Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
L… moreooking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a s… [view original content]
Yay! The first official parts after the prologue has begun! For the first choice I'll say [Decline]. I doubt that will win, and even if it did, she might end up doing it anyways, but from what I can gather this would most likely be what she would want to say. For the second choice, I'm obviously going to pick, [Go with Nesila]. He has spent over two years with her, and they seem to be very close. I doubt he would just strait up abandon her after everything they have been through together, just cause he doesn't want to deal with more fighting. She is his comrade, friend, and still a potential romantic partner, and he wouldn't just abandon her. I will save the Vesila ship!
Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
L… moreooking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a s… [view original content]
[Agree to do it] This isn't about war, is about finding this Ammon before he's injured. We all know how merciful Varyn is to dissidents, so she better finds him. [Go with Nesila] A bad idea, but they've been together for too long to just walk away. The Free Ravens are a mysterious group, but we know Corbray is certainly no friend of Manwoody.
I need a brief explanation of who's the oldest of the five siblings, because Hondo mentioned their eldest sister Khepri was the heir, so that makes him the second or third, but I don't know if Farrah is older or younger.
Yay! The first official parts after the prologue has begun! For the first choice I'll say [Decline]. I doubt that will win, and even if it d… moreid, she might end up doing it anyways, but from what I can gather this would most likely be what she would want to say. For the second choice, I'm obviously going to pick, [Go with Nesila]. He has spent over two years with her, and they seem to be very close. I doubt he would just strait up abandon her after everything they have been through together, just cause he doesn't want to deal with more fighting. She is his comrade, friend, and still a potential romantic partner, and he wouldn't just abandon her. I will save the Vesila ship!
I need a brief explanation of who's the oldest of the five siblings, because Hondo mentioned their eldest sister Khepri was the heir, so that makes him the second or third, but I don't know if Farrah is older or younger.
Sure. Like you say, Khepri was the eldest child of the Ghoyan Drohe royal family (she would be 39 now) and thus the heir. She refused to join Nymeria on her ten thousand ships, instead deciding to stay in Ghoyan Drohe even if it meant being destroyed. Hondo is the secondborn child, and the first son (now 38), and back in Rhoyne he was in charge of the family's army together with his father Prince Javed (who died in the war). Third is Farrah (30), and fourth is Ammon (28), who was a trainee of the Water Wizards back in Rhoyne. And lastly, Femi (25) is the youngest of the bunch. Oh, and in case you're wondering, their mother Princess Juni died to a sickness during the Rhoynar's stay on Naath.
[Agree to do it] This isn't about war, is about finding this Ammon before he's injured. We all know how merciful Varyn is to dissidents, so … moreshe better finds him.
[Go with Nesila] A bad idea, but they've been together for too long to just walk away. The Free Ravens are a mysterious group, but we know Corbray is certainly no friend of Manwoody.
I need a brief explanation of who's the oldest of the five siblings, because Hondo mentioned their eldest sister Khepri was the heir, so that makes him the second or third, but I don't know if Farrah is older or younger.
I need a brief explanation of who's the oldest of the five siblings, because Hondo mentioned their eldest sister Khepri was the heir, so tha… moret makes him the second or third, but I don't know if Farrah is older or younger.
Sure. Like you say, Khepri was the eldest child of the Ghoyan Drohe royal family (she would be 39 now) and thus the heir. She refused to join Nymeria on her ten thousand ships, instead deciding to stay in Ghoyan Drohe even if it meant being destroyed. Hondo is the secondborn child, and the first son (now 38), and back in Rhoyne he was in charge of the family's army together with his father Prince Javed (who died in the war). Third is Farrah (30), and fourth is Ammon (28), who was a trainee of the Water Wizards back in Rhoyne. And lastly, Femi (25) is the youngest of the bunch. Oh, and in case you're wondering, their mother Princess Juni died to a sickness during the Rhoynar's stay on Naath.
Ah, we got our first new PoV for this book and right at the beginning I do like Femi already, she seems like a character I'll enjoy reading more about. And well, I called it, Hondo is indeed related to Farrah. It seems that actually most of his family survived the war, with Farrah, Femi and Ammon all being confirmed alive. While I would have liked to see his reaction to meeting his family again, it makes sense that this is something that happened during the timeskip. And I am really curious about Femi's role in the events to come. Her position in the story so far kinda ruins a theory of mine that Mors would be the PoV mostly involved with the conspiracy storyline, because it seems kinda clear that Femi will have a pretty big role in there. Unless of course you mean to have two PoV's for the conspiracy, which would be a surprise, but something I could also see, as it seems to hold enough material to keep two PoV characters busy.
And in Verro's part, I am pleasantly surprised to see that some sort of romance has developed between Verro and Nesila, even if the hardships of the war against the Manwoody's and Norano's death have obviously caused it to cool off by now. Nonetheless, she seems fond of him still, so I am hopeful that they can patch things up between them, even if it might take a bit. Maybe after achieving revenge against Albin, I am not sure if Nesila will have the right peace of mind for love before this. I am surprised by the offscreen death of Zaltha Qo though. I mean, it's not as if he has been a major character in any way, but his death shows one aspect of the timeskips I have not thought of so far: Characters might actually die during the timeskips and it kinda makes sense. There will be two more timeskips coming and while I doubt any major character will just die inbetween for narrative reasons, I have to wonder if there have been more offscreen deaths among some of the minor or secondary characters and if more will come.
[Agree to do it]
I do believe that Farrah is right here. This doesn't have to be about fighting Nymeria's wars, about Femi loyally serving her princess or anything. First and foremost, I think there can be a way for her to do this without making it all about Nymeria, namely by her putting her family first. This whole conspiracy can only end with Ammon's death if he is involved and cannot be talked out of it. And the only one who would even try to save him in all this will be Femi herself. Varyn takes no prisoners and I doubt any of the others involved with bringing the conspiracy down have a reason to, so if she declines here, Ammon will eventually be brought down and killed. I really doubt Femi would want that, even if she dislikes serving Nymeria.
[Go with Nesila]
Hey, how could I choose anything else? Nesila and Verro have been a team in Book 1 and though things seem more distant between them now, I do have the hope they could rekindle things between them. I am a bit worried for Verro's safety, because no doubt any mission into the Manwoody lands will be dangerous, but I am certain he can pull it off if we make the right choices down the line. Nesila seems so confident that he will support her and I'd hate to let her down like this. Besides, I would like to learn more about the Free Ravens and it seems Verro is the PoV who will encounter them if we pick this option.
Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
L… moreooking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a s… [view original content]
Ah, we got our first new PoV for this book and right at the beginning I do like Femi already, she seems like a character I'll enjoy reading more about. And well, I called it, Hondo is indeed related to Farrah. It seems that actually most of his family survived the war, with Farrah, Femi and Ammon all being confirmed alive. While I would have liked to see his reaction to meeting his family again, it makes sense that this is something that happened during the timeskip. And I am really curious about Femi's role in the events to come. Her position in the story so far kinda ruins a theory of mine that Mors would be the PoV mostly involved with the conspiracy storyline, because it seems kinda clear that Femi will have a pretty big role in there. Unless of course you mean to have two PoV's for the conspiracy, which would be a surprise, but something I could also see, as it seems to hold enough material to keep two PoV characters busy.
Glad to hear you're already liking Femi! Her first part already introduced some of her defining traits, mainly her independence and dislike for taking sides. Simply put, she is the ultimate individualist That said, there is definitely still a lot more to learn about her going forward. And yeah, Femi's storyline will definitely be related to the conspiracy. As for Mors, we'll learn pretty soon what his storyline will be about.
And in Verro's part, I am pleasantly surprised to see that some sort of romance has developed between Verro and Nesila, even if the hardships of the war against the Manwoody's and Norano's death have obviously caused it to cool off by now. Nonetheless, she seems fond of him still, so I am hopeful that they can patch things up between them, even if it might take a bit. Maybe after achieving revenge against Albin, I am not sure if Nesila will have the right peace of mind for love before this. I am surprised by the offscreen death of Zaltha Qo though. I mean, it's not as if he has been a major character in any way, but his death shows one aspect of the timeskips I have not thought of so far: Characters might actually die during the timeskips and it kinda makes sense. There will be two more timeskips coming and while I doubt any major character will just die inbetween for narrative reasons, I have to wonder if there have been more offscreen deaths among some of the minor or secondary characters and if more will come.
Yeah, they had a thing during their journey to Nightsong, which we'll learn more about going forward. Verro definitely still has feelings for Nesila, and she clearly also still sees Verro as a companion of sorts, him being her first choice for this mission after all. And yeah, introducing the concept of characters potentially dying during the timeskip was one of the reasons why I decided to kill off Zaltha like this. Another reason was putting some weight and consequence into this Caron-Manwoody conflict that happened completely offscreen.
Ah, we got our first new PoV for this book and right at the beginning I do like Femi already, she seems like a character I'll enjoy reading… more more about. And well, I called it, Hondo is indeed related to Farrah. It seems that actually most of his family survived the war, with Farrah, Femi and Ammon all being confirmed alive. While I would have liked to see his reaction to meeting his family again, it makes sense that this is something that happened during the timeskip. And I am really curious about Femi's role in the events to come. Her position in the story so far kinda ruins a theory of mine that Mors would be the PoV mostly involved with the conspiracy storyline, because it seems kinda clear that Femi will have a pretty big role in there. Unless of course you mean to have two PoV's for the conspiracy, which would be a surprise, but something I could also see, as it seems to hold enough material to keep two PoV characters busy.
And in Ver… [view original content]
I'm hoping that Verro and Nesila would be able to protect each other in the Manwoody lands. It would have been more dangerous for either of them to go alone. So, I'm glad their traveling together again. Hopefully, the Free Ravens would find the Caron's to be beneficial allies, in their fight against the Manwoody's.
Ah, we got our first new PoV for this book and right at the beginning I do like Femi already, she seems like a character I'll enjoy reading… more more about. And well, I called it, Hondo is indeed related to Farrah. It seems that actually most of his family survived the war, with Farrah, Femi and Ammon all being confirmed alive. While I would have liked to see his reaction to meeting his family again, it makes sense that this is something that happened during the timeskip. And I am really curious about Femi's role in the events to come. Her position in the story so far kinda ruins a theory of mine that Mors would be the PoV mostly involved with the conspiracy storyline, because it seems kinda clear that Femi will have a pretty big role in there. Unless of course you mean to have two PoV's for the conspiracy, which would be a surprise, but something I could also see, as it seems to hold enough material to keep two PoV characters busy.
And in Ver… [view original content]
Wow, that Lucas portrait was perfect! I think you probably know by now that I'm a huge fan of your work, both the writing and the drawing, and once again you delivered here. Seriously, Lucas is almost exactly like how I pictured him in my mind, you even got some really small details that I put there right on spot (such as the dark eyes thing, for example). The armor he's wearing is pretty unique, as is his portrait as a whole, the background itself already does a great job with that strong red and he does look foreign in comparison to the dornish, it amazes me how you can still transmit that into a portrait with a cast as diverse as NW's.
[Agree to do it] I feel like this is more about saving her brother than actually picking sides, and I feel like for as much as Femi says she doesn't care, deep down she wouldn't want to see her brother die if she could at least do something about it. Also, it's pretty nice seeing how Planky Town came to be and I'm looking forward for the story to actually go there.
[Go with Nesila] Can't really pick anything else, really. They've been comrades for a long time and Nesila is already counting on his support, it would be a low blow to her if we were to do anything else but tag along. Thing is, this is definitely going to be a dangerous mission, that goes without saying, but now it's going to be even more tricky. Verro and Nesila went with the armies that plundered the villages in the Manwoody lands and killed its people. While I doubt Verro and Nesila were happy to do it, they still took part even if they were holding back. The smallfolk probably won't forget that and since they're very foreign, it won't be hard for the people to recognize their faces and know that they were somehow involved with the armies that attacked them not so long ago. I doubt anyone will give them information about the Ravens after that, and since they're only two people, they better watch their backs even when there's only smallfolk around. One thing is for sure though, the last group who sought to find the Free Ravens didn't fare very well... the Ravens found them first
Surprise! I actually got the parts done quicker than I though I would, so here ya go:
Chapter 1: The Red Sands and the White
Femi
L… moreooking at the unfinished palace being constructed next to Sandship, it was clear to Femi that Nymeria was attempting to recreate for herself the luxurious home she had had back in Ny Sar. Femi had lived in a palace once too, she had also been a princess back in Ghoyan Drohe, but she would never get that life back, nor did she desire it. No, she’d live the rest of her days on her modest boat, plying up and down the Greenblood.
With a sigh Femi brushed these thoughts off her mind, and made her way past the construction site and approached the gates of Sandship. “State your name and business”, the guardsman at the gates demanded sternly, and Femi shot him with a cold glare. “The name is Femi, I have been summoned here by Farrah of Ghoyan Drohe”, she responded unenthusiastically. The guardsman gave her a s… [view original content]
It's a bit late where I am at and I have an early day tomorrow so I'll just put my choices for now. I will give my thoughts along with why I picked my choices tomorrow
Edit: It looks like most of my thoughts on this part have been covered by the others but I will say that Femi looks to be a very fascinating character with her leaving her old life behind completely once she came to Dorne and I am especially surprised that she has denied Nymeria's rule in the way that she has considering all that Nymeria has done for her people. With that said, I shouldn't be considering that her desire for war is probably the last thing many of the Rhoynar like Femi want considering what all they had lost because of war once before. It looks like the conspiracy storyline is about to take off and I am excited to see who is exactly involved along with learning more about Femi along the way
As far as Verro's choice goes, I definitely would have voted for him to go elsewhere if it weren't for Neslia. He has fought for people that didn't let him have his free will for basically his entire life but now he has someone who he can count on as a friend and potentially more so while I would like Verro to find a life away from battle at some point, I do think standing behind Neslia is the right way to go here. Also, I really enjoyed the Kortney appearance here! From what the way that Verro described her, he said that she is an attractive but scarred woman so it sounds like she has recovered at least physically from her time in Kingsgrave so I am definitely excited to see a Book 2 portrait for her whenever that time comes
Wow, that Lucas portrait was perfect! I think you probably know by now that I'm a huge fan of your work, both the writing and the drawing, and once again you delivered here. Seriously, Lucas is almost exactly like how I pictured him in my mind, you even got some really small details that I put there right on spot (such as the dark eyes thing, for example). The armor he's wearing is pretty unique, as is his portrait as a whole, the background itself already does a great job with that strong red and he does look foreign in comparison to the dornish, it amazes me how you can still transmit that into a portrait with a cast as diverse as NW's.
Glad to hear you're pleased with the portrait! Having a detailed description in the submission always helps with making the portraits, and Lucas' submission did a great job in giving me a mental image of the guy.
Can't really pick anything else, really. They've been comrades for a long time and Nesila is already counting on his support, it would be a low blow to her if we were to do anything else but tag along. Thing is, this is definitely going to be a dangerous mission, that goes without saying, but now it's going to be even more tricky. Verro and Nesila went with the armies that plundered the villages in the Manwoody lands and killed its people. While I doubt Verro and Nesila were happy to do it, they still took part even if they were holding back. The smallfolk probably won't forget that and since they're very foreign, it won't be hard for the people to recognize their faces and know that they were somehow involved with the armies that attacked them not so long ago. I doubt anyone will give them information about the Ravens after that, and since they're only two people, they better watch their backs even when there's only smallfolk around. One thing is for sure though, the last group who sought to find the Free Ravens didn't fare very well... the Ravens found them first
You bring up a good point regarding the smallfolk of Manwoody kingdom potentially being unwelcoming towards any Caron soldiers. Of course, Nesila and Verro probably won't travel in Caron colors, precisely to be more safe, but like you say someone might well recognize them. We also don't know how the Free Ravens themselves would react to a proposition of such an alliance. After all, it seems clear they don't agree with the Carons methods of terrorizing the common people under Albin's rule. Anyway, let's hope Verro's experience with them won't be quite as grim as Joffrey Purell's was
Wow, that Lucas portrait was perfect! I think you probably know by now that I'm a huge fan of your work, both the writing and the drawing, a… morend once again you delivered here. Seriously, Lucas is almost exactly like how I pictured him in my mind, you even got some really small details that I put there right on spot (such as the dark eyes thing, for example). The armor he's wearing is pretty unique, as is his portrait as a whole, the background itself already does a great job with that strong red and he does look foreign in comparison to the dornish, it amazes me how you can still transmit that into a portrait with a cast as diverse as NW's.
[Agree to do it] I feel like this is more about saving her brother than actually picking sides, and I feel like for as much as Femi says she doesn't care, deep down she wouldn't want to see her brother die if she could at least do something about it. Also, it's pretty nice seeing how Planky Town came to b… [view original content]
So, Femi will agree to find Ammon and attempt to speak him out of the conspiracy. She will definitely make this choice begrudgingly, and her motive will be to save her brother rather than helping Nymeria. Anyway, Femi's next part will go more into detail about what exactly this mission will entail.
And Verro will go with Nesila. No surprises there, I could guess you'd want these two stick together And speaking of that, there should be a new H&L part for Verro coming soon, set during the timeskip.
As for the next parts in the story, I'm not sure yet how much I'll be able to write tomorrow, but you can expect something to be posted before the weekend. I have a Valor part about 50% written, and I've also started working on Mors' first part. The goal is to post them at the same time, but if I don't get the Mors part done before the weekend then I'll just post the Valor part. We'll see.
And here comes another addition to the Book 2 album of character portraits, this time our newest PoV, Femi of Ghoyan Drohe:
Hi everyone. I hope you all enjoy this new H&L. It focuses on both Verro and Nesila.
Verro & Nesila – Scars
Several weeks had passed since Verro, Nesila, and Zaltha had left Vaith, embarking on the journey through the desert to reach the Wide Way, and eventually Nightsong. Today they had come across travelers from the north, informing them that the Red Mountains were less than two days’ travel away. However, it was getting late now, and Zaltha suggested they set up camp for the night.
“Fine”, Nesila said with a sigh. The closer they got to their destination, the less she seemed to need rest, and the more eager she grew to reunite with her brother. “We’ll set up camp for tonight, but we leave first thing in the morning. As far as I know there shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel to Nightsong. With some luck the Carons will know exactly where Norano is.”
Verro sat down with a sigh, but before he could even think about laying down, he heard Nesila’s voice again. “Here, catch!” she yelled, throwing Verro one of the two wooden fighting staffs she had acquired during their stay in Vaith. “What do you want me to do with this?”, Verro questioned as he caught the staff.
“It’s to train with”, Nesila responded with a smirk. “Your leg is completely healed now. I don’t need you to be getting rusty on me.”
Verro grinned as he stood up and took off his shirt, revealing his various battle scars. “I was a pit fighter for five years and a pirate for four”, he reminded with a relaxed tone. “I don’t think you need to worry about me getting rusty.”
“We’ll see about that”, Nesila retorted, her grin only widening. “First, we will train with these; then we’ll train hand to hand,” she said as she raised her fists, to which Verro raised an eyebrow. “Whatever you say, but be prepared to lose”, he quipped as he raised the staff to an attack position.
The jumped towards each other, and their staffs clashed against each other three times in quick succession. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you about those scars”, Nesila said with a curious tone as they backed away from each other, both still holding the staffs high.
“Perhaps I’ll tell you, but I want to know some things about you first”, Verro replied sharply. “After all, I’ve already told you a lot about myself, while you remain a mystery.” Nesila moved for another attack, and Verro blocked it and made her jump back with his counter attack.
“What do you want to know?” she asked, breathing heavily, after deflecting another one of Verro’s blows. “How did you become such a good fighter?” He asked calmly. “Also, why did you and your brother join the Thunder Crew in the first place?”
As she dodged his swing, she looked Verro in the eyes and let out a small sigh. “It’s not a very pleasant story, Verro”, she warned, to which he shrugged. “I can handle it”, he assured, and Nesila nodded, and beginning to recount her story.
“Back in Myr, me and Norano were trained with spear from a young age”, she started with a tone that was both somber and longing at the same time. “We were to serve the temple of the Lady of Spears, but eventually Norano found a more lucrative employer, and convinced me to come with him. And so, we came to work under the wealthy and influential Vylohor family. Our job was to train their children and the new recruits with spear, which was simple enough.” Having said this, Nesila struck with her staff from above, and Verro only barely managed to react fast enough to block it.
“That explains your fighting ability”, he said with a confused tone on his voice. “But why would you want to leave such a secure and seemingly good life?” he asked, and Nesila rolled her eyes. “I was getting to that,” she said with a frustrated tone, striking again, harder this time. “Everything was going well until one day, when we woke up to find the entire family murdered.” The blunt way of Nesila telling this distracted Verro, allowing her to get a hit on his stomach.
“You let your guard down”, she stated monotonously. “It won’t happen again”, Verro muttered after a few moments of heavy breathing. Then he charged towards her again, and the continued sparring.
“Do you know what happened?” Verro asked after a moment, to which Nesila shrugged. “I have a theory”, she said with a grim tone. “You see, the captain of the guard was later found murdered with his face missing. So, it seems clear that someone hired a faceless man to assassinate the Vylohors. One of their political enemies, most likely. I don’t much care to be honest, but the point is that Norano and I had nowhere to go.” Nesila paused for a moment, exchanging a few swings with Verro before continuing. “That is until Malanos Vynos saw us sparring at the harbor of Myr, and noticed the potential in us. He recruited us to the Thunder Crew, and we served with them for many years.”
“Until he decided to leave?” Verro asked, breathing heavily, and Nesila could spot from his expression and posture that he was getting tired. “It was when we first arrived to Dorne”, she said calmly, striking again from right, noticing Verro’s defense faltering. “I was confused and angry when he told me he wanted to leave the Thunder Crew to find a better life. After all, we owed everything we had at that point to Malanos. There are many days, I wish I had either left with him or stopped him”, she spoke somberly, and then the look on her eyes go sharper. “But we are going to find him now!” she said with exasperation, knocking Verro’s staff out of his hands, and proceeding to send him to the ground by knocking his legs out from under him.
With a satisfied smile she stepped next to Verro and pressed her staff against his chest. “I win”, she said triumphantly. “All right, spear lady”, Verro replied with a playful smirk on his face. “I admit you’re better with the staff, but let’s see how you do hand to hand.”
As Verro scrambled up from the sand, they began their hand to hand sparring. Both of them dodged each other’s punches, kicks at first with ease. “Now it is time for you to answer my questions”, Nesila said determinedly. “Let’s start with the scar across your chest. How did you get it?”
“Aw, this little thing?” Verro responded playfully. “I was nineteen when this happened. It was a pit fight against a giant brindled man from Sothoryos. He was very hard to kill.”
“I imagine he was!” Zaltha shouted from the sidelines. “My people have had to deal with the bridled men in the past, uncultured savages the bunch of them, but fight like beasts.” Verro nodded to the Summer Islander’s words as he dodged one of Nesila’s kicks. “I managed to dance away from his reckless and brutal slashing for a while, but eventually he got in too close and cut my chest open. Thankfully I managed to slice open his throat with my arakh before bleeding out. Spent three days laying down after that fight.”
“What about the scar on your side?”, Nesila asked inquisitively, and a slightly more serious expression formed on Verro’s face now. “That was when I was forced to fight one of my own Dothraki brethren in the pits”, he answered with a small sigh. “I was sixteen at that time. We were both given horses to ride and spears as weapons. Unfortunately, the other Dothraki was more experienced at both, and he was able to kill my horse and pierce my side.”
“I wonder how you got out of that one”, Nesila remarked as Verro took one of her punches on the chest. It was pure luck”, he admitted nonchalantly. “I speared his horse and as it crumbled to its death, the rider hit his head on the ground hard enough to pass out. Wasn’t exactly a challenge to kill him after that.”
“Hmm…” Nesila eyed him as she threw another punch. “What about that wound on your shoulder?”
“I was twenty, it was one of my last pit fights, one with several fighters”, Verro responded calmly. “One of them was a Westerosi from a place called Vale. He was using a crossbow, and managed to get me in the shoulder. Unfortunately for him, I was able to get in close, pin him to the ground, and stab him in the head with one of his own bolts. Do you want to know how I pinned him?” Verro asked cheekily, and Nesila narrowed her eyes. “How?” she asked curiously.
“Like this,” Verro responded, grabbing her from the shoulders and tripping her over his leg. Verro could tell from the look in her eyes how surprised she was to find herself pinned between him and the ground. “I win”, he whispered with a playful tone, his face just few inches above hers. They remained there for a couple of lingering seconds, looking each other in the eyes.
“Will you two kiss already?” Zaltha yelled from the side, an amused tone on his voice. “This romantic tension is getting suffocating.”
Verro looked at Nesila, a somewhat nervous grin on his face. “What do you think of that idea?” he asked with a chuckle, and Nesila moved her right hand on Verro’s neck. “Just shut up and kiss me”, she responded sharply, and before Verro could say or do anything, she had already pulled him down and pushed her lips against his. For a moment they were both lost in the passionate kiss, forgetting the world around them.
Zaltha’s chuckle shifted their focus to him for a moment, and with a grin on his face the Summer Islander raised up his hands. “Don’t mind me”, he said amusedly, turning away from them. That night, Verro and Nesila didn’t sleep.
Thanks again for this great part, it's much appreciated! I really enjoyed the interaction between Verro and Nesila, you really nailed their chemistry here. Makes me all the more hyped for continuing their story together!
Hi everyone. I hope you all enjoy this new H&L. It focuses on both Verro and Nesila.
Verro & Nesila – Scars
Several weeks had pa… moressed since Verro, Nesila, and Zaltha had left Vaith, embarking on the journey through the desert to reach the Wide Way, and eventually Nightsong. Today they had come across travelers from the north, informing them that the Red Mountains were less than two days’ travel away. However, it was getting late now, and Zaltha suggested they set up camp for the night.
“Fine”, Nesila said with a sigh. The closer they got to their destination, the less she seemed to need rest, and the more eager she grew to reunite with her brother. “We’ll set up camp for tonight, but we leave first thing in the morning. As far as I know there shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel to Nightsong. With some luck the Carons will know exactly where Norano is.”
Verro sat down with a sigh, but before he could even think about laying… [view original content]
Ah, this is a wonderful H&L and at a very fitting time as well, given his storyline for Book 2 just started I loved this more detailed view on the backstories of Verro and Nesila and the romance between them, that has been a great dynamic in Book 1 and I really look forward how their feelings will develop in Book 2 after the apparent hit they have taken between this H&L and Book 2. Also nice to see Zaltha for one last time, especially as his contribution here was quite leaning on the fourth wall. It was in that moment where he told them to just kiss that I really felt the exact same way One thing I am super curious about is one detail from Nesila's backstory, about the Faceless Man having murdered the family she used to serve. I mean, that might be nothing, but my previous crack theory about Norano being her brother has turned out to be the correct one, so I'm going out of my way here and make another theory: The one who murdered the Vylohor family is none other than NW's resident Faceless Man Forovos Norvoshi. I mean, if this is something that is planned to eventually play a role in the story, even a minor one, then I see it as a possibility. But ah, it matters not right now, I thoroughly enjoyed this part and as Wildling said, it increases the hype for Verro's and Nesila's Book 2 journey in the Manwoody lands.
Hi everyone. I hope you all enjoy this new H&L. It focuses on both Verro and Nesila.
Verro & Nesila – Scars
Several weeks had pa… moressed since Verro, Nesila, and Zaltha had left Vaith, embarking on the journey through the desert to reach the Wide Way, and eventually Nightsong. Today they had come across travelers from the north, informing them that the Red Mountains were less than two days’ travel away. However, it was getting late now, and Zaltha suggested they set up camp for the night.
“Fine”, Nesila said with a sigh. The closer they got to their destination, the less she seemed to need rest, and the more eager she grew to reunite with her brother. “We’ll set up camp for tonight, but we leave first thing in the morning. As far as I know there shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel to Nightsong. With some luck the Carons will know exactly where Norano is.”
Verro sat down with a sigh, but before he could even think about laying… [view original content]
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Dragons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the Kingdom of Torrentine.
With a sigh Valor grabbed the book that was laying on the table in front of him. “Poems of Love and War by Gilbar Apperford”, read the golden letters embroidered on its back. Bridget had given it to him before he had left Salt Shore to sail to war. “Remember me when you read it”, she had said, though Valor hardly needed a reminder to remember Bridget Gargalen. While Valor had never loved war, this was the first time he truly felt like he had something to lose. He had promised to marry Bridget once the war would be over, and that was a future he didn’t want to lose. However, he also knew this fear to be a weakness in the battlefield, and he could only hope his men wouldn’t notice it.
Just as Valor was about to open the book, the door was knocked. Calmly he stood up and walked to the door, seeing Maran standing there. The boy had grown into the stature of a man during this last year, though his smooth face and skinny arms made clear he was still very much a boy. “Commander”, Maran greeted him with a nod.
“Maran, come in”, Valor responded with a relaxed tone, gesturing for his squire to step in. However, Maran stayed by the door, hesitating for a moment before speaking up. “Commander, Tryden Flowers sent me here to fetch you”, he explained with a slightly nervous tone.
“Ah, I see”, Valor replied calmly. “Did he say why?”
“I’m not sure, but he seemed impatient”, Maran answered, and with a nod Valor stepped out of the room. “Where is Tryden waiting for me?” he asked calmly, and Maran let out a small sigh before answering. “The tavern”, the boy said unenthusiastically, and subtle smirk formed on Valor’s face.
“Could’ve guessed that. Alright then, let’s go see him”, he said, leading them down from the tower house. Walking through the streets of the town, Valor and Maran came across Olyvar Forrester, Haronos and Mizro the Sharp, all three of them standing outside the blacksmith’s workshop.
“You three look oddly serious”, Valor greeted them with a calm and relaxed tone. “Is there some sort of problem?”
“It’s about the blacksmith”, Haronos spoke with a displeased tone on his voice, and Valor raised an eyebrow. “What about him?” He asked curiously.
“He’s gone missing”, Olyvar clarified with a sigh, scratching his head as he spoke. “The men reported he’d been uncooperative and sluggish with his work, apparently due to his loyalty for the Daynes. Last night he disappeared together with his two apprentices. But that’s not all, he has also somehow managed to hide or destroy all the bolts and arrowheads he had been tasked to craft for us.”
“Could’ve thrown them to the fucking sea for all we know”, Haronos cursed grimly. Valor took in a deep breath, considering his response for a moment. “Keep looking for the man. And if you find him, bring him to me”, Valor instructed sternly, looking Olyvar to the eyes as he spoke. “Meanwhile, there must be someone within our forces who can continue the blacksmith’s work for now.”
“That’s already being handled, ser”, Mizro stated calmly, and Valor gave him an approving nod. “Good then”, he replied. “Now excuse me, I should go talk with Tryden.”
His mood admittedly somewhat worsened by the news about the blacksmith, Valor continued his way to the tavern, Maran still following after him. The stench inside the tavern was nearly unbearable, which was no wonder considering for two weeks it had been the main attraction for hundreds of soldiers garrisoning the town. For now there had been enough ale and wine for the lot of them, but eventually it would run out if they’d be situated here for much longer.
Valor approached the table that Tryden Flowers was sitting at. The Reachman sellsword was surrounded by many drunken men, most his own, but Valor also noticed Tregor Vhassyn and Zedd Zhul from his own men there. Tregor was there due to his own desires, whereas Zedd had been tasked by Valor himself to keep an eye on Tryden. Zedd was a short and stocky man, his head shaped like a cone - typically for the Jhogos Nhai. He was a man of few words, but very loyal and trustworthy.
“Valor Veltaris!” Tryden greeted him as he took a seat by the table, his voice revealing that he was drunk. “You wanted to talk about something”, Valor spoke loudly enough to be heard in the noisy tavern, and Tryden nodded.
“Aye, we’ve been stationed here for a fortnight”, he stated, gulping down more of the ale. “The men are starting to wonder what our next move is. Has the princess given you further instructions?”
“No, not for now”, Valor answered, keeping his voice calm. “For fuck’s sake!” roared the bald man next to Tryden. Fenn his name was, if Valor recalled correctly. “If it was up to me, we’d have started sailing towards Southpoint over a week ago!”
“Well, it is not up to you”, Valor responded dryly. Fenn frowned and glared at him with fury in his eyes, but Tryden tapped his friend on the shoulder in a calming manner. “What my friend means to say is that the troops are getting bored of waiting”, he said, a sharp look in his eyes as he gazed at Valor.
“And I suppose you have a suggestion, since you summoned me here”, Valor spoke sternly, and Tryden nodded. “Indeed, I do”, he said, leaning slightly closer with a smirk on his face. “Let me take, let’s say, three-hundred troops, and lead them inland to take over Sandstone. It would give at least some of the men something to do, not to mention that subjugating the Qorgyles would be extremely beneficial for the Principality.”
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion] [Decline Tryden's suggestion]
-
Mors
Mors Martell’s scaled armor, masterfully crafted by the Rhoynar metalworkers, glimmered brightly under the blazing Dornish sun. A satisfied but hesitant smile formed on his face as he watched the thousands of troops erecting the siege camp around Blackpool Keep. It was a modest keep with a single tower, somewhat smaller than Sandship, fitting for a landed knight. Still, it would be the first step in securing the Principality’s rule over the Fowlers.
Mors walked to his squire Cason Bloodspill, the second son of Lord Ormond. The boy was now at the age of thirteen, and after having served Mors for two years there had developed a certain bond between them. As distrusting as Mors was towards Lord Bloodspill, he did feel like he could trust Cason. “What do you think?” he asked casually, and the boy shifted his gaze to him. “Doesn’t look very impressive to me, ser”, he replied with a shrug. “The castle, I mean. It’s smaller than Redclif.”
“Aye, this is just the appetite for the conquest we have ahead of us”, Mors responded with a relaxed tone, tapping his squire lightly on the shoulder. “I have a feeling you’ll be much more impressed once you see Skyreach.”
“Is it larger than Hellgate Hall?” Cason asked curiously, and Mors gave him a pondering look. “I don’t know about larger, but it is certainly more beautiful”, he responded, to which the boy just scoffed. “Castles aren’t meant to be beautiful, Your Grace”, he insisted with all the confidence and wisdom of a prepubescent boy. “They are meant to be strong and keep the enemy out.”
Mors chuckled softly at his squire’s words, before responding with a question. “Can’t they be both?” He asked with a smirk, and Cason hesitated for a moment. “I suppose”, he finally muttered, his tone deadpan. “Though beauty is less important.”
“We can agree on that, lad”, Mors said with a relaxed tone. Shifting his gaze up, he saw Ser Lothar Hill approaching them, clad in his golden armor. “Your Grace”, Ser Lothar greeted him with a stern and dutiful tone, bowing deeply as he spoke. “Ser Albar and Desmond have requested your presence at the war council.”
“I see, duty calls”, Mors responded calmly, before glancing at Cason again. “Come with me”, he said, and the boy raised his eyebrow in surprise. “If you are to be a commander of the Principality’s armies one day, you should see how strategic decisions are made. Watch and learn.” With these words Mors began to make his way towards the war council tent, Ser Lothar and Cason following closely behind him.
Arriving at the tent, Mors saw Albar Ladybright and Desmond Uller standing at the opposite sides of the table, glaring at each other. Mors took the seat at the head of the table, and both of them immediately shifted their attention to him.
“Your Grace”, they spoke in unison. Albar took the seat closest to Mors, while Desmond remained standing. “My prince, the troops are performing tremendously well considering the long march behind us. The encampment should be all set up by nightfall”, Albar explained with a formal tone, and Mors gave him an approving nod.
“I’ve sent men to scout the nearby lands, as well as to gather more supplies and resources for us”, Desmond then said, his tone a bit tenser. “I hope you instructed your men to act tactfully with the local smallfolk”, Mors spoke with a touch of concern in his words, and Desmond gave him a nod. “I gave them the exact instructions you asked me to, Your Grace”, he said with a small sigh. “Even if I am not sure that I agree on them. Though we have the numbers on our side, we shouldn’t be soft towards King Garrison, or he will simply bide his time and wait for his allies to arrive.”
“I understand your concern, Desmond”, Mors said calmly, taking in a deep breath. “However, this land has been tormented by war for years. We should present ourselves as the opportunity for something better, instead of just more of the same.”
“I agree with Prince Mors”, Albar spoke up, a polite tone on his voice. “After all, our goal here is not to destroy House Fowler, but to convince them that submitting to the Principality is their best course of action.”
“Of course, but Garrison Fowler is not someone to be underestimated”, Desmond replied sharply. “He may seem weak, but he is a man most known for his cunning. Given the opportunity he will exploit any mercy and goodwill you show towards him.”
“Still, the authority of a king rests on the loyalty and willingness of his subjects”, Mors remarked calmly. “If the people of these lands see us as the better option, Garrison’s chances of clinging onto his authority are weakened.” The prince’s words were followed by a moment of silence, until finally Desmond sighed and sat down. “Be that as it may, for now we should concentrate on establishing a firm foothold on this kingdom”, he spoke with a tired tone. “Best way to do it would be to take over the Blackpool Keep, and make it our base.”
“That is true”, Albar stated calmly. “I would suggest besieging the castle and waiting for the Blackpools to surrender. It’s a small fort, the land has been in conflict for the past two years, their resources should run out fairly quickly. Perhaps they’ll even be smart enough to surrender before that.”
“Why even wait?” Desmond asked with a frustrated tone. “With the number of troops we have taking the castle by storming it should be easy. I suggest we launch an attack this night, and by tomorrow the castle will be ours.”
“As has been explained to you, we must be tactful with our approach here”, Albar responded with a somewhat smug tone on his voice. “Taking the castle by an assault would be useless bloodshed that could easily be avoided simply by having some patience.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake”, Desmond hissed, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t matter how tactful or patient you are, this is still war, and we are here to conquer. As I’ve said, the longer we sit here doing nothing, the more time Garrison will have to gather his allies.”
“Desmond has a point”, Ser Lothar suddenly spoke up, his tone stern and humorless. “Sooner or later Garrison will make a move against us, and by then it would be for the best that we had walls to fall behind in the worst scenario.”
Mors leaned back on his chair and let out a deep sigh. They had all brought up good points, and he felt nervous for having to be the one to make the decision. Albar was right in that the less blood they would have to spill the better, but Desmond’s concerns were valid as well.
[Decline Tryden's suggestion] While that would give the men something to do, risking 300 men to assault Sandstone is not a very good idea, especially since the only major water source is in their target.
[Assault the castle] While Garrison prefers the long game, Desmor will probably suggest assisting the Blackpool's as quickly as possible, so is better to gain a foothold now and then they can earn the small folk's loyalty.
Is good that we finally see some of Cason Bloodspill's personality after being a living prop for most of Book 1.
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
Ah, as always, I loved this part It is nice seeing how the characters have developed during the timeskip, most obvious of which the fact that the relationship between Valor and Bridget is still going strong. That was to be expected, also that he wishes to marry her once the war is over. I mean, we know it won't be for another 8 years at least, but he remains one of the PoV characters with the most simple goals, maybe aside from Verro, as he literally just wishes to settle down and live a simple, peaceful life with his beloved. Fingers crossed he'll succeed at this.
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion]
I am not sure here and may actually end up changing my vote later on here. Edinosaur is right here, this will be a pretty hard siege and water could run out, in which case they'd lose easily. However, I am concerned with the moral of the army. If they are left sitting there for longer, perhaps they could grow dissatisfied. I don't doubt the loyalty and discipline of Valor and his men, but Tryden's sellswords have switched sides before. I want to hold him by Nymeria's side, so I think giving him something to do, something to achieve, might be important. If he ends up doubting Valor's leadership or his use for Nymeria, he might end up considering that House Dayne would be a better employer, one who actually uses his talents. But as I said, I am not so certain here, maybe I will change my vote later on.
[Besiege the castle]
Here I have to agree with Mors and Albar. Nymeria's ultimate goal is not just to conquer Dorne, but she also wishes to build something better in the end. The Fowler bannermen must be absolutely exhausted with the war against Albin Manwoody by now. Maybe if Nymeria arrives not as a brutal conqueror, but as a liberator, who shows them a different choice, one that keeps them safe from Albin's men, that could be one way to make them turn on Garrison without having to do a major bloodshed. At this point, I consider Garrison's hold over his vassals to be the weakest, because he is neither as inspiring as Vorian or as terrifying as Albin, so if Nymeria tries to conquer without too much violence here, he might get actual serious problems with keeping them loyal.
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
I have to agree with Liquid and Wildling here, this is an awesome H&L! The relationship that Verro and Nesila had during the time skip was something I was especially intrigued about so this is definitely a welcome sight to see. With this part, it definitely adds to my excitement for their Book 2 storyline together and it also makes me want to see their relationship get back to where it was here. Great work
Hi everyone. I hope you all enjoy this new H&L. It focuses on both Verro and Nesila.
Verro & Nesila – Scars
Several weeks had pa… moressed since Verro, Nesila, and Zaltha had left Vaith, embarking on the journey through the desert to reach the Wide Way, and eventually Nightsong. Today they had come across travelers from the north, informing them that the Red Mountains were less than two days’ travel away. However, it was getting late now, and Zaltha suggested they set up camp for the night.
“Fine”, Nesila said with a sigh. The closer they got to their destination, the less she seemed to need rest, and the more eager she grew to reunite with her brother. “We’ll set up camp for tonight, but we leave first thing in the morning. As far as I know there shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel to Nightsong. With some luck the Carons will know exactly where Norano is.”
Verro sat down with a sigh, but before he could even think about laying… [view original content]
Well there was certainly some interesting developments here! It was nice getting to see both places that Nymeria has went after here with both of them in their own unique situations.
First off, it seems that Valor is the one who has taken Clearhaven along with the Fallen Dragons and the Rose Company! With Martell and Uller banners being what was seen by Blackpool Keep in Garrison's H&L, Valor definitely had to be elsewhere and Clearhaven definitely fits but it makes me a bit conflicted now Of course my Dayne's including Isabella are my main characters that I created but Valor is still a massive favorite of mine and will be hard to root against him but it must be done! For his choices though, I won't try to sabotage him though at least not at this point The choice he has here is a really tough one with both sides carrying huge risks but for now I think I am going to have Valor [Agree to Tryden's suggestion] Admittedly this is a really huge risk considering that the remaining Fallen Dragons will be at only 800 men and I have a feeling that if we let them go that they definitely won't be back before the Dayne ships make it to Clearhaven which could be problematic for Valor and company considering that Jamison and the Dayne men will have the numbers advantage here. Plus from what I gather, Clearhaven doesn't really have very tall walls or anything like that to keep people out if I remember correctly either so waiting out a siege is next to impossible and that's not even including their supplies which seem to be dwindling away fast..
Another thing to factor in here is that I think Tryden might actually be underestimating how difficult it will be to take Sandstone. It is out in the middle of the desert with the only water around that area being at Sandstone itself. I know Jamison and Lucifer considered the Qorgyle's enough of a threat in Book one because of their location so there is a chance that Tryden and the Rose Company could very well be heading to their defeat. Along with that, two hundred of those men would be Fallen Dragons and I am sure Valor does not want to lose any of his men here. With all of that said however, I feel like Valor should agree to Tryden's suggestion largely to appease him. He is definitely not someone that Valor can trust to stay purely loyal to Nymeria and there is always the chance they could turn on Valor if they feel they aren't being used right. The Rose Company would have no problems switching sides as shown already. With this choice here though, the biggest thing is that it is something to kind of keep the peace between the two companies to some extent since I really don't feel like Tryden is someone who takes losing authority very well since even under Nymeria he still had mostly free reign over his company. If it does work out that they actually can conquer Sandstone, it will definitely look to have been a brilliant move on Valor's part and it would have to increase Tryden's respect for Valor since he had put that trust in him here. With that said, I am guessing the battle of Clearhaven is coming very soon and I am very hyped to see it go down. Valor vs Jamison is a matchup I haven't thought about but now that I have, it is definitely going to be an epic battle or siege whenever that happens and I am especially curious to see iff they'll meet during a parlay. However Jamison will most likely skip that step
[Besiege the castle]
This choice works perfectly and makes for a pretty intriguing turn of events either way and like the others have said. it gives the Principality a chance to show the people of the Kingdom of Stone and Sky that Nymeria and House Martell are just rulers who deserve exactly what they are trying to obtain while on the Fowler's side I think it gives Garrison even more of a chance to think of a way to make Nymeria's war with him more of a fight so I feel it will benefit both sides either way depending on where the story goes from here
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
Ah, as always, I loved this part It is nice seeing how the characters have developed during the timeskip, most obvious of which the fact that the relationship between Valor and Bridget is still going strong. That was to be expected, also that he wishes to marry her once the war is over. I mean, we know it won't be for another 8 years at least, but he remains one of the PoV characters with the most simple goals, maybe aside from Verro, as he literally just wishes to settle down and live a simple, peaceful life with his beloved. Fingers crossed he'll succeed at this.
I'm glad to hear you liked it! And yeah, Valor and Bridget haven't exactly spent the whole two years together, due to Valor having his duties for Nymeria as well as the company. That said, they clearly have spent enough time with each other for their relationship to become serious enough for them to consider marrying. Valor's goals are indeed pretty humble, but there will nonetheless be plenty of obstacles for him to overcome to reach those goals.
Ah, as always, I loved this part It is nice seeing how the characters have developed during the timeskip, most obvious of which the fact th… moreat the relationship between Valor and Bridget is still going strong. That was to be expected, also that he wishes to marry her once the war is over. I mean, we know it won't be for another 8 years at least, but he remains one of the PoV characters with the most simple goals, maybe aside from Verro, as he literally just wishes to settle down and live a simple, peaceful life with his beloved. Fingers crossed he'll succeed at this.
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion]
I am not sure here and may actually end up changing my vote later on here. Edinosaur is right here, this will be a pretty hard siege and water could run out, in which case they'd lose easily. However, I am concerned with the moral of the army. If they are left sitting there for longer, perhaps they could grow dissatisfied. I don't doubt the loy… [view original content]
First off, it seems that Valor is the one who has taken Clearhaven along with the Fallen Dragons and the Rose Company! With Martell and Uller banners being what was seen by Blackpool Keep in Garrison's H&L, Valor definitely had to be elsewhere and Clearhaven definitely fits but it makes me a bit conflicted now Of course my Dayne's including Isabella are my main characters that I created but Valor is still a massive favorite of mine and will be hard to root against him but it must be done! For his choices though, I won't try to sabotage him though at least not at this point
Haha, yeah, I figured Valor's presence would make you at least somewhat conflicted, though I assumed you'd ultimately still root for the Daynes Nonetheless, a clash between Valor and Jamison is ahead, and it should be pretty epic
Well there was certainly some interesting developments here! It was nice getting to see both places that Nymeria has went after here with bo… moreth of them in their own unique situations.
First off, it seems that Valor is the one who has taken Clearhaven along with the Fallen Dragons and the Rose Company! With Martell and Uller banners being what was seen by Blackpool Keep in Garrison's H&L, Valor definitely had to be elsewhere and Clearhaven definitely fits but it makes me a bit conflicted now Of course my Dayne's including Isabella are my main characters that I created but Valor is still a massive favorite of mine and will be hard to root against him but it must be done! For his choices though, I won't try to sabotage him though at least not at this point The choice he has here is a really tough one with both sides carrying huge risks but for now I think I am going to have Valor [Agree to Tryden's suggestion] Admittedly this is a really… [view original content]
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Drag… moreons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the … [view original content]
So, Valor will agree to Tryden's suggestion, and send the Rose Company reinforced with some two-hundred of his own men to take over Sandstone. It's a somewhat risky move, because in worst case scenario they could lose all those three-hundred men without gaining anything. On the other hand though, conquering Sandstone would be extremely helpful for the Principality.
And Mors will choose the less violent option, besieging the castle. It's a slower way of doing things, but it could give the Blackpools a better impression of the Martells, which is definitely something Mors wants.
Next up, we'll get a part from Isabella, giving us an update on the situation at Starfall. I'll be spending a lot of tomorrow on the road, which is why I hope I'll get this part done during today, but we'll see. I am also working on Nymeria's first part in Book 2, but I think I'll need a bit more time with that one.
And lastly, here is another addition to the ever growing Book 2 album, Prince Mors Martell:
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. However, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of two baby boys had been as exhausting as it was rewarding. Of course, the nurse maids of Starfall had been a big help, as well as her handmaidens Cassana Blackpool and Sylvina Nightfall, and Queen Arenna had been very supportive as well. Right now little Ferris was taking a nap, while Samwell was playing with Cassana and Sylvina.
Samwell was the older of the brothers, if only by few minutes. He had his father’s dark hair and purple eyes, and he was definitely the more adventurous one of the brothers, always crawling around and approaching every person in the room without hesitation. Ferris on the other hand had inherited his mother’s blue eyes and blonde hair, and he generally stuck close to her, being notably shyer than his brother. Then again, Ferris had already begun to learn relieving himself on the chamber pot, while Sam still regularly soiled his cloths.
Just as Isabella was about to write down the first line, the door was opened and Jamison walked into the room. At first he walked to Cassana and Sylvina, and raised Samwell to his hands. The boy let out a cheerful laughter as his father raised him high above his head.
“Careful now”, Isabella said calmly, and with a subtle smirk Jamison lowered Sam back next to the girls. He walked by Ferris’ crib, glancing at the sleeping boy for a few seconds before finally approaching Isabella. “We’re about to set sail”, he said calmly, leaning against the desk, and she lowered her quill. “Now?” she asked with a subtle gulp, and Jamison nodded. “I thought you might want to come see me off”, he said.
“Of course”, Isabella replied, forcing a smile on her face. She was anything but happy to see Jamison go to war, but she knew she had to be supportive of him in front the others. “Cassana and Sylvina, keep an eye on the boys, I’ll be back soon.”
As they walked down the corridor, Isabella grabbed Jamison’s hand and stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks and looking him to the eyes. “Listen to me, Jamison”, she spoke up calmly, and he raised his eyebrow in a surprised manner. “I know I cannot stop you from going, but you must promise me that you won’t put yourself in harm’s way.”
”Aye, I’ll make sure to tell the enemy that my wife forbids them from harming me”, Jamison jested with a carefree tone, which made Isabella frown. ”It’s not a joke, Jamison”, she snapped with an annoyed tone. “I do not want our sons to grow up without a father.”
“And I don’t want our sons to grow up with a father who isn’t willing to risk his life to defend their home”, Jamison responded sharply, the smile from his face gone. “But it doesn’t have to be you doing the fighting, Jamison”, Isabella argued with pleading tone. “Hells, no one would even blame you for staying behind, for staying with your family.”
“I don’t expect you to understand, my dear”, Jamison replied with a small sigh, turning his eyes away from Isabella. “If a man spends his life hiding from glory, it is as if he had never lived at all. His body decays, his words turn to wind. Only the name and legacy we make ourselves with our deeds lives on after we die, and I intend to be more than just a footnote in the history books of tomorrow.”
“Why do you care about it so much?” Isabella asked with an almost desperate tone. “What does it matter what lives on after you are gone? You won’t be here to see it, you won’t hear what the men of tomorrow have to say about you, so why live your life for them?”
Jamison stayed quiet for a moment, turning to look Isabella to the eyes again. “As I said, I don’t expect you to understand”, he said quietly, and Isabella turned her eyes down in a defeated manner. “Go then”, she gave up, gulping subtly. “But please come back, I couldn’t bear losing you.”
Jamison stepped closer to Isabella now, a soft smile on his face as he slid his hand through her hair and looked her intensely to the eyes. “I’ll come back, I promise”, he assured, and Isabella wanted to believe him with all her heart, but she just couldn’t shake the concern.
“Don’t cry, my love”, Jamison said softly, seeing the tears welling up in Isabella’s eyes. He pulled her closer and embraced her in a tight but gentle hug, and she pushed her face against his shoulder, letting the tears flow freely. They remained there for over a minute, until finally Jamison separated from Isabella, an empathic look in his eyes. “I love you, Bella”, he said with a reassuring tone, and Isabella nodded hastily, wiping her tears away. “I love you too”, she responded weakly.
And so they made their way to the docks, where Jamison gave one last kiss to Isabella before boarding Starfire, the flagship of the Dayne fleet. Aside from Starfire there were a couple dozen more ships, few of them large war galleys, and others smaller ones made primarily to be trading vessels.
As the Starfire raised its anchor and began to move away, Isabella glanced to her left, where Prince Malcolm and Princess Ashara were standing hand-in-hand next to King Vorian and Queen Arenna. Looking at them, Isabella couldn’t help but feel jealous. She’d never change Jamison for anyone else, but sometimes she wished he wasn’t so damn drawn to danger.
As the ships slowly slid further and further, Isabella was approached by Ser Soren Ashford. The Reachman knight had a tense, almost nervous, look in his eyes. “My princess”, he spoke up with a subtle gulp, and Isabella gestured for him to continue. “There is something I must request from you”, he said with a small sigh.
“You may speak freely, ser”, Isabella said calmly, to which Soren nodded. “I know I have been tasked to guard you here, it is a duty I have been proud to fulfill these past two years and it pains me to even ask this, but…”
“You wish to march back to Skyreach”, Isabella concluded quietly, and after hesitating a moment Ser Soren nodded. “Yes, my princess”, he responded tensely. “I believe you to be safe here in Starfall, but the Kingdom of Stone and Sky is in grave danger, and so might be your father as well.”
Isabella took in a deep breath, eyeing Ser Soren. He had been a loyal guard and true friend to Isabella during her time in Starfall, on top of being the only real reminded of her childhood here – aside from Cassana of course. Part of her wanted to demand him to stay, especially since letting him go could well mean that they’d never meet again. Then again, Isabella recognized how selfish it would be of her to deny Ser Soren his duty to protect the Kingdom of Stone and Sky on the battlefield.
[Allow Ser Soren to leave] [Demand Ser Soren to stay]
[Demand Ser Soren to stay]
What if something happens at Starfall? She needs to have a loyal guard, just in case. She can't prevent her husband from leaving toward danger, but she can prevent her knight. If she does this, in her mind, she might feel like she at least prevented someone she cared about from going toward danger.
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. Howev… moreer, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of tw… [view original content]
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. Howev… moreer, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of tw… [view original content]
[Allow Ser Soren to leave] It's a risk, but Soren has been sworn to House Fowler for so long, and he may feel guilty he wasn't there to prevent the death of Ferris Fowler.
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. Howev… moreer, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of tw… [view original content]
Ah, it's been great seeing Isabella back and seeing how she has grown as a person in these two years. That being said, as sweet as her relationship with Jamison was, their talk was hard to read, because it's clear how much it pains her to see him go. You know I like Jamison, but there's no denying that he can be reckless and I fear that ultimately, he will come to regret that he hasn't stayed with his wife. There is a legitimate possibility that he'll put himself into lethal danger all in his pursuit of glory and I am concerned that the happiness they have right now won't remain forever. Isabella is right, she's right most of the time actually and for Jamison's sake, I hope he realizes this before it's too late.
[Demand Ser Soren to stay]
I am a bit on the fence here, because Soren is a friend to Isabella and I don't want her to force her friends to do something they don't want to. But Tales brought up something here and it got me thinking, what if Starfall will be in danger? Of course, as Lady Dayne she has many people to look after her, but Soren is her most loyal and faithful guard. If anything dangerous ever happens at Starfall, I would highly prefer if he is around to keep her safe. Meanwhile, at Skyreach, he'd be just one out of many. Garrison has loyal guards and I don't think Soren could make a difference there. However, he could make a huge difference in Starfall by protecting Isabella. I don't know, my worries might be unfounded, but I could see this ending up as a choice of great importance. When it comes to the single most kind-hearted and innocent PoV in the entire story, it's better to leave her with too much protection than too little.
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. Howev… moreer, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of tw… [view original content]
As always this was an awesome part with it being a treat to see how Isabella has changed over the past couple of years along with so many other great moments in the part. It was nice getting to learn something new about the boys with them both being showing a resemblance to their parents in their own ways and I am excited to see them grow up as the story moves forward The talk between Isabella and Jamison was certainly a great read as well with it definitely bringing mixed feelings to say the least. On the one hand, I am excited to see Jamison get the opportunity to go after what he wants with the possibility of Jamison leading the Dayne's to war being something I have thought about since I came with the idea for his character back at the start of the story so seeing it about to unfold is pretty epic with there definitely being alot of potential for Jamison to do some great things but at the same time he is about to be in serious danger going off to war which Isabella pointed out to him. I feel pretty bad for Isabella here as well with her losing so much already in her life and the possibility that she could lose the only person she has ever loved is definitely something that is saddening for her and it gives even more incentive to keep Jamison safe, not that I was going to let him do anything too crazy or course It really was sad to see her struggle with this here and it will be interesting to see what Jamison thought about the whole conversation since he definitely doesn't want to hurt her so seeing her break down had to have hurt him as well I am guessing. From the look of things, this will be the last time Isabella and Jamison see one another for a long while and while I won't hold Jamison back toward reaching his goals, I might be a bit more cautious with his choices at times depending on the situation with my main goal being to give the Martell's the best fight possible while making sure Jamison gets home to Isabella safely. Seriously Wildling, this really was a great part with so many feels going on. Great work man
As far as the choice goes, I have debated over this one ever since you posted the part which is why I haven't voted yet and I was very tempted to send Soren away but seeing Tales' and Liquid's thoughts have helped steer me the other direction and I will vote for her to [Demand Ser Soren to stay]. Isabella has grown so much and while I do want her to be strong, she is still a young girl who has been through so much. She has put her own feelings and worries aside for others many times throughout the story and I feel like she does deserve to be selfish every once in a while. Admittedly, I am not too worried about Starfall being in danger itself at least at this point, it also would not hurt for Isabella to have the knight who has guarded her ever since her childhood there to protect her in case something does happen and the way I see it, I do believe Soren would be of more use here. I feel like the Kingdom of Stone and Sky is going to fall quickly maybe even without an actual battle unless Garrison has something big up his sleeve which is definitely possible but even still I see them falling by the end of Chapter one if not sooner so it is probably for the best to keep Soren there with her since as Liquid said, it is best for her to have too much protection rather than too little. With all of this said though, I will probably debate over this choice even more and if I changed my mind, don't be surprised
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. Howev… moreer, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of tw… [view original content]
So, Isabella will demand Ser Soren to stay. Well, technically it was a tie, but I shall prioritize the vote of Isabella's creator here
Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't been working that much on the story these past few days, because I've been spending time with my family, since my semester is over now and it's the Mother's Day this Sunday. On top of that, I finally bought God of War today and after playing a couple hours I can already tell it might distract me a bit Not to worry though, I should get back to the swing of things next week Like I've said before, I'm working on a Nymeria PoV, but I'll probably write another one as well before posting, most likely Nealia. So, I'd say you can expect the next parts to be posted on Monday or Tuesday.
As for now, I have a Book 2 portrait for Isabella:
The Princess sat quietly at the head of the council table, feeling somewhat exhausted as little Sarella had kept her awake last night. She listened faintly as General Varyn, Edd Prally and Ormond Bloodspill talked about the situation at Ghost Hill.
“It was reported that the bulk of the Yronwood forces marched back towards the Tor, leaving a garrison of a few hundred men to Ghost Hill”, Varyn spoke sternly.
“We should be able to gather enough men to take it back”, Ormond commented nonchalantly, to which Edd Prally responded quickly. “That is true, but we might want to wait and see what is King Yorick’s next move”, the spymaster said sharply.
“Continue to muster the Santagar and Ladybright troops to Spottswood”, Nymeria commanded with a tired tone. “However, tell them to wait for further instructions before marching to Ghost Hill. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
“Yes, Your Grace”, Varyn said with a subtle sigh. “Valor sent a raven from Clearhaven. They’ve had some problems with keeping the townsfolk in order, but no violent revolts as of now. He also informs that he has sent Tryden Flowers with three-hundred soldiers to take over Sandstone.”
This piece of news made Nymeria narrow her eyes. She hadn’t instructed Valor to attempt taking over Sandstone, but if it were to succeed the benefits would admittedly be great. “That’s three-hundred men wasted in case they fail”, she commented dryly. “Anything else from Valor?”
“No, he is just asking if you have any new instructions for him”, Varyn explained calmly, and Nymeria nodded. “Tell him to keep waiting for the Daynes, and continue with the original plan”, she responded strictly. “What about Mors, has he made contact?”
“Not for now”, Edd Prally said with a calm and gentle tone. “However, I have no doubt he will be able to establish a foothold on the Kingdom of Stone and Sky.”
I certainly hope so, our plan relies on that, Nymeria thought grimly, but decided to keep these thoughts to herself. “I assume that concludes our meeting, then”, she stated calmly, but just as she was about to stand up from her seat Edd Prally spoke up again. “One more thing, Your Grace”, he said with a polite tone, a small smile forming behind his bushy beard. “Lord Derek Dalt sent a raven, apparently our royal guest arrived to Lemonwood yesterday. I’d say it’s safe to assume he’ll be here before nightfall.”
“I should prepare then”, Nymeria replied calmly, now standing up from her seat, and Edd Prally nodded. “No need to stress too much, Your Grace”, he said with a relaxed tone. “From what I’ve heard he is a pleasant and laidback man.”
“Then it should be a pleasure to do business with him”, Nymeria spoke halfheartedly as she walked to the door of the council room. Opening the door she glanced once more at her council members. “I’ll see you once our guests arrive.”
-
Nymeria stood at the docks of Sandship, holding the hand of her daughter as they watched the ships approaching from the sea. They were flanked by four royal guards, those being Nesea, Jinora Ling, Ser Boran Sargen and Jadisha. Behind them were also Maester Olivar and General Varyn.
There were three ships approaching, the one in the middle being the largest. Shaped like a longship, it wasn’t quite as large as your typical war galley, but still much larger than any other longship Nymeria had ever seen. Its sails were black, on them painted a sigil divided into four fields by chains of iron. On top was a golden longship on a field of black, on the right a green pine on a field of white, on the bottom a cluster of red grapes on a field of gold, and on the left was a black raven on a field of blue.
“The sigil of House Hoare”, the maester spoke up with his mousy voice. “It boasts the conquests they made during the Age of Heroes, thousands of years ago. The longship is their original sigil, standing for the Iron Isles, while the pine symbolizes their conquests in the North. The grapes stand for Arbor, and the raven for Oldtown.” Nymeria could spot a hint of resentment in those last words, and she glanced at the maester with mild interest. “However, from what I’ve heard King Harmund the Second is nothing like his ancestors who terrorized the western coast”, Olivar quickly continued.
“I’m guessing that is a good thing?” Varyn asked sternly, and the maester nodded hastily. “Indeed, unlike most of his kinsmen, Harmund is a man of reason. Or so I’ve heard.”
Just then the ship was anchored, and the gangplank lowered on the docks. First out of the ship walked a couple of pale warriors clad in light chainmails, who were clearly uncomfortable under the hot sun of Dorne. However, soon after them a black-haired man dressed in fancy dark robes walked down from the ship, carrying in his arms a boy who was perhaps a year older than Sarella. With a charismatic smirk on his face the man lowered the boy back on his feet as they reached the docks, and then his gaze met with Nymeria’s.
The man was quite handsome, in a rough sort of way, though there was something ominous about him as well. His eyes were dark as night, as was his finely combed hair, which was in stark contrast with his pale complexion. He was on his early thirties if Nymeria had to guess, and though he was otherwise dressed like a proper nobleman, the crown on his head made the Rhoynar princess raise her eyebrow. It was crudely carved from wood, hardly a crown worthy of a king.
“Princess Nymeria”, King Harmund greeted with a warm and polite tone, giving her a small bow and then extending his hand. Nymeria shook the man’s hand and smiled politely. “King Harmund, you arrive sooner than expected”, she responded calmly.
“Ah, the Ironborn ships are the fastest in the world”, Harmund boasted with a grin on his face, before turning towards the boy next to him. “And here is my son and heir, Prince Harmund”, he said with a proud tone on his voice. “Sadly, his mother Queen Lelia couldn’t make it, as her pregnancy is too far for such a long journey.”
“Understandable”, Nymeria said softly, looking at the younger Harmund. Adorable as the boy was, she had to wonder if naming the son after himself said something about the ego of this king. “Let me introduce Princess Sarella, my daughter and heir”, Nymeria continued, and her daughter shyly looked at the Ironborn king. A moment of silence followed as King Harmund smiled and nodded at the girl, and then the two kids awkwardly looked at each other.
“I suppose we could continue inside”, Nymeria finally said, to which Harmund nodded eagerly. Escorted by the guards of both Nymeria and Harmund, they made their inside Sandship, first walking past the construction site of the new palace.
They made their way into the dining room, and took their seats around the table. “Maester Olivar, take the little ones for a walk, will you”, Nymeria commanded with a calm and gentle tone, and the maester gave her a dutiful bow. It wasn’t hard to convince Sarella to go with Olivar, as she knew him and quite liked his company, but King Harmund’s son was a little less eager to leave his father’s side. However, the King whispered something to the boy’s ear, and so he went along with Sarella and the maester.
“It’s my first time in Dorne”, Harmund spoke up with a friendly tone as the servants brought them wine and bread. “I learned much of its history during my years in Casterly Rock, but it seems much has changed here recently.”
“Indeed”, Nymeria replied with a subtle smirk. “My intent is to unite the people of this land under one banner, making it stronger than it ever was before.”
“Stronger and more civilized, I imagine”, Harmund responded, raising his cup. “I’m saying that because my people have a very similar reputation to that of the Dornishmen. Throughout history they’ve both been seen as raiders and thieves, pestering the lands of the more noble.”
“Funny that you say that”, Nymeria said calmly, her smile fading now. “Some time ago I heard quite a story about one of your vassals. His crew aided a rebellion on the lands of House Dalt, and he killed one of my most trusted captains after holding her a hostage for months.”
Harmund’s smile faded now as well. At first his expression was regretful, but soon it turned to anger. “Bjorn Harlaw”, he muttered with a sigh. “I heard of his… venture here in Dorne. Fear not, if we are to become allies, I guarantee such raids will seize.”
“You will?” Nymeria asked with a raised eyebrow, taking a sip of her wine and leaning closer. “Are you sure you can control your vassals?”
“Yes”, Harmund said strictly, his voice confident and authoritative. “I will discourage them from raiding your lands, offering instead a prosperous partnership in trade. You here have fruits, wine and spices, all commodities lacking on the Iron Isles. In turn, we will give you iron, and lots of it. I heard you Rhoynar are excellent metalworkers, but even the best smith needs iron to work with.”
“That’s all well and good, if such trade can truly be established”, Nymeria replied calmly. “The sail between Dorne and Iron Isles is a long and hard one, are your captains brave enough for it?”
“It’s in their blood, Your Grace”, Harmund answered with a grin, leaning back on his chair and taking a deep gulp from his wine. “And besides, Westeros is changing. Once a trade route between Dorne and Iron Isles may have been unthinkable, but stranger things have happened recently. My father and King Lancel Lannister brought the Ironborn and Westermen together in a powerful alliance, you are changing Dorne with your conquest, and as we speak the Storm King is marching into the Riverlands with all his might.”
“And you see these changes being for the better?” Nymeria asked curiously, and Harmund considered his answer a moment, pouring more wine for himself. “I will not assume to know what is for the best”, he finally said, taking a sip of the wine and narrowing his eyes. “All I know is that the world changes whether we like it or not. A wise man changes with it, adapts and learns, while the fools cry for yesterday.”
“Well said, Your Grace”, Nymeria said smoothly, raising her cup and gulping down the rest of her wine. “I believe we will make fine allies.”
“I believe so as well”, Harmund replied with a relaxed tone, eyeing Nymeria with great interest. “As I understood, you are currently waging war against the Daynes. I know I said earlier that I would discourage my captains from raiding these lands, but if you wish, I could encourage one last raid to the Torrentine to aid your cause.”
Nymeria tensed up, laying her cup to the table and taking in a deep breath. It was tempting, an Ironborn fleet would make things so much easier. However, it wouldn’t be clean, hundreds of innocents would die, people she aspired to rule and protect one day. Perhaps it would be a sacrifice worth making.
[Allow the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] [Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine]
Nymeria
The Princess sat quietly at the head of the council table, feeling somewhat exhausted as little Sarella had kept her awake last n… moreight. She listened faintly as General Varyn, Edd Prally and Ormond Bloodspill talked about the situation at Ghost Hill.
“It was reported that the bulk of the Yronwood forces marched back towards the Tor, leaving a garrison of a few hundred men to Ghost Hill”, Varyn spoke sternly.
“We should be able to gather enough men to take it back”, Ormond commented nonchalantly, to which Edd Prally responded quickly. “That is true, but we might want to wait and see what is King Yorick’s next move”, the spymaster said sharply.
“Continue to muster the Santagar and Ladybright troops to Spottswood”, Nymeria commanded with a tired tone. “However, tell them to wait for further instructions before marching to Ghost Hill. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
“Yes, Your Grace”, Varyn said with a subtle sigh… [view original content]
[Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] Meeting Harmund the Haggler was something I didn't saw coming, and this odd alliance will certainly bring interesting interactions.
Nymeria
The Princess sat quietly at the head of the council table, feeling somewhat exhausted as little Sarella had kept her awake last n… moreight. She listened faintly as General Varyn, Edd Prally and Ormond Bloodspill talked about the situation at Ghost Hill.
“It was reported that the bulk of the Yronwood forces marched back towards the Tor, leaving a garrison of a few hundred men to Ghost Hill”, Varyn spoke sternly.
“We should be able to gather enough men to take it back”, Ormond commented nonchalantly, to which Edd Prally responded quickly. “That is true, but we might want to wait and see what is King Yorick’s next move”, the spymaster said sharply.
“Continue to muster the Santagar and Ladybright troops to Spottswood”, Nymeria commanded with a tired tone. “However, tell them to wait for further instructions before marching to Ghost Hill. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
“Yes, Your Grace”, Varyn said with a subtle sigh… [view original content]
[Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] If she indeed sees herself as something different and not just another conqueror, then this is the choice she has to make. It is already bad enough that's she's a foreign invader, now if she lets the Ironborn loose that will only strengthen the belief that her loyalty only lies with foreigners and not the dornish people, despite her claims. Besides, that would be a really dumb move, she would earn the Ironborn's good graces and some victories against defenseless villages, but she would make enemies in almost every other front. The nobles would despise her for letting the Ironborn plunder the lands of Dorne, and the smallfolk would despise her for allowing the Ironborn to commit atrocities towards them. She would make way more enemies than she can even expect, and we all know that the Ironborn almost never make for good allies long-term.
Nymeria
The Princess sat quietly at the head of the council table, feeling somewhat exhausted as little Sarella had kept her awake last n… moreight. She listened faintly as General Varyn, Edd Prally and Ormond Bloodspill talked about the situation at Ghost Hill.
“It was reported that the bulk of the Yronwood forces marched back towards the Tor, leaving a garrison of a few hundred men to Ghost Hill”, Varyn spoke sternly.
“We should be able to gather enough men to take it back”, Ormond commented nonchalantly, to which Edd Prally responded quickly. “That is true, but we might want to wait and see what is King Yorick’s next move”, the spymaster said sharply.
“Continue to muster the Santagar and Ladybright troops to Spottswood”, Nymeria commanded with a tired tone. “However, tell them to wait for further instructions before marching to Ghost Hill. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
“Yes, Your Grace”, Varyn said with a subtle sigh… [view original content]
You make an interesting point, but how would the nobles or the smallfolk even know about her alliance with the Ironborn? They would just assume these are random Ironborn raids.
[Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] If she indeed sees herself as something different and not just another conqueror, then this is the ch… moreoice she has to make. It is already bad enough that's she's a foreign invader, now if she lets the Ironborn loose that will only strengthen the belief that her loyalty only lies with foreigners and not the dornish people, despite her claims. Besides, that would be a really dumb move, she would earn the Ironborn's good graces and some victories against defenseless villages, but she would make enemies in almost every other front. The nobles would despise her for letting the Ironborn plunder the lands of Dorne, and the smallfolk would despise her for allowing the Ironborn to commit atrocities towards them. She would make way more enemies than she can even expect, and we all know that the Ironborn almost never make for good allies long-term.
Comments
[Decline]
[Go with Nesila]
Yay! The first official parts after the prologue has begun! For the first choice I'll say [Decline]. I doubt that will win, and even if it did, she might end up doing it anyways, but from what I can gather this would most likely be what she would want to say. For the second choice, I'm obviously going to pick, [Go with Nesila]. He has spent over two years with her, and they seem to be very close. I doubt he would just strait up abandon her after everything they have been through together, just cause he doesn't want to deal with more fighting. She is his comrade, friend, and still a potential romantic partner, and he wouldn't just abandon her. I will save the Vesila ship!
[Agree to do it] This isn't about war, is about finding this Ammon before he's injured. We all know how merciful Varyn is to dissidents, so she better finds him.
[Go with Nesila] A bad idea, but they've been together for too long to just walk away. The Free Ravens are a mysterious group, but we know Corbray is certainly no friend of Manwoody.
I need a brief explanation of who's the oldest of the five siblings, because Hondo mentioned their eldest sister Khepri was the heir, so that makes him the second or third, but I don't know if Farrah is older or younger.
Sure. Like you say, Khepri was the eldest child of the Ghoyan Drohe royal family (she would be 39 now) and thus the heir. She refused to join Nymeria on her ten thousand ships, instead deciding to stay in Ghoyan Drohe even if it meant being destroyed. Hondo is the secondborn child, and the first son (now 38), and back in Rhoyne he was in charge of the family's army together with his father Prince Javed (who died in the war). Third is Farrah (30), and fourth is Ammon (28), who was a trainee of the Water Wizards back in Rhoyne. And lastly, Femi (25) is the youngest of the bunch. Oh, and in case you're wondering, their mother Princess Juni died to a sickness during the Rhoynar's stay on Naath.
Thanks to clearing that up.
Ah, we got our first new PoV for this book and right at the beginning
I do like Femi already, she seems like a character I'll enjoy reading more about. And well, I called it, Hondo is indeed related to Farrah. It seems that actually most of his family survived the war, with Farrah, Femi and Ammon all being confirmed alive. While I would have liked to see his reaction to meeting his family again, it makes sense that this is something that happened during the timeskip. And I am really curious about Femi's role in the events to come. Her position in the story so far kinda ruins a theory of mine that Mors would be the PoV mostly involved with the conspiracy storyline, because it seems kinda clear that Femi will have a pretty big role in there. Unless of course you mean to have two PoV's for the conspiracy, which would be a surprise, but something I could also see, as it seems to hold enough material to keep two PoV characters busy.
And in Verro's part, I am pleasantly surprised to see that some sort of romance has developed between Verro and Nesila, even if the hardships of the war against the Manwoody's and Norano's death have obviously caused it to cool off by now. Nonetheless, she seems fond of him still, so I am hopeful that they can patch things up between them, even if it might take a bit. Maybe after achieving revenge against Albin, I am not sure if Nesila will have the right peace of mind for love before this. I am surprised by the offscreen death of Zaltha Qo though. I mean, it's not as if he has been a major character in any way, but his death shows one aspect of the timeskips I have not thought of so far: Characters might actually die during the timeskips and it kinda makes sense. There will be two more timeskips coming and while I doubt any major character will just die inbetween for narrative reasons, I have to wonder if there have been more offscreen deaths among some of the minor or secondary characters and if more will come.
[Agree to do it]
I do believe that Farrah is right here. This doesn't have to be about fighting Nymeria's wars, about Femi loyally serving her princess or anything. First and foremost, I think there can be a way for her to do this without making it all about Nymeria, namely by her putting her family first. This whole conspiracy can only end with Ammon's death if he is involved and cannot be talked out of it. And the only one who would even try to save him in all this will be Femi herself. Varyn takes no prisoners and I doubt any of the others involved with bringing the conspiracy down have a reason to, so if she declines here, Ammon will eventually be brought down and killed. I really doubt Femi would want that, even if she dislikes serving Nymeria.
[Go with Nesila]
Hey, how could I choose anything else? Nesila and Verro have been a team in Book 1 and though things seem more distant between them now, I do have the hope they could rekindle things between them. I am a bit worried for Verro's safety, because no doubt any mission into the Manwoody lands will be dangerous, but I am certain he can pull it off if we make the right choices down the line. Nesila seems so confident that he will support her and I'd hate to let her down like this. Besides, I would like to learn more about the Free Ravens and it seems Verro is the PoV who will encounter them if we pick this option.
Glad to hear you're already liking Femi!
Her first part already introduced some of her defining traits, mainly her independence and dislike for taking sides. Simply put, she is the ultimate individualist 
That said, there is definitely still a lot more to learn about her going forward. And yeah, Femi's storyline will definitely be related to the conspiracy. As for Mors, we'll learn pretty soon what his storyline will be about.
Yeah, they had a thing during their journey to Nightsong, which we'll learn more about going forward. Verro definitely still has feelings for Nesila, and she clearly also still sees Verro as a companion of sorts, him being her first choice for this mission after all. And yeah, introducing the concept of characters potentially dying during the timeskip was one of the reasons why I decided to kill off Zaltha like this. Another reason was putting some weight and consequence into this Caron-Manwoody conflict that happened completely offscreen.
I'm hoping that Verro and Nesila would be able to protect each other in the Manwoody lands. It would have been more dangerous for either of them to go alone. So, I'm glad their traveling together again. Hopefully, the Free Ravens would find the Caron's to be beneficial allies, in their fight against the Manwoody's.
Wow, that Lucas portrait was perfect! I think you probably know by now that I'm a huge fan of your work, both the writing and the drawing, and once again you delivered here. Seriously, Lucas is almost exactly like how I pictured him in my mind, you even got some really small details that I put there right on spot (such as the dark eyes thing, for example). The armor he's wearing is pretty unique, as is his portrait as a whole, the background itself already does a great job with that strong red and he does look foreign in comparison to the dornish, it amazes me how you can still transmit that into a portrait with a cast as diverse as NW's.
[Agree to do it] I feel like this is more about saving her brother than actually picking sides, and I feel like for as much as Femi says she doesn't care, deep down she wouldn't want to see her brother die if she could at least do something about it. Also, it's pretty nice seeing how Planky Town came to be and I'm looking forward for the story to actually go there.
[Go with Nesila] Can't really pick anything else, really. They've been comrades for a long time and Nesila is already counting on his support, it would be a low blow to her if we were to do anything else but tag along. Thing is, this is definitely going to be a dangerous mission, that goes without saying, but now it's going to be even more tricky. Verro and Nesila went with the armies that plundered the villages in the Manwoody lands and killed its people. While I doubt Verro and Nesila were happy to do it, they still took part even if they were holding back. The smallfolk probably won't forget that and since they're very foreign, it won't be hard for the people to recognize their faces and know that they were somehow involved with the armies that attacked them not so long ago. I doubt anyone will give them information about the Ravens after that, and since they're only two people, they better watch their backs even when there's only smallfolk around. One thing is for sure though, the last group who sought to find the Free Ravens didn't fare very well... the Ravens found them first
[Agree to do it]
[Go with Nesila]
It's a bit late where I am at and I have an early day tomorrow so I'll just put my choices for now. I will give my thoughts along with why I picked my choices tomorrow
Edit: It looks like most of my thoughts on this part have been covered by the others but I will say that Femi looks to be a very fascinating character with her leaving her old life behind completely once she came to Dorne and I am especially surprised that she has denied Nymeria's rule in the way that she has considering all that Nymeria has done for her people. With that said, I shouldn't be considering that her desire for war is probably the last thing many of the Rhoynar like Femi want considering what all they had lost because of war once before. It looks like the conspiracy storyline is about to take off and I am excited to see who is exactly involved along with learning more about Femi along the way
As far as Verro's choice goes, I definitely would have voted for him to go elsewhere if it weren't for Neslia. He has fought for people that didn't let him have his free will for basically his entire life but now he has someone who he can count on as a friend and potentially more so while I would like Verro to find a life away from battle at some point, I do think standing behind Neslia is the right way to go here. Also, I really enjoyed the Kortney appearance here! From what the way that Verro described her, he said that she is an attractive but scarred woman so it sounds like she has recovered at least physically from her time in Kingsgrave so I am definitely excited to see a Book 2 portrait for her whenever that time comes
Glad to hear you're pleased with the portrait!
Having a detailed description in the submission always helps with making the portraits, and Lucas' submission did a great job in giving me a mental image of the guy.
You bring up a good point regarding the smallfolk of Manwoody kingdom potentially being unwelcoming towards any Caron soldiers. Of course, Nesila and Verro probably won't travel in Caron colors, precisely to be more safe, but like you say someone might well recognize them. We also don't know how the Free Ravens themselves would react to a proposition of such an alliance. After all, it seems clear they don't agree with the Carons methods of terrorizing the common people under Albin's rule. Anyway, let's hope Verro's experience with them won't be quite as grim as Joffrey Purell's was
[Agree to do it]
[Go with Nesila]
Voting is closed!
So, Femi will agree to find Ammon and attempt to speak him out of the conspiracy. She will definitely make this choice begrudgingly, and her motive will be to save her brother rather than helping Nymeria. Anyway, Femi's next part will go more into detail about what exactly this mission will entail.
And Verro will go with Nesila. No surprises there, I could guess you'd want these two stick together
And speaking of that, there should be a new H&L part for Verro coming soon, set during the timeskip.
As for the next parts in the story, I'm not sure yet how much I'll be able to write tomorrow, but you can expect something to be posted before the weekend. I have a Valor part about 50% written, and I've also started working on Mors' first part. The goal is to post them at the same time, but if I don't get the Mors part done before the weekend then I'll just post the Valor part. We'll see.
And here comes another addition to the Book 2 album of character portraits, this time our newest PoV, Femi of Ghoyan Drohe:
Hi everyone. I hope you all enjoy this new H&L. It focuses on both Verro and Nesila.
Verro & Nesila – Scars
Several weeks had passed since Verro, Nesila, and Zaltha had left Vaith, embarking on the journey through the desert to reach the Wide Way, and eventually Nightsong. Today they had come across travelers from the north, informing them that the Red Mountains were less than two days’ travel away. However, it was getting late now, and Zaltha suggested they set up camp for the night.
“Fine”, Nesila said with a sigh. The closer they got to their destination, the less she seemed to need rest, and the more eager she grew to reunite with her brother. “We’ll set up camp for tonight, but we leave first thing in the morning. As far as I know there shouldn’t be more than a week’s travel to Nightsong. With some luck the Carons will know exactly where Norano is.”
Verro sat down with a sigh, but before he could even think about laying down, he heard Nesila’s voice again. “Here, catch!” she yelled, throwing Verro one of the two wooden fighting staffs she had acquired during their stay in Vaith. “What do you want me to do with this?”, Verro questioned as he caught the staff.
“It’s to train with”, Nesila responded with a smirk. “Your leg is completely healed now. I don’t need you to be getting rusty on me.”
Verro grinned as he stood up and took off his shirt, revealing his various battle scars. “I was a pit fighter for five years and a pirate for four”, he reminded with a relaxed tone. “I don’t think you need to worry about me getting rusty.”
“We’ll see about that”, Nesila retorted, her grin only widening. “First, we will train with these; then we’ll train hand to hand,” she said as she raised her fists, to which Verro raised an eyebrow. “Whatever you say, but be prepared to lose”, he quipped as he raised the staff to an attack position.
The jumped towards each other, and their staffs clashed against each other three times in quick succession. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you about those scars”, Nesila said with a curious tone as they backed away from each other, both still holding the staffs high.
“Perhaps I’ll tell you, but I want to know some things about you first”, Verro replied sharply. “After all, I’ve already told you a lot about myself, while you remain a mystery.” Nesila moved for another attack, and Verro blocked it and made her jump back with his counter attack.
“What do you want to know?” she asked, breathing heavily, after deflecting another one of Verro’s blows. “How did you become such a good fighter?” He asked calmly. “Also, why did you and your brother join the Thunder Crew in the first place?”
As she dodged his swing, she looked Verro in the eyes and let out a small sigh. “It’s not a very pleasant story, Verro”, she warned, to which he shrugged. “I can handle it”, he assured, and Nesila nodded, and beginning to recount her story.
“Back in Myr, me and Norano were trained with spear from a young age”, she started with a tone that was both somber and longing at the same time. “We were to serve the temple of the Lady of Spears, but eventually Norano found a more lucrative employer, and convinced me to come with him. And so, we came to work under the wealthy and influential Vylohor family. Our job was to train their children and the new recruits with spear, which was simple enough.” Having said this, Nesila struck with her staff from above, and Verro only barely managed to react fast enough to block it.
“That explains your fighting ability”, he said with a confused tone on his voice. “But why would you want to leave such a secure and seemingly good life?” he asked, and Nesila rolled her eyes. “I was getting to that,” she said with a frustrated tone, striking again, harder this time. “Everything was going well until one day, when we woke up to find the entire family murdered.” The blunt way of Nesila telling this distracted Verro, allowing her to get a hit on his stomach.
“You let your guard down”, she stated monotonously. “It won’t happen again”, Verro muttered after a few moments of heavy breathing. Then he charged towards her again, and the continued sparring.
“Do you know what happened?” Verro asked after a moment, to which Nesila shrugged. “I have a theory”, she said with a grim tone. “You see, the captain of the guard was later found murdered with his face missing. So, it seems clear that someone hired a faceless man to assassinate the Vylohors. One of their political enemies, most likely. I don’t much care to be honest, but the point is that Norano and I had nowhere to go.” Nesila paused for a moment, exchanging a few swings with Verro before continuing. “That is until Malanos Vynos saw us sparring at the harbor of Myr, and noticed the potential in us. He recruited us to the Thunder Crew, and we served with them for many years.”
“Until he decided to leave?” Verro asked, breathing heavily, and Nesila could spot from his expression and posture that he was getting tired. “It was when we first arrived to Dorne”, she said calmly, striking again from right, noticing Verro’s defense faltering. “I was confused and angry when he told me he wanted to leave the Thunder Crew to find a better life. After all, we owed everything we had at that point to Malanos. There are many days, I wish I had either left with him or stopped him”, she spoke somberly, and then the look on her eyes go sharper. “But we are going to find him now!” she said with exasperation, knocking Verro’s staff out of his hands, and proceeding to send him to the ground by knocking his legs out from under him.
With a satisfied smile she stepped next to Verro and pressed her staff against his chest. “I win”, she said triumphantly. “All right, spear lady”, Verro replied with a playful smirk on his face. “I admit you’re better with the staff, but let’s see how you do hand to hand.”
As Verro scrambled up from the sand, they began their hand to hand sparring. Both of them dodged each other’s punches, kicks at first with ease. “Now it is time for you to answer my questions”, Nesila said determinedly. “Let’s start with the scar across your chest. How did you get it?”
“Aw, this little thing?” Verro responded playfully. “I was nineteen when this happened. It was a pit fight against a giant brindled man from Sothoryos. He was very hard to kill.”
“I imagine he was!” Zaltha shouted from the sidelines. “My people have had to deal with the bridled men in the past, uncultured savages the bunch of them, but fight like beasts.” Verro nodded to the Summer Islander’s words as he dodged one of Nesila’s kicks. “I managed to dance away from his reckless and brutal slashing for a while, but eventually he got in too close and cut my chest open. Thankfully I managed to slice open his throat with my arakh before bleeding out. Spent three days laying down after that fight.”
“What about the scar on your side?”, Nesila asked inquisitively, and a slightly more serious expression formed on Verro’s face now. “That was when I was forced to fight one of my own Dothraki brethren in the pits”, he answered with a small sigh. “I was sixteen at that time. We were both given horses to ride and spears as weapons. Unfortunately, the other Dothraki was more experienced at both, and he was able to kill my horse and pierce my side.”
“I wonder how you got out of that one”, Nesila remarked as Verro took one of her punches on the chest. It was pure luck”, he admitted nonchalantly. “I speared his horse and as it crumbled to its death, the rider hit his head on the ground hard enough to pass out. Wasn’t exactly a challenge to kill him after that.”
“Hmm…” Nesila eyed him as she threw another punch. “What about that wound on your shoulder?”
“I was twenty, it was one of my last pit fights, one with several fighters”, Verro responded calmly. “One of them was a Westerosi from a place called Vale. He was using a crossbow, and managed to get me in the shoulder. Unfortunately for him, I was able to get in close, pin him to the ground, and stab him in the head with one of his own bolts. Do you want to know how I pinned him?” Verro asked cheekily, and Nesila narrowed her eyes. “How?” she asked curiously.
“Like this,” Verro responded, grabbing her from the shoulders and tripping her over his leg. Verro could tell from the look in her eyes how surprised she was to find herself pinned between him and the ground. “I win”, he whispered with a playful tone, his face just few inches above hers. They remained there for a couple of lingering seconds, looking each other in the eyes.
“Will you two kiss already?” Zaltha yelled from the side, an amused tone on his voice. “This romantic tension is getting suffocating.”
Verro looked at Nesila, a somewhat nervous grin on his face. “What do you think of that idea?” he asked with a chuckle, and Nesila moved her right hand on Verro’s neck. “Just shut up and kiss me”, she responded sharply, and before Verro could say or do anything, she had already pulled him down and pushed her lips against his. For a moment they were both lost in the passionate kiss, forgetting the world around them.
Zaltha’s chuckle shifted their focus to him for a moment, and with a grin on his face the Summer Islander raised up his hands. “Don’t mind me”, he said amusedly, turning away from them. That night, Verro and Nesila didn’t sleep.
Thanks again for this great part, it's much appreciated!
I really enjoyed the interaction between Verro and Nesila, you really nailed their chemistry here. Makes me all the more hyped for continuing their story together! 
Ah, this is a wonderful H&L and at a very fitting time as well, given his storyline for Book 2 just started
I loved this more detailed view on the backstories of Verro and Nesila and the romance between them, that has been a great dynamic in Book 1 and I really look forward how their feelings will develop in Book 2 after the apparent hit they have taken between this H&L and Book 2. Also nice to see Zaltha for one last time, especially as his contribution here was quite leaning on the fourth wall. It was in that moment where he told them to just kiss that I really felt the exact same way 
One thing I am super curious about is one detail from Nesila's backstory, about the Faceless Man having murdered the family she used to serve. I mean, that might be nothing, but my previous crack theory about Norano being her brother has turned out to be the correct one, so I'm going out of my way here and make another theory: The one who murdered the Vylohor family is none other than NW's resident Faceless Man Forovos Norvoshi. I mean, if this is something that is planned to eventually play a role in the story, even a minor one, then I see it as a possibility. But ah, it matters not right now, I thoroughly enjoyed this part and as Wildling said, it increases the hype for Verro's and Nesila's Book 2 journey in the Manwoody lands.
Valor
Valor Veltaris sat alone in the top floor quarters of a five-story tower house by the central square of Clearhaven. The Fallen Dragons had successfully taken over the town a fortnight ago, and since then they had waited for further instructions. Reinforcements from Brimstone should come sooner or later, but for now Clearhaven was garrisoned by the thousand men commanded by Valor, and about a hundred more commanded by Tryden Flowers.
Nymeria’s spymaster Edd Prally had been crucial in the takeover of Clearhaven, as his information about the Dayne prince’s wedding had given them the perfect time to strike. However, Valor feared the Dayne’s would retaliate quickly and harshly. Of course, that was partly Nymeria’s intention, in order to give Mors and Desmond the opportunity to conquer Skyreach without Dayne intervention. Still, if the Fallen Dragons would be forced to retreat now, it would be much harder to regain this foothold on the Kingdom of Torrentine.
With a sigh Valor grabbed the book that was laying on the table in front of him. “Poems of Love and War by Gilbar Apperford”, read the golden letters embroidered on its back. Bridget had given it to him before he had left Salt Shore to sail to war. “Remember me when you read it”, she had said, though Valor hardly needed a reminder to remember Bridget Gargalen. While Valor had never loved war, this was the first time he truly felt like he had something to lose. He had promised to marry Bridget once the war would be over, and that was a future he didn’t want to lose. However, he also knew this fear to be a weakness in the battlefield, and he could only hope his men wouldn’t notice it.
Just as Valor was about to open the book, the door was knocked. Calmly he stood up and walked to the door, seeing Maran standing there. The boy had grown into the stature of a man during this last year, though his smooth face and skinny arms made clear he was still very much a boy. “Commander”, Maran greeted him with a nod.
“Maran, come in”, Valor responded with a relaxed tone, gesturing for his squire to step in. However, Maran stayed by the door, hesitating for a moment before speaking up. “Commander, Tryden Flowers sent me here to fetch you”, he explained with a slightly nervous tone.
“Ah, I see”, Valor replied calmly. “Did he say why?”
“I’m not sure, but he seemed impatient”, Maran answered, and with a nod Valor stepped out of the room. “Where is Tryden waiting for me?” he asked calmly, and Maran let out a small sigh before answering. “The tavern”, the boy said unenthusiastically, and subtle smirk formed on Valor’s face.
“Could’ve guessed that. Alright then, let’s go see him”, he said, leading them down from the tower house. Walking through the streets of the town, Valor and Maran came across Olyvar Forrester, Haronos and Mizro the Sharp, all three of them standing outside the blacksmith’s workshop.
“You three look oddly serious”, Valor greeted them with a calm and relaxed tone. “Is there some sort of problem?”
“It’s about the blacksmith”, Haronos spoke with a displeased tone on his voice, and Valor raised an eyebrow. “What about him?” He asked curiously.
“He’s gone missing”, Olyvar clarified with a sigh, scratching his head as he spoke. “The men reported he’d been uncooperative and sluggish with his work, apparently due to his loyalty for the Daynes. Last night he disappeared together with his two apprentices. But that’s not all, he has also somehow managed to hide or destroy all the bolts and arrowheads he had been tasked to craft for us.”
“Could’ve thrown them to the fucking sea for all we know”, Haronos cursed grimly. Valor took in a deep breath, considering his response for a moment. “Keep looking for the man. And if you find him, bring him to me”, Valor instructed sternly, looking Olyvar to the eyes as he spoke. “Meanwhile, there must be someone within our forces who can continue the blacksmith’s work for now.”
“That’s already being handled, ser”, Mizro stated calmly, and Valor gave him an approving nod. “Good then”, he replied. “Now excuse me, I should go talk with Tryden.”
His mood admittedly somewhat worsened by the news about the blacksmith, Valor continued his way to the tavern, Maran still following after him. The stench inside the tavern was nearly unbearable, which was no wonder considering for two weeks it had been the main attraction for hundreds of soldiers garrisoning the town. For now there had been enough ale and wine for the lot of them, but eventually it would run out if they’d be situated here for much longer.
Valor approached the table that Tryden Flowers was sitting at. The Reachman sellsword was surrounded by many drunken men, most his own, but Valor also noticed Tregor Vhassyn and Zedd Zhul from his own men there. Tregor was there due to his own desires, whereas Zedd had been tasked by Valor himself to keep an eye on Tryden. Zedd was a short and stocky man, his head shaped like a cone - typically for the Jhogos Nhai. He was a man of few words, but very loyal and trustworthy.
“Valor Veltaris!” Tryden greeted him as he took a seat by the table, his voice revealing that he was drunk. “You wanted to talk about something”, Valor spoke loudly enough to be heard in the noisy tavern, and Tryden nodded.
“Aye, we’ve been stationed here for a fortnight”, he stated, gulping down more of the ale. “The men are starting to wonder what our next move is. Has the princess given you further instructions?”
“No, not for now”, Valor answered, keeping his voice calm. “For fuck’s sake!” roared the bald man next to Tryden. Fenn his name was, if Valor recalled correctly. “If it was up to me, we’d have started sailing towards Southpoint over a week ago!”
“Well, it is not up to you”, Valor responded dryly. Fenn frowned and glared at him with fury in his eyes, but Tryden tapped his friend on the shoulder in a calming manner. “What my friend means to say is that the troops are getting bored of waiting”, he said, a sharp look in his eyes as he gazed at Valor.
“And I suppose you have a suggestion, since you summoned me here”, Valor spoke sternly, and Tryden nodded. “Indeed, I do”, he said, leaning slightly closer with a smirk on his face. “Let me take, let’s say, three-hundred troops, and lead them inland to take over Sandstone. It would give at least some of the men something to do, not to mention that subjugating the Qorgyles would be extremely beneficial for the Principality.”
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion] [Decline Tryden's suggestion]
-
Mors
Mors Martell’s scaled armor, masterfully crafted by the Rhoynar metalworkers, glimmered brightly under the blazing Dornish sun. A satisfied but hesitant smile formed on his face as he watched the thousands of troops erecting the siege camp around Blackpool Keep. It was a modest keep with a single tower, somewhat smaller than Sandship, fitting for a landed knight. Still, it would be the first step in securing the Principality’s rule over the Fowlers.
Mors walked to his squire Cason Bloodspill, the second son of Lord Ormond. The boy was now at the age of thirteen, and after having served Mors for two years there had developed a certain bond between them. As distrusting as Mors was towards Lord Bloodspill, he did feel like he could trust Cason. “What do you think?” he asked casually, and the boy shifted his gaze to him. “Doesn’t look very impressive to me, ser”, he replied with a shrug. “The castle, I mean. It’s smaller than Redclif.”
“Aye, this is just the appetite for the conquest we have ahead of us”, Mors responded with a relaxed tone, tapping his squire lightly on the shoulder. “I have a feeling you’ll be much more impressed once you see Skyreach.”
“Is it larger than Hellgate Hall?” Cason asked curiously, and Mors gave him a pondering look. “I don’t know about larger, but it is certainly more beautiful”, he responded, to which the boy just scoffed. “Castles aren’t meant to be beautiful, Your Grace”, he insisted with all the confidence and wisdom of a prepubescent boy. “They are meant to be strong and keep the enemy out.”
Mors chuckled softly at his squire’s words, before responding with a question. “Can’t they be both?” He asked with a smirk, and Cason hesitated for a moment. “I suppose”, he finally muttered, his tone deadpan. “Though beauty is less important.”
“We can agree on that, lad”, Mors said with a relaxed tone. Shifting his gaze up, he saw Ser Lothar Hill approaching them, clad in his golden armor. “Your Grace”, Ser Lothar greeted him with a stern and dutiful tone, bowing deeply as he spoke. “Ser Albar and Desmond have requested your presence at the war council.”
“I see, duty calls”, Mors responded calmly, before glancing at Cason again. “Come with me”, he said, and the boy raised his eyebrow in surprise. “If you are to be a commander of the Principality’s armies one day, you should see how strategic decisions are made. Watch and learn.” With these words Mors began to make his way towards the war council tent, Ser Lothar and Cason following closely behind him.
Arriving at the tent, Mors saw Albar Ladybright and Desmond Uller standing at the opposite sides of the table, glaring at each other. Mors took the seat at the head of the table, and both of them immediately shifted their attention to him.
“Your Grace”, they spoke in unison. Albar took the seat closest to Mors, while Desmond remained standing. “My prince, the troops are performing tremendously well considering the long march behind us. The encampment should be all set up by nightfall”, Albar explained with a formal tone, and Mors gave him an approving nod.
“I’ve sent men to scout the nearby lands, as well as to gather more supplies and resources for us”, Desmond then said, his tone a bit tenser. “I hope you instructed your men to act tactfully with the local smallfolk”, Mors spoke with a touch of concern in his words, and Desmond gave him a nod. “I gave them the exact instructions you asked me to, Your Grace”, he said with a small sigh. “Even if I am not sure that I agree on them. Though we have the numbers on our side, we shouldn’t be soft towards King Garrison, or he will simply bide his time and wait for his allies to arrive.”
“I understand your concern, Desmond”, Mors said calmly, taking in a deep breath. “However, this land has been tormented by war for years. We should present ourselves as the opportunity for something better, instead of just more of the same.”
“I agree with Prince Mors”, Albar spoke up, a polite tone on his voice. “After all, our goal here is not to destroy House Fowler, but to convince them that submitting to the Principality is their best course of action.”
“Of course, but Garrison Fowler is not someone to be underestimated”, Desmond replied sharply. “He may seem weak, but he is a man most known for his cunning. Given the opportunity he will exploit any mercy and goodwill you show towards him.”
“Still, the authority of a king rests on the loyalty and willingness of his subjects”, Mors remarked calmly. “If the people of these lands see us as the better option, Garrison’s chances of clinging onto his authority are weakened.” The prince’s words were followed by a moment of silence, until finally Desmond sighed and sat down. “Be that as it may, for now we should concentrate on establishing a firm foothold on this kingdom”, he spoke with a tired tone. “Best way to do it would be to take over the Blackpool Keep, and make it our base.”
“That is true”, Albar stated calmly. “I would suggest besieging the castle and waiting for the Blackpools to surrender. It’s a small fort, the land has been in conflict for the past two years, their resources should run out fairly quickly. Perhaps they’ll even be smart enough to surrender before that.”
“Why even wait?” Desmond asked with a frustrated tone. “With the number of troops we have taking the castle by storming it should be easy. I suggest we launch an attack this night, and by tomorrow the castle will be ours.”
“As has been explained to you, we must be tactful with our approach here”, Albar responded with a somewhat smug tone on his voice. “Taking the castle by an assault would be useless bloodshed that could easily be avoided simply by having some patience.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake”, Desmond hissed, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t matter how tactful or patient you are, this is still war, and we are here to conquer. As I’ve said, the longer we sit here doing nothing, the more time Garrison will have to gather his allies.”
“Desmond has a point”, Ser Lothar suddenly spoke up, his tone stern and humorless. “Sooner or later Garrison will make a move against us, and by then it would be for the best that we had walls to fall behind in the worst scenario.”
Mors leaned back on his chair and let out a deep sigh. They had all brought up good points, and he felt nervous for having to be the one to make the decision. Albar was right in that the less blood they would have to spill the better, but Desmond’s concerns were valid as well.
[Assault the castle] [Besiege the castle]
[Decline Tryden's suggestion] While that would give the men something to do, risking 300 men to assault Sandstone is not a very good idea, especially since the only major water source is in their target.
[Assault the castle] While Garrison prefers the long game, Desmor will probably suggest assisting the Blackpool's as quickly as possible, so is better to gain a foothold now and then they can earn the small folk's loyalty.
Is good that we finally see some of Cason Bloodspill's personality after being a living prop for most of Book 1.
Ah, as always, I loved this part
It is nice seeing how the characters have developed during the timeskip, most obvious of which the fact that the relationship between Valor and Bridget is still going strong. That was to be expected, also that he wishes to marry her once the war is over. I mean, we know it won't be for another 8 years at least, but he remains one of the PoV characters with the most simple goals, maybe aside from Verro, as he literally just wishes to settle down and live a simple, peaceful life with his beloved. Fingers crossed he'll succeed at this.
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion]
I am not sure here and may actually end up changing my vote later on here. Edinosaur is right here, this will be a pretty hard siege and water could run out, in which case they'd lose easily. However, I am concerned with the moral of the army. If they are left sitting there for longer, perhaps they could grow dissatisfied. I don't doubt the loyalty and discipline of Valor and his men, but Tryden's sellswords have switched sides before. I want to hold him by Nymeria's side, so I think giving him something to do, something to achieve, might be important. If he ends up doubting Valor's leadership or his use for Nymeria, he might end up considering that House Dayne would be a better employer, one who actually uses his talents. But as I said, I am not so certain here, maybe I will change my vote later on.
[Besiege the castle]
Here I have to agree with Mors and Albar. Nymeria's ultimate goal is not just to conquer Dorne, but she also wishes to build something better in the end. The Fowler bannermen must be absolutely exhausted with the war against Albin Manwoody by now. Maybe if Nymeria arrives not as a brutal conqueror, but as a liberator, who shows them a different choice, one that keeps them safe from Albin's men, that could be one way to make them turn on Garrison without having to do a major bloodshed. At this point, I consider Garrison's hold over his vassals to be the weakest, because he is neither as inspiring as Vorian or as terrifying as Albin, so if Nymeria tries to conquer without too much violence here, he might get actual serious problems with keeping them loyal.
I have to agree with Liquid and Wildling here, this is an awesome H&L! The relationship that Verro and Nesila had during the time skip was something I was especially intrigued about so this is definitely a welcome sight to see. With this part, it definitely adds to my excitement for their Book 2 storyline together and it also makes me want to see their relationship get back to where it was here. Great work
Well there was certainly some interesting developments here! It was nice getting to see both places that Nymeria has went after here with both of them in their own unique situations.
First off, it seems that Valor is the one who has taken Clearhaven along with the Fallen Dragons and the Rose Company! With Martell and Uller banners being what was seen by Blackpool Keep in Garrison's H&L, Valor definitely had to be elsewhere and Clearhaven definitely fits but it makes me a bit conflicted now
Of course my Dayne's including Isabella are my main characters that I created but Valor is still a massive favorite of mine and will be hard to root against him but it must be done! For his choices though, I won't try to sabotage him though at least not at this point 
The choice he has here is a really tough one with both sides carrying huge risks but for now I think I am going to have Valor [Agree to Tryden's suggestion] Admittedly this is a really huge risk considering that the remaining Fallen Dragons will be at only 800 men and I have a feeling that if we let them go that they definitely won't be back before the Dayne ships make it to Clearhaven which could be problematic for Valor and company considering that Jamison and the Dayne men will have the numbers advantage here. Plus from what I gather, Clearhaven doesn't really have very tall walls or anything like that to keep people out if I remember correctly either so waiting out a siege is next to impossible and that's not even including their supplies which seem to be dwindling away fast..
Another thing to factor in here is that I think Tryden might actually be underestimating how difficult it will be to take Sandstone. It is out in the middle of the desert with the only water around that area being at Sandstone itself. I know Jamison and Lucifer considered the Qorgyle's enough of a threat in Book one because of their location so there is a chance that Tryden and the Rose Company could very well be heading to their defeat. Along with that, two hundred of those men would be Fallen Dragons and I am sure Valor does not want to lose any of his men here. With all of that said however, I feel like Valor should agree to Tryden's suggestion largely to appease him. He is definitely not someone that Valor can trust to stay purely loyal to Nymeria and there is always the chance they could turn on Valor if they feel they aren't being used right. The Rose Company would have no problems switching sides as shown already. With this choice here though, the biggest thing is that it is something to kind of keep the peace between the two companies to some extent since I really don't feel like Tryden is someone who takes losing authority very well since even under Nymeria he still had mostly free reign over his company. If it does work out that they actually can conquer Sandstone, it will definitely look to have been a brilliant move on Valor's part and it would have to increase Tryden's respect for Valor since he had put that trust in him here. With that said, I am guessing the battle of Clearhaven is coming very soon and I am very hyped to see it go down. Valor vs Jamison is a matchup I haven't thought about but now that I have, it is definitely going to be an epic battle or siege whenever that happens and I am especially curious to see iff they'll meet during a parlay. However Jamison will most likely skip that step
[Besiege the castle]
This choice works perfectly and makes for a pretty intriguing turn of events either way and like the others have said. it gives the Principality a chance to show the people of the Kingdom of Stone and Sky that Nymeria and House Martell are just rulers who deserve exactly what they are trying to obtain while on the Fowler's side I think it gives Garrison even more of a chance to think of a way to make Nymeria's war with him more of a fight so I feel it will benefit both sides either way depending on where the story goes from here
[Decline Tryden's suggestion]
They are going to need the men for when the Dayne's arrive.
[Besiege the castle]
It may be the smarter move.
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion]
[Besiege the castle]
I'm glad to hear you liked it!
And yeah, Valor and Bridget haven't exactly spent the whole two years together, due to Valor having his duties for Nymeria as well as the company. That said, they clearly have spent enough time with each other for their relationship to become serious enough for them to consider marrying. Valor's goals are indeed pretty humble, but there will nonetheless be plenty of obstacles for him to overcome to reach those goals.
Haha, yeah, I figured Valor's presence would make you at least somewhat conflicted, though I assumed you'd ultimately still root for the Daynes
Nonetheless, a clash between Valor and Jamison is ahead, and it should be pretty epic 
[Agree to Tryden's suggestion]
[Besiege the castle]
Voting is closed!
So, Valor will agree to Tryden's suggestion, and send the Rose Company reinforced with some two-hundred of his own men to take over Sandstone. It's a somewhat risky move, because in worst case scenario they could lose all those three-hundred men without gaining anything. On the other hand though, conquering Sandstone would be extremely helpful for the Principality.
And Mors will choose the less violent option, besieging the castle. It's a slower way of doing things, but it could give the Blackpools a better impression of the Martells, which is definitely something Mors wants.
Next up, we'll get a part from Isabella, giving us an update on the situation at Starfall. I'll be spending a lot of tomorrow on the road, which is why I hope I'll get this part done during today, but we'll see. I am also working on Nymeria's first part in Book 2, but I think I'll need a bit more time with that one.
And lastly, here is another addition to the ever growing Book 2 album, Prince Mors Martell:
Isabella
During this last week a great army of over three-thousand men had assembled to Starfall, most of them bound to Clearhaven. However, the cry for help from King Garrison Fowler hadn’t fallen to deaf ears either, and King Vorian was planning to send five-hundred of his men to Skyreach.
Princess Isabella Dayne couldn’t help but be concerned by all of this. Both the home of her childhood and what was to be the legacy of her children were suddenly under attack. Her husband would lead the attack to Clearhaven, and she was sure her brother couldn’t keep himself away from the fighting either. These two years she had spent in Starfall had been perhaps the happiest of her life so far, and now she feared it might all come crashing down.
With a sigh Isabella began writing her letter for Garrison. It had been too long since she had last written for her father, even if there had been a good reason for it. Giving birth and taking care of two baby boys had been as exhausting as it was rewarding. Of course, the nurse maids of Starfall had been a big help, as well as her handmaidens Cassana Blackpool and Sylvina Nightfall, and Queen Arenna had been very supportive as well. Right now little Ferris was taking a nap, while Samwell was playing with Cassana and Sylvina.
Samwell was the older of the brothers, if only by few minutes. He had his father’s dark hair and purple eyes, and he was definitely the more adventurous one of the brothers, always crawling around and approaching every person in the room without hesitation. Ferris on the other hand had inherited his mother’s blue eyes and blonde hair, and he generally stuck close to her, being notably shyer than his brother. Then again, Ferris had already begun to learn relieving himself on the chamber pot, while Sam still regularly soiled his cloths.
Just as Isabella was about to write down the first line, the door was opened and Jamison walked into the room. At first he walked to Cassana and Sylvina, and raised Samwell to his hands. The boy let out a cheerful laughter as his father raised him high above his head.
“Careful now”, Isabella said calmly, and with a subtle smirk Jamison lowered Sam back next to the girls. He walked by Ferris’ crib, glancing at the sleeping boy for a few seconds before finally approaching Isabella. “We’re about to set sail”, he said calmly, leaning against the desk, and she lowered her quill. “Now?” she asked with a subtle gulp, and Jamison nodded. “I thought you might want to come see me off”, he said.
“Of course”, Isabella replied, forcing a smile on her face. She was anything but happy to see Jamison go to war, but she knew she had to be supportive of him in front the others. “Cassana and Sylvina, keep an eye on the boys, I’ll be back soon.”
As they walked down the corridor, Isabella grabbed Jamison’s hand and stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks and looking him to the eyes. “Listen to me, Jamison”, she spoke up calmly, and he raised his eyebrow in a surprised manner. “I know I cannot stop you from going, but you must promise me that you won’t put yourself in harm’s way.”
”Aye, I’ll make sure to tell the enemy that my wife forbids them from harming me”, Jamison jested with a carefree tone, which made Isabella frown. ”It’s not a joke, Jamison”, she snapped with an annoyed tone. “I do not want our sons to grow up without a father.”
“And I don’t want our sons to grow up with a father who isn’t willing to risk his life to defend their home”, Jamison responded sharply, the smile from his face gone. “But it doesn’t have to be you doing the fighting, Jamison”, Isabella argued with pleading tone. “Hells, no one would even blame you for staying behind, for staying with your family.”
“I don’t expect you to understand, my dear”, Jamison replied with a small sigh, turning his eyes away from Isabella. “If a man spends his life hiding from glory, it is as if he had never lived at all. His body decays, his words turn to wind. Only the name and legacy we make ourselves with our deeds lives on after we die, and I intend to be more than just a footnote in the history books of tomorrow.”
“Why do you care about it so much?” Isabella asked with an almost desperate tone. “What does it matter what lives on after you are gone? You won’t be here to see it, you won’t hear what the men of tomorrow have to say about you, so why live your life for them?”
Jamison stayed quiet for a moment, turning to look Isabella to the eyes again. “As I said, I don’t expect you to understand”, he said quietly, and Isabella turned her eyes down in a defeated manner. “Go then”, she gave up, gulping subtly. “But please come back, I couldn’t bear losing you.”
Jamison stepped closer to Isabella now, a soft smile on his face as he slid his hand through her hair and looked her intensely to the eyes. “I’ll come back, I promise”, he assured, and Isabella wanted to believe him with all her heart, but she just couldn’t shake the concern.
“Don’t cry, my love”, Jamison said softly, seeing the tears welling up in Isabella’s eyes. He pulled her closer and embraced her in a tight but gentle hug, and she pushed her face against his shoulder, letting the tears flow freely. They remained there for over a minute, until finally Jamison separated from Isabella, an empathic look in his eyes. “I love you, Bella”, he said with a reassuring tone, and Isabella nodded hastily, wiping her tears away. “I love you too”, she responded weakly.
And so they made their way to the docks, where Jamison gave one last kiss to Isabella before boarding Starfire, the flagship of the Dayne fleet. Aside from Starfire there were a couple dozen more ships, few of them large war galleys, and others smaller ones made primarily to be trading vessels.
As the Starfire raised its anchor and began to move away, Isabella glanced to her left, where Prince Malcolm and Princess Ashara were standing hand-in-hand next to King Vorian and Queen Arenna. Looking at them, Isabella couldn’t help but feel jealous. She’d never change Jamison for anyone else, but sometimes she wished he wasn’t so damn drawn to danger.
As the ships slowly slid further and further, Isabella was approached by Ser Soren Ashford. The Reachman knight had a tense, almost nervous, look in his eyes. “My princess”, he spoke up with a subtle gulp, and Isabella gestured for him to continue. “There is something I must request from you”, he said with a small sigh.
“You may speak freely, ser”, Isabella said calmly, to which Soren nodded. “I know I have been tasked to guard you here, it is a duty I have been proud to fulfill these past two years and it pains me to even ask this, but…”
“You wish to march back to Skyreach”, Isabella concluded quietly, and after hesitating a moment Ser Soren nodded. “Yes, my princess”, he responded tensely. “I believe you to be safe here in Starfall, but the Kingdom of Stone and Sky is in grave danger, and so might be your father as well.”
Isabella took in a deep breath, eyeing Ser Soren. He had been a loyal guard and true friend to Isabella during her time in Starfall, on top of being the only real reminded of her childhood here – aside from Cassana of course. Part of her wanted to demand him to stay, especially since letting him go could well mean that they’d never meet again. Then again, Isabella recognized how selfish it would be of her to deny Ser Soren his duty to protect the Kingdom of Stone and Sky on the battlefield.
[Allow Ser Soren to leave] [Demand Ser Soren to stay]
[Demand Ser Soren to stay]
What if something happens at Starfall? She needs to have a loyal guard, just in case. She can't prevent her husband from leaving toward danger, but she can prevent her knight. If she does this, in her mind, she might feel like she at least prevented someone she cared about from going toward danger.
[Allow Ser Soren to leave]
[Allow Ser Soren to leave] It's a risk, but Soren has been sworn to House Fowler for so long, and he may feel guilty he wasn't there to prevent the death of Ferris Fowler.
Ah, it's been great seeing Isabella back and seeing how she has grown as a person in these two years. That being said, as sweet as her relationship with Jamison was, their talk was hard to read, because it's clear how much it pains her to see him go. You know I like Jamison, but there's no denying that he can be reckless and I fear that ultimately, he will come to regret that he hasn't stayed with his wife. There is a legitimate possibility that he'll put himself into lethal danger all in his pursuit of glory and I am concerned that the happiness they have right now won't remain forever. Isabella is right, she's right most of the time actually and for Jamison's sake, I hope he realizes this before it's too late.
[Demand Ser Soren to stay]
I am a bit on the fence here, because Soren is a friend to Isabella and I don't want her to force her friends to do something they don't want to. But Tales brought up something here and it got me thinking, what if Starfall will be in danger? Of course, as Lady Dayne she has many people to look after her, but Soren is her most loyal and faithful guard. If anything dangerous ever happens at Starfall, I would highly prefer if he is around to keep her safe. Meanwhile, at Skyreach, he'd be just one out of many. Garrison has loyal guards and I don't think Soren could make a difference there. However, he could make a huge difference in Starfall by protecting Isabella. I don't know, my worries might be unfounded, but I could see this ending up as a choice of great importance. When it comes to the single most kind-hearted and innocent PoV in the entire story, it's better to leave her with too much protection than too little.
As always this was an awesome part with it being a treat to see how Isabella has changed over the past couple of years along with so many other great moments in the part. It was nice getting to learn something new about the boys with them both being showing a resemblance to their parents in their own ways and I am excited to see them grow up as the story moves forward
The talk between Isabella and Jamison was certainly a great read as well with it definitely bringing mixed feelings to say the least. On the one hand, I am excited to see Jamison get the opportunity to go after what he wants with the possibility of Jamison leading the Dayne's to war being something I have thought about since I came with the idea for his character back at the start of the story so seeing it about to unfold is pretty epic with there definitely being alot of potential for Jamison to do some great things but at the same time he is about to be in serious danger going off to war which Isabella pointed out to him. I feel pretty bad for Isabella here as well with her losing so much already in her life and the possibility that she could lose the only person she has ever loved is definitely something that is saddening for her and it gives even more incentive to keep Jamison safe, not that I was going to let him do anything too crazy or course 
It really was sad to see her struggle with this here and it will be interesting to see what Jamison thought about the whole conversation since he definitely doesn't want to hurt her so seeing her break down had to have hurt him as well I am guessing. From the look of things, this will be the last time Isabella and Jamison see one another for a long while and while I won't hold Jamison back toward reaching his goals, I might be a bit more cautious with his choices at times depending on the situation with my main goal being to give the Martell's the best fight possible while making sure Jamison gets home to Isabella safely. Seriously Wildling, this really was a great part with so many feels going on. Great work man 
As far as the choice goes, I have debated over this one ever since you posted the part which is why I haven't voted yet and I was very tempted to send Soren away but seeing Tales' and Liquid's thoughts have helped steer me the other direction and I will vote for her to [Demand Ser Soren to stay]. Isabella has grown so much and while I do want her to be strong, she is still a young girl who has been through so much. She has put her own feelings and worries aside for others many times throughout the story and I feel like she does deserve to be selfish every once in a while. Admittedly, I am not too worried about Starfall being in danger itself at least at this point, it also would not hurt for Isabella to have the knight who has guarded her ever since her childhood there to protect her in case something does happen and the way I see it, I do believe Soren would be of more use here. I feel like the Kingdom of Stone and Sky is going to fall quickly maybe even without an actual battle unless Garrison has something big up his sleeve which is definitely possible but even still I see them falling by the end of Chapter one if not sooner so it is probably for the best to keep Soren there with her since as Liquid said, it is best for her to have too much protection rather than too little. With all of this said though, I will probably debate over this choice even more and if I changed my mind, don't be surprised
[Allow Ser Soren to leave]
Voting is closed!
So, Isabella will demand Ser Soren to stay. Well, technically it was a tie, but I shall prioritize the vote of Isabella's creator here
Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't been working that much on the story these past few days, because I've been spending time with my family, since my semester is over now and it's the Mother's Day this Sunday. On top of that, I finally bought God of War today and after playing a couple hours I can already tell it might distract me a bit
Not to worry though, I should get back to the swing of things next week 
Like I've said before, I'm working on a Nymeria PoV, but I'll probably write another one as well before posting, most likely Nealia. So, I'd say you can expect the next parts to be posted on Monday or Tuesday.
As for now, I have a Book 2 portrait for Isabella:
Nymeria
The Princess sat quietly at the head of the council table, feeling somewhat exhausted as little Sarella had kept her awake last night. She listened faintly as General Varyn, Edd Prally and Ormond Bloodspill talked about the situation at Ghost Hill.
“It was reported that the bulk of the Yronwood forces marched back towards the Tor, leaving a garrison of a few hundred men to Ghost Hill”, Varyn spoke sternly.
“We should be able to gather enough men to take it back”, Ormond commented nonchalantly, to which Edd Prally responded quickly. “That is true, but we might want to wait and see what is King Yorick’s next move”, the spymaster said sharply.
“Continue to muster the Santagar and Ladybright troops to Spottswood”, Nymeria commanded with a tired tone. “However, tell them to wait for further instructions before marching to Ghost Hill. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
“Yes, Your Grace”, Varyn said with a subtle sigh. “Valor sent a raven from Clearhaven. They’ve had some problems with keeping the townsfolk in order, but no violent revolts as of now. He also informs that he has sent Tryden Flowers with three-hundred soldiers to take over Sandstone.”
This piece of news made Nymeria narrow her eyes. She hadn’t instructed Valor to attempt taking over Sandstone, but if it were to succeed the benefits would admittedly be great. “That’s three-hundred men wasted in case they fail”, she commented dryly. “Anything else from Valor?”
“No, he is just asking if you have any new instructions for him”, Varyn explained calmly, and Nymeria nodded. “Tell him to keep waiting for the Daynes, and continue with the original plan”, she responded strictly. “What about Mors, has he made contact?”
“Not for now”, Edd Prally said with a calm and gentle tone. “However, I have no doubt he will be able to establish a foothold on the Kingdom of Stone and Sky.”
I certainly hope so, our plan relies on that, Nymeria thought grimly, but decided to keep these thoughts to herself. “I assume that concludes our meeting, then”, she stated calmly, but just as she was about to stand up from her seat Edd Prally spoke up again. “One more thing, Your Grace”, he said with a polite tone, a small smile forming behind his bushy beard. “Lord Derek Dalt sent a raven, apparently our royal guest arrived to Lemonwood yesterday. I’d say it’s safe to assume he’ll be here before nightfall.”
“I should prepare then”, Nymeria replied calmly, now standing up from her seat, and Edd Prally nodded. “No need to stress too much, Your Grace”, he said with a relaxed tone. “From what I’ve heard he is a pleasant and laidback man.”
“Then it should be a pleasure to do business with him”, Nymeria spoke halfheartedly as she walked to the door of the council room. Opening the door she glanced once more at her council members. “I’ll see you once our guests arrive.”
-
Nymeria stood at the docks of Sandship, holding the hand of her daughter as they watched the ships approaching from the sea. They were flanked by four royal guards, those being Nesea, Jinora Ling, Ser Boran Sargen and Jadisha. Behind them were also Maester Olivar and General Varyn.
There were three ships approaching, the one in the middle being the largest. Shaped like a longship, it wasn’t quite as large as your typical war galley, but still much larger than any other longship Nymeria had ever seen. Its sails were black, on them painted a sigil divided into four fields by chains of iron. On top was a golden longship on a field of black, on the right a green pine on a field of white, on the bottom a cluster of red grapes on a field of gold, and on the left was a black raven on a field of blue.
“The sigil of House Hoare”, the maester spoke up with his mousy voice. “It boasts the conquests they made during the Age of Heroes, thousands of years ago. The longship is their original sigil, standing for the Iron Isles, while the pine symbolizes their conquests in the North. The grapes stand for Arbor, and the raven for Oldtown.” Nymeria could spot a hint of resentment in those last words, and she glanced at the maester with mild interest. “However, from what I’ve heard King Harmund the Second is nothing like his ancestors who terrorized the western coast”, Olivar quickly continued.
“I’m guessing that is a good thing?” Varyn asked sternly, and the maester nodded hastily. “Indeed, unlike most of his kinsmen, Harmund is a man of reason. Or so I’ve heard.”
Just then the ship was anchored, and the gangplank lowered on the docks. First out of the ship walked a couple of pale warriors clad in light chainmails, who were clearly uncomfortable under the hot sun of Dorne. However, soon after them a black-haired man dressed in fancy dark robes walked down from the ship, carrying in his arms a boy who was perhaps a year older than Sarella. With a charismatic smirk on his face the man lowered the boy back on his feet as they reached the docks, and then his gaze met with Nymeria’s.
The man was quite handsome, in a rough sort of way, though there was something ominous about him as well. His eyes were dark as night, as was his finely combed hair, which was in stark contrast with his pale complexion. He was on his early thirties if Nymeria had to guess, and though he was otherwise dressed like a proper nobleman, the crown on his head made the Rhoynar princess raise her eyebrow. It was crudely carved from wood, hardly a crown worthy of a king.
“Princess Nymeria”, King Harmund greeted with a warm and polite tone, giving her a small bow and then extending his hand. Nymeria shook the man’s hand and smiled politely. “King Harmund, you arrive sooner than expected”, she responded calmly.
“Ah, the Ironborn ships are the fastest in the world”, Harmund boasted with a grin on his face, before turning towards the boy next to him. “And here is my son and heir, Prince Harmund”, he said with a proud tone on his voice. “Sadly, his mother Queen Lelia couldn’t make it, as her pregnancy is too far for such a long journey.”
“Understandable”, Nymeria said softly, looking at the younger Harmund. Adorable as the boy was, she had to wonder if naming the son after himself said something about the ego of this king. “Let me introduce Princess Sarella, my daughter and heir”, Nymeria continued, and her daughter shyly looked at the Ironborn king. A moment of silence followed as King Harmund smiled and nodded at the girl, and then the two kids awkwardly looked at each other.
“I suppose we could continue inside”, Nymeria finally said, to which Harmund nodded eagerly. Escorted by the guards of both Nymeria and Harmund, they made their inside Sandship, first walking past the construction site of the new palace.
They made their way into the dining room, and took their seats around the table. “Maester Olivar, take the little ones for a walk, will you”, Nymeria commanded with a calm and gentle tone, and the maester gave her a dutiful bow. It wasn’t hard to convince Sarella to go with Olivar, as she knew him and quite liked his company, but King Harmund’s son was a little less eager to leave his father’s side. However, the King whispered something to the boy’s ear, and so he went along with Sarella and the maester.
“It’s my first time in Dorne”, Harmund spoke up with a friendly tone as the servants brought them wine and bread. “I learned much of its history during my years in Casterly Rock, but it seems much has changed here recently.”
“Indeed”, Nymeria replied with a subtle smirk. “My intent is to unite the people of this land under one banner, making it stronger than it ever was before.”
“Stronger and more civilized, I imagine”, Harmund responded, raising his cup. “I’m saying that because my people have a very similar reputation to that of the Dornishmen. Throughout history they’ve both been seen as raiders and thieves, pestering the lands of the more noble.”
“Funny that you say that”, Nymeria said calmly, her smile fading now. “Some time ago I heard quite a story about one of your vassals. His crew aided a rebellion on the lands of House Dalt, and he killed one of my most trusted captains after holding her a hostage for months.”
Harmund’s smile faded now as well. At first his expression was regretful, but soon it turned to anger. “Bjorn Harlaw”, he muttered with a sigh. “I heard of his… venture here in Dorne. Fear not, if we are to become allies, I guarantee such raids will seize.”
“You will?” Nymeria asked with a raised eyebrow, taking a sip of her wine and leaning closer. “Are you sure you can control your vassals?”
“Yes”, Harmund said strictly, his voice confident and authoritative. “I will discourage them from raiding your lands, offering instead a prosperous partnership in trade. You here have fruits, wine and spices, all commodities lacking on the Iron Isles. In turn, we will give you iron, and lots of it. I heard you Rhoynar are excellent metalworkers, but even the best smith needs iron to work with.”
“That’s all well and good, if such trade can truly be established”, Nymeria replied calmly. “The sail between Dorne and Iron Isles is a long and hard one, are your captains brave enough for it?”
“It’s in their blood, Your Grace”, Harmund answered with a grin, leaning back on his chair and taking a deep gulp from his wine. “And besides, Westeros is changing. Once a trade route between Dorne and Iron Isles may have been unthinkable, but stranger things have happened recently. My father and King Lancel Lannister brought the Ironborn and Westermen together in a powerful alliance, you are changing Dorne with your conquest, and as we speak the Storm King is marching into the Riverlands with all his might.”
“And you see these changes being for the better?” Nymeria asked curiously, and Harmund considered his answer a moment, pouring more wine for himself. “I will not assume to know what is for the best”, he finally said, taking a sip of the wine and narrowing his eyes. “All I know is that the world changes whether we like it or not. A wise man changes with it, adapts and learns, while the fools cry for yesterday.”
“Well said, Your Grace”, Nymeria said smoothly, raising her cup and gulping down the rest of her wine. “I believe we will make fine allies.”
“I believe so as well”, Harmund replied with a relaxed tone, eyeing Nymeria with great interest. “As I understood, you are currently waging war against the Daynes. I know I said earlier that I would discourage my captains from raiding these lands, but if you wish, I could encourage one last raid to the Torrentine to aid your cause.”
Nymeria tensed up, laying her cup to the table and taking in a deep breath. It was tempting, an Ironborn fleet would make things so much easier. However, it wouldn’t be clean, hundreds of innocents would die, people she aspired to rule and protect one day. Perhaps it would be a sacrifice worth making.
[Allow the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] [Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine]
[Allow the Ironborn raid to Torrentine]
I feel that this is something she would probably do to help aid, in her conquest.
[Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] Meeting Harmund the Haggler was something I didn't saw coming, and this odd alliance will certainly bring interesting interactions.
Decided to change my answer.
[Deny the Ironborn raid to Torrentine] If she indeed sees herself as something different and not just another conqueror, then this is the choice she has to make. It is already bad enough that's she's a foreign invader, now if she lets the Ironborn loose that will only strengthen the belief that her loyalty only lies with foreigners and not the dornish people, despite her claims. Besides, that would be a really dumb move, she would earn the Ironborn's good graces and some victories against defenseless villages, but she would make enemies in almost every other front. The nobles would despise her for letting the Ironborn plunder the lands of Dorne, and the smallfolk would despise her for allowing the Ironborn to commit atrocities towards them. She would make way more enemies than she can even expect, and we all know that the Ironborn almost never make for good allies long-term.
You make an interesting point, but how would the nobles or the smallfolk even know about her alliance with the Ironborn? They would just assume these are random Ironborn raids.