Willfred
“A cup of tea?”, Aren asked, as Willfred leant back in his chair, putting a hand onto his thumping forehead. Helenys was already… more holding hers in one hand, the other softly moving over the back of her terrifying pet, the manticore. The creature seemed almost docile as it allowed the merchant to tough it, yet the small, black eyes on its unnerving near-human face were still and fixed on Willfred.
“Yes, please”, Willfred said, gulping as he forced himself to look away from the manticore. It was clear why Helenys had let her monstrosity out of its box. This was a negotiation of sorts and she was trying to intimidate him. And while Willfred feared no man and would match any thug she'd hire to seem imposing, he was unnerved by this tiny insect, the malicious intelligence that seemed to be in its eyes, the sharp hissing sound it emitted seemingly at random.
Willfred shot the servant a slight smile as Helenys took a small sip from h… [view original content]
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] Like others have brought up, there are plenty of characters trying to kill Maron already, so let's choose a different plan for Willfred. That said though, I have my doubts about this working. Petyr and Maron seem pretty unified by their common goals, and it's not like Petyr isn't aware of Mullendore being a massive dickhead. I guess we'll see, but between the artefact wrecking his mind and having Maron (+perhaps the Anturion family) as his enemy, things aren't looking promising for Willfred.
[Tell her to stay away from Melanie] Ah, this is a surprisingly hard choice, because it definitely adds to Sadie being paranoid, and could also piss off Melanie. However, I do see Nilanne still working for Gyles as a real possibility, and letting her get Melanie hooked to the drugs again is something I'd like to avoid.
Willfred
“A cup of tea?”, Aren asked, as Willfred leant back in his chair, putting a hand onto his thumping forehead. Helenys was already… more holding hers in one hand, the other softly moving over the back of her terrifying pet, the manticore. The creature seemed almost docile as it allowed the merchant to tough it, yet the small, black eyes on its unnerving near-human face were still and fixed on Willfred.
“Yes, please”, Willfred said, gulping as he forced himself to look away from the manticore. It was clear why Helenys had let her monstrosity out of its box. This was a negotiation of sorts and she was trying to intimidate him. And while Willfred feared no man and would match any thug she'd hire to seem imposing, he was unnerved by this tiny insect, the malicious intelligence that seemed to be in its eyes, the sharp hissing sound it emitted seemingly at random.
Willfred shot the servant a slight smile as Helenys took a small sip from h… [view original content]
Eh, what the heck. Easy peasy lemon squeezy? I have a bad feeling about this.
Your bad feeling is not exactly unfounded. After all, it definitely won't be easy, like, at all. Both options, actually, as no matter what, Helenys is confident going against one of the most dangerous individuals in the entire story. She is not underestimating him at least, but murdering Maron or dividing the allies, neither will be achieved without effort.
Also have a bad feeling about this. People genuinely caring about other people? What a load of crap.
Oh, there's many examples of people caring about other people. Sadie cares for Melanie. Leonard cares for Lucas. Even someone such as Petyr cares for Edith. In case of Nilanne, her help is not offered selflessly. It's more the fact that she is grateful towards Sadie for intervening and effectively ending Gyles' habit of forced prostitution, which she suffered under for years. Melanie has been through the same, so it is also a bit of sympathy for someone who perfectly understands what she has been through.
[Plan to murder Maron Mullendore] Eh, what the heck. Easy peasy lemon squeezy? I have a bad feeling about this.
[Tell her to stay away fr… moreom Melanie] Also have a bad feeling about this. People genuinely caring about other people? What a load of crap.
We already have several people planning on killing Mullendore, so separating him from his best ally is a good way to leave him vulnerable. I also believe that, while both are scum, Mullendore has crossed far more lines than Vyrwel.
It actually kinda depends on where you draw the lines. Interestingly, Petyr is probably the worse criminal according to Westerosi law and morals. He has killed notably less people, yes, but he is guilty of kinslaying, which, if uncovered would tarnish his reputation more than anything Maron could ever do (as long as Maron stays away from the living Mullendore's that is). Of course, Maron's actions affected more people, so he is the one who ultimately caused more pain, so from a very personal standpoint, many will agree with you that he is the worse type of scum.
Wonder if other noblemen besides the Reynes are currently at Castamere.
At the very moment probably not, but I can confirm that Sadie will encounter other members of the Rock nobility during her Book 2 storyline, not too far in the future actually.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] We already have several people planning on killing Mullendore, so separating him from his best ally is a go… moreod way to leave him vulnerable. I also believe that, while both are scum, Mullendore has crossed far more lines than Vyrwel.
[Trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie] As far as I can tell, she's being sincere, and while Gyles remains a threat, I doubt she's working for him right now.
Wonder if other noblemen besides the Reynes are currently at Castamere.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] It's the slower but smarter plan. There's too many things that could go wrong from outright murdering Mullendore. That and it's morally wrong.
Willfred
“A cup of tea?”, Aren asked, as Willfred leant back in his chair, putting a hand onto his thumping forehead. Helenys was already… more holding hers in one hand, the other softly moving over the back of her terrifying pet, the manticore. The creature seemed almost docile as it allowed the merchant to tough it, yet the small, black eyes on its unnerving near-human face were still and fixed on Willfred.
“Yes, please”, Willfred said, gulping as he forced himself to look away from the manticore. It was clear why Helenys had let her monstrosity out of its box. This was a negotiation of sorts and she was trying to intimidate him. And while Willfred feared no man and would match any thug she'd hire to seem imposing, he was unnerved by this tiny insect, the malicious intelligence that seemed to be in its eyes, the sharp hissing sound it emitted seemingly at random.
Willfred shot the servant a slight smile as Helenys took a small sip from h… [view original content]
Yes, just like in every tea party, it includes a knight with demons in his head, a shady old woman and her absolutely terrifying pet. I can honestly confirm, Willfred has never been to a better tea party, because he has never been to a tea party in general.
2)After see again the manticore and how Helenys love her animal make me think of how fun will be of all the dogs/cats spots that you can see in the TV got replaced with spots about manticores
Oh god, if that would be a thing in Westeros, you can bet Helenys would make it happen. Taros jumping over obstacles, doing tricks (only that the "play dead" command will be replaced with "make dead"), all for treats and applause, with Helenys as his proud owner. If TV's would exist in Westeros, Helenys' life would have taken a sharply different turn.
3)Poor Lady Helenys want to fly high and believe to be so smart when the truth is that she know nothing! Believe that Petyr can be easily manipulated and don't know of his alliance are the proofs of that!
Well, Helenys is smart enough to take Maron seriously as the threat he is. You are right though that she underestimates Petyr and the fact that he himself isn't much different from Maron in terms of intelligence and ruthlessness. She knows they are working together for some sort of larger goal, but doesn't even know that Devrin Oakheart, the shady third among them, is in any way involved. However, she is skilled enough to change her entire plan in an instant if such new information reaches her before it is too late.
4)Wait a sec,when Helenys discover that Sherryl was the person that take the manticore?
She actually realized this at the end of the last book. Already having the suspicion, she also correctly deduced that Sherryl was the one to shoot Jax Montclair, having heard of the strange circumstances of his death by poison. She knows that Sherryl is one of the few who could enter her room, which also clued her in on the fact that Maron tried to start a war with the Stormlands by attempting to murder Argella. With Sherryl disappearing after the raid, her suspicions have strengthened to the point where she is certain.
5)Meanwhile in the last Sadie part of this chapter the one arm girl has a strangely nice talk with her sister,maybe I'm paranoid but it feel weird that from nowhere Melanie decide to be sympathetic to her sister
You and Sadie both, it is definitely weird for Melanie to have such a massive mood swing. Keep in mind, she is going through one hell of a withdrawal right there and she does have mood swings in general. She's not always uncaring, there are actually good days (for a certain definition of good), but she has never really offered her help, nor did she have such a notable mood shift over the course of hours and then again in a single talk. Sadie has grown nearly paranoid after her injury and the loss of her only friend, but even beyond that, she has reason to be distrustful.
6)Melanie is right,it seems strange that Leo decide to spend so much time and money for Sadie without ask anything from her
Yes, he hasn't asked anything of her yet. Surely, Leo's kindness is partially motivated out of the fact that she only has gotten into this situation because she did something he asked her to do (defending the people of Maybros). However, he is not an entirely altruistic man and he has something in mind he might ask of Sadie at some point in the future.
7)Ah ah!A new character after many parts!Welcome to the story Nil...wait a sec..you are not a new character!(jokes aside it was a really long time from the last appearance of her)
Haha, I am not the slightest bit surprised she is considered a new character and after way over a full year of her not appearing in the story, she might as well be considered that way. Nilanne was one of the characters I had planned slightly more for in Book 1, but she will instead appear more frequently in Sadie's Book 2 storyline.
8)Wow if I were Gyles I would have break my partnership with the Forgotten since they clearly are not a good investment (I mean,that "poor" guy lose at least half his workforce!)
Well, Gyles actually has broken his partnership with them already. He had no choice, in any of this. That is the problem with relying so heavily on external sellswords, after the raid on Maybros, Leo ended up being supremely more powerful and pretty much forcing Gyles to free his slave prostitutes, before then ending their contract in a very one-sided deal. Now, Gyles accompanies the people of Maybros out of necessity, hoping to reconnect with an old friend of his, a merchant contact at Castamere, but he definitely does not pay the Forgotten anymore and they don't consider themselves as working for him.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron]
The other plan won't work (and we have already enough people that has it) and most important it is 100% fo… morer sure a plan that even if it work won't make Petyr decide to help Helenys/Willfred (because of the alliance). I even add that try to make a break between Petyr and Mullendore is a much more fun and less boring choice (enough PoV's have already a murder in mind)
[Trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie] Eh....I don't know since each choices can lead to Melanie comeback to Gyles/do something stupid so I will decide to "trust" for now just to make that character (Nilanne) do something
RT:
1)Tea party at this Willfred part!
2)After see again the manticore and how Helenys love her animal make me think of how fun will be of all the dogs/cats spots that you can see in the TV got replaced with spots about manticores
3)Poor Lady Helenys want to fly high and believe to be so smart when the truth is that… [view original content]
Like others have brought up, there are plenty of characters trying to kill Maron already, so let's choose a different plan for Willfred. That said though, I have my doubts about this working. Petyr and Maron seem pretty unified by their common goals, and it's not like Petyr isn't aware of Mullendore being a massive dickhead. I guess we'll see, but between the artefact wrecking his mind and having Maron (+perhaps the Anturion family) as his enemy, things aren't looking promising for Willfred.
This is true, we have a lot of characters out for Maron's blood, so Willfred's approach would be a different one (and if it works, it would make it easier for the rest to get rid of Maron without his most powerful ally), if not exactly any easier. The only chance they have is the fact that Petyr and Maron are not personal friends. They respect each other, but both work together to achieve their goals, not because they like spending time with each other. That said, they would need to create serious quarrel between the two to break up the alliance. And then there is, as you have said, more difficulties for Willfred, because he has the artefat and he has Edward personally out for him.
Ah, this is a surprisingly hard choice, because it definitely adds to Sadie being paranoid, and could also piss off Melanie. However, I do see Nilanne still working for Gyles as a real possibility, and letting her get Melanie hooked to the drugs again is something I'd like to avoid.
Well, while I cannot confirm or deny anything here, I can say that you indeed know very little about Nilanne yet, so if Sadie refuses, it would be because she does not trust her, still considering her to work for Gyles. Wether or not this is true will get a definite answer over the course of the next chapters. This will be a pretty big choice though, as it either means giving Melanie potentially valuable support or someone to sabotage all of Sadie's efforts.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] Like others have brought up, there are plenty of characters trying to kill Maron already, so let's choose a… more different plan for Willfred. That said though, I have my doubts about this working. Petyr and Maron seem pretty unified by their common goals, and it's not like Petyr isn't aware of Mullendore being a massive dickhead. I guess we'll see, but between the artefact wrecking his mind and having Maron (+perhaps the Anturion family) as his enemy, things aren't looking promising for Willfred.
[Tell her to stay away from Melanie] Ah, this is a surprisingly hard choice, because it definitely adds to Sadie being paranoid, and could also piss off Melanie. However, I do see Nilanne still working for Gyles as a real possibility, and letting her get Melanie hooked to the drugs again is something I'd like to avoid.
It's the slower but smarter plan. There's too many things that could go wrong from outright murdering Mullendore. That and it's morally wrong.
While Helenys would disagree with the morally wrong point (she's more the type who considers it morally right to kill one to save many), Willfred would very much agree with you and if he ends up picking this choice over straight out attempting to murder him, it would not be out of pragmatism (something Helenys would agree with), but out of his knightly morals. I mean, don't get me wrong there, he has absolutely zero problems with challenging Maron to a fair duel and cutting him down on even terms, but that wouldn't be considered murder according to Westerosi views and would leave his opponent a chance at least. Being highborn, he has been taught these knightly values for pretty much his entire life and the fact that he even considers going against them by murdering someone, as horrible as that person might be, shows how dire he considers his situation to be. This choice will not only decide his course of action, but it will also decide his stance on some of the moral views he values.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] It's the slower but smarter plan. There's too many things that could go wrong from outright murdering Mullendore. That and it's morally wrong.
[Trust Nillanne with Melanie] Could use a friend.
Willfred
“A cup of tea?”, Aren asked, as Willfred leant back in his chair, putting a hand onto his thumping forehead. Helenys was already… more holding hers in one hand, the other softly moving over the back of her terrifying pet, the manticore. The creature seemed almost docile as it allowed the merchant to tough it, yet the small, black eyes on its unnerving near-human face were still and fixed on Willfred.
“Yes, please”, Willfred said, gulping as he forced himself to look away from the manticore. It was clear why Helenys had let her monstrosity out of its box. This was a negotiation of sorts and she was trying to intimidate him. And while Willfred feared no man and would match any thug she'd hire to seem imposing, he was unnerved by this tiny insect, the malicious intelligence that seemed to be in its eyes, the sharp hissing sound it emitted seemingly at random.
Willfred shot the servant a slight smile as Helenys took a small sip from h… [view original content]
Willfred
“A cup of tea?”, Aren asked, as Willfred leant back in his chair, putting a hand onto his thumping forehead. Helenys was already… more holding hers in one hand, the other softly moving over the back of her terrifying pet, the manticore. The creature seemed almost docile as it allowed the merchant to tough it, yet the small, black eyes on its unnerving near-human face were still and fixed on Willfred.
“Yes, please”, Willfred said, gulping as he forced himself to look away from the manticore. It was clear why Helenys had let her monstrosity out of its box. This was a negotiation of sorts and she was trying to intimidate him. And while Willfred feared no man and would match any thug she'd hire to seem imposing, he was unnerved by this tiny insect, the malicious intelligence that seemed to be in its eyes, the sharp hissing sound it emitted seemingly at random.
Willfred shot the servant a slight smile as Helenys took a small sip from h… [view original content]
Willfred will bring up a plan to divide Petyr and Maron
Sadie is going to trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie
Gonna close the voting now to prevent a tie for both choices. That and, of course, the fact that the new part will be out today most likely. Anyways, this was the final part for Willfred and Sadie in this chapter, but both will have a lot to do in the next one and I feel like Willfred in particular will quite shine next time we see him, with lots of interesting interactions coming up. Same goes for Sadie, of course, but Chapter 2 will very much be Willfred's big moment after a lot of time of just being kinda there. Important choices you made here, we'll see what comes out of them in the end
The next part should be out today. I'll get to one little detail that could put this release at risk below, but for now, let me announce that this will be Raenna's part. I'm having one problem, in that I might require another part for her, in a chapter that is rapidly nearing its end, so I am now facing the choice of either giving her another part in about two weeks, after wrapping up the storylines of Jaron, Ysilla, Garthon and Edrick, maybe even Keat or Samantha already, or to put part of her storyline into Chapter 2. For reasons I cannot fully explain right here, both are attractive solutions. We'll see what I decide upon once I finished this part. Anyway, last time we saw her, she knelt to Torrhen Stark, King in the North, and was welcomed in his home as a honoured guest. After initial introductions, she was brought to her room by Malina Karstark, niece of Lord Brogar Karstark and older sister of Dante. Accompanied by her bodyguard, the Dustin bastard Gared Snow, Malina saw through Raenna with shocking ease, correctly deducing that she is a Targaryen bastard and proving just why Brogar is keeping her around. However, she and Gared promised to keep this a secret and to add to it, they even invited her to a meeting between them and some of the other young Northerners at court around the evening hours. Though a bit reluctant to accept (and still actually being reluctant about it), Raenna ultimately decided that this would be a good chance to get to know some of the people she'd spend a lot of time with in the future. As such, her next part will start as she approaches their meeting.
Now, I mentioned above, there is a little detail I have to address. Not a bad detail, not in the slightest and quite the contrary. Actually, it is big news for me and I am very happy about it. Prepare, it's one of these moments in which I get overly personal. As you probably remember, my mother had this heavy car accident in late April. A twice broken spine, fractured ribs, damaged lung, the whole messy deal. That was a very dark time for me and honestly, I owe you a lot for sticking with me, as the fact that I was able to write this story for you gave me some very necessary peace of mind in the darkest times. Of course, I never stood alone throughout all this, but your support and the chance I was offered to do something else but be depressed about the situation helped tremendously and I don't want to imagine where I would be if not for this here. After initially giving you updates every couple days, I eventually grew more quiet about it and that is because there was not much more to report after the hectic and very stressful first weeks. My mother survived, she got through some very tense moments and is expected to make a full recovery, which, of course, took its time and still will into the first months of 2018. At least it is a full recovery, likely without any side effects. However, after seven and a half months of being non-stop in several hospitals, she will finally return home tomorrow. Naturally, this will mean tomorrow is one of the few days where I won't do any writing at all. I think finishing the part today is a realistic goal, but then again, you're reading the words of a man that once saw Summer 2015 as a realistic goal for the start of Book 2. I nonetheless hope to finish Chapter 1 of Book 2 before the end of December (2017), so yeah, just so you know not to expect much of me tomorrow, besides commenting on your thoughts on the part, if I manage to actually finish my writing before heading to bed tonight. If that, for whatever reason, does not work out, consider Friday to be the likely release date for the next part.
And with these words, allow me to thank you again for reading and now I shall head off to finish that part.
I am super happy for you. TBH i was very worried about her situation since you never talked about it since may, i thought i either missed an update or i assumed the worst. Enjoy your time with her, you earned it. I don't think any of us will mind.
The Voting is closed!
Willfred will bring up a plan to divide Petyr and Maron
Sadie is going to trust Nilanne with looking after Melan… moreie
Gonna close the voting now to prevent a tie for both choices. That and, of course, the fact that the new part will be out today most likely. Anyways, this was the final part for Willfred and Sadie in this chapter, but both will have a lot to do in the next one and I feel like Willfred in particular will quite shine next time we see him, with lots of interesting interactions coming up. Same goes for Sadie, of course, but Chapter 2 will very much be Willfred's big moment after a lot of time of just being kinda there. Important choices you made here, we'll see what comes out of them in the end
The next part should be out today. I'll get to one little detail that could put this release at risk below, but for now, let me announce that this will be Raenna's part. I'm having one problem, in that I migh… [view original content]
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if she had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the other woman had not yet spotted her. She was sitting next to her tall bodyguard, Gared Snow, who in turn was throwing a pair of dice onto the table. His frustrated frown showed her that his roll likely hadn't been a good one.
His opponent had his back turned, but Raenna recognized him to be Myles Cerwyn, with some of those she did not know well sitting or standing around them, watching their game unfold. Malina said something, though the contents of her sentence were drowned by collective laughter.
For a moment, she remained close to the stables and invisible to them, just watching and uncertain if she should truly join these people. All of a sudden, this thought was cut short by a heavy hand landing on her shoulder. She suppressed a gasp, as she spun around, her gaze falling upon the Skagosi, Mace Crowl. The stocky man seemed unfazed by her surprise, instead just raising an eyebrow. “Snow hair”, he greeted her. “Didn't think you'd join us”
Breathing out, Raenna allowed her muscles to relax, as she shrugged. “I decided to give you a chance”, she replied and the Skagosi pointed past her. “What are you waiting for?”, he asked, before slowly, he seemed to realize her struggle. “You're hesitating?”
Raenna bit onto her lower lip, before she gave him a nod. This was, to say the least, very unusual for her. Not having friends in general, no. Though painful in the way they ended, she would cherish the memories she had of Kersea, of Terroma. But sitting with them in such an occasion? Just relaxing and having a good time? The very nature of their grim tasks had always prevented this. First it had been the discipline Terroma demanded. Then, after his retirement, it had been Clayton just being Clayton. This was a situation Raenna was not sure what to expect from and as she had been taught, she was wary.
“Don't be”, Mace assured her. “You know Cerwyn, I'll introduce the rest” Raenna sighed, before giving him a nod. As they stepped out of the shadow of the stables, it was Malina who spotted them first. A wide, cheerful smile formed on her face, as she raised a hand, waving them over.
Gared Snow raised his head and instead of taking his turn with the dice, Myles Cerwyn glanced over his shoulder. The man sitting next to him even turned around entirely and as the light of the torches fell upon his face, Raenna recognized Jorn Mormont from their brief encounter at the gates to the Great Hall.
The others seemed more vaguely familiar, but before Raenna could remember where she had seen them before, Malina greeted her. “Ah, Raenna!”, she said. “Over here, there's a seat for you” She placed one of her hands next to her on the bench and Raenna couldn't help but smile, ever so briefly, at the surprising warmth she was met with on this cold evening.
“You know Lady Malina”, Mace spoke, as he squeezed himself onto the bench next to Jorn and Myles. “And me, Crowl”, Gared interjected. “Don't forget about me” Mace's mouth formed a thin grin. “Doubt anyone could ever forget about you”, he admitted. “The other man is Jorn Mormont”
Jorn even raised from the bench to do a polite bow, a gesture that would have been a suitable greeting for a noble lady. Raenna wasn't, though she gave him a smile in return. “Yes, we have already met”, the Mormont man said. “I am pleased to see you here, mylady”
“And over there, we have...”, Mace started, though he was quickly cut off by the man he was about to introduce. He was tall and impressively built, with a short beard covering his jawline. His grin clued Raenna in on the fact that he wasn't entirely sober, yet there was no malign in his green eyes, as he put his hands onto the table close to her.
“Yeah, I can introduce myself. You go back to being all silent and broody, Crowl, that's how we love you”, he stated, his voice notably louder than Mace's calm words. He grinned at Raenna, who raised an eyebrow. “The name is Harrold Hornwood!”, he introduced himself. “And I have the honour of being in the presence of the fairest snowflake in the North”
“He is also almost a married man, to my sister nonetheless, so don't give much about what he says”, the man behind him said quickly, putting a hand onto Harrold's shoulder. He was the guard Raenna remembered from earlier, but to make the recognition easier, he put a hand onto his chest. “Eon Dustin, mylady. It is a pleasure”, he introduced himself. “Forgive Harrold, it appears he had a bit too much of the wine”
While Harrold rolled his eyes, Raenna looked up. “We have wine?”, she asked and with a sweet smile, Malina reached below the table, to bring forth a bottle. “There's more where that came from”, she promised, as she handed it to Raenna, who sniffed at it. The sweet, dazing smell of strong wine reached her nose.
“Don't drink too much though”, the final man said present said, as he stepped out of the shadows. Mace narrowed his eyes as he spotted him and for a moment, he seemed to bring even Gared's and Myles' game to a stop with his mere presence. She recognized him, Umber's younger brother. “Ser Dag”, she greeted him and he smiled slightly.
“Umber”, Mace growled, his voice betraying surprise and Dag walked around the table, giving him the same slight smile. “Relax, Skagosi”, he said. “I am not here to start an argument, albeit you do well to keep your distance from my brother” With these words, he looked at Raenna, before sitting down at the end of the table closest to her. “However, you quite interest me, Raenna Minsworth”, he explained.
She gulped at his words. “Me?”, she asked, as she moved the bottle to her mouth. Taking a deep gulp of the strong alcohol, she grimaced and quickly handed the bottle over the table, to Myles Cerwyn, who grabbed it without looking her in the eyes.
“Aren't we all curious?”, Malina asked, as she reached for the dice. Gared put a hand onto her shoulder, squeezing it as he stared at the table, anticipating her roll. “Unravelling the valyrian enigma” Gared's grin widened, as she finally took her roll. “Is that what they call it now?”, he asked and spied her role. “You owe me five copper coins, mylady”
Malina playfully rolled her eyes, as she reached for the purse by her belt. “Copper”, she sighed. “We used to play for silver, for the thrill of it, but then some people decided they can no longer afford it” Gared shrugged at this. “Hey, I only get what your uncle decides to pay me. Not all of us grew up in a castle, Lady Karstark”, he replied and Malina smirked. “Amazingly, that statement was wrong until our newest guest arrived”, she stated.
Raenna gulped as Dag glanced at her and she quickly took another sip from the bottle, coughing at the unusually strong taste. It was more bitter than what she was used from the bottles Terroma and Clayton had enjoyed. As harsh as this land itself, she thought, the sort men like Dag Umber would enjoy.
Uncertain how to deal with his inquisitive glance, she offered him the bottle and he took it wordlessly, while Malina put a hand onto her shoulder, giving her a reassuring wink. “You wanna join in?”, she asked. “The rules are simple and we're playing for copper”
To this, Raenna shook her head, looking from Malina, to Gared, then Myles, Mace and lastly Jorn. Behind her, Eon and Harrold had gotten into a slight argument, though judging by Harrold's laughter, it wasn't anything serious. Eon however sounded annoyed, his whispers being slightly louder than that of his companion. “A stupid idea”, he hissed. “Even for you, that is a stupid idea”
“I'm afraid I don't have the coin”, Raenna admitted. “Didn't seem like something I'd need in the North” To this, Malina chuckled, while Jorn Mormont gave her a charming grin. “What did you think we'd pay with up here?”, he asked. “Farm animals perhaps?”
Gared raised an eyebrow. “Reminds me, you still owe me a sow and three hens for that cask of ale I brought you last week. Best Karhold brew, ain't gonna be cheap”, he stated in a mocking voice and Raenna rolled her eyes, though paired with the warmth of the wine, she couldn't help but to smile. Jorn glanced at her, his grin turning into a smirk. “Oh, come on”, he said. “I'll give you four hens at most, maybe a piglet if you ask nicely”
“Alright, alright”, Malina interrupted them, slamming her hands onto the table, before she looked at Raenna. “So, you don't have the coin, but that didn't answer my question. Do you want to join in?” With these words, she wordlessly threw her purse onto the table and Raenna's eyes widened as she saw the coin almost spilling onto the wood.
“Don't look at me like a scared fawn, just take it”, Malina encouraged her and Raenna instinctively shook her head, only partially out of modesty, but mostly because Terroma had taught her. An act of kindness was rarely done at random, without ulterior motives. And yet, Malina seemed genuine, as if she enjoyed her company. Why should she though? She had seen through her already and with shocking ease.
Suddenly, Raenna felt almost uncomfortable, as she had to think about whom else she might have told before she arrived. Did Jorn's charming smirk actually hide knowledge about her past? Was Myles' usual shyness around her justified in his mind now, knowing what she used to be? And Dag Umber, this inquisitve gaze that did not seem to shift from her, surely he had to know something, right?
But Terroma had taught her well. She knew better but to act on her suspicions. Instead, she grabbed the purse. “If you insist”, she stated. “I don't know the rules though” Malina put a hand onto her shoulder, still smiling cordially. “Oh, it's simple”, she promised. “Everyone that wants to play for a round throws in one...” Her hand now moved to her belt, where the purse used to be and she sighed. For a moment, she hesitated and the look on her face as she sneakily tried to glance at the purse she had just gifted away so carelessly caused Raenna to actually genuinely chuckle.
Her chuckle soon burst into actual laughter, as Malina visibly tried to hold back her amusement at her own misfortune. With a smile as cordial as that of the other woman, Raenna reached into the purse, putting a handful of it back onto the table in front of Malina. “Thank you”, the noblewoman said thinly. “As I was going to say, we actually were promised a set of playing cards, but somebody forgot about them”
Jorn shrugged apologetically. “I gave them to Harrold”, he defended himself and Malina glanced over her shoulder, at the Hornwood man and Eon, who were still whispering with each other, apparently in some sort of argument. “Right, as if that makes it any better”, she replied.
To this, Harrold actually interrupted his mumbled explanation to his friend, as he raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”, he asked into the group, having just heard his name. “I was just wondering why Jorn decided it would be a good idea to give a perfectly fine set of cards to a moose as thick as yourself”, Malina explained, a teasing smile on her face.
Eon quickly put a hand onto his face. “Oh, for all that is sacred, don't you dare starting with this as well!”, he exclaimed, as Harrold's smile widened. Raenna however tilted her head in slight confusion. “What... exactly is a moose?”, she asked, to which Eon let out a frustrated groan. “Fine, I give up!”, he stated firmly, as Harrold approached the women, his smile wide and warm.
“You have never seen the Hornwood banners then!”, he explained. “Mooses are the most majestic creatures the North has to offer. Stubborn, strong and loyal, the qualities of a true Hornwood!” Raenna, who indeed had to admit that the heraldry of the North had never been a priority in her education, could only listen to him closely. She reached out for the bottle of wine and Dag gave it to her wordlessly, though Harrold winked as she took a deep gulp.
“Actually, hold on for a moment, snowflake”, he spoke. “I can give you something better than a description” And with these cryptic words, he hurried off, while Eon remained, crossing his arms. “Yep, he's going to do something reckless”, he revealed. “Really can't hold that blasted wine”
Raenna gulped, as she, once again, noticed how strong the wine actually was. She also noticed Dag Umber still looking at her and now, growing bold from the alcohol, she looked back. “Is there anything you would like to say, Ser?”, she asked and Dag gave her a nod.
“I was wondering about you, mylady”, he revealed and Raenna felt her cheeks slightly reddening, to which Dag coughed uncomfortably. “Not... not in that way, even though I must admit you are very...” He cut himself off, probably for the better, as even Myles next to him exchanged a grin with Mace. “Back to the topic, I was wondering about your skills, but more than that, your origins, especially as Brandon is remarkably tight-lipped about it. How did a man such as him stumble upon someone who seems to be the perfect answer to what we need?”
Raenna raised an eyebrow. “And what do you need, Ser?”, she asked, to which Dag shook his head. “House Umber as a whole”, he revealed. “It is Roffe's duty to rely the informations, but over the past years, whenever a smaller problem arose, one that requires the work of a specialist, Brandon and his Snow Wolves were sent to deal with it. The Wolves are no more and Brandon stands alone, or at least he would be if not for you”
“He did mention he wants me to work for his brother”, Raenna admitted and Dag pressed his lips together, one of his hands moving through his thick beard. “And the king wants to send you to deal with our problem, mine, Roffe's and that of the entirety of House Umber”, he answered, before stopping himself again. “Apologies, but that is really the amount of detail I am allowed to give here. But Roffe has made it very clear that his support of King Torrhen in the coming war will depend entirely on your success”
His words had clearly gained not only Raenna's interest. Malina looked past her, at the Umber knight. “Has he threatened to revoke his oath of fealty?”, she asked, to which Dag shook his head. “Not... directly, no”, he replied firmly. “Roffe is a loyal Northerner, but he values strength above everything else. And Torrhen is young for a king. This would be an opportunity to prove himself worthy of our allegiance”
“Roffe is young for a Lord Umber”, Malina replied, not without sharpness. “Maybe this would be an opportunity to prove himself in the eyes of our king” The tense moment was gone the moment Dag smirked. “You can bet I told him exactly that”, he revealed. “However, I know what he is out for. Roffe is... not quite as slow as people believe him to be. He has a suspicion, something terrible that threatens the safety of my family at the Last Hearth” Firmly, he placed his hands on his belly. “If you so desire to make me doubt, Lady Malina, I must disappoint you, for my trust in Roffe is unwavered”
He looked back at Raenna, who was undeniably intrigued by now. She had ended lives before, noble lives as well, over in Essos. Perhaps Brandon had actually been right when he had called this a chance for her. Helping a house, helping a kingdom nonetheless, that was a new experience for her, one she considered to be fascinating.
“However, I have joined you today to learn more about you, mylady”, Dag explained. “Before supporting Brandon's decision to involve you in this, I must know whom you are” Raenna gulped, a gesture she feared gave too much away already. “There... is not much to know”, she lied through her teeth and Dag sighed. “Lady Raenna, you insult my intelligence and your own with this”, he spoke, his tone still gentle. “Perhaps you would like to tell me where you came from? The lack of an accent hints at Targaryen's domain, so I presume you're not from Essos”
Raenna gave him a nod. “It is Dragonstone”, she revealed, quickly deciding for a half-truth, though she had to blink, as the strong alcohol already affected her petite body. “Many there carry the blood of the Freehold in them. Offspring of the Targaryen servants that survived the Doom, mixed with the blood of those native to Dragonstone”
“Yours is purer than most though”, Dag remarked with a sharp gaze that belied his brutish appearance. “I once saw Valyrian half-breeds in White Harbour and they did not sport your astonishing amount of features. Perhaps the beauty of the Dragonlords, perhaps their silver hair or their lilac eyes, but all three?”
Raenna clenched her fists, biting onto her lower lip, as she glanced at Malina, seeking help. To her surprise, the woman indeed came to her aid. “Gods, you can be intimidating, Dag”, she chirped. “Me and Lady Raenna had a long talk already. Her parents have both been half-breeds, you leery dork”
“I see”, Dag agreed. “And your skills? Brandon mentioned some of them and to be honest, it makes you an intriguing choice. But I can't help but wonder how you acquired them. A woman of your looks and age rarely picks up the blade, particularly in the south”
“Perhaps I am the exception”, Raenna was quick to suggest, realizing that Dag did not seem to agree with it though. She sighed. “I... had to leave my home, for reasons that are my own. Haven't been to Dragonstone in ten years and I don't intend to ever return”, she finally admitted, noticing how even Malina, who was at least somewhat familiar to her story. “I was taken in by a man, who taught me how to defend myself... and more”
“You became a sellsword?”, Dag realized and Raenna smiled at him. “Out of necessity”, she said. “I had it good with this man. He was more a father to me than my real one, more than any man living. Was I supposed to just abandon him?”
In this very moment, another distraction arrived and Raenna thankfully took the opportunity to divert her attention, as Dag himself was equally surprised for a moment. Eon sighed notably. “Here we go, he's actually going to do it”, he muttered.
Leading it on a leash into the smaller courtyard the tower was placed in, Harrold Hornwood reappeared. He held a beast that Raenna had never seen before. Physically, it showed some similarities to Mace's unicorn, though the mere fact that it was allowed out of his box and still seemed relatively calm showed her that their tempers did not match at least.
The creature had thick, brown hair and was tall, about as tall as a grown horse maybe. A set of curious antlers was located on its heads, less fine and elegant than those of deers, more putting emphasis on the creatures strength and how dangerous it probably could get when sufficiently annoyed.
“That, Lady Snowflake, is a moose, a bull moose to be precise!”, Harrold proclaimed loudly, as he led the seemingly docile animal closer. “I'm keeping it in one of the other stables, away from that hairy Skagosi beast and his unicorn” His drunken grin widened. “And in fact, mylady, I would like to demonstrate it to you. A fearsome beast of battle, which I intend to mount as the Horned Kings of my line did during the Age of Heroes”
He came closer and Raenna saw the animal up close. It was magnificent and compared to Mace's unicorn, it actually seemed almost unfazed by the amount of strangers. And yet, it was undeniably a wild animal. “Just imagine what it could do with these horns!”, Harrold said in a dreamy voice. “Actually, I was even hoping I could give you a demonstration. The first of the Hornwood moose cavalry, almost ready”
Eon rolled his eyes and though Raenna happened to look at him, she was certain he almost did so audibly. “I said it time and again, that is a stupid idea”, he complained and Harrold grinned at him. “Oh, shut up and get me a saddle, Eon”, he urged him.
Surprising words of encouragement came from Gared Snow. “You know, I'd kinda like this”, he said. “Could be an impressive display of what the Hornwood's were capable of in the days of old” Harrold winked at him, before patting Eon onto the shoulder. “See? Your brother agrees”, he exclaimed.
“Half-brother”, Eon was quick to correct him, as Malina leant forwards, putting her hand onto Raenna's shoulder. “That can't end well”, she warned her and Raenna raised an eyebrow. “What am I supposed to do?”, she asked and Malina shrugged. “He tries to impress you. Talk him out of such foolery”, she demanded. “It's dangerous for him and if anything happens, that'd quite kill the mood, wouldn't you agree? Besides, I consider it cruel to take Erin Dustin's betrothed just months before the wedding is scheduled”
Harrold, frankly, wasn't noticing Malina's plea. He was fascinated by this strange animal and in a way, Raenna had to admit so was she. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she could almost see it, him atop this creature and she had to admit, it was something she wanted to see. Still, the Lady Karstark and her warning rang through her mind, as she turned to Harrold.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose][Try to talk him out of it]
[Try to talk him out of it] Oh gods, the moose is here!! And trying to ride one, especially drunk, is a crappy idea. For the record, a moose can be more dangerous than a bear.
And as far as I can tell, the moose is unique to the North, unlike stags and deers, who are known to live on nearly every major forest in Westeros.
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
[Try to talk him out of it] I'd have to agree with Malina. She knows what she's talking about and it would indeed kill the mood if something went wrong.
I really enjoyed this part. Raenna was adorable and I loved seeing her actually try to relax and enjoy herself, even if she's being a little paranoid.
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
[Try to talk him out of it] Well, I doubt you'd kill off a character who has just been introduced, and even less by a drunken moose rodeo, but I guess it's still better to follow common sense here Nonetheless, this was a very enjoyable and relaxed part, and I'm starting to get a clearer picture of this Northern cast, which is nice
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
[Try to talk him out of it] Probably Harrold will still try to mount the moose but at least it won't be Raenna's fault
I'm sorry to say that the Random Thoughts will not be present for this choice and I apologize to all readers that wait a new part of the story to read them,but not worry!The RT's will be back soon with even more random and much less thoughts!
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Oh gods, the moose is here!! And trying to ride one, especially drunk, is a crappy idea. For the record, a moose can be more dangerous than a bear.
And as far as I can tell, the moose is unique to the North, unlike stags and deers, who are known to live on nearly every major forest in Westeros.
Hehe, I was very glad Raenna chose to meet up with the Northerners at the end of her last part, because otherwise I wouldn't have gotten such a good chance to show Harrold's kinda unusual choice of a mount in a long time. While I am not an expert on moose behaviour, I don't doubt they can be more dangerous than a bear, especially if provoked. Harrold's moose does seem to be kinda chill, mostly as it is used to him, but it still belongs to a species that was never meant to be tamed. I agree that mooses are unique to the North and probably the lands beyond the Wall in Westeros. They are a northern animal in our world as well, after all. And I doubt they are all that well known outside of the North. Up there, everyone knows what a moose is, though Raenna, who never received more education than what Terroma taught her, definitely doesn't.
[Try to talk him out of it] Oh gods, the moose is here!! And trying to ride one, especially drunk, is a crappy idea. For the record, a moose… more can be more dangerous than a bear.
And as far as I can tell, the moose is unique to the North, unlike stags and deers, who are known to live on nearly every major forest in Westeros.
I really enjoyed this part. Raenna was adorable and I loved seeing her actually try to relax and enjoy herself, even if she's being a little paranoid.
Ah, I am glad you enjoyed this part One thing I liked was showing this different side of Raenna again. She might be a badass killer, can be fierce and she surely is capable, but at her core, she is actually kinda awkward, I'd say adorable, very bad in social situations and looking for something more than what she has right now. Her kinda smaller role in Chapters 8 and 9 of Book 1 put way less emphasis on that, but it's whom she is. This right here is actually the first time she has a chance at making friends who are not either actually awful (Clayton) or dealing with issues way more severe than anything she ever had (Kersea and Alysanne), so it remains to be seen how this might affect her character growth in the things to come.
[Try to talk him out of it] I'd have to agree with Malina. She knows what she's talking about and it would indeed kill the mood if something… more went wrong.
I really enjoyed this part. Raenna was adorable and I loved seeing her actually try to relax and enjoy herself, even if she's being a little paranoid.
Well, I doubt you'd kill off a character who has just been introduced, and even less by a drunken moose rodeo, but I guess it's still better to follow common sense here
Technically, it is Harrold's second appearance, as he was introduced in Torrhen's Interlude But yeah, you are right, I usually do try to develop a character first before killing them off and killing a new character off in such a downright insulting way, there's not a single character in the entire cast that deserves this. In general, a characters' chances of survival are always highest when they are just introduced in FoT, though there are definitely exceptions, such as Alexander or Robb. Considering I hate killing off characters, even when it is for good reason, it is probably not very likely that Harrold will downright die by trying to ride the moose, but even an injury could affect the plot to come.
Nonetheless, this was a very enjoyable and relaxed part, and I'm starting to get a clearer picture of this Northern cast, which is nice
Ah, that was one of the things I really hoped for. Obviously, most of the Northerners are new characters and they are strong personalities on top of that, so giving them all their proper spotlight might take a while (and I definitely plan for some of these to become way more important than others), but I hope to each make them very distinctive and recognizable characters in time.
[Try to talk him out of it] Well, I doubt you'd kill off a character who has just been introduced, and even less by a drunken moose rodeo, b… moreut I guess it's still better to follow common sense here Nonetheless, this was a very enjoyable and relaxed part, and I'm starting to get a clearer picture of this Northern cast, which is nice
Probably Harrold will still try to mount the moose but at least it won't be Raenna's fault
Well, keep in mind what Malina said, he is mostly doing this to impress Raenna in the way drunken people mostly do, by trying to prove his manliness. Her disapproval might do wonders there, but then again, Harrold is quite a stubborn man at the same time, so we'll see.
I'm sorry to say that the Random Thoughts will not be present for this choice and I apologize to all readers that wait a new part of the story to read them,but not worry!The RT's will be back soon with even more random and much less thoughts!
Oh, I hope everything is alright on your end! Don't apologize though, I always love to read your random thoughts and the actually quite deep insights you have there, but the most important part is that you're having fun, time and the right mindset to do them. I look forward for their return when you are able to do them again, no matter when that might be
[Try to talk him out of it] Probably Harrold will still try to mount the moose but at least it won't be Raenna's fault
I'm sorry to say t… morehat the Random Thoughts will not be present for this choice and I apologize to all readers that wait a new part of the story to read them,but not worry!The RT's will be back soon with even more random and much less thoughts!
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Dang I missed another voting! Anyway though, I am glad to see we are back to the North! I'm really starting to love this cast. Mace is a all around cool guy. Jorn and Myles are some cool guys who I can enjoy spotting in the background. Malina is going to certainly be a strong presence in every part she is in. I really liked Dag's entrance. Every stopped, and there was the tension with Mace. I wonder why Roffe and him have problems, and how that may affect stuff to come. As for the moose, Harrold is going to have to get practice mounting it sooner or later, or how else is he going to become the Moose Knight of Old like his ancestors?
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Hehe, glad you got this one and right in time. I aim to release a new part every three days as a rule of thumb and will, in fact, finish and release the next one (Jaron's final part for the chapter) late tomorrow.
Anyway though, I am glad to see we are back to the North! I'm really starting to love this cast. Mace is a all around cool guy. Jorn and Myles are some cool guys who I can enjoy spotting in the background. Malina is going to certainly be a strong presence in every part she is in.
Ah, it is nice to hear you enjoyed the part and the northern storyline with its characters. I know they are currently the newest cast, with only Raenna and maybe Brandon and Briar being well-established characters at this point, but many of them will accompany Raenna throughout her Book 2 storyline (albeit some of those appearing in this part will have a more significant presence in the other northern PoV, to start in the second half of this book).
I really liked Dag's entrance. Every stopped, and there was the tension with Mace. I wonder why Roffe and him have problems, and how that may affect stuff to come.
Dag is probably going to be one to look out for in Raenna's parts. Some bits and pieces of her storyline have been cut and rewritten, but Dag's role remained fundamentally unchanged as someone who will hold importance to the narrative in her coming chapters, so I am glad you like him so far and I hope he'll continue to be enjoyable. With Roffe, well, it's not something particularly in his submission, but something I felt is a logical consequence of their respective characters. As you know, House Umber has a famous rivalry with wildlings and Roffe has reason to hate them, just like most members of his family have at least a distrust and dislike towards them. In his case however, I'd say he is one of the Northerners who have similar prejudice against the half-wild men of Skagos, who are, after all, culturally closer to the wildlings than the mainland North. He does not hate Mace, but has a serious distrust towards him and his presence brings back the bad memories he has of wildlings. Mace meanwhile doesn't have a problem with Roffe, but he knows when someone does not like him and he knows to keep his distance. Dag has a slightly different outlook in that he sees the Skagosi as closer to the North than to the wildlings, even if he still harbours some slight distrust towards them as well, due to their very tumultuous past with the North. He's willing to overlook this in favour of establishing good connections to Mace though, something Roffe likely would have a way harder time with.
As for the moose, Harrold is going to have to get practice mounting it sooner or later, or how else is he going to become the Moose Knight of Old like his ancestors?
How else indeed. I must admit, I am not even sure if mooses are capable of being ridden due to their built, I guess that part of the Hornwood history doesn't necessarily have to be true. Of course, Harrold could very well prove us all wrong, if he's lucky enough to have found a moose that can actually be tamed. I guess them even being open to the concept of being a mount depends heavily on the individual animal.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Dang I missed another voting! Anyway though, I am glad to see we are back to the North! I'm really st… morearting to love this cast. Mace is a all around cool guy. Jorn and Myles are some cool guys who I can enjoy spotting in the background. Malina is going to certainly be a strong presence in every part she is in. I really liked Dag's entrance. Every stopped, and there was the tension with Mace. I wonder why Roffe and him have problems, and how that may affect stuff to come. As for the moose, Harrold is going to have to get practice mounting it sooner or later, or how else is he going to become the Moose Knight of Old like his ancestors?
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Come on now, how can I not vote for this?
The first of the Hornwood moose cavalry, almost ready
He can be like a Canadian Mountie.
I was curious enough to see if moose cavalry was ever a thing anywhere during history besides a joke, and well, turns out the Swedish and the Soviets tried to get it on. Fascinating. I bet if someone mentioned this to George R.R. Martin, he'd put it in a Dunk and Egg story or something.
Seriously though that's something too good to pass up.
Also, that just gave me a great idea for the story and one of my characters specifically: camel cavalry. Nothing more terrifying than that drooling beast.
Why not more animals? Zorse for zoinks. Octopods for octofun. Sharks for sharkfin soup. Mammoths for mammals. Whatever.
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if … moreshe had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the oth… [view original content]
Oh boy I am excited to know that Dag is going to be out and about doing stuff! And now that you mention it, Roffe's distrust makes much more sense now. I wonder if this distrust is ever going to emerge as conflict. All in all, I am super excited for the Northern POV, and it is one of my favorite so far!
Dang I missed another voting!
Hehe, glad you got this one and right in time. I aim to release a new part every three days as a rule … moreof thumb and will, in fact, finish and release the next one (Jaron's final part for the chapter) late tomorrow.
Anyway though, I am glad to see we are back to the North! I'm really starting to love this cast. Mace is a all around cool guy. Jorn and Myles are some cool guys who I can enjoy spotting in the background. Malina is going to certainly be a strong presence in every part she is in.
Ah, it is nice to hear you enjoyed the part and the northern storyline with its characters. I know they are currently the newest cast, with only Raenna and maybe Brandon and Briar being well-established characters at this point, but many of them will accompany Raenna throughout her Book 2 storyline (albeit some of those appearing in this part will have a more significant presence in the other northern PoV,… [view original content]
I was curious enough to see if moose cavalry was ever a thing anywhere during history besides a joke, and well, turns out the Swedish and the Soviets tried to get it on. Fascinating. I bet if someone mentioned this to George R.R. Martin, he'd put it in a Dunk and Egg story or something.
And the Canadians, I'd be surprised if there isn't at least one Canadian who successfully managed to tame a moose to ride it. Seriously though, I should have expected someone to have tried this at one point, given that moose have a serious advantage over horses in particularly snowy areas. I couldn't find anything about there ever having been a successful attempt at doing so and the species as a whole is definitely not suited to be ridden, but I am equally certain that, given the right training, individual animals can be properly tamed to serve this purpose.
Also, that just gave me a great idea for the story and one of my characters specifically: camel cavalry. Nothing more terrifying than that drooling beast.
That is something that works very well though, as far as I know. Wikipedia tells me it is quite common even and has been in use for 3000 years in desert areas. And they even exist in Essos, as I have found out today, so it wouldn't be unthinkable to have them featured in the story. In fact, they seem to be native to the Qarth area and guess where a new Chapter 2 storyline will take place
Why not more animals? Zorse for zoinks. Octopods for octofun. Sharks for sharkfin soup. Mammoths for mammals. Whatever.
I'm actually not even sure what an octopod is, is it some kind of Ice and Fire oddly spelled octopus? The wiki hasn't been overly helpful there. Shark cavalry though, that'd be more terrifying than sharkfin soup, though I definitely know a character that would like the latter very much. And mammoths and probably zorses, I can confirm to have them in the story proper, they shouldn't be too hard to include with what I have in mind.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Come on now, how can I not vote for this?
The first of the Hornwood moose cavalry, almost ready… more
He can be like a Canadian Mountie.
I was curious enough to see if moose cavalry was ever a thing anywhere during history besides a joke, and well, turns out the Swedish and the Soviets tried to get it on. Fascinating. I bet if someone mentioned this to George R.R. Martin, he'd put it in a Dunk and Egg story or something.
Seriously though that's something too good to pass up.
Also, that just gave me a great idea for the story and one of my characters specifically: camel cavalry. Nothing more terrifying than that drooling beast.
Why not more animals? Zorse for zoinks. Octopods for octofun. Sharks for sharkfin soup. Mammoths for mammals. Whatever.
Raenna is going to try to talk Harrold out of riding the moose
All things considered, that is probably a wise option. I mean, I won't confirm he would have failed and it might not be impossible what he is trying to do there, especially as he is very serious with his wish to ride a moose to battle. However, one thing should be certain, this is at the best a risky attempt and he should definitely be sober when trying such a thing. Trying to mount a naturally wild animal should be done with the care a drunken man simply does not have. It remains to be seen if Harrold listens to Raenna though. It also remains to be seen if this was her final part in this chapter, as I am inclined to give her another short one. I realized, I will likely have room for half a part's length a little bit later in this chapter, when I write the next part for Keat's storyline, so I strongly consider giving Raenna this additional part. Let's see how it works out, I definitely want the chapter to be finished before 2018 and that is something that might actually work out. 7 parts are left, including the one that is to be released today, meaning if I release one every 3 days from now on, we should be done somewhere around the 3 year anniversary of FoT
And yeah, today there shall be a new part. It will be the finale for Jaron's storyline in Chapter 1, holding some interaction I am very excited to write about. Last time we saw him, Jaron made his way to the Thousand Shades of Flowers once more, Oldtown's most exclusive brothel. He was accompanied by his new allies, John Gutten and Temari Keys, as well as his old friend Ayden, whom he asked for one last favour, before Ayden fully intends to settle down for good and focus solely on his family with Taria. This favour was finding Samuel Harrington, who apparently was located in this very brothel. Entering it, they were stopped by Joshawa, one of the brothel workers and among Hishi's most trusted. He had a proposal for Jaron. Not only would he allow him to talk to Samuel, he would also give him something that would, without any doubt, gain Samuel's interest and make him likely to help with Jaron's quest. This information is nothing less than the current location of Ryder Harrington, who had left Westeros after his previous encounter with Samuel in the final chapter of Book 1. In return for this information, Joshawa wanted Jaron to assist Samuel, to make absolutely certain that Ryder would die. After all, Ryder has been close to Mullendore during his work with the city guard and Hishi, vengeful over Keira's death during the events of Book 1 Chapter 6, has taken to hunt down those formerly affiliated with the Solvers, pushing them to the very bottom of Oldtown's society. Understanding how crucial the help of Samuel could be in the things to come, Jaron saw no other choice but to accept this offer and that's where we're going to start with the next part. I have made some progress, some more needs to be done and while it is a busy day for me, I hope to finish it before heading to bed today
I didn't say this in my comment but I believe there to be another reason to discourage riding the moose. Malina said something about it being cruel to take Erin Dustin's betrohed months before the wedding. I doubt Raenna would pursue anything with Harrold (at least I hope she wouldn't) but if she encouraged him, I imagine it's possible he could take that as encouraging his interest in her.
The Voting is closed!
Raenna is going to try to talk Harrold out of riding the moose
All things considered, that is probably a wise op… moretion. I mean, I won't confirm he would have failed and it might not be impossible what he is trying to do there, especially as he is very serious with his wish to ride a moose to battle. However, one thing should be certain, this is at the best a risky attempt and he should definitely be sober when trying such a thing. Trying to mount a naturally wild animal should be done with the care a drunken man simply does not have. It remains to be seen if Harrold listens to Raenna though. It also remains to be seen if this was her final part in this chapter, as I am inclined to give her another short one. I realized, I will likely have room for half a part's length a little bit later in this chapter, when I write the next part for Keat's storyline, so I strongly consider giving Raenna this additional part. Let's s… [view original content]
You bring up another good point there. Harrold is betrothed to Erin Dustin, Eon's sister and Gared's half-sister and they are supposed to be wed at some point in the near future (even if the coming war against Aegon might mean it has to be postponed for a little longer, since nobody likes a wartime wedding). Knowing that, Raenna definitely won't pursue anything with Harrold and even without knowing it, he is probably not her type. As for Harrold, I wouldn't even say his interest in her is overly romantic or that he has all that big intentions of seducing her. I haven't yet decided if the marriage between him and Erin is for love or for political reasons, but he has known her for most of his life and I'd say he is at least fond of her and wouldn't just cheat on her with a woman he barely knows. It's just that he is quite drunken and Raenna is a very beautiful woman (and his betrothed is far away at the Dustin seat of Barrowtown), so he's not thinking entirely with his head right now. After sobering up, he might continue to make some good-natured and slightly flirty comments towards her, but that's just the type of guy he is and it is unlikely he'll start anything unless she outright throws herself at him. Things are different when he is drunken, but I can absolutely confirm that he won't stay drunken forever XD
I didn't say this in my comment but I believe there to be another reason to discourage riding the moose. Malina said something about it bein… moreg cruel to take Erin Dustin's betrohed months before the wedding. I doubt Raenna would pursue anything with Harrold (at least I hope she wouldn't) but if she encouraged him, I imagine it's possible he could take that as encouraging his interest in her.
There was no choice he truly had here. It was either having Samuel's support, or losing it. He wouldn't take his chances, he needed the Fang of Shadows in the events to come. If this meant hunting down Ryder, then that had to be done. After all, the man could hardly be called innocent, if what Samuel claimed was true. He'd be sentenced to death by any court in the known world for his actions, perhaps it was only good and right that Samuel would get a chance at doing the deed. Did it truly matter whose blade it was that would cut Ryder's head from his shoulders?
And yet, as Jaron grabbed Joshawa's outstretched hand, feeling the man firmly gripping his forearm, he felt reluctance below all this. He was not a killer for hire and there was a difference between bringing Ryder to justice and letting a man of equally questionable morals take his vengeance. But he had no choice, there was no other way, he had no choice but to accept.
“We have a deal”, he spoke and Joshawa gave him a wink. “I knew you'd accept”, he said warmly. “Nonetheless, I am pleased and so will Hishi. We might have started on a slightly shaky foundation, but this deed means you can count yourself to our friends” He gave him a wink, as he let go of his arm. “And we always look out for our friends”
Jaron sighed. “Right...”, he mumbled. “So, tell me what you know. Where's Samuel, where's Ryder?” Joshawa smiled in a jovial way. “Ah, dear Samuel is here in this very building”, he explained. “In fact, he's with one of the girls right now. Donna, our very best”
The name sounded slightly familiar. “Donna...”, Jaron said, before he recognized the name. “You mean...” Joshawa gave him a nod. “Ryder's favourite”, he confirmed. “Samuel has been with her for the second time this week. Proves that they are brothers after all and with a fine taste in women, on top of that” He paused for a moment. “Albeit... Donna has told me about their meetings and it seems a lover's embrace is not what Samuel is after”, he brought up. “He wants information, though sweet Rosemouth plays him like the wonderful little flower that she is. Every snippet of information he'll get from you and not her”
“Good”, Jaron said. “Speaking of... what is it that you have for me? The location of Ryder Harrington” Joshawa raised an eyebrow. “Ah, the last confirmed location of him. We presume he's no longer there, at least not by the time you may arrive, but Hishi has a good idea of where he's going”, he clarified. “One of our friends beyond the Narrow Sea spotted him in Lys and she wasted no time informing us about this. That was a fortnight ago and we believe he seeks to move further into Essos”
“Where?”, Jaron growled and Joshawa smirked. “We can only assume. But he has asked for a ship to take him to Volantis”, the man revealed flashing a bright, white smile. “That won't be an easy task, be assured. The First Daughter has bled Lys during the war and there are many who refuse to trade with their old enemy. Most of those that are still willing to do so are slavers and their trade has suffered thanks to Absidee the Banshee, perhaps permanently. Their fleet is crippled and the city is still rebuilding” He shrugged. “Of course, I don't expect you to know all this, but remember it when you go there, for it might be important”
“So, you're saying we'd be stranded in Lys?”, Jaron asked and Joshawa shook his head. “I'm saying it will be hard to travel to Volantis”, he answered. “But nothing is impossible. Slavers still travel the coasts and though they are not the lot I'd advise you to work with, you can count on them to head for Volantis”
“Slavers”, Temari growled. “I fucking hate slavers” Joshawa gave him a nod. “Nobody likes them”, he agreed. “But they have their uses in some parts of this world. I know you are hunting two of them though” Temari narrowed his eye. “You know anything about it?”, he asked and once more and to Jaron's surprise, Joshawa nodded.
“I have not been ordered to tell you about this. Lanford would advice against it, but he's not here right now”, he clarified. “And neither have I been forbidden. I believe you deserve this bit of information” He turned around, waving them to follow and the four men did just that, stepping into a hallway, decorated with heavy red fabric that seemed to muffle the sound of their footsteps and even voices.
“We have tracked Abbas al-Yunkari after he left Oldtown and we have gotten aware of what he did. He and Bakr operate a small sailing ship, able to be stirred by two men, but having enough room for almost ten. Three women have been with him, chained”
“Harpy”, Jaron mumbled and John tensed up. “And Janae and Behara”, he added, to which Joshawa gave him a nod. “We knew of the Burned Man's girl”, he said. “But the identities of the other two escaped us so far. Are they of importance?”
Jaron only had time to throw Temari a sharp glare, before the man had grabbed Joshawa by the collar of his vest, lifting him up a few inches above the ground and pushing him against the red tapestry. “You're talking about my sister”, he growled, while Joshawa seemed to lose his cool for a moment, surprise and perhaps a hint of fear at being held by the angry brute.
A moment later, John put a hand onto Temari's arm and slowly, he let go of Joshawa, who cleared his throat and straightened his vest. “They are not important to you”, John clarified. “But very much so to us” He sighed. “And... we appreciate the assistance. If killing this Ryder is what it takes to get them back, consider him a dead man”
“Much appreciated”, Joshawa said, his voice more strained now. “The ship has been spotted in Lys weeks ago and our contact believes Abbas seeks to hire guards for the journey to Yunkai. It can be assumed they have left the city by now, with Volantis being a likely goal for them as well. Their ship is small and nimble, perhaps fast enough to have left the bureaucracy of the triarchs”
“If they have, it would be foolish to land in Volantis”, Ayden brought up. “I heard much about them, doubt they let anyone go easily these days. Better head straight to Yunkai, I would say, sail around Valyria as far as possible, before entering the Gulf of Grief”
Joshawa raised an eyebrow. “You know a lot about the region, Blackwell”, he complimented him and Ayden sighed. “I've made the journey before”, he said. “Not one I'd like to repeat, I don't envy you there” Joshawa shrugged. “It will be a hard journey and yes, avoiding Volantis altogether would be the smarter move”, he agreed. “However, I am afraid this is hardly possible. You took my offer after all and it can be assumed that Volantis is Ryder Harrington's current destination”
“So we have to go there”, Jaron stated and Joshawa smiled. “If you want Samuel's help, that is”, he spoke. “Make no mistake, we have no way of knowing if you followed our request and if Ryder is a smart man, he'll eventually escape our eyes in Essos. But you want the help of the one man that shares Hishi's desire to see Ryder dead, so certainly you'll do as we agreed upon”
“It will be done”, Jaron confirmed, as they continued their way through the building. He recognized some of the hallways they passed from last time he had been here, knowing they were approaching the room that belonged to Donna Flowers. They passed closed doors, behind them passionate moans, sometimes sighs, sometimes screams of pleasure. A red-haired woman, naked from the waist up, was leaning in one of the doorways, smiling at them and John's gaze rested on her until Temari yanked him away.
Passing through hallways of red and gold, they eventually stopped in front of a door that was familiar. “He's in there”, Joshawa explained. “Don't bother with knocking. If what Donna told me is true, you won't be interrupting anything” With this, he gave Jaron a wink. “And if I can ever interest you in the flowers we have to offer, you know where to find me”, he whispered, before he walked down the hallway again.
And so, they were left in front of the door to Donna's room. Jaron and John exchanged a glance and the one-eyed man gave him a nod, before he opened the door, indeed without knocking. The room had remained similar to what Jaron still remembered. The window was closed, making it comfortably warm in there and two people were sitting on the bed.
One of them was indeed Samuel Harrington. He was only wearing pants, revealing his lean upper body. Less bulky than Jaron would have expected him, he was nonetheless firmly toned, albeit the sight of the occasional deep scar on his flesh proved that he was not as invincible as he was rumoured to be. And he looked worse than before, like a man that had slept too little in the past weeks. His hair had gotten slightly longer and he was wearing a scruffy, short beard that gave him an uncanny resemblance to his brother.
The woman behind him was Donna Flowers, Jaron still remembered her from the day they confronted Ryder. Almost lying on the bed, she had her hands on Samuel's shoulder, gently massaging him, while whispering something into his ear. Her hair was tied back into a loose bun and as John opened the door, it was she who looked up first, while Samuel stared at the ground, her green eyes looking with surprise.
Wordlessly, she separated from Samuel, moving back onto the bed and Jaron noticed that she was fully clothed, in a low-cut white dress. She sighed, while Samuel pressed his lips together and clenched his fists. Then, he looked up, his gaze meeting Jaron's. If he was surprised, he hid it well. “Hello, Jaron”, he spoke and briefly looked at the beautiful woman behind him. “Donna, you remember Jaron, don't you?”
She nodded. “I do”, she replied, her voice more hesitant than Samuel's almost uncaring tone. The sellsword looked back at the group that entered with Jaron. “And Ayden Blackwell. See you have recovered already”, he spoke, while Ayden remained silent. “I don't remember the other two though”
While he spoke, his gaze instinctively wandered to his shirt on the floor and Jaron spotted the distinctive handle of a dagger there. “John and Temari. We're allies of Jaron”, John stated firmly and now, Samuel raised an eyebrow for the first time. “You still have allies?”, he asked, his voice still showing no emotion. His eyes were dull and stared almost through the men that just entered the room.
“I was hoping you could be among them”, Jaron replied, finally managing to smile at the other man. At this, Samuel firmly shook his head. “I know why you want my help”, he mumbled. “But that won't happen and... I am sorry for that. You find your woman, I find my brother, our paths no longer align.” His voice was still as calm as always, but now, there was emotion in it, the hint of sadness.
“What if I tell you they do?”, Jaron asked in return. “Just coming here and asking for your help, with nothing in return, that would be too much” He saw that this gained Samuel's interest at last and the familiar sharpness in his eyes returned. He clenched his fists to the point where they shivered, while Donna behind him gulped. “What is it?”, he asked.
“I know where your brother is”, Jaron spoke frankly and instantly, Samuel had jumped up. Crossing the distance between them in a heartbeat, he had grabbed Jaron by the shoulders, pushing him against the wall and though John and Temari instantly tried to intervene, Ayden held them back. Though pushed roughly, Jaron knew he wasn't threatened. There was still no blade involved. “Where?”, Samuel growled.
Jaron hesitated for a moment and Samuel's grip on his shoulders tightened. “WHERE?”, he barked and Jaron gulped. “If I tell you, I want something in return”, he revealed, while behind Samuel, Donna had gotten up from her bed. “Sam...”, she whispered and the pleasant sound of her voice was enough for Samuel to calm down. “My help, I presume”, he guessed and Jaron gave him a nod. Samuel sighed. Letting go of Jaron, he offered his hand. “Tell me where Ryder is and I vow by the lives he took, my blade is yours when you go to save Harpy”
There was something genuine in his voice and Jaron knew, he could trust him. A vow like this wasn't done lightly, especially not for someone such as Samuel Harrington. “Your brother is on his way to Volantis”, he replied in return and Samuel took a deep breath. “Volantis”, he mumbled in return. “How do you know?”
“Joshawa told me”, Jaron revealed and Samuel frowned. “He knew all along, did he not?”, he asked, to which Jaron shook his head. “Roughly a fortnight, maybe a bit less”, he answered and Samuel clenched his fists. “It's awfully convenient that Volantis is half the way to Yunkai”, he replied, though he patted Jaron onto the shoulder. “But I am a man of my word. I will come with you and once we have found Ryder and dealt with him, I will stay by your side all the way to Yunkai”
Now, Jaron's smile was one of relief, one of joy. Perhaps for the first time in two months, he felt a genuine confidence. His luck had changed today. John and Temari were by his side, he had a lead, he had means to get there and to top it off, Samuel Harrington just joined him.
However, the sellsword kept his hard glare. “If I ever find out you lied to me about Ryder's location, I'll kill you first”, he promised. With these clear words, he turned to Donna, who had raised from her bed. His expression softened, as she approached him. “Donna, I...”, he mumbled. “I am sorry. We knew this would happen”
The woman gave him a nod, as she put her hands onto his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. “I just hoped it wouldn't be anytime soon”, she admitted. “Will you make it quick?” Samuel gave her a nod. “It depends on Ryder”, he stated. “But his suffering is not what I'm after” He closed his arms around her bag, actually hugging her as well for a moment. “I thank you for your company”, he whispered. “But I don't think you'll see me or my brother ever again”
They separated from each other and Samuel gave her one last almost sad look. “Farewell”, he said and she nodded, clearly distraught. The sellsword looked at Jaron. “When do we leave?”, he asked and Jaron glanced at John. The one-eyed man crossed his arms. “Perhaps we should discuss that outside”, he answered. “I don't like someone listening”
Samuel gave him a nod and was the first to leave the room. John followed, then Temari and Ayden, though just as Jaron turned around to do the same, Donna grabbed him by the hand. “I know you had no choice but to tell him”, she began and Jaron tensed up as she looked at him, beautiful and with a kind smile, despite the distraught look in her eyes.
“Do you want to talk me out of it?”, he asked, to which she shook her head. “I know why you did it”, she spoke. “You need his help in what is to come and maybe, just maybe, that is worth the price. No, I want you to look out for Samuel while you travel together”
Jaron gulped. “I am surprised he sought your company”, he spoke. “I never took him as one to...” Donna cut him off with a smile. “To enjoy a whore?”, she asked, before she shook her head again. “That wasn't why he visited me. First customer I've ever had who just wanted to talk”
“About what?”, Jaron asked and Donna took a step back, sitting down on her bed. “About Ryder”, she answered. “His brother visited me twice a week, every week for three years. He never missed our appointments and in a way, I believe he saw me as more than someone to share the bed with. In a way, I think I know Ryder Harrington better than anyone else”
Jaron raised an eyebrow. “Better than Samuel?”, he asked and she nodded. “He hasn't seen him in many years, so yeah, I'd say I do”, she confirmed. “That's what he wanted to know. Everything about Ryder, about the man he has become during his years in Oldtown”
“You seem to be fond of him”, Jaron observed and Donna raised an eyebrow. “Whom?”, she asked in return. “Both”, Jaron replied, to which she simply nodded. “I thought Samuel to be a reckless brute. Our first meeting definitely did little to prove me wrong, but when he returned, alone, I saw that he was nothing like that. He's hurt and he lashes out in the only way he knows. I fear it will ruin him”
“And Ryder?”, Jaron asked, to which Donna sighed with regret. “I know what Samuel claims”, she stated. “But... that does not fit. That is not the man I have come to know” Her gaze turned stern. “No matter what Ryder did, or supposedly did, he is a good man now. He has changed”
“And that means he should escape unpunished for what he did?”, Jaron brought up, to which Donna averted her eyes. “I don't know”, she admitted. “But can a bad man never change? Is it worth to destroy something good in order to punish something evil?” Jaron tensed up as she said this. She put a hand onto his shoulder. “In the end this is Samuel's decision to make”, she continued. “And he trusts you, well, for as much as he trusts anyone but himself. Keep an eye on him in return”
“I will”, Jaron promised, as he turned to the door. “Farewell, Donna” He left the room, hurrying after the rest of his companions and catching up to them in the main hallway. Now, Joshawa was nowhere to be seen and as such, they left the building without being stopped.
“What did Donna say to you?”, Samuel asked, as they stepped onto the square in front of the brothel. Jaron sighed. “She gave me something to think about”, he admitted, to which Samuel showed him a rare smile. “Yeah, she does that”, he agreed. “But what did she say?”
“She told me your brother is a good man”, Jaron answered, noticing how Samuel's smile faded. “Another thing she told me already”, he spoke. “I heard it from her. I don't want to hear it from you” He looked at John. “You there, do you have a ship already?”
John shook his head, moving a hand to his purse. “I'll have one soon”, he revealed. “So, Fang of Shadows, huh? I like your work” Samuel fastened his pace, to catch up with John a few feet in front of him, while Ayden stayed back. Just as the man wanted to say something, his eyes widened. “Oh shit...”, he gulped.
From the other end of the square, approaching the Thousand Shades of Flowers like a dark, furious cloud, came a familiar sight. Even halfway through her pregnancy, Taria was a sight to behold, her blonde hair tied back, as she marched towards them with clenched fists.
“Ayden Blackwell!”, she barked, as John, Temari and even Samuel instinctively jumped aside to make way for her. “Taria, love, I...”, Ayden began, though she cut him off by slamming a finger against his chest, hard enough to make him gasp. “How dare you?”, she snapped. “I saw your note and I was worried sick!”
As Ayden tried to embrace him, she pushed him away, before glaring at Jaron, who sneakily tried to back away from her. “Did you lure him into something?”, she asked sharply and Jaron exchanged a glance with Ayden, who answered in his stead. “I just had to help him out with one little thing”, he explained. “Nothing dangerous”
“Nothing dangerous?”, Taria asked and the worry in her voice was clear and painful. “You almost died two months ago” She pointed behind her, at Samuel, who tried to hide behind the broad frame of John Gutten. “And that over there is Samuel Harrington, so tell me again how this hasn't been dangerous”
“He's... on Jaron's side now, I think”, Ayden brought up, to which Taria sighed, as she finally embraced him, putting her head onto his shoulder. Seeing them like this, it warmed Jaron's heart, yet more than anything else did it cause him to miss Harpy.
Visibly uncomfortable from the display of affection, especially as the two lovers kissed softly, John backed off, almost bumping into Samuel. “So, yeah, I'd say we go ahead. Jaron, you say goodbye to your friend, we head to the docks to secure passage. Meet us there!” All three men were quick to leave, while Jaron remained with Ayden and Taria.
The two separated again from each other and the woman smiled with relief. “You're not dragging him into anything else?”, she asked, to which Jaron could only nod. She sighed. “Thank you”, she replied. “Listen, I know I haven't been easy to deal with, but I... I appreciate what you did for Ayden. For saving him from those beasts and now for... for allowing him to stay here”
Jaron raised an eyebrow. “I don't have to allow anything”, he said and Ayden sighed. “She's right, you know”, he replied. “If you would ask me, I might leave. She knows it, I know it, but we both know you won't” Both walked towards him and first, Taria gave him a hug, followed by the hint of a kiss on the cheek. Then, Ayden patted him onto the shoulder.
“I guess this is goodbye”, he said, to which Jaron smiled sadly. “Maybe not forever”, he replied, though Ayden shook his head. “I like you”, he clarified. “And I also like Harpy. But for the sake of my family, I hope this is the last time we see each other. You and her, you have a habit of getting into these situations. I hope you'll find peace in the end, but I don't want to be a part of it”
“Can't blame you”, Jaron admitted, though he found it hard to hide the disappointment over having to leave the man that might be his last friend in this city. But it was good. This was what Ayden wanted, what he deserved after all he and Taria had been through. “Though I will miss you”
“I still want to help though and I believe there is a way I can do so without leaving her”, Ayden explained and Jaron listened up. “Your first stop is likely going to be Lys. While you're there, you can look out for my brother, Arryn. If I'm not mistaken, he has taken on some long-term duties over there” He reached into his pocket, revealing a simple copper ring. “Give this to him and tell him I sent you. He'll help you... probably”
“Probably?”, Jaron asked and Ayden sighed. “We haven't seen each other in years and I have definitely been the reasonable one”, he admitted. “But Arryn is a good man at heart. If I send you, he'll hear you out. A true warrior and a man I would more than trust with taking over for me”
As he handed Jaron the ring, the knight closed his hand around the small trinket. “You'd send your brother in your stead?”, he asked, to which Ayden nodded. “He's fierce and capable and unlike me, he has no family, at least not in the same way. No responsibilities, he made that very clear last time we saw each other”
These words caused Jaron to look up. “Are you sure you parted on good terms?”, he asked and Ayden sighed. “Somewhat”, he admitted. “Arryn can be difficult to deal with, but win his loyalty and you'll have a friend for life. He can help you where I can't. At least one Blackwell will be by your side through this”
Jaron nodded at his friend. “Thank you”, he said, with a smile and Ayden reciprocated the smile, albeit there was concern on his face as well. “Say, Jaron... before we say our goodbyes, there is one thing you have to tell me”, he said. “You just told him what he wanted to hear, right? Do you... do you really intend to kill Ryder Harrington?”
The question was not only born out of curiosity, but out of concern, as Jaron noticed. And it was a good question. Ryder had done plenty of horrible things, if Samuel was correct. But there were Donna's conflicting accounts, there was Farris' statement. Truth be told, Jaron himself was unsure what he wanted from this, though he knew, he eventually had to make up his mind.
Jaron
There was no choice he truly had here. It was either having Samuel's support, or losing it. He wouldn't take his chances, he needed… more the Fang of Shadows in the events to come. If this meant hunting down Ryder, then that had to be done. After all, the man could hardly be called innocent, if what Samuel claimed was true. He'd be sentenced to death by any court in the known world for his actions, perhaps it was only good and right that Samuel would get a chance at doing the deed. Did it truly matter whose blade it was that would cut Ryder's head from his shoulders?
And yet, as Jaron grabbed Joshawa's outstretched hand, feeling the man firmly gripping his forearm, he felt reluctance below all this. He was not a killer for hire and there was a difference between bringing Ryder to justice and letting a man of equally questionable morals take his vengeance. But he had no choice, there was no other way, he had no choice but to accept.
“… [view original content]
Jaron
There was no choice he truly had here. It was either having Samuel's support, or losing it. He wouldn't take his chances, he needed… more the Fang of Shadows in the events to come. If this meant hunting down Ryder, then that had to be done. After all, the man could hardly be called innocent, if what Samuel claimed was true. He'd be sentenced to death by any court in the known world for his actions, perhaps it was only good and right that Samuel would get a chance at doing the deed. Did it truly matter whose blade it was that would cut Ryder's head from his shoulders?
And yet, as Jaron grabbed Joshawa's outstretched hand, feeling the man firmly gripping his forearm, he felt reluctance below all this. He was not a killer for hire and there was a difference between bringing Ryder to justice and letting a man of equally questionable morals take his vengeance. But he had no choice, there was no other way, he had no choice but to accept.
“… [view original content]
Jaron
There was no choice he truly had here. It was either having Samuel's support, or losing it. He wouldn't take his chances, he needed… more the Fang of Shadows in the events to come. If this meant hunting down Ryder, then that had to be done. After all, the man could hardly be called innocent, if what Samuel claimed was true. He'd be sentenced to death by any court in the known world for his actions, perhaps it was only good and right that Samuel would get a chance at doing the deed. Did it truly matter whose blade it was that would cut Ryder's head from his shoulders?
And yet, as Jaron grabbed Joshawa's outstretched hand, feeling the man firmly gripping his forearm, he felt reluctance below all this. He was not a killer for hire and there was a difference between bringing Ryder to justice and letting a man of equally questionable morals take his vengeance. But he had no choice, there was no other way, he had no choice but to accept.
“… [view original content]
Comments
[Plan to murder Maron Mullendore]
[Trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie]
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] Like others have brought up, there are plenty of characters trying to kill Maron already, so let's choose a different plan for Willfred. That said though, I have my doubts about this working. Petyr and Maron seem pretty unified by their common goals, and it's not like Petyr isn't aware of Mullendore being a massive dickhead. I guess we'll see, but between the artefact wrecking his mind and having Maron (+perhaps the Anturion family) as his enemy, things aren't looking promising for Willfred.
[Tell her to stay away from Melanie] Ah, this is a surprisingly hard choice, because it definitely adds to Sadie being paranoid, and could also piss off Melanie. However, I do see Nilanne still working for Gyles as a real possibility, and letting her get Melanie hooked to the drugs again is something I'd like to avoid.
Your bad feeling is not exactly unfounded. After all, it definitely won't be easy, like, at all. Both options, actually, as no matter what, Helenys is confident going against one of the most dangerous individuals in the entire story. She is not underestimating him at least, but murdering Maron or dividing the allies, neither will be achieved without effort.
Oh, there's many examples of people caring about other people. Sadie cares for Melanie. Leonard cares for Lucas. Even someone such as Petyr cares for Edith. In case of Nilanne, her help is not offered selflessly. It's more the fact that she is grateful towards Sadie for intervening and effectively ending Gyles' habit of forced prostitution, which she suffered under for years. Melanie has been through the same, so it is also a bit of sympathy for someone who perfectly understands what she has been through.
It actually kinda depends on where you draw the lines. Interestingly, Petyr is probably the worse criminal according to Westerosi law and morals. He has killed notably less people, yes, but he is guilty of kinslaying, which, if uncovered would tarnish his reputation more than anything Maron could ever do (as long as Maron stays away from the living Mullendore's that is). Of course, Maron's actions affected more people, so he is the one who ultimately caused more pain, so from a very personal standpoint, many will agree with you that he is the worse type of scum.
At the very moment probably not, but I can confirm that Sadie will encounter other members of the Rock nobility during her Book 2 storyline, not too far in the future actually.
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron] It's the slower but smarter plan. There's too many things that could go wrong from outright murdering Mullendore. That and it's morally wrong.
[Trust Nillanne with Melanie] Could use a friend.
Yes, just like in every tea party, it includes a knight with demons in his head, a shady old woman and her absolutely terrifying pet. I can honestly confirm, Willfred has never been to a better tea party, because he has never been to a tea party in general.
Oh god, if that would be a thing in Westeros, you can bet Helenys would make it happen. Taros jumping over obstacles, doing tricks (only that the "play dead" command will be replaced with "make dead"), all for treats and applause, with Helenys as his proud owner. If TV's would exist in Westeros, Helenys' life would have taken a sharply different turn.
Well, Helenys is smart enough to take Maron seriously as the threat he is. You are right though that she underestimates Petyr and the fact that he himself isn't much different from Maron in terms of intelligence and ruthlessness. She knows they are working together for some sort of larger goal, but doesn't even know that Devrin Oakheart, the shady third among them, is in any way involved. However, she is skilled enough to change her entire plan in an instant if such new information reaches her before it is too late.
She actually realized this at the end of the last book. Already having the suspicion, she also correctly deduced that Sherryl was the one to shoot Jax Montclair, having heard of the strange circumstances of his death by poison. She knows that Sherryl is one of the few who could enter her room, which also clued her in on the fact that Maron tried to start a war with the Stormlands by attempting to murder Argella. With Sherryl disappearing after the raid, her suspicions have strengthened to the point where she is certain.
You and Sadie both, it is definitely weird for Melanie to have such a massive mood swing. Keep in mind, she is going through one hell of a withdrawal right there and she does have mood swings in general. She's not always uncaring, there are actually good days (for a certain definition of good), but she has never really offered her help, nor did she have such a notable mood shift over the course of hours and then again in a single talk. Sadie has grown nearly paranoid after her injury and the loss of her only friend, but even beyond that, she has reason to be distrustful.
Yes, he hasn't asked anything of her yet. Surely, Leo's kindness is partially motivated out of the fact that she only has gotten into this situation because she did something he asked her to do (defending the people of Maybros). However, he is not an entirely altruistic man and he has something in mind he might ask of Sadie at some point in the future.
Haha, I am not the slightest bit surprised she is considered a new character and after way over a full year of her not appearing in the story, she might as well be considered that way. Nilanne was one of the characters I had planned slightly more for in Book 1, but she will instead appear more frequently in Sadie's Book 2 storyline.
Well, Gyles actually has broken his partnership with them already. He had no choice, in any of this. That is the problem with relying so heavily on external sellswords, after the raid on Maybros, Leo ended up being supremely more powerful and pretty much forcing Gyles to free his slave prostitutes, before then ending their contract in a very one-sided deal. Now, Gyles accompanies the people of Maybros out of necessity, hoping to reconnect with an old friend of his, a merchant contact at Castamere, but he definitely does not pay the Forgotten anymore and they don't consider themselves as working for him.
This is true, we have a lot of characters out for Maron's blood, so Willfred's approach would be a different one (and if it works, it would make it easier for the rest to get rid of Maron without his most powerful ally), if not exactly any easier. The only chance they have is the fact that Petyr and Maron are not personal friends. They respect each other, but both work together to achieve their goals, not because they like spending time with each other. That said, they would need to create serious quarrel between the two to break up the alliance. And then there is, as you have said, more difficulties for Willfred, because he has the artefat and he has Edward personally out for him.
Well, while I cannot confirm or deny anything here, I can say that you indeed know very little about Nilanne yet, so if Sadie refuses, it would be because she does not trust her, still considering her to work for Gyles. Wether or not this is true will get a definite answer over the course of the next chapters. This will be a pretty big choice though, as it either means giving Melanie potentially valuable support or someone to sabotage all of Sadie's efforts.
While Helenys would disagree with the morally wrong point (she's more the type who considers it morally right to kill one to save many), Willfred would very much agree with you and if he ends up picking this choice over straight out attempting to murder him, it would not be out of pragmatism (something Helenys would agree with), but out of his knightly morals. I mean, don't get me wrong there, he has absolutely zero problems with challenging Maron to a fair duel and cutting him down on even terms, but that wouldn't be considered murder according to Westerosi views and would leave his opponent a chance at least. Being highborn, he has been taught these knightly values for pretty much his entire life and the fact that he even considers going against them by murdering someone, as horrible as that person might be, shows how dire he considers his situation to be. This choice will not only decide his course of action, but it will also decide his stance on some of the moral views he values.
[Plan to murder Maron Mullendore]
[Tell her to stay away from Melanie]
[Plan to divide Petyr and Maron]
I want Petyr to live
[Tell her to stay away from Melanie]
[Plan to murder Maron Mullendore]
I’ve said it a million times before and I’ll say it again, nothing can wrong with a premeditated murder.
[Trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie]
Why not
The Voting is closed!
Willfred will bring up a plan to divide Petyr and Maron
Sadie is going to trust Nilanne with looking after Melanie
Gonna close the voting now to prevent a tie for both choices. That and, of course, the fact that the new part will be out today most likely. Anyways, this was the final part for Willfred and Sadie in this chapter, but both will have a lot to do in the next one and I feel like Willfred in particular will quite shine next time we see him, with lots of interesting interactions coming up. Same goes for Sadie, of course, but Chapter 2 will very much be Willfred's big moment after a lot of time of just being kinda there. Important choices you made here, we'll see what comes out of them in the end
The next part should be out today. I'll get to one little detail that could put this release at risk below, but for now, let me announce that this will be Raenna's part. I'm having one problem, in that I might require another part for her, in a chapter that is rapidly nearing its end, so I am now facing the choice of either giving her another part in about two weeks, after wrapping up the storylines of Jaron, Ysilla, Garthon and Edrick, maybe even Keat or Samantha already, or to put part of her storyline into Chapter 2. For reasons I cannot fully explain right here, both are attractive solutions. We'll see what I decide upon once I finished this part. Anyway, last time we saw her, she knelt to Torrhen Stark, King in the North, and was welcomed in his home as a honoured guest. After initial introductions, she was brought to her room by Malina Karstark, niece of Lord Brogar Karstark and older sister of Dante. Accompanied by her bodyguard, the Dustin bastard Gared Snow, Malina saw through Raenna with shocking ease, correctly deducing that she is a Targaryen bastard and proving just why Brogar is keeping her around. However, she and Gared promised to keep this a secret and to add to it, they even invited her to a meeting between them and some of the other young Northerners at court around the evening hours. Though a bit reluctant to accept (and still actually being reluctant about it), Raenna ultimately decided that this would be a good chance to get to know some of the people she'd spend a lot of time with in the future. As such, her next part will start as she approaches their meeting.
Now, I mentioned above, there is a little detail I have to address. Not a bad detail, not in the slightest and quite the contrary. Actually, it is big news for me and I am very happy about it. Prepare, it's one of these moments in which I get overly personal. As you probably remember, my mother had this heavy car accident in late April. A twice broken spine, fractured ribs, damaged lung, the whole messy deal. That was a very dark time for me and honestly, I owe you a lot for sticking with me, as the fact that I was able to write this story for you gave me some very necessary peace of mind in the darkest times. Of course, I never stood alone throughout all this, but your support and the chance I was offered to do something else but be depressed about the situation helped tremendously and I don't want to imagine where I would be if not for this here. After initially giving you updates every couple days, I eventually grew more quiet about it and that is because there was not much more to report after the hectic and very stressful first weeks. My mother survived, she got through some very tense moments and is expected to make a full recovery, which, of course, took its time and still will into the first months of 2018. At least it is a full recovery, likely without any side effects. However, after seven and a half months of being non-stop in several hospitals, she will finally return home tomorrow. Naturally, this will mean tomorrow is one of the few days where I won't do any writing at all. I think finishing the part today is a realistic goal, but then again, you're reading the words of a man that once saw Summer 2015 as a realistic goal for the start of Book 2. I nonetheless hope to finish Chapter 1 of Book 2 before the end of December (2017), so yeah, just so you know not to expect much of me tomorrow, besides commenting on your thoughts on the part, if I manage to actually finish my writing before heading to bed tonight. If that, for whatever reason, does not work out, consider Friday to be the likely release date for the next part.
And with these words, allow me to thank you again for reading and now I shall head off to finish that part.
I am super happy for you. TBH i was very worried about her situation since you never talked about it since may, i thought i either missed an update or i assumed the worst. Enjoy your time with her, you earned it. I don't think any of us will mind.
Raenna
The moment she stepped into the courtyard, caught by the chilly breeze that crossed it, Raenna shivered and had to ask herself if she had made the right decision. The journey had been draining and the thought of her room was tempting, but then again, she had never been one for company before. This was to be her new life, right? Maybe it was time to change.
Even without being given the directions, it would have been simple to find the Northerners, for all she had to do was to follow the laughter that echoed across the courtyard. Pulling the white fur cloak around her body, she did just that, walking around the stables, until she spotted the torches in the distance and the small fire someone had started for warmth.
In the shadow of an old tower, close to the stables, several figures had gathered, sitting on benches around two tables. The one she recognized first was Malina Karstark, though standing in the shadow herself, the other woman had not yet spotted her. She was sitting next to her tall bodyguard, Gared Snow, who in turn was throwing a pair of dice onto the table. His frustrated frown showed her that his roll likely hadn't been a good one.
His opponent had his back turned, but Raenna recognized him to be Myles Cerwyn, with some of those she did not know well sitting or standing around them, watching their game unfold. Malina said something, though the contents of her sentence were drowned by collective laughter.
For a moment, she remained close to the stables and invisible to them, just watching and uncertain if she should truly join these people. All of a sudden, this thought was cut short by a heavy hand landing on her shoulder. She suppressed a gasp, as she spun around, her gaze falling upon the Skagosi, Mace Crowl. The stocky man seemed unfazed by her surprise, instead just raising an eyebrow. “Snow hair”, he greeted her. “Didn't think you'd join us”
Breathing out, Raenna allowed her muscles to relax, as she shrugged. “I decided to give you a chance”, she replied and the Skagosi pointed past her. “What are you waiting for?”, he asked, before slowly, he seemed to realize her struggle. “You're hesitating?”
Raenna bit onto her lower lip, before she gave him a nod. This was, to say the least, very unusual for her. Not having friends in general, no. Though painful in the way they ended, she would cherish the memories she had of Kersea, of Terroma. But sitting with them in such an occasion? Just relaxing and having a good time? The very nature of their grim tasks had always prevented this. First it had been the discipline Terroma demanded. Then, after his retirement, it had been Clayton just being Clayton. This was a situation Raenna was not sure what to expect from and as she had been taught, she was wary.
“Don't be”, Mace assured her. “You know Cerwyn, I'll introduce the rest” Raenna sighed, before giving him a nod. As they stepped out of the shadow of the stables, it was Malina who spotted them first. A wide, cheerful smile formed on her face, as she raised a hand, waving them over.
Gared Snow raised his head and instead of taking his turn with the dice, Myles Cerwyn glanced over his shoulder. The man sitting next to him even turned around entirely and as the light of the torches fell upon his face, Raenna recognized Jorn Mormont from their brief encounter at the gates to the Great Hall.
The others seemed more vaguely familiar, but before Raenna could remember where she had seen them before, Malina greeted her. “Ah, Raenna!”, she said. “Over here, there's a seat for you” She placed one of her hands next to her on the bench and Raenna couldn't help but smile, ever so briefly, at the surprising warmth she was met with on this cold evening.
“You know Lady Malina”, Mace spoke, as he squeezed himself onto the bench next to Jorn and Myles. “And me, Crowl”, Gared interjected. “Don't forget about me” Mace's mouth formed a thin grin. “Doubt anyone could ever forget about you”, he admitted. “The other man is Jorn Mormont”
Jorn even raised from the bench to do a polite bow, a gesture that would have been a suitable greeting for a noble lady. Raenna wasn't, though she gave him a smile in return. “Yes, we have already met”, the Mormont man said. “I am pleased to see you here, mylady”
“And over there, we have...”, Mace started, though he was quickly cut off by the man he was about to introduce. He was tall and impressively built, with a short beard covering his jawline. His grin clued Raenna in on the fact that he wasn't entirely sober, yet there was no malign in his green eyes, as he put his hands onto the table close to her.
“Yeah, I can introduce myself. You go back to being all silent and broody, Crowl, that's how we love you”, he stated, his voice notably louder than Mace's calm words. He grinned at Raenna, who raised an eyebrow. “The name is Harrold Hornwood!”, he introduced himself. “And I have the honour of being in the presence of the fairest snowflake in the North”
“He is also almost a married man, to my sister nonetheless, so don't give much about what he says”, the man behind him said quickly, putting a hand onto Harrold's shoulder. He was the guard Raenna remembered from earlier, but to make the recognition easier, he put a hand onto his chest. “Eon Dustin, mylady. It is a pleasure”, he introduced himself. “Forgive Harrold, it appears he had a bit too much of the wine”
While Harrold rolled his eyes, Raenna looked up. “We have wine?”, she asked and with a sweet smile, Malina reached below the table, to bring forth a bottle. “There's more where that came from”, she promised, as she handed it to Raenna, who sniffed at it. The sweet, dazing smell of strong wine reached her nose.
“Don't drink too much though”, the final man said present said, as he stepped out of the shadows. Mace narrowed his eyes as he spotted him and for a moment, he seemed to bring even Gared's and Myles' game to a stop with his mere presence. She recognized him, Umber's younger brother. “Ser Dag”, she greeted him and he smiled slightly.
“Umber”, Mace growled, his voice betraying surprise and Dag walked around the table, giving him the same slight smile. “Relax, Skagosi”, he said. “I am not here to start an argument, albeit you do well to keep your distance from my brother” With these words, he looked at Raenna, before sitting down at the end of the table closest to her. “However, you quite interest me, Raenna Minsworth”, he explained.
She gulped at his words. “Me?”, she asked, as she moved the bottle to her mouth. Taking a deep gulp of the strong alcohol, she grimaced and quickly handed the bottle over the table, to Myles Cerwyn, who grabbed it without looking her in the eyes.
“Aren't we all curious?”, Malina asked, as she reached for the dice. Gared put a hand onto her shoulder, squeezing it as he stared at the table, anticipating her roll. “Unravelling the valyrian enigma” Gared's grin widened, as she finally took her roll. “Is that what they call it now?”, he asked and spied her role. “You owe me five copper coins, mylady”
Malina playfully rolled her eyes, as she reached for the purse by her belt. “Copper”, she sighed. “We used to play for silver, for the thrill of it, but then some people decided they can no longer afford it” Gared shrugged at this. “Hey, I only get what your uncle decides to pay me. Not all of us grew up in a castle, Lady Karstark”, he replied and Malina smirked. “Amazingly, that statement was wrong until our newest guest arrived”, she stated.
Raenna gulped as Dag glanced at her and she quickly took another sip from the bottle, coughing at the unusually strong taste. It was more bitter than what she was used from the bottles Terroma and Clayton had enjoyed. As harsh as this land itself, she thought, the sort men like Dag Umber would enjoy.
Uncertain how to deal with his inquisitive glance, she offered him the bottle and he took it wordlessly, while Malina put a hand onto her shoulder, giving her a reassuring wink. “You wanna join in?”, she asked. “The rules are simple and we're playing for copper”
To this, Raenna shook her head, looking from Malina, to Gared, then Myles, Mace and lastly Jorn. Behind her, Eon and Harrold had gotten into a slight argument, though judging by Harrold's laughter, it wasn't anything serious. Eon however sounded annoyed, his whispers being slightly louder than that of his companion. “A stupid idea”, he hissed. “Even for you, that is a stupid idea”
“I'm afraid I don't have the coin”, Raenna admitted. “Didn't seem like something I'd need in the North” To this, Malina chuckled, while Jorn Mormont gave her a charming grin. “What did you think we'd pay with up here?”, he asked. “Farm animals perhaps?”
Gared raised an eyebrow. “Reminds me, you still owe me a sow and three hens for that cask of ale I brought you last week. Best Karhold brew, ain't gonna be cheap”, he stated in a mocking voice and Raenna rolled her eyes, though paired with the warmth of the wine, she couldn't help but to smile. Jorn glanced at her, his grin turning into a smirk. “Oh, come on”, he said. “I'll give you four hens at most, maybe a piglet if you ask nicely”
“Alright, alright”, Malina interrupted them, slamming her hands onto the table, before she looked at Raenna. “So, you don't have the coin, but that didn't answer my question. Do you want to join in?” With these words, she wordlessly threw her purse onto the table and Raenna's eyes widened as she saw the coin almost spilling onto the wood.
“Don't look at me like a scared fawn, just take it”, Malina encouraged her and Raenna instinctively shook her head, only partially out of modesty, but mostly because Terroma had taught her. An act of kindness was rarely done at random, without ulterior motives. And yet, Malina seemed genuine, as if she enjoyed her company. Why should she though? She had seen through her already and with shocking ease.
Suddenly, Raenna felt almost uncomfortable, as she had to think about whom else she might have told before she arrived. Did Jorn's charming smirk actually hide knowledge about her past? Was Myles' usual shyness around her justified in his mind now, knowing what she used to be? And Dag Umber, this inquisitve gaze that did not seem to shift from her, surely he had to know something, right?
But Terroma had taught her well. She knew better but to act on her suspicions. Instead, she grabbed the purse. “If you insist”, she stated. “I don't know the rules though” Malina put a hand onto her shoulder, still smiling cordially. “Oh, it's simple”, she promised. “Everyone that wants to play for a round throws in one...” Her hand now moved to her belt, where the purse used to be and she sighed. For a moment, she hesitated and the look on her face as she sneakily tried to glance at the purse she had just gifted away so carelessly caused Raenna to actually genuinely chuckle.
Her chuckle soon burst into actual laughter, as Malina visibly tried to hold back her amusement at her own misfortune. With a smile as cordial as that of the other woman, Raenna reached into the purse, putting a handful of it back onto the table in front of Malina. “Thank you”, the noblewoman said thinly. “As I was going to say, we actually were promised a set of playing cards, but somebody forgot about them”
Jorn shrugged apologetically. “I gave them to Harrold”, he defended himself and Malina glanced over her shoulder, at the Hornwood man and Eon, who were still whispering with each other, apparently in some sort of argument. “Right, as if that makes it any better”, she replied.
To this, Harrold actually interrupted his mumbled explanation to his friend, as he raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”, he asked into the group, having just heard his name. “I was just wondering why Jorn decided it would be a good idea to give a perfectly fine set of cards to a moose as thick as yourself”, Malina explained, a teasing smile on her face.
Eon quickly put a hand onto his face. “Oh, for all that is sacred, don't you dare starting with this as well!”, he exclaimed, as Harrold's smile widened. Raenna however tilted her head in slight confusion. “What... exactly is a moose?”, she asked, to which Eon let out a frustrated groan. “Fine, I give up!”, he stated firmly, as Harrold approached the women, his smile wide and warm.
“You have never seen the Hornwood banners then!”, he explained. “Mooses are the most majestic creatures the North has to offer. Stubborn, strong and loyal, the qualities of a true Hornwood!” Raenna, who indeed had to admit that the heraldry of the North had never been a priority in her education, could only listen to him closely. She reached out for the bottle of wine and Dag gave it to her wordlessly, though Harrold winked as she took a deep gulp.
“Actually, hold on for a moment, snowflake”, he spoke. “I can give you something better than a description” And with these cryptic words, he hurried off, while Eon remained, crossing his arms. “Yep, he's going to do something reckless”, he revealed. “Really can't hold that blasted wine”
Raenna gulped, as she, once again, noticed how strong the wine actually was. She also noticed Dag Umber still looking at her and now, growing bold from the alcohol, she looked back. “Is there anything you would like to say, Ser?”, she asked and Dag gave her a nod.
“I was wondering about you, mylady”, he revealed and Raenna felt her cheeks slightly reddening, to which Dag coughed uncomfortably. “Not... not in that way, even though I must admit you are very...” He cut himself off, probably for the better, as even Myles next to him exchanged a grin with Mace. “Back to the topic, I was wondering about your skills, but more than that, your origins, especially as Brandon is remarkably tight-lipped about it. How did a man such as him stumble upon someone who seems to be the perfect answer to what we need?”
Raenna raised an eyebrow. “And what do you need, Ser?”, she asked, to which Dag shook his head. “House Umber as a whole”, he revealed. “It is Roffe's duty to rely the informations, but over the past years, whenever a smaller problem arose, one that requires the work of a specialist, Brandon and his Snow Wolves were sent to deal with it. The Wolves are no more and Brandon stands alone, or at least he would be if not for you”
“He did mention he wants me to work for his brother”, Raenna admitted and Dag pressed his lips together, one of his hands moving through his thick beard. “And the king wants to send you to deal with our problem, mine, Roffe's and that of the entirety of House Umber”, he answered, before stopping himself again. “Apologies, but that is really the amount of detail I am allowed to give here. But Roffe has made it very clear that his support of King Torrhen in the coming war will depend entirely on your success”
His words had clearly gained not only Raenna's interest. Malina looked past her, at the Umber knight. “Has he threatened to revoke his oath of fealty?”, she asked, to which Dag shook his head. “Not... directly, no”, he replied firmly. “Roffe is a loyal Northerner, but he values strength above everything else. And Torrhen is young for a king. This would be an opportunity to prove himself worthy of our allegiance”
“Roffe is young for a Lord Umber”, Malina replied, not without sharpness. “Maybe this would be an opportunity to prove himself in the eyes of our king” The tense moment was gone the moment Dag smirked. “You can bet I told him exactly that”, he revealed. “However, I know what he is out for. Roffe is... not quite as slow as people believe him to be. He has a suspicion, something terrible that threatens the safety of my family at the Last Hearth” Firmly, he placed his hands on his belly. “If you so desire to make me doubt, Lady Malina, I must disappoint you, for my trust in Roffe is unwavered”
He looked back at Raenna, who was undeniably intrigued by now. She had ended lives before, noble lives as well, over in Essos. Perhaps Brandon had actually been right when he had called this a chance for her. Helping a house, helping a kingdom nonetheless, that was a new experience for her, one she considered to be fascinating.
“However, I have joined you today to learn more about you, mylady”, Dag explained. “Before supporting Brandon's decision to involve you in this, I must know whom you are” Raenna gulped, a gesture she feared gave too much away already. “There... is not much to know”, she lied through her teeth and Dag sighed. “Lady Raenna, you insult my intelligence and your own with this”, he spoke, his tone still gentle. “Perhaps you would like to tell me where you came from? The lack of an accent hints at Targaryen's domain, so I presume you're not from Essos”
Raenna gave him a nod. “It is Dragonstone”, she revealed, quickly deciding for a half-truth, though she had to blink, as the strong alcohol already affected her petite body. “Many there carry the blood of the Freehold in them. Offspring of the Targaryen servants that survived the Doom, mixed with the blood of those native to Dragonstone”
“Yours is purer than most though”, Dag remarked with a sharp gaze that belied his brutish appearance. “I once saw Valyrian half-breeds in White Harbour and they did not sport your astonishing amount of features. Perhaps the beauty of the Dragonlords, perhaps their silver hair or their lilac eyes, but all three?”
Raenna clenched her fists, biting onto her lower lip, as she glanced at Malina, seeking help. To her surprise, the woman indeed came to her aid. “Gods, you can be intimidating, Dag”, she chirped. “Me and Lady Raenna had a long talk already. Her parents have both been half-breeds, you leery dork”
“I see”, Dag agreed. “And your skills? Brandon mentioned some of them and to be honest, it makes you an intriguing choice. But I can't help but wonder how you acquired them. A woman of your looks and age rarely picks up the blade, particularly in the south”
“Perhaps I am the exception”, Raenna was quick to suggest, realizing that Dag did not seem to agree with it though. She sighed. “I... had to leave my home, for reasons that are my own. Haven't been to Dragonstone in ten years and I don't intend to ever return”, she finally admitted, noticing how even Malina, who was at least somewhat familiar to her story. “I was taken in by a man, who taught me how to defend myself... and more”
“You became a sellsword?”, Dag realized and Raenna smiled at him. “Out of necessity”, she said. “I had it good with this man. He was more a father to me than my real one, more than any man living. Was I supposed to just abandon him?”
In this very moment, another distraction arrived and Raenna thankfully took the opportunity to divert her attention, as Dag himself was equally surprised for a moment. Eon sighed notably. “Here we go, he's actually going to do it”, he muttered.
Leading it on a leash into the smaller courtyard the tower was placed in, Harrold Hornwood reappeared. He held a beast that Raenna had never seen before. Physically, it showed some similarities to Mace's unicorn, though the mere fact that it was allowed out of his box and still seemed relatively calm showed her that their tempers did not match at least.
The creature had thick, brown hair and was tall, about as tall as a grown horse maybe. A set of curious antlers was located on its heads, less fine and elegant than those of deers, more putting emphasis on the creatures strength and how dangerous it probably could get when sufficiently annoyed.
“That, Lady Snowflake, is a moose, a bull moose to be precise!”, Harrold proclaimed loudly, as he led the seemingly docile animal closer. “I'm keeping it in one of the other stables, away from that hairy Skagosi beast and his unicorn” His drunken grin widened. “And in fact, mylady, I would like to demonstrate it to you. A fearsome beast of battle, which I intend to mount as the Horned Kings of my line did during the Age of Heroes”
He came closer and Raenna saw the animal up close. It was magnificent and compared to Mace's unicorn, it actually seemed almost unfazed by the amount of strangers. And yet, it was undeniably a wild animal. “Just imagine what it could do with these horns!”, Harrold said in a dreamy voice. “Actually, I was even hoping I could give you a demonstration. The first of the Hornwood moose cavalry, almost ready”
Eon rolled his eyes and though Raenna happened to look at him, she was certain he almost did so audibly. “I said it time and again, that is a stupid idea”, he complained and Harrold grinned at him. “Oh, shut up and get me a saddle, Eon”, he urged him.
Surprising words of encouragement came from Gared Snow. “You know, I'd kinda like this”, he said. “Could be an impressive display of what the Hornwood's were capable of in the days of old” Harrold winked at him, before patting Eon onto the shoulder. “See? Your brother agrees”, he exclaimed.
“Half-brother”, Eon was quick to correct him, as Malina leant forwards, putting her hand onto Raenna's shoulder. “That can't end well”, she warned her and Raenna raised an eyebrow. “What am I supposed to do?”, she asked and Malina shrugged. “He tries to impress you. Talk him out of such foolery”, she demanded. “It's dangerous for him and if anything happens, that'd quite kill the mood, wouldn't you agree? Besides, I consider it cruel to take Erin Dustin's betrothed just months before the wedding is scheduled”
Harrold, frankly, wasn't noticing Malina's plea. He was fascinated by this strange animal and in a way, Raenna had to admit so was she. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she could almost see it, him atop this creature and she had to admit, it was something she wanted to see. Still, the Lady Karstark and her warning rang through her mind, as she turned to Harrold.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] [Try to talk him out of it]
[Try to talk him out of it] Oh gods, the moose is here!! And trying to ride one, especially drunk, is a crappy idea. For the record, a moose can be more dangerous than a bear.
And as far as I can tell, the moose is unique to the North, unlike stags and deers, who are known to live on nearly every major forest in Westeros.
[Try to talk him out of it]
[Try to talk him out of it] I'd have to agree with Malina. She knows what she's talking about and it would indeed kill the mood if something went wrong.
I really enjoyed this part. Raenna was adorable and I loved seeing her actually try to relax and enjoy herself, even if she's being a little paranoid.
[Try to talk him out of it]
I'm afraid he'll accidentally get himself killed if he tries to mount the moose. You can never trust drunk people to not hurt themselves.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose]
[Try to talk him out of it]
[Try to talk him out of it] Well, I doubt you'd kill off a character who has just been introduced, and even less by a drunken moose rodeo, but I guess it's still better to follow common sense here
Nonetheless, this was a very enjoyable and relaxed part, and I'm starting to get a clearer picture of this Northern cast, which is nice 
[Try to talk him out of it]
Listen, I know I was all for murder last choice, but I really don't think it's a great idea to mount a moose.
[Try to talk him out of it] Probably Harrold will still try to mount the moose but at least it won't be Raenna's fault
I'm sorry to say that the Random Thoughts will not be present for this choice and I apologize to all readers that wait a new part of the story to read them,but not worry!The RT's will be back soon with even more random and much less thoughts!
Hehe, I was very glad Raenna chose to meet up with the Northerners at the end of her last part, because otherwise I wouldn't have gotten such a good chance to show Harrold's kinda unusual choice of a mount in a long time. While I am not an expert on moose behaviour, I don't doubt they can be more dangerous than a bear, especially if provoked. Harrold's moose does seem to be kinda chill, mostly as it is used to him, but it still belongs to a species that was never meant to be tamed. I agree that mooses are unique to the North and probably the lands beyond the Wall in Westeros. They are a northern animal in our world as well, after all. And I doubt they are all that well known outside of the North. Up there, everyone knows what a moose is, though Raenna, who never received more education than what Terroma taught her, definitely doesn't.
Ah, I am glad you enjoyed this part
One thing I liked was showing this different side of Raenna again. She might be a badass killer, can be fierce and she surely is capable, but at her core, she is actually kinda awkward, I'd say adorable, very bad in social situations and looking for something more than what she has right now. Her kinda smaller role in Chapters 8 and 9 of Book 1 put way less emphasis on that, but it's whom she is. This right here is actually the first time she has a chance at making friends who are not either actually awful (Clayton) or dealing with issues way more severe than anything she ever had (Kersea and Alysanne), so it remains to be seen how this might affect her character growth in the things to come.
Technically, it is Harrold's second appearance, as he was introduced in Torrhen's Interlude
But yeah, you are right, I usually do try to develop a character first before killing them off and killing a new character off in such a downright insulting way, there's not a single character in the entire cast that deserves this. In general, a characters' chances of survival are always highest when they are just introduced in FoT, though there are definitely exceptions, such as Alexander or Robb. Considering I hate killing off characters, even when it is for good reason, it is probably not very likely that Harrold will downright die by trying to ride the moose, but even an injury could affect the plot to come.
Ah, that was one of the things I really hoped for. Obviously, most of the Northerners are new characters and they are strong personalities on top of that, so giving them all their proper spotlight might take a while (and I definitely plan for some of these to become way more important than others), but I hope to each make them very distinctive and recognizable characters in time.
Well, keep in mind what Malina said, he is mostly doing this to impress Raenna in the way drunken people mostly do, by trying to prove his manliness. Her disapproval might do wonders there, but then again, Harrold is quite a stubborn man at the same time, so we'll see.
Oh, I hope everything is alright on your end! Don't apologize though, I always love to read your random thoughts and the actually quite deep insights you have there, but the most important part is that you're having fun, time and the right mindset to do them. I look forward for their return when you are able to do them again, no matter when that might be
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Dang I missed another voting! Anyway though, I am glad to see we are back to the North! I'm really starting to love this cast. Mace is a all around cool guy. Jorn and Myles are some cool guys who I can enjoy spotting in the background. Malina is going to certainly be a strong presence in every part she is in. I really liked Dag's entrance. Every stopped, and there was the tension with Mace. I wonder why Roffe and him have problems, and how that may affect stuff to come. As for the moose, Harrold is going to have to get practice mounting it sooner or later, or how else is he going to become the Moose Knight of Old like his ancestors?
Hehe, glad you got this one and right in time. I aim to release a new part every three days as a rule of thumb and will, in fact, finish and release the next one (Jaron's final part for the chapter) late tomorrow.
Ah, it is nice to hear you enjoyed the part and the northern storyline with its characters. I know they are currently the newest cast, with only Raenna and maybe Brandon and Briar being well-established characters at this point, but many of them will accompany Raenna throughout her Book 2 storyline (albeit some of those appearing in this part will have a more significant presence in the other northern PoV, to start in the second half of this book).
Dag is probably going to be one to look out for in Raenna's parts. Some bits and pieces of her storyline have been cut and rewritten, but Dag's role remained fundamentally unchanged as someone who will hold importance to the narrative in her coming chapters, so I am glad you like him so far and I hope he'll continue to be enjoyable. With Roffe, well, it's not something particularly in his submission, but something I felt is a logical consequence of their respective characters. As you know, House Umber has a famous rivalry with wildlings and Roffe has reason to hate them, just like most members of his family have at least a distrust and dislike towards them. In his case however, I'd say he is one of the Northerners who have similar prejudice against the half-wild men of Skagos, who are, after all, culturally closer to the wildlings than the mainland North. He does not hate Mace, but has a serious distrust towards him and his presence brings back the bad memories he has of wildlings. Mace meanwhile doesn't have a problem with Roffe, but he knows when someone does not like him and he knows to keep his distance. Dag has a slightly different outlook in that he sees the Skagosi as closer to the North than to the wildlings, even if he still harbours some slight distrust towards them as well, due to their very tumultuous past with the North. He's willing to overlook this in favour of establishing good connections to Mace though, something Roffe likely would have a way harder time with.
How else indeed. I must admit, I am not even sure if mooses are capable of being ridden due to their built, I guess that part of the Hornwood history doesn't necessarily have to be true. Of course, Harrold could very well prove us all wrong, if he's lucky enough to have found a moose that can actually be tamed. I guess them even being open to the concept of being a mount depends heavily on the individual animal.
[Encourage Harrold to mount the moose] Come on now, how can I not vote for this?
He can be like a Canadian Mountie.
I was curious enough to see if moose cavalry was ever a thing anywhere during history besides a joke, and well, turns out the Swedish and the Soviets tried to get it on. Fascinating. I bet if someone mentioned this to George R.R. Martin, he'd put it in a Dunk and Egg story or something.
Seriously though that's something too good to pass up.
Also, that just gave me a great idea for the story and one of my characters specifically: camel cavalry. Nothing more terrifying than that drooling beast.
Why not more animals? Zorse for zoinks. Octopods for octofun. Sharks for sharkfin soup. Mammoths for mammals. Whatever.
Oh boy I am excited to know that Dag is going to be out and about doing stuff! And now that you mention it, Roffe's distrust makes much more sense now. I wonder if this distrust is ever going to emerge as conflict. All in all, I am super excited for the Northern POV, and it is one of my favorite so far!
And the Canadians, I'd be surprised if there isn't at least one Canadian who successfully managed to tame a moose to ride it. Seriously though, I should have expected someone to have tried this at one point, given that moose have a serious advantage over horses in particularly snowy areas. I couldn't find anything about there ever having been a successful attempt at doing so and the species as a whole is definitely not suited to be ridden, but I am equally certain that, given the right training, individual animals can be properly tamed to serve this purpose.
That is something that works very well though, as far as I know. Wikipedia tells me it is quite common even and has been in use for 3000 years in desert areas. And they even exist in Essos, as I have found out today, so it wouldn't be unthinkable to have them featured in the story. In fact, they seem to be native to the Qarth area and guess where a new Chapter 2 storyline will take place
I'm actually not even sure what an octopod is, is it some kind of Ice and Fire oddly spelled octopus? The wiki hasn't been overly helpful there. Shark cavalry though, that'd be more terrifying than sharkfin soup, though I definitely know a character that would like the latter very much. And mammoths and probably zorses, I can confirm to have them in the story proper, they shouldn't be too hard to include with what I have in mind.
The Voting is closed!
Raenna is going to try to talk Harrold out of riding the moose
All things considered, that is probably a wise option. I mean, I won't confirm he would have failed and it might not be impossible what he is trying to do there, especially as he is very serious with his wish to ride a moose to battle. However, one thing should be certain, this is at the best a risky attempt and he should definitely be sober when trying such a thing. Trying to mount a naturally wild animal should be done with the care a drunken man simply does not have. It remains to be seen if Harrold listens to Raenna though. It also remains to be seen if this was her final part in this chapter, as I am inclined to give her another short one. I realized, I will likely have room for half a part's length a little bit later in this chapter, when I write the next part for Keat's storyline, so I strongly consider giving Raenna this additional part. Let's see how it works out, I definitely want the chapter to be finished before 2018 and that is something that might actually work out. 7 parts are left, including the one that is to be released today, meaning if I release one every 3 days from now on, we should be done somewhere around the 3 year anniversary of FoT
And yeah, today there shall be a new part. It will be the finale for Jaron's storyline in Chapter 1, holding some interaction I am very excited to write about. Last time we saw him, Jaron made his way to the Thousand Shades of Flowers once more, Oldtown's most exclusive brothel. He was accompanied by his new allies, John Gutten and Temari Keys, as well as his old friend Ayden, whom he asked for one last favour, before Ayden fully intends to settle down for good and focus solely on his family with Taria. This favour was finding Samuel Harrington, who apparently was located in this very brothel. Entering it, they were stopped by Joshawa, one of the brothel workers and among Hishi's most trusted. He had a proposal for Jaron. Not only would he allow him to talk to Samuel, he would also give him something that would, without any doubt, gain Samuel's interest and make him likely to help with Jaron's quest. This information is nothing less than the current location of Ryder Harrington, who had left Westeros after his previous encounter with Samuel in the final chapter of Book 1. In return for this information, Joshawa wanted Jaron to assist Samuel, to make absolutely certain that Ryder would die. After all, Ryder has been close to Mullendore during his work with the city guard and Hishi, vengeful over Keira's death during the events of Book 1 Chapter 6, has taken to hunt down those formerly affiliated with the Solvers, pushing them to the very bottom of Oldtown's society. Understanding how crucial the help of Samuel could be in the things to come, Jaron saw no other choice but to accept this offer and that's where we're going to start with the next part. I have made some progress, some more needs to be done and while it is a busy day for me, I hope to finish it before heading to bed today
I didn't say this in my comment but I believe there to be another reason to discourage riding the moose. Malina said something about it being cruel to take Erin Dustin's betrohed months before the wedding. I doubt Raenna would pursue anything with Harrold (at least I hope she wouldn't) but if she encouraged him, I imagine it's possible he could take that as encouraging his interest in her.
You bring up another good point there. Harrold is betrothed to Erin Dustin, Eon's sister and Gared's half-sister and they are supposed to be wed at some point in the near future (even if the coming war against Aegon might mean it has to be postponed for a little longer, since nobody likes a wartime wedding). Knowing that, Raenna definitely won't pursue anything with Harrold and even without knowing it, he is probably not her type. As for Harrold, I wouldn't even say his interest in her is overly romantic or that he has all that big intentions of seducing her. I haven't yet decided if the marriage between him and Erin is for love or for political reasons, but he has known her for most of his life and I'd say he is at least fond of her and wouldn't just cheat on her with a woman he barely knows. It's just that he is quite drunken and Raenna is a very beautiful woman (and his betrothed is far away at the Dustin seat of Barrowtown), so he's not thinking entirely with his head right now. After sobering up, he might continue to make some good-natured and slightly flirty comments towards her, but that's just the type of guy he is and it is unlikely he'll start anything unless she outright throws herself at him. Things are different when he is drunken, but I can absolutely confirm that he won't stay drunken forever XD
Jaron
There was no choice he truly had here. It was either having Samuel's support, or losing it. He wouldn't take his chances, he needed the Fang of Shadows in the events to come. If this meant hunting down Ryder, then that had to be done. After all, the man could hardly be called innocent, if what Samuel claimed was true. He'd be sentenced to death by any court in the known world for his actions, perhaps it was only good and right that Samuel would get a chance at doing the deed. Did it truly matter whose blade it was that would cut Ryder's head from his shoulders?
And yet, as Jaron grabbed Joshawa's outstretched hand, feeling the man firmly gripping his forearm, he felt reluctance below all this. He was not a killer for hire and there was a difference between bringing Ryder to justice and letting a man of equally questionable morals take his vengeance. But he had no choice, there was no other way, he had no choice but to accept.
“We have a deal”, he spoke and Joshawa gave him a wink. “I knew you'd accept”, he said warmly. “Nonetheless, I am pleased and so will Hishi. We might have started on a slightly shaky foundation, but this deed means you can count yourself to our friends” He gave him a wink, as he let go of his arm. “And we always look out for our friends”
Jaron sighed. “Right...”, he mumbled. “So, tell me what you know. Where's Samuel, where's Ryder?” Joshawa smiled in a jovial way. “Ah, dear Samuel is here in this very building”, he explained. “In fact, he's with one of the girls right now. Donna, our very best”
The name sounded slightly familiar. “Donna...”, Jaron said, before he recognized the name. “You mean...” Joshawa gave him a nod. “Ryder's favourite”, he confirmed. “Samuel has been with her for the second time this week. Proves that they are brothers after all and with a fine taste in women, on top of that” He paused for a moment. “Albeit... Donna has told me about their meetings and it seems a lover's embrace is not what Samuel is after”, he brought up. “He wants information, though sweet Rosemouth plays him like the wonderful little flower that she is. Every snippet of information he'll get from you and not her”
“Good”, Jaron said. “Speaking of... what is it that you have for me? The location of Ryder Harrington” Joshawa raised an eyebrow. “Ah, the last confirmed location of him. We presume he's no longer there, at least not by the time you may arrive, but Hishi has a good idea of where he's going”, he clarified. “One of our friends beyond the Narrow Sea spotted him in Lys and she wasted no time informing us about this. That was a fortnight ago and we believe he seeks to move further into Essos”
“Where?”, Jaron growled and Joshawa smirked. “We can only assume. But he has asked for a ship to take him to Volantis”, the man revealed flashing a bright, white smile. “That won't be an easy task, be assured. The First Daughter has bled Lys during the war and there are many who refuse to trade with their old enemy. Most of those that are still willing to do so are slavers and their trade has suffered thanks to Absidee the Banshee, perhaps permanently. Their fleet is crippled and the city is still rebuilding” He shrugged. “Of course, I don't expect you to know all this, but remember it when you go there, for it might be important”
“So, you're saying we'd be stranded in Lys?”, Jaron asked and Joshawa shook his head. “I'm saying it will be hard to travel to Volantis”, he answered. “But nothing is impossible. Slavers still travel the coasts and though they are not the lot I'd advise you to work with, you can count on them to head for Volantis”
“Slavers”, Temari growled. “I fucking hate slavers” Joshawa gave him a nod. “Nobody likes them”, he agreed. “But they have their uses in some parts of this world. I know you are hunting two of them though” Temari narrowed his eye. “You know anything about it?”, he asked and once more and to Jaron's surprise, Joshawa nodded.
“I have not been ordered to tell you about this. Lanford would advice against it, but he's not here right now”, he clarified. “And neither have I been forbidden. I believe you deserve this bit of information” He turned around, waving them to follow and the four men did just that, stepping into a hallway, decorated with heavy red fabric that seemed to muffle the sound of their footsteps and even voices.
“We have tracked Abbas al-Yunkari after he left Oldtown and we have gotten aware of what he did. He and Bakr operate a small sailing ship, able to be stirred by two men, but having enough room for almost ten. Three women have been with him, chained”
“Harpy”, Jaron mumbled and John tensed up. “And Janae and Behara”, he added, to which Joshawa gave him a nod. “We knew of the Burned Man's girl”, he said. “But the identities of the other two escaped us so far. Are they of importance?”
Jaron only had time to throw Temari a sharp glare, before the man had grabbed Joshawa by the collar of his vest, lifting him up a few inches above the ground and pushing him against the red tapestry. “You're talking about my sister”, he growled, while Joshawa seemed to lose his cool for a moment, surprise and perhaps a hint of fear at being held by the angry brute.
A moment later, John put a hand onto Temari's arm and slowly, he let go of Joshawa, who cleared his throat and straightened his vest. “They are not important to you”, John clarified. “But very much so to us” He sighed. “And... we appreciate the assistance. If killing this Ryder is what it takes to get them back, consider him a dead man”
“Much appreciated”, Joshawa said, his voice more strained now. “The ship has been spotted in Lys weeks ago and our contact believes Abbas seeks to hire guards for the journey to Yunkai. It can be assumed they have left the city by now, with Volantis being a likely goal for them as well. Their ship is small and nimble, perhaps fast enough to have left the bureaucracy of the triarchs”
“If they have, it would be foolish to land in Volantis”, Ayden brought up. “I heard much about them, doubt they let anyone go easily these days. Better head straight to Yunkai, I would say, sail around Valyria as far as possible, before entering the Gulf of Grief”
Joshawa raised an eyebrow. “You know a lot about the region, Blackwell”, he complimented him and Ayden sighed. “I've made the journey before”, he said. “Not one I'd like to repeat, I don't envy you there” Joshawa shrugged. “It will be a hard journey and yes, avoiding Volantis altogether would be the smarter move”, he agreed. “However, I am afraid this is hardly possible. You took my offer after all and it can be assumed that Volantis is Ryder Harrington's current destination”
“So we have to go there”, Jaron stated and Joshawa smiled. “If you want Samuel's help, that is”, he spoke. “Make no mistake, we have no way of knowing if you followed our request and if Ryder is a smart man, he'll eventually escape our eyes in Essos. But you want the help of the one man that shares Hishi's desire to see Ryder dead, so certainly you'll do as we agreed upon”
“It will be done”, Jaron confirmed, as they continued their way through the building. He recognized some of the hallways they passed from last time he had been here, knowing they were approaching the room that belonged to Donna Flowers. They passed closed doors, behind them passionate moans, sometimes sighs, sometimes screams of pleasure. A red-haired woman, naked from the waist up, was leaning in one of the doorways, smiling at them and John's gaze rested on her until Temari yanked him away.
Passing through hallways of red and gold, they eventually stopped in front of a door that was familiar. “He's in there”, Joshawa explained. “Don't bother with knocking. If what Donna told me is true, you won't be interrupting anything” With this, he gave Jaron a wink. “And if I can ever interest you in the flowers we have to offer, you know where to find me”, he whispered, before he walked down the hallway again.
And so, they were left in front of the door to Donna's room. Jaron and John exchanged a glance and the one-eyed man gave him a nod, before he opened the door, indeed without knocking. The room had remained similar to what Jaron still remembered. The window was closed, making it comfortably warm in there and two people were sitting on the bed.
One of them was indeed Samuel Harrington. He was only wearing pants, revealing his lean upper body. Less bulky than Jaron would have expected him, he was nonetheless firmly toned, albeit the sight of the occasional deep scar on his flesh proved that he was not as invincible as he was rumoured to be. And he looked worse than before, like a man that had slept too little in the past weeks. His hair had gotten slightly longer and he was wearing a scruffy, short beard that gave him an uncanny resemblance to his brother.
The woman behind him was Donna Flowers, Jaron still remembered her from the day they confronted Ryder. Almost lying on the bed, she had her hands on Samuel's shoulder, gently massaging him, while whispering something into his ear. Her hair was tied back into a loose bun and as John opened the door, it was she who looked up first, while Samuel stared at the ground, her green eyes looking with surprise.
Wordlessly, she separated from Samuel, moving back onto the bed and Jaron noticed that she was fully clothed, in a low-cut white dress. She sighed, while Samuel pressed his lips together and clenched his fists. Then, he looked up, his gaze meeting Jaron's. If he was surprised, he hid it well. “Hello, Jaron”, he spoke and briefly looked at the beautiful woman behind him. “Donna, you remember Jaron, don't you?”
She nodded. “I do”, she replied, her voice more hesitant than Samuel's almost uncaring tone. The sellsword looked back at the group that entered with Jaron. “And Ayden Blackwell. See you have recovered already”, he spoke, while Ayden remained silent. “I don't remember the other two though”
While he spoke, his gaze instinctively wandered to his shirt on the floor and Jaron spotted the distinctive handle of a dagger there. “John and Temari. We're allies of Jaron”, John stated firmly and now, Samuel raised an eyebrow for the first time. “You still have allies?”, he asked, his voice still showing no emotion. His eyes were dull and stared almost through the men that just entered the room.
“I was hoping you could be among them”, Jaron replied, finally managing to smile at the other man. At this, Samuel firmly shook his head. “I know why you want my help”, he mumbled. “But that won't happen and... I am sorry for that. You find your woman, I find my brother, our paths no longer align.” His voice was still as calm as always, but now, there was emotion in it, the hint of sadness.
“What if I tell you they do?”, Jaron asked in return. “Just coming here and asking for your help, with nothing in return, that would be too much” He saw that this gained Samuel's interest at last and the familiar sharpness in his eyes returned. He clenched his fists to the point where they shivered, while Donna behind him gulped. “What is it?”, he asked.
“I know where your brother is”, Jaron spoke frankly and instantly, Samuel had jumped up. Crossing the distance between them in a heartbeat, he had grabbed Jaron by the shoulders, pushing him against the wall and though John and Temari instantly tried to intervene, Ayden held them back. Though pushed roughly, Jaron knew he wasn't threatened. There was still no blade involved. “Where?”, Samuel growled.
Jaron hesitated for a moment and Samuel's grip on his shoulders tightened. “WHERE?”, he barked and Jaron gulped. “If I tell you, I want something in return”, he revealed, while behind Samuel, Donna had gotten up from her bed. “Sam...”, she whispered and the pleasant sound of her voice was enough for Samuel to calm down. “My help, I presume”, he guessed and Jaron gave him a nod. Samuel sighed. Letting go of Jaron, he offered his hand. “Tell me where Ryder is and I vow by the lives he took, my blade is yours when you go to save Harpy”
There was something genuine in his voice and Jaron knew, he could trust him. A vow like this wasn't done lightly, especially not for someone such as Samuel Harrington. “Your brother is on his way to Volantis”, he replied in return and Samuel took a deep breath. “Volantis”, he mumbled in return. “How do you know?”
“Joshawa told me”, Jaron revealed and Samuel frowned. “He knew all along, did he not?”, he asked, to which Jaron shook his head. “Roughly a fortnight, maybe a bit less”, he answered and Samuel clenched his fists. “It's awfully convenient that Volantis is half the way to Yunkai”, he replied, though he patted Jaron onto the shoulder. “But I am a man of my word. I will come with you and once we have found Ryder and dealt with him, I will stay by your side all the way to Yunkai”
Now, Jaron's smile was one of relief, one of joy. Perhaps for the first time in two months, he felt a genuine confidence. His luck had changed today. John and Temari were by his side, he had a lead, he had means to get there and to top it off, Samuel Harrington just joined him.
However, the sellsword kept his hard glare. “If I ever find out you lied to me about Ryder's location, I'll kill you first”, he promised. With these clear words, he turned to Donna, who had raised from her bed. His expression softened, as she approached him. “Donna, I...”, he mumbled. “I am sorry. We knew this would happen”
The woman gave him a nod, as she put her hands onto his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. “I just hoped it wouldn't be anytime soon”, she admitted. “Will you make it quick?” Samuel gave her a nod. “It depends on Ryder”, he stated. “But his suffering is not what I'm after” He closed his arms around her bag, actually hugging her as well for a moment. “I thank you for your company”, he whispered. “But I don't think you'll see me or my brother ever again”
They separated from each other and Samuel gave her one last almost sad look. “Farewell”, he said and she nodded, clearly distraught. The sellsword looked at Jaron. “When do we leave?”, he asked and Jaron glanced at John. The one-eyed man crossed his arms. “Perhaps we should discuss that outside”, he answered. “I don't like someone listening”
Samuel gave him a nod and was the first to leave the room. John followed, then Temari and Ayden, though just as Jaron turned around to do the same, Donna grabbed him by the hand. “I know you had no choice but to tell him”, she began and Jaron tensed up as she looked at him, beautiful and with a kind smile, despite the distraught look in her eyes.
“Do you want to talk me out of it?”, he asked, to which she shook her head. “I know why you did it”, she spoke. “You need his help in what is to come and maybe, just maybe, that is worth the price. No, I want you to look out for Samuel while you travel together”
Jaron gulped. “I am surprised he sought your company”, he spoke. “I never took him as one to...” Donna cut him off with a smile. “To enjoy a whore?”, she asked, before she shook her head again. “That wasn't why he visited me. First customer I've ever had who just wanted to talk”
“About what?”, Jaron asked and Donna took a step back, sitting down on her bed. “About Ryder”, she answered. “His brother visited me twice a week, every week for three years. He never missed our appointments and in a way, I believe he saw me as more than someone to share the bed with. In a way, I think I know Ryder Harrington better than anyone else”
Jaron raised an eyebrow. “Better than Samuel?”, he asked and she nodded. “He hasn't seen him in many years, so yeah, I'd say I do”, she confirmed. “That's what he wanted to know. Everything about Ryder, about the man he has become during his years in Oldtown”
“You seem to be fond of him”, Jaron observed and Donna raised an eyebrow. “Whom?”, she asked in return. “Both”, Jaron replied, to which she simply nodded. “I thought Samuel to be a reckless brute. Our first meeting definitely did little to prove me wrong, but when he returned, alone, I saw that he was nothing like that. He's hurt and he lashes out in the only way he knows. I fear it will ruin him”
“And Ryder?”, Jaron asked, to which Donna sighed with regret. “I know what Samuel claims”, she stated. “But... that does not fit. That is not the man I have come to know” Her gaze turned stern. “No matter what Ryder did, or supposedly did, he is a good man now. He has changed”
“And that means he should escape unpunished for what he did?”, Jaron brought up, to which Donna averted her eyes. “I don't know”, she admitted. “But can a bad man never change? Is it worth to destroy something good in order to punish something evil?” Jaron tensed up as she said this. She put a hand onto his shoulder. “In the end this is Samuel's decision to make”, she continued. “And he trusts you, well, for as much as he trusts anyone but himself. Keep an eye on him in return”
“I will”, Jaron promised, as he turned to the door. “Farewell, Donna” He left the room, hurrying after the rest of his companions and catching up to them in the main hallway. Now, Joshawa was nowhere to be seen and as such, they left the building without being stopped.
“What did Donna say to you?”, Samuel asked, as they stepped onto the square in front of the brothel. Jaron sighed. “She gave me something to think about”, he admitted, to which Samuel showed him a rare smile. “Yeah, she does that”, he agreed. “But what did she say?”
“She told me your brother is a good man”, Jaron answered, noticing how Samuel's smile faded. “Another thing she told me already”, he spoke. “I heard it from her. I don't want to hear it from you” He looked at John. “You there, do you have a ship already?”
John shook his head, moving a hand to his purse. “I'll have one soon”, he revealed. “So, Fang of Shadows, huh? I like your work” Samuel fastened his pace, to catch up with John a few feet in front of him, while Ayden stayed back. Just as the man wanted to say something, his eyes widened. “Oh shit...”, he gulped.
From the other end of the square, approaching the Thousand Shades of Flowers like a dark, furious cloud, came a familiar sight. Even halfway through her pregnancy, Taria was a sight to behold, her blonde hair tied back, as she marched towards them with clenched fists.
“Ayden Blackwell!”, she barked, as John, Temari and even Samuel instinctively jumped aside to make way for her. “Taria, love, I...”, Ayden began, though she cut him off by slamming a finger against his chest, hard enough to make him gasp. “How dare you?”, she snapped. “I saw your note and I was worried sick!”
As Ayden tried to embrace him, she pushed him away, before glaring at Jaron, who sneakily tried to back away from her. “Did you lure him into something?”, she asked sharply and Jaron exchanged a glance with Ayden, who answered in his stead. “I just had to help him out with one little thing”, he explained. “Nothing dangerous”
“Nothing dangerous?”, Taria asked and the worry in her voice was clear and painful. “You almost died two months ago” She pointed behind her, at Samuel, who tried to hide behind the broad frame of John Gutten. “And that over there is Samuel Harrington, so tell me again how this hasn't been dangerous”
“He's... on Jaron's side now, I think”, Ayden brought up, to which Taria sighed, as she finally embraced him, putting her head onto his shoulder. Seeing them like this, it warmed Jaron's heart, yet more than anything else did it cause him to miss Harpy.
Visibly uncomfortable from the display of affection, especially as the two lovers kissed softly, John backed off, almost bumping into Samuel. “So, yeah, I'd say we go ahead. Jaron, you say goodbye to your friend, we head to the docks to secure passage. Meet us there!” All three men were quick to leave, while Jaron remained with Ayden and Taria.
The two separated again from each other and the woman smiled with relief. “You're not dragging him into anything else?”, she asked, to which Jaron could only nod. She sighed. “Thank you”, she replied. “Listen, I know I haven't been easy to deal with, but I... I appreciate what you did for Ayden. For saving him from those beasts and now for... for allowing him to stay here”
Jaron raised an eyebrow. “I don't have to allow anything”, he said and Ayden sighed. “She's right, you know”, he replied. “If you would ask me, I might leave. She knows it, I know it, but we both know you won't” Both walked towards him and first, Taria gave him a hug, followed by the hint of a kiss on the cheek. Then, Ayden patted him onto the shoulder.
“I guess this is goodbye”, he said, to which Jaron smiled sadly. “Maybe not forever”, he replied, though Ayden shook his head. “I like you”, he clarified. “And I also like Harpy. But for the sake of my family, I hope this is the last time we see each other. You and her, you have a habit of getting into these situations. I hope you'll find peace in the end, but I don't want to be a part of it”
“Can't blame you”, Jaron admitted, though he found it hard to hide the disappointment over having to leave the man that might be his last friend in this city. But it was good. This was what Ayden wanted, what he deserved after all he and Taria had been through. “Though I will miss you”
“I still want to help though and I believe there is a way I can do so without leaving her”, Ayden explained and Jaron listened up. “Your first stop is likely going to be Lys. While you're there, you can look out for my brother, Arryn. If I'm not mistaken, he has taken on some long-term duties over there” He reached into his pocket, revealing a simple copper ring. “Give this to him and tell him I sent you. He'll help you... probably”
“Probably?”, Jaron asked and Ayden sighed. “We haven't seen each other in years and I have definitely been the reasonable one”, he admitted. “But Arryn is a good man at heart. If I send you, he'll hear you out. A true warrior and a man I would more than trust with taking over for me”
As he handed Jaron the ring, the knight closed his hand around the small trinket. “You'd send your brother in your stead?”, he asked, to which Ayden nodded. “He's fierce and capable and unlike me, he has no family, at least not in the same way. No responsibilities, he made that very clear last time we saw each other”
These words caused Jaron to look up. “Are you sure you parted on good terms?”, he asked and Ayden sighed. “Somewhat”, he admitted. “Arryn can be difficult to deal with, but win his loyalty and you'll have a friend for life. He can help you where I can't. At least one Blackwell will be by your side through this”
Jaron nodded at his friend. “Thank you”, he said, with a smile and Ayden reciprocated the smile, albeit there was concern on his face as well. “Say, Jaron... before we say our goodbyes, there is one thing you have to tell me”, he said. “You just told him what he wanted to hear, right? Do you... do you really intend to kill Ryder Harrington?”
The question was not only born out of curiosity, but out of concern, as Jaron noticed. And it was a good question. Ryder had done plenty of horrible things, if Samuel was correct. But there were Donna's conflicting accounts, there was Farris' statement. Truth be told, Jaron himself was unsure what he wanted from this, though he knew, he eventually had to make up his mind.
[“Yes”] [“No”]
[“No”]
All the protagonists are starting to step into grayer areas, Jaron should keep to his goody two shoe ways for as long as possible.
[“No”]
[“Yes”]
[“Yes”]