Well yeah there is only 5 in Samantha's group, but Burned Man's gang is also against these fuckers - even if they don't yet know the truth about Mullendore.
Wow, that was great and long written part. Good job with that, really, i need to try on my own to write longer parts. And... well, poor Dairon. That was sad, but at least he believed Samantha's words and drifted away in peace.
Regarding Leonard, i understand he want to help but he is not in so good condition to do it and i like him too much to allow him to die in the process... unless some good medic would appear to tend his injuries later on. :-D
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here or something, but if you bring an injured man to rescue an injured man, that equals two injured men you need to get out of there. Not one. Also, fuck... Darion..
Noooo.... Not possible. Didn't happen. Nah. I also thought Sasha was about to die, bit she got away luckily.
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
He is actually not incredibly rich, even if he obiously is among the richest people in Oldtown. He just has a lot more opportunities to recruit good fighters for his organization. In many cases, the best sellswords are also the most brutal and cruel sellswords and in Oldtown, this kind of sellsword almost exclusively works for Butterfly. In this case, the Burned Man's main redeeming feature, the moral lines he is not willing to cross, works against him, since he outright refuses to employ people like the Tom or the Moggy, who in turn find work for Butterfly instead.
In fact, this would be the plan they would follow if Leonard would accompany them. As he said, his presence could trick the guards into simply letting Samantha and co. into the Hightower and perhaps even into the prison. Of course, they have to hope that the Tom hasn't reported back already and they also have to trust Jaylon, which will be very hard for them.
In fact, this would be the plan they would follow if Leonard would accompany them. As he said, his presence could trick the guards into simp… morely letting Samantha and co. into the Hightower and perhaps even into the prison. Of course, they have to hope that the Tom hasn't reported back already and they also have to trust Jaylon, which will be very hard for them.
He is actually not incredibly rich, even if he obiously is among the richest people in Oldtown. He just has a lot more opportunities to recr… moreuit good fighters for his organization. In many cases, the best sellswords are also the most brutal and cruel sellswords and in Oldtown, this kind of sellsword almost exclusively works for Butterfly. In this case, the Burned Man's main redeeming feature, the moral lines he is not willing to cross, works against him, since he outright refuses to employ people like the Tom or the Moggy, who in turn find work for Butterfly instead.
Well seeing that the Tom tried to kill Jaylon his life is probably forfeit in Butterfly's eye's so that would make him a little more trustworthy I think.
In fact, this would be the plan they would follow if Leonard would accompany them. As he said, his presence could trick the guards into simp… morely letting Samantha and co. into the Hightower and perhaps even into the prison. Of course, they have to hope that the Tom hasn't reported back already and they also have to trust Jaylon, which will be very hard for them.
This is unlikely. As the first Lucas part in this chapter has revealed, Dairon is one of Mullendore's bastard sons and it is questionable if even Mullendore would have willingly killed one of his sons. However, a dead Dairon is not a big problem for him and he definitely won't be heartbroken or anything like that. There's also something with the Moggy I have only hinted at so far: In contrast to his extreme strength and his freakish height, he is dim-witted to the point where he is mentally handicapped. He only follows the Tom's orders, so if Mullendore wants to punish anyone, it should be the Tom. This on the other hand is problematic, since the Tom is his most important underling at the moment and he can't afford to loose his loyalty. Therefore, it is unlikely that he is going to punish anyone for Dairon's death, even if he will be seriously pissed off at the Tom.
This is unlikely. As the first Lucas part in this chapter has revealed, Dairon is one of Mullendore's bastard sons and it is questionable if… more even Mullendore would have willingly killed one of his sons. However, a dead Dairon is not a big problem for him and he definitely won't be heartbroken or anything like that. There's also something with the Moggy I have only hinted at so far: In contrast to his extreme strength and his freakish height, he is dim-witted to the point where he is mentally handicapped. He only follows the Tom's orders, so if Mullendore wants to punish anyone, it should be the Tom. This on the other hand is problematic, since the Tom is his most important underling at the moment and he can't afford to loose his loyalty. Therefore, it is unlikely that he is going to punish anyone for Dairon's death, even if he will be seriously pissed off at the Tom.
When I read his submission, I immediately imagined him as a mentally handicapped Gregor Clegane, so the Hulk comparison is actually not too far fetched. He has the mind of that big angry kid from kindergarten that always beats the other kids up, only that he has a body like the Mountain, which is a truly terrible combination.
Well to be fair I think the Moggy is probably better than the Mountain since Oberyn took him down. Although I could be wrong I think the Moggy is probably the best fighter in the story at the moment but we have only seen him in one fight. And how tall is the Moggy?
When I read his submission, I immediately imagined him as a mentally handicapped Gregor Clegane, so the Hulk comparison is actually not too … morefar fetched. He has the mind of that big angry kid from kindergarten that always beats the other kids up, only that he has a body like the Mountain, which is a truly terrible combination.
The Moggy is close to eight feet tall, another similarity he shares with Gregor from the books. However, the Mountain is the better fighter, mostly because he has received better training. The Moggy is similar in strength and speed though, but as this part showed, a very fast fighter, such as Sasha, is able to at least wound him and if they would have fought in a more open location, she could have even been able to defeat him. Someone as good as Oberyn would have likely been able to kill him. He is also definitely not the best fighter in the story, only by far the strongest and the one who has the highest pain treshold. Fighters who rely on strength, like Bakr or Bear for example, have no chance against him, while quick fighters, such as Samuel or Alysanne would be more evenly matched.
Well to be fair I think the Moggy is probably better than the Mountain since Oberyn took him down. Although I could be wrong I think the Mog… moregy is probably the best fighter in the story at the moment but we have only seen him in one fight. And how tall is the Moggy?
I suppose that is true I guess I was just surprized that he took on four people and got set on fire and he seemed fine, I don't think the Mountain could have lived from those wounds is what I really meant. I could definetly see his weakness against fast fighters though.
The Moggy is close to eight feet tall, another similarity he shares with Gregor from the books. However, the Mountain is the better fighter,… more mostly because he has received better training. The Moggy is similar in strength and speed though, but as this part showed, a very fast fighter, such as Sasha, is able to at least wound him and if they would have fought in a more open location, she could have even been able to defeat him. Someone as good as Oberyn would have likely been able to kill him. He is also definitely not the best fighter in the story, only by far the strongest and the one who has the highest pain treshold. Fighters who rely on strength, like Bakr or Bear for example, have no chance against him, while quick fighters, such as Samuel or Alysanne would be more evenly matched.
The Moggy is close to eight feet tall, another similarity he shares with Gregor from the books. However, the Mountain is the better fighter,… more mostly because he has received better training. The Moggy is similar in strength and speed though, but as this part showed, a very fast fighter, such as Sasha, is able to at least wound him and if they would have fought in a more open location, she could have even been able to defeat him. Someone as good as Oberyn would have likely been able to kill him. He is also definitely not the best fighter in the story, only by far the strongest and the one who has the highest pain treshold. Fighters who rely on strength, like Bakr or Bear for example, have no chance against him, while quick fighters, such as Samuel or Alysanne would be more evenly matched.
[Don't allow Leonard to help] RIP Dairon. Was there a way to possibly prevent him from dying? Cause I feel as if Raylainsfair is getting more and more screwed by the minute.
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Yes, there were actually several choices that would have resulted in his survival. Most importantly, the choices in Lucas' part. If Lucas would have confessed in his first part, for example, Samantha and co. would have arrived too late to prevent the Tom from kidnapping Dairon, in which case there would have been the possibility to free him later in this chapter. If Lucas would have confessed in his second part, Dairon would have been kidnapped, but depending on your choices, Samantha and co. would have been able to follow Tom and Moggy and they would have ambushed them before they would have reached the Hightower, potentially freeing Dairon in the process. Also, if you would have allowed Davith to pick the lock in the last Samantha part, they would have been able to leave the Citadel with Dairon before their opponents arrive, although Tom and Moggy would have chased them, which would have been quite dangerous and, depending on your choices, could have resulted in Dairon's death as well. All in all, he had probably a 50% chance of dying in this chapter.
[Don't allow Leonard to help] RIP Dairon. Was there a way to possibly prevent him from dying? Cause I feel as if Raylainsfair is getting more and more screwed by the minute.
That's a good question. I think Clayton's fighting style wouldn't really work against the Moggy in a direct fight. Then again, he is far too smart to directly fight against such a dangerous opponent, so he would probably just lure him into a trap.
Yes, there were actually several choices that would have resulted in his survival. Most importantly, the choices in Lucas' part. If Lucas wo… moreuld have confessed in his first part, for example, Samantha and co. would have arrived too late to prevent the Tom from kidnapping Dairon, in which case there would have been the possibility to free him later in this chapter. If Lucas would have confessed in his second part, Dairon would have been kidnapped, but depending on your choices, Samantha and co. would have been able to follow Tom and Moggy and they would have ambushed them before they would have reached the Hightower, potentially freeing Dairon in the process. Also, if you would have allowed Davith to pick the lock in the last Samantha part, they would have been able to leave the Citadel with Dairon before their opponents arrive, although Tom and Moggy would have chased them, which would have been quite dangerous and, depending on your choices, … [view original content]
That's a good question. I think Clayton's fighting style wouldn't really work against the Moggy in a direct fight. Then again, he is far too smart to directly fight against such a dangerous opponent, so he would probably just lure him into a trap.
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
Samantha gulped as she thought about what she could tell him now. The boy was on the verge of a breakdown and she didn't want to make his si… moretuation any worse. “First of all”, she said sharply and raised a finger. “Never again say that this is your fault. The ones who are at fault are those masked monsters out there and the man they are working for. You did nothing wrong, nothing bad and you shouldn't think that way” She let out a sigh. “Trust me, once you start blaming yourself for something that's not your fault, there's no way back from it”
“As for your friends, it's complicated, but let me assure you, they are not dead” It was a lie, of course, and she felt bad for it, but the hint of a hopeful smile on Dairon's face was enough to justify it. “Why exactly are you here, Samantha?”, he asked, sounding slightly more optimistic than before.
“Lunett's father is worried sick for her”, she explained and her smile faded. “There has been an a… [view original content]
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked this option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the moment will play important roles in the storyline later, it's just that their respective storylines have a slower build-up than, for example, the Oldtown storyline. The next part will feature Marak and Willfred and, as always, I'm trying my best to finish it later today.
By the way, am I the only one who seems to have a bit of a problem with the forums at the moment? Apparently, I can't write in bold at the moment.
I am a bit surprised that you picked this option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him.
All because of my INGENious planning of course. Still want Leonard to see gold.
but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
So he doesn't die because you wouldn't be glad if he was gg.
Yeah the forums have some formatting issues, the staff is working on it.
**The Voting is closed!**
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked … morethis option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the mome… [view original content]
**The Voting is closed!**
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked … morethis option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the mome… [view original content]
**The Voting is closed!**
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked … morethis option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the mome… [view original content]
Just a quick update: Sadly, the part won't be out today. I got unexpectedly busy and while Marak's PoV is finished, Willfred's PoV is going to need a bit more polishing and I probably need a few more hours tomorrow to make it good. This means, at worst it will take me way until the late afternoon (Central European Time) to finish the part. Sorry for that, but it should be worth the slightly longer wait.
**The Voting is closed!**
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked … morethis option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the mome… [view original content]
“And then I said...”, Marak slurred as he looked at Irving, trying his best to stay focussed. “Then I said... 'That's what she said!'” He burst into laughter and after a few, indecisive seconds, Irving joined in. “Hilarious!”, he remarked, even if it was clear that he hasn't even listened.
“Anything the matter?”, Marak asked after a while. It was clear that the other man had a very low tolerance for alcohol. Of course, Marak was almost completely sober. The slurred speech, the unfocussed gaze, that was all intentional. He was amazed that his body automatically managed to do these things, on top of giving him a slight headache. Years of training how to get drunken finally paid off!
Irving let out a sigh. “You know, I'd wish I could tell stories like these. Never had many friends or, well, romantic encounters...”, he mumbled and Marak tried his best to look surprised. “Surprising...”, he muttered as an answer and was indeed surprised that Irving looked a bit upset at this answer.
“Nevermind”, Irving mumbled. “I was asking going to ask a question with that, you know...” He let out a sigh. “I mean, you're so strong and confident and everybody likes you” Both instantly glanced at the fat inkeeper, who still glared at Marak after he had tried to pour himself another mug of ale. His hand was still slightly hurting, after she had hit him with that massive spoon she was wearing on her belt. “Well, almost everyone likes you”, Irving corrected himself. “How do you do it?”
“Now, Irving, don't get me wrong on this one, but your problem is that you are an asshole”, Marak answered and quickly raised his hands as Irving glared at him. “And I mean this with the utmost respect. I said, don't get me wrong on this one!”
Irving pressed his lips together and slightly shook his head. “What do you want to say, Marak?”, he asked and a big grin appeared on Marak's face. He had always been good at giving advice, among other things. “Being an asshole is not bad, you know, as long as you still have some positive qualities that bring people to like you”, he explained and flexed his muscles. “Like these” He flashed his most charming grin and gave the pretty barmaid a wink. “Or that”, he continued, hoping that Irving wouldn't notice the wench's annoyed look.
As he looked at Irving, he shook his head. Even ripped with muscles, Irving wouldn't have been a handsome man. To make things worse, he was incredibly out of shape. And then there was... “You on the other hand have no real positive qualities and that's something you should change”, he explained. “You need to loose a bit of weight and you need to get rid of your moustache”
This time, Irving narrowed his eyes and even looked hurt for a moment. “What's wrong with my moustache? I once saw a man from Braavos who looked dashing with it”, he moaned. “Dashing...”, Marak mumbled and had to suppress a chuckle. “A moustache is never dashing, it only shows your inability to grow a full beard. When it comes to facial hair, you either grow a full beard, or you shave it off completely. There's no middle ground”
Irving even looked mildly convinced as he gave him the hint of a nod. “So, shaving, loosing weight... and that's going to make people like me?”, he asked and this time, Marak realized what this was about. “You're talking about that ambassador lady, don't you?”, he asked. For a moment, Irving looked around, almost expecting her to stand behind him, before he nodded slightly. “Maybe”, he mumbled, but Marak instantly knew that he meant 'Yes'.
“You told me you saved her life once, isn't that right?”, he asked and Irving hastily shook his head. “Twice”, he corrected him. “First in the Dyre Den. I'm sure she kept one of her daggers just because of my warnings. Sure, she never mentioned it, but Maya has never been a very grateful person, you know. And later, in the forest, where I shot a bandit who was about to spot her position” He let out a long sigh. “And even then, she never thanked me”
Marak gave him a nod, as he thought about good advice. He knew, his advice was the best, but Irving was a hard case. “I see your other problem. Even if you act like you don't give a flying fuck about other people's opinion on you, you still value hers”, he deduced ingeniously.
“I... suppose you are right”, Irving mumbled. “I do value her opinion, you know, but I can't recall a single instance where she said anything nice to me. Hell, I've accompanied her from Gulltown to Raylansfair, through three kingdoms and she still trusts that wolf guy more than me”
“I see...”, Marak mumbled and gave the other man a pat on the shoulder. “You know what, next time you see her, you talk to her, okay? Tell her how you feel not appreciated enough” Irving slightly shook his head. “And what if she does not appreciate me? I mean, what if she even sends me away?”, he asked.
“I'm sure she does appreciate you”, Marak tried to reassure him. “No one who does not appreciate you could put up with you for so long” This in turn caused Irving's face to get a hopeful look on it. “You mean...”, he mumbled and his mouth formed a smile. “You are right! As soon as she returns, I will talk to her. Seven Hells, I need to think about what to say to her”
“That's the spirit!”, Marak complimented him, before he noticed that Irving's smile vanished again. “What is it?”, he asked. Irving raised his finger and pointed directly at Marak. “Be... Behind you...”, he stuttered and Marak narrowed his eyes, before he looked over his shoulder. “Oh fuck...”, he mumbled. Behind him, obviously slightly annoyed, stood Noelle.
“Hello, Marak”, she greeted him with an unfitting coldness in her eyes, before she narrowed her eyes, as Irving extended his hand. “I... It's an honour. P... Priestess Noelle”, he stuttered intimidated, as she looked at his hand for a moment. “You sit on my chair, Irving Todd”, she remarked in slight disgust.
Irving's face showed his surprise, as well as his shock, as Noelle called him by name. He immediately jumped up, deeply bowing in front of her. “Of course, priestess!”, he exclaimed. “Please, don't turn me into a rat!”
“A rat?”, Noelle asked in slight surprise and raised one of her eyebrows. “That would at least explain a lot...” Only Marak noticed the amused streak on her mouth. “Now leave, Irving, or else I can't make any promises”
Marak wasn't surprised that the other man immediately followed this order. He gave Marak a nod, before making his way to another table, far away from Noelle. The priestess smirked as she looked after him, before sitting down on the chair he just gave up for her. “Your advice is horrible. This poor man will make even more of a fool out of himself now", she remarked. "I was surprised that you stayed away from me this whole evening” Marak gave her a guilty nod. “I made some new friends”, he tried to defend himself, but quickly realized that she wasn't interested in his version of the story.
The priestess opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, slightly confused, as she glanced at Irving. “Rats?”, she asked. Marak pressed his lips together. “I... may have told him a few things that are not exactly true”, he apologized and Noelle let out a sigh. “You know I can't actually do that, right?”, she asked. “Now... frogs on the other hand...”
She smirked, but only until she noticed the shocked expression on Marak's face. “That was supposed to be a joke”, she slowly mumbled. “I don't turn people into animals. Anyway, I assume you have questions about what happened today”
Marak gave her the hint of a nod, even if he wanted to shake his head, as always in such a situation. He was a professional, he never asked questions. But this time... Noelle was something else and her plan was shady at best. “So... a child?”, he asked and Noelle gave him a reluctant nod. “I don't like it either”, she confessed. “Trust me, if I would see another way, I would take it”
“But why?”, Marak asked and this time, he saw reluctance on Noelle's face. “The fire demands it”, she revealed. “The nature of my visions is not always clear to me, but in this case, it has been shockingly obvious. This child, a little girl to be precise, is currently in a city south of here” Her strangely reddish brown eyes looked at him with regret. “I presume you have heard about Oldtown?”, she asked.
This time, Marak spat on the ground. “I fucking hate Oldtown”, he muttered. “Last time I've been there, some sort of street war was about to start. I'm glad I got away without getting involved” Noelle nodded in agreement. “So am I”, she answered. “And I don't plan to get involved either, be assured. But this little girl is currently in Oldtown”
“So, what is it this little girl has to die for”, Marak asked and Noelle let out a sigh. “She's as innocent as a girl can be. But sooner or later, she will arrive here, in Raylansfair. Her presence will cause a chain reaction of death and destruction”, she mumbled. “Trust me, I don't like it, I really don't. I pray every night that the god changes his mind. If he does, the girl is free to go. But as long as R'hllor insists on the girl's death... Tell me, who am I to refuse the wish of a god?”
Before Marak could answer, something caught his mind. A slight scream sounded as he moved his head to the centre of the tavern. The tall sellsword leader, Second Sonds according to his tabard, a tall, ugly and bald man with a bushy beard and a damn fine sword had raised from his chair. At his feet knelt the barmaid, not the skinny one and thankfully not the pretty one, but the chubby, plain one that looked like the innkeeper and held her cheek.
“What have you said, girl?”, the sellsword leader growled with an angry tone in his voice, moving a hand to the hilt of his sword, just as the fat innkeeper moved a hand to her belt, where her spoon hung. Marak knew, she was going to intervene, even if it meant going against this obviously dangerous man. But as her and Marak's eyes met, he saw an understandable fear in them. He clenched his fists and gulped as he thought about intervening himself. But, would it be worth it, provoking an obviously dangerous man just for the gratitude of the least attractive barmaid in the whole kingdom?
[Intervene][Stay out of it]
Willfred
“This way”, the disgruntled guardsman muttered, leading Willfred, Roger and Tallian through the upper floors of Raylansfairs only tavern. The hallway was only dimly illuminated and the air was sweaty, reminding Willfred of the old silver mines below Castamere.
“So... I don't think I got your name, Ser”, Roger remarked, looking at the guardsman. “I am no Ser”, he growled. “My name is Malkolm Sternhelm” Obviously in a far better mood than their guide, Roger gave him a smile. “Why the long face, my friend? Is anything the matter?”
The guardsman shook his head. “Nothing that's your fault”, he growled. “The fact that I'm still sober while the rest of the guard gets to drink, that's what annoys me” Tallian and Roger exchanged a glance and the general cleared his throat. “Someone has to guard your lord, isn't that right?”, he asked. Malkolm shook his head. “He does not fear anything in this city. He is the rightful lord of Raylansfair, after all”
“And that makes him invulnerable? Immune to poison? Does it guarantee that everyone loves him?”, Tallian asked. “I have seen enough dead lords in my life, guardsman, some of them even killed by their own people”
“Well, Lord Hobert has a different opinion on this”, Malkolm hissed. “I don't like his carefree attitude either, but I follow his orders” He let out a sigh. “And his orders have been to relax and enjoy life, at least for a few days”
“Suicidal overconfidence”, Roger remarked. “What if King Gardener does not acknowledge his claim?” Malkolm shrugged. “Then we return to Mander's Mouth, I assume. I don't know what he plans”, he answered and stopped in front of a small door. “But you best ask him yourself” With these words, he knocked on the door.
For a moment, there was only silence. “What is it?”, a male voice answered and a young woman chuckled behind the door. Malkolm slightly rolled with his eyes. “The delegation of the Rock wishes to speak to you, mylord”, he explained.
Again, silence. Then, an audible sigh. “The door is open”, the voice said. “Come in, but I have to warn you. I am not alone” Malkolm opened the door, revealing a surprisingly well-furnished room, most likely the best this tavern had to offer. Willfred immediately spotted a young, pretty girl, perhaps roughly in his age, with blonde hair, a shy smile on her lips as she saw the men, while she was quickly getting dressed.
She stood next to a bed, on which a man was lying, in his mid-twenties at most, with short, unremarkably brown hair and eyes of the same colour. He was wearing a long, yellow robe, that almost made him look like a dornishman, but his thin, skinny build failed to achieve the look he was obviously going for. The only positive feature about his appearance was the charming smile on his face.
“I should leave, mylord”, the young woman said and the man raised from the bed. “As much as your absence will pain me, my dear, I am afraid you are right”, he said and moved a hand to the small purse on his belt, revealing a single silver coin.
“Mylord, but we haven't even...”, the young woman started to protest, but the man cut her off by putting a finger on her lips. He gently put the coin into her hand, before he closed it and kissed her fingers. “Our conversation has been delightful”, he said. “It would be outrageous to let you leave without a reward”
She let out a joyful giggle, as she looked at the silver coin. Slightly blushing she moved past Willfred, out of the door. The man gave her a long look, before he let out a sigh. “This city is so full of beauty”, he remarked. “Nothing like Mander's Mouth. Please, come in, be my guests” He took an elegant bow in front of them and as he looked up, Willfred saw a shrewd intelligence in his eyes. “Hobert Lowther, Lord of Mander's Mouth and Raylansfair”, he introduced himself.
“Vashord Tallian”, Tallian answered. “General of the Rock's armies. The men in my company are Ser Roger Hill, the bastard of Castamere and his nephew, Ser Willfred Reyne” The last name caused Hobert's smile to get wider. “Reyne!”, he exclaimed. “That is a name I have heard a lot about. Please, Ser Willfred, come closer, grab a seat”
He quickly moved through the room, grabbing a small carafe and four cups, before he sat down on a chair. Willfred, Tallian and Roger walked towards him, each sitting down, while Malkolm saluted and closed the door. “A bit of wine, mylords?”, Hobert asked. “It's a wonderful evening and no one should spend it with a dour expression on their faces” As he said this, he looked at Tallian, who indeed frowned at these words. “I don't drink”, he answered. “Lord Hobert, there is a lot we have to talk about”
Hobert gave him a short nod, but instead focussed his gaze on Willfred. “Ser Willfred, why have you travelled the long way from Castamere to Raylansfair?”, he asked. For a moment, Willfred was unsure how open he could be with this man. Tallian gave him an encouraging nod, while Roger subtly shook his head.
“We came here because the old lord of Raylansfair made us a promise, Lord Hobert”, Willfred finally explained. He knew, he wasn't a skilled liar and he felt bad at considering to hide the truth, so he simply decided to be honest with Hobert. “The Kingdom of the Rock needs the help of the Reach, to secure our southern borders”
“Your southern borders?”, Hobert asked and raised an eyebrow. “You share your southern borders with the Reach. Every other border is threatened by the Ironborn, as I have heard, but what danger comes from your southern border?”
“Also the Ironborn”, Tallian answered shortly. “They cross the border in small groups, travelling through the Reach undetected, before they raid our southern towns. Most of the men from the south are needed in the North, to defend the Rock against the Iron Fleet and the Iron Army. We have no men left to defend the south as well”
“I think I understand your problem”, Hobert mumbled. “I assume the Lord of the Reach were less than thrilled when you called for aid” Tallian gave him a quick nod. “To put it mildly”, he answered. “With all due respect, but the lords of the Northern Reach are stubborn and selfish. Only Lord Robert Raylan promised help. Five hundred men to guard our southern border. Not much, but enough to make a difference. Lord Harris on the other hand...”
The smile on Hobert's face got wider. “Mylords, you've come to the right place if you're looking for help”, he exclaimed, before he raised from his chair, walking towards the window. “This city isn't a small one, but still. Five Hundred men are a lot. I can understand Harris for refusing your call for aid. He wants to keep his people out of a war that is not theirs”
“Not yet”, Willfred remarked. “If the Rock falls, the Ironborn will advance. The Reach is rich and fertile, a perfect target for them. Only a fool would believe that Harren Hoare or his sons would miss an opportunity like that”
“There are no fools in this room, I can assure you of that”, Hobert answered immediately, before his facial expression darkened “Five hundred men... That is a lot, especially for Raylansfair. I know, Lord Raylans hatred for the Ironborn knew no boundaries, but still...” He looked up and Willfred shivered at the calculating look in Hobert's eyes. “Five hundred won't be enough to keep your southern borders safe”, he remarked. “So, what would you say if I'd give you a thousand?”
“A thousand?”, Roger gasped. “There is no way Raylansfair could give us a thousand men!” Hobert shook his head. “Not only Raylansfair. But I am the lord of Raylansfair and Mander's Mouth. Giving you a thousand men would be easy for me” His smile turned into a sly smirk. “All you have to do is to openly declare your support for me, Ser Willfred. Mern Gardener has always valued the Rock's opinion. Think about it. You would gain more troops than you came for, and you only have to declare your support to the rightful lord of this city”
“Are you?”, Roger remarked and Willfred saw how Hobert's smile vanished immediately. “Am I what?”, he growled. “The rightful lord of Raylansfair”, Roger specified and Hobert gave him a decisive nod. “It's only a formality by now. I have sent a letter to the king. He in turn has sent his steward, Lord Harlen Tyrell to decide in his name. Lord Tyrell is expected to arrive on court day, five days from now and I am sure your open support for my cause will influence his decision”
“With all due respect, Lord Hobert, but are you sure that he will decide in your favour?”, Roger asked. “If we openly support you, but you fail to win this city, we will stand here without an ally. The new lord of Raylansfair will not forget whom we support”
“Indeed he won't”, Hobert remarked coldly. “I need your open support, in order to impress Lord Tyrell and the smallfolk of Raylansfair. I have no use for any kind of support that is not open. You know my offer. Once I have won, you'll get a thousand men for the Rock”
“If you win”, Roger answered. “Which I am not convinced of. I am sorry, Lord Hobert, but if these are your terms, I am not sure if we should agree. Perhaps it would be wiser to wait until Lord Tyrell decided in this matter”
“By then, Ser Roger, it will be too late to win my favour”, Hobert snarled, before he looked at Willfred. “But perhaps we should ask the only real nobleman in your small group. Ser Willfred, would you like to win my favour by supporting me openly, or would you like to crush your kingdom's chances for help by refusing?”
[Agree to support Hobert openly][Refuse to support Hobert openly]
Marak
“And then I said...”, Marak slurred as he looked at Irving, trying his best to stay focussed. “Then I said... 'That's what she said… more!'” He burst into laughter and after a few, indecisive seconds, Irving joined in. “Hilarious!”, he remarked, even if it was clear that he hasn't even listened.
“Anything the matter?”, Marak asked after a while. It was clear that the other man had a very low tolerance for alcohol. Of course, Marak was almost completely sober. The slurred speech, the unfocussed gaze, that was all intentional. He was amazed that his body automatically managed to do these things, on top of giving him a slight headache. Years of training how to get drunken finally paid off!
Irving let out a sigh. “You know, I'd wish I could tell stories like these. Never had many friends or, well, romantic encounters...”, he mumbled and Marak tried his best to look surprised. “Surprising...”, he muttered as an answer and was indeed surpr… [view original content]
[Agree to support Hobert openly] He is a little overconfident, but I think he'll keep his promise if he indeed becomes the lord.
And yeah, pretty sure the little girl who needs to be killed is Ellena... I wonder what would people's reaction be to Marak cutting Ellena's head off with his axe Pretty sure he wouldn't be a fan-favorite anymore.
Marak
“And then I said...”, Marak slurred as he looked at Irving, trying his best to stay focussed. “Then I said... 'That's what she said… more!'” He burst into laughter and after a few, indecisive seconds, Irving joined in. “Hilarious!”, he remarked, even if it was clear that he hasn't even listened.
“Anything the matter?”, Marak asked after a while. It was clear that the other man had a very low tolerance for alcohol. Of course, Marak was almost completely sober. The slurred speech, the unfocussed gaze, that was all intentional. He was amazed that his body automatically managed to do these things, on top of giving him a slight headache. Years of training how to get drunken finally paid off!
Irving let out a sigh. “You know, I'd wish I could tell stories like these. Never had many friends or, well, romantic encounters...”, he mumbled and Marak tried his best to look surprised. “Surprising...”, he muttered as an answer and was indeed surpr… [view original content]
Marak
“And then I said...”, Marak slurred as he looked at Irving, trying his best to stay focussed. “Then I said... 'That's what she said… more!'” He burst into laughter and after a few, indecisive seconds, Irving joined in. “Hilarious!”, he remarked, even if it was clear that he hasn't even listened.
“Anything the matter?”, Marak asked after a while. It was clear that the other man had a very low tolerance for alcohol. Of course, Marak was almost completely sober. The slurred speech, the unfocussed gaze, that was all intentional. He was amazed that his body automatically managed to do these things, on top of giving him a slight headache. Years of training how to get drunken finally paid off!
Irving let out a sigh. “You know, I'd wish I could tell stories like these. Never had many friends or, well, romantic encounters...”, he mumbled and Marak tried his best to look surprised. “Surprising...”, he muttered as an answer and was indeed surpr… [view original content]
Comments
But it seems like Samantha's group are gonna go bust in and get Lucas out by themselves which doesnt sound like a good idea to me.
[Don't allow Leonard to help]
Wow, that was great and long written part. Good job with that, really, i need to try on my own to write longer parts. And... well, poor Dairon. That was sad, but at least he believed Samantha's words and drifted away in peace.
Regarding Leonard, i understand he want to help but he is not in so good condition to do it and i like him too much to allow him to die in the process... unless some good medic would appear to tend his injuries later on. :-D
True. Not a good plan
[Allow Leonard to help] He may die but we can't deny him the right to save his friend... what's left of his friend.
This was a great chapter! And very long, poor Dairon
XD Ha! That's so true! Now I kind of wish it went down like this:
Davith: "They have a cave troll"
Sasha/Samantha: "What?"
Jaylon: "Don't question it, I thought he was one when I first saw him"
Thank you! This made me laugh so much
Maybe Jaylon can pretend he's captured Leonard and walk right in? Unless the Tom has already reported back I suppose.
[Don't allow Leonard to help]
Maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here or something, but if you bring an injured man to rescue an injured man, that equals two injured men you need to get out of there. Not one. Also, fuck... Darion..
Noooo.... Not possible. Didn't happen. Nah. I also thought Sasha was about to die, bit she got away luckily.
He is actually not incredibly rich, even if he obiously is among the richest people in Oldtown. He just has a lot more opportunities to recruit good fighters for his organization. In many cases, the best sellswords are also the most brutal and cruel sellswords and in Oldtown, this kind of sellsword almost exclusively works for Butterfly. In this case, the Burned Man's main redeeming feature, the moral lines he is not willing to cross, works against him, since he outright refuses to employ people like the Tom or the Moggy, who in turn find work for Butterfly instead.
In fact, this would be the plan they would follow if Leonard would accompany them. As he said, his presence could trick the guards into simply letting Samantha and co. into the Hightower and perhaps even into the prison. Of course, they have to hope that the Tom hasn't reported back already and they also have to trust Jaylon, which will be very hard for them.
The Tom would be foolish not to report back and the chances he already has.
Is Mullendore going to punish the Moggy for killing Dairon?
Oh shit Lucas could be dead you put him in Status Unknown.
Well seeing that the Tom tried to kill Jaylon his life is probably forfeit in Butterfly's eye's so that would make him a little more trustworthy I think.
This is unlikely. As the first Lucas part in this chapter has revealed, Dairon is one of Mullendore's bastard sons and it is questionable if even Mullendore would have willingly killed one of his sons. However, a dead Dairon is not a big problem for him and he definitely won't be heartbroken or anything like that. There's also something with the Moggy I have only hinted at so far: In contrast to his extreme strength and his freakish height, he is dim-witted to the point where he is mentally handicapped. He only follows the Tom's orders, so if Mullendore wants to punish anyone, it should be the Tom. This on the other hand is problematic, since the Tom is his most important underling at the moment and he can't afford to loose his loyalty. Therefore, it is unlikely that he is going to punish anyone for Dairon's death, even if he will be seriously pissed off at the Tom.
Yea I thought the Moggy must on something or he is literally the Hulk of westeros.
When I read his submission, I immediately imagined him as a mentally handicapped Gregor Clegane, so the Hulk comparison is actually not too far fetched. He has the mind of that big angry kid from kindergarten that always beats the other kids up, only that he has a body like the Mountain, which is a truly terrible combination.
Well to be fair I think the Moggy is probably better than the Mountain since Oberyn took him down. Although I could be wrong I think the Moggy is probably the best fighter in the story at the moment but we have only seen him in one fight. And how tall is the Moggy?
The Moggy is close to eight feet tall, another similarity he shares with Gregor from the books. However, the Mountain is the better fighter, mostly because he has received better training. The Moggy is similar in strength and speed though, but as this part showed, a very fast fighter, such as Sasha, is able to at least wound him and if they would have fought in a more open location, she could have even been able to defeat him. Someone as good as Oberyn would have likely been able to kill him. He is also definitely not the best fighter in the story, only by far the strongest and the one who has the highest pain treshold. Fighters who rely on strength, like Bakr or Bear for example, have no chance against him, while quick fighters, such as Samuel or Alysanne would be more evenly matched.
I suppose that is true I guess I was just surprized that he took on four people and got set on fire and he seemed fine, I don't think the Mountain could have lived from those wounds is what I really meant. I could definetly see his weakness against fast fighters though.
How would Clayton be against the Moggy he seems to rely on strength and speed.
The fact that Lucas' status is unknown has me a little worried.
[Don't allow Leonard to help] RIP Dairon. Was there a way to possibly prevent him from dying? Cause I feel as if Raylainsfair is getting more and more screwed by the minute.
Yes, there were actually several choices that would have resulted in his survival. Most importantly, the choices in Lucas' part. If Lucas would have confessed in his first part, for example, Samantha and co. would have arrived too late to prevent the Tom from kidnapping Dairon, in which case there would have been the possibility to free him later in this chapter. If Lucas would have confessed in his second part, Dairon would have been kidnapped, but depending on your choices, Samantha and co. would have been able to follow Tom and Moggy and they would have ambushed them before they would have reached the Hightower, potentially freeing Dairon in the process. Also, if you would have allowed Davith to pick the lock in the last Samantha part, they would have been able to leave the Citadel with Dairon before their opponents arrive, although Tom and Moggy would have chased them, which would have been quite dangerous and, depending on your choices, could have resulted in Dairon's death as well. All in all, he had probably a 50% chance of dying in this chapter.
That's a good question. I think Clayton's fighting style wouldn't really work against the Moggy in a direct fight. Then again, he is far too smart to directly fight against such a dangerous opponent, so he would probably just lure him into a trap.
Dang, so we kinda screwed Dairon then. RIP
Yea Clayton seems to have a thing for trapping people.
[Don't allow Leonard to help] Great part, as always.
[Don't allow Leonard to help]
Great part I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
[Allow Leonard to help]
O jesus whats happening here O_o
[Allow Leonard to help.]
**Samantha will allow Leonard to accompany them to the Hightower**
I am a bit surprised that you picked this option. I mean, as far as I know, Leonard is quite a popular character and it should be clear that this is a dangerous choice for him. He is still wounded and simply too stubborn to stay in bed while others do what he sees as his personal duty. Personally, I would have probably followed Davith's advice and would have sent Leonard back to bed, but I am also glad at the opportunity to write a bit more stuff for him in the next Samantha part.
The next part is going to return to Raylansfair and it will feature the return of two PoV's that have been sadly a bit sidelined in this chapter. Several PoV's have been sidelined, now that I think about it, especially Willfred, Marak and John. This will change in the future, although sadly not in this chapter. Those who might look like minor PoV's at the moment will play important roles in the storyline later, it's just that their respective storylines have a slower build-up than, for example, the Oldtown storyline. The next part will feature Marak and Willfred and, as always, I'm trying my best to finish it later today.
By the way, am I the only one who seems to have a bit of a problem with the forums at the moment? Apparently, I can't write in bold at the moment.
All because of my INGENious planning of course. Still want Leonard to see gold.
So he doesn't die because you wouldn't be glad if he was gg.
Yeah the forums have some formatting issues, the staff is working on it.
Leonard is one of my favourites but I feel like he shouldn't sit this one out and it'll be more interesting this way.
I also have problems writing in bold...
Just a quick update: Sadly, the part won't be out today. I got unexpectedly busy and while Marak's PoV is finished, Willfred's PoV is going to need a bit more polishing and I probably need a few more hours tomorrow to make it good. This means, at worst it will take me way until the late afternoon (Central European Time) to finish the part. Sorry for that, but it should be worth the slightly longer wait.
Marak
“And then I said...”, Marak slurred as he looked at Irving, trying his best to stay focussed. “Then I said... 'That's what she said!'” He burst into laughter and after a few, indecisive seconds, Irving joined in. “Hilarious!”, he remarked, even if it was clear that he hasn't even listened.
“Anything the matter?”, Marak asked after a while. It was clear that the other man had a very low tolerance for alcohol. Of course, Marak was almost completely sober. The slurred speech, the unfocussed gaze, that was all intentional. He was amazed that his body automatically managed to do these things, on top of giving him a slight headache. Years of training how to get drunken finally paid off!
Irving let out a sigh. “You know, I'd wish I could tell stories like these. Never had many friends or, well, romantic encounters...”, he mumbled and Marak tried his best to look surprised. “Surprising...”, he muttered as an answer and was indeed surprised that Irving looked a bit upset at this answer.
“Nevermind”, Irving mumbled. “I was asking going to ask a question with that, you know...” He let out a sigh. “I mean, you're so strong and confident and everybody likes you” Both instantly glanced at the fat inkeeper, who still glared at Marak after he had tried to pour himself another mug of ale. His hand was still slightly hurting, after she had hit him with that massive spoon she was wearing on her belt. “Well, almost everyone likes you”, Irving corrected himself. “How do you do it?”
“Now, Irving, don't get me wrong on this one, but your problem is that you are an asshole”, Marak answered and quickly raised his hands as Irving glared at him. “And I mean this with the utmost respect. I said, don't get me wrong on this one!”
Irving pressed his lips together and slightly shook his head. “What do you want to say, Marak?”, he asked and a big grin appeared on Marak's face. He had always been good at giving advice, among other things. “Being an asshole is not bad, you know, as long as you still have some positive qualities that bring people to like you”, he explained and flexed his muscles. “Like these” He flashed his most charming grin and gave the pretty barmaid a wink. “Or that”, he continued, hoping that Irving wouldn't notice the wench's annoyed look.
As he looked at Irving, he shook his head. Even ripped with muscles, Irving wouldn't have been a handsome man. To make things worse, he was incredibly out of shape. And then there was... “You on the other hand have no real positive qualities and that's something you should change”, he explained. “You need to loose a bit of weight and you need to get rid of your moustache”
This time, Irving narrowed his eyes and even looked hurt for a moment. “What's wrong with my moustache? I once saw a man from Braavos who looked dashing with it”, he moaned. “Dashing...”, Marak mumbled and had to suppress a chuckle. “A moustache is never dashing, it only shows your inability to grow a full beard. When it comes to facial hair, you either grow a full beard, or you shave it off completely. There's no middle ground”
Irving even looked mildly convinced as he gave him the hint of a nod. “So, shaving, loosing weight... and that's going to make people like me?”, he asked and this time, Marak realized what this was about. “You're talking about that ambassador lady, don't you?”, he asked. For a moment, Irving looked around, almost expecting her to stand behind him, before he nodded slightly. “Maybe”, he mumbled, but Marak instantly knew that he meant 'Yes'.
“You told me you saved her life once, isn't that right?”, he asked and Irving hastily shook his head. “Twice”, he corrected him. “First in the Dyre Den. I'm sure she kept one of her daggers just because of my warnings. Sure, she never mentioned it, but Maya has never been a very grateful person, you know. And later, in the forest, where I shot a bandit who was about to spot her position” He let out a long sigh. “And even then, she never thanked me”
Marak gave him a nod, as he thought about good advice. He knew, his advice was the best, but Irving was a hard case. “I see your other problem. Even if you act like you don't give a flying fuck about other people's opinion on you, you still value hers”, he deduced ingeniously.
“I... suppose you are right”, Irving mumbled. “I do value her opinion, you know, but I can't recall a single instance where she said anything nice to me. Hell, I've accompanied her from Gulltown to Raylansfair, through three kingdoms and she still trusts that wolf guy more than me”
“I see...”, Marak mumbled and gave the other man a pat on the shoulder. “You know what, next time you see her, you talk to her, okay? Tell her how you feel not appreciated enough” Irving slightly shook his head. “And what if she does not appreciate me? I mean, what if she even sends me away?”, he asked.
“I'm sure she does appreciate you”, Marak tried to reassure him. “No one who does not appreciate you could put up with you for so long” This in turn caused Irving's face to get a hopeful look on it. “You mean...”, he mumbled and his mouth formed a smile. “You are right! As soon as she returns, I will talk to her. Seven Hells, I need to think about what to say to her”
“That's the spirit!”, Marak complimented him, before he noticed that Irving's smile vanished again. “What is it?”, he asked. Irving raised his finger and pointed directly at Marak. “Be... Behind you...”, he stuttered and Marak narrowed his eyes, before he looked over his shoulder. “Oh fuck...”, he mumbled. Behind him, obviously slightly annoyed, stood Noelle.
“Hello, Marak”, she greeted him with an unfitting coldness in her eyes, before she narrowed her eyes, as Irving extended his hand. “I... It's an honour. P... Priestess Noelle”, he stuttered intimidated, as she looked at his hand for a moment. “You sit on my chair, Irving Todd”, she remarked in slight disgust.
Irving's face showed his surprise, as well as his shock, as Noelle called him by name. He immediately jumped up, deeply bowing in front of her. “Of course, priestess!”, he exclaimed. “Please, don't turn me into a rat!”
“A rat?”, Noelle asked in slight surprise and raised one of her eyebrows. “That would at least explain a lot...” Only Marak noticed the amused streak on her mouth. “Now leave, Irving, or else I can't make any promises”
Marak wasn't surprised that the other man immediately followed this order. He gave Marak a nod, before making his way to another table, far away from Noelle. The priestess smirked as she looked after him, before sitting down on the chair he just gave up for her. “Your advice is horrible. This poor man will make even more of a fool out of himself now", she remarked. "I was surprised that you stayed away from me this whole evening” Marak gave her a guilty nod. “I made some new friends”, he tried to defend himself, but quickly realized that she wasn't interested in his version of the story.
The priestess opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, slightly confused, as she glanced at Irving. “Rats?”, she asked. Marak pressed his lips together. “I... may have told him a few things that are not exactly true”, he apologized and Noelle let out a sigh. “You know I can't actually do that, right?”, she asked. “Now... frogs on the other hand...”
She smirked, but only until she noticed the shocked expression on Marak's face. “That was supposed to be a joke”, she slowly mumbled. “I don't turn people into animals. Anyway, I assume you have questions about what happened today”
Marak gave her the hint of a nod, even if he wanted to shake his head, as always in such a situation. He was a professional, he never asked questions. But this time... Noelle was something else and her plan was shady at best. “So... a child?”, he asked and Noelle gave him a reluctant nod. “I don't like it either”, she confessed. “Trust me, if I would see another way, I would take it”
“But why?”, Marak asked and this time, he saw reluctance on Noelle's face. “The fire demands it”, she revealed. “The nature of my visions is not always clear to me, but in this case, it has been shockingly obvious. This child, a little girl to be precise, is currently in a city south of here” Her strangely reddish brown eyes looked at him with regret. “I presume you have heard about Oldtown?”, she asked.
This time, Marak spat on the ground. “I fucking hate Oldtown”, he muttered. “Last time I've been there, some sort of street war was about to start. I'm glad I got away without getting involved” Noelle nodded in agreement. “So am I”, she answered. “And I don't plan to get involved either, be assured. But this little girl is currently in Oldtown”
“So, what is it this little girl has to die for”, Marak asked and Noelle let out a sigh. “She's as innocent as a girl can be. But sooner or later, she will arrive here, in Raylansfair. Her presence will cause a chain reaction of death and destruction”, she mumbled. “Trust me, I don't like it, I really don't. I pray every night that the god changes his mind. If he does, the girl is free to go. But as long as R'hllor insists on the girl's death... Tell me, who am I to refuse the wish of a god?”
Before Marak could answer, something caught his mind. A slight scream sounded as he moved his head to the centre of the tavern. The tall sellsword leader, Second Sonds according to his tabard, a tall, ugly and bald man with a bushy beard and a damn fine sword had raised from his chair. At his feet knelt the barmaid, not the skinny one and thankfully not the pretty one, but the chubby, plain one that looked like the innkeeper and held her cheek.
“What have you said, girl?”, the sellsword leader growled with an angry tone in his voice, moving a hand to the hilt of his sword, just as the fat innkeeper moved a hand to her belt, where her spoon hung. Marak knew, she was going to intervene, even if it meant going against this obviously dangerous man. But as her and Marak's eyes met, he saw an understandable fear in them. He clenched his fists and gulped as he thought about intervening himself. But, would it be worth it, provoking an obviously dangerous man just for the gratitude of the least attractive barmaid in the whole kingdom?
[Intervene] [Stay out of it]
Willfred
“This way”, the disgruntled guardsman muttered, leading Willfred, Roger and Tallian through the upper floors of Raylansfairs only tavern. The hallway was only dimly illuminated and the air was sweaty, reminding Willfred of the old silver mines below Castamere.
“So... I don't think I got your name, Ser”, Roger remarked, looking at the guardsman. “I am no Ser”, he growled. “My name is Malkolm Sternhelm” Obviously in a far better mood than their guide, Roger gave him a smile. “Why the long face, my friend? Is anything the matter?”
The guardsman shook his head. “Nothing that's your fault”, he growled. “The fact that I'm still sober while the rest of the guard gets to drink, that's what annoys me” Tallian and Roger exchanged a glance and the general cleared his throat. “Someone has to guard your lord, isn't that right?”, he asked. Malkolm shook his head. “He does not fear anything in this city. He is the rightful lord of Raylansfair, after all”
“And that makes him invulnerable? Immune to poison? Does it guarantee that everyone loves him?”, Tallian asked. “I have seen enough dead lords in my life, guardsman, some of them even killed by their own people”
“Well, Lord Hobert has a different opinion on this”, Malkolm hissed. “I don't like his carefree attitude either, but I follow his orders” He let out a sigh. “And his orders have been to relax and enjoy life, at least for a few days”
“Suicidal overconfidence”, Roger remarked. “What if King Gardener does not acknowledge his claim?” Malkolm shrugged. “Then we return to Mander's Mouth, I assume. I don't know what he plans”, he answered and stopped in front of a small door. “But you best ask him yourself” With these words, he knocked on the door.
For a moment, there was only silence. “What is it?”, a male voice answered and a young woman chuckled behind the door. Malkolm slightly rolled with his eyes. “The delegation of the Rock wishes to speak to you, mylord”, he explained.
Again, silence. Then, an audible sigh. “The door is open”, the voice said. “Come in, but I have to warn you. I am not alone” Malkolm opened the door, revealing a surprisingly well-furnished room, most likely the best this tavern had to offer. Willfred immediately spotted a young, pretty girl, perhaps roughly in his age, with blonde hair, a shy smile on her lips as she saw the men, while she was quickly getting dressed.
She stood next to a bed, on which a man was lying, in his mid-twenties at most, with short, unremarkably brown hair and eyes of the same colour. He was wearing a long, yellow robe, that almost made him look like a dornishman, but his thin, skinny build failed to achieve the look he was obviously going for. The only positive feature about his appearance was the charming smile on his face.
“I should leave, mylord”, the young woman said and the man raised from the bed. “As much as your absence will pain me, my dear, I am afraid you are right”, he said and moved a hand to the small purse on his belt, revealing a single silver coin.
“Mylord, but we haven't even...”, the young woman started to protest, but the man cut her off by putting a finger on her lips. He gently put the coin into her hand, before he closed it and kissed her fingers. “Our conversation has been delightful”, he said. “It would be outrageous to let you leave without a reward”
She let out a joyful giggle, as she looked at the silver coin. Slightly blushing she moved past Willfred, out of the door. The man gave her a long look, before he let out a sigh. “This city is so full of beauty”, he remarked. “Nothing like Mander's Mouth. Please, come in, be my guests” He took an elegant bow in front of them and as he looked up, Willfred saw a shrewd intelligence in his eyes. “Hobert Lowther, Lord of Mander's Mouth and Raylansfair”, he introduced himself.
“Vashord Tallian”, Tallian answered. “General of the Rock's armies. The men in my company are Ser Roger Hill, the bastard of Castamere and his nephew, Ser Willfred Reyne” The last name caused Hobert's smile to get wider. “Reyne!”, he exclaimed. “That is a name I have heard a lot about. Please, Ser Willfred, come closer, grab a seat”
He quickly moved through the room, grabbing a small carafe and four cups, before he sat down on a chair. Willfred, Tallian and Roger walked towards him, each sitting down, while Malkolm saluted and closed the door. “A bit of wine, mylords?”, Hobert asked. “It's a wonderful evening and no one should spend it with a dour expression on their faces” As he said this, he looked at Tallian, who indeed frowned at these words. “I don't drink”, he answered. “Lord Hobert, there is a lot we have to talk about”
Hobert gave him a short nod, but instead focussed his gaze on Willfred. “Ser Willfred, why have you travelled the long way from Castamere to Raylansfair?”, he asked. For a moment, Willfred was unsure how open he could be with this man. Tallian gave him an encouraging nod, while Roger subtly shook his head.
“We came here because the old lord of Raylansfair made us a promise, Lord Hobert”, Willfred finally explained. He knew, he wasn't a skilled liar and he felt bad at considering to hide the truth, so he simply decided to be honest with Hobert. “The Kingdom of the Rock needs the help of the Reach, to secure our southern borders”
“Your southern borders?”, Hobert asked and raised an eyebrow. “You share your southern borders with the Reach. Every other border is threatened by the Ironborn, as I have heard, but what danger comes from your southern border?”
“Also the Ironborn”, Tallian answered shortly. “They cross the border in small groups, travelling through the Reach undetected, before they raid our southern towns. Most of the men from the south are needed in the North, to defend the Rock against the Iron Fleet and the Iron Army. We have no men left to defend the south as well”
“I think I understand your problem”, Hobert mumbled. “I assume the Lord of the Reach were less than thrilled when you called for aid” Tallian gave him a quick nod. “To put it mildly”, he answered. “With all due respect, but the lords of the Northern Reach are stubborn and selfish. Only Lord Robert Raylan promised help. Five hundred men to guard our southern border. Not much, but enough to make a difference. Lord Harris on the other hand...”
The smile on Hobert's face got wider. “Mylords, you've come to the right place if you're looking for help”, he exclaimed, before he raised from his chair, walking towards the window. “This city isn't a small one, but still. Five Hundred men are a lot. I can understand Harris for refusing your call for aid. He wants to keep his people out of a war that is not theirs”
“Not yet”, Willfred remarked. “If the Rock falls, the Ironborn will advance. The Reach is rich and fertile, a perfect target for them. Only a fool would believe that Harren Hoare or his sons would miss an opportunity like that”
“There are no fools in this room, I can assure you of that”, Hobert answered immediately, before his facial expression darkened “Five hundred men... That is a lot, especially for Raylansfair. I know, Lord Raylans hatred for the Ironborn knew no boundaries, but still...” He looked up and Willfred shivered at the calculating look in Hobert's eyes. “Five hundred won't be enough to keep your southern borders safe”, he remarked. “So, what would you say if I'd give you a thousand?”
“A thousand?”, Roger gasped. “There is no way Raylansfair could give us a thousand men!” Hobert shook his head. “Not only Raylansfair. But I am the lord of Raylansfair and Mander's Mouth. Giving you a thousand men would be easy for me” His smile turned into a sly smirk. “All you have to do is to openly declare your support for me, Ser Willfred. Mern Gardener has always valued the Rock's opinion. Think about it. You would gain more troops than you came for, and you only have to declare your support to the rightful lord of this city”
“Are you?”, Roger remarked and Willfred saw how Hobert's smile vanished immediately. “Am I what?”, he growled. “The rightful lord of Raylansfair”, Roger specified and Hobert gave him a decisive nod. “It's only a formality by now. I have sent a letter to the king. He in turn has sent his steward, Lord Harlen Tyrell to decide in his name. Lord Tyrell is expected to arrive on court day, five days from now and I am sure your open support for my cause will influence his decision”
“With all due respect, Lord Hobert, but are you sure that he will decide in your favour?”, Roger asked. “If we openly support you, but you fail to win this city, we will stand here without an ally. The new lord of Raylansfair will not forget whom we support”
“Indeed he won't”, Hobert remarked coldly. “I need your open support, in order to impress Lord Tyrell and the smallfolk of Raylansfair. I have no use for any kind of support that is not open. You know my offer. Once I have won, you'll get a thousand men for the Rock”
“If you win”, Roger answered. “Which I am not convinced of. I am sorry, Lord Hobert, but if these are your terms, I am not sure if we should agree. Perhaps it would be wiser to wait until Lord Tyrell decided in this matter”
“By then, Ser Roger, it will be too late to win my favour”, Hobert snarled, before he looked at Willfred. “But perhaps we should ask the only real nobleman in your small group. Ser Willfred, would you like to win my favour by supporting me openly, or would you like to crush your kingdom's chances for help by refusing?”
[Agree to support Hobert openly] [Refuse to support Hobert openly]
[Intervene]
[Refuse to support Hobert openly] I don't like Hobert he seems shady.
[Intervene]
[Agree to support Hobert openly] He is a little overconfident, but I think he'll keep his promise if he indeed becomes the lord.
And yeah, pretty sure the little girl who needs to be killed is Ellena... I wonder what would people's reaction be to Marak cutting Ellena's head off with his axe
Pretty sure he wouldn't be a fan-favorite anymore.
[Intervene]
[Agree to support Hobert openly]