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Post by Father on Aug 15, 2019 11:02:25 GMT 1
Lord Marq appears to be everywhere, meeting everyone, though he does manages to find time to Lynesse, as if he has taken a liking to her. "I hope my lady has been well since the last time we spoke?"
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 18, 2019 7:03:18 GMT 1
"Well enough to enjoy some of the pleasures of The Hand's Tourney and Feast, Lord Marq. Well enough to live and breathe, which is enough to give thanks to the gods for, I feel," she replies lightly, hesitant to blare that same old horn of doom and gloom that seemed to hang from her belt of late.
"And you my Lord? I was most impressed by your victories at Whitewalls," tough in truth, he had performed less than his reputation implied he ought.
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Post by Father on Aug 18, 2019 12:15:55 GMT 1
"My lady is far too kind, I seem to have a curse in the joust called drawing Redtusk before he draws his namesake, as for the melee, I should attest my fortunes to Ser Manfryd Grimm, I just ride after and sweep up what's left after his cleanings" Marq waves that all away. "I have been keeping busy as I always do, perhaps that is why I never marry, unless I take the lady out on the road, how could I ever do my duty in the marriage bed if I am never at home?"
"I heard Lord Eldon is coming to Whitegrove, I do hope my lady or her uncle, both preferably, have set aside the notion of joining your two houses? My lady is far to fine a person to suffer the fate of being confined to his bedchamber"
He's having some passably good odds at getting far in the melee, so I'm assuming he'll get noted.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 20, 2019 9:51:34 GMT 1
"Ser Manfryd is your man, is he not? And it is not as though you follow him in some perfumed litter, untested by the the rancor of fierce combat," Lynesse swept aside such humility.
"I will admit to some curiosity at why you have not wed, my Lord, but do not think mere business could give account for it." She nodded thoughtfully, "I currently favour two theories on the subject. Either you are too endeared to your own air of mystery to give away such affairs of the heart by actualising them, or you have already made a choice, but are restrained by time or circumstance from making your feelings known. I hope you do not mind such idle theorising, for you must know that half the realm's ladies are driven to madness or drink by it." Her tone is playful when engaging with Lord Marq's reputation, equal parts honest and driven to put on a charming facade before this renowned champion and icon of the Reach's gallantry. At the content of his warning, her tone becomes more serious.
"My Uncle knows his own mind and pursues the match without my counsel or consent. As for myself, well, I cannot imagine my Uncle pursuing a match that was not designed, in chief, to torment me, and so I do my best not to give offence to the various Lords her introduces me to, and who might have my kin butchered on a whim, should I give offence." Her words are blunt, as she has begun to grow tired of those who warn her against Eldon, while offering naught to aid her against the catalyst of a potential match with him.
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Post by Father on Aug 20, 2019 15:19:04 GMT 1
"It is very simple, I squired for a man who enjoyed forty years in an extraordinary marriage, he loved her dearly and she loved her back. He had the good fortune of being able to offer a suggestion that was agreeable to his father, and thus have this rare thing few lords ever can have. Most Lords and their ladies grow on each other, but that is not for me." It is not the words of a dreamy romantic, more those of a highly ambitious realist. "And the more years I have lived, the better I know myself and what would fit me. Although it might be best to find someone suitable before the candidates becomes young enough to be my daughters, I might be running out of time in that case"
"I do not think my lady's uncle is so cruel as to deliberately seek to marry her into unhappiness, merely being unconcerned with it, caring only what gain there is for him. I would counsel my lady to take matters into her own hands, find a knight much more pleasing to her, and see if he cannot be enticed to make such public displays of affection as will make Ser Eustace's peers look askance as to why they are ignored."
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Aug 25, 2019 6:33:43 GMT 1
Regarding Eustace's disposition toward her, Lynesse was sceptical "My view of my uncle may be somewhat one-eyed - it is hard for me to see him as so many others do. Perhaps it is as you suggest, and he is merely indifferent to my happiness."
"For a match to be palateable enough for my Uncle - a man who is in the best of circumstances indifferent to my hopes - would be one from which he could still aggrandise himself. This would therefore be a Lord, heir, or perhaps the regent of a suitable house, for surely only such a candidate could rival the benefits Ser Eustace hopes to reap from a match with Lord Eldon." Lynesse sought to follow Marq's reasoning, knowing she was more likely to make progress with the man by accepting his premises than challenging them.
"Lord Durwell, you are certainly among those my Uncle would consider his peers - as I have said, he does like to aggrandise himself. Could I trust that if I could secure such a public display, you would be among those to look askance, and perhaps encourage my Uncle away from the grave course towards which he steers myself, and my House?" She asked both in sincerity and out of a deeper curiosity. Lord Marq had approached her twice now about the Merryweather match. Despite his gallant reputation, he seemed too competent and self-assured to be pursuing an idle fancy. Nor had he galloped in atop a charger to rescue her from her current trials, as he might were he personally interested in her hand. He was at once too interest, and too aloof, and this piqued her curiosity.
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Post by Father on Aug 25, 2019 14:58:16 GMT 1
"I might be so inclined, though perhaps not direct and public, I do enjoy my air of mystery enough that I lick my fingers well and thoroughly clean, and dry them off for good measure before someone notices the hole in the pie." Marq responds to that after some thought. "But only if my lady will not ruin such efforts by going along with the will of her uncle."
"And I would have to ask a favor in return, it so happens that I am Lord Durwell, and I can't just follow my heart's desire in these matters. I don't like Lord Eldon, but I do not wish to make him my enemy. And yet, my lady is not the only one with ambitious family seeking to sell her to Lord Eldon, The Levalle's have much the same idea, and Lady Ellyn is reluctantly consenting to aid in seeking that match, though hoping to find other alternatives that might satisfy her father while not being Lord Eldon. I am sure that she would be silently grateful if my lady were to seek to sabotage the efforts of the Levalle's instead of assisting Ser Eustace in his designs upon who is to become Lady Merryweather."
His objectives: -Lynesse takes an action to do matchbreaking against a Levalle-Merryweather pairing. -Lynesse does not make any actions towards getting herself hitched to Eldon (his preference being that she goes Delia style on him and shuts down that opportunity altogether). Can offer: -Various help on alternatives, but may not have event actions left to spend on that, because he happens to have plans.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Sept 2, 2019 3:03:26 GMT 1
“You are the very soul of gallantry Ser, to take the cause of not merely one lady in peril by Lord Eldon, but all of them,” Lynesse replied, with hint of dryness to her wit, and perhaps jealousy?
She seemed to mull over possibilities for a long moment before arriving at a possible choice. “Ser Abelar Hightower seems a chivalrous knight, and bears a name Ser Eustace cannot ignore. He has spoken well to me and seems to lack the rancor and vices of those lords my uncle prefers. But as a second son, he lacks the influence and power my uncle lusts to cultivate. Perhaps if he were to gain the regency, my uncle would be forced to reconsider. It is hard for me to estimate the likelihood of such an outcome.” Lynesse was clearly fretful, thinking of options that would be palatable to both her Uncle and herself, framing the regency more as a matter to satisfy her Uncle than as a goal she herself desired.
Regarding the encouragement to assist Lady Ellyn, she is more confused than opposed to the idea, thinking it would work at cross purposes with everything she was trying to achieve in distancing herself from Lord Eldon amicably.
“To throw myself between the Levalles and the Merryweather’s would serve far more ill than good, perhaps earning the ire of both. Worse, it would confirm in the eyes of many the misconception that it is I who pursue this match, and not my Uncle. I would seem the jealous rival, seeking to ruin the match for my own benefit, and indeed were I successful, it would make my Uncle’s hope of matching me to Eldon more likely to bear fruit. I hope you do not think poorly of me that I view such an outcome as undesirable, even for the benefit it would bring Lady Ellyn. Perhaps if such ill-founded rumours did not already exist I would dare to do more.” She pauses, considering the Levalle woman’s plight, not so different than her own. She is not without compassion, and Lord Marq has moved her to consider Lady Ellyn. “Perhaps I could assist without being seen to sabotage the match with Lord Eldon, and instead promote Lady Ellyn’s chosen match in the eyes of her brother or father?”
Offers
Lynesse will “bring people together” with the knight or Lord who is Lady Ellyn’s most successful non-Eldon pairing [excluding Ser Abelar or Lord Roxton], and either Thaddeus of Alliser Levalle, or directly appeal to Thaddeus to consider such an alternative pairing for Ellyn.
Lynesse will take no action at either the Hunt or Goldengrove to bring herself closer to a match with Eldon, bar sabotaging other undesireable matches her Uncle tries to make.
Desires:
What help might Lord Marq be able to offer Lynesse in the pursuit of a match Ser Abelar? It sounds like he has no actions for the Hunt or Goldengrove, but he is well-regarded in such circles as the Hightowers move in. She is fishing for an offer here, but would accept the "peer pressure" Lord Marq can bring against Ser Eustace at the prospect of a match with Ser Abelar.
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Post by Father on Sept 8, 2019 1:52:22 GMT 1
"That would only be an issue if my lady happens to be discovered" Marq quips in a teasing manner to her protests. "What is the worth of a life without a little bit of excitement, hmm?" As for the rest. "As for alternatives, I fear we are at the wrong grove for finding any. This fine assembly are mostly made up of those who would like a king that prefers the sword instead of the quill. The Levalle's happens to be inclined to agree more with a different sort of crowd.
Goldengrove would be before this, and he has plans for his own actions, but needs to see how much of the workload he can get PC's to do for him.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Sept 10, 2019 6:55:50 GMT 1
"And yet one can only assume Lord Eldon is here at their invitation," Lynesse mused, at something of a loss.
"Excitement is all well and good, but I do not yearn to make enemies of the Levalles or to encourage my peers to make the logical presumption that I favour a match with Lord Eldon by actively working against the alternatives. It would sully my chances of pursuing an alternative match, which I agree is my best chance of escaping the situation," she felt comfortable with this conclusion, for much of Lord Marq's own expressed reasoning supported it.
"Indeed, I would not have such rumours muttered behind my back at all. I find it sickening that any should think I pursue such a match, and so I will take a more direct hand in setting matters to rights. I would beg of you my lord, that you would gainsay any man who spread such vicious mistruths about me."
Might need to go simpler then.
Lynesse will directly confront Eldon [preferably in a scene rather than an action, as there may be some nuance here] in an effort to torpedo Ser Eustace's efforts. This would be a chaperoned but not ab public confrontation that might demand some kind of duel to restore honour.
In return, Lord Marq will essentially gainsay rumours that may reflect poorly on her, relating to the match with Eldon, or otherwise, and bolster her reputation so that she can pursue an alternative match.
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Post by Father on Sept 12, 2019 19:01:43 GMT 1
"The Levalle's are such fitting suspects for all manner of plots" Marq comments as if he does not believe it much. "I also believe that Ser Normyn Flowers intends to offer Lady Denyse to him, one should never underestimate what those pushed to desperation might be capable of considering"
"But are such vicious mistruths truly so?" An eyebrow raised, as if he is unconvinced that Lynesse does not on some level consider Lord Eldon an option she'd be willing to take.
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Sept 15, 2019 4:54:52 GMT 1
"Perhaps when my cousin Delia publically repudiated Lord Eldon, she set the expected pattern for a Lady who did not see him as their ideal match, and if that is so, then I can understand why I am deemed to have fallen short."
"If there is some truth in such rumour, it is that my own health and happiness are not my foremost concern," Lynesse relented, "we have spoken of what you consider to be my overdeveloped sense of familial duty, but it remains my guiding star. If I were to spurn Lord Eldon publically, I make a target of myself and my brother, at a time when Mustard Hall is more peril than sanctuary for us. If I had spoken against him at Whitewalls, then perhaps I would have been assumed to have encouraged Ser Daeron into his folly at the lists.
"And so instead of screaming into the wind of an oncoming storm, I have sought a liferaft of sorts, again at your suggestion. A house whose name and power might protect both my brother and I from even Lord Eldon's wrath at my refusal to pursue a match with him."
"As for any rumour that I have done more to win Lord Eldon's favour than what was necessary to avoid his ire, these I name lies. I presume some at least have come from my Uncle Ser Eustace, as he seeks to make a match between Lord Eldon and I more palateable to his peers."
Lynesse frames her words diplomatically and cautiously. In truth, any personal emnity she has with Lord Eldon is muted by the broader tapestry of her Uncle's designs.
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Post by Father on Sept 16, 2019 13:05:31 GMT 1
Arguably, Lady Alicent set a higher standard, but only Lady Delia appears to have the boldness to reply in a similar vein. Though one might ask the question, what if Ser Abelar does indeed gain the regency but intends to use it to have Oldtown shift it's loyalties away from the cause his father supported so strongly? Lady Lynesse has been rather vocal against such things, hmm?
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Post by Lynesse Daverhyl on Sept 21, 2019 8:57:24 GMT 1
"I have not heard much of Lady Alicent's rejection of Lord Eldon, being absent from Highgarden. I know of Delia's, as it is proudly gossiped about thoughout Gyldenhaal by all and sundry." Lynesse admitted honestly, though she knew Alicent had been engaged to Lord Eldon.
"I hope you will not think less of me if I admit that the personal is more important to me than the political, Lord Marq. Folk might make assumptions of me when I speak of the threat Dorne poses to the Reach, but that is my lived experience, in Mustard Hall. I would not see the hatred and acrimony visited on other houses that has been the legacy of my grandfathr's marriage to House Blackmont. Should I become a Lady of House Hightower my first duty would be to that House, and to my family, not some abstract question of succession regarding men I am likely never to speak with in person."
"Do you think an outcome likely?" She said, her curiosity piqued. "You are well spoken of in Oldtown."
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Post by Father on Sept 21, 2019 21:57:26 GMT 1
"Lady Alicent was Lord Eldon's betrothed, I am not certain as to the details, but the agreement was made years and years before her flowering, and she had first made it privately clear at the age of nine that she had no intention of consent, nor had she any taste for life as a septa. Though neither would break the arrangement as it had been brokered by the Iron Throne, right until Highgarden when she quite expertly provoked Lord Eldon in public to break it in a fit of rage." Marq speaks of that incident as if he admires her for pulling it off.
"As for the Hightowers, who can say, those four that the house ordinarily would look to for guidance all appears convinced that they are either best suited for the position or that it is both their duty and entitled, though for one I suspect the primary motivation is to take the reign to avoid what the others might do with the power of controlling Oldtown." He makes a shrug and a grimace. "They are also men, my lady" He hastens to smile and correct himself with a silent apology to Lynesse And women, let's not forget, but that just makes the words roll so ruggedly off the tongue. Men and Women they are, and men and women has this tendency of grunting and digging their holes deeper just in spite if you happen to tell them that they are digging for the treasure in the wrong place, it does not matter if your point about them having held the map upside down at the time happens to be true, if my lady is not careful, and perhaps even if she is, they will dislike her enough for pointing out their mistakes that they will oppose her out of pride."
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