What Wildling said is correct. It is seven kingdoms as he described. Those that use the term six kingdoms usually exclude Dorne. That said, the term seven kingdoms is incredibly misleading, as this only applies to the state of Westeros at the very moment, before the War of Conquest. At the time of the books and show, Westeros is actually divided into nine regions, as the currently existing Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers has been split up into Iron Islands and Riverlands, whereas the area around Blackwater Bay, where Aegon made his landing, is established as the Crownlands, those directly sworn to House Targaryen/House Baratheon of King's Landing. I guess the term just stuck because it had been seven kingdoms for hundreds of years, at least since the petty kingdoms of Dorne were united by Nymeria Martell around 700 years before the conquest.
I really like read a PoV from King Mern!Expecially after years that you mentioned him in the story!
Aye, this was a nice occasion for me. The other kings are likely going to be similarly fun (and having already started to write the Sharra Arryn Interlude, I can say I'm having a blast ), but Mern was probably the one that had been mentioned and built up for the longest time. I guess this was the best way to finally show you the man himself, after these rather conflicting mentions you received in the past.
It was interesting see Raylainsfair from the PoV of his King and I really like Mern action and thoughts during of it (expecially because he understand how much dangerous Aegon can,and will,be)
And this was another thing I really wanted to show. Mern's Interlude was set first, because it ties so heavily into the Raylansfair storyline, whereas the other rulers are shown at a rather random order. This right here set the foundation for the Raylansfair storyline of Book 2 and possibly even Book 3.
And we see the third head of the "let's betray the Reach" alliance!It is probably too soon to have an opinion of him but I'm curious to discover how he will act in the future
Our dear Lord Oakheart, introduced at last. He is the most powerful of the trio, as this part has shown, the guy with the direct connection to the king himself. His own reasons for betraying Mern will be shown in the future. Like Petyr and Mullendore, he has a very distinct personality, bringing his own aspects to the conspiracy.
Obviously I won't forget to mention the other two members of the royal family that appear in this PoV,Edmund and Garen (not the one that hate Drent)! I'm curious to see if you will show more of the King family
It is Garlan, not Garen While these two are going to be the most prominent members of Mern's family, there are others. House Gardener is a very large one. Mern himself has three sons, with Edmund being the eldest, two of them have grown grandsons and then there are several nephews from his younger brother, who passed away a couple of years ago. All in all, I'd say there are over a dozen male Gardener's, making them the largest of the Great Houses of Westeros, not counting the Lannister's with the Lannisport cadet branch (which outnumbers the ruling Casterly Rock part of the family by far). I hope to show more of them in time, even if not all of them will be distinct characters with unique roles.
Since you mentioned Cregan Mullendore I'm curious to see if you will introduce the canonical members of that house or they will remain in the shadow for all the story
Aye, I can confirm that there are at least two more Mullendore's going to be introduced. Cregan being one of them. He has sons of his own, but I don't yet know if I will show these. The other confirmed Mullendore, or sort of Mullendore, to be introduced in the future is Yoreen Flowers, the occasionally-mentioned bastard son of Maron, the only one whom he cared about enough to even acknowledge him.
If I must be honest I found weird that Hightower or Maester Quent don't advise the king of the rumors that surround Mullendore about be a crime lord and the fact that he escape from his position of captain of the city guard
Quite some of these rumours are seen as nothing but that, rumours. In turn, they don't travel much farther than Oldtown, where Mullendore' reputation is ruined for sure. The thing is, Lord Hightower is quite fond of Maron. He did an effective job as the commander of the city guard and even more important, his father has been a childhood friend of Hightower, which makes Maron almost a member of the family in his eyes. Even if he has heard of these rumours, which is not guaranteed given how out-of-touch he is with his city, he likely refuses to believe them. Quent meanwhile, he has heard about them, but he has not informed the king about them. Wether this means that he does not believe them, or has his own agenda in the matter, this is actually going to be a plot point in Book 2
Now that I think about it,where is Lord Harlan Tyrell?
Back at Highgarden. He has left Raylansfair shortly after the trial by combat, together with his own knights and Argella. Together, they travelled to Highgarden, where he informed Mern of the events that happened. Mern himself then decided to travel to Raylanfair, leaving his trusty steward back at home. His general policy is that either he or Harlen Tyrell are always at Highgarden, to make sure that those seeking an audience with the king can either directly speak to him or to his most trusted advisor.
From this PoV we understand that Argella and co. has start to return at their kingdom while House Stokeworth has officialy become part of the Targaryen army
Indeed, Argella has made her way back home, though by the time of the Argilac Interlude, she hasn't arrived yet. It is a long road after all. Meanwhile, Aegon has gained House Stokeworth and their men, after Visenya intimidated them into submission. This gives Aegon a couple hundred additional fighters, even if House Stokeworth is far from a big and important house. By now, their presence has definitely been noted in Westeros and their enemies will make their moves.
And after an entire book we finally have the Lord of Raylainsfair!All hail Lord Petyr of House Vyrwell!
Long may he reign? But yes, with this part it is official, the Lord of Raylansfair is Petyr Vyrwel, of the newfounded House Vyrwel of Raylansfair. The previous House Vyrwel of Darkdell is now a cadet branch, ruled over by Petyr's younger brother Otho, so that Petyr can fully focus on rebuilding the theoretically vastly more powerful Raylansfair.
Too bad that Petyr and Mullendore,before they can open the champagne, has to obey a new order of the King and let 50 soldier led by Ser Kasyn Luck,the guy with eyes green as the (Dothraki) sea, control their movements (I can bet everything that they will try to bribe him)
Hehe, they indeed have a bit of a problem there. Kasyn is a factor none of them saw coming and with that, Mern put a serious strain onto their big plans, probably without fully realizing it. Dealing with him might prove a problem and surely, finding out how they can either get rid of him or win them over for their side is going to be important for their next steps. The main problem about him is, he's new at court, having only recently earned Mern's favour, so not even the usually well-connected Lord Oakheart knows all that much about him.
In the end I can say that I enjoy this interlude and that I will look forward to read all the others!
Glad to hear it! I hope the others won't disappoint either. I hope to give each of them their own distinct feel, showing sides of the rulers that I might not fully be able to show in the proper chapters, on account of them only receiving this single PoV.
And the 7 letters has finally started!
RT:
* I really like read a PoV from King Mern!Expecially after years that you mentioned him i… moren the story!
* It was interesting see Raylainsfair from the PoV of his King and I really like Mern action and thoughts during of it (expecially because he understand how much dangerous Aegon can,and will,be)
* And we see the third head of the "let's betray the Reach" alliance!It is probably too soon to have an opinion of him but I'm curious to discover how he will act in the future
* Obviously I won't forget to mention the other two members of the royal family that appear in this PoV,Edmund and Garen (not the one that hate Drent)! I'm curious to see if you will show more of the King family
* Since you mentioned Cregan Mullendore I'm curious to see if you will introduce the canonical members of that house or they will remain in the shadow for all the story
* If I must be honest I found weird that High… [view original content]
Aside from a king showing up things seem to be carrying on as normal, though this garrison may be a problem for Petyr and Mullendore.
I'm wondering, how exactly does Petyr feel about Lucas' death? Of course Lucas signed the confession and died, just as he intended but they were close once upon a time. While regret is a stretch, does he feel any negative feelings about how things turned out?
Forum of Thrones: Interlude I
Seven Letters – Spring Forth
Mern
The king had to admit, when he first laid eyes upon Raylansfair, he… more was surprised by its state. From the reports, he had expected a smouldering ruin, just barely avoiding complete destruction at the hands of the Ironborn. The lighthouse, or what was left of it, fulfilled his expectations, a mere stump left of the ancient building, charred stone and blackened dirt. Yet the walls he saw in the distance looked surprisingly clean and though smoke was rising from the city, it was the usual that was produced by hundreds of houses so close to each other.
Though pleased by this discovery, Mern's anger remained. Black Harren had sent his raiders to raze one of his cities. He had thought the Iron King a smarter man. It was true, his kingdom had suffered from the war against Argilac the Arrogant. His own father had died and Mern still felt the shame of having to kneel to the Sto… [view original content]
I'd say Petyr feels no joy over Lucas' death. They have indeed been close once and while Petyr had no problems using him as a scapegoat, he would have heavily preferred to avoid Lucas' death and is far from happy about it. In fact, he would have preferred anyone else in Lucas' position and feels pity on his half-brother for stumbling into this situation. He is likely also not happy at all about the way Maron handled the situation in Oldtown, as there might have been a more elegant and less bloody solution to all this if not for Mullendore's murder of Lunett and torture of Lucas. Outright regret is indeed a stretch, but Petyr's feelings on Lucas' death are still almost exclusively negative. There is no triumph, as in Mullendore's case, at best he is content that their plans can now proceed without the danger of being exposed. In this particular decision, the two strongest aspects of Petyr's personality clash. The family man Petyr, while not being all that close to Lucas anymore, respected and appreciated his half-brother to the very end. The ruthless schemer Petyr however, he knew that Lucas had to go, but that was a pragmatic decision made out of strict necessity, without any maliciousness or grudges involved.
Aside from a king showing up things seem to be carrying on as normal, though this garrison may be a problem for Petyr and Mullendore.
I'm… more wondering, how exactly does Petyr feel about Lucas' death? Of course Lucas signed the confession and died, just as he intended but they were close once upon a time. While regret is a stretch, does he feel any negative feelings about how things turned out?
I'd say Petyr feels no joy over Lucas' death. They have indeed been close once and while Petyr had no problems using him as a scapegoat, he … morewould have heavily preferred to avoid Lucas' death and is far from happy about it. In fact, he would have preferred anyone else in Lucas' position and feels pity on his half-brother for stumbling into this situation. He is likely also not happy at all about the way Maron handled the situation in Oldtown, as there might have been a more elegant and less bloody solution to all this if not for Mullendore's murder of Lunett and torture of Lucas. Outright regret is indeed a stretch, but Petyr's feelings on Lucas' death are still almost exclusively negative. There is no triumph, as in Mullendore's case, at best he is content that their plans can now proceed without the danger of being exposed. In this particular decision, the two strongest aspects of Petyr's personality clash. The family man Petyr, while not be… [view original content]
This is very much a problem for him. Edith had been very fond of her uncle, considering that he is a bastard like her, so accepting that he is gone will be a big problem for her. Likely, Petyr will downplay his own involvement in this, while mostly sticking to the official version, that Lucas died in a trial-by-combat, which is seen as prove of his actions. Edith is old enough to understand the general nature of these trials, but not yet old enough to see them as the huge injustice they almost always are. However, Petyr will merely explain to her that Lucas did bad things and that there was no other way for him but to be punished for his actions, without going into detail what exactly Lucas did. Once she grows older, he plans on telling her more, but of course he will continue to hide the full truth from her, that he and Maron fabricated these claims. This is something he knows he can never tell her without risking her love for him.
This is very much a problem for him. Edith had been very fond of her uncle, considering that he is a bastard like her, so accepting that he … moreis gone will be a big problem for her. Likely, Petyr will downplay his own involvement in this, while mostly sticking to the official version, that Lucas died in a trial-by-combat, which is seen as prove of his actions. Edith is old enough to understand the general nature of these trials, but not yet old enough to see them as the huge injustice they almost always are. However, Petyr will merely explain to her that Lucas did bad things and that there was no other way for him but to be punished for his actions, without going into detail what exactly Lucas did. Once she grows older, he plans on telling her more, but of course he will continue to hide the full truth from her, that he and Maron fabricated these claims. This is something he knows he can never tell her without risking her love for him.
By now, Petyr has sent Lucas' body, together with the official explanation, back to Darkdell. In what way his family members know the truth behind this cannot be fully revealed at this point, but they know Lucas and Petyr better than any other. This means, they will at the very least suspect that there is more to this. Neither of them is stupid, so they know that Lucas is a man of honour, whereas Petyr is a schemer, although the full extent of this situation might not be entirely clear to each of them. I have plans to show more members of House Vyrwel in Book 2, at least one of Petyr's and Lucas' siblings and I also want to show their reaction and feelings on Lucas' death, so that should give you a more definite answer The situation is complicated when it comes to them, given that this is about their brother and half-brother, so it is likely that each of the three Vyrwel siblings has their own thoughts on the matter.
By now, Petyr has sent Lucas' body, together with the official explanation, back to Darkdell. In what way his family members know the truth … morebehind this cannot be fully revealed at this point, but they know Lucas and Petyr better than any other. This means, they will at the very least suspect that there is more to this. Neither of them is stupid, so they know that Lucas is a man of honour, whereas Petyr is a schemer, although the full extent of this situation might not be entirely clear to each of them. I have plans to show more members of House Vyrwel in Book 2, at least one of Petyr's and Lucas' siblings and I also want to show their reaction and feelings on Lucas' death, so that should give you a more definite answer The situation is complicated when it comes to them, given that this is about their brother and half-brother, so it is likely that each of the three Vyrwel siblings has their own thoughts on the matter.
Always happy to explain! I'm glad to hear that you are so interested in Petyr's character. He's one where I am very pleased with the different reaction he causes, with some hating him, some considering him to be very interesting and some possibly even liking him a bit. Surely he is a complex character, less of a clear villain when compared to his partner-in-crime and I hope to further flesh him out in Book 2
I can't believe I never found out about this. This entire time I've never bothered to actually count the regions in Westeros. I feel like my entire life has been a lie XD
What Wildling said is correct. It is seven kingdoms as he described. Those that use the term six kingdoms usually exclude Dorne. That said, … morethe term seven kingdoms is incredibly misleading, as this only applies to the state of Westeros at the very moment, before the War of Conquest. At the time of the books and show, Westeros is actually divided into nine regions, as the currently existing Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers has been split up into Iron Islands and Riverlands, whereas the area around Blackwater Bay, where Aegon made his landing, is established as the Crownlands, those directly sworn to House Targaryen/House Baratheon of King's Landing. I guess the term just stuck because it had been seven kingdoms for hundreds of years, at least since the petty kingdoms of Dorne were united by Nymeria Martell around 700 years before the conquest.
Oh man, this was epic! I love the sort of theatre performed by the Gardener Knights as they arrived, paving the way for Mern. Also, I sort of wonder how Raylansfair see Mern riding in now. Are they happy to see him or more frustrated that he was so late.
I'm getting the feeling that Devrin is the true puppet master between these three.
Ooooo!!! Kasyn!!!! ;D. Love the glance, I can't wait to see how he interacts with everyone in Raylansfair! Great part as always Liquid!
Forum of Thrones: Interlude I
Seven Letters – Spring Forth
Mern
The king had to admit, when he first laid eyes upon Raylansfair, he… more was surprised by its state. From the reports, he had expected a smouldering ruin, just barely avoiding complete destruction at the hands of the Ironborn. The lighthouse, or what was left of it, fulfilled his expectations, a mere stump left of the ancient building, charred stone and blackened dirt. Yet the walls he saw in the distance looked surprisingly clean and though smoke was rising from the city, it was the usual that was produced by hundreds of houses so close to each other.
Though pleased by this discovery, Mern's anger remained. Black Harren had sent his raiders to raze one of his cities. He had thought the Iron King a smarter man. It was true, his kingdom had suffered from the war against Argilac the Arrogant. His own father had died and Mern still felt the shame of having to kneel to the Sto… [view original content]
Oh man, this was epic! I love the sort of theatre performed by the Gardener Knights as they arrived, paving the way for Mern. Also, I sort of wonder how Raylansfair see Mern riding in now. Are they happy to see him or more frustrated that he was so late.
Aye, Mern knows how to make an entrance. Out of all the kings in Westeros, he is the one the most classicaly chivalrous, so he puts a great deal on elegant appearances. The people of Raylansfair, they have certainly been flashed by this. Perhaps some do hold disappointment over him ignoring their concern for so long, but mostly, they just know, he is their king, he is in Raylansfair now and they are happy about it. They don't expect much of him in the same way we would expect something from leaders in our society. Instead, they have expectations for their lord and these lords in turn are the ones to form full opinions on their king. As for Petyr and Maron, they could surely live without having the king around
I'm getting the feeling that Devrin is the true puppet master between these three.
He is at least the one in the best position of the three. Being a trusted advisor to the king, he is the only one whom Mern does not mistrust in some capacity, so he is far more powerful than Petyr and Maron in this conspiracy. He has his own agenda, like each of them has, and we will learn a lot more about him in the coming book.
Ooooo!!! Kasyn!!!! ;D. Love the glance, I can't wait to see how he interacts with everyone in Raylansfair! Great part as always Liquid!
Ah, glad to hear it! As promised, Kasyn is here at last. Unfortunately, I have not managed to include him in the chapter 9 finale, but well, two parts later is not too bad, I think. He's going to be quite prominent in the next chapter, having a few nice scenes with PoV characters, so hopefully you will enjoy my writing of him as much as you did in Jax' case
Oh man, this was epic! I love the sort of theatre performed by the Gardener Knights as they arrived, paving the way for Mern. Also, I sort o… moref wonder how Raylansfair see Mern riding in now. Are they happy to see him or more frustrated that he was so late.
I'm getting the feeling that Devrin is the true puppet master between these three.
Ooooo!!! Kasyn!!!! ;D. Love the glance, I can't wait to see how he interacts with everyone in Raylansfair! Great part as always Liquid!
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in her hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to lead, widows and orphans. It had been a mere year since her husband died and in moments like this, she missed him the most. Alester Arryn, the Falcon King, he would know how to react here. Sharra herself, she had to admit that she was just getting the hang of it.
To her right sat her cousin-in-law, Alester's first cousin. In this room, none understood the Queen Regent as much as Helen Arryn. A widow herself, her husband, Jasper of House Egen, was murdered by the same Mountain Men that killed the king only months before. Now she was an Arryn again, her son the third in line to inherit, after Sharra's boys. A decade younger than her, Helen stood out in the room for her height and her pale, silvery hair, a trait neither her late brother, nor her son shared with her.
Most of the other attendees were women as well, considering that King Alester lost most of his trusted council as well during his ill-fated war against the Mountain Men. Sharra still felt a sting in her heart, thinking about her tears, how she pleaded him not to go, not to leave her and the children. He had kissed her, for the last time, calling her his flower of the mountain, before leaving, never to return. He left her only grief, a broken kingdom and a son too young, too innocent to rule for himself.
Both, Sharra and Helen had their handmaidens with them. In Sharra's case, it was Myranda of House Moore. Prim and demure, Myranda was pretty, yet easy to overlook, unable to shine next to her queen or Lady Helen, with her long, black hair tied into a proper braid. Unlike Sharra, who had started to wear white and blue again after a period of mourning, she still wore black. And there was a troubled expression on her face, something that grew beyond concern and came close to actual, open fear.
In contrast, Helen's lady-in-waiting was a more exotic sight. There was something about Rhonda Upcliff that caused uneasiness in Sharra. If she'd be even a slight bit superstitious, she'd buy into the rumours, mostly spread my Myranda, about the dark rituals the young woman conducted in her chambers, how she seduced men with dark magic, a true witch of the aptly named Witch Isle.
Yet Sharra was not a young, naïve girl anymore. She knew Rhonda was no witch, yet it didn't make her any more trustworthy. A cold beauty, her pale skin contrasting with her pitch black hair and the piercing blue eyes, a petite body clad in black and green. And cold, that's the first word that went through Sharra's mind whenever she thought of Rhonda. Cold, quiet and always observant. Not a very trustworthy combination of traits.
“So...”, she said, smiling at her council. “Any thoughts?” The first to speak up was the only man in the room. Ryman Redfort, captain of the guard and only member of Alester's inner council to return alive from the Mountains of the Moon. He was a tall man, the tallest person in the room, with short, black hair and an even, clean-shaven face, with a pair of blue eyes, cold, but in a different way than the unsettling harshness Sharra spotted in Rhonda's eyes. Though his armour was red, as the sigil of the house he belonged to, Ryman wore a cloak of white and blue, to show his status and allegiance.
“It is preposterous”, he growled. “The Vale cannot be conquered. No army can cross the mountains, especially not the tiny force this... pretender” Sharra gave him a nod, while the woman next to him only raised an eyebrow. Eudoxia Tournebulle, the final attendee of this meeting, was an exceptional woman. It was certainly not her look that were outstanding. Her hair, as red as Sharra's, was tied into a bun at the moment, her face plain, her skin surprisingly fair for someone who spent much time outside the cool walls of the Eyrie. No, what made her so special, as well as invaluable to Sharra was her position as the one responsible for gathering intel on their enemies of both, inner and outer nature.
“Maybe he doesn't have to cross the mountains”, she brought up. “It's true, he cannot hope for a victory on the field. But we are not as safe as you might think, Ser” She gave Ryman a long look, until the captain sighed, nodding in return. With a calm look on her face, Eudoxia continued. “His army is small in numbers. So far, only a handful of houses have declared for him and none of them is worth a mention on their own. In response, the lords Darklyn and Mooton are gathering their forces, possibly enough to beat him on land”
Now, a sharp look appeared in her brown eyes. She leant forwards, bending her wiry body slightly over the table, to point at the map at its centre. Her finger rested on Gulltown. “But what should concern us is the location of his fleet. What they lack in numbers on land, they make more than up for at sea. House Velaryon, Celtigar, Bar Emmon and Massey can gather an impressive number of warships”
“Ships...”, Sharra sighed. “I have told Alester time and again that we need a fleet. Now... how many do we have?” Eudoxia shrugged. “It depends on whom is going to support us. Gulltown can gather a few, but far less than what Targaryen could bring, if he were to attack us. The isles to the north hold most of our naval strength, technically at least”
This last part of her sentence caused Sharra to grow more concerned. “Technically?”, she asked, before she glanced at Rhonda Upcliff, noting that the woman's dark gaze was already resting on her's. She shivered slightly, though managed a smile. “Will Witch Isle support us in this time of need?”
Rhonda's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but something much more unsettling. “It depends”, she admitted, her voice smooth and surprisingly warm. “House Upcliff can gather half a dozen ships of note to defend Gulltown if needed. That said, we might have to deal with problems of our own, if I am not mistaken”
She looked towards Eudoxia and not for the first time, Sharra had the feeling that this young woman knew more than she was willing to share. Well, Eudoxia's whole position revolved around knowing more, but Rhonda? Sharra considered herself as having an open mind when it came to such things, but she preferred handmaidens such as Myranda, who at least kept no secret of note from their superiors.
Now, the spymaster sighed. “I am afraid this is one of the two things I wanted to bring up”, she admitted. “If the Targaryen army attacks us, they will strike at Gulltown. However, there might be a certain problem with the ships we can gather” Sharra raised an eyebrow. “How so?”, she asked.
“It's the Sisters”, Eudoxia revealed. “So far, we could still count on them, but it seems, they somehow learned of King Aegon's declaration of war” Her finger moved across the map, before resting on the Three Sisters, the northernmost lands belonging to House Arryn. Three islands, not particularly wealthy, but always with a concerning sense of independence. “I have reason to believe that they won't follow your call, should the Targaryen fleet approach Gulltown. Worse than that, they could use the chaos to renounce their oaths to your family”
Sharra frowned. Alester would know how to deal with this. Sharra herself knew, at least in less troubled times. The Sisters on their own would never dare not to obey. Too easily could they be crushed by the Arryn knights. But who knew what they would be willing to do when the very same knights were fighting a foreign invader. She trusted Eudoxia's judgement. And it filled her with anger. “Will they truly dare to rebel?”, she asked.
“If they do, we have to be prepared”, Rhonda replied. “They will launch attacks on our nothern coast. Witch Isle will be a target, at least if we send our fleet to defend Gulltown” Her gaze rested on Sharra and the Queen Regent nodded, if hesitantly. “Perhaps it won't come to a war”, she brought up.
It was a desperate move, yet worth a shot. Sharra knew of her beauty. For years, it had been all she needed. Red locks, pale skin, the hint of freckles and eyes of a piercing blue, paired with a grace that won Alester Arryn's heart. Long since, Sharra had outgrown such vanity. The death of her husband had proved this to her more than anything else. The people of the Vale, they did not need a pretty girl to fancy, they needed a ruler to lead them and until Ronnel would come of age, Sharra was the only one they had. The most beautiful woman in Westeros, that's what Alester once called her and the years had been kind to her. It might be worth a try, if it would mean that lives would be spared.
“Perhaps there is another way”, she explained. “A war is the last thing we want. If anything, we should focus on securing the loyalty of the Sisters, not on some Valyrian who wishes to restore their lost empire” The smile on her face was sweet, as she looked around her council. “Helen, inform the Maester. Send word to Dragonstone, an offer”
Her cousin-in-law looked up, curiosity in her eyes. “We can avoid a costly war for both sides. The Vale will fully support King Aegon. In return, I offer myself. It's been a year since Alester's death and if necessary, I am willing to marry once again. I am to become his wife and Ronnel his heir”, she explained. “Send a portrait with the letter”
Helen raised an eyebrow. “You are ten years his senior, my dear”, she spoke. “And he already has two wives” Sharra sighed. “I don't expect him to accept outright”, she admitted. “But what do we have to lose? Perhaps he will be more willing to find a solution without bloodshed. Let him know that we are open for any kind of negotiation. In turn, I wish to see how receptive he is when it comes to such a solution”
“It could be worth the try”, Ryman admitted. “You are a woman of considerable charms, my queen. If King Aegon accepts, the Vale keeps its full strength. We can become conquerors ourselves, falcon and dragon marching as one. Many would be tempted by the offer”
“Yet King Aegon is not like others”, Eudoxia disagreed. “To make matters worse, one of his sister-queens, Rhaenys, was pregnant not too long ago. She should have given birth by now” As Sharre raised an eyebrow, the other woman shrugged. “Boy or girl, I do not know”, she answered.
“The child will be weak and sickly”, Rhonda said ominously, something that sounded more like a prophecy than an assumption. “Perhaps the Dragon King will see the benefits of having an heir as healthy as King Ronnel” Behind her, Myranda took a sharp breath, though remained silent.
Sharra gulped, before she noticed something in Eudoxia's eyes. “There's more, isn't it?”, she asked and the spymaster nodded. “There always is”, she said glumly. “To make matters worse, I have been informed that Lord Royce has started to show some odd interest in the affairs of House Shett. His own spies are in Gulltown as we speak, though what for, I do not know”
“Royce and Shett...”, Sharra mumbled. “There's a lot of bad blood between them, but Orson struck me as above such petty quarrels. And right as Gulltown itself might be threatened by Aegon and the Targaryen fleet. A coincidence?” Eudoxia shook her head. “I will find out”, she promised. “But knowing Royce, nothing is a coincidence with him”
“Good”, Sharra said. “I want you to travel to Runestone. Offer your help to Lord Orson. Find out hat he plans. If it helps us, support him. If not, stop him” Eudoxia remained silent, a short salute was all the confirmation Sharra needed. “Now...”, she started.
Just in this moment, a knock on the door cut her off. A moment later, it was pushed open, revealing a young woman. Identical to Myranda in terms of facial features, Meredith Moore wore her hair far shorter, perhaps even too short for a lady of high birth, in Sharra's eyes at least. Yet somehow, it put more emphasis onto her features, gave her a beauty that shined brighter than her sister's. Wearing clothing befitting of a man, she was a far cry from the proper handmaiden her twin sister was, yet Sharra had full trust in her regardless. More importantly, she was to watch the children while Sharra conversed with her council, so her presence her was immediately alarming.
“My queen...”, she gasped and Sharra already rose from her seat. “What is it?”, she said impatiently and Meredith took a deep breath. “I'm afraid there is a... situation. The king and his brother...” She didn't need to say more. With a sigh, Sharra stepped away from the table. “I am afraid we have to postpone this meeting. I will be with you again once I have dealt with this”, she said, before she gave her cousin a nod. “Helen, I trust you with the reply for King Aegon”
She was already half through the hall, Myranda struggling to keep up with her, as she stopped. This was a new situation for her, all of it, yet she knew that something else had to be done as well. “Captain Ryman, I want you to send word to the lords of the Vale, just in case”, she ordered, as she briefly glanced at her loyal soldier. “If King Aegon refuses to talk things out, we must be ready. We need an army and a fleet”
“I will try to secure the latter”, Eudoxia offered. “Surely Lord Royce can be convinced to help. If we lack the time to build warships, we have to hire some, from the Free Cities, or the Stepstones” Sharra allowed herself the hint of a grateful smile, as she continued her way out of the room, accompanied by her handmaidens.
She had no illusions that this would be the great test of her reign. Sharra was not born to rule. A Corbray by birth, an Arryn by marriage, she had been a maiden, a wife, then a mother, for all her life and never had she thought to be anything more, never had she aspired. Alester had been the king, her dashing, reckless falcon, gone too soon. She knew him, loved him, missed him, and yet she was not sure if even he would know how to react properly in this situation. Nobody was taught how to act when a foreign king threatened with war, while a rebellion was about to break out on the northern isles and the most powerful lord of the Vale was plotting... something. Sharra knew, born ruler or not, she was the one that had to lead her people through the coming days, for the better or the worse. And yet, her duty was always to the king first, her little fledgling.
“What happened?”, she asked, walking next to Meredith, while Myranda marched behind them. Meredith sighed. “I have prepared a meal for the king and his brother, when I heard the commotion”, she explained. “I believe Prince Jonos started and by the time I had separated them, the king suffered a bruise. He's crying, the young prince is crying, it's terrible. I had to place a guard between them to keep them from each other's throats”
Sharra rolled her eyes. It was not the first time that her sons were fighting. Boys in a certain age were like this. Her brothers had been no different. Lyndon, Regis and worse than both, her half-brother Rodrik, as much as it pained to think of him. Yet Ronnel and Jonos were arguably even more concerning in the intensity of their rivalry.
The King of Mountain and Vale was sitting on the floor, tears streaming down his face. His hair, a shade of auburn, darker than Sharra's red, yet not quite his father's black, he looked at her out of large, tear-filled blue eyes. His pale skin showed a serious bruise. On the other side of the room, sulking and angry, Jonos. Though two years younger, he was taller than Ronnel, with dark hair and blue eyes, a boy that would grow up to be a spitting image of his father.
A guard stood between them, visibly uncomfortable with his task. He stood straight as Sharra and her handmaidens entered and she released him with a sign of her hand. A brief salute followed, as the man rushed out of the room. “Leave us”, Sharra said and the twins followed.
With a sigh, she approached Jonos first. “Jonos...”, she said, softly, yet with a certain sharpness behind. He sat on a chair and as she came closer, she saw what he held in his hand. A wooden toy, a falcon, one wing broken in half. “He broke it”, the prince complained.
“Have you hit your brother?”, Sharra asked sternly and Jonos gave her the glare of an angry child. “He broke it!”, he repeated, raising the wooden falcon. “Father gave it to me before he left us and now it's gone as well” He glared at his brother. “All because of him!”
Sharra knelt down next to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. “We can fix it”, she promised. “But you mustn't hit Ronnel for this. He is your king and your brother. Be good to him and he will be good to you” She gave him a kiss onto the forehead and he clenched his fists around the broken toy. She saw a sadness in his gaze, and the anger of a child too young to truly understand why his father would never return. “Go to your room now”, she said softly. “I will come later and we fix your toy”
Nodding quickly, to hide his own tears, her younger son raised from his chair, approaching the door that led to his quarters. “He should be punished, not me”, he complained, already at the doorstep. “It's not fair!” With this, he entered his room. A troublesome boy he might be, but Sharra loved him nonetheless.
Finally, Ronnel. Her son, her king, looked up from the ground as she knelt down next to him. Unlike Jonos, he was crying freely. The way he looked, the way he acted, Sharra recognized so much of her younger self in him. Her heart broke for him, the boy king too young for his crown. Wordlessly, she pulled him into a hug, and he cried into her shoulder.
“I didn't want to do it...”, he sobbed. “It... just fell and then it was broken. I didn't want to” He looked up and Sharra moved a hand through his hair. “Father will be disappointed” His words sent a sting through her chest, as she shook her head, holding back tears of her own now. “Your father loves you”, she whispered and Ronnel narrowed his eyes. “Then why did he leave?”, he asked.
She had no answer to this. It was a question she had asked herself. Why? A king's duty was with his people, a husband's duty with his wife, a father's duty with his sons and yet, Alester had left them all. Sharra was not her husband. She knew her duties.
“I don't know”, she admitted. “But I will never leave you” She smiled at him, sweetly and full of love, as she held him in a tight embrace. The words she was going to say, they were more than a promise, more than mere duty. Sharra did not know what was going to happen in the dark times to come. Perhaps there would be war, perhaps she'd find a way to avoid it. The only thing she knew for sure was that she meant every word she said to him. His crown, his legacy, but more than anything else, his life, that was what truly mattered. The only thing in the whole world. Slowly, his tears stopped. “You are my little falcon”, she whispered. “And no matter what comes, I will keep you safe”
End of Interlude II – The Fledgling and his Mother
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in h… moreer hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to l… [view original content]
Well, this was certainly an interesting part. First of all, I must say I really like Sharra's character, she seems very likable and relatable. However, I think the most important thing about this part is that it genuinely made me interested in your plans for the Vale in Book 2, which kinda surprised me! The political situation established here is really intriguing, and I have a feeling we'll have some very interesting storyline(s) in the Vale. Of course, Targaryen involvement makes it easier for anything to be interesting, but even ignoring that, this part really convinced me that there is potential for the Vale to give us something great!
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in h… moreer hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to l… [view original content]
I'm happy to say that I enjoy the fact that Sharra PoV give a complete different atmosphere in contrast of the previous Mern one,I can be safe now to say that all the letters will be really entertaining to read
Hey,this time we learn the exact words of Aegon letter!
I really found enjoyable read of Sharra PoV of her troubles as a Queen Regent,widow and mother
Wow,this interlude introduce a huge number of new and interesting characters!
Let's start with the royal family!Today you introduce the Queen Regent of Vale,her children (and I really feel the brotherly love between the King and the Prince) and her cousin in law (and I suppose that Helen son will,sooner or latera,appear inside the story)
Then we have the handmaidens:the Queen ones doesn't give me a big first impression but Helen one even if she is not a witch really like to act as one! (not for nothing it seems that her behaviour give that impression to one of the Queen handmaiden)
In the end we have the captain of the guards (the only man in the hall) and the spymaster,that with her knowledge show to us two interesting storylines for the next book
We will see Lords Darklyn and Mooton in the next book?And the others members of House Upcliff?And House Shett? And House insert here a random name?
We had the problem with the Sisters (and possibly even with the Witch Isle),the strongest lord of the kingdom (and the same one that Maya is working for) is plotting something (maybe against House Shett,maybe not) and an upcoming naval war against Aegon is not impossible;it really seems that the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale will be a location plenty of interesting storylines!
I really like the last part of this PoV showing Sharra maternal side towards her children(and like with the previous PoV you show that you don't choice the title of the part at random)
The next ruler,if you are following the order that you show some time ago, will be Harren eh? He will be really fun!
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in h… moreer hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to l… [view original content]
Just a small confusion in the relationship between Alester and Helen, is she the first cousin or sister of the late king?
Seems like Lord Orson has a talent for angering people, and considering both branches of House Shett are vassals of House Grafton, this could present a problem to assemble the Vale's fleet.
I didn't thought Queen Sharra was the sister of Lord Lyndon Corbray, which makes her half-sister of Rodrik Stone. Wonder how Lady Forlorn will return to Heart's Home.
Tragic the fate that will befall this two brothers.
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in h… moreer hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to l… [view original content]
Just a small confusion in the relationship between Alester and Helen, is she the first cousin or sister of the late king?
Oh damn it, I noticed I indeed screwed up there a bit. While I continously mentioned Helen as Sharra's cousin-in-law, I also called her Alester's sister, which would make her Sharra's sister-in-law. As you know, she is Alester's cousin. I did not intend to change this. I guess what confused me is that Hubert, her son, is named as Ronnel's cousin on the Ice and Fire wiki, but technically, he still counts as a cousin even if he's the son of Alester's cousin. I will change this in a moment, thank you for telling me
Seems like Lord Orson has a talent for angering people, and considering both branches of House Shett are vassals of House Grafton, this could present a problem to assemble the Vale's fleet.
Aye, he is a guy with many enemies. There is a bit of a history between House Royce and House Shett, despite their massive difference in power and if Orson takes an interest in them, this might indeed promise
I didn't thought Queen Sharra was the sister of Lord Lyndon Corbray, which makes her half-sister of Rodrik Stone. Wonder how Lady Forlorn will return to Heart's Home.
It was a bit of a short decision. A lot of details here have been decided while writing, which is always something I enjoy doing when possible. In this case, I sought for a house located not too far from the Eyrie and in a mountainous region, to explain Sharra's nickname. It does make her the half-sister to Rodrik Stone, though after her marriage with Alester, the two never interacted again and even as children, they did not get along well. Rodrik murdering their father has made her very bitter towards him and it is likely that she will react positively to news of his death.
Just a small confusion in the relationship between Alester and Helen, is she the first cousin or sister of the late king?
Seems like Lord… more Orson has a talent for angering people, and considering both branches of House Shett are vassals of House Grafton, this could present a problem to assemble the Vale's fleet.
I didn't thought Queen Sharra was the sister of Lord Lyndon Corbray, which makes her half-sister of Rodrik Stone. Wonder how Lady Forlorn will return to Heart's Home.
Tragic the fate that will befall this two brothers.
Well, this was certainly an interesting part. First of all, I must say I really like Sharra's character, she seems very likable and relatable.
Ah, I agree. After putting some thought into the rulers of Westeros and their personalities, I consider Sharra to be the one that is the most likable in the classic sense. She has her flaws, but it's mostly due to her being a very inexperienced ruler. It's nice to hear that I succeeded at making her this likable, it was very much intended.
However, I think the most important thing about this part is that it genuinely made me interested in your plans for the Vale in Book 2, which kinda surprised me! The political situation established here is really intriguing, and I have a feeling we'll have some very interesting storyline(s) in the Vale. Of course, Targaryen involvement makes it easier for anything to be interesting, but even ignoring that, this part really convinced me that there is potential for the Vale to give us something great!
And this is something I am even more glad about! The Vale is going to be a pretty important location in Book 2, receiving a number of new PoV's and some of the storylines that will happen there have already been mentioned. I know for a fact that some moments in the coming Vale storyline are going to be really big, something I myself have been a bit surprised by, given that it is never the most prominently featured region in Westeros ever. I hope I won't disappoint with this upcoming storyline
Well, this was certainly an interesting part. First of all, I must say I really like Sharra's character, she seems very likable and relatabl… moree. However, I think the most important thing about this part is that it genuinely made me interested in your plans for the Vale in Book 2, which kinda surprised me! The political situation established here is really intriguing, and I have a feeling we'll have some very interesting storyline(s) in the Vale. Of course, Targaryen involvement makes it easier for anything to be interesting, but even ignoring that, this part really convinced me that there is potential for the Vale to give us something great!
Another interesting point-of-view. To be honest, due to all the announcements I was a little distracted when I read this, but it's nice. I also liked Sharra Arryn.
It was a desperate move, yet worth a shot. Sharra knew of her beauty. For years, it had been all she needed. Red locks, pale skin, the hint of freckles and eyes of a piercing blue, paired with a grace that won Alester Arryn's heart. Long since, Sharra had outgrown such vanity. The death of her husband had proved this to her more than anything else. The people of the Vale, they did not need a pretty girl to fancy, they needed a ruler to lead them and until Ronnel would come of age, Sharra was the only one they had. The most beautiful woman in Westeros, that's what Alester once called her and the years had been kind to her. It might be worth a try, if it would mean that lives would be spared.
Hey now.
“You are my little falcon”, she whispered. “And no matter what comes, I will keep you safe."
I see hints of what the Three Sisters will end up doing and the Battle in the waters off Gulltown. That should be awesome.
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in h… moreer hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to l… [view original content]
I did I originally have not intended to finish it this quickly, but as I mentioned before, I had a blast writing and since a very large amount of people already commented on the first letter, I had extra motivation to finish this second one so quickly.
Hey,this time we learn the exact words of Aegon letter!
Aye, at least part of it. The full letter is a bit longer and likely won't be read in full in any of the Interlude parts, but the missing pieces of it will be revealed very soon. It is a very brazen letter, given what he orders and many rulers will have a reaction that is more severe than Sharra's baffled amusement.
I really found enjoyable read of Sharra PoV of her troubles as a Queen Regent,widow and mother
Happy to hear it She indeed doesn't have it very easy, having trouble with all three of these roles and the current events in the Vale put her under huge personal pressure, something I really wanted to show from her own PoV.
Wow,this interlude introduce a huge number of new and interesting characters!
Aye, as is expected from a court that has not been introduced at all so far. I believe the courts of Winterfell and Sunspear will be similarly filled with new and interesting characters. The problem here is that the Eyrie won't be seen in the next chapters. Two new PoV's will show this Shett/Royce situation, whereas the third Vale PoV (hint, hint), is not yet at the Vale. So, I hope these characters have left an impression, although they might appear even before the narrative switches back to the Eyrie in full.
Let's start with the royal family!Today you introduce the Queen Regent of Vale,her children (and I really feel the brotherly love between the King and the Prince) and her cousin in law (and I suppose that Helen son will,sooner or latera,appear inside the story)
Aye, Sharra and her family are going to be central for the Vale's struggles of course. I also think I will be able to show Helen's son, a certain Hubert Arryn, though in a smaller role than Ronnel and Jonos. His true role in the Westerosi history comes long after the Conquest.
Then we have the handmaidens:the Queen ones doesn't give me a big first impression but Helen one even if she is not a witch really like to act as one! (not for nothing it seems that her behaviour give that impression to one of the Queen handmaiden)
Well, the Moore twins are more classical compared to the very unusual Lady Upcliff. I hope they make more of an impression next time they appear though Rhonda meanwhile, she is an interesting character. She is probably not a witch, I mean, that would be unlikely, right? Whatever she is though, there is something just off about her and I enjoyed writing this streak and how unsettled even a relatively collected person such as Sharra is when around her.
In the end we have the captain of the guards (the only man in the hall) and the spymaster,that with her knowledge show to us two interesting storylines for the next book
Aye, and Eudoxia is even going to appear in the Royce/Shett conflict, given that she has been sent to Runestone by her queen in this part. We're going to see her in the next chapter again, though as you know, she has an agenda in the name of her queen while helping Lord Royce (or not helping him, depending on what he plans).
We will see Lords Darklyn and Mooton in the next book?And the others members of House Upcliff?And House Shett? And House insert here a random name?
Darklyn and Mooton, yes, probably sooner than you think The other members of House Upcliff, I do not know, though I would like to. And there is one Shett going to be submitted soon, a lady whom I affectionately call Lady MacShett from the things I have heard about her so far Maybe other Shett's will follow in time, but this one is definitely going to be introduced in the coming chapters. And yes, House insert random name is going to play a major role in Book 2, more than any other house!
We had the problem with the Sisters (and possibly even with the Witch Isle),the strongest lord of the kingdom (and the same one that Maya is working for) is plotting something (maybe against House Shett,maybe not) and an upcoming naval war against Aegon is not impossible;it really seems that the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale will be a location plenty of interesting storylines!
The Vale is in quite some trouble there, as this part established. The Sisters have always been unruly and might break into open rebellion, in which case House Upcliff has to protect their lands, which would also mean a strained relationship between them and House Arryn. Meanwhile, Orson Royce is doing his merry scheming, though if in favour of against his kingdom remains to be seen. Some of these storylines will prominently feature in Book 2, though others have to wait until Book 3 to be resolved in full, I am afraid. I build up for the long run in some cases.
I really like the last part of this PoV showing Sharra maternal side towards her children(and like with the previous PoV you show that you don't choice the title of the part at random)
This is arguably her most important aspect. Sharra is a mother first, a ruler second and always will be. She never thought to ever have this responsibility, so she feels more comfortable when sticking to the role she has been prepared for her entire life. She loves both of her children, as problematic as they can be. And well, I indeed have thought about the titles for the parts quite a lot. Neither has been chosen at random, especially not this one and the next.
The next ruler,if you are following the order that you show some time ago, will be Harren eh? He will be really fun!
Oh yes, our good friend Harren will be back and for once, we're going to get a glimpse of his mind. I think Harren's Interlude is the one I am hyped for the most, because it will give me a great chance to flesh out this character in ways I barely could from the eyes of another. While I haven't started yet, I might actually even do it today. In any way, I aim for a release on Friday, meaning the Torrhen Stark Interlude can come out on Sunday and the whole Interlude will come to its conclusion by the end of next week. At that speed, I can start Book 2 before leaving for my vacation
Wow Liquid,you already write the second letter!
RT:
* I'm happy to say that I enjoy the fact that Sharra PoV give a complete differe… morent atmosphere in contrast of the previous Mern one,I can be safe now to say that all the letters will be really entertaining to read
* Hey,this time we learn the exact words of Aegon letter!
* I really found enjoyable read of Sharra PoV of her troubles as a Queen Regent,widow and mother
* Wow,this interlude introduce a huge number of new and interesting characters!
* Let's start with the royal family!Today you introduce the Queen Regent of Vale,her children (and I really feel the brotherly love between the King and the Prince) and her cousin in law (and I suppose that Helen son will,sooner or latera,appear inside the story)
* Then we have the handmaidens:the Queen ones doesn't give me a big first impression but Helen one even if she is not a witch really like to act as one! (not for nothing it seems… [view original content]
Another interesting point-of-view. To be honest, due to all the announcements I was a little distracted when I read this, but it's nice. I also liked Sharra Arryn.
Hah, I can understand that. I am a bit distracted as well now, not sure if I should feel happy about the one announcement everyone is happy about (not sure if I can name it out of the announcement thread already, but you know which one I mean) or really disappointed over the way Telltale treats its Thrones fans, not even considering them worth enough to give a tiny update. At this point, at least officially confirming that it is cancelled would be the decent thing to do. But eh, at least there's writing FoT to distract me from feeling too disappointed
I see hints of what the Three Sisters will end up doing and the Battle in the waters off Gulltown. That should be awesome.
Oh yes, big things have been hinted at here. The Three Sisters will be a location in the later story, but first, I gotta build up the Targaryen agenda in the southern Vale, at Gulltown. These are the main problems at the Vale right now, but more will follow and hopefully it will indeed be as awesome as it sounds
Another interesting point-of-view. To be honest, due to all the announcements I was a little distracted when I read this, but it's nice. I a… morelso liked Sharra Arryn.
It was a desperate move, yet worth a shot. Sharra knew of her beauty. For years, it had been all she needed. Red locks, pale skin, the hint of freckles and eyes of a piercing blue, paired with a grace that won Alester Arryn's heart. Long since, Sharra had outgrown such vanity. The death of her husband had proved this to her more than anything else. The people of the Vale, they did not need a pretty girl to fancy, they needed a ruler to lead them and until Ronnel would come of age, Sharra was the only one they had. The most beautiful woman in Westeros, that's what Alester once called her and the years had been kind to her. It might be worth a try, if it would mean that lives would be spared.
Hey now.
“You are my little falcon”, she whispered. “And no matter what … [view original content]
Another interesting point-of-view. To be honest, due to all the announcements I was a little distracted when I read this, but it's nice. I a… morelso liked Sharra Arryn.
Hah, I can understand that. I am a bit distracted as well now, not sure if I should feel happy about the one announcement everyone is happy about (not sure if I can name it out of the announcement thread already, but you know which one I mean) or really disappointed over the way Telltale treats its Thrones fans, not even considering them worth enough to give a tiny update. At this point, at least officially confirming that it is cancelled would be the decent thing to do. But eh, at least there's writing FoT to distract me from feeling too disappointed
I see hints of what the Three Sisters will end up doing and the Battle in the waters off Gulltown. That should be awesome.
Oh yes, big things have been hinted at here. The Three Sisters will be a location in the… [view original content]
Whoa, that's a lot of catching up! Sorry for missing the votes and other stuff. I wish I could be here when such important things happened but I'm glad I've read it sooner or later.
First of all, I want to congratulate you on finishing Book 1. You've truly come so far! I can't picture the amounts of effort and hard work you've put in Forum of Thrones. With full honesty, I proclaim your fanfic to be the best one on the whole forum. No other story kept me as hooked as yours did. At this point, I'm even more excited for further chapters of FOT than ASOIAF.
Secondly, I'll give you props for such a thrilling ending. The only thing I could say while reading was "WHOA!". Even though Lucas' death was inevitable in my opinion, it was still very bitter. But oh well - it's the Game of Thrones, nothing has a happy end here. Either way, my excitement has reached its top now. I really don't know how will I survive another book without exploding from emotions!!
Thirdly, I loved the interlude. It was a nice move to show the situation from a royal perspective. What I'm really missing in ASOIAF is the personality of the last kings before Aegon's Conquer - and Aegon himself. Meeting Targaryens was extremely satisfying! I hope we'll be able to look into their characters more throughout the story. The interlude sets a great start for the next book.
And finally, I wish you all the inspiration for writing Forum of Thrones. If you think about it, you've actually written a whole book! It's a very impressive achievement. There's still a lot to do but I have strong faith in you and your work. By its end, Forum of Thrones will certainly have become the greatest fanfiction of all time. Developing the wiki and publishing the books is very important for increasing the recognition of this masterpiece. I hope I'll be able to help you with it one day. Translation could be great - I'll try to start searching for a crew of ambitious translators who could help me with this big project. Nothing would bring me more happiness than supporting your art. I'm already extremely proud that my average TWD story inspired you in some way.
Well, that's it. Feels really weird. You know, as if the series are coming to an end... but it's just the beginning.
P.S. George Martin would make a smart move by borrowing some of your writing speed. This way we would've already had the Dreams of Spring
P.P.S
For ten thousand years, his family had ruled over these lands. And for ten thousand years after him, they would
Whoa, that's a lot of catching up! Sorry for missing the votes and other stuff. I wish I could be here when such important things happened but I'm glad I've read it sooner or later.
Welcome back! I think you actually haven't missed all that much, safe for the chapter finale, epilogue and the first two Interlude parts, but it is great that you have caught up again
First of all, I want to congratulate you on finishing Book 1. You've truly come so far! I can't picture the amounts of effort and hard work you've put in Forum of Thrones. With full honesty, I proclaim your fanfic to be the best one on the whole forum. No other story kept me as hooked as yours did. At this point, I'm even more excited for further chapters of FOT than ASOIAF.
More? Whoa! This is such a wonderful thing to hear and it is comments like this that only strengthen my passion for writing this story, for you and for me. It has been a crazy ride and an honour to write Book 1 and I truly can only imagine how much deeper I will get into all of this for Book 2 and 3. Probably the one thing I am the most proud of is that despite the effort I put into this, I could still juggle a full-time job, which I kind of do with my university stuff. Maybe one day I can make writing my actual profession, but first, I will bring FoT to the end it deserves, which is still far away. And the fact that I even consider such a step is thanks to your support.
Secondly, I'll give you props for such a thrilling ending. The only thing I could say while reading was "WHOA!". Even though Lucas' death was inevitable in my opinion, it was still very bitter. But oh well - it's the Game of Thrones, nothing has a happy end here. Either way, my excitement has reached its top now. I really don't know how will I survive another book without exploding from emotions!!
At least some things don't have a happy end and unfortunately, Lucas' story was one of them. Not all will end with death and defeat though, that'd be too depressing even for ASOIAF standards. Until some reach their comparably happy end, there will be tons of hardship though and quite a number of characters won't make it. Lucas' death now was inevitable, but if you had such a reaction at this point, just imagine it if I would have killed him off at the end of Book 2 or even Book 3, when you had several additional years to get to know him. I myself had a strong reaction to Lucas' death and I don't even want to begin thinking about how bad it will be for me to go through with some of my plans down the line Others however have me smiling just thinking about them
Thirdly, I loved the interlude. It was a nice move to show the situation from a royal perspective. What I'm really missing in ASOIAF is the personality of the last kings before Aegon's Conquer - and Aegon himself. Meeting Targaryens was extremely satisfying! I hope we'll be able to look into their characters more throughout the story. The interlude sets a great start for the next book.
Royal perspective in general is missing in ASOIAF, but as far as I know, this lack is deliberate, to give us opinions on the kings based on their actions and not based on their inner thoughts. And it surely works. In FoT, I prefer a different approach, where I actually want to show you what the rulers of Westeros are like when seen from their own perspective. I hope this works as well. So, I am very happy you enjoyed the ones seen so far, as well as Aegon. These parts will be massively important for the next book and beyond.
And finally, I wish you all the inspiration for writing Forum of Thrones. If you think about it, you've actually written a whole book! It's a very impressive achievement. There's still a lot to do but I have strong faith in you and your work. By its end, Forum of Thrones will certainly have become the greatest fanfiction of all time. Developing the wiki and publishing the books is very important for increasing the recognition of this masterpiece. I hope I'll be able to help you with it one day. Translation could be great - I'll try to start searching for a crew of ambitious translators who could help me with this big project. Nothing would bring me more happiness than supporting your art. I'm already extremely proud that my average TWD story inspired you in some way.
Length-wise, it is actually a bit more than a book. I am not sure about the total number of pages, but it has to be somewhere between 1700 and 1800. A friend of mine very recently made me realize that these are pages in the A4 format though, whereas books are mostly printed in A5, with smaller pages. This means, the total number of pages if FoT would be an actual book would be somewhere closer to 2500, I believe. That means, I could comfortably split it into 4-5 full-length novels. It feels a bit weird, but certainly awesome, to think about it in that way Now, publishing the story won't be possible of course, due to the copyright situation being even more murky than it is usual with fanfiction. In case of FoT, it is based on GRRM's work and on top of that, 95% of the characters are created by readers. That being said, I am thinking about sharing it somewhere online. Of course, there is the wiki and the very soon-to-be finished Tv Tropes page, but I was also thinking about fanfiction.net, though I am still a bit hesitant as to how to share those parts that are already written and voted for. If you wish to make it more known, for example through translations, well, you certainly have my full blessing for that! More than that, I am humbled you even consider such a step. Your story has been a great inspiration to me, that is for sure and it is unlikely I ever would have started if not for the encouragement it has given me.
Well, that's it. Feels really weird. You know, as if the series are coming to an end... but it's just the beginning.
It is indeed just the beginning. Book 2 and 3 are both going to be longer than Book 1 in terms of sheer parts, though not by much I believe, meaning there are years to come. As much as I'd love to get to the really powerful stuff right away, I think this is for the best, as it gives me a lot of time to prepare for these moments I wish to leave a true impact. But yes, the best is yet to come
P.S. George Martin would make a smart move by borrowing some of your writing speed. This way we would've already had the Dreams of Spring
Trust me, if it means getting the next two books during our lifetime, I would gladly borrow all of my speed to him At the same time, this would mean I won't be able to finish FoT anytime in the next decade, so perhaps I should be careful with such offerings
Whoa, that's a lot of catching up! Sorry for missing the votes and other stuff. I wish I could be here when such important things happened b… moreut I'm glad I've read it sooner or later.
First of all, I want to congratulate you on finishing Book 1. You've truly come so far! I can't picture the amounts of effort and hard work you've put in Forum of Thrones. With full honesty, I proclaim your fanfic to be the best one on the whole forum. No other story kept me as hooked as yours did. At this point, I'm even more excited for further chapters of FOT than ASOIAF.
Secondly, I'll give you props for such a thrilling ending. The only thing I could say while reading was "WHOA!". Even though Lucas' death was inevitable in my opinion, it was still very bitter. But oh well - it's the Game of Thrones, nothing has a happy end here. Either way, my excitement has reached its top now. I really don't know how will I survive another book without exploding from … [view original content]
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan put too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started to consider even Harndon more worthy than his halfwit secondborn. And yet, he tried, undeniably. Maybe he'd get back to where he was, in time.
“Then stop talking and fucking show me!”, Harren barked. “Get up. Walk into my direction” Harlan had struggled by now, leaning onto his crutches, as he began limping towards his father. Harren started at him, with black eyes, devoid of warmth. There was one thing he was proud of when it came to Harlan. The boy had grown up without being spoiled. Though not a warrior, like Harmund, or a scholar, like Harrick, he had survived a wound that would have killed most other men. There was some iron in him after all.
And he did. One step. Another one. Yet another one. A fourth. And then he stood in front of his father, a wide smile on his face. “I did it!”, he exclaimed and Harren patted him on the back, once. “I fucking did it!” As a giggle came out of the young man's throat, Harren was quick to curb his enthusiasm. “You've done shit”, he reminded him. “Crossing a room at the fifth try, you expect a reward for that?”
Harlan's proud smile faded. “No, I...”, Harren gave him a nod. “Exactly”, he growled. “It's a beginning, but not more. Continue to practice. I'll check up on you later, first I'll see how Murph is doing” He turned around, as Harlan stood straight, at least as much as he could with the injuries he suffered from Breaker's failed attempt on their lives. “Yes, father”, he said and Harren shot him a dark glare. The young prince gulped. “S-Ser”, he stuttered. “Your grace” Satisfied, Harren turned away from him again and left the room, without another word. He had done his part, now it was up to Harlan to prove his worth, as little as he might have.
As the King of the Isles and Rivers marched down the dark hallway, he felt strangely hollow. Earlier this day, he had found Breaker's bitch in one of Harmund's rooms. Disgust at his firstborn's actions was the wrong word, yet Harren felt unusually agitated at the thought. At least he himself made such things quick, unless they happened in public. And that has been his order, to cut her throat after her traitor lover left for Raylansfair. He had thought her dead for a month, but Harmund... Harmund had done things his own way. Disrespecting his orders like that, it made the king livid with anger just thinking about it. Of course, any help for the girl came too late. Only thing he could do was to put her out of her misery and that's what he did. Another dead body, another argument against Harmund, King Hoare. The boy had every bit the potential to become a king worse than Harren's weak-willed father and the thought filled the old king with dread.
Harren took a deep breath as he stopped in front of the familiar door. Those were dark thoughts and he had enough of them. More would follow, dark and sorrowful. And without knocking, he entered. The room behind was small, yet well-lit. The air was stale, the stench of disease tainting it. And Harren noticed that his friend had visitors.
“Your grace!”, the young man exclaimed. In better days, Harden Murphey would have pleasantly reminded Harren of his father, the man he wanted to visit here. His hair was black, flowing down his back, just like the beard covering most of his lower face and upper chest. An intimidating figure, the young raider was a welcome sight on any longship, clad in black, almost a Hoare himself. And considering that his father was more a brother to him than Harrigon has even been, this was even partially true.
There was a woman as well, of the sort whose age he always struggled to determine. Vibrant red hair, not the hint of grey, yet slight wrinkles on her face. A firm, ample chest. Scared blue eyes. A salt wife? It would be a first for Harden and Haragard himself was in no shape to have a woman at the time.
Finally, Haragard. The king sighed as he spotted his old friend, lying on the bed. Though he was only a few years older, the sickly man looked at least two decades Harren's senior. His hair was grey, thin and he was losing it rapidly. Once Harren's equal in stature, he was now a shrivelled shell of his former self. Thin, frail and bedridden, his eyes nearly a milky white, revealing his near-blindness.
“Harren”, he said and managed a weak smile, which Harren reciprocated, for once genuine. “Hello, old friend”, he replied, before he gave the man's son a nod. “Harden” Harden saluted in front of his king. “Your grace, we weren't expecting you”, he replied.
To this, Harren smirked. “Or else you would have hidden your new girl, huh?”, he chuckled, as he inspected the woman. A salt wife, no doubt. Appropriately fearful, yet her presence was odd nonetheless. Quickly, Harden shook his head. “Your grace, this is Darla. She's... my father's healer”
The king raised an eyebrow. “You found a new one?”, he said. “Is she any good?” On his bed, Haragard grinned weakly. “Harden told me she looks splendid”, he said. “Even if she cannot help me, the thought of her bosom keeps me warmer than any fur they can wrap me in”
Narrowing his eyes, Harren approached the woman. Up close, he saw that she was older than Harden, notably so, but definitely younger than him or Haragard. “Your name?”, he barked and she shivered. “Darla”, she answered. “Darla Vega”
“Darla Vega...”, Harren mumbled. “I see...” Without warning, he had grabbed her chin, the metal of the gauntlet digging into her flesh and only barely did she suppress a scream of fear. “If he dies under your care, you will share his fate, a ten times worse”, he whispered coldly. “But if you cure him, you will be rewarded. Do you have family?”
The woman gulped, before she gave him a nod. “A daughter”, she revealed and Harren let go of her. “Heal him and you shall return to her, a rich woman”, he offered. “Right now however, I wish some time with him. Leave us” She nodded quickly and like this, she rushed out of the door. Harren waited a moment, before he sent a glare towards Harden. “I said, leave us”, he repeated.
Harden hesitated only a moment, before he followed the order with a quick nod, leaving the two men alone. Haragard smiled. “You shouldn't be so hard on the woman”, he said. “She's doing her best, but I'm beyond a healer's work. What I need is a damn miracle”
Harren clenched his fist, a grim frown on his face. “Don't say this”, he spoke. “You've lived with this ailment for so long. You'll carry through this” Haragard's smile grew more joyful, though the look in his almost blind eyes showed Harren that he was in a state of concerning bliss, the sort his condition put him at times, when he drifted off, not fully conscious anymore.
“Will we sail again?”, he asked and Harren smiled, though he knew his friend was barely able to see it. “We will”, he promised. “To distant shores, raiding, reaving, a dozen women waiting for us in every port from Bear Island to Volantis” He knelt down, putting a hand onto Haragard's shoulder.
“I can see it”, Haragard gasped, his voice shaky and half-broken. “With fire and axe upon the Greenlanders. They look to the shores, see our sails and scream 'The Sons of Orkmont are coming'” He looked away, his gaze set at the ceiling and beyond. “The Sons of Orkmont are coming...”, he gasped, before his gaze cleared again, as a violent fit of coughs cut him off.
Harren reacted quickly, as Haragard's thin hand reached for the cup standing on the desk next to him. “Allow me”, he said, as he gently moved the cup to the sick man's lips. A look of relief formed on Haragard's face, as he drank the water. “Thank you”, he mumbled, though it was clear how much strength this coughing just cost him.
Averting his eyes from his deathly ill friend, Harren pushed himself up from the kneeling position. “You should rest for a bit”, he mumbled. “I will check up on you tomorrow” He patted Haragard's shoulder. “Don't die on me, brother”, he added warmly. Then, he left the room, leaving the half-conscious man to rest.
Harden and the healer stood in the hallway. Harren glared at both of them. “He is tired”, he replied. “Let him rest for a bit” Harden saluted in front of his king, after which Harren looked at the woman. Though as afraid of him as anyone would, she seemed to feel oddly comfortable in her position and he was not sure if he liked that or not. “I meant what I said”, he assured her. “His fate will decide yours”
“I will heal him”, Darla promised, to which the king sighed. Too many of his friends had died over the years. Haragard was perhaps the only one he had known for his entire life, the one man still left from his raiding days. Quietly, Harren gave her a nod. “You better do”, he replied, though he lacked the will to back up his statement with a threat. She knew what fate would await her if she failed him. Forty years on the throne had given Harren enough of a reputation, after all.
Without another word, he left Harden and Darla, as he walked down the hallway. Harmund wanted to speak to him and though he himself barely wanted to speak to Harmund, his son had sounded serious as he had sent word earlier. And in most cases, this meant that he had fucked up once again.
As Harren approached the royal quarters, he heard a familiar, bright laughter. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced around the corner to his right. As expected, Greyjoy stood there, leaning against a wall. She had been the one to laugh and even now, a sly smirk was seen on her face. What surprised him marginally more was that Harrick, standing in front of her, was smiling as well.
It was Kyra who noticed him first. Pulling herself together, she saluted firmly, the good soldier that she was. “Your grace!”, she said and Harrick winced as he spotted his father. Harren raised an eyebrow. “Captain Greyjoy”, he growled, before he looked at the other end of the hallway. Through the open door, he could see Harmund, sitting on a chair, drinking wine and glaring at them.
“He called for you earlier”, Harrick said. “Do you require my presence?” Harren shook his head. “I can deal with him on my own”, he assured him. “But I might need a word with you later on. When I call for you, I expect you to follow at once, have I made myself clear?”
Harrick stood straight as a reply. “Of course, father”, he said. Almost cautiously, he glanced at Kyra. “I believe you were saying...?” Kyra chuckled sweetly. “I was saying what a shame it is that your father expects you to remain attentive”, she said, her tone having gotten slightly mocking. “Perhaps another time, Prince” She gave Harren a nod. “Your grace”, she added, as she walked down the hallway, with Harrick staring after her.
A grin formed on Harren's face. “Another time, boy”, he chuckled. “You're welcome” And with this, he left him standing as well, approaching the far less pleasant company of his eldest son. His depraved son. The one even Harren felt concerned about, if mostly because Harmund could cast down any sort of legacy he'd leave behind. His mighty castle in ruins, his name forgotten, his line ended... Harren could not imagine a fate more cruel.
Harmund was not alone. Harren's embarrassment of a squire was there and the king frowned. Adrew Frey... there has never been a more useless creature in these halls. “More wine”, Harmund growled as Harren approached. The boy came closer to the table, but Harren raised a hand. “Give me the carafe”, he ordered sharply and Adrew followed the order at once.
Sniffing at the wine, Harren frowned. “You won't give us that piss”, he barked, loudly and with glee, he noticed how timid, how scared the boy was. Pushing the carafe into his direction, enough to make him tumble backwards, Harren pointed at the door. “Get the Arbor Red, now!”, he ordered. “You have ten minutes”
Never in his life had he seen a person running as quickly as Adrew Frey did in this very moment. Some much needed amusement to dispel Harren's dark thoughts. Finally, he looked at Harmund and his burst of a good mood was gone as quick as it came. “What have you done again, boy?”, he growled.
Harmund's smile was cold and cutting. “Why do you always assume that?”, he asked and Harren sighed. “I found the Pyke girl in your chambers. Breaker's bitch”, he revealed and Harmund's smile widened. “What's with her?”, he asked.
“I ordered her death a month ago!”, Harren growled in a low tone and to add to his anger, Harmund just shrugged. “So what?”, he asked. “She's dead now, isn't she?” Harren sighed. He wasn't a godly man, but if anything, he hoped the Drowned God would grant him more years. Harmund was anything but ready to be king.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?”, he asked, unwilling to discuss this any further. Harmund leant back on his chair, finishing the cup of wine he still held. “Why are you tolerating this?”, he snarled and the king raised an eyebrow. “You?”, he asked in return.
Harmund narrowed his eyes, his smile fading. “Greyjoy”, he snarled. “That bitch is a sight for sore eyes, I give her that, but the way she's acting... she's ordering us around!” Harren rolled his eyes. “That's her job”, he reminded him. “And she's bloody good at it”
“She's a woman”, Harmund said. “At best, she should hope to be someone's rock wife. The only thing she's good for is spreading her legs” To this, Harren grinned. “Not for you though”, he reminded him. “That's what's bothering you so much, huh?” In a serious tone, he continued. “She is better than you, in any aspect”
“Careful”, Harmund spat, but Harren ignored him. “She's the best for this post. When she was fifteen, she raided Bear Island”, he continued. “When you were fifteen, you did things to Donny, because it made you feel less of a failure. The only reason you're sitting here is because of me, because you are my son” Black of heart, he thought bitterly.
Harmund sighed. “The best, you say?”, he chuckled. “So, that is why you keep a squire as pathetic as Adrew, huh?” He shouldn't have said that. Harren clenched his fists as he glared at him. “I keep him to make a man out of him. Lousy he might be, but my squire will leave my service as a true warrior”, he explained. “And I keep him because he is the son of Bloody Brandon. Do I have to remind you what you did to that man's daughter?”
The dark smile returned to Harmund's face. “A lay as piss-poor as these lands. Why do you care for these people?”, he spat. “They are Greenlanders. Fishcunts and nothing more” Harren gave him a nod. “Lords of yellow mud”, he confirmed. “But together, they can overthrow an empire. Frey, he's going to be your enemy, he will hate you more than any man living for the rest of his days”
Once again, Harmund proved his short-sightedness by merely shrugging. “And why is that a bad thing?”, he asked. “It's not as if you try to be loved by them” Harren sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. “They will never love me”, he said. “Nor you. Not even Harrick and he's trying. One day, he has to realize that no matter what, they will never see him as anything but a conqueror. An invader, a tyrant”
“So you've decided to become one”, Harmund mocked him. “And now you're acting all high and mighty about this” The two men glared at each other, until Harren looked away first, a fact that caused rage to rise up in him. “I have seen what it achieves”, he explained. “Trying to win their love, the fucking ingrates. Your grandfather tried it. He travelled through these lands, visited their castles, listened to their concerns and treated them better than he treated true Ironborn”
Now, he shook his head. “I have travelled with him. And unlike him, I heard how they spoke when he wasn't listening”, he explained. “How they called him. Usurper, they said. Black-eyed monster. His own people resented him and the Riverlanders did the same. He died, alone and hated, with me being the only one by his side” Bitter anger in his eyes, he stared at his clenched fists. “My own brother rather guarded a wall of ice instead of spending some time with his dying father. That's what happens when you try to make them love you”
“So, what do you suggest?”, Harmund asked. “Share your wisdom with me, old man” Harren ignored the insult, as he spoke. “These lands cannot be ruled through love. They must fear you, or they will never obey”, he replied. “They must fear you more than anyone else, but there must always be someone whom they hate more than you”
Harmund shrugged. “I get the fear part right”, he said. “That is good enough” Feeling a sudden burst of rage at his impertinent son, Harren jumped up from his chair. “Careful, boy”, he growled. “I will not allow you to ruin Hardhand's legacy. Learn what that means, or I shall find someone who does”
To this, Harmund just chuckled. “You're the one that should be careful”, he said. “You need me in the war to come” This sentence was alarming to Harren, who glared at the younger man. “What have you done?”, he barked.
Slowly, Harmund pulled a piece of parchment from his coat. “Nothing”, he replied. “But someone did. Read” He handed him the parchment, a letter as Harren now saw. And he recognized the sigil, the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen.
“To Harren of House Hoare”, he began to read, loudly. “For too long, Westeros has suffered from being divided. For too long, petty kings have fought their wars, killing countless on the entire continent. My own people have bled at the hands of one of these petty kings. No longer...” He read, silently now, his hands clenched around the parchment.
As he lowered the letter again, he stared at Harmund, speechless at first. Then, a cruel smile formed on his face. He began to chuckle. “Is he... is he for real?”, he gasped. “He threatens us? This tiny lord of worms!” His chuckle grew into a full, dark laughter. “This bloody, stupid cunt! What power does he have?”
“Rosby and Stokeworth have declared for him”, Harmund said, now grinning as well. Harren's eyes widened. “Have they all lost their fucking minds?”, he barked. “Send word to the banners, from Harlaw to Maidenpool. A common enemy has entered our lands” A vicious look appeared on his face. “And let them know that Rosby and Stokeworth are traitors to the crown. Their lives are forfeit, every single last one of them”
“We are marching to war”, Harmund concluded. “And you will need a commander for the coming battles” Cautiously, Harren gave him a nod. “One chance”, he agreed. “Show this worm who owns these lands. We took them, with might and cunning. We hold them with chains of iron” He leant forwards, glaring at his son. “You want to be king one day? Then show me! Show me you can lead them, isles and rivers alike!”
The king's heart was beating heavily, as excitement rose in him. A war it would be, short, but much needed. A glorious slaughter. The Drowned God smiled at him today. And Harren the Black would spill a dragon's blood in his name.
This Harren PoV was surprisingly different of what I expect (in a good way)
Read a part with the eyes of Harren the Black was really entertaining;I really enjoy his interaction with his son and his old friend and,despite the fact that he decide to be a tyrant according to his father mistakes doesn't make his action less unforgivable, I like that he is not just a bidimensional evil ruler
I like that you show Harlan rehabilitation (I remember that he was injured during the failed assasination) and his interaction with his father was a good read
The new characters of this part are Harren old friend,his son and ..a Salt wife?Well,I found each one of them really interesting in different ways (and I suspect a connection between one of this three characters and another one introduced ages ago)
Oh well,it was nice to know that not only Torvin girlfriend is 100% dead but she even suffered for a long time before die
And today we see Kyra flirting with Harrick,maybe it is part of her brother plan to take Harren throne?
It is funny that Harren reason because he mistreat his squire is to make him a strong warrior,what a flawless logic!
It seems for Harren his firstborn is much more problematic of his third one!
Harren reaction to the letter was interesting,he seems to really underestimate his opponent
Congratulation Harmund!You have now a chance to prove to your father that you can be a good commander! I'm really curious to read how things will develop from now on
I really must admit that I'm curious to learn Harren relationship with the Mullendore-Vyrwell-Oakheart alliance (how the three Houses meet each other and how they offer their alliance to the Ironborn King)
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan p… moreut too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started … [view original content]
Well, this shows a side of Harren we didn't know, sure, he's the same tyrant we all know, and he do shows some care for his sons, as twisted as it is, but knows exactly why people should fear him.
Harmund has the same foresight as Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton.
Seems like King Halleck actually tried to follow the path his ancestors, the first three Harmunds, did, and failed. We all know were this is going.
While we don't know Harrigon's side of the story, the fact that he wasn't present when his father died makes me wonder how much he wanted to escape his family's shadow.
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan p… moreut too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started … [view original content]
At this speed, writing for Book 2 can begin by the end of next week! I'm really glad I manage to write these parts so quickly. Not requiring any votes makes it even easier for me to just write and publish them when they are done. In this case, I actively had to stop myself from finishing it yesterday, as I consider that a little bit too quickly, but technically, everyone should have gotten a chance to read by now.
This Harren PoV was surprisingly different of what I expect (in a good way)
Ah, mission accomplished, I'd say I wanted to show something different with Harren here, sides and aspects to his character that give him more depth and that cannot be shown in the story proper all that well, so I am glad I managed to do something unexpected here.
Read a part with the eyes of Harren the Black was really entertaining;I really enjoy his interaction with his son and his old friend and,despite the fact that he decide to be a tyrant according to his father mistakes doesn't make his action less unforgivable, I like that he is not just a bidimensional evil ruler
Aye, it was a special occasion for me. Harren is the only ruler who is clearly a bad guy, so he is the first true villain PoV of the story. At the same time, he had something resembling a positive interaction with Harlan, for his standards at least, he showed genuine concern and care for Haragard and even gained a motive for his actions, yet at the same time, you are fully right, it doesn't make them any less unforgivable. I wanted to give him some depth, positive qualities even, without diminishing his cruelty in the slightest. He is a tyrant and it is unlikely he can be redeemed, but he is not a one-dimensional monster and can actually show some qualities that are better than what might be expected of him.
I like that you show Harlan rehabilitation (I remember that he was injured during the failed assasination) and his interaction with his father was a good read
Indeed, Harlan was wounded by George during the assassination and if not for Anturion, he would have died. In this fight, his leg was really screwed up, which gives him trouble walking. It was also the first time Harren has shown something resembling care for his sons, as he was utterly furious when seeing Harlan being wounded.
The new characters of this part are Harren old friend,his son and ..a Salt wife?Well,I found each one of them really interesting in different ways (and I suspect a connection between one of this three characters and another one introduced ages ago)
Sort of a salt wife. Darla is a healer and Harden's captive, but her exact relationship with both men has puzzled even Harren, as Harden is, unusually for an Ironborn, not known for taking salt wives, whereas Haragard is way too weak to force himself upon a woman. And a connection, you say? Well, I tried to hint at one, without fully pointing it out, but there were some giveaways
Oh well,it was nice to know that not only Torvin girlfriend is 100% dead but she even suffered for a long time before die
Yeah, it felt kind of wrong to just never mention her again, after Tedyn hinted at her fate in Chapter 8 already. There was just no use for her anymore, so Harren ordered her execution the moment he had what he wanted. That said, he indeed ordered a quick execution, having no grudge against her, and he was disgusted at Harmund ignoring his order quite severely. By the time he found her, it was more a mercy kill than anything else.
And today we see Kyra flirting with Harrick,maybe it is part of her brother plan to take Harren throne?
Maybe. Kyra is involved with Damon's plans in some capacity, though she is still sworn to House Hoare at the same time. In which way her brief flirt with Harrick serves Damon's purpose remains to be seen, though her own PoV should make things a bit clearer on that end.
It is funny that Harren reason because he mistreat his squire is to make him a strong warrior,what a flawless logic!
It is Ironborn logic, the most flawless of them all. Harren believes that strength comes through overcoming hardships. He respects strength and as a result, he treats Adrew pretty horrible, in the hopes that the boy hardens and becomes stronger. The same flawed mentality has, by the way, encouraged Harmund's more worrying traits.
It seems for Harren his firstborn is much more problematic of his third one!
Yes, he is a much greater problem. Unlike Harndon, Harmund actually is first in line to inherit and the more he thinks about it, the more Harren realizes that he could undo his legacy, the one thing that is the most important for him. He knows that Harmund's inability to rule over his sadistic urges will manage to unite the Riverlords in a way no man ever did before, but not under his banner, but against him. He already gained a powerful enemy in Brandon Frey, one of the most powerful Riverlords and a man Harren himself even respects. It is likely to assume that he will gain more, if he is not kept in check. Harndon meanwhile is mentally damaged, everyone knows that and nobody takes him seriously as a result. As such, Harndon is even the last in line to inherit, after Harrick, who is a year younger.
Harren reaction to the letter was interesting,he seems to really underestimate his opponent
Quite heavily so. Harren sees a man with three thousand soldiers, whereas he has over a hundred thousand or more at full strength. His men have experience with battles, he has the strongest fleet in Westeros and is generally prone to underestimate any potential opponent. Of course, there are dragons, but like most men in Westeros, Harren does not fully believe in the danger they pose.
Congratulation Harmund!You have now a chance to prove to your father that you can be a good commander! I'm really curious to read how things will develop from now on
A chance he has yearned for quite some time. Harmund as the leader of the Ironborn army might be problematic, but for all his negative traits, he is not known to be a bad commander. He has experience, waging war with the Rock for quite some time, and as such, he is one of the most trusted commanders Harren has at his disposal. It remains to be seen if he lives up to the expecations.
I really must admit that I'm curious to learn Harren relationship with the Mullendore-Vyrwell-Oakheart alliance (how the three Houses meet each other and how they offer their alliance to the Ironborn King)
It was something I wanted to show in this part already, but couldn't quite find a way to show it in a natural way, without it feeling forced. Harren is obviouly aware of the alliance in hi favour and we will learn his full opinion and the way he is involved with them in Book 2!
3/7,we already are at almost half the interlude!
RT:
* This Harren PoV was surprisingly different of what I expect (in a good way)
… more* Read a part with the eyes of Harren the Black was really entertaining;I really enjoy his interaction with his son and his old friend and,despite the fact that he decide to be a tyrant according to his father mistakes doesn't make his action less unforgivable, I like that he is not just a bidimensional evil ruler
* I like that you show Harlan rehabilitation (I remember that he was injured during the failed assasination) and his interaction with his father was a good read
* The new characters of this part are Harren old friend,his son and ..a Salt wife?Well,I found each one of them really interesting in different ways (and I suspect a connection between one of this three characters and another one introduced ages ago)
* Oh well,it was nice to know that not only Torvin girlfriend is 100% dead but she ev… [view original content]
Well, this shows a side of Harren we didn't know, sure, he's the same tyrant we all know, and he do shows some care for his sons, as twisted as it is, but knows exactly why people should fear him.
Yeah, I wanted to show this different side of him, to show him in situations where he is not a cruel tyrant for once, but a father (as twisted as his definition of fatherly love is), a friend (and quite a genuine one at that) and a ruler who has quite an argument when it comes to his approach at governing the Riverlands, who have, for thousands of years, been notoriously impossible to stay united for a long time. His approach, ruling through fear, might be despicable, but makes a certain amount of sense, when seeing how his father failed at ruling through kindness and how the Riverlands are known for always breaking into fights between each other when not governed by a strong hand.
Harmund has the same foresight as Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton.
And the latter shares even quite a number of similarities with him. Harmund is a sadist and a sociopath, of a very low-functional kind. While he is capable of hiding his dark nature at times and has a certain cruel intelligence, he is unable to permanently rule over himself in the way his father is. And just like Ramsay and Joffrey, he is single-handedly responsible for a lot of opposition Harren has to face from his subjects.
Seems like King Halleck actually tried to follow the path his ancestors, the first three Harmunds, did, and failed. We all know were this is going.
It is true, Halleck has surely been inspired by the example set by his ancestors. Unlike the three Harmunds however, his approach was not quite as radical. He respected Ironborn tradition and allowed and enforced them when it comes to any other kingdom in Westeros, he was also a fierce raider in his youth. However, he treated his Riverlander subjects with the same respect and followed their customs as well. In his mind, this would be an ideal way to combine the two drastically different sides of the kingdom, to become a king for the Ironborn and the Riverlanders. In truth, it only led to him failing, with both factions seeing his support of the other side in a highly negative light. Ironically, the approach of the mentioned Harmund's would have likely been more successful, given that he, unlike his ancestors, actually ruled over a large portion of people who were familiar and receptive of the customs they had tried to establish. He was too indecisive and as a result, is regarded as a very weak king. There is a reason why Harwyn Hoare and Harren himself are remembered centuries later, but Halleck is talked about way less.
While we don't know Harrigon's side of the story, the fact that he wasn't present when his father died makes me wonder how much he wanted to escape his family's shadow.
Yes, Harrigon truly tried to distance himself from his family. It also explains Harren's grudge against the Night's Watch and his refusal to send recruits from his own prisoners, whom he has rather executed than allowing them to support his brother. Being the current Lord Commander, Harrigon will appear when the narrative moves to the wall and I hope to show his side of the story in time.
Well, this shows a side of Harren we didn't know, sure, he's the same tyrant we all know, and he do shows some care for his sons, as twisted… more as it is, but knows exactly why people should fear him.
Harmund has the same foresight as Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton.
Seems like King Halleck actually tried to follow the path his ancestors, the first three Harmunds, did, and failed. We all know were this is going.
While we don't know Harrigon's side of the story, the fact that he wasn't present when his father died makes me wonder how much he wanted to escape his family's shadow.
Very interesting. The part wasn't as well, violent and stuff as I expected, but it was still nice. It's been a while since we visited Harrenhal.
Earlier this day, he had found Breaker's bitch in one of Harmund's rooms. Disgust at his firstborn's actions was the wrong word, yet Harren felt unusually agitated at the thought. At least he himself made such things quick, unless they happened in public. And that has been his order, to cut her throat after her traitor lover left for Raylansfair. He had thought her dead for a month, but Harmund... Harmund had done things his own way. Disrespecting his orders like that, it made the king livid with anger just thinking about it. Of course, any help for the girl came too late. Only thing he could do was to put her out of her misery and that's what he did. Another dead body, another argument against Harmund, King Hoare.
Well, that's...disturbing. Poor bastard, it would be awful if he heard about it.
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan p… moreut too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started … [view original content]
Another interesting interlude, for sure This one felt a bit different, for obvious reasons, but it was still just as enjoyable. And I have to also say that having Harren interact with an old friend, as well as with Harmund (who is one of the few characters that are even bigger jerks than Harren himself) made him feel a tiny bit more relatable So, good decision there. The Hoare family in general is very fascinating, so it was nice to get Harren's perspective to all of this. Still, he is the one ruler in Westeros I won't feel bad at all for when shit inevitably hits the fan, so to speak
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan p… moreut too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started … [view original content]
Very interesting. The part wasn't as well, violent and stuff as I expected, but it was still nice. It's been a while since we visited Harrenhal.
Over a year, to be precise. One and a half even, I think. In any way, it's been too long. Harrenhal will play a major role in every chapter to follow (aside from maybe Chapter 4, the way it is planned right now) and I hope to have done a good way of reintroducing it after such a long time. And well, as violent as things can and will be, I also wanted to show that there can also be different tales told there. Of course, being a Harren PoV, how much different this has been remains up to debate.
Well, that's...disturbing. Poor bastard, it would be awful if he heard about it.
It would have been horrifying to him. In this one way, it is a good thing Torvin died before ever hearing it. And well, given that even Harren was troubled by this find, it gives you sort of an idea just how bad Harmund truly is. I guess it is a good way the assassination failed, because King Harmund would be as volatile and destructive to everyone around him as he would be to himself.
Very interesting. The part wasn't as well, violent and stuff as I expected, but it was still nice. It's been a while since we visited Harren… morehal.
Earlier this day, he had found Breaker's bitch in one of Harmund's rooms. Disgust at his firstborn's actions was the wrong word, yet Harren felt unusually agitated at the thought. At least he himself made such things quick, unless they happened in public. And that has been his order, to cut her throat after her traitor lover left for Raylansfair. He had thought her dead for a month, but Harmund... Harmund had done things his own way. Disrespecting his orders like that, it made the king livid with anger just thinking about it. Of course, any help for the girl came too late. Only thing he could do was to put her out of her misery and that's what he did. Another dead body, another argument against Harmund, King Hoare.
Well, that's...disturbing. Poor bastard, it would be awful if he heard about it.
And I have to also say that having Harren interact with an old friend, as well as with Harmund (who is one of the few characters that are even bigger jerks than Harren himself) made him feel a tiny bit more relatable So, good decision there.
Hehe, this is what I have thought of. I wanted to show Harren in a different light, showing depth to him without breaking with his previous tyrant persona, the one he will be remembered for, or outright trying to redeem him. However, as much of a cruel despot he is, he is still human and as such, he has moments in which he can be relatable. He has genuine friends, who have a reason to be friends with him, meaning he can get along with people. In a way, he does hold some fondness for his sons, or in Harmund's case, at least a sense of familiar bonds. While those traits are not enough to be called redeeming in any sense of the word, they are meant to somewhat humanize the man that previously seemed a mere monster. The man Harren Hoare is probably going to be of greater importance to Book 2 than the King Harren has ever been in Book 1. Don't expect him to become super likable anytime soon though. Or, well, ever, because as said, his cruelty and sadism is as much a part of his character as his genuine respect for strength, his weirdly progressive believe in equality, and his true friendship to Haragard Murphey.
And well, after realizing that this would be my goal for the Interlude, I struggled a bit, because I thought that the scene with Haragard alone, or in a certain way his slightly approving thoughts about Harlan would be far from enough to achieve it. Then, I realized I'm having an actual wizard at my disposal. After all, Harmund is so horrible, he magically makes just about every other character in the Harrenhal storyline look like a saint next to him
The Hoare family in general is very fascinating, so it was nice to get Harren's perspective to all of this. Still, he is the one ruler in Westeros I won't feel bad at all for when shit inevitably hits the fan, so to speak
I absolutely love writing the Hoare family! After the long break, I cannot wait to get back to them and to flesh them all out a bit more in Book 2. As such, Harren's perspective to this was the part of the Interlude I was looking forward for the most. I was actually surprised I found just about the same amount of enthusiasm for writing Mern's and Sharra's parts But yeah, Harren is clearly underestimating Aegon, the 'lord of worms', a grievous error he will likely realize in time, so shit is definitely about to hit the fan.
Another interesting interlude, for sure This one felt a bit different, for obvious reasons, but it was still just as enjoyable. And I have … moreto also say that having Harren interact with an old friend, as well as with Harmund (who is one of the few characters that are even bigger jerks than Harren himself) made him feel a tiny bit more relatable So, good decision there. The Hoare family in general is very fascinating, so it was nice to get Harren's perspective to all of this. Still, he is the one ruler in Westeros I won't feel bad at all for when shit inevitably hits the fan, so to speak
Wow! That was yet another great Interlude! I love how you built upon Harren's monster persona and added some more relatable qualities to him. Harren the Ironborn Family Man, Harren and Haragard's bro-ship, Harren the struggling single father, and Harren the Worm Crusher. Glad that Harlan is still kicking, or well, wobbling. I still really wish that we went after Anturion in that assassination. Straight up merc that pirate. Alas, poor Harlan got the brunt of the assualt. Didn't Harren get a really nasty facial scar during the assassination?
I liked the new characters introduced this interlude. I love the bromance between Haragard and Harren. I wonder if the ill ol Raider feels a miracle before he kicks the bucket. And his strapping young son! I wonder if we'll see him partaking in this upcoming war. And this Darla and her mysterious background. Can't wait to see what's going on in Harrenhal in Book 2.
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan p… moreut too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started … [view original content]
Comments
Wasn't it six kingdoms back then? Since the Hoares control both the Iron Isles and the Riverlands.
II & Riverlands, the Rock, the Reach, Dorne, the North, the Vale, the Stormlands
What Wildling said is correct. It is seven kingdoms as he described. Those that use the term six kingdoms usually exclude Dorne. That said, the term seven kingdoms is incredibly misleading, as this only applies to the state of Westeros at the very moment, before the War of Conquest. At the time of the books and show, Westeros is actually divided into nine regions, as the currently existing Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers has been split up into Iron Islands and Riverlands, whereas the area around Blackwater Bay, where Aegon made his landing, is established as the Crownlands, those directly sworn to House Targaryen/House Baratheon of King's Landing. I guess the term just stuck because it had been seven kingdoms for hundreds of years, at least since the petty kingdoms of Dorne were united by Nymeria Martell around 700 years before the conquest.
Aye, this was a nice occasion for me. The other kings are likely going to be similarly fun (and having already started to write the Sharra Arryn Interlude, I can say I'm having a blast
), but Mern was probably the one that had been mentioned and built up for the longest time. I guess this was the best way to finally show you the man himself, after these rather conflicting mentions you received in the past.
And this was another thing I really wanted to show. Mern's Interlude was set first, because it ties so heavily into the Raylansfair storyline, whereas the other rulers are shown at a rather random order. This right here set the foundation for the Raylansfair storyline of Book 2 and possibly even Book 3.
Our dear Lord Oakheart, introduced at last. He is the most powerful of the trio, as this part has shown, the guy with the direct connection to the king himself. His own reasons for betraying Mern will be shown in the future. Like Petyr and Mullendore, he has a very distinct personality, bringing his own aspects to the conspiracy.
It is Garlan, not Garen
While these two are going to be the most prominent members of Mern's family, there are others. House Gardener is a very large one. Mern himself has three sons, with Edmund being the eldest, two of them have grown grandsons and then there are several nephews from his younger brother, who passed away a couple of years ago. All in all, I'd say there are over a dozen male Gardener's, making them the largest of the Great Houses of Westeros, not counting the Lannister's with the Lannisport cadet branch (which outnumbers the ruling Casterly Rock part of the family by far). I hope to show more of them in time, even if not all of them will be distinct characters with unique roles.
Aye, I can confirm that there are at least two more Mullendore's going to be introduced. Cregan being one of them. He has sons of his own, but I don't yet know if I will show these. The other confirmed Mullendore, or sort of Mullendore, to be introduced in the future is Yoreen Flowers, the occasionally-mentioned bastard son of Maron, the only one whom he cared about enough to even acknowledge him.
Quite some of these rumours are seen as nothing but that, rumours. In turn, they don't travel much farther than Oldtown, where Mullendore' reputation is ruined for sure. The thing is, Lord Hightower is quite fond of Maron. He did an effective job as the commander of the city guard and even more important, his father has been a childhood friend of Hightower, which makes Maron almost a member of the family in his eyes. Even if he has heard of these rumours, which is not guaranteed given how out-of-touch he is with his city, he likely refuses to believe them. Quent meanwhile, he has heard about them, but he has not informed the king about them. Wether this means that he does not believe them, or has his own agenda in the matter, this is actually going to be a plot point in Book 2
Back at Highgarden. He has left Raylansfair shortly after the trial by combat, together with his own knights and Argella. Together, they travelled to Highgarden, where he informed Mern of the events that happened. Mern himself then decided to travel to Raylanfair, leaving his trusty steward back at home. His general policy is that either he or Harlen Tyrell are always at Highgarden, to make sure that those seeking an audience with the king can either directly speak to him or to his most trusted advisor.
Indeed, Argella has made her way back home, though by the time of the Argilac Interlude, she hasn't arrived yet. It is a long road after all. Meanwhile, Aegon has gained House Stokeworth and their men, after Visenya intimidated them into submission. This gives Aegon a couple hundred additional fighters, even if House Stokeworth is far from a big and important house. By now, their presence has definitely been noted in Westeros and their enemies will make their moves.
Long may he reign? But yes, with this part it is official, the Lord of Raylansfair is Petyr Vyrwel, of the newfounded House Vyrwel of Raylansfair. The previous House Vyrwel of Darkdell is now a cadet branch, ruled over by Petyr's younger brother Otho, so that Petyr can fully focus on rebuilding the theoretically vastly more powerful Raylansfair.
Hehe, they indeed have a bit of a problem there. Kasyn is a factor none of them saw coming and with that, Mern put a serious strain onto their big plans, probably without fully realizing it. Dealing with him might prove a problem and surely, finding out how they can either get rid of him or win them over for their side is going to be important for their next steps. The main problem about him is, he's new at court, having only recently earned Mern's favour, so not even the usually well-connected Lord Oakheart knows all that much about him.
Glad to hear it! I hope the others won't disappoint either. I hope to give each of them their own distinct feel, showing sides of the rulers that I might not fully be able to show in the proper chapters, on account of them only receiving this single PoV.
Aside from a king showing up things seem to be carrying on as normal, though this garrison may be a problem for Petyr and Mullendore.
I'm wondering, how exactly does Petyr feel about Lucas' death? Of course Lucas signed the confession and died, just as he intended but they were close once upon a time. While regret is a stretch, does he feel any negative feelings about how things turned out?
I'd say Petyr feels no joy over Lucas' death. They have indeed been close once and while Petyr had no problems using him as a scapegoat, he would have heavily preferred to avoid Lucas' death and is far from happy about it. In fact, he would have preferred anyone else in Lucas' position and feels pity on his half-brother for stumbling into this situation. He is likely also not happy at all about the way Maron handled the situation in Oldtown, as there might have been a more elegant and less bloody solution to all this if not for Mullendore's murder of Lunett and torture of Lucas. Outright regret is indeed a stretch, but Petyr's feelings on Lucas' death are still almost exclusively negative. There is no triumph, as in Mullendore's case, at best he is content that their plans can now proceed without the danger of being exposed. In this particular decision, the two strongest aspects of Petyr's personality clash. The family man Petyr, while not being all that close to Lucas anymore, respected and appreciated his half-brother to the very end. The ruthless schemer Petyr however, he knew that Lucas had to go, but that was a pragmatic decision made out of strict necessity, without any maliciousness or grudges involved.
And how does he explain this turn of events to his daughter?
This is very much a problem for him. Edith had been very fond of her uncle, considering that he is a bastard like her, so accepting that he is gone will be a big problem for her. Likely, Petyr will downplay his own involvement in this, while mostly sticking to the official version, that Lucas died in a trial-by-combat, which is seen as prove of his actions. Edith is old enough to understand the general nature of these trials, but not yet old enough to see them as the huge injustice they almost always are. However, Petyr will merely explain to her that Lucas did bad things and that there was no other way for him but to be punished for his actions, without going into detail what exactly Lucas did. Once she grows older, he plans on telling her more, but of course he will continue to hide the full truth from her, that he and Maron fabricated these claims. This is something he knows he can never tell her without risking her love for him.
And what of the rest of Lucas' family? Have they heard? Do they know the truth or just the official story?
By now, Petyr has sent Lucas' body, together with the official explanation, back to Darkdell. In what way his family members know the truth behind this cannot be fully revealed at this point, but they know Lucas and Petyr better than any other. This means, they will at the very least suspect that there is more to this. Neither of them is stupid, so they know that Lucas is a man of honour, whereas Petyr is a schemer, although the full extent of this situation might not be entirely clear to each of them. I have plans to show more members of House Vyrwel in Book 2, at least one of Petyr's and Lucas' siblings and I also want to show their reaction and feelings on Lucas' death, so that should give you a more definite answer
The situation is complicated when it comes to them, given that this is about their brother and half-brother, so it is likely that each of the three Vyrwel siblings has their own thoughts on the matter.
Okay. Thanks for the explanation! I was curious because I really enjoy Petyr's character and find him super interesting.
Always happy to explain! I'm glad to hear that you are so interested in Petyr's character. He's one where I am very pleased with the different reaction he causes, with some hating him, some considering him to be very interesting and some possibly even liking him a bit. Surely he is a complex character, less of a clear villain when compared to his partner-in-crime and I hope to further flesh him out in Book 2
I can't believe I never found out about this. This entire time I've never bothered to actually count the regions in Westeros. I feel like my entire life has been a lie XD
Oh man, this was epic! I love the sort of theatre performed by the Gardener Knights as they arrived, paving the way for Mern. Also, I sort of wonder how Raylansfair see Mern riding in now. Are they happy to see him or more frustrated that he was so late.
I'm getting the feeling that Devrin is the true puppet master between these three.
Ooooo!!! Kasyn!!!! ;D. Love the glance, I can't wait to see how he interacts with everyone in Raylansfair! Great part as always Liquid!
Aye, Mern knows how to make an entrance. Out of all the kings in Westeros, he is the one the most classicaly chivalrous, so he puts a great deal on elegant appearances. The people of Raylansfair, they have certainly been flashed by this. Perhaps some do hold disappointment over him ignoring their concern for so long, but mostly, they just know, he is their king, he is in Raylansfair now and they are happy about it. They don't expect much of him in the same way we would expect something from leaders in our society. Instead, they have expectations for their lord and these lords in turn are the ones to form full opinions on their king. As for Petyr and Maron, they could surely live without having the king around
He is at least the one in the best position of the three. Being a trusted advisor to the king, he is the only one whom Mern does not mistrust in some capacity, so he is far more powerful than Petyr and Maron in this conspiracy. He has his own agenda, like each of them has, and we will learn a lot more about him in the coming book.
Ah, glad to hear it! As promised, Kasyn is here at last. Unfortunately, I have not managed to include him in the chapter 9 finale, but well, two parts later is not too bad, I think. He's going to be quite prominent in the next chapter, having a few nice scenes with PoV characters, so hopefully you will enjoy my writing of him as much as you did in Jax' case
Forum of Thrones – Interlude II
Seven Letters – The Fledgling and his Mother
Sharra
The Queen Regent looked up from the letter in her hands, at the baffled faces of her council. She herself was not sure if she should be amused by this audacious claim, or concerned. Baffled probably described it best, as her blue eyes wandered down to the short piece of parchment again.
“Those who bend the knee will keep their lands and titles, serving as my vassals from now on”, she read. “Those that refuse, I will destroy” A bemused smile found its way onto her face, though she was the only one sporting such an expression in the entire room. “Signed, Aegon of House Targaryen, First of His Name, King of All Westeros and Shield of His People”
As Sharra looked at her council again, she once again sighed at its sorry state. That's what happened when men had nothing better to do than to die in some pointless war. It was up to those left behind to lead, widows and orphans. It had been a mere year since her husband died and in moments like this, she missed him the most. Alester Arryn, the Falcon King, he would know how to react here. Sharra herself, she had to admit that she was just getting the hang of it.
To her right sat her cousin-in-law, Alester's first cousin. In this room, none understood the Queen Regent as much as Helen Arryn. A widow herself, her husband, Jasper of House Egen, was murdered by the same Mountain Men that killed the king only months before. Now she was an Arryn again, her son the third in line to inherit, after Sharra's boys. A decade younger than her, Helen stood out in the room for her height and her pale, silvery hair, a trait neither her late brother, nor her son shared with her.
Most of the other attendees were women as well, considering that King Alester lost most of his trusted council as well during his ill-fated war against the Mountain Men. Sharra still felt a sting in her heart, thinking about her tears, how she pleaded him not to go, not to leave her and the children. He had kissed her, for the last time, calling her his flower of the mountain, before leaving, never to return. He left her only grief, a broken kingdom and a son too young, too innocent to rule for himself.
Both, Sharra and Helen had their handmaidens with them. In Sharra's case, it was Myranda of House Moore. Prim and demure, Myranda was pretty, yet easy to overlook, unable to shine next to her queen or Lady Helen, with her long, black hair tied into a proper braid. Unlike Sharra, who had started to wear white and blue again after a period of mourning, she still wore black. And there was a troubled expression on her face, something that grew beyond concern and came close to actual, open fear.
In contrast, Helen's lady-in-waiting was a more exotic sight. There was something about Rhonda Upcliff that caused uneasiness in Sharra. If she'd be even a slight bit superstitious, she'd buy into the rumours, mostly spread my Myranda, about the dark rituals the young woman conducted in her chambers, how she seduced men with dark magic, a true witch of the aptly named Witch Isle.
Yet Sharra was not a young, naïve girl anymore. She knew Rhonda was no witch, yet it didn't make her any more trustworthy. A cold beauty, her pale skin contrasting with her pitch black hair and the piercing blue eyes, a petite body clad in black and green. And cold, that's the first word that went through Sharra's mind whenever she thought of Rhonda. Cold, quiet and always observant. Not a very trustworthy combination of traits.
“So...”, she said, smiling at her council. “Any thoughts?” The first to speak up was the only man in the room. Ryman Redfort, captain of the guard and only member of Alester's inner council to return alive from the Mountains of the Moon. He was a tall man, the tallest person in the room, with short, black hair and an even, clean-shaven face, with a pair of blue eyes, cold, but in a different way than the unsettling harshness Sharra spotted in Rhonda's eyes. Though his armour was red, as the sigil of the house he belonged to, Ryman wore a cloak of white and blue, to show his status and allegiance.
“It is preposterous”, he growled. “The Vale cannot be conquered. No army can cross the mountains, especially not the tiny force this... pretender” Sharra gave him a nod, while the woman next to him only raised an eyebrow. Eudoxia Tournebulle, the final attendee of this meeting, was an exceptional woman. It was certainly not her look that were outstanding. Her hair, as red as Sharra's, was tied into a bun at the moment, her face plain, her skin surprisingly fair for someone who spent much time outside the cool walls of the Eyrie. No, what made her so special, as well as invaluable to Sharra was her position as the one responsible for gathering intel on their enemies of both, inner and outer nature.
“Maybe he doesn't have to cross the mountains”, she brought up. “It's true, he cannot hope for a victory on the field. But we are not as safe as you might think, Ser” She gave Ryman a long look, until the captain sighed, nodding in return. With a calm look on her face, Eudoxia continued. “His army is small in numbers. So far, only a handful of houses have declared for him and none of them is worth a mention on their own. In response, the lords Darklyn and Mooton are gathering their forces, possibly enough to beat him on land”
Now, a sharp look appeared in her brown eyes. She leant forwards, bending her wiry body slightly over the table, to point at the map at its centre. Her finger rested on Gulltown. “But what should concern us is the location of his fleet. What they lack in numbers on land, they make more than up for at sea. House Velaryon, Celtigar, Bar Emmon and Massey can gather an impressive number of warships”
“Ships...”, Sharra sighed. “I have told Alester time and again that we need a fleet. Now... how many do we have?” Eudoxia shrugged. “It depends on whom is going to support us. Gulltown can gather a few, but far less than what Targaryen could bring, if he were to attack us. The isles to the north hold most of our naval strength, technically at least”
This last part of her sentence caused Sharra to grow more concerned. “Technically?”, she asked, before she glanced at Rhonda Upcliff, noting that the woman's dark gaze was already resting on her's. She shivered slightly, though managed a smile. “Will Witch Isle support us in this time of need?”
Rhonda's lips twitched, not quite a smile, but something much more unsettling. “It depends”, she admitted, her voice smooth and surprisingly warm. “House Upcliff can gather half a dozen ships of note to defend Gulltown if needed. That said, we might have to deal with problems of our own, if I am not mistaken”
She looked towards Eudoxia and not for the first time, Sharra had the feeling that this young woman knew more than she was willing to share. Well, Eudoxia's whole position revolved around knowing more, but Rhonda? Sharra considered herself as having an open mind when it came to such things, but she preferred handmaidens such as Myranda, who at least kept no secret of note from their superiors.
Now, the spymaster sighed. “I am afraid this is one of the two things I wanted to bring up”, she admitted. “If the Targaryen army attacks us, they will strike at Gulltown. However, there might be a certain problem with the ships we can gather” Sharra raised an eyebrow. “How so?”, she asked.
“It's the Sisters”, Eudoxia revealed. “So far, we could still count on them, but it seems, they somehow learned of King Aegon's declaration of war” Her finger moved across the map, before resting on the Three Sisters, the northernmost lands belonging to House Arryn. Three islands, not particularly wealthy, but always with a concerning sense of independence. “I have reason to believe that they won't follow your call, should the Targaryen fleet approach Gulltown. Worse than that, they could use the chaos to renounce their oaths to your family”
Sharra frowned. Alester would know how to deal with this. Sharra herself knew, at least in less troubled times. The Sisters on their own would never dare not to obey. Too easily could they be crushed by the Arryn knights. But who knew what they would be willing to do when the very same knights were fighting a foreign invader. She trusted Eudoxia's judgement. And it filled her with anger. “Will they truly dare to rebel?”, she asked.
“If they do, we have to be prepared”, Rhonda replied. “They will launch attacks on our nothern coast. Witch Isle will be a target, at least if we send our fleet to defend Gulltown” Her gaze rested on Sharra and the Queen Regent nodded, if hesitantly. “Perhaps it won't come to a war”, she brought up.
It was a desperate move, yet worth a shot. Sharra knew of her beauty. For years, it had been all she needed. Red locks, pale skin, the hint of freckles and eyes of a piercing blue, paired with a grace that won Alester Arryn's heart. Long since, Sharra had outgrown such vanity. The death of her husband had proved this to her more than anything else. The people of the Vale, they did not need a pretty girl to fancy, they needed a ruler to lead them and until Ronnel would come of age, Sharra was the only one they had. The most beautiful woman in Westeros, that's what Alester once called her and the years had been kind to her. It might be worth a try, if it would mean that lives would be spared.
“Perhaps there is another way”, she explained. “A war is the last thing we want. If anything, we should focus on securing the loyalty of the Sisters, not on some Valyrian who wishes to restore their lost empire” The smile on her face was sweet, as she looked around her council. “Helen, inform the Maester. Send word to Dragonstone, an offer”
Her cousin-in-law looked up, curiosity in her eyes. “We can avoid a costly war for both sides. The Vale will fully support King Aegon. In return, I offer myself. It's been a year since Alester's death and if necessary, I am willing to marry once again. I am to become his wife and Ronnel his heir”, she explained. “Send a portrait with the letter”
Helen raised an eyebrow. “You are ten years his senior, my dear”, she spoke. “And he already has two wives” Sharra sighed. “I don't expect him to accept outright”, she admitted. “But what do we have to lose? Perhaps he will be more willing to find a solution without bloodshed. Let him know that we are open for any kind of negotiation. In turn, I wish to see how receptive he is when it comes to such a solution”
“It could be worth the try”, Ryman admitted. “You are a woman of considerable charms, my queen. If King Aegon accepts, the Vale keeps its full strength. We can become conquerors ourselves, falcon and dragon marching as one. Many would be tempted by the offer”
“Yet King Aegon is not like others”, Eudoxia disagreed. “To make matters worse, one of his sister-queens, Rhaenys, was pregnant not too long ago. She should have given birth by now” As Sharre raised an eyebrow, the other woman shrugged. “Boy or girl, I do not know”, she answered.
“The child will be weak and sickly”, Rhonda said ominously, something that sounded more like a prophecy than an assumption. “Perhaps the Dragon King will see the benefits of having an heir as healthy as King Ronnel” Behind her, Myranda took a sharp breath, though remained silent.
Sharra gulped, before she noticed something in Eudoxia's eyes. “There's more, isn't it?”, she asked and the spymaster nodded. “There always is”, she said glumly. “To make matters worse, I have been informed that Lord Royce has started to show some odd interest in the affairs of House Shett. His own spies are in Gulltown as we speak, though what for, I do not know”
“Royce and Shett...”, Sharra mumbled. “There's a lot of bad blood between them, but Orson struck me as above such petty quarrels. And right as Gulltown itself might be threatened by Aegon and the Targaryen fleet. A coincidence?” Eudoxia shook her head. “I will find out”, she promised. “But knowing Royce, nothing is a coincidence with him”
“Good”, Sharra said. “I want you to travel to Runestone. Offer your help to Lord Orson. Find out hat he plans. If it helps us, support him. If not, stop him” Eudoxia remained silent, a short salute was all the confirmation Sharra needed. “Now...”, she started.
Just in this moment, a knock on the door cut her off. A moment later, it was pushed open, revealing a young woman. Identical to Myranda in terms of facial features, Meredith Moore wore her hair far shorter, perhaps even too short for a lady of high birth, in Sharra's eyes at least. Yet somehow, it put more emphasis onto her features, gave her a beauty that shined brighter than her sister's. Wearing clothing befitting of a man, she was a far cry from the proper handmaiden her twin sister was, yet Sharra had full trust in her regardless. More importantly, she was to watch the children while Sharra conversed with her council, so her presence her was immediately alarming.
“My queen...”, she gasped and Sharra already rose from her seat. “What is it?”, she said impatiently and Meredith took a deep breath. “I'm afraid there is a... situation. The king and his brother...” She didn't need to say more. With a sigh, Sharra stepped away from the table. “I am afraid we have to postpone this meeting. I will be with you again once I have dealt with this”, she said, before she gave her cousin a nod. “Helen, I trust you with the reply for King Aegon”
She was already half through the hall, Myranda struggling to keep up with her, as she stopped. This was a new situation for her, all of it, yet she knew that something else had to be done as well. “Captain Ryman, I want you to send word to the lords of the Vale, just in case”, she ordered, as she briefly glanced at her loyal soldier. “If King Aegon refuses to talk things out, we must be ready. We need an army and a fleet”
“I will try to secure the latter”, Eudoxia offered. “Surely Lord Royce can be convinced to help. If we lack the time to build warships, we have to hire some, from the Free Cities, or the Stepstones” Sharra allowed herself the hint of a grateful smile, as she continued her way out of the room, accompanied by her handmaidens.
She had no illusions that this would be the great test of her reign. Sharra was not born to rule. A Corbray by birth, an Arryn by marriage, she had been a maiden, a wife, then a mother, for all her life and never had she thought to be anything more, never had she aspired. Alester had been the king, her dashing, reckless falcon, gone too soon. She knew him, loved him, missed him, and yet she was not sure if even he would know how to react properly in this situation. Nobody was taught how to act when a foreign king threatened with war, while a rebellion was about to break out on the northern isles and the most powerful lord of the Vale was plotting... something. Sharra knew, born ruler or not, she was the one that had to lead her people through the coming days, for the better or the worse. And yet, her duty was always to the king first, her little fledgling.
“What happened?”, she asked, walking next to Meredith, while Myranda marched behind them. Meredith sighed. “I have prepared a meal for the king and his brother, when I heard the commotion”, she explained. “I believe Prince Jonos started and by the time I had separated them, the king suffered a bruise. He's crying, the young prince is crying, it's terrible. I had to place a guard between them to keep them from each other's throats”
Sharra rolled her eyes. It was not the first time that her sons were fighting. Boys in a certain age were like this. Her brothers had been no different. Lyndon, Regis and worse than both, her half-brother Rodrik, as much as it pained to think of him. Yet Ronnel and Jonos were arguably even more concerning in the intensity of their rivalry.
The King of Mountain and Vale was sitting on the floor, tears streaming down his face. His hair, a shade of auburn, darker than Sharra's red, yet not quite his father's black, he looked at her out of large, tear-filled blue eyes. His pale skin showed a serious bruise. On the other side of the room, sulking and angry, Jonos. Though two years younger, he was taller than Ronnel, with dark hair and blue eyes, a boy that would grow up to be a spitting image of his father.
A guard stood between them, visibly uncomfortable with his task. He stood straight as Sharra and her handmaidens entered and she released him with a sign of her hand. A brief salute followed, as the man rushed out of the room. “Leave us”, Sharra said and the twins followed.
With a sigh, she approached Jonos first. “Jonos...”, she said, softly, yet with a certain sharpness behind. He sat on a chair and as she came closer, she saw what he held in his hand. A wooden toy, a falcon, one wing broken in half. “He broke it”, the prince complained.
“Have you hit your brother?”, Sharra asked sternly and Jonos gave her the glare of an angry child. “He broke it!”, he repeated, raising the wooden falcon. “Father gave it to me before he left us and now it's gone as well” He glared at his brother. “All because of him!”
Sharra knelt down next to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders. “We can fix it”, she promised. “But you mustn't hit Ronnel for this. He is your king and your brother. Be good to him and he will be good to you” She gave him a kiss onto the forehead and he clenched his fists around the broken toy. She saw a sadness in his gaze, and the anger of a child too young to truly understand why his father would never return. “Go to your room now”, she said softly. “I will come later and we fix your toy”
Nodding quickly, to hide his own tears, her younger son raised from his chair, approaching the door that led to his quarters. “He should be punished, not me”, he complained, already at the doorstep. “It's not fair!” With this, he entered his room. A troublesome boy he might be, but Sharra loved him nonetheless.
Finally, Ronnel. Her son, her king, looked up from the ground as she knelt down next to him. Unlike Jonos, he was crying freely. The way he looked, the way he acted, Sharra recognized so much of her younger self in him. Her heart broke for him, the boy king too young for his crown. Wordlessly, she pulled him into a hug, and he cried into her shoulder.
“I didn't want to do it...”, he sobbed. “It... just fell and then it was broken. I didn't want to” He looked up and Sharra moved a hand through his hair. “Father will be disappointed” His words sent a sting through her chest, as she shook her head, holding back tears of her own now. “Your father loves you”, she whispered and Ronnel narrowed his eyes. “Then why did he leave?”, he asked.
She had no answer to this. It was a question she had asked herself. Why? A king's duty was with his people, a husband's duty with his wife, a father's duty with his sons and yet, Alester had left them all. Sharra was not her husband. She knew her duties.
“I don't know”, she admitted. “But I will never leave you” She smiled at him, sweetly and full of love, as she held him in a tight embrace. The words she was going to say, they were more than a promise, more than mere duty. Sharra did not know what was going to happen in the dark times to come. Perhaps there would be war, perhaps she'd find a way to avoid it. The only thing she knew for sure was that she meant every word she said to him. His crown, his legacy, but more than anything else, his life, that was what truly mattered. The only thing in the whole world. Slowly, his tears stopped. “You are my little falcon”, she whispered. “And no matter what comes, I will keep you safe”
End of Interlude II – The Fledgling and his Mother
An interesting part. Got pretty sad at the end. Got a good "aww..." out of me.
Well, this was certainly an interesting part. First of all, I must say I really like Sharra's character, she seems very likable and relatable. However, I think the most important thing about this part is that it genuinely made me interested in your plans for the Vale in Book 2, which kinda surprised me! The political situation established here is really intriguing, and I have a feeling we'll have some very interesting storyline(s) in the Vale. Of course, Targaryen involvement makes it easier for anything to be interesting, but even ignoring that, this part really convinced me that there is potential for the Vale to give us something great!
Wow Liquid,you already write the second letter!
RT:
Just a small confusion in the relationship between Alester and Helen, is she the first cousin or sister of the late king?
Seems like Lord Orson has a talent for angering people, and considering both branches of House Shett are vassals of House Grafton, this could present a problem to assemble the Vale's fleet.
I didn't thought Queen Sharra was the sister of Lord Lyndon Corbray, which makes her half-sister of Rodrik Stone. Wonder how Lady Forlorn will return to Heart's Home.
Tragic the fate that will befall this two brothers.
Oh damn it, I noticed I indeed screwed up there a bit. While I continously mentioned Helen as Sharra's cousin-in-law, I also called her Alester's sister, which would make her Sharra's sister-in-law. As you know, she is Alester's cousin. I did not intend to change this. I guess what confused me is that Hubert, her son, is named as Ronnel's cousin on the Ice and Fire wiki, but technically, he still counts as a cousin even if he's the son of Alester's cousin. I will change this in a moment, thank you for telling me
Aye, he is a guy with many enemies. There is a bit of a history between House Royce and House Shett, despite their massive difference in power and if Orson takes an interest in them, this might indeed promise
It was a bit of a short decision. A lot of details here have been decided while writing, which is always something I enjoy doing when possible. In this case, I sought for a house located not too far from the Eyrie and in a mountainous region, to explain Sharra's nickname. It does make her the half-sister to Rodrik Stone, though after her marriage with Alester, the two never interacted again and even as children, they did not get along well. Rodrik murdering their father has made her very bitter towards him and it is likely that she will react positively to news of his death.
Ah, this is very much the intended reaction. Glad you got a feel out of it
Ah, I agree. After putting some thought into the rulers of Westeros and their personalities, I consider Sharra to be the one that is the most likable in the classic sense. She has her flaws, but it's mostly due to her being a very inexperienced ruler. It's nice to hear that I succeeded at making her this likable, it was very much intended.
And this is something I am even more glad about! The Vale is going to be a pretty important location in Book 2, receiving a number of new PoV's and some of the storylines that will happen there have already been mentioned. I know for a fact that some moments in the coming Vale storyline are going to be really big, something I myself have been a bit surprised by, given that it is never the most prominently featured region in Westeros ever. I hope I won't disappoint with this upcoming storyline
Another interesting point-of-view. To be honest, due to all the announcements I was a little distracted when I read this, but it's nice. I also liked Sharra Arryn.
Hey now.
I see hints of what the Three Sisters will end up doing and the Battle in the waters off Gulltown. That should be awesome.
I did
I originally have not intended to finish it this quickly, but as I mentioned before, I had a blast writing and since a very large amount of people already commented on the first letter, I had extra motivation to finish this second one so quickly.
Aye, at least part of it. The full letter is a bit longer and likely won't be read in full in any of the Interlude parts, but the missing pieces of it will be revealed very soon. It is a very brazen letter, given what he orders and many rulers will have a reaction that is more severe than Sharra's baffled amusement.
Happy to hear it
She indeed doesn't have it very easy, having trouble with all three of these roles and the current events in the Vale put her under huge personal pressure, something I really wanted to show from her own PoV.
Aye, as is expected from a court that has not been introduced at all so far. I believe the courts of Winterfell and Sunspear will be similarly filled with new and interesting characters. The problem here is that the Eyrie won't be seen in the next chapters. Two new PoV's will show this Shett/Royce situation, whereas the third Vale PoV (hint, hint), is not yet at the Vale. So, I hope these characters have left an impression, although they might appear even before the narrative switches back to the Eyrie in full.
Aye, Sharra and her family are going to be central for the Vale's struggles of course. I also think I will be able to show Helen's son, a certain Hubert Arryn, though in a smaller role than Ronnel and Jonos. His true role in the Westerosi history comes long after the Conquest.
Well, the Moore twins are more classical compared to the very unusual Lady Upcliff. I hope they make more of an impression next time they appear though
Rhonda meanwhile, she is an interesting character. She is probably not a witch, I mean, that would be unlikely, right? Whatever she is though, there is something just off about her and I enjoyed writing this streak and how unsettled even a relatively collected person such as Sharra is when around her.
Aye, and Eudoxia is even going to appear in the Royce/Shett conflict, given that she has been sent to Runestone by her queen in this part. We're going to see her in the next chapter again, though as you know, she has an agenda in the name of her queen while helping Lord Royce (or not helping him, depending on what he plans).
Darklyn and Mooton, yes, probably sooner than you think
The other members of House Upcliff, I do not know, though I would like to. And there is one Shett going to be submitted soon, a lady whom I affectionately call Lady MacShett from the things I have heard about her so far 
Maybe other Shett's will follow in time, but this one is definitely going to be introduced in the coming chapters. And yes, House insert random name is going to play a major role in Book 2, more than any other house!
The Vale is in quite some trouble there, as this part established. The Sisters have always been unruly and might break into open rebellion, in which case House Upcliff has to protect their lands, which would also mean a strained relationship between them and House Arryn. Meanwhile, Orson Royce is doing his merry scheming, though if in favour of against his kingdom remains to be seen. Some of these storylines will prominently feature in Book 2, though others have to wait until Book 3 to be resolved in full, I am afraid. I build up for the long run in some cases.
This is arguably her most important aspect. Sharra is a mother first, a ruler second and always will be. She never thought to ever have this responsibility, so she feels more comfortable when sticking to the role she has been prepared for her entire life. She loves both of her children, as problematic as they can be. And well, I indeed have thought about the titles for the parts quite a lot. Neither has been chosen at random, especially not this one and the next.
Oh yes, our good friend Harren will be back and for once, we're going to get a glimpse of his mind. I think Harren's Interlude is the one I am hyped for the most, because it will give me a great chance to flesh out this character in ways I barely could from the eyes of another. While I haven't started yet, I might actually even do it today. In any way, I aim for a release on Friday, meaning the Torrhen Stark Interlude can come out on Sunday and the whole Interlude will come to its conclusion by the end of next week. At that speed, I can start Book 2 before leaving for my vacation
Hah, I can understand that. I am a bit distracted as well now, not sure if I should feel happy about the one announcement everyone is happy about (not sure if I can name it out of the announcement thread already, but you know which one I mean) or really disappointed over the way Telltale treats its Thrones fans, not even considering them worth enough to give a tiny update. At this point, at least officially confirming that it is cancelled would be the decent thing to do. But eh, at least there's writing FoT to distract me from feeling too disappointed
Oh yes, big things have been hinted at here. The Three Sisters will be a location in the later story, but first, I gotta build up the Targaryen agenda in the southern Vale, at Gulltown. These are the main problems at the Vale right now, but more will follow and hopefully it will indeed be as awesome as it sounds
If it can be of help I like much more your story than the telltale one
I like the Sharra Character
Whoa, that's a lot of catching up! Sorry for missing the votes and other stuff. I wish I could be here when such important things happened but I'm glad I've read it sooner or later.
First of all, I want to congratulate you on finishing Book 1. You've truly come so far! I can't picture the amounts of effort and hard work you've put in Forum of Thrones. With full honesty, I proclaim your fanfic to be the best one on the whole forum. No other story kept me as hooked as yours did. At this point, I'm even more excited for further chapters of FOT than ASOIAF.
Secondly, I'll give you props for such a thrilling ending. The only thing I could say while reading was "WHOA!". Even though Lucas' death was inevitable in my opinion, it was still very bitter. But oh well - it's the Game of Thrones, nothing has a happy end here. Either way, my excitement has reached its top now. I really don't know how will I survive another book without exploding from emotions!!
Thirdly, I loved the interlude. It was a nice move to show the situation from a royal perspective. What I'm really missing in ASOIAF is the personality of the last kings before Aegon's Conquer - and Aegon himself. Meeting Targaryens was extremely satisfying! I hope we'll be able to look into their characters more throughout the story. The interlude sets a great start for the next book.
And finally, I wish you all the inspiration for writing Forum of Thrones. If you think about it, you've actually written a whole book! It's a very impressive achievement. There's still a lot to do but I have strong faith in you and your work. By its end, Forum of Thrones will certainly have become the greatest fanfiction of all time. Developing the wiki and publishing the books is very important for increasing the recognition of this masterpiece. I hope I'll be able to help you with it one day. Translation could be great - I'll try to start searching for a crew of ambitious translators who could help me with this big project. Nothing would bring me more happiness than supporting your art. I'm already extremely proud that my average TWD story inspired you in some way.
Well, that's it. Feels really weird. You know, as if the series are coming to an end... but it's just the beginning.
P.S. George Martin would make a smart move by borrowing some of your writing speed. This way we would've already had the Dreams of Spring
P.P.S
Aegon be like
Welcome back! I think you actually haven't missed all that much, safe for the chapter finale, epilogue and the first two Interlude parts, but it is great that you have caught up again
More? Whoa! This is such a wonderful thing to hear and it is comments like this that only strengthen my passion for writing this story, for you and for me. It has been a crazy ride and an honour to write Book 1 and I truly can only imagine how much deeper I will get into all of this for Book 2 and 3. Probably the one thing I am the most proud of is that despite the effort I put into this, I could still juggle a full-time job, which I kind of do with my university stuff. Maybe one day I can make writing my actual profession, but first, I will bring FoT to the end it deserves, which is still far away. And the fact that I even consider such a step is thanks to your support.
At least some things don't have a happy end and unfortunately, Lucas' story was one of them. Not all will end with death and defeat though, that'd be too depressing even for ASOIAF standards. Until some reach their comparably happy end, there will be tons of hardship though and quite a number of characters won't make it. Lucas' death now was inevitable, but if you had such a reaction at this point, just imagine it if I would have killed him off at the end of Book 2 or even Book 3, when you had several additional years to get to know him. I myself had a strong reaction to Lucas' death and I don't even want to begin thinking about how bad it will be for me to go through with some of my plans down the line
Others however have me smiling just thinking about them 
Royal perspective in general is missing in ASOIAF, but as far as I know, this lack is deliberate, to give us opinions on the kings based on their actions and not based on their inner thoughts. And it surely works. In FoT, I prefer a different approach, where I actually want to show you what the rulers of Westeros are like when seen from their own perspective. I hope this works as well. So, I am very happy you enjoyed the ones seen so far, as well as Aegon. These parts will be massively important for the next book and beyond.
Length-wise, it is actually a bit more than a book. I am not sure about the total number of pages, but it has to be somewhere between 1700 and 1800. A friend of mine very recently made me realize that these are pages in the A4 format though, whereas books are mostly printed in A5, with smaller pages. This means, the total number of pages if FoT would be an actual book would be somewhere closer to 2500, I believe. That means, I could comfortably split it into 4-5 full-length novels. It feels a bit weird, but certainly awesome, to think about it in that way
Now, publishing the story won't be possible of course, due to the copyright situation being even more murky than it is usual with fanfiction. In case of FoT, it is based on GRRM's work and on top of that, 95% of the characters are created by readers. That being said, I am thinking about sharing it somewhere online. Of course, there is the wiki and the very soon-to-be finished Tv Tropes page, but I was also thinking about fanfiction.net, though I am still a bit hesitant as to how to share those parts that are already written and voted for. If you wish to make it more known, for example through translations, well, you certainly have my full blessing for that! More than that, I am humbled you even consider such a step. Your story has been a great inspiration to me, that is for sure and it is unlikely I ever would have started if not for the encouragement it has given me.
It is indeed just the beginning. Book 2 and 3 are both going to be longer than Book 1 in terms of sheer parts, though not by much I believe, meaning there are years to come. As much as I'd love to get to the really powerful stuff right away, I think this is for the best, as it gives me a lot of time to prepare for these moments I wish to leave a true impact. But yes, the best is yet to come
Trust me, if it means getting the next two books during our lifetime, I would gladly borrow all of my speed to him
At the same time, this would mean I won't be able to finish FoT anytime in the next decade, so perhaps I should be careful with such offerings 
Forum of Thrones: Interlude III
Seven Letters – Black of Heart
Harren
One step. Another one. Then, a pained expression, as Harlan put too much weight onto his wounded leg. With a groan, he fell onto the stone floor, face first, just barely avoiding smashing his nose. He remained lying there, sighing with frustration.
Just a few feet away from his son, Harren shook his head. “Disappointing”, he growled. “You moan like a Greenlander cunt getting it from the backside. You're a Hoare, so act the part! Now up on your feet!” Harlan frowned, though he reached for his crutches once more. And by now, he was at least able to pull himself back up again. “I'm s-sorry”, he stuttered. “I will try! I can do it. I made progress already”
That was true, Harren had to admit it, but even then, he had expected more. Perhaps it was his mistake, for expecting anything of Harlan. At this point, after how the boy had been fooled by Breaker, he started to consider even Harndon more worthy than his halfwit secondborn. And yet, he tried, undeniably. Maybe he'd get back to where he was, in time.
“Then stop talking and fucking show me!”, Harren barked. “Get up. Walk into my direction” Harlan had struggled by now, leaning onto his crutches, as he began limping towards his father. Harren started at him, with black eyes, devoid of warmth. There was one thing he was proud of when it came to Harlan. The boy had grown up without being spoiled. Though not a warrior, like Harmund, or a scholar, like Harrick, he had survived a wound that would have killed most other men. There was some iron in him after all.
And he did. One step. Another one. Yet another one. A fourth. And then he stood in front of his father, a wide smile on his face. “I did it!”, he exclaimed and Harren patted him on the back, once. “I fucking did it!” As a giggle came out of the young man's throat, Harren was quick to curb his enthusiasm. “You've done shit”, he reminded him. “Crossing a room at the fifth try, you expect a reward for that?”
Harlan's proud smile faded. “No, I...”, Harren gave him a nod. “Exactly”, he growled. “It's a beginning, but not more. Continue to practice. I'll check up on you later, first I'll see how Murph is doing” He turned around, as Harlan stood straight, at least as much as he could with the injuries he suffered from Breaker's failed attempt on their lives. “Yes, father”, he said and Harren shot him a dark glare. The young prince gulped. “S-Ser”, he stuttered. “Your grace” Satisfied, Harren turned away from him again and left the room, without another word. He had done his part, now it was up to Harlan to prove his worth, as little as he might have.
As the King of the Isles and Rivers marched down the dark hallway, he felt strangely hollow. Earlier this day, he had found Breaker's bitch in one of Harmund's rooms. Disgust at his firstborn's actions was the wrong word, yet Harren felt unusually agitated at the thought. At least he himself made such things quick, unless they happened in public. And that has been his order, to cut her throat after her traitor lover left for Raylansfair. He had thought her dead for a month, but Harmund... Harmund had done things his own way. Disrespecting his orders like that, it made the king livid with anger just thinking about it. Of course, any help for the girl came too late. Only thing he could do was to put her out of her misery and that's what he did. Another dead body, another argument against Harmund, King Hoare. The boy had every bit the potential to become a king worse than Harren's weak-willed father and the thought filled the old king with dread.
Harren took a deep breath as he stopped in front of the familiar door. Those were dark thoughts and he had enough of them. More would follow, dark and sorrowful. And without knocking, he entered. The room behind was small, yet well-lit. The air was stale, the stench of disease tainting it. And Harren noticed that his friend had visitors.
“Your grace!”, the young man exclaimed. In better days, Harden Murphey would have pleasantly reminded Harren of his father, the man he wanted to visit here. His hair was black, flowing down his back, just like the beard covering most of his lower face and upper chest. An intimidating figure, the young raider was a welcome sight on any longship, clad in black, almost a Hoare himself. And considering that his father was more a brother to him than Harrigon has even been, this was even partially true.
There was a woman as well, of the sort whose age he always struggled to determine. Vibrant red hair, not the hint of grey, yet slight wrinkles on her face. A firm, ample chest. Scared blue eyes. A salt wife? It would be a first for Harden and Haragard himself was in no shape to have a woman at the time.
Finally, Haragard. The king sighed as he spotted his old friend, lying on the bed. Though he was only a few years older, the sickly man looked at least two decades Harren's senior. His hair was grey, thin and he was losing it rapidly. Once Harren's equal in stature, he was now a shrivelled shell of his former self. Thin, frail and bedridden, his eyes nearly a milky white, revealing his near-blindness.
“Harren”, he said and managed a weak smile, which Harren reciprocated, for once genuine. “Hello, old friend”, he replied, before he gave the man's son a nod. “Harden” Harden saluted in front of his king. “Your grace, we weren't expecting you”, he replied.
To this, Harren smirked. “Or else you would have hidden your new girl, huh?”, he chuckled, as he inspected the woman. A salt wife, no doubt. Appropriately fearful, yet her presence was odd nonetheless. Quickly, Harden shook his head. “Your grace, this is Darla. She's... my father's healer”
The king raised an eyebrow. “You found a new one?”, he said. “Is she any good?” On his bed, Haragard grinned weakly. “Harden told me she looks splendid”, he said. “Even if she cannot help me, the thought of her bosom keeps me warmer than any fur they can wrap me in”
Narrowing his eyes, Harren approached the woman. Up close, he saw that she was older than Harden, notably so, but definitely younger than him or Haragard. “Your name?”, he barked and she shivered. “Darla”, she answered. “Darla Vega”
“Darla Vega...”, Harren mumbled. “I see...” Without warning, he had grabbed her chin, the metal of the gauntlet digging into her flesh and only barely did she suppress a scream of fear. “If he dies under your care, you will share his fate, a ten times worse”, he whispered coldly. “But if you cure him, you will be rewarded. Do you have family?”
The woman gulped, before she gave him a nod. “A daughter”, she revealed and Harren let go of her. “Heal him and you shall return to her, a rich woman”, he offered. “Right now however, I wish some time with him. Leave us” She nodded quickly and like this, she rushed out of the door. Harren waited a moment, before he sent a glare towards Harden. “I said, leave us”, he repeated.
Harden hesitated only a moment, before he followed the order with a quick nod, leaving the two men alone. Haragard smiled. “You shouldn't be so hard on the woman”, he said. “She's doing her best, but I'm beyond a healer's work. What I need is a damn miracle”
Harren clenched his fist, a grim frown on his face. “Don't say this”, he spoke. “You've lived with this ailment for so long. You'll carry through this” Haragard's smile grew more joyful, though the look in his almost blind eyes showed Harren that he was in a state of concerning bliss, the sort his condition put him at times, when he drifted off, not fully conscious anymore.
“Will we sail again?”, he asked and Harren smiled, though he knew his friend was barely able to see it. “We will”, he promised. “To distant shores, raiding, reaving, a dozen women waiting for us in every port from Bear Island to Volantis” He knelt down, putting a hand onto Haragard's shoulder.
“I can see it”, Haragard gasped, his voice shaky and half-broken. “With fire and axe upon the Greenlanders. They look to the shores, see our sails and scream 'The Sons of Orkmont are coming'” He looked away, his gaze set at the ceiling and beyond. “The Sons of Orkmont are coming...”, he gasped, before his gaze cleared again, as a violent fit of coughs cut him off.
Harren reacted quickly, as Haragard's thin hand reached for the cup standing on the desk next to him. “Allow me”, he said, as he gently moved the cup to the sick man's lips. A look of relief formed on Haragard's face, as he drank the water. “Thank you”, he mumbled, though it was clear how much strength this coughing just cost him.
Averting his eyes from his deathly ill friend, Harren pushed himself up from the kneeling position. “You should rest for a bit”, he mumbled. “I will check up on you tomorrow” He patted Haragard's shoulder. “Don't die on me, brother”, he added warmly. Then, he left the room, leaving the half-conscious man to rest.
Harden and the healer stood in the hallway. Harren glared at both of them. “He is tired”, he replied. “Let him rest for a bit” Harden saluted in front of his king, after which Harren looked at the woman. Though as afraid of him as anyone would, she seemed to feel oddly comfortable in her position and he was not sure if he liked that or not. “I meant what I said”, he assured her. “His fate will decide yours”
“I will heal him”, Darla promised, to which the king sighed. Too many of his friends had died over the years. Haragard was perhaps the only one he had known for his entire life, the one man still left from his raiding days. Quietly, Harren gave her a nod. “You better do”, he replied, though he lacked the will to back up his statement with a threat. She knew what fate would await her if she failed him. Forty years on the throne had given Harren enough of a reputation, after all.
Without another word, he left Harden and Darla, as he walked down the hallway. Harmund wanted to speak to him and though he himself barely wanted to speak to Harmund, his son had sounded serious as he had sent word earlier. And in most cases, this meant that he had fucked up once again.
As Harren approached the royal quarters, he heard a familiar, bright laughter. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced around the corner to his right. As expected, Greyjoy stood there, leaning against a wall. She had been the one to laugh and even now, a sly smirk was seen on her face. What surprised him marginally more was that Harrick, standing in front of her, was smiling as well.
It was Kyra who noticed him first. Pulling herself together, she saluted firmly, the good soldier that she was. “Your grace!”, she said and Harrick winced as he spotted his father. Harren raised an eyebrow. “Captain Greyjoy”, he growled, before he looked at the other end of the hallway. Through the open door, he could see Harmund, sitting on a chair, drinking wine and glaring at them.
“He called for you earlier”, Harrick said. “Do you require my presence?” Harren shook his head. “I can deal with him on my own”, he assured him. “But I might need a word with you later on. When I call for you, I expect you to follow at once, have I made myself clear?”
Harrick stood straight as a reply. “Of course, father”, he said. Almost cautiously, he glanced at Kyra. “I believe you were saying...?” Kyra chuckled sweetly. “I was saying what a shame it is that your father expects you to remain attentive”, she said, her tone having gotten slightly mocking. “Perhaps another time, Prince” She gave Harren a nod. “Your grace”, she added, as she walked down the hallway, with Harrick staring after her.
A grin formed on Harren's face. “Another time, boy”, he chuckled. “You're welcome” And with this, he left him standing as well, approaching the far less pleasant company of his eldest son. His depraved son. The one even Harren felt concerned about, if mostly because Harmund could cast down any sort of legacy he'd leave behind. His mighty castle in ruins, his name forgotten, his line ended... Harren could not imagine a fate more cruel.
Harmund was not alone. Harren's embarrassment of a squire was there and the king frowned. Adrew Frey... there has never been a more useless creature in these halls. “More wine”, Harmund growled as Harren approached. The boy came closer to the table, but Harren raised a hand. “Give me the carafe”, he ordered sharply and Adrew followed the order at once.
Sniffing at the wine, Harren frowned. “You won't give us that piss”, he barked, loudly and with glee, he noticed how timid, how scared the boy was. Pushing the carafe into his direction, enough to make him tumble backwards, Harren pointed at the door. “Get the Arbor Red, now!”, he ordered. “You have ten minutes”
Never in his life had he seen a person running as quickly as Adrew Frey did in this very moment. Some much needed amusement to dispel Harren's dark thoughts. Finally, he looked at Harmund and his burst of a good mood was gone as quick as it came. “What have you done again, boy?”, he growled.
Harmund's smile was cold and cutting. “Why do you always assume that?”, he asked and Harren sighed. “I found the Pyke girl in your chambers. Breaker's bitch”, he revealed and Harmund's smile widened. “What's with her?”, he asked.
“I ordered her death a month ago!”, Harren growled in a low tone and to add to his anger, Harmund just shrugged. “So what?”, he asked. “She's dead now, isn't she?” Harren sighed. He wasn't a godly man, but if anything, he hoped the Drowned God would grant him more years. Harmund was anything but ready to be king.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?”, he asked, unwilling to discuss this any further. Harmund leant back on his chair, finishing the cup of wine he still held. “Why are you tolerating this?”, he snarled and the king raised an eyebrow. “You?”, he asked in return.
Harmund narrowed his eyes, his smile fading. “Greyjoy”, he snarled. “That bitch is a sight for sore eyes, I give her that, but the way she's acting... she's ordering us around!” Harren rolled his eyes. “That's her job”, he reminded him. “And she's bloody good at it”
“She's a woman”, Harmund said. “At best, she should hope to be someone's rock wife. The only thing she's good for is spreading her legs” To this, Harren grinned. “Not for you though”, he reminded him. “That's what's bothering you so much, huh?” In a serious tone, he continued. “She is better than you, in any aspect”
“Careful”, Harmund spat, but Harren ignored him. “She's the best for this post. When she was fifteen, she raided Bear Island”, he continued. “When you were fifteen, you did things to Donny, because it made you feel less of a failure. The only reason you're sitting here is because of me, because you are my son” Black of heart, he thought bitterly.
Harmund sighed. “The best, you say?”, he chuckled. “So, that is why you keep a squire as pathetic as Adrew, huh?” He shouldn't have said that. Harren clenched his fists as he glared at him. “I keep him to make a man out of him. Lousy he might be, but my squire will leave my service as a true warrior”, he explained. “And I keep him because he is the son of Bloody Brandon. Do I have to remind you what you did to that man's daughter?”
The dark smile returned to Harmund's face. “A lay as piss-poor as these lands. Why do you care for these people?”, he spat. “They are Greenlanders. Fishcunts and nothing more” Harren gave him a nod. “Lords of yellow mud”, he confirmed. “But together, they can overthrow an empire. Frey, he's going to be your enemy, he will hate you more than any man living for the rest of his days”
Once again, Harmund proved his short-sightedness by merely shrugging. “And why is that a bad thing?”, he asked. “It's not as if you try to be loved by them” Harren sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. “They will never love me”, he said. “Nor you. Not even Harrick and he's trying. One day, he has to realize that no matter what, they will never see him as anything but a conqueror. An invader, a tyrant”
“So you've decided to become one”, Harmund mocked him. “And now you're acting all high and mighty about this” The two men glared at each other, until Harren looked away first, a fact that caused rage to rise up in him. “I have seen what it achieves”, he explained. “Trying to win their love, the fucking ingrates. Your grandfather tried it. He travelled through these lands, visited their castles, listened to their concerns and treated them better than he treated true Ironborn”
Now, he shook his head. “I have travelled with him. And unlike him, I heard how they spoke when he wasn't listening”, he explained. “How they called him. Usurper, they said. Black-eyed monster. His own people resented him and the Riverlanders did the same. He died, alone and hated, with me being the only one by his side” Bitter anger in his eyes, he stared at his clenched fists. “My own brother rather guarded a wall of ice instead of spending some time with his dying father. That's what happens when you try to make them love you”
“So, what do you suggest?”, Harmund asked. “Share your wisdom with me, old man” Harren ignored the insult, as he spoke. “These lands cannot be ruled through love. They must fear you, or they will never obey”, he replied. “They must fear you more than anyone else, but there must always be someone whom they hate more than you”
Harmund shrugged. “I get the fear part right”, he said. “That is good enough” Feeling a sudden burst of rage at his impertinent son, Harren jumped up from his chair. “Careful, boy”, he growled. “I will not allow you to ruin Hardhand's legacy. Learn what that means, or I shall find someone who does”
To this, Harmund just chuckled. “You're the one that should be careful”, he said. “You need me in the war to come” This sentence was alarming to Harren, who glared at the younger man. “What have you done?”, he barked.
Slowly, Harmund pulled a piece of parchment from his coat. “Nothing”, he replied. “But someone did. Read” He handed him the parchment, a letter as Harren now saw. And he recognized the sigil, the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen.
“To Harren of House Hoare”, he began to read, loudly. “For too long, Westeros has suffered from being divided. For too long, petty kings have fought their wars, killing countless on the entire continent. My own people have bled at the hands of one of these petty kings. No longer...” He read, silently now, his hands clenched around the parchment.
As he lowered the letter again, he stared at Harmund, speechless at first. Then, a cruel smile formed on his face. He began to chuckle. “Is he... is he for real?”, he gasped. “He threatens us? This tiny lord of worms!” His chuckle grew into a full, dark laughter. “This bloody, stupid cunt! What power does he have?”
“Rosby and Stokeworth have declared for him”, Harmund said, now grinning as well. Harren's eyes widened. “Have they all lost their fucking minds?”, he barked. “Send word to the banners, from Harlaw to Maidenpool. A common enemy has entered our lands” A vicious look appeared on his face. “And let them know that Rosby and Stokeworth are traitors to the crown. Their lives are forfeit, every single last one of them”
“We are marching to war”, Harmund concluded. “And you will need a commander for the coming battles” Cautiously, Harren gave him a nod. “One chance”, he agreed. “Show this worm who owns these lands. We took them, with might and cunning. We hold them with chains of iron” He leant forwards, glaring at his son. “You want to be king one day? Then show me! Show me you can lead them, isles and rivers alike!”
The king's heart was beating heavily, as excitement rose in him. A war it would be, short, but much needed. A glorious slaughter. The Drowned God smiled at him today. And Harren the Black would spill a dragon's blood in his name.
End of Interlude III – Black of Heart
3/7,we already are at almost half the interlude!
RT:
Well, this shows a side of Harren we didn't know, sure, he's the same tyrant we all know, and he do shows some care for his sons, as twisted as it is, but knows exactly why people should fear him.
Harmund has the same foresight as Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton.
Seems like King Halleck actually tried to follow the path his ancestors, the first three Harmunds, did, and failed. We all know were this is going.
While we don't know Harrigon's side of the story, the fact that he wasn't present when his father died makes me wonder how much he wanted to escape his family's shadow.
At this speed, writing for Book 2 can begin by the end of next week! I'm really glad I manage to write these parts so quickly. Not requiring any votes makes it even easier for me to just write and publish them when they are done. In this case, I actively had to stop myself from finishing it yesterday, as I consider that a little bit too quickly, but technically, everyone should have gotten a chance to read by now.
Ah, mission accomplished, I'd say
I wanted to show something different with Harren here, sides and aspects to his character that give him more depth and that cannot be shown in the story proper all that well, so I am glad I managed to do something unexpected here.
Aye, it was a special occasion for me. Harren is the only ruler who is clearly a bad guy, so he is the first true villain PoV of the story. At the same time, he had something resembling a positive interaction with Harlan, for his standards at least, he showed genuine concern and care for Haragard and even gained a motive for his actions, yet at the same time, you are fully right, it doesn't make them any less unforgivable. I wanted to give him some depth, positive qualities even, without diminishing his cruelty in the slightest. He is a tyrant and it is unlikely he can be redeemed, but he is not a one-dimensional monster and can actually show some qualities that are better than what might be expected of him.
Indeed, Harlan was wounded by George during the assassination and if not for Anturion, he would have died. In this fight, his leg was really screwed up, which gives him trouble walking. It was also the first time Harren has shown something resembling care for his sons, as he was utterly furious when seeing Harlan being wounded.
Sort of a salt wife. Darla is a healer and Harden's captive, but her exact relationship with both men has puzzled even Harren, as Harden is, unusually for an Ironborn, not known for taking salt wives, whereas Haragard is way too weak to force himself upon a woman. And a connection, you say? Well, I tried to hint at one, without fully pointing it out, but there were some giveaways
Yeah, it felt kind of wrong to just never mention her again, after Tedyn hinted at her fate in Chapter 8 already. There was just no use for her anymore, so Harren ordered her execution the moment he had what he wanted. That said, he indeed ordered a quick execution, having no grudge against her, and he was disgusted at Harmund ignoring his order quite severely. By the time he found her, it was more a mercy kill than anything else.
Maybe. Kyra is involved with Damon's plans in some capacity, though she is still sworn to House Hoare at the same time. In which way her brief flirt with Harrick serves Damon's purpose remains to be seen, though her own PoV should make things a bit clearer on that end.
It is Ironborn logic, the most flawless of them all. Harren believes that strength comes through overcoming hardships. He respects strength and as a result, he treats Adrew pretty horrible, in the hopes that the boy hardens and becomes stronger. The same flawed mentality has, by the way, encouraged Harmund's more worrying traits.
Yes, he is a much greater problem. Unlike Harndon, Harmund actually is first in line to inherit and the more he thinks about it, the more Harren realizes that he could undo his legacy, the one thing that is the most important for him. He knows that Harmund's inability to rule over his sadistic urges will manage to unite the Riverlords in a way no man ever did before, but not under his banner, but against him. He already gained a powerful enemy in Brandon Frey, one of the most powerful Riverlords and a man Harren himself even respects. It is likely to assume that he will gain more, if he is not kept in check. Harndon meanwhile is mentally damaged, everyone knows that and nobody takes him seriously as a result. As such, Harndon is even the last in line to inherit, after Harrick, who is a year younger.
Quite heavily so. Harren sees a man with three thousand soldiers, whereas he has over a hundred thousand or more at full strength. His men have experience with battles, he has the strongest fleet in Westeros and is generally prone to underestimate any potential opponent. Of course, there are dragons, but like most men in Westeros, Harren does not fully believe in the danger they pose.
A chance he has yearned for quite some time. Harmund as the leader of the Ironborn army might be problematic, but for all his negative traits, he is not known to be a bad commander. He has experience, waging war with the Rock for quite some time, and as such, he is one of the most trusted commanders Harren has at his disposal. It remains to be seen if he lives up to the expecations.
It was something I wanted to show in this part already, but couldn't quite find a way to show it in a natural way, without it feeling forced. Harren is obviouly aware of the alliance in hi favour and we will learn his full opinion and the way he is involved with them in Book 2!
Yeah, I wanted to show this different side of him, to show him in situations where he is not a cruel tyrant for once, but a father (as twisted as his definition of fatherly love is), a friend (and quite a genuine one at that) and a ruler who has quite an argument when it comes to his approach at governing the Riverlands, who have, for thousands of years, been notoriously impossible to stay united for a long time. His approach, ruling through fear, might be despicable, but makes a certain amount of sense, when seeing how his father failed at ruling through kindness and how the Riverlands are known for always breaking into fights between each other when not governed by a strong hand.
And the latter shares even quite a number of similarities with him. Harmund is a sadist and a sociopath, of a very low-functional kind. While he is capable of hiding his dark nature at times and has a certain cruel intelligence, he is unable to permanently rule over himself in the way his father is. And just like Ramsay and Joffrey, he is single-handedly responsible for a lot of opposition Harren has to face from his subjects.
It is true, Halleck has surely been inspired by the example set by his ancestors. Unlike the three Harmunds however, his approach was not quite as radical. He respected Ironborn tradition and allowed and enforced them when it comes to any other kingdom in Westeros, he was also a fierce raider in his youth. However, he treated his Riverlander subjects with the same respect and followed their customs as well. In his mind, this would be an ideal way to combine the two drastically different sides of the kingdom, to become a king for the Ironborn and the Riverlanders. In truth, it only led to him failing, with both factions seeing his support of the other side in a highly negative light. Ironically, the approach of the mentioned Harmund's would have likely been more successful, given that he, unlike his ancestors, actually ruled over a large portion of people who were familiar and receptive of the customs they had tried to establish. He was too indecisive and as a result, is regarded as a very weak king. There is a reason why Harwyn Hoare and Harren himself are remembered centuries later, but Halleck is talked about way less.
Yes, Harrigon truly tried to distance himself from his family. It also explains Harren's grudge against the Night's Watch and his refusal to send recruits from his own prisoners, whom he has rather executed than allowing them to support his brother. Being the current Lord Commander, Harrigon will appear when the narrative moves to the wall and I hope to show his side of the story in time.
Very interesting. The part wasn't as well, violent and stuff as I expected, but it was still nice. It's been a while since we visited Harrenhal.
Well, that's...disturbing. Poor bastard, it would be awful if he heard about it.
Another interesting interlude, for sure
This one felt a bit different, for obvious reasons, but it was still just as enjoyable. And I have to also say that having Harren interact with an old friend, as well as with Harmund (who is one of the few characters that are even bigger jerks than Harren himself) made him feel a tiny bit more relatable 
So, good decision there. The Hoare family in general is very fascinating, so it was nice to get Harren's perspective to all of this. Still, he is the one ruler in Westeros I won't feel bad at all for when shit inevitably hits the fan, so to speak 
Over a year, to be precise. One and a half even, I think. In any way, it's been too long. Harrenhal will play a major role in every chapter to follow (aside from maybe Chapter 4, the way it is planned right now) and I hope to have done a good way of reintroducing it after such a long time. And well, as violent as things can and will be, I also wanted to show that there can also be different tales told there. Of course, being a Harren PoV, how much different this has been remains up to debate.
It would have been horrifying to him. In this one way, it is a good thing Torvin died before ever hearing it. And well, given that even Harren was troubled by this find, it gives you sort of an idea just how bad Harmund truly is. I guess it is a good way the assassination failed, because King Harmund would be as volatile and destructive to everyone around him as he would be to himself.
Hehe, this is what I have thought of. I wanted to show Harren in a different light, showing depth to him without breaking with his previous tyrant persona, the one he will be remembered for, or outright trying to redeem him. However, as much of a cruel despot he is, he is still human and as such, he has moments in which he can be relatable. He has genuine friends, who have a reason to be friends with him, meaning he can get along with people. In a way, he does hold some fondness for his sons, or in Harmund's case, at least a sense of familiar bonds. While those traits are not enough to be called redeeming in any sense of the word, they are meant to somewhat humanize the man that previously seemed a mere monster. The man Harren Hoare is probably going to be of greater importance to Book 2 than the King Harren has ever been in Book 1. Don't expect him to become super likable anytime soon though. Or, well, ever, because as said, his cruelty and sadism is as much a part of his character as his genuine respect for strength, his weirdly progressive believe in equality, and his true friendship to Haragard Murphey.
And well, after realizing that this would be my goal for the Interlude, I struggled a bit, because I thought that the scene with Haragard alone, or in a certain way his slightly approving thoughts about Harlan would be far from enough to achieve it. Then, I realized I'm having an actual wizard at my disposal. After all, Harmund is so horrible, he magically makes just about every other character in the Harrenhal storyline look like a saint next to him
I absolutely love writing the Hoare family! After the long break, I cannot wait to get back to them and to flesh them all out a bit more in Book 2. As such, Harren's perspective to this was the part of the Interlude I was looking forward for the most. I was actually surprised I found just about the same amount of enthusiasm for writing Mern's and Sharra's parts
But yeah, Harren is clearly underestimating Aegon, the 'lord of worms', a grievous error he will likely realize in time, so shit is definitely about to hit the fan.
Wow! That was yet another great Interlude! I love how you built upon Harren's monster persona and added some more relatable qualities to him. Harren the Ironborn Family Man, Harren and Haragard's bro-ship, Harren the struggling single father, and Harren the Worm Crusher. Glad that Harlan is still kicking, or well, wobbling. I still really wish that we went after Anturion in that assassination. Straight up merc that pirate. Alas, poor Harlan got the brunt of the assualt. Didn't Harren get a really nasty facial scar during the assassination?
I liked the new characters introduced this interlude. I love the bromance between Haragard and Harren. I wonder if the ill ol Raider feels a miracle before he kicks the bucket. And his strapping young son! I wonder if we'll see him partaking in this upcoming war. And this Darla and her mysterious background. Can't wait to see what's going on in Harrenhal in Book 2.