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Post by Titus Blackbriar on Mar 12, 2019 22:42:43 GMT 1
The great hall of Starpike was lit up by the many flickering lights and the roaring fires of the hearths, casting dancing shadows on the men and women gathered by Lord Gormon's seat. Titus was knelt before his cousin, clad in armour and head bare - presenting his sword.
"I, Titus Blackbriar, hereby swear my sword and service to Gormon of House Peake, Lord of Starpike, Dustunbury and Whitegrove. I swear to ever be you true and faithful, to never cause you harm, to shield your back, keep your council and give my life for yours if need be. My sword and my glory is your. This I swear with the Seven as my witness."
His father had trained him since he could walk, taught him to ride as soon as he could walk, clasp a sword when he'd outgrown the teat and the lance as soon as he was strong enough to wield. And he had trained him well. Yes, Ser Donnel Blackbriar, for all his faults, had raised a brood of skilled young knights but the worlds was far more vast and far more dangerous than training grounds and tournaments. Far more.
A knight need to be more than a blunt sword. The kingdom need a knight to be more. His family need him to be more.
Lord Gormon Peake was the man to sharpen the blade.
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Post by Father on Mar 13, 2019 19:15:53 GMT 1
A man of Lord Gormon's stature had received and accepted so many oaths of service that he knew the proper response backwards. Even so, his affirmation of always providing a place at his table is warm, sincere and heartfelt as he brings Gormon back to his feet. |
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Post by Titus Blackbriar on Mar 13, 2019 22:06:53 GMT 1
With the words said Titus is brought to his feet, now a man of Starpike. Sworn to one of the most powerful men of the Reach - and one if the most powerful. Not that Titus grasped even an inkling of the ambitions of his cousin. Peake was an ancient house who had held many honours over the ages and had a legacy to fill several tomes with and Gormon had proven a scion of such as he had deftly manoeuvred the pitfalls and shadows of The Unworthy's court - all for the better of the realm, no doubt. But he, as many other good lords, had been swept aside as Daeron II ascended and sought to make himself everything his father wasn't - and the Kingdom everything it shouldn't.
Titus knew this as his mother had said as much, explained it over the years when her children had asked about her kin and the place of her birth. This was the great flaw of the King, for all his good, he had dismissed and diminished the Andal Lords of the Reach - as if their tax and blood was worth less than that of Dorne. Titus understood as much and he and Lord Gormon would oft talk about it.
Later upon the eve that he had sworn his sword, Lord Gormon hosted a small feast for his household. Not in Titus' honour, no. But the timing was commendable as it granted him the opportunity to dine and speak to his distant kin and new fellow sworn knights. The sheer size of Starpike and its court dwarfed Gyldenhaal and the warm and piercing gaze of it's Lord made Titus feel welcomed and confident in the righteousness of his choice.
Titus does not wish to be seen as too familiar but in his eagerness to please and prove himself he bluntly asks his cousin how he may best serve him in the days and weeks to come. Just recently having recovered from his injuries the young knight does not want to be though of as weak or in need of more rest - if his lord would have a purpose for him he is ready to hear it.
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Post by Father on Mar 14, 2019 18:04:49 GMT 1
Lord Gormon gives the matter some thought before answering that how a man might best serve depends much upon his abilities and nature. Take Ser Donnel for example, an honorable man so readily willing to lay down his life for the saving of one boy, a quality that Titus appears to have inherited. Ser Balon, however, had displayed other qualities, a vicious ruthlessness that might be worth much to his cause and those he loves in matters of life and death, but far from being without problems, some might consider several of his choices as unwise. Obviously, Titus took issue with some of his actions, no? The first way in which Titus might best be of service to Starpike would be to tell it's lord, in private, whenever some matter makes him uncomfortable. Outwardly, House Peake must appear united, dissent and concerns are best resolved behind closed doors. No man likes to even consider the possibility of admitting that he may be wrong when others are watching, and the pages of history are filled with examples of how the feeling of being embarrassed and shamed for all to see nurtures a desire for vengeance and forcing the other party to admit that they were wrong. Of course, most of the time it involved grabs for power, but harsh words and the need to be proven right have led to what might be best described as wars for no other reason than to restore the vanity of a lord or king that felt snubbed of the respect they felt entitled to.
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Post by Titus Blackbriar on Mar 18, 2019 13:38:49 GMT 1
"Wise council, Lord. I do not wish to speak ill of my uncle, but Gyldenhaal has grown full of dissent following Lord Jon's rule. Weak some of the men call it. You know what my mother thinks. When a house... a family stands openly fractured, it's wounds festers. What happened between me and Balon, it will not happen again." It seemed like a life-time ago, their foolish duel. How wrong thing could have gone. Titus was wiser now - or so he'd like to think.
"There is something I would ask of you, Lord. With your permittance I would wish to set out for Oldtown. The Septon Abelar is to stand before the Star Tribunal. My injuries robbed me of the chance to attend his trial in Highgarden and I... I would wish to see this through."
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Post by Father on Mar 19, 2019 19:00:26 GMT 1
Lord Gormon is only happy to grant permission. As for Gyldenhaal, the sad truth of the matter is that the only thing making the first born son more likely to be fit for rule is that he will be groomed and prepared for the role. But even the finest swordmaker can only do so much with sub-par materials. Apply too much pressure to the blade and it bends or outright break. But would Ser Donnel make for a better lord? Or Ser Balon? More decisive, yes, more respected, yes. But making better decisions? The molds making honorable knights and good lords are oft not the same. And those making the kind of knight that Ser Balon appears to have decided to become? More rarely so. And what if Lady Shiera had decided to use her talents to aid Lord Jon in his work? House Blackbriar would without a doubt be stronger for it, and it's lord quite possibly more inclined to listen to her counsel on the larger matters that plagues the realms.
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Post by Titus Blackbriar on Mar 21, 2019 12:08:02 GMT 1
Never before having been privy to the workings and reasonings behind Lords and their seats, Titus pays close attention. Nuncle Jon would never include any of them in his decision making, probably because there was none and mother tended to put a certain flavour to it upon retelling. Even in relations to Shiera, his own blood, Lord Gormon seemed to be able to speak in honesty without condemning or concealing her ways.
They carry on talking until some other matters require the Lord's attention and Titus joins the other members of the household, feeling part of something new, something great.
/scene on my part
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Post by Father on Mar 21, 2019 12:38:59 GMT 1
/scene
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