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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 10, 2018 9:59:44 GMT 1
After his morning ride with the other Starkwood Knights Mikel had not returned with them but he and his squire made their way to the Rosewood instead. Before leaving he had left a message to be given to Laena requesting - if she had the time and inclination - to meet him in the Rosewood so that they might have a private conversation. He left the subject of that private conversation unaddressed and hoped that she would not be irritated and find this to be a waste of her time.
The time Mikel had proposed was more then an hour away when they arrived and so they put the time to use by ensuring nobody else was enjoying this particular bit of woods. They even found a place for the coming conversation which allowed for a good view of the surrounding area including the direction which Laena was most likely to come from while promising a fair amount of concealment to them should any other parties come their way and wander by. When he saw somebody in the distance coming their way Mikel allowed his squire the honor of going out to see if it was Laena, and if so the honor of guiding her in. Then he was to give them their privacy, tend to the horses, and keep a sharp look out.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 10, 2018 15:16:56 GMT 1
Laena had pondered Ser Mikel's message for some time. She viewed the man as trustworthy and reliable, but still, every man had his price. If Ser Farman felt her actions were on a course to ruin his takeover of House Bridges, she wouldn't put it past him to threaten to torture Lady Ysilla to death if Ser Mikel didn't go along with him. If he convinced Mikel that he only wanted to scare Laena away from Lord Bryce, Mikel may decide that betraying her would result in the least harm done. And once Laena had her throat slit by 'bandits' in the woods, Mikel would be too complicit to easily back out.
Or, it could be entirely as it appeared on the surface, in which case it could well be worth her time. 'Private', after all, was a synonym for 'interesting'.
Firstly, she confirmed that Ser Mikel's squire left with him that morning. Along with the other Starkwood knights, which was interesting. Then she went to Ashara, letting her cousin discreetly know where she was going, by what route, for what reason, and at what time to start sending out search parties if she hadn't returned.
Collecting up her chaperone, and a guard, to provide a distraction for her escape should it prove necessary, she headed out, dressed in her riding leathers, giving herself plenty of time, since she had absolutely no intention of taking any path laying on the most direct route. Rather, she takes a long, meandering route that brings her in at a right angle to the expected route (the opposite direction being too obvious).
With the three of them (and one of them armoured), they weren't particularly stealthy, so it was no trouble for Ser Mikel's squire to hear their approach in the quiet wood once they were close enough and intercept. With the chaperone and guard left behind with the horses, in sight, but out of hearing, Laena was escorted to Ser Mikel. As they walked, she kept her eyes open for bowmen in the treeline, but saw none.
Finally, she arrives at the knight. "Ser Mikel." She makes a small gesture of greeting. "Nice place to meet." She glances behind her to ensure his squire is swiftly heading back to rejoin the others. "What did you want to speak to me about?"
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 11, 2018 2:22:28 GMT 1
When she says it is a nice place to meet he lets an embarrassed half grin slip. "I thought it best a private conversation but perhaps I went too far. I do apologize if I have, I fear I may not yet have completely recovered my wits."
"My squire and I ensured we have privacy and he'll be keeping watch as we speak. We have a good spot..." He became distracted with the thought of how inappropriate this request might have been of him but decided to press on anyways. "so we can see anybody coming."
After hoping to put her at some ease, not that she struck him as being ill at ease he addressed the subject of the meeting. "To be blunt our last talk was enlightening and I have since been enlightened again by another. I dare say that given the way this tourney has been running that while the war has yet to come the opening skirmishes are upon us."
"My parents, particularly my mother, guided my early life. And then he who I squired for, and then myself. I listened to others who had my best interests in mind and then worked hard to stay focused on myself and what I did and how I did it. I daresay I am not well suited for what is happening now and would prefer not to simply stand by and be of no use until things graduate to the next level of conflict."
"I do not know how to say exactly what I am looking for. Pointers? Awareness? Training? But that is what I am here for. And I know you are busy and am unsure of how I can make such worth your time."
"I would like to clarify that this is not a grab for favor, or a step towards becoming a man who will do anything to attain his heart's secret desire. I will not forsake my principles, but I will not stand in any arena unprepared either."
He felt like he had done enough talking and that it might be best to stop and hear what she had to say. The nagging thought of his wits having yet to be collected rose again and he wondered if this had been a good idea.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 11, 2018 13:18:53 GMT 1
Laena stood staring at him for a good few seconds, the fingers of her right hand tapping gently on her thigh. "So, the caterpillar has decided to fly." she murmurs to herself. Refocusing on the knight "Before we begin, a question. Answer honestly, and fear no consequence.
"Why did you feel the need to speak here, where no other ears can hear, rather than back at camp, where Starkwood ears may hear?" Her tone is curious, certainly no implication that it was a stupid choice, but perhaps an interesting one.
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 11, 2018 19:49:16 GMT 1
"I had only just discovered you were involved with things in such a manner. Perhaps that is because of my own ignorance, or perhaps it is because you are careful for that not to be common knowledge. Maybe both." He shrugged. "But I decided to error on the side of caution and be discrete. If you are not comfortable here we can certainly move this conversation elsewhere, Lady Laena."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 11, 2018 21:59:02 GMT 1
She gives an amused, wolfish grin when he suggests she may be uncomfortable. "It is not really what I would describe as 'secret', but nor do I advertise my agency to all and sundry. The more I resemble an empty-headed baby producer, the less threatened men typically feel by me. So long as people can look at me, and see a lady who speaks well, dances well, is obedient to her lord and respectful to all, they believe they know me, that they can mentally put me in the same pot as so many other ladies, and then just not worry about me again. "This, then, is your first lesson: appearances matter. The more familiar you appear to others, the more likely you are to be underestimated." She sighs. "Though you suffer from two problems: firstly, the 'simple honourable knight' is so commonly used to conceal dishonourable rapists and other blackguards that it's almost *more* likely to raise suspicions. The second is your birth: you were not raised a noble, and, regardless of your ascension, that will *always* mark you as different. It shows in your words, your poise, your attitude. You may have joined our ranks, but you will never truly be one of us." She strokes her chin. "So, we don't try. That will not work for you. "Instead, we turn your weakness into strength. Play up your commoner background. I'm not saying to strengthen your accent or anything so crass, but there is a narrative among us that commoners are stupid - often not without reason, but clearly not universally applicable. The word I personally prefer is 'straightforward': the field needs ploughing, so you plough the field. Whereas a noble would consider if ploughing the field is a sign of strength or weakness for their neighbours, how full their storage is compared to their military capability to protect it, if they could perhaps benefit more from loaning their plough to a weak neighbour for a season rather than using it themselves, and so on." She waves a dismissive hand. "I don't know how farming works, so forgive me the details, but hopefully you understand the principle of the differences here. This is why nobles make terrible farmers, and farmers make terrible nobles." She looks at Mikel. "Generally speaking, of course. Hence, if you are seen as a ... straightforward man, you are likely to be underestimated." She reaches out and taps his forehead. "That you sought me out in hopes of bettering yourself reveals a curious mind. Keep that secret, as close to your heart as you can. Nothing scares those hiding secrets more than curiosity. And everyone hides secrets. Well, everyone of importance, anyway." She corrects herself. "Dull, simple, straightforward. Forgettable. Those are the words people should associate with you. Meanwhile, you pay attention behind your empty smile: see everything, hear everything, remember everything, react to nothing, and report back to me to interpret what you've learned - I may be able to detect subtleties that you could not reasonably be expected to pick up on. Even with your limited skills, you have eyes and ears, and can serve your house in this manner. Just make sure you always remember: while you speak, you are giving your enemies information, and learning little to nothing, depending on your ability to read their facial reactions, and their ability to hide them; and while you listen, the converse is true. Act accordingly. "Secondly, you must understand that the world exists in shades of grey. I think it fair to say that you would not punch me in the face, that you'd be rather appalled by the mere thought? Definitely against your principles. And yet, what if we were to say that right at this moment, for whatever contrived reason, there was a blade heading towards my neck, and the only way you had to knock me out of its path was to punch me in the face?" She snorts. "A rather ridiculous example, I know, but hopefully you can see where I'm going. I hope you'd choose to punch me in the face, without hesitation. A black eye I can heal from, a lost head less so. Apologise afterwards to both me and the Seven if you feel the need, but do not hesitate to act. I am not saying to abandon honour whenever it's convenient - too many already do that. But immoral opponents will not hesitate to use your honour to render you impotent in order that they may accomplish their goals. Keep your eyes open to recognise these situations, and do not let them accomplish a great evil through your refusal to do even a little evil to stop them: that is not 'honour', that is pride - viewing the great harm done to others as less important than the small harm done to your soul. Again: I am not arguing to abandon honour entirely. If you can do what you must honourably, that is of course the best outcome. But you must be vigilant towards your principles being used against you. There are circumstances where hesitation can mean death, for you or others. Mentally train yourself to act in those circumstances, rather than hesitate. The best of intentions can lead to the worst of outcomes if you do not apply them intelligently.
"Thirdly, care carefully, and note well what others care for. These are the levers of power. Let us say for the sake of argument that the King loves his wife. The lowest whore in the Kingdom could have power over the King should she manage to place a knife at the Queen's throat. Said power would undoubtedly be brief, and end badly for the whore, but for that moment, the very lowest would have power over the very highest. So, too, can the things you care about be used against you, such as your principles - and hopefully you see how this point is an expansion of my second. Now, I am not saying to not care about anything - such a life would be empty and joyless, if it were even possible. Rather, be aware of the weaknesses you are permitting when you start to care about something, and limit the opportunities for others to take advantage of it - either by limiting knowledge of your caring amongst others, or limiting opportunities. As an example, I care about my children: that's obvious to pretty much everyone, but they never go unprotected, and Sylvina at least knows to scream and run at signs of trouble. But should someone get their hands on them, there is relatively little I wouldn't do to get them back, and I'll beg whatever forgiveness is required of the Seven when I'm done." Her voice is stunningly casual as she says that. "However, it doesn't have to be all daggers in the dark, particularly for people like you. Say you wish to weaken the bond between a father and son, for whatever reason. Pay attention, find something he cares about more than his son. His own sense of honour, perhaps. And find a way to put those two things at odds - emphasise how his son is acting dishonourably, and how that reflects badly on him and his whole family. And just keep pushing at that lever until you finally get him to move." She spreads her hands. "And there you have it, one family rift. No dishonourable behaviour, no bloodshed, just a basic understanding of humanity applied in practice."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 12, 2018 8:36:37 GMT 1
Mikel listens carefully to Laena as she speaks and makes the realization that his life of arms on the road may have prepared him for this better then he had thought. In fact he saw many similarities between martial and strategic considerations and what he had taken to calling the subtle arts. Once she finishes speaking the silence hangs between them while he continues to absorb everything which she had said.
"It doesn't seem as complicated and unfamiliar as I had expected it to, just new ways of being aware driven by familiar but perhaps altered purposes. Preservation and.. " Idly he runs a finger along the hilt of his bastard sword and smiles as its feel reminds him of a word which he finds would complete the sentence perfectly. "..leverage. Leverage to manipulate a situation." On the surface it sounded wrong, even dirty, but he'd known the importance of looking beyond the surface for a long time now.
"At this tournament and considering all that has happened and of course all that has not happened, what exactly should our concern be?" While he has never been overly expressive beyond an easy smile it is quite clear he has ideas of his own but holds them back so that he may hear what Laena thinks and continue in this impromptu lesson.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 12, 2018 19:07:23 GMT 1
"Be aware that understanding theory is a lot easier than putting it into practice." She warns. "If a few minutes' wisdom were enough to turn a common knight into a master manipulator, well, this would be a very different world. But I'm glad the theory at least makes sense to you. Just remember, words are weapons just like your sword, just as our house motto says: 'Our Words are Steel'. They can be used to harm the innocent or protect the innocent, depending on intent. Wielded carelessly they can cause unintended harm. Treat them with respect, and use them wisely. "Our first concern should of course be our Lord's wish for better relations with our southern neighbours. They are the only neighbouring lordship at all likely to take the opposing side should current tensions erupt into civil war. The main obstacle to this is the removal of Ser Balon in such a way that it does not escalate tensions. His mother may or may not be a problem. She's certainly not friendly towards us, but without Ser Balon she will hopefully be defanged, and may be left as a Blackbriar problem. "Beyond that, marriages are good for forming ties, and alliances are useful in trying times. Lady Ashara is recently betrothed, though recent events have made that ... complicated. Still, both myself and Ser Symon should be casting our eyes towards suitable houses. Naturally, I'm already making progress myself, though we'll see what comes of it. I admit, I've been too focused on my own dealings with the other matters to pay much attention to Ser Symon's situation.
"War may or may not be coming, but we should assume it is, and prepare accordingly, making sure that the impression lords have of our house is one which is more trouble than it's worth to tangle with. I am no military expert, but even I know that, regardless of the outcome of the battle, the lord whose land it is fought on loses."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 12, 2018 21:43:00 GMT 1
"If I were to attempt to put the advice you have just given me to use with the Blackbriar situation then it would be to encourage Ser Donnel by the sake of his honor and his fatherly concern for his son to correct the behavior of said son. Firstly as it is a reflection of him and his house, and secondly towards the relation between our houses and perhaps the strained tension the entire reach already seems to be under. And the best way to do that would be to give him something to consider which neither threatens nor demeans his honor nor his sons safety?" Most of this is spoken as a statement but his inflection at the end makes it clear he is asking a question to see if he is understanding this as well as he hopes.
"You said the best things that I can do are to solidify my reputation - my appearance - and become aware of what is going on around me in the way that it relates to this conversation. You have related some of this to me by using combative metaphors, which I appreciate, and I will add one more. In a fight it is ideal not to waste any movement nor effort. With that in mind I should look at what I have done up to this point which could be built upon to the benefit of the house in mind?" It's another question just as the first had been, but perhaps with less inflection and more confidence.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 12, 2018 22:40:15 GMT 1
Laena gives a small smile as Mikel speaks of Ser Donnel, and nods when he is done. "Good. Before Ser Balon murdered Ser Walton, I was speaking with Ser Donnel about trying to get Ser Balon sworn to the Starlings." She shrugs. "Then his actions wrecked that plan. Now there's a conflict - Ser Donnel wishes his son, if he is to leave, to go to an honourable house who would be a good influence on him, yet no honourable house will want anything to do with him. "I pressed Ser Donnel on that issue yesterday. He said he'd repair what he could with his honour, and should that fall short, he'll disown both himself and his son, leaving the martial duties to Ser Titus." She stops sharply and points her finger at Mikel's face. "Pros and cons?" she challenges him.
"You are correct that building on what you have already done is generally good, however! do not become attached to any plan or course. The world moves on - yesterday's masterstroke could be today's millstone. See the whole Cordwayner situation for proof of that." she mutters. "It doesn't matter how much effort or expenditure you've invested, once a plan has gone bad, dump it. Attempting to salvage it rarely works, and you're just increasing your losses. In support of this, emulate our lord, and commit to doing something only when absolutely necessary. By keeping your commitments few, you ensure you can alter your plans with minimal extra losses. For example, before Ser Walton's body was cold, I'd abandoned the Starling plan, and started trying to come up with alternatives." She taps the fingers of her right hand on her thigh. "If you want an easy test, there's a knight of the Starlings, Ser Roland Cordwayner - the hero who protected Lady Alicent from those ruffians. He wears the levers to manipulate him openly and proudly. I had a discreet word with him after Ser Balon and Ser Otho's despicable actions in the joust, and gave him the idea that loyalty to the crown was the honourable course of action. However, he may have put his ear to a conch shell since, and been persuaded otherwise. How about you go and ensure he remains loyal? See him, divine his levers, and use them to confirm his loyalty. There's no better way of learning than practice, and that's about as low-stakes as you can get." She frowns momentarily. "Oh, and don't tell anyone I did that. I'm publicly neutral in the conflict, since-" she cuts herself off, and points at him again. "You tell me why."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 13, 2018 5:40:35 GMT 1
"If you have been speaking with Ser Donnel on behalf of our House then losing his influence within his House would be a set back to the intention of improving our relation with them. However such a drastic action might persuade his brother Lord Blackbriar to make amends with us for the insult his nephew caused. His son Ser Titus would be expected to take his place and as young men are typically easy to influence and then it would become a question of who began influencing him and towards what - as to if it would be good or bad for us."
He listens to her as she speaks on cutting your losses and staying flexible before she begins speaking about Ser Roland. He did not like the idea because he respected him and felt they were becoming fast friends. In fact as he saw it Ser Roland seemed to be the idea of chivalry made real that most of the Knights at the tournament should be striving to emulate. Considering it from another angle though, that they in fact were becoming fast friends and understanding his position on political affairs and why he held them was just better understanding the man as any friend would. Where is the line? He asked himself. When she asked why she would prefer to remain neutral he responded, "You wish to be known as neutral..." He tilts his head in consideration. "... to maintain your appearance as a non-threatening baby maker." He shakes his head disagreeably as he speaks the words. Then his eyes narrow in realization and he adds. "And opinions could hurt your prospects for marriage."
"I know that this next question reflects something which is somewhat removed from any immediate peril we would be in should the war begin and most of the Reach fights in opposition to a cause we support, but shouldn't we also be seeking to make good with Houses outside the Reach? With Dornish and Westerland Houses whose lands abut the Reach for example?"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 13, 2018 15:12:30 GMT 1
"If you have been speaking with Ser Donnel on behalf of our House then losing his influence within his House would be a set back to the intention of improving our relation with them. However such a drastic action might persuade his brother Lord Blackbriar to make amends with us for the insult his nephew caused. His son Ser Titus would be expected to take his place and as young men are typically easy to influence and then it would become a question of who began influencing him and towards what - as to if it would be good or bad for us." She nods. "Good. You missed how the loss of Ser Donnel would significantly weaken House Blackbriar, given how Ser Donnel is a stabilizing influence on the House, but you did pick up on the volatility it would create. Lady Ashara has already begun convincing him to be leaning in our direction, but his mother becomes a serious threat in this scenario, as she can likely twist him to her designs over time. If he falls under his mother's sway, and Blackbriar forces follow him over their Lord, we could end up with an enemy on our borders, whatever their house's official position. "I plan to get Ser Titus's measure soon, try and get a better idea of how good or bad that whole scenario would be for us. This is the other thing to consider with your plans: just because you remove a problem does not mean that a bigger problem isn't going to rise in its place. Consider the consequences carefully, and remember that there will be three unintended consequences for every intended one." "You wish to be known as neutral..." He tilts his head in consideration. "... to maintain your appearance as a non-threatening baby maker." He shakes his head disagreeably as he speaks the words. Then his eyes narrow in realization and he adds. "And opinions could hurt your prospects for marriage." Again, she nods. "Good. People give us Great Bastards' opinions a lot of weight. I could have been pushing our House's Crown loyalist position from the first day of the tourney. But that would have made a lot of enemies, and closed a lot of doors. Here is the lesson, then: do not use power simply because you can, but only when its use benefits you. It is like your sword - you are undoubtedly proud of your skill with the blade, but you would not use it to slice a ham at a formal dinner, for all that it would undoubtedly accomplish the task. Sometimes, the best thing to do is 'nothing', just wait, pay attention, and seek a better opportunity. However, when you do act, act firmly and decisively. If you remember one lesson from all this, remember this one: the absolute worst thing you can do is act half-heartedly. Do not hesitate. Do not show weakness. Do not second-guess yourself in the moment." She thinks a moment. "Consider it like a fight - a weak swing of your sword, even should it hit, will accomplish little to nothing and leaves you open while you strike. But strike with all the strength you can safely muster - your opponent may block you with their shield, in which case, you may abandon that strike, but you simply draw back to a defensive position and wait for a new opening. You don't just sigh, sheathe your sword and expose your back as you wander off." "I know that this next question reflects something which is somewhat removed from any immediate peril we would be in should the war begin and most of the Reach fights in opposition to a cause we support, but shouldn't we also be seeking to make good with Houses outside the Reach? With Dornish and Westerland Houses whose lands abut the Reach for example?" "It is certainly not a *bad* thing," she concedes. "The Westerlands, particularly, given our proximity, but I would be loathe to invest too much time in matters not directly related to our survival in the potential upcoming conflict - too many bodies are dropping for us to be sure we still have years before it happens. If Prince Baelor and Ser Daemon have a rematch and an accident occurs, it could even explode this very tourney. "Do you have particular prospects in mind, or already in progress, or was this a hypothetical query?"
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 15, 2018 23:31:03 GMT 1
"I would think that a relation with house Blackwood would be something which is feasible -at least for the duration of this tournament - if by nothing else then using the animosity between Otho and I as well as my attempt for justice on behalf of one of their knights whom he slew two years back. And a more recent gesture I have arranged." He says the last sentence less confidently, obviously still not comfortable with the idea of politicizing some things.
"In fact Lord Levalle has spoken with me twice concerning Otho. Yesterday at the commander selection he suggested staying close and keeping an eye on each other incase the brute sought revenge. I understand that he has an undesirable reputation though, so tell you more so that I might understand what to be aware of than to suggest anything."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 16, 2018 2:03:12 GMT 1
Laena purses her lips in consideration, as she mentally files away the origin of the animosity. "As a house, we cannot withstand the full wrath of House Bracken, but so long as we are so distant and so weak, we are unlikely to be seen as an important support to House Blackwood, so I doubt we would be considered worth the bother. Similarly, I doubt we will achieve close or long ties with them, for much the same reason - we simply have nothing to offer them. But good relations with them for the duration of the tourney may well come in useful. What is the more recent gesture?"
"Lord Levalle.." she frowns, and shakes her head, before sighing. "I'm afraid I must drop my aura of omniscience, here. The man utterly baffles me. Lord Brandon was a monster, who callously destroyed my mother for political advantage. Lord Levalle built his *entire power base* around destroying *countless* women, sacrificing them to the insatiable appetites of my father. The devastation that man must have left behind him would put the Dothraki Plains to shame." She starts animatedly pacing back and forth. "And yet, and yet, when Ser Otho struck you so dishonourably, he stood up, bold as anything, and condemned Ser Otho's actions in the strongest possible terms, as loudly as possible." She stops dead and locks eyes with Mikel. "Understand this was idiocy. Pure idiocy. The lackwit son of a moron, thrown out for stupidity, would hesitate to draw House Bracken's wrath unnecessarily. And while I may call Lord Levalle many, many, many unladylike words, 'stupid' has never been one of them." She starts pacing again. "It's almost -*almost*- as if he actually has a functioning conscience, which is utterly impossible after all the damage he has done.
"I'd suspect him of trying to redeem his reputation - most nobles don't have the same ... personal viewpoint on his history - except that there are far more sensible ways of doing so. By doing this, he gains the favour of a - pardon me for being blunt, here - politically insignificant knight, and gains the animosity of a major player in House Bracken. Far better if the roles were reversed. In this way, the moral still view him as a monster, and the immoral view him as an idiot. It makes *no* sense!
"I had not realised the two of you had interactions. I might be tempted to try and meet with the man, to get his measure, but attempting to murder a lord by trying to choke him to death on his own torn-off testicles is both unladylike and impolitic, and I suspect that is how any meeting between us is likely to end up."
She stops pacing, and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Okay, so, think. Why *you*? What's so notable about you? You're commoner-born. Meaning it's reasonable to assume you could always use more money to support your family. You're honourable. Lord Levalle received a lot of credit for attracting Ser Parmen to his House, as he was an honourable knight, using Ser Parmen's good name to conceal his own crimes." She opens her eyes again, and looks at Ser Mikel. "He wants to recruit you to his house. He's playing to an audience of one - you. He wants you to see him as honourable, as worthy of following. Then he's going to do something: maybe wait for a drought in your family's region, maybe arrange for a scandal to hit Lord Starkwood, maybe something else. Then he'll approach, and try and recruit you, presenting himself as an honourable alternative, and one that's better for your family, since you'll be able to provide for them better. And in this way, he gets an honourable knight of impeccable reputation to use for his house, rather than that brutish barbarian Ser Robyn, who only exacerbates Lord Levalle's existing reputation." She nods in satisfaction. "That makes sense, now. Honour by association could actually potentially work to rehabilitate his name. And the first few honourable people are the hardest - each time, he can use the existing honourable knights to make it easier to draw more in. So, he has to take risks, since you are only his second."
Focusing entirely on Mikel, she concludes. "So, while I certainly wouldn't trust him with anything *important*, I don't believe he intends you any harm. Rather, I expect he'll try and win your trust and respect this tourney." She nods. "Don't let on that you know what he's up to. Played right, this could prove to be a major boon should we need one." She momentarily pauses. "Assuming I'm right, of course. Keep me updated on his actions."
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Sept 17, 2018 10:22:02 GMT 1
"I have arranged for one of my ransoms to be taken to the widow that the murdered Knight had left behind." He answers simply and does not elaborate unless to answer any more questions she might have. He is surprised at what Laena reveals of Lord Levalle. Mikel hadn't spent very much time in the reach before coming to house Starkwood and he had only been here a year. He may have heard a rumor or two about Lord Levalle but he did not pay much attention to rumors, at least he hadn't. Laena was giving him the feeling he hadn't made a good decision to ignore them in all his years of traveling the kingdoms. When she describes what she might do if the two met Mikel fails to suppress a grin, though whether it is the thought of a violent death to such a man as she is describing or perhaps hearing Laena express it as detailed as she had is anyones guess. He nods as she thinks through Lord Levalle's possible motivations and is impressed with the speed with which she arrives at what he believes is a very logical conclusion. He was enjoying that he was getting to see the real side to Laena, whom he hardly knew beyond casual courtesies and brief encounters but he kept focus on the discussion at hand. "An intelligent man who has done wretched things to improve his position." He shakes his head before continuing. "I'll certainly be mindful around him. Though your answer leads me to another question, if you can tolerate one which will be a bit further off the path than the others have been. Lord Merryweather is a man who has no doubt done horrible things, and though he has been nearly caught in the act here in front of many of the great Lords of the realm, he will likely escape justice. A recurring theme here I feel. So what would it take for justice to find him? I heard her accusation holds to weight because she is common born. If a Knight from his camp came forward and claimed to have seen or heard something - though the difference in station is still far- as he is at least ennobled, could that allow for any hope of justice?"
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