God damn it, this is a hard one. This is a seriously hard one, both for obvious reasons and for reasons of me being overthinking the situation as usual. So, first of all, it would put Desmor into danger in a situation where Ferris is already into danger, meaning that Garrison potentially faces the loss of both of his sons. That is a very strong argument against it and even one that might convince me to change my vote later on. Then, there is the obvious counterargument that Desmor wants to do something for his house and this might be something that could build up his sense of self worth again. I kinda worry that he could do something reckless that gets himself killed if we don't give him some opportunity soon. However this is a very dangerous task and well, as I said, I am still not sure if I will keep my vote at this, because I see a very high chance for these Fowler troops to die.
Second, and here things get a bit more tin-foily again, we know Gwendis, Trentan and Bitcha are about to travel north, likely to Kingsgrave, which would mean that at worst, Gwendis and Desmor meet in this situation. Thing is, I kinda doubt he would do it, but perhaps he'd just drag her to Skyreach to prove his worth, meaning she will end up in this forced marriage after all. At best, they'd just talk for a bit and maybe she could get a chance to set things right, to apologize and to make him realize that he is not the problem. This is something I very much want her to do, because Desmor might be the person she hurt the most through her actions, aside from her father maybe. However, I don't know if I want her to do this right now, because there's still the risk of her being taken to Skyreach and married against her will after all, despite everything she did to avoid it. So, this is another reason against it. Come to think of it, I really don't know why I am still choosing this, because there's so much speaking against it, both genuinely and in my own little paranoid fear that Desmor's presence could somehow mess up Gwendis' chance to avoid that forced marriage, which has been one of my main arguments for choosing that blasted witch back then. That said, I really kinda doubt they'd meet, but since it might put them into a roughly similar location, I wouldn't see it as absolutely impossible. Unlikely, yeah, impossible no. There's also an obvious concern for Desmor, but I am concerned for both, his life and his feeling of self-worth, which are both at risk through the respective choices. Damn it, once again I don't know what to choose. I am way too paranoid about this whole situation As a result, my choice above is only a placeholder, the one my gut feeling tells me to pick, the same gut feeling that has been a bastard and caused me to choose Aisha twice before. I kinda hope to see good arguments for the other side as well, so that I might be able to rethink it.
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
God damn it, this is a hard one. This is a seriously hard one, both for obvious reasons and for reasons of me being overthinking the situation as usual. So, first of all, it would put Desmor into danger in a situation where Ferris is already into danger, meaning that Garrison potentially faces the loss of both of his sons. That is a very strong argument against it and even one that might convince me to change my vote later on.
This is very true, and probably the strongest argument in favor of not sending Desmor. The potential of both Ferris and Desmor dying is a very dire scenario, which would be a severe blow to the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. However, I must admit I kind of forgot about Ferris' son Matthos while writing this part Mention of him is now added to the part, since it could be taken as an argument for sending Desmor
Then, there is the obvious counterargument that Desmor wants to do something for his house and this might be something that could build up his sense of self worth again. I kinda worry that he could do something reckless that gets himself killed if we don't give him some opportunity soon. However this is a very dangerous task and well, as I said, I am still not sure if I will keep my vote at this, because I see a very high chance for these Fowler troops to die.
This is all true as well, it was very apparent in this part that Desmor is very frustrated at feeling useless, and keeping him in Skyreach even now certainly won't fix that, more likely even make it worse.
Second, and here things get a bit more tin-foily again, we know Gwendis, Trentan and Bitcha are about to travel north, likely to Kingsgrave, which would mean that at worst, Gwendis and Desmor meet in this situation. Thing is, I kinda doubt he would do it, but perhaps he'd just drag her to Skyreach to prove his worth, meaning she will end up in this forced marriage after all. At best, they'd just talk for a bit and maybe she could get a chance to set things right, to apologize and to make him realize that he is not the problem.
This is certainly a very interesting scenario that you're speculating here. I will neither confirm or debunk it, but I will say that in such situation Desmor most likely wouldn't force Gwendis to come with him or anything like that.
[Try to convince him to send Desmor]
God damn it, this is a hard one. This is a seriously hard one, both for obvious reasons and for reas… moreons of me being overthinking the situation as usual. So, first of all, it would put Desmor into danger in a situation where Ferris is already into danger, meaning that Garrison potentially faces the loss of both of his sons. That is a very strong argument against it and even one that might convince me to change my vote later on. Then, there is the obvious counterargument that Desmor wants to do something for his house and this might be something that could build up his sense of self worth again. I kinda worry that he could do something reckless that gets himself killed if we don't give him some opportunity soon. However this is a very dangerous task and well, as I said, I am still not sure if I will keep my vote at this, because I see a very high chance for these Fowler troops to die.
Second, and here t… [view original content]
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
Alright, I'm not closing the voting yet, even if it does seem quite clear. However, I have the next part ready, and I'd like to post it already and close the two votings simultaniously. This new part is a Kortney part, technically the first one. Of course, Kortney is the same character as Missy, which was the big revelation of her latest part. On that latest part she was spending time with Larry the Kind, Tom the Animal, Tregeo the Harpist, and the guardsman Auster (who also had a young girl with him). The conversation quickly got to Missy's past, as Larry reminded her of the torture she went through when she was first taken to Kingsgrave. This made Missy snap back into her real persona, Kortney Caron. She also revealed this to everyone in the room, and got into a bit of a panic. Larry told her to calm down so they can talk about it, but you voted for Kortney to run away from the situation. And that's where we shall continue
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and even the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheeks, she started to walk away, making her way towards her own chambers. However, before she got far, Kortney saw the one thing she wanted to see the least right now – the Skeletal Knight, Ser Mordekai Crusher, approaching her.
"Fuck." She mumbled quietly, reflexively finding the hidden knife on her sleeve. That knife would be of little help to her though, if this massive giant of a man in heavy armor would want to hurt her. The dark red eyes glowed on Mordekhai's pale face, and he focused them on Kortney, sending shivers down her spine.
"W- what do you want?" Kortney stuttered as the Skeletal Knight got closer. With a cold and emotionless expression, Mordekhai stopped only few feet away from Kortney. She had to tilt her head backwards to look into the face of this well over seven feet tall giant.
"The King is waiting." Mordekhai simply stated. His tone was calm, but somehow hollow and chilling. Kortney felt her legs trembling, she felt weak under the eyes of this monster. She tried to take a step back, but without a warning Ser Mordekhai grabbed her from the neck, and pushed her against the wall, her feet not reaching the ground. "Missy." Mordekhai whispered with detest and hatred in his voice. His grip around Kortney's neck was tight and she could hardly breath, but she couldn't fight back either, too shocked by the sheer power of this man. Finally Mordekhai let go, and Kortney fell on the floor on all fours, gasping for air. "Follow." He commanded, and turned around, starting to walk towards Kortney's chambers. Kortney stood up, and followed the Skeletal Knight without further objections, though keeping a safe distance.
Shortly they arrived to the door of Kortney's chambers, and Mordekhai turned to look at her again. "Once the King no longer wants you, I promise that I will kill you." He stated this with a chilling calmness, looking Kortney straight into the eyes. She gulped, not sure what could she even say to this. She didn't have to say anything though, as Ser Mordekhai just walked away without any more words. Kortney watched for a moment at the distancing back of the man who had just promised to kill her, before turning back towards the door of her room. She took a deep breath, and grabbed the knob of the door, and pushed it open.
Inside King Albin was waiting for her, sitting on her bed. Kortney had expected to see a lustful look on the King's eyes, like most nights, but what she saw instead was concern, even grief. Carefully she walked closer, and Albin gestured for her to sit next to him.
"Your Grace, you look... troubled." Kortney finally said, and Albin nodded. Though his face looked calm, Kortney could see him clenching his fists. "What exactly is troubling you?" Kortney asked with a gulp, but the King took his time to answer.
"They lost." He finally said, deep anger in his quiet voice. "On the Wide Way... They lost. Fowler's defeated my army. AND THE FUCKING BLACKMONT'S!" Kortney was frightened by the sudden screaming, and winced subtly. The King turned his green eyes on her, shaking of anger, and grabbing her from the arm. "Now Arvin is retreating back here, and the enemy follows!" The King explained angrily, spitting as he spoke. "We are trapped, Missy! Trapped!" He tightened his grip on Kortney's arm, increasing the pain, and she had to close her eyes for a second to resist the urge of crying.
"What would you have me do, Your Grace?" She asked timidly, and Albin let go of her, turning his eyes away. "Tell me, Missy, tell me what I should do." He urged with desperate tone. "Alaric says I should run, perhaps seek refuge from the Yronwood's."
"But, aren't the Yronwood's your enemies?" Kortney asked quietly, and immediately got her answer. "I know!" Albin shouted, standing up now, and walking nervously to the small table on the other side of the room. "I have no desire to kiss the boots of Yorick, but if it is the only way... FUCK!" Albin smashed down the table as he screamed. Kortney gulped, feeling fearful that next the King would get physical with her.
"My worthless wife tries to convince that if I surrender now they'll show mercy, but that's bullshit!" Albin kept venting, walking around the room restlessly. "Besides, I would never surrender to them, no matter what." The King said with determination fueled by rage. He turned to look at Kortney again. "So, tell me Missy, what should I do?"
Kortney gulped, realizing she would have to give an answer, and preferably one that would satisfy the King. She took in a deep breath, considering her options. In truth, she agreed with Queen Sofina – surrendering was the wisest choice, but Albin was very unlikely to agree. Running away to Yronwood could work, but it would depend on King Yorick, as Albin would be completely on his mercy. Of course, one option would be to simply stay in Kingsgrave, surely this castle had withstanded sieges before, why not now? Albin took a couple steps closer to Kortney, impatient look on his eyes – it was time to give him an answer.
[Suggest him to surrender][Suggest him to seek refuge from Yronwood][Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
"I have no desire the kiss the boots of Yorick, but if it is the only way... FUCK!"
What is more desiringl than seeing a perverted whoreson mad king at the mercy of arguably the most powerful king in all of Dorne? Hmm, well not a lot, but there is only one thing holding me back from suggesting him to go there.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Now as much as I'd love to see Albin become Yorick's little bitch, I am fearful for the outcome that Kortney will get. Would she go with him? In that case, that was skew Myke's plans of heading to Kingsgrave. Would he leave her at Kingsgrave and flee alone? Well once again, Kortney's safety is quite obviously non-existent without Albin's presence. Having him stay at Kingsgrave, convincing him to protect his home, that may be the best chance for Kortney if we are to have a Myke-Kortney reunion. I think it's clear that Albin won't surrender unless forced into it, perhaps if the Blackmont's and Fowler's take Arvin captive before he arrives at Kingsgrave, but I'm going to refrain from theorising right now. I think this choice is the best and safest one for Kortney, so long as she ends up in the hands of Myke rather than anyone else. Although, the Fowler's or Blackmont's are far more ideal than the fucking Manwoody's, however I'm leaning more on team Fowler for obvious reasons
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
Alright... that Mordekhockface guy, he is making me seriously anxious. Being the strongest candidate for Aisha's warrior, I think he has proven in this part that he is not only someone who must die, but also someone whom that presumptuous witch-bitch can't control if things go sour. I feel more and more nervous as to why she wants Gwendis to come along and even worse, what she is going to do if Gwendis refuses to become like her by helping her. There has to be a better way for her, one aside from dying or becoming a brainless Great Other fanatic, but the presence of that skeletal piece of shit has made it a lot harder. That is, if he truly is the warrior and not the reddest of herring's. Argh, I hate how I myself always try my best to make me doubt my own theories
But well, back to Mordewhoreson, I think you can already tell that I don't really like him. He's like Dalia if she would give me an actual legitimate reason to hate her aside from me being a helicopter-Liquid as usual. That scene with Missy gave me the chills, the serious chills and if there were any doubts about his evilness, they are gone now. I am mortified by him and by the implications. This might be the only time I am actually glad that Missy has Albin to give her at least some degree of protection and it is also the first part where I start to think that, despite being utterly horrible, Albin might somehow manage to not be the worst waste of a human being at his court. There is no doubt that this questionable honour goes to that guy whose atrocious name I am going to butcher every single time I get the chance, Ser Mordekhrackwhore Crusher.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
This was a hard choice and I have thought about it for a bit, but ultimately, Stigz brought up thoughts I myself have played with and I wholeheartedly agree with him. First of all, I couldn't care less for Albin's well-being. In fact, I care for his lack of well-being and I want him to be miserable. He likely will be miserable with Yorick Yronwood, but that will be far from enough. Now, the most important thing about this choice is that I care for Kortney's well-being very much. If Albin leaves Kingsgrave, there are two ways this could end. He could either take her with him, meaning she'd be taken away from Kingsgrave just as Myke is on his way. Or she could be left there, at the mercy of the freaks and Mordekhitler and well, I don't want that in the slightest.
This means, she has to remain with him and at Kingsgrave and there is only two ways she can achieve this, he either surrenders to the advancing army, or he stays and takes the siege. The thing is, I think it is the easiest to convince him to stay in Kingsgrave, because I think deep down this is what he wants. He doesn't want the reasonable option of surrendering or outright fleeing, or else he wouldn't have started this war. He wants to remain in Kingsgrave no matter what. And well, I believe that a castle under siege will be perfect for Myke to infiltrate it and to free Kortney. Seriously, this is the chance I have hoped for. Maybe there is some hope for Myke to succeed at this mission, but only if, ironically, Albin himself helps him out by allowing his castle to be besieged by the enemy. Though I guess there will be a siege regardless of our choices. Albin won't surrender, he made that very clear and if he flees to the Yronwood's, he'd likely still order his men to defend the castle in his absence, only that this would mean all the risk for Myke but none of the possible reward.
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
This is very true, and probably the strongest argument in favor of not sending Desmor. The potential of both Ferris and Desmor dying is a very dire scenario, which would be a severe blow to the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. However, I must admit I kind of forgot about Ferris' son Matthos while writing this part Mention of him is now added to the part, since it could be taken as an argument for sending Desmor
I am very proud to say that I have not forgotten about him The existence of Matthos indeed is a good argument in favour of sending Desmor, because it would mean that the fate of House Fowler is not at risk. Still, I am concerned for Desmor himself, because I have grown to like him a lot over the recent parts. I still can't help but wonder how he and Gwendis would have gotten along. He's a good guy, maybe even the sort of person she could have learned to love, in time.
This is all true as well, it was very apparent in this part that Desmor is very frustrated at feeling useless, and keeping him in Skyreach even now certainly won't fix that, more likely even make it worse.
Yes, and that is my main reason for choosing to allow him this small honour. Desmor obviously wants to do something to prove his worth and with the marriage gone (seriously, I can't even start to imagine how much that has to hurt, being rejected even by a bride that never him) and him starting to blame either himself or his father for all of these things, I see it as only a matter of time until he does something stupid that would have an even higher chance of getting him killed.
This is certainly a very interesting scenario that you're speculating here. I will neither confirm or debunk it, but I will say that in such situation Desmor most likely wouldn't force Gwendis to come with him or anything like that.
Hm, this is good to know. I mean, I myself couldn't really see him doing it, but who knows what he's capable of in his desire to prove his worth. Finding his runaway bride would surely be a good way of doing so, even if it would mean a horrible start to their marriage. It's not something I'd see as totally in-character to the guy we saw so far, but nothing I was fully able to exclude, so getting some clarity on it is a great thing
God damn it, this is a hard one. This is a seriously hard one, both for obvious reasons and for reasons of me being overthinking the situati… moreon as usual. So, first of all, it would put Desmor into danger in a situation where Ferris is already into danger, meaning that Garrison potentially faces the loss of both of his sons. That is a very strong argument against it and even one that might convince me to change my vote later on.
This is very true, and probably the strongest argument in favor of not sending Desmor. The potential of both Ferris and Desmor dying is a very dire scenario, which would be a severe blow to the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. However, I must admit I kind of forgot about Ferris' son Matthos while writing this part Mention of him is now added to the part, since it could be taken as an argument for sending Desmor
Then, there is the obvious counterargument that Desmor wants to do something for his house and this m… [view original content]
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
What is more desiringl than seeing a perverted whoreson mad king at the mercy of arguably the most powerful king in all of Dorne? Hmm, well not a lot, but there is only one thing holding me back from suggesting him to go there.
Hah, I must say that Albin being forced to beg for the help of Yorick is something I'd really enjoy to write However, I do see why you're going for the other option here, since Albin leaving can be a risky move for Kortney, whether he takes her with him or leaves her to Kingsgrave.
"I have no desire the kiss the boots of Yorick, but if it is the only way... FUCK!"
What is more desiringl than seeing a perverted w… morehoreson mad king at the mercy of arguably the most powerful king in all of Dorne? Hmm, well not a lot, but there is only one thing holding me back from suggesting him to go there.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Now as much as I'd love to see Albin become Yorick's little bitch, I am fearful for the outcome that Kortney will get. Would she go with him? In that case, that was skew Myke's plans of heading to Kingsgrave. Would he leave her at Kingsgrave and flee alone? Well once again, Kortney's safety is quite obviously non-existent without Albin's presence. Having him stay at Kingsgrave, convincing him to protect his home, that may be the best chance for Kortney if we are to have a Myke-Kortney reunion. I think it's clear that Albin won't surrender unless forced into it, perhaps if the Blackmont's… [view original content]
Alright... that Mordekhockface guy, he is making me seriously anxious. Being the strongest candidate for Aisha's warrior, I think he has proven in this part that he is not only someone who must die, but also someone whom that presumptuous witch-bitch can't control if things go sour. I feel more and more nervous as to why she wants Gwendis to come along and even worse, what she is going to do if Gwendis refuses to become like her by helping her. There has to be a better way for her, one aside from dying or becoming a brainless Great Other fanatic, but the presence of that skeletal piece of shit has made it a lot harder. That is, if he truly is the warrior and not the reddest of herring's. Argh, I hate how I myself always try my best to make me doubt my own theories
Mordekhai certainly is someone to be afraid of, and one of the most evil characters in the whole story. So, if he indeed is the warrior Aisha is looking for, well, no one around him is really safe and that would then include Gwen. Albin has managed to keep Mordekhai at least somewhat under his control, but it's questionable if the big fucker would show similar loyalty towards someone like Aisha.
Alright... that Mordekhockface guy, he is making me seriously anxious. Being the strongest candidate for Aisha's warrior, I think he has pro… moreven in this part that he is not only someone who must die, but also someone whom that presumptuous witch-bitch can't control if things go sour. I feel more and more nervous as to why she wants Gwendis to come along and even worse, what she is going to do if Gwendis refuses to become like her by helping her. There has to be a better way for her, one aside from dying or becoming a brainless Great Other fanatic, but the presence of that skeletal piece of shit has made it a lot harder. That is, if he truly is the warrior and not the reddest of herring's. Argh, I hate how I myself always try my best to make me doubt my own theories
But well, back to Mordewhoreson, I think you can already tell that I don't really like him. He's like Dalia if she would give me an actual legitimate reason to hate her aside fro… [view original content]
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
Yes, this is what I fear Not only Mordekhunt being the warrior, but also the possibility that Aisha might not be able to control him. Frankly, that would be inexcusable. I mean, there is one thing I can say about Aisha which is not entirely negative. She is not stupid. Deranged, yes. Evil, yes. Rotten, yes. Less likable than Ellaria and the Sand Snakes combined, yes, a thousand times yes. But stupid, no, that she isn't and I am absolutely sure that she knows what kind of a creature she is going to recruit. So, if she puts Gwendis into danger of being raped/tortured/murdered/eaten (not necessarily in that order) by Mordekhreep, I doubt it would happen without her absolutely knowing and approving of it. In that case, she has dragged her into this war with the precise intention of putting her at the mercy of that degenerate. But well, as much as I have learned my lesson about putting any sort of trust into Aisha, I am inclined to believe that she has some sort of a plan to control him, a good one that actually keeps him in line. I don't know, I wouldn't be against her mindraping that subhuman until he is nothing but an empty shell for her to use. At the same time, I am afraid that this is part of her evil plan all along, that she uses Gwendis to bribe him with, promising him a girl he likely won't refuse in return for his service. I don't know if that's what he wants, but from what we have seen so far, it seems likely and considering what kind of a person Aisha is, I wouldn't put it past her to have aimed at that all along, or to approve of it at the very least. It is shocking how she keeps hitting new lows. Damn, getting the hell away from that absolute lunatic and her equally deranged soon-to-be attack dog has just became even more of a priority and I wasn't aware that it is still possible for me to put even more value on it.
You know what is almost worse than this thing being the warrior? I run out of names to call it. I mean, I certainly won't call it by its real name, so I gotta invest some time into finding one insult I'm going to stick with, the one to trump them all. Not Mordekhreep or Mordekhrackwhore (even if that one is my personal favourite), but something better, maybe more simple but ten times as harsh. I already have a couple of ideas and I'm sure I'll have made up my mind by the next time it appears. Ah, I love it when I get inspired to do some creative work
Alright... that Mordekhockface guy, he is making me seriously anxious. Being the strongest candidate for Aisha's warrior, I think he has pro… moreven in this part that he is not only someone who must die, but also someone whom that presumptuous witch-bitch can't control if things go sour. I feel more and more nervous as to why she wants Gwendis to come along and even worse, what she is going to do if Gwendis refuses to become like her by helping her. There has to be a better way for her, one aside from dying or becoming a brainless Great Other fanatic, but the presence of that skeletal piece of shit has made it a lot harder. That is, if he truly is the warrior and not the reddest of herring's. Argh, I hate how I myself always try my best to make me doubt my own theories
Mordekhai certainly is someone to be afraid of, and one of the most evil characters in the whole story. So, if he indeed is the warrior Aisha is looking for, well, no one a… [view original content]
Well, it seems we have another Isabella part where I have absolutely no clue which choice to pick. Why must you make these choices so difficult Wildling? But really though, this is a tough choice and one where I truly have not the slightest clue as to which choice is the right one so hopefully my gut feeling is the right one.
[Don't try to convince him]
This battle with the Manwoody's seems very much like a suicide mission to me. It seems that the bulk of the Fowler army is marching toward Kingsgrave currently and so the men that would be gathered up for this battle probably would be little more then boys with little to no experience who would most likely not fare well against the Manwoody army. On top of that, the Fowler army was basically defeated in the Battle of the Wide Way as well since they would have probably lost if not for the Blackmont's saving them at the last moment. That was a battle the Fowler's were prepared for so a battle that they aren't prepared for would probably end up going far worse. Ultimately though, I am picking this choice out of worry for Isabella. She definitely wants to help Desmor who wants to prove his worth which I completely understand but at the same time, if Desmor were to die in that battle, it worries me how Isabella would take it and if she would put the blame on herself for convincing Garrison to let him go in the first place. However at the same time, the Manwoody army is no doubt drained after their march through the Mountains and the Fowler army would know the terrain better so they would have several advantages as well. Ultimately, I am truly still at a loss for which choice is the right one but I am sticking with this one for now primarily for Isabella's sake and I have a feeling that with all of the battles going on, Desmor will have hopefully have another chance to prove his worth eventually. For now though, I think that he just has to be patient and hopefully Isabella or someone will be able to get that through to him.
Isabella
"I'll go after him." Isabella said with a soft sigh, and Garrison nodded to her calmly. "Go." He said gently. "He needs you now.… more"
Isabella wasn't sure what to say, so she just mumbled goodbye, and walked out of the room. Ser Soren Ashford and Ser Dustran Drinkwater stood at the guard by the door, and looked at Isabella with mild confusion as she stepped to the corridor. "Did my brother say where he went?" She asked calmly.
"Oh... I believe he was going to his chambers, my Princess." Soren answered and Dustran nodded subtly, as to confirm what Soren said.
"Thank you, Ser." Isabella mumbled quietly, walking away from the two Royal Guards. "My Princess, would you like me to escort you?" She heard Ser Soren asking, but she just shook her head. "No thanks." She said, at least trying to sound polite in her refusal.
Princess Isabella walked through the corridors of Skyreach with a sorrowful look on her eyes, wondering when wo… [view original content]
Ah, I wanted to pick the Yronwood choice so badly but the arguments made for this choice are undeniable here. The Fowler and Blackmont armies are on their way to Kingsgrave and on top of that, Myke is heading there as well so this is probably as good of a shot as any for Myke to accomplish his mission and for Kortney to reach safety.
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and … moreeven the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheek… [view original content]
Alright, Isabella is going to try to convince Garrison to send Desmor against these Manwoody intruders. If Garrison decides to listen to his daughter's advice, Desmor will certainly be pleased. It is a dangerous mission, there is no doubt about that, and puts Garrison in a situation where both of his sons are at risk. That said, the reports of over thousand men are most likely exaggerations - after all they come from commoners who probably aren't that good at counting. Of course this force is not to be taken lightly, but they have probably been sent there just as a distraction for the Fowler's, since the main army obviously was supposed to do most of the work, and even Albin wouldn't send his best troops to such a risky route.
And, Kortney will suggest staying in Kingsgrave to Albin. It is likely what Albin wanted to hear from her, since the other two options had already been suggested by Alaric and Sofina. I can reveal though that if Kortney had suggested Albin to seek refuge from Yronwood, he would've done it - and he would've taken Kortney with him. However, if Kortney had suggested him to surrender, well, let's just say Albin wouldn't have liked that very much.
Anyway, the next part will be Gwendis PoV, and I hope to get it done either today or tomorrow. Last time Gwendis had a conversation with Trentan, who angrily told about his past, and how he had been orphaned because of his father fighting and dying for King Benedict. Gwendis also asked why was he attached to Aisha, and Trentan claimed that Aisha understands him and loves him. Gwendis tried to warn him that the Dark Priestess might be using him for her own games, but obviously Trentan didn't want to hear that. Later the blue eyes and schreeching voice entered Gwendis' mind again, saying she should blow out the flames or die. After this Aisha said that she knew what Gwendis just saw, as she had seen it herself as well, and warned that their enemy was stronger than Gwendis could imagine. Aisha could see that this made Gwendis uncomfortable, and she tried to offer her hand to the Princess again, to show something that would convince Gwen of her hidden powers. However, you voted for Gwendis not to grab Aisha's hand, and that's where we'll continue.
That said, the reports of over thousand men are most likely exaggerations - after all they come from commoners who probably aren't that good at counting. Of course this force is not to be taken lightly, but they have probably been sent there just as a distraction for the Fowler's, since the main army obviously was supposed to do most of the work, and even Albin wouldn't send his best troops to such a risky route.
Huh, this is interesting. I haven't even thought about such a possibility and still thought that sending Desmor would be a good idea. Now, I am obviously convinced that we made the right choice there, as it really doesn't seem all that dangerous and might be a great way for Desmor to get some feeling of having helped his house for once.
It is likely what Albin wanted to hear from her, since the other two options had already been suggested by Alaric and Sofina. I can reveal though that if Kortney had suggested Albin to seek refuge from Yronwood, he would've done it - and he would've taken Kortney with him. However, if Kortney had suggested him to surrender, well, let's just say Albin wouldn't have liked that very much.
Aha, I knew it I am absolutely sure we made the best choice here. Albin allying with the Yronwood's is the last thing I want and even worse would be to take Kortney with him, because well, just imagine Myke somehow getting into the castle only to find her gone. This is likely the worst choice for Albin, but I frankly couldn't care less for what's best for him. It's a good thing that he apparently does protect her from the worst members of his court though, as seen with him potentially taking her with him to Yronwood. But nah, we did the best thing for her.
Anyway, the next part will be Gwendis PoV, and I hope to get it done either today or tomorrow.
I swear, one of these days I'm going to get a heart attack from reading these words. As much as I don't want to think that Aisha is going to flat out murder Gwendis for refusing her, I can't help but think that this is exactly what she's out for, if only out of spite and to deny her a chance at freedom. I just can't decide if refusing the powers the Great Other offers (more like, tries to force on her), is going to be good or bad for Gwendis. I mean, it'll certainly be good for her mental state, her personality and such if she doesn't give in to this thing, but given that she is in the company of a petty, rotten witch capable of just about anything, I have the horrible feeling that this could potentially be very bad for her life.
Voting is closed!
Alright, Isabella is going to try to convince Garrison to send Desmor against these Manwoody intruders. If Garrison dec… moreides to listen to his daughter's advice, Desmor will certainly be pleased. It is a dangerous mission, there is no doubt about that, and puts Garrison in a situation where both of his sons are at risk. That said, the reports of over thousand men are most likely exaggerations - after all they come from commoners who probably aren't that good at counting. Of course this force is not to be taken lightly, but they have probably been sent there just as a distraction for the Fowler's, since the main army obviously was supposed to do most of the work, and even Albin wouldn't send his best troops to such a risky route.
And, Kortney will suggest staying in Kingsgrave to Albin. It is likely what Albin wanted to hear from her, since the other two options had already been suggested by Alaric and Sofina. I can revea… [view original content]
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that has been given to you, a gift that so many would kill to have for themselves."
"I never asked for it, and I would certainly not kill for it." Gwendis replied tiredly, and Aisha narrowed her eyes. "That is why you are the perfect person to use it for good." The Priestess said quietly. Gwendis didn't reply but defiantly turned her eyes away from Aisha. She looked at Trentan, who had a confused look on his eyes, like he was unsure what to think of this. "We should get some sleep, the sun has almost set." Gwendis spoke with cold tone.
"You cannot deny your destiny forever, Princess." Aisha stated, before turning away from her. Gwendis sighed, before laying down, and falling to the first peaceful night she had had in a long time.
-
The next day Gwendis, Aisha and Trentan continued their journey. Aisha led them, and none of them spoke more than they had to. Gwendis noticed that the path they followed now was taking them down from the mountains, and if she wasn't mistaken, towards east. Finally, as the day was almost over, they saw the Wide Way opening in front of them, and on the other side, mountains of the Kingdom of Kingsgrave.
"You are taking us to the lands of the Mad Albin." Gwendis stated with a suspicious tone. "Are you planning to deliver me to the enemies of my father? Is that what this is all about?"
"I do not care about the wars between your father and Albin." Aisha answered emotionlessly. "However, our warrior is in those lands, so we must go there." Gwendis sighed in frustration. She had no trust for this woman, but she did trust that she truly did want to serve her god, not this king or that. "And how do we plan to find this warrior?" Gwendis asked, and Aisha turned to look at her.
"Leave that to me, Princess." She answered calmly. "Now we must make our way over this road before the sun sets." And so, they made their way over the Wide Way, and it took longer than Gwendis had expected – the Wide Way truly deserved its name. As they reached the eastern side, the sun couldn't be seen from behind the mountains of the west anymore.
In the twilight Aisha took them to another mountain path, starting to lead them upwards again. "Who is this warrior?" Gwendis finally decided to ask the question that had started to bother her. Aisha let out a tired sigh. "He is a devout servant of the god, and he has a role to play in our mission." She answered.
"That does not answer the question." Gwendis remarked sourly, and for her surprise it was Trentan who spoke up now. "If Aisha doesn't want to answer your question she doesn't have to." He spat with an irritated tone.
"It's alright, Trentan." Aisha said, and they all stopped. "I suppose we could stay the night here, it should be safe enough. Tomorrow we'll arrive to an important place."
"Still avoiding the question, I see." Gwendis said dryly, trying to make an eye-contact with the Dark Priestess. "There must be something bad about this warrior of yours, since you are so hesitant to talk about him." Aisha took a couple steps closer to the Princess now, and looked her to the eyes. "What is it that you want to know then? Ask."
"Well... What is his name?" Gwendis asked the first question that came to mind, and Aisha raised an eyebrow. "Mordekhai is his name." She answered coldly. "Anything else you want to know?" Her tone was passive aggressive, but Gwendis didn't care.
"What exactly is his role? Why do you need a warrior?" Gwendis asked with strict tone, and Aisha narrowed her eyes. "You are full of questions, yet you try to turn away from the one who holds all the answers." Aisha responded, subtly shaking her head. "Mordekhai is a weapon of the Great Other, and by extension, our weapon." She said, and now it was Gwendis' turn to narrow her eyes.
"So, you consider this man as a weapon?" She asked with a dry chuckle. "What am I then? Another weapon? A bait? Something else?" Aisha took in a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, until she opened them to look Gwendis to the eyes.
"You could be much more than a mere weapon, Gwendis, if you would just let me guide you." The priestess said, her voice now surprisingly calm and soft. Gwendis gulped, unsure how to react. "I... think I'll get some rest now." She ended the conversation with quiet words, walking away from Aisha.
-
The next day they continued their journey to the mountains, deep into the Manwoody lands. It was few hours past noon when they arrived to the place Aisha had mentioned last night. Old and partly crumbled stairs were carved into the mountainside, and they led to an entrance of a cave. As they arrived to the entrance, Gwendis could see runes carved into the stony frames around it. She touched them, wondering how long ago had they been made. "What is this place?" She asked quietly, and Aisha stepped next to her.
"The First Men worshiped here long ago." She answered, and Gwendis turned to look at her. "But... the First Men, they worship the Old Gods, the weirwood trees." A thin smile was formed on Aisha's face as she heard this. "They found something much stronger here." Her tone was tranquil, and she looked at the cave in front of them with almost lustful eyes. Then she took the torch Trentan had lit for her, and walked in, only saying, "Follow."
Trentan walked immediately after her. Gwendis let out a sigh, feeling conflicted, but she decided to follow nonetheless. The cave was deep and dark, so Gwendis and Trentan had to stay close to Aisha. After a couple minutes of walking, they arrived to a small set of stairs, which took them up, and into a large room. Of course, Gwendis couldn't see how large exactly was this room, but she could feel that it was large. Aisha took them to the center of the room, where stood an old altar made of stone, runes carved into it. She handed the torch to Trentan and walked right next to the altar. Trentan tried to look calm, but Gwendis could see the fear in his eyes, and she couldn't blame him. The Dark Priestess laid her hands on the altar, taking in a deep breath. It sounded like ghosts were whispering in the darkness.
"Why did we come here?" Gwendis asked, touch of nervousness in her voice. Aisha didn't answer, but proceeded to mumble something, a language Gwendis didn't understand. She turned to look at Trentan, who couldn't hide his fear at all anymore. After mumbling for a moment to the altar, Aisha turned towards Gwendis and Trentan.
"I have asked for the aid of the god, and summoned our warrior." She said with smooth tone that seemed to echo in the darkness. "You said earlier that the Great Other has troubled you... well, now is your chance to confront him, and find the answers – just put your hands on the altar, Princess."
Gwendis gulped, feeling somehow powerless, like her body wasn't fully under her own control. It was tempting, she could feel the altar pulling her in. She took a step closer, and looked at the cold stony surface, her eyes running through the runes. "Embrace the dark", she heard the voices of Aisha and the Great Other say at the same time, and her hands started to move towards the altar. She was ready to do it, but a small part of her was still fighting back, refusing to give in to the temptation.
[Put your hands on the altar][Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
Gotta get the vote out of the way first, so that I can write down my opinion on the part later on. I guess it's not surprise that I choose this:
[Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
Absolutely not! This must not happen! Seriously, think about it, this must not happen. Gwendis resisted for so long and nothing has changed that should cause her to give in. Aisha once again failed to give any reason to trust her or her demon or to embrace the darkness. We must remain strong if we want Gwendis to have any chance at getting out of this not only alive, but physically and mentally intact. Aisha seeks to ruin her, she did so from the very beginning, but I refuse to just let her. As long as Gwendis gets the chance to refuse to give in to this evilness, we must take it. Until that utter fucking monster of a priestess fails to deliver even the most simple of answers without somehow twisting the truth or resorting to her usual trick of being as vague and confusing as possible, until then I won't even consider giving her the tiniest of victories. She is the enemy, she must not be trusted and she must not be allowed to have her way if Gwendis is to have any chance at surviving this mess. And well, until we get the chance to kill her, hopefully in a very painful way, we must remain strong. Aisha thinks she can just force Gwendis into submission, or scare her until she gives in? Well, she couldn't be any more wrong. We have the choice here and we have to remain steadfast. Aisha has given us not even the tiniest reason to trust her so far, but thousands of reasons to bash her stupid bitch face in. This hasn't changed in this part. In fact, it has only gotten worse here, given that she is slowly dropping every hint of subtlety about her true goal. It is all but clear that whatever she has planned for Gwendis is as vague as it is disastrous. The end of this part, where she even gets as good as forced to do this makes it only worse. I mean, seriously? The dark whore and her demon honestly expect Gwendis to trust them while all they do is to indimidate her, torment her and exhaust her to the point where she has no choice but to follow them? Is it any surprise that Gwendis doesn't trust them in the slightest? Surely, Aisha and her demon are both too stupid to see it, but not trusting them is the only good thing possible. But, not all hope is lost. We have seen that refusing Aisha's poison helps Gwendis. She refused to grab her hand and as a result got a healthy night of sleep. This is the way to maintain a pure soul, which might be exactly what saves her life if she ever meets up with Desirea. Speaking of, good news, I can safely say that Desi is not even nearly as horrible as Aisha. Nobody is as horrible as Aisha. Seriously, my hatred keeps growing and growing. And now it is not only hatred, but anger, because I am downright enraged at the way she thinks she can deal with Gwendis here. She has the nerve to be pissed at her not being trusted? Well, perhaps she should start to work to earn that trust instead of dragging Gwendis from one evil shitshow to the next, trying to force and coerce her into submission. That might have worked with her in the past, but she has always been weak and worthless. Gwendis is strong and so much better than this cunt of a satanist can even start to comprehend. She will not break, she will not give in and she will survive this whole mess as a better person.
Now... after this part I can safely say that I have fully given up any remnants of hope that Aisha could be well-intentioned. This right there is the most rotten, evil character in the story and she gets less and less subtle about it. To say I am concerned for Gwendis' well-being in the company of this being of pure, unadulterated evil would be an understatement. Her reaction towards Gwendis' refusal was almost exactly as expected, though I thought of her to be less subtle about her anger. But well, if she wants Gwendis to trust her, how about she stops being such a complete cunt? How about she starts actually answering questions instead of babbling her usual utter nonsense? She has given Gwendis nothing but pain and fear, and yet she somehow expects of her to trust her? Hell no! This is by far the clearest, least ambiguous situation possible. Aisha is evil. Her god is evil. And both have reached a point where they don't even try to be subtle about it. Embracing the dark? No, Gwendis is never going to do that. I have also given up any hope of getting answers from Aisha. She has proven herself to be equal parts unwilling and too retarded to answer in a way that is not even more confusing than anything before. As long as she is not absolutely honest about what she needs Gwendis for, what she expects from her and what the consequences will be, I won't even consider toning down on the hatred I hold for her. She has shown that there is not the slightest bit of good in her. And I will try my utmost to prevent Gwendis from becoming like her. Of course I want answered, but not from the Great Other. Perhaps someone who is not an irredeemable one-sided force of evil could actually explain something to Gwendis? Meaning, fuck Aisha and fuck her demon pimp.
I have noticed one good thing though, namely Trentan. He's still an ass, but he seems to be on a good way and I slowly start to warm up to him. He doesn't have to die alongside that whore he follows. Maybe we can free him from Aisha's mind control with actions like this. He seems to have a heart after all and not all hope is lost for him. If Gwendis helps him to realize this, he could help her in return. It's strange that a lowly thief is the one I put my hopes into in this conflict between gods, but right now, if there is anyone who could save Gwendis' life, it's him. Surely it is not the Dark Bitch, nor her god, nor her enemy. Actually, Dalia and Desi could be helpful, but only if we manage to keep Gwendis clean from the Great Other taint. She is not going to embrace this darkness, oh no!
Two things did intrigue me though beyond Trentan's apparent beginning to change and Aisha's usual descent into regions way beyond mere hatred:
"That is why you are the perfect person to use it for good." The Priestess said quietly.
Perhaps it is indeed possible to use Gwendis' "gift" for good. However, I know for sure that Aisha has a very messed up perception of the word and that the concept of it is utterly alien towards her. She is so deranged, she couldn't even begin to understand what good means. However, whatever power Gwendis has, she could probably use it for good indeed, if she gets a teacher that is not a monstrous lunatic. Perhaps whatever power the Great Other has cursed her with can be used against him and against his followers. Gwendis is a good person and she must remain a good person. She is also a smart person and as such, if there is a way to actually use her powers for good and not for the travesty of the term which Aisha uses, Gwendis can find it.
"Wesley is his name." She answered coldly.
I knew it! I fucking knew it! Who called it? I did! Now we know it for sure, the warrior is the only being that comes even close to Aisha on the evilness scale. And well, as you have likely noticed in the quote, I have found the perfect name for him. From now on, I shall exclusively refer to this warrior as Wesley, or Wes for short, after Ensign Wesley Crusher, the Jar-Jar Binks of Star Trek, the single most hated character in the entire fandom, the one character who is even less popular than Jar-Jar. To put it into terms for those who have never watched Star Trek: Wesley Crusher is basically the Sand Snakes, but even less positively received. It is the most severe insult I have ever bestowed upon anyone, fictional or real and given the nature of this warrior, I don't feel bad one bit. From this day forward, he will be Wesley, simply because his last name already fits so perfectly an because he is a complete piece of shit. Through this, I can humiliate him in the most hateful way possible. Wesley the Warrior... I do hope he dies almost as painful as the whore he is about to work for.
That said, I start to wonder just why Gwendis still travels with Aisha. Is there anything that forces her to stay? The whore hasn't made any threats into that direction, so is there anything that forces Gwendis to stay there and keep getting tormented and forced to spend time with Wesley?
You know, one of these days I'm going to manage to write down a comment that is longer than the part itself
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
Surely you mean my wall of rational thoughts and well-constructed arguments, right?
In all seriousness, how could I disappoint? If a wall of hate is what is expected from me, I'm going to build the greatest wall of hate there ever has been and I'm going to make Mexico Aisha pay for it! She is horrible and evil and a complete monster and I'm starting to rant again. Not even Wesley is as bad as her, because he at least doesn't try to lie and trick others into trusting him, he just shows how bad he is, whereas she hides it. Argh, she's the Ramsay of this story, but not from back when everyone loved to hate him, but from the later seasons, where everyone just wanted him gone. I'm still horrified at how low she can sink and I actually start to wonder, is there even the tiniest fragment of good in her? Because it sure as hell doesn't seem so
Wha... dude, no! Why? We have just seen that not giving in to the Great Other is a good thing, so facing him now is almost certainly going to be a bad thing, likely even setting her down that evil path that Aisha wants from her and which can only end with her being completely ruined beyond saving. Don't do that, come on! We don't know what happens, but if the Great Other wants it and outright tells her to "embrace the darkness", surely it can't be a good thing, right? Facing the demon is not worth it.
Wha... dude, no! Why? We have just seen that not giving in to the Great Other is a good thing, so facing him now is almost certainly going t… moreo be a bad thing, likely even setting her down that evil path that Aisha wants from her and which can only end with her being completely ruined beyond saving. Don't do that, come on! We don't know what happens, but if the Great Other wants it and outright tells her to "embrace the darkness", surely it can't be a good thing, right? Facing the demon is not worth it.
Come on, please don't do that! I'm sure we can get answers from somewhere else if you're curious, this doesn't have to be the only possible source of information. I mean, confronting the Great Other? He's likely going to indoctrinate Gwendis to the point where she's either going to be killed by Dalia for becoming a genuine Great Other follower, or where she's going to turn into some twisted monster, Aisha-style. That choice can't be taken lightly. In any way, I am sure that every time she gives in to the Great Other is going to cause damage beyond repair and that is absolutely not worth it. Aisha wants her to do it, so we know it is evil and going to set her down that path that can only ruin her and surely you don't want that, right?
Well, it seems that we are at a crossroad in Gwendis's future here and really with the way her storyline has went, this choice could very well decide the person that she will become whether that be the respected Lady Gwendis Blackmont or Gwendis the Dark Priestess, powerful priestess of the Great Other. So safe to say, that I know what to choose here.
[Put your hands on the altar]
I mean, we have pretty much supported Aisha from the very beginning from the moment that we first grabbed her hand through choosing to leave her old life behind to follow Aisha on a mission of great uncertainty over a marriage to a Fowler Prince. We have always supported Aisha from the beginning and it seems that Gwendis is starting to get to the point where she can really start to grasp her true power and this is the first step of that mission. I have tried to help fight this for Gwendis for so long but at this point it is pretty much inevitable. The Great Other is calling for Gwendis and we must obey
Sorry about the above statement and choice Liquid, I just wanted to join in on the fun Which if your computer screen or phone or whatever you are using is large enough to see all of this anyway then I suppose it won't matter anyhow Just to clarify, there is a reason that I quoted that choice instead of putting it in bold and that is because it is not my true choice.
Obviously, I choose for Gwendis to [Refuse to put your hands on the altar]. From Gwendis' first appearance in the story last year, I really enjoyed Gwendis' character greatly. A young woman who has taken over the reigns and maintained a kingdom basically ignored by its king and with an heir who seems to care for the crown even less, it really had me hooked on her character and it really motivated me to want to see her succeed. From what I have always thought of Gwendis, she is a person who has dealt with a lot throughout her life with her mother's death and the shady characters around Blackmont's court always looking to interfere with her plans of good for the kingdom. Even though, she dealt with so much, she thrived as much as she could and overall that is what turned her into one of my favorite PoV's in the story. With Aisha now trying to change her, that Gwendis has a strong chance of falling by the wayside and turning her into someone who would be completely evil and personally I just want this Aisha storyline to just be a bump in the road to Gwendis reaching her true potential rather then the wrong turn that changes her character forever. Well, I was not expecting to type all of this but I suppose that just speaks to how awesome of a character Gwendis is and how much I have enjoyed her storyline. So good job to Liquid for making her and Wildling for writing her
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
Come on, please don't do that! I'm sure we can get answers from somewhere else if you're curious, this doesn't have to be the only possible … moresource of information. I mean, confronting the Great Other? He's likely going to indoctrinate Gwendis to the point where she's either going to be killed by Dalia for becoming a genuine Great Other follower, or where she's going to turn into some twisted monster, Aisha-style. That choice can't be taken lightly. In any way, I am sure that every time she gives in to the Great Other is going to cause damage beyond repair and that is absolutely not worth it. Aisha wants her to do it, so we know it is evil and going to set her down that path that can only ruin her and surely you don't want that, right?
Surely you mean my wall of rational thoughts and well-constructed arguments, right?
In all seriousness, how could I disappoint? … moreIf a wall of hate is what is expected from me, I'm going to build the greatest wall of hate there ever has been and I'm going to make Mexico Aisha pay for it! She is horrible and evil and a complete monster and I'm starting to rant again. Not even Wesley is as bad as her, because he at least doesn't try to lie and trick others into trusting him, he just shows how bad he is, whereas she hides it. Argh, she's the Ramsay of this story, but not from back when everyone loved to hate him, but from the later seasons, where everyone just wanted him gone. I'm still horrified at how low she can sink and I actually start to wonder, is there even the tiniest fragment of good in her? Because it sure as hell doesn't seem so
I'm not going to lie. I was tempted to pick the other choice, just because I was curious about what the alter was going to do. However, it is best for Gwendis if she does not touch it, for it will probably be a big factor In determining if she falls under Aisha and her god's control.
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare… more expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that h… [view original content]
LiquidChicagoTed, providing only the finest selection of highest-quality Aisha hatred for all your needs! Be it angry rants, semi-clever insults, crude comments or increasingly hateful thoughts on how to dispose of Aisha, LiquidChicagoTed is always happy to deliver. LiquidChicagoTed - Hating Aisha is not only our business, it is our passion!
That, or something like that would probably be my slogan if I'd be a business company. Ah, if only I could earn money by hating Aisha, I'd probably be a billionaire.
Ah, but this storyline is plenty interesting already, isn't it? I mean, maybe that's just me, but every part of it does give me legitimate thrills. In my opinion, it's doubtful if it gets more interesting by Gwendis becoming a genuine Great Other disciple. In fact, I find her the most interesting when she refuses to give in to that demon, as I like her the best when she tries to maintain her morals as one of the more well-intentioned PoV's in the story. I'm also concerned that every single choice here is ultimately going to decide upon Gwendis' fate, so I gotta put tremendous thought into choices like this. Maybe not stuff like that old one about talking either to Aisha or Trentan, but big choices like this one are definitely going to play a role in her fate. And well, I think that if there is a confrontation between Aisha and Desirea, Gwendis' best chances at surviving is if she remains unaffiliated with the Great Other as much as possible. Surely that would be more interesting than her being cut down by Dalia, right?
I am ashamed to admit that you indeed got me there for a second Though I have hoped that you agree with me on this, glad to see you have a similar opinion on this whole situation. And well, obviously it is great to see that I am not the only person who enjoys Gwendis so much. And not only her character, which I must say is something I am very satisfied with in the way I wrote her personality and stuff and especially in the way Wildling brought her to live in the story. There is a good reason why I try to keep her alive so much after all and it wouldn't be if I wouldn't enjoy the way she is written in these parts. But her storyline as well. As much as I regret choosing Aisha over Skyreach (not only due to how downright terrifying this whole Great Other stuff is, but also due to the missed opportunity to see her interacting with the Fowlers), I think we can all agree that this has resulted in a very thrilling storyline that is likely keeping me at the edge of my seat far more constantly than a relatively calm Fowler storyline would have been, as sweet as interaction between Gwen and her new family could have been. It's really making me anxious and horribly afraid, but from a storytelling perspective this is certainly a really big thing we got there. And well, we clearly got the same goal and as much as I am afraid that we're going to screw up sooner or later (like we did when sending Naemon to Starfall), the chance for her to live up to her true potential (which is certainly not as a disciple of the Great Other) is there and I guess if we make careful, well-planned choices like this one, we might just succeed. It's great to see that I am not the only one with such a goal
Well, it seems that we are at a crossroad in Gwendis's future here and really with the way her storyline has went, this choice could very we… morell decide the person that she will become whether that be the respected Lady Gwendis Blackmont or Gwendis the Dark Priestess, powerful priestess of the Great Other. So safe to say, that I know what to choose here.
[Put your hands on the altar]
I mean, we have pretty much supported Aisha from the very beginning from the moment that we first grabbed her hand through choosing to leave her old life behind to follow Aisha on a mission of great uncertainty over a marriage to a Fowler Prince. We have always supported Aisha from the beginning and it seems that Gwendis is starting to get to the point where she can really start to grasp her true power and this is the first step of that mission. I have tried to help fight this for Gwendis for so long but at this point it is pretty much inevitable. The … [view original content]
LiquidChicagoTed, providing only the finest selection of highest-quality Aisha hatred for all your needs! Be it angry rants, semi-clever ins… moreults, crude comments or increasingly hateful thoughts on how to dispose of Aisha, LiquidChicagoTed is always happy to deliver. LiquidChicagoTed - Hating Aisha is not only our business, it is our passion!
That, or something like that would probably be my slogan if I'd be a business company. Ah, if only I could earn money by hating Aisha, I'd probably be a billionaire.
It's interesting, but reading this last part I came to conclusion, which is just my personal opinion, that it would be even more interesting if Gwendis took the dark route, one of the reasons being constant danger of Dalia and other being simply seeing something new. We don't often see followers of the great other in GoT world, and it's great to see them in this story but becoming one of them would be even more amusing for me. I don't trust Aisha, but I wouldn't have anything against Gwendis touching the altar.
Oh well, doesn't matter now since not touching the altar will win whatever my choice is.
Ah, but this storyline is plenty interesting already, isn't it? I mean, maybe that's just me, but every part of it does give me legitimate t… morehrills. In my opinion, it's doubtful if it gets more interesting by Gwendis becoming a genuine Great Other disciple. In fact, I find her the most interesting when she refuses to give in to that demon, as I like her the best when she tries to maintain her morals as one of the more well-intentioned PoV's in the story. I'm also concerned that every single choice here is ultimately going to decide upon Gwendis' fate, so I gotta put tremendous thought into choices like this. Maybe not stuff like that old one about talking either to Aisha or Trentan, but big choices like this one are definitely going to play a role in her fate. And well, I think that if there is a confrontation between Aisha and Desirea, Gwendis' best chances at surviving is if she remains unaffiliated with the Great Other as much as possible. Surely that would be more interesting than her being cut down by Dalia, right?
Comments
[Try to convince him to send Desmor]
God damn it, this is a hard one. This is a seriously hard one, both for obvious reasons and for reasons of me being overthinking the situation as usual. So, first of all, it would put Desmor into danger in a situation where Ferris is already into danger, meaning that Garrison potentially faces the loss of both of his sons. That is a very strong argument against it and even one that might convince me to change my vote later on. Then, there is the obvious counterargument that Desmor wants to do something for his house and this might be something that could build up his sense of self worth again. I kinda worry that he could do something reckless that gets himself killed if we don't give him some opportunity soon. However this is a very dangerous task and well, as I said, I am still not sure if I will keep my vote at this, because I see a very high chance for these Fowler troops to die.
As a result, my choice above is only a placeholder, the one my gut feeling tells me to pick, the same gut feeling that has been a bastard and caused me to choose Aisha twice before. I kinda hope to see good arguments for the other side as well, so that I might be able to rethink it.
Second, and here things get a bit more tin-foily again, we know Gwendis, Trentan and Bitcha are about to travel north, likely to Kingsgrave, which would mean that at worst, Gwendis and Desmor meet in this situation. Thing is, I kinda doubt he would do it, but perhaps he'd just drag her to Skyreach to prove his worth, meaning she will end up in this forced marriage after all. At best, they'd just talk for a bit and maybe she could get a chance to set things right, to apologize and to make him realize that he is not the problem. This is something I very much want her to do, because Desmor might be the person she hurt the most through her actions, aside from her father maybe. However, I don't know if I want her to do this right now, because there's still the risk of her being taken to Skyreach and married against her will after all, despite everything she did to avoid it. So, this is another reason against it. Come to think of it, I really don't know why I am still choosing this, because there's so much speaking against it, both genuinely and in my own little paranoid fear that Desmor's presence could somehow mess up Gwendis' chance to avoid that forced marriage, which has been one of my main arguments for choosing that blasted witch back then. That said, I really kinda doubt they'd meet, but since it might put them into a roughly similar location, I wouldn't see it as absolutely impossible. Unlikely, yeah, impossible no. There's also an obvious concern for Desmor, but I am concerned for both, his life and his feeling of self-worth, which are both at risk through the respective choices. Damn it, once again I don't know what to choose. I am way too paranoid about this whole situation
[Try to convince him to send Desmor]
[Try to convince him to send Desmor]
This is very true, and probably the strongest argument in favor of not sending Desmor. The potential of both Ferris and Desmor dying is a very dire scenario, which would be a severe blow to the Kingdom of Stone and Sky. However, I must admit I kind of forgot about Ferris' son Matthos while writing this part
Mention of him is now added to the part, since it could be taken as an argument for sending Desmor 
This is all true as well, it was very apparent in this part that Desmor is very frustrated at feeling useless, and keeping him in Skyreach even now certainly won't fix that, more likely even make it worse.
This is certainly a very interesting scenario that you're speculating here. I will neither confirm or debunk it, but I will say that in such situation Desmor most likely wouldn't force Gwendis to come with him or anything like that.
[Try to convince him to send Desmor]
[Don't try to convince him]
Nah, the situation is far too dangerous and risky. We don't want both Garrison's sons to possibly end up dying.
Alright, I'm not closing the voting yet, even if it does seem quite clear. However, I have the next part ready, and I'd like to post it already and close the two votings simultaniously. This new part is a Kortney part, technically the first one. Of course, Kortney is the same character as Missy, which was the big revelation of her latest part. On that latest part she was spending time with Larry the Kind, Tom the Animal, Tregeo the Harpist, and the guardsman Auster (who also had a young girl with him). The conversation quickly got to Missy's past, as Larry reminded her of the torture she went through when she was first taken to Kingsgrave. This made Missy snap back into her real persona, Kortney Caron. She also revealed this to everyone in the room, and got into a bit of a panic. Larry told her to calm down so they can talk about it, but you voted for Kortney to run away from the situation. And that's where we shall continue
Kortney
Kortney glanced frantically at the people in the room, feeling the panic in her mind increasing. Larry, Tom, Tregeo, Auster, and even the hazel-eyed girl on Auster's lap were all looking at her, infiltrating into her mind with their stares. Without a word, Kortney rushed to the door, and out of the room. She heard Larry trying to yell something to her, but she didn't listen, and closed the door with haste. She ran down the stairs of the tower, feeling her heart beat wildly. She had just shown weakness to the freaks, and it troubled her deeply. They will exploit that weakness.
As she got down, Kortney stopped on the corridor, leaning against the stony wall and pushing her face against her palms. What have I done?, she asked herself regretfully. Not only had she shown weakness, she had also failed in getting any useful information for Willem Pyke, who she knew would only help her if she could help him. Tears running down her cheeks, she started to walk away, making her way towards her own chambers. However, before she got far, Kortney saw the one thing she wanted to see the least right now – the Skeletal Knight, Ser Mordekai Crusher, approaching her.
"Fuck." She mumbled quietly, reflexively finding the hidden knife on her sleeve. That knife would be of little help to her though, if this massive giant of a man in heavy armor would want to hurt her. The dark red eyes glowed on Mordekhai's pale face, and he focused them on Kortney, sending shivers down her spine.
"W- what do you want?" Kortney stuttered as the Skeletal Knight got closer. With a cold and emotionless expression, Mordekhai stopped only few feet away from Kortney. She had to tilt her head backwards to look into the face of this well over seven feet tall giant.
"The King is waiting." Mordekhai simply stated. His tone was calm, but somehow hollow and chilling. Kortney felt her legs trembling, she felt weak under the eyes of this monster. She tried to take a step back, but without a warning Ser Mordekhai grabbed her from the neck, and pushed her against the wall, her feet not reaching the ground. "Missy." Mordekhai whispered with detest and hatred in his voice. His grip around Kortney's neck was tight and she could hardly breath, but she couldn't fight back either, too shocked by the sheer power of this man. Finally Mordekhai let go, and Kortney fell on the floor on all fours, gasping for air. "Follow." He commanded, and turned around, starting to walk towards Kortney's chambers. Kortney stood up, and followed the Skeletal Knight without further objections, though keeping a safe distance.
Shortly they arrived to the door of Kortney's chambers, and Mordekhai turned to look at her again. "Once the King no longer wants you, I promise that I will kill you." He stated this with a chilling calmness, looking Kortney straight into the eyes. She gulped, not sure what could she even say to this. She didn't have to say anything though, as Ser Mordekhai just walked away without any more words. Kortney watched for a moment at the distancing back of the man who had just promised to kill her, before turning back towards the door of her room. She took a deep breath, and grabbed the knob of the door, and pushed it open.
Inside King Albin was waiting for her, sitting on her bed. Kortney had expected to see a lustful look on the King's eyes, like most nights, but what she saw instead was concern, even grief. Carefully she walked closer, and Albin gestured for her to sit next to him.
"Your Grace, you look... troubled." Kortney finally said, and Albin nodded. Though his face looked calm, Kortney could see him clenching his fists. "What exactly is troubling you?" Kortney asked with a gulp, but the King took his time to answer.
"They lost." He finally said, deep anger in his quiet voice. "On the Wide Way... They lost. Fowler's defeated my army. AND THE FUCKING BLACKMONT'S!" Kortney was frightened by the sudden screaming, and winced subtly. The King turned his green eyes on her, shaking of anger, and grabbing her from the arm. "Now Arvin is retreating back here, and the enemy follows!" The King explained angrily, spitting as he spoke. "We are trapped, Missy! Trapped!" He tightened his grip on Kortney's arm, increasing the pain, and she had to close her eyes for a second to resist the urge of crying.
"What would you have me do, Your Grace?" She asked timidly, and Albin let go of her, turning his eyes away. "Tell me, Missy, tell me what I should do." He urged with desperate tone. "Alaric says I should run, perhaps seek refuge from the Yronwood's."
"But, aren't the Yronwood's your enemies?" Kortney asked quietly, and immediately got her answer. "I know!" Albin shouted, standing up now, and walking nervously to the small table on the other side of the room. "I have no desire to kiss the boots of Yorick, but if it is the only way... FUCK!" Albin smashed down the table as he screamed. Kortney gulped, feeling fearful that next the King would get physical with her.
"My worthless wife tries to convince that if I surrender now they'll show mercy, but that's bullshit!" Albin kept venting, walking around the room restlessly. "Besides, I would never surrender to them, no matter what." The King said with determination fueled by rage. He turned to look at Kortney again. "So, tell me Missy, what should I do?"
Kortney gulped, realizing she would have to give an answer, and preferably one that would satisfy the King. She took in a deep breath, considering her options. In truth, she agreed with Queen Sofina – surrendering was the wisest choice, but Albin was very unlikely to agree. Running away to Yronwood could work, but it would depend on King Yorick, as Albin would be completely on his mercy. Of course, one option would be to simply stay in Kingsgrave, surely this castle had withstanded sieges before, why not now? Albin took a couple steps closer to Kortney, impatient look on his eyes – it was time to give him an answer.
[Suggest him to surrender] [Suggest him to seek refuge from Yronwood] [Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
What is more desiringl than seeing a perverted whoreson mad king at the mercy of arguably the most powerful king in all of Dorne? Hmm, well not a lot, but there is only one thing holding me back from suggesting him to go there.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Now as much as I'd love to see Albin become Yorick's little bitch, I am fearful for the outcome that Kortney will get. Would she go with him? In that case, that was skew Myke's plans of heading to Kingsgrave. Would he leave her at Kingsgrave and flee alone? Well once again, Kortney's safety is quite obviously non-existent without Albin's presence. Having him stay at Kingsgrave, convincing him to protect his home, that may be the best chance for Kortney if we are to have a Myke-Kortney reunion. I think it's clear that Albin won't surrender unless forced into it, perhaps if the Blackmont's and Fowler's take Arvin captive before he arrives at Kingsgrave, but I'm going to refrain from theorising right now. I think this choice is the best and safest one for Kortney, so long as she ends up in the hands of Myke rather than anyone else. Although, the Fowler's or Blackmont's are far more ideal than the fucking Manwoody's, however I'm leaning more on team Fowler for obvious reasons
Alright... that Mordekhockface guy, he is making me seriously anxious. Being the strongest candidate for Aisha's warrior, I think he has proven in this part that he is not only someone who must die, but also someone whom that presumptuous witch-bitch can't control if things go sour. I feel more and more nervous as to why she wants Gwendis to come along and even worse, what she is going to do if Gwendis refuses to become like her by helping her. There has to be a better way for her, one aside from dying or becoming a brainless Great Other fanatic, but the presence of that skeletal piece of shit has made it a lot harder. That is, if he truly is the warrior and not the reddest of herring's. Argh, I hate how I myself always try my best to make me doubt my own theories
But well, back to Mordewhoreson, I think you can already tell that I don't really like him. He's like Dalia if she would give me an actual legitimate reason to hate her aside from me being a helicopter-Liquid as usual. That scene with Missy gave me the chills, the serious chills and if there were any doubts about his evilness, they are gone now. I am mortified by him and by the implications. This might be the only time I am actually glad that Missy has Albin to give her at least some degree of protection and it is also the first part where I start to think that, despite being utterly horrible, Albin might somehow manage to not be the worst waste of a human being at his court. There is no doubt that this questionable honour goes to that guy whose atrocious name I am going to butcher every single time I get the chance, Ser Mordekhrackwhore Crusher.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
This was a hard choice and I have thought about it for a bit, but ultimately, Stigz brought up thoughts I myself have played with and I wholeheartedly agree with him. First of all, I couldn't care less for Albin's well-being. In fact, I care for his lack of well-being and I want him to be miserable. He likely will be miserable with Yorick Yronwood, but that will be far from enough. Now, the most important thing about this choice is that I care for Kortney's well-being very much. If Albin leaves Kingsgrave, there are two ways this could end. He could either take her with him, meaning she'd be taken away from Kingsgrave just as Myke is on his way. Or she could be left there, at the mercy of the freaks and Mordekhitler and well, I don't want that in the slightest.
This means, she has to remain with him and at Kingsgrave and there is only two ways she can achieve this, he either surrenders to the advancing army, or he stays and takes the siege. The thing is, I think it is the easiest to convince him to stay in Kingsgrave, because I think deep down this is what he wants. He doesn't want the reasonable option of surrendering or outright fleeing, or else he wouldn't have started this war. He wants to remain in Kingsgrave no matter what. And well, I believe that a castle under siege will be perfect for Myke to infiltrate it and to free Kortney. Seriously, this is the chance I have hoped for. Maybe there is some hope for Myke to succeed at this mission, but only if, ironically, Albin himself helps him out by allowing his castle to be besieged by the enemy. Though I guess there will be a siege regardless of our choices. Albin won't surrender, he made that very clear and if he flees to the Yronwood's, he'd likely still order his men to defend the castle in his absence, only that this would mean all the risk for Myke but none of the possible reward.
I am very proud to say that I have not forgotten about him
The existence of Matthos indeed is a good argument in favour of sending Desmor, because it would mean that the fate of House Fowler is not at risk. Still, I am concerned for Desmor himself, because I have grown to like him a lot over the recent parts. I still can't help but wonder how he and Gwendis would have gotten along. He's a good guy, maybe even the sort of person she could have learned to love, in time.
Yes, and that is my main reason for choosing to allow him this small honour. Desmor obviously wants to do something to prove his worth and with the marriage gone (seriously, I can't even start to imagine how much that has to hurt, being rejected even by a bride that never him) and him starting to blame either himself or his father for all of these things, I see it as only a matter of time until he does something stupid that would have an even higher chance of getting him killed.
Hm, this is good to know. I mean, I myself couldn't really see him doing it, but who knows what he's capable of in his desire to prove his worth. Finding his runaway bride would surely be a good way of doing so, even if it would mean a horrible start to their marriage. It's not something I'd see as totally in-character to the guy we saw so far, but nothing I was fully able to exclude, so getting some clarity on it is a great thing
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Hah, I must say that Albin being forced to beg for the help of Yorick is something I'd really enjoy to write
However, I do see why you're going for the other option here, since Albin leaving can be a risky move for Kortney, whether he takes her with him or leaves her to Kingsgrave.
Mordekhai certainly is someone to be afraid of, and one of the most evil characters in the whole story. So, if he indeed is the warrior Aisha is looking for, well, no one around him is really safe and that would then include Gwen. Albin has managed to keep Mordekhai at least somewhat under his control, but it's questionable if the big fucker would show similar loyalty towards someone like Aisha.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
It was between this and seeking refuge with the Yronwoods, but it would probably be best for Kortney if they stay in Kingsgrave.
Yes, this is what I fear
Not only Mordekhunt being the warrior, but also the possibility that Aisha might not be able to control him. Frankly, that would be inexcusable. I mean, there is one thing I can say about Aisha which is not entirely negative. She is not stupid. Deranged, yes. Evil, yes. Rotten, yes. Less likable than Ellaria and the Sand Snakes combined, yes, a thousand times yes. But stupid, no, that she isn't and I am absolutely sure that she knows what kind of a creature she is going to recruit. So, if she puts Gwendis into danger of being raped/tortured/murdered/eaten (not necessarily in that order) by Mordekhreep, I doubt it would happen without her absolutely knowing and approving of it. In that case, she has dragged her into this war with the precise intention of putting her at the mercy of that degenerate. But well, as much as I have learned my lesson about putting any sort of trust into Aisha, I am inclined to believe that she has some sort of a plan to control him, a good one that actually keeps him in line. I don't know, I wouldn't be against her mindraping that subhuman until he is nothing but an empty shell for her to use. At the same time, I am afraid that this is part of her evil plan all along, that she uses Gwendis to bribe him with, promising him a girl he likely won't refuse in return for his service. I don't know if that's what he wants, but from what we have seen so far, it seems likely and considering what kind of a person Aisha is, I wouldn't put it past her to have aimed at that all along, or to approve of it at the very least. It is shocking how she keeps hitting new lows. Damn, getting the hell away from that absolute lunatic and her equally deranged soon-to-be attack dog has just became even more of a priority and I wasn't aware that it is still possible for me to put even more value on it.
You know what is almost worse than this thing being the warrior? I run out of names to call it. I mean, I certainly won't call it by its real name, so I gotta invest some time into finding one insult I'm going to stick with, the one to trump them all. Not Mordekhreep or Mordekhrackwhore (even if that one is my personal favourite), but something better, maybe more simple but ten times as harsh. I already have a couple of ideas and I'm sure I'll have made up my mind by the next time it appears. Ah, I love it when I get inspired to do some creative work
Well, it seems we have another Isabella part where I have absolutely no clue which choice to pick. Why must you make these choices so difficult Wildling?
But really though, this is a tough choice and one where I truly have not the slightest clue as to which choice is the right one so hopefully my gut feeling is the right one.
[Don't try to convince him]
This battle with the Manwoody's seems very much like a suicide mission to me. It seems that the bulk of the Fowler army is marching toward Kingsgrave currently and so the men that would be gathered up for this battle probably would be little more then boys with little to no experience who would most likely not fare well against the Manwoody army. On top of that, the Fowler army was basically defeated in the Battle of the Wide Way as well since they would have probably lost if not for the Blackmont's saving them at the last moment. That was a battle the Fowler's were prepared for so a battle that they aren't prepared for would probably end up going far worse. Ultimately though, I am picking this choice out of worry for Isabella. She definitely wants to help Desmor who wants to prove his worth which I completely understand but at the same time, if Desmor were to die in that battle, it worries me how Isabella would take it and if she would put the blame on herself for convincing Garrison to let him go in the first place. However at the same time, the Manwoody army is no doubt drained after their march through the Mountains and the Fowler army would know the terrain better so they would have several advantages as well. Ultimately, I am truly still at a loss for which choice is the right one but I am sticking with this one for now primarily for Isabella's sake and I have a feeling that with all of the battles going on, Desmor will have hopefully have another chance to prove his worth eventually. For now though, I think that he just has to be patient and hopefully Isabella or someone will be able to get that through to him.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Ah, I wanted to pick the Yronwood choice so badly but the arguments made for this choice are undeniable here. The Fowler and Blackmont armies are on their way to Kingsgrave and on top of that, Myke is heading there as well so this is probably as good of a shot as any for Myke to accomplish his mission and for Kortney to reach safety.
[Suggest him to stay in Kingsgrave]
Voting is closed!
Alright, Isabella is going to try to convince Garrison to send Desmor against these Manwoody intruders. If Garrison decides to listen to his daughter's advice, Desmor will certainly be pleased. It is a dangerous mission, there is no doubt about that, and puts Garrison in a situation where both of his sons are at risk. That said, the reports of over thousand men are most likely exaggerations - after all they come from commoners who probably aren't that good at counting. Of course this force is not to be taken lightly, but they have probably been sent there just as a distraction for the Fowler's, since the main army obviously was supposed to do most of the work, and even Albin wouldn't send his best troops to such a risky route.
And, Kortney will suggest staying in Kingsgrave to Albin. It is likely what Albin wanted to hear from her, since the other two options had already been suggested by Alaric and Sofina. I can reveal though that if Kortney had suggested Albin to seek refuge from Yronwood, he would've done it - and he would've taken Kortney with him. However, if Kortney had suggested him to surrender, well, let's just say Albin wouldn't have liked that very much.
Anyway, the next part will be Gwendis PoV, and I hope to get it done either today or tomorrow. Last time Gwendis had a conversation with Trentan, who angrily told about his past, and how he had been orphaned because of his father fighting and dying for King Benedict. Gwendis also asked why was he attached to Aisha, and Trentan claimed that Aisha understands him and loves him. Gwendis tried to warn him that the Dark Priestess might be using him for her own games, but obviously Trentan didn't want to hear that. Later the blue eyes and schreeching voice entered Gwendis' mind again, saying she should blow out the flames or die. After this Aisha said that she knew what Gwendis just saw, as she had seen it herself as well, and warned that their enemy was stronger than Gwendis could imagine. Aisha could see that this made Gwendis uncomfortable, and she tried to offer her hand to the Princess again, to show something that would convince Gwen of her hidden powers. However, you voted for Gwendis not to grab Aisha's hand, and that's where we'll continue.
Huh, this is interesting. I haven't even thought about such a possibility and still thought that sending Desmor would be a good idea. Now, I am obviously convinced that we made the right choice there, as it really doesn't seem all that dangerous and might be a great way for Desmor to get some feeling of having helped his house for once.
Aha, I knew it
I am absolutely sure we made the best choice here. Albin allying with the Yronwood's is the last thing I want and even worse would be to take Kortney with him, because well, just imagine Myke somehow getting into the castle only to find her gone. This is likely the worst choice for Albin, but I frankly couldn't care less for what's best for him. It's a good thing that he apparently does protect her from the worst members of his court though, as seen with him potentially taking her with him to Yronwood. But nah, we did the best thing for her.
I swear, one of these days I'm going to get a heart attack from reading these words. As much as I don't want to think that Aisha is going to flat out murder Gwendis for refusing her, I can't help but think that this is exactly what she's out for, if only out of spite and to deny her a chance at freedom. I just can't decide if refusing the powers the Great Other offers (more like, tries to force on her), is going to be good or bad for Gwendis. I mean, it'll certainly be good for her mental state, her personality and such if she doesn't give in to this thing, but given that she is in the company of a petty, rotten witch capable of just about anything, I have the horrible feeling that this could potentially be very bad for her life.
Gwendis
"I'm not making that mistake again." Gwendis said coldly, not grabbing Aisha's hand. Awkwardly Aisha pulled her hand away, a rare expression of confusion on her face. "You would close your eyes from the truth?" She asked, and though her voice was calm, Gwendis could spot the underlying anger, which was honestly a bit frightening – this wasn't the reaction Gwendis had expected from Aisha, who so far had seemed almost impossible to anger.
"Your demon troubles my dreams and thoughts enough already." Gwendis stated sternly, turning her eyes away from the Dark Priestess. "He does not trouble, he advises." Aisha snapped, now openly angered. Gwendis raised an eyebrow, which apparently made Aisha realize she had gone too far. The Priestess let out a sigh, and turned her gaze down. "I do not want to force you, Princess." She said, at least trying to sound calm and empathic. "However, I wish you could learn to embrace the rare gift that has been given to you, a gift that so many would kill to have for themselves."
"I never asked for it, and I would certainly not kill for it." Gwendis replied tiredly, and Aisha narrowed her eyes. "That is why you are the perfect person to use it for good." The Priestess said quietly. Gwendis didn't reply but defiantly turned her eyes away from Aisha. She looked at Trentan, who had a confused look on his eyes, like he was unsure what to think of this. "We should get some sleep, the sun has almost set." Gwendis spoke with cold tone.
"You cannot deny your destiny forever, Princess." Aisha stated, before turning away from her. Gwendis sighed, before laying down, and falling to the first peaceful night she had had in a long time.
-
The next day Gwendis, Aisha and Trentan continued their journey. Aisha led them, and none of them spoke more than they had to. Gwendis noticed that the path they followed now was taking them down from the mountains, and if she wasn't mistaken, towards east. Finally, as the day was almost over, they saw the Wide Way opening in front of them, and on the other side, mountains of the Kingdom of Kingsgrave.
"You are taking us to the lands of the Mad Albin." Gwendis stated with a suspicious tone. "Are you planning to deliver me to the enemies of my father? Is that what this is all about?"
"I do not care about the wars between your father and Albin." Aisha answered emotionlessly. "However, our warrior is in those lands, so we must go there." Gwendis sighed in frustration. She had no trust for this woman, but she did trust that she truly did want to serve her god, not this king or that. "And how do we plan to find this warrior?" Gwendis asked, and Aisha turned to look at her.
"Leave that to me, Princess." She answered calmly. "Now we must make our way over this road before the sun sets." And so, they made their way over the Wide Way, and it took longer than Gwendis had expected – the Wide Way truly deserved its name. As they reached the eastern side, the sun couldn't be seen from behind the mountains of the west anymore.
In the twilight Aisha took them to another mountain path, starting to lead them upwards again. "Who is this warrior?" Gwendis finally decided to ask the question that had started to bother her. Aisha let out a tired sigh. "He is a devout servant of the god, and he has a role to play in our mission." She answered.
"That does not answer the question." Gwendis remarked sourly, and for her surprise it was Trentan who spoke up now. "If Aisha doesn't want to answer your question she doesn't have to." He spat with an irritated tone.
"It's alright, Trentan." Aisha said, and they all stopped. "I suppose we could stay the night here, it should be safe enough. Tomorrow we'll arrive to an important place."
"Still avoiding the question, I see." Gwendis said dryly, trying to make an eye-contact with the Dark Priestess. "There must be something bad about this warrior of yours, since you are so hesitant to talk about him." Aisha took a couple steps closer to the Princess now, and looked her to the eyes. "What is it that you want to know then? Ask."
"Well... What is his name?" Gwendis asked the first question that came to mind, and Aisha raised an eyebrow. "Mordekhai is his name." She answered coldly. "Anything else you want to know?" Her tone was passive aggressive, but Gwendis didn't care.
"What exactly is his role? Why do you need a warrior?" Gwendis asked with strict tone, and Aisha narrowed her eyes. "You are full of questions, yet you try to turn away from the one who holds all the answers." Aisha responded, subtly shaking her head. "Mordekhai is a weapon of the Great Other, and by extension, our weapon." She said, and now it was Gwendis' turn to narrow her eyes.
"So, you consider this man as a weapon?" She asked with a dry chuckle. "What am I then? Another weapon? A bait? Something else?" Aisha took in a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, until she opened them to look Gwendis to the eyes.
"You could be much more than a mere weapon, Gwendis, if you would just let me guide you." The priestess said, her voice now surprisingly calm and soft. Gwendis gulped, unsure how to react. "I... think I'll get some rest now." She ended the conversation with quiet words, walking away from Aisha.
-
The next day they continued their journey to the mountains, deep into the Manwoody lands. It was few hours past noon when they arrived to the place Aisha had mentioned last night. Old and partly crumbled stairs were carved into the mountainside, and they led to an entrance of a cave. As they arrived to the entrance, Gwendis could see runes carved into the stony frames around it. She touched them, wondering how long ago had they been made. "What is this place?" She asked quietly, and Aisha stepped next to her.
"The First Men worshiped here long ago." She answered, and Gwendis turned to look at her. "But... the First Men, they worship the Old Gods, the weirwood trees." A thin smile was formed on Aisha's face as she heard this. "They found something much stronger here." Her tone was tranquil, and she looked at the cave in front of them with almost lustful eyes. Then she took the torch Trentan had lit for her, and walked in, only saying, "Follow."
Trentan walked immediately after her. Gwendis let out a sigh, feeling conflicted, but she decided to follow nonetheless. The cave was deep and dark, so Gwendis and Trentan had to stay close to Aisha. After a couple minutes of walking, they arrived to a small set of stairs, which took them up, and into a large room. Of course, Gwendis couldn't see how large exactly was this room, but she could feel that it was large. Aisha took them to the center of the room, where stood an old altar made of stone, runes carved into it. She handed the torch to Trentan and walked right next to the altar. Trentan tried to look calm, but Gwendis could see the fear in his eyes, and she couldn't blame him. The Dark Priestess laid her hands on the altar, taking in a deep breath. It sounded like ghosts were whispering in the darkness.
"Why did we come here?" Gwendis asked, touch of nervousness in her voice. Aisha didn't answer, but proceeded to mumble something, a language Gwendis didn't understand. She turned to look at Trentan, who couldn't hide his fear at all anymore. After mumbling for a moment to the altar, Aisha turned towards Gwendis and Trentan.
"I have asked for the aid of the god, and summoned our warrior." She said with smooth tone that seemed to echo in the darkness. "You said earlier that the Great Other has troubled you... well, now is your chance to confront him, and find the answers – just put your hands on the altar, Princess."
Gwendis gulped, feeling somehow powerless, like her body wasn't fully under her own control. It was tempting, she could feel the altar pulling her in. She took a step closer, and looked at the cold stony surface, her eyes running through the runes. "Embrace the dark", she heard the voices of Aisha and the Great Other say at the same time, and her hands started to move towards the altar. She was ready to do it, but a small part of her was still fighting back, refusing to give in to the temptation.
[Put your hands on the altar] [Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
[Put your hands on the altar]
<waiting for Liquid's wall of hate>
[Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
Gotta get the vote out of the way first, so that I can write down my opinion on the part later on. I guess it's not surprise that I choose this:
[Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
Absolutely not! This must not happen! Seriously, think about it, this must not happen. Gwendis resisted for so long and nothing has changed that should cause her to give in. Aisha once again failed to give any reason to trust her or her demon or to embrace the darkness. We must remain strong if we want Gwendis to have any chance at getting out of this not only alive, but physically and mentally intact. Aisha seeks to ruin her, she did so from the very beginning, but I refuse to just let her. As long as Gwendis gets the chance to refuse to give in to this evilness, we must take it. Until that utter fucking monster of a priestess fails to deliver even the most simple of answers without somehow twisting the truth or resorting to her usual trick of being as vague and confusing as possible, until then I won't even consider giving her the tiniest of victories. She is the enemy, she must not be trusted and she must not be allowed to have her way if Gwendis is to have any chance at surviving this mess. And well, until we get the chance to kill her, hopefully in a very painful way, we must remain strong. Aisha thinks she can just force Gwendis into submission, or scare her until she gives in? Well, she couldn't be any more wrong. We have the choice here and we have to remain steadfast. Aisha has given us not even the tiniest reason to trust her so far, but thousands of reasons to bash her stupid bitch face in. This hasn't changed in this part. In fact, it has only gotten worse here, given that she is slowly dropping every hint of subtlety about her true goal. It is all but clear that whatever she has planned for Gwendis is as vague as it is disastrous. The end of this part, where she even gets as good as forced to do this makes it only worse. I mean, seriously? The dark whore and her demon honestly expect Gwendis to trust them while all they do is to indimidate her, torment her and exhaust her to the point where she has no choice but to follow them? Is it any surprise that Gwendis doesn't trust them in the slightest? Surely, Aisha and her demon are both too stupid to see it, but not trusting them is the only good thing possible. But, not all hope is lost. We have seen that refusing Aisha's poison helps Gwendis. She refused to grab her hand and as a result got a healthy night of sleep. This is the way to maintain a pure soul, which might be exactly what saves her life if she ever meets up with Desirea. Speaking of, good news, I can safely say that Desi is not even nearly as horrible as Aisha. Nobody is as horrible as Aisha. Seriously, my hatred keeps growing and growing. And now it is not only hatred, but anger, because I am downright enraged at the way she thinks she can deal with Gwendis here. She has the nerve to be pissed at her not being trusted? Well, perhaps she should start to work to earn that trust instead of dragging Gwendis from one evil shitshow to the next, trying to force and coerce her into submission. That might have worked with her in the past, but she has always been weak and worthless. Gwendis is strong and so much better than this cunt of a satanist can even start to comprehend. She will not break, she will not give in and she will survive this whole mess as a better person.
Now... after this part I can safely say that I have fully given up any remnants of hope that Aisha could be well-intentioned. This right there is the most rotten, evil character in the story and she gets less and less subtle about it. To say I am concerned for Gwendis' well-being in the company of this being of pure, unadulterated evil would be an understatement. Her reaction towards Gwendis' refusal was almost exactly as expected, though I thought of her to be less subtle about her anger. But well, if she wants Gwendis to trust her, how about she stops being such a complete cunt? How about she starts actually answering questions instead of babbling her usual utter nonsense? She has given Gwendis nothing but pain and fear, and yet she somehow expects of her to trust her? Hell no! This is by far the clearest, least ambiguous situation possible. Aisha is evil. Her god is evil. And both have reached a point where they don't even try to be subtle about it. Embracing the dark? No, Gwendis is never going to do that. I have also given up any hope of getting answers from Aisha. She has proven herself to be equal parts unwilling and too retarded to answer in a way that is not even more confusing than anything before. As long as she is not absolutely honest about what she needs Gwendis for, what she expects from her and what the consequences will be, I won't even consider toning down on the hatred I hold for her. She has shown that there is not the slightest bit of good in her. And I will try my utmost to prevent Gwendis from becoming like her. Of course I want answered, but not from the Great Other. Perhaps someone who is not an irredeemable one-sided force of evil could actually explain something to Gwendis? Meaning, fuck Aisha and fuck her demon pimp.
I have noticed one good thing though, namely Trentan. He's still an ass, but he seems to be on a good way and I slowly start to warm up to him. He doesn't have to die alongside that whore he follows. Maybe we can free him from Aisha's mind control with actions like this. He seems to have a heart after all and not all hope is lost for him. If Gwendis helps him to realize this, he could help her in return. It's strange that a lowly thief is the one I put my hopes into in this conflict between gods, but right now, if there is anyone who could save Gwendis' life, it's him. Surely it is not the Dark Bitch, nor her god, nor her enemy. Actually, Dalia and Desi could be helpful, but only if we manage to keep Gwendis clean from the Great Other taint. She is not going to embrace this darkness, oh no!
Two things did intrigue me though beyond Trentan's apparent beginning to change and Aisha's usual descent into regions way beyond mere hatred:
Perhaps it is indeed possible to use Gwendis' "gift" for good. However, I know for sure that Aisha has a very messed up perception of the word and that the concept of it is utterly alien towards her. She is so deranged, she couldn't even begin to understand what good means. However, whatever power Gwendis has, she could probably use it for good indeed, if she gets a teacher that is not a monstrous lunatic. Perhaps whatever power the Great Other has cursed her with can be used against him and against his followers. Gwendis is a good person and she must remain a good person. She is also a smart person and as such, if there is a way to actually use her powers for good and not for the travesty of the term which Aisha uses, Gwendis can find it.
I knew it! I fucking knew it! Who called it? I did! Now we know it for sure, the warrior is the only being that comes even close to Aisha on the evilness scale. And well, as you have likely noticed in the quote, I have found the perfect name for him. From now on, I shall exclusively refer to this warrior as Wesley, or Wes for short, after Ensign Wesley Crusher, the Jar-Jar Binks of Star Trek, the single most hated character in the entire fandom, the one character who is even less popular than Jar-Jar. To put it into terms for those who have never watched Star Trek: Wesley Crusher is basically the Sand Snakes, but even less positively received. It is the most severe insult I have ever bestowed upon anyone, fictional or real and given the nature of this warrior, I don't feel bad one bit. From this day forward, he will be Wesley, simply because his last name already fits so perfectly an because he is a complete piece of shit. Through this, I can humiliate him in the most hateful way possible. Wesley the Warrior... I do hope he dies almost as painful as the whore he is about to work for.
That said, I start to wonder just why Gwendis still travels with Aisha. Is there anything that forces her to stay? The whore hasn't made any threats into that direction, so is there anything that forces Gwendis to stay there and keep getting tormented and forced to spend time with Wesley?
You know, one of these days I'm going to manage to write down a comment that is longer than the part itself
Surely you mean my wall of rational thoughts and well-constructed arguments, right?
In all seriousness, how could I disappoint? If a wall of hate is what is expected from me, I'm going to build the greatest wall of hate there ever has been and I'm going to make Mexico Aisha pay for it! She is horrible and evil and a complete monster and I'm starting to rant again. Not even Wesley is as bad as her, because he at least doesn't try to lie and trick others into trusting him, he just shows how bad he is, whereas she hides it. Argh, she's the Ramsay of this story, but not from back when everyone loved to hate him, but from the later seasons, where everyone just wanted him gone. I'm still horrified at how low she can sink and I actually start to wonder, is there even the tiniest fragment of good in her? Because it sure as hell doesn't seem so
Wha... dude, no! Why? We have just seen that not giving in to the Great Other is a good thing, so facing him now is almost certainly going to be a bad thing, likely even setting her down that evil path that Aisha wants from her and which can only end with her being completely ruined beyond saving. Don't do that, come on! We don't know what happens, but if the Great Other wants it and outright tells her to "embrace the darkness", surely it can't be a good thing, right? Facing the demon is not worth it.
I don't really know how to answer since you are completely right, but I'm just too curious and evil muahahahaha.
Come on, please don't do that! I'm sure we can get answers from somewhere else if you're curious, this doesn't have to be the only possible source of information. I mean, confronting the Great Other? He's likely going to indoctrinate Gwendis to the point where she's either going to be killed by Dalia for becoming a genuine Great Other follower, or where she's going to turn into some twisted monster, Aisha-style. That choice can't be taken lightly. In any way, I am sure that every time she gives in to the Great Other is going to cause damage beyond repair and that is absolutely not worth it. Aisha wants her to do it, so we know it is evil and going to set her down that path that can only ruin her and surely you don't want that, right?
Well, it seems that we are at a crossroad in Gwendis's future here and really with the way her storyline has went, this choice could very well decide the person that she will become whether that be the respected Lady Gwendis Blackmont or Gwendis the Dark Priestess, powerful priestess of the Great Other. So safe to say, that I know what to choose here.
I mean, we have pretty much supported Aisha from the very beginning from the moment that we first grabbed her hand through choosing to leave her old life behind to follow Aisha on a mission of great uncertainty over a marriage to a Fowler Prince. We have always supported Aisha from the beginning and it seems that Gwendis is starting to get to the point where she can really start to grasp her true power and this is the first step of that mission. I have tried to help fight this for Gwendis for so long but at this point it is pretty much inevitable. The Great Other is calling for Gwendis and we must obey
Sorry about the above statement and choice Liquid, I just wanted to join in on the fun
Which if your computer screen or phone or whatever you are using is large enough to see all of this anyway then I suppose it won't matter anyhow 
Just to clarify, there is a reason that I quoted that choice instead of putting it in bold and that is because it is not my true choice.
Obviously, I choose for Gwendis to [Refuse to put your hands on the altar]. From Gwendis' first appearance in the story last year, I really enjoyed Gwendis' character greatly. A young woman who has taken over the reigns and maintained a kingdom basically ignored by its king and with an heir who seems to care for the crown even less, it really had me hooked on her character and it really motivated me to want to see her succeed. From what I have always thought of Gwendis, she is a person who has dealt with a lot throughout her life with her mother's death and the shady characters around Blackmont's court always looking to interfere with her plans of good for the kingdom. Even though, she dealt with so much, she thrived as much as she could and overall that is what turned her into one of my favorite PoV's in the story. With Aisha now trying to change her, that Gwendis has a strong chance of falling by the wayside and turning her into someone who would be completely evil and personally I just want this Aisha storyline to just be a bump in the road to Gwendis reaching her true potential rather then the wrong turn that changes her character forever. Well, I was not expecting to type all of this but I suppose that just speaks to how awesome of a character Gwendis is and how much I have enjoyed her storyline. So good job to Liquid for making her and Wildling for writing her
[Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
Ok, I'm changing my vote, I'll find some other choice to make things more interesting.
There you go. Did not dissaponted me in case of Aisha hatred as expected.
[Refuse to put your hands on the altar]
I'm not going to lie. I was tempted to pick the other choice, just because I was curious about what the alter was going to do. However, it is best for Gwendis if she does not touch it, for it will probably be a big factor In determining if she falls under Aisha and her god's control.
LiquidChicagoTed, providing only the finest selection of highest-quality Aisha hatred for all your needs! Be it angry rants, semi-clever insults, crude comments or increasingly hateful thoughts on how to dispose of Aisha, LiquidChicagoTed is always happy to deliver. LiquidChicagoTed - Hating Aisha is not only our business, it is our passion!
That, or something like that would probably be my slogan if I'd be a business company. Ah, if only I could earn money by hating Aisha, I'd probably be a billionaire.
Ah, but this storyline is plenty interesting already, isn't it? I mean, maybe that's just me, but every part of it does give me legitimate thrills. In my opinion, it's doubtful if it gets more interesting by Gwendis becoming a genuine Great Other disciple. In fact, I find her the most interesting when she refuses to give in to that demon, as I like her the best when she tries to maintain her morals as one of the more well-intentioned PoV's in the story. I'm also concerned that every single choice here is ultimately going to decide upon Gwendis' fate, so I gotta put tremendous thought into choices like this. Maybe not stuff like that old one about talking either to Aisha or Trentan, but big choices like this one are definitely going to play a role in her fate. And well, I think that if there is a confrontation between Aisha and Desirea, Gwendis' best chances at surviving is if she remains unaffiliated with the Great Other as much as possible. Surely that would be more interesting than her being cut down by Dalia, right?
I am ashamed to admit that you indeed got me there for a second
Though I have hoped that you agree with me on this, glad to see you have a similar opinion on this whole situation. And well, obviously it is great to see that I am not the only person who enjoys Gwendis so much. And not only her character, which I must say is something I am very satisfied with in the way I wrote her personality and stuff and especially in the way Wildling brought her to live in the story. There is a good reason why I try to keep her alive so much after all and it wouldn't be if I wouldn't enjoy the way she is written in these parts. But her storyline as well. As much as I regret choosing Aisha over Skyreach (not only due to how downright terrifying this whole Great Other stuff is, but also due to the missed opportunity to see her interacting with the Fowlers), I think we can all agree that this has resulted in a very thrilling storyline that is likely keeping me at the edge of my seat far more constantly than a relatively calm Fowler storyline would have been, as sweet as interaction between Gwen and her new family could have been. It's really making me anxious and horribly afraid, but from a storytelling perspective this is certainly a really big thing we got there. And well, we clearly got the same goal and as much as I am afraid that we're going to screw up sooner or later (like we did when sending Naemon to Starfall), the chance for her to live up to her true potential (which is certainly not as a disciple of the Great Other) is there and I guess if we make careful, well-planned choices like this one, we might just succeed. It's great to see that I am not the only one with such a goal 
Yup, you would definitely be one, if it would be real thing.
As the creator of Lyla Sand, bet some of you guys are missing her now that Gwendis is facing an even bigger, way bigger monster.
It's interesting, but reading this last part I came to conclusion, which is just my personal opinion, that it would be even more interesting if Gwendis took the dark route, one of the reasons being constant danger of Dalia and other being simply seeing something new. We don't often see followers of the great other in GoT world, and it's great to see them in this story but becoming one of them would be even more amusing for me. I don't trust Aisha, but I wouldn't have anything against Gwendis touching the altar.
Oh well, doesn't matter now since not touching the altar will win whatever my choice is.