Yeah, Garrison has lost a lot in his life which was one thing I really wanted to empathize in this part. On the other hand, he still has a lot more to lose, which is why this current situation is very stressful for him. As for Obara, there will be updates regarding her once Book 2 begins.
Oh, and a small correction - it has been 2 years, but your point ofc still stands, Nymeria has had plenty of time to regain her strength.
Garrison's POV was rather touching, not only he lost both his beloved wife and eldest son, his second son is out of touch and Isabella is bu… moresy with her own family.
Three years are more than enough for Nymeria to settle and regain strength, which is of course bad for both House Fowler and Dayne. I do wonder were is Obara Fowler, since we haven't seen her since Ortheg's POV months ago.
I'm pleased to read that the Drinkwaters agreed to marry Arianne with Desmor, now he's the father of a girl who has the name of her grandmother.
Indeed, it was bound to happen sooner or later In general this book will have a lot of conflicts and storylines where it'll be hard to decide who to root for.
And well, it's no coincidence that these attacks happened at the same time, so you might well be onto something there
Oh god, we are coming to that point in the storyline when Nymeria starts fighting people I don't want to see lose ( Vorian and Garrison).
… more Now, what came to my mind after this part and Vorian's part, specifically after this part, is possibly really smart strategy from Nymeria. When I read Vorian's part I thought getting Clearhaven back shouldn't be that hard and that it was kind off useless move by Nymeria, but considering that now Daynes can't send help to Flowers because they have their own issues, or at least not as big of a help they would send if Nymeria didn't attack, this changes my view of their strategy to pretty smart, and I wouldn't mind that against Yorick, Albin or Benedict, but I don't like it against Vorian and Garrison.
Of course this is only a prediction and I'm not sure if I'm right about Nymeria's strategy, but yeah Nymeria actually has considerable forces now.
Ah, first of all the Jamison portrait looks amazing! As expected, his scar turned from disfiguring to simply badass. It is also nice to see how he matured over these past two years. I mean, he is still pretty young (20 or 21 if I am not mistaken), but the full beard gives him at least five or six additional years. That is another thing I look forward for, seeing how the characters have visually developed over these two years. So, does this mean it is safe to say that many characters will receive updated portraits over the course of Book 2?
Now, Garrison's part was one I was really hyped for and it did not disappoint. In advance, I think the only ones I was more excited for were Benedict and Yorick, both of which obviously still to come. Now, this part was unsurprisingly heavy on the feels, with Garrison reminiscing about his late wife, the son he has lost and just about how much he has lost in general. He is probably the most sympathetic king at the time, even more so than Vorian and Benedict and that is despite me not having forgotten about his deception of the Blackmont's and the unwitting yet crucial part he played in Aisha's plans as a result. I cannot help it, I can't be mad at the man, because he is just that damn likeable. Beyond this, the part developed into a way I already speculated. Desmor and Arianne indeed married, as it was to be expected and well, I at least heavily suspected that Nymeria would try to take on the Dayne and Fowler forces at once. Among them, the Fowler's are definitely the weakest party and they still have the continuing assault from the Manwoody forces to deal with, so if Nymeria cuts them off from Starfall, she can likely make short work of them before moving her full attention to the Dayne army. And I suspect that this is, in fact, her plan. One thing I am super excited for is Desmor in Book 2 though, seems like he'll have quite the adventure ahead, trying to negotiate with Nymeria about the future of his kingdom and family. I really cannot even predict where his journey will take him and that makes me quite looking forward for him
Blind and Broken
Garrison Fowler felt the soft wind on his skin, heard the calming sound of the running water from the fountain close by,… more and smelled the flowers. This garden had been his favorite place in Skyreach ever since he had completely lost his sight almost fourteen years ago, because it offered something pleasing for his other senses. He had many fond memories from here, earliest of them being the memories with his parents, and his sister Obara. Those memories were fading, a lingering shadow of the times when Garrison had no care in the world. Then there were the memories with Ashara. They used to spend many evenings together in this garden back when they first got to know each other. My beautiful Queen, Garrison thought wistfully. His sight was already getting worse during those years, but he at least saw well enough to know that Ashara had been the most beautiful woman on this world.
Then there were the memories with the chil… [view original content]
Ah poor Garrison, he has definitely been through alot in his life and this part has definitely showed that. From losing his sight to his wife and oldest son dying, he has dealt with alot personally along with the constant fight for survival that his kingdom has faced since basically the beginning of the story which certainly leads to great stress for him. With all of that, it is safe to say that Garrison is the king I feel sorry for the most in the entire story and Garrison's struggles continue here but first I will go over the positives for him. Desmor has indeed married Arienne and they have had a child! Naming her after Garrison's late wife is definitely a sweet gesture and I am glad to see things have seemingly worked out well for Desmor in the marriage department!
As far as character development goes, from what we seen of Desmor here, he has seemed to have matured quite a bit since Book 1! He brought up actually talking to the Martell's in something of a diplomatic role which was very surprising to me and definitely shows he has matured quite a bit from the hot headed warrior he was in the first book. Also, I just thought of something else that I haven't asked yet. With Garrison still being alive, does that make Desmor the heir or would that still be Matthos regardless of Garrison still being alive?
Now for the big surprise from this part, it is safe to say you weren't kidding when you said that Nymeria had a pretty ballsy strategy She is trying to take on both kingdoms at once and I believe like Liquid and AP mentioned that the attack on Clearhaven is pretty much just a way to keep the Dayne's busy temporarily so they won't be able to aid the Fowler's but I suppose with four thousand men already on Fowler lands that the Dayne's couldn't do too much to help regardless in that short amount of time. This does make me wonder though how many men that Nymeria actually has under her command at this point? You don't have to tell me if that is considered a spoiler of course but if four thousand men is more than what the Fowler's can muster and if I remember correctly, more than the Blackmont's and Manwoody's can as well, then she either has a very large army right now or the group she sent to Clearhaven is basically just a small group that was sent on a suicide mission. With that said, it does look like she is planning to at least start the war with both at the same time with the Fowler's most likely going down very quickly to where I will be surprised if the Kingdom of Stone and Sky still exists by the end of Chapter 1. With that said, there is clearly so much going on in these interludes with Nymeria's War picking up rapidly here so I am very much excited to see how Benedict and Yorick's PoV's play out and particularly if Nymeria plays as big of a role in their parts as she has in the last two.
Blind and Broken
Garrison Fowler felt the soft wind on his skin, heard the calming sound of the running water from the fountain close by,… more and smelled the flowers. This garden had been his favorite place in Skyreach ever since he had completely lost his sight almost fourteen years ago, because it offered something pleasing for his other senses. He had many fond memories from here, earliest of them being the memories with his parents, and his sister Obara. Those memories were fading, a lingering shadow of the times when Garrison had no care in the world. Then there were the memories with Ashara. They used to spend many evenings together in this garden back when they first got to know each other. My beautiful Queen, Garrison thought wistfully. His sight was already getting worse during those years, but he at least saw well enough to know that Ashara had been the most beautiful woman on this world.
Then there were the memories with the chil… [view original content]
Ah, first of all the Jamison portrait looks amazing! As expected, his scar turned from disfiguring to simply badass. It is also nice to see how he matured over these past two years. I mean, he is still pretty young (20 or 21 if I am not mistaken), but the full beard gives him at least five or six additional years. That is another thing I look forward for, seeing how the characters have visually developed over these two years. So, does this mean it is safe to say that many characters will receive updated portraits over the course of Book 2?
Indeed, Jamison is 20, but the beard does make him look a bit older. And yeah, a lot of characters will be getting an updated portrait, especially the ones who've gone through a significant change during the timeskip, as well as brand new characters of course
Now, Garrison's part was one I was really hyped for and it did not disappoint. In advance, I think the only ones I was more excited for were Benedict and Yorick, both of which obviously still to come. Now, this part was unsurprisingly heavy on the feels, with Garrison reminiscing about his late wife, the son he has lost and just about how much he has lost in general. He is probably the most sympathetic king at the time, even more so than Vorian and Benedict and that is despite me not having forgotten about his deception of the Blackmont's and the unwitting yet crucial part he played in Aisha's plans as a result. I cannot help it, I can't be mad at the man, because he is just that damn likeable. Beyond this, the part developed into a way I already speculated. Desmor and Arianne indeed married, as it was to be expected and well, I at least heavily suspected that Nymeria would try to take on the Dayne and Fowler forces at once. Among them, the Fowler's are definitely the weakest party and they still have the continuing assault from the Manwoody forces to deal with, so if Nymeria cuts them off from Starfall, she can likely make short work of them before moving her full attention to the Dayne army. And I suspect that this is, in fact, her plan. One thing I am super excited for is Desmor in Book 2 though, seems like he'll have quite the adventure ahead, trying to negotiate with Nymeria about the future of his kingdom and family. I really cannot even predict where his journey will take him and that makes me quite looking forward for him
I'm glad to hear you weren't disappointed, as this was definitely one of the more challenging parts to write And yeah, Garrison has lost a lot over his life, which surely warrants some sympathy despite some of his more questionable actions. And Nymeria seems to indeed be aware about the alliance between Dayne and Fowler, which makes attacking them at the same time quite a clever move. Glad to hear you're excited for Desmor though, he certainly has some interesting development ahead
Ah, first of all the Jamison portrait looks amazing! As expected, his scar turned from disfiguring to simply badass. It is also nice to see … morehow he matured over these past two years. I mean, he is still pretty young (20 or 21 if I am not mistaken), but the full beard gives him at least five or six additional years. That is another thing I look forward for, seeing how the characters have visually developed over these two years. So, does this mean it is safe to say that many characters will receive updated portraits over the course of Book 2?
Now, Garrison's part was one I was really hyped for and it did not disappoint. In advance, I think the only ones I was more excited for were Benedict and Yorick, both of which obviously still to come. Now, this part was unsurprisingly heavy on the feels, with Garrison reminiscing about his late wife, the son he has lost and just about how much he has lost in general. He is probably the most sympathetic k… [view original content]
Ah poor Garrison, he has definitely been through alot in his life and this part has definitely showed that. From losing his sight to his wife and oldest son dying, he has dealt with alot personally along with the constant fight for survival that his kingdom has faced since basically the beginning of the story which certainly leads to great stress for him. With all of that, it is safe to say that Garrison is the king I feel sorry for the most in the entire story and Garrison's struggles continue here but first I will go over the positives for him. Desmor has indeed married Arienne and they have had a child! Naming her after Garrison's late wife is definitely a sweet gesture and I am glad to see things have seemingly worked out well for Desmor in the marriage department!
Yeah, I'd say Garrison is among the most tragic characters of the story. He's gone through a lot of shit and certainly doesn't deserve to see his kingdom fall after all he has done to protect it That said, little Ashara in this part definitely presents the other side of things, showing that not all is lost and life will go on despite what happens in this war
As far as character development goes, from what we seen of Desmor here, he has seemed to have matured quite a bit since Book 1! He brought up actually talking to the Martell's in something of a diplomatic role which was very surprising to me and definitely shows he has matured quite a bit from the hot headed warrior he was in the first book. Also, I just thought of something else that I haven't asked yet. With Garrison still being alive, does that make Desmor the heir or would that still be Matthos regardless of Garrison still being alive?
Indeed, becoming a married man and basically taking up Ferris' role as Garrison's right hand has surely matured Desmor. I'm glad I managed to portray this effectively in this part, and Desmor bringing up a diplomatic solution is certainly a sign of his growth. Regarding your question, Matthos is the heir, but being 5 it is likely that Desmor would take charge as a regent in Garrison's absence.
Now for the big surprise from this part, it is safe to say you weren't kidding when you said that Nymeria had a pretty ballsy strategy She is trying to take on both kingdoms at once and I believe like Liquid and AP mentioned that the attack on Clearhaven is pretty much just a way to keep the Dayne's busy temporarily so they won't be able to aid the Fowler's but I suppose with four thousand men already on Fowler lands that the Dayne's couldn't do too much to help regardless in that short amount of time. This does make me wonder though how many men that Nymeria actually has under her command at this point? You don't have to tell me if that is considered a spoiler of course but if four thousand men is more than what the Fowler's can muster and if I remember correctly, more than the Blackmont's and Manwoody's can as well, then she either has a very large army right now or the group she sent to Clearhaven is basically just a small group that was sent on a suicide mission. With that said, it does look like she is planning to at least start the war with both at the same time with the Fowler's most likely going down very quickly to where I will be surprised if the Kingdom of Stone and Sky still exists by the end of Chapter 1. With that said, there is clearly so much going on in these interludes with Nymeria's War picking up rapidly here so I am very much excited to see how Benedict and Yorick's PoV's play out and particularly if Nymeria plays as big of a role in their parts as she has in the last two.
Indeed, a war on two fronts is definitely a ballsy move from Nym but it is also a good way of keeping the Daynes and Fowlers from uniting their forces. As for your question, it should be remembered that the addition of Brimstone has increased the Principality's military force significantly. On top of that, the Dalts and their vassals are also now under Nymeria's command, not to forget the houses of Central Dorne or the Fallen Dragons. All that said, I'd say if Nymeria were to assemble a single great army she could amass somewhere between 8000 to 10 000 troops. However, that would mean leaving her own lands with little to no protection, so we can safely assume that the force that attacked Clearhaven was indeed a smaller one. Perhaps not a suicide mission per se, but likely more of a distraction than a genuine attempt at conquer.
Ah poor Garrison, he has definitely been through alot in his life and this part has definitely showed that. From losing his sight to his wif… moree and oldest son dying, he has dealt with alot personally along with the constant fight for survival that his kingdom has faced since basically the beginning of the story which certainly leads to great stress for him. With all of that, it is safe to say that Garrison is the king I feel sorry for the most in the entire story and Garrison's struggles continue here but first I will go over the positives for him. Desmor has indeed married Arienne and they have had a child! Naming her after Garrison's late wife is definitely a sweet gesture and I am glad to see things have seemingly worked out well for Desmor in the marriage department!
As far as character development goes, from what we seen of Desmor here, he has seemed to have matured quite a bit since Book 1! He brought up actually talking to the Martell… [view original content]
Hello again! So, I just wanted to inform you guys that I have a bit of a busy week ahead, with some deadlines for my uni projects coming towards the end of it. Due to this, I will probably find a bit less time for writing the story. That said, I am confident that I'll still be able to finish the interlude during this week, and after this week I should once again have a lot more time for writing, which bodes well for the beginning of Book 2
Anyway, the next part in the interlude will be Benedict PoV, and I aim to get it done within a couple of days. For now I have another new portrait for you, this time updated Desmor:
Hello again everyone! With the next interlude part coming soon, I figured it would be a great time to post a new H&L! This one is of a character we have seen before and it is a direct reaction to something that has occurred in a recent Interlude part. Also, Thanks again Wildling for looking it over and I hope you all enjoy the part!
Alester Upton - Accepting the Call
With tired eyes, Lord Alester Upton sat at the head of the table as the small council meeting unfolded. He wasn't focused on the meeting however, but rather his mind traveled back to days long gone. Alester had now been the Lord of Sword's Edge for nearly two and half years, but the sheer boredom that came from these meetings never subsided. All kinds of things crossed his mind as he sat at the head of this table, but today he remembered his past adventures with Jamison Dayne, back from the days when they traveled Westeros together. They had fought in tourneys and slept in taverns, living like hedge knights with not a care in the world.
Looking back to those great times now, it was as if it had been just the day before. He remembered when they tried to bring peace between the Oakhearts and Daynes by bedding the two Oakheart sisters at the tourney of Highgarden. Unfortunately, their brothers weren't pleased, to say the least, so Alester and Jamison ended up giving them black eyes and broken noses to take back to Old Oak. He also thought about that time they had killed a group of bandits who had the gall to try and rob them on some old road near Gallowsgrey. "The gods may forgive, but I don't", Alester remembered saying as he beheaded the last thug out of that group, and the look on that outlaw's face still brought a smirk to his face.
Alester had so many great memories from that year he spent traveling with Jamison around the Reach and the Stormlands. However, the death of his father and older brother had brought him back to Dorne, where his life would be changed forever as he had to take on his Lord father's title as Lord of Sword's Edge. Those times seemed now so recent yet so far away. A lot had changed since then, with Alester and Jamison both now being lords, fathers and married men in their own right. Those days when their only worry had been which one out of the two could drink the most ale or bed the most attractive lady that night was only a pleasant memory now, more distant every day.
Alester’s mind also wandered to the last battle he had been involved in. He had led a couple hundred of his finest soldiers up the Torrentine to the Kingdom of Blackmont, where they had restored order for the Vulture Knight and his father. The men of House Upton had took down Karsan Taller's rebellion before it could even get started. Admittedly, Alester wasn't much of an historian, but he could imagine the satisfaction of victory he had felt was once shared by Lord Ulwyck Upton as he led King Samwell's vanguard in the sacking of Oldtown. In his mind, Alester could see Oldtown burning and the Hightower men retreating in defeat as the men of the Torrentine took what was theirs. Alester imagined it had felt similar to when he lead his men down that hill to defeat those rebels. It was a feeling he knew could only be replicated in battle, and he wanted to feel it again.
Of course, Alester didn't mind the Kingdom being at peace. It meant his family was safe, his mother, his wife and his daughter. It also meant his people were safe and the kingdom prospered in what was said to be the most prosperous era of the last century for the Kingdom of Torrentine. At the same time however, Alester missed the thrill of battle, the clashing of steel and the smell of fresh blood. It was those moments of chaos that determined how strong a man truly was. Throughout history, House Upton had proven themselves time and again in battle with them oftentimes being the first to lead their men to battle against House Dayne's enemies. While Alester had killed and defeated many men in his life, he hadn't yet had that war that would define him and his reign as Lord.
Shaking those thoughts out his mind for now, Alester tried to focus on the meeting around him again. He looked over at his mother, Lady Alerah, and cleared his throat. "So, mother. Why are we holding this meeting again? Didn't we just hold one last week?" He asked with a disinterested tone, to which his mother rolled her eyes.
"Yes my son, we hold council meetings every week,” Alerah reminded with a patient tone. “You would know that by now if you actually showed any interest towards ruling your lands. You need to be here and learn all you can about governing your own lands, because your uncle and I won't always be around to take care of these things for you."
The annoyance in his mother's voice made Alester crack a smirk. "Well mother, you should know by now I just don't care about how we are going to ration our crops or any of these other pointless debates”, he spoke nonchalantly, leaning back on his chair with his hands behind his back. “The only reason I’m here is because I’m tired of you harassing me about it. Besides, you and uncle are in still in your primes, look at you two. Hells, I know I'd be afraid to meet Uncle Stanler in battle." With a brash laughter Alester ran his hands forcefully over the top of his uncle's bald head. Stanler reacted by immediately moving his head away in annoyance. "You need to listen to your mother, my lord”, he grumbled. “We won't be around forever, and you won't be prepared if you just spend all of your time drinking and preparing men for a war that hopefully never comes." Alester had heard this speech time and time again and really had no urge to listen to it once more.
"Please uncle, I have no desire to hear this lecture again, you know as well as I that House Upton has always thrived in times of war. We are known for our prowess in battle, not for being cooped up in our keep and reading books." Alester spoke with a condescending tone that made his uncle grunt in annoyance. "But I suppose I’m here already, so I might as well take part”, Alester continued with a small sigh. “What all do we have to go over this week, mother?" he asked, an arrogant smirk forming on his face.
"Well my son, you're in luck”, Alerah responded sharply. “There isn't much news to go over this week, but what we do have to discuss might be of great interest to you, and that is the threat of Princess Nymeria". Lady Alerah spoke with clear worry showing in her voice. "As you know, she has laid claim to the entirety of Dorne, with over half of Dorne already being under the rule of her Principality. The last two years she has remained passive, but it is only a question of time before she brings her fight to our kingdom. So, we need to be prepared for what's to come. I know you’ve been training our troops vigorously, but there is more to war than that. We may have to house fleeing smallfolk within our walls, we must have sufficient supply reserves in case of a siege, and so on."
"I agree with Lady Alerah", Stanler chimed in with his usual dry and humorless tone. "Nymeria conquered the entire eastern coast along with the Kingdom of Brimstone in a relatively short period of time, so we know she is a capable military commander. The Rhoynar princess and her allies are a great threat to this kingdom, and we ought to be prepared not only to aid our king to fight against her armies, but also to protect our people from them."
Alester had heard plenty about this Princess Nymeria and how dangerous she was supposed to be, but even still he was not impressed and the smirk on his face clearly showed it. "You two worry way too much”, he said with a relaxed tone. “Honestly, what exactly has the Rhoynar princess done that would warrant such fear and concern? She conquered a few petty houses who claimed to be independent, and as far as the Kingdom of Brimstone goes, King Lucifer defeated himself, Nymeria merely reaped the benefits. This Principality as they call it, hasn't faced a real army yet, and I am sure they know that. The men of the Torrentine have no equal, and if this Princess Nymeria really is stupid enough to try and test our kingdom, then she and all of her followers will get exactly what's coming to them." The confidence Alester was displaying didn’t seem to convince his mother or uncle, so he tried to reassure them even more. "As far as House Upton goes, we are prepared for war whenever that time comes, our men are well trained and they are chomping at the bit for some action."
A moment of silence followed Alester’s confident words, after which Ser Orwen Wythmail walked into the meeting room with what looked to be a letter in his hand. "My Lord, Lady Alerah and Lord Stanler, forgive me for interrupting, but I just received some urgent news from Maester Gregory that had to be brought to you at once." The dark-haired knight spoke with a nervous tone that was very unusual for him, so Alester knew there had to be something wrong. "Well spit it out Ser Orwen, no need in keeping us waiting", he urged the knight. Ser Orwen took a deep breath and handed over the message to Alester to read for himself. And so he did.
Lord Alester,
We have just received word from Prince Garret that Clearhaven has fallen in hands of forces representing the Principality of Dorne. This clear act of aggression on the part of House Martell has signified that any chance for a diplomatic solution with Princess Nymeria has been severed. Their actions demand a response by means of force. Because of this, King Vorian is calling upon you to gather up all of the men that you can muster within a week of receiving this message. Then from there, you shall bring all these men to Starfall immediately.
Respectfully yours,
Maester Norbert
Alester read the message from Maester Norbert, and then reread it again. The fact that Nymeria actually had the nerve to attack Clearhaven, the town of his best friend, infuriated Alester to no end. To think what could have happened if Jamison or his family would have been there at that time, it made Alester’s blood boil.
Anger taking over him, Alester read the message once more, after which he slammed his fist on the table with great fury, squashing the piece of parchment in his closed fist. "What is it?" Alerah asked with great confusion.
"It's... Nymeria”, Alester responded quietly, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “She has taken Clearhaven, and now King Vorian is raising an army to take it back. I'm sorry mother, but this meeting is over", Alester said with calm anger in his voice as he stood up. Without waiting for a response from his mother, Alester walked out of the room with Ser Orwen following behind him. In silence they walked out of the main keep and out into the courtyard of Sword's Edge.
"Ser Orwen, round up all of your guards and all of our knights”, Alester spoke up with a confident tone. “You will take half of the guards and go north. From there, you'll round up every able-bodied man, young or old, and bring them back here. I will take the other half and go south where I'll do the same. Don't come back to Sword's Edge until every man is rounded up. If they live off of our lands, they can fight for our kingdom do you understand me?"
"Yes, mylord. I will gather the men at once", Ser Orwen said sternly as he hurried away.
In just a few short minutes, the courtyard of Sword's Edge contained every guard and knight of the household, and Alester decided to give a speech to rile up his men. "Brothers, Nymeria has made her move, and war is upon us”, he started with words that were sure to grab the attention of every man present. He let his eyes wander over the soldiers for a moment, making sure they had all understood the severity of what he just said. “The Rhoynar bitch thinks our king will bend his knee to her, and that the Kingdom of Torrentine will be no more, but she's wrong! Nymeria has made the biggest mistake of her life in provoking House Dayne, and House Upton stands strongly beside them as we have throughout history. She thinks we fear her, brothers, but she clearly doesn't know us. We fear no foe, and soon enough Nymeria will wish that it was still the dragonfire she was facing, and not the righteous fury of the men of Torrentine!" Alester roared these last words and the Upton knights raised their swords in applause.
With those final words, Alester walked down from the podium and mounted his horse. Half of House Upton's household guard behind him, he began his ride south to gather up troops for the coming war. As he rode out of the gates, Alester realized just how quickly things had changed, how quickly he felt so much more alive again. Like Lord Ulwyck had helped King Samwell sack Oldtown thousands of years ago, and Lord Willam Upton had conquered nearly half of Dorne beside King Sedric Dayne just a couple centuries ago, Alester now had his goal, he had his purpose. War had finally reached his kingdom and it was his duty not to just take part, but to make sure he did everything he possibly could to help King Vorian rid the world of Princess Nymeria, and finish what the dragonlords had started.
This insight into Alester's mind was certainly entertaining, and it shows he's a man of war, but we all know no matter how bravely the men of the Torrentine fight, it will mean squat if the Rhoynar armies are not only more numerous, but better armed as well.
Hello again everyone! With the next interlude part coming soon, I figured it would be a great time to post a new H&L! This one is of a c… moreharacter we have seen before and it is a direct reaction to something that has occurred in a recent Interlude part. Also, Thanks again Wildling for looking it over and I hope you all enjoy the part!
Alester Upton - Accepting the Call
With tired eyes, Lord Alester Upton sat at the head of the table as the small council meeting unfolded. He wasn't focused on the meeting however, but rather his mind traveled back to days long gone. Alester had now been the Lord of Sword's Edge for nearly two and half years, but the sheer boredom that came from these meetings never subsided. All kinds of things crossed his mind as he sat at the head of this table, but today he remembered his past adventures with Jamison Dayne, back from the days when they traveled Westeros together. They had fought in tourneys and slept… [view original content]
Thank you once again for this great part! It really comes in a good time, because I probably won't have much time for writing until tomorrow, so it's good to have something to keep the thread active.
And what comes to the part itself, I really liked seeing Alester's reaction to Vorian's call to arms, and how he jumped at the chance for some action That man can be quite a badass sometimes, and his speech here certainly shows that. Anyway, can't wait to write more scenes for him in Jamison's storyline!
Hello again everyone! With the next interlude part coming soon, I figured it would be a great time to post a new H&L! This one is of a c… moreharacter we have seen before and it is a direct reaction to something that has occurred in a recent Interlude part. Also, Thanks again Wildling for looking it over and I hope you all enjoy the part!
Alester Upton - Accepting the Call
With tired eyes, Lord Alester Upton sat at the head of the table as the small council meeting unfolded. He wasn't focused on the meeting however, but rather his mind traveled back to days long gone. Alester had now been the Lord of Sword's Edge for nearly two and half years, but the sheer boredom that came from these meetings never subsided. All kinds of things crossed his mind as he sat at the head of this table, but today he remembered his past adventures with Jamison Dayne, back from the days when they traveled Westeros together. They had fought in tourneys and slept… [view original content]
Ah, this is a wonderful H&L! Alester is a nice choice and I have to say, I was equal parts surprised and intrigued by this particular topic. Very fitting so shortly after Vorian's part. What I particularly liked was that it gave us a pretty good insight into Alester's thoughts and feelings, as well as the parts about the history of House Upton. While I always enjoyed him as a character, I must also say that his speech to the soldiers of Sword's Edge was definitely my favourite moment for him so far, it was legitimately epic. All in all, this part made me really excited for his role in the Dayne-Martell war, as I have no doubt it will be a rather important one, so thanks a lot for writing this
Hello again everyone! With the next interlude part coming soon, I figured it would be a great time to post a new H&L! This one is of a c… moreharacter we have seen before and it is a direct reaction to something that has occurred in a recent Interlude part. Also, Thanks again Wildling for looking it over and I hope you all enjoy the part!
Alester Upton - Accepting the Call
With tired eyes, Lord Alester Upton sat at the head of the table as the small council meeting unfolded. He wasn't focused on the meeting however, but rather his mind traveled back to days long gone. Alester had now been the Lord of Sword's Edge for nearly two and half years, but the sheer boredom that came from these meetings never subsided. All kinds of things crossed his mind as he sat at the head of this table, but today he remembered his past adventures with Jamison Dayne, back from the days when they traveled Westeros together. They had fought in tourneys and slept… [view original content]
Haha yeah, the numbers certainly aren't to the Dayne's advantage when Nymeria's at full strength that's for sure. With that said, they do have some advantages of their own and the war will definitely be an entertaining ride! Thanks for reading and I am glad you found the part enjoyable!
This insight into Alester's mind was certainly entertaining, and it shows he's a man of war, but we all know no matter how bravely the men o… moref the Torrentine fight, it will mean squat if the Rhoynar armies are not only more numerous, but better armed as well.
Thank you for letting us create these H&L's for the story! I am glad to hear I picked a decent time to write this part, I figured this part wouldn't have the same impact if I waited too long after Vorian's part to write it so I had to act fast!
Yeah, the main goal was to show how easily Alerted can switch from lazy to motivated given the right situation and show that while he isn't quite there yet, he does have the potential to be a very good Lord if he puts his mind to it so I'm glad you enjoyed it! Oh man, the speech was pretty much all I knew that was going to happen when I started and everything else I kind of just filled in as I went I am glad the speech turned out as epic as I was hoping and I am most definitely excited to see him in Jamison's storyline
Thank you once again for this great part! It really comes in a good time, because I probably won't have much time for writing until tomorro… morew, so it's good to have something to keep the thread active.
And what comes to the part itself, I really liked seeing Alester's reaction to Vorian's call to arms, and how he jumped at the chance for some action That man can be quite a badass sometimes, and his speech here certainly shows that. Anyway, can't wait to write more scenes for him in Jamison's storyline!
Thanks Liquid! I had been wanting to write an Alester H&L for quite some time and even had topics in mind as you knew but I hadn't really been able to figure out the situation I wanted Alester in. So having Vorian call Alester for war gave me just what I needed to write an H&L for him! I really liked getting to show a glimpse inside Alester's mind and as far as the bits about House Upton goes, if I can think of the right situation for it, I will still write a History of House Upton H&L going into even greater detail about their past explaining their sigil and everything. I created a whole backstory but I haven't thought of a way to showcase just yet. If you have any ideas, I'll happily take them!
I am also glad you liked the speech with my big goal being to nail it so I am glad it worked out that way. I am also very intrigued to see what role Alester plays in the war and it's no problem, thank you for reading it
Ah, this is a wonderful H&L! Alester is a nice choice and I have to say, I was equal parts surprised and intrigued by this particular to… morepic. Very fitting so shortly after Vorian's part. What I particularly liked was that it gave us a pretty good insight into Alester's thoughts and feelings, as well as the parts about the history of House Upton. While I always enjoyed him as a character, I must also say that his speech to the soldiers of Sword's Edge was definitely my favourite moment for him so far, it was legitimately epic. All in all, this part made me really excited for his role in the Dayne-Martell war, as I have no doubt it will be a rather important one, so thanks a lot for writing this
King Benedict Blackmont stood on the courtyard of Blackmont, the warm summer day nearing its end. Calmly he observed a small entourage riding in from the gates, led by his son Naemon, who was flanked by his squire Davos and Ser Kegan. They had been gone for little over a week, settling a dispute between Lord Hugor of Gravesend and a bunch of farmers on his lands.
Watching Naemon dismount his horse, Benedict was once again amazed at how fast his son had grown into a man. It felt like just yesterday Naemon had still been a boy, and there he was now, in charge. He still lacked some of the qualities of a leader that his sister had possessed, but there was no denying that Naemon had matured and taken responsibility over these past few years.
“Naemon”, Benedict greeted his son as he approached him, and the prince responded with a tense nod. “Your Grace”, he said emotionlessly.
“How did it go?” Benedicts asked with a professional tone. “It’s been settled”, Naemon answered with a small sigh. “Lord Hugor agreed to lower the taxes of the farmers until the land yields more plentiful harvests again, and in compensation the farmers collectively released ten men from their service to join Gravesend’s townguard.”
“And did everyone seem pleased with this solution?” Benedict asked, and Naemon hesitated a moment with his answer. “As pleased as you could expect”, he finally said, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Now excuse me, I need a bath and some rest.” With these stern words the prince walked past his father, and entered the keep, his squire following closely behind him.
With a sigh Benedict turned his gaze to Ser Kegan, who approached him with a bow. “Your Grace, everything is in order in Gravesend”, he assured with a dutiful tone. “Your son did a fine job in the negotiations.”
“I’m glad to hear that”, Benedict muttered, giving the Drinkwater knight a small nod before walking away.
As he walked through the corridors of the castle in silence, a strange feeling took over Benedict. For some reason he felt a spark of hope that somewhere Gwendis was still alive. However, he was quick to remind himself how unlikely that was. It had been well over two years since her disappearing, Lyla had never returned, and even if Gwen still was alive she could be anywhere in the world. This wasn’t the first time Benedict struggled with these thoughts, unable and unwilling to let go of the memory of his daughter. And the hardest thing was not knowing, being in the dark. If Benedict were to find out that Gwendis had died it would break his heart, but at least he could find some closure, honor her memory. Now it was as if Gwendis was gone, but her ghost still lingered here, reminding Benedict every day that he had failed her.
Finally he arrived to the door of his chambers. However, as he put his hand on the knob, he stopped, turning his eyes towards the door of the laboratory. There would be one way, he thought with a subtle gulp. He had considered it before, countless times, but always lacked the courage to do it. Not anymore, this has to end, he decided, letting go of doorknob and marching forward towards the laboratory. He rushed in, and immediately approached Noctis, who was tinkering with some kind of medallion by the table. “Your Grace”, he spoke up with a surprised tone as he saw Benedict approaching.
“Light the glass candle”, the king commanded sternly, and Noctis’ eyes widened. ”Your Grace, are you sure that…”
“Yes!”, Benedict cut the sorcerer off, his tone making clear he wouldn't tolerate any objections this time. “I cannot bear it any longer, I need to know what happened to my daughter, whether she is alive or not. I need closure, so I can move on.”
Noctis nodded to him. “I understand”, he said quietly, though the expression on his face was still hesitating. Nonetheless, he stood up and walked to the altar where the glass candle was standing, and grabbed it to his hands. After taking in a deep breath, the sorcerer spoke a few words in Valyrian, and slowly the candle started glowing. First the light was dim, but as Noctis kept stroking the candle’s jagged surface, the light grew brighter.
“Your Grace”, Noctis muttered as he handed the candle to Benedict. The king grabbed it with a gulp, and stared into the light.
I want to see my daughter, Benedict thought as his mind traveled into the darkness. First he saw only mist. Then mountains rose from the ground, reaching the blue skies above. Floating towards the mountains, Benedict saw a dark cave and entered it. Once again surrounded by darkness, a storm was suddenly raging around him, and a wicked laughter echoed in the air. Then a fire was ignited in the middle of the darkness, and the laughter stopped, replaced with chilling screams of agony. Slowly light returned to the world, and Benedict saw a large city separated in two by a river. Elephants and palanquins pulled by horses roamed the streets of the city, pale and silver-haired men and women riding them. Meanwhile people in dirty rags and iron collars traveled afoot.
Soon the sun began to fall behind the walls of the city, and darkness started to take over. Now Benedict saw a great palace, and on the plaza in front of it a great fire was burning. Priests in red robes stood around the flames, praising their god. Benedict walked closer to it, stopping next to a young dark-haired woman who was watching the ritual from a distance. Turning to look at this woman, Benedict saw her purple eyes, and she recognized her daughter. She looked slightly older than she remembered, more a woman now than a girl, but she was undoubtedly Gwendis. Their eyes met, and her widened in surprise. Everything else disappeared around them - the priests, their great fire and massive temple, the whole city. Only Gwendis and Benedict were left there, together.
“Father”, Gwendis spoke, her quiet voice shivering ever so slightly.
“My sweet daughter, you are alive”, Benedict spoke with an emotional tone, tears welling up in his eyes. He knew he couldn’t stay for long, but he used every moment to study the face of his daughter, the daughter he had though was lost forever. “I miss you, my dearest child. Please, come home”, he managed to utter, before the vision began to fade.
Soon Benedict noticed he was once again in his laboratory in Blackmont, the glass candle in his hands, its light slowly fading. With a sigh he lowered it onto the table, and collapsed into the nearest chair.
“Did you find what you sought, Your Grace?” Noctis asked with his calm and emotionless tone as he grabbed the candle, and Benedict nodded wordlessly. “She is alive”, he muttered after a moment of silence. “Somewhere far away, in a foreign city.”
“What was this city like?” Noctis asked curiously, and Benedict thought back to what he had seen. “It was divided in two by a wide river. There were elephants, and a large temple, which by a great fire burned in some sort of ritual. That was where I saw her.”
“Volantis”, Noctis stated knowingly, his eyes narrowed. “I wonder what could have taken her there. Certainly not Aisha, she would be killed immediately in that city.”
“How so?” Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow, and a subtle smirk formed on Noctis’ face. “It is the home of her greatest enemies, the red priests of R’hllor”, he explained calmly, to which the King nodded. “I saw them”, he said quietly. “It was their ritual that I saw.”
“Perhaps your daughter was saved from the claws of Aisha by one of them, and she decided to follow her savior to Volantis”, Noctis suggested with a shrug. “It is the most logical scenario I can come up with. Did she see you?”
“Yes, she did”, Benedict confirmed, remembering the surprised look on Gwendis’ eyes. “I begged her to come back home, but I’m not sure if she heard me.”
“She did”, Noctis said confidently. “Communication is one of the main attributes of the glass candle. If you spoke, she heard you. Most likely you were inside one of her dreams, so even if she doesn’t understand how you reached her, she will know that you want her to come back. The question is, what will you do now?”
Benedict considered his answer for a moment. Part of him wanted to send his best knights to Volantis to bring his daughter home, but he knew that was not the right thing to do. He had told her that he missed her and wanted her to come back, now it was up to her to decide if that was what she wanted to do.
“I will wait”, Benedict finally said quietly, turning his gaze down as he spoke. “And hope she will find her way home safely.”
There are so many things we don't know about the magic in this world, but if there's something we can be sure, is that dreams can be as powerful as prophecies.
While Naemon will probably be skeptical at first, the knowledge that his sister is still alive will give him hope.
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of all, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall fine and this is a relief for me, almost as much as it has to be for Benedict.
What I certainly did not expect at this point is that Benny learned about Gwendis' survival and her current whereabouts. That was extremely sweet, I simply loved their brief reunion, even if it likely was not as much as Benedict wanted and not quite a reunion for Gwendis, given Noctis' explanation how these candles actually work. For the time being though, this is huge. It actually puts Benedict and Naemon at a better situation than I thought before, as they now at least have the relief of knowing that Gwen is alive and well and probably going to return one day. At best, it might even be a way for their relationship to improve. Because what little we have seen here indicates that they have not gotten closer at all. Naemon has developed into a way I expected, he seems way colder than before, as well as slightly bitter. Hearing that Gwendis is alive will no doubt cheer him up, but I could see him also not quite understanding why she hasn't returned home yet, considering she appears to be physically unharmed. Benedict however seems to grasp that something greater is going on here and Noctis came to the right conclusion, so I fully believe he will be more understanding. Naemon though, I suppose things will be more complicated for him.
Also gotta say, I am surprised but I actually start to like Noctis. From the guy I originally saw as a likely main villain for the Blackmont storyline, before Aisha showed her true colours, before everything, I slowly developed a bit of respect for him and I actually came to appreciate him in this part. He does seem cautious, but loyal to House Blackmont and overall, I don't get that many creepy vibes from him anymore. So, yeah, I kinda like him. One thing I must admit I am super nervous about though is the consequences the lighting of the candle might have for Blackmont. Noctis warned Benedict about doing so, even now he was hesitating and while the title of this part can be interpreted in a positive way, that Gwen is the light in the dark, the source of Benedict's hope, it also holds a darker possibility, that the candle worked as a light in the dark, a beacon for whomever else might be watching. At worst, this might mean that Benedict summoned a greater threat to his court, something he and Naemon have to deal with. While I absolutely love the fact that they now know the truth about Gwendis and know she will most likely return one day, I hope the price they have to pay for this knowledge will be worth it.
A Light in the Dark
King Benedict Blackmont stood on the courtyard of Blackmont, the warm summer day nearing its end. Calmly he observed … morea small entourage riding in from the gates, led by his son Naemon, who was flanked by his squire Davos and Ser Kegan. They had been gone for little over a week, settling a dispute between Lord Hugor of Gravesend and a bunch of farmers on his lands.
Watching Naemon dismount his horse, Benedict was once again amazed at how fast his son had grown into a man. It felt like just yesterday Naemon had still been a boy, and there he was now, in charge. He still lacked some of the qualities of a leader that his sister had possessed, but there was no denying that Naemon had matured and taken responsibility over these past few years.
“Naemon”, Benedict greeted his son as he approached him, and the prince responded with a tense nod. “Your Grace”, he said emotionlessly.
“How did it go?” Benedicts asked with a … [view original content]
Your assuming Naemon will believe Benedict when he tells him that she is alive. I'm not sure he will. Even if he does, he will surely be upset that Benedict is not sending anyone after her. This may prove to worsen the relationship between the father and son even more.
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of … moreall, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall … [view original content]
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of all, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall fine and this is a relief for me, almost as much as it has to be for Benedict.
Hehe, yeah, this was definitely one of the more positive of the interlude parts, which I'd guess came as a bit of a surprise And well, it certainly took a lot of time for Benedict to finally be both desperate and brave enough to go through with using the glass candle. With this result he probably feels it was worth it, but had he instead found out that Gwendis was death, well, that would've been heart-breaking to say the least. And yeah, this will definitely be addressed in Gwen's Book 2 storyline, and it might indeed be something that drives her towards returning home. And this brief little appearance was indeed just a tiny teaser for a changed Gwendis of Book 2.
What I certainly did not expect at this point is that Benny learned about Gwendis' survival and her current whereabouts. That was extremely sweet, I simply loved their brief reunion, even if it likely was not as much as Benedict wanted and not quite a reunion for Gwendis, given Noctis' explanation how these candles actually work. For the time being though, this is huge. It actually puts Benedict and Naemon at a better situation than I thought before, as they now at least have the relief of knowing that Gwen is alive and well and probably going to return one day. At best, it might even be a way for their relationship to improve. Because what little we have seen here indicates that they have not gotten closer at all. Naemon has developed into a way I expected, he seems way colder than before, as well as slightly bitter. Hearing that Gwendis is alive will no doubt cheer him up, but I could see him also not quite understanding why she hasn't returned home yet, considering she appears to be physically unharmed. Benedict however seems to grasp that something greater is going on here and Noctis came to the right conclusion, so I fully believe he will be more understanding. Naemon though, I suppose things will be more complicated for him.
It may not have been as much as Benedict wanted, but on the other hand even a small glimpse like this must be almost overwhelmingly positive experience after thinking for two years that she could be gone forever. As for Gwen, it'll be explained in her first part of Book 2 how exactly she experienced this And that is quite a positive way to look at how this could impact Benedict and Naemon's relationship, but perhaps there is some truth to it. That said, Naemon will most likely at least doubt his father on this. I mean, he doesn't really have understanding or interest for this stuff (meaning the glass candles and such ofc, not the potential of Gwen returning ), and a general distrust towards magic. Still, perhaps he will at least feel hopeful about it, we'll see.
Also gotta say, I am surprised but I actually start to like Noctis. From the guy I originally saw as a likely main villain for the Blackmont storyline, before Aisha showed her true colours, before everything, I slowly developed a bit of respect for him and I actually came to appreciate him in this part. He does seem cautious, but loyal to House Blackmont and overall, I don't get that many creepy vibes from him anymore. So, yeah, I kinda like him. One thing I must admit I am super nervous about though is the consequences the lighting of the candle might have for Blackmont. Noctis warned Benedict about doing so, even now he was hesitating and while the title of this part can be interpreted in a positive way, that Gwen is the light in the dark, the source of Benedict's hope, it also holds a darker possibility, that the candle worked as a light in the dark, a beacon for whomever else might be watching. At worst, this might mean that Benedict summoned a greater threat to his court, something he and Naemon have to deal with. While I absolutely love the fact that they now know the truth about Gwendis and know she will most likely return one day, I hope the price they have to pay for this knowledge will be worth it.
Hah, the creepy sorcerer has a certain charm to him, doesn't he? Though like you said, now that we understand his character a bit better, it doesn't come off quite as creepy anymore. And yeah, the danger of using the glass candle has been brought up before, so there is always the chance that someone unwanted has observed and taken interest in this "flash" of magic in the west. We'll have to wait and see.
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of … moreall, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall … [view original content]
Hello! A little update once again, I've been working on the Yorick part today, and I'm fairly sure I'll be able to post it tomorrow. As you probably know, it'll be the last part of the Interlude, and next week Book 2 will finally begin.
Also, another new portrait, this time Book 2 Naemon:
Hello! A little update once again, I've been working on the Yorick part today, and I'm fairly sure I'll be able to post it tomorrow. As you … moreprobably know, it'll be the last part of the Interlude, and next week Book 2 will finally begin.
Also, another new portrait, this time Book 2 Naemon:
Hehe, yeah, this was definitely one of the more positive of the interlude parts, which I'd guess came as a bit of a surprise And well, it certainly took a lot of time for Benedict to finally be both desperate and brave enough to go through with using the glass candle. With this result he probably feels it was worth it, but had he instead found out that Gwendis was death, well, that would've been heart-breaking to say the least. And yeah, this will definitely be addressed in Gwen's Book 2 storyline, and it might indeed be something that drives her towards returning home. And this brief little appearance was indeed just a tiny teaser for a changed Gwendis of Book 2.#
Oh yes, I absolutely expected Benedict's part to be the bleakest moment of the interlude and the beginning surely seemed to lead into this direction, with him and Naemon being colder and more distant than ever before, while he is clearly distraught over believing Gwen to have died years ago. Then... well, I was proven wrong He seems to have not only seen her, but gotten at leat a glimpse of the events that happened to her as well, so I suppose if she would have died, he would have seen the vision ending during the confrontation between Team R'hllor and Valerie. Even then though, it is kinder than what I have thought would happen in the events of her possible death at the end of Book 1, as I was certain Benedict and Naemon would be left guessing just what happened for the rest of their lives. I am really curious how he and Noctis would have reacted if she would have embraced her darker powers and joined forces with Valerie and Aisha.
It may not have been as much as Benedict wanted, but on the other hand even a small glimpse like this must be almost overwhelmingly positive experience after thinking for two years that she could be gone forever. As for Gwen, it'll be explained in her first part of Book 2 how exactly she experienced this And that is quite a positive way to look at how this could impact Benedict and Naemon's relationship, but perhaps there is some truth to it. That said, Naemon will most likely at least doubt his father on this. I mean, he doesn't really have understanding or interest for this stuff (meaning the glass candles and such ofc, not the potential of Gwen returning ), and a general distrust towards magic. Still, perhaps he will at least feel hopeful about it, we'll see.
Aye, I can only imagine the utter relief he is feeling now. For him, I suppose he'll consider the risk of using the glass candle to be worth the glimpse he has gotten. With Gwen, I actually realized, considering she is in Volantis and watched some fire ceremony, maybe she experienced this as sort of a vision, similar to the ones Melisandre tends to show people in the flames. Either that or a dream, sounds logical to me. And well, here I am, always hoping for positive change in the relationship between Benedict and Naemon. I do think though that he will be sceptical. Perhaps the only thing that could set them on the path of reconciliation would be Gwen's return to Blackmont, because in this case, using the glass candle lead to at least some tiny positive thing, probably the first time magic ever did anything good in Blackmont. I suppose he will be sceptical, but maybe slightly hopeful as well. But well, I think even with Gwendis' return to Blackmont, a full reconciliation between Naemon and Benedict sounds impossible at this point, with the best they could hope for being to part ways respectfully and at least somewhat fondly when Benedict is eventually defeated by Nymeria. Even then, there is so much bitterness between them and I don't think that will ever fully go away.
Hah, the creepy sorcerer has a certain charm to him, doesn't he? Though like you said, now that we understand his character a bit better, it doesn't come off quite as creepy anymore. And yeah, the danger of using the glass candle has been brought up before, so there is always the chance that someone unwanted has observed and taken interest in this "flash" of magic in the west. We'll have to wait and see.
I think what I find particularly interesting to Noctis is that his approach to magic isn't really the standard sorcerer approach, evil or not, but he is more like a scientist in these regards. In our society, he'd probably be exactly that, doing science stuff and it seems his interest in magic is not fuelled by the power alone, but he seems to genuinely want to understand how it works, which I think sets him apart from most other sorcerers. He's still a bit creepy, don't get me wrong there, but he actually reminds me a lot of Qyburn, whom I like quite a lot. And well, I think his objections have been valuable, because while I am glad Benedict and Naemon know what Gwen is up to and it will likely play a part in her decision to return home, this was by far the most powerful magic Benedict has ever used, probably the most powerful anyone has used so far in the west in centuries, given how powerful these candles are implied to be. The people he has at his court, they actually strike me as the bottom of the sorcerer food chain, people who are either charlatans, barely powerful, or hold views that make them outcasts among the mainstream magic users of Essos, such as Aisha with her religion and Noctis with his complete lack of mysticism. At the same time, whatever magic Benedict is using already caught the interest of the Great Other, who noticed potential in Gwendis. Maybe this will mean someone truly powerful makes way to Blackmont and I am certain this'll be quite bad for Benedict and Naemon, perhaps even for Gwendis as well if this threat is not dealt with by the time she returns (which I still believe won't happen before the later Book 2 though).
Also, another new portrait, this time Book 2 Naemon:
Ah, I am so happy to see an updated Naemon and well, he definitely looks more mature than before. It's amazing what a beard can do He also looks way less jovial than he looked in his Book 1 portrait, which I suppose can be a direct result of his sister's disappearance and him losing his most trusted friend with her, as well as having to take on all the responsibilities she took care of before. His days of carelessly hunting and feasting seem to be over, if this generally colder expression is any indicator. One thing I must say is, I really love this lighter purple you're using for the eyes now, I already mentioned it in the portraits for Rhaenys and Visenya in FoT, it looks just striking when compared to the darker colour from the Book 1 portraits.
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of … moreall, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall … [view original content]
The sun was setting and the night drawing near, as King Yorick Yronwood gazed at the white castle of Ghost Hill from atop his mount, behind him the mighty cavalry of House Yronwood. Meanwhile hundreds of troops led by Yoren Jordayne and Emerson Allyrion were scaling the western walls of the castle, and hundreds more led by Ser Theodore Wells and Willem Pyke were attempting to breach the gates.
Yorick had half a mind to be there in the frontlines himself, getting his blade bloodied, but alas this battle simply wasn’t worth risking his own life for. The Bloodroyal had had his eyes on Ghost Hill for a long time, and now that Nymeria had shifted her focus to west it was the perfect time to strike. It would be a pity for a conqueror to die on his first real conquest, so Yorick decided to lead from behind this time.
The King shifted his gaze to Lord Terren Jordayne, who was standing right next to him. “Do you think the young lord will cooperate?” Yorick asked casually. Terren was perhaps his most trusted vassal, but also one of the few people that he considered a friend. “It is not Levor Toland who has been in charge here these past two years”, Terren stated with a small sigh. “He may be the Lord of Ghost Hill, but it is his uncle Tomas Toland who has convinced him to side with the Martells.”
“Perhaps we’ll give the boy his uncle’s head, that ought to change his mind”, Yorick suggested, only half serious, and a subtle smirk formed on Terren’s face. “I would recommend a more tactful approach, Your Grace”, he responded calmly.
“Hasn’t really worked so far, has it?” Yorick remarked sharply. “After all, we are only here because your strategy didn’t work.”
“I admit, I underestimated how quickly Princess Nymeria could win the loyalty of the Tolands”, Terren responded with a small sigh. “Then again, I suspect Lord Tomas’ devotion stems more from his hatred towards us than any love for the Martells.”
“Hatred can be turned to fear”, Yorick said nonchalantly, and Terren gave him an agreeing nod.
The fighting went on for another hour, until finally the Toland garrison yielded and laid down their arms. The gates of Ghost Hill were opened, and Yorick led the cavalry in, received by cheering Yronwood and Jordayne troops. As Yorick dismounted his horse, he was approached by Emerson Allyrion. The young Allyrion’s face was stained with blood, but he looked to be unharmed himself.
“Your Grace”, Emerson greeted him with a bow, breathing heavily. “Lord Levor hasn’t been found”, he quickly continued, a touch of nervousness in his voice.
“Hasn’t been found?” Yorick asked sternly, a sharp glare in his narrowed eyes, and Emerson nodded. “Yoren is currently interrogating Tomas Toland”, he explained hastily.
“Fetch them here”, Yorick commanded quietly, and with a dutiful nod Emerson hurried away. The King turned back towards his troops and approached them with calm and authoritative demeanor. He waited silently for the chatter to die down as the soldiers noticed their king was observing them.
“Men of Yronwood!” He finally roared, grabbing the attention of every man present. “We have achieved a great victory here tonight, a victory which shall be long remembered in the pages of history. Many a conqueror would seek to claim all the glory of such victory for themselves, but I would never allow myself to do so. You and I, gentlemen, have achieved this victory together, and its rewards are for us all. The conquered territory belongs to you as much it belongs to me, and together we shall reap its benefits. Those who will continue to fight beside me to achieve all our ambitions, shall be greatly rewarded. And when the day comes that all of Dorne kneels to Yronwood, you shall be the greatest among its people!” Yorick ended his speech, and the troops cheered loudly.
“For the Bloodroyal!” Ser Theodore yelled, raising his sword towards the night sky, and so the troops started chanting it. After a moment, Yorick felt a light tap on his shoulder, and turned to face Lord Terren. “Your Grace, he’s here”, the Jordayne lord said calmly, gesturing toward the doors of the keep, where Yoren and Emerson were dragging out shackled Tomas Toland. The middle-aged man was still clad in a chainmail, and his clothes were stained in blood, indicating he had fought in the battle personally. There was also a small fresh cut above his brow, and a dark bruise around his left eye, though those could’ve just as well been the work of Yoren.
The troops quieted down as Yorick approached Tomas in the middle of the courtyard. “Tomas Toland”, he greeted him dryly, a scornful look in his eyes. “Where is Lord Levor?” Yorick asked tensely, and a subtle smirk formed on Tomas’ face. “You will not find him here, Yorick”, he replied sharply, a gleeful tone on his voice. “He is with the Martells.”
A moment of tense silence followed, and Yorick stepped closer to the man. “That changes nothing”, he said sternly, looking Tomas straight to the eyes. “Ghost Hill is now part of my kingdom, and if your nephew does not submit to me, then I will simply have to find a new lord for this castle. There are plenty who would gladly take it.”
“Ghost Hill belongs to House Toland”, Tomas hissed, and now it was Yorick who smirked. “And I am willing to let you keep it, if you bend the knee”, he said calmly, seeing the anger rising in Tomas’ eyes.
“We will never kiss your feet, Yronwood!” He roared defiantly. Yorick let out a small laugh for this, which many of his troops reciprocated. Then he punched Tomas to the gut, making him bow down and gasp in pain. Without mercy, Yorick proceeded with a knee on the face, which broke Tomas’ nose and sent him to the ground. As he squirmed there in pain, Yorick slowly walked next to his head, and stared him down. Wordlessly, he moved his right foot above Tomas’ head, and then softly pushed the sole of his boot against the man’s lips.
“I’m afraid you will have no say in it, Lord Tomas!” he bellowed, and the troops burst into laughter and cheers. Slowly Yorick removed his foot from Tomas’ face, and walked away with a satisfied grin on his face.
This is bad for Nymeria, and it will also bring anguish to Levor and Mateo. Now she will be forced to retake Ghost Hill while fighting the Daynes on the west. While she has more troops now, house Yronwood can muster an almost equal number, and they're the only kingdom in Dorne to use heavy cavalry extensively.
The proximity to the still-in-progress Sunspear will force House Ladybright and Santagar to fight together once more, or they'll be next.
Ah, it seems Yorick is making his move as well. With that, only the Blackmont's and Manwoody's remain without a direct conflict with House Martell and it's only a matter of time until that will change. I am not particularly surprised Yorick decides to strike back at House Toland for what Tomas did. What surprised me though is that he spared Tomas' life, I was actually pretty certain he'd kill him. I mean, I highly doubt he expects him to ever be a loyal servant and neither do I expect Tomas to ever submit to Yorick's rule. This makes it quite a risk to leave him alive, albeit I can guess that he intends to use Tomas as his hostage, to force Levor into submission. But this is indeed bad. If Yorick intends to continue his attack on the Martell lands, then Nymeria's planned two-front war will turn into a three-front war against her most powerful enemy on top. I could see Yorick initially being content with regaining control over Ghost Hill for now and focussing on strengthening his grip on the Red Mountains next, maybe sending his armies to support Albin or trying to force Blackmont under his influence to make sure that Nymeria won't easily deal with them after defeating House Fowler and therefore being able to attack the Yronwood lands. But yeah, I enjoyed Yorick here, albeit he has surprisingly not been my favourite of the Interlude parts. I liked seeing things from his perspective here though, even if he has been a colossal jerk in this part
The Conqueror
The sun was setting and the night drawing near, as King Yorick Yronwood gazed at the white castle of Ghost Hill from atop h… moreis mount, behind him the mighty cavalry of House Yronwood. Meanwhile hundreds of troops led by Yoren Jordayne and Emerson Allyrion were scaling the western walls of the castle, and hundreds more led by Ser Theodore Wells and Willem Pyke were attempting to breach the gates.
Yorick had half a mind to be there in the frontlines himself, getting his blade bloodied, but alas this battle simply wasn’t worth risking his own life for. The Bloodroyal had had his eyes on Ghost Hill for a long time, and now that Nymeria had shifted her focus to west it was the perfect time to strike. It would be a pity for a conqueror to die on his first real conquest, so Yorick decided to lead from behind this time.
The King shifted his gaze to Lord Terren Jordayne, who was standing right next to him. “Do you think the young … [view original content]
Indeed, Yorick chose this time to strike precisely because he knew Nymeria's focus to be in the west, and now his forces are dangerously close to Sandship. On the other hand, the Martell troops are also dangerously close to Yronwood, and if they manage to secure the support of the Fowlers then Yorick will really have to focus on the defense of his western borders. So, he might not want to over commit by marching any deeper to east for now. We'll see.
This is bad for Nymeria, and it will also bring anguish to Levor and Mateo. Now she will be forced to retake Ghost Hill while fighting the D… moreaynes on the west. While she has more troops now, house Yronwood can muster an almost equal number, and they're the only kingdom in Dorne to use heavy cavalry extensively.
The proximity to the still-in-progress Sunspear will force House Ladybright and Santagar to fight together once more, or they'll be next.
Indeed, the war is ramping up in every direction. Really Blackmont is the only kingdom that could be said to be in peace atm, but obviously that will change in time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the part though! And since you brought it up, I'd definitely be interested to hear which one of the parts was your favorite in this interlude?
Ah, it seems Yorick is making his move as well. With that, only the Blackmont's and Manwoody's remain without a direct conflict with House M… moreartell and it's only a matter of time until that will change. I am not particularly surprised Yorick decides to strike back at House Toland for what Tomas did. What surprised me though is that he spared Tomas' life, I was actually pretty certain he'd kill him. I mean, I highly doubt he expects him to ever be a loyal servant and neither do I expect Tomas to ever submit to Yorick's rule. This makes it quite a risk to leave him alive, albeit I can guess that he intends to use Tomas as his hostage, to force Levor into submission. But this is indeed bad. If Yorick intends to continue his attack on the Martell lands, then Nymeria's planned two-front war will turn into a three-front war against her most powerful enemy on top. I could see Yorick initially being content with regaining control over Ghost Hill for n… [view original content]
That is actually not an easy question, because I realized, half of the interludes are strong contenders. There is Benedict, naturally, there is Vorian and to my clear surprise, I also found myself enjoying Albin's part quite a lot. Albin's was the most shocking, Vorian's held a larger number of revelations though and I greatly enjoyed it as well and Benedict, well, it obviously gave me the most emotions. Which of these three I'd actually name as my favourite... eh, I really am not sure. Quite probably not Albin, despite how much I enjoyed his part. So, either Vorian or Benedict, I'd say, probably unsurprisingly
Indeed, the war is ramping up in every direction. Really Blackmont is the only kingdom that could be said to be in peace atm, but obviously … morethat will change in time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the part though! And since you brought it up, I'd definitely be interested to hear which one of the parts was your favorite in this interlude?
First off when it comes to Benedict's part, there isn't much I can say that would be different from the others but I will say that it definitely had more of a positive ending to it with it not being about war but rather the fact that Benedict knows that Gwendis is still alive! If I had to guess, this moment here will probably be one of the many factors that bring her back to Dorne in season 2 and it is safe to say that I am excited to see where her storyline is going to take her. As far as Benedict goes, it was nice seeing the story from his perspective and with House Blackmont at peace at this point, it will be interesting to see what ends up leading them to war themselves. If I had to guess, Benedict will not provide any kind of aid to Vorian for his war so at least for a part of Book 2, House Blackmont might actually be the safest kingdom to be in at least until Albin or Yorick decide to go after them.
I would also like to point out how much that I like Naemon's book 2 portrait as well. He has definitely changed the most in the looks department during the time skip with him now sporting a very short haircut compared to what he had and a thicker beard as well, What stood out the most though was the look on Naemon's face in the portrait. Based off his face in this new portrait alone and his appearance in the interlude part, it looks like he is takes himself a bit more serious now and the two years that have passed have hardened him up to some extent. Of course we won't really know until his PoV parts but I am definitely excited to see what he has turned into.
Now the Yorick PoV, man I wan't sure where you were going with his part but I figured it would be epic and it definitely didn't disappoint! Throughout the story we have heard of Yorick's reputation and why not many people outside of the Yronwood affliated characters like the man and with this part, I can kind of see why He led his armies to Ghost Hill taking it with relative ease and then made Tomas kiss his feet and I have to say it was pretty epic I remember us talking once about how Yorick and Jamison had some similarities and the foot scene definitely confirms that to be a really great comparison!
Yorick's part also was very different in that he was actually the aggressor while all of the other kings were kind of on the defensive to some extent in regards to the situations they were all in basically being out of their control. Admittedly I am pretty surprised that Yorick has made his first move already but I guess I shouldn't be considering it is almost the ideal time to do so with most of Nymeria's troops gathered in the west. Like Liquid said though, I think Yorick will most likely hold off on conquering further for the time being except for one big one that I feel might actually be coming in this book potentially and that's primarily because of the emergence of Emerson Allyrion. From what Yorick said of him here, he actually played a huge role in capturing Ghost Hill with him being in the thick of battle which surprised me since I didn't even know he was a fighter. Thinking about it though, i am sure he has been trained to fight from a young age as most noble boys are and I would say he has been working on his martial skills on a very consistent basis since arriving to Yronwood as well. After seeing Emerson here, I am very much intrigued to see if he is still the relatively awkward young man he was in Book one or if he has grew out of that. Considering that Emerson played such a big role in this victory though, I could see Yorick potentially moving his armies down to at least try and take Godsgrace for Emerson at some point later on in Book 2 and if it doesn't happen then, I would say it will happen early on in Book 3. Overall I have enjoyed all of these Interlude parts with all of them being great parts and now it seems Book 2 will soon be upon us
The Conqueror
The sun was setting and the night drawing near, as King Yorick Yronwood gazed at the white castle of Ghost Hill from atop h… moreis mount, behind him the mighty cavalry of House Yronwood. Meanwhile hundreds of troops led by Yoren Jordayne and Emerson Allyrion were scaling the western walls of the castle, and hundreds more led by Ser Theodore Wells and Willem Pyke were attempting to breach the gates.
Yorick had half a mind to be there in the frontlines himself, getting his blade bloodied, but alas this battle simply wasn’t worth risking his own life for. The Bloodroyal had had his eyes on Ghost Hill for a long time, and now that Nymeria had shifted her focus to west it was the perfect time to strike. It would be a pity for a conqueror to die on his first real conquest, so Yorick decided to lead from behind this time.
The King shifted his gaze to Lord Terren Jordayne, who was standing right next to him. “Do you think the young … [view original content]
First off when it comes to Benedict's part, there isn't much I can say that would be different from the others but I will say that it definitely had more of a positive ending to it with it not being about war but rather the fact that Benedict knows that Gwendis is still alive! If I had to guess, this moment here will probably be one of the many factors that bring her back to Dorne in season 2 and it is safe to say that I am excited to see where her storyline is going to take her. As far as Benedict goes, it was nice seeing the story from his perspective and with House Blackmont at peace at this point, it will be interesting to see what ends up leading them to war themselves. If I had to guess, Benedict will not provide any kind of aid to Vorian for his war so at least for a part of Book 2, House Blackmont might actually be the safest kingdom to be in at least until Albin or Yorick decide to go after them.
Yeah, Benedict's part was arguably the most positive of the interlude. Then again, that does reflect the fact that they are the only kingdom still in peace. Obviously that won't last forever, but for now we'll have to wait and see how exactly they will end up getting involved with the greater conflict
I would also like to point out how much that I like Naemon's book 2 portrait as well. He has definitely changed the most in the looks department during the time skip with him now sporting a very short haircut compared to what he had and a thicker beard as well, What stood out the most though was the look on Naemon's face in the portrait. Based off his face in this new portrait alone and his appearance in the interlude part, it looks like he is takes himself a bit more serious now and the two years that have passed have hardened him up to some extent. Of course we won't really know until his PoV parts but I am definitely excited to see what he has turned into.
Ah, glad to hear you like it! I'm definitely excited to show how all of these characters have changed, both in portraits and the story itself. But yeah, the more serious demeanor is definitely intended here, and it's something we'll explore more in the coming Naemon parts.
Now the Yorick PoV, man I wan't sure where you were going with his part but I figured it would be epic and it definitely didn't disappoint! Throughout the story we have heard of Yorick's reputation and why not many people outside of the Yronwood affliated characters like the man and with this part, I can kind of see why He led his armies to Ghost Hill taking it with relative ease and then made Tomas kiss his feet and I have to say it was pretty epic I remember us talking once about how Yorick and Jamison had some similarities and the foot scene definitely confirms that to be a really great comparison!
Haha, with all the talk of Yorick throughout Book 1 I was very excited (and a bit nervous) to show things from his perspective here And I'm glad I managed to portray both his jerkish and badass traits in this part. And yeah, I think I said that Yorick is like Jamison with more power and experience, which is pretty evident in his behavior here
Yorick's part also was very different in that he was actually the aggressor while all of the other kings were kind of on the defensive to some extent in regards to the situations they were all in basically being out of their control. Admittedly I am pretty surprised that Yorick has made his first move already but I guess I shouldn't be considering it is almost the ideal time to do so with most of Nymeria's troops gathered in the west. Like Liquid said though, I think Yorick will most likely hold off on conquering further for the time being except for one big one that I feel might actually be coming in this book potentially and that's primarily because of the emergence of Emerson Allyrion. From what Yorick said of him here, he actually played a huge role in capturing Ghost Hill with him being in the thick of battle which surprised me since I didn't even know he was a fighter. Thinking about it though, i am sure he has been trained to fight from a young age as most noble boys are and I would say he has been working on his martial skills on a very consistent basis since arriving to Yronwood as well. After seeing Emerson here, I am very much intrigued to see if he is still the relatively awkward young man he was in Book one or if he has grew out of that. Considering that Emerson played such a big role in this victory though, I could see Yorick potentially moving his armies down to at least try and take Godsgrace for Emerson at some point later on in Book 2 and if it doesn't happen then, I would say it will happen early on in Book 3. Overall I have enjoyed all of these Interlude parts with all of them being great parts and now it seems Book 2 will soon be upon us
That is true, Yorick's ambition from the beginning has been way more than just to defend his own kingdom, which sets him apart from the likes of Vorian, Garrison, Benedict and even Lucifer. Albin of course also has his ambitions of conquest, but they are much more delusional than Yorick's. And while I won't go into detail here, I will say that you bring up a good point regarding Emerson And as for Book 2, you won't have to wait long, because I'll probably post the prologue later today
First off when it comes to Benedict's part, there isn't much I can say that would be different from the others but I will say that it defini… moretely had more of a positive ending to it with it not being about war but rather the fact that Benedict knows that Gwendis is still alive! If I had to guess, this moment here will probably be one of the many factors that bring her back to Dorne in season 2 and it is safe to say that I am excited to see where her storyline is going to take her. As far as Benedict goes, it was nice seeing the story from his perspective and with House Blackmont at peace at this point, it will be interesting to see what ends up leading them to war themselves. If I had to guess, Benedict will not provide any kind of aid to Vorian for his war so at least for a part of Book 2, House Blackmont might actually be the safest kingdom to be in at least until Albin or Yorick decide to go after them.
I would also like to point out how… [view original content]
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort three days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they came across during their campaign on the lands of House Manwoody.
Joffrey's mission was to investigate and learn more about these strangers, where had they come from and how did they operate. He had already visited a couple of villages on their way, and while the people of those villages admitted that they had indeed met these foreign outlaws, they were all suspiciously tight lipped when it came to giving information about them.
The sun was already starting to set, as Joffrey and his men rode through the narrow and meandering forest road. Joffrey knew that after these woods there would be another village, the first one that was in the lands of House Littlemill. They would spend the night there and once again try to get information out of the villagers, though Joffrey wasn't expecting to learn much.
Suddenly they had to stop, as a large tree had fallen over the road. With a sigh Joffrey turned towards his soldiers. "Alright boys, let's get that out of the way so we can continue," he commanded calmly, and so they dismounted their horses.
Just as they were about start moving the fallen tree, Joffrey heard a sudden whiz in the air, followed by a scream of pain. Turning to look back, Joffrey saw that one of his soldiers had been shot with an arrow. Quickly more arrows from both sides of the road followed, taking down more of the soldiers, and making the horses go wild. Joffrey saw few of his men mounting their horses and trying to escape, but except for a single soldier they were all shot down. Joffrey rushed to his horse as well, attempting to escape, but almost immediately an arrow landed straight on his mount's head, and it crumbled down to its death, throwing Joffrey on his back to the dusty road in the process.
His heart beating intensely, Joffrey got back up on his feet, noticing that five of his soldiers were still standing. The arrows stopped coming, but Joffrey could still hear sounds from the woods. Laughter and chatter, and swords being unsheathed. Joffrey unsheathed his sword as well, as did the surviving five soldiers, and they backed up against each other on the middle of the road. The ambushers started walking out of the woods and onto the road, surrounding Joffrey and his men. There were dozens of them, way too many for Joffrey and his five soldiers to have any chance of taking down. Most of them were men, young and old, though there were also several women among them. Armed with spears, swords and axes, some of these outlaws looked like mere peasants, while others were clearly knights.
One of them walked closer to Joffrey, a lean and young man with short brown hair and sharp dark eyes. He was clad in chainmail and a dark leather brigandine, carrying in his hands a beautiful longsword with a heart-shaped ruby in its pommel. The young man had a confident grin on his face as he approached Joffrey, and beside him walked two young women.
The one on his left was a lean and beautiful redhead, dressed in a layered red skirt, brown boots with high heels and a red-and-white doublet that complimented her shapely bust, as well as a beret on her head in similar colors, with a raven’s feather attached to it. On her freckled face was a mischievous smirk, and on her hands a well-crafted lute.
The woman on the right of the man was also young and pretty, with long black hair, smooth fair skin and shapely lips. However, the expression on her face stern and serious. She was dressed in a simple blue tunic and brown trousers, as well as some light leather armor. On her right hand she carried a bastard sword, and on her left a white banner depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown.
"Soldiers of House Purell, I see", the young man observed calmly. "I am Ser Lucas Corbray, leader of the Free Ravens. I am here to punish King Albin Manwoody and his vassals for their crimes against their own people. If you lay down your weapons and surrender, you will each be given a trial, and a fair chance to prove your innocence to these crimes."
"Go to hell", Joffrey hissed defiantly, and Lucas Corbray chuckled at his words. "Fine then, we'll have it your way", he said coldly, raising his sword up, and lifting his gaze towards the sky. "Whichever gods may be listening, forgive these men their sins", he said with a calm and confident tone. Then he lowered his eyes to Joffrey again, an intense and deadly gaze in them. "But make haste, because they'll be coming soon." With these words Lucas Corbray charged against Joffrey and his men, and the rest of the Free Ravens followed the example of their leader, screaming and chanting as they attacked the Purell soldiers.
Two of the soldiers moved in front of Joffrey to defend him. However, Lucas parried their strikes with ease, and slit open both of their throats with a single swing of his sword. As the two soldiers collapsed to the ground, Joffrey charged in with a roar of anger. He struck hard from above, but Lucas parried his strike with a relaxed smirk on his face. Joffrey didn't give up though, he kept striking again and again, putting all his fury and anger to every swing. I may die today, but I will take this smirking bastard with me.
Lucas parried yet another one of Joffrey's swings, and followed it up by tackling him to the ground. As he stumbled back on his feet, Joffrey noticed that all his soldiers were already dead, and the rest of the Free Ravens were now just spectating the duel between him and their leader.
"Die!" Joffrey screamed as he rushed for one last desperate charge. Lucas managed to deflect his reckless attack in a way that left him completely defenseless, and within a blink of an eye the Corbray's sword found its way to the unarmored spot under Joffrey's arm. The blade penetrated deep into his flesh with shocking ease, making him lose grip on his own sword and widen his eyes in shock.
Swiftly Lucas pulled the sword out, its blade now stained with Joffrey's blood. Joffrey fell on his knees, desperately trying to stop the bleeding with his hands, even if deep down he knew this was the end. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, and he tasted his own blood in his mouth. Weakly he turned his eyes to look at Lucas Corbray, who stood right in front of him, looking down at him with cold judgement in his dark eyes. "Why?" Joffrey managed to utter, his voice frail and broken.
"I told you, ser. I am here to bring punishment for the crimes of the King", Lucas answered emotionlessly, and the redheaded lady next to him started playing a sad tune with her lute. And so Lucas Corbray raised up his sword and struck without mercy, ending the life of Joffrey Purell.
Ah, Book 2 at last, already beginning on a strong note I am really intrigued by this new group, these Free Ravens. No doubt they will be crucial, given that they have the prologue of Book 2 dedicated to them, so I suppose they will play a major role in the events to come. This is a bit of a surprise, as I previously thought the events in the Manwoody lands would take a backseat in this book in favour of the war between House Martell and the Fowler-Dayne alliance. It seems there will be a lot more happening on this front than I thought and this makes me really excited, because with Albin's loyalties now being with the Great Other, I have quite a personal interest in making his life as miserably hard as possible. So, we got a group, probably more sellswords than genuine outlaws, that precisely targets the Manwoody soldiers, but spares the smallfolk. This means, while we obviously don't know any of these characters particularly well at this point, that they have standards and don't harm the innocent. Maybe they are not good guys, can't say that yet, but things point at least into a well-meaning direction for them.
I wonder what their deal is though. House Caron has soldiers of their own and we know they already send their armies into the Manwoody lands, so I doubt they are working for them. It'd be odd to have a sellsword group marching ahead to kill the soldiers and then send the army to plunder the villages. At the same time, I can't think of another party who has both, an interest and the financial means to hire a group to sabotage the Manwoody army. Since I consider it unlikely they work for House Caron, it either means there is another party with interest in harming the war efforts of House Manwoody or the Free Ravens themselves have a grudge against Albin. Lucas' dialogue here, about wanting to punish the king for his crimes, does not make this too unthinkable, I could see this being a bit of a personal crusade. At the same time, I could see them working for either Garrison or even Nymeria, though the latter seems a bit unlikely, given that she is profiting from the ongoing Manwoody attacks on the Fowler lands, while the latter has shown before that he isn't afraid to kill innocents to achieve his goals, so if he is the one to have hired them, I consider it at least unlikely that it was his order to spare the smallfolk. One way or the other, we know these people fight against the single most awful and evil king Dorne ever had and they have enough moral standards to spare the innocent and that means I already like them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend after all and any bit of opposition Albin has to face is a good thing, be it from the Free Ravens, the armies of houses Caron, Fowler and eventually Martell or even the Red Priests once they learn of his new allegiance.
Book 2: The Falling Star
Prologue: Crimes of the King
Joffrey
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort t… morehree days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they… [view original content]
Wow, this new group of vigilantes are quite intriguing. There seems to be a good mix of people involved in their group that are both rich (Knights) and poor (peasants). I wonder if they plan to target other kings as well. I wonder what their end game is. Anyways, that was a good start to book 2 and I can't wait to read more.
Book 2: The Falling Star
Prologue: Crimes of the King
Joffrey
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort t… morehree days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they… [view original content]
Ah, Book 2 at last, already beginning on a strong note I am really intrigued by this new group, these Free Ravens. No doubt they will be crucial, given that they have the prologue of Book 2 dedicated to them, so I suppose they will play a major role in the events to come. This is a bit of a surprise, as I previously thought the events in the Manwoody lands would take a backseat in this book in favour of the war between House Martell and the Fowler-Dayne alliance. It seems there will be a lot more happening on this front than I thought and this makes me really excited, because with Albin's loyalties now being with the Great Other, I have quite a personal interest in making his life as miserably hard as possible. So, we got a group, probably more sellswords than genuine outlaws, that precisely targets the Manwoody soldiers, but spares the smallfolk. This means, while we obviously don't know any of these characters particularly well at this point, that they have standards and don't harm the innocent. Maybe they are not good guys, can't say that yet, but things point at least into a well-meaning direction for them.
Indeed, Book 2 is here, and I'm really excited to finally get to write all these storylines I've been planning for a while now And you're right, the Free Ravens will certainly play a crucial role in Book 2, particularly in the Manwoody storyline. House Martell's conflicts with Dayne and Fowler will for sure be the major focus of the book, but the events at Manwoody lands won't be far behind in terms of screentime. And yeah, the big thing to take away from this prologue is definitely that the Free Ravens don't seem to be just some opportunistic bandits who have come to pillage war-torn lands, but rather they seem to have at least good intentions.
I wonder what their deal is though. House Caron has soldiers of their own and we know they already send their armies into the Manwoody lands, so I doubt they are working for them. It'd be odd to have a sellsword group marching ahead to kill the soldiers and then send the army to plunder the villages. At the same time, I can't think of another party who has both, an interest and the financial means to hire a group to sabotage the Manwoody army. Since I consider it unlikely they work for House Caron, it either means there is another party with interest in harming the war efforts of House Manwoody or the Free Ravens themselves have a grudge against Albin. Lucas' dialogue here, about wanting to punish the king for his crimes, does not make this too unthinkable, I could see this being a bit of a personal crusade. At the same time, I could see them working for either Garrison or even Nymeria, though the latter seems a bit unlikely, given that she is profiting from the ongoing Manwoody attacks on the Fowler lands, while the latter has shown before that he isn't afraid to kill innocents to achieve his goals, so if he is the one to have hired them, I consider it at least unlikely that it was his order to spare the smallfolk. One way or the other, we know these people fight against the single most awful and evil king Dorne ever had and they have enough moral standards to spare the innocent and that means I already like them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend after all and any bit of opposition Albin has to face is a good thing, be it from the Free Ravens, the armies of houses Caron, Fowler and eventually Martell or even the Red Priests once they learn of his new allegiance.
Yeah, we already know they are led by a noble knight who claims to be there to deliver justice, so calling them merely outlaws would be a severe underestimation. As for House Caron, it has been implied both here and in Albin's interlude part that they have already withdrawn their forces from the Manwoody lands after a rather violent campaign, apparently due to the Storm King calling his bannermen to arms for some greater war. So, perhaps there is a chance that Lord Trevas would've instead hired a sellsword company to continue the conflict. However, their mercy towards the innocents and Lucas' dialogue about punishing Albin for crimes against his own people (so, not against Kortney, Myke, etc.) would suggest otherwise. Anyway, more will be revealed in time
Ah, Book 2 at last, already beginning on a strong note I am really intrigued by this new group, these Free Ravens. No doubt they will be cr… moreucial, given that they have the prologue of Book 2 dedicated to them, so I suppose they will play a major role in the events to come. This is a bit of a surprise, as I previously thought the events in the Manwoody lands would take a backseat in this book in favour of the war between House Martell and the Fowler-Dayne alliance. It seems there will be a lot more happening on this front than I thought and this makes me really excited, because with Albin's loyalties now being with the Great Other, I have quite a personal interest in making his life as miserably hard as possible. So, we got a group, probably more sellswords than genuine outlaws, that precisely targets the Manwoody soldiers, but spares the smallfolk. This means, while we obviously don't know any of these characters particularly well at this poi… [view original content]
I'm speechless... just wow. Really, I've been looking forward to this for a while now, and ever since you gave me the hint about what this part would be about my hype had been going through the roof. I have to admit though, this surpassed all my expectations and I'm still awestruck here at how great this prologue was.
First of all, even though I'm totally biased here, this prologue alone already became one of my favorite parts of the story so far, and that is saying something. You see, when you kinda told me about what the general direction of the prologue would be some months ago I thought that Lucas and the Ravens would only be hinted at here or at most have a brief appearance, I certainly didn't expect them to have the whole prologue dedicated to them. And what a prologue it was! Lucas certainly left his mark from the very first moment we saw him, I'd even go as far as to say he had one of the most impacting introductions until now. The level of badassery in this part was simply too much for me to handle. Everything was perfect from start to finish and the song you choose for the prologue was just so damn fitting, I don't think there could've been a better choice for a song other than that one. (Hell, even the thumbnail is kinda going with the same theme, what with the bird wings and all)
"Fine then, we'll have it your way", he said coldly, raising his sword up, and lifting his gaze towards the sky. "Whichever gods may be listening, forgive these men their sins", he said with a calm and confident tone. Then he lowered his eyes to Joffrey again, an intense and deadly gaze in them. "But make haste, because they'll be coming soon."
As I was reading that particular line from Lucas, I immediately thought of the Robb glare and it only made everything seem even more perfect in my mind. Funny thing is, I was kinda wishing Lucas would get the opportunity to drop a similar line at some point in the story, so him doing that from the very get-go was definitely amazing for me.
Now when it comes to Lucas, I'm simply loving the way you wrote him so far, he's exactly how I thought he'd be. With such an action-packed part this gave him the change to have a huge spotlight and oh boy did he deliver. Lucas was so beastly here that I just can't stop reading the part over and over again . And what an ending to the part (and to Ser Joffrey), with the redhead lady playing a sad tune on her lute as he was facing his demise. Truly, that detail made the whole thing be even more amazing. What a prologue!
As for the Free Ravens, man, I'm already loving them and I can't wait to see more of them as a whole. The Ravens sure are an unexpected wildcard in the fray now and it remains to be seen who they actually are, what they want and with whom their loyalties lie. Needless to say, things sure are going to be crazy in the Manwoody lands for the time being and I'm looking forward to it all, what a way to start Book 2!
Book 2: The Falling Star
Prologue: Crimes of the King
Joffrey
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort t… morehree days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they… [view original content]
I'm speechless... just wow. Really, I've been looking forward to this for a while now, and ever since you gave me the hint about what this part would be about my hype had been going through the roof. I have to admit though, this surpassed all my expectations and I'm still awestruck here at how great this prologue was.
Ah, I'm so happy to hear I managed to meet your expectations with this part, I definitely wanted to make Lucas' and the Free Ravens' entrance to the story as memorable as I could
First of all, even though I'm totally biased here, this prologue alone already became one of my favorite parts of the story so far, and that is saying something. You see, when you kinda told me about what the general direction of the prologue would be some months ago I thought that Lucas and the Ravens would only be hinted at here or at most have a brief appearance, I certainly didn't expect them to have the whole prologue dedicated to them. And what a prologue it was! Lucas certainly left his mark from the very first moment we saw him, I'd even go as far as to say he had one of the most impacting introductions until now. The level of badassery in this part was simply too much for me to handle. Everything was perfect from start to finish and the song you choose for the prologue was just so damn fitting, I don't think there could've been a better choice for a song other than that one. (Hell, even the thumbnail is kinda going with the same theme, what with the bird wings and all)
Well, it definitely was among my favorite parts to write so far, glad to hear you found it enjoyable as well And yeah, I was wondering if me hinting at it ruined the surprise a bit, but looks like it didn't The goal definitely was to give an impactful introduction for the Free Ravens', because they will have a crucial role to play in the story going forward. And Lucas, oh man, he is a joy to write, can't wait to delve deeper into his character later on As for the music, Audiomachine has a lot of great tracks, but like you say this one really fits the part perfectly.
As I was reading that particular line from Lucas, I immediately thought of the Robb glare and it only made everything seem even more perfect in my mind. Funny thing is, I was kinda wishing Lucas would get the opportunity to drop a similar line at some point in the story, so him doing that from the very get-go was definitely amazing for me.
Haha, while I didn't necessarily think about Robb while writing the scene, that is pretty much spot on the expression I had in mind And yeah, this was just the perfect opportunity to give some badass lines for Lucas. We'll probably get more of them somewhere down the line, just have to wait a bit
Now when it comes to Lucas, I'm simply loving the way you wrote him so far, he's exactly how I thought he'd be. With such an action-packed part this gave him the change to have a huge spotlight and oh boy did he deliver. Lucas was so beastly here that I just can't stop reading the part over and over again . And what an ending to the part (and to Ser Joffrey), with the redhead lady playing a sad tune on her lute as he was facing his demise. Truly, that detail made the whole thing be even more amazing. What a prologue!
Hearing I've managed to write a character in a way that pleases the submitter of that character is among the highest praise I could think, so thanks man! And I'll strive to use Lucas and the Free Ravens to their fullest potential going forward I'm glad you liked the scene with the lute though, it was a pretty late addition to the part. When I first wrote the prologue there was no mention of these two ladies, but I later figured it'd be good to show them even if I can't properly introduce them yet. And speaking of that, introducing them properly is another thing I'm definitely looking forward to.
As for the Free Ravens, man, I'm already loving them and I can't wait to see more of them as a whole. The Ravens sure are an unexpected wildcard in the fray now and it remains to be seen who they actually are, what they want and with whom their loyalties lie. Needless to say, things sure are going to be crazy in the Manwoody lands for the time being and I'm looking forward to it all, what a way to start Book 2!
Yeah, I think I told you in a pm that the Free Ravens will be a bit of an enigma for some time, and while this part certainly gave a strong impression of them, that will still be the case. That said, there will still be a major focus and build up for them in Chapter 1, so it's not like we aren't going to hear anything about them. And of course, in time we will get the chance to know all these characters better
I'm speechless... just wow. Really, I've been looking forward to this for a while now, and ever since you gave me the hint about what this p… moreart would be about my hype had been going through the roof. I have to admit though, this surpassed all my expectations and I'm still awestruck here at how great this prologue was.
First of all, even though I'm totally biased here, this prologue alone already became one of my favorite parts of the story so far, and that is saying something. You see, when you kinda told me about what the general direction of the prologue would be some months ago I thought that Lucas and the Ravens would only be hinted at here or at most have a brief appearance, I certainly didn't expect them to have the whole prologue dedicated to them. And what a prologue it was! Lucas certainly left his mark from the very first moment we saw him, I'd even go as far as to say he had one of the most impacting introductions until now. Th… [view original content]
Book 2 is here and it's safe to say that it has started with a bang! Admittedly I did not have the slightest idea what this prologue would be about based off of the title alone but what happened here certainly was not one of my many guesses which were way off The Free Ravens from we have seen here are a very mysterious bunch particularly Lucas of course and it definitely brings a ton of thoughts to mind which I am especially curious about. Lucas is definitely a long way from home and I am sure the story of how he has made his way to Dorne is a pretty interesting one and of course the true purpose of how this group came together along with why they are going Albin and his soldiers is certainly the big question which will be answered in time.
Of course, this part was very much an epic one with Lucas making his presence felt immediately especially with that line mentioned by Javier. That line was pretty epic and was an epic start to the duel between him and Joffrey. I have to admit though that for the first time in the story, I actually kind of felt bad for someone affliated with the Manwoody's Joffrey was clearly outmatched here and from what I could tell Joffrey seemed like a decent man who was only doing right but his king but unfortunately he just served the wrong king! With that said, I still enjoyed Lucas' intro and am very intrigued to see their role moving forward especially since they played such a role in the Prologue which means they should have a pretty big role moving forward! One thing I am particularly curious about is if Joffrey was Sanya Purell's brother? If it turns out that he was then they have the killed the future Queen's brother then this might actually be what makes the bulk of House Manwoody's armies go after the Free Ravens in full force leaving the Fowler's to attempt to fight the Martell's but then again Albin is definitely not a normal king and he clearly doesn't care about his vassals all that much leaving them to deal with their own problems
Overall though, this was a really epic prologue with the Free Ravens definitely making their presence felt and I am definitely looking forward to seeing where this storyline goes with them
Book 2: The Falling Star
Prologue: Crimes of the King
Joffrey
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort t… morehree days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they… [view original content]
Book 2 is here and it's safe to say that it has started with a bang! Admittedly I did not have the slightest idea what this prologue would be about based off of the title alone but what happened here certainly was not one of my many guesses which were way off The Free Ravens from we have seen here are a very mysterious bunch particularly Lucas of course and it definitely brings a ton of thoughts to mind which I am especially curious about. Lucas is definitely a long way from home and I am sure the story of how he has made his way to Dorne is a pretty interesting one and of course the true purpose of how this group came together along with why they are going Albin and his soldiers is certainly the big question which will be answered in time.
Haha, well that is the best way to start a book now, ain't it? And yeah, it would've been hard to predict the events of this prologue from the title, considering that the Free Ravens are a whole new player in the story. It'll take a while before we'll have a full understanding of them, but this part did at least make clear that the Free Ravens are yet another enemy for Albin Anyway, a lot more about Lucas and his group will be revealed in time.
Of course, this part was very much an epic one with Lucas making his presence felt immediately especially with that line mentioned by Javier. That line was pretty epic and was an epic start to the duel between him and Joffrey. I have to admit though that for the first time in the story, I actually kind of felt bad for someone affliated with the Manwoody's Joffrey was clearly outmatched here and from what I could tell Joffrey seemed like a decent man who was only doing right but his king but unfortunately he just served the wrong king! With that said, I still enjoyed Lucas' intro and am very intrigued to see their role moving forward especially since they played such a role in the Prologue which means they should have a pretty big role moving forward! One thing I am particularly curious about is if Joffrey was Sanya Purell's brother? If it turns out that he was then they have the killed the future Queen's brother then this might actually be what makes the bulk of House Manwoody's armies go after the Free Ravens in full force leaving the Fowler's to attempt to fight the Martell's but then again Albin is definitely not a normal king and he clearly doesn't care about his vassals all that much leaving them to deal with their own problems
Ah, I'm glad to hear I managed to make Lucas' entrance to the story an impactful one, he's definitely a character to keep an eye on going forward. And yeah, I understand feeling bad for Joffrey, from what we can tell he isn't a bad person by any means. That said, Lucas did offer him a chance to prove his innocence to Albin's crimes, but he chose to stay loyal to his king instead. And well, Joffrey being Sanya's brother is certainly a possibility, and at the very least they are family members. But yeah, for now Albin knows hardly anything about the Free Ravens, and sees them as a too small of a problem to bother with himself, but that could change once news of Joffrey's fate reach Kingsgrave.
Book 2 is here and it's safe to say that it has started with a bang! Admittedly I did not have the slightest idea what this prologue would b… moree about based off of the title alone but what happened here certainly was not one of my many guesses which were way off The Free Ravens from we have seen here are a very mysterious bunch particularly Lucas of course and it definitely brings a ton of thoughts to mind which I am especially curious about. Lucas is definitely a long way from home and I am sure the story of how he has made his way to Dorne is a pretty interesting one and of course the true purpose of how this group came together along with why they are going Albin and his soldiers is certainly the big question which will be answered in time.
Of course, this part was very much an epic one with Lucas making his presence felt immediately especially with that line mentioned by Javier. That line was pretty epic and was an epic start to the duel… [view original content]
Alright, so Book 2 has now been officially started, and I'd just like to thank you all for the continuing support and feedback, I'm really hyped to write the storylines of Book 2 and see all your reactions to them Obviously there is no voting to close this time, but I wanted to give you a heads up anyway: Chapter 1 of Book 2 will begin (probably) tomorrow with two PoVs. One of them is Verro, and the other one is a brand new character. After a bit of a break there should also finally be another choice to make again
Also, here is a portrait of the newest addition to the cast, Ser Lucas Corbray:
Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
Looking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a small nod and led her into the courtyard.
“Wait here, I’ll fetch the commander”, the man said with a professional tone, and headed inside the keep. Meanwhile Femi took the opportunity to look around. The walls of the fort were decorated with orange banners, depicting a red sun pierced by a golden spear. Symbol of the alliance between the Rhoynar and the Martells, something Femi had cared very little about in the past few years. When they first arrived to Dorne, she had done her part in establishing the alliance, but soon it had come clear her path would differ from Nymeria’s. The Princess had her mind set in conquest, in claiming all the deserts of this godsforsaken land, the red sands and the white. Femi had little interest in that, it was just more war and bloodshed.
“Femi of Ghoyan Drohe?” she heard a young female voice say behind her, and turned to see a young woman in golden armor and red cape approaching her. “Just Femi”, she corrected dryly, to which the girl nodded politely.
“My name is Nesea, I serve in the royal guard under your sister’s command”, she introduced herself, and continued after a nervous gulp. “I remember spending some time with you years ago, we were on the same ship during the voyage from Summer Isles to Dorne. I don’t blame you if you don’t remember though.”
“I might remember”, Femi said with narrowed eyes, studying Nesea’s face. “You’ve grown from then though, and I suppose I ain’t the same girl either. Anyway, my sister summoned me here, where is she?”
“Farrah is currently having a discussion with Princess Nymeria”, Nesea responded with a polite tone. “Come, I’ll take you to the council room”, she added, and led them inside the keep.
“You’re one of the Orphans, right?” Nesea asked with an intrigued tone as they walked through the corridors, and Femi looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I’m my own person”, she answered with a slightly annoyed tone. “But yes, I live on a pole boat on the Greenblood, so I suppose that makes me one of the Orphans.”
“I heard you people built a town from the carcasses of Nymeria’s burnt ships at the mouth of the river”, Nesea spoke with an excited tone, which brought a slight smirk to Femi’s face. “Aye, it’s called Planky Town”, she replied nonchalantly. “I had personally nothing to do with its construction though. That said, I must admit I quite like the place.”
“I wish I could visit there one day”, Nesea spoke with a dreamy tone. “Well, you certainly have my recommendation”, Femi replied quietly. “Life there is more… free.” A moment of silence followed her words, until the young guard spoke up again.
“So, what exactly do you do for a living?” Nesea asked curiously, to which Femi let out a small sigh. “Whatever pays, really”, she responded lazily, deciding it was better not to reveal that it was mostly petty thievery and smuggling.
“Do you have a crew on your boat?” Nesea asked, and Femi shook her head. “Not really, usually just myself”, she answered nonchalantly. “Anyway, why don’t you tell me something about your life for a change?”
Nesea seemed a bit caught off guard by Femi’s question, and stumbled to find words for a moment. “I… I’m Nymeria’s royal guard”, she said, as if she hadn’t told just that a couple minutes ago. “It’s quite a simple job really, I just guard her and little Sarella, stand at their door, follow them around. Nothing much ever happens.”
“Better not let your guard down, there are plenty of people who deeply dislike your princess”, Femi stated dryly, to which Nesea gulped subtly. “And do you happen to know any such people?” she asked quietly.
Before Femi could answer, Farrah walked out of the council room and into the corridor. Femi’s older sister was beautiful as always, with her wide eyes and luscious black hair, and the golden armor and flashy red cape almost made her look like the royalty she had once been. “Little sister”, Farrah greeted Femi with a gentle and loving tone, to which Femi responded with short nod. “You called for me”, she replied, keeping her voice emotionless.
Farrah let out an amused sigh, stepping closer to her. “In all honesty I didn’t expect you’d actually come”, she said calmly, embracing her in a brief hug. “Follow me, there are things I need to discuss with you”, she said, before turning to Nesea. “Nesea, stay in guard until Nymeria comes out”, she commanded, and the younger guard nodded quietly. After this, they made their way to Farrah’s quarters, which were modestly sized but comfortable.
They sat down on soft pillows around a red carpet with golden patterns, and Farrah brought them goblets and a jug of red wine. “So, how are you doing?” Farrah asked with a friendly tone as she poured wine for them. “Fine, I guess”, Femi replied nonchalantly. “Nothing special”, she added, gazing around the finely decorated room, and all the trinkets she could easily steal if she felt like it.
“You know you’d be welcome to move here if you wanted”, Farrah stated calmly, to which Femi nodded. “I know”, she said with a relaxed tone. “I’d rather keep my freedom though.”
“Even if it means lowering yourself to be a thief?” Farrah asked, her tone direct but not judgmental. As Femi didn’t answer, her sister continued. “Look, I don’t mean to chastise you, Femi. Your choices are your own, but I do worry for you sometimes.”
“There’s no need to”, Femi replied quietly, avoiding eye contact with her sister. Farrah took a sip of her wine and tilted her head slightly, looking Femi to the eyes. “Are you sure, little sister?” She asked with a sincere tone. “You’re dressed in rags, you look half-starved. There is no need to put yourself through this.”
“So, instead I should be here in Sandship living like a Westerosi noblewoman, huh?” She asked strictly, a sharp look in her eyes. “I’d rather stay with what’s left of our people, what’s left of our way of life.”
For a moment a tense silence lingered in the room, until Farrah spoke up again. “I’m not sure if my last invitation ever reached you, but you missed Hondo’s visit here”, she changed the topic, and Femi frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about, Hondo died back in Rhoyne”, she said, but with a subtle smile Farrah shook her head. “It turns out he was merely enslaved by the Volantene. In time he was bought by a red priestess, who happened to be the mother of Lord Kris Vaith. That led him to Dorne, where Lord Kris freed him.”
“I hardly remember him”, Femi muttered, trying to remember what exactly his older brother had looked like. “Well, he remembers you fondly”, Farrah replied with a small sigh. “You should go see him in Vaith someday.”
“Perhaps I will”, Femi replied, taking a gulp from her wine. “Is this why you called for me? To tell about Hondo?”
“Not exactly”, Farrah responded quietly, turning her gaze down for a moment. “I’ve heard some troubling rumors regarding our brother. Ammon, I mean, not Hondo. He lives at Greenblood like you, so I figured perhaps you’d know the truth about these rumors.”
“I haven’t seen Ammon in almost a year”, Femi said tiredly. “And frankly, I don’t care what he is up to.”
“But you do know the rumors I speak of, right?” Farrah asked sharply, leaning slightly closer to Femi, who nodded. “Yes. That he is involved with the conspiracy against Princess Nymeria”, she confirmed calmly, and Farrah gave her a questioning look. “So, is there truth to it?” She inquired, and Femi took in a deep breath and rolled her eyes. “Well, what do you think, sister? You know him just as well as I do, of course he is involved”, she answered with a frustrated tone. “And before you ask, I have no idea how deeply involved exactly, sorry to disappoint you.”
“Femi, you realize this makes him a direct enemy of mine, right?” Farrah asked sternly, clearly uncomfortable with the thought, and Femi nodded. “I understand, and I don’t want to take sides”, she muttered in response. Farrah stayed quiet for a moment, a slightly disappointed look in her eyes. “You would let these people plot against our princess freely?” she asked quietly. “Nymeria is the reason we are here, alive and safe.”
“Perhaps so, but I’m not going to waste my life fighting her wars”, Femi responded sternly. With a deep sigh her sister grabbed her from the shoulder hand and looked her to the eyes. “Femi, I’m not asking you to do this for Nymeria, I’m asking you to do it for Ammon”, Farrah spoke calmly. “He’ll never listen to me, but he might listen to you. Find him, and talk him out of this madness before it’s too late, that’s all I ask.”
[Agree to do it][Decline]
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Verro
Verro sat at the edge of his bunk, cleaning his boots after yet another day of work. With a deep sigh he laid down, gazing at the ceiling above him with his hands behind his head. With Lord Trevas and his firstborn son having marched to war in the Riverlands the garrison of Nightsong was about half of its usual size, meaning double the work for every man. Still, Verro much preferred staying here rather than marching to yet another war. The year-long deployment on Manwoody lands had been more than enough for him. Zaltha had fallen to an infested wound during the last month, and even Nesila who had at first been hellbent on avenging her brother was blood-sickened by the end of the deployment.
Life in the Caron household guard wasn’t glorious by any means, but Verro was grateful with having a roof over his head and a warm meal every day. Just as he laid to rest, the door was knocked. It startled him a bit, because both of the two guards he shared the room with had marched to war. Nonetheless, he quickly got up and walked to the door. Opening it, he saw Nesila, a serious look on her face.
“Evening, Nesila”, he said with a raised eyebrow. They had had something of an affair two years ago on their way to Nightsong, but the news about Nesila’s brother’s fate had shifted her mind completely to vengeance, and a war was no place for love. Perhaps she has come to rekindle whatever it was we had back then, Verro thought hopefully, a subtle smirk forming on his face. However, these thoughts were quickly swept aside when Nesila spoke up. “Lady Kortney has a mission for us”, she stated sternly. “Or well, for me, but I thought I’d ask you to come with me.”
Verro’s smile died down and he let out a sigh. “More war?” he asked grimly, but Nesila quickly shook her head. “No, not exactly”, she said with a hesitating look in her eyes. “Or at least nothing like our last deployment. Come, Kortney will explain it better.”
“Now?” Verro asked with a baffled tone, and Nesila nodded. “Yes, now”, she responded strictly. After hesitating a moment, Verro pulled his boots back on, and together they made their way out of the barracks. They walked through the courtyard in silence, and as they arrived at the doors of the keep Nesila stopped and turned to look at Verro.
“Before we go in, I just wanted to say… thank you, I knew I could rely on you”, she said softly, and Verro responded with a shrug. “I don’t exactly know what I’m agreeing to here”, he remarked unenthusiastically, and Nesila flashed him a playful smirk. “Hasn’t stopped you before”, she quipped. “Come now, Lady Kortney is waiting for us.”
Soon they arrived to the door of Kortney’s chambers, which was guarded by two Caron guards. They let them through without questions, and inside they found Kortney sitting by a table with Raina Serviene, her personal guard.
“My lady”, Nesila spoke with a respectful bow, and Verro followed her example. “Welcome, sit down”, Kortney said nonchalantly, gesturing at the one free chair by the table. Nesila took the seat, and Verro remained standing behind her. There was something imposing about this beautiful but scarred young lady, a kind of darkness in her green eyes. Kortney wasn’t physically threatening, but something about her made Verro feel like she had killed many men in her life. And that could well be the case, considering what Verro had heard of her past during his stay in Nightsong.
“You said you had a mission for me in the Manwoody lands, mylady”, Nesila spoke up carefully. However, instead of responding to her, Kortney turned her gaze to Verro. “He is the one you chose to accompany you?” She asked calmly, and Nesila nodded. “Yes”, she answered, glancing at Verro. “He is trustworthy”, Nesila assured, and Kortney nodded with an emotionless look in her eyes. Then, Raina spoke up.
“Your mission is related to rumors that recently arrived here”, she started with a formal tone on her voice. “These rumors are about a band of outlaws harassing the lands of House Manwoody. However, from what we have heard these don’t seem like ordinary bandits. They are well organized and precise, targeting mostly soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassals. Everything points to these outlaws having some kind of personal vendetta against King Albin.”
“A sentiment I share”, Kortney stated coldly, and for a moment the look in her eyes was downright murderous. “Your mission is to find these outlaws, and speak to their leader. Find out what exactly are their goals, and if they are suited to be our allies.”
For a moment silence lingered in the room, and Nesila had a pondering look in her eyes. “Mylady, you know I share your hatred for King Albin, but I must warn you. Bandits rarely make for good allies, I can tell this from personal experience.”
“If you deem these outlaws unworthy of our support, just return to Nightsong and report us that”, Raina responded calmly, and Nesila gave her an understanding nod. Verro cleared his throat, gaining the attention of all the three ladies. “Myladies, are you sure this isn’t just a waste of time and effort?” he asked cynically, seeing Kortney narrow her eyes at his words. “I mean, we spent a whole year spilling Manwoody blood to avenge King Albin’s deeds, perhaps that is enough. The war is over.”
A tense silence followed, and Lady Kortney stood up from her chair. “Over, is it?” she asked, and though her voice was quiet, Verro could spot the fury in her words. “Albin has taken so much away from me, caused so much pain and suffering, and yet he still lives. Those closest to him also still live, all the war accomplished was making the lowest of Albin’s servants bleed, and that is not enough. Albin only loves himself, so the only way to avenge Norano and Myke is to kill him. And I will not rest before the heads of Albin and his cronies are mounted on spikes!” Kortney roared, and her unfettered rage sent shivers down Verro’s spine. “So, if you wish to forgive and forget, you can find yourself a new lord to serve.”
“Don’t worry about it, Lady Kortney, Verro will help me with this mission”, Nesila assured with a calming tone, before turning her gaze to him. “Right, Verro?” she asked quietly, and Verro let out a deep sigh. The last thing he wanted was to return to the Manwoody lands, but Kortney had made it clear he would have to seek life elsewhere if he declined. And of course, he wouldn’t want to let down Nesila.
Comments
Yeah, Garrison has lost a lot in his life which was one thing I really wanted to empathize in this part. On the other hand, he still has a lot more to lose, which is why this current situation is very stressful for him. As for Obara, there will be updates regarding her once Book 2 begins.
Oh, and a small correction - it has been 2 years, but your point ofc still stands, Nymeria has had plenty of time to regain her strength.
Indeed, it was bound to happen sooner or later
In general this book will have a lot of conflicts and storylines where it'll be hard to decide who to root for.
And well, it's no coincidence that these attacks happened at the same time, so you might well be onto something there
Ah, first of all the Jamison portrait looks amazing! As expected, his scar turned from disfiguring to simply badass. It is also nice to see how he matured over these past two years. I mean, he is still pretty young (20 or 21 if I am not mistaken), but the full beard gives him at least five or six additional years. That is another thing I look forward for, seeing how the characters have visually developed over these two years. So, does this mean it is safe to say that many characters will receive updated portraits over the course of Book 2?
Now, Garrison's part was one I was really hyped for and it did not disappoint. In advance, I think the only ones I was more excited for were Benedict and Yorick, both of which obviously still to come. Now, this part was unsurprisingly heavy on the feels, with Garrison reminiscing about his late wife, the son he has lost and just about how much he has lost in general. He is probably the most sympathetic king at the time, even more so than Vorian and Benedict and that is despite me not having forgotten about his deception of the Blackmont's and the unwitting yet crucial part he played in Aisha's plans as a result. I cannot help it, I can't be mad at the man, because he is just that damn likeable. Beyond this, the part developed into a way I already speculated. Desmor and Arianne indeed married, as it was to be expected and well, I at least heavily suspected that Nymeria would try to take on the Dayne and Fowler forces at once. Among them, the Fowler's are definitely the weakest party and they still have the continuing assault from the Manwoody forces to deal with, so if Nymeria cuts them off from Starfall, she can likely make short work of them before moving her full attention to the Dayne army. And I suspect that this is, in fact, her plan. One thing I am super excited for is Desmor in Book 2 though, seems like he'll have quite the adventure ahead, trying to negotiate with Nymeria about the future of his kingdom and family. I really cannot even predict where his journey will take him and that makes me quite looking forward for him
Ah poor Garrison, he has definitely been through alot in his life and this part has definitely showed that. From losing his sight to his wife and oldest son dying, he has dealt with alot personally along with the constant fight for survival that his kingdom has faced since basically the beginning of the story which certainly leads to great stress for him. With all of that, it is safe to say that Garrison is the king I feel sorry for the most in the entire story and Garrison's struggles continue here but first I will go over the positives for him. Desmor has indeed married Arienne and they have had a child! Naming her after Garrison's late wife is definitely a sweet gesture and I am glad to see things have seemingly worked out well for Desmor in the marriage department!
As far as character development goes, from what we seen of Desmor here, he has seemed to have matured quite a bit since Book 1! He brought up actually talking to the Martell's in something of a diplomatic role which was very surprising to me and definitely shows he has matured quite a bit from the hot headed warrior he was in the first book. Also, I just thought of something else that I haven't asked yet. With Garrison still being alive, does that make Desmor the heir or would that still be Matthos regardless of Garrison still being alive?
Now for the big surprise from this part, it is safe to say you weren't kidding when you said that Nymeria had a pretty ballsy strategy
She is trying to take on both kingdoms at once and I believe like Liquid and AP mentioned that the attack on Clearhaven is pretty much just a way to keep the Dayne's busy temporarily so they won't be able to aid the Fowler's but I suppose with four thousand men already on Fowler lands that the Dayne's couldn't do too much to help regardless in that short amount of time. This does make me wonder though how many men that Nymeria actually has under her command at this point? You don't have to tell me if that is considered a spoiler of course but if four thousand men is more than what the Fowler's can muster and if I remember correctly, more than the Blackmont's and Manwoody's can as well, then she either has a very large army right now or the group she sent to Clearhaven is basically just a small group that was sent on a suicide mission. With that said, it does look like she is planning to at least start the war with both at the same time with the Fowler's most likely going down very quickly to where I will be surprised if the Kingdom of Stone and Sky still exists by the end of Chapter 1. With that said, there is clearly so much going on in these interludes with Nymeria's War picking up rapidly here so I am very much excited to see how Benedict and Yorick's PoV's play out and particularly if Nymeria plays as big of a role in their parts as she has in the last two.
Indeed, Jamison is 20, but the beard does make him look a bit older. And yeah, a lot of characters will be getting an updated portrait, especially the ones who've gone through a significant change during the timeskip, as well as brand new characters of course
I'm glad to hear you weren't disappointed, as this was definitely one of the more challenging parts to write
And yeah, Garrison has lost a lot over his life, which surely warrants some sympathy despite some of his more questionable actions. And Nymeria seems to indeed be aware about the alliance between Dayne and Fowler, which makes attacking them at the same time quite a clever move. Glad to hear you're excited for Desmor though, he certainly has some interesting development ahead 
Yeah, I'd say Garrison is among the most tragic characters of the story. He's gone through a lot of shit and certainly doesn't deserve to see his kingdom fall after all he has done to protect it
That said, little Ashara in this part definitely presents the other side of things, showing that not all is lost and life will go on despite what happens in this war 
Indeed, becoming a married man and basically taking up Ferris' role as Garrison's right hand has surely matured Desmor. I'm glad I managed to portray this effectively in this part, and Desmor bringing up a diplomatic solution is certainly a sign of his growth. Regarding your question, Matthos is the heir, but being 5 it is likely that Desmor would take charge as a regent in Garrison's absence.
Indeed, a war on two fronts is definitely a ballsy move from Nym but it is also a good way of keeping the Daynes and Fowlers from uniting their forces. As for your question, it should be remembered that the addition of Brimstone has increased the Principality's military force significantly. On top of that, the Dalts and their vassals are also now under Nymeria's command, not to forget the houses of Central Dorne or the Fallen Dragons. All that said, I'd say if Nymeria were to assemble a single great army she could amass somewhere between 8000 to 10 000 troops. However, that would mean leaving her own lands with little to no protection, so we can safely assume that the force that attacked Clearhaven was indeed a smaller one. Perhaps not a suicide mission per se, but likely more of a distraction than a genuine attempt at conquer.
Hello again!
So, I just wanted to inform you guys that I have a bit of a busy week ahead, with some deadlines for my uni projects coming towards the end of it. Due to this, I will probably find a bit less time for writing the story. That said, I am confident that I'll still be able to finish the interlude during this week, and after this week I should once again have a lot more time for writing, which bodes well for the beginning of Book 2 
Anyway, the next part in the interlude will be Benedict PoV, and I aim to get it done within a couple of days. For now I have another new portrait for you, this time updated Desmor:
Hello again everyone! With the next interlude part coming soon, I figured it would be a great time to post a new H&L! This one is of a character we have seen before and it is a direct reaction to something that has occurred in a recent Interlude part. Also, Thanks again Wildling for looking it over and I hope you all enjoy the part!
Alester Upton - Accepting the Call
With tired eyes, Lord Alester Upton sat at the head of the table as the small council meeting unfolded. He wasn't focused on the meeting however, but rather his mind traveled back to days long gone. Alester had now been the Lord of Sword's Edge for nearly two and half years, but the sheer boredom that came from these meetings never subsided. All kinds of things crossed his mind as he sat at the head of this table, but today he remembered his past adventures with Jamison Dayne, back from the days when they traveled Westeros together. They had fought in tourneys and slept in taverns, living like hedge knights with not a care in the world.
Looking back to those great times now, it was as if it had been just the day before. He remembered when they tried to bring peace between the Oakhearts and Daynes by bedding the two Oakheart sisters at the tourney of Highgarden. Unfortunately, their brothers weren't pleased, to say the least, so Alester and Jamison ended up giving them black eyes and broken noses to take back to Old Oak. He also thought about that time they had killed a group of bandits who had the gall to try and rob them on some old road near Gallowsgrey. "The gods may forgive, but I don't", Alester remembered saying as he beheaded the last thug out of that group, and the look on that outlaw's face still brought a smirk to his face.
Alester had so many great memories from that year he spent traveling with Jamison around the Reach and the Stormlands. However, the death of his father and older brother had brought him back to Dorne, where his life would be changed forever as he had to take on his Lord father's title as Lord of Sword's Edge. Those times seemed now so recent yet so far away. A lot had changed since then, with Alester and Jamison both now being lords, fathers and married men in their own right. Those days when their only worry had been which one out of the two could drink the most ale or bed the most attractive lady that night was only a pleasant memory now, more distant every day.
Alester’s mind also wandered to the last battle he had been involved in. He had led a couple hundred of his finest soldiers up the Torrentine to the Kingdom of Blackmont, where they had restored order for the Vulture Knight and his father. The men of House Upton had took down Karsan Taller's rebellion before it could even get started. Admittedly, Alester wasn't much of an historian, but he could imagine the satisfaction of victory he had felt was once shared by Lord Ulwyck Upton as he led King Samwell's vanguard in the sacking of Oldtown. In his mind, Alester could see Oldtown burning and the Hightower men retreating in defeat as the men of the Torrentine took what was theirs. Alester imagined it had felt similar to when he lead his men down that hill to defeat those rebels. It was a feeling he knew could only be replicated in battle, and he wanted to feel it again.
Of course, Alester didn't mind the Kingdom being at peace. It meant his family was safe, his mother, his wife and his daughter. It also meant his people were safe and the kingdom prospered in what was said to be the most prosperous era of the last century for the Kingdom of Torrentine. At the same time however, Alester missed the thrill of battle, the clashing of steel and the smell of fresh blood. It was those moments of chaos that determined how strong a man truly was. Throughout history, House Upton had proven themselves time and again in battle with them oftentimes being the first to lead their men to battle against House Dayne's enemies. While Alester had killed and defeated many men in his life, he hadn't yet had that war that would define him and his reign as Lord.
Shaking those thoughts out his mind for now, Alester tried to focus on the meeting around him again. He looked over at his mother, Lady Alerah, and cleared his throat. "So, mother. Why are we holding this meeting again? Didn't we just hold one last week?" He asked with a disinterested tone, to which his mother rolled her eyes.
"Yes my son, we hold council meetings every week,” Alerah reminded with a patient tone. “You would know that by now if you actually showed any interest towards ruling your lands. You need to be here and learn all you can about governing your own lands, because your uncle and I won't always be around to take care of these things for you."
The annoyance in his mother's voice made Alester crack a smirk. "Well mother, you should know by now I just don't care about how we are going to ration our crops or any of these other pointless debates”, he spoke nonchalantly, leaning back on his chair with his hands behind his back. “The only reason I’m here is because I’m tired of you harassing me about it. Besides, you and uncle are in still in your primes, look at you two. Hells, I know I'd be afraid to meet Uncle Stanler in battle." With a brash laughter Alester ran his hands forcefully over the top of his uncle's bald head. Stanler reacted by immediately moving his head away in annoyance. "You need to listen to your mother, my lord”, he grumbled. “We won't be around forever, and you won't be prepared if you just spend all of your time drinking and preparing men for a war that hopefully never comes." Alester had heard this speech time and time again and really had no urge to listen to it once more.
"Please uncle, I have no desire to hear this lecture again, you know as well as I that House Upton has always thrived in times of war. We are known for our prowess in battle, not for being cooped up in our keep and reading books." Alester spoke with a condescending tone that made his uncle grunt in annoyance. "But I suppose I’m here already, so I might as well take part”, Alester continued with a small sigh. “What all do we have to go over this week, mother?" he asked, an arrogant smirk forming on his face.
"Well my son, you're in luck”, Alerah responded sharply. “There isn't much news to go over this week, but what we do have to discuss might be of great interest to you, and that is the threat of Princess Nymeria". Lady Alerah spoke with clear worry showing in her voice. "As you know, she has laid claim to the entirety of Dorne, with over half of Dorne already being under the rule of her Principality. The last two years she has remained passive, but it is only a question of time before she brings her fight to our kingdom. So, we need to be prepared for what's to come. I know you’ve been training our troops vigorously, but there is more to war than that. We may have to house fleeing smallfolk within our walls, we must have sufficient supply reserves in case of a siege, and so on."
"I agree with Lady Alerah", Stanler chimed in with his usual dry and humorless tone. "Nymeria conquered the entire eastern coast along with the Kingdom of Brimstone in a relatively short period of time, so we know she is a capable military commander. The Rhoynar princess and her allies are a great threat to this kingdom, and we ought to be prepared not only to aid our king to fight against her armies, but also to protect our people from them."
Alester had heard plenty about this Princess Nymeria and how dangerous she was supposed to be, but even still he was not impressed and the smirk on his face clearly showed it. "You two worry way too much”, he said with a relaxed tone. “Honestly, what exactly has the Rhoynar princess done that would warrant such fear and concern? She conquered a few petty houses who claimed to be independent, and as far as the Kingdom of Brimstone goes, King Lucifer defeated himself, Nymeria merely reaped the benefits. This Principality as they call it, hasn't faced a real army yet, and I am sure they know that. The men of the Torrentine have no equal, and if this Princess Nymeria really is stupid enough to try and test our kingdom, then she and all of her followers will get exactly what's coming to them." The confidence Alester was displaying didn’t seem to convince his mother or uncle, so he tried to reassure them even more. "As far as House Upton goes, we are prepared for war whenever that time comes, our men are well trained and they are chomping at the bit for some action."
A moment of silence followed Alester’s confident words, after which Ser Orwen Wythmail walked into the meeting room with what looked to be a letter in his hand. "My Lord, Lady Alerah and Lord Stanler, forgive me for interrupting, but I just received some urgent news from Maester Gregory that had to be brought to you at once." The dark-haired knight spoke with a nervous tone that was very unusual for him, so Alester knew there had to be something wrong. "Well spit it out Ser Orwen, no need in keeping us waiting", he urged the knight. Ser Orwen took a deep breath and handed over the message to Alester to read for himself. And so he did.
Lord Alester,
We have just received word from Prince Garret that Clearhaven has fallen in hands of forces representing the Principality of Dorne. This clear act of aggression on the part of House Martell has signified that any chance for a diplomatic solution with Princess Nymeria has been severed. Their actions demand a response by means of force. Because of this, King Vorian is calling upon you to gather up all of the men that you can muster within a week of receiving this message. Then from there, you shall bring all these men to Starfall immediately.
Respectfully yours,
Maester Norbert
Alester read the message from Maester Norbert, and then reread it again. The fact that Nymeria actually had the nerve to attack Clearhaven, the town of his best friend, infuriated Alester to no end. To think what could have happened if Jamison or his family would have been there at that time, it made Alester’s blood boil.
Anger taking over him, Alester read the message once more, after which he slammed his fist on the table with great fury, squashing the piece of parchment in his closed fist. "What is it?" Alerah asked with great confusion.
"It's... Nymeria”, Alester responded quietly, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “She has taken Clearhaven, and now King Vorian is raising an army to take it back. I'm sorry mother, but this meeting is over", Alester said with calm anger in his voice as he stood up. Without waiting for a response from his mother, Alester walked out of the room with Ser Orwen following behind him. In silence they walked out of the main keep and out into the courtyard of Sword's Edge.
"Ser Orwen, round up all of your guards and all of our knights”, Alester spoke up with a confident tone. “You will take half of the guards and go north. From there, you'll round up every able-bodied man, young or old, and bring them back here. I will take the other half and go south where I'll do the same. Don't come back to Sword's Edge until every man is rounded up. If they live off of our lands, they can fight for our kingdom do you understand me?"
"Yes, mylord. I will gather the men at once", Ser Orwen said sternly as he hurried away.
In just a few short minutes, the courtyard of Sword's Edge contained every guard and knight of the household, and Alester decided to give a speech to rile up his men. "Brothers, Nymeria has made her move, and war is upon us”, he started with words that were sure to grab the attention of every man present. He let his eyes wander over the soldiers for a moment, making sure they had all understood the severity of what he just said. “The Rhoynar bitch thinks our king will bend his knee to her, and that the Kingdom of Torrentine will be no more, but she's wrong! Nymeria has made the biggest mistake of her life in provoking House Dayne, and House Upton stands strongly beside them as we have throughout history. She thinks we fear her, brothers, but she clearly doesn't know us. We fear no foe, and soon enough Nymeria will wish that it was still the dragonfire she was facing, and not the righteous fury of the men of Torrentine!" Alester roared these last words and the Upton knights raised their swords in applause.
With those final words, Alester walked down from the podium and mounted his horse. Half of House Upton's household guard behind him, he began his ride south to gather up troops for the coming war. As he rode out of the gates, Alester realized just how quickly things had changed, how quickly he felt so much more alive again. Like Lord Ulwyck had helped King Samwell sack Oldtown thousands of years ago, and Lord Willam Upton had conquered nearly half of Dorne beside King Sedric Dayne just a couple centuries ago, Alester now had his goal, he had his purpose. War had finally reached his kingdom and it was his duty not to just take part, but to make sure he did everything he possibly could to help King Vorian rid the world of Princess Nymeria, and finish what the dragonlords had started.
This insight into Alester's mind was certainly entertaining, and it shows he's a man of war, but we all know no matter how bravely the men of the Torrentine fight, it will mean squat if the Rhoynar armies are not only more numerous, but better armed as well.
Thank you once again for this great part!
It really comes in a good time, because I probably won't have much time for writing until tomorrow, so it's good to have something to keep the thread active.
And what comes to the part itself, I really liked seeing Alester's reaction to Vorian's call to arms, and how he jumped at the chance for some action
That man can be quite a badass sometimes, and his speech here certainly shows that. Anyway, can't wait to write more scenes for him in Jamison's storyline! 
Ah, this is a wonderful H&L! Alester is a nice choice and I have to say, I was equal parts surprised and intrigued by this particular topic. Very fitting so shortly after Vorian's part. What I particularly liked was that it gave us a pretty good insight into Alester's thoughts and feelings, as well as the parts about the history of House Upton. While I always enjoyed him as a character, I must also say that his speech to the soldiers of Sword's Edge was definitely my favourite moment for him so far, it was legitimately epic. All in all, this part made me really excited for his role in the Dayne-Martell war, as I have no doubt it will be a rather important one, so thanks a lot for writing this
Haha yeah, the numbers certainly aren't to the Dayne's advantage when Nymeria's at full strength that's for sure. With that said, they do have some advantages of their own and the war will definitely be an entertaining ride! Thanks for reading and I am glad you found the part enjoyable!
Thank you for letting us create these H&L's for the story!
I am glad to hear I picked a decent time to write this part, I figured this part wouldn't have the same impact if I waited too long after Vorian's part to write it so I had to act fast! 
Yeah, the main goal was to show how easily Alerted can switch from lazy to motivated given the right situation and show that while he isn't quite there yet, he does have the potential to be a very good Lord if he puts his mind to it so I'm glad you enjoyed it! Oh man, the speech was pretty much all I knew that was going to happen when I started and everything else I kind of just filled in as I went
I am glad the speech turned out as epic as I was hoping and I am most definitely excited to see him in Jamison's storyline 
Thanks Liquid! I had been wanting to write an Alester H&L for quite some time and even had topics in mind as you knew but I hadn't really been able to figure out the situation I wanted Alester in. So having Vorian call Alester for war gave me just what I needed to write an H&L for him! I really liked getting to show a glimpse inside Alester's mind and as far as the bits about House Upton goes, if I can think of the right situation for it, I will still write a History of House Upton H&L going into even greater detail about their past explaining their sigil and everything. I created a whole backstory but I haven't thought of a way to showcase just yet. If you have any ideas, I'll happily take them!
I am also glad you liked the speech with my big goal being to nail it so I am glad it worked out that way. I am also very intrigued to see what role Alester plays in the war and it's no problem, thank you for reading it
A Light in the Dark
King Benedict Blackmont stood on the courtyard of Blackmont, the warm summer day nearing its end. Calmly he observed a small entourage riding in from the gates, led by his son Naemon, who was flanked by his squire Davos and Ser Kegan. They had been gone for little over a week, settling a dispute between Lord Hugor of Gravesend and a bunch of farmers on his lands.
Watching Naemon dismount his horse, Benedict was once again amazed at how fast his son had grown into a man. It felt like just yesterday Naemon had still been a boy, and there he was now, in charge. He still lacked some of the qualities of a leader that his sister had possessed, but there was no denying that Naemon had matured and taken responsibility over these past few years.
“Naemon”, Benedict greeted his son as he approached him, and the prince responded with a tense nod. “Your Grace”, he said emotionlessly.
“How did it go?” Benedicts asked with a professional tone. “It’s been settled”, Naemon answered with a small sigh. “Lord Hugor agreed to lower the taxes of the farmers until the land yields more plentiful harvests again, and in compensation the farmers collectively released ten men from their service to join Gravesend’s townguard.”
“And did everyone seem pleased with this solution?” Benedict asked, and Naemon hesitated a moment with his answer. “As pleased as you could expect”, he finally said, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Now excuse me, I need a bath and some rest.” With these stern words the prince walked past his father, and entered the keep, his squire following closely behind him.
With a sigh Benedict turned his gaze to Ser Kegan, who approached him with a bow. “Your Grace, everything is in order in Gravesend”, he assured with a dutiful tone. “Your son did a fine job in the negotiations.”
“I’m glad to hear that”, Benedict muttered, giving the Drinkwater knight a small nod before walking away.
As he walked through the corridors of the castle in silence, a strange feeling took over Benedict. For some reason he felt a spark of hope that somewhere Gwendis was still alive. However, he was quick to remind himself how unlikely that was. It had been well over two years since her disappearing, Lyla had never returned, and even if Gwen still was alive she could be anywhere in the world. This wasn’t the first time Benedict struggled with these thoughts, unable and unwilling to let go of the memory of his daughter. And the hardest thing was not knowing, being in the dark. If Benedict were to find out that Gwendis had died it would break his heart, but at least he could find some closure, honor her memory. Now it was as if Gwendis was gone, but her ghost still lingered here, reminding Benedict every day that he had failed her.
Finally he arrived to the door of his chambers. However, as he put his hand on the knob, he stopped, turning his eyes towards the door of the laboratory. There would be one way, he thought with a subtle gulp. He had considered it before, countless times, but always lacked the courage to do it. Not anymore, this has to end, he decided, letting go of doorknob and marching forward towards the laboratory. He rushed in, and immediately approached Noctis, who was tinkering with some kind of medallion by the table. “Your Grace”, he spoke up with a surprised tone as he saw Benedict approaching.
“Light the glass candle”, the king commanded sternly, and Noctis’ eyes widened. ”Your Grace, are you sure that…”
“Yes!”, Benedict cut the sorcerer off, his tone making clear he wouldn't tolerate any objections this time. “I cannot bear it any longer, I need to know what happened to my daughter, whether she is alive or not. I need closure, so I can move on.”
Noctis nodded to him. “I understand”, he said quietly, though the expression on his face was still hesitating. Nonetheless, he stood up and walked to the altar where the glass candle was standing, and grabbed it to his hands. After taking in a deep breath, the sorcerer spoke a few words in Valyrian, and slowly the candle started glowing. First the light was dim, but as Noctis kept stroking the candle’s jagged surface, the light grew brighter.
“Your Grace”, Noctis muttered as he handed the candle to Benedict. The king grabbed it with a gulp, and stared into the light.
I want to see my daughter, Benedict thought as his mind traveled into the darkness. First he saw only mist. Then mountains rose from the ground, reaching the blue skies above. Floating towards the mountains, Benedict saw a dark cave and entered it. Once again surrounded by darkness, a storm was suddenly raging around him, and a wicked laughter echoed in the air. Then a fire was ignited in the middle of the darkness, and the laughter stopped, replaced with chilling screams of agony. Slowly light returned to the world, and Benedict saw a large city separated in two by a river. Elephants and palanquins pulled by horses roamed the streets of the city, pale and silver-haired men and women riding them. Meanwhile people in dirty rags and iron collars traveled afoot.
Soon the sun began to fall behind the walls of the city, and darkness started to take over. Now Benedict saw a great palace, and on the plaza in front of it a great fire was burning. Priests in red robes stood around the flames, praising their god. Benedict walked closer to it, stopping next to a young dark-haired woman who was watching the ritual from a distance. Turning to look at this woman, Benedict saw her purple eyes, and she recognized her daughter. She looked slightly older than she remembered, more a woman now than a girl, but she was undoubtedly Gwendis. Their eyes met, and her widened in surprise. Everything else disappeared around them - the priests, their great fire and massive temple, the whole city. Only Gwendis and Benedict were left there, together.
“Father”, Gwendis spoke, her quiet voice shivering ever so slightly.
“My sweet daughter, you are alive”, Benedict spoke with an emotional tone, tears welling up in his eyes. He knew he couldn’t stay for long, but he used every moment to study the face of his daughter, the daughter he had though was lost forever. “I miss you, my dearest child. Please, come home”, he managed to utter, before the vision began to fade.
Soon Benedict noticed he was once again in his laboratory in Blackmont, the glass candle in his hands, its light slowly fading. With a sigh he lowered it onto the table, and collapsed into the nearest chair.
“Did you find what you sought, Your Grace?” Noctis asked with his calm and emotionless tone as he grabbed the candle, and Benedict nodded wordlessly. “She is alive”, he muttered after a moment of silence. “Somewhere far away, in a foreign city.”
“What was this city like?” Noctis asked curiously, and Benedict thought back to what he had seen. “It was divided in two by a wide river. There were elephants, and a large temple, which by a great fire burned in some sort of ritual. That was where I saw her.”
“Volantis”, Noctis stated knowingly, his eyes narrowed. “I wonder what could have taken her there. Certainly not Aisha, she would be killed immediately in that city.”
“How so?” Benedict asked with a raised eyebrow, and a subtle smirk formed on Noctis’ face. “It is the home of her greatest enemies, the red priests of R’hllor”, he explained calmly, to which the King nodded. “I saw them”, he said quietly. “It was their ritual that I saw.”
“Perhaps your daughter was saved from the claws of Aisha by one of them, and she decided to follow her savior to Volantis”, Noctis suggested with a shrug. “It is the most logical scenario I can come up with. Did she see you?”
“Yes, she did”, Benedict confirmed, remembering the surprised look on Gwendis’ eyes. “I begged her to come back home, but I’m not sure if she heard me.”
“She did”, Noctis said confidently. “Communication is one of the main attributes of the glass candle. If you spoke, she heard you. Most likely you were inside one of her dreams, so even if she doesn’t understand how you reached her, she will know that you want her to come back. The question is, what will you do now?”
Benedict considered his answer for a moment. Part of him wanted to send his best knights to Volantis to bring his daughter home, but he knew that was not the right thing to do. He had told her that he missed her and wanted her to come back, now it was up to her to decide if that was what she wanted to do.
“I will wait”, Benedict finally said quietly, turning his gaze down as he spoke. “And hope she will find her way home safely.”
There are so many things we don't know about the magic in this world, but if there's something we can be sure, is that dreams can be as powerful as prophecies.
While Naemon will probably be skeptical at first, the knowledge that his sister is still alive will give him hope.
I... oooh, I did not tear up right there, nope, certainly not
Oh my goodness, this developed into a way I did not expect. I mean, first of all, I had this speculation that Benedict could use the glass candle to contact Gwen, but I must admit, I did not expect him to actually go through with it. I suppose this will pretty much kickstart Gwendis' Book 2 storyline and play a part in the reason why she returns to Dorne at this particular point instead of waiting longer. I mean, we know she already made the decision to return one day in her latest part, but who knows how long she would have waited on her own. I suppose the continuing presence of the Great Other cultists in Dorne will play a part in this as well though, probably giving Desi a reason to accompany her. But all in all, I am quite excited to see how she has grown in these two years. I mean, there isn't much I can take from her brief appearance here, though she does seem to be overall fine and this is a relief for me, almost as much as it has to be for Benedict.
What I certainly did not expect at this point is that Benny learned about Gwendis' survival and her current whereabouts. That was extremely sweet, I simply loved their brief reunion, even if it likely was not as much as Benedict wanted and not quite a reunion for Gwendis, given Noctis' explanation how these candles actually work. For the time being though, this is huge. It actually puts Benedict and Naemon at a better situation than I thought before, as they now at least have the relief of knowing that Gwen is alive and well and probably going to return one day. At best, it might even be a way for their relationship to improve. Because what little we have seen here indicates that they have not gotten closer at all. Naemon has developed into a way I expected, he seems way colder than before, as well as slightly bitter. Hearing that Gwendis is alive will no doubt cheer him up, but I could see him also not quite understanding why she hasn't returned home yet, considering she appears to be physically unharmed. Benedict however seems to grasp that something greater is going on here and Noctis came to the right conclusion, so I fully believe he will be more understanding. Naemon though, I suppose things will be more complicated for him.
Also gotta say, I am surprised but I actually start to like Noctis. From the guy I originally saw as a likely main villain for the Blackmont storyline, before Aisha showed her true colours, before everything, I slowly developed a bit of respect for him and I actually came to appreciate him in this part. He does seem cautious, but loyal to House Blackmont and overall, I don't get that many creepy vibes from him anymore. So, yeah, I kinda like him. One thing I must admit I am super nervous about though is the consequences the lighting of the candle might have for Blackmont. Noctis warned Benedict about doing so, even now he was hesitating and while the title of this part can be interpreted in a positive way, that Gwen is the light in the dark, the source of Benedict's hope, it also holds a darker possibility, that the candle worked as a light in the dark, a beacon for whomever else might be watching. At worst, this might mean that Benedict summoned a greater threat to his court, something he and Naemon have to deal with. While I absolutely love the fact that they now know the truth about Gwendis and know she will most likely return one day, I hope the price they have to pay for this knowledge will be worth it.
Your assuming Naemon will believe Benedict when he tells him that she is alive. I'm not sure he will. Even if he does, he will surely be upset that Benedict is not sending anyone after her. This may prove to worsen the relationship between the father and son even more.
Hehe, yeah, this was definitely one of the more positive of the interlude parts, which I'd guess came as a bit of a surprise
And well, it certainly took a lot of time for Benedict to finally be both desperate and brave enough to go through with using the glass candle. With this result he probably feels it was worth it, but had he instead found out that Gwendis was death, well, that would've been heart-breaking to say the least. And yeah, this will definitely be addressed in Gwen's Book 2 storyline, and it might indeed be something that drives her towards returning home. And this brief little appearance was indeed just a tiny teaser for a changed Gwendis of Book 2.
It may not have been as much as Benedict wanted, but on the other hand even a small glimpse like this must be almost overwhelmingly positive experience after thinking for two years that she could be gone forever. As for Gwen, it'll be explained in her first part of Book 2 how exactly she experienced this
And that is quite a positive way to look at how this could impact Benedict and Naemon's relationship, but perhaps there is some truth to it. That said, Naemon will most likely at least doubt his father on this. I mean, he doesn't really have understanding or interest for this stuff (meaning the glass candles and such ofc, not the potential of Gwen returning 
), and a general distrust towards magic. Still, perhaps he will at least feel hopeful about it, we'll see.
Hah, the creepy sorcerer has a certain charm to him, doesn't he?
Though like you said, now that we understand his character a bit better, it doesn't come off quite as creepy anymore. And yeah, the danger of using the glass candle has been brought up before, so there is always the chance that someone unwanted has observed and taken interest in this "flash" of magic in the west. We'll have to wait and see.
Hello! A little update once again, I've been working on the Yorick part today, and I'm fairly sure I'll be able to post it tomorrow. As you probably know, it'll be the last part of the Interlude, and next week Book 2 will finally begin.
Also, another new portrait, this time Book 2 Naemon:
He looks far more mature, which fits him. On the other hand, his Dayne eyes are far more notorious.
Oh yes, I absolutely expected Benedict's part to be the bleakest moment of the interlude and the beginning surely seemed to lead into this direction, with him and Naemon being colder and more distant than ever before, while he is clearly distraught over believing Gwen to have died years ago. Then... well, I was proven wrong
He seems to have not only seen her, but gotten at leat a glimpse of the events that happened to her as well, so I suppose if she would have died, he would have seen the vision ending during the confrontation between Team R'hllor and Valerie. Even then though, it is kinder than what I have thought would happen in the events of her possible death at the end of Book 1, as I was certain Benedict and Naemon would be left guessing just what happened for the rest of their lives. I am really curious how he and Noctis would have reacted if she would have embraced her darker powers and joined forces with Valerie and Aisha.
Aye, I can only imagine the utter relief he is feeling now. For him, I suppose he'll consider the risk of using the glass candle to be worth the glimpse he has gotten. With Gwen, I actually realized, considering she is in Volantis and watched some fire ceremony, maybe she experienced this as sort of a vision, similar to the ones Melisandre tends to show people in the flames. Either that or a dream, sounds logical to me. And well, here I am, always hoping for positive change in the relationship between Benedict and Naemon. I do think though that he will be sceptical. Perhaps the only thing that could set them on the path of reconciliation would be Gwen's return to Blackmont, because in this case, using the glass candle lead to at least some tiny positive thing, probably the first time magic ever did anything good in Blackmont. I suppose he will be sceptical, but maybe slightly hopeful as well. But well, I think even with Gwendis' return to Blackmont, a full reconciliation between Naemon and Benedict sounds impossible at this point, with the best they could hope for being to part ways respectfully and at least somewhat fondly when Benedict is eventually defeated by Nymeria. Even then, there is so much bitterness between them and I don't think that will ever fully go away.
I think what I find particularly interesting to Noctis is that his approach to magic isn't really the standard sorcerer approach, evil or not, but he is more like a scientist in these regards. In our society, he'd probably be exactly that, doing science stuff and it seems his interest in magic is not fuelled by the power alone, but he seems to genuinely want to understand how it works, which I think sets him apart from most other sorcerers. He's still a bit creepy, don't get me wrong there, but he actually reminds me a lot of Qyburn, whom I like quite a lot. And well, I think his objections have been valuable, because while I am glad Benedict and Naemon know what Gwen is up to and it will likely play a part in her decision to return home, this was by far the most powerful magic Benedict has ever used, probably the most powerful anyone has used so far in the west in centuries, given how powerful these candles are implied to be. The people he has at his court, they actually strike me as the bottom of the sorcerer food chain, people who are either charlatans, barely powerful, or hold views that make them outcasts among the mainstream magic users of Essos, such as Aisha with her religion and Noctis with his complete lack of mysticism. At the same time, whatever magic Benedict is using already caught the interest of the Great Other, who noticed potential in Gwendis. Maybe this will mean someone truly powerful makes way to Blackmont and I am certain this'll be quite bad for Benedict and Naemon, perhaps even for Gwendis as well if this threat is not dealt with by the time she returns (which I still believe won't happen before the later Book 2 though).
Ah, I am so happy to see an updated Naemon and well, he definitely looks more mature than before. It's amazing what a beard can do
He also looks way less jovial than he looked in his Book 1 portrait, which I suppose can be a direct result of his sister's disappearance and him losing his most trusted friend with her, as well as having to take on all the responsibilities she took care of before. His days of carelessly hunting and feasting seem to be over, if this generally colder expression is any indicator. One thing I must say is, I really love this lighter purple you're using for the eyes now, I already mentioned it in the portraits for Rhaenys and Visenya in FoT, it looks just striking when compared to the darker colour from the Book 1 portraits.
The Conqueror
The sun was setting and the night drawing near, as King Yorick Yronwood gazed at the white castle of Ghost Hill from atop his mount, behind him the mighty cavalry of House Yronwood. Meanwhile hundreds of troops led by Yoren Jordayne and Emerson Allyrion were scaling the western walls of the castle, and hundreds more led by Ser Theodore Wells and Willem Pyke were attempting to breach the gates.
Yorick had half a mind to be there in the frontlines himself, getting his blade bloodied, but alas this battle simply wasn’t worth risking his own life for. The Bloodroyal had had his eyes on Ghost Hill for a long time, and now that Nymeria had shifted her focus to west it was the perfect time to strike. It would be a pity for a conqueror to die on his first real conquest, so Yorick decided to lead from behind this time.
The King shifted his gaze to Lord Terren Jordayne, who was standing right next to him. “Do you think the young lord will cooperate?” Yorick asked casually. Terren was perhaps his most trusted vassal, but also one of the few people that he considered a friend. “It is not Levor Toland who has been in charge here these past two years”, Terren stated with a small sigh. “He may be the Lord of Ghost Hill, but it is his uncle Tomas Toland who has convinced him to side with the Martells.”
“Perhaps we’ll give the boy his uncle’s head, that ought to change his mind”, Yorick suggested, only half serious, and a subtle smirk formed on Terren’s face. “I would recommend a more tactful approach, Your Grace”, he responded calmly.
“Hasn’t really worked so far, has it?” Yorick remarked sharply. “After all, we are only here because your strategy didn’t work.”
“I admit, I underestimated how quickly Princess Nymeria could win the loyalty of the Tolands”, Terren responded with a small sigh. “Then again, I suspect Lord Tomas’ devotion stems more from his hatred towards us than any love for the Martells.”
“Hatred can be turned to fear”, Yorick said nonchalantly, and Terren gave him an agreeing nod.
The fighting went on for another hour, until finally the Toland garrison yielded and laid down their arms. The gates of Ghost Hill were opened, and Yorick led the cavalry in, received by cheering Yronwood and Jordayne troops. As Yorick dismounted his horse, he was approached by Emerson Allyrion. The young Allyrion’s face was stained with blood, but he looked to be unharmed himself.
“Your Grace”, Emerson greeted him with a bow, breathing heavily. “Lord Levor hasn’t been found”, he quickly continued, a touch of nervousness in his voice.
“Hasn’t been found?” Yorick asked sternly, a sharp glare in his narrowed eyes, and Emerson nodded. “Yoren is currently interrogating Tomas Toland”, he explained hastily.
“Fetch them here”, Yorick commanded quietly, and with a dutiful nod Emerson hurried away. The King turned back towards his troops and approached them with calm and authoritative demeanor. He waited silently for the chatter to die down as the soldiers noticed their king was observing them.
“Men of Yronwood!” He finally roared, grabbing the attention of every man present. “We have achieved a great victory here tonight, a victory which shall be long remembered in the pages of history. Many a conqueror would seek to claim all the glory of such victory for themselves, but I would never allow myself to do so. You and I, gentlemen, have achieved this victory together, and its rewards are for us all. The conquered territory belongs to you as much it belongs to me, and together we shall reap its benefits. Those who will continue to fight beside me to achieve all our ambitions, shall be greatly rewarded. And when the day comes that all of Dorne kneels to Yronwood, you shall be the greatest among its people!” Yorick ended his speech, and the troops cheered loudly.
“For the Bloodroyal!” Ser Theodore yelled, raising his sword towards the night sky, and so the troops started chanting it. After a moment, Yorick felt a light tap on his shoulder, and turned to face Lord Terren. “Your Grace, he’s here”, the Jordayne lord said calmly, gesturing toward the doors of the keep, where Yoren and Emerson were dragging out shackled Tomas Toland. The middle-aged man was still clad in a chainmail, and his clothes were stained in blood, indicating he had fought in the battle personally. There was also a small fresh cut above his brow, and a dark bruise around his left eye, though those could’ve just as well been the work of Yoren.
The troops quieted down as Yorick approached Tomas in the middle of the courtyard. “Tomas Toland”, he greeted him dryly, a scornful look in his eyes. “Where is Lord Levor?” Yorick asked tensely, and a subtle smirk formed on Tomas’ face. “You will not find him here, Yorick”, he replied sharply, a gleeful tone on his voice. “He is with the Martells.”
A moment of tense silence followed, and Yorick stepped closer to the man. “That changes nothing”, he said sternly, looking Tomas straight to the eyes. “Ghost Hill is now part of my kingdom, and if your nephew does not submit to me, then I will simply have to find a new lord for this castle. There are plenty who would gladly take it.”
“Ghost Hill belongs to House Toland”, Tomas hissed, and now it was Yorick who smirked. “And I am willing to let you keep it, if you bend the knee”, he said calmly, seeing the anger rising in Tomas’ eyes.
“We will never kiss your feet, Yronwood!” He roared defiantly. Yorick let out a small laugh for this, which many of his troops reciprocated. Then he punched Tomas to the gut, making him bow down and gasp in pain. Without mercy, Yorick proceeded with a knee on the face, which broke Tomas’ nose and sent him to the ground. As he squirmed there in pain, Yorick slowly walked next to his head, and stared him down. Wordlessly, he moved his right foot above Tomas’ head, and then softly pushed the sole of his boot against the man’s lips.
“I’m afraid you will have no say in it, Lord Tomas!” he bellowed, and the troops burst into laughter and cheers. Slowly Yorick removed his foot from Tomas’ face, and walked away with a satisfied grin on his face.
End of the Interlude
This is bad for Nymeria, and it will also bring anguish to Levor and Mateo. Now she will be forced to retake Ghost Hill while fighting the Daynes on the west. While she has more troops now, house Yronwood can muster an almost equal number, and they're the only kingdom in Dorne to use heavy cavalry extensively.
The proximity to the still-in-progress Sunspear will force House Ladybright and Santagar to fight together once more, or they'll be next.
Ah, it seems Yorick is making his move as well. With that, only the Blackmont's and Manwoody's remain without a direct conflict with House Martell and it's only a matter of time until that will change. I am not particularly surprised Yorick decides to strike back at House Toland for what Tomas did. What surprised me though is that he spared Tomas' life, I was actually pretty certain he'd kill him. I mean, I highly doubt he expects him to ever be a loyal servant and neither do I expect Tomas to ever submit to Yorick's rule. This makes it quite a risk to leave him alive, albeit I can guess that he intends to use Tomas as his hostage, to force Levor into submission. But this is indeed bad. If Yorick intends to continue his attack on the Martell lands, then Nymeria's planned two-front war will turn into a three-front war against her most powerful enemy on top. I could see Yorick initially being content with regaining control over Ghost Hill for now and focussing on strengthening his grip on the Red Mountains next, maybe sending his armies to support Albin or trying to force Blackmont under his influence to make sure that Nymeria won't easily deal with them after defeating House Fowler and therefore being able to attack the Yronwood lands. But yeah, I enjoyed Yorick here, albeit he has surprisingly not been my favourite of the Interlude parts. I liked seeing things from his perspective here though, even if he has been a colossal jerk in this part
Indeed, Yorick chose this time to strike precisely because he knew Nymeria's focus to be in the west, and now his forces are dangerously close to Sandship. On the other hand, the Martell troops are also dangerously close to Yronwood, and if they manage to secure the support of the Fowlers then Yorick will really have to focus on the defense of his western borders. So, he might not want to over commit by marching any deeper to east for now. We'll see.
Indeed, the war is ramping up in every direction. Really Blackmont is the only kingdom that could be said to be in peace atm, but obviously that will change in time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the part though! And since you brought it up, I'd definitely be interested to hear which one of the parts was your favorite in this interlude?
That is actually not an easy question, because I realized, half of the interludes are strong contenders. There is Benedict, naturally, there is Vorian and to my clear surprise, I also found myself enjoying Albin's part quite a lot. Albin's was the most shocking, Vorian's held a larger number of revelations though and I greatly enjoyed it as well and Benedict, well, it obviously gave me the most emotions. Which of these three I'd actually name as my favourite... eh, I really am not sure. Quite probably not Albin, despite how much I enjoyed his part. So, either Vorian or Benedict, I'd say, probably unsurprisingly
First off when it comes to Benedict's part, there isn't much I can say that would be different from the others but I will say that it definitely had more of a positive ending to it with it not being about war but rather the fact that Benedict knows that Gwendis is still alive! If I had to guess, this moment here will probably be one of the many factors that bring her back to Dorne in season 2 and it is safe to say that I am excited to see where her storyline is going to take her. As far as Benedict goes, it was nice seeing the story from his perspective and with House Blackmont at peace at this point, it will be interesting to see what ends up leading them to war themselves. If I had to guess, Benedict will not provide any kind of aid to Vorian for his war so at least for a part of Book 2, House Blackmont might actually be the safest kingdom to be in at least until Albin or Yorick decide to go after them.
I would also like to point out how much that I like Naemon's book 2 portrait as well. He has definitely changed the most in the looks department during the time skip with him now sporting a very short haircut compared to what he had and a thicker beard as well, What stood out the most though was the look on Naemon's face in the portrait. Based off his face in this new portrait alone and his appearance in the interlude part, it looks like he is takes himself a bit more serious now and the two years that have passed have hardened him up to some extent. Of course we won't really know until his PoV parts but I am definitely excited to see what he has turned into.
Now the Yorick PoV, man I wan't sure where you were going with his part but I figured it would be epic and it definitely didn't disappoint! Throughout the story we have heard of Yorick's reputation and why not many people outside of the Yronwood affliated characters like the man and with this part, I can kind of see why
He led his armies to Ghost Hill taking it with relative ease and then made Tomas kiss his feet and I have to say it was pretty epic 
I remember us talking once about how Yorick and Jamison had some similarities and the foot scene definitely confirms that to be a really great comparison!
Yorick's part also was very different in that he was actually the aggressor while all of the other kings were kind of on the defensive to some extent in regards to the situations they were all in basically being out of their control. Admittedly I am pretty surprised that Yorick has made his first move already but I guess I shouldn't be considering it is almost the ideal time to do so with most of Nymeria's troops gathered in the west. Like Liquid said though, I think Yorick will most likely hold off on conquering further for the time being except for one big one that I feel might actually be coming in this book potentially and that's primarily because of the emergence of Emerson Allyrion. From what Yorick said of him here, he actually played a huge role in capturing Ghost Hill with him being in the thick of battle which surprised me since I didn't even know he was a fighter. Thinking about it though, i am sure he has been trained to fight from a young age as most noble boys are and I would say he has been working on his martial skills on a very consistent basis since arriving to Yronwood as well. After seeing Emerson here, I am very much intrigued to see if he is still the relatively awkward young man he was in Book one or if he has grew out of that. Considering that Emerson played such a big role in this victory though, I could see Yorick potentially moving his armies down to at least try and take Godsgrace for Emerson at some point later on in Book 2 and if it doesn't happen then, I would say it will happen early on in Book 3. Overall I have enjoyed all of these Interlude parts with all of them being great parts and now it seems Book 2 will soon be upon us
Yeah, Benedict's part was arguably the most positive of the interlude. Then again, that does reflect the fact that they are the only kingdom still in peace. Obviously that won't last forever, but for now we'll have to wait and see how exactly they will end up getting involved with the greater conflict
Ah, glad to hear you like it!
I'm definitely excited to show how all of these characters have changed, both in portraits and the story itself. But yeah, the more serious demeanor is definitely intended here, and it's something we'll explore more in the coming Naemon parts.
Haha, with all the talk of Yorick throughout Book 1 I was very excited (and a bit nervous) to show things from his perspective here
And I'm glad I managed to portray both his jerkish and badass traits in this part. And yeah, I think I said that Yorick is like Jamison with more power and experience, which is pretty evident in his behavior here 
That is true, Yorick's ambition from the beginning has been way more than just to defend his own kingdom, which sets him apart from the likes of Vorian, Garrison, Benedict and even Lucifer. Albin of course also has his ambitions of conquest, but they are much more delusional than Yorick's. And while I won't go into detail here, I will say that you bring up a good point regarding Emerson
And as for Book 2, you won't have to wait long, because I'll probably post the prologue later today 
Book 2: The Falling Star
Prologue: Crimes of the King
Joffrey
Ser Joffery Purell and his unit of twenty soldiers had left Denfort three days ago. They had ridden after troubling rumors and bad news, word of a foreign band of outlaws harassing the lands of King Albin Manwoody. Some said they didn't carry any banners, while others reported to have seen them carrying a single white banner, depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown. If that was the sigil of a noble house, then it was one Joffrey had never heard of. However, the strangest thing about the reports was that they never claimed these foreigners to have stolen from the villages they had visited, or harmed a single man, woman or child in them. In fact, it seemed they were only targeting the soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassal houses. This was in stark contrast to the actions of House Caron’s forces, which had taken no remorse in ransacking every village and farm they came across during their campaign on the lands of House Manwoody.
Joffrey's mission was to investigate and learn more about these strangers, where had they come from and how did they operate. He had already visited a couple of villages on their way, and while the people of those villages admitted that they had indeed met these foreign outlaws, they were all suspiciously tight lipped when it came to giving information about them.
The sun was already starting to set, as Joffrey and his men rode through the narrow and meandering forest road. Joffrey knew that after these woods there would be another village, the first one that was in the lands of House Littlemill. They would spend the night there and once again try to get information out of the villagers, though Joffrey wasn't expecting to learn much.
Suddenly they had to stop, as a large tree had fallen over the road. With a sigh Joffrey turned towards his soldiers. "Alright boys, let's get that out of the way so we can continue," he commanded calmly, and so they dismounted their horses.
Just as they were about start moving the fallen tree, Joffrey heard a sudden whiz in the air, followed by a scream of pain. Turning to look back, Joffrey saw that one of his soldiers had been shot with an arrow. Quickly more arrows from both sides of the road followed, taking down more of the soldiers, and making the horses go wild. Joffrey saw few of his men mounting their horses and trying to escape, but except for a single soldier they were all shot down. Joffrey rushed to his horse as well, attempting to escape, but almost immediately an arrow landed straight on his mount's head, and it crumbled down to its death, throwing Joffrey on his back to the dusty road in the process.
His heart beating intensely, Joffrey got back up on his feet, noticing that five of his soldiers were still standing. The arrows stopped coming, but Joffrey could still hear sounds from the woods. Laughter and chatter, and swords being unsheathed. Joffrey unsheathed his sword as well, as did the surviving five soldiers, and they backed up against each other on the middle of the road. The ambushers started walking out of the woods and onto the road, surrounding Joffrey and his men. There were dozens of them, way too many for Joffrey and his five soldiers to have any chance of taking down. Most of them were men, young and old, though there were also several women among them. Armed with spears, swords and axes, some of these outlaws looked like mere peasants, while others were clearly knights.
One of them walked closer to Joffrey, a lean and young man with short brown hair and sharp dark eyes. He was clad in chainmail and a dark leather brigandine, carrying in his hands a beautiful longsword with a heart-shaped ruby in its pommel. The young man had a confident grin on his face as he approached Joffrey, and beside him walked two young women.
The one on his left was a lean and beautiful redhead, dressed in a layered red skirt, brown boots with high heels and a red-and-white doublet that complimented her shapely bust, as well as a beret on her head in similar colors, with a raven’s feather attached to it. On her freckled face was a mischievous smirk, and on her hands a well-crafted lute.
The woman on the right of the man was also young and pretty, with long black hair, smooth fair skin and shapely lips. However, the expression on her face stern and serious. She was dressed in a simple blue tunic and brown trousers, as well as some light leather armor. On her right hand she carried a bastard sword, and on her left a white banner depicting a black raven carrying a broken crown.
"Soldiers of House Purell, I see", the young man observed calmly. "I am Ser Lucas Corbray, leader of the Free Ravens. I am here to punish King Albin Manwoody and his vassals for their crimes against their own people. If you lay down your weapons and surrender, you will each be given a trial, and a fair chance to prove your innocence to these crimes."
"Go to hell", Joffrey hissed defiantly, and Lucas Corbray chuckled at his words. "Fine then, we'll have it your way", he said coldly, raising his sword up, and lifting his gaze towards the sky. "Whichever gods may be listening, forgive these men their sins", he said with a calm and confident tone. Then he lowered his eyes to Joffrey again, an intense and deadly gaze in them. "But make haste, because they'll be coming soon." With these words Lucas Corbray charged against Joffrey and his men, and the rest of the Free Ravens followed the example of their leader, screaming and chanting as they attacked the Purell soldiers.
Two of the soldiers moved in front of Joffrey to defend him. However, Lucas parried their strikes with ease, and slit open both of their throats with a single swing of his sword. As the two soldiers collapsed to the ground, Joffrey charged in with a roar of anger. He struck hard from above, but Lucas parried his strike with a relaxed smirk on his face. Joffrey didn't give up though, he kept striking again and again, putting all his fury and anger to every swing. I may die today, but I will take this smirking bastard with me.
Lucas parried yet another one of Joffrey's swings, and followed it up by tackling him to the ground. As he stumbled back on his feet, Joffrey noticed that all his soldiers were already dead, and the rest of the Free Ravens were now just spectating the duel between him and their leader.
"Die!" Joffrey screamed as he rushed for one last desperate charge. Lucas managed to deflect his reckless attack in a way that left him completely defenseless, and within a blink of an eye the Corbray's sword found its way to the unarmored spot under Joffrey's arm. The blade penetrated deep into his flesh with shocking ease, making him lose grip on his own sword and widen his eyes in shock.
Swiftly Lucas pulled the sword out, its blade now stained with Joffrey's blood. Joffrey fell on his knees, desperately trying to stop the bleeding with his hands, even if deep down he knew this was the end. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, and he tasted his own blood in his mouth. Weakly he turned his eyes to look at Lucas Corbray, who stood right in front of him, looking down at him with cold judgement in his dark eyes. "Why?" Joffrey managed to utter, his voice frail and broken.
"I told you, ser. I am here to bring punishment for the crimes of the King", Lucas answered emotionlessly, and the redheaded lady next to him started playing a sad tune with her lute. And so Lucas Corbray raised up his sword and struck without mercy, ending the life of Joffrey Purell.
End of Prologue.
Ah, Book 2 at last, already beginning on a strong note
I am really intrigued by this new group, these Free Ravens. No doubt they will be crucial, given that they have the prologue of Book 2 dedicated to them, so I suppose they will play a major role in the events to come. This is a bit of a surprise, as I previously thought the events in the Manwoody lands would take a backseat in this book in favour of the war between House Martell and the Fowler-Dayne alliance. It seems there will be a lot more happening on this front than I thought and this makes me really excited, because with Albin's loyalties now being with the Great Other, I have quite a personal interest in making his life as miserably hard as possible. So, we got a group, probably more sellswords than genuine outlaws, that precisely targets the Manwoody soldiers, but spares the smallfolk. This means, while we obviously don't know any of these characters particularly well at this point, that they have standards and don't harm the innocent. Maybe they are not good guys, can't say that yet, but things point at least into a well-meaning direction for them.
I wonder what their deal is though. House Caron has soldiers of their own and we know they already send their armies into the Manwoody lands, so I doubt they are working for them. It'd be odd to have a sellsword group marching ahead to kill the soldiers and then send the army to plunder the villages. At the same time, I can't think of another party who has both, an interest and the financial means to hire a group to sabotage the Manwoody army. Since I consider it unlikely they work for House Caron, it either means there is another party with interest in harming the war efforts of House Manwoody or the Free Ravens themselves have a grudge against Albin. Lucas' dialogue here, about wanting to punish the king for his crimes, does not make this too unthinkable, I could see this being a bit of a personal crusade. At the same time, I could see them working for either Garrison or even Nymeria, though the latter seems a bit unlikely, given that she is profiting from the ongoing Manwoody attacks on the Fowler lands, while the latter has shown before that he isn't afraid to kill innocents to achieve his goals, so if he is the one to have hired them, I consider it at least unlikely that it was his order to spare the smallfolk. One way or the other, we know these people fight against the single most awful and evil king Dorne ever had and they have enough moral standards to spare the innocent and that means I already like them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend after all and any bit of opposition Albin has to face is a good thing, be it from the Free Ravens, the armies of houses Caron, Fowler and eventually Martell or even the Red Priests once they learn of his new allegiance.
Wow, this new group of vigilantes are quite intriguing. There seems to be a good mix of people involved in their group that are both rich (Knights) and poor (peasants). I wonder if they plan to target other kings as well. I wonder what their end game is. Anyways, that was a good start to book 2 and I can't wait to read more.
Indeed, Book 2 is here, and I'm really excited to finally get to write all these storylines I've been planning for a while now
And you're right, the Free Ravens will certainly play a crucial role in Book 2, particularly in the Manwoody storyline. House Martell's conflicts with Dayne and Fowler will for sure be the major focus of the book, but the events at Manwoody lands won't be far behind in terms of screentime. And yeah, the big thing to take away from this prologue is definitely that the Free Ravens don't seem to be just some opportunistic bandits who have come to pillage war-torn lands, but rather they seem to have at least good intentions.
Yeah, we already know they are led by a noble knight who claims to be there to deliver justice, so calling them merely outlaws would be a severe underestimation. As for House Caron, it has been implied both here and in Albin's interlude part that they have already withdrawn their forces from the Manwoody lands after a rather violent campaign, apparently due to the Storm King calling his bannermen to arms for some greater war. So, perhaps there is a chance that Lord Trevas would've instead hired a sellsword company to continue the conflict. However, their mercy towards the innocents and Lucas' dialogue about punishing Albin for crimes against his own people (so, not against Kortney, Myke, etc.) would suggest otherwise. Anyway, more will be revealed in time
I'm speechless... just wow. Really, I've been looking forward to this for a while now, and ever since you gave me the hint about what this part would be about my hype had been going through the roof. I have to admit though, this surpassed all my expectations and I'm still awestruck here at how great this prologue was.
First of all, even though I'm totally biased here, this prologue alone already became one of my favorite parts of the story so far, and that is saying something. You see, when you kinda told me about what the general direction of the prologue would be some months ago I thought that Lucas and the Ravens would only be hinted at here or at most have a brief appearance, I certainly didn't expect them to have the whole prologue dedicated to them. And what a prologue it was! Lucas certainly left his mark from the very first moment we saw him, I'd even go as far as to say he had one of the most impacting introductions until now. The level of badassery in this part was simply too much for me to handle. Everything was perfect from start to finish and the song you choose for the prologue was just so damn fitting, I don't think there could've been a better choice for a song other than that one. (Hell, even the thumbnail is kinda going with the same theme, what with the bird wings and all)
As I was reading that particular line from Lucas, I immediately thought of the Robb glare and it only made everything seem even more perfect in my mind. Funny thing is, I was kinda wishing Lucas would get the opportunity to drop a similar line at some point in the story, so him doing that from the very get-go was definitely amazing for me.
Now when it comes to Lucas, I'm simply loving the way you wrote him so far, he's exactly how I thought he'd be. With such an action-packed part this gave him the change to have a huge spotlight and oh boy did he deliver. Lucas was so beastly here that I just can't stop reading the part over and over again
. And what an ending to the part (and to Ser Joffrey), with the redhead lady playing a sad tune on her lute as he was facing his demise. Truly, that detail made the whole thing be even more amazing. What a prologue!
As for the Free Ravens, man, I'm already loving them and I can't wait to see more of them as a whole. The Ravens sure are an unexpected wildcard in the fray now and it remains to be seen who they actually are, what they want and with whom their loyalties lie. Needless to say, things sure are going to be crazy in the Manwoody lands for the time being and I'm looking forward to it all, what a way to start Book 2!
Ah, I'm so happy to hear I managed to meet your expectations with this part, I definitely wanted to make Lucas' and the Free Ravens' entrance to the story as memorable as I could
Well, it definitely was among my favorite parts to write so far, glad to hear you found it enjoyable as well
And yeah, I was wondering if me hinting at it ruined the surprise a bit, but looks like it didn't 
The goal definitely was to give an impactful introduction for the Free Ravens', because they will have a crucial role to play in the story going forward. And Lucas, oh man, he is a joy to write, can't wait to delve deeper into his character later on 
As for the music, Audiomachine has a lot of great tracks, but like you say this one really fits the part perfectly.
Haha, while I didn't necessarily think about Robb while writing the scene, that is pretty much spot on the expression I had in mind
And yeah, this was just the perfect opportunity to give some badass lines for Lucas. We'll probably get more of them somewhere down the line, just have to wait a bit 
Hearing I've managed to write a character in a way that pleases the submitter of that character is among the highest praise I could think, so thanks man! And I'll strive to use Lucas and the Free Ravens to their fullest potential going forward
I'm glad you liked the scene with the lute though, it was a pretty late addition to the part. When I first wrote the prologue there was no mention of these two ladies, but I later figured it'd be good to show them even if I can't properly introduce them yet. And speaking of that, introducing them properly is another thing I'm definitely looking forward to.
Yeah, I think I told you in a pm that the Free Ravens will be a bit of an enigma for some time, and while this part certainly gave a strong impression of them, that will still be the case. That said, there will still be a major focus and build up for them in Chapter 1, so it's not like we aren't going to hear anything about them. And of course, in time we will get the chance to know all these characters better
Book 2 is here and it's safe to say that it has started with a bang! Admittedly I did not have the slightest idea what this prologue would be about based off of the title alone but what happened here certainly was not one of my many guesses which were way off
The Free Ravens from we have seen here are a very mysterious bunch particularly Lucas of course and it definitely brings a ton of thoughts to mind which I am especially curious about. Lucas is definitely a long way from home and I am sure the story of how he has made his way to Dorne is a pretty interesting one and of course the true purpose of how this group came together along with why they are going Albin and his soldiers is certainly the big question which will be answered in time.
Of course, this part was very much an epic one with Lucas making his presence felt immediately especially with that line mentioned by Javier. That line was pretty epic and was an epic start to the duel between him and Joffrey. I have to admit though that for the first time in the story, I actually kind of felt bad for someone affliated with the Manwoody's
Joffrey was clearly outmatched here and from what I could tell Joffrey seemed like a decent man who was only doing right but his king but unfortunately he just served the wrong king! With that said, I still enjoyed Lucas' intro and am very intrigued to see their role moving forward especially since they played such a role in the Prologue which means they should have a pretty big role moving forward! One thing I am particularly curious about is if Joffrey was Sanya Purell's brother? If it turns out that he was then they have the killed the future Queen's brother then this might actually be what makes the bulk of House Manwoody's armies go after the Free Ravens in full force leaving the Fowler's to attempt to fight the Martell's but then again Albin is definitely not a normal king and he clearly doesn't care about his vassals all that much leaving them to deal with their own problems 
Overall though, this was a really epic prologue with the Free Ravens definitely making their presence felt and I am definitely looking forward to seeing where this storyline goes with them
Haha, well that is the best way to start a book now, ain't it?
And yeah, it would've been hard to predict the events of this prologue from the title, considering that the Free Ravens are a whole new player in the story. It'll take a while before we'll have a full understanding of them, but this part did at least make clear that the Free Ravens are yet another enemy for Albin 
Anyway, a lot more about Lucas and his group will be revealed in time.
Ah, I'm glad to hear I managed to make Lucas' entrance to the story an impactful one, he's definitely a character to keep an eye on going forward. And yeah, I understand feeling bad for Joffrey, from what we can tell he isn't a bad person by any means. That said, Lucas did offer him a chance to prove his innocence to Albin's crimes, but he chose to stay loyal to his king instead. And well, Joffrey being Sanya's brother is certainly a possibility, and at the very least they are family members. But yeah, for now Albin knows hardly anything about the Free Ravens, and sees them as a too small of a problem to bother with himself, but that could change once news of Joffrey's fate reach Kingsgrave.
Alright, so Book 2 has now been officially started, and I'd just like to thank you all for the continuing support and feedback, I'm really hyped to write the storylines of Book 2 and see all your reactions to them
Obviously there is no voting to close this time, but I wanted to give you a heads up anyway: Chapter 1 of Book 2 will begin (probably) tomorrow with two PoVs. One of them is Verro, and the other one is a brand new character. After a bit of a break there should also finally be another choice to make again 
Also, here is a portrait of the newest addition to the cast, Ser Lucas Corbray:
Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
Looking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a small nod and led her into the courtyard.
“Wait here, I’ll fetch the commander”, the man said with a professional tone, and headed inside the keep. Meanwhile Femi took the opportunity to look around. The walls of the fort were decorated with orange banners, depicting a red sun pierced by a golden spear. Symbol of the alliance between the Rhoynar and the Martells, something Femi had cared very little about in the past few years. When they first arrived to Dorne, she had done her part in establishing the alliance, but soon it had come clear her path would differ from Nymeria’s. The Princess had her mind set in conquest, in claiming all the deserts of this godsforsaken land, the red sands and the white. Femi had little interest in that, it was just more war and bloodshed.
“Femi of Ghoyan Drohe?” she heard a young female voice say behind her, and turned to see a young woman in golden armor and red cape approaching her. “Just Femi”, she corrected dryly, to which the girl nodded politely.
“My name is Nesea, I serve in the royal guard under your sister’s command”, she introduced herself, and continued after a nervous gulp. “I remember spending some time with you years ago, we were on the same ship during the voyage from Summer Isles to Dorne. I don’t blame you if you don’t remember though.”
“I might remember”, Femi said with narrowed eyes, studying Nesea’s face. “You’ve grown from then though, and I suppose I ain’t the same girl either. Anyway, my sister summoned me here, where is she?”
“Farrah is currently having a discussion with Princess Nymeria”, Nesea responded with a polite tone. “Come, I’ll take you to the council room”, she added, and led them inside the keep.
“You’re one of the Orphans, right?” Nesea asked with an intrigued tone as they walked through the corridors, and Femi looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I’m my own person”, she answered with a slightly annoyed tone. “But yes, I live on a pole boat on the Greenblood, so I suppose that makes me one of the Orphans.”
“I heard you people built a town from the carcasses of Nymeria’s burnt ships at the mouth of the river”, Nesea spoke with an excited tone, which brought a slight smirk to Femi’s face. “Aye, it’s called Planky Town”, she replied nonchalantly. “I had personally nothing to do with its construction though. That said, I must admit I quite like the place.”
“I wish I could visit there one day”, Nesea spoke with a dreamy tone. “Well, you certainly have my recommendation”, Femi replied quietly. “Life there is more… free.” A moment of silence followed her words, until the young guard spoke up again.
“So, what exactly do you do for a living?” Nesea asked curiously, to which Femi let out a small sigh. “Whatever pays, really”, she responded lazily, deciding it was better not to reveal that it was mostly petty thievery and smuggling.
“Do you have a crew on your boat?” Nesea asked, and Femi shook her head. “Not really, usually just myself”, she answered nonchalantly. “Anyway, why don’t you tell me something about your life for a change?”
Nesea seemed a bit caught off guard by Femi’s question, and stumbled to find words for a moment. “I… I’m Nymeria’s royal guard”, she said, as if she hadn’t told just that a couple minutes ago. “It’s quite a simple job really, I just guard her and little Sarella, stand at their door, follow them around. Nothing much ever happens.”
“Better not let your guard down, there are plenty of people who deeply dislike your princess”, Femi stated dryly, to which Nesea gulped subtly. “And do you happen to know any such people?” she asked quietly.
Before Femi could answer, Farrah walked out of the council room and into the corridor. Femi’s older sister was beautiful as always, with her wide eyes and luscious black hair, and the golden armor and flashy red cape almost made her look like the royalty she had once been. “Little sister”, Farrah greeted Femi with a gentle and loving tone, to which Femi responded with short nod. “You called for me”, she replied, keeping her voice emotionless.
Farrah let out an amused sigh, stepping closer to her. “In all honesty I didn’t expect you’d actually come”, she said calmly, embracing her in a brief hug. “Follow me, there are things I need to discuss with you”, she said, before turning to Nesea. “Nesea, stay in guard until Nymeria comes out”, she commanded, and the younger guard nodded quietly. After this, they made their way to Farrah’s quarters, which were modestly sized but comfortable.
They sat down on soft pillows around a red carpet with golden patterns, and Farrah brought them goblets and a jug of red wine. “So, how are you doing?” Farrah asked with a friendly tone as she poured wine for them. “Fine, I guess”, Femi replied nonchalantly. “Nothing special”, she added, gazing around the finely decorated room, and all the trinkets she could easily steal if she felt like it.
“You know you’d be welcome to move here if you wanted”, Farrah stated calmly, to which Femi nodded. “I know”, she said with a relaxed tone. “I’d rather keep my freedom though.”
“Even if it means lowering yourself to be a thief?” Farrah asked, her tone direct but not judgmental. As Femi didn’t answer, her sister continued. “Look, I don’t mean to chastise you, Femi. Your choices are your own, but I do worry for you sometimes.”
“There’s no need to”, Femi replied quietly, avoiding eye contact with her sister. Farrah took a sip of her wine and tilted her head slightly, looking Femi to the eyes. “Are you sure, little sister?” She asked with a sincere tone. “You’re dressed in rags, you look half-starved. There is no need to put yourself through this.”
“So, instead I should be here in Sandship living like a Westerosi noblewoman, huh?” She asked strictly, a sharp look in her eyes. “I’d rather stay with what’s left of our people, what’s left of our way of life.”
For a moment a tense silence lingered in the room, until Farrah spoke up again. “I’m not sure if my last invitation ever reached you, but you missed Hondo’s visit here”, she changed the topic, and Femi frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about, Hondo died back in Rhoyne”, she said, but with a subtle smile Farrah shook her head. “It turns out he was merely enslaved by the Volantene. In time he was bought by a red priestess, who happened to be the mother of Lord Kris Vaith. That led him to Dorne, where Lord Kris freed him.”
“I hardly remember him”, Femi muttered, trying to remember what exactly his older brother had looked like. “Well, he remembers you fondly”, Farrah replied with a small sigh. “You should go see him in Vaith someday.”
“Perhaps I will”, Femi replied, taking a gulp from her wine. “Is this why you called for me? To tell about Hondo?”
“Not exactly”, Farrah responded quietly, turning her gaze down for a moment. “I’ve heard some troubling rumors regarding our brother. Ammon, I mean, not Hondo. He lives at Greenblood like you, so I figured perhaps you’d know the truth about these rumors.”
“I haven’t seen Ammon in almost a year”, Femi said tiredly. “And frankly, I don’t care what he is up to.”
“But you do know the rumors I speak of, right?” Farrah asked sharply, leaning slightly closer to Femi, who nodded. “Yes. That he is involved with the conspiracy against Princess Nymeria”, she confirmed calmly, and Farrah gave her a questioning look. “So, is there truth to it?” She inquired, and Femi took in a deep breath and rolled her eyes. “Well, what do you think, sister? You know him just as well as I do, of course he is involved”, she answered with a frustrated tone. “And before you ask, I have no idea how deeply involved exactly, sorry to disappoint you.”
“Femi, you realize this makes him a direct enemy of mine, right?” Farrah asked sternly, clearly uncomfortable with the thought, and Femi nodded. “I understand, and I don’t want to take sides”, she muttered in response. Farrah stayed quiet for a moment, a slightly disappointed look in her eyes. “You would let these people plot against our princess freely?” she asked quietly. “Nymeria is the reason we are here, alive and safe.”
“Perhaps so, but I’m not going to waste my life fighting her wars”, Femi responded sternly. With a deep sigh her sister grabbed her from the shoulder hand and looked her to the eyes. “Femi, I’m not asking you to do this for Nymeria, I’m asking you to do it for Ammon”, Farrah spoke calmly. “He’ll never listen to me, but he might listen to you. Find him, and talk him out of this madness before it’s too late, that’s all I ask.”
[Agree to do it] [Decline]
-
Verro
Verro sat at the edge of his bunk, cleaning his boots after yet another day of work. With a deep sigh he laid down, gazing at the ceiling above him with his hands behind his head. With Lord Trevas and his firstborn son having marched to war in the Riverlands the garrison of Nightsong was about half of its usual size, meaning double the work for every man. Still, Verro much preferred staying here rather than marching to yet another war. The year-long deployment on Manwoody lands had been more than enough for him. Zaltha had fallen to an infested wound during the last month, and even Nesila who had at first been hellbent on avenging her brother was blood-sickened by the end of the deployment.
Life in the Caron household guard wasn’t glorious by any means, but Verro was grateful with having a roof over his head and a warm meal every day. Just as he laid to rest, the door was knocked. It startled him a bit, because both of the two guards he shared the room with had marched to war. Nonetheless, he quickly got up and walked to the door. Opening it, he saw Nesila, a serious look on her face.
“Evening, Nesila”, he said with a raised eyebrow. They had had something of an affair two years ago on their way to Nightsong, but the news about Nesila’s brother’s fate had shifted her mind completely to vengeance, and a war was no place for love. Perhaps she has come to rekindle whatever it was we had back then, Verro thought hopefully, a subtle smirk forming on his face. However, these thoughts were quickly swept aside when Nesila spoke up. “Lady Kortney has a mission for us”, she stated sternly. “Or well, for me, but I thought I’d ask you to come with me.”
Verro’s smile died down and he let out a sigh. “More war?” he asked grimly, but Nesila quickly shook her head. “No, not exactly”, she said with a hesitating look in her eyes. “Or at least nothing like our last deployment. Come, Kortney will explain it better.”
“Now?” Verro asked with a baffled tone, and Nesila nodded. “Yes, now”, she responded strictly. After hesitating a moment, Verro pulled his boots back on, and together they made their way out of the barracks. They walked through the courtyard in silence, and as they arrived at the doors of the keep Nesila stopped and turned to look at Verro.
“Before we go in, I just wanted to say… thank you, I knew I could rely on you”, she said softly, and Verro responded with a shrug. “I don’t exactly know what I’m agreeing to here”, he remarked unenthusiastically, and Nesila flashed him a playful smirk. “Hasn’t stopped you before”, she quipped. “Come now, Lady Kortney is waiting for us.”
Soon they arrived to the door of Kortney’s chambers, which was guarded by two Caron guards. They let them through without questions, and inside they found Kortney sitting by a table with Raina Serviene, her personal guard.
“My lady”, Nesila spoke with a respectful bow, and Verro followed her example. “Welcome, sit down”, Kortney said nonchalantly, gesturing at the one free chair by the table. Nesila took the seat, and Verro remained standing behind her. There was something imposing about this beautiful but scarred young lady, a kind of darkness in her green eyes. Kortney wasn’t physically threatening, but something about her made Verro feel like she had killed many men in her life. And that could well be the case, considering what Verro had heard of her past during his stay in Nightsong.
“You said you had a mission for me in the Manwoody lands, mylady”, Nesila spoke up carefully. However, instead of responding to her, Kortney turned her gaze to Verro. “He is the one you chose to accompany you?” She asked calmly, and Nesila nodded. “Yes”, she answered, glancing at Verro. “He is trustworthy”, Nesila assured, and Kortney nodded with an emotionless look in her eyes. Then, Raina spoke up.
“Your mission is related to rumors that recently arrived here”, she started with a formal tone on her voice. “These rumors are about a band of outlaws harassing the lands of House Manwoody. However, from what we have heard these don’t seem like ordinary bandits. They are well organized and precise, targeting mostly soldiers of House Manwoody and its vassals. Everything points to these outlaws having some kind of personal vendetta against King Albin.”
“A sentiment I share”, Kortney stated coldly, and for a moment the look in her eyes was downright murderous. “Your mission is to find these outlaws, and speak to their leader. Find out what exactly are their goals, and if they are suited to be our allies.”
For a moment silence lingered in the room, and Nesila had a pondering look in her eyes. “Mylady, you know I share your hatred for King Albin, but I must warn you. Bandits rarely make for good allies, I can tell this from personal experience.”
“If you deem these outlaws unworthy of our support, just return to Nightsong and report us that”, Raina responded calmly, and Nesila gave her an understanding nod. Verro cleared his throat, gaining the attention of all the three ladies. “Myladies, are you sure this isn’t just a waste of time and effort?” he asked cynically, seeing Kortney narrow her eyes at his words. “I mean, we spent a whole year spilling Manwoody blood to avenge King Albin’s deeds, perhaps that is enough. The war is over.”
A tense silence followed, and Lady Kortney stood up from her chair. “Over, is it?” she asked, and though her voice was quiet, Verro could spot the fury in her words. “Albin has taken so much away from me, caused so much pain and suffering, and yet he still lives. Those closest to him also still live, all the war accomplished was making the lowest of Albin’s servants bleed, and that is not enough. Albin only loves himself, so the only way to avenge Norano and Myke is to kill him. And I will not rest before the heads of Albin and his cronies are mounted on spikes!” Kortney roared, and her unfettered rage sent shivers down Verro’s spine. “So, if you wish to forgive and forget, you can find yourself a new lord to serve.”
“Don’t worry about it, Lady Kortney, Verro will help me with this mission”, Nesila assured with a calming tone, before turning her gaze to him. “Right, Verro?” she asked quietly, and Verro let out a deep sigh. The last thing he wanted was to return to the Manwoody lands, but Kortney had made it clear he would have to seek life elsewhere if he declined. And of course, he wouldn’t want to let down Nesila.
[Go with Nesila] [Seek life elsewhere]