And Nymeria will disapprove the marriage. As much as this is a shaky start for an alliance, I would say you made a good choice here. First of all, with this choice Nymeria makes clear who is in charge, as well as making Esperence understand she can't just blatantly try to manipulate the royal family. And it's not like just disapproving this marriage would suddenly abolish Esperence's need for the Martell support, so we can safely assume this won't make her turn against Nym.
And the next part will be the second part of Valor Veltaris, the leader of the Fallen Dragons. In his first part, Valor arrived to Salt Shore with his small fleet, his mission to take over the city. At the bay they faced an undermanned Gargalen fleet, and one of the captured Gargalen soldiers revealed that Lord Jorvian Gargalen had marched to Vaith with the bulk of the forces, leaving his eldest daughter Gabby Gargalen in charge. At the end of the part, Valor decided to lead the assault on the walls of Salt Shore himself, rather than leading from behind. The part should be ready later today.
-
And here we have the newest addition to Nymeria's storyline, the spymaster Edd Prally:
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor was among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his footing again, Valor swung his sword quickly to distract the knight. The sword hit the man's pauldron, without doing any real damage.
The Gargalen knight swung his hammer again with a roar, but this time Valor managed to dodge it with a quick leap on the right. He countered with a downward swing, but the knight parried it with the shaft of the hammer. Valor managed to give another quick strike on the man's upper right leg, but once again the armor reduced the damage to nearly nothing.
The knight raised his hammer again for a heavy strike, and Valor hid behind his shield. However, before the hammer came down, a sword was thrusted through the knight's neck from behind. As the sword was pulled out, the dead knight collapsed to the ground, his hands still tightly clenched on the hammer. The man standing behind the body was Tregor Vhassin, a skilled Qohorik warrior on his late twenties. He had joined the Fallen Dragons about a year ago, when the company had defended the city of Qohor from a small Dothraki horde. Tregor was a muscular and handsome man, his long black hair tied to a bun on top of his head. His eyes were dark blue, and in them was an excited gaze as he glared at the dead knight.
Valor gave Tregor a small nod. However, the Qohorik's eyes narrowed and focused on something behind Valor. "Valor, behind!" Tregor yelled with an alarming tone, and Valor immediately spun around. He saw Maran down on the ground, desperately trying to protect himself with his shield from a Gargalen soldier hacking him with a sword. Without a moment of hesitation, Valor charged towards the soldier, screaming from the top of his lungs.
The man raised his gaze just before Valor slammed against him with his shield. They both stumbled to the ground. As the soldier tried to stand up, Valor smacked him on the face with his shield, sending him back down. With a roar he brought down the Blue Flame, impaling the soldier's chest. As life disappeared from the man's eyes, Valor took in a couple deep breaths to calm down.
He walked quickly back to Maran, and helped him up. "Are you alright, boy?" He asked, out of breath from the fighting. Maran nodded nervously. "I'm fine," he answered with a gulp, and Valor grinned in relief, adjusting his squire's helmet so that it didn't limit his field of view too much. "They're easier to kill when you can see them," he quipped tiredly, and the Rhoynar boy managed to give him a nervous little smile.
By now most of the defenders on the walls had either fallen or retreated from their post, and the Fallen Dragons were able to open the gates from inside, letting in the rest of them. Valor had instructed his captains that the objective was strictly to take over the castle, not to raid the city, and he was proud to see the troops were staying focused on the task.
Valor walked down from the walls with Maran and Tregor, and took the lead of the forces again. Olyvar Forrester had led the bulk of the troops through the gates, while Firanisa and Haronos had led the attack on the walls east of the gate.
In the twilight Valor led the troops to the main street, which took them to the castle. The castle of Salt Shore was separated from the rest of the town by its own walls and a dry moat. The gates were closed and the drawbridge raised up. Around fifty to hundred Gargalen soldiers had been left outside the castle, standing in a poorly formed shield wall in front of the gate. The Fallen Dragons remained far enough to be out of reach from archers, but their overwhelming superiority in numbers was glaringly obvious.
"Do you think they'll fight?" Olyvar asked, a relaxed tone on his voice. Valor took in a deep breath before answering. "It wouldn't be their first mistake today," he said quietly, eyeing at the disorganized line of defenders on the dark street. Valor truly hoped this Gabby Gargalen would have the sense to yield the castle without further bloodshed, but he was ready to do what was necessary.
After a few tense minutes of waiting, the gates of the castle were opened, and the drawbridge was lowered. Out rode a single rider on a white horse, a young and lean woman dressed in dark leathers and a yellow cloak. The Gargalen troops made way for her, and she continued riding slowly towards the Fallen Dragons, carrying a white banner on her right hand.
Valor approached the young woman, Maran, Olyvar and Firanisa coming with him. They met half way between the two armies, and the woman dismounted her horse. She was a petite young girl, probably on her late teens. She had a short and curly dark hair, and beautiful brown eyes that had a mildly cautious look in them as she glared Valor. This girl was clearly not the "fat cow" that the Gargalen soldier had described Gabby Gargalen as.
"Who are you?" Valor asked strictly, while the girl dropped the peace banner on the ground between them. "My name is Eli Sand, I'm the bastard daughter of Lord Jorvian Gargalen," she introduced herself with a deadpan tone, crossing her arms as she spoke. "The real question here is who are you? And did the Rhoynar princess send you here?"
"I am Valor Veltaris, leader of the Fallen Dragons. And yes, we are hired by Princess Nymeria," Valor answered, and Eli chuckled dryly. "Of course," she muttered with a lazy and disdainful tone on her voice. "Quite clever of her, I admit. To send a fleet of sellswords here when no one expected her to attack from the sea. And right after my father had marched away as well – very clever."
"Actually, we weren't aware that Lord Gargalen wouldn't be here," Valor said, allowing a small smirk to form on his face. "It surely made things easier though." Eli Sand frowned at Valor's words, a sharp glare in her eyes.
"So, are you going to surrender?" Firanisa spoke up, and Eli turned her eyes to the Rhoynar warrior. "And what will you do if we don't?" She asked sharply.
"We will storm the castle and take it by force," Valor answered bluntly, seeing a hint of nervousness in the young girl's eyes now. "Many will die, many who could be spared if you choose wisely now. Yield the castle and end this farce."
"It is not for me to decide," Eli replied, turning her gaze down. "However, I will try to talk my sister to surrender," she continued with a defeated tone on her voice.
"Good," Valor said emotionlessly. "You have until dawn. If you haven't surrendered by then, we will take the castle by force." Eli Sand nodded quietly, before turning away and mounting her horse again. As the young woman rode towards the gates of the castle, Valor turned towards Olyvar. "Inform the troops," he commanded quietly. "When the sun rises, we'll storm the castle."
-
As the first light of the morning shined on the Salt Shore, Valor Veltaris rode in from the open gates of the castle, the Fallen Dragons marching with him. They were welcomed by the Gargalen soldiers that had laid down their weapons, and in the middle of the courtyard stood three women.
On the left stood Eli Sand, her arms crossed and a stern look in her eyes. On the right was a beautiful young lady, dressed in a flamboyant red silk dress. She had luscious black locks that fell past her shoulders, and bright blue eyes with an innocent look in them. This one looked to be a couple years older than Eli.
Between the two stood whom Valor could only assume was Gabby Gargalen. Clearly the eldest of the three, Gabby was an obese and ugly woman on her late twenties, her greasy black hair tied to a simple braid. She glared at Valor with her brown eyes, a clear disdain in her gaze.
As Valor approached the three women, he gave them a respectful nod. "I am Valor Veltaris, commander of the Fallen Dragons, and I am here to take control of this city in the name of Princess Nymeria Martell."
"This city does not belong to Nymeria Martell," Gabby spat, and Valor just gave her a small chuckle. "It does now," he replied dryly. "And until she comes to claim it for herself, I will be in charge here. Do you understand?"
"I understand that you are a foreign thief, here to destroy our legacy, just like your princess!" Gabby barked furiously. "You may have control now, but once my father returns with King Lucifer, you will be destroyed!"
Valor turned to Olyvar, raising his eyebrows, which made a small grin form on his friend's face. "You should probably just throw her into the dungeons," the Northerner whispered. "The other two seem more cooperative."
Valor had to agree, Gabby Gargalen seemed to be an extremely stubborn person. However, she had at least been wise enough to surrender, even if at the very last moment. Throwing Gabby Gargalen into the dungeons might make things easier for Valor, but it would also make her all the more bitter and resentful towards Nymeria's cause, which surely wasn't what the new Princess of Dorne wanted.
[Have a conversation with Gabby][Throw her into the dungeons]
[Have a conversation with Gabby] Maybe he can convince her. If she refuses, then she can enjoy the dungeons. Wonder how good looking Jorvian's wife is if their eldest child is an ugly cow, but his bastard daughter and I'm assuming second daughter are good looking.
Speaking of the other woman, is she Bridget Gargalen or someone else?
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
[Have a conversation with Gabby] Maybe he can convince her. If she refuses, then she can enjoy the dungeons. Wonder how good looking Jorvian… more's wife is if their eldest child is an ugly cow, but his bastard daughter and I'm assuming second daughter are good looking.
Speaking of the other woman, is she Bridget Gargalen or someone else?
I must admit, I don't have high hopes for this talk. Gabby seems to be stubborn to a fault, whereas at least Eli seemed willing to accept the new situation they are facing for what it is. However, the thing is, if these talks fail, we can always still throw her into the dungeons. At least initially, diplomacy should always be an option. And who knows, maybe a miracle happens and Gabby will be convinced. She is Jorvian's eldest child after all and if anything happens to her father, having her, his heiress by Nymeria's law, as an ally or at least as someone willing to accept the new rule, would be invaluable. And given how loyal Jorvian seems to be to Lucifer, I would not be too surprised if he goes down with his king. The Gargalen's seem like one of the few truly loyal vassals Lucifer has, together with the Tiddle's and driving a rift between them by convincing Gabby to support Nymeria could be a smart move. And on top of that, it would please Nym and as his employer, her opinion should be what matters most for Valor's decision in this particular situation.
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Yep, the fact that under Nymeria's law Gabby would be the heir to Salt Shore is something that could possibly be used to change her mind. However, she is loyal to her father, who in turn seems quite loyal to Lucifer. By the Andal law Jorvian's heir is Jeremie Gargalen, who is a four-year-old boy from Jorvian's second and current wife, Lady Delena. So, with Jeremie being so young, changing the heir could actually go pretty smoothly.
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
I must admit, I don't have high hopes for this talk. Gabby seems to be stubborn to a fault, whereas at l… moreeast Eli seemed willing to accept the new situation they are facing for what it is. However, the thing is, if these talks fail, we can always still throw her into the dungeons. At least initially, diplomacy should always be an option. And who knows, maybe a miracle happens and Gabby will be convinced. She is Jorvian's eldest child after all and if anything happens to her father, having her, his heiress by Nymeria's law, as an ally or at least as someone willing to accept the new rule, would be invaluable. And given how loyal Jorvian seems to be to Lucifer, I would not be too surprised if he goes down with his king. The Gargalen's seem like one of the few truly loyal vassals Lucifer has, together with the Tiddle's and driving a rift between them by convincing Gabby to support Nymeria could be a smart move.… [view original content]
That actually just brought something up I just thought about: By Nymeria's law, can the line of succession be changed? Say, for example, if Jorvian decides to bend the knee to Nymeria, could he actually choose his heir, therefore continuing to have Jeremie as his successor, or maybe Bridget? Because I doubt he will be happy with having Gabby as his heiress, given that she has done far from a good job when it comes to defending Salt Shore. Or does Nymeria's law of succession say that the eldest child must always inherit if possible?
Yep, the fact that under Nymeria's law Gabby would be the heir to Salt Shore is something that could possibly be used to change her mind. Ho… morewever, she is loyal to her father, who in turn seems quite loyal to Lucifer. By the Andal law Jorvian's heir is Jeremie Gargalen, who is a four-year-old boy from Jorvian's second and current wife, Lady Delena. So, with Jeremie being so young, changing the heir could actually go pretty smoothly.
Well, basically the law is that the eldest child always inherits his or her predeseccor's status. That said, we are in a very early stage of this law being brought to Dorne, so it is likely that Nymeria is willing to do compromises with those who bend the knee to her. Nym definitely has to be smart about this, because she doesn't want to alienate her new vassals by forcing this new foreign law upon them. At the same time though it's important that Dorne will accept this law eventually, so she can't make too many exceptions to it.
That actually just brought something up I just thought about: By Nymeria's law, can the line of succession be changed? Say, for example, if … moreJorvian decides to bend the knee to Nymeria, could he actually choose his heir, therefore continuing to have Jeremie as his successor, or maybe Bridget? Because I doubt he will be happy with having Gabby as his heiress, given that she has done far from a good job when it comes to defending Salt Shore. Or does Nymeria's law of succession say that the eldest child must always inherit if possible?
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Alright, obviously I won't be closing the voting of the Valor part yet, since it has been open for less than a day. However, I have another part ready, so I figured I should just post it. This part is a bit different from the usual, as it is none of the regular PoVs. Anyway, I don't think anything more needs to be revealed here, so I'll just go ahead and post the part
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpool with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albin kept resisting it was bound to happen sooner or later. Benedict Blackmont wouldn't lose his sleep over his troops stealing from Albin's subjects, and in his heart Ferris knew the same applied to his father. Garrison was a pleasant man, a good father, but there was a darker side to him that few knew as well as Ferris did. After all, he was his father's son, raised and trained by him to one day take over the role of the King of Stone and Sky. He was well aware of the high expectations Garrison had set for him. After all, Ferris had been named after the greatest Fowler king who ever lived. Ferris the Fearless had been a conqueror who marched his army of ten thousand troops deep into the Reach, defeating several great lords before finally being turned back by the young Garth Goldenhand himself – man renown as perhaps the greatest king the Reach ever had. Ferris could only imagine the glorious sight of these two legendary kings facing each other on the field. He pictured himself at the place of his ancestor, standing proudly at the head of an army of ten thousand warriors, leading them fearlessly against the Gardener King.
But I am not a conqueror, the prince reminded himself with a sigh, staring at the empty goblet in front of him. The battle of the Wide Way was still fresh in his mind, and the fear he had felt before Ser Kegan had arrived to save them with the Blackmont army. By now Ferris knew that war was not the right place for him. He was supposed to be with his family back in Skyreach, taking care of Matthos and Dana, and Desmor was the one who was supposed to be leading the Fowler army. Out of the two, Desmor had always been the warrior, while Ferris was something closer to their father.
Just as Ferris was about to stand up, someone else walked into the pavilion. It was Lord Raymun Oakswood, carrying a piece of parchment in his hands. Lord Raymun was a man on his mid-forties, a polite and smart individual from what Ferris could tell by the couple weeks he had spent in the same military camp with him.
"Lord Raymun," he greeted the man, and Raymun nodded in response. "Prince Ferris," he replied calmly. "I figured I should show you this. I already showed it to Ser Kegan." He handed the parchment to Ferris as he spoke.
"What is it?" Ferris asked with a raised eyebrow, and Raymun answered. "It's an answer to the peace treaty we sent few days ago. Signed by King Albin himself, and honestly, the message is what you would expect from a man like him."
"'To the maggots of Blackmont and Skyreach'," Ferris begun reading the message out loud. "'I am the King of the Red Mountains, and I will have no peace with pretenders. Your siege will not last, your alliance will not last, and you will be left powerless to oppose me. There is no king above me, and maggots can't drive me from my home or make me stand down. Albin Manwoody, King of the Red Mountains and Lord of Kingsgrave'," Ferris put the parchment down as he finished. "Charming."
"Ramblings of a madman," Raymun commented with some disdain in his words. "Whatever happened in Kingsgrave the other night just proves that even his own are starting to turn against Albin. It is only a question of time before he has to surrender, and this war will be over."
"Well, he seems quite committed to make this war last as long as he can," Ferris said dryly, and Raymun nodded. "Aye, but in the end Albin is just one man, and power is never permanent," he replied calmly. "He will last only as long as his troops allow him to last." Ferris gave the lord a small nod. "You're right, Lord Oakswood," he said quietly, turning his eyes to the empty goblet again. "We'll just have to keep waiting." Without further conversation, Raymun Oakswood left the pavilion.
Finally, Ferris decided to get up from his chair. "Looks like the sun is already setting," he said to Ser Jon Blackpool with a carefree tone, and the young knight smiled subtly. "So it seems, my prince," he replied politely. Ferris walked out of the pavilion, Ser Jon following after him.
Quietly they walked through the relatively calm encampment. Ferris saw Ser Kegan conversing with Lord Blackadder and Hugor of Gravesend, a furious expression on the Drinkwater knight's face. He saw soldiers playing dice and drinking ale, as well as some cuddling with the prostitutes that had arrived to the camp recently. He also saw the Caron boy, sitting outside of his pavilion with a sullen expression on his youthful face.
Finally, they arrived to Ferris' pavilion, and the prince turned to Ser Jon. "Do you plan to stand on guard tonight?" He asked with a relaxed tone, and Jon nodded. "Of course, my prince," he answered with a dutiful tone. "We are very close to the enemy, there is no room for being careless."
Ferris tapped the young knight on the shoulder, a soft smile on his face. "You're a good lad," he complimented quietly, before walking into his tent. As he walked in, Ferris immediately took off his sky-blue cloak, and threw it atop the nearest chair. Starting to unbutton his leather vest, he suddenly heard a quiet step right behind him.
Before Ferris could even react, he felt cold and sharp steel against his neck, and an equally cold hand covering his mouth. And then, without a second's hesitation the cold steel bit into the prince's flesh, cutting his throat open. Ferris tried to scream, but he couldn't - only blood and unintelligible gurgle came out. The hand moved away from his mouth, and the shocked prince collapsed into the arms of the man who had just slit open his throat. His vision was already getting blurry, but he could still faintly see the man holding him. He wore a black hood over his head, leaving only the lower half of his pale and gaunt face visible.
As he started to feel weaker and weaker, Ferris realized he would never see his family again. He wouldn't see his father's proud smile or hear his brother's warm laughter. He wouldn't have the chance to talk to his innocent sweet sister again. He would never again look into the eyes of the woman he loved. He wouldn't witness his son growing up. Slowly losing the will and power to struggle against the impending death, Ferris felt tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Hush now, prince," the assassin whispered, his mouth forming a twisted little smirk. "Don’t be afraid, soon there will be no more pain."
And so, the hooded man plunged his dagger into the heart of Prince Ferris Fowler, ending his pain.
I was wondering where Zereth had been for a while now, but damn, what a way to show up again that was. This was an awesome part and I can't wait to see just how badly this will affect the Fowler army.
Falcon Prince
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpoo… morel with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albi… [view original content]
Holy crap! this is bad for House Fowler, since this makes 3 year old Mathos heir of Skyreach, and with Isabella and Desmor riding to the lands of the Drinkwater, there's no one in the family that can take command of the army right now. Poor boy, will have to grow up without a father.
Falcon Prince
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpoo… morel with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albi… [view original content]
Ah, damn it Fun fact here, for a given definition of fun. Actually, it's not fun at all, but very much a fact. So, fact here, I expected something to happen to one of Garrison's sons. And actually, Ferris has been my first guess. However, after the marriage deal did not work out and Desmor left Skyreach to fight in the field, I was actually more concerned about him. Then, I forgot about my earlier thoughts and was lured into a false sense of security. However, the moment I realized this is a part from a one-off PoV and it is Ferris Fowler, I knew what had to happen.
Damn it, out of all the one-off PoV's you have shown so far, that guy was far and above the most likable person. He might not have been my favourite Fowler, on account of being the least present one, me adoring Isabella, greatly respecting Garrison and taking quite an unexpected liking to Desmor. However, I nonetheless have greatly liked Ferris and this final part was a great way to truly make me feel sorry for his death. Fucking Zereth, guess who just earned himself a mid-ranking position on my list of characters I am going to try my utmost to kill.
It also means House Fowler is going to be in a very bad position soon. We know Garrison will lose and I see him together with Vorian as one of the most likely to get their canonical fate of being sent to the Wall. That means, the new Lord Fowler at the end of Book 2 will be Matthos, just barely more than a baby by then. I don't know about Ferris' wife, but she never struck me as any useful when it comes to administrating the Fowler lands and we know, Desmor holds no interest in that. Safe to say, now I regret not having Gwendis marrying into that family even more than I already did, because while it wouldn't have been what she truly wanted, that could have been a decade as Lady Regent of Skyreach, something she probably would have enjoyed for as long as it would have lasted. Man, I really don't need more reason to despise Aisha, y'know Soon I'll find ways to increase my hatred for her even in completely unrelated parts. You know what I would kindly like to remind you of at this point Little hint, she's the worst.
But onwards to a very concerning thought I just had: Zereth just killed the leader of the Fowler army. I bet they won't break just yet, Ferris has his officers to continue in his name. However, what is going to stop Zereth from continuing? Ser Kegan leads the Blackmont army and for sure, I am glad Benedict hasn't sent Naemon to do that job. And maybe we even put Prestan in severe danger, as he is the one technically leading the token Caron force that is present here. Killing every leader of the enemy army, that might actually safe Albin's sorry hide. Safe to say, between that and the Wyl's marching on Kingsgrave, Albin's chances of survival have actually legitimately increased by a magnitude. At the same time, this has made things even worse for the Fowler/Blackmont alliance and I fear for Myke and Kortney as well. However, there is undoubtedly going to be a lot of chaos soon and nothing is better than chaos when it comes to escaping.
Falcon Prince
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpoo… morel with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albi… [view original content]
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Damn it, out of all the one-off PoV's you have shown so far, that guy was far and above the most likable person. He might not have been my favourite Fowler, on account of being the least present one, me adoring Isabella, greatly respecting Garrison and taking quite an unexpected liking to Desmor. However, I nonetheless have greatly liked Ferris and this final part was a great way to truly make me feel sorry for his death. Fucking Zereth, guess who just earned himself a mid-ranking position on my list of characters I am going to try my utmost to kill.
Ah, I'm glad you found Ferris likable That was definitely the intent, as well as to give a little glimpse into the mind of this character we know fairly little about, before killing him off. Anyway, Ferris' death is certainly going to have a big impact on the rest of the Fowler's, which is something I'm really excited to show in the story moving forward. And Zereth, ah, what a guy He's killed two named characters now, both of them quite likable as well. The man is definitely efficient in his job, that much is clear.
It also means House Fowler is going to be in a very bad position soon. We know Garrison will lose and I see him together with Vorian as one of the most likely to get their canonical fate of being sent to the Wall. That means, the new Lord Fowler at the end of Book 2 will be Matthos, just barely more than a baby by then. I don't know about Ferris' wife, but she never struck me as any useful when it comes to administrating the Fowler lands and we know, Desmor holds no interest in that. Safe to say, now I regret not having Gwendis marrying into that family even more than I already did, because while it wouldn't have been what she truly wanted, that could have been a decade as Lady Regent of Skyreach, something she probably would have enjoyed for as long as it would have lasted. Man, I really don't need more reason to despise Aisha, y'know Soon I'll find ways to increase my hatred for her even in completely unrelated parts. You know what I would kindly like to remind you of at this point Little hint, she's the worst.
Yeah, this really does leave House Fowler in quite a bad situation. Matthos won't be capable of ruling in years, and his mother isn't really one to take charge either. So, once Garrison is gone, it will most likely fall for Desmor to rule Skyreach until his nephew comes of age. That is certainly a challenge he never anticipated or asked for, but perhaps he can be decent at it if he puts his mind to it. Sure, he has always been more a soldier, but that's mostly because he was thirdborn and basically raised for that kind of role. He's brought up before that he feels like he can't serve his kingdom in a meaningful way, and taking the role of the leader would be the opposite of that. But yeah, Gwendis definitely would've been a big help for Desmor in this situation, you're right about that.
Ah, damn it Fun fact here, for a given definition of fun. Actually, it's not fun at all, but very much a fact. So, fact here, I expected so… moremething to happen to one of Garrison's sons. And actually, Ferris has been my first guess. However, after the marriage deal did not work out and Desmor left Skyreach to fight in the field, I was actually more concerned about him. Then, I forgot about my earlier thoughts and was lured into a false sense of security. However, the moment I realized this is a part from a one-off PoV and it is Ferris Fowler, I knew what had to happen.
Damn it, out of all the one-off PoV's you have shown so far, that guy was far and above the most likable person. He might not have been my favourite Fowler, on account of being the least present one, me adoring Isabella, greatly respecting Garrison and taking quite an unexpected liking to Desmor. However, I nonetheless have greatly liked Ferris and this final part was a great … [view original content]
Ah, I'm glad you found Ferris likable That was definitely the intent, as well as to give a little glimpse into the mind of this character we know fairly little about, before killing him off. Anyway, Ferris' death is certainly going to have a big impact on the rest of the Fowler's, which is something I'm really excited to show in the story moving forward. And Zereth, ah, what a guy He's killed two named characters now, both of them quite likable as well. The man is definitely efficient in his job, that much is clear.
Whoa, I... I am ashamed to admit this, but I actually, for a moment, forgot about the nature of the Swag-a-Lot's death. How could I? And this means, Zereth actually has been on my list all along! I feel like this was the final drop for me to actually write down a death list, Kill Bill style, so that I will not forget again. But ah, I wonder if Isabella will learn in this chapter still. After all, she will be on the move, so messages might travel a bit slow. Or at worst, she'll learn only when arriving in Starfall. Imagine how awful that must be for her, finally arriving for her marriage, only to learn that her brother has died
Yeah, this really does leave House Fowler in quite a bad situation. Matthos won't be capable of ruling in years, and his mother isn't really one to take charge either. So, once Garrison is gone, it will most likely fall for Desmor to rule Skyreach until his nephew comes of age. That is certainly a challenge he never anticipated or asked for, but perhaps he can be decent at it if he puts his mind to it. Sure, he has always been more a soldier, but that's mostly because he was thirdborn and basically raised for that kind of role. He's brought up before that he feels like he can't serve his kingdom in a meaningful way, and taking the role of the leader would be the opposite of that. But yeah, Gwendis definitely would've been a big help for Desmor in this situation, you're right about that.
Hm, I never really saw Desmor as any good as a ruler. Then again, Naemon is showing some hidden talents as well right now, so maybe he's another raw diamond. For sure though, Gwen's presence could have made things way easier and more comfortable for him, as he basically wouldn't have to deal with the harder parts of ruling. I guess we'll have to see how his bride to be fares in these regards. I must admit, I kind of doubt he'll make for a good regent in his nephew's stead, especially when having to deal with a situation he can't possibly prepare for, which is losing Garrison and basically being forced into that position. I mean, he can't even prepare for that unless he sees it coming. So, the Drinkwater girl is pretty much the one I place my hopes in, more than in Desmor for sure, as hard as it sounds. Though with the Fowler lands being on the frontlines for the later stages of the war, I guess having an experienced warrior such as Desmor in charge is not too bad either and by the time the war is over, he won't have to do the regent work much more... unless something happens to Matthos, in which case he'll have to take over entirely, oh god
Damn it, out of all the one-off PoV's you have shown so far, that guy was far and above the most likable person. He might not have been my f… moreavourite Fowler, on account of being the least present one, me adoring Isabella, greatly respecting Garrison and taking quite an unexpected liking to Desmor. However, I nonetheless have greatly liked Ferris and this final part was a great way to truly make me feel sorry for his death. Fucking Zereth, guess who just earned himself a mid-ranking position on my list of characters I am going to try my utmost to kill.
Ah, I'm glad you found Ferris likable That was definitely the intent, as well as to give a little glimpse into the mind of this character we know fairly little about, before killing him off. Anyway, Ferris' death is certainly going to have a big impact on the rest of the Fowler's, which is something I'm really excited to show in the story moving forward. And Zereth, ah, what a guy He's … [view original content]
I agree with the others here, it wouldn't hurt to at least try to talk to Gabby and if it doesn't work out then Valor can easily just throw her in the dungeons later. At the same time though, I think having the conquering of Salt Shore go smooth will only help Nymeria's cause and the way the Gargalen's see her in the long run.
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Well safe to say that Zereth is still around But really this has turned out to be one of the saddest parts for me. From what we had known about him, Ferris seemed like a nice guy and then actually seeing his death happen from his perspective and his thoughts as it happened made it even sadder. He was put in a situation he was not comfortable in leading a army and it would bring him to his death. It looks Desmor will be playing a more important role then he ever dreamed he would have and it will be interesting to see if Isabella and Desmor end up finding out before they leave for Starfall. On a side note though, Zereth has definitely turned out to be one of the most mysterious characters in the whole story and it will be interesting to see if we learn more about his past at some point.
Falcon Prince
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpoo… morel with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albi… [view original content]
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor … morewas among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his foot… [view original content]
And Valor will have a conversation with Gabby Gargalen. Well, she certainly isn't the easiest or most pleasant person to work with, but many of you brought up a valid point that Valor can easily lock her up later if she refuses to cooperate.
Anyway, the next part will continue the storyline in Kingsgrave, this time from the PoV of Kortney. She witnessed and survived Queen Sofina's failed coup in Kingsgrave, killing Tom the Animal in the process. She almost met with Myke, who infiltrated the castle during the coup with Ser Joran and Raina, but Myke decided to keep his distance for now. So, Kortney was summoned by the injured King Albin, and she went to meet him. The King was in weak state, and Kortney recognized the opportunity to kill him. However, she also realized that by killing the King she would doom herself to a slow and painful death, meaning that if she killed Albin she would also have to kille herself. However, she ultimately decided against this. That's where we'll continue, and I hope to get the part done tomorrow
-
Also, I have two new portraits for you. First, one of the new additions, Eli Sand:
And secondly, a character who just had his final appearance in the story, Prince Ferris Fowler:
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'm too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. "Stay with me," he repeated before Kortney could even answer, his voice getting more threatening and his grip getting tighter.
"I will," Kortney answered with a quiet and hollow voice. Her words seemed to please the King, whose lips now formed a fragile smile. Tears welled into Albin's eyes, and Kortney gulped uncomfortably. "You're the only one I can love, Missy," he muttered, a touch of bitterness in his words. "The only I can trust not to betray me."
"You have your brother, and your sons," Kortney pointed out meekly, but the King just shook his head. "No," he opposed strictly. "My brother is a worthless rat, scheming behind my back whenever he can. And my sons, they are weak, unworthy of my name and approval."
"Arvin executed Sofina for you," Kortney stated, keeping her voice calm and quiet. "Only because I commanded him to," the King responded with a nonchalant tone, still keeping Kortney firmly in his grip. "Arvin is soft and weak, and his younger brothers are even worse. Unlike you, Missy. You, you are strong."
Kortney nodded quietly, uncertain how to respond. Luckily for her, the King turned his gaze away and let go of her. "I need to rest," he simply muttered, closing his eyes. Kortney stayed beside Albin, afraid to leave. After a few silent minutes, she noticed that the King had fallen asleep. Kortney stood up silently, giving one more glance at him, before walking out of the room.
-
It was almost noon, and dozens of Manwoody guards had flocked to the battlements, Kortney among them. They were all looking towards the siege encampment, and more specifically the Fowler forces. They were leaving. The troops dressed in the colors of House Fowler had disassembled their tents, and were now preparing to march away, while the Blackmont's remained where they were. Some said there had been a disagreement between the leaders of the two armies, which had led to the alliance breaking up. Others said the Fowler's were running away because King Yorick was marching to Kingsgrave to save King Albin. Some even claimed that Albin had somehow managed to kill the Fowler prince during the night, and that was why they were leaving.
Whatever the real reason was, the Fowler's were indeed abandoning the siege, making a noticeable dent in the forces of the invaders. And this obviously was a cause for celebration for the Manwoody's. The soldiers were whistling and blowing their horns at the walls in mockery of the Fowler's. Some were even singing celebratory songs, as if they had already won the war. That of course wasn't the case. While the Fowler army was a considerable force, it was only about a third of the Blackmont army, which was showing no signs of retreating.
Among the loud chanting and singing of the soldiers, Kortney heard a calm male voice speaking up right next to her. "Kortney," it said with warmness and kindness that felt almost alien to Kortney. She didn't even turn her eyes, she couldn't believe she was actually hearing this. "Kortney," the voice repeated, this time slightly louder, and now she turned. She saw an old soldier in Manwoody tabard standing beside her, a compassionate look in his warm brown eyes. Myke, Kortney realized after looking at the old man's face for a moment, and she could feel her legs getting weak under her. "I- it can't be," she stuttered, feeling like she was going to collapse. Myke supported her gently with his hands, keeping her standing. "Hush now, dear," he whispered calmly. "It's alright, Kortney, I'm here to save you."
"W-why?" She asked with a shaky voice, unable to hold back her tears. Myke glanced around himself quickly to make sure no one was listening to them. "Your father sent me and Joran," he explained, a gentle smile forming on his face. "We're going to bring you back home, as soon as we can."
"No, no you can't," Kortney insisted with an anxious tone, and Myke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He asked quietly, and Kortney gulped, turning her gaze down. "I... I'm not the same Kortney anymore, not after all that has happened," she said quietly, and Myke shook his head hastily. "Don't worry about it, Kortney," he said with an encouraging tone on his voice. "Your father loves you, your brothers love you, and they want you back. Whatever you've gone through here, it doesn't matter, you'll be safe in Nightsong. In home."
Memories of her home and family flooded Kortney's mind. Quickly, she shook these thoughts off. "No, you don't understand," she insisted. "I'm not the Kortney you know. I've murdered people, tortured men who didn't deserve it." For a moment there was genuine shock in Myke's eyes, but he quickly brushed it off.
"No, that wasn't you," he insisted calmly. "Whatever they made you do, it wasn't your fault. And trust me when I say, these people will pay for what they did."
"You're not the first one to promise me that," Kortney replied with a grim tone on her voice, remembering Queen Sofina's words. She turned her eyes up to look at Myke's face again. It was like a miracle, seeing this man that had been with her throughout her childhood, telling her stories and making her laugh, comforting her when she felt down and protecting her from all the dangers of the world. However, Ser Myke of the Marches had come to save Lady Kortney Caron, the daughter of Lord Trevas Caron, and she wasn’t that person anymore. Her time in Kingsgrave had changed her, and she feared it was for the worse. I don't deserve to be saved, I don't deserve the love of my family.
Myke tapped her softly on the shoulder, forcing a smile on his face. "When the opportunity comes, we'll get you out of here," he stated decidedly, not leaving room for arguments. "Stay safe." With these words Myke walked away from Kortney. With a sigh she turned to look at Myke's distancing back as he walked along the walls. What had just happened felt surreal, and Kortney didn't know how to feel about it. Part of her wanted to get hopeful – perhaps she'd get away from here after all, and live a happy life back in Nightsong. However, by now she had learned to expect the worst, and she feared this could still end in tears. Myke and Joran were risking their lives for her, and she could only hope they wouldn't have to pay the price for it.
Turning her eyes back to the field, Kortney now saw the Fowler army marching away to west, towards the Wide Way. Many of the Manwoody soldiers started to make their way down from the walls, still cheering and singing as they went. "ALBIN! ALBIN! ALBIN!" Many of them started chanting down on the courtyard, and Kortney could only roll her eyes. I wonder if these men would be so eager to cheer for their king if they had seen him lying half dead in his bed, the sheets wet from his own making.
From the corner of her eye, Kortney noticed Larry the Kind approaching her from the right. She swiped the tears quickly out of her cheeks, before turning to face him. "A beautiful sight, isn't it mylady?" Larry asked with faux politeness, gazing at the retreating Fowler army.
"Do you know why they are leaving?" Kortney asked quietly, and Larry flashed her a thin smirk. "Actually, I do," he answered confidently, which made Kortney raise an eyebrow. "Zereth assassinated their prince last night," he explained, a hint of amusement in his words.
"How?" Kortney asked, genuine disbelief in her voice. Larry chuckled dryly, shaking his head subtly. "I thought you of all people would know how good Zereth is at his job," he said slyly, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Kortney. She decided not to answer, turning her eyes away from Larry. In turn, Larry took a couple steps closer to her, and spoke up again.
"Do you happen to know where Tom is right now?" He asked quietly, and Kortney could spot the concealed anger in his words. "No," she answered emotionlessly, and Larry let out a sigh. "He is dead," he stated bluntly, the anger in his words all the more apparent now. "He died during Queen Sofina's failed mutiny, murdered by the traitors. You're saying you didn't know anything about this?"
"I didn't, and frankly I don't care," Kortney hissed sternly, which made Larry let out a sarcastic little laugh. "Interesting, very interesting," he said with a passive aggressive tone. "Because the last time I saw him, he told me he was going to kill you. And then he just got killed on his way to you, huh? Is that what you're saying?"
Kortney gulped subtly, keeping her expression cold and emotionless. Clearly Larry was angry about his friend's death, but Kortney wasn't sure if lying about it truly would be better than being honest. Perhaps Larry just wanted to hear the truth. And even if he would be angry, there wasn't anything he could do – Larry wouldn't take the risk of angering King Albin.
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
[Lie] Might as well lie, its not like he is 100% sure she did it. There was a mutiny going on during the time that Tom wanted to go kill Kortney, I find it very believable that he could've died on the way, especially seeing that he was one of Albin's puppets and the soldiers knew this very well.
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
The truth is, her choice was literally to kill Tom or to die herself. That fucker gave her no choice. Of course, Larry is not a reasonable man by any means. A fucker in his own right and one I hope won't survive this book. Unfortunately, I am very much afraid that he is the biggest remaining threat. I said so in Kortney's latest part, I believe, but I truly consider him to be the biggest threat for a happy ending here. He could murder her out of sheer spite, or he murders Myke to deny her at least something good. I think he is that sort of a person. Still, in this particular case, I bet he already heavily suspects she is responsible for Tom's death. I highly doubt he would believe her, so lying sounds like it'll make things only worse, angering him only more.
Really, if there is one storyline in this chapter I feel more anxious about than Gwen's, it's Kortney's. She's in the worst place of them all right now, probably the worst place imaginable. However, I also think that we made good choices for her so far, giving her a sense of self-worth, a desire to actually remain alive. That is a good thing, but things remain tense. You know, it's a shame. I bought a chair, a really comfy one, but now I'm only sitting on the very edge of it
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'… morem too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. … [view original content]
[Tell the truth] Larry is probably the smartest of the freaks, and he doesn't seem that easy to fool.
Seeing Albin in that state makes you almost pity the poor sod, he seriously doesn't understand he can't trust anyone because he's not reliable, and a madman.
While the Fowler forces are relatively safe, this leaves house Blackmont and Caron vulnerable to whoever is leading that army (possibly a Wyl)
And Kortney will tell the truth, revealing to Larry that she did indeed kill Tom. Well, Larry clearly knows already that Tom's intent was to kill Kortney, so he might understand that Kortney merely did what she had to do. And also, while certainly not a nice person, Larry is a smart enough not to do anything reckless.
Anyway, next up is another part for Ortheg. We've seen the bastard son of the late Prince Andrey Yronwood take his first steps into the noble life, taking his first lessons with sword and with books, as well as meeting King Yorick. In his latest part Ortheg took part in Yorick's court session, seeing the King handle a few different issues brought up by his subjects. At the end of the part King Yorick decided to send the bruised Lady Genna Marcant back to his abusive husband, which clearly annoyed Tanya. However, Ortheg decided to stay in the throne room until the end of the session. We'll miss out on some more interaction between Ortheg and Tanya, but instead I get the opportunity to introduce a bunch of interesting characters I'll try my best to get the part done today!
While Tanya walked out of the great hall, King Yorick was approached by an interesting group of people. There were eight of them, four of them men and the other four women. All of them except for one were dressed in white robes, with golden seven-pointed stars embroidered in their chests. Septons and septas of the Seven, Ortheg deduced. The one who was dressed differently was the youngest of the group, a girl about the age of Ortheg. She was clad in a simple black robe, and there was a golden medallion in the shape of the seven-pointed star around her neck. This girl was truly beautiful as Ortheg had to admit, with her wavy golden locks, pale skin, delicate facial features and bright blue eyes.
The septon who seemed to be leading the group was very old, probably on his nineties, with heavily wrinkled skin, thin white hair and hunched back. He looked weak and starved, leaning on his wooden cane. Right next to him stood a woman who couldn't be much younger, with equally wrinkled skin and overall frail presence. Her gray hair reached down to the middle of her back, and her eyes were constantly narrowed.
Behind the elderly stood a middle-aged chubby man with receding brown hair and a thick mustache, as well as a slightly younger man, who was built like a warrior. His skin was tanned, his short hair was black, and on his masculine face was a stoic expression.
The rest of the septas and septons stood by the young girl in black. Right next to her stood a lean and tall young man with blue eyes and curly dark hair, probably a couple years older than her. On her other side was another lean and beautiful woman, probably on her mid-twenties. She had brown eyes and eyebrows, but her hair was covered by a cowl. Behind these three stood one more septa, a middle-aged woman with green eyes and red hair, a warm and loving expression on her face.
All eight of them kneeled in front of King Yorick, and stood up when His Grace commanded. The chubby man now stepped forward, and spoke up. "We are honored and blessed to be in your presence, King Yorick the Bloodroyal," he began with a grandiose tone, and Ortheg noticed a smirk forming on the King's face. "We are the Seven Messengers and the Oracle, and we come from the island of Ghaston Grey. There we have served the Seven for years, some of us even decades. It has been our mission to aid those who have been lost and in need of guidance. They come to us, and we help them understand the messages of the Seven."
"As long as they can pay for it, I assume," Yorick remarked dryly. "Well them, what brings you to my halls?"
The chubby man turned around for a moment, gesturing for the young girl in black to come closer. "Here is Oracle Cyrenna," the man introduced the girl, putting his hand on her shoulder. "She is the one who receives the messages, and the rest of us interpret these signs from the gods. I am Septon Harmen, specialized in interpreting the messages of the Father. Lords and fathers often seek my guidance, with questions about justice and judgement." After this Septon Harmen turned towards the oldest of the group. "And here we have Septon Mallor, the oldest and most experienced of our order. He specializes in the rare messages of the Stranger, in questions of death and afterlife. Next to him is Septa Frylla, the interpreter of the Crone. She has served the Seven almost as long as Mallor, and helps those seeking for meaning and wisdom." Now Harmen turned to the muscular septon. "Septon Bors understands the messages of the Warrior, giving his guidance to knights and soldiers, as well as generals and commanders." Finally, Septon Harmen turned to the last three of them. "The youngest messenger is Septon Ryon, who interprets the signs of the Smith, helping those who seek to build or rebuild something, be it their house or their life. Then there is Septa Sarella, representative of the Maiden, guiding young ladies and girls with whatever questions they may have for the gods. And finally, Septa Lorezza interprets the messages of the Mother, helping those in need of mercy or forgiveness."
"So, you have come to give me the guidance of the gods," King Yorick stated with a mildly interested tone on his voice. "Tell me, how can I trust that you truly speak for the gods?" He asked sharply, and Septon Harmen bowed to him humbly.
"Your Grace, back in our humble temple on Ghaston Grey, the Seven gave us a message regarding you," the chubby septon explained with a zealous gaze in his eyes. "It revealed us that a war is coming, and you will be facing the enemies of the Seven. You will be the champion of our Faith in this war to come, and we ask nothing more but to serve you as best as we can."
King Yorick stood up from his throne, a wide grin on his face. "Of course, I will accept your service!" He yelled, opening his arms in a welcoming manner, and the nobles on the hall applauded. "What kind of king would I be for turning away servants of our gods? Know that I am honored to do my part ensuring the Faith prevails against whoever opposes it!"
"Thank you, Your Grace, and may the Seven protect you and your family," Septon Harmen said with a deep bow, and Yorick nodded. "Seven blessings to you, my friends," he responded, sitting down to his throne again. So, the septons and septas made their way out of the throne room. The court session lasted for another hour, with several knights and petty lordlings bringing up their issues, but none of it quite grabbed Ortheg's attention again - his mind was dwelling on the Seven Messengers and the Oracle.
-
The sun was already setting as Ortheg approached the small sept on the courtyard of Yronwood. Quietly he climbed up the stone steps, arriving to the large wooden doors that had the seven-pointed stars sculptured on them. With a gulp he reached for the doorknobs, and pulled the doors open.
It was silent inside, and the windows on each seven walls of the structure shined light on the middle. There was an altar, surrounded by the statues of the Seven. Closing the doors behind him, Ortheg walked down to the altar. He walked past it, and approached one of the statues. It was a statue of a stern bearded man, carrying scales on his right hand. Father, Ortheg knew. He may not have been formally educated, but his mother had told him about the gods, and he had heard a septon read segments from the Seven-Pointed Star. He remembered that the Father carried the scales to weigh the sins of men who would enter his halls in the heavens, or something like that.
"Does something trouble your mind, young man?" A deep and calm voice asked behind Ortheg. He turned around, seeing Septon Harmen standing by the altar, dressed in his white robes. Ortheg gulped, considering his words for a moment. "I have some... questions," he said nervously, and Harmen nodded, taking a few steps closer. "And do you believe the gods to have the answers you seek?" He asked softly.
"I don't know," Ortheg answered honestly. "I want to know my future, my destiny. And... I also want to know more about my father, Andrey Yronwood, what kind of man he was. He died two years ago, I never got to know him."
"May the Father judge him fairly," Harmen said, letting out a small sigh. "He is in the hands of the Seven now, in peace. And what comes to your destiny... the Seven can give you their guidance, but in the end it will be in your own hands to fulfill your purpose in this world."
"I know what I want to be," Ortheg said firmly. "I want to be a knight and serve my king. But... I feel uncertain, I don't know if I'm good enough." A subtle smile formed on the septon's face, as he took another step closer to Ortheg.
"Sometimes a simple prayer can be enough to help you find the answers," he said smoothly, glancing at the statue of the Father. "However, if you so wish, I can take you to the Oracle, and let you hear the words of the gods for yourself."
[Go to the Oracle] While I don't think she has the answer Ortheg is looking for, it could be interesting what she has to say, something interesting for the future perhaps.
And if there's something I have learned, is that prophecies and omens in the World of Ice and Fire have a strong chance of happening.
Ortheg
While Tanya walked out of the great hall, King Yorick was approached by an interesting group of people. There were eight of them, … morefour of them men and the other four women. All of them except for one were dressed in white robes, with golden seven-pointed stars embroidered in their chests. Septons and septas of the Seven, Ortheg deduced. The one who was dressed differently was the youngest of the group, a girl about the age of Ortheg. She was clad in a simple black robe, and there was a golden medallion in the shape of the seven-pointed star around her neck. This girl was truly beautiful as Ortheg had to admit, with her wavy golden locks, pale skin, delicate facial features and bright blue eyes.
The septon who seemed to be leading the group was very old, probably on his nineties, with heavily wrinkled skin, thin white hair and hunched back. He looked weak and starved, leaning on his wooden cane. Right next to him stood a woman who… [view original content]
True, prophecies are certainly something to be taken seriously in this world. That said, usually that kind of magic is linked to either the Old Gods or R'hllor, rather than the Seven.
[Go to the Oracle] While I don't think she has the answer Ortheg is looking for, it could be interesting what she has to say, something inte… moreresting for the future perhaps.
And if there's something I have learned, is that prophecies and omens in the World of Ice and Fire have a strong chance of happening.
Ah, it is these people! I remember putting a lot of thought into them a long time ago, before the true nature of Aisha's enemy was revealed. And well, while I haven't been entirely wrong (I mean, they surely are one enemy of the Great Other, if not the one Aisha has set out to defeat), I have realized a long time ago that this was not the direction for them. Ever since, I wondered where they'd appear and well, it was nice finally seeing them after having so many theories about them so long ago. I am not yet sure what to think of them. Generally, I don't like the Faith of the Seven, but these people seem at least very interesting on their own, so I think I'll give them a chance
Ortheg
While Tanya walked out of the great hall, King Yorick was approached by an interesting group of people. There were eight of them, … morefour of them men and the other four women. All of them except for one were dressed in white robes, with golden seven-pointed stars embroidered in their chests. Septons and septas of the Seven, Ortheg deduced. The one who was dressed differently was the youngest of the group, a girl about the age of Ortheg. She was clad in a simple black robe, and there was a golden medallion in the shape of the seven-pointed star around her neck. This girl was truly beautiful as Ortheg had to admit, with her wavy golden locks, pale skin, delicate facial features and bright blue eyes.
The septon who seemed to be leading the group was very old, probably on his nineties, with heavily wrinkled skin, thin white hair and hunched back. He looked weak and starved, leaning on his wooden cane. Right next to him stood a woman who… [view original content]
Yep, these people have been sitting on the "waiting to be introduced" list for sooo long, it's great to finally get to write them in! I decided some time ago that I'd introduce them into Yronwood, but for the longest time I had no idea what to do with them Anyway, what comes to these characters, they certainly aren't the typical septons/septas, and really have their own unique twist to the Faith of the Seven.
[Go to the Oracle]
Ah, it is these people! I remember putting a lot of thought into them a long time ago, before the true nature of Aisha… more's enemy was revealed. And well, while I haven't been entirely wrong (I mean, they surely are one enemy of the Great Other, if not the one Aisha has set out to defeat), I have realized a long time ago that this was not the direction for them. Ever since, I wondered where they'd appear and well, it was nice finally seeing them after having so many theories about them so long ago. I am not yet sure what to think of them. Generally, I don't like the Faith of the Seven, but these people seem at least very interesting on their own, so I think I'll give them a chance
Well, not always, after all, Daenerys' vision in Clash of Kings was caused by whatever magic the warlocks of Qarth used. And dragons are strongly linked with magic, and this is a time were magic, even in the west is still strong.
So its not impossible for an oracle of the Seven to have real visions.
True, prophecies are certainly something to be taken seriously in this world. That said, usually that kind of magic is linked to either the Old Gods or R'hllor, rather than the Seven.
Yeah, I originally meant to mention blood magic as well, but the point was just that the Faith of the Seven is rarely linked to actual magic in the canon. That said, yes, it's obviously possible that Cyrenna's visions are real magic. Are these visions actually coming from the Seven and are the Seven Messengers truly qualified to interpret them? Well, that's a whole other can of worms.
Anyway, we'll learn more about the Seven Messengers and the Oracle in the future
Well, not always, after all, Daenerys' vision in Clash of Kings was caused by whatever magic the warlocks of Qarth used. And dragons are str… moreongly linked with magic, and this is a time were magic, even in the west is still strong.
So its not impossible for an oracle of the Seven to have real visions.
Comments
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And Nymeria will disapprove the marriage. As much as this is a shaky start for an alliance, I would say you made a good choice here. First of all, with this choice Nymeria makes clear who is in charge, as well as making Esperence understand she can't just blatantly try to manipulate the royal family. And it's not like just disapproving this marriage would suddenly abolish Esperence's need for the Martell support, so we can safely assume this won't make her turn against Nym.
And the next part will be the second part of Valor Veltaris, the leader of the Fallen Dragons. In his first part, Valor arrived to Salt Shore with his small fleet, his mission to take over the city. At the bay they faced an undermanned Gargalen fleet, and one of the captured Gargalen soldiers revealed that Lord Jorvian Gargalen had marched to Vaith with the bulk of the forces, leaving his eldest daughter Gabby Gargalen in charge. At the end of the part, Valor decided to lead the assault on the walls of Salt Shore himself, rather than leading from behind. The part should be ready later today.
-
And here we have the newest addition to Nymeria's storyline, the spymaster Edd Prally:
Valor
The sun had almost set, as the Fallen Dragons scaled the walls of Salt Shore, overwhelming the defenders with their numbers. Valor was among the first attackers to reach the top of the wall, his squire Maran coming right behind him. Immediately a short middle-aged Gargalen soldier charged towards him, but Valor effortlessly deflected the soldier's spear with his shield, and thrusted his glowing blue sword against the man's stomach. The Blue Flame cut straight through the chainmail, penetrating deep into the soldier's guts. The injured soldier bellowed in pain and dropped his spear, and Valor ended his suffering by swiftly cutting open his throat.
The next man attacking Valor was a knight clad in heavy steel armor, and armed with a war hammer. He charged towards Valor with an animalistic growl, raising his hammer up. Valor managed to parry the strike with his shield, but the impact made him stumble backwards. While finding his footing again, Valor swung his sword quickly to distract the knight. The sword hit the man's pauldron, without doing any real damage.
The Gargalen knight swung his hammer again with a roar, but this time Valor managed to dodge it with a quick leap on the right. He countered with a downward swing, but the knight parried it with the shaft of the hammer. Valor managed to give another quick strike on the man's upper right leg, but once again the armor reduced the damage to nearly nothing.
The knight raised his hammer again for a heavy strike, and Valor hid behind his shield. However, before the hammer came down, a sword was thrusted through the knight's neck from behind. As the sword was pulled out, the dead knight collapsed to the ground, his hands still tightly clenched on the hammer. The man standing behind the body was Tregor Vhassin, a skilled Qohorik warrior on his late twenties. He had joined the Fallen Dragons about a year ago, when the company had defended the city of Qohor from a small Dothraki horde. Tregor was a muscular and handsome man, his long black hair tied to a bun on top of his head. His eyes were dark blue, and in them was an excited gaze as he glared at the dead knight.
Valor gave Tregor a small nod. However, the Qohorik's eyes narrowed and focused on something behind Valor. "Valor, behind!" Tregor yelled with an alarming tone, and Valor immediately spun around. He saw Maran down on the ground, desperately trying to protect himself with his shield from a Gargalen soldier hacking him with a sword. Without a moment of hesitation, Valor charged towards the soldier, screaming from the top of his lungs.
The man raised his gaze just before Valor slammed against him with his shield. They both stumbled to the ground. As the soldier tried to stand up, Valor smacked him on the face with his shield, sending him back down. With a roar he brought down the Blue Flame, impaling the soldier's chest. As life disappeared from the man's eyes, Valor took in a couple deep breaths to calm down.
He walked quickly back to Maran, and helped him up. "Are you alright, boy?" He asked, out of breath from the fighting. Maran nodded nervously. "I'm fine," he answered with a gulp, and Valor grinned in relief, adjusting his squire's helmet so that it didn't limit his field of view too much. "They're easier to kill when you can see them," he quipped tiredly, and the Rhoynar boy managed to give him a nervous little smile.
By now most of the defenders on the walls had either fallen or retreated from their post, and the Fallen Dragons were able to open the gates from inside, letting in the rest of them. Valor had instructed his captains that the objective was strictly to take over the castle, not to raid the city, and he was proud to see the troops were staying focused on the task.
Valor walked down from the walls with Maran and Tregor, and took the lead of the forces again. Olyvar Forrester had led the bulk of the troops through the gates, while Firanisa and Haronos had led the attack on the walls east of the gate.
In the twilight Valor led the troops to the main street, which took them to the castle. The castle of Salt Shore was separated from the rest of the town by its own walls and a dry moat. The gates were closed and the drawbridge raised up. Around fifty to hundred Gargalen soldiers had been left outside the castle, standing in a poorly formed shield wall in front of the gate. The Fallen Dragons remained far enough to be out of reach from archers, but their overwhelming superiority in numbers was glaringly obvious.
"Do you think they'll fight?" Olyvar asked, a relaxed tone on his voice. Valor took in a deep breath before answering. "It wouldn't be their first mistake today," he said quietly, eyeing at the disorganized line of defenders on the dark street. Valor truly hoped this Gabby Gargalen would have the sense to yield the castle without further bloodshed, but he was ready to do what was necessary.
After a few tense minutes of waiting, the gates of the castle were opened, and the drawbridge was lowered. Out rode a single rider on a white horse, a young and lean woman dressed in dark leathers and a yellow cloak. The Gargalen troops made way for her, and she continued riding slowly towards the Fallen Dragons, carrying a white banner on her right hand.
Valor approached the young woman, Maran, Olyvar and Firanisa coming with him. They met half way between the two armies, and the woman dismounted her horse. She was a petite young girl, probably on her late teens. She had a short and curly dark hair, and beautiful brown eyes that had a mildly cautious look in them as she glared Valor. This girl was clearly not the "fat cow" that the Gargalen soldier had described Gabby Gargalen as.
"Who are you?" Valor asked strictly, while the girl dropped the peace banner on the ground between them. "My name is Eli Sand, I'm the bastard daughter of Lord Jorvian Gargalen," she introduced herself with a deadpan tone, crossing her arms as she spoke. "The real question here is who are you? And did the Rhoynar princess send you here?"
"I am Valor Veltaris, leader of the Fallen Dragons. And yes, we are hired by Princess Nymeria," Valor answered, and Eli chuckled dryly. "Of course," she muttered with a lazy and disdainful tone on her voice. "Quite clever of her, I admit. To send a fleet of sellswords here when no one expected her to attack from the sea. And right after my father had marched away as well – very clever."
"Actually, we weren't aware that Lord Gargalen wouldn't be here," Valor said, allowing a small smirk to form on his face. "It surely made things easier though." Eli Sand frowned at Valor's words, a sharp glare in her eyes.
"So, are you going to surrender?" Firanisa spoke up, and Eli turned her eyes to the Rhoynar warrior. "And what will you do if we don't?" She asked sharply.
"We will storm the castle and take it by force," Valor answered bluntly, seeing a hint of nervousness in the young girl's eyes now. "Many will die, many who could be spared if you choose wisely now. Yield the castle and end this farce."
"It is not for me to decide," Eli replied, turning her gaze down. "However, I will try to talk my sister to surrender," she continued with a defeated tone on her voice.
"Good," Valor said emotionlessly. "You have until dawn. If you haven't surrendered by then, we will take the castle by force." Eli Sand nodded quietly, before turning away and mounting her horse again. As the young woman rode towards the gates of the castle, Valor turned towards Olyvar. "Inform the troops," he commanded quietly. "When the sun rises, we'll storm the castle."
-
As the first light of the morning shined on the Salt Shore, Valor Veltaris rode in from the open gates of the castle, the Fallen Dragons marching with him. They were welcomed by the Gargalen soldiers that had laid down their weapons, and in the middle of the courtyard stood three women.
On the left stood Eli Sand, her arms crossed and a stern look in her eyes. On the right was a beautiful young lady, dressed in a flamboyant red silk dress. She had luscious black locks that fell past her shoulders, and bright blue eyes with an innocent look in them. This one looked to be a couple years older than Eli.
Between the two stood whom Valor could only assume was Gabby Gargalen. Clearly the eldest of the three, Gabby was an obese and ugly woman on her late twenties, her greasy black hair tied to a simple braid. She glared at Valor with her brown eyes, a clear disdain in her gaze.
As Valor approached the three women, he gave them a respectful nod. "I am Valor Veltaris, commander of the Fallen Dragons, and I am here to take control of this city in the name of Princess Nymeria Martell."
"This city does not belong to Nymeria Martell," Gabby spat, and Valor just gave her a small chuckle. "It does now," he replied dryly. "And until she comes to claim it for herself, I will be in charge here. Do you understand?"
"I understand that you are a foreign thief, here to destroy our legacy, just like your princess!" Gabby barked furiously. "You may have control now, but once my father returns with King Lucifer, you will be destroyed!"
Valor turned to Olyvar, raising his eyebrows, which made a small grin form on his friend's face. "You should probably just throw her into the dungeons," the Northerner whispered. "The other two seem more cooperative."
Valor had to agree, Gabby Gargalen seemed to be an extremely stubborn person. However, she had at least been wise enough to surrender, even if at the very last moment. Throwing Gabby Gargalen into the dungeons might make things easier for Valor, but it would also make her all the more bitter and resentful towards Nymeria's cause, which surely wasn't what the new Princess of Dorne wanted.
[Have a conversation with Gabby] [Throw her into the dungeons]
[Have a conversation with Gabby] Maybe he can convince her. If she refuses, then she can enjoy the dungeons. Wonder how good looking Jorvian's wife is if their eldest child is an ugly cow, but his bastard daughter and I'm assuming second daughter are good looking.
Speaking of the other woman, is she Bridget Gargalen or someone else?
Yeah, it's Bridget, I just didn't really have the chance to introduce her here. We will definitely learn more about her in the next Valor part though
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
I must admit, I don't have high hopes for this talk. Gabby seems to be stubborn to a fault, whereas at least Eli seemed willing to accept the new situation they are facing for what it is. However, the thing is, if these talks fail, we can always still throw her into the dungeons. At least initially, diplomacy should always be an option. And who knows, maybe a miracle happens and Gabby will be convinced. She is Jorvian's eldest child after all and if anything happens to her father, having her, his heiress by Nymeria's law, as an ally or at least as someone willing to accept the new rule, would be invaluable. And given how loyal Jorvian seems to be to Lucifer, I would not be too surprised if he goes down with his king. The Gargalen's seem like one of the few truly loyal vassals Lucifer has, together with the Tiddle's and driving a rift between them by convincing Gabby to support Nymeria could be a smart move. And on top of that, it would please Nym and as his employer, her opinion should be what matters most for Valor's decision in this particular situation.
Yep, the fact that under Nymeria's law Gabby would be the heir to Salt Shore is something that could possibly be used to change her mind. However, she is loyal to her father, who in turn seems quite loyal to Lucifer. By the Andal law Jorvian's heir is Jeremie Gargalen, who is a four-year-old boy from Jorvian's second and current wife, Lady Delena. So, with Jeremie being so young, changing the heir could actually go pretty smoothly.
That actually just brought something up I just thought about: By Nymeria's law, can the line of succession be changed? Say, for example, if Jorvian decides to bend the knee to Nymeria, could he actually choose his heir, therefore continuing to have Jeremie as his successor, or maybe Bridget? Because I doubt he will be happy with having Gabby as his heiress, given that she has done far from a good job when it comes to defending Salt Shore. Or does Nymeria's law of succession say that the eldest child must always inherit if possible?
Well, basically the law is that the eldest child always inherits his or her predeseccor's status. That said, we are in a very early stage of this law being brought to Dorne, so it is likely that Nymeria is willing to do compromises with those who bend the knee to her. Nym definitely has to be smart about this, because she doesn't want to alienate her new vassals by forcing this new foreign law upon them. At the same time though it's important that Dorne will accept this law eventually, so she can't make too many exceptions to it.
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
Alright, obviously I won't be closing the voting of the Valor part yet, since it has been open for less than a day. However, I have another part ready, so I figured I should just post it. This part is a bit different from the usual, as it is none of the regular PoVs. Anyway, I don't think anything more needs to be revealed here, so I'll just go ahead and post the part
Falcon Prince
Prince Ferris Fowler sat alone at the council table of the army besieging Kingsgrave, only his royal guard Ser Jon Blackpool with him in the large pavilion. The meeting had ended several minutes ago, but for some reason Ferris found it hard to leave – his mind was still dwelling on the meeting, and this whole situation in general.
Ser Kegan Drinkwater had once again brought up the option to storm the castle, and while Ferris and Lord Stevron Blackadder had again managed to talk him out of it, the Prince of Skyreach knew they would have to make some kind of move sooner or later. Whatever had happened in Kingsgrave the earlier night, it had not led to the Manwoody's surrendering. Nonetheless, the garrison of Kingsgrave was sure to run out of supplies soon, whereas the attacking army had all the lands of the Manwoody's at their disposal. So far they had not resorted to taking the crops from the Manwoody smallfolk, but if Albin kept resisting it was bound to happen sooner or later. Benedict Blackmont wouldn't lose his sleep over his troops stealing from Albin's subjects, and in his heart Ferris knew the same applied to his father. Garrison was a pleasant man, a good father, but there was a darker side to him that few knew as well as Ferris did. After all, he was his father's son, raised and trained by him to one day take over the role of the King of Stone and Sky. He was well aware of the high expectations Garrison had set for him. After all, Ferris had been named after the greatest Fowler king who ever lived. Ferris the Fearless had been a conqueror who marched his army of ten thousand troops deep into the Reach, defeating several great lords before finally being turned back by the young Garth Goldenhand himself – man renown as perhaps the greatest king the Reach ever had. Ferris could only imagine the glorious sight of these two legendary kings facing each other on the field. He pictured himself at the place of his ancestor, standing proudly at the head of an army of ten thousand warriors, leading them fearlessly against the Gardener King.
But I am not a conqueror, the prince reminded himself with a sigh, staring at the empty goblet in front of him. The battle of the Wide Way was still fresh in his mind, and the fear he had felt before Ser Kegan had arrived to save them with the Blackmont army. By now Ferris knew that war was not the right place for him. He was supposed to be with his family back in Skyreach, taking care of Matthos and Dana, and Desmor was the one who was supposed to be leading the Fowler army. Out of the two, Desmor had always been the warrior, while Ferris was something closer to their father.
Just as Ferris was about to stand up, someone else walked into the pavilion. It was Lord Raymun Oakswood, carrying a piece of parchment in his hands. Lord Raymun was a man on his mid-forties, a polite and smart individual from what Ferris could tell by the couple weeks he had spent in the same military camp with him.
"Lord Raymun," he greeted the man, and Raymun nodded in response. "Prince Ferris," he replied calmly. "I figured I should show you this. I already showed it to Ser Kegan." He handed the parchment to Ferris as he spoke.
"What is it?" Ferris asked with a raised eyebrow, and Raymun answered. "It's an answer to the peace treaty we sent few days ago. Signed by King Albin himself, and honestly, the message is what you would expect from a man like him."
"'To the maggots of Blackmont and Skyreach'," Ferris begun reading the message out loud. "'I am the King of the Red Mountains, and I will have no peace with pretenders. Your siege will not last, your alliance will not last, and you will be left powerless to oppose me. There is no king above me, and maggots can't drive me from my home or make me stand down. Albin Manwoody, King of the Red Mountains and Lord of Kingsgrave'," Ferris put the parchment down as he finished. "Charming."
"Ramblings of a madman," Raymun commented with some disdain in his words. "Whatever happened in Kingsgrave the other night just proves that even his own are starting to turn against Albin. It is only a question of time before he has to surrender, and this war will be over."
"Well, he seems quite committed to make this war last as long as he can," Ferris said dryly, and Raymun nodded. "Aye, but in the end Albin is just one man, and power is never permanent," he replied calmly. "He will last only as long as his troops allow him to last." Ferris gave the lord a small nod. "You're right, Lord Oakswood," he said quietly, turning his eyes to the empty goblet again. "We'll just have to keep waiting." Without further conversation, Raymun Oakswood left the pavilion.
Finally, Ferris decided to get up from his chair. "Looks like the sun is already setting," he said to Ser Jon Blackpool with a carefree tone, and the young knight smiled subtly. "So it seems, my prince," he replied politely. Ferris walked out of the pavilion, Ser Jon following after him.
Quietly they walked through the relatively calm encampment. Ferris saw Ser Kegan conversing with Lord Blackadder and Hugor of Gravesend, a furious expression on the Drinkwater knight's face. He saw soldiers playing dice and drinking ale, as well as some cuddling with the prostitutes that had arrived to the camp recently. He also saw the Caron boy, sitting outside of his pavilion with a sullen expression on his youthful face.
Finally, they arrived to Ferris' pavilion, and the prince turned to Ser Jon. "Do you plan to stand on guard tonight?" He asked with a relaxed tone, and Jon nodded. "Of course, my prince," he answered with a dutiful tone. "We are very close to the enemy, there is no room for being careless."
Ferris tapped the young knight on the shoulder, a soft smile on his face. "You're a good lad," he complimented quietly, before walking into his tent. As he walked in, Ferris immediately took off his sky-blue cloak, and threw it atop the nearest chair. Starting to unbutton his leather vest, he suddenly heard a quiet step right behind him.
Before Ferris could even react, he felt cold and sharp steel against his neck, and an equally cold hand covering his mouth. And then, without a second's hesitation the cold steel bit into the prince's flesh, cutting his throat open. Ferris tried to scream, but he couldn't - only blood and unintelligible gurgle came out. The hand moved away from his mouth, and the shocked prince collapsed into the arms of the man who had just slit open his throat. His vision was already getting blurry, but he could still faintly see the man holding him. He wore a black hood over his head, leaving only the lower half of his pale and gaunt face visible.
As he started to feel weaker and weaker, Ferris realized he would never see his family again. He wouldn't see his father's proud smile or hear his brother's warm laughter. He wouldn't have the chance to talk to his innocent sweet sister again. He would never again look into the eyes of the woman he loved. He wouldn't witness his son growing up. Slowly losing the will and power to struggle against the impending death, Ferris felt tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Hush now, prince," the assassin whispered, his mouth forming a twisted little smirk. "Don’t be afraid, soon there will be no more pain."
And so, the hooded man plunged his dagger into the heart of Prince Ferris Fowler, ending his pain.
No decision
I was wondering where Zereth had been for a while now, but damn, what a way to show up again that was. This was an awesome part and I can't wait to see just how badly this will affect the Fowler army.
Holy crap! this is bad for House Fowler, since this makes 3 year old Mathos heir of Skyreach, and with Isabella and Desmor riding to the lands of the Drinkwater, there's no one in the family that can take command of the army right now. Poor boy, will have to grow up without a father.
Ah, damn it
Fun fact here, for a given definition of fun. Actually, it's not fun at all, but very much a fact. So, fact here, I expected something to happen to one of Garrison's sons. And actually, Ferris has been my first guess. However, after the marriage deal did not work out and Desmor left Skyreach to fight in the field, I was actually more concerned about him. Then, I forgot about my earlier thoughts and was lured into a false sense of security. However, the moment I realized this is a part from a one-off PoV and it is Ferris Fowler, I knew what had to happen.
Damn it, out of all the one-off PoV's you have shown so far, that guy was far and above the most likable person. He might not have been my favourite Fowler, on account of being the least present one, me adoring Isabella, greatly respecting Garrison and taking quite an unexpected liking to Desmor. However, I nonetheless have greatly liked Ferris and this final part was a great way to truly make me feel sorry for his death. Fucking Zereth, guess who just earned himself a mid-ranking position on my list of characters I am going to try my utmost to kill.
It also means House Fowler is going to be in a very bad position soon. We know Garrison will lose and I see him together with Vorian as one of the most likely to get their canonical fate of being sent to the Wall. That means, the new Lord Fowler at the end of Book 2 will be Matthos, just barely more than a baby by then. I don't know about Ferris' wife, but she never struck me as any useful when it comes to administrating the Fowler lands and we know, Desmor holds no interest in that. Safe to say, now I regret not having Gwendis marrying into that family even more than I already did, because while it wouldn't have been what she truly wanted, that could have been a decade as Lady Regent of Skyreach, something she probably would have enjoyed for as long as it would have lasted. Man, I really don't need more reason to despise Aisha, y'know
Soon I'll find ways to increase my hatred for her even in completely unrelated parts. You know what I would kindly like to remind you of at this point 
Little hint, she's the worst.
But onwards to a very concerning thought I just had: Zereth just killed the leader of the Fowler army. I bet they won't break just yet, Ferris has his officers to continue in his name. However, what is going to stop Zereth from continuing? Ser Kegan leads the Blackmont army and for sure, I am glad Benedict hasn't sent Naemon to do that job. And maybe we even put Prestan in severe danger, as he is the one technically leading the token Caron force that is present here. Killing every leader of the enemy army, that might actually safe Albin's sorry hide. Safe to say, between that and the Wyl's marching on Kingsgrave, Albin's chances of survival have actually legitimately increased by a magnitude. At the same time, this has made things even worse for the Fowler/Blackmont alliance and I fear for Myke and Kortney as well. However, there is undoubtedly going to be a lot of chaos soon and nothing is better than chaos when it comes to escaping.
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
No need to be so strict here - conversation never killed anybody (we'll, maybe Olenna Tyrell would want a word with me... Okay, sorry too soon :c)
Ah, I'm glad you found Ferris likable
That was definitely the intent, as well as to give a little glimpse into the mind of this character we know fairly little about, before killing him off. Anyway, Ferris' death is certainly going to have a big impact on the rest of the Fowler's, which is something I'm really excited to show in the story moving forward. And Zereth, ah, what a guy 
He's killed two named characters now, both of them quite likable as well. The man is definitely efficient in his job, that much is clear.
Yeah, this really does leave House Fowler in quite a bad situation. Matthos won't be capable of ruling in years, and his mother isn't really one to take charge either. So, once Garrison is gone, it will most likely fall for Desmor to rule Skyreach until his nephew comes of age. That is certainly a challenge he never anticipated or asked for, but perhaps he can be decent at it if he puts his mind to it. Sure, he has always been more a soldier, but that's mostly because he was thirdborn and basically raised for that kind of role. He's brought up before that he feels like he can't serve his kingdom in a meaningful way, and taking the role of the leader would be the opposite of that. But yeah, Gwendis definitely would've been a big help for Desmor in this situation, you're right about that.
Whoa, I... I am ashamed to admit this, but I actually, for a moment, forgot about the nature of the Swag-a-Lot's death. How could I? And this means, Zereth actually has been on my list all along! I feel like this was the final drop for me to actually write down a death list, Kill Bill style, so that I will not forget again. But ah, I wonder if Isabella will learn in this chapter still. After all, she will be on the move, so messages might travel a bit slow. Or at worst, she'll learn only when arriving in Starfall. Imagine how awful that must be for her, finally arriving for her marriage, only to learn that her brother has died
Hm, I never really saw Desmor as any good as a ruler. Then again, Naemon is showing some hidden talents as well right now, so maybe he's another raw diamond. For sure though, Gwen's presence could have made things way easier and more comfortable for him, as he basically wouldn't have to deal with the harder parts of ruling. I guess we'll have to see how his bride to be fares in these regards. I must admit, I kind of doubt he'll make for a good regent in his nephew's stead, especially when having to deal with a situation he can't possibly prepare for, which is losing Garrison and basically being forced into that position. I mean, he can't even prepare for that unless he sees it coming. So, the Drinkwater girl is pretty much the one I place my hopes in, more than in Desmor for sure, as hard as it sounds. Though with the Fowler lands being on the frontlines for the later stages of the war, I guess having an experienced warrior such as Desmor in charge is not too bad either and by the time the war is over, he won't have to do the regent work much more... unless something happens to Matthos, in which case he'll have to take over entirely, oh god
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
I agree with the others here, it wouldn't hurt to at least try to talk to Gabby and if it doesn't work out then Valor can easily just throw her in the dungeons later. At the same time though, I think having the conquering of Salt Shore go smooth will only help Nymeria's cause and the way the Gargalen's see her in the long run.
Well safe to say that Zereth is still around
But really this has turned out to be one of the saddest parts for me. From what we had known about him, Ferris seemed like a nice guy and then actually seeing his death happen from his perspective and his thoughts as it happened made it even sadder. He was put in a situation he was not comfortable in leading a army and it would bring him to his death. It looks Desmor will be playing a more important role then he ever dreamed he would have and it will be interesting to see if Isabella and Desmor end up finding out before they leave for Starfall. On a side note though, Zereth has definitely turned out to be one of the most mysterious characters in the whole story and it will be interesting to see if we learn more about his past at some point.
[Have a conversation with Gabby] Since everyone already chose this one, might as well go with it
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
[Have a conversation with Gabby]
Voting is closed!
And Valor will have a conversation with Gabby Gargalen. Well, she certainly isn't the easiest or most pleasant person to work with, but many of you brought up a valid point that Valor can easily lock her up later if she refuses to cooperate.
Anyway, the next part will continue the storyline in Kingsgrave, this time from the PoV of Kortney. She witnessed and survived Queen Sofina's failed coup in Kingsgrave, killing Tom the Animal in the process. She almost met with Myke, who infiltrated the castle during the coup with Ser Joran and Raina, but Myke decided to keep his distance for now. So, Kortney was summoned by the injured King Albin, and she went to meet him. The King was in weak state, and Kortney recognized the opportunity to kill him. However, she also realized that by killing the King she would doom herself to a slow and painful death, meaning that if she killed Albin she would also have to kille herself. However, she ultimately decided against this. That's where we'll continue, and I hope to get the part done tomorrow
-
Also, I have two new portraits for you. First, one of the new additions, Eli Sand:
And secondly, a character who just had his final appearance in the story, Prince Ferris Fowler:
Kortney
Silently Kortney lowered herself to kiss King Albin. As her lips touched Albin's, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears. I'm too weak, she thought bitterly, releasing her grip on the dagger in her sleeve. She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill Albin. There was still part of her that wanted to live, to see another day, to survive through all this misery.
Albin wrapped his arm around Kortney, pulling her to sit on the bed right next to him, his grip surprisingly firm considering his weak condition. "Leave us," Albin commanded the guard who stood one the other side of the bed, and he followed his king's order in silent obedience.
As the door was closed, Albin turned his eyes to Kortney again. In the King's intense gaze was something Kortney hadn't seen often in him – weakness. His hand gripped tightly around Kortney's arm, as he stared at her with widely opened eyes. "Stay with me, Missy," Albin pleaded with a frail voice. "Stay with me," he repeated before Kortney could even answer, his voice getting more threatening and his grip getting tighter.
"I will," Kortney answered with a quiet and hollow voice. Her words seemed to please the King, whose lips now formed a fragile smile. Tears welled into Albin's eyes, and Kortney gulped uncomfortably. "You're the only one I can love, Missy," he muttered, a touch of bitterness in his words. "The only I can trust not to betray me."
"You have your brother, and your sons," Kortney pointed out meekly, but the King just shook his head. "No," he opposed strictly. "My brother is a worthless rat, scheming behind my back whenever he can. And my sons, they are weak, unworthy of my name and approval."
"Arvin executed Sofina for you," Kortney stated, keeping her voice calm and quiet. "Only because I commanded him to," the King responded with a nonchalant tone, still keeping Kortney firmly in his grip. "Arvin is soft and weak, and his younger brothers are even worse. Unlike you, Missy. You, you are strong."
Kortney nodded quietly, uncertain how to respond. Luckily for her, the King turned his gaze away and let go of her. "I need to rest," he simply muttered, closing his eyes. Kortney stayed beside Albin, afraid to leave. After a few silent minutes, she noticed that the King had fallen asleep. Kortney stood up silently, giving one more glance at him, before walking out of the room.
-
It was almost noon, and dozens of Manwoody guards had flocked to the battlements, Kortney among them. They were all looking towards the siege encampment, and more specifically the Fowler forces. They were leaving. The troops dressed in the colors of House Fowler had disassembled their tents, and were now preparing to march away, while the Blackmont's remained where they were. Some said there had been a disagreement between the leaders of the two armies, which had led to the alliance breaking up. Others said the Fowler's were running away because King Yorick was marching to Kingsgrave to save King Albin. Some even claimed that Albin had somehow managed to kill the Fowler prince during the night, and that was why they were leaving.
Whatever the real reason was, the Fowler's were indeed abandoning the siege, making a noticeable dent in the forces of the invaders. And this obviously was a cause for celebration for the Manwoody's. The soldiers were whistling and blowing their horns at the walls in mockery of the Fowler's. Some were even singing celebratory songs, as if they had already won the war. That of course wasn't the case. While the Fowler army was a considerable force, it was only about a third of the Blackmont army, which was showing no signs of retreating.
Among the loud chanting and singing of the soldiers, Kortney heard a calm male voice speaking up right next to her. "Kortney," it said with warmness and kindness that felt almost alien to Kortney. She didn't even turn her eyes, she couldn't believe she was actually hearing this. "Kortney," the voice repeated, this time slightly louder, and now she turned. She saw an old soldier in Manwoody tabard standing beside her, a compassionate look in his warm brown eyes. Myke, Kortney realized after looking at the old man's face for a moment, and she could feel her legs getting weak under her. "I- it can't be," she stuttered, feeling like she was going to collapse. Myke supported her gently with his hands, keeping her standing. "Hush now, dear," he whispered calmly. "It's alright, Kortney, I'm here to save you."
"W-why?" She asked with a shaky voice, unable to hold back her tears. Myke glanced around himself quickly to make sure no one was listening to them. "Your father sent me and Joran," he explained, a gentle smile forming on his face. "We're going to bring you back home, as soon as we can."
"No, no you can't," Kortney insisted with an anxious tone, and Myke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He asked quietly, and Kortney gulped, turning her gaze down. "I... I'm not the same Kortney anymore, not after all that has happened," she said quietly, and Myke shook his head hastily. "Don't worry about it, Kortney," he said with an encouraging tone on his voice. "Your father loves you, your brothers love you, and they want you back. Whatever you've gone through here, it doesn't matter, you'll be safe in Nightsong. In home."
Memories of her home and family flooded Kortney's mind. Quickly, she shook these thoughts off. "No, you don't understand," she insisted. "I'm not the Kortney you know. I've murdered people, tortured men who didn't deserve it." For a moment there was genuine shock in Myke's eyes, but he quickly brushed it off.
"No, that wasn't you," he insisted calmly. "Whatever they made you do, it wasn't your fault. And trust me when I say, these people will pay for what they did."
"You're not the first one to promise me that," Kortney replied with a grim tone on her voice, remembering Queen Sofina's words. She turned her eyes up to look at Myke's face again. It was like a miracle, seeing this man that had been with her throughout her childhood, telling her stories and making her laugh, comforting her when she felt down and protecting her from all the dangers of the world. However, Ser Myke of the Marches had come to save Lady Kortney Caron, the daughter of Lord Trevas Caron, and she wasn’t that person anymore. Her time in Kingsgrave had changed her, and she feared it was for the worse. I don't deserve to be saved, I don't deserve the love of my family.
Myke tapped her softly on the shoulder, forcing a smile on his face. "When the opportunity comes, we'll get you out of here," he stated decidedly, not leaving room for arguments. "Stay safe." With these words Myke walked away from Kortney. With a sigh she turned to look at Myke's distancing back as he walked along the walls. What had just happened felt surreal, and Kortney didn't know how to feel about it. Part of her wanted to get hopeful – perhaps she'd get away from here after all, and live a happy life back in Nightsong. However, by now she had learned to expect the worst, and she feared this could still end in tears. Myke and Joran were risking their lives for her, and she could only hope they wouldn't have to pay the price for it.
Turning her eyes back to the field, Kortney now saw the Fowler army marching away to west, towards the Wide Way. Many of the Manwoody soldiers started to make their way down from the walls, still cheering and singing as they went. "ALBIN! ALBIN! ALBIN!" Many of them started chanting down on the courtyard, and Kortney could only roll her eyes. I wonder if these men would be so eager to cheer for their king if they had seen him lying half dead in his bed, the sheets wet from his own making.
From the corner of her eye, Kortney noticed Larry the Kind approaching her from the right. She swiped the tears quickly out of her cheeks, before turning to face him. "A beautiful sight, isn't it mylady?" Larry asked with faux politeness, gazing at the retreating Fowler army.
"Do you know why they are leaving?" Kortney asked quietly, and Larry flashed her a thin smirk. "Actually, I do," he answered confidently, which made Kortney raise an eyebrow. "Zereth assassinated their prince last night," he explained, a hint of amusement in his words.
"How?" Kortney asked, genuine disbelief in her voice. Larry chuckled dryly, shaking his head subtly. "I thought you of all people would know how good Zereth is at his job," he said slyly, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Kortney. She decided not to answer, turning her eyes away from Larry. In turn, Larry took a couple steps closer to her, and spoke up again.
"Do you happen to know where Tom is right now?" He asked quietly, and Kortney could spot the concealed anger in his words. "No," she answered emotionlessly, and Larry let out a sigh. "He is dead," he stated bluntly, the anger in his words all the more apparent now. "He died during Queen Sofina's failed mutiny, murdered by the traitors. You're saying you didn't know anything about this?"
"I didn't, and frankly I don't care," Kortney hissed sternly, which made Larry let out a sarcastic little laugh. "Interesting, very interesting," he said with a passive aggressive tone. "Because the last time I saw him, he told me he was going to kill you. And then he just got killed on his way to you, huh? Is that what you're saying?"
Kortney gulped subtly, keeping her expression cold and emotionless. Clearly Larry was angry about his friend's death, but Kortney wasn't sure if lying about it truly would be better than being honest. Perhaps Larry just wanted to hear the truth. And even if he would be angry, there wasn't anything he could do – Larry wouldn't take the risk of angering King Albin.
[Tell the truth] [Lie]
[Tell the truth]
[Tell the truth]
[Lie] Might as well lie, its not like he is 100% sure she did it. There was a mutiny going on during the time that Tom wanted to go kill Kortney, I find it very believable that he could've died on the way, especially seeing that he was one of Albin's puppets and the soldiers knew this very well.
[Tell the truth]
The truth is, her choice was literally to kill Tom or to die herself. That fucker gave her no choice. Of course, Larry is not a reasonable man by any means. A fucker in his own right and one I hope won't survive this book. Unfortunately, I am very much afraid that he is the biggest remaining threat. I said so in Kortney's latest part, I believe, but I truly consider him to be the biggest threat for a happy ending here. He could murder her out of sheer spite, or he murders Myke to deny her at least something good. I think he is that sort of a person. Still, in this particular case, I bet he already heavily suspects she is responsible for Tom's death. I highly doubt he would believe her, so lying sounds like it'll make things only worse, angering him only more.
Really, if there is one storyline in this chapter I feel more anxious about than Gwen's, it's Kortney's. She's in the worst place of them all right now, probably the worst place imaginable. However, I also think that we made good choices for her so far, giving her a sense of self-worth, a desire to actually remain alive. That is a good thing, but things remain tense. You know, it's a shame. I bought a chair, a really comfy one, but now I'm only sitting on the very edge of it
[Tell the truth]
I figure Larry believes Kortney did it anyway and that lying to him here would only make him angry.
Edit: Double Post
[Lie]
[Tell the truth] Larry is probably the smartest of the freaks, and he doesn't seem that easy to fool.
Seeing Albin in that state makes you almost pity the poor sod, he seriously doesn't understand he can't trust anyone because he's not reliable, and a madman.
While the Fowler forces are relatively safe, this leaves house Blackmont and Caron vulnerable to whoever is leading that army (possibly a Wyl)
Voting is closed!
And Kortney will tell the truth, revealing to Larry that she did indeed kill Tom. Well, Larry clearly knows already that Tom's intent was to kill Kortney, so he might understand that Kortney merely did what she had to do. And also, while certainly not a nice person, Larry is a smart enough not to do anything reckless.
Anyway, next up is another part for Ortheg. We've seen the bastard son of the late Prince Andrey Yronwood take his first steps into the noble life, taking his first lessons with sword and with books, as well as meeting King Yorick. In his latest part Ortheg took part in Yorick's court session, seeing the King handle a few different issues brought up by his subjects. At the end of the part King Yorick decided to send the bruised Lady Genna Marcant back to his abusive husband, which clearly annoyed Tanya. However, Ortheg decided to stay in the throne room until the end of the session. We'll miss out on some more interaction between Ortheg and Tanya, but instead I get the opportunity to introduce a bunch of interesting characters
I'll try my best to get the part done today!
Ortheg
While Tanya walked out of the great hall, King Yorick was approached by an interesting group of people. There were eight of them, four of them men and the other four women. All of them except for one were dressed in white robes, with golden seven-pointed stars embroidered in their chests. Septons and septas of the Seven, Ortheg deduced. The one who was dressed differently was the youngest of the group, a girl about the age of Ortheg. She was clad in a simple black robe, and there was a golden medallion in the shape of the seven-pointed star around her neck. This girl was truly beautiful as Ortheg had to admit, with her wavy golden locks, pale skin, delicate facial features and bright blue eyes.
The septon who seemed to be leading the group was very old, probably on his nineties, with heavily wrinkled skin, thin white hair and hunched back. He looked weak and starved, leaning on his wooden cane. Right next to him stood a woman who couldn't be much younger, with equally wrinkled skin and overall frail presence. Her gray hair reached down to the middle of her back, and her eyes were constantly narrowed.
Behind the elderly stood a middle-aged chubby man with receding brown hair and a thick mustache, as well as a slightly younger man, who was built like a warrior. His skin was tanned, his short hair was black, and on his masculine face was a stoic expression.
The rest of the septas and septons stood by the young girl in black. Right next to her stood a lean and tall young man with blue eyes and curly dark hair, probably a couple years older than her. On her other side was another lean and beautiful woman, probably on her mid-twenties. She had brown eyes and eyebrows, but her hair was covered by a cowl. Behind these three stood one more septa, a middle-aged woman with green eyes and red hair, a warm and loving expression on her face.
All eight of them kneeled in front of King Yorick, and stood up when His Grace commanded. The chubby man now stepped forward, and spoke up. "We are honored and blessed to be in your presence, King Yorick the Bloodroyal," he began with a grandiose tone, and Ortheg noticed a smirk forming on the King's face. "We are the Seven Messengers and the Oracle, and we come from the island of Ghaston Grey. There we have served the Seven for years, some of us even decades. It has been our mission to aid those who have been lost and in need of guidance. They come to us, and we help them understand the messages of the Seven."
"As long as they can pay for it, I assume," Yorick remarked dryly. "Well them, what brings you to my halls?"
The chubby man turned around for a moment, gesturing for the young girl in black to come closer. "Here is Oracle Cyrenna," the man introduced the girl, putting his hand on her shoulder. "She is the one who receives the messages, and the rest of us interpret these signs from the gods. I am Septon Harmen, specialized in interpreting the messages of the Father. Lords and fathers often seek my guidance, with questions about justice and judgement." After this Septon Harmen turned towards the oldest of the group. "And here we have Septon Mallor, the oldest and most experienced of our order. He specializes in the rare messages of the Stranger, in questions of death and afterlife. Next to him is Septa Frylla, the interpreter of the Crone. She has served the Seven almost as long as Mallor, and helps those seeking for meaning and wisdom." Now Harmen turned to the muscular septon. "Septon Bors understands the messages of the Warrior, giving his guidance to knights and soldiers, as well as generals and commanders." Finally, Septon Harmen turned to the last three of them. "The youngest messenger is Septon Ryon, who interprets the signs of the Smith, helping those who seek to build or rebuild something, be it their house or their life. Then there is Septa Sarella, representative of the Maiden, guiding young ladies and girls with whatever questions they may have for the gods. And finally, Septa Lorezza interprets the messages of the Mother, helping those in need of mercy or forgiveness."
"So, you have come to give me the guidance of the gods," King Yorick stated with a mildly interested tone on his voice. "Tell me, how can I trust that you truly speak for the gods?" He asked sharply, and Septon Harmen bowed to him humbly.
"Your Grace, back in our humble temple on Ghaston Grey, the Seven gave us a message regarding you," the chubby septon explained with a zealous gaze in his eyes. "It revealed us that a war is coming, and you will be facing the enemies of the Seven. You will be the champion of our Faith in this war to come, and we ask nothing more but to serve you as best as we can."
King Yorick stood up from his throne, a wide grin on his face. "Of course, I will accept your service!" He yelled, opening his arms in a welcoming manner, and the nobles on the hall applauded. "What kind of king would I be for turning away servants of our gods? Know that I am honored to do my part ensuring the Faith prevails against whoever opposes it!"
"Thank you, Your Grace, and may the Seven protect you and your family," Septon Harmen said with a deep bow, and Yorick nodded. "Seven blessings to you, my friends," he responded, sitting down to his throne again. So, the septons and septas made their way out of the throne room. The court session lasted for another hour, with several knights and petty lordlings bringing up their issues, but none of it quite grabbed Ortheg's attention again - his mind was dwelling on the Seven Messengers and the Oracle.
-
The sun was already setting as Ortheg approached the small sept on the courtyard of Yronwood. Quietly he climbed up the stone steps, arriving to the large wooden doors that had the seven-pointed stars sculptured on them. With a gulp he reached for the doorknobs, and pulled the doors open.
It was silent inside, and the windows on each seven walls of the structure shined light on the middle. There was an altar, surrounded by the statues of the Seven. Closing the doors behind him, Ortheg walked down to the altar. He walked past it, and approached one of the statues. It was a statue of a stern bearded man, carrying scales on his right hand. Father, Ortheg knew. He may not have been formally educated, but his mother had told him about the gods, and he had heard a septon read segments from the Seven-Pointed Star. He remembered that the Father carried the scales to weigh the sins of men who would enter his halls in the heavens, or something like that.
"Does something trouble your mind, young man?" A deep and calm voice asked behind Ortheg. He turned around, seeing Septon Harmen standing by the altar, dressed in his white robes. Ortheg gulped, considering his words for a moment. "I have some... questions," he said nervously, and Harmen nodded, taking a few steps closer. "And do you believe the gods to have the answers you seek?" He asked softly.
"I don't know," Ortheg answered honestly. "I want to know my future, my destiny. And... I also want to know more about my father, Andrey Yronwood, what kind of man he was. He died two years ago, I never got to know him."
"May the Father judge him fairly," Harmen said, letting out a small sigh. "He is in the hands of the Seven now, in peace. And what comes to your destiny... the Seven can give you their guidance, but in the end it will be in your own hands to fulfill your purpose in this world."
"I know what I want to be," Ortheg said firmly. "I want to be a knight and serve my king. But... I feel uncertain, I don't know if I'm good enough." A subtle smile formed on the septon's face, as he took another step closer to Ortheg.
"Sometimes a simple prayer can be enough to help you find the answers," he said smoothly, glancing at the statue of the Father. "However, if you so wish, I can take you to the Oracle, and let you hear the words of the gods for yourself."
[Go to the Oracle] [Don't go to the Oracle]
[Go to the Oracle] While I don't think she has the answer Ortheg is looking for, it could be interesting what she has to say, something interesting for the future perhaps.
And if there's something I have learned, is that prophecies and omens in the World of Ice and Fire have a strong chance of happening.
True, prophecies are certainly something to be taken seriously in this world. That said, usually that kind of magic is linked to either the Old Gods or R'hllor, rather than the Seven.
[Go to the Oracle]
Ah, it is these people! I remember putting a lot of thought into them a long time ago, before the true nature of Aisha's enemy was revealed. And well, while I haven't been entirely wrong (I mean, they surely are one enemy of the Great Other, if not the one Aisha has set out to defeat), I have realized a long time ago that this was not the direction for them. Ever since, I wondered where they'd appear and well, it was nice finally seeing them after having so many theories about them so long ago. I am not yet sure what to think of them. Generally, I don't like the Faith of the Seven, but these people seem at least very interesting on their own, so I think I'll give them a chance
Yep, these people have been sitting on the "waiting to be introduced" list for sooo long, it's great to finally get to write them in!
I decided some time ago that I'd introduce them into Yronwood, but for the longest time I had no idea what to do with them 
Anyway, what comes to these characters, they certainly aren't the typical septons/septas, and really have their own unique twist to the Faith of the Seven.
Well, not always, after all, Daenerys' vision in Clash of Kings was caused by whatever magic the warlocks of Qarth used. And dragons are strongly linked with magic, and this is a time were magic, even in the west is still strong.
So its not impossible for an oracle of the Seven to have real visions.
Yeah, I originally meant to mention blood magic as well, but the point was just that the Faith of the Seven is rarely linked to actual magic in the canon. That said, yes, it's obviously possible that Cyrenna's visions are real magic. Are these visions actually coming from the Seven and are the Seven Messengers truly qualified to interpret them? Well, that's a whole other can of worms.
Anyway, we'll learn more about the Seven Messengers and the Oracle in the future