Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
I always liked him but he did annoy me last chapter. I like Garen's honesty about the people in command. But last chapter his constant complaining urked me a bit. Plus I like the dynamic between him and Drent. He and Argella are really the only side characters I like in Drent's story.
Wait, you like Garen? That is interesting, because if I remember correctly, you found him a bit annoying at the end of the last chapter. May I ask, what changed your opinion about him?
Hurray! A Drent Pov is always appreciated (expecially if Argella is present!:D)!
About the choice take Garen with us is a must since he still dislike Drent and let the sellsword be with his lover will be an obvious good start to renew ties. Between Edonia and Torrence instead is a little more hard decision to make:take Edonia will give Drent a more useful supporter but leave the brother behind is not a safe choice (Torrence to me seems a troublemaker) while take Torrence with us means that Drent will have another bothersome warrior to go with him but,after the charity,Montclair maybe will make a good world about the soldier cleaning the name of the young man.
In the end my choice is [Choose Edonia and Garen] because Edonia seems to like more Raylansfair and for do a charity work I prefer have someone that will not scare the children
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
If I remember correctly there was a fight scene during the last Lucas PoV.
About the lack of fights (thing that for me is never a bad thing since battles should happen only when the story requires it) I'm of the opinion that your wish will,first of then,granted since:
the masquerade that give the name at this chapter has not yet reached the climax
Raenna together with Terroma and Samuel is going to enter inside the dungeons under Oldtown to rescue Kersea's sister.
Kersea is going together with Clayton to kill someone
Sadie plan to rescue her sister from a brothel will maybe soon begin
Maya has enter inside the secret Raylainsfair library to found secret documents
Maybe not all the events that I write in this list will happen inside this chapter but I'm of the opinion that,in the long run,the lack of fights will not be more feel.
I wonder how the process of Wolfius maintaining while giving him medical help will go further. I felt a thrill while reading the last Arthur part and wondered if it will go smooth or rough. So far it looks he won't make a trouble but who knows...
If I remember correctly there was a fight scene during the last Lucas PoV.
About the lack of fights (thing that for me is never a bad thi… moreng since battles should happen only when the story requires it) I'm of the opinion that your wish will,first of then,granted since:
* the masquerade that give the name at this chapter has not yet reached the climax
* Raenna together with Terroma and Samuel is going to enter inside the dungeons under Oldtown to rescue Kersea's sister.
* Kersea is going together with Clayton to kill someone
* Sadie plan to rescue her sister from a brothel will maybe soon begin
* Maya has enter inside the secret Raylainsfair library to found secret documents
Maybe not all the events that I write in this list will happen inside this chapter but I'm of the opinion that,in the long run,the lack of fights will not be more feel.
I wonder how the process of Wolfius maintaining while giving him medical help will go further. I felt a thrill while reading the last Arthur part and wondered if it will go smooth or rough. So far it looks he won't make a trouble but who knows...
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
You're right, so far it has indeed been a bit lacking in action, especially compared to previous chapters. However, there are some very action-heavy parts planned for the later parts of this chapter. The_not_chosen_one brought up a few possibilities and some of them will indeed take place in the coming parts. The action parts in this chapter all needed a longer build-up than the action parts in the last chapter, but since we are about to reach the last third of the current chapter, the story has finally advanced to a point where I can start to write them.
I actually had to look it up, since I don't think I ever mentioned his exact height. His creator only mentioned him to be 'very tall', so I'd put him at least at 6'3.
You're right, so far it has indeed been a bit lacking in action, especially compared to previous chapters. However, there are some very acti… moreon-heavy parts planned for the later parts of this chapter. The_not_chosen_one brought up a few possibilities and some of them will indeed take place in the coming parts. The action parts in this chapter all needed a longer build-up than the action parts in the last chapter, but since we are about to reach the last third of the current chapter, the story has finally advanced to a point where I can start to write them.
I haven't started writing yet, so I haven't fully decided on it. However, it is most likely going to be a Jaron part. Another possibility would be a part with PoV's from Alys and Maya, but currently I think that Jaron is more likely.
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
I actually had to look it up, since I don't think I ever mentioned his exact height. His creator only mentioned him to be 'very tall', so I'd put him at least at 6'3.
Good question. I had to look through the character list to find an answer. Of course there are a number of very strong and skilled characters, like Bear, Daghan or the Moggy. In fact, the number of characters who are expert swordsmen is unusually high. However, strength and skill alone doesn't make a character overpowered, since under the right circumstances they can die just as easily as the supposedly weak characters. However, there is exactly one character whom I would consider overpowered even when compared to the other characters. Said character has been submitted as a Faceless Man. Naturally, this is all kinds of overpowered and would have been rather hard to write. However, for a couple of reasons, for example the fact that unlike this submitted character, Faceless Men don't have a name, a personality, a backstory or an appearance, I decided to nerf him and I turned him into a regular assassin.
I also have a question who would be the best archer in this story? Everyone seems to talk about strength and speed alot but not much else when it comes to combat.
Good question. I had to look through the character list to find an answer. Of course there are a number of very strong and skilled character… mores, like Bear, Daghan or the Moggy. In fact, the number of characters who are expert swordsmen is unusually high. However, strength and skill alone doesn't make a character overpowered, since under the right circumstances they can die just as easily as the supposedly weak characters. However, there is exactly one character whom I would consider overpowered even when compared to the other characters. Said character has been submitted as a Faceless Man. Naturally, this is all kinds of overpowered and would have been rather hard to write. However, for a couple of reasons, for example the fact that unlike this submitted character, Faceless Men don't have a name, a personality, a backstory or an appearance, I decided to nerf him and I turned him into a regular assassin.
I think it's probably Edonia. While not much about her backstory has been revealed so far, I can safely confirm that she is a very gifted archer who spends a rather high amount of time practicing, so she is undoubtedly one of the best in the Storm King's army.
I also have a question who would be the best archer in this story? Everyone seems to talk about strength and speed alot but not much else when it comes to combat.
I think that both would die. The only way to kill those beserkers is to behead them. If Daghan or the bear cant cut the head of the enemy off, this fight would turn in some point very ugly. Like both will try to kill each other with their bare hands. And at this point i think both would wound each other so badly that nobody will win.
Since this is become the period of questions me too have something to ask:
We will have a Lyra PoV during these chapter?
Since the story has already a really big cast and many PoV's how do you organize the plot and all the subplots?And all the roles that the many characters have during the story?How can you never lost or forget during the write the existence of a character or the moment that a subplot should start?
I think that both would die. The only way to kill those beserkers is to behead them. If Daghan or the bear cant cut the head of the enemy of… moref, this fight would turn in some point very ugly. Like both will try to kill each other with their bare hands. And at this point i think both would wound each other so badly that nobody will win.
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
I haven't started writing yet, so I haven't fully decided on it. However, it is most likely going to be a Jaron part. Another possibility would be a part with PoV's from Alys and Maya, but currently I think that Jaron is more likely.
Good question. I had to look through the character list to find an answer. Of course there are a number of very strong and skilled character… mores, like Bear, Daghan or the Moggy. In fact, the number of characters who are expert swordsmen is unusually high. However, strength and skill alone doesn't make a character overpowered, since under the right circumstances they can die just as easily as the supposedly weak characters. However, there is exactly one character whom I would consider overpowered even when compared to the other characters. Said character has been submitted as a Faceless Man. Naturally, this is all kinds of overpowered and would have been rather hard to write. However, for a couple of reasons, for example the fact that unlike this submitted character, Faceless Men don't have a name, a personality, a backstory or an appearance, I decided to nerf him and I turned him into a regular assassin.
Yes. However, she only has one part in this chapter, so I decided to push it back a little bit. Since Lyria's character is less proactive than others, her storyline has gotten to the point where other storylines need to advance first in order to give her more stuff to do.
Since the story has already a really big cast and many PoV's how do you organize the plot and all the subplots?And all the roles that the many characters have during the story?How can you never lost or forget during the write the existence of a character or the moment that a subplot should start?
To be honest, I have no idea how I manage to keep track of everything. I think it is a mixture of foresighted planning and chaotic improvisation that, in spite of common sense, actually works out for me. First of all, I never write any of my plans down, because for some reason, even making notes already lessens the fun I have while writing. When I start a chapter, I know where I want each of the PoV's to be at the end of it and I also already know where I want most of them to be at the end of the whole story, or at specific key parts of it. The same thing goes for most of the non-PoV characters. This already helps a lot with organizing the individual subplots. Then, while writing the chapter, I start to plan in greater detail, though I always leave enough room to improvise. Occasionally this leads to minor mistakes, like one subplot starting too early and then having to wait for a long time until the next part can be written. This happened in Chapter 5 with John's storyline. In general though, it all works just fine. Strangely enough, I have no problem with keeping track of the characters, regardless of wether or not they are already introduced. Looking through the character list, there is only a handful of unintroduced characters whom I have to look up in order to remember them. Some of the characters have the exact moment of their introduction planned for months in advance, while others allow me to be a bit more flexible with them. For example, until I started to write Richard's latest part, I had no plans to introduce the character of Than in it, while I knew for sure that the character of Hal Recton would appear in it ever since I started to plan the beast storyline.
Since this is become the period of questions me too have something to ask:
* We will have a Lyra PoV during these chapter?
* Since the… more story has already a really big cast and many PoV's how do you organize the plot and all the subplots?And all the roles that the many characters have during the story?How can you never lost or forget during the write the existence of a character or the moment that a subplot should start?
Drent
When it came to Argella, there was one thing even Garen had to admit: She knew how to make an entrance. Around noon, the soldiers h… moread left the baggage train behind and made their way to Raylansfair. They had reached the city an hour later. While fifty soldiers weren't much, they were walking in rows of three, which made their comparatively small host look larger in size and impressive, even more so as every single soldier was wearing heavy armour. Every fifth row contained one soldier with a drum and their rhythmic beating accompanied the march.
Argella herself was leading the soldiers. She was the only one sitting on a horse, a gorgeous white destrier. Unlike the rest of her army, she was wearing a fine dress, made out of yellow silk, as well as a black cloak to protect herself from the cold. The pale light of the autumn sun made her look even more beautiful than usual in Drent's eyes, more similar to the gods her family descende… [view original content]
This would have probably been my choice as well. Out of these three, Edonia is the only one who holds no grudge with Drent, as well as a highly useful person to have around, her current armour problems aside. Garen is obviously very angry at Drent for what happened in the last chapter and it is safe to say that not taking him would have resulted in him getting even more pissed. Meanwhile, Torrence is actually going to be rather happy with this outcome. He's not too keen on doing such a task, so he's happily going to stay behind at the castle.
The next part was originally supposed to be out yesterday. However, when I announced this, I forgot about a couple of things I had to do yesterday, which largely prevented me from writing. Still, the part is making progress and it will be out today. Sorry for the longer wait. The next part is going to be a Jaron part. The last time we've seen him, Jaron was still at the masquerade which he and his companions are currently attending. He and Jarek tried to keep an eye on Lord Hightower, but only succeeded with driving him closer to Harpy, Martin and Keira, which is going to make their job a bit easier. Before they could follow, a new problem came up. Ayden, whose girlfriend is currently singing for the High Septon and whom he wanted to keep an eye on, approached them, majorly pissed. As it turned out, the High Septon was quite smitten with Ayden's girlfriend and made little effort to hide it, up to the point where Ayden simply couldn't take it any longer and had to leave his position. During a brief conversation between him, Jaron and Jarek, he spotted a number of people with cat masks, who all seemed to head for the mansion's garden. Suspecting them to be the Tom's men, he went after them. Jaron was left with the choice to either follow him, or to take his old position near the High Septon and let Jarek follow him. After a bit of contemplating, he decided for the latter.
Jaron's first impulse was to catch up to Ayden, who had just left the room through the large double door that led to the mansion's extensive garden. A sting of pain that flashed through his left arm immediately convinced him otherwise. Instead, he made eye contact with Jarek, who seemed to be more than just a bit baffled by Ayden's rash decision. “Go after him!”, he ordered and the sellsword immediately followed, leaving Jaron as alone as he could be in a room like this.
He glanced towards Harpy, who was still talking to Lord Vyrwel and the man with the butterfly-shaped mask. It was obvious, she was in her element here. Jaron on the other hand knew that he did not belong to such an event.
Finally, he turned his attention to the High Septon and a frown appeared on his face. Jaron himself had never been a particularly religious man. Of course, he was a believer and he honoured each aspect of the Seven in some way, but it would be presumptuous to call him a man of strong faith. But even he felt that he had every right to be disgusted at the High Septon's shamelessly open display of bigotry.
Currently, he was talking to the singer, who had stopped performing and was now standing near the buffet table. Her face was a mask of friendliness, but the full glass of wine in her hand hinted at the mixture of annoyance and despair she undoubtedly felt. Jaron decided to save her, by slowly approaching them.
The moment he reached them, the High Septon had just said something that was supposed to be funny. The painful smile on her face looked forced and she thankfully turned her attention towards Jaron. Now that he was closer to her, he had to admit that Ayden had a very fine taste, as she was downright gorgeous. She wore her long, blonde hair open and it reached almost down to her waist. It framed her beautiful face and put a lot of emphasis on her bright blue eyes, which gave him a thankful glare.
The High Septon also turned his attention towards Jaron and the few parts of his face that were visible underneath his fittingly wolf-shaped mask were a lot less pleased than her's. His mouth had a frown, but he forced himself to give Jaron a sluggish nod of the head. “Excuse me, Ser, do I know you?”, he asked. “I was just talking to Lady Taria”
“Oh, I know him”, Taria lied. “He's a friend of my husband” The last word caused the High Septon's mouth to shiver, as he took a step back from her. “You... you have a husband?”, he asked and she gave him a nod. “Well, in all but name at least. We're not married, but soon there's going to be no way around it”, she revealed and put a hand onto her belly. The High Septon obviously understood, as he took another step back from her, only to take a deep bow with widened eyes. “I... excuse me, mylady. I just remembered that Petyr wanted to have a talk with me”
And with these words, he was gone, leaving Jaron and a triumphantly grinning Taria behind. “Thanks for the help”, Taria chuckled. “I was looking for an opportunity to get rid of that guy. Calls himself 'High Septon' can you believe it?” Her grin faded, as she narrowed her eyes. “You are one of Ayden's friends, aren't you? I think I saw you talking to him”
This time, Jaron gave her a nod. “Indeed. My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself and extended his hand. “Ser Bastard”, Taria answered. “Ayden mentioned you. He spoke highly of you” Finally, she shook his hand. “Taria Templeton. Pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Ayden is a friend of mine” She chuckled as she glanced towards the High Septon. “Especially since you helped me getting rid of unwanted company”
Her smile got smaller until it turned into a frown, as she saw the High Septon approaching Lord Vyrwel, who was currently talking to Harpy. Jaron followed her stare and gave her a questioning look. “Has Ayden told you about what we're doing here?”, he asked
Taria gave him a nod. “Only the basics. You're here to keep an eye on Lord Hightower, the High Septon and the commander”, she answered and let out a sigh. “That was the reason why I've even started to sing for that guy. I suppose you still want to look after him?”
“I'm afraid yes”, Jaron answered. “Though, you don't have to go with me if you don't want to” Taria shook her head. “I don't want to”, she confirmed. “But Ayden asked me to help out and there's no way I'm going to disappoint him”
Together, they started to walk closer towards the High Septon, Lord Hightower and Lord Vyrwel, as suddenly, a concerned expression flashed across Taria's face. “But... where exactly is Ayden? I saw him storming off, but...”, she said. Jaron glanced towards the large door. “He's fine”, he said, even though he wasn't sure about it. He knew that Ayden's chances were better with Jarek at his side, but he was still afraid that one, or maybe even both of them, would die out there. “He is investigating something out in the gardens. Another sellsword, Jarek, is accompanying him”
“Good”, Taria answered, even though she did not sounded particularly convinced. Jaron caught himself glancing at her belly, as a though crossed his mind. “And... are you...?”, he stuttered. Taria raised an eyebrow. “I believe that's not an appropriate question”, she said with a smirk. “But the answer is yes. I see no point in making much of a secret out of it”
“And... does Ayden know?”, Jaron continued to ask. Taria gave him a nod. “Like me, he does not like to shout it from the rooftops”, she answered. “But its the reason he even started to take jobs like this one again. Your Burned Man pays well enough to provide for a small family” As she said this, Jaron started to feel terrible for not rushing after Ayden. If something would happen out in the gardens, he knew he could never forgive himself.
The first to notice them as they had approached Lord Vyrwel's illustrious group was Keira. She was sitting next to Martin, who in turn was looking almost bored, paying more attention to the cup of wine in his hands than to his surroundings. They were sitting on comfortable-looking chairs in a small circle, together with Harpy, Lord Vyrwel and Hightower, as well as several other masked nobles. The High Septon was standing next to a woman who was wearing a mask shaped like the head of a fox, while Hightowers bodyguard Arryk was standing behind his lord.
The whore put a hand onto Harpy's shoulder, who quickly turned away from Lord Vyrwel and towards her, spotting Jaron in the process. Her eyes lit up and the hint of a smile formed on her face, as Jaron slowly came closer. “Hey”, she greeted him softly, as he stopped next to her. Jaron noticed the slightly irritated look in Lord Vyrwel's dark green eyes.
“You enjoy the evening?”, Harpy asked and Jaron shook his head. “I'm not made for events like this”, he answered, before he sat down next to her. “Although it just got a lot more tolerable” Harpy's smile got wider and for a moment, she lowered her head, as if she wanted to rest it onto his shoulder. Then, her glance fell onto Lord Vyrwel, who was still sitting in front of her.
She nervously cleared her throat as her cheeks got a light shade of pink, before she forced a smile into the lord's direction. “Petyr, you have to meet Jaron, my... bodyguard”, she introduced him. “Jaron, this is Lord Petyr Vyrwel, our host” A displeased expression appeared in Vyrwels eyes, but he gave Jaron a polite nod of the head, as he raised from his seat. “It's my pleasure, Ser”, he said calmly but coldly, before he took a deep bow in front of Harpy. “LadyGwynna, please excuse me for a moment. I have to check something with our musicians”
With these words, he left them, which was a welcome change for Jaron. He doubted Harpy had noticed it, but the cold glare in the lord's dark green eyes had sent a shiver down his spine, especially compared to how friendly he had been earlier. It appeared to him that Lord Vyrwel was wearing more than one mask tonight.
Harpy let out a sigh as she watched him leaving. “So charming”, she whispered and Jaron suppressed the urge to frown. “Though I am glad he's gone” Jaron's beginning frown turned into a curious expression. “Why's that?”, he asked.
“He is shallow”, Harpy answered. “His charm is little more than a mask. It's a pretty thing to have, as long as you can forget that it's not real. Then, it gets tiresome” She gave him a bright, warm smile, as she gently put her hand onto his. “But most importantly, he is not you”
Jaron leaned in to kiss her, but this time she put a hand onto his chest, to keep him away. “We're surrounded by watchful eyes. Someone could see us”, she whispered. “Does it matter?”, Jaron answered. Harpy hesitated for a moment, before she gave him a nod. Then, she gave him a quick peck onto the cheek. “Wearing masks is more difficult than I thought”, she remarked.
Movement in the corner of his eyes caused Jaron to move his head. A masked man approached them, tall and broad-shouldered, but also a bit on the heavy side. Underneath his mask, long hair fell down onto his shoulders, once fiery red, now with grey streaks in it. The mask itself barely covered the face, revealing his amused, but benign expression. Still, it was the shape of the mask that gave Jaron an uneasy feeling. In the light of the recent events, he found it unsettling, considering that it resembled a butterfly.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Lady Gwynna?”, he asked and sat down onto the chair that just got abandoned by Lord Vyrwel. Harpy leant forwards, now visibly blushing. A sheepish smile appeared on her face. “I... I... commander, it's...”, she stuttered, to which the man responded with a loud, hearty laugh. “There's no need to be embarrassed. If you would be a man and your knight here a pretty servicemaid, then none of these hypocrites would bat an eye. Personally, I don't see why it should matter whom you choose to kiss, mylady”
He extended his hand and Jaron shook it, noticing that the man glanced at his broken arm. “Maron Mullendore, commander of the city guard”, he introduced yourself. “May I ask what happened to your arm?”
Jaron slightly moved the broken limb, pleasantly surprised that he was able to do it without pain. “An accident while I was training”, he revealed without missing a beat, still slightly staring at the mask. “Ser Jaron Storm. I'm Lady Gwynna's bodyguard”
Again, the commander chuckled. “I suppose you're a bit more than that, boy”, he answered, before he narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me, have I said anything wrong? Let me make it clear, unlike almost everyone that is around you right now, I don't judge you for having the hots for young Lady Caron”
The colour on Harpy's cheeks slowly turned from pink to red, as she focussed her gaze onto the floor, though she couldn't contain a happy grin. Jaron shook his head. “That's not it”, he answered, smirking as he glanced at her. His smirk faded as he looked back at Mullendore. “I have just heard about the danger of Oldtown... about the problems you have to face here and I was... surprised...”
Mullendore cut him off with a handwave. “It's the mask, isn't it?”, he chuckled. “I knew it would be controversial, in the light of the recent events. But I used it first. It's not my fault that some bastard had to ruin it” Harpy gave him a quick nod. “I have to say, it is a beautiful mask”, she complimented him. “The colour pattern on the wings is wonderful. Aside from that, the butterfly is on your sigil, isn't that right, commander?”
Even underneath the mask, Jaron was able to see the commander's grin as he softly grabbed her hand. “Please, mylady, call me Maron”, he said. Then, he put her hand onto Jaron's. “We're all wearing masks tonight, but I can still see the way you look at each other. Love should never have to hide”
Baffled by his words, Harpy slowly looked at Jaron. Then, her smile got wider, as she leaned in to kiss him. Objectively, it was a short kiss. For Jaron it felt like an eternity, but it still ended too soon. The moment the kiss ended, soft music started to play. It wasn't the constant mixture of different songs that was audible from every corner of the room, but a single, beautiful melody, a song to dance to. People started to move, while murmuring in excitement, to make way for a large spot in the centre of the room. Then, one by one, the more daring noblemen walked towards it. In more than one case, they were dragged by daring noblewomen.
“Petyr always had a sense for timing”, Mullendore remarked with a smile on his face that could only be called likeable. In general, the commander seemed different than Jaron had imagined. He had expected a gruff, foul-mouthed and cold warrior, or perhaps someone like Vyrwel, whose friendly mask cracked too easily. Instead, his affability seemed genuine.
“Speaking of the Stranger”, he chuckled and as Jaron looked over his shoulder, he saw Lord Vyrwel approaching them again. Underneath his wyvern-shaped mask, Jaron saw that his smile had returned. Harpy audibly suppressed a sigh. “Mind my words, mylady”, Mullendore said, as he leant back, crossing his arms in the process.
“Mylady Gwynna”, Vyrwel said, as he took a deep bow in front of her. “May I ask for the first dance?” Harpy opened her mouth, but immediately closed it again, as she glanced towards Jaron. “I'm afraid I've already promised it to someone else, Mylord”, she chirped. “Perhaps the second one?”
Vyrwel gave her a nod. “It would be my honour”, he said firmly. Harpy looked at Mullendore, who gave her an encouraging nod. “I still hope to get the third one, Lady Gwynna”, he said with a jovial smile. Finally, Harpy raised from her seat, almost pulling Jaron with her. “May I... may I ask for this dance, Ser?”, she stuttered nervously.
“You don't have to ask”, Jaron answered as he stood up and next to her. He gulped as he glanced at the dancing nobles. “Though... I'm afraid I don't know the steps”, he admitted, as they slowly approached the dance floor.
Harpy leant closer towards him and he softly put his healthy arm around her waist. “Me neither”, she whispered into his ear. “As far as I know, there are two secrets to dancing. First, you have to look as if you know what you're doing. Second and most importantly, you have to enjoy it”
“I do enjoy it”, Jaron answered wholeheartedly, as he held her gently. The steps weren't entirely foreign to him, but still strange and at first he was afraid to mess anything up. And a second, darker thought prevented him from fully relaxing. “And... what's with the targets?”
Harpy sighed, as she spun around, turning him towards the spot where they had just been sitting a few moments ago. Lord Hightower was still sitting there, Arryk standing behind him. It was clear that the lord of Oldtown wasn't the dancing type. Mullendore was dancing at the other end of the dance floor, together with a tall, thin and grey-haired woman, whose mask had the shape of a fox's head. The look on his face revealed that he wasn't enjoying the thought of being close to her. Finally, the High Septon was talking to Taria at the edge of the dance floor, obviously trying to convince her to dance with him.
“As you see, I keep an eye on all of them, my knight”, Harpy revealed as she took one graceful step after the other. “Though that does not mean that I can't enjoy being close to you, as long as this dance lasts” She sighed again, regretfully, as he clumsily spun her around. All around them, he saw noblewomen separating from their partners and Harpy did the same. “That's the part where the women change their partners”, she revealed. “I'll be back soon”
Reluctantly but wordlessly, he let her go and watched her approaching Lord Vyrwel. To him, it was clear that she had been lying when she said that she didn't know the steps. A smile formed on his face, but it immediately faded as soon as he saw the fox-masked noblewoman approaching him. “May I ask for this dance, Ser?”, she said with a creaky voice and Jaron gave her a regretful nod.
Unlike Harpy, this woman was not a born dancer and her skin felt cold and rough. Her moves were stiff, not even nearly enough to cover up Jaron's clumsiness. Even worse was her smell. It was perfume, but a very bad one that reminded Jaron of dusty old books. “Lady Alysanne Florent”, she introduced herself sternly and without even a hint of joy. “Ser Jaron Storm”, he answered and noticed the displeased glare in her grey eyes as he mentioned his surname.
“I believe this would be all, bastard”, she immediately said, as she thankfully separated from him again. Then, she faded into the crowd, leaving Jaron alone on the dancefloor. Unsure what to do, he just stood there for a moment, tapping his feet to the tune of the music. He didn't know the song, but the melody, while quite loud, was slow at the same time, almost mournful for the most part, until it got interrupted by brief moments of wild ecstasy, which marked the point for the women to change their partners.
Just in this moment, one of these wild parts started. Jaron sighed, as he looked around for his next partner. To his pleasant surprise, he spotted Harpy, who quickly approached him. A smile formed on his face, even though he noticed that she wasn't smiling.
“I thought you've promised the third dance to the commander”, he exclaimed as he put his arm around her again. She started to move to the beat of the music, before she shook her head. “I saw something at your side of the dance floor”, she revealed nervously and slightly turned around him.
Her eyes widened. “There”, she hissed. As Jaron followed her glance, he caught a glimpse of a white mask, shaped like the head of a cat, before the mask and its wearer were gone in the crowd to his left. “And there”, she said, bringing Jaron's attention to a second Alley Cat in the crowd to his right. This time, he even saw a flash of steel, a small dagger in the masked man's hand.
Harpy and Jaron exchanged a worried look, before they looked around, trying to find the targets. The first Jaron was able to see was Lord Hightower. Arryk Bulwer was still standing behind him, but both of them were too busy watching the dancers to pay any attention to the crowd around them. Jaron spotted one, two, three men with cat-masks who were slowly approaching the lord and his bodyguard from behind. The loud music did their part in distracting them.
A dozen feet to Jaron's right, the High Septon had obviously succeeded in convincing Taria to dance with him. She lay in his fat arms, visibly unhappy about the turn of events. Jaron spotted one Alley Cat, who slowly elbowed his way through the crowd. Somewhere at the other end of the room, someone screamed, though the sound was almost drowned by the music.
And then there was Mullendore. The commander was standing at the other end of the dance floor, currently without a partner. Just as Jaron had spotted him, he saw a man with a white cat mask directly walking up to him. Mullendore saw the steel in the masked man's hand almost too late. He managed to grab the arm mere inches before the dagger would have reached his throat. Even though the crowd around them immediately noticed what was happening, Jaron realized that the way these men moved almost looked like a part of the dance, which was still going on without being disturbed. Someone who only threw a casual glance towards Mullendore would never realize that the commander was fighting for his life right now.
Jaron and Harpy exchanged a wordless, alarmed glare. The commander was already getting attacked and it was only a matter of seconds until the High Septon and Lord Hightower would share his fate. They all needed help and Jaron knew, he had to make an important decision now, in the briefest of moments.
[Rush towards Hightower][Rush towards Mullendore][Rush towards the High Septon]
Comments
[Choose Torrence and Garen]
[Choose Edonia and Garen]
Really enjoyed this part! Can't wait for another.
As good as this chapter is it has been lacking in action but i'm sure you have that planned.
I always liked him but he did annoy me last chapter. I like Garen's honesty about the people in command. But last chapter his constant complaining urked me a bit. Plus I like the dynamic between him and Drent. He and Argella are really the only side characters I like in Drent's story.
Hey I was wondering how tall bear is?
Hurray! A Drent Pov is always appreciated (expecially if Argella is present!:D)!
About the choice take Garen with us is a must since he still dislike Drent and let the sellsword be with his lover will be an obvious good start to renew ties. Between Edonia and Torrence instead is a little more hard decision to make:take Edonia will give Drent a more useful supporter but leave the brother behind is not a safe choice (Torrence to me seems a troublemaker) while take Torrence with us means that Drent will have another bothersome warrior to go with him but,after the charity,Montclair maybe will make a good world about the soldier cleaning the name of the young man.
In the end my choice is [Choose Edonia and Garen] because Edonia seems to like more Raylansfair and for do a charity work I prefer have someone that will not scare the children
If I remember correctly there was a fight scene during the last Lucas PoV.
About the lack of fights (thing that for me is never a bad thing since battles should happen only when the story requires it) I'm of the opinion that your wish will,first of then,granted since:
Maybe not all the events that I write in this list will happen inside this chapter but I'm of the opinion that,in the long run,the lack of fights will not be more feel.
I wonder how the process of Wolfius maintaining while giving him medical help will go further. I felt a thrill while reading the last Arthur part and wondered if it will go smooth or rough. So far it looks he won't make a trouble but who knows...
Yes, the exciting fights are always at the end of the chapter but they would'nt be as exciting without build up.
I'm sure Wolfius will escape death somehow.
[Choose Edonia and Garen]
[Choose Edonia and Garen]
You're right, so far it has indeed been a bit lacking in action, especially compared to previous chapters. However, there are some very action-heavy parts planned for the later parts of this chapter. The_not_chosen_one brought up a few possibilities and some of them will indeed take place in the coming parts. The action parts in this chapter all needed a longer build-up than the action parts in the last chapter, but since we are about to reach the last third of the current chapter, the story has finally advanced to a point where I can start to write them.
I actually had to look it up, since I don't think I ever mentioned his exact height. His creator only mentioned him to be 'very tall', so I'd put him at least at 6'3.
That's good to know, Whose part is next?
I haven't started writing yet, so I haven't fully decided on it. However, it is most likely going to be a Jaron part. Another possibility would be a part with PoV's from Alys and Maya, but currently I think that Jaron is more likely.
[Choose Edonia and Garen]
Great part!
[Choose Torrence and Garen]
[Choose Torrence and Garen]
Will the next part be out today?
[Choose Edonia and Garen] Demacia! XD
Ther emust be a fight between the Bear and the Ox^^
Hey Liquid has anyone submitted a massively overpowered character to this story I'm sure there would have to be atleast one.
Hmm I'd say Daghan would win after a long battle, he'd probably lose a few limbs though.
Sadly no. However, I make good progress with the next part and think I should be able to release it tomorrow.
That would be a very interesting fight indeed. Maybe you'll even get your wish, who knows
Good question. I had to look through the character list to find an answer. Of course there are a number of very strong and skilled characters, like Bear, Daghan or the Moggy. In fact, the number of characters who are expert swordsmen is unusually high. However, strength and skill alone doesn't make a character overpowered, since under the right circumstances they can die just as easily as the supposedly weak characters. However, there is exactly one character whom I would consider overpowered even when compared to the other characters. Said character has been submitted as a Faceless Man. Naturally, this is all kinds of overpowered and would have been rather hard to write. However, for a couple of reasons, for example the fact that unlike this submitted character, Faceless Men don't have a name, a personality, a backstory or an appearance, I decided to nerf him and I turned him into a regular assassin.
I also have a question who would be the best archer in this story? Everyone seems to talk about strength and speed alot but not much else when it comes to combat.
I think it's probably Edonia. While not much about her backstory has been revealed so far, I can safely confirm that she is a very gifted archer who spends a rather high amount of time practicing, so she is undoubtedly one of the best in the Storm King's army.
I think that both would die. The only way to kill those beserkers is to behead them. If Daghan or the bear cant cut the head of the enemy off, this fight would turn in some point very ugly. Like both will try to kill each other with their bare hands. And at this point i think both would wound each other so badly that nobody will win.
Since this is become the period of questions me too have something to ask:
I think that in a fight with bare hands Bear has an advantage since he has custom gloves
[Choose Edonia and Garen]
Yay Jaron
I bet the Faceless Man was Clayton.
Yes. However, she only has one part in this chapter, so I decided to push it back a little bit. Since Lyria's character is less proactive than others, her storyline has gotten to the point where other storylines need to advance first in order to give her more stuff to do.
To be honest, I have no idea how I manage to keep track of everything. I think it is a mixture of foresighted planning and chaotic improvisation that, in spite of common sense, actually works out for me. First of all, I never write any of my plans down, because for some reason, even making notes already lessens the fun I have while writing. When I start a chapter, I know where I want each of the PoV's to be at the end of it and I also already know where I want most of them to be at the end of the whole story, or at specific key parts of it. The same thing goes for most of the non-PoV characters. This already helps a lot with organizing the individual subplots. Then, while writing the chapter, I start to plan in greater detail, though I always leave enough room to improvise. Occasionally this leads to minor mistakes, like one subplot starting too early and then having to wait for a long time until the next part can be written. This happened in Chapter 5 with John's storyline. In general though, it all works just fine. Strangely enough, I have no problem with keeping track of the characters, regardless of wether or not they are already introduced. Looking through the character list, there is only a handful of unintroduced characters whom I have to look up in order to remember them. Some of the characters have the exact moment of their introduction planned for months in advance, while others allow me to be a bit more flexible with them. For example, until I started to write Richard's latest part, I had no plans to introduce the character of Than in it, while I knew for sure that the character of Hal Recton would appear in it ever since I started to plan the beast storyline.
No, the (former) Faceless Man is a character who is not yet introduced. I didn't have to do such major changes with Clayton.
[Choose Torrence and Garen]
The Voting is closed!
Drent is going to choose Edonia and Garen
This would have probably been my choice as well. Out of these three, Edonia is the only one who holds no grudge with Drent, as well as a highly useful person to have around, her current armour problems aside. Garen is obviously very angry at Drent for what happened in the last chapter and it is safe to say that not taking him would have resulted in him getting even more pissed. Meanwhile, Torrence is actually going to be rather happy with this outcome. He's not too keen on doing such a task, so he's happily going to stay behind at the castle.
The next part was originally supposed to be out yesterday. However, when I announced this, I forgot about a couple of things I had to do yesterday, which largely prevented me from writing. Still, the part is making progress and it will be out today. Sorry for the longer wait. The next part is going to be a Jaron part. The last time we've seen him, Jaron was still at the masquerade which he and his companions are currently attending. He and Jarek tried to keep an eye on Lord Hightower, but only succeeded with driving him closer to Harpy, Martin and Keira, which is going to make their job a bit easier. Before they could follow, a new problem came up. Ayden, whose girlfriend is currently singing for the High Septon and whom he wanted to keep an eye on, approached them, majorly pissed. As it turned out, the High Septon was quite smitten with Ayden's girlfriend and made little effort to hide it, up to the point where Ayden simply couldn't take it any longer and had to leave his position. During a brief conversation between him, Jaron and Jarek, he spotted a number of people with cat masks, who all seemed to head for the mansion's garden. Suspecting them to be the Tom's men, he went after them. Jaron was left with the choice to either follow him, or to take his old position near the High Septon and let Jarek follow him. After a bit of contemplating, he decided for the latter.
Jaron
Jaron's first impulse was to catch up to Ayden, who had just left the room through the large double door that led to the mansion's extensive garden. A sting of pain that flashed through his left arm immediately convinced him otherwise. Instead, he made eye contact with Jarek, who seemed to be more than just a bit baffled by Ayden's rash decision. “Go after him!”, he ordered and the sellsword immediately followed, leaving Jaron as alone as he could be in a room like this.
He glanced towards Harpy, who was still talking to Lord Vyrwel and the man with the butterfly-shaped mask. It was obvious, she was in her element here. Jaron on the other hand knew that he did not belong to such an event.
Finally, he turned his attention to the High Septon and a frown appeared on his face. Jaron himself had never been a particularly religious man. Of course, he was a believer and he honoured each aspect of the Seven in some way, but it would be presumptuous to call him a man of strong faith. But even he felt that he had every right to be disgusted at the High Septon's shamelessly open display of bigotry.
Currently, he was talking to the singer, who had stopped performing and was now standing near the buffet table. Her face was a mask of friendliness, but the full glass of wine in her hand hinted at the mixture of annoyance and despair she undoubtedly felt. Jaron decided to save her, by slowly approaching them.
The moment he reached them, the High Septon had just said something that was supposed to be funny. The painful smile on her face looked forced and she thankfully turned her attention towards Jaron. Now that he was closer to her, he had to admit that Ayden had a very fine taste, as she was downright gorgeous. She wore her long, blonde hair open and it reached almost down to her waist. It framed her beautiful face and put a lot of emphasis on her bright blue eyes, which gave him a thankful glare.
The High Septon also turned his attention towards Jaron and the few parts of his face that were visible underneath his fittingly wolf-shaped mask were a lot less pleased than her's. His mouth had a frown, but he forced himself to give Jaron a sluggish nod of the head. “Excuse me, Ser, do I know you?”, he asked. “I was just talking to Lady Taria”
“Oh, I know him”, Taria lied. “He's a friend of my husband” The last word caused the High Septon's mouth to shiver, as he took a step back from her. “You... you have a husband?”, he asked and she gave him a nod. “Well, in all but name at least. We're not married, but soon there's going to be no way around it”, she revealed and put a hand onto her belly. The High Septon obviously understood, as he took another step back from her, only to take a deep bow with widened eyes. “I... excuse me, mylady. I just remembered that Petyr wanted to have a talk with me”
And with these words, he was gone, leaving Jaron and a triumphantly grinning Taria behind. “Thanks for the help”, Taria chuckled. “I was looking for an opportunity to get rid of that guy. Calls himself 'High Septon' can you believe it?” Her grin faded, as she narrowed her eyes. “You are one of Ayden's friends, aren't you? I think I saw you talking to him”
This time, Jaron gave her a nod. “Indeed. My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself and extended his hand. “Ser Bastard”, Taria answered. “Ayden mentioned you. He spoke highly of you” Finally, she shook his hand. “Taria Templeton. Pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Ayden is a friend of mine” She chuckled as she glanced towards the High Septon. “Especially since you helped me getting rid of unwanted company”
Her smile got smaller until it turned into a frown, as she saw the High Septon approaching Lord Vyrwel, who was currently talking to Harpy. Jaron followed her stare and gave her a questioning look. “Has Ayden told you about what we're doing here?”, he asked
Taria gave him a nod. “Only the basics. You're here to keep an eye on Lord Hightower, the High Septon and the commander”, she answered and let out a sigh. “That was the reason why I've even started to sing for that guy. I suppose you still want to look after him?”
“I'm afraid yes”, Jaron answered. “Though, you don't have to go with me if you don't want to” Taria shook her head. “I don't want to”, she confirmed. “But Ayden asked me to help out and there's no way I'm going to disappoint him”
Together, they started to walk closer towards the High Septon, Lord Hightower and Lord Vyrwel, as suddenly, a concerned expression flashed across Taria's face. “But... where exactly is Ayden? I saw him storming off, but...”, she said. Jaron glanced towards the large door. “He's fine”, he said, even though he wasn't sure about it. He knew that Ayden's chances were better with Jarek at his side, but he was still afraid that one, or maybe even both of them, would die out there. “He is investigating something out in the gardens. Another sellsword, Jarek, is accompanying him”
“Good”, Taria answered, even though she did not sounded particularly convinced. Jaron caught himself glancing at her belly, as a though crossed his mind. “And... are you...?”, he stuttered. Taria raised an eyebrow. “I believe that's not an appropriate question”, she said with a smirk. “But the answer is yes. I see no point in making much of a secret out of it”
“And... does Ayden know?”, Jaron continued to ask. Taria gave him a nod. “Like me, he does not like to shout it from the rooftops”, she answered. “But its the reason he even started to take jobs like this one again. Your Burned Man pays well enough to provide for a small family” As she said this, Jaron started to feel terrible for not rushing after Ayden. If something would happen out in the gardens, he knew he could never forgive himself.
The first to notice them as they had approached Lord Vyrwel's illustrious group was Keira. She was sitting next to Martin, who in turn was looking almost bored, paying more attention to the cup of wine in his hands than to his surroundings. They were sitting on comfortable-looking chairs in a small circle, together with Harpy, Lord Vyrwel and Hightower, as well as several other masked nobles. The High Septon was standing next to a woman who was wearing a mask shaped like the head of a fox, while Hightowers bodyguard Arryk was standing behind his lord.
The whore put a hand onto Harpy's shoulder, who quickly turned away from Lord Vyrwel and towards her, spotting Jaron in the process. Her eyes lit up and the hint of a smile formed on her face, as Jaron slowly came closer. “Hey”, she greeted him softly, as he stopped next to her. Jaron noticed the slightly irritated look in Lord Vyrwel's dark green eyes.
“You enjoy the evening?”, Harpy asked and Jaron shook his head. “I'm not made for events like this”, he answered, before he sat down next to her. “Although it just got a lot more tolerable” Harpy's smile got wider and for a moment, she lowered her head, as if she wanted to rest it onto his shoulder. Then, her glance fell onto Lord Vyrwel, who was still sitting in front of her.
She nervously cleared her throat as her cheeks got a light shade of pink, before she forced a smile into the lord's direction. “Petyr, you have to meet Jaron, my... bodyguard”, she introduced him. “Jaron, this is Lord Petyr Vyrwel, our host” A displeased expression appeared in Vyrwels eyes, but he gave Jaron a polite nod of the head, as he raised from his seat. “It's my pleasure, Ser”, he said calmly but coldly, before he took a deep bow in front of Harpy. “LadyGwynna, please excuse me for a moment. I have to check something with our musicians”
With these words, he left them, which was a welcome change for Jaron. He doubted Harpy had noticed it, but the cold glare in the lord's dark green eyes had sent a shiver down his spine, especially compared to how friendly he had been earlier. It appeared to him that Lord Vyrwel was wearing more than one mask tonight.
Harpy let out a sigh as she watched him leaving. “So charming”, she whispered and Jaron suppressed the urge to frown. “Though I am glad he's gone” Jaron's beginning frown turned into a curious expression. “Why's that?”, he asked.
“He is shallow”, Harpy answered. “His charm is little more than a mask. It's a pretty thing to have, as long as you can forget that it's not real. Then, it gets tiresome” She gave him a bright, warm smile, as she gently put her hand onto his. “But most importantly, he is not you”
Jaron leaned in to kiss her, but this time she put a hand onto his chest, to keep him away. “We're surrounded by watchful eyes. Someone could see us”, she whispered. “Does it matter?”, Jaron answered. Harpy hesitated for a moment, before she gave him a nod. Then, she gave him a quick peck onto the cheek. “Wearing masks is more difficult than I thought”, she remarked.
Movement in the corner of his eyes caused Jaron to move his head. A masked man approached them, tall and broad-shouldered, but also a bit on the heavy side. Underneath his mask, long hair fell down onto his shoulders, once fiery red, now with grey streaks in it. The mask itself barely covered the face, revealing his amused, but benign expression. Still, it was the shape of the mask that gave Jaron an uneasy feeling. In the light of the recent events, he found it unsettling, considering that it resembled a butterfly.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Lady Gwynna?”, he asked and sat down onto the chair that just got abandoned by Lord Vyrwel. Harpy leant forwards, now visibly blushing. A sheepish smile appeared on her face. “I... I... commander, it's...”, she stuttered, to which the man responded with a loud, hearty laugh. “There's no need to be embarrassed. If you would be a man and your knight here a pretty servicemaid, then none of these hypocrites would bat an eye. Personally, I don't see why it should matter whom you choose to kiss, mylady”
He extended his hand and Jaron shook it, noticing that the man glanced at his broken arm. “Maron Mullendore, commander of the city guard”, he introduced yourself. “May I ask what happened to your arm?”
Jaron slightly moved the broken limb, pleasantly surprised that he was able to do it without pain. “An accident while I was training”, he revealed without missing a beat, still slightly staring at the mask. “Ser Jaron Storm. I'm Lady Gwynna's bodyguard”
Again, the commander chuckled. “I suppose you're a bit more than that, boy”, he answered, before he narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me, have I said anything wrong? Let me make it clear, unlike almost everyone that is around you right now, I don't judge you for having the hots for young Lady Caron”
The colour on Harpy's cheeks slowly turned from pink to red, as she focussed her gaze onto the floor, though she couldn't contain a happy grin. Jaron shook his head. “That's not it”, he answered, smirking as he glanced at her. His smirk faded as he looked back at Mullendore. “I have just heard about the danger of Oldtown... about the problems you have to face here and I was... surprised...”
Mullendore cut him off with a handwave. “It's the mask, isn't it?”, he chuckled. “I knew it would be controversial, in the light of the recent events. But I used it first. It's not my fault that some bastard had to ruin it” Harpy gave him a quick nod. “I have to say, it is a beautiful mask”, she complimented him. “The colour pattern on the wings is wonderful. Aside from that, the butterfly is on your sigil, isn't that right, commander?”
Even underneath the mask, Jaron was able to see the commander's grin as he softly grabbed her hand. “Please, mylady, call me Maron”, he said. Then, he put her hand onto Jaron's. “We're all wearing masks tonight, but I can still see the way you look at each other. Love should never have to hide”
Baffled by his words, Harpy slowly looked at Jaron. Then, her smile got wider, as she leaned in to kiss him. Objectively, it was a short kiss. For Jaron it felt like an eternity, but it still ended too soon. The moment the kiss ended, soft music started to play. It wasn't the constant mixture of different songs that was audible from every corner of the room, but a single, beautiful melody, a song to dance to. People started to move, while murmuring in excitement, to make way for a large spot in the centre of the room. Then, one by one, the more daring noblemen walked towards it. In more than one case, they were dragged by daring noblewomen.
“Petyr always had a sense for timing”, Mullendore remarked with a smile on his face that could only be called likeable. In general, the commander seemed different than Jaron had imagined. He had expected a gruff, foul-mouthed and cold warrior, or perhaps someone like Vyrwel, whose friendly mask cracked too easily. Instead, his affability seemed genuine.
“Speaking of the Stranger”, he chuckled and as Jaron looked over his shoulder, he saw Lord Vyrwel approaching them again. Underneath his wyvern-shaped mask, Jaron saw that his smile had returned. Harpy audibly suppressed a sigh. “Mind my words, mylady”, Mullendore said, as he leant back, crossing his arms in the process.
“Mylady Gwynna”, Vyrwel said, as he took a deep bow in front of her. “May I ask for the first dance?” Harpy opened her mouth, but immediately closed it again, as she glanced towards Jaron. “I'm afraid I've already promised it to someone else, Mylord”, she chirped. “Perhaps the second one?”
Vyrwel gave her a nod. “It would be my honour”, he said firmly. Harpy looked at Mullendore, who gave her an encouraging nod. “I still hope to get the third one, Lady Gwynna”, he said with a jovial smile. Finally, Harpy raised from her seat, almost pulling Jaron with her. “May I... may I ask for this dance, Ser?”, she stuttered nervously.
“You don't have to ask”, Jaron answered as he stood up and next to her. He gulped as he glanced at the dancing nobles. “Though... I'm afraid I don't know the steps”, he admitted, as they slowly approached the dance floor.
Harpy leant closer towards him and he softly put his healthy arm around her waist. “Me neither”, she whispered into his ear. “As far as I know, there are two secrets to dancing. First, you have to look as if you know what you're doing. Second and most importantly, you have to enjoy it”
“I do enjoy it”, Jaron answered wholeheartedly, as he held her gently. The steps weren't entirely foreign to him, but still strange and at first he was afraid to mess anything up. And a second, darker thought prevented him from fully relaxing. “And... what's with the targets?”
Harpy sighed, as she spun around, turning him towards the spot where they had just been sitting a few moments ago. Lord Hightower was still sitting there, Arryk standing behind him. It was clear that the lord of Oldtown wasn't the dancing type. Mullendore was dancing at the other end of the dance floor, together with a tall, thin and grey-haired woman, whose mask had the shape of a fox's head. The look on his face revealed that he wasn't enjoying the thought of being close to her. Finally, the High Septon was talking to Taria at the edge of the dance floor, obviously trying to convince her to dance with him.
“As you see, I keep an eye on all of them, my knight”, Harpy revealed as she took one graceful step after the other. “Though that does not mean that I can't enjoy being close to you, as long as this dance lasts” She sighed again, regretfully, as he clumsily spun her around. All around them, he saw noblewomen separating from their partners and Harpy did the same. “That's the part where the women change their partners”, she revealed. “I'll be back soon”
Reluctantly but wordlessly, he let her go and watched her approaching Lord Vyrwel. To him, it was clear that she had been lying when she said that she didn't know the steps. A smile formed on his face, but it immediately faded as soon as he saw the fox-masked noblewoman approaching him. “May I ask for this dance, Ser?”, she said with a creaky voice and Jaron gave her a regretful nod.
Unlike Harpy, this woman was not a born dancer and her skin felt cold and rough. Her moves were stiff, not even nearly enough to cover up Jaron's clumsiness. Even worse was her smell. It was perfume, but a very bad one that reminded Jaron of dusty old books. “Lady Alysanne Florent”, she introduced herself sternly and without even a hint of joy. “Ser Jaron Storm”, he answered and noticed the displeased glare in her grey eyes as he mentioned his surname.
“I believe this would be all, bastard”, she immediately said, as she thankfully separated from him again. Then, she faded into the crowd, leaving Jaron alone on the dancefloor. Unsure what to do, he just stood there for a moment, tapping his feet to the tune of the music. He didn't know the song, but the melody, while quite loud, was slow at the same time, almost mournful for the most part, until it got interrupted by brief moments of wild ecstasy, which marked the point for the women to change their partners.
Just in this moment, one of these wild parts started. Jaron sighed, as he looked around for his next partner. To his pleasant surprise, he spotted Harpy, who quickly approached him. A smile formed on his face, even though he noticed that she wasn't smiling.
“I thought you've promised the third dance to the commander”, he exclaimed as he put his arm around her again. She started to move to the beat of the music, before she shook her head. “I saw something at your side of the dance floor”, she revealed nervously and slightly turned around him.
Her eyes widened. “There”, she hissed. As Jaron followed her glance, he caught a glimpse of a white mask, shaped like the head of a cat, before the mask and its wearer were gone in the crowd to his left. “And there”, she said, bringing Jaron's attention to a second Alley Cat in the crowd to his right. This time, he even saw a flash of steel, a small dagger in the masked man's hand.
Harpy and Jaron exchanged a worried look, before they looked around, trying to find the targets. The first Jaron was able to see was Lord Hightower. Arryk Bulwer was still standing behind him, but both of them were too busy watching the dancers to pay any attention to the crowd around them. Jaron spotted one, two, three men with cat-masks who were slowly approaching the lord and his bodyguard from behind. The loud music did their part in distracting them.
A dozen feet to Jaron's right, the High Septon had obviously succeeded in convincing Taria to dance with him. She lay in his fat arms, visibly unhappy about the turn of events. Jaron spotted one Alley Cat, who slowly elbowed his way through the crowd. Somewhere at the other end of the room, someone screamed, though the sound was almost drowned by the music.
And then there was Mullendore. The commander was standing at the other end of the dance floor, currently without a partner. Just as Jaron had spotted him, he saw a man with a white cat mask directly walking up to him. Mullendore saw the steel in the masked man's hand almost too late. He managed to grab the arm mere inches before the dagger would have reached his throat. Even though the crowd around them immediately noticed what was happening, Jaron realized that the way these men moved almost looked like a part of the dance, which was still going on without being disturbed. Someone who only threw a casual glance towards Mullendore would never realize that the commander was fighting for his life right now.
Jaron and Harpy exchanged a wordless, alarmed glare. The commander was already getting attacked and it was only a matter of seconds until the High Septon and Lord Hightower would share his fate. They all needed help and Jaron knew, he had to make an important decision now, in the briefest of moments.
[Rush towards Hightower] [Rush towards Mullendore] [Rush towards the High Septon]