Indeed, as the dialogue at the end by Sirai suggests, Myraalduin is indeed Valyrian. We'll be learning more about him and his reasons for disliking the Rhoynar in the coming parts
[Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria] While keeping them separated is a harsh thing to do, she can give some important insight to Nymeria in order to take Blackmont.
Myraalduin must be a Valyrian if he dislikes Rhoynar that way.
You make some interesting points, but I do feel like her family would consider her actions as a great betrayal. This could ruin her relationship with them. Plus, if she does do this and become the Lady of Blackmont this way, her family would consider her actions as being out of pure self interest and not a desire to protect the family or kingdom. Also, her actions of working with Nymeria would make them less inclined to listen to her regarding the danger of the Great Other worshippers. Not to mention, Gwendis, so far, does not even know that Valerie is alive. Unless I missed something or forgot, neither Gwendis nor any of her new Rhllor worshipping friends know this. Much less, that she is working in Kingsgrave. So, she has no reason to tell her of the great danger in Kingsgrave that needs to be crushed.
[Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Argh, I am late for the vote and now it seems most of the others have already made up their mind Ho… morepefully I can convince some of you to change their votes, because I truthfully believe that this will be the better choice for Gwen in the long run. Hear me out on this one. So, I don't really know what to think of this Myraalduin guy, he seems creepy and got a weird name, but I suppose that he is well-intentioned. But more importantly, while you all know how much I want for Gwen to return home, I think this is too early. I want a return, but I think towards the end of Book 2 would be a better time. After all, just joining Myraalduin does not mean Gwen has to stay by Nym's side for years, I fully believe she will return home before Book 3. But think of the opportunity this offers in the long run! If Gwendis manages to win Nymeria's trust here, she manages to befriend the future ruler of all Dorne. This co… [view original content]
Argh, I am late for the vote and now it seems most of the others have already made up their mind Hopefully I can convince some of you to change their votes, because I truthfully believe that this will be the better choice for Gwen in the long run. Hear me out on this one. So, I don't really know what to think of this Myraalduin guy, he seems creepy and got a weird name, but I suppose that he is well-intentioned. But more importantly, while you all know how much I want for Gwen to return home, I think this is too early. I want a return, but I think towards the end of Book 2 would be a better time.
I should probably point out that even the "return to Blackmont" option doesn't just suddenly teleport Gwen there, she still has to 1.) sail to Dorne, and 2.) travel through Dorne to reach Blackmont. So, it could well take over half of Book 2 for her to make that journey. That said, of course choosing to return to Blackmont does most likely result Gwen making it there sooner than with the option of joining Nymeria.
After all, just joining Myraalduin does not mean Gwen has to stay by Nym's side for years, I fully believe she will return home before Book 3. But think of the opportunity this offers in the long run! If Gwendis manages to win Nymeria's trust here, she manages to befriend the future ruler of all Dorne. This could very well be her only chance to actually succeed her father as the ruler of Blackmont, even if she'll be a lady and not a queen. I think this choice will offer an opportunity for Gwen to help Nymeria, which in turn could mean that Nym will be more lenient when later dealing with Blackmont. It could even be that through this, Gwendis could later on manage to prevent a fully blown war between the Blackmont and Martell forces from happening, by negotiating between her father and Nymeria.
Yeah, Gwendis winning the trust of Nymeria could definitely make it easier to prevent a full blown war between their houses later on. However, on the other hand it runs the risk of losing the trust of Benedict and Naemon, who could see it as a treasonous act. One thing is for sure though - siding with Nymeria would give Gwendis a pretty good shot at becoming the Lady of Blackmont one day.
[Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Argh, I am late for the vote and now it seems most of the others have already made up their mind Ho… morepefully I can convince some of you to change their votes, because I truthfully believe that this will be the better choice for Gwen in the long run. Hear me out on this one. So, I don't really know what to think of this Myraalduin guy, he seems creepy and got a weird name, but I suppose that he is well-intentioned. But more importantly, while you all know how much I want for Gwen to return home, I think this is too early. I want a return, but I think towards the end of Book 2 would be a better time. After all, just joining Myraalduin does not mean Gwen has to stay by Nym's side for years, I fully believe she will return home before Book 3. But think of the opportunity this offers in the long run! If Gwendis manages to win Nymeria's trust here, she manages to befriend the future ruler of all Dorne. This co… [view original content]
The thing is, I really don't think she would betray her family with this choice, nor do I believe that Benedict and Naemon would see it that way. Nymeria currently has no connection to House Blackmont, they are easily the house she is the least involved with even if Benedict already includes her presence in his own plans. I don't think Gwendis would work for Nymeria in the way of helping her with the war, doing planning and stuff. She is not a tactician, her knowledge about actual warfare is pretty much nonexistant, so I highly doubt she'd ever be involved in that. As long as she isn't directly involved with the war, she would not betray her family and I cannot see Benedict and Naemon coming to such a conclusion, if they even learn about her stay at Nymeria's court at all before she actually returns home.
What I think she'd rather do is to help convince her to take Myraalduin's cause serious. After all, the real reason why the red priests want her to succeed is to stop the Great Other servants in Dorne and I believe that is something she has no reason to take serious unless someone who wins her trust manages to convince her of it. While Gwendis does not know about Valerie's survival, Kris knows for certain. If she is there to back up his claims about the danger this poses, if Nymeria has grown to trust her until then, it might very well change the way she is going to approach the coming war against Albin Manwoody. On top of that, while I think there might be other options, it could very well be the only way for her to actually become the Lady of Blackmont. If that's what it takes, then I want to take it and I really don't want to miss the opportunity for her to live up to her full potential. It might affect her relationship with her family in the short run, but I think in the long run, it will be for the best for them as well and they will probably end up realizing this if she manages to prevent a full scale war between the two factions. For this, however, she needs to make sure that Nymeria knows and trusts her.
You make some interesting points, but I do feel like her family would consider her actions as a great betrayal. This could ruin her relation… moreship with them. Plus, if she does do this and become the Lady of Blackmont this way, her family would consider her actions as being out of pure self interest and not a desire to protect the family or kingdom. Also, her actions of working with Nymeria would make them less inclined to listen to her regarding the danger of the Great Other worshippers. Not to mention, Gwendis, so far, does not even know that Valerie is alive. Unless I missed something or forgot, neither Gwendis nor any of her new Rhllor worshipping friends know this. Much less, that she is working in Kingsgrave. So, she has no reason to tell her of the great danger in Kingsgrave that needs to be crushed.
I was about half asleep whenever I posted my choice last night. However, I am awake now and you have posted your choices and reasoning so I'll explain my reasoning behind it a bit more now. It seems like with Gwendis nearly more than anyone else in the story, we have walked on quite the tightrope with her choices having her make some very rash decisions such as deciding to go with Aisha in the first place and then pretty much rejecting the Great Other's influence at every turn once with she went with her. Obviously her name gave her a bit more leeway than it would a commoner who decided to make those same choices like poor Trentan for example but even still, I don't feel like we can keep making these choices that go against her family in a way and not expect some kind of repercussions from it at some point. Now I'm not saying that going with Myraalduin to help Nymeria will lead to her death or anything like that but I do believe that Gwendis going to help the one person who is trying to eliminate her father's crown from him could very well be seen as betrayal from their perspective. So I guess what I am saying here is that this choice could very well be the choice that determines Gwendis' future legacy as Lady of Blackmont which she will become if she survives the story and that is will she be the lady that has earned what is rightfully hers with her absolute loyalty to her family and house or will Gwendis be seen as someone placed into power by Nymeria as little more than her figurehead? Obviously I could be absolutely wrong on all of this and you have made some very good points which might lead me to change my choice but I just wanted to elaborate more on why I chose what I did and see what your thoughts on it are so it can help my decision.
As far as having Gwendis get married off, I do feel like a Yronwood alliance could very well be on the table eventually with both Trevyr and Jaena being unmarried as far as I know but after their conversation last time, I don't think Gwendis would be in as much danger of being married off as Naemon would be. If Yorick would agree to that of course.
Edit: My bad, the reply that you made to Tales just showed up on my feed and it pretty much covers what I was talking about!
[Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Argh, I am late for the vote and now it seems most of the others have already made up their mind Ho… morepefully I can convince some of you to change their votes, because I truthfully believe that this will be the better choice for Gwen in the long run. Hear me out on this one. So, I don't really know what to think of this Myraalduin guy, he seems creepy and got a weird name, but I suppose that he is well-intentioned. But more importantly, while you all know how much I want for Gwen to return home, I think this is too early. I want a return, but I think towards the end of Book 2 would be a better time. After all, just joining Myraalduin does not mean Gwen has to stay by Nym's side for years, I fully believe she will return home before Book 3. But think of the opportunity this offers in the long run! If Gwendis manages to win Nymeria's trust here, she manages to befriend the future ruler of all Dorne. This co… [view original content]
I was about half asleep whenever I posted my choice last night. However, I am awake now and you have posted your choices and reasoning so I'll explain my reasoning behind it a bit more now. It seems like with Gwendis nearly more than anyone else in the story, we have walked on quite the tightrope with her choices having her make some very rash decisions such as deciding to go with Aisha in the first place and then pretty much rejecting the Great Other's influence at every turn once with she went with her. Obviously her name gave her a bit more leeway than it would a commoner who decided to make those same choices like poor Trentan for example but even still, I don't feel like we can keep making these choices that go against her family in a way and not expect some kind of repercussions from it at some point. Now I'm not saying that going with Myraalduin to help Nymeria will lead to her death or anything like that but I do believe that Gwendis going to help the one person who is trying to eliminate her father's crown from him could very well be seen as betrayal from their perspective. So I guess what I am saying here is that this choice could very well be the choice that determines Gwendis' future legacy as Lady of Blackmont which she will become if she survives the story and that is will she be the lady that has earned what is rightfully hers with her absolute loyalty to her family and house or will Gwendis be seen as someone placed into power by Nymeria as little more than her figurehead? Obviously I could be absolutely wrong on all of this and you have made some very good points which might lead me to change my choice but I just wanted to elaborate more on why I chose what I did and see what your thoughts on it are so it can help my decision.
Oh, I will gladly explain myself further here, because the more I think about it, the more I know that this is the route I urgently want for Gwen. Her returning to Blackmont already could be nice and all, but I have waited for that return so long, I can surely wait for a little bit longer. We had to be careful with our choices so far and we have to be careful now. I think the careful option will be to go and meet Nymeria. By doing so, I absolutely don't think she will go against her family. I know you are not on board with Nymeria's whole war and stuff, but think about it, what move is Gwendis actually doing that'll harm her family? She cannot do anything to support Nym in her war, she doesn't command any armies, she doesn't have an ounce of experience in warfare. Her support will be against the Great Other. In return, I feel like being close to Myraalduin and Desirea can be a good protection for Gwen as well, because they can protect her from Valerie's wrath in a way Benedict's petty sorcerers definitely can't. At worst, these sorcerers might even welcome her dying at the hands of Valerie. I surely doubt someone such as Noctis would offer proper support as opposed to Myraalduin. The big question is always how she is going to help Nymeria and I cannot see her helping in any way that would harm her family, nor can I see Nym ever asking such a thing of her, nor can Gwen offer such help even if she would. As such, there will be no betrayal of her family. In fact, her having these connections to Nymeria can prevent bloodshed, if she manages to negotiate between her father and Nym. By going straight to Blackmont, she will earn nothing but an earlier reunion with her family. By taking a detour through Nymeria's lands, she gets the opportunity to gain an invaluable connection to the future ruler of all Dorne, something she simply would miss if she goes to Blackmont right away. The possible benefits of such a connection can only be guessed at this point, but I believe they will make things massively easier for her in the future. See, you say that by winning Nymeria's trust, she could eventually end up as being seen as little more than a figurehead if she gets placed in power, but that is something I really don't understand. Nymeria is the one who will defeat House Blackmont, either through a bloody war (that can very well claim the life of Gwen and/or Naemon) or potentially through diplomacy if she has the connection to the house. After that, she will decide who is going to rule Blackmont. The future ruler of the Blackmont lands will be placed in power by her, just as the future ruler of the Dayne lands, the Yronwood lands or the Manwoody lands. She placed Harrion Uller in charge of the Dryland lands, she placed Esperence in charge of Godsgrace and their rule seems to be just fine and stable, with no one calling them Nymeria's puppet. It is unlikely any of the lords to come will be seen as a figurehead and puppet of Nymeria just because she allowed them to rule, so why should things be different for Gwen? In fact, wouldn't the people love her for potentially managing to avoid having the kingdom be dragged into another war? Wouldn't they praise and support her for giving them a connection to the ruler of all Dorne? That is no betrayal and as long as she doesn't directly make a move against her family (which the mere choice of going to visit Nymeria does in no way imply), I cannot possibly see Naemon and Benedict coming to any other conclusion. They might be a bit irritated at first, but they will come around. Now, I don't think that not going to meet Nymeria will make it completely impossible for her to become Lady of Blackmont, but it will definitely make things harder. That is, if she even survives at all and I really think that missing out on the connection, support and protection a friendship with Nymeria can offer will severely harm her chances of surviving whatever Valerie has in mind for her. The more I think about it, the more I am really convinced that this is a terrible choice that'll cause her to miss out on something that will be good for her and ultimately good for her family.
As far as having Gwendis get married off, I do feel like a Yronwood alliance could very well be on the table eventually with both Trevyr and Jaena being unmarried as far as I know but after their conversation last time, I don't think Gwendis would be in as much danger of being married off as Naemon would be. If Yorick would agree to that of course.
Here is the thing, I feel an Yronwood alliance is bound to happen at some point in Book 2, given that Blackmont will briefly support House Yronwood during that phase of the war and Yorick seems like a man who wants to have vassal kingdoms rather than defeating them in open war and taking their crowns and titles, as Nymeria does it. As such, I suppose he favour a marriage alliance more than defeating House Blackmont in a war, knowing the real enemy is growing only stronger through this. In fact, I believe Yorick will seek to lay the foundations of such an alliance as soon as possible and if it happens, I believe it will happen during Book 2. And if Gwen has returned to Blackmont by then, I fear she will be the logical option. After all she has been through, that would be the worst fate, being married off to Trevyr Yronwood. This is a big reason why I want to further postpone her return to Blackmont until the end of Book 2. You say it might not be all that likely and I am inclined to agree, but still, the mere thought makes me panic. As such, let us please not risk it. This and the whole safety thing, because at this very moment, I do not think she will be entirely safe in Blackmont. Who knows what danger Benedict has summoned to his castle by using the glass candle, I'd very much prefer for them to deal with that first before Gwendis makes her return.
So, let us go and meet Nymeria, see what Gwen would have to do for her, see what she can get in return and then we might still be able to leave. Gwendis is not a slave of the church of R'hllor. Just because she goes and visits Nymeria here does not mean she has to support anything that woman is going to do. If she ever feels like staying by Nym's side will harm her family, I am pretty certain there will be another choice to leave and you can bet I will take it, but as it is right now, it hasn't been implied at all that going with Myraalduin means she has to help Nymeria with dethroning her own father. If it ever even leads to that at all, there has to be tons of build up for that first before Gwen would even consider it and I don't think this choice alone will decide if she betrays her family, or if they see her actions as a betrayal. Just going and meeting Nymeria is nothing treacherous on its own. It's still rather innocent, a mere meeting, and on top of me desperately wanting a Gwen/Nymeria meeting even more than I want a Blackmont reunion at this very point, this could lay the foundations of her future success. Please let us not miss out on this opportunity.
I was about half asleep whenever I posted my choice last night. However, I am awake now and you have posted your choices and reasoning so I… more'll explain my reasoning behind it a bit more now. It seems like with Gwendis nearly more than anyone else in the story, we have walked on quite the tightrope with her choices having her make some very rash decisions such as deciding to go with Aisha in the first place and then pretty much rejecting the Great Other's influence at every turn once with she went with her. Obviously her name gave her a bit more leeway than it would a commoner who decided to make those same choices like poor Trentan for example but even still, I don't feel like we can keep making these choices that go against her family in a way and not expect some kind of repercussions from it at some point. Now I'm not saying that going with Myraalduin to help Nymeria will lead to her death or anything like that but I do believe that Gwendi… [view original content]
Oh, I will gladly explain myself further here, because the more I think about it, the more I know that this is the route I urgently want for Gwen. Her returning to Blackmont already could be nice and all, but I have waited for that return so long, I can surely wait for a little bit longer. We had to be careful with our choices so far and we have to be careful now. I think the careful option will be to go and meet Nymeria. By doing so, I absolutely don't think she will go against her family. I know you are not on board with Nymeria's whole war and stuff, but think about it, what move is Gwendis actually doing that'll harm her family? She cannot do anything to support Nym in her war, she doesn't command any armies, she doesn't have an ounce of experience in warfare. Her support will be against the Great Other. In return, I feel like being close to Myraalduin and Desirea can be a good protection for Gwen as well, because they can protect her from Valerie's wrath in a way Benedict's petty sorcerers definitely can't. At worst, these sorcerers might even welcome her dying at the hands of Valerie. I surely doubt someone such as Noctis would offer proper support as opposed to Myraalduin. The big question is always how she is going to help Nymeria and I cannot see her helping in any way that would harm her family, nor can I see Nym ever asking such a thing of her, nor can Gwen offer such help even if she would. As such, there will be no betrayal of her family. In fact, her having these connections to Nymeria can prevent bloodshed, if she manages to negotiate between her father and Nym. By going straight to Blackmont, she will earn nothing but an earlier reunion with her family. By taking a detour through Nymeria's lands, she gets the opportunity to gain an invaluable connection to the future ruler of all Dorne, something she simply would miss if she goes to Blackmont right away. The possible benefits of such a connection can only be guessed at this point, but I believe they will make things massively easier for her in the future. See, you say that by winning Nymeria's trust, she could eventually end up as being seen as little more than a figurehead if she gets placed in power, but that is something I really don't understand. Nymeria is the one who will defeat House Blackmont, either through a bloody war (that can very well claim the life of Gwen and/or Naemon) or potentially through diplomacy if she has the connection to the house. After that, she will decide who is going to rule Blackmont. The future ruler of the Blackmont lands will be placed in power by her, just as the future ruler of the Dayne lands, the Yronwood lands or the Manwoody lands. She placed Harrion Uller in charge of the Dryland lands, she placed Esperence in charge of Godsgrace and their rule seems to be just fine and stable, with no one calling them Nymeria's puppet. It is unlikely any of the lords to come will be seen as a figurehead and puppet of Nymeria just because she allowed them to rule, so why should things be different for Gwen? In fact, wouldn't the people love her for potentially managing to avoid having the kingdom be dragged into another war? Wouldn't they praise and support her for giving them a connection to the ruler of all Dorne? That is no betrayal and as long as she doesn't directly make a move against her family (which the mere choice of going to visit Nymeria does in no way imply), I cannot possibly see Naemon and Benedict coming to any other conclusion. They might be a bit irritated at first, but they will come around. Now, I don't think that not going to meet Nymeria will make it completely impossible for her to become Lady of Blackmont, but it will definitely make things harder. That is, if she even survives at all and I really think that missing out on the connection, support and protection a friendship with Nymeria can offer will severely harm her chances of surviving whatever Valerie has in mind for her. The more I think about it, the more I am really convinced that this is a terrible choice that'll cause her to miss out on something that will be good for her and ultimately good for her family.
First off, I will go ahead and say that after what you've said along with rereading the part and debating on it a bit more, I am going to change my vote. Besides that, you have helped me out with choices involving characters of mine on more than one occasion so it is only fair that I do the same for you. However, I will try and explain my thought process behind why I originally seen it as a solid choice for Gwendis. To answer your question about what harm Gwendis would be causing her family by meeting with Nymeria, Gwendis visiting Nymeria by itself causes little to no harm. However it certainly doesn't look the best if or when Benedict and Naemon find out about Gwendis' meeting with the one person looking to take away their family's legacy. The whole reason that Myraalduin is even going to Dorne is to do his part in making sure that Nymeria wins her war and conquers Dorne which does make her somewhat guilty by association if Gwen's goal is for her family to remain in power. By that logic, whatever happens to Nymeria should really be of no concern to Gwendis with Nymeria's death actually being something that would be beneficial for the Kingdom of Blackmont. With that said, Nymeria is a very real threat to Blackmont now and she certainly isn't going to die so it is definitely in Gwen's best interest to befriend her. Along with that I can admit that I forgot about Valerie when I made my choice initially. Gwendis has had time to recover from her previous experience, but returning to Blackmont without some serious protection could be very problematic for her at this stage. And while I don't know how much if any Nymeria and Gwendis will talk about Nymeria's forthcoming war against Gwen's family, it wouldn't hurt for Gwendis to at least try and negotiate because Nymeria's armies would destroy the Blackmont armies with the numbers gap being far too much for them to overcome. To tell you the truth, I wanted to try to get Gwendis away from the GO vs R'hllor storyline just because of how dangerous it is for her but after thinking about it, I am not sure Gwendis can get out of it until it is resolved considering she is the main PoV for it so it probably is for the best for Gwendis to go and visit Nymeria where she would have some backing first.
In regards to Gwendis being a figurehead by helping Nymeria, I will try to explain those comments a bit better because I didn't really explain it previously. I see the situation being different with the people that Nymeria has chosen to rule over certain lands previously. The people of Godsgrace or at least the ones that could make a difference preferred Esperence anyway with how easily Nymeria was able to take Godsgrace from Morgan and with how Esperence was able to gain the power she did right under her father's nose, Morgan didn't have a very strong hold over his city or his people. So Nymeria picking the seemingly preferred choice who already supported her was an easy choice for Nymeria to have a loyal vassal in House Allyrion. In regards to the Uller's taking over the Dryland lands, most of Lucifer's supporters died at the battle of Godsgrace bridge and the Uller's were said to be popular anyway with them being considered next in line to be the Kings of the Brimstone if something happened to Lucifer at least from Vorian's perspective anyway. Nymeria's choice in leaders is actually only going to be tested now that she is fighting enemies who seemingly don't have anyone willing to come to her side without serious resistance. After thinking about it though, I'm not even sure this really applies to the Blackmont's as much as it does the Dayne's, Yronwood's and maybe the Fowler's whose people are very loyal to their kings. The people of Blackmont would probably welcome Benedict not being in power with Naemon likely being the more popular choice but with that said, I don't think the Blackmont people would be opposed to Gwendis ruling as long as she kept their lands at peace and she treated the people well which she would definitely do.
Here is the thing, I feel an Yronwood alliance is bound to happen at some point in Book 2, given that Blackmont will briefly support House Yronwood during that phase of the war and Yorick seems like a man who wants to have vassal kingdoms rather than defeating them in open war and taking their crowns and titles, as Nymeria does it. As such, I suppose he favour a marriage alliance more than defeating House Blackmont in a war, knowing the real enemy is growing only stronger through this. In fact, I believe Yorick will seek to lay the foundations of such an alliance as soon as possible and if it happens, I believe it will happen during Book 2. And if Gwen has returned to Blackmont by then, I fear she will be the logical option. After all she has been through, that would be the worst fate, being married off to Trevyr Yronwood. This is a big reason why I want to further postpone her return to Blackmont until the end of Book 2. You say it might not be all that likely and I am inclined to agree, but still, the mere thought makes me panic. As such, let us please not risk it. This and the whole safety thing, because at this very moment, I do not think she will be entirely safe in Blackmont. Who knows what danger Benedict has summoned to his castle by using the glass candle, I'd very much prefer for them to deal with that first before Gwendis makes her return.
So, let us go and meet Nymeria, see what Gwen would have to do for her, see what she can get in return and then we might still be able to leave. Gwendis is not a slave of the church of R'hllor. Just because she goes and visits Nymeria here does not mean she has to support anything that woman is going to do. If she ever feels like staying by Nym's side will harm her family, I am pretty certain there will be another choice to leave and you can bet I will take it, but as it is right now, it hasn't been implied at all that going with Myraalduin means she has to help Nymeria with dethroning her own father. If it ever even leads to that at all, there has to be tons of build up for that first before Gwen would even consider it and I don't think this choice alone will decide if she betrays her family, or if they see her actions as a betrayal. Just going and meeting Nymeria is nothing treacherous on its own. It's still rather innocent, a mere meeting, and on top of me desperately wanting a Gwen/Nymeria meeting even more than I want a Blackmont reunion at this very point, this could lay the foundations of her future success. Please let us not miss out on this opportunity.
I agree with this. I don't believe Yorick has the power to go out and conquer most of the other kingdoms in open war. They don't have the numbers and the hatred of the Yronwoods by other kingdoms probably equals their hatred for Nymeria if it isn't more in some cases. Alliances through marriage is the next best thing for Yorick which is why I feel a Naemon and Jaena Yronwood marriage is very likely considering Naemon is the heir to Blackmont and by marrying off his daughter to the Blackmont's, it would show Yorick is very serious about this alliance. I do see your worry with Gwendis being married off but I honestly don't believe Benedict would try that again after what happened the last time he tried to force Gwendis into a marriage. The biggest thing for me though which you also brought up and that is Gwendis' safety. I completely forgot about Valerie when casting my vote and with Valerie basically ruling Kingsgrave right now, Gwendis should take her time before getting anywhere near her. I am going to change my vote and while I am still not quite sure where this path will take Gwendis, I think it is worth giving a shot
I was about half asleep whenever I posted my choice last night. However, I am awake now and you have posted your choices and reasoning so I… more'll explain my reasoning behind it a bit more now. It seems like with Gwendis nearly more than anyone else in the story, we have walked on quite the tightrope with her choices having her make some very rash decisions such as deciding to go with Aisha in the first place and then pretty much rejecting the Great Other's influence at every turn once with she went with her. Obviously her name gave her a bit more leeway than it would a commoner who decided to make those same choices like poor Trentan for example but even still, I don't feel like we can keep making these choices that go against her family in a way and not expect some kind of repercussions from it at some point. Now I'm not saying that going with Myraalduin to help Nymeria will lead to her death or anything like that but I do believe that Gwendis… [view original content]
Gwendis
”There was this… strange dream that I had last night”, Gwendis told Desirea, who reacted by raising her eyebrow. “It wasn’t one o… moref those nightmares”, Gwendis quickly clarified, taking in a deep breath. “But it wasn’t a normal dream either. I saw my father, heard him speaking to me, begging me to come back home. The memory is still crystal clear in my mind, like it actually happened.”
“I suspected that her father may have used a glass candle to reach out for her”, Laela was quick to weigh in, and Desirea nodded in agreement. “That sounds plausible”, she admitted calmly. “And don’t worry, Gwen, I promise you will get back home and see your father again.”
“I… I just wanted to tell you about it, in case it’d have any affect on whatever our mission at Dorne is”, Gwendis spoke with a hesitant tone. Desirea nodded, and was about to say something, but then her attention shifted towards the entrance of the temple. Gwendis, Laela and B… [view original content]
It has taken me far too long to actually read all of this. Far too long.
I gotta say, Dorne always was my least favourite kingdom, but this story have really made the place more interesting to me. Cannot wait to see more of it!
That said, I think I'll go for [Return to Blackmont].
EDIT: After reading through Liquid's arguments for the other choice, I have decided to change my vote! [Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Gwendis
”There was this… strange dream that I had last night”, Gwendis told Desirea, who reacted by raising her eyebrow. “It wasn’t one o… moref those nightmares”, Gwendis quickly clarified, taking in a deep breath. “But it wasn’t a normal dream either. I saw my father, heard him speaking to me, begging me to come back home. The memory is still crystal clear in my mind, like it actually happened.”
“I suspected that her father may have used a glass candle to reach out for her”, Laela was quick to weigh in, and Desirea nodded in agreement. “That sounds plausible”, she admitted calmly. “And don’t worry, Gwen, I promise you will get back home and see your father again.”
“I… I just wanted to tell you about it, in case it’d have any affect on whatever our mission at Dorne is”, Gwendis spoke with a hesitant tone. Desirea nodded, and was about to say something, but then her attention shifted towards the entrance of the temple. Gwendis, Laela and B… [view original content]
Hey, welcome aboard, it's always nice to have new readers! Feel free to submit characters as well if you feel like it.
And yeah, Dorne was never really my favorite either (mostly cause its canon lore is a tad thin compared to some other kingdoms), but the history of Rhoynar migration always fascinated me, which of course led me to writing this fanfic. And I must also say, while writing this story my liking for Dorne has definitely increased a lot
It has taken me far too long to actually read all of this. Far too long.
I gotta say, Dorne always was my least favourite kingdom, but th… moreis story have really made the place more interesting to me. Cannot wait to see more of it!
That said, I think I'll go for [Return to Blackmont].
EDIT: After reading through Liquid's arguments for the other choice, I have decided to change my vote! [Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Well, this was quite an interesting voting, with a lot of great discussion from you guys and a couple of changed votes. So, in the end, Gwendis shall join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria. I am personally impartial here, as I think both of these options offer some great opportunities in terms of Gwen's future in this story.
Next up, we'll be returning to Prince Mors' storyline in the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. Last time we saw him he was leading a four-thousand strong Martell force to lay siege on the Blackpool Keep. In the war council Desmond Uller encouraged Mors to storm the castle to take it quickly and establish a solid foothold on the Fowler lands. However, Ser Albar Ladybright on the other hand suggested simply waiting for the Blackpools to surrender, so as to give a less violent first impression to these people they seek to rule over in the future. Mors sided with Albar. I've made good progress on the part, and it should be ready by tomorrow!
Lastly, here is a portrait of one of the new characters introduced in Gwen's part, Myraalduin;
Phew, I am relieved Not that I doubt there would have been one hell of an exciting story for Gwen in Blackmont, but because I really think if we make the right decisions going forward, Nymeria's route could be all the more rewarding in the long run. That and the fact that her meeting all these cool people at Nym's court will be super exciting and probably more thrilling than having the same people around she already knows from the very first chapter at Blackmont. I do see potential, aye, even if I have to wonder what sort of storyline she would have had at Blackmont. No doubt some parts of it can be glimpsed from Naemon's viewpoint, maybe enough to give me an idea, but I just realized how fundamentally different her Book 2 storyline could have probably been. Guess it's the Book 1 situation all over again from a technical standpoint, with the Skyreach and Aisha storylines being replaced by the Blackmont and Nymeria storylines Though I don't have as bad a feeling with the Nymeria storyline than I had with the Aisha storyline, naturally, nor am I that much against the Blackmont storyline as I was against the Skyreach storyline. Though expect me to ask questions by the end of the chapter and probably going forward, how things could have developed over at Blackmont.
Voting is closed!
Well, this was quite an interesting voting, with a lot of great discussion from you guys and a couple of changed votes.… more So, in the end, Gwendis shall join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria. I am personally impartial here, as I think both of these options offer some great opportunities in terms of Gwen's future in this story.
Next up, we'll be returning to Prince Mors' storyline in the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. Last time we saw him he was leading a four-thousand strong Martell force to lay siege on the Blackpool Keep. In the war council Desmond Uller encouraged Mors to storm the castle to take it quickly and establish a solid foothold on the Fowler lands. However, Ser Albar Ladybright on the other hand suggested simply waiting for the Blackpools to surrender, so as to give a less violent first impression to these people they seek to rule over in the future. Mors sided with Albar. I've made good progress on the part, and it … [view original content]
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “Just wanted to inform you that we just delivered another message to the Blackpools”, he said with a sigh. “We told them we are prepared to take over the castle by force and are only waiting for their answer out of mercy, like you asked.”
“Good”, Mors said with a satisfied smile, though the expression on Desmond’s face was something closer to frustration. “My prince, the Blackpool lord must know he can’t withstand a long siege, and he knows he has even less of a chance to defeat us in battle. Yet he is refusing to surrender.”
“It means he is a loyal man”, Mors said sharply, turning to look at Cason and Albar again. “Now he is loyal to King Garrison, but perhaps one day he could be just as loyal to the Principality, if we prove ourselves worthy. If the castle must be taken by force then we shall do it, but before that it must be made abundantly clear that it is not the method we prefer.”
“It’s a hard road you’ve chosen, Your Grace”, Desmond said quietly, a touch of skepticism in his words. “Trying to win their love, whilst at the same time conquering their homes. Most men find little solace from the kind nature of the man that bends them down – they’re getting fucked in the ass nonetheless.”
“But we are not here to do that, are we, Desmond?” Mors quickly responded, this time his tone stricter. For a moment Desmond remained silent, until taking in a deep breath and speaking up once more. “I understand your vision, my prince, and I respect it. All I’m saying is that you are going to have a hard time to convincingly wear both the face of a conqueror and the face of a savior. People here are loyal to their king, and Garrison will never acknowledge you as anything other than a threat to his legacy.”
Mors nodded calmly to Desmond’s words, and he even had to admit there was some truth to them. In the case of King Garrison himself, he would have to demonstrate his force, show that he was the stronger one out of the two. However, when it came to Garrison’s vassals, Mors still saw it as paramount to give them a good impression of the Martell rule.
“Your Grace!”, an Uller soldier approaching them on horseback yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the near proximity. He was one of the scouts, no doubt. “A small Fowler envoy has approached us, no more than a dozen men. The one leading them is Prince Desmor Fowler, and they are riding under a white banner.”
“They want to parlay?” Mors asked curiously, and the scout nodded. “Prince Desmor suggested a meeting at a hill about five-hundred yards from the camp”, he explained, pointing towards northwest from the siege camp.
“Return to Prince Desmor and inform him that we shall meet him before the sundown”, Mors responded confidently. “Yes, Your Grace”, the scout said with a dutiful bow, before galloping away.
“Looks like the King has sent his son to parlay with us”, Albar stated, crossing his arms in a confident manner. “I figure that means he is at least willing to negotiate.”
“Or he is trying to buy time”, Desmond weighed in sternly. “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough”, Mors said with a sigh. “Desmond and Albar, both of you choose five men from your ranks and get ready, I’ll fetch Ser Lothar.”
“Can I come as well?” Cason asked eagerly, and Mors looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Your Grace”, the boy added with a hasty bow, to which the Prince chuckled softly. “Sure, it’ll be another valuable lesson for you”, he said, tapping Cason lightly on the shoulder as he walked past him.
-
The sun was nearing the mountains in the west as Mors rode with his entourage of fourteen men towards the hill where Desmor Fowler was waiting with his dozen men. One of the soldiers was flying a silver banner with the blue hawk of House Fowler on it, while another one was flying a plain white banner to signify their peaceful intentions.
Mors and his companions halted a couple dozen feet away from the Fowlers, and for a moment the two parties simply studied each other with their looks, until finally Prince Desmor spoke up. “I take it you are Prince Mors Martell?” He asked tensely, and Mors nodded. “Indeed”, he said calmly, keeping a polite smile on his face. “I am here to further the objective of the Principality of Dorne to unite all of Dorne under one banner, to ensure its future as a sovereign kingdom.”
“A complicated way to say that you are here to conquer”, Desmor commented dryly, to which Mors chuckled softly. “Perhaps, but I want you to understand that our goal is not to destroy anything”, he replied calmly. “Divided and alone the petty kingdoms of Dorne are weak, but together we could be strong.”
“You may find out that the kingdoms of the Red Mountains aren’t quite as divided as you think”, Desmor responded sharply, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Mors. “The Daynes and Blackmonts are our allies, and together we shall resist your conquest. However, I do agree that we wouldn’t have to be enemies.”
“Is that so?” Mors asked with a genuinely intrigued tone, and Desmor nodded. “Aye”, he said sternly, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “My father would be willing to discuss about an alliance against Houses Manwoody and Yronwood. He gets to keep his crown and title, held by our family for thousands of years, and in turn he will commit troops to aid in your war against King Yorick and King Albin.”
Mors smirked, turning down his gaze for a moment. He was glad to see the seeds for future cooperation were already there, but he could not agree to these terms. “Unfortunately, I must decline”, he said with an almost regretful tone, looking the Fowler prince to the eyes. “I don’t do so out of any distrust towards your father, I have no reason to doubt he would make a fine ally against the Manwoodys and the Yronwoods. However, if I agree to these terms now, who’s to say how the situation will have changed when my children rule the Principality, and Garrison’s grandchildren rule Skyreach. No alliance made between two sovereign kingdoms can last through the generations, that much I’ve learned from history. Which is why a more permanent solution is needed to truly unite Dorne. The petty kings of this land must lay down their crowns, not because they don’t deserve them, but because those crowns cause unnecessary strife between families who according to all common sense should stand together as brothers.”
“And you and your wife would be the first among equals, aye?” Desmor asked with a cynical tone, and Mors let out a small sigh. “We would rule, fairly and justly”, he responded calmly, and his words were followed by a tense moment of silence. “I will relay your words to my father”, Prince Desmor finally said with an emotionless tone, before turning around and riding away, his entourage quickly following after him.
“So, did it go well?” Cason asked with some confusion in his words as the Fowlers rode into the distance. “About as well as we could expect”, Mors responded with a small sigh. “They won’t submit without a fight, but I still believe that one day House Fowler will be a valuable ally for us.”
-
It took a while for Mors to fall asleep that evening, many thoughts and concerns keeping him awake. Are we strong enough to defeat Garrison and his allies? Should we have already taken the Blackpool Keep? How is Valor’s campaign progressing on the southern coast?
When he finally did fall asleep, only moments later he was woken up by distant screams and the alarm bells being rang across the camp. Quickly he got up on his feet and dressed up, storming out of his tent. “Your Grace, stay by my side”, Ser Lothar Hill immediately told him, his sword drawn. “There has been an attack on the eastern side of the camp.”
“The Blackpools?” Mors asked with a subtle gulp, and Lothar nodded. “A desperate move on their end”, he commented sternly. “The situation should be under control soon enough.”
For several minutes they stood there in middle of the dark camp, troops running past them with torches towards the place where the attack had happened. And finally, a group of Ladybright soldiers led by Ser Albar himself approach the Prince, dragging with them a badly beaten young man clad in chainmail and wearing the colors of House Blackpool. The soldiers threw the unarmed man at Mors’ feet, and Albar gave him a kick on the ribs. “Twenty Blackpool soldiers sneaked into the camp from the east, and this is the man who led the attack”, he spoke with anger oozing from his words. “Ser Harris Blackpool, the younger brother of Lord Addam Blackpool.”
“Is that correct?” Mors asked from the young man. “Aye”, he muttered in response, spitting blood at Mors’ boots. “Long live King Garrison!” he shouted, and Albar kicked him again.
“Take him away”, Mors commanded sternly. “Someone should see to his wounds. And make sure there is at least two armed men keeping an eye on him at every moment.”
“Yes, Your Grace”, one of the soldiers muttered, and with his fellow troops began to carry the Blackpool knight away. Mors let out a sigh, and before he could say anything Ser Albar spoke up. “They killed two dozen of our men, murdered them in their sleep like bloody cowards. This demands an answer!” the Ladybright knight roared with the kind of fury Mors had rarely seen from him. “I say we storm the castle at the first light of the morning, these bastards don’t deserve any more of our mercy!”
“Calm down, Ladybright”, spoke Desmond Uller, who had so far observed the situation from the sidelines. “If you ask me, this is the first time since we begun this siege that storming the castle is no longer necessary. They acted in desperation, showing us that they are running out of options, and now we have the lord’s brother in our custody. I say, when the dawn breaks we’ll present Ser Harris to his older brother on the gallows with a noose on his neck, and kindly ask him to surrender.”
“Fuck that”, Albar hissed, shaking his head furiously. “My men want answers for what happened tonight, and a fucking surrender won’t cut it.” With these words, he turned towards Mors again. “My prince, please, let us have this fight.”
I think blackmailing would be a good idea, but after what just happened; I think his men need this fight. If they don't get it, they may not feel as loyal because they will think that he let this attack happen without any real consequences, for the other side.
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to… more offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “… [view original content]
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to… more offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “… [view original content]
[Storm the castle] A harsh decision, but if House Blackpool is indeed desperate then the fight could be short. And not allowing the men to avenge their comrades could be bad for moral.
Mors' words speak the truth, having too many kings on one continent only brings strife between families. Something their descendants will learn the hard way.
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to… more offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “… [view original content]
Ah, I really liked the discussion between Mors and Desmor! And while I do somewhat sympathize with Nymeria's goal to unite Dorne, knowing that for every king like Vorian, there's one like Albin around, I must admit that Desmor's arguments gave me some food for thought. See, Mors declines the alliance because he does not believe that his children or Garrison's grandchildren can properly hold up any sort of peace they could arrange for right now. Then he says that he and Nym will rule fairly and justly and well, I believe they will. However, using his own argumentation against him, can the same apply to his children, or their children? Maybe Malcolm will be a better sovereign for the Kingdom of the Torrentine than Nymeria's daughter. Maybe the Fowler lands will be better as an independent kingdom in a hundred years from now. All in all, the unification of Dorne will serve some pretty noble goals, but Mors can only make any guaranteed peace while he and Nym are the rulers of Dorne. What happens under the rule of his successors is definitely not under his control, regardless of wether he makes an alliance with Garrison or conquers the Fowler lands, so I gotta hand it to Desmor, he brought up the stronger argumentation here.
[Blackmail Lord Blackpool]
Hm, this is a hard choice and to be honest, I don't mind the other option winning as it most likely will, but I would like to make choices that keep Mors' campaign in the Fowler lands with as little a death toll as possible. This means I prefer convincing, threatening or blackmailing local lords to surrender over forcing them through violence. That way, maybe the peasants can be convinced that the Martell army is the better option to support, effectively forcing Garrison to surrender instead of risking the life of his family (especially Desmor) in a battle he is ultimately destined to lose. At the same time, in this particular case I can understand some strong arguments in favour of storming the castle, so I'm just going to pick this option without expecting it to win, as there's surely some solid reasons for storming the castle. Last thing I want is Mors' campaign being made harder and more desperate due to his own men being unhappy. We do know that unhappy soldiers are always the worst sort, so the more I think about it, the more I might even end up changing my vote, even if I don't think it will matter much in this particular situation.
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to… more offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “… [view original content]
Ah, I really liked the discussion between Mors and Desmor! And while I do somewhat sympathize with Nymeria's goal to unite Dorne, knowing that for every king like Vorian, there's one like Albin around, I must admit that Desmor's arguments gave me some food for thought. See, Mors declines the alliance because he does not believe that his children or Garrison's grandchildren can properly hold up any sort of peace they could arrange for right now. Then he says that he and Nym will rule fairly and justly and well, I believe they will. However, using his own argumentation against him, can the same apply to his children, or their children? Maybe Malcolm will be a better sovereign for the Kingdom of the Torrentine than Nymeria's daughter. Maybe the Fowler lands will be better as an independent kingdom in a hundred years from now. All in all, the unification of Dorne will serve some pretty noble goals, but Mors can only make any guaranteed peace while he and Nym are the rulers of Dorne. What happens under the rule of his successors is definitely not under his control, regardless of wether he makes an alliance with Garrison or conquers the Fowler lands, so I gotta hand it to Desmor, he brought up the stronger argumentation here.
Glad to hear you liked it! And yeah, like you point out here Mors' arguments definitely aren't completely spotless, even if there are a lot of benefits for Dorne being united under one ruler. While our knowledge about the Martell rulers between Nymeria's War and Aegon's Conquest is quite limited, it's a safe bet that not all of them were as capable as Nym and Mors. And an even better example to illustrate your point would be the Targaryen rulers following Aegon.
Ah, I really liked the discussion between Mors and Desmor! And while I do somewhat sympathize with Nymeria's goal to unite Dorne, knowing th… moreat for every king like Vorian, there's one like Albin around, I must admit that Desmor's arguments gave me some food for thought. See, Mors declines the alliance because he does not believe that his children or Garrison's grandchildren can properly hold up any sort of peace they could arrange for right now. Then he says that he and Nym will rule fairly and justly and well, I believe they will. However, using his own argumentation against him, can the same apply to his children, or their children? Maybe Malcolm will be a better sovereign for the Kingdom of the Torrentine than Nymeria's daughter. Maybe the Fowler lands will be better as an independent kingdom in a hundred years from now. All in all, the unification of Dorne will serve some pretty noble goals, but Mors can only make any guaranteed peace whil… [view original content]
The Desmor and Mors parlay was a conversation that I really wanted to see and it is safe to say it didn't disappoint! I have to agree with Liquid here in saying that Desmor won the argument as well. Mors is a very good man and would be a better leader than many of the Dornish Kings at the present time but even still, there is no denying there will eventually be some horrible rulers after Nymeria and Mors just the same as there have been horrible Dayne kings or honorable and just Manwoody kings. Mors pretty much knew he lost the argument as well which was pretty nice to see I definitely see Mors as being more practical and not as naive about their ideas for conquest as Nymeria at this point and it is going to be interesting to see how their views change moving forward. Desmond's conversation with Mors was also another favorite of mine too with him giving Mors more of the hard truth so to say and while his methods might not line up with Mors all of the time, it does look like Desmond could very well be an advisor that Mors will need on this campaign in the Fowler lands.
As far as the choice goes, I think I am going to go with having Mors [Blackmail Lord Blackpool] here. While I don't see this choice winning and I am fine with either option, I would like to have Mors' campaign to be at least somewhat peaceful until he has to show his strength against Garrison himself. While what the Blackpool's did was dishonorable to some extent , this is war and the Blackpools which can't have that many men I don't think have four thousand men at their doorstep starving them out. They don't want to give up yet and a straight up field battle isn't really an option so this big risk was probably the only way for them to try and make a dent in the Martell forces. Along with that, unleashing four thousand men on a castle befitting of a landed knight as said by Mors himself could lead to the death of many innocents so blackmailing Lord Blackpool may be the best way to end this conflict with minimal bloodshed but I don't think Mors would let things get too out of hand if they storm the castle either so I am fine with either choice really.
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to… more offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “… [view original content]
The Desmor and Mors parlay was a conversation that I really wanted to see and it is safe to say it didn't disappoint! I have to agree with Liquid here in saying that Desmor won the argument as well. Mors is a very good man and would be a better leader than many of the Dornish Kings at the present time but even still, there is no denying there will eventually be some horrible rulers after Nymeria and Mors just the same as there have been horrible Dayne kings or honorable and just Manwoody kings. Mors pretty much knew he lost the argument as well which was pretty nice to see I definitely see Mors as being more practical and not as naive about their ideas for conquest as Nymeria at this point and it is going to be interesting to see how their views change moving forward. Desmond's conversation with Mors was also another favorite of mine too with him giving Mors more of the hard truth so to say and while his methods might not line up with Mors all of the time, it does look like Desmond could very well be an advisor that Mors will need on this campaign in the Fowler lands.
Ah, I'm really glad that this scene seems to have been well-received, it was a conversation I had really looked forward to writing for a while And yeah, what you talk about here is really the biggest downfall of hereditary monarchy - eventually there will inevitably be a ruler who is simply not fit for the role. At best it is someone too weak and indecisive who can with some luck be "carried" by their family and advisers, but at worst it's a psychopathic monster like Albin who will absolutely fuck up everything. It's a hard thing to admit to yourself though, that your descendants may not all be good people, and Mors certainly believes that he can together with Nym raise their children to be good, as well as prepare them for the role of leadership. Anyway, when it came to this discussion Mors didn't really expect to be able to achieve much, outside of perhaps planting some thoughts to Desmor's mind As for Mors and Desmond, that's a dynamic I'm really excited to keep expanding upon as the storyline progresses, should be fun!
The Desmor and Mors parlay was a conversation that I really wanted to see and it is safe to say it didn't disappoint! I have to agree with L… moreiquid here in saying that Desmor won the argument as well. Mors is a very good man and would be a better leader than many of the Dornish Kings at the present time but even still, there is no denying there will eventually be some horrible rulers after Nymeria and Mors just the same as there have been horrible Dayne kings or honorable and just Manwoody kings. Mors pretty much knew he lost the argument as well which was pretty nice to see I definitely see Mors as being more practical and not as naive about their ideas for conquest as Nymeria at this point and it is going to be interesting to see how their views change moving forward. Desmond's conversation with Mors was also another favorite of mine too with him giving Mors more of the hard truth so to say and while his methods might not line up with Mors a… [view original content]
And Mors will give the order to storm the castle. It is definitely the less clean way to end this siege, but at least it should keep Albar and the troops happy.
Next up, we'll continue with Verro's storyline. Last time he arrived with Nesila to a small village in the northern parts of Manwoody kingdom, their mission to find the Free Ravens in order to establish an alliance between them and House Caron. At this village they were welcomed by an old man named Harry, who after making sure Verro and Nesila weren't the king's men made clear his dislike towards Albin. However, he was still curious about whom had sent them there, to which Nesila responded that no one had sent them and they were seeking join the fight against Albin for personal reasons. Harry still seemed a bit doubtful, and so Verro decided to back up Nesila's lie. And that is where we'll continue. The part should be ready tomorrow
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, that much is clear.”
“You’re right”, Nesila admitted calmly, leaning back on her chair. “That bastard of a Manwoody killed my brother, and I won’t stop before he has paid for it with his own life.”
“And what then?” Verro asked quietly. Nesila raised an eyebrow and glared at him. “What do you mean?” she asked sternly.
“I’m asking what you will do once you’ve avenged your brother?” He asked, calmly and clearly. “Will you continue to serve Lady Kortney, or will you return to Myr?”
“I don’t know”, Nesila muttered quietly, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t want to make plans, not before I’ve got done what I’ve set out to do here.” A tense silence followed her words, until Verro let out a sigh. “I didn’t know your brother, but from what you’ve told me about him, I don’t think he would’ve wanted you to waste your life looking back”, he said with a compassionate tone. “He’d want you to move on.”
“You’re right – you didn’t know my brother”, Nesila said coldly, avoiding eye contact with Verro. Before either of them could speak up again, the door was opened and Harry walked in. He sat down next to Verro and Nesila, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I sent my son Kevin to talk to the Free Ravens”, he said with a small sigh. “You said you wanted to meet ‘em, right?”
“Yes”, Nesila answered immediately. “How soon do you think we’ll get to meet them?”
“Well, Kevin should be back by tomorrow”, he answered calmly. “They may send someone with him to meet you, we’ll see. Nonetheless, it’s up to them if they trust you enough to let you in one of their hideouts.”
“And what will it take for us to win their trust?” Verro asked curiously, to which Harry shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. You’re the first outsiders I’ve met that want to join them, so far they’ve just been recruiting the locals”, he explained with a small smile on his face. “That said, they’re good people, and I’m sure they’ll recognize that you share their goals.”
“I hope they will”, Nesila muttered with quiet and serious words.
-
Verro and Nesila got up early in the following morning and helped Harry and his family with their chores throughout the chores. Finally, a few hours after noon Kevin returned, accompanied by a man clad in simple leather armor and a long black cloak. He was quite a handsome man, with dark hair and striking blue eyes, as well as a charming smirk stuck on his face. As the man dismounted his horse Verro noticed the shortsword hanging from his hip, as well as the two daggers strapped on his belt.
“You’re the ones looking for the Free Ravens, aye?” he asked with a cheerful and friendly tone as he approached them. “Indeed we are”, Nesila responded calmly, exchanging a cautious glance with Verro. “And you are?”
“The name is Bruce Hall, mylady”, the man answered with a theatrical bow, his lips forming a sharp smirk as he eyed Nesila with great interest. “Now then, perhaps we could have a discussion in private?” he said, gesturing towards Harry’s house.
“Sounds good”, Verro replied sternly, making Bruce shift his attention to him. “Alright then”, he said with a thin smile, and so they headed inside the house. Quietly they sat at opposite sides of the table, and for a moment Bruce just studied their faces with narrowed eyes, until finally speaking up. “The lad told me you’re here because King Albin killed someone from your family”, he stated with a relaxed tone, leaning back on his chair.
“That’s right, my brother died in Kingsgrave few years ago”, Nesila confirmed, and Bruce nodded to her words. “I can empathize with that, mylady”, he said with what sounded like a sincere tone. “However, I’m not a fool. You may be able to fool these villagers, but I’m not buying that you’re here just because of a personal vendetta. We know King Albin has made himself plenty of enemies, and we knew to expect that sooner or later one of them would reach out for us. So, which one is it?”
“Take us to your leader, and I’ll tell you”, Nesila said strictly, to which Bruce chuckled softly. “Unfortunately, that’s not possible”, he said with a deep sigh. “You see, our leader should be on the other end of this kingdom by now. I suppose I could take you to meet the man he left in charge here, but perhaps I can figure out who you’re working for by myself. Let’s see, Garrison Fowler is perhaps the one with most reason to seek our aid, but if you were his men you would’ve come from the south. You could be Blackmont’s men, though I doubt King Benedict cares enough to get involved with this conflict. That leaves us with Lord Caron.” Seeing the nervous expressions on the faces of Nesila and Verro, a mischievous smirk formed on Bruce’s face. “As far as I’ve understood Lord Trevas has marched to Riverlands with his king, but it was his daughter who was the cause of the conflict between Carons and Manwoodys in the first place, wasn’t it? My guess is you’re here by her command, which would also explain why you’re so secretive about it around these people. They have no love for their king, but many of them have also lost family members to Caron blades.”
“And I have lost a brother to Albin Manwoody”, Nesila hissed, clenching her fists and glaring Bruce. Bruce raised one of his hands in a calming manner, and spoke up again. “I understand that, it’s clear to see that your reasons for being here are personal, no matter who sent you. However, the Free Ravens are here to defend and give justice for the people who have been neglected and mistreated by their king – it is the support of these people that holds our operation together. You can probably see how an alliance with House Caron could risk that support.”
“You could at least let us speak with your leaders”, Verro responded calmly, glancing at Nesila whose eyes were filled with silent fury. “Perhaps they could find a solution to having this alliance without compromising the trust between yourself and the smallfolk.”
Bruce had a pensive expression on his face, as he considered his next words for a drawn out moment. “Fine, I will take you to our hideout nearby, where you can make your case to Ser Dantor”, he finally spoke nonchalantly. “However, before we go I want you to answer one question for me. Did you march with the Caron troops when they ravaged these lands?” As he asked that question, Bruce’s tone and demeanor turned more serious than at any point before in their discussion. With a subtle gulp Verro gave a hesitant glance at Nesila, wondering what should he answer, or if he should just let her do the talking.
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother… more was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, tha… [view original content]
From we have seen of Bruce, he isn't easily fooled with him already knowing where Verro and Nesila came from and I have a feeling he has good instincts in general. So the way I see it, he probably already figures they were involved in House Caron's raiding of the Manwoody lands and is testing them to see if they will tell him the truth or not. That could be a stretch but that does seem like like something he would do based off what I have seen with him here and with him clearly being a high ranking member of the Free Ravens, it is probably for the best for Verro and Nesila to not play any games with him.
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother… more was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, tha… [view original content]
I'm hesitant about this choice, but CM3434 makes a good arguement. Besides, the Free Ravens might not be as mad if they hear the truth from Verro and Nesila now than if they find out they were lying later. Besides this Bruce guy seems pretty observant. He might know if we lie to him. This is my choice for now, but I'm not completely sure of it. I might change my vote later.
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother… more was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, tha… [view original content]
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother… more was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, tha… [view original content]
I am sorry, for time reasons and the general hurry going on right now I can't give you much of a reasoning or a review of the part (which has been excellent though) this time, I hope you understand. Just wanted to get my vote in before it is closed, for the sake of not missing the vote at least. With a bit of luck, I can add my thoughts on the part and choice in over the course of the next three days, but if that does not work, I would like to comment on it after you closed the voting
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother… more was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, tha… [view original content]
And Verro will tell the truth about his and Nesila's involvement in the Caron campaign in the Manwoody lands. Technically it was another tie, but I will prioritize the vote of Verro's submitter here.
Next up will be Jamison's second part in Book 2. In his first part the Dayne prince was sailing to war to retake Clearhaven from the Martell forces. At the end of the part he had a chat with his uncle Garret Dayne who expressed his concern about the war ahead of them. He also asked Jamison which duty is more important for him, family or kingdom, and Jamison answered family. I had no access to my laptop yesterday, so I haven't made much progress on the part yet, but it should be done within a couple of days nonetheless
And lastly, here is a portrait of our newest addition to the cast, Bruce Hall:
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was waiting for them. As the thousands of troops began to make their landing, Jamison let his eyes marvel on the robust fleet of nineteen ships, most of them flying the colors of House Dayne. The only exceptions were the two ships of the sellsword company Bloodfangs – the war galley Long Fang and the smaller Blazing Sun – which were flying black flags with three red claw marks painted on them.
When Jamison finally disembarked the Starfire and made his way through the docks and to the gates of the town, he was approached by the leader of the sellswords – Khazor the Sarnori. “Prince Jamison, it is an honor to meet you again”, the foreigner spoke with an emotionless tone, giving him a small bow.
“Khazor the Sarnori”, Jamison responded nonchalantly. “I assume we can trust you to join us in taking back Clearhaven.”
“Yes, I will honor the contract, ser”, he responded sternly, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Jamison. “However, this is not the first time I go to war against the Martells, and the last time did not go well. I assume you know what you’re getting into?”
“Fear not, sellsword, the Daynes will succeed where the Drylands failed”, he responded with a carefree tone, walking past the sellsword without waiting for his response. Alester and Rickar following close behind him, they made their way to the lord’s mansion. There Lord Timeon was waiting for them together with Ser Aron and his squire Aidin Dayne, as well as bunch of other members of the Southpoint family whose names Jamison didn’t care to remember.
“Prince Jamison”, Lord Timeon greeted him with a deep bow, the people around him following his example. With an enthusiastic grin on his face the fat lord shook Jamison’s hand. “Come, we shall have a great feast tonight, for the glory of this kingdom!”
And so indeed as the sun began to set, a grandiose feast was held at the lord’s mansion. The mess hall of the mansion was quite small in comparison to that of Starfall, which meant that only a fraction of the army could take part, while the majority of the troops were left to find their own enjoyment elsewhere in the town.
Jamison sat at the high table right by Lord Timeon and his wife Lady Sharley, and next to her was their eldest son Tobian, who was a year older than Jamison. On Jamison’s left were also Lord Alester and Garret, but Rickar had to settle for the lower tables.
“Never thought I’d see this day”, Timeon said, shaking his head as he stuffed more roasted pork in his mouth, his moustache wobbling as he chewed on the meat. “Kingdom of Torrentine in war!” he exclaimed, and it was hard to tell whether it amused him or angered him.
“My father never wanted war”, Jamison stated calmly, to which the lord nodded in agreement. “I know”, he said with a sigh, gulping down some wine. “It’s that bloody foreign princess who is to blame here.”
“She is indeed, but she has bitten off more than she can chew by attacking Clearhaven”, Alester spoke confidently, which brought a grin on Timeon’s face. “Aye, the Martell bastards will soil their pants when they lay eyes on our mighty fleet.”
“You plan to sail with us, Lord Timeon?” Jamison asked with a subtle smirk, even if he already knew the answer. “Gods no, I’m too old and fat for war”, Timeon said with a chuckle. “My son will come though, he is going to captain the Honor of Southpoint together with my cousin Ser Marcyn and his bastard.”
“I’m sure they’ll bring honor to your family, mylord”, Garret said politely, to which Timeon chuckled. “Well, I guess there is a first time for everything.”
As the night progressed, Jamison and Alester made their way to the lower tables to drink together with Rickar. They found their Nightfall friend laughing and singing together with two drunken knights. One of them looked to be on his mid-twenties and dressed in the colors Southpoint, while the other one was Ser Orwen Wythmail.
As Jamison and Alester sat down next to them, all three of them quieted down, and the Southpoint knight looked downright awe-struck. “Prince Jamison”, he managed to mutter, standing up from his seat and bowing deeply. “My excuses, I didn’t expect I’d get the chance to talk to you directly”, he continued with a wide grin forming on his face. “My name is Nelsor Sand, bastard of Ser Marcyn of Southpoint. I’ve heard a lot about you, my prince.”
“What exactly have you heard?” Jamison asked with a mildly curious tone, and Nelsor looked at him with excitement before speaking up. “Like I said, I’ve heard a lot, but my favorite story about you is the one where you killed a dozen thugs alone in the streets of Godsgrace, and brought the head of their leader to Lord Allyrion.”
“It wasn’t quite a dozen, and Ser Laroy was there to help me”, Jamison said calmly, a small smirk on his face. “I did bring that bastard’s head to the Allyrions’ family dinner though”, he added, which made all of them laugh.
“Would’ve loved to have been there to see the looks on their faces”, Alester commented with a chuckle, to which Nelsor nodded enthusiastically. “I truly admire you, my prince. It’s an honor to sail to war with you”, he said, and Jamison gave him a nod. “Has your father trained you?” he asked calmly.
“Aye, I’m quite good with the sword, if I say so myself”, Nelsor said with a confident grin. Jamison gave him an intrigued look, which made his smile fade, replaced by a nervous expression. “Of course, I’d have no chance against you, if you’re nearly as good as I’ve heard.”
“He is”, Rickar confirmed with an unenthusiastic tone. “And you can stop sucking his cock already, he’s cocky enough as it is.”
“Now, now Rickar, I think the wine is making you a bit too mouthy”, Jamison commented with a humorous tone. “Piss off”, Rickar responded lazily.
“That’s not a way to speak to your prince, Nightfall”, Ser Orwen spoke up sternly, but Jamison gestured him to calm down. “It’s alright, ser. Rickar’s an old friend, he may speak to me as he pleases”, he said softly, pouring more wine for himself. Then, Nelsor Sand cleared his throat and spoke up again. “Like I said, my prince, I admire you”, he started nervously, taking a couple seconds before continuing. “Lord Timeon has commanded me to sail with his son and my father, but I was wondering if… If you’d let me sail with you on the Starfire?”
Jamison raised an eyebrow and chuckled, eyeing the Southpoint bastard with some amusement. He truly sees me as a hero. There was no doubt that Nelsor would be a loyal soldier, and having loyal men beside you in a battle was always a good thing. However, Jamison had to wonder if Nelsor’s praise would get tiresome over the journey.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire] [Command Nelsor to sail with his father]
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire] Maybe they can have a talk. Clearly they're preparing for war, but retaking the town will not be as easy as they make it sound.
Clearhaven is the perfect starting point to attack the Torrentine, and until the Qorgyles are submitted, the only way to cross the desert.
Ah, it is good to see Khazor again, I always had an odd liking to the guy. Remind me, was it already confirmed that he works for the Dayne's, or is this the first time in Book 2 his whereabouts are revealed? I also found it amusing that he seems well aware of the fact that he is once again fighting against the Martell's. Would be kinda hilarious if he ends up switching lieges as they are defeated over the course of the story, serving House Manwoody in Book 3 and House Yronwood in Book 4 and always ending up fighting against the Martell's XD
Also, about last part, I really dig Verro's storyline in this book so far. I mean, that is the case with almost all PoV's so far, I feel as amazing as their Book 1 storylines have been, the Book 2 stuff shows even greater potential, because in many cases you don't have to bother with build up anymore. We know perfectly well who Jamison is by now and how he would react in a given situation, where Verro's life has taken him to so far or what Nymeria's goals and reasons are and I think this means we're so close to the characters now that the storylines feel a lot more, well, thrilling, because I feel like much more is at stake in this book, for probably pretty much all of them. With Verro, I really like what we have seen of the Free Ravens so far. Bruce seems like a decent addition to the cast. Don't quite know what to make of him, but I enjoy him and well, I think if we get on his good side, he will make a fine ally for Verro.
Oh, before I forget it, I have to wonder about one thing: Is Kortney actually going to be a PoV in this book? I mean, she is at Nightsong right now and I feel like Verro is kind of taking over the PoV spot for the Caron side of things. Every PoV has gotten at least one and in some cases even two parts this chapter, but she is nowhere to be seen, so I wonder if this means she won't be a PoV for the foreseeable future.
Jamison
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s… more question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was wait… [view original content]
Jamison
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s… more question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was wait… [view original content]
Ah, it is good to see Khazor again, I always had an odd liking to the guy. Remind me, was it already confirmed that he works for the Dayne's, or is this the first time in Book 2 his whereabouts are revealed? I also found it amusing that he seems well aware of the fact that he is once again fighting against the Martell's. Would be kinda hilarious if he ends up switching lieges as they are defeated over the course of the story, serving House Manwoody in Book 3 and House Yronwood in Book 4 and always ending up fighting against the Martell's XD
Hehe, Khazor is indeed still around And I'm like 90% sure that it was mentioned either in Vorian's interlude part or in Isabella's part that Khazor is working with the Daynes. And yeah, he has seen the Martells being underestimated before, so this situation is giving him some uncomfortable flashbacks We'll have to see where he ends up by the end of this book, but it would indeed be pretty funny if he just kept getting beaten by the Martells.
Also, about last part, I really dig Verro's storyline in this book so far. I mean, that is the case with almost all PoV's so far, I feel as amazing as their Book 1 storylines have been, the Book 2 stuff shows even greater potential, because in many cases you don't have to bother with build up anymore. We know perfectly well who Jamison is by now and how he would react in a given situation, where Verro's life has taken him to so far or what Nymeria's goals and reasons are and I think this means we're so close to the characters now that the storylines feel a lot more, well, thrilling, because I feel like much more is at stake in this book, for probably pretty much all of them. With Verro, I really like what we have seen of the Free Ravens so far. Bruce seems like a decent addition to the cast. Don't quite know what to make of him, but I enjoy him and well, I think if we get on his good side, he will make a fine ally for Verro.
This is fantastic to hear! I was at some point quite uncertain where I'd take Verro's story in Book 2, but connecting him with the Free Ravens plot felt like a natural choice, and I've really enjoyed it so far. And that's absolutely right, having established most of the characters certainly makes it easier to concentrate on pushing the plot forward at a faster pace, without rushing it of course. Book 2 has a lot of twists and turns ahead, that much I can tell
Oh, before I forget it, I have to wonder about one thing: Is Kortney actually going to be a PoV in this book? I mean, she is at Nightsong right now and I feel like Verro is kind of taking over the PoV spot for the Caron side of things. Every PoV has gotten at least one and in some cases even two parts this chapter, but she is nowhere to be seen, so I wonder if this means she won't be a PoV for the foreseeable future.
Kortney won't be PoV in Chapter 1, that much I have decided for certain. However, I might bring her PoV status back in Chapter 2 or 3. Don't take this as a confirmation though, it's still under consideration. Oh, and you're wrong actually, there is still no part for Tomas Unlike Kortney though, he will make a comeback before Chapter 1 is over.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire]
Ah, it is good to see Khazor again, I always had an odd liking to the guy. Remind me, was it already confir… moremed that he works for the Dayne's, or is this the first time in Book 2 his whereabouts are revealed? I also found it amusing that he seems well aware of the fact that he is once again fighting against the Martell's. Would be kinda hilarious if he ends up switching lieges as they are defeated over the course of the story, serving House Manwoody in Book 3 and House Yronwood in Book 4 and always ending up fighting against the Martell's XD
Also, about last part, I really dig Verro's storyline in this book so far. I mean, that is the case with almost all PoV's so far, I feel as amazing as their Book 1 storylines have been, the Book 2 stuff shows even greater potential, because in many cases you don't have to bother with build up anymore. We know perfectly well who Jamison is by now and how he would react in… [view original content]
The Battle of Clearhaven is getting closer and closer and the hype is indeed real! It's always nice to see a Jamison part and it certainly did its' job in setting the stage for what's to come and I definitely look forward to seeing his storyline unfold. I also have to agree it was nice to see Khazor the Sarnori again and the worry that he has about facing the Martell's is certainly understandable and I have to agree and admit it would be pretty great if Khazor just kept joining up with the King that is opposing the Martell's at the time. I can already see a conversation between him and Yorick where Yorick or someone close to him would take the Martell's lightly and Khazor would basically just sigh and say not again But really though, hopefully the poor guy will be able to defeat the Martell's in a battle at some point I also really liked how Jamison just walked away not even him letting him finish his thoughts. That is kind of Jamison's thing and it always cracks me up whenever he does it since you could only imagine how much that annoys the person he walked away from. I also really liked Nelsor's account of Jamison's fight against Horidos and his thugs in Godsgrace and it really shows just how much stories can change over time and I wondered if word of Jamison's adventures in Godsgrace would spread and it is nice to see that they did!
When it comes to the choice, while Jamison will probably be somewhat annoyed by Nelsor overtime, I do believe Nelsor is who he says he is so I do believe he will be a loyal soldier and fight bravely for Jamison and the Kingdom of the Torrentine in general which is very important considering the battle that is awaiting them in Clearhaven and the war that is coming against the Martells in general.
Jamison
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s… more question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was wait… [view original content]
Jamison
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s… more question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was wait… [view original content]
Comments
Indeed, as the dialogue at the end by Sirai suggests, Myraalduin is indeed Valyrian. We'll be learning more about him and his reasons for disliking the Rhoynar in the coming parts
You make some interesting points, but I do feel like her family would consider her actions as a great betrayal. This could ruin her relationship with them. Plus, if she does do this and become the Lady of Blackmont this way, her family would consider her actions as being out of pure self interest and not a desire to protect the family or kingdom. Also, her actions of working with Nymeria would make them less inclined to listen to her regarding the danger of the Great Other worshippers. Not to mention, Gwendis, so far, does not even know that Valerie is alive. Unless I missed something or forgot, neither Gwendis nor any of her new Rhllor worshipping friends know this. Much less, that she is working in Kingsgrave. So, she has no reason to tell her of the great danger in Kingsgrave that needs to be crushed.
I should probably point out that even the "return to Blackmont" option doesn't just suddenly teleport Gwen there, she still has to 1.) sail to Dorne, and 2.) travel through Dorne to reach Blackmont. So, it could well take over half of Book 2 for her to make that journey. That said, of course choosing to return to Blackmont does most likely result Gwen making it there sooner than with the option of joining Nymeria.
Yeah, Gwendis winning the trust of Nymeria could definitely make it easier to prevent a full blown war between their houses later on. However, on the other hand it runs the risk of losing the trust of Benedict and Naemon, who could see it as a treasonous act. One thing is for sure though - siding with Nymeria would give Gwendis a pretty good shot at becoming the Lady of Blackmont one day.
The thing is, I really don't think she would betray her family with this choice, nor do I believe that Benedict and Naemon would see it that way. Nymeria currently has no connection to House Blackmont, they are easily the house she is the least involved with even if Benedict already includes her presence in his own plans. I don't think Gwendis would work for Nymeria in the way of helping her with the war, doing planning and stuff. She is not a tactician, her knowledge about actual warfare is pretty much nonexistant, so I highly doubt she'd ever be involved in that. As long as she isn't directly involved with the war, she would not betray her family and I cannot see Benedict and Naemon coming to such a conclusion, if they even learn about her stay at Nymeria's court at all before she actually returns home.
What I think she'd rather do is to help convince her to take Myraalduin's cause serious. After all, the real reason why the red priests want her to succeed is to stop the Great Other servants in Dorne and I believe that is something she has no reason to take serious unless someone who wins her trust manages to convince her of it. While Gwendis does not know about Valerie's survival, Kris knows for certain. If she is there to back up his claims about the danger this poses, if Nymeria has grown to trust her until then, it might very well change the way she is going to approach the coming war against Albin Manwoody. On top of that, while I think there might be other options, it could very well be the only way for her to actually become the Lady of Blackmont. If that's what it takes, then I want to take it and I really don't want to miss the opportunity for her to live up to her full potential. It might affect her relationship with her family in the short run, but I think in the long run, it will be for the best for them as well and they will probably end up realizing this if she manages to prevent a full scale war between the two factions. For this, however, she needs to make sure that Nymeria knows and trusts her.
I was about half asleep whenever I posted my choice last night.
However, I am awake now and you have posted your choices and reasoning so I'll explain my reasoning behind it a bit more now. It seems like with Gwendis nearly more than anyone else in the story, we have walked on quite the tightrope with her choices having her make some very rash decisions such as deciding to go with Aisha in the first place and then pretty much rejecting the Great Other's influence at every turn once with she went with her. Obviously her name gave her a bit more leeway than it would a commoner who decided to make those same choices like poor Trentan for example but even still, I don't feel like we can keep making these choices that go against her family in a way and not expect some kind of repercussions from it at some point. Now I'm not saying that going with Myraalduin to help Nymeria will lead to her death or anything like that but I do believe that Gwendis going to help the one person who is trying to eliminate her father's crown from him could very well be seen as betrayal from their perspective. So I guess what I am saying here is that this choice could very well be the choice that determines Gwendis' future legacy as Lady of Blackmont which she will become if she survives the story and that is will she be the lady that has earned what is rightfully hers with her absolute loyalty to her family and house or will Gwendis be seen as someone placed into power by Nymeria as little more than her figurehead? Obviously I could be absolutely wrong on all of this and you have made some very good points which might lead me to change my choice but I just wanted to elaborate more on why I chose what I did and see what your thoughts on it are so it can help my decision.
As far as having Gwendis get married off, I do feel like a Yronwood alliance could very well be on the table eventually with both Trevyr and Jaena being unmarried as far as I know but after their conversation last time, I don't think Gwendis would be in as much danger of being married off as Naemon would be. If Yorick would agree to that of course.
Edit: My bad, the reply that you made to Tales just showed up on my feed and it pretty much covers what I was talking about!
Oh, I will gladly explain myself further here, because the more I think about it, the more I know that this is the route I urgently want for Gwen. Her returning to Blackmont already could be nice and all, but I have waited for that return so long, I can surely wait for a little bit longer. We had to be careful with our choices so far and we have to be careful now. I think the careful option will be to go and meet Nymeria. By doing so, I absolutely don't think she will go against her family. I know you are not on board with Nymeria's whole war and stuff, but think about it, what move is Gwendis actually doing that'll harm her family? She cannot do anything to support Nym in her war, she doesn't command any armies, she doesn't have an ounce of experience in warfare. Her support will be against the Great Other. In return, I feel like being close to Myraalduin and Desirea can be a good protection for Gwen as well, because they can protect her from Valerie's wrath in a way Benedict's petty sorcerers definitely can't. At worst, these sorcerers might even welcome her dying at the hands of Valerie. I surely doubt someone such as Noctis would offer proper support as opposed to Myraalduin. The big question is always how she is going to help Nymeria and I cannot see her helping in any way that would harm her family, nor can I see Nym ever asking such a thing of her, nor can Gwen offer such help even if she would. As such, there will be no betrayal of her family. In fact, her having these connections to Nymeria can prevent bloodshed, if she manages to negotiate between her father and Nym. By going straight to Blackmont, she will earn nothing but an earlier reunion with her family. By taking a detour through Nymeria's lands, she gets the opportunity to gain an invaluable connection to the future ruler of all Dorne, something she simply would miss if she goes to Blackmont right away. The possible benefits of such a connection can only be guessed at this point, but I believe they will make things massively easier for her in the future. See, you say that by winning Nymeria's trust, she could eventually end up as being seen as little more than a figurehead if she gets placed in power, but that is something I really don't understand. Nymeria is the one who will defeat House Blackmont, either through a bloody war (that can very well claim the life of Gwen and/or Naemon) or potentially through diplomacy if she has the connection to the house. After that, she will decide who is going to rule Blackmont. The future ruler of the Blackmont lands will be placed in power by her, just as the future ruler of the Dayne lands, the Yronwood lands or the Manwoody lands. She placed Harrion Uller in charge of the Dryland lands, she placed Esperence in charge of Godsgrace and their rule seems to be just fine and stable, with no one calling them Nymeria's puppet. It is unlikely any of the lords to come will be seen as a figurehead and puppet of Nymeria just because she allowed them to rule, so why should things be different for Gwen? In fact, wouldn't the people love her for potentially managing to avoid having the kingdom be dragged into another war? Wouldn't they praise and support her for giving them a connection to the ruler of all Dorne? That is no betrayal and as long as she doesn't directly make a move against her family (which the mere choice of going to visit Nymeria does in no way imply), I cannot possibly see Naemon and Benedict coming to any other conclusion. They might be a bit irritated at first, but they will come around. Now, I don't think that not going to meet Nymeria will make it completely impossible for her to become Lady of Blackmont, but it will definitely make things harder. That is, if she even survives at all and I really think that missing out on the connection, support and protection a friendship with Nymeria can offer will severely harm her chances of surviving whatever Valerie has in mind for her. The more I think about it, the more I am really convinced that this is a terrible choice that'll cause her to miss out on something that will be good for her and ultimately good for her family.
Here is the thing, I feel an Yronwood alliance is bound to happen at some point in Book 2, given that Blackmont will briefly support House Yronwood during that phase of the war and Yorick seems like a man who wants to have vassal kingdoms rather than defeating them in open war and taking their crowns and titles, as Nymeria does it. As such, I suppose he favour a marriage alliance more than defeating House Blackmont in a war, knowing the real enemy is growing only stronger through this. In fact, I believe Yorick will seek to lay the foundations of such an alliance as soon as possible and if it happens, I believe it will happen during Book 2. And if Gwen has returned to Blackmont by then, I fear she will be the logical option. After all she has been through, that would be the worst fate, being married off to Trevyr Yronwood. This is a big reason why I want to further postpone her return to Blackmont until the end of Book 2. You say it might not be all that likely and I am inclined to agree, but still, the mere thought makes me panic. As such, let us please not risk it. This and the whole safety thing, because at this very moment, I do not think she will be entirely safe in Blackmont. Who knows what danger Benedict has summoned to his castle by using the glass candle, I'd very much prefer for them to deal with that first before Gwendis makes her return.
So, let us go and meet Nymeria, see what Gwen would have to do for her, see what she can get in return and then we might still be able to leave. Gwendis is not a slave of the church of R'hllor. Just because she goes and visits Nymeria here does not mean she has to support anything that woman is going to do. If she ever feels like staying by Nym's side will harm her family, I am pretty certain there will be another choice to leave and you can bet I will take it, but as it is right now, it hasn't been implied at all that going with Myraalduin means she has to help Nymeria with dethroning her own father. If it ever even leads to that at all, there has to be tons of build up for that first before Gwen would even consider it and I don't think this choice alone will decide if she betrays her family, or if they see her actions as a betrayal. Just going and meeting Nymeria is nothing treacherous on its own. It's still rather innocent, a mere meeting, and on top of me desperately wanting a Gwen/Nymeria meeting even more than I want a Blackmont reunion at this very point, this could lay the foundations of her future success. Please let us not miss out on this opportunity.
First off, I will go ahead and say that after what you've said along with rereading the part and debating on it a bit more, I am going to change my vote. Besides that, you have helped me out with choices involving characters of mine on more than one occasion so it is only fair that I do the same for you. However, I will try and explain my thought process behind why I originally seen it as a solid choice for Gwendis. To answer your question about what harm Gwendis would be causing her family by meeting with Nymeria, Gwendis visiting Nymeria by itself causes little to no harm. However it certainly doesn't look the best if or when Benedict and Naemon find out about Gwendis' meeting with the one person looking to take away their family's legacy. The whole reason that Myraalduin is even going to Dorne is to do his part in making sure that Nymeria wins her war and conquers Dorne which does make her somewhat guilty by association if Gwen's goal is for her family to remain in power. By that logic, whatever happens to Nymeria should really be of no concern to Gwendis with Nymeria's death actually being something that would be beneficial for the Kingdom of Blackmont. With that said, Nymeria is a very real threat to Blackmont now and she certainly isn't going to die so it is definitely in Gwen's best interest to befriend her. Along with that I can admit that I forgot about Valerie when I made my choice initially. Gwendis has had time to recover from her previous experience, but returning to Blackmont without some serious protection could be very problematic for her at this stage. And while I don't know how much if any Nymeria and Gwendis will talk about Nymeria's forthcoming war against Gwen's family, it wouldn't hurt for Gwendis to at least try and negotiate because Nymeria's armies would destroy the Blackmont armies with the numbers gap being far too much for them to overcome. To tell you the truth, I wanted to try to get Gwendis away from the GO vs R'hllor storyline just because of how dangerous it is for her but after thinking about it, I am not sure Gwendis can get out of it until it is resolved considering she is the main PoV for it so it probably is for the best for Gwendis to go and visit Nymeria where she would have some backing first.
In regards to Gwendis being a figurehead by helping Nymeria, I will try to explain those comments a bit better because I didn't really explain it previously. I see the situation being different with the people that Nymeria has chosen to rule over certain lands previously. The people of Godsgrace or at least the ones that could make a difference preferred Esperence anyway with how easily Nymeria was able to take Godsgrace from Morgan and with how Esperence was able to gain the power she did right under her father's nose, Morgan didn't have a very strong hold over his city or his people. So Nymeria picking the seemingly preferred choice who already supported her was an easy choice for Nymeria to have a loyal vassal in House Allyrion. In regards to the Uller's taking over the Dryland lands, most of Lucifer's supporters died at the battle of Godsgrace bridge and the Uller's were said to be popular anyway with them being considered next in line to be the Kings of the Brimstone if something happened to Lucifer at least from Vorian's perspective anyway. Nymeria's choice in leaders is actually only going to be tested now that she is fighting enemies who seemingly don't have anyone willing to come to her side without serious resistance. After thinking about it though, I'm not even sure this really applies to the Blackmont's as much as it does the Dayne's, Yronwood's and maybe the Fowler's whose people are very loyal to their kings. The people of Blackmont would probably welcome Benedict not being in power with Naemon likely being the more popular choice but with that said, I don't think the Blackmont people would be opposed to Gwendis ruling as long as she kept their lands at peace and she treated the people well which she would definitely do.
I agree with this. I don't believe Yorick has the power to go out and conquer most of the other kingdoms in open war. They don't have the numbers and the hatred of the Yronwoods by other kingdoms probably equals their hatred for Nymeria if it isn't more in some cases. Alliances through marriage is the next best thing for Yorick which is why I feel a Naemon and Jaena Yronwood marriage is very likely considering Naemon is the heir to Blackmont and by marrying off his daughter to the Blackmont's, it would show Yorick is very serious about this alliance. I do see your worry with Gwendis being married off but I honestly don't believe Benedict would try that again after what happened the last time he tried to force Gwendis into a marriage. The biggest thing for me though which you also brought up and that is Gwendis' safety. I completely forgot about Valerie when casting my vote and with Valerie basically ruling Kingsgrave right now, Gwendis should take her time before getting anywhere near her. I am going to change my vote and while I am still not quite sure where this path will take Gwendis, I think it is worth giving a shot
[Return to Blackmont]
It has taken me far too long to actually read all of this. Far too long.
I gotta say, Dorne always was my least favourite kingdom, but this story have really made the place more interesting to me. Cannot wait to see more of it!
That said, I think I'll go for [Return to Blackmont].
EDIT: After reading through Liquid's arguments for the other choice, I have decided to change my vote! [Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
[Join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria]
Hey, welcome aboard, it's always nice to have new readers!
Feel free to submit characters as well if you feel like it.
And yeah, Dorne was never really my favorite either (mostly cause its canon lore is a tad thin compared to some other kingdoms), but the history of Rhoynar migration always fascinated me, which of course led me to writing this fanfic. And I must also say, while writing this story my liking for Dorne has definitely increased a lot
Voting is closed!
Well, this was quite an interesting voting, with a lot of great discussion from you guys and a couple of changed votes. So, in the end, Gwendis shall join Myraalduin in helping Nymeria. I am personally impartial here, as I think both of these options offer some great opportunities in terms of Gwen's future in this story.
Next up, we'll be returning to Prince Mors' storyline in the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. Last time we saw him he was leading a four-thousand strong Martell force to lay siege on the Blackpool Keep. In the war council Desmond Uller encouraged Mors to storm the castle to take it quickly and establish a solid foothold on the Fowler lands. However, Ser Albar Ladybright on the other hand suggested simply waiting for the Blackpools to surrender, so as to give a less violent first impression to these people they seek to rule over in the future. Mors sided with Albar. I've made good progress on the part, and it should be ready by tomorrow!
Lastly, here is a portrait of one of the new characters introduced in Gwen's part, Myraalduin;
Phew, I am relieved
Not that I doubt there would have been one hell of an exciting story for Gwen in Blackmont, but because I really think if we make the right decisions going forward, Nymeria's route could be all the more rewarding in the long run. That and the fact that her meeting all these cool people at Nym's court will be super exciting and probably more thrilling than having the same people around she already knows from the very first chapter at Blackmont. I do see potential, aye, even if I have to wonder what sort of storyline she would have had at Blackmont. No doubt some parts of it can be glimpsed from Naemon's viewpoint, maybe enough to give me an idea, but I just realized how fundamentally different her Book 2 storyline could have probably been. Guess it's the Book 1 situation all over again from a technical standpoint, with the Skyreach and Aisha storylines being replaced by the Blackmont and Nymeria storylines 
Though I don't have as bad a feeling with the Nymeria storyline than I had with the Aisha storyline, naturally, nor am I that much against the Blackmont storyline as I was against the Skyreach storyline. Though expect me to ask questions by the end of the chapter and probably going forward, how things could have developed over at Blackmont.
Mors
It had been almost a week since the Martell forces began their siege on the Blackpool Keep. Three times Prince Mors had attempted to offer parlay for Lord Blackpool, but no answer had come. It was another calm and sunny afternoon and Mors stood quietly by his tent, watching as his squire Cason Bloodspill was sparring with Ser Albar Ladybright.
Cason charged against Albar with a roar, and with a smirk on his face the Ladybright knight parried the strike and pushed the boy to the dust bottom first. “You’re aggressive, lad”, Albar said calmly, offering his hand to help Cason back up. “But you should remember that aggression alone does not win a fight. You must be patient, keep your sword between yourself and the enemy, and never overcommit.”
“Your Grace”, Mors heard the voice of Desmond Uller behind him, which made him turn around. “Afternoon, ser”, the Prince responded with a friendly tone, and Desmond gave him a respectful nod. “Just wanted to inform you that we just delivered another message to the Blackpools”, he said with a sigh. “We told them we are prepared to take over the castle by force and are only waiting for their answer out of mercy, like you asked.”
“Good”, Mors said with a satisfied smile, though the expression on Desmond’s face was something closer to frustration. “My prince, the Blackpool lord must know he can’t withstand a long siege, and he knows he has even less of a chance to defeat us in battle. Yet he is refusing to surrender.”
“It means he is a loyal man”, Mors said sharply, turning to look at Cason and Albar again. “Now he is loyal to King Garrison, but perhaps one day he could be just as loyal to the Principality, if we prove ourselves worthy. If the castle must be taken by force then we shall do it, but before that it must be made abundantly clear that it is not the method we prefer.”
“It’s a hard road you’ve chosen, Your Grace”, Desmond said quietly, a touch of skepticism in his words. “Trying to win their love, whilst at the same time conquering their homes. Most men find little solace from the kind nature of the man that bends them down – they’re getting fucked in the ass nonetheless.”
“But we are not here to do that, are we, Desmond?” Mors quickly responded, this time his tone stricter. For a moment Desmond remained silent, until taking in a deep breath and speaking up once more. “I understand your vision, my prince, and I respect it. All I’m saying is that you are going to have a hard time to convincingly wear both the face of a conqueror and the face of a savior. People here are loyal to their king, and Garrison will never acknowledge you as anything other than a threat to his legacy.”
Mors nodded calmly to Desmond’s words, and he even had to admit there was some truth to them. In the case of King Garrison himself, he would have to demonstrate his force, show that he was the stronger one out of the two. However, when it came to Garrison’s vassals, Mors still saw it as paramount to give them a good impression of the Martell rule.
“Your Grace!”, an Uller soldier approaching them on horseback yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the near proximity. He was one of the scouts, no doubt. “A small Fowler envoy has approached us, no more than a dozen men. The one leading them is Prince Desmor Fowler, and they are riding under a white banner.”
“They want to parlay?” Mors asked curiously, and the scout nodded. “Prince Desmor suggested a meeting at a hill about five-hundred yards from the camp”, he explained, pointing towards northwest from the siege camp.
“Return to Prince Desmor and inform him that we shall meet him before the sundown”, Mors responded confidently. “Yes, Your Grace”, the scout said with a dutiful bow, before galloping away.
“Looks like the King has sent his son to parlay with us”, Albar stated, crossing his arms in a confident manner. “I figure that means he is at least willing to negotiate.”
“Or he is trying to buy time”, Desmond weighed in sternly. “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough”, Mors said with a sigh. “Desmond and Albar, both of you choose five men from your ranks and get ready, I’ll fetch Ser Lothar.”
“Can I come as well?” Cason asked eagerly, and Mors looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Your Grace”, the boy added with a hasty bow, to which the Prince chuckled softly. “Sure, it’ll be another valuable lesson for you”, he said, tapping Cason lightly on the shoulder as he walked past him.
-
The sun was nearing the mountains in the west as Mors rode with his entourage of fourteen men towards the hill where Desmor Fowler was waiting with his dozen men. One of the soldiers was flying a silver banner with the blue hawk of House Fowler on it, while another one was flying a plain white banner to signify their peaceful intentions.
Mors and his companions halted a couple dozen feet away from the Fowlers, and for a moment the two parties simply studied each other with their looks, until finally Prince Desmor spoke up. “I take it you are Prince Mors Martell?” He asked tensely, and Mors nodded. “Indeed”, he said calmly, keeping a polite smile on his face. “I am here to further the objective of the Principality of Dorne to unite all of Dorne under one banner, to ensure its future as a sovereign kingdom.”
“A complicated way to say that you are here to conquer”, Desmor commented dryly, to which Mors chuckled softly. “Perhaps, but I want you to understand that our goal is not to destroy anything”, he replied calmly. “Divided and alone the petty kingdoms of Dorne are weak, but together we could be strong.”
“You may find out that the kingdoms of the Red Mountains aren’t quite as divided as you think”, Desmor responded sharply, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Mors. “The Daynes and Blackmonts are our allies, and together we shall resist your conquest. However, I do agree that we wouldn’t have to be enemies.”
“Is that so?” Mors asked with a genuinely intrigued tone, and Desmor nodded. “Aye”, he said sternly, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “My father would be willing to discuss about an alliance against Houses Manwoody and Yronwood. He gets to keep his crown and title, held by our family for thousands of years, and in turn he will commit troops to aid in your war against King Yorick and King Albin.”
Mors smirked, turning down his gaze for a moment. He was glad to see the seeds for future cooperation were already there, but he could not agree to these terms. “Unfortunately, I must decline”, he said with an almost regretful tone, looking the Fowler prince to the eyes. “I don’t do so out of any distrust towards your father, I have no reason to doubt he would make a fine ally against the Manwoodys and the Yronwoods. However, if I agree to these terms now, who’s to say how the situation will have changed when my children rule the Principality, and Garrison’s grandchildren rule Skyreach. No alliance made between two sovereign kingdoms can last through the generations, that much I’ve learned from history. Which is why a more permanent solution is needed to truly unite Dorne. The petty kings of this land must lay down their crowns, not because they don’t deserve them, but because those crowns cause unnecessary strife between families who according to all common sense should stand together as brothers.”
“And you and your wife would be the first among equals, aye?” Desmor asked with a cynical tone, and Mors let out a small sigh. “We would rule, fairly and justly”, he responded calmly, and his words were followed by a tense moment of silence. “I will relay your words to my father”, Prince Desmor finally said with an emotionless tone, before turning around and riding away, his entourage quickly following after him.
“So, did it go well?” Cason asked with some confusion in his words as the Fowlers rode into the distance. “About as well as we could expect”, Mors responded with a small sigh. “They won’t submit without a fight, but I still believe that one day House Fowler will be a valuable ally for us.”
-
It took a while for Mors to fall asleep that evening, many thoughts and concerns keeping him awake. Are we strong enough to defeat Garrison and his allies? Should we have already taken the Blackpool Keep? How is Valor’s campaign progressing on the southern coast?
When he finally did fall asleep, only moments later he was woken up by distant screams and the alarm bells being rang across the camp. Quickly he got up on his feet and dressed up, storming out of his tent. “Your Grace, stay by my side”, Ser Lothar Hill immediately told him, his sword drawn. “There has been an attack on the eastern side of the camp.”
“The Blackpools?” Mors asked with a subtle gulp, and Lothar nodded. “A desperate move on their end”, he commented sternly. “The situation should be under control soon enough.”
For several minutes they stood there in middle of the dark camp, troops running past them with torches towards the place where the attack had happened. And finally, a group of Ladybright soldiers led by Ser Albar himself approach the Prince, dragging with them a badly beaten young man clad in chainmail and wearing the colors of House Blackpool. The soldiers threw the unarmed man at Mors’ feet, and Albar gave him a kick on the ribs. “Twenty Blackpool soldiers sneaked into the camp from the east, and this is the man who led the attack”, he spoke with anger oozing from his words. “Ser Harris Blackpool, the younger brother of Lord Addam Blackpool.”
“Is that correct?” Mors asked from the young man. “Aye”, he muttered in response, spitting blood at Mors’ boots. “Long live King Garrison!” he shouted, and Albar kicked him again.
“Take him away”, Mors commanded sternly. “Someone should see to his wounds. And make sure there is at least two armed men keeping an eye on him at every moment.”
“Yes, Your Grace”, one of the soldiers muttered, and with his fellow troops began to carry the Blackpool knight away. Mors let out a sigh, and before he could say anything Ser Albar spoke up. “They killed two dozen of our men, murdered them in their sleep like bloody cowards. This demands an answer!” the Ladybright knight roared with the kind of fury Mors had rarely seen from him. “I say we storm the castle at the first light of the morning, these bastards don’t deserve any more of our mercy!”
“Calm down, Ladybright”, spoke Desmond Uller, who had so far observed the situation from the sidelines. “If you ask me, this is the first time since we begun this siege that storming the castle is no longer necessary. They acted in desperation, showing us that they are running out of options, and now we have the lord’s brother in our custody. I say, when the dawn breaks we’ll present Ser Harris to his older brother on the gallows with a noose on his neck, and kindly ask him to surrender.”
“Fuck that”, Albar hissed, shaking his head furiously. “My men want answers for what happened tonight, and a fucking surrender won’t cut it.” With these words, he turned towards Mors again. “My prince, please, let us have this fight.”
[Storm the castle] [Blackmail Lord Blackpool]
[Storm the castle]
[Storm the castle]
I think blackmailing would be a good idea, but after what just happened; I think his men need this fight. If they don't get it, they may not feel as loyal because they will think that he let this attack happen without any real consequences, for the other side.
[Storm the castle]
[Storm the castle] A harsh decision, but if House Blackpool is indeed desperate then the fight could be short. And not allowing the men to avenge their comrades could be bad for moral.
Mors' words speak the truth, having too many kings on one continent only brings strife between families. Something their descendants will learn the hard way.
Ah, I really liked the discussion between Mors and Desmor! And while I do somewhat sympathize with Nymeria's goal to unite Dorne, knowing that for every king like Vorian, there's one like Albin around, I must admit that Desmor's arguments gave me some food for thought. See, Mors declines the alliance because he does not believe that his children or Garrison's grandchildren can properly hold up any sort of peace they could arrange for right now. Then he says that he and Nym will rule fairly and justly and well, I believe they will. However, using his own argumentation against him, can the same apply to his children, or their children? Maybe Malcolm will be a better sovereign for the Kingdom of the Torrentine than Nymeria's daughter. Maybe the Fowler lands will be better as an independent kingdom in a hundred years from now. All in all, the unification of Dorne will serve some pretty noble goals, but Mors can only make any guaranteed peace while he and Nym are the rulers of Dorne. What happens under the rule of his successors is definitely not under his control, regardless of wether he makes an alliance with Garrison or conquers the Fowler lands, so I gotta hand it to Desmor, he brought up the stronger argumentation here.
[Blackmail Lord Blackpool]
Hm, this is a hard choice and to be honest, I don't mind the other option winning as it most likely will, but I would like to make choices that keep Mors' campaign in the Fowler lands with as little a death toll as possible. This means I prefer convincing, threatening or blackmailing local lords to surrender over forcing them through violence. That way, maybe the peasants can be convinced that the Martell army is the better option to support, effectively forcing Garrison to surrender instead of risking the life of his family (especially Desmor) in a battle he is ultimately destined to lose. At the same time, in this particular case I can understand some strong arguments in favour of storming the castle, so I'm just going to pick this option without expecting it to win, as there's surely some solid reasons for storming the castle. Last thing I want is Mors' campaign being made harder and more desperate due to his own men being unhappy. We do know that unhappy soldiers are always the worst sort, so the more I think about it, the more I might even end up changing my vote, even if I don't think it will matter much in this particular situation.
Glad to hear you liked it!
And yeah, like you point out here Mors' arguments definitely aren't completely spotless, even if there are a lot of benefits for Dorne being united under one ruler. While our knowledge about the Martell rulers between Nymeria's War and Aegon's Conquest is quite limited, it's a safe bet that not all of them were as capable as Nym and Mors. And an even better example to illustrate your point would be the Targaryen rulers following Aegon.
The Desmor and Mors parlay was a conversation that I really wanted to see and it is safe to say it didn't disappoint! I have to agree with Liquid here in saying that Desmor won the argument as well. Mors is a very good man and would be a better leader than many of the Dornish Kings at the present time but even still, there is no denying there will eventually be some horrible rulers after Nymeria and Mors just the same as there have been horrible Dayne kings or honorable and just Manwoody kings. Mors pretty much knew he lost the argument as well which was pretty nice to see
I definitely see Mors as being more practical and not as naive about their ideas for conquest as Nymeria at this point and it is going to be interesting to see how their views change moving forward. Desmond's conversation with Mors was also another favorite of mine too with him giving Mors more of the hard truth so to say and while his methods might not line up with Mors all of the time, it does look like Desmond could very well be an advisor that Mors will need on this campaign in the Fowler lands.
As far as the choice goes, I think I am going to go with having Mors [Blackmail Lord Blackpool] here. While I don't see this choice winning and I am fine with either option, I would like to have Mors' campaign to be at least somewhat peaceful until he has to show his strength against Garrison himself. While what the Blackpool's did was dishonorable to some extent , this is war and the Blackpools which can't have that many men I don't think have four thousand men at their doorstep starving them out. They don't want to give up yet and a straight up field battle isn't really an option so this big risk was probably the only way for them to try and make a dent in the Martell forces. Along with that, unleashing four thousand men on a castle befitting of a landed knight as said by Mors himself could lead to the death of many innocents so blackmailing Lord Blackpool may be the best way to end this conflict with minimal bloodshed but I don't think Mors would let things get too out of hand if they storm the castle either so I am fine with either choice really.
Ah, I'm really glad that this scene seems to have been well-received, it was a conversation I had really looked forward to writing for a while
And yeah, what you talk about here is really the biggest downfall of hereditary monarchy - eventually there will inevitably be a ruler who is simply not fit for the role. At best it is someone too weak and indecisive who can with some luck be "carried" by their family and advisers, but at worst it's a psychopathic monster like Albin who will absolutely fuck up everything. It's a hard thing to admit to yourself though, that your descendants may not all be good people, and Mors certainly believes that he can together with Nym raise their children to be good, as well as prepare them for the role of leadership. Anyway, when it came to this discussion Mors didn't really expect to be able to achieve much, outside of perhaps planting some thoughts to Desmor's mind 
As for Mors and Desmond, that's a dynamic I'm really excited to keep expanding upon as the storyline progresses, should be fun! 
Voting is closed!
And Mors will give the order to storm the castle. It is definitely the less clean way to end this siege, but at least it should keep Albar and the troops happy.
Next up, we'll continue with Verro's storyline. Last time he arrived with Nesila to a small village in the northern parts of Manwoody kingdom, their mission to find the Free Ravens in order to establish an alliance between them and House Caron. At this village they were welcomed by an old man named Harry, who after making sure Verro and Nesila weren't the king's men made clear his dislike towards Albin. However, he was still curious about whom had sent them there, to which Nesila responded that no one had sent them and they were seeking join the fight against Albin for personal reasons. Harry still seemed a bit doubtful, and so Verro decided to back up Nesila's lie. And that is where we'll continue. The part should be ready tomorrow
And lastly, here is a portrait of Desmond Uller:
Verro
”She speaks the truth”, Verro said confidently, giving a short glance at Nesila before turning his eyes back to Harry. “Her brother was killed by King Albin’s men. We seek to avenge him”, Verro continued, and now the old man’s expression mellowed.
“I’m… very sorry to hear that”, Harry said with a gulp, giving a respectful nod to Nesila. “You may sleep in my house, the first room upstairs is free. Used to belong to my second son, but he died in the war. Go inside now, I’ll take care of your horses.”
Nesila and Verro made it inside the man’s house, carried their luggage up the stairs and into the free room, and then came back down the stairs and sat by the dining table. “You did well”, Nesila said quietly as they sat down, glancing towards the door to make sure Harry wasn’t there yet. “Well, it’s not like it was a complete lie either”, Verro replied with a small sigh. “You’re not doing this out of any duty towards the Carons, that much is clear.”
“You’re right”, Nesila admitted calmly, leaning back on her chair. “That bastard of a Manwoody killed my brother, and I won’t stop before he has paid for it with his own life.”
“And what then?” Verro asked quietly. Nesila raised an eyebrow and glared at him. “What do you mean?” she asked sternly.
“I’m asking what you will do once you’ve avenged your brother?” He asked, calmly and clearly. “Will you continue to serve Lady Kortney, or will you return to Myr?”
“I don’t know”, Nesila muttered quietly, clearly uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t want to make plans, not before I’ve got done what I’ve set out to do here.” A tense silence followed her words, until Verro let out a sigh. “I didn’t know your brother, but from what you’ve told me about him, I don’t think he would’ve wanted you to waste your life looking back”, he said with a compassionate tone. “He’d want you to move on.”
“You’re right – you didn’t know my brother”, Nesila said coldly, avoiding eye contact with Verro. Before either of them could speak up again, the door was opened and Harry walked in. He sat down next to Verro and Nesila, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I sent my son Kevin to talk to the Free Ravens”, he said with a small sigh. “You said you wanted to meet ‘em, right?”
“Yes”, Nesila answered immediately. “How soon do you think we’ll get to meet them?”
“Well, Kevin should be back by tomorrow”, he answered calmly. “They may send someone with him to meet you, we’ll see. Nonetheless, it’s up to them if they trust you enough to let you in one of their hideouts.”
“And what will it take for us to win their trust?” Verro asked curiously, to which Harry shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. You’re the first outsiders I’ve met that want to join them, so far they’ve just been recruiting the locals”, he explained with a small smile on his face. “That said, they’re good people, and I’m sure they’ll recognize that you share their goals.”
“I hope they will”, Nesila muttered with quiet and serious words.
-
Verro and Nesila got up early in the following morning and helped Harry and his family with their chores throughout the chores. Finally, a few hours after noon Kevin returned, accompanied by a man clad in simple leather armor and a long black cloak. He was quite a handsome man, with dark hair and striking blue eyes, as well as a charming smirk stuck on his face. As the man dismounted his horse Verro noticed the shortsword hanging from his hip, as well as the two daggers strapped on his belt.
“You’re the ones looking for the Free Ravens, aye?” he asked with a cheerful and friendly tone as he approached them. “Indeed we are”, Nesila responded calmly, exchanging a cautious glance with Verro. “And you are?”
“The name is Bruce Hall, mylady”, the man answered with a theatrical bow, his lips forming a sharp smirk as he eyed Nesila with great interest. “Now then, perhaps we could have a discussion in private?” he said, gesturing towards Harry’s house.
“Sounds good”, Verro replied sternly, making Bruce shift his attention to him. “Alright then”, he said with a thin smile, and so they headed inside the house. Quietly they sat at opposite sides of the table, and for a moment Bruce just studied their faces with narrowed eyes, until finally speaking up. “The lad told me you’re here because King Albin killed someone from your family”, he stated with a relaxed tone, leaning back on his chair.
“That’s right, my brother died in Kingsgrave few years ago”, Nesila confirmed, and Bruce nodded to her words. “I can empathize with that, mylady”, he said with what sounded like a sincere tone. “However, I’m not a fool. You may be able to fool these villagers, but I’m not buying that you’re here just because of a personal vendetta. We know King Albin has made himself plenty of enemies, and we knew to expect that sooner or later one of them would reach out for us. So, which one is it?”
“Take us to your leader, and I’ll tell you”, Nesila said strictly, to which Bruce chuckled softly. “Unfortunately, that’s not possible”, he said with a deep sigh. “You see, our leader should be on the other end of this kingdom by now. I suppose I could take you to meet the man he left in charge here, but perhaps I can figure out who you’re working for by myself. Let’s see, Garrison Fowler is perhaps the one with most reason to seek our aid, but if you were his men you would’ve come from the south. You could be Blackmont’s men, though I doubt King Benedict cares enough to get involved with this conflict. That leaves us with Lord Caron.” Seeing the nervous expressions on the faces of Nesila and Verro, a mischievous smirk formed on Bruce’s face. “As far as I’ve understood Lord Trevas has marched to Riverlands with his king, but it was his daughter who was the cause of the conflict between Carons and Manwoodys in the first place, wasn’t it? My guess is you’re here by her command, which would also explain why you’re so secretive about it around these people. They have no love for their king, but many of them have also lost family members to Caron blades.”
“And I have lost a brother to Albin Manwoody”, Nesila hissed, clenching her fists and glaring Bruce. Bruce raised one of his hands in a calming manner, and spoke up again. “I understand that, it’s clear to see that your reasons for being here are personal, no matter who sent you. However, the Free Ravens are here to defend and give justice for the people who have been neglected and mistreated by their king – it is the support of these people that holds our operation together. You can probably see how an alliance with House Caron could risk that support.”
“You could at least let us speak with your leaders”, Verro responded calmly, glancing at Nesila whose eyes were filled with silent fury. “Perhaps they could find a solution to having this alliance without compromising the trust between yourself and the smallfolk.”
Bruce had a pensive expression on his face, as he considered his next words for a drawn out moment. “Fine, I will take you to our hideout nearby, where you can make your case to Ser Dantor”, he finally spoke nonchalantly. “However, before we go I want you to answer one question for me. Did you march with the Caron troops when they ravaged these lands?” As he asked that question, Bruce’s tone and demeanor turned more serious than at any point before in their discussion. With a subtle gulp Verro gave a hesitant glance at Nesila, wondering what should he answer, or if he should just let her do the talking.
[Lie] [Tell the truth] [Let Nesila answer]
[Let Nesila answer] Honestly they already lied once, I guess is better if she answers, if he gets angry, it's technically not Verro's fault.
[Lie]
[Tell the truth]
From we have seen of Bruce, he isn't easily fooled with him already knowing where Verro and Nesila came from and I have a feeling he has good instincts in general. So the way I see it, he probably already figures they were involved in House Caron's raiding of the Manwoody lands and is testing them to see if they will tell him the truth or not. That could be a stretch but that does seem like like something he would do based off what I have seen with him here and with him clearly being a high ranking member of the Free Ravens, it is probably for the best for Verro and Nesila to not play any games with him.
[Tell the truth]
I'm hesitant about this choice, but CM3434 makes a good arguement. Besides, the Free Ravens might not be as mad if they hear the truth from Verro and Nesila now than if they find out they were lying later. Besides this Bruce guy seems pretty observant. He might know if we lie to him. This is my choice for now, but I'm not completely sure of it. I might change my vote later.
[Let Nesila answer] She's the one in charge of this mission, might as well let her handle it.
[Let Nesila answer]
[Tell the truth]
I am sorry, for time reasons and the general hurry going on right now I can't give you much of a reasoning or a review of the part (which has been excellent though) this time, I hope you understand. Just wanted to get my vote in before it is closed, for the sake of not missing the vote at least. With a bit of luck, I can add my thoughts on the part and choice in over the course of the next three days, but if that does not work, I would like to comment on it after you closed the voting
Voting is closed!
And Verro will tell the truth about his and Nesila's involvement in the Caron campaign in the Manwoody lands. Technically it was another tie, but I will prioritize the vote of Verro's submitter here.
Next up will be Jamison's second part in Book 2. In his first part the Dayne prince was sailing to war to retake Clearhaven from the Martell forces. At the end of the part he had a chat with his uncle Garret Dayne who expressed his concern about the war ahead of them. He also asked Jamison which duty is more important for him, family or kingdom, and Jamison answered family. I had no access to my laptop yesterday, so I haven't made much progress on the part yet, but it should be done within a couple of days nonetheless
And lastly, here is a portrait of our newest addition to the cast, Bruce Hall:
Jamison
”I would never betray my kingdom, but there is nothing more important to me than family”, Jamison calmly responded to his uncle’s question. “It is the future of that family I am fighting for. I will do everything in my power to make sure I can pass on to my sons a legacy they can be proud of.”
“A worthy goal for any man to have”, Garret responded with a sigh, leaning on the railing and staring at the sea below them. “However, if given the choice, any child would pick a loving father over a great legacy. And Isabella, her heart would break if this war would prove to be the end of you.”
“I know”, Jamison said quietly, taking in a deep breath. “I have no intention of dying any time soon”, he added sternly, which brought a joyless smirk to his uncle’s face. “Few of us do”, he said bluntly, tapping Jamison on the shoulder as he walked away.
-
It was noon when they arrived to Southpoint, where the rest of their fleet was waiting for them. As the thousands of troops began to make their landing, Jamison let his eyes marvel on the robust fleet of nineteen ships, most of them flying the colors of House Dayne. The only exceptions were the two ships of the sellsword company Bloodfangs – the war galley Long Fang and the smaller Blazing Sun – which were flying black flags with three red claw marks painted on them.
When Jamison finally disembarked the Starfire and made his way through the docks and to the gates of the town, he was approached by the leader of the sellswords – Khazor the Sarnori. “Prince Jamison, it is an honor to meet you again”, the foreigner spoke with an emotionless tone, giving him a small bow.
“Khazor the Sarnori”, Jamison responded nonchalantly. “I assume we can trust you to join us in taking back Clearhaven.”
“Yes, I will honor the contract, ser”, he responded sternly, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Jamison. “However, this is not the first time I go to war against the Martells, and the last time did not go well. I assume you know what you’re getting into?”
“Fear not, sellsword, the Daynes will succeed where the Drylands failed”, he responded with a carefree tone, walking past the sellsword without waiting for his response. Alester and Rickar following close behind him, they made their way to the lord’s mansion. There Lord Timeon was waiting for them together with Ser Aron and his squire Aidin Dayne, as well as bunch of other members of the Southpoint family whose names Jamison didn’t care to remember.
“Prince Jamison”, Lord Timeon greeted him with a deep bow, the people around him following his example. With an enthusiastic grin on his face the fat lord shook Jamison’s hand. “Come, we shall have a great feast tonight, for the glory of this kingdom!”
And so indeed as the sun began to set, a grandiose feast was held at the lord’s mansion. The mess hall of the mansion was quite small in comparison to that of Starfall, which meant that only a fraction of the army could take part, while the majority of the troops were left to find their own enjoyment elsewhere in the town.
Jamison sat at the high table right by Lord Timeon and his wife Lady Sharley, and next to her was their eldest son Tobian, who was a year older than Jamison. On Jamison’s left were also Lord Alester and Garret, but Rickar had to settle for the lower tables.
“Never thought I’d see this day”, Timeon said, shaking his head as he stuffed more roasted pork in his mouth, his moustache wobbling as he chewed on the meat. “Kingdom of Torrentine in war!” he exclaimed, and it was hard to tell whether it amused him or angered him.
“My father never wanted war”, Jamison stated calmly, to which the lord nodded in agreement. “I know”, he said with a sigh, gulping down some wine. “It’s that bloody foreign princess who is to blame here.”
“She is indeed, but she has bitten off more than she can chew by attacking Clearhaven”, Alester spoke confidently, which brought a grin on Timeon’s face. “Aye, the Martell bastards will soil their pants when they lay eyes on our mighty fleet.”
“You plan to sail with us, Lord Timeon?” Jamison asked with a subtle smirk, even if he already knew the answer. “Gods no, I’m too old and fat for war”, Timeon said with a chuckle. “My son will come though, he is going to captain the Honor of Southpoint together with my cousin Ser Marcyn and his bastard.”
“I’m sure they’ll bring honor to your family, mylord”, Garret said politely, to which Timeon chuckled. “Well, I guess there is a first time for everything.”
As the night progressed, Jamison and Alester made their way to the lower tables to drink together with Rickar. They found their Nightfall friend laughing and singing together with two drunken knights. One of them looked to be on his mid-twenties and dressed in the colors Southpoint, while the other one was Ser Orwen Wythmail.
As Jamison and Alester sat down next to them, all three of them quieted down, and the Southpoint knight looked downright awe-struck. “Prince Jamison”, he managed to mutter, standing up from his seat and bowing deeply. “My excuses, I didn’t expect I’d get the chance to talk to you directly”, he continued with a wide grin forming on his face. “My name is Nelsor Sand, bastard of Ser Marcyn of Southpoint. I’ve heard a lot about you, my prince.”
“What exactly have you heard?” Jamison asked with a mildly curious tone, and Nelsor looked at him with excitement before speaking up. “Like I said, I’ve heard a lot, but my favorite story about you is the one where you killed a dozen thugs alone in the streets of Godsgrace, and brought the head of their leader to Lord Allyrion.”
“It wasn’t quite a dozen, and Ser Laroy was there to help me”, Jamison said calmly, a small smirk on his face. “I did bring that bastard’s head to the Allyrions’ family dinner though”, he added, which made all of them laugh.
“Would’ve loved to have been there to see the looks on their faces”, Alester commented with a chuckle, to which Nelsor nodded enthusiastically. “I truly admire you, my prince. It’s an honor to sail to war with you”, he said, and Jamison gave him a nod. “Has your father trained you?” he asked calmly.
“Aye, I’m quite good with the sword, if I say so myself”, Nelsor said with a confident grin. Jamison gave him an intrigued look, which made his smile fade, replaced by a nervous expression. “Of course, I’d have no chance against you, if you’re nearly as good as I’ve heard.”
“He is”, Rickar confirmed with an unenthusiastic tone. “And you can stop sucking his cock already, he’s cocky enough as it is.”
“Now, now Rickar, I think the wine is making you a bit too mouthy”, Jamison commented with a humorous tone. “Piss off”, Rickar responded lazily.
“That’s not a way to speak to your prince, Nightfall”, Ser Orwen spoke up sternly, but Jamison gestured him to calm down. “It’s alright, ser. Rickar’s an old friend, he may speak to me as he pleases”, he said softly, pouring more wine for himself. Then, Nelsor Sand cleared his throat and spoke up again. “Like I said, my prince, I admire you”, he started nervously, taking a couple seconds before continuing. “Lord Timeon has commanded me to sail with his son and my father, but I was wondering if… If you’d let me sail with you on the Starfire?”
Jamison raised an eyebrow and chuckled, eyeing the Southpoint bastard with some amusement. He truly sees me as a hero. There was no doubt that Nelsor would be a loyal soldier, and having loyal men beside you in a battle was always a good thing. However, Jamison had to wonder if Nelsor’s praise would get tiresome over the journey.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire] [Command Nelsor to sail with his father]
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire] Maybe they can have a talk. Clearly they're preparing for war, but retaking the town will not be as easy as they make it sound.
Clearhaven is the perfect starting point to attack the Torrentine, and until the Qorgyles are submitted, the only way to cross the desert.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire]
Ah, it is good to see Khazor again, I always had an odd liking to the guy. Remind me, was it already confirmed that he works for the Dayne's, or is this the first time in Book 2 his whereabouts are revealed? I also found it amusing that he seems well aware of the fact that he is once again fighting against the Martell's. Would be kinda hilarious if he ends up switching lieges as they are defeated over the course of the story, serving House Manwoody in Book 3 and House Yronwood in Book 4 and always ending up fighting against the Martell's XD
Also, about last part, I really dig Verro's storyline in this book so far. I mean, that is the case with almost all PoV's so far, I feel as amazing as their Book 1 storylines have been, the Book 2 stuff shows even greater potential, because in many cases you don't have to bother with build up anymore. We know perfectly well who Jamison is by now and how he would react in a given situation, where Verro's life has taken him to so far or what Nymeria's goals and reasons are and I think this means we're so close to the characters now that the storylines feel a lot more, well, thrilling, because I feel like much more is at stake in this book, for probably pretty much all of them. With Verro, I really like what we have seen of the Free Ravens so far. Bruce seems like a decent addition to the cast. Don't quite know what to make of him, but I enjoy him and well, I think if we get on his good side, he will make a fine ally for Verro.
Oh, before I forget it, I have to wonder about one thing: Is Kortney actually going to be a PoV in this book? I mean, she is at Nightsong right now and I feel like Verro is kind of taking over the PoV spot for the Caron side of things. Every PoV has gotten at least one and in some cases even two parts this chapter, but she is nowhere to be seen, so I wonder if this means she won't be a PoV for the foreseeable future.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire]
As long as he doesn't do anything stupid to try and impress Jamison, I don't see this as a problem.
Hehe, Khazor is indeed still around
And I'm like 90% sure that it was mentioned either in Vorian's interlude part or in Isabella's part that Khazor is working with the Daynes. And yeah, he has seen the Martells being underestimated before, so this situation is giving him some uncomfortable flashbacks 
We'll have to see where he ends up by the end of this book, but it would indeed be pretty funny if he just kept getting beaten by the Martells.
This is fantastic to hear!
I was at some point quite uncertain where I'd take Verro's story in Book 2, but connecting him with the Free Ravens plot felt like a natural choice, and I've really enjoyed it so far. And that's absolutely right, having established most of the characters certainly makes it easier to concentrate on pushing the plot forward at a faster pace, without rushing it of course. Book 2 has a lot of twists and turns ahead, that much I can tell 
Kortney won't be PoV in Chapter 1, that much I have decided for certain. However, I might bring her PoV status back in Chapter 2 or 3. Don't take this as a confirmation though, it's still under consideration. Oh, and you're wrong actually, there is still no part for Tomas
Unlike Kortney though, he will make a comeback before Chapter 1 is over.
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire]
[Let Nelsor sail on Starfire]
The Battle of Clearhaven is getting closer and closer and the hype is indeed real! It's always nice to see a Jamison part and it certainly did its' job in setting the stage for what's to come and I definitely look forward to seeing his storyline unfold. I also have to agree it was nice to see Khazor the Sarnori again and the worry that he has about facing the Martell's is certainly understandable and I have to agree and admit it would be pretty great if Khazor just kept joining up with the King that is opposing the Martell's at the time. I can already see a conversation between him and Yorick where Yorick or someone close to him would take the Martell's lightly and Khazor would basically just sigh and say not again
But really though, hopefully the poor guy will be able to defeat the Martell's in a battle at some point 
I also really liked how Jamison just walked away not even him letting him finish his thoughts. That is kind of Jamison's thing and it always cracks me up whenever he does it since you could only imagine how much that annoys the person he walked away from. I also really liked Nelsor's account of Jamison's fight against Horidos and his thugs in Godsgrace and it really shows just how much stories can change over time and I wondered if word of Jamison's adventures in Godsgrace would spread and it is nice to see that they did!
When it comes to the choice, while Jamison will probably be somewhat annoyed by Nelsor overtime, I do believe Nelsor is who he says he is so I do believe he will be a loyal soldier and fight bravely for Jamison and the Kingdom of the Torrentine in general which is very important considering the battle that is awaiting them in Clearhaven and the war that is coming against the Martells in general.
[Command Nelsor to sail with his father]