I Really like this part and it is for the totally biased reason that two of the characters that I created(Myrla and Erik Flowers) were introduced in it. It is so cool seeing characters that I made in this story and I can't wait to see what you do with them. I'm most likely going to say this everytime a character I made is introduced but I am really excited for it.
Ah, I am glad you liked it! I was looking forward to introducing them and found myself really enjoying how they worked in it. Certainly they won't remain the last ones. Erik in particular will play quite an important part in Raenna's storyline as a constant presence, whereas Myrla is going to be this character they will pursue for the time being, with her big scenes coming up at a later date.
Although I really have to ask, since I only joined the forums in April, Which means Characters like Myrla and Erik didn't exist at that time, what were you going to do with this part before they were created? Would someone else have taken these roles or did you only come up with this idea for the storyline when you got then?
Well, here I have to go a bit into detail just how my planning process works. See, there are very few scenes I have planned out to a full detail and they are mostly scenes of super huge importance (The death of Richard Harking has been one of these for example). The rest is planned with slightly more leeway for improvisation, as I realized I like it more that way. So, my plan for Raenna's storyline this chapter has always been as follows: Raenna arrives at the Last Hearth, she meets the Umbers and is introduced to Kory, Kory behaves in a somewhat shady way and Raenna eventually ends up following him, either immediately or with Roffe's group. She overhears his conversation with the wildlings, is spotted and a fight breaks out. At the end of the chapter, she learns the truth behind the strange behaviour of "Kory" and prepares to travel to the real north to find out what happened to the real Kory. The rest is planned in more detail the closer the part comes. This leaves me with space to add characters in, or scenes I would like to include, moments for characters to get fleshed out and so on, none of this actually exists in the very rough draft and it is only slowly added in unless it is of importance for the rough draft itself. Myrla was the first character of yours I was able to fit in and perfectly at that. See, in my original plan, made before she was submitted, Markus Treearms would meet with an unnamed wildling raid leader, who would have likely not survived the confrontation with Roffe either. With Myrla, you presented me with a character who actually fit perfectly into that role and since she is a fleshed out and submitted character, I had her survive. This in return will change plans I have for later, as this definitely wasn't the last we have seen of her, unlike the unnamed raider who was originally going to take her place as the wildling who confronts Markus. The real game changer is Erik though. See, his role in the story for now is to be the one who reveals the fact that the man the Umbers knew as Kory is not Kory but the wildling Markus Treearms and to be the one who will be their guide beyond the Wall. Originally, this role was going to go to Markus himself, who, after being captured, would reveal slightly more about Kory's whereabouts than Erik, on account of Erik not knowing more, before making the same offer and becoming their guide beyond the wall. After you submitted Erik, I realized that he would be way more fitting in this, given his backstory as an opportunist, whereas it would have been more of a stretch to convince the Umber's to work with Markus. As it is, things sounded way more fitting for me, so I decided to give Erik the role originally intended for Markus, granting me the opportunity to develop him better while also giving Markus a chance to develop into a different direction. So, in a way I had plans for this storyline that will not significantly change with the inclusion of Myrla and Erik, but there are countless details that will change thanks to them and in the end, I think I got some major ideas for additions and enhancements after you submitted them.
[Take Briar with you to the Wall]
I Really like this part and it is for the totally biased reason that two of the characters that I created… more(Myrla and Erik Flowers) were introduced in it. It is so cool seeing characters that I made in this story and I can't wait to see what you do with them. I'm most likely going to say this everytime a character I made is introduced but I am really excited for it.
Although I really have to ask, since I only joined the forums in April, Which means Characters like Myrla and Erik didn't exist at that time, what were you going to do with this part before they were created? Would someone else have taken these roles or did you only come up with this idea for the storyline when you got then?
So Erik Flowers is a bastard from House Oakheart? then what is his relationship with Devrin Oakheart and the rest of his family?
Ah, no, Erik is a bastard coming from Old Oak, not an Oakheart bastard. Actually, this is something his creator might be better suited to say, because Erik's parents are not specified in his backstory and while his last name confirms a Reach origin, the specific location at Old Oak is something I added in, as the Oldtown thief has been done to death by now. I wouldn't even say that he has to be a highborn bastard, as a direct result of me accepting lowborn characters with surnames. This kinda makes room for lowborn bastards with the appropriate bastard names. The show canon even kinda supports that one, with Ellaria Sand's statement that she, as a Sand, has ten thousand brothers and sisters in Dorne (implied to share her last name), which would be blown ridiculously out of proportion if one only counts highborn bastards as actual bastards. I can at least say that nothing in Erik's backstory hints at him having a highborn parent, but of course, that does not rule out that he is actually a highborn bastard who fell on hard times. Even then, he doesn't need to be related to House Oakheart, I am sure there are servant families of minor nobility (such as House Poole for House Stark) who are located at Old Oak without having a seat of their own.
Seeing the Wall and finally meeting Harrigon Hoare, that will be interesting.
Oh yes, oh yes it will be I have planned this part of the storyline ages ago and it feels so great to be so close to showing the Wall and introducing the Night's Watch, of course led by Harren Hoare's previously mentioned brother Harrigon. The next chapter will show you what to expect of these characters!
[Take Briar with you to the Wall] This development was certainly unexpected, and it makes you wonder how are they going to find them. So Eri… morek Flowers is a bastard from House Oakheart? then what is his relationship with Devrin Oakheart and the rest of his family?
Seeing the Wall and finally meeting Harrigon Hoare, that will be interesting.
Well, flash forward three hundred years and take the show canon into account and there really shouldn't be many wildlings left after the destruction of Eastwatch. Depending on how Season 8 will go, I doubt a significant number of wildlings will actually survive the series, so this statement might not be all that unlikely.
Also, I meant to say this earlier, so sorry about your grandfather. I was wondering if something had happened to him when I saw a drought of posting in the thread. Even though words are fickle, just though that we are here for you friend.
Thank you for your support. I just returned today and I am actually in better spirits. My grandfather has slightly improved and while his survival is still unlikely, it seems that he has some weeks or maybe even months left. As such, I will visit him again next week and probably later as well. He is not dead yet and I will truly make the best out of the time we still have together. While it is not looking good as a whole and he still refuses further therapy, I believe he is resilient and I will have the chance to visit him more times in the weeks to come. Still, this is not an easy situation, it is a terribly hard one in fact and I have no way of knowing how bad it will get when I actually have to say goodbye to him.
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] Bad idea taking her.
Wilding scum. They'll pay, all of them.
Also, I meant to say this earlier, so sor… morery about your grandfather. I was wondering if something had happened to him when I saw a drought of posting in the thread. Even though words are fickle, just though that we are here for you friend.
Firstly, I really enjoyed this part, very entertaining and action-packed! Also, it's nice to see my fellow Free Folk finally getting a role in the story And oh man, "Kory" being a completely different infiltrator was a genius twist - exactly the kind of trickery I'd expect from the wildlings Makes me wonder what sort of man the actual Kory is...
Really glad to hear you enjoyed the part The Free Folk is finally present in the story and I can tease that this is only the beginning. More wildling characters will come for sure and the dynamics between the different clans will be a major factor in Raenna's storyline to come. I am also happy you liked the Kory twist! This was a long time in the making and well, I hope it was a proper surprise and a good explanation for his odd behaviour. The actual Kory, well, we are going to learn more about him in the future, probably giving you a better idea just how he actually is as a character.
Firstly, I really enjoyed this part, very entertaining and action-packed! Also, it's nice to see my fellow Free Folk finally getting a role … morein the story And oh man, "Kory" being a completely different infiltrator was a genius twist - exactly the kind of trickery I'd expect from the wildlings Makes me wonder what sort of man the actual Kory is...
[Send Briar back to Winterfell] I'm not too disappointed if the other option wins because I really enjoy the interactions between Raenna and Briar. However, I think this part served as a reminder that Raenna should be a bit more responsible with Briar.
Raenna is going to take Briar with her to the Wall
Technically, we have another tie, so the first vote wins here. It has been a very active voting and well, I am quite happy about this. First of all, thank you very much for the kind words over the past couple of days, it really means a lot. I myself have made my way back home after visiting my grandfather and well, he is doing slightly better with every day. It is clear he will not fully recover, but I believe he will have a few weeks left. Though it is not looking as bad as it used to be, his refusal to get further treatment still means he won't have long to live, but over the days I have been with him, he improved notably and I am at least somewhat relieved about this. This means I will visit him again next week, to support him and my grandmother, though this time I don't think this will slow my writing down all that much.
The next part was originally supposed to be out yesterday, but well, I have been busy with some important car stuff once again. As a result, very little writing was done yesterday, but I should get the next part finished today. It will finish the storylines for Edrick and Ilish in this chapter and it has been a while for both. Last time we saw Edrick, he was being whipped by Gawayne Schaffrot, after taking the blame for an insult that actually came from Darreth. This was cut short thanks to the intervention of Sylvi Codd. Impressed with his selfless behaviour, Normund, the alleged ally of the Riverborn, offered to take over Edrick's shift, giving him a break, something the hedge knight accepted. So, next part he will be back at the room with the rest of the prisoners minus Darreth. Meanwhile, Ilish had agreed to help Lawsen with escaping from the Night's Watch recruiter Wildor Goodbrook. As it turned out, Lawsen is a deserter, though his reasons for this, as well as his true reasons for being sent to the wall in the first place, are not yet revealed. Ilish nonetheless decided to remain loyal to her friend, distracting Wildor before setting out to meet up with Lawsen, which is where we are going to start at her next part. As I said, I will try my best to finish it later today
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he could not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of her captors.
And finally, Jorid. The soldier was sitting on a chair right now, staring at his knuckles. They were still stained with his own blood, as was the wall next to him. He had taken their imprisonment worse than any of the others and Edrick couldn't even blame him. In the younger man's eyes, he spotted something familiar, a helpless rage that he himself had felt years ago. Time had calmed him, but Jorid's wounds were fresh, as was his anger.
“You see how they are treating their prisoners now, yes?”, the soldier finally hissed, breaking the depressed silence that had lingered in the room ever since Edrick returned. “It's only a matter of time until one of us is killed. It's always like this with the Ironbornd”
“Technically, it was an Ironborn who saved Edrick as well”, Dante brought up, earning himself a glare from Jorid. “You don't know them, Karstark”, he hissed. “All you have fought against are Skagosi and Wildlings...” He paused, glancing at Dante's lean frame. “Probably not even these, at least not personally”
Dante narrowed his eyes at the insult. “Enlighten me then”, he replied, his voice showing anger despite the restraint. “What do you know about Ironborn?” Jorid raised an eyebrow. “Murderers”, he explained. “Raiders and rapists. You folk from the east have always been lucky, but there's not a single village or castle on the western coast that hasn't been visited by them at least once every year”
“I don't think that's all there is to them”, Dante replied firmly. “There are good people among them as well. Condemn Gawayne if you want to, but Sylvi is Ironborn as well and she did not hesitate to help Edrick out. Viveka has treated us fairly as well”
“Because we are cattle to her!”, Jorid growled, louder now. “Because she has use for us. How well do you think she would treat us without your noble name to protect us? She has been upfront about her intentions, but that doesn't mean she's any bit less brutal than the men I have fought against for most of my life”
“That is enough”, Edrick intervened, his voice low and threatening. His head was thumping, perhaps a side effect of the lashes, so he had no patience for an argument. “Both of you... cut it and shut up” He slowly looked up, sternly at both of them. “Dante, I appreciate that you try to see past their reputation, but Jorid has fought these people. Like it or not, he knows them better than you do”
Before either could say anything, he shifted his attention to Jorid. “However, I have made my decision. Viveka has treated us fairly, no matter her intention. We work with her and this is final”, he warned him. “I don't care if you like it, but it is your best bet at freedom. If I cannot count on you, might as well kick you out” He leant forwards, ignoring the pain this put him in, to glare at Jorid. “Can I count on you, soldier?”
Jorid sighed, biting down on his lower lip. “I...”, he began, before he cut himself off. “Fine, have it your way. I'll follow your orders, Ser” He narrowed his eyes as well. “But once we're out of here, our ways will part. The Ironborn who murdered my brother, they are still out there. If it means I have to work with an Ironborn to get to them, then so be it, But this better get me out of here in the end”
This time, Edrick allowed himself a thin smile, glad that the soldier was finally coming around. He had sympathy for the fellow Northerner, especially given that he had been dragged into this without being involved before Leo's betrayal. He would have hated leaving the man behind, or even having to sacrifice him to get out of this.
“Glad to hear it”, he spoke, though he frowned as a new wave of pain flashed through his back. Groaning, he rose from the bed, staggering forward, as his companions gave him looks of concern. It was Alphyn who was by his side first, as he went on all fours. “Easy, Edrick”, he spoke, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Seven, that fucking butcher...”
Slowly, he helped him back to his feet and Edrick was still tensed up with pain. “A shame we have to leave him behind”, he mumbled. “Perhaps the only regret I have about the whole situation” That being said, in this moment he silently vowed to find a way to make Gawayne pay. It had been the same with his Skagosi captors, as none of them had lived to see the end of the fighting between their kind and the North.
In this moment, a brief knock on the door caused them to shift their attention. Being the closest to it, Dante rose from his seat, slowly approaching. It had been left unlocked and unguarded by now, probably given that their escape from the castle as a whole was not expected, even if a guard still checked up on them every hour. As Dante opened the door, Edrick got a glimpse of the lean face of Normund Tavorch. The young man was standing there awkwardly, glancing past Dante and spotting Edrick, sighing before he visibly tensed up.
“Can I... help you?”, Dante asked, as Normund nodded. “No, no that's not why I'm here”, he spoke. “I want to help you, in fact” He clenched his fists. “My name is Normund. Maybe Edrick told you about me? Normund Tavorch” Dante nodded at this. “The stableboy, yes”, he spoke and Normund glanced around. He leant forwards, lowering his voice so that only Dante was able to hear him. Then, he gave Edrick a nod, followed by the briefest of smiles, before he turned around and walked down the hallway.
Slowly, Dante closed the door again, before he turned around, his eyes wide. “He wants to get us out of here”, he spoke, his voice still lowered, as he stepped away from the door. By now, he was glancing around, as if he expected their conversation to be listened to, but he continued once everyone had gotten closer.
“He told me he can free us, if we trust him”, he revealed. “Promised me it's not the first time he's doing this. That we're good folk and that he wants to help us” He looked at Edrick, who slowly nodded. “Sounds like something Normund would say”, he admitted. “The boy strikes me as the selfless kind. Was willing to take the blame for Darreth, even before I could, without even knowing the man”
Dante smiled slightly. “And he told us he can introduce us to the Riverborn”, he finally revealed. “That he would be able to smuggle us out of the Riverlands, so that we may follow Lady Alys' trail. All we have to do is to stay ready. He would return during the night time, to see if we agree to follow him and to explain the plan”
There was something hopeful in his gaze and Edrick had to admit, it sounded good. Almost too good to be true, to be honest. Though he trusted Normund, as much as he reasonably could trust a man he didn't know too well, he was not certain if their escape would have any chance to succeed. After all, they weren't just any prisoners. There was a Karstark with them, a Mormont and a Frostborn. Viveka's prized captives. Cattle, as Jorid had called them, but he wasn't entirely wrong. They had worth to the lady of this castle and the rest of them had received a task. Finding the Riverborn. Helping her with bringing order to these lands.
“Well, what are we waiting for then?”, Jorid asked and surprisingly, it was Reymond who voiced Edrick's own concerns on the matter. “What about Viveka?”, she asked and Jorid shrugged. “What about the bitch?”, he spoke. “I am all for working with her as long as she's the only option we have. Well, now she clearly isn't”
“That would be a bit easy, wouldn't it?”, Reymond brought up and Alphyn nodded. “Girl's got a point there”, he growled. “That boy, he doesn't strike me as rebel material. He might claim he has done this several times, but I know my luck. Things never go that smoothly. I want to escape as well, I'm just not certain this Normund fellow is the one to free us. Seemed a bit naïve, I mean”
“And we gave our word to Lady Viveka”, Reymond continued. “You might consider it funny, but that means something to me. House Mormont is only as good as our word” Jorid rolled his eyes. “Are we seriously having that discussion right now?”, he muttered. “Fuck your word, she-bear. Even if you keep it, I can guarantee the Ironborn will find some way to screw you over. She intends to send you home, doesn't she? Sure daddy bear won't be happy to have you back”
Reymond jumped up, glaring at Jorid, but Edrick's gaze hardened and she calmed down. Next, it was Dante who spoke up. “I... damn it, I don't know”, he admitted. “We did gave our word and Viveka, she gave me a reasonable impression. I don't want to turn on her. However, that means we have to find the Riverborn, in which case we have to follow Normund”
“And what then?”, Jorid asked. “Then, when that poor boy introduces us to the Riverborn, you want to turn on them and bring both back to the Ironborn? You said it yourself, if we stay loyal to Viveka, we have to do what she commanded. That would mean turning on the Riverborn, turning on a boy who offered us his help without demanding anything in return. You can't tell me that would sit right with you!”
Dante shook his head. “It does not”, he admitted. “Normund was willing to protect Darreth, he is willing to help us out of here. I don't want to betray him now, just like how I don't want to break my promise to Viveka”
Alphyn shrugged. “If we don't betray him and we get caught, it won't matter. Jorid, Edrick and your squire, they will hang. You, me and Reymond will be chained in the dungeons until our families decide to buy our freedom”, he said, his tone a low snarl. “The way I see it, there's only one way for us to escape. We tell Viveka about Normund's plans and she, well, arranges for it to succeed. Orders her guards to look the other way. We meet the Riverborn, Viveka gets a chance to capture that man and we gain our freedom back in return”
“Normund and the Riverborn would hang for that”, Jorid spoke, to which Alphyn gave him a downright indifferent glance. “So what?”, he asked. “Men are hanged all the time, often for crimes much less severe. I have nothing against the Riverborn, but all of this, Ironborn, Riverlanders, they are not my people and this is not my rebellion. I get your concern, but I want to take the option more likely to get me out of here”
Jorid sighed, seeming visibly unhappy with this turn of events. Finally, he looked up and at Edrick. “I promised I'd follow your orders and I mean it”, he assured the knight. “I don't like this one bit, working with Viveka, betraying Normund. In fact, I hate it and I can only urge you not to do it. There is another way” He bit down on his lower lip. “What are your orders in this?”
[Follow Normund's plan to escape][Reveal his plan to Viveka]
Ilish
Frantically, Ilish scanned the streets, as she approached the southern gate. She wasn't running, she knew she wouldn't be able to run through the entire city, searching for her friend before he'd be gone, before she'd be left without answers. Would he truly do that? Leaving her without a parting word? Yet the closer she came to the southern gate without actually spotting him, the more concerned she grew. Worse even, she was not sure if she had picked correctly. Maybe he was heading to the docks, waiting for her in vain before heading off, or maybe he was approaching the western gate.
The place wasn't too crowded, admittedly, not after sunset. It still made for a more pleasant sight than the western gate, where fire had ravaged plenty of houses. The Stormlanders had protected the southern side of Raylansfair during the raid, holding out for as long as they could and as a result, this part of the city was almost rebuilt by now, even if the unsightly ruin of the lighthouse made for a jarring contrast in the nightly sky.
“Hey...”, a voice hissed and Ilish stopped, tensing up and instantly staring into the alleyway next to her. Slowly, a smile formed on her face as she recognized the voice. “Hey, Ilish”, Lawsen said. “Over here, quickly” She turned to her left, where she saw the barely visible figure of the young man, pressed against a wall, a dark cloak hiding most of his features.
“Glad you could make it”, he said, as he turned around, beckoning her to follow. Slowly, he lead her through the alleyway and Ilish clenched her fists. “Yeah, about that...”, she hissed, just as they entered a small inner yard located between the two houses, hidden from sight and without a second entrance. There was a small hut located near one of the walls. A candle was burning inside, illuminating a bedroll, a bag and several empty bottles.
“What is this?”, she asked and Lawsen turned around, giving her a brief smile. “A hideout”, he revealed. “After the raid, I figured I might need to make a quick escape eventually. So I found this place. No one came around to complain, figured the original owners might be dead. I always kept a packed bag in here”
Ilish sighed. “So, you're just going to leave?”, she asked and Lawsen gave her a nod. “Thanks to you”, he said, taking a step closer. “No, really. Without you, Goodbrook would have caught up to me. This time, they would have hanged me. No third chance for me” He turned to grab his back, but Ilish held him back. “Wait”, she hissed, narrowing her eyes. “You saved my life and I saved yours. By now, I figure you owe me some answers at least”
Lawsen glanced over his shoulder, the candle illuminating his thin face. Then, he gulped. “You do”, he agreed. “Seven Hells, I think you might be the first person I trust in... well, in a very long time” He shot her a thin smile. “For what you did, I cannot thank you enough. Least I can do is to tell you what you want to know. Where shall I start?”
He crouched down and Ilish crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “Maybe tell me why a brother of the Night's Watch is after you”, she spoke. “You're a deserter, right? What have you done to get to the Wall in the first place?” Lawsen sighed. “Nothing too bad, I can assure you”, he promised. “See, I come from the Rock, a small village near Lannisport. As rich as our liege lord was, we common folk have always been piss poor”
For a moment, he hesitated, his gaze wandering off as if he was lost in thought. “My parents died early. Father fought against the Ironborn and never returned, a chill claimed Mother. Left me responsible for my three brothers”, he explained and Ilish gulped, as she had to remember how things used to be with her. Carvin was in a situation not too different after their father had died.
“We had nothing and what work would anyone give a boy like me? I was barely a grown man and even more scrawny than I am now”, Lawsen continued and Ilish began to understand. “I was always fast though, so I did what I could. Stole to keep my siblings fed” He chuckled sadly. “Rarely had enough for myself. Figured I have never been a good thief. That's what got me caught eventually, when I tried to steal coin from some highborn asshole”
“And they sent you right to the Wall?”, Ilish asked and Lawsen shook his head. “Gave me the choice between going there or losing a hand”, he said tonelessly. “So I left my home, I left my siblings. Mycah, my oldest brother, he was almost old enough to fill my shoes, I thought. That has been almost two years ago and I haven't heard of them since”
For a moment, he seemed so hopeless that Ilish felt deep pity for this man. He was not a criminal, not some hardened murderer as Wildor had made him seem to be. “The Wall was terrible and I... I just couldn't do it. Couldn't stay there for the rest of my life. The cold was bad, but worse... worse were the people. You know the lot they send up there?”
“Murderers”, Ilish spoke and Lawsen nodded. “Worse at times”, he spoke. “The good men up there, they are mostly highborn and all of those stick to their own kind. I was left in the frozen mud, with killers, with rapists, with true monsters” He sighed, his fists clenched. “I am not like them. I stole some coin here and there, a bread at times. Never killed anyone, never hurt anyone”, he stuttered. “I couldn't live the rest of my life among them, so I ran away. Escaped successfully, but I knew they'd follow me”
“Why didn't you return home then?”, Ilish asked and Lawsen chuckled. “That's the first they'll look for me”, he spoke. “No, I have to shake them off my track first. Oldtown, for some time at least, until no one cares for me anymore. I don't dare return while anyone might still try to hunt me down. Then, I'll take a ship to Lannisport and I'll see what is still left of my old home when I return”
“Lovely plan”, a hoarsy voice sounded from beyond the alleyway and Lawsen jumped up. “Fuck...”, he mumbled and Ilish turned around just in time to see Wildor Goodbrook entering the inner yard. “Would have almost worked, to be fair. After Oldtown, I would have left” He shrugged, sword in hand. “Of course, now I can't let you leave”
Horrified, Lawsen stared at Ilish. “You...”, he mumbled. “You did...” Frantically, Ilish shook her head. “I did not!”, she assured him. “Shit, I did not betray you!” Though there was panic in Lawsen's eyes, he managed to nod. “Of course...”, he replied. “Sorry for doubting you”
Wildor smiled politely. “You got quite a friend there”, he told the deserter. “Refused to help me, even after I told her you've fled from the Wall” He gave Ilish a nod. “Though I know how to walk unseen. Used to be with the rangers, before a stray arrow nearly ended my life”, he told her. “And you, girl, you're really shit at not being seen” He chuckled. “No offence, but I thought you'd at least suspect me trying to follow you”
For a moment, Ilish just stared at him. She had tried to look out for him and so far, she had always considered herself good at not being seen. “You can't take him back to the Wall!”, she then growled, as she stood between him and Lawsen. It did not matter that the man had a sword and she had nothing at best. Lawsen saved her life and she wouldn't sacrifice him now.
“Girl, trust me I won't”, Wildor assured her. “There is only one punishment for desertion” He pointed the sword right at her. “Now get out of my way, please” To this, she shook her head. “He didn't do anything!”, she growled. “Stole to survive, you can't be serious. He doesn't deserve this!”
This time, Wildor shook his head. “He won't die for being a petty thief”, he replied. “That's why he got the Wall. He chose to desert, now he'll pay the price”, He shrugged. “Don't like it either, but the law's there for a reason”, he added. Behind Ilish, Lawsen gulped. “You won't get me without a fight!”, he spat. “You don't get to take my life, not you!”
Wildor raised an eyebrow. Placing both hands on his sword, he gave Ilish an apologetic look. “So be it”, he spoke, as he rose the weapon to attack. Ilish was ready to dodge the attack, as she felt Lawsen pushing her aside. Not having expected this, she fell straight to the ground and as she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Lawsen dodging the strike in her place.
The recruiter glared at him, as he attacked again. This time, Lawsen pushed his hand against the hilt of Wildor's weapon, taking away the momentum, though the sharp edge of the blade still cut against his belly, forcing him back and pushing him against the wall. By now, Wildor had turned his back on Ilish, who scanned her surroundings for anything, anything at all to help Lawsen in his situation.
Finally, her eyes fell upon one of the bottles Lawsen kept in his hut. Some still held some liquid, alcohol or water and she quickly grabbed one of them, as she jumped up. Lawsen groaned blood seeping through his fingers, as Wildor pulled the blade back. “At least you died fighting”, the recruiter complimented him. “Shit at both, but you're better now than you ever were as a thief”
He pulled the blade back, pointing it at Lawsen's chest, as Ilish was behind him. With a single strike, she slammed the bottle against the back of his head. Yelling in pain, the recruiter let go of his blade and of Lawsen, as he staggered a few steps to the side. Holding the unbroken bottle in her hand, Ilish began to shiver, as Wildor's vicious glare hit her. “That...”, he groaned. “That was a mistake”
With this, he charged at her, pushing her back and against the other wall. Ilish screamed as she felt his hands on her throat. Instead of panicking though, she remained focussed, on him and on the bottle in her hand. And before he could do anything to hurt her, she smashed the bottle into his face, right against his forehead.
Wildor's groan was a weak one and this time, the bottle broke, embedding shards of glass in his face. Dazed and injured, he went to his knees, then on all four. In this moment, Ilish's foot hit the side of his head. He sank forwards, face first and stopped moving.
“Oh gods...”, Ilish gasped, as she realized what had happened. The broken end of the bottle fell from her hand, as she began to shake. “Oh gods, no...” She glanced down at her own hands, then at the limp body of Wildor. On the other end of the inner yard, Lawsen rose from the ground, putting a hand onto the superficial wound on his belly. He slowly limped closer, staring at her, then at Wildor, too shocked to speak at first.
“No...”, Ilish gasped again, as she went onto her knees. “I didn't want to... I didn't mean to kill him!” Lawsen now knelt next to Wildor, placing two fingers on the man's neck, before he sighed. “Ilish...”, he said, followed by something she did not understand, as tears welled up in her eyes. She was a thief herself, a liar at times, but no murderer. That wasn't her, but by the gods, he had left her with no choice!
“Ilish!”, Lawsen said, now louder and he grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her into a brief hug. She was too stunned to reciprocate the gesture, though she did look him in the eye. “He's not dead”, he told her and immediately, a strange relief rushed through her. “Out for a bit, but not dead. Might be for the better. Wildor's harsh, but he volunteered for the Wall. World would be better with more men like him, even if he's out to kill me”
Ilish sighed, relief mixed with dread, as she realized what this would mean. “Fuck...”, she finally said. “Fuck! What are we going to do?” Lawsen stared down at Wildor, then gulped and she noticed that his hands were shaking. “I'm not going to kill him”, he spoke. “Told you I'm not a murderer. Neither are you” Then, he looked up and at her. “But this... this will have consequences. Once he wakes up, he'll hunt you as well. Attacking a brother of the Night's Watch, he'll hang you for this”
This time, she shook her head. “No, no he can't...”, she argued, before she cut herself off. “What am I going to do? I have a life here, I can't just leave!” Lawsen gave her a sympathetic look. “I had a life as well, back home”, he spoke. “And I'll get back there. Until then, maybe I can offer you something” He took a deep breath. “Come with me. To Oldtown. We're going to stay there for a few months and then I leave home and you return to Raylansfair. In a few months, nobody will care if you smacked some guy in the face with a bottle”
She took a moment to think about this, then she blinked the tears away. “I don't have a choice, right?”, she asked and Lawsen shook his head. “Not if you want to live”, he replied. “You have to leave for a couple months, I'm afraid. And... if you want to come with me... you're perhaps the only friend I have in this part of the world”
This actually made her smile, thinly and with despair. “I'll come with you”, she assured him and Lawsen reciprocated her smile. “But... I have to tell Audrey! And Daisy and... probably even Megur, I suppose” Instantly, the man shook his head. “I'd advice against it”, he told her. “I mean, I won't stop you, but if you do that, I'll wait outside of the city”
“And my stuff... I have to gather my things if I leave the city for months”, Ilish brought up and ocne more, Lawsen shook his head. “I have some savings. Not much, but you earned every bit of it. We can use it to buy whatever you need to survive the next months” Ilish sighed, not liking this one bit. Leaving was one thing and she already hated it, but she knew she had no choice. But leaving without saying a word?
“Audrey and Daisy deserve better”, she spoke. “They have been good to me. Took me in when I had no home. It would be cruel to just leave without telling them. They'll think me dead” Lawsen gulped. “But you won't be dead and that is all that matters”, he argued. “But do it if you want to, if it gives you peace or something like that. Just do it quickly” He pointed at the unconscious Wildor. “Don't know how long he'll be out, but once he's back, he'll check the tavern first”
[Go with Lawsen immediately][Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
So Ilish is leaving Raylansfair too? That means there will only be 3 Povs there next chapter which kind of weird to think about since at one point all but 3 Povs were there. You weren't kidding when you said there would be less Povs in Raylansfair although who knows, a few people might come back.
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
[Reveal his plan to Viveka] While is far from the safer option, Viveka has been a woman of her word, and if Normund is the Riverborn or knows the Riverborn and they don't tell her, there won't be much to stop her from hanging them. [Say goodbye to the tavern staff] This is a sentimental decision, but they at least deserve it.
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Idk, I just don't feel like throwing Normund under the bus is the right thing to do. Viveka may have been reasonable but she's still an enemy at the end of the day, whereas the Riverborn could be a true ally and friend for Edrick & co.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] While I can see that Ilish clearly cares about Audrey and Daisey, I'm personally not that attached to them, so I'd much rather take the less risky route of leaving immediately. I have a feeling if Ilish goes to say her goodbyes to the tavern staff, Megur will snitch her to Wildor. Btw, I kind of expected Lawsen to change the plan now that Wildor heard about it. Then again, Oldtown is a large city so it won't be easy to find two people there who are trying to lay low. I don't see Wildor giving up though, so they better find a good place to hide in. I also wonder if that talk about Vaes Khadokh from Book 1 will come into play with Ilish's storyline, or if it was build up for someone else's story.
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
So Ilish is leaving Raylansfair too? That means there will only be 3 Povs there next chapter which kind of weird to think about since at one point all but 3 Povs were there. You weren't kidding when you said there would be less Povs in Raylansfair although who knows, a few people might come back.
Aye, with Ilish gone, only Jenna, Arthur and Willfred will remain in Raylansfair for the time being and out of these three, at least Willfre does not intend to stay there for too much longer, given that he wishes to return home after achieving what he came for. However, Raylansfair will remain a major location, with the storylines of Kersea and Samantha pretty much revolving around the storyline there even if they themselves are in other locations for the time being. You are also right that returns are certainly in the realm of possible. I can also tease that at least one completely new PoV will eventually be featured in Raylansfair. The scale is a lot wider in Book 2 as opposed to the very Raylansfair-centric Book 1, but the city as a whole will remain a main location of the story all the way to the very end of Book 3.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
So Ilish is leaving Raylansfair too? That means there will only be 3 P… moreovs there next chapter which kind of weird to think about since at one point all but 3 Povs were there. You weren't kidding when you said there would be less Povs in Raylansfair although who knows, a few people might come back.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Normund Doormund, get us the heck outta here. Viveka is not a nice lady, Reymond will probably screw us over, agh.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] Agh, we were too competent. If we'd have gone to the docks, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Dagger. Ol' Wildor is not going to be happy when he wakes up.
Let's just abandon our friends. It'll be fineeeee...
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
Btw, I kind of expected Lawsen to change the plan now that Wildor heard about it. Then again, Oldtown is a large city so it won't be easy to find two people there who are trying to lay low. I don't see Wildor giving up though, so they better find a good place to hide in.
Well, the thing is that even if Wildor knows he will be somewhere in Oldtown, Lawsen knows it remains by far the best place to stay for the time being. The city is huge, the largest in Westeros at the time and finding someone specific in it can be nearly impossible. After all, even someone as skilled as Samuel Harrington had been looking for his brother for years. Wildor on the other hand doesn't have years. He is first and foremost a recruiter and if he cannot find Lawsen after a reasonable amount of time has passed, it can be assumed that he will just leave. Not every deserter can be caught and though he won't like it, he does not intend to spend the rest of his life hunting for this one guy, who, admittedly, isn't even all that dangerous.
I also wonder if that talk about Vaes Khadokh from Book 1 will come into play with Ilish's storyline, or if it was build up for someone else's story.
Ah, surely a possibility for a future location! Not necessarily in Ilish's storyline, albeit her parts will get quite some twists coming up soon Vaes Khadokh is a location I would be quite interested to write about, albeit for the time being, I think one of the Essos PoV's might be a better option to give a glimpse of it.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Idk, I just don't feel like throwing Normund under the bus is the right thing to do. Viveka may have been … morereasonable but she's still an enemy at the end of the day, whereas the Riverborn could be a true ally and friend for Edrick & co.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] While I can see that Ilish clearly cares about Audrey and Daisey, I'm personally not that attached to them, so I'd much rather take the less risky route of leaving immediately. I have a feeling if Ilish goes to say her goodbyes to the tavern staff, Megur will snitch her to Wildor. Btw, I kind of expected Lawsen to change the plan now that Wildor heard about it. Then again, Oldtown is a large city so it won't be easy to find two people there who are trying to lay low. I don't see Wildor giving up though, so they better find a good place to hide in. I also wonder if that talk about Vaes Khadokh from Book 1 will come into play with Ilish's storyline, or if it was build up for someone else's story.
Agh, we were too competent. If we'd have gone to the docks, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Dagger. Ol' Wildor is not going to be happy when he wakes up.
Actually, that is indeed what would have happened. Wildor followed Ilish and if she would have went to the docks, he would have missed Lawsen. He would have confronted her, quite angry about it, but there wouldn't have been a fight. Instead, Lawsen would have approached her later on to say his farewells with Wildor no longer around and Ilish would have remained in Raylansfair for a bit longer.
How many parts do we got before the chapter ends?
Hm, at this point I think I will finish the chapter within the next 7-8 parts. The end of the month won't mark the end of the chapter, but early August is a definite answer to when it will end. Many storylines have ended for the chapter already, with the remaining having only one left, with the exception of Willfred, who has two. I know this chapter has been terribly long, and I can only hope that an increased focus on two PoV's per part will speed things up in the next chapter, as well as hopefully less troubles going on for me, which is guaranteed to slow me down at times. With this in mind, I think it is very reasonable to reach the end of Chapter 3 until the end of the year
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Normund Doormund, get us the heck outta here. Viveka is not a nice lady, Reymond will probably screw us ov… moreer, agh.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] Agh, we were too competent. If we'd have gone to the docks, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Dagger. Ol' Wildor is not going to be happy when he wakes up.
Let's just abandon our friends. It'll be fineeeee...
How many parts do we got before the chapter ends?
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he co… moreuld not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of he… [view original content]
This was a very active voting and I am quite happy with this The outcome for Edrick's choice will be very important in his next chapter, as he has firmly chosen a side with this. While previously siding with Viveka and deciding in her favour, him going with Normund might mean his freedom, albeit it is likely that she will be anything but pleased with this. Then again, Viveka is anything but a typical Ironborn, so her full reaction might remain up to be seen. If she even finds out at all, that is, before Edrick and co. make their escape. Ilish's choice meanwhile wasn't too important. However, it will mean that the tavern crew will have no idea that she is still alive and well. They'll consider her dead, most likely, with all the implications this holds. In any way, Ilish's storyline is in for quite a big twist with this, as she will become a much more important character once in Oldtown.
The next part should be out today. I myself am currently at my grandfather's house again. He is feeling better, to the point where he can even leave bed at times. It's a surprising recovery, but one that cannot last, so I try to enjoy it as long as possible. In the meantime, I will, of course, write. This next part will bring us back to Essos, to Janae's storyline. With the chapter drawing rapidly closer to an ending, my plan is to end the Essos storylines next and Janae will be in line for this first. Last time we saw her, she arrived at the estate of one of Abbas' friends, the slaver Goranero Sanys. He also had a guest, fellow Ghiscari slaver Vanis zo Narrn, who had a question in matters of business to discuss. Abbas, as such, was quite happy to meet the two and he took Janae with him to the meeting. There, he demanded that Janae would kneel in front of his friends and though she was very reluctant to do so, she ultimately decided in favour of it. Her next part will start right there. I might have the means to include a second PoV, to wrap up John's storyline, in which he will have a talk with the pirate Aidan Storm, who might be their best bet to find a captain to bring them to Volantis. However, that is not entirely certain yet, the next part might be solely for Janae. I plan to release it later today and I think this is fairly likely.
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had always been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely begun”, he hissed. Behind her, Harpy sighed softly.
Goranero cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable with the way the discussion developed. He finally managed to sport a thin smile. “Now, Abbas, what are your next plans?”, he asked, as he raised his hands. Clapping them once, a door got opened and a lithe woman entered, her collar showing her status as Goranero’s property. “Bring wine and food!”, the master demanded. “Only the best for my guests. Gather the others, I want them to be ready for any wish my friends have tonight!”
The woman nodded, as she turned around in an instant. Goranero sighed, as he shifted his attention back towards Abbas. “You say you are followed”, he started. “Yet you ask me to help you with this...” His eyes widened slightly. “This means you do not intend to continue your journey by ship”, he deduced. “I mean, it makes sense. I doubt you came all the way up the Rhoyne to have a pleasant chat”
Abbas smirked. “Sharp as always”, he complimented the fellow slaver, only the hint of mockery in his tone, something Goranero either ignored or did not bother to comment on in any way. “See, my friend, I intend to continue by land. They know of my ship and I fear they will find one of their own, perhaps even faster. I’d get to Volantis, maybe a bit further, but there is the risk they will catch up to me by sea before I reach safe waters” He moved his arm to point at Haar and Ryder. “I have two guards and no idea how many men my enemies bring”
“Plenty, if they are smart”, Vanis remarked and Abbas nodded. “I know one of them, a boy, the son of a whore who thinks himself a Westerosi knight”, he replied. “Not all that smart. A small wonder he survived Oldtown” Janae noticed Harpy tensing up at the remark, vicious anger flaring up in her gaze. “And yet he is smarter than you”, she growled without hesitation. “He survived Oldtown, he survived horrors you coward never dared to face!” As Janae gave her a warning glare, she noticed that Harpy was smirking with defiance. “And yet you made him your enemy without any need for it”, she added. “Want to tell your friend again what a smart man you are?”
She wanted to add something, but Haar took this moment to yank her back. Behara gasped as she was dragged with her, only Janae had braced herself for the impact and took a step towards the guard on her own accord. She frowned as she noticed the stench of alcohol. “Haar!”, Abbas warned him sternly and the man frowned, as he lowered the cudgel in his hand. The slaver managed to smile at him, in an almost friendly way, the kind he’d use towards a child. “I know her tongue makes it easy to lose patience, but she is not yours to harm, nor mine”, he explained slowly. “Razdal likes his property... undamaged”
“Razdal?”, Vanis remarked. “Zo Yunzak, I suppose... never expected you to make dealings with him. I must say, I am impressed” Abbas nodded with a smile. “And he will like this one in particular”, he promised, to which Vanis looked at Harpy the same way a merchant would look at cattle to buy. “Decently pretty”, he admitted. “Very much so, yes, but a bit young. I heard Razdal likes his women more experienced”
“Yet she will give him a special sort of pleasure”, Abbas promised. “One no other woman in the world can grant” He waved his hand. “Haar, bring the Burned Man’s bitch and the child back to the ship”, he ordered. “Keep in mind, no touching, or it’ll be the last woman you ever put your cock into” The sellsword grumbled something beneath his breath, as he glanced at Janae. With a smile, Abbas shook his head. “She stays”, he spoke. “She listens. Then she tells her friends just how wrong they are when they think a literal bastard and some one-eyed drunkard can outsmart me”
The man nodded, as he moved to the keychain on his belt. Not for the first time, Janae carefully gazed upon it, correctly realizing which he used to open the chains. Then, he moved to her neck, removing the chain that connected her to Harpy and Behara, while keeping the collar around it. “Come with me then, pretty bird”, he growled, smiling at Behara as he did so and the girl gulped in deep discomfort.
He led them out of the room, with Janae remained, still chained and with Ryder Harrington nearby. In fact, the man spoke up the moment Haar had closed the door. “Ser, a suggestion, if you like”, he spoke up and Abbas’ smile faded, just as Vanis’ widened. “I don’t but speak your mind, Harrington”, he replied. “Only a fool would decline free advice”
Ryder tensed up. “I should follow them”, he spoke, to which Abbas tilted his head. “But I wish for you to remain here”, he stated. “May I ask why you want to leave?” Ryder glanced over his shoulder. “You don’t want them damaged”, he stated calmly. “Haar cannot be trusted with that. The man is a drunkard and you said it yourself, the girl has a tongue, more than what is good for her. Harpy, I mean”
“Harpy?”, Vanis spoke up and Abbas sighed. “A big name for a slave girl. I pride myself in my sense of humour, but I can guarantee, many would consider this an insult to the memory of Ghis” Abbas was quick to shake his head. “Not a name I gave her”, he explained. “I fear the man who did was, in fact, an enemy to Ghis. For the time being, we call her by this name to keep things simple, for she doesn’t have another, but once we have arrived in Yunkai, it will be up for Razdal to decide on wether to keep it or not”
Vanis narrowed his eyes. “Just what is the deal with her?”, he asked. “Razdal has hundreds of slaves, more than likely dozens prettier than her” Slowly, he raised an eyebrow. “That being said, there are rumours... what was it again?” Abbas tensed up. “My friend...”, he said. “I doubt you are here just to learn all about my intentions. Tell me, what leads you to the estate of our dear Goranero?”
“Same as you, my friend”, Vanis replied, his smile getting thinner. “Business. In fact, while our meeting here is purely coincidental, I was hoping to gain your, ahem, advice” Now, his smile faded entirely and he leant forward, his lean body tensing up and revealing the wiry build beneath his clothes. “For I am on the hunt”, he revealed. “Not just anyone, I am afraid, but a very specific target”
Abbas smiled politely at this, though he tensed up. That was something Janae still noticed, after all these years. Abbas had never been comfortable around people and while he had gained his very own brand of confidence in the years they hadn’t seen each other, there was still a hint of this left in him. Actually, she shared it this time. Vanis had a polite expression on his face, his tone was nothing if not affable, even if slightly condescending. But the look in his eyes was not that of a man making a business inquiry. It was that of a killer out for blood.
“I don’t know if I can help you with a single target”, Abbas explained. “Unless you have someone famous in mind” He shrugged. “Can be quite a risk, but imagine the prize some would pay for a Westerosi noblewoman” Vanis shook his head and briefly, he shot Abbas a truly unsettling grin. That was a man who loved what he was doing, not for coin, not for fame, but for the thrill of it. She had previously been unsure if Abbas was the same, but this right here convinced her. She had met sellswords who loved the act of killing, more even than getting paid or gaining a good fight and they had been the worst bastards she ever had the displeasure of running into. Vanis was this for slavers.
“Not a woman”, he spoke. “No one of high birth even. Just a boy” Abbas gulped. “Well, my friend, I don’t know if I can help with that”, he spoke and Vanis shrugged. “I didn’t expect you to know my target in particular”, he clarified. “I am more looking for some general directions. Someone who can explain to me where I might have to look first” After a moment, Abbas nodded. “Go on then”, he said. “Maybe I can help a bit”
“Splendid”, Vanis replied. “See, I am looking for a boy who... escaped my custody. Well, he was allowed to escape at least” This time, Goranero shifted uncomfortably, while Abbas outright gulped. “Apologize, friend”, he said. “It sounded as if you allowed this boy to escape” As soon as Vanis nodded, Abbas seemed downright confused. “There is no sense in that, if you don’t mind me saying so”
Vanis chuckled. “Oh, I do mind”, he said. “Very much so. But it’s okay, my mistake, really. I was hoping to have a fellow hunter here” Abbas raised an eyebrow. “I am a hunter”, he argued. “I hunt slaves for coin. A slaver, like you” Vanis shook his head. “Not like me”, he replied. “We are both slavers, but of a different kind. You wish for riches, that makes you closer to a merchant by definition. I meanwhile am a hunter. What I gain from my profession is hunting game so much greater than any beast that roams the lands” With this, he shot Janae a crooked smirk. “Of course, I sell them eventually, but that is only a byproduct, just like how hunting is a byproduct for you”
“I... see”, Abbas replied and he pulled himself together. “That means you let the boy go so that he would give you a good hunt? Actually not too outrageous, come to think of it” Vanis nodded with enthusiasm. “I knew you would understand me!”, he claimed. “Let me tell you what I know. So, the boy had no name. Born into slavery, he was never strong, but nimble. The kind you’d use in the arena, or maybe as a pleasure slave, but he honestly wasn’t grown enough to see any potential in that. That has probably changed by now, because he must be around fourteen years”
“I’ve seen younger pleasure slaves”, Abbas spoke and Janae felt a sickness rising in her as they heard the two talking like that. Goranero seemed similarly uncomfortable, something that surprised her, coming from a slaver. Abbas however chuckled and Vanis smiled. “Thing is, I would have tracked him down by now, a long time ago to be honest. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that he had help. A Ghiscari, though I do not know his true name. Changes it anytime he’s in a different part of the world” He leant forward. “They call him Azdak the Dazzler in Meereen, Koryllo of the Glitter in Volantis and he has at least half a dozen names in Westeros. Mors the Golden, Harris Winterbreeze, Magnus Silverstone and others, it’s all the same man. A master of his art, a trickster more skilled at lying and evading than any other man I’ve ever seen”
Abbas glanced at Bakr, who had been standing silently in the corner. Now, the massive man shrugged. “Can’t say I ever heard any of the names”, he admitted and Abbas nodded. “This man... Azdak, Harris, Magnus, whatever you may want to call him, do you know more about him?”, he asked and to this, Vanis chuckled. “I know he is operating in cities. He’s an illusionist, skilled at tricking the minds of weaker people. I believe the boy is working as his assistant, or perhaps stealing from the audience while the man himself serves as a distraction”, he continued. “So, what I mean to ask you is, do you know any places in Westeros where a man such as this could make coin?”
“There’s been a fair in the city we’ve been to”, Bakr brought up. “What’s it called again? Raylansfire?” Abbas sighed. “Raylansfair, in the western Reach”, he growled. “Fittingly so. And yes, they had a fair, as the name might imply. Quite decently sized, but we did not stay for the view. After all, staying there reintroduced me to an old acquaintance. “He had the audacity to give Janae a wink as he spoke and she replied with a silent glare.
“Raylansfair, I see”, Vanis spoke. “Sounds far away. I suppose it is a good start” He gave Abbas a genuinely thankful smile. “Then you have my gratitude. It has been a good hunt so far, but a hunter of true skill uses every advantage he has. Your information, it will be my advantage over the illusionist and his little assistant” He looked up as the door got opened, revealing the slave woman from earlier, now accompanied by further servants bringing wine and food. As Janae saw the grilled meat and fresh fruit, she felt a pain in her stomach, as she realized how hungry she was. There hadn’t been anything for her or the others since the early morning.
“I leave you to your business now, my friends”, Vanis said as he rose from his chair. Goranero seemed genuinely confused for a moment. “But, won’t you stay for the meal?”, he asked and Vanis shook his head. “Never been a big eater”, he spoke. “I will rest for the night, if you allow it, my friend” He glanced at the woman leading the other slaves, grinning as his gaze wandered across her body. “Albeit, if you insist on pleasing me, maybe a bit of company for the night would be appreciated”
To Goranero’s credit, he shook his head. “My slaves are not pleasure slaves”, he assured him. “I would not want to offer you untrained workers and as a matter of fact, I have need for all of them” Vanis shrugged. “As you may”, he replied. “I will leave then. Have a pleasant evening, we shall speak in the morning, as I prepare my journey to Westeros” Without a further word, he left the room and Goranero outright sighed in relief as the man was gone.
“Two days, Abbas”, he spoke. “Two days and he tried to get my Kitty more than any of the others” He shot the slave woman a smile and she looked at the slaver with surprising fondness, though she said no word. “I am glad you arrived. Finally a man whom I can talk to. This Vanis, he only wishes to discuss matters of the hunt. Truly a gruesome aspect”
“A necessary one though”, Abbas replied. “Half of our slaves are hunted stock, not born or sold into slavery, but outright captured and forced. This is where my kind comes in, so that your kind can sell, trade and grow fat from the spoils we deliver” The two men chuckled and Goranero outright laughed with a snort. “I missed your sharp wit, my friend”, Goranero admitted, taking a sip from the wine his slave put in front of him. Abbas reached for a cup of his own, while Bakr already emptied his second one. "Wine, Harrington?”, Abbas asked and Ryder shook his head. “I never drink, Ser”, he spoke. “Not on duty, at least”
“So, you intend to continue by land, is that correct?”, Goranero asked and Abbas nodded. “And yes, I know what this implies”, he spoke, to which Goranero sighed. “You are willing to deal with the girl, aye?”, he asked and Abbas pressed his lips together. “A necessity”, he replied. “Things have been easier before she took over, but we have always found some way to agree” This time, Goranero shook his head. “The girl has grown harsher”, he warned him. “Her price might have increased”
“It matters not”, Abbas replied. “I do not wish for Janae’s friends to catch up to me. Or maybe it will be others. What Harpy’s knight lacks in wit, he makes more than up for in love for her. And Harrington has a bone to pick with his brother. All individuals with a reason to go after me and my cargo. I have to throw them off my trail, so if I wish to take the road, I have to pay Rowan’s toll”
“May the gods have mercy on you”, Goranero spoke. “Of course, I can offer you supplies for the journey. Fresh horses, maybe even a cart for the women. They looked rather delicate, I doubt they’d make the journey on horseback all the way to Yunkai” Abbas glanced at Janae, before he nodded. “That would be welcome, yes”, he spoke. “A small cart though, please. Harpy and Behara can sit. Janae will ride”
Goranero raised an eyebrow at this. “Are you not afraid that she could escape?”, he asked and Abbas grinned. “She knows what is at stake”, he replied and it was yet another warning towards Janae. “However, this is not all I ask of you. Keep in mind how much you owe me” As he spoke, his voice became more menacing and Goranero cleared his throat, as he grew notably more pale. “I am not going to like this, am I?”, he asked.
To Janae’s surprise, Abbas shrugged. “I do not know”, he admitted. “You might actually do, friend. When has been the last time you’ve been to Volantis?” Goranero seemed to think about this for a moment. “A month, almost two”, he replied. “Will be about time. Do you need anything from there?” Abbas shook his head. “Nothing”, he assured him. “But when you go there, I want you to take my ship. They know I have one, they know how it looks. Take it when you head for the city, return by any other means, but leave my ship there. Make sure it won’t be stolen, I wish to have it returned to me once I return to this part of the world”
“And the ones who pursue you?”, Goranero asked, a question that caused Abbas to laugh. “Will walk right into the trap”, he spoke. “Once they see the ship, they will assume I am in Volantis. Oh, the time they will waste finding me, while I will travel across the road to Yunkai” It was in this moment that Janae understood the true trickery Abbas was about to use. There was no way John would think of this, she knew her bear way too well for this. “You utter son of a bitch”, she spat and Abbas merely chuckled at the insult. “You heard what I wanted you to hear, Janae”, he spoke. “You heard why I will win this, in the end. Why your friends will never be fast enough to save you from what I have in mind for you”
He gave a nod to Ryder behind her and Janae felt the guard pulling her up, sternly but gently. “Bring her to the others”, the slaver ordered. “Me and Goranero will discuss the next steps of the plan. No need for you to know more than you have to, right?” Janae clenched her fists, biting down onto her lower lip to hold back the tears of rage that were already forming in her eyes. She was thankful that Ryder turned her around, away from the slavers. With ferocious anger burning inside her body, she accompanied him without saying a word or trying to resist. But by the gods, she only needed a reason, just one more reason.
This reason came sooner than expected, sooner than what she had hoped for. Going with Ryder towards the ship, a thin, feminine shriek disrupted the glaring silence of the midday heat. For a moment, Harrington actually exchanged a look of concern with her, before both started running towards the ship.
Janae had expected it, she had expected it to happen all along and as such, it was no surprise to find Haar there as soon as they had reached the lower deck, not even bothering with entering the room the three women had been kept in. He had pushed Behara to the ground, now lying above her. His pants were still on, though he was trying to pull them off with one hand, using the other to keep the kicking girl down. Behara was putting up a fight, a decent one at that for her size, but Haar was twice as big, thrice as strong and numb from the alcohol he had been pouring into his body the entire day.
Harpy was chained to the wall and apparently she had been the one to scream. Up close, what seemed to be a fearful shriek was actually one of rage. He had chained her to the wall, close enough to see and listen to what he was about to do, too far away to intervene, with the chain not long enough to run to Behara’s aid. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood on her neck, where she was cutting into her skin, trying to get the collar off or to get closer to Behara, close enough to help. “Quick!”, she yelled. “He’s out of control, you have to stop him!”
“Haar!”, Ryder barked. “Fucking hell, what are you doing?” He rushed past Harpy, faster even than Janae and as such, he was the one pulling the man off the wailing girl. For a moment, Haar seemed genuinely surprised to see Ryder there. “But...”, he mumbled. It was all he managed to say, as Ryder’s fist hit him savagely in the face, only once though, before the other guard managed to hold himself back, a restraint she wouldn’t have expected in the first moment, where he displayed nothing but wild rage.
Groaning in pain, Haar staggered backwards and he seemed confused, mixed with anger. “What the hell was that for?”, he barked, putting a hand on his bleeding nose. Ryder barely bothered with him, first checking up on Behara. Her dress was torn at the bottom and she was crying, this time for good reason. However, she seemed unharmed, a fact that relieved Janae even beyond the anger, the rage she felt for the drunkard in this moment. Taking him had been a mistake on Abbas’ part, but by the gods, she would correct it.
She threw a glance at Harpy, who had slightly calmed down. It seemed the girl just now noticed her own injuries and she gasped sharply as she placed a finger between her neck and the heavy iron collar, touching the irritated and bruised flesh on her neck. For a moment, there was fear on her face, reminding Janae of how young she actually was.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”, Ryder growled and Haar glanced from him to Behara, who had crawled away, towards Janae. Seeing this, it caused the woman to growl in anger and she made the attempt to jump at Haar. Ryder held her back with nothing but a stern, commanding glare. “Not one step closer, slave”, he snarled. “I deal with this” He looked back at Haar, as if he expected an apology.
“What...?”, the drunkard mumbled. “She is a slave, is she not? Pleasure slave, I hope, if Abbas has half a brain” He grinned, the leery grin of a man barely able to stand after the piss he had been pouring into his throat for a good day. “I, ahem, tried to train her” He chuckled, as he glanced at Harpy. “No tears, Red. Would have given you the pleasure as well”
With a groan, Ryder grabbed Haar by the collar of his vest, pushing him backwards and against the wood. “Pull yourself together, man!”, he barked. “You’ve been drinking again, huh? Maybe I should talk to Abbas. Tell him to cut the wine if you cannot focus on your duties” Haar narrowed his eyes, his hand wandering down to the machete on his belt. Ryder followed the movement with a gaze, barely reacting towards the implied threat. Instead, he merely pushed Haar against the wall with more strength. “The hand you place on your weapon will be the hand you lose”, he merely said. “Assault the girls again and it’ll be your cock”
This time and painfully slow, Haar raised his hands, no weapon in them. “Easy, Harrington”, he managed to say. “I don’t want any trouble with you” As soon as he had said this, Ryder let go of him. “Then act the way”, he said. “You have been warned. It’s more of a chance than I grant to most. Now sober up and prove that you are the man Abbas wanted to hire” He turned to Behara, reaching down with one hand. The girl hesitated at first, but then she grabbed his. He pulled her up softly, placing a hand around her shoulder as he led her to the room that was to be her prison cell once more. “Janae, you free Harpy and follow me”, he ordered without even looking at her.
Haar looked after them, as Janae remained frozen in place, glaring at him. The nerve he had, the sheer fucking nerve, it caused her to feel nothing but rage. In this moment, he seemed worse than Abbas. If not for Ryder... Seven, if not for Ryder, she wouldn’t want to imagine what would have happened to Behara and Harpy. And there, Haar remained, with a bleeding nose yet otherwise unharmed. It was better than he deserved. “A shame”, he finally said. “Fucking Harrington, bloody stuck-up arse” He gave Janae a grin. “Sure the girl would have tasted like honey, aye?” And Janae knew, holding back right now was perhaps the hardest thing she ever had to do in her life...
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
[Threaten Haar] Attacking him is not a good idea for now, the guy deserves worse, but he might not take the threat seriously, and that's were she gets him.
Huh, so that's the story of Magnus and Bennett. It makes you worry about them once the hunter arrives on Westeros, since while slavery is blatantly illegal on the continent, there's no actual law against capturing escaped slaves that I know of.
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Huh, so that's the story of Magnus and Bennett. It makes you worry about them once the hunter arrives on Westeros, since while slavery is blatantly illegal on the continent, there's no actual law against capturing escaped slaves that I know of.
Well, there is indeed not an actual law directly against capturing escaped slaves, but I think it falls into the anti-slavery sentiment that Westeros holds in general. Vanis might be able to negotiate with local rulers that his actions are not unlawful and that he merely seeks to regain his property, acquired under the law of Slaver's Bay, but most Westerosi rulers would be more likely to just behead him instead of helping him. Of course, since general unified laws are an achievement of Aegon and Jahaerys and there can be differences between the laws of the kingdoms, this is what Vanis has to prepare for in general, so he will likely not seek direct help from authorities, or at least not telling them the truth. The notable difference is the Ironborn, whose thrall system isn't fundamentally different from the slavery of Essos. As such, should Magnus and Bennett ever enter the Riverlands, Vanis could be able to gain allies actually sympathetic to his goals, but the rest of Westeros is absolutely unlikely to help him once they know about his true intentions. While Westeros is, as a result, not a place he usually likes to go to in his line of work, he knows at least that much about their customs and general opinion on slavery.
[Threaten Haar] Attacking him is not a good idea for now, the guy deserves worse, but he might not take the threat seriously, and that's wer… moree she gets him.
Huh, so that's the story of Magnus and Bennett. It makes you worry about them once the hunter arrives on Westeros, since while slavery is blatantly illegal on the continent, there's no actual law against capturing escaped slaves that I know of.
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Hey I dindn't realise one of my characters were introduced. I almost forgot about vanis but you portrayed him very well the maneace and confindence were on point. If you know it could you maybe point me to the last part of janea so I can re read it?[Do nothing] its the smartest choice attacking him propably won't work and threstening him will just gain her even more hate from him so another bad idea.
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Hey I dindn't realise one of my characters were introduced. I almost forgot about vanis but you portrayed him very well the maneace and conf… moreindence were on point. If you know it could you maybe point me to the last part of janea so I can re read it?[Do nothing] its the smartest choice attacking him propably won't work and threstening him will just gain her even more hate from him so another bad idea.
[Do nothing] Ryder already did the threatening for us, and his threat actually came from a position of power over Haar, whereas Janae's would just be empty words as longs as she is in chains. And somehow I have a feeling that Haar would only take it as a provocation, thus making it only more likely that he is going to keep harassing the girls.
Hmm, I am certainly interested to see how well Abbas' trick with the ship will work. I'm sure it'll at least initially manage to confuse Jaron and John, but perhaps they'll be able to find out that the ship came to Volantis from the north and was not captained by Abbas. Nonetheless, I think there is little chance they'll be able to catch up with the slavers before they reach Yunkai, and saving Janae, Behara and Harpy there will be extremely hard.
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had alwa… moreys been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely … [view original content]
Ah, perhaps I should have let you known after introducing him, but I am glad you found out and that you enjoy him I have some fun plans in store for Vanis. By the way, I hope the small addition I made to Magnus' backstory is fine with you, I figured it would fit that he is the type to choose a different name any time he enters a different region, to always appeal to the audience he might have there.
It does also seem that Disellis was faster than me. Page 301 is indeed the one holding the part you are looking for. It has been some time since the last Janae part, as I just realized
Hey I dindn't realise one of my characters were introduced. I almost forgot about vanis but you portrayed him very well the maneace and conf… moreindence were on point. If you know it could you maybe point me to the last part of janea so I can re read it?[Do nothing] its the smartest choice attacking him propably won't work and threstening him will just gain her even more hate from him so another bad idea.
Also, I can't believe I ever liked Abbas and Bakr. The moment I heard they were slavers I should not have, but I did. Grrr.
Hehe, I think it was easier to like them back when they have been the odd and occasionally goofy allies of the protagonists. Back then, they were often used for comic relief, especially Bakr but Abbas as well (such as the several occaisons where he displays a terrible sense of humour and timing, simply for the sake of being a troll), so I suppose it was easier to blend out what they do for a living. Especially in case of Abbas, his whole character took a turn for the darker when he stopped being the unusual but capable ally to Jaron, Ellena and Raenna and instead became the main villain for Janae's storyline. I guess it is likely that he snapped the moment he saw her, but it's a fact that this is how he has always been deep down, even in the early parts when you still liked him.
[Do nothing] Don't want Janae to go to darker places.
Also, I can't believe I ever liked Abbas and Bakr. The moment I heard they were slavers I should not have, but I did. Grrr.
Hmm, I am certainly interested to see how well Abbas' trick with the ship will work. I'm sure it'll at least initially manage to confuse Jaron and John, but perhaps they'll be able to find out that the ship came to Volantis from the north and was not captained by Abbas. Nonetheless, I think there is little chance they'll be able to catch up with the slavers before they reach Yunkai, and saving Janae, Behara and Harpy there will be extremely hard.
Well, this is a fairly reasonable assumption you make here. There will definitely be initial confusion for Jaron and John, which is exactly what Abbas hopes for. He might even be able to reach Yunkai before them if he keeps using the ship, but it is a risk, as all they have to do is to get a faster ship and they have a chance to catch up to him. As such, he hopes that this little trick will buy him enough time to reach Yunkai by land before they get a chnce to catch up to him. He knows fully well that once he is in Yunkai, his friends will make it harder to free his slaves (especially as he has confirmed intentions to split them up, keeping Janae for himself, selling Harpy to her old master and doing whatever the hell he wants to with Behara) and to give him any proper comeuppance. And some degree of success for this plan is a given, as Jaron and John have no initial way of realizing that Volantis will be a waste of time for them. That being said, there are further goals to pursue in Volantis, most importantly Samuel's quest to find Ryder (not knowing that he as well is wasting his time by looking for him in Volantis), so there are plenty of reasons to at least check the city out on the way.
[Do nothing] Ryder already did the threatening for us, and his threat actually came from a position of power over Haar, whereas Janae's woul… mored just be empty words as longs as she is in chains. And somehow I have a feeling that Haar would only take it as a provocation, thus making it only more likely that he is going to keep harassing the girls.
Hmm, I am certainly interested to see how well Abbas' trick with the ship will work. I'm sure it'll at least initially manage to confuse Jaron and John, but perhaps they'll be able to find out that the ship came to Volantis from the north and was not captained by Abbas. Nonetheless, I think there is little chance they'll be able to catch up with the slavers before they reach Yunkai, and saving Janae, Behara and Harpy there will be extremely hard.
Ah, perhaps I should have let you known after introducing him, but I am glad you found out and that you enjoy him I have some fun plans in … morestore for Vanis. By the way, I hope the small addition I made to Magnus' backstory is fine with you, I figured it would fit that he is the type to choose a different name any time he enters a different region, to always appeal to the audience he might have there.
It does also seem that Disellis was faster than me. Page 301 is indeed the one holding the part you are looking for. It has been some time since the last Janae part, as I just realized
Comments
Ah, I am glad you liked it! I was looking forward to introducing them and found myself really enjoying how they worked in it. Certainly they won't remain the last ones. Erik in particular will play quite an important part in Raenna's storyline as a constant presence, whereas Myrla is going to be this character they will pursue for the time being, with her big scenes coming up at a later date.
Well, here I have to go a bit into detail just how my planning process works. See, there are very few scenes I have planned out to a full detail and they are mostly scenes of super huge importance (The death of Richard Harking has been one of these for example). The rest is planned with slightly more leeway for improvisation, as I realized I like it more that way. So, my plan for Raenna's storyline this chapter has always been as follows: Raenna arrives at the Last Hearth, she meets the Umbers and is introduced to Kory, Kory behaves in a somewhat shady way and Raenna eventually ends up following him, either immediately or with Roffe's group. She overhears his conversation with the wildlings, is spotted and a fight breaks out. At the end of the chapter, she learns the truth behind the strange behaviour of "Kory" and prepares to travel to the real north to find out what happened to the real Kory. The rest is planned in more detail the closer the part comes. This leaves me with space to add characters in, or scenes I would like to include, moments for characters to get fleshed out and so on, none of this actually exists in the very rough draft and it is only slowly added in unless it is of importance for the rough draft itself. Myrla was the first character of yours I was able to fit in and perfectly at that. See, in my original plan, made before she was submitted, Markus Treearms would meet with an unnamed wildling raid leader, who would have likely not survived the confrontation with Roffe either. With Myrla, you presented me with a character who actually fit perfectly into that role and since she is a fleshed out and submitted character, I had her survive. This in return will change plans I have for later, as this definitely wasn't the last we have seen of her, unlike the unnamed raider who was originally going to take her place as the wildling who confronts Markus. The real game changer is Erik though. See, his role in the story for now is to be the one who reveals the fact that the man the Umbers knew as Kory is not Kory but the wildling Markus Treearms and to be the one who will be their guide beyond the Wall. Originally, this role was going to go to Markus himself, who, after being captured, would reveal slightly more about Kory's whereabouts than Erik, on account of Erik not knowing more, before making the same offer and becoming their guide beyond the wall. After you submitted Erik, I realized that he would be way more fitting in this, given his backstory as an opportunist, whereas it would have been more of a stretch to convince the Umber's to work with Markus. As it is, things sounded way more fitting for me, so I decided to give Erik the role originally intended for Markus, granting me the opportunity to develop him better while also giving Markus a chance to develop into a different direction. So, in a way I had plans for this storyline that will not significantly change with the inclusion of Myrla and Erik, but there are countless details that will change thanks to them and in the end, I think I got some major ideas for additions and enhancements after you submitted them.
Ah, no, Erik is a bastard coming from Old Oak, not an Oakheart bastard. Actually, this is something his creator might be better suited to say, because Erik's parents are not specified in his backstory and while his last name confirms a Reach origin, the specific location at Old Oak is something I added in, as the Oldtown thief has been done to death by now. I wouldn't even say that he has to be a highborn bastard, as a direct result of me accepting lowborn characters with surnames. This kinda makes room for lowborn bastards with the appropriate bastard names. The show canon even kinda supports that one, with Ellaria Sand's statement that she, as a Sand, has ten thousand brothers and sisters in Dorne (implied to share her last name), which would be blown ridiculously out of proportion if one only counts highborn bastards as actual bastards. I can at least say that nothing in Erik's backstory hints at him having a highborn parent, but of course, that does not rule out that he is actually a highborn bastard who fell on hard times. Even then, he doesn't need to be related to House Oakheart, I am sure there are servant families of minor nobility (such as House Poole for House Stark) who are located at Old Oak without having a seat of their own.
Oh yes, oh yes it will be
I have planned this part of the storyline ages ago and it feels so great to be so close to showing the Wall and introducing the Night's Watch, of course led by Harren Hoare's previously mentioned brother Harrigon. The next chapter will show you what to expect of these characters!
Well, flash forward three hundred years and take the show canon into account and there really shouldn't be many wildlings left after the destruction of Eastwatch. Depending on how Season 8 will go, I doubt a significant number of wildlings will actually survive the series, so this statement might not be all that unlikely.
Thank you for your support. I just returned today and I am actually in better spirits. My grandfather has slightly improved and while his survival is still unlikely, it seems that he has some weeks or maybe even months left. As such, I will visit him again next week and probably later as well. He is not dead yet and I will truly make the best out of the time we still have together. While it is not looking good as a whole and he still refuses further therapy, I believe he is resilient and I will have the chance to visit him more times in the weeks to come. Still, this is not an easy situation, it is a terribly hard one in fact and I have no way of knowing how bad it will get when I actually have to say goodbye to him.
Really glad to hear you enjoyed the part
The Free Folk is finally present in the story and I can tease that this is only the beginning. More wildling characters will come for sure and the dynamics between the different clans will be a major factor in Raenna's storyline to come. I am also happy you liked the Kory twist! This was a long time in the making and well, I hope it was a proper surprise and a good explanation for his odd behaviour. The actual Kory, well, we are going to learn more about him in the future, probably giving you a better idea just how he actually is as a character.
The Voting is closed!
Raenna is going to take Briar with her to the Wall
Technically, we have another tie, so the first vote wins here. It has been a very active voting and well, I am quite happy about this. First of all, thank you very much for the kind words over the past couple of days, it really means a lot. I myself have made my way back home after visiting my grandfather and well, he is doing slightly better with every day. It is clear he will not fully recover, but I believe he will have a few weeks left. Though it is not looking as bad as it used to be, his refusal to get further treatment still means he won't have long to live, but over the days I have been with him, he improved notably and I am at least somewhat relieved about this. This means I will visit him again next week, to support him and my grandmother, though this time I don't think this will slow my writing down all that much.
The next part was originally supposed to be out yesterday, but well, I have been busy with some important car stuff once again. As a result, very little writing was done yesterday, but I should get the next part finished today. It will finish the storylines for Edrick and Ilish in this chapter and it has been a while for both. Last time we saw Edrick, he was being whipped by Gawayne Schaffrot, after taking the blame for an insult that actually came from Darreth. This was cut short thanks to the intervention of Sylvi Codd. Impressed with his selfless behaviour, Normund, the alleged ally of the Riverborn, offered to take over Edrick's shift, giving him a break, something the hedge knight accepted. So, next part he will be back at the room with the rest of the prisoners minus Darreth. Meanwhile, Ilish had agreed to help Lawsen with escaping from the Night's Watch recruiter Wildor Goodbrook. As it turned out, Lawsen is a deserter, though his reasons for this, as well as his true reasons for being sent to the wall in the first place, are not yet revealed. Ilish nonetheless decided to remain loyal to her friend, distracting Wildor before setting out to meet up with Lawsen, which is where we are going to start at her next part. As I said, I will try my best to finish it later today
Edrick
His back was aching as Edrick sank down onto the bed. He remained sitting, not daring to lie down on the sore wounds. Still, he could not suppress a sigh. There were some things he'd never get used to. Being whipped was one of them. Being someone's prisoner was something else entirely though and even though Edrick was dealing with it better than some of his companions, he still had to suppress the urge to attack the nearest Ironborn in anger.
Each of his companions had their own way of dealing with the situation. There was Dante, calm and collected, sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, though he was clearly not sleeping, but lost in his thoughts. Alphyn was brooding as well, though his fingers were twitching, showing barely restrained anger. This sharply contrasted with Reymond's look of clear concern. The woman had barely slept at all since their arrival at Faronhall and it wasn't too hard to know why, given the reputation of her captors.
And finally, Jorid. The soldier was sitting on a chair right now, staring at his knuckles. They were still stained with his own blood, as was the wall next to him. He had taken their imprisonment worse than any of the others and Edrick couldn't even blame him. In the younger man's eyes, he spotted something familiar, a helpless rage that he himself had felt years ago. Time had calmed him, but Jorid's wounds were fresh, as was his anger.
“You see how they are treating their prisoners now, yes?”, the soldier finally hissed, breaking the depressed silence that had lingered in the room ever since Edrick returned. “It's only a matter of time until one of us is killed. It's always like this with the Ironbornd”
“Technically, it was an Ironborn who saved Edrick as well”, Dante brought up, earning himself a glare from Jorid. “You don't know them, Karstark”, he hissed. “All you have fought against are Skagosi and Wildlings...” He paused, glancing at Dante's lean frame. “Probably not even these, at least not personally”
Dante narrowed his eyes at the insult. “Enlighten me then”, he replied, his voice showing anger despite the restraint. “What do you know about Ironborn?” Jorid raised an eyebrow. “Murderers”, he explained. “Raiders and rapists. You folk from the east have always been lucky, but there's not a single village or castle on the western coast that hasn't been visited by them at least once every year”
“I don't think that's all there is to them”, Dante replied firmly. “There are good people among them as well. Condemn Gawayne if you want to, but Sylvi is Ironborn as well and she did not hesitate to help Edrick out. Viveka has treated us fairly as well”
“Because we are cattle to her!”, Jorid growled, louder now. “Because she has use for us. How well do you think she would treat us without your noble name to protect us? She has been upfront about her intentions, but that doesn't mean she's any bit less brutal than the men I have fought against for most of my life”
“That is enough”, Edrick intervened, his voice low and threatening. His head was thumping, perhaps a side effect of the lashes, so he had no patience for an argument. “Both of you... cut it and shut up” He slowly looked up, sternly at both of them. “Dante, I appreciate that you try to see past their reputation, but Jorid has fought these people. Like it or not, he knows them better than you do”
Before either could say anything, he shifted his attention to Jorid. “However, I have made my decision. Viveka has treated us fairly, no matter her intention. We work with her and this is final”, he warned him. “I don't care if you like it, but it is your best bet at freedom. If I cannot count on you, might as well kick you out” He leant forwards, ignoring the pain this put him in, to glare at Jorid. “Can I count on you, soldier?”
Jorid sighed, biting down on his lower lip. “I...”, he began, before he cut himself off. “Fine, have it your way. I'll follow your orders, Ser” He narrowed his eyes as well. “But once we're out of here, our ways will part. The Ironborn who murdered my brother, they are still out there. If it means I have to work with an Ironborn to get to them, then so be it, But this better get me out of here in the end”
This time, Edrick allowed himself a thin smile, glad that the soldier was finally coming around. He had sympathy for the fellow Northerner, especially given that he had been dragged into this without being involved before Leo's betrayal. He would have hated leaving the man behind, or even having to sacrifice him to get out of this.
“Glad to hear it”, he spoke, though he frowned as a new wave of pain flashed through his back. Groaning, he rose from the bed, staggering forward, as his companions gave him looks of concern. It was Alphyn who was by his side first, as he went on all fours. “Easy, Edrick”, he spoke, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Seven, that fucking butcher...”
Slowly, he helped him back to his feet and Edrick was still tensed up with pain. “A shame we have to leave him behind”, he mumbled. “Perhaps the only regret I have about the whole situation” That being said, in this moment he silently vowed to find a way to make Gawayne pay. It had been the same with his Skagosi captors, as none of them had lived to see the end of the fighting between their kind and the North.
In this moment, a brief knock on the door caused them to shift their attention. Being the closest to it, Dante rose from his seat, slowly approaching. It had been left unlocked and unguarded by now, probably given that their escape from the castle as a whole was not expected, even if a guard still checked up on them every hour. As Dante opened the door, Edrick got a glimpse of the lean face of Normund Tavorch. The young man was standing there awkwardly, glancing past Dante and spotting Edrick, sighing before he visibly tensed up.
“Can I... help you?”, Dante asked, as Normund nodded. “No, no that's not why I'm here”, he spoke. “I want to help you, in fact” He clenched his fists. “My name is Normund. Maybe Edrick told you about me? Normund Tavorch” Dante nodded at this. “The stableboy, yes”, he spoke and Normund glanced around. He leant forwards, lowering his voice so that only Dante was able to hear him. Then, he gave Edrick a nod, followed by the briefest of smiles, before he turned around and walked down the hallway.
Slowly, Dante closed the door again, before he turned around, his eyes wide. “He wants to get us out of here”, he spoke, his voice still lowered, as he stepped away from the door. By now, he was glancing around, as if he expected their conversation to be listened to, but he continued once everyone had gotten closer.
“He told me he can free us, if we trust him”, he revealed. “Promised me it's not the first time he's doing this. That we're good folk and that he wants to help us” He looked at Edrick, who slowly nodded. “Sounds like something Normund would say”, he admitted. “The boy strikes me as the selfless kind. Was willing to take the blame for Darreth, even before I could, without even knowing the man”
Dante smiled slightly. “And he told us he can introduce us to the Riverborn”, he finally revealed. “That he would be able to smuggle us out of the Riverlands, so that we may follow Lady Alys' trail. All we have to do is to stay ready. He would return during the night time, to see if we agree to follow him and to explain the plan”
There was something hopeful in his gaze and Edrick had to admit, it sounded good. Almost too good to be true, to be honest. Though he trusted Normund, as much as he reasonably could trust a man he didn't know too well, he was not certain if their escape would have any chance to succeed. After all, they weren't just any prisoners. There was a Karstark with them, a Mormont and a Frostborn. Viveka's prized captives. Cattle, as Jorid had called them, but he wasn't entirely wrong. They had worth to the lady of this castle and the rest of them had received a task. Finding the Riverborn. Helping her with bringing order to these lands.
“Well, what are we waiting for then?”, Jorid asked and surprisingly, it was Reymond who voiced Edrick's own concerns on the matter. “What about Viveka?”, she asked and Jorid shrugged. “What about the bitch?”, he spoke. “I am all for working with her as long as she's the only option we have. Well, now she clearly isn't”
“That would be a bit easy, wouldn't it?”, Reymond brought up and Alphyn nodded. “Girl's got a point there”, he growled. “That boy, he doesn't strike me as rebel material. He might claim he has done this several times, but I know my luck. Things never go that smoothly. I want to escape as well, I'm just not certain this Normund fellow is the one to free us. Seemed a bit naïve, I mean”
“And we gave our word to Lady Viveka”, Reymond continued. “You might consider it funny, but that means something to me. House Mormont is only as good as our word” Jorid rolled his eyes. “Are we seriously having that discussion right now?”, he muttered. “Fuck your word, she-bear. Even if you keep it, I can guarantee the Ironborn will find some way to screw you over. She intends to send you home, doesn't she? Sure daddy bear won't be happy to have you back”
Reymond jumped up, glaring at Jorid, but Edrick's gaze hardened and she calmed down. Next, it was Dante who spoke up. “I... damn it, I don't know”, he admitted. “We did gave our word and Viveka, she gave me a reasonable impression. I don't want to turn on her. However, that means we have to find the Riverborn, in which case we have to follow Normund”
“And what then?”, Jorid asked. “Then, when that poor boy introduces us to the Riverborn, you want to turn on them and bring both back to the Ironborn? You said it yourself, if we stay loyal to Viveka, we have to do what she commanded. That would mean turning on the Riverborn, turning on a boy who offered us his help without demanding anything in return. You can't tell me that would sit right with you!”
Dante shook his head. “It does not”, he admitted. “Normund was willing to protect Darreth, he is willing to help us out of here. I don't want to betray him now, just like how I don't want to break my promise to Viveka”
Alphyn shrugged. “If we don't betray him and we get caught, it won't matter. Jorid, Edrick and your squire, they will hang. You, me and Reymond will be chained in the dungeons until our families decide to buy our freedom”, he said, his tone a low snarl. “The way I see it, there's only one way for us to escape. We tell Viveka about Normund's plans and she, well, arranges for it to succeed. Orders her guards to look the other way. We meet the Riverborn, Viveka gets a chance to capture that man and we gain our freedom back in return”
“Normund and the Riverborn would hang for that”, Jorid spoke, to which Alphyn gave him a downright indifferent glance. “So what?”, he asked. “Men are hanged all the time, often for crimes much less severe. I have nothing against the Riverborn, but all of this, Ironborn, Riverlanders, they are not my people and this is not my rebellion. I get your concern, but I want to take the option more likely to get me out of here”
Jorid sighed, seeming visibly unhappy with this turn of events. Finally, he looked up and at Edrick. “I promised I'd follow your orders and I mean it”, he assured the knight. “I don't like this one bit, working with Viveka, betraying Normund. In fact, I hate it and I can only urge you not to do it. There is another way” He bit down on his lower lip. “What are your orders in this?”
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] [Reveal his plan to Viveka]
Ilish
Frantically, Ilish scanned the streets, as she approached the southern gate. She wasn't running, she knew she wouldn't be able to run through the entire city, searching for her friend before he'd be gone, before she'd be left without answers. Would he truly do that? Leaving her without a parting word? Yet the closer she came to the southern gate without actually spotting him, the more concerned she grew. Worse even, she was not sure if she had picked correctly. Maybe he was heading to the docks, waiting for her in vain before heading off, or maybe he was approaching the western gate.
The place wasn't too crowded, admittedly, not after sunset. It still made for a more pleasant sight than the western gate, where fire had ravaged plenty of houses. The Stormlanders had protected the southern side of Raylansfair during the raid, holding out for as long as they could and as a result, this part of the city was almost rebuilt by now, even if the unsightly ruin of the lighthouse made for a jarring contrast in the nightly sky.
“Hey...”, a voice hissed and Ilish stopped, tensing up and instantly staring into the alleyway next to her. Slowly, a smile formed on her face as she recognized the voice. “Hey, Ilish”, Lawsen said. “Over here, quickly” She turned to her left, where she saw the barely visible figure of the young man, pressed against a wall, a dark cloak hiding most of his features.
“Glad you could make it”, he said, as he turned around, beckoning her to follow. Slowly, he lead her through the alleyway and Ilish clenched her fists. “Yeah, about that...”, she hissed, just as they entered a small inner yard located between the two houses, hidden from sight and without a second entrance. There was a small hut located near one of the walls. A candle was burning inside, illuminating a bedroll, a bag and several empty bottles.
“What is this?”, she asked and Lawsen turned around, giving her a brief smile. “A hideout”, he revealed. “After the raid, I figured I might need to make a quick escape eventually. So I found this place. No one came around to complain, figured the original owners might be dead. I always kept a packed bag in here”
Ilish sighed. “So, you're just going to leave?”, she asked and Lawsen gave her a nod. “Thanks to you”, he said, taking a step closer. “No, really. Without you, Goodbrook would have caught up to me. This time, they would have hanged me. No third chance for me” He turned to grab his back, but Ilish held him back. “Wait”, she hissed, narrowing her eyes. “You saved my life and I saved yours. By now, I figure you owe me some answers at least”
Lawsen glanced over his shoulder, the candle illuminating his thin face. Then, he gulped. “You do”, he agreed. “Seven Hells, I think you might be the first person I trust in... well, in a very long time” He shot her a thin smile. “For what you did, I cannot thank you enough. Least I can do is to tell you what you want to know. Where shall I start?”
He crouched down and Ilish crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “Maybe tell me why a brother of the Night's Watch is after you”, she spoke. “You're a deserter, right? What have you done to get to the Wall in the first place?” Lawsen sighed. “Nothing too bad, I can assure you”, he promised. “See, I come from the Rock, a small village near Lannisport. As rich as our liege lord was, we common folk have always been piss poor”
For a moment, he hesitated, his gaze wandering off as if he was lost in thought. “My parents died early. Father fought against the Ironborn and never returned, a chill claimed Mother. Left me responsible for my three brothers”, he explained and Ilish gulped, as she had to remember how things used to be with her. Carvin was in a situation not too different after their father had died.
“We had nothing and what work would anyone give a boy like me? I was barely a grown man and even more scrawny than I am now”, Lawsen continued and Ilish began to understand. “I was always fast though, so I did what I could. Stole to keep my siblings fed” He chuckled sadly. “Rarely had enough for myself. Figured I have never been a good thief. That's what got me caught eventually, when I tried to steal coin from some highborn asshole”
“And they sent you right to the Wall?”, Ilish asked and Lawsen shook his head. “Gave me the choice between going there or losing a hand”, he said tonelessly. “So I left my home, I left my siblings. Mycah, my oldest brother, he was almost old enough to fill my shoes, I thought. That has been almost two years ago and I haven't heard of them since”
For a moment, he seemed so hopeless that Ilish felt deep pity for this man. He was not a criminal, not some hardened murderer as Wildor had made him seem to be. “The Wall was terrible and I... I just couldn't do it. Couldn't stay there for the rest of my life. The cold was bad, but worse... worse were the people. You know the lot they send up there?”
“Murderers”, Ilish spoke and Lawsen nodded. “Worse at times”, he spoke. “The good men up there, they are mostly highborn and all of those stick to their own kind. I was left in the frozen mud, with killers, with rapists, with true monsters” He sighed, his fists clenched. “I am not like them. I stole some coin here and there, a bread at times. Never killed anyone, never hurt anyone”, he stuttered. “I couldn't live the rest of my life among them, so I ran away. Escaped successfully, but I knew they'd follow me”
“Why didn't you return home then?”, Ilish asked and Lawsen chuckled. “That's the first they'll look for me”, he spoke. “No, I have to shake them off my track first. Oldtown, for some time at least, until no one cares for me anymore. I don't dare return while anyone might still try to hunt me down. Then, I'll take a ship to Lannisport and I'll see what is still left of my old home when I return”
“Lovely plan”, a hoarsy voice sounded from beyond the alleyway and Lawsen jumped up. “Fuck...”, he mumbled and Ilish turned around just in time to see Wildor Goodbrook entering the inner yard. “Would have almost worked, to be fair. After Oldtown, I would have left” He shrugged, sword in hand. “Of course, now I can't let you leave”
Horrified, Lawsen stared at Ilish. “You...”, he mumbled. “You did...” Frantically, Ilish shook her head. “I did not!”, she assured him. “Shit, I did not betray you!” Though there was panic in Lawsen's eyes, he managed to nod. “Of course...”, he replied. “Sorry for doubting you”
Wildor smiled politely. “You got quite a friend there”, he told the deserter. “Refused to help me, even after I told her you've fled from the Wall” He gave Ilish a nod. “Though I know how to walk unseen. Used to be with the rangers, before a stray arrow nearly ended my life”, he told her. “And you, girl, you're really shit at not being seen” He chuckled. “No offence, but I thought you'd at least suspect me trying to follow you”
For a moment, Ilish just stared at him. She had tried to look out for him and so far, she had always considered herself good at not being seen. “You can't take him back to the Wall!”, she then growled, as she stood between him and Lawsen. It did not matter that the man had a sword and she had nothing at best. Lawsen saved her life and she wouldn't sacrifice him now.
“Girl, trust me I won't”, Wildor assured her. “There is only one punishment for desertion” He pointed the sword right at her. “Now get out of my way, please” To this, she shook her head. “He didn't do anything!”, she growled. “Stole to survive, you can't be serious. He doesn't deserve this!”
This time, Wildor shook his head. “He won't die for being a petty thief”, he replied. “That's why he got the Wall. He chose to desert, now he'll pay the price”, He shrugged. “Don't like it either, but the law's there for a reason”, he added. Behind Ilish, Lawsen gulped. “You won't get me without a fight!”, he spat. “You don't get to take my life, not you!”
Wildor raised an eyebrow. Placing both hands on his sword, he gave Ilish an apologetic look. “So be it”, he spoke, as he rose the weapon to attack. Ilish was ready to dodge the attack, as she felt Lawsen pushing her aside. Not having expected this, she fell straight to the ground and as she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Lawsen dodging the strike in her place.
The recruiter glared at him, as he attacked again. This time, Lawsen pushed his hand against the hilt of Wildor's weapon, taking away the momentum, though the sharp edge of the blade still cut against his belly, forcing him back and pushing him against the wall. By now, Wildor had turned his back on Ilish, who scanned her surroundings for anything, anything at all to help Lawsen in his situation.
Finally, her eyes fell upon one of the bottles Lawsen kept in his hut. Some still held some liquid, alcohol or water and she quickly grabbed one of them, as she jumped up. Lawsen groaned blood seeping through his fingers, as Wildor pulled the blade back. “At least you died fighting”, the recruiter complimented him. “Shit at both, but you're better now than you ever were as a thief”
He pulled the blade back, pointing it at Lawsen's chest, as Ilish was behind him. With a single strike, she slammed the bottle against the back of his head. Yelling in pain, the recruiter let go of his blade and of Lawsen, as he staggered a few steps to the side. Holding the unbroken bottle in her hand, Ilish began to shiver, as Wildor's vicious glare hit her. “That...”, he groaned. “That was a mistake”
With this, he charged at her, pushing her back and against the other wall. Ilish screamed as she felt his hands on her throat. Instead of panicking though, she remained focussed, on him and on the bottle in her hand. And before he could do anything to hurt her, she smashed the bottle into his face, right against his forehead.
Wildor's groan was a weak one and this time, the bottle broke, embedding shards of glass in his face. Dazed and injured, he went to his knees, then on all four. In this moment, Ilish's foot hit the side of his head. He sank forwards, face first and stopped moving.
“Oh gods...”, Ilish gasped, as she realized what had happened. The broken end of the bottle fell from her hand, as she began to shake. “Oh gods, no...” She glanced down at her own hands, then at the limp body of Wildor. On the other end of the inner yard, Lawsen rose from the ground, putting a hand onto the superficial wound on his belly. He slowly limped closer, staring at her, then at Wildor, too shocked to speak at first.
“No...”, Ilish gasped again, as she went onto her knees. “I didn't want to... I didn't mean to kill him!” Lawsen now knelt next to Wildor, placing two fingers on the man's neck, before he sighed. “Ilish...”, he said, followed by something she did not understand, as tears welled up in her eyes. She was a thief herself, a liar at times, but no murderer. That wasn't her, but by the gods, he had left her with no choice!
“Ilish!”, Lawsen said, now louder and he grabbed her by the shoulder, pulling her into a brief hug. She was too stunned to reciprocate the gesture, though she did look him in the eye. “He's not dead”, he told her and immediately, a strange relief rushed through her. “Out for a bit, but not dead. Might be for the better. Wildor's harsh, but he volunteered for the Wall. World would be better with more men like him, even if he's out to kill me”
Ilish sighed, relief mixed with dread, as she realized what this would mean. “Fuck...”, she finally said. “Fuck! What are we going to do?” Lawsen stared down at Wildor, then gulped and she noticed that his hands were shaking. “I'm not going to kill him”, he spoke. “Told you I'm not a murderer. Neither are you” Then, he looked up and at her. “But this... this will have consequences. Once he wakes up, he'll hunt you as well. Attacking a brother of the Night's Watch, he'll hang you for this”
This time, she shook her head. “No, no he can't...”, she argued, before she cut herself off. “What am I going to do? I have a life here, I can't just leave!” Lawsen gave her a sympathetic look. “I had a life as well, back home”, he spoke. “And I'll get back there. Until then, maybe I can offer you something” He took a deep breath. “Come with me. To Oldtown. We're going to stay there for a few months and then I leave home and you return to Raylansfair. In a few months, nobody will care if you smacked some guy in the face with a bottle”
She took a moment to think about this, then she blinked the tears away. “I don't have a choice, right?”, she asked and Lawsen shook his head. “Not if you want to live”, he replied. “You have to leave for a couple months, I'm afraid. And... if you want to come with me... you're perhaps the only friend I have in this part of the world”
This actually made her smile, thinly and with despair. “I'll come with you”, she assured him and Lawsen reciprocated her smile. “But... I have to tell Audrey! And Daisy and... probably even Megur, I suppose” Instantly, the man shook his head. “I'd advice against it”, he told her. “I mean, I won't stop you, but if you do that, I'll wait outside of the city”
“And my stuff... I have to gather my things if I leave the city for months”, Ilish brought up and ocne more, Lawsen shook his head. “I have some savings. Not much, but you earned every bit of it. We can use it to buy whatever you need to survive the next months” Ilish sighed, not liking this one bit. Leaving was one thing and she already hated it, but she knew she had no choice. But leaving without saying a word?
“Audrey and Daisy deserve better”, she spoke. “They have been good to me. Took me in when I had no home. It would be cruel to just leave without telling them. They'll think me dead” Lawsen gulped. “But you won't be dead and that is all that matters”, he argued. “But do it if you want to, if it gives you peace or something like that. Just do it quickly” He pointed at the unconscious Wildor. “Don't know how long he'll be out, but once he's back, he'll check the tavern first”
[Go with Lawsen immediately] [Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
So Ilish is leaving Raylansfair too? That means there will only be 3 Povs there next chapter which kind of weird to think about since at one point all but 3 Povs were there. You weren't kidding when you said there would be less Povs in Raylansfair although who knows, a few people might come back.
[Reveal his plan to Viveka] While is far from the safer option, Viveka has been a woman of her word, and if Normund is the Riverborn or knows the Riverborn and they don't tell her, there won't be much to stop her from hanging them.
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff] This is a sentimental decision, but they at least deserve it.
[Reveal his plan to Viveka]
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Idk, I just don't feel like throwing Normund under the bus is the right thing to do. Viveka may have been reasonable but she's still an enemy at the end of the day, whereas the Riverborn could be a true ally and friend for Edrick & co.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] While I can see that Ilish clearly cares about Audrey and Daisey, I'm personally not that attached to them, so I'd much rather take the less risky route of leaving immediately. I have a feeling if Ilish goes to say her goodbyes to the tavern staff, Megur will snitch her to Wildor. Btw, I kind of expected Lawsen to change the plan now that Wildor heard about it. Then again, Oldtown is a large city so it won't be easy to find two people there who are trying to lay low. I don't see Wildor giving up though, so they better find a good place to hide in. I also wonder if that talk about Vaes Khadokh from Book 1 will come into play with Ilish's storyline, or if it was build up for someone else's story.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
[Reveal his plan to Viveka]
Let's keep our word, Normund and the Riverborn is irrelevant to Edrick and co.
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
I have a feeling Ilish will be caught if she goes back.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
Aye, with Ilish gone, only Jenna, Arthur and Willfred will remain in Raylansfair for the time being and out of these three, at least Willfre does not intend to stay there for too much longer, given that he wishes to return home after achieving what he came for. However, Raylansfair will remain a major location, with the storylines of Kersea and Samantha pretty much revolving around the storyline there even if they themselves are in other locations for the time being. You are also right that returns are certainly in the realm of possible. I can also tease that at least one completely new PoV will eventually be featured in Raylansfair. The scale is a lot wider in Book 2 as opposed to the very Raylansfair-centric Book 1, but the city as a whole will remain a main location of the story all the way to the very end of Book 3.
[Follow Normund's plan to escape] Normund Doormund, get us the heck outta here. Viveka is not a nice lady, Reymond will probably screw us over, agh.
[Go with Lawsen immediately] Agh, we were too competent. If we'd have gone to the docks, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Dagger. Ol' Wildor is not going to be happy when he wakes up.
Let's just abandon our friends. It'll be fineeeee...
How many parts do we got before the chapter ends?
Well, the thing is that even if Wildor knows he will be somewhere in Oldtown, Lawsen knows it remains by far the best place to stay for the time being. The city is huge, the largest in Westeros at the time and finding someone specific in it can be nearly impossible. After all, even someone as skilled as Samuel Harrington had been looking for his brother for years. Wildor on the other hand doesn't have years. He is first and foremost a recruiter and if he cannot find Lawsen after a reasonable amount of time has passed, it can be assumed that he will just leave. Not every deserter can be caught and though he won't like it, he does not intend to spend the rest of his life hunting for this one guy, who, admittedly, isn't even all that dangerous.
Ah, surely a possibility for a future location! Not necessarily in Ilish's storyline, albeit her parts will get quite some twists coming up soon
Vaes Khadokh is a location I would be quite interested to write about, albeit for the time being, I think one of the Essos PoV's might be a better option to give a glimpse of it.
Actually, that is indeed what would have happened. Wildor followed Ilish and if she would have went to the docks, he would have missed Lawsen. He would have confronted her, quite angry about it, but there wouldn't have been a fight. Instead, Lawsen would have approached her later on to say his farewells with Wildor no longer around and Ilish would have remained in Raylansfair for a bit longer.
Hm, at this point I think I will finish the chapter within the next 7-8 parts. The end of the month won't mark the end of the chapter, but early August is a definite answer to when it will end. Many storylines have ended for the chapter already, with the remaining having only one left, with the exception of Willfred, who has two. I know this chapter has been terribly long, and I can only hope that an increased focus on two PoV's per part will speed things up in the next chapter, as well as hopefully less troubles going on for me, which is guaranteed to slow me down at times. With this in mind, I think it is very reasonable to reach the end of Chapter 3 until the end of the year
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
[Reveal his plan to Viveka]
[Go with Lawsen immediately]
[Follow Normund's plan to escape]
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
[Follow Normun's plan to escape]
[Say goodbye to the tavern staff]
The Voting is closed!
Edrick is going to follow Normund's plan
Ilish is going to go with Lawsen immediately
This was a very active voting and I am quite happy with this
The outcome for Edrick's choice will be very important in his next chapter, as he has firmly chosen a side with this. While previously siding with Viveka and deciding in her favour, him going with Normund might mean his freedom, albeit it is likely that she will be anything but pleased with this. Then again, Viveka is anything but a typical Ironborn, so her full reaction might remain up to be seen. If she even finds out at all, that is, before Edrick and co. make their escape. Ilish's choice meanwhile wasn't too important. However, it will mean that the tavern crew will have no idea that she is still alive and well. They'll consider her dead, most likely, with all the implications this holds. In any way, Ilish's storyline is in for quite a big twist with this, as she will become a much more important character once in Oldtown.
The next part should be out today. I myself am currently at my grandfather's house again. He is feeling better, to the point where he can even leave bed at times. It's a surprising recovery, but one that cannot last, so I try to enjoy it as long as possible. In the meantime, I will, of course, write. This next part will bring us back to Essos, to Janae's storyline. With the chapter drawing rapidly closer to an ending, my plan is to end the Essos storylines next and Janae will be in line for this first. Last time we saw her, she arrived at the estate of one of Abbas' friends, the slaver Goranero Sanys. He also had a guest, fellow Ghiscari slaver Vanis zo Narrn, who had a question in matters of business to discuss. Abbas, as such, was quite happy to meet the two and he took Janae with him to the meeting. There, he demanded that Janae would kneel in front of his friends and though she was very reluctant to do so, she ultimately decided in favour of it. Her next part will start right there. I might have the means to include a second PoV, to wrap up John's storyline, in which he will have a talk with the pirate Aidan Storm, who might be their best bet to find a captain to bring them to Volantis. However, that is not entirely certain yet, the next part might be solely for Janae. I plan to release it later today and I think this is fairly likely.
Janae
Though everything inside her revolted at the thought, Janae only had to look at Abbas once to know how serious he was. She had always been able to tell when he was serious and this, this right now unfortunately was one of the moments. He was looking at her the way he always did, with barely hidden pain, but there was something else. Impatience, she realized. Slowly, he raised an eyebrow, his hand slowly twitching as it neared the whip on his belt.
And then, she slowly went down, glaring at the floor as she did. She heard Abbas’ sigh and Vanis’ slight chuckle. “Apologies, comrade”, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have doubted a slaver of your reputation. You trained her well, I see” This time, Janae glanced up and thoroughly glared at the man, who wasn’t even looking at her. Probably for the better, as he didn’t even notice. Abbas however did and one of his hands lowered down onto her shoulder. “Trust me... comrade, the training has barely begun”, he hissed. Behind her, Harpy sighed softly.
Goranero cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable with the way the discussion developed. He finally managed to sport a thin smile. “Now, Abbas, what are your next plans?”, he asked, as he raised his hands. Clapping them once, a door got opened and a lithe woman entered, her collar showing her status as Goranero’s property. “Bring wine and food!”, the master demanded. “Only the best for my guests. Gather the others, I want them to be ready for any wish my friends have tonight!”
The woman nodded, as she turned around in an instant. Goranero sighed, as he shifted his attention back towards Abbas. “You say you are followed”, he started. “Yet you ask me to help you with this...” His eyes widened slightly. “This means you do not intend to continue your journey by ship”, he deduced. “I mean, it makes sense. I doubt you came all the way up the Rhoyne to have a pleasant chat”
Abbas smirked. “Sharp as always”, he complimented the fellow slaver, only the hint of mockery in his tone, something Goranero either ignored or did not bother to comment on in any way. “See, my friend, I intend to continue by land. They know of my ship and I fear they will find one of their own, perhaps even faster. I’d get to Volantis, maybe a bit further, but there is the risk they will catch up to me by sea before I reach safe waters” He moved his arm to point at Haar and Ryder. “I have two guards and no idea how many men my enemies bring”
“Plenty, if they are smart”, Vanis remarked and Abbas nodded. “I know one of them, a boy, the son of a whore who thinks himself a Westerosi knight”, he replied. “Not all that smart. A small wonder he survived Oldtown” Janae noticed Harpy tensing up at the remark, vicious anger flaring up in her gaze. “And yet he is smarter than you”, she growled without hesitation. “He survived Oldtown, he survived horrors you coward never dared to face!” As Janae gave her a warning glare, she noticed that Harpy was smirking with defiance. “And yet you made him your enemy without any need for it”, she added. “Want to tell your friend again what a smart man you are?”
She wanted to add something, but Haar took this moment to yank her back. Behara gasped as she was dragged with her, only Janae had braced herself for the impact and took a step towards the guard on her own accord. She frowned as she noticed the stench of alcohol. “Haar!”, Abbas warned him sternly and the man frowned, as he lowered the cudgel in his hand. The slaver managed to smile at him, in an almost friendly way, the kind he’d use towards a child. “I know her tongue makes it easy to lose patience, but she is not yours to harm, nor mine”, he explained slowly. “Razdal likes his property... undamaged”
“Razdal?”, Vanis remarked. “Zo Yunzak, I suppose... never expected you to make dealings with him. I must say, I am impressed” Abbas nodded with a smile. “And he will like this one in particular”, he promised, to which Vanis looked at Harpy the same way a merchant would look at cattle to buy. “Decently pretty”, he admitted. “Very much so, yes, but a bit young. I heard Razdal likes his women more experienced”
“Yet she will give him a special sort of pleasure”, Abbas promised. “One no other woman in the world can grant” He waved his hand. “Haar, bring the Burned Man’s bitch and the child back to the ship”, he ordered. “Keep in mind, no touching, or it’ll be the last woman you ever put your cock into” The sellsword grumbled something beneath his breath, as he glanced at Janae. With a smile, Abbas shook his head. “She stays”, he spoke. “She listens. Then she tells her friends just how wrong they are when they think a literal bastard and some one-eyed drunkard can outsmart me”
The man nodded, as he moved to the keychain on his belt. Not for the first time, Janae carefully gazed upon it, correctly realizing which he used to open the chains. Then, he moved to her neck, removing the chain that connected her to Harpy and Behara, while keeping the collar around it. “Come with me then, pretty bird”, he growled, smiling at Behara as he did so and the girl gulped in deep discomfort.
He led them out of the room, with Janae remained, still chained and with Ryder Harrington nearby. In fact, the man spoke up the moment Haar had closed the door. “Ser, a suggestion, if you like”, he spoke up and Abbas’ smile faded, just as Vanis’ widened. “I don’t but speak your mind, Harrington”, he replied. “Only a fool would decline free advice”
Ryder tensed up. “I should follow them”, he spoke, to which Abbas tilted his head. “But I wish for you to remain here”, he stated. “May I ask why you want to leave?” Ryder glanced over his shoulder. “You don’t want them damaged”, he stated calmly. “Haar cannot be trusted with that. The man is a drunkard and you said it yourself, the girl has a tongue, more than what is good for her. Harpy, I mean”
“Harpy?”, Vanis spoke up and Abbas sighed. “A big name for a slave girl. I pride myself in my sense of humour, but I can guarantee, many would consider this an insult to the memory of Ghis” Abbas was quick to shake his head. “Not a name I gave her”, he explained. “I fear the man who did was, in fact, an enemy to Ghis. For the time being, we call her by this name to keep things simple, for she doesn’t have another, but once we have arrived in Yunkai, it will be up for Razdal to decide on wether to keep it or not”
Vanis narrowed his eyes. “Just what is the deal with her?”, he asked. “Razdal has hundreds of slaves, more than likely dozens prettier than her” Slowly, he raised an eyebrow. “That being said, there are rumours... what was it again?” Abbas tensed up. “My friend...”, he said. “I doubt you are here just to learn all about my intentions. Tell me, what leads you to the estate of our dear Goranero?”
“Same as you, my friend”, Vanis replied, his smile getting thinner. “Business. In fact, while our meeting here is purely coincidental, I was hoping to gain your, ahem, advice” Now, his smile faded entirely and he leant forward, his lean body tensing up and revealing the wiry build beneath his clothes. “For I am on the hunt”, he revealed. “Not just anyone, I am afraid, but a very specific target”
Abbas smiled politely at this, though he tensed up. That was something Janae still noticed, after all these years. Abbas had never been comfortable around people and while he had gained his very own brand of confidence in the years they hadn’t seen each other, there was still a hint of this left in him. Actually, she shared it this time. Vanis had a polite expression on his face, his tone was nothing if not affable, even if slightly condescending. But the look in his eyes was not that of a man making a business inquiry. It was that of a killer out for blood.
“I don’t know if I can help you with a single target”, Abbas explained. “Unless you have someone famous in mind” He shrugged. “Can be quite a risk, but imagine the prize some would pay for a Westerosi noblewoman” Vanis shook his head and briefly, he shot Abbas a truly unsettling grin. That was a man who loved what he was doing, not for coin, not for fame, but for the thrill of it. She had previously been unsure if Abbas was the same, but this right here convinced her. She had met sellswords who loved the act of killing, more even than getting paid or gaining a good fight and they had been the worst bastards she ever had the displeasure of running into. Vanis was this for slavers.
“Not a woman”, he spoke. “No one of high birth even. Just a boy” Abbas gulped. “Well, my friend, I don’t know if I can help with that”, he spoke and Vanis shrugged. “I didn’t expect you to know my target in particular”, he clarified. “I am more looking for some general directions. Someone who can explain to me where I might have to look first” After a moment, Abbas nodded. “Go on then”, he said. “Maybe I can help a bit”
“Splendid”, Vanis replied. “See, I am looking for a boy who... escaped my custody. Well, he was allowed to escape at least” This time, Goranero shifted uncomfortably, while Abbas outright gulped. “Apologize, friend”, he said. “It sounded as if you allowed this boy to escape” As soon as Vanis nodded, Abbas seemed downright confused. “There is no sense in that, if you don’t mind me saying so”
Vanis chuckled. “Oh, I do mind”, he said. “Very much so. But it’s okay, my mistake, really. I was hoping to have a fellow hunter here” Abbas raised an eyebrow. “I am a hunter”, he argued. “I hunt slaves for coin. A slaver, like you” Vanis shook his head. “Not like me”, he replied. “We are both slavers, but of a different kind. You wish for riches, that makes you closer to a merchant by definition. I meanwhile am a hunter. What I gain from my profession is hunting game so much greater than any beast that roams the lands” With this, he shot Janae a crooked smirk. “Of course, I sell them eventually, but that is only a byproduct, just like how hunting is a byproduct for you”
“I... see”, Abbas replied and he pulled himself together. “That means you let the boy go so that he would give you a good hunt? Actually not too outrageous, come to think of it” Vanis nodded with enthusiasm. “I knew you would understand me!”, he claimed. “Let me tell you what I know. So, the boy had no name. Born into slavery, he was never strong, but nimble. The kind you’d use in the arena, or maybe as a pleasure slave, but he honestly wasn’t grown enough to see any potential in that. That has probably changed by now, because he must be around fourteen years”
“I’ve seen younger pleasure slaves”, Abbas spoke and Janae felt a sickness rising in her as they heard the two talking like that. Goranero seemed similarly uncomfortable, something that surprised her, coming from a slaver. Abbas however chuckled and Vanis smiled. “Thing is, I would have tracked him down by now, a long time ago to be honest. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that he had help. A Ghiscari, though I do not know his true name. Changes it anytime he’s in a different part of the world” He leant forward. “They call him Azdak the Dazzler in Meereen, Koryllo of the Glitter in Volantis and he has at least half a dozen names in Westeros. Mors the Golden, Harris Winterbreeze, Magnus Silverstone and others, it’s all the same man. A master of his art, a trickster more skilled at lying and evading than any other man I’ve ever seen”
Abbas glanced at Bakr, who had been standing silently in the corner. Now, the massive man shrugged. “Can’t say I ever heard any of the names”, he admitted and Abbas nodded. “This man... Azdak, Harris, Magnus, whatever you may want to call him, do you know more about him?”, he asked and to this, Vanis chuckled. “I know he is operating in cities. He’s an illusionist, skilled at tricking the minds of weaker people. I believe the boy is working as his assistant, or perhaps stealing from the audience while the man himself serves as a distraction”, he continued. “So, what I mean to ask you is, do you know any places in Westeros where a man such as this could make coin?”
“There’s been a fair in the city we’ve been to”, Bakr brought up. “What’s it called again? Raylansfire?” Abbas sighed. “Raylansfair, in the western Reach”, he growled. “Fittingly so. And yes, they had a fair, as the name might imply. Quite decently sized, but we did not stay for the view. After all, staying there reintroduced me to an old acquaintance. “He had the audacity to give Janae a wink as he spoke and she replied with a silent glare.
“Raylansfair, I see”, Vanis spoke. “Sounds far away. I suppose it is a good start” He gave Abbas a genuinely thankful smile. “Then you have my gratitude. It has been a good hunt so far, but a hunter of true skill uses every advantage he has. Your information, it will be my advantage over the illusionist and his little assistant” He looked up as the door got opened, revealing the slave woman from earlier, now accompanied by further servants bringing wine and food. As Janae saw the grilled meat and fresh fruit, she felt a pain in her stomach, as she realized how hungry she was. There hadn’t been anything for her or the others since the early morning.
“I leave you to your business now, my friends”, Vanis said as he rose from his chair. Goranero seemed genuinely confused for a moment. “But, won’t you stay for the meal?”, he asked and Vanis shook his head. “Never been a big eater”, he spoke. “I will rest for the night, if you allow it, my friend” He glanced at the woman leading the other slaves, grinning as his gaze wandered across her body. “Albeit, if you insist on pleasing me, maybe a bit of company for the night would be appreciated”
To Goranero’s credit, he shook his head. “My slaves are not pleasure slaves”, he assured him. “I would not want to offer you untrained workers and as a matter of fact, I have need for all of them” Vanis shrugged. “As you may”, he replied. “I will leave then. Have a pleasant evening, we shall speak in the morning, as I prepare my journey to Westeros” Without a further word, he left the room and Goranero outright sighed in relief as the man was gone.
“Two days, Abbas”, he spoke. “Two days and he tried to get my Kitty more than any of the others” He shot the slave woman a smile and she looked at the slaver with surprising fondness, though she said no word. “I am glad you arrived. Finally a man whom I can talk to. This Vanis, he only wishes to discuss matters of the hunt. Truly a gruesome aspect”
“A necessary one though”, Abbas replied. “Half of our slaves are hunted stock, not born or sold into slavery, but outright captured and forced. This is where my kind comes in, so that your kind can sell, trade and grow fat from the spoils we deliver” The two men chuckled and Goranero outright laughed with a snort. “I missed your sharp wit, my friend”, Goranero admitted, taking a sip from the wine his slave put in front of him. Abbas reached for a cup of his own, while Bakr already emptied his second one. "Wine, Harrington?”, Abbas asked and Ryder shook his head. “I never drink, Ser”, he spoke. “Not on duty, at least”
“So, you intend to continue by land, is that correct?”, Goranero asked and Abbas nodded. “And yes, I know what this implies”, he spoke, to which Goranero sighed. “You are willing to deal with the girl, aye?”, he asked and Abbas pressed his lips together. “A necessity”, he replied. “Things have been easier before she took over, but we have always found some way to agree” This time, Goranero shook his head. “The girl has grown harsher”, he warned him. “Her price might have increased”
“It matters not”, Abbas replied. “I do not wish for Janae’s friends to catch up to me. Or maybe it will be others. What Harpy’s knight lacks in wit, he makes more than up for in love for her. And Harrington has a bone to pick with his brother. All individuals with a reason to go after me and my cargo. I have to throw them off my trail, so if I wish to take the road, I have to pay Rowan’s toll”
“May the gods have mercy on you”, Goranero spoke. “Of course, I can offer you supplies for the journey. Fresh horses, maybe even a cart for the women. They looked rather delicate, I doubt they’d make the journey on horseback all the way to Yunkai” Abbas glanced at Janae, before he nodded. “That would be welcome, yes”, he spoke. “A small cart though, please. Harpy and Behara can sit. Janae will ride”
Goranero raised an eyebrow at this. “Are you not afraid that she could escape?”, he asked and Abbas grinned. “She knows what is at stake”, he replied and it was yet another warning towards Janae. “However, this is not all I ask of you. Keep in mind how much you owe me” As he spoke, his voice became more menacing and Goranero cleared his throat, as he grew notably more pale. “I am not going to like this, am I?”, he asked.
To Janae’s surprise, Abbas shrugged. “I do not know”, he admitted. “You might actually do, friend. When has been the last time you’ve been to Volantis?” Goranero seemed to think about this for a moment. “A month, almost two”, he replied. “Will be about time. Do you need anything from there?” Abbas shook his head. “Nothing”, he assured him. “But when you go there, I want you to take my ship. They know I have one, they know how it looks. Take it when you head for the city, return by any other means, but leave my ship there. Make sure it won’t be stolen, I wish to have it returned to me once I return to this part of the world”
“And the ones who pursue you?”, Goranero asked, a question that caused Abbas to laugh. “Will walk right into the trap”, he spoke. “Once they see the ship, they will assume I am in Volantis. Oh, the time they will waste finding me, while I will travel across the road to Yunkai” It was in this moment that Janae understood the true trickery Abbas was about to use. There was no way John would think of this, she knew her bear way too well for this. “You utter son of a bitch”, she spat and Abbas merely chuckled at the insult. “You heard what I wanted you to hear, Janae”, he spoke. “You heard why I will win this, in the end. Why your friends will never be fast enough to save you from what I have in mind for you”
He gave a nod to Ryder behind her and Janae felt the guard pulling her up, sternly but gently. “Bring her to the others”, the slaver ordered. “Me and Goranero will discuss the next steps of the plan. No need for you to know more than you have to, right?” Janae clenched her fists, biting down onto her lower lip to hold back the tears of rage that were already forming in her eyes. She was thankful that Ryder turned her around, away from the slavers. With ferocious anger burning inside her body, she accompanied him without saying a word or trying to resist. But by the gods, she only needed a reason, just one more reason.
This reason came sooner than expected, sooner than what she had hoped for. Going with Ryder towards the ship, a thin, feminine shriek disrupted the glaring silence of the midday heat. For a moment, Harrington actually exchanged a look of concern with her, before both started running towards the ship.
Janae had expected it, she had expected it to happen all along and as such, it was no surprise to find Haar there as soon as they had reached the lower deck, not even bothering with entering the room the three women had been kept in. He had pushed Behara to the ground, now lying above her. His pants were still on, though he was trying to pull them off with one hand, using the other to keep the kicking girl down. Behara was putting up a fight, a decent one at that for her size, but Haar was twice as big, thrice as strong and numb from the alcohol he had been pouring into his body the entire day.
Harpy was chained to the wall and apparently she had been the one to scream. Up close, what seemed to be a fearful shriek was actually one of rage. He had chained her to the wall, close enough to see and listen to what he was about to do, too far away to intervene, with the chain not long enough to run to Behara’s aid. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood on her neck, where she was cutting into her skin, trying to get the collar off or to get closer to Behara, close enough to help. “Quick!”, she yelled. “He’s out of control, you have to stop him!”
“Haar!”, Ryder barked. “Fucking hell, what are you doing?” He rushed past Harpy, faster even than Janae and as such, he was the one pulling the man off the wailing girl. For a moment, Haar seemed genuinely surprised to see Ryder there. “But...”, he mumbled. It was all he managed to say, as Ryder’s fist hit him savagely in the face, only once though, before the other guard managed to hold himself back, a restraint she wouldn’t have expected in the first moment, where he displayed nothing but wild rage.
Groaning in pain, Haar staggered backwards and he seemed confused, mixed with anger. “What the hell was that for?”, he barked, putting a hand on his bleeding nose. Ryder barely bothered with him, first checking up on Behara. Her dress was torn at the bottom and she was crying, this time for good reason. However, she seemed unharmed, a fact that relieved Janae even beyond the anger, the rage she felt for the drunkard in this moment. Taking him had been a mistake on Abbas’ part, but by the gods, she would correct it.
She threw a glance at Harpy, who had slightly calmed down. It seemed the girl just now noticed her own injuries and she gasped sharply as she placed a finger between her neck and the heavy iron collar, touching the irritated and bruised flesh on her neck. For a moment, there was fear on her face, reminding Janae of how young she actually was.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”, Ryder growled and Haar glanced from him to Behara, who had crawled away, towards Janae. Seeing this, it caused the woman to growl in anger and she made the attempt to jump at Haar. Ryder held her back with nothing but a stern, commanding glare. “Not one step closer, slave”, he snarled. “I deal with this” He looked back at Haar, as if he expected an apology.
“What...?”, the drunkard mumbled. “She is a slave, is she not? Pleasure slave, I hope, if Abbas has half a brain” He grinned, the leery grin of a man barely able to stand after the piss he had been pouring into his throat for a good day. “I, ahem, tried to train her” He chuckled, as he glanced at Harpy. “No tears, Red. Would have given you the pleasure as well”
With a groan, Ryder grabbed Haar by the collar of his vest, pushing him backwards and against the wood. “Pull yourself together, man!”, he barked. “You’ve been drinking again, huh? Maybe I should talk to Abbas. Tell him to cut the wine if you cannot focus on your duties” Haar narrowed his eyes, his hand wandering down to the machete on his belt. Ryder followed the movement with a gaze, barely reacting towards the implied threat. Instead, he merely pushed Haar against the wall with more strength. “The hand you place on your weapon will be the hand you lose”, he merely said. “Assault the girls again and it’ll be your cock”
This time and painfully slow, Haar raised his hands, no weapon in them. “Easy, Harrington”, he managed to say. “I don’t want any trouble with you” As soon as he had said this, Ryder let go of him. “Then act the way”, he said. “You have been warned. It’s more of a chance than I grant to most. Now sober up and prove that you are the man Abbas wanted to hire” He turned to Behara, reaching down with one hand. The girl hesitated at first, but then she grabbed his. He pulled her up softly, placing a hand around her shoulder as he led her to the room that was to be her prison cell once more. “Janae, you free Harpy and follow me”, he ordered without even looking at her.
Haar looked after them, as Janae remained frozen in place, glaring at him. The nerve he had, the sheer fucking nerve, it caused her to feel nothing but rage. In this moment, he seemed worse than Abbas. If not for Ryder... Seven, if not for Ryder, she wouldn’t want to imagine what would have happened to Behara and Harpy. And there, Haar remained, with a bleeding nose yet otherwise unharmed. It was better than he deserved. “A shame”, he finally said. “Fucking Harrington, bloody stuck-up arse” He gave Janae a grin. “Sure the girl would have tasted like honey, aye?” And Janae knew, holding back right now was perhaps the hardest thing she ever had to do in her life...
[Attack Haar] [Threaten Haar] [Do nothing]
[Threaten Haar]
[Threaten Haar] Attacking him is not a good idea for now, the guy deserves worse, but he might not take the threat seriously, and that's were she gets him.
Huh, so that's the story of Magnus and Bennett. It makes you worry about them once the hunter arrives on Westeros, since while slavery is blatantly illegal on the continent, there's no actual law against capturing escaped slaves that I know of.
[Do nothing]
There's nothing Janae can do in this situation, she is a slave, and therefore not in a position of power.
[Attack Haar]
Well, there is indeed not an actual law directly against capturing escaped slaves, but I think it falls into the anti-slavery sentiment that Westeros holds in general. Vanis might be able to negotiate with local rulers that his actions are not unlawful and that he merely seeks to regain his property, acquired under the law of Slaver's Bay, but most Westerosi rulers would be more likely to just behead him instead of helping him. Of course, since general unified laws are an achievement of Aegon and Jahaerys and there can be differences between the laws of the kingdoms, this is what Vanis has to prepare for in general, so he will likely not seek direct help from authorities, or at least not telling them the truth. The notable difference is the Ironborn, whose thrall system isn't fundamentally different from the slavery of Essos. As such, should Magnus and Bennett ever enter the Riverlands, Vanis could be able to gain allies actually sympathetic to his goals, but the rest of Westeros is absolutely unlikely to help him once they know about his true intentions. While Westeros is, as a result, not a place he usually likes to go to in his line of work, he knows at least that much about their customs and general opinion on slavery.
[Threaten Haar]
Hey I dindn't realise one of my characters were introduced. I almost forgot about vanis but you portrayed him very well the maneace and confindence were on point. If you know it could you maybe point me to the last part of janea so I can re read it?[Do nothing] its the smartest choice attacking him propably won't work and threstening him will just gain her even more hate from him so another bad idea.
[Do nothing] Don't want Janae to go to darker places.
Also, I can't believe I ever liked Abbas and Bakr. The moment I heard they were slavers I should not have, but I did. Grrr.
[Threaten Haar]
The previous Janae part is near the bottom of page 301.
[Do nothing] Ryder already did the threatening for us, and his threat actually came from a position of power over Haar, whereas Janae's would just be empty words as longs as she is in chains. And somehow I have a feeling that Haar would only take it as a provocation, thus making it only more likely that he is going to keep harassing the girls.
Hmm, I am certainly interested to see how well Abbas' trick with the ship will work. I'm sure it'll at least initially manage to confuse Jaron and John, but perhaps they'll be able to find out that the ship came to Volantis from the north and was not captained by Abbas. Nonetheless, I think there is little chance they'll be able to catch up with the slavers before they reach Yunkai, and saving Janae, Behara and Harpy there will be extremely hard.
[Do nothing]
Thanks alot!
Ah, perhaps I should have let you known after introducing him, but I am glad you found out and that you enjoy him
I have some fun plans in store for Vanis. By the way, I hope the small addition I made to Magnus' backstory is fine with you, I figured it would fit that he is the type to choose a different name any time he enters a different region, to always appeal to the audience he might have there.
It does also seem that Disellis was faster than me. Page 301 is indeed the one holding the part you are looking for. It has been some time since the last Janae part, as I just realized
Hehe, I think it was easier to like them back when they have been the odd and occasionally goofy allies of the protagonists. Back then, they were often used for comic relief, especially Bakr but Abbas as well (such as the several occaisons where he displays a terrible sense of humour and timing, simply for the sake of being a troll), so I suppose it was easier to blend out what they do for a living. Especially in case of Abbas, his whole character took a turn for the darker when he stopped being the unusual but capable ally to Jaron, Ellena and Raenna and instead became the main villain for Janae's storyline. I guess it is likely that he snapped the moment he saw her, but it's a fact that this is how he has always been deep down, even in the early parts when you still liked him.
Well, this is a fairly reasonable assumption you make here. There will definitely be initial confusion for Jaron and John, which is exactly what Abbas hopes for. He might even be able to reach Yunkai before them if he keeps using the ship, but it is a risk, as all they have to do is to get a faster ship and they have a chance to catch up to him. As such, he hopes that this little trick will buy him enough time to reach Yunkai by land before they get a chnce to catch up to him. He knows fully well that once he is in Yunkai, his friends will make it harder to free his slaves (especially as he has confirmed intentions to split them up, keeping Janae for himself, selling Harpy to her old master and doing whatever the hell he wants to with Behara) and to give him any proper comeuppance. And some degree of success for this plan is a given, as Jaron and John have no initial way of realizing that Volantis will be a waste of time for them. That being said, there are further goals to pursue in Volantis, most importantly Samuel's quest to find Ryder (not knowing that he as well is wasting his time by looking for him in Volantis), so there are plenty of reasons to at least check the city out on the way.
What can I say liquid you know my characters better than I do, the adition fits him perfectly. I might have to re read my own characters.