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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on May 18, 2022 16:40:21 GMT 1
Lysette was right, Ser Roland probably should not be part of the cloak and dagger scheme that she had laid out with Ser Addam and him, but Ser Roland was a brother-in-arms, friend, and incredibly talented knight whom they needed to be involved if they were going to succeed against Lord Eldon and his thugs. Daeron would just have to leave out a few of the less savory details, just like he assumed that Lysette left out of their discussion. Omission of facts wasn't lying, was it?
Regardless of philosophical conundrums he sought out his fellow Companion at the training grounds within the walls of Kingsbridge. For Ser Roland it was a fair assumption that he could find him there training with one of their comrades or showing that Blackwood boy how to properly lance a quintain. Spotting him on the grounds he gave him a friendly hail.
"Training for the upcoming tourney Ser? I've heard that the competition is expected to be fierce."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 18, 2022 22:01:01 GMT 1
"As ever, Ser, as ever," Roland pulled off his helm, grateful for the break. It was a hot day, and he had been putting Hugh Blackwoodthrough his places.
He moved towards the barrel at the side of the yard, taking a long drink from the well shaded water.
"I fear much of the kingdom trains for war, rather than the upcoming tourney," he said with a mix of sorrow and contempt.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on May 18, 2022 22:56:22 GMT 1
Daeron didn't correct Roland on the fact that tourneys were effectively a chance for knights to keep their skills sharp for war, his fellow probably already knew that.
"Aye, my taste of war in the Riverlands was enough to sate my appetite; however, violence tends to appear where we least desire it. It's prudent for knights to keep their blades sharp and close at hand no matter what they might expect. House Starling's current conflict with House Merryweather is a perfect example of this, a powerful house picked a fight with us and now we must fend them off at every turn."
He fumbled around with the hilt of his sword. There was still a scratch on it from his ill-fated fight with Norren that he hadn't managed to buff out.
"That's why I wanted to make sure that you were planning on joining the rest of House Starling at Nightsong. None of us were around at Greenholt to stop Lord Piggy's blackguards from attempting to assassinate our lord, though in a roundabout manner, and it seems that only through the strangest twist of fate that 'Ser' Norren wasn't able attend the duel he incited. I think that it's highly likely that House Merryweather will be at Nightsong in force and we need to be ready to stand united against their thugs. Lady Lysette will be a great leader of our house but I don't think that any of us want to see her early ascension if you know what I mean."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Jun 3, 2022 11:31:13 GMT 1
"I must trust to your blade at Nightsong brother. Lady Alicent has need of me a Crakehall. That beast's knifes are long and he has many enemies."
"And in visting Ser Roland Leygood at your half-sister's sensible suggestion, I promised to meet him for a match deep in to the tourney. I cannot have men think me a coward!"
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jun 4, 2022 20:39:25 GMT 1
"Lord Piggy certainly does have a long reach and I am sure that he counts your lovely betrothed as one of his enemies, but his enemies standing united against him has proven to be too great an obstacle for even him to overcome. Perhaps it would be safer if Lady Alicent was to join us all at Nightsong? The Seven know that she will provide excellent company for Lady Lysette and with the combined protection of the Companions and House Yronwood I can think of few safer places for her."
He cocked an eye for a moment as he had many options about which of his half-sisters that Ser Roland could have been referring to before settling on the most obvious option.
"Lady Laena *always* gives sound advice and I think that Lord Leygood would be a formidable challenge, but we both know that he doesn't hold a candle to Redtusk or Stormbreaker when it comes to the lists and if he's willing to follow you to Crakehall then he'd be more than willing to shift direction and go to Nightsong. If not, I don't think there's a man in the Seven Kingdoms who could accuse you of being a coward."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Jun 5, 2022 12:42:04 GMT 1
Roland wiped the sweat from his brow. By the Seven it was hot today.
"I have bested my namesake with lance and sword recently. And I believe Lady Yronwood's travel plans would not permit the long journey to Nightsong in time. It shall be Crakehall for me."
He paused, steeling himself for what must be said next.
"I will speak plainly brother. While I wish I merely made my choice for the tilt and love, nowadays it cannot be so. Everything a knight does seems framed in terms of the conflict raging in across the Seven Kingdoms. With Lord Peake and Oakheart at Nightsong I would not attend even were there not a tournament at Crakehall with my beloved Alicent in attendance. Or the chance to try myself against the Red Lion, or to see if I have learned enough since my defeat at Highgarden's final tilt to Lord Durwell."
"Lord Peake is the sort of man who will sell his own daughter in to marriage with Lord Piggy to fulfill his political ambitions. His recent stunt with block silk adorning his sword means it will not be long before those sword are drawn in a duel, or worse yet battle."
"It is not my place to tell you or the man who made me a knight not to travel to Nightsong. But in doing so you lend your name and prestige to a tournament that fans the flames of those that wish for civil war."
"And for what? So that a man like Lord Peake can have a council seat on the back of his better in the noble Blackfyre?"
Roland made a dismissive gesture.
"And that is the best case for Lord Peake's cause. At worst he dooms a man I esteem as a traitor, while the grasping lords that support him merely lose castles, gold and titles rather than their heads."
He shook his head.
"The King's partisans are little better. The Blackwoods were a disgrace in the Riverlands. And all men know I spoke against them, even having bled for them and won battles for them. But the king is the king, and we all swore oaths, as did our lords."
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jun 5, 2022 16:09:51 GMT 1
The heat of the day did little to bother those with Targaryen blood, but Daeron's face was turning red regardless.
"I understand that there are political aspects to these tourneys. A great number of men who support Ser Daemon will be at Nightsong and a great number who oppose him will be at Crakehall, we both know this, but there is much more going on at Nightsong than simple partisan politics."
He looked around to make sure that no nosy Companions or squires were in earshot, but lowered his voice nonetheless.
"A reckoning is coming between House Starling and House Merryweather and Nightsong will be the friendliest ground we will find for it. The Iron Throne's supporters are mostly content to let Lord Piggy commit his crimes as long as he keeps them out of it as we've already seen.
At Summerhall it was Ser Daemon that stood for our lady in a trial by combat against Rennifer while the king's supporters stood idly by. Such an act in full view of the king is grounds for attainting the man, not granting him the same privileges that you and I enjoy. At Greenholt not a single supporter of the Iron Throne stepped in to stop Norren One-Eye from attempting to assassinate our lord in broad daylight, only by some freak accident was disaster avoided there."
He scrunched up his face as he pondered how much of Lysette's plan he should share with his fellow Companion.
"Lady Lysette has a plan for Nightsong. I assure you that she loves Lords Peake and Oakheart no more than you, but she has swallowed her bile and is offering herself up as a tantalizing piece of bait so that we can finally put an end to our nemesis and we need every single sword we can assemble."
Hesitating for a moment Daeron decides to swallow his pride, he hated to admit when others were his superiors but if it could stop Lord Piggy he was willing to try it.
"You are the best of the Companions when it comes to combat, better than Ser Addam, better than myself. Ser, you are probably the only one who could feasibly defeat Rennifer or Norren should it come to a fight and we will need every watchful eye for the next time that a dagger comes for one of us.
Yes, this tourney has political connotations, but that is not why I am here today to ask you to stand with the rest of House Starling, it is to eliminate an existential threat. Please Ser, for the sake of my pride, don't make me get on my knees to beg."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Jun 7, 2022 15:23:31 GMT 1
Daeron was right, as so frequently.
"You speak truly. Ser Daemon did more for House Starling and with fewer resources even in defeat than the king and his friends have done against Lord Piggy. Although neither side seems inclined to place honour before petty politics and resolve the dark days that have befallen my own house."
Roland's pride was stirred but Daeron's compliment. After all, he had defeated Ser Rennifer Waters, who had overthrown Blackfyre himself. Even if it took a blackguard's trick for Rennifer to get the better of Blackfyre. He smiled, breaking some of the tension.
"High praise from Wildfyre himself. Although it was a close run thing even as a matter of honour. I will offer no false modesty, there are few men capable of matching the worst of Lord Piggy's beasts with sword in hand. You yourself could manage it on your best days, but it would be a closer run thing."
"To stand with the rest of House Starling? With Lysette as 'bait'?"
Andal traditionalism was a feature of Roland's world view, even if he was to marry a Dornish woman, it was from among the most traditional from that kingdom.
"What is this trap to be sprung, and has Lord Starling approved it? He is still lord at Kingsbridge despite his daughter's marriage and her husband's bloodline. She is his to guide and protect as lord and Father."
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jun 13, 2022 0:06:53 GMT 1
"Such a matter is between a lord and his heir, and them alone. As to the details, I honestly cannot say much other than that it will be widely known that House Starling will be riding to Nightsong and that we all suspect that Lord Piggy will send his blackguards after us as a result. Both Lord Starling and Lady Lysette have both narrowly escaped assassination attempts already and I doubt that Longtable will be able to resist another attempt, but this time we will be ready and waiting for them."
He leaned in even closer. He honestly didn't know entirely what Lysette had planned, so he simply filled in the gaps with what he assumed her plan was.
"With enough eyes watching we can catch whatever agent he sends against us we can level our accusations in front of a friendly crowd and finally see some justice done for all of the times that he's wronged us. Lord Caron might even agree to a Trial By Seven on account of Lord Piggy harming so many members of our house."
He leans back to a normal distance his secrets (or what he imagined them to be) shared.
"Hence why we need every stout member of the Companions there and ready. His two main champions are frightening in combat and his other thugs aren't to be underestimated either, nor is the influence of gold on whomever he might recruit locally. Surely you'd like to see this feud finally put to rest?"
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Jun 14, 2022 11:55:07 GMT 1
"You asked Lysette whether she had discussed this with her father, and she told you it was a matter for them alone?"
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jun 20, 2022 4:24:12 GMT 1
He cocked an eyebrow. Ser Roland was a good man, but by the Seven he could be dense sometimes.
"I asked her nothing of the sort. As a sworn sword there are things in which I am obliged to give my opinion, but the relationship between daughter and father is not one of them. It is especially none of my business if what's being discussed is going to save our lord's life."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Jul 13, 2022 20:00:36 GMT 1
Roland sighed, feeling the heat and his exertions.
"A woman gives orders at Kingsbridge now? Do we know this plan or that it has her father's blessing? I love Lysette like a sister, but it is not her place to give orders to knights."
Roland was a traditionalist. A true knight. A true Andal knight.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 23, 2022 16:03:04 GMT 1
Daeron's face reddened, indicative of his rising anger towards Roland's obstianance.
"If you do not wish to take orders from Lady Lysette that's fine, I won't stop you from going to Crakehall. I'm sure that you'll earn yourself a hefty purse and plenty of glory while you're there." To emphasize his point he even gave a wave of his hand signaling "go on".
"But don't expect me to alleviate your guilt Ser if you return and find that my cousin is giving *all* of the orders upon your return.
Either way all I ask at this point is that you stay out of our way and let us save Lord Willem from what's guaranteed to be another attempt on his life since Lord Piggy has tried to murder him at every public event over the last year."
Daeron too was a traditionalist, but one with a much more pragmatic streak and moral flexibility than Roland.
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Sept 20, 2022 10:31:28 GMT 1
"If the Hog of Longtable assails our lord I will stand with you rather than merely standing aside."
One of Roland's finest deeds had been protecting women, children and the hated Lord Piggy from a riot at Highgarden. One of his finest deeds, and one of his more foolish. A great deed of valour, but it had robbed one of Roland's friends of his life, and left Lord Piggy free to continue his vile deeds. A wiser, less noble knight might have stepped aside...
"If our Lord gives an order then my plans shall have to change. Lady Lysette is as a sister to me, but I pray to the Seven that there are many years until she sits high seat at Kingsbridge. And hopefully we will have trained her sons by then. Think what knights they would be, if they had your swordsmanship and I trained them in the lists! You shall be with Lord Starling to keep him safe, and I shall ride to protect my betrothed from the very same threat you fear, who has struck at her also."
As a second son from a house with a knightly tradition that extended to the ranks of the Kingsguard itself, Roland's traning had mainly taken place under the master of arms, even if he was vaguely away a lord needed to receive instruction from septons and maesters too.
In his spirit he was in Blackfyre's camps, even if honour bound him to King Daeron's loyalists.
"Such an heir would be a true lord, men would feel him Lord Willem come again. There are too many scholars at politicians at court of late. A lord should be a knight to understand his duties, even if he is a poor one, for men of character respect effort."
Daeron's careful hints as to what could be done against Lord Merryweather with a mass of Kingsbridge knights backing Lysette's plans - honourable or not - had passed the knight by. Daeron was right, Roland lacked the pramatism and moral flexibility for such plans unless they were laid out directly for him to consider. And likely honourably reject, as Daeron knew his honourable, foolish friend all too well.
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