[Promise him that you won't travel to Vaes Khadokh]
Illish won't be able to handle Vaes Khadokh, Axell is right about smallfolk playing h… moreeroes. Best not to do it, if you don't have the skills to back it up.
[Refuse to help Saerya]
I don't like Leonard, so nahhhh.
If it is not a problem I want to add my own opinion about this matter;I have nothing to say against characters that take some aspects of RL people or others fictional beings (outside a lack of imagination by the creator if he/she don't even change the name) but they shouldn't be blatant rip off of the original source! That's because I believe that a person should aim to create his/her own fictional being and not just a boring copy of someone that others have already created.
[Wait, is there an actual historical figure submitted? I know the War of Roses included the houses Lancaster and York, of which we have exac… moretly one character submitted each and I am pretty sure that neither is based on any historical figure. Of course, I could actually see a guy named Edward Lancaster having lived once, on account of everyone and their mothers being names Edward back in these days. If there is a character submitted that shares more than just a relatively common last name with a historical figure, I would like to know that]
Oh you are gonna love this. Edward Lancaster was the son of King Henry VI and Margaret Anjou, who was an infamous power hungry manipulator known for being ruthless. After the war had 'ended' (Barely started) with the Duke of York 'winning' (Aka Stealing the victory of his only ally, the Earl of Warwick, by swooping in at the last second and pretending he hadn't been in hiding) Edward was basically her on… [view original content]
well Monotya was is a bit of a reference. the others are original (except The names of the Rat, the Hawk, and the Pig are three individuals who are mentioned in the world of ice and fire book)
Several historical figures who took part in the war of Roses.
Wait, is there an actual historical figure submitted? I know the War o… moref Roses included the houses Lancaster and York, of which we have exactly one character submitted each and I am pretty sure that neither is based on any historical figure. Of course, I could actually see a guy named Edward Lancaster having lived once, on account of everyone and their mothers being names Edward back in these days. If there is a character submitted that shares more than just a relatively common last name with a historical figure, I would like to know that
Allegories for the current U.S President and members of his family.
Pretty funny allegories that somehow aren't even all that out of place, as I must add. That said, I admit that I only accepted the Selwyn family because I know that InGen can submit good characters, so I trusted him with creating characters that are three-dim… [view original content]
Ilish is going to promise Vaasrand that she won't travel to Vaes Khadokh
John is going to help Saerya
No big surprises with either choice, even if they have undoubtedly been important. John's choice means that Jenna's task of getting Leonard out of the castle has gotten slightly easier now, although this comes at the risk of endangering John himself and likely Daghan as well. Ilish meanwhile... well, as I said, she will have a super important and exciting storyline coming up in Book 2. This choice however will still play a role in the long run and it will also affect Ilish's character, how willing she is to listen to advice, or to get herself in danger. Clearly, Vaasrand knows what he's talking about and his advice was honest, so this was probably a wise choice. But as said, consequences in the long run
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. Thing is, I have written a lot for it, but a lot is still to be written, as it will have the length of two regular parts. Before that, I also have to do a 2-hour drive to the hospital, as my mother's condition has improved to the point where she is able to speak again, so naturally I want to spend at least a short amount of time with her. As for the next part, it will be a Lucas part and I am so excited to write it Despite its length, it seems likely that it won't feature a choice for very good reasons. The last time we have seen Lucas was just after his talk with Aylard (which, by the way, took place during John's most recent part). After the innkeeper left in a rage, Lucas received a new visitor, his niece Edith, Petyr's bastard daughter. As a fellow bastard and her uncle, Lucas was obviously fond of the girl. Shortly after her arrival, the Sphynx and Connor paid him a visit as well, with everyone's favourite cat-masked torturer doing the grave mistake of threatening Edith, not knowing who her father was. This came back to bite him in the ass when Petyr learned of this and made it very clear how little tolerance he has for the Alley Cats and their shenanigans. Sending Edith away, he had a talk with Lucas, during which you learned a bit more about his plans, motivations and general personality. He made Lucas the same offer Mullendore gave him earlier, to spare him the Sphynx' torture. In exchange for being allowed to join the Night's Watch, Lucas eventually agreed to sign a confession, blaming him for some of Mullendore's crimes. It was quite interesting to me that you decided to accept. The next part will start right there and you will learn if you chose wisely or not.
Aye, that is something I have found out as well. I liked that detail a lot while reading the World of Ice and Fire last year and stumbling upon this by chance. It gives the three companies some unexpected ties to the canon, which I am sure to use, even if the Rat, Hawk and Pig from the World of Ice and Fire are obviously not the same as in this story.
well Monotya was is a bit of a reference. the others are original (except The names of the Rat, the Hawk, and the Pig are three individuals who are mentioned in the world of ice and fire book)
Ofcourse, everyone is welcomed to join. I agree with you for the most part. I also think its more fun and rewarding. But then again there are characters that are fun to explore as identical concepts in this world. Vaasrand for example is conceptually nearly identical to Geralt, a monster hunter who's mission is to save humanity from beasts but sometimes discovers that humans can be monsters too. Now obviously 'Witchers' don't exist in the 'Known World' (And honestly can I briefly go on a tangent and say that name is the laziest thing that ever came out of George R Martins amazing saga. Naming the continents after directions? He did it creatively at least. But 'Know World' sounds like he just blurted it out after finishing 20-30 chapters) so they have to fit him in some other way, but besides that he is 'base' (lacking future Witcher saga development) Geralt. And I'm not sure there's that much wrong with that if they develop differently. But if a character is just a blatant ripoff like you said above then I completely agree, that lazy and bland. If for example I wanted to add Lord of the Rings characters and decided that instead of cleverly allegorizing them in the story, I should blatantly copy paste them and have Liquid sort out where Middle Earth suddenly comes from. That is bad, both from a creative standpoint and towards the Story, since now we just se a replay of everything, unless Liquid goes out of his way to give these characters originality and place in the story, which given his hundreds of other characters, would undoubtedly drive him completely and utterly mad. But again if there is creativity and there's just an allegory or reference, I feel its fine.
If it is not a problem I want to add my own opinion about this matter;I have nothing to say against characters that take some aspects of RL… more people or others fictional beings (outside a lack of imagination by the creator if he/she don't even change the name) but they shouldn't be blatant rip off of the original source! That's because I believe that a person should aim to create his/her own fictional being and not just a boring copy of someone that others have already created.
About the "Known World" thing, GRRM has stated that the world of aSoIaF is in-universe called... earth. Just in Common Tongue ofc, but as you know, for convenience's sake Common Tongue = English. I'm pretty sure the Known World is just a Westerosi term for all the lands they have knowledge about.
Ofcourse, everyone is welcomed to join. I agree with you for the most part. I also think its more fun and rewarding. But then again there ar… moree characters that are fun to explore as identical concepts in this world. Vaasrand for example is conceptually nearly identical to Geralt, a monster hunter who's mission is to save humanity from beasts but sometimes discovers that humans can be monsters too. Now obviously 'Witchers' don't exist in the 'Known World' (And honestly can I briefly go on a tangent and say that name is the laziest thing that ever came out of George R Martins amazing saga. Naming the continents after directions? He did it creatively at least. But 'Know World' sounds like he just blurted it out after finishing 20-30 chapters) so they have to fit him in some other way, but besides that he is 'base' (lacking future Witcher saga development) Geralt. And I'm not sure there's that much wrong with that if they develop differently. But i… [view original content]
It is. But he could have thought up a better name. Funny thing is LOTR LITTERALLY takes place on THIS Earth's 'forgotten past' but Tolkien still called it Arda. George could have called it anything, it really seems like he would have been happy if the continents were the only things name and the planet wasn't.
As to common tongue, its necessary for him to explain what language they are speaking and he can't just call it English since there is no England on this world.
About the "Known World" thing, GRRM has stated that the world of aSoIaF is in-universe called... earth. Just in Common Tongue ofc, but as yo… moreu know, for convenience's sake Common Tongue = English. I'm pretty sure the Known World is just a Westerosi term for all the lands they have knowledge about.
Yeah, I know why it can't be called English, but the point is that Common Tongue is supposedly a different language in-universe, and it's just "translated" for us in the books (and show, I suppose). And yeah, I know, GRRM never actually made the language like Tolkien did, but still the idea is the same.
It is. But he could have thought up a better name. Funny thing is LOTR LITTERALLY takes place on THIS Earth's 'forgotten past' but Tolkien s… moretill called it Arda. George could have called it anything, it really seems like he would have been happy if the continents were the only things name and the planet wasn't.
As to common tongue, its necessary for him to explain what language they are speaking and he can't just call it English since there is no England on this world.
I agree. My argument was never about the language. Heck he could have just said this was a 'translation'. My point is that he could have easily made a better name for his world.
Yeah, I know why it can't be called English, but the point is that Common Tongue is supposedly a different language in-universe, and it's ju… morest "translated" for us in the books (and show, I suppose). And yeah, I know, GRRM never actually made the language like Tolkien did, but still the idea is the same.
I agree. My argument was never about the language. Heck he could have just said this was a 'translation'. My point is that he could have easily made a better name for his world.
Apologies for keeping you waiting a little longer than usual. Yesterday was a busy day. However, I hurried to deliver you this part as early today as possible. I hope you enjoy the resulting long part
Lucas
There was no way out of this, Lucas realized. No way, but this. Petyr was offering him a deal and though he hated himself for even considering this, he realized that it was his only chance at continuing to live. And life, it meant opportunity. If he would die here, he would die for nothing. In utter defeat, he hung his head low. “I accept”, he mumbled. “I confess and you allow me to join the Night's Watch”
Petyr's eyes widened slightly, perhaps in disbelief, perhaps in triumph. Then, he nodded. “Very well”, he said, having calmed his excitement down quickly. “A wise decision” He reached into his coat, pulling out a scroll, which he unfurled. “You will sign this now”, he explained, as if he was negotiating a simple business deal. “Afterwards, I will uphold my end of this bargain. You will be spared further torture and though you'll remain a prisoner until the recruiter passes through the city again, you will eventually be allowed to live out your days at the Wall, as a brother of the Night's Watch”
Lucas sighed. This was the deal he has been offered and the deal he would take. His decision stood. “What am I going to sign exactly?”, he asked, noticing the absence of smugness on Petyr's face. “You will confess”, he answered. “Recent... developments in Oldtown have put a stain onto Maron's reputation there. These rumours need to be put to rest if he is to be of any use to our plans here”
“So I'll be a scapegoat for Mullendore's crimes”, Lucas muttered and Petyr shook his head. “Not all of them”, he assured him. “Butterfly will still suffice for most, even if the crimelord's reputation has suffered with the recent events. Though it will already help if you take the blame for some very particular ones. Key cases that will push at least some suspicion off my dear ally” He raised the scroll. “The murder of Lunett Kawl”, he began and Lucas tensed up, only barely managing to keep his composure. “The murder of Dairon, the poor boy” One by one, his brother continued to read names, men and women whom Lucas had never even met in most cases. By the end, he was barely listening, staring onto the floor in shock. The only way out...
“I do it”, he said with a hoarsy voice and Petyr smiled slightly, almost warmly. It was the same smile he had on his face when they were both children, playing in the gardens of Darkdell. “The right decision”, he assured him, as he gave the Sphynx a nod. With a disgruntled groan, the masked torturer moved towards Lucas, reaching for one of the chains that bound Lucas' arms to the wall. He removed the right one.
The sudden release caused Lucas to sigh in relief, as he shook his aching hand. The other one was still chained, so he couldn't rub the wrist as he wanted to, but just for this moment, not having his good hand trapped in iron was almost worth the sacrifice he was about to make.
Wordlessly, Petyr handed him a quill, as he reached into his coat again to pull out a small pot of ink. “Sign it right there”, he told him and Lucas reluctantly moved the quill towards the spot Petyr pointed at. His brother assisted him by holding the parchment, his smile widening. “Thank you, brother”, he said and his words sounded honest.
Frustrated, disgusted at himself, Lucas let the quill slip through his finger, allowing it to fall onto the floor. “You won”, he stated. “Now unchain me. At least make this worth it” Petyr raised an eyebrow. “I won”, he agreed. “Because I am better than you. I have always been”
He reached for Lucas free right hand, holding it in both of his for a moment. Then, to Lucas' horror, he pushed it forwards and before he could even think about resisting, the chains had closed around his wrist again. His breath became faster, as he watched Petyr with his eye widely opened. The man turned his back on him and began to approach the cell door, while Connor flashed him a wide, bloodthirsty grin. “Make it quick”, Petyr mumbled and the Sphynx nodded. “As you wish, mylord”, the torturer replied.
“Petyr...”, Lucas gasped, feeling helpless panic rising inside of him. “I gave you what you wanted, there is no need for that! You promised!” Petyr stopped as he had already left the cell. “Is this truly a surprise to you? My entire plan runs on deceit. Why exactly should I stop now?”, he calmly stated. “And it's not the first time I broke a promise to you” His voice was less smug than it could have been, though that was not a good thing.
With a gasp, Lucas realized the mistake he had just made, as Petyr proudly presented the scroll he just signed. “Your confession will help us greatly”, he told him. “But I know better than to let you live. Honour is a beautiful thing, but no matter what, as long as you live, you will find a way to interfere with my plans. I cannot allow this, I will not” He gave the Sphynx a nod. “Finish him”
“PETYR!”, Lucas yelled now, at the top of his lungs, his voice a mixture of rage and fear. Petyr, already outside of the cell, stopped again. “This is nothing personal, little brother”, he said in a casual tone. “But my plans are too important for family bonds to matter. Find solace in the thought that you die for something much bigger than you or me” For a moment, a regretful look appeared on his face. “Tell father I am sorry”, he mumbled. “Tell him when I am done, the Vyrwel name will mean more than ever before” He looked away, down the hallway. “This is simply business”, he said, as if the tried to convince himself.
And this was it. His last words towards Lucas, leaving his half-brother screaming as he just walked away without looking back. Lucas was howling with rage by now. “Traitor!”, he screamed. “Coward! Get back here! PETYR!” He was going to say something else, though just then, Connor's closed fist hit him in the face, smashing his head against the hard wall behind. What the young man lacked in strength, he made more than up for with the savagery of this punch. “Oh, shut up, cripple”, he hissed and outright giggled. “Bastard” He slowly moved to the cell door, closing it from the inside and locking it with a key from his ring.
The Sphynx shook his head. “I thought you'd knew better, boy”, he purred. “Trusting a liar? A kinslayer? Not your brightest move” As he spoke, he put the small box he had been carrying onto the table, opening and revealing the multitude of tools in it. With a satisfied nod, he put a hammer onto the table, followed by a set of long needles, followed by a flaying knife and then, to Lucas' horror, a small hacksaw.
“Yeah, that was stupid”, Connor commented onto the events, while Lucas looked from one to the other, in utter terror. By now, he even lacked the strength to rage, as the only thing left was broken fear, a memory of the past. Suddenly, it was all gone, everything that had happened in the last weeks and he was in the dungeons again, at the mercy of a madman. Waiting for his death, however painful it might be.
The Sphynx looked at Lucas, while he put a variety of simple knives onto the table. “He told me to make it quick, but he' not here, isn't he?”, the masked man hissed. “And I doubt he's the kind to ask questions. He moved closer. “For escaping my dungeon, you and I still have a score to settle”
Defiantly, Lucas glared up, having nothing to lose. “Go and fuck yourself”, he growled, narrowing his remaining eye. He noticed something in the Sphynx' dark eyes beneath the mask, a mixture of amusement and anger. Then, Connor's fist hit him again. “Watch your tongue, you stupid cripple bastard!”, the boy spat.
“Connor”, the Sphynx merely said, his tone calm, yet threatening enough to make Connor back down. Then, the torturer focussed his attention back towards Lucas. “There is one thing I am curious about”, he revealed. “Why have you done it? Why have you chosen to trust your brother? Don't you know better?”
This time, Lucas gave him no answer. He would deny him at least this satisfaction. And so, they stared at each other, the torturer and his victim, until Connor sighed. “I don't think he wants to answer”, he muttered. “Can we go right to the part where we carve him up?”
“You aren't thrilled indeed...” The Sphynx' voice was warm, yet devoid of genuine emotion at the same time, save for the hint of joy, which was also reflected by his eyes. “But I can't express how happy I am to have you back, my boy”, he purred, as he turned to the tools on the table. “There's no distraction now, no saviour, no bigger plan”
Lucas shivered, yet the chains prevented him from moving much, if at all. When the Sphynx turned back, the joy in his eyes was reciprocated by the wide grin on Connor's face. “Think of all the songs we can sing, my friend”, he said, as he reached for a long, thin needle. “Here's one of my favourites...”
The needle approached his crippled hand, painfully slow, as Lucas was unable to do anything to stop it. Tears formed in his eyes, as he tore against his chains, to now avail. His heart was beating furiously, to the point where he was sure it would just stop any moment from now. But it didn't. Instead, the Sphynx' needle reached its destination.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes”, the Sphynx hissed, his voice barely forming a melody this time, a harsh, archaic rhythm, as he pushed the needle beneath the nail of Lucas' thumb, scratching across the soft, sensitive flesh. The broken knight tried his best not to scream, not to give away how the sharp pain tore him apart. He failed, as finally, the scream was pressed through his clenched teeth. By now, tears streamed down his cheeks.
With visible glee, the Sphynx twisted the needle once, while Connor stared on with a wide grin. Then, he pulled it out, though the burning pain remained. “You've grown soft”, Connor mocked him. “This is just the beginning. Oh, maybe I'll get to as well this time!”
The Sphynx did not react to this. Instead, the hand holding the needle moved up, touching the wet cheek. By now, the man was close enough for Lucas to get a look at the flesh around the eyes. It was pale and scarred, though the eyes themselves remained unharmed. The look in them was the coldest, most cruel he had ever seen.
“By the itching of my nose, something wicked this way goes”, the Sphynx continued and without mercy, he slammed the needle into Lucas' nose, instantly drawing blood. This time, he got the scream he so clearly wished for, as the tip of the steel pierced through the nasal septum, tearing away the flesh in the process.
His mouth widely opened, Lucas was only able to scream. In his mind, there was no clear thought, just agony. Behind that, there was him begging in the dark, begging to the Stranger to take him, to get it over with, to give him mercy.
Blood filled his nose and made it hard to breath, running down his upper lip, the metallic taste reaching his tongue. Tears clouded his vision, his own screams making it hard to hear anything else. Blind and deaf, there was only a pain he never knew existed, a pain that remained even as the Sphynx removed the needle again.
This time, the torturer wordlessly gave him a tiny break, allowed his screams to die down, though the pain only got slightly better. His vision clear again, Lucas saw that the Sphynx had tilted his head. The masked man glanced at Connor, giving him a nod and with an excited smirk, the teen reached to the table, grabbing the small hammer. “Showtime, cripple”, he hissed.
Calmly, the Sphynx grabbed the hammer, swinging it through thin air as if to test it. Satisfied, he turned back to Lucas. In the distance, a sound was heard, though he did not mind, whereas Lucas was too busy to truly notice.
“By the blinking of my eyes...”, the Sphynx hissed, his voice cold and cruel. “Something wicked this way dies” He raised both, hammer and needle, moving the latter closer towards Lucas' remaining eye and raising the hammer. The knight realized what was about to happen. Frantically, he shook his head, though the only thing he achieved was that the needle stopped inches away from his eye, ready to pierce through it if he would make another move.
“No...”, he gasped with a tear-stained voice. “No, please. Please!” Yet there was no way out, he knew that now. Desperately, he tried to push his head against the wall, away from the needle that was going to blind him. After letting him beg for a moment, the Sphynx finally raised his hammer, ready to drive the needle into his skull. His screams became more panicked and he saw amusement in the Sphynx' eyes, the last thing he would ever see...
“Sphynx!”, Connor hissed sharply and the masked man lowered needle and hammer, a momentary relief for Lucas. Behind him, on the other side of the iron bars, he saw a figure standing in the hallway. Plain brown clothes with long sleeves, a face hidden beneath a hood, yet clearly a woman. She held a basket in her arms.
“What is this?”, the Sphynx hissed. “What are you doing down here, girl?” She raised her head and dark blue eyes glared at him, a strand of raven black hair visible beneath the hood. “I bring food for the prisoner”, she said and Lucas recognized her voice more than anything else. His single eye widened with surprise and only barely did he suppress a gasp.
The Sphynx shrugged. “I suppose Petyr hasn't had time to put new guards on that post”, he mumbled and glanced at Connor, who grinned as he looked at the young woman. “Not that we need guards. Connor, open the door”
The young man nodded enthusiastically. “Gladly, Sphynx”, he answered, as he approached the door to unlock it. “Oh yes, gladly”, he said as he mustered her. Without fear, the woman stepped past him. Though she was clad in common rags, she wasn't less a princess and knowing her secret, Lucas found it impossible not to see it. Connor was less than a rat compared to her and she showed it, yet the torturer and his apprentice remained oblivious.
“Food...”, the Sphynx muttered, as he glanced at the basket. He approached the woman and they met each other next to the table, where he put the hammer and nail away. For a second, she gave Lucas a concerned look and her beautiful eyes widened slightly as she spotted the fresh wounds. “And what does the prisoner get to eat?”
“Fresh bread”, she replied. “Dried meat. Water and a small wineskin” Connor chuckled at her words, while the Sphynx remained calm. “Wine?”, he just asked. “The prisoner gets wine?” She nodded without hesitation and he sighed. “On whose orders?”, he growled.
“Lord Petyr's”, she replied without hesitation and this time, the Sphynx chuckled. It was a cold, terrible sound, as if he forced himself to laugh without finding it funny in any way. Connor's amusement was more genuine meanwhile and the teen glanced at the princess with a disturbing hunger.
“Girl, don't bullshit me. I don't know what you're trying here, but it's not working”, the Sphynx growled. “I doubt you know the danger you've gotten yourself into. We're in the middle of a session and I don't like to be interrupted” He glanced at the basket, not noticing the fact that she still showed no fear. “But you bring food, so I'm going to make an exception. Just leave it, turn around and run for your live”
This time, she shook her head and beneath the mask, the Sphynx sharply inhaled. “This is for the prisoner”, she clarified once more and this time, the Sphynx laugh was almost genuine. In a second, he had crossed the distance between them, his right hand grabbing her chin with two fingers, forcing her head upwards. There was still no fear and he saw it now.
“I don't like your attitude”, he hissed with his monotone voice. “Sweet girl, haven't they told you to stay away from this place? Haven't they warned you?” The princess narrowed her eyes. “I am not afraid”, she growled in a threatening voice and the Sphynx snorted with amusement. “A girl with an attitude comes here, to my realm, she mocks me, disrespects me and lacks even the most common courtesy”, he stated. “She' not afraid. Connor, what do we do?”
“We make her”, the boy replied, his gaze stuck on the hint of curves beneath the nearly shapeless dress. “Very much so” The Sphynx nodded. “Very much so”, he agreed. “Girl, I gave you a chance to run. Show me you learned your lesson and put the basket onto the table”
Probably to his surprise, she followed the order, putting the basket onto the table right next to her. The Sphynx' fingers were still clenching her chin and it caused her visible discomfort. “Don't touch me”, she warned him and Connor raised an eyebrow. He flashed Lucas a grin, though it died down the moment he noticed the stressed look on the knight's face.
“Sphynx...”, he began with a warning tone, though the masked man barely gave him a look. “Not now, Connor”, he barked. “I was just going to ask our new friend here a few questions” He shook his head, while putting his free hand onto the table, very close to her, which was resting next to the basket. “What is your name, girl?”
He was going to ask something else, but the rest of the sentence was cut off when she raised her right hand, faster than any of them expected. The steel of a dagger flashed briefly, before the hidden weapon had left her sleeve and pierced through the Sphynx' hand, digging deeply through flesh and wood, effectively nailing it to the table. Whatever the Sphynx had tried to say, it went over into surprised screams of pain.
“Don't touch me”, Argella repeated. “You stinking back-alley mongrel” His right hand was now flailing around helplessly, far away from her face. With a growl, Connor reached to the knife at his belt and Argella shot him a glare, terrifying enough to make even him pause. “You don't want to die today, boy”, she growled.
Connor stopped dead in his tracks, only able to look at her with something that wasn't quite fear, but at least more than simple surprise and discomfort. The Sphynx meanwhile had stopped screaming, though his breaths were still fast and full of pain, as he remained standing only on shaky legs, as he used his free hand to cling to the table to further support him. “You bitch!”, he barked and she raised an eyebrow.
Focussing away from the Sphynx for a second, she gave Lucas a slight smile, though the thunder in her eyes remained. There was murder in her gaze, the glare of someone who was sick of being pushed around. She wouldn't back down. “Argella...”, he mumbled and the Sphynx gasped. “Princess”, he realized.
She gave him a bloodthirsty grin. “And you are the Sphynx, are you not?”, she snarled. “My knight told me about you” With these words, Argella tilted her head sideways. “Speaking of, I want him back”
The audacity she showed caused Connor visible discomfort, whereas the Sphynx still focussed on remaining in a somewhat standing position despite the knife that had drilled into his hand. “Your knight...”, he mumbled and let out a tiny chuckle. “Princess Argella, this is...” He paused and groaned in discomfort. “Your knight is a worthless cripple, you bloody harlot!”
Argella narrowed her eyes at his choice of words and Lucas allowed himself a tiny ray of hope. Perhaps there was still a way out of this with her looking out for him. “I know what happened to him”, she confirmed. “I know your role in it” She put weight onto the dagger she was still holding and the Sphynx' legs nearly gave in beneath him as he screamed once again.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her gaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit more, but I honestly can't tell”
Connor was still frozen from her earlier harsh order, but now, the boy began to move, pulling out a long, thin knife, a gesture which Argella commented with a silent glare. The Sphynx meanwhile gasped again and he threw a deliciously desperate look towards his apprentice. “Connor!”, he warned him sharply.
“You'd... you'd risk your life for a mere knight?”, he asked as he turned back to the princess that was holding a knife to his crotch. Argella nodded without even thinking about it. “Not just a mere knight”, she replied. “My knight, a man who swore an oath to me. I swore one as well and my father taught me that a queen is only as good as her word”
“And you wish to free him?”, the Sphynx asked and once again, Argella nodded. “If your master refuses to just hand him over to me, I will kill both of you and just take him”, she clarified and it was not an empty threat. The Sphynx' ruined hand was a testimony to how far she was willing to take this and at least for now, she had the torturer completely under her control. For the time being, even Lucas' fear of the masked man slowly died down.
The Sphynx sighed. “You have no chance of getting him out of here, you know that, right?”, he urged her. “Just back off and you can leave this castle in peace” Argella nodded. “I will”, she agreed. “But only with Ser Lucas. Free him at once”
Her hand moved slightly and the Sphynx gasped again, with obvious fear in his voice. “Connor”, he growled and the boy gave him an irritated glare. “We cannot do this”, he hissed and the Sphynx tensed up. “CONNOR!”, he growled loudly, with unusual emotion. “Do as the lady said. It's her funeral”
“Put the keys onto the table”, Argella ordered. “I can unchain him myself. Then leave the room, boy” Though visibly reluctant, Connor gave in, especially as the Sphynx threw a look at him that was pathetically desperate. Lucas allowed himself to find glee at how quickly the torturer changed his entire behaviour. He was at her mercy.
Throwing a hateful glare at the princess, Connor stepped past her, leaving the room, while she forced the Sphynx around. Having her back turned towards Lucas now, he was only able to hear her voice and the look in the masked man's dark eyes. “Okay, you got what you wanted”, the Sphynx stuttered. “Just let me go”
Argella glanced over her shoulder briefly, though she did not release him. “You did this to him”, she said and it was not a question. “You tortured him. Took away his dignity, nearly his life. What he told me about you...”
The Sphynx' eyes widened. “I was only following orders!”, he yelled and Lucas saw how the edge of the knife almost scratched across his crotch. “Just following orders”, Argella replied calmly. “That is your excuse? I don't know if I should hate you for it, or just be disgusted” Slowly pushing him to the door, she continued to growl into his ear. “It would be easy. One small cut and you would bleed to death. This world would be better off without you”
“We had a deal!”, the Sphynx screeched. Behind him, Connor looked at the scene with a sadistic smirk on his face, not intervening when the fate of his master was at stake. Argella gave him a nod. “And how many deals have you broken?”, she barked. “Spare me your pleas. It is already tempting enough to kill you, for him”
With a sigh, she removed the knife from the uncomfortable position close to his crotch, before she pushed him through the doorframe. “Alas, a queen is only as good as her word. You are not worth getting my hands stained with your blood” Quickly, before the Sphynx was able to jump up again, she had closed the door, locking it from the inside with Connor's key.
Now free, the Sphynx' usual behaviour returned. With a growl, he charged at the cell, stopping right in front of the bars. “You are going to pay for that, you smug whore!”, he yelled, right into Argella's face. “You won't get away with this! Five minutes and Butterfly will be here. Then you'll hang right next to your knight” He glanced down at her. “And I know just where I'm going to sta-”
The rest of his sentence was cut off when Argella nonchalantly grabbed him, pulling him towards her and slamming him right into the iron bars between them. The crack of wood was heard, as the Sphynx went to the ground. He looked up, holding a hand onto the massive crack in his mask and blood seeped from beneath it. “Get out of my sight”, Argella snapped at him.
He did just that. Crawling away from her on all fours, he jumped up after a few metres and proceeded to rush down the hallway, out of Lucas' field of view. Hopefully out of his life as well. Though still in chains, a satisfied smile formed on his face. Perhaps there was still hope at last.
Connor remained a little longer than his master. With the iron bars between them, he felt safe, as he calmly approached her, just staying out of her reach. “You think I am afraid?”, he asked, a statement she commented by raising an eyebrow. “I am not. I know fear. I know a real killer. My brother Lupin is someone to be afraid of. He's more god than man and you... you are nothing” He smiled widely. “He's on his way. Lupin is coming to this shithole of a city and you better pray that you're gone by then” With these words, he followed after his master. “He's going to drown these streets with blood”, he hissed, before he was gone as well.
Finally rid of them, Argella sighed bitterly. As she turned around towards Lucas, he did not saw the warrior queen in the making, the woman who just intimidated the most terrifying man he had ever met in his life. He saw a glimpse of the person behind, the girl that was not older than him. Upset, shivering and now even slightly afraid, she turned away from the bars, her hand clenched tightly into fists. For a second, she focussed on regaining her breath, as her shaking her hands revealed how deeply shocked she was at this meeting. “What have they done to you?”, she finally gasped.
With these words, she rushed to his side, quickly trying several keys for the locks that chained him to the wall. Despite the pain that was still real, he gave her a smile. “Nothing I will not survive”, he assured her. “Thanks to you” She reciprocated his smile, though it was thinner, less joyful. “I have not released you of your oath after all”, she replied.
“And you kept yours”, Lucas said and he sighed with relief as she finally found the correct key, removing the chains around both of his wrists. Finally free, he sank down the wall, onto the dirty ground, resting his aching head against the wall, as he gave her a tired look. “I haven't dared to hope. Princess Argella, I owe you my life”
She smiled at this. “I suppose now's the time where you admit you could have chosen worse”, she told him and he chuckled. “Far worse”, he admitted. “I... have you really done all of this just to stay true to your oath?” The princess raised an eyebrow. “What else would I do it for?”, she asked dryly. “You're not a dashing sight after all, covered in blood and mud” She glanced down at the rags she was wearing. “Although I suppose I am not much better”
“You are perfect”, Lucas said with a grin, something that caused her to raise an eyebrow. “Not quite”, she answered sternly, though she gave him a nod. “Slightly awkward, but you meant well. Thank you, Ser”
The two exchanged a look and suddenly, Lucas felt his throat again, dry and hoarsy. He began to cough, slightly at first, then violently, until he was lying almost on all fours. Argella jumped up, rushing towards the basket, which she brought entirely. “You need water”, she clarified, as she pulled out a small skin.
Weakly, Lucas managed to shake his head, his coughs having gotten better. “Have you lied about the wine?”, he asked. She smiled, as she put the waterskin back into the basket, pulling out another one instead. “Someone drank all my Arbour Gold”, she said. “Apologies. Red is barely enough for you”
With thirst, he grabbed the skin, beginning to drink heavily. The sweet taste was the most beautiful thing he could imagine in this moment and he noticed that tears formed in his eyes. Almost with greed, he continued to drink and with great relief, he put the empty skin down at last. Breathing comfortably, he smiled at the princess. “You saved me”, he stated.
“Again?”, she replied. “I should probably get paid for that” She glanced at the basket. “Do you wish to eat?” To this, Lucas shook his head, though all of a sudden, his smile died down. A thought crossed his mind, a terrible one, closely related to what the Sphynx had said. “Then come on”, Argella said. “We have to get you out of here. Time is of the essence”
“Do you have a plan?”, he asked and she sighed. “That is where things get a little complicated”, she admitted. “I tried to get you out on a different route. Officially, with Mullendore's blessing. He... refused” As she pulled the hood back, his gaze fell upon the ugly bruise on her cheek. “Now, we have to improvise. If I get you out of this cell, we just run. Through the gates before they notice a thing. Then, we hide in the city. Tariel, my assistant, she is informed about this. She will lead the rest of my soldiers out of this city, where we will catch up with them again”
Lucas himself was almost surprised when he shook his head, though this was nothing to the utterly dumbfounded look of confusion on Argella's face. “I don't think this is a good idea”, he admitted, to which she seemed mildly irritated. “What do you mean?”, she said and he sighed. “I mean that this won't work. The courtyard is too heavily guarded. Mullendore knows of my importance. He'll do anything to prevent me from escaping”
It was a thought that had dawned upon him in the last couple of minutes. Perhaps he was too negative about it and a part of him wanted to cling to this interpretation. At the same time, Lucas knew better. His last escape had been a miracle. There would be no miracle this time. He admired Argella's dedication, but she lacked a clear plan. Realizing this, it shattered his already fragile hopes and more than ever before, Lucas had to accept that not even her conviction would save him. The only fury he could count on was his own.
The Storm Princess raised an eyebrow. “So what?”, she asked. “I don't fear him. A lord of rats, that's what he is” Lucas clenched his fists, as he gave her a stern look. “He is a dangerous man”, he insisted. “And he wants your death. Petyr wants it as well, for it will help their plans. They want you to risk your live, so that they have reason to take it”
“Does this mean you refuse to flee?”, Argella growled, her tone sounding more than just a bit irritated by now. “Does this mean I just stabbed that man for nothing?” Lucas shook his head. “Not for nothing”, he said. “It was the most wonderful thing I have seen in a very long time”
Despite her irritated demeanor, a sly smirk found its way onto Argella's face, before she restored the angry frown. “I ask again”, she growled. “Do you refuse to flee?” This time, Lucas gave her a tired nod. “At least if that's your plan”, he confirmed. “Just running through the gate, that won't work. Mullendore is not stupid and Petyr, he's a cunning snake”
“And what are you going to do then?”, Argella hissed. “Just staying here and waiting for these animals to return? You can't be serious!” Lucas had to look away from her angry eyes, or else he would have lost himself in the blue. “I assure you, I am”, he mumbled. “A real plan, I would have considered. But the more I think about it, the less likely it seems that any plan could work here. Whatever you and I can come up with, Petyr has thought about it first” A sudden realization dawned upon him, as he focussed the anger inside him onto a single, desperate thought.
“Unless...”, he started, though she cut him off. “And if I order you to run with me?”, she asked. “You are a man of honour. I swore you an oath and I have to fulfil it. Why are you making it so hard for both of us? You're free. Run for your live!”
Lucas shook his head again. “You removed my chains, though I remain a prisoner”, he began. “And I swore you an oath as well. Those weren't empty words. I will shield your back and give you counsel. I give my life for yours if need be”
The princess clenched her fists. “Don't ask this of me”, she gasped, though he gave her a nod. “And you swore that you will ask no service that might bring me dishonour”, he continued. “Now I'm asking of you, what could be more dishonourable than me risking your life? If we run, we will both die and achieve nothing”
Argella's eyes widened and the anger fell off her, ever so slightly. “You stubborn bastard”, she sighed, before she sank to the ground next to him, leaning against the wall and giving him a tired look. “You are right”, she admitted. “Of course you are. I was rash, but I had no choice. I just... I wanted to save you”
“You did”, Lucas said with a wary smile. “Perhaps not my life, but everything else. The Sphynx, he...” He gasped, as tears of humiliation shot into his eyes. “If you would have arrived just a second later...” All of a sudden, she rested a hand on his shoulder, a comforting gesture that took him by surprise.
“You were the first”, she mumbled. “The first to ever pledge your loyalty to me. Not my father. Not his kingdom. Just me. My first knight. My stubborn knight” A weak smile formed on her face, though it was more an expression of sorrow than joy. “Now I am powerless to help you. And you... you are right. Getting you out by force or trickery, that's hardly possible in this situation. I'd risk my life, but worse, I'd risk those that follow me” She looked away from him, blinking quickly. “How can you dare to make such sense?”
“It's one of my finer qualities”, he replied. “But your actions haven't been in vain. They gave me time and I... I think there might be one final thing I can do” His words sparked Argella's curiosity and she gave him a long look. “How can I help?”, she asked.
Lucas smiled at her, a genuine, relieved smile. Though he was still sitting in his brother's prison, she freed him, in a way. It was a desperate hope, but it wouldn't put her in danger, nor her men. It was the only one he would dare to take. His glance fell upon the basket and he noticed his growling stomach. “You can stay with me until they get back”, he spoke softly. “And... do you have anything to eat?”
The knight and his princess didn't have to wait for too long. Just ten minutes later they came, even faster than Lucas had feared. At the same time, it filled him with relief, as it meant he made the right call in refusing Argella's help. She had stayed with him indeed, sitting by his side and comforting him in what might be the darkest hour of his life. Probably even the final one. It surprised Lucas how oddly calm he was in the face of his own death. But he found solace in the thought that he could see his father again. And Lunett... there was so much he had to apologize for once he was at rest.
The first to arrive was Petyr, a look of stone cold anger on his face. The Tom was walking behind him, his mask hiding any facial expression as always, yet there was indifference in his eyes. As expected, Mullendore was there as well, limping on a cane, a fresh set of bandages hiding the gruesome wound on his face. His remaining eye shot a terrifying glare at Argella, though he remained silent until Lucas saw the final visitor. And his desperate hope became a genuine possibility at last.
“What is this about?”, Lord Tyrell asked. “Princess Argella what in the name of the Seven are you wearing?” Proudly, though visibly relieved at his presence, Argella rose from the ground, as she approached the door to unlock it. “It's a commoner's garb, Harlen”, she chirped. “I'm pretty sure you have seen such a thing before” Lucas had told her about his plan and though reluctant at first and unwilling to risk him, she eventually gave in. After he had signed Petyr's confession in a moment of foolishness, this was the only way for him to clear his name.
“I know that”, Tyrell growled impatiently and the anger in his voice was not only directed at her, but also at the men that had dragged him down here. “But what are you doing down here? This man is a dangerous prisoner, as Lord Vyrwel assured me”
“This man is my knight!”, Argella barked and her own anger overshadowed his by far. If Petyr was a snake and Mullendore a rat, Tyrell was a cowardly mouse and right now, he did just that, he cowered before her. “And he is innocent of the crimes these men accuse him of”
Petyr raised an eyebrow and as expected, he pulled out the scroll, Lucas' signed confession. “I don't think this is something up for debate”, he replied sternly. “My half-brother confessed and if you'd know the true extent of his actions, you would not be so quick to defend him. He is a murderer and worse”
“Lies”, Lucas growled and both, Tyrell and Petyr put their attention onto him, surprised that he would speak up so directly. “Lord Tyrell, this is not true. I was forced to sign this confession, under the threat of torture” His mutilated hand moved to the eyepatch. “Or do you think I did this to myself?”
Tyrell narrowed his eyes. “Ser Lucas, do you accuse your brother of lying?”, he asked and Lucas gave him a nod. “That I do, mylord”, he replied firmly. “Of lying and worse. If you're looking for the man that did all of what I confessed to, then look to your right”
Momentarily, Tyrell's glare fell upon Mullendore, who reciprocated with one in kind, before the false knight put his attention back onto Argella. Her presence here made him livid with rage, his hands shivered even as he held the cane and he had to press his words through clenched teeth. “What are you doing here, girl?”, he growled. “Haven't you learned your lesson?”
Argella raised an eyebrow. “Was that a threat, Ser Maron? In the presence of Lord Tyrell?”, she asked, before she shook her head. “I expected better of you, Ser Butterfly. I am here to ensure that my knight's request will be granted”
“Request?”, Tyrell gasped. “And what is it you are requesting?” Lucas and Argella exchanged a look, before she gave him a nod. With a heavily beating heart, he raised from the ground. “Lord Tyrell, I am a knight of the Reach, a knight of the Stormlands. I am the son of Leo Vyrwel, Lord of Darkdell and I am accused of crimes I never committed” He glared at Petyr, at Mullendore, before looking back at Tyrell. “It is my right”, he growled, as he walked up to them, stopping next to his princess.
Oh my god. I was so certain that Lucas was going to croak. Things looked so dire. And then all the sudden Argella comes out of no where saving the day. Loved the animal analogies. To bad Sphynx and Connor survived, but clearly they won't forget what happened here. Can you tell us what would've happened if Lucas stuck his ground? Because this part ended on a very positive note. If Lucas didn't sign the confession, would things be better or worse. What a great part you did here Liquid. Wowzers.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
That's an interesting outcome for this Lucas part!
RT:
I admit that while I expected that Petyr would have let the Sphynx torture despite the agreement I'm surprised that he even ordered his own brother death,he is for sure a cautious man!
Argella for sure like to do dangerous plans!Luckly for her the Sphynx and Connor are not the smartest duo of this story while Lucas manage to convince her that her own plan would have led to their death
It seems that The Sphynx is going to have a bad time from now on,not only I can already see Connor start to obtain a main role as the Alley Cats torturer taking for himself all his master knowledge but I even doubt that the Sphynx reputation will remain the same between the members of his organization and with his employer
I must be honest with you Liquid,I know that Connor speech about his brocon complex should make me scared about the fact that Lupin will reach Raylansfair but I'm more scared of the fact that we will probably have another mindless psychopath in the same place of Wolfius and his animals!I'm terrified for the wrong reason!
I'm really curious to know who will fight for who in this trial by combat!For Mullendore/Petyr side we have only three options (The Tom,The Moggy and Ser Hugo Farnham) but for Lucas/Argella we have many possible candidates (Drent,Ser Emphyrius,a Targaryen knight etc.)!
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
Oh my god. I was so certain that Lucas was going to croak. Things looked so dire. And then all the sudden Argella comes out of no where saving the day.
Well, it surely was dangerously close once again. The Sphynx was going to kill him, if probably not right in the second Argella came to save the day. That said, neither is he truly saved. The trial by combat is well within his rights to demand, but it obviously holds its own dangers. All in all, I would say the most severe danger is yet to come when he faces whatever fighter Petyr and Mullendore choose against him.
To bad Sphynx and Connor survived, but clearly they won't forget what happened here.
Indeed, they will not forget this, though this might not be all that good. Both are proud men and the Sphynx got it particularly bad here. This was the closest thing we ever had to a fit of rage from him and that is probably a pretty bad thing. Connor, he also won't forget this, but what he will remember in particular is how easily his boss gave in.
Can you tell us what would've happened if Lucas stuck his ground? Because this part ended on a very positive note. If Lucas didn't sign the confession, would things be better or worse.
I surely can. Since Mathea just asked the same, I'll answer to this below in a moment
What a great part you did here Liquid. Wowzers.
Thank you! It's always great to hear this and well, this part was one I was particularly excited about, mostly because I found it utterly satisfying to have the Sphynx knocked down a bit, even if he obviously got away pretty easily. This scene was planned several months ago and I am so happy that it paid off and that you enjoyed it!
Oh my god. I was so certain that Lucas was going to croak. Things looked so dire. And then all the sudden Argella comes out of no where savi… moreng the day. Loved the animal analogies. To bad Sphynx and Connor survived, but clearly they won't forget what happened here. Can you tell us what would've happened if Lucas stuck his ground? Because this part ended on a very positive note. If Lucas didn't sign the confession, would things be better or worse. What a great part you did here Liquid. Wowzers.
There are some long-term consequences I cannot talk about of course, mostly revolving around the confession itself, but I think I can tell you what would have happened in this part exactly. First of all, the fact that Petyr's offer was not genuine wouldn't have been revealed to you, which would have painted his character probably in a slightly different light. Most importantly, he wouldn't have gotten his confession, something that would make things a bit harder for him. He would have ordered the Sphynx to torture a confession out of Lucas before leaving, which would have lead to the same scene with Argella intervening, though under slightly different circumstances. The lack of a confession would have also made it harder for Petyr to paint Lucas in a negative light in front of Lord Tyrell, meaning that the lord would have been more on Lucas' side, or at least more neutral than he is in the part you ultimately got. This is something that hasn't gotten beyond an early planning stage, but chances are that you would have been given a choice that could have resulted in Tyrell lending his considerable support to either Lucas or Petyr.
I admit that while I expected that Petyr would have let the Sphynx torture despite the agreement I'm surprised that he even ordered his own brother death,he is for sure a cautious man!
It's actually the opposite there, he was against allowing the Sphynx to torture Lucas and outright ordered to make it quick. Reason for that, for ordering his death and ordering a quick one, is his pragmatism. There was nothing to gain from leaving Lucas alive, as his knowledge poses a severe threat if he somehow manages to convince the wrong person of it. Similarly, there was nothing to gain from torturing Lucas, so he ordered a quick death for him. He's not a cruel man by nature, just incredibly focussed on his goal and little else and what little fondness he has of his half-brother was just enough to feel a tiny bit of remorse for having to do this.
Argella for sure like to do dangerous plans!Luckly for her the Sphynx and Connor are not the smartest duo of this story while Lucas manage to convince her that her own plan would have led to their death
Oooh yes, this is true. She's brave, that is beyond question, but often just as reckless. Lucas has grown more pragmatic, though it is possible that Chapter 1 Lucas would have went with her instead of talking her out of it. By now, he sees the dangers of such rash actions, so he objected against it. And it is probably a good thing that Argella was open to his criticism, because her plan (or lack of it) would have surely put both of them at a serious risk, probably even causing their deaths.
It seems that The Sphynx is going to have a bad time from now on,not only I can already see Connor start to obtain a main role as the Alley Cats torturer taking for himself all his master knowledge but I even doubt that the Sphynx reputation will remain the same between the members of his organization and with his employer
That is true, the Sphynx was just massively humiliated, in front of his already unruly apprentice on top. At the same time, his knowledge goes beyond mere torture stuff and he remains very much invaluable to the Alley Cats and Mullendore. A less skilled healer would have been unable to help him after the events of the Chapter 6 finale. Mullendore knows this and so does the Tom. However, it is unlikely that Connor is as far-sighted and he only sees weakness now. Changing this opinion will be a piece of work for the Sphynx and it is likely he will try particularly hard in the future.
I must be honest with you Liquid,I know that Connor speech about his brocon complex should make me scared about the fact that Lupin will reach Raylansfair but I'm more scared of the fact that we will probably have another mindless psychopath in the same place of Wolfius and his animals!I'm terrified for the wrong reason!
Fair enough, haha! There is indeed a rather high amount of psychopaths in the story. At the same time, I hope to flesh out some of those that might bother you a lot in Book 2. For example, to give you a little teaser, the Sphynx will get an unusual form of character development over the course of the coming chapters. Wolfius, of course, is beyond that, though he still has some secrets to reveal about himself and I hope that he will ultimately be a character that is, though utterly reprehensible and monstrous, at least somewhat entertaining. When it comes to Lupin, a lot I could say about him would be a spoiler. He will be in the story eventually and I can assure you that there's going to be a bit of a twist with him. The only thing I would like to ask of you is that you reserve your final judgement until he gets properly established in person and not just through tales of those that knew him once.
I'm really curious to know who will fight for who in this trial by combat!For Mullendore/Petyr side we have only three options (The Tom,The Moggy and Ser Hugo Farnham) but for Lucas/Argella we have many possible candidates (Drent,Ser Emphyrius,a Targaryen knight etc.)!
Actually, there are more options for Mullendore and Petyr. There are more knights in Raylansfair than just Hugo and as you correctly stated, the Tom and the Moggy are similarly possible. It's probably a good thing that Mullendore lost Clayton, as well as Samuel's loyalty, because I can confirm that both would utterly wipe the floor with Lucas. When it comes to Lucas' allies, Emphryus won't be a possibility. His wounds are too severe to fight anytime soon. In fact, Lucas himself is a possibility as well, a likely one at that. He is a knight and though wounded, he can still fight well enough.
That's an interesting outcome for this Lucas part!
RT:
* I admit that while I expected that Petyr would have let the Sphynx torture … moredespite the agreement I'm surprised that he even ordered his own brother death,he is for sure a cautious man!
* Argella for sure like to do dangerous plans!Luckly for her the Sphynx and Connor are not the smartest duo of this story while Lucas manage to convince her that her own plan would have led to their death
* It seems that The Sphynx is going to have a bad time from now on,not only I can already see Connor start to obtain a main role as the Alley Cats torturer taking for himself all his master knowledge but I even doubt that the Sphynx reputation will remain the same between the members of his organization and with his employer
* I must be honest with you Liquid,I know that Connor speech about his brocon complex should make me scared about the fact that Lupin will reach Raylansfair but I'm more s… [view original content]
Oh you are gonna love this. Edward Lancaster was the son of King Henry VI and Margaret Anjou, who was an infamous power hungry manipulator known for being ruthless. After the war had 'ended' (Barely started) with the Duke of York 'winning' (Aka Stealing the victory of his only ally, the Earl of Warwick, by swooping in at the last second and pretending he hadn't been in hiding) Edward was basically her only hope for power since her husband was incompetent, weak willed and went in two mental breakdowns that lasted several months we he lost, so Edward was basically her only hope of ruling. She had to go to the King of Scotland to get an Army to support her claim. She even managed to kill both the Duke and his second eldest son in battle and infamously put their heads on pikes for display. She even found her husband again, who had escaped combat during the battle, making her the best claimant for the throne. The problem was everyone knew she was greedy and corrupt that little Edward was a sadistic sociopath who his mother could barely control. The people didn't want that so they resisted and went to the dukes other son who was also named Edward. As you probably guessed Margaret is the main inspiration for Cersei (and incredibly, also possibly the one used for Margery. Seems GRM thought she was more interesting as two different people)........which of course means that Edward is the main inspiration for Joffrey.
He is? Oh, that is something new to me. Admittedly though, I am no expert on the War of Roses. In this particular case, I highly doubt that FoT's Edward Lancaster was inspired by the real life Edward Lancaster and that the name is merely a coincidence. After all, he's completely different in character and not exactly a bad guy. So yeah, certainly a coincidence, as Edward is not the least popular name and Lancaster has a nice sound to it.
But that being said I feel you are a fantastic writer and no doubt everyone here, you know the dozens of guys who read you WEEKLY, feel like this too. So ill consider this a challenge you can live up with. And like we discussed before, if done well, it can be extremely interesting to see how Trumps ideals work in a world that has in ways already followed through with them. Who knows, maybe the character will be enjoyable and entertaining despite what people think of the person he is based on?
Exactly, that is the thing. I hope to be able to put even characters who are complete references to characters from other franchises or real life people to good use and in case I consider them as lacking depth, I will surely find ways to increase this. That said, this is not exactly a problem with real life people, who are almost always complex in terms of personality. In these cases, it is more challenge to show them as complex as they are, even if they are controversial people outside of this story.
At first they were a bit odd to me, but I grew to love them. They were cool and scary and sometimes I got a really cool Jason vibe from them. They ended up being something to look forward to. What can I say, for some completely bizzare reason I TEND to like bad guys. I really really wonder where this comes from.
Same here! I was momentarily surprised at how colourful they were, especially as they were the first of these somewhat extravagant characters, but I think I quickly found a way to include them in the story and now, they are among my favourite villains. And well, while I almost never like bad guys in the traditional sense, there are some I get quite intrigued by. Then again, whenever you ask me for my least favourite character in a story, chances are it's going to be the bad guys, because a true bad guy is always in some way easy to hate.
To be honest I don't mind it at all. Its actually a really cool since Witcher is basically the videogame/eastern Europe novel series game of thrones, if it had a set protagonist(s). Difference being that GOT is about humans and Witcher is about monsters of all kinds. That being said its cool that Vaasrand witll earn his of character. That pun was beautiful.
Yeah, that was the main reason why I accepted a character that is so clearly based on Geralt. The only thing that is a bit problematic about him is that Westeros isn't plagued by monsters in the same way as the Northern Kingdoms are. Maybe a group of savage shadowcats, a wild direwolf that has gotten too far south of the Neck or stuff like that, but beyond that, Vaasrand's true adventures can only take place in the far east, whereas most monsters in Westeros are human in nature. Then again, I always found the humans of the Witcher novels and games to be the most interesting aspect, especially the political schemes of characters such as Emhyr or Dijkstra.
....an anonymous but charming individual. Seriously included my own guy the for two reasons. One, he fit the category that I was trying to establish. And two, he cemented the fact that this was a joke in good fun and I was in no way criticizing these characters or their creators. I really wonder at this point if Montoya will have ANYTHING in common with the character he's based on besides the slight things I added with Rugen. Meanwhile anything like the alley cats is welcomed.
Very charming indeed Ah, I do like your good Lord Tyrion. With Montoya, he had actually very few similarities to the character of the same name. Sure, he's a skilled duelist, but to be honest, that was about the only similarity there was to him, until you and husmusen worked to expand on his backstory a bit. Even now, he's certainly no guy to run around on a quest to avenge his father's murder and to tell people that they should prepare to die. There are some similarities, but they are really not enough for me to consider him a full reference.
You know Ragnar began this whole thing and I must admit he keeps surprising me. First when I glance it thought I had found the fame wildling and or Ironborn Ragnar Lothbrok therefore making this a quasi crossover au between Vikings/GOT/Witcher and Prices Bride, ak the best thing ever. Then I was disappointed by his originality....till I realized he was based on the Skyrim character, who was himself probably based on the Ragnar Lothbrok of legends. Now if finding out this was a character you felt insecure about altering. The Metal Gear Exclamation point expresses my emotions well. It would only get better if the creator is actually here and he joins this conversation.
Well, indeed Ragnar Lothbrok would be a more well-known reference, as opposed to a minor background reference from Skyrim (though admittedly, a background reference that is sung by every fucking bard in the entire kingdom). Now, I don't know the origins of that skyrim background reference, although Ragnar is a rather common name for a viking-based character, probably because Ragnar Lothbrok is so well-known. However, the reason I didn't want to alter him was because I refrained from altering characters in the early stages of the story in general. In retrospect, he's probably one I should have changed a bit. It's really a shame his creator is no longer here. Or so I think at least. He used to be very active, but hasn't been online in several weeks now.
Welp there goes half of my characters. . But seriously I am conflicted here I love FOT, but seeing a joke character apocalypse infect the world and all the normal characters might be the most hilarious thing I have thought of in a while. Just imagine how they wold react as all these insane, reality bending people show up to crash their perception of reality. And wow, what a story. Now I wonder if Lord Charles Manson and innkeeper Ted Bundy were once attempted submissions. Either way my post was worth it even if just for this.
Yeah... at one point I'd probably just calmly stop accepting any character that is not clearly a serious character, up to the point of clearing the submission list a little bit. Though the occasional wacky character finds their way into the story, I try to tell a serious tale at heart. That is limited if I get characters such as Dimitri the Wise or dozens of reference characters, as much as they are fun to write. I mean, I think I can make some of them work, but it's hard to take the events of the story serious if the characters have to interact with Lord Bundy the serial killer. Nor do I think the story needs any more insane serial killers.
[Wait, is there an actual historical figure submitted? I know the War of Roses included the houses Lancaster and York, of which we have exac… moretly one character submitted each and I am pretty sure that neither is based on any historical figure. Of course, I could actually see a guy named Edward Lancaster having lived once, on account of everyone and their mothers being names Edward back in these days. If there is a character submitted that shares more than just a relatively common last name with a historical figure, I would like to know that]
Oh you are gonna love this. Edward Lancaster was the son of King Henry VI and Margaret Anjou, who was an infamous power hungry manipulator known for being ruthless. After the war had 'ended' (Barely started) with the Duke of York 'winning' (Aka Stealing the victory of his only ally, the Earl of Warwick, by swooping in at the last second and pretending he hadn't been in hiding) Edward was basically her on… [view original content]
Oh you are gonna love this. Edward Lancaster was the son of King Henry VI and Margaret Anjou, who was an infamous power hungry manipulator k… morenown for being ruthless. After the war had 'ended' (Barely started) with the Duke of York 'winning' (Aka Stealing the victory of his only ally, the Earl of Warwick, by swooping in at the last second and pretending he hadn't been in hiding) Edward was basically her only hope for power since her husband was incompetent, weak willed and went in two mental breakdowns that lasted several months we he lost, so Edward was basically her only hope of ruling. She had to go to the King of Scotland to get an Army to support her claim. She even managed to kill both the Duke and his second eldest son in battle and infamously put their heads on pikes for display. She even found her husband again, who had escaped combat during the battle, making her the best claimant for the throne. The problem was everyone knew she was … [view original content]
Nor do I think the story needs any more insane serial killers.
Which is why when submitting you use the phrase people "mysteriously dying" around a character.
The only thing I would like to ask of you is that you reserve your final judgement until he gets properly established in person and not just through tales of those that knew him once
Don't worry,despite my own reservations I'm not such a fool to judge a character even before his own first appearence in the story
Actually, there are more options for Mullendore and Petyr. There are more knights in Raylansfair than just Hugo and as you correctly stated, the Tom and the Moggy are similarly possible. It's probably a good thing that Mullendore lost Clayton, as well as Samuel's loyalty, because I can confirm that both would utterly wipe the floor with Lucas. When it comes to Lucas' allies, Emphryus won't be a possibility. His wounds are too severe to fight anytime soon. In fact, Lucas himself is a possibility as well, a likely one at that. He is a knight and though wounded, he can still fight well enough
Well,I believe that Petyr/Mullendore has only three options because I doubt that for such an important event in the story you will chose a random new character;about Lucas side even if he himself is a possibility I'm not sure if it is for the knight the smartest choice (if he will have a choice,something that I start to doubt)
I admit that while I expected that Petyr would have let the Sphynx torture despite the agreement I'm surprised that he even ordered his own … morebrother death,he is for sure a cautious man!
It's actually the opposite there, he was against allowing the Sphynx to torture Lucas and outright ordered to make it quick. Reason for that, for ordering his death and ordering a quick one, is his pragmatism. There was nothing to gain from leaving Lucas alive, as his knowledge poses a severe threat if he somehow manages to convince the wrong person of it. Similarly, there was nothing to gain from torturing Lucas, so he ordered a quick death for him. He's not a cruel man by nature, just incredibly focussed on his goal and little else and what little fondness he has of his half-brother was just enough to feel a tiny bit of remorse for having to do this.
Argella for sure like to do dangerous plans!Luckly for her the Sphynx and Connor are not the sma… [view original content]
So this is one of the choices I missed, but I am glad I symbolically voted against it. Petyr is gonna die, it's gonna be great.
To be honest I thought Lucas was gonna die. So close. So close. I also afraid for the lad. I also thought the woman was Sherryl and then I realized it was not.
Damn that was intense. Tension was built. Petyr is a lying slippery bastard. I never trusted him and his fancy wardrobe. Connor was very ominous, and it was nice seeing ol' Sphynx getting screwed up.
“I demand a trial by combat”
Hey hey hey. I wonder how that got into the story. Seems a hunch of my was correct. Let see how this plays out.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
First of all, what little respect I had for Petyr is now gone. Well, I still hate him slightly less than Mullendore, but that really isn't saying much, is it? It wouldn't surprise me at this point if he was ready to sacrifice his daughter for his grand plans to come true. That said, Argella making Sphynx beg for mercy was awesome Earlier I had hard time deciding if I love or hate our dear Storm Princess, but at this point she is quite firmly on the love side Oh, and Connor talking about Lupin... ominous to say the least. I'm guessing he'll be the Big Bad in Raylansfair in Book 2. I'm sure he'll be a terrifying villain, but I hope he isn't too similar to Wolfius.
And that ending... When I first read that line, "I demand a trial by combat", well I couldn't help but hear Peter Dinklage say that line in my head But aside from that, I thought this is going to be awesome... and then I remembered that Lucas isn't really in the best shape for a trial by combat, sooo, will he have a champion? If so, who could it be? Leonard would otherwise be an option, but he is accused for some crimes himself. And I believe Ser Darren Tallwood was injured in the battle? Hmm, perhaps Argella could demand one of the Durrandon men to fight for Lucas. If so, Ser Emphryus would probably be the best option, unless he is too badly injured to fight rn. And I wonder who will Mullendore choose as his champion. I'd guess the Tom, though Moggy is another possibility.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
I still like Petyr despite him stabbing us in the back, he seems like a pragmatic man doing what in his opinion is the best thing for House Vyrwel. And oh man, I can't wait for the trial by combat, though I don't think Lucas will be much good in his crippled state.
So this is one of the choices I missed, but I am glad I symbolically voted against it. Petyr is gonna die, it's gonna be great.
Yeah, I remember you have been among those who voted against it, even if your vote came in later. In retrospect, it was probably not the best choice to trust Petyr with upholding his end of the deal, but back at the time and without that knowledge, I can certainly understand the reasons to sign the confession. When it comes to his death... well, that's still going to be up to you. I can confirm that even the villains in the story will have their fate up to your decisions (save for one particular villain) and there might even be some who will end up not getting the comeuppance they probably deserve.
To be honest I thought Lucas was gonna die. So close. So close. I also afraid for the lad. I also thought the woman was Sherryl and then I realized it was not.
I actually realized the same, that Lucas' saviour could be mistaken for someone else. Since I wanted to make sure that it's clear pretty early that this is Argella pulling off that old trick with the peasant clothes from Chapter 5, I included a brief description of her features. We'll get an update on Sherryl in this chapter as well though, pretty soon actually.
Hey hey hey. I wonder how that got into the story. Seems a hunch of my was correct. Let see how this plays out.
I think now I can reveal it, this is something that was even partially inspired by a speculation of yours from ages ago I had this thought of having a trial by combat at one point or the other, but your speculation gave me precise ideas on how to include it. Due to your choices aligning nicely with my plans, I now have the opportunity to show it pretty soon.
So this is one of the choices I missed, but I am glad I symbolically voted against it. Petyr is gonna die, it's gonna be great.
To be hon… moreest I thought Lucas was gonna die. So close. So close. I also afraid for the lad. I also thought the woman was Sherryl and then I realized it was not.
Damn that was intense. Tension was built. Petyr is a lying slippery bastard. I never trusted him and his fancy wardrobe. Connor was very ominous, and it was nice seeing ol' Sphynx getting screwed up.
“I demand a trial by combat”
Hey hey hey. I wonder how that got into the story. Seems a hunch of my was correct. Let see how this plays out.
First of all, what little respect I had for Petyr is now gone. Well, I still hate him slightly less than Mullendore, but that really isn't saying much, is it? It wouldn't surprise me at this point if he was ready to sacrifice his daughter for his grand plans to come true.
Hm, well, Petyr is certainly not the sympathetic antagonist some might have thought him to be after his offer in the last Lucas part. He is just a very, very good liar. At the same time, there is a key difference between him and Mullendore. He himself doesn't shy away from doing evil if it helps him and he sees it as necessary. Mullendore meanwhile is a cruel man who goes out of his way to kick a puppy if he feels like it. Both are villains, yes, but I'd say out of the two, Mullendore is still way more easy to hate.
That said, Argella making Sphynx beg for mercy was awesome Earlier I had hard time deciding if I love or hate our dear Storm Princess, but at this point she is quite firmly on the love side
Ah, glad to hear it! I always enjoyed writing Argella stuff, mostly because I knew what sort of development I had planned for her all along, so it was really nice to see how opinion on her changed over the course of the past two acts Said development is not over yet though and Book 2 should hold some very new and challenging situations for her.
Oh, and Connor talking about Lupin... ominous to say the least. I'm guessing he'll be the Big Bad in Raylansfair in Book 2. I'm sure he'll be a terrifying villain, but I hope he isn't too similar to Wolfius.
Well, after all the build-up it surely seems as if Lupin is going to be one of the main antagonists of Book 2. There are also some similarities to Wolfius, this much I can confirm and Lupin, well, he can be genuinely terrifying. However, as I said to The_not_chosen_one, there is a twist about Lupin's character, one that could change a lot about how you might view the situation. I cannot confirm nor deny your hopes at this point, but just hang on there, things will hopefully get really interesting when it comes to this part of the story.
And that ending... When I first read that line, "I demand a trial by combat", well I couldn't help but hear Peter Dinklage say that line in my head ut aside from that, I thought this is going to be awesome... and then I remembered that Lucas isn't really in the best shape for a trial by combat, sooo, will he have a champion? If so, who could it be? Leonard would otherwise be an option, but he is accused for some crimes himself. And I believe Ser Darren Tallwood was injured in the battle? Hmm, perhaps Argella could demand one of the Durrandon men to fight for Lucas. If so, Ser Emphryus would probably be the best option, unless he is too badly injured to fight rn. And I wonder who will Mullendore choose as his champion. I'd guess the Tom, though Moggy is another possibility.
I was sort of expecting that some would immediately remember that scene. I couldn't get it out of my head while writing, so I ultimately decided to just go for it and fully show that I got inspired by it When it comes to Lucas' champion, there are several options. Leonard would probably volunteer, but he is a wanted man himself and therefore not as likely to actually be in a position to fight for his friend. Darren Tallwood is indeed injured and currently recovering from life-threatening wounds, he is in no position to fight. The same goes for Emphryus, though his wounds are not quite as life-threatening. With him, the best fighter in the Durrandon host falls flat. It remains to be seen if Argella is willing to risk one of her remaining fighters, as whomever is going to be Lucas' champion has to be good enough to win against Petyr's and Mullendore's champion. The Tom is a beast in combat, although a trained knight could probably go toe-to-toe with him. The Moggy is virtually unstoppable, yet so slow that even a less trained fighter such as Jarek was able to hold his own for quite a while. All that can be said it that they have been surprised by this request and now have to choos the absolute best fighter they have at their disposal to fight Lucas or his champion.
First of all, what little respect I had for Petyr is now gone. Well, I still hate him slightly less than Mullendore, but that really isn't s… moreaying much, is it? It wouldn't surprise me at this point if he was ready to sacrifice his daughter for his grand plans to come true. That said, Argella making Sphynx beg for mercy was awesome Earlier I had hard time deciding if I love or hate our dear Storm Princess, but at this point she is quite firmly on the love side Oh, and Connor talking about Lupin... ominous to say the least. I'm guessing he'll be the Big Bad in Raylansfair in Book 2. I'm sure he'll be a terrifying villain, but I hope he isn't too similar to Wolfius.
And that ending... When I first read that line, "I demand a trial by combat", well I couldn't help but hear Peter Dinklage say that line in my head But aside from that, I thought this is going to be awesome... and then I remembered that Lucas isn't really in the best shape for a… [view original content]
I still like Petyr despite him stabbing us in the back, he seems like a pragmatic man doing what in his opinion is the best thing for House Vyrwel.
It's nice to hear that not everyone hates Petyr now! He is indeed a pragmatic man who looks out for his house, but more in a Tywin Lannister kind of way, where he cares more for his legacy and how he will be remembered through the ages than for his currently living family. This does make him a villain indeed, though not to the same degree as Wolfius or Mullendore, who have far less rational reasons for doing bad things. At least that's the case with Wolfius, as Mullendore has pragmatism and standards, even if they are seriously messed up at times. I guess Petyr has aspects that can be seen as likable, even if he has just shown himself from his worst, most cold-hearted side. He is a character I will develop further in Book 2 and maybe your opinion on him will further develop into one direction or the other
And oh man, I can't wait for the trial by combat, though I don't think Lucas will be much good in his crippled state.
I am also looking forward for it, this should be one of the highlights of the entire chapter. Lucas himself, one thing I want to make clear is that he can actually fight. He's handicapped, that much is for sure, but he fought in the raid and though he lost some of his skill, he nonetheless remains a trained fighter. If he fails to find a champion, he would still be able to get into a fight with Mullendore's champion without being chanceless.
I still like Petyr despite him stabbing us in the back, he seems like a pragmatic man doing what in his opinion is the best thing for House … moreVyrwel. And oh man, I can't wait for the trial by combat, though I don't think Lucas will be much good in his crippled state.
I'm speechless... this part was so great that it really left me speechless, though I wish that it hadn't just so I could give my thoughs on it in detail. But one thing is for sure: I don't know how anyone would believe Petyr deal was good... I mean, we're talking about a guy who killed his own father here. I think it was pretty much guaranteed that he would screw Lucas over.
I actually realized the same, that Lucas' saviour could be mistaken for someone else. Since I wanted to make sure that it's clear pretty early that this is Argella pulling off that old trick with the peasant clothes from Chapter 5, I included a brief description of her features. We'll get an update on Sherryl in this chapter as well though, pretty soon actually.
I thought at first it's the healer... and wondered what she would do in such situation.
So this is one of the choices I missed, but I am glad I symbolically voted against it. Petyr is gonna die, it's gonna be great.
Yeah… more, I remember you have been among those who voted against it, even if your vote came in later. In retrospect, it was probably not the best choice to trust Petyr with upholding his end of the deal, but back at the time and without that knowledge, I can certainly understand the reasons to sign the confession. When it comes to his death... well, that's still going to be up to you. I can confirm that even the villains in the story will have their fate up to your decisions (save for one particular villain) and there might even be some who will end up not getting the comeuppance they probably deserve.
To be honest I thought Lucas was gonna die. So close. So close. I also afraid for the lad. I also thought the woman was Sherryl and then I realized it was not.
I actually realized the same, that Lucas… [view original content]
I actually considered that people would mistake Argella for Mathea here in the very beginning Thing is though, that would indeed be hardly possible. Mathea has no connection to Lucas, never even met him and has therefore no reason to believe that he is unjustly imprisoned. Of course, if she'd know about his innocence, it is likely she would support him somehow, even if violently breaking him out of prison might not be quite her style. For now, there is way too much to do in the aftermath of the raid in either way.
I actually realized the same, that Lucas' saviour could be mistaken for someone else. Since I wanted to make sure that it's clear pretty ear… morely that this is Argella pulling off that old trick with the peasant clothes from Chapter 5, I included a brief description of her features. We'll get an update on Sherryl in this chapter as well though, pretty soon actually.
I thought at first it's the healer... and wondered what she would do in such situation.
I'm speechless... this part was so great that it really left me speechless, though I wish that it hadn't just so I could give my thoughs on it in detail. But one thing is for sure: I don't know how anyone would believe Petyr deal was good... I mean, we're talking about a guy who killed his own father here. I think it was pretty much guaranteed that he would screw Lucas over.
Thank you, I am honoured you enjoyed this part so much When it comes to Petyr, you bring up a good point there, he was totally willing to murder his own father to get what he wants. Then again, his father was in the way of his plans, whereas Lucas gave him what he wanted, so I can understand how others were willing to trust him. Up until now, his extreme cautiousness has at best been hinted at, so it could have been worth a shot. Now you know for sure how far he is willing to go, so I doubt anyone will trust Petyr ever again in the future.
I'm speechless... this part was so great that it really left me speechless, though I wish that it hadn't just so I could give my thoughs on … moreit in detail. But one thing is for sure: I don't know how anyone would believe Petyr deal was good... I mean, we're talking about a guy who killed his own father here. I think it was pretty much guaranteed that he would screw Lucas over.
And oh boy, how I love trials by combat.
Ah and Argella comes to save the day! What a surprise. As soon as I saw there was two lengths of a part, I knew there was no way Lucas could die like this. Someone had to come and save him!
You know, I'm kinda glad we chose to accept Petyr's terms (even if it doesn't help our case with Lord Tyrell) because we at least now have some confirmation that he isn't to be trusted right away. Speaking of, it seems like there's heated tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. He can't even get them under control. Mullendore barely can himself, given the Tom and the Sphynx's little talk about The Tom becoming the new "Butterfly."
Also I know we haven't really explored in this Rahaerys Velaryon guy too much but I'd like to see a standoff between him and The Tom or maybe perhaps Gordar Celtigar, which would be a surprise to Argella if he announced himself.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
I'm so sorry for the inactivity again as of late. As I said in TheKingOfWalkers's story, I've been so busy with graduation, final exams, etc. This is my last week, so hopefully I can manage to find some time to get online more such as today.
Holy shit, what a fantastic part. This might be one of my favorite parts of the entire story, maybe even top five. Everything was great, even me hating Petyr; fuck him. There are arguments for him to be liked in a way, but nah. Despite his reasons, he's an evil man if he has to betray and harm his own family like that - all without showing much remorse (maybe a little, but for the most part, no). By the looks of it now, it may have seem that my choice in the previous Lucas voting may have been wrong, but if it proves to be a better choice in the long run, then I'll see it as successful (considering that I'm sure Petyr would have done something worse if we refused).
Argella rises even further up on my list of favorite characters, even when I didn't think it was possible. Watching the Sphynx fall apart like that was so satisfying. It felt as if Lucas was about to die any second.
It is now where I must admire how phenomenal you have written Lucas as a character. The fact that I can look at how he was in the beginning of the story to now and see how changed he is with a justified reason, is incredible. He is such an awesome yet tragic character who you only want to see succeed, but always goes through very tough hardships. Kudos Liquid, for this reason Lucas is and always will be one of my favorite POV characters. Just an amazing part!
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her … moregaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit m… [view original content]
It's because of those brown rags and black hair, while reading i did even ignore the mention of eye color which was blue somehow. But yes, her appearance there would be totally accidental I guess and she would only be able to get there if asked to tend Lucas wounds.
I actually considered that people would mistake Argella for Mathea here in the very beginning Thing is though, that would indeed be hardly … morepossible. Mathea has no connection to Lucas, never even met him and has therefore no reason to believe that he is unjustly imprisoned. Of course, if she'd know about his innocence, it is likely she would support him somehow, even if violently breaking him out of prison might not be quite her style. For now, there is way too much to do in the aftermath of the raid in either way.
Ah and Argella comes to save the day! What a surprise. As soon as I saw there was two lengths of a part, I knew there was no way Lucas could die like this. Someone had to come and save him!
Hehe, there's no way I'd kill Lucas off right there. He is arguably the most major character of the entire story and deserves better than to be killed so shortly before the actual ending of Book 1 and certainly better than to be unceremoniously tortured to death in the Raylansfair dungeons, with only the Sphynx and Connor to witness his final moments. If I ever decide to kill him off, it would surely be a more major death scene than that.
You know, I'm kinda glad we chose to accept Petyr's terms (even if it doesn't help our case with Lord Tyrell) because we at least now have some confirmation that he isn't to be trusted right away. Speaking of, it seems like there's heated tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. He can't even get them under control. Mullendore barely can himself, given the Tom and the Sphynx's little talk about The Tom becoming the new "Butterfly."
Indeed, the revelation that Petyr is an untrustworthy snake is an important one and though it remains to be seen if the price you paid for this information was worth it, you certainly got something useful out of it, if only so that you know what to expect of Petyr in the future. Of course, there might very well be situations where his word can be trusted, but you now know that he is fully willing to screw over even close family members if it furthers his agenda. You're also right, there is some big tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. Though not exactly a good guy, to put it mildly, Petyr is a pragmatist and therefore naturally disgusted by those who cause senseless violence. Even Mullendore has a hard time keeping them under control and only by giving them some serious freedoms. Even then, the Alley Cats are only loyal to him because the Tom is loyal to him. The Sphynx would gladly screw him over and it is likely that neither of them has any fondness nor loyalty to Petyr.
Also I know we haven't really explored in this Rahaerys Velaryon guy too much but I'd like to see a standoff between him and The Tom or maybe perhaps Gordar Celtigar, which would be a surprise to Argella if he announced himself.
You're right about this. Rahaerys is so far the least explored character of the Targaryen trio, on account of Orys and Gordar both having a bit of a storyline of their own and him just, well, being there. Compared to them, he is the more simple character, though be assured that I have stuff planned for him as well in the future Now, I unfortunately had no room to show it in the story proper save for some hints, but Gordar and Argella are on much better terms now. They had a long talk and she sincerely apologized for her role in his cousins death, an apology which Gordar accepted. His opinion on her certainly got a bit better (even if it is still a bit negative), though volunteering for a fight to the death is a different thing entirely and it remains to be seen if he's up for that.
Ah and Argella comes to save the day! What a surprise. As soon as I saw there was two lengths of a part, I knew there was no way Lucas could… more die like this. Someone had to come and save him!
You know, I'm kinda glad we chose to accept Petyr's terms (even if it doesn't help our case with Lord Tyrell) because we at least now have some confirmation that he isn't to be trusted right away. Speaking of, it seems like there's heated tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. He can't even get them under control. Mullendore barely can himself, given the Tom and the Sphynx's little talk about The Tom becoming the new "Butterfly."
Also I know we haven't really explored in this Rahaerys Velaryon guy too much but I'd like to see a standoff between him and The Tom or maybe perhaps Gordar Celtigar, which would be a surprise to Argella if he announced himself.
I KNEW IT! I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD REFUSE! Fucking Petyr, he's on the top of my hate list now. Let's pray to god Lucas gets his justice.
I truly admire your talented writing. For a second I thought Lucas was actually going to die and I got really devastated. Have you ever though about writing a book? I'll bet it would trun out just great.
Comments
Excuse me?
If it is not a problem I want to add my own opinion about this matter;I have nothing to say against characters that take some aspects of RL people or others fictional beings (outside a lack of imagination by the creator if he/she don't even change the name) but they shouldn't be blatant rip off of the original source! That's because I believe that a person should aim to create his/her own fictional being and not just a boring copy of someone that others have already created.
well Monotya was is a bit of a reference. the others are original (except The names of the Rat, the Hawk, and the Pig are three individuals who are mentioned in the world of ice and fire book)
The Voting is closed!
Ilish is going to promise Vaasrand that she won't travel to Vaes Khadokh
John is going to help Saerya
No big surprises with either choice, even if they have undoubtedly been important. John's choice means that Jenna's task of getting Leonard out of the castle has gotten slightly easier now, although this comes at the risk of endangering John himself and likely Daghan as well. Ilish meanwhile... well, as I said, she will have a super important and exciting storyline coming up in Book 2. This choice however will still play a role in the long run and it will also affect Ilish's character, how willing she is to listen to advice, or to get herself in danger. Clearly, Vaasrand knows what he's talking about and his advice was honest, so this was probably a wise choice. But as said, consequences in the long run
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. Thing is, I have written a lot for it, but a lot is still to be written, as it will have the length of two regular parts. Before that, I also have to do a 2-hour drive to the hospital, as my mother's condition has improved to the point where she is able to speak again, so naturally I want to spend at least a short amount of time with her. As for the next part, it will be a Lucas part and I am so excited to write it
Despite its length, it seems likely that it won't feature a choice for very good reasons. The last time we have seen Lucas was just after his talk with Aylard (which, by the way, took place during John's most recent part). After the innkeeper left in a rage, Lucas received a new visitor, his niece Edith, Petyr's bastard daughter. As a fellow bastard and her uncle, Lucas was obviously fond of the girl. Shortly after her arrival, the Sphynx and Connor paid him a visit as well, with everyone's favourite cat-masked torturer doing the grave mistake of threatening Edith, not knowing who her father was. This came back to bite him in the ass when Petyr learned of this and made it very clear how little tolerance he has for the Alley Cats and their shenanigans. Sending Edith away, he had a talk with Lucas, during which you learned a bit more about his plans, motivations and general personality. He made Lucas the same offer Mullendore gave him earlier, to spare him the Sphynx' torture. In exchange for being allowed to join the Night's Watch, Lucas eventually agreed to sign a confession, blaming him for some of Mullendore's crimes. It was quite interesting to me that you decided to accept. The next part will start right there and you will learn if you chose wisely or not.
Aye, that is something I have found out as well. I liked that detail a lot while reading the World of Ice and Fire last year and stumbling upon this by chance. It gives the three companies some unexpected ties to the canon, which I am sure to use, even if the Rat, Hawk and Pig from the World of Ice and Fire are obviously not the same as in this story.
Ofcourse, everyone is welcomed to join. I agree with you for the most part. I also think its more fun and rewarding. But then again there are characters that are fun to explore as identical concepts in this world. Vaasrand for example is conceptually nearly identical to Geralt, a monster hunter who's mission is to save humanity from beasts but sometimes discovers that humans can be monsters too. Now obviously 'Witchers' don't exist in the 'Known World' (And honestly can I briefly go on a tangent and say that name is the laziest thing that ever came out of George R Martins amazing saga. Naming the continents after directions? He did it creatively at least. But 'Know World' sounds like he just blurted it out after finishing 20-30 chapters) so they have to fit him in some other way, but besides that he is 'base' (lacking future Witcher saga development) Geralt. And I'm not sure there's that much wrong with that if they develop differently. But if a character is just a blatant ripoff like you said above then I completely agree, that lazy and bland. If for example I wanted to add Lord of the Rings characters and decided that instead of cleverly allegorizing them in the story, I should blatantly copy paste them and have Liquid sort out where Middle Earth suddenly comes from. That is bad, both from a creative standpoint and towards the Story, since now we just se a replay of everything, unless Liquid goes out of his way to give these characters originality and place in the story, which given his hundreds of other characters, would undoubtedly drive him completely and utterly mad. But again if there is creativity and there's just an allegory or reference, I feel its fine.
About the "Known World" thing, GRRM has stated that the world of aSoIaF is in-universe called... earth. Just in Common Tongue ofc, but as you know, for convenience's sake Common Tongue = English. I'm pretty sure the Known World is just a Westerosi term for all the lands they have knowledge about.
It is. But he could have thought up a better name. Funny thing is LOTR LITTERALLY takes place on THIS Earth's 'forgotten past' but Tolkien still called it Arda. George could have called it anything, it really seems like he would have been happy if the continents were the only things name and the planet wasn't.
As to common tongue, its necessary for him to explain what language they are speaking and he can't just call it English since there is no England on this world.
Yeah, I know why it can't be called English, but the point is that Common Tongue is supposedly a different language in-universe, and it's just "translated" for us in the books (and show, I suppose). And yeah, I know, GRRM never actually made the language like Tolkien did, but still the idea is the same.
I agree. My argument was never about the language. Heck he could have just said this was a 'translation'. My point is that he could have easily made a better name for his world.
True enough. And that's also the reason why the fandom has named the world "Planetos", but it's a pretty silly name IMO
Really? That actually sounds cool to me! Huh who knew.
Apologies for keeping you waiting a little longer than usual. Yesterday was a busy day. However, I hurried to deliver you this part as early today as possible. I hope you enjoy the resulting long part
Lucas
There was no way out of this, Lucas realized. No way, but this. Petyr was offering him a deal and though he hated himself for even considering this, he realized that it was his only chance at continuing to live. And life, it meant opportunity. If he would die here, he would die for nothing. In utter defeat, he hung his head low. “I accept”, he mumbled. “I confess and you allow me to join the Night's Watch”
Petyr's eyes widened slightly, perhaps in disbelief, perhaps in triumph. Then, he nodded. “Very well”, he said, having calmed his excitement down quickly. “A wise decision” He reached into his coat, pulling out a scroll, which he unfurled. “You will sign this now”, he explained, as if he was negotiating a simple business deal. “Afterwards, I will uphold my end of this bargain. You will be spared further torture and though you'll remain a prisoner until the recruiter passes through the city again, you will eventually be allowed to live out your days at the Wall, as a brother of the Night's Watch”
Lucas sighed. This was the deal he has been offered and the deal he would take. His decision stood. “What am I going to sign exactly?”, he asked, noticing the absence of smugness on Petyr's face. “You will confess”, he answered. “Recent... developments in Oldtown have put a stain onto Maron's reputation there. These rumours need to be put to rest if he is to be of any use to our plans here”
“So I'll be a scapegoat for Mullendore's crimes”, Lucas muttered and Petyr shook his head. “Not all of them”, he assured him. “Butterfly will still suffice for most, even if the crimelord's reputation has suffered with the recent events. Though it will already help if you take the blame for some very particular ones. Key cases that will push at least some suspicion off my dear ally” He raised the scroll. “The murder of Lunett Kawl”, he began and Lucas tensed up, only barely managing to keep his composure. “The murder of Dairon, the poor boy” One by one, his brother continued to read names, men and women whom Lucas had never even met in most cases. By the end, he was barely listening, staring onto the floor in shock. The only way out...
“I do it”, he said with a hoarsy voice and Petyr smiled slightly, almost warmly. It was the same smile he had on his face when they were both children, playing in the gardens of Darkdell. “The right decision”, he assured him, as he gave the Sphynx a nod. With a disgruntled groan, the masked torturer moved towards Lucas, reaching for one of the chains that bound Lucas' arms to the wall. He removed the right one.
The sudden release caused Lucas to sigh in relief, as he shook his aching hand. The other one was still chained, so he couldn't rub the wrist as he wanted to, but just for this moment, not having his good hand trapped in iron was almost worth the sacrifice he was about to make.
Wordlessly, Petyr handed him a quill, as he reached into his coat again to pull out a small pot of ink. “Sign it right there”, he told him and Lucas reluctantly moved the quill towards the spot Petyr pointed at. His brother assisted him by holding the parchment, his smile widening. “Thank you, brother”, he said and his words sounded honest.
Frustrated, disgusted at himself, Lucas let the quill slip through his finger, allowing it to fall onto the floor. “You won”, he stated. “Now unchain me. At least make this worth it” Petyr raised an eyebrow. “I won”, he agreed. “Because I am better than you. I have always been”
He reached for Lucas free right hand, holding it in both of his for a moment. Then, to Lucas' horror, he pushed it forwards and before he could even think about resisting, the chains had closed around his wrist again. His breath became faster, as he watched Petyr with his eye widely opened. The man turned his back on him and began to approach the cell door, while Connor flashed him a wide, bloodthirsty grin. “Make it quick”, Petyr mumbled and the Sphynx nodded. “As you wish, mylord”, the torturer replied.
“Petyr...”, Lucas gasped, feeling helpless panic rising inside of him. “I gave you what you wanted, there is no need for that! You promised!” Petyr stopped as he had already left the cell. “Is this truly a surprise to you? My entire plan runs on deceit. Why exactly should I stop now?”, he calmly stated. “And it's not the first time I broke a promise to you” His voice was less smug than it could have been, though that was not a good thing.
With a gasp, Lucas realized the mistake he had just made, as Petyr proudly presented the scroll he just signed. “Your confession will help us greatly”, he told him. “But I know better than to let you live. Honour is a beautiful thing, but no matter what, as long as you live, you will find a way to interfere with my plans. I cannot allow this, I will not” He gave the Sphynx a nod. “Finish him”
“PETYR!”, Lucas yelled now, at the top of his lungs, his voice a mixture of rage and fear. Petyr, already outside of the cell, stopped again. “This is nothing personal, little brother”, he said in a casual tone. “But my plans are too important for family bonds to matter. Find solace in the thought that you die for something much bigger than you or me” For a moment, a regretful look appeared on his face. “Tell father I am sorry”, he mumbled. “Tell him when I am done, the Vyrwel name will mean more than ever before” He looked away, down the hallway. “This is simply business”, he said, as if the tried to convince himself.
And this was it. His last words towards Lucas, leaving his half-brother screaming as he just walked away without looking back. Lucas was howling with rage by now. “Traitor!”, he screamed. “Coward! Get back here! PETYR!” He was going to say something else, though just then, Connor's closed fist hit him in the face, smashing his head against the hard wall behind. What the young man lacked in strength, he made more than up for with the savagery of this punch. “Oh, shut up, cripple”, he hissed and outright giggled. “Bastard” He slowly moved to the cell door, closing it from the inside and locking it with a key from his ring.
The Sphynx shook his head. “I thought you'd knew better, boy”, he purred. “Trusting a liar? A kinslayer? Not your brightest move” As he spoke, he put the small box he had been carrying onto the table, opening and revealing the multitude of tools in it. With a satisfied nod, he put a hammer onto the table, followed by a set of long needles, followed by a flaying knife and then, to Lucas' horror, a small hacksaw.
“Yeah, that was stupid”, Connor commented onto the events, while Lucas looked from one to the other, in utter terror. By now, he even lacked the strength to rage, as the only thing left was broken fear, a memory of the past. Suddenly, it was all gone, everything that had happened in the last weeks and he was in the dungeons again, at the mercy of a madman. Waiting for his death, however painful it might be.
The Sphynx looked at Lucas, while he put a variety of simple knives onto the table. “He told me to make it quick, but he' not here, isn't he?”, the masked man hissed. “And I doubt he's the kind to ask questions. He moved closer. “For escaping my dungeon, you and I still have a score to settle”
Defiantly, Lucas glared up, having nothing to lose. “Go and fuck yourself”, he growled, narrowing his remaining eye. He noticed something in the Sphynx' dark eyes beneath the mask, a mixture of amusement and anger. Then, Connor's fist hit him again. “Watch your tongue, you stupid cripple bastard!”, the boy spat.
“Connor”, the Sphynx merely said, his tone calm, yet threatening enough to make Connor back down. Then, the torturer focussed his attention back towards Lucas. “There is one thing I am curious about”, he revealed. “Why have you done it? Why have you chosen to trust your brother? Don't you know better?”
This time, Lucas gave him no answer. He would deny him at least this satisfaction. And so, they stared at each other, the torturer and his victim, until Connor sighed. “I don't think he wants to answer”, he muttered. “Can we go right to the part where we carve him up?”
“You aren't thrilled indeed...” The Sphynx' voice was warm, yet devoid of genuine emotion at the same time, save for the hint of joy, which was also reflected by his eyes. “But I can't express how happy I am to have you back, my boy”, he purred, as he turned to the tools on the table. “There's no distraction now, no saviour, no bigger plan”
Lucas shivered, yet the chains prevented him from moving much, if at all. When the Sphynx turned back, the joy in his eyes was reciprocated by the wide grin on Connor's face. “Think of all the songs we can sing, my friend”, he said, as he reached for a long, thin needle. “Here's one of my favourites...”
The needle approached his crippled hand, painfully slow, as Lucas was unable to do anything to stop it. Tears formed in his eyes, as he tore against his chains, to now avail. His heart was beating furiously, to the point where he was sure it would just stop any moment from now. But it didn't. Instead, the Sphynx' needle reached its destination.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes”, the Sphynx hissed, his voice barely forming a melody this time, a harsh, archaic rhythm, as he pushed the needle beneath the nail of Lucas' thumb, scratching across the soft, sensitive flesh. The broken knight tried his best not to scream, not to give away how the sharp pain tore him apart. He failed, as finally, the scream was pressed through his clenched teeth. By now, tears streamed down his cheeks.
With visible glee, the Sphynx twisted the needle once, while Connor stared on with a wide grin. Then, he pulled it out, though the burning pain remained. “You've grown soft”, Connor mocked him. “This is just the beginning. Oh, maybe I'll get to as well this time!”
The Sphynx did not react to this. Instead, the hand holding the needle moved up, touching the wet cheek. By now, the man was close enough for Lucas to get a look at the flesh around the eyes. It was pale and scarred, though the eyes themselves remained unharmed. The look in them was the coldest, most cruel he had ever seen.
“By the itching of my nose, something wicked this way goes”, the Sphynx continued and without mercy, he slammed the needle into Lucas' nose, instantly drawing blood. This time, he got the scream he so clearly wished for, as the tip of the steel pierced through the nasal septum, tearing away the flesh in the process.
His mouth widely opened, Lucas was only able to scream. In his mind, there was no clear thought, just agony. Behind that, there was him begging in the dark, begging to the Stranger to take him, to get it over with, to give him mercy.
Blood filled his nose and made it hard to breath, running down his upper lip, the metallic taste reaching his tongue. Tears clouded his vision, his own screams making it hard to hear anything else. Blind and deaf, there was only a pain he never knew existed, a pain that remained even as the Sphynx removed the needle again.
This time, the torturer wordlessly gave him a tiny break, allowed his screams to die down, though the pain only got slightly better. His vision clear again, Lucas saw that the Sphynx had tilted his head. The masked man glanced at Connor, giving him a nod and with an excited smirk, the teen reached to the table, grabbing the small hammer. “Showtime, cripple”, he hissed.
Calmly, the Sphynx grabbed the hammer, swinging it through thin air as if to test it. Satisfied, he turned back to Lucas. In the distance, a sound was heard, though he did not mind, whereas Lucas was too busy to truly notice.
“By the blinking of my eyes...”, the Sphynx hissed, his voice cold and cruel. “Something wicked this way dies” He raised both, hammer and needle, moving the latter closer towards Lucas' remaining eye and raising the hammer. The knight realized what was about to happen. Frantically, he shook his head, though the only thing he achieved was that the needle stopped inches away from his eye, ready to pierce through it if he would make another move.
“No...”, he gasped with a tear-stained voice. “No, please. Please!” Yet there was no way out, he knew that now. Desperately, he tried to push his head against the wall, away from the needle that was going to blind him. After letting him beg for a moment, the Sphynx finally raised his hammer, ready to drive the needle into his skull. His screams became more panicked and he saw amusement in the Sphynx' eyes, the last thing he would ever see...
“Sphynx!”, Connor hissed sharply and the masked man lowered needle and hammer, a momentary relief for Lucas. Behind him, on the other side of the iron bars, he saw a figure standing in the hallway. Plain brown clothes with long sleeves, a face hidden beneath a hood, yet clearly a woman. She held a basket in her arms.
“What is this?”, the Sphynx hissed. “What are you doing down here, girl?” She raised her head and dark blue eyes glared at him, a strand of raven black hair visible beneath the hood. “I bring food for the prisoner”, she said and Lucas recognized her voice more than anything else. His single eye widened with surprise and only barely did he suppress a gasp.
The Sphynx shrugged. “I suppose Petyr hasn't had time to put new guards on that post”, he mumbled and glanced at Connor, who grinned as he looked at the young woman. “Not that we need guards. Connor, open the door”
The young man nodded enthusiastically. “Gladly, Sphynx”, he answered, as he approached the door to unlock it. “Oh yes, gladly”, he said as he mustered her. Without fear, the woman stepped past him. Though she was clad in common rags, she wasn't less a princess and knowing her secret, Lucas found it impossible not to see it. Connor was less than a rat compared to her and she showed it, yet the torturer and his apprentice remained oblivious.
“Food...”, the Sphynx muttered, as he glanced at the basket. He approached the woman and they met each other next to the table, where he put the hammer and nail away. For a second, she gave Lucas a concerned look and her beautiful eyes widened slightly as she spotted the fresh wounds. “And what does the prisoner get to eat?”
“Fresh bread”, she replied. “Dried meat. Water and a small wineskin” Connor chuckled at her words, while the Sphynx remained calm. “Wine?”, he just asked. “The prisoner gets wine?” She nodded without hesitation and he sighed. “On whose orders?”, he growled.
“Lord Petyr's”, she replied without hesitation and this time, the Sphynx chuckled. It was a cold, terrible sound, as if he forced himself to laugh without finding it funny in any way. Connor's amusement was more genuine meanwhile and the teen glanced at the princess with a disturbing hunger.
“Girl, don't bullshit me. I don't know what you're trying here, but it's not working”, the Sphynx growled. “I doubt you know the danger you've gotten yourself into. We're in the middle of a session and I don't like to be interrupted” He glanced at the basket, not noticing the fact that she still showed no fear. “But you bring food, so I'm going to make an exception. Just leave it, turn around and run for your live”
This time, she shook her head and beneath the mask, the Sphynx sharply inhaled. “This is for the prisoner”, she clarified once more and this time, the Sphynx laugh was almost genuine. In a second, he had crossed the distance between them, his right hand grabbing her chin with two fingers, forcing her head upwards. There was still no fear and he saw it now.
“I don't like your attitude”, he hissed with his monotone voice. “Sweet girl, haven't they told you to stay away from this place? Haven't they warned you?” The princess narrowed her eyes. “I am not afraid”, she growled in a threatening voice and the Sphynx snorted with amusement. “A girl with an attitude comes here, to my realm, she mocks me, disrespects me and lacks even the most common courtesy”, he stated. “She' not afraid. Connor, what do we do?”
“We make her”, the boy replied, his gaze stuck on the hint of curves beneath the nearly shapeless dress. “Very much so” The Sphynx nodded. “Very much so”, he agreed. “Girl, I gave you a chance to run. Show me you learned your lesson and put the basket onto the table”
Probably to his surprise, she followed the order, putting the basket onto the table right next to her. The Sphynx' fingers were still clenching her chin and it caused her visible discomfort. “Don't touch me”, she warned him and Connor raised an eyebrow. He flashed Lucas a grin, though it died down the moment he noticed the stressed look on the knight's face.
“Sphynx...”, he began with a warning tone, though the masked man barely gave him a look. “Not now, Connor”, he barked. “I was just going to ask our new friend here a few questions” He shook his head, while putting his free hand onto the table, very close to her, which was resting next to the basket. “What is your name, girl?”
He was going to ask something else, but the rest of the sentence was cut off when she raised her right hand, faster than any of them expected. The steel of a dagger flashed briefly, before the hidden weapon had left her sleeve and pierced through the Sphynx' hand, digging deeply through flesh and wood, effectively nailing it to the table. Whatever the Sphynx had tried to say, it went over into surprised screams of pain.
“Don't touch me”, Argella repeated. “You stinking back-alley mongrel” His right hand was now flailing around helplessly, far away from her face. With a growl, Connor reached to the knife at his belt and Argella shot him a glare, terrifying enough to make even him pause. “You don't want to die today, boy”, she growled.
Connor stopped dead in his tracks, only able to look at her with something that wasn't quite fear, but at least more than simple surprise and discomfort. The Sphynx meanwhile had stopped screaming, though his breaths were still fast and full of pain, as he remained standing only on shaky legs, as he used his free hand to cling to the table to further support him. “You bitch!”, he barked and she raised an eyebrow.
Focussing away from the Sphynx for a second, she gave Lucas a slight smile, though the thunder in her eyes remained. There was murder in her gaze, the glare of someone who was sick of being pushed around. She wouldn't back down. “Argella...”, he mumbled and the Sphynx gasped. “Princess”, he realized.
She gave him a bloodthirsty grin. “And you are the Sphynx, are you not?”, she snarled. “My knight told me about you” With these words, Argella tilted her head sideways. “Speaking of, I want him back”
The audacity she showed caused Connor visible discomfort, whereas the Sphynx still focussed on remaining in a somewhat standing position despite the knife that had drilled into his hand. “Your knight...”, he mumbled and let out a tiny chuckle. “Princess Argella, this is...” He paused and groaned in discomfort. “Your knight is a worthless cripple, you bloody harlot!”
Argella narrowed her eyes at his choice of words and Lucas allowed himself a tiny ray of hope. Perhaps there was still a way out of this with her looking out for him. “I know what happened to him”, she confirmed. “I know your role in it” She put weight onto the dagger she was still holding and the Sphynx' legs nearly gave in beneath him as he screamed once again.
“Let me explain the situation”, she said and her voice was shivering with rage. “I do not ask, I demand. You follow or I will hurt you” Her gaze fell upon the knife. “I will remove this now. It is a deep wound, but if you cover it with your other hand, I assume you won't pass out. You shouldn't pass out, or else you cannot follow my order. Do you understand?”
Weakly, as he staggered back onto his feet, the Sphynx gave her a nod and in the same moment, Argella pulled out the dagger. This time, the masked man would have fallen down, if not for her grabbing him quickly by the collar, pulling him closer towards her while shoving the knife between his legs. The Sphynx' pained groan turned into a gasp of fear.
“Cover your wound”, she ordered and he followed instantly, pressing his good hand onto the damaged left one. “I don't want you to have a free hand. Now, you do as I say or I will stab you again. This time, I presume it will hurt a bit more, but I honestly can't tell”
Connor was still frozen from her earlier harsh order, but now, the boy began to move, pulling out a long, thin knife, a gesture which Argella commented with a silent glare. The Sphynx meanwhile gasped again and he threw a deliciously desperate look towards his apprentice. “Connor!”, he warned him sharply.
“You'd... you'd risk your life for a mere knight?”, he asked as he turned back to the princess that was holding a knife to his crotch. Argella nodded without even thinking about it. “Not just a mere knight”, she replied. “My knight, a man who swore an oath to me. I swore one as well and my father taught me that a queen is only as good as her word”
“And you wish to free him?”, the Sphynx asked and once again, Argella nodded. “If your master refuses to just hand him over to me, I will kill both of you and just take him”, she clarified and it was not an empty threat. The Sphynx' ruined hand was a testimony to how far she was willing to take this and at least for now, she had the torturer completely under her control. For the time being, even Lucas' fear of the masked man slowly died down.
The Sphynx sighed. “You have no chance of getting him out of here, you know that, right?”, he urged her. “Just back off and you can leave this castle in peace” Argella nodded. “I will”, she agreed. “But only with Ser Lucas. Free him at once”
Her hand moved slightly and the Sphynx gasped again, with obvious fear in his voice. “Connor”, he growled and the boy gave him an irritated glare. “We cannot do this”, he hissed and the Sphynx tensed up. “CONNOR!”, he growled loudly, with unusual emotion. “Do as the lady said. It's her funeral”
“Put the keys onto the table”, Argella ordered. “I can unchain him myself. Then leave the room, boy” Though visibly reluctant, Connor gave in, especially as the Sphynx threw a look at him that was pathetically desperate. Lucas allowed himself to find glee at how quickly the torturer changed his entire behaviour. He was at her mercy.
Throwing a hateful glare at the princess, Connor stepped past her, leaving the room, while she forced the Sphynx around. Having her back turned towards Lucas now, he was only able to hear her voice and the look in the masked man's dark eyes. “Okay, you got what you wanted”, the Sphynx stuttered. “Just let me go”
Argella glanced over her shoulder briefly, though she did not release him. “You did this to him”, she said and it was not a question. “You tortured him. Took away his dignity, nearly his life. What he told me about you...”
The Sphynx' eyes widened. “I was only following orders!”, he yelled and Lucas saw how the edge of the knife almost scratched across his crotch. “Just following orders”, Argella replied calmly. “That is your excuse? I don't know if I should hate you for it, or just be disgusted” Slowly pushing him to the door, she continued to growl into his ear. “It would be easy. One small cut and you would bleed to death. This world would be better off without you”
“We had a deal!”, the Sphynx screeched. Behind him, Connor looked at the scene with a sadistic smirk on his face, not intervening when the fate of his master was at stake. Argella gave him a nod. “And how many deals have you broken?”, she barked. “Spare me your pleas. It is already tempting enough to kill you, for him”
With a sigh, she removed the knife from the uncomfortable position close to his crotch, before she pushed him through the doorframe. “Alas, a queen is only as good as her word. You are not worth getting my hands stained with your blood” Quickly, before the Sphynx was able to jump up again, she had closed the door, locking it from the inside with Connor's key.
Now free, the Sphynx' usual behaviour returned. With a growl, he charged at the cell, stopping right in front of the bars. “You are going to pay for that, you smug whore!”, he yelled, right into Argella's face. “You won't get away with this! Five minutes and Butterfly will be here. Then you'll hang right next to your knight” He glanced down at her. “And I know just where I'm going to sta-”
The rest of his sentence was cut off when Argella nonchalantly grabbed him, pulling him towards her and slamming him right into the iron bars between them. The crack of wood was heard, as the Sphynx went to the ground. He looked up, holding a hand onto the massive crack in his mask and blood seeped from beneath it. “Get out of my sight”, Argella snapped at him.
He did just that. Crawling away from her on all fours, he jumped up after a few metres and proceeded to rush down the hallway, out of Lucas' field of view. Hopefully out of his life as well. Though still in chains, a satisfied smile formed on his face. Perhaps there was still hope at last.
Connor remained a little longer than his master. With the iron bars between them, he felt safe, as he calmly approached her, just staying out of her reach. “You think I am afraid?”, he asked, a statement she commented by raising an eyebrow. “I am not. I know fear. I know a real killer. My brother Lupin is someone to be afraid of. He's more god than man and you... you are nothing” He smiled widely. “He's on his way. Lupin is coming to this shithole of a city and you better pray that you're gone by then” With these words, he followed after his master. “He's going to drown these streets with blood”, he hissed, before he was gone as well.
Finally rid of them, Argella sighed bitterly. As she turned around towards Lucas, he did not saw the warrior queen in the making, the woman who just intimidated the most terrifying man he had ever met in his life. He saw a glimpse of the person behind, the girl that was not older than him. Upset, shivering and now even slightly afraid, she turned away from the bars, her hand clenched tightly into fists. For a second, she focussed on regaining her breath, as her shaking her hands revealed how deeply shocked she was at this meeting. “What have they done to you?”, she finally gasped.
With these words, she rushed to his side, quickly trying several keys for the locks that chained him to the wall. Despite the pain that was still real, he gave her a smile. “Nothing I will not survive”, he assured her. “Thanks to you” She reciprocated his smile, though it was thinner, less joyful. “I have not released you of your oath after all”, she replied.
“And you kept yours”, Lucas said and he sighed with relief as she finally found the correct key, removing the chains around both of his wrists. Finally free, he sank down the wall, onto the dirty ground, resting his aching head against the wall, as he gave her a tired look. “I haven't dared to hope. Princess Argella, I owe you my life”
She smiled at this. “I suppose now's the time where you admit you could have chosen worse”, she told him and he chuckled. “Far worse”, he admitted. “I... have you really done all of this just to stay true to your oath?” The princess raised an eyebrow. “What else would I do it for?”, she asked dryly. “You're not a dashing sight after all, covered in blood and mud” She glanced down at the rags she was wearing. “Although I suppose I am not much better”
“You are perfect”, Lucas said with a grin, something that caused her to raise an eyebrow. “Not quite”, she answered sternly, though she gave him a nod. “Slightly awkward, but you meant well. Thank you, Ser”
The two exchanged a look and suddenly, Lucas felt his throat again, dry and hoarsy. He began to cough, slightly at first, then violently, until he was lying almost on all fours. Argella jumped up, rushing towards the basket, which she brought entirely. “You need water”, she clarified, as she pulled out a small skin.
Weakly, Lucas managed to shake his head, his coughs having gotten better. “Have you lied about the wine?”, he asked. She smiled, as she put the waterskin back into the basket, pulling out another one instead. “Someone drank all my Arbour Gold”, she said. “Apologies. Red is barely enough for you”
With thirst, he grabbed the skin, beginning to drink heavily. The sweet taste was the most beautiful thing he could imagine in this moment and he noticed that tears formed in his eyes. Almost with greed, he continued to drink and with great relief, he put the empty skin down at last. Breathing comfortably, he smiled at the princess. “You saved me”, he stated.
“Again?”, she replied. “I should probably get paid for that” She glanced at the basket. “Do you wish to eat?” To this, Lucas shook his head, though all of a sudden, his smile died down. A thought crossed his mind, a terrible one, closely related to what the Sphynx had said. “Then come on”, Argella said. “We have to get you out of here. Time is of the essence”
“Do you have a plan?”, he asked and she sighed. “That is where things get a little complicated”, she admitted. “I tried to get you out on a different route. Officially, with Mullendore's blessing. He... refused” As she pulled the hood back, his gaze fell upon the ugly bruise on her cheek. “Now, we have to improvise. If I get you out of this cell, we just run. Through the gates before they notice a thing. Then, we hide in the city. Tariel, my assistant, she is informed about this. She will lead the rest of my soldiers out of this city, where we will catch up with them again”
Lucas himself was almost surprised when he shook his head, though this was nothing to the utterly dumbfounded look of confusion on Argella's face. “I don't think this is a good idea”, he admitted, to which she seemed mildly irritated. “What do you mean?”, she said and he sighed. “I mean that this won't work. The courtyard is too heavily guarded. Mullendore knows of my importance. He'll do anything to prevent me from escaping”
It was a thought that had dawned upon him in the last couple of minutes. Perhaps he was too negative about it and a part of him wanted to cling to this interpretation. At the same time, Lucas knew better. His last escape had been a miracle. There would be no miracle this time. He admired Argella's dedication, but she lacked a clear plan. Realizing this, it shattered his already fragile hopes and more than ever before, Lucas had to accept that not even her conviction would save him. The only fury he could count on was his own.
The Storm Princess raised an eyebrow. “So what?”, she asked. “I don't fear him. A lord of rats, that's what he is” Lucas clenched his fists, as he gave her a stern look. “He is a dangerous man”, he insisted. “And he wants your death. Petyr wants it as well, for it will help their plans. They want you to risk your live, so that they have reason to take it”
“Does this mean you refuse to flee?”, Argella growled, her tone sounding more than just a bit irritated by now. “Does this mean I just stabbed that man for nothing?” Lucas shook his head. “Not for nothing”, he said. “It was the most wonderful thing I have seen in a very long time”
Despite her irritated demeanor, a sly smirk found its way onto Argella's face, before she restored the angry frown. “I ask again”, she growled. “Do you refuse to flee?” This time, Lucas gave her a tired nod. “At least if that's your plan”, he confirmed. “Just running through the gate, that won't work. Mullendore is not stupid and Petyr, he's a cunning snake”
“And what are you going to do then?”, Argella hissed. “Just staying here and waiting for these animals to return? You can't be serious!” Lucas had to look away from her angry eyes, or else he would have lost himself in the blue. “I assure you, I am”, he mumbled. “A real plan, I would have considered. But the more I think about it, the less likely it seems that any plan could work here. Whatever you and I can come up with, Petyr has thought about it first” A sudden realization dawned upon him, as he focussed the anger inside him onto a single, desperate thought.
“Unless...”, he started, though she cut him off. “And if I order you to run with me?”, she asked. “You are a man of honour. I swore you an oath and I have to fulfil it. Why are you making it so hard for both of us? You're free. Run for your live!”
Lucas shook his head again. “You removed my chains, though I remain a prisoner”, he began. “And I swore you an oath as well. Those weren't empty words. I will shield your back and give you counsel. I give my life for yours if need be”
The princess clenched her fists. “Don't ask this of me”, she gasped, though he gave her a nod. “And you swore that you will ask no service that might bring me dishonour”, he continued. “Now I'm asking of you, what could be more dishonourable than me risking your life? If we run, we will both die and achieve nothing”
Argella's eyes widened and the anger fell off her, ever so slightly. “You stubborn bastard”, she sighed, before she sank to the ground next to him, leaning against the wall and giving him a tired look. “You are right”, she admitted. “Of course you are. I was rash, but I had no choice. I just... I wanted to save you”
“You did”, Lucas said with a wary smile. “Perhaps not my life, but everything else. The Sphynx, he...” He gasped, as tears of humiliation shot into his eyes. “If you would have arrived just a second later...” All of a sudden, she rested a hand on his shoulder, a comforting gesture that took him by surprise.
“You were the first”, she mumbled. “The first to ever pledge your loyalty to me. Not my father. Not his kingdom. Just me. My first knight. My stubborn knight” A weak smile formed on her face, though it was more an expression of sorrow than joy. “Now I am powerless to help you. And you... you are right. Getting you out by force or trickery, that's hardly possible in this situation. I'd risk my life, but worse, I'd risk those that follow me” She looked away from him, blinking quickly. “How can you dare to make such sense?”
“It's one of my finer qualities”, he replied. “But your actions haven't been in vain. They gave me time and I... I think there might be one final thing I can do” His words sparked Argella's curiosity and she gave him a long look. “How can I help?”, she asked.
Lucas smiled at her, a genuine, relieved smile. Though he was still sitting in his brother's prison, she freed him, in a way. It was a desperate hope, but it wouldn't put her in danger, nor her men. It was the only one he would dare to take. His glance fell upon the basket and he noticed his growling stomach. “You can stay with me until they get back”, he spoke softly. “And... do you have anything to eat?”
The knight and his princess didn't have to wait for too long. Just ten minutes later they came, even faster than Lucas had feared. At the same time, it filled him with relief, as it meant he made the right call in refusing Argella's help. She had stayed with him indeed, sitting by his side and comforting him in what might be the darkest hour of his life. Probably even the final one. It surprised Lucas how oddly calm he was in the face of his own death. But he found solace in the thought that he could see his father again. And Lunett... there was so much he had to apologize for once he was at rest.
The first to arrive was Petyr, a look of stone cold anger on his face. The Tom was walking behind him, his mask hiding any facial expression as always, yet there was indifference in his eyes. As expected, Mullendore was there as well, limping on a cane, a fresh set of bandages hiding the gruesome wound on his face. His remaining eye shot a terrifying glare at Argella, though he remained silent until Lucas saw the final visitor. And his desperate hope became a genuine possibility at last.
“What is this about?”, Lord Tyrell asked. “Princess Argella what in the name of the Seven are you wearing?” Proudly, though visibly relieved at his presence, Argella rose from the ground, as she approached the door to unlock it. “It's a commoner's garb, Harlen”, she chirped. “I'm pretty sure you have seen such a thing before” Lucas had told her about his plan and though reluctant at first and unwilling to risk him, she eventually gave in. After he had signed Petyr's confession in a moment of foolishness, this was the only way for him to clear his name.
“I know that”, Tyrell growled impatiently and the anger in his voice was not only directed at her, but also at the men that had dragged him down here. “But what are you doing down here? This man is a dangerous prisoner, as Lord Vyrwel assured me”
“This man is my knight!”, Argella barked and her own anger overshadowed his by far. If Petyr was a snake and Mullendore a rat, Tyrell was a cowardly mouse and right now, he did just that, he cowered before her. “And he is innocent of the crimes these men accuse him of”
Petyr raised an eyebrow and as expected, he pulled out the scroll, Lucas' signed confession. “I don't think this is something up for debate”, he replied sternly. “My half-brother confessed and if you'd know the true extent of his actions, you would not be so quick to defend him. He is a murderer and worse”
“Lies”, Lucas growled and both, Tyrell and Petyr put their attention onto him, surprised that he would speak up so directly. “Lord Tyrell, this is not true. I was forced to sign this confession, under the threat of torture” His mutilated hand moved to the eyepatch. “Or do you think I did this to myself?”
Tyrell narrowed his eyes. “Ser Lucas, do you accuse your brother of lying?”, he asked and Lucas gave him a nod. “That I do, mylord”, he replied firmly. “Of lying and worse. If you're looking for the man that did all of what I confessed to, then look to your right”
Momentarily, Tyrell's glare fell upon Mullendore, who reciprocated with one in kind, before the false knight put his attention back onto Argella. Her presence here made him livid with rage, his hands shivered even as he held the cane and he had to press his words through clenched teeth. “What are you doing here, girl?”, he growled. “Haven't you learned your lesson?”
Argella raised an eyebrow. “Was that a threat, Ser Maron? In the presence of Lord Tyrell?”, she asked, before she shook her head. “I expected better of you, Ser Butterfly. I am here to ensure that my knight's request will be granted”
“Request?”, Tyrell gasped. “And what is it you are requesting?” Lucas and Argella exchanged a look, before she gave him a nod. With a heavily beating heart, he raised from the ground. “Lord Tyrell, I am a knight of the Reach, a knight of the Stormlands. I am the son of Leo Vyrwel, Lord of Darkdell and I am accused of crimes I never committed” He glared at Petyr, at Mullendore, before looking back at Tyrell. “It is my right”, he growled, as he walked up to them, stopping next to his princess.
“I demand a trial by combat”
No Choices for this part
Oh my god. I was so certain that Lucas was going to croak. Things looked so dire. And then all the sudden Argella comes out of no where saving the day. Loved the animal analogies. To bad Sphynx and Connor survived, but clearly they won't forget what happened here. Can you tell us what would've happened if Lucas stuck his ground? Because this part ended on a very positive note. If Lucas didn't sign the confession, would things be better or worse. What a great part you did here Liquid. Wowzers.
That's an interesting outcome for this Lucas part!
RT:
It is still a better name than "Randland"
What would happen if choice would be not to confess?
Well, it surely was dangerously close once again. The Sphynx was going to kill him, if probably not right in the second Argella came to save the day. That said, neither is he truly saved. The trial by combat is well within his rights to demand, but it obviously holds its own dangers. All in all, I would say the most severe danger is yet to come when he faces whatever fighter Petyr and Mullendore choose against him.
Indeed, they will not forget this, though this might not be all that good. Both are proud men and the Sphynx got it particularly bad here. This was the closest thing we ever had to a fit of rage from him and that is probably a pretty bad thing. Connor, he also won't forget this, but what he will remember in particular is how easily his boss gave in.
I surely can. Since Mathea just asked the same, I'll answer to this below in a moment
Thank you! It's always great to hear this and well, this part was one I was particularly excited about, mostly because I found it utterly satisfying to have the Sphynx knocked down a bit, even if he obviously got away pretty easily. This scene was planned several months ago and I am so happy that it paid off and that you enjoyed it!
There are some long-term consequences I cannot talk about of course, mostly revolving around the confession itself, but I think I can tell you what would have happened in this part exactly. First of all, the fact that Petyr's offer was not genuine wouldn't have been revealed to you, which would have painted his character probably in a slightly different light. Most importantly, he wouldn't have gotten his confession, something that would make things a bit harder for him. He would have ordered the Sphynx to torture a confession out of Lucas before leaving, which would have lead to the same scene with Argella intervening, though under slightly different circumstances. The lack of a confession would have also made it harder for Petyr to paint Lucas in a negative light in front of Lord Tyrell, meaning that the lord would have been more on Lucas' side, or at least more neutral than he is in the part you ultimately got. This is something that hasn't gotten beyond an early planning stage, but chances are that you would have been given a choice that could have resulted in Tyrell lending his considerable support to either Lucas or Petyr.
It's actually the opposite there, he was against allowing the Sphynx to torture Lucas and outright ordered to make it quick. Reason for that, for ordering his death and ordering a quick one, is his pragmatism. There was nothing to gain from leaving Lucas alive, as his knowledge poses a severe threat if he somehow manages to convince the wrong person of it. Similarly, there was nothing to gain from torturing Lucas, so he ordered a quick death for him. He's not a cruel man by nature, just incredibly focussed on his goal and little else and what little fondness he has of his half-brother was just enough to feel a tiny bit of remorse for having to do this.
Oooh yes, this is true. She's brave, that is beyond question, but often just as reckless. Lucas has grown more pragmatic, though it is possible that Chapter 1 Lucas would have went with her instead of talking her out of it. By now, he sees the dangers of such rash actions, so he objected against it. And it is probably a good thing that Argella was open to his criticism, because her plan (or lack of it) would have surely put both of them at a serious risk, probably even causing their deaths.
That is true, the Sphynx was just massively humiliated, in front of his already unruly apprentice on top. At the same time, his knowledge goes beyond mere torture stuff and he remains very much invaluable to the Alley Cats and Mullendore. A less skilled healer would have been unable to help him after the events of the Chapter 6 finale. Mullendore knows this and so does the Tom. However, it is unlikely that Connor is as far-sighted and he only sees weakness now. Changing this opinion will be a piece of work for the Sphynx and it is likely he will try particularly hard in the future.
Fair enough, haha! There is indeed a rather high amount of psychopaths in the story. At the same time, I hope to flesh out some of those that might bother you a lot in Book 2. For example, to give you a little teaser, the Sphynx will get an unusual form of character development over the course of the coming chapters. Wolfius, of course, is beyond that, though he still has some secrets to reveal about himself and I hope that he will ultimately be a character that is, though utterly reprehensible and monstrous, at least somewhat entertaining. When it comes to Lupin, a lot I could say about him would be a spoiler. He will be in the story eventually and I can assure you that there's going to be a bit of a twist with him. The only thing I would like to ask of you is that you reserve your final judgement until he gets properly established in person and not just through tales of those that knew him once.
Actually, there are more options for Mullendore and Petyr. There are more knights in Raylansfair than just Hugo and as you correctly stated, the Tom and the Moggy are similarly possible. It's probably a good thing that Mullendore lost Clayton, as well as Samuel's loyalty, because I can confirm that both would utterly wipe the floor with Lucas. When it comes to Lucas' allies, Emphryus won't be a possibility. His wounds are too severe to fight anytime soon. In fact, Lucas himself is a possibility as well, a likely one at that. He is a knight and though wounded, he can still fight well enough.
He is? Oh, that is something new to me. Admittedly though, I am no expert on the War of Roses. In this particular case, I highly doubt that FoT's Edward Lancaster was inspired by the real life Edward Lancaster and that the name is merely a coincidence. After all, he's completely different in character and not exactly a bad guy. So yeah, certainly a coincidence, as Edward is not the least popular name and Lancaster has a nice sound to it.
Exactly, that is the thing. I hope to be able to put even characters who are complete references to characters from other franchises or real life people to good use and in case I consider them as lacking depth, I will surely find ways to increase this. That said, this is not exactly a problem with real life people, who are almost always complex in terms of personality. In these cases, it is more challenge to show them as complex as they are, even if they are controversial people outside of this story.
Same here! I was momentarily surprised at how colourful they were, especially as they were the first of these somewhat extravagant characters, but I think I quickly found a way to include them in the story and now, they are among my favourite villains. And well, while I almost never like bad guys in the traditional sense, there are some I get quite intrigued by. Then again, whenever you ask me for my least favourite character in a story, chances are it's going to be the bad guys, because a true bad guy is always in some way easy to hate.
Yeah, that was the main reason why I accepted a character that is so clearly based on Geralt. The only thing that is a bit problematic about him is that Westeros isn't plagued by monsters in the same way as the Northern Kingdoms are. Maybe a group of savage shadowcats, a wild direwolf that has gotten too far south of the Neck or stuff like that, but beyond that, Vaasrand's true adventures can only take place in the far east, whereas most monsters in Westeros are human in nature. Then again, I always found the humans of the Witcher novels and games to be the most interesting aspect, especially the political schemes of characters such as Emhyr or Dijkstra.
Very charming indeed
Ah, I do like your good Lord Tyrion. With Montoya, he had actually very few similarities to the character of the same name. Sure, he's a skilled duelist, but to be honest, that was about the only similarity there was to him, until you and husmusen worked to expand on his backstory a bit. Even now, he's certainly no guy to run around on a quest to avenge his father's murder and to tell people that they should prepare to die. There are some similarities, but they are really not enough for me to consider him a full reference.
Well, indeed Ragnar Lothbrok would be a more well-known reference, as opposed to a minor background reference from Skyrim (though admittedly, a background reference that is sung by every fucking bard in the entire kingdom). Now, I don't know the origins of that skyrim background reference, although Ragnar is a rather common name for a viking-based character, probably because Ragnar Lothbrok is so well-known. However, the reason I didn't want to alter him was because I refrained from altering characters in the early stages of the story in general. In retrospect, he's probably one I should have changed a bit. It's really a shame his creator is no longer here. Or so I think at least. He used to be very active, but hasn't been online in several weeks now.
Yeah... at one point I'd probably just calmly stop accepting any character that is not clearly a serious character, up to the point of clearing the submission list a little bit. Though the occasional wacky character finds their way into the story, I try to tell a serious tale at heart. That is limited if I get characters such as Dimitri the Wise or dozens of reference characters, as much as they are fun to write. I mean, I think I can make some of them work, but it's hard to take the events of the story serious if the characters have to interact with Lord Bundy the serial killer. Nor do I think the story needs any more insane serial killers.
Which is why when submitting you use the phrase people "mysteriously dying" around a character.
Already submitted characters excluded
Don't worry,despite my own reservations I'm not such a fool to judge a character even before his own first appearence in the story
Well,I believe that Petyr/Mullendore has only three options because I doubt that for such an important event in the story you will chose a random new character;about Lucas side even if he himself is a possibility I'm not sure if it is for the knight the smartest choice (if he will have a choice,something that I start to doubt)
So this is one of the choices I missed, but I am glad I symbolically voted against it. Petyr is gonna die, it's gonna be great.
To be honest I thought Lucas was gonna die. So close. So close. I also afraid for the lad. I also thought the woman was Sherryl and then I realized it was not.
Damn that was intense. Tension was built. Petyr is a lying slippery bastard. I never trusted him and his fancy wardrobe. Connor was very ominous, and it was nice seeing ol' Sphynx getting screwed up.
Hey hey hey. I wonder how that got into the story. Seems a hunch of my was correct. Let see how this plays out.
First of all, what little respect I had for Petyr is now gone. Well, I still hate him slightly less than Mullendore, but that really isn't saying much, is it? It wouldn't surprise me at this point if he was ready to sacrifice his daughter for his grand plans to come true. That said, Argella making Sphynx beg for mercy was awesome
Earlier I had hard time deciding if I love or hate our dear Storm Princess, but at this point she is quite firmly on the love side 
Oh, and Connor talking about Lupin... ominous to say the least. I'm guessing he'll be the Big Bad in Raylansfair in Book 2. I'm sure he'll be a terrifying villain, but I hope he isn't too similar to Wolfius.
And that ending... When I first read that line, "I demand a trial by combat", well I couldn't help but hear Peter Dinklage say that line in my head
But aside from that, I thought this is going to be awesome... and then I remembered that Lucas isn't really in the best shape for a trial by combat, sooo, will he have a champion? If so, who could it be? Leonard would otherwise be an option, but he is accused for some crimes himself. And I believe Ser Darren Tallwood was injured in the battle? Hmm, perhaps Argella could demand one of the Durrandon men to fight for Lucas. If so, Ser Emphryus would probably be the best option, unless he is too badly injured to fight rn. And I wonder who will Mullendore choose as his champion. I'd guess the Tom, though Moggy is another possibility.
I still like Petyr despite him stabbing us in the back, he seems like a pragmatic man doing what in his opinion is the best thing for House Vyrwel. And oh man, I can't wait for the trial by combat, though I don't think Lucas will be much good in his crippled state.
Yeah, I remember you have been among those who voted against it, even if your vote came in later. In retrospect, it was probably not the best choice to trust Petyr with upholding his end of the deal, but back at the time and without that knowledge, I can certainly understand the reasons to sign the confession. When it comes to his death... well, that's still going to be up to you. I can confirm that even the villains in the story will have their fate up to your decisions (save for one particular villain) and there might even be some who will end up not getting the comeuppance they probably deserve.
I actually realized the same, that Lucas' saviour could be mistaken for someone else. Since I wanted to make sure that it's clear pretty early that this is Argella pulling off that old trick with the peasant clothes from Chapter 5, I included a brief description of her features. We'll get an update on Sherryl in this chapter as well though, pretty soon actually.
I think now I can reveal it, this is something that was even partially inspired by a speculation of yours from ages ago
I had this thought of having a trial by combat at one point or the other, but your speculation gave me precise ideas on how to include it. Due to your choices aligning nicely with my plans, I now have the opportunity to show it pretty soon.
Hm, well, Petyr is certainly not the sympathetic antagonist some might have thought him to be after his offer in the last Lucas part. He is just a very, very good liar. At the same time, there is a key difference between him and Mullendore. He himself doesn't shy away from doing evil if it helps him and he sees it as necessary. Mullendore meanwhile is a cruel man who goes out of his way to kick a puppy if he feels like it. Both are villains, yes, but I'd say out of the two, Mullendore is still way more easy to hate.
Ah, glad to hear it! I always enjoyed writing Argella stuff, mostly because I knew what sort of development I had planned for her all along, so it was really nice to see how opinion on her changed over the course of the past two acts
Said development is not over yet though and Book 2 should hold some very new and challenging situations for her.
Well, after all the build-up it surely seems as if Lupin is going to be one of the main antagonists of Book 2. There are also some similarities to Wolfius, this much I can confirm and Lupin, well, he can be genuinely terrifying. However, as I said to The_not_chosen_one, there is a twist about Lupin's character, one that could change a lot about how you might view the situation. I cannot confirm nor deny your hopes at this point, but just hang on there, things will hopefully get really interesting when it comes to this part of the story.
I was sort of expecting that some would immediately remember that scene. I couldn't get it out of my head while writing, so I ultimately decided to just go for it and fully show that I got inspired by it
When it comes to Lucas' champion, there are several options. Leonard would probably volunteer, but he is a wanted man himself and therefore not as likely to actually be in a position to fight for his friend. Darren Tallwood is indeed injured and currently recovering from life-threatening wounds, he is in no position to fight. The same goes for Emphryus, though his wounds are not quite as life-threatening. With him, the best fighter in the Durrandon host falls flat. It remains to be seen if Argella is willing to risk one of her remaining fighters, as whomever is going to be Lucas' champion has to be good enough to win against Petyr's and Mullendore's champion. The Tom is a beast in combat, although a trained knight could probably go toe-to-toe with him. The Moggy is virtually unstoppable, yet so slow that even a less trained fighter such as Jarek was able to hold his own for quite a while. All that can be said it that they have been surprised by this request and now have to choos the absolute best fighter they have at their disposal to fight Lucas or his champion.
It's nice to hear that not everyone hates Petyr now! He is indeed a pragmatic man who looks out for his house, but more in a Tywin Lannister kind of way, where he cares more for his legacy and how he will be remembered through the ages than for his currently living family. This does make him a villain indeed, though not to the same degree as Wolfius or Mullendore, who have far less rational reasons for doing bad things. At least that's the case with Wolfius, as Mullendore has pragmatism and standards, even if they are seriously messed up at times. I guess Petyr has aspects that can be seen as likable, even if he has just shown himself from his worst, most cold-hearted side. He is a character I will develop further in Book 2 and maybe your opinion on him will further develop into one direction or the other
I am also looking forward for it, this should be one of the highlights of the entire chapter. Lucas himself, one thing I want to make clear is that he can actually fight. He's handicapped, that much is for sure, but he fought in the raid and though he lost some of his skill, he nonetheless remains a trained fighter. If he fails to find a champion, he would still be able to get into a fight with Mullendore's champion without being chanceless.
I'm speechless... this part was so great that it really left me speechless, though I wish that it hadn't just so I could give my thoughs on it in detail. But one thing is for sure: I don't know how anyone would believe Petyr deal was good... I mean, we're talking about a guy who killed his own father here. I think it was pretty much guaranteed that he would screw Lucas over.
And oh boy, how I love trials by combat.
I thought at first it's the healer... and wondered what she would do in such situation.
I actually considered that people would mistake Argella for Mathea here in the very beginning
Thing is though, that would indeed be hardly possible. Mathea has no connection to Lucas, never even met him and has therefore no reason to believe that he is unjustly imprisoned. Of course, if she'd know about his innocence, it is likely she would support him somehow, even if violently breaking him out of prison might not be quite her style. For now, there is way too much to do in the aftermath of the raid in either way.
Thank you, I am honoured you enjoyed this part so much
When it comes to Petyr, you bring up a good point there, he was totally willing to murder his own father to get what he wants. Then again, his father was in the way of his plans, whereas Lucas gave him what he wanted, so I can understand how others were willing to trust him. Up until now, his extreme cautiousness has at best been hinted at, so it could have been worth a shot. Now you know for sure how far he is willing to go, so I doubt anyone will trust Petyr ever again in the future.
Ah and Argella comes to save the day! What a surprise. As soon as I saw there was two lengths of a part, I knew there was no way Lucas could die like this. Someone had to come and save him!
You know, I'm kinda glad we chose to accept Petyr's terms (even if it doesn't help our case with Lord Tyrell) because we at least now have some confirmation that he isn't to be trusted right away. Speaking of, it seems like there's heated tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. He can't even get them under control. Mullendore barely can himself, given the Tom and the Sphynx's little talk about The Tom becoming the new "Butterfly."
Also I know we haven't really explored in this Rahaerys Velaryon guy too much but I'd like to see a standoff between him and The Tom or maybe perhaps Gordar Celtigar, which would be a surprise to Argella if he announced himself.
I'm so sorry for the inactivity again as of late. As I said in TheKingOfWalkers's story, I've been so busy with graduation, final exams, etc. This is my last week, so hopefully I can manage to find some time to get online more such as today.
Holy shit, what a fantastic part. This might be one of my favorite parts of the entire story, maybe even top five. Everything was great, even me hating Petyr; fuck him. There are arguments for him to be liked in a way, but nah. Despite his reasons, he's an evil man if he has to betray and harm his own family like that - all without showing much remorse (maybe a little, but for the most part, no). By the looks of it now, it may have seem that my choice in the previous Lucas voting may have been wrong, but if it proves to be a better choice in the long run, then I'll see it as successful (considering that I'm sure Petyr would have done something worse if we refused).
Argella rises even further up on my list of favorite characters, even when I didn't think it was possible. Watching the Sphynx fall apart like that was so satisfying. It felt as if Lucas was about to die any second.
It is now where I must admire how phenomenal you have written Lucas as a character. The fact that I can look at how he was in the beginning of the story to now and see how changed he is with a justified reason, is incredible. He is such an awesome yet tragic character who you only want to see succeed, but always goes through very tough hardships. Kudos Liquid, for this reason Lucas is and always will be one of my favorite POV characters. Just an amazing part!
It's because of those brown rags and black hair, while reading i did even ignore the mention of eye color which was blue somehow. But yes, her appearance there would be totally accidental I guess and she would only be able to get there if asked to tend Lucas wounds.
Hehe, there's no way I'd kill Lucas off right there. He is arguably the most major character of the entire story and deserves better than to be killed so shortly before the actual ending of Book 1 and certainly better than to be unceremoniously tortured to death in the Raylansfair dungeons, with only the Sphynx and Connor to witness his final moments. If I ever decide to kill him off, it would surely be a more major death scene than that.
Indeed, the revelation that Petyr is an untrustworthy snake is an important one and though it remains to be seen if the price you paid for this information was worth it, you certainly got something useful out of it, if only so that you know what to expect of Petyr in the future. Of course, there might very well be situations where his word can be trusted, but you now know that he is fully willing to screw over even close family members if it furthers his agenda. You're also right, there is some big tension between Petyr and the Alley Cats. Though not exactly a good guy, to put it mildly, Petyr is a pragmatist and therefore naturally disgusted by those who cause senseless violence. Even Mullendore has a hard time keeping them under control and only by giving them some serious freedoms. Even then, the Alley Cats are only loyal to him because the Tom is loyal to him. The Sphynx would gladly screw him over and it is likely that neither of them has any fondness nor loyalty to Petyr.
You're right about this. Rahaerys is so far the least explored character of the Targaryen trio, on account of Orys and Gordar both having a bit of a storyline of their own and him just, well, being there. Compared to them, he is the more simple character, though be assured that I have stuff planned for him as well in the future
Now, I unfortunately had no room to show it in the story proper save for some hints, but Gordar and Argella are on much better terms now. They had a long talk and she sincerely apologized for her role in his cousins death, an apology which Gordar accepted. His opinion on her certainly got a bit better (even if it is still a bit negative), though volunteering for a fight to the death is a different thing entirely and it remains to be seen if he's up for that.
I KNEW IT! I TOLD YOU WE SHOULD REFUSE! Fucking Petyr, he's on the top of my hate list now. Let's pray to god Lucas gets his justice.
I truly admire your talented writing. For a second I thought Lucas was actually going to die and I got really devastated. Have you ever though about writing a book? I'll bet it would trun out just great.