Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Maybe the Hightowers will finally get down from their tower and do something about their city. While I hardly believe it will be old Lord Manfred, his son Martyn could be the necessary influence to aid the city watch in improving the conditions.
Drinking and bar brawls in Oldtown, oh how low my bastard knight has sunken That said, I think his state is the reaction I'd expect from hi… morem after learning of Harpy's kidnapping. And I love the determination Jaron is showing here to find her. Then that ending, oh man, I should've seen this coming, but I totally did not, and now I'm so hyped!
Indeed, Jaron is very determined to find Harpy again, arguably to an almost worrying degree, as he recklessly took on a much stronger opponent here, who could have hurt him really bad if not for Ayden's timely intervention. The problem is, he knows where she will be taken to most likely, but that is an incredibly costly journey and he doesn't have the coin for it. Getting it has proven to be a frustratingly slow task and in his frustration, Jaron has to vent somehow. The classical remedies here are alcohol and violence, so he tries the former to get ready for the latter, to gain coin for his end… [view original content]
[Refuse the handshake] Jaron Grumpy! Jaron shouldn't become super buddy buddy with these guys so quickly. Their only concern is to ensure Behara and Janae's safety. If it ends up being Harpy vs them, I doubt they would risk their lives for Jaron and her. Plus Jaron should learn not to trust every person he meets.
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
[Shake his hand] Hell yeah, I'd say... now that's some badass team right there, and I wasn't even expecting this to be honest. Since they have a common enemy, better to begin on a good note rather than be unfriendly before their search even start.
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Not gonna lie, I had completely forgotten what happened so I was confused at first but quickly remembered what had happened. Man... with Taria being so close to child birth, it feels like Ayden's been marked for death. l hope he'll be okay.
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
[Shake his hand] Ah yes I expected something like this would happen. I do remember commenting about Jaron joining forces with John back at the final chapters of Book 1. This team up is certainly interesting and I look forward to see where it ends up. Also I see that Farris earned a promotion which is really cool and I hope we see more of him
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Well, eventually they have to. They are incredibly powerful still, but the power they have over their own city is laughable at the time. The death or disappearance of the other major power players in the city will give them a chance as well. Manfred himself might be too cautious for that, but eventually, someone will.
Maybe the Hightowers will finally get down from their tower and do something about their city. While I hardly believe it will be old Lord Manfred, his son Martyn could be the necessary influence to aid the city watch in improving the conditions.
Jaron start his PoV in this book 2 in the best way possible!Almost die during a bar fight!
Aye, ain't that a wonderful way to start a storyline? Surely, Jaron has hoped for a victory here, but he bit off more than he could chew and the implication is that this is not the first time he loses. Neither has he never won, it's just that in his struggle to get the riches necessary to travel to Slaver's Bay, he tries too hard and he's growing increasingly impatient, for understandable reason.
After two months of nothing for Jaron an Ayden ex machina finally out the knight in the right direction
Well, they haven't exactly been two months of nothing. Jaron learned that Abbas and Bakr were responsible for Harpy's disappearance, which is already a bit of a feat, considering that they likely tried to prevent leaving too many tracks. That has not been easy and the rest has been spent with getting coin. He knows the right direction, which is Slaver's Bay, he just does not know how to get the significant amount of wealth such a journey consumes.
While I expected Jaron encounter with John and Temari I'm surprised that they already meet each other!
I was actually not sure if I should show it in this part or the next, but the plan has always been for them to meet in the first chapter. I ultimately decided to show it already, to start Jaron's storyline for Book 2 on a very strong note, with the meeting of two PoV's. Being a bit of a highlight for him in this chapter, I didn't want to stretch it too much, to focus more on them getting to know each other.
Congratulations to Flowers for his off screen promotion!
Yeah, after Mullendore getting a new post in Petyr Vyrwel's household and Ryder leaving the city, there weren't so many left to take the position. Farris was more or less forced into it, because he himself would have been much more happy with his previous role as a secondary leader, but well, he's definitely an improvement from Mullendore, that much is out of the question.
Since Jaron will finally soon leave Oldtown and you clearly have some plans for that location I'm curious to discover who will now be the city PoV's
Indeed, Jaron seems to head out of Oldtown in the near future. However, it will remain a major location in the story. I can reveal, I have plans for three Oldtown PoV's to show the city in Book 2, not counting Jaron himself. One of them will most likely be shown later in this chapter, the other two are not yet there and will arrive in Chapter 3 and likely Chapter 4, respectively. The city has been a major location in Book 1 and will continue to be so for Book 2.
[Shake his hand]
RT:
* Jaron start his PoV in this book 2 in the best way possible!Almost die during a bar fight!
* After two month… mores of nothing for Jaron an Ayden ex machina finally out the knight in the right direction
* While I expected Jaron encounter with John and Temari I'm surprised that they already meet each other!
* Congratulations to Flowers for his off screen promotion!
* Since Jaron will finally soon leave Oldtown and you clearly have some plans for that location I'm curious to discover who will now be the city PoV's
Hehe, maybe I should have included a slightly larger recap, considering that it has been some time ago since Janae's latest part showed Abbas and Harpy. But I'm glad you quickly found into the storyline again With Ayden and Taria, they are definitely not safe yet, this I can say. Taria is actually not too close to giving birth though. She has been in the early stages back when we first met her, meaning she's now in the fourth or fifth month. Ayden actually knows that nothing should happen to him now, so he's staying out of trouble as much as possible, as seen with him refusing to accompany Jaron into the mansion.
[Shake his hand]
Not gonna lie, I had completely forgotten what happened so I was confused at first but quickly remembered what had happe… morened. Man... with Taria being so close to child birth, it feels like Ayden's been marked for death. l hope he'll be okay.
[Shake his hand] We need another super team up. I can't see a reason to not shake our friend's hand.
“A bastard knight”, he stated. “Not what I expected, but I'll take it. Knew a bastard knight in your age once and he was the finest man I've ever known”
Jaron
Just in time, Jaron managed to push his arms up, blocking the punch, though the force behind it was still tremendous. Pain flared u… morep in his forearms and he cursed himself for taking on an opponent such as the one he faced right now. Perhaps twice his size, the man was a mountain of meat, with thick arms, dealing furious strikes. He was a bald, tanned man, his Common Tongue broken, likely from the Free Cities, perhaps even from Volantis.
Both had drunken. Jaron a bit, the other man a lot. Yet after a few blows, his head hurt as much as a whole night worth of cheap booze did. He was bleeding, but it kept his spirits up that the other man did as well. The brute was taller and stronger, but he was faster and perhaps there was a chance for him to come out on top. And the crowd was cheering. For whom, he did not know. Perhaps only for blood.
This time, he dodged the punch, jumping around the burly man with swift movements. What seeme… [view original content]
Ah yes I expected something like this would happen. I do remember commenting about Jaron joining forces with John back at the final chapters of Book 1.
I can't find the exact comment right now, but I think you did indeed, yes! Well done These two might not have been foreshadowed all that much, but due to their common goals, it felt like something I absolutely had to do the moment the scenario first entered my mind.
Also I see that Farris earned a promotion which is really cool and I hope we see more of him
You surely will. Commander Farris is going to have a larger role in Book 2. That being said, we might not see him all that soon, considering that the only Oldtown PoV so far has very good reasons to avoid him. Others probably won't though, so we are going to see him in a larger role in due time.
[Shake his hand] Ah yes I expected something like this would happen. I do remember commenting about Jaron joining forces with John back at t… morehe final chapters of Book 1. This team up is certainly interesting and I look forward to see where it ends up. Also I see that Farris earned a promotion which is really cool and I hope we see more of him
I'd say, there's an epic handshake of manliness incoming Ah, it wouldn't have changed much about their team-up, since they still both have a common enemy and a common goal, so no matter how they personally stand to each other, they would not refuse each other's help. Both are pretty desperate at this point and in no position to do this. However, it means they will be off for a smoother start of their partnership, as opposed to the more rocky one, in which Jaron wouldn't have trusted John all that quickly. Neither will he right now, trust is still something that has to be earned and that's a lesson Jaron has learned over the last couple of months. But he'll at least try to make this work, through all the difficulties he and his new allies are going to encounter.
The next part will be out a bit quicker than usual. I feel slightly bad for having kept you waiting for a day longer for Jaron's part, so this next one I tried to release sooner, especially considering that a great number of you voted and the outcome is very clear. That, and the fact that the next part will start a new PoV and that is always an exciting situation for me. The next part will namely show us Lady Greyjoy once again, as Kyra finally gets the PoV that was promised. Kept you waiting for long enough for her, so I will try to finish her part in the next few hours. This one is going to show a couple of characters in a different light than before, so I hope you are going to enjoy it!
The Voting is closed!
Jaron is going to shake John's hand
I'd say, there's an epic handshake of manliness incoming Ah, it wouldn't ha… moreve changed much about their team-up, since they still both have a common enemy and a common goal, so no matter how they personally stand to each other, they would not refuse each other's help. Both are pretty desperate at this point and in no position to do this. However, it means they will be off for a smoother start of their partnership, as opposed to the more rocky one, in which Jaron wouldn't have trusted John all that quickly. Neither will he right now, trust is still something that has to be earned and that's a lesson Jaron has learned over the last couple of months. But he'll at least try to make this work, through all the difficulties he and his new allies are going to encounter.
The next part will be out a bit quicker than usual. I feel slightly bad for having kept you waiting for a day longer… [view original content]
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as she tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. Her smile widened and with a sigh, half pleasure, half regret, she pushed him off her.
There was confusion in his eyes as he fell onto the sheets again, though she smirked. “It's enough”, she said, still slightly out of breath. “We've wasted enough time” To this, he raised an eyebrow. “Wasted?”, he said, his voice warm and smooth. To this, she gave him a wink. “We spent enough time”, she corrected herself. “We got a day's work ahead of us”
“A day's work can wait...”, he said, though she shook her head. Even now, in her hot bedchamber, recovering from a night that was as rough and exhausting as it was pleasant, Kyra Greyjoy was reminded of her duty. She only had to look into his eyes to know of it and she cursed herself for this. “Your father can't”, she reminded him. “Sure he'd like to order me around till he get's tired”
Harrick narrowed his eyes, these dark eyes that marked him as a Hoare. Black of eye, black of hair. His heart? Well, if last night was any indicator, the saying might be wrong. “Sure there's a lot of things he'd like to do to you”, he spoke. To this, she rose an eyebrow, before she shook her head. “Not Harren”, she clarified. “Respectful might be the wrong word, but your father is not all like that. Your brother on the other hand...”
“Half-brother”, Harrick cut her off. “Technically, we all are, each from a different mother. But with Harmund, I insist on it” Kyra rolled her eyes, though it was not meant a mockery. Knowing Harmund, she could see how he'd feel the need to clarify this. “Family”, she sighed.
Harrick gave her a nod. “We don't get to choose ours”, he spoke. “Surely you understand that better than most” Kyra raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”, she asked and since she had a fleeting suspicion, there was iron in her voice, enough for Harrick to notice it. The young prince shook his head. “Nothing”, he said, as his gaze wandered down on her body. “Drowned God, you are beautiful”
It was a compliment she could only return. Shaken by a new wave of arousal, as she admired his muscles, his sharp features, these deep, dark eyes, she rolled over, getting on all fours, as she crawled over to his side of the bed. “Beautiful, huh?”, she asked and she noticed his smirk as she got closer.
Their lips met again, but only briefly this time. Now, it was Harrick who pushed her off. “I got a way with words”, he said softly. “As do you, I'm afraid. A day's work ahead of us, eh?” Kyra rolled her eyes, noting the irony at their reversed roles. “You're quick to change your mind”, she said, her tone one of playful accusation.
Harrick flashed her a grin. “Talking about Father and Harmund kind of killed the mood for me”, he admitted, as he rose from the bed, approaching the windows. Kyra sighed, though she brought herself into a sitting position, her naked legs dangling off the side of the bed and onto the fur her brother had brought her for the floor of her chambers. Behind her, Harrick pushed the windows open, allowing light to flood the room, but more importantly, allowing a refreshing breeze to brush through it.
The coldness caused Kyra's skin to crawl, but she welcomed it. From outside her window, dozens of feet below, she could hear the sounds of the courtyard, as thousands of men did their own respective duties. The largest castle the world had ever seen and finally it was done. A city in its own right, a monument to Harren Hoare for the ages to come.
She glanced over her shoulder, noting that Harrick was already approaching the first of his garments, scattered all across the floor. She quickly spotted her own, the leather and somewhere in the corner, the chainmail, though instead of picking it up at once, she walked around the bed, giving Harrick a sly look.
The prince noticed it, raising an eyebrow at her expression. “What?”, he asked, though before he could say anything else, she gave him a playful slap, right onto his bum. “Nothing”, she spoke, as she turned around, trying to approach her own clothes. Just then, he returned the favour, slightly harder than she did.
She tensed up, a wild grin on her face, as she spun around. He was faster though, grabbing her by the wrist, flinging her around him and pressing her onto the cold wall of stone. There, he kept her, staring at her longingly in something that was almost an embrace. However, there was something else, something beyond lust and it was concerning to Kyra. No feelings, that had been the reasons she even did this in the first place. Feelings, strings, the pain that came with it, she did not need it, not now.
“Lady Greyjoy...”, he said gently, though she was quick to place a finger on his lips. “Shhh...”, she whispered. “Don't...” It was all that had to be said with a man such as Harrick Hoare. He was right, he had a way with words. This included knowing when to be silent. Still, there was a smile on his face, as he separated from her to get dressed, at quite a speed.
“Well...”, he spoke, as he approached the doors, while she herself was sitting on the bed again, still naked as her nameday. “I'll get to work then” He glanced over his shoulders, at her and he grinned. “See ya, Kyra” With this brief farewell, he had left the room, closing the door behind him.
With the handsome prince gone, Kyra's mood quickly calmed down. Her smile faded, if more slowly, as she rose from the bed. She approached the drawer next to it, pulling it open, to reveal a small vial, filled with a liquid of a dark, damp colour. She frowned as she pulled it open, already noticing the familiar, sharp smell and with a sigh, she downed it all in one swing.
There were some things she never got used to and the bitter taste of moon tea was among them. Still, it was better than the alternative. She had seen women who forgot to take their tea after a night of passion. Being useless for nine months was the kindest fate to come out of this. Death by childbirth however... Kyra could not deny it, she was terrified by the thought. Giving birth, giving life, it should be something beautiful, yet whenever she had seen the procedure, it seemed the most horrible thing she had ever seen in her life. The Laughing Kraken, she who braved storms and fire and enemies a dozen a time, she was almost ashamed to admit to this fear.
Silently, she began to dress, slower than Harrick himself had done. She was just starting to button her shirt, as she heard a hard knock on the door. “One moment!”, she called, though the one on the other side did not wait, as it got pushed open.
Instinctively, Kyra turned away to cover herself, until she noticed that it was her brother who entered the room. As such, she merely rolled her eyes. “I said one moment”, she scolded him, as she finished buttoning her shirt. Damon grinned and his gaze was fixed on her eyes, the thing she had the most in common with him. “And I saw no reason in waiting”, he replied, handing her the leather vest she wore beneath the chainmail.
As she bit down onto her lower lips in silent anger, she put it on, noting another expression on Damon's face. “Was that Harrick Hoare?”, he asked and annoyed, she gave him a nod. To this, he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you are a slut”
Instantly, Kyra stood in front of him. A head shorter, she had to look up, though her glare was piercing. “Don't you dare”, she warned him. “If there would be a dark-eyed Hoare princess, she would have shared your bed a dozen times by now and you'd still expect me to pat you on the back for a lay well done. So don't you dare talking back at me because I want some fun as well from time to time”
Damon smiled at her, colder than she remembered him, from the days before his banishment. “Fun...”, he mumbled. “My sweet sister, I could not care less how much fun you have. That said, I wish you plenty of it and an endless supply of moon tea on top”
Kyra felt heat rising in her cheeks, as she blushed, so she quickly turned away, to approach her chainmail. Picking it up, she noticed that Damon had followed and as she turned around to face him, he raised a finger right into her face. “I do not blame you for it. Those dreamy, dark eyes, the muscles, the scent of danger that comes with his name. If you want to fuck a Hoare, I won't stop you. We all got to make our own mistakes”, he told her. “But never forget that he is the enemy”
“Your enemy”, Kyra muttered and Damon sighed, though he remained silent, watching her as she put on her chainmail. What followed was the golden cloak, draped around her shoulders and then finally, her axe, leaning against the wall next to her door. She picked it up, gently holding the familiar wood in her hands, before tying it to her belt. “Why have you come, Damon?”, she asked him. “Surely it's not to give me advice on whom to spend the night with”
To this, her brother gave her a nod. “Sharp as always”, he said and the tone of mockery only increased her annoyance with him. She knew what he planned to do, knew that she could not refuse to help him and yet, moments like this made it all the harder to act out against the king she was sworn to, assisting Damon in that little scheme of his.
“There has been an incident at the gates this morning”, he explained. “His grace wanted to send someone to fetch you already, but I took over that duty. Gave you time until the Hoare boy left your chambers. Doubt you'd want that to become common knowledge”
Kyra clenched her fists, as she gave him a warning glare. “I get it, you're not happy about him and me. Let me assure you, this changes nothing, about us, your plan, the Hoare's”, she spat. “So, what's that incident you've been talking about?”
Damon gave her a nod, visibly satisfied by her statement. “Walk with me”, he ordered, opening the door, to let her through first. “The king is not happy in the slightest about this and neither is Prince Harmund. Doubt you will either”
His odd choice of words caused Kyra to raise an eyebrow. “You are?”, she asked, as both walked down the hallway. Damon gave her a nod, followed by a softer smile. “I am”, he said. “And I am sorry. I might have been a bit too hard on you for spending the night with Harrick. He's still the best of the bunch and surely, there's a lot on your mind lately. If it gave you a bit of peace, I shouldn't have been so harsh”
Kyra sighed, though she reciprocated her brother's smile. “You shouldn't have been”, she confirmed. “But it's okay” She noticed Damon's relief. “Don't blame me”, he spoke. “You think you have a duty to your king, but I know I have a duty as well” He looked at her, curiously. “One to you, sweet sister. I always kept you safe”
A memory flashed through Kyra's mind. Harndon Hoare, lying lifelessly on the muddy ground in front of Pyke's highest tower, the rain washing away the blood from his bruised face. She was crying back then, a young, foolish girl, stopping a young, foolish boy from killing another fool. He saved her life on that day, though she saved his just as well. If he wouldn't have stopped beating Harndon, the Iron King would have shown no mercy, not even the slight bit he had eventually agreed upon with their Lord Father.
“That you do”, she agreed, as both stepped out of the tower and down the stairs that led to the courtyard. It was indeed filled with workers already, even if the thralls that had been forced to build the castle for the last forty years had finally left it. Some were freed for a service well done, others were sent to tend to the crops on the fields beyond the walls, or to work on the fleet at Seagard.
And there was one spot that Kyra noticed at once, the one they were heading towards. There were guards on the southern gates, her men, way more than usual. And she also saw what they were guarding. Her breaths became faster, as she spotted the corpses.
The man in charge of this increased gate guard was her very own second-in-command. Gravven of House Drumm, the Butcher of Old Wyk, a man as violent as he was reliable. Stern, dark brown eyes were looking at her out of a heavily scarred, yet still strangely handsome face. His hair cut very short, he wore his beard in a stubble, with a slightly thicker moustache. One of his hands was resting on the hilt of Red Rain, though the Valyrian Steel was still in its scabbard. The other hand, closed to a fist, was put onto his chest, where the bone hand of Drumm was visible.
“Captain Kyra”, he growled and she glanced past him. “Gravven”, she greeted him. “What do we have here?” Gravven sighed. “A fucking bloodbath, that's what we have”, he told her, stepping aside to gave her a good look at the bodies.
Half a dozen were there, five of them lying on the ground, the sixth hanged from the gatehouse. They had been butchered, their throats slit, stabbed half a dozen times. The blood that was staining the hanged man's legs seemed to originate from his crotch, showing that he got it worse than the other five. He also seemed to be dead for slightly longer, the flies already feasting on his hollow face. And yet, she recognized him, all of them. He was Edgar the Turncoat, the man responsible for the death of Addam Wode.
“The Sons of the Trident did this”, she deduced, glancing at Gravven, who had his fists clenched. “They want revenge for their lord”, he added, as he scanned the bodies. “No pity for Edgar though, he has always been shitty”
“The Sons would still have their leader if not for him”, Kyra said and Gravven smiled thinly, without any bit of joy on his cold face. “If not for his treachery, you mean”, he snarled. “And it seems they have gotten only more brutal since Wode was hanged” He shrugged. “Well, all the more reason to slaughter them once we find them”
“Not that Edgar's death made it any easier”, Kyra brought up and this time, Gravven gave her a nod. “Not with our current tactics at least”, he spoke. “They have been a nuisance, but now, they get daring. They kill our people, so close to the castle. There's ten thousand Ironborn inside these walls and that did not stop them” He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms as he leant forwards. “This demands a harsh answer. Half a dozen of our men were killed. Send me out into the Riverlands, to kill ten fish men for each of ours that was lost today. Let's see if the Sons dare to attack us ever again”
“Oh, they will”, Damon spoke. Gravven frowned as the Lord Captain put a hand on his shoulder. Shaking it off with annoyance, he gave him a fierce glare. “What do you want, Greyjoy?”, he snarled and Damon raised an eyebrow. “A word with my sister”, he replied. “Alone”
To this, Kyra hesitated for a moment. She had hoped that Damon would not be involved with this, at least this one time. And as always, she was disappointed when hoping for him to not be a two-timing schemer. Reluctantly, she gave Gravven a nod. “Leave us”, she ordered, to which he and the rest of the guards left at once, with only the Greyjoy siblings remaining.
Kyra had seen many corpses in her life. Hells, she had made quite a number herself, no point in denying it. Yet there was something about these that was truly horrifying. These men died in pain, the expression was engraved on their face for all eternity. Someone enjoyed murdering them. Her guards, men who had only done their job. “What do you know about this?”, she asked and Damon looked at her, his smile not suited for such a grim scene. “Oh, for example I know exactly who did it”, he answered. "And I know just how this will help against our enemies" To this, Kyra raised an eyebrow. "Our enemies?", she asked.
“Our enemies”, Damon confirmed. “They never stopped being, just because you and I swore oaths to them. How many have they broken? We cannot trust them, we do not need them” He lowered his voice, as he walked closer. “And we will destroy them”
Kyra frowned. Half a dozen of her men had been killed and Damon was still thinking about nothing but his schemes. “The ones I wish to destroy right now are the ones that preyed on my men”, she snarled in return, taking a step closer towards Damon. “I won't ask how you know about this, but you will tell me what you know”
Her brother raised his hands to calm her down. “Of course, I will”, he assured her. “Though you might want to wait with destroying them” He pointed at the hanged corpse of Edgar. “He has been their target. The others were killed to send a message”, he explained. “The ones that did this were indeed Sons of the Trident, but not the main branch. They belong to a smaller group, led by a certain Herman Irons and just like they all wanted Edgar dead for turning on their lord, this Herman had a particular reason beyond this”
“I'm listening”, Kyra assured him and Damon continued. “During the raid that got Wode captured, Edgar was confronted by Herman. They fought and he lost, but instead of killing him, Edgar crippled him. Viciously so, before he left him for dead, with all the other Sons that came with Lord Wode dead or captured”
“Only he did not die”, Kyra stated and Damon smiled at her. “Would have been better for Edgar", he explained. "Herman was saved by a farmer and his farmhands. A nice man for all I know, sure you'd like him. Got a little boy of his own and he fights to keep him safe. They did this. Captured Edgar and gave him what he deserved”
Kyra clenched her fists. “Maybe”, she admitted. “Edgar has been an arse, sure. But he was still one of my men” Damon gave her a nod. “That he has been”, he spoke. “But I want you to forget about that for a moment” He put a hand onto her shoulder, smiling oftly. “Think about the chance this gives us. I am in contact with Herman and have been told he wishes to meet me”, he informed her. “Surely, you understand I cannot leave the castle. But getting the Sons of the Trident on our side, that will be invaluable”
Looking at her dead men, Kyra felt anger rising up, even if she could understand Damon and the logic behind his argument. “You want me to go in your stead”, she said and he nodded. “You are the only one I trust within these walls”, he assured her. “So meet with him and work on an alliance with the Sons. That way, we can prevent blind acts of rage, such as this here and focus on our common enemy”
Kyra gave him a nod, though her gaze was fixed on her men. “Could you have prevented this?”, she asked sharply. “I'm not talking about Edgar, fuck him. I'm talking about the others” Damon hesitated. “Perhaps”, he admitted. “But that is not the point. I know you will do the right thing. You helped me before, you will do it now, so I will tell you where to find this man” He gave her a soft, brotherly look, the loving expression she had come to miss in the long years of his exile. “I just want to hear it from you”, he said gently. “Tell me you will meet with him. Tell me you will work with him, no matter what happened today”
[Agree to work with Herman][Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
[Agree to work with Herman] While I can understand Kyra's doubts, unless this Herman proves too troublesome or violent, there's no need to kill him.
Didn't expected being introduced to Kyra's POV with a sex scene, very Game of Thrones-y.
Maybe because I'm a late addition, but I didn't thought House Wode existed yet, although it do makes sense, since it seems the Wodes are direct vassals of whoever's at Harrenhal.
Will we get to know House Strong once Aegon marches to the God's Eye?
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Can't wait to see Gravven (and Red Rain, for that matter) in action, here's hoping this choice wins and that Kyra unleashes the Butcher of Old Wyk on their foes
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Didn't expected being introduced to Kyra's POV with a sex scene, very Game of Thrones-y.
Well, I couldn't avoid the topic forever and this was truly the best way of establishing Kyra's relationship to Harrick. Having never written a sex scene for FoT before, I was not sure if I could write it to my usual standard and I know for sure I am not good at just glossing over it. Neither do I want to include fully explicit hardcore sex scenes in the story, on account of that surely being more suited on sites such as AO3 (and too explicit scenes are surely against the forum rules here), so I decided on a middle way and showed the very aftermath of the act. Still true to the Thrones fashion, I hope, but not too explicit.
Maybe because I'm a late addition, but I didn't thought House Wode existed yet, although it do makes sense, since it seems the Wodes are direct vassals of whoever's at Harrenhal.
Hm, you have a point in assuming this. I wouldn't have included House Wode either if not for the person who submitted the Sons of the Trident explicitly mentioning his name. So I came up with a more fitting story for them: House Wode is indeed sworn to the Lords of Harrenhal. They are the original owners of the lands the fortress stands on, but Harren obviously did not care for this when he built it. However, they were compensated and received a humble seat a day's ride away from the castle, towards the crownlands. Effectively, they serve as household knights in the same way House Cassel serves the Stark's. Over the centuries that will follow, they are going to change their liege lords quite often and they are surely an older family than many of them. However, at the time they are actually an exiled house, their seat lying empty, as the entire house has been exiled for the actions of the mentioned Addam Wode, the founder and original leader of the Sons of the Trident, who himself has been brutally executed for his crimes. The whereabouts of the current Lord Wode, Addam's brother, are unknown, yet Harren suspects him to live as the guest of some Riverlord.
Will we get to know House Strong once Aegon marches to the God's Eye?
This is very much in the realms of possible, though I don't have any explicit plans. House Strong's first mention in the canon has been as vassals of House Hoare at the time after all and they are notable enough for Harren to mention them by name in the same sentence he names major houses such as Tully and Piper. While I have no plans to give them a major role, they are close neighbours to Harrenhal and are among their directly sworn vassals.
[Agree to work with Herman] While I can understand Kyra's doubts, unless this Herman proves too troublesome or violent, there's no need to k… moreill him.
Didn't expected being introduced to Kyra's POV with a sex scene, very Game of Thrones-y.
Maybe because I'm a late addition, but I didn't thought House Wode existed yet, although it do makes sense, since it seems the Wodes are direct vassals of whoever's at Harrenhal.
Will we get to know House Strong once Aegon marches to the God's Eye?
And seeing him in action we will, you have my word on this That being said, it remains questionable if Kyra is going to just fully unleash him. After all, if he gets his way, there will be a literal red rain in the Riverlands. This is currently the nuclear option of dealing with the Sons of the Trident and Kyra is definitely not yet willing to do this. Even Harren could hold some reservations against butchering his subjects by the dozen for the actions of other men. But Gravven is a beast and one of the new Ironborn characters I cannot wait to show more of
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Can't wait to see Gravven (and Red Rain, for that matter) in action, here's hoping this choice wins and that Kyra unleashes the Butcher of Old Wyk on their foes
Ah, that first scene was certainly brutal to read for any Garthon and Kyra shippers I don't really consider myself one, but let's just say I don't feel so bad for Garthon missing his reunion with Kyra anymore All that said, her having an intimate relationship, however serious or casual it may be, with Prince Harrick is certainly an interesting development. It also creates a much more personal tie for Kyra to the house his brother seeks to destroy, rather than just the duty she has to King Harren. I look forward to how will this develope in the coming chapters.
[Agree to work with Herman] I am a bit conflicted here. I don't care about Kyra not being loyal to Hoare's, fuck them, but I am a bit afraid this could lead to trouble. On the other hand, refusing to help Damon would certainly not sit well with him, and it's easy to tell he is a dangerous individual. However, he does actually have a good point here - assuring this Herman that Damon is working to undermine Harren from the inside could subdue the violence of the Sons of the Trident, whereas killing Herman is only going to make the Sons double down and react with more violence.
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Ah, that first scene was certainly brutal to read for any Garthon and Kyra shippers I don't really consider myself one, but let's just say I don't feel so bad for Garthon missing his reunion with Kyra anymore
Yeah, I'm afraid it is and I feel a bit bad for it The thing about Kyra is, she's not one to wait and yearn. She has been in no relationship with Garthon, which, to be fair, would have made it a lot less likely for her to start anything with Harrick here, as she's definitely no cheat either. And to make things worse, she has to currently assume that Garthon died alongside Torvin and all the other Ironborn, given that nobody reported back from Raylansfair. So, while she most definitely at least likes Garthon in some capacity, she considers him dead. That is not saying that she's not missing him, but she's always been one to move on instead of dwelling on what could have been.
All that said, her having an intimate relationship, however serious or casual it may be, with Prince Harrick is certainly an interesting development. It also creates a much more personal tie for Kyra to the house his brother seeks to destroy, rather than just the duty she has to King Harren. I look forward to how will this develope in the coming chapters.
Surely it does. I wanted Kyra to have a bit of a conflict here and mere loyalty wouldn't have been strong enough. Instead, she actually has some sort of a relationship with Harrick now, even if she treats it as purely casual, likely a one-night stand only. He's a Hoare though and they can be very stubborn when it comes to getting what they want. In any way, this will make it harder for her to actually assist Damon with his schemes.
I am a bit conflicted here. I don't care about Kyra not being loyal to Hoare's, fuck them, but I am a bit afraid this could lead to trouble. On the other hand, refusing to help Damon would certainly not sit well with him, and it's easy to tell he is a dangerous individual
Ah, Damon is a dangerous individual, yes. As is Harren, of course. Kyra is perhaps in the most shitty situation in Harrenhal right now, because she is caught in the middle between both, with her strong senses of loyalty and family both being tested. No matter what, both hold potential for great trouble and there is definitely going to be a lot of conflict for her in the coming chapters. Ah, I am excited for that
Ah, that first scene was certainly brutal to read for any Garthon and Kyra shippers I don't really consider myself one, but let's just say … moreI don't feel so bad for Garthon missing his reunion with Kyra anymore All that said, her having an intimate relationship, however serious or casual it may be, with Prince Harrick is certainly an interesting development. It also creates a much more personal tie for Kyra to the house his brother seeks to destroy, rather than just the duty she has to King Harren. I look forward to how will this develope in the coming chapters.
[Agree to work with Herman] I am a bit conflicted here. I don't care about Kyra not being loyal to Hoare's, fuck them, but I am a bit afraid this could lead to trouble. On the other hand, refusing to help Damon would certainly not sit well with him, and it's easy to tell he is a dangerous individual. However, he does actually have a good point here - assuring this Herman that Damon… [view original content]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Damon said it himself, these guys are just a off branch of the main Trident group. They are clearly more fanatical about their rebelious actions, so I wouldn't be surprised if they and the main branch aren't on the best of terms. I think by working with these guys we could possible sour our chances of getting the more reliable group of Tridents helping out Damon.
I liked seeing Kyra crushing our initial hopes of Garyra in her very first part. Poor Garthon is going to have to make a really good impression if he hopes of winning her back. Can't say I really blame her though, seeing how Garthon is supposedly dead and a traitor. And now she is going to have to balance out her new secret love life, her work life, and her traitor life now. Talk about a hand full.
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Damon said it himself, these guys are just a off branch of the main Trident group. They are clearly more fanatical about their rebelious actions, so I wouldn't be surprised if they and the main branch aren't on the best of terms. I think by working with these guys we could possible sour our chances of getting the more reliable group of Tridents helping out Damon.
Well, in this case it should be noted, branch does not mean a completely unrelated group in this case. They are very much the same group, part of a large network, all answering to Addam Wode's successor, Edrick Rivers. These people are just a different chapter, if you want to call them that way, the rebel cell closest to Harrenhal. Their actions are also not more violent than the others, the Sons are getting more bold and brutal in general lately, partially influenced by the war against the Rock going bad and Aegon arriving as a new threat from the east. However, there is certainly very much the possibility that they are not getting along with the main branch, but it won't be over ideological differences. Those are not Robin Hood and his band of merry men, those are brutal freedom fighters, who are anything but opposed to violence.
I liked seeing Kyra crushing our initial hopes of Garyra in her very first part. Poor Garthon is going to have to make a really good impression if he hopes of winning her back. Can't say I really blame her though, seeing how Garthon is supposedly dead and a traitor. And now she is going to have to balance out her new secret love life, her work life, and her traitor life now. Talk about a hand full.
Garyra... is that how they are calling it these days? But it is very much true, she considers him dead, so there's no dwelling over missed chances. Life goes on and Kyra is looking at its bright side. Being a traitor is not quite something she would have held against him, she never did in the first place. It would be quite hypocritical of her to do that. That being said, you got it right there, she will face a lot of problems on her own, balancing the load of secrets she is carrying around with her. There's the guy she works for, his son whom she's having a casual affair with behind his father's back and her brother, who wishes to kill both, as well as that other guy who was crushing on her, whom she believes to have died. Sounds like perfect rom-com material, doesn't it?
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Damon said it himself, these guys are just a off branch of the main Trident group. They are clearly … moremore fanatical about their rebelious actions, so I wouldn't be surprised if they and the main branch aren't on the best of terms. I think by working with these guys we could possible sour our chances of getting the more reliable group of Tridents helping out Damon.
I liked seeing Kyra crushing our initial hopes of Garyra in her very first part. Poor Garthon is going to have to make a really good impression if he hopes of winning her back. Can't say I really blame her though, seeing how Garthon is supposedly dead and a traitor. And now she is going to have to balance out her new secret love life, her work life, and her traitor life now. Talk about a hand full.
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Kyra is not her brother puppet!
RT:
And today the new PoV is Kyra!Congrat..wait a sec...is that a sex scene!?
I'm not surprised of KyraXHarrick (since you hinted it during Harren interlude) but I'm curious to see the results of it
Ah,Damon is the power-hungry brother that any sister want
Welcome to the story Gravven and your handsome face covered by scars!
Finally we hear again of the Sons of Trident!And I'm glad that they are not separated in good and bad like I suppose at the beginning (I see your answer to Bouden post)
Wait a sec,in this part you say that the Sons of Trident leader was Addam Wode but I remember that the leader name was Edric Rivers!Should I suppose that the revolution have more leaders? (Edit:damn!Even this question was answered in another comment!)
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Kyra seems like a much more passionate, fiery person rather than a calculating and cool Damon. I'll like to keep it that way.
And hey, just when I thought the story couldn't get better, I read the first part of this. Tame enough to keep on the forums too, that's always a plus. Just mod advice, but you're definitely okay with anything that appears in a Telltale game, and a little further. Not too much, but you know, we got games like the Wolf Among Us, Batman, and Game of Thrones (obviously) which give you some room.
Harrick is now my favorite Hoare. Great bloke he is.
One of his hands was resting on the hilt of Red Rain, though the Valyrian Steel was still in its scabbard. The other hand, closed to a fist, was put onto his chest, where the bone hand of Drumm was visible.
Ah. Red Rain. I've been wondering if she'd appear. I've convinced myself that Red Rain was in fact the ancestral blade of House Reyne before it was stolen. I hope it is, and this Butcher of Old Wyk encounters some Reynes.
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
And today the new PoV is Kyra!Congrat..wait a sec...is that a sex scene!?
The very end of one at least. You might say, it was the climax of the scene, the very tip of the whole act. A novum for me in my writing, I hope it was satisfactory.
I'm not surprised of KyraXHarrick (since you hinted it during Harren interlude) but I'm curious to see the results of it
Aye, Harren's interlude revealed that there was something going on between them, though this part showed that it came from Kyra's own will and not because her brother wanted her to get close to a Hoare. She picked the best of the bunch, there's really no other way of saying it.
Ah,Damon is the power-hungry brother that any sister want
Well, as far power-hungry brothers go, Damon is preferrable over, say, Viserys. At least he got a very big soft spot for Kyra herself, even if his concern for her new liaison with Harrick might have come off as a bit cold. He cares for her, deeply so, but he is still the ruthless, power-hungry schemer he has always been.
Welcome to the story Gravven and your handsome face covered by scars!
Handsome for Ironborn standards. We got a whole culture that sort of gets high on violence, so Gravven's numerous battle scars are a sign of strength and bravery, which are traits any Ironborn woman considers to be handsome. On top of that, they are of the rugged type, not the badly disfiguring.
Finally we hear again of the Sons of Trident!And I'm glad that they are not separated in good and bad like I suppose at the beginning (I see your answer to Bouden post)
Hehe, they certainly are not. There might be some cells who are more capable and ready to fight back in full force against the Ironborn, but peaceful protest or bloodless sabotage actions, that has never been the Sons of the Trident's modus operandi. Some groups have less chance to really hurt the Ironborn, so their comparably weaker methods and actions are likely seen as more sympathetic than fullblown violence and murder, but they are not separated in clear good or clear bad. So far, we met Jon the Harper and his group, who have been quite affable for all we know, but don't forget that they were perfectly ready to kill Garthon until he convinced them of his intentions. It is not unthinkable that Jon would have done the same to this Edgar fellow, who was responsible for the death of their former leader after all. Of course, what we know of Herman so far is that he's a vengeful man who is willing to kill to send a message, but you can't really be a passionate revolutionary without such a willingness. He has his other sides too, as they all have.
Wait a sec,in this part you say that the Sons of Trident leader was Addam Wode but I remember that the leader name was Edric Rivers!Should I suppose that the revolution have more leaders? (Edit:damn!Even this question was answered in another comment!)
Hehe, it was indeed explained above. Edrick has been Addam's childhood friend and second-in-command, so after the founder of the Sons was killed by the Ironborn (with Harren's full brutality, by the way), it was only natural that he took over. It should also be noted that Addam is dead for many months now, having died at least three months before the first chapter, whereas the current chapter takes place over half a year after those events.
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Kyra is not her brother puppet!
RT:
* And today the new PoV is Kyra!Congrat..wait a sec...is… more that a sex scene!?
* I'm not surprised of KyraXHarrick (since you hinted it during Harren interlude) but I'm curious to see the results of it
* Ah,Damon is the power-hungry brother that any sister want
* Welcome to the story Gravven and your handsome face covered by scars!
* Finally we hear again of the Sons of Trident!And I'm glad that they are not separated in good and bad like I suppose at the beginning (I see your answer to Bouden post)
* Wait a sec,in this part you say that the Sons of Trident leader was Addam Wode but I remember that the leader name was Edric Rivers!Should I suppose that the revolution have more leaders? (Edit:damn!Even this question was answered in another comment!)
Kyra seems like a much more passionate, fiery person rather than a calculating and cool Damon. I'll like to keep it that way.
That she is, surely. I can say for certain that this choice won't change this, nor will anything change it anytime soon. That's just whom she is, a passionate, somewhat wild and impulsive person, with her brother being the cold mastermind who plays the long game.
And hey, just when I thought the story couldn't get better, I read the first part of this. Tame enough to keep on the forums too, that's always a plus. Just mod advice, but you're definitely okay with anything that appears in a Telltale game, and a little further. Not too much, but you know, we got games like the Wolf Among Us, Batman, and Game of Thrones (obviously) which give you some room.
Ah, thanks for the advice, that is much appreciated! I was really not sure how explicit I could be in the story here in the forums, but it seems I got it right on the first try. Be assured, it won't get much more explicit than what has been seen here, as I have no intention of writing outright softcore fanfiction. Neither is that the right forum for that, nor am I the right writer. I guess I'll stick to scenes similar to what we have seen in Batman, probably slightly more at most (involving actual nudity, for example), but used sparsely and with care. There should definitely be enough room between a clean fade to black and Fifty Shades of Grey. Be assured, it won't be taken much further than what has been seen in this part and I am glad you liked this one
Harrick is now my favorite Hoare. Great bloke he is.
What a coincidence, he is Kyra's favourite Hoare as well But yeah, Harrick has actual good traits, showing that they are not all cruel madmen. A lot of the current generation's problems can be blamed on Harren being an absolute failure as a father, unleashing a son as psychotic as Harmund onto his two younger brothers and only intervening with the fourth. Who knows, if he would have shown strength and care while raising his firstborn, there could be three Hoare's like Harrick now and a version of Harmund that is closer to Viserys than Ramsay (who are light years apart after all). And even with a father like Harren, Harrick turned out kinda alright.
Ah. Red Rain. I've been wondering if she'd appear. I've convinced myself that Red Rain was in fact the ancestral blade of House Reyne before it was stolen. I hope it is, and this Butcher of Old Wyk encounters some Reynes.
You are right, Red Rain is the ancestral blade of House Reyne, having been stolen by one of Gravven's ancestors a few hundred years ago. Makes perfect sense to me to have it belonging to that house initially. Gravven would like to meet a Reyne, as he'd gladly use the chance to give them their blade back, at least briefly and point first. In turn, Willfred would surely love to take it back, so a meeting between these two could be a fierce duel.
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
Kyra seems like a much more passionate, fiery person rather than a calculating and cool Damon. I'… morell like to keep it that way.
And hey, just when I thought the story couldn't get better, I read the first part of this. Tame enough to keep on the forums too, that's always a plus. Just mod advice, but you're definitely okay with anything that appears in a Telltale game, and a little further. Not too much, but you know, we got games like the Wolf Among Us, Batman, and Game of Thrones (obviously) which give you some room.
Harrick is now my favorite Hoare. Great bloke he is.
One of his hands was resting on the hilt of Red Rain, though the Valyrian Steel was still in its scabbard. The other hand, closed to a fist, was put onto his chest, where the bone hand of Drumm was visible.
Ah. Red Rain. I've been wondering if she'd appear. I've convinced myself that Red Rain was in fact the ancestra… [view original content]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] An interesting start. Didn't expect Kyra to get such a long introduction (in terms of a PoV part since it is her first one) but I'm interested already. I was never a fan of the great houses of Riverlands and the Iron Islands but this chapter is getting me into it. While im not too thrilled by the fact that Kyra is into one of the Hoare family members, but Harrick is the least worst option. The new faction called the sons of the trident seem intriguing and to counter their plans will be tricky I'm guessing.
A question though, seeing Red Rain was quite a surprise since it was not indicated when did House Reyne lost it because I always assumed it was stolen when Tywin Lannister killed them all. Is it mentioned anywhere in the books when excatly was it stolen because I can't seem to find any solid proof it was stolen long ago.
I also see you started the part with a sex scene, how very form fitting for a Greyjoy XD (poor Theon)
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as sh… moree tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. … [view original content]
Well, technically speaking it hasn't even been confirmed in the canon that Red Rain ever belonged to House Reyne, even if it is kinda given. That said, there is no real indication on when exactly did House Drumm aquire, just that it was taken by Hilmar Drumm (there's no info on when he lived) from a knight, apparently by using his wits and somehow tricking said knight.
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] An interesting start. Didn't expect Kyra to get such a long introduction (in terms of a PoV part sin… morece it is her first one) but I'm interested already. I was never a fan of the great houses of Riverlands and the Iron Islands but this chapter is getting me into it. While im not too thrilled by the fact that Kyra is into one of the Hoare family members, but Harrick is the least worst option. The new faction called the sons of the trident seem intriguing and to counter their plans will be tricky I'm guessing.
A question though, seeing Red Rain was quite a surprise since it was not indicated when did House Reyne lost it because I always assumed it was stolen when Tywin Lannister killed them all. Is it mentioned anywhere in the books when excatly was it stolen because I can't seem to find any solid proof it was stolen long ago.
I also see you started the part with a sex scene, how very form fitting for a Greyjoy XD (poor Theon)
Comments
[Shake his hand] Nothing that can't be forgiven hasn't happened, so there's no reason for them not to work together.
[Shake his hand]
Maybe the Hightowers will finally get down from their tower and do something about their city. While I hardly believe it will be old Lord Manfred, his son Martyn could be the necessary influence to aid the city watch in improving the conditions.
[Shake his hand]
Can't say I was anticipating this team-up, but I think both John and Jaron's storyline just got a lot better.
[Refuse the handshake] Jaron Grumpy! Jaron shouldn't become super buddy buddy with these guys so quickly. Their only concern is to ensure Behara and Janae's safety. If it ends up being Harpy vs them, I doubt they would risk their lives for Jaron and her. Plus Jaron should learn not to trust every person he meets.
[Shake his hand] Hell yeah, I'd say... now that's some badass team right there, and I wasn't even expecting this to be honest. Since they have a common enemy, better to begin on a good note rather than be unfriendly before their search even start.
[Shake his hand]
[Shake his hand]
RT:
[Shake his hand] Once again, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
[Shake his hand]
[Shake his hand]
Not gonna lie, I had completely forgotten what happened so I was confused at first but quickly remembered what had happened. Man... with Taria being so close to child birth, it feels like Ayden's been marked for death. l hope he'll be okay.
[Shake his hand] Ah yes I expected something like this would happen. I do remember commenting about Jaron joining forces with John back at the final chapters of Book 1. This team up is certainly interesting and I look forward to see where it ends up. Also I see that Farris earned a promotion which is really cool and I hope we see more of him
Well, eventually they have to. They are incredibly powerful still, but the power they have over their own city is laughable at the time. The death or disappearance of the other major power players in the city will give them a chance as well. Manfred himself might be too cautious for that, but eventually, someone will.
Aye, ain't that a wonderful way to start a storyline? Surely, Jaron has hoped for a victory here, but he bit off more than he could chew and the implication is that this is not the first time he loses. Neither has he never won, it's just that in his struggle to get the riches necessary to travel to Slaver's Bay, he tries too hard and he's growing increasingly impatient, for understandable reason.
Well, they haven't exactly been two months of nothing. Jaron learned that Abbas and Bakr were responsible for Harpy's disappearance, which is already a bit of a feat, considering that they likely tried to prevent leaving too many tracks. That has not been easy and the rest has been spent with getting coin. He knows the right direction, which is Slaver's Bay, he just does not know how to get the significant amount of wealth such a journey consumes.
I was actually not sure if I should show it in this part or the next, but the plan has always been for them to meet in the first chapter. I ultimately decided to show it already, to start Jaron's storyline for Book 2 on a very strong note, with the meeting of two PoV's. Being a bit of a highlight for him in this chapter, I didn't want to stretch it too much, to focus more on them getting to know each other.
Yeah, after Mullendore getting a new post in Petyr Vyrwel's household and Ryder leaving the city, there weren't so many left to take the position. Farris was more or less forced into it, because he himself would have been much more happy with his previous role as a secondary leader, but well, he's definitely an improvement from Mullendore, that much is out of the question.
Indeed, Jaron seems to head out of Oldtown in the near future. However, it will remain a major location in the story. I can reveal, I have plans for three Oldtown PoV's to show the city in Book 2, not counting Jaron himself. One of them will most likely be shown later in this chapter, the other two are not yet there and will arrive in Chapter 3 and likely Chapter 4, respectively. The city has been a major location in Book 1 and will continue to be so for Book 2.
Hehe, maybe I should have included a slightly larger recap, considering that it has been some time ago since Janae's latest part showed Abbas and Harpy. But I'm glad you quickly found into the storyline again
With Ayden and Taria, they are definitely not safe yet, this I can say. Taria is actually not too close to giving birth though. She has been in the early stages back when we first met her, meaning she's now in the fourth or fifth month. Ayden actually knows that nothing should happen to him now, so he's staying out of trouble as much as possible, as seen with him refusing to accompany Jaron into the mansion.
[Shake his hand] We need another super team up. I can't see a reason to not shake our friend's hand.
;(
I can't find the exact comment right now, but I think you did indeed, yes! Well done
These two might not have been foreshadowed all that much, but due to their common goals, it felt like something I absolutely had to do the moment the scenario first entered my mind.
You surely will. Commander Farris is going to have a larger role in Book 2. That being said, we might not see him all that soon, considering that the only Oldtown PoV so far has very good reasons to avoid him. Others probably won't though, so we are going to see him in a larger role in due time.
The Voting is closed!
Jaron is going to shake John's hand
I'd say, there's an epic handshake of manliness incoming
Ah, it wouldn't have changed much about their team-up, since they still both have a common enemy and a common goal, so no matter how they personally stand to each other, they would not refuse each other's help. Both are pretty desperate at this point and in no position to do this. However, it means they will be off for a smoother start of their partnership, as opposed to the more rocky one, in which Jaron wouldn't have trusted John all that quickly. Neither will he right now, trust is still something that has to be earned and that's a lesson Jaron has learned over the last couple of months. But he'll at least try to make this work, through all the difficulties he and his new allies are going to encounter.
The next part will be out a bit quicker than usual. I feel slightly bad for having kept you waiting for a day longer for Jaron's part, so this next one I tried to release sooner, especially considering that a great number of you voted and the outcome is very clear. That, and the fact that the next part will start a new PoV and that is always an exciting situation for me. The next part will namely show us Lady Greyjoy once again, as Kyra finally gets the PoV that was promised. Kept you waiting for long enough for her, so I will try to finish her part in the next few hours. This one is going to show a couple of characters in a different light than before, so I hope you are going to enjoy it!
YES! I love Kyra!
Kyra
With a final moan of pleasure, Kyra pushed herself off him, sinking back onto the bed, her fingers clenched around the sheets, as she tried to regain her breath. She gasped, as did he, though both were smiling. The air in her bedroom was humid, making it all the harder for her to breathe as her smile turned into a grin.
He regained his breath a bit faster than she did, which she noticed as he lifted himself up, closer to her. And just like that, he was above her once more, as their lips met in a passionate embrace. His hand moved around her, grabbing her back, the other one resting on her shoulder, as she could feel his arousal.
As their kiss ended, he moved down, his lips softly touching her neck, while he began to move more wildly. She smiled, one hand clenched into the flesh on his back, the other still on the sheets. “No...”, she mumbled, though he did not hear her. Burying his face between her breasts, she rolled her eyes. Her smile widened and with a sigh, half pleasure, half regret, she pushed him off her.
There was confusion in his eyes as he fell onto the sheets again, though she smirked. “It's enough”, she said, still slightly out of breath. “We've wasted enough time” To this, he raised an eyebrow. “Wasted?”, he said, his voice warm and smooth. To this, she gave him a wink. “We spent enough time”, she corrected herself. “We got a day's work ahead of us”
“A day's work can wait...”, he said, though she shook her head. Even now, in her hot bedchamber, recovering from a night that was as rough and exhausting as it was pleasant, Kyra Greyjoy was reminded of her duty. She only had to look into his eyes to know of it and she cursed herself for this. “Your father can't”, she reminded him. “Sure he'd like to order me around till he get's tired”
Harrick narrowed his eyes, these dark eyes that marked him as a Hoare. Black of eye, black of hair. His heart? Well, if last night was any indicator, the saying might be wrong. “Sure there's a lot of things he'd like to do to you”, he spoke. To this, she rose an eyebrow, before she shook her head. “Not Harren”, she clarified. “Respectful might be the wrong word, but your father is not all like that. Your brother on the other hand...”
“Half-brother”, Harrick cut her off. “Technically, we all are, each from a different mother. But with Harmund, I insist on it” Kyra rolled her eyes, though it was not meant a mockery. Knowing Harmund, she could see how he'd feel the need to clarify this. “Family”, she sighed.
Harrick gave her a nod. “We don't get to choose ours”, he spoke. “Surely you understand that better than most” Kyra raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”, she asked and since she had a fleeting suspicion, there was iron in her voice, enough for Harrick to notice it. The young prince shook his head. “Nothing”, he said, as his gaze wandered down on her body. “Drowned God, you are beautiful”
It was a compliment she could only return. Shaken by a new wave of arousal, as she admired his muscles, his sharp features, these deep, dark eyes, she rolled over, getting on all fours, as she crawled over to his side of the bed. “Beautiful, huh?”, she asked and she noticed his smirk as she got closer.
Their lips met again, but only briefly this time. Now, it was Harrick who pushed her off. “I got a way with words”, he said softly. “As do you, I'm afraid. A day's work ahead of us, eh?” Kyra rolled her eyes, noting the irony at their reversed roles. “You're quick to change your mind”, she said, her tone one of playful accusation.
Harrick flashed her a grin. “Talking about Father and Harmund kind of killed the mood for me”, he admitted, as he rose from the bed, approaching the windows. Kyra sighed, though she brought herself into a sitting position, her naked legs dangling off the side of the bed and onto the fur her brother had brought her for the floor of her chambers. Behind her, Harrick pushed the windows open, allowing light to flood the room, but more importantly, allowing a refreshing breeze to brush through it.
The coldness caused Kyra's skin to crawl, but she welcomed it. From outside her window, dozens of feet below, she could hear the sounds of the courtyard, as thousands of men did their own respective duties. The largest castle the world had ever seen and finally it was done. A city in its own right, a monument to Harren Hoare for the ages to come.
She glanced over her shoulder, noting that Harrick was already approaching the first of his garments, scattered all across the floor. She quickly spotted her own, the leather and somewhere in the corner, the chainmail, though instead of picking it up at once, she walked around the bed, giving Harrick a sly look.
The prince noticed it, raising an eyebrow at her expression. “What?”, he asked, though before he could say anything else, she gave him a playful slap, right onto his bum. “Nothing”, she spoke, as she turned around, trying to approach her own clothes. Just then, he returned the favour, slightly harder than she did.
She tensed up, a wild grin on her face, as she spun around. He was faster though, grabbing her by the wrist, flinging her around him and pressing her onto the cold wall of stone. There, he kept her, staring at her longingly in something that was almost an embrace. However, there was something else, something beyond lust and it was concerning to Kyra. No feelings, that had been the reasons she even did this in the first place. Feelings, strings, the pain that came with it, she did not need it, not now.
“Lady Greyjoy...”, he said gently, though she was quick to place a finger on his lips. “Shhh...”, she whispered. “Don't...” It was all that had to be said with a man such as Harrick Hoare. He was right, he had a way with words. This included knowing when to be silent. Still, there was a smile on his face, as he separated from her to get dressed, at quite a speed.
“Well...”, he spoke, as he approached the doors, while she herself was sitting on the bed again, still naked as her nameday. “I'll get to work then” He glanced over his shoulders, at her and he grinned. “See ya, Kyra” With this brief farewell, he had left the room, closing the door behind him.
With the handsome prince gone, Kyra's mood quickly calmed down. Her smile faded, if more slowly, as she rose from the bed. She approached the drawer next to it, pulling it open, to reveal a small vial, filled with a liquid of a dark, damp colour. She frowned as she pulled it open, already noticing the familiar, sharp smell and with a sigh, she downed it all in one swing.
There were some things she never got used to and the bitter taste of moon tea was among them. Still, it was better than the alternative. She had seen women who forgot to take their tea after a night of passion. Being useless for nine months was the kindest fate to come out of this. Death by childbirth however... Kyra could not deny it, she was terrified by the thought. Giving birth, giving life, it should be something beautiful, yet whenever she had seen the procedure, it seemed the most horrible thing she had ever seen in her life. The Laughing Kraken, she who braved storms and fire and enemies a dozen a time, she was almost ashamed to admit to this fear.
Silently, she began to dress, slower than Harrick himself had done. She was just starting to button her shirt, as she heard a hard knock on the door. “One moment!”, she called, though the one on the other side did not wait, as it got pushed open.
Instinctively, Kyra turned away to cover herself, until she noticed that it was her brother who entered the room. As such, she merely rolled her eyes. “I said one moment”, she scolded him, as she finished buttoning her shirt. Damon grinned and his gaze was fixed on her eyes, the thing she had the most in common with him. “And I saw no reason in waiting”, he replied, handing her the leather vest she wore beneath the chainmail.
As she bit down onto her lower lips in silent anger, she put it on, noting another expression on Damon's face. “Was that Harrick Hoare?”, he asked and annoyed, she gave him a nod. To this, he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you are a slut”
Instantly, Kyra stood in front of him. A head shorter, she had to look up, though her glare was piercing. “Don't you dare”, she warned him. “If there would be a dark-eyed Hoare princess, she would have shared your bed a dozen times by now and you'd still expect me to pat you on the back for a lay well done. So don't you dare talking back at me because I want some fun as well from time to time”
Damon smiled at her, colder than she remembered him, from the days before his banishment. “Fun...”, he mumbled. “My sweet sister, I could not care less how much fun you have. That said, I wish you plenty of it and an endless supply of moon tea on top”
Kyra felt heat rising in her cheeks, as she blushed, so she quickly turned away, to approach her chainmail. Picking it up, she noticed that Damon had followed and as she turned around to face him, he raised a finger right into her face. “I do not blame you for it. Those dreamy, dark eyes, the muscles, the scent of danger that comes with his name. If you want to fuck a Hoare, I won't stop you. We all got to make our own mistakes”, he told her. “But never forget that he is the enemy”
“Your enemy”, Kyra muttered and Damon sighed, though he remained silent, watching her as she put on her chainmail. What followed was the golden cloak, draped around her shoulders and then finally, her axe, leaning against the wall next to her door. She picked it up, gently holding the familiar wood in her hands, before tying it to her belt. “Why have you come, Damon?”, she asked him. “Surely it's not to give me advice on whom to spend the night with”
To this, her brother gave her a nod. “Sharp as always”, he said and the tone of mockery only increased her annoyance with him. She knew what he planned to do, knew that she could not refuse to help him and yet, moments like this made it all the harder to act out against the king she was sworn to, assisting Damon in that little scheme of his.
“There has been an incident at the gates this morning”, he explained. “His grace wanted to send someone to fetch you already, but I took over that duty. Gave you time until the Hoare boy left your chambers. Doubt you'd want that to become common knowledge”
Kyra clenched her fists, as she gave him a warning glare. “I get it, you're not happy about him and me. Let me assure you, this changes nothing, about us, your plan, the Hoare's”, she spat. “So, what's that incident you've been talking about?”
Damon gave her a nod, visibly satisfied by her statement. “Walk with me”, he ordered, opening the door, to let her through first. “The king is not happy in the slightest about this and neither is Prince Harmund. Doubt you will either”
His odd choice of words caused Kyra to raise an eyebrow. “You are?”, she asked, as both walked down the hallway. Damon gave her a nod, followed by a softer smile. “I am”, he said. “And I am sorry. I might have been a bit too hard on you for spending the night with Harrick. He's still the best of the bunch and surely, there's a lot on your mind lately. If it gave you a bit of peace, I shouldn't have been so harsh”
Kyra sighed, though she reciprocated her brother's smile. “You shouldn't have been”, she confirmed. “But it's okay” She noticed Damon's relief. “Don't blame me”, he spoke. “You think you have a duty to your king, but I know I have a duty as well” He looked at her, curiously. “One to you, sweet sister. I always kept you safe”
A memory flashed through Kyra's mind. Harndon Hoare, lying lifelessly on the muddy ground in front of Pyke's highest tower, the rain washing away the blood from his bruised face. She was crying back then, a young, foolish girl, stopping a young, foolish boy from killing another fool. He saved her life on that day, though she saved his just as well. If he wouldn't have stopped beating Harndon, the Iron King would have shown no mercy, not even the slight bit he had eventually agreed upon with their Lord Father.
“That you do”, she agreed, as both stepped out of the tower and down the stairs that led to the courtyard. It was indeed filled with workers already, even if the thralls that had been forced to build the castle for the last forty years had finally left it. Some were freed for a service well done, others were sent to tend to the crops on the fields beyond the walls, or to work on the fleet at Seagard.
And there was one spot that Kyra noticed at once, the one they were heading towards. There were guards on the southern gates, her men, way more than usual. And she also saw what they were guarding. Her breaths became faster, as she spotted the corpses.
The man in charge of this increased gate guard was her very own second-in-command. Gravven of House Drumm, the Butcher of Old Wyk, a man as violent as he was reliable. Stern, dark brown eyes were looking at her out of a heavily scarred, yet still strangely handsome face. His hair cut very short, he wore his beard in a stubble, with a slightly thicker moustache. One of his hands was resting on the hilt of Red Rain, though the Valyrian Steel was still in its scabbard. The other hand, closed to a fist, was put onto his chest, where the bone hand of Drumm was visible.
“Captain Kyra”, he growled and she glanced past him. “Gravven”, she greeted him. “What do we have here?” Gravven sighed. “A fucking bloodbath, that's what we have”, he told her, stepping aside to gave her a good look at the bodies.
Half a dozen were there, five of them lying on the ground, the sixth hanged from the gatehouse. They had been butchered, their throats slit, stabbed half a dozen times. The blood that was staining the hanged man's legs seemed to originate from his crotch, showing that he got it worse than the other five. He also seemed to be dead for slightly longer, the flies already feasting on his hollow face. And yet, she recognized him, all of them. He was Edgar the Turncoat, the man responsible for the death of Addam Wode.
“The Sons of the Trident did this”, she deduced, glancing at Gravven, who had his fists clenched. “They want revenge for their lord”, he added, as he scanned the bodies. “No pity for Edgar though, he has always been shitty”
“The Sons would still have their leader if not for him”, Kyra said and Gravven smiled thinly, without any bit of joy on his cold face. “If not for his treachery, you mean”, he snarled. “And it seems they have gotten only more brutal since Wode was hanged” He shrugged. “Well, all the more reason to slaughter them once we find them”
“Not that Edgar's death made it any easier”, Kyra brought up and this time, Gravven gave her a nod. “Not with our current tactics at least”, he spoke. “They have been a nuisance, but now, they get daring. They kill our people, so close to the castle. There's ten thousand Ironborn inside these walls and that did not stop them” He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms as he leant forwards. “This demands a harsh answer. Half a dozen of our men were killed. Send me out into the Riverlands, to kill ten fish men for each of ours that was lost today. Let's see if the Sons dare to attack us ever again”
“Oh, they will”, Damon spoke. Gravven frowned as the Lord Captain put a hand on his shoulder. Shaking it off with annoyance, he gave him a fierce glare. “What do you want, Greyjoy?”, he snarled and Damon raised an eyebrow. “A word with my sister”, he replied. “Alone”
To this, Kyra hesitated for a moment. She had hoped that Damon would not be involved with this, at least this one time. And as always, she was disappointed when hoping for him to not be a two-timing schemer. Reluctantly, she gave Gravven a nod. “Leave us”, she ordered, to which he and the rest of the guards left at once, with only the Greyjoy siblings remaining.
Kyra had seen many corpses in her life. Hells, she had made quite a number herself, no point in denying it. Yet there was something about these that was truly horrifying. These men died in pain, the expression was engraved on their face for all eternity. Someone enjoyed murdering them. Her guards, men who had only done their job. “What do you know about this?”, she asked and Damon looked at her, his smile not suited for such a grim scene. “Oh, for example I know exactly who did it”, he answered. "And I know just how this will help against our enemies" To this, Kyra raised an eyebrow. "Our enemies?", she asked.
“Our enemies”, Damon confirmed. “They never stopped being, just because you and I swore oaths to them. How many have they broken? We cannot trust them, we do not need them” He lowered his voice, as he walked closer. “And we will destroy them”
Kyra frowned. Half a dozen of her men had been killed and Damon was still thinking about nothing but his schemes. “The ones I wish to destroy right now are the ones that preyed on my men”, she snarled in return, taking a step closer towards Damon. “I won't ask how you know about this, but you will tell me what you know”
Her brother raised his hands to calm her down. “Of course, I will”, he assured her. “Though you might want to wait with destroying them” He pointed at the hanged corpse of Edgar. “He has been their target. The others were killed to send a message”, he explained. “The ones that did this were indeed Sons of the Trident, but not the main branch. They belong to a smaller group, led by a certain Herman Irons and just like they all wanted Edgar dead for turning on their lord, this Herman had a particular reason beyond this”
“I'm listening”, Kyra assured him and Damon continued. “During the raid that got Wode captured, Edgar was confronted by Herman. They fought and he lost, but instead of killing him, Edgar crippled him. Viciously so, before he left him for dead, with all the other Sons that came with Lord Wode dead or captured”
“Only he did not die”, Kyra stated and Damon smiled at her. “Would have been better for Edgar", he explained. "Herman was saved by a farmer and his farmhands. A nice man for all I know, sure you'd like him. Got a little boy of his own and he fights to keep him safe. They did this. Captured Edgar and gave him what he deserved”
Kyra clenched her fists. “Maybe”, she admitted. “Edgar has been an arse, sure. But he was still one of my men” Damon gave her a nod. “That he has been”, he spoke. “But I want you to forget about that for a moment” He put a hand onto her shoulder, smiling oftly. “Think about the chance this gives us. I am in contact with Herman and have been told he wishes to meet me”, he informed her. “Surely, you understand I cannot leave the castle. But getting the Sons of the Trident on our side, that will be invaluable”
Looking at her dead men, Kyra felt anger rising up, even if she could understand Damon and the logic behind his argument. “You want me to go in your stead”, she said and he nodded. “You are the only one I trust within these walls”, he assured her. “So meet with him and work on an alliance with the Sons. That way, we can prevent blind acts of rage, such as this here and focus on our common enemy”
Kyra gave him a nod, though her gaze was fixed on her men. “Could you have prevented this?”, she asked sharply. “I'm not talking about Edgar, fuck him. I'm talking about the others” Damon hesitated. “Perhaps”, he admitted. “But that is not the point. I know you will do the right thing. You helped me before, you will do it now, so I will tell you where to find this man” He gave her a soft, brotherly look, the loving expression she had come to miss in the long years of his exile. “I just want to hear it from you”, he said gently. “Tell me you will meet with him. Tell me you will work with him, no matter what happened today”
[Agree to work with Herman] [Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
[Agree to work with Herman] While I can understand Kyra's doubts, unless this Herman proves too troublesome or violent, there's no need to kill him.
Didn't expected being introduced to Kyra's POV with a sex scene, very Game of Thrones-y.
Maybe because I'm a late addition, but I didn't thought House Wode existed yet, although it do makes sense, since it seems the Wodes are direct vassals of whoever's at Harrenhal.
Will we get to know House Strong once Aegon marches to the God's Eye?
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
Kyra shall avenge her men!!
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Can't wait to see Gravven (and Red Rain, for that matter) in action, here's hoping this choice wins and that Kyra unleashes the Butcher of Old Wyk on their foes
Well, I couldn't avoid the topic forever and this was truly the best way of establishing Kyra's relationship to Harrick. Having never written a sex scene for FoT before, I was not sure if I could write it to my usual standard and I know for sure I am not good at just glossing over it. Neither do I want to include fully explicit hardcore sex scenes in the story, on account of that surely being more suited on sites such as AO3 (and too explicit scenes are surely against the forum rules here), so I decided on a middle way and showed the very aftermath of the act. Still true to the Thrones fashion, I hope, but not too explicit.
Hm, you have a point in assuming this. I wouldn't have included House Wode either if not for the person who submitted the Sons of the Trident explicitly mentioning his name. So I came up with a more fitting story for them: House Wode is indeed sworn to the Lords of Harrenhal. They are the original owners of the lands the fortress stands on, but Harren obviously did not care for this when he built it. However, they were compensated and received a humble seat a day's ride away from the castle, towards the crownlands. Effectively, they serve as household knights in the same way House Cassel serves the Stark's. Over the centuries that will follow, they are going to change their liege lords quite often and they are surely an older family than many of them. However, at the time they are actually an exiled house, their seat lying empty, as the entire house has been exiled for the actions of the mentioned Addam Wode, the founder and original leader of the Sons of the Trident, who himself has been brutally executed for his crimes. The whereabouts of the current Lord Wode, Addam's brother, are unknown, yet Harren suspects him to live as the guest of some Riverlord.
This is very much in the realms of possible, though I don't have any explicit plans. House Strong's first mention in the canon has been as vassals of House Hoare at the time after all and they are notable enough for Harren to mention them by name in the same sentence he names major houses such as Tully and Piper. While I have no plans to give them a major role, they are close neighbours to Harrenhal and are among their directly sworn vassals.
And seeing him in action we will, you have my word on this
That being said, it remains questionable if Kyra is going to just fully unleash him. After all, if he gets his way, there will be a literal red rain in the Riverlands. This is currently the nuclear option of dealing with the Sons of the Trident and Kyra is definitely not yet willing to do this. Even Harren could hold some reservations against butchering his subjects by the dozen for the actions of other men. But Gravven is a beast and one of the new Ironborn characters I cannot wait to show more of 
Ah, that first scene was certainly brutal to read for any Garthon and Kyra shippers
I don't really consider myself one, but let's just say I don't feel so bad for Garthon missing his reunion with Kyra anymore 
All that said, her having an intimate relationship, however serious or casual it may be, with Prince Harrick is certainly an interesting development. It also creates a much more personal tie for Kyra to the house his brother seeks to destroy, rather than just the duty she has to King Harren. I look forward to how will this develope in the coming chapters.
[Agree to work with Herman] I am a bit conflicted here. I don't care about Kyra not being loyal to Hoare's, fuck them, but I am a bit afraid this could lead to trouble. On the other hand, refusing to help Damon would certainly not sit well with him, and it's easy to tell he is a dangerous individual. However, he does actually have a good point here - assuring this Herman that Damon is working to undermine Harren from the inside could subdue the violence of the Sons of the Trident, whereas killing Herman is only going to make the Sons double down and react with more violence.
Yeah, I'm afraid it is and I feel a bit bad for it
The thing about Kyra is, she's not one to wait and yearn. She has been in no relationship with Garthon, which, to be fair, would have made it a lot less likely for her to start anything with Harrick here, as she's definitely no cheat either. And to make things worse, she has to currently assume that Garthon died alongside Torvin and all the other Ironborn, given that nobody reported back from Raylansfair. So, while she most definitely at least likes Garthon in some capacity, she considers him dead. That is not saying that she's not missing him, but she's always been one to move on instead of dwelling on what could have been.
Surely it does. I wanted Kyra to have a bit of a conflict here and mere loyalty wouldn't have been strong enough. Instead, she actually has some sort of a relationship with Harrick now, even if she treats it as purely casual, likely a one-night stand only. He's a Hoare though and they can be very stubborn when it comes to getting what they want. In any way, this will make it harder for her to actually assist Damon with his schemes.
Ah, Damon is a dangerous individual, yes. As is Harren, of course. Kyra is perhaps in the most shitty situation in Harrenhal right now, because she is caught in the middle between both, with her strong senses of loyalty and family both being tested. No matter what, both hold potential for great trouble and there is definitely going to be a lot of conflict for her in the coming chapters. Ah, I am excited for that
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Damon said it himself, these guys are just a off branch of the main Trident group. They are clearly more fanatical about their rebelious actions, so I wouldn't be surprised if they and the main branch aren't on the best of terms. I think by working with these guys we could possible sour our chances of getting the more reliable group of Tridents helping out Damon.
I liked seeing Kyra crushing our initial hopes of Garyra in her very first part. Poor Garthon is going to have to make a really good impression if he hopes of winning her back. Can't say I really blame her though, seeing how Garthon is supposedly dead and a traitor. And now she is going to have to balance out her new secret love life, her work life, and her traitor life now. Talk about a hand full.
Well, in this case it should be noted, branch does not mean a completely unrelated group in this case. They are very much the same group, part of a large network, all answering to Addam Wode's successor, Edrick Rivers. These people are just a different chapter, if you want to call them that way, the rebel cell closest to Harrenhal. Their actions are also not more violent than the others, the Sons are getting more bold and brutal in general lately, partially influenced by the war against the Rock going bad and Aegon arriving as a new threat from the east. However, there is certainly very much the possibility that they are not getting along with the main branch, but it won't be over ideological differences. Those are not Robin Hood and his band of merry men, those are brutal freedom fighters, who are anything but opposed to violence.
Garyra... is that how they are calling it these days? But it is very much true, she considers him dead, so there's no dwelling over missed chances. Life goes on and Kyra is looking at its bright side. Being a traitor is not quite something she would have held against him, she never did in the first place. It would be quite hypocritical of her to do that. That being said, you got it right there, she will face a lot of problems on her own, balancing the load of secrets she is carrying around with her. There's the guy she works for, his son whom she's having a casual affair with behind his father's back and her brother, who wishes to kill both, as well as that other guy who was crushing on her, whom she believes to have died. Sounds like perfect rom-com material, doesn't it?
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
[Agree to work with Herman]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] Kyra is not her brother puppet!
RT:
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
Kyra seems like a much more passionate, fiery person rather than a calculating and cool Damon. I'll like to keep it that way.
And hey, just when I thought the story couldn't get better, I read the first part of this. Tame enough to keep on the forums too, that's always a plus. Just mod advice, but you're definitely okay with anything that appears in a Telltale game, and a little further. Not too much, but you know, we got games like the Wolf Among Us, Batman, and Game of Thrones (obviously) which give you some room.
Harrick is now my favorite Hoare. Great bloke he is.
Ah. Red Rain. I've been wondering if she'd appear. I've convinced myself that Red Rain was in fact the ancestral blade of House Reyne before it was stolen. I hope it is, and this Butcher of Old Wyk encounters some Reynes.
[Agree to work with Herman]
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman]
The very end of one at least. You might say, it was the climax of the scene, the very tip of the whole act. A novum for me in my writing, I hope it was satisfactory.
Aye, Harren's interlude revealed that there was something going on between them, though this part showed that it came from Kyra's own will and not because her brother wanted her to get close to a Hoare. She picked the best of the bunch, there's really no other way of saying it.
Well, as far power-hungry brothers go, Damon is preferrable over, say, Viserys. At least he got a very big soft spot for Kyra herself, even if his concern for her new liaison with Harrick might have come off as a bit cold. He cares for her, deeply so, but he is still the ruthless, power-hungry schemer he has always been.
Handsome for Ironborn standards. We got a whole culture that sort of gets high on violence, so Gravven's numerous battle scars are a sign of strength and bravery, which are traits any Ironborn woman considers to be handsome. On top of that, they are of the rugged type, not the badly disfiguring.
Hehe, they certainly are not. There might be some cells who are more capable and ready to fight back in full force against the Ironborn, but peaceful protest or bloodless sabotage actions, that has never been the Sons of the Trident's modus operandi. Some groups have less chance to really hurt the Ironborn, so their comparably weaker methods and actions are likely seen as more sympathetic than fullblown violence and murder, but they are not separated in clear good or clear bad. So far, we met Jon the Harper and his group, who have been quite affable for all we know, but don't forget that they were perfectly ready to kill Garthon until he convinced them of his intentions. It is not unthinkable that Jon would have done the same to this Edgar fellow, who was responsible for the death of their former leader after all. Of course, what we know of Herman so far is that he's a vengeful man who is willing to kill to send a message, but you can't really be a passionate revolutionary without such a willingness. He has his other sides too, as they all have.
Hehe, it was indeed explained above. Edrick has been Addam's childhood friend and second-in-command, so after the founder of the Sons was killed by the Ironborn (with Harren's full brutality, by the way), it was only natural that he took over. It should also be noted that Addam is dead for many months now, having died at least three months before the first chapter, whereas the current chapter takes place over half a year after those events.
That she is, surely. I can say for certain that this choice won't change this, nor will anything change it anytime soon. That's just whom she is, a passionate, somewhat wild and impulsive person, with her brother being the cold mastermind who plays the long game.
Ah, thanks for the advice, that is much appreciated! I was really not sure how explicit I could be in the story here in the forums, but it seems I got it right on the first try. Be assured, it won't get much more explicit than what has been seen here, as I have no intention of writing outright softcore fanfiction. Neither is that the right forum for that, nor am I the right writer. I guess I'll stick to scenes similar to what we have seen in Batman, probably slightly more at most (involving actual nudity, for example), but used sparsely and with care. There should definitely be enough room between a clean fade to black and Fifty Shades of Grey. Be assured, it won't be taken much further than what has been seen in this part and I am glad you liked this one
What a coincidence, he is Kyra's favourite Hoare as well
But yeah, Harrick has actual good traits, showing that they are not all cruel madmen. A lot of the current generation's problems can be blamed on Harren being an absolute failure as a father, unleashing a son as psychotic as Harmund onto his two younger brothers and only intervening with the fourth. Who knows, if he would have shown strength and care while raising his firstborn, there could be three Hoare's like Harrick now and a version of Harmund that is closer to Viserys than Ramsay (who are light years apart after all). And even with a father like Harren, Harrick turned out kinda alright.
You are right, Red Rain is the ancestral blade of House Reyne, having been stolen by one of Gravven's ancestors a few hundred years ago. Makes perfect sense to me to have it belonging to that house initially. Gravven would like to meet a Reyne, as he'd gladly use the chance to give them their blade back, at least briefly and point first. In turn, Willfred would surely love to take it back, so a meeting between these two could be a fierce duel.
[Tell him you are going to kill Herman] An interesting start. Didn't expect Kyra to get such a long introduction (in terms of a PoV part since it is her first one) but I'm interested already. I was never a fan of the great houses of Riverlands and the Iron Islands but this chapter is getting me into it. While im not too thrilled by the fact that Kyra is into one of the Hoare family members, but Harrick is the least worst option. The new faction called the sons of the trident seem intriguing and to counter their plans will be tricky I'm guessing.
A question though, seeing Red Rain was quite a surprise since it was not indicated when did House Reyne lost it because I always assumed it was stolen when Tywin Lannister killed them all. Is it mentioned anywhere in the books when excatly was it stolen because I can't seem to find any solid proof it was stolen long ago.
I also see you started the part with a sex scene, how very form fitting for a Greyjoy XD (poor Theon)
Well, technically speaking it hasn't even been confirmed in the canon that Red Rain ever belonged to House Reyne, even if it is kinda given. That said, there is no real indication on when exactly did House Drumm aquire, just that it was taken by Hilmar Drumm (there's no info on when he lived) from a knight, apparently by using his wits and somehow tricking said knight.