Forum of Thrones: An Interactive Story

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  • Yes, I do. The only character I have in the story who has already been introduced is Dimitri the Wise. I have a few more yet to be introduced, such as Leo and Danielle York. And what about you? Have you submitted any characters?

    Lord_EAA posted: »

    Hi . I think you are the last person i haven't met here. So it's glad to complete. Anyway do you have any character in the story?

  • 3 but the only one that's shown up is Edward Anturion. Tell me what do you think of him?

    MadManLee posted: »

    Yes, I do. The only character I have in the story who has already been introduced is Dimitri the Wise. I have a few more yet to be introduced, such as Leo and Danielle York. And what about you? Have you submitted any characters?

  • Ser Ilhan and Robb had a few chapters of showtime however. It felt like Alex had the lifespan of a single chapter, despite being in two. Glad that he was someone who is inactive character. The thought of one's character dying so soon is a scary one though.

    Yeah, I feel a bit bad about this too. Not that he died in general, as that has been entirely vote-determinant, but that he died so early. S

  • edited November 2015

    The Voting is closed!

    John is going to take the letter

    Negative consequences aside, this certainly was the more interesting decision, as it will give you some answers to the question what exactly Daghan is doing in Raylansfair. However, should he find out that John took his letter, he definitely won't be amused, that much should be clear.

    The next part is hopefully going to be out later today, even though I still have a lot of writing to do. It's going to be a Garthon part, who finally returns after being absent from the story for a long time. In Garthon's last part, he met with Lord Tully and the other Riverlords that are involved in the plan against Harren Hoare, namely the lords Blackwood, Bracken, Frey and Mallister. While especially Lord Blackwood and Lord Bracken used the meeting mostly to insult each other, Lord Mallister and Lord Frey offered alternative plans how to defeat the Ironborn. Lord Frey wanted to surprise the king by launching an almost suicidal all-out attack against him, while Lord Mallister wanted to target the Iron Fleet first, to take a major part of Harren's power away. Naturally, both also followed their own agenda by offering these plans. In the end, Lord Tully wanted to hear Garthon's advice on which plan they should execute. Garthon adviced him to follow the original plan, which has been a very important choice, by the way. At the end of the last Alys part, Garthon, Tully and George arrived in Harrenhal, which is where the next part will start.

    By the way, there are great news! As some of you might know, after this story got moved back to the General Discussion a few months ago, it wasn't entirely clear if it could stay here or if it would be moved to the Forum Games once more after the Episode 6 release. I was actually quite a bit worried about being moved back to the Forum Games section, because the Forum Games section is not exactly the best place for a story to get attention. Yesterday, I talked to Blind Sniper about this and he confirmed that the story can stay here even after the Episode 6 release, which comes as a great relief for me.

  • Yes! I love Garthon, glad to see he's finally back.

    The Voting is closed! John is going to take the letter Negative consequences aside, this certainly was the more interesting decision,

  • edited November 2015

    Once again, I am sorry, because I won't be able to finish the next part today. I realized that there is so much stuff I want to cover with it and while I spent a majority of this day writing, in the attempt of finishing the part, there is still a lot more to write, stuff I want to enhance and stuff I want to add in, so that it will be a part I am satisfied with. It's definitely going to be split into two posts of course and I hope that overall, the longer wait will be worth it. As a result, I will have a lot more work to do with it. Sadly, I will be busy tomorrow and I am not sure if I will manage to finish it, together with this other stuff I am going to do. This means, at worst you will have to wait until Monday for the next part, even though I will try my best to prevent the wait from getting too long.

    The Voting is closed! John is going to take the letter Negative consequences aside, this certainly was the more interesting decision,

  • edited November 2015

    Well its okay if he has tricks and what ever but...can a guy really win against some special trained fighter? I mean they know tricks too...and hes not a soldier is he? I mean yea its ok when u say his enemys just underestimate him but...after all the things he did i dont know why?

    Indeed, it's very hard to take Wolfius down in a fair fight. While he is indeed quite strong, his main advantage comes from his unassuming l

  • Garthon

    From the other end of the courtyard, Garthon saw his brother approaching, while he himself descended from his horse. He allowed himself to smile in relief as he saw Torvin, alive and well. Torvin on the other hand wasn't smiling. He was looking stern, determined and unyielding. Both of them knew what they had to do. Without saying a word, the brothers exchanged a short hug and finally, the hint of a smile appeared on Torvin's face. “I'm glad you could make it”, he greeted him, before he looked at Lord Tully.

    “Captain Breaker”, Tully greeted him and Torvin gave him a short nod. “Lord Tully. Pleasure to meet you again” While the lord and George descended from their horses, Torvin pointed towards the large set of buildings next to the Great Hall, where the Iron Fleet captains had their quarters. “We should continue this talk in private”, he growled, glancing at the walls, but especially at the king's tower. “Indeed”, Tully agreed. “Lead the way”

    Together, the four men crossed the courtyard. Garthon saw Gabin Strad, watching two archers. The man nervously looked at them and Garthon let out a sigh. It was obvious that Gabin wasn't made for what they were about to attempt and that was actually not a bad thing in his eyes. A world full of Kingslayers wouldn't be a world Garthon wanted to live in. But today, Gabin needed to be calm to pull this off and Garthon wasn't sure if he could do this.

    After a few seconds in which he was visibly shivering, the man finally shambled across the courtyard towards them, leaving the archers behind. “Lord Tully, I'm glad to see you”, he greeted him with a shaking voice. Tully shot him a short, stern glare, but his mouth underneath the big moustache formed a friendly smile. “Likewise, Gabin”, he answered.

    The five men continued their walk across the courtyard and Garthon finally felt uneasy himself. Gabin's nervousness was almost contagious. To make things worse, even Torvin seemed to be slightly stressed and Garthon couldn't even blame him. His brother glanced at the king's tower repeatedly, in a way that seemed to be entirely random, but Garthon realized that it was nervousness which prompted these actions. Torvin's nervousness was unarguably even worse than Gabin's. Garthon had seen him remaining calm in the worst storms, in the heat of the most dire battles.

    Only after they had reached Torvin's chamber, Garthon saw that his brother relaxed again. Gabin on the other hand remained as anxious as before. The chamber itself was small, built for only one person, containing only a bed, a small chest and a table and even then, it was hardly comfortable or spacious. With five men, the room managed to be crowded.

    “So... today's the day...”, Gabin mumbled and Tully gave him a nod. “Today's the day”, he agreed. “We have the weapons and the poison, now all we need is Harlan Hoare's trust” With these words he looked at Torvin who let out a sigh. “It was one hell of a week”, he growled. “I've never realized before how utterly messed up this family can be. But I did what you asked of me. Harlan considers me a friend”

    “Very good”, Tully complimented him. “I understand this wasn't easy for you, Captain Breaker. I can assure you, if everything works according to plan, Harlan Hoare won't survive this day and neither will his father”

    “What's with Harren's other sons?”, Gabin asked and Tully closed his eyes for a moment. “Harndon is not a problem. If he tries to seize the crown after his father dies, his own captains will dispose of him. Harrick on the other hand is a problem and we need to take care of him. He is smart, calculating and unlike the rest of his family, he would make a capable ruler”, he explained. “Luckily, he rarely leaves his fathers side. He will die alongside him”

    “That's all good, but what happens to Harmund?”, Gabin finally asked. “I doubt he will be at his fathers side today. They got into a pretty harsh... argument today” Tully gave him a nod. “I have thought about this for a while now”, he explained and looked at Garthon. “Actually, I made my decision already, even though I couldn't reveal it to the other lords” He closed his eyes for a short moment, moving a hand to his head. “Harmund is going to survive this day. After his father's death, he will be the new King of the Isles and the Rivers”, Tully finally revealed.

    Immediately, Torvin and Gabin looked at him, Torvin in surprise, Gabin in shock. George seemed to be indifferent about what his lord just said, while Garthon was already thinking ahead. He remembered what the Riverlords said, back at the cabin. Especially the hatred in Lord Frey's eyes when he mentioned Harmund... yes, Garthon had a rough idea what Tully was planning.

    “Greyjoy...”, he mumbled and Tully gave him an impressed nod. “Indeed. If Harmund wins the crown, Damon Greyjoy will turn against him. For all his cruelty and callousness, Harmund is not a very good ruler. He lacks Harren's iron grip on the captains”, the lord explained. “Lord Captain Greyjoy is a ruthless and ambitious man and he has the loyalty of the Iron Fleet. Harmund has the army behind him, but most of the army is located near the Rock's borders and half of it consists of conscripted Riverlanders”

    Finally, the slight confusion on Torvin's face vanished. “A civil war between our enemies”, he realized. “This is brilliant! When they are done fighting, neither of them will have the strength left to rule the Riverlands” Tully gave him a smirk. “Either Harmund or Damon will become the next King of the Iron Islands, but we're going to make sure that the Riverlands will be freed from their tyranny”, he added.

    “And... and if Harmund wins?”, Gabin asked the question that bothered Garthon as well. Tully let out a sigh. “I doubt he will. Damon Greyjoy is a smart man, too smart for Harmund”, he answered, noticing the unconvinced look in Gabin's eyes. “I promise you, Harmund Hoare will be dead in a year and the Riverlands will be free” Finally, he narrowed his eyes, as he looked from him to Torvin. “There's something else you want to tell me, don't you?”

    Gabin gave him a sheepish nod. “There is someone who is willing to help us”, he explained and Garthon needed a moment to fully realize what he just implied. “You told someone?”, he growled, a bit louder than intended. Before he could say anything else, Torvin intervened. “It's alright, brother”, he tried to calm him down. “I wasn't too thrilled when I learned that Gabin revealed our plan, but the man he told it is trustworthy. His name is Hjalgar and he's a fine lad. I accepted his help”

    “Torvin, I'm sorry, but that was fucking stupid”, Garthon muttered and Torvin shook his head. “It was the only option. What was I supposed to do, killing him? He's a good man”, Torvin defended himself. Lord Tully audibly cleared his throat. “Let me be the judge of that. I want to talk to this Hjalgar. In the meantime, George will explain you the next step of our plan”, he said sternly, clearly displeased at the turn of events. Torvin gave him a nod. “I can bring you to him. He's at the courtyard”, he answered.

    Before they left, Lord Tully let out a sigh. “George, give me your dagger”, he ordered and the young man immediately complied. Gabin narrowed his eyes, while Torvin seemed to be indifferent about this. “Lord Tully, what are you going to do if you think that he will be a risk for our cause?”, Gabin asked and Tully gave him a regretful look. “We're all in this for the people we love”, he muttered. “My family will always come first. You are here because I can trust you, because I know you are not a danger to them. If the Seven are merciful, I will decide that I can trust Hjalgar too. But I won't risk my family just for a boy who is supposedly a fine lad” With these words, Tully and Torvin left the room, leaving Garthon, Gabin and George behind.

    “Fuck...”, Gabin muttered. “Is he going to kill Hjalgar?” Garthon shook his head. “Only if it will be necessary”, he answered, noticing how distraught the man looked over this thought. “Relax, Gabin. Lord Tully is a fair man. I doubt he will kill your new friend, even though he is prepared to do everything necessary”

    “But... we are supposed to be the good guys in this!”, Gabin protested. “We don't just kill innocent people just because they might be a threat!” Garthon shook his head. “I'm not a good man”, he pointed out. “Neither is Torvin. There's no room for good men among the Ironborn. And Tully... he's better than most, I give him that much. But he's a family man, first and foremost. This is admirable and it causes him to do good things, but in the end, he's not afraid to do bad stuff as well, to keep his family save”

    Gabin slowly shook his head. “This is simply not right...”, he muttered sullenly. Finally, Garthon moved his attention towards George. The young man had said nothing to intervene in this talk, instead he was watching them carefully. Finally, once he was sure that both, Garthon and Gabin were paying attention towards him, he started to speak.

    “Alright then. Thanks to Garthon, we have access to three crossbows and poison”, he explained, opening the small bag he was holding. Carefully, he took the small crossbows out of it, followed by the vial containing the pale liquid. Gabin gulped as he glanced at the poison, but remained silent.

    “Garthon and Gabin, you and Torvin will get one of the crossbows each. Each of you has only one shot, so make it count”, George continued. “Garthon, your target will be Harrick, Gabin, you will shoot at Harlan. Torvin will target the tyrant in the meantime. Harren will have a bodyguard with him and it will be Lord Tully's duty to make sure that this bodyguard is going down as well”

    Garthon gave him a nod. “Understood. What will you do in the meantime?”, he asked, noticing that George hasn't explained his own role. For the first time since they arrived back at Harrenhal, the man's calm facade dropped. “I'm going to be the distraction. Lord Tully manipulated the guards here for a while now. Aside from Harren's bodyguard, there will be no one present who does not owe Lord Tully a lot. But there is the possibility that others could intervene. Because of that, I'm going to burn down the stables, to draw any unwanted attention away from the tyrant”, he explained.

    “I see...”, Garthon answered. “This... this sounds decidedly more dangerous than what we're about to do. I suppose Lord Tully has planned a way out for us, but what happens if they catch you?” George shrugged as he heard this. “Then I'm going to die”, he stated flatly. “I have risked my life for less before. And what we try to do... it's going to be worth dying for” With these words, George has said everything that needed to be said. In silence, the three men waited for the return of Torvin and Lord Tully.

    Only minutes later, a loud knock on the door caused Garthon to look up. Slowly, he walked towards it, slightly opening it. As soon as he saw Tully, he let out a sigh of relief, fully opening the door. The lord of Riverrun entered the room, looking slightly more pleased than before. Gabin on the other hand had to gulp, trying to catch a glimpse of the dagger. “Is he...?”, he asked and Tully shook his head. “You were right in trusting Hjalgar, my friend. He can help us”, he answered, before looking at George. “There's going to be a change of plans. Hjalgar is going to take your part in the plan. He's a brilliant archer and his chances of success are a lot higher. You on the other hand will stand at my side and help me in taking down Harren's bodyguard”

    A pleased smile appeared on George's face as he heard this. Garthon on the other hand narrowed his eyes. “So... where's Torvin?”, he asked. Tully let out a sigh. “Talking to Harlan, securing an audience with the king. It's time for us to make our move”

    Garthon had expected something like this. He knew, the time was close for them to kill the king. Still, the thought that it was finally about to happen felt almost unreal. And finally, Garthon was able to admit that he was afraid. Afraid for his brother's life and afraid for his own life. Not for the first time, he had to wonder in what kind of madness his brother got them. Then again, he was doing this basically for the same reason Tully did it. For keeping his family safe.

    Torvin arrived at the chamber only minutes later. The determination in his eyes was almost terrifying and he barely looked at Garthon, only at Lord Tully. “It's time”, he simply said as he entered the room. Tully let out a sigh, looking from Torvin to Garthon, to Gabin, to George. “We've come a long way together. I know, we all have different reasons to do this”, he started to explain and looked back at Torvin. “Some of us might do this for idealism”, he said, before he looked at George. “Or for loyalty” He looked at Gabin. “For love” And finally, he looked at Garthon and the look in his eyes was more than familiar. “Or for family”, he mumbled. “But there's one goal that unites us. We will not cower under the tyrant any longer! My friends, tonight is our chance to free us all! Stand with me and let us end this!”

    A grim smirk formed on Torvin's face, as he gave Tully a short nod. “Well spoken, mylord”, he growled, before he grabbed a crossbow. “Harlan should be ready by now”, he added and handed the weapon to Gabin, who slightly shivered as he grabbed it. For a moment, Torvin's smirk faded. “Don't make him suffer”, he ordered and Gabin gave him a nod. Torvin continued to hand Garthon his weapon. “We're going to make this, brother”, he said, noticing Garthon's hesitation.

    “If you say so”, Garthon answered and let out a sigh, suppressing any further comment. Lord Tully was determined to do this and his confidence was reassuring. However, as much as Tully and Garthon were alike, Tully and Torvin shared something as well and that was their stubbornness. Not for the first time since this all started, Garthon wasn't sure if the lord would even be able to admit defeat, should their plan fail, or if he would go down fighting. And not for the first time, Garthon asked himself what he would do in such a case.

    Hiding the crossbow close to his body, a single bolt soaked in the Strangler, Garthon slowly walked behind Torvin and Lord Tully, as they left the room. To his right, behind Tully, walked George, to his left walked Gabin. As nervous as Gabin was on the outside, Garthon felt on the inside. This was all going so fast, almost too fast for him.

    “Everything alright, brother?”, Torvin asked as they walked through the hallway. Garthon forced himself to nod slightly. “Can you blame me for being nervous?”, he asked. Torvin gave him a joyless smile. “Not at all”, he answered. “I'm nervous too. Only a fool wouldn't be. But by now, we've come too far. We can only continue”

    “I agree”, Garthon sighed. “And I won't back out. You can count on me, brother” Torvin's mouth formed a pleased smile. “I am glad to hear it”, he revealed. “By the way, how has your journey been?”This time Garthon had to smirk as he remembered the events of his journey to Maidenpool. “I broke Velmont Redloon's nose”, he answered.

    “I've seen him”, Torvin revealed. “He arrived two days ago, pissed off like hell and refused to tell us why his nose looked like shit. Demanded to talk to the king” This sentence caused Garthon to raise an eyebrow. He remembered the fight with Velmont he got into during his encounter with the Harper. “And what did the king say?” This time, Torvin gave him a smirk. “You know the king”, he answered. “Velmont demanded to talk to him. Honestly, he got lucky that Harren simply refused to meet him ever again”

    They stepped out of the building, onto the courtyard. Harlan Hoare was awaiting them already, standing directly next to the door, casually leaning against it. He had a big, friendly grin on his face as he approached Torvin and while he walked, Garthon noticed the sword on his belt. Harlan wasn't known to be a good fighter, but like his brothers, he loved to surround himself with weapons even in situations where it was unnecessary. “Hey, you brought Gabin along!”, he greeted them and gave both, Torvin and Gabin a friendly hug. Garthon saw how Gabin tensed up and for a moment, both of them were afraid that Harlan would notice the crossbow he hid under his cloak.

    Finally, Harlan's attention switched towards Garthon. “Your Torvin's brother, huh?”, he asked and gave him a firm handshake, while Garthon gave him a nod and a smile that only looked a tiny bit forced. “Pleasure to meet you, Prince Harlan”, he greeted him and Harlan let out a chuckle. “The pleasure is mine”, he answered, before he looked at Tully. “So, Tully... what is this important thing you have to discuss with my father?”

    “It's about Gabin. His family has served my family loyally for years now and... I think you are well aware of the injustice that happened to him”, Lord Tully explained without missing a beat and Harlan narrowed his eyes. “I see... this is about Orkwood, huh?”, he answered, before he started to chuckle. He patted Gabin on the back. “Looks like you found your advocate after all. Hey, you got my sympathies” He looked at the king's tower. “You know what, let's go. I have no idea how father is going to react, but I really hope he considers your side of the story”

    Led by Harlan, the group crossed the courtyard towards the king's tower, by far the largest of the castle's five towers and by far the largest tower Garthon had ever seen. There was no sign of Torvin's new friend, but for their sake, he hoped that Hjalgar would do his part of the mission. By now, an eery silence had engulfed the nightly courtyard . Garthon could almost hear his heart beating and he desperately wished that someone would break this silence.

    The inside of the tower was even worse. While most of the buildings in Harrenhal gave him an uneasy feeling because of their giant size, the tower was by far the worst. Its proportions seemed almost surreal, as if it was built for giants instead of men. Every single step was echoing a hundred times, as they climbed the massive stairs that lead up to King Harren's audience room. By now, he was sure that he would go deaf if someone would speak a word.

    In front of the door stood Kyra Greyjoy. Under any under circumstance, she would have been a pleasant sight and despite his nervousness, Garthon simply had to admire her beauty. She was wearing chainmail armour as elegant as other noble ladies wore a fine dress. Aside from that, Garthon always had a weakness for dark hair. Considerably less charming was the axe she was holding in her hand. Behind her stood four guards, men who were apparently chosen for their ability to be as uncharming as possible.

    “Prince Harlan”, she greeted Harlan first and saluted in front of him, before she glanced at the rest of the group. “Lord Tully. We haven't expected you to be back in Harrenhal so soon” Tully slightly bowed his head in front of her. Technically, she had to bow in front of him, but Garthon knew, Kyra already had a problem when it came to bow in front of the king. She would never bow in front of a Riverlord. “Is this a problem, mylady?”

    “It's a problem that you called me 'mylady'”, Kyra growled coldly. “I am not your lady” With these words she glancedat Gabin and George, apparently ignoring both of them, before she gave Torvin a respectful nod. “Captain Breaker”, she greeted him and finally noticed Garthon. A smile formed on her face. “Glad to see you back, Garthon”, she exclaimed, sounding considerably more friendly than before. Garthon moved past his brother and gave her a comradely handshake. A hug would be presumptuous. “You're looking good today, Kyra”, he complimented her.

  • edited November 2015

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The prince cleared his throat. “Well, you see my friend Gabin here”, he explained and pointed at Gabin. “There is this thing with his girlfriend... fiancee... whatever”

    “Wife”, Gabin corrected him and Harlan shrugged. “As I said, whatever”, he continued. “A few years ago, Lord Orkwood basically kidnapped her, forced her to become his Salt Wife. She's a stunner, so naturally, Gabin wants her back and now he finally wants to tell father about his problem. Me and Tully and Breaker, we plan to support him. You know, 'cause that's what friends do”

    “Orkwood...”, Kyra muttered with visible disgust. “Are you sure your father is going to listen to him? He's not in the best mood today” Harlan gave her a decisive nod. “He will, because I'm going to make him listen”, he growled. Still, Kyra seemed to be unconvinced. She gave Gabin an apologetic look. “But... isn't it Orkwood's good right to take her? He's a lord of the islands, she's smallfolk”, she remarked.

    “Because of that, we will talk to the king”, Lord Tully stated. “Why happened there is a huge injustice and Orkwood has to answer for it” Kyra gave him a nod. “I wish you the best of luck”, she said, before she looked at Garthon. “And what exactly is your involvement in this matter?”

    “I have none”, Garthon admitted. “I want to speak to King Harren in a matter of my own. You've heard about Velmont?” A smirk flashed across Kyra's face and she gave him a nod. “Rumour has it you broke his nose”, she said “Rumour's true”, Garthon answered. “But there's more to it. I want to make sure that I won't be in trouble for defending myself”

    “I understand”, Kyra said, as she suddenly glanced at his cloak, roughly were he hid the crossbow. Garthon gulped slightly as he saw her eyes widen in surprise. “Well, I suppose you can pass then”, she finally said. Just as Tully wanted to step past her, one of the guardsmen raised his hand. “Wait a moment, Captain”, he growled. “We're supposed to search them for weapons”

    Kyra let out a sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. “You are right of course”, she answered. “How could I forget. Sorry” She turned to Garthon, a regretful look on her face, while he froze in place. Before she could do anything, a deep voice sounded. “Captain!”, a guardsman called her as he ran up the stairs. “Captain Kyra! We have a problem!”

    Garthon saw the relieved look in her eyes as she turned towards the man. “What is it?”, she demanded to know. “The stables. Someone put fire to them. And to the barracks as well” The barracks? By the Drowned God, Hjalgar did better than expected. And not a second too early!

    “Fuck...”, Kyra mumbled. “You found out who did this?” The guardsman shook his head. “No. But your brother demands your presence in the courtyard”, he answered. Kyra shrugged as she glanced at Garthon. “Then I better follow his orders. Don't wanna keep Damon waiting”, she stated, before she looked at her guards. “You come with me!” With these words, she looked at Harlan. “Prince Harlan, I trust you to search them instead”, she ordered. “Consider this an order”

    She started to walk past them, but allowed her guards to pass her, as she slightly touched Garthon's forearm. “Don't do anything you're going to regret”, she whispered with urgency in her eyes, before she finally walked after their guards, leaving the group and Harlan behind.

    “Consider this an order...”, Harlan growled. “She has the nerve to give me a fucking order... As fine as that broad looks, she got a lot from her brother. And I hate her fucking brother!” He glanced at the group, before he shook his head. “We're friends. I'm not wasting time searching a friend, not while there's a problem to be solved!”, he proclaimed and walked towards the door, not even bothering with George's sword. “Come on, friends. Father's waiting”

    He opened the door, to reveal Harren's audience room. Just like everything in this castle, it was too big, at least in Garthon's opinion. The size of the room starkly clashed with Harren's nonexistent sense of of furniture. It simply contained a single, large desk, an opulent throne and a couple of chairs for potential visitors, as well as a fireplace next to a second, smaller door. Right now, a small fire was burning in this fireplace and Garthon looked at the two men that were present in this room.

    Behind the desk, on his throne, sat Harren Hoare himself. As always, he was wearing the black, helmless armour that gave him his nickname. A cruel man, from tip to toe, every movement he made oozing of barely suppressed anger and of violent hatred. His dark eyes glanced at the group, especially at Edmyn Tully, as his mouth formed a vicious grin.

    To Garthon's surprise, the second man in this room was neither Harrick, nor the king's bodyguard. The absence of the latter wasn't that surprising. Harren wasn't a man who valued a bodyguard and more often than not, he simply did not care for keeping one around. He relied on the natural aura of dread that surrounded him like a coat to keep him safe. Harrick's absence was surprising though. The kings youngest son was by far the most competent and his advice was always sound. Many even suspected that Harren was going to build up Harrick to be his successor, that he would outright disown Harmund, Harlan and Harndon.

    The second man in the room sat on one of the chairs. He was an elegant man, handsome, wearing a long, dark coat. He had black hair, and a short, well-trimmed black beard with a small moustache. He wasn't unarmed, but the small knife he was wearing on his belt wasn't a real threat, especially not to Harren.

    “Lord Tully”, the king growled. “And Captain Breaker. I can't say I am surprised to see you together. Weakness belongs to weakness, after all” He raised from his throne as he walked around the table. Finally, he looked at Harlan. “And Harlan of course. Proves my point”, he muttered. “May I introduce my guest. This is Edward Anturion” The man raised from his chair and took an elegant bow in front of Tully. “Mylord Tully, it's an honour to meet you”, he greeted him. Harren slightly rolled his eyes, before he looked at Harlan. “You come unannounced”, he snarled.

    “I come because of an important matter, father”, Harlan said and put an arm around Gabin. “Father, this is my friend Gabin. There is something he needs to tell...” He was going to continue, but Harren cut him off with a handwave. “No”, he said calmly, without moving his glare away from Tully, taking Harlan by surprise. “But... father...”, Harlan tried again, before Harren cut him off, this time by heavily slapping him across the face with his gauntlet, using enough force to send his son on the ground. “Harlan, you are literally the dumbest son of a bitch alive!”, the king spat, before he looked at Tully, his heavy breathing slowly getting calmer again. “So, this is it?”, he asked, his dark eyes staring at Tully without moving. The Riverlord resisted the stare and gave him a determined nod. “Yes”, he answered. “This is it”

    Garthon's heart started to beat faster as he looked from George to Torvin. He was holding onto his crossbow and prayed to every god he remembered that Harlan wouldn't notice the weapon. He had no doubt that Harren had seen it though. Why was he so calm? Was he accepting his death like this? Unlikely...

    “There would be one more thing I'd like to talk about, Lord Tully...”, Harren growled with a cruel smile. “And you'd do very well to listen to me, because this is a matter of great importance to you” He glanced at Harlan who slowly raised from the ground. “Fa... father what are you talking about?”, he asked. “They betrayed you, son”, Harren growled. “They betrayed me as well, in the pathetic hope that they can kill me”

    Garthon's heart nearly missed a beat as Harren said these words. How? How could he know? This was impossible! If he knew it all along, why was he still so calm? They had him! Only him, Harlan and this Anturion. And yet, Harren Hoare was uncharacteristically calm. The same man who would rampage over the slightest of insults now only looked at them, his smile as vicious as it was confident, his dark eyes looking more amused than outraged.

    “Betrayed me?”, Harlan asked, before he looked at Torvin and Gabin, genuinely shocked. “You're lying!”, he yelled at his father, who still ignored him. “Torvin... Torvin, please tell me that this is not true!” Just like Harren, Torvin ignored him completely. Instead, he looked at the king as he slowly moved his hand underneath his coat, towards the crossbow. “How have you found out?”, he asked, his emotionless voice hiding the genuine surprise underneath. Gabin on the other hand failed to ignore Harlan, as he gave him an apologetic look, which only seemed to enrage the prince even more. “Are you fucking kidding me? I trusted you!”, he yelled, before his father put a hand on his chest to silence him once more.

    “Mallister”, the king growled and both, Tully and Garthon let out a pained sigh as they remembered the lord of Seagard. He had advised them against assassinating the king. His cold pragmatism was known in the kingdom. If they would have killed the king, there would have been a chance for Seagard to burn. “You were so convinced that you could unite the Riverlords in your hatred against me that you failed to realize how I have already united them in their hatred against each other”, Harren said in a mocking tone, before he let out a deep, growling laugh. “You amuse me, Tully. You genuinely amuse me, you fucking fish”

    “How...”, Tully answered, before he had to cut himself off, his voice sounding shaky, completely unlike his usual, confident self. Garthon wasn't able to see his face, but he was able to see Torvin's and that was already enough for him. “How long?”

    “Not as long as you may think”, Harren answered. “A week ago, he confessed. Told me everything. To be fair, he also tried to convince me to spare your life, to give you a chance. I got a good laugh out of this, so I agreed”

    He took a step closer towards Tully, but stopped as George drew his sword and pointed it at him. “You got a good little dog with you, Tully”, the king snarled, his voice terrifyingly calm. “I'm going to give you one final chance to step down. Don't mistake my mercy for weakness. You are the lord of Riverrun. The other lords love you. Even Mallister respects you and he's a man only loyal to himself” He glanced at the second door. “I don't want to kill you, or else I may as well slaughter half of my bannermen. This here... this little conspiracy, it was a stupid idea, but it doesn't have to end in bloodshed”

    “I think we're too far for that, Harren”, Tully answered calmly. “We are at an advantage. Outnumber you two to one. Give up and I make it quick” He finally glanced at Torvin, Garthon and Gabin, who drew their crossbows, pointing the weapons at Harren, Harlan and Anturion. “Mallisters treachery changed nothing”, Tully continued to explain, sounding calm, even though Garthon saw him clenching his fists in rage.

    Harren smirked at him, before he slowly shook his head. “Oh, and that is where you're wrong, Tully. Family, Duty, Honour... your words, ain't that right?”, he grinned. “Do you remember what I told you a month ago, back at the Great Hall? Honour always comes last for you... but family... family always comes first”

    “What do you mean?”, Tully answered and finally, Garthon noticed doubt in his voice. Harren's grin got a bit wider and he glanced at the side door. “When you entered the room, you have probably asked yourself where Harrick is and, well... I don't want to hold the big surprise back any longer. Come in, boy! And be gentle to her!”

    The small door opened and revealed Harrick Hoare. The kings youngest son shared his fathers calm look as he entered the room. Garthon was still unable to see Tully's face, but the agonizing gasp he made was enough for him to know how he felt, as they looked at the young woman Harrick was holding, a tall, pretty girl with auburn hair, blue eyes and high cheekbones. She appeared to be unharmed, save for a cut on her cheek and the tears that poured out of her eyes. Harrick's left arm was wrapped around her, holding her tightly, while a dagger in his right was pointing at her throat. The sight of the girl caused Torvin, Garthon and Gabin to lower their weapons.

    “Dayna...”, Tully gasped, as he looked at his daughter and back at Harren Hoare. “What have you done to her?” He took a step towards the king, which finally prompted a still genuinely baffled Harlan to draw his sword and to point it directly at Tully. “What have you done to her, you fucking monster!?”

    Harren's chuckle died down, as he shook his head. “Absolutely nothing”, he insisted. “It has been one hell of a ride for my men, from Harrenhal to Riverrun and back in a single week, but they haven't hurt her. One of them lost his cool when she insulted him and he punched her in the face, but I think we can give him a pass here” He shrugged in an apologetic manner. “We had to kill your ravens though, to make sure that no one manages to contact you”, he explained and his smile got a tiny bit more cruel. “And you maester, because someone had to die for this”

    Tully took a step backwards, away from Harlan's sword and finally, Garthon was able to see the utter devastation on his face. “What do you want?”, he asked. Harren raised his eyebrows. “I want you to stand down. Take your daughter. Return to Riverrun. Serve me faithfully from now on”, he explained, before his smile faded, just as every trace of amusement was gone from his voice. “And know that if you ever just look at me in the wrong way again, I will be the one who burns your house to the ground. I will watch you closely, trout, and if you give me even the hint of a reason, I will raze your castle, I will take your family and I will force you to watch while I make them beg for their deaths” He paused for a moment in which no one said a word. “HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?”, he yelled at the top of his lungs, loud enough to cause Tully to cringe, his sudden outburst revealing the violent anger that raged inside of him.

    Tully looked from his daughter, to Torvin, to Garthon, tears in his eyes, his voice filled with regret. “Yes...”, he mumbled. Harren started to grin. “Yes what?”, he asked. “Yes your grace”, Tully answered and finally, Harren gave Harrick a nod. The king's youngest son walked past them, his dagger still pointed at Dayna Tully's throat. Finally, he let go of her and she immediately fell into her father's arms, sobbing in desperate fear. “Father...”, she choked. “Father, don't do this. I'm sorry, they... Don't give up now!”

    The lord shook his head as he gently held his daughter, he looked up at Harrick, who gave him a sympathetic, reassuring smile. “I gave her to Harrick”, the king growled. “I gave her to Harrick, who treated her kindly and like a lady, when I could have given her to Harndon or Harmund instead. Keep that in mind and keep my promise in mind” Tuly gulped audibly, as Harrick Hoare put a hand on his shoulder. “It's over, Lord Tully”, the young prince said softly, an unsettling contrast to his father's smug rage. “Admitting defeat is not a weakness, not if it protects the ones you love”

    Tully finally let out a sigh, the look on his face being utterly crushed and defeated. “George”, he said and the soldier looked at him. “It's time to leave” To Garthon's surprise, George shook his head. “Mylord Tully, I'm afraid I can't follow this order”, he said, looking at Torvin and Garthon. The lord gave him a nod. “I understand. Thank you, George. For everything”, he said with shivering voice, as he turned away from him and walked out of the door, together with his daughter and Harrick Hoare. “I... I'm sorry. I can't”, Gabin stuttered, as he followed them, leaving Torvin, Garthon and George alone with Harren, Harlan and Anturion.

    “I see you're still here, Captain Brea...”, Harren started to say, but stopped as Torvin raised his crossbow again, pointing directly at the kings head. Torvin's face was emotionless, the look in his eyes cold, but desperate. “So, you still want to waste your life... “, Harren said without smiling, being deadly serious at last. “My offer goes to you and your brother as well. You should con...”

    He did not manage to continue, as Torvin pulled the trigger, shooting a poison-soaked bolt at Harren. It was aimed for his head, Garthon knew it, but the damn crossbow failed to hit the intended target. Garthon had to remember what the smuggler told him. This weapon was dangerously inaccurate, even on closer distances. Still, it went directly through his shoulderpad, piercing the flesh below. Harren went on his knees, his eyes widened in pain.

    “Father!”, Harlan exclaimed, as he pointed his sword at Torvin. Before he could charge at him, George jumped between them, viciously attacking the prince with his own sword, forcing him to defend himself. Harren put a hand onto the bold, as he started to cough. Meanwhile, Edward Anturion had raised from his chair, looking at the scenery with disturbing fascination. Garthon gave his brother a surprised smile as Harren's coughing got louder. He got him! The Strangler would kill him!

    To his horror, the king's cough turned into laughter as he went back onto his knees. “Mallister was kind enough to swap the vials when you presented it to the Riverlords. I don't know what you shot me with, but it's no poison”, he revealed, as he looked at Garthon. “Face it, you've...”

    Torvin cut him off by charging at him and punching him in the face without holding back. Garthon knew how hard Torvin's punches were, but despite this and despite the bolt in his shoulder, Harren Hoare remained on his feet. Without even stumbling, he retaliated by punching Torvin in the stomach, causing his brother to grunt in pain. To his left, George was locked in a fight against Harlan and it wasn't clear to see who would come out on top. And behind them, Edward Anturion looked at them. He had a dagger in his hand, but he wasn't intervening on either side.

    And finally, there was Garthon. He looked down at the crossbow in his hand. It wasn't very accurate, but had enough force to pierce heavy armour on close distances. The bolt in it wasn't poisoned, but still enough to kill, if he would manage to hit his target. One bolt and two targets, perhaps three, if he would consider the enigmatic and seemingly neutral Anturion as a threat. Before he made his decision, another thought crossed his mind, a terrible thought, but a justified one nonetheless. They had lost. The guard was most likely on their way already. If Torvin would kill the king, Harmund would torture him to death. The same would apply to George, should he succeed to kill Harlan. Perhaps if Garthon would tackle one of them now and hold him down, he could force them to give up. He could prove his loyalty to the king and maybe, just maybe, he would end up in a position where he could save his stubborn brothers life. Torvin would see it as a betrayal, but perhaps saving his life was worth the price. Once more, he looked down at the crossbow. He had one chance to take a life, or the chance to save one instead, but he had to make a decision, perhaps the hardest he ever had to make in his life.

    [Try to shoot Harren Hoare] [Try to shoot Harlan Hoare] [Try to shoot Edward Anturion]

    [Turn against Torvin and force him to give up] [Turn against George and force him to give up] [Give up and do nothing]

  • Against a really well-trained fighter Wolfius is at a disadvantage. For example, John or Marak would certainly defeat him. Wolfius has considerable skill, but in a direct fight, he can only rely on surprising his enemy to gain an advantage. He is first and foremost a killer and not a fighter and he relies on the element of surprise to kill even stronger enemies quickly, or to wound them enough that he can toy with them. However, he is not untrained either and he has a lot of experience, so even skilled fighters have to be careful around him. So far, he only got into three real fights. The first was against Richard, who knew how dangerous he is and he got easily defeated. The second one was against Lyria, who knew that he is dangerous but still underestimated him, even though she landed a hit against him. The final one was against Alexander, who never heard about him before and who was overpowered in the end. In time, more and more people will learn how dangerous he is, which will make things considerably harder for Wolfius.

    Xemnes posted: »

    Well its okay if he has tricks and what ever but...can a guy really win against some special trained fighter? I mean they know tricks too...

  • [Turn against George and force him to give up] No killing the king, let's try to stop this. Either way we basically die anyway.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • (Give up and do nothing)

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • [Try to shoot Harren Hoare] Too far to stop right now, but we could still cause a war with this shot, hopefully killing him.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • It's funny to realize that so far Wolfius' track record when it comes to fights isn't really that amazing. Well killing Alexander is clearly his "best" achievement so far but other than that he has just fought peasants and even with them he has got some injuries and had to run away. It's just his confidence and creepiness (+he always seems to find who he is looking for) that gives the feeling like he is super op :D

    Against a really well-trained fighter Wolfius is at a disadvantage. For example, John or Marak would certainly defeat him. Wolfius has consi

  • This is hard. I doubt Edward is really neutral, he needs the king for his plans, right? Turning against brother just feels wrong even if Harren would probably respect that... Maybe. And if we shoot the king, and we are lucky enough that we actually kill him, we probably die. Doing nothing... Well it would give time to see what happens, but eh. Killing Harlan is a waste of bolt. Damn, this really is hard.

    [Try to shoot Harren Hoare] It really isn't a good situation for them even if the king would spare them... I mean, they tried to kill him and they aren't as important as Tully. Harren isn't just going to forget what they did. Let's just give it a shot. Maybe that means the death of the Breaker bros but with luck we could start an epic civil war. Harmund vs. Damon vs. Harrick? I'd like that :D

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • edited November 2015

    [Try to shoot Edward Anturion]

  • [Try to shoot Harren Hoare] They've gone too far to back out now.

    I loved how Torvin just fired his crossbow without warning.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • [Try to shoot Harren Hoare]

    I think it's too late already to step back... so perhaps at least they will take their main target down.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • [Turn against George and force him to give up] the king can't die since he is alive at the field of fire. Also there is no saving Torvin since he assaulted the king. So let's save George.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • If Anturian is working for Butterfly, does that mean if we shoot him we would be putting a dent into Butterflies plans, and possibly saving Leonard and maybe the whole world?

  • [Try to shoot Harlan Hoare]

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • An excellent point...

    Bounden posted: »

    If Anturian is working for Butterfly, does that mean if we shoot him we would be putting a dent into Butterflies plans, and possibly saving Leonard and maybe the whole world?

  • edited November 2015

    First off. These chapters getting better and better everytime! PLS! PLS! LIQUID DO NOT STOP! These chapters are my weekly ritual! And this one was so intense!
    But after thinking about it really long.

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • Liquid has said before that he is ready to break canon with Harren so we do not know if he dies here. Take that in to consideration.

    Xemnes posted: »

    First off. These chapters getting better and better everytime! PLS! PLS! LIQUID DO NOT STOP! These chapters are my weekly ritual! And this one was so intense! But after thinking about it really long.

  • With nothing to back it up.......

    An excellent point...

  • Oh Okay...that changes everything. Because if there is a little chance of winning, than I stay with Torvin to the end.
    So I take [Try to shoot Harren Hoare] the king is an asshole anyway

    Liquid has said before that he is ready to break canon with Harren so we do not know if he dies here. Take that in to consideration.

  • Thank you, I'm glad you liked this chapter! I can assure you, I won't stop writing this story until it is finished, no matter how long it takes :D

    As for this choice, WildlingKing is correct. Since the whole Harrenhal storyline so far would be a bit pointless in my eyes if your choices couldn't alter the outcome of the assassination, I have included the possibility for Harren to die here, if you pick the correct choice. To be honest, he has bigger chances of survival, as out of this six choices, only one will lead to his death, but it's something. Choose carefully, this could be one of the most important choices in the whole story so far :)

    Xemnes posted: »

    First off. These chapters getting better and better everytime! PLS! PLS! LIQUID DO NOT STOP! These chapters are my weekly ritual! And this one was so intense! But after thinking about it really long.

  • Indeed, if Anturion is working for Butterfly, killing him here might interfere with the big plan. However, this is a pretty big 'if', since Anturion's possible loyalties towards anyone besides himself haven't been revealed so far. The only things that have been clarified for sure when it comes to his allies are that Ser Rodrik and his Second Sons are working for him, that he has a very powerful brother somewhere in Essos, who currently also owns the rest of the Second Sons, and that he is a friend of Aeron Blacksails, the occasionally mentioned pirate king of the Stepstones and confirmed enemy of Butterfly. Of course, there might be a connection between Anturion and Mullendore, but so far it can only be speculative. As for Leonard, the death of one man in Harrenhal, a thousand miles further to the north, certainly won't save him from any danger in Oldtown.

    Bounden posted: »

    If Anturian is working for Butterfly, does that mean if we shoot him we would be putting a dent into Butterflies plans, and possibly saving Leonard and maybe the whole world?

  • Well there's nothing to back up that we may actually hit Harlan, or that he would even die to the bolt.

    Lord_EAA posted: »

    With nothing to back it up.......

  • Anturian seems like a okay guy, so with the trend that has been going with the bad dudes, he may be a bad guy. I'm really excited for the alternative choices to see if this idea would have been a good one.

    Indeed, if Anturion is working for Butterfly, killing him here might interfere with the big plan. However, this is a pretty big 'if', since

  • Nor that doing it will not have positive concequences.

    .................................................So in total anything could happen, so we probably shouldn't guess.

    Bounden posted: »

    Well there's nothing to back up that we may actually hit Harlan, or that he would even die to the bolt.

  • edited November 2015

    his allies are that Ser Rodrik and his Second Sons are working for him, that he has a very powerful brother somewhere in Essos, who currently also owns the rest of the Second Sons, and that he is a friend of Aeron Blacksails

    WHEN WAS THIS MENTIONED? DID I MISS A PART?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Please tell me so i can make sure to read it.

    Indeed, if Anturion is working for Butterfly, killing him here might interfere with the big plan. However, this is a pretty big 'if', since

  • edited November 2015

    Edward's affiliation with Aeron Blacksails and the Stepstone pirates has been mentioned on a number of occasions, for example in Alys' last part in Chapter 4, on page 55, but most prominently, during Ilish's second part in the current chapter, where Alexander also mentioned Ser Rodrik, the Second Sons and Nain. You can find the Ilish part in question on page 80, pretty much in the middle of the page. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first and so far only time Edward's brother was mentioned by name, but Carvin mentioned him indirectly during Alys' part on page 72 before. Rodrik's allegiance with Edward was already revealed in Chapter 4, shortly after Edward himself got introduced, where he told Bear that he is working for Anturion and also hinted at Edward's plans. The parts in question are Maya parts and they can be found on page 47 and 52.

    Lord_EAA posted: »

    his allies are that Ser Rodrik and his Second Sons are working for him, that he has a very powerful brother somewhere in Essos, who currentl

  • Thank you. I forgot to read the Illish part :)

    Edward's affiliation with Aeron Blacksails and the Stepstone pirates has been mentioned on a number of occasions, for example in Alys' last

  • [Try to shoot Harren Hoare]

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • edited November 2015

    Shit... fuck... that was an amazing part. Great finale for Garthon. But this choice, why Liquid, why ;-;

    Forcing Torvin to give up won't do anything in my eyes, and Harren will most likely never forget this moment and punish him or maybe even Garthon for these actions.

    Forcing George to give up just seems like a waste, I don't think it wouldn't really accomplish anything.

    I don't know why anyone would shoot Edward Anturion, he isn't doing anything and it seems like it would just cause more unnecessary problems, despite the many mysteries still hovering over him. I just think it's too risky.

    So, after lots of thinking... I think that I'm gonna go with [Try to shoot Harren Hoare]. It was a close choice between this and doing nothing. I was thinking that maybe doing nothing would prevent any deaths from a Breaker, but then I realized that the fighting would just keep going on, and would cause even more deaths. Garthon has to make a move here. And it seems like I'm unfortunately a bit too late to the party for my reasoning to have an impact on the other readers' choices, and it seems like there's no stopping Garthon in attempting to kill Harren. While I don't like the choice, I don't like any of the other choices either, and I'm saying that in a complete story perspective. There is no happy ending to this, but hey, it's Game of Thrones, what do you expect. But, I do feel like this choice is the best choice out of the six. It's not a good choice, but it's the best. Hopefully there can be some sort of satisfying resolution to this, but I doubt it... kudos, Liquid. This story keeps on getting better!

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • Try to shoot Harren Hoare)

    “Eh, charmer”, she chuckled, before her smirk faded, as she looked back at Harlan. “What exactly do you want to talk with the king?” The pri

  • I think a happy end is what we need and want one time in got. I mean ttg ending is the best example. I see so many people who are pissed about the end of ep 6.

    Partition posted: »

    Shit... fuck... that was an amazing part. Great finale for Garthon. But this choice, why Liquid, why ;-; Forcing Torvin to give up won't

  • Oh fuck I dont know!

    Thank you, I'm glad you liked this chapter! I can assure you, I won't stop writing this story until it is finished, no matter how long it ta

  • I starting to beliebe shooting Harren is a trap ! .____.

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