Well not exactly. I think she is a good character, but the thing is that she thinks too highly of the justice system. She's naive in the sense that she doesn't see the necessity of some evil actions that must be taken. Then she snaps her fingers like she has some authority, even though shes too quick to judge some situations based on her moral alone. I'm not a big fan of her because of this, she needs to open her eyes more to the truth and stop being such a goody-goody.
She doesn't quite believe in the justice system all that much anymore, to be fair. She merely doesn't wish to take a life, though by now, it can be argued that she wouldn't disapprove if someone else would kill Wolfius. In general though, she is one of the characters with the strongest and most intact morals and unless something really bad happens, she won't abandon them anytime soon. It's a big part of her personality after all.
As for the Sphynx, oh yeah. I'm very much looking forward to read about his backstory and how he came to be. Nothing would surprise me at this point xD
Hm... perhaps this one still holds the chance to surprise you. Maybe at least the exact details. At least I hope so XD I certainly look forward to develop the Sphynx as an actual character in the semi-near future, beyond his role as the Alley Cats torturer, even if this will remain his key function.
Well... it seems you're not too fond of a certain healer. That said, she certainly doesn't trust the Sphynx, so if he has something like tha… moret in mind, she won't make it easy for him. She might be thankful for him taking her and Rosalie to the headquarters after Arthur abandoned them, she might be impressed by his skills as a healer and the knowledge he has, but the last thing she's going to do is to trust the creepy guy with the mask who is more than just a little bit shady. Though I can confirm that we'll see a lot more of the Sphynx soon, including some very particular development which I doubt anyone is really going to expect. If you think you know all there is to know about the Sphynx, you are thoroughly mistaken
Well not exactly. I think she is a good character, but the thing is that she thinks too highly of the justice system. She's naive in the sense that she doesn't see the necessity of some evil actions that must be taken. T… [view original content]
Arthur
“Two more”, Ryler said, as he knelt down next to the corpses. His hound stood on guard, though Arthur already knew what its relati… morevely confident stance meant. The animal wasn't afraid and in their current situation, this wasn't a good thing. It meant there was nothing to be afraid of. It meant that Wolfius had escaped.
The killer had left a trail of bodies on his way out, from Mathea's house to the southern gate. The two they had found here were Ironborn, burly men, cut down without a chance. One of them, an older man with half of his face disfigured by a fading burn scar, had his throat cut, almost ripped out, while the other one was only identifiable by his attire, as the majority of his face had been torn off by massive jaws.
Arthur gulped as he saw the corpses and he wasn't sure if he should be frustrated that Wolfius had gotten away or relieved that he wouldn't have to face whatever beast he had under his control. At the … [view original content]
I still completely stand behind siding with Ryler though. Now we got an ally, and if Arthur gets promoted, we can be in more of a position to help Ryler take down Wolfius and the Solvers.
This is an important thing indeed, siding with Ryler wasn't an entirely negative decision, as Arthur gained a useful ally. Now he's somewhat acquainted with Ryler, which is a good thing for sure, even if it came at the cost of his friendship with Mathea. From a pragmatic standpoint, this even leaves Arthur in a better position, as he now has a new ally, while still being able to count on Mathea's help, if only due to her sense of duty.
There aren't many other people to take Daemion's role, now that he is going to be Commander of the City Guard. Valarr is injured for now, Aldus can barely guard himself, let alone the city, and there aren't many other guardsmen as of now.
Well, about that... there's going to be a twist to all of this. As for now, Daemion is only the acting Commander of the City Guard, not the one chosen by the lord. With Petyr as a new, strong candidate for the lordship, things are bound to be a bit different than expected. For example, he could choose someone he trusts more than Daemion, even one of his own men. How does Commander Moggy sound?
Hopefully we can regain Mathea's trust, if not her friendship in time. She is definitely right for being PO with Arthur. Luckily though, Arthur is likely going to run in with her again, and if Arthur can dedicate himself to his guarding, she may be able to respect him for that and let that be the basis of building their friendship. But that isn't going to happening for awhile now.
Well, surely this isn't impossible. Mathea is not someone to hold a grudge forever, but as she said, this won't be done with a simple apology. A lot of choices shaped Mathea's opinion on Arthur in Book 1, the one at the end of Chapter 8 being the most important one. However, it won't be the last time Arthur is going to interact with her and if you choose carefully, you might manage to change things between them.
[Talk to Daemion] I think this is the better option, not because Daemion is going to tell Arthur about Hackor. We gotta go because Daemion i… mores going to mention the lack of leadership in the city guard now that half of them are dead and shizzz. Hopefully Arthur can get promoted to captain, because he isn't exactly incompetent, despite doing plenty of dumb stuff like abandoning Mathea. I still completely stand behind siding with Ryler though. Now we got an ally, and if Arthur gets promoted, we can be in more of a position to help Ryler take down Wolfius and the Solvers. There aren't many other people to take Daemion's role, now that he is going to be Commander of the City Guard. Valarr is injured for now, Aldus can barely guard himself, let alone the city, and there aren't many other guardsmen as of now. Hopefully we can regain Mathea's trust, if not her friendship in time. She is definitely right for being PO with Arthur. Luckily though, Arthur… [view original content]
The reaction of the healer was epic and totally in a character for her. Arthur had it coming on his own request. Since she already said to him to get out of her sight, it would be not smart again to approach her in such mood, unless we want Arthur to get punched again.
Ah, I am glad to hear this! I wasn't too sure if her reaction might be seen as too harsh, but considering that you know her the best, I take that I made the right choice by having her in such an angry mood during this talk. And well, she certainly got a good reason to be angry at him. It's great you enjoyed her in this part
I am really concerned now, since because of him, she was left with Mullendore people being her saviors, which is freaking me out. I know she is not stupid but this sadist being around her now, behaving so fancy and all?
This is something to be concerned of indeed. The Sphynx and Connor are the last people anyone would like to interact with. That said, she really doesn't trust him. There's no reason not to trust him at this point from her perspective, considering that she doesn't know a thing about him, but he is still shady and a bit unnerving in general, so she wasn't too unhappy that he left the building now. No matter how fancy he behaves, winning her trust will be a hard thing to do, especially after the most recent fallout with Arthur.
[Talk to Ryler]
The reaction of the healer was epic and totally in a character for her. Arthur had it coming on his own request. Since sh… moree already said to him to get out of her sight, it would be not smart again to approach her in such mood, unless we want Arthur to get punched again.
I am really concerned now, since because of him, she was left with Mullendore people being her saviors, which is freaking me out. I know she is not stupid but this sadist being around her now, behaving so fancy and all?
As for choice, I want Arthur to discover who Sphynx is to know, in what danger Mathea and others are.
Man this made me so damn sad. I love Mathea.
ARGH! I'm so mad at Arthur. And here I thought I was still holding a grudge against Jaron. How could he just leave Mathea behind?
It's interesting that based on other readers choices winning that my opinion of certain characters lessens. The last time this happened was when Jaron let Harpy kill the fake Butterfly.
Just like Jaron back then, Arthur wasn't thinking straight. Jaron was being heavily provoked by a man that outright tried to get killed and in a very emotionally charged situation on top, whereas Arthur, a fundamentally good-hearted man, just had to witness the mutilated corpse of a woman he cared for, whose life he saved earlier. Both definitely snapped and made a decision in the heat of the moment. Personally though, I must say that I can understand Jaron's decision a bit more, because he was definitely in the more heated situation and was thinking less clearly. Arthur had a bit of time to think after the immediate shock of seeing Lyria and he could have turned around after going with Ryler, but he was very much blinded by anger in this situation. For what it's worth though, both do regret their choice, even if Arthur still clings to the hope that not every consequence of his decision is going to be bad, a hope Jaron has long since abandoned.
I'm not comfortable being in a situation where the Sphynx can walk around with free rein.
For good reason, yes. And just wait, the situation hasn't even been fully established yet. Can you imagine the Sphynx as a respected and well-known figure in Raylansfair? There's certainly a good reason to be uncomfortable with how things are right now.
I've had a suspicion for a while that majority of readers are so obsessed with killing Wolfius and getting it done as soon as possible that they let their judgement be clouded. Tracking Wolfius was 100% the wrong thing to do and it was clear that you'd be risking Mathea and Rosalie's safety but people voted for it anyway.
Hm, I was certainly surprised that so many chose this, though I can only guess that some have misunderstood the choice and haven't thought that Arthur would leave Mathea and Rosalie behind, just that he would work with Ryler in general, which would generally be a good thing. That said, considering how dangerous Wolfius is for almost every character in Raylansfair, I can understand how seeing him dead is a priority to many. However, capturing him right there had a relatively low chance of succeeding in either way, considering that Wolfius has a giant direwolf at his command, so I really think that not everyone who made the choice was fully aware of the immediate consequences. That said, Arthur's new alliance with Ryler is not a bad thing, from a pragmatic standpoint and it arguably leaves him off better than before, having gained a new ally through his decision.
I honestly think that if you gave us any choice but the other choice was kill Wolfius, most readers would pick kill Wolfius every time. Hopefully this part will make readers think twice if a similar choice ever comes up again.
I think this is highly likely. That said, killing Wolfius might be the only way to truly stop him. As a warg, he can find a way out of any cell, no matter how secure. He has made it clear that he won't stop, so unless he is killed or put through a lobotomy that leaves him more or less braindead, there is no way to contain him forever otherwise. However, I very much plan to make it a recurring element of this conflict, that the readers have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to make sure that Wolfius won't be a danger to those around him ever again. Arthur's friendship with Mathea was a relatively small price compared to the things that will come in the future. Though I think that, if you'd get a 100% chance at killing Wolfius with a choice, then this might be worth even very high prices, considering how many lives will be saved that way.
[Try to apologize to Mathea] I know that this has very little chance of winning since most readers here seem to prefer to vote pragmatically… more but even if Arthur fails I think it's important that he try to make it up to Mathea every chance he gets. It's important that Mathea knows that he cares about her.
Man this made me so damn sad. I love Mathea.
ARGH! I'm so mad at Arthur. And here I thought I was still holding a grudge against Jaron. How could he just leave Mathea behind?
It's interesting that based on other readers choices winning that my opinion of certain characters lessens. The last time this happened was when Jaron let Harpy kill the fake Butterfly.
I'm not comfortable being in a situation where the Sphynx can walk around with free rein.
I think this part confirmed a suspicion of mine. Not about the story, but about the readers. Just know that no offense is intended, this is my opinion and simply how I feel. If you disagre… [view original content]
Though that be said, Wolfius' Book 1 body count is indeed relatively low for such a feared killer. He personally murdered Alexander and Lyria, as well as Roman while he was warged into his wolf and he is also indirectly responsible for the deaths of Urid and Than. It can be argued that he also had a hand in Hackor's death, as the worst wound he suffered came from the knife Wolfius pushed into his side during their escape. That said, these weren't the last for him. He's still alive, he'll continue and he is a massive threat to every character in Raylansfair, among them several of your favourites, so finding a way to stop him should be at least of some concern.
I don't remember my exact reaction but Lydia definitely wasn't among my favorites. I really like Rosalie though, maybe I said something about feeling bad for her.
Technically, Mullendore hasn't appointed a successor. The problem is, he left the city in a hurry and now his captains are unsure how to continue. In time, one of them is definitely going to be chosen as th new commander, but for now, the city guard isn't truly led by anyone. I hope to show more of this in Jaron's scenes with Farris, which will likely span across the next two parts (with a choice inbetween) and which should give you a better understanding of the status of the city guard right now.
I realized something while re-reading some parts. If Mullendore is at Raylansfair with most of his forces, who's running the city guard back at Oldtown? I would have to assume its one of the captains, but whom?
Yet
Though that be said, Wolfius' Book 1 body count is indeed relatively low for such a feared killer. He personally murdered Alexander … moreand Lyria, as well as Roman while he was warged into his wolf and he is also indirectly responsible for the deaths of Urid and Than. It can be argued that he also had a hand in Hackor's death, as the worst wound he suffered came from the knife Wolfius pushed into his side during their escape. That said, these weren't the last for him. He's still alive, he'll continue and he is a massive threat to every character in Raylansfair, among them several of your favourites, so finding a way to stop him should be at least of some concern.
Well, it is very likely that the smarter men in Oldtown will figure it out now. Quent surely is such a smart man. The thing is, it's not only that Mullendore has made his relation with the Alley Cats public, it's also the thing Harpy did in the Chapter 6 finale. She revealed his identity in the presence of people who witnessed it. This started a rumour and in Oldtown, rumours are a very powerful tool. In a way, she crippled his reputation more than his body and this was definitely a reason for his hasty flight from Oldtown despite barely being able to travel. It is also the main reason why he hasn't formally abandoned his title as the Commander of the Guard of Oldtown, therefore leaving his former guardsmen without a proper leader for the time being. His identity as Butterfly, formerly heavily guarded, is now an open secret and he is in full damage control mode, even having left his position in Oldtown to avoid immediate questioning through Lord Hightower, while he works on a strategy to weasel his way out of that one. It's not easy being Mullendore right now
I add another question to your question,will the higher ups at Oldtown (aka Manfred Hightower and Archmeister Quent) make 2+2 and understand… more that Mullendore is Butterfly? Expecially now that Mullendore decide to make officialy the Alley Cats his personal guards?
Indeed, he still has this grudge against Kersea, even though he doesn't know where she is at this point. He probably thinks she perished in the lighthouse explosion, though if he somehow learns of her survival, she'd be among his targets. I am not sure if you'd count Jenna as one of your favourites, but she is also very high on his kill list. Through her, one of your clear favourites, Saerya, is also in danger, because Wolfius has shown before that his grudge is so irrational that he can easily just decide to pick on Jenna's friends and allies first. Through his ongoing hatred for Richard, Kersea is also still in danger of being discovered by him and then there's Ilish somewhere on his list, as well as Rosalie and through her, Mathea, whom Wolfius isn't exactly a fan of either.
You've just informed me that this chapter has the potential to hurt me even more than last chapter. There is no existing emoticon that could accurately portray my fear.
Anyway I just had a thought. Depending on our choice regarding Jenna's fate, Kersea could've been on Wolfius' good side (if I remember correctly) what would that mean for Kersea up until this point?
Indeed, he still has this grudge against Kersea, even though he doesn't know where she is at this point. He probably thinks she perished in … morethe lighthouse explosion, though if he somehow learns of her survival, she'd be among his targets. I am not sure if you'd count Jenna as one of your favourites, but she is also very high on his kill list. Through her, one of your clear favourites, Saerya, is also in danger, because Wolfius has shown before that his grudge is so irrational that he can easily just decide to pick on Jenna's friends and allies first. Through his ongoing hatred for Richard, Kersea is also still in danger of being discovered by him and then there's Ilish somewhere on his list, as well as Rosalie and through her, Mathea, whom Wolfius isn't exactly a fan of either.
Hm, I can surely understand your reasoning there, you brought up some interesting points. Perhaps, to explain Mathea's anger a bit better, she understands that Arthur was in no obligation of coming with her in the first place and she wouldn't have reacted as heavily as she did if he would have refused to accompany her back when she asked for it in the early Chapter 8. What truly made her angry was that he left her alone with Rosalie, in a situation where she wasn't able to help the girl on her own. Nothing bad happened in the end, but it very likely could have and she was genuinely afraid for her life and for Rosalie's. Arthur's actions made it seem as if he was okay with something bad happening to them, as long as he would get his chance at capturing Wolfius. So, it's not only anger at him leaving her in a situation where she really could have needed his help, it's also disappointment because she thought of him as someone to trust, especially due to his earlier choice of accompanying her. That said, her outright punching him was a kneejerk reaction and not something she's proud of. It happened exactly because of what she's been through in the past hours and an acute lack of sleep and high stress levels made it only worse. She's certainly not exactly thinking straight right now and usually is among the more calm and mature characters in Raylansfair.
She willingly went into the city, she wanted to go regardless if Arthur accompanied her or not if I remember correctly. Arthur going along w… moreith her is Arthur being nice, she can't get mad at someone for leaving her alone when she originally planned to go alone anyway. Besdies, slapping and punching someone after what everyone had gone through is most definitely always unjustified. In my opinion, she needs to grow up, and stop whining. Nothing ended up happening, so there's no reason for the kind of reaction she showed. If she is indeed to be the go-to healer in this city, she needs to act mature and responsible enough for the task, and not lose her shit.
You've just informed me that this chapter has the potential to hurt me even more than last chapter. There is no existing emoticon that could accurately portray my fear.
This one is usually very nice for such situations:
But well, perhaps to calm you down somewhat, Wolfius is currently in critical condition due to Lyria nearly bashing his head in. For now, he has to rest, but he will return once he has gathered his strength again and after revealing his true nature, he is going to be far more dangerous than he has ever been.
Anyway I just had a thought. Depending on our choice regarding Jenna's fate, Kersea could've been on Wolfius' good side (if I remember correctly) what would that mean for Kersea up until this point?
Indeed, Kersea could have been on Wolfius' good side, depending on your choices during the Jenna situation in Chapter 3. If that would be the case, Wolfius also wouldn't have been kicked out of Clayton's group, but would have left them a bit later by his own choice. He would have gained a little bit of respect for Kersea, just like he had respect for Alysanne. A later choice could have meant that Kersea also wouldn't have helped Clayton in using Wolfius as a scapegoat, therefore giving him no reason to be angry at her. Kersea wouldn't have any genuine benefits from having Wolfius on her side an they wouldn't have interacted much, but neither would she be in danger of being targeted by him. In general, the relationship between Wolfius and Kersea wouldn't have been too important so far, though that doesn't mean it won't come into play later on.
You've just informed me that this chapter has the potential to hurt me even more than last chapter. There is no existing emoticon that could… more accurately portray my fear.
Anyway I just had a thought. Depending on our choice regarding Jenna's fate, Kersea could've been on Wolfius' good side (if I remember correctly) what would that mean for Kersea up until this point?
I can definitely understand why someone would be angry at a situation like that. But I guess in my head I always thought Mathea was better than that, because as far as I can recollect, she has never lost her cool in the story, and in my mind she always seems to have her nerves under control, and is this super level-headed woman, given how she can even see past Wolfius' trespasses and heal him. But I guess she is still quite young and inexperienced if you really think about it.
Hm, I can surely understand your reasoning there, you brought up some interesting points. Perhaps, to explain Mathea's anger a bit better, s… morehe understands that Arthur was in no obligation of coming with her in the first place and she wouldn't have reacted as heavily as she did if he would have refused to accompany her back when she asked for it in the early Chapter 8. What truly made her angry was that he left her alone with Rosalie, in a situation where she wasn't able to help the girl on her own. Nothing bad happened in the end, but it very likely could have and she was genuinely afraid for her life and for Rosalie's. Arthur's actions made it seem as if he was okay with something bad happening to them, as long as he would get his chance at capturing Wolfius. So, it's not only anger at him leaving her in a situation where she really could have needed his help, it's also disappointment because she thought of him as someone to trust, especiall… [view original content]
The thing is Wolfius isn't just some random someone, and I thought Mathea knew how much catching Wolfius and putting him to justice meant to Arthur, especially now after what had happened to Lyria. Of course I knew she was gonna be displeased, but I thought her straight up punching him was overkill on her part.
How would you feel if you were deeply traumatized and in a city at war, and then someone who you thought was a trusted friend just walked off to chase someone? Especially if it was without explanation.
It's interesting to note that determinately Arthur can be one of the most despised POV's in the story yet so far. Hackor, Aditha, and a good portion of Raylansfair can have a negative opinion on him if he set Wofius free, Aren can have an awkward encounter with him if we asked about his ladies' intentions, and now Rosalie and Mathea? I wonder who else we can piss off.
Arthur
“Two more”, Ryler said, as he knelt down next to the corpses. His hound stood on guard, though Arthur already knew what its relati… morevely confident stance meant. The animal wasn't afraid and in their current situation, this wasn't a good thing. It meant there was nothing to be afraid of. It meant that Wolfius had escaped.
The killer had left a trail of bodies on his way out, from Mathea's house to the southern gate. The two they had found here were Ironborn, burly men, cut down without a chance. One of them, an older man with half of his face disfigured by a fading burn scar, had his throat cut, almost ripped out, while the other one was only identifiable by his attire, as the majority of his face had been torn off by massive jaws.
Arthur gulped as he saw the corpses and he wasn't sure if he should be frustrated that Wolfius had gotten away or relieved that he wouldn't have to face whatever beast he had under his control. At the … [view original content]
It's true, she's actually even younger than Arthur. Mathea is very level-headed, but at the same time way calmer than someone her age should be. Most of the time, she manages to keep her cool, though her patience is not endless. Add to that a generally severe level of stress due to her being constantly overworked. Back when she healed Wolfius, she was still more or less new to the city, but since then she has been constantly on duty, even in her own home. Stuff like that is really wearing her down and the whole thing with Arthur leaving her was the final straw, even if she likely would have been pissed at him for that behaviour even if she wouldn't have pushed herself to such a level of exhaustion.
I can definitely understand why someone would be angry at a situation like that. But I guess in my head I always thought Mathea was better t… morehan that, because as far as I can recollect, she has never lost her cool in the story, and in my mind she always seems to have her nerves under control, and is this super level-headed woman, given how she can even see past Wolfius' trespasses and heal him. But I guess she is still quite young and inexperienced if you really think about it.
You're right, Arthur could have pissed off a great deal of people with his actions, though aside from the thing with Mathea now, he actually managed to remain well-liked through his choices. Aditha absolutely adores him and sees him as a hero for bringing in Wolfius (even if she knows the truth about Clayton and Kersea being the ones to capture him), Hackor at least respected him and due to him leading the evacuation to the castle, he is also among the most popular living guardsmen in the city right now when it comes to the smallfolk. That means his situation is quite a bit better than it might seem right now, though it is safe to say that Arthur's reputation with other Raylansfair characters will be further influenced by future choices.
[Talk to Daemion]
It's interesting to note that determinately Arthur can be one of the most despised POV's in the story yet so far. Hack… moreor, Aditha, and a good portion of Raylansfair can have a negative opinion on him if he set Wofius free, Aren can have an awkward encounter with him if we asked about his ladies' intentions, and now Rosalie and Mathea? I wonder who else we can piss off.
Arthur
“Two more”, Ryler said, as he knelt down next to the corpses. His hound stood on guard, though Arthur already knew what its relati… morevely confident stance meant. The animal wasn't afraid and in their current situation, this wasn't a good thing. It meant there was nothing to be afraid of. It meant that Wolfius had escaped.
The killer had left a trail of bodies on his way out, from Mathea's house to the southern gate. The two they had found here were Ironborn, burly men, cut down without a chance. One of them, an older man with half of his face disfigured by a fading burn scar, had his throat cut, almost ripped out, while the other one was only identifiable by his attire, as the majority of his face had been torn off by massive jaws.
Arthur gulped as he saw the corpses and he wasn't sure if he should be frustrated that Wolfius had gotten away or relieved that he wouldn't have to face whatever beast he had under his control. At the … [view original content]
You know, now that I think about it, I remember when Hackor grew curiosity of Arthur's "heroism." Would Hackor have found out about Clayton and Kersea handing Wofius over to Arthur if he were alive?
it's heart-warming that Arthur has more allies than enemies (although Mathea will need some time away from him), but it will be hard for him to like everyone who stays as a resident in the future especially if Arthur finds out through Ryler about the Alley Cats and Mullendore.
You're right, Arthur could have pissed off a great deal of people with his actions, though aside from the thing with Mathea now, he actually… more managed to remain well-liked through his choices. Aditha absolutely adores him and sees him as a hero for bringing in Wolfius (even if she knows the truth about Clayton and Kersea being the ones to capture him), Hackor at least respected him and due to him leading the evacuation to the castle, he is also among the most popular living guardsmen in the city right now when it comes to the smallfolk. That means his situation is quite a bit better than it might seem right now, though it is safe to say that Arthur's reputation with other Raylansfair characters will be further influenced by future choices.
Screw Mathea, so rude to the brave man who risked his life attempting to bring evil to justice. Wolfius must be stopped and I will make sure it happens. If it were me Richard would have murdered him in his cell long ago.
Also Sphynx is kind of creepy even when not in a dungeon. But liking dogs is nice.
Arthur
“Two more”, Ryler said, as he knelt down next to the corpses. His hound stood on guard, though Arthur already knew what its relati… morevely confident stance meant. The animal wasn't afraid and in their current situation, this wasn't a good thing. It meant there was nothing to be afraid of. It meant that Wolfius had escaped.
The killer had left a trail of bodies on his way out, from Mathea's house to the southern gate. The two they had found here were Ironborn, burly men, cut down without a chance. One of them, an older man with half of his face disfigured by a fading burn scar, had his throat cut, almost ripped out, while the other one was only identifiable by his attire, as the majority of his face had been torn off by massive jaws.
Arthur gulped as he saw the corpses and he wasn't sure if he should be frustrated that Wolfius had gotten away or relieved that he wouldn't have to face whatever beast he had under his control. At the … [view original content]
Sorry for missing last part's voting, I barely got a chance to get onto my PC this past week.
Anyway, I do kinda regret the last Arthur choice. It was a stupid gamble that might have worked but Arthur's relationship with Mathea is now not as strong. I would want to apologize but it doesn't seem like that option is going to win.
[Talk to Ryler] He just seems like the person with more importance revolving Arthur and his mission at the moment. Hopefully he can help us with killing Wolfius at last, or at least take a step into the right direction.
Arthur
“Two more”, Ryler said, as he knelt down next to the corpses. His hound stood on guard, though Arthur already knew what its relati… morevely confident stance meant. The animal wasn't afraid and in their current situation, this wasn't a good thing. It meant there was nothing to be afraid of. It meant that Wolfius had escaped.
The killer had left a trail of bodies on his way out, from Mathea's house to the southern gate. The two they had found here were Ironborn, burly men, cut down without a chance. One of them, an older man with half of his face disfigured by a fading burn scar, had his throat cut, almost ripped out, while the other one was only identifiable by his attire, as the majority of his face had been torn off by massive jaws.
Arthur gulped as he saw the corpses and he wasn't sure if he should be frustrated that Wolfius had gotten away or relieved that he wouldn't have to face whatever beast he had under his control. At the … [view original content]
This was a very active voting, which makes me very happy I expected that a majority of you would choose this, especially as Ryler does hold some interesting information. The next Arthur part should reveal a bit more about him, his affiliation with the Alley Cats, as well as the general knowledge he has about these guys. He certainly has a lot to say about this topic, though it's always a question of how much he is willing to share. At least for now, he seems willing to part with some key information, which should be valuable. That said, the other choices would have had good consequences in their own right.
The next part might be out today. I am really not sure, as most of the time, but this time it looks like things might take me a little longer. The thing is, I'm heading out tonight, at least for a few hours and I don't know if I will manage to finish the part, despite my best tries. Tomorrow, it's time for my biweekly RPG group, which means a major part of the day will be gone as well. So, at latest, I will need until the very late Sunday evening, maybe the very early Monday morning for the next part. Just know that I am actively working on it This next part will feature PoV's from Lucas and... Edrick, at last! Lucas will get his second PoV already, because one small detail in it is needed for me to start Drent's storyline, though his part likely won't be very long, mostly focussing on the immediate consequences of his refusal to cooperate with Mullendore. I plan to focus mostly on Edrick, who has taken the timeskip to travel through the North. Currently, he and his group, consisting of Dante Karstark and his squire Darreth Kailen, the hunter Leo York and Alphyn Frostborn, firstborn son of Lionel Frostborn, brother of Connor and the often-mentioned Lupin, are all in the northern Riverlands, which is where we're going to start their next part. Hope you're going to enjoy it!
You know, now that I think about it, I remember when Hackor grew curiosity of Arthur's "heroism." Would Hackor have found out about Clayton and Kersea handing Wofius over to Arthur if he were alive?
He likely wouldn't have found out about it in particular, unless Arthur would outright confess to him (which I potentially could have offered to you as a choice), on account of Wolfius escaping and Kersea having no reason to reveal it. That said, he indeed grew curious, even slightly suspicious, which was the main reason why he didn't praise Arthur all that much. While the true extent of what happened was never revealed to him, he was a man with good instincts, which already tipped him off that something was wrong about the whole situation.
it's heart-warming that Arthur has more allies than enemies (although Mathea will need some time away from him), but it will be hard for him to like everyone who stays as a resident in the future especially if Arthur finds out through Ryler about the Alley Cats and Mullendore.
That's true, Arthur is going to have quite the problem with some of the new faces in Raylansfair. Ryler telling him the truth about them is only going to make his opinion on them worse, as he already distrusts men like the Sphynx by default. That said, his opinions on Mullendore (whom Ryler might know less about) and Petyr are going to remain up for question even after this talk, though their affiliation with the Alley Cats won't make things any easier for them.
You know, now that I think about it, I remember when Hackor grew curiosity of Arthur's "heroism." Would Hackor have found out about Clayton … moreand Kersea handing Wofius over to Arthur if he were alive?
it's heart-warming that Arthur has more allies than enemies (although Mathea will need some time away from him), but it will be hard for him to like everyone who stays as a resident in the future especially if Arthur finds out through Ryler about the Alley Cats and Mullendore.
Screw Mathea, so rude to the brave man who risked his life attempting to bring evil to justice. Wolfius must be stopped and I will make sure it happens. If it were me Richard would have murdered him in his cell long ago.
Well, it is a noble goal to stop Wolfius, that much is for sure. Arthur had good intentions, though his chances of capturing Wolfius in the first place during the raid were very slim, considering that guy's advantage. Really, back when he was captured in the cell there was a very small timeframe in which he was genuinely at their mercy, which was the best time to stop him. The moment he managed to free himself, things got way more complicated.
Also Sphynx is kind of creepy even when not in a dungeon. But liking dogs is nice.
Yes he is. It's kind of natural for the Sphynx to be creepy. In this part, he wasn't even trying to scare anyone, but I guess it's something he can't control. Mathea was seriously creeped out by him, as was Arthur and well, Ryler was horrified. Part of that was the way his dog reacted to him, despite usually having a good instinct when it comes to evil people. Wolfsbane himself seemed confused as to why he got along so well with the Sphynx. Keep that detail in mind That said, the Sphynx is generally not cruel to animals and gets along with most quite well. The cruelty he reserves for humans is slightly counterbalanced in that way.
[Talk to Daemion]
Screw Mathea, so rude to the brave man who risked his life attempting to bring evil to justice. Wolfius must be stopped… more and I will make sure it happens. If it were me Richard would have murdered him in his cell long ago.
Also Sphynx is kind of creepy even when not in a dungeon. But liking dogs is nice.
Help Daemion, the greatest greats of them all.
Sorry for missing last part's voting, I barely got a chance to get onto my PC this past week.
Ah, no problem! When you don't have the time, you don't have the time, simple as that. I'm glad you managed to vote on this one
Anyway, I do kinda regret the last Arthur choice. It was a stupid gamble that might have worked but Arthur's relationship with Mathea is now not as strong. I would want to apologize but it doesn't seem like that option is going to win.
Well, at least for now the consequences seem mostly negative, with Mathea being really pissed at him and Wolfius having gotten away regardless. The problem is that even if he would have caught up to him, he wouldn't have stood a chance to actually stop him, not with Wolfius' seriously huge direwolf present. Kreep would have already posed a formidable opponent, but the wolf? No chance.
Sorry for missing last part's voting, I barely got a chance to get onto my PC this past week.
Anyway, I do kinda regret the last Arthur c… morehoice. It was a stupid gamble that might have worked but Arthur's relationship with Mathea is now not as strong. I would want to apologize but it doesn't seem like that option is going to win.
[Talk to Ryler] He just seems like the person with more importance revolving Arthur and his mission at the moment. Hopefully he can help us with killing Wolfius at last, or at least take a step into the right direction.
The Voting is closed!
Arthur is going to talk to Ryler
This was a very active voting, which makes me very happy I expected that a maj… moreority of you would choose this, especially as Ryler does hold some interesting information. The next Arthur part should reveal a bit more about him, his affiliation with the Alley Cats, as well as the general knowledge he has about these guys. He certainly has a lot to say about this topic, though it's always a question of how much he is willing to share. At least for now, he seems willing to part with some key information, which should be valuable. That said, the other choices would have had good consequences in their own right.
The next part might be out today. I am really not sure, as most of the time, but this time it looks like things might take me a little longer. The thing is, I'm heading out tonight, at least for a few hours and I don't know if I will manage to finish the part, despite my best … [view original content]
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his past wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a groan, Lucas looked up again, as he did his best to ignore the thumping pain in the back of his head. Through a slightly blurry vision, he continued to glare at Mullendore. “Never”, he said and now, finally, he saw emotion forming on the false knight's face. It was a grin, small at first, though quickly getting wider. “Good”, he replied. “This is going to make things a lot more fun for me”
He turned around, approaching the door behind him, though Lucas' call caused him to stop. “Wait!”, he yelled and he glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow in the process. “I wish to speak to my brother”, Lucas managed to utter. These words didn't come easy to him, but he knew, with Petyr there would be a chance for him. For all his flaws, Petyr was not Mullendore. If there was a deal he could make with anyone in this castle, it would be Petyr. They had been brothers once.
Mullendore chuckled. “Putting your hopes in your kinslaying brother?”, he asked. “You must truly be desperate” He shrugged. “I shall talk to him, but know that this changes nothing. He will agree with me on how to deal with you”, he spoke. “Do not think that this will spare you from the Sphynx' knife”
He left and without even looking at him, the Tom followed, leaving Lucas alone in his cell again. As he close the door, Mullendore glared at him again. “The next time we see each other, you'll have done what I asked you for”, he promised. “But by then, it will be too late. You refused my offer and everything you get now will be worse than that” His mouth formed a wicked smirk. “Good night, Lucas Flowers”, he said. “May it be your last”
Of course, he took the torch with him and as he and the Tom had walked down the hallway far enough, Lucas' cell was bathed in shadows again, but this time, he was thankful that the shadows of his mind kept their distance. He was too preoccupied with the words Mullendore just said. If he understood him correctly, Petyr wasn't in on this. Undoubtedly he had a hand in his imprisonment, but not in what was going to follow now. It was a far shot, but perhaps he'd even disagree. Petyr had always been a pragmatist, not a cruel beast such as Mullendore.
A bitter sigh came out of Lucas' throat, as he realized that he was about to put his hopes into his brother, the very same man who ha abused his trust, had used him as a scapegoat and ruined his reputation, perhaps beyond repair. He knew, Petyr wouldn't free him. But perhaps, if unwittingly, he could give Lucas' true allies time. And Lucas knew that he wasn't without allies this time. If anything, it gave him a bit of relief. Maybe it wasn't over for him yet.
For now, all Lucas Flowers was able to do was to wait, for his brother, for anyone, really. He was alone with his thoughts and in a way, this was worse than whatever the Sphynx was able to do to him. To avoid seeing the shadows in the corner of his sight, he closed his eyes, though that only barely helped. With a sigh, he sunk down, as much to the ground as possible, where he remained, trying to sink into merciful sleep.
Of course it did not come, not in his current position and his state of mind. As he opened his eye again, now more tired than ever, the shadows of his cell had crept closer. Harris was there as well, staring down at him, a curious expression on his face and his presence caused Lucas to sigh with frustration and pain.
“Are you going to continue tormenting me now?”, he asked bitterly and Harris knelt down. He was silent for a moment, though the look on his face was in a constant change, as if he was unable to maintain one expression. “I don't know, boy”, he finally replied. “Are you?”
Lucas looked in the man's eyes, these deep, green eyes and suddenly, tears welled up in his, stinging in the ruins of the one Mullendore took from him. “I'm going to die here, am I not?”, he asked and this time, it didn't take Harris all that long to react. He simple gave him a nod.
No Choices for this part
Edrick
“He has been gone for quite some time now”, Dante remarked, his voice betraying his calm expression, hinting at the nervousness below. Even while skinning the rabbit Leo had found earlier, he was constantly looking up, toward the road for a sign of his friend.
“He has been gone for five hours”, Alphyn replied, while he tended to the horses, gently cleaning their hooves from the dirt of their latest part of the journey. “Hardly unusual for a scouting mission, especially if he makes it a thorough one” Dante sighed. “This area is dangerous”, he said, though at least for a short moment, his usual attitude shined through. “You can tell by the smell that we're no longer in the North”
“That's precisely why we need scouts”, Alphyn said again, though he smirked at Dante's statement. “And it does kinda stink. Like rotten fish” It wasn't the first time Dante had voiced his concerns and Edrick was able to understand him, yet at the same time, he had to agree with Alphyn. The scouting mission Leo and Darreth were on was too important to skip. “But as I said”, Alphyn added, now with a serious voice again. “None of us knows this area. Up ahead, there could be anything”
He was right with this, that much was for sure. They had left the Neck behind days ago, riding straight down the southern road, before it faded into a web of barely fortified paths, only infrequently taken by travellers. Few people lived here and not even the Ironborn found their way to this region all that often. The few abandoned farmhouses they passed were reason enough for Edrick. Why would any raider go where nothing could be plundered? Such was the lot of the regions north of the Green Fork, the true legacy of Harren the Black.
Dante sighed. “I know”, he replied. “I know... I just wish I could have gone with him. Now he's in the presence of that hunter, to make things worse” Now, Edrick himself looked up from his makeshift bed, little more than a blanket on the ground. He himself had started to get doubts about Leo's loyalty to their mission. Ever since he had chosen to respect Dante's privacy, the hunter had shunned him, being even more distant to the group than before. At the same time, his dedication to find and save Alys was as strong as always, to a degree that concerned Edrick almost as much as his silent broodiness. But what surprised him the most about Dante's suspicion was that none of them had voiced it before, not in such an open way.
“You don't trust him?”, he asked and Dante knelt down, putting the partially skinned rabbit onto a wooden plate. “Can you blame me?”, he asked in return. “He broke into my room. Tried to steal my letter” His voice showed the true anger he felt, but which he kept in line in a remarkable way. Edrick knew, if someone would have stolen his letters, he would have ripped that person to pieces. Perhaps it was a good thing he couldn't even write in the first place.
“And from what I heard, he learned something interesting”, Alphyn interjected and Dante glared at him. The knight raised his hands, a friendly smile on his face. “I'm just teasing you, Ser. I don't trust him either. He's too... weasely. Shifty looking boy. I got too much experience with guys like him”
Edrick raised an eyebrow. “So neither of you trust him?”, he asked and both were quick to nod. He sighed. “Well, I got my doubts as well”, he admitted. “But I'm afraid we need him. None of us know how Lady Alys actually looks”
Alphyn chuckled. “Well, I could describe her”, he said. “But recognizing her? She was a looker back when she visited my family, but young enough to be my daughter. Nothing's more off-putting than that” He quickly grew serious again. “But fair enough. I can keep up with him as long as he respects my privacy”, he added, before he gave Dante an approving look. “You have my respect for keeping your calm around him”
Dante shook his head. “This is not how I want things to end between him and me. I don't want a quarrel”, he said. “I know we need him and that's why I tolerate him. But let's just say, I'm glad I won't have to see him again once we have found Alys” He turned to the rabbit again, picking up the knife and continuing to skin it.
With his last words, he has gained Edrick's curiosity. Exchanging a wordless look with Alphyn, he decided that now would be a good time to ask. “Speaking of...”, he started and Dante glanced at him. “May I ask a question?” The younger knight gave him a nod, followed by a friendly smile. “Unless it's nothing too personal”, he said.
“That would be up to you to decide”, Edrick said. “But what I want to know is, once we have found Lady Alys... if we actually find her, what are your plans? What does your uncle want?” Dante sighed and a mild frown appeared on his face.
“I have thought about this myself”, he answered. “I have never been against this betrothal, though she made it very clear that she rejects me” For a moment, the usually confident knight looked every bit as insecure as a man his age should be at times. “What can follow out of this? Marrying her against her outspoken will, that is not what I want. She'd hate me. This is not the kind of future I seek for either of us”, he continued gently. “My uncle though... Lord Brogar has a very strict opinion on this matter and her defiance didn't cause him to soften his stance. Quite the opposite, to be honest”
“Well, I suppose that is something we have to deal with, should we actually find her”, Edrick said. “She ran away from home and for all we knew, she made her way south of the Neck. Returning her without her consent could be even harder than actually finding her”
Dante opened his mouth to answer, though noise from the woods behind him caused him to reach for his sword instead. “Who goes there?”, he barked sharply, while Alphyn and Edrick both rose from their positions, ready to reach for their weapons if necessary.
“It's me”, Leo's voice sounded and just a second later, he walked into Edrick's field of view. He and Alphyn relaxed, though Dante remained on guard for a second longer, before putting his sword down again. There was a certain anger in Leo's eyes, the same he had shown for quite a while now, but fresher at the same and Edrick had to ask himself just how much of their talk the hunter had listened to.
“Where's Darreth?”, Dante asked and Leo looked around the camp, before shrugging. “Not here yet? Then I guess he's still scouting” He walked to the campfire between them, dropping a fat squirrel next to it. “You split up?”, Dante said sharply and this time, the hunter gave him a nod.
“We did it at Darreth's wish”, he was quick to clarify. “The Green Fork lies to the south, an hour on horseback. Once we reached it, he suggested that we split, to find a way across the river as quickly as possible” Edrick gave him a curious look, which Leo answered with one of resentment. “Well, have you found one?”, the knight asked.
Leo gave him a nod. “Two hours to the south, a fortified bridge with a wooden fence”, he replied. “A token force of Ironborn holds it, about two dozen, and from what I've seen, they are very careful whom they let across” Dante sighed. “Well, we can forget that one then”, he deduced. “Three northern knights, two of them highborn, there's no way they'd let us pass”
“We could always lie to them”, Alphyn suggested and Dante nodded reluctantly. “I wouldn't feel good with that”, he answered. “Just imagine what happens if they don't believe us. Token force or not, I don't want to get into a fight that can be avoided, especially one we're so unlikely to win”
Edrick grinned, as he approached his horse. “My friend, you underestimate my skills”, he boasted. “You're a knight, I'm a knight, Alphyn is a knight and from what I've seen, your squire is no stranger to combat either” Dante raised an eyebrow. “If there is any other way, then we should avoid a fight”
To this, Alphyn chuckled. “To avoid killing Ironborn?”, he said with a smirk. “I'm very much with Edrick on this. They are worthless! Murderous scum, rapists and worse” Dante gave him a nod. “I never said they weren't”, he replied. “And the last thing I want is to protect them. But such a fight could claim lives among our group as well. Is any of you ready to die?” He waited for a second. “No? Good, then let us look for another way”
He glanced down the path and a smile formed on his face. As Edrick followed his glance, he spotted a figure in the distance, slowly approaching them on horseback. Even from afar, the broad frame of Darreth Kailen was recognizable. “And perhaps there's this way we need”, Dante said. Both he and Edrick approached the rider, while Alphyn and Leo followed shortly afterwards.
As they came closer, Edrick saw that the squire had a peculiar look on his face. Dante narrowed his eyes, as they exchanged a look. “Something happened”, he said. “Darreth is serious. Rarely a good sign” And indeed, just as he had finished his sentence, Darreth raised his hand to greet them. “A word, Ser Edrick!”, he said loudly.
“What's it?”, Edrick said, as Darreth stopped his horse in front of them. The young man looked concerned, an expression he hadn't shown so far, which made it all the more unsettling. He and Dante exchanged a nervous glance, which proved to him that this behaviour was indeed not typical for Darreth. The squire took a moment to pull himself together. “I'm afraid we have a problem”, he said, pointing down the road. “You won't believe what I've seen down there”
“A way to cross that river, I hope”, Dante said, a weak, hopeful smile on his face. He patted his friend on the back as a greeting, looking visibly relieved at his return and a lot calmer than before. Darreth gave him a nod, as he stood between him and Edrick, while Alphyn and Leo approached them. “A way, yes”, he said. “Maybe. But I'm afraid it comes with a problem”
Before he was able to continue, Alphyn raised his hand. “I swear, if you say Ironborn...”, he warned him, before he glanced at Dante. “Your knight would probably prefer swimming in that case” Darreth shook his head. “It's not that”, he said. “The bridge I found isn't guarded by Ironborn, but guarded nonetheless”
“Highwaymen?”, Edrick asked and again, Darreth denied this by shaking his head. “Probably much worse”, he said. “There's a knight standing on the middle of that bridge, demanding that any man who wishes to pass has to duel him first”
A moment of silence followed, as Edrick desperately hoped for Darreth to be joking once more. But the squire's face remained serious and unmoving. “I'm speaking the truth”, he swore. “It's a real knight. Full armour, though I didn't get close enough to recognize the sigil. Looked important though. He got a horse, a fine destrier, no less noble than the finest in Karhold”
He looked at his companions, who were still looking back in disbelief. “And he's quite serious about this whole stuff as well”, he continued to explain. “There's some other guy who's already getting pretty pissed about being denied the passage, a Northerner like us from the way he speaks”
Now, Alphyn sighed. “Great”, he said. “Well, that's just great. Some crazy bridge knight. I'd rather try my luck with the Ironborn. At least they can't fight back all that well” He glanced at Edrick, who in return looked at Dante, noticing that the young knight was slightly frowning.
“I still believe we shouldn't provoke an unnecessary fight against superior numbers”, he argued. “A knight might be reasoned with and if not, it's only one man, whereas we're five. He won't have a choice but to let us through” Though never being one to cower away from a fight, Edrick found himself agreeing with that logic. He'd rather not start a fight with the Ironborn if it could be avoided, not here. This was their land, their rules and if he wanted to have any chance at finding Alys, he couldn't do it while provoking them.
“So, you're suggesting to approach this knight instead?”, he asked and Dante nodded, albeit he didn't seem to happy about it either. “It's still a risk, but less than us trying to lie our way past a group of Ironborn” He looked at Alphyn. “At least us two don't exactly seem like smallfolk and none of us can pass as a merchant. There's nothing we could tell them that would be even somewhat believable”
Alphyn sighed. “Fine, you win”, he said. “You got a point” He nodded. “Hell, you got a damn good point. The knight it is then. Anyone disagreeing?” One by one, Darreth, Edrick and finally Leo shook their heads. “It sounds like the best plan we have”, Edrick replied. “We need to cross that bridge and indeed, I'd rather fight one knight than two dozen Ironborn”
“Perhaps we don't have to fight him at all”, Dante offered. “One knight can be reasoned with, or at least I hope so” A proud smile appeared on his face. “But let's go then. Only one way to find out” He started to move, though as the others started to follow, it was Darreth who raised a hand.
“Of course I agree with you, but there's one thing we should think about”, he brought up, as he looked at his companions. “If we go there all together, what's going to happen if we walk into a trap? If anything goes wrong, we're all in danger. Someone should stay back”
Edrick nodded in agreement. “That would be a wise thing to do”, he agreed. “I'd rather not have us all walk into a trap. Any volunteers?” He looked around and the first to react was Dante. The young knight shook his head. “I'll stay at Darreth's side”, he proclaimed. “We make for a good team. I suppose you need us out there”
Next, Alphyn shook his head as well. “And if there's a fight happening, I can help”, he promised. “You wouldn't want to miss me if things get dire” Edrick left this uncommented, as he turned his head towards Leo instead. The young hunter sent him a dark glare, before he finally gave in with a sigh.
“Fine, I'll do it”, he said bitterly. “Not as if any of you trust me either way” There was a short silence following to this, as Edrick realized that Leo had listened to their entire conversation earlier. He gulped. “Leo...”, he said reluctantly, though the hunter only shook his head. “I think I heard enough”, he replied. “Just leave me here, where I won't be able to stab you in the back, or whatever you think I'm planning to do” Clearly frustrated, he raised his hands. “Justify it as back-up, if you feel better that way”, he snarled and suddenly, Edrick did feel a bit bad for the boy. At the same time, he wouldn't want to separate Dante and Darreth and Alphyn was right when he claimed that he might be needed. Though did they truly need someone to remain behind? Were the benefits of a back-up all that high? Edrick felt uneasy with this, but once again, he knew that there was a decision to be made.
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
[Take Leo with you] An unhonorable knight? There is no such thing. There could not possibly be a trap laid by the knight. In all honesty however, they are a capable bunch, and having someone in your team that feels excluded is just a recipe for disaster. And we aren't entirely sure that there is a trap at all. Why not get ol' Leo a chance eh?
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
We'll be like cops, and once this evitably goes south we can call for backup. It'll be good. If only we try to go to the nice ironborn everything would be fine.
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
Lucas' part was nice, but I sure hope that last sentence wasn't foreshadowing Anyway, I'm really looking forward to his conversation with Petyr.
[Take Leo with you] I'm a bit uncertain with this one, but I guess it's better not to agitate Leo any further. Anyway, nice to see the Northern gang back in the action!
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
[Leave Leo as back-up] It'll piss him off sure but this is the better plan, we can't just change it because we're worried about hurting someone's feelings.
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
[Leave Leo as back-up]
We'll be like cops, and once this evitably goes south we can call for backup. It'll be good. If only we try to go to the nice ironborn everything would be fine.
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his pa… morest wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a gro… [view original content]
Comments
She doesn't quite believe in the justice system all that much anymore, to be fair. She merely doesn't wish to take a life, though by now, it can be argued that she wouldn't disapprove if someone else would kill Wolfius. In general though, she is one of the characters with the strongest and most intact morals and unless something really bad happens, she won't abandon them anytime soon. It's a big part of her personality after all.
Hm... perhaps this one still holds the chance to surprise you. Maybe at least the exact details. At least I hope so XD I certainly look forward to develop the Sphynx as an actual character in the semi-near future, beyond his role as the Alley Cats torturer, even if this will remain his key function.
[Talk to Ryler]
I guess we better let Mathea calm down and chill for some time. Perhaps when she's less angry she'll be more willing to talk.
This is an important thing indeed, siding with Ryler wasn't an entirely negative decision, as Arthur gained a useful ally. Now he's somewhat acquainted with Ryler, which is a good thing for sure, even if it came at the cost of his friendship with Mathea. From a pragmatic standpoint, this even leaves Arthur in a better position, as he now has a new ally, while still being able to count on Mathea's help, if only due to her sense of duty.
Well, about that... there's going to be a twist to all of this. As for now, Daemion is only the acting Commander of the City Guard, not the one chosen by the lord. With Petyr as a new, strong candidate for the lordship, things are bound to be a bit different than expected. For example, he could choose someone he trusts more than Daemion, even one of his own men. How does Commander Moggy sound?
Well, surely this isn't impossible. Mathea is not someone to hold a grudge forever, but as she said, this won't be done with a simple apology. A lot of choices shaped Mathea's opinion on Arthur in Book 1, the one at the end of Chapter 8 being the most important one. However, it won't be the last time Arthur is going to interact with her and if you choose carefully, you might manage to change things between them.
Ah, I am glad to hear this! I wasn't too sure if her reaction might be seen as too harsh, but considering that you know her the best, I take that I made the right choice by having her in such an angry mood during this talk. And well, she certainly got a good reason to be angry at him. It's great you enjoyed her in this part
This is something to be concerned of indeed. The Sphynx and Connor are the last people anyone would like to interact with. That said, she really doesn't trust him. There's no reason not to trust him at this point from her perspective, considering that she doesn't know a thing about him, but he is still shady and a bit unnerving in general, so she wasn't too unhappy that he left the building now. No matter how fancy he behaves, winning her trust will be a hard thing to do, especially after the most recent fallout with Arthur.
Just like Jaron back then, Arthur wasn't thinking straight. Jaron was being heavily provoked by a man that outright tried to get killed and in a very emotionally charged situation on top, whereas Arthur, a fundamentally good-hearted man, just had to witness the mutilated corpse of a woman he cared for, whose life he saved earlier. Both definitely snapped and made a decision in the heat of the moment. Personally though, I must say that I can understand Jaron's decision a bit more, because he was definitely in the more heated situation and was thinking less clearly. Arthur had a bit of time to think after the immediate shock of seeing Lyria and he could have turned around after going with Ryler, but he was very much blinded by anger in this situation. For what it's worth though, both do regret their choice, even if Arthur still clings to the hope that not every consequence of his decision is going to be bad, a hope Jaron has long since abandoned.
For good reason, yes. And just wait, the situation hasn't even been fully established yet. Can you imagine the Sphynx as a respected and well-known figure in Raylansfair? There's certainly a good reason to be uncomfortable with how things are right now.
Hm, I was certainly surprised that so many chose this, though I can only guess that some have misunderstood the choice and haven't thought that Arthur would leave Mathea and Rosalie behind, just that he would work with Ryler in general, which would generally be a good thing. That said, considering how dangerous Wolfius is for almost every character in Raylansfair, I can understand how seeing him dead is a priority to many. However, capturing him right there had a relatively low chance of succeeding in either way, considering that Wolfius has a giant direwolf at his command, so I really think that not everyone who made the choice was fully aware of the immediate consequences. That said, Arthur's new alliance with Ryler is not a bad thing, from a pragmatic standpoint and it arguably leaves him off better than before, having gained a new ally through his decision.
I think this is highly likely. That said, killing Wolfius might be the only way to truly stop him. As a warg, he can find a way out of any cell, no matter how secure. He has made it clear that he won't stop, so unless he is killed or put through a lobotomy that leaves him more or less braindead, there is no way to contain him forever otherwise. However, I very much plan to make it a recurring element of this conflict, that the readers have to decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to make sure that Wolfius won't be a danger to those around him ever again. Arthur's friendship with Mathea was a relatively small price compared to the things that will come in the future. Though I think that, if you'd get a 100% chance at killing Wolfius with a choice, then this might be worth even very high prices, considering how many lives will be saved that way.
Yet
Though that be said, Wolfius' Book 1 body count is indeed relatively low for such a feared killer. He personally murdered Alexander and Lyria, as well as Roman while he was warged into his wolf and he is also indirectly responsible for the deaths of Urid and Than. It can be argued that he also had a hand in Hackor's death, as the worst wound he suffered came from the knife Wolfius pushed into his side during their escape. That said, these weren't the last for him. He's still alive, he'll continue and he is a massive threat to every character in Raylansfair, among them several of your favourites, so finding a way to stop him should be at least of some concern.
I don't remember my exact reaction but Lydia definitely wasn't among my favorites. I really like Rosalie though, maybe I said something about feeling bad for her.
Technically, Mullendore hasn't appointed a successor. The problem is, he left the city in a hurry and now his captains are unsure how to continue. In time, one of them is definitely going to be chosen as th new commander, but for now, the city guard isn't truly led by anyone. I hope to show more of this in Jaron's scenes with Farris, which will likely span across the next two parts (with a choice inbetween) and which should give you a better understanding of the status of the city guard right now.
I imagine if he still holds a grudge against Kersea that there's potential to lose another favorite.
Well, it is very likely that the smarter men in Oldtown will figure it out now. Quent surely is such a smart man. The thing is, it's not only that Mullendore has made his relation with the Alley Cats public, it's also the thing Harpy did in the Chapter 6 finale. She revealed his identity in the presence of people who witnessed it. This started a rumour and in Oldtown, rumours are a very powerful tool. In a way, she crippled his reputation more than his body and this was definitely a reason for his hasty flight from Oldtown despite barely being able to travel. It is also the main reason why he hasn't formally abandoned his title as the Commander of the Guard of Oldtown, therefore leaving his former guardsmen without a proper leader for the time being. His identity as Butterfly, formerly heavily guarded, is now an open secret and he is in full damage control mode, even having left his position in Oldtown to avoid immediate questioning through Lord Hightower, while he works on a strategy to weasel his way out of that one. It's not easy being Mullendore right now
Indeed, he still has this grudge against Kersea, even though he doesn't know where she is at this point. He probably thinks she perished in the lighthouse explosion, though if he somehow learns of her survival, she'd be among his targets. I am not sure if you'd count Jenna as one of your favourites, but she is also very high on his kill list. Through her, one of your clear favourites, Saerya, is also in danger, because Wolfius has shown before that his grudge is so irrational that he can easily just decide to pick on Jenna's friends and allies first. Through his ongoing hatred for Richard, Kersea is also still in danger of being discovered by him and then there's Ilish somewhere on his list, as well as Rosalie and through her, Mathea, whom Wolfius isn't exactly a fan of either.
You've just informed me that this chapter has the potential to hurt me even more than last chapter. There is no existing emoticon that could accurately portray my fear.
Anyway I just had a thought. Depending on our choice regarding Jenna's fate, Kersea could've been on Wolfius' good side (if I remember correctly) what would that mean for Kersea up until this point?
Hm, I can surely understand your reasoning there, you brought up some interesting points. Perhaps, to explain Mathea's anger a bit better, she understands that Arthur was in no obligation of coming with her in the first place and she wouldn't have reacted as heavily as she did if he would have refused to accompany her back when she asked for it in the early Chapter 8. What truly made her angry was that he left her alone with Rosalie, in a situation where she wasn't able to help the girl on her own. Nothing bad happened in the end, but it very likely could have and she was genuinely afraid for her life and for Rosalie's. Arthur's actions made it seem as if he was okay with something bad happening to them, as long as he would get his chance at capturing Wolfius. So, it's not only anger at him leaving her in a situation where she really could have needed his help, it's also disappointment because she thought of him as someone to trust, especially due to his earlier choice of accompanying her. That said, her outright punching him was a kneejerk reaction and not something she's proud of. It happened exactly because of what she's been through in the past hours and an acute lack of sleep and high stress levels made it only worse. She's certainly not exactly thinking straight right now and usually is among the more calm and mature characters in Raylansfair.
This one is usually very nice for such situations:
But well, perhaps to calm you down somewhat, Wolfius is currently in critical condition due to Lyria nearly bashing his head in. For now, he has to rest, but he will return once he has gathered his strength again and after revealing his true nature, he is going to be far more dangerous than he has ever been.
Indeed, Kersea could have been on Wolfius' good side, depending on your choices during the Jenna situation in Chapter 3. If that would be the case, Wolfius also wouldn't have been kicked out of Clayton's group, but would have left them a bit later by his own choice. He would have gained a little bit of respect for Kersea, just like he had respect for Alysanne. A later choice could have meant that Kersea also wouldn't have helped Clayton in using Wolfius as a scapegoat, therefore giving him no reason to be angry at her. Kersea wouldn't have any genuine benefits from having Wolfius on her side an they wouldn't have interacted much, but neither would she be in danger of being targeted by him. In general, the relationship between Wolfius and Kersea wouldn't have been too important so far, though that doesn't mean it won't come into play later on.
I can definitely understand why someone would be angry at a situation like that. But I guess in my head I always thought Mathea was better than that, because as far as I can recollect, she has never lost her cool in the story, and in my mind she always seems to have her nerves under control, and is this super level-headed woman, given how she can even see past Wolfius' trespasses and heal him. But I guess she is still quite young and inexperienced if you really think about it.
The thing is Wolfius isn't just some random someone, and I thought Mathea knew how much catching Wolfius and putting him to justice meant to Arthur, especially now after what had happened to Lyria. Of course I knew she was gonna be displeased, but I thought her straight up punching him was overkill on her part.
[Talk to Daemion]
It's interesting to note that determinately Arthur can be one of the most despised POV's in the story yet so far. Hackor, Aditha, and a good portion of Raylansfair can have a negative opinion on him if he set Wofius free, Aren can have an awkward encounter with him if we asked about his ladies' intentions, and now Rosalie and Mathea? I wonder who else we can piss off.
It's true, she's actually even younger than Arthur. Mathea is very level-headed, but at the same time way calmer than someone her age should be. Most of the time, she manages to keep her cool, though her patience is not endless. Add to that a generally severe level of stress due to her being constantly overworked. Back when she healed Wolfius, she was still more or less new to the city, but since then she has been constantly on duty, even in her own home. Stuff like that is really wearing her down and the whole thing with Arthur leaving her was the final straw, even if she likely would have been pissed at him for that behaviour even if she wouldn't have pushed herself to such a level of exhaustion.
You're right, Arthur could have pissed off a great deal of people with his actions, though aside from the thing with Mathea now, he actually managed to remain well-liked through his choices. Aditha absolutely adores him and sees him as a hero for bringing in Wolfius (even if she knows the truth about Clayton and Kersea being the ones to capture him), Hackor at least respected him and due to him leading the evacuation to the castle, he is also among the most popular living guardsmen in the city right now when it comes to the smallfolk. That means his situation is quite a bit better than it might seem right now, though it is safe to say that Arthur's reputation with other Raylansfair characters will be further influenced by future choices.
[Talk to Ryler]
You know, now that I think about it, I remember when Hackor grew curiosity of Arthur's "heroism." Would Hackor have found out about Clayton and Kersea handing Wofius over to Arthur if he were alive?
it's heart-warming that Arthur has more allies than enemies (although Mathea will need some time away from him), but it will be hard for him to like everyone who stays as a resident in the future especially if Arthur finds out through Ryler about the Alley Cats and Mullendore.
[Talk to Daemion]
Screw Mathea, so rude to the brave man who risked his life attempting to bring evil to justice. Wolfius must be stopped and I will make sure it happens. If it were me Richard would have murdered him in his cell long ago.
Also Sphynx is kind of creepy even when not in a dungeon. But liking dogs is nice.
Help Daemion, the greatest greats of them all.
Sorry for missing last part's voting, I barely got a chance to get onto my PC this past week.
Anyway, I do kinda regret the last Arthur choice. It was a stupid gamble that might have worked but Arthur's relationship with Mathea is now not as strong. I would want to apologize but it doesn't seem like that option is going to win.
[Talk to Ryler] He just seems like the person with more importance revolving Arthur and his mission at the moment. Hopefully he can help us with killing Wolfius at last, or at least take a step into the right direction.
The Voting is closed!
Arthur is going to talk to Ryler
This was a very active voting, which makes me very happy
I expected that a majority of you would choose this, especially as Ryler does hold some interesting information. The next Arthur part should reveal a bit more about him, his affiliation with the Alley Cats, as well as the general knowledge he has about these guys. He certainly has a lot to say about this topic, though it's always a question of how much he is willing to share. At least for now, he seems willing to part with some key information, which should be valuable. That said, the other choices would have had good consequences in their own right.
The next part might be out today. I am really not sure, as most of the time, but this time it looks like things might take me a little longer. The thing is, I'm heading out tonight, at least for a few hours and I don't know if I will manage to finish the part, despite my best tries. Tomorrow, it's time for my biweekly RPG group, which means a major part of the day will be gone as well. So, at latest, I will need until the very late Sunday evening, maybe the very early Monday morning for the next part. Just know that I am actively working on it
This next part will feature PoV's from Lucas and... Edrick, at last! Lucas will get his second PoV already, because one small detail in it is needed for me to start Drent's storyline, though his part likely won't be very long, mostly focussing on the immediate consequences of his refusal to cooperate with Mullendore. I plan to focus mostly on Edrick, who has taken the timeskip to travel through the North. Currently, he and his group, consisting of Dante Karstark and his squire Darreth Kailen, the hunter Leo York and Alphyn Frostborn, firstborn son of Lionel Frostborn, brother of Connor and the often-mentioned Lupin, are all in the northern Riverlands, which is where we're going to start their next part. Hope you're going to enjoy it!
He likely wouldn't have found out about it in particular, unless Arthur would outright confess to him (which I potentially could have offered to you as a choice), on account of Wolfius escaping and Kersea having no reason to reveal it. That said, he indeed grew curious, even slightly suspicious, which was the main reason why he didn't praise Arthur all that much. While the true extent of what happened was never revealed to him, he was a man with good instincts, which already tipped him off that something was wrong about the whole situation.
That's true, Arthur is going to have quite the problem with some of the new faces in Raylansfair. Ryler telling him the truth about them is only going to make his opinion on them worse, as he already distrusts men like the Sphynx by default. That said, his opinions on Mullendore (whom Ryler might know less about) and Petyr are going to remain up for question even after this talk, though their affiliation with the Alley Cats won't make things any easier for them.
Well, it is a noble goal to stop Wolfius, that much is for sure. Arthur had good intentions, though his chances of capturing Wolfius in the first place during the raid were very slim, considering that guy's advantage. Really, back when he was captured in the cell there was a very small timeframe in which he was genuinely at their mercy, which was the best time to stop him. The moment he managed to free himself, things got way more complicated.
Yes he is. It's kind of natural for the Sphynx to be creepy. In this part, he wasn't even trying to scare anyone, but I guess it's something he can't control. Mathea was seriously creeped out by him, as was Arthur and well, Ryler was horrified. Part of that was the way his dog reacted to him, despite usually having a good instinct when it comes to evil people. Wolfsbane himself seemed confused as to why he got along so well with the Sphynx. Keep that detail in mind
That said, the Sphynx is generally not cruel to animals and gets along with most quite well. The cruelty he reserves for humans is slightly counterbalanced in that way.
Ah, no problem! When you don't have the time, you don't have the time, simple as that. I'm glad you managed to vote on this one
Well, at least for now the consequences seem mostly negative, with Mathea being really pissed at him and Wolfius having gotten away regardless. The problem is that even if he would have caught up to him, he wouldn't have stood a chance to actually stop him, not with Wolfius' seriously huge direwolf present. Kreep would have already posed a formidable opponent, but the wolf? No chance.
Edrick? YES! FINALLY!
Lucas
It was only for a moment that Lucas actually considered the offer. A new life for him at the Wall, one where the mistakes of his past wouldn't matter anymore. It was almost tempting. But a look at the man in front of him quickly made him realize how foolish such a thing would be.
There was nothing but hatred between the two men, as Lucas slowly shook his head. “Do you really think I will help you?”, he asked. “Kill me if you must, but I won't do your bidding” As he spoke, he glared defiantly at Maron Mullendore in front of him.
For a moment, there was silence. Mullendore looked unmoved, not a hint of anger on his scarred face. “Tom”, he said and the masked man clenched his fist. Lucas was prepared, though the following hit hurt nonetheless, as it pressed the air from his lungs. “Again”, Mullendore barked and this time, the side of the Tom's first hit against Lucas' cheek, smashing his head against the wall behind.
With a groan, Lucas looked up again, as he did his best to ignore the thumping pain in the back of his head. Through a slightly blurry vision, he continued to glare at Mullendore. “Never”, he said and now, finally, he saw emotion forming on the false knight's face. It was a grin, small at first, though quickly getting wider. “Good”, he replied. “This is going to make things a lot more fun for me”
He turned around, approaching the door behind him, though Lucas' call caused him to stop. “Wait!”, he yelled and he glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow in the process. “I wish to speak to my brother”, Lucas managed to utter. These words didn't come easy to him, but he knew, with Petyr there would be a chance for him. For all his flaws, Petyr was not Mullendore. If there was a deal he could make with anyone in this castle, it would be Petyr. They had been brothers once.
Mullendore chuckled. “Putting your hopes in your kinslaying brother?”, he asked. “You must truly be desperate” He shrugged. “I shall talk to him, but know that this changes nothing. He will agree with me on how to deal with you”, he spoke. “Do not think that this will spare you from the Sphynx' knife”
He left and without even looking at him, the Tom followed, leaving Lucas alone in his cell again. As he close the door, Mullendore glared at him again. “The next time we see each other, you'll have done what I asked you for”, he promised. “But by then, it will be too late. You refused my offer and everything you get now will be worse than that” His mouth formed a wicked smirk. “Good night, Lucas Flowers”, he said. “May it be your last”
Of course, he took the torch with him and as he and the Tom had walked down the hallway far enough, Lucas' cell was bathed in shadows again, but this time, he was thankful that the shadows of his mind kept their distance. He was too preoccupied with the words Mullendore just said. If he understood him correctly, Petyr wasn't in on this. Undoubtedly he had a hand in his imprisonment, but not in what was going to follow now. It was a far shot, but perhaps he'd even disagree. Petyr had always been a pragmatist, not a cruel beast such as Mullendore.
A bitter sigh came out of Lucas' throat, as he realized that he was about to put his hopes into his brother, the very same man who ha abused his trust, had used him as a scapegoat and ruined his reputation, perhaps beyond repair. He knew, Petyr wouldn't free him. But perhaps, if unwittingly, he could give Lucas' true allies time. And Lucas knew that he wasn't without allies this time. If anything, it gave him a bit of relief. Maybe it wasn't over for him yet.
For now, all Lucas Flowers was able to do was to wait, for his brother, for anyone, really. He was alone with his thoughts and in a way, this was worse than whatever the Sphynx was able to do to him. To avoid seeing the shadows in the corner of his sight, he closed his eyes, though that only barely helped. With a sigh, he sunk down, as much to the ground as possible, where he remained, trying to sink into merciful sleep.
Of course it did not come, not in his current position and his state of mind. As he opened his eye again, now more tired than ever, the shadows of his cell had crept closer. Harris was there as well, staring down at him, a curious expression on his face and his presence caused Lucas to sigh with frustration and pain.
“Are you going to continue tormenting me now?”, he asked bitterly and Harris knelt down. He was silent for a moment, though the look on his face was in a constant change, as if he was unable to maintain one expression. “I don't know, boy”, he finally replied. “Are you?”
Lucas looked in the man's eyes, these deep, green eyes and suddenly, tears welled up in his, stinging in the ruins of the one Mullendore took from him. “I'm going to die here, am I not?”, he asked and this time, it didn't take Harris all that long to react. He simple gave him a nod.
No Choices for this part
Edrick
“He has been gone for quite some time now”, Dante remarked, his voice betraying his calm expression, hinting at the nervousness below. Even while skinning the rabbit Leo had found earlier, he was constantly looking up, toward the road for a sign of his friend.
“He has been gone for five hours”, Alphyn replied, while he tended to the horses, gently cleaning their hooves from the dirt of their latest part of the journey. “Hardly unusual for a scouting mission, especially if he makes it a thorough one” Dante sighed. “This area is dangerous”, he said, though at least for a short moment, his usual attitude shined through. “You can tell by the smell that we're no longer in the North”
“That's precisely why we need scouts”, Alphyn said again, though he smirked at Dante's statement. “And it does kinda stink. Like rotten fish” It wasn't the first time Dante had voiced his concerns and Edrick was able to understand him, yet at the same time, he had to agree with Alphyn. The scouting mission Leo and Darreth were on was too important to skip. “But as I said”, Alphyn added, now with a serious voice again. “None of us knows this area. Up ahead, there could be anything”
He was right with this, that much was for sure. They had left the Neck behind days ago, riding straight down the southern road, before it faded into a web of barely fortified paths, only infrequently taken by travellers. Few people lived here and not even the Ironborn found their way to this region all that often. The few abandoned farmhouses they passed were reason enough for Edrick. Why would any raider go where nothing could be plundered? Such was the lot of the regions north of the Green Fork, the true legacy of Harren the Black.
Dante sighed. “I know”, he replied. “I know... I just wish I could have gone with him. Now he's in the presence of that hunter, to make things worse” Now, Edrick himself looked up from his makeshift bed, little more than a blanket on the ground. He himself had started to get doubts about Leo's loyalty to their mission. Ever since he had chosen to respect Dante's privacy, the hunter had shunned him, being even more distant to the group than before. At the same time, his dedication to find and save Alys was as strong as always, to a degree that concerned Edrick almost as much as his silent broodiness. But what surprised him the most about Dante's suspicion was that none of them had voiced it before, not in such an open way.
“You don't trust him?”, he asked and Dante knelt down, putting the partially skinned rabbit onto a wooden plate. “Can you blame me?”, he asked in return. “He broke into my room. Tried to steal my letter” His voice showed the true anger he felt, but which he kept in line in a remarkable way. Edrick knew, if someone would have stolen his letters, he would have ripped that person to pieces. Perhaps it was a good thing he couldn't even write in the first place.
“And from what I heard, he learned something interesting”, Alphyn interjected and Dante glared at him. The knight raised his hands, a friendly smile on his face. “I'm just teasing you, Ser. I don't trust him either. He's too... weasely. Shifty looking boy. I got too much experience with guys like him”
Edrick raised an eyebrow. “So neither of you trust him?”, he asked and both were quick to nod. He sighed. “Well, I got my doubts as well”, he admitted. “But I'm afraid we need him. None of us know how Lady Alys actually looks”
Alphyn chuckled. “Well, I could describe her”, he said. “But recognizing her? She was a looker back when she visited my family, but young enough to be my daughter. Nothing's more off-putting than that” He quickly grew serious again. “But fair enough. I can keep up with him as long as he respects my privacy”, he added, before he gave Dante an approving look. “You have my respect for keeping your calm around him”
Dante shook his head. “This is not how I want things to end between him and me. I don't want a quarrel”, he said. “I know we need him and that's why I tolerate him. But let's just say, I'm glad I won't have to see him again once we have found Alys” He turned to the rabbit again, picking up the knife and continuing to skin it.
With his last words, he has gained Edrick's curiosity. Exchanging a wordless look with Alphyn, he decided that now would be a good time to ask. “Speaking of...”, he started and Dante glanced at him. “May I ask a question?” The younger knight gave him a nod, followed by a friendly smile. “Unless it's nothing too personal”, he said.
“That would be up to you to decide”, Edrick said. “But what I want to know is, once we have found Lady Alys... if we actually find her, what are your plans? What does your uncle want?” Dante sighed and a mild frown appeared on his face.
“I have thought about this myself”, he answered. “I have never been against this betrothal, though she made it very clear that she rejects me” For a moment, the usually confident knight looked every bit as insecure as a man his age should be at times. “What can follow out of this? Marrying her against her outspoken will, that is not what I want. She'd hate me. This is not the kind of future I seek for either of us”, he continued gently. “My uncle though... Lord Brogar has a very strict opinion on this matter and her defiance didn't cause him to soften his stance. Quite the opposite, to be honest”
“Well, I suppose that is something we have to deal with, should we actually find her”, Edrick said. “She ran away from home and for all we knew, she made her way south of the Neck. Returning her without her consent could be even harder than actually finding her”
Dante opened his mouth to answer, though noise from the woods behind him caused him to reach for his sword instead. “Who goes there?”, he barked sharply, while Alphyn and Edrick both rose from their positions, ready to reach for their weapons if necessary.
“It's me”, Leo's voice sounded and just a second later, he walked into Edrick's field of view. He and Alphyn relaxed, though Dante remained on guard for a second longer, before putting his sword down again. There was a certain anger in Leo's eyes, the same he had shown for quite a while now, but fresher at the same and Edrick had to ask himself just how much of their talk the hunter had listened to.
“Where's Darreth?”, Dante asked and Leo looked around the camp, before shrugging. “Not here yet? Then I guess he's still scouting” He walked to the campfire between them, dropping a fat squirrel next to it. “You split up?”, Dante said sharply and this time, the hunter gave him a nod.
“We did it at Darreth's wish”, he was quick to clarify. “The Green Fork lies to the south, an hour on horseback. Once we reached it, he suggested that we split, to find a way across the river as quickly as possible” Edrick gave him a curious look, which Leo answered with one of resentment. “Well, have you found one?”, the knight asked.
Leo gave him a nod. “Two hours to the south, a fortified bridge with a wooden fence”, he replied. “A token force of Ironborn holds it, about two dozen, and from what I've seen, they are very careful whom they let across” Dante sighed. “Well, we can forget that one then”, he deduced. “Three northern knights, two of them highborn, there's no way they'd let us pass”
“We could always lie to them”, Alphyn suggested and Dante nodded reluctantly. “I wouldn't feel good with that”, he answered. “Just imagine what happens if they don't believe us. Token force or not, I don't want to get into a fight that can be avoided, especially one we're so unlikely to win”
Edrick grinned, as he approached his horse. “My friend, you underestimate my skills”, he boasted. “You're a knight, I'm a knight, Alphyn is a knight and from what I've seen, your squire is no stranger to combat either” Dante raised an eyebrow. “If there is any other way, then we should avoid a fight”
To this, Alphyn chuckled. “To avoid killing Ironborn?”, he said with a smirk. “I'm very much with Edrick on this. They are worthless! Murderous scum, rapists and worse” Dante gave him a nod. “I never said they weren't”, he replied. “And the last thing I want is to protect them. But such a fight could claim lives among our group as well. Is any of you ready to die?” He waited for a second. “No? Good, then let us look for another way”
He glanced down the path and a smile formed on his face. As Edrick followed his glance, he spotted a figure in the distance, slowly approaching them on horseback. Even from afar, the broad frame of Darreth Kailen was recognizable. “And perhaps there's this way we need”, Dante said. Both he and Edrick approached the rider, while Alphyn and Leo followed shortly afterwards.
As they came closer, Edrick saw that the squire had a peculiar look on his face. Dante narrowed his eyes, as they exchanged a look. “Something happened”, he said. “Darreth is serious. Rarely a good sign” And indeed, just as he had finished his sentence, Darreth raised his hand to greet them. “A word, Ser Edrick!”, he said loudly.
“What's it?”, Edrick said, as Darreth stopped his horse in front of them. The young man looked concerned, an expression he hadn't shown so far, which made it all the more unsettling. He and Dante exchanged a nervous glance, which proved to him that this behaviour was indeed not typical for Darreth. The squire took a moment to pull himself together. “I'm afraid we have a problem”, he said, pointing down the road. “You won't believe what I've seen down there”
“A way to cross that river, I hope”, Dante said, a weak, hopeful smile on his face. He patted his friend on the back as a greeting, looking visibly relieved at his return and a lot calmer than before. Darreth gave him a nod, as he stood between him and Edrick, while Alphyn and Leo approached them. “A way, yes”, he said. “Maybe. But I'm afraid it comes with a problem”
Before he was able to continue, Alphyn raised his hand. “I swear, if you say Ironborn...”, he warned him, before he glanced at Dante. “Your knight would probably prefer swimming in that case” Darreth shook his head. “It's not that”, he said. “The bridge I found isn't guarded by Ironborn, but guarded nonetheless”
“Highwaymen?”, Edrick asked and again, Darreth denied this by shaking his head. “Probably much worse”, he said. “There's a knight standing on the middle of that bridge, demanding that any man who wishes to pass has to duel him first”
A moment of silence followed, as Edrick desperately hoped for Darreth to be joking once more. But the squire's face remained serious and unmoving. “I'm speaking the truth”, he swore. “It's a real knight. Full armour, though I didn't get close enough to recognize the sigil. Looked important though. He got a horse, a fine destrier, no less noble than the finest in Karhold”
He looked at his companions, who were still looking back in disbelief. “And he's quite serious about this whole stuff as well”, he continued to explain. “There's some other guy who's already getting pretty pissed about being denied the passage, a Northerner like us from the way he speaks”
Now, Alphyn sighed. “Great”, he said. “Well, that's just great. Some crazy bridge knight. I'd rather try my luck with the Ironborn. At least they can't fight back all that well” He glanced at Edrick, who in return looked at Dante, noticing that the young knight was slightly frowning.
“I still believe we shouldn't provoke an unnecessary fight against superior numbers”, he argued. “A knight might be reasoned with and if not, it's only one man, whereas we're five. He won't have a choice but to let us through” Though never being one to cower away from a fight, Edrick found himself agreeing with that logic. He'd rather not start a fight with the Ironborn if it could be avoided, not here. This was their land, their rules and if he wanted to have any chance at finding Alys, he couldn't do it while provoking them.
“So, you're suggesting to approach this knight instead?”, he asked and Dante nodded, albeit he didn't seem to happy about it either. “It's still a risk, but less than us trying to lie our way past a group of Ironborn” He looked at Alphyn. “At least us two don't exactly seem like smallfolk and none of us can pass as a merchant. There's nothing we could tell them that would be even somewhat believable”
Alphyn sighed. “Fine, you win”, he said. “You got a point” He nodded. “Hell, you got a damn good point. The knight it is then. Anyone disagreeing?” One by one, Darreth, Edrick and finally Leo shook their heads. “It sounds like the best plan we have”, Edrick replied. “We need to cross that bridge and indeed, I'd rather fight one knight than two dozen Ironborn”
“Perhaps we don't have to fight him at all”, Dante offered. “One knight can be reasoned with, or at least I hope so” A proud smile appeared on his face. “But let's go then. Only one way to find out” He started to move, though as the others started to follow, it was Darreth who raised a hand.
“Of course I agree with you, but there's one thing we should think about”, he brought up, as he looked at his companions. “If we go there all together, what's going to happen if we walk into a trap? If anything goes wrong, we're all in danger. Someone should stay back”
Edrick nodded in agreement. “That would be a wise thing to do”, he agreed. “I'd rather not have us all walk into a trap. Any volunteers?” He looked around and the first to react was Dante. The young knight shook his head. “I'll stay at Darreth's side”, he proclaimed. “We make for a good team. I suppose you need us out there”
Next, Alphyn shook his head as well. “And if there's a fight happening, I can help”, he promised. “You wouldn't want to miss me if things get dire” Edrick left this uncommented, as he turned his head towards Leo instead. The young hunter sent him a dark glare, before he finally gave in with a sigh.
“Fine, I'll do it”, he said bitterly. “Not as if any of you trust me either way” There was a short silence following to this, as Edrick realized that Leo had listened to their entire conversation earlier. He gulped. “Leo...”, he said reluctantly, though the hunter only shook his head. “I think I heard enough”, he replied. “Just leave me here, where I won't be able to stab you in the back, or whatever you think I'm planning to do” Clearly frustrated, he raised his hands. “Justify it as back-up, if you feel better that way”, he snarled and suddenly, Edrick did feel a bit bad for the boy. At the same time, he wouldn't want to separate Dante and Darreth and Alphyn was right when he claimed that he might be needed. Though did they truly need someone to remain behind? Were the benefits of a back-up all that high? Edrick felt uneasy with this, but once again, he knew that there was a decision to be made.
[Take Leo with you] [Leave Leo as back-up]
[Take Leo with you]
I don't think it's good to piss Leo off any further, besides there's a lot of good fighters in this group, they'll be fine.
[Leave Leo as back-up]
[Take Leo with you] An unhonorable knight? There is no such thing. There could not possibly be a trap laid by the knight. In all honesty however, they are a capable bunch, and having someone in your team that feels excluded is just a recipe for disaster. And we aren't entirely sure that there is a trap at all. Why not get ol' Leo a chance eh?
[Leave Leo as back-up]
We'll be like cops, and once this evitably goes south we can call for backup. It'll be good. If only we try to go to the nice ironborn everything would be fine.
Lucas' part was nice, but I sure hope that last sentence wasn't foreshadowing
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to his conversation with Petyr.
[Take Leo with you] I'm a bit uncertain with this one, but I guess it's better not to agitate Leo any further. Anyway, nice to see the Northern gang back in the action!
[Leave Leo as back-up] It'll piss him off sure but this is the better plan, we can't just change it because we're worried about hurting someone's feelings.
Do we have another Lord of the bridges? XD
[Leave Leo as back-up]
Northener special forces!Edrick and Alphyn will be the bad cops while Dante and Darreth the good ones!
RT:
About the choice I will not,for now, chose
Edit:
I decide to [Take Leo with you] but I have no problems if the other choice win
[Leave Leo as back-up]
I don't like where this is going for Lucas. Hopefully there is a way he can get bailed before any serious damage happens to him.
[Leave Leo as back-up] No harm in taking some careful measures.