Aaaah, Gwen and Naemon I am so happy right now to see them both back! I consider a happy dance to be in order So, let me start with Naemon first. This part was short but sweet, making me super hyped for his storyline in Book 2. As expected, Naemon has settled into his new role a bit by now, but I think it's really clear, he has no passion for all this. In general, he seems to have lost some of his passion, this easy-going vibe he always had in his early parts. Can't say I blame him for that, but it is sad to see how much these two years have changed him into a more serious and stern person. I suppose having his best friend taken away and being forced into a role he never wanted can have such an effect, but it was nonetheless a harsh contrast. It also seems like he's really not believing his father and I assume at this point he has given up hope that Gwendis' return to Blackmont is any realistic. This is perhaps the saddest aspect of his part. He is faced with evidence that Gwen is alive and well and possibly making her return home, but after two years of grieving, he is probably too wary to actually hope this to be true, either out of fear to be disappointed, or because he simply distrusts Benedict this much.
And I'm super excited to continue the stories of these two, they've been among my favorite characters to write throughout Book 1 Naemon's part was indeed pretty short, and I honestly probably would've made it a bit longer if I didn't post Gwen's much longer part simultaneously, but it did its job getting the storyline started. And yeah, another thing that I definitely wanted to show in this part was the change in Naemon's character, him being a bit more jaded and stern after taking charge in Gwen's absence. That said, it's not all negative necessarily, because while Naemon has indeed become more serious, he has also grown more responsible and mature. And yeah, I'd say it's a mix of distrust in Benedict and just generally not wanting to have too high hopes in case they'll just be crushed. Obviously Naemon still hopes that Gwendis would by some miracle come back, but he has more or less accepted by now that it might never happen.
And Gwendis... oh, oh this was already a highlight for me and a much more positive part than Naemon's more gloomy situation. I doubt things will stay that way for her, so I am going to cherish this as long as it lasts. She's in Volantis, she has notably recovered from her ordeal with the Great Other assholes, she even gained a friend and roommate! It's like college for her, if college would consist of a bunch of super religious cultists. So... I guess it's kinda like college in Texas But back to the topic, it was amazing to see her back and in her new situation. Obviously, she has settled in well, she seemed to have gained an actual friend in Laela (and I swear, I had a hard time not reading that name as "Lyla" XD), as well as having become friends with Belan and probably Desi. I am so happy about all this, even though I am a bit curious about her actual role in the R'hllor church. She doesn't seem to hold any official positions, so is she, like, their guest? Or maybe a patient, given that they helped her with getting rid of that pesky Great Other influence in her head. I fear this connection could return though once she leaves Volantis and gets closer to Valerie again and I really doubt she has gotten rid of the demon for good. But focus on the good things, she seems the happiest I've seen her in, well, probably forever, given that her early Blackmont parts haven't been particularly happy either. I like Laela already and I am really wanting to learn more about her, there are some interesting dynamics with her, Desi and Gwen. And I am curious to whom this other guest is whom Desi is waiting to meet. It seems to be something built up as a surprise and secret, else I would have expected a name drop here. Probably someone important, not necessarily a character we already know about, but undoubtedly someone who will play quite a role as things progress and I wonder whom it could be. But ah, I am excited for Gwen in Book 2, seeing her storyline in Volantis, even if I suppose it'll only be a brief part of this book, but also seeing her return to Dorne and how she settles into that new conflict, not only between R'hllor and Great Other, but also the conflict between Nymeria and the rest of Dorne which is rapidly growing. Safe to say, I am sufficiently hyped for the future
Yay, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Gwen's reintroduction to the story! She is in a pretty good place right now, though some hints of potential future threats were already brought up in this part. And I didn't really even think about the similarity between the names of Lyla and Laela, but you're right, they are pronounced very similarly Glad to hear you're already liking Laela though, we'll have a lot of time to learn more about her going forward. As for Gwen's role, she was definitely at first just a patient, being cured from the taint of the Great Other. However, now I'd say she is more like a guest, and perhaps a student of sorts as well, even if she isn't training to be a priestess. This will be highlighted more once we actually meet the High Priestess, but it's also likely that the church of R'hllor sees Gwendis as a valuable ally, given her connection to Dornish nobility and the fact that there hasn't been much success in spreading the religion to Westeros so far. Not that that's their main priority either, they have plenty of competition in Essos as well, but still. And what comes to this guest that was teased, well I can reveal he isn't a character we already know, but he is very interesting individual whom I can't wait to introduce in the next Gwendis part
Aaaah, Gwen and Naemon I am so happy right now to see them both back! I consider a happy dance to be in order So, let me start with Naemon … morefirst. This part was short but sweet, making me super hyped for his storyline in Book 2. As expected, Naemon has settled into his new role a bit by now, but I think it's really clear, he has no passion for all this. In general, he seems to have lost some of his passion, this easy-going vibe he always had in his early parts. Can't say I blame him for that, but it is sad to see how much these two years have changed him into a more serious and stern person. I suppose having his best friend taken away and being forced into a role he never wanted can have such an effect, but it was nonetheless a harsh contrast. It also seems like he's really not believing his father and I assume at this point he has given up hope that Gwendis' return to Blackmont is any realistic. This is perhaps the saddest aspect of his part… [view original content]
Ah, I should probably clarify that we will meet Ser Blaine Bulwer's convoy regardless of whether Naemon chooses to lead the troops or not (since it'll take some time to gather those troops). I'm not sure if that was why you chose to suggest Kegan or Thomos, but thought I should clear it up anyhow
[Suggest Kegan or Thomos] Meeting the men from the Reach could be interesting, after all their relationships have been uneasy since the reig… moren of Garth the Painter.
[Go to the High Priestess quarters] I'm having curiosity about meeting Belan's mother and what they think about Gwendis' presence.
Ah, I should probably clarify that we will meet Ser Blaine Bulwer's convoy regardless of whether Naemon chooses to lead the troops or not (s… moreince it'll take some time to gather those troops). I'm not sure if that was why you chose to suggest Kegan or Thomos, but thought I should clear it up anyhow
And I'm super excited to continue the stories of these two, they've been among my favorite characters to write throughout Book 1 Naemon's part was indeed pretty short, and I honestly probably would've made it a bit longer if I didn't post Gwen's much longer part simultaneously, but it did its job getting the storyline started. And yeah, another thing that I definitely wanted to show in this part was the change in Naemon's character, him being a bit more jaded and stern after taking charge in Gwen's absence. That said, it's not all negative necessarily, because while Naemon has indeed become more serious, he has also grown more responsible and mature. And yeah, I'd say it's a mix of distrust in Benedict and just generally not wanting to have too high hopes in case they'll just be crushed. Obviously Naemon still hopes that Gwendis would by some miracle come back, but he has more or less accepted by now that it might never happen.
Oh my god, what a coincidence, they are among my favourites as well And I agree, Naemon's part got the job done, showing perfectly well what kind of a situation he finds himself in two years after we last saw him. Speaking of, I must actually applaud you for this change of personality that happened during the timeskip. It is perfectly believable and building up on things that have been established in the last chapter, but at the same time still as jarring as it rightfully should be, considering that Naemon used to be one of the most easygoing and light-hearted of the PoV's. While it remains to be seen if this has affected him further, it's safe to say that he has changed quite a lot. This also makes me really curious how much of this development has come from him genuinely accepting his new role and how much of it is just grief due to Gwen's disappearance. And needless to say, this made me all the more hyped for a potential reunion between these two, seeing how they both developed into different directions, the previously carefree Naemon having become serious and more harsh, whereas Gwendis, while certainly anything but light-hearted, has definitely become more at ease and less troubled, if that makes any sense. No doubt that one will change eventually though, but I am curious to see how they would get along after developing apart from each other for two whole years.
Yay, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Gwen's reintroduction to the story! She is in a pretty good place right now, though some hints of potential future threats were already brought up in this part. And I didn't really even think about the similarity between the names of Lyla and Laela, but you're right, they are pronounced very similarly Glad to hear you're already liking Laela though, we'll have a lot of time to learn more about her going forward. As for Gwen's role, she was definitely at first just a patient, being cured from the taint of the Great Other. However, now I'd say she is more like a guest, and perhaps a student of sorts as well, even if she isn't training to be a priestess. This will be highlighted more once we actually meet the High Priestess, but it's also likely that the church of R'hllor sees Gwendis as a valuable ally, given her connection to Dornish nobility and the fact that there hasn't been much success in spreading the religion to Westeros so far. Not that that's their main priority either, they have plenty of competition in Essos as well, but still. And what comes to this guest that was teased, well I can reveal he isn't a character we already know, but he is very interesting individual whom I can't wait to introduce in the next Gwendis part
Ah, I loved it! As far as Gwendis' parts go, this one was among my favourites for now, simply because I was so super hyped to see her back. For certain, this is my favourite of the potential ways she could have started her Book 2 storyline, as opposed to still being a part of Team Awful, or being at Skyreach, as much as I love the characters in the latter storyline. Hopefully we'll manage to pick equally good choices for her as Book 2 continues, but I suppose I'll have to carefully consider which choices to make and which strategy to follow, now that there is no corruption to resist anymore. I am particularly excited for her meeting new characters, from Laela, to the High Priestess, to possible encounters she could make once back in Dorne. And I see my excitement for this mysterious guest is not misplaced, I am certainly curious what kind of a character it will be
Aaaah, Gwen and Naemon I am so happy right now to see them both back! I consider a happy dance to be in order So, let me start with Naemon … morefirst. This part was short but sweet, making me super hyped for his storyline in Book 2. As expected, Naemon has settled into his new role a bit by now, but I think it's really clear, he has no passion for all this. In general, he seems to have lost some of his passion, this easy-going vibe he always had in his early parts. Can't say I blame him for that, but it is sad to see how much these two years have changed him into a more serious and stern person. I suppose having his best friend taken away and being forced into a role he never wanted can have such an effect, but it was nonetheless a harsh contrast. It also seems like he's really not believing his father and I assume at this point he has given up hope that Gwendis' return to Blackmont is any realistic. This is perhaps the saddest aspect of his part… [view original content]
So, the voting on Naemon's part was a tie, but by prioritizing the vote of the character's creator, Naemon will lead the troops himself. At least Davos will for sure be happy with this choice.
And Gwendis will tell Desi about the dream. This changes mostly just the structure of her next part, giving more interaction between Gwen and Desi, as well as introducing the mysterious guest before we meet the High Priestess. Nonetheless, Gwendis' next part should shed some light regarding what to expect from her storyline going forward.
Next up, we'll start Kris' storyline in Book 2. After defeating the Great Other worshipers with Desi two years ago, he has been concentrating on his duties as a husband, father and the Lord of Vaith. I might get the part done later today!
And this time I don't have just one addition to the album, nor two, but three more portraits! Those being Gwendis, Desirea, and Laela. Here they are:
Voting is closed!
So, the voting on Naemon's part was a tie, but by prioritizing the vote of the character's creator, Naemon will lead th… moree troops himself. At least Davos will for sure be happy with this choice.
And Gwendis will tell Desi about the dream. This changes mostly just the structure of her next part, giving more interaction between Gwen and Desi, as well as introducing the mysterious guest before we meet the High Priestess. Nonetheless, Gwendis' next part should shed some light regarding what to expect from her storyline going forward.
Next up, we'll start Kris' storyline in Book 2. After defeating the Great Other worshipers with Desi two years ago, he has been concentrating on his duties as a husband, father and the Lord of Vaith. I might get the part done later today!
And this time I don't have just one addition to the album, nor two, but three more portraits! Those being Gwendis, Desirea, and Laela. Here they are:
Three portraits at once, my goodness! And a Gwen portrait, that's the one I've been most excited for Certainly, it does not disappoint. I doubt I'll ever tire to praise the violet you used for the eyes in comparison to the Book 1 portraits. And I am super happy to see this updated version of her. What can I say, I really dig these Book 2 versions of the characters we've already seen in Book 1 and obviously, Gwen is of particular importance to me, so this one's instantly one of my favourite portraits She does look more at ease, especially when compared to her updated Book 1 portrait with the Great Other in the background (albeit the background naturally cannot compete this time, the Great Other eyes were simply too wicked), but even when compared to her very first portrait, she does look more genuinely happy. There has been something more distant in the original Book 1 version and it makes me happy to see how she has developed. Speaking of development, I think it's clear to see that Desi really comes after her mother. Sure, she's about half her age or even younger, but this nonetheless shows that in time, she'll probably look even more like her. It has also been mentioned in the part itself that she has really grown, a head taller than Gwen even and while Gwen is not exactly a tall person, it means that Desi is probably ending up at least as tall as Dalia. I don't really know how, but you managed to show this in the portrait, she somehow looks taller than Gwen even though we only see their head and part of their upper body. Laela at last, the newest character and I have already taken a liking to her and, as I must state, not just because she sounds so much like Lyla That streak of red in her hair is kinda surprising, yet intriguing and definitely something I could see as fitting for a red priestess. Ah, it should not possible for me to get more hyped for a storyline, but these portraits somehow managed to increase my excitement for the things to come even further!
Voting is closed!
So, the voting on Naemon's part was a tie, but by prioritizing the vote of the character's creator, Naemon will lead th… moree troops himself. At least Davos will for sure be happy with this choice.
And Gwendis will tell Desi about the dream. This changes mostly just the structure of her next part, giving more interaction between Gwen and Desi, as well as introducing the mysterious guest before we meet the High Priestess. Nonetheless, Gwendis' next part should shed some light regarding what to expect from her storyline going forward.
Next up, we'll start Kris' storyline in Book 2. After defeating the Great Other worshipers with Desi two years ago, he has been concentrating on his duties as a husband, father and the Lord of Vaith. I might get the part done later today!
And this time I don't have just one addition to the album, nor two, but three more portraits! Those being Gwendis, Desirea, and Laela. Here they are:
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his face, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “I’ve told his story to you before, do you remember it?” As he asked this, the door of the chambers was opened, and in walked Lady Myra.
“I remember”, Nickon claimed confidently. “He tempered his sword by driving it through a living heart, and then he fought against monsters.”
“Indeed, Azor Ahai had to make a great personal sacrifice so he could save the world from eternal darkness of the Great Other”, Kris spoke calmly, and behind him Myra scoffed quietly. “Are these really the kinds of stories you should be telling him?” She asked doubtingly, and Kris turned to look at her with a smirk. “He likes them”, he responded with a relaxed tone, and Myra rolled her eyes.
“Well, as long as they don’t give him nightmares”, she muttered with a sigh. “Anyway, Minesa asked for you.”
“Now?” Kris asked with a raised eyebrow, and Myra nodded. “She isn’t particularly open with me, but I’m guessing it has something to do with her visions”, she responded nonchalantly. With a nod Kris stood up from the seat, and Myra sat down.
“Maybe grandma has seen Great Other in her visions, and we will be the heroes who defeat him”, Nickon said with excitement, and Kris flashed him a grin. “Perhaps”, he responded lightheartedly, giving his son a wink before walking out of the room, and making his way to Minesa’s quarters.
With a sigh Kris pushed open the door to his mother’s chambers, and stepped in. Minesa sat by the table, reading a book with a focused expression on her face. Hearing her son step in, she raised her gaze to look at him.
“You wanted to talk”, Kris said nonchalantly, and Minesa nodded quietly. “The flames have shown me strange things recently”, she said calmly, tapping her fingers lightly on the wooden table. “Darkness still lingers in this land, growing stronger all the time. Our work isn’t done, my son.”
“Valerie is dead, along with those who served her”, Kris reminded sharply. “That’s enough for me.”
“You are the warrior of light, the lord’s chosen champion”, Minesa spoke smoothly, standing up from her seat. “Whether you like it or not, you still have a part to play in this conflict between light and dark.”
“Is that so?” Kris asked with a slightly frustrated tone. “You’ve seen me in the flames as well?”
“I have”, Minesa responded quickly, a concerned look in her eyes. “I’ve seen you tangling with a shadow in the garden, I’ve seen you draw your sword to against the warriors of darkness, and I’ve seen you burn away the sinners of this land. Your fate is one with R’hllor, Kris. There is no escaping it.”
“I have a family to take care of”, Kris argued hesitantly, turning his eyes away from his mother now. A moment of tense silence followed, and Minesa walked right next to her son and put a hand on his shoulder. “You will find the wisdom and strength to do the right thing”, she whispered with a sharp look in her eyes. “I have faith in you, my son.”
“Is there something more you wanted to talk about?” Kris asked coldly, and his mother shook her head wordlessly. With a sigh Kris began to walk towards the door. He glanced at his mother once more, before walking out of the room.
Heading towards his chambers, Kris suddenly stopped and turned to look towards the doorway that led to the garden. Minesa mentioned something about him tangling with a shadow in the garden. The flames don’t lie, Kris thought with a frown. Unable to curb his curiosity, he walked silently into the garden. The sun had set, leaving the garden dark and silent, the crescent moon on the night sky being the only source of light.
Kris stopped in the middle of the garden, breathing in and out, and closing his eyes for just a few seconds. Nothing, he thought as he opened his eyes, partly relieved and partly disappointed.
Suddenly, Kris heard steps behind him, and by sheer instinct he spun around fast enough to leap away from the silent hooded figure that charged towards him with a dagger. The dagger scratched Kris’ cheek, and he attempted to counter with a punch, but the hooded man caught his arm and tossed him to the ground with remarkable skill and strength. The assassin pinned Kris to the ground by pressing his right knee against Kris’ chest, and holding down his right arm with his left foot. Kris could only struggle and squirm helplessly as the hooded man raised his dagger for a final strike that would end his life.
However, just as Kris thought that it was all over, the assassin suddenly froze, letting out a groan of pain and dropping his dagger. Kris took the opportunity to free his right arm and elbowed the man on the face, effectively freeing himself from under him. Then he saw what had stopped the assassin – there was a bolt embedded deep into his upper back, and at the other end of the garden stood Hondo with a crossbow on his hands. He had already reloaded it and now approached the hooded man, continuing to aim at him.
“Thank you”, Kris said, breathing heavily, and Hondo gave him a nod. “Don’t mention it”, he said nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on the assassin. “Your mother asked me to watch your back, she knew something was going to happen tonight.”
The assassin now leaned against a small pillar next to the orange trees, clearly in pain, sweating and breathing heavily. Kris picked up the dagger that the assassin had dropped, and approached the man. He but the blade on his neck, and proceeded to remove his hood, revealing a bony and pale face, as well as dark and emotionless eyes. “Who are you?” Kris asked sternly, still keeping the blade on his throat.
“The name is Zereth”, the man responded with a cough, managing to form a weak smirk on his face.
“I don’t believe we’ve ever met, so I assume this isn’t personal”, Kris deduced calmly, to which Zereth nodded. “You got that right”, he said dryly. “I am a hired killer.”
“Well, who hired you?” Hondo asked bluntly, still aiming at the assassin with his crossbow. Zereth looked hesitant for a moment, glancing around as if to see if there was any way for him to get out of this situation. However, in the end he sighed in a defeated manner and spoke up. “King Albin Manwoody”, he said quietly. Kris frowned, studying Zereth’s face to see if he was attempting to deceive him, but there was no lie in his eyes.
“That makes no sense”, Kris muttered with some anger, tightening his grip on the dagger. “Why would Albin Manwoody send an assassin to kill me? I’ve never even met the man.”
“He was convinced by someone”, Zereth responded, his voice getting weaker. “A witch”, he added ominously. Kris and Hondo exchanged a look, concern and doubt in both of their eyes. Kris removed the dagger from Zereth’s neck and grabbed him from the shoulders, looking him intensely to the eyes. “Do you know the name of this witch, or can you describe what she looks like?”
“I don’t know her name, but she is burned and mutilated, her skin is dark and her heart darker”, Zereth described, and Kris could spot a mix of fear and admiration in the assassin’s words.
“Valerie”, Hondo said sternly, voicing what both of them were thinking. Kris let go of Zereth and stood up, feeling anger and frustration raising inside of him like a storm. “No”, he muttered with a desperate tone. “It can’t be… she died, there is no way.”
“Sadly, I don’t see who else could be behind this”, Hondo replied with a sigh. “Should we kill this man now?” He asked, and Kris shifted his eyes to him. He was about to nod, but just then the voice of Minesa could be heard from behind them. “Wait!”, she yelled, hurrying next to them. “Do not kill him, there is more we can learn from him”, she insisted, and both Kris and Hondo gave her a doubting glance.
“He’ll bleed out soon anyway”, Hondo pointed out sternly, but Minesa shook her head decisively. “No, we can heal him, keep him alive”, she said, now grabbing Kris’ hand and looking him to the eyes. “He is a weapon, and we should use him against our enemy.”
“But he is King Albin’s lackey”, Hondo argued sternly. Minesa shot the Rhoynar with a glare, but it was Zereth who spoke up now. “I have no loyalty for Albin Manwoody, or his witch”, he said quietly. “In exchange for my life, I will gladly work for you, Lord Kris.”
Kris stared at Zereth, studying the assassin's face, considering his choice carefully. Loyalty of a hired killer could be bought, and this man had proved himself dangerous even if he did fail to kill Kris. He could be useful against Valerie. However, Kris wasn’t sure if someone who had worked for the likes of Albin and Valerie in the first place deserved any mercy. This man just tried to kill me, perhaps it would be safer to just get rid of him now before he gets to try again.
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
[Heal Zereth] While this is probably a bad idea, I feel curiosity for Zereth's backstory now that he's at Kris' mercy. And he could be an asset to defeat Valerie if he truly has no loyalty towards the king.
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
[Kill him]
How do we know he won't stab Kris in the back later? This is the man who killed Ferris Fowler afterall. However, Minesa might know sometching we don't. She wouldn't knowingly put her son in danger. It's possible that I may reconsider this vote.
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
[Kill him] This is probably one of the easiest choices for me in the entire story While I can admit that it would be interesting to learn more about Zereth and why he is the man that he is, the way he killed Ferris Fowler after his PoV part pretty much severed any possibility for me to like the guy. Plus as far as being able to buy his loyalty, it might work for a while but if a situation ever comes that he may see as better whether that be the pay or the job in general, I believe what little loyalty he might show would go away just as quickly as it showed up. Zereth wouldn't be offering his services to Kris if he had succeeded in his original goal and it seems clear to me that Zereth is pretty much just wanting to save himself rather than actually be of any help to Kris which obviously makes sense considering he didn't know of Kris before today but even still, with the Great Other vs R'hllor storyline looking like it is about to take off again, Kris needs people that he can trust by his side rather than the false loyalty of a man who has already tried to kill him once.
It also looks like one of Valerie's intentions have been revealed and it is safe to say that I am very intrigued to see what the new Great Other vs R'hllor storyline will be about moving forward.
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
Haha, yeah I can't blame you for seeing killing Zereth as the obvious choice here, he more than deserves it It's also clear he'd say anything to stay alive, so his loyalty to Kris going forward would be highly questionable to say the least.
Anyway, the big thing to take away from this part was definitely that Valerie has began to make some aggressive moves to eliminate team R'hllor.
[Kill him] This is probably one of the easiest choices for me in the entire story While I can admit that it would be interesting to learn m… moreore about Zereth and why he is the man that he is, the way he killed Ferris Fowler after his PoV part pretty much severed any possibility for me to like the guy. Plus as far as being able to buy his loyalty, it might work for a while but if a situation ever comes that he may see as better whether that be the pay or the job in general, I believe what little loyalty he might show would go away just as quickly as it showed up. Zereth wouldn't be offering his services to Kris if he had succeeded in his original goal and it seems clear to me that Zereth is pretty much just wanting to save himself rather than actually be of any help to Kris which obviously makes sense considering he didn't know of Kris before today but even still, with the Great Other vs R'hllor storyline looking like it is about to take off ag… [view original content]
Hm, this is very concerning. Zereth's return at this point was unexpected and while I definitely do not mourn the fact that he is likely to become the first returning character to die in Book 2, I fear for the implications this holds. Clearly, Valerie has gotten enough strength to make her move against the followers of R'hllor. Kris is definitely at the top of her death list, just as I expected and it seems she is making her intention so open because she is just that determined to kill him. Undoubtedly, Desirea is one she wants to kill as well, though I could see a more messy death planned for her, given that she not only defeated Valerie, but disfigured her. Belan, Hondo and Minesa are undoubtedly in danger as well, with Minesa and Hondo even being in Valerie's reach and I certainly fear that Gwen is at least on the list. Of course, she, Belan and Desi are safe in Volantis, but at least Gwen herself is pretty much destined to leave Essos again and I wouldn't be surprised if Desi and Belan accompany her. This means, once she returns to Dorne, she'll likely be a target of Valerie as well and I could see Valerie being at least capable of learning about her whereabouts with the help of magic. Actually, this just gave me the worst theory of them all. We know one pretty safe way of finding out about someone's whereabouts is the glass candle in Benedict's possession. We know using it holds the danger of attracting sorcerers and so far, I feared this could lure some super powerful sorcerer from the east to Blackmont. But what if it actually attracts Valerie's attention? That way, she can do two things at once. By harming the court of Blackmont, she is hitting Gwen where it hurts the most, already getting a bit of that revenge she undoubtedly desires. And if she acquires the glass candle, she'll be powerful enough to find her enemies wherever they may hide. While I don't know if this is what's going to happen and while Valerie might have different plans that do not involve the court of Blackmont at this very moment, I cannot deny that the mere thought is extremely concerning. But now, onwards to Zereth's fate!
[Kill him]
Actually, my first impulse was a different one, as I was originally more inclined of healing him. Not because I am particularly interested in learning more about him, he's an utter bastard who murdered Ferris and the Purple Ocelot and he deserves to die for this, but because I was wondering if his abilities could be used against Valerie. We certainly know any bit of help can be useful. However, then I had to think again and now I am not so certain if this can actually happen. I mean, we're not talking about Arvin here. When it comes to him, I am willing to set my grudge aside and work with him. Zereth however is a guy whom I simply cannot trust. He might say he has no loyalty to Valerie and Albin and he might be honest there, but why would things be any different with Kris? If Kris spares his life, Zereth might even work for him for some time, but should he get caught by Albin's men, I can see him just as likely turning on his new master, or if he gets a better offer. We're talking about a man here who worked for Albin for years. Even if he doesn't have any personal loyalty to him, it does take a very messed up mind to willingly work with Albin for such a long time. A useful asset he might be, but this man simply cannot be trusted. He could just as likely turn on Kris again, or maybe this is even just a ruse to gain the chance to complete his mission another time. Maybe he actually is loyal to Albin and just desperately trying to save his own life here, but only so that he can kill Kris when he expects it the least. No, I say we kill him now, to avenge Ferris and the Purple Ocelot, to deprive Valerie of one of her most useful weapons and to ensure that Kris won't get stabbed in the back by this utter asshole.
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
Hm, this is very concerning. Zereth's return at this point was unexpected and while I definitely do not mourn the fact that he is likely to become the first returning character to die in Book 2, I fear for the implications this holds. Clearly, Valerie has gotten enough strength to make her move against the followers of R'hllor. Kris is definitely at the top of her death list, just as I expected and it seems she is making her intention so open because she is just that determined to kill him.
Indeed, Valerie clearly has both regained enough strength and won enough influence over Albin to start making aggressive moves like this. That said, while the risk was always there, Valerie probably didn't plan this to expose her to team R'hllor. Had Zereth been successful in killing Kris, it would've been much harder to trace this back to her.
Hm, this is very concerning. Zereth's return at this point was unexpected and while I definitely do not mourn the fact that he is likely to … morebecome the first returning character to die in Book 2, I fear for the implications this holds. Clearly, Valerie has gotten enough strength to make her move against the followers of R'hllor. Kris is definitely at the top of her death list, just as I expected and it seems she is making her intention so open because she is just that determined to kill him. Undoubtedly, Desirea is one she wants to kill as well, though I could see a more messy death planned for her, given that she not only defeated Valerie, but disfigured her. Belan, Hondo and Minesa are undoubtedly in danger as well, with Minesa and Hondo even being in Valerie's reach and I certainly fear that Gwen is at least on the list. Of course, she, Belan and Desi are safe in Volantis, but at least Gwen herself is pretty much destined to leave Essos aga… [view original content]
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his … moreface, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “… [view original content]
And Kris is going to kill Zereth. This was the choice I expected you to choose, though the voting was much more even than I thought it would be. Anyway, Zereth's career as a killer of named characters comes to its end here, which certainly is the safer option
Next up, we'll get Ortheg's first part in Book 2, as well as Verro's second. Ortheg has spent the timeskip in Yronwood, continuing his training to become a proper nobleman as well as a proper warrior. And as a recap for Verro: he started his Book 2 storyline in Nightsong, having become part of House Caron's household guard. Together with Nesila and Zaltha he had marched to war against the Manwoodys during the timeskip, and Zaltha ended up dying on that deployment. Now Nesila came to Verro, telling that Lady Kortney had a new mission for them. This mission was to find the band of outlaws opposing King Albin (aka the Free Ravens, whom we met briefly at the prologue). Verro wasn't thrilled about this mission and voiced his opinion about it, but Kortney made clear to him that if he didn't want to go he would have to find another house to serve. Faced with the choice of either following Nesila into this mission or seeking life elsewhere, Verro decided to go with Nesila.
And I have two updated portraits for you this time, those being Kris and Albin:
Is it weird that I consider Albin to look less... mad compared to his Book 1 version? I don't know, him staring menacingly at the screen in the Book 1 version made him seem more deranged and I got the opinion that this Book 2 version has a more neatly trimmed beard and generally looks cleaner. All this, the facial expression and him no longer facing the screen directly (especially compared to every other character you have drawn for Book 2 so far), gives me quite a different feeling when compared to his Book 1 version. He suddenly seems less menacing and dangerous, but more desperate, which I suppose is very fitting, given his new situation. Maybe I'm interpreting a bit too much into this portrait, but he really doesn't seem to be as confident and in control as he used to be, probably a result of Yorick and Valerie both having significant influence over him. Now that I think about it, I got to wonder if deep down, Albin might even start to realize how utterly fucked he is, not just due to his enemies closing in on him, but how utterly messed up his mind is. I'd have pity if not for the fact that he is firmly among the biggest monsters in the story. And damn it, I just noticed the Great Other eyes in the background It's not even nearly as prominent as with Gwendis' second portrait, but I wonder if there's more to this than just Albin being Valerie's thrall, if there is a connection similar to the one Gwendis did her best to suppress, albeit probably not even nearly as potent. All in all, a great portrait and once more way up among my favourites
Voting is closed!
And Kris is going to kill Zereth. This was the choice I expected you to choose, though the voting was much more even th… morean I thought it would be. Anyway, Zereth's career as a killer of named characters comes to its end here, which certainly is the safer option
Next up, we'll get Ortheg's first part in Book 2, as well as Verro's second. Ortheg has spent the timeskip in Yronwood, continuing his training to become a proper nobleman as well as a proper warrior. And as a recap for Verro: he started his Book 2 storyline in Nightsong, having become part of House Caron's household guard. Together with Nesila and Zaltha he had marched to war against the Manwoodys during the timeskip, and Zaltha ended up dying on that deployment. Now Nesila came to Verro, telling that Lady Kortney had a new mission for them. This mission was to find the band of outlaws opposing King Albin (aka the Free Ravens, whom we met briefly at the prologue… [view original content]
Zereth is indeed gone! Even though it was an easy choice for me, I did have a brief thought about keeping him alive since he is mysterious and we would learn more about him. With that said, I am pretty glad that he will be out of the picture I am curous though what kind of role he would have played moving forward and if he really would have been loyal to Kris or not? I understand if you can't tell me this though!
As far as the portraits go, they are definitely awesome with Liquid summing up my thoughts on Albin perfectly and the Kris portrait is definitely pretty neat as well with his looks changing as well with what I believe is a new scar if I remember correctly or I could be wrong. I will have to look at his book 1 portrait to compare Anyway, I am definitely excited for the new parts!
Voting is closed!
And Kris is going to kill Zereth. This was the choice I expected you to choose, though the voting was much more even th… morean I thought it would be. Anyway, Zereth's career as a killer of named characters comes to its end here, which certainly is the safer option
Next up, we'll get Ortheg's first part in Book 2, as well as Verro's second. Ortheg has spent the timeskip in Yronwood, continuing his training to become a proper nobleman as well as a proper warrior. And as a recap for Verro: he started his Book 2 storyline in Nightsong, having become part of House Caron's household guard. Together with Nesila and Zaltha he had marched to war against the Manwoodys during the timeskip, and Zaltha ended up dying on that deployment. Now Nesila came to Verro, telling that Lady Kortney had a new mission for them. This mission was to find the band of outlaws opposing King Albin (aka the Free Ravens, whom we met briefly at the prologue… [view original content]
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earlier today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it, the dulled blade scratched on the surface of his leather vest. He tried to counter quickly with an upward swing, but Willem parried it with ease, and followed up with a light punch on Ortheg’s face.
With a groan Ortheg backed away, a feeling of pain burning on the left cheek where Willem had hit him. “Seven hells”, he muttered as he saw Willem attacking again. Ortheg blocked the strike that was aimed at his upper body, locking the blades against each other for a moment. Willem took this moment to maneuver his blade past Ortheg’s, ultimately placing the cold steel against Ortheg’s neck.
“Dead”, Willem said with a calm and playful death, and Ortheg nodded with a sigh. “Let’s go again”, he said sternly as Willem removed the sword from his throat. Willem nodded approvingly, but before they could start Tanya approached them. “I suggest you leave the training for later”, she said firmly, gathering both of their attention. “There is an important guest arriving soon, so go change your clothes and prepare.”
“An important guest, aye?” Willem spoke up with a relaxed tone. “And who would that be?”
“Ser Wallace Wyl”, Tanya answered nonchalantly. “Apparently there has been some sort of development on the Manwoody lands.”
“What kind of development?” Ortheg asked curiously, and Tanya responded with a shrug. “I suppose Ser Wallace will let us know”, she said with a sigh. “Now, get ready.”
-
The court of Yronwood was gathered on the courtyard, welcoming the guests, who were now riding through the gates. Wallace Wyl led them, his dark braided hair dangling freely, beside him riding his friend Jared Lonmouth, also known as Ser Loose Lips.
As Wallace dismounted his horse, he was approached by Prince Trevyr Yronwood, beside him Quentyn Jordayne, and behind them Queen Wenda and Trevyr’s younger brothers Olyvar and Addam. The crown prince was dressed in flashy silk robes and golden jewelry, which were a stark contrast to Wallace’s dirty and humble gear more fitting of a sellsword than a noble knight. Wild Wally they called him, and though Ortheg didn’t know the man intimately, he very much looked up to him. A charismatic nobleman who wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty while serving his king. That is who I should be.
“Ser Wallace, you are an honored guest here, as always”, Trevyr welcomed the man, doing his best to appear strong and confident. However, Trevyr wasn’t quite his father, no matter how much me mimicked his mannerisms.
“My prince”, Wallace responded with a deep bow. “I assume the King is still on his campaign to Ghost Hill?” He asked with a polite tone on his deep voice, and Trevyr nodded affirmatively. “Indeed”, he said glancing at Quentyn next to him. “However, whatever it is that brought you here with such a hurry, you can report it to me.”
“I am here because there is unrest brewing on the lands of House Manwoody”, Wallace responded sternly, to which Quentyn chuckled dismissingly. “When isn’t there?” He asked with an amused tone, but Wallace immediately responded by shaking his head. “I guarantee you, mylords, this is not something to be taken lightly”, he said with a serious tone. “The land is already weakened by the war against Carons, and now foreign agitators have arrived there to turn the people against their own king. We have a full-blown revolt at our hands.”
“An issue we need to have a serious conversation about, then”, Quentyn said with a fake smile on his face, before turning towards the prince and giving him a small nod. Trevyr gulped subtly, before speaking up nervously. “You will be given an audience in tomorrow’s council meeting, ser”, he said, and Wallace nodded with a slightly disappointed expression on his face. “However, tonight we shall hold a great feast for you, to express the king’s gratitude towards your hard work on the Manwoody lands.”
“I am honored, my prince”, Wallace responded nonchalantly, once again bowing to Prince Trevyr.
-
The musicians played cheerful songs and the servants brought course after course to the tables, all the while wine flowed. On the high table Ser Wallace sat with the royal family, whereas his friend Jared had taken a seat at the same table with Ortheg, Willem and Tanya. As the night went on, it came more than clear to them why Jared was called Ser Loose Lips. The Stormlander knight spoke about his adventures with Wild Wally on the Manwoody lands, the men he had killed and the women he had laid, and the wine certainly didn’t make him less talkative.
“So, what exactly is the deal with these agitators that Ser Wallace mentioned?” Tanya asked finally. A subtle smirk formed on Jared’s face, and he considered his answer notably longer than usually. “To be honest, we don’t know much about them yet”, he finally said, taking a gulp of the wine. “However, I have my suspicions. You see, I’ve heard of this group of disgraced noblemen that has caused trouble mainly in the Reach during the last few years. Free Ravens they’re called, and if the stories I’ve heard of them hold any truth their whole existence is based on sabotaging the rule of noble lords that mistreat their own people. It certainly would make sense for them to target Albin.”
“But what right do they have to do that?” Ortheg asked with a frown, to which Jared chuckled. “They have no right, and that makes them outlaws”, he responded, pouring more wine to his cup. “I must admit there is something oddly romantic about their motives. No doubt their leader is some self-righteous prick who thinks he is changing the world for better.”
“And you think he isn’t?” Willem asked smoothly. Jared let out a sigh, shaking his head. “If every man had such disregard for law and order, this world would be a nasty place to live in. Say what you will about Albin Manwoody, he may be the worst kind of authority, but he is still authority. These Free Ravens, if they had their way, all of Westeros would be like the lawless lands beyond the Wall.”
Ortheg thought back to his lessons about the wildings and their savage ways, shuddering at the thought of having to live like that. “I guess you’ve got a point”, Willem admitted unenthusiastically. “Nonetheless, I am bound by duty and honor to serve King Yorick. I won’t lose my sleep over killing these agitators.”
“Good, so you plan to join our forces?” Jared asked with a wide grin, and Willem nodded. “And how about you, Ortheg Sand?” Jared asked now. Ortheg laid down his cup and took in a deep breath, considering his answer. However, Tanya spoke up before he could. “He is not ready, his training is not finished”, she said strictly, giving her half-brother a meaningful glance. It was clear she was concerned for him, and perhaps she was right to be.
“Come on, Tanya”, Willem spoke up with a relaxed tone, tapping Ortheg on the shoulder in a brotherly manner. “Ortheg is a man now, let him make his own decisions. I for one think he is more than ready.”
They all shifted their gaze to Ortheg, who grinned nervously, having made up his mind.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] [Stay in Yronwood]
-
Verro
Four days of traveling behind them, Verro and Nesila rode a mountain path somewhere in the northern parts of the Manwoody kingdom. Nesila was the one who had done the planning, Verro merely followed, even if he still had his doubts about this mission.
They came across a small wooden bridge, which had been built over a creek. Nesila halted and dismounted her horse, approaching the bridge by foot. “What is it?” Verro asked as Nesila eyed towards south where the creek was flowing. “There must be a village close”, she stated with confidence, turning her eyes to Verro now. “No one would build a bridge over such a small creek in the wild.”
“I suppose”, Verro agreed with a disinterested tone.
“We should follow the creek downstream”, Nesila decided, walking her horse away from the path and to the eastern bank of the creek. “After all, we have to find some locals to continue our mission.”
“Understood”, Verro said with a small sigh, following after Nesila. They followed the creek down in silence, around them a lightly wooded forest. Birds were singing in the trees, and Verro spotted a few rabbits running in the distance. However, they had still enough supplies to manage without hunting more.
“So, why did you choose me?” Verro suddenly asked, breaking the silence. “On this mission, I mean”, he clarified hastily, and Nesila gave him a short glance. “You know why”, she responded nonchalantly, and Verro raised an eyebrow even if Nesila wasn’t even looking at him anymore. “Do I?” he asked with a somewhat confused tone, and heard Nesila scoffing.
“Don’t act dumb, Verro”, she said sharply. “You’re the only one I can trust, you know that.”
“I suppose trust is important, but it might have been more useful to choose someone who knows the land better”, he suggested with a relaxed tone. As Nesila didn’t answer, he spoke up again. “It’s just weird, you know. Ever since we came back from the war, you’ve been so distant. And now suddenly…”
Nesila stopped and turned around, stopping Verro in his tracks and looking him to the eyes. “What do you want me to say, huh?” she asked with a slightly frustrated tone, and Verro turned his gaze down embarrassedly. “I don’t know, just… enlighten me where are we at. You know, as partners or whatever”, he muttered, scratching his head. Nesila put her left hand under Verro’s chin and raised his gaze up. “You’re the only person left in this world I truly care about”, she said with a tense but sincere tone, looking at him dead in the eye. “That enough to assure you?”
“Aye”, Verro responded quietly, and after flashing him a sincere smile Nesila turned around and continued forward. With a sigh Verro followed, and so they continued in silence for several minutes, until finally they could see a village in the distance, built around the creek on a woodless valley.
“Told you”, Nesila quipped lightheartedly, but Verro’s smile died down as soon as it came. “I remember this place”, he said with a gulp, and Nesila gave him a questioning look. “It was during the first month of our deployment, we marched through here”, he explained, a grim look in his eyes as he saw the stone foundations of the granary they had burned down. A new smaller one had been built on the other side of the stream.
“It was war, Verro”, Nesila reminded calmly. “You are the last person to be blamed for any of it. If anyone is guilty it’s King Albin Manwoody.”
“And because of him the people here had to suffer?” Verro asked cynically, and Nesila let out a frustrated sigh. “We are not having this conversation now, okay?” she responded strictly, and Verro nodded. “Fine”, he agreed, narrowing his eyes. “But there is something else we should discuss. What if these people recognize us?”
Nesila chuckled dryly at this question, but then she raised her eyebrows in surprise as Verro didn’t react. “You’re serious?” she asked, and he nodded. “Verro, we were just two of literally hundreds of soldiers, no one will remember us. Besides, it’s not like we are dressed as Carons now.”
“Alright then, it’s not likely, but what if someone does recognize us?” Verro insisted sternly, and Nesila took in a deep breath, contemplating her answer for a moment. “We should be prepared to escape in that case”, she finally said. “We are not here to shed blood. If the people make clear we are not welcome, then we leave and find another village.”
“Agreed”, Verro said calmly, and Nesila gave him a nod. “Great, let’s go then.”
And so they approached the village, riding quietly towards it as if they were just travelers passing by. The able-bodied men were working on the fields south of the village, while the women and children were doing their chores by the houses. A single elderly man sat by the door of the largest house in the village, standing up as he saw Verro and Nesila approaching. They dismounted their horses at the center of the village, tying them on the poles of the well. The old man with grey hair and hunched back approached them, concern and suspicion in his small green eyes.
“Afternoon”, Verro greeted the man calmly, and the old man responded with a small nod. “You the king’s men?” he asked with a coarse voice, and Nesila immediately shook her head.
“We serve no king, least of all Albin the Mad”, she proclaimed boldly, and a hint of smile formed on the man’s face. “Good”, he replied, spitting on the ground. “I curse the name of that madman, he has brought nothing but misery to this land.”
“We are aware of his crimes, and wish to see him punished for them”, Nesila said warmly, stepping closer to the old man and extending her hand. “My name is Nesila, and my companion here is Verro”, she introduced them while shaking hands with the old man.
“I’m Harry”, the man responded calmly, glancing at Nesila and Verro. “Now, what brings you two to our humble village?”
“We are looking for someone”, Nesila sharply answered the man’s question. “A sellsword company, or a band of outlaws. They oppose King Albin, and the word of their deeds has begun to spread. We seek to join their cause.”
“You speak of the Free Ravens”, Harry said, narrowing his eyes. “I might be able to help you find them. However, before that I have to ask you something.”
“Go ahead”, Nesila prompted with a nod. Harry took a moment before speaking up, carefully studying the faces of Nesila and Verro. “You say you serve no king, so who do you serve then? Who sent you here?”
“No one sent us”, Nesila spoke with an unwavering confidence in her voice. If Verro didn’t know better, he would’ve fully believed that Nesila was speaking the truth. “Our reasons for opposing King Albin are personal”, she added sternly.
Harry remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting back and forth between Nesila and Verro. As convincing as Nesila’s lie had been, the old man was clearly suspecting something, and Verro had to wonder if telling the truth would be the smarter option. If they were not welcome here they could always find another village, but if they were caught lying, it could potentially make things much harder for them.
[Reveal that you were sent by the Carons] [Cover Nesila's lie]
[Cover Nesila's lie]
I think contradicting her will unnecessarily complicate things. Plus, she isn't lying when she says their reason for opposing Albin are personal.
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] Damn, seems like word of the Free Ravens is indeed spreading, so much that they have quite a number of people after them now. Arvin and his men are after then and now the Yronwoods will also be sending their own people, I sure didn't expect that. The Manwoody lands indeed are bound to chaos from pretty much every front xD. Now, I'll be choosing for Ortheg to go because I'm really curious to see this mission from a proper PoV, besides, I feel like Ortheg could really use the experience he's bound to learn during this mission. As of right now, I feel like he has a pretty naive and one-sided idea about how Westeros really works, I think this could be beneficial for him and it would kinda open his eyes to things he wouldn't really have the opportunity to see while in Yronwood.
As for the second choice, I truly don't know which would be better, so I think I'll just refrain from voting here. Gotta say that I already like Harry, even though he's probably just a very minor character and won't be seen again, he did leave a nice first impression on me. One thing I was able to take out of this part (and the previous ones) is that the common folk are indeed fed up with Albin and seems like a full-blown revolt might not be all that far away.
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] While it has several risks, Ortheg needs the experience if he wants to become a true knight. And I still wonder why Jared is such good friends with Wallace, after all House Wyl is among the most feared of the houses that border the Marches. [Cover Nesila's lie] Not correcting her is the better option right now. And they really serve no king, since they come from lands without kings, so personal is more accurate.
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
Ah, this is precisely the kind of choice I was hoping for. See, Ortheg has always been nice as a character, but since his storyline just started in the last chapter, I never had the same connection to him as I had to the other characters and never truly found myself anticipating his parts when compared to, say, Jamison's or Verro's, whom we have known for three chapters and who have been through quite some exciting stuff. But I understand that there simply hasn't been much of an opportunity so far, just like how none of the other characters had a first chapter with super high stakes. The time for build-up should be over by now though and I must say, I really like the glimpse Ortheg gives us to the court of Yronwood. This however is what I was hoping for, some action and thrill for Ortheg, he deserves it. I also really like Wallace and want to see more of him. Also, the whole Free Raven situation seems to be a pretty important plot point in Book 2, so I would quite appreciate having Ortheg as a PoV involved in the situation as well, even if he is likely going to be opposed to them (whereas I find myself quite sympathizing with them from what we have seen so far). So, this really sounds like the best option for me to grow more attached to Ortheg
[Cover Nesila's lie]
See, at first I was actually going to choose the other option. The man is clearly suspecting something and while Nesila isn't outright lying to him, I was thinking the full truth would make him more likely to help. Then I realized just what the full truth would be. Clearly, while the Free Ravens and House Caron have a common enemy, the smallfolk of the Manwoody lands and the Caron forces are anything but allies and it sounds likely that there are peasants who hate them even more than their mad tyrant. After all, while Albin is a bad king, at least he did not lead a campaign against them so far. So, I really think that telling him they were sent from the Caron's is more likely to make him distrust them. At worst, the Free Ravens themselves could see House Caron as an enemy, due to their commitment to help the smallfolk in the Manwoody lands. I do think that for now, it will be for the best if Verro and Nesila keep their true loyalties a secret.
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
Regarding Jared and Wallace, they've just grown to be close friends over years, and at this point neither really cares that a friendship between a Wyl and a Marcher lord's son would be seen as a bit unorthodox. As for how they became friends in the first place, well, Jared was wandering around seeking a life for himself when they first met, and since both of them are actually rather openminded and jovial it wasn't that hard for them to bond.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] While it has several risks, Ortheg needs the experience if he wants to become a true knight. And I still wo… morender why Jared is such good friends with Wallace, after all House Wyl is among the most feared of the houses that border the Marches.
[Cover Nesila's lie] Not correcting her is the better option right now. And they really serve no king, since they come from lands without kings, so personal is more accurate.
I strongly considered keeping Ortheg in Yronwood largely because I wanted to see more of the Yronwood court with Prince Trevyr and Princess Jaena being characters I wanted to potentially see more of with them being Yorick's two oldest children. With that said however, experience is the best teacher and actually getting the chance to fight men for real along with getting to see a war like situation will be very valuable in getting where he wants to be. He will see what battle is really like and in turn it will make him a better knight whenever he is knighted which could very well happen on this mission if all goes well for him. I also feel like Willem saying he is ready is also a prime indicator that he really is since Willem has no reason to lie about it.
As far as the Free Ravens go, they have gained alot of enemies very quickly and with House Yronwood's men joining this fight, they could be in some trouble which leads me to believe that we could see a full fledged peasant rebellion which will make the Manwoody lands even more chaotic and in turn, help out the Free Ravens. Safe to say this is going to be an epic storyline!
[Cover Nesila's lie]
I agree with the others here, it is definitely for the best if they get keep their true intentions under wraps for now.
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
Ah, this is precisely the kind of choice I was hoping for. See, Ortheg has always been nice as a character, but since his storyline just started in the last chapter, I never had the same connection to him as I had to the other characters and never truly found myself anticipating his parts when compared to, say, Jamison's or Verro's, whom we have known for three chapters and who have been through quite some exciting stuff. But I understand that there simply hasn't been much of an opportunity so far, just like how none of the other characters had a first chapter with super high stakes. The time for build-up should be over by now though and I must say, I really like the glimpse Ortheg gives us to the court of Yronwood. This however is what I was hoping for, some action and thrill for Ortheg, he deserves it. I also really like Wallace and want to see more of him. Also, the whole Free Raven situation seems to be a pretty important plot point in Book 2, so I would quite appreciate having Ortheg as a PoV involved in the situation as well, even if he is likely going to be opposed to them (whereas I find myself quite sympathizing with them from what we have seen so far). So, this really sounds like the best option for me to grow more attached to Ortheg
Indeed, it is about time for some more excitement for Ortheg's storyline, which I definitely plan to deliver in Book 2.Ortheg will get his chance to shine regardless, but going with Wallace will probably get him into the thick of the action a bit quicker
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
Ah, this is precisely the kind of choice I was hoping for. See, Ortheg has always been nice as a charact… moreer, but since his storyline just started in the last chapter, I never had the same connection to him as I had to the other characters and never truly found myself anticipating his parts when compared to, say, Jamison's or Verro's, whom we have known for three chapters and who have been through quite some exciting stuff. But I understand that there simply hasn't been much of an opportunity so far, just like how none of the other characters had a first chapter with super high stakes. The time for build-up should be over by now though and I must say, I really like the glimpse Ortheg gives us to the court of Yronwood. This however is what I was hoping for, some action and thrill for Ortheg, he deserves it. I also really like Wallace and want to see more of him. Also, the whole Free Raven situation seems to be… [view original content]
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earli… moreer today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it,… [view original content]
So, Ortheg will join the forces of Ser Wallace Wyl, marching to the lands of House Manwoody. I'm glad you chose this, as it gives me the opportunity to give Ortheg more of an adventure right away, rather than just having him as our eyes and ears in Yronwood.
And Verro will cover Nesila's lie. Lying always has its risks, but this may have been a smart time to do so, considering the Manwoody peasants understandably have some antipathy towards the Carons. Still, Harry clearly has his suspicions, and we'll see how exactly this will play out in Verro's next part.
As for what's next, we'll get Jamison's first part in Book 2. We did already get a glimpse of him in Isabella's part, and now we'll continue with the Dayne fleet on its way to Southpoint. I am also working on Femi's second part. As a recap, Femi is the younger sister of Farrah, Hondo and Ammon, and she arrived to Sandship in her first part, summoned there by her older sister. She clearly showed her disinterest in serving the Principality with the kind of loyalty her sister does, but she also isn't actively working against Nymeria. However, her and Farrah's brother Ammon is allegedly mixed with the conspiracy against the princess, and Farrah asked Femi to find him and convince him to leave the conspiracy behind. Femi had her reservations, but after Farrah said she'd be doing it for Ammon's sake and not for Nymeria or the Principality, she agreed to doing it. I'm afraid there is still too much writing to be done to get these parts posted today, and I will have a bit less time for writing than usually this weekend. That said, I do hope to find enough time to get the parts done during the weekend, we'll see.
And lastly, two more additions to the Book 2 album, Verro and Ortheg:
Wait, that is Verro? Whoa, this has to be the single biggest change between the Book 1 and 2 portrait of a character, including Valerie. I definitely wouldn't have recognized him. It's crazy what two years of (mostly) living in a castle can do, he really looks drastically changed with how well-groomed he is and while I enjoyed this wild look of him in the Book 1 portrait and it very much had an influence on the way I saw and still see him as a character, I find this change quite exciting. Meanwhile, Ortheg is probably the character who has the least changes between the two portraits so far, he still pretty much looks like his Book 1 version, just slightly older. Ironic that these two receive their portraits in the same post
Voting is closed!
So, Ortheg will join the forces of Ser Wallace Wyl, marching to the lands of House Manwoody. I'm glad you chose this, a… mores it gives me the opportunity to give Ortheg more of an adventure right away, rather than just having him as our eyes and ears in Yronwood.
And Verro will cover Nesila's lie. Lying always has its risks, but this may have been a smart time to do so, considering the Manwoody peasants understandably have some antipathy towards the Carons. Still, Harry clearly has his suspicions, and we'll see how exactly this will play out in Verro's next part.
As for what's next, we'll get Jamison's first part in Book 2. We did already get a glimpse of him in Isabella's part, and now we'll continue with the Dayne fleet on its way to Southpoint. I am also working on Femi's second part. As a recap, Femi is the younger sister of Farrah, Hondo and Ammon, and she arrived to Sandship in her first part, summoned there by her… [view original content]
Aye, since his last portrait Verro has transformed from a pirate washed ashore to the coast of Dorne to a man in service of a noble house, as well as obviously aging two years, so there is definitely reason for him to look different That said, I did try to keep some familiarity as well. And yeah, in contrast there has been very little reason for Ortheg to change much during the timeskip
Wait, that is Verro? Whoa, this has to be the single biggest change between the Book 1 and 2 portrait of a character, including Valerie. I d… moreefinitely wouldn't have recognized him. It's crazy what two years of (mostly) living in a castle can do, he really looks drastically changed with how well-groomed he is and while I enjoyed this wild look of him in the Book 1 portrait and it very much had an influence on the way I saw and still see him as a character, I find this change quite exciting. Meanwhile, Ortheg is probably the character who has the least changes between the two portraits so far, he still pretty much looks like his Book 1 version, just slightly older. Ironic that these two receive their portraits in the same post
Alright, surprise! I actually did manage to get the parts done today, which is good so I don't have to stress about them during this busy weekend Jamison's part is admittedly on the shorter side, but it does its job in starting the storyline. Anyway, here they are:
Jamison
Jamison Dayne laid on a hammock in the captain’s cabin of Starfire, the capital ship of the Dayne fleet. They had been sailing for three days now, and by tomorrow they should arrive to Southpoint. Alester Upton and Rickar Nightfall sat around the table, playing dice and drinking rum.
“Fuck”, Rickar grumbled, which was followed by a jovial laughter from Alester. “I suggest you stop now, Rick, before you lose all your coin”, he said with a wolfish grin behind his bushy red beard.
“Fuck you, I’m not giving up yet”, Rickar responded, and once again Alester laughed. “Can you believe this guy?” He asked, now looking at Jamison, who flashed him a subtle smirk. Jamison had to admit he had missed this, being with his friends, just relaxing and having a laugh. He loved Isabella and the sons she had given to him, but spending time with Alester and Rickar had given him more energy than he had had in a long time. And soon that energy would be needed, as they were sailing to war.
Jamison stood up from the hammock, and grabbed the rum as he walked past the table. He took a gulp straight from the bottle, grimacing slightly at the pungent taste. “So, Jamison, ready for war?” He heard Alester asking with a relaxed tone.
“I’ve been ready my whole life”, he boasted as he laid the bottle back on the table. “And I’ll sure as hell make these Martell bastards understand that they chose a wrong person to fuck with.”
“I didn’t know Clearhaven was that important to you”, Rickar said with an unenthusiastic tone, and Jamison turned his gaze to him. “It’s my legacy”, he said sternly, to which Rickar just shrugged.
“Of course he doesn’t understand”, Alester said with a smirk. “His role has always been to serve, while our destinies are something much greater than that.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re so bloody important, I get it”, Rickar muttered and rolled his eyes. “You can find fame and glory as well, Rickar”, Jamison commented calmly. “You just have to try.”
“Oh, that’s great”, Rickar spoke with a sarcastic excitement. “And what exactly can I purchase with this fame and glory?” he asked, to which Jamison chuckled softly. “You’d be surprised what can be achieved with merely name and reputation”, he said, turning his back for Rickar and Alester now. “Not to mention, some things are far more valuable than anything that could be purchased anyway.”
“Legacy”, Alester concluded with a knowing tone.
“This war might well be ours”, Jamison said, turning to face his friends again. “So you better be prepared for it.” With these words Jamison walked out of the cabin, and into the deck.
Feeling the wind on his face and hearing the sound of waves crashing against the hull, Jamison made his way down to the lower deck, where his uncle Garret was standing by the prow, leaning on the railing. He walked next to him wordlessly. “Jamison”, Garret greeted him, and he nodded.
“You look concerned, uncle”, Jamison stated calmly, to which Garret chuckled nervously. “There’s good reason to be”, he said with a sigh. For a moment they were both silent, until Jamison shifted his gaze to look his uncle to the eyes. “You fear we won’t be successful in taking back Clearhaven?” he asked sternly.
“I fear what comes after that”, he replied sharply, staring towards the empty horizon. “We may be able to take back Clearhaven, but do not for a second assume that will be the end of this war. The Principality is a beast that doesn’t even fully know its own power yet. It is young, vigorous and testing its limits.”
“We will be that limit”, Jamison said confidently, and his uncle gave him a glance. “I hope so as well”, he said with a gulp. “But even so, it will be a costly war. Sacrifices will have to be made, losses greater than I dear to imagine.”
“You fear for our finances?” Jamison asked with an almost amused tone, but Garret immediately shook his head. “No, I fear for the lives that will be lost defending Torrentine against the Principality”, he clarified with a grim tone. “I’d lie if I said I didn’t fear for my own life, but even more so I fear for my family, our family. What will be left of it once this war is over?”
“Perhaps all of it”, Jamison suggested calmly, to which his uncle chuckled grimly. “You’re bold, Jamison. Bold, ambitious, reckless, but not naïve”, he spoke quietly. “You know as well as I how much this war could destroy. We are both fathers, burdened by the same duty to our children. And yet, we also have a duty to our kingdom.”
“They do not need to exclude each other”, Jamison argued sternly, and Garret nodded. “Aye, if all goes well, that is true”, he said with a sigh. “But tell me, Jamison, which do you see as the more important duty?” Garret asked, now looking Jamison to the eyes again.
[Duty to family] [Duty to kingdom]
-
Femi
”Alright then, I’ll do it”, Femi said with a sigh, and a bright smile formed on Farrah’s face. “I knew I could trust you, sister”, she responded cheerfully, and Femi allowed a thin smile on her face.
“I’ll do it for the sake of our family”, she continued with a gulp. “We’ve been apart for too long, but perhaps we could be whole again.”
Farrah came closer to her now and embraced her in a loving hug. As they separated, there were tears welling up in Farrah’s eyes, while her lips were stuck in a wide grin. “I would love that”, she said with a sob.
“Come on, you’re supposed to be the big sister here, I should be the one crying in your shoulder”, Femi commented humorously, which made Farrah chuckle. “I’m sorry”, she said, wiping away her tears now and regaining her composure. “If only mother, father and Khepri could be here as well”, she said wistfully.
“If only”, Femi repeated softly. For a moment they were both silent, until Farrah spoke up again. “They would be proud to see us do our best to keep the family together”, she said quietly. Femi nodded to her older sister’s words, even if they did make her feel a bit guilty. I certainly can’t claim to have done my best during these last few years.
-
Femi woke up in the next morning, the sun shining in through the shutters of the windows. She had slept like a baby that night, probably due to the traveling from Greenblood to Sandship. She yawned and stared at the ceiling lazily, having no will to get up.
After a while of just laying in the bed quietly Femi finally raised herself to a sitting position and glanced towards her sister’s bed, seeing that it was empty. Turning her gaze towards the table by the windows, she saw bread, olives and water, which were no doubt meant for her as a breakfast. With a groan she stood up from the bed and dressed up, then wading her way towards the table with heavy steps. As she sat down, Femi noticed a small piece of parchment next to her cup. “Meet me at the courtyard once you’ve had breakfast”, it read.
After hastily eating a scant breakfast Femi made her way out of her sister’s quarters, and headed towards the courtyard of the fort. Walking through the corridors Femi overhead some chatter about a foreign royal guest being on their way. Whatever, I’ll be out of this place before the sun sets tonight.
As she walked into the courtyard, Femi spotted her sister standing close to the stables with two people. One of them was an older bald man, perhaps on his fifties. The man’s lower face was heavily disfigured with battle scars, his whole nose missing. On top of that, his right arm was missing down from the elbow. A veteran, Femi deduced as her eyes scanned the man’s tall and muscular body, which was clad in an old but sturdy armor.
Next to the scarred man stood a young woman, younger than Femi herself. In her green eyes was a nervous look, and her curly black hair was tied to a braid. She was the first to spot Femi as she approached the three, and quickly after her Farrah and the man also shifted their attention to her.
“Morning”, Femi greeted them dryly, eyeing at the young girl and the older man in a questioning manner. “Morning, Femi”, Farrah replied with a warm smile. “These are Ayron and Lysera, and they will come with you”, she introduced her companions, and Femi narrowed her eyes.
“And why exactly will they come with me?” She asked with a suspecting tone, to which Farrah chuckled in a carefree manner. “You will need help finding Ammon”, she responded calmly. “And if he truly is mixed up with the conspiracy, it’s better to play it safe.”
“So, these are my bodyguards?” Femi asked with an almost amused tone, to which Ayron responded. “We will help you see this mission through”, he said sternly. “But if your brother refuses to cooperate, he will be seen as a traitor, and traitors are something I have no tolerance for.”
“Really?” Femi asked coldly, her words intended for Farrah rather than Ayron. “Is this man an executioner for our brother?”
“No”, Farrah clarified with a sigh. “Ayron and Lysera are both loyal servants of Princess Nymeria, determined to end this conspiracy before it gets ugly. Your mission is to save Ammon for his own sake, for our family’s sake, but doing it will also weaken the conspirators.”
“I promise we will be of no harm to you, my lady”, Lysera assured calmly. “We simply want to help.”
“Fine”, Femi grumbled, glaring at her sister. “So, how do you suggest we begin our mission?” She asked with a cynical tone. Farrah glanced around to see that no one was listening to their conversation, before speaking up quietly. “Do you know of a man who calls himself the Turtle Prince?” she asked, looking Femi to the eyes.
“Aye, a big name in Planky Town”, Femi answered nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve worked for him a couple times. Why?”
“What kind of work?” Farrah asked, a concerned look in her eyes. “Nothing special”, Femi answered, but her sister didn’t look satisfied. “Well, I’ve smuggled some goods for him from Godsgrace, what about it?”
“According to Lord Bloodspill’s sources the Turtle Prince is one of the major recruiters of the conspiracy”, Farrah said strictly, grabbing Femi gently from her upper left arm. “Tell me honestly, sister, did he ever attempt to recruit you?”
“No”, Femi answered bemusedly. “If he is a recruiter I had no idea. Are you sure your sources are legitimate?”
Farrah was quiet for a moment, exchanging looks with Ayron. “Well, we cannot be sure”, she admitted with a small sigh. “And it does seem strange that he never tried to recruit you. Nonetheless, you having an established relationship with him will certainly help.”
“Help?” Femi asked with a frown. “To find Ammon”, Farrah clarified with a smirk. “Whether the Turtle Prince is a recruiter or not, he might well know where to find our brother. A sister looking for her brother should raise no suspicions, and since you’ve already worked for him there is no need for building trust.”
“Eh, my last job for him was bit of a bust”, Femi admitted, scratching her hair awkwardly. “Had to dump some of the goods to lose the Allyrion guards that were chasing me. Prince Turtle wasn’t exactly pleased, but I guess he didn’t really blame me either.”
“Good enough”, Farrah said, though a bit less confidently now. “Go then, bring our brother home”, she added with a smile, which Femi reciprocated.
-
As the sun was setting, Femi, Ayron and Lysera set up a camp near the coast, covered from the wind by the natural sand barriers. As Ayron began to build them a fire he removed his armor and shirt, revealing several gruesome scars crossing his tanned chest.
“Your scars, how did you get them?” Femi asked curiously. Ayron glanced at her for a second, before turning his eyes back to the fire. “War”, he answered unenthusiastically, and Femi rolled her eyes. “Oh, I would’ve never guessed”, she said sarcastically, to which Ayron scoffed.
“You know nothing about war, girl, so it doesn’t matter how thoroughly I explain the stories of my scars to you. You would not understand”, he spoke coldly. For a moment a tense silence lingered around the cracking fire, until Femi spoke up again. “Maybe I do understand something about war, old man”, she hissed, glaring at Ayron with narrowed eyes. “I’ve lost a lot because of war. My home, my family, my dignity. So, what exactly is it that I don’t understand?”
“Both of you, calm down”, Lysera said, sitting down between them. “We are survivors, each of us, brothers and sisters of Rhoyne. We all have lost a lot, which is all the more reason we should stick together and not quarrel with each other.”
“Is that why you are so adamant to defeat these conspirators?” Femi asked sharply, and Lysera nodded. “Yes”, she answered confidently. “They seek to kill their own brothers and sisters, drive us all into a cycle of revenge and death. I will not stand for it.”
“And yet you stand for Nymeria”, Femi noted with a nonchalant tone on her voice. “Her cause brings as much death as any, and I will never understand this blind obedience you people show her. Loyalty, gratitude, honor… all bunch of horseshit excuses to act like dogs instead of thinking with your own head.”
“Stupid girl”, Ayron muttered, deep seated anger in his words. “You may not care about anything or anyone but yourself, but do not judge those of us who do.”
“Who said I don’t care about anything?” Femi shot back sharply. “I care about the freedom of our people.”
“Do you now?” Ayron asked, a grim smirk forming on his face. “Because you seem oddly ungrateful for the one person we all owe our current freedom to – Princess Nymeria.”
Femi turned her gaze down and let out a sigh, remaining quiet for a moment. “I am grateful to Nymeria”, she finally said, her voice now quiet and uncertain. “For leading us to safety and giving us a new home. However, I do not like what she has been doing after that. I do not agree with her war.”
“That’s perfectly reasonable”, Lysera hurried to say before Ayron could speak up. “She has great visions for this land, and I imagine even she has her doubts about them now and then. However, what matters is that we stick together, and if we want to oppose her we do it without stooping so low as to starting a war amongst our own.”
“I agree”, Femi responded with a mellow tone, and Lysera smiled to her. Then Ayron spoke up again. “I have one question for you, Femi”, he said sternly, a humorless expression on his disfigured face. “If a situation comes where you are forced to choose between the lives of us and your brother, what would you do?”
Femi frowned, an uncomfortable look on her eyes. This wasn’t a question she was prepared to answer, but perhaps it made sense from Ayron’s perspective to question her loyalties. She had always preferred having no loyalties at all, but it was coming clear to her that in this mission there would be no room for being neutral. However, if it would truly come down to it, would she really be able to just let her brother die? Just to further Nymeria’s cause?
[Say you'd side with Ayron and Lysera] [Say you'd side with Ammon] [Refuse to answer]
[Duty to kingdom] While family is indeed important, sometimes the duty to the kingdom is more important [Refuse to answer] Answering in favor of her brother would make them not trust her completely, while answering for them would sound insincere. I understand why would she resent Nymeria a bit, since they escaped war and now they're in another war in a foreign land, but it makes some sense. Dorne's population has grown a lot thanks to the arrival of the Rhoynar, and to ensure a better coexistence, they need to unite the entire region under one banner. The North would have been conquered by the Andals 4000 years ago had House Stark not united them under one banner.
Alright, surprise! I actually did manage to get the parts done today, which is good so I don't have to stress about them during this busy we… moreekend Jamison's part is admittedly on the shorter side, but it does its job in starting the storyline. Anyway, here they are:
Jamison
Jamison Dayne laid on a hammock in the captain’s cabin of Starfire, the capital ship of the Dayne fleet. They had been sailing for three days now, and by tomorrow they should arrive to Southpoint. Alester Upton and Rickar Nightfall sat around the table, playing dice and drinking rum.
“Fuck”, Rickar grumbled, which was followed by a jovial laughter from Alester. “I suggest you stop now, Rick, before you lose all your coin”, he said with a wolfish grin behind his bushy red beard.
“Fuck you, I’m not giving up yet”, Rickar responded, and once again Alester laughed. “Can you believe this guy?” He asked, now looking at Jamison, who flashed him a subtle smirk. Jamison… [view original content]
Indeed, there is a very legitimate case to be made for this war of unification, which I've often brought up in Nymeria's parts. Ayron sees Femi's lack of conviction and loyalty as selfishness, and while there may be some truth to that she does have her own principles, most importantly her anti-authoritarianism.
[Duty to kingdom] While family is indeed important, sometimes the duty to the kingdom is more important
[Refuse to answer] Answering in fav… moreor of her brother would make them not trust her completely, while answering for them would sound insincere. I understand why would she resent Nymeria a bit, since they escaped war and now they're in another war in a foreign land, but it makes some sense. Dorne's population has grown a lot thanks to the arrival of the Rhoynar, and to ensure a better coexistence, they need to unite the entire region under one banner. The North would have been conquered by the Andals 4000 years ago had House Stark not united them under one banner.
[Duty to kingdom] While family is indeed important, sometimes the duty to the kingdom is more important
[Refuse to answer] Answering in fav… moreor of her brother would make them not trust her completely, while answering for them would sound insincere. I understand why would she resent Nymeria a bit, since they escaped war and now they're in another war in a foreign land, but it makes some sense. Dorne's population has grown a lot thanks to the arrival of the Rhoynar, and to ensure a better coexistence, they need to unite the entire region under one banner. The North would have been conquered by the Andals 4000 years ago had House Stark not united them under one banner.
Alright, surprise! I actually did manage to get the parts done today, which is good so I don't have to stress about them during this busy we… moreekend Jamison's part is admittedly on the shorter side, but it does its job in starting the storyline. Anyway, here they are:
Jamison
Jamison Dayne laid on a hammock in the captain’s cabin of Starfire, the capital ship of the Dayne fleet. They had been sailing for three days now, and by tomorrow they should arrive to Southpoint. Alester Upton and Rickar Nightfall sat around the table, playing dice and drinking rum.
“Fuck”, Rickar grumbled, which was followed by a jovial laughter from Alester. “I suggest you stop now, Rick, before you lose all your coin”, he said with a wolfish grin behind his bushy red beard.
“Fuck you, I’m not giving up yet”, Rickar responded, and once again Alester laughed. “Can you believe this guy?” He asked, now looking at Jamison, who flashed him a subtle smirk. Jamison… [view original content]
Comments
And I'm super excited to continue the stories of these two, they've been among my favorite characters to write throughout Book 1
Naemon's part was indeed pretty short, and I honestly probably would've made it a bit longer if I didn't post Gwen's much longer part simultaneously, but it did its job getting the storyline started. And yeah, another thing that I definitely wanted to show in this part was the change in Naemon's character, him being a bit more jaded and stern after taking charge in Gwen's absence. That said, it's not all negative necessarily, because while Naemon has indeed become more serious, he has also grown more responsible and mature. And yeah, I'd say it's a mix of distrust in Benedict and just generally not wanting to have too high hopes in case they'll just be crushed. Obviously Naemon still hopes that Gwendis would by some miracle come back, but he has more or less accepted by now that it might never happen.
Yay, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Gwen's reintroduction to the story!
She is in a pretty good place right now, though some hints of potential future threats were already brought up in this part. And I didn't really even think about the similarity between the names of Lyla and Laela, but you're right, they are pronounced very similarly 
Glad to hear you're already liking Laela though, we'll have a lot of time to learn more about her going forward. As for Gwen's role, she was definitely at first just a patient, being cured from the taint of the Great Other. However, now I'd say she is more like a guest, and perhaps a student of sorts as well, even if she isn't training to be a priestess. This will be highlighted more once we actually meet the High Priestess, but it's also likely that the church of R'hllor sees Gwendis as a valuable ally, given her connection to Dornish nobility and the fact that there hasn't been much success in spreading the religion to Westeros so far. Not that that's their main priority either, they have plenty of competition in Essos as well, but still. And what comes to this guest that was teased, well I can reveal he isn't a character we already know, but he is very interesting individual whom I can't wait to introduce in the next Gwendis part 
Ah, I should probably clarify that we will meet Ser Blaine Bulwer's convoy regardless of whether Naemon chooses to lead the troops or not (since it'll take some time to gather those troops). I'm not sure if that was why you chose to suggest Kegan or Thomos, but thought I should clear it up anyhow
Now I feel a bit of regret in choosing that option, it would be interesting to see Naemon interact with the Fowlers, especially Naemon.
Feel free to change the vote if you want to
Oh my god, what a coincidence, they are among my favourites as well
And I agree, Naemon's part got the job done, showing perfectly well what kind of a situation he finds himself in two years after we last saw him. Speaking of, I must actually applaud you for this change of personality that happened during the timeskip. It is perfectly believable and building up on things that have been established in the last chapter, but at the same time still as jarring as it rightfully should be, considering that Naemon used to be one of the most easygoing and light-hearted of the PoV's. While it remains to be seen if this has affected him further, it's safe to say that he has changed quite a lot. This also makes me really curious how much of this development has come from him genuinely accepting his new role and how much of it is just grief due to Gwen's disappearance. And needless to say, this made me all the more hyped for a potential reunion between these two, seeing how they both developed into different directions, the previously carefree Naemon having become serious and more harsh, whereas Gwendis, while certainly anything but light-hearted, has definitely become more at ease and less troubled, if that makes any sense. No doubt that one will change eventually though, but I am curious to see how they would get along after developing apart from each other for two whole years.
Ah, I loved it! As far as Gwendis' parts go, this one was among my favourites for now, simply because I was so super hyped to see her back. For certain, this is my favourite of the potential ways she could have started her Book 2 storyline, as opposed to still being a part of Team Awful, or being at Skyreach, as much as I love the characters in the latter storyline. Hopefully we'll manage to pick equally good choices for her as Book 2 continues, but I suppose I'll have to carefully consider which choices to make and which strategy to follow, now that there is no corruption to resist anymore. I am particularly excited for her meeting new characters, from Laela, to the High Priestess, to possible encounters she could make once back in Dorne. And I see my excitement for this mysterious guest is not misplaced, I am certainly curious what kind of a character it will be
Voting is closed!
So, the voting on Naemon's part was a tie, but by prioritizing the vote of the character's creator, Naemon will lead the troops himself. At least Davos will for sure be happy with this choice.
And Gwendis will tell Desi about the dream. This changes mostly just the structure of her next part, giving more interaction between Gwen and Desi, as well as introducing the mysterious guest before we meet the High Priestess. Nonetheless, Gwendis' next part should shed some light regarding what to expect from her storyline going forward.
Next up, we'll start Kris' storyline in Book 2. After defeating the Great Other worshipers with Desi two years ago, he has been concentrating on his duties as a husband, father and the Lord of Vaith. I might get the part done later today!
And this time I don't have just one addition to the album, nor two, but three more portraits!
Those being Gwendis, Desirea, and Laela. Here they are:
I like these portraits. I especially like how you included the red streaks and other details for Laela's. She is like how I imagined.
Three portraits at once, my goodness! And a Gwen portrait, that's the one I've been most excited for
Certainly, it does not disappoint. I doubt I'll ever tire to praise the violet you used for the eyes in comparison to the Book 1 portraits. And I am super happy to see this updated version of her. What can I say, I really dig these Book 2 versions of the characters we've already seen in Book 1 and obviously, Gwen is of particular importance to me, so this one's instantly one of my favourite portraits 
She does look more at ease, especially when compared to her updated Book 1 portrait with the Great Other in the background (albeit the background naturally cannot compete this time, the Great Other eyes were simply too wicked), but even when compared to her very first portrait, she does look more genuinely happy. There has been something more distant in the original Book 1 version and it makes me happy to see how she has developed. Speaking of development, I think it's clear to see that Desi really comes after her mother. Sure, she's about half her age or even younger, but this nonetheless shows that in time, she'll probably look even more like her. It has also been mentioned in the part itself that she has really grown, a head taller than Gwen even and while Gwen is not exactly a tall person, it means that Desi is probably ending up at least as tall as Dalia. I don't really know how, but you managed to show this in the portrait, she somehow looks taller than Gwen even though we only see their head and part of their upper body. Laela at last, the newest character and I have already taken a liking to her and, as I must state, not just because she sounds so much like Lyla 
That streak of red in her hair is kinda surprising, yet intriguing and definitely something I could see as fitting for a red priestess. Ah, it should not possible for me to get more hyped for a storyline, but these portraits somehow managed to increase my excitement for the things to come even further!
Kris
Lord Kris Vaith sat on a chair by the bed of his five-year-old son Nickon. The boy had a concentrated and excited expression on his face, waiting for Kris to continue the story he was telling him. “What happened then?” Nickon asked eagerly, and a subtle smirk formed on Kris’ face.
“When the Long Night was at its darkest, and the frozen demons of the Great Other marched further and further south, a hero emerged to oppose them”, he spoke the last words in a suspenseful tone, seeing his son grasp tightly into his blanket from excitement. “The last hero, who allied with the Children of the Forest, and drove the Others back to the lands of endless winter. No one knows the name of that man, but in his heart burned the flames of R’hllor, and thanks to him the terror of the Great Other was thwarted that day.”
“Did he have a flaming sword?” Nickon asked excitedly, to which Kris chuckled softly. “No, that was Azor Ahai”, he said calmly. “I’ve told his story to you before, do you remember it?” As he asked this, the door of the chambers was opened, and in walked Lady Myra.
“I remember”, Nickon claimed confidently. “He tempered his sword by driving it through a living heart, and then he fought against monsters.”
“Indeed, Azor Ahai had to make a great personal sacrifice so he could save the world from eternal darkness of the Great Other”, Kris spoke calmly, and behind him Myra scoffed quietly. “Are these really the kinds of stories you should be telling him?” She asked doubtingly, and Kris turned to look at her with a smirk. “He likes them”, he responded with a relaxed tone, and Myra rolled her eyes.
“Well, as long as they don’t give him nightmares”, she muttered with a sigh. “Anyway, Minesa asked for you.”
“Now?” Kris asked with a raised eyebrow, and Myra nodded. “She isn’t particularly open with me, but I’m guessing it has something to do with her visions”, she responded nonchalantly. With a nod Kris stood up from the seat, and Myra sat down.
“Maybe grandma has seen Great Other in her visions, and we will be the heroes who defeat him”, Nickon said with excitement, and Kris flashed him a grin. “Perhaps”, he responded lightheartedly, giving his son a wink before walking out of the room, and making his way to Minesa’s quarters.
With a sigh Kris pushed open the door to his mother’s chambers, and stepped in. Minesa sat by the table, reading a book with a focused expression on her face. Hearing her son step in, she raised her gaze to look at him.
“You wanted to talk”, Kris said nonchalantly, and Minesa nodded quietly. “The flames have shown me strange things recently”, she said calmly, tapping her fingers lightly on the wooden table. “Darkness still lingers in this land, growing stronger all the time. Our work isn’t done, my son.”
“Valerie is dead, along with those who served her”, Kris reminded sharply. “That’s enough for me.”
“You are the warrior of light, the lord’s chosen champion”, Minesa spoke smoothly, standing up from her seat. “Whether you like it or not, you still have a part to play in this conflict between light and dark.”
“Is that so?” Kris asked with a slightly frustrated tone. “You’ve seen me in the flames as well?”
“I have”, Minesa responded quickly, a concerned look in her eyes. “I’ve seen you tangling with a shadow in the garden, I’ve seen you draw your sword to against the warriors of darkness, and I’ve seen you burn away the sinners of this land. Your fate is one with R’hllor, Kris. There is no escaping it.”
“I have a family to take care of”, Kris argued hesitantly, turning his eyes away from his mother now. A moment of tense silence followed, and Minesa walked right next to her son and put a hand on his shoulder. “You will find the wisdom and strength to do the right thing”, she whispered with a sharp look in her eyes. “I have faith in you, my son.”
“Is there something more you wanted to talk about?” Kris asked coldly, and his mother shook her head wordlessly. With a sigh Kris began to walk towards the door. He glanced at his mother once more, before walking out of the room.
Heading towards his chambers, Kris suddenly stopped and turned to look towards the doorway that led to the garden. Minesa mentioned something about him tangling with a shadow in the garden. The flames don’t lie, Kris thought with a frown. Unable to curb his curiosity, he walked silently into the garden. The sun had set, leaving the garden dark and silent, the crescent moon on the night sky being the only source of light.
Kris stopped in the middle of the garden, breathing in and out, and closing his eyes for just a few seconds. Nothing, he thought as he opened his eyes, partly relieved and partly disappointed.
Suddenly, Kris heard steps behind him, and by sheer instinct he spun around fast enough to leap away from the silent hooded figure that charged towards him with a dagger. The dagger scratched Kris’ cheek, and he attempted to counter with a punch, but the hooded man caught his arm and tossed him to the ground with remarkable skill and strength. The assassin pinned Kris to the ground by pressing his right knee against Kris’ chest, and holding down his right arm with his left foot. Kris could only struggle and squirm helplessly as the hooded man raised his dagger for a final strike that would end his life.
However, just as Kris thought that it was all over, the assassin suddenly froze, letting out a groan of pain and dropping his dagger. Kris took the opportunity to free his right arm and elbowed the man on the face, effectively freeing himself from under him. Then he saw what had stopped the assassin – there was a bolt embedded deep into his upper back, and at the other end of the garden stood Hondo with a crossbow on his hands. He had already reloaded it and now approached the hooded man, continuing to aim at him.
“Thank you”, Kris said, breathing heavily, and Hondo gave him a nod. “Don’t mention it”, he said nonchalantly, keeping his eyes on the assassin. “Your mother asked me to watch your back, she knew something was going to happen tonight.”
The assassin now leaned against a small pillar next to the orange trees, clearly in pain, sweating and breathing heavily. Kris picked up the dagger that the assassin had dropped, and approached the man. He but the blade on his neck, and proceeded to remove his hood, revealing a bony and pale face, as well as dark and emotionless eyes. “Who are you?” Kris asked sternly, still keeping the blade on his throat.
“The name is Zereth”, the man responded with a cough, managing to form a weak smirk on his face.
“I don’t believe we’ve ever met, so I assume this isn’t personal”, Kris deduced calmly, to which Zereth nodded. “You got that right”, he said dryly. “I am a hired killer.”
“Well, who hired you?” Hondo asked bluntly, still aiming at the assassin with his crossbow. Zereth looked hesitant for a moment, glancing around as if to see if there was any way for him to get out of this situation. However, in the end he sighed in a defeated manner and spoke up. “King Albin Manwoody”, he said quietly. Kris frowned, studying Zereth’s face to see if he was attempting to deceive him, but there was no lie in his eyes.
“That makes no sense”, Kris muttered with some anger, tightening his grip on the dagger. “Why would Albin Manwoody send an assassin to kill me? I’ve never even met the man.”
“He was convinced by someone”, Zereth responded, his voice getting weaker. “A witch”, he added ominously. Kris and Hondo exchanged a look, concern and doubt in both of their eyes. Kris removed the dagger from Zereth’s neck and grabbed him from the shoulders, looking him intensely to the eyes. “Do you know the name of this witch, or can you describe what she looks like?”
“I don’t know her name, but she is burned and mutilated, her skin is dark and her heart darker”, Zereth described, and Kris could spot a mix of fear and admiration in the assassin’s words.
“Valerie”, Hondo said sternly, voicing what both of them were thinking. Kris let go of Zereth and stood up, feeling anger and frustration raising inside of him like a storm. “No”, he muttered with a desperate tone. “It can’t be… she died, there is no way.”
“Sadly, I don’t see who else could be behind this”, Hondo replied with a sigh. “Should we kill this man now?” He asked, and Kris shifted his eyes to him. He was about to nod, but just then the voice of Minesa could be heard from behind them. “Wait!”, she yelled, hurrying next to them. “Do not kill him, there is more we can learn from him”, she insisted, and both Kris and Hondo gave her a doubting glance.
“He’ll bleed out soon anyway”, Hondo pointed out sternly, but Minesa shook her head decisively. “No, we can heal him, keep him alive”, she said, now grabbing Kris’ hand and looking him to the eyes. “He is a weapon, and we should use him against our enemy.”
“But he is King Albin’s lackey”, Hondo argued sternly. Minesa shot the Rhoynar with a glare, but it was Zereth who spoke up now. “I have no loyalty for Albin Manwoody, or his witch”, he said quietly. “In exchange for my life, I will gladly work for you, Lord Kris.”
Kris stared at Zereth, studying the assassin's face, considering his choice carefully. Loyalty of a hired killer could be bought, and this man had proved himself dangerous even if he did fail to kill Kris. He could be useful against Valerie. However, Kris wasn’t sure if someone who had worked for the likes of Albin and Valerie in the first place deserved any mercy. This man just tried to kill me, perhaps it would be safer to just get rid of him now before he gets to try again.
[Heal Zereth] [Kill him]
[Kill him] No, thank you. We don't need to give fanatics like Minesa any sort of "weapon" or power in any way, kill him I say and be done with it.
[Heal Zereth] While this is probably a bad idea, I feel curiosity for Zereth's backstory now that he's at Kris' mercy. And he could be an asset to defeat Valerie if he truly has no loyalty towards the king.
[Kill him]
How do we know he won't stab Kris in the back later? This is the man who killed Ferris Fowler afterall. However, Minesa might know sometching we don't. She wouldn't knowingly put her son in danger. It's possible that I may reconsider this vote.
[Kill him] This is probably one of the easiest choices for me in the entire story
While I can admit that it would be interesting to learn more about Zereth and why he is the man that he is, the way he killed Ferris Fowler after his PoV part pretty much severed any possibility for me to like the guy. Plus as far as being able to buy his loyalty, it might work for a while but if a situation ever comes that he may see as better whether that be the pay or the job in general, I believe what little loyalty he might show would go away just as quickly as it showed up. Zereth wouldn't be offering his services to Kris if he had succeeded in his original goal and it seems clear to me that Zereth is pretty much just wanting to save himself rather than actually be of any help to Kris which obviously makes sense considering he didn't know of Kris before today but even still, with the Great Other vs R'hllor storyline looking like it is about to take off again, Kris needs people that he can trust by his side rather than the false loyalty of a man who has already tried to kill him once.
It also looks like one of Valerie's intentions have been revealed and it is safe to say that I am very intrigued to see what the new Great Other vs R'hllor storyline will be about moving forward.
Haha, yeah I can't blame you for seeing killing Zereth as the obvious choice here, he more than deserves it
It's also clear he'd say anything to stay alive, so his loyalty to Kris going forward would be highly questionable to say the least.
Anyway, the big thing to take away from this part was definitely that Valerie has began to make some aggressive moves to eliminate team R'hllor.
Hm, this is very concerning. Zereth's return at this point was unexpected and while I definitely do not mourn the fact that he is likely to become the first returning character to die in Book 2, I fear for the implications this holds. Clearly, Valerie has gotten enough strength to make her move against the followers of R'hllor. Kris is definitely at the top of her death list, just as I expected and it seems she is making her intention so open because she is just that determined to kill him. Undoubtedly, Desirea is one she wants to kill as well, though I could see a more messy death planned for her, given that she not only defeated Valerie, but disfigured her. Belan, Hondo and Minesa are undoubtedly in danger as well, with Minesa and Hondo even being in Valerie's reach and I certainly fear that Gwen is at least on the list. Of course, she, Belan and Desi are safe in Volantis, but at least Gwen herself is pretty much destined to leave Essos again and I wouldn't be surprised if Desi and Belan accompany her. This means, once she returns to Dorne, she'll likely be a target of Valerie as well and I could see Valerie being at least capable of learning about her whereabouts with the help of magic. Actually, this just gave me the worst theory of them all. We know one pretty safe way of finding out about someone's whereabouts is the glass candle in Benedict's possession. We know using it holds the danger of attracting sorcerers and so far, I feared this could lure some super powerful sorcerer from the east to Blackmont. But what if it actually attracts Valerie's attention? That way, she can do two things at once. By harming the court of Blackmont, she is hitting Gwen where it hurts the most, already getting a bit of that revenge she undoubtedly desires. And if she acquires the glass candle, she'll be powerful enough to find her enemies wherever they may hide. While I don't know if this is what's going to happen and while Valerie might have different plans that do not involve the court of Blackmont at this very moment, I cannot deny that the mere thought is extremely concerning. But now, onwards to Zereth's fate!
[Kill him]
Actually, my first impulse was a different one, as I was originally more inclined of healing him. Not because I am particularly interested in learning more about him, he's an utter bastard who murdered Ferris and the Purple Ocelot and he deserves to die for this, but because I was wondering if his abilities could be used against Valerie. We certainly know any bit of help can be useful. However, then I had to think again and now I am not so certain if this can actually happen. I mean, we're not talking about Arvin here. When it comes to him, I am willing to set my grudge aside and work with him. Zereth however is a guy whom I simply cannot trust. He might say he has no loyalty to Valerie and Albin and he might be honest there, but why would things be any different with Kris? If Kris spares his life, Zereth might even work for him for some time, but should he get caught by Albin's men, I can see him just as likely turning on his new master, or if he gets a better offer. We're talking about a man here who worked for Albin for years. Even if he doesn't have any personal loyalty to him, it does take a very messed up mind to willingly work with Albin for such a long time. A useful asset he might be, but this man simply cannot be trusted. He could just as likely turn on Kris again, or maybe this is even just a ruse to gain the chance to complete his mission another time. Maybe he actually is loyal to Albin and just desperately trying to save his own life here, but only so that he can kill Kris when he expects it the least. No, I say we kill him now, to avenge Ferris and the Purple Ocelot, to deprive Valerie of one of her most useful weapons and to ensure that Kris won't get stabbed in the back by this utter asshole.
[Heal Zereth]
Indeed, Valerie clearly has both regained enough strength and won enough influence over Albin to start making aggressive moves like this. That said, while the risk was always there, Valerie probably didn't plan this to expose her to team R'hllor. Had Zereth been successful in killing Kris, it would've been much harder to trace this back to her.
[Heal Zereth]
Voting is closed!
And Kris is going to kill Zereth. This was the choice I expected you to choose, though the voting was much more even than I thought it would be. Anyway, Zereth's career as a killer of named characters comes to its end here, which certainly is the safer option
Next up, we'll get Ortheg's first part in Book 2, as well as Verro's second. Ortheg has spent the timeskip in Yronwood, continuing his training to become a proper nobleman as well as a proper warrior. And as a recap for Verro: he started his Book 2 storyline in Nightsong, having become part of House Caron's household guard. Together with Nesila and Zaltha he had marched to war against the Manwoodys during the timeskip, and Zaltha ended up dying on that deployment. Now Nesila came to Verro, telling that Lady Kortney had a new mission for them. This mission was to find the band of outlaws opposing King Albin (aka the Free Ravens, whom we met briefly at the prologue). Verro wasn't thrilled about this mission and voiced his opinion about it, but Kortney made clear to him that if he didn't want to go he would have to find another house to serve. Faced with the choice of either following Nesila into this mission or seeking life elsewhere, Verro decided to go with Nesila.
And I have two updated portraits for you this time, those being Kris and Albin:
Is it weird that I consider Albin to look less... mad compared to his Book 1 version? I don't know, him staring menacingly at the screen in the Book 1 version made him seem more deranged and I got the opinion that this Book 2 version has a more neatly trimmed beard and generally looks cleaner. All this, the facial expression and him no longer facing the screen directly (especially compared to every other character you have drawn for Book 2 so far), gives me quite a different feeling when compared to his Book 1 version. He suddenly seems less menacing and dangerous, but more desperate, which I suppose is very fitting, given his new situation. Maybe I'm interpreting a bit too much into this portrait, but he really doesn't seem to be as confident and in control as he used to be, probably a result of Yorick and Valerie both having significant influence over him. Now that I think about it, I got to wonder if deep down, Albin might even start to realize how utterly fucked he is, not just due to his enemies closing in on him, but how utterly messed up his mind is. I'd have pity if not for the fact that he is firmly among the biggest monsters in the story. And damn it, I just noticed the Great Other eyes in the background
It's not even nearly as prominent as with Gwendis' second portrait, but I wonder if there's more to this than just Albin being Valerie's thrall, if there is a connection similar to the one Gwendis did her best to suppress, albeit probably not even nearly as potent. All in all, a great portrait and once more way up among my favourites 
Zereth is indeed gone! Even though it was an easy choice for me, I did have a brief thought about keeping him alive since he is mysterious and we would learn more about him. With that said, I am pretty glad that he will be out of the picture
I am curous though what kind of role he would have played moving forward and if he really would have been loyal to Kris or not? I understand if you can't tell me this though!
As far as the portraits go, they are definitely awesome with Liquid summing up my thoughts on Albin perfectly and the Kris portrait is definitely pretty neat as well with his looks changing as well with what I believe is a new scar if I remember correctly or I could be wrong. I will have to look at his book 1 portrait to compare
Anyway, I am definitely excited for the new parts!
Ortheg
Ortheg Sand took in a deep breath, raising his training sword and staring his opponent to the eyes. Willem Pyke had returned earlier today, bringing with him stories of great victory in the east, stories that made Ortheg wish he had been there himself.
“Ready?” Willem asked with a subtle smirk, and Ortheg nodded wordlessly. Willem was a tough sparring partner, one who always pushed Ortheg to his limits, but it was the best way for him to improve. Tanya had been a good teacher when it came to learning the basics, but Willem was able to make Ortheg feel like he wasn’t just training, but actually fighting.
And so, Willem charged to his first attack, striking harshly from above, and Ortheg was only just able to deflect the sword from hitting him. Extremely fast Willem returned to his stance and struck again, giving no time for Ortheg to riposte. The Ironborn bastard thrusted his sword violently, and while Ortheg tried to dodge it, the dulled blade scratched on the surface of his leather vest. He tried to counter quickly with an upward swing, but Willem parried it with ease, and followed up with a light punch on Ortheg’s face.
With a groan Ortheg backed away, a feeling of pain burning on the left cheek where Willem had hit him. “Seven hells”, he muttered as he saw Willem attacking again. Ortheg blocked the strike that was aimed at his upper body, locking the blades against each other for a moment. Willem took this moment to maneuver his blade past Ortheg’s, ultimately placing the cold steel against Ortheg’s neck.
“Dead”, Willem said with a calm and playful death, and Ortheg nodded with a sigh. “Let’s go again”, he said sternly as Willem removed the sword from his throat. Willem nodded approvingly, but before they could start Tanya approached them. “I suggest you leave the training for later”, she said firmly, gathering both of their attention. “There is an important guest arriving soon, so go change your clothes and prepare.”
“An important guest, aye?” Willem spoke up with a relaxed tone. “And who would that be?”
“Ser Wallace Wyl”, Tanya answered nonchalantly. “Apparently there has been some sort of development on the Manwoody lands.”
“What kind of development?” Ortheg asked curiously, and Tanya responded with a shrug. “I suppose Ser Wallace will let us know”, she said with a sigh. “Now, get ready.”
-
The court of Yronwood was gathered on the courtyard, welcoming the guests, who were now riding through the gates. Wallace Wyl led them, his dark braided hair dangling freely, beside him riding his friend Jared Lonmouth, also known as Ser Loose Lips.
As Wallace dismounted his horse, he was approached by Prince Trevyr Yronwood, beside him Quentyn Jordayne, and behind them Queen Wenda and Trevyr’s younger brothers Olyvar and Addam. The crown prince was dressed in flashy silk robes and golden jewelry, which were a stark contrast to Wallace’s dirty and humble gear more fitting of a sellsword than a noble knight. Wild Wally they called him, and though Ortheg didn’t know the man intimately, he very much looked up to him. A charismatic nobleman who wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty while serving his king. That is who I should be.
“Ser Wallace, you are an honored guest here, as always”, Trevyr welcomed the man, doing his best to appear strong and confident. However, Trevyr wasn’t quite his father, no matter how much me mimicked his mannerisms.
“My prince”, Wallace responded with a deep bow. “I assume the King is still on his campaign to Ghost Hill?” He asked with a polite tone on his deep voice, and Trevyr nodded affirmatively. “Indeed”, he said glancing at Quentyn next to him. “However, whatever it is that brought you here with such a hurry, you can report it to me.”
“I am here because there is unrest brewing on the lands of House Manwoody”, Wallace responded sternly, to which Quentyn chuckled dismissingly. “When isn’t there?” He asked with an amused tone, but Wallace immediately responded by shaking his head. “I guarantee you, mylords, this is not something to be taken lightly”, he said with a serious tone. “The land is already weakened by the war against Carons, and now foreign agitators have arrived there to turn the people against their own king. We have a full-blown revolt at our hands.”
“An issue we need to have a serious conversation about, then”, Quentyn said with a fake smile on his face, before turning towards the prince and giving him a small nod. Trevyr gulped subtly, before speaking up nervously. “You will be given an audience in tomorrow’s council meeting, ser”, he said, and Wallace nodded with a slightly disappointed expression on his face. “However, tonight we shall hold a great feast for you, to express the king’s gratitude towards your hard work on the Manwoody lands.”
“I am honored, my prince”, Wallace responded nonchalantly, once again bowing to Prince Trevyr.
-
The musicians played cheerful songs and the servants brought course after course to the tables, all the while wine flowed. On the high table Ser Wallace sat with the royal family, whereas his friend Jared had taken a seat at the same table with Ortheg, Willem and Tanya. As the night went on, it came more than clear to them why Jared was called Ser Loose Lips. The Stormlander knight spoke about his adventures with Wild Wally on the Manwoody lands, the men he had killed and the women he had laid, and the wine certainly didn’t make him less talkative.
“So, what exactly is the deal with these agitators that Ser Wallace mentioned?” Tanya asked finally. A subtle smirk formed on Jared’s face, and he considered his answer notably longer than usually. “To be honest, we don’t know much about them yet”, he finally said, taking a gulp of the wine. “However, I have my suspicions. You see, I’ve heard of this group of disgraced noblemen that has caused trouble mainly in the Reach during the last few years. Free Ravens they’re called, and if the stories I’ve heard of them hold any truth their whole existence is based on sabotaging the rule of noble lords that mistreat their own people. It certainly would make sense for them to target Albin.”
“But what right do they have to do that?” Ortheg asked with a frown, to which Jared chuckled. “They have no right, and that makes them outlaws”, he responded, pouring more wine to his cup. “I must admit there is something oddly romantic about their motives. No doubt their leader is some self-righteous prick who thinks he is changing the world for better.”
“And you think he isn’t?” Willem asked smoothly. Jared let out a sigh, shaking his head. “If every man had such disregard for law and order, this world would be a nasty place to live in. Say what you will about Albin Manwoody, he may be the worst kind of authority, but he is still authority. These Free Ravens, if they had their way, all of Westeros would be like the lawless lands beyond the Wall.”
Ortheg thought back to his lessons about the wildings and their savage ways, shuddering at the thought of having to live like that. “I guess you’ve got a point”, Willem admitted unenthusiastically. “Nonetheless, I am bound by duty and honor to serve King Yorick. I won’t lose my sleep over killing these agitators.”
“Good, so you plan to join our forces?” Jared asked with a wide grin, and Willem nodded. “And how about you, Ortheg Sand?” Jared asked now. Ortheg laid down his cup and took in a deep breath, considering his answer. However, Tanya spoke up before he could. “He is not ready, his training is not finished”, she said strictly, giving her half-brother a meaningful glance. It was clear she was concerned for him, and perhaps she was right to be.
“Come on, Tanya”, Willem spoke up with a relaxed tone, tapping Ortheg on the shoulder in a brotherly manner. “Ortheg is a man now, let him make his own decisions. I for one think he is more than ready.”
They all shifted their gaze to Ortheg, who grinned nervously, having made up his mind.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] [Stay in Yronwood]
-
Verro
Four days of traveling behind them, Verro and Nesila rode a mountain path somewhere in the northern parts of the Manwoody kingdom. Nesila was the one who had done the planning, Verro merely followed, even if he still had his doubts about this mission.
They came across a small wooden bridge, which had been built over a creek. Nesila halted and dismounted her horse, approaching the bridge by foot. “What is it?” Verro asked as Nesila eyed towards south where the creek was flowing. “There must be a village close”, she stated with confidence, turning her eyes to Verro now. “No one would build a bridge over such a small creek in the wild.”
“I suppose”, Verro agreed with a disinterested tone.
“We should follow the creek downstream”, Nesila decided, walking her horse away from the path and to the eastern bank of the creek. “After all, we have to find some locals to continue our mission.”
“Understood”, Verro said with a small sigh, following after Nesila. They followed the creek down in silence, around them a lightly wooded forest. Birds were singing in the trees, and Verro spotted a few rabbits running in the distance. However, they had still enough supplies to manage without hunting more.
“So, why did you choose me?” Verro suddenly asked, breaking the silence. “On this mission, I mean”, he clarified hastily, and Nesila gave him a short glance. “You know why”, she responded nonchalantly, and Verro raised an eyebrow even if Nesila wasn’t even looking at him anymore. “Do I?” he asked with a somewhat confused tone, and heard Nesila scoffing.
“Don’t act dumb, Verro”, she said sharply. “You’re the only one I can trust, you know that.”
“I suppose trust is important, but it might have been more useful to choose someone who knows the land better”, he suggested with a relaxed tone. As Nesila didn’t answer, he spoke up again. “It’s just weird, you know. Ever since we came back from the war, you’ve been so distant. And now suddenly…”
Nesila stopped and turned around, stopping Verro in his tracks and looking him to the eyes. “What do you want me to say, huh?” she asked with a slightly frustrated tone, and Verro turned his gaze down embarrassedly. “I don’t know, just… enlighten me where are we at. You know, as partners or whatever”, he muttered, scratching his head. Nesila put her left hand under Verro’s chin and raised his gaze up. “You’re the only person left in this world I truly care about”, she said with a tense but sincere tone, looking at him dead in the eye. “That enough to assure you?”
“Aye”, Verro responded quietly, and after flashing him a sincere smile Nesila turned around and continued forward. With a sigh Verro followed, and so they continued in silence for several minutes, until finally they could see a village in the distance, built around the creek on a woodless valley.
“Told you”, Nesila quipped lightheartedly, but Verro’s smile died down as soon as it came. “I remember this place”, he said with a gulp, and Nesila gave him a questioning look. “It was during the first month of our deployment, we marched through here”, he explained, a grim look in his eyes as he saw the stone foundations of the granary they had burned down. A new smaller one had been built on the other side of the stream.
“It was war, Verro”, Nesila reminded calmly. “You are the last person to be blamed for any of it. If anyone is guilty it’s King Albin Manwoody.”
“And because of him the people here had to suffer?” Verro asked cynically, and Nesila let out a frustrated sigh. “We are not having this conversation now, okay?” she responded strictly, and Verro nodded. “Fine”, he agreed, narrowing his eyes. “But there is something else we should discuss. What if these people recognize us?”
Nesila chuckled dryly at this question, but then she raised her eyebrows in surprise as Verro didn’t react. “You’re serious?” she asked, and he nodded. “Verro, we were just two of literally hundreds of soldiers, no one will remember us. Besides, it’s not like we are dressed as Carons now.”
“Alright then, it’s not likely, but what if someone does recognize us?” Verro insisted sternly, and Nesila took in a deep breath, contemplating her answer for a moment. “We should be prepared to escape in that case”, she finally said. “We are not here to shed blood. If the people make clear we are not welcome, then we leave and find another village.”
“Agreed”, Verro said calmly, and Nesila gave him a nod. “Great, let’s go then.”
And so they approached the village, riding quietly towards it as if they were just travelers passing by. The able-bodied men were working on the fields south of the village, while the women and children were doing their chores by the houses. A single elderly man sat by the door of the largest house in the village, standing up as he saw Verro and Nesila approaching. They dismounted their horses at the center of the village, tying them on the poles of the well. The old man with grey hair and hunched back approached them, concern and suspicion in his small green eyes.
“Afternoon”, Verro greeted the man calmly, and the old man responded with a small nod. “You the king’s men?” he asked with a coarse voice, and Nesila immediately shook her head.
“We serve no king, least of all Albin the Mad”, she proclaimed boldly, and a hint of smile formed on the man’s face. “Good”, he replied, spitting on the ground. “I curse the name of that madman, he has brought nothing but misery to this land.”
“We are aware of his crimes, and wish to see him punished for them”, Nesila said warmly, stepping closer to the old man and extending her hand. “My name is Nesila, and my companion here is Verro”, she introduced them while shaking hands with the old man.
“I’m Harry”, the man responded calmly, glancing at Nesila and Verro. “Now, what brings you two to our humble village?”
“We are looking for someone”, Nesila sharply answered the man’s question. “A sellsword company, or a band of outlaws. They oppose King Albin, and the word of their deeds has begun to spread. We seek to join their cause.”
“You speak of the Free Ravens”, Harry said, narrowing his eyes. “I might be able to help you find them. However, before that I have to ask you something.”
“Go ahead”, Nesila prompted with a nod. Harry took a moment before speaking up, carefully studying the faces of Nesila and Verro. “You say you serve no king, so who do you serve then? Who sent you here?”
“No one sent us”, Nesila spoke with an unwavering confidence in her voice. If Verro didn’t know better, he would’ve fully believed that Nesila was speaking the truth. “Our reasons for opposing King Albin are personal”, she added sternly.
Harry remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting back and forth between Nesila and Verro. As convincing as Nesila’s lie had been, the old man was clearly suspecting something, and Verro had to wonder if telling the truth would be the smarter option. If they were not welcome here they could always find another village, but if they were caught lying, it could potentially make things much harder for them.
[Reveal that you were sent by the Carons] [Cover Nesila's lie]
[Stay in Yronwood]
I'm not sure he is ready yet.
[Cover Nesila's lie]
I think contradicting her will unnecessarily complicate things. Plus, she isn't lying when she says their reason for opposing Albin are personal.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
[Cover Nesila's lie]
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] Damn, seems like word of the Free Ravens is indeed spreading, so much that they have quite a number of people after them now. Arvin and his men are after then and now the Yronwoods will also be sending their own people, I sure didn't expect that. The Manwoody lands indeed are bound to chaos from pretty much every front xD. Now, I'll be choosing for Ortheg to go because I'm really curious to see this mission from a proper PoV, besides, I feel like Ortheg could really use the experience he's bound to learn during this mission. As of right now, I feel like he has a pretty naive and one-sided idea about how Westeros really works, I think this could be beneficial for him and it would kinda open his eyes to things he wouldn't really have the opportunity to see while in Yronwood.
As for the second choice, I truly don't know which would be better, so I think I'll just refrain from voting here. Gotta say that I already like Harry, even though he's probably just a very minor character and won't be seen again, he did leave a nice first impression on me. One thing I was able to take out of this part (and the previous ones) is that the common folk are indeed fed up with Albin and seems like a full-blown revolt might not be all that far away.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace] While it has several risks, Ortheg needs the experience if he wants to become a true knight. And I still wonder why Jared is such good friends with Wallace, after all House Wyl is among the most feared of the houses that border the Marches.
[Cover Nesila's lie] Not correcting her is the better option right now. And they really serve no king, since they come from lands without kings, so personal is more accurate.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
Ah, this is precisely the kind of choice I was hoping for. See, Ortheg has always been nice as a character, but since his storyline just started in the last chapter, I never had the same connection to him as I had to the other characters and never truly found myself anticipating his parts when compared to, say, Jamison's or Verro's, whom we have known for three chapters and who have been through quite some exciting stuff. But I understand that there simply hasn't been much of an opportunity so far, just like how none of the other characters had a first chapter with super high stakes. The time for build-up should be over by now though and I must say, I really like the glimpse Ortheg gives us to the court of Yronwood. This however is what I was hoping for, some action and thrill for Ortheg, he deserves it. I also really like Wallace and want to see more of him. Also, the whole Free Raven situation seems to be a pretty important plot point in Book 2, so I would quite appreciate having Ortheg as a PoV involved in the situation as well, even if he is likely going to be opposed to them (whereas I find myself quite sympathizing with them from what we have seen so far). So, this really sounds like the best option for me to grow more attached to Ortheg
[Cover Nesila's lie]
See, at first I was actually going to choose the other option. The man is clearly suspecting something and while Nesila isn't outright lying to him, I was thinking the full truth would make him more likely to help. Then I realized just what the full truth would be. Clearly, while the Free Ravens and House Caron have a common enemy, the smallfolk of the Manwoody lands and the Caron forces are anything but allies and it sounds likely that there are peasants who hate them even more than their mad tyrant. After all, while Albin is a bad king, at least he did not lead a campaign against them so far. So, I really think that telling him they were sent from the Caron's is more likely to make him distrust them. At worst, the Free Ravens themselves could see House Caron as an enemy, due to their commitment to help the smallfolk in the Manwoody lands. I do think that for now, it will be for the best if Verro and Nesila keep their true loyalties a secret.
Regarding Jared and Wallace, they've just grown to be close friends over years, and at this point neither really cares that a friendship between a Wyl and a Marcher lord's son would be seen as a bit unorthodox. As for how they became friends in the first place, well, Jared was wandering around seeking a life for himself when they first met, and since both of them are actually rather openminded and jovial it wasn't that hard for them to bond.
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
I strongly considered keeping Ortheg in Yronwood largely because I wanted to see more of the Yronwood court with Prince Trevyr and Princess Jaena being characters I wanted to potentially see more of with them being Yorick's two oldest children. With that said however, experience is the best teacher and actually getting the chance to fight men for real along with getting to see a war like situation will be very valuable in getting where he wants to be. He will see what battle is really like and in turn it will make him a better knight whenever he is knighted which could very well happen on this mission if all goes well for him. I also feel like Willem saying he is ready is also a prime indicator that he really is since Willem has no reason to lie about it.
As far as the Free Ravens go, they have gained alot of enemies very quickly and with House Yronwood's men joining this fight, they could be in some trouble which leads me to believe that we could see a full fledged peasant rebellion which will make the Manwoody lands even more chaotic and in turn, help out the Free Ravens. Safe to say this is going to be an epic storyline!
[Cover Nesila's lie]
I agree with the others here, it is definitely for the best if they get keep their true intentions under wraps for now.
Indeed, it is about time for some more excitement for Ortheg's storyline, which I definitely plan to deliver in Book 2.Ortheg will get his chance to shine regardless, but going with Wallace will probably get him into the thick of the action a bit quicker
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
[Cover Nesila's lie]
[Join the forces of Ser Wallace]
[Cover Nesila's lie]
Voting is closed!
So, Ortheg will join the forces of Ser Wallace Wyl, marching to the lands of House Manwoody. I'm glad you chose this, as it gives me the opportunity to give Ortheg more of an adventure right away, rather than just having him as our eyes and ears in Yronwood.
And Verro will cover Nesila's lie. Lying always has its risks, but this may have been a smart time to do so, considering the Manwoody peasants understandably have some antipathy towards the Carons. Still, Harry clearly has his suspicions, and we'll see how exactly this will play out in Verro's next part.
As for what's next, we'll get Jamison's first part in Book 2. We did already get a glimpse of him in Isabella's part, and now we'll continue with the Dayne fleet on its way to Southpoint. I am also working on Femi's second part. As a recap, Femi is the younger sister of Farrah, Hondo and Ammon, and she arrived to Sandship in her first part, summoned there by her older sister. She clearly showed her disinterest in serving the Principality with the kind of loyalty her sister does, but she also isn't actively working against Nymeria. However, her and Farrah's brother Ammon is allegedly mixed with the conspiracy against the princess, and Farrah asked Femi to find him and convince him to leave the conspiracy behind. Femi had her reservations, but after Farrah said she'd be doing it for Ammon's sake and not for Nymeria or the Principality, she agreed to doing it. I'm afraid there is still too much writing to be done to get these parts posted today, and I will have a bit less time for writing than usually this weekend. That said, I do hope to find enough time to get the parts done during the weekend, we'll see.
And lastly, two more additions to the Book 2 album, Verro and Ortheg:
Wait, that is Verro? Whoa, this has to be the single biggest change between the Book 1 and 2 portrait of a character, including Valerie. I definitely wouldn't have recognized him. It's crazy what two years of (mostly) living in a castle can do, he really looks drastically changed with how well-groomed he is and while I enjoyed this wild look of him in the Book 1 portrait and it very much had an influence on the way I saw and still see him as a character, I find this change quite exciting. Meanwhile, Ortheg is probably the character who has the least changes between the two portraits so far, he still pretty much looks like his Book 1 version, just slightly older. Ironic that these two receive their portraits in the same post
Aye, since his last portrait Verro has transformed from a pirate washed ashore to the coast of Dorne to a man in service of a noble house, as well as obviously aging two years, so there is definitely reason for him to look different
That said, I did try to keep some familiarity as well. And yeah, in contrast there has been very little reason for Ortheg to change much during the timeskip 
Alright, surprise! I actually did manage to get the parts done today, which is good so I don't have to stress about them during this busy weekend
Jamison's part is admittedly on the shorter side, but it does its job in starting the storyline. Anyway, here they are:
Jamison
Jamison Dayne laid on a hammock in the captain’s cabin of Starfire, the capital ship of the Dayne fleet. They had been sailing for three days now, and by tomorrow they should arrive to Southpoint. Alester Upton and Rickar Nightfall sat around the table, playing dice and drinking rum.
“Fuck”, Rickar grumbled, which was followed by a jovial laughter from Alester. “I suggest you stop now, Rick, before you lose all your coin”, he said with a wolfish grin behind his bushy red beard.
“Fuck you, I’m not giving up yet”, Rickar responded, and once again Alester laughed. “Can you believe this guy?” He asked, now looking at Jamison, who flashed him a subtle smirk. Jamison had to admit he had missed this, being with his friends, just relaxing and having a laugh. He loved Isabella and the sons she had given to him, but spending time with Alester and Rickar had given him more energy than he had had in a long time. And soon that energy would be needed, as they were sailing to war.
Jamison stood up from the hammock, and grabbed the rum as he walked past the table. He took a gulp straight from the bottle, grimacing slightly at the pungent taste. “So, Jamison, ready for war?” He heard Alester asking with a relaxed tone.
“I’ve been ready my whole life”, he boasted as he laid the bottle back on the table. “And I’ll sure as hell make these Martell bastards understand that they chose a wrong person to fuck with.”
“I didn’t know Clearhaven was that important to you”, Rickar said with an unenthusiastic tone, and Jamison turned his gaze to him. “It’s my legacy”, he said sternly, to which Rickar just shrugged.
“Of course he doesn’t understand”, Alester said with a smirk. “His role has always been to serve, while our destinies are something much greater than that.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re so bloody important, I get it”, Rickar muttered and rolled his eyes. “You can find fame and glory as well, Rickar”, Jamison commented calmly. “You just have to try.”
“Oh, that’s great”, Rickar spoke with a sarcastic excitement. “And what exactly can I purchase with this fame and glory?” he asked, to which Jamison chuckled softly. “You’d be surprised what can be achieved with merely name and reputation”, he said, turning his back for Rickar and Alester now. “Not to mention, some things are far more valuable than anything that could be purchased anyway.”
“Legacy”, Alester concluded with a knowing tone.
“This war might well be ours”, Jamison said, turning to face his friends again. “So you better be prepared for it.” With these words Jamison walked out of the cabin, and into the deck.
Feeling the wind on his face and hearing the sound of waves crashing against the hull, Jamison made his way down to the lower deck, where his uncle Garret was standing by the prow, leaning on the railing. He walked next to him wordlessly. “Jamison”, Garret greeted him, and he nodded.
“You look concerned, uncle”, Jamison stated calmly, to which Garret chuckled nervously. “There’s good reason to be”, he said with a sigh. For a moment they were both silent, until Jamison shifted his gaze to look his uncle to the eyes. “You fear we won’t be successful in taking back Clearhaven?” he asked sternly.
“I fear what comes after that”, he replied sharply, staring towards the empty horizon. “We may be able to take back Clearhaven, but do not for a second assume that will be the end of this war. The Principality is a beast that doesn’t even fully know its own power yet. It is young, vigorous and testing its limits.”
“We will be that limit”, Jamison said confidently, and his uncle gave him a glance. “I hope so as well”, he said with a gulp. “But even so, it will be a costly war. Sacrifices will have to be made, losses greater than I dear to imagine.”
“You fear for our finances?” Jamison asked with an almost amused tone, but Garret immediately shook his head. “No, I fear for the lives that will be lost defending Torrentine against the Principality”, he clarified with a grim tone. “I’d lie if I said I didn’t fear for my own life, but even more so I fear for my family, our family. What will be left of it once this war is over?”
“Perhaps all of it”, Jamison suggested calmly, to which his uncle chuckled grimly. “You’re bold, Jamison. Bold, ambitious, reckless, but not naïve”, he spoke quietly. “You know as well as I how much this war could destroy. We are both fathers, burdened by the same duty to our children. And yet, we also have a duty to our kingdom.”
“They do not need to exclude each other”, Jamison argued sternly, and Garret nodded. “Aye, if all goes well, that is true”, he said with a sigh. “But tell me, Jamison, which do you see as the more important duty?” Garret asked, now looking Jamison to the eyes again.
[Duty to family] [Duty to kingdom]
-
Femi
”Alright then, I’ll do it”, Femi said with a sigh, and a bright smile formed on Farrah’s face. “I knew I could trust you, sister”, she responded cheerfully, and Femi allowed a thin smile on her face.
“I’ll do it for the sake of our family”, she continued with a gulp. “We’ve been apart for too long, but perhaps we could be whole again.”
Farrah came closer to her now and embraced her in a loving hug. As they separated, there were tears welling up in Farrah’s eyes, while her lips were stuck in a wide grin. “I would love that”, she said with a sob.
“Come on, you’re supposed to be the big sister here, I should be the one crying in your shoulder”, Femi commented humorously, which made Farrah chuckle. “I’m sorry”, she said, wiping away her tears now and regaining her composure. “If only mother, father and Khepri could be here as well”, she said wistfully.
“If only”, Femi repeated softly. For a moment they were both silent, until Farrah spoke up again. “They would be proud to see us do our best to keep the family together”, she said quietly. Femi nodded to her older sister’s words, even if they did make her feel a bit guilty. I certainly can’t claim to have done my best during these last few years.
-
Femi woke up in the next morning, the sun shining in through the shutters of the windows. She had slept like a baby that night, probably due to the traveling from Greenblood to Sandship. She yawned and stared at the ceiling lazily, having no will to get up.
After a while of just laying in the bed quietly Femi finally raised herself to a sitting position and glanced towards her sister’s bed, seeing that it was empty. Turning her gaze towards the table by the windows, she saw bread, olives and water, which were no doubt meant for her as a breakfast. With a groan she stood up from the bed and dressed up, then wading her way towards the table with heavy steps. As she sat down, Femi noticed a small piece of parchment next to her cup. “Meet me at the courtyard once you’ve had breakfast”, it read.
After hastily eating a scant breakfast Femi made her way out of her sister’s quarters, and headed towards the courtyard of the fort. Walking through the corridors Femi overhead some chatter about a foreign royal guest being on their way. Whatever, I’ll be out of this place before the sun sets tonight.
As she walked into the courtyard, Femi spotted her sister standing close to the stables with two people. One of them was an older bald man, perhaps on his fifties. The man’s lower face was heavily disfigured with battle scars, his whole nose missing. On top of that, his right arm was missing down from the elbow. A veteran, Femi deduced as her eyes scanned the man’s tall and muscular body, which was clad in an old but sturdy armor.
Next to the scarred man stood a young woman, younger than Femi herself. In her green eyes was a nervous look, and her curly black hair was tied to a braid. She was the first to spot Femi as she approached the three, and quickly after her Farrah and the man also shifted their attention to her.
“Morning”, Femi greeted them dryly, eyeing at the young girl and the older man in a questioning manner. “Morning, Femi”, Farrah replied with a warm smile. “These are Ayron and Lysera, and they will come with you”, she introduced her companions, and Femi narrowed her eyes.
“And why exactly will they come with me?” She asked with a suspecting tone, to which Farrah chuckled in a carefree manner. “You will need help finding Ammon”, she responded calmly. “And if he truly is mixed up with the conspiracy, it’s better to play it safe.”
“So, these are my bodyguards?” Femi asked with an almost amused tone, to which Ayron responded. “We will help you see this mission through”, he said sternly. “But if your brother refuses to cooperate, he will be seen as a traitor, and traitors are something I have no tolerance for.”
“Really?” Femi asked coldly, her words intended for Farrah rather than Ayron. “Is this man an executioner for our brother?”
“No”, Farrah clarified with a sigh. “Ayron and Lysera are both loyal servants of Princess Nymeria, determined to end this conspiracy before it gets ugly. Your mission is to save Ammon for his own sake, for our family’s sake, but doing it will also weaken the conspirators.”
“I promise we will be of no harm to you, my lady”, Lysera assured calmly. “We simply want to help.”
“Fine”, Femi grumbled, glaring at her sister. “So, how do you suggest we begin our mission?” She asked with a cynical tone. Farrah glanced around to see that no one was listening to their conversation, before speaking up quietly. “Do you know of a man who calls himself the Turtle Prince?” she asked, looking Femi to the eyes.
“Aye, a big name in Planky Town”, Femi answered nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve worked for him a couple times. Why?”
“What kind of work?” Farrah asked, a concerned look in her eyes. “Nothing special”, Femi answered, but her sister didn’t look satisfied. “Well, I’ve smuggled some goods for him from Godsgrace, what about it?”
“According to Lord Bloodspill’s sources the Turtle Prince is one of the major recruiters of the conspiracy”, Farrah said strictly, grabbing Femi gently from her upper left arm. “Tell me honestly, sister, did he ever attempt to recruit you?”
“No”, Femi answered bemusedly. “If he is a recruiter I had no idea. Are you sure your sources are legitimate?”
Farrah was quiet for a moment, exchanging looks with Ayron. “Well, we cannot be sure”, she admitted with a small sigh. “And it does seem strange that he never tried to recruit you. Nonetheless, you having an established relationship with him will certainly help.”
“Help?” Femi asked with a frown. “To find Ammon”, Farrah clarified with a smirk. “Whether the Turtle Prince is a recruiter or not, he might well know where to find our brother. A sister looking for her brother should raise no suspicions, and since you’ve already worked for him there is no need for building trust.”
“Eh, my last job for him was bit of a bust”, Femi admitted, scratching her hair awkwardly. “Had to dump some of the goods to lose the Allyrion guards that were chasing me. Prince Turtle wasn’t exactly pleased, but I guess he didn’t really blame me either.”
“Good enough”, Farrah said, though a bit less confidently now. “Go then, bring our brother home”, she added with a smile, which Femi reciprocated.
-
As the sun was setting, Femi, Ayron and Lysera set up a camp near the coast, covered from the wind by the natural sand barriers. As Ayron began to build them a fire he removed his armor and shirt, revealing several gruesome scars crossing his tanned chest.
“Your scars, how did you get them?” Femi asked curiously. Ayron glanced at her for a second, before turning his eyes back to the fire. “War”, he answered unenthusiastically, and Femi rolled her eyes. “Oh, I would’ve never guessed”, she said sarcastically, to which Ayron scoffed.
“You know nothing about war, girl, so it doesn’t matter how thoroughly I explain the stories of my scars to you. You would not understand”, he spoke coldly. For a moment a tense silence lingered around the cracking fire, until Femi spoke up again. “Maybe I do understand something about war, old man”, she hissed, glaring at Ayron with narrowed eyes. “I’ve lost a lot because of war. My home, my family, my dignity. So, what exactly is it that I don’t understand?”
“Both of you, calm down”, Lysera said, sitting down between them. “We are survivors, each of us, brothers and sisters of Rhoyne. We all have lost a lot, which is all the more reason we should stick together and not quarrel with each other.”
“Is that why you are so adamant to defeat these conspirators?” Femi asked sharply, and Lysera nodded. “Yes”, she answered confidently. “They seek to kill their own brothers and sisters, drive us all into a cycle of revenge and death. I will not stand for it.”
“And yet you stand for Nymeria”, Femi noted with a nonchalant tone on her voice. “Her cause brings as much death as any, and I will never understand this blind obedience you people show her. Loyalty, gratitude, honor… all bunch of horseshit excuses to act like dogs instead of thinking with your own head.”
“Stupid girl”, Ayron muttered, deep seated anger in his words. “You may not care about anything or anyone but yourself, but do not judge those of us who do.”
“Who said I don’t care about anything?” Femi shot back sharply. “I care about the freedom of our people.”
“Do you now?” Ayron asked, a grim smirk forming on his face. “Because you seem oddly ungrateful for the one person we all owe our current freedom to – Princess Nymeria.”
Femi turned her gaze down and let out a sigh, remaining quiet for a moment. “I am grateful to Nymeria”, she finally said, her voice now quiet and uncertain. “For leading us to safety and giving us a new home. However, I do not like what she has been doing after that. I do not agree with her war.”
“That’s perfectly reasonable”, Lysera hurried to say before Ayron could speak up. “She has great visions for this land, and I imagine even she has her doubts about them now and then. However, what matters is that we stick together, and if we want to oppose her we do it without stooping so low as to starting a war amongst our own.”
“I agree”, Femi responded with a mellow tone, and Lysera smiled to her. Then Ayron spoke up again. “I have one question for you, Femi”, he said sternly, a humorless expression on his disfigured face. “If a situation comes where you are forced to choose between the lives of us and your brother, what would you do?”
Femi frowned, an uncomfortable look on her eyes. This wasn’t a question she was prepared to answer, but perhaps it made sense from Ayron’s perspective to question her loyalties. She had always preferred having no loyalties at all, but it was coming clear to her that in this mission there would be no room for being neutral. However, if it would truly come down to it, would she really be able to just let her brother die? Just to further Nymeria’s cause?
[Say you'd side with Ayron and Lysera] [Say you'd side with Ammon] [Refuse to answer]
[Duty to kingdom] While family is indeed important, sometimes the duty to the kingdom is more important
[Refuse to answer] Answering in favor of her brother would make them not trust her completely, while answering for them would sound insincere. I understand why would she resent Nymeria a bit, since they escaped war and now they're in another war in a foreign land, but it makes some sense. Dorne's population has grown a lot thanks to the arrival of the Rhoynar, and to ensure a better coexistence, they need to unite the entire region under one banner. The North would have been conquered by the Andals 4000 years ago had House Stark not united them under one banner.
Indeed, there is a very legitimate case to be made for this war of unification, which I've often brought up in Nymeria's parts. Ayron sees Femi's lack of conviction and loyalty as selfishness, and while there may be some truth to that she does have her own principles, most importantly her anti-authoritarianism.
[Duty to kingdom]
[Refuse to answer]
[Duty to family]
[Say you'd side with Ammon]