In case Jamison would've promised military support, Vorian would've begrudgingly sent a small force of Dayne troops with the supplies, and those troops would've later fought alongside Lucifer's forces. However, Vorian really wouldn't have liked Jamison making such promises without asking him first.
[Head straight to Clearhaven]
Jamison has did more than enough as far as securing this alliance with Lucifer Dryland. He traveled halfway… more across Dorne to meet with him, traveled nearly to the other side of it to meet with the Allyrion's for him and because of all of this, he gained a scar on his face Of course Lucifer didn't make him go with Valerie to be brainwashed but he did indirectly have him end up in Vaith in the first place which led to that. As far as I see it, the supplies and gold that the Dayne's will be sending Lucifer along with what Jamison has done should definitely secure this alliance. As far as Lucifer potentially being offended goes, well he will have to deal with it He has more pressing matters to deal with such as the Martell army that is rapidly moving forward and will soon be on his doorstep. Lucifer seems like a reasonably smart man so while he may not like it, he needs this Dayne alliance so I don't think he wil… [view original content]
[Head straight to Clearhaven] I don't know why, but for some reason I have this weird feeling that something bad is going to happen if Jamison goes to this wedding
Well, this is a tricky one It's not just a tie, but a tie that came from a changed vote. Anyway, we'll be going with the vote of the creator of Jamison, meaning he will head straigth to Clearhaven. Well, its not the most important choice ever, but it affects a few things: how much we'll be seeing of Lucifer's wedding, how quickly Jamison makes it back to home, and finally, Vorian's reaction.
Anyway, the next part is going to be a Dalia PoV, showing us this same feast from her perspective. We'll get to see Lucifer again, get some thoughts from Dalia about being legitimized, and so on. The part should be ready tomorrow.
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. Perhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"All the while you impregnate your poor new wife," Dalia quipped quietly, turning her eyes away from her father. Even not looking at him, Dalia could see the anger taking over Lucifer's face. "That is no way to speak to your king, or to your father," he hissed sternly.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace," Dalia said unenthusiastically, immediately hearing Lucifer sigh in frustration. "You ought to be grateful, Dalia," he said. "I've legitimized you and made you my heir. Without me you would be a bastard sellsword with no future."
"I am grateful," Dalia insisted, turning to look at her father again. "However, I think it would be more important for you to lead your troops personally, rather than whatever it is you think you'll be doing back in Hellgate Hall."
"What I'll be doing is my duty, nothing more, nothing less. And I have no time to waste," Lucifer said with a firm and decisive tone, the expression on his face like stone. "I have a duty to continue my line. 'The Last of His Ilk' they whisper behind my back, waiting for me to die without an heir so they can fight over my kingdom. I will not let that happen."
"You have an heir now," Dalia pointed out angrily, but Lucifer just chuckled coldly. "Aye, an unmarried daughter on her thirties, with no children of her own," he replied dryly.
"I do have a daughter," Dalia corrected, her tone almost offended, but Lucifer merely shook his head, a disapproving look in his eyes. "A priestess of a strange god, baseborn, and fathered by some foreign sellsword. Your bastard girl is not the future of our house."
"So, you will try to have a son with this Gwyneth Tiddle?" Dalia asked with a sour tone. Not becoming the Queen of Brimestone wasn't what angered her, she had never expected that to be her role anyway. No, what really angered her was the fact that even now, after legitimizing her, Lucifer didn't truly see her as a worthy successor. She was still a bastard to the King, and this reward of his had ultimately been meaningless.
"I will have a son," Lucifer confirmed sternly, taking a deep gulp from his wine. "And one day that son will wear my crown, and rule my lands. However, you can still carry the name Dryland with pride, Dalia. Your duty for our kingdom is on the battlefields, leading our armies."
"Understood," Dalia said with a sigh, her thoughts now drifting to Desirea, and her mission. She hadn't said anything about it to her father, and she didn't plan to. Whether she'd end up going with Desi or not, the Wild Suns would march to war against Nymeria Martell, and that should be enough for Lucifer. By leading them to that war herself, Dalia would betray her daughter. However, by going with her daughter she would betray both her father and her company. Still, there was no reason to discuss this with Lucifer, Dalia knew very well what he would have to say about it.
Suddenly, from the corner of her eye Dalia noticed someone approaching them from the right. It was Harbert Uller, the heir to Hellholt. He was a tall man, built like a warrior. His long flowing black hair was combed nicely, and over his red tunic was a flashy yellow cape. In his dark eyes was a sharp and attentive gaze, and his thin lips formed a small smirk. During Dalia's childhood and youth in Hellgate Hall, the young Harbert Uller had already earned himself quite a reputation. Back then he had been known as the reckless young heir of Harrion Uller, almost like an uncontrollable force of nature. He roamed the lands, going when and where he pleased, and getting himself involved in all kinds of trouble, from simple bar brawls with the common folk to challenging a knight of House Wells to a duel to death over some minor dispute. Dalia had no idea if Harbert had settled down over the years, but he had most certainly gotten older. Harbert Uller was getting close to his forties by now, though he had admittedly aged gracefully, most of his good looks still present.
Harbert made sure to bow to Lucifer at first, greeting His Grace with honeyed words, before turning to Dalia. "Princess Dalia," he said with his slightly coarse and smoky deep voice. "Lord Harbert," Dalia responded calmly, and the man flashed him a smirk.
"Not really a lord yet," he corrected with a relaxed tone. "The old man is still breathing, thank the Seven. I'm not sure if I could take the... responsibility, of being a lord." Harbert took a small pause after this, taking his time studying Dalia's face. "Anyway, I came here to congratulate you. You did well taking over this city, and your father has been wise to reward you for it."
"Thank you," Dalia said, forcing a small smile on her face. Harbert reciprocated it, before speaking up again. "I look forward to fighting beside you on the field, my princess," he said smoothly. "You are clearly a true warrior. Together we shall crush the enemies of House Dryland."
"That we will," Dalia agreed quietly, and with a respectful nod Harbert backed away. "A completely different man from his father," Lucifer commented quickly after the Uller heir had walked away. "Though equally useful, just on other areas."
"I remember he was quite the trouble-maker back in the day," Dalia said lightheartedly, and her father chuckled softly. "Oh yes," he said with an amused tone. "He has calmed down over the years, to some degree at least. Fathering your own children tends to do that to a man."
"Yes, children are our greatest responsibility," Dalia said quietly. Lucifer glanced at her, looking like there was something he wanted to say, but he remained silent. Dalia downed the rest of her wine, waiting for the feast to come to its end.
After another hour at the great hall, people were finally flooding out, making their way towards their bed chambers. As she was about to take a turn to the corridor towards her chambers, Dalia heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Princess Dalia," said the calm and smooth voice of Lord Kris, and Dalia turned towards him. Despite the ridiculous orange tips Mother Minesa had dyed for her son's blonde hair, Dalia had to admit Kris looked particularly handsome dressed in dark silks. "I was just wondering... have you made your choice yet?" He asked quietly, giving her a meaningful look.
"I haven't," Dalia answered, looking at Kris with a vulnerable gaze in her dark eyes. "And you?" She asked timidly, and Kris shook his head. Dalia could tell from his expression that this was something that had been weighing his heart. "No matter what I choose, I'll end up betraying someone," he said with a frustrated sigh. "I imagine it's the same for you." Kris looked Dalia to the eyes as he spoke, and she felt like they truly understood each other in this moment.
"It is," Dalia confirmed grimly. Kris put his hand on her shoulder, a small and uncertain smile forming on his face. "We'll get through this, both of us," he said, at least trying to sound encouraging. "And perhaps one day, after this war is over, we can build a great kingdom together as the Queen of Brimstone and the Lord of Vaith."
Dalia smiled at Kris' words, giving him a small nod. "Let us hope so," she replied quietly, and so they departed and went their own ways. In silence Dalia made it to her daughter's chambers. Desirea had not taken part in the feast, spending the whole evening in her chambers, preparing for the journey ahead.
"Hi," Dalia said carefully as she walked closer to her daughter, who was sitting by the table, reading her book about the followers of the Great Other. "Are you alright?"
"I looked into the flames, mother," Desirea answered, her voice frail and hollow. Dalia was quiet for a moment, sitting down next to Desi and trying to look her to the eyes. "And what did you see?" She asked calmly. With a gulp Desirea turned to look at her. "A glimpse of our enemy," she answered quietly, clearly shaken by whatever she had seen.
"Valerie?" Dalia asked quickly, but Desirea shook her head. "There are more," she said with a sigh. "I saw them standing above the sea, a storm raging around them. They stood next to a dead tree, their hands stained in blood. And there was a warrior with one eye, and..."
"And what?" Dalia asked strictly, and Desi let out a sigh. "There was a flame, in the middle of the storm," she said with uncertainty in her words, and Dalia raised an eyebrow. "The fire burnt brightly at first, but slowly the storm made it fizzle out, and in the end there was nothing but ashes left."
"And... what do you think that means?" Dalia asked, her voice quiet and tense. Desirea looked her to the eyes now, her gaze painful but at the same time decisive. "The enemy won't be defeated without a sacrifice," she said quietly. "One of us is going to die."
"Are you sure you're interpreting this vision correctly?" Dalia asked. She knew by now that Desirea wouldn't lie – if she said she had seen death in the flames, then that was the truth. However, visions in the flames could be tricky, and easily misinterpreted. "I can never be sure, mother," she answered with a sigh. "But I have looked into the flames thousands of times, and I have learnt to read the signs. I fear this mission might lead to my death... or yours. I understand if this changes your mind, about taking part in this mission. You don't have to come."
"And leave you unprotected?" Dalia asked strictly, shaking her head. "No, I can't abandon you, not in a time like this, no matter what the flames say."
"I have other protectors, mother," Desi said calmly, turning her eyes down now. "And... I know you have other duties as well." Dalia closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. It's about time I make this decision.
Oh, I knew this would come I knew this would come, I just hoped I didn't have to do this on my phone Good thing my vacation got cancelled, or else I would have possibly missed out on this crucial choice. There it is, the make-or-break choice.
First things first, I am not a fan of Dalia Dryland, but thankfully, Lucifer kind if ruined it on his own. If nothing else, you can always count on King Lucijerk to be a royal asshole. There has been no warmth between these two and he once again made it clear that he never intends to make her his heir. So, thanks Loosifer, I bet if that guy would have been an actual, loving father, this choice would have been harder, albeit not for me. I made my choice long ago.
[Go with Desirea]
Yes, yes. I believe it was to be expected that I choose this, especially since I consider Dalia's presence to be invaluable for the defeat of Wesley, which in turn is invaluable for the life and health of dear Gwendis. The last one and a half chapters have been a rollercoaster, but my main goal has always been her survival. And though my opinion on the danger Dalia poses to Gwen has always been difficult, I am nowadays convinced that she is way less of a risk than keeping her in the company of the utter shitshow that is Aisha and Wesley.
Now, to get this out of the way, I don't like Dalia, still don't and likely won't for a long while. You know my reasons, it's not her but me and I can't help it. She has the potential to be a character I like very much, but she isn't there yet and I doubt things will be all that easy, even if this choice is a chance for me to finally warm up to her. The one and only chance I am willing to grant. One way or the other, she will be crucial when it comes to Gwen's survival. We need a warrior to defeat a warrior, a Dalia to defeat a Wesley. And no matter what, as long as Wesley is still alive, Gwen can't escape from these horrible fanatics.
So, yeah, I might not like her, but I still like her more than Aisha and her beast. And who knows, maybe an enemy can become a friend in time. Or at least an ally against the true enemy.
Now, there is a lot more I would like to say, but you all know my point: Dalia is crucial for Gwendis' survival. I believe she and Desi both have to be there to bring this to a happy end, maybe even Kris as well.
I would also like to analyze Desi's small vision:
"Valerie?" Dalia asked quickly, but Desirea shook her head. "There are more," she said with a sigh. "I saw them standing above the sea, a storm raging around them. They stood next to a dead tree, their hands stained in blood. And there was a warrior with one eye, and..."
Oh, that heartless monster bitch. Now I have a bad idea why Aisha needs Trentan. She wants to sacrifice him after all, I fear. Fuck that bitch. Just, fuck her! The blood implies someone to get sacrificed and I fear the whore will either choose Gwen or Trentan to die for her god. Oh, the things I want to do to her... I can just hope that this can be avoided, that Gwen won't die and that she'll find a way to save Trentan as well. We need Desi for that and she needs her mother. The only thing I am glad for is that Valerie won't be there, it seems. If we manage to save Gwen, maybe she gets a break from evil cultists that try to destroy her until Valerie comes knocking. However, I doubt we manage to kill Aisha just yet, no matter what we do. She is the worst ever, the worst possible and for that, I doubt we'll succeed at disposing her just yet. Wesley, he might die, but Aisha is likely to survive for longer, as much as I am afraid what she'll do next, especially if her favourite slave/plaything Gwendis escapes her grasp.
"And what?" Dalia asked strictly, and Desi let out a sigh. "There was a flame, in the middle of the storm," she said with uncertainty in her words, and Dalia raised an eyebrow. "The fire burnt brightly at first, but slowly the storm made it fizzle out, and in the end there was nothing but ashes left."
So, one of them is going to die... I fear if we let Desi go alone, she will die, Gwen will remain Aisha's slave or outright die at the hands of Wesley or an unchained Mother Minesa and Dalia might come after them in Book 2. If she accompanies Desi, she herself might die from the wounds Wesley gives her, but I am okay with that. I hold no fondness for her although in the end, she might actually save Gwendis from a terrible fate, so I might still find a shred of compassion for her. But well, Desi is actually great and if there is a way for her and Gwen to survive, we need to take our chances with Dalia. Neither is a warrior and we need one to take down Aisha's hound.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Well it is safe to say that i ak glad this choice won out! I am probably just paranoid but I had a feeling something bad would happen if Jamison went to that wedding
Voting is closed!
Well, this is a tricky one It's not just a tie, but a tie that came from a changed vote. Anyway, we'll be going with t… morehe vote of the creator of Jamison, meaning he will head straigth to Clearhaven. Well, its not the most important choice ever, but it affects a few things: how much we'll be seeing of Lucifer's wedding, how quickly Jamison makes it back to home, and finally, Vorian's reaction.
Anyway, the next part is going to be a Dalia PoV, showing us this same feast from her perspective. We'll get to see Lucifer again, get some thoughts from Dalia about being legitimized, and so on. The part should be ready tomorrow.
Safe to say that I agree with Liqud here. Desi needs Dalia for whatever they'll be facing moving forward. For Desi to succeed in her mission, she needs people that she can trust by her side and along with that, leading Lucifer's army is asking for a battle with Nymeria which she simply won't win.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Man this is a hard choice, mainly because both choices hold a lot of danger, but while I don't like Lucifer, choosing [Lead the Dryland armies] can give either Desirea or Belan a POV, and maybe another person will die, I don't want Desirea to die either, but we all know these visions aren't always clear, maybe the flames refer to someone else, not every flame represents a follower of the Red God.
Things look bad anyway for Gwen and Trentan, lets hope by the end of the book, Crusher or Aisha are dead.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
[Go with Desirea] Pretty much agree with all of Liquid's points, besides, I doubt that Desirea would really be able to beat Aisha without Dalia's help (or the help of a real warrior for that matter, since I feel like Belan is nowhere near Dalia's level).
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
I don't know if everyone of you has played Witcher 3, so this explanation of choice will contain a little spoiler.
I understand this whole vision situation, and it seems to be pretty clear - in fact, you kinda did the interpretation for us. Personally though, I'd rather send Desi herself anyway - she apparently wants her to make this decision. In Witcher 3, which I brought in the beggining, one of the most important plot choices is to send Cirilla ("daugher" of the main character, Geralt - don't wanna spoil too much) alone to meet the sorceresses or to go with her, and well - leaving her to her own responsibilities is counted as right choice there, as we'll finally treat her as mature person. I'm going with the same mentality here - maybe the circumstances here are significantly different, but anyways I'd rather stick to this choice. I'll be happy with each result though - both options seem to be really interesting and both can bring some danger to the story, which I think won't hurt it.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
I think Dalia should help her daughter, on this important quest. I think that if she doesn't help her, Desirea might lose. Also, her presence might prevent this mysterious death within their group. Hopefully Liquid's prediction of Trentan or Gwendis being sacrificed doesn't happen, but the vision describing their hands stained with blood makes me worry. Hopefully, this fate can be somehow prevented if this is truly Aisha's plan.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. P… moreerhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"… [view original content]
And Dalia will go with Desirea, chasing after Valerie and the rest of the servants of the Great Other. This is a big choice for sure, but I could see you choosing this. I'm actually surprised the other option got as many votes as it did. Anyway, there's certainly an interesting journey ahead of Dalia and Desi.
And next up, we'll have an Emerson PoV. In his latest part, Emerson decided he would travel with Lord Terren to Yronwood, to gain the support of King Yorick for his cause to claim the lordship of Godsgrace. We'll continue on the day of them leaving. The part is ready, so I'll just post it right away!
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren and Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and Vita gave him an uncertain nod. Then the door was knocked, and Vita shifted her gaze frantically towards it. "Don't worry, I'll open it," Emerson said softly, before walking to the door.
As he opened the door, Emerson saw Julia standing behind it, in her hands a scroll. "Raven from Godsgrace, mylord," she said politely, handing it for her. The seal was unbroken. "It's for you," Julia said, and Emerson nodded. "Thank you, mylady," he mumbled, before turning back to Vita's room and taking his seat. Julia closed the door and left.
Emerson broke the seal with Allyrion sigil, and opened the scroll. Immediately he recognized Esperence's handwriting.
Emerson,
Princess Nymeria and Prince Mors marched to Godsgrace, and with my help they took over the city. Morgan was easily defeated, and Nymeria has decided to send him to the Wall, to serve in the Night's Watch for the rest of his life. I have been named the Lady of Godsgrace, and I have great plans for making this city thrive. You can still be part of Godsgrace's future, House Allyrion has always need for honorable warriors. Return home now, and you will be fully pardoned for siding with Morgan. Until I have children of my own, you will even be named my heir. I will find you a good wife, and together you can serve this house, and the Principality of Dorne.
Refuse, and you will be branded as an enemy of House Allyrion, as well as House Martell. Upon capture, you will share Morgan's fate, and be sent to the Wall. You have a fortnight to make your decision. I'll be waiting.
Esperence Allyrion, Lady of Godsgrace
With a sigh Emerson put the scroll down, and turned his eyes to Vita. "Your daughter sent me a message," he said quietly, but those words didn't seem to mean anything to Lady Vita. "She didn't even mention you."
"Who?" Vita asked timidly, and Emerson shook his head. "Forget it," he said calmly, grabbed Esperence's message, and walked out.
-
"So, my niece has decided to completely ignore the fact that you are the rightful heir," Terren said smoothly after reading the letter, and handed the scroll back to Emerson. "So, what are you going to do?" He asked, and Emerson raised an eyebrow.
"Fight for what's mine, of course," he answered decidedly, and Terren smiled. "That's what I expected," he replied warmly, patting Emerson on the shoulder. They were on the courtyard of the Tor, ready to leave for their journey. "A war within a family, it's always an unpleasant thing. However, you are not the one at fault here, and I admire you for not backing down under her demands."
They approached Yoren, who was already mounted on his horse. Artos was also there, giving his goodbyes for his younger brother. "I see you are eager to leave, Yoren," Terren said loudly as they arrived to them, and the young man nodded. "Yes, father," he confirmed with a subtle smirk on his face. "I'm ready to meet the King."
"Well, it will take about a week before you get to meet Yorick," Terren reminded calmly. "Before that, we'll pay a visit to the Wells." Yoren looked much less thrilled about this.
"What's wrong, brother? Are you afraid Lena will beat you again?" Artos asked teasingly, and Yoren rolled his eyes. "That was six years ago," he replied with an irritated tone, and Artos gave him a little laugh. "You should ask for a rematch when you meet her," he quipped.
Terren and Emerson mounted their horses, ready to ride through hills and desert to reach Yronwood. "Artos, while I'm gone, you have the Tor," Terren announced with a booming voice. "Take good care of her."
"I will, father," Artos answered with a bow, his voice now calm and professional. And so, Terren, Emerson and Yoren rode out of the gates, and towards their destination.
-
That evening they arrived to a small town on the coast of the Sea of Dorne. The town had no proper walls, and it was centered around the port, which was mainly occupied by fishermen and crabbers. "Locals call it Fishtown," Terren said casually to Emerson as they rode to the main street. "Technically Jordayne's are the lords of this town, but I must admit I rarely visit here."
"I imagine it's because of the smell," Emerson quipped dryly, and Terren chuckled. "Aye, among other things."
They rode to what seemed to be the only tavern in the town, and left their horses for the stablemaster. Yoren was the first to walk into the tavern, Terren and Emerson coming quickly after him. The taproom was almost empty, only couple of the tables occupied. The tavern keeper was an old man with bushy grey beard and long greasy hair. He noticed the newcomers immediately, and no doubt recognized them as noblemen from their clothing.
The tavern keeper approached them from behind his counter, and gave them a deep bow. "Good evening, sers," he greeted them politely. "You must be Lord Jordayne," he said to Terren.
"Correct," Terren replied with a subtle smirk on his face, and the tavern keeper bowed again. "You can have the best rooms we have, your lordship. No payment required."
"Well, what kind of lord would I be if I didn't pay my people for their hard work?" Terren asked, giving the tavern keeper a warm smile. "Here, one gold for each of us," he said as he handed three gold coins for the old man. The man took the coins with an amazed look on his face. "You are too kind, m'lord," he said, almost falling to his knees now. "Come, I will show you your rooms, and then you can have as much soup and ale as you want."
After taking their luggage to their rooms, Emerson, Terren and Yoren returned to the taproom, and took their seats from the corner table. The barmaids immediately brought them fish soup and ale, and assured they would bring more if any of the lords would want.
"Good service," Yoren said cheerfully, taking his first sip of the soup. "If only the food was as good," he said with a frown on his face, now taking a gulp from the ale. "Or the ale," he continued with a disgusted expression. "Seven hells, what piss. Do they keep the fish and the ale in the same barrels?"
"Now, now, son, we should be thankful for what we get," Terren said calmly, taking a sip of his ale. "Admittedly, I've had better, but it's not that bad." Yoren let out an amused chuckle and shook his head. "Just admit it, father. It's disgustingly bad," he said with a playful tone. Terren didn't answer, but instead took another sip and shrugged, though his face revealed he had a hard time downing the ale.
"Excuse me, I'll have to go for a leak," Terren muttered after a moment, standing up from the table and hurrying away, leaving Emerson alone with Yoren. For a moment that felt awkwardly long they were both silent, until Yoren cleared his throat.
"So, from what I've heard it was Lord Gargalen who told you... you know, about who your father really was," he spoke with a relaxed tone on his voice, and Emerson nodded subtly. "Yes, Lord Jorvian," he confirmed quietly. "He had known from the beginning. After all, his sister was my mother... Lady Jayne."
"I heard the story of what happened to your parents, years ago," Yoren said with a subtle gulp. "Something about bandits ambushing and killing them on their way from Godsgrace to Salt Shore."
"I heard the same story," Emerson stated, taking a sip of the poor ale. "And back when I heard it for the first time, I had no idea I was actually part of it. In the story that Morgan told me and my cousins, Lord Mason and Lady Jayne were travelling with their newborn boy, and the baby was slaughtered with them."
"You were that baby," Yoren stated with an understanding tone, and Emerson nodded. "I was," he replied with a deep sigh. "Apparently the bandits held me as a hostage for months, until finally Morgan found them, and brought me back to Godsgrace."
"And then he decided to make you his bastard," Yoren said, a touch of disbelief in his words. For a moment they were both quiet. "He wasn't a good man," Emerson finally spoke up again with a gloomy tone, his gaze locked on the wooden surface of the table. "Perhaps he even deserved to be betrayed by Esperence."
"Maybe, but it doesn't make what she did right," Yoren remarked with a relaxed tone, leaning back on his chair. Emerson nodded silently, and Yoren leaned slightly closer to him. "So, what will you do to her?" He asked calmly, and Emerson raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"To my cousin?" He asked, and Yoren nodded. "Yes, to Esperence," he clarified nonchalantly. "What will you do to her once you've taken your place as the rightful Lord of Godsgrace? If you ask me, she deserves to be put to the sword for what she has done."
Emerson gulped, visioning in his head Esperence being executed. It wasn't a pleasant image. No matter how much distrust and hate there was between them now, Emerson also had love for Esperence. She had been a supportive sister to him for the majority of his life, a strong young woman with her heart in the right place. Killing her wouldn't bring any joy to Emerson. But perhaps it would be justice.
[Say you would execute her][Say you would show mercy]
I'm actually surprised the other option got as many votes as it did
You and me both. Like, damn, people, friends, I don't often request this, I don't mind this in other cases, certain other storylines if you outright must, but pretty please, don't do that to me here That option has been way too crucial and while I believe the last word is far from spoken and our other decisions will factor in as well, probably even quite heavily, I am truly convinced that Dalia is, at this point, the only one capable of stopping Wesley, which in turn is really the one thing Gwen's life outright depends on, this much I know. And that he has to be stopped, I was so far sure this would be the one thing we'd all agree on, so I was quite terrified when the other option inexplicably got so many votes. I mean, whom else could kill that guy? Belan surely not and Desi herself, that's definitely a no. One thing I forgot to mention in my reasoning is, Dalia would have been wasted as Lucifer's general, as that guy is fated to lose, so I guess she would have died in this route. At least now, she might actually do something good by stopping Wesley and saving Gwendis, at least if we somehow manage to get on her good side through Gwen's choices. I considered that a safe plan so far, but now I am not sure there's a majority for that anymore, that was just waaaay too close for my liking.
But well, doesn't matter, the forces of good triumphed for the time being, so yeah, major relief right here, many thanks. Now I dearly hope I won't regret this choice. I regret trusting Aisha, so trusting her enemy is kind of the logical conclusion, but who knows, maybe no one can be trusted here. No one but Desi, that pure-hearted cinnamon role. And to get her close enough to Gwen to see that she is not the enemy that has to be fought (which should, to be fair, be kinda obvious with the one-eyed literal monster so close nearby), she needs the best protection there is and there's really none better than her mother. Oh, Dalia... I'd quote Doran and say I believe in second chances, but truth be told, I have never given her a first chance to begin with. Not until now and as nervous as I am about putting my hopes into what is currently my third-least favourite character on account of paranoia, I am sort of glad she got this chance. Now we only gotta get Kris with her as well to make sure there's a back-up voice of reason and we might actually bring this to a good ending, at least as long as Gwen won't end up being chosen to, I don't know, sacrifice Desi to the Great Other or some other insanity. We can rock this, guys, we can win this, but we really gotta do it the smart way. Pitting Dalia against Wesley while her daughter frees Gwen and Trentan, that is the smart way. Wasting her on her jerk of a father and leaving Desi (also known as the one I put all my hopes into) to face such a terrible evil on her own, that ain't the smart way. I can only hope I am able to be more convincing in my arguments when the next of these important choices comes for that storyline, because it seems I failed to convince quite a number of how important Dalia is likely to be for Gwendis' survival. I must try better next time, but luckily, I am not out of arguments yet.
Aaaah, I will regret making this choice, won't I? The suspense is real and I legitimately fear how downright terrifying it will become when the confrontation is finally there, but at the same time, I doubt I'd be that invested if not for how thrilling that all is and is surely going to become, so I wouldn't want to have it any other way. This has been a long time in the making, but with Dalia thankfully heading down the right path, I find some momentary relief, until Aisha pulls another dickmove out of her nonexistant sleeve, or something like that
I also just noticed, we might just saved Dalia's life, as the line of Lucifer is going to end with him and having her, a legitimized Dryland leading his army can only end with her death. So, with one of these two dying, does that mean it is Desi's turn now? Oh man, I hope it can be prevented. I hope it at least won't happen before she saves Gwendis, but damn, I hope it can be prevented entirely. I have no problem with Dalia dying, if it is for a good cause, but Desi... I have grown legitimately fond of that girl, to the point where my second favourite of that storyline is a tie between her and Trentan
Voting is closed!
And Dalia will go with Desirea, chasing after Valerie and the rest of the servants of the Great Other. This is a big ch… moreoice for sure, but I could see you choosing this. I'm actually surprised the other option got as many votes as it did. Anyway, there's certainly an interesting journey ahead of Dalia and Desi.
And next up, we'll have an Emerson PoV. In his latest part, Emerson decided he would travel with Lord Terren to Yronwood, to gain the support of King Yorick for his cause to claim the lordship of Godsgrace. We'll continue on the day of them leaving. The part is ready, so I'll just post it right away!
Hm... oh, I was surprised how long I had to think about this. The thing here is, Esperence has actually proven herself to be a somewhat fair person. Sure, she's a scheming, backstabbing bitch, but she actually let Emerson go after he refused to support her. She actually still offers him a way out of this alive. For someone like her, that is downright decent and I would not be opposed giving her the same courtesy. There is also the topic of kinslaying, which is likely to make me even reconsider when the time comes. However, the one thing I must think about here is, will Emerson truly be safe as the Lord of Godsgrace if she remains alive to be a threat to him? She has started the whole thing, conspired against her own family and while her intentions have not been too bad, her motives were inherently selfish. She cannot be trusted around Emerson and showing her mercy seems to imply keeping her around. Even banished somewhere else, to a Sept or to Essos, she'd remain a scheming threat, a thorn in Emerson's side. In this conflict, my sympathies lie with Emerson, so I think Esperence has to be dealt with to keep his rule safe. At the same time, this leaves me with a bit of a sour taste, so I am really not sure if I could go through with actually executing her when the choice comes up.
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
[Say you would show mercy] Ordering the death of a family member is never an easy thing, and it seems Esperence doesn't want family blood in her hands, even if its only out of pragmatism.
So that's what happened to Emerson's parents huh, sad, and it makes Morgan look like an even bigger jerk, he saved his nephew and avenged his brother, only to then pass him as a bastard.
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
[Say you would execute her] I just don't like Esperence, plain and simple. She acts like she wants to help Emerson and pretend to be his ally, but truth be told she just wants the power all to herself. I'm actually thinking that siding with Morgan was indeed a good choice, I imagine that if Emerson had gone with Esperence's plans, she would've double-crossed him and maybe have him killed or sent to the wall along with Morgan.
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
I think I'll just tie the voting here. After all, Esperence isn't even threatening to kill him. It wouldn't really be a good start to his rule for him to be executing family members. What would his people think? Instead, he could just have her imprisoned or sent into exile somewhere.
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
Ah this is a very tough decision. I read this yesterday and figured I would let other votes come in before I decided and safe to say this is still a pretty tough choice However, as sad as it is to say, for Emerson to truly be able to secure his lordship, Esperence will have to be out of the picture. She is just so untrustworthy and I don't see anyway she would ever willingly step aside for Emerson. Plus she has showed who she truly is by sending her own father to the Wall so quite frankly, no Allyrion is safe with her around and in power plus I feel like this fits with this strict moral code that I feel like Emerson has.
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren an… mored Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and V… [view original content]
Alright, I have to close this quickly before it's a tie again So, Emerson will say that he would execute Esperence, if he ever claims his rightful lordship over Godsgrace. While not an actual decision to kill her, this is a harsh attitude for Emerson to take, even if completely justifiable. With this kind of choice, Emerson is starting to see his cousin more and more as just an enemy, rather than family. Conflict between the two is brewing for sure, but it might take a while before Emerson is truly faced with a choice like this - if he ever will be.
And the next part, which I've made some decent progress with today, will be a Nymeria PoV. Last time, she took over Godsgrace with the help of Esperence. In the very end she confronted the defeated Lord Morgan, whom he found drunk in his chambers. Morgan cursed his daughter for betraying him, and tried to provoke Nym to kill him, but instead Nymeria decided to do what Esperence had suggested earlier, and send Lord Morgan to the Wall. There's a lot of interesting stuff coming in this part, and it should be ready tomorrow
-
And this time we have a portrait of Artos Jordayne, the firstborn son and heir of Lord Terren Jordayne:
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and broken look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born as a second son, you know. My purpose from the beginning was to serve. I was never really good at serving, and my father made sure to punish me for it." Morgan pointed at the old scars on his face, and continued. "My brother though, he was the perfect man for his purpose. He was a lord, through and through. When Mason spoke, people listened. Not out of fear, but respect." Morgan sighed, staying quiet for a moment. Nymeria could see he had been holding on to these feelings for long. "Of course, the gods saw fit to kill my brother in his prime, along with his wife," Morgan continued with an emotionless tone. "And so, the lordship of this city was thrusted to me. I never got the respect my brother was given, but I learned to enjoy my role nonetheless."
"Power can be... gratifying," Nymeria stated, and Morgan nodded. "And now I have to wonder, was my power ever anything more than just a frail illusion?" He asked cynically. Nymeria stayed quiet for a moment, knowing he wasn't really expecting an answer.
"Prepare for a long journey, mylord," Nymeria finally said nonchalantly. "Your travel to the Wall will begin tomorrow." With these words Nymeria turned her back for Morgan Allyrion, and walked out of the lord's chambers.
-
Nymeria stood on the balcony above the courtyard, Prince Mors and Lady Esperence standing beside her. It was almost noon, and they gazed down on the stables, where Lord Morgan Allyrion was mounting his horse, surrounded by the dozen guards that would escort him to Sandship. From there he would sail to Eastwatch-by-the-sea, and live the rest of his days serving the Night's Watch.
"No need to feel pity for him, Your Grace," Esperence said coldly, glaring at her father. "He was always a bad man, and a worse lord."
"Hopefully you can do better job than him, then," Nymeria said quietly, and a small smile formed on the young lady's face. "You can trust that I will, my princess," she responded confidently. Down on the courtyard the gates were opened. Lord Morgan rode out of the castle, and out of Nymeria's life.
"I'll see you at the council meeting," Esperence said politely, before walking away from the balcony and leaving Nymeria alone with Mors. For a moment they stood there in silence, watching the new Lady of Godsgrace walking to the doors of the main keep.
"What do you think about her?" Mors asked calmly, and Nymeria responded with a shrug. "She needs us just as much as we need her, but..."
"But?" Mors urged her to continue, and Nymeria let out a sigh. "She betrayed her own father to rise to her current position," she said quietly. "I can never fully trust someone who stabs their own family on the back just to gain more power."
"I understand," Mors agreed with a small nod. "We may not be able to trust Esperence Allyrion, but I believe we can trust her self-interest. She needs you in order to hold her new position."
"And we need her troops and castle to win this war," Nymeria concluded sternly. As she finished speaking, the gates were opened again. This time, in rode a tall man on his mid to late thirties with a thick brown beard covering half of his narrow face, dressed in simplistic black and brown clothes. The man had an attentive gaze in his green eyes, and his thin lips formed a warm smile. The man was escorted in by two warriors, a man and a woman, who looked remarkably similar to each other.
"Do you know who this man is?" Nymeria asked quietly from Mors, who shook his head subtly as an answer. Ser Benjamin Told approached the newcomers on the courtyard, welcoming them cheerfully like they were his old friends. For a moment the bearded man's eyes met with Nymeria's. He clearly knew who she was, giving a small bow to her before continuing inside with Benjamin and his two warriors.
Another ally of Esperence, Nymeria figured. "Alright, time to meet the council," Nymeria said with a quiet and decisive tone, her narrowed eyes fixed on the back of this mysterious newcomer, who now walked in from the doors of the keep.
-
As the Prince and Princess of Dorne walked into the council chamber, everyone stood up from their chairs to bow for them. Esperence had taken the seat right next to the head of the table, the bearded newcomer beside her. Directly opposed to them were seated General Varyn and Albar Ladybright. On the other end of the table were Martyn Santagar, the tribe leader Ibraim D'un, Benjamin Told, and the maester of Godsgrace – an old and hunched man with a thin grey hair and tired brown eyes.
Nymeria took her seat at the head of the table, next to Esperence and Varyn, whereas Mors sat down on the other end, next to Ser Benjamin and the maester. For a moment the room was completely silent, as Nymeria eyed the council with a stern glare. Finally, the newcomer cleared his throat.
"Princess Nymeria, it is an honor to finally meet you," he began with a soft and polite tone, a charming smile on his face. "My name probably doesn't mean much to you, but I am Edd Prally. I have come here to serve you, Your Grace."
"Ser Benjamin told me about you," Nymeria recalled now, a pondering look in her eyes. "I seem to recall he mentioned you are a spymaster." Edd nodded, the smile still on his face. "I have spies all across Dorne, from Yronwood, to Starfall, to Sandship. I have been building my influence slowly over years, and so far I have mostly used it for my own gain – lords and kings are often willing to pay a lot for knowledge about their enemies. However, ever since I heard of your cause, I have a had a goal much more important than any amount of gold. A united Dorne, my princess. It is my dream, and I hear you share the same vision."
"You've heard correctly," Nymeria confirmed calmly. "And I appreciate your support. However, you have yet to earn my trust. As for now, you are still a stranger."
"True," Edd replied with a humble tone on his voice. "And I don't expect to earn a place in your council before I have proven myself. Well, let me start by giving you some information I have learned recently. The city of Vaith has been taken over by the forces of King Lucifer Dryland, and Lord Kris Vaith has bent his knee to the King of Brimstone. They'll be marching here next." Nymeria took a moment to take this information in, before giving a small nod.
"If what you say is true, then we'll be ready. Our army is strong and well rested – we shall face the Dryland's on the field and crush them," she said confidently, and Edd Prally gave her an approving nod. "I would expect no less. However, I'm afraid that is not all the news I bring. Lemowood has been taken over by a man named Efran Sand, a Dalt bastard raised by pirates and bandits. According to my sources he killed his uncle, Lord Darin Dalt, and rules over Lemonwood now."
"I can confirm this," the maester suddenly spoke up, taking a scroll out of his sleeve. "A message from Ser Dallin Dalt, sent from the seat of House Granit, Desertstone. It was originally sent to Sandship, but Maester Olivar sent it here immediately after he received the message that you had taken over." The maester handed the scroll to Prince Mors, who opened it and started to read.
"'Princess Nymeria and Prince Mors'," he began reading, and the whole council listened quietly. "'The rebellion of Efran Sand has proven itself to be stronger than any of us could've anticipated. He has gathered a large and dangerous force of allies, ranging from well-trained sellswords and poorly armed thugs, to Ironborn raiders. Yesterday I received the bitter news that Efran had taken over Lemonwood, murdering my brother in the progress, and imprisoning the rest of our family. I was lucky enough to be away from Lemonwood during the assault, mustering the troops of House Bravespear and House Granit. At the moment we are stationed at Desertstone, with an army of four hundred soldiers. Sadly, I'm afraid it won't be enough to take back Lemonwood. House Dalt hasn't been sworn to House Martell for long, but now we must plead for you aid, in our darkest hour. Send us reinforcements, enough to take back Lemonwood, so House Dalt can once again stand proudly next to House Martell, serving the Principality of Dorne. Yours truly, Ser Dallin Dalt.'"
"No mention of captains Dianna and Javor?" Nymeria asked quietly with a touch of concern in her voice, and Mors shook his head. Silence lingered in the council chamber for a moment, until Nymeria let out a sigh and spoke up again. "We have a powerful enemy marching towards us from the west – we can't spare much of our army to help the Dalt's," she said with frustration.
"House Dalt swore to serve us, and we swore to protect them," Mors remarked with a calm and dutiful tone. "A united Dorne won't mean anything, if its rulers won't fight for all those sworn to them." Nymeria knew her husband was right, and she didn't want to abandon the Dalt's, but turning around and marching back to Lemonwood now would be a huge step back in the war against King Lucifer. "What would you suggest we do then?" She asked strictly.
"Perhaps we could split our forces," Mors suggested calmly. "Ser Albar and Ser Martyn could march to Lemonwood with their troops, to help Ser Dallin defeat this Efran. Meanwhile, we will continue forward with the support of Lady Esperence."
"And do you think our army will still be strong enough to defeat Lucifer?" Nymeria challenged sternly, and Mors responded with a shrug. "It won't be easy, but then, war never is, is it? And we must not forget, the Fallen Dragons are sailing to Salt Shore as we speak. Hells, by now they might even already be there."
"Have you heard anything from Salt Shore, master?" Benjamin asked casually from Edd Prally, who shook his head. "Last reports I've heard from there are from a week ago, when King Lucifer's army was still stationed there," he explained. "No mentions of any kind of attack."
"Fine," Nymeria said after a moment of pondering, still feeling a bit conflicted. "Ser Albar and Ser Martyn, take your troops and march to Desertstone. And Maester..."
"Fabian, Your Grace," the old man clarified, and Nymeria nodded. "Maester Fabian, send a raven to Ser Dallin, informing him that reinforcements are on the way," she commanded, and Fabian bowed submissively. Nymeria waited for a moment to hear if anyone had any objections. As no one spoke up, the Princess turned her eyes to the tribesman, who looked really out of place sitting among these knights and nobility. "Ibraim D'un," Nymeria said with a respectful tone, and the man responded with an unpleasant grunt. "I imagine out of this room you know the lands of the Central Dorne the best. I would like to send you and your tribe to scout ahead for our army. Go west, and find out what exactly King Lucifer's army is doing, and then return to us."
"The Vaith's have spat on my people for generations," the bearded man growled with a cold grin forming on his face. "I can't wait to get to spill their blood."
"Perhaps you'll get to do that later," Nymeria replied nonchalantly. "However, for now your mission is to scout, nothing more." Ibraim nodded, a slightly displeased look in his eyes. "Understood," he muttered.
"Good," Nymeria said calmly. "Does anyone else have anything to say?" She asked, and the council stayed silent. "Fine then, I believe this meeting is over."
Everyone stood up from their chairs, and made their way out of the room – everyone except Nymeria, Mors and Esperence. "Was there something you still wanted to discuss, Lady Esperence?" Nymeria asked with a calm and polite tone, and the young lady nodded to her. "Yes, Your Grace," she answered with a small smile on her face. "There are two things I wanted to talk about," she said and Nymeria raised her eyebrow.
"Yet you didn't bring these things up earlier. Why is that?" Nymeria asked strictly, and she saw Esperence gulping subtly. "These are issues I'd rather talk about without the rest of the council," she explained, a touch of nervousness in her words. "Go ahead then," Nymeria urged, and Esperence nodded humbly.
"The first thing is my cousin," she started, and Nymeria could spot the bitterness in her words. "Emerson Allyrion, nephew of Lord Morgan. He sided with Morgan before your arrival, and Morgan sent him to the Jordayne's. I've already sent him a raven, asking him to come home peacefully and bend the knee to you, but I fear he might be too bullheaded for that."
"So, you're saying he might ask the help of the Jordayne's to take over Godsgrace?" Mors asked curiously, and Esperence nodded. "Yes, that is a possibility," she said with a sigh. "Lord Terren Jordayne is my uncle, and he is known to be a smart man. He won't risk attacking if he's not sure the odds are in his favor. However, what I fear is that Emerson will bring King Yorick Yronwood into this mess."
"You believe Yorick would march his army here?" Nymeria asked, and Esperence shrugged. "He has a reputation of being an ambitious man, and he might see Emerson as a tool to expand his power deep into the Central Dorne," the Lady of Godsgrace explained, and silence took over the room for a moment. Nymeria looked at her husband, concern in her eyes.
"We are already being split in two, fighting against Lucifer and Efran," she muttered with a sigh. "If your cousin attacks with the help of King Yorick... I'm not sure if we can defeat them."
"King Yorick may be ambitious, but the march from Yronwood to Godsgrace is long and hard," Mors spoke with a calming tone. "He is a threat, one we must always keep our eyes on, but right now we should concentrate on defeating Lucifer."
"I agree with Prince Mors," Esperence said calmly. "The faster you defeat the Dryland's, the more time you will have to prepare yourself against Yorick."
"You said you had two things you wanted to discuss," Nymeria changed the topic, raising an eyebrow. "Is there something else we should be preparing for?"
"No," Esperence answered hastily. "Not another threat. The second thing I wanted to talk about was a proposal I have for you."
"A proposal?" Nymeria asked with some confusion, and Esperence nodded, turning her eyes to Mors now. "Prince Mors, you have a younger brother, am I correct?" She asked, and Mors nodded. "Yes, Jaran," he answered.
"And Jaran is still unmarried, right?" Esperence asked, and by now Nymeria could see where this was going. "You're proposing a marriage between our houses?" She asked sharply, and Esperence nodded.
"Yes, Your Grace," she answered softly. "I am the Lady of Godsgrace, but I cannot continue the family line alone. It would give our alliance a strong foundation, and by my side Jaran could rule Godsgrace and father the future lord or lady of this city."
"I understand and agree," Mors said calmly. "However, we can make no promises – I cannot force my brother into a marriage without his approval." Esperence nodded understandingly. "Obviously, I will send her a proposal myself," she said with a tiny smirk forming on her face, before she turned to Nymeria again. "However, before that I need an approval from you, my princess."
[Approve the marriage] While I dislike Esperence, we don't know if Jaran is going to say yes (he doesn't leave a very strong impression). Its clear as water she wants to get closer to the new ruling family of Dorne and increase her own power, but is not as if Nymeria and Mors are blind to that, so we can hope Jaran isn't easy to manipulate.
Morgan's past makes you understand why he became such an asshat, but this fate is better than simply dying.
Now Nymeria is going to directly face Kris, and I don't trust the Hyenas are just going to observe.
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
It's simple, I do not trust Esperence, not even with Nymeria, whom she is supposed to be loyal to. She screwed over her own father and no matter what a massive piece of shit that guy has been, that says a lot about what kind of a person she is. I don't want Nymeria to trust Esperence too much. Having her as Lady of Godsgrace, it's already a risk for the time being, given Nymeria's large amount of enemies and Esperence's generally untrustworthy nature. However, having her marrying into the ruling family, marrying the most important unmarried Martell at the time on top of that, that's way too much for me. I might feel very conflicted about how to deal with her, but I know for sure, I don't want her to become too powerful. Nymeria's approval or disapproval likely won't make or break this marriage, but it likely will have an influence on it and I think it is important for her to show right away that as much as she is willing to work with Esperence, this level of trust simply is not present for the time being. There is also the factor about her future. As said before, my sympathies lie with Emerson in this conflict. Having him facing the Lady of Godsgrace is already a heavy task. Having him face a woman that is the sister-in-law to Mors Martell, that is something else entirely. And on top of that, if this conflict ends with Esperence's death, either by our own doing, or by forces beyond our control, how would Jaran react if this marriage actually happens? If he actually grows fond of his wife, how would he react to her death? I know far too little about him to consider him trustworthy or not, but I know, I don't want him to serve as a means to support the cause of a woman I neither trust nor particularly like. I really do not want Esperence to advance too high and become too important in the new rule of House Martell, especially if there is to be any chance for Emerson himself.
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
I am firmly Team Emerson in the whole Allyrion conflict and this is just another attempt for Esperence to grab even more power for herself. If Esperence allies with the Martell's through marriage then she is nearly untouchable and I don't want that here. She also lied to Nymeria about Emerson being Morgan's nephew rather than the rightful lord as well so it is clear to me that she is still as shady as ever and with that could potentially give Nymeria problems down the line in someway
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
[Disapprove the marriage]
I am firmly Team Emerson in the whole Allyrion conflict and this is just another attempt for Esperence to grab … moreeven more power for herself. If Esperence allies with the Martell's through marriage then she is nearly untouchable and I don't want that here. She also lied to Nymeria about Emerson being Morgan's nephew rather than the rightful lord as well so it is clear to me that she is still as shady as ever and with that could potentially give Nymeria problems down the line in someway
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
[Disapprove the marriage] Esperence is moving way too fast here, Nymeria has to have some suspicions at this point. She just allied herself to Nymeria and already wants to have strong ties with the royal family? She is trying to bite a lot more than she can chew and is definitely scheming to get rid of Emerson's claim to Godsgrace.
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and brok… moreen look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born … [view original content]
Comments
In case Jamison would've promised military support, Vorian would've begrudgingly sent a small force of Dayne troops with the supplies, and those troops would've later fought alongside Lucifer's forces. However, Vorian really wouldn't have liked Jamison making such promises without asking him first.
[Go to Lucifer's wedding]
[Head straight to Clearhaven] I don't know why, but for some reason I have this weird feeling that something bad is going to happen if Jamison goes to this wedding
Voting is closed!
Well, this is a tricky one
It's not just a tie, but a tie that came from a changed vote. Anyway, we'll be going with the vote of the creator of Jamison, meaning he will head straigth to Clearhaven. Well, its not the most important choice ever, but it affects a few things: how much we'll be seeing of Lucifer's wedding, how quickly Jamison makes it back to home, and finally, Vorian's reaction.
Anyway, the next part is going to be a Dalia PoV, showing us this same feast from her perspective. We'll get to see Lucifer again, get some thoughts from Dalia about being legitimized, and so on. The part should be ready tomorrow.
Dalia
Dalia Dryland sat at the high table of the Vaith's great hall. For once she was dressed like a noble woman, instead of a soldier. Perhaps it was fitting, now that she wasn't a bastard anymore. At least not in name. Next to her was her father, King Lucifer Dryland, the golden crown resting on his head.
"I've heard whispers that Princess Nymeria is marching to Godsgrace," Lucifer said with a dry and stern tone. "I don't trust Lord Morgan to defeat her, so driving the Rhoynar princess away will be our responsibility."
"You mean my responsibility?" Dalia asked calmly, and Lucifer turned to look at her. "After all, you have your own wedding to attend to," she continued, and her father gave her a small nod. "I have," he replied tensely. "And thus, I trust the leadership of my armies in your hands. Together with Jorvian Gargalen, Kris Vaith and Harbert Uller you will crush Princess Nymeria, and return to Hellgate Hall as heroes."
"All the while you impregnate your poor new wife," Dalia quipped quietly, turning her eyes away from her father. Even not looking at him, Dalia could see the anger taking over Lucifer's face. "That is no way to speak to your king, or to your father," he hissed sternly.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace," Dalia said unenthusiastically, immediately hearing Lucifer sigh in frustration. "You ought to be grateful, Dalia," he said. "I've legitimized you and made you my heir. Without me you would be a bastard sellsword with no future."
"I am grateful," Dalia insisted, turning to look at her father again. "However, I think it would be more important for you to lead your troops personally, rather than whatever it is you think you'll be doing back in Hellgate Hall."
"What I'll be doing is my duty, nothing more, nothing less. And I have no time to waste," Lucifer said with a firm and decisive tone, the expression on his face like stone. "I have a duty to continue my line. 'The Last of His Ilk' they whisper behind my back, waiting for me to die without an heir so they can fight over my kingdom. I will not let that happen."
"You have an heir now," Dalia pointed out angrily, but Lucifer just chuckled coldly. "Aye, an unmarried daughter on her thirties, with no children of her own," he replied dryly.
"I do have a daughter," Dalia corrected, her tone almost offended, but Lucifer merely shook his head, a disapproving look in his eyes. "A priestess of a strange god, baseborn, and fathered by some foreign sellsword. Your bastard girl is not the future of our house."
"So, you will try to have a son with this Gwyneth Tiddle?" Dalia asked with a sour tone. Not becoming the Queen of Brimestone wasn't what angered her, she had never expected that to be her role anyway. No, what really angered her was the fact that even now, after legitimizing her, Lucifer didn't truly see her as a worthy successor. She was still a bastard to the King, and this reward of his had ultimately been meaningless.
"I will have a son," Lucifer confirmed sternly, taking a deep gulp from his wine. "And one day that son will wear my crown, and rule my lands. However, you can still carry the name Dryland with pride, Dalia. Your duty for our kingdom is on the battlefields, leading our armies."
"Understood," Dalia said with a sigh, her thoughts now drifting to Desirea, and her mission. She hadn't said anything about it to her father, and she didn't plan to. Whether she'd end up going with Desi or not, the Wild Suns would march to war against Nymeria Martell, and that should be enough for Lucifer. By leading them to that war herself, Dalia would betray her daughter. However, by going with her daughter she would betray both her father and her company. Still, there was no reason to discuss this with Lucifer, Dalia knew very well what he would have to say about it.
Suddenly, from the corner of her eye Dalia noticed someone approaching them from the right. It was Harbert Uller, the heir to Hellholt. He was a tall man, built like a warrior. His long flowing black hair was combed nicely, and over his red tunic was a flashy yellow cape. In his dark eyes was a sharp and attentive gaze, and his thin lips formed a small smirk. During Dalia's childhood and youth in Hellgate Hall, the young Harbert Uller had already earned himself quite a reputation. Back then he had been known as the reckless young heir of Harrion Uller, almost like an uncontrollable force of nature. He roamed the lands, going when and where he pleased, and getting himself involved in all kinds of trouble, from simple bar brawls with the common folk to challenging a knight of House Wells to a duel to death over some minor dispute. Dalia had no idea if Harbert had settled down over the years, but he had most certainly gotten older. Harbert Uller was getting close to his forties by now, though he had admittedly aged gracefully, most of his good looks still present.
Harbert made sure to bow to Lucifer at first, greeting His Grace with honeyed words, before turning to Dalia. "Princess Dalia," he said with his slightly coarse and smoky deep voice. "Lord Harbert," Dalia responded calmly, and the man flashed him a smirk.
"Not really a lord yet," he corrected with a relaxed tone. "The old man is still breathing, thank the Seven. I'm not sure if I could take the... responsibility, of being a lord." Harbert took a small pause after this, taking his time studying Dalia's face. "Anyway, I came here to congratulate you. You did well taking over this city, and your father has been wise to reward you for it."
"Thank you," Dalia said, forcing a small smile on her face. Harbert reciprocated it, before speaking up again. "I look forward to fighting beside you on the field, my princess," he said smoothly. "You are clearly a true warrior. Together we shall crush the enemies of House Dryland."
"That we will," Dalia agreed quietly, and with a respectful nod Harbert backed away. "A completely different man from his father," Lucifer commented quickly after the Uller heir had walked away. "Though equally useful, just on other areas."
"I remember he was quite the trouble-maker back in the day," Dalia said lightheartedly, and her father chuckled softly. "Oh yes," he said with an amused tone. "He has calmed down over the years, to some degree at least. Fathering your own children tends to do that to a man."
"Yes, children are our greatest responsibility," Dalia said quietly. Lucifer glanced at her, looking like there was something he wanted to say, but he remained silent. Dalia downed the rest of her wine, waiting for the feast to come to its end.
After another hour at the great hall, people were finally flooding out, making their way towards their bed chambers. As she was about to take a turn to the corridor towards her chambers, Dalia heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Princess Dalia," said the calm and smooth voice of Lord Kris, and Dalia turned towards him. Despite the ridiculous orange tips Mother Minesa had dyed for her son's blonde hair, Dalia had to admit Kris looked particularly handsome dressed in dark silks. "I was just wondering... have you made your choice yet?" He asked quietly, giving her a meaningful look.
"I haven't," Dalia answered, looking at Kris with a vulnerable gaze in her dark eyes. "And you?" She asked timidly, and Kris shook his head. Dalia could tell from his expression that this was something that had been weighing his heart. "No matter what I choose, I'll end up betraying someone," he said with a frustrated sigh. "I imagine it's the same for you." Kris looked Dalia to the eyes as he spoke, and she felt like they truly understood each other in this moment.
"It is," Dalia confirmed grimly. Kris put his hand on her shoulder, a small and uncertain smile forming on his face. "We'll get through this, both of us," he said, at least trying to sound encouraging. "And perhaps one day, after this war is over, we can build a great kingdom together as the Queen of Brimstone and the Lord of Vaith."
Dalia smiled at Kris' words, giving him a small nod. "Let us hope so," she replied quietly, and so they departed and went their own ways. In silence Dalia made it to her daughter's chambers. Desirea had not taken part in the feast, spending the whole evening in her chambers, preparing for the journey ahead.
"Hi," Dalia said carefully as she walked closer to her daughter, who was sitting by the table, reading her book about the followers of the Great Other. "Are you alright?"
"I looked into the flames, mother," Desirea answered, her voice frail and hollow. Dalia was quiet for a moment, sitting down next to Desi and trying to look her to the eyes. "And what did you see?" She asked calmly. With a gulp Desirea turned to look at her. "A glimpse of our enemy," she answered quietly, clearly shaken by whatever she had seen.
"Valerie?" Dalia asked quickly, but Desirea shook her head. "There are more," she said with a sigh. "I saw them standing above the sea, a storm raging around them. They stood next to a dead tree, their hands stained in blood. And there was a warrior with one eye, and..."
"And what?" Dalia asked strictly, and Desi let out a sigh. "There was a flame, in the middle of the storm," she said with uncertainty in her words, and Dalia raised an eyebrow. "The fire burnt brightly at first, but slowly the storm made it fizzle out, and in the end there was nothing but ashes left."
"And... what do you think that means?" Dalia asked, her voice quiet and tense. Desirea looked her to the eyes now, her gaze painful but at the same time decisive. "The enemy won't be defeated without a sacrifice," she said quietly. "One of us is going to die."
"Are you sure you're interpreting this vision correctly?" Dalia asked. She knew by now that Desirea wouldn't lie – if she said she had seen death in the flames, then that was the truth. However, visions in the flames could be tricky, and easily misinterpreted. "I can never be sure, mother," she answered with a sigh. "But I have looked into the flames thousands of times, and I have learnt to read the signs. I fear this mission might lead to my death... or yours. I understand if this changes your mind, about taking part in this mission. You don't have to come."
"And leave you unprotected?" Dalia asked strictly, shaking her head. "No, I can't abandon you, not in a time like this, no matter what the flames say."
"I have other protectors, mother," Desi said calmly, turning her eyes down now. "And... I know you have other duties as well." Dalia closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. It's about time I make this decision.
[Go with Desirea] [Lead the Dryland armies]
Oh, I knew this would come
I knew this would come, I just hoped I didn't have to do this on my phone 
Good thing my vacation got cancelled, or else I would have possibly missed out on this crucial choice. There it is, the make-or-break choice.
First things first, I am not a fan of Dalia Dryland, but thankfully, Lucifer kind if ruined it on his own. If nothing else, you can always count on King Lucijerk to be a royal asshole. There has been no warmth between these two and he once again made it clear that he never intends to make her his heir. So, thanks Loosifer, I bet if that guy would have been an actual, loving father, this choice would have been harder, albeit not for me. I made my choice long ago.
[Go with Desirea]
Yes, yes. I believe it was to be expected that I choose this, especially since I consider Dalia's presence to be invaluable for the defeat of Wesley, which in turn is invaluable for the life and health of dear Gwendis. The last one and a half chapters have been a rollercoaster, but my main goal has always been her survival. And though my opinion on the danger Dalia poses to Gwen has always been difficult, I am nowadays convinced that she is way less of a risk than keeping her in the company of the utter shitshow that is Aisha and Wesley.
Now, to get this out of the way, I don't like Dalia, still don't and likely won't for a long while. You know my reasons, it's not her but me and I can't help it. She has the potential to be a character I like very much, but she isn't there yet and I doubt things will be all that easy, even if this choice is a chance for me to finally warm up to her. The one and only chance I am willing to grant. One way or the other, she will be crucial when it comes to Gwen's survival. We need a warrior to defeat a warrior, a Dalia to defeat a Wesley. And no matter what, as long as Wesley is still alive, Gwen can't escape from these horrible fanatics.
So, yeah, I might not like her, but I still like her more than Aisha and her beast. And who knows, maybe an enemy can become a friend in time. Or at least an ally against the true enemy.
Now, there is a lot more I would like to say, but you all know my point: Dalia is crucial for Gwendis' survival. I believe she and Desi both have to be there to bring this to a happy end, maybe even Kris as well.
I would also like to analyze Desi's small vision:
Oh, that heartless monster bitch. Now I have a bad idea why Aisha needs Trentan. She wants to sacrifice him after all, I fear. Fuck that bitch. Just, fuck her! The blood implies someone to get sacrificed and I fear the whore will either choose Gwen or Trentan to die for her god. Oh, the things I want to do to her... I can just hope that this can be avoided, that Gwen won't die and that she'll find a way to save Trentan as well. We need Desi for that and she needs her mother. The only thing I am glad for is that Valerie won't be there, it seems. If we manage to save Gwen, maybe she gets a break from evil cultists that try to destroy her until Valerie comes knocking. However, I doubt we manage to kill Aisha just yet, no matter what we do. She is the worst ever, the worst possible and for that, I doubt we'll succeed at disposing her just yet. Wesley, he might die, but Aisha is likely to survive for longer, as much as I am afraid what she'll do next, especially if her favourite slave/plaything Gwendis escapes her grasp.
So, one of them is going to die... I fear if we let Desi go alone, she will die, Gwen will remain Aisha's slave or outright die at the hands of Wesley or an unchained Mother Minesa and Dalia might come after them in Book 2. If she accompanies Desi, she herself might die from the wounds Wesley gives her, but I am okay with that. I hold no fondness for her although in the end, she might actually save Gwendis from a terrible fate, so I might still find a shred of compassion for her. But well, Desi is actually great and if there is a way for her and Gwen to survive, we need to take our chances with Dalia. Neither is a warrior and we need one to take down Aisha's hound.
Well it is safe to say that i ak glad this choice won out! I am probably just paranoid but I had a feeling something bad would happen if Jamison went to that wedding
[Go with Desirea]
Safe to say that I agree with Liqud here. Desi needs Dalia for whatever they'll be facing moving forward. For Desi to succeed in her mission, she needs people that she can trust by her side and along with that, leading Lucifer's army is asking for a battle with Nymeria which she simply won't win.
Man this is a hard choice, mainly because both choices hold a lot of danger, but while I don't like Lucifer, choosing [Lead the Dryland armies] can give either Desirea or Belan a POV, and maybe another person will die, I don't want Desirea to die either, but we all know these visions aren't always clear, maybe the flames refer to someone else, not every flame represents a follower of the Red God.
Things look bad anyway for Gwen and Trentan, lets hope by the end of the book, Crusher or Aisha are dead.
Wildingking I have sent you a pm hope you found it
[Go with Desirea] Pretty much agree with all of Liquid's points, besides, I doubt that Desirea would really be able to beat Aisha without Dalia's help (or the help of a real warrior for that matter, since I feel like Belan is nowhere near Dalia's level).
[Go with Desirea]
[Go with Desirea]
[Lead the Dryland armies]
I don't know if everyone of you has played Witcher 3, so this explanation of choice will contain a little spoiler.
I understand this whole vision situation, and it seems to be pretty clear - in fact, you kinda did the interpretation for us. Personally though, I'd rather send Desi herself anyway - she apparently wants her to make this decision. In Witcher 3, which I brought in the beggining, one of the most important plot choices is to send Cirilla ("daugher" of the main character, Geralt - don't wanna spoil too much) alone to meet the sorceresses or to go with her, and well - leaving her to her own responsibilities is counted as right choice there, as we'll finally treat her as mature person. I'm going with the same mentality here - maybe the circumstances here are significantly different, but anyways I'd rather stick to this choice. I'll be happy with each result though - both options seem to be really interesting and both can bring some danger to the story, which I think won't hurt it.
[Go with Desirea]
I think Dalia should help her daughter, on this important quest. I think that if she doesn't help her, Desirea might lose. Also, her presence might prevent this mysterious death within their group. Hopefully Liquid's prediction of Trentan or Gwendis being sacrificed doesn't happen, but the vision describing their hands stained with blood makes me worry. Hopefully, this fate can be somehow prevented if this is truly Aisha's plan.
[Lead the Dryland armies]
[Lead the Dryland armies]
Voting is closed!
And Dalia will go with Desirea, chasing after Valerie and the rest of the servants of the Great Other. This is a big choice for sure, but I could see you choosing this. I'm actually surprised the other option got as many votes as it did. Anyway, there's certainly an interesting journey ahead of Dalia and Desi.
And next up, we'll have an Emerson PoV. In his latest part, Emerson decided he would travel with Lord Terren to Yronwood, to gain the support of King Yorick for his cause to claim the lordship of Godsgrace. We'll continue on the day of them leaving. The part is ready, so I'll just post it right away!
Emerson
Emerson sat next to Lady Vita in her chambers, watching quietly as she drank her juice. He would leave later today with Terren and Yoren, and he had already packed his things. Emerson had never been to Yronwood, and he was excited to see the castle of the strongest and richest house in Dorne. At the same time, he was nervous. He knew that King Yorick would want something in return for his support, and Emerson feared it would be a heavy price.
"I'm leaving today," he said to Vita, who turned slowly to look at him. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly.
"To Yronwood," Emerson answered, and Vita's eyes widened. "To meet the King," she stated rather than asked, and Emerson nodded. "Father and brother went often to meet King Yohn," she continued.
"Yohn was Yorick's father, right?" Emerson asked calmly, but Vita just looked confused. "Yorick Yronwood is the king now, I assume Yohn Yronwood was his father," he explained, and Vita gave him an uncertain nod. Then the door was knocked, and Vita shifted her gaze frantically towards it. "Don't worry, I'll open it," Emerson said softly, before walking to the door.
As he opened the door, Emerson saw Julia standing behind it, in her hands a scroll. "Raven from Godsgrace, mylord," she said politely, handing it for her. The seal was unbroken. "It's for you," Julia said, and Emerson nodded. "Thank you, mylady," he mumbled, before turning back to Vita's room and taking his seat. Julia closed the door and left.
Emerson broke the seal with Allyrion sigil, and opened the scroll. Immediately he recognized Esperence's handwriting.
Emerson,
Princess Nymeria and Prince Mors marched to Godsgrace, and with my help they took over the city. Morgan was easily defeated, and Nymeria has decided to send him to the Wall, to serve in the Night's Watch for the rest of his life. I have been named the Lady of Godsgrace, and I have great plans for making this city thrive. You can still be part of Godsgrace's future, House Allyrion has always need for honorable warriors. Return home now, and you will be fully pardoned for siding with Morgan. Until I have children of my own, you will even be named my heir. I will find you a good wife, and together you can serve this house, and the Principality of Dorne.
Refuse, and you will be branded as an enemy of House Allyrion, as well as House Martell. Upon capture, you will share Morgan's fate, and be sent to the Wall. You have a fortnight to make your decision. I'll be waiting.
Esperence Allyrion, Lady of Godsgrace
With a sigh Emerson put the scroll down, and turned his eyes to Vita. "Your daughter sent me a message," he said quietly, but those words didn't seem to mean anything to Lady Vita. "She didn't even mention you."
"Who?" Vita asked timidly, and Emerson shook his head. "Forget it," he said calmly, grabbed Esperence's message, and walked out.
-
"So, my niece has decided to completely ignore the fact that you are the rightful heir," Terren said smoothly after reading the letter, and handed the scroll back to Emerson. "So, what are you going to do?" He asked, and Emerson raised an eyebrow.
"Fight for what's mine, of course," he answered decidedly, and Terren smiled. "That's what I expected," he replied warmly, patting Emerson on the shoulder. They were on the courtyard of the Tor, ready to leave for their journey. "A war within a family, it's always an unpleasant thing. However, you are not the one at fault here, and I admire you for not backing down under her demands."
They approached Yoren, who was already mounted on his horse. Artos was also there, giving his goodbyes for his younger brother. "I see you are eager to leave, Yoren," Terren said loudly as they arrived to them, and the young man nodded. "Yes, father," he confirmed with a subtle smirk on his face. "I'm ready to meet the King."
"Well, it will take about a week before you get to meet Yorick," Terren reminded calmly. "Before that, we'll pay a visit to the Wells." Yoren looked much less thrilled about this.
"What's wrong, brother? Are you afraid Lena will beat you again?" Artos asked teasingly, and Yoren rolled his eyes. "That was six years ago," he replied with an irritated tone, and Artos gave him a little laugh. "You should ask for a rematch when you meet her," he quipped.
Terren and Emerson mounted their horses, ready to ride through hills and desert to reach Yronwood. "Artos, while I'm gone, you have the Tor," Terren announced with a booming voice. "Take good care of her."
"I will, father," Artos answered with a bow, his voice now calm and professional. And so, Terren, Emerson and Yoren rode out of the gates, and towards their destination.
-
That evening they arrived to a small town on the coast of the Sea of Dorne. The town had no proper walls, and it was centered around the port, which was mainly occupied by fishermen and crabbers. "Locals call it Fishtown," Terren said casually to Emerson as they rode to the main street. "Technically Jordayne's are the lords of this town, but I must admit I rarely visit here."
"I imagine it's because of the smell," Emerson quipped dryly, and Terren chuckled. "Aye, among other things."
They rode to what seemed to be the only tavern in the town, and left their horses for the stablemaster. Yoren was the first to walk into the tavern, Terren and Emerson coming quickly after him. The taproom was almost empty, only couple of the tables occupied. The tavern keeper was an old man with bushy grey beard and long greasy hair. He noticed the newcomers immediately, and no doubt recognized them as noblemen from their clothing.
The tavern keeper approached them from behind his counter, and gave them a deep bow. "Good evening, sers," he greeted them politely. "You must be Lord Jordayne," he said to Terren.
"Correct," Terren replied with a subtle smirk on his face, and the tavern keeper bowed again. "You can have the best rooms we have, your lordship. No payment required."
"Well, what kind of lord would I be if I didn't pay my people for their hard work?" Terren asked, giving the tavern keeper a warm smile. "Here, one gold for each of us," he said as he handed three gold coins for the old man. The man took the coins with an amazed look on his face. "You are too kind, m'lord," he said, almost falling to his knees now. "Come, I will show you your rooms, and then you can have as much soup and ale as you want."
After taking their luggage to their rooms, Emerson, Terren and Yoren returned to the taproom, and took their seats from the corner table. The barmaids immediately brought them fish soup and ale, and assured they would bring more if any of the lords would want.
"Good service," Yoren said cheerfully, taking his first sip of the soup. "If only the food was as good," he said with a frown on his face, now taking a gulp from the ale. "Or the ale," he continued with a disgusted expression. "Seven hells, what piss. Do they keep the fish and the ale in the same barrels?"
"Now, now, son, we should be thankful for what we get," Terren said calmly, taking a sip of his ale. "Admittedly, I've had better, but it's not that bad." Yoren let out an amused chuckle and shook his head. "Just admit it, father. It's disgustingly bad," he said with a playful tone. Terren didn't answer, but instead took another sip and shrugged, though his face revealed he had a hard time downing the ale.
"Excuse me, I'll have to go for a leak," Terren muttered after a moment, standing up from the table and hurrying away, leaving Emerson alone with Yoren. For a moment that felt awkwardly long they were both silent, until Yoren cleared his throat.
"So, from what I've heard it was Lord Gargalen who told you... you know, about who your father really was," he spoke with a relaxed tone on his voice, and Emerson nodded subtly. "Yes, Lord Jorvian," he confirmed quietly. "He had known from the beginning. After all, his sister was my mother... Lady Jayne."
"I heard the story of what happened to your parents, years ago," Yoren said with a subtle gulp. "Something about bandits ambushing and killing them on their way from Godsgrace to Salt Shore."
"I heard the same story," Emerson stated, taking a sip of the poor ale. "And back when I heard it for the first time, I had no idea I was actually part of it. In the story that Morgan told me and my cousins, Lord Mason and Lady Jayne were travelling with their newborn boy, and the baby was slaughtered with them."
"You were that baby," Yoren stated with an understanding tone, and Emerson nodded. "I was," he replied with a deep sigh. "Apparently the bandits held me as a hostage for months, until finally Morgan found them, and brought me back to Godsgrace."
"And then he decided to make you his bastard," Yoren said, a touch of disbelief in his words. For a moment they were both quiet. "He wasn't a good man," Emerson finally spoke up again with a gloomy tone, his gaze locked on the wooden surface of the table. "Perhaps he even deserved to be betrayed by Esperence."
"Maybe, but it doesn't make what she did right," Yoren remarked with a relaxed tone, leaning back on his chair. Emerson nodded silently, and Yoren leaned slightly closer to him. "So, what will you do to her?" He asked calmly, and Emerson raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"To my cousin?" He asked, and Yoren nodded. "Yes, to Esperence," he clarified nonchalantly. "What will you do to her once you've taken your place as the rightful Lord of Godsgrace? If you ask me, she deserves to be put to the sword for what she has done."
Emerson gulped, visioning in his head Esperence being executed. It wasn't a pleasant image. No matter how much distrust and hate there was between them now, Emerson also had love for Esperence. She had been a supportive sister to him for the majority of his life, a strong young woman with her heart in the right place. Killing her wouldn't bring any joy to Emerson. But perhaps it would be justice.
[Say you would execute her] [Say you would show mercy]
You and me both. Like, damn, people, friends, I don't often request this, I don't mind this in other cases, certain other storylines if you outright must, but pretty please, don't do that to me here
That option has been way too crucial and while I believe the last word is far from spoken and our other decisions will factor in as well, probably even quite heavily, I am truly convinced that Dalia is, at this point, the only one capable of stopping Wesley, which in turn is really the one thing Gwen's life outright depends on, this much I know. And that he has to be stopped, I was so far sure this would be the one thing we'd all agree on, so I was quite terrified when the other option inexplicably got so many votes. I mean, whom else could kill that guy? Belan surely not and Desi herself, that's definitely a no. One thing I forgot to mention in my reasoning is, Dalia would have been wasted as Lucifer's general, as that guy is fated to lose, so I guess she would have died in this route. At least now, she might actually do something good by stopping Wesley and saving Gwendis, at least if we somehow manage to get on her good side through Gwen's choices. I considered that a safe plan so far, but now I am not sure there's a majority for that anymore, that was just waaaay too close for my liking.
But well, doesn't matter, the forces of good triumphed for the time being, so yeah, major relief right here, many thanks. Now I dearly hope I won't regret this choice. I regret trusting Aisha, so trusting her enemy is kind of the logical conclusion, but who knows, maybe no one can be trusted here. No one but Desi, that pure-hearted cinnamon role. And to get her close enough to Gwen to see that she is not the enemy that has to be fought (which should, to be fair, be kinda obvious with the one-eyed literal monster so close nearby), she needs the best protection there is and there's really none better than her mother. Oh, Dalia... I'd quote Doran and say I believe in second chances, but truth be told, I have never given her a first chance to begin with. Not until now and as nervous as I am about putting my hopes into what is currently my third-least favourite character on account of paranoia, I am sort of glad she got this chance. Now we only gotta get Kris with her as well to make sure there's a back-up voice of reason and we might actually bring this to a good ending, at least as long as Gwen won't end up being chosen to, I don't know, sacrifice Desi to the Great Other or some other insanity. We can rock this, guys, we can win this, but we really gotta do it the smart way. Pitting Dalia against Wesley while her daughter frees Gwen and Trentan, that is the smart way. Wasting her on her jerk of a father and leaving Desi (also known as the one I put all my hopes into) to face such a terrible evil on her own, that ain't the smart way. I can only hope I am able to be more convincing in my arguments when the next of these important choices comes for that storyline, because it seems I failed to convince quite a number of how important Dalia is likely to be for Gwendis' survival. I must try better next time, but luckily, I am not out of arguments yet.
Aaaah, I will regret making this choice, won't I? The suspense is real and I legitimately fear how downright terrifying it will become when the confrontation is finally there, but at the same time, I doubt I'd be that invested if not for how thrilling that all is and is surely going to become, so I wouldn't want to have it any other way. This has been a long time in the making, but with Dalia thankfully heading down the right path, I find some momentary relief, until Aisha pulls another dickmove out of her nonexistant sleeve, or something like that
I also just noticed, we might just saved Dalia's life, as the line of Lucifer is going to end with him and having her, a legitimized Dryland leading his army can only end with her death. So, with one of these two dying, does that mean it is Desi's turn now? Oh man, I hope it can be prevented. I hope it at least won't happen before she saves Gwendis, but damn, I hope it can be prevented entirely. I have no problem with Dalia dying, if it is for a good cause, but Desi... I have grown legitimately fond of that girl, to the point where my second favourite of that storyline is a tie between her and Trentan
[Say you would execute her]
Hm... oh, I was surprised how long I had to think about this. The thing here is, Esperence has actually proven herself to be a somewhat fair person. Sure, she's a scheming, backstabbing bitch, but she actually let Emerson go after he refused to support her. She actually still offers him a way out of this alive. For someone like her, that is downright decent and I would not be opposed giving her the same courtesy. There is also the topic of kinslaying, which is likely to make me even reconsider when the time comes. However, the one thing I must think about here is, will Emerson truly be safe as the Lord of Godsgrace if she remains alive to be a threat to him? She has started the whole thing, conspired against her own family and while her intentions have not been too bad, her motives were inherently selfish. She cannot be trusted around Emerson and showing her mercy seems to imply keeping her around. Even banished somewhere else, to a Sept or to Essos, she'd remain a scheming threat, a thorn in Emerson's side. In this conflict, my sympathies lie with Emerson, so I think Esperence has to be dealt with to keep his rule safe. At the same time, this leaves me with a bit of a sour taste, so I am really not sure if I could go through with actually executing her when the choice comes up.
[Say you would show mercy]
[Say you would execute her]
[Say you would show mercy] Ordering the death of a family member is never an easy thing, and it seems Esperence doesn't want family blood in her hands, even if its only out of pragmatism.
So that's what happened to Emerson's parents huh, sad, and it makes Morgan look like an even bigger jerk, he saved his nephew and avenged his brother, only to then pass him as a bastard.
Say that you would execute. Also please give us that option to SPILL ESPERENCE'S BLOODmMAKE GODSGRACE AND EMERSON GREAT AGAIN. CLEAR OF NYMERIA.
[Say you would execute her] I just don't like Esperence, plain and simple. She acts like she wants to help Emerson and pretend to be his ally, but truth be told she just wants the power all to herself. I'm actually thinking that siding with Morgan was indeed a good choice, I imagine that if Emerson had gone with Esperence's plans, she would've double-crossed him and maybe have him killed or sent to the wall along with Morgan.
[Say you would show mercy]
[Say you would show mercy]
I think I'll just tie the voting here. After all, Esperence isn't even threatening to kill him. It wouldn't really be a good start to his rule for him to be executing family members. What would his people think? Instead, he could just have her imprisoned or sent into exile somewhere.
[Say you would execute her]
Ah this is a very tough decision. I read this yesterday and figured I would let other votes come in before I decided and safe to say this is still a pretty tough choice
However, as sad as it is to say, for Emerson to truly be able to secure his lordship, Esperence will have to be out of the picture. She is just so untrustworthy and I don't see anyway she would ever willingly step aside for Emerson. Plus she has showed who she truly is by sending her own father to the Wall so quite frankly, no Allyrion is safe with her around and in power plus I feel like this fits with this strict moral code that I feel like Emerson has.
Voting is closed!
Alright, I have to close this quickly before it's a tie again
So, Emerson will say that he would execute Esperence, if he ever claims his rightful lordship over Godsgrace. While not an actual decision to kill her, this is a harsh attitude for Emerson to take, even if completely justifiable. With this kind of choice, Emerson is starting to see his cousin more and more as just an enemy, rather than family. Conflict between the two is brewing for sure, but it might take a while before Emerson is truly faced with a choice like this - if he ever will be.
And the next part, which I've made some decent progress with today, will be a Nymeria PoV. Last time, she took over Godsgrace with the help of Esperence. In the very end she confronted the defeated Lord Morgan, whom he found drunk in his chambers. Morgan cursed his daughter for betraying him, and tried to provoke Nym to kill him, but instead Nymeria decided to do what Esperence had suggested earlier, and send Lord Morgan to the Wall. There's a lot of interesting stuff coming in this part, and it should be ready tomorrow
-
And this time we have a portrait of Artos Jordayne, the firstborn son and heir of Lord Terren Jordayne:
Nymeria
"I will not kill you, Lord Morgan," Nymeria said calmly, and the drunken man sank back to his chair. Seeing the defeated and broken look on Morgan's eyes, it made Nymeria feel pity for the man. She didn't know him personally, and had no hatred for him, no urge to put him down. Whatever he had been in his life, in this moment the Allyrion lord was just a defeated man, at the end of his road. Nymeria didn't doubt Morgan had made many mistakes in his life, enough to make his own children turn against him, but for her she was just a stranger who had lost everything. Nymeria hardened herself, knowing Morgan Allyrion wouldn't be the last man she would have to overthrow to reach her goals.
"To the Wall then?" He muttered with a hollow tone, and Nymeria nodded. "Perhaps there you can start a new life, find a new purpose," she spoke calmly, and Morgan chuckled dryly.
"Purpose," he repeated quietly, his tone almost amused. "I was born as a second son, you know. My purpose from the beginning was to serve. I was never really good at serving, and my father made sure to punish me for it." Morgan pointed at the old scars on his face, and continued. "My brother though, he was the perfect man for his purpose. He was a lord, through and through. When Mason spoke, people listened. Not out of fear, but respect." Morgan sighed, staying quiet for a moment. Nymeria could see he had been holding on to these feelings for long. "Of course, the gods saw fit to kill my brother in his prime, along with his wife," Morgan continued with an emotionless tone. "And so, the lordship of this city was thrusted to me. I never got the respect my brother was given, but I learned to enjoy my role nonetheless."
"Power can be... gratifying," Nymeria stated, and Morgan nodded. "And now I have to wonder, was my power ever anything more than just a frail illusion?" He asked cynically. Nymeria stayed quiet for a moment, knowing he wasn't really expecting an answer.
"Prepare for a long journey, mylord," Nymeria finally said nonchalantly. "Your travel to the Wall will begin tomorrow." With these words Nymeria turned her back for Morgan Allyrion, and walked out of the lord's chambers.
-
Nymeria stood on the balcony above the courtyard, Prince Mors and Lady Esperence standing beside her. It was almost noon, and they gazed down on the stables, where Lord Morgan Allyrion was mounting his horse, surrounded by the dozen guards that would escort him to Sandship. From there he would sail to Eastwatch-by-the-sea, and live the rest of his days serving the Night's Watch.
"No need to feel pity for him, Your Grace," Esperence said coldly, glaring at her father. "He was always a bad man, and a worse lord."
"Hopefully you can do better job than him, then," Nymeria said quietly, and a small smile formed on the young lady's face. "You can trust that I will, my princess," she responded confidently. Down on the courtyard the gates were opened. Lord Morgan rode out of the castle, and out of Nymeria's life.
"I'll see you at the council meeting," Esperence said politely, before walking away from the balcony and leaving Nymeria alone with Mors. For a moment they stood there in silence, watching the new Lady of Godsgrace walking to the doors of the main keep.
"What do you think about her?" Mors asked calmly, and Nymeria responded with a shrug. "She needs us just as much as we need her, but..."
"But?" Mors urged her to continue, and Nymeria let out a sigh. "She betrayed her own father to rise to her current position," she said quietly. "I can never fully trust someone who stabs their own family on the back just to gain more power."
"I understand," Mors agreed with a small nod. "We may not be able to trust Esperence Allyrion, but I believe we can trust her self-interest. She needs you in order to hold her new position."
"And we need her troops and castle to win this war," Nymeria concluded sternly. As she finished speaking, the gates were opened again. This time, in rode a tall man on his mid to late thirties with a thick brown beard covering half of his narrow face, dressed in simplistic black and brown clothes. The man had an attentive gaze in his green eyes, and his thin lips formed a warm smile. The man was escorted in by two warriors, a man and a woman, who looked remarkably similar to each other.
"Do you know who this man is?" Nymeria asked quietly from Mors, who shook his head subtly as an answer. Ser Benjamin Told approached the newcomers on the courtyard, welcoming them cheerfully like they were his old friends. For a moment the bearded man's eyes met with Nymeria's. He clearly knew who she was, giving a small bow to her before continuing inside with Benjamin and his two warriors.
Another ally of Esperence, Nymeria figured. "Alright, time to meet the council," Nymeria said with a quiet and decisive tone, her narrowed eyes fixed on the back of this mysterious newcomer, who now walked in from the doors of the keep.
-
As the Prince and Princess of Dorne walked into the council chamber, everyone stood up from their chairs to bow for them. Esperence had taken the seat right next to the head of the table, the bearded newcomer beside her. Directly opposed to them were seated General Varyn and Albar Ladybright. On the other end of the table were Martyn Santagar, the tribe leader Ibraim D'un, Benjamin Told, and the maester of Godsgrace – an old and hunched man with a thin grey hair and tired brown eyes.
Nymeria took her seat at the head of the table, next to Esperence and Varyn, whereas Mors sat down on the other end, next to Ser Benjamin and the maester. For a moment the room was completely silent, as Nymeria eyed the council with a stern glare. Finally, the newcomer cleared his throat.
"Princess Nymeria, it is an honor to finally meet you," he began with a soft and polite tone, a charming smile on his face. "My name probably doesn't mean much to you, but I am Edd Prally. I have come here to serve you, Your Grace."
"Ser Benjamin told me about you," Nymeria recalled now, a pondering look in her eyes. "I seem to recall he mentioned you are a spymaster." Edd nodded, the smile still on his face. "I have spies all across Dorne, from Yronwood, to Starfall, to Sandship. I have been building my influence slowly over years, and so far I have mostly used it for my own gain – lords and kings are often willing to pay a lot for knowledge about their enemies. However, ever since I heard of your cause, I have a had a goal much more important than any amount of gold. A united Dorne, my princess. It is my dream, and I hear you share the same vision."
"You've heard correctly," Nymeria confirmed calmly. "And I appreciate your support. However, you have yet to earn my trust. As for now, you are still a stranger."
"True," Edd replied with a humble tone on his voice. "And I don't expect to earn a place in your council before I have proven myself. Well, let me start by giving you some information I have learned recently. The city of Vaith has been taken over by the forces of King Lucifer Dryland, and Lord Kris Vaith has bent his knee to the King of Brimstone. They'll be marching here next." Nymeria took a moment to take this information in, before giving a small nod.
"If what you say is true, then we'll be ready. Our army is strong and well rested – we shall face the Dryland's on the field and crush them," she said confidently, and Edd Prally gave her an approving nod. "I would expect no less. However, I'm afraid that is not all the news I bring. Lemowood has been taken over by a man named Efran Sand, a Dalt bastard raised by pirates and bandits. According to my sources he killed his uncle, Lord Darin Dalt, and rules over Lemonwood now."
"I can confirm this," the maester suddenly spoke up, taking a scroll out of his sleeve. "A message from Ser Dallin Dalt, sent from the seat of House Granit, Desertstone. It was originally sent to Sandship, but Maester Olivar sent it here immediately after he received the message that you had taken over." The maester handed the scroll to Prince Mors, who opened it and started to read.
"'Princess Nymeria and Prince Mors'," he began reading, and the whole council listened quietly. "'The rebellion of Efran Sand has proven itself to be stronger than any of us could've anticipated. He has gathered a large and dangerous force of allies, ranging from well-trained sellswords and poorly armed thugs, to Ironborn raiders. Yesterday I received the bitter news that Efran had taken over Lemonwood, murdering my brother in the progress, and imprisoning the rest of our family. I was lucky enough to be away from Lemonwood during the assault, mustering the troops of House Bravespear and House Granit. At the moment we are stationed at Desertstone, with an army of four hundred soldiers. Sadly, I'm afraid it won't be enough to take back Lemonwood. House Dalt hasn't been sworn to House Martell for long, but now we must plead for you aid, in our darkest hour. Send us reinforcements, enough to take back Lemonwood, so House Dalt can once again stand proudly next to House Martell, serving the Principality of Dorne. Yours truly, Ser Dallin Dalt.'"
"No mention of captains Dianna and Javor?" Nymeria asked quietly with a touch of concern in her voice, and Mors shook his head. Silence lingered in the council chamber for a moment, until Nymeria let out a sigh and spoke up again. "We have a powerful enemy marching towards us from the west – we can't spare much of our army to help the Dalt's," she said with frustration.
"House Dalt swore to serve us, and we swore to protect them," Mors remarked with a calm and dutiful tone. "A united Dorne won't mean anything, if its rulers won't fight for all those sworn to them." Nymeria knew her husband was right, and she didn't want to abandon the Dalt's, but turning around and marching back to Lemonwood now would be a huge step back in the war against King Lucifer. "What would you suggest we do then?" She asked strictly.
"Perhaps we could split our forces," Mors suggested calmly. "Ser Albar and Ser Martyn could march to Lemonwood with their troops, to help Ser Dallin defeat this Efran. Meanwhile, we will continue forward with the support of Lady Esperence."
"And do you think our army will still be strong enough to defeat Lucifer?" Nymeria challenged sternly, and Mors responded with a shrug. "It won't be easy, but then, war never is, is it? And we must not forget, the Fallen Dragons are sailing to Salt Shore as we speak. Hells, by now they might even already be there."
"Have you heard anything from Salt Shore, master?" Benjamin asked casually from Edd Prally, who shook his head. "Last reports I've heard from there are from a week ago, when King Lucifer's army was still stationed there," he explained. "No mentions of any kind of attack."
"Fine," Nymeria said after a moment of pondering, still feeling a bit conflicted. "Ser Albar and Ser Martyn, take your troops and march to Desertstone. And Maester..."
"Fabian, Your Grace," the old man clarified, and Nymeria nodded. "Maester Fabian, send a raven to Ser Dallin, informing him that reinforcements are on the way," she commanded, and Fabian bowed submissively. Nymeria waited for a moment to hear if anyone had any objections. As no one spoke up, the Princess turned her eyes to the tribesman, who looked really out of place sitting among these knights and nobility. "Ibraim D'un," Nymeria said with a respectful tone, and the man responded with an unpleasant grunt. "I imagine out of this room you know the lands of the Central Dorne the best. I would like to send you and your tribe to scout ahead for our army. Go west, and find out what exactly King Lucifer's army is doing, and then return to us."
"The Vaith's have spat on my people for generations," the bearded man growled with a cold grin forming on his face. "I can't wait to get to spill their blood."
"Perhaps you'll get to do that later," Nymeria replied nonchalantly. "However, for now your mission is to scout, nothing more." Ibraim nodded, a slightly displeased look in his eyes. "Understood," he muttered.
"Good," Nymeria said calmly. "Does anyone else have anything to say?" She asked, and the council stayed silent. "Fine then, I believe this meeting is over."
Everyone stood up from their chairs, and made their way out of the room – everyone except Nymeria, Mors and Esperence. "Was there something you still wanted to discuss, Lady Esperence?" Nymeria asked with a calm and polite tone, and the young lady nodded to her. "Yes, Your Grace," she answered with a small smile on her face. "There are two things I wanted to talk about," she said and Nymeria raised her eyebrow.
"Yet you didn't bring these things up earlier. Why is that?" Nymeria asked strictly, and she saw Esperence gulping subtly. "These are issues I'd rather talk about without the rest of the council," she explained, a touch of nervousness in her words. "Go ahead then," Nymeria urged, and Esperence nodded humbly.
"The first thing is my cousin," she started, and Nymeria could spot the bitterness in her words. "Emerson Allyrion, nephew of Lord Morgan. He sided with Morgan before your arrival, and Morgan sent him to the Jordayne's. I've already sent him a raven, asking him to come home peacefully and bend the knee to you, but I fear he might be too bullheaded for that."
"So, you're saying he might ask the help of the Jordayne's to take over Godsgrace?" Mors asked curiously, and Esperence nodded. "Yes, that is a possibility," she said with a sigh. "Lord Terren Jordayne is my uncle, and he is known to be a smart man. He won't risk attacking if he's not sure the odds are in his favor. However, what I fear is that Emerson will bring King Yorick Yronwood into this mess."
"You believe Yorick would march his army here?" Nymeria asked, and Esperence shrugged. "He has a reputation of being an ambitious man, and he might see Emerson as a tool to expand his power deep into the Central Dorne," the Lady of Godsgrace explained, and silence took over the room for a moment. Nymeria looked at her husband, concern in her eyes.
"We are already being split in two, fighting against Lucifer and Efran," she muttered with a sigh. "If your cousin attacks with the help of King Yorick... I'm not sure if we can defeat them."
"King Yorick may be ambitious, but the march from Yronwood to Godsgrace is long and hard," Mors spoke with a calming tone. "He is a threat, one we must always keep our eyes on, but right now we should concentrate on defeating Lucifer."
"I agree with Prince Mors," Esperence said calmly. "The faster you defeat the Dryland's, the more time you will have to prepare yourself against Yorick."
"You said you had two things you wanted to discuss," Nymeria changed the topic, raising an eyebrow. "Is there something else we should be preparing for?"
"No," Esperence answered hastily. "Not another threat. The second thing I wanted to talk about was a proposal I have for you."
"A proposal?" Nymeria asked with some confusion, and Esperence nodded, turning her eyes to Mors now. "Prince Mors, you have a younger brother, am I correct?" She asked, and Mors nodded. "Yes, Jaran," he answered.
"And Jaran is still unmarried, right?" Esperence asked, and by now Nymeria could see where this was going. "You're proposing a marriage between our houses?" She asked sharply, and Esperence nodded.
"Yes, Your Grace," she answered softly. "I am the Lady of Godsgrace, but I cannot continue the family line alone. It would give our alliance a strong foundation, and by my side Jaran could rule Godsgrace and father the future lord or lady of this city."
"I understand and agree," Mors said calmly. "However, we can make no promises – I cannot force my brother into a marriage without his approval." Esperence nodded understandingly. "Obviously, I will send her a proposal myself," she said with a tiny smirk forming on her face, before she turned to Nymeria again. "However, before that I need an approval from you, my princess."
[Approve the marriage] [Disapprove the marriage]
[Approve the marriage] While I dislike Esperence, we don't know if Jaran is going to say yes (he doesn't leave a very strong impression). Its clear as water she wants to get closer to the new ruling family of Dorne and increase her own power, but is not as if Nymeria and Mors are blind to that, so we can hope Jaran isn't easy to manipulate.
Morgan's past makes you understand why he became such an asshat, but this fate is better than simply dying.
Now Nymeria is going to directly face Kris, and I don't trust the Hyenas are just going to observe.
[Disapprove the marriage]
It's simple, I do not trust Esperence, not even with Nymeria, whom she is supposed to be loyal to. She screwed over her own father and no matter what a massive piece of shit that guy has been, that says a lot about what kind of a person she is. I don't want Nymeria to trust Esperence too much. Having her as Lady of Godsgrace, it's already a risk for the time being, given Nymeria's large amount of enemies and Esperence's generally untrustworthy nature. However, having her marrying into the ruling family, marrying the most important unmarried Martell at the time on top of that, that's way too much for me. I might feel very conflicted about how to deal with her, but I know for sure, I don't want her to become too powerful. Nymeria's approval or disapproval likely won't make or break this marriage, but it likely will have an influence on it and I think it is important for her to show right away that as much as she is willing to work with Esperence, this level of trust simply is not present for the time being. There is also the factor about her future. As said before, my sympathies lie with Emerson in this conflict. Having him facing the Lady of Godsgrace is already a heavy task. Having him face a woman that is the sister-in-law to Mors Martell, that is something else entirely. And on top of that, if this conflict ends with Esperence's death, either by our own doing, or by forces beyond our control, how would Jaran react if this marriage actually happens? If he actually grows fond of his wife, how would he react to her death? I know far too little about him to consider him trustworthy or not, but I know, I don't want him to serve as a means to support the cause of a woman I neither trust nor particularly like. I really do not want Esperence to advance too high and become too important in the new rule of House Martell, especially if there is to be any chance for Emerson himself.
[Approve the marriage]
[Disapprove the marriage]
[Disapprove the marriage]
I am firmly Team Emerson in the whole Allyrion conflict and this is just another attempt for Esperence to grab even more power for herself. If Esperence allies with the Martell's through marriage then she is nearly untouchable and I don't want that here. She also lied to Nymeria about Emerson being Morgan's nephew rather than the rightful lord as well so it is clear to me that she is still as shady as ever and with that could potentially give Nymeria problems down the line in someway
[Disapprove the marriage]
Edit: sorry for voting in your comment, miss click.
[Disapprove the marriage]
[Disapprove the marriage]
[Disapprove the marriage] Esperence is moving way too fast here, Nymeria has to have some suspicions at this point. She just allied herself to Nymeria and already wants to have strong ties with the royal family? She is trying to bite a lot more than she can chew and is definitely scheming to get rid of Emerson's claim to Godsgrace.