fell. “Landry Swann, obviously”, Argella revealed, as if it had been clear from the very beginning. “I mean, after he knocked my father out, there wasn't really anyone left to properly oppose him”
Swann... Drent had to admit, it wasn't too surprising. Faintly, he remembered how it had been the man himself who knocked him down. “He defeated a dozen men in the melee”, the princess explained, slightly clenching her fists. “To be fair, Gerald Grandison came close to beat him. They were the last two standing, locked in a duel of the likes this castle hasn't seen in decades” She shrugged. “Or so I've been told. Father got all excited watching it”
“I can only imagine”, Drent grunted and Argella chuckled. “You did good as well”, she complimented him. “Smart choice, staying out of unnecessary fights. Though you took down an armed knight” He managed a weak nod. “Who is he?”, he asked and Argella raised an eyebrow. “You fear retaliation?”, she asked, before she shook her head. “Don't. The knight you defeated is Bryan Cafferen, the heir to Fawntown. A hot-headed man, but not a bad one. He grew up at Storm's End, always in the company of my brother, Artos, so I know him quite well. In a way, he's gentle as a lamb”
A few months ago, Drent would have probably managed a stilted chuckle, but now, it only made him groan. “That was terrible”, he told her and to his surprise, this caused Argella to grin. “Aren't you supposed to laugh either way?”, she asked. “At least this is the impression I got from a small army of handmaidens”
“Not a handmaiden”, Drent replied and Argella nodded. “Thank the gods for that”, she spoke. “You would look atrocious in a dress, don't take it personal” They shared a smirk. “Yeah, how can I take that one personally?”, her asked. “So, who won the other ones? Archery and the joust”
Argella's smile faded. “Edonia lost the archery contest, unfortunately. She defeated Arwin Staedmon, Theon Toyne and most importantly, Jonathan Errol, but lost in the final round against Tristan Wylde”, she patiently explained, before she shrugged. “Well, it happens”
“It is a damn shame though”, Torrence mumbled. “I heard Wylde got quite the price. Edonia could have retired from duty and we would have been rid of her” Argella tilted her head, as she gave Torrence a smile, outwardly sweet yet with underlying mockery. “Be glad that your sister remains by your side for a bit longer, Torrence”, she told him.
Before Torrence was able to answer, Drent rose his arm, surprised that he was able to do it without further pain. “The joust”, he spoke, to stop any argument about Edonia in its tracks. Last thing he needed was Torrence complaining about his sister again. That being said, he felt relief, hearing that she'd remain in the company.
“Thankfully, it wasn't Bernard Buckler”, Argella said with a smirk. “Qoherys told me his arm is broken and his ankle sprained at the very least. Emphryus lost that round, but he made sure to take his opponent down with him” She shrugged. “No, that one actually went to Gerald Grandison. Doubt anyone expected him to get up again after the beating he received from Landry, but there he was, sitting atop his destrier, unhorsing three more knights before father gave him the victory”
That, Drent had to admit it, was actually impressive, though he narrowed his eyes at the almost dreamy tone in Argella's voice. “Grandison, huh?”, he mumbled. “Never heard of him” Argella noticed the frown on his face and she shot him a grin. “Oh, I am certain you will. The entire castle is talking about him right now. Renowned, from a respectable house and without a bride, as far as I know. Half of my handmaidens is going crazy over the man” As soon as she said this, the hint of colour appeared on her pale cheeks. “Not me though!”, she was quick to clarify. “He's loud and impulsive and arrogant, hardly worth my attention”
Rolling his eyes, Drent exchanged a glance with Torrence, who smirked at him. “Sounds like someone I know”, he mumbled and Argella's smile faded. “Yeah, tell me all about it, Torrence”, she spat. “In any way, that is not why I'm here. Not entirely at least” Her smile still did not return as she looked back at Drent and he tensed up. “I, well, I wanted to check up on you, to be fair” With this, she stepped closer. “I... you did a lot for me today and I wanted to make sure you're alright. I owe you” She sighed. “Besides, I wanted to let you know about your next assignment”
This caused Torrence to sit straight at once. “You never said anything about that”, he spoke and Argella raised an eyebrow. The soldier gulped. “My princess, I mean”, he added, to her pleasure. “That is because I wanted to wait until Drent is awake”, she explained sternly. “No sense in repeating myself” She looked back at him, lying there in his bed and Drent suddenly realized what a pathetic figure he must have been just now. Covered in sweat, dirt and blood, bruised and beaten, in the presence of his future queen.
“What is it?”, he managed to ask and she bit down onto her lower lip. “Father is sending you away”, she revealed. “Your unit, led by Ser Emphryus. You will accompany Buckler and his friends back home” It was only now that he noticed her tightly clenched and slightly shaking fists. As he looked back at her face, she was staring past him towards the small window. “Qoherys has received word from old friends”, she spoke, her voice stern and notably stressed. “The bastard is going to march against us. Targaryen's bastard, I mean”
Drent understood. “Orys Baratheon”, he said and she frowned at the mention of his name. “He saved my life in Raylansfair, even after all the things I have said about him”, she finally replied with a sigh. “So I will not repeat myself. I might have been wrong about him before” A moment of regret got replaced by the fury he knew so well. “But if the bastard thinks he can lead an army into my father's lands, into my lands, then he will find me not so agreeable should we ever meet again”
“What is the order?”, Torrence asked, before Drent was able to and Argella merely glanced at him. “Emphryus has volunteered”, she spoke. “He will lead you north, where you will support Lord Buckler in hopefully repelling Baratheon's first assault. It is not going to be a long assignment though, Father has promised to send you back to Storm's End once you repel the bastard's army”
“Buckler?”, Drent finally asked. “There's houses to the north, sworn to your father” Argella shook her head. “There might be, but we cannot count on their loyalty. If a thousand men march through their lands, whom do you think they will follow? Benedict Buckler is a good man, a loyal man and I have no doubt that he will stand ready Three hundred men-at-arms from Storm's End will come to support him”
“And us among them”, Torrence sighed. “Just my fucking luck again” Argella briefly smirked at him. “Wait until I'm done, Torrence”, she said slyly, before she looked back at Drent. “Believe me, if I could, I would urge my father to reconsider. But I cannot do this to Emphryus. He yearns for a chance to fight the invader and my father had to grant him this much” She sighed. “Though there is more...”
This time, she paused until Drent raised an eyebrow. “My princess?”, he asked, as she extended a hand towards him. Opening it, he saw the small object in her palm. “The winner takes the spoils in this tourney. Landry Swann, Gerald Grandison and Tristan Wylde gained riches and glory. You however risked so much without even the chance to gain anything. It... seemed unfair”
Drent looked into her open palm and he held his breath as he gazed upon the ring in it. It was a thick one, made out of solid gold, a red stone embedded in it. Undoubtedly worth a fortune, it was the kind a man like him would either sell immediately or hold onto for the rest of his life. “I can't take this”, he said at once. “I didn't do it for a reward”
“You did not?”, Argella asked and she seemed genuinely surprised by this revelation. Quickly, she pulled herself together though, her smile a weak, sincere and thoroughly nervous one. “Are... are you sure?”, she asked, before she cleared her throat. “I mean, no matter what, this is mine and I want to reward you. It was a service well done and you earned it”
A moment passed and Drent noticed how Argella grew slightly nervous. After all, how often did it happen that someone outright refused a reward from her? But he was willing to. After all, he didn't do it for some token, a ring or a bag of gold. He did not want to seem rude by refusing, yet at the same time, he didn't want her to think he only did it for the riches.
[Accept the ring] [Refuse it]
Keat
“So, let me get this straight...”, Samuel spoke, as he had brought wine for them to drink. Taking a swig from the bottle, he handed it to Erik, who in return took a deep gulp, followed by yet another one right away. Only then did he hand the bottle to Keat himself. “You return to Oldtown after months, still horribly in debt, now working for Hishi and you're telling me you plan to rob the Hightower to get out of that mess?”
Keat gulped. He had an arm around Nalia, who was smiling gently. His younger sister was clearly overjoyed and even now, she was looking at him with obvious love in her eyes. It was the reason why he cared for her so much, because she would never not love him back. Things were differently with Adian. His younger brother stood in the corner, arms crossed, glaring at the scenery. “You mean to leave again, is that right?”, he growled.
“Pretty much, yeah”, Keat admitted, unsure how else he could react. Noticing Adian's anger, he gave him an apologetic look. “Listen, I'm doing this for you as well, for you and your sister. So that you can live a better life, without some low-life thug trying to kill you for my debts” He placed a hand on his chest. “I know I fucked up, okay?”, he admitted, giving Adian his most charming smile. “But give me a chance to make things right”
Adian rolled his eyes. “You had enough chances already, Keat”, he replied, his words cutting, angry and notably more serious than anything Keat ever heard from him. It was in this moment more than any other time that he realized his brother had matured into a young man since they had last seen each other. “But do what you gotta do. I'll believe it when the coin is on the table”
Keat sighed, exchanging a look with Samuel, who slightly shrugged, while Erik chuckled. “I like that one”, he admitted, earning himself an angry glare from nearly every person in the room, with the exception of Nalia. Promptly, the thief decided to ignore the man assigned to guard him, as he gave Adian an almost pleading look. “I won't ask of you to change your opinion today, Adian”, he said. “I left for months, you didn't even know if I survived or not and I know that cannot be excused. I can only hope you can forgive me one day”
The serious words were heartfelt and they seemed to have the intended effect. Adian's expression softened ever so slightly, though the hard, disappointed look in his eyes remained. “That will depend on how your big heist goes”, he spoke. “One way or the other, it will be the last. If you want to keep me and Nalia around, it better will be”
This caused their younger sister to look up. “Huh?”, she asked. “Don't drag me into this, big brother. I want to stay here, with Keat” She shook her head. “And I don't want you to leave either. Just get along, please” Adian sighed, almost the same expression as Keat on his face. “You gave me a lot to think about today, big brother. Just don't count on my help”
“Never did”, Keat said thruthfully, before instantly realizing how this must have sounded. “I, uh, I mean...” Adian cut him off. “I know how you meant it”, he said bitterly. “Just don't fuck this one up. It's not just all about you, you know. It's me on the line and Nalia and before you do something utterly stupid again, I'd rather leave before you screw us over as well, again”
“He won't”, Samuel said at once, giving Adian a stern look. “Because I will be there to watch over him” He nodded at Keat, who smiled in return. In fact, he had to suppress a sigh of relief. “Thank you”, he said and now, Samuel flashed him a grin. “Hey, that's what friends are there for”, he replied. “Besides, I feel fine again. Should be able to help you out there”
“Again?”, Erik perked up. “Anything happened to you lately?” Samuel shook his head, before he sighed. “Not much, really”, he said. “Ran into an old friend while Keat was gone. I kinda got dragged into something, but I got out of it just in time” He leant closer. “As far as I know, my friend and his allies broke into the labyrinth beneath the Hightower”
Erik raised an eyebrow, a gesture that was clear mockery. “Oh yes?”, he asked. “They as well? Were they screwed out of their payment as well?” He chuckled dryly. “Oh, don't listen to me. Just keep in mind, I'm done risking my life without upfront payment”, he added, before he shrugged. “Luckily, Hishi's a friend of that method. Already got my retirement all planned out after we're back from the Hightower”
“You're making it sound like a piece of cake”, Adian growled from behind and Erik nodded. “That's because I did it before. Puffer's team here did it before. As far as I know, Harrington did it at least twice”, he explained. “You all tend to get intimidated by the sheer freaking size of that thing, but honestly, it isn't all that impressive if you got the right team behind you”
“That means you and Samuel”, Keat spoke. “And the other two. Vivielia and Nicola, if they agree to help” He nodded and for the first time since his encounter with Bannister, he felt actually hope. With the right team, he could pull this off indeed. Paying his debt to Hishi and to all the others, making sure his siblings would never have to worry about anything ever again.
It was in this moment that a commotion from outside claimed their attention. There was a high-pitched, female shriek somewhere in the distance. Samuel narrowed his eyes, while Erik placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Then, the barking of dogs in the distance. Not just any dogs, as he realized. He'd recognize Thorrin Bannister's beasts anywhere.
The sound of someone beating against the next door. Another scream, this time closer. “Help me!”, a woman yelled. “Please, you have to help me!” Keat raised an eyebrow and Samuel shook his head. “Don't get involved”, he spoke. “Not in this part of Oldtown. Save way to get you killed”
Erik nodded at this. “Have to agree with that guy”, he said. “Unless the girl pays well or looks mighty fine, I'd stay out of this” However, he flinched as she began to bang against their door. “Is anyone there?”, she yelled. “Please, open the door! Please!” He looked to the ground, perhaps even in shame.
Keat however did not look to the ground. He was gazing at Nalia instead. The girl's eyes widened. “Keat, we have to help her”, she said and before Samuel was able to intervene, Keat gave her a nod. “Fuck this”, he said. “It's a woman, she needs our help” Instinctively, his hand moved to the patch of linen that covered his missing ear. “Besides, if Bannister is after her, I might get a shot at revenge”
“Keat...”, Samuel hissed in a low tone, as Keat rose from his seat. He slowly walked over to the door, with the woman still banging onto it. Perhaps she had heard them talking, because he could swear she was taking longer for them than for the previous door. But the thought of someone such as Nalia being on the other side, it kept him going.
It wasn't someone such as Nalia not even remotely. Instead of the young girl he half-expected, a young woman glanced in as soon as he opened the door. In her mid-twenties perhaps, she was a beauty, even beneath the stains of dirt and tears covering her face. Her dark brown hair was tied into a loose ponytail, the hair in a clear disarray. Dark blue eyes were staring at him, tears pouring out of them and down her slim cheeks. Her lower lip was trembling, as she was standing there.
“Oh, thank the gods!”, she exclaimed. “This... this man is out there. He and his... his beasts are... fuck, I think they are hunting for me” As if they had heard it, the hounds howled in the distance, indicating that they were slowly coming closer. Bannister was coming and with him either trouble or, with the help of Samuel and Erik, a chance to get his revenge.
“Send her away, Keat”, Samuel said sternly. “This is not our business to deal with” The woman glanced past Keat, her eyes widening. “No, oh no please don't, I'm begging you!”, she urged him. “You'll kill me if you send me away” Keat felt a lump in his throat, though he glanced at Samuel and Erik. The sellsword mustered the woman from head to toe. “Eh, whatever, I say she can come. Don't want to have her guts all over the streets”, he said with the empathy of a brick wall and loud enough for the half-panicked woman to hear.
“Strangers in Oldtown always spell trouble”, Samuel warned him and the woman shook her head. “My name is Rose”, she said. “See, I'm not a stranger anymore. Please, just let me hide here for an hour or two, until the beasts have lost my scent. I... I can pay you, please” This clearly caught Erik's curiosity. “Hm, sounds like a deal to me”, he said. “What do you say, Keat?” In this moment, the dogs barked once more, now definitely closer than ever.
[Let her in] [Send her away]
[Accept the ring] Shiny...my precious...
[Send her away] That guy gave us an earful last time. I'd much prefer to not experience that again.
Yes, of course Argella...
[Accept the ring]
[Refuse it]
[Send her away]
[Accept the ring]
[Let her in]
[Accept the ring] Even if there's no hope for their romance, he should at least take it. The battle at the Rainwood will certainly be interesting, mainly because Rhaenys and Meraxes haven't arrived to the scene yet.
[Let her in] Something tells me she could be important after all. Is a risk, but Bannister won't mutilate him further if he knows his message was heard loud and clear.
[Accept the ring] I see no harm in taking it. This could very well be the last conversation between the two, at least in a long while, so it'd be nice for Drent to have something to show for his adventures with the Princess. Anyway, this was a very enjoyable part and a nice relaxed conclusion for the tourney arc. I'm excited to see what's coming next for our Stormlander crew!
[Let her in] Now that Keat is under Hishi's protection I don't think Bannister will give us any more trouble. Quite a coincidence that a woman he's chasing ended up behind Keat's door though, I wonder what's her deal.
[Refuse it]
[Let her in]
[Accept the ring]
[Send her away]
[Refuse it]
I think there's a fair chance Drent will end up dying in this upcoming mission, it'd be a shame for the ring to be lost on the battlefield.
[Let her in]
We can't just let some girl get mauled to death.
[Accept the ring]
[Let her in]
Sorry I was gone for a while. I was on holiday and was unable too comment. Anyway my choices are.
[Accept the ring]
[Let her in]
[Accept the ring]
[Let her in]
[Accept the ring]
[Let her in]
Aye, hopeless is actually the best outcome they could, well, hope for, given that Argella has a duty to marry someone suitably highborn one day. She might not like any of the suitors her father has found for her so far, but eventually, she knows the day will come where she cannot refuse anymore. When it comes to the Rainwood, I think you are mistaken there. The Rainwood lies south of Storm's End, the forests near the Buckler lands are actually the future Kingswood. Admittely, they were part of the same forest once, but I am certain this is no longer the case during the War of Conquest, given that the Durrandon bannermen have likely settled inbetween the two forests.
On top of that, don't forget that last time, Keat was alone and at Bannister's mercy. This time he is accompanied by Erik and Samuel, both experienced in combat and definitely more than a match for Bannister and his hounds. Naturally, he also has to find out which house Rose went into. His dogs can help, but there is the good chance that he won't even notice that Keat helped her out.
Aye, this will be their last conversation for the time being and I can confirm, Argella will not appear in the next chapter (albeit her role in Book 2 is ultimately not going to be decreased all that much when compared to her Book 1 role), so if Drent takes the ring, he will have some sort of a memento. I am glad you enjoyed the part! The tourney is over, but Drent still has tons of stuff left to do in Book 2 and I legitimately cannot wait for some of the turns his journey will take
Hishi's protection is definitely worth something. We have seen how close the people at the Thousand Shades of Flowers are, with Lanford willing to fight against the Solvers just to avenge Keira's death in Book 1. Keat might be new in Hishi's service, but the position comes with certain benefits and Bannister definitely would think twice before he lays hand on him again. That being said, you bring up a good point there. It might just be a coincidence that Rose ends up at Keat's door and she did try several doors before reaching his, but it brings him and Bannister together again, so time will tell if there's more to her arrival.
Ah, I thought that much, I think that is usually the case when readers are not around for a couple weeks. Welcome back, I hope your holiday was a good one
The Voting is closed!
Drent is going to take the ring
Keat is going to let Rose in
To be honest, those were the expected outcomes. I am particularly glad about Keat's choice, because Rose is going to be quite an important character in his storyline going forward. Meanwhile, Drent taking the ring, well, I am not certain if Argella's intentions here have been all that clear. She did not consider this ring as giving him a memento to their shared adventures, but as a purely material reward for a service well done. Drent might consider things differently, but this will send a message to her. Considering that she heavily expected him to take the ring, she is not going to be disappointed or anything, but as said, this ring was her form of payment.
The next part is going to be out later today. It will bring us back to Willfred's storyline and to the schemes at the court of Raylansfair. Last time we saw him, Willfred had a talk with Maron Mullendore and Devrin Oakheart, where they eventually formed an uneasy alliance to gain intel on Petyr's plans, as the latter two suspected him to try and sway Willfred to his side. Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Prins, one of Willfred's guards, who informed him of his belongings being moved to another room to make space for the Selwyn household. As he rushed there, he found Maester Eddard, just inspecting the mysterious box he got from the archives. In a fit of anger, Willfred considered knocking the box from the maester's hands, not able to stand someone else even just touching it. However, he managed to calm himself enough to allow Eddard to let go of the box on his own accord. As I said, the next part will be out later today, I hope you'll enjoy it
Reading through Book #1, yeah I'm new so I'm trying to catch up. Awesome job so far from what I've read.
Hey welcome, dude! I joined the story late too, and it’s definitely worth reading through
Thanks man. Quite glad I happened upon this.
Willfred
For a moment, he was willing, yes, perfectly ready to attack the maester. To strike him, to choke the life out of him... Then, he blinked and not without horror at himself, he clenched his fists. His glare was enough for Eddard to realize the danger he was in. Slowly, he took a step back, placing the box on the table once more and Willfred sighed with relief as the anger faded quickly.
“I... meant no offence, Ser”, the maester said quickly, raising his gloved hands as if to defend himself from an attack that would not come. Willfred took a deep breath. “I know”, he said. “I just don't appreciate a stranger in my room, searching through my stuff”
Eddard shook his head. “I wasn't searching”, he claimed. “You cannot deny that this curious little trinket stands out quite notably. It just caught my attention” Willfred narrows his eyes. “It has the habit, yes”, he agreed, visibly confusing the maester. “But that still doesn't explain what you even want here to begin with”
“Ah, of course”, Eddard said, though he tilted his head at the knight's words. “I suppose you will not allow further talk about this trinket of yours?” Willfred did not reply. Instead he merely gave the maester a glare so dark that he could watch the man shiver. “As I thought”, he mumbled. “Curious, certainly curious” He took a deep breath, pulling himself together, as he gave Willfred a friendly smile. “See, I am new in the castle and to be honest, I don't know much about the new lord and his entourage”
“Bloody ask them then”, Willfred growled. There was something about the friendliness that made him hesitate. He would have never called himself good at spotting a lie, but right now, it was more than just a feeling. Eddard was hiding something from him, something about his true intentions.
The maester shrugged. “That would be quite embarrassing, don't you agree?”, he replied. “I spoke to some. The merchant Helenys, the Gardener knight Kasyn and to one of the servants, a charming young woman by the name of Saerya” His smile got wider. “And well, they have painted quite the picture. I was wondering if you could tell me about your opinion on Lord Petyr and Ser Maron?”
Willfred wanted to answer, he really did. However, his gaze wandered to the box Eddard had placed on the table. He noticed that his fists were still clenched and as he opened them, he felt the pain. “No”, he merely whispered. Eddard raised an eyebrow. “No?”, he replied, perhaps in disbelief and Willfred shot him a glare. “You heard me”, he growled. “Now get out of my room”
For a moment, Eddard seemed genuinely baffled and it was clear, this wasn't what he expected. But Willfred was in no mood to answer his questions. The maester would leave the room, or by the Seven, he'd send him straight to hell. Silently, he prayed Eddard would choose correctly.
Thankfully, the man did. Pulling himself together, he gave Willfred a nod. “Another time then, Ser”, he spoke. “I am sorry for intruding” He walked past him, his stride cold and firm, though he at least had the decency to close the door behind him. As soon as he left, Willfred sighed in relief, as he noticed how tensed up he had been.
Quickly, he looked at the box, narrowing his eyes in the process. “What is it with you?”, he growled, as he placed a hand on his head. Looking at this box, this thing, it was nauseating just as it was strangely pleasing. And something was deeply wrong with it and by extension, with Willfred himself.
“I nearly attacked that man”, he whispered. “You would have liked that, would you not?” He sighed, as the box remained silent. “What are you doing with me?”, he asked again, this time a bit louder, with notably more anger in his tone. And to his surprise, he received an answer this time.
“Ser?”, a voice asked and Willfred gasped, as it took him a moment to realize that the reply came from outside of his room and not from inside the box. He clenched his fist, slamming it down onto the table. “What?”, he growled, recognizing the voice as Jack's. “The door is open, come in”
The one-eyed soldier did as he was asked to do and a moment later, he entered, saluting just as he had passed the doorframe. He scanned the room, gulping notably as he put his gaze upon the box. “Lord Petyr has sent word, Ser”, he revealed. “He wishes to meet with you at once, in his audience room”
Petyr... Hearing the name caused Willfred to snap back. “Of course”, he said, remembering Mullendore's request. More than that, he remembered Helenys' advice. Driving a rift between Mullendore and Vyrwel... it seemed easier than ever. That is, actually easy, to begin with. And Willfred smirked. “Lead the way”, he said.
Jack saluted once more. “Follow me, Ser”, he spoke, as he turned around. Willfred remained in his room, just a little bit longer. His gaze wandered back to the box once more, while his thoughts went back to Maester Eddard. And with a frown, he grabbed a satchel from the pile of his belongings, placing it on his belt, as he reached for the box.
As he touched the wood, a pain flashed through his head, a blow more heavy than anything he ever received before. It was a small surprise that he remained standing. And for a brief moment, he saw something on the window. It was a butterfly, black and orange, pressed against the glass. Instinctively, he moved to touch it, yet as he blinked, it was gone again. All that remained was a stain of blood where it used to be.
With a heavy heart, Willfred turned to the door, still clinging onto the box. As he spotted Jack, who gave him a concerned look, he slowly placed the wooden trinket in the satchel on his belt. “Just had to take care of something”, he said and Jack nodded. “Yeah, I've seen that”, he mumbled, glancing at the satchel. “Ser, I...” He cut himself off as he noticed Willfred's dark expression.
“Yes?”, the knight growled harshly and Jack tensed up. “Nothing”, he replied quickly. “Let's go” He began to walk in silence, yet Willfred knew something was bothering him. However, he wasn't in the mood for a confrontation either. As such, he was content with silently walking next to one of the few men still following him. Though if he'd knew what was going on, everything regarding the box, Willfred had to wonder, would he still do it? Jack and Prins both, how would they react? And Tallian and Roger?
Before he could dwell on these dark thoughts, Jack pointed at a door in the distance. “There it is, Ser”, he spoke. Just as he said these words, the door opened and the lords Donnel Selwyn and Devrin Oakheart stepped out. Oakheart was chuckling loudly, which caused Selwyn to grin, as he placed a hand on the back of his brother-in-law. Both lords greeted Willfred with a brief, silent nod as they walked past, leaving the door to Petyr Vyrwel's audience room wide open.
“I think he is waiting...”, Willfred mumbled, as he managed to smile at Jack. “Stay ready”, he spoke. “Something is going on and I don't like it. Make sure no one enters my room while I'm away” Jack saluted firmly in response. “Of course, Ser”, he confirmed. “Good luck during your talks”
They separated, with Jack taking the route back and Willfred approaching Vyrwel's room. He hesitantly knocked on the door, clearing his throat as he did so. “Mylord?”, he said, glancing in. Petyr Vyrwel was sitting there, a glass of wine in front of him, resting his head on one hand. He sighed as he spotted Willfred. “Come in, Ser Willfred”, he spoke.
Willfred did as he was told, closing the door in the process. “You have called for me”, he said as he came closer. “Though if this is not the right time...” Petyr was quick to cut him off. “It is the only time”, he replied. “I kept you waiting for long enough to grant you an audience. Not your fault that the previous talk has been... tiring. Sit down”
“Your talks with Lord Selwyn weren't fruitful?”, Willfred asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a seat on the opposing side of the small table. Petyr smirked thinly. “Devrin warned me”, he admitted. “Told me Lord Selwyn can be hard to negotiate with” He shook his head. “Gods, I had no idea. That man has very specific demands and he won't move one single bit”
Willfred leant back against the chair. “I'm not an expert on these things, but if you don't agree with him, maybe you shouldn't do it then”, he spoke and Petyr flashed him a quick grin. “I can see that”, he replied. “That you're not an expert, I mean. Tempting as it would be, Selwyn remains the head of an old, influential house. And unlike many of the other houses, he is very willing to negotiate. He accepted my invitation at once and that makes him someone I can't just ignore”
“May I ask what you want to achieve by having him around?”, Willfred asked, knowing he might overstep his position with this. Petyr raised an eyebrow. “The details are not really your business”, he growled. “Yet I actually want something similar from you. Support in my goals, to be precise”
“Which would be?”, Willfred asked, crossing his arms. The satchel on his belt felt heavy as he spoke these words and he frowned ever so slightly. The lord seemed to notice this and he leant closer. “I can't go into details with you, Ser, this should be clear”, he stated. “I barely know you, after all. But I know our goals can align, unlike those of certain other groups of interest in this city”
The image of the butterfly flashed through Willfred's head once more and he narrowed his eyes. “You are talking about Maron Mullendore”, he deduced and for a moment, Petyr's eyes widened. “You are correct”, he confirmed, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. “My ally, my friend, my castellan and second-in-command. We have joined forces because we both have ambitious goals. I just do not think that his vision aligns with mine as much as either of us would like it to”
His words caused Willfred's heartbeat to quicken. “You think he's working behind your back?”, he asked and Petyr chuckled dryly. “Ser, I never speak about mere assumptions”, he clarified. “I know he works behind my back. I know he undermines my authority and has done so repeatedly ever since King Mern appointed me as the new Lord of Raylansfair. His men form a secondary city watch answering to him and not me, he sends word to the lords of the Reach without my approval and lately, he started bloody killing people! Sure, he claimed the farmer attacked him first, but I spoke to his daughter and I believe the poor girl more than him, simple as that”
“You speak as if you're powerless to stop him”, Willfred brought up, noticing the slight twitch in the corner of Petyr's mouth, the sudden clenching of his fists. “And you speak of things you obviously don't know much about”, he replied sternly. “Allow me to explain. Do you know how large Darkdell is? My old lands to the south, compared to Raylan's up here?”
Willfred shrugged. “About the same size?”, he spoke. It was not a topic he felt comfortable with. His knowledge on the other Lannister bannermen was already not as his father would like it to be, but Gardener's? It was a guess at the best. That being said, Petyr's expression told him he did not guess correctly. “They are actually smaller”, he corrected him. “Not all that much, but even at the height of our power, House Raylan had more land to control. I had enough men to keep Darkdell and the Vyrwel lands safe. Can you see where I'm getting at with that?”
“You don't have enough numbers to protect the city”, Willfred realized, his eyes widening as he thought about what this would mean. He came to take men away from the city and if Petyr had none to spare already, it could only mean a bad fate for his mission. “Not on my own”, Petyr confirmed. “When Mern Gardener appointed me as the new Lord of Raylansfair, he did not snap his fingers to double my soldiers. My brother Otho succeeded me in Darkdell and naturally, I had to leave more than half of the men to keep his lands under control. Last thing I want is chaos back home”
It was then that Willfred realized what he was talking about. “So, you need Mullendore's men”, he concluded and Petyr sighed. “Precisely”, he confirmed. “They make up about half of the standing forces of Raylansfair and they are loyal only to their master. The rest consists of my own men and the pathetic remainders of those that survived the raid. The former is loyal to me, the latter still harbours resentment for my takeover”
Willfred leant forward, carefully looking at Petyr Vyrwel. “So you need my help as much as I need yours”, he spoke. Petyr nodded. “I want to be frank with you, Reyne”, he admitted. “I cannot give you the men you desire. Five hundred, that would be over a third of what we can muster right now. Perhaps in several years, when the city had time to recover, when we had time to strengthen our numbers and repair the damage, but right now? Not a chance”
Devrin Oakheart's offer came to mind. He was to find out more about Petyr's plans, in return he'd be given twice the number of men from Oakheart's lands. And as little as he knew about Gardener's bannermen, he knew Devrin Oakheart was one of the big ones, one of the powerful ones. He looked at Petyr, gulping as he noticed the look in his eyes. “How may I help, mylord?”, he asked.
Petyr sighed. “There might be one way I can give you the men you need. Maybe not the five hundred Robert Raylan promised, but three or four hundred. Better than nothing”, he offered, followed by a friendly smile. “I do not wish to remain in debt to your kingdom, to leave Raylan's admittedly foolish promise unfulfilled. Who knows, it might even open the door to a stronger partnership”
The way he worded this caused Willfred to look up. “I would like this”, he spoke, even though he did not like the tone in Petyr's voice, not at all. “Though of course I cannot speak for my father, nor for King Loren” Petyr gave him a nod. “Of course, Ser”, he spoke. “You have their ear though. You are your father's heir and you will marry the king's daughter. I wouldn't exactly call you a man without influence”
Admittedly, that was true, even if Willfred hated the very thought of it. Begrudgingly, he gave the lord a brief nod. “What would you like me to tell them”, he asked. For a moment, Petyr's smile grew wider, an expression of smugness followed by a sly chuckle. “I would like for you to warn them, Ser”, he spoke. “And I want to request their aid. It is, I would like to believe, in their best interest”
This didn't sound good. Willfred had to admit, he hated the sound of it. “A warning...”, he mumbled. “Of you?” Petyr's laughter was bright and almost genuine. “I'd hardly tell you if that'd be the case, eh?”, he replied. “No, I have come to consider my goals to be surprisingly well-adjusted to your own”
“Mullendore then”, Willfred deduced, the image of the butterfly flashing through his head once more, almost as if someone tried to push it down his mind. Petyr smirked slightly. “I want to be straightforward with you, Ser, just this once”, he spoke. “Me and Maron, we have goals that align in some parts. We both desire a strong king for the Reach. Unfortunately, Maron wants to take things a step farther, a step too far for my liking. He wants to eliminate all of our kingdoms enemies one by one”
Willfred tilted his head. “That would be good, wouldn't it?”, he asked, even if Petyr's voice implied it wasn't in the slightest. The lord sighed. “And what then?”, he asked in return. “What do you think would happen if Maron succeeds? A strong king leading a strong kingdom without any natural enemies?” Willfred gulped. “You're saying...”, he stuttered.
“Every king needs an enemy”, Petyr replied. “Every kingdom needs a rival. Every house needs another with similar ambitions, to keep each other in line” He raised an eyebrow. “Can you tell me why?” It seemed an honest question and Petyr looked at him with genuine curiosity. Willfred gulped, as he had to shake his head. “I don't know”, he admitted.
Petyr sighed. “A kingdom without an enemy is a kingdom that will turn on itself”, he told him. “At best, which is a term I'd use lightly here, it would mean a tyrant, placing his attention onto his own lords” His smile returned. “Not good for me, as you can imagine”, he spoke. “At worst, it means a royal family that turns on each other. Children slay their parents, brother fights brother until one of them is king of the ruins”
“So you wish to stop Mullendore's plans?”, Willfred asked and Petyr shook his head. “Make no mistake, I know the sort of man he is. He is violent and petty, ruthless and utterly without remorse”, he explained. “And I want him to succeed. I work with him because yes, there are aspects where we want the same. If you have a problem with that, you won't find an ally in this city”
Keeping Mullendore's earlier talk in mind, Willfred clenched his fists. “If he succeeds, would that be bad for my kingdom?”, he asked straightforwardly and to his growing horror, Petyr nodded. “Only if I don't succeed at the same time, so pray that I do”, he spoke. “Maron needs to advance his goals, but I need to remain in control in our partnership. It is something he's been trying to undermine for months now, probably longer”
“Then you need to remain in charge”, Willfred stated and Petyr flashed him an honest grin. “With a bit of investment from your kingdom, I can repay you tenfold”, he promised. “I cannot grant you any men right now, but I can promise, I will” Willfred leant forward. “What sort of an investment are you talking about?”, he asked and Petyr smiled. “The sort Donnel Selwyn would not grant me so easily”, he spoke. “I require men to keep Mullendore in check. I need to prove my strength in front of him and that of my allies”
Realizing the irony, Willfred could not help but chuckle. “You ask for men from the Rock?”, he asked and Petyr joined in on the chuckle. “An unexpected turn of events, isn't it?”, he spoke. “But yes, I need men from the Rock to grant me power over Maron. I want to kick part of his men out of the city, these unsettling freaks he surrounds himself with. Once that is done, once my men are in the majority, we can talk about how to repay you. That way, I can assure that me and Maron will work in ways more beneficial to your kingdom as well”
“So that our kingdoms can be enemies?”, Willfred asked and Petyr shook his head. “Not necessarily”, he replied. “But as much as I want a strong Kingdom of the Reach, I have no desire to have it stand alone in this world” Noting the confused frown on Willfred's face, he narrowed his eyes. “You seem tired, Ser”, he realized. “Haven't slept well lately?”
Willfred shook his head. “Barely”, he confirmed. “And what you told me has been a bit much” Petyr nodded slightly. “Of course”, he said. “Unfortunate, but understandable. In this case, Ser, I would request only two things” He raised a finger. “Rest”, he ordered. “And reflect” He glanced at the door and Willfred realized what he meant.
“The talks are over then?”, he asked, to which Petyr shook his head. “Not at all”, he replied. “I know my request might be a bit much, but once you think about it properly, I have no doubt you will see it is to our mutual good” He extended his hand and without even thinking about it, Willfred grabbed it. It was in this moment that something flashed through his mind. It was not so much a memory, not anything he could actually grasp, more a feeling. Lies, ambition, greed and a city drowning in it.
“I would like a further talk”, he agreed. “Maybe tomorrow?” Petyr nodded. “Tomorrow it is, Ser”, he said, as Willfred rose from his chair, quickly leaving the room. He sighed as he entered the empty hallway, once he closed the door behind him. This had turned more complicated than he ever wished for and not for the first time, he found himself yearning back for the time where all he had to deal with was that stubborn bastard Harris Flowers.
“Tough talks, huh?”, a gruff voice sounded from his right and Willfred suppressed the urge to flinch as he spotted Maron Mullendore, almost literally emerging from the shadows of the nearby door. On his one-eyed face was an expression so utterly unreadable, but Willfred tensed up as he spotted the butterflies on his tabard.
Finally, he managed a smile. “Worse than I thought”, he said and Maron pointed to the door behind him. “Care to join me, Ser?”, he asked. “For such occasions, I prefer Arbor Red” Though hesitating, Willfred realized it hadn't been an offer he was able to refuse. Wordlessly, he came closer and Maron allowed him to enter the room first.
It was a small, but lavish dining room, likely used for smaller parties, who would not fill the entire Great Hall. Apparently, Maron had been dining, small, dark bones littered over a silver plate, a large knife next to it. There was also the wine he promised and he quickly moved to hand Willfred a second glass, limping over to him in order to pour in.
“The kind I came to expect from Petyr”, Maron revealed, as he nearly emptied his glass in a single gulp. “Ah, that is the good stuff. Barely heard any good about the bastard who came before me, but he knew his wine, gotta admit it” He smiled in a wide, cheerful way as Willfred took a sip from his glass. It was a strong, but sweet taste, slowly running down his throat and causing him to sigh. “It is a good wine”, he admitted.
“Didn't just ask you in here so that you can drink my wine, red lion”, Maron spoke, his voice growing momentarily colder, though he seemed to pull himself together quickly. He cleared his throat, his smile seeming almost apologetic. “No, I mean, I called you here to learn what you just discussed with Petyr. He wanted to meet you on a very short notice, so I presume it has been important” His single, green eye narrowed sharply. “I take it you haven't forgotten our earlier agreement?”
[Tell him what you discussed with Petyr] [Lie to him] [Refuse to tell him]
I'm going to wait until I am all caught up on the previous chapters before I start voting again. At this rate that shouldn't be too long
[Refuse to tell him] Honestly, none of the options are particularly promising, but refusing is possibly better than trying to deceive a deceiver like him. The box has certainly strange powers.
An enemy for the Reach eh? Well, they will find it soon enough, and he won't need that much time to change the entire landscape of Westeros. The fist will unclench and extend for mercy, of which there will be none.
[Lie to him] Lying. I like lying. Especially to bad men. Although I got a bad feeling about this. Lies, corruption, deceit, theft, debauchery. Who is who? Where is the enemy? Who is the enemy? Why is the enemy?
"Oh yes, I tooooootally remember it."
So much to be explained...
[Lie to him]
[Tell him what you discussed with Petyr]
A lot of prophecies in this chapter, it seems like Mullendore is in trouble, judging from the imagery of the orange butterfly turning into a splatter of blood. Makes me wonder if Petyr is really the big bad here.
[Tell him what you discussed with Petyr]
[Lie to him] It seems conflict between Maron and Petyr is imminent, and I'd much rather Willfred side with Petyr. Sure, we know Maron and Devrin are promising more, but their allegiance to Harren makes those promises null, whereas Petyr seems to imply here that he doesn't wish to destroy the Rock.
Oh man, the artefact really adds some spice to Willfred's parts, and seeing its effects is equally entertaining and terrifying. I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of his conversation with Mullendore!
[Lie to him]
I'd say that is a good idea. A lot of the current choices require knowledge from the previous chapters, this one being one of the more important ones actually. As such, getting to know the events and characters from the previous chapters could help. Though later chapters are definitely longer than the first ones, I am glad to hear that catching up is going well for you
Aye, while Petyr hopes that the Reach, under the rule of Harren Hoare, will have an enemy and won't remain uncontested (mostly because he knows that a ruler as harsh as Harren needs an enemy to keep him busy instead of focussing onto his own lords, he is definitely going to get more than he ever wished for. That being said, his words here are quite far-sighted. Keep in mind what is going to happen to the Targaryen dynasty. When they had no enemy left to conquer, they had the terrible habit of attacking each other. There were cruel tyrants such as Maegor, Aegon IV and Aerys II, who had way too much time to focus on how to strengthen their own power over their bannermen and the realm suffered for it. There have been several civil wars coming as a result of Targaryen kings who fought their family instead of outside enemies and it can be argued that the lack of outside enemies only allowed for further problems as ever since Aegon conquered Westeros (or at latest since Dorne joined), there has never been any genuine threat to the kingdom from the outside. Petyr fears that without a common enemy to focus on, the strong kingdom he seeks to create will crumble and the future will actually give his words some merit.
People always ask "Why is the enemy?", but no one ever asks "How is the enemy?". Maybe a lot of problems and hostilities could be avoided if people would just consider the feelings of their enemies a bit better.
Aaaah, you... don't? I can explain, no worries. I mean, Willfred remembers it for certain, it hasn't been that long ago for him. Basically, Maron and Devrin spoke to him earlier in the chapter and they reached sort of an agreement. Willfred would tell them about Petyr's plans and schemes, as they (correctly) fear he works behind their back as much as they work behind his. In return, Devrin and Maron would send twice the amount of men to aid the Rock (though given their true loyalties, it was pretty clear to the readers that this was a treacherous offer). This is the agreement Maron is referring to here.
Mullendore has always been in trouble and the problem is, he knows it. He knows Petyr uses him as the fall guy, the one who actually got blood on his hands, crimes that can be proven if one searches stubbornly enough. It is the reason why he seeks to grant more power within their alliance and why Petyr wishes to stay in control. When it comes to the big bad status, I would say Maron is at least the more villainous one of the two, even if both are not innocent in the slightest bit. However, the big bad is, of course, going to be the main villain, the guy actually in charge of all this. There, it remains to be seen who comes out on top in this little power struggle and if either of them might do something that makes them more or less villainous than the other.
There is indeed a conflict between them, the natural consequence of having two men working together while neither is actually willing to have a role of lesser importance when compared to the other. They are both strong, ambitious leaders and that sort rarely works well together. And if Petyr has been honest here (it could have been another trick of course), one key difference is that he indeed does not wish to see the Rock destroyed. He is perfectly content with climbing in influence under a strong king such as Harren, if said king still has outside forces to keep an eye on, especially forces he already is at war with. The Rock is Harren's enemy and if he takes over the Reach, they will be enemies of the Reach. Petyr wants to keep things that way, instead of giving Harren the free time to think of ways to limit the power of his bannermen.
Ah, I am glad to hear this! I am never sure how much I should show of the artifact, as I know such mysteries can be frustrating if not done correctly. However, I am glad you enjoy it so far, I can promise there will be further development down the line. And Willfred will have one more part in this chapter, showing indeed the rest of his conversation with Maron here.
[Lie to him]
[Lie to him]
This is a very tough choice and one that I am honestly not sure about either way. I want Willfred to keep what he's learned from Petyr to himself but on the other hand, I am not too sure he will me able to fool Maron here. As I said, this is a very tough choice and one I might actually change my mind on.