Willfred
“Are you ready boy?”, Crakehall asked, lowering the visor of his helmet, shaped like stylized boar with small tusks at the lower… more side of his visor. “This will be something entirely different than the small fights you're used too. Your enemy knows no honour, will follow no rules. When it comes to battle, all he will think off is killing the man in front of him before getting killed himself. Do you understand that?”
Willfred gave him a slightly annoyed look. This wasn't his first fight! He scored third in the tourney Lannisport two years ago and fourth in the tourney of Ashemark last year. “Of course I do, Lord Crakehall. And I am not a boy”, he answered. The old lord let out a loud laugh. “Oh yes, boy, you are. Trust me, this is different than the stuff you and your knightly friends played in the tournaments. As far as I have heard you have never fought against the Ironborn before, right?”, he chuckled and before Willfred could … [view original content]
Willfred
“Are you ready boy?”, Crakehall asked, lowering the visor of his helmet, shaped like stylized boar with small tusks at the lower… more side of his visor. “This will be something entirely different than the small fights you're used too. Your enemy knows no honour, will follow no rules. When it comes to battle, all he will think off is killing the man in front of him before getting killed himself. Do you understand that?”
Willfred gave him a slightly annoyed look. This wasn't his first fight! He scored third in the tourney Lannisport two years ago and fourth in the tourney of Ashemark last year. “Of course I do, Lord Crakehall. And I am not a boy”, he answered. The old lord let out a loud laugh. “Oh yes, boy, you are. Trust me, this is different than the stuff you and your knightly friends played in the tournaments. As far as I have heard you have never fought against the Ironborn before, right?”, he chuckled and before Willfred could … [view original content]
Lyria is likely the only PoV that won't get another part in this chapter. There was a Lyria part planned involving Arthur and also the characters Philip and Ilish, who we hadn't seen at all in this chapter so far, but in the end it would have felt anticlimatic to end her Chapter 3 storyline with this part and I decided that it would work far better with slight changes in the next chapter. But I can tell you that it wasn't the last we've seen from your characters in this chapter.
I want to see another Lyria chapter, but that is mostly because two of my characters are in that one lol. Either way though the story is getting better and better.
Willfred
“Are you ready boy?”, Crakehall asked, lowering the visor of his helmet, shaped like stylized boar with small tusks at the lower… more side of his visor. “This will be something entirely different than the small fights you're used too. Your enemy knows no honour, will follow no rules. When it comes to battle, all he will think off is killing the man in front of him before getting killed himself. Do you understand that?”
Willfred gave him a slightly annoyed look. This wasn't his first fight! He scored third in the tourney Lannisport two years ago and fourth in the tourney of Ashemark last year. “Of course I do, Lord Crakehall. And I am not a boy”, he answered. The old lord let out a loud laugh. “Oh yes, boy, you are. Trust me, this is different than the stuff you and your knightly friends played in the tournaments. As far as I have heard you have never fought against the Ironborn before, right?”, he chuckled and before Willfred could … [view original content]
Willfred
“Are you ready boy?”, Crakehall asked, lowering the visor of his helmet, shaped like stylized boar with small tusks at the lower… more side of his visor. “This will be something entirely different than the small fights you're used too. Your enemy knows no honour, will follow no rules. When it comes to battle, all he will think off is killing the man in front of him before getting killed himself. Do you understand that?”
Willfred gave him a slightly annoyed look. This wasn't his first fight! He scored third in the tourney Lannisport two years ago and fourth in the tourney of Ashemark last year. “Of course I do, Lord Crakehall. And I am not a boy”, he answered. The old lord let out a loud laugh. “Oh yes, boy, you are. Trust me, this is different than the stuff you and your knightly friends played in the tournaments. As far as I have heard you have never fought against the Ironborn before, right?”, he chuckled and before Willfred could … [view original content]
Thanks
Lyria is likely the only PoV that won't get another part in this chapter. There was a Lyria part planned involving Arthur and als… moreo the characters Philip and Ilish, who we hadn't seen at all in this chapter so far, but in the end it would have felt anticlimatic to end her Chapter 3 storyline with this part and I decided that it would work far better with slight changes in the next chapter. But I can tell you that it wasn't the last we've seen from your characters in this chapter.
Willfred will execute the Ironborn swiftly and send their heads back to Harrenhal
I know, the voting hasn't even been open for a whole day and I'm sorry for anyone who misses the voting. But I have written the new part very fast and don't want to keep you all waiting longer than needed, since I am very happy with how it turned out. Writing will be finished in the next hour or two and this coming part will conclude Maya's and Ellena's storylines for Chapter 3. Prepare for lots of stabbing.
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, giving him a frightened glare. Brune looked her straight in the eye and grinned. “He never did... Of course he never did. His Bronze Lordship can be quite charming if he wants to, you know that, right?”, he answered and his smile vanished. “She was all I had left. My sons shun me, my wife preferred dying! She was all I had left... and he defiled her. She told me it wasn't rape, but she was always a bit slow in the brain” He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. Maya used this moment to grab her dagger. “Who would marry her after Royce had her? No lord with dignity, that's for sure. So I had to give her to Crabb, an old petty lord who even has to sell his own belongings to stay alive...”, Brune hissed, opening his eyes again. His smile returned. “I waited for an opportunity to repay my debt for ten fucking years. You're not his daughter... but I say you'll suffice”, he said grabbing her shoulders and looking her deep in the eyes. “You won't resist, or else I'm going to hurt your friends and I'm going to hurt you even more...” With these words he pulled her close, slightly lifting her in the air and slamming her onto the table next to him. She felt his hand on her breasts, trying to open her shirt, felt his breath on her face, felt the fear in her heart, felt the anger inside of her, felt the cold hilt of her dagger in her right hand and she made a movement...
She saw the surprised reaction on his face as lust turned to pain. With all her strength she managed to push him off of her. With a squishing sound the dagger moved out of his belly as Lord Brune fell to the ground, gasping heavily, his eyes filled with fear. “No... no... please, I...”, he said as Maya jumped on top of him. Maybe it would have been wiser to spare him, to take him hostage. She didn't care. She didn't care about Ser Aldrik, she didn't even pay attention to him. Brune had to die!
“He told me you were unarmed!”, Brune whined. These were his last words as Maya drove the dagger deep into his throat and his words turned to an unintelligible gurgling. Once, Twice, Thrice, Again and Again, until the last sign of life had left his brown eyes.
Trymon Brune, Lord of the Dyre Den, was dead.
Tears were flowing down Maya's face as she jumped up in a single movement, holding the dagger like a shield in front of her, facing Ser Aldrik Wolver. The mercenary knight hadn't moved, he hadn't even lay a hand at the hilt of his sword. Instead he had his arms crossed and raised an eyebrow. He raised an eyebrow! He looked at her and didn't even seem to be angry. If anything, Ser Aldrik seemed... pleased? A terrible thought crossed Maya's mind.
“Are you done?”, Wolver asked. “Surely you can't mean to attack me. That would be the height of foolishness” Maya shivered as she heard these words. No! No! That couldn't be... She did not want to believe this! “What are you going to do now?”, she hissed, noticing how her voice sounded meek, now unintentionally. She fell down to her knees, sobbing, looking at the bloody dagger in her hand. She had killed him. He deserved it, but... but why was Ser Aldrik so pleased?
She saw him approaching and raised her dagger. Ser Aldrik's face softened up. “Please, put down your dagger and we talk about what just happened”, he said and she dropped the dagger out of her shivering hands. Ser Aldrik pulled her up and gave her a soft hug. It was meant as a gesture of kindness, but Maya didn't want a gesture of kindness now. She wanted to stab someone, a certain someone, a bronze bastard with eyes as pale as a nightmare and a smile as spine-chilling as the sound of a knife in the dark.
Ser Aldrik gave her a kind smile. “Brune wouldn't have done it. He tried to scare you. He would have hurt you, but he was no rapist. He wasn't evil, he was just a man who was left alone in his bitterness for years. And even if he would have tried to go through with it, I would have been honour-bound to intervene”, he reassured her, kindly pushing her towards a chair. And then he said something horrible, something Maya already knew. “You were brave today, Maya. And you did the Bronze Lord a favour. He will be pleased”
Despite the fact that she had known it the moment she saw his relaxed expression, she gave him a look of pure shock. “How long...?”, she whispered. Aldrik sighed. “Five years. You see, Lord Brune was one of Crackclaw Point's most powerful lords. And he was allied with Lord Crabb. Together they could have closed the Bay of Crabs on the Storm King's call, leading the Vale to starve through the winter”, he explained. Maya's expression of shock got the new layer of pure disbelief. “Royce couldn't have planned all of this...”, she whispered, noticing that she was still shivering.
“I don't know Lord Royce very well. I receive regular payment from him, but that's it. But if I know one thing about him, than it is that he is a master when it comes to improvising. It was planned that I shall dispose of Brune personally if the man ever becomes a problem. But a few days ago a raven arrived. It brought a letter to Lord Brune and a second letter, detailing new orders for me. So I reminded Brune of what Royce did. I reminded him of vengeance”, he explained and Maya's expression turned to rage as she clenched her fist. “You... you would have let him rape me?”, she hissed and Ser Aldrik shook his head. “No! I am a man of honour. Nothing would have happened to you. However, I knew you were armed. There was a reason Royce gave you two daggers. They aren't that useful in a real fight, right?”, he explained.
Maya looked at him, looked at the dead Lord Brune. She could still feel the lord's stinking breath on her face. And with a single, quick movement she slammed her fist into Wolver's face. She caught him off guard, hearing a satisfying crunch, felt the blood on her hand as he fell back, holding his nose. “Fuck...”, he muttered. “I deserved that” But he gave her a grin and Maya took a last look at Lord Brune. Royce had used her, used her in the most despicable way possible, used her to do his dirty work, used her to kill one of his rivals. He had played them all. She was a pawn. Wolver was a pawn. And Lord Brune had been a pawn too. Maya couldn't help, she had to start laughing at the situation.
Wolver got up again. Blood was flowing out of his nose, but he didn't seem to be angry. “I am sorry, Maya. The Bronze Lord told me that you were a wonderful woman and that he is sorry too”, he said and Maya gave him a desperate grin. “He isn't sorry”, she insisted. Wolver looked at the door of the great Hall. “Lord Brune gave orders that nobody should disturb him, so I don't think anyone will discover him for a few hours. I will escort you and your men out of Brune's land now and make safe that nobody follows you, if it pleases you” It pleased her. As strange as it seems, it pleased her. She had been used, but she couldn't even hate Lord Royce for it.
Wolver was true to his word and a few minutes later Maya, Gregar and Irving walked down the path that lead them away from the Dyre Den. Gregar was silent, but glared at Wolver, who accompanied them. Irving on the other hand was in a good mood. Getting released from the prison did wonders to him, albeit he was still complaining. Maya knew, he was always complaining
“The prison in Dyre Den is terrible. I saw a rat as big as my head! Damn the Bronze Lord for sending me with you”, he moaned and Gregar gave him a glare. “How about you thank Maya for getting us out of there?”, he hissed. Irving rolled with his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Thank you Maya, thank you for getting us out of the prison you got us into the first place”, he answered. Maya gave him a bright smile. “You are very welcome, Irving”, she grinned. This caught Irving slightly off guard and he was silent for a moment. But it didn't took him long to find something to complain about. “Ser Aldrik, your wolf growled at me”, he said. It was a weak complain and Maya had the feeling that Irving was a bit shaken by the whole situation. And she also had the slight feeling that he was indeed glad to be out of the prison again, even though it was dry and warmer than outside.
Ser Aldrik didn't even bother to react. Irving gave him a grimace. “Sure, ignore me, why not? Why don't you all just ignore me, like always? But if your wolf eats me, it's your fault”, he said. Aldrik slightly rolled his eyes. “Maya, there is one thing I want to request. I feel horrible for playing my part in tricking you and Lord Brune. Lord Royce wrote in his letter that he leaves it up to you, so I'm asking... I want to accompany you and your companions to Raylansfair”, he said and Maya gave him a surprised look. Taking him with them? He was working for Royce! Just like her, just like Irving. He used her. He was being used, just like her. He was a knight, he had a wolf with him, he was a better fighter than anyone from her group. And he seemed genuinely sorry. “If you don't want my company, I can understand. I will return to Runestone in that case”
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair][Send him back to Runestone]
Ellena
She looked at the knife in front of her. Moreo's knife. He had told her that it was a family heirloom, from a famous ancestor who had been a pirate king at the Stepstone Islands. He had been her friend.
“I'm waiting for your answer. Don't make this any worse than it already is, girl”, Harrington said. “Eh, Samuel, she isn't answering. Maybe she'll tell Butterfly once he uses a knife on her fingers”, Jaylon said with an annoyed tone. Harrington gave him a cold glare. “ Girl, we don't want this any more than you do. At least I don't want to bring you to Butterfly”, he answered. Jaylon cleared his throat. “Don't exclude me here. You think I like to watch when he does these... things? Come on girl, tell him and we can all go home”, he insisted, not paying attention to her for a moment. This was his mistake. Ellena had never been strong, but she had been fast. Her father had taught her how to use a spear, but a knife was nothing else than a very short spear, right? She grabbed the knife, jumped to her feet, ignoring the terribly dizzy feeling in her head and she plunged the knife deep into Jaylon's upper leg. The mercenary went to the ground screaming as blood poured out of his wound. In a single movement, Samuel Harrington drew his sword and took a hit at Ellena, but she already jumped out of his reach and into the corridor.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fucking fuck!”, Jaylon screamed. “Fucking bitch fucking stabbed me! Fucking kill her!” Ellena saw Samuel approaching her, his stare cold as ice, while Jaylon tried to stand up again. The wound wouldn't kill him, most likely and to Ellena's dismay he wasn't even crippled by it. But he was bleeding. And right now Harrington was the more dangerous out of the two. Maybe not only right now. She started to run, Harrington behind her. He was fast, but he was wearing armour. She was faster.
Feeling her heart beating in her chest, Ellena started to run up the stairs that lead to the upper deck. She saw the light, she only needed to get to the other sailors. They weren't fighter, but some of them were very strong. And she doubted that Harrington could take all of them alone. All of a sudden, a man stepped into her line of sight and she bumped into him. She didn't recognize him, he wasn't one of the sailors. He wore armour, he had a short sword with him. And the look he gave her told her everything she needed to know. Samuel and Jaylon had a third man with them!
“Now who do we have here? Trying to run aw...”, he said but was cut short as Ellena let out a cry of rage and moved the knife forwards. She wouldn't let them take her! And she wouldn't tell them about Terroma, not even if she had to fight against all of them! Death couldn't be as bad as what they would do to her. Death wasn't something bad, nobody in Braavos feared it. There was nothing to fear about it. She remembered the one thing the Bravos would say every morning, the only thing they said about death.
Not today, not today, not today...
Not today!
Her knife hit them man under his right armpit, went deep into his flesh and she saw the surprised look on his dying face. She didn't even bother with him and ran past him as she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Harrington took another blow and this time she felt the sword missing her by a hair. And then she was at the upper deck, her face and right hand stained with blood, with surprised sailors looking at her. But these sailors knew her. And they weren't stupid people. Behind her, Harrington stepped into their sight. And even behind him, Jaylon limped forwards, giving her a glare full of hatred. They faced two dozen sailors, who gave them cold frowns.
Harrington looked at the men for a moment and started to laugh. “You don't really think you are enough to take me, are you?”, he asked mockingly before looking at Ellena. “You killed one of our men. Butterfly won't be displeased anymore, he will be boiling with anger. This is your last chance to tell us what we want to know. We will go and you have a chance to leave this city. Don't make this any worse. Whoever this Terroma is, he isn't worth dying for”
He was wrong with this!
She stood there, the knife in her hands, trying not to be afraid. Her hands were shaking, the pain in her head, where Samuel hit her, was almost unbearable. Some of the sailors had grabbed weapons, small hatchets and knives mostly. Harrington was looking at them with a cold glare. “Don't you think I will hesitate to cut you all down”, he hissed before becoming silent again. Jaylon had his sword out as well, albeit he was in a bad shape. The glare he gave Ellena sent shivers down her spine. “Last chance”, Harrington said. “Last chance or there will be a lot of death. Where is Terroma” Ellena gulped. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid, she was afraid, oh yes, she was afraid and she didn't want to die here...
“We're interested in this as well”, a male voice with a Ghiscari accent called out. Ellena heard heavy steps and saw Harrington narrowing his eyes in anger. As she turned her head, she saw two men boarding the Pale Princess. They both had shaved heads, the dark skin of pure-blooded Ghiscari and black, wiry beards. They were both tall and muscular, albeit one of the men was clearly one of the tallest men Ellena had ever seen, with arms thick like tree trunks. She noticed a number of obscene tattoos on his arms and he gave her a big smile. The other man wasn't smiling, instead he was looking at Ellena and Harrington with a calculating stare. And both of them were armed. The taller man held a bearded axe firmly in his hands, while the other man hold two strangely curved swords, looking almost like sickles. Ellena had seen weapons like these before. The Dothraki used them for mounted combat. They called them Arakh.
Harrington spat on the ground. “Was only a matter of time before the cripple sends his men here”, he growled. The man with the Arakhs made a mocking bow, presenting his swords and gave Harrington a short, cold smile. “Greetings”, he said politely “My name is Abbas al-Yunkari. This is my business partner Bakr al-Astapori” Jaylon spat on the ground “Fucking Ghiscari. The cripple works with slavers now? That's a new low, even for him”
Abbas looked genuinely offended. “We are humble merchants”, he insisted, but Ellena didn't believe him for a second. “And we're here to talk to the person who saved Ser Jaron's life a few days ago” He gave Harrington a chilling stare. “But I see the insect's aspos are already here”, he hissed, his accented Westerosi mixing with the hard and guttural Ghiscari. Technically, Ghiscari and Braavosi were the same language, a bastardized form of High Valyrian. But Braavosi was an elegant and soft language, reminding Ellena of flowers. Ghiscari was a harsh and crude language, sounding threatening even when the speaker intended to sound friendly. Still, she had an idea what the man just said. And judging from Harrington's angry face he understood too. “Mind your tongue, foreign bastard”, the mercenary growled.
The tall man, Bakr pointed his axe at Harrington. “Why don't you mind your tongue, before I cut it off?”, he answered, his friendly smile not leaving his face. Harrington pointed his sword at him. “You think you're better than I am? Come closer and I will cut you down”, he proclaimed, to which Bakr responded with a boisterous laugh. “Are you sure, Vesterozi?”, he asked. “Are you so sure you can kill me and Abbas?” Harrington did not answer. Apparently he calculated his chances against these two and the sailors.
Abbas gave Ellena a cold look. “You want this girl, right?”, he asked. Jaylon spat out. “Fuck you, slaver. This girl belongs to Butterfly”, he answered. Bakr's smile vanished. “Belong? And they call us slavers. Stupid Vesterozi!”, he growled and looked at Ellena. “Hello, little girl. My name is Bakr mo Azar al-Astapori. Me and my friend Abbas work for the Burned Man, who opposes the insect these two men work for”, he said with a friendly voice. He sounded genuine. But Ellena had always been wary around Ghiscari.
“Little girl, it appears these men try to take you to the Butterfly”, Abbas said, still looking Samuel in the eye, like one predator who was eyeing another. “We can't let that happen. If you know something about the Jaron incident, the Burned Man would like a word with you”
Samuel chuckled. “Seriously? I've heard he has a special liking in children. Girl, we won't take you to Butterfly. The stuff he will do to you... Well, let's say we can prevent it. You're just telling us what we want to know, okay?”, he said. Bakr took a step forward, trying to get between Ellena and Samuel. “You won't, Fang of Shadows, you won't. The Burned Man is not a rapist. He does not torture to get his results. Little girl, he can protect you from Butterfly and these tyvaros. Go with us and we throw them overboard for you”
Harrington shook his head. “Not needed. We know when a fight is lost. We're leaving, if the girl won't tell us what we want to know. But we will come back and it will be worse than anything you can imagine”
Ellena finally cleared her throat, causing Abbas and Samuel to look at her. “And if I don't want to go with any of you?”, she asked. Bakr gave her a friendly smile. “We are no monsters, unlike these creatures here. We won't force you. And neither will they, I'll make sure of that. If you want, we leave, it's your choice. But going with us ensures the Burned Man's protection”, he explained.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man][Tell Samuel what he wants to know][Tell both of them to leave you alone]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] Seeing how easily they were able to to be captured by Aldrik, I think it would be good to have an extra pair of hands to help out.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man] I merely just like these characters and want to see more of them lol.
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone] Samuel would have killed all the sailors if it weren't for the 'Humble Merchants'. It will be intersting to see how it plays out.
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
I can give you a little hint: This character has technically already been introduced in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene, albeit not by name. You can win an internet high-five if you find out who I mean
I can give you a little hint: This character has technically already been introduced in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene, albeit not by name. You can win an internet high-five if you find out who I mean
The Voting is... still open. We have a tie either way. If you haven't voted yet, now would be a great time
Luckily, I introduced the way I'm going to handle ties a few pages back. Coincidentally it was an Ellena part too. Apparently Ellena get's the choices that cause the most ambiguity... Maybe I have to make the next Ellena choice a bit easier
But this time I don't want to close the voting yet, seeing how it has barely been up for a day again.
I just wanted to announce that today was a very good day. I had no university and I had lots of time and even more inspiration, so I wrote at roughly the speed of a hundred George R.R. Martins. That's a terrible unit of time measurement by the way...
Anyways, one new part is finished and I expect to finish a second part early tomorrow, around the time were I'll close the voting. Both of these parts consist of one PoV and they have the length of a full part. What I'd like to do is, I want to give you the choice of which part I'm going to post first. Here are the parts you can choose of:
A John Gutten part, featuring the one-eyed bear, his maiden fair, his maiden not-so-fair, and a second, far more nastier, slightly more literal bear and his claws
A Kersea part, featuring Raylansfair's resident reluctant professional murderer and not-killer of Harkings, who teams up with a certain psychotic serial killer to go on a mission to try to kill one of the stories most beloved and one of the stories most hated characters
I am very glad with how both of these parts turned out. Now that the chapter nears it's conclusion, I have a feeling that the parts get more intense and easier to write. I will put up the first one tomorrow, as soon as I know which one you want to read first. The second part will follow about 24 hours later. In the meantime I'll probably finish a few more parts, since I'm ridiculously productive right now.
The Voting is... still open. We have a tie either way. If you haven't voted yet, now would be a great time
Luckily, I introduced the way … moreI'm going to handle ties a few pages back. Coincidentally it was an Ellena part too. Apparently Ellena get's the choices that cause the most ambiguity... Maybe I have to make the next Ellena choice a bit easier
But this time I don't want to close the voting yet, seeing how it has barely been up for a day again.
I just wanted to announce that today was a very good day. I had no university and I had lots of time and even more inspiration, so I wrote at roughly the speed of a hundred George R.R. Martins. That's a terrible unit of time measurement by the way...
Anyways, one new part is finished and I expect to finish a second part early tomorrow, around the time were I'll close the voting. Both of these parts consist of one PoV and they have the length of a full part. What I'd like to do is, I want … [view original content]
The Voting is... still open. We have a tie either way. If you haven't voted yet, now would be a great time
Luckily, I introduced the way … moreI'm going to handle ties a few pages back. Coincidentally it was an Ellena part too. Apparently Ellena get's the choices that cause the most ambiguity... Maybe I have to make the next Ellena choice a bit easier
But this time I don't want to close the voting yet, seeing how it has barely been up for a day again.
I just wanted to announce that today was a very good day. I had no university and I had lots of time and even more inspiration, so I wrote at roughly the speed of a hundred George R.R. Martins. That's a terrible unit of time measurement by the way...
Anyways, one new part is finished and I expect to finish a second part early tomorrow, around the time were I'll close the voting. Both of these parts consist of one PoV and they have the length of a full part. What I'd like to do is, I want … [view original content]
The Voting is... still open. We have a tie either way. If you haven't voted yet, now would be a great time
Luckily, I introduced the way … moreI'm going to handle ties a few pages back. Coincidentally it was an Ellena part too. Apparently Ellena get's the choices that cause the most ambiguity... Maybe I have to make the next Ellena choice a bit easier
But this time I don't want to close the voting yet, seeing how it has barely been up for a day again.
I just wanted to announce that today was a very good day. I had no university and I had lots of time and even more inspiration, so I wrote at roughly the speed of a hundred George R.R. Martins. That's a terrible unit of time measurement by the way...
Anyways, one new part is finished and I expect to finish a second part early tomorrow, around the time were I'll close the voting. Both of these parts consist of one PoV and they have the length of a full part. What I'd like to do is, I want … [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after… more I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, givi… [view original content]
Comments
[Give them a quick death and send their heads back to Harrenhal]
[Treat them like a knight would do and imprison them]
[treat them like a knight would do and imprison them]
Thanks
Lyria is likely the only PoV that won't get another part in this chapter. There was a Lyria part planned involving Arthur and also the characters Philip and Ilish, who we hadn't seen at all in this chapter so far, but in the end it would have felt anticlimatic to end her Chapter 3 storyline with this part and I decided that it would work far better with slight changes in the next chapter. But I can tell you that it wasn't the last we've seen from your characters in this chapter.
[Let Tallian torture them, before sending them back to Harrenhal] General goes Ramsay
"Every death is pathetic." Yeah.... They never tell you how they all shit themselves XD
[Give them a quick death and send their heads back to Harrenhal] Good Stuff!
[Let Tallian torture them, before sending them back to Harrenhal]
Are we going to get a sighting of Beopin the Bear????? that character's pure nonsense makes me laugh so hard.
I'm afraid Beopin will take until Book 2 to get introduced. But one of your other characters will be introduced later this chapter.
[Treat them like a knight would do and imprison them]
Minority here but I think Willfred should act like a true knight
XD, I wouldn't surprised. Book 1 cannot handle the sheer amazingness of Beopin.
The Voting is closed!
Willfred will execute the Ironborn swiftly and send their heads back to Harrenhal
I know, the voting hasn't even been open for a whole day and I'm sorry for anyone who misses the voting. But I have written the new part very fast and don't want to keep you all waiting longer than needed, since I am very happy with how it turned out. Writing will be finished in the next hour or two and this coming part will conclude Maya's and Ellena's storylines for Chapter 3. Prepare for lots of stabbing.
Maya
“Aren't you pretty?”, Lord Brune giggled. “Perhaps I should thank the Bronze Lord for sending me such a delightful gift. Wolf, after I'm done with the Ambassador, you will write a letter for me, understood?” Maya didn't look at Ser Aldrik. What kind of knight would just stand there and watch while his lord acted like this? As fast as she dared, Maya reached for her second dagger. She only needed to wait for the right moment.
“Write him my sincerest thanks. Write him that he can consider us even now”, Brune said with a lecherous smile and pulled Maya closer to him. “He never told you, right?”, he asked and Maya gave him a look of feigned curiosity. Just a bit longer. She only had one try. She had to convince him that she was little more than a scared little girl. The first part wasn't hard. She was scared. But she was not a little girl. She was not helpless. She had a dagger and she was angry.
“Told me what?”, she stuttered, giving him a frightened glare. Brune looked her straight in the eye and grinned. “He never did... Of course he never did. His Bronze Lordship can be quite charming if he wants to, you know that, right?”, he answered and his smile vanished. “She was all I had left. My sons shun me, my wife preferred dying! She was all I had left... and he defiled her. She told me it wasn't rape, but she was always a bit slow in the brain” He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. Maya used this moment to grab her dagger. “Who would marry her after Royce had her? No lord with dignity, that's for sure. So I had to give her to Crabb, an old petty lord who even has to sell his own belongings to stay alive...”, Brune hissed, opening his eyes again. His smile returned. “I waited for an opportunity to repay my debt for ten fucking years. You're not his daughter... but I say you'll suffice”, he said grabbing her shoulders and looking her deep in the eyes. “You won't resist, or else I'm going to hurt your friends and I'm going to hurt you even more...” With these words he pulled her close, slightly lifting her in the air and slamming her onto the table next to him. She felt his hand on her breasts, trying to open her shirt, felt his breath on her face, felt the fear in her heart, felt the anger inside of her, felt the cold hilt of her dagger in her right hand and she made a movement...
She saw the surprised reaction on his face as lust turned to pain. With all her strength she managed to push him off of her. With a squishing sound the dagger moved out of his belly as Lord Brune fell to the ground, gasping heavily, his eyes filled with fear. “No... no... please, I...”, he said as Maya jumped on top of him. Maybe it would have been wiser to spare him, to take him hostage. She didn't care. She didn't care about Ser Aldrik, she didn't even pay attention to him. Brune had to die!
“He told me you were unarmed!”, Brune whined. These were his last words as Maya drove the dagger deep into his throat and his words turned to an unintelligible gurgling. Once, Twice, Thrice, Again and Again, until the last sign of life had left his brown eyes.
Trymon Brune, Lord of the Dyre Den, was dead.
Tears were flowing down Maya's face as she jumped up in a single movement, holding the dagger like a shield in front of her, facing Ser Aldrik Wolver. The mercenary knight hadn't moved, he hadn't even lay a hand at the hilt of his sword. Instead he had his arms crossed and raised an eyebrow. He raised an eyebrow! He looked at her and didn't even seem to be angry. If anything, Ser Aldrik seemed... pleased? A terrible thought crossed Maya's mind.
“Are you done?”, Wolver asked. “Surely you can't mean to attack me. That would be the height of foolishness” Maya shivered as she heard these words. No! No! That couldn't be... She did not want to believe this! “What are you going to do now?”, she hissed, noticing how her voice sounded meek, now unintentionally. She fell down to her knees, sobbing, looking at the bloody dagger in her hand. She had killed him. He deserved it, but... but why was Ser Aldrik so pleased?
She saw him approaching and raised her dagger. Ser Aldrik's face softened up. “Please, put down your dagger and we talk about what just happened”, he said and she dropped the dagger out of her shivering hands. Ser Aldrik pulled her up and gave her a soft hug. It was meant as a gesture of kindness, but Maya didn't want a gesture of kindness now. She wanted to stab someone, a certain someone, a bronze bastard with eyes as pale as a nightmare and a smile as spine-chilling as the sound of a knife in the dark.
Ser Aldrik gave her a kind smile. “Brune wouldn't have done it. He tried to scare you. He would have hurt you, but he was no rapist. He wasn't evil, he was just a man who was left alone in his bitterness for years. And even if he would have tried to go through with it, I would have been honour-bound to intervene”, he reassured her, kindly pushing her towards a chair. And then he said something horrible, something Maya already knew. “You were brave today, Maya. And you did the Bronze Lord a favour. He will be pleased”
Despite the fact that she had known it the moment she saw his relaxed expression, she gave him a look of pure shock. “How long...?”, she whispered. Aldrik sighed. “Five years. You see, Lord Brune was one of Crackclaw Point's most powerful lords. And he was allied with Lord Crabb. Together they could have closed the Bay of Crabs on the Storm King's call, leading the Vale to starve through the winter”, he explained. Maya's expression of shock got the new layer of pure disbelief. “Royce couldn't have planned all of this...”, she whispered, noticing that she was still shivering.
“I don't know Lord Royce very well. I receive regular payment from him, but that's it. But if I know one thing about him, than it is that he is a master when it comes to improvising. It was planned that I shall dispose of Brune personally if the man ever becomes a problem. But a few days ago a raven arrived. It brought a letter to Lord Brune and a second letter, detailing new orders for me. So I reminded Brune of what Royce did. I reminded him of vengeance”, he explained and Maya's expression turned to rage as she clenched her fist. “You... you would have let him rape me?”, she hissed and Ser Aldrik shook his head. “No! I am a man of honour. Nothing would have happened to you. However, I knew you were armed. There was a reason Royce gave you two daggers. They aren't that useful in a real fight, right?”, he explained.
Maya looked at him, looked at the dead Lord Brune. She could still feel the lord's stinking breath on her face. And with a single, quick movement she slammed her fist into Wolver's face. She caught him off guard, hearing a satisfying crunch, felt the blood on her hand as he fell back, holding his nose. “Fuck...”, he muttered. “I deserved that” But he gave her a grin and Maya took a last look at Lord Brune. Royce had used her, used her in the most despicable way possible, used her to do his dirty work, used her to kill one of his rivals. He had played them all. She was a pawn. Wolver was a pawn. And Lord Brune had been a pawn too. Maya couldn't help, she had to start laughing at the situation.
Wolver got up again. Blood was flowing out of his nose, but he didn't seem to be angry. “I am sorry, Maya. The Bronze Lord told me that you were a wonderful woman and that he is sorry too”, he said and Maya gave him a desperate grin. “He isn't sorry”, she insisted. Wolver looked at the door of the great Hall. “Lord Brune gave orders that nobody should disturb him, so I don't think anyone will discover him for a few hours. I will escort you and your men out of Brune's land now and make safe that nobody follows you, if it pleases you” It pleased her. As strange as it seems, it pleased her. She had been used, but she couldn't even hate Lord Royce for it.
Wolver was true to his word and a few minutes later Maya, Gregar and Irving walked down the path that lead them away from the Dyre Den. Gregar was silent, but glared at Wolver, who accompanied them. Irving on the other hand was in a good mood. Getting released from the prison did wonders to him, albeit he was still complaining. Maya knew, he was always complaining
“The prison in Dyre Den is terrible. I saw a rat as big as my head! Damn the Bronze Lord for sending me with you”, he moaned and Gregar gave him a glare. “How about you thank Maya for getting us out of there?”, he hissed. Irving rolled with his eyes. “Yeah, sure. Thank you Maya, thank you for getting us out of the prison you got us into the first place”, he answered. Maya gave him a bright smile. “You are very welcome, Irving”, she grinned. This caught Irving slightly off guard and he was silent for a moment. But it didn't took him long to find something to complain about. “Ser Aldrik, your wolf growled at me”, he said. It was a weak complain and Maya had the feeling that Irving was a bit shaken by the whole situation. And she also had the slight feeling that he was indeed glad to be out of the prison again, even though it was dry and warmer than outside.
Ser Aldrik didn't even bother to react. Irving gave him a grimace. “Sure, ignore me, why not? Why don't you all just ignore me, like always? But if your wolf eats me, it's your fault”, he said. Aldrik slightly rolled his eyes. “Maya, there is one thing I want to request. I feel horrible for playing my part in tricking you and Lord Brune. Lord Royce wrote in his letter that he leaves it up to you, so I'm asking... I want to accompany you and your companions to Raylansfair”, he said and Maya gave him a surprised look. Taking him with them? He was working for Royce! Just like her, just like Irving. He used her. He was being used, just like her. He was a knight, he had a wolf with him, he was a better fighter than anyone from her group. And he seemed genuinely sorry. “If you don't want my company, I can understand. I will return to Runestone in that case”
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] [Send him back to Runestone]
Ellena
She looked at the knife in front of her. Moreo's knife. He had told her that it was a family heirloom, from a famous ancestor who had been a pirate king at the Stepstone Islands. He had been her friend.
“I'm waiting for your answer. Don't make this any worse than it already is, girl”, Harrington said. “Eh, Samuel, she isn't answering. Maybe she'll tell Butterfly once he uses a knife on her fingers”, Jaylon said with an annoyed tone. Harrington gave him a cold glare. “ Girl, we don't want this any more than you do. At least I don't want to bring you to Butterfly”, he answered. Jaylon cleared his throat. “Don't exclude me here. You think I like to watch when he does these... things? Come on girl, tell him and we can all go home”, he insisted, not paying attention to her for a moment. This was his mistake. Ellena had never been strong, but she had been fast. Her father had taught her how to use a spear, but a knife was nothing else than a very short spear, right? She grabbed the knife, jumped to her feet, ignoring the terribly dizzy feeling in her head and she plunged the knife deep into Jaylon's upper leg. The mercenary went to the ground screaming as blood poured out of his wound. In a single movement, Samuel Harrington drew his sword and took a hit at Ellena, but she already jumped out of his reach and into the corridor.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fucking fuck!”, Jaylon screamed. “Fucking bitch fucking stabbed me! Fucking kill her!” Ellena saw Samuel approaching her, his stare cold as ice, while Jaylon tried to stand up again. The wound wouldn't kill him, most likely and to Ellena's dismay he wasn't even crippled by it. But he was bleeding. And right now Harrington was the more dangerous out of the two. Maybe not only right now. She started to run, Harrington behind her. He was fast, but he was wearing armour. She was faster.
Feeling her heart beating in her chest, Ellena started to run up the stairs that lead to the upper deck. She saw the light, she only needed to get to the other sailors. They weren't fighter, but some of them were very strong. And she doubted that Harrington could take all of them alone. All of a sudden, a man stepped into her line of sight and she bumped into him. She didn't recognize him, he wasn't one of the sailors. He wore armour, he had a short sword with him. And the look he gave her told her everything she needed to know. Samuel and Jaylon had a third man with them!
“Now who do we have here? Trying to run aw...”, he said but was cut short as Ellena let out a cry of rage and moved the knife forwards. She wouldn't let them take her! And she wouldn't tell them about Terroma, not even if she had to fight against all of them! Death couldn't be as bad as what they would do to her. Death wasn't something bad, nobody in Braavos feared it. There was nothing to fear about it. She remembered the one thing the Bravos would say every morning, the only thing they said about death.
Not today, not today, not today...
Not today!
Her knife hit them man under his right armpit, went deep into his flesh and she saw the surprised look on his dying face. She didn't even bother with him and ran past him as she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Harrington took another blow and this time she felt the sword missing her by a hair. And then she was at the upper deck, her face and right hand stained with blood, with surprised sailors looking at her. But these sailors knew her. And they weren't stupid people. Behind her, Harrington stepped into their sight. And even behind him, Jaylon limped forwards, giving her a glare full of hatred. They faced two dozen sailors, who gave them cold frowns.
Harrington looked at the men for a moment and started to laugh. “You don't really think you are enough to take me, are you?”, he asked mockingly before looking at Ellena. “You killed one of our men. Butterfly won't be displeased anymore, he will be boiling with anger. This is your last chance to tell us what we want to know. We will go and you have a chance to leave this city. Don't make this any worse. Whoever this Terroma is, he isn't worth dying for”
He was wrong with this!
She stood there, the knife in her hands, trying not to be afraid. Her hands were shaking, the pain in her head, where Samuel hit her, was almost unbearable. Some of the sailors had grabbed weapons, small hatchets and knives mostly. Harrington was looking at them with a cold glare. “Don't you think I will hesitate to cut you all down”, he hissed before becoming silent again. Jaylon had his sword out as well, albeit he was in a bad shape. The glare he gave Ellena sent shivers down her spine. “Last chance”, Harrington said. “Last chance or there will be a lot of death. Where is Terroma” Ellena gulped. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid, she was afraid, oh yes, she was afraid and she didn't want to die here...
“We're interested in this as well”, a male voice with a Ghiscari accent called out. Ellena heard heavy steps and saw Harrington narrowing his eyes in anger. As she turned her head, she saw two men boarding the Pale Princess. They both had shaved heads, the dark skin of pure-blooded Ghiscari and black, wiry beards. They were both tall and muscular, albeit one of the men was clearly one of the tallest men Ellena had ever seen, with arms thick like tree trunks. She noticed a number of obscene tattoos on his arms and he gave her a big smile. The other man wasn't smiling, instead he was looking at Ellena and Harrington with a calculating stare. And both of them were armed. The taller man held a bearded axe firmly in his hands, while the other man hold two strangely curved swords, looking almost like sickles. Ellena had seen weapons like these before. The Dothraki used them for mounted combat. They called them Arakh.
Harrington spat on the ground. “Was only a matter of time before the cripple sends his men here”, he growled. The man with the Arakhs made a mocking bow, presenting his swords and gave Harrington a short, cold smile. “Greetings”, he said politely “My name is Abbas al-Yunkari. This is my business partner Bakr al-Astapori” Jaylon spat on the ground “Fucking Ghiscari. The cripple works with slavers now? That's a new low, even for him”
Abbas looked genuinely offended. “We are humble merchants”, he insisted, but Ellena didn't believe him for a second. “And we're here to talk to the person who saved Ser Jaron's life a few days ago” He gave Harrington a chilling stare. “But I see the insect's aspos are already here”, he hissed, his accented Westerosi mixing with the hard and guttural Ghiscari. Technically, Ghiscari and Braavosi were the same language, a bastardized form of High Valyrian. But Braavosi was an elegant and soft language, reminding Ellena of flowers. Ghiscari was a harsh and crude language, sounding threatening even when the speaker intended to sound friendly. Still, she had an idea what the man just said. And judging from Harrington's angry face he understood too. “Mind your tongue, foreign bastard”, the mercenary growled.
The tall man, Bakr pointed his axe at Harrington. “Why don't you mind your tongue, before I cut it off?”, he answered, his friendly smile not leaving his face. Harrington pointed his sword at him. “You think you're better than I am? Come closer and I will cut you down”, he proclaimed, to which Bakr responded with a boisterous laugh. “Are you sure, Vesterozi?”, he asked. “Are you so sure you can kill me and Abbas?” Harrington did not answer. Apparently he calculated his chances against these two and the sailors.
Abbas gave Ellena a cold look. “You want this girl, right?”, he asked. Jaylon spat out. “Fuck you, slaver. This girl belongs to Butterfly”, he answered. Bakr's smile vanished. “Belong? And they call us slavers. Stupid Vesterozi!”, he growled and looked at Ellena. “Hello, little girl. My name is Bakr mo Azar al-Astapori. Me and my friend Abbas work for the Burned Man, who opposes the insect these two men work for”, he said with a friendly voice. He sounded genuine. But Ellena had always been wary around Ghiscari.
“Little girl, it appears these men try to take you to the Butterfly”, Abbas said, still looking Samuel in the eye, like one predator who was eyeing another. “We can't let that happen. If you know something about the Jaron incident, the Burned Man would like a word with you”
Samuel chuckled. “Seriously? I've heard he has a special liking in children. Girl, we won't take you to Butterfly. The stuff he will do to you... Well, let's say we can prevent it. You're just telling us what we want to know, okay?”, he said. Bakr took a step forward, trying to get between Ellena and Samuel. “You won't, Fang of Shadows, you won't. The Burned Man is not a rapist. He does not torture to get his results. Little girl, he can protect you from Butterfly and these tyvaros. Go with us and we throw them overboard for you”
Harrington shook his head. “Not needed. We know when a fight is lost. We're leaving, if the girl won't tell us what we want to know. But we will come back and it will be worse than anything you can imagine”
Ellena finally cleared her throat, causing Abbas and Samuel to look at her. “And if I don't want to go with any of you?”, she asked. Bakr gave her a friendly smile. “We are no monsters, unlike these creatures here. We won't force you. And neither will they, I'll make sure of that. If you want, we leave, it's your choice. But going with us ensures the Burned Man's protection”, he explained.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man] [Tell Samuel what he wants to know] [Tell both of them to leave you alone]
( send him back to runestone)
(Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the burned man)
Loved reading both of these parts! They were really good.
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] Everyone goes to Raylansfair!!!
[Tell both of them to leave you alone] Terroma wouldn´t want her with neither
Awesome Part!!!
[Send him back to Runestone]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone] Let's piss them both off!
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] Seeing how easily they were able to to be captured by Aldrik, I think it would be good to have an extra pair of hands to help out.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man] I merely just like these characters and want to see more of them lol.
[Send him back to Runestone]
[Tell Samuel what he wants to know]
[Send him back to Runestone]
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
[allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] [Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] Maya is rad! Probably my favourite character.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the burned man]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] I really want him to be a part of the major story.
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone]
[allow him to acompany you to raylansfair]
[tell both of them to leave you alone]
If Character submitting would be a drug this post just OD'ed
[ allow him to accompany you to raylansfair]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone] Thank god Ellena's alive!
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Tell both of them to leave you alone] Samuel would have killed all the sailors if it weren't for the 'Humble Merchants'. It will be intersting to see how it plays out.
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
I am pretty hyped right now XD. I wish I hadn't made so many character so I would have a idea who is coming up.
I can give you a little hint: This character has technically already been introduced in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene, albeit not by name. You can win an internet high-five if you find out who I mean
Starts to reread the entire story
The Voting is... still open. We have a tie either way. If you haven't voted yet, now would be a great time
Luckily, I introduced the way I'm going to handle ties a few pages back. Coincidentally it was an Ellena part too. Apparently Ellena get's the choices that cause the most ambiguity... Maybe I have to make the next Ellena choice a bit easier
But this time I don't want to close the voting yet, seeing how it has barely been up for a day again.
I just wanted to announce that today was a very good day. I had no university and I had lots of time and even more inspiration, so I wrote at roughly the speed of a hundred George R.R. Martins. That's a terrible unit of time measurement by the way...
Anyways, one new part is finished and I expect to finish a second part early tomorrow, around the time were I'll close the voting. Both of these parts consist of one PoV and they have the length of a full part. What I'd like to do is, I want to give you the choice of which part I'm going to post first. Here are the parts you can choose of:
A John Gutten part, featuring the one-eyed bear, his maiden fair, his maiden not-so-fair, and a second, far more nastier, slightly more literal bear and his claws
A Kersea part, featuring Raylansfair's resident reluctant professional murderer and not-killer of Harkings, who teams up with a certain psychotic serial killer to go on a mission to try to kill one of the stories most beloved and one of the stories most hated characters
I am very glad with how both of these parts turned out. Now that the chapter nears it's conclusion, I have a feeling that the parts get more intense and easier to write. I will put up the first one tomorrow, as soon as I know which one you want to read first. The second part will follow about 24 hours later. In the meantime I'll probably finish a few more parts, since I'm ridiculously productive right now.
So, which part shall be the next? Vote now!
[Kersea] [John]
[Kersea]
Death!
[Kersea]
I wanna know more about this person
[John!]
Eh, might as well start voting.
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair]
[Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]
[Allow him to accompany you to Raylansfair] [Go with Abbas and Bakr and meet the Burned Man]