Forum of Thrones: An Interactive Story

InKennyWeTrust · August 2017

Wait, Raenna and Samuel kissed? Is it weird that I forgot it? Stupid brain is playing tricks on me, I really have to read the story again.

The_not_chosen_one · August 2017

Well,I'm not against of ships itself but since usually they are forced relationship that the fans are obsessed with (coff coff Jon×Daenerys coff coff) I can't say to like them.

If I must be honest I found not very fond of many pairings that you suggest because for now they don't have any sense (EX:Arthur and Edonia show nothing that suggest any relationship and will probably not even meet again inside the story) or they are,for me obviously, wrong in so many levels(Maya×Irving...bleah)

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Well, what are the chances? Just as I read your comment here, I was writing a scene featuring a literal fleet of ships

Anyways this is surely interesting. I have a boatload of ships in other stories on here, so much that I consider myself to be the Grand Admiral of the Telltale forums, so it surely is nice to see that there are FoT ships as well. To get this out of the way, I have FoT ships too, but I am afraid I can't really share them here. The problem is, I am the one who can make them happen and as a matter of fact, that's what I'm going to do in a couple cases. I guess you can say, my ship is the law. So when I say that I ship Character A with Character B, that could be a spoiler for you that something is planned for these two characters. After all, I don't pair what I don't ship, unless it is a mere temporary fling or I want to show dysfunctional, abusive or manipulative relationships. And yes, there will be at least one prominent example of a character falling for the wrong person in Book 2. Those relationships that already happened can be considered part of my ships, I suppose. Jaron/Harpy, Ayden/Taria, Lucas/Lunett, as tragically short-lived as it was.

My flagship though, my favourite, it has not happened yet and won't for a while, but already knowing the kind of interaction they will have makes me excited to write them. It is one of the few canon ships I can work with, so while trying to be as vague as possible for those among you who have not read the World of Ice and Fire (or the Ice and Fire wiki, you iron-willed, unspoiled champs), those of you familiar with the WoC backstory might have an idea which one I mean. Forget about Jonaerys (which I hold a strangely neutral opinion on though) this one's my personal song of ice and fire

That being said, I totally ship Arthur/Every attractive female in the story! That is a long list, so he'll have a lot of crush work ahead

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

No need to anger the Lady. We don't want to get on her bad side. Here's hoping she has a good side.

Well, she has not killed them on sight and does not seem to want to enslave them just yet. For an Ironborn raider, that is a good side, even if it doesn't necessarily mean Viveka is any good as a person. She's just way more pragmatic than lunatics such as Cleaver Clint. However getting out of there again will be quite some work for Edrick and co, especially those that cannot pay the ransom Viveka plans to force from their families. But yeah, they are still alive, so they obviously can consider themselves lucky.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Ah, don't let Viveka hear that, for she considers herself a very true believer in the old ways. However, coming from such a small house, she sees the chances this offers. Her men have captured these prisoners, paid the Iron Price according to Gawayne (which might put it more spectacular than it truly was), so she considers them hers to do as she likes. And their belongings are already hers now. Killing them will only give her powerful enemies in the form of House Karstark, Mormont and Frostborn, wherwas keeping them alive will mean she can force tons of coin for the good of House Codd out of them.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Gotta be honest here, I don't know where this is going, but this is slowly starting to capture my attention. The Codd family seem a fantastic addition to Edrick and its exactly what he needs to get better.

Ah, this is great to hear! I remember you haven't really liked Edrick's storyline in Book 1, do I am glad this new development has gained your interest. Admittedly, Edrick had a slow start, but I have some exciting moments ahead for him and the others, so it might not be unthinkable that he wins you over

I'm just wondering how Alys will fit in all of this if shes travelling to Dorne I believe?

She is currently on a ship heading to the Stepstones, where Edward wishes to meet with his benefactor, the infamous pirate king Aeron Blacksails. We're actually going to get an update on her very soon and I also plan to further develop how she feels about this newly mentioned love Leo has for her.

AgentZ46 · August 2017

I shan't forget the ship. I refuse!

NightShroud18 · August 2017

The ships are pretty strong with this one. But all of them seem to end in a disaster. Kyra and Garathon is pretty much impossible. So is Samuel and Raenna even though I love them both so much but I still do not see a happy ending to them. Arthur is pretty much in love with everyone (slut). Jaron and Harpy are among the oldest ships and I really do hope they find a future together. Please Liquid, more ships. And more happy ones. Increase your fleet. They will be in your favor for life.

AgentZ46 · August 2017

I can somewhat agree with that. A lot of my favorite ships are too complicated and almost never happen. However, I refuse to give up hope on Kyra/Garthon. It's basically my OTP at this point XD

Bounden · August 2017

Heck yeah! I love me some ships! I gotta say I want each and every one of these ships to happen, even you Marving. I agree seeing Arthur crush after all these girls is super cute, and I find it kinda funny that he ends up messing that relationship up each and every time. Can't wait to see who Arthur sets his sights after next!

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

The Voting is closed!

Edrick is going to tell Viveka his name

Well, as you have rightfully noticed, Viveka is not one to be refused, so not acting defiantly might have been the safer choice. Then again, Viveka is Ironborn and for what it is worth, they respect strength and defiance, even if they don't necessarily appreciate it. Still, you undeniably picked the safer option and that is almost never a bad thing.

I am currently heading home and I have a part with me that only requires some minor fine tuning. This means, expect it to be out very soon today. Originally planned to be one large Jenna part, I encountered a regrettable problem of my own fault. I did not think about the undoubtedly shitty internet I had while away, so while I had access to a laptop for writing purposes, I had no access to the character document. This means, I faced a problem. See, Jenna's part was supposed to introduce two characters. The next in line, Willfred, was supposed to do the same. So, I improvised. Cutting Jenna's part in half, I gave her a choice she was supposed to make later in this chapter. I also moved Alys' first part a bit forwards to be the second PoV of this part, as she is the only PoV left that I don't need access to the character document for and whose first part can comfortably fit into 9750 letters. For the future, I shall remember always to keep a copy of my dear characters with me when I go on vacation. For now however, I hope you enjoy Jenna and Alys!

By the way, just to be clear, from now on you can send me messages again without having to worry about me not seeing it before it gets buried by new notifications in my broken feed

AgentZ46 · August 2017

Jenna and Alys! What a treat! Two of my favorites

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Jenna

An hour of practicing has not taken away any of the awkwardness of what she was doing here. Looking into beautiful, sapphire blue eyes that would cause any man's heart to beat faster, it meant little to Jenna, aside from making her uncomfortable. She was blushing vividly and after trying it for so long, she felt her breath becoming faster, as she knew, she had never felt so embarrassed in all her life. “M'lord”, she whispered, clumsily fluttering her eyelashes. “Is there anything else I could assist you with?”

“Once more”, Saerya demanded, her sharp voice the clear opposite of her pleasant looks. “I need you to learn if you want to be of any use for the cause. You sound like someone that wants to rush to the privy and not the bedchamber. This time, I want you to truly mean it” Jenna gulped. “That's the problem”, she complained. “I can't mean it, not with you around” To this, the other woman raised an eyebrow. “Ouch”, she said, her voice showing a jest. “After so long, I thought you'd feel different”

Jenna's eyes widened, as colour pumped through her cheeks. “I...!”, she stuttered. “I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...” It was there that she noticed the mischievous grin on Saerya's face. What was a look of embarrassment quickly turned into a look of anger, though she could not suppress a smile. “Oh, you!”, she said, giggled as she playfully slapped Saerya's hand. “Don't do that!”

“What?”, Saerya asked, smiling at Jenna's unusual joy. “Having fun? Sweet, that's the whole purpose of our game, of any game ever played” She raised a finger, causing Jenna to focus back at her. “And it is a game. The stakes are higher, but so is the thrill”, she explained. “And now focus. Look at me...”

Saerya leant forwards, her eyes gazing at Jenna with a longing that only made the young woman more uncomfortable, even if she knew it was only a play, a lesson. “M'lord”, she purred, her voice reminding Jenna of honey and warm summer days. “Is there anything else I could... assist you with?”

Jenna clenched her fists. “You're good at this”, she admitted and Saerya shook her head. “I am the best”, she claimed. “That's why I was sent here. Though Queen Visenya expected me to seduce an old man, not that handsome Lord Vyrwel”

“I suppose that makes your work even easier?”, Jenna asked and to her surprise, Saerya decidedly shook her head. “Pretending is easy”, she said. “The more you pretend, the easier it gets. Ugly men, fat, old and balding, they are willing to trick themselves. They want to believe any woman when she claims to love them, they are more than willing to overlook small errors” She gave her an encouraging smile. “If you sound believable when saying this to me, you'll sound believable to them as well”, she told her. “In fact, some might even be more willing to believe you than me. The girl next door is some men's fantasy. Cute. Innocent. Pretty, but simple”

“Simple?”, Jenna barked and Saerya smiled. “You know what I mean”, she said, though Jenna really wasn't sure. “You are a raw diamond” She paused and frowned mildly. “A very raw diamond”, she admitted and before Jenna could protest, she already continued. “In any way, you have to watch out for the risks. The dangerous ones are not those that are hard to love. As I said, they overlook small mistakes, they help you in tricking them” She narrowed her eyes. “The ones that are truly dangerous are those that are easy to love”

Jenna raised an eyebrow. “How so?”, she asked and Saerya smiled thinly. “Those that are charming themselves. Handsome. The ones that make your heart race and your mind wander”, she explained and Jenna slowly understood. “They have experience and standards. Used to fake attraction themselves, some of them can spot any lie you tell them”

“Then how do you trick them?”, Jenna asked and Saerya flashed her a stunning smile. “By being even better”, she boasted, before giving her a playful wink. “And I already told you, there is no one better than me” Jenna gulped. “So you did this a lot of times already”, she asked asked and as Saerya gave her a proud nod, she continued. “Any man you couldn't seduce?”

To this, Saerya had to think for a while. “King Aegon himself”, she admitted. “Few men are truly faithful and it might be stark to say about someone with two wives, but he loves his Queen Rhaenys” She shook her head. “He has eyes for no one but her and barely for his other queen, poor Visenya”, she explained. “But to answer your question, I know what to look for in a man. There are other ways. Gathering intel on your target and blackmailing them, convincing them through honeyed words, or more painful ways. I found that few men have secrets to a woman they have fallen for”

“You make it sound so easy”, Jenna complained and Saerya smirked slyly. “That's because it is. A look here, a flash of skin and a whispered promise there and they do anything for you”, she explained. “You can learn it as well. Just practice and follow my words”

Jenna frowned. “And what if I prefer another way of getting information?”, she asked, to which Saerya gave her a look of genuine curiosity. “And which one would that be?”, she asked in return. “I could teach you how to hurt a man, but we both know your heart is too gentle for that. If I'd know of a way to blackmail Mullendore or Vyrwel, I'd do it myself. And persuading them to help us... I doubt they'd listen to reason until the dragons are on their doorstep. And we have to be faster than that”

“Why so?”, Jenna asked. “You seem convinced your king will make it. Why don't we just wait?” Saerya narrowed her eyes. “That's not what I meant”, she corrected her. “I said he can make it, but only if we do our part, just like General Orys, Daghan or our friends in the Stormlands and Dorne have to do their part” She raised a finger. “This won't be easy even with your help, so I need you to try your best”, she reminded her. “Now once more. Show me feelings this time”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “M'lord”, she mumbled, gazing at Saerya. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” Saerya shook her head. “You sound annoyed”, she complained. “You seem distracted” Jenna bit onto her lower lip. “Of course I am”, she said. “I doubt you have been always focussed during your training”

“I never said my own training has been always easy”, Saerya stated. “But you're more distracted than usual. Are you worried?” Now, Jenna gave her a nod. “Father seems to be more worried than usual”, she admitted and Saerya's face showed a streak of sympathy. “So you think of him”, she said. “You are worried for your family, your friends” She leant forwards. “Then you should listen even more carefully, for I can show you how to protect them. I'm not your old friend Ilhan though. I don't advice you to fight your fears, to pick up a sword for the monsters you have to face”

Now, Jenna's eyes widened. “How did you...?”, she started to exclaim, but Saerya cut her off. “As I said, I am the best at what I do”, she replied. “And you can become... well, maybe quite good. You are a very raw diamond after all” With this, she gave her a wink. “Ilhan has been right with one thing, though I'd like to expand on this. You don't just need swords for monsters, you need a weapon for everything, a trick in your sleeve. For your friends. For your enemies. For every battle you'll ever fight, all your life, always”, she stated, while Jenna was listening carefully. “Sometimes, you yourself have to be the weapon. And that is what I try to teach”

“Seduction, you mean”, Jenna said and she sighed. “I... don't think I am a... particularly seductive person” Saerya nodded at this, though she smiled. “And what would you have said four months ago?”, she asked and Jenna realized what she meant. “That it's hopeless”, she said. “That no man will ever look at me twice”

Saerya put a hand onto her shoulder. “You've come a long way, sweet”, she spoke. “And you're not at the end yet. Just follow me and see where it'll take you” Her gaze hardened. “And now again. Imagine I am a high lord. Lord Petyr maybe, or Ser Kasyn. He's quite handsome, isn't he?” She chuckled at Jenna's reluctant nod. “Ser Kasyn it is then”, she stated. “Now convince me”

Jenna bit down onto her cheek. Convincing her... that was harder than she made it seem to be. But she tried. Taking a deep breath, she gazed into Saerya's deep, blue eyes. “M... M'lord”, she said and her voice was not Saerya's smooth, seductive purr. It was her own, the one she had when she spoke to those she was afraid of. A voice with fear in it, not much, just the right amount. Saerya wanted a meek, gentle, shy woman? Well, Jenna barely had to act in that case. “Is there anything... a... anything else I could help you with?”

Saerya raised an eyebrow. “Good!”, she complimented her and Jenna beamed with pride. “Surprisingly good!” She grinned. “Not the approach I would have taken, but that's why I am training you in the first place, to take an approach I can't, to do the things I myself could never do”

Jenna nodded and to her surprise, Saerya pulled her in a brief hug. “I'm proud of you”, she whispered and it meant so much for her to hear this. As they separated again, Saerya gave her a deep look. “Now, about your father”, she spoke and Jenna gulped. “I would like to meet him. Would like to talk to his guests. Do you think we could change this soon? There has been sparsely few time and I believe they have fascinating stories to tell”

That was something Jenna could only confirm. So far, Saerya only had brief talks with either, Kersea and Leonard. Being busy herself, especially after the chaos that followed after Sherryl's unexpected demise, there had simply been no time for her to discuss them, their experiences and knowledge on Maron Mullendore any further than the basics. And these basics had been terrifying enough to make Jenna herself stay as far away as possible from that man.

That being said, there was a meeting scheduled, two days from now, where they would discuss their next steps. Her father would be there, she herself of course, Leonard and Kersea, Samantha and Sasha, Aylard and Davith, regrettably even Uncle Alan. Saerya was not part of it, not so far at least and Jenna was not sure if she on her own could allow her to join them, if she was even in the position to invite her. She did not lead this little conspiracy and she knew, neither Leonard nor Sasha, not even Alan would trust the Targaryen spy. That was her first thought. The second one was one of anger. Of course she could! She was the one that had brought them together! Why shouldn't she? And the third was a familiar insecurity, as Jenna Harking was once more unsure what to do.

[Invite Saerya to the meeting] [Don't tell her about the meeting]

Alys

They called it the Merman's Rest. Far from the largest of the Stepstones, it would have never been her first choice for a pirate's den, much less a pirate king's, at least from studying the map Edward had given her to entertain herself during the journey. Perhaps that was Aeron Blacksails' luck, that nobody that did not sail through these waters would suspect him here. And those that did sail through them unharmed were his followers only.

She stood at the railing, looking down into the bright blue water. They had not stopped in Dorne, at least not outright and she was as disappointed as she was worried. The Stepstones, they were not part of Westeros, even if some counted them as part of Dorne. The sight that was ahead of her proved it more than anything else.

A majority of the Merman's Rest formed a large bay, which was home to Aeron Blacksails' fleet, safely hidden from prying eyes by high, natural walls of rock. And what a fleet it was. Never before had Alys seen so many different ships on one place and it took her breath away. The Ironborn longship Edward had taken from the raid was not the only of its kind, even if it was the most runtish. There were warships from the Free Cities, swift vessels from the further east with triangular sails, trading ships from the Summer Isles, the familiar sight of Westerosi ships of all kinds, all sailing under Aeron's black flag.

And behind it, there was a cave, a grotto, a harbour the size of a small town inside, fully underneath the rock, hidden from plain sight and yet, the light of torches and colourful lights illuminated the several levels of the entire town of Merman's Rest, seat of Blacksails and the most unusual settlement Alys had ever seen in her young life.

“Stunning, isn't it?”, a voice mumbled next to her and as she glanced to her side, she noticed Carvin. He had come without her hearing him, so his sudden presence so close startled her slightly. The last two months at sea had burnt his skin, a reddish-brown tan forming slowly, while his beard had gotten fuller and his muscles even more defined.

“It's something”, she admitted and Carvin raised an eyebrow. “I was talking about the ships”, she quickly added, looking away fom his naked upper arms. The sellsword grinned at her words. “You better were”, he jested in kind. “But it's true. This is something. The largest fleet in the whole world that is not sworn to a king”

Alys glanced at him for a moment. “I thought Aeron calls himself King of the Pirates”, she brought up and Carvin nodded. “Yeah, but he is their leader by choice only”, he explained. “Their king until a better one steps up. Blacksails has been king for over a decade now, meaning there's preciously few who could be better”

“They are cutthroats”, a new voice said and Alys spotted Wilbur, approaching them from the other side. “These pirates, I mean. Honourless opportunists” Carvin smirked, though not in a hostile way. “That is rich coming from you, Ironborn”, he replied.

Wilbur shrugged. “I'm just saying”, he continued. “They don't have an Old Way to follow. Stabbing each other in the backs, ruthless and without anyone they truly look out for but themselves” He sighed. “Reminds me of my father, that right proper bastard”

“Their captains are different”, Carvin told her. “Blacksails himself, of course. There's Warmond Manderly, the Black Merman. Aidan Storm, Jadith Linster and Melvan Tiren. And Sargasso Saan, the most powerful of them all aside from Blacksails himself” Wilbur sighed. “The worst of them all, you mean”, he answered, before giving Alys a stern look. “M'lady, don't tell any man on there who you are. Half of them would rape you just because they never had a noble lady before. The other half would do the same, but instead of dumping your body into the bay, they'd try to get some coin out of your father afterwards”

Alys frowned “Lovely”, she mumbled. “And Anturion brought me right here” Carvin glared at Wilbur after she said this. “Don't frighten the lady”, he growled and Wilbur shrugged. “What?”, he complained. “Someone has to tell her. Don't you fill her head with fairytales about noble romantics among the pirate folk”

“I won't and I don't deny that there's some dangerous bastards among these people”, Carvin growled. “But don't make them seem worse than they are. Lots of good people serve on these ships as well. Saan, Storm, Tiren, they are not too bad and Blacksails is a reasonable leader” Wilbur smirked. “Yeah, just keep telling yourself that”, he replied.

Finally, Carvin rolled his eyes. “You better get back to your duty, Ironborn”, he snarled. “I'll do mine and inform Edward of our arrival” He put a hand onto Alys' back. “As I said, don't listen to him too much. He has no idea what he's talking about” And with these words, he was gone, leaving Alys alone, next to Wilbur, who stared at the fleet.

“He's wrong, you know”, Wilbur stated flatly. “I know pirates. What are they but Ironborn without principles?” Alys raised an eyebrow. “You don ‘t seem to think too highly of your own people”, she brought up, to which Wilbur nodded. “There have been times where we didn't really get along, me and the other Ironborn” He pointed at his forehead, where the notable scar was visible. “One of them did that. Nearly caved my head in”

A smile flashed across Alys' face. “Was he four-legged and had fur?”, she asked. “We all know it's a dog's bite. Anyone ever told you you don't have to pretend being a hardass?” Wilbur raised an eyebrow, though he smiled as well. “Anyone ever told you you're too smart for your own good?”, he asked in return. Then, he sighed. “But please, be careful in there. Be careful whom you speak to, be careful whom you trust. Don't tell your name to anyone and if they ask, give them a fake one”

“You seem concerned”, Alys remarked. “How touching” Wilbur's smile faded. “That's cause I am”, he admitted. “Hells, why shouldn't I? You're one of the least horrible people on this entire ship, probably in this entire port. I'd hate seeing that go to waste”

Alys gave him a nod. “Thank you, Wilbur”, she told him. “For what it's worth, you're not too bad either, for an Ironborn” The young man raised an eyebrow, though he flashed her a crooked grin. “Yeah, suppose you're right, m'lady” His grin faded as quickly as it came, as he looked past her. “And I'll better get back to work before I get flogged...”

He hurried away even before Alys turned around and as she did, she spotted Edward approaching her position. Carvin was with him and Alisa as well. The wound on his cheek had turned into a notable scar, gruesome and somewhat disfiguring even, though other than that, he looked splendid as always, with his well-cut hair and trimmed moustache.

“Mylady Alys”, he greeted her and she narrowed her eyes at him. “When will you bring me to Dorne?”, she replied, fed up with his politeness, his empty promises, the glimpse at something worse behind. Edward raised an eyebrow, while behind him, Alisa suppressed a smirk at her cutting remark. “Dorne? Mylady, I can assure you, it will happen soon. My dealings with Aeron Blacksails, they cannot wait, but afterwards, I shall stop at one of the southern ports of your choosen new home. Clearhaven maybe, or Salt Shore”

Disgruntled, she gave him a nod. “And what do you want right now?”, she spoke. To this, he smiled again, charming as always. “I know I kept you waiting”, he answered, gently his tone. “I am truly sorry for this and hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Today, I will deal with Blacksails. Discuss something and plan my next move against the Red Lion”

She sighed. “Let me put it this way, what do you want from me?”, she asked. “Just a friendly chatter before meeting your pirate friend?” Edward quickly shook his head. “Not at all. Blacksails is my king, not my friend, just like how he sees me as nothing but a subject, a captain under his command” He put a hand on her shoulder and she left it there. “I want to introduce you to him”

Alys looked up, her eyes widening as she remembered Wilbur's words. “You mean I am supposed to go down there with you?”, she asked and the man smiled reassuringly. “Yes”, he confirmed bluntly. “For the first part of the meeting. The rest, I shall discuss behind closed doors, while you will return to the ship” He turned around, his hand waving from Alisa to Carvin. “And of course, I won't send you all by yourself. One will remain by my side, but I want you to pick a guard of your own, who will accompany you and protect you from any potential danger until I make my return and we leave this port”

Alys looked past him, at the two sellswords. She trusted both, that was clear. She had seen them fighting, she knew both were more than capable. Carvin knew this port, but Alisa had saved her life before, down in the archive. They both had, come to think of it. It was not a question whom she trusted, but whom she was willing to trust more.

[Choose Alisa] [Choose Carvin]

captainivy1 · August 2017

[Don't tell her about the meeting] Do not see a reason to invite her to this meeting in particular, she could meet them.any other time, could she not?

[Choose Carvin] Carvin seems like the better option to me, not only does he know about the port, but he has also saved Alys life, just like Alicia. So that is 2 positives for C and 1 for A, which makes me choose Carvin.

The_not_chosen_one · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting] It's true that not many will like the targaryen spy be a member of the cospiration but I suppose that Saerya could be helpful for this operation (and I admit that the main reason for this choice is to make Jenna believe more of her own decision)

[Choose Alisa]Damn you Liquid!I always hate to choose between party members! At the end I choose Alisa just to give her more screentime (but I won't have any problem if the other choice win)

RT:

Jenna's training of her seduction skills was very fun to read
Since Sherryl death is mentioned in this part I'm curious to know what Arthur is doing two months later he discover the Vyrwell-Mullendore-Oakheart alliance
Oh oh..it seems in the near future many characters will meet each other to decide what to do against Mullendore (I'm curious to read Aylard and Samantha reaction when they will discover Kersea identity)
Alys begin her storyline for this book in a very interesting location!
I'm very excited to finally see inside the story the so called King of Pirates (and discover what Anturion plan to do against the Red Lion)
I must admit it...it was shocking to me discover the gruesome true to how Willbur obtain his scar..brrr!

TheRightfulKing · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

Bounden · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting] Saerya is going to be more of a help than hindrance. She can be a helpful ally if Leonard can get over himself and agree to work with her.

[Choose Alisa] Carvin can have his fun when Illish gets around to finding him. Time for Alisa to shine! Some fun Northerner action is coming our way!

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

At the end I choose Alisa just to give her more screentime (but I won't have any problem if the other choice win)

Here I can confirm, while trying not to spoil anything, Carvin and Alisa will both get significant screentime in the events to come. Both have sub-storylines of their own planned, so no matter whom you choose here, the other one won't be sidelined in any way

Jenna's training of her seduction skills was very fun to read

To quote Saerya herself, Jenna is a veeery raw diamond. Her main problem has never been a lack of appearance, where it was noted that she has at least something speaking for her. Like most of the time when it comes to appear attractive, it suffices to look decent, with confidence really being a major selling point. As Saerya explained, some have a thing for the shy ones, but even then, there's a line that should not be crossed and Jenna has just been too much of a wallflower in the past.

Since Sherryl death is mentioned in this part I'm curious to know what Arthur is doing two months later he discover the Vyrwell-Mullendore-Oakheart alliance

Ah, we will get an update on Arthur in this chapter, not too far in the future actually. Next part has been promised for Willfred, but the one after could belong to Arthur (albeit a second PoV will likely find her way in there as well). So far, I can confirm he has kept this a secret, but he has not forgotten and he definitely understands how crucial Sherryl's final words have been.

Oh oh..it seems in the near future many characters will meet each other to decide what to do against Mullendore (I'm curious to read Aylard and Samantha reaction when they will discover Kersea identity)

Aye, there is some resistance against Mullendore. The man has made many enemies while doing Petyr's wet work (and then some more) and with the knowledge Leonard gave Jenna in the past weeks, it was easy to build contact to the other ones. This is the first time they will all meet at once though and at least Aylard and Samantha have never met with Kersea before. Especially the latter two will have some interesting interaction, considering their backstories.

Alys begin her storyline for this book in a very interesting location!

The Merman's Rest, basically Tortuga, but a bit more gritty. There will be a couple colourful characters to be introduced there (as you know ) and I cannot wait to show you more about the place, its layout and the truly odd mix of people that live there.

I'm very excited to finally see inside the story the so called King of Pirates (and discover what Anturion plan to do against the Red Lion)

Yes, Aeron Blacksails has been a long time in the making. A character that has been submitted two and a half years ago and has been mentioned since the early Chapter 3 on top of that, so I hope I will meet your expectations with him. Definitely one of the most colourful characters in this chapter.

I must admit it...it was shocking to me discover the gruesome true to how Willbur obtain his scar..brrr!

I know, right? Poor Wilbur has suffered so terribly from this gruesome part of his backstory. Not even Sandor Clegane has such a terrible tale to tell about his scars. You know, part of me regrets not making a Joker-shtick with him, where he constantly asks people if they want to know how he got the scar, only to tell them increasingly outrageous stories

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Do not see a reason to invite her to this meeting in particular, she could meet them.any other time, could she not?

Hm, this meeting in particular would be a chance for her to have them all in one spot. There are more than just Leonard and Kersea and inviting her to this would mean that she would become fully involved in these schemes and maybe, if you are willing to trust her this much, a full member of the conspiracy against Mullendore. Of course, trust is the problem here, as it would really mean having her, the Targaryen spy, in the same location as every major member of the resistance against Mullendore.

InGen_Nate_Kenny · August 2017

[Don't tell her about the meeting]

While I'm sure they are some positive things if this done if we told about the meeting, I don't want Leonard becoming even more paranoid then before. Poor guy. He learns Saerya is a spy he'll start trusting Jenna even less destroying that good will from before. Plus, I got a feeling it's a trap.

[Choose Alisa]

Girl power? Eh, I just don't want Carvin.

“Simple?”, Jenna barked and Saerya smiled. “You know what I mean”, she said, though Jenna really wasn't sure. “You are a raw diamond” She paused and frowned mildly. “A very raw diamond”, she admitted and before Jenna could protest, she already continued. “In any way, you have to watch out for the risks. The dangerous ones are not those that are hard to love. As I said, they overlook small mistakes, they help you in tricking them” She narrowed her eyes. “The ones that are truly dangerous are those that are easy to love”

Jenna raised an eyebrow. “How so?”, she asked and Saerya smiled thinly. “Those that are charming themselves. Handsome. The ones that make your heart race and your mind wander”, she explained and Jenna slowly understood. “They have experience and standards. Used to fake attraction themselves, some of them can spot any lie you tell them”

Very interesting. Very interesting. You know, I believe Leonard would severely disprove of Saerya's tactics and ideology here.

“I said he can make it, but only if we do our part, just like General Orys, Daghan or our friends in the Stormlands and Dorne have to do their part” She raised a finger. “This won't be easy even with your help, so I need you to try your best”, she reminded her. “Now once more. Show me feelings this time”

Intriguing. Who are these "friends" in the Stormlands and Dorne? Don't know about the former, but the later could be the Sandstorm.

That was something Jenna could only confirm. So far, Saerya only had brief talks with either, Kersea and Leonard. Being busy herself,

This Black Merman, Warmond Manderly, sounds interesting.

Nain Anturion ~ Aeron Blacksails

One more thing. Anturion's hatred for the Red Lion makes me think of that vision in the fire Marak saw way back in like Chapter 1. There was something about a green venomous serpent/snake/adder or whatever biting a red lion? I'll have to look back. I wonder if that part is in play here.

Edinosaur23 · August 2017

changing place of the comment

WildlingKing · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting] Ah, Saerya is teaching the art of seduction to Jenna. Frankly, I don't know how to feel about that. I mean, I'm all for Jenna coming more confident in herself, but I also kinda hope we aren't making her a snake in the process, if you know what I mean. I hope she'll keep some of her sweet innocence in the process of Saerya teaching her. Anyway, to the choice, if the goal of this conspiracy truly is to take down Mullendore, then there is no reason to turn away useful allies like Saerya. I mean, I don't trust her fully, but I do trust her to stay loyal to her king. Which in turn means, Mullendore is her enemy. The most negative immediate outcome I could see coming from this is the reaction of Richard. I mean, he already has a house full of people that bring him to danger, he might not like the addition of a Targaryen spy to the mix. Leonard I think will be fine, after all Saerya already helped him once. I doubt Kersea will really care, and who cares about Alan's opinions

[Choose Alisa] I'm obviously biased here. But to present at least somewhat objective argument, I'll say that Alisa has had less time to shine than Carvin so far. Also, because of their backstories Alisa and Alys make for a more interesting interaction, imo. Anyways this pirate port of Aeron Blacksails is certainly an interesting location, and I'm very interested to first of all meet this pirate king, and then see what kind of role him and his fleet will have in the story moving forward. I mean, a conflict with the Reyne's seems to be a strong possiblity. Oh, and Clearhaven namedrop noticed

Edinosaur23 · August 2017

[Don't tell her about the meeting] I think is too soon to invite her, first they need to organize a plan, and then they can invite her and the dragons.
You kinda pity Visenya in this chapter and she's not even there. We all knew Aegon preferred Rhaenys, but not to this degree, after all, he only married her because his father Aerion commanded it, and Aegon defied his father by taking his younger sister as well.

[Choose Alisa] She could be more at ease with her.
Alys is literally half a continent away from his fiancee Dante, with them stuck at the northern Riverlands, while she's at the Stepstones, almost like he's in Seattle and she's in Miami.
Aeron and his men give me Ninepenny Kings vibe, with the whole Black Merman, a stormlands bastard and an ancestor of Salladhor Saan.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Very interesting. Very interesting. You know, I believe Leonard would severely disprove of Saerya's tactics and ideology here.

I believe he would, yes. This sort of stuff is precisely what Leonard suffered under and what he hates in a woman. It is even questionable if he'd like his enemies put through such a scheme, even if he might make an exception for Mullendore and Petyr. But he would definitely severely disapprove of this mindset in general, as much as he can understand it on a rational level.

Intriguing. Who are these "friends" in the Stormlands and Dorne? Don't know about the former, but the later could be the Sandstorm.

The Sandstorm is not unthinkable, aye. It pretty much confirms that the Conquest was prepared for a while instead of being a spontaneous reaction of Aegon to Argilac Durrandon mutilating his friend and ambassador. There are a number of Targaryen loyalists ready to do their part and Saerya is just one of them.

Nain Anturion ~ Aeron Blacksails

Also Daario Naharis.

One more thing. Anturion's hatred for the Red Lion makes me think of that vision in the fire Marak saw way back in like Chapter 1. There was something about a green venomous serpent/snake/adder or whatever biting a red lion? I'll have to look back. I wonder if that part is in play here.

I believe it should be page 6, but I can just confirm it here, there was such a scene in Marak's vision, you remember it very well! The red lion has pretty easily been guessed to be a Reyne, with Willfred being the most prominent right now. Anturion, without wanting to confirm anything, certainly has something serpent-like about him. I play the long game with Marak's vision, many events of which will happen way after his death. Surely though, you could be onto something here.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Ah, Saerya is teaching the art of seduction to Jenna. Frankly, I don't know how to feel about that. I mean, I'm all for Jenna coming more confident in herself, but I also kinda hope we aren't making her a snake in the process, if you know what I mean. I hope she'll keep some of her sweet innocence in the process of Saerya teaching her.

Well, Jenna is definitely not very comfortable with these lessons. She'd actually prefer innocence, even if she probably cannot keep it forever, not in the same way as before at least. But to make her a wholly different person, a lot would be necessary, nothing that could happen all that quickly. Wolfius failed to take this from her and so far, Saerya's teachings arguably have a positive effect on her, as long as she doesn't outright become like Saerya, which doesn't have to be all that much of a good thing.

Anyways this pirate port of Aeron Blacksails is certainly an interesting location, and I'm very interested to first of all meet this pirate king, and then see what kind of role him and his fleet will have in the story moving forward. I mean, a conflict with the Reyne's seems to be a strong possiblity.

It definitely is! I only recently came up with the exact lay-out of that place and it definitely is something I imagine to look spectacular. And Aeron himself is the ruler such a location needs. The pirates will play quite a role in the things to come and I look forward to introduce a lot of them in what is likely to be the very next Alys part.

Oh, and Clearhaven namedrop noticed

You see, I actually was not sure if Clearhaven is your invention or not, but this part was written exactly around the time I changed my vote in the NW part, so the name stuck with me. I did not want to go through googling it, so there it is, NW shout-out. Now all I can hope for is that you don't plan on burning Clearhaven to the ground in later parts of the story, because that would make this shout-out a bit harder to fit in

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

You kinda pity Visenya in this chapter and she's not even there. We all knew Aegon preferred Rhaenys, but not to this degree, after all, he only married her because his father Aerion commanded it, and Aegon defied his father by taking his younger sister as well.

Aye, I believe this is an important aspect of Visenya's character. While it is surely not Rhaenys' fault, who would have preferred to have things differently, just imagine for a moment how Visenya must have felt when Aegon announced that he insists on marrying Rhaenys as well. She herself has been prepared all her life to marry Aegon and just like that, she realizes she is not good enough, that he still prefers their little sister, but to such a degree that he is ready to refuse to marry her if he doesn't get the woman he loves as well. I also like to imagine that he surprised them all, Visenya, Rhaenys and their father with his intention and they all kinda had to go along with it. And with Aegon so heavily preferring Rhaenys, Visenya is constantly reminded that their marriage is only one of duty, that she is a mere condition that allows her husband to be with the woman he loves, a woman she herself can't even hate for this on account of Rhaenys not being to blame here. They are still sisters after all. But yeah, while even I prefer Rhaenys in terms of personality, this aspect of Visenya is definitely to be pitied. Given how she usually is, pity is not something that is usually felt when it comes to her.

Alys is literally half a continent away from his fiancee Dante, with them stuck at the northern Riverlands, while she's at the Stepstones, almost like he's in Seattle and she's in Miami.

Oh yes, they are only getting further apart. She started the story in Harrenhal, which is at least closer to Karhold than the Stepstones are to the northern Riverlands. And with them having no idea of her whereabouts, they really require some help if they ever want to find her again. That being said, unless she is taken to Essos, she can't get much further away, so there is a chance they'll get closer in the future.

Aeron and his men give me Ninepenny Kings vibe, with the whole Black Merman, a stormlands bastard and an ancestor of Salladhor Saan.

It is interestingly enough a similarity that was not intended. Aside from the Saan, they are all submitted characters, though I can see how they together remind you of them. I must actually admit, I made a mistake here and without having the internet connection to check it, I named the Saan here as Samarro, which is a mistake. Samarro Saan was literally one of the Ninepenny Kings, whereas the equally canonical Saan that has been mentioned here is actually a certain Sargasso Saan, a mistake that is fixed now. But yeah, the Ninepenny Kings are an accidental similarity, but one that is interestingly fitting.

AgentZ46 · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting] I can't say no to her! Anyway I think Saerya has earned at least some amount of trust at this point. She's helped Jenna time and again. I don't want to be dishonest with her. Plus I'm sure Saerya would be able to tell if Jenna intentionally witheld information from her. I don't want her to think Jenna doesn't trust her.

[Choose Alisa] I could go either way with this choice. I just like Alisa a lot more. Plus I believe she cares about Alys a lot more than Carvin does.

Saerya is so sexy... I MEAN SHE HAS A WAY WITH WORDS! I really enjoyed this light hearted moment with Saerya and Jenna. It was humorous but we also got a bit of a peek into how Saerya thinks. I swear I love that woman a little more everytime she speaks. Ignore my Saerya gushing. I also really enjoy seeing Jenna learn from her. I hope we get to see some of these lessons in action with Jenna.

Ahh... Edward, you two faced scumbag. It really grinds my gears when he puts on that bullshit charm now that I know what a despicable person he is. I actually really grew to like Wilbur this part. His concern for Alys is touching.

Mathea · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

DiverseGnu · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

Kinda torn between this one, but I guess since Carvin has already shown up this part, might as well just keep him around for a lil longer.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Saerya is so sexy... I MEAN SHE HAS A WAY WITH WORDS! I really enjoyed this light hearted moment with Saerya and Jenna. It was humorous but we also got a bit of a peek into how Saerya thinks. I swear I love that woman a little more everytime she speaks. Ignore my Saerya gushing. I also really enjoy seeing Jenna learn from her. I hope we get to see some of these lessons in action with Jenna.

Haha, she does have a way with words indeed But yes, as light-hearted as this moment was, the important thing is that it also gave us a glimpse into how Saerya thinks, how her methods work and what to expect of her in some cases in the future. For as well-liked as she is, I noticed I have not fully fleshed her out yet and I am to change that in Book 2 Her lessons are also going to stick with Jenna, this much I am willing to confirm, for the better or the worse.

Ahh... Edward, you two faced scumbag. It really grinds my gears when he puts on that bullshit charm now that I know what a despicable person he is. I actually really grew to like Wilbur this part. His concern for Alys is touching.

Well, that's Edward for you. He's perfectly capable of switching between superficial charm (and not so superficial in some cases) and ruthless brutality and I can see how this is pretty aggravating now that you have gotten a glimpse of his full character. Alys is not buying anything he says now that she has seen him that way and if he wants to win back her trust, that won't happen anytime soon, probabbly never.

Javier Raviolli · August 2017

[Don't tell her about the meeting] I just can't bring myself to trust a spy, even if seemingly she's on our side.

[Choose Alisa] I think Carvin is way too friendly with these pirates, his bias might lead to something bad down the road. Besides, I'd like to see more of Alisa.

ps: By the way Liquid, seems like I sent you a pm during the weekend and I fear it might have been drowned due to the forum's situation (even though you went out of your way to warn us that this would happen, it seems like my memory is horrible and I ended up forgetting about it). Anyway, if you didn't manage to see it before it got lost I can send another message on our pm discussion

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Ah, I have indeed not seen it, but no worries, I've got the entire discussion bookmarked, so I just checked and found the message through there. I'm a slight bit in a hurry right now, but I will answer later this evening!

GMSforresthood · August 2017

[Don't tell her about the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

InKennyWeTrust · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

TheAPlegends · August 2017

[Invite Saerya to the meeting]

[Choose Carvin]

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

The Voting is closed!

Jenna is going to invite Saerya to the meeting

Alys is going to choose Carvin to be her bodyguard

Well lookie here, we got us a vote tie. Surprising to me, as it originally looked like Alisa would win and she led the voting for some time until Carvin gained some surprise votes in the later stages of the voting and now, after three days, we're at a tie and I doubt more votes will come. I ultimately decided to count the first vote, which came from captainivy, twice to resolve this tie. This now leads to Alys naming Carvin as her personal bodyguard for this chapter. I myself am very neutral here, because as said, both will get a decent role in this chapter. In general, Carvin and Alisa will have their own sub-storylines going on, though without wanting to spoil anything, I feel like Alisa is going to get a bit more to do in general due to her particular role, so I am pleased that Carvin will get some additional screentime in this chapter. That be said, given that Alys will spend a lot of time in the presence of Edward either way, both sellswords will have their time to shine regardless. Ah, having done more planning for Alys' storyline in this chapter, I can rightfully say I look forward for some of the scenes that will happen for her soon. Meanwhile, Jenna's choice was to be expected. I mean, Saerya might not be the most classically trustworthy person around, but so far she has been an ally to Jenna. With others, I doubt it would be all that wise to place too much trust in Saerya, but she hasn't given Jenna much reason to distrust her so far. The main question is, does the same apply to Richard, Kersea or the constantly distrustful Leonard?

The next part... well, there is a small problem. Actually, it might not be all that small, unfortunately. I wrote a lot of the next part, a Willfred part and I was quite satisfied with it. Then, yesterday I revisited it late in the evening and I noticed, a bit more distanced than usual, that I am actually not all that happy with the direction I take his part in. Like, I felt I revealed far too much far too early. For this, I think I will need to rewrite large parts of it to bring it into a state I am happy with. This means, it is still going to take me some time to finish it, but I aim for a release later today. It might also mean I have to cut some portions and ultimately include a second PoV, which I am really unsure about right now. Since the PoV's who still have not gotten their first part in this chapter all need a full part for their re-introductions, I might give another PoV their second part already but which one it's going to be, I cannot say yet. If the need arises, I'll decide spontaneously.

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

Willfred

Once again, Willfred was dreaming. It was a dream of power and blood. He himself was just a presence in this dream, a fragment, not acting by himself, merely led by forces beyond his understanding, ancient powers from the dawn of time, where the world had been young and magic had run wild.

They were evading his gaze, but he felt them watching him. Their cautious stares were resting on him, carefully eyeing his every move, as he made his way through a landscape he had never been to before. It was a forest, but an ancient, wild one, of the kind that was no longer growing in his homeland. Maybe that's how Westeros once looked, filled with forests, gnarly, old trees, not used to a human walking in their midst.

One thing Willfred noticed was that time, or what counted as time in this strange dream, was standing still. Walking through a narrow path, made for children at most, he saw them. Birds, frozen in the sky, their wings spread. A deer, looking roughly into his direction, not moving at all. And eyes, golden and green, slit like a cat. They were watching him, occasionally he even saw a glimpse of them in the underbrush. And though the small shadows they belonged to were standing perfectly still, these eyes were clearly observing him.

His heart was beating faster, as he walked through this unnerving forest. The sun was shining, but barely a ray of light found its way through the thick leaves, casting a gloomy twilight onto the ground below, though in the distance, Willfred saw a clearing. It was there he was heading to, his legs moving by force and against his outspoken will. If anything, he wanted to wake up by now.

The dreams, they were getting worse. More intense, as well as more common. They were not happening every night, thank the gods, but this was the third in seven days and the worst in the two months since they had started. Every time, they were different than the ones before, but every time, he had the feeling that he witnessed a memory older than anything he was even capable of grasping. It was the one thing they had in common. That, and the fact that they were terrifying him.

Under the watchful, cat-like eyes, Willfred reached the end of the forest, stepping onto a large clearing. And for a moment, he gasped at what he saw there. Humans, all frozen in time, two armies, facing each other, with a hill separating the combatants. Though none was moving, though eery silence lingered above this scenery, their intentions were clear, from the looks on their faces.

He had never been good at history. The old Maester of Castamere had tried to teach him with increasing frustration, but he had never learned, never wanted to learn. He never needed to. History was something dead, something that paled to the problems of today, which had to be fought with sword and shield and a lion’s heart. But he was not stupid and he recognized First Men when he saw them. First Men of a very old kind, as he had to add. Clad in fur and bone, their weaponry consisted of stone, of bronze, giving them an archaic appearance, something as ancient as the rest of this vision.

There were no banners to mark the different sides, but paint on the warrior’s shields and their bodies. One army in red, the other in white. And the men on the hill, obviously their chieftains, the only men aside from Willfred who did not seem frozen in place. One of them, the red one, was wearing a full bronze armour, a thick shirt almost like chainmail, painted in blood red. There was a crude club in his hands, carved from a single, huge bone.

The other man was clad in white fur and there was something unnerving about him. His face showed a few wrinkles and his hair, once fully brown, now had early signs of grey, though there was an unusually youthful fire in his dark eyes. He had a thin, bronze blade tied to his belt, were it was dangling freely, but the weapon he held in his hands was the one detail that truly made Willfred nervous.

Under other circumstances, bringing a mere knife against a heavily-armoured man with a large club would be suicide. On top of that, the red chieftain was notably younger, almost half the other man's age. And yet, the man in white showed no sign of fear. He was oozing confidence and as alien as their customs were, the grin on his face was an expression that was passed down the ages. The blade in his hands was small and made of bone, but that was not the extraordinary thing about it. What stood out was that it consisted of different bones. As little as Willfred knew about the human body, he realized this much. Four pieces, two of them made out of pale bone and forming the lower end of the weapon. The upper pieces were smaller, darker and thinner. In itself, the weapon looked not sharp at all, but something about it, about this entire man wielding it, felt dangerous.

The red chieftain did not bother with this. He raised his club, pointing it at the man in white, before growling something in a guttural, foreign language. Some words sounded vaguely familiar, but not even nearly enough for Willfred to understand their whole meaning. He had a vague idea what the man was uttering though. Posture, the way he spoke and his expression, it was another thing that felt familiar. Savages these men might be, but combat hadn't truly changed since their days. Mocking an enemy, provoking them, it was a staple of every war that ever happened.

Louder and louder grew they, the chieftain's words, more fierce, passionate and angry. The man in white looked at him, unimpressed. And with a single, quick movement, he put the blade to his free hand, slicing through it, down to the bone.

Blood flew almost instantly, dripping onto the ground as the white man, not even showing a hint of pain, clenched his wounded fist. Fierce triumph flared up in his eyes as the red man stopped his rant, confusion turning to fear. He raised his club, letting out a roar as he charged at the white chieftain.

In return, the older man pointed the dagger at his opponent and Willfred spotted the ancient runes lighting up on the weapon, glowing in blood red. He shouted something, in a fast-paced language that felt even more alien than the Old Tongue of the Red Chieftain. Perhaps it was not even a tongue of men at all.

And the red chieftain stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened momentarily, before all defiance left them. Just inches away from breaking his opponent's skull, he instead chose to do something Willfred wouldn't have expected. He simply knelt, a state of bliss on his face.

The white chieftain had a cruel smile on his face, as he approached the kneeling man. Grabbing his chin with his wounded hand, he left a smear of blood on the man's face. Then, without the other man even trying to fight back, he placed the knife on his throat. He shouted something, now clearly in the language of the First Men, as he pushed the tip into his former opponent's flesh.

The man in red said nothing as he died and Willfred felt his heart racing at the calm way he died. It wasn't the acceptance some men showed in the face of death, it had nothing to do with dignity and honour. This was unnatural and every fibre of his being revolted against what he saw there.

Having dispatched of his opponent with such casual brutality, the white man turned to the army his former enemy was commanding. Still the soldiers were frozen in this memory, just like everything else was save for the chieftains and the golden eyes that watched Willfred from the forest.

Now, the man rose the knife, shouting something in triumph. And from hundreds of voices, they replied to him, shouting the same word, over and over, from both sides of the hill. Willfred shivered at this sound, but what truly made him flinch was the fact that just in this moment, the man in white looked over his shoulder, right at Willfred.

It was no coincidence, as his smirk proved. What made it even worse was that he had grown older. Being only slightly older than Willfred's father as he faced the red chieftain, he had aged a good ten years, his beard being longer and more grey, turning to white already on some cases. His face had gotten more wrinkled, though the look in his eyes was befitting for a much younger man.

“The power can be yours, Red Lion”, he merely said in perfectly understandable Common Tongue and Willfred felt a wholly new emotion rising in him. Complete and utter terror was rising in him. It was magic, a force beyond his understanding and the last thing he ever wanted to deal with in his life.

And yet, he forced himself to reply. “What do you want?”, he growled and the white chieftain smiled. Blinking, his dark eyes turned golden and green and cat-like as he opened them again. “The power can be yours”, he replied, his voice simultaneously that of an old man, a child and someone... something far different. He pointed the dagger at the knight...

With a gasp, Willfred woke up, the words still echoing through his mind. He groaned in displeasure, as he put a hand onto his aching head. It was almost like a hangover, but a dozen times worse. Through a small gap, light was shining through the window and it felt bright to him, painfully so.

The knight sighed as he forced himself to rise. Sluggishly, he dragged himself off the bed, standing on shaky legs, as he stumbled through the room to find his clothes. His eyes fell upon the small, wooden box that was standing on the table and he narrowed his eyes. He could not remember having it put out in the open before going to sleep.

“What the fuck is happening here...?”, he muttered, as he approached it. Only reluctantly did he reach into its direction. The dreams, they had become more intense and yet, Willfred found himself oddly unwilling to part with this box. It would be wise to throw it into the sea, he knew it, but he couldn’t. He was curious, but more than that, he couldn’t part with it. And so, his ghastly dreams had become worse and worse, even if they had never before felt so real as the one he just woke from. “What are you?”, he mumbled.

With these words, he put a hand onto the box, almost fearing to be dragged into another vision. Nothing happened and he let out a sigh of relief, as he lifted it up. Feeling around until he found the opening, he pushed it open to spot a familiar sight. There, on wood strangely untouched by time, rested a bone, once pale, but darkened through age. Not knowing much of the human body save for the parts he needed for a fight, Willfred was not sure what kind of a bone it was, only that it was human and part of the dagger the chieftain in white had been wielding. And if there was one thing he knew everything about, it was weaponry. This was part of a dagger's hilt, undeniably.

Castamere was home to a large archive. It wasn’t as rich as the one in Raylansfair, but just as he found himself unwilling to throw the box away, he found himself similarly unwilling to even just look at the building. Castamere it was then, far away from this city. Somewhere in the depths of his home, there had to be a mention about this weapon, right? Tales, accounts, myths even. Something. Castamere, once he had finished his dealings in Raylansfair. Unfortunately, they were far from over and had proven themselves to be a problem of a similar kind as the dreams that grew more troubling with every new day, potentially even worse.

With a frown, Willfred put the box back into the small bag he used to contain his personal belongings. Instantly, upon no longer looking at it, he felt relief flashing through him. Willfred would never claim himself to be a man of knowledge, but he still knew that this was above the things he should deal with. He should help his kingdom in a small, but efficient way, should do his part to be a capable Lord of Castamere. He should marry Lorna Lannister and father many children to carry his name. He should do his duty, as his father did before and as his sons would do for thousands of years to come. What he shouldn’t do was dealing with terrifying dreams and ancient magic.

The moment he had finally put the box away, the terrible headache faded, faster than any hangover ever would. The Knight of Castamere smiled with relief, as he finally pushed the windows open. Bright light flooded the room and the sun felt warm and good on his skin, even if the light still slightly hurt his eyes, so used to the darkness of the past night and the uneasy sleep. It had given him no rest and he felt crushed, yet he knew there was a long day ahead, another duty he could not ignore as much as he’d love to.

Slipping into his clothes, Willfred put the tabard on, proudly showing the red lion of House Reyne. For a second, he thought about taking his sword, leaning next to his armour on the side of the room, but he finally decided against it. He might not be among friends, but the people around him were no enemies either.

At last, he approached the door. Now that he came closer, he heard muffled chatter behind it. Forcing a smile to appear in his face, he opened the door and stepped through it, into the hallway, instantly cutting off any chatter that took place there.

Two men were standing in front of his room and over the past two months, he had gotten to know both of them at least in some way. They were the final two of Willfred's soldiers that remained from his host of a dozen, the only ones that survived the raid and Tallian’s retreat.

The taller of the two was a dark-haired man, only slightly younger than Willfred. That he was also a seasoned warrior was proven by the eyepatch that covered his left eye. His clean-shaven face had something handsome to it and he stood taller than Willfred himself, proudly showing the lion of Lannister on his chest.

The other man was shorter, but most men were short in the presence of Willfred and his companion. Fair of hair and pale of skin, he had warm, brown eyes and a kind smile on his face, as well as a stubble beard, though he was otherwise unremarkable, perhaps even ugly, with a face that was covered in fading pox scars.

“Ser!”, he saluted, while the other man needed slightly longer. Willfred gave him a nod. “Prins”, he greeted him, before glancing at the other man, giving him a nod in kind “Holmes”, he added. Jack Holmes and Prins, the only two men still alive from the raid. He still was not sure if the blame was to be put on him, on Tallian or on the Ironborn, though for the sake of peace among his remaining followers, he had decided on the latter.

“You look like a corpse, Ser”, Jack said. “No offence, eh” A grin flashed over Prins' face, as he playfully jabbed his fellow soldier in the side with his elbow. “Yeah, I don't know how anyone could take offence to that, Holmes”, he chuckled, as Willfred narrowed his eyes.

“Do I really look that bad?”, he asked and nonchalantly, Jack gave him a nod. It was one trait that set him apart from the jester Prins, his brutal honesty. “Worse, I'm afraid”, he replied. “When was the last time you've actually gotten some sleep?”

Willfred sighed. “I was sleeping”, he revealed. “Don't feel very well-rested though. What are you two doing here? Does Tallian think it's necessary to guard me when I sleep?” Prins gave him a nod to this. “It's not been Tallian, but you're right about the intention”, he answered. “Your uncle is worried for your safety here in the city. Told us to keep an eye on your room and to bring you to him once you have woken up”

To the soldier's words, Willfred rolled his eyes. “Why shouldn't I be safe here?”, he asked. “We're guests of Lord Petyr” Jack nodded at this, the concern visible on his face. “We are massively outnumbered ever since the raid happened”, he said. “And there are the rumours about this new lord. Prins and I, we don't trust him”

“Well, trust would be a bit too much, but he's the lord”, Willfred said. “I'm afraid we have to work with him” Of course, what he hid from his soldiers was the fact that he himself had no trust for Petyr Vyrwel either. It wasn't so much the man himself, but the one by his side. Two months of working with Lady Helenys had caused them to uncover a couple of baffling details about Maron Mullendore. Secrets they had only shared among each other. On Helenys' request, not even Roger or Tallian were informed on it.

“My old man always used to say, lordly types can never be trusted”, Prins brought up and quickly raised his hands. “Except currently present lordly types” A grin flashed over his face. “Ser, that man will try to screw you over in every possible way to weasel out of the old Lord Raylan's promise”

To this, Jack shook his head. “I'd go a step farther”, he spoke, as he lowered his voice. “That man killed his own brother. We all saw it, his 'Trial by Combat'. I wouldn't want to work with such a man” Willfred sighed, as he had to admit, he could understand the worry of his soldiers. The last two of a dozen, they were only alive thanks to sheer luck. Of course they were reluctant to his current approach. But for the good of the Rock, Willfred couldn't just leave Raylansfair behind.

“Lead me to my uncle then”, he said, his voice sounding as tired as he felt. Prins and Jack exchanged a look, before the one-eyed man took the lead. Willfred followed, while Prins remained behind. They walked in silence and not for too long, just to Roger's room. An escort was not quite necessary, but perhaps there was another use for Jack. “Stand guard while I talk with my uncle”, Willfred ordered and the soldier saluted. “Of course, Ser”, he confirmed, as Willfred nodded onto the wooden door.

Roger opened just a moment later. His uncle had fully recovered from the wound he had suffered during the attack and right now, he was looking energetic and refreshed, a wide smile on his face as he spotted his nephew. “Good morning, Will!”, he greeted him and made way for Willfred to enter. He gave the soldier a nod. “Thank you, Jack”, he spoke, before closing the door again.

Once inside Roger's room, a chamber notably smaller than his own quarters, Willfred quickly found the nearest chair, sinking down onto it and letting out a heartfelt yawn. The sun was still causing him mild pain, or perhaps it was the lack of proper rest, or the still unsettling dream he had just barely recovered from.

His uncle was smiling, at least for a moment, though it quickly faded. “You look horrible, boy”, he said. “All pale and tired. Don't grow sick on me, boy!” Willfred did not reply. Instead, he sighed, putting a hand onto his head and momentarily closing his eyes. This proved to be a mistake, when all he could see were the inhuman eyes of the man in white, staring at him through the darkness.

“Willfred?”, Roger asked and with a gasp, Willfred opened his eyes again. “What is it?”, he growled. “You called for me. What do you want?” Roger frowned. “That can wait. You're obviously not feeling well. Is anything the matter?”, he was quick to reply. “You know you can be honest with me”

Honest... Willfred doubted it would apply in this particular case. He hadn't told Roger of these unsettling dreams, for good reason. Not only didn't he want to worry his uncle, he himself was also worried about how he'd be seen if he'd tell anyone. It was crazy, insane even, these dreams and how they were affecting him. The last thing he wanted was Roger doubting his ability as a leader or his sanity. But he was far too tired to come up with a lie right now, something he despised even on good days. The best he could muster would be a weak smile and false assurances, though he had no doubts that his uncle would not believe him.

[Tell Roger about the dream] [Assure him everything is alright]

Edinosaur23 · August 2017

[Tell Roger about the dream] While I doubt he can help him understand, pretending everything is fine probably won't assure him.
I also wouldn't trust the man in white, gave me some serious Night King vibes. And this dream happened during the Dawn Age, probably around the time of the Pact. What we do know is that there are Children of the Forest involved in these dreams. What do they want with humans, and why Wilfred of all people?

LiquidChicagoTed · August 2017

I also wouldn't trust the man in white, gave me some serious Night King vibes.

Ah, here I can confirm, this man is not the Night King himself. This event here happened before the Long Night, before the creation of the Wall and therefore before the Night King became a Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. I occasionally cherry-pick the parts of the canon I enjoy the most from both versions of the story, books and show, and in this case, I want to stick with the book version, in which the Night King was a previous Lord Commander who had dealings with the White Walkers (which, in turn, is a name I like much more than calling them "The Others") after the Long Night and was not some guy who was sacrificed by the Children to become a weapon against the First Men in pre-Pact times, as the show handles it. However, in the Dawn Age there have been many people of questionable morality and unfathomable power, meaning just because this particular white chieftain is definitely not the Night King does not necessarily mean he's any bit better for Willfred.

And this dream happened during the Dawn Age, probably around the time of the Pact. What we do know is that there are Children of the Forest involved in these dreams. What do they want with humans, and why Wilfred of all people?

Indeed, this scene Willfred saw happened very long ago, back when the First Men arrived in Westeros, most likely around the time of the Pact, though given how long ago that was, 'around the time' could mean anything that happened about a lifetime before or after. There are definitely Children of the Forest involved in these dreams and they have been around during the scene you saw there. I can say, my original concept for the part would have seen all of these questions answered, the exact identity of the white chieftain, the involvement of the Children, their intentions for Willfred and a lot more. Needless to say, that is the main reason I decided to rewrite massive parts of that dream today, with pretty much only the confrontation between the two First Men leaders remaining, but in a heavily rewritten form.

InGen_Nate_Kenny · August 2017

[Assure him everything is alright] He's not going to know how to do anything. Just let's deal with the weird dreams on our own.

That object Willfred encountered, that is what has to do be doing this. White chieftain, strange. Strange indeed. This scene made me think of the desert nightmare scene in Batman v. Superman, even though, well, there's particularly nothing besides the very base element present.

I see Helenys is proving useful. I am curious to see what she's up too.

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