Post by Alliser on Aug 14, 2023 9:36:57 GMT 1
The double pine doors were thrown open to the Tears great hall. A soft breeze brought in salty air that chased away the smoke from the sleeping hearth. Alliser sat at the end of the table, various letters strewn in front of him. In his hand the broken seal from house Florent designating his liege's request for an update. Regyn approaches his Lord, the soft thumping of his boots upon the ground the only sound breaking the relative quiet of the hall. Lors Alliser does not look up from the letter until Regyn stops a few paces away from him, casually waiting for His lord to acknowledge him.
Lord Alliser looks up, "Yes Regyn?"
"M'Lord, I noticed you have received Lots of letters of late, Is there something you need of me," Regyn says with a slight bow.
"Regyn, you know better than most that such formalities are not necessary between us. You know my needs better than my chamber pot."
"Yes M'lord, but It is important to maintain our separation. It is unbecoming of a lord to be close to smallfolk," he replies.
Alliser snorts derisively, "And you know better than most that I am a person not welcome among the Lordly folk. Ser Spongeholder, they call me when they think I don't listen."
"That's not necessarily true now, my Lord. You have had a great number of changes to your perception since you left your seat to attend the Touney" Regyn gestures to the strewn letters, "Just look at these invitations you have received. A few years ago you would not have even received a letter from any but lord Florent, asking when his taxes were coming."
Lord Alliser nods, "Indeed, even Lady Laena has, while not been welcoming at least not attempted to stab me with a letter opener when we met. Which is a minor wonder, considering how my actions contributed to her parentage." Alliser raps his hand on the desk, "Her poor mother. It is a shame what my actions caused."
Regyn interupts, "M' Lord, you did much to reduce the terrible things that happened during the kings time. Imagine how many more Laena's might have been created if not for your skillful manipulations."
Lord Alliser lets out his breath, "Yet when the kings lecherous eyes turned upon my own, I fled. Not willing to allow my wife to fall victim to the same fate I had sent others to. I can hear my own hallow words to Lady Laena now."
"You did what you could to control the old king dragon's impulses. There are not many without Targeon blood who could say they steered a dragon as well as you." Regyn assured him. "Besides, the young Dragon has currently been wounded. Lady Laena and Lady Ashara were close, and I have a theory about what happened. Do you remember Lady Maegalle?"
"Lady Maegaelle," Lord Alliser thinks for a moment, "Yes, Lady Maegaelle Cordwayner. She was married to Lord Ilyn Cordwayner, I heard her husband passed tragically from choking on a chicken bone or some such. Hammerhall is said to be a cursed place. Perhaps we should send a gift to Ser Roland, he was quite helpful during the past few tourneys in helping reduce the smudge on our name. It is hard losing a brother to a tragic accident so." Lord Alliser pauses, "You do think it was an accident, yes?"
Regyn shakes his head, "Remember Alliser, how Maegaelle chafed as such a small holding. The rumored terror and vile she threw at her father of such a poor pairing for a lady of her station. Not to mention how she was rumored to be the true decision-maker. And the golden locks of her children more closely resemble that of her late husband Great Bastard brother than that of her husband."
"Ah yes, We spread that rumor at the Black tourney, and when challenged Robin proved the truth of it correct?"
"Indeed my Lord. Another curious thing how the timing of the tournament coincided with Ser Roland was demonstrating the true blood of the Andals runs through house Cordwayner, protecting Lady Alicent Yornwood from the bandits, most likely assassins, and the new most reviled Lord of the Reach. Yet Meanwhile Ser Quentin, now Lord Quentin demonstrated no such properties of valor."
Lord Alliser laughs heartily, running his hand through his lengthened disheveled salt and pepper black hair, "Be careful Regyn, that could be my future son-in-law your speaking of."
"Apologies, your grace," Regyn bows.
Lord Alliser shakes his head, "No, it is I who should apologize. If I silence you for speaking the truth I do not wish to hear, my closest confidant, how am I to have anyone who will not simply speak the words I wish to hear? Gilded shit still stinks, no matter the filigree." Alliser pauses to contemplate, "Maybe I am merely Lord Spongeholder. Perhaps Ellyn is correct that it would be better not to sully ourselves with Lord Eldon, not matter the strength of Longtable. Well, who do we know in Hammerhall who is not indebted to Ser Normyn or Lady Maegaelle? Ser Roland would be useful if we could make him Lord Cordwayner, although as a sworn sword to House Starling, he likely spends little time in his ancestral streat. If our suspicions are true and Lady Maegelle does not have any natural-born children, Ser Roland does stand to inherit Hammerhall. Gwyane Oakheart used to be the squire for Lord Ilyn yes?"
Regyn nods, "Yes my Lord. Gwyane Oakheart, son of Lord Walgrave is now currently being squired under Ser Quentin is also the small matter of Lady Ashara Flowers, Sister to Lady Laena."
Lord Allisers sat up, connecting thoughts evident in his tone, "I heard she is dead, rumored to have been murdered. Although no one seems to know who did the murder. Do you mean to suggest?"
Regyn gave a small smile, "Indeed think of to whom she was engaged to, and whom she was rumored to have plied to get her engagement. Both now lay in the strangers embrace, although one is suspected murder, while the other is proposed accident"
Lord Allisers eyes widen, "Do you mean do suggest?"
Regyn nods, "Lady Ashara was a known blood supporter, and usurped Lady Maegelle who was publicly speaking for the fire cause. She had won her engagement by going around and getting Lord Ilyns support for a marriage to Quentyn Cordwayner and ended up dead shortly afterward. Even Lady Ashara was said to have lost interest after we spoke of Lady Maebelle's infidelity. "
Lord Alliser nods in agreement, " Lady Maegelle has the means as actign regent of Hammerall, the motive of removing someone who challenged her authority, and the opportunity to rid herself of a thorn in her side. If Lady Ashara had ended up married to Lord Quentyn, it could have fractured the bond between mother and son. Also, Lady Ashara's sudden disinterest in her son would show that our claims are true. Why would she not take it upon herself and secure her House for herself and her Bastards while also securing it for the Blackfyre cause? Blackfyres are not much for tradition, else they would support the king. And of course, working through intermediaries she has enough plausible deniability to ensure that no blowback would come to her." Alliser pauses, taking a long moment to consider. Regyn, used to his friend's mannerisms, waits quietly.
"Regyn" Alliser breaks the silence, “I think we need to remove ourselves from the game for a while longer. Perhaps our son could begin stretching his political acumen?”
Regyn nods, “I believe that is wise, m’lord”
Lord Alliser looks up, "Yes Regyn?"
"M'Lord, I noticed you have received Lots of letters of late, Is there something you need of me," Regyn says with a slight bow.
"Regyn, you know better than most that such formalities are not necessary between us. You know my needs better than my chamber pot."
"Yes M'lord, but It is important to maintain our separation. It is unbecoming of a lord to be close to smallfolk," he replies.
Alliser snorts derisively, "And you know better than most that I am a person not welcome among the Lordly folk. Ser Spongeholder, they call me when they think I don't listen."
"That's not necessarily true now, my Lord. You have had a great number of changes to your perception since you left your seat to attend the Touney" Regyn gestures to the strewn letters, "Just look at these invitations you have received. A few years ago you would not have even received a letter from any but lord Florent, asking when his taxes were coming."
Lord Alliser nods, "Indeed, even Lady Laena has, while not been welcoming at least not attempted to stab me with a letter opener when we met. Which is a minor wonder, considering how my actions contributed to her parentage." Alliser raps his hand on the desk, "Her poor mother. It is a shame what my actions caused."
Regyn interupts, "M' Lord, you did much to reduce the terrible things that happened during the kings time. Imagine how many more Laena's might have been created if not for your skillful manipulations."
Lord Alliser lets out his breath, "Yet when the kings lecherous eyes turned upon my own, I fled. Not willing to allow my wife to fall victim to the same fate I had sent others to. I can hear my own hallow words to Lady Laena now."
"You did what you could to control the old king dragon's impulses. There are not many without Targeon blood who could say they steered a dragon as well as you." Regyn assured him. "Besides, the young Dragon has currently been wounded. Lady Laena and Lady Ashara were close, and I have a theory about what happened. Do you remember Lady Maegalle?"
"Lady Maegaelle," Lord Alliser thinks for a moment, "Yes, Lady Maegaelle Cordwayner. She was married to Lord Ilyn Cordwayner, I heard her husband passed tragically from choking on a chicken bone or some such. Hammerhall is said to be a cursed place. Perhaps we should send a gift to Ser Roland, he was quite helpful during the past few tourneys in helping reduce the smudge on our name. It is hard losing a brother to a tragic accident so." Lord Alliser pauses, "You do think it was an accident, yes?"
Regyn shakes his head, "Remember Alliser, how Maegaelle chafed as such a small holding. The rumored terror and vile she threw at her father of such a poor pairing for a lady of her station. Not to mention how she was rumored to be the true decision-maker. And the golden locks of her children more closely resemble that of her late husband Great Bastard brother than that of her husband."
"Ah yes, We spread that rumor at the Black tourney, and when challenged Robin proved the truth of it correct?"
"Indeed my Lord. Another curious thing how the timing of the tournament coincided with Ser Roland was demonstrating the true blood of the Andals runs through house Cordwayner, protecting Lady Alicent Yornwood from the bandits, most likely assassins, and the new most reviled Lord of the Reach. Yet Meanwhile Ser Quentin, now Lord Quentin demonstrated no such properties of valor."
Lord Alliser laughs heartily, running his hand through his lengthened disheveled salt and pepper black hair, "Be careful Regyn, that could be my future son-in-law your speaking of."
"Apologies, your grace," Regyn bows.
Lord Alliser shakes his head, "No, it is I who should apologize. If I silence you for speaking the truth I do not wish to hear, my closest confidant, how am I to have anyone who will not simply speak the words I wish to hear? Gilded shit still stinks, no matter the filigree." Alliser pauses to contemplate, "Maybe I am merely Lord Spongeholder. Perhaps Ellyn is correct that it would be better not to sully ourselves with Lord Eldon, not matter the strength of Longtable. Well, who do we know in Hammerhall who is not indebted to Ser Normyn or Lady Maegaelle? Ser Roland would be useful if we could make him Lord Cordwayner, although as a sworn sword to House Starling, he likely spends little time in his ancestral streat. If our suspicions are true and Lady Maegelle does not have any natural-born children, Ser Roland does stand to inherit Hammerhall. Gwyane Oakheart used to be the squire for Lord Ilyn yes?"
Regyn nods, "Yes my Lord. Gwyane Oakheart, son of Lord Walgrave is now currently being squired under Ser Quentin is also the small matter of Lady Ashara Flowers, Sister to Lady Laena."
Lord Allisers sat up, connecting thoughts evident in his tone, "I heard she is dead, rumored to have been murdered. Although no one seems to know who did the murder. Do you mean to suggest?"
Regyn gave a small smile, "Indeed think of to whom she was engaged to, and whom she was rumored to have plied to get her engagement. Both now lay in the strangers embrace, although one is suspected murder, while the other is proposed accident"
Lord Allisers eyes widen, "Do you mean do suggest?"
Regyn nods, "Lady Ashara was a known blood supporter, and usurped Lady Maegelle who was publicly speaking for the fire cause. She had won her engagement by going around and getting Lord Ilyns support for a marriage to Quentyn Cordwayner and ended up dead shortly afterward. Even Lady Ashara was said to have lost interest after we spoke of Lady Maebelle's infidelity. "
Lord Alliser nods in agreement, " Lady Maegelle has the means as actign regent of Hammerall, the motive of removing someone who challenged her authority, and the opportunity to rid herself of a thorn in her side. If Lady Ashara had ended up married to Lord Quentyn, it could have fractured the bond between mother and son. Also, Lady Ashara's sudden disinterest in her son would show that our claims are true. Why would she not take it upon herself and secure her House for herself and her Bastards while also securing it for the Blackfyre cause? Blackfyres are not much for tradition, else they would support the king. And of course, working through intermediaries she has enough plausible deniability to ensure that no blowback would come to her." Alliser pauses, taking a long moment to consider. Regyn, used to his friend's mannerisms, waits quietly.
"Regyn" Alliser breaks the silence, “I think we need to remove ourselves from the game for a while longer. Perhaps our son could begin stretching his political acumen?”
Regyn nods, “I believe that is wise, m’lord”