[Phase 3(ish)] To Raventree and maybe Revenge [Starkwoods]

Davos nods, noting the lad's reticence to share too many details. Davos certainly didn't take it personally, he and the lad hardly knew each other.

"Having faced my fair share of arrow barrages I understand how you feel."

He pauses, the clomp of the horse's hooves filling the silence while he mulled over Ser Robyn's response.

How much to tell? He is cautious with his information, will he be cautious with his life? Allyria will kill me if I get him killed, and I might well deserve it.

"I heard some interesting information while seeking information about your uncle Vorian. It might - or might not - have anything to do with your ambush."

Drip drip drip the information, see how he responds. Can he keep a level head? I would not deny the lad his revenge - and justice for the fallen - but I also don't want to send him headlong down a false trail if he is too hotheaded. That way lays death and dishonor.

Davos stops his horse and returns Robyn's searching stare.

"Nothing definitive. Nor enough on it's own to go making accusations... but it is perhaps a lead to be followed up on."

He hesitates, then continues.

"I didn't dare bring this up anywhere within a few leagues of your mother. She's lost one child recently, and as much as I love her she is understandably more concerned with protecting you than seeing justice done for people she hardly knew."

He smiles.

"I know it is as personal for you as my brother's death is for her and I."
Perhaps more so. I was closer to the old Lord Yronwood than I was to Vorian - squiring for a good man is like gaining a second father.

"I was trying to learn precisely what the forces Lord Walgrave gathered for his so-called 'Vulture Hunt' had gotten up to in Dorne. The timing is too conspicuous to ignore. There was one group that seemed to simply disappear, however. No one I talked to knew anything about what they might have done, or even where they might have gone. Two or three score archers, led by a knight sworn to a rabidly Dornish hating lord."

He shakes his head.

"I don't know if the timing checks out, but the missing force meets the description you gave."

He stares hard into the boy - no, young man's eyes.

"Promise me that you will not ride off at the first opportunity to confront him, and I will give you his name. Moreso, if we find more information that backs up my suspicion, I will ride by your side to confront him, and I have no doubt that many of our brothers in arms of Starkwood will join us."

Not quite good enough.

"If it is just the knight you are after, that would be enough, but true justice would be against whomever ordered him to attack Lord Blackbar. I'll make a deal with you. I will tell you the name, and if you recognize the knight as the killer, let me speak with him before you issue a challenge."

His eyes go distant as he thinks back to years gone by.

"I trained with the First Sword of Braavos. I trained hard and learned much so as to prove myself worthy of marrying his daughter. It was not easy, though convincing her was harder still. The First Sword is to the Sealord of Braavos what the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is to our King - except that to achieve the position one must not only be a master of the blade, but an exceptional observer of men. It is not enough for the First Sword to fight the Sealord's foes, he is also responsible for recognizing threats before they appear. He did not have much to teach me in the ways of the sword, but I learned to read men better than most knights can read books."

His eyes snap back to Robyn's.

"If the knight lies about the deed, I will know it. More importantly if he lies about who gave him the order to attack the Blackbars, I will know it."

If you lie to me now, I will know it.

"Do we have a deal?"

Davos smiles broadly.

"I love your mother, but she doesn't send me anywhere I don't want to go... and from what I hear, your father has all the strength of the steel of your house words. He may lack the Dornish fire, but be sure to respect him nonetheless."

His smile fades.

"No laughing matter, this. The missing archers were led by Ser Marq Warren, who is sworn to Lord Middlebury. I'm sure you know how that one feels about we Dornish."

He turns to include Ser Mikel and the others in the conversation.

"Do any of you know aught of Ser Marq?"

Mikel had been quiet, not lost in his own thoughts but watching the road while he listened to the conversation. When Davos asked about Ser Marq, Mikels silence continued as he searched his memory until finally, he spoke.

"Lord Gareth of Middlebury is known to have a strong dislike of the Dornish. His most dangerous man was Ser Lambert Scorpionbane. At the Black Tourney it appeared that he had killed Lord Ulbert in the melee, Ser Symon responded immediately killed the Scorpionbane. Ser Marq Warren is now his most dangerous man."

He had known a war was coming. Infact he was riding to one right now, but with what Davos had just said, whether it proved true or not, was a moment that drove the reality of it home.

"It makes you wonder if Lord Ulbert survived an assassination attempt in that melee. And also, I must say if this is true that Lord Middlebury looks suspect for Lady Asharas murder."

        "I have met both though spent more time with Ser Balon and that had only been sitting down over a few cups of wine.  I also had met their father and had the privilege of getting to know him some at the Black Tourney before he was killed in the riot.  I can tell you that Ser Titus struck me as his fathers son in that he was skilled, and virtuous, and morale.  Ser Titus had been badly wounded in that same riot and after he recovered I heard that he took service at Starpike and was throwing himself into preparation for coming tournaments."


        "Ser Balon is only his father's son by way of skill at arms.  His virtue is, if I had to guess, whatever lifts him higher.  His morality... well, when we were sharing wine he told me that if a Lord he followed ordered a village burned and sacked, allowed for rape and murder, he might not think it was right but believed it to be a good decision as it would lift the morale of his men and make their retention more likely.  Some say a little bad for a greater good is allowable.  I think he might say, whatever will best get you to your goal is what you should do."  Before Mikel could move on, he was compelled to speak on.  "At that time in the conversation I shared my belief, that a man is responsible for his own actions even if he had been ordered to them.  Balon said that he was taught to follow orders, not question them.  Then suggested that if I followed such a dishonorable Lord I should seek service elsewhere."  Mikel shook his head.  "It was strange.  Suggesting a man of Lord Starkwoods repute to be a man of low morale or dishonor, after just suggesting to me he'd partake in rape, murder, and the burning of a village if told to do so - and think it was for something better.  I don't have a word for it, but it was like he did not comprehend what he was saying and instead put the horror of it elsewhere on somebody else.  Like his way couldn't be the wrong way, or that he'd never learned of wrong from right."


        Shaking his head he inhaled deeply and let it out slowly.  "Lady Ashara met Balon and the two hated each other.  They had an argument in the street, she slapped him, he bumped her when he walked away.  Half the people said he knocked her down, the other half said she fell for the show.  He had also threatened to kill Ser Symon in that exchange.  Things were calmed some by the wedding proposal that soon followed - Lady Laena Pyre and Ser Balon Blackbriar.  I think that if you want to know about Ser Balon Lady Laena would be a good person to go to, I cannot imagine that she would have made the proposal without having some better understanding of Ser Balon and the situation at the time then I do.  But that did help to calm things.  Lady Ashara and Ser Balon even helped to saved a drowning woman together."


[OOC:  I had this typed up earlier while @ work then when I tried to submit it lost it.  I was heartbroken.]