|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 11, 2021 0:37:03 GMT 1
Four Weddings and a Funeral-Act 1: On The Steps of the SeptHis first objective in Oldtown having been a failure, Daeron had low hopes that his second one would be more successful, but to paraphrase the Old Valyrian proverb “Fortune favors the bold,” and there were few as bold as Wildfyre. For his bold plan to work he would need the ear of a powerful man and fortunately there was one nearby who might be willing to help, if Daeron could meet his price, Lord Reynald Florent. Unlike Lady Falyse, Lord Reynald was the lord of a powerful and ancient house and his attention was far more difficult to obtain. Walking up to him on the steps of a sept would be a recipe for outright rejection, so he has to take an indirect approach and be prepared to wait. Lord Florent understood the power dynamics between them and loved to keep men waiting in order to keep them in their places. So Daeron informed a member of his entourage that he would like a word with Lord Florent and prepared himself to wait.
4 Weddings and a Funeral-Audience with Lord Florent: 6d6k4+8 26
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Jul 18, 2021 14:08:46 GMT 1
Eventually, though not without having to wait as he anticipated, Lord Reynald finds time for Daeron, excusing himself with that these days, there is no end of matters to attend. |
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 23, 2021 0:43:20 GMT 1
He gives the lord a respectful, but not scraping bow.
"My lord, thank you for seeing me. I know that your time is valuable so I'll do my best to respect it.
A threat hangs over the head of House Starling, one that has plagued us since Highgarden, and I fear that we lack the strength to defeat it on our own, so I am coming to you asking for aid. This threat has already made several attempts on the lives of every significant member and retainer of House Starling and it's just a matter of time before one of these assassination attempts succeeds. I have cause to believe that such a blow against my lord and his family is against your interests otherwise you would have never allowed Ser Aemon to marry Lady Lysette and I have no illusions that his Florent blood will keep him safe against this threat."
He swallows and looks around. Lord Merryweather had many spies and he wouldn't want them unravelling his plot before it even began. Just to be sure he lowers his voice even further.
"House Starling has courage and heroism aplenty, but that won't save us from an enemy who prefers poison, sabotage, and blades in the dark. What we need is help from a friend who has the ability to effectively counter and neutralize these types of dangers, and who could perhaps.. neutralize.. the threat in the first place. A friend who understands that this threat that we face will not limit itself to House Starling and will continue to spread its depravity across the Reach if left unchecked."
Giving one last furtive glance at the crowd he nervously offers to sell his soul to Lord Florent.
"For such aid, I would be willing to offer anything within my power. You need only name your price."
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Jul 28, 2021 22:34:57 GMT 1
"Allowed? Ser Aemon is the son of a king, he could marry whoever he so pleases" Lord Reynald dismisses that to be of any relevance. "Short of replying in kind to attempts on one's lives, it is difficult to see how that man can be contained, harder still with a Peake bride"
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 31, 2021 22:36:04 GMT 1
Daeron tips his head in concurrence with Lord Florent’s mention that as the son of a king Ser Aemon could marry whom he pleased, and was smart enough to not mention that Lord Florent himself had employed Daeron to speak on behalf of Ser Aemon at Kingsbridge. Best not to needlessly antagonize powerful men when one is asking them a favor.
However when Lord Reynald mentioned replying in kind to attempts on his life, Daeron couldn’t help but shrug his shoulders, feigning nonchalance.
“If you think that’s the best solution to that problem, far be it from me to disagree with you my lord. I don’t think that anybody will be looking for vengeance after the fact, nor would many object to Lord Godric and Lady Regent Marianne assuming their seats at Longtable.”
Attempting to sweeten the pot to the clever lord, he quickly adds.
“Are there any men in your family that wouldn’t mind marrying a widow?”
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Aug 1, 2021 11:48:46 GMT 1
"It would be Lady Kyra who would undoubtedly seize the regency, ser." Lord Florent notes. "And Longtable would be compelled to avenge his death, even if he had no friends there in life"
"House Florent does of course have had no dealings with men such as would be required to do such a deed, but I do hear things, like how a certain man named Eyeless Errol was the man to see to have thugs assault Septon Abelar, although such a course of action would seem ill advised, after all, murder is a sin, is it not? Surely that is why they failed at kiling a septon." His smile does betray that the last part would be his chief skepticism towards recommending that path.
"Alternatively, rob the man of his allies, trick and taunt him into creating more enemies, divide his attention, force others to take measures to protect themselves."
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Aug 2, 2021 3:19:50 GMT 1
Although I would prefer Lady Marianne holding power at Longtable, Lady Kyra would still be preferable over her swine of a brother and I doubt that her regency would be as assured.
"I have no objection to methods that turn Longtable's attention away from Kingsbridge. If an enemy cannot be destroyed it is better to turn their attention elsewhere and best to direct them towards another enemy. However, one of our original problems still exists, House Starling is ill-equipped to handle such intrigues. Our skills lie in more traditional modes of warfare. All we have to offer is a single piece of damning information." He leans in closely to whisper in Lord Florent's ear, "Lady Mya Hastwyk is alive and is being held captive at Longtable."
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Aug 2, 2021 12:30:22 GMT 1
"And this you have confirmed in any way, ser?" Lord Reynald seems a little skeptical. "It would be a knight's duty to rescue her of course, but it would seem to me like a waste of lives to march in to try and find her not truly knowing if she even is there"
"In order for such a feat of valor to have any chance of success, one must first establish that the lady happens to be in the castle and where exactly she is being held, a failed rescue would surely prompt her captor to ensure that the final witness to what happened at that inn to be silenced forever, and buried where none can ever find her"
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Aug 4, 2021 4:14:49 GMT 1
"If I could confirm it solidly then I would be telling Lord Leo right now instead. Like you said, it's a knight's duty to rescue the innocent, but I'm not duty-bound to throw my life away.
As you said though, confirming and refining our intelligence would make a rescue possible and a living witness would certainly rob him of what allies he might have."
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Aug 7, 2021 9:36:35 GMT 1
"Do you even know that she is alive at all or ever were brought to Longtable?" Lord Florent asks. "Or would that simply be a speculation based on a count of charred bodies?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Aug 7, 2021 20:13:56 GMT 1
“Lord Eldon has many enemies, one of whom is apparently investigating him. House Starling was given this piece of information, for reasons that I cannot personally fathom or explain, other than one of his enemies hopes to use us as an expendable sword against him.
I for one have no qualms with being apart of this greater vendetta, but I will not allow Lord Willem and his house be destroyed in the process. If we are to be victorious against Lord Piggy and his blackguards we will need all of the aid we can get. In summation, no, we have no concrete evidence confirming these whispers, which is why our first task in defeating him must be to discover the truth in a more substantive manner.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Aug 7, 2021 22:14:41 GMT 1
"Or someone looked for leverage, and found not much of the sort, but imagined he might find favor with House Starling by sharing what little he found, hmm? Lord Florent makes the impression of knowing much more than he let's on. Which was probably true, but he might also just want Daeron to think so. "Likely not a true friend of Kingsbridge, perhaps even Lord Eldon himself, for what happens when such knowledge is shared with the companions? He pauses for emphasis. "Honorable and decent knights are rather too predictable, one would half suspect the information to be planted in the hope that companions would act upon it. But whether Lord Eldon laid the trap himself when removing Lady Mya from the scene, dead or alive as may be, or someone wants to see it done, who can say?"
"Of course, he may have believed that none would make a full account of the bodies."
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Aug 10, 2021 3:39:37 GMT 1
He cocks an eyebrow at the lord's words.
Does he already know this information? No. Who else could have told him but the Hooded Man. I think this fox is simply trying to play with a dragon.
"Well then it's for the best that at least one of the Companions has thought to dig deeper and not take an alluring tale at its face value, and to also seek out one of the few men in the Reach more clever than Lord Eldon."
|
|
|
|
Post by Father on Aug 10, 2021 15:20:33 GMT 1
"A man who assumes himself to be more clever than Lord Eldon is wrong, ser" Lord Florent shakes his head. "To infiltrate Longtable is fiendishly difficult, for that you would require patience and associates with very special skills, if I knew of such people, I would most likely have other places in need of greater attention"
Apparently, Lord Reynald will offer no aid in pursuing the lead on Mya Hastwyck.
"I would be more troubled if he were to succeed in gaining a hostage against Starpike, Lord Tyrell would be powerless to act against him, perhaps even if evidence of Lady Mya's fate were to surface"
|
|
|
|
Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Aug 21, 2021 3:32:17 GMT 1
Why do I feel like I'm being drawn into one of Lord Florent's plots rather than him into one of mine?
"So your suggestion is that we first must scuttle the union between Starpike and Longtable? I hardly have the sway with Lord Peake to talk him out of it and I certainly couldn't change Lord Eldon's mind on the matter. Do you have a plan to prevent this?"
|
|
