Isn't M'aiq known to have a rather unique definition of the term 'truth'? Does that mean that you want Jenna to live a long and wonderful li… morefe? This confuses me greatly.
Though if you want Jenna (or any other character by the way) to die, you have be careful with the choices. Most of the characters have potential deaths planned for them somewhere in the story. In some cases, like Jenna, her choice-determinant survival in Chapter 3 does not mean she's safe at any time. I can confirm that everyone can die sooner or later, including Jenna. However, it also goes the other way round. Very few people are doomed from the beginning as well.
In this case, I probably don't even know what I would have chosen. As expected, none of you voted to refuse to justify Lucas' actions and I think it was pretty clear that this would have been the worst choice for his friendship with Leonard. It wouldn't have been entirely negative, as Lucas would have developed a bit of a stubborn, decisive streak that might have come in handy later, but a majority of the consequences wouldn't have been beneficial. Personally and without taking my knowledge of the future story into consideration, I probably would have chosen to apologize to Leonard, but that does not mean that having Lucas defend his actions is necessarily the worse choice here.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I have started writing, but I also have a few other things to write today and therefore can't promise that the part is going to be released in time. However, it will include PoV's from Kersea and Drent and at least Kersea's PoV is making some good progress. The last time we saw her, she participated during an attack led by Clayton and Rayden, against an old lighthouse outside of Raylansfair, where Harris has stored the wildfire which John and Janae have found in Chapter 5. The attack was swift and brutal and the assassins quickly killed every guard that was stationed there. However, immediately afterwards, Clayton and Alysanne turned against Rayden and his men and overpowered them. Clayton proceeded to brutally torture Rayden and he even allowed Alysanne to participate as well. In something she probably saw as a friendly gesture, Alysanne extended this offer to Kersea. However, left with the choice to torture Rayden or to refuse, Kersea took a third option and decided to give him a quick mercy kill instead. To say that Clayton is not going to be pleased would be a massive understatement.
Meanwhile, Drent, Montclair and Torrence made their way to the tavern, where they were looking for the enigmatic hedge knight Ian Shortwood. At the beginning of the chapter, Ian has encountered Ser Emphryus while he was getting help to break up the fight between Harris and Darren. The Stormlander knight immediately had a weird feeling about Ian, though he was not willing to share any details about it and he tasked Montclair and his men to uncover anything suspicious about him. After their arrival at the tavern, they quickly found Ian, who was apparently highly nervous and sitting on his own. While Drent and Montclair went to speak to him, Torrence was sent to search his room. However, this was observed by John and in his latest part, you chose for him to follow Torrence.
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to defend his decision
In this case, I probably don't even know what I would have chosen. As expe… morected, none of you voted to refuse to justify Lucas' actions and I think it was pretty clear that this would have been the worst choice for his friendship with Leonard. It wouldn't have been entirely negative, as Lucas would have developed a bit of a stubborn, decisive streak that might have come in handy later, but a majority of the consequences wouldn't have been beneficial. Personally and without taking my knowledge of the future story into consideration, I probably would have chosen to apologize to Leonard, but that does not mean that having Lucas defend his actions is necessarily the worse choice here.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I have started writing, but I also have a few other things to write today and therefore can't promise that the part is going to be released in time. … [view original content]
ah, it was your Maester whom mine almost had to kill for the job, then mine took a better position at Storm's End as Liquid didn't want to kill off chars too soon ;P
Yea, yea. But still, there is nowhere in Westeros that you are safe. You can really die whenever. Beds, dinnertables and of course the Poo-stations. Yepp, that is totally a word.
Yea, yea. But still, there is nowhere in Westeros that you are safe. You can really die whenever. Beds, dinnertables and of course the Poo-stations. Yepp, that is totally a word.
Wow, these are incredible drawings! And they have come out at a perfect time, because Edrick and the other characters from his storyline will make their return in the part after the one I'm hoping to finish today. I'm especially amazed at the details of the clothing, that seems particularly fine this time. Especially the fur texture at Darreth's drawing is wonderful and also one of the reasons why Darreth is my favourite drawing from this bunch. He, together with Alphyn, are the most spot on among the five drawings, but the other ones are extremely well done too. Especially Edrick is another favourite of mine, the look on his face is so damn expressive. As always, very well done drawings, thank you very much
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he slightly shook his head in desperation. She saw the growing anger in Clayton's eyes as he realized she couldn't do it, probably even before she came to the same conclusion.
And then, before either of them was able to react, Kersea plunged the dagger down into Rayden's chest. He gasped, as an almost peaceful look appeared on his face. His lips formed something resembling a smile underneath horrible agony. Kersea let go of her dagger just as Clayton let go of Rayden and the limp body sank to the ground.
Kersea looked up. Clayton stared daggers at her, his fists clenched and he was trembling with pure rage. She had never seen him trembling before and from the look in his eye, she knew she had hurt him. Perhaps for the first time, she had legitimately hurt him and the tears that formed in his eye were equal parts tears of anger and tears of pain. His closed fists moved forwards, aimed at her face, faster than she was able to dodge the attack.
It never reached her. Halfway between them, Alysanne had grabbed Clayton's wrist, blocking the strike and preventing him from reaching Kersea. She wasn't looking at either of them. Her smile was gone and she stared at Rayden's dead body. “Kersea”, she said tonelessly, her voice bare of any emotion. “Go into the lighthouse and check if the wildfire is really there”
Kersea gave her a nod, while Clayton was staring daggers at her. He was still trembling, though he made no attempt at breaking free of Alysanne's grip. The two remained standing above Rayden's corpse, with Alysanne staring at it and Clayton staring at her. With this, Kersea left them, as she turned around to the lighthouse.
Trying her best to ignore the massacre around her, she stepped past the corpses of the guardsmen, as she opened the door to the lighthouse. A large, circular and room was located behind it, with a set of stairs leading to the room above. Kersea walked past crates, containing supplies for the stations guardsmen, as well as a couple of hastily built plank beds.
Carefully looking around, making sure that no guardsmen tried to hide somewhere, she made her way upstairs. A thick door, which fortunately stood open, allowed her to enter the first floor of the building. It was equally circular and empty, though Kersea saw a large open window, through which the sea was visible. As she approached the set of stairs that led further upstairs, she glanced out of the window and shivered. At least twenty feet below her, down the tower and the cliff it stood on, she saw the sea, which was particularly wild today.
A large door blocked the path up to the second floor of the lighthouse, though it wasn't locked. Still, it was an old and heavy door and Kersea grunted as she had to use a considerable part of her strength to pull it open. With a loud creak, it finally gave in and she got a glimpse of the room behind. Kersea gasped as she spotted the rows of carefully stacked green vials.
Barely daring to breathe in the presence of such a terrible, destructive power, Kersea took a step back. The entire upper level of the lighthouse was filled with wildfire, enough to blow up an entire castle. Whatever Clayton and Butterfly wanted to do with this, she knew it couldn't be anything good.
She stumbled back to the first floor and towards the window. Still shaking from what happened today, she put her forearms on the windowsill and let out a deep sigh. This was not how it was supposed to be. Back when she agreed to work for Clayton, she never would have thought he wanted her to do things like... like what just happened outside. The price she paid for Briar's safety, it started to overwhelm her. It was even worse because she knew, the true price would be paid by others. Kersea was willing to sacrifice whatever was left of herself to save her little sister, but she knew, what she did here was a terrible thing, because she sacrificed others, ruined lives that were not her own. There was no other way, she told herself, though it failed to convince her. What if...?
“Hey”, Alysanne's unusually soft voice was heard behind her. Kersea glanced over her shoulder and saw her friend walking up the stairs. “Everything alright with the wildfire?” Kersea gave her a nod. “It's upstairs”, she said. “And entire room full of it”
Alysanne did not smile, instead a look of concern flashed over her face. “I fucking hate wildfire”, she mumbled, as she stepped next to Kersea. She noticed her stare and raised an eyebrow. “What?”, she asked.
“Clayton?”, Kersea asked in return and Alysanne shook her head. “He stormed off. Said he had to get something from the hideout. Should be back soon”, she explained. “I'm not going to lie, I've thought about killing him for a moment, to stab him right in his back” She glanced down to the sea. “But actually going through with it... it has never been that hard before”
Both stayed silent for a moment, until Alysanne continued. “Kersea, I know you're not made for this life”, she said and Kersea gave her a surprised glance. Alysanne sighed. “I think deep down I always knew it, but I tried to pretend I didn't. I... have hoped you could be like me”, she whispered. “I think Rayden proved without a doubt that you are different”
“Alysanne, I...”, Kersea started, though Alysanne cut her off. “Please, puppy, just listen”, she said softly. “I know I'm a crappy friend. A crappy person in general, but I suppose that's what happens if something gets smashed to pieces over and over. You can't expect it to work correctly afterwards”
“Is everything alright, Alysanne?”, Kersea asked with concern, as she noticed the unusually worried streak in her friends voice. Alysanne shook her head. “You're not made for this life and no matter how much I'd like to pretend things were different, you will never be made for this life”, she answered. “You will never be like me and perhaps that's a good thing”
Now with a lump in her throat, Kersea fully faced her friend. “I know”, she answered. “I can't do that anymore, Alysanne. It's getting harder to pretend day by day. And every time I resist Clayton and his sick wishes, it reminds me of whom I used to be” She sighed. “I can't become another person. Not even for your sake”
A small smile formed on Alysanne's face. “Yes, that is true”, she mumbled. “I think that's why I wanted to be your friend in the first place. You've been different, always. Clayton, me, even that silver bitch Raenna, we all got formed by what we were doing, some of us more than others. But you... You've never given yourself up and I admire that. Deep down you stayed the girl from the North that only wanted to save her sister” With a look of regret on her face, Alysanne came closer towards Kersea. “And that's whom you have to become again. You're not made for this live and you have to leave it, even if that means you have to leave me”
And finally, Kersea spotted the hint of almost childlike fear in Alysanne's eyes. A wave of heartfelt pity flashed across her. “I could never leave you, Alysanne”, she said wholeheartedly. Alysanne smiled, though she did not seem convinced. “You're right, I have to leave”, Kersea continued. “But you have to leave with me. If I can turn my back on all of this, so can you”
Alysanne closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again, Kersea saw the hint of tears in them. It was the first time she ever saw tears in her eyes, genuine tears of remorse. “This is the only thing I regret in the entire mess that is my life”, she said. “That I haven't met you earlier. A decade ago and there could have been a chance for me. Now...” She shook her head. “Some people have gone too far to turn back”
Kersea hesitated, though she finally put a hand onto Alysanne's shoulder. Her friends head sank forwards, until their foreheads touched. “You told me I've never given myself up”, Kersea whispered. She looked up and right into Alysanne's wet green eyes. “I'm not giving you up either”, she said and Alysanne's eyes widened. “There's still hope for you. You can come back from this, I promise”
The smile on Alysanne's face grew smaller again, more like her usual smile. “I wish I could believe you”, she said and her voice shivered with regret. “I wish nothing more than to believe you. And I wish I could love you like you deserve” She closed her eyes and a tear slowly found its way down her cheek. “But I can't, puppy, I can't. I've been gone too far long ago”
Kersea wanted to say something, anything, though a cough behind Alysanne caused her to raise her head. Clayton stood in the doorway that led downstairs. His one eye glared at her without mercy. “We must speak. Alone”, he said, his voice bare of emotion as he raised a small bundle, something wrapped in linen, which he casually held in his hands. “I have something for you and must tell you a few important things”
Without waiting for her, he turned around and walked downstairs. Alysanne sighed. “It's alright”, she said. “He's pissed and you know he doesn't like waiting if he's pissed” The smile on her face was the usual Alysanne smile, forced and not entirely genuine. “Just go. Don't get yourself in trouble just because I chose a bad time to pity the fucked up mess I am”
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton][Let him wait and stay with Alysanne]
Drent
With awe, Drent saw how Torrence effortlessly charmed the barmaid, a young thing with red hair and a pretty face. Of course, he was not an ugly man by any means, but Drent never considered him particularly charming, more like the opposite. But from the way the girl was blushing, she only seemed to have eyes for Torrence's bright eyes and his handsome smile.
“I'll be damned, Bernile is one sly son of a bitch”, Montclair mumbled, as he and Drent made their way through the bar and towards Ian Shortwood. The alleged hedge knight hadn't noticed them so far, or at least Drent didn't think so. However, as they came closer, he looked up from his ale and right at them, his eyes narrowed. Quickly, he glanced to the exit and Drent saw the sweat on his forehead. To be fair though, it was warm in the taproom, hot even.
“Good day, Ser”, Montclair greeted him. “You mind if we grab a seat?” Shortwood gave him a nod. “Yeah, I would mind”, he said coldly. “There are enough free spots elsewhere” Drent looked through the exceptionally crowded tavern, noticing that Torrence had put a hand onto the barmaid's waist by now. That sly bastard...
“Not much though. And you're sitting all alone, we thought maybe you'd appreciate the company the most”, Montclair tried to argue. Shortwood shook his head. “Well, I don't, that's why I'm sitting all by myself”, he stated firmly. “At least I'm not looking for your company”
Baffled by his straightforwardness, Montclair narrowed his eyes. “And what is that supposed to mean, Ser?”, he asked. “Have we angered you in any way? If so, you have my apologies” The hedge knight sighed. “It's nothing like that”, he assured them. “It's just that, and I'm going to be straightforward with you here, I don't trust you”
In this moment, Drent saw how the barmaid gave Torrence a wink and the sort of smile that could drive a man out of his mind. Surprisingly professional, the young soldier turned towards the set of stairs and approached it, but not before almost incidentally touching the barmaid's hand, causing her to blush vividly. It was baffling how charming he could be if he wanted to, especially considering his usual attitude. “Is there any particular reason?”, Montclair asked and Shortwood gave him a nod.
“You can say so. I mean, I'm neither blind nor stupid. I remember you, from the castle. You just returned when I left. You're Stormlander soldiers, aren't you?”, he explained and before Montclair or Drent could interject anything, he continued. “You're not wearing your uniform, but it's too early for you to be off duty. Because of that, I conclude you want something from me” He looked up and the look in his eyes was no longer nervous, but cautious and determined. “You have one chance to tell me what this here is all about, or else this conversation is over”
Montclair sighed. “Fuck this”, he mumbled. “If Dresfel wanted things to be done subtly, he should have sent Lady Tariel” With these words, he sat down in front of Shortwood and after a moment of consideration, Drent grabbed a seat next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something worrying. In the corner, a large man rose from his chair. He was probably a bit older than Shortwood and Montclair, with brown hair, a thick moustache and an eyepatch. The sleeveless leather vest he was wearing put a lot of emphasis onto his massively muscled arms. And this man just followed Torrence.
“Aye, we're soldiers”, the sergeant said, without any sort of subtlety. “I'm Jax Montclair, Sergeant in the army of the Stormlands. This is one of my men, Drent Golton. And because we are soldiers, we've been drilled to be honest. Deceiving others, that's not what we're made for and not what I or the kingdom I serve stand for” He crossed his arms. “Does the name Emphryus Dresfel ring a bell?”
Shortwood shook his head, a mildly confused smirk on his face. “I have never heard of this man. Should I know him?”, he asked and he sounded honest. Then again, Drent had met liars before and he couldn't be sure if this man was indeed telling the truth. “He's a knight”, he said. “One of the best in the Storm King's army and personal bodyguard to his daughter”
“Ah yes”, Shortwood said. “We've met briefly while I was getting help. A rather intimidating man. Have I offended him in any way?” Montclair shook his head. “I was hoping you could tell us more. He seems to know you and yet here you are claiming that you've never met him before”
Shortwood's smile got wider but in it, Drent noticed something, perhaps merely a feeling, that seemed less honest than before. “Sergeant, I can assure you I have not the slightest idea what he means”, he said. “Though, actually there's something I can think of” He pointed at his face. “You see, I've been told that I have one of these faces, the ones you always seem to recognize faintly. It's why I grew the beard, with mixed results”
“Hm, he didn't seem to be too sure himself”, Montclair admitted. “Though something about you seemed off to him. That's all I know. You have really no idea what he's talking about?” Shortwood chuckled. “Not at all, Sergeant”, he said. “But even if, why do you think I would just tell you? I have nothing to hide, but a man who does would claim the same”
“So, you're telling us not to trust you?”, Drent asked and the hedge knight gave him a nod. “Blind trust is never a good thing”, he answered. “I believe trust has to be earned through one's actions. And even then, it can never hurt to be cautious around others” He shrugged. “Frankly, you're very straightforward about your intentions, which I consider... odd”
“I'm not a liar, Ser, I'm a soldier. Have been one for all my life”, Montclair stated. “I'm not here to deceive people, I'm just here to protect my princess” Shortwood gave him a nod. “I respect that and you can take my word for it that I pose no threat to Princess Argella or any man from her entourage”
“And now we're supposed to believe you?”, Montclair asked and Shortwood grinned slyly. “Not at all, Ser. But that's your problem and not mine”, he answered. “I just wish to mind my own business here and I have no intentions of harming anyone today”
“Yet, you're rather nervous”, Drent stated, focussing on the sweat on the hedge knight's forehead and the subtly uncomfortable twitching of his fingers. Shortwood gulped, again barely noticeable. “It's a room full with people whom I don't know”, he said. “What's not to be nervous about?”
“Usually, only men who have something to hide are nervous”, Drent continued and Shortwood shook his head. “Being nervous is nothing bad. It heightens your senses, causes you to analyse a situation in ways you wouldn't even consider otherwise”, he explained in a firm, friendly tone. “I am by no means a coward. The opposite actually, though I have no problem with admitting that I have a nervous streak at the same time. After all, a man can be brave and nervous at the same time” He shrugged. “Trust issues run in my family”
“Your family... you're from the Stormlands, aren't you?”, Drent asked and Shortwood gave him a nod. “There's no point in hiding the accent, as subtle as it might be”, he answered. “My family lived in the Stormlands. That's all I'm comfortable to share, at least with complete strangers”
Montclair grinned and raised his hand. “Then let us drink, Ser, and we won't be strangers anymore”, he offered, though Shortwood quickly shook his head. “I'm afraid I really have some things to do”, he declined. “I am a busy man and you have kept me from my duties long enough. Apologies if this sounds rude”
Drent wanted to say something, though a loud commotion caused him to shift his attention to the stairs. Groaning in pain, Torrence rose from the ground, holding his head and staggering into the taproom. The man with the eyepatch walked down the stairs behind him. “I saw that guy trying to break into a room!”, he yelled loudly, causing everyone to shift his attention towards him.
Instead of backing down, Torrence glared at him. “Are you a fucking lunatic?”, he snarled. “I've simply lost my key! My key, you one-eyed idiot. And you're throwing me down the stairs like a ploughing wildling!” He clenched his fists, as he and the one-eyed man started to circle each other. Both seemed confrontational. The one-eyed man was clearly drunken, while Torrence was angry, very much so.
“Oh, bloody hell...”, Montclair sighed. “And I can't even blame Bernile for that one” He rose form his chair and approached the two men. He was the only one who did so, as every other patron tried their best to keep their distance. Somewhere beyond the crowd, the fat innkeeper yelled at the people to let her through and Drent saw her swinging a large, wooden spoon.
From the other side, two people made their way through the crowd with far less trouble. One of them was a huge, bald man, perhaps the largest man in the room, who even dwarfed the one-eyed man. Next to him walked a woman, maybe about thirty years old, with the tanned skin of the people from the east. Neither seemed particularly happy about the situation.
“Well, Ser, I apologize, but it seems I have to...”, Drent started, though as he glanced over his shoulder, he noticed that Shortwood wasn't sitting at the table anymore. Just as he noticed this, he spotted him almost at the door that led outside. And now it was clear that he was hiding something, or else he wouldn't have used the incident to get away from the tavern. Suppressing a curse, Drent considered his next step.
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne] Let's get ol' Clay a little more upset, my favorite thing to do.
[Assit Montclair and Torrence]] To be honest I would like there to be a tavern fight and I get the feeling Drent being there will make it far more entertaining.
I'm glad John got him, because I kind of like Shortwood and it would suck if he was like a cannibal or something. If only we didn't sell out Harris.
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Drent: Can I be your friend?
Ian: No...
Drent: No as in we can or cannot?
Ian: Did you not hear me? No means no.
Drent: ...so can we still be drinking buddies?
Ian: NO!!!
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne] This is the chance I've been waiting for! To change Alysanne's path. I might not get another chance, so I refuse to waste it!
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton] It might be rather important, he might just throw her out of the group and tell her that Briar is a dead girl. I don't know, and I am to curious to find out. And frankly, I don't care about Alysanne, she can't be changed she says, then I have nothing more to say to her. Also, we should probably not piss the fuck off out of Clayton, he seems to be on edge.
[Follow Shortwood] Shortwood is a very interesting character, and I want to find out more about him. Maybe he knows that Drent'll follow him, and prepare a backstab or somethin'. But we could just see the inn-brawl from Johns PoV, can't we?
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton] Starting to feel like we are at breaking point in this storyline... One of them is going to die soon, Clayton, Kersea or Alysanne. But anyway, I'd like to see what does he want to say now. More threats? Beating up?
[Follow Shortwood] I'm very interested in Shortwood, we can't miss this opportunity to learn more about him.
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into… more the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he sligh… [view original content]
Comments
as I read the story I get more and more scared to count all the people who got banned since the start
[Defend your decision]
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to defend his decision
In this case, I probably don't even know what I would have chosen. As expected, none of you voted to refuse to justify Lucas' actions and I think it was pretty clear that this would have been the worst choice for his friendship with Leonard. It wouldn't have been entirely negative, as Lucas would have developed a bit of a stubborn, decisive streak that might have come in handy later, but a majority of the consequences wouldn't have been beneficial. Personally and without taking my knowledge of the future story into consideration, I probably would have chosen to apologize to Leonard, but that does not mean that having Lucas defend his actions is necessarily the worse choice here.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I have started writing, but I also have a few other things to write today and therefore can't promise that the part is going to be released in time. However, it will include PoV's from Kersea and Drent and at least Kersea's PoV is making some good progress. The last time we saw her, she participated during an attack led by Clayton and Rayden, against an old lighthouse outside of Raylansfair, where Harris has stored the wildfire which John and Janae have found in Chapter 5. The attack was swift and brutal and the assassins quickly killed every guard that was stationed there. However, immediately afterwards, Clayton and Alysanne turned against Rayden and his men and overpowered them. Clayton proceeded to brutally torture Rayden and he even allowed Alysanne to participate as well. In something she probably saw as a friendly gesture, Alysanne extended this offer to Kersea. However, left with the choice to torture Rayden or to refuse, Kersea took a third option and decided to give him a quick mercy kill instead. To say that Clayton is not going to be pleased would be a massive understatement.
Meanwhile, Drent, Montclair and Torrence made their way to the tavern, where they were looking for the enigmatic hedge knight Ian Shortwood. At the beginning of the chapter, Ian has encountered Ser Emphryus while he was getting help to break up the fight between Harris and Darren. The Stormlander knight immediately had a weird feeling about Ian, though he was not willing to share any details about it and he tasked Montclair and his men to uncover anything suspicious about him. After their arrival at the tavern, they quickly found Ian, who was apparently highly nervous and sitting on his own. While Drent and Montclair went to speak to him, Torrence was sent to search his room. However, this was observed by John and in his latest part, you chose for him to follow Torrence.
Oh wow. I don't know if I'm ready for Kersea's part. XD I'm so fucking scared.
Well, there is a healer on its way, but of course it can't heal the dead, usually.
What are you talking about?
an old man in blue and green
Another healer?!?! You know what this means. They are going to have to fight to the death and see who is the ultimate healer of Raylainsfair!
actually no, you need a healer to save a healer
And then the new Maester comes to Raylansfair some day and kicks the shit outta both of 'em.
ah, it was your Maester whom mine almost had to kill for the job, then mine took a better position at Storm's End as Liquid didn't want to kill off chars too soon ;P
Now all we need is a serial killer who has a strong hatred towards healers.
Don't we have too many of those already? at least 3, if not more
I suppose it was, lucky me that Liquid is so kind.Please don't kill him right away Liquid
What do you mean?
nah, don't be afraid, we discussed it with Liquid and agreed on how to handle this, also, the job at Storm's End pays better
not introduced yet
I mean how are they related to the Alley Cats?
Depends on Liquid
Yea, yea. But still, there is nowhere in Westeros that you are safe. You can really die whenever. Beds, dinnertables and of course the Poo-stations. Yepp, that is totally a word.
I made over a dozen characters for Essos, will make more
I am not entirely sure what that has to do with what I wrote... "Nowhere safe in Westeros" maybe? Well Westeros and Essos then. : 3
there be dragons, golden dragons
Heh, this is... getting pretty weird. Golden Dragons, like money? : 3
Nah just kiddin'. I am sure that you created a lit of awesome or less awesome characters for Essos.
The plot twist though is that he is actually also a healer and at the end of his story arc he commits suicide after a job well done.
Hellooo! I have more character illustrations for you, this time from the North:
Wow, these are incredible drawings! And they have come out at a perfect time, because Edrick and the other characters from his storyline will make their return in the part after the one I'm hoping to finish today. I'm especially amazed at the details of the clothing, that seems particularly fine this time. Especially the fur texture at Darreth's drawing is wonderful and also one of the reasons why Darreth is my favourite drawing from this bunch. He, together with Alphyn, are the most spot on among the five drawings, but the other ones are extremely well done too. Especially Edrick is another favourite of mine, the look on his face is so damn expressive. As always, very well done drawings, thank you very much
Kersea
“Please...”, Rayden sobbed, blood dripping down his mutilated face. “Please, no more...” Alysanne cut him off by punching him into the face. “Shut your trap, bastard”, she barked, before she gave Kersea a sweet smile. “Come on, puppy. Your turn. But don't take his tongue, I have dibs on that one”
Kersea tensed up as her hand reached for the dagger. “That's right, puppy”, Alysanne grinned in a friendly, anticipating tone. “Nice and slow, just like he deserves it” Kersea looked down at the dagger and at the sobbing Rayden. Behind him stood Clayton and the look in his one eye was a stern glare.
“Don't let us wait”, Alysanne chuckled and Kersea moved the dagger forwards. The cold steel touched Rayden's cheek and the blinded assassin tensed up. “No...”, he stuttered. “No, no, no...” Slowly, Kersea moved the blade downwards, scratching across the flesh without cutting into it. She saw the shivering of Rayden's lower jaw, as he slightly shook his head in desperation. She saw the growing anger in Clayton's eyes as he realized she couldn't do it, probably even before she came to the same conclusion.
And then, before either of them was able to react, Kersea plunged the dagger down into Rayden's chest. He gasped, as an almost peaceful look appeared on his face. His lips formed something resembling a smile underneath horrible agony. Kersea let go of her dagger just as Clayton let go of Rayden and the limp body sank to the ground.
Kersea looked up. Clayton stared daggers at her, his fists clenched and he was trembling with pure rage. She had never seen him trembling before and from the look in his eye, she knew she had hurt him. Perhaps for the first time, she had legitimately hurt him and the tears that formed in his eye were equal parts tears of anger and tears of pain. His closed fists moved forwards, aimed at her face, faster than she was able to dodge the attack.
It never reached her. Halfway between them, Alysanne had grabbed Clayton's wrist, blocking the strike and preventing him from reaching Kersea. She wasn't looking at either of them. Her smile was gone and she stared at Rayden's dead body. “Kersea”, she said tonelessly, her voice bare of any emotion. “Go into the lighthouse and check if the wildfire is really there”
Kersea gave her a nod, while Clayton was staring daggers at her. He was still trembling, though he made no attempt at breaking free of Alysanne's grip. The two remained standing above Rayden's corpse, with Alysanne staring at it and Clayton staring at her. With this, Kersea left them, as she turned around to the lighthouse.
Trying her best to ignore the massacre around her, she stepped past the corpses of the guardsmen, as she opened the door to the lighthouse. A large, circular and room was located behind it, with a set of stairs leading to the room above. Kersea walked past crates, containing supplies for the stations guardsmen, as well as a couple of hastily built plank beds.
Carefully looking around, making sure that no guardsmen tried to hide somewhere, she made her way upstairs. A thick door, which fortunately stood open, allowed her to enter the first floor of the building. It was equally circular and empty, though Kersea saw a large open window, through which the sea was visible. As she approached the set of stairs that led further upstairs, she glanced out of the window and shivered. At least twenty feet below her, down the tower and the cliff it stood on, she saw the sea, which was particularly wild today.
A large door blocked the path up to the second floor of the lighthouse, though it wasn't locked. Still, it was an old and heavy door and Kersea grunted as she had to use a considerable part of her strength to pull it open. With a loud creak, it finally gave in and she got a glimpse of the room behind. Kersea gasped as she spotted the rows of carefully stacked green vials.
Barely daring to breathe in the presence of such a terrible, destructive power, Kersea took a step back. The entire upper level of the lighthouse was filled with wildfire, enough to blow up an entire castle. Whatever Clayton and Butterfly wanted to do with this, she knew it couldn't be anything good.
She stumbled back to the first floor and towards the window. Still shaking from what happened today, she put her forearms on the windowsill and let out a deep sigh. This was not how it was supposed to be. Back when she agreed to work for Clayton, she never would have thought he wanted her to do things like... like what just happened outside. The price she paid for Briar's safety, it started to overwhelm her. It was even worse because she knew, the true price would be paid by others. Kersea was willing to sacrifice whatever was left of herself to save her little sister, but she knew, what she did here was a terrible thing, because she sacrificed others, ruined lives that were not her own. There was no other way, she told herself, though it failed to convince her. What if...?
“Hey”, Alysanne's unusually soft voice was heard behind her. Kersea glanced over her shoulder and saw her friend walking up the stairs. “Everything alright with the wildfire?” Kersea gave her a nod. “It's upstairs”, she said. “And entire room full of it”
Alysanne did not smile, instead a look of concern flashed over her face. “I fucking hate wildfire”, she mumbled, as she stepped next to Kersea. She noticed her stare and raised an eyebrow. “What?”, she asked.
“Clayton?”, Kersea asked in return and Alysanne shook her head. “He stormed off. Said he had to get something from the hideout. Should be back soon”, she explained. “I'm not going to lie, I've thought about killing him for a moment, to stab him right in his back” She glanced down to the sea. “But actually going through with it... it has never been that hard before”
Both stayed silent for a moment, until Alysanne continued. “Kersea, I know you're not made for this life”, she said and Kersea gave her a surprised glance. Alysanne sighed. “I think deep down I always knew it, but I tried to pretend I didn't. I... have hoped you could be like me”, she whispered. “I think Rayden proved without a doubt that you are different”
“Alysanne, I...”, Kersea started, though Alysanne cut her off. “Please, puppy, just listen”, she said softly. “I know I'm a crappy friend. A crappy person in general, but I suppose that's what happens if something gets smashed to pieces over and over. You can't expect it to work correctly afterwards”
“Is everything alright, Alysanne?”, Kersea asked with concern, as she noticed the unusually worried streak in her friends voice. Alysanne shook her head. “You're not made for this life and no matter how much I'd like to pretend things were different, you will never be made for this life”, she answered. “You will never be like me and perhaps that's a good thing”
Now with a lump in her throat, Kersea fully faced her friend. “I know”, she answered. “I can't do that anymore, Alysanne. It's getting harder to pretend day by day. And every time I resist Clayton and his sick wishes, it reminds me of whom I used to be” She sighed. “I can't become another person. Not even for your sake”
A small smile formed on Alysanne's face. “Yes, that is true”, she mumbled. “I think that's why I wanted to be your friend in the first place. You've been different, always. Clayton, me, even that silver bitch Raenna, we all got formed by what we were doing, some of us more than others. But you... You've never given yourself up and I admire that. Deep down you stayed the girl from the North that only wanted to save her sister” With a look of regret on her face, Alysanne came closer towards Kersea. “And that's whom you have to become again. You're not made for this live and you have to leave it, even if that means you have to leave me”
And finally, Kersea spotted the hint of almost childlike fear in Alysanne's eyes. A wave of heartfelt pity flashed across her. “I could never leave you, Alysanne”, she said wholeheartedly. Alysanne smiled, though she did not seem convinced. “You're right, I have to leave”, Kersea continued. “But you have to leave with me. If I can turn my back on all of this, so can you”
Alysanne closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again, Kersea saw the hint of tears in them. It was the first time she ever saw tears in her eyes, genuine tears of remorse. “This is the only thing I regret in the entire mess that is my life”, she said. “That I haven't met you earlier. A decade ago and there could have been a chance for me. Now...” She shook her head. “Some people have gone too far to turn back”
Kersea hesitated, though she finally put a hand onto Alysanne's shoulder. Her friends head sank forwards, until their foreheads touched. “You told me I've never given myself up”, Kersea whispered. She looked up and right into Alysanne's wet green eyes. “I'm not giving you up either”, she said and Alysanne's eyes widened. “There's still hope for you. You can come back from this, I promise”
The smile on Alysanne's face grew smaller again, more like her usual smile. “I wish I could believe you”, she said and her voice shivered with regret. “I wish nothing more than to believe you. And I wish I could love you like you deserve” She closed her eyes and a tear slowly found its way down her cheek. “But I can't, puppy, I can't. I've been gone too far long ago”
Kersea wanted to say something, anything, though a cough behind Alysanne caused her to raise her head. Clayton stood in the doorway that led downstairs. His one eye glared at her without mercy. “We must speak. Alone”, he said, his voice bare of emotion as he raised a small bundle, something wrapped in linen, which he casually held in his hands. “I have something for you and must tell you a few important things”
Without waiting for her, he turned around and walked downstairs. Alysanne sighed. “It's alright”, she said. “He's pissed and you know he doesn't like waiting if he's pissed” The smile on her face was the usual Alysanne smile, forced and not entirely genuine. “Just go. Don't get yourself in trouble just because I chose a bad time to pity the fucked up mess I am”
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton] [Let him wait and stay with Alysanne]
Drent
With awe, Drent saw how Torrence effortlessly charmed the barmaid, a young thing with red hair and a pretty face. Of course, he was not an ugly man by any means, but Drent never considered him particularly charming, more like the opposite. But from the way the girl was blushing, she only seemed to have eyes for Torrence's bright eyes and his handsome smile.
“I'll be damned, Bernile is one sly son of a bitch”, Montclair mumbled, as he and Drent made their way through the bar and towards Ian Shortwood. The alleged hedge knight hadn't noticed them so far, or at least Drent didn't think so. However, as they came closer, he looked up from his ale and right at them, his eyes narrowed. Quickly, he glanced to the exit and Drent saw the sweat on his forehead. To be fair though, it was warm in the taproom, hot even.
“Good day, Ser”, Montclair greeted him. “You mind if we grab a seat?” Shortwood gave him a nod. “Yeah, I would mind”, he said coldly. “There are enough free spots elsewhere” Drent looked through the exceptionally crowded tavern, noticing that Torrence had put a hand onto the barmaid's waist by now. That sly bastard...
“Not much though. And you're sitting all alone, we thought maybe you'd appreciate the company the most”, Montclair tried to argue. Shortwood shook his head. “Well, I don't, that's why I'm sitting all by myself”, he stated firmly. “At least I'm not looking for your company”
Baffled by his straightforwardness, Montclair narrowed his eyes. “And what is that supposed to mean, Ser?”, he asked. “Have we angered you in any way? If so, you have my apologies” The hedge knight sighed. “It's nothing like that”, he assured them. “It's just that, and I'm going to be straightforward with you here, I don't trust you”
In this moment, Drent saw how the barmaid gave Torrence a wink and the sort of smile that could drive a man out of his mind. Surprisingly professional, the young soldier turned towards the set of stairs and approached it, but not before almost incidentally touching the barmaid's hand, causing her to blush vividly. It was baffling how charming he could be if he wanted to, especially considering his usual attitude. “Is there any particular reason?”, Montclair asked and Shortwood gave him a nod.
“You can say so. I mean, I'm neither blind nor stupid. I remember you, from the castle. You just returned when I left. You're Stormlander soldiers, aren't you?”, he explained and before Montclair or Drent could interject anything, he continued. “You're not wearing your uniform, but it's too early for you to be off duty. Because of that, I conclude you want something from me” He looked up and the look in his eyes was no longer nervous, but cautious and determined. “You have one chance to tell me what this here is all about, or else this conversation is over”
Montclair sighed. “Fuck this”, he mumbled. “If Dresfel wanted things to be done subtly, he should have sent Lady Tariel” With these words, he sat down in front of Shortwood and after a moment of consideration, Drent grabbed a seat next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something worrying. In the corner, a large man rose from his chair. He was probably a bit older than Shortwood and Montclair, with brown hair, a thick moustache and an eyepatch. The sleeveless leather vest he was wearing put a lot of emphasis onto his massively muscled arms. And this man just followed Torrence.
“Aye, we're soldiers”, the sergeant said, without any sort of subtlety. “I'm Jax Montclair, Sergeant in the army of the Stormlands. This is one of my men, Drent Golton. And because we are soldiers, we've been drilled to be honest. Deceiving others, that's not what we're made for and not what I or the kingdom I serve stand for” He crossed his arms. “Does the name Emphryus Dresfel ring a bell?”
Shortwood shook his head, a mildly confused smirk on his face. “I have never heard of this man. Should I know him?”, he asked and he sounded honest. Then again, Drent had met liars before and he couldn't be sure if this man was indeed telling the truth. “He's a knight”, he said. “One of the best in the Storm King's army and personal bodyguard to his daughter”
“Ah yes”, Shortwood said. “We've met briefly while I was getting help. A rather intimidating man. Have I offended him in any way?” Montclair shook his head. “I was hoping you could tell us more. He seems to know you and yet here you are claiming that you've never met him before”
Shortwood's smile got wider but in it, Drent noticed something, perhaps merely a feeling, that seemed less honest than before. “Sergeant, I can assure you I have not the slightest idea what he means”, he said. “Though, actually there's something I can think of” He pointed at his face. “You see, I've been told that I have one of these faces, the ones you always seem to recognize faintly. It's why I grew the beard, with mixed results”
“Hm, he didn't seem to be too sure himself”, Montclair admitted. “Though something about you seemed off to him. That's all I know. You have really no idea what he's talking about?” Shortwood chuckled. “Not at all, Sergeant”, he said. “But even if, why do you think I would just tell you? I have nothing to hide, but a man who does would claim the same”
“So, you're telling us not to trust you?”, Drent asked and the hedge knight gave him a nod. “Blind trust is never a good thing”, he answered. “I believe trust has to be earned through one's actions. And even then, it can never hurt to be cautious around others” He shrugged. “Frankly, you're very straightforward about your intentions, which I consider... odd”
“I'm not a liar, Ser, I'm a soldier. Have been one for all my life”, Montclair stated. “I'm not here to deceive people, I'm just here to protect my princess” Shortwood gave him a nod. “I respect that and you can take my word for it that I pose no threat to Princess Argella or any man from her entourage”
“And now we're supposed to believe you?”, Montclair asked and Shortwood grinned slyly. “Not at all, Ser. But that's your problem and not mine”, he answered. “I just wish to mind my own business here and I have no intentions of harming anyone today”
“Yet, you're rather nervous”, Drent stated, focussing on the sweat on the hedge knight's forehead and the subtly uncomfortable twitching of his fingers. Shortwood gulped, again barely noticeable. “It's a room full with people whom I don't know”, he said. “What's not to be nervous about?”
“Usually, only men who have something to hide are nervous”, Drent continued and Shortwood shook his head. “Being nervous is nothing bad. It heightens your senses, causes you to analyse a situation in ways you wouldn't even consider otherwise”, he explained in a firm, friendly tone. “I am by no means a coward. The opposite actually, though I have no problem with admitting that I have a nervous streak at the same time. After all, a man can be brave and nervous at the same time” He shrugged. “Trust issues run in my family”
“Your family... you're from the Stormlands, aren't you?”, Drent asked and Shortwood gave him a nod. “There's no point in hiding the accent, as subtle as it might be”, he answered. “My family lived in the Stormlands. That's all I'm comfortable to share, at least with complete strangers”
Montclair grinned and raised his hand. “Then let us drink, Ser, and we won't be strangers anymore”, he offered, though Shortwood quickly shook his head. “I'm afraid I really have some things to do”, he declined. “I am a busy man and you have kept me from my duties long enough. Apologies if this sounds rude”
Drent wanted to say something, though a loud commotion caused him to shift his attention to the stairs. Groaning in pain, Torrence rose from the ground, holding his head and staggering into the taproom. The man with the eyepatch walked down the stairs behind him. “I saw that guy trying to break into a room!”, he yelled loudly, causing everyone to shift his attention towards him.
Instead of backing down, Torrence glared at him. “Are you a fucking lunatic?”, he snarled. “I've simply lost my key! My key, you one-eyed idiot. And you're throwing me down the stairs like a ploughing wildling!” He clenched his fists, as he and the one-eyed man started to circle each other. Both seemed confrontational. The one-eyed man was clearly drunken, while Torrence was angry, very much so.
“Oh, bloody hell...”, Montclair sighed. “And I can't even blame Bernile for that one” He rose form his chair and approached the two men. He was the only one who did so, as every other patron tried their best to keep their distance. Somewhere beyond the crowd, the fat innkeeper yelled at the people to let her through and Drent saw her swinging a large, wooden spoon.
From the other side, two people made their way through the crowd with far less trouble. One of them was a huge, bald man, perhaps the largest man in the room, who even dwarfed the one-eyed man. Next to him walked a woman, maybe about thirty years old, with the tanned skin of the people from the east. Neither seemed particularly happy about the situation.
“Well, Ser, I apologize, but it seems I have to...”, Drent started, though as he glanced over his shoulder, he noticed that Shortwood wasn't sitting at the table anymore. Just as he noticed this, he spotted him almost at the door that led outside. And now it was clear that he was hiding something, or else he wouldn't have used the incident to get away from the tavern. Suppressing a curse, Drent considered his next step.
[Follow Shortwood] [Assist Montclair and Torrence]
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne] Let's get ol' Clay a little more upset, my favorite thing to do.
[Assit Montclair and Torrence]] To be honest I would like there to be a tavern fight and I get the feeling Drent being there will make it far more entertaining.
I'm glad John got him, because I kind of like Shortwood and it would suck if he was like a cannibal or something. If only we didn't sell out Harris.
Oh yes sweet Alysanne, you are.
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne]
[Follow Shortwood]
Eh let's bug him some more!
Drent: Can I be your friend?
Ian: No...
Drent: No as in we can or cannot?
Ian: Did you not hear me? No means no.
Drent: ...so can we still be drinking buddies?
Ian: NO!!!
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton]
[Assist Montclair and Torrence]
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton]
[Follow Shortwood]
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne] This is the chance I've been waiting for! To change Alysanne's path. I might not get another chance, so I refuse to waste it!
[Follow Shortwood] Don't trust, do not trust!
ARGH! These are awesome! I've been so excited for Dante and Darreth's illustrations. I really like Darreth's.
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton] It might be rather important, he might just throw her out of the group and tell her that Briar is a dead girl. I don't know, and I am to curious to find out. And frankly, I don't care about Alysanne, she can't be changed she says, then I have nothing more to say to her. Also, we should probably not piss the fuck off out of Clayton, he seems to be on edge.
[Follow Shortwood] Shortwood is a very interesting character, and I want to find out more about him. Maybe he knows that Drent'll follow him, and prepare a backstab or somethin'. But we could just see the inn-brawl from Johns PoV, can't we?
[Let him wait and stay with Alysanne] NO WAY I let her go outside alone.
[Follow Shortwood]
[Go outside and meet up with Clayton] Starting to feel like we are at breaking point in this storyline... One of them is going to die soon, Clayton, Kersea or Alysanne. But anyway, I'd like to see what does he want to say now. More threats? Beating up?
[Follow Shortwood] I'm very interested in Shortwood, we can't miss this opportunity to learn more about him.
I would very much not like to anger Clayton even more. [Go outside and meet up with Clayton]
[Follow SHortwood] Why nnot? He has something going on.
I'm pretty sure he will kill Kersea if she goes outside alone