Holy shit, holy shit, that was close. That was way too close! I am equal parts reliefed and not okay with this turn of events, because it finally means that physical violence is on the table when it comes to the methods Wesley and Aisha are willing to undertake to break Gwendis. Fucking Wesley, fuck him, but particularly, fuck Aisha. Even in a part where Wesley literally tried to choke her to death, it has been Aisha who managed to be worse than him, because it proved once more the near-complete control she has over him. Valerie needs to control her soldiers with magic, but Aisha is an expert at using Wesley's fanatical faith to keep him in line. And yet she waited, to prove once more what a hateful, bitter cunt she is, nearly allowing Wesley to kill Gwen out of pure spite and then having the gall to avoid the question, as if there is any doubt about how she feels and how badly she wants to ruin Gwendis. The fact that she keeps up her act about caring for Trentan in front of Valerie is not making things any better, that fucking hypocrite. If she'd truly care for Trentan, she'd have a shred of humanity left and we know that is not the case. It'd mean she'd have at least some sort of an understanding of how people work and her treatment of Gwendis shows that this is not the case. After all, I realized, she could have easily won her over, she could have even won me over, if she would have been less stupidly evil after convincing Gwen to flee from Blackmont. I was willing to slightly trust her back then and as a result of the choice, so was Gwendis herself. If Aisha would have kept this up, instead of starting to talk in a way that has to appear obviously insane and evil towards every normal human being, she could have actually continued to fool me. I'm not fooled by her anymore, I see her for what she is and because of that, I know that no matter what, at least she will fail. She needs people for her plans, but has zero understanding of how people think. That's why she has lost Trentan's love and that boy was downright obedient to her. That's why she has earned Gwendis' hatred and in the end, if R'hllor is truly the only alternative for my dear, then it was Aisha who basically pushed her into their arms.
And well, Valerie, just Valerie. I have truly hoped she would keep her ugly mug away from this chapter, only appearing a little later, hopefully as the antagonist in Gwendis' storyline in Book 2, if we manage to keep her alive throughout Book 1. I cannot cling to this hope any longer and that makes me nervous. And thing is, the same stuff that is Aisha's greatest weakness is something Valerie does not even bother with. Her approach, while even more evil than Aisha, is far more effective. Instead of clumsily trying to manipulate people and being disappointed that they turn out to be not as cancerous and monstrous as herself, which is apparently the Aisha way to go, Valerie just flat out controls them. Evil, yes, but far more efficient than what Aisha is trying there. I don't know, I have the feeling that if anyone could make Aisha look like a saint in comparison (or at least not the worst), it will be Valerie. Prepare for epic Valerie rants if she actually ends up as Gwendis' true nemesis even over the utter beast that dragged her into this nightmare. For now, however, Aisha firmly remains the worst and I cannot see this changing anytime soon.
[Say that you don't know]
See, I consider Valerie to be the one the Great Other tried to warn Gwendis about, for whatever reason. You know, the one that might end up trying to destroy her. And this means, Valerie is one that should be treated with as much care as Aisha and Wesley, perhaps even more. Saying that Aisha is telling the truth, it will not only mean that Gwendis could strengthen her own, thankfully very shaky, belief in her connection to the Great Other. I mean, I don't know. It might mean that Valerie considers Gwendis useful for now, but I'd much rather not risk it. Saying that Aisha is lying is an option I would be very okay with as well, but I don't know how Valerie will react. She might start to see Gwen as expendable and that cannot possibly be better than seeing her as a threat to her own position in the cult. So, I think that saying that Gwen does not know might be the better option here. In a way, it is the truth. Gwendis knows very little of her power and I'd much prefer she learns about them from a trustworthy source, such as perhaps Desi. She does not know if her connection is just to the Great Other (for all we know, it could very well mean a strong connection towards any kind of supernatural force, R'hllor included), if it is truly that strong (because Aisha has been wrong before) or what else. Such an answer could help keep Valerie at bay for now. It could show her that Gwendis herself does not understand her powers and does not want to pose a threat to her and though her opinion will definitely sour eventually, it might buy valuable time. By now, I'm playing for time in this storyline, so that Gwen might get a chance to escape/defect when the fight against Team R'hllor begins.
Gwendis
"No," Gwendis said defiantly, looking Mordekhai Crusher straight to his one red eye. "I will take no part in this wickedness."
… more Rage instantly took over Mordekhai's expression, and he dropped the Vass soldier's heart to the ground. Without a warning the dark knight grabbed Gwendis from her neck with both hands and raised her up. Gwendis was choking, and tried to fight back by grasping on Mordekhai's large hands and trying to kick him, but there was nothing she could do to 7make him release her. At any moment he could snap her neck, and with every passing second she felt more dizzy, her vision getting so blurry that she could hardly even see Mordekhai's face. I'm going to die, she realized, and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Enough!" Aisha's voice finally yelled. "Let her down," she commanded sternly, and so Mordekhai released his grip, and Gwendis collapsed to the ground. She laid on her back, frantically gasping for air… [view original content]
[Say that Aisha is telling the truth] While Valerie is far from stupid, lying to her would be a bad idea. The confrontation between Light and Dark is occurring right beneath the notice of the rulers of this land, and it will be centuries before this confrontation comes to light.
Gwendis
"No," Gwendis said defiantly, looking Mordekhai Crusher straight to his one red eye. "I will take no part in this wickedness."
… more Rage instantly took over Mordekhai's expression, and he dropped the Vass soldier's heart to the ground. Without a warning the dark knight grabbed Gwendis from her neck with both hands and raised her up. Gwendis was choking, and tried to fight back by grasping on Mordekhai's large hands and trying to kick him, but there was nothing she could do to 7make him release her. At any moment he could snap her neck, and with every passing second she felt more dizzy, her vision getting so blurry that she could hardly even see Mordekhai's face. I'm going to die, she realized, and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Enough!" Aisha's voice finally yelled. "Let her down," she commanded sternly, and so Mordekhai released his grip, and Gwendis collapsed to the ground. She laid on her back, frantically gasping for air… [view original content]
Holy shit, holy shit, that was close. That was way too close! I am equal parts reliefed and not okay with this turn of events, because it finally means that physical violence is on the table when it comes to the methods Wesley and Aisha are willing to undertake to break Gwendis. Fucking Wesley, fuck him, but particularly, fuck Aisha. Even in a part where Wesley literally tried to choke her to death, it has been Aisha who managed to be worse than him, because it proved once more the near-complete control she has over him. Valerie needs to control her soldiers with magic, but Aisha is an expert at using Wesley's fanatical faith to keep him in line. And yet she waited, to prove once more what a hateful, bitter cunt she is, nearly allowing Wesley to kill Gwen out of pure spite and then having the gall to avoid the question, as if there is any doubt about how she feels and how badly she wants to ruin Gwendis.
Indeed, this was physically the most threatning situation in Gwendis' storyline so far, and while Aisha did prevent Mordekhai from killing Gwen, she certainly took her time with it. Whether this was intended as punishment for Gwen or if it just took Aisha a moment to find the confidence to step up is unclear, but at the very least it proves that she isn't terribly concerned about Gwen's well-being. As if there was any doubt about that
And well, Valerie, just Valerie. I have truly hoped she would keep her ugly mug away from this chapter, only appearing a little later, hopefully as the antagonist in Gwendis' storyline in Book 2, if we manage to keep her alive throughout Book 1. I cannot cling to this hope any longer and that makes me nervous. And thing is, the same stuff that is Aisha's greatest weakness is something Valerie does not even bother with. Her approach, while even more evil than Aisha, is far more effective. Instead of clumsily trying to manipulate people and being disappointed that they turn out to be not as cancerous and monstrous as herself, which is apparently the Aisha way to go, Valerie just flat out controls them. Evil, yes, but far more efficient than what Aisha is trying there. I don't know, I have the feeling that if anyone could make Aisha look like a saint in comparison (or at least not the worst), it will be Valerie. Prepare for epic Valerie rants if she actually ends up as Gwendis' true nemesis even over the utter beast that dragged her into this nightmare. For now, however, Aisha firmly remains the worst and I cannot see this changing anytime soon.
Heh, yeah I saw you speculating on that a while ago, but as you can now see Valerie is a vital part of this GO vs R'hllor plotline in Book 1. She is basically what connects the two parties, since Team R'hllor is actively going after her. And you're correct, Valerie's way of controlling her warriors is much more efficient than Aisha's, but it also requires much more in terms of dedication and sacrifices to the Great Other. To be able to magically control the minds of that many people, she must have basically sold her soul to the GO. So, Valerie is basically a good example of the kind of GO worshiper that Aisha warned Gwen about a while ago, the kind that has dived head first into the madness without any effort to stay sane. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration in Valerie's case, since obviously she managed to hide her dark ways for years in Vaith, and to do that she had to at least resemble a somewhat normal person. Of course her deeds didn't go completely unnoticed in the city, but as we know people started to be suspicious of her mother instead of her.
See, I consider Valerie to be the one the Great Other tried to warn Gwendis about, for whatever reason. You know, the one that might end up trying to destroy her. And this means, Valerie is one that should be treated with as much care as Aisha and Wesley, perhaps even more. Saying that Aisha is telling the truth, it will not only mean that Gwendis could strengthen her own, thankfully very shaky, belief in her connection to the Great Other. I mean, I don't know. It might mean that Valerie considers Gwendis useful for now, but I'd much rather not risk it. Saying that Aisha is lying is an option I would be very okay with as well, but I don't know how Valerie will react. She might start to see Gwen as expendable and that cannot possibly be better than seeing her as a threat to her own position in the cult. So, I think that saying that Gwen does not know might be the better option here. In a way, it is the truth. Gwendis knows very little of her power and I'd much prefer she learns about them from a trustworthy source, such as perhaps Desi. She does not know if her connection is just to the Great Other (for all we know, it could very well mean a strong connection towards any kind of supernatural force, R'hllor included), if it is truly that strong (because Aisha has been wrong before) or what else. Such an answer could help keep Valerie at bay for now. It could show her that Gwendis herself does not understand her powers and does not want to pose a threat to her and though her opinion will definitely sour eventually, it might buy valuable time. By now, I'm playing for time in this storyline, so that Gwen might get a chance to escape/defect when the fight against Team R'hllor begins.
Valerie being the one that GO warned Gwen about is a very real possibility, and Gwendis herself will probably come to this realization as well sooner or later. Whether Valerie is the one that GO actually meant or not, being careful around her is nonetheless the smart move. Of course Gwendis doesn't know her terribly well yet, hardly at all, so it's hard for her to know how would Valerie react to any of these answers. That said, you're right in that "I don't know" wouldn't exactly be a lie, since there is indeed much Gwendis doesn't understand about this connection to the GO, so she could probably say it effortlessly without sounding like she is lying. Well, I guess it's a tiny spoiler, but I can reveal that Gwendis would actually manage to say each of these answers confidently. Whether that's enough to convince Valerie is another question.
Holy shit, holy shit, that was close. That was way too close! I am equal parts reliefed and not okay with this turn of events, because it fi… morenally means that physical violence is on the table when it comes to the methods Wesley and Aisha are willing to undertake to break Gwendis. Fucking Wesley, fuck him, but particularly, fuck Aisha. Even in a part where Wesley literally tried to choke her to death, it has been Aisha who managed to be worse than him, because it proved once more the near-complete control she has over him. Valerie needs to control her soldiers with magic, but Aisha is an expert at using Wesley's fanatical faith to keep him in line. And yet she waited, to prove once more what a hateful, bitter cunt she is, nearly allowing Wesley to kill Gwen out of pure spite and then having the gall to avoid the question, as if there is any doubt about how she feels and how badly she wants to ruin Gwendis. The fact that she keeps up her act abo… [view original content]
[Say that you don't know] Definitely the safer option here, no doubt. If Gwendis confirms that Aisha is telling the truth, there's a big possibility that Valerie will try to force her to submit to the GO asap, through force even. If she tells her that Aisha is lying, Valerie will most likely see Gwendis as disposable and will care even less about her well-being. Now saying that you don't know is the best way to avoid this, as I imagine Valerie senses at least something in Gwendis, so she wouldn't outright try to force her into submission just as she wouldn't see her as a complete waste of time.
Oh and by the way, I just saw Fenn's drawing and I gotta say you were spot on! He looks exactly as I pictured him in my mind, and that's always great . I also love the detail of his Greatsword on his back, and I gotta say that's she's looking great hehe. I also love his facial expression on the drawing, as it alludes a lot to his personality, a look that can't really reveal his intentions... he could be about to stab you or buy you a drink
Indeed, this was physically the most threatning situation in Gwendis' storyline so far, and while Aisha did prevent Mordekhai from killing Gwen, she certainly took her time with it. Whether this was intended as punishment for Gwen or if it just took Aisha a moment to find the confidence to step up is unclear, but at the very least it proves that she isn't terribly concerned about Gwen's well-being. As if there was any doubt about that
Wait, you imply she had to find the confidence for this? Aisha, that all-powerful manipulative bitch witch who is so oblivious to how unbearably terrible she herself is had to find the confidence? Nah, I can believe many things (including that Aisha is less horrible than Valerie), but that stretches it a bit for me. No way she had to find any sort of confidence, given that she has Wesley under control almost as firmly as Valerie has her mind-controlled soldiers. That case is clear for me. She is evil, so she wanted to see Gwen in pain, I heavily doubt there has been even the tiniest bit of another reason. There is nothing human about her, not even a human flaw, such as a lack of confidence. Her mocking silence later on only proves how much she truly hates Gwendis, so that one is very obvious for me. God, I can't wait until she gets a taste of her own terrible medicine.
Heh, yeah I saw you speculating on that a while ago, but as you can now see Valerie is a vital part of this GO vs R'hllor plotline in Book 1. She is basically what connects the two parties, since Team R'hllor is actively going after her. And you're correct, Valerie's way of controlling her warriors is much more efficient than Aisha's, but it also requires much more in terms of dedication and sacrifices to the Great Other. To be able to magically control the minds of that many people, she must have basically sold her soul to the GO. So, Valerie is basically a good example of the kind of GO worshiper that Aisha warned Gwen about a while ago, the kind that has dived head first into the madness without any effort to stay sane. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration in Valerie's case, since obviously she managed to hide her dark ways for years in Vaith, and to do that she had to at least resemble a somewhat normal person. Of course her deeds didn't go completely unnoticed in the city, but as we know people started to be suspicious of her mother instead of her.
To my great horror, I see it now. I mean, it is good that her presence means that Team R'hllor is eventually going to confront them, as I see Desi as the sole hope Gwen has to get out of this largely unscathed. The downside is, of course, Valerie has returned and is yet another factor to deal with if I want to keep Gwen alive. And she might be the greatest threat, combining Wesley's willingness to use violence paired with Aisha's previously unique talent to be the worst person in Westeros at any given moment. Albeit I must say, I always considered Aisha to be exactly like those people she warned Gwendis about. I can see how Valerie is exactly the same, but at the same time, she is at least human enough to understand them and to trick them into overlooking her for years. She might have sold her soul, but whatever Aisha has done to become so decidedly subhuman must have been way worse. I mean, it is kinda ironic that she can correctly see the flaws in other people, but fails to see that the only even remotely acceptable thing she could ever do in her entire life is to kill herself. Oh, look, there we go, it's an Aisha rant, because she just keeps getting worse the more unhinged she becomes. By the way, have I mentioned that she is the worst?
Valerie being the one that GO warned Gwen about is a very real possibility, and Gwendis herself will probably come to this realization as well sooner or later. Whether Valerie is the one that GO actually meant or not, being careful around her is nonetheless the smart move. Of course Gwendis doesn't know her terribly well yet, hardly at all, so it's hard for her to know how would Valerie react to any of these answers. That said, you're right in that "I don't know" wouldn't exactly be a lie, since there is indeed much Gwendis doesn't understand about this connection to the GO, so she could probably say it effortlessly without sounding like she is lying. Well, I guess it's a tiny spoiler, but I can reveal that Gwendis would actually manage to say each of these answers confidently. Whether that's enough to convince Valerie is another question.
Yeah, I consider Valerie to be the most likely choice. After all, if I remember correctly, this sentence was uttered the same time we got our first hint of her true nature in one of Gwendis' visions. So, she is one possibility and it would only prove that the Great Other does not care about even his most powerful servants as long as there's someone more useful. I ruled Aisha out as too easy back then, but this part has proven without any doubt that she also hates Gwendis and seeks to destroy her. I mean, she might claim she only aims to help Gwendis in the most messed up way possible, but given how she permanently shits on her, tries to mentally break her and now resorts to physical violence (though being cowardish, she allows her dog to do the deed there), it is pretty clear that she wants to see her fall and is undoubtedly going to be a major obstacle when it comes to free Gwen from this whole madness. Depending on our choices, I could even see Dalia or Mother Minesa to take over the role the Great Other warned her about, namely if Gwen herself does something to harm Desi, but I doubt this will happen, not if we get a say in this. The Great Other likely knows that they are not the ones to be concerned about, but that it rather should be Valerie and that hateful bitch Aisha who pose a threat to Gwen's life. And yeah, I kinda guessed she'd be able to say all of this convincingly. She can be kinda convincing and on top of that, I guess all three hold some degree of truth to them, or at least Gwen might believe in all three of them in some capacity.
Holy shit, holy shit, that was close. That was way too close! I am equal parts reliefed and not okay with this turn of events, because it fi… morenally means that physical violence is on the table when it comes to the methods Wesley and Aisha are willing to undertake to break Gwendis. Fucking Wesley, fuck him, but particularly, fuck Aisha. Even in a part where Wesley literally tried to choke her to death, it has been Aisha who managed to be worse than him, because it proved once more the near-complete control she has over him. Valerie needs to control her soldiers with magic, but Aisha is an expert at using Wesley's fanatical faith to keep him in line. And yet she waited, to prove once more what a hateful, bitter cunt she is, nearly allowing Wesley to kill Gwen out of pure spite and then having the gall to avoid the question, as if there is any doubt about how she feels and how badly she wants to ruin Gwendis.
Indeed, this was physically th… [view original content]
I think that this is the smartest answer that would buy her the most time. If she says Aisha is telling the truth, than Valerie may try to force her to prove it. If she says it isn't true, Valerie may find her disposable and try to kill her. I think saying you don't know is the safest option.
Gwendis
"No," Gwendis said defiantly, looking Mordekhai Crusher straight to his one red eye. "I will take no part in this wickedness."
… more Rage instantly took over Mordekhai's expression, and he dropped the Vass soldier's heart to the ground. Without a warning the dark knight grabbed Gwendis from her neck with both hands and raised her up. Gwendis was choking, and tried to fight back by grasping on Mordekhai's large hands and trying to kick him, but there was nothing she could do to 7make him release her. At any moment he could snap her neck, and with every passing second she felt more dizzy, her vision getting so blurry that she could hardly even see Mordekhai's face. I'm going to die, she realized, and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Enough!" Aisha's voice finally yelled. "Let her down," she commanded sternly, and so Mordekhai released his grip, and Gwendis collapsed to the ground. She laid on her back, frantically gasping for air… [view original content]
Wow, I literally dislike Mordekhai more and more with every part which I imagine is defintely the goal Safe to say when it will make the time he gets put in his place all the more satisfying! That goes for Valerie as well and as far as the choice goes, I feel this is probably the safest thing for Gwendis to say at least right now.
Gwendis
"No," Gwendis said defiantly, looking Mordekhai Crusher straight to his one red eye. "I will take no part in this wickedness."
… more Rage instantly took over Mordekhai's expression, and he dropped the Vass soldier's heart to the ground. Without a warning the dark knight grabbed Gwendis from her neck with both hands and raised her up. Gwendis was choking, and tried to fight back by grasping on Mordekhai's large hands and trying to kick him, but there was nothing she could do to 7make him release her. At any moment he could snap her neck, and with every passing second she felt more dizzy, her vision getting so blurry that she could hardly even see Mordekhai's face. I'm going to die, she realized, and felt tears running down her cheeks.
"Enough!" Aisha's voice finally yelled. "Let her down," she commanded sternly, and so Mordekhai released his grip, and Gwendis collapsed to the ground. She laid on her back, frantically gasping for air… [view original content]
And Gwendis will say that she doesn't know whether what Aisha is saying is the truth or not. As some of you pointed out, this is in a way even true, as Gwendis is very much in the dark (no pun intended) about the true extent of her powers/connection/whatever, and whether it is something exceptional when compared to others who wield such powers. And this is also a very middle-of-the-road, safe and neutral answer. That said, Valerie is a very unpredictable individual, so it's not at all guaranteed that a neutral answer will evoke a neutral or even calm reaction from her.
Anyway, next up will be a Naemon PoV, taking us back to the lands of House Oakswood and the mission to find and destroy Karsan Taller's band of rebels. Last time Naemon, Malcolm, Davos and Alester (with their 200 Upton troops) arrived to Oakswood and met Ser Edwyn Oakswood and Lady Bessa Oakswood, who had been left to look over the seat and the lands while Lord Raymun Oakswood marched to the war against the Manwoody's. Basically the only thing Naemon knew about Edwyn beforehand was that he had killed his great uncle Beric Blackmont (father of Lady Bessa and Braddock Blackmont) in a tourney melee about a decade ago, but was for some reason completely pardoned by King Benedict. Edwyn revealed that the reason Benedict had pardoned him was because he had implied he'd demand trial by combat if found guilty, and Benedict wanted to avoid further bloodshed. Anyway, Edwyn told that Karsan's men had indeed been spotted near Oakswood, and promised to help track them down. Before that though, Naemon promised to spend some time with him and Lady Bessa, so they could get to know each other a little better. Thus, the next part will start with these three having a little conversation and enjoying a few glasses of Arbor gold together.
I have an exam this Friday, and preparing to that has taken a big chunk of my time, but I have also managed to make some progress on the part. That said, I'd say it will take until at least late Friday before it's ready. After this exam my schedule will be very light for several weeks though, so you can expect my pace with writing the story getting much faster again. Then again, I might be underestimating all the hustle around the holidays, though I doubt it'll affect my writing that much
That said, Valerie is a very unpredictable individual, so it's not at all guaranteed that a neutral answer will evoke a neutral or even calm reaction from her.
Oh, I very much doubt she'll be neutral or calm. Well, calm maybe, I don't know enough of her to say that, but she does seem like a pretty extreme person, so I guess she cannot be neutral about anything. Agh, why am I always making myself concerned by analyzing this stuff so much? I should really stop But yeah, I pretty much guess at this point, we need to handle each of the three villains Gwen has to face in this chapter differently. Wesley should not be angered, as this part has shown, so no talking to him, no snarking, no looking at him the wrong way. Aisha, who is the worst, should generally be avoided, that spiteful bitch, because no matter what, she'll do something cruel and I bet she only just begun showing her hatred. And Valerie, I think she's a time bomb and all we can do is to win time and stall until a chance to escape is offered, hopefully before she explodes. I bet she already made up her mind about not liking Gwen, but I'd prefer for her not to consider her an outright threat, because while she might belittle and humiliate those she dislikes, she seems to be the person to crush those that are a threat to her. So, appearing confused and overwhelmed by this whole situation, which Gwendis pretty much is, she might appear as less of a threat to Valerie, who therefore might wait a little longer before attacking her with whatever nasty trick she has up her sleeve. Hopefully, she'll wait a little too long, because while all three of them would definitely love to kill Gwendis if given the opportunity, I could see only Aisha being actually focussed and hateful enough to go through with it once Dalia and Kris arrive to save the day. Certainly, Wesley and Valerie will be preoccupied with more immediate opponents and as much as I utterly loathe her, the only good thing I can say about Aisha is that she does not seem to be all that powerful when compared to the near-superhuman strength of Wesley and whatever magic Valerie has in her arsenal. With a little help from Trentan, I actually think that Gwen could have a chance against Aisha alone, but then again, I won't bet on it and can only hope for Desi to help her out a bit. Argh, I am worried, because Valerie is making this whole situation a lot more unpredictable, as if that frothing madwoman Aisha and her volatile dog aren't bad enough on their own already.
Voting is closed!
And Gwendis will say that she doesn't know whether what Aisha is saying is the truth or not. As some of you pointed out… more, this is in a way even true, as Gwendis is very much in the dark (no pun intended) about the true extent of her powers/connection/whatever, and whether it is something exceptional when compared to others who wield such powers. And this is also a very middle-of-the-road, safe and neutral answer. That said, Valerie is a very unpredictable individual, so it's not at all guaranteed that a neutral answer will evoke a neutral or even calm reaction from her.
Anyway, next up will be a Naemon PoV, taking us back to the lands of House Oakswood and the mission to find and destroy Karsan Taller's band of rebels. Last time Naemon, Malcolm, Davos and Alester (with their 200 Upton troops) arrived to Oakswood and met Ser Edwyn Oakswood and Lady Bessa Oakswood, who had been left to look over the seat and the lands whi… [view original content]
Aye, I just noticed him! I like the character and there is a storyline coming in Book 2 where I could find a role for him. And I see you are a fan of DiCaprio, but would you mind me changing the character's last name? DiCaprio would be a bit out of place in Westeros.
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser Edwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirked in a satisfied manner. "He's a good lad," he said quietly.
"Did Raymun take him to the war with him?" Naemon asked curiously, since he hadn't seen Robert so far during their visit, but Edwyn shook his head. "The boy is a bit too young for war still," he answered with a small sigh. "He's in his chambers now, but you'll meet him at the dinner."
For a brief moment the room fell silent again, until Bessa decided to speak up. "We heard about your sister's... disappearing, but I don't quite understand what happened. Do you know what made her leave?" She asked gently, looking at Naemon, who shook his head grimly. "I wasn't there when she left, and she didn't leave much of an explanation," he said quietly. "All I know is that it was one of my father's sorcerers that dragged her away, to gods know where."
"This isn't the first time those sorcerers have brought tragedy to your family," Edwyn remarked sharply, an intrigued look in his eyes. "Why hasn't your father gotten rid of them?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Naemon replied nonchalantly, gulping down his wine. "I suppose they make him feel powerful or important with their tricks and prophecies."
"Every man needs a meaning for their life," Edwyn stated calmly. "For some it's family or love, for others it's the gods. Perhaps your father has found his purpose with whatever these sorcerers have to offer, despite the trouble they have brought." Naemon shrugged dismissingly to these words, keeping his gaze down. He didn't want to feel sympathy for Benedict, or try to understand his purposes. He was wrong in keeping the sorcerers around after all the misery they had brought, and he didn't deserve any pity or understanding. Because of him both Valaena and Gwendis were gone, and that was all there was to it.
"My brother always said that Gwendis was talented at leading the council whenever the King wasn't available," Bessa changed the topic with a sympathetic tone on her voice, and Naemon nodded. "Aye, she was always good at that stuff... much better suited for it than me," the prince said with a sigh, pouring more wine for his goblet. "Anyway, now it is your brother who is in charge of the council," he told Bessa.
"So I've heard," the lady responded with a soft chuckle, shaking her head lightly. "I'm afraid Braddock has never been much of a leader though. Perhaps you should assume that role for yourself once you return to Blackmont."
"Perhaps I should," Naemon agreed calmly. He had avoided taking part in the governing and council matters for so long, even if Gwendis had repeatedly tried to convince him to step up. Part of him had wished they could do it together once their father would pass away, share the responsibility of ruling as a brother and sister. Such thoughts had always been naïve, Naemon knew it, but only now he had to truly confront the reality. I must take the responsibility alone. He couldn't shy away from it any longer, not if he wanted to be any better than his father. "Yes, I will lead the council once I return home," he confirmed with a quiet but confident tone, and Bessa gave him an encouraging smile.
"You'll make a fine king one day, my prince," Edwyn complimented with a friendly tone on his voice, raising his goblet as he spoke. "May the Seven protect you and this kingdom, now and always." Naemon and Bessa also raised their goblets for these words.
For a while they continued chatting about the war against the Manwoody's, as well as Karsan's rebellion, until finally Naemon took his leave to prepare for the dinner.
As the servant escorted Naemon towards his chambers, he came across Malcolm and Davos waiting for him. They had changed out of their traveling gear and were chatting at the corridor next to the guest chambers.
"Prince Naemon," Davos quickly greeted him, and Malcolm gave him a little nod as well. "Hello again," Naemon responded calmly. "Did they give you tolerable rooms?" He asked with a little smirk, to which Malcolm nodded.
"Aye, quite tolerable, my prince," the Prince of Starfall answered with a humorous tone. "And what about Ser Edwyn, did he tell you something important?"
"Not really," Naemon answered with a sigh. "I think he just wanted to make sure I don't see him as a murderer."
"And do you?" Malcolm asked sharply, and Naemon shrugged. "At this point I think it hardly matters what he did ten years ago," he said quietly. "His family has forgiven him, my father has pardoned him. Gods will give the final judgement for Ser Edwyn, but he is nonetheless an anointed knight, and for now I think we should treat him with respect."
"Then we shall do just that," Davos said with a grin, and Naemon gave him a nod. "Anyway, I should get ready for the dinner," he said calmly, and made his way into his own chambers. With a sigh he sat down on the bed, collecting his thoughts for just a while, before changing his clothes and leaving the chamber again.
Arriving to the dinner hall, Naemon noticed everyone else was already there. Ser Edwyn of course sat at the head of table, and Lady Bessa at the opposing end. Slim boy with dark hair, a few years younger than Davos, sat next to her. At the middle of the table sat Lord Alester, Malcolm and Davos opposed to him. Naemon took the seat between Alester and Edwyn.
"It's an honor to meet you, my Prince," the young boy spoke up with a polite tone. "I am Robert Oakswood, son and heir of Lord Raymun Oakswood."
"A pleasure to meet you, Robert," Naemon responded politely. Edwyn clapped his hands lightly, and the servants brought in the food and wine.
"We haven't had a proper meal in a while," Alester said with a grin, which Edwyn reciprocated. "You're welcome, mylord," he said. "And worry not, your troops will also be well fed. After all, we wouldn't want to hunt rebels with an empty stomach."
"So, do you have an idea how should we approach this... mission?" Malcolm asked calmly, and Alester was the first to answer. "We have two hundred well trained troops," he pointed out arrogantly. "What does Karsan have? A band of lowlifes armed with pitchforks and kitchen knives. We find them and we kill them, that's how we approach this."
"I like your attitude, Lord Alester, but I'm afraid I have to disagree," Ser Edwyn intervened calmly. "While you are correct that we have the numbers, thanks to your troops, you must remember we aren't marching into an ordinary battle. Karsan's men are hiding in the forests, and are not looking for a fair fight, which means we must approach them with stealth. I'd say we should split our forces into several smaller groups, though still large enough to take down Karsan's men. That way we can search from a larger area, and if Karsan's men escape from one group, chances are they'll just run into another." Edwyn turned his eyes to Naemon now. "Of course, Prince Naemon is the one in charge of this mission, so he will decide," he said with a respectful nod.
[Split the forces into groups][Keep the troops together]
"Perhaps I should," Naemon agreed calmly. He had avoided taking part in the governing and council matters for so long, even if Gwendis had repeatedly tried to convince him to step up. Part of him had wished they could do it together once their father would pass away, share the responsibility of ruling as a brother and sister. Such thoughts had always been naïve, Naemon knew it, but only now he had to truly confront the reality. I must take the responsibility alone. He couldn't shy away from it any longer, not if he wanted to be any better than his father. "Yes, I will lead the council once I return home," he confirmed with a quiet but confident tone, and Bessa gave him an encouraging smile.
Oooooh, this should theoretically be a good thing that Naemon takes charge, but I cannot help but be worried for the implications. See, while I think we are on a relatively positive road to ensure Gwendis' survival, unless we catastrophically mess up the few choices left before the end of this chapter, I absolutely doubt she will return to Blackmont before the end of it, there's just too much that has to happen until then. Nor do I think you'll have her return, face her broken family and settle back in off-screen during the time skip, given that if it happens, it'll likely be too big a moment for the Blackmont characters to just skip over it, so if she survives, there will be a reason why she won't make it back between books. No matter what this reason will be, the reality is that Naemon will be left alone in this time and it seems to me that he already is a bit bitter about it. So imagine how much worse it will be in two years from now. He's going to be forced into something he never wanted, forced to accept it, forced to become at least somewhat okay at doing it and then, perhaps just as he has reached the point where he no longer needs her support, she returns? I... you know, I absolutely love both of them with all my heart and want nothing more than a Blackmont reunion, but this is concerning to me, because I could see major tensions between them, especially considering that two years alone in the less than friendly court of Blackmont, between people such as Noctis could make Naemon outright resentful of Gwendis for leaving him and then returning after years. BlackmontBowl confirmed? Hopefully it won't be that bad in the end, I mean, I severely doubt it will because they actually love each other a great deal, but should they meet again, I could see this being quite shocking for Gwen in particular to see her brother legitimately angry at her, and for a good reason on top of that. She did leave him after all, for what was a fundamentally selfish reason, even if, in her defence, she's still amazing and she was tricked by... oh, yeah... as if I need any more reason to absolutely loathe Aisha and every single thing she ever did But now she might even be responsible for ruining the Blackmont sibling relationship. Oh god, the death she deserves, if she gets even a fragment of it, that'll be so damn satisfying Have I mentioned she's the worst?
[Keep the troops together]
I am by no means a tactical genius, but as far as I know, splitting their forces is the only way Naemon could give away the advantage in favour of Karsan. See, they don't quite know his full strength, so if they split up, at worst they'll allow him to pick the Blackmont/Dayne troops off one by one. After actually googling what Sun Tzu would do in this situation, I realized that the man mentioned exactly this tactic (splitting the enemy forces up into smaller groups) when engaging a superior force, means Karsan would be overjoyed if Naemon splits his forces. Add to that the fact that they are fighting in terrain where the rebels have the advantage. If Karsan keeps his forces together and ambushes each part of the army after the other, he can still win this. Keeping the troops together as one strong, concentrated force is the best option I see for Naemon to win this. And hmmmm, it was Edwyn's suggestion... That guy might be an ally to Naemon, yeah, but he's certainly not helping his case when it comes to me trusting him by suggesting stuff like that.
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser E… moredwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirke… [view original content]
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser E… moredwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirke… [view original content]
Oooooh, this should theoretically be a good thing that Naemon takes charge, but I cannot help but be worried for the implications. See, while I think we are on a relatively positive road to ensure Gwendis' survival, unless we catastrophically mess up the few choices left before the end of this chapter, I absolutely doubt she will return to Blackmont before the end of it, there's just too much that has to happen until then. Nor do I think you'll have her return, face her broken family and settle back in off-screen during the time skip, given that if it happens, it'll likely be too big a moment for the Blackmont characters to just skip over it, so if she survives, there will be a reason why she won't make it back between books. No matter what this reason will be, the reality is that Naemon will be left alone in this time and it seems to me that he already is a bit bitter about it. So imagine how much worse it will be in two years from now. He's going to be forced into something he never wanted, forced to accept it, forced to become at least somewhat okay at doing it and then, perhaps just as he has reached the point where he no longer needs her support, she returns? I... you know, I absolutely love both of them with all my heart and want nothing more than a Blackmont reunion, but this is concerning to me, because I could see major tensions between them, especially considering that two years alone in the less than friendly court of Blackmont, between people such as Noctis could make Naemon outright resentful of Gwendis for leaving him and then returning after years. BlackmontBowl confirmed?
Well, you are on to something here for sure, Naemon feels like he has to take charge in Blackmont, and if Gwendis indeed returns after two years, Naemon will have been in charge for a while. How would he react? Hard to say, but chances are it wouldn't be pure joy, since he is indeed a bit bitter about Gwendis leaving him. Then again, she has always been the closest and most important friend to Naemon, so it's not like he'd be sad to see her back. Likely, both of them would have very mixed feelings seeing each other again (and how they've changed) after such a long time. BlackmontBowl though? Well, there would certainly be tension and perhaps even some mild conflict between them, but I doubt either would be willing to actually hurt their beloved sibling.
I am by no means a tactical genius, but as far as I know, splitting their forces is the only way Naemon could give away the advantage in favour of Karsan. See, they don't quite know his full strength, so if they split up, at worst they'll allow him to pick the Blackmont/Dayne troops off one by one. After actually googling what Sun Tzu would do in this situation, I realized that the man mentioned exactly this tactic (splitting the enemy forces up into smaller groups) when engaging a superior force, means Karsan would be overjoyed if Naemon splits his forces. Add to that the fact that they are fighting in terrain where the rebels have the advantage. If Karsan keeps his forces together and ambushes each part of the army after the other, he can still win this. Keeping the troops together as one strong, concentrated force is the best option I see for Naemon to win this. And hmmmm, it was Edwyn's suggestion... That guy might be an ally to Naemon, yeah, but he's certainly not helping his case when it comes to me trusting him by suggesting stuff like that.
Yes, keeping the troops together is obviously the safest option, no doubt about it. What Edwyn is concerned about here is that with such a large force they won't be able to approach Karsan's men stealthily, and thus the rebels might be able to escape (and they might not be able to pursue them, since they could possibly slip to Gardener's side of the border). Edwyn also says the separate groups should each be large enough to defeat Karsan's men, but it's hard to say if they would be, since we don't know how large exactly is Karsan's band.
[Keep the troops together] While I'm not an expert on the terrain, until they know how many enemies they're facing, is too soon to split and give them chase.
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser E… moredwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirke… [view original content]
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser E… moredwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirke… [view original content]
I agree with the others on this one, the Blackmont-Dayne troops have the clear numbers advantage here to where I don't believe an ambush by Taller's men would do any kind of huge damage and as far as them crossing over to the Gardener side goes, I don't think they'd be too welcoming to dornisj rebels so I think this choice will be a safe one.
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser E… moredwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirke… [view original content]
And Naemon will keep the troops together, despite Edwyn's advice to split them into groups. This is definitely the safer option for Naemon and his companions, but the risk of Karsan managing to escape got slightly bigger with this choice.
Next up, we will have an Isabella part. The last time we saw her, she arrived to the Oasis Castle with Desmor and the rest of their convoy. Their destination is obviously Starfall, but they also had a marriage proposal for the Drinkwaters, offering Prince Desmor to wed Arianne Drinkwater. As they arrived they were welcomed by the drunken Lord Jared Drinkwater, as well as his brother Maron and sisters Raewyn and Arianne. Later on the dinner (that Jared didn't take part in), it came clear to the Fowlers that the old Lady Darinna (great-grandmother of the current Drinkwaters) was the one truly in charge. The topic of the marriage proposal was brought up, but Arianne wasn't being clear about whether she will accept it or not, and questioned why should she marry Desmor. Isabella decided to speak up to defend/praise her brother for Arianne, and that's where this next part will continue. I hope to get it done by tomorrow!
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw Desmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens after the dinner?" She asked, her words sweet and seductive.
"It would be a pleasure, mylady," Desmor answered smoothly, and Arianne raised an eyebrow. "Don't get any ideas though, I just want to get to know you a little better," she said with a playful tone, and Desmor nodded. "Understood, mylady," he responded, his lips now forming a little smirk.
Isabella was happy to see that Arianne was at least giving her brother a chance, and couldn't hold back her smile. Hopefully they will make each other happy.
"My princess, I forgot to give you my congratulations," Darinna spoke up with her calm and soft voice. "I heard you will be marrying Prince Jamison Dayne. That is good news, and having the Daynes as an ally will surely help us in the future. However, may I ask why you chose the second son? As far as I'm aware, Prince Malcom is still unmarried, and he is the heir to the Kingdom of Torrentine."
"I... promised to Jamison that I would marry him one day," Isabella said shyly, and a gentle smile formed on Darinna's wrinkled face. "Ah, so it was love that determined your choice," the old lady stated calmly, a sharp gaze in her deep blue eyes. "You are lucky, my dear, not many of us get to marry out of love. I hope you and Prince Jamison will be happy together."
"I believe we will be," Isabella responded softly, and Darinna nodded. "I can see how happy and excited you are about this," she said with quiet and emphatic tone. "We won't hold you back here for too long, it's clear you are eager to reach Starfall as soon as possible."
"Yes, of course, but there is no rush, we certainly could use a good rest," Isabella said politely, and once again Darinna nodded. "You may rest here in Oasis Castle as long as you need to," she said warmly. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and Isabella felt happy and relaxed.
-
After having a breakfast with Cassana Blackpool, Isabella made her way towards her brother's chambers, escorted by Ser Soren.
"You know, I'd quite like to face Jamison on the tourney field one day," the knight chatted with a calm and lighthearted tone. "I've seen him in action, and he certainly is impressive, but I never got the chance to challenge him personally."
"Maybe you will get the chance one day," Isabella replied with a bright smile. "I wouldn't know who to root for though," she added with a chuckle, which Soren reciprocated. "Aye," he mumbled quietly. "If I'm honest I have to say I'd quite enjoy knocking him off a horse."
Isabella raised her eyebrow for this comment, and gave Soren an inquiring look. "Ah, obviously just because they say he is the best," the knight quickly explained himself, a sly grin on his face. "You know, a great honor and all that."
"Sure," Isabella said and rolled her eyes. "I know Jamison can be a bit... arrogant," she continued with a sigh. "However, I've seen the other side of him, the side that he hides under all that cockiness and arrogance. There is a good and loving heart under the harsh core, and that is why I love him."
"I understand, my princess," Soren replied softly. For a moment they were both quiet, until Isabella decided to speak up. "You know, I don’t think you ever told me why you came to Skyreach in the first place," Isabella stated with a curious tone. "I mean, a knight of your skill could easily be granted a place among the Order of the Green Hand, yet you choose to serve my father."
"It's a rather simple story," Soren said with a relaxed tone. "I first met your brother Ferris at a tourney in Darkdell over a decade ago. In fact, I rode against him in the joust, and unhorsed him. He was impressed and wanted to have a chat afterwards. I admit I was at first a bit cautious about a Dornish prince approaching me, but I realized quickly that he was a good man, and we became friends. As a fourthborn there was nothing for me in Ashford, and Ferris said he could make me a royal guard to King Garrison."
"So you accepted," Isabella concluded calmly, and Soren nodded quietly. Just then they arrived to the door of Desmor's chambers. Isabella knocked on the door softly, and after a moment her brother opened the door. Desmor had a tired look on his eyes, and he was dressed just in his underwear and a blue tunic. "Bella, what is it?" He asked with a yawn.
"Just wanted to come and see you, brother," Isabella answered dryly. "Could you find some clothes?"
"Oh, wait a second," Desmor muttered and walked back, returning in a moment with pants and a vest on. "So, was there something you wanted to talk about?" He asked now, and Isabella walked past him into the room.
"Well, I just wanted to ask how did last evening go," she said quietly, and noticed a slight smirk formed on Desmor's face. "It went pretty well," he said slyly, to which Isabella raised an eyebrow.
"And Arianne?" She asked curiously, and Desmor shrugged. "She hasn't given an answer yet, but I'm pretty confident she'll agree," he said as he sat down next to the small table by the window. "Just have to be patient with her," he added quietly.
"Well that's... good, I guess?" Isabella said with a questioning tone, and Desmor nodded. "Yeah, I'd say so," he said with a quiet sigh, pouring lemon juice to his cup. He then looked at Isabella and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to give you details, okay?" He snapped, and Isabella chuckled sweetly.
"Don't worry, I don't need them," she chirped as she sat down opposed to him. "I'm just happy to see you smiling again." Desmor didn't reply, but he gave her a smile. For a moment they sat there quietly, until the door was knocked again.
"I can take it," Isabella said, and made her way to the door. Opening it, she saw Darinna Drinkwater standing next to Ser Soren. There was an opened raven scroll on her hand, and the expression on her face was depressed and pitying. "My princess," the old lady said quietly, stepping into the room. "My prince," she added as she saw Desmor sitting by the table. "This is a message from Skyreach, it arrived this morning," she said, handing the scroll to Isabella. "My condolences," she muttered with a compassionate tone, before walking out of the room.
Her smile completely faded, Isabella opened the scroll, and started reading what she recognized as the handwriting of Garrison's scribe.
Lord Drinkwater,
This is a message for my son and daughter, Prince Desmor and Princess Isabella, who should be in Oasis Castle by the time this message arrives.
Terrible news have just arrived from the north. Ferris has been murdered during the siege of Kingsgrave, and the army is now marching back towards Skyreach. The circumstances of the death are still somewhat unclear, but apparently an assassin hired by King Albin sneaked into his tent during the night and slashed his throat. By the time Ferris' body was found, the killer was long gone.
Isabella, I don't want you to turn back because of this. I know these news will sadden you deeply, as they have saddened me, but you still have a bright future ahead of you in Starfall, and I kindly ask you to continue forward instead of looking back. And Desmor, I know I cannot make demands in something like this, but I wish you would also continue to escort and protect your sister on her journey. There will be time to mourn your brother once you return home. This is a hard time for us all, but do not despair, for we can be sure Ferris' soul flies through the Seven Heavens.
Garrison Fowler, King of the Stone and Sky, Lord of Skyreach
Isabella was frozen after reading the letter, unable to say anything. She was reading the lines again and again. This can't be true.
"What is it?" Desmor asked impatiently, and as Isabella turned to look at him, she felt tears coming to her eyes. Starting to sob, she handed the letter to Desmor. As he read through it, a grim and angered expression took over his face.
"I need to go back," he said immediately, putting the scroll down on the table. "I need to respect my brother's memory, and I need to avenge him," he stated determinedly. Isabella stepped closer to Desmor. She put her hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. Desmor wasn't crying, instead his eyes were filled with fury and determination. Isabella could understand her brother's feelings, his wish to do something about this, his desire for vengeance. However, part of her didn't want him to leave now, to leave her alone with this pain. But can I truly ask him to abandon his pursue for vengeance?
Whoa, this is a hard choice. This is a really hard choice and one I did not expect right here. You know I consider Garrison to be a brilliant man, but I think this part shows that he has a very fundamental weakness and that is his family. Because in contrast to the absolutely ruthless schemer we've seen on occasion, he made quite the mistake here, probably out of grief. It would have been far better if he wouldn't have sent the letter. That was, quite honestly, the worst timing he could have picked. He knows Desmor, he knows he'd want to return to Skyreach and now we are in a really difficult situation. He really has a talent in making things harder for other characters, but this time is the first he did so for his own family
Anyways, it was a very nice part! I earlier had this concern that the Drinkwater's are secretly plotting against the Fowler's and that Isabella is in danger around them, but unless they pull off some Frey level of two-timing betrayal, I am actually more inclined to believe this was just me being paranoid. Arianne makes a decent impression on me. If anyone can replace Gwen in the Skyreach storyline I mourn so dearly, it'll be her. You know how much I regret deciding against that storyline and don't get me wrong, this is bittersweet in a way, but Arianne is pretty okay, which really is the highest praise I am humanly capable of giving, considering she basically replaces Gwendis in Skyreach. The fact that I don't hate her guts, but actually kinda like her really speaks in her favour. Darinna is definitely amazing, getting some Margaery-Olenna vibes from these two and I fully appreciate it.
All in all, I am very much willed to abstain for the time being. This is a brutally hard choice and maybe reading the reasoning of other readers will make this easier on me. However, I don't like to abstain and I have not shied away from harder choices before, so I'll vote for now, with a kinda uneasy feeling and being very open to maybe change my vote once some others have given their opinions on this choice.
[Let him go]
This actually kinda hits me. Thing is, we know Desmor and we know he wants to win glory, to follow his passions and be of use to his family, whereas being prohibited from doing so is the most terrible thing one can do to him. We know how much Garrison denying him earlier chances at glory hurt him, we know how heartbreaking it was when he learned that Gwendis wanted to avoid the marriage so badly that she ran away from home (and he still doesn't know that he was in no way responsible for this), but we also know how much it meant to him to finally be able to do something when he lead some of the Fowler army against the Manwoody troops. At the same time, I don't want to leave Isabella alone, not because I am concerned for her safety, this part kinda convinced me this is not the case, but because she could need Desmor's support. Isabella and Desmor currently have the most supportive and functioning sibling relationship in the entire story, so clearly, it could be good for both to stay together. I doubt he'd really hold it against her all that much, but not letting him go could hurt him, not in the way that he's angry at her, but that he is angry in general, frustrated and feeling generally useless once again after just getting over that feeling. It probably will hurt him and considering that I feel very much responsible for him being put through quite some pain when I made the regretful decision to change my vote in favour of Aisha, I would feel quite bad with putting him through more stress. At the same time, I feel just as bad for Isabella and as such, take this more as me tending in favour of letting him go instead of outright picking it. I'll remain curious how the others decide here and given what an indecisive person I am when it comes to this story, you can probably count on me changing my vote at least once.
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw … moreDesmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens af… [view original content]
Whoa, this is a hard choice. This is a really hard choice and one I did not expect right here. You know I consider Garrison to be a brilliant man, but I think this part shows that he has a very fundamental weakness and that is his family. Because in contrast to the absolutely ruthless schemer we've seen on occasion, he made quite the mistake here, probably out of grief. It would have been far better if he wouldn't have sent the letter. That was, quite honestly, the worst timing he could have picked. He knows Desmor, he knows he'd want to return to Skyreach and now we are in a really difficult situation. He really has a talent in making things harder for other characters, but this time is the first he did so for his own family
Well it's certainly appropriate that this choice feels hard, because that's exactly what it is for Isabella. And as for Garrison, I agree, his biggest weakness definitely is his family. Then again, without his family he'd also have a lot less compassion. Compassion can be a weakness in certain situations, but definitely not always. Keeping Desmor and Isabella in the dark about Ferris' fate would've perhaps been the pragmatic move from Garrison here, but also really cold. Such coldness could be expected from Garrison in many situations, but not when it comes to his family. And you could also see this as him making sure Isabella and Desmor first hear about this from him, instead of suddenly hearing some rumors about it somewhere down the line. Nonetheless, this is a difficult situation for sure.
Anyways, it was a very nice part! I earlier had this concern that the Drinkwater's are secretly plotting against the Fowler's and that Isabella is in danger around them, but unless they pull off some Frey level of two-timing betrayal, I am actually more inclined to believe this was just me being paranoid. Arianne makes a decent impression on me. If anyone can replace Gwen in the Skyreach storyline I mourn so dearly, it'll be her. You know how much I regret deciding against that storyline and don't get me wrong, this is bittersweet in a way, but Arianne is pretty okay, which really is the highest praise I am humanly capable of giving, considering she basically replaces Gwendis in Skyreach. The fact that I don't hate her guts, but actually kinda like her really speaks in her favour. Darinna is definitely amazing, getting some Margaery-Olenna vibes from these two and I fully appreciate it.
Ah, I'm really glad you enjoyed the part! And distrust towards Drinkwater's isn't completely uncalled for, considering how lackluster they have been in supporting the Fowler's on their war efforts. However, that's just more about them being sort of isolated from the rest of the kingdom, rather than being outright treasonous. I guess you could compare it to the relationship between Stark's and Reed's. And yeah, I can definitely see the similarity between Darinna-Arianne and Olenna-Margaery
This actually kinda hits me. Thing is, we know Desmor and we know he wants to win glory, to follow his passions and be of use to his family, whereas being prohibited from doing so is the most terrible thing one can do to him. We know how much Garrison denying him earlier chances at glory hurt him, we know how heartbreaking it was when he learned that Gwendis wanted to avoid the marriage so badly that she ran away from home (and he still doesn't know that he was in no way responsible for this), but we also know how much it meant to him to finally be able to do something when he lead some of the Fowler army against the Manwoody troops. At the same time, I don't want to leave Isabella alone, not because I am concerned for her safety, this part kinda convinced me this is not the case, but because she could need Desmor's support. Isabella and Desmor currently have the most supportive and functioning sibling relationship in the entire story, so clearly, it could be good for both to stay together. I doubt he'd really hold it against her all that much, but not letting him go could hurt him, not in the way that he's angry at her, but that he is angry in general, frustrated and feeling generally useless once again after just getting over that feeling. It probably will hurt him and considering that I feel very much responsible for him being put through quite some pain when I made the regretful decision to change my vote in favour of Aisha, I would feel quite bad with putting him through more stress. At the same time, I feel just as bad for Isabella and as such, take this more as me tending in favour of letting him go instead of outright picking it. I'll remain curious how the others decide here and given what an indecisive person I am when it comes to this story, you can probably count on me changing my vote at least once.
Alright, I'll make sure to double check your choice when counting the votes And you bring up the most important arguments for both choices here: letting Desmor go would mean letting him follow his ambition and feel useful again, while asking him to stay would mean Isabella and Desmor could support each other through this time of mourning, and perhaps get over it in a more healthy way than seeking vengeance. Oh, and nice Aisha easter egg you got there
Whoa, this is a hard choice. This is a really hard choice and one I did not expect right here. You know I consider Garrison to be a brillian… moret man, but I think this part shows that he has a very fundamental weakness and that is his family. Because in contrast to the absolutely ruthless schemer we've seen on occasion, he made quite the mistake here, probably out of grief. It would have been far better if he wouldn't have sent the letter. That was, quite honestly, the worst timing he could have picked. He knows Desmor, he knows he'd want to return to Skyreach and now we are in a really difficult situation. He really has a talent in making things harder for other characters, but this time is the first he did so for his own family
Anyways, it was a very nice part! I earlier had this concern that the Drinkwater's are secretly plotting against the Fowler's and that Isabella is in danger around them, but unless they pull off some Frey level of tw… [view original content]
I was pretty curious to how Isabella and Desmor would find out about their brother's death and this definitely was the best way for them to hear about it rather than rumors where the story could have easily been changed by the time it got to them. I definitely feel for the both of them here and while I see the viewpoint for picking both choices, I believe that I am going to vote for Isabella to [Ask him to stay]
I hate to deny Desmor the chance to avenge Ferris but after debating on what to choose, I feel like staying with Isabella would be best for the both of them in the long run. One of the biggest factors in this is the theory of mine that I see Skyreach as probably the unsafest place to be in western Dorne if not now then very soon. The Fowler's will have a target on their back especially since they were Albin's original targets to begin with and with it looking like that the Manwoody's will align with Yorick Yronwood, the Manwoody's may be untouchable to the Fowler's at least for the time being. Desmor would not have the numbers to take Albin down and if he were to recklessly try to meet the Manwoody and potentially the Wyl's in battle, he would probably just be heading back to his own death as well. I believe you have said that you would be willing to change canon in regards to the various king's fates and with Garrison rapidly adding new enemies to the picture, Desmor might be far more important than he ever thought he would be since he is the heir at this point at least until Matthos comes of age. That is a longshot theory I know but it could happen
Also like Liquid said and probably the most important reason is that Isabella and Desmor will get to stick together through this very troubling time and I honestly believe that they need each other now more than ever especially since in Isabella's case this is without a doubt the biggest tragedy to have ever happened in her life. While Desmor might not be too happy about staying right now, he still has a job to do escorting Isabella to Starfall and along with what I said above, I honestly believe that this will be the safest choice for him in the short and long term as well.
On a side note though, this was a really awesome part which helped relieve my worry that the Drinkwater's were really shady and I really do enjoy Arianne and Darinna and hope Desmor can succeed getting Arianne to marry him! It was also really neat getting to learn about Soren as well since I was really curious about how a Reachman knight made his way to being a guard for a Dornish king. Plus it was pretty funny hearing that Soren isn't much a fan of Jamison which doesn't surprise me since I highly doubt many of the other knights are big fans of him and of course it was sweet seeing how she talks of Jamison as well! Safe to say It really makes me excited to see their first appearance in the story together!
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw … moreDesmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens af… [view original content]
I hate to deny Desmor the chance to avenge Ferris but after debating on what to choose, I feel like staying with Isabella would be best for the both of them in the long run. One of the biggest factors in this is the theory of mine that I see Skyreach as probably the unsafest place to be in western Dorne if not now then very soon. The Fowler's will have a target on their back especially since they were Albin's original targets to begin with and with it looking like that the Manwoody's will align with Yorick Yronwood, the Manwoody's may be untouchable to the Fowler's at least for the time being. Desmor would not have the numbers to take Albin down and if he were to recklessly try to meet the Manwoody and potentially the Wyl's in battle, he would probably just be heading back to his own death as well.
Yeah, staying is definitely the safer option for Desmor here, if also the less satisfying. Obviously he is filled with anger right now, but you raise a good point in questioning if he'd truly be able to get his vengeance now that the Manwoody's seem to be allying with the Yronwood's. The last thing the Fowler's need right now is another one of them needlessly dying.
Also like Liquid said and probably the most important reason is that Isabella and Desmor will get to stick together through this very troubling time and I honestly believe that they need each other now more than ever especially since in Isabella's case this is without a doubt the biggest tragedy to have ever happened in her life. While Desmor might not be too happy about staying right now, he still has a job to do escorting Isabella to Starfall and along with what I said above, I honestly believe that this will be the safest choice for him in the short and long term as well.
Indeed, I'd say this is the biggest tragedy of their lives for everyone in the Fowler family. I mean, there is also the death of their mother, but at least she died peacefully at Skyreach, whereas Ferris was brutally murdered. And yeah, appealing to Desmor's sense of duty would probably be the best way to make him stay, and Isabella will probably bring it up if this choice wins.
On a side note though, this was a really awesome part which helped relieve my worry that the Drinkwater's were really shady and I really do enjoy Arianne and Darinna and hope Desmor can succeed getting Arianne to marry him! It was also really neat getting to learn about Soren as well since I was really curious about how a Reachman knight made his way to being a guard for a Dornish king. Plus it was pretty funny hearing that Soren isn't much a fan of Jamison which doesn't surprise me since I highly doubt many of the other knights are big fans of him and of course it was sweet seeing how she talks of Jamison as well! Safe to say It really makes me excited to see their first appearance in the story together!
Yeah, like I said to Liquid, the Drinkwater's have certainly made themselves suspect by being so hesitant to help in the war against Manwoody's. And obviously Lord Jared didn't really give the best impression in the last part. And I'm glad you enjoyed the little chat between Isabella and Soren I'm sure this journey will give me even more chances to give some depth to Soren's character, but explaining his backstory was long overdue. And oh man, you're not the only one looking forward to Isabella and Jamison finally meeting in-story! And speaking of Jamison, we should finally return to his storyline quite soon
I was pretty curious to how Isabella and Desmor would find out about their brother's death and this definitely was the best way for them to … morehear about it rather than rumors where the story could have easily been changed by the time it got to them. I definitely feel for the both of them here and while I see the viewpoint for picking both choices, I believe that I am going to vote for Isabella to [Ask him to stay]
I hate to deny Desmor the chance to avenge Ferris but after debating on what to choose, I feel like staying with Isabella would be best for the both of them in the long run. One of the biggest factors in this is the theory of mine that I see Skyreach as probably the unsafest place to be in western Dorne if not now then very soon. The Fowler's will have a target on their back especially since they were Albin's original targets to begin with and with it looking like that the Manwoody's will align with Yorick Yronwood, the Manwoody's … [view original content]
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw … moreDesmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens af… [view original content]
[Ask him to stay] Running back to Skyreach to avenge Ferris maybe what Desmor would normally do, but is too risky, and thanks to the Yronwood, there's no immediate threat to the Fowler's (House Wyl and Yronwood will spread their resources too thin if they march westwards now). House Dayne and Fowler will have this union. And it will be good for Isabella that her brother is with her.
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw … moreDesmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens af… [view original content]
Whoa, this is a hard choice. This is a really hard choice and one I did not expect right here. You know I consider Garrison to be a brillian… moret man, but I think this part shows that he has a very fundamental weakness and that is his family. Because in contrast to the absolutely ruthless schemer we've seen on occasion, he made quite the mistake here, probably out of grief. It would have been far better if he wouldn't have sent the letter. That was, quite honestly, the worst timing he could have picked. He knows Desmor, he knows he'd want to return to Skyreach and now we are in a really difficult situation. He really has a talent in making things harder for other characters, but this time is the first he did so for his own family
Anyways, it was a very nice part! I earlier had this concern that the Drinkwater's are secretly plotting against the Fowler's and that Isabella is in danger around them, but unless they pull off some Frey level of tw… [view original content]
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw … moreDesmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens af… [view original content]
And argh, it's a tie! Haven't had these in a while, but I'm going to go with the choice of Isabella's creator. Meaning, she will ask Desmor to stay. Sure, Desmor will be a bit disappointed by this, but it is definitely the safer option for both of them. And it's not like Isabella will be forcing him to stay, she will just appeal to his brotherly love and sense of duty to protect her And this is definitely the better option for Isabella herself, to have someone around her that she can truly share this feeling of loss with, and hopefully get over it in time.
Next up, we'll get a double part, meaning two PoVs. One of them will be Jamison, and the other will be a brand new minor PoV. Last time we saw Jamison he was still in Vaith, getting used to his new scar and feeling a bit down. He decided to skip Lucifer's wedding, and headed straight towards Clearhaven, which has been added to the Kingdom of Torrentine thanks to him. And the minor PoV, well, it'll take place in Hellgate Hall Hopefully I'll get the parts done by tomorrow!
I also have a couple new portraits for you. Darinna Drinkwater and Ser Soren Ashford:
Phew, I was a bit too late, because I had absolutely no time to reply to your reply yesterday, but I was actually going to break the tie by abstaining from the vote entirely XD Seriously, this was a hard choice and ultimately, I did not feel confident with making any real decision in it, so I am glad you took on the hard task of breaking this tie instead of me having to do it. I am still not sure which is the better option here, so I am definitely happy with either option.
Voting is closed!
And argh, it's a tie! Haven't had these in a while, but I'm going to go with the choice of Isabella's creator. Meaning… more, she will ask Desmor to stay. Sure, Desmor will be a bit disappointed by this, but it is definitely the safer option for both of them. And it's not like Isabella will be forcing him to stay, she will just appeal to his brotherly love and sense of duty to protect her And this is definitely the better option for Isabella herself, to have someone around her that she can truly share this feeling of loss with, and hopefully get over it in time.
Next up, we'll get a double part, meaning two PoVs. One of them will be Jamison, and the other will be a brand new minor PoV. Last time we saw Jamison he was still in Vaith, getting used to his new scar and feeling a bit down. He decided to skip Lucifer's wedding, and headed straight towards Clearhaven, which has been added to the Kingdom of Torrentine thanks to hi… [view original content]
Man that really was a close call! I was leaning toward the choice I made of course but I was pretty torn on it as well. I figure I may as well ask now if it doesn't somehow have spoilers of course, what would have happened if we sent Desmor away? I am pretty curious about what his plans exactly would have been if he went back to Skyreach and particularly his fate. On a side note though, I am really hyped about the upcoming Jamison part! He is probably almost on Dayne land which is a very good thing and I am also intrigued by the Hellgate Hall part and I have a feeling something huge will be going down there. Safe to say I am pretty excited for these upcoming parts of course I always am though!
Voting is closed!
And argh, it's a tie! Haven't had these in a while, but I'm going to go with the choice of Isabella's creator. Meaning… more, she will ask Desmor to stay. Sure, Desmor will be a bit disappointed by this, but it is definitely the safer option for both of them. And it's not like Isabella will be forcing him to stay, she will just appeal to his brotherly love and sense of duty to protect her And this is definitely the better option for Isabella herself, to have someone around her that she can truly share this feeling of loss with, and hopefully get over it in time.
Next up, we'll get a double part, meaning two PoVs. One of them will be Jamison, and the other will be a brand new minor PoV. Last time we saw Jamison he was still in Vaith, getting used to his new scar and feeling a bit down. He decided to skip Lucifer's wedding, and headed straight towards Clearhaven, which has been added to the Kingdom of Torrentine thanks to hi… [view original content]
Well, obviously this all would've happened off screen, but basically Desmor would've returned to Skyreach and demanded from Garrison that he could lead the returning army back to Kingsgrave. Of course, Garrison would've said no to this, but Desmor would've still gathered a small force to at least guard the border, in case Manwoody raiders would decide to attack again. Desmor wouldn't have been harmed in any of this, but it would've meant the marriage pact with Drinkwater's wouldn't have happened - at least not yet.
And I'm glad to hear you're excited for the next parts, but I should probably tell that neither of them will be very action packed or anything like that. They should definitely move the plot forward though
Man that really was a close call! I was leaning toward the choice I made of course but I was pretty torn on it as well. I figure I may as we… morell ask now if it doesn't somehow have spoilers of course, what would have happened if we sent Desmor away? I am pretty curious about what his plans exactly would have been if he went back to Skyreach and particularly his fate. On a side note though, I am really hyped about the upcoming Jamison part! He is probably almost on Dayne land which is a very good thing and I am also intrigued by the Hellgate Hall part and I have a feeling something huge will be going down there. Safe to say I am pretty excited for these upcoming parts of course I always am though!
Ulwyck Tiddle knocked lightly on the door of the guest chamber, and proceeded to open it. Stepping in, he saw his little sister Gwyneth sitting quietly at a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by several handmaidens working on her hair and makeup. She looked outstandingly beautiful, and was dressed in a flamboyant white dress, made by the best tailors of the King.
Behind Gwyneth and the handmaidens stood their older brother Lewyn, leaning against the wall next to a small window, a relaxed expression on his face. "Brother," Gwyneth managed to say from the middle of the handmaidens, a meek tone on her voice. "Good afternoon, sister," Ulwyck replied quietly, while walking past her and approaching Lewyn. "And brother," he added coldly as he looked at Lewyn, who nodded lightly as a response.
"I'm almost surprised to see that you left your very important duties at the town guard to come and see your sister's wedding," he said sarcastically, a sly smirk on his face. Ulwyck didn't even bother with answering, and just shot his brother with a cold glare.
"Could you leave us for a moment," Ulwyck said to the handmaidens, who glanced at each other, and proceeded to walk out of the room. Ulwyck then walked in front of his sister, and looked her to the eyes. "How are you?" He asked calmly.
"I'm nervous," Gwyneth answered, a timid look in her eyes. "I don't know the King, he is much older than me, and I'm supposed to..."
"It'll be fine," Lewyn cut Gwyneth off, tapping her softly on the shoulder. "The King will treat you gently, trust me, I know him." Ulwyck rolled his eyes to his brother's words. 'Trust me, I know him' - well you certainly keep reminding everyone about that.
"Do you have something to say, little brother?" Lewyn asked with a strict voice, looking at Ulwyck with a raised eyebrow. "No, I don't," Ulwyck answered sternly, turning his eyes to Gwyneth again. "I know this must be hard for you, little sister, but you should also keep in mind that marrying the King will make you the Queen. You'll be the most influential woman in the whole kingdom, and perhaps one day your son will wear the crown."
"I never asked for anything like that," Gwyneth replied with a sigh, turning her gaze down with a defeated look in her eyes. For a moment all three of them were quiet, until Lewyn lowered himself next to Gwyneth, and gently put his arm around her. "You're tough girl, Gwyn, you'll make it through this," he said with an encouraging tone, and for once Ulwyck completely agreed with his brother. Gwyneth raised up her gaze, smiling shyly at her brothers. "Thanks," she managed to mumble, wiping the tears from her eyes. Just then, the door was opened again, and this time in walked their father, Lord Bedwyck Tiddle.
"Everything alright here?" He asked with a polite and formal tone, and Lewyn stood up and quickly approached him. "Everything is fine, father," he answered smoothly. "Gwyneth is almost ready for the wedding."
"Good, because it's almost time for the ceremony," Bedwyck said with a tense tone. "In fact, you two should probably hurry to the sept. We'll come soon after you."
And so, Lewyn and Ulwyck walked out of the room together, and started making their way towards the sept. Hellgate Hall was busy with nobility, though not quite as busy as one would expect for a royal wedding. That was of course because of the war against the Martell's. That war was fought on the Central Dorne, and many expected it to also end there. Even the most pessimistic didn't expect the Martell's to conquer further than the Vaith.
"So, when do you plan to marry, brother?" Lewyn asked as they walked through the courtyard, and Ulwyck threw him a confused glance. "When I find a good woman to marry, I suppose," he said sternly, to which his brother chuckled.
"And do you plan to find this woman by patrolling the streets of Tidmarsh?" He asked sarcastically. "Well, it's not like you're married either," Ulwyck shot back, and Lewyn nodded.
"I'm not, but I do have some plans," he said with a sly tone. Just then they arrived to the sept, and had to stay quiet. They made their way to the front row, as was expected from the family of the bride. On the other side was just Lord Harrion Uller, the King's most important vassal, since none of his actual family was present. Right behind them were two young girls, surrounded by guards clad in Qorgyle tabards. This would probably be the only time in Ulwyck's life that Qorgyle's would have to stand behind him. He wasn't particularly excited though, the front row wasn't his place. I am just a loyal soldier, not a true nobleman.
Now King Lucifer walked past them, and approached the septon who stood by the altar. The King was dressed in fine red and black silks, and on his hands was a dark red cape, embroidered with the black suns of House Dryland. And on his head was the golden crown of Brimstone, which made his dour face look at least a bit more kingly.
And then everyone turned to look towards the doors, as Bedwyck Tiddle entered the sept, escorting Gwyneth with him. Slowly they walked through the sept, and she looked more beautiful than ever, dressed in the white wedding dress and black cloak of House Tiddle. As they got closer to the altar, the King smiled, but it didn't look genuine. Bedwyck removed the black cloak and gave Gwyneth away to Lucifer with a deep bow, before making his way next to Lewyn and Ulwyck.
The septon spoke a prayer for the Seven, while Lucifer put the cloak of House Dryland over Gwyneth's shoulders. Then they turned to face each other, and the King grabbed his young bride's hands. "With this kiss I pledge my love," they spoke together, though Gwyneth's voice could hardly be heard under the King's. And so they kissed, briefly and gently. "You are one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever," the septon announced ceremonially, and the people in the sept applauded.
-
The feast was plentiful, but once again not quite as grand as one would expect from a royal wedding. The wedding pie had been cut, and the King was enjoying with his bride. Ulwyck could see that Gwyneth was still nervous, but he had also seen her smiling at least couple times. Lewyn had been discussing with Lord Harrion the whole time, while Bedwyck sat quietly next to Gwyneth, a satisfied smirk stuck on his face.
Ulwyck gulped down his fourth cup of wine, when he saw one of the Qorgyle girls approaching him. The girl was tall and slim, probably about fifteen years old, with dark curly hair and sharp brown eyes. "Evening," she said calmly, leaning on the table and looking at Ulwyck.
"Um, evening," he managed to mutter. After a brief moment of awkward silence, the girl spoke up again. "I am Ellaria Qorgyle, the first daughter and heiress of Lord Allar Qorgyle," she introduced herself with a polite and professional tone. "And you are?"
"I am Ulwyck Tiddle, second son of Lord Bedwyck Tiddle," he said quickly, and Ellaria gave him a forced smile. "Ulwyck, would you happen to know why Prince Jamison Dayne isn't here?" She asked sharply. "I was under the impression that he would take part in this wedding."
"No idea," Ulwyck said with a shrug, and Ellaria let out a disappointed sigh.
"I heard he was injured in the battle of Vaith," Lewyn spoke up, apparently having overheard their conversation. "I imagine that's why he decided not to come."
"And you are?" Ellaria asked with narrowed eyes. "Lewyn Tiddle, the brother of the Queen," he answered smoothly, a charming smile on his face. "Now, would I be wrong in assuming that you came here to offer Prince Jamison some sort of proposal?" He asked calmly. "I mean, you are the heir to Sandstone and still unmarried, while Jamison is an ambitious second son of King Vorian Dayne. Some would say it's a perfect match."
"You're a smart one, Lewyn Tiddle," Ellaria complimented sternly, and Lewyn nodded to her. "What a pity that Jamison decided to skip the wedding, you lost the perfect opportunity to win his heart," he said with a theatrical sigh. "But do not despair, mylady, Jamison is not the only man in the world," he added with a smirk, before turning back to Harrion Uller. Ellaria's gaze lingered on Lewyn for a moment, before she turned and walked away. Ulwyck glanced at his brother. So that's your plan, huh?
After a moment Bedwyck stood up, a wide grin on his face. "I think it is time for a bedding!" He yelled, and the people in the hall responded with loud cheers. And so the ladies ran to carry King Lucifer, while the men took Gwyneth to their arms. Ulwyck however stayed on his seat, watching as his sister was carried away. He didn't want to take part in this, for him Gwyneth was still an innocent little girl, and that's how he wanted to keep seeing her.
No decision
-
Jamison
Finally seeing the sandstone walls of Clearhaven ahead of him, Jamison let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't quite home, but the journey from here on should be much easier.
As they rode through the gates, Jamison noticed that Dayne banners had been hanged above them, indicating that the town was now officially part of the Kingdom of Torrentine. The result of my work, Jamison thought with some satisfaction and pride. However, riding through the relatively short and quiet main street of the town, a frown took over his face. Was this little town really worth all the trouble? He had to ask himself, touching lightly on the scar on his face.
They arrived quickly to the harbor of the town, where the colors of House Dayne reigned. Five ships with the purple sails were anchored in the bay, as well as a smaller Westerosi merchant vessel, a Summer Islander swan ship, and a large trade ship from east of the Narrow Sea.
As he dismounted his horse, Jamison noticed his uncle Garret by the docks, conversing with someone dressed in the colors of House Dryland. Starting to approach him, the rest of the convoy followed after Jamison.
"Uncle!" He yelled with a grin, and with some confusion Garret turned towards him. Jamison noticed him eyeing his scar for a couple seconds, before finally speaking up. "Jamison, we weren't expecting you so soon," he said, tapping him on his shoulder.
"Ah, yes, I decided to skip Lucifer's wedding," he explained with a carefree tone, to which Garret raised an eyebrow. "I tried to advice otherwise," Laroy quickly said, and Garret let out a sigh.
"Well, I can't say you haven't done your job," he said with a shrug. "Come, let's go inside, I have a lot to tell you."
And so Jamison and Garret made their way into the harbor master's quarters close by, Laroy coming with them. As they sat down by the table, Garret poured mugs of rum for all of them. "I believe congratulations are in order," he said and raised his mug. Jamison and Laroy shared a confused glance, but raised their cups nonetheless. "Here is to Jamison Dayne, the Lord of Clearhaven," Garret said with a sly grin, and gulped down his rum.
"What?" Jamison said immediately, putting down his mug without taking a sip. "Aye, the King has named you the new lord of this town," Garret confirmed with a warm chuckle. "Don't worry, you can still live in Starfall, but this town will be your legacy, something to pass down to your children. And speaking of that, Vorian has also agreed to a marriage proposal from the Fowler's – you are to wed Princess Isabella."
Now Jamison gulped down his rum, and stared his uncle straight to the eyes. "If this is some dumb joke from you, I'll throw your ass to the sea," he grumbled, but Garret just laughed and shook his head. "No, it is not a joke," he assured calmly, and now Jamison couldn't hold back his grin anymore.
"Congratulations," Laroy said now, also gulping down his rum. "Thank you," Jamison muttered quietly, still having a hard time believing it. This was what he had dreamed of for so long, but it felt surreal to even think that that dream was finally coming true. "I hope she won't mind the scar," he mumbled.
"I doubt she will," Garret said with a smirk. "I mean, it is pretty nasty, but that girl loves you enough to see past it. How did you get that scar anyway?" He asked with an intrigued tone, and Jamison proceeded to pour more of the rum to his cup. "It happened in Vaith, there was a battle," Jamison answered quietly. Garret raised his eyebrow, glancing at Laroy.
"Well, did you kill the man who did that to you?" He asked, and Jamison shook his head. "I didn't," he admitted grimly. "It's... complicated, and frankly, I don't feel like talking about it."
"Fine with me," Garret said with a shrug. "Perhaps it is indeed better to concentrate on the future, especially now."
"I agree," Laroy said with a subtle smile. "So, how are things back in Starfall?" He asked, and Garret took a moment to answer, pouring more of the rum for himself and Laroy. "Well, King Benedict's son gave us a visit," he started with a sigh. "Some problems with rebels in Blackmont... Malcolm and Davos left with him, as well as Alester Upton."
"Alester went to help the Blackmont's?" Jamison asked with disbelief in his words, and Garret nodded. "Vorian commanded him to go," he clarified with a chuckle.
"Oh, well that makes more sense," Jamison said with a smirk forming on his face. "Anyway, I noticed five of our ships at the harbor... are they here to defend the city?"
"Well, one of them is here to take you home," Garret responded calmly. "And two of them will continue to Brimstone, transporting more supplies for the Dryland's. However, two of them will indeed stay here. For now at least."
"Good," Jamison said smoothly. "Would be pity if my new town was left unguarded."
"Oh, don't you worry about that," Garret said with a grin. "We all greatly appreciate your efforts to bring Clearhaven back to the Dayne's, and we aren't planning to lose it any time soon."
Jamison gulped down the rest of his rum and stood up. "Well, conquering is tiresome work, I think I need some rest now," he said with a sigh. And so, Garret showed him to one of the bedchambers in the harbor master's house.
-
Next morning Jamison stood quietly at the harbor, watching the two Dayne ships leaving the bay, heading towards Brimstone. Meanwhile the crew of Starfire - the ship that would take Jamison back to Starfall - loaded the cargo to their ship, including Jamison's luggage. He could've helped them, he wasn't too tired for that, but he knew a prince shouldn't lower himself to do the servants' job.
Garret walked next to Jamison, and tapped him on his shoulder. "So, did Laroy and the rest serve you well?" He asked quietly, and after a moment's hesitation Jamison nodded. "Why do you ask that?" He asked with some confusion, and Garret looked at his scar. "Well, none of them seemed to have a scratch on them, while you..."
"It wasn't any of their fault," Jamison said with a sigh. "It was my own fuck up."
"Interesting," Garret stated calmly. "I'd certainly like to meet the man who managed to do that to you and live to tell the tale," he said with a sly grin.
"Go to Vaith and you should find him," Jamison said nonchalantly. "Lord Kris Vaith, that is," he quickly clarified, to which Garret reacted with a surprised expression. "Interesting," he said again with a deadpan tone. "And you don't plan to... pay back?"
"Like I said earlier, it's complicated," Jamison said, and kept looking at the distancing ships on the bay. After a brief moment of silence, Garret spoke up again. "Complicated how?" He asked calmly. Jamison took in a deep breath. I guess I should've expected people to be curious, he thought with some frustration.
[Tell him what happened] [Come up with a lie] [Say that you don't want to talk about it]
Oh man, I just had the weirdest thought. I mean, I doubt Jamison would have ever married someone other than Isabella out of his own free will (and even then only under massive pressure), but just imagine for a moment how insanely awkward it would have been if Ellaria would have somehow managed to convince him. Then he returns to Clearhaven with a new betrothal in his pockets, only to learn about the news from Skyreach. Safe to say that would have been awkward and I am glad it did not happen that way. Out of curiosity though, would Ellaria actually had any chance with him at all?
Anyways, nice part for sure. I am sort of relieved that Jamison did not attend Lucifer's wedding, if only to avoid the potential problems this could have caused. It seemed to have gone well in general though, I low-ley expected some kind of a fallout that would turn the tides on favour of Nymeria, but at the same time, it might still be a bit too early for that. Poor Gwyneth though, it seems she won't have a happy marriage, or a particularly long one. I wonder what will happen to her in the things to come, because while I don't know Nym's opinion on this, she is technically a threat now, as the Queen of Brimstone once Lucifer is dealt with.
[Tell him what happened]
So, I know how unlikely this story sounds, but Jamison has never been one to believe in fairytales and I believe his uncle knows that. More importantly, it would mean that more people would know about the existence and powers of the Great Other servants. They rely on secrecy and given how intensely I hate each and every last one of them already, I would love nothing more than to have this small opportunity to make their presence more known to the public. I doubt it'll harm Aisha or Valerie in any way, especially not as quickly as I need them to be gone, but if there is a chance, any chance and be it as tiny as this one that some day they'll get exactly what they deserve, then I just have to pick it.
The Loyal Soldier
Ulwyck Tiddle knocked lightly on the door of the guest chamber, and proceeded to open it. Stepping in, he saw his littl… moree sister Gwyneth sitting quietly at a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by several handmaidens working on her hair and makeup. She looked outstandingly beautiful, and was dressed in a flamboyant white dress, made by the best tailors of the King.
Behind Gwyneth and the handmaidens stood their older brother Lewyn, leaning against the wall next to a small window, a relaxed expression on his face. "Brother," Gwyneth managed to say from the middle of the handmaidens, a meek tone on her voice. "Good afternoon, sister," Ulwyck replied quietly, while walking past her and approaching Lewyn. "And brother," he added coldly as he looked at Lewyn, who nodded lightly as a response.
"I'm almost surprised to see that you left your very important duties at the town guard to come and see your sister's weddi… [view original content]
Oh man, I just had the weirdest thought. I mean, I doubt Jamison would have ever married someone other than Isabella out of his own free will (and even then only under massive pressure), but just imagine for a moment how insanely awkward it would have been if Ellaria would have somehow managed to convince him. Then he returns to Clearhaven with a new betrothal in his pockets, only to learn about the news from Skyreach. Safe to say that would have been awkward and I am glad it did not happen that way. Out of curiosity though, would Ellaria actually had any chance with him at all?
Ellaria herself wouldn't have much interested Jamison, but the offer to basically become the next Lord of Sandstone would've at the very least intrigued him. He wouldn't have made any promises to Ellaria before consulting with Vorian though, so ultimately he would've dodged that bullet anyway
Oh man, I just had the weirdest thought. I mean, I doubt Jamison would have ever married someone other than Isabella out of his own free wil… morel (and even then only under massive pressure), but just imagine for a moment how insanely awkward it would have been if Ellaria would have somehow managed to convince him. Then he returns to Clearhaven with a new betrothal in his pockets, only to learn about the news from Skyreach. Safe to say that would have been awkward and I am glad it did not happen that way. Out of curiosity though, would Ellaria actually had any chance with him at all?
Anyways, nice part for sure. I am sort of relieved that Jamison did not attend Lucifer's wedding, if only to avoid the potential problems this could have caused. It seemed to have gone well in general though, I low-ley expected some kind of a fallout that would turn the tides on favour of Nymeria, but at the same time, it might still be a bit too early for that. Po… [view original content]
Oh man safe to say these were both definitely interesting parts! I definitely wasn't expecting an Ulwyck Tiddle PoV but I enjoyed it none the less. I had been pretty curious about which PoV we would see the wedding happen from and this was definitely the perfect one here. Gwyneth, now that we have officially met her in the story, I definitely do feel pretty sorry for her having been dragged into a marriage that I am sure she didn't want at all regardless of if he's the king or not. This is definitely her family's doing and I can't help but wonder if she has a target on her back now and if she will even get pregnant for her husband even though I feel like the Martell's will already have already defeated the Dryland's by that point.
I also see what that interesting event you were talking about happening at the wedding is going to be now. Jamison might have became a Qorgyle Like Liquid, I am curious about whether Jamison would have even entertained the idea since while he only cares about Isabella, it definitely seems like Jamison had discounted marrying her as something that could actually happen awhile ago even he still did have some hope for it still. Also, he would literally just be her trophy husband basically with no claim to Sandstone if I understand correctly which Jamison would not be a fan of at all I don't think.. Which I guess the actual power Jamison had would have boiled down to if Ellaria is an Esperence or Gwendis type who wants to be involved politically or if she would basically just be a figurehead. WIth all of that said though, I am glad Jamison skipped the wedding so we didn't have to find out since like Liquid said, that would have been a bit awkward and I obviously prefer that the story has turned out the way it has! It looks like marrying Ellaria is Lewyn's plan now so he can knock himself out there! Also I am pretty curious about if Ulwyck will turn into a temporary PoV since while he wasn't named as a PoV in story, I could see him being a temporary Hellgate Hall PoV potentially with no other PoV options currently there.
As for the Jamison part, I obviously enjoyed this as well! It was very neat seeing the result of what Jamison accomplished here and while Jamison is still struggling with the scar, he definitely seems as if he is starting to feel better about it and is starting to turn back into his old self! It was also cool to hear Jamison reaction to the current events in Starfall and of course I enjoyed Jamison's reaction about getting to marry Isabella as well!! He definitely showed genuine happiness there and it makes me all the more excited for their reunion which I am already insanely hyped for!
As for the choice, I am going to vote for Jamison to [Tell him what happened] While Jamison is clearly ashamed about what happened, I definitely feel he needs to get this off of his chest and there is hardly anyone better to that with then his uncle that he is close with. I don't think Garret would judge him or go around telling everyone about what happened and overall I feel like Jamison just needs to get this out there rather then keeping it to himself which I don't believe would be good for him in the long run considering how ashamed he is of it and I guess it would also tell Garret that in a way Jamison wasn't completely defeated since Jamison wasn't at his right mind during this battle which of course at his right mind, he wouldn't have been fighting for Valerie anyhow but it would also shed some life about what Jamison has seen as well which is something that I also feel Jamison needs to get off his chest to someone.
The Loyal Soldier
Ulwyck Tiddle knocked lightly on the door of the guest chamber, and proceeded to open it. Stepping in, he saw his littl… moree sister Gwyneth sitting quietly at a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by several handmaidens working on her hair and makeup. She looked outstandingly beautiful, and was dressed in a flamboyant white dress, made by the best tailors of the King.
Behind Gwyneth and the handmaidens stood their older brother Lewyn, leaning against the wall next to a small window, a relaxed expression on his face. "Brother," Gwyneth managed to say from the middle of the handmaidens, a meek tone on her voice. "Good afternoon, sister," Ulwyck replied quietly, while walking past her and approaching Lewyn. "And brother," he added coldly as he looked at Lewyn, who nodded lightly as a response.
"I'm almost surprised to see that you left your very important duties at the town guard to come and see your sister's weddi… [view original content]
I also see what that interesting event you were talking about happening at the wedding is going to be now. Jamison might have became a Qorgyle Like Liquid, I am curious about whether Jamison would have even entertained the idea since while he only cares about Isabella, it definitely seems like Jamison had discounted marrying her as something that could actually happen awhile ago even he still did have some hope for it still. Also, he would literally just be her trophy husband basically with no claim to Sandstone if I understand correctly which Jamison would not be a fan of at all I don't think.. Which I guess the actual power Jamison had would have boiled down to if Ellaria is an Esperence or Gwendis type who wants to be involved politically or if she would basically just be a figurehead. WIth all of that said though, I am glad Jamison skipped the wedding so we didn't have to find out since like Liquid said, that would have been a bit awkward and I obviously prefer that the story has turned out the way it has! It looks like marrying Ellaria is Lewyn's plan now so he can knock himself out there! Also I am pretty curious about if Ulwyck will turn into a temporary PoV since while he wasn't named as a PoV in story, I could see him being a temporary Hellgate Hall PoV potentially with no other PoV options currently there.
Yep, under the right circumstances Jamison might've indeed became a Qorgyle However, as I already said to Liquid, in the current situation it wouldn't have happened even if Jamison would've taken part in the wedding. He would've been intrigued by the possibility, but wouldn't have commited to it yet, and obviously learning that Isabella is on her way would've made him completely uninterested. So, this was more just a tease of what could've been if Isabella would've ended up marrying someone else. And well, I'd say that in terms of wanting to be involved with ruling Ellaria is somewhere between Isabella (not at all interested) and Esperence (very interested). So, the solution would've probably been Jamison and Ellaria ruling as a couple à la Nymeria & Mors. As for Ulwyck, he won't be getting parts as often as the regular PoVs, but for now he is indeed our eyes in Hellgate Hall.
As for the Jamison part, I obviously enjoyed this as well! It was very neat seeing the result of what Jamison accomplished here and while Jamison is still struggling with the scar, he definitely seems as if he is starting to feel better about it and is starting to turn back into his old self! It was also cool to hear Jamison reaction to the current events in Starfall and of course I enjoyed Jamison's reaction about getting to marry Isabella as well!! He definitely showed genuine happiness there and it makes me all the more excited for their reunion which I am already insanely hyped for!
Yeah, this part was mostly meant to show the concrete results of Jamison's journey in Book 1 so far, as well as start to concentrate on what's ahead. Jamison himself has very mixed feelings right now, happy for what he has achieved, but also a bit frustrated of what it cost him. When it comes to the news about Isabella though, his feelings are purely happy And I am also very excited to finally show these two interacting within the story!
Oh man safe to say these were both definitely interesting parts! I definitely wasn't expecting an Ulwyck Tiddle PoV but I enjoyed it none th… moree less. I had been pretty curious about which PoV we would see the wedding happen from and this was definitely the perfect one here. Gwyneth, now that we have officially met her in the story, I definitely do feel pretty sorry for her having been dragged into a marriage that I am sure she didn't want at all regardless of if he's the king or not. This is definitely her family's doing and I can't help but wonder if she has a target on her back now and if she will even get pregnant for her husband even though I feel like the Martell's will already have already defeated the Dryland's by that point.
I also see what that interesting event you were talking about happening at the wedding is going to be now. Jamison might have became a Qorgyle Like Liquid, I am curious about whether Jamison would have even en… [view original content]
The Loyal Soldier
Ulwyck Tiddle knocked lightly on the door of the guest chamber, and proceeded to open it. Stepping in, he saw his littl… moree sister Gwyneth sitting quietly at a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by several handmaidens working on her hair and makeup. She looked outstandingly beautiful, and was dressed in a flamboyant white dress, made by the best tailors of the King.
Behind Gwyneth and the handmaidens stood their older brother Lewyn, leaning against the wall next to a small window, a relaxed expression on his face. "Brother," Gwyneth managed to say from the middle of the handmaidens, a meek tone on her voice. "Good afternoon, sister," Ulwyck replied quietly, while walking past her and approaching Lewyn. "And brother," he added coldly as he looked at Lewyn, who nodded lightly as a response.
"I'm almost surprised to see that you left your very important duties at the town guard to come and see your sister's weddi… [view original content]
Comments
Holy shit, holy shit, that was close. That was way too close! I am equal parts reliefed and not okay with this turn of events, because it finally means that physical violence is on the table when it comes to the methods Wesley and Aisha are willing to undertake to break Gwendis. Fucking Wesley, fuck him, but particularly, fuck Aisha. Even in a part where Wesley literally tried to choke her to death, it has been Aisha who managed to be worse than him, because it proved once more the near-complete control she has over him. Valerie needs to control her soldiers with magic, but Aisha is an expert at using Wesley's fanatical faith to keep him in line. And yet she waited, to prove once more what a hateful, bitter cunt she is, nearly allowing Wesley to kill Gwen out of pure spite and then having the gall to avoid the question, as if there is any doubt about how she feels and how badly she wants to ruin Gwendis. The fact that she keeps up her act about caring for Trentan in front of Valerie is not making things any better, that fucking hypocrite. If she'd truly care for Trentan, she'd have a shred of humanity left and we know that is not the case. It'd mean she'd have at least some sort of an understanding of how people work and her treatment of Gwendis shows that this is not the case. After all, I realized, she could have easily won her over, she could have even won me over, if she would have been less stupidly evil after convincing Gwen to flee from Blackmont. I was willing to slightly trust her back then and as a result of the choice, so was Gwendis herself. If Aisha would have kept this up, instead of starting to talk in a way that has to appear obviously insane and evil towards every normal human being, she could have actually continued to fool me. I'm not fooled by her anymore, I see her for what she is and because of that, I know that no matter what, at least she will fail. She needs people for her plans, but has zero understanding of how people think. That's why she has lost Trentan's love and that boy was downright obedient to her. That's why she has earned Gwendis' hatred and in the end, if R'hllor is truly the only alternative for my dear, then it was Aisha who basically pushed her into their arms.
And well, Valerie, just Valerie. I have truly hoped she would keep her ugly mug away from this chapter, only appearing a little later, hopefully as the antagonist in Gwendis' storyline in Book 2, if we manage to keep her alive throughout Book 1. I cannot cling to this hope any longer and that makes me nervous. And thing is, the same stuff that is Aisha's greatest weakness is something Valerie does not even bother with. Her approach, while even more evil than Aisha, is far more effective. Instead of clumsily trying to manipulate people and being disappointed that they turn out to be not as cancerous and monstrous as herself, which is apparently the Aisha way to go, Valerie just flat out controls them. Evil, yes, but far more efficient than what Aisha is trying there. I don't know, I have the feeling that if anyone could make Aisha look like a saint in comparison (or at least not the worst), it will be Valerie. Prepare for epic Valerie rants if she actually ends up as Gwendis' true nemesis even over the utter beast that dragged her into this nightmare. For now, however, Aisha firmly remains the worst and I cannot see this changing anytime soon.
[Say that you don't know]
See, I consider Valerie to be the one the Great Other tried to warn Gwendis about, for whatever reason. You know, the one that might end up trying to destroy her. And this means, Valerie is one that should be treated with as much care as Aisha and Wesley, perhaps even more. Saying that Aisha is telling the truth, it will not only mean that Gwendis could strengthen her own, thankfully very shaky, belief in her connection to the Great Other. I mean, I don't know. It might mean that Valerie considers Gwendis useful for now, but I'd much rather not risk it. Saying that Aisha is lying is an option I would be very okay with as well, but I don't know how Valerie will react. She might start to see Gwen as expendable and that cannot possibly be better than seeing her as a threat to her own position in the cult. So, I think that saying that Gwen does not know might be the better option here. In a way, it is the truth. Gwendis knows very little of her power and I'd much prefer she learns about them from a trustworthy source, such as perhaps Desi. She does not know if her connection is just to the Great Other (for all we know, it could very well mean a strong connection towards any kind of supernatural force, R'hllor included), if it is truly that strong (because Aisha has been wrong before) or what else. Such an answer could help keep Valerie at bay for now. It could show her that Gwendis herself does not understand her powers and does not want to pose a threat to her and though her opinion will definitely sour eventually, it might buy valuable time. By now, I'm playing for time in this storyline, so that Gwen might get a chance to escape/defect when the fight against Team R'hllor begins.
[Say that Aisha is telling the truth] While Valerie is far from stupid, lying to her would be a bad idea. The confrontation between Light and Dark is occurring right beneath the notice of the rulers of this land, and it will be centuries before this confrontation comes to light.
[Say that you don't know]
Indeed, this was physically the most threatning situation in Gwendis' storyline so far, and while Aisha did prevent Mordekhai from killing Gwen, she certainly took her time with it. Whether this was intended as punishment for Gwen or if it just took Aisha a moment to find the confidence to step up is unclear, but at the very least it proves that she isn't terribly concerned about Gwen's well-being. As if there was any doubt about that
Heh, yeah I saw you speculating on that a while ago, but as you can now see Valerie is a vital part of this GO vs R'hllor plotline in Book 1. She is basically what connects the two parties, since Team R'hllor is actively going after her. And you're correct, Valerie's way of controlling her warriors is much more efficient than Aisha's, but it also requires much more in terms of dedication and sacrifices to the Great Other. To be able to magically control the minds of that many people, she must have basically sold her soul to the GO. So, Valerie is basically a good example of the kind of GO worshiper that Aisha warned Gwen about a while ago, the kind that has dived head first into the madness without any effort to stay sane. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration in Valerie's case, since obviously she managed to hide her dark ways for years in Vaith, and to do that she had to at least resemble a somewhat normal person. Of course her deeds didn't go completely unnoticed in the city, but as we know people started to be suspicious of her mother instead of her.
Valerie being the one that GO warned Gwen about is a very real possibility, and Gwendis herself will probably come to this realization as well sooner or later. Whether Valerie is the one that GO actually meant or not, being careful around her is nonetheless the smart move. Of course Gwendis doesn't know her terribly well yet, hardly at all, so it's hard for her to know how would Valerie react to any of these answers. That said, you're right in that "I don't know" wouldn't exactly be a lie, since there is indeed much Gwendis doesn't understand about this connection to the GO, so she could probably say it effortlessly without sounding like she is lying. Well, I guess it's a tiny spoiler, but I can reveal that Gwendis would actually manage to say each of these answers confidently. Whether that's enough to convince Valerie is another question.
[Say that you don't know] Definitely the safer option here, no doubt. If Gwendis confirms that Aisha is telling the truth, there's a big possibility that Valerie will try to force her to submit to the GO asap, through force even. If she tells her that Aisha is lying, Valerie will most likely see Gwendis as disposable and will care even less about her well-being. Now saying that you don't know is the best way to avoid this, as I imagine Valerie senses at least something in Gwendis, so she wouldn't outright try to force her into submission just as she wouldn't see her as a complete waste of time.
Oh and by the way, I just saw Fenn's drawing and I gotta say you were spot on! He looks exactly as I pictured him in my mind, and that's always great
. I also love the detail of his Greatsword on his back, and I gotta say that's she's looking great hehe. I also love his facial expression on the drawing, as it alludes a lot to his personality, a look that can't really reveal his intentions... he could be about to stab you or buy you a drink 
Wait, you imply she had to find the confidence for this? Aisha, that all-powerful manipulative bitch witch who is so oblivious to how unbearably terrible she herself is had to find the confidence? Nah, I can believe many things (including that Aisha is less horrible than Valerie), but that stretches it a bit for me. No way she had to find any sort of confidence, given that she has Wesley under control almost as firmly as Valerie has her mind-controlled soldiers. That case is clear for me. She is evil, so she wanted to see Gwen in pain, I heavily doubt there has been even the tiniest bit of another reason. There is nothing human about her, not even a human flaw, such as a lack of confidence. Her mocking silence later on only proves how much she truly hates Gwendis, so that one is very obvious for me. God, I can't wait until she gets a taste of her own terrible medicine.
To my great horror, I see it now. I mean, it is good that her presence means that Team R'hllor is eventually going to confront them, as I see Desi as the sole hope Gwen has to get out of this largely unscathed. The downside is, of course, Valerie has returned and is yet another factor to deal with if I want to keep Gwen alive. And she might be the greatest threat, combining Wesley's willingness to use violence paired with Aisha's previously unique talent to be the worst person in Westeros at any given moment. Albeit I must say, I always considered Aisha to be exactly like those people she warned Gwendis about. I can see how Valerie is exactly the same, but at the same time, she is at least human enough to understand them and to trick them into overlooking her for years. She might have sold her soul, but whatever Aisha has done to become so decidedly subhuman must have been way worse. I mean, it is kinda ironic that she can correctly see the flaws in other people, but fails to see that the only even remotely acceptable thing she could ever do in her entire life is to kill herself. Oh, look, there we go, it's an Aisha rant, because she just keeps getting worse the more unhinged she becomes. By the way, have I mentioned that she is the worst?
Yeah, I consider Valerie to be the most likely choice. After all, if I remember correctly, this sentence was uttered the same time we got our first hint of her true nature in one of Gwendis' visions. So, she is one possibility and it would only prove that the Great Other does not care about even his most powerful servants as long as there's someone more useful. I ruled Aisha out as too easy back then, but this part has proven without any doubt that she also hates Gwendis and seeks to destroy her. I mean, she might claim she only aims to help Gwendis in the most messed up way possible, but given how she permanently shits on her, tries to mentally break her and now resorts to physical violence (though being cowardish, she allows her dog to do the deed there), it is pretty clear that she wants to see her fall and is undoubtedly going to be a major obstacle when it comes to free Gwen from this whole madness. Depending on our choices, I could even see Dalia or Mother Minesa to take over the role the Great Other warned her about, namely if Gwen herself does something to harm Desi, but I doubt this will happen, not if we get a say in this. The Great Other likely knows that they are not the ones to be concerned about, but that it rather should be Valerie and that hateful bitch Aisha who pose a threat to Gwen's life. And yeah, I kinda guessed she'd be able to say all of this convincingly. She can be kinda convincing and on top of that, I guess all three hold some degree of truth to them, or at least Gwen might believe in all three of them in some capacity.
[Say that you don't know]
I think that this is the smartest answer that would buy her the most time. If she says Aisha is telling the truth, than Valerie may try to force her to prove it. If she says it isn't true, Valerie may find her disposable and try to kill her. I think saying you don't know is the safest option.
[Say that you don't know]
Wow, I literally dislike Mordekhai more and more with every part which I imagine is defintely the goal
Safe to say when it will make the time he gets put in his place all the more satisfying! That goes for Valerie as well and as far as the choice goes, I feel this is probably the safest thing for Gwendis to say at least right now.
Voting is closed!
And Gwendis will say that she doesn't know whether what Aisha is saying is the truth or not. As some of you pointed out, this is in a way even true, as Gwendis is very much in the dark (no pun intended) about the true extent of her powers/connection/whatever, and whether it is something exceptional when compared to others who wield such powers. And this is also a very middle-of-the-road, safe and neutral answer. That said, Valerie is a very unpredictable individual, so it's not at all guaranteed that a neutral answer will evoke a neutral or even calm reaction from her.
Anyway, next up will be a Naemon PoV, taking us back to the lands of House Oakswood and the mission to find and destroy Karsan Taller's band of rebels. Last time Naemon, Malcolm, Davos and Alester (with their 200 Upton troops) arrived to Oakswood and met Ser Edwyn Oakswood and Lady Bessa Oakswood, who had been left to look over the seat and the lands while Lord Raymun Oakswood marched to the war against the Manwoody's. Basically the only thing Naemon knew about Edwyn beforehand was that he had killed his great uncle Beric Blackmont (father of Lady Bessa and Braddock Blackmont) in a tourney melee about a decade ago, but was for some reason completely pardoned by King Benedict. Edwyn revealed that the reason Benedict had pardoned him was because he had implied he'd demand trial by combat if found guilty, and Benedict wanted to avoid further bloodshed. Anyway, Edwyn told that Karsan's men had indeed been spotted near Oakswood, and promised to help track them down. Before that though, Naemon promised to spend some time with him and Lady Bessa, so they could get to know each other a little better. Thus, the next part will start with these three having a little conversation and enjoying a few glasses of Arbor gold together.
I have an exam this Friday, and preparing to that has taken a big chunk of my time, but I have also managed to make some progress on the part. That said, I'd say it will take until at least late Friday before it's ready. After this exam my schedule will be very light for several weeks though, so you can expect my pace with writing the story getting much faster again. Then again, I might be underestimating all the hustle around the holidays, though I doubt it'll affect my writing that much
Oh, I very much doubt she'll be neutral or calm. Well, calm maybe, I don't know enough of her to say that, but she does seem like a pretty extreme person, so I guess she cannot be neutral about anything. Agh, why am I always making myself concerned by analyzing this stuff so much? I should really stop
But yeah, I pretty much guess at this point, we need to handle each of the three villains Gwen has to face in this chapter differently. Wesley should not be angered, as this part has shown, so no talking to him, no snarking, no looking at him the wrong way. Aisha, who is the worst, should generally be avoided, that spiteful bitch, because no matter what, she'll do something cruel and I bet she only just begun showing her hatred. And Valerie, I think she's a time bomb and all we can do is to win time and stall until a chance to escape is offered, hopefully before she explodes. I bet she already made up her mind about not liking Gwen, but I'd prefer for her not to consider her an outright threat, because while she might belittle and humiliate those she dislikes, she seems to be the person to crush those that are a threat to her. So, appearing confused and overwhelmed by this whole situation, which Gwendis pretty much is, she might appear as less of a threat to Valerie, who therefore might wait a little longer before attacking her with whatever nasty trick she has up her sleeve. Hopefully, she'll wait a little too long, because while all three of them would definitely love to kill Gwendis if given the opportunity, I could see only Aisha being actually focussed and hateful enough to go through with it once Dalia and Kris arrive to save the day. Certainly, Wesley and Valerie will be preoccupied with more immediate opponents and as much as I utterly loathe her, the only good thing I can say about Aisha is that she does not seem to be all that powerful when compared to the near-superhuman strength of Wesley and whatever magic Valerie has in her arsenal. With a little help from Trentan, I actually think that Gwen could have a chance against Aisha alone, but then again, I won't bet on it and can only hope for Desi to help her out a bit. Argh, I am worried, because Valerie is making this whole situation a lot more unpredictable, as if that frothing madwoman Aisha and her volatile dog aren't bad enough on their own already.
@WildlingKing Did you get my forum amigo?
Aye, I just noticed him! I like the character and there is a storyline coming in Book 2 where I could find a role for him. And I see you are a fan of DiCaprio, but would you mind me changing the character's last name? DiCaprio would be a bit out of place in Westeros.
Naemon
Silence lingered in the knight's chambers, as Naemon Blackmont and Lady Bessa Oakswood sat around the small round table with Ser Edwyn, goblets of Arbor gold in each of their hands.
"Anyway, like I said earlier, what happened in the tourney ten years ago, it was an accident," Ser Edwyn said again, gulping down the rest of his wine before pouring in more from the jug. "I just want to make clear that you are not dealing with a murderer here."
"I believe you," Naemon responded calmly, even if he still wasn't fully convinced. Nonetheless, clearly Bessa had forgiven Edwyn for killing her father, so perhaps Naemon should give this man a chance as well. "Lord Raymun and Lady Bessa still keeping you around tells me that you can't be that bad of a man, no matter what happened in that tourney," he said with a shrug.
"Edwyn has helped Raymun grow our son Robert to be a worthy heir to Oakswood," Bessa said softly, to which Edwyn smirked in a satisfied manner. "He's a good lad," he said quietly.
"Did Raymun take him to the war with him?" Naemon asked curiously, since he hadn't seen Robert so far during their visit, but Edwyn shook his head. "The boy is a bit too young for war still," he answered with a small sigh. "He's in his chambers now, but you'll meet him at the dinner."
For a brief moment the room fell silent again, until Bessa decided to speak up. "We heard about your sister's... disappearing, but I don't quite understand what happened. Do you know what made her leave?" She asked gently, looking at Naemon, who shook his head grimly. "I wasn't there when she left, and she didn't leave much of an explanation," he said quietly. "All I know is that it was one of my father's sorcerers that dragged her away, to gods know where."
"This isn't the first time those sorcerers have brought tragedy to your family," Edwyn remarked sharply, an intrigued look in his eyes. "Why hasn't your father gotten rid of them?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Naemon replied nonchalantly, gulping down his wine. "I suppose they make him feel powerful or important with their tricks and prophecies."
"Every man needs a meaning for their life," Edwyn stated calmly. "For some it's family or love, for others it's the gods. Perhaps your father has found his purpose with whatever these sorcerers have to offer, despite the trouble they have brought." Naemon shrugged dismissingly to these words, keeping his gaze down. He didn't want to feel sympathy for Benedict, or try to understand his purposes. He was wrong in keeping the sorcerers around after all the misery they had brought, and he didn't deserve any pity or understanding. Because of him both Valaena and Gwendis were gone, and that was all there was to it.
"My brother always said that Gwendis was talented at leading the council whenever the King wasn't available," Bessa changed the topic with a sympathetic tone on her voice, and Naemon nodded. "Aye, she was always good at that stuff... much better suited for it than me," the prince said with a sigh, pouring more wine for his goblet. "Anyway, now it is your brother who is in charge of the council," he told Bessa.
"So I've heard," the lady responded with a soft chuckle, shaking her head lightly. "I'm afraid Braddock has never been much of a leader though. Perhaps you should assume that role for yourself once you return to Blackmont."
"Perhaps I should," Naemon agreed calmly. He had avoided taking part in the governing and council matters for so long, even if Gwendis had repeatedly tried to convince him to step up. Part of him had wished they could do it together once their father would pass away, share the responsibility of ruling as a brother and sister. Such thoughts had always been naïve, Naemon knew it, but only now he had to truly confront the reality. I must take the responsibility alone. He couldn't shy away from it any longer, not if he wanted to be any better than his father. "Yes, I will lead the council once I return home," he confirmed with a quiet but confident tone, and Bessa gave him an encouraging smile.
"You'll make a fine king one day, my prince," Edwyn complimented with a friendly tone on his voice, raising his goblet as he spoke. "May the Seven protect you and this kingdom, now and always." Naemon and Bessa also raised their goblets for these words.
For a while they continued chatting about the war against the Manwoody's, as well as Karsan's rebellion, until finally Naemon took his leave to prepare for the dinner.
As the servant escorted Naemon towards his chambers, he came across Malcolm and Davos waiting for him. They had changed out of their traveling gear and were chatting at the corridor next to the guest chambers.
"Prince Naemon," Davos quickly greeted him, and Malcolm gave him a little nod as well. "Hello again," Naemon responded calmly. "Did they give you tolerable rooms?" He asked with a little smirk, to which Malcolm nodded.
"Aye, quite tolerable, my prince," the Prince of Starfall answered with a humorous tone. "And what about Ser Edwyn, did he tell you something important?"
"Not really," Naemon answered with a sigh. "I think he just wanted to make sure I don't see him as a murderer."
"And do you?" Malcolm asked sharply, and Naemon shrugged. "At this point I think it hardly matters what he did ten years ago," he said quietly. "His family has forgiven him, my father has pardoned him. Gods will give the final judgement for Ser Edwyn, but he is nonetheless an anointed knight, and for now I think we should treat him with respect."
"Then we shall do just that," Davos said with a grin, and Naemon gave him a nod. "Anyway, I should get ready for the dinner," he said calmly, and made his way into his own chambers. With a sigh he sat down on the bed, collecting his thoughts for just a while, before changing his clothes and leaving the chamber again.
Arriving to the dinner hall, Naemon noticed everyone else was already there. Ser Edwyn of course sat at the head of table, and Lady Bessa at the opposing end. Slim boy with dark hair, a few years younger than Davos, sat next to her. At the middle of the table sat Lord Alester, Malcolm and Davos opposed to him. Naemon took the seat between Alester and Edwyn.
"It's an honor to meet you, my Prince," the young boy spoke up with a polite tone. "I am Robert Oakswood, son and heir of Lord Raymun Oakswood."
"A pleasure to meet you, Robert," Naemon responded politely. Edwyn clapped his hands lightly, and the servants brought in the food and wine.
"We haven't had a proper meal in a while," Alester said with a grin, which Edwyn reciprocated. "You're welcome, mylord," he said. "And worry not, your troops will also be well fed. After all, we wouldn't want to hunt rebels with an empty stomach."
"So, do you have an idea how should we approach this... mission?" Malcolm asked calmly, and Alester was the first to answer. "We have two hundred well trained troops," he pointed out arrogantly. "What does Karsan have? A band of lowlifes armed with pitchforks and kitchen knives. We find them and we kill them, that's how we approach this."
"I like your attitude, Lord Alester, but I'm afraid I have to disagree," Ser Edwyn intervened calmly. "While you are correct that we have the numbers, thanks to your troops, you must remember we aren't marching into an ordinary battle. Karsan's men are hiding in the forests, and are not looking for a fair fight, which means we must approach them with stealth. I'd say we should split our forces into several smaller groups, though still large enough to take down Karsan's men. That way we can search from a larger area, and if Karsan's men escape from one group, chances are they'll just run into another." Edwyn turned his eyes to Naemon now. "Of course, Prince Naemon is the one in charge of this mission, so he will decide," he said with a respectful nod.
[Split the forces into groups] [Keep the troops together]
Oooooh, this should theoretically be a good thing that Naemon takes charge, but I cannot help but be worried for the implications. See, while I think we are on a relatively positive road to ensure Gwendis' survival, unless we catastrophically mess up the few choices left before the end of this chapter, I absolutely doubt she will return to Blackmont before the end of it, there's just too much that has to happen until then. Nor do I think you'll have her return, face her broken family and settle back in off-screen during the time skip, given that if it happens, it'll likely be too big a moment for the Blackmont characters to just skip over it, so if she survives, there will be a reason why she won't make it back between books. No matter what this reason will be, the reality is that Naemon will be left alone in this time and it seems to me that he already is a bit bitter about it. So imagine how much worse it will be in two years from now. He's going to be forced into something he never wanted, forced to accept it, forced to become at least somewhat okay at doing it and then, perhaps just as he has reached the point where he no longer needs her support, she returns? I... you know, I absolutely love both of them with all my heart and want nothing more than a Blackmont reunion, but this is concerning to me, because I could see major tensions between them, especially considering that two years alone in the less than friendly court of Blackmont, between people such as Noctis could make Naemon outright resentful of Gwendis for leaving him and then returning after years. BlackmontBowl confirmed? Hopefully it won't be that bad in the end, I mean, I severely doubt it will because they actually love each other a great deal, but should they meet again, I could see this being quite shocking for Gwen in particular to see her brother legitimately angry at her, and for a good reason on top of that. She did leave him after all, for what was a fundamentally selfish reason, even if, in her defence, she's still amazing and she was tricked by... oh, yeah... as if I need any more reason to absolutely loathe Aisha and every single thing she ever did
But now she might even be responsible for ruining the Blackmont sibling relationship. Oh god, the death she deserves, if she gets even a fragment of it, that'll be so damn satisfying 
Have I mentioned she's the worst?
[Keep the troops together]
I am by no means a tactical genius, but as far as I know, splitting their forces is the only way Naemon could give away the advantage in favour of Karsan. See, they don't quite know his full strength, so if they split up, at worst they'll allow him to pick the Blackmont/Dayne troops off one by one. After actually googling what Sun Tzu would do in this situation, I realized that the man mentioned exactly this tactic (splitting the enemy forces up into smaller groups) when engaging a superior force, means Karsan would be overjoyed if Naemon splits his forces. Add to that the fact that they are fighting in terrain where the rebels have the advantage. If Karsan keeps his forces together and ambushes each part of the army after the other, he can still win this. Keeping the troops together as one strong, concentrated force is the best option I see for Naemon to win this. And hmmmm, it was Edwyn's suggestion... That guy might be an ally to Naemon, yeah, but he's certainly not helping his case when it comes to me trusting him by suggesting stuff like that.
[Split the forces into groups]
Well, you are on to something here for sure, Naemon feels like he has to take charge in Blackmont, and if Gwendis indeed returns after two years, Naemon will have been in charge for a while. How would he react? Hard to say, but chances are it wouldn't be pure joy, since he is indeed a bit bitter about Gwendis leaving him. Then again, she has always been the closest and most important friend to Naemon, so it's not like he'd be sad to see her back. Likely, both of them would have very mixed feelings seeing each other again (and how they've changed) after such a long time. BlackmontBowl though? Well, there would certainly be tension and perhaps even some mild conflict between them, but I doubt either would be willing to actually hurt their beloved sibling.
Yes, keeping the troops together is obviously the safest option, no doubt about it. What Edwyn is concerned about here is that with such a large force they won't be able to approach Karsan's men stealthily, and thus the rebels might be able to escape (and they might not be able to pursue them, since they could possibly slip to Gardener's side of the border). Edwyn also says the separate groups should each be large enough to defeat Karsan's men, but it's hard to say if they would be, since we don't know how large exactly is Karsan's band.
Ooh I can't wait for season 2!!!!
[Keep the troops together] While I'm not an expert on the terrain, until they know how many enemies they're facing, is too soon to split and give them chase.
[Keep the troops together]
Liquid and Edindinosaur make good points. They should figure out how many troops Karsan has before considering splitting the forces.
[Keep the troops together]
I agree with the others on this one, the Blackmont-Dayne troops have the clear numbers advantage here to where I don't believe an ambush by Taller's men would do any kind of huge damage and as far as them crossing over to the Gardener side goes, I don't think they'd be too welcoming to dornisj rebels so I think this choice will be a safe one.
Voting is closed!
And Naemon will keep the troops together, despite Edwyn's advice to split them into groups. This is definitely the safer option for Naemon and his companions, but the risk of Karsan managing to escape got slightly bigger with this choice.
Next up, we will have an Isabella part. The last time we saw her, she arrived to the Oasis Castle with Desmor and the rest of their convoy. Their destination is obviously Starfall, but they also had a marriage proposal for the Drinkwaters, offering Prince Desmor to wed Arianne Drinkwater. As they arrived they were welcomed by the drunken Lord Jared Drinkwater, as well as his brother Maron and sisters Raewyn and Arianne. Later on the dinner (that Jared didn't take part in), it came clear to the Fowlers that the old Lady Darinna (great-grandmother of the current Drinkwaters) was the one truly in charge. The topic of the marriage proposal was brought up, but Arianne wasn't being clear about whether she will accept it or not, and questioned why should she marry Desmor. Isabella decided to speak up to defend/praise her brother for Arianne, and that's where this next part will continue. I hope to get it done by tomorrow!
Isabella
"Desmor is a good man, honorable and brave," Isabella spoke up, looking directly at Arianne. From the corner of her eye she saw Desmor rolling his eyes, but decided to ignore it and continue. "I know him better than perhaps anyone else in this world, and I promise that he will make a good and loving husband for you, if you decide to accept his proposal."
"That is good to hear, my Princess," Arianne replied with a friendly tone, a subtle smirk on her face. "Sister's praise means a lot, after all, I could hardly see myself giving such high praise to any of my own brothers," she added lightheartedly, and Lady Darinna chuckled at her great granddaughter's words.
"Well then dear, have you made your decision yet?" The old lady asked gently, but Arianne shook her head. "I need some time to think," she said calmly, now turning her eyes to Desmor again, a sharp gaze in them. "Prince Desmor, would you like to meet me at the gardens after the dinner?" She asked, her words sweet and seductive.
"It would be a pleasure, mylady," Desmor answered smoothly, and Arianne raised an eyebrow. "Don't get any ideas though, I just want to get to know you a little better," she said with a playful tone, and Desmor nodded. "Understood, mylady," he responded, his lips now forming a little smirk.
Isabella was happy to see that Arianne was at least giving her brother a chance, and couldn't hold back her smile. Hopefully they will make each other happy.
"My princess, I forgot to give you my congratulations," Darinna spoke up with her calm and soft voice. "I heard you will be marrying Prince Jamison Dayne. That is good news, and having the Daynes as an ally will surely help us in the future. However, may I ask why you chose the second son? As far as I'm aware, Prince Malcom is still unmarried, and he is the heir to the Kingdom of Torrentine."
"I... promised to Jamison that I would marry him one day," Isabella said shyly, and a gentle smile formed on Darinna's wrinkled face. "Ah, so it was love that determined your choice," the old lady stated calmly, a sharp gaze in her deep blue eyes. "You are lucky, my dear, not many of us get to marry out of love. I hope you and Prince Jamison will be happy together."
"I believe we will be," Isabella responded softly, and Darinna nodded. "I can see how happy and excited you are about this," she said with quiet and emphatic tone. "We won't hold you back here for too long, it's clear you are eager to reach Starfall as soon as possible."
"Yes, of course, but there is no rush, we certainly could use a good rest," Isabella said politely, and once again Darinna nodded. "You may rest here in Oasis Castle as long as you need to," she said warmly. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and Isabella felt happy and relaxed.
-
After having a breakfast with Cassana Blackpool, Isabella made her way towards her brother's chambers, escorted by Ser Soren.
"You know, I'd quite like to face Jamison on the tourney field one day," the knight chatted with a calm and lighthearted tone. "I've seen him in action, and he certainly is impressive, but I never got the chance to challenge him personally."
"Maybe you will get the chance one day," Isabella replied with a bright smile. "I wouldn't know who to root for though," she added with a chuckle, which Soren reciprocated. "Aye," he mumbled quietly. "If I'm honest I have to say I'd quite enjoy knocking him off a horse."
Isabella raised her eyebrow for this comment, and gave Soren an inquiring look. "Ah, obviously just because they say he is the best," the knight quickly explained himself, a sly grin on his face. "You know, a great honor and all that."
"Sure," Isabella said and rolled her eyes. "I know Jamison can be a bit... arrogant," she continued with a sigh. "However, I've seen the other side of him, the side that he hides under all that cockiness and arrogance. There is a good and loving heart under the harsh core, and that is why I love him."
"I understand, my princess," Soren replied softly. For a moment they were both quiet, until Isabella decided to speak up. "You know, I don’t think you ever told me why you came to Skyreach in the first place," Isabella stated with a curious tone. "I mean, a knight of your skill could easily be granted a place among the Order of the Green Hand, yet you choose to serve my father."
"It's a rather simple story," Soren said with a relaxed tone. "I first met your brother Ferris at a tourney in Darkdell over a decade ago. In fact, I rode against him in the joust, and unhorsed him. He was impressed and wanted to have a chat afterwards. I admit I was at first a bit cautious about a Dornish prince approaching me, but I realized quickly that he was a good man, and we became friends. As a fourthborn there was nothing for me in Ashford, and Ferris said he could make me a royal guard to King Garrison."
"So you accepted," Isabella concluded calmly, and Soren nodded quietly. Just then they arrived to the door of Desmor's chambers. Isabella knocked on the door softly, and after a moment her brother opened the door. Desmor had a tired look on his eyes, and he was dressed just in his underwear and a blue tunic. "Bella, what is it?" He asked with a yawn.
"Just wanted to come and see you, brother," Isabella answered dryly. "Could you find some clothes?"
"Oh, wait a second," Desmor muttered and walked back, returning in a moment with pants and a vest on. "So, was there something you wanted to talk about?" He asked now, and Isabella walked past him into the room.
"Well, I just wanted to ask how did last evening go," she said quietly, and noticed a slight smirk formed on Desmor's face. "It went pretty well," he said slyly, to which Isabella raised an eyebrow.
"And Arianne?" She asked curiously, and Desmor shrugged. "She hasn't given an answer yet, but I'm pretty confident she'll agree," he said as he sat down next to the small table by the window. "Just have to be patient with her," he added quietly.
"Well that's... good, I guess?" Isabella said with a questioning tone, and Desmor nodded. "Yeah, I'd say so," he said with a quiet sigh, pouring lemon juice to his cup. He then looked at Isabella and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going to give you details, okay?" He snapped, and Isabella chuckled sweetly.
"Don't worry, I don't need them," she chirped as she sat down opposed to him. "I'm just happy to see you smiling again." Desmor didn't reply, but he gave her a smile. For a moment they sat there quietly, until the door was knocked again.
"I can take it," Isabella said, and made her way to the door. Opening it, she saw Darinna Drinkwater standing next to Ser Soren. There was an opened raven scroll on her hand, and the expression on her face was depressed and pitying. "My princess," the old lady said quietly, stepping into the room. "My prince," she added as she saw Desmor sitting by the table. "This is a message from Skyreach, it arrived this morning," she said, handing the scroll to Isabella. "My condolences," she muttered with a compassionate tone, before walking out of the room.
Her smile completely faded, Isabella opened the scroll, and started reading what she recognized as the handwriting of Garrison's scribe.
Lord Drinkwater,
This is a message for my son and daughter, Prince Desmor and Princess Isabella, who should be in Oasis Castle by the time this message arrives.
Terrible news have just arrived from the north. Ferris has been murdered during the siege of Kingsgrave, and the army is now marching back towards Skyreach. The circumstances of the death are still somewhat unclear, but apparently an assassin hired by King Albin sneaked into his tent during the night and slashed his throat. By the time Ferris' body was found, the killer was long gone.
Isabella, I don't want you to turn back because of this. I know these news will sadden you deeply, as they have saddened me, but you still have a bright future ahead of you in Starfall, and I kindly ask you to continue forward instead of looking back. And Desmor, I know I cannot make demands in something like this, but I wish you would also continue to escort and protect your sister on her journey. There will be time to mourn your brother once you return home. This is a hard time for us all, but do not despair, for we can be sure Ferris' soul flies through the Seven Heavens.
Garrison Fowler, King of the Stone and Sky, Lord of Skyreach
Isabella was frozen after reading the letter, unable to say anything. She was reading the lines again and again. This can't be true.
"What is it?" Desmor asked impatiently, and as Isabella turned to look at him, she felt tears coming to her eyes. Starting to sob, she handed the letter to Desmor. As he read through it, a grim and angered expression took over his face.
"I need to go back," he said immediately, putting the scroll down on the table. "I need to respect my brother's memory, and I need to avenge him," he stated determinedly. Isabella stepped closer to Desmor. She put her hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. Desmor wasn't crying, instead his eyes were filled with fury and determination. Isabella could understand her brother's feelings, his wish to do something about this, his desire for vengeance. However, part of her didn't want him to leave now, to leave her alone with this pain. But can I truly ask him to abandon his pursue for vengeance?
[Ask him to stay] [Let him go]
Whoa, this is a hard choice. This is a really hard choice and one I did not expect right here. You know I consider Garrison to be a brilliant man, but I think this part shows that he has a very fundamental weakness and that is his family. Because in contrast to the absolutely ruthless schemer we've seen on occasion, he made quite the mistake here, probably out of grief. It would have been far better if he wouldn't have sent the letter. That was, quite honestly, the worst timing he could have picked. He knows Desmor, he knows he'd want to return to Skyreach and now we are in a really difficult situation. He really has a talent in making things harder for other characters, but this time is the first he did so for his own family
Anyways, it was a very nice part! I earlier had this concern that the Drinkwater's are secretly plotting against the Fowler's and that Isabella is in danger around them, but unless they pull off some Frey level of two-timing betrayal, I am actually more inclined to believe this was just me being paranoid. Arianne makes a decent impression on me. If anyone can replace Gwen in the Skyreach storyline I mourn so dearly, it'll be her. You know how much I regret deciding against that storyline and don't get me wrong, this is bittersweet in a way, but Arianne is pretty okay, which really is the highest praise I am humanly capable of giving, considering she basically replaces Gwendis in Skyreach. The fact that I don't hate her guts, but actually kinda like her really speaks in her favour. Darinna is definitely amazing, getting some Margaery-Olenna vibes from these two and I fully appreciate it.
All in all, I am very much willed to abstain for the time being. This is a brutally hard choice and maybe reading the reasoning of other readers will make this easier on me. However, I don't like to abstain and I have not shied away from harder choices before, so I'll vote for now, with a kinda uneasy feeling and being very open to maybe change my vote once some others have given their opinions on this choice.
[Let him go]
This actually kinda hits me. Thing is, we know Desmor and we know he wants to win glory, to follow his passions and be of use to his family, whereas being prohibited from doing so is the most terrible thing one can do to him. We know how much Garrison denying him earlier chances at glory hurt him, we know how heartbreaking it was when he learned that Gwendis wanted to avoid the marriage so badly that she ran away from home (and he still doesn't know that he was in no way responsible for this), but we also know how much it meant to him to finally be able to do something when he lead some of the Fowler army against the Manwoody troops. At the same time, I don't want to leave Isabella alone, not because I am concerned for her safety, this part kinda convinced me this is not the case, but because she could need Desmor's support. Isabella and Desmor currently have the most supportive and functioning sibling relationship in the entire story, so clearly, it could be good for both to stay together. I doubt he'd really hold it against her all that much, but not letting him go could hurt him, not in the way that he's angry at her, but that he is angry in general, frustrated and feeling generally useless once again after just getting over that feeling. It probably will hurt him and considering that I feel very much responsible for him being put through quite some pain when I made the regretful decision to change my vote in favour of Aisha, I would feel quite bad with putting him through more stress. At the same time, I feel just as bad for Isabella and as such, take this more as me tending in favour of letting him go instead of outright picking it. I'll remain curious how the others decide here and given what an indecisive person I am when it comes to this story, you can probably count on me changing my vote at least once.
Well it's certainly appropriate that this choice feels hard, because that's exactly what it is for Isabella. And as for Garrison, I agree, his biggest weakness definitely is his family. Then again, without his family he'd also have a lot less compassion. Compassion can be a weakness in certain situations, but definitely not always. Keeping Desmor and Isabella in the dark about Ferris' fate would've perhaps been the pragmatic move from Garrison here, but also really cold. Such coldness could be expected from Garrison in many situations, but not when it comes to his family. And you could also see this as him making sure Isabella and Desmor first hear about this from him, instead of suddenly hearing some rumors about it somewhere down the line. Nonetheless, this is a difficult situation for sure.
Ah, I'm really glad you enjoyed the part!
And distrust towards Drinkwater's isn't completely uncalled for, considering how lackluster they have been in supporting the Fowler's on their war efforts. However, that's just more about them being sort of isolated from the rest of the kingdom, rather than being outright treasonous. I guess you could compare it to the relationship between Stark's and Reed's. And yeah, I can definitely see the similarity between Darinna-Arianne and Olenna-Margaery 
Alright, I'll make sure to double check your choice when counting the votes
And you bring up the most important arguments for both choices here: letting Desmor go would mean letting him follow his ambition and feel useful again, while asking him to stay would mean Isabella and Desmor could support each other through this time of mourning, and perhaps get over it in a more healthy way than seeking vengeance. Oh, and nice Aisha easter egg you got there 
I was pretty curious to how Isabella and Desmor would find out about their brother's death and this definitely was the best way for them to hear about it rather than rumors where the story could have easily been changed by the time it got to them. I definitely feel for the both of them here and while I see the viewpoint for picking both choices, I believe that I am going to vote for Isabella to [Ask him to stay]
I hate to deny Desmor the chance to avenge Ferris but after debating on what to choose, I feel like staying with Isabella would be best for the both of them in the long run. One of the biggest factors in this is the theory of mine that I see Skyreach as probably the unsafest place to be in western Dorne if not now then very soon. The Fowler's will have a target on their back especially since they were Albin's original targets to begin with and with it looking like that the Manwoody's will align with Yorick Yronwood, the Manwoody's may be untouchable to the Fowler's at least for the time being. Desmor would not have the numbers to take Albin down and if he were to recklessly try to meet the Manwoody and potentially the Wyl's in battle, he would probably just be heading back to his own death as well. I believe you have said that you would be willing to change canon in regards to the various king's fates and with Garrison rapidly adding new enemies to the picture, Desmor might be far more important than he ever thought he would be since he is the heir at this point at least until Matthos comes of age. That is a longshot theory I know but it could happen
Also like Liquid said and probably the most important reason is that Isabella and Desmor will get to stick together through this very troubling time and I honestly believe that they need each other now more than ever especially since in Isabella's case this is without a doubt the biggest tragedy to have ever happened in her life. While Desmor might not be too happy about staying right now, he still has a job to do escorting Isabella to Starfall and along with what I said above, I honestly believe that this will be the safest choice for him in the short and long term as well.
On a side note though, this was a really awesome part which helped relieve my worry that the Drinkwater's were really shady and I really do enjoy Arianne and Darinna and hope Desmor can succeed getting Arianne to marry him! It was also really neat getting to learn about Soren as well since I was really curious about how a Reachman knight made his way to being a guard for a Dornish king. Plus it was pretty funny hearing that Soren isn't much a fan of Jamison which doesn't surprise me since I highly doubt many of the other knights are big fans of him
and of course it was sweet seeing how she talks of Jamison as well! Safe to say It really makes me excited to see their first appearance in the story together!
Yeah, staying is definitely the safer option for Desmor here, if also the less satisfying. Obviously he is filled with anger right now, but you raise a good point in questioning if he'd truly be able to get his vengeance now that the Manwoody's seem to be allying with the Yronwood's. The last thing the Fowler's need right now is another one of them needlessly dying.
Indeed, I'd say this is the biggest tragedy of their lives for everyone in the Fowler family. I mean, there is also the death of their mother, but at least she died peacefully at Skyreach, whereas Ferris was brutally murdered. And yeah, appealing to Desmor's sense of duty would probably be the best way to make him stay, and Isabella will probably bring it up if this choice wins.
Yeah, like I said to Liquid, the Drinkwater's have certainly made themselves suspect by being so hesitant to help in the war against Manwoody's. And obviously Lord Jared didn't really give the best impression in the last part. And I'm glad you enjoyed the little chat between Isabella and Soren
I'm sure this journey will give me even more chances to give some depth to Soren's character, but explaining his backstory was long overdue. And oh man, you're not the only one looking forward to Isabella and Jamison finally meeting in-story! 
And speaking of Jamison, we should finally return to his storyline quite soon 
[Let him go]
[Ask him to stay] Running back to Skyreach to avenge Ferris maybe what Desmor would normally do, but is too risky, and thanks to the Yronwood, there's no immediate threat to the Fowler's (House Wyl and Yronwood will spread their resources too thin if they march westwards now). House Dayne and Fowler will have this union. And it will be good for Isabella that her brother is with her.
[Ask him to stay]
I'm not sure that either Isabella or Desmor should be alone during this time.
[Let him go]
Voting is closed!
And argh, it's a tie!
Haven't had these in a while, but I'm going to go with the choice of Isabella's creator. Meaning, she will ask Desmor to stay. Sure, Desmor will be a bit disappointed by this, but it is definitely the safer option for both of them. And it's not like Isabella will be forcing him to stay, she will just appeal to his brotherly love and sense of duty to protect her 
And this is definitely the better option for Isabella herself, to have someone around her that she can truly share this feeling of loss with, and hopefully get over it in time.
Next up, we'll get a double part, meaning two PoVs. One of them will be Jamison, and the other will be a brand new minor PoV. Last time we saw Jamison he was still in Vaith, getting used to his new scar and feeling a bit down. He decided to skip Lucifer's wedding, and headed straight towards Clearhaven, which has been added to the Kingdom of Torrentine thanks to him. And the minor PoV, well, it'll take place in Hellgate Hall
Hopefully I'll get the parts done by tomorrow!
I also have a couple new portraits for you. Darinna Drinkwater and Ser Soren Ashford:
Phew, I was a bit too late, because I had absolutely no time to reply to your reply yesterday, but I was actually going to break the tie by abstaining from the vote entirely XD Seriously, this was a hard choice and ultimately, I did not feel confident with making any real decision in it, so I am glad you took on the hard task of breaking this tie instead of me having to do it. I am still not sure which is the better option here, so I am definitely happy with either option.
Man that really was a close call! I was leaning toward the choice I made of course but I was pretty torn on it as well. I figure I may as well ask now if it doesn't somehow have spoilers of course, what would have happened if we sent Desmor away? I am pretty curious about what his plans exactly would have been if he went back to Skyreach and particularly his fate. On a side note though, I am really hyped about the upcoming Jamison part! He is probably almost on Dayne land which is a very good thing and I am also intrigued by the Hellgate Hall part and I have a feeling something huge will be going down there. Safe to say I am pretty excited for these upcoming parts of course I always am though!
Well, obviously this all would've happened off screen, but basically Desmor would've returned to Skyreach and demanded from Garrison that he could lead the returning army back to Kingsgrave. Of course, Garrison would've said no to this, but Desmor would've still gathered a small force to at least guard the border, in case Manwoody raiders would decide to attack again. Desmor wouldn't have been harmed in any of this, but it would've meant the marriage pact with Drinkwater's wouldn't have happened - at least not yet.
And I'm glad to hear you're excited for the next parts, but I should probably tell that neither of them will be very action packed or anything like that. They should definitely move the plot forward though
The Loyal Soldier
Ulwyck Tiddle knocked lightly on the door of the guest chamber, and proceeded to open it. Stepping in, he saw his little sister Gwyneth sitting quietly at a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by several handmaidens working on her hair and makeup. She looked outstandingly beautiful, and was dressed in a flamboyant white dress, made by the best tailors of the King.
Behind Gwyneth and the handmaidens stood their older brother Lewyn, leaning against the wall next to a small window, a relaxed expression on his face. "Brother," Gwyneth managed to say from the middle of the handmaidens, a meek tone on her voice. "Good afternoon, sister," Ulwyck replied quietly, while walking past her and approaching Lewyn. "And brother," he added coldly as he looked at Lewyn, who nodded lightly as a response.
"I'm almost surprised to see that you left your very important duties at the town guard to come and see your sister's wedding," he said sarcastically, a sly smirk on his face. Ulwyck didn't even bother with answering, and just shot his brother with a cold glare.
"Could you leave us for a moment," Ulwyck said to the handmaidens, who glanced at each other, and proceeded to walk out of the room. Ulwyck then walked in front of his sister, and looked her to the eyes. "How are you?" He asked calmly.
"I'm nervous," Gwyneth answered, a timid look in her eyes. "I don't know the King, he is much older than me, and I'm supposed to..."
"It'll be fine," Lewyn cut Gwyneth off, tapping her softly on the shoulder. "The King will treat you gently, trust me, I know him." Ulwyck rolled his eyes to his brother's words. 'Trust me, I know him' - well you certainly keep reminding everyone about that.
"Do you have something to say, little brother?" Lewyn asked with a strict voice, looking at Ulwyck with a raised eyebrow. "No, I don't," Ulwyck answered sternly, turning his eyes to Gwyneth again. "I know this must be hard for you, little sister, but you should also keep in mind that marrying the King will make you the Queen. You'll be the most influential woman in the whole kingdom, and perhaps one day your son will wear the crown."
"I never asked for anything like that," Gwyneth replied with a sigh, turning her gaze down with a defeated look in her eyes. For a moment all three of them were quiet, until Lewyn lowered himself next to Gwyneth, and gently put his arm around her. "You're tough girl, Gwyn, you'll make it through this," he said with an encouraging tone, and for once Ulwyck completely agreed with his brother. Gwyneth raised up her gaze, smiling shyly at her brothers. "Thanks," she managed to mumble, wiping the tears from her eyes. Just then, the door was opened again, and this time in walked their father, Lord Bedwyck Tiddle.
"Everything alright here?" He asked with a polite and formal tone, and Lewyn stood up and quickly approached him. "Everything is fine, father," he answered smoothly. "Gwyneth is almost ready for the wedding."
"Good, because it's almost time for the ceremony," Bedwyck said with a tense tone. "In fact, you two should probably hurry to the sept. We'll come soon after you."
And so, Lewyn and Ulwyck walked out of the room together, and started making their way towards the sept. Hellgate Hall was busy with nobility, though not quite as busy as one would expect for a royal wedding. That was of course because of the war against the Martell's. That war was fought on the Central Dorne, and many expected it to also end there. Even the most pessimistic didn't expect the Martell's to conquer further than the Vaith.
"So, when do you plan to marry, brother?" Lewyn asked as they walked through the courtyard, and Ulwyck threw him a confused glance. "When I find a good woman to marry, I suppose," he said sternly, to which his brother chuckled.
"And do you plan to find this woman by patrolling the streets of Tidmarsh?" He asked sarcastically. "Well, it's not like you're married either," Ulwyck shot back, and Lewyn nodded.
"I'm not, but I do have some plans," he said with a sly tone. Just then they arrived to the sept, and had to stay quiet. They made their way to the front row, as was expected from the family of the bride. On the other side was just Lord Harrion Uller, the King's most important vassal, since none of his actual family was present. Right behind them were two young girls, surrounded by guards clad in Qorgyle tabards. This would probably be the only time in Ulwyck's life that Qorgyle's would have to stand behind him. He wasn't particularly excited though, the front row wasn't his place. I am just a loyal soldier, not a true nobleman.
Now King Lucifer walked past them, and approached the septon who stood by the altar. The King was dressed in fine red and black silks, and on his hands was a dark red cape, embroidered with the black suns of House Dryland. And on his head was the golden crown of Brimstone, which made his dour face look at least a bit more kingly.
And then everyone turned to look towards the doors, as Bedwyck Tiddle entered the sept, escorting Gwyneth with him. Slowly they walked through the sept, and she looked more beautiful than ever, dressed in the white wedding dress and black cloak of House Tiddle. As they got closer to the altar, the King smiled, but it didn't look genuine. Bedwyck removed the black cloak and gave Gwyneth away to Lucifer with a deep bow, before making his way next to Lewyn and Ulwyck.
The septon spoke a prayer for the Seven, while Lucifer put the cloak of House Dryland over Gwyneth's shoulders. Then they turned to face each other, and the King grabbed his young bride's hands. "With this kiss I pledge my love," they spoke together, though Gwyneth's voice could hardly be heard under the King's. And so they kissed, briefly and gently. "You are one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever," the septon announced ceremonially, and the people in the sept applauded.
-
The feast was plentiful, but once again not quite as grand as one would expect from a royal wedding. The wedding pie had been cut, and the King was enjoying with his bride. Ulwyck could see that Gwyneth was still nervous, but he had also seen her smiling at least couple times. Lewyn had been discussing with Lord Harrion the whole time, while Bedwyck sat quietly next to Gwyneth, a satisfied smirk stuck on his face.
Ulwyck gulped down his fourth cup of wine, when he saw one of the Qorgyle girls approaching him. The girl was tall and slim, probably about fifteen years old, with dark curly hair and sharp brown eyes. "Evening," she said calmly, leaning on the table and looking at Ulwyck.
"Um, evening," he managed to mutter. After a brief moment of awkward silence, the girl spoke up again. "I am Ellaria Qorgyle, the first daughter and heiress of Lord Allar Qorgyle," she introduced herself with a polite and professional tone. "And you are?"
"I am Ulwyck Tiddle, second son of Lord Bedwyck Tiddle," he said quickly, and Ellaria gave him a forced smile. "Ulwyck, would you happen to know why Prince Jamison Dayne isn't here?" She asked sharply. "I was under the impression that he would take part in this wedding."
"No idea," Ulwyck said with a shrug, and Ellaria let out a disappointed sigh.
"I heard he was injured in the battle of Vaith," Lewyn spoke up, apparently having overheard their conversation. "I imagine that's why he decided not to come."
"And you are?" Ellaria asked with narrowed eyes. "Lewyn Tiddle, the brother of the Queen," he answered smoothly, a charming smile on his face. "Now, would I be wrong in assuming that you came here to offer Prince Jamison some sort of proposal?" He asked calmly. "I mean, you are the heir to Sandstone and still unmarried, while Jamison is an ambitious second son of King Vorian Dayne. Some would say it's a perfect match."
"You're a smart one, Lewyn Tiddle," Ellaria complimented sternly, and Lewyn nodded to her. "What a pity that Jamison decided to skip the wedding, you lost the perfect opportunity to win his heart," he said with a theatrical sigh. "But do not despair, mylady, Jamison is not the only man in the world," he added with a smirk, before turning back to Harrion Uller. Ellaria's gaze lingered on Lewyn for a moment, before she turned and walked away. Ulwyck glanced at his brother. So that's your plan, huh?
After a moment Bedwyck stood up, a wide grin on his face. "I think it is time for a bedding!" He yelled, and the people in the hall responded with loud cheers. And so the ladies ran to carry King Lucifer, while the men took Gwyneth to their arms. Ulwyck however stayed on his seat, watching as his sister was carried away. He didn't want to take part in this, for him Gwyneth was still an innocent little girl, and that's how he wanted to keep seeing her.
No decision
-
Jamison
Finally seeing the sandstone walls of Clearhaven ahead of him, Jamison let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't quite home, but the journey from here on should be much easier.
As they rode through the gates, Jamison noticed that Dayne banners had been hanged above them, indicating that the town was now officially part of the Kingdom of Torrentine. The result of my work, Jamison thought with some satisfaction and pride. However, riding through the relatively short and quiet main street of the town, a frown took over his face. Was this little town really worth all the trouble? He had to ask himself, touching lightly on the scar on his face.
They arrived quickly to the harbor of the town, where the colors of House Dayne reigned. Five ships with the purple sails were anchored in the bay, as well as a smaller Westerosi merchant vessel, a Summer Islander swan ship, and a large trade ship from east of the Narrow Sea.
As he dismounted his horse, Jamison noticed his uncle Garret by the docks, conversing with someone dressed in the colors of House Dryland. Starting to approach him, the rest of the convoy followed after Jamison.
"Uncle!" He yelled with a grin, and with some confusion Garret turned towards him. Jamison noticed him eyeing his scar for a couple seconds, before finally speaking up. "Jamison, we weren't expecting you so soon," he said, tapping him on his shoulder.
"Ah, yes, I decided to skip Lucifer's wedding," he explained with a carefree tone, to which Garret raised an eyebrow. "I tried to advice otherwise," Laroy quickly said, and Garret let out a sigh.
"Well, I can't say you haven't done your job," he said with a shrug. "Come, let's go inside, I have a lot to tell you."
And so Jamison and Garret made their way into the harbor master's quarters close by, Laroy coming with them. As they sat down by the table, Garret poured mugs of rum for all of them. "I believe congratulations are in order," he said and raised his mug. Jamison and Laroy shared a confused glance, but raised their cups nonetheless. "Here is to Jamison Dayne, the Lord of Clearhaven," Garret said with a sly grin, and gulped down his rum.
"What?" Jamison said immediately, putting down his mug without taking a sip. "Aye, the King has named you the new lord of this town," Garret confirmed with a warm chuckle. "Don't worry, you can still live in Starfall, but this town will be your legacy, something to pass down to your children. And speaking of that, Vorian has also agreed to a marriage proposal from the Fowler's – you are to wed Princess Isabella."
Now Jamison gulped down his rum, and stared his uncle straight to the eyes. "If this is some dumb joke from you, I'll throw your ass to the sea," he grumbled, but Garret just laughed and shook his head. "No, it is not a joke," he assured calmly, and now Jamison couldn't hold back his grin anymore.
"Congratulations," Laroy said now, also gulping down his rum. "Thank you," Jamison muttered quietly, still having a hard time believing it. This was what he had dreamed of for so long, but it felt surreal to even think that that dream was finally coming true. "I hope she won't mind the scar," he mumbled.
"I doubt she will," Garret said with a smirk. "I mean, it is pretty nasty, but that girl loves you enough to see past it. How did you get that scar anyway?" He asked with an intrigued tone, and Jamison proceeded to pour more of the rum to his cup. "It happened in Vaith, there was a battle," Jamison answered quietly. Garret raised his eyebrow, glancing at Laroy.
"Well, did you kill the man who did that to you?" He asked, and Jamison shook his head. "I didn't," he admitted grimly. "It's... complicated, and frankly, I don't feel like talking about it."
"Fine with me," Garret said with a shrug. "Perhaps it is indeed better to concentrate on the future, especially now."
"I agree," Laroy said with a subtle smile. "So, how are things back in Starfall?" He asked, and Garret took a moment to answer, pouring more of the rum for himself and Laroy. "Well, King Benedict's son gave us a visit," he started with a sigh. "Some problems with rebels in Blackmont... Malcolm and Davos left with him, as well as Alester Upton."
"Alester went to help the Blackmont's?" Jamison asked with disbelief in his words, and Garret nodded. "Vorian commanded him to go," he clarified with a chuckle.
"Oh, well that makes more sense," Jamison said with a smirk forming on his face. "Anyway, I noticed five of our ships at the harbor... are they here to defend the city?"
"Well, one of them is here to take you home," Garret responded calmly. "And two of them will continue to Brimstone, transporting more supplies for the Dryland's. However, two of them will indeed stay here. For now at least."
"Good," Jamison said smoothly. "Would be pity if my new town was left unguarded."
"Oh, don't you worry about that," Garret said with a grin. "We all greatly appreciate your efforts to bring Clearhaven back to the Dayne's, and we aren't planning to lose it any time soon."
Jamison gulped down the rest of his rum and stood up. "Well, conquering is tiresome work, I think I need some rest now," he said with a sigh. And so, Garret showed him to one of the bedchambers in the harbor master's house.
-
Next morning Jamison stood quietly at the harbor, watching the two Dayne ships leaving the bay, heading towards Brimstone. Meanwhile the crew of Starfire - the ship that would take Jamison back to Starfall - loaded the cargo to their ship, including Jamison's luggage. He could've helped them, he wasn't too tired for that, but he knew a prince shouldn't lower himself to do the servants' job.
Garret walked next to Jamison, and tapped him on his shoulder. "So, did Laroy and the rest serve you well?" He asked quietly, and after a moment's hesitation Jamison nodded. "Why do you ask that?" He asked with some confusion, and Garret looked at his scar. "Well, none of them seemed to have a scratch on them, while you..."
"It wasn't any of their fault," Jamison said with a sigh. "It was my own fuck up."
"Interesting," Garret stated calmly. "I'd certainly like to meet the man who managed to do that to you and live to tell the tale," he said with a sly grin.
"Go to Vaith and you should find him," Jamison said nonchalantly. "Lord Kris Vaith, that is," he quickly clarified, to which Garret reacted with a surprised expression. "Interesting," he said again with a deadpan tone. "And you don't plan to... pay back?"
"Like I said earlier, it's complicated," Jamison said, and kept looking at the distancing ships on the bay. After a brief moment of silence, Garret spoke up again. "Complicated how?" He asked calmly. Jamison took in a deep breath. I guess I should've expected people to be curious, he thought with some frustration.
[Tell him what happened] [Come up with a lie] [Say that you don't want to talk about it]
Oh man, I just had the weirdest thought. I mean, I doubt Jamison would have ever married someone other than Isabella out of his own free will (and even then only under massive pressure), but just imagine for a moment how insanely awkward it would have been if Ellaria would have somehow managed to convince him. Then he returns to Clearhaven with a new betrothal in his pockets, only to learn about the news from Skyreach. Safe to say that would have been awkward and I am glad it did not happen that way. Out of curiosity though, would Ellaria actually had any chance with him at all?
Anyways, nice part for sure. I am sort of relieved that Jamison did not attend Lucifer's wedding, if only to avoid the potential problems this could have caused. It seemed to have gone well in general though, I low-ley expected some kind of a fallout that would turn the tides on favour of Nymeria, but at the same time, it might still be a bit too early for that. Poor Gwyneth though, it seems she won't have a happy marriage, or a particularly long one. I wonder what will happen to her in the things to come, because while I don't know Nym's opinion on this, she is technically a threat now, as the Queen of Brimstone once Lucifer is dealt with.
[Tell him what happened]
So, I know how unlikely this story sounds, but Jamison has never been one to believe in fairytales and I believe his uncle knows that. More importantly, it would mean that more people would know about the existence and powers of the Great Other servants. They rely on secrecy and given how intensely I hate each and every last one of them already, I would love nothing more than to have this small opportunity to make their presence more known to the public. I doubt it'll harm Aisha or Valerie in any way, especially not as quickly as I need them to be gone, but if there is a chance, any chance and be it as tiny as this one that some day they'll get exactly what they deserve, then I just have to pick it.
Ellaria herself wouldn't have much interested Jamison, but the offer to basically become the next Lord of Sandstone would've at the very least intrigued him. He wouldn't have made any promises to Ellaria before consulting with Vorian though, so ultimately he would've dodged that bullet anyway
Oh man safe to say these were both definitely interesting parts! I definitely wasn't expecting an Ulwyck Tiddle PoV but I enjoyed it none the less. I had been pretty curious about which PoV we would see the wedding happen from and this was definitely the perfect one here. Gwyneth, now that we have officially met her in the story, I definitely do feel pretty sorry for her having been dragged into a marriage that I am sure she didn't want at all regardless of if he's the king or not. This is definitely her family's doing and I can't help but wonder if she has a target on her back now and if she will even get pregnant for her husband even though I feel like the Martell's will already have already defeated the Dryland's by that point.
I also see what that interesting event you were talking about happening at the wedding is going to be now. Jamison might have became a Qorgyle
Like Liquid, I am curious about whether Jamison would have even entertained the idea since while he only cares about Isabella, it definitely seems like Jamison had discounted marrying her as something that could actually happen awhile ago even he still did have some hope for it still. Also, he would literally just be her trophy husband basically with no claim to Sandstone if I understand correctly which Jamison would not be a fan of at all I don't think.. Which I guess the actual power Jamison had would have boiled down to if Ellaria is an Esperence or Gwendis type who wants to be involved politically or if she would basically just be a figurehead. WIth all of that said though, I am glad Jamison skipped the wedding so we didn't have to find out since like Liquid said, that would have been a bit awkward and I obviously prefer that the story has turned out the way it has! It looks like marrying Ellaria is Lewyn's plan now so he can knock himself out there! Also I am pretty curious about if Ulwyck will turn into a temporary PoV since while he wasn't named as a PoV in story, I could see him being a temporary Hellgate Hall PoV potentially with no other PoV options currently there.
As for the Jamison part, I obviously enjoyed this as well! It was very neat seeing the result of what Jamison accomplished here and while Jamison is still struggling with the scar, he definitely seems as if he is starting to feel better about it and is starting to turn back into his old self! It was also cool to hear Jamison reaction to the current events in Starfall and of course I enjoyed Jamison's reaction about getting to marry Isabella as well!! He definitely showed genuine happiness there and it makes me all the more excited for their reunion which I am already insanely hyped for!
As for the choice, I am going to vote for Jamison to [Tell him what happened] While Jamison is clearly ashamed about what happened, I definitely feel he needs to get this off of his chest and there is hardly anyone better to that with then his uncle that he is close with. I don't think Garret would judge him or go around telling everyone about what happened and overall I feel like Jamison just needs to get this out there rather then keeping it to himself which I don't believe would be good for him in the long run considering how ashamed he is of it and I guess it would also tell Garret that in a way Jamison wasn't completely defeated since Jamison wasn't at his right mind during this battle which of course at his right mind, he wouldn't have been fighting for Valerie anyhow but it would also shed some life about what Jamison has seen as well which is something that I also feel Jamison needs to get off his chest to someone.
Yep, under the right circumstances Jamison might've indeed became a Qorgyle
However, as I already said to Liquid, in the current situation it wouldn't have happened even if Jamison would've taken part in the wedding. He would've been intrigued by the possibility, but wouldn't have commited to it yet, and obviously learning that Isabella is on her way would've made him completely uninterested. So, this was more just a tease of what could've been if Isabella would've ended up marrying someone else. And well, I'd say that in terms of wanting to be involved with ruling Ellaria is somewhere between Isabella (not at all interested) and Esperence (very interested). So, the solution would've probably been Jamison and Ellaria ruling as a couple à la Nymeria & Mors. As for Ulwyck, he won't be getting parts as often as the regular PoVs, but for now he is indeed our eyes in Hellgate Hall.
Yeah, this part was mostly meant to show the concrete results of Jamison's journey in Book 1 so far, as well as start to concentrate on what's ahead. Jamison himself has very mixed feelings right now, happy for what he has achieved, but also a bit frustrated of what it cost him. When it comes to the news about Isabella though, his feelings are purely happy
And I am also very excited to finally show these two interacting within the story!
[Tell him what happened]