[Stay out of it] I don't believe John should interfere with any of the problems at Raylansfair. I don't think he is suited for them.
[Try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius] Fuck Wolfius. Seriously if this choice helps in the death of Wolfius, I'll gladly welcome it. Even though it may get Mathea in trouble, I don't care.
John
Even with his eyes closed, John could still feel his men looking at him. They had gathered in his room, one of the largest the inn h… moread to offer, a room he had rented specifically for such a purpose. He let out a sigh and opened his eyes, looking down at the letter in his hands, the letter with the Targaryen seal on it. They had a lot to talk about.
Janae stood next to the door, her arms crossed as she glared at Jaro and I'Lian, who were sitting on chairs near the table. Unlike John, she hadn't reacted kindly to the news of their arrival in Raylansfair There had been a heated argument after they returned from Daghan's tower and Janae and I'Lian refused to talk to each other ever since. John could even understand where she came from. For the sake of Jaro and I'Lian, they stayed at Aylard's inn longer than they intended, a move that nearly got them killed. Janae was righteously furious. John on the other hand was simply glad to see tw… [view original content]
Guys, i don't believe Wolfius wil die from this choice. I really think it only affects Arthurs relationships with his father and possibly Matheas fate.
Think about this. You think they'll just TRUST he was healed. No they'll check. This could get Arthur kicked out of the guard and Mathea reprimanded and possibly jailed for not following orders. THE CHOICE IS JUST TOO EASY TO BE TRUE.
Arthur is going to try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius
The first choice was a neutral one and therefore an arguably wise one, even if he now misses an opportunity for profit by supporting the side that will eventually be victorious. By staying out of the political problems in Raylansfair, John is in no risk of angering someone he does not want to anger. Of course, what happens if Daghan ever finds out that he took his letter is a completely different story, which will be dealt with later in this chapter.
The second choice was a close one and up until today the choice to let Mathea make her own decision had a realistic chance at winning too. I was actually pretty sure that letting her make her own decision would have been the option that wins and personally, it would have probably been the one I would have chosen too. You'll see the consequences coming out of this immediately in the next Arthur part. Keep in mind, Mathea has a strong personality of her own and there is always the possibility that she already decided how to deal with Wolfius. Arthur might be able to influence her though. You'll have to wait until the next Arthur part to see the consequences of your actions, which won't be a very long wait.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I am unfortunately not entirely sure if I'll be able to finish it today, since a lot of writing and even more polishing needs to be done. However, it will be a hopefully interesting part for you, as it is going to introduce both of the new PoV characters in this chapter. The first, Sadie, is a sellsword and her storyline will take place in the Kingdom of the Rock. Her storyline will be the only one without any immediately obvious ties to the other storylines. Naturally, this will change in time. I hope you're going to enjoy her storyline even without the ties to other storylines. The second new PoV will be Edrick, a hedge knight from the North, who, as you may recall after reading the Chapter 6 teaser on page 86, has been called to the lands of Alys Boleyn's family for an important task. Prepare for lots of new characters in both storylines
I can at least confirm that not treating Wolfius won't bring Mathea into legal trouble. Unlike the doctors in our world, a healer in Westeros is not necessarily obliged by law to treat any patient that needs his help. A lord has enough authority to force his subjects into following such an order, but Hackor is not the lord of Raylansfair and Mathea is not even sworn to Lord Raylan. She was simply politely asked to treat the dangerous prisoner and like a merchant, she can refuse to offer her services. You are correct with your assumption about Arthur though. Should Wolfius die because Arthur successfully manages to convince Mathea to leave him, Hackor will be extremely angry at his son and there will likely be consequences. He will also be angry at Mathea, but won't be in a position to cause trouble for her.
Guys, i don't believe Wolfius wil die from this choice. I really think it only affects Arthurs relationships with his father and possibly Ma… moretheas fate.
Think about this. You think they'll just TRUST he was healed. No they'll check. This could get Arthur kicked out of the guard and Mathea reprimanded and possibly jailed for not following orders. THE CHOICE IS JUST TOO EASY TO BE TRUE.
Im sad that my vote lost but you can't win them all. I am however convinced it will not give the voters the outcome they wanted. Either Mathea will hate the fact that hes trying to force her and chose to heal him or Wolfius will get exactly what he wants un someway and give an undesired conclusion.
That aside im exited for us to get these two new POV's and see how they add to the story. I look forward to Edrick the most since i really like Alys and want to see how this affects hers and Edwards storylines....though i have my suspicions.
The Voting is closed!
John is going to stay out of it
Arthur is going to try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius
The first choice w… moreas a neutral one and therefore an arguably wise one, even if he now misses an opportunity for profit by supporting the side that will eventually be victorious. By staying out of the political problems in Raylansfair, John is in no risk of angering someone he does not want to anger. Of course, what happens if Daghan ever finds out that he took his letter is a completely different story, which will be dealt with later in this chapter.
The second choice was a close one and up until today the choice to let Mathea make her own decision had a realistic chance at winning too. I was actually pretty sure that letting her make her own decision would have been the option that wins and personally, it would have probably been the one I would have chosen too. You'll see the consequences coming out of this immediatel… [view original content]
My other points still stand. However i do think Arthur is the one with the most to lose with both his fathers, and Mathea's respect and admiration at stake. So this choice might have ruined his life permanently.
I can at least confirm that not treating Wolfius won't bring Mathea into legal trouble. Unlike the doctors in our world, a healer in Westero… mores is not necessarily obliged by law to treat any patient that needs his help. A lord has enough authority to force his subjects into following such an order, but Hackor is not the lord of Raylansfair and Mathea is not even sworn to Lord Raylan. She was simply politely asked to treat the dangerous prisoner and like a merchant, she can refuse to offer her services. You are correct with your assumption about Arthur though. Should Wolfius die because Arthur successfully manages to convince Mathea to leave him, Hackor will be extremely angry at his son and there will likely be consequences. He will also be angry at Mathea, but won't be in a position to cause trouble for her.
One thing I might add is, if he dies in this dungeon, Wolfius does absolutely not get what he wants. For him, it does not matter if he is sentenced to death and properly executed, or if he dies a rather pathetic death from an infected wound. Death is death. Wolfius does not want to die, he wants to live.
Im sad that my vote lost but you can't win them all. I am however convinced it will not give the voters the outcome they wanted. Either Math… moreea will hate the fact that hes trying to force her and chose to heal him or Wolfius will get exactly what he wants un someway and give an undesired conclusion.
That aside im exited for us to get these two new POV's and see how they add to the story. I look forward to Edrick the most since i really like Alys and want to see how this affects hers and Edwards storylines....though i have my suspicions.
One thing I might add is, if he dies in this dungeon, Wolfius does absolutely not get what he wants. For him, it does not matter if he is se… morentenced to death and properly executed, or if he dies a rather pathetic death from an infected wound. Death is death. Wolfius does not want to die, he wants to live.
Obviously I'm not happy about the winning vote, but fair is fair. My morals and beliefs aren't very popular so I'm not surprised. I just don't like how so many people think the best to way solve their problems are with thoughts like "just kill him"
The Voting is closed!
John is going to stay out of it
Arthur is going to try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius
The first choice w… moreas a neutral one and therefore an arguably wise one, even if he now misses an opportunity for profit by supporting the side that will eventually be victorious. By staying out of the political problems in Raylansfair, John is in no risk of angering someone he does not want to anger. Of course, what happens if Daghan ever finds out that he took his letter is a completely different story, which will be dealt with later in this chapter.
The second choice was a close one and up until today the choice to let Mathea make her own decision had a realistic chance at winning too. I was actually pretty sure that letting her make her own decision would have been the option that wins and personally, it would have probably been the one I would have chosen too. You'll see the consequences coming out of this immediatel… [view original content]
Obviously I'm not happy about the winning vote, but fair is fair. My morals and beliefs aren't very popular so I'm not surprised. I just don… more't like how so many people think the best to way solve their problems are with thoughts like "just kill him"
Super excited to see Edrick and the North!
That sadly makes 3..........Wait, so i was correct in assuming she WOULD have save him? F**** so that means shes 90% going to lisen to Arthur....... Dammit.
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dornishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
Next to him, Sadie always felt a bit unremarkable. She knew, she was probably better looking than him, but then again, half of the people she knew looked better than Dan. Using the polished blade of her knife as a mirror, she took a look at herself. Her brown hair, currently wet from the rain she and Dan just escaped from, was tied to a bun, her face itself not bad looking, but a bit too stern. Her eyes on the other hand were a feature she had always been proud of, shining in a vivid green. Still, Dan had a loud, booming voice, a charming laugh and while Sadie considered herself as someone who was easy to get along with, she was always amazed how effortlessly Dan managed to win people over with his surprising charisma.
“Here we are, Miss Wade”, Dan said with a big grin, putting one of the mugs in front of her and sitting down next to her. “Here we are”, she confirmed and glanced past him towards the counter. “You know I'm not here to drink” A smirk appeared on her face as she grabbed the mug. “But thanks”
“You are welcome”, Dan chuckled and put the mug at his lips, emptying half of it in a single gulp. “Oh wait, here comes a good one...” With these words, he let out a loud burp and Sadie's smirk got a bit wider. “You fit right in. That's good”, she complimented him. “Just don't attract any attention”
“My dear Sadie, I'm not the one who has a stern face inside this lovely establishment”, Dan answered and finally, a smile appeared on Sadie's face. 'Establishment' was a very polite way to describe the location they currently resided in. The name of this place was 'The Golden Gyles', named after its owner, and it crossed the line between a tavern and a whorehouse in a decidedly uncharming way. Sadly, it was the only location in the small coastal town of Maybros that sold ale. Maybros was sworn to House Turnberry, but they noble family resided outside of the town. As a result, The Golden Gyles was the most impressive building in the town, looking almost like a small castle itself, with large stone walls and enough space to house at least a a hundred men in the taproom.
“Much better”, Dan complimented her and moved in to take another gulp from his mug, while Sadie only took a small sip from hers. The beer tasted better than expected, but as she said before, she was not here to drink. Technically, she was currently Dan's bodyguard, while he sold his wares in the town, but she was here for something else, something much more important. She was here for her family.
Both of them looked up as the music stopped without warning. As expected for such a terrible trio of musicians, they didn't even manage to properly finish the song, instead they simply stopped midway through. “Make way for the champion!”, a loud voice growled and Sadie saw a few drunkards quickly rushing to the sides, leaving the centre of the taproom empty. “Looks like its time for some entertainment”, Dan remarked. “I've overheard them while I got the ale. There's supposed to be a fistfight tonight”
And then, she saw him. The way he moved through the room, she had no doubt it was him. Gyles Gomblinger, owner of the whorehouse, the slaving son of a bitch who currently owned her sister. He was old, probably around sixty, a short and very chubby man whose nose wasn't the only similarity he had with a pig. He wore his hair in a tragic combover and while it had obvious black roots, a greasy, yellow paste made the rest of it look like blonde, at least in the eyes of short-sighted men. The combination of a pencil-thin moustache and very expensive clothing would have looked good on a real nobleman, but Gomblinger was utterly unable to hide his common origins with it.
“Welcome, Maybros!”, he greeted the hooting drunkards. “My friends! Are you ready for your champion?” Sadie shook her head and took a deep gulp from her mug. “So, is that really the guy who bought your sister from that slaver?”, Dan asked and Sadie gave him a nod. “The slaver told me the truth, I made sure of it”, she growled. “Miranda is here, and according to the man who abducted her, she is not the only one this bastard keeps in the building”
Miranda... the thought of her sister caused a frown to appear on her face. Her live had never been the easiest, but compared to how everything went downhill after Miranda got abducted by a Lysene slaver, Sadie genuinely missed the troubles she had before. And the things she did to get her back... she had been open and honest with Dan, mostly because he had been open and honest with her as well, but there were things she did which she had never told him and would never tell him. Things that would horrify even her own sister, should she ever find her. At least it apparently paid off, considering how close she was this time. It took her almost three years to track down the slaver who took her sister and before he died, he gave her the name of the man he sold Miranda to. Gyles Gomblinger...
“Welcome your champion!”, Gomblinger yelled. “Welcome Baelor Bloodbane!” A tall man walked into Sadie's field of view. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which greatly showed off his muscles. His hair was black and fell down to his shoulders, which, paired with his well-groomed beard, gave him an impressive look. A scar that went from the right side of his forehead down to his cheekbone showed that he was not invincible, but he nonetheless looked like bad news.
“Bloodbane! Bloodbane!”, the crowd started to chant, while the fighter raised both of his hands to greet them. “Is he working for Gomblinger?”, Sadie asked and to her relief, Dan shook his head. “Technically not. He is a soldier and leads Lord Turnberry's garrison here in the city. But I have heard that he does the occasional odd job for Gomblinger as well. He's a regular in the ring”
“And here we have tonight's contender! My friends, welcome Blane Banefort!”, Gomblinger yelled and the crowed erupted into loud chants as another men walked into the centre of the room. He was smaller than Baelor and had a slimmer build, but he was nonetheless a tall, rather handsome man. His light brown hair was combed back and like Baelor, he had a large scar on the right side of his face, which narrowly missed his eye.
“That one however is working for Gomblinger. One of his guards”, Dan explained as the two fighters walked up to each other, to give each other a handshake. Gomblinger raised his fist into the air and the crowd followed his example, their cheers becoming almost deafening. “Are you ready, Maybros?”, Gomblinger yelled and the cheers became even louder. “I said ARE YOU READY!?”
This time, Sadie had to put her hands onto her ears, as the crowd became painfully loud. “He knows how to put up a show”, she muttered and Dan gave her an excited nod. “Come on, Sadie. We're here to save your sister, but that does not mean that we can't enjoy the entertainment”, he grinned.
“FIGHT!”, Gomblinger yelled and immediately, without any warning, Baelor gave Blane a brutal punch to the face. The smaller man stumbled backwards, but was quick enough to dodge a second punch. He jumped forwards and slammed both of his fists onto Baelor's chest, which in turn caused the taller man to stagger and the crowd to erupt into loud cheers.
“Blane is good”, Sadie complimented the smaller man. She knew how difficult it could be to fight a taller opponent, especially if said opponent had considerable skill on top. Nonetheless, both men did an impressive job. Dan gave her a nod. “He is good. But still, he won't win”, he answered. “He lacks Baelor's strength. Both are equally skilled, but I'm telling you, Baelor is going to win”
“Size is not everything in a fight”, Sadie quickly retorted. “I've beaten men like Baelor before” Dan shrugged, but a smirk appeared on his face as he glanced at her. “You are enjoying it”, he said. Sadie looked at him and her smile faded. “I am not”, she answered a bit too quickly. “I'm just blending in. I'm observing Gomblinger's men”
“Uh-huh”, Dan answered and raised an eyebrow. Before Sadie could answer, a new figure stepped into her field of view. It was a scantily clad young woman, with a willowy figure, tanned skin and short, mousy blonde hair. She had a beautiful smile, but it failed to hide the bitter look in her dark blue eyes.
“Welcome at the Golden Gyles”, the woman greeted them politely, with a tone of feigned joy in her voice. Behind her, Baelor managed to grab his slightly faster opponent and proceeded to slam his elbow into Blane's face. Sadie quickly looked away from the fight, instead focussing on the woman, specifically on the dark bruises that covered her wrists. The woman obviously noticed her glance but ignored it. “Am I correct when I assume that you've never been here before?”, she asked and Dan gave her a nod.
“Indeed, mylady”, he said. “My name is Dan Ornon, I am a travelling merchant. This is my bodyguard” So far, he even said the truth, although he thankfully did not mention her name. If Melanie Wade was held in this establishment, the last thing Sadie wanted was anyone getting suspicious about her name. “We've just arrived in Maybros today and went here to find a place to sleep”
The woman's smile got a bit more forced as she glanced from Dan to Sadie. “It is a pleasure to have you here”, she said in a monotone voice and barely reacted as one of the drunkards that walked past her casually slapped her butt. “My name is Nilanne and I work for Gyles. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Dan shook his head and raised his half-full mug. “Not necessary, sweet lady”, he grinned. Nilanne gave him a fake smile, accompanied by a glare, before she looked over her shoulder, towards the fight. Blane had just managed to break free of Baelor's grasp. Despite the fact that he was bleeding already, he managed to dodge the taller man's attacks and even succeeded in punching him in the stomach area, hard enough to press the air out of Baelor's lungs.
“Then perhaps you would like to bet on one of the fighters? Gyles takes great pride in these fights, he would be overjoyed to take your bets. The bets would start at two silver lions”, Nilanne said. Dan gave her a nod. “Of course, I'd be glad to. Say... five silver lions on Baelor”, he answered. Nilanne's smile got slightly smaller, but at the same time, slightly more honest. “Noted”, she said and looked at Sadie. “And you, mylady? Would you like to bet on one of the fighters?”
Before Sadie could refuse, Dan put a hand onto her shoulder. “Come on, it's clear that Baelor is winning. Take your chances, it's easy money. Besides, you've heard the lady. The noble owner of this tavern would be overjoyed if you participate in this game. We don't want to anger him, right?”, he advised her. Sadie pressed her lips together. Even though Dan was paying her well for her work, two silver lions were a lot of money and she wasn't too fond of gambling. But Dan had a fair point. If her sister was here, if she would break her out of this whorehouse, then she would anger the owner soon enough. Perhaps it would be for the best to play his game, to avoid drawing too much attention...
[Bet on Baelor][Bet on Blane][Refuse to bet]
Edrick
Even though it was only late afternoon, trees blocked the sun from shining onto the simple pathway Edrick was walking down at the moment. In fact, it was already dark enough for his companion to light a small storm lantern.
Leo York was a decade younger than him, barely a grown man. Unlike Edrick, who sported an impressive, dark brown beard, Leo was clean shaven like a southerner, with ruddy cheeks, auburn hair and blue eyes. When Edrick had arrived at Leo's village a few hours ago, the young man had immediately volunteered to lead him to the castle. Now, hours later, Edrick was finally able to see it at the end of the pathway. Beyond the trees, near the cliffs that faced the Shivering Sea, stood Burmstone Keep, seat of House Boleyn.
The castle itself was hardly impressive. The walls had a height of merely fifteen feet, with two wooden towers facing the road. The keep itself stood directly next to the cliff and was slightly higher than the walls. Judging from the torches Edrick was able to see, only half a dozen guards were on duty at the moment.
“There it is”, Leo said, rather unnecessarily and Edrick gave him a nod. He had never been a talkative man and to his great pleasure, Leo wasn't too chatty either. Instead, they had spent a majority of the way in silence. “Thank you, Leo”, Edrick said shortly, before he moved a hand towards his purse. He pulled out a single, golden coin and handed it towards his surprised guide.
“Your payment”, Edrick explained with a smirk. Leo raised his eyebrows. “Ser, that's far too much. I can't accept it!”, he argued and Edrick shook his head. “And I'm afraid I can't take it back, Leo. You've been a good guide. You earned it, so take it”, he answered. Leo let out a sigh, before he finally accepted the coin. “Thank you, Ser Edrick”, he said sternly, before he looked around, into the forest. “I think for such a sum, I would be glad to wait for your return, to lead you back to the village”
Edrick gave him a nod. “That would be kind of you, Leo”, he said. “But out here, in the cold? I don't think that's a good idea” Leo gave him a smirk. “Ser Edrick, I grew up in these woods and spent many nights out here. It's really no big deal”, he promised, before he glanced towards the castle. “Though... how long will your business with Lord Boleyn take?”
With this question, he took Edrick off guard. He was already surprised that he was even approached by the lord in the first place. He had met him ten years ago. Back then, Edrick had been a young hedge knight in Lord Karstark's service and he and Lord Boleyn had fought side by side against a Skagosi warband that was raiding Karstarks lands. For a whole day they had been standing next to each other behind a makeshift barricade, knee-deep in a mixture of fresh, warm blood, ice-cold mud and dirty snow. Edrick almost lost his left arm that day and the ugly scar the Skagosi blade left on his shoulder occasionally still caused him a lot of pain. Lord Boleyn lost part of his ear and without Edrick's intervention, he would have lost the rest of his head as well. After their victory over the Skagosi, the two men had spent the whole night drinking and celebrating their victory, before each went their separate ways. And now, ten years later, Lord Boleyn had called him to his castle, to discuss a matter of great importance.
“I don't know, Leo”, he answered truthfully. “I doubt Lord Boleyn just wants a quick chat with me, so it might take me a bit longer. Though, maybe he's going to give me my task immediately” Leo gave him a stern nod. “Is it about his daughter?”, he asked suddenly and Edrick glanced at him. For the first time since he met him, Leo showed something that resembled enthusiasm and genuine curiosity.
“Likely”, Edrick admitted. In his letter, Lord Boleyn only mentioned a matter of great, personal importance, but Edrick was no fool. Yesterday, around the early evening, he had arrived in the small village that swore fealty to the Boleyn's. Knowing that it had already been too late to continue his travels to the castle, he had kept his ears open for a hint of what the lord wanted from him. The name 'Alys' was mentioned more than often and it gave Edrick a rough idea why he was called to the Keep.
Lady Alys Boleyn, only daughter of Barroth Boleyn, his eldest child... Apparently, the young lady had nothing better to do than to run away from home, to escape an unwanted marriage. It would make sense that Lord Boleyn would send someone to retrieve her. A proud smirk appeared on his face as he realized that he most likely made one hell of an impression on Lord Boleyn that he remembered him even after all these years.
“You know that she is missing?”, he asked and Leo gave him a nod, staring at the ground in front of him in a somewhat sullen way. “The whole village knows it”, he answered quickly. “It's been almost two months now. Everyone is worried. It would make sense for Lord Barroth to call for a knight to search for his daughter”
“What's with his own knights?”, Edrick asked. A sad smirk appeared on Leo's face as he looked at the small castle. “House Boleyn has but one knight sworn to them, the old master-at-arms. He is over a decade older than Lord Barroth and in no shape to search for young noble girls. For such a case, he has to rely on hedge knights and the goodwill of his neighbours. You are actually not the first outsider the lord has called for”
“I'm not?”, Edrick asked, slightly surprised, his proud smirk fading immediately. Leo shook his head. “A week after Lady Alys went missing, Lord Barroth has sent word to the surrounding lords, namely the lords Frostborn, Overton and especially Karstark. So far, only House Karstark has answered”, he explained and his facial expression darkened. “Three days ago, her betrothed, Dante Karstark, and his loudmouth squire, Darren... Darreth something, have spent a night in our village, before they continued their way to the Keep”
“Dante Karstark, huh? Poor guy. I suppose that whole situation must be awkward for him. That girl ran away from home just to avoid marrying him”, Edrick chuckled and Leo gave him a nod. “I suppose it is, Ser Edrick. I haven't talked to him, kept my distance”, he answered shortly and Edrick noticed a somewhat displeased look on his face.
“Everything alright, Leo?”, he asked and the young man gave him a nod, a bit too quickly. “Everything alright, Ser Edrick”, he confirmed hastily. “Look, I think you don't want to keep Lord Barroth waiting. Trust me, he does not like to wait”
Edrick let out a sigh as he looked at the castle. He had realized the sudden shift in Leo's mood. All the way to the castle, he had been friendly, but silent. The moment they started to talk about Lady Alys, he showed sudden interest. And when he mentioned Alys' betrothed, the young Karstark, his mood changed for the worse. “Listen, Leo, if there is anything wrong, you can tell me”, Edrick urged him. “In fact, if there is anything wrong, either with Lady Alys, her father or her betrothed, I think I should know it”
“No, Ser Edrick, nothing is wrong”, Leo answered quickly, even though it was clear that he was hiding something. The young man was a terrible liar, bad enough to make even Edrick realize that something was not right and that made him curious, as well as slightly worried. If he would insist, he could probably press Leo to reveal the truth. Though he had been a good guide and angering him wasn't in Edrick's interest. Perhaps he should just leave him be and prepare for his meeting with Lord Boleyn...
[Press Leo to tell you the truth][Drop the matter and leave him be]
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] I don't really see any harm, we can make it on our own. He's clearly hiding something about Dante.
I really enjoyed these new POV's! I also saw that both of them have a line about one of the people having a ten year age difference between the POV and them.
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
I feel like Arthur and Hackor's relationship is too broken to be mended properly anyway. And just because you don't have a good relationship with your parents, doesn't mean your life is ruined.
My other points still stand. However i do think Arthur is the one with the most to lose with both his fathers, and Mathea's respect and admiration at stake. So this choice might have ruined his life permanently.
It was actually a combination of these two, paired with a third reason. The Boleyns are Karstark bannermen and considering that Dante has a connection to them, it only makes for Lord Karstark to send him when they ask for help. At the same time, Lord Boleyn also asked for Dante in particular. After all, he had a reason to arrange a marriage between Dante and Alys. Finally, even if Lord Boleyn wouldn't have asked, Dante would have most likely volunteered to help. While there have always been plenty of other problems between Alys and her father, the arranged marriage between her and Dante was the final straw for her to run away from home, so he probably feels that helping Lord Boleyn is his responsibility. I plan to reveal more details about Dante's reason to be at the Boleyn's keep in the next Edrick part, which will also be the part that introduces him.
I feel like Arthur and Hackor's relationship is too broken to be mended properly anyway. And just because you don't have a good relationship with your parents, doesn't mean your life is ruined.
It was actually a combination of these two, paired with a third reason. The Boleyns are Karstark bannermen and considering that Dante has a … moreconnection to them, it only makes for Lord Karstark to send him when they ask for help. At the same time, Lord Boleyn also asked for Dante in particular. After all, he had a reason to arrange a marriage between Dante and Alys. Finally, even if Lord Boleyn wouldn't have asked, Dante would have most likely volunteered to help. While there have always been plenty of other problems between Alys and her father, the arranged marriage between her and Dante was the final straw for her to run away from home, so he probably feels that helping Lord Boleyn is his responsibility. I plan to reveal more details about Dante's reason to be at the Boleyn's keep in the next Edrick part, which will also be the part that introduces him.
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] Yeah, I want to know a little more about this situation before we meet the lord, and clearly Leo knows something.
It was nice to have some new characters, I'm especially interested in this whole mess around Boleyns and Karstarks - even if it clearly isn't a major part of the story. Sadie seems also a character I potentially like, we'll see
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dorn… moreishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
N… [view original content]
[Bet on Blane] Let's have some fun! It's clear that Sadie favors Blane, and as InGen said, this way one of us wins.
[Press Leo to tell yo… moreu the truth] Something's making him uneasy about Dante. I-- we must know.
Dante and Darreth! I'm so excited!
TeamKarstark
Comments
better than helping that crazy bastard
Maybe, maybe not. Is the chance of missing an awesome trial worth this petty vengence?
[Approach Harris and tell him about the Targaryen spy in his castle]
[Try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius]
[Stay out of it] I don't believe John should interfere with any of the problems at Raylansfair. I don't think he is suited for them.
[Try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius] Fuck Wolfius. Seriously if this choice helps in the death of Wolfius, I'll gladly welcome it. Even though it may get Mathea in trouble, I don't care.
Guys, i don't believe Wolfius wil die from this choice. I really think it only affects Arthurs relationships with his father and possibly Matheas fate.
Think about this. You think they'll just TRUST he was healed. No they'll check. This could get Arthur kicked out of the guard and Mathea reprimanded and possibly jailed for not following orders. THE CHOICE IS JUST TOO EASY TO BE TRUE.
The Voting is closed!
John is going to stay out of it
Arthur is going to try to convince Mathea to leave Wolfius
The first choice was a neutral one and therefore an arguably wise one, even if he now misses an opportunity for profit by supporting the side that will eventually be victorious. By staying out of the political problems in Raylansfair, John is in no risk of angering someone he does not want to anger. Of course, what happens if Daghan ever finds out that he took his letter is a completely different story, which will be dealt with later in this chapter.
The second choice was a close one and up until today the choice to let Mathea make her own decision had a realistic chance at winning too. I was actually pretty sure that letting her make her own decision would have been the option that wins and personally, it would have probably been the one I would have chosen too. You'll see the consequences coming out of this immediately in the next Arthur part. Keep in mind, Mathea has a strong personality of her own and there is always the possibility that she already decided how to deal with Wolfius. Arthur might be able to influence her though. You'll have to wait until the next Arthur part to see the consequences of your actions, which won't be a very long wait.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I am unfortunately not entirely sure if I'll be able to finish it today, since a lot of writing and even more polishing needs to be done. However, it will be a hopefully interesting part for you, as it is going to introduce both of the new PoV characters in this chapter. The first, Sadie, is a sellsword and her storyline will take place in the Kingdom of the Rock. Her storyline will be the only one without any immediately obvious ties to the other storylines. Naturally, this will change in time. I hope you're going to enjoy her storyline even without the ties to other storylines. The second new PoV will be Edrick, a hedge knight from the North, who, as you may recall after reading the Chapter 6 teaser on page 86, has been called to the lands of Alys Boleyn's family for an important task. Prepare for lots of new characters in both storylines
I can at least confirm that not treating Wolfius won't bring Mathea into legal trouble. Unlike the doctors in our world, a healer in Westeros is not necessarily obliged by law to treat any patient that needs his help. A lord has enough authority to force his subjects into following such an order, but Hackor is not the lord of Raylansfair and Mathea is not even sworn to Lord Raylan. She was simply politely asked to treat the dangerous prisoner and like a merchant, she can refuse to offer her services. You are correct with your assumption about Arthur though. Should Wolfius die because Arthur successfully manages to convince Mathea to leave him, Hackor will be extremely angry at his son and there will likely be consequences. He will also be angry at Mathea, but won't be in a position to cause trouble for her.
Im sad that my vote lost but you can't win them all. I am however convinced it will not give the voters the outcome they wanted. Either Mathea will hate the fact that hes trying to force her and chose to heal him or Wolfius will get exactly what he wants un someway and give an undesired conclusion.
That aside im exited for us to get these two new POV's and see how they add to the story. I look forward to Edrick the most since i really like Alys and want to see how this affects hers and Edwards storylines....though i have my suspicions.
My other points still stand. However i do think Arthur is the one with the most to lose with both his fathers, and Mathea's respect and admiration at stake. So this choice might have ruined his life permanently.
One thing I might add is, if he dies in this dungeon, Wolfius does absolutely not get what he wants. For him, it does not matter if he is sentenced to death and properly executed, or if he dies a rather pathetic death from an infected wound. Death is death. Wolfius does not want to die, he wants to live.
Still. My other points stand. Also i edited the comment so you might see what else i added.
Obviously I'm not happy about the winning vote, but fair is fair. My morals and beliefs aren't very popular so I'm not surprised. I just don't like how so many people think the best to way solve their problems are with thoughts like "just kill him"
Super excited to see Edrick and the North!
You are not alone in your beliefs.
That sadly makes 3..........Wait, so i was correct in assuming she WOULD have save him? F**** so that means shes 90% going to lisen to Arthur....... Dammit.
Sadie
The air in the taproom was hot and filled with loud, dissonant music. Three musicians played a terrible interpretation of 'The Dornishman's Wife', which didn't seem to faze the drunkards that filled the entire room. It was a small miracle that Sadie Wade had managed to secure a table for herself and her companion.
Speaking about her companion, as she looked up she saw Dan slowly elbowing his way through the mass of people that filled the room, while carrying two large mugs of ale. He was ten years older than her, almost a whole foot taller and while he wasn't exactly fat, the beginnings of a paunch clearly proved that he had a good life so far. His hair was as black as an Ironborn's heart and his eyes had an unremarkable, brownish colour, fitting for his plain face. His smile was white and wide and always honest though and Sadie had to admit that he knew how to dress. His fine, blue garments made him almost look like royalty.
Next to him, Sadie always felt a bit unremarkable. She knew, she was probably better looking than him, but then again, half of the people she knew looked better than Dan. Using the polished blade of her knife as a mirror, she took a look at herself. Her brown hair, currently wet from the rain she and Dan just escaped from, was tied to a bun, her face itself not bad looking, but a bit too stern. Her eyes on the other hand were a feature she had always been proud of, shining in a vivid green. Still, Dan had a loud, booming voice, a charming laugh and while Sadie considered herself as someone who was easy to get along with, she was always amazed how effortlessly Dan managed to win people over with his surprising charisma.
“Here we are, Miss Wade”, Dan said with a big grin, putting one of the mugs in front of her and sitting down next to her. “Here we are”, she confirmed and glanced past him towards the counter. “You know I'm not here to drink” A smirk appeared on her face as she grabbed the mug. “But thanks”
“You are welcome”, Dan chuckled and put the mug at his lips, emptying half of it in a single gulp. “Oh wait, here comes a good one...” With these words, he let out a loud burp and Sadie's smirk got a bit wider. “You fit right in. That's good”, she complimented him. “Just don't attract any attention”
“My dear Sadie, I'm not the one who has a stern face inside this lovely establishment”, Dan answered and finally, a smile appeared on Sadie's face. 'Establishment' was a very polite way to describe the location they currently resided in. The name of this place was 'The Golden Gyles', named after its owner, and it crossed the line between a tavern and a whorehouse in a decidedly uncharming way. Sadly, it was the only location in the small coastal town of Maybros that sold ale. Maybros was sworn to House Turnberry, but they noble family resided outside of the town. As a result, The Golden Gyles was the most impressive building in the town, looking almost like a small castle itself, with large stone walls and enough space to house at least a a hundred men in the taproom.
“Much better”, Dan complimented her and moved in to take another gulp from his mug, while Sadie only took a small sip from hers. The beer tasted better than expected, but as she said before, she was not here to drink. Technically, she was currently Dan's bodyguard, while he sold his wares in the town, but she was here for something else, something much more important. She was here for her family.
Both of them looked up as the music stopped without warning. As expected for such a terrible trio of musicians, they didn't even manage to properly finish the song, instead they simply stopped midway through. “Make way for the champion!”, a loud voice growled and Sadie saw a few drunkards quickly rushing to the sides, leaving the centre of the taproom empty. “Looks like its time for some entertainment”, Dan remarked. “I've overheard them while I got the ale. There's supposed to be a fistfight tonight”
And then, she saw him. The way he moved through the room, she had no doubt it was him. Gyles Gomblinger, owner of the whorehouse, the slaving son of a bitch who currently owned her sister. He was old, probably around sixty, a short and very chubby man whose nose wasn't the only similarity he had with a pig. He wore his hair in a tragic combover and while it had obvious black roots, a greasy, yellow paste made the rest of it look like blonde, at least in the eyes of short-sighted men. The combination of a pencil-thin moustache and very expensive clothing would have looked good on a real nobleman, but Gomblinger was utterly unable to hide his common origins with it.
“Welcome, Maybros!”, he greeted the hooting drunkards. “My friends! Are you ready for your champion?” Sadie shook her head and took a deep gulp from her mug. “So, is that really the guy who bought your sister from that slaver?”, Dan asked and Sadie gave him a nod. “The slaver told me the truth, I made sure of it”, she growled. “Miranda is here, and according to the man who abducted her, she is not the only one this bastard keeps in the building”
Miranda... the thought of her sister caused a frown to appear on her face. Her live had never been the easiest, but compared to how everything went downhill after Miranda got abducted by a Lysene slaver, Sadie genuinely missed the troubles she had before. And the things she did to get her back... she had been open and honest with Dan, mostly because he had been open and honest with her as well, but there were things she did which she had never told him and would never tell him. Things that would horrify even her own sister, should she ever find her. At least it apparently paid off, considering how close she was this time. It took her almost three years to track down the slaver who took her sister and before he died, he gave her the name of the man he sold Miranda to. Gyles Gomblinger...
“Welcome your champion!”, Gomblinger yelled. “Welcome Baelor Bloodbane!” A tall man walked into Sadie's field of view. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which greatly showed off his muscles. His hair was black and fell down to his shoulders, which, paired with his well-groomed beard, gave him an impressive look. A scar that went from the right side of his forehead down to his cheekbone showed that he was not invincible, but he nonetheless looked like bad news.
“Bloodbane! Bloodbane!”, the crowd started to chant, while the fighter raised both of his hands to greet them. “Is he working for Gomblinger?”, Sadie asked and to her relief, Dan shook his head. “Technically not. He is a soldier and leads Lord Turnberry's garrison here in the city. But I have heard that he does the occasional odd job for Gomblinger as well. He's a regular in the ring”
“And here we have tonight's contender! My friends, welcome Blane Banefort!”, Gomblinger yelled and the crowed erupted into loud chants as another men walked into the centre of the room. He was smaller than Baelor and had a slimmer build, but he was nonetheless a tall, rather handsome man. His light brown hair was combed back and like Baelor, he had a large scar on the right side of his face, which narrowly missed his eye.
“That one however is working for Gomblinger. One of his guards”, Dan explained as the two fighters walked up to each other, to give each other a handshake. Gomblinger raised his fist into the air and the crowd followed his example, their cheers becoming almost deafening. “Are you ready, Maybros?”, Gomblinger yelled and the cheers became even louder. “I said ARE YOU READY!?”
This time, Sadie had to put her hands onto her ears, as the crowd became painfully loud. “He knows how to put up a show”, she muttered and Dan gave her an excited nod. “Come on, Sadie. We're here to save your sister, but that does not mean that we can't enjoy the entertainment”, he grinned.
“FIGHT!”, Gomblinger yelled and immediately, without any warning, Baelor gave Blane a brutal punch to the face. The smaller man stumbled backwards, but was quick enough to dodge a second punch. He jumped forwards and slammed both of his fists onto Baelor's chest, which in turn caused the taller man to stagger and the crowd to erupt into loud cheers.
“Blane is good”, Sadie complimented the smaller man. She knew how difficult it could be to fight a taller opponent, especially if said opponent had considerable skill on top. Nonetheless, both men did an impressive job. Dan gave her a nod. “He is good. But still, he won't win”, he answered. “He lacks Baelor's strength. Both are equally skilled, but I'm telling you, Baelor is going to win”
“Size is not everything in a fight”, Sadie quickly retorted. “I've beaten men like Baelor before” Dan shrugged, but a smirk appeared on his face as he glanced at her. “You are enjoying it”, he said. Sadie looked at him and her smile faded. “I am not”, she answered a bit too quickly. “I'm just blending in. I'm observing Gomblinger's men”
“Uh-huh”, Dan answered and raised an eyebrow. Before Sadie could answer, a new figure stepped into her field of view. It was a scantily clad young woman, with a willowy figure, tanned skin and short, mousy blonde hair. She had a beautiful smile, but it failed to hide the bitter look in her dark blue eyes.
“Welcome at the Golden Gyles”, the woman greeted them politely, with a tone of feigned joy in her voice. Behind her, Baelor managed to grab his slightly faster opponent and proceeded to slam his elbow into Blane's face. Sadie quickly looked away from the fight, instead focussing on the woman, specifically on the dark bruises that covered her wrists. The woman obviously noticed her glance but ignored it. “Am I correct when I assume that you've never been here before?”, she asked and Dan gave her a nod.
“Indeed, mylady”, he said. “My name is Dan Ornon, I am a travelling merchant. This is my bodyguard” So far, he even said the truth, although he thankfully did not mention her name. If Melanie Wade was held in this establishment, the last thing Sadie wanted was anyone getting suspicious about her name. “We've just arrived in Maybros today and went here to find a place to sleep”
The woman's smile got a bit more forced as she glanced from Dan to Sadie. “It is a pleasure to have you here”, she said in a monotone voice and barely reacted as one of the drunkards that walked past her casually slapped her butt. “My name is Nilanne and I work for Gyles. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Dan shook his head and raised his half-full mug. “Not necessary, sweet lady”, he grinned. Nilanne gave him a fake smile, accompanied by a glare, before she looked over her shoulder, towards the fight. Blane had just managed to break free of Baelor's grasp. Despite the fact that he was bleeding already, he managed to dodge the taller man's attacks and even succeeded in punching him in the stomach area, hard enough to press the air out of Baelor's lungs.
“Then perhaps you would like to bet on one of the fighters? Gyles takes great pride in these fights, he would be overjoyed to take your bets. The bets would start at two silver lions”, Nilanne said. Dan gave her a nod. “Of course, I'd be glad to. Say... five silver lions on Baelor”, he answered. Nilanne's smile got slightly smaller, but at the same time, slightly more honest. “Noted”, she said and looked at Sadie. “And you, mylady? Would you like to bet on one of the fighters?”
Before Sadie could refuse, Dan put a hand onto her shoulder. “Come on, it's clear that Baelor is winning. Take your chances, it's easy money. Besides, you've heard the lady. The noble owner of this tavern would be overjoyed if you participate in this game. We don't want to anger him, right?”, he advised her. Sadie pressed her lips together. Even though Dan was paying her well for her work, two silver lions were a lot of money and she wasn't too fond of gambling. But Dan had a fair point. If her sister was here, if she would break her out of this whorehouse, then she would anger the owner soon enough. Perhaps it would be for the best to play his game, to avoid drawing too much attention...
[Bet on Baelor] [Bet on Blane] [Refuse to bet]
Edrick
Even though it was only late afternoon, trees blocked the sun from shining onto the simple pathway Edrick was walking down at the moment. In fact, it was already dark enough for his companion to light a small storm lantern.
Leo York was a decade younger than him, barely a grown man. Unlike Edrick, who sported an impressive, dark brown beard, Leo was clean shaven like a southerner, with ruddy cheeks, auburn hair and blue eyes. When Edrick had arrived at Leo's village a few hours ago, the young man had immediately volunteered to lead him to the castle. Now, hours later, Edrick was finally able to see it at the end of the pathway. Beyond the trees, near the cliffs that faced the Shivering Sea, stood Burmstone Keep, seat of House Boleyn.
The castle itself was hardly impressive. The walls had a height of merely fifteen feet, with two wooden towers facing the road. The keep itself stood directly next to the cliff and was slightly higher than the walls. Judging from the torches Edrick was able to see, only half a dozen guards were on duty at the moment.
“There it is”, Leo said, rather unnecessarily and Edrick gave him a nod. He had never been a talkative man and to his great pleasure, Leo wasn't too chatty either. Instead, they had spent a majority of the way in silence. “Thank you, Leo”, Edrick said shortly, before he moved a hand towards his purse. He pulled out a single, golden coin and handed it towards his surprised guide.
“Your payment”, Edrick explained with a smirk. Leo raised his eyebrows. “Ser, that's far too much. I can't accept it!”, he argued and Edrick shook his head. “And I'm afraid I can't take it back, Leo. You've been a good guide. You earned it, so take it”, he answered. Leo let out a sigh, before he finally accepted the coin. “Thank you, Ser Edrick”, he said sternly, before he looked around, into the forest. “I think for such a sum, I would be glad to wait for your return, to lead you back to the village”
Edrick gave him a nod. “That would be kind of you, Leo”, he said. “But out here, in the cold? I don't think that's a good idea” Leo gave him a smirk. “Ser Edrick, I grew up in these woods and spent many nights out here. It's really no big deal”, he promised, before he glanced towards the castle. “Though... how long will your business with Lord Boleyn take?”
With this question, he took Edrick off guard. He was already surprised that he was even approached by the lord in the first place. He had met him ten years ago. Back then, Edrick had been a young hedge knight in Lord Karstark's service and he and Lord Boleyn had fought side by side against a Skagosi warband that was raiding Karstarks lands. For a whole day they had been standing next to each other behind a makeshift barricade, knee-deep in a mixture of fresh, warm blood, ice-cold mud and dirty snow. Edrick almost lost his left arm that day and the ugly scar the Skagosi blade left on his shoulder occasionally still caused him a lot of pain. Lord Boleyn lost part of his ear and without Edrick's intervention, he would have lost the rest of his head as well. After their victory over the Skagosi, the two men had spent the whole night drinking and celebrating their victory, before each went their separate ways. And now, ten years later, Lord Boleyn had called him to his castle, to discuss a matter of great importance.
“I don't know, Leo”, he answered truthfully. “I doubt Lord Boleyn just wants a quick chat with me, so it might take me a bit longer. Though, maybe he's going to give me my task immediately” Leo gave him a stern nod. “Is it about his daughter?”, he asked suddenly and Edrick glanced at him. For the first time since he met him, Leo showed something that resembled enthusiasm and genuine curiosity.
“Likely”, Edrick admitted. In his letter, Lord Boleyn only mentioned a matter of great, personal importance, but Edrick was no fool. Yesterday, around the early evening, he had arrived in the small village that swore fealty to the Boleyn's. Knowing that it had already been too late to continue his travels to the castle, he had kept his ears open for a hint of what the lord wanted from him. The name 'Alys' was mentioned more than often and it gave Edrick a rough idea why he was called to the Keep.
Lady Alys Boleyn, only daughter of Barroth Boleyn, his eldest child... Apparently, the young lady had nothing better to do than to run away from home, to escape an unwanted marriage. It would make sense that Lord Boleyn would send someone to retrieve her. A proud smirk appeared on his face as he realized that he most likely made one hell of an impression on Lord Boleyn that he remembered him even after all these years.
“You know that she is missing?”, he asked and Leo gave him a nod, staring at the ground in front of him in a somewhat sullen way. “The whole village knows it”, he answered quickly. “It's been almost two months now. Everyone is worried. It would make sense for Lord Barroth to call for a knight to search for his daughter”
“What's with his own knights?”, Edrick asked. A sad smirk appeared on Leo's face as he looked at the small castle. “House Boleyn has but one knight sworn to them, the old master-at-arms. He is over a decade older than Lord Barroth and in no shape to search for young noble girls. For such a case, he has to rely on hedge knights and the goodwill of his neighbours. You are actually not the first outsider the lord has called for”
“I'm not?”, Edrick asked, slightly surprised, his proud smirk fading immediately. Leo shook his head. “A week after Lady Alys went missing, Lord Barroth has sent word to the surrounding lords, namely the lords Frostborn, Overton and especially Karstark. So far, only House Karstark has answered”, he explained and his facial expression darkened. “Three days ago, her betrothed, Dante Karstark, and his loudmouth squire, Darren... Darreth something, have spent a night in our village, before they continued their way to the Keep”
“Dante Karstark, huh? Poor guy. I suppose that whole situation must be awkward for him. That girl ran away from home just to avoid marrying him”, Edrick chuckled and Leo gave him a nod. “I suppose it is, Ser Edrick. I haven't talked to him, kept my distance”, he answered shortly and Edrick noticed a somewhat displeased look on his face.
“Everything alright, Leo?”, he asked and the young man gave him a nod, a bit too quickly. “Everything alright, Ser Edrick”, he confirmed hastily. “Look, I think you don't want to keep Lord Barroth waiting. Trust me, he does not like to wait”
Edrick let out a sigh as he looked at the castle. He had realized the sudden shift in Leo's mood. All the way to the castle, he had been friendly, but silent. The moment they started to talk about Lady Alys, he showed sudden interest. And when he mentioned Alys' betrothed, the young Karstark, his mood changed for the worse. “Listen, Leo, if there is anything wrong, you can tell me”, Edrick urged him. “In fact, if there is anything wrong, either with Lady Alys, her father or her betrothed, I think I should know it”
“No, Ser Edrick, nothing is wrong”, Leo answered quickly, even though it was clear that he was hiding something. The young man was a terrible liar, bad enough to make even Edrick realize that something was not right and that made him curious, as well as slightly worried. If he would insist, he could probably press Leo to reveal the truth. Though he had been a good guide and angering him wasn't in Edrick's interest. Perhaps he should just leave him be and prepare for his meeting with Lord Boleyn...
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] [Drop the matter and leave him be]
[Bet on Blane] This way one of us wins.
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] I don't really see any harm, we can make it on our own. He's clearly hiding something about Dante.
I really enjoyed these new POV's! I also saw that both of them have a line about one of the people having a ten year age difference between the POV and them.
[Bet on Blane] Let's have some fun! It's clear that Sadie favors Blane, and as InGen said, this way one of us wins.
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] Something's making him uneasy about Dante. I-- we must know.
Dante and Darreth! I'm so excited!
TeamKarstark
[Bet on Blane]
Logic.
[Press him]
Gotta find out sooner or later. Better sooner than later then
[Bet on Blane]
[Press Leo to tell you the truth]
Both these new POV's were an interesting read, looking forward to seeing how they develop.
So was Dante sent by the Lord of House Karstark? Or did Lord Barroth ask for Dante specifically?
[Bet on Blane]
[Drop the matter and leave him be]
[Bet on Baelor]
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] I like Edrick he seems cool.
[Bet on Blane]
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] I think he likes Alys himself... :-)
[Bet on Blane]
Insert size doesn't matter joke here.
[Press Leo to tell you the truth]
Truth will set you free.
Great part!
I feel like Arthur and Hackor's relationship is too broken to be mended properly anyway. And just because you don't have a good relationship with your parents, doesn't mean your life is ruined.
[Bet on Blane]
[Press Leo to tell you the truth]
It was actually a combination of these two, paired with a third reason. The Boleyns are Karstark bannermen and considering that Dante has a connection to them, it only makes for Lord Karstark to send him when they ask for help. At the same time, Lord Boleyn also asked for Dante in particular. After all, he had a reason to arrange a marriage between Dante and Alys. Finally, even if Lord Boleyn wouldn't have asked, Dante would have most likely volunteered to help. While there have always been plenty of other problems between Alys and her father, the arranged marriage between her and Dante was the final straw for her to run away from home, so he probably feels that helping Lord Boleyn is his responsibility. I plan to reveal more details about Dante's reason to be at the Boleyn's keep in the next Edrick part, which will also be the part that introduces him.
Oh i get it. So because of that its perfectly ok to leave a guy to die out of an infection.....................
Yeah please don't try to justify this. Anyway i don't think i met you before. My nanes Lord nice to meet you.
Will Darreth be in it too?
Yes he will
YES! (screams like a school girl) I'M SO PUMPED!
[Bet on Baelor] "If I was a betting man..."
[Press Leo to tell you the truth] Yeah, I want to know a little more about this situation before we meet the lord, and clearly Leo knows something.
It was nice to have some new characters, I'm especially interested in this whole mess around Boleyns and Karstarks - even if it clearly isn't a major part of the story. Sadie seems also a character I potentially like, we'll see
TeamKarstark
I have to say all these references really have made me excited to finally see Dante
I can tell you one were it does. Have you seen 'The Mountain and The Viper'? It was a smash hit
Well its time for Lords fan question number 200. What, in your opinion, is this stories greatest mystery so far?
Solved to unsolved?
Both, or whichever you prefer.
I can honestly say I have never seen that before.
Solved: Identity of Butterfly
Unsolved: The beast.
Look up the Mountain vs. the Viper or Oberyn Martell vs. Gregor Clegane.
Unless you don't want to have your mind blown.