Since I'm fine with any outcome I won't choose this time
Are you sure about this? I mean, I always leave it up to you if you want to choose or not, but you might want to rethink things in this case, because the choice might turn out to be quite crucial Jokes aside, next part should be out quite soon and with it, there will be actually important choices again.
1) Oh boy this was a very action centric part!I love it!
Glad to hear it! I don't get to write action-centric parts as often as I'd like to, but that means they are always a highlight, certainly for me and apparently for you as well! Of course, I do have some pretty big stuff coming up in future chapters, there will be action scenes that'll be unlike anything ever featured in the story before, but as it is right now, I cherish the rare opportunity to have parts like this one, where there's not much talking, but tons of fighting.
2) Congratulations to Drent to have succeed his own part in their mission! And he even reach the 6th position of the joust after defeating 3 guys (and two of them were full armoured and better trained knights)
Aye, he got as far as he realistically could. I think you and others voiced concerns that he could actually win this against all odds, but I can assure you, that was never something I had planned. With a mixture of luck and skill, Drent got as far as logically possible, but the moment one of the true elite of this melee put his attention onto him, he was pretty much without a chance. What he did here is succeeding at the task Argella gave him, but beyond that, he also gained a respectable placement in the melee. I must slightly correct you though, he took down one knight. Warrick Fell is highborn and was trained by Felwood's master-at-arms, and until Drent dealt a downright incapacitating blow to his throat, he actually had the upper hand, but he is not a knight. Things are different with the fawn knight, who goes by the name of Bryan Cafferen, but not every knight is guaranteed to be a perfect fighter (see people such as Meryn Trant for example) and in his case, Drent was resourceful enough to use his opponent's anger against him. He definitely did not gain this position out of skill alone, as far superior fighters such as Argilac himself placed behind him, but by cunningly utilizing his own skills and carefully picking his fights.
3) Btw I'm curious if at the end of the tourney we will learn the winners of the joust,meele and archery contest
I can announce that yes, you absolutely will. Drent will have another part and I intend to reveal the answer to your question there. So, I'm not going to say much more right here, but I do intend to have Drent's next part come out in a timely manner, so you don't have to wait too much for this
4) Ah ah this time you mentioned even more Houses! I'm curious to learn if the members of them will have a role in the story
As a matter of fact, some of them will indeed. I mean, in a way all of them will have a role in the story, just like how the books are crowded with super minor characters who are mentioned every once in a while but never really do anything of note. Some of the characters we've seen in this part are submitted characters and they will have a larger role than that, while others are planned to at least be recurring background characters, to make the world feel more lively in general. But we will learn about most of these characters by name and get to explore their personality for a bit.
Since I'm fine with any outcome I won't choose this time
RT:
1) Oh boy this was a very action centric part!I love it!
2) Congratulation… mores to Drent to have succeed his own part in their mission! And he even reach the 6th position of the joust after defeating 3 guys (and two of them were full armoured and better trained knights)
3) Btw I'm curious if at the end of the tourney we will learn the winners of the joust,meele and archery contest
4) Ah ah this time you mentioned even more Houses! I'm curious to learn if the members of them will have a role in the story
ARGLIAC GET HYPED! HAIL! Good part except DURRANDON LOST!
Up close, the greatsword had a slight advantage, as Warrick slammed the crossguard into Drent's side. It wasn't a heavy attack, yet nonetheless painful enough for him to notice, as he staggered to the side. While this allowed Warrick a greater range with his sword, it more importantly gave Drent the room he needed to properly block with his spear. He followed by doing exactly that, blocking the next of Warrick's blows.
This is why you should invest in a crossguard lightsaber. Very effective.
Also, wouldn't it be a great twist if Drent was DEAD? That would be amazing. Totally unexpected, much wow.
I wonder how many of these unnamed people encountered actually mean anything. I feel like maybe one or two will be a full on character. Maybe not.
Drent
The moment had come, faster than Drent had expected. One moment, he was still warming up, preparing for the fight to come and tryin… moreg to calm down, the next moment, the sound of horns signalled that it was time for him to make his way to the tourney grounds. It was in this moment, that he stared down at himself and noticed just how much his hands were shaking.
Edonia shot him a bright smile, sweat running down her forehead, as she lowered the sparring sword. Trying to regain her breath for a moment, she managed to chuckle, as she took a step towards him. “That was...”, she gasped. “That was pretty good. If you fight like that during the melee, that poor Fell boy won't stand a chance”
Drent smiled thinly, though he shook his head. “Most of these people are knights, or aspiring to be”, he told her. “They are as good as five of us” Edonia shook her head, slowly regaining her breath. “That's what they want you to believe”, she repli… [view original content]
ARGLIAC GET HYPED! HAIL! Good part except DURRANDON LOST!
Aye, unfortunately he did lose. Winning in a melee is one of the things he simply cannot do anymore, being in his late sixties and all. I can reveal though, had he been thirty years younger, perhaps forty, in his true prime, he would have very likely won. As it is, placing seventh out of over ninety combatants is truly impressive for his age and he is easily better than half of the people who placed even higher (such as Drent). He just picked the most difficult fight on purpose, challenging Landry Swann to single combat and the man definitely earned his position as the captain of the royal guard. But settling for a lesser opponent would defy Argilac's true intention of getting the best possible fight out of this.
This is why you should invest in a crossguard lightsaber. Very effective.
In that case, Drent would be super dead by now. Crossguards in general have been surprisingly effective in this melee. Perhaps the most devastating blow Drent received was the one where Warrick slammed his crossguard against his jaw and that one could have easily cost him teeth or tongue. Got a bit lucky there. Had Kylo Ren been among the fighters, the winner would have been clear by now (It's Chewbacca of course).
Also, wouldn't it be a great twist if Drent was DEAD? That would be amazing. Totally unexpected, much wow.
Nobody would see that one coming, eh? Killing off a PoV character not at the very end of the chapter, but more like 3/4th in, I think the last time I did that one was with Lyria. Mmmm, might give me an idea for some of the PoV deaths down the line in Book 2.
I wonder how many of these unnamed people encountered actually mean anything. I feel like maybe one or two will be a full on character. Maybe not.
I can confirm, three of them are submitted characters and they will, of course, play a bit of a role, at least receiving decent characterization down the line, but with almost two full books still to come, don't expect them to matter all that quickly. Out of the others, there is at least one whom I have quite a memorable part planned for, though we're talking about Book 3 material for sure in that case. The others, there might be some recurring mentions. The goal is to flesh out the world a bit, not only with important or even just secondary characters, but with recurring background characters you become familiar with over time, even if some of them won't necessarily grow beyond that role.
ARGLIAC GET HYPED! HAIL! Good part except DURRANDON LOST!
Up close, the greatsword had a slight advantage, as Warrick slammed the cros… moresguard into Drent's side. It wasn't a heavy attack, yet nonetheless painful enough for him to notice, as he staggered to the side. While this allowed Warrick a greater range with his sword, it more importantly gave Drent the room he needed to properly block with his spear. He followed by doing exactly that, blocking the next of Warrick's blows.
This is why you should invest in a crossguard lightsaber. Very effective.
Also, wouldn't it be a great twist if Drent was DEAD? That would be amazing. Totally unexpected, much wow.
I wonder how many of these unnamed people encountered actually mean anything. I feel like maybe one or two will be a full on character. Maybe not.
Drent's POV was incredible! Can't remember the last time I was so nervous while reading a chapter, I literally held my breath. Good job, Drent. It was obvious he wouldn't win the melee, but defeating Warrick Fell is really impressive.
Obviously, there isn't a voting to be closed this time, so I thought I'm just going to give you a bit of a heads up to let you know that I aim to release the next part in a few hours, especially as a recap will be necessary. There is one tiny situation that could prevent me from releasing the next part today though. See, it is my birthday tomorrow and coincidentally, my favourite pub reopens tonight after months of being renovated. What, I say, could be a more fitting celebration? As such, if I don't manage to finish the part until I leave the house this evening, I have to finish it tomorrow. Since that day is planned to be a rather calm one despite the occasion, there should be plenty of time to do this, though I (and I suppose you as well) would highly prefer to release it today. So, today or tomorrow, with me trying my best, as always
This next part will continue Kersea's storyline. Last time we saw her has been quite some time ago. Back then, she and Leonard entered the now abandoned Hammered Harp Inn on their way to Oldtown, where they met a secretive group of strangers. They are the sellswords Drake Ironshield and Elias, the showman Magnus Silverstone and his assistant Bennett. Furthermore, there's a dead man in the backroom of the tavern, whom the sellswords have allegedly nothing to do with. Naturally, things seem to be quite menacing and Kersea is pretty much on the edge. They also happen to run low on supplies, means in a way, Leonard and Kersea hope that the sellswords can be convinced to share some of theirs. Yet, when Drake actually offers a drink to share, to honour the guest right, both decline, fearing that there's something off with it. The next part will continue right there. I also plan to add another PoV in it, which will continue either the storylines of Lachlan Keding or Alys, showing either Lachlan's meeting with Lord Royce or Alys' time in Merman's Rest as Edward plans to leave for a raid with Jadith Linster. I have not decided which one to add yet, but I suppose I will decide after finishing Kersea's part.
The next part should be out today!
Obviously, there isn't a voting to be closed this time, so I thought I'm just going to give you a bit … moreof a heads up to let you know that I aim to release the next part in a few hours, especially as a recap will be necessary. There is one tiny situation that could prevent me from releasing the next part today though. See, it is my birthday tomorrow and coincidentally, my favourite pub reopens tonight after months of being renovated. What, I say, could be a more fitting celebration? As such, if I don't manage to finish the part until I leave the house this evening, I have to finish it tomorrow. Since that day is planned to be a rather calm one despite the occasion, there should be plenty of time to do this, though I (and I suppose you as well) would highly prefer to release it today. So, today or tomorrow, with me trying my best, as always
This next part will continue Kersea's storyline. Last time we sa… [view original content]
What is this' too much pub' you are talking about? I'm afraid I do not understand. How is that even possible? And even if, I say the mission was a critical success, if anything. That being said, my plan to finish the part before leaving the house was way too ambitious and I admit to it. Turns out, I only had about two hours after closing the voting and before leaving and I needed them and a majority of today to come even close to finish the part. While it is 3 AM on the 18th for me right now, I do consider the entire time until I head to bed as 'today', means I am technically still in the time frame I set for myself, surprisingly. And be assured, the part is about to be finished, should be ready during the next hour! Took me long enough to write, though I blame the part itself, which didn't make it quite easy for me, for some reason. I'm not even procrastinating, it's just been odd how I manage to write this actively and yet still struggle with the occasional part.
And thank you very much! Hard to believe I've been four years younger back when I first started to write the story and at the current pace, I'll still be here four years from now. I think I look forward for this
See, it is my birthday tomorrow and coincidentally, my favourite pub reopens tonight after months of being renovated.
Clearly, it was too much for Liquid. Critical mission failure. Too much pub.
On a late note, happy birthday Liquid!
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and Elias leant forward, reaching below the table. A few feet behind him, Kersea's hand moved beneath her cloak, clinging onto the dagger.
Drake however was raising both of his hands. “Hey, easy now”, he spoke. “What I mean is, you do look hungry. Rude guests you might be, but sending you away, that might cause your death. Can't stand for that” Slowly, he stood up, Leonard visibly tensing up. Drake tried to ease things by smiling, though it only caused Kersea to grow more nervous. Something wasn't right about this and in a way, she was more wary of the smiling, friendly Drake than of the brutish Elias. More often than not, the truly dangerous ones were those who smiled.
“Where do you think you're going?”, she growled, as Drake turned his back on them. The sellsword glanced over his shoulder and he raised an eyebrow. “Upstairs”, he spoke. “I'll gather a handful of supplies for you. Not much, just enough so that you don't starve. Then, you will leave” As he said this, he narrowed his eyes. “If you stay on the roads, you should reach the next settlement without much of an issue. Afraid that's all I can offer”
Leonard gave him a nod, still showing blatant distrust with every move he made. “It'll do”, he spoke, before he looked at Kersea. “Get ready. We're leaving” Nervously glancing from him to Elias, she nodded, as Drake left the room, to go upstairs.
For a moment, nobody said a word. Elias still had a hand beneath the table, while Magnus Silverstone had both of his folded over his chest, his smile a shaky and weak one. The boy, Bennett, stood in the background, eyeing the group as carefully as Kersea did.
“So...”, Magnus finally broke the silence, smiling at Leonard, who shot him a stern look in return. “What do you want in Raylansfair these days? Last time we left the city, it's been in a bit of a turmoil. These new people on the streets, I don't think they mean well”
Leonard nodded. “Might be”, he admitted. “But our reasons are our own” He looked away. “I won't ask for yours either” With this, he quickly looked away from Magnus and towards Elias again. If not for him, the whole encounter would likely be notably less tense. But while Drake at least put some effort into his act, Elias was downright openly hostile. In a way, it was this behaviour that surprised Kersea. If they'd be common bandits, wouldn't he try to lure them in? She wasn't certain why he'd act that way, but behind his thuggish features, there was something sharp in his gaze and she did not consider him to be simple in any way. At least not that simple.
“Don't know what got into Drake”, the sellsword growled in this moment. “Never been that forgiving before. Our supplies are our own. Paid for them with good coin. We shouldn't part with them” Leonard shrugged. “Tell him then”, he offered. “Or is he in charge?” Elias hesitated for a moment, frowning and glaring viciously. “We're partners”, he insisted. “But I won't get into an argument over you two. He wants to give you something, well, that's on his share then”
As he focussed onto Leonard, Kersea got a brief glance at what he was holding beneath the table. At that angle, she clearly recognized the hilt of an axe, a one-handed, double-bladed war axe. It was this that fully convinced her that there was more than just something off. “Leonard...”, she mumbled and Elias narrowed his eyes. Her gaze fell onto him, then to the stairs and she gasped. “Watch out!”, she yelled.
This warning likely saved his life, as Leonard reacted as quickly as she expected from a man of his training. He pushed himself backwards, toppling over with the chair, but the dagger thrown at him missed him barely and instead hit the wooden beam to his right. Having barely descended the chairs, Drake suppressed a curse, as Magnus and Bennet dashed away from the table. Elias himself jumped up, the axe now visible in his hand. Kersea herself needed only a second for the dagger to appear in her hand.
“Fuck!”, Leonard yelled, as he stood up. On shaky legs, he staggered to the wall, resting against it, sword in hand, as Drake slowly came down, now wielding a longsword and the iron shield that gave him his name. He had taken the time to get dressed, wearing thick, boiled leather and chainmail beneath. His smile was still there, but it had gotten downright menacing.
In comparison, Elias seemed angry, but not necessarily at Kersea and Leonard. “Gods fucking damnit!”, he growled. “Why didn't you leave?” He shot Kersea a glare. “You should have just turned around and left the building” In an instant, his axe pointed at Magnus and Bennett, who had made it half the way to the bag in the corner. “Stay away from your stuff, man”, he snarled and Magnus stopped, slowly raising his hands.
Drake chuckled softly, as he came closer, approaching Leonard like a hungry wolf. Kersea tensed up, unable to charge him without going past Elias, unwilling to just face the larger sellsword head on. He made no move to attack her, unlike Drake, who pointed his sword at Leonard.
“So, I take it you two murdered the man in the back?”, Leonard deduced and Drake nodded nonchalantly. “Turns out he was worthless”, he explained. “Sellsword, but a crippled one. Cavalry busted his leg in Raylansfair. The Volantene don't pay for those. Had he pulled his cards right, he could have left freely, but he decided to fight us instead”
“Paid the price”, Elias mumbled. “Drake, those aren't like him. Just let them fucking leave” Drake shook his head, as he smirked knowingly. “That's why I'm the brains, Elias”, he replied sharply. “I recognize the man. They want him over in Oldtown, for murder and all sorts of nasty stuff” He chuckled. “This one won't be sold to Volantis, or bled dry in the woods. Bet the Oldtown guard will pay handsomely”
By now, Leonard had gotten over the initial shock. He gave Kersea a brief look, nodding at her gratefully, before focussing fully onto Drake and Elias. “What are you?”, he asked. “Bandits? Slavers? His sword pointed at the back room. “Or just common killers?”
Drake shrugged. “I'd say sellswords. Survivors” The hand holding the shield moved to his chest. “I myself am hard to kill. We're honest folk, trying to get by. Sometimes, this includes robbing travellers, sometimes it involves killing them, or selling them to the highest bidding” His smile widened. “Took me a while to recognize you. Elias is right, if you would have just left, I doubt I would have started a fight. Not the kind we usually take on. You're dangerous, aye?”
“So are we”, Elias said in a threatening tone, though unlike Drake, who came closer ever so slowly, he remained exactly where he was. “And you came prepared. Saw right through the act, I suppose”, Drake continued and briefly, he glared at Elias. “Which hasn't been made easier by you”
Just as Kersea had hoped, Leonard took this momentary distraction to attack. Trying to bring his sword down on Drake's head, the sellsword parried with his shield, his strike in retaliation forcing Leonard to jump back. They glared at each other, looking for a potential weakness and Drake quickly gazed at Leonard's leg, still smirking.
Kersea tensed up, as the sellsword attacked again. As his blow, aimed at Leonard's leg, got stopped by the knight's sword, she readied herself to jump in. In this moment, Elias moved into her field of view, visibly hesitating to actually attack her, a far cry from his previous demeanour and his brutish manners. “Stay out of this, girl”, he growled. “Don't want to kill you, but if you think you can gang up on Drake, you're wrong”
“Stop talking and kill the bitch”, Drake hissed, as he moved in to attack Leonard again, once more attempting to strike the knight's weaker leg. Leonard had noticed this, shifting his weight more to the other leg, but he was clearly struggling.
Still, Elias seemed reluctant to actually attack and Kersea was not sure if he'd even do it. Leonard needed her help, that much was clear. If she'd rush at Drake right now, that'd leave Elias unchecked for and reluctance aside, that man was certainly a danger. Yet fighting him might cost valuable time to help Leonard.
[Assist Leonard against Drake][Fight Elias]
Alys
Staying in Merman's Rest was perhaps the best decision Alys had made in many months. For the first time since her ordeal in Harrenhal, she was without Edward, as the man had actually left three days ago, accompanied by Jadith Linster, Bear, Morgrem Dermont and almost all of his men. A token force had been left behind, but his influence over her, it was gone.
Of course, it also meant that Alisa was gone as well, always by Edward's side. Carvin remained to watch over Alys, but she could not deny that she missed the Karstark woman, quite dearly so. For her sake, Alys made it a point to light a candle every morning, a prayer to the Seven, to grant her friend a safe journey and a swift return.
Right now, she did just that, lighting the candle and placing it in her window, from where she was able to overlook most of Merman's Rest. She and Carvin had been brought to Aeron Blacksails' guest manor, notably smaller than the pirate king's seat, but nonetheless luxurious, especially when comparing it to the small cabin Alys had spent weeks in as they had made their way from Raylansfair to Merman's Rest.
It was located on the edges of the town, a tall building on wooden planks, close to the water. It was brighter here than in other parts of the city, for the opening of the grotto was closer than anywhere else in all Merman's Rest. Unfortunately, it was also louder than in Aeron's comfortable palace. Being located that close to the water and the actual docks made it mandatory that not one but two taverns were located nearby and the noise of drunken pirates had kept her up the first night. By now, her opinion had changed and Alys was no longer bothered by it. In fact, she slowly began to consider it exciting.
As such, after having lighted a candle and finishing her silent prayers to the Seven, Alys left the room, finding herself in a short hallway. Carvin's room was located at the other end of it, though Alys refrained from waking him. Last night, he had been out drinking with Warmond Manderly and she was certain he'd appreciate being able to sleep in.
Had he been there, he would advice against leaving without him, but Alys was not afraid. With a little help from Sargasso Saan and a generous donation from the king himself, she had changed her attire, now wearing white pants and a green shirt not unlike the occasional female pirate she had encountered in Merman's Rest. The pants were notably shorter than any she had ever worn before, going just a little over her knees and exposing the flesh on her lower legs, while the shirt was formless and of a kind that would have been considered way too big to be fashionable in any way. As a compromise, she had acquired a belt for her waist, tying the wide fabric closer to her body.
With her hair tied up, she threw a brief glance at the small, stained mirror in the hallway. Confident green eyes looked back at her, out of a lean, delicate face and she cracked a smile. At long last, things were looking up for her. Edward was out of her life, for the time being, and Alys felt wonderful. The naïve girl who had left her home, she had grown. The weak young lady, who had allowed Edward to manipulate and harm her in Raylansfair, she was gone for good, thankfully. She couldn't help but to wink at her own reflection in the mirror, before she headed down the stairs and quickly out of the building.
It was morning, or what counted as it in this permanent twilight. The sun was shining outside and the outskirts of the massive cave were notably brighter than the rest as a result. Alys closed her eyes, smiling slightly. That was the one thing she missed in this wondrous place. The feeling of sunlight on her skin, of summer wind through her hair.
Then, the realities of Merman's Rest caught up to her, as a drunken sailor passed her, slurring a bawdy song. He staggered, clinging onto the wooden cart next to Blacksails' guest house. Giving her a nod, he flashed a brown grin. “M'lady”, he mumbled, before he continued his way to the nearest tavern. Quickly, he was lost in the crowd.
And crowded it was. For the early hour, Merman's Rest was already plenty busy. The first taverns opened up, the last closed down for a few precious hours. Brothels offered their services, while two new ships had made their way to the harbour, a nimble one from the Summer Isles and a strangely shaped ship with angular sails, coloured in bright azure, with a golden serpent on its banners. Their crew consisted of dark-haired and pale-skinned men and women with strange features of a kind Alys had never seen in her life, some even dressed in heavy armour, carrying crates up to their ship with stern, martial movements.
Just another wonder of this place, though Alys found herself slowing down as she moved through the crowd, staring at this azure ship and its oddly looking crew. Once more, she realized that the world was so much larger than she had ever even considered. And here she was, settling for Dorne. She chuckled at how small her destination seemed to be now, surrounded by these pale soldiers and the Summer Islanders with their skin of midnight, the bronzed Ghiscari and even the misshapen ape-men from Ib. Maybe there would be an opportunity one day. She was young and her life was her own.
For today though, she had another goal in mind. Blacksails had been nothing but courteous, yet the time she had spent in the presence of Melvan Tiren had taught her one thing. If she wanted to look the part, she needed a hat, a dashing one with a wide brim, perhaps a bright feather as well. For this, she placed a hand on the purse Edward had left her with and with an almost heavy heart, she turned her attention away from the soldiers clad in azure, as she turned towards the deeper end of the cave, walking down the main street, across wooden planks and the occasional island of solid stone, as well as one or two passed out drunkards, always closer to what was hopefully the main market of Merman's Rest.
As overwhelming as it had been on her first day or two, Alys had settled in by now. The sounds, they were no longer deafening, even if the waterfall somewhere in the deep ends of the cave still remained uncomfortably loud. The multitude of chatter on the streets did not bother her anymore though. The sights and smells remained slightly dizzying, though Alys embraced them nonetheless. Well, most of them. She could do without the stench of piss, or the sight of whatever was floating in the water below the planks. All the downsides of a city, she supposed.
Slowly, the location grew more familiar. Passing a brothel, then a blacksmith, she arrived at a large central square. In the distance, she spotted Aeron Blacksails' familiar palace, but she would not approach it. The king was likely busy and captains Saan, Tiren and Manderly with him.
But the multitude of stands was what she was aiming for. Merchants offering their wares, from weaponsmiths displaying daggers and swords to fishermen showing off their newest catch. That was perhaps the one thing Merman's Rest had too much of. Alys could do without fish for every meal, but other food was hard to come by here.
Finally, she found what she was looking for. A cloth vendor, a small, balding man, whose vaguely brownish skin made it impossible to narrow down his place of birth, while the fine wrinkles were just few enough to made exact guesses about his age similarly risky. Most importantly, there were plenty of hats on the stand in front of him.
With a wide smile on her face, Alys approached him and the man noticed her interest, which caused him to reciprocate her expression. “Ah, fair lady!”, he greeted her and his voice held a mixture of accents in it. If she had to guess, it was probably something eastern. “Looking for clothes? I have what you need”
Alys nodded, as she looked at the hats in front of him. One faintly reminded her of Melvan Tiren's, another one was almost round, with a golden brim, though quickly, she spotted a dark tricorn, with a red feather on top. A wide smile formed on her face and the merchant correctly deduced her expression. “I think I would like to buy a hat”, she spoke and he quickly bowed in front of her.
That said, his expression shifted slightly as he glanced past her. “Mylady?”, he asked and she tensed up. All of a sudden, she felt watched and as she glanced over her shoulder, she indeed spotted a man, leaning against a wooden pole. He was bald and wiry, with a long, lean face and a crooked nose. The moment he spotted her, he gave up on secrecy, approaching her broadly and not bothering with her obvious discomfort at the shameless way he was staring at her.
Putting on a fearless expression, Alys straightened her back. “Can I help you?”, she asked and the man flashed her a grin, revealing a golden tooth. He was clad in simple leather, a cloak hiding his hands, yet one clearly grabbed something beneath it and she spotted a whip rolled up on his belt. “Oh, you can”, he confirmed in a polite voice. “A friend of mine has a few questions, Lady Snow. Come with me and you'll make this a lot easier”
Alys' eyes widened and she silently cursed herself for going all by herself. Instinctively, she shook her head. “I don't think I would want that”, she replied, glancing at the merchant for help. The man with the gold tooth shot him a glare. “You don't want to get on my friend's bad side if you want to stay here”, he growled and the merchant gulped. “Sorry, mylady”, he spoke, as he took a step back.
“I'm afraid this wasn't an offer, Lady Snow”, the man hissed and Alys reached behind her. Grabbing the hat she was about to buy, she closed her eyes, once more cursing herself for not waking Carvin. But the last couple days, she had been fine. No one had tried to pick a fight... perhaps because the sellsword had always been by her side.
As the man closed in on her, she made her move. Grabbing the hat, she threw it into his face, momentarily catching him off guard. And with this, she dashed away, away from the stand and the square, always back to her room. Back to Carvin! He would know what to do, he could help her.
Behind her, she heard the man spitting a foreign curse and to her horror, she heard something else. People screamed, as a whip cracked through the air. She herself had been out of its reach already, but it did its job of clearing the street, as people jumped to the side to avoid the cruel weapon.
The man was fast, she had to give him that, though on short distances, she was faster. There was no doubt that he would catch up to her eventually though. She was fast, but had doubt in her ability to run for long distances. Again, the whip cracked behind her and this time, a man screamed in pain. Hard bootsteps chased after her over the wood and she dashed down the street. Already she spotted the azure ship in the distance and this meant it wasn't too far to the house.
This brought up but one terrible thought though. Carvin had his door locked. Perhaps he was still asleep, passed out from the last night. She could try, but if he wouldn't open, the man would catch up to her. Perhaps her room, yes, that was a chance as well. Entering, slamming the door, maybe she could hide from him. As the house came closer, her nervousness grew and she knew, with the man still behind her, she only had one shot at this.
[Try to hide in your room][Try to enter Carvin's room]
[Assist Leonard against Drake] While this is risky, Kersea is not a fighter that confronts one on one without the element of surprise, and if Drake is the smart one then it's better if they take him down first.
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Alys may have grown in these months, but she shouldn't have lowered her guard so easily. Maybe Carvin has a weapon or is there.
I do wonder who owns that ship with a golden serpent in its sail, since it doesn't belong to any Westerosi house, nor from any of the Free Cities.
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
[Assist Leonard against Drake] What, am I not going to help Leonard? What am I crazy?
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Maybe he has a whore. Maybe he's summoning an eldar god. Maybe he's not there and Alys gets captured. Whatever.
This Drake is quite not nice. Like a drake, dragon-wyvern thing. Elias is slightly better, and Magnus and Bennet are useless. Drake does seem smart, or at least perceptive, noting who Leonard actually was.
Random thought here: So I was thinking about Rukh from Star Wars Rebels (and the EU, of course), and he's pretty funny looking, badass too, and now I'm imaging the Rat (or was it the Pig? The midget), as him. It doesn't make too much sense, with Rukh being a simian gray alien that uses explosive darts and cloaking devices, but he's small, and he's a decent fighter with an (electro)staff, so maybe the Rat has his buddy. Hopefully we can see a proper fight scene featuring a dwarf, like Gimil in LOTR.
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Perhaps if Drake is defeated Elias can be reasoned with. To me it seems like he is someone who takes no pleasure in this kind of life, and is only doing it out of necessity. I wonder who is this Volantene that Drake and Elias referred to. I suppose he could be a slaver, though Westeros isn't usually the first place of choice when it comes to abducting slaves, since it's much easier in so many other places. So, that makes me think that whoever this Volantene is has some other motive for being in Westeros.
Aw, Alys is lighting candles and praying for Alisa, that's sweet I certainly hope she returns safely as well. Anyway, to the choice...
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Knocking on his door should alert Carvin that Alys is in danger, even if he might not react fast enough to save her right away due to being hangover. I could guess that going to the streets of the pirate city alone wouldn't be a smart idea, but now I'm wondering who is it that wants to question Alys. One of the captains would make sense, many of them are rivals to Edward, and Alys no doubt raised their interest earlier. I doubt its Aeron Blacksails, since he wouldn't have to send a thug after Alys just to ask some questions, this seems more like the work of someone slightly lower on the pecking order of Merman's Rest. Sargasso Saan comes to mind immediately, and I'd say he is the no. 1 suspect here. Melvan Tiren is another possibility, though I think he'd use different kind of methods as well, perhaps trying to befriend Alys instead of intimidating her. I doubt it's Warmond Manderly, I feel like he has no motive to question Alys, or at least I can't see it. Of course, it could also be someone we haven't even met yet. I kinda hope the thug catches Alys, just so I'll find out
I do wonder who owns that ship with a golden serpent in its sail, since it doesn't belong to any Westerosi house, nor from any of the Free Cities.
That is true, I can confirm it is not a ship from Westeros, nor the Free Cities. The colours of the sails are the only real clue I have offered here, as well as roughly the features of the people aboard, pale-skinned and dark-haired. The serpent, I can confirm, is something I have added in, because not much is known about the heraldry of the place it comes from, but a golden serpent sounds like something that'd be fitting. This ship won't play much of a role in Alys' parts, but you will see it again in the future in a different location.
[Assist Leonard against Drake] While this is risky, Kersea is not a fighter that confronts one on one without the element of surprise, and i… moref Drake is the smart one then it's better if they take him down first.
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Alys may have grown in these months, but she shouldn't have lowered her guard so easily. Maybe Carvin has a weapon or is there.
I do wonder who owns that ship with a golden serpent in its sail, since it doesn't belong to any Westerosi house, nor from any of the Free Cities.
This Drake is quite not nice. Like a drake, dragon-wyvern thing. Elias is slightly better, and Magnus and Bennet are useless. Drake does seem smart, or at least perceptive, noting who Leonard actually was.
Aye, Drake is not the nice guy here, whereas Elias is at least not the worst, who would have thought. The full things going on between these four will be revealed soon, giving you a more defined idea of where to place each of them in these events. Drake is the sharpest of them though and he did mention something quite important: Though Mullendore is no longer commander of Oldtown's city guard, Leonard is still a wanted man. He and Lucas are still officially blamed for Lunett's death and other things, which will pose a further danger to the task he and Kersea set out to do.
Random thought here: So I was thinking about Rukh from Star Wars Rebels (and the EU, of course), and he's pretty funny looking, badass too, and now I'm imaging the Rat (or was it the Pig? The midget), as him. It doesn't make too much sense, with Rukh being a simian gray alien that uses explosive darts and cloaking devices, but he's small, and he's a decent fighter with an (electro)staff, so maybe the Rat has his buddy. Hopefully we can see a proper fight scene featuring a dwarf, like Gimil in LOTR.
Hm, you mean the Rat. He's the small one, the Pig is, fittingly named, the tall and fat one. The issue with the Rat is, he's definitely not physically badass in any way. No Rukh there, not even Tyrion with his axe and certainly no Gimli. While he is a dwarf like Tyrion, he suffers from further disabilities and where Tyrion has a healthy body if we ignore his size, the Rat is legitimately disabled. He could probably be beaten to death by a five-year old. Not sure if your wish is going to be fulfilled, but I wouldn't put my money on the Rat being the one to receive anything resembling a proper fight.
[Assist Leonard against Drake] What, am I not going to help Leonard? What am I crazy?
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Maybe he has a whore. … moreMaybe he's summoning an eldar god. Maybe he's not there and Alys gets captured. Whatever.
This Drake is quite not nice. Like a drake, dragon-wyvern thing. Elias is slightly better, and Magnus and Bennet are useless. Drake does seem smart, or at least perceptive, noting who Leonard actually was.
Random thought here: So I was thinking about Rukh from Star Wars Rebels (and the EU, of course), and he's pretty funny looking, badass too, and now I'm imaging the Rat (or was it the Pig? The midget), as him. It doesn't make too much sense, with Rukh being a simian gray alien that uses explosive darts and cloaking devices, but he's small, and he's a decent fighter with an (electro)staff, so maybe the Rat has his buddy. Hopefully we can see a proper fight scene featuring a dwarf, like Gimil in LOTR.
I wonder who is this Volantene that Drake and Elias referred to. I suppose he could be a slaver, though Westeros isn't usually the first place of choice when it comes to abducting slaves, since it's much easier in so many other places. So, that makes me think that whoever this Volantene is has some other motive for being in Westeros.
Hm, you are right, Westeros isn't exactly the first choice for a slaver and they mostly just take those who are actively sold, such as the situation that led to Jorah's exile from the North. I can reveal, Drake meant the Volantene as a plural, the people of Volantis, but he has very specific buyers, so your interpretation could work just as well.
Aw, Alys is lighting candles and praying for Alisa, that's sweet I certainly hope she returns safely as well. Anyway, to the choice...
Yeah, these two definitely have become good friends! While Alisa won't appear in the remainder of Alys' Chapter 2 storyline, I figured I really should show that she remains a close influence on Alys' current life and well-being, perhaps the only one whom she is actively concerned about out of Team Edward.
I could guess that going to the streets of the pirate city alone wouldn't be a smart idea, but now I'm wondering who is it that wants to question Alys. One of the captains would make sense, many of them are rivals to Edward, and Alys no doubt raised their interest earlier. I doubt its Aeron Blacksails, since he wouldn't have to send a thug after Alys just to ask some questions, this seems more like the work of someone slightly lower on the pecking order of Merman's Rest. Sargasso Saan comes to mind immediately, and I'd say he is the no. 1 suspect here. Melvan Tiren is another possibility, though I think he'd use different kind of methods as well, perhaps trying to befriend Alys instead of intimidating her. I doubt it's Warmond Manderly, I feel like he has no motive to question Alys, or at least I can't see it. Of course, it could also be someone we haven't even met yet. I kinda hope the thug catches Alys, just so I'll find out
Aeron is indeed quite unlikely, as he has the power to just take Alys at any time and the backing of just about anyone in Merman's Rest. He could have questioned her when they first met, he could have questioned her during the dinner, but this is a rather odd time to strike, especially by sending just one thug. So, it's most likely not Aeron, that is all I can say. The others are an option, or someone who hasn't been introduced yet and this will be a topic in Alys' parts to come.
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Perhaps if Drake is defeated Elias can be reasoned with. To me it seems like he is someone who takes no pleas… moreure in this kind of life, and is only doing it out of necessity. I wonder who is this Volantene that Drake and Elias referred to. I suppose he could be a slaver, though Westeros isn't usually the first place of choice when it comes to abducting slaves, since it's much easier in so many other places. So, that makes me think that whoever this Volantene is has some other motive for being in Westeros.
Aw, Alys is lighting candles and praying for Alisa, that's sweet I certainly hope she returns safely as well. Anyway, to the choice...
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Knocking on his door should alert Carvin that Alys is in danger, even if he might not react fast enough to save her right away due to being hangover. I could guess that going to the streets of the pirate city alone wouldn't be a smart idea, but… [view original content]
Damn! Sorry Liquid but it seems that I miss your birthday! I hope that it was an enjoyable day though!
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Drake seems to be the most dangerous of the duo and I suppose that help Leonard is the quickest way to defeat the guy (and the worst thing that could happen is that Elias join the fray and that this become a 2 VS 2)
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Let's try call the bodyguard
RT: 1) Eh eh I expected that the sellwords would have only bring problems! And now a new (and probably last) fight start at the Hammered Harp! 2) Magnus and Bennet wait the worst moment possible to leave Raylainsfair eh? Now they end in the middle of a fight! 3) Meanwhile at Merman's Rest a kid learn the hard way that it is not sufficent change your clothes and that Anturion is not with her to grow as a person 4) Well I hope for the guy that try to abduct Alys that his boss pay enough because if he is going to enter in the King of Pirates guest manor without authorization he can have serious problems (obviously all this IF Alys manage to reach the house) 5)grumblegrumble still "salty" that we won't have a naval battle in the near future
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
The Rat disappoints me. It’s been a long time since the last part with him. Maybe my opinion will change.
But on another(!) note, this line got me thinking when it comes to our little conversation:
even the misshapen ape-men from Ib
Reading the description of Ibbenese from AWOIAF and knowing the Noghri, and Rukh, I think they look a lot more similar. Besides the massive amount of hair the Ib people have. Both peoples/races/species short, with similar facial features (at least I think). Probably don’t run funny, but still a connection! Maybe. I don’t think any Ibbenese will be any major characters (cue the inevitable mention that someone was Ibbenese the whole time and I forgot). Strange people from a strange place, sort of like the denizens of Merman’s Rest. Not a shocker to see Ibbenese there.
This Drake is quite not nice. Like a drake, dragon-wyvern thing. Elias is slightly better, and Magnus and Bennet are useless. Drake does see… morem smart, or at least perceptive, noting who Leonard actually was.
Aye, Drake is not the nice guy here, whereas Elias is at least not the worst, who would have thought. The full things going on between these four will be revealed soon, giving you a more defined idea of where to place each of them in these events. Drake is the sharpest of them though and he did mention something quite important: Though Mullendore is no longer commander of Oldtown's city guard, Leonard is still a wanted man. He and Lucas are still officially blamed for Lunett's death and other things, which will pose a further danger to the task he and Kersea set out to do.
Random thought here: So I was thinking about Rukh from Star Wars Rebels (and the EU, of course), and he's pretty funny looking, badass too, and now I'm imag… [view original content]
Damn! Sorry Liquid but it seems that I miss your birthday! I hope that it was an enjoyable day though!
Ah, thank you, thank you It certainly was a great and relaxing day. Spent the night before with friends, but the actual day was a calm one, a much needed break from the occasionally hectic and stressful days that came before.
1) Eh eh I expected that the sellwords would have only bring problems! And now a new (and probably last) fight start at the Hammered Harp!
Yeah, there has always been something off about them, Kersea knew it right away. Ironically, it is probably Elias' behaviour that clued her in that something is very off here. I wouldn't say that it will necessarily be the last fight taking place at the Hammered Harp, but the location is essentially abandoned for now, so it is unlikely that more people meet up there to have a fight.
2) Magnus and Bennet wait the worst moment possible to leave Raylainsfair eh? Now they end in the middle of a fight!
Some people just tend to be permanently unlucky and poor Magnus and Bennett are certainly among them. Arriving in Raylansfair only for an Ironborn raid to take place, arriving at the Hammered Harp just to get drawn into this fight between Leonard/Kersea and Drake/Elias and I can confirm, they are on their way to Oldtown, which is never a particularly great idea.
3) Meanwhile at Merman's Rest a kid learn the hard way that it is not sufficent change your clothes and that Anturion is not with her to grow as a person
Oh, I would say Alys actually did grow as a person ever since she first entered the story in Harrenhal. It just happens that a change of clothes and the absence of a shady and questionable protector mean little to the people who might be interested in her past. She can't leave it all behind as easily as she would like it to be and that is the hard lesson that still has to fully sink in.
4) Well I hope for the guy that try to abduct Alys that his boss pay enough because if he is going to enter in the King of Pirates guest manor without authorization he can have serious problems (obviously all this IF Alys manage to reach the house)
Trust me, he is paid more than enough to attempt just about anything his boss demands of him. It should be noted, this house is not actually guarded in any way, it's just one of the houses Blacksails personally owns, where he keeps his guests if they can't stay at his personal manor. He is probably keeping an eye on the property though, so he is likely to learn that someone is pursuing Alys here, if, as you said, she actually manages to reach the house.
5) grumble grumble still "salty" that we won't have a naval battle in the near future
Haha, not in the near future indeed, I am sorry. However, be assured that I have plenty of moments planned in Book 2 and 3 to satisfy all your naval battle needs. While the wait will be longer than it would have been if the other Alys choice would have won, I can assure you that you will be satisfied by those down the line
Damn! Sorry Liquid but it seems that I miss your birthday! I hope that it was an enjoyable day though!
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Dra… moreke seems to be the most dangerous of the duo and I suppose that help Leonard is the quickest way to defeat the guy (and the worst thing that could happen is that Elias join the fray and that this become a 2 VS 2)
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Let's try call the bodyguard
RT:
1) Eh eh I expected that the sellwords would have only bring problems! And now a new (and probably last) fight start at the Hammered Harp!
2) Magnus and Bennet wait the worst moment possible to leave Raylainsfair eh? Now they end in the middle of a fight!
3) Meanwhile at Merman's Rest a kid learn the hard way that it is not sufficent change your clothes and that Anturion is not with her to grow as a person
4) Well I hope for the guy that try to abduct Alys that his boss pay enough because if he is going to enter in the King … [view original content]
The Rat disappoints me. It’s been a long time since the last part with him. Maybe my opinion will change.
Well, he is not a physical badass in any way and if you ever expect him to do something impressive with his body, you will be disappointed. However, he has a brilliant mind and can be able to pull off shrewd, impressive feats just with his quick thinking. If this will be enough for you to like him, I suppose we have to wait and see.
Reading the description of Ibbenese from AWOIAF and knowing the Noghri, and Rukh, I think they look a lot more similar. Besides the massive amount of hair the Ib people have. Both peoples/races/species short, with similar facial features (at least I think). Probably don’t run funny, but still a connection! Maybe. I don’t think any Ibbenese will be any major characters (cue the inevitable mention that someone was Ibbenese the whole time and I forgot). Strange people from a strange place, sort of like the denizens of Merman’s Rest. Not a shocker to see Ibbenese there.
I'd say that is a far more fitting comparison! If I remember correctly the Noghri are not even all that close to dwarves, they just tend to be a slight bit shorter than humans at average, but not outright dwarves such as Tyrion or the Rat. The Ibbenese are probably way more comparable in terms of height. Stocky would be the term I'd use here, they are short but strong and they do have brutish, rather bestial facial features, which I think can be compared to the Noghri in a certain way. While there is likely never going to be a major Ibbenese character in the story, they will appear anywhere where such exotic people can make an appearance. Aeron Blacksails actually keeps some as his personal guard, since their features do tend to make them quite intimidating to the ordinary Westerosi.
The Rat disappoints me. It’s been a long time since the last part with him. Maybe my opinion will change.
But on another(!) note, this li… morene got me thinking when it comes to our little conversation:
even the misshapen ape-men from Ib
Reading the description of Ibbenese from AWOIAF and knowing the Noghri, and Rukh, I think they look a lot more similar. Besides the massive amount of hair the Ib people have. Both peoples/races/species short, with similar facial features (at least I think). Probably don’t run funny, but still a connection! Maybe. I don’t think any Ibbenese will be any major characters (cue the inevitable mention that someone was Ibbenese the whole time and I forgot). Strange people from a strange place, sort of like the denizens of Merman’s Rest. Not a shocker to see Ibbenese there.
Well, it definitely seems like I'm in the minority for this voting. Regardless, I still stand by my choices. I doubt Elias would so readily give up saving his companion, he might be hesitant to attack a lady but that doesn't mean he's stupid. So in order to ensure Kersea survives, we need to take care of Elias first so he doesn't stab us in the back, literally. Besides, I believe that Leonard wouldn't die from this, he's survived plenty of rough situations. This'll just add to his collection of scars.
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty… more tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and … [view original content]
Well, first of all, I can reveal that these were the penultimate parts for both characters in this chapter. A lot of characters will have only one part left, with Willfred being a notable exception. But this chapter has been going on for too long and it seems we're finally nearing the end. The next chapter should start in July after all, means I consider it realistic to at least end the current act in 2017. Crazy long, I know, but we're getting somewhere at last
The next part should be out later today. I am currently writing a Jaron PoV, but chances are there will be room for another character as well, whom I think will be either Lachlan or Willfred. But Jaron is guaranteed, his part is as good as done by now. In his last part, we have been introduced to Arryn Blackwell, Ayden's hot-headed, battle-hungry sellsword brother. He did not immediately agree to help, because instead of just working for someone who is too afraid to get his own hands dirty, he wants to work for someone who can truly understand the thrill of a good fight. For this, he challenged Jaron to a fistfight, a challenge Jaron accepted. Meanwhile, the parts for Lachlan and Willfred will either show Lachlan's meeting with Orson Royce or Willfred's deal with Maron Mullendore and Devrin Oakheart, the latter choice being one of extreme importance in the way it'll affect Willfred's storyline from here on.
Also, there is one request I have to make. I recently received the character Joffrey Tarly, created by someone who seems to be actively reading, but whom I have not seen in the thread yet. So, this one goes to the creator of Joffrey Tarly, your character is very well done, but there is one important detail I would like to talk about, preferrably in a private message. If you could send me a private message, or if you could leave a comment here in the thread so that I can send you one, that'd be much appreciated. As I said, it is an important detail in an otherwise well-done character, so it is something we have to talk about before I can use the character, but it is nothing we should be unable to work out
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda shocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty then!”, he repeated, glancing around the room, as more and more people began to pay attention to the upcoming fight. Samuel however crossed his arms, slightly shaking his head in disapproval, as he took a step back, leaning against the nearby wall and carefully watching the scene.
Jaron however narrowed his eyes. All of a sudden, he saw things clearer. The way he moved, the confidence, the strength. There was no doubt, he needed this man by his side. But for this, he had to beat him. Arryn was taller, stronger, more experienced. It took Jaron only a moment to know what he had to do to win this fight.
“Show me what you...”, Arryn began, but Jaron cut him off by attacking him. The element of surprise, perhaps his only chance. He did not like having to act like this, but every regret he felt about the situation faded when he landed the first hit and a powerful one at that, cutting Arryn off and leaving him dazed, stumbling backwards in surprise.
For as strong as the punch had been, the sellsword regained his footing quite easily, only slightly staggering, before tensing up. His grin grew smaller, but more honest at the same time and he gave Jaron a silent, approving nod. A bit of blood was visible at his nose, though he did not seem to notice it, as he attacked Jaron in return.
His punch was a strong one and not even nearly as poorly aimed as Jaron had hoped. He quickly had to raise both of his arms to catch the strike, as he pushed Arryn back and the man bumped against a nearby table. The two drunkards sitting there grumbled in displeasure, though he ignored them, as he reached for the cup of ale on their table, taking a deep gulp from it, all without breaking eye contact with Jaron. A rest of ale, mixed with blood, got caught up in the short beard on his upper lip, as he put the cup back onto the table. Checking the size of his upper arms, the drunkards quickly decided that it wouldn't be worth fighting him over, as Arryn spread his arms once more, this time beckoning Jaron over.
With a roar, Jaron charged at him and Arryn laughed, a howling tone that drowned out even the still ongoing chatter, causing attention to fall solely onto the two combatants. Jaron tensed up under the glares of the local patrons. “Arryn!”, one of them roared and soon they all chimed in. “Arryn! Arryn! Arryn!”
“Get it over with, Jaron!”, Samuel called, to Jaron's surprise and he gave him a firm nod. “Kick his ass” The Fang of Shadows glanced at the man next to him, who glared at him. He shrugged nonchalantly and the man, mustering Samuel from head to toe, finally decided to back off.
In this moment, Jaron and Arryn met again. The sellsword easily blocked his strike with his forearm, though Jaron managed to catch his fist. He tried to attack again, only for Arryn to use his free arm to hold him away from his face. “Attaboy”, he hissed. “Good start!”
With this, he pushed Jaron away again, though he followed with a savage attack of his own. At first, Jaron tried to catch the fist again, though Arryn's heavy attack forced him to dodge. Using the other man's momentum, he charged and slammed his head into the sellsword's stomach area, before grabbing him at the waist.
His attempt to lift Arryn up would have succeeded if not for his opponent to follow with two quick punches to his back, hard and painful, forcing him to let go. Groaning in pain, he staggered back and this time, he did not manage to block Arryn's next strike in full, only deflecting it to avoid getting his nose smashed. Instead, the fist slammed against his cheekbone, instantly sending tears into his eyes. It wasn't the worst he had ever taken, but it came close. And if anything, it solidified him in his conviction that this man would be invaluable to save Harpy. When it came to her, there was not a thing he wouldn't do.
Blocking Arryn's next attack with his forearm, he used the other one to do the same, then again, before he spotted an opening. As Arryn tried to punch again, he left himself open for a counterattack and Jaron followed with a blow to the jaw. Arryn's eyes widened, his own attack all but forgotten, as he staggered.
Just there, something dangerous appeared in his gaze, as he quickly regained his composure. “You're passionate, I give you that”, he complimented Jaron, as they circled each other, with the hedge knight fully focussed onto his opponent. One of Arryn's hands moved to his chin and he sighed slightly, before chuckling in silence. “I don't have to hold back for you then”
His next attack was fast, almost too fast and just as Jaron had blocked it, the next one came. Then another one and this time, he landed a straight hit. Having targeted the same side of Jaron's face he had hit before, he delivered a nasty blow. Pain exploded in Jaron's cheek, quickly spreading through his entire face.
The strike was dizzying and for a second, Jaron's vision faded. He stumbled backwards, his arms flailing around and through sheer luck, he managed to deflect Arryn's merciless attack. Raising a hand to protect his face, he narrowed his eyes, as his vision returned in proper, just in time to dodge the next blow.
Arryn was fierce and relentless in his assault and all Jaron had to match was his own ferocity. He would not fail. If he couldn't even beat this man, what hopes would he have to beat someone such as Abbas al-Yunkari? No, he would not fail! He let out a battlecry at the top of his lungs, as he took Arryn's next blow, only slightly deflecting it to avoid injury to his nose. The pain was nonetheless immense and he almost would have given up there. Almost.
Instead, he crossed the distance between them and outright jumped against the sellsword before he was able to land another strike. The weight and force was enough for Arryn to lose his footing and he staggered backwards, with Jaron pushing against him. They both toppled over, Jaron on top. And as Arryn needed a moment to realize what just happened, his fist hit the sellsword right in the face.
Arryn gasped, before he spat blood, straight against Jaron's forehead, though the knight followed with another strike, then another, before he hesitated momentarily. After all, he did not want to harm this man in any serious way. Yet the grin Arryn gave him was as wide and joyful as ever, only that now his teeth were red with blood.
He used this slight hesitation. Pain exploded in Jaron's ribs and Arryn managed to push him off. Not getting on top, he instead jumped back to his feet, grabbing the hedge knight at the collar of his shirt and lifting him up, before viciously pushing him against the nearby table. Through the pain in his ribs and his back as he hit the wood, Jaron felt something knocking over and warm ale poured all over him. Through almost deafened ears, he heard the angered shouts from the men at the table, as Arryn loomed over him.
With a groan, Jaron tried to stand up, but Arryn was faster. Silently raising an eyebrow, he lifted Jaron up again, this time holding him up as he pushed him against the table, nearly knocking the whole thing over. Then, his fist hit Jaron straight in the face, once more and then a third time, each harder than before. He had been wrong. This was the worst beating he had ever received and by the time of the third punch, Jaron was barely conscious. He was only barely aware of the blood running from the cut on his cheek. His nose ached, though it was likely not broken. At least he hoped so. The taste of blood was on his tongue.
The moment Arryn let go of him, he instantly sank to the ground and this time he remained there. Groaning, he faced the wood, though he managed to get a glimpse at Arryn turning his back on him. It was this sight that caused anger to flare up, drowning out even the pain. He would not fail. He would beat Arryn and then they would go and save Harpy. That's how it should be.
“Arryn!”, he yelled, as he slowly pushed himself up again. Every inch of his body was protesting in agony, but he ignored it. Collapsing seemed almost tempting, but he succeeded in staying upwards, just as Arryn turned around again, seeming genuinely surprised. “We're not done yet”
This time, Arryn did not smile, yet there was intrigue in his eyes and admiration. He nodded, before he charged again. Jaron barely had the time to prepare, as Arryn's fist approached his face. Swiftly, he dodged, before using his last strength to slam both of his fists into the man's stomach. He heard the sellsword groaning and he followed with yet another blow against his lower jaw.
And with this, Arryn went to the ground, yet as he fell, he grabbed Jaron. Weakened as he was, there was no resistance and he got pulled down alongside his opponent. For a moment, they both stayed that way, lying next to each other, trying to regain their breath.
As Jaron made another move to strike, Arryn stopped him, his chuckle quickly turning into genuine laughter. “Wait, hold it right there”, he gasped, as he patted Jaron on the shoulder. His laugh got louder. “Well fucking fought!”, he complimented Jaron, who groaned, as the adrenaline slowly faded, replaced by a numb pain, followed by an odd feeling of accomplishment.
It took a while for Arryn to get back on his feet, while Jaron simply remained on the ground, trying not to pass out now, until the sellsword reached down to help him up. Still on shaky feet, Jaron gave him a nod and Arryn grinned widely. “That is what I wanted to see”, he growled. “The spirit, that was glorious!” He patted Jaron onto the shoulder, causing the knight to groan in discomfort. Seven Hells, after this fight there was little that seemed more tempting than a warm bed for the night. Or maybe two nights, or an entire week.
“You will help me then?”, he asked and Arryn nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe you didn't beat me, but you did not give up either. You know what truly counts”, the sellsword complimented him, before he extended his hand. “For that, I will be your man, if you'll have me. Point me at your target and witness me”
Jaron nodded, slowly at first, but quickly getting more excited. He had done it. Hells, he had done it... Having fought this man, he knew what an asset he had just gained. Yunkai was still far, the journey would be dangerous, but with men such as Samuel, Arryn and John by his side, Jaron felt an unusual confidence. “I think...”, he said as he grabbed Arryn's hand. “That sounds pretty good”
No Choices for this part
Willfred
Maron and Devrin were smiling as they left the tower. This wasn't just the result of their successful negotiation. At least in Maron's case, his grin came from the several cups of wine he had emptied, almost compulsively. The twitching in his damaged leg had gotten better after the third and his mood had gotten more open and jovial as well.
Willfred however hadn't had many drinks. Even after agreeing to their terms, some part of him remained hesitant to actually trust Mullendore. Helenys' warning still rang in his mind and the woman was nothing if not convincing. And yet, here he was, Maron Mullendore offering what he himself had decided to do either way, the attempt to drive a rift between them. The only question that remained was, if Mullendore wanted it, was it truly the right approach? What would he gain from discrediting his ally? And was it worth giving him this victory?
“You will not regret this, boy”, Maron promised, as if he had read Willfred's thoughts. Perhaps his expression had given him away. He only managed a half-hearted smile, followed by a nod. “I surely hope so”, he spoke. “Can I trust in you keeping your end of the bargain?”
Devrin placed a hand on his shoulder, almost fatherly. His own place in this scheme was a mystery. The Lord of Old Oak was not someone he would have expected in such a situation and his entire behaviour did not fit in with the ruthlessness of his request. “Of course you can”, he promised wholeheartedly. “In fact, if you help us out, I will double the support you receive, by sending some of my own men with Maron's”
It was a tempting offer, yet all it achieved was making Willfred more suspicious. He had accepted the deal, but at what cost? At the same time, what he truly had to ask himself was, was Maron's success truly that bad for him? He was no Reachman and his duty was with the Rock first and foremost. If these men planned ill for Petyr Vyrwel, would this automatically mean ill for himself? Willfred thought briefly about this, before deciding that this was probably not the case.
“Generous”, he admitted, giving Oakheart the briefest of smiles. “I'll see what I can do. Try to get a meeting with Lord Petyr later today” Maron nodded. “You've waited long enough”, he admitted. “Should be possible, even if Petyr is busy with Lord Selwyn today” He glanced at Devrin. “I am sure you can arrange something”
Devrin's smile grew slightly smaller and Maron raised an eyebrow. “You said your brother-in-law is a simple man”, the knight growled, to which Devrin shook his head. “Simple would put things a bit too easy”, he replied. “Donnel is a man with simple needs. He cares about his own success and renown. A simple goal, but you of all people should know that it doesn't make for a simple man”
“Quite the opposite”, Maron admitted. “You got him covered though? If we are to get the boy a meeting with Petyr, we can't have Selwyn intervene” Devrin shrugged. “He might insist on being present, but I think I can prevent him from being a hindrance to what Ser Willfred is out to do”
This seemed to satisfy Maron. “He succeeds when we do”, he claimed. “Make sure your brother-in-law sees the benefits of working with us” Devrin chuckled slightly and dryly. “I see you really have a lot to learn about Donnel”, he mumbled.
Just as Maron was about to say something in reply, they were interrupted by someone running at them, across the courtyard. Willfred narrowed his eyes as he recognized Prins. The soldier stopped in front of him, gasping heavily and forgetting to salute to Devrin and Maron, something neither commented on. “Ser!”, he said. “Ser, you have to come quick!”
Willfred tilted his head, looking at Prins, as he clenched his fists. “What happened?”, he asked and the soldier took a deep breath. “They are moving your belongings!”, he revealed. “Your room is occupied by some Selwyn knight and they have brought your stuff upstairs, next to the maester's room”
Alarmed, Willfred glared at Maron Mullendore, who sighed slightly. “I was hoping Petyr would at least talk to you about this”, he muttered. “Seems he really is too busy with his new guests to keep those already here in mind” He gave Willfred an apologetic look. “I am deeply sorry. We wanted to inform you first, but time was essential. Lord Selwyn is a prideful man and we wanted to make sure that his family can stay in the same floor. Means we had to relocate you. The room next to Maester Eddard's has been free, so we ordered to bring your stuff there”
In this moment, a terrible thought crossed Willfred's mind. Eddard, the maester, he was likely a curious man. Who wouldn't, coming from the Citadel? And in this moment, all Willfred could think about was the box he had retrieved from his fight with Anturion. It was almost as if he could see it once he closed his eyes, Eddard going through his room, spotting the box, the intrigued expression on his face...
“Bring me there”, he growled. “At once!” Prins saluted and turned away, while Willfred gave Maron a stern look. “I do not appreciate for anyone to meddle with my belongings”, he warned him. “Next time we speak, I trust you will have arranged a meeting with Lord Petyr”
Maron nodded. “I'll do it immediately”, he promised. “Might even work this evening. Remember our agreement” As soon as he had said this, Willfred stopped listening. He nodded half-heartedly, though all he could think of was Eddard inspecting the artefact. He'd know about it, he'd know what to do... It should be a good thing, yet Willfred felt an almost otherworldly concern. He knew, this must not happen!
As such, he wasted no time in rushing after Prins, soon catching up with his soldier. “Where are the others?”, he asked as they hurried down the courtyard. “Tallian and Jack and my uncle” Prins glanced at the Great Hall. “I've sent Jack to inform them about what happened here”, he spoke. “Sorry, Ser. We should have prevented it”
Willfred narrowed his eyes. “Damn right you should have”, he growled and as they rushed up a flight of stairs, he put a hand onto the man's shoulder. “Do not disappoint me again, Prins” His voice was vicious and as he saw the fear in his loyal soldier's eyes, he hesitated for a moment. This anger, it wasn't what he was used to from himself and he had no idea where it suddenly came from.
“I... of course, Ser”, Prins stuttered, as he saluted, still a bit baffled by the threat. Willfred sighed, as they reached the top of the stairs. “I won't fail you again, Ser”, the soldier promised, as he pointed at an open door. “That's it...” He did not get to finish his sentence, as Willfred rushed past him and towards the door.
It was a decently sized room and his belongings had all been brought there, neatly piled up on the wall to his right. What truly mattered though was that there was someone in his room. Willfred spotted Eddard. Young for a maester, he had something youthful and lively about him, something the knight was not used to from his experience at Castamere. Just as the man turned around, he revealed the box he held in his gloved hands.
“Ah, Ser Willfred”, he greeted him politely. “I just made sure that all of your belongings have been brought up here. Surely you have heard about the unexpected change of rooms” Still holding the box closely, he put one hand onto his chest. “I was hoping we'd get a chance to talk. My apologies that this all seems to come a bit out of the blue”
Willfred barely listened. There was relief that overcame him as he saw that the box had not been opened yet. Not by this man at least... He narrowed his eyes, as the thought crossed his mind. Deep down, he knew it wasn't entirely his, but that didn't make what he felt any less real. There was anger, almost livid anger just from seeing the man holding what was rightfully his!
“Ser?”, Eddard asked and he followed Willfred's gaze, down to his hand and the object he held. His smile became slightly nervous. “I can assure you, I did not meddle with your belongings. This however is an interesting little trinket. Ancient wood, if I am not mistaken. Would you mind me asking a couple questions? I know a few people at the Citadel who would be very interested in such things” He gulped as he saw Willfred's expression. Everything inside the knight screamed to just knock it out of the man's hands, to prevent him from holding onto it any longer. He did not want to, yet at the same time, he was not certain if he was able to hold back much longer. Surely, Eddard must have gotten the message, right?
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands][Let him put it down by himself]
[Let him put it down by himself] Lets not let him know just how important it is to Wilfred by being so reckless and angry.
So I have now got an add on for the questions I asked last time, Which dead characters would have died no matter what choices we picked? I know that the deaths in the prologues and almost certainly Ilhan Lagoon's death were unavoidable but were there any others?
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a hard time, Liquid. Feel free to share with us if it'd alleviate your grief. The part on the other hand, was good as usual.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands]
Willfred's anger seems almost supernatural, I think in his current mind state, this would be the option he'd choose.
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
[Let him put it down by himself] Perhaps Wilfred will knock the box from Eddard's hands anyhow if Eddard doesn't put the box down, thanks to this, as DiverseGnu said, almost supernatural anger. But I think it's best to give Eddard a chance to put it down first before Wilfred possibly completely loses it.
Great parts as per usual! Keep up the good work, Liquid.
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
[Let him put it down by himself] Whatever magic is in that box, he mustn't let it control him. I still think it was a bad idea to accept their help, but no use complaining now.
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
Oh man, that was quite a brutal fight, but I'm proud of Jaron for pulling through. I also loved how it was his commitment to save Harpy that kept him going. Great part, and I'm confident Arryn will indeed prove useful going forward
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] Here's my reasoning: the box is clearly a problem for Willfred, and exposing to Maester Eddard how crazy it makes him could be the first step towards finding a solution. I can't say I fully trust Eddard, but I think he is at least a decent guy, and could potentially help Willfred understand what's going on with this box.
I hope you're doing alright bro. We're here for ya.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] MY PRECIOUS! IT'S OURS!
The only question that remained was, if Mullendore wanted it, was it truly the right approach?
Hahahahaha no.
Man, I love bar fights. Very nice.
Also, the more I think about it, the more and more I see Mullendore on a tower addressing tens of thousands saying "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand..."
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda … moreshocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty t… [view original content]
This is an interesting question and there's actually two possible answers here, for I have to separate the affected characters in two categories. There are some who would have died in the exact same spot no matter what you picked and then there are some whose lives you could have prolonged, but who still had no chance at actually surviving Book 1. To be fair, some characters who potentially could have survived and actually still been alive right now had extremely small chances of survival, such as Halla, Cass, the Burned Man or Torvin, but they at least had a technical chance as opposed to some of the other characters.
The first category obviously includes the Prologue characters Maester Eaton and the lords Raylan, Darklyn and Mooton who died in the same part they got introduced in. Ser Ilhan is also a character whose fate you had no influence on. In Oldtown, while you could have prevented the alley fight at the end of Chapter 6, the deaths of Keira and Martin would have still happened around the same time in a different incident. I doubt anyone will mourn him, but Rayden also never had a chance. During the raid, I was always certain that Jarow, Ando, Jax Montclair and Lyria would die exactly as they ultimately did and while I knew there would be tons of additional deaths, I wanted to give you at least some control over who would live and die (and you ultimately even managed to save a couple characters back then). Finally, Sherryl and Tedyn Bullister were also guaranteed to die at the exact moment as it happened in the story proper. Furthermore, I can reveal that this current chapter is going to feature one character death that has been unavoidable from the beginning (as well as some you technically could have prevented).
Now, there are some characters who could have lived for a little longer, but who ultimately wouldn't have made it out of Book 1. These are Robb (who would have later died during the Chapter 6 finale), Dairon (who would have been executed by Petyr Vyrwel at the end of Book 1 for knowing too much), Septon Corbin (likewise executed by Petyr), Otis (who would have been killed by Ellena in self defense if Marak would have spared him), Terroma (who would have been killed by Clayton during the lighthouse fight) and Cleaver Clint (who would have been executed after the raid, because not even Mullendore would tolerate the atrocities he commited during the raid).
[Let him put it down by himself] Lets not let him know just how important it is to Wilfred by being so reckless and angry.
So I have now go… moret an add on for the questions I asked last time, Which dead characters would have died no matter what choices we picked? I know that the deaths in the prologues and almost certainly Ilhan Lagoon's death were unavoidable but were there any others?
I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a hard time, Liquid. Feel free to share with us if it'd alleviate your grief. The part on the other hand, was good as usual.
Ah, I think this is a better opportunity to reveal what has been up lately instead of doing it at the beginning of the part itself. First of all, thank you for your concern! I should reveal, while it is still something I am very anxious about, the news have gotten slightly less devastating over the course of the weekend, but for the better part of two days, things have looked extremely grim. It is about my grandfather. Just last year, he managed to beat cancer. Now, it turns out he is suffering from an asbestosis and with it comes a different cancer, wholly unrelated to the one he successfully beat and, as I am afraid, infinitely worse, as it is one of these cancer types that cannot be cured. The average life expectancy after the diagnosis is somewhere between four months and a year. However, there is a reason why I am not as devastated as I was when I first heard the news. This low life expectancy comes from the fact that this is a cancer that is usually not diagnosed until it is already in a very late stage, therefore lowering the average life span. In my grandfather's case, it seems they have stumbled upon it by surprise in an unusually early stage and this brought up further doubts if it even is this particularly nasty kind of cancer. It is really almost never diagnosed this early and of course, the earlier they find it, the more they will be able to treat it, opening doors for him that are usually closed for most people suffering from this cancer. The full verdict is still up in the air and will likely be determined in the coming weeks, but his chances have improved considerably ever since, as has my mood, even if I am nonetheless terribly afraid about him getting a clear diagnosis. Things will probably be a bit on the edge until then, but at least it's not as hopeless as it initially seemed
I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a hard time, Liquid. Feel free to share with us if it'd alleviate your grief. The part on the ot… moreher hand, was good as usual.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands]
Willfred's anger seems almost supernatural, I think in his current mind state, this would be the option he'd choose.
Oh man, that was quite a brutal fight, but I'm proud of Jaron for pulling through. I also loved how it was his commitment to save Harpy that kept him going. Great part, and I'm confident Arryn will indeed prove useful going forward
Ah, glad you enjoyed it! It wasn't the most brutal fight Jaron has ever been in, but only because Arryn had no intention of killing him, unlike the kind of fights he had gotten into the warehouse in Chapter 4 and the alley in Chapter 6, the latter of which is still probably the worst fight he ever had to suffer through. Nonetheless, this wasn't easy and Jaron legitimately put himself at risk here by pushing his limits so much in his attempt to win. That was exactly what Arryn wanted to see though, he wanted to see someone with such spirit. Ironically, it is exactly this commitment to save Harpy that gave Jaron the motivation to fight on, while Arryn previously has looked quite down on this reason, considering it naive. His opinion hasn't necessarily changed, but he has come to respect Jaron for this commitment. Now, while it remains to be seen how useful he has been, I can only say that he has held back in this fight, simply because he did not want to kill Jaron. Imagine how useful he can be in a fight to the death. Ayden himself might be unable to accompany Jaron, but by pretty much introducing him to Arryn, he has given him one of the best allies he could have hoped for.
Oh man, that was quite a brutal fight, but I'm proud of Jaron for pulling through. I also loved how it was his commitment to save Harpy that… more kept him going. Great part, and I'm confident Arryn will indeed prove useful going forward
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] Here's my reasoning: the box is clearly a problem for Willfred, and exposing to Maester Eddard how crazy it makes him could be the first step towards finding a solution. I can't say I fully trust Eddard, but I think he is at least a decent guy, and could potentially help Willfred understand what's going on with this box.
I can confirm, he's pretty close to a freakout not unlike that creepy scene with Bilbo. To be honest though, I'm kind of afraid that it's only a matter of time until I can no longer resist the urge to make a "What's in the box?" reference. It was never intended to be this way, but it is so tempting.
Man, I love bar fights. Very nice.
Hehe, same here. I realized, most of the bar fights in the story have been mostly just regular fights taking place in a bar, but this one is a more classical one and I think it won't be the last.
Also, the more I think about it, the more and more I see Mullendore on a tower addressing tens of thousands saying "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand..."
Given the opportunity, Mullendore would certainly even say something like that, if only because he'd feel awesome in that moment. Definitely wouldn't be hard to get him to the point where he's hamming it up like the Saruman to Harren's Sauron. The only difficulty would be to get Petyr to be content with the role of Wormtongue. I bet in an actual scene like that, they'd just interrupt each other over and over and try to give their own virtually identical speech.
I hope you're doing alright bro. We're here for ya.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] MY PRECIOUS! IT'S OURS!
The only question t… morehat remained was, if Mullendore wanted it, was it truly the right approach?
Hahahahaha no.
Man, I love bar fights. Very nice.
Also, the more I think about it, the more and more I see Mullendore on a tower addressing tens of thousands saying "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand..."
Willfred is going to let Eddard put the box down by himself
Actually, this vote was surprisingly tied and while the tie might still be resolved if I wait a little longer for someone to break it, I would really like to get through with the chapter within the next couple of weeks, so I think it is for the best to close the voting now and just count the first vote twice. As such, Willfred will be more calm and rational, though aside from fighting the influence that seems to take control of his emotions here, it will definitely send a less strong message to Eddard. Willfred is notably the only PoV with at least two parts yet to come, the rest has to suffice with one, means his parts will be quite frequent all the way up to the chapter finale.
The next part should be out later today, which is why I'm closing the voting right here. While it is already a bit late, I can most likely pull an all nighter and get it done with. This next part will be the final part for the Hawk in this chapter. And yes, we have finally come to the point where we reach final parts. It has taken a long time, but I think I have finally discovered a formula with which I can increase the pace without rushing things. Last time we saw him, he had council with his fellow sellsword leaders, the Rat and the Pig. There, they were informed that their employer, Octavia Shett, whishes to meet them in Gulltown to discuss their role in her scheme and that each of them can bring one additional fighter to this meeting, alongside the Iron Bank representative Jaqiros Nestoris. The Pig chose his best fighter, Agar the Cold, while the Rat chose his second-in-command and lover Vii the Innocent. The Hawk thought between his own second-in-command Montoya, his squire Hazar and his spymaster Sharako, eventually deciding in favour of the former. His next part will be set a couple hours later, as the leaders of the three companies arrive at Gulltown. Given that I intend to make a couple introductions in this part and to establish the Vale plotline as a whole, there won't be room for another PoV here, though most of the upcming parts in this chapter are likely to hold two PoV's.
Comments
Are you sure about this? I mean, I always leave it up to you if you want to choose or not, but you might want to rethink things in this case, because the choice might turn out to be quite crucial
Jokes aside, next part should be out quite soon and with it, there will be actually important choices again.
Glad to hear it! I don't get to write action-centric parts as often as I'd like to, but that means they are always a highlight, certainly for me and apparently for you as well! Of course, I do have some pretty big stuff coming up in future chapters, there will be action scenes that'll be unlike anything ever featured in the story before, but as it is right now, I cherish the rare opportunity to have parts like this one, where there's not much talking, but tons of fighting.
Aye, he got as far as he realistically could. I think you and others voiced concerns that he could actually win this against all odds, but I can assure you, that was never something I had planned. With a mixture of luck and skill, Drent got as far as logically possible, but the moment one of the true elite of this melee put his attention onto him, he was pretty much without a chance. What he did here is succeeding at the task Argella gave him, but beyond that, he also gained a respectable placement in the melee. I must slightly correct you though, he took down one knight. Warrick Fell is highborn and was trained by Felwood's master-at-arms, and until Drent dealt a downright incapacitating blow to his throat, he actually had the upper hand, but he is not a knight. Things are different with the fawn knight, who goes by the name of Bryan Cafferen, but not every knight is guaranteed to be a perfect fighter (see people such as Meryn Trant for example) and in his case, Drent was resourceful enough to use his opponent's anger against him. He definitely did not gain this position out of skill alone, as far superior fighters such as Argilac himself placed behind him, but by cunningly utilizing his own skills and carefully picking his fights.
I can announce that yes, you absolutely will. Drent will have another part and I intend to reveal the answer to your question there. So, I'm not going to say much more right here, but I do intend to have Drent's next part come out in a timely manner, so you don't have to wait too much for this
As a matter of fact, some of them will indeed. I mean, in a way all of them will have a role in the story, just like how the books are crowded with super minor characters who are mentioned every once in a while but never really do anything of note. Some of the characters we've seen in this part are submitted characters and they will have a larger role than that, while others are planned to at least be recurring background characters, to make the world feel more lively in general. But we will learn about most of these characters by name and get to explore their personality for a bit.
ARGLIAC GET HYPED! HAIL! Good part except DURRANDON LOST!
This is why you should invest in a crossguard lightsaber. Very effective.
Also, wouldn't it be a great twist if Drent was DEAD? That would be amazing. Totally unexpected, much wow.
I wonder how many of these unnamed people encountered actually mean anything. I feel like maybe one or two will be a full on character. Maybe not.
Aye, unfortunately he did lose. Winning in a melee is one of the things he simply cannot do anymore, being in his late sixties and all. I can reveal though, had he been thirty years younger, perhaps forty, in his true prime, he would have very likely won. As it is, placing seventh out of over ninety combatants is truly impressive for his age and he is easily better than half of the people who placed even higher (such as Drent). He just picked the most difficult fight on purpose, challenging Landry Swann to single combat and the man definitely earned his position as the captain of the royal guard. But settling for a lesser opponent would defy Argilac's true intention of getting the best possible fight out of this.
In that case, Drent would be super dead by now. Crossguards in general have been surprisingly effective in this melee. Perhaps the most devastating blow Drent received was the one where Warrick slammed his crossguard against his jaw and that one could have easily cost him teeth or tongue. Got a bit lucky there. Had Kylo Ren been among the fighters, the winner would have been clear by now (It's Chewbacca of course).
Nobody would see that one coming, eh? Killing off a PoV character not at the very end of the chapter, but more like 3/4th in, I think the last time I did that one was with Lyria. Mmmm, might give me an idea for some of the PoV deaths down the line in Book 2.
I can confirm, three of them are submitted characters and they will, of course, play a bit of a role, at least receiving decent characterization down the line, but with almost two full books still to come, don't expect them to matter all that quickly. Out of the others, there is at least one whom I have quite a memorable part planned for, though we're talking about Book 3 material for sure in that case. The others, there might be some recurring mentions. The goal is to flesh out the world a bit, not only with important or even just secondary characters, but with recurring background characters you become familiar with over time, even if some of them won't necessarily grow beyond that role.
Drent's POV was incredible! Can't remember the last time I was so nervous while reading a chapter, I literally held my breath. Good job, Drent. It was obvious he wouldn't win the melee, but defeating Warrick Fell is really impressive.
The next part should be out today!
Obviously, there isn't a voting to be closed this time, so I thought I'm just going to give you a bit of a heads up to let you know that I aim to release the next part in a few hours, especially as a recap will be necessary. There is one tiny situation that could prevent me from releasing the next part today though. See, it is my birthday tomorrow and coincidentally, my favourite pub reopens tonight after months of being renovated. What, I say, could be a more fitting celebration? As such, if I don't manage to finish the part until I leave the house this evening, I have to finish it tomorrow. Since that day is planned to be a rather calm one despite the occasion, there should be plenty of time to do this, though I (and I suppose you as well) would highly prefer to release it today. So, today or tomorrow, with me trying my best, as always
This next part will continue Kersea's storyline. Last time we saw her has been quite some time ago. Back then, she and Leonard entered the now abandoned Hammered Harp Inn on their way to Oldtown, where they met a secretive group of strangers. They are the sellswords Drake Ironshield and Elias, the showman Magnus Silverstone and his assistant Bennett. Furthermore, there's a dead man in the backroom of the tavern, whom the sellswords have allegedly nothing to do with. Naturally, things seem to be quite menacing and Kersea is pretty much on the edge. They also happen to run low on supplies, means in a way, Leonard and Kersea hope that the sellswords can be convinced to share some of theirs. Yet, when Drake actually offers a drink to share, to honour the guest right, both decline, fearing that there's something off with it. The next part will continue right there. I also plan to add another PoV in it, which will continue either the storylines of Lachlan Keding or Alys, showing either Lachlan's meeting with Lord Royce or Alys' time in Merman's Rest as Edward plans to leave for a raid with Jadith Linster. I have not decided which one to add yet, but I suppose I will decide after finishing Kersea's part.
Clearly, it was too much for Liquid. Critical mission failure. Too much pub.
On a late note, happy birthday Liquid!
What is this' too much pub' you are talking about? I'm afraid I do not understand. How is that even possible? And even if, I say the mission was a critical success, if anything. That being said, my plan to finish the part before leaving the house was way too ambitious and I admit to it. Turns out, I only had about two hours after closing the voting and before leaving and I needed them and a majority of today to come even close to finish the part. While it is 3 AM on the 18th for me right now, I do consider the entire time until I head to bed as 'today', means I am technically still in the time frame I set for myself, surprisingly. And be assured, the part is about to be finished, should be ready during the next hour! Took me long enough to write, though I blame the part itself, which didn't make it quite easy for me, for some reason. I'm not even procrastinating, it's just been odd how I manage to write this actively and yet still struggle with the occasional part.
And thank you very much! Hard to believe I've been four years younger back when I first started to write the story and at the current pace, I'll still be here four years from now. I think I look forward for this
Kersea
Narrowing her eyes at Elias and then at the drink in Bennett's hands, she slowly shook her head. “I'll pass”, she said in a frosty tone and Bennet shrugged, before he handed the bottle to Elias. Though he had a full mug in front of him, the stout sellsword took a deep swig right from the bottle, not breaking eye contact with Kersea. “Your loss”, he mumbled. “Suppose you want to fuck off then?”
“Elias!”, Drake hissed sharply, his polite smile not having faded. “Excuse my companion. Can't blame you for being suspicious. Neither can I blame him. Suppose you have your secrets just as well, eh?” Leonard smiled thinly and coldly. “Suppose”, he replied in a low tone. “I think it's better if we leave now”
Elias merely chuckled at this suggestion, while Drake's eyes widened. “Wait”, he spoke, his smile fading, as his tone grew more serious. “Real talk now. I can't let you leave like that” Instantly, Leonard put a hand on his sword and Elias leant forward, reaching below the table. A few feet behind him, Kersea's hand moved beneath her cloak, clinging onto the dagger.
Drake however was raising both of his hands. “Hey, easy now”, he spoke. “What I mean is, you do look hungry. Rude guests you might be, but sending you away, that might cause your death. Can't stand for that” Slowly, he stood up, Leonard visibly tensing up. Drake tried to ease things by smiling, though it only caused Kersea to grow more nervous. Something wasn't right about this and in a way, she was more wary of the smiling, friendly Drake than of the brutish Elias. More often than not, the truly dangerous ones were those who smiled.
“Where do you think you're going?”, she growled, as Drake turned his back on them. The sellsword glanced over his shoulder and he raised an eyebrow. “Upstairs”, he spoke. “I'll gather a handful of supplies for you. Not much, just enough so that you don't starve. Then, you will leave” As he said this, he narrowed his eyes. “If you stay on the roads, you should reach the next settlement without much of an issue. Afraid that's all I can offer”
Leonard gave him a nod, still showing blatant distrust with every move he made. “It'll do”, he spoke, before he looked at Kersea. “Get ready. We're leaving” Nervously glancing from him to Elias, she nodded, as Drake left the room, to go upstairs.
For a moment, nobody said a word. Elias still had a hand beneath the table, while Magnus Silverstone had both of his folded over his chest, his smile a shaky and weak one. The boy, Bennett, stood in the background, eyeing the group as carefully as Kersea did.
“So...”, Magnus finally broke the silence, smiling at Leonard, who shot him a stern look in return. “What do you want in Raylansfair these days? Last time we left the city, it's been in a bit of a turmoil. These new people on the streets, I don't think they mean well”
Leonard nodded. “Might be”, he admitted. “But our reasons are our own” He looked away. “I won't ask for yours either” With this, he quickly looked away from Magnus and towards Elias again. If not for him, the whole encounter would likely be notably less tense. But while Drake at least put some effort into his act, Elias was downright openly hostile. In a way, it was this behaviour that surprised Kersea. If they'd be common bandits, wouldn't he try to lure them in? She wasn't certain why he'd act that way, but behind his thuggish features, there was something sharp in his gaze and she did not consider him to be simple in any way. At least not that simple.
“Don't know what got into Drake”, the sellsword growled in this moment. “Never been that forgiving before. Our supplies are our own. Paid for them with good coin. We shouldn't part with them” Leonard shrugged. “Tell him then”, he offered. “Or is he in charge?” Elias hesitated for a moment, frowning and glaring viciously. “We're partners”, he insisted. “But I won't get into an argument over you two. He wants to give you something, well, that's on his share then”
As he focussed onto Leonard, Kersea got a brief glance at what he was holding beneath the table. At that angle, she clearly recognized the hilt of an axe, a one-handed, double-bladed war axe. It was this that fully convinced her that there was more than just something off. “Leonard...”, she mumbled and Elias narrowed his eyes. Her gaze fell onto him, then to the stairs and she gasped. “Watch out!”, she yelled.
This warning likely saved his life, as Leonard reacted as quickly as she expected from a man of his training. He pushed himself backwards, toppling over with the chair, but the dagger thrown at him missed him barely and instead hit the wooden beam to his right. Having barely descended the chairs, Drake suppressed a curse, as Magnus and Bennet dashed away from the table. Elias himself jumped up, the axe now visible in his hand. Kersea herself needed only a second for the dagger to appear in her hand.
“Fuck!”, Leonard yelled, as he stood up. On shaky legs, he staggered to the wall, resting against it, sword in hand, as Drake slowly came down, now wielding a longsword and the iron shield that gave him his name. He had taken the time to get dressed, wearing thick, boiled leather and chainmail beneath. His smile was still there, but it had gotten downright menacing.
In comparison, Elias seemed angry, but not necessarily at Kersea and Leonard. “Gods fucking damnit!”, he growled. “Why didn't you leave?” He shot Kersea a glare. “You should have just turned around and left the building” In an instant, his axe pointed at Magnus and Bennett, who had made it half the way to the bag in the corner. “Stay away from your stuff, man”, he snarled and Magnus stopped, slowly raising his hands.
Drake chuckled softly, as he came closer, approaching Leonard like a hungry wolf. Kersea tensed up, unable to charge him without going past Elias, unwilling to just face the larger sellsword head on. He made no move to attack her, unlike Drake, who pointed his sword at Leonard.
“So, I take it you two murdered the man in the back?”, Leonard deduced and Drake nodded nonchalantly. “Turns out he was worthless”, he explained. “Sellsword, but a crippled one. Cavalry busted his leg in Raylansfair. The Volantene don't pay for those. Had he pulled his cards right, he could have left freely, but he decided to fight us instead”
“Paid the price”, Elias mumbled. “Drake, those aren't like him. Just let them fucking leave” Drake shook his head, as he smirked knowingly. “That's why I'm the brains, Elias”, he replied sharply. “I recognize the man. They want him over in Oldtown, for murder and all sorts of nasty stuff” He chuckled. “This one won't be sold to Volantis, or bled dry in the woods. Bet the Oldtown guard will pay handsomely”
By now, Leonard had gotten over the initial shock. He gave Kersea a brief look, nodding at her gratefully, before focussing fully onto Drake and Elias. “What are you?”, he asked. “Bandits? Slavers? His sword pointed at the back room. “Or just common killers?”
Drake shrugged. “I'd say sellswords. Survivors” The hand holding the shield moved to his chest. “I myself am hard to kill. We're honest folk, trying to get by. Sometimes, this includes robbing travellers, sometimes it involves killing them, or selling them to the highest bidding” His smile widened. “Took me a while to recognize you. Elias is right, if you would have just left, I doubt I would have started a fight. Not the kind we usually take on. You're dangerous, aye?”
“So are we”, Elias said in a threatening tone, though unlike Drake, who came closer ever so slowly, he remained exactly where he was. “And you came prepared. Saw right through the act, I suppose”, Drake continued and briefly, he glared at Elias. “Which hasn't been made easier by you”
Just as Kersea had hoped, Leonard took this momentary distraction to attack. Trying to bring his sword down on Drake's head, the sellsword parried with his shield, his strike in retaliation forcing Leonard to jump back. They glared at each other, looking for a potential weakness and Drake quickly gazed at Leonard's leg, still smirking.
Kersea tensed up, as the sellsword attacked again. As his blow, aimed at Leonard's leg, got stopped by the knight's sword, she readied herself to jump in. In this moment, Elias moved into her field of view, visibly hesitating to actually attack her, a far cry from his previous demeanour and his brutish manners. “Stay out of this, girl”, he growled. “Don't want to kill you, but if you think you can gang up on Drake, you're wrong”
“Stop talking and kill the bitch”, Drake hissed, as he moved in to attack Leonard again, once more attempting to strike the knight's weaker leg. Leonard had noticed this, shifting his weight more to the other leg, but he was clearly struggling.
Still, Elias seemed reluctant to actually attack and Kersea was not sure if he'd even do it. Leonard needed her help, that much was clear. If she'd rush at Drake right now, that'd leave Elias unchecked for and reluctance aside, that man was certainly a danger. Yet fighting him might cost valuable time to help Leonard.
[Assist Leonard against Drake] [Fight Elias]
Alys
Staying in Merman's Rest was perhaps the best decision Alys had made in many months. For the first time since her ordeal in Harrenhal, she was without Edward, as the man had actually left three days ago, accompanied by Jadith Linster, Bear, Morgrem Dermont and almost all of his men. A token force had been left behind, but his influence over her, it was gone.
Of course, it also meant that Alisa was gone as well, always by Edward's side. Carvin remained to watch over Alys, but she could not deny that she missed the Karstark woman, quite dearly so. For her sake, Alys made it a point to light a candle every morning, a prayer to the Seven, to grant her friend a safe journey and a swift return.
Right now, she did just that, lighting the candle and placing it in her window, from where she was able to overlook most of Merman's Rest. She and Carvin had been brought to Aeron Blacksails' guest manor, notably smaller than the pirate king's seat, but nonetheless luxurious, especially when comparing it to the small cabin Alys had spent weeks in as they had made their way from Raylansfair to Merman's Rest.
It was located on the edges of the town, a tall building on wooden planks, close to the water. It was brighter here than in other parts of the city, for the opening of the grotto was closer than anywhere else in all Merman's Rest. Unfortunately, it was also louder than in Aeron's comfortable palace. Being located that close to the water and the actual docks made it mandatory that not one but two taverns were located nearby and the noise of drunken pirates had kept her up the first night. By now, her opinion had changed and Alys was no longer bothered by it. In fact, she slowly began to consider it exciting.
As such, after having lighted a candle and finishing her silent prayers to the Seven, Alys left the room, finding herself in a short hallway. Carvin's room was located at the other end of it, though Alys refrained from waking him. Last night, he had been out drinking with Warmond Manderly and she was certain he'd appreciate being able to sleep in.
Had he been there, he would advice against leaving without him, but Alys was not afraid. With a little help from Sargasso Saan and a generous donation from the king himself, she had changed her attire, now wearing white pants and a green shirt not unlike the occasional female pirate she had encountered in Merman's Rest. The pants were notably shorter than any she had ever worn before, going just a little over her knees and exposing the flesh on her lower legs, while the shirt was formless and of a kind that would have been considered way too big to be fashionable in any way. As a compromise, she had acquired a belt for her waist, tying the wide fabric closer to her body.
With her hair tied up, she threw a brief glance at the small, stained mirror in the hallway. Confident green eyes looked back at her, out of a lean, delicate face and she cracked a smile. At long last, things were looking up for her. Edward was out of her life, for the time being, and Alys felt wonderful. The naïve girl who had left her home, she had grown. The weak young lady, who had allowed Edward to manipulate and harm her in Raylansfair, she was gone for good, thankfully. She couldn't help but to wink at her own reflection in the mirror, before she headed down the stairs and quickly out of the building.
It was morning, or what counted as it in this permanent twilight. The sun was shining outside and the outskirts of the massive cave were notably brighter than the rest as a result. Alys closed her eyes, smiling slightly. That was the one thing she missed in this wondrous place. The feeling of sunlight on her skin, of summer wind through her hair.
Then, the realities of Merman's Rest caught up to her, as a drunken sailor passed her, slurring a bawdy song. He staggered, clinging onto the wooden cart next to Blacksails' guest house. Giving her a nod, he flashed a brown grin. “M'lady”, he mumbled, before he continued his way to the nearest tavern. Quickly, he was lost in the crowd.
And crowded it was. For the early hour, Merman's Rest was already plenty busy. The first taverns opened up, the last closed down for a few precious hours. Brothels offered their services, while two new ships had made their way to the harbour, a nimble one from the Summer Isles and a strangely shaped ship with angular sails, coloured in bright azure, with a golden serpent on its banners. Their crew consisted of dark-haired and pale-skinned men and women with strange features of a kind Alys had never seen in her life, some even dressed in heavy armour, carrying crates up to their ship with stern, martial movements.
Just another wonder of this place, though Alys found herself slowing down as she moved through the crowd, staring at this azure ship and its oddly looking crew. Once more, she realized that the world was so much larger than she had ever even considered. And here she was, settling for Dorne. She chuckled at how small her destination seemed to be now, surrounded by these pale soldiers and the Summer Islanders with their skin of midnight, the bronzed Ghiscari and even the misshapen ape-men from Ib. Maybe there would be an opportunity one day. She was young and her life was her own.
For today though, she had another goal in mind. Blacksails had been nothing but courteous, yet the time she had spent in the presence of Melvan Tiren had taught her one thing. If she wanted to look the part, she needed a hat, a dashing one with a wide brim, perhaps a bright feather as well. For this, she placed a hand on the purse Edward had left her with and with an almost heavy heart, she turned her attention away from the soldiers clad in azure, as she turned towards the deeper end of the cave, walking down the main street, across wooden planks and the occasional island of solid stone, as well as one or two passed out drunkards, always closer to what was hopefully the main market of Merman's Rest.
As overwhelming as it had been on her first day or two, Alys had settled in by now. The sounds, they were no longer deafening, even if the waterfall somewhere in the deep ends of the cave still remained uncomfortably loud. The multitude of chatter on the streets did not bother her anymore though. The sights and smells remained slightly dizzying, though Alys embraced them nonetheless. Well, most of them. She could do without the stench of piss, or the sight of whatever was floating in the water below the planks. All the downsides of a city, she supposed.
Slowly, the location grew more familiar. Passing a brothel, then a blacksmith, she arrived at a large central square. In the distance, she spotted Aeron Blacksails' familiar palace, but she would not approach it. The king was likely busy and captains Saan, Tiren and Manderly with him.
But the multitude of stands was what she was aiming for. Merchants offering their wares, from weaponsmiths displaying daggers and swords to fishermen showing off their newest catch. That was perhaps the one thing Merman's Rest had too much of. Alys could do without fish for every meal, but other food was hard to come by here.
Finally, she found what she was looking for. A cloth vendor, a small, balding man, whose vaguely brownish skin made it impossible to narrow down his place of birth, while the fine wrinkles were just few enough to made exact guesses about his age similarly risky. Most importantly, there were plenty of hats on the stand in front of him.
With a wide smile on her face, Alys approached him and the man noticed her interest, which caused him to reciprocate her expression. “Ah, fair lady!”, he greeted her and his voice held a mixture of accents in it. If she had to guess, it was probably something eastern. “Looking for clothes? I have what you need”
Alys nodded, as she looked at the hats in front of him. One faintly reminded her of Melvan Tiren's, another one was almost round, with a golden brim, though quickly, she spotted a dark tricorn, with a red feather on top. A wide smile formed on her face and the merchant correctly deduced her expression. “I think I would like to buy a hat”, she spoke and he quickly bowed in front of her.
That said, his expression shifted slightly as he glanced past her. “Mylady?”, he asked and she tensed up. All of a sudden, she felt watched and as she glanced over her shoulder, she indeed spotted a man, leaning against a wooden pole. He was bald and wiry, with a long, lean face and a crooked nose. The moment he spotted her, he gave up on secrecy, approaching her broadly and not bothering with her obvious discomfort at the shameless way he was staring at her.
Putting on a fearless expression, Alys straightened her back. “Can I help you?”, she asked and the man flashed her a grin, revealing a golden tooth. He was clad in simple leather, a cloak hiding his hands, yet one clearly grabbed something beneath it and she spotted a whip rolled up on his belt. “Oh, you can”, he confirmed in a polite voice. “A friend of mine has a few questions, Lady Snow. Come with me and you'll make this a lot easier”
Alys' eyes widened and she silently cursed herself for going all by herself. Instinctively, she shook her head. “I don't think I would want that”, she replied, glancing at the merchant for help. The man with the gold tooth shot him a glare. “You don't want to get on my friend's bad side if you want to stay here”, he growled and the merchant gulped. “Sorry, mylady”, he spoke, as he took a step back.
“I'm afraid this wasn't an offer, Lady Snow”, the man hissed and Alys reached behind her. Grabbing the hat she was about to buy, she closed her eyes, once more cursing herself for not waking Carvin. But the last couple days, she had been fine. No one had tried to pick a fight... perhaps because the sellsword had always been by her side.
As the man closed in on her, she made her move. Grabbing the hat, she threw it into his face, momentarily catching him off guard. And with this, she dashed away, away from the stand and the square, always back to her room. Back to Carvin! He would know what to do, he could help her.
Behind her, she heard the man spitting a foreign curse and to her horror, she heard something else. People screamed, as a whip cracked through the air. She herself had been out of its reach already, but it did its job of clearing the street, as people jumped to the side to avoid the cruel weapon.
The man was fast, she had to give him that, though on short distances, she was faster. There was no doubt that he would catch up to her eventually though. She was fast, but had doubt in her ability to run for long distances. Again, the whip cracked behind her and this time, a man screamed in pain. Hard bootsteps chased after her over the wood and she dashed down the street. Already she spotted the azure ship in the distance and this meant it wasn't too far to the house.
This brought up but one terrible thought though. Carvin had his door locked. Perhaps he was still asleep, passed out from the last night. She could try, but if he wouldn't open, the man would catch up to her. Perhaps her room, yes, that was a chance as well. Entering, slamming the door, maybe she could hide from him. As the house came closer, her nervousness grew and she knew, with the man still behind her, she only had one shot at this.
[Try to hide in your room] [Try to enter Carvin's room]
[Assist Leonard against Drake] While this is risky, Kersea is not a fighter that confronts one on one without the element of surprise, and if Drake is the smart one then it's better if they take him down first.
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Alys may have grown in these months, but she shouldn't have lowered her guard so easily. Maybe Carvin has a weapon or is there.
I do wonder who owns that ship with a golden serpent in its sail, since it doesn't belong to any Westerosi house, nor from any of the Free Cities.
[Assist Leonard against Drake] What, am I not going to help Leonard? What am I crazy?
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Maybe he has a whore. Maybe he's summoning an eldar god. Maybe he's not there and Alys gets captured. Whatever.
This Drake is quite not nice. Like a drake, dragon-wyvern thing. Elias is slightly better, and Magnus and Bennet are useless. Drake does seem smart, or at least perceptive, noting who Leonard actually was.
Random thought here: So I was thinking about Rukh from Star Wars Rebels (and the EU, of course), and he's pretty funny looking, badass too, and now I'm imaging the Rat (or was it the Pig? The midget), as him. It doesn't make too much sense, with Rukh being a simian gray alien that uses explosive darts and cloaking devices, but he's small, and he's a decent fighter with an (electro)staff, so maybe the Rat has his buddy. Hopefully we can see a proper fight scene featuring a dwarf, like Gimil in LOTR.
[Assist Leonard against Drake]
[Try to enter Carvin's room]
[Assist Leonard against Drake]
[Try to enter Carvin's room]
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Perhaps if Drake is defeated Elias can be reasoned with. To me it seems like he is someone who takes no pleasure in this kind of life, and is only doing it out of necessity. I wonder who is this Volantene that Drake and Elias referred to. I suppose he could be a slaver, though Westeros isn't usually the first place of choice when it comes to abducting slaves, since it's much easier in so many other places. So, that makes me think that whoever this Volantene is has some other motive for being in Westeros.
Aw, Alys is lighting candles and praying for Alisa, that's sweet
I certainly hope she returns safely as well. Anyway, to the choice...
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Knocking on his door should alert Carvin that Alys is in danger, even if he might not react fast enough to save her right away due to being hangover. I could guess that going to the streets of the pirate city alone wouldn't be a smart idea, but now I'm wondering who is it that wants to question Alys. One of the captains would make sense, many of them are rivals to Edward, and Alys no doubt raised their interest earlier. I doubt its Aeron Blacksails, since he wouldn't have to send a thug after Alys just to ask some questions, this seems more like the work of someone slightly lower on the pecking order of Merman's Rest. Sargasso Saan comes to mind immediately, and I'd say he is the no. 1 suspect here. Melvan Tiren is another possibility, though I think he'd use different kind of methods as well, perhaps trying to befriend Alys instead of intimidating her. I doubt it's Warmond Manderly, I feel like he has no motive to question Alys, or at least I can't see it. Of course, it could also be someone we haven't even met yet. I kinda hope the thug catches Alys, just so I'll find out
That is true, I can confirm it is not a ship from Westeros, nor the Free Cities. The colours of the sails are the only real clue I have offered here, as well as roughly the features of the people aboard, pale-skinned and dark-haired. The serpent, I can confirm, is something I have added in, because not much is known about the heraldry of the place it comes from, but a golden serpent sounds like something that'd be fitting. This ship won't play much of a role in Alys' parts, but you will see it again in the future in a different location.
Aye, Drake is not the nice guy here, whereas Elias is at least not the worst, who would have thought. The full things going on between these four will be revealed soon, giving you a more defined idea of where to place each of them in these events. Drake is the sharpest of them though and he did mention something quite important: Though Mullendore is no longer commander of Oldtown's city guard, Leonard is still a wanted man. He and Lucas are still officially blamed for Lunett's death and other things, which will pose a further danger to the task he and Kersea set out to do.
Hm, you mean the Rat. He's the small one, the Pig is, fittingly named, the tall and fat one. The issue with the Rat is, he's definitely not physically badass in any way. No Rukh there, not even Tyrion with his axe and certainly no Gimli. While he is a dwarf like Tyrion, he suffers from further disabilities and where Tyrion has a healthy body if we ignore his size, the Rat is legitimately disabled. He could probably be beaten to death by a five-year old. Not sure if your wish is going to be fulfilled, but I wouldn't put my money on the Rat being the one to receive anything resembling a proper fight.
Hm, you are right, Westeros isn't exactly the first choice for a slaver and they mostly just take those who are actively sold, such as the situation that led to Jorah's exile from the North. I can reveal, Drake meant the Volantene as a plural, the people of Volantis, but he has very specific buyers, so your interpretation could work just as well.
Yeah, these two definitely have become good friends! While Alisa won't appear in the remainder of Alys' Chapter 2 storyline, I figured I really should show that she remains a close influence on Alys' current life and well-being, perhaps the only one whom she is actively concerned about out of Team Edward.
Aeron is indeed quite unlikely, as he has the power to just take Alys at any time and the backing of just about anyone in Merman's Rest. He could have questioned her when they first met, he could have questioned her during the dinner, but this is a rather odd time to strike, especially by sending just one thug. So, it's most likely not Aeron, that is all I can say. The others are an option, or someone who hasn't been introduced yet and this will be a topic in Alys' parts to come.
Damn! Sorry Liquid but it seems that I miss your birthday! I hope that it was an enjoyable day though!
[Assist Leonard against Drake] Drake seems to be the most dangerous of the duo and I suppose that help Leonard is the quickest way to defeat the guy (and the worst thing that could happen is that Elias join the fray and that this become a 2 VS 2)
[Try to enter Carvin's room] Let's try call the bodyguard
RT:
1) Eh eh I expected that the sellwords would have only bring problems! And now a new (and probably last) fight start at the Hammered Harp!
2) Magnus and Bennet wait the worst moment possible to leave Raylainsfair eh? Now they end in the middle of a fight!
3) Meanwhile at Merman's Rest a kid learn the hard way that it is not sufficent change your clothes and that Anturion is not with her to grow as a person
4) Well I hope for the guy that try to abduct Alys that his boss pay enough because if he is going to enter in the King of Pirates guest manor without authorization he can have serious problems (obviously all this IF Alys manage to reach the house)
5) grumble grumble still "salty" that we won't have a naval battle in the near future
The Rat disappoints me. It’s been a long time since the last part with him. Maybe my opinion will change.
But on another(!) note, this line got me thinking when it comes to our little conversation:
Reading the description of Ibbenese from AWOIAF and knowing the Noghri, and Rukh, I think they look a lot more similar. Besides the massive amount of hair the Ib people have. Both peoples/races/species short, with similar facial features (at least I think). Probably don’t run funny, but still a connection! Maybe. I don’t think any Ibbenese will be any major characters (cue the inevitable mention that someone was Ibbenese the whole time and I forgot). Strange people from a strange place, sort of like the denizens of Merman’s Rest. Not a shocker to see Ibbenese there.
Ah, thank you, thank you
It certainly was a great and relaxing day. Spent the night before with friends, but the actual day was a calm one, a much needed break from the occasionally hectic and stressful days that came before.
Yeah, there has always been something off about them, Kersea knew it right away. Ironically, it is probably Elias' behaviour that clued her in that something is very off here. I wouldn't say that it will necessarily be the last fight taking place at the Hammered Harp, but the location is essentially abandoned for now, so it is unlikely that more people meet up there to have a fight.
Some people just tend to be permanently unlucky and poor Magnus and Bennett are certainly among them. Arriving in Raylansfair only for an Ironborn raid to take place, arriving at the Hammered Harp just to get drawn into this fight between Leonard/Kersea and Drake/Elias and I can confirm, they are on their way to Oldtown, which is never a particularly great idea.
Oh, I would say Alys actually did grow as a person ever since she first entered the story in Harrenhal. It just happens that a change of clothes and the absence of a shady and questionable protector mean little to the people who might be interested in her past. She can't leave it all behind as easily as she would like it to be and that is the hard lesson that still has to fully sink in.
Trust me, he is paid more than enough to attempt just about anything his boss demands of him. It should be noted, this house is not actually guarded in any way, it's just one of the houses Blacksails personally owns, where he keeps his guests if they can't stay at his personal manor. He is probably keeping an eye on the property though, so he is likely to learn that someone is pursuing Alys here, if, as you said, she actually manages to reach the house.
Haha, not in the near future indeed, I am sorry. However, be assured that I have plenty of moments planned in Book 2 and 3 to satisfy all your naval battle needs. While the wait will be longer than it would have been if the other Alys choice would have won, I can assure you that you will be satisfied by those down the line
Well, he is not a physical badass in any way and if you ever expect him to do something impressive with his body, you will be disappointed. However, he has a brilliant mind and can be able to pull off shrewd, impressive feats just with his quick thinking. If this will be enough for you to like him, I suppose we have to wait and see.
I'd say that is a far more fitting comparison! If I remember correctly the Noghri are not even all that close to dwarves, they just tend to be a slight bit shorter than humans at average, but not outright dwarves such as Tyrion or the Rat. The Ibbenese are probably way more comparable in terms of height. Stocky would be the term I'd use here, they are short but strong and they do have brutish, rather bestial facial features, which I think can be compared to the Noghri in a certain way. While there is likely never going to be a major Ibbenese character in the story, they will appear anywhere where such exotic people can make an appearance. Aeron Blacksails actually keeps some as his personal guard, since their features do tend to make them quite intimidating to the ordinary Westerosi.
[Fight Elias]
[Try to hide in your room]
Well, it definitely seems like I'm in the minority for this voting. Regardless, I still stand by my choices. I doubt Elias would so readily give up saving his companion, he might be hesitant to attack a lady but that doesn't mean he's stupid. So in order to ensure Kersea survives, we need to take care of Elias first so he doesn't stab us in the back, literally. Besides, I believe that Leonard wouldn't die from this, he's survived plenty of rough situations. This'll just add to his collection of scars.
[Assist Leonard against Drake]
[Try to enter Carvin's room]
[Fight Elias]
[Try to hide in your room]
The Voting is closed!
Kersea is going to assist Leonard against Drake
Ellena is going to try and enter Carvin's room
Well, first of all, I can reveal that these were the penultimate parts for both characters in this chapter. A lot of characters will have only one part left, with Willfred being a notable exception. But this chapter has been going on for too long and it seems we're finally nearing the end. The next chapter should start in July after all, means I consider it realistic to at least end the current act in 2017. Crazy long, I know, but we're getting somewhere at last
The next part should be out later today. I am currently writing a Jaron PoV, but chances are there will be room for another character as well, whom I think will be either Lachlan or Willfred. But Jaron is guaranteed, his part is as good as done by now. In his last part, we have been introduced to Arryn Blackwell, Ayden's hot-headed, battle-hungry sellsword brother. He did not immediately agree to help, because instead of just working for someone who is too afraid to get his own hands dirty, he wants to work for someone who can truly understand the thrill of a good fight. For this, he challenged Jaron to a fistfight, a challenge Jaron accepted. Meanwhile, the parts for Lachlan and Willfred will either show Lachlan's meeting with Orson Royce or Willfred's deal with Maron Mullendore and Devrin Oakheart, the latter choice being one of extreme importance in the way it'll affect Willfred's storyline from here on.
Also, there is one request I have to make. I recently received the character Joffrey Tarly, created by someone who seems to be actively reading, but whom I have not seen in the thread yet. So, this one goes to the creator of Joffrey Tarly, your character is very well done, but there is one important detail I would like to talk about, preferrably in a private message. If you could send me a private message, or if you could leave a comment here in the thread so that I can send you one, that'd be much appreciated. As I said, it is an important detail in an otherwise well-done character, so it is something we have to talk about before I can use the character, but it is nothing we should be unable to work out
Sincerest apologies for the delay. The reason comes from unexpected and pretty bad news I received on Thursday, which honestly got me kinda shocked for a bit, until they thankfully got somewhat less devastating yesterday. I might share a bit more next time I close the voting, this right here hardly seems like a good time to do so. That kept me preoccupied the last two days and it is the reason I needed a bit longer this time, though I hope the part is still to your liking despite the longer wait
Jaron
Slowly, Jaron clenched his fists. “If that's what it takes”, he pressed through his teeth. “I'll fight you” Arryn's grin widened, gaining an almost bloodthirsty streak to it. He spread his arms, as he took a step back until he reached the table. “Alrighty then!”, he snarled, loud enough to gain the attention of the nearby patrons. His gaze was all they needed to know, as they quickly got up, no matter how drunk they were.
“Alrighty then!”, he repeated, glancing around the room, as more and more people began to pay attention to the upcoming fight. Samuel however crossed his arms, slightly shaking his head in disapproval, as he took a step back, leaning against the nearby wall and carefully watching the scene.
Jaron however narrowed his eyes. All of a sudden, he saw things clearer. The way he moved, the confidence, the strength. There was no doubt, he needed this man by his side. But for this, he had to beat him. Arryn was taller, stronger, more experienced. It took Jaron only a moment to know what he had to do to win this fight.
“Show me what you...”, Arryn began, but Jaron cut him off by attacking him. The element of surprise, perhaps his only chance. He did not like having to act like this, but every regret he felt about the situation faded when he landed the first hit and a powerful one at that, cutting Arryn off and leaving him dazed, stumbling backwards in surprise.
For as strong as the punch had been, the sellsword regained his footing quite easily, only slightly staggering, before tensing up. His grin grew smaller, but more honest at the same time and he gave Jaron a silent, approving nod. A bit of blood was visible at his nose, though he did not seem to notice it, as he attacked Jaron in return.
His punch was a strong one and not even nearly as poorly aimed as Jaron had hoped. He quickly had to raise both of his arms to catch the strike, as he pushed Arryn back and the man bumped against a nearby table. The two drunkards sitting there grumbled in displeasure, though he ignored them, as he reached for the cup of ale on their table, taking a deep gulp from it, all without breaking eye contact with Jaron. A rest of ale, mixed with blood, got caught up in the short beard on his upper lip, as he put the cup back onto the table. Checking the size of his upper arms, the drunkards quickly decided that it wouldn't be worth fighting him over, as Arryn spread his arms once more, this time beckoning Jaron over.
With a roar, Jaron charged at him and Arryn laughed, a howling tone that drowned out even the still ongoing chatter, causing attention to fall solely onto the two combatants. Jaron tensed up under the glares of the local patrons. “Arryn!”, one of them roared and soon they all chimed in. “Arryn! Arryn! Arryn!”
“Get it over with, Jaron!”, Samuel called, to Jaron's surprise and he gave him a firm nod. “Kick his ass” The Fang of Shadows glanced at the man next to him, who glared at him. He shrugged nonchalantly and the man, mustering Samuel from head to toe, finally decided to back off.
In this moment, Jaron and Arryn met again. The sellsword easily blocked his strike with his forearm, though Jaron managed to catch his fist. He tried to attack again, only for Arryn to use his free arm to hold him away from his face. “Attaboy”, he hissed. “Good start!”
With this, he pushed Jaron away again, though he followed with a savage attack of his own. At first, Jaron tried to catch the fist again, though Arryn's heavy attack forced him to dodge. Using the other man's momentum, he charged and slammed his head into the sellsword's stomach area, before grabbing him at the waist.
His attempt to lift Arryn up would have succeeded if not for his opponent to follow with two quick punches to his back, hard and painful, forcing him to let go. Groaning in pain, he staggered back and this time, he did not manage to block Arryn's next strike in full, only deflecting it to avoid getting his nose smashed. Instead, the fist slammed against his cheekbone, instantly sending tears into his eyes. It wasn't the worst he had ever taken, but it came close. And if anything, it solidified him in his conviction that this man would be invaluable to save Harpy. When it came to her, there was not a thing he wouldn't do.
Blocking Arryn's next attack with his forearm, he used the other one to do the same, then again, before he spotted an opening. As Arryn tried to punch again, he left himself open for a counterattack and Jaron followed with a blow to the jaw. Arryn's eyes widened, his own attack all but forgotten, as he staggered.
Just there, something dangerous appeared in his gaze, as he quickly regained his composure. “You're passionate, I give you that”, he complimented Jaron, as they circled each other, with the hedge knight fully focussed onto his opponent. One of Arryn's hands moved to his chin and he sighed slightly, before chuckling in silence. “I don't have to hold back for you then”
His next attack was fast, almost too fast and just as Jaron had blocked it, the next one came. Then another one and this time, he landed a straight hit. Having targeted the same side of Jaron's face he had hit before, he delivered a nasty blow. Pain exploded in Jaron's cheek, quickly spreading through his entire face.
The strike was dizzying and for a second, Jaron's vision faded. He stumbled backwards, his arms flailing around and through sheer luck, he managed to deflect Arryn's merciless attack. Raising a hand to protect his face, he narrowed his eyes, as his vision returned in proper, just in time to dodge the next blow.
Arryn was fierce and relentless in his assault and all Jaron had to match was his own ferocity. He would not fail. If he couldn't even beat this man, what hopes would he have to beat someone such as Abbas al-Yunkari? No, he would not fail! He let out a battlecry at the top of his lungs, as he took Arryn's next blow, only slightly deflecting it to avoid injury to his nose. The pain was nonetheless immense and he almost would have given up there. Almost.
Instead, he crossed the distance between them and outright jumped against the sellsword before he was able to land another strike. The weight and force was enough for Arryn to lose his footing and he staggered backwards, with Jaron pushing against him. They both toppled over, Jaron on top. And as Arryn needed a moment to realize what just happened, his fist hit the sellsword right in the face.
Arryn gasped, before he spat blood, straight against Jaron's forehead, though the knight followed with another strike, then another, before he hesitated momentarily. After all, he did not want to harm this man in any serious way. Yet the grin Arryn gave him was as wide and joyful as ever, only that now his teeth were red with blood.
He used this slight hesitation. Pain exploded in Jaron's ribs and Arryn managed to push him off. Not getting on top, he instead jumped back to his feet, grabbing the hedge knight at the collar of his shirt and lifting him up, before viciously pushing him against the nearby table. Through the pain in his ribs and his back as he hit the wood, Jaron felt something knocking over and warm ale poured all over him. Through almost deafened ears, he heard the angered shouts from the men at the table, as Arryn loomed over him.
With a groan, Jaron tried to stand up, but Arryn was faster. Silently raising an eyebrow, he lifted Jaron up again, this time holding him up as he pushed him against the table, nearly knocking the whole thing over. Then, his fist hit Jaron straight in the face, once more and then a third time, each harder than before. He had been wrong. This was the worst beating he had ever received and by the time of the third punch, Jaron was barely conscious. He was only barely aware of the blood running from the cut on his cheek. His nose ached, though it was likely not broken. At least he hoped so. The taste of blood was on his tongue.
The moment Arryn let go of him, he instantly sank to the ground and this time he remained there. Groaning, he faced the wood, though he managed to get a glimpse at Arryn turning his back on him. It was this sight that caused anger to flare up, drowning out even the pain. He would not fail. He would beat Arryn and then they would go and save Harpy. That's how it should be.
“Arryn!”, he yelled, as he slowly pushed himself up again. Every inch of his body was protesting in agony, but he ignored it. Collapsing seemed almost tempting, but he succeeded in staying upwards, just as Arryn turned around again, seeming genuinely surprised. “We're not done yet”
This time, Arryn did not smile, yet there was intrigue in his eyes and admiration. He nodded, before he charged again. Jaron barely had the time to prepare, as Arryn's fist approached his face. Swiftly, he dodged, before using his last strength to slam both of his fists into the man's stomach. He heard the sellsword groaning and he followed with yet another blow against his lower jaw.
And with this, Arryn went to the ground, yet as he fell, he grabbed Jaron. Weakened as he was, there was no resistance and he got pulled down alongside his opponent. For a moment, they both stayed that way, lying next to each other, trying to regain their breath.
As Jaron made another move to strike, Arryn stopped him, his chuckle quickly turning into genuine laughter. “Wait, hold it right there”, he gasped, as he patted Jaron on the shoulder. His laugh got louder. “Well fucking fought!”, he complimented Jaron, who groaned, as the adrenaline slowly faded, replaced by a numb pain, followed by an odd feeling of accomplishment.
It took a while for Arryn to get back on his feet, while Jaron simply remained on the ground, trying not to pass out now, until the sellsword reached down to help him up. Still on shaky feet, Jaron gave him a nod and Arryn grinned widely. “That is what I wanted to see”, he growled. “The spirit, that was glorious!” He patted Jaron onto the shoulder, causing the knight to groan in discomfort. Seven Hells, after this fight there was little that seemed more tempting than a warm bed for the night. Or maybe two nights, or an entire week.
“You will help me then?”, he asked and Arryn nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe you didn't beat me, but you did not give up either. You know what truly counts”, the sellsword complimented him, before he extended his hand. “For that, I will be your man, if you'll have me. Point me at your target and witness me”
Jaron nodded, slowly at first, but quickly getting more excited. He had done it. Hells, he had done it... Having fought this man, he knew what an asset he had just gained. Yunkai was still far, the journey would be dangerous, but with men such as Samuel, Arryn and John by his side, Jaron felt an unusual confidence. “I think...”, he said as he grabbed Arryn's hand. “That sounds pretty good”
No Choices for this part
Willfred
Maron and Devrin were smiling as they left the tower. This wasn't just the result of their successful negotiation. At least in Maron's case, his grin came from the several cups of wine he had emptied, almost compulsively. The twitching in his damaged leg had gotten better after the third and his mood had gotten more open and jovial as well.
Willfred however hadn't had many drinks. Even after agreeing to their terms, some part of him remained hesitant to actually trust Mullendore. Helenys' warning still rang in his mind and the woman was nothing if not convincing. And yet, here he was, Maron Mullendore offering what he himself had decided to do either way, the attempt to drive a rift between them. The only question that remained was, if Mullendore wanted it, was it truly the right approach? What would he gain from discrediting his ally? And was it worth giving him this victory?
“You will not regret this, boy”, Maron promised, as if he had read Willfred's thoughts. Perhaps his expression had given him away. He only managed a half-hearted smile, followed by a nod. “I surely hope so”, he spoke. “Can I trust in you keeping your end of the bargain?”
Devrin placed a hand on his shoulder, almost fatherly. His own place in this scheme was a mystery. The Lord of Old Oak was not someone he would have expected in such a situation and his entire behaviour did not fit in with the ruthlessness of his request. “Of course you can”, he promised wholeheartedly. “In fact, if you help us out, I will double the support you receive, by sending some of my own men with Maron's”
It was a tempting offer, yet all it achieved was making Willfred more suspicious. He had accepted the deal, but at what cost? At the same time, what he truly had to ask himself was, was Maron's success truly that bad for him? He was no Reachman and his duty was with the Rock first and foremost. If these men planned ill for Petyr Vyrwel, would this automatically mean ill for himself? Willfred thought briefly about this, before deciding that this was probably not the case.
“Generous”, he admitted, giving Oakheart the briefest of smiles. “I'll see what I can do. Try to get a meeting with Lord Petyr later today” Maron nodded. “You've waited long enough”, he admitted. “Should be possible, even if Petyr is busy with Lord Selwyn today” He glanced at Devrin. “I am sure you can arrange something”
Devrin's smile grew slightly smaller and Maron raised an eyebrow. “You said your brother-in-law is a simple man”, the knight growled, to which Devrin shook his head. “Simple would put things a bit too easy”, he replied. “Donnel is a man with simple needs. He cares about his own success and renown. A simple goal, but you of all people should know that it doesn't make for a simple man”
“Quite the opposite”, Maron admitted. “You got him covered though? If we are to get the boy a meeting with Petyr, we can't have Selwyn intervene” Devrin shrugged. “He might insist on being present, but I think I can prevent him from being a hindrance to what Ser Willfred is out to do”
This seemed to satisfy Maron. “He succeeds when we do”, he claimed. “Make sure your brother-in-law sees the benefits of working with us” Devrin chuckled slightly and dryly. “I see you really have a lot to learn about Donnel”, he mumbled.
Just as Maron was about to say something in reply, they were interrupted by someone running at them, across the courtyard. Willfred narrowed his eyes as he recognized Prins. The soldier stopped in front of him, gasping heavily and forgetting to salute to Devrin and Maron, something neither commented on. “Ser!”, he said. “Ser, you have to come quick!”
Willfred tilted his head, looking at Prins, as he clenched his fists. “What happened?”, he asked and the soldier took a deep breath. “They are moving your belongings!”, he revealed. “Your room is occupied by some Selwyn knight and they have brought your stuff upstairs, next to the maester's room”
Alarmed, Willfred glared at Maron Mullendore, who sighed slightly. “I was hoping Petyr would at least talk to you about this”, he muttered. “Seems he really is too busy with his new guests to keep those already here in mind” He gave Willfred an apologetic look. “I am deeply sorry. We wanted to inform you first, but time was essential. Lord Selwyn is a prideful man and we wanted to make sure that his family can stay in the same floor. Means we had to relocate you. The room next to Maester Eddard's has been free, so we ordered to bring your stuff there”
In this moment, a terrible thought crossed Willfred's mind. Eddard, the maester, he was likely a curious man. Who wouldn't, coming from the Citadel? And in this moment, all Willfred could think about was the box he had retrieved from his fight with Anturion. It was almost as if he could see it once he closed his eyes, Eddard going through his room, spotting the box, the intrigued expression on his face...
“Bring me there”, he growled. “At once!” Prins saluted and turned away, while Willfred gave Maron a stern look. “I do not appreciate for anyone to meddle with my belongings”, he warned him. “Next time we speak, I trust you will have arranged a meeting with Lord Petyr”
Maron nodded. “I'll do it immediately”, he promised. “Might even work this evening. Remember our agreement” As soon as he had said this, Willfred stopped listening. He nodded half-heartedly, though all he could think of was Eddard inspecting the artefact. He'd know about it, he'd know what to do... It should be a good thing, yet Willfred felt an almost otherworldly concern. He knew, this must not happen!
As such, he wasted no time in rushing after Prins, soon catching up with his soldier. “Where are the others?”, he asked as they hurried down the courtyard. “Tallian and Jack and my uncle” Prins glanced at the Great Hall. “I've sent Jack to inform them about what happened here”, he spoke. “Sorry, Ser. We should have prevented it”
Willfred narrowed his eyes. “Damn right you should have”, he growled and as they rushed up a flight of stairs, he put a hand onto the man's shoulder. “Do not disappoint me again, Prins” His voice was vicious and as he saw the fear in his loyal soldier's eyes, he hesitated for a moment. This anger, it wasn't what he was used to from himself and he had no idea where it suddenly came from.
“I... of course, Ser”, Prins stuttered, as he saluted, still a bit baffled by the threat. Willfred sighed, as they reached the top of the stairs. “I won't fail you again, Ser”, the soldier promised, as he pointed at an open door. “That's it...” He did not get to finish his sentence, as Willfred rushed past him and towards the door.
It was a decently sized room and his belongings had all been brought there, neatly piled up on the wall to his right. What truly mattered though was that there was someone in his room. Willfred spotted Eddard. Young for a maester, he had something youthful and lively about him, something the knight was not used to from his experience at Castamere. Just as the man turned around, he revealed the box he held in his gloved hands.
“Ah, Ser Willfred”, he greeted him politely. “I just made sure that all of your belongings have been brought up here. Surely you have heard about the unexpected change of rooms” Still holding the box closely, he put one hand onto his chest. “I was hoping we'd get a chance to talk. My apologies that this all seems to come a bit out of the blue”
Willfred barely listened. There was relief that overcame him as he saw that the box had not been opened yet. Not by this man at least... He narrowed his eyes, as the thought crossed his mind. Deep down, he knew it wasn't entirely his, but that didn't make what he felt any less real. There was anger, almost livid anger just from seeing the man holding what was rightfully his!
“Ser?”, Eddard asked and he followed Willfred's gaze, down to his hand and the object he held. His smile became slightly nervous. “I can assure you, I did not meddle with your belongings. This however is an interesting little trinket. Ancient wood, if I am not mistaken. Would you mind me asking a couple questions? I know a few people at the Citadel who would be very interested in such things” He gulped as he saw Willfred's expression. Everything inside the knight screamed to just knock it out of the man's hands, to prevent him from holding onto it any longer. He did not want to, yet at the same time, he was not certain if he was able to hold back much longer. Surely, Eddard must have gotten the message, right?
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] [Let him put it down by himself]
[Let him put it down by himself] Lets not let him know just how important it is to Wilfred by being so reckless and angry.
So I have now got an add on for the questions I asked last time, Which dead characters would have died no matter what choices we picked? I know that the deaths in the prologues and almost certainly Ilhan Lagoon's death were unavoidable but were there any others?
I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a hard time, Liquid. Feel free to share with us if it'd alleviate your grief. The part on the other hand, was good as usual.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands]
Willfred's anger seems almost supernatural, I think in his current mind state, this would be the option he'd choose.
[Let him put it down by himself]
[Let him put it down by himself] Perhaps Wilfred will knock the box from Eddard's hands anyhow if Eddard doesn't put the box down, thanks to this, as DiverseGnu said, almost supernatural anger. But I think it's best to give Eddard a chance to put it down first before Wilfred possibly completely loses it.
Great parts as per usual! Keep up the good work, Liquid.
[Let him put it down by himself] Whatever magic is in that box, he mustn't let it control him. I still think it was a bad idea to accept their help, but no use complaining now.
[Let him put it down by himself]
Oh man, that was quite a brutal fight, but I'm proud of Jaron for pulling through. I also loved how it was his commitment to save Harpy that kept him going. Great part, and I'm confident Arryn will indeed prove useful going forward
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] Here's my reasoning: the box is clearly a problem for Willfred, and exposing to Maester Eddard how crazy it makes him could be the first step towards finding a solution. I can't say I fully trust Eddard, but I think he is at least a decent guy, and could potentially help Willfred understand what's going on with this box.
I hope you're doing alright bro. We're here for ya.
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands] MY PRECIOUS! IT'S OURS!
Hahahahaha no.
Man, I love bar fights. Very nice.
Also, the more I think about it, the more and more I see Mullendore on a tower addressing tens of thousands saying "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand..."
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands]
[Knock the box from Eddard's hands]
This is an interesting question and there's actually two possible answers here, for I have to separate the affected characters in two categories. There are some who would have died in the exact same spot no matter what you picked and then there are some whose lives you could have prolonged, but who still had no chance at actually surviving Book 1. To be fair, some characters who potentially could have survived and actually still been alive right now had extremely small chances of survival, such as Halla, Cass, the Burned Man or Torvin, but they at least had a technical chance as opposed to some of the other characters.
The first category obviously includes the Prologue characters Maester Eaton and the lords Raylan, Darklyn and Mooton who died in the same part they got introduced in. Ser Ilhan is also a character whose fate you had no influence on. In Oldtown, while you could have prevented the alley fight at the end of Chapter 6, the deaths of Keira and Martin would have still happened around the same time in a different incident. I doubt anyone will mourn him, but Rayden also never had a chance. During the raid, I was always certain that Jarow, Ando, Jax Montclair and Lyria would die exactly as they ultimately did and while I knew there would be tons of additional deaths, I wanted to give you at least some control over who would live and die (and you ultimately even managed to save a couple characters back then). Finally, Sherryl and Tedyn Bullister were also guaranteed to die at the exact moment as it happened in the story proper. Furthermore, I can reveal that this current chapter is going to feature one character death that has been unavoidable from the beginning (as well as some you technically could have prevented).
Now, there are some characters who could have lived for a little longer, but who ultimately wouldn't have made it out of Book 1. These are Robb (who would have later died during the Chapter 6 finale), Dairon (who would have been executed by Petyr Vyrwel at the end of Book 1 for knowing too much), Septon Corbin (likewise executed by Petyr), Otis (who would have been killed by Ellena in self defense if Marak would have spared him), Terroma (who would have been killed by Clayton during the lighthouse fight) and Cleaver Clint (who would have been executed after the raid, because not even Mullendore would tolerate the atrocities he commited during the raid).
Ah, I think this is a better opportunity to reveal what has been up lately instead of doing it at the beginning of the part itself. First of all, thank you for your concern! I should reveal, while it is still something I am very anxious about, the news have gotten slightly less devastating over the course of the weekend, but for the better part of two days, things have looked extremely grim. It is about my grandfather. Just last year, he managed to beat cancer. Now, it turns out he is suffering from an asbestosis and with it comes a different cancer, wholly unrelated to the one he successfully beat and, as I am afraid, infinitely worse, as it is one of these cancer types that cannot be cured. The average life expectancy after the diagnosis is somewhere between four months and a year. However, there is a reason why I am not as devastated as I was when I first heard the news. This low life expectancy comes from the fact that this is a cancer that is usually not diagnosed until it is already in a very late stage, therefore lowering the average life span. In my grandfather's case, it seems they have stumbled upon it by surprise in an unusually early stage and this brought up further doubts if it even is this particularly nasty kind of cancer. It is really almost never diagnosed this early and of course, the earlier they find it, the more they will be able to treat it, opening doors for him that are usually closed for most people suffering from this cancer. The full verdict is still up in the air and will likely be determined in the coming weeks, but his chances have improved considerably ever since, as has my mood, even if I am nonetheless terribly afraid about him getting a clear diagnosis. Things will probably be a bit on the edge until then, but at least it's not as hopeless as it initially seemed
Ah, glad you enjoyed it! It wasn't the most brutal fight Jaron has ever been in, but only because Arryn had no intention of killing him, unlike the kind of fights he had gotten into the warehouse in Chapter 4 and the alley in Chapter 6, the latter of which is still probably the worst fight he ever had to suffer through. Nonetheless, this wasn't easy and Jaron legitimately put himself at risk here by pushing his limits so much in his attempt to win. That was exactly what Arryn wanted to see though, he wanted to see someone with such spirit. Ironically, it is exactly this commitment to save Harpy that gave Jaron the motivation to fight on, while Arryn previously has looked quite down on this reason, considering it naive. His opinion hasn't necessarily changed, but he has come to respect Jaron for this commitment. Now, while it remains to be seen how useful he has been, I can only say that he has held back in this fight, simply because he did not want to kill Jaron. Imagine how useful he can be in a fight to the death. Ayden himself might be unable to accompany Jaron, but by pretty much introducing him to Arryn, he has given him one of the best allies he could have hoped for.
I can confirm, he's pretty close to a freakout not unlike that creepy scene with Bilbo. To be honest though, I'm kind of afraid that it's only a matter of time until I can no longer resist the urge to make a "What's in the box?" reference. It was never intended to be this way, but it is so tempting.
Hehe, same here. I realized, most of the bar fights in the story have been mostly just regular fights taking place in a bar, but this one is a more classical one and I think it won't be the last.
Given the opportunity, Mullendore would certainly even say something like that, if only because he'd feel awesome in that moment. Definitely wouldn't be hard to get him to the point where he's hamming it up like the Saruman to Harren's Sauron. The only difficulty would be to get Petyr to be content with the role of Wormtongue. I bet in an actual scene like that, they'd just interrupt each other over and over and try to give their own virtually identical speech.
The Voting is closed!
Willfred is going to let Eddard put the box down by himself
Actually, this vote was surprisingly tied and while the tie might still be resolved if I wait a little longer for someone to break it, I would really like to get through with the chapter within the next couple of weeks, so I think it is for the best to close the voting now and just count the first vote twice. As such, Willfred will be more calm and rational, though aside from fighting the influence that seems to take control of his emotions here, it will definitely send a less strong message to Eddard. Willfred is notably the only PoV with at least two parts yet to come, the rest has to suffice with one, means his parts will be quite frequent all the way up to the chapter finale.
The next part should be out later today, which is why I'm closing the voting right here. While it is already a bit late, I can most likely pull an all nighter and get it done with. This next part will be the final part for the Hawk in this chapter. And yes, we have finally come to the point where we reach final parts. It has taken a long time, but I think I have finally discovered a formula with which I can increase the pace without rushing things. Last time we saw him, he had council with his fellow sellsword leaders, the Rat and the Pig. There, they were informed that their employer, Octavia Shett, whishes to meet them in Gulltown to discuss their role in her scheme and that each of them can bring one additional fighter to this meeting, alongside the Iron Bank representative Jaqiros Nestoris. The Pig chose his best fighter, Agar the Cold, while the Rat chose his second-in-command and lover Vii the Innocent. The Hawk thought between his own second-in-command Montoya, his squire Hazar and his spymaster Sharako, eventually deciding in favour of the former. His next part will be set a couple hours later, as the leaders of the three companies arrive at Gulltown. Given that I intend to make a couple introductions in this part and to establish the Vale plotline as a whole, there won't be room for another PoV here, though most of the upcming parts in this chapter are likely to hold two PoV's.