Forum of Thrones: An Interactive Story

WildlingKing · December 2017

[Say you prefer to honour your agreement with Viveka] I was originally going for the other option, but then I thoght that this feels more in character for Edrick. He is on a mission to find and save Alys, and I feel like staying focused on that would be his main priority here. I wouldn't really be opposed to him fucking over Viveka later on, but before even considering that he should make sure he'll be able to continue his real mission. Anyway, I'm certainly interested to see where this goes, and learn more about the Riverborn.

[Take Gavin with you] If Dacey doesn't want to go then so be it. I don't know much about this Gavin fella, but it seems like he is a reliable enough guy. And like others already pointed out, one archer is probably enough. The Blackwood family certainly seems interesting, can't wait to meet them.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

If Dacey doesn't want to go, we shouldn't force her. This will also give Gavin a chance to redeem himself.

A redemption for Gavin, that could very well be achievable. I plan to show every member of the Sons of the Trident more in future parts, even those that currently seem like complete bastards (like, you know, Deywn). This however will be done regardless of the character chosen. This will make a big difference for the Sons of the Trident as a whole and will allow me to show either Dacey or Gavin a bit more in the chapters to come, but the one that won't be chosen should definitely receive further spotlight in the future

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Our primary goal is Alys. I already mentioned that I want to approach this ironborn vs riverlanders fight from PoV perspectives, and I feel like Edrick and company shouldn't really care about it.

Indeed, Edrick does not care about this conflict all that much and this won't change anytime soon. With him, it'd be a thing whom he believes he can trust more,. It's either Viveka, who, despite being rather rational in this whole situation, still comes from a culture that doesn't exactly have a reputation for being particularly trustworthy, or the Riverborn, whom they know nearly nothing about, who could be a more reliable ally or the worse side to bet on. The only one with genuine stakes in this conflict is Jorid, who believes the Codd Ironborn to be responsible for an attack that claimed the lives of his former unit near the border to the North. He's probably not even wrong (even if his source is Gawayne), so he'll be adamant about supporting the Riverborn.

Exactly what DiverseGnu said plus the fact that two fighters and one archer is better combination then two archers and one fighter.

Actually, it is two archers already even if you don't pick Dacey. I know he's easy to overlook, but Christian's specialty is actually archery as well. He's not quite as skilled as Hjalgar, but still a good shot. Meanwhile, I can confirm that Gavin the Tall is exactly the fighter you expect him to be. How big a difference one person can make remains to be seen, but both will have situations in which they should prove their worth and I can absolutely confirm, this will change something about the way Garthon's storyline will play out.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

I was originally going for the other option, but then I thoght that this feels more in character for Edrick. He is on a mission to find and save Alys, and I feel like staying focused on that would be his main priority here. I wouldn't really be opposed to him fucking over Viveka later on, but before even considering that he should make sure he'll be able to continue his real mission. Anyway, I'm certainly interested to see where this goes, and learn more about the Riverborn.

Well, if he chooses to support Viveka's route here, this will definitely make a future change of heart not more likely. It'd probably depend on Viveka's behaviour and on the Riverborn himself, given that Edrick doesn't know anything about him. Though one way or the other, he would keep his eyes on the main mission. Edrick has no personal loyalties to Viveka, so the first chance he actually gets to leave, you can count on him doing just that.

The Blackwood family certainly seems interesting, can't wait to meet them.

Aye, I am very excited to show the Blackwood's eventually. I do have the severe problem that nearly every time I write their name, I have to double check if I didn't write Blackmont on accident. Trust me, this happened several times in this part and I am absolutely convinced that one day, it'll happen and I won't notice it. Not that I would ever complain about that error XD Though I can only hope that this will stop once I actually get to write the Blackwood family. They have been submitted a long time ago and I made very detailed plans for them, so hopefully, they'll leave their mark upon the story in time

InGen_Nate_Kenny · December 2017

[Say you prefer to honour your agreement with Viveka] Honor above all else. Screw the stupid Riverborn.

[Take Gavin with you] Don't need Dacey we need this giant who hopefully will get killed in the process.

These traitors, I can't wait for Harren to reek his vengeance on them.

GMSforresthood · December 2017

[Say you prefer to honour your agreement with
Viveka]
[Take Gavin with you]

The_not_chosen_one · December 2017

[Insist that Th...oh wait a sec,I suppose it's a little too late for this choice
[Say you prefer to honour your agreement with Viveka] Honour before reason
[Take Dacey with you]While Gavin is the best choice for a fight Dacey seems a more suited person for this quest (and I feel a little sad to make that character wait ages before comeback inside the story when she wait already at least a year before this last two Garthon parts)

RT for the last two parts:
1)Ysilla is officialy going to start her quest to find a scholar at the end of her PoV for this chapter...mmm...why I feel some sort of deja vu?
2)I'm curious to read how this story will continue and the meeting with the contact
3)Maybe Theodan should think more about his Lady Loreza and act less as a pervy old man
4)I'm still curious to read more about the members of House Manwoody (expecially the ones that remain at Dorne)
5)Meanwhile in the last Edrick part the deal has been sealed and Leo will remain at Codd Town
6)Jorid finally wake up...and he seems a little angry
7) I hope for Vivieka sanity that she won't let the highborn prisoners leave their "prison cell"
8)I want to be honest with you Liquid..for now all this Riverborn storyline doesn't seems to me interesting and I fear that it will be just filler stuff to make Edrick group do something (obviously I will happy if you prove me wrong in the future)
9)The Ironbro storyline instead seems that it will be very interesting
10)I'm curious to learn more about the two families (expecially House Blackwood)
11)Hoare-Mallister,Petyr (the Vyrwell one) and his future pretenders,Argella and her pretenders and now Bracken-Blackwood (and probably some other marriage that I forgot)...am I wrong or this book will have many storylines about the Houses and their plans to connect their families?

BQD:
Garthon Breaker
"They say you should never earn to meet a legend"

Edinosaur23 · December 2017

[Say you prefer to honour your agreement with Viveka] Honestly, sooner or later the Riverborn will become irrelevant once rebellion on the Riverlands begin.
[Take Dacey with you] Since I don't know her that well because I started reading much later, I wanna see if George's death truly affected her.
A Bracken and a Blackwood marrying (again) is a sign both Houses are willing to work together and mend bridges (at least for this generation)

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

...oh wait a sec,I suppose it's a little too late for this choice

Hehe, I am sorry. I thought about leaving it open for longer, but as said, I have the (completely unreasonable) goal to finish the chapter before the end of the year, so I gotta speed things up a bit. In fact, I realized I have to close this voting by tomorrow at latest to even have a chance with that, so I'm glad you managed to vote in time for this one

While Gavin is the best choice for a fight Dacey seems a more suited person for this quest (and I feel a little sad to make that character wait ages before comeback inside the story when she wait already at least a year before this last two Garthon parts)

Hm, I don't want to spoil anything about the when, but Dacey is going to return for sure and it won't be as long as last time. She, Edric and the other Sons of the Trident will have a fairly large role in this book, the same applies to Gavin if he is the one to remain behind.

1)Ysilla is officialy going to start her quest to find a scholar at the end of her PoV for this chapter...mmm...why I feel some sort of deja vu?

It's probably because I am not above reusing plotlines that worked well the first time In all seriousness though, that'll be about it with the deja vu feelings, I hope. Ysilla's storyline should largely remain unique and I got some twists planned that hopefully make it an interesting experience.

2)I'm curious to read how this story will continue and the meeting with the contact

Ah, some stuff of it is kinda far in the future, but nonetheless, I am excited to write Ysilla's parts in the chapters to come. Her storyline might take a bit to truly pick up speed, but it contains some of my current favourites among the planned scenes.

3)Maybe Theodan should think more about his Lady Loreza and act less as a pervy old man

Well, the biggest problem here, and this is precisely the reason why the Loreza situation has been the final straw for Theodan's father, is that Loreza (who is not his lady, but of a certain Lord Vaemon Vaith) originally came to Godsgrace to arrange a marriage deal between Theodan and one of her daughters, both just a few years younger than him. Probably gives you a general idea why their relationship was problematic at the best and why Lord Vaith has cut all diplomatic ties between their houses. Absolutely nobody but Theodan wants him to think of Loreza any further, in any possible way, because last time they've been together, this brought absolutely nothing but problems.

4)I'm still curious to read more about the members of House Manwoody (expecially the ones that remain at Dorne)

Then you will need a little bit of patience, but as I said before, I have big plans for them all. Chapter 4 will introduce a new PoV at the court of Sunspear and Sarina will have a big role in that storyline, whereas the other Manwoody's are all set to appear at some point in Book 2 as well. There's 4 that are yet unintroduced, counting Dagar, and I definitely have good sized plans for them.

5)Meanwhile in the last Edrick part the deal has been sealed and Leo will remain at Codd Town

It is kinda ironic that Codd Town makes it sound like some sort of trailer trash neighbourhood, when House Codd themselves are fairly civilized as far as Ironborn go. Ah, the fate of being the single most disrespected house on the entirety of the Iron Islands. But yeah, Edrick has made a deal now and it even seems likely that he will keep his end of the bargain.

6)Jorid finally wake up...and he seems a little angry

Well, can you blame him? Out of the entirety of those gathered here, he is the only one with a legit grudge against the Ironborn (not counting Reymond, who comes from a family where hating Ironborn is kinda mandatory), blaming them for the death of his brother and his comrades. One thing is for sure, he's going to make things a bit more explosive, whereas the others would largely be okay with working for Viveka (even Darreth and Alphyn can likely be convinced, given the proper arguments).

7) I hope for Vivieka sanity that she won't let the highborn prisoners leave their "prison cell"

Oh, she absolutely won't do that! She hinted at it in Edrick's last part, where she specifically wants the comparably worthless prisoners, Edrick, Jorid and Darreth, to work in the courtyard, while the others will remain locked up. It is possible she'll let them out occasionally, but only one at a time and always guarded, which is not all that uncommon for highborn hostages, but I can assure you, she's a cunning person, so she knows how to treat her prisoners. While mistakes could happen, they won't be obvious and if they happen, it'll be for good reason.

8)I want to be honest with you Liquid..for now all this Riverborn storyline doesn't seems to me interesting and I fear that it will be just filler stuff to make Edrick group do something (obviously I will happy if you prove me wrong in the future)

I can see why you have this opinion. After all, it does sound like a side quest on paper. It claims to be a self-contained story, largely unrelated to the overall goal of Team Edrick. However, I do hope to prove you wrong eventually. Not saying how, but the events here in Faronhall will have decidedly major consequences for Edrick's larger storyline. Hopefully, this'll help a bit with making you a bit more interested in the whole affair

9)The Ironbro storyline instead seems that it will be very interesting

Aye, this I can absolutely confirm in a heartbeat. Garthon's storyline should be one of the highlights of Book 2 and I am willing to vow for it. There is so much happening that I almost fear it will move a bit too fast, so if anything, I can promise that it won't be boring.

10)I'm curious to learn more about the two families (expecially House Blackwood)

House Blackwood is the more detailed of the two, being completely user-submitted. House Bracken meanwhile only has Tytos Bracken's daughter Lyra, the mentioned betrothed of Ethan Blackwood, with the rest of the house not being submitted, though they will still play a role. The Blackwood's will appear next chapter and I hope they will prove to be interesting.

11)Hoare-Mallister,Petyr (the Vyrwell one) and his future pretenders,Argella and her pretenders and now Bracken-Blackwood (and probably some other marriage that I forgot)...am I wrong or this book will have many storylines about the Houses and their plans to connect their families?

Well, this is the most important part of noble families, they are all about suitable marriage alliances to improve their own power. Book 2 will indeed put a focus on this one and there will be more of them as well. With the story putting more emphasis on the relations between the noble houses, this has become mandatory. Not all of these marriages will eventually happen and there will be some not mentioned yet that will be decided upon, but in general, this is one inevitable theme when writing about noble houses.

BQD:
Garthon Breaker
"They say you should never earn to meet a legend"

Yearn! Damn it, I meant yearn! This is embarrassing, I get to write some deep stuff and then I realize only far too late that I made an error there Earn, that makes little sense, but make it yearn and all of a sudden a proper sentence appears. Gotta fix this right now. But indeed, those that yearn to actually meet their heroes are almost always disappointed. Take Edric Rivers for example, the garrison of Harrenhal has built him up as a near-superhuman monster, a vengeful ghost that haunts the Riverlands and murders Ironborn left and right without mercy. Garthon is relieved and a tiny bit disappointed that he is actually not quite like that and it is possible that Edric would feel the same if he'd meet the legendary Torvin Breaker, only to realize that the man was merely an Ironborn with standards.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Honestly, sooner or later the Riverborn will become irrelevant once rebellion on the Riverlands begin.

Yeah, that is very likely. The Riverborn is not the kind of rebel people tend to remember. Brave freedom fighters such as the Sons of the Trident have a good chance of becoming figures of local folklore even centuries later (and I'd like to imagine that they are, in fact, remembered as such among the people of the Riverlands during the War of the Five Kings), but the Riverborn? Nobody will sing songs of the man who became a severe nuisance to House Codd by strategically crippling their supply lines. Ultimately, he is likely more effective than anything the Sons have ever done, but makes way less of an impression as well. Come to think of it, this could be very intentional though.

Since I don't know her that well because I started reading much later, I wanna see if George's death truly affected her.

Hm, probably. George has been smitten with Dacey, though she has been highly reluctant to return his affection. However, there has been at least some degree of care for the fellow Riverlander and it seems she has been saddened by the news of his death. One way or the other, we'll learn how much this truly affected Dacey.

A Bracken and a Blackwood marrying (again) is a sign both Houses are willing to work together and mend bridges (at least for this generation)

It also rarely lasts and usually means that there's a bigger problem to focus on. Petyr Blackwood is very reasonable, while Tytos Bracken is unusually level-headed for a Bracken, so with both of them coming together, there is one of the rare chances for peace these two houses have.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

The Voting is closed!

Edrick is going to honour his agreement with Viveka

Garthon is going to take Gavin the Tall with him

Gotta apologize for not closing the voting yesterday, but I have thought about something, which I'm going to get into below. First of all, I was not sure if you'd stick to Edrick's agreement with Viveka here, but I am kinda glad you did, because this will make for an interesting turn in his storyline. Meanwhile, I also enjoy the chance to get to develop Gavin a bit more. This is actually going to have fairly large consequences for Garthon's storyline, because Dacey would have been helpful in situations where Gavin isn't, whereas his size and strength gives him an advantage where Dacey would have failed. So, some situations will play out drastically different in the coming parts.

The next part will be out today. However, there is something I would like to explain. First of all, this is going to be the last part before Christmas, but I also won't release any part over the Christmas days. This'll have several reasons, which I am going to get into right now. First of all, I estimated the remaining parts in this chapter at 4, including the one that is to be released today. However, I also notice a couple regular readers are still missing and probably could need some time to catch up, which kinda clashes with my own dedicated goal to finish the chapter before the end of the year. So, I came up with an idea to make both work. Instead of releasing four parts, I shall cut it down to three. However, I won't cut, but instead combine. The part after the one from today and the part after it (the penultimate of the chapter) will be combined to one big part, featuring PoV's from Keat, Raenna and Ellena. I mainly noticed, neither Keat nor Raenna actually need another choice in their storyline here, whereas Ellena probably does. Plus, this will allow me to test just how large the new and improved length limit has gotten, you know, for science. As such, I will leave the next voting open until the 27th, two days longer than usual, just so you know. Since I presume that finding the time to read over the Christmas days might not be all that easy for some here, this could also give you a bit additonal time so that hopefully, most will be able to read and vote (or catch up for those that are a bit behind) until I close the voting. And, most importantly, by releasing one part today, one big part on the 27th and then one final part either on the 30th or the 31st, I actually get to finish the chapter before the end of the year. And well, I intend to end it with a bang. You remember last year, when the final part of 2016 saw the deaths of Alysanne and Harris? Well, I don't plan on making the final part of this year any less impactful, this is what I can tell you

For now, the next part shall feature the final part for Samantha in this chapter. Last time we saw her, she headed to a meeting at the Harking farm, featuring most of the major remaining enemies of Mullendore in Raylansfair. Hosted by Richard, the attendees consisted of Jenna, Leonard, Kersea, Samantha herself, Sasha, Davith and probably as their most uneasy ally, Saerya. After coming to some initial agreements on how to handle the situation, Sasha noticed something and excused herself outside, where she spotted someone spying on them. This someone turned out to be none other than Vali Flowers, also known as Saltmouth, the fast-talking, bitterly sarcastic apprentice of Maester Eddard. As per usual with him, he did not give much away about whom he is working for, why he spied on them and the like, simply trying to avoid these questions. Leonard and Sasha, neither being particularly patient, then opted to just beat the truth out of him and Samantha, while not wanting to take a part in this, decided to stand aside and let them do it, which is right where we're going to start her next part.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Samantha

Instead of intervening, Samantha demonstratively took a step back. Vali gulped, giving Leonard a wide, charming grin. “Oh, come on, what...”, he began to say, though Leonard cut him off by delivering a heavy punch right into his abdomen. Vali's eyes widened, as he gasped, followed by him gagging slightly, wheezing for air. Though he remained surprisingly steadfast for a boy of his age, he nonetheless cowered and would have likely sunken to the ground if not for Leonard holding him by the collar of his shirt.

“Whom are you working for?”, Sasha growled as Vali still coughed from the punch. “What the... what the hells?”, he stuttered, though the woman grabbed his chin, pushing the back of his head against the wall. “I asked you a question!”, she barked. “We're not in the mood to play your little games, so answer!”

Vali sighed. “Listen, I don't think that's the way you want to approach this...”, he mumbled, though just then, Leonard punched him again. “The lady asked you a question”, he snarled, while Vali grimaced with pain, moaning as he put a hand against his stomach.

Glancing over her shoulder, Samantha saw Kersea frowning and turning away, while Davith smirked. Richard clenched his fists, though Saerya looked up, seemingly unbothered, yet carefully watching. Jenna was a different case though, for she clenched her fists, openly livid with an anger Samantha had never seen before in her.

“Stop this!”, she yelled, jumping up from her chair. Rushing towards Leonard and Sasha, Samantha was quick to jump aside or else they would have collided. “Have you both lost your minds?” Surprised by her sudden anger, Sasha outright stepped away from Vali, leaving only Leonard to hold onto him.

“Since when do we start to beat up innocents in here?”, she growled and Leonard raised an eyebrow. “He did spy on us”, he argued and she groaned in frustration. “And that gives you the right to beat him up as you like, huh?”, she snapped. “Since when do we behave like fucking savages?”

Leonard narrowed his eyes at her. “Well, maybe you haven't...”, he started, though she cut him off by slamming a finger against his chest. “No, you listen!”, she hissed. “If you want to start beating people up without knowing a thing about them, fine, don't let me stop you. But I won't take part in this and I won't have any of it in my home!”

“Jenna...”, Richard mumbled and her glare hit him. “And you just stand by and let it happen?”, she yelled at him. “Mother wouldn't have wanted that. I don't want that!” This hit him, Samantha clearly saw it. His eyes widened, before he gave her a nod. “Release him”, he ordered.

Sasha already stood away from the boy, now biting down onto her lower lip in what Samantha considered either a look of guilt or of suppressed anger. Leonard however remained steadfast, if for a moment. “We don't know a thing about him”, he brought up and Jenna turned back to him. “That's right, we don't know anything”, she agreed. “But there's a better way than to just beat him until he breaks” Looking around the room, she tensed up, before she closed her eyes and stomped her foot onto the ground. “We should be better than that”, she mumbled and Samantha noticed the wide smile that appeared on Saerya's face.

Leonard sighed, though he finally followed Richard's order. Vali, still grimacing, bent over and just barely remained standing, as Jenna approached them both. “And I always thought you are better than that”, she said, her tone more meek again. As she said this, the anger from Leonard's face faded, ever so slightly, replaced by surprise and perhaps shame, though distrust remained. “He could be an enemy”, he tried to justify his reaction.

To this, Jenna gave him a nod. “If he wasn't before, you just made it more likely”, she stated flatly and Leonard clenched his fists. “Alright, you... might have a point”, he admitted begrudgingly, before he approached Vali. Jenna had grabbed the boy, leading him to her chair, though he tensed up as Leonard put a hand onto his shoulder. “If you're not working for Mullendore, then no hard feelings, okay?”, he said.

Vali, still gasping for air, shot him a glare. “Yeah, can you go and fuck yourself?”, he mumbled and Leonard removed his hand from the shoulder. “You're not making this any easier on yourself”, he replied, before he looked at Jenna. “You want to do things your way? Fine, we do it your way, but if he still won't talk...”

“Yeah, maybe I don't want to anymore”, Vali replied and Sasha rolled her eyes. “You were going to tell us before?”, she asked, as she approached him. “Yeah, I think not. Why don't you just cut the crap and tell us why you've spied on us? And no lies this time!”

Vali rolled his eyes. “I suppose you don't believe me when I say I'm not working for anyone?”, he asked and silently, Sasha shook her head. From across the room, Saerya leant forwards. “It will be in your interest to speak, Vali”, she assured him. “If you're not working for Mullendore, then we're all allies in this room”

“Yeah, actually, you're the reason I'm kinda on the fence about this whole thing”, Vali replied. “I know most of you are no threat” He gulped, as Leonard shot him a glare, before he shrugged. “Well, not my definition of a threat in any case, but you... you're not a mere servant, am I right?”

Saerya smirked, her face oozing amusement. “What gave me away?”, she asked sarcastically. “But does it matter? If Mullendore is not your master, then we have a common enemy” Vali gave her a nod. “That we might have, lass, but I'm in this for long enough to know that the enemy of my enemy is not always my friend”, he replied.

If Vali's jovial way of talking bothered her in any way, Saerya did not show it. “I would have expected this coming from a wiser man”, she admitted. “But no matter what, you are in no position to make demands, so perhaps trusting us is the only chance you have of getting out of this”

With determination, Vali shook his head. “I beg to differ”, he replied. “The way I see it, you want something from me” He barely flinched as Leonard next to him clenched a fist. “The way I see it, there's always other ways to make you talk”, he growled.

“No”, Jenna hissed and Vali chuckled. “See?”, he spoke. “I got one friend in here at least” He shot Jenna a wide smile. “I trust you. I'd tell you all I know, but eh, that friend of yours, I really don't trust her”, he admitted.

Saerya raised an eyebrow, giving Vali a truly stunning smile. Davith gulped exchanging a knowing glance with Samantha. “And what can we do to change that?”, she asked softly. Vali however seemed unbothered by her charms. “Well, you could tell me whom you really are”, he answered nonchalantly. “See, I know everything there is to know about you”

“I doubt it”, Leonard growled and Vali looked at him. “Leonard Constantine, son of minor courtiers from Highgarden, ambitious and greedy, yet steadfast in your loyalties”, he replied and a frown formed on Leonard's face. “Unjustly framed for several murders in Oldtown to cover up the real culprit, a certain Maron Mullendore” He shrugged. “Yeah, I do know about that man as well, probably more than all of you combined”, he admitted. “And no, he is not my friend. He is, sort of, the reason for my assignment here”

“So, you have been assigned”, Saerya spoke. “By whom?” Vali looked back at her. “Could ask you the same”, he replied. “Why don't you start first?” Saerya looked at him for a moment, before she sighed. “Mern Gardener”, she replied without missing a beat and though Samantha was still not sure where to place this woman, she had a hunch that this was not the truth.

Vali raised an eyebrow. “If you're working for Gardener, I'm working for Harren Hoare”, he stated, before he quickly looked at Sasha. “And you calm down, that was a joke, a jest, I tend to make them at times” Sasha frowned. “I don't like his jokes”, she hissed.

Saerya grinned at him. “As you wish”, she gave in. “There's other ways of assuring your honesty. Leonard, dear” The knight instantly grabbed Vali by the shoulder, though before he could do anything, Jenna shot him a glare. “Leonard”, she hissed and the knight took a step back again.

Finally, it was Richard who snapped at this. “Enough!”, he growled. “All of you! This is still my house and I won't have such bickering inside of my walls. Leonard, there won't be any threats towards this man as long as we're not sure if he deserves them. Saltmouth, you tell us whom you're working for right now!”

For a moment, Vali seemed genuinely surprised, perhaps even baffled and he subtly moved his chair a bit backwards. Wordlessly, Davith stood up from his seat next to Saerya and walked over to the door, which he blocked, his gaze now serious.

“That won't be necessary”, Saerya assured him. “I know whom he is working for” Vali gave her a surprised look, his eyes widening, as she smirked. “You might claim to know everything about my companions here, but I can assure you, I see right through you. No matter what trick you're trying to use, I can assure you, I'm thoroughly better”, she explained, not without smugness. “Your expression gave you away” She leant forwards, giving him a wink. “You're working for none other than Mern Gardener, am I correct?”

Vali sighed and slowly, this sigh turned into a chuckle. He looked at her waving his finger right at her, as his chuckle turned into genuine laughter. “Seven Hells, for a moment!”, he exclaimed. “For a moment, I thought you had me” He shook his head. “As far as I know, the only one directly working for Gardener at this court is Kasyn Luck”, he revealed, before he took a sigh. “Albeit I can tell when I am outmatched. Fine, keep your secret for now, but keep it well or I shall find out. And... your reluctance confirms this would tarnish our marvellous friendship”

He glanced around the group, as if he was waiting for something, while he smiled knowingly. “Have you ever heard of the Order of the Green Hand?”, he asked. Samantha most definitely had not. Sasha shared her confusion and as a matter of fact, so did Davith, Richard and Jenna. Only Leonard and Saerya looked up.

“You mean to tell me you belong to a knightly order?”, Leonard growled and Vali grinned. “My, what a well informed man you are”, he replied in a mocking tone. “You are speaking about that order of the Green Hand, but I'm talking about the other one, the one that operates behind the scenes. Your knightly friends are the outstretched fist of the Reach, but the people I work for, they are the hand hidden behind the back”

Leonard glanced at Saerya who gulped. “I'm not an enemy of your people”, she assured him and she was surprisingly swift at saying these words. She almost seemed nervous and this in turn caused Samantha to tense up. “But you're not a member of the Order, aren't you? Merely an informant”

Vali shrugged. “Yeah, informant sounds about right”, he admitted. “So, gathering information, that's what I do” He looked around, before his gaze rested on Saerya. “And you are not working for Mern Gardener, this much I know”, he deduced. “Waters, a bastard name. Narrow Sea, Targaryen” He smirked while her expression remained entirely bland. “You're good, mylady, but don't mistake me for being harmless”, he said, now his voice sounding sterner than before. “It also means we're no allies, you and I. We have a common enemy and we can work to take him down, but in the end, we both know this won't last. If I were you, I'd betray me before I can betray you” His smile was still there, but it was decidedly sardonic now. “But you already know that, don't you?”

“What... is he talking about?”, Richard asked and Saerya sighed, looking away from the young man. “I believe we have reached an understanding”, she claimed. “Vali will support us against Mullendore” Vali chuckled at her words. “These people don't even know why you are here and yet you paint yourself as being entirely on their side?”, he asked. “That is bold, I must say” He shrugged. “But this is something to deal with another day. It is true that we have a mutual enemy and taking him down should be a priority”, he admitted. “Then, and only then, can we focus on ripping each other apart”

Saerya's smile widened. “I am okay with this”, she spoke. “For I know the threat Maron Mullendore poses to both of us. I don't know for what end he is doing all this, but so far, his actions have destabilized the Reach” Vali gave her a nod. “And if he isn't working for your master, the only remaining options are even less desirable”

“So, what are your plans about this?”, Saerya asked and Vali smiled. “None I am too willing to tell you”, he said, before he looked around. “Albeit I can point you at someone who can tell you more about it”, he said, glancing at Saerya. “Not you though. One of them. Let them see the truth”

As he said, this, Saerya's smile faded, though she remained silent, as Richard rose from his chair. “One of us then?”, he asked. “Where would you have us go?” Vali looked from him to Samantha and Davith, finally resting his gaze on Saerya, before he replied. “I really cannot tell you”, he spoke. “But I can direct you at one of my commanding officers, a good and loyal man”

“You're talking a bout a knight”, Leonard mumbled. “A member of the Order of the Green Hand. Probably a man I've met before” Vali nodded. “Yeah, I suppose a man of your standing should know him”, he replied. “However, I don't want you to meet up with him. Call it a grudge, but I don't think I like you very much” Leonard narrowed his eyes and Vali shrugged. “Frankly, what have you expected? That I'm some sort of a villain in this, spying on you for that Butterfly swine?”, he asked and his voice had a bitter tone in it. “Or do you just go around beating up anyone you don't like? Honestly, it's no surprise you've gotten into this situation”

Leonard clenched his fists. “Watch your mouth”, he growled and Vali smiled. “Or what?”, he asked. “Relax already. I'm about to tell you what I know” He glanced form him to Saerya. “Well, not all of you at least. Mylady, I want you to leave the room for this, because I don't trust you”, he spoke and looked at Leonard before Saerya was able to say anything. “And you, I want you to leave because I don't like you”

Instead of answering, Leonard sighed, before he looked at Richard. The farmer seemed hesitant for a moment, before he nodded. “I'd rather have it his way than just beating the truth out of him”, he spoke. “You two, leave us for a moment. Come back once Vali is finished with his tale”

Saerya narrowed her eyes briefly and Samantha tensed up at the sudden coldness on her face. Leonard however took it surprisingly calm. “Alright”, he gave in. “Just tell me after this fool is done” He turned to the back door and Saerya rose from her chair. “I expect the same”, she said, as she looked at Vali. “Keep in mind, you don't know if you can trust him”

After they were gone, left through the back door, Vali relaxed visibly, leaning backwards and grinning at Jenna, who, after a moment of hesitation, sat down on Leonard's now empty chair. “Keep in mind you don't know if you can trust her”, he said. “Though I might be wrong there, you probably know exactly that you cannot trust her”

Now, he put a hand onto his chest. “But let us start over again. I am Vali Flowers, you can call me Saltmouth and I am a spy and informant working for the Order of the Green Hand”, he introduced himself. “I am literally working for this kingdom, so if there is any kind of doubt about my person, they should be gone now”

“We only have your word”, Samantha brought up and Vali nodded. “Yeah and I can't give you much more for now”, he admitted. “But I can give you a name. Point you into a direction where you can learn more, valuable intel on our common enemy. You might not trust me, but think about it from this perspective. If you fear I might be working for Mullendore, then why isn't he here already, with a dozen men? If he'd do as much as suspect you're plotting against him, he would have wiped you out instead of spying on you”

“That does sound like something he'd do”, Samantha admitted. “Alright, let's do it your way then. What do you want us to do?” Vali smiled, not in an unfriendly way as she had to admit. “I want you to work with the Reach, mylady”, he told her. “This woman you have allied with, this Saerya, she's not an ally of the Reach. We have a common enemy, but when that man is out of the picture, she will turn on me and on this city”

“You cannot know that”, Jenna interjected and Vali raised an eyebrow. “Ah, a sharp observation”, he spoke. “I cannot, I admit. But I suspect it. I simply want to be prepared for it, wether it happens or not” He looked at Kersea who still sat on her chair, silent and pale. “I heard Quent was mentioned. I worked under that man and frankly, he's an ass. Shady and definitely not a friend of mine”, he told her. “But it might be a good thing if you and that knight meet up with him. I never got much out of him, but you might succeed where I failed”

Kersea nodded. “That's nothing new so far”, she brought up. Vali chuckled. “Yeah, but listen up now”, he assured her. “There is this man I mentioned before, sort of my commanding officer, if you wanna call him that. He has a history with House Mullendore and he knows the true details on all this. I'm just a middleman compared to him” He looked around making sure he had their unquestioned attention, before he continued. “The man I mean is Chrass Serry”

Samantha raised an eyebrow, having never heard this name before. Judging by Vali's intonation, she probably should have, but neither Davith nor Sasha showed a hint at recognizing this name. It was Jenna who finally spoke up. “The Lord of Southshield”, she revealed and Vali nodded. “Ah, Ser Harking, your daughter is an educated woman”

While Jenna quickly stared at the ground, Richard narrowed his eyes. “You mean Lord Serry is working against Maron Mullendore?”, he asked, to which Vali instantly gave him a nod. “Not a friend of our good Ser Maron, but most importantly, a knight of the Order of the Green Hand and a loyal servant of the Reach”

“Where... is that man?”, Sasha asked, slight hesitation in her voice. Vali rolled his eyes. “On Southshield, I'd presume”, he replied. “It's not too far. Barely two days by boat” Though his voice sounded almost bored, his eyes moved around carefully, before fixing on Samantha. “I know you want him dead, this Butterfly”, he spoke. “And as a matter of fact, I got reasons of my own to want this. However, neither of us can do it if we're not working together”

Samantha noticed Richard's gaze on her and she took a deep breath. “Then I shall meet with this Serry”, she proclaimed and noticed how Sasha narrowed her eyes. “You just take his word for granted?”, she hissed and Samantha shook her head. “Not at all, but if he'd aim to screw us over, there would be easier ways. I don't trust him, but I am willing to give him a chance. It's a difference”

“I know it's a difference”, Sasha growled. “Just... I'll come with you. No arguing, you know you're not getting rid of me all that easily” Samantha smiled and her friend reciprocated the expression. “I know that much”, she chuckled. “Alright, Saltmouth, I'll do it. Your Lord Serry better has some answers for me”

Vali smirked. “Oh, I'm sure he will”, he promised. “Chrass has further contacts besides just me, men in Oldtown and Uplands. If anyone has the reach to bring Maron down, it'll be him. I... shall give you a letter, containing a report about the current situation in Raylansfair. I'd be much obliged if you could give this to him”

“Well, one thing's for sure, I'll come with you as well”, Davith spoke and his smile was almost sheepish. “I mean, if you'd have me” Vali raised an eyebrow. “Three for a task as simple as that?”, he asked. “You'd be among allies in Southshield, I vow for Chrass and his family” He shrugged. “I mean, take him if you want. I just think a man of his skills might be better suited right here”

Davith sighed. “You might have a point”, he admitted. “I don't like it, I don't like you, but you might have a point” He looked back at Samantha. “I trust you though. If you want me by your side, I will gladly stay with you. If... if not, then I'll stay. I'll help here”

[Take Davith with you] [Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

Mathea · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

TheRightfulKing · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

TheAPlegends · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

imighthavebrokenit · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

WildlingKing · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair] Oddly enough I trust Vali's judgement here. And also, it's probably better to make it absolutely clear to Davith that him and Samantha isn't going to happen

Anyway, this was a great part, giving impactful character moments and development for several of the characters on this meeting. The back and forth between Vali and Saerya was especially great, it's nice to see someone finally being on her level in terms of "playing the game". I could see this developing into an interesting rivalry in time. It was also nice to see Jenna stepping up the way she did, and making Leonard embarrassed of his behavior. And I must also say you've done wonderful job at writing Vali as this loudmouth smartass without making him annoying. In fact, I quite like him

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Oddly enough I trust Vali's judgement here. And also, it's probably better to make it absolutely clear to Davith that him and Samantha isn't going to happen

Aye, Davith has not fully gotten the message yet He is starting to get the hints that Samantha might not be all that much into him, but for the most part, he doesn't want to get them. Leaving him behind might be a bit rough on him, as he's otherwise well-meaning, but it'd probably help with getting Samantha's point across without the need of the two having a really embarrassing conversation.

Anyway, this was a great part, giving impactful character moments and development for several of the characters on this meeting. The back and forth between Vali and Saerya was especially great, it's nice to see someone finally being on her level in terms of "playing the game". I could see this developing into an interesting rivalry in time. It was also nice to see Jenna stepping up the way she did, and making Leonard embarrassed of his behavior. And I must also say you've done wonderful job at writing Vali as this loudmouth smartass without making him annoying. In fact, I quite like him

Ah, I am very, very happy to hear this. All in all, this was a part I was looking forward for because with Vali, it added yet another important figure in this Raylansfair conflict into the picture and I think it also shows that though they all have the same goal in bringing down Mullendore, people such as him, Saerya or Leonard are not entirely on the same side and might have individual goals that go against their part-time allies. A rivalry between Saerya and Vali could very well happen. He is expecting it at least. I am particularly glad to hear you like Vali I think it is all too easy to write the loudmouth smartass in a way that is annoying, especially when he actually is annoying the majority of characters in the part (contrast it with Theodan, who is a loudmouth smartass but also happens to be fairly well-respected by most of the characters he interacts with) and this is decidedly not the direction I wish to write Vali into. He's a character that probably occasionally slips into being annoying towards others, but I always hope to keep him annoying solely to the other characters, while still interesting and enjoyable for the readers and it is nice to hear that I succeeded here.

InGen_Nate_Kenny · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair] We need more people here, not off on random adventures.

Grrrr I hope Vali experiences a painful death. So disrespectful to Leonard.

And Jenna, oh Jenna, getting close to going back on the dislike side. Morality is overrated.

Also this Serry fellow probably knows Cregan Mullendore.

GMSforresthood · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair]

Edinosaur23 · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair] I don't think he's that necessary.

So House Serry also has a bone to pick with the Butterfly eh? Seems like Mullendore is just as good as making enemies as he's pretending to be one. Considering the proximity of the city to the four islands, I wouldn't be surprised if we met the other nobles of the islands,

The_not_chosen_one · December 2017

[Take Davith with you] I don't think that Davith will much of help at Raylainsfair (and that city has already too many characters)

RT:
1)So Vali is a spy that work for the Order of the Green Hand eh? I'm curious what you plan to do with that faction
2)While the order will be for sure a huge help against the triumvirate (Vyrwell-Mullendore-Oakheart) it will be interesting that, when the conquest will reach certain events inside the story, the order will be against the real villain (for them)and that will probably make some drastic changes between the good guys relationship
3)I'm curious to see if the maester know his apprentice secret allegiance (and the opposite)
4)Richard and,expecially,Jenna really show in this part who are the owners of the farm
5)Since Samantha is going to meet the Lord of Southshield (another new location inside this story) I'm curious to read what she will discover about House Mullendore,what help the Lord is going to give and if everything will be easy as Vali said to them (I hope not)

BQD:
Vali Flowers
"The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend”

DiverseGnu · December 2017

[Take Davith with you]

I've completely changed my mind about Vali, he seems like a cool guy. I've been waiting for someone to expose Saerya for what she really is, a Targaryen spy who will betray Jenna and co. in the blink of an eye.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Grrrr I hope Vali experiences a painful death. So disrespectful to Leonard.

Ah, he is that way to everyone. He got a bit lucky with Leonard, but there have been moments where he received quite the beating and it did not stop him from being, well, disrespectful. He doesn't mean anything against Leonard himself, that's just the type of guy he is.

And Jenna, oh Jenna, getting close to going back on the dislike side. Morality is overrated.

Hehe, I kinda expected this reaction Keep in mind though, it was the same morality that actually caused her to help Leonard in the first place. While saying that she trusts Vali would take it a bit too far, she definitely disagrees with violence as the first solution, given that she does not want to push away a potential ally, something that arguably almost happened with Vali in this part.

Also this Serry fellow probably knows Cregan Mullendore.

Impressively, you are spot on with that, so I'm just going to confirm it right now. Indeed, Chrass Serry has a connection to Cregan Mullendore, but he also knows Maron and Yoreen. In what way, that is something he himself can probably explain the best once the time has come.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

So House Serry also has a bone to pick with the Butterfly eh? Seems like Mullendore is just as good as making enemies as he's pretending to be one.

It is indeed very easy for him to make enemies. He can be subtle at times, but when it matters most, he has a tendency to be more brutal than he has to and that earns him tons of enemies, especially as he is not all that effective at clearing them off immediately. Over the years, quite a number of people have come to bear a grudge on him. In contrast, Petyr has few outright enemies and Devrin Oakheart is usually considered a noble ally of the king, so Mullendore is generally the one to take the blame for their actions as well.

Considering the proximity of the city to the four islands, I wouldn't be surprised if we met the other nobles of the islands,

Absolutely yes. While I am not yet sure if I will show the other islands, I will definitely show members of the other houses of the Shield Islands, I received some for every house.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

1)So Vali is a spy that work for the Order of the Green Hand eh? I'm curious what you plan to do with that faction

Quite a bit, I must say. The Order is both, a group of the most valiant knights of the Reach and, at least in some cases, acting behind the scenes of the kingdom for Mern Gardener's interests. They have been out of the picture so far, but with them on the case, things have arguably improved for the good guys.

2)While the order will be for sure a huge help against the triumvirate (Vyrwell-Mullendore-Oakheart) it will be interesting that, when the conquest will reach certain events inside the story, the order will be against the real villain (for them)and that will probably make some drastic changes between the good guys relationship

Oh yes, absolutely, there could be an interesting shake up in the factions. Right now, Vali, the Green hand spy, is in an uneasy alliance with Saerya of Team Targaryen. However, the Conquest is still far from the Reach. Technically, just like how the Order and the Targaryen's are allies against the Vyrwel-Mullendore-Oakheart alliance, the Order and the Vyrwel-Mullendore-Oakheart alliance can be allies against House Targaryen and that is something that will be discussed once the time comes.

3)I'm curious to see if the maester know his apprentice secret allegiance (and the opposite)

Well, Vali has a suspicion about Eddard, that much is confirmed. Eddard meanwhile, we haven't seen much of him yet, but this will change big time in the coming chapters, so you'll probably get a good idea if he knows about Vali's true allegiance or not.

4)Richard and,expecially,Jenna really show in this part who are the owners of the farm

It was about time. Richard owns the farm, so technically, many decisions here should be his. Jenna has stepped up quite a lot lately and arguably, by now she even overshadows her father in terms of decisiveness, at least in this scene. Technically though, I'd say Richard is the one holding these people together.

5)Since Samantha is going to meet the Lord of Southshield (another new location inside this story) I'm curious to read what she will discover about House Mullendore,what help the Lord is going to give and if everything will be easy as Vali said to them (I hope not)

Hehehe, it wouldn't be interesting to read if it would be easy, right? So, be assured that I don't intend to hand everything on a silver platter to the protagonists. Valuable help is within reach, but to get there, Samantha has to do stuff and I'd say it definitely won't be all easy

BQD:
Vali Flowers
"The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend”

An important theme I plan on showing more about in the future. Several storylines saw or will eventually see an alliance between the protagonists and the enemy of their enemy and while I won't go as far as to portray all of these negatively and some genuine alliances or even friendships may develop out of it, Vali is right here, it cannot be said for sure and fully trusting someone just due to a mutual enemy is not always a wise decision.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

I've completely changed my mind about Vali, he seems like a cool guy. I've been waiting for someone to expose Saerya for what she really is, a Targaryen spy who will betray Jenna and co. in the blink of an eye.

Hehe, glad to hear you like Vali now He can keep up with Saerya, the first character in this storyline who can (even Sherryl was ultimately outclassed, due to her never really considering Saerya to be all that much of a threat) and as such, he realizes that for all the valuable support she can grant, she is to be treated with caution and can do at least as much harm as she can do good. I'd say she definitely won't turn on Jenna and the others if it serves her interests, but if supporting them becomes detrimental to her true goals? Well, it remains to be seen what she will do then. There might be some genuine sympathy for her current allies, but her loyalties lie with House Targaryen and their goals might not fully align with those of Jenna, Richard or Leonard and in several cases they go outright against what Vali seeks to accomplish.

Bounden · December 2017

[Leave Davith in Raylansfair] Oh boy. Finally got around to voting. Now that Midterms and the Holidays are over, I can try to be more active in the votes. This part sure was a favorite of mine. My boy Saltmouth playing all sorts of games, giving even Saerya a run for her money. Laid out the plans for the next chapter, and they are certainly good plans. I can't wait to see the Serrys, they are certainly going to be a lot of fun. And Kersea and Leonard are going on a road trip back to Oldtown. Man, how history repeats itself. What seems a lifetime ago, Leonard the dick was going on a road trip with poor Lucas, and now he is back on the road with this new assassin with a redemption sensation. Let's see if Leonard's new life experiences will bring more caution in his choices. So we know Sam is heading to Southshield, Kersea is going to Oldtown, but Jenna and Richard's future paths are a little more up in the air. The Raylainsfair POVs are thining quickly. There is still Arthur, Illish, Wilifred, and maybe Maya if she hasn't left yet. You weren't lying Liquid when you said people would be spreading out of Raylainsfair this book.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Oh boy. Finally got around to voting. Now that Midterms and the Holidays are over, I can try to be more active in the votes. This part sure was a favorite of mine. My boy Saltmouth playing all sorts of games, giving even Saerya a run for her money. Laid out the plans for the next chapter, and they are certainly good plans. I can't wait to see the Serrys, they are certainly going to be a lot of fun.

Ah, welcome back, Bounden Glad to hear you got through your Midterms. With my Holidays over as well (it is exactly 2 minutes past midnight on the 27th right now), I can get into writing as well again, so I'm glad you're back and that you liked this part. Big things for Vali will follow, this was only the beginning, now that his allegiance has been revealed. The Serrys will be a good presence in the chapters to come, actually not only in Samantha's storyline, but she'll be the one to introduce them and probably the one to spend the longest of times with them.

And Kersea and Leonard are going on a road trip back to Oldtown. Man, how history repeats itself. What seems a lifetime ago, Leonard the dick was going on a road trip with poor Lucas, and now he is back on the road with this new assassin with a redemption sensation. Let's see if Leonard's new life experiences will bring more caution in his choices.

Hehe, this is something I indeed realized, but actually only after making the plan. Leonard had quite a dislike for Lucas when they left Raylansfair and when they returned, they were close friends. The situation starts similarly with Kersea, though their respective dislike is probably more founded than the rather irrational situation between Lucas and Leonard. After all, Kersea has lied to Leonard and actually is directly involved in the death of several people Leonard might not have particularly liked, but at least respected. Meanwhile, he probably is a bit too much a jerk towards her, so her own annoyance with him might be at least a bit understandable. It remains to be seen if they can overcome their differences and actually work together or if this journey will end differently than the one Leonard had with Lucas.

So we know Sam is heading to Southshield, Kersea is going to Oldtown, but Jenna and Richard's future paths are a little more up in the air. The Raylainsfair POVs are thining quickly. There is still Arthur, Illish, Wilifred, and maybe Maya if she hasn't left yet. You weren't lying Liquid when you said people would be spreading out of Raylainsfair this book.

Indeed, with Samantha and Kersea planning to leave soon, this means there is Jenna, Richard, Arthur, Ilish, Willfred and Maya left in Raylansfair. However, Maya plans to leave and Willfred has no intention of staying longer than he has to. So, that means four PoV's with reason to stay and I can confirm, by the end of this act, it'll actually be even less than that. Raylansfair will remain the primary location of the story though as even when they are gone from there, Kersea, Samantha, Leonard and others will have goals primarily related to the larger Raylansfair storyline.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

The Voting is closed!

Samantha is going to leave Davith in Raylansfair

Ah, this was an important choice for Davith himself, but also, in return, for the characters interacting with him (and the ones that won't). I'd say, this choice means he will be given a more substantial role in the story to come, as one of the most capable fighters left in Raylansfair who work against Mullendore. Paired with him being quite intrigued by Saerya, it is likely she'll put these talents to good use. Samantha meanwhile shall leave for the Shield Islands, where a new storyline will wait for her, one I really look forward to write.

Also, let me be real quick here, I hope those of you who celebrated it had a merry christmas, while those of you that don't had happy holidays and just a generally good time, preferrably with friends and/or family. It was a busy, slightly stressful and strange Christmas for me, but all in all a very special occasion as well.

The next part should be out later today. I have been quite busy over the Christmas days, so much that I only managed to start writing yesterday, but in return, I managed to write an entire part on that day, with PoV's from Keat and Raenna. As you know though, I also decided to put Ellena's final part into theirs as well, making it one big part, which also helps me to find out how long the length limit has actually become, something that might not be irrelevant when the chapter finale hits on the 31st. So, last time we saw Keat was also his first time as a PoV. He was shown making his return to Oldtown and having the worst luck there. With the coin Maya paid him, he intended to repay some of the people he has been in debt to, either through loans he never repaid, or through stuff he stole. Unfortunately, perhaps the most nasty of these people found him first. Aided by two hounds, a charming man named Thorrin Bannister caught his scent, hunting him down and demanding his coin. Keat knew, if he'd hand over his backpack, Thorrin would take all of it, more than he was owed, leaving him unable to pay the rest of his debt. As such, he accepted a suspiciously friendly proposal made by the man, namely that he'd let Keat go for now, but expect a full payment very soon. Meanwhile, Raenna accepted Malina Karstark's invitation to spend an evening with the other Northerners, whom she got to know a bit better. Among them was also Dag Umber, brother of Lord Roffe Umber and a man that has quite some interest in Raenna's possible (and very likely) service to the King in the North. The evening was accompanied by strong alcohol, something Raenna was not exactly used to. However, when one of the attendees, Harrold Hornwood, brought up a very stupid idea, she saw it exactly for what it was. Namely, in the drunken attempt to impress her, Harrold revealed that he is trying to tame a moose, the animal that adorns the sigil of his house. For safety reasons, I am forced to tell you that this is not a good idea, as a moose, even if tamed from a young age, is primarily a wild animal and the species at large simply cannot be tamed (even if certain individual animals might allow a rider). Raenna decided to tell Harrold just that. And finally, back to Ellena. It has been a while, but her storyline has served the important function of properly introducing Aegon Targaryen and his sisters into the story. Being invited to the royal tent together with Noelle, Ellena was questioned by the king and his advisors why they are here. Noelle herself was quite open about her fear that a powerful servant of the Great Other has infiltrated the ranks of Aegon's army and is plotting against the king himself, something Aegon took quite seriously. However, he also took the words of his advisor, the former Archmaester and now Grand Maester Wulvren to heart, who told him about Noelle's actions in Book 1. He then asked Ellena, as the person who has travelled with the priestess for the last two months, about her opinion, what should be done with Noelle. Noelle herself, fully giving in to her fate by now, agreed to accept any sentence Aegon sees fit, as she considers him the chosen one of her god. She merely asked to be left alive until she fulfilled her own purpose, which she believes to be about preventing the Great Other from harming Aegon and his family. Ellena, despite having big reasons to resent Noelle, ultimately agreed with this, telling Aegon that she believes Noelle should be killed for her crimes, but only after she served her purpose.

And well, my friends, well, today is a big day, an important day. Today marks the third anniversary of Forum of Thrones. In fact, the thread was created exactly 3 years ago, as thanks to two new and probably lesser appreciated features, the fact that we can see the exact moment something was posted and the fact that we can save comments as drafts means I am able to post this exactly at the right moment. This is a big day and to say I am incredibly happy to have reached it would be an understatement. I started this story three years ago and I never expected it to last that long, though not due to me abandoning it, but merely due to me severely underestimating the amount of passion you would show, through your characters and contributions, something that caused the story to grow larger than I ever intended. Though I never before saw myself as much of a writer, much less a talented one, I am glad I accepted the challenge, because these past three years have honestly been amazing. As such, it pains me that I have to make a sad announcement right now. It will probably disappoint many of you and I am sorry it has to be said right now, but there really is no better time at the same. I hope you can forgive me, but I... don't have an anniversary gift for you. Probably expected me to announce something else, huh? Never that though, this story will continue for as long as it takes to finish it, through my own joy for writing it and your support, which is honestly humbling. No, I am still sorry, because I intended to present you the final version of the Forum of Thrones wiki. However, I once again underestimated the work necessary to finish it. I believe it ultimately has the potential for literally thousands of pages and as such, this won't be done in 2017. Let's talk about it next year, shall we? Anyways, for now, I can only wish Forum of Thrones a happy birthday. I don't have to hope for many more years of writing it, because by now, I know they will come. The first three years are over, may the next three see the story grow even further. And may we all still be here by then, because without you, it'd honestly get a bit lonely in here.

WildlingKing · December 2017

Happy birthday to Forum of Thrones! To celebrate it, I have another surprise portrait for you, this time of someone whom I consider to be the main antagonist of the story, Maron Mullendore:

InGen_Nate_Kenny · December 2017

I'm so happy and honored to have been involved in this story for 3 years now. So much has changed, but this story is still here. Glad to have become "friends" with the characters in this story, if you will, watching them develop. Thanks for making my days a little brighter with your writing Liquid. Here's to a bright future ahead!

captainivy1 · December 2017

It has been quite a Journey so far, has it not? I've only been here for about 2 years, so my only sin is to not have started reading this earlier, because it's so good. And also that I don't vote to much anylonger, I hope to start voting again soon.

As such, it pains me that I have to make a sad announcement right now. It will probably disappoint many of you and I am sorry it has to be said right now, but there really is no better time at the same. I hope you can forgive me, but I... don't have an anniversary gift for you.

You bastard. Really had me scared for a minute.

Anyhow, congratulations for 3 years, and here's to the next 6 years (atleast, right?) Let's hope the forums and Telltale survives during the rest of the years left.

Also in 3 days (I think New Year, right?) it's Harris day. Where we shall mourn for the fallen hero, the true ruler of Raylansfair, the man with the beard and the man all around, Harris Flowers. You will never be forgotten, Lord Harris.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Ah, this is amazing, thank you very much. What better way could there be to celebrate the anniversary than with a portrait of the character I as well consider to be the main antagonist, at least one of them. Your Maron drawing has been a long time favourite of mine, so I was really excited about the thought of a possible portrait and turns out, this is one of my favourite FoT portraits as well. And that for a character I just love to hate. Like in the drawing, you really captured him here, scarred ageing, yet certainly anything but harmless. Well done, this made the occasion all the sweeter

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

A bright future indeed! It has gotten to the point where I cannot wait for some of the big stuff to happen down the line. I've had some of the current plans for close to three years and finally getting to them, I realize that even grander things will require another three years to get there Ah, the wait definitely is a lot easier with your support in this. Three years have passed, we're still here and I wouldn't want it any other way.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

It has been quite a Journey so far, has it not? I've only been here for about 2 years, so my only sin is to not have started reading this earlier, because it's so good. And also that I don't vote to much anylonger, I hope to start voting again soon.

Hehe, three years, two years, one year, one month, doesn't matter. What I am truly happy for is everyone that reads and finds my writing worth their time. I can only thank you for your support. Don't worry about not voting recently, I am always glad when you do, but there should be always time for that later on.

You bastard. Really had me scared for a minute.

Hehe, as if I would ever do that

Anyhow, congratulations for 3 years, and here's to the next 6 years (atleast, right?) Let's hope the forums and Telltale survives during the rest of the years left.

Another six years, I think that is likely. We'll see, I have never been good at maths. And well, while Telltale had its up and downs in the recent years, I doubt they will go anywhere in the next six years. The lay offs probably guaranteed this, making sure they can remain a profitable and growing business even if not all of their games are critically acclaimed games of the year. I hope for Thrones Season 2 somewhere down the road though, this section of the forums could use a breath of fresh air, given it is literally a handful of fanfiction even keeping it relevant at all. I do consider expanding the story onto other sites, though these are still early thoughts, which I might further pursue in the next year. You know, just to be absolutely safe, albeit none of them will ever replace the story here in the forums, which shall always remain the primary way of sharing new parts.

Also in 3 days (I think New Year, right?) it's Harris day. Where we shall mourn for the fallen hero, the true ruler of Raylansfair, the man with the beard and the man all around, Harris Flowers. You will never be forgotten, Lord Harris.

New Year's Eve in my timezone, the same time I plan to release this chapter finale, which shall be no less intense. Or, well, maybe a little less, given that I actually got chills while writing the final part for Harris and Alysanne. But a year it has been, his absence has definitely been as painful as I thought. Feels weird that it has been a year since I last wrote something Harris related, given his massive presence in the two years before that. Who knows how I will feel in a year from now about the characters that will leave in the near future.

LiquidChicagoTed · December 2017

Raenna

With a smirk, Raenna shook her head. “That is a stupid idea”, she brought up and Harrold rolled his eyes. Behind him, Eon enthusiastically nodded his head. Harrold staggered, before leaning against the moose. The animal sharply turned its head, the horns nearly scratching over the man so heavily leaning against it, as it let out a shrill roar right in his face, moving away from him so suddenly that he stumbled away from it and towards the ground.

Raenna never thought she'd ever see an animal that would sport an expression of active annoyance, but the bull moose did just that, as it began to slowly walk away from the table, especially as Jorn and Gared erupted into bright laughter. Above them was the higher, clearer sound of Malina and Raenna herself.

She noticed, it was the first in... in a very long time that she actually felt light-hearted, that she could just laugh about something without any darker threats on the horizon. Of course, that wasn't entirely true though. There were still her cousins and their dragons, but they were fires far, a threat for another day, another time. Today, she would not darken her thoughts with the demons of her childhood.

Harrold staggered back to his feet with a groan, shooting a glare at the chuckling Eon, who straightened his expression the very moment he noticed it. “Stop laughing, you dolt”, he muttered. “Help me witch catching that damn beast again. Can't let it run wild here in the castle” He quickly followed this statement with hurrying after his fleeing moose. Eon shook his head, still smiling, before he followed at last.

“A shame”, Gared remarked. “I would have loved to see him try” Malina, herself having a slight smirk on her face, raised an eyebrow. “He could have killed himself”, she spoke and Gared nodded in agreement. “And I would have loved to see that, mylady”, he chuckled.

“Well, it seems we have Lady Raenna to thank for Harrold's life”, Jorn interjected, giving her a polite nod. “Not that I would have mourned for him, but it would have surely soured the mood” Slowly, Mace nodded. “And the ground is frozen”, he commented. “Burying him would have been a pain”

This comment actually made Raenna chuckle. “Yeah, I saved the day, I suppose”, she mumbled, before she looked at Malina. “Though I owe you my gratitude as well. You invited me here and...” As she said this, Gared looked at her past Malina, raising an eyebrow. “We did”, he clarified and she rolled her eyes. “You did”, she agreed. “It's been a while since I had...”

She paused, causing Jorn to raise an eyebrow. “Fun?”, he asked and she shrugged, to which Myles brought up one of his rare contributions. “Good company?” Gared chuckled at that. “Oh, you don't want to know what goes through my head right now”, he brought up and though she groaned together with Malina, Raenna had to smile.

“It's hard to describe”, she admitted. “The people I used to be around, they weren't exactly easy company” Quickly, she raised her hands, apologetically. “And I don't mean to say that you're simple, I mean...” Malina put a hand onto her shoulder. “Hey, it's alright”, she assured her. “You're new here and we don't get that very often in the North. It's nice seeing a fresh face around”

Dag Umber sighed at Malina's comment. “Might not be the best time to mention this, but I am not sure if you'll stay here for long”, he revealed and Raenna raised an eyebrow, while Malina shot him a sharp glare. “Maybe now would be a good time to tell me what I am supposed to do for your king, right?”

“Might be”, Dag admitted, before he reached for the bottle. “Though King Torrhen has called for the banners, my brother has not yet brought any men with him. The Umber force remains at the Last Hearth and she will stay there for as long as our problem has not been dealt with. Five thousand men, one of the largest armies in the North and far and above the strongest”

“Uncle Brogar would probably like to have a word with you now”, Malina interjected and Dag shrugged. “Never claimed it to be true”, he answered. “But House Umber is not one to be ignored. We have always been giants among men and make no mistake, we do not ask for help, we demand it. Now less than ever can King Torrhen dare to take this lightly”

“What are your problems about?”, Raenna asked and Dag narrowed his eyes. “Aside from you, each of you is of noble blood”, he spoke. “As such, I implore by your honour, don't say a word about this to anyone else. If you do, I'll find out whom it was and I'll take steps you won't like”

As soon as he spoke these words, Myles Cerwyn raised from his seat. “I... actually don't really want to hear this”, he admitted. “Might be better that way. Call for me once the secret talk is over, alright” With these words, he was quick to hurry away.

Mace shrugged. “You know I'll be silent”, he stated and Dag merely gave him a nod. Next to him, Jorn leant forwards. “I would like to stay”, he added. “Perhaps House Mormont can help” Dag seemed to think about this for a second. “Perhaps”, he admitted.

Finally, Malina smiled. “You know you can't keep a secret from me”, she stated, her voice oozing confidence, while Dag rolled his eyes. “I am surprised you don't know it yet”, he growled, as he looked at Gared Snow. The bastard grinned, notably wider than Malina. “You know she can't keep a secret from me”, he said, putting an arm around Malina's shoulder, which she quickly shrugged off. “You don't know me all that well after all”, she chuckled.

“Stay if you want”, Dag allowed. “Just remember, no word about this to anyone else. Not Cerwyn, not Dustin and gods forbid, definitely not Hornwood” Each attendant could simply nod to this, while Dag leant forwards, sternly looking at Raenna. “The problem we have is of highly... personal nature” Looking around, his gaze met Malina's. “I suppose you are familiar with my brother? My younger brother, I mean”

Malina narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth, before her gaze widened considerably. “Kory!”, she exclaimed. “Have you found a lead?” Dag shook his head. “It's more than that and we have not yet announced it”, he spoke. “But Kory has returned” He sighed, as he noticed Raenna's curious expression.

“Kory Umber, my youngest brother”, he explained. “He was taken by wildlings, the same lot that murdered my father. That was many years ago, he was still a boy back then and we... we believed him dead or lost” Almost apologetically, he looked at Mace, who had a look of silent understanding on his face. “This is why Roffe hates them so much”, he spoke. “More than he should, more than is reasonable even. It extends to the men from Skagos as well”

“I understand”, Mace mumbled in a low tone and Dag continued with his tale. “It has been so long, we frankly did not expect it. But suddenly, there was this man in front of our gates. Dressed in thick fur, with wild hair and an even wilder expression. And yet, there was something undeniably familiar about him. The way he spoke, the things he knew, it all confirmed his tale”, he revealed, before closing his eyes for a moment. “Our lost brother had returned at last. Of course, we barely recognized him, but his tale spoke for itself”

“That... is a good thing, isn't it?”, Raenna asked and as soon as she had said this, a look of helpless pain appeared on Dag's face, as he shook his head. “It should be”, he said quietly. “It was at first. My three sisters could barely contain themselves. Even Roffe shed a tear” He pressed his lips together. “It should not last”

“What happened?”, Malina asked, her voice showing an ounce of compassion, as Dag shrugged. “Kory had been gone for years”, he answered. “Lived among them. He became a man beyond the wall and the boy we knew, he still hadn't returned. This man, this new Kory, he was a stranger to us and there have been... problems. Most importantly, the animals reacted badly to him” Noticing Raenna's expression he smiled thinly. “My family has always been close to animals, wolves and bears. Me and my brother keep the former, though they remained at the Last Heart, while my sisters have each bonded with a bear”, he revealed. “They have been cubs when Kory was taken, but I remember they loved him. This is no longer the case. They avoid him, glare at him, growl when he approaches”

“They say animals see our true nature”, Mace brought up, to which Dag just nodded. “And it is not just that”, he replied. “The animals were enough to make me suspicious, but more and more have I realized that Kory is not as he used to be. There is something odd about his return. I mean, he lived most of his life among wildlings and now he returned just like that, to be a part of his family again, a family that stands against the wildling threat like no other?”

“You think he means to sabotage you?”, Malina deduced, to which Dag gulped. “I fear he already started”, he told her. “The raiding parties have grown bolder in our lands. They avoid our patrols more frequently and in some cases, they lay ambushes for our men, like the one my father perished in all these years ago. Roffe fears that someone leaks information to them, by whatever means and as much as it pains me, my younger brother is our prime suspect” He looked back at Raenna. “As long as we have to fear the wildlings, we have to increase our patrols. Our men are needed to protect our lands. Aegon Targaryen might be of concern to the Ironborn, or even to the Manderly's of White Harbour, but our enemy lies to the north and not to the south”

“And your brother might have joined them”, Raenna mumbled. Dag sighed, before he gave her a nod. “I sent word to King Torrhen, but that was after Brandon and his Snow Wolves had left. They had experts on this stuff, but if he is correct, they are all dead”, he replied. “What we need is someone who can work this out, who can get through to Kory, or, if that won't work, who can uncover his secrets without him noticing”

“And if your suspicions turn out to be true?”, Gared asked. This time, Dag averted his gaze. “Then Kory has committed treason against House Umber and the North”, he replied, his voice a bit shaky this time. “Roffe will have a grim duty when it comes to that, one of the times where my brother is not to be envied”

The look he gave Raenna was almost a pleading one. “Brandon recommended you, he praised you highly. If there is anyone in this entire that can get to the core of this, he believes it is you”, he spoke and to her surprise, he put a warm hand onto hers. “Wildling or not, Kory is still my brother. I... must be honest here, I am desperate” He sighed. “Save my brother”, he implored her. “This will be the only thing I shall ask”

No Choices for this part

Keat

The grin he gave Thorrin was his most charming. “Hey, if you're offering...”, he began. “I'd like to keep my backpack. But I'm back for a reason. I have the coin soon and now that I'm here again, I won't just try to escape. Your... your hounds got my scent, right? You will be repaid in full and then some more”

Thorrin's smile grew smaller and colder. “Perhaps”, he admitted calmly. “You know, Keat, I was hoping you'd say that” The knife he held in his hands pressed against Keat's cheek, making no attempt to ease the tension. “See, I trusted you before and how did that turn out for me?” He shook his head and Keat gulped, as the knife slowly moved across his cheek without cutting into the flesh.

“Surely, only a fool would trust you twice”, he continued. “Not... without some reassurance at least” Keat's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, though only a scream came out of it as just in this moment, Thorrin's knife cut into his flesh, slicing into his ear. The man held him firmly in his grip and Keat was unable to move, the weak punches he threw at Thorrin having no effect. And with each scream, the hounds grew more uneasy, barking, snarling and snapping at him.

With a wicked grin, Thorrin removed his hand, still holding a good portion of Keat's left ear. Pain, terrible pain, thumped through Keat's entire head and he was screaming even after Thorrin had let go of him. However, he was unable to crawl away as instantly, the man's leg pressed onto his chest. Wordlessly, Thorrin threw the severed ear towards his dogs. One of the large beasts snatched it mid-air, the other digging its teeth into it just seconds later, as they both held onto it. Keat gasped and gagged as each ripped out a piece of flesh from the ear, devouring it whole.

Instantly, the hounds turned to Keat, charging at him, crazed with blood, though Thorrin positioned himself past them, barking something that was inaudible through the beasts' vicious howling. Whatever it was, it worked and they calmed down, though still shooting beastly glares at Keat, who had a hand pressed onto the side of his head, blood seeping through his fingers.

The initial agony faded, though a thumping, sharp pain remained. Staring up at Thorrin, Keat felt nothing but fear, while the man glared down at him. “Now they have more than your scent”, he growled. “You cannot escape” He knelt down and Keat cowered, trying to turn away from the brute, feeling light-headed due to the blood that still poured from the wound.

“Pathetic”, Thorrin growled. “Laughable” He chuckled. “You will not escape”, he continued. “For now, you can leave, but there is nowhere you can run” He grabbed Keat's chin forcing the thief to look at him. “You can leave for now, but I will be repaid. Never again will you fool me”

Keat just barely managed to give him a nod, his heart thumping wildly, tears of pain streaming down his face. With a groan, Thorrin lifted himself up again. “We shall meet again”, he said. “And then you better have what you stole from me” Without saying another word, he turned away, limping down the alleyway, his dogs remaining for a moment longer, until his whistling signalled them to follow.

Left behind, Keat leant against the wall, trying to regain his breath. More than that, he tried to remain conscious through the pain. He had never been a fighter and pain, physical pain, that was something he usually tried to avoid in his line of work. The better the thief, the less pain he'd suffer and Keat was a very good thief. The downside to this was, of course, that he struggled not to pass out in an Oldtown gutter, with his backpack filled with coin.

Removing the hand from his ruined ear, he looked at his hand, stained with blood, more still running down his cheek and the sight made him nauseous. Frowning and heavily breathing, he staggered back to his feet, his legs shaky, as he stumbled through the alleyway, sinking against one of the walls again.

With wide eyes, he remained in this position for a moment, as he tried to shake off the feeling of dread, a task easier said than done with the pain that still shot through his body. A healer, he had to find a healer. The cut needed to get looked at. And he had to get home, to safety. It wasn't far...

Briefly, Keat entered the main street. Though crowded, it was as expected, not one person there seemed to care for the bleeding man that just stumbled out of one of the side streets. A common sight in Oldtown and though Keat had been guilty of the same behaviour before, he now dearly regretted it.

As quick as he entered the open street, he had left it again, pushing through the faceless crowd into another dark alley. Wincing in pain, he staggered through it, his ear still thumping, one hand clenched onto the wound, the other firmly holding the backpack. He would not lose the coin, oh no, he would never.

Finally, a familiar sight. The buildings were narrow by now, their rooftops so close to each other that they nearly blocked out the sun. A grim smile formed on Keat's face, as he hurried through it. However, this smile faded the moment he spotted a figure entering the alley from the other side.

Narrowing his eyes, he tried to get past the man without risking any unnecessary conversation. Back on the main street, he hoped for it, but a stranger in one of these streets always meant more trouble than it was worth it. More than that, this man was armed, a crossbow loosely lying in his arms.

It was only then that he recognized the man. Middle aged and with a plain, stern face, showing the scars of battle, he had short brown hair and was painstakingly clean shaven. Keat's eyes widened and it was this sign that likely gave him away, as a moment later, the man reciprocated the gesture.

Keat was past him already, as he called him out. “Keat the Trickster”, Lanford growled and Keat stopped, closing his eyes and sighed. “Hello, Lanford”, he mumbled and silently, he cursed every god in existence for subjugating him to this string of bad luck. “Long time no see”

“You're wounded”, the man calmly observed and Keat gulped. “Good eye”, he complimented him with a hollow tone, a sad smile forming on his face. “I'm kinda in a hurry now though, so we gotta catch up a bit later” He turned around and actually got a few feet between him and Lanford, before the man called out for him. “Hold it, Trickster”, he barked. “You stay right where you are”

Keat stopped dead in his tracks, clenching his fists, as he turned around again, giving Lanford a deep look. The man was not yet pointing his weapon at him, though him presenting it freely was a threat on its own. “You haven't forgotten it”, Lanford growled. “You are in debt to Hishi”

“And I intend to repay him... her...”, Keat stuttered. “Listen, I haven't been home in a long while. Just give me a moment with my siblings, I'll repay Hishi in time” Lanford shook his head. “The time is now”, he spoke. “Me running into you was not part of the plan, but Hishi will appreciate it”

“She's back in Oldtown?”, Keat asked and with a thin, cold smirk, Lanford gave him a nod. “And you don't have to go up there”, he replied. “I've been there just a few minutes ago” Instantly, Keat narrowed his eyes and despite the pain, he shot Lanford a glare. “What have you done?”, he growled.

Lanford seemed surprised by Keat's sudden ferocity. “What have I done?”, he asked. “What do you think? They weren't there” He shook his head. “Besides, it's not your siblings I'm after. You owe Hishi a substantial sum, but not enough to murder a child for”, he clarified. “Not even close. I was here for your friend, for Puffer”

“Sam”, Keat mumbled. “Where is he?” This time, Lanford shrugged. “His flat is empty. Hasn't been just a couple days ago. Back then, we did not care for him. Now however, Hishi is back and there is work for a man of his... talents”, he explained. “You don't happen to know where he is?”

Keat shook his head. “I... I gotta find him. He looked after Nalia and Adian while I was gone”, he spoke, to which Lanford, once more, shook his head. “You will not leave”, he snarled. “You've been gone for too long and Hishi has a couple questions about the coin you took. A loan must always be repaid”

“And Sam? My siblings?”, Keat asked, to which Lanford shrugged. “They can wait. I searched the place and found nothing, so I doubt you can”, he replied. “Besides, you think I don't know what you're trying to do? Get in there, then escape through the window?” He raised an eyebrow. “What happened with your ear?”

Keat sighed. “Bannister”, he replied and Lanford chuckled dryly. “Always a savage”, he muttered. “I won't be so kind if you try to run from me” Running... Keat glanced over his shoulder. It were a good ten feet until he'd reach the corner. If he'd get there, he'd be able to lose Lanford in the maze of alleyways behind Ragpicker's Wynd. He hadn't raised his crossbow yet, so perhaps there was a chance. After all, Keat had a fleeting feeling that surrendering and meeting with Hishi was the last thing he wanted right now. Well, except for a crossbow bolt to the leg perhaps, but at least that was something he might be able to avoid entirely.

[Try to escape] [Surrender]

Ellena

“She must die”, Ellena stated grimly and Noelle closed her eyes in defeat, while Wulvren smiled triumphantly. “But not yet” This statement caused the priestess and the Maester to look at her in surprise. “It does not matter what I think of her. Her powers are real and if she believes you to be in danger, then she is not wrong... not entirely at least”, she added, slightly hesitating as she noticed the look in Noelle's eye. “I... don't want her to get out of this, but she might be the best hope you have against this enemy”

Aegon gave her a long, cautious look, before he simply nodded. “A calm observation”, he complimented her. “And a viewpoint I share. It is clear that this woman has committed terrible crimes against you, against Wulvren and countless others. You have my vow as a king, this will not go unanswered” He narrowed his eyes at Noelle, who suddenly seemed anything but confident. “But this is a time of war and sometimes, it demands something I would not agree to in times of peace. Justice will be served once the kings of these lands have bowed”, he proclaimed. “Priestess, I accept you at my court, but I will neither forget, nor forgive. I merely grant you time to find this enemy, this dark presence, if it is there at all. You have until all Westeros is united”

Noelle nodded quickly a thin smile on her face. “I don't ask for more”, she clarified. “Once the enemy has been dealt with, I welcome your sentence” Now with a gaze more steely, she looked around the gathered courtiers. “And I vow, to the Lord of Light and you, his chosen, that I will find the darkness by your side. He has hidden so far, but I shall reveal his presence”

While Aegon nodded in a firm, swift way, without saying another word, his sisters had different reactions. Rhaenys leant forwards, her chin resting on her closed fist, as she looked at Noelle and Ellena with intrigue. Visenya meanwhile had her arms crossed, as she rolled her purple eyes. “That will backfire, Aegon”, she warned him, before shaking her head. “But your words have been clear. Priestess, when the day comes, I'll gladly carry out whatever sentence my king sees fit for you”

Noelle gulped, before she quickly stood aside, leaving Ellena alone in the centre of the room and as the sole recipient of Visenya's glare. “You're scaring the girl, Vis”, Rhaenys said gently. “Ellena, wasn't it? Come over here” She smiled at her and Ellena, a bit tensed up in the presence of these high lords, followed her wish. “Ser Iwan, bring a chair for the girl”

The knight, a lean man with sharp features and the left half of his hair dyed in a deep blue saluted firmly. “Of course, my queen”, he replied, as Rhaenys smiled back at Ellena. “You must be hungry”, she deduced, to which Ellena only managed to give her a sheepish nod. “Iwan, bring some refreshments for our guests and grab them something to eat”

The knight only got halfway through the tent, as another man entered. Ellena recognized him, a tall, handsome man with dark hair and pale skin, he had spoken in favour of Amerei Mooton when she arrived at the camp. There was grief on his face, anger and shame. “You called for me?”, he asked, before clenching his fists. “Your grace?”

“Lord Damon Darklyn”, Aegon greeted him and Visenya raised an eyebrow. “It is custom that a vassal bows to their liege”, she brought up and with visible reluctance, Damon indeed knelt in front of his king. “Rise”, Aegon said quickly. “I have something I need to tell you”

“I'm listening”, Damon promised, though Ellena could see the hesitation on his face. She had a feeling he would not like what was about to follow. “Mylord, I have taken counsel with my advisers”, Aegon explained. “We have come to a conclusion about the future of your house”

Now, Damon listened carefully, an eyebrow raised, as his face showed caution. “What about?”, he asked. “I knelt, did I not? In return, you spared me and my people from sharing the fate of my father” Aegon's face showed no movement, as he nodded. “However, this won't be enough”, Aegon told him sternly. “To make this quick, your younger brother, Robin, shall squire for one of my knights, Ser Rahaerys Velaryon”

Damon narrowed his eyes. “You demand a ward from my family?”, he growled and Aegon nodded nonchalantly. “I am new to the customs of your lands, but I was informed this is one of the more common ones”, he confirmed, to which Damon clenched his shaking fists. “After you have taken my father, you wish to take my brother as well?”, he pressed through his teeth.

“Nobody intends to take your brother”, Rhaenys clarified softly. “Robin will be the squire of one of our greatest knights and in time, he too shall receive the honour of knighthood. He will live alongside Ser Rahaerys and we will take care of his needs”

“As long as I stand in line and follow any order given”, Damon muttered to which Rhaenys raised an eyebrow. However, it was Visenya who spoke. “Exactly”, she clarified, her words stern, lacking any compassion for the grieving Lord of Duskendale, yet neither was she playing with him. “Your brother will become our ward. See, you have been defeated in battle, your father perished and even I have to admit, this is a legitimate reason for a grudge”

“So?”, Damon asked, pressing his lips together. “So Robin will be your guarantee, beyond a mere oath, that House Darklyn will stand behind House Targaryen in the war to come”, the queen replied. “We need your troops and frankly, your word alone will not suffice with what is at stake”

“You question my honour... my queen?”, Damon asked and Visenya shook her head. “I merely question your state of mind”, she clarified. “You are hurt, angry and anyone would be in your situation. Consider this a chance to win trust, to improve the relations between our houses”

Damon frowned. “Will you demand the same from Lord Mooton?”, he asked. “A day ago, he was your enemy as well. Or did he win your trust for stealing Amerei's title?” Rhaenys gave Visenya a sharp look before the other woman was able to reply. “He did not steal it, it was given to him. Lady Amerei never had high chances to inherit Maidenpool in the first place and from what I was able to tell, neither did she want to”

“But you wanted”, Visenya deduced and Damon's frown grew stronger. “If your passionate defence of the poor girl has been any indicator” Damon slowly shook his head. “You misjudge me, Queen Visenya”, he claimed. “But Amy was forced to make a decision hours after learning her father had died. How can you expect her to do this?”

“You did”, Aegon brought up and Damon sighed. “I did”, he confirmed. “Yet Amy is not like me. She's a gentle soul and she needed more time for this” He cut himself off as his voice cracked and Ellena noticed how young he truly was. For all his looks, he couldn't possibly be more than ten years her senior, still a young man. There was a familiar anger in his expression, one she had felt as well. “But you haven't called for me to talk about Amy”, he mumbled. “Much rather, you talk about taking my brother away”

“I told you...”, Rhaenys began, though Damon cut her off harshly. “Yet this is what you demand”, he clarified. “My brother should leave with me to Duskendale. We should mourn, we should rebuild and perhaps eventually learn to live with the new situation you present us with. And yet your... orders aim for something different”

Visenya smirked thinly and as she moved around the table, Ellena noticed something feline about her. It was unlike Rhaenys' playfulness, her movements instead showing a predatory elegance. The look she gave Damon was the same a starved wolf might give to a lamb. “So do you follow the order?”, she asked.

“Robin should come to Duskendale with me”, Damon mumbled in defeat. “To bury our father. Would you deny this to him?” Visenya, now standing behind him, raised an eyebrow. “Would you deny the king his right to take a ward?”, she asked, though not as harsh as Ellena would have expected.

As soon as she said this, Aegon raised his hand, causing his wife and the Lord of Duskendale to look at their king. “I grant it”, he merely said. “Your brother can return to Duskendale first, to attend the funeral for Lord Bryen” His gaze got something steely in it as he continued. “Afterwards, he shall travel to the Aegonsfort, by the mouth of the Blackwater. I grant him an escort of twenty men, who shall ensure he is treated well while in service of Ser Rahaerys” He was not smiling and his expression lacked the compassion of Rhaenys, instead being notably closer to Visenya's iron determination. “Are these conditions acceptable, Lord Darklyn?”

“They... are, your grace”, Damon gave in, though a slight hint of relief followed with it. “Would that be all?” He sighed as Aegon shook his head. “Robin and his escort shall bring with them the tribute”, the king explained and Damon raised an eyebrow. “All the gold of Duskendale? The treasures of the Narrow Sea?”

“Partially”, Aegon admitted. “Your wealth will support the war effort, but I won't take all of it. Hardly, in fact. Lord Rosby has created a list with the necessary expenses, coin we need to support the newly grown troops. Duskendale and Maidenpool will deliver, but I had a look over it and I doubt it is substantial, compared to the wealth in your treasury”

The man he spoke about, the thin, grey-haired Lord Rosby, put a hand onto a document in front of him. Damon looked at it, as he narrowed his eyes. “A generous deal, your grace”, he proclaimed. “Suspiciously generous even” Aegon simply nodded, though Rhaenys replied in his stead. “Winter is coming, mylord”, she told him. “We come as rulers, not destroyers, as conquerors, not butchers. Your people are our people and starving them is the last any of us want” She gave him a wink and for a moment, Damon tensed up. “I trust you to take the necessary steps to feed your people when the first snow falls”

This seemed to surprise the young lord and he gave an uncertain nod. “I shall”, he agreed. “But there is more, isn't it?” Visenya smirked, as she put a hand onto his back, a gesture which on its own caused him to shiver. “One more thing”, she admitted and looked at her brother. Aegon leant forwards on his chair. “I require your swords”, he revealed.

A look of confusion flashed over Damon's face. “Your grace, you have our swords”, he promised. “Those of my men that survived your wrath have sworn an oath to my house and I in return to you” Aegon shook his head. “You misunderstand”, he told him. “Consider it the tribute, the real tribute. When Robin arrives at the Aegonsfort, he will bring your sword with him and those of your sworn knights”

“My sword?”, Damon asked, his voice getting sharper again. He carried it with him and no one had made attempts to remove it. Why would they? Aegon was surrounded by a dozen armed guards and Damon was just one man. The moment he put a hand onto the hilt of his weapon, half of the knights in the tent followed the gesture.

Queen Visenya, who stood closest to him and with her own slender blade out of reach, was calm. “Your sword”, she confirmed. “My husband has a particular use for it” She didn't even flinch as Damon drew the blade, though now, four of the knights did the same. The queen rolled her eyes, as she raised her hands. “There is no need to be this tense, Sers”, she told them.

Quietly, Damon glanced at the sword, the steel having an oddly dark colour. “The Dark Blade of Duskendale”, he mumbled. “Ever since I received this weapon, that was my title... The best knight in the Riverlands and a sword that was supposed to be my legacy” He narrowed his eyes at King Aegon. “What do you intend to do with it?”

“Does it matter?”, Visenya asked, as she looked at the weapon itself. “Is this Valyrian Steel?” Damon shook his head. “Common steel, yet forged in the east, darkened, but otherwise no comparison to your own blade, or King Aegon's famous weapon”, he explained.

“Then why cling onto it?”, the queen continued. “What is this blade but a worthless trinket?” Damon frowned as she said this and he continued to look at his king. “What do you need it for?”, he asked again. “Collecting the blades of your defeated enemies for what, vanity?”

“Not more than what you show by clinging to it”, Visenya stated. “Those terms are not unreasonable. Your swords, a tribute in coin and your brother as a ward. Were our fates inverted, would you handle it differently? Would your terms be more generous?”

Damon hesitated still, looking at the blade in his slightly shaky hands. Finally, he pulled himself together with a groan of frustration, as he simply let go of the sword. It clang as it fell onto the table, from where it slowly slipped to the ground. Without saying another word, Damon turned around and stormed off, the guards letting him pass after a quick nod from Aegon.

Once he was gone, Rhaenys exhaled. “That... was uncomfortable”, she stated and Aegon gave her a nod. She reached for his hand and he grabbed hers closely. “Shouldn't it be a joyous day? Feasts and celebrations?” Aegon shook his head. “Not yet”, he stated. “Not for me” He sighed. “We knew what we'd get into, my love”

Rhaenys' smile widened. “Did we?”, she asked and leant forwards, to kiss him onto the cheek. He slightly turned his head and their lips met. Ellena noticed how Visenya looked on, her expression harder than usual. “I told you Lord Darklyn would be an uneasy ally”, she said and Aegon nodded. “That's what Robin is for”, he agreed. “A ward to keep Damon in line”

“Do we know that it will be enough?”, Visenya brought up and to this, Lord Rosby spoke up. “Absolutely, my queen”, he confirmed. “It is widely known that the Darklyn brothers have a close bond. Damon will consider this a cruelty, when, in fact, it is a chance for Robin, but it will certainly keep him in line. You are right that you will never win his love, but it does not matter as long as he stays loyal”

In this moment, the blue-haired knight returned. He held a chair in one hand, the other one balancing a sizeable plate laden with fruit and bread. Ellena had to admit, she was starving and the mere sight of it caused her stomach to growl. Rhaenys seemed to notice it, as she leant closer to her. “Sit and eat, Ellena”, she told her. “I believe we have a lot to talk about”

Ellena did just that and gladly so. Sitting down on the chair, she reached for a slice of bread, stuffing it into her mouth without even waiting. That was not what she had been taught, but in this moment, hunger won over manners. Rhaenys smirked and even her sister cracked a slight smile.

“Rhaenys is right though”, Aegon said and Ellena quickly swallowed the slice of bread. Quickly, Rhaenys followed by handing her a cup filled with water. “We also have wine, but a girl your age should probably stay away from it” Ellena took a deep gulp from the cup, before she gave Rhaenys a stern look. “I just turned thirteen”, she protested, to which the queen laughed brightly. “Well, that changes quite a lot”, Rhaenys said.

“I know, right?”, Ellena stated, as she bit into the bread again. Munching on it, she noticed that Aegon had an odd look on his face as he watched her and Rhaenys, almost soft. He loved his queen, she realized, truly and unconditionally so, a thought that was odd, considering whom he was. The Dragonlord, the Dragon King, the last scion of a dying empire, vestige of a glory gone in fire and smoke. He was supposed to be terrifying and regal and in a way he was, yet sitting so close to him, he did not seem to be all that different from any loving husband she had seen in her life, if only for a moment. He loved his queen, at least one of them.

“So, Ellena, you said the priestess promised you a new life at court?”, Rhaenys asked and Ellena gave her a nod. Teasingly, the queen raised an eyebrow. “She promised quite a lot that one”, she added and Visenya glared at Noelle, who was silently watching the scene from a corner. “That's what they do, little sister”, she growled. “They promise you the world if that helps them with their goals, the red charlatans” She narrowed her eyes at Noelle. “What did you need the child for, priestess?”

Noelle sighed. “I suppose you won't believe me when I claim to have pity on her?”, she asked. “She is my shame, a symbol of my failure. You might not believe it, but when it comes to Ellena, there is no higher purpose involved. I took something from her and I can never replace it. The Lord of Light believes in forgiveness, so this is my attempt to make amends”

Wulvren grimaced at this and Ellena had nothing but a cold glare for the priestess. “I never wanted your pity”, she clarified. “I never needed your pity. You promised me a new life, that is the only reason I ever came with you” She felt Rhaenys' hand on her shoulder. “She promised you something she was never allowed to grant”, the queen clarified. “But nonetheless, it shall happen. When I was the Lady of Dragonstone, I had two handmaidens by my side. As a queen, I believe more would be appropriate”

“Your handmaiden”, Ellena mumbled, her eyes widening as she imagined the possibilities. Handmaiden of a queen... there were worse lots in life and being an orphan on her own was certainly among them. “That is what I can offer to you, my sweet girl”, Rhaenys said. “If you want it”

Enthusiastically, Ellena gave her a nod. “Yes”, she exclaimed. “I... would be honoured, your grace” The queen raised a finger. “Rhaenys”, she demanded. “ I will be your grace when I'm wrinkled and grey. Don't make me sound older than I truly am” She chuckled sweetly, as she put an arm around Ellena's shoulder. “There will be responsibilities, but follow them and there should be a good life for you by my side”, she promised, before a slightly curious streak appeared on her face. “That being said, I have questions. About you, mostly. Where you come from. How you ended up here”

Ellena gulped, her smile fading as quick as it had come. Rhaenys was sweet, her curiosity honest. Yet her brother was a hulking presence in this room, her sister downright terrifying. The knights and lords, she did not know any of them and what she would say, it would be highly personal. She simply was not sure if she could tell all of them. Looking at Rhaenys, focussing onto these haunting eyes of hers, she took a deep breath before she made her choice.

[Tell Rhaenys your story] [Request to tell her in private] [Refuse to tell her]

captainivy1 · December 2017

I think we have the same timezone, an hour difference at most, but yes. I shall drink for the man on new year's eve.

And aye, weird indeed to have read about Harris a year ago, apart from the Lucas-visions in Chapter 9 that was his last (/latest? ) appearances. It was one hell of a part though.

InGen_Nate_Kenny · December 2017

[Try to escape] Agh I knew Keat should have given up the backpack. I did not trust that guy.

[Request to tell her in private] Eh, why not? Give her what she wants, build trust, no embarrassment.

Ellena is moving up in the world.

Also, this is Kory Umber. Hm. Hm. Hm. Great Other? Probably not?

Why is Visenya always so maligned? Poor woman.

WildlingKing · December 2017

Hmm, interesting part in the North, and finally we know what's this mysterious problem of the Umber's. From what we know now it seems indeed pretty obvious that Koryn is the one leaking the information to the wildlings. However, I could see there being some deeper reasons than "he is one of the wildings now". For example, the wildlings could be blackmailing him to do this. Maybe they have his child as a prisoner, or some shit like that. Or maybe I'm looking into this too much and Koryn just genuinely doesn't feel like the Umber's are his true family anymore and is happy to bamboozle them. Btw, kinda badass that the Umber's are keeping fricking bears as pets

And oh man, Keat is having the worst day ever. I'm sure he is starting to regret coming back to Oldtown... maybe he could've started a new career in Lannisport, I've heard they appreciate tricksters there And I have to say, the mutilated ear might harm Keat's trick of being bland and blending into the crowd. Unless he keeps a hood on or grows long enough hair to cover it, it's certainly going to catch the eye.

Lastly, these parts with the Targaryen's are just a treat It's so awesome to see them take their first steps in building their kingdom, and see how their distinct personalities compliment each other in any given situation. That's a powerful and dynamic trio if I ever saw one. And looks like Ellena chose the option that pleased Aegon the most, that's good. Visenia probably would've preferred her to be even harsher towards Noelle, while I imagine Rhaenys would've been sympathetic towards the merciful option. Nonetheless, she chose to make Ellena her handmaiden, and I'm glad for that Also kind of interesting that Noelle thinks the enemy is already near Aegon... gotta keep an eye out for that. And then for the choices...

[Surrender] The thing is, as bad luck as it was for Keat to run into Lanford right after Bannister, I do consider him to be one of the better people in Oldtown. I know, not a particularly high standard there, but still. And Keat should have enough money already to keep Hishi and her people satisfied, even if he can't pay the whole debt yet. For what we've seen they are reasonable people, and will probably give Keat some kind of chance to prove himself. And then there's the fact that I am very curious to finally meet Hishi

[Tell Rhaenys your story] Simply put, I don't consider Ellena's story to be embarrasing, and I doubt there is anyone in the tent who wouldn't empathize with her. Sure, it shows her as vulnerable, but perhaps that's not such a bad thing, because it also reveals how much she has gotten through, which is honestly quite impressive for such a young girl. Asking to tell the story in private or refusing to tell it at all on the other hand could make some of these people suspicious towards Ellena and her motives, even if there is no real reason for it.

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