Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
[Attack the tall man.] Take the dangerous out first.
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight.] It just seems like the Ellena thing to do, she'd want to prevent a murder. Especially after her father. But I have a feeling I will regret this.
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
Yep, that was indeed a Bloodraven cameo. In one Bran chapter in A Dance With Dragons, it was heavily implied that a skilled greenseer can look into the past (and quite possibly the future as well), so I added him in, since I feel sorry for the poor guy who has nothing to do but to sit in his cave and look through his trees all day. That he was looking through this particular tree just as Ellena decided to touch it was probably just a coincidence though... maybe.
[Attack the tall man] Things are getting cheesy. We better get out alive from this fight!
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight] Ja… moreron is my boy, we need to help him.
But wait a second, does "a thousand and one eye" refer to Brynden Bloodraven? I'm pretty sure he lived 200 years later.
Ellena
“I would love to see the city, Terroma!“, Ellena said, barely containing her joy. Finally! From what she had seen, Oldtown could b… moree almost as fascinating as Braavos. The giant tower almost mesmerized her. From here, she had to tilt her head back to see it's top. A giant fire burned there, a light in the darkness for ships countless miles away.
Terroma smiled. “Then you shall see the city, little Ellena“, he said. Talea didn't seem to be thrilled by that thought. “Oldtown. Terroma you are taking her to Oldtown. I hope you know what you're up for“, she said with a cold voice. Terroma gave her a rotten smile. “Talea dearest, I always know what I'm up for“, he said. The captains daughter looked him deep in the eyes. “Good... because if you let anything happen to that girl, there will be no fucking place in this world where you could hide“ Terromas smile faded and his face got a stern look. “I promise that I'll keep her safe“, he said… [view original content]
[Attack the small man] You aint talking about Harpy like that midget xD. Seriously though, take out the lowest problem so it doesn't cause issues later
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight] Either Jaron will get severely wounded or die if he doesn't get help.
The first PoV of the next part is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron will attack the small man first
Ellena will try to convince Terroma to help
The first PoV of the next p… moreart is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron will attack the small man first
Ellena will try to convince Terroma to help
The first PoV of the next p… moreart is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron will attack the small man first
Ellena will try to convince Terroma to help
The first PoV of the next p… moreart is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron will attack the small man first
Ellena will try to convince Terroma to help
The first PoV of the next p… moreart is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale of Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into the moonlight and gave her a short nod. “You're late. Better hurry, the lord isn't in his best mood today“, he remarked. Maya shrugged as an answer. He was never in a good mood. Not that it would do any difference. The lord always terrified her. But this time, it was different. For four years she was working for him now, ever since one of his guards recommended her after seeing her beating up a thug in Gulltown. She wasn't officially on his payroll. But she did all the dirty little tasks his bronze lordship was too cautious to send his own men for. No murder though, she made that clear the first time she was asked to kill. But if somebody needed to be bribed, if somebody needed to be sabotaged, if somebody needed to be intimidated, the Bronze Lord called on Maya Iresons. And a few dozen other little shadows. She wasn't proud about this, but the lord paid her well. Without him, life would be harder. In the four years she was working for him now, she wasn't even warned once about the lord not being in his 'best mood'. The thought that he could be any worse gave her an uneasy feeling. Maya entered the building.
It was a single room, scarcely lit to avoid attention from the outside. It wasn't really furnished, since it only had one purpose: To be the place of the Bronze Lords meetings. A large table, a candle and, to Mayas abhorrence, a large bed. There was much talking about the lord and his taste for young maidens. Or young boys. It were only rumours, but still, this bed in this house spoke volumes. And at the large table in the center of the room said the man himself. Orson Royce, Lord of Runestone, the Bronze Lord. The only thing that prevented him from calling himself 'Bronze King', like his ancestors did for thousands of years was the surprisingly strong Queen Regent. A haughty man, a proud man, looking a good twenty years younger than he truly was. His skin was pale, his eyes had a sickenly light shade of blue as their colour. His blonde hair was carefully back-kempt.
“Maya. I'm glad you're here. Please, sit down“, he said. His voice wasn't more than a whisper. The lord of Runestone never raised his voice, but it was compelling enough that everyone had to listen regardless. He was short, for a man who claimed to descent from the First Men, even a bit shorter than Maya. Still, his whole presence was enough to silence every room he entered. He always sounded friendly, but every word was accompanied by a thousand words unspoken. Right now, he raised an eyebrow, almost as if he was amused. But Maya knew, he wasn't amused. He was never amused. Instead of sitting down immediately, she knelt in front of him. This was a good strategy to please him. “Mylord Royce. I am honored“, she said, concentrating her stare on the ground.
“Rise, Maya. Please“, Royce answered and she obliged. Now was a good time to grab a seat. The guard was right when he warned her. Lord Royce's manners were impeccable, but something wasn't right. He appeared calm, but he was from the blood of the kings of rune and bronze. His calmness hid a storm. His pale eyes concealed an abyss. “How can I be of service, mylord?“, Maya asked. Please, by the love othe the mother, please don't let it be an assassination. She wasn't sure if she could decline it to him this time. Not while he was so... frighteningly polite. Royce was the most dangerous when he was calm.
“Tell me, child, have you ever heard about a town called Raylansfair?“, he asked. Maya could only decline. “No, mylord. Is it located in the Vale?“
Royce chuckled. It was horrible. “Slightly wrong... It is a town in the Reach, lying at the coast of the Sunset Sea“, he explained. “Ruled by House Raylan a house that consists of only one member now, an old and frail lord, grief-stricken and weak. It is in possession of the most comprehensive historical archive of the known world, ever since the Doom came upon Valyria. And it holds salvation for the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale“
Maya looked at the lord in confusion. “Mylord Royce, this Raylansfair lies at the other end of Westeros. Is it really that important for us?“ Lord Royce let out a loud laugh, not a jovial one, but one full of mockery. “Sweet child, we couldn't care less for Raylansfair. What the Queen Regent really wants is something from the archive. Something that will ensure the Vales safety for centuries...“, he said, while giving her a wicked smile. There it was. The Bronze Lords infamous smile, barren of any joy, a hint at the dark abyss inside of him. Maya shivered. Whenever Royce smiled like this, something terrible was about to happen.
“What is it, Mylord Royce, that I should bring to you?“, she asked, barely breathing. Royce looked down on her hands and too late did Maya notice that she was clinging onto the tabletop, firm enough that her knuckles were visible. She looked up and met Royce stare. He smiled. He clearly enjoyed this. Orson Royce had a terrible reputation to uphold and was able to instill fear with a simple smile. Ironically, he was also the most generous employer in the Vale. Maya needed to work for him. It was either Royce, or a mercenary company.
“You know, when the Andals landed here and took my families land and titles, they didn't came alone. They brought contracts with them. Contracts with the Old Empire of Ghis. Later they made contracts with Valyria. And even later, they made contracts with the Free Cities. Contracts and loans. In its early days, House Arryn was under the protection of powerful allies. And the early Arryns were no fools. Somewhere in this world, someone still owes them a lot. And it is time to collect the debt“, Lord Royce explained.
Maya thought about what she just heard. “But, Mylord Royce, Valyria is gone. Old Ghis is gone. Who should uphold the contracts?“, she asked. Royce gave her an approving smile, the same sort of smile people usually gave good dogs who learned a new trick. “Slaver's Bay claims to be the successor of Ghis. Volantis claims to be the successor of Valyria. The Targaryens on their puny island are of Valyrian blood“, he explained. “The contracts will be uphold. If we manage to reclaim them, sweet Maya. You see, a couple of hundred years ago, an Arryn king came to the same conclusion as you. He sold a few worthless documents to the ever growing archive of Raylansfair. A man of my intellect was needed to realize their importance in our current situation“
Royce stopped and raised an eyebrow as Maya opened her mouth. “You want to ask what our current situation is, right?“, he said with his unnerving smile. “We're at the dawn of a terrible war. The Storm King has plans to attack us. He has five times as many soldiers as we have. His fleet is three times bigger than ours. It wouldn't be enough to march over the Mountains of the Moon, no army could do that. Maybe he could take Gulltown with his fleet. But he doesn't even need to do that. He only needs to block the trading ships from the Free Cities and the paths through the mountains. And wait until winter comes“, he explained and with every word he said, Maya realized what this all was about. Orson Royce fought for survival.
“You want me to bring you the contracts, so you can make an alliance with the Essosi“, she said. Royce gave her an approving nod. “Clever girl. You are swift. Graceful. You move like a shadow. You will travel to Raylansfair. You will break into the archive. And you will bring me the contracts“, the Bronze Lord said. In that moment, Maya noticed a movement in the shadows. Royce followed her gaze and let out a short, spine-chilling chuckle. “And you won't travel alone. You see, the Queen Regent and me, we aren't the only people who are in on this plan. Lord Corbray knows. And Lord Redfort. He is old, stubborn and does not like me very much. He insisted on sending one of his own men with you, my dear“
After Royce said this, a man entered Mayas field of view, a man of maybe forty years, who was tall, far taller than the Bronze Lord and far taller than herself. He was slender, but with muscular arms and slightly looked like a northerner. His facial features were sharp and he had a thick red beard. A coal made of grey fur was wrapped around his head and as Maya looked in his eyes, she noticed a dull and hard look in them. Instead of saying something, he simply gave Maya a short nod. “Maya, this is Gregar Balvind, one of Lord Redforts scouts. He will accompany you“, Royce explained. Gregar gave her a short glare and Maya gulped. Well, that's just great! He looked like a clanman. And he seemed to be mute. “Can he... can he speak, Lord Royce?“, she asked. The lord bursted into his mocking laughter. “Seven Hells, you're killing me Maya! Gregar, say something to your lovely companion!“, he managed to say between his cold, insincere burts of laugh. Gregar growled. “I can speak, girl. But I'm not here to speak. Are you happy now?“, he said. His voice was deep and sounded slightly threatening. On the bright side, he was an improvement over Orson Royce.
The Bronze Lord clapped his hands. “Touching. I feel a deep friendship approaching between you. The most important question remains however. How do you want to travel to Raylansfair, sweet girl?“, he asked. His mocking smile really started to get on Mayas nerves. From what she knew about the Vales geography there were two ways she could travel. The paths through the mountain of the moon would be the more direct way and likely a bit faster. However, the mountains were inhabited by the mountain clans, fiercly independent barbarians, remains of the First Men. They resented the rulership of House Arryn and despised the Lords of the Vale. No traveller was safe from them. The second option would be to take a ship at Gulltown. She always loved travelling by ship. The waves. The wind...
“We go through the bloody Mountains“, Gregar decided with a firm voice. Royce looked at him, then at Maya. “Still your call, Maya“, he spoke. Maya looked at Gregar. The scout looked back and for a short moment, his face brightened. “There is nothing to fear from the clans, girl. Not with me to guide you“, he explained and seemed to clearly believe himself. Still... Maya knew what the clans did to captured women... The ship would be the safer, albeit slower option. And personally, she would favour it. But Gregar seemed to be certain. Maybe he would deserve a chance as well.
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon][Take a ship in Gulltown]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
[Take a ship in Gulltown] Don't know if this Gregar really could keep them safe but if you ask me it's not safe to travel through the mountains with two people.
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
I HAVE RETURNED! Good work once again! As for the boat choice, well... Two people alone in the mountains would not be smart. That, and I have seen and read Tolkien's novels, so umm, yeah, I know how that usually goes.
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon] Want to give the guy a chance to prove himself trustworthy, if anything happens, lets see if he will pull us out or leave us for dead.
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale o… moref Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into t… [view original content]
The new part took me longer than expected and won't be up today, but tomorrow. Maybe it will contain two PoV's as a compensation, but I can't promise it.
I have to say, I struggled quite a bit with this part, for reasons unknown. As a result, I don't know how good it really is. I'm sure I had better parts. After spending several hours on this small part (with interruptions from my university) I also decided not to include a second PoV, due to time reasons. But the next part will be longer and better again, I can promise you that!
Richard
Something worried her. Richard could clearly see it. “Lyria? Is something the matter? You look... distraught...“, he asked. As she turned around to face him, she seemed to be terrified for one moment. He knew Lyria for years now. She was a strong person, stubborn and not easily frightened. Yet, something seemed to scare her. “It's... it's nothing, really. I've just heard what happened to the Lord and to Maester Eaton... and I don't know what that means for us“, she said.
Richard closed his eyes for a moment as she mentioned Eaton. He had always liked the man. And he remembered, how Maester Eaton, over seventy years old, came alone and by foot, in the middle of the night, only to help Richards family. He was too late to save his wife. But Jenna... Richard owed him the life of his daughter. And now he was gone. “I don't know either... For all my life it had been 'Lord Robert'. I don't even know who is going to succeed him“, Richard answered. He hadn't knew Robert Raylan very well. From his point, he had been a just man. A hero. Six years ago, his actions saved a large part of the city from the Ironborn. Yes, Lord Raylan had been a good man. But he knew that Lyria saw it differently, with good reason. But regardless... Raylansfair without a Lord Raylan just felt wrong.
“The workers in the archive will find out...“, Lyria stated. Yes, that was sure. The historians wouldn't sleep for the next days, they would search every book in the archive and finally they would find some connection House Raylan had to another noble house. It wasn't the first time something like that happened, at least as far Richard knew. “Possible. I'm going to meet Phillip at the Pony. I could ask him“, Richard told her. Phillip Loren, one of his friends, was currently working at the archive, not as a historian, but a helping hadn was always needed in this maze of ink and paper. Lyria gave him a weak nod. “Yeah, do that. This whole situation just gets to me. I think I just need a short break. Maybe a prayer... Something“, she said. Richard gave her a cheery smile. She could surely need it. And Richard felt that something was wrong, something she hadn't told him.
“A prayer could help“, Richard said, slightly unsure what he should say in a situation like this. He had never seen her agitated like this. She gave him a nod, followed by a weak smile. “Richard... take care. Keep Jenna safe, will you...“, she said, before turning to the Sept. Septon Corbin was holding a sermon the whole day, praying for the mercy of the Seven. Richard just came from the Sept and the thought of Lyria having to spend hours in there felt him with pity. After a sermon with Septon Corbin, he always needed a stiff drink. Still... the advice to keep Jenna safe... Was something wrong? He looked at Lyria and for a moment it seemed as if she wanted to say something else. But she simply turned around and began to walk towards the Sept, with every step she seemed to become stronger again. Richard Harking shook his head. He knew that he was one of Lyrias only friends. The woman was just completely unable to tell people her fears and worries. And one day, this would bite her in the ass...
He walked over the market square, up to the Tapping Pony, Raylansfairs largest tavern. The three-story building had seen better days, but the beer was great and the owners were good friends of him. And on a day like this, it was packed with customers in the evenings. The large taproom had room for at least one hundred people and even though it was only afternoon, there were at least four dozen drunkards present. And the poor barmaid had to handle the situation all alone... Or at least she would be a poor barmaid if she wouldn't be Ilish Granver. She worked at the Pony for three years now and made a tremendously good job, at least from Richards perspective. A clever girl, able to retaliate every comment thrown in her face. And quite deft. Richard had seen her taking a drunkards purse, after the man threw an insulting comment about her mother right in her face. As he entered, the barmaid walked up to him. Ilish was a short and thin girl, whose pale, freckled skin and dark hair gave away her northern heritage immediately.
“Hey Richard!“, she said, with a slight smile. “Urid and Phillip are here. Guess they're waiting for you“ Richard smiled. He hadn't counted on Urid to attend their little meeting. “Thanks Ilish! Tough job today, huh?“, he chuckled. She gave him a bright smile. “A perfect day to make some money. Now, if you excuse...“ With these words, Ilish went up to another table, leaving Richard to look for his friends.
Phillip Loren and Urid Strad were sitting at a small table by the wall. It was Urid who saw him first. The man was a bit shorter than Richard and also over ten years younger. He originated from the Riverlands and definitely looked the part, with his unassuming face and simple black hair. As a father of three young children, Urid was rarely accompanying Richard, but still, he found him easily relatable.
“Richard! Over here!“, Urid shouted, prompting Phillip to look up. He had the typical fair skin of a northerner, albeit unusually blonde hair. He gave him a sly smile when seeing him. “Richard Harking! Kept us waiting!“ Richard walked over to them and grabebd a seat. “Not my fault. I got delayed“, he explained.
“Glad you're here now. I haven't seen you for weeks. How's the farm going?“, Urid asked. He worked as a tailor in the town and only saw Richard a few times a month, when his children weren't preventing it. The youngest was just born a few weeks ago and took all of his time now. Richard gave him a smile. “The usual farm work. Took a day off today, that'll bite me in the ass tomorrow. Roman causes trouble. He claims to own part of my land. If we can't settle it, we're dealing with it on the next court day“
Phillip sneered. “This Roman is a real asshole, right? Why don't you punch him in the face a few times and get it over with?“, he asked. Richard sighed. “He has his good sides too, I'm sure of that“, he said. “Anyway, Urid, how's your family doing?“
The tailor smiled. “Yack has a good start in life. He looks like my father and he has these intelligent eyes, you know. Farrell and Mickaela love their little brother and Carma got over the birth pretty well. She can already work again“, he explained. Richard smiled at this. It was heartwarming to see Urid happy over his family. “Good to hear that. Cherish your family and value every moment with them“, he advised his friend. Those were usually the moment in which he would think about all that he had lost. But not now! Not in a situation like this. He needed to do a change of topic!
“I met Lyria at the square. She has some troubles“, he explained, which prompted Phillip to burst out into laughter. “Lyria Mettel? She has troubles? That woman is tough as nails. When she has some troubles, that can only mean that the White Walkers are returning“, he said and started to laugh.. Urid joined in, but Richard shook his head. “Not this time. I think something really got to her. She explained it with Lord Raylans death, but we both know that she hated the man“, he said, prompting Urid to look down on the floor. “May the Seven have mercy on him“, he said.
Phillip shrugged. “Whatever it is, she won't tell anyone, that's for sure. Anyway, did your girl say anything about the Maesters death? I mean, the Lord was ill, but Eaton? He was older than half of the scrolls in our archive, but still, he wasn't on the verge of death“, he spoke. Richard shook his head. “She just told me that he had died...“, he started to say, before Urid interrupted him. “He fell from the tower... At least that's what Carma told me... she found him, you know...“, he explained. Phillip raised an eyebrow. “Your wife? Damn, that's hard. Is she alright?“, he asked. Urid gave him a cold glare. “Of course she is. Carma has gone through worse and it's not the first corpse she saw. We Riverfolks are steeled“, he said with emphasis, before letting out a sigh. “But still... Maester Eatons death took her hard. She liked the man, he was always kind to her“
“Everybody liked him. And he liked everbody. Are you sure it was suicide?“, Richard asked. Jenna wasn't very talkative, but he knew that Carma Strad was gossip enough for three women. If there were any rumours among the servants she would know them all. Urid shook his head and bent forward. “Carma saw a dark figure on the tower, you know. She's sure it was murder. One of the guards told her that Harris Flowers hired a Faceless Man to kill the Lord and the Maester. The Maesters boy, this Dairon, he is missing too. I bet he is one of these Faceless“, he whispered in a conspirational tone. “Faceless Men? Murder?“, Phillip said, while containing his laughter, maybe slightly too loud. Two of the local farmers from a neighbouring table looked up, but quickly minded their own business, as Richard looked over to them. “Maybe we shouldn't talk about that kind of stuff...“, he said. Phillip chuckled. Urid gave him a glare. “Not funny, Phillip. I don't want to get Carma into trouble, you hear me?“, he hissed. Phillip shrugged. “Whatever you say, Strad. Hey, it's not like the creep up there has heard it“, he said and with a short head movement, he prompted Richard to look over to a man at the other end of the taproom.
The man was deadly pale, with bedraggled blond hair and dead grey eyes. Richard had never seen him before. And he did not like the way this man was looking at the barmaid. But, Richard was sure that Ilish could handle him. Right in that moment, the stranger turned his head and looked at him, with a cold smile, a smile so bare of any emotion that Richard shivered. Could Ilish really handle... this?
“Friends... have you ever seen that guy?“, Richard asked. Phillip shook his head. “People like him mean bad news“, he said. In that moment, the stranger grabbed Ilish by the arm and whispered something into her ear. She clearly tried to break free from his grip and looked over to Richard, seeking help. Even from the distance, Richard could tell that the grip was very firm. Oh, he hated situations like this!
Richard looked at his friends. “Shit... Should we do something?“, he asked. Phillip smiled. “Nah, we could save him from Ilish, I guess. She can manage. All fun and games. She is a barmaid, They are used to worse. Besides, that's not our job. There are plenty of other people here“ Urid took a short look over the other guests. None of them seemed to care. Or even notice. “I don't like this. I don't like this one bit“, he said, before looking over to Richard. “Your the strongest here. You should take action“
Phillip sighed. “He isn't the strongest in the room, I doubt he is even the strongest on this table. Listen, I don't think he is... harrassing Ilish. I don't even think that would be possible. If she was some sort of wallflower, I'd be the first to help. But nobody can harrass Ilish! She can handle. Just sit down and drink your beer, Richard. Have a good time. I'm sure she's going to kick him in the crotch any moment. It's going to be priceless“
Richard took another look at Ilish. She was looking over to the innkeeper, who hadn't even noticed her struggle. The stranger was still telling her something, while giving her this creepy, unnerving grin. Either Ilish was too well-behaved to punch him, or she was too afraid. But, Phillip was right. She has handled men twice her size. And this guy wasn't even that tall or muscular. He was just creepy.
Comments
[Attack the tall man] Most dangerous first.
[Listen to Terromas advice and do nothing] This is their fight.
[Attack the small man]
[Listen to Terromas advice and do nothing]
We-e-e-e-e need-e-d-e-d-e-d more-or-or-or-or death-th-th-th please-ease-ease-ease.
[Attack the small man]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
[Attack the small man]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
[Attack the tall man]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
[Attack the tall man.] Take the dangerous out first.
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight.] It just seems like the Ellena thing to do, she'd want to prevent a murder. Especially after her father. But I have a feeling I will regret this.
[Attack the small one]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
Awesomw Chapter!!!!!
[Attack the small man first]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
I'm feeling exceptionally nice today.
[Attack the small man]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
[Attack the small man] Maybe he can finish the small one quickly...
[Try to convince Terroma to help] I'm not sure if Terroma is the kind of guy to help but I know Ellena is.
Very good chapter, I'm really excited for this Oldtown/Burned Man plotline. And nice Bloodraven cameo
[Attack the tall man] Things are getting cheesy. We better get out alive from this fight!
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight] Jaron is my boy, we need to help him.
But wait a second, does "a thousand and one eye" refer to Brynden Bloodraven? I'm pretty sure he lived 200 years later.
Yep, that was indeed a Bloodraven cameo. In one Bran chapter in A Dance With Dragons, it was heavily implied that a skilled greenseer can look into the past (and quite possibly the future as well), so I added him in, since I feel sorry for the poor guy who has nothing to do but to sit in his cave and look through his trees all day. That he was looking through this particular tree just as Ellena decided to touch it was probably just a coincidence though... maybe.
[Attack the small man]
[Listen to Terromas advice and do nothing] I have a feeling that Terroma will die otherwise. I don't want him to die, he's cool. ;_;
[Attack the small man] You aint talking about Harpy like that midget xD. Seriously though, take out the lowest problem so it doesn't cause issues later
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight] Either Jaron will get severely wounded or die if he doesn't get help.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron will attack the small man first
Ellena will try to convince Terroma to help
The first PoV of the next part is finished, which brings me to an important question: My original plan was to have every part contain two PoV's. However, the parts get longer and longer, sometimes I am already forced to split them, like it happened in last part. The PoV I wrote today is three pages long, the second planned PoV will likely be of the same length at least. Would you prefer if I write two PoV's and post them at once, like I did most of the times, or would you rather have me post one PoV per part, like I did with the last Willfred chapter? This will likely mean that there could be more frequent updates, but shorter posts. It would also mean that I will post the next part today, but without the second PoV, which would likely follow tomorrow.
One POV
I'd say one PoV per update is fine.
I'll also say one POV :P
Thanks for your opinion! One PoV it shall be then. Give me a short moment to proof-read the text, it will be up in the next twenty minutes.
Hey Liquid, need any new characters? I've been considering writing Celestial and Marcus, but I'm not sure.
While I certainly have a lot of characters, these two could come in handy, considering their backstory. So, yeah, feel free to submit!
Maya
It was a cold and serene night. According to the Maesters, it was still autumn, but it surely felt like winter already in the Vale of Arryn. Maya looked up to the steep path that lead up to the small stone house. Below her, she could see the sea of lights that was Gulltown. It looked beautiful, almost peaceful from up here. But she knew better. The path above her was untamed and seamed by firs. Still, someone bought that small house up there. No. Not someone. She knew exactly who built it and what purpose it served. She shivered, not entirely from the cold.
As she approached, she noticed a guard standing in the shadow beside the house. It was a short man, clad in grey and brown, almost invisible in this night. Of course he wore no tabard, but Maya knew exactly whom he was guarding. “Maya Iresons. I have an appointment with his lordship“, she introduced herself. The guard, a little bit perplexed that he had been seen, stepped into the moonlight and gave her a short nod. “You're late. Better hurry, the lord isn't in his best mood today“, he remarked. Maya shrugged as an answer. He was never in a good mood. Not that it would do any difference. The lord always terrified her. But this time, it was different. For four years she was working for him now, ever since one of his guards recommended her after seeing her beating up a thug in Gulltown. She wasn't officially on his payroll. But she did all the dirty little tasks his bronze lordship was too cautious to send his own men for. No murder though, she made that clear the first time she was asked to kill. But if somebody needed to be bribed, if somebody needed to be sabotaged, if somebody needed to be intimidated, the Bronze Lord called on Maya Iresons. And a few dozen other little shadows. She wasn't proud about this, but the lord paid her well. Without him, life would be harder. In the four years she was working for him now, she wasn't even warned once about the lord not being in his 'best mood'. The thought that he could be any worse gave her an uneasy feeling. Maya entered the building.
It was a single room, scarcely lit to avoid attention from the outside. It wasn't really furnished, since it only had one purpose: To be the place of the Bronze Lords meetings. A large table, a candle and, to Mayas abhorrence, a large bed. There was much talking about the lord and his taste for young maidens. Or young boys. It were only rumours, but still, this bed in this house spoke volumes. And at the large table in the center of the room said the man himself. Orson Royce, Lord of Runestone, the Bronze Lord. The only thing that prevented him from calling himself 'Bronze King', like his ancestors did for thousands of years was the surprisingly strong Queen Regent. A haughty man, a proud man, looking a good twenty years younger than he truly was. His skin was pale, his eyes had a sickenly light shade of blue as their colour. His blonde hair was carefully back-kempt.
“Maya. I'm glad you're here. Please, sit down“, he said. His voice wasn't more than a whisper. The lord of Runestone never raised his voice, but it was compelling enough that everyone had to listen regardless. He was short, for a man who claimed to descent from the First Men, even a bit shorter than Maya. Still, his whole presence was enough to silence every room he entered. He always sounded friendly, but every word was accompanied by a thousand words unspoken. Right now, he raised an eyebrow, almost as if he was amused. But Maya knew, he wasn't amused. He was never amused. Instead of sitting down immediately, she knelt in front of him. This was a good strategy to please him. “Mylord Royce. I am honored“, she said, concentrating her stare on the ground.
“Rise, Maya. Please“, Royce answered and she obliged. Now was a good time to grab a seat. The guard was right when he warned her. Lord Royce's manners were impeccable, but something wasn't right. He appeared calm, but he was from the blood of the kings of rune and bronze. His calmness hid a storm. His pale eyes concealed an abyss. “How can I be of service, mylord?“, Maya asked. Please, by the love othe the mother, please don't let it be an assassination. She wasn't sure if she could decline it to him this time. Not while he was so... frighteningly polite. Royce was the most dangerous when he was calm.
“Tell me, child, have you ever heard about a town called Raylansfair?“, he asked. Maya could only decline. “No, mylord. Is it located in the Vale?“
Royce chuckled. It was horrible. “Slightly wrong... It is a town in the Reach, lying at the coast of the Sunset Sea“, he explained. “Ruled by House Raylan a house that consists of only one member now, an old and frail lord, grief-stricken and weak. It is in possession of the most comprehensive historical archive of the known world, ever since the Doom came upon Valyria. And it holds salvation for the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale“
Maya looked at the lord in confusion. “Mylord Royce, this Raylansfair lies at the other end of Westeros. Is it really that important for us?“ Lord Royce let out a loud laugh, not a jovial one, but one full of mockery. “Sweet child, we couldn't care less for Raylansfair. What the Queen Regent really wants is something from the archive. Something that will ensure the Vales safety for centuries...“, he said, while giving her a wicked smile. There it was. The Bronze Lords infamous smile, barren of any joy, a hint at the dark abyss inside of him. Maya shivered. Whenever Royce smiled like this, something terrible was about to happen.
“What is it, Mylord Royce, that I should bring to you?“, she asked, barely breathing. Royce looked down on her hands and too late did Maya notice that she was clinging onto the tabletop, firm enough that her knuckles were visible. She looked up and met Royce stare. He smiled. He clearly enjoyed this. Orson Royce had a terrible reputation to uphold and was able to instill fear with a simple smile. Ironically, he was also the most generous employer in the Vale. Maya needed to work for him. It was either Royce, or a mercenary company.
“You know, when the Andals landed here and took my families land and titles, they didn't came alone. They brought contracts with them. Contracts with the Old Empire of Ghis. Later they made contracts with Valyria. And even later, they made contracts with the Free Cities. Contracts and loans. In its early days, House Arryn was under the protection of powerful allies. And the early Arryns were no fools. Somewhere in this world, someone still owes them a lot. And it is time to collect the debt“, Lord Royce explained.
Maya thought about what she just heard. “But, Mylord Royce, Valyria is gone. Old Ghis is gone. Who should uphold the contracts?“, she asked. Royce gave her an approving smile, the same sort of smile people usually gave good dogs who learned a new trick. “Slaver's Bay claims to be the successor of Ghis. Volantis claims to be the successor of Valyria. The Targaryens on their puny island are of Valyrian blood“, he explained. “The contracts will be uphold. If we manage to reclaim them, sweet Maya. You see, a couple of hundred years ago, an Arryn king came to the same conclusion as you. He sold a few worthless documents to the ever growing archive of Raylansfair. A man of my intellect was needed to realize their importance in our current situation“
Royce stopped and raised an eyebrow as Maya opened her mouth. “You want to ask what our current situation is, right?“, he said with his unnerving smile. “We're at the dawn of a terrible war. The Storm King has plans to attack us. He has five times as many soldiers as we have. His fleet is three times bigger than ours. It wouldn't be enough to march over the Mountains of the Moon, no army could do that. Maybe he could take Gulltown with his fleet. But he doesn't even need to do that. He only needs to block the trading ships from the Free Cities and the paths through the mountains. And wait until winter comes“, he explained and with every word he said, Maya realized what this all was about. Orson Royce fought for survival.
“You want me to bring you the contracts, so you can make an alliance with the Essosi“, she said. Royce gave her an approving nod. “Clever girl. You are swift. Graceful. You move like a shadow. You will travel to Raylansfair. You will break into the archive. And you will bring me the contracts“, the Bronze Lord said. In that moment, Maya noticed a movement in the shadows. Royce followed her gaze and let out a short, spine-chilling chuckle. “And you won't travel alone. You see, the Queen Regent and me, we aren't the only people who are in on this plan. Lord Corbray knows. And Lord Redfort. He is old, stubborn and does not like me very much. He insisted on sending one of his own men with you, my dear“
After Royce said this, a man entered Mayas field of view, a man of maybe forty years, who was tall, far taller than the Bronze Lord and far taller than herself. He was slender, but with muscular arms and slightly looked like a northerner. His facial features were sharp and he had a thick red beard. A coal made of grey fur was wrapped around his head and as Maya looked in his eyes, she noticed a dull and hard look in them. Instead of saying something, he simply gave Maya a short nod. “Maya, this is Gregar Balvind, one of Lord Redforts scouts. He will accompany you“, Royce explained. Gregar gave her a short glare and Maya gulped. Well, that's just great! He looked like a clanman. And he seemed to be mute. “Can he... can he speak, Lord Royce?“, she asked. The lord bursted into his mocking laughter. “Seven Hells, you're killing me Maya! Gregar, say something to your lovely companion!“, he managed to say between his cold, insincere burts of laugh. Gregar growled. “I can speak, girl. But I'm not here to speak. Are you happy now?“, he said. His voice was deep and sounded slightly threatening. On the bright side, he was an improvement over Orson Royce.
The Bronze Lord clapped his hands. “Touching. I feel a deep friendship approaching between you. The most important question remains however. How do you want to travel to Raylansfair, sweet girl?“, he asked. His mocking smile really started to get on Mayas nerves. From what she knew about the Vales geography there were two ways she could travel. The paths through the mountain of the moon would be the more direct way and likely a bit faster. However, the mountains were inhabited by the mountain clans, fiercly independent barbarians, remains of the First Men. They resented the rulership of House Arryn and despised the Lords of the Vale. No traveller was safe from them. The second option would be to take a ship at Gulltown. She always loved travelling by ship. The waves. The wind...
“We go through the bloody Mountains“, Gregar decided with a firm voice. Royce looked at him, then at Maya. “Still your call, Maya“, he spoke. Maya looked at Gregar. The scout looked back and for a short moment, his face brightened. “There is nothing to fear from the clans, girl. Not with me to guide you“, he explained and seemed to clearly believe himself. Still... Maya knew what the clans did to captured women... The ship would be the safer, albeit slower option. And personally, she would favour it. But Gregar seemed to be certain. Maybe he would deserve a chance as well.
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon] [Take a ship in Gulltown]
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
[Take a ship in Gulltown] Don't know if this Gregar really could keep them safe but if you ask me it's not safe to travel through the mountains with two people.
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
Gregar sounds tough. Let's do it.
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
I HAVE RETURNED! Good work once again! As for the boat choice, well... Two people alone in the mountains would not be smart. That, and I have seen and read Tolkien's novels, so umm, yeah, I know how that usually goes.
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
Gregar seems like he might get a little offended by it, but this is much safer.
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
Wouldn't want any happenings well...happening?
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
Awesome Chapter!!!!
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
Great POV!
So excited for more!!!!
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon] Want to give the guy a chance to prove himself trustworthy, if anything happens, lets see if he will pull us out or leave us for dead.
[Take a ship in Gulltown.]
[Take a ship in Gulltown]
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
[Travel through the Mountains of the Moon]
The voting is closed!
Maya will insist on taking a ship in Gulltown
The new part took me longer than expected and won't be up today, but tomorrow. Maybe it will contain two PoV's as a compensation, but I can't promise it.
[Attack the small man]
[Try to convince Terroma to help the knight]
Great Chapter!
I have to say, I struggled quite a bit with this part, for reasons unknown. As a result, I don't know how good it really is. I'm sure I had better parts. After spending several hours on this small part (with interruptions from my university) I also decided not to include a second PoV, due to time reasons. But the next part will be longer and better again, I can promise you that!
Richard
Something worried her. Richard could clearly see it. “Lyria? Is something the matter? You look... distraught...“, he asked. As she turned around to face him, she seemed to be terrified for one moment. He knew Lyria for years now. She was a strong person, stubborn and not easily frightened. Yet, something seemed to scare her. “It's... it's nothing, really. I've just heard what happened to the Lord and to Maester Eaton... and I don't know what that means for us“, she said.
Richard closed his eyes for a moment as she mentioned Eaton. He had always liked the man. And he remembered, how Maester Eaton, over seventy years old, came alone and by foot, in the middle of the night, only to help Richards family. He was too late to save his wife. But Jenna... Richard owed him the life of his daughter. And now he was gone. “I don't know either... For all my life it had been 'Lord Robert'. I don't even know who is going to succeed him“, Richard answered. He hadn't knew Robert Raylan very well. From his point, he had been a just man. A hero. Six years ago, his actions saved a large part of the city from the Ironborn. Yes, Lord Raylan had been a good man. But he knew that Lyria saw it differently, with good reason. But regardless... Raylansfair without a Lord Raylan just felt wrong.
“The workers in the archive will find out...“, Lyria stated. Yes, that was sure. The historians wouldn't sleep for the next days, they would search every book in the archive and finally they would find some connection House Raylan had to another noble house. It wasn't the first time something like that happened, at least as far Richard knew. “Possible. I'm going to meet Phillip at the Pony. I could ask him“, Richard told her. Phillip Loren, one of his friends, was currently working at the archive, not as a historian, but a helping hadn was always needed in this maze of ink and paper. Lyria gave him a weak nod. “Yeah, do that. This whole situation just gets to me. I think I just need a short break. Maybe a prayer... Something“, she said. Richard gave her a cheery smile. She could surely need it. And Richard felt that something was wrong, something she hadn't told him.
“A prayer could help“, Richard said, slightly unsure what he should say in a situation like this. He had never seen her agitated like this. She gave him a nod, followed by a weak smile. “Richard... take care. Keep Jenna safe, will you...“, she said, before turning to the Sept. Septon Corbin was holding a sermon the whole day, praying for the mercy of the Seven. Richard just came from the Sept and the thought of Lyria having to spend hours in there felt him with pity. After a sermon with Septon Corbin, he always needed a stiff drink. Still... the advice to keep Jenna safe... Was something wrong? He looked at Lyria and for a moment it seemed as if she wanted to say something else. But she simply turned around and began to walk towards the Sept, with every step she seemed to become stronger again. Richard Harking shook his head. He knew that he was one of Lyrias only friends. The woman was just completely unable to tell people her fears and worries. And one day, this would bite her in the ass...
He walked over the market square, up to the Tapping Pony, Raylansfairs largest tavern. The three-story building had seen better days, but the beer was great and the owners were good friends of him. And on a day like this, it was packed with customers in the evenings. The large taproom had room for at least one hundred people and even though it was only afternoon, there were at least four dozen drunkards present. And the poor barmaid had to handle the situation all alone... Or at least she would be a poor barmaid if she wouldn't be Ilish Granver. She worked at the Pony for three years now and made a tremendously good job, at least from Richards perspective. A clever girl, able to retaliate every comment thrown in her face. And quite deft. Richard had seen her taking a drunkards purse, after the man threw an insulting comment about her mother right in her face. As he entered, the barmaid walked up to him. Ilish was a short and thin girl, whose pale, freckled skin and dark hair gave away her northern heritage immediately.
“Hey Richard!“, she said, with a slight smile. “Urid and Phillip are here. Guess they're waiting for you“ Richard smiled. He hadn't counted on Urid to attend their little meeting. “Thanks Ilish! Tough job today, huh?“, he chuckled. She gave him a bright smile. “A perfect day to make some money. Now, if you excuse...“ With these words, Ilish went up to another table, leaving Richard to look for his friends.
Phillip Loren and Urid Strad were sitting at a small table by the wall. It was Urid who saw him first. The man was a bit shorter than Richard and also over ten years younger. He originated from the Riverlands and definitely looked the part, with his unassuming face and simple black hair. As a father of three young children, Urid was rarely accompanying Richard, but still, he found him easily relatable.
“Richard! Over here!“, Urid shouted, prompting Phillip to look up. He had the typical fair skin of a northerner, albeit unusually blonde hair. He gave him a sly smile when seeing him. “Richard Harking! Kept us waiting!“ Richard walked over to them and grabebd a seat. “Not my fault. I got delayed“, he explained.
“Glad you're here now. I haven't seen you for weeks. How's the farm going?“, Urid asked. He worked as a tailor in the town and only saw Richard a few times a month, when his children weren't preventing it. The youngest was just born a few weeks ago and took all of his time now. Richard gave him a smile. “The usual farm work. Took a day off today, that'll bite me in the ass tomorrow. Roman causes trouble. He claims to own part of my land. If we can't settle it, we're dealing with it on the next court day“
Phillip sneered. “This Roman is a real asshole, right? Why don't you punch him in the face a few times and get it over with?“, he asked. Richard sighed. “He has his good sides too, I'm sure of that“, he said. “Anyway, Urid, how's your family doing?“
The tailor smiled. “Yack has a good start in life. He looks like my father and he has these intelligent eyes, you know. Farrell and Mickaela love their little brother and Carma got over the birth pretty well. She can already work again“, he explained. Richard smiled at this. It was heartwarming to see Urid happy over his family. “Good to hear that. Cherish your family and value every moment with them“, he advised his friend. Those were usually the moment in which he would think about all that he had lost. But not now! Not in a situation like this. He needed to do a change of topic!
“I met Lyria at the square. She has some troubles“, he explained, which prompted Phillip to burst out into laughter. “Lyria Mettel? She has troubles? That woman is tough as nails. When she has some troubles, that can only mean that the White Walkers are returning“, he said and started to laugh.. Urid joined in, but Richard shook his head. “Not this time. I think something really got to her. She explained it with Lord Raylans death, but we both know that she hated the man“, he said, prompting Urid to look down on the floor. “May the Seven have mercy on him“, he said.
Phillip shrugged. “Whatever it is, she won't tell anyone, that's for sure. Anyway, did your girl say anything about the Maesters death? I mean, the Lord was ill, but Eaton? He was older than half of the scrolls in our archive, but still, he wasn't on the verge of death“, he spoke. Richard shook his head. “She just told me that he had died...“, he started to say, before Urid interrupted him. “He fell from the tower... At least that's what Carma told me... she found him, you know...“, he explained. Phillip raised an eyebrow. “Your wife? Damn, that's hard. Is she alright?“, he asked. Urid gave him a cold glare. “Of course she is. Carma has gone through worse and it's not the first corpse she saw. We Riverfolks are steeled“, he said with emphasis, before letting out a sigh. “But still... Maester Eatons death took her hard. She liked the man, he was always kind to her“
“Everybody liked him. And he liked everbody. Are you sure it was suicide?“, Richard asked. Jenna wasn't very talkative, but he knew that Carma Strad was gossip enough for three women. If there were any rumours among the servants she would know them all. Urid shook his head and bent forward. “Carma saw a dark figure on the tower, you know. She's sure it was murder. One of the guards told her that Harris Flowers hired a Faceless Man to kill the Lord and the Maester. The Maesters boy, this Dairon, he is missing too. I bet he is one of these Faceless“, he whispered in a conspirational tone. “Faceless Men? Murder?“, Phillip said, while containing his laughter, maybe slightly too loud. Two of the local farmers from a neighbouring table looked up, but quickly minded their own business, as Richard looked over to them. “Maybe we shouldn't talk about that kind of stuff...“, he said. Phillip chuckled. Urid gave him a glare. “Not funny, Phillip. I don't want to get Carma into trouble, you hear me?“, he hissed. Phillip shrugged. “Whatever you say, Strad. Hey, it's not like the creep up there has heard it“, he said and with a short head movement, he prompted Richard to look over to a man at the other end of the taproom.
The man was deadly pale, with bedraggled blond hair and dead grey eyes. Richard had never seen him before. And he did not like the way this man was looking at the barmaid. But, Richard was sure that Ilish could handle him. Right in that moment, the stranger turned his head and looked at him, with a cold smile, a smile so bare of any emotion that Richard shivered. Could Ilish really handle... this?
“Friends... have you ever seen that guy?“, Richard asked. Phillip shook his head. “People like him mean bad news“, he said. In that moment, the stranger grabbed Ilish by the arm and whispered something into her ear. She clearly tried to break free from his grip and looked over to Richard, seeking help. Even from the distance, Richard could tell that the grip was very firm. Oh, he hated situations like this!
Richard looked at his friends. “Shit... Should we do something?“, he asked. Phillip smiled. “Nah, we could save him from Ilish, I guess. She can manage. All fun and games. She is a barmaid, They are used to worse. Besides, that's not our job. There are plenty of other people here“ Urid took a short look over the other guests. None of them seemed to care. Or even notice. “I don't like this. I don't like this one bit“, he said, before looking over to Richard. “Your the strongest here. You should take action“
Phillip sighed. “He isn't the strongest in the room, I doubt he is even the strongest on this table. Listen, I don't think he is... harrassing Ilish. I don't even think that would be possible. If she was some sort of wallflower, I'd be the first to help. But nobody can harrass Ilish! She can handle. Just sit down and drink your beer, Richard. Have a good time. I'm sure she's going to kick him in the crotch any moment. It's going to be priceless“
Richard took another look at Ilish. She was looking over to the innkeeper, who hadn't even noticed her struggle. The stranger was still telling her something, while giving her this creepy, unnerving grin. Either Ilish was too well-behaved to punch him, or she was too afraid. But, Phillip was right. She has handled men twice her size. And this guy wasn't even that tall or muscular. He was just creepy.
[Help Ilish] [Watch the scene]