Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
[Distract Farnham] Why not, let Jenna do Leonard a favor. Poor Nora is about to be ousted from her position I think. Wonder what she is going to do now. And I wonder where Richard hid Kersea. He went back into town to drop off Hal, but I wonder if Kersea is somewhere in the city or in Richard's farmhouse.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Looks like this choice is a win/win situation for you But you are right, this might be a chance for Jenna to learn. Of course, there is the danger that she's screwing this one up and that there won't be a second chance, but in general, this could be a valuable experience for her. That said, I myself enjoy writing Saerya, so I wouldn't mind either outcome here
[District Farnham] I believe in you Jenna! Plus it's a chance for Jenna to learn. She could get better at this stuff with trial and error. She won't learn anything relying on Saerya, Saerya is amazing though so I wouldn't mind seeing her in action.
Farewell Nora and castle guards,welcome Vyrwell and Mullendore men (it will be hard for our captain take back her role at the castle)
Oh yes, indeed. Nora has only very few men left who are actually under her command, she has little actual experience and the man who put her into this position is dead. Things really aren't looking too bright for her, especially with Petyr and Mullendore trying to take control of the city.
I almost found hilarious read of Leonard attempt to hide himself
Hehe, in this part we learned about the one thing Leonard isn't good at. I mean, he had the right idea, but as Saerya said, the execution was terrible. That said, he is exhausted, having been awake for about 30-35 hours now, he is still wounded from the fight and in pain, he is stressed out over Mullendore's return and worried sick for his friends. He's making a lot of mistakes right now, this one being the most obvious.
Hugo seems an interesting man
He certainly is! Hugo serves as an example of Vyrwel's men in the city. The thing is, while Mullendore brought his men from Oldtown with him, all of whom are bad enough to serve Butterfly, the Vyrwel men are sworn knights, experienced soldiers and the like. They serve the rightful lord of an ancient an proud house and in some cases, their biggest problem is their loyalty to this lord, as seen with Hugo. He and Leonard already knew each other and got along splendidly during Leonard's last stay in Darkdell many years ago. So, under any other circumstance, he could even be an ally. I look forward to write him and the other Vyrwel men, they should be an interesting bunch of characters
RT:
* Farewell Nora and castle guards,welcome Vyrwell and Mullendore men (it will be hard for our captain take back her role at the cas… moretle)
* I almost found hilarious read of Leonard attempt to hide himself
* Hugo seems an interesting man
[Distract Farnham] I believe that this is the most interesting choice
Poor Nora is about to be ousted from her position I think. Wonder what she is going to do now.
The main problem for Nora is that her wound is preventing her from taking action as much as she'd like to. She doesn't trust Mullendore and Vyrwel, but she is currently not strong enough to resist them. At the same time, she is one of the few people in a position of power that actually survived this raid, so it is going to be similarly interesting to see how they are going to react to her.
And I wonder where Richard hid Kersea. He went back into town to drop off Hal, but I wonder if Kersea is somewhere in the city or in Richard's farmhouse.
Well, Kersea apparently hasn't been with him when he and Jenna met. His next part should give you some answers on where he took her. Though, Richard is not a dumb man, he probably expects the city to be a dangerous place for her. It's just questionable how much he truly wants to help her after her involvement with Clayton.
[Distract Farnham] Why not, let Jenna do Leonard a favor. Poor Nora is about to be ousted from her position I think. Wonder what she is goin… moreg to do now. And I wonder where Richard hid Kersea. He went back into town to drop off Hal, but I wonder if Kersea is somewhere in the city or in Richard's farmhouse.
[Distract Farnham] Interesting. Well if we pull this off, we become one step closer to screw over Mullendore. It is vital that Leonard lives, he will have a big part in taking down Mullendore.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
As other readers have said, Jenna has had fantastic development so far and it just further proves how good your writing is. Kudos to you Liquid.
[Distract Farnham] If she can in fact pull it off, that would be awesome. She will develop even more and to be honest, I don't see any serious consequences if this fails. Unless Jenna fucks up to a whole new level of fuck-uppery.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Knowing Jenna she's going to screw this up somehow, Saerya will do best to protect the handsome, heroic Leonard.
Ah Leonard so tired from glorious battle can't sneak or rest. A shame.
Hugo Farnham, aka a character related to Leonard I did not submit, means I will hate him until he proved not deserving of it. He's trying to capture poor Leonard after all, he might seem polite but he needs to act it too. Why must Leonard come to the castle? Darren not present too.
Jenna
With a heavy heart, Jenna watched as the men put Federico's corpse onto the cart, next to his fallen brothers-in-arms, right on top… more of another guardsman. So many of them had fallen that the corpse cart was stacked just shortly after it has made its way up the road to the castle. Another one, carrying the Ironborn corpses, already had to return for a second and likely even a third time.
Nora had a similarly dark expression on her pale face, as she watched her dead men carried away and her gaze momentarily met Jenna's from across the courtyard. An expression of pain was formed on her face and it wasn't only a result of the heavy wound she had received during the raid, the one that still affected her shoulder. She was surrounded by the few members of the castle guard that had survived the Ironborn attack and a quick count proved even further how isolated she was now. These new men, the ones with the butterflies on their tabards and t… [view original content]
Ah Leonard so tired from glorious battle can't sneak or rest. A shame.
It's true, he hasn't gotten a bit of rest since the battle, which does take a toll on him by now. It's actually worse than him just being unable to sneak (which, admittedly, has never been one of his main skills), but it's also affecting his fighting ability and even the way he thinks, since he is absolutely exhausted in this part. He could need some serious rest, but it is doubtful he'd get it in the castle.
Hugo Farnham, aka a character related to Leonard I did not submit, means I will hate him until he proved not deserving of it. He's trying to capture poor Leonard after all, he might seem polite but he needs to act it too.
Hehe, that is as good a reason to dislike a character as any other Though it should be said, Farnham is not exactly related to Leonard, he's just one of several characters who have met him in the past and know him. In case of Farnham, it's nothing that has been in either characters submission, but they have been in the same location once, so it makes sense for me that they ar familiar with each other. To clarify it, he has met Leonard during the latter's stay in Darkdell, which happened about half a decade ago. That was the time where Leonard served as a messenger for the various lords of the Reach, which means there will be several characters among the various courts in the kingdom who will know Leonard, most of which have somewhat gotten along with him. In case of Farnham, they do have some similarities which they bonded over, especially their sense of loyalty to their respective house. It's this sense of loyalty that forces Farnham to try and arrest Leonard, even if he apparently doesn't really want to do it.
Why must Leonard come to the castle? Darren not present too.
Actually, Leonard was in the castle already, he hasn't left it since the Chapter 8 finale. The last time we saw him, he brought Darren to the castle and gave him to some people who treated his wounds just as he saw Mullendore and company marching up there. Unable to leave the castle, which is strictly guarded mostly because Mullendore knows he has to be somewhere in there, Leonard has spend the last few hours hiding, occasionally changing his position whenever he feels he has to, waiting for a move to either free Lucas or at least escape on his own, both of which seems largely impossible to pull off right now, at least on his own.
[Ask Saerya to do it]
Knowing Jenna she's going to screw this up somehow, Saerya will do best to protect the handsome, heroic Leonard.
… more Ah Leonard so tired from glorious battle can't sneak or rest. A shame.
Hugo Farnham, aka a character related to Leonard I did not submit, means I will hate him until he proved not deserving of it. He's trying to capture poor Leonard after all, he might seem polite but he needs to act it too. Why must Leonard come to the castle? Darren not present too.
Well... this was a very clear decision. I was a bit surprised only few brought up the possibility that Jenna fails and the repercussions it could have for Leonard and maybe even for her. At the same time, I fully agree that this is an interesting decision for Jenna and if she indeed pulls this off, it will mark a further step on her development. Speaking of, I am glad you enjoy that one! It has always been part of the plan to make Jenna eventually a stronger character, though this development is far from over. We'll see more in her next part, which should be out reasonably soon.
First however, the next part. I was toying with the idea of closing the voting yesterday, as there was a chance for me to finish it yesterday, but stuff came up and I'm still left with about a third of the part. I'll be hitting the gym in a few minutes and will continue writing afterwards, which should be done in a few hours tops. I'm confident it won't take me too long This next part will be a Jaron part, after a long absence in Chapter 8. Since he hasn't been seen in months, a recap should be in order. In the last chapter, Jaron and Harpy were both still recovering from the fallout of the Chapter 6 finale, where Mullendore's men massacred almost the entire organization of the Burned Man and took the crimelord himself as their prisoner. Nonetheless, they made plans to free the Burned Man and allied with the sellsword Erik Inchfield, one of the few who were still willing to work for them, if solely for the fact that he was promised a rich reward. Later, they found another ally in Lanford, captain of the guards of Hishi, a mysterious person who owns the brothel Keira used to work in. By killing her, Mullendore's men have overstepped their boundaries, so Lanford, out for revenge, has ended Hishi's neutrality and thrown his lot in with Jaron and Harpy. A final unlikely ally was found in Samuel Harrington, who turned on the Solvers in the hopes of earning a favour with Jaron, whose help he wishes to enlist for a later task. They travelled down the Hightower dungeons, where they managed to free Ayden Blackwell, who was captured during the Chapter 6 finale, though they came too late to help the Burned Man, whom Jaron was merely able to give a mercy kill. The next part should start shortly afterwards and as said, it should be out in the next few hours.
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had been silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already, his wounds preventing him from walking properly. “I was wondering... why the crossbow?”, Erik asked. “It's not much of a useful weapon, you know. Takes too damn long to load. Wouldn't a longbow be more effective?”
Lanford's facial expression grew more relaxed again. “I see you never had to fight against a man in heavy armour”, he said. “I have yet to see the longbow that gets through plates of steel” Erik chuckled. “Point taken”, he replied. “Though how many men in plated steel do you encounter here?”
“You'd be surprised”, Lanford stated. “Besides, this one's even more deadly against men without armour. If I hit someone with it, they are dead” Jaron glanced over his shoulder towards Samuel, who slightly tensed up at these words. Famed sellsword or not, considering how close he had been to an encounter with Lanford's weapon, it was only appropriate to feel uneasy at this talk and Jaron understood him. He'd rather not talk at all, but at the same time, the silence would have been unbearable after what happened.
“Heh, I can get behind that logic”, Erik said. “Though I still don't like crossbows. They make things too easy” Lanford raised an eyebrow. “So, you're one of these guys, huh?”, he said, the hint of distaste in his voice. Erik hesitated a moment, before he shook his head. “No, no, that's not it”, he said decisively. “What I mean is, everyone can kill a man with a crossbow. Well, until he got to reload that is. But a longbow? You need to be gifted for that, it's hard work”
“Hard work...”, Lanford mumbled, his eyebrow still raised. “So, I take it you're a good shot?” Proudly, Erik gave him a nod. “Eh, I don't want to boast, but yeah”, he said with a smirk. Visibly intrigued, Lanford's face became thoughtful for a second. “And you obviously know a lot about weapons”
“You can bet on it, old man”, Erik replied. “Why's it that your're so curious? You hiring?” With a grin, Lanford gave him a nod. “Hishi might be interested in a new addition to his guard. After what the Solvers did to Keira, we're basically at war now”
“You're not”, Samuel growled from behind, to which Lanford and Erik looked at him. “Trust me, Mullendore will find a way to weasel out of this again. He's not interested in open war” Lanford's expression grew sour. “Yeah, you'd know all about this”, he said, his voice sharp enough for Jaron to intervene.
“Samuel is an ally”, he said sternly. “We couldn't have done this without him” Reluctantly, Lanford gave him a nod, though his expression remained hardened. “And that excuses the things he did before?”, he growled. “Or the side he used to work for?”
“No”, Samuel said decisively. “And let it be clear that your forgiveness is not what I'm after” He sped up, until he was walking next to Lanford. Erik wisely took a step back from the two, though the older man remained steadfast. “If it happens along the way, so be it, I won't fight it”, Samuel continued. “But everything I do, everything I have ever done and will do, serves one goal” He looked at Jaron. “Today brought me closer to it, maybe the closest I've ever been”, he said, now in a low tone. “If you're having a problem with me, I can live with that. Just don't stand in my way”
The two men glared at each other and finally, Lanford backed down. “Fine”, he said. “As long as you don't aid Butterfly anymore, we won't have a problem with each other” Samuel gave him a nod. “Trust me, I'm done with that man”, he said. “I'd even kill him if he wouldn't be out of my reach”
“Eh, I'm glad you don't”, Lanford said, not in a more forgiving tone. “There are many here who deserve this more” As he spoke, he looked at Harpy, who was still leading them through the streets of Oldtown. “But one thing is for sure. This man won't get a peaceful death”
Harpy sighed audibly, as she stopped in front of a building. Jaron recognized it as the safehouse they had left Taria in. He hadn't noticed it before, with the streets looking all the same, but now he saw it. “We're here”, she said, still not looking at either of them, just staring down the streets.
It was left for Jaron to open the door, so that Lanford and Erik could carry Ayden through it, into the short hallway and then into the room they had left Taria in. It was warm inside and dark, cozy even and Jaron felt a burden being taken off his shoulders, as he finally knew that they were safe. They would live. And whatever there was between him and Harpy now, they could work through it.
Taria looked up as Jaron entered the room. Before she was able to say anything, her gaze fell upon Ayden, who was carried into the room behind her. Her eyes widened, as she just stared at him for a second. Slowly, she rose from the small bed in the corner she had been resting on. “Ayden?”, she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
Despite his wounds, the sellsword gave her a grin. “Hey, love”, he chuckled weakly. Lanford and Erik let go of him and he staggered a step forwards, falling right into her arms, as she rushed towards him. Her own injury didn't bother her in the slightest, as she held him tightly. She was sobbing, struggling to find the right words, as Jaron looked on, a smile on his face. Even Samuel was looking almost touched.
The only one who still had a dark expression on her face was Harpy, who was standing in the doorframe. Blinking tears from her dark eyes, she took a few steps back, into the hallway again, where she leant against a wall, her arms crossed. Jaron was still able to see her, but only barely and he realized that the way she had positioned herself made it impossible for her to watch Ayden's and Taria's reunion.
“But... how?”, Taria said, as she slightly separated from her lover again, still putting both arms onto his shoulders. Ayden looked a lot more lively by now, as he gave her a wide grin. “I would have died down there, if not for them”, he said. Taria looked at Jaron, almost speechless. She took a step towards him, putting a hand onto his upper arm. “Thank you”, she whispered with a shivering voice. He pulled her into a brief, soft hug, before she walked back to Ayden.
“I mean it”, Ayden said, as he looked at Jaron. “There are not many whom I can count as friends, but you earned it today. If there is anything I can do for you or anyone you care for, I will” As he spoke, he raised a finger. “Although, I will not fight. Anything but that” With a soft smile, he put his hand onto Taria's belly, as he put the other arm around her shoulder. “Never again”
“Well, this is all really touching and stuff”, Erik said, as he walked up to Jaron. Putting an arm on his shoulder like an old friend, he gave him a stern look. “But what's with my payment”, he added in a quiet tone. “I get it that I shouldn't ask her right now, but you're... what? Her boyfriend? Second-in-command? Surely you can tell me how I'm supposed to get paid now”
Jaron sighed, as he shook Erik's arm off. “The Burned Man is dead”, he said. “Without him, we won't get to his coin” He noticed the dark look in Erik's eyes, though it stayed just short of genuine hostility. “We had a deal”, the sellsword growled and Jaron gave him a nod. “We had”, he said. “And I'm sorry. We will work something out, but things are a little complicated right now”
Erik frowned at these words. “Trust me, I know that”, he sighed. “But that's not my problem and frankly, you should have thought of this before hiring me” A joyless chuckle came out of his throat. “Hells, just imagine what would have happened if Kotos or Rollo would have agreed to work for you”, he stated. “They would have killed you now, for lying to them”
Jaron took a step back, raising both hands to show that he meant no threat. Erik had spoken in a low tone and none of the others had heard his words. Ayden was still talking to Taria, while Lanford looked on, strangely touched by their reunion. Only Samuel was staring at them, though he kept his distance as well.
“Listen, nobody is lying to you”, Jaron said. “Harpy was desperate enough to make a promise and... I don't know if she can keep it. But be assured that we have every intention of rewarding you for your help once things are sorted out a little bit” Erik crossed his arms. “So, what are you suggesting?”, he said
“I suggest that you will get paid, just not immediately”, Jaron explained. “There is a lot to do, a lot to rebuild. Give her time to mourn. You stood by her side in her darkest hour and she will not forget this” Erik gave him a nod, though he pulled him closer. “Make sure she won't forget, Ser Bastard”, he growled. “I will wait. I'm patient. But I hate being lied to”
He walked to the door, though Lanford stopped him. “Where are you going, boy?”, he asked, with genuine interest in his voice. Erik raised an eyebrow. “Though I'd find some place to drink”, he replied. “Why? Your offer still up?” Lanford gave him a nod. “Aye. We always need good people and you could probably use a new job. Wait a moment and then we can take a walk together”
As Erik nodded, Lanford walked up to Jaron. “I will leave now, Ser”, he said. “It's a shame we haven't been able to save the Burned Man. As far as this city goes, he wasn't too bad” Jaron gulped, as he looked down at his hands. He had to do it, there was no other way, but he still felt dirty, horrible even, for having killed this man. “Thank you for your help, Lanford”, he said.
The older man smirked dryly. “It's been a pleasure”, he said, though his smirk faded almost instantly. “But this is not over. I have helped you to avenge Keira” Now, an outright pained streak appeared on his face. “Her killer still lives. And I believe justice is what you're after as well, eventually”
Jaron shook his head. “Maybe another day”, he said in a weary voice, looking at Harpy in the hallway. She was looking back at him, with tears welling up in her eyes. “Right now, all that matters is to keep her safe. Anything else, justice, revenge, it comes later. This is about survival right now”
Lanford didn't look too happy about this, though he reluctantly nodded. “I'd do the same in your situation, boy”, he admitted. “It's your call. If you ever need someone to kick Solver ass, you know where to find me” He extended his hand and Jaron shook it, before both men parted in mutual respect. Lanford approached Erik, giving the younger sellsword a pat on the back, before he turned to Jaron. “We shall meet again”, he said, before he left through the door.
“So... what now?”, Samuel asked, as he walked through the room, to sit down on one of the chairs. Ayden sank onto the bed in the corner, with Taria sitting next to him, still holding his hand. “I think I have to stay here for a while”, he replied and his face showed the pain he was still in. “Guess I won't be on my feet for a while”
With a soft smile, Taria moved a hand through his hair. “The important thing is that you live”, she said, before she looked at Jaron again, with gratitude in her gaze. “I can never repay you for what you did today, for him, for me, for the child” From behind her, Ayden put a hand around her and gave her a kiss onto the cheek, before resting his head on her shoulder.
Jaron smiled at their joy, though it made Harpy's situation even more glaring, as he still saw her out of the corner of his eyes. She noticed his expression, as her frown grew stronger. Slowly, she started to walk down the hallway. His own smile died, as he looked back at Ayden and Taria. “Excuse me for a moment”, he said, before he went after her.
“Harpy”, he called out for her and she stopped, allowing him to catch up to her. She looked at him, pale and silent. He bit his lip, unsure how to react. It was the first time he had to watch someone close to him suffer in such a way. “Don't do that”, he said. “Shutting me out now. You don't have to go through this alone”
After a moment of hesitation, he put a hand onto her cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes and just as he wanted to lower it again, she grabbed it, closing her eyes in the process. “I'm sorry”, she said, struggling for words. “I... I can't...” She paused, her voice shivering as she continued to speak. “I don't want to shut you out”, she clarified. “But there's a lot I have to think about”
She looked around. “I lived here once, you know...”, she revealed, her voice still quiet and broken. “Before the mansion, before Arkan became the Burned Man. One of these rooms was the first home I truly had, when we arrived in Oldtown” This time, she took a few steps into the hallway. “I... will need some time”, she said. “Let's just... leave this place”
“And then?”, Jaron asked softly, as she looked up at him. “We'll figure it out”, she said quietly. “We always do” As tears welled up again, she averted her eyes. “Just... give me a moment, then we can go”, she whispered. “And then... I don't know” She turned away from him and started to walk down the hallway.
Jaron clenched his fists as he watched her. He was afraid, of course he was. For the first time in his life, it was not only him. And now he was afraid this would end, that she would shut him out, that one of them wouldn't be able to take it and that things would go back to the way they were before he arrived in Oldtown. And this... this was a truly terrifying thought.
“She'll be needing time”, Samuel said, with a softness Jaron hadn't expected from him. He looked up, unable to hide his frustration. From the distance, he watched Harpy, slowly moving through the building she had called her home not too long ago. Now, it was all broken and her future... their future was less than certain. He sighed bitterly, before he looked the sellsword right in the eyes. “Why are you still here?”, he asked. A slight smirk formed on Samuel's face. “Well, it's not only the kindness of my heart”, he said. “I believe you still have to keep your part of our deal”
“My deal...”, Jaron mumbled. “So, what's this all about? The great Fang of Shadows needs help to do his work? What could I do to that you can't do yourself?” Samuel smirked. “Nothing”, he admitted. “But you can have my back in what I'm going to do. I need an ally and well, you killed the last one I had when you put a sword through Jaylon's chest”
Jaron opened his mouth, though Samuel cut him off. “I don't hold a grudge against you for it”, he clarified. “Jaylon was a piece of shit. He probably had it coming. Yet... it leaves me short an ally and I am going to confront a very dangerous man. You however, you fought the Tom and lived to tell the tale. You're a good fighter and you owe me”
Now, Jaron narrowed his eyes. “I do owe you”, he agreed. “But who is this man you're after. What opponent could be terrible enough for you to consider an alliance?” Samuel sighed an his smirk faded, replaced by a grim expression. “The only man that ever truly beat me”, he revealed. “My brother, Ryder”
“You wish to kill your own brother?”, Jaron asked and Samuel gave him a nod. “I am aware of the consequences”, he said. “I know what this means for me” His tone grew deeper, almost threatening. “But I had a decade for this grudge to grow. You will not convince me to give up on it, so please, for the sake of our partnership, don't even try it”
With a gulp, Jaron was merely able to agree with a nod. “Do you know where we can find him? Your brother?”, he asked and Samuel shook his head. “Ryder is a smart man”, he stated. “I have recently learned that he is a part of the city guard, but only few things beyond that”
“The city guard”, Jaron mumbled, as he realized what Samuel meant. “This explains your problem with Mullendore. I suppose he never told you?” Samuel shook his head. “And knowing that bastard, I doubt he ever had the intention”, he spat. “He knew it all along. He tricked me, played me like a fool. He's lucky to be out of my reach. Ryder however, there's no force in this world that can protect him now”
“So... may I ask... why?”, Jaron stuttered. The sheer presence of Samuel's anger was terrifying. He had fought the Tom, he locked blades with Maron Mullendore, but this man right here with him was more frightening than both combined. Samuel shook his head. “I have my reasons”, he said sternly. “But I will not share them with you. We don't know each other well enough for that. All you must know is that Ryder did something terrible, something that made him earn my wrath”
Jaron tensed up as he heard these words. Here he was, helping a man with killing his brother. The boy he used to be wouldn't have done it. The man he was now saw things differently. Things weren't as black and white as he thought them to be. Perhaps Samuel was even right with his anger. What mattered was that he indeed helped them and now Jaron owed him. If there was anything he had learned in Oldtown, it was that he didn't want such a man to be his enemy.
“Then, if you don't know how to find him, what's your plan?”, Jaron asked and Samuel leant against the wall. “I don't know where to find him yet”, he clarified. “As I said, my brother is a smart man. He knew how to hide his tracks, his own at least. But I have learned that there is one other guard captain he spent an unusually long amount of time with”
“A friend?”, Jaron asked. Samuel's smirk returned, thinner and colder, as he gave him a nod. “I suppose so”, he said. “Captain Farris Flowers, a man that isn't even nearly as hard to find as my brother” He glanced at the door. “I learned of his route. At this time, he should be somewhere at the docks”
His words didn't feel right for Jaron. “So, do you plan to kill him? A man that never wronged you?”, he growled and to his surprise, Samuel shook his head. “Not if he cooperates”, he replied. “You and me, we will ambush him and abduct him. Then, I'll have a talk with him and everything else depends on how much he tells me”
It was now that their eyes met. There was a darkness in Samuel's stare, a terrible grudge, vengeance that had a decade to grow. Jaron disagreed with what the man just suggested, heavily in fact. There had to be another way than to harm an innocent guardsman. He would try talking to the man first, though he wasn't sure if this was something Samuel was willing to discuss, or even hear. Provoking him was the last thing Jaron wanted to do, after all the man had done to help him and Harpy.
Perhaps it was worth a try though? And then there was this other thought he didn't get out of his head. This hatred Samuel felt, how much would it take for Jaron to feel the same? How many years until he'd feel in such a way about Maron Mullendore. His gaze fell upon Harpy and he had to ask himself how long it would take for her, how much faster she was heading to that point now. “So, are we good, or are there any objections?”, Samuel asked impatiently.
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan][Suggest talking to Farris instead]
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
Well this choice is for sure not an easy one!Probably Samuel plan is the smart choice to make the plan succed because I highly doubt that go to a captain of the city guard and ask him "Hey you!Can you please tell us were is your friend?You know,we just want to kill him!" can work (and if I must be honest I believe that Samuel will always have the last world for this choice)
RT:
I must admit that I like the touching reunion between Ayden and Taria,after so many tragedies it was nice read of someone that reach their own happy ending (at least for now >:D ) even if in the meantime we read of Harpy grieving for The Burned Man
Lanford and Erik left the party!
It seems that The thorns (and obviously the brothel)will soon obtain a new member!Hopefully the new employment will make Erik less pissed off for the nonpayment
And the Samuel revenge plot is finally started!I must admit that the encounter between the Harrington brothers is something that I'm waiting for a long time
Am I wrong or Farris already appear inside the story?
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan] Excellent part. What is there to talk about? Farris is the friend of Ryder, he won't just betray him. To be fair though, abducting Farris might be just as bad, since he won't give up the information Samuel needs that easily. The road to Samuel's revenge has begun at last!
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Good to see Jaron back in the mix. Ayden and Taria got a happy reunion, we did. We didn't mess this up. Poor Erik didn't get his cash money. I may be wrong, but didn't Harpy promise him whatever was still left inside the mansion? I'm probably mistaken, but I thought that I remembered Harpy saying Erik could have whatever he wanted in the Mansion because she didn't need it anymore. Whether or not, he's gotten a new job apart of the mysterious Hishi Gang. As for Samuel, I'm really excited for his revenge arc. However, I don't want Jaron to shift farther into the gray. I'm afraid the Harpy might leave him if he changed from the noble heart she loved, so gotta at least try to convince Samuel.
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise to you that I'm very excited to see Jaron back! And this was a great part for him, setting up the coming storyline well. I feel like Jaron and Harpy are drifting away from each other, and that we must be very careful with our choices if we wish for them to stay together I'll certainly do my best, and speaking of that...
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Simply because we have made already too many moral compromises with Jaron. Sure, it has perhaps been necessary, for him to survive in Oldtown, but I don't want to go too far, I want him to stay at least somewhat true to his knightly morals. On top of that, going too dark might also be something that would turn Harpy away from Jaron. Anyway, whichever choice we go with, I'm interested to see Samuel's revenge story.
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
I must admit that I like the touching reunion between Ayden and Taria,after so many tragedies it was nice read of someone that reach their own happy ending (at least for now >:D ) even if in the meantime we read of Harpy grieving for The Burned Man
This is actually part of my reason for sparing Ayden in the Chapter 6 finale, despite brief thoughts of killing him off there instead of Jarek. I figured, with so much shit happening, I need to show that sometimes there is a happy end, even if Ayden and Taria's story is not yet over. Not everything ends with death and tragedy. At the same time, I wanted to show a contrast with Harpy, who is quite clearly devastated over what happened and can't even stand to watch the two of them being so happy.
Lanford and Erik left the party!
For now I can confirm that it wasn't the last time we saw them, it wasn't even the last time in this chapter. Both still have their roles to play.
It seems that The thorns (and obviously the brothel)will soon obtain a new member!Hopefully the new employment will make Erik less pissed off for the nonpayment
Eh, he's probably still going to be pissed off about this. As he said, he's a patient guy and he can wait, but only as long as he gets the opinion that Jaron and Harpy intend to pay him eventually. It isn't the first time he hasn't been paid immediately, so he can deal with it, but he is certainly displeased. At the same time, having a steady employment is something he'll enjoy, so this hasn't been entirely disastrous for him even if he doesn't get paid.
And the Samuel revenge plot is finally started!I must admit that the encounter between the Harrington brothers is something that I'm waiting for a long time
And it is something that has been planned for a long time! The Harrington brother conflict is an important part of the storyline, due to it being the driving force behind every single action Samuel ever did in the story. It is hopefully going to be one of the highlights in this chapter and enough to make up for the Jaron-less Chapter 8
Am I wrong or Farris already appear inside the story?
You are not wrong. Captain Farris Flowers has first appeared in Samantha's storyline in Chapter 5, he was the captain of the city guard that was called to the crime scene when Lunett's body was found. He's also an old acquaintance of Sasha and one she spoke relatively highly of. Later on, he appeared briefly alongside Ryder when Samantha was brought to the Hightower towards the end of her storyline. It should be important to note that he has been polite and respectful in his talks with Samantha and that there have been at least no hints for him being part of the corrupt guardsmen.
JARON IS BACK!!!!
About the choice:
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
Well this choice is for sure not an easy one!Probably Sa… moremuel plan is the smart choice to make the plan succed because I highly doubt that go to a captain of the city guard and ask him "Hey you!Can you please tell us were is your friend?You know,we just want to kill him!" can work (and if I must be honest I believe that Samuel will always have the last world for this choice)
RT:
* I must admit that I like the touching reunion between Ayden and Taria,after so many tragedies it was nice read of someone that reach their own happy ending (at least for now >:D ) even if in the meantime we read of Harpy grieving for The Burned Man
* Lanford and Erik left the party!
* It seems that The thorns (and obviously the brothel)will soon obtain a new member!Hopefully the new employment will make Erik less pissed off for the nonpayment
* And the Samuel revenge plo… [view original content]
You are right with what you say there. Farris is likely not going to give in easily if threatened, which is something Jaron fears and one of the reasons why he considers suggesting another way, even if this other way promises similarly few chances of success. But well, Samuel knows roughly where his brother is and he knows how to get to him and it's save to say that he won't back down now under any circumstance.
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan] Excellent part. What is there to talk about? Farris is the friend of Ryder, he won't just betray hi… morem. To be fair though, abducting Farris might be just as bad, since he won't give up the information Samuel needs that easily. The road to Samuel's revenge has begun at last!
Ayden and Taria got a happy reunion, we did. We didn't mess this up.
One of the things where you indeed picked the completely right set of choices that led to the best possible outcome for the two That said, their storyline isn't over either and it remains up to your choices if they will both live happily ever after at the end of the story.
Poor Erik didn't get his cash money. I may be wrong, but didn't Harpy promise him whatever was still left inside the mansion? I'm probably mistaken, but I thought that I remembered Harpy saying Erik could have whatever he wanted in the Mansion because she didn't need it anymore.
She promised him part of the coin that belongs to the Burned Man, things only he personally can get from the people he deposited it with. With him gone, Harpy has to try her best to convince these people of giving her the coin, which won't be an easy task in the slightest. So, there is a good possibility that Erik won't get what he was promised. However, being a reasonable man, it is possible that a deal will be possible with him and that he will indeed get the stuff from the mansion that wasn't taken yet.
However, I don't want Jaron to shift farther into the gray. I'm afraid the Harpy might leave him if he changed from the noble heart she loved, so gotta at least try to convince Samuel.
An understandable concern. A big part of why Harpy fell for Jaron in the first place is him being a noble man with knightly principles, which he always stuck to in one way or the other (even the infamous Butterfly decision in Chapter 4 can be up for debate in terms of knightly behaviour), which made him equal parts strange and endearing for her, considering that she never before met someone like him. Of course, there is more to her affection than that, especially after the things they survived, though with her current emotional state, it remains to be seen how rational she can be about her feelings for Jaron, or about anything really.
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Good to see Jaron back in the mix. Ayden and Taria got a happy reunion, we did. We didn't mess this up. … morePoor Erik didn't get his cash money. I may be wrong, but didn't Harpy promise him whatever was still left inside the mansion? I'm probably mistaken, but I thought that I remembered Harpy saying Erik could have whatever he wanted in the Mansion because she didn't need it anymore. Whether or not, he's gotten a new job apart of the mysterious Hishi Gang. As for Samuel, I'm really excited for his revenge arc. However, I don't want Jaron to shift farther into the gray. I'm afraid the Harpy might leave him if he changed from the noble heart she loved, so gotta at least try to convince Samuel.
I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise to you that I'm very excited to see Jaron back! And this was a great part for him, setting up the coming storyline well. I feel like Jaron and Harpy are drifting away from each other, and that we must be very careful with our choices if we wish for them to stay together I'll certainly do my best, and speaking of that...
Indeed it's not a surprise that you are excited for his return, I know exactly how you feel I am glad you enjoyed his first part in a while and I hope his other parts in this chapter will be enjoyable as well. Jaron is going to have one of the longest storylines in this chapter, maybe surpassed only by Arthur if my plans all work out and probably tied with Lucas when it coms to the number of parts. That said, you have a point that Jaron and Harpy are cooling off a little bit. He is aware of this and she seems aware as well, but her current emotionally distraught state really prevents her from acting against it. It's perhaps a good thing that neither of them want to end their relationship at this point, yet Harpy certainly needs her time and it remains to be seen how she will feel once she has gotten a chance to clear her head from all the shit that has happened.
Simply because we have made already too many moral compromises with Jaron. Sure, it has perhaps been necessary, for him to survive in Oldtown, but I don't want to go too far, I want him to stay at least somewhat true to his knightly morals. On top of that, going too dark might also be something that would turn Harpy away from Jaron. Anyway, whichever choice we go with, I'm interested to see Samuel's revenge story.
It is true, Jaron has made a lot of moral compromises, yet at the same time, there are some core values he stayed true to at all cost so far and though the situation might be murky at times and up for debate, from a certain standpoint he never betrayed his vows. There are arguments into the other direction, which he is aware of as well, but at heart, Jaron doesn't want to betray these morals any further. And as I said to Bounden, Jaron being this more or less good guy, someone who is not only somewhat decent, but a knight who takes his vows seriously, this is a big part of why Harpy was even interested in him in the first place. Their relationship has outgrown such mere interest, but it is an important part of why she developed feelings for him. But well, I am glad you're interested in Samuel's story here. He's likely going to take centre stage in this chapter, with Jaron being the deuteragonist who delivers the story through his viewpoint. I was a bit unsure if I want to add Jaron's Book 1 storyline with such an unpersonal storyline, though I think the emotional struggle he will face, with him being concerned for Harpy and feeling quite a lot of guilt for the Burned Man's death (which we're going to see in the next part) should still make for an interesting chapter of Jaron's storyline, even if the main actions will be Samuel-centric.
I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise to you that I'm very excited to see Jaron back! And this was a great part for him, setting up the co… moreming storyline well. I feel like Jaron and Harpy are drifting away from each other, and that we must be very careful with our choices if we wish for them to stay together I'll certainly do my best, and speaking of that...
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Simply because we have made already too many moral compromises with Jaron. Sure, it has perhaps been necessary, for him to survive in Oldtown, but I don't want to go too far, I want him to stay at least somewhat true to his knightly morals. On top of that, going too dark might also be something that would turn Harpy away from Jaron. Anyway, whichever choice we go with, I'm interested to see Samuel's revenge story.
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] There's a higher chance of success with the other choice, but this is the moral thing to do. We have to try to be better than the bad guys.
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Well, technically it's 8957 comments After the first 1000 comments, the counter is rounded up every time it hits 50. So, 1050 is displayed as 1.1K instead of 1K, 2399 is displayed as 2.4K instead of 2.3K and similarly, 8957 is displayed as 9K instead of 8.9K. So, it's not quite over 9000 yet, but it will be there very, very soon
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had bee… moren silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already,… [view original content]
Well... this was an important choice, not only for the way the events will play out, but also for Jaron's character. By deciding against Samuel's preferred course of action, he has made his opinion on the matter clear. As for Samuel, of course this is his mission and he has the last word so we'll see if he's willing to negotiate in this regard. Farris is not Ryder, so not necessarily the enemy, but since the two men are friends, it remains to be seen how he'll take Jaron's attempt at solving this through diplomacy. In any way, Jaron's next part should be very interesting now. Well, it would have been interesting in either way, but I feel now it gets an additional layer through the interaction between Jaron and Samuel that is going to come out of this.
The next part should be out today, hopefully. I still have a lot of writing left to do, but as always, I shall try my best. This next part is going to be the start of Arthur's storyline in this chapter, which will be among the longest, quite possibly (and depending on your choices) even the longest, beating Lucas and likely Jaron by at least one part. It will start slightly after the fateful choice at the end of his last part in Chapter 8, where you voted for him to team up with Ryler, to chase after Wolfius and Kreep in the hopes of preventing them of leaving the city. In the process, Arthur has left Mathea and Rosalie behind and though both are fine (or, well, at least alive), neither will be thrilled about this, that much should be expected. Anyways, this is going to mark the start for a very important and eventful chapter for Arthur, so I hope you're going to enjoy it!
However, before that, there will be something else for you to read! Fittingly for the return of the character, @WildlingKing has written a part detailing an important and defining moment from Jaron's past, which I hope you're going to enjoy as well
Comments
RT:
[Distract Farnham] I believe that this is the most interesting choice
[Distract Farnham]
Jenna's development is one of the best in this story.
Agreed! Definitely one of the best if not THE best.
[Distract Farnham] Why not, let Jenna do Leonard a favor. Poor Nora is about to be ousted from her position I think. Wonder what she is going to do now. And I wonder where Richard hid Kersea. He went back into town to drop off Hal, but I wonder if Kersea is somewhere in the city or in Richard's farmhouse.
[Distract Farnham]
Looks like this choice is a win/win situation for you
But you are right, this might be a chance for Jenna to learn. Of course, there is the danger that she's screwing this one up and that there won't be a second chance, but in general, this could be a valuable experience for her. That said, I myself enjoy writing Saerya, so I wouldn't mind either outcome here 
Oh yes, indeed. Nora has only very few men left who are actually under her command, she has little actual experience and the man who put her into this position is dead. Things really aren't looking too bright for her, especially with Petyr and Mullendore trying to take control of the city.
Hehe, in this part we learned about the one thing Leonard isn't good at. I mean, he had the right idea, but as Saerya said, the execution was terrible. That said, he is exhausted, having been awake for about 30-35 hours now, he is still wounded from the fight and in pain, he is stressed out over Mullendore's return and worried sick for his friends. He's making a lot of mistakes right now, this one being the most obvious.
He certainly is! Hugo serves as an example of Vyrwel's men in the city. The thing is, while Mullendore brought his men from Oldtown with him, all of whom are bad enough to serve Butterfly, the Vyrwel men are sworn knights, experienced soldiers and the like. They serve the rightful lord of an ancient an proud house and in some cases, their biggest problem is their loyalty to this lord, as seen with Hugo. He and Leonard already knew each other and got along splendidly during Leonard's last stay in Darkdell many years ago. So, under any other circumstance, he could even be an ally. I look forward to write him and the other Vyrwel men, they should be an interesting bunch of characters
The main problem for Nora is that her wound is preventing her from taking action as much as she'd like to. She doesn't trust Mullendore and Vyrwel, but she is currently not strong enough to resist them. At the same time, she is one of the few people in a position of power that actually survived this raid, so it is going to be similarly interesting to see how they are going to react to her.
Well, Kersea apparently hasn't been with him when he and Jenna met. His next part should give you some answers on where he took her. Though, Richard is not a dumb man, he probably expects the city to be a dangerous place for her. It's just questionable how much he truly wants to help her after her involvement with Clayton.
[Distract Farnham] Interesting. Well if we pull this off, we become one step closer to screw over Mullendore. It is vital that Leonard lives, he will have a big part in taking down Mullendore.
[Distract Farnham]
[Distract Farnharm]
Jenna's parts are really enjoyable to read, she has grown as a character.
[Distract Farnham]
[Distract Farnham] As many brought up, it's good training for Jenna
[Distract Farnham]
[Distract Farnham]
Let's see how Jenna's acting skills are.
As other readers have said, Jenna has had fantastic development so far and it just further proves how good your writing is. Kudos to you Liquid.
[Distract Farnham] If she can in fact pull it off, that would be awesome. She will develop even more and to be honest, I don't see any serious consequences if this fails. Unless Jenna fucks up to a whole new level of fuck-uppery.
[Ask Saerya to do it]
Knowing Jenna she's going to screw this up somehow, Saerya will do best to protect the handsome, heroic Leonard.
Ah Leonard so tired from glorious battle can't sneak or rest. A shame.
Hugo Farnham, aka a character related to Leonard I did not submit, means I will hate him until he proved not deserving of it. He's trying to capture poor Leonard after all, he might seem polite but he needs to act it too. Why must Leonard come to the castle? Darren not present too.
It's true, he hasn't gotten a bit of rest since the battle, which does take a toll on him by now. It's actually worse than him just being unable to sneak (which, admittedly, has never been one of his main skills), but it's also affecting his fighting ability and even the way he thinks, since he is absolutely exhausted in this part. He could need some serious rest, but it is doubtful he'd get it in the castle.
Hehe, that is as good a reason to dislike a character as any other
Though it should be said, Farnham is not exactly related to Leonard, he's just one of several characters who have met him in the past and know him. In case of Farnham, it's nothing that has been in either characters submission, but they have been in the same location once, so it makes sense for me that they ar familiar with each other. To clarify it, he has met Leonard during the latter's stay in Darkdell, which happened about half a decade ago. That was the time where Leonard served as a messenger for the various lords of the Reach, which means there will be several characters among the various courts in the kingdom who will know Leonard, most of which have somewhat gotten along with him. In case of Farnham, they do have some similarities which they bonded over, especially their sense of loyalty to their respective house. It's this sense of loyalty that forces Farnham to try and arrest Leonard, even if he apparently doesn't really want to do it.
Actually, Leonard was in the castle already, he hasn't left it since the Chapter 8 finale. The last time we saw him, he brought Darren to the castle and gave him to some people who treated his wounds just as he saw Mullendore and company marching up there. Unable to leave the castle, which is strictly guarded mostly because Mullendore knows he has to be somewhere in there, Leonard has spend the last few hours hiding, occasionally changing his position whenever he feels he has to, waiting for a move to either free Lucas or at least escape on his own, both of which seems largely impossible to pull off right now, at least on his own.
The Voting is closed!
Jenna is going to distract Hugo Farnham
Well... this was a very clear decision. I was a bit surprised only few brought up the possibility that Jenna fails and the repercussions it could have for Leonard and maybe even for her. At the same time, I fully agree that this is an interesting decision for Jenna and if she indeed pulls this off, it will mark a further step on her development. Speaking of, I am glad you enjoy that one! It has always been part of the plan to make Jenna eventually a stronger character, though this development is far from over. We'll see more in her next part, which should be out reasonably soon.
First however, the next part. I was toying with the idea of closing the voting yesterday, as there was a chance for me to finish it yesterday, but stuff came up and I'm still left with about a third of the part. I'll be hitting the gym in a few minutes and will continue writing afterwards, which should be done in a few hours tops. I'm confident it won't take me too long
This next part will be a Jaron part, after a long absence in Chapter 8. Since he hasn't been seen in months, a recap should be in order. In the last chapter, Jaron and Harpy were both still recovering from the fallout of the Chapter 6 finale, where Mullendore's men massacred almost the entire organization of the Burned Man and took the crimelord himself as their prisoner. Nonetheless, they made plans to free the Burned Man and allied with the sellsword Erik Inchfield, one of the few who were still willing to work for them, if solely for the fact that he was promised a rich reward. Later, they found another ally in Lanford, captain of the guards of Hishi, a mysterious person who owns the brothel Keira used to work in. By killing her, Mullendore's men have overstepped their boundaries, so Lanford, out for revenge, has ended Hishi's neutrality and thrown his lot in with Jaron and Harpy. A final unlikely ally was found in Samuel Harrington, who turned on the Solvers in the hopes of earning a favour with Jaron, whose help he wishes to enlist for a later task. They travelled down the Hightower dungeons, where they managed to free Ayden Blackwell, who was captured during the Chapter 6 finale, though they came too late to help the Burned Man, whom Jaron was merely able to give a mercy kill. The next part should start shortly afterwards and as said, it should be out in the next few hours.
Jaron
Harpy had turned her back on him, on all of them, as she marched through the streets of the city, with the rest in tow. She had been silent ever since they left the Burned Man's cell below the Hightower, not uttering a single word during their travels through the labyrinth. Even now, that they were seeing the light of day again, was she still quiet.
Instead, the chatter of Erik Inchfield filled the streets, as they walked away from the Hightower. It was hard for Jaron to enjoy their freedom, especially with Harpy's current state of mind, yet the sun that was shining on his face whenever the roofs to his sides left enough of a gap for the rays to rach the ground filled him with relief that they all made it out again.
“So, old man”, Erik said and Lanford narrowed his eyes. “What?”, he growled, only mildly irritated. Both had taken up on the task of supporting Ayden during their walk back, seeing how the man was exhausted already, his wounds preventing him from walking properly. “I was wondering... why the crossbow?”, Erik asked. “It's not much of a useful weapon, you know. Takes too damn long to load. Wouldn't a longbow be more effective?”
Lanford's facial expression grew more relaxed again. “I see you never had to fight against a man in heavy armour”, he said. “I have yet to see the longbow that gets through plates of steel” Erik chuckled. “Point taken”, he replied. “Though how many men in plated steel do you encounter here?”
“You'd be surprised”, Lanford stated. “Besides, this one's even more deadly against men without armour. If I hit someone with it, they are dead” Jaron glanced over his shoulder towards Samuel, who slightly tensed up at these words. Famed sellsword or not, considering how close he had been to an encounter with Lanford's weapon, it was only appropriate to feel uneasy at this talk and Jaron understood him. He'd rather not talk at all, but at the same time, the silence would have been unbearable after what happened.
“Heh, I can get behind that logic”, Erik said. “Though I still don't like crossbows. They make things too easy” Lanford raised an eyebrow. “So, you're one of these guys, huh?”, he said, the hint of distaste in his voice. Erik hesitated a moment, before he shook his head. “No, no, that's not it”, he said decisively. “What I mean is, everyone can kill a man with a crossbow. Well, until he got to reload that is. But a longbow? You need to be gifted for that, it's hard work”
“Hard work...”, Lanford mumbled, his eyebrow still raised. “So, I take it you're a good shot?” Proudly, Erik gave him a nod. “Eh, I don't want to boast, but yeah”, he said with a smirk. Visibly intrigued, Lanford's face became thoughtful for a second. “And you obviously know a lot about weapons”
“You can bet on it, old man”, Erik replied. “Why's it that your're so curious? You hiring?” With a grin, Lanford gave him a nod. “Hishi might be interested in a new addition to his guard. After what the Solvers did to Keira, we're basically at war now”
“You're not”, Samuel growled from behind, to which Lanford and Erik looked at him. “Trust me, Mullendore will find a way to weasel out of this again. He's not interested in open war” Lanford's expression grew sour. “Yeah, you'd know all about this”, he said, his voice sharp enough for Jaron to intervene.
“Samuel is an ally”, he said sternly. “We couldn't have done this without him” Reluctantly, Lanford gave him a nod, though his expression remained hardened. “And that excuses the things he did before?”, he growled. “Or the side he used to work for?”
“No”, Samuel said decisively. “And let it be clear that your forgiveness is not what I'm after” He sped up, until he was walking next to Lanford. Erik wisely took a step back from the two, though the older man remained steadfast. “If it happens along the way, so be it, I won't fight it”, Samuel continued. “But everything I do, everything I have ever done and will do, serves one goal” He looked at Jaron. “Today brought me closer to it, maybe the closest I've ever been”, he said, now in a low tone. “If you're having a problem with me, I can live with that. Just don't stand in my way”
The two men glared at each other and finally, Lanford backed down. “Fine”, he said. “As long as you don't aid Butterfly anymore, we won't have a problem with each other” Samuel gave him a nod. “Trust me, I'm done with that man”, he said. “I'd even kill him if he wouldn't be out of my reach”
“Eh, I'm glad you don't”, Lanford said, not in a more forgiving tone. “There are many here who deserve this more” As he spoke, he looked at Harpy, who was still leading them through the streets of Oldtown. “But one thing is for sure. This man won't get a peaceful death”
Harpy sighed audibly, as she stopped in front of a building. Jaron recognized it as the safehouse they had left Taria in. He hadn't noticed it before, with the streets looking all the same, but now he saw it. “We're here”, she said, still not looking at either of them, just staring down the streets.
It was left for Jaron to open the door, so that Lanford and Erik could carry Ayden through it, into the short hallway and then into the room they had left Taria in. It was warm inside and dark, cozy even and Jaron felt a burden being taken off his shoulders, as he finally knew that they were safe. They would live. And whatever there was between him and Harpy now, they could work through it.
Taria looked up as Jaron entered the room. Before she was able to say anything, her gaze fell upon Ayden, who was carried into the room behind her. Her eyes widened, as she just stared at him for a second. Slowly, she rose from the small bed in the corner she had been resting on. “Ayden?”, she asked, her voice shaking with emotion.
Despite his wounds, the sellsword gave her a grin. “Hey, love”, he chuckled weakly. Lanford and Erik let go of him and he staggered a step forwards, falling right into her arms, as she rushed towards him. Her own injury didn't bother her in the slightest, as she held him tightly. She was sobbing, struggling to find the right words, as Jaron looked on, a smile on his face. Even Samuel was looking almost touched.
The only one who still had a dark expression on her face was Harpy, who was standing in the doorframe. Blinking tears from her dark eyes, she took a few steps back, into the hallway again, where she leant against a wall, her arms crossed. Jaron was still able to see her, but only barely and he realized that the way she had positioned herself made it impossible for her to watch Ayden's and Taria's reunion.
“But... how?”, Taria said, as she slightly separated from her lover again, still putting both arms onto his shoulders. Ayden looked a lot more lively by now, as he gave her a wide grin. “I would have died down there, if not for them”, he said. Taria looked at Jaron, almost speechless. She took a step towards him, putting a hand onto his upper arm. “Thank you”, she whispered with a shivering voice. He pulled her into a brief, soft hug, before she walked back to Ayden.
“I mean it”, Ayden said, as he looked at Jaron. “There are not many whom I can count as friends, but you earned it today. If there is anything I can do for you or anyone you care for, I will” As he spoke, he raised a finger. “Although, I will not fight. Anything but that” With a soft smile, he put his hand onto Taria's belly, as he put the other arm around her shoulder. “Never again”
“Well, this is all really touching and stuff”, Erik said, as he walked up to Jaron. Putting an arm on his shoulder like an old friend, he gave him a stern look. “But what's with my payment”, he added in a quiet tone. “I get it that I shouldn't ask her right now, but you're... what? Her boyfriend? Second-in-command? Surely you can tell me how I'm supposed to get paid now”
Jaron sighed, as he shook Erik's arm off. “The Burned Man is dead”, he said. “Without him, we won't get to his coin” He noticed the dark look in Erik's eyes, though it stayed just short of genuine hostility. “We had a deal”, the sellsword growled and Jaron gave him a nod. “We had”, he said. “And I'm sorry. We will work something out, but things are a little complicated right now”
Erik frowned at these words. “Trust me, I know that”, he sighed. “But that's not my problem and frankly, you should have thought of this before hiring me” A joyless chuckle came out of his throat. “Hells, just imagine what would have happened if Kotos or Rollo would have agreed to work for you”, he stated. “They would have killed you now, for lying to them”
Jaron took a step back, raising both hands to show that he meant no threat. Erik had spoken in a low tone and none of the others had heard his words. Ayden was still talking to Taria, while Lanford looked on, strangely touched by their reunion. Only Samuel was staring at them, though he kept his distance as well.
“Listen, nobody is lying to you”, Jaron said. “Harpy was desperate enough to make a promise and... I don't know if she can keep it. But be assured that we have every intention of rewarding you for your help once things are sorted out a little bit” Erik crossed his arms. “So, what are you suggesting?”, he said
“I suggest that you will get paid, just not immediately”, Jaron explained. “There is a lot to do, a lot to rebuild. Give her time to mourn. You stood by her side in her darkest hour and she will not forget this” Erik gave him a nod, though he pulled him closer. “Make sure she won't forget, Ser Bastard”, he growled. “I will wait. I'm patient. But I hate being lied to”
He walked to the door, though Lanford stopped him. “Where are you going, boy?”, he asked, with genuine interest in his voice. Erik raised an eyebrow. “Though I'd find some place to drink”, he replied. “Why? Your offer still up?” Lanford gave him a nod. “Aye. We always need good people and you could probably use a new job. Wait a moment and then we can take a walk together”
As Erik nodded, Lanford walked up to Jaron. “I will leave now, Ser”, he said. “It's a shame we haven't been able to save the Burned Man. As far as this city goes, he wasn't too bad” Jaron gulped, as he looked down at his hands. He had to do it, there was no other way, but he still felt dirty, horrible even, for having killed this man. “Thank you for your help, Lanford”, he said.
The older man smirked dryly. “It's been a pleasure”, he said, though his smirk faded almost instantly. “But this is not over. I have helped you to avenge Keira” Now, an outright pained streak appeared on his face. “Her killer still lives. And I believe justice is what you're after as well, eventually”
Jaron shook his head. “Maybe another day”, he said in a weary voice, looking at Harpy in the hallway. She was looking back at him, with tears welling up in her eyes. “Right now, all that matters is to keep her safe. Anything else, justice, revenge, it comes later. This is about survival right now”
Lanford didn't look too happy about this, though he reluctantly nodded. “I'd do the same in your situation, boy”, he admitted. “It's your call. If you ever need someone to kick Solver ass, you know where to find me” He extended his hand and Jaron shook it, before both men parted in mutual respect. Lanford approached Erik, giving the younger sellsword a pat on the back, before he turned to Jaron. “We shall meet again”, he said, before he left through the door.
“So... what now?”, Samuel asked, as he walked through the room, to sit down on one of the chairs. Ayden sank onto the bed in the corner, with Taria sitting next to him, still holding his hand. “I think I have to stay here for a while”, he replied and his face showed the pain he was still in. “Guess I won't be on my feet for a while”
With a soft smile, Taria moved a hand through his hair. “The important thing is that you live”, she said, before she looked at Jaron again, with gratitude in her gaze. “I can never repay you for what you did today, for him, for me, for the child” From behind her, Ayden put a hand around her and gave her a kiss onto the cheek, before resting his head on her shoulder.
Jaron smiled at their joy, though it made Harpy's situation even more glaring, as he still saw her out of the corner of his eyes. She noticed his expression, as her frown grew stronger. Slowly, she started to walk down the hallway. His own smile died, as he looked back at Ayden and Taria. “Excuse me for a moment”, he said, before he went after her.
“Harpy”, he called out for her and she stopped, allowing him to catch up to her. She looked at him, pale and silent. He bit his lip, unsure how to react. It was the first time he had to watch someone close to him suffer in such a way. “Don't do that”, he said. “Shutting me out now. You don't have to go through this alone”
After a moment of hesitation, he put a hand onto her cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes and just as he wanted to lower it again, she grabbed it, closing her eyes in the process. “I'm sorry”, she said, struggling for words. “I... I can't...” She paused, her voice shivering as she continued to speak. “I don't want to shut you out”, she clarified. “But there's a lot I have to think about”
She looked around. “I lived here once, you know...”, she revealed, her voice still quiet and broken. “Before the mansion, before Arkan became the Burned Man. One of these rooms was the first home I truly had, when we arrived in Oldtown” This time, she took a few steps into the hallway. “I... will need some time”, she said. “Let's just... leave this place”
“And then?”, Jaron asked softly, as she looked up at him. “We'll figure it out”, she said quietly. “We always do” As tears welled up again, she averted her eyes. “Just... give me a moment, then we can go”, she whispered. “And then... I don't know” She turned away from him and started to walk down the hallway.
Jaron clenched his fists as he watched her. He was afraid, of course he was. For the first time in his life, it was not only him. And now he was afraid this would end, that she would shut him out, that one of them wouldn't be able to take it and that things would go back to the way they were before he arrived in Oldtown. And this... this was a truly terrifying thought.
“She'll be needing time”, Samuel said, with a softness Jaron hadn't expected from him. He looked up, unable to hide his frustration. From the distance, he watched Harpy, slowly moving through the building she had called her home not too long ago. Now, it was all broken and her future... their future was less than certain. He sighed bitterly, before he looked the sellsword right in the eyes. “Why are you still here?”, he asked. A slight smirk formed on Samuel's face. “Well, it's not only the kindness of my heart”, he said. “I believe you still have to keep your part of our deal”
“My deal...”, Jaron mumbled. “So, what's this all about? The great Fang of Shadows needs help to do his work? What could I do to that you can't do yourself?” Samuel smirked. “Nothing”, he admitted. “But you can have my back in what I'm going to do. I need an ally and well, you killed the last one I had when you put a sword through Jaylon's chest”
Jaron opened his mouth, though Samuel cut him off. “I don't hold a grudge against you for it”, he clarified. “Jaylon was a piece of shit. He probably had it coming. Yet... it leaves me short an ally and I am going to confront a very dangerous man. You however, you fought the Tom and lived to tell the tale. You're a good fighter and you owe me”
Now, Jaron narrowed his eyes. “I do owe you”, he agreed. “But who is this man you're after. What opponent could be terrible enough for you to consider an alliance?” Samuel sighed an his smirk faded, replaced by a grim expression. “The only man that ever truly beat me”, he revealed. “My brother, Ryder”
“You wish to kill your own brother?”, Jaron asked and Samuel gave him a nod. “I am aware of the consequences”, he said. “I know what this means for me” His tone grew deeper, almost threatening. “But I had a decade for this grudge to grow. You will not convince me to give up on it, so please, for the sake of our partnership, don't even try it”
With a gulp, Jaron was merely able to agree with a nod. “Do you know where we can find him? Your brother?”, he asked and Samuel shook his head. “Ryder is a smart man”, he stated. “I have recently learned that he is a part of the city guard, but only few things beyond that”
“The city guard”, Jaron mumbled, as he realized what Samuel meant. “This explains your problem with Mullendore. I suppose he never told you?” Samuel shook his head. “And knowing that bastard, I doubt he ever had the intention”, he spat. “He knew it all along. He tricked me, played me like a fool. He's lucky to be out of my reach. Ryder however, there's no force in this world that can protect him now”
“So... may I ask... why?”, Jaron stuttered. The sheer presence of Samuel's anger was terrifying. He had fought the Tom, he locked blades with Maron Mullendore, but this man right here with him was more frightening than both combined. Samuel shook his head. “I have my reasons”, he said sternly. “But I will not share them with you. We don't know each other well enough for that. All you must know is that Ryder did something terrible, something that made him earn my wrath”
Jaron tensed up as he heard these words. Here he was, helping a man with killing his brother. The boy he used to be wouldn't have done it. The man he was now saw things differently. Things weren't as black and white as he thought them to be. Perhaps Samuel was even right with his anger. What mattered was that he indeed helped them and now Jaron owed him. If there was anything he had learned in Oldtown, it was that he didn't want such a man to be his enemy.
“Then, if you don't know how to find him, what's your plan?”, Jaron asked and Samuel leant against the wall. “I don't know where to find him yet”, he clarified. “As I said, my brother is a smart man. He knew how to hide his tracks, his own at least. But I have learned that there is one other guard captain he spent an unusually long amount of time with”
“A friend?”, Jaron asked. Samuel's smirk returned, thinner and colder, as he gave him a nod. “I suppose so”, he said. “Captain Farris Flowers, a man that isn't even nearly as hard to find as my brother” He glanced at the door. “I learned of his route. At this time, he should be somewhere at the docks”
His words didn't feel right for Jaron. “So, do you plan to kill him? A man that never wronged you?”, he growled and to his surprise, Samuel shook his head. “Not if he cooperates”, he replied. “You and me, we will ambush him and abduct him. Then, I'll have a talk with him and everything else depends on how much he tells me”
It was now that their eyes met. There was a darkness in Samuel's stare, a terrible grudge, vengeance that had a decade to grow. Jaron disagreed with what the man just suggested, heavily in fact. There had to be another way than to harm an innocent guardsman. He would try talking to the man first, though he wasn't sure if this was something Samuel was willing to discuss, or even hear. Provoking him was the last thing Jaron wanted to do, after all the man had done to help him and Harpy.
Perhaps it was worth a try though? And then there was this other thought he didn't get out of his head. This hatred Samuel felt, how much would it take for Jaron to feel the same? How many years until he'd feel in such a way about Maron Mullendore. His gaze fell upon Harpy and he had to ask himself how long it would take for her, how much faster she was heading to that point now. “So, are we good, or are there any objections?”, Samuel asked impatiently.
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan] [Suggest talking to Farris instead]
[Suggest talking to Farris instead]
JARON IS BACK!!!!
About the choice:
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
Well this choice is for sure not an easy one!Probably Samuel plan is the smart choice to make the plan succed because I highly doubt that go to a captain of the city guard and ask him "Hey you!Can you please tell us were is your friend?You know,we just want to kill him!" can work (and if I must be honest I believe that Samuel will always have the last world for this choice)
RT:
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan] Excellent part. What is there to talk about? Farris is the friend of Ryder, he won't just betray him. To be fair though, abducting Farris might be just as bad, since he won't give up the information Samuel needs that easily. The road to Samuel's revenge has begun at last!
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Good to see Jaron back in the mix. Ayden and Taria got a happy reunion, we did. We didn't mess this up. Poor Erik didn't get his cash money. I may be wrong, but didn't Harpy promise him whatever was still left inside the mansion? I'm probably mistaken, but I thought that I remembered Harpy saying Erik could have whatever he wanted in the Mansion because she didn't need it anymore. Whether or not, he's gotten a new job apart of the mysterious Hishi Gang. As for Samuel, I'm really excited for his revenge arc. However, I don't want Jaron to shift farther into the gray. I'm afraid the Harpy might leave him if he changed from the noble heart she loved, so gotta at least try to convince Samuel.
I'm sure it doesn't come as a surprise to you that I'm very excited to see Jaron back!
And this was a great part for him, setting up the coming storyline well. I feel like Jaron and Harpy are drifting away from each other, and that we must be very careful with our choices if we wish for them to stay together 
I'll certainly do my best, and speaking of that...
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] Simply because we have made already too many moral compromises with Jaron. Sure, it has perhaps been necessary, for him to survive in Oldtown, but I don't want to go too far, I want him to stay at least somewhat true to his knightly morals. On top of that, going too dark might also be something that would turn Harpy away from Jaron. Anyway, whichever choice we go with, I'm interested to see Samuel's revenge story.
This is actually part of my reason for sparing Ayden in the Chapter 6 finale, despite brief thoughts of killing him off there instead of Jarek. I figured, with so much shit happening, I need to show that sometimes there is a happy end, even if Ayden and Taria's story is not yet over. Not everything ends with death and tragedy. At the same time, I wanted to show a contrast with Harpy, who is quite clearly devastated over what happened and can't even stand to watch the two of them being so happy.
For now
I can confirm that it wasn't the last time we saw them, it wasn't even the last time in this chapter. Both still have their roles to play.
Eh, he's probably still going to be pissed off about this. As he said, he's a patient guy and he can wait, but only as long as he gets the opinion that Jaron and Harpy intend to pay him eventually. It isn't the first time he hasn't been paid immediately, so he can deal with it, but he is certainly displeased. At the same time, having a steady employment is something he'll enjoy, so this hasn't been entirely disastrous for him even if he doesn't get paid.
And it is something that has been planned for a long time! The Harrington brother conflict is an important part of the storyline, due to it being the driving force behind every single action Samuel ever did in the story. It is hopefully going to be one of the highlights in this chapter and enough to make up for the Jaron-less Chapter 8
You are not wrong. Captain Farris Flowers has first appeared in Samantha's storyline in Chapter 5, he was the captain of the city guard that was called to the crime scene when Lunett's body was found. He's also an old acquaintance of Sasha and one she spoke relatively highly of. Later on, he appeared briefly alongside Ryder when Samantha was brought to the Hightower towards the end of her storyline. It should be important to note that he has been polite and respectful in his talks with Samantha and that there have been at least no hints for him being part of the corrupt guardsmen.
You are right with what you say there. Farris is likely not going to give in easily if threatened, which is something Jaron fears and one of the reasons why he considers suggesting another way, even if this other way promises similarly few chances of success. But well, Samuel knows roughly where his brother is and he knows how to get to him and it's save to say that he won't back down now under any circumstance.
One of the things where you indeed picked the completely right set of choices that led to the best possible outcome for the two
That said, their storyline isn't over either and it remains up to your choices if they will both live happily ever after at the end of the story.
She promised him part of the coin that belongs to the Burned Man, things only he personally can get from the people he deposited it with. With him gone, Harpy has to try her best to convince these people of giving her the coin, which won't be an easy task in the slightest. So, there is a good possibility that Erik won't get what he was promised. However, being a reasonable man, it is possible that a deal will be possible with him and that he will indeed get the stuff from the mansion that wasn't taken yet.
An understandable concern. A big part of why Harpy fell for Jaron in the first place is him being a noble man with knightly principles, which he always stuck to in one way or the other (even the infamous Butterfly decision in Chapter 4 can be up for debate in terms of knightly behaviour), which made him equal parts strange and endearing for her, considering that she never before met someone like him. Of course, there is more to her affection than that, especially after the things they survived, though with her current emotional state, it remains to be seen how rational she can be about her feelings for Jaron, or about anything really.
Indeed it's not a surprise that you are excited for his return, I know exactly how you feel
I am glad you enjoyed his first part in a while and I hope his other parts in this chapter will be enjoyable as well. Jaron is going to have one of the longest storylines in this chapter, maybe surpassed only by Arthur if my plans all work out and probably tied with Lucas when it coms to the number of parts. That said, you have a point that Jaron and Harpy are cooling off a little bit. He is aware of this and she seems aware as well, but her current emotionally distraught state really prevents her from acting against it. It's perhaps a good thing that neither of them want to end their relationship at this point, yet Harpy certainly needs her time and it remains to be seen how she will feel once she has gotten a chance to clear her head from all the shit that has happened.
It is true, Jaron has made a lot of moral compromises, yet at the same time, there are some core values he stayed true to at all cost so far and though the situation might be murky at times and up for debate, from a certain standpoint he never betrayed his vows. There are arguments into the other direction, which he is aware of as well, but at heart, Jaron doesn't want to betray these morals any further. And as I said to Bounden, Jaron being this more or less good guy, someone who is not only somewhat decent, but a knight who takes his vows seriously, this is a big part of why Harpy was even interested in him in the first place. Their relationship has outgrown such mere interest, but it is an important part of why she developed feelings for him. But well, I am glad you're interested in Samuel's story here. He's likely going to take centre stage in this chapter, with Jaron being the deuteragonist who delivers the story through his viewpoint. I was a bit unsure if I want to add Jaron's Book 1 storyline with such an unpersonal storyline, though I think the emotional struggle he will face, with him being concerned for Harpy and feeling quite a lot of guilt for the Burned Man's death (which we're going to see in the next part) should still make for an interesting chapter of Jaron's storyline, even if the main actions will be Samuel-centric.
[Suggest talking to Farris instead]
It be mean to kidnap him. He could be friendly with us as he has been earlier.
Also welcome back Jaron, pleased to see you.
[Suggest talking to Farris instead]
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
Congratulation Liquid!This story has now more than 9k comments!
[Suggest talking to Farris instead] There's a higher chance of success with the other choice, but this is the moral thing to do. We have to try to be better than the bad guys.
Well, technically it's 8957 comments
After the first 1000 comments, the counter is rounded up every time it hits 50. So, 1050 is displayed as 1.1K instead of 1K, 2399 is displayed as 2.4K instead of 2.3K and similarly, 8957 is displayed as 9K instead of 8.9K. So, it's not quite over 9000 yet, but it will be there very, very soon 
[Agree to go through with Samuel's plan]
Ah Taria and Ayden united again.
Now I fully regret voting to leave him behind in Chapter 7.
This sweet moment between Ayden and Taria makes me feel uneasy. I bet something's gonna happen to her or the baby or even both ;_;
[Suggest talking to Farris instead]
The Voting is closed!
Jaron is going to suggest talking to Farris first
Well... this was an important choice, not only for the way the events will play out, but also for Jaron's character. By deciding against Samuel's preferred course of action, he has made his opinion on the matter clear. As for Samuel, of course this is his mission and he has the last word so we'll see if he's willing to negotiate in this regard. Farris is not Ryder, so not necessarily the enemy, but since the two men are friends, it remains to be seen how he'll take Jaron's attempt at solving this through diplomacy. In any way, Jaron's next part should be very interesting now. Well, it would have been interesting in either way, but I feel now it gets an additional layer through the interaction between Jaron and Samuel that is going to come out of this.
The next part should be out today, hopefully. I still have a lot of writing left to do, but as always, I shall try my best. This next part is going to be the start of Arthur's storyline in this chapter, which will be among the longest, quite possibly (and depending on your choices) even the longest, beating Lucas and likely Jaron by at least one part. It will start slightly after the fateful choice at the end of his last part in Chapter 8, where you voted for him to team up with Ryler, to chase after Wolfius and Kreep in the hopes of preventing them of leaving the city. In the process, Arthur has left Mathea and Rosalie behind and though both are fine (or, well, at least alive), neither will be thrilled about this, that much should be expected. Anyways, this is going to mark the start for a very important and eventful chapter for Arthur, so I hope you're going to enjoy it!
However, before that, there will be something else for you to read! Fittingly for the return of the character, @WildlingKing has written a part detailing an important and defining moment from Jaron's past, which I hope you're going to enjoy as well