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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Apr 22, 2019 9:21:23 GMT 1
Life had been more simple on the road. The Black Tourney had not changed everything, but exposed it. The mask had fallen off and the people, high and low, had revealed their nature. Mikel had never considered himself naïve and he still did not. But the depth of what had transpired over those fourteen days was shocking. How many oaths had proven themselves to be facades? How many actions proved hypocrisy? Enough time had gone by for the thoughts to come up without the heat that use to accompany it. Now in the familiar Riverlands in the beautiful city of Whitewalls Mikel had taken note of some of the reachmen who had arrived and sent Harold out to invite them for an evening of discussion.
Putting his knowledge of the city to use Mikel had found a private room with a large balcony overlooking the cities market. He and Harold had moved a table and enough chairs from the room to the balcony and had food and wine brought up just before his guests were expected to arrive. Ser Roland Cordwayner, Ser Parmen Redwyne, and Ser Trystane Sand and their squires. With the sun beginning to set and a refreshing breeze blowing, Mikel sat in fine clothes with his sword buckled. He shared some memories of the city with Harold as they waited.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Apr 22, 2019 12:56:40 GMT 1
Trystane is first to arrive, with his squire, Quentyn in tow.
"Mikel! Good of you to arrange this! Lovely view!" Trystane says, giving Mikel a friendly clap on the shoulder. "What's the occasion?"
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Apr 23, 2019 22:57:31 GMT 1
Parmen arrives next accompanied by Edwin his squire.
"Ser Mikel, thank you for your invitation." Turning he sees a man with a Dornish complexion who he did not recognize. "Good day to you, Ser. I don't believe that we have met. I am Ser Parmen of Highever and this is Edwin."
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Post by Trystane Sand on Apr 24, 2019 1:14:16 GMT 1
The Dornishman greets Parmen with a broad smile and a bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ser Parmen, and you, Edwin. I am Ser Trystane Sand, and this is my squire, Quentyn."
Quentyn also bows to Ser Parmen.
"Ser."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Apr 24, 2019 10:34:44 GMT 1
"By the Seven, what a sight!"
Roland was impressed by the venue Mikel had chosen, noting that the fine view from their balcony and his friend's fine clothes spoke of a much deserved improvement in fortune.
"This company is almost equally impressive, we have the makings of a champion melee team already."
He gestured for his squire, Hugh Blackwood, to join Trystane squire and leave the men to their own discussions. The lads were of close age after all.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Apr 24, 2019 12:56:58 GMT 1
Trystane nods in approval.
"I have heard worse proposals for a melée team in my time. You may be onto something, Ser Roland. I'm certainly up for it, anyway."
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Apr 26, 2019 1:24:48 GMT 1
Parmen beckoned Edwin to join the other squires. It was good for him to get to spend time with other squires his own age. The boy was progressing fast with his training and deserved an evening of relaxation before the rigors of the tourney began in full.
"Ser Roland, you look amazingly fit for a dead man," Parmen said with a smile. "Can we now assume that Lady Alicent can charm even the Stranger into giving back what he has laid claim too?"
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on Apr 28, 2019 2:23:55 GMT 1
Mikel greeted each guest as they arrived, making small talk until each had arrived.
"Ser Trystane, good to see you. I hope your first impression of the Riverlands was pleasing."
"Ser Parmen! Thank you for joining us. Had the traveling gone well? Harold and I were fortunate enough to endure nothing worse then a light rain while on the road."
"Ser Roland! Looking healthy, and ready to make the Riverlands as familiar with you as the Reach has come to be I'd bet."
Harold had joined the squires as the Knights made small talk. Mikel led them to the table and offered each a seat then picked up a pitcher of wine and poured each man a cup of something very fine. After filling his own cup Mikel, standing, raised it.
"Gentlemen, we are the only ones present and we do not hold the attention of our squires who are across the room entertaining themselves. I hoped we could have an unguarded discussion about chivalry. What is it suppose to be, what it is to each of us, and what is thst worth? My hope is that we shall dissect and piece back together chivalry as a maester might reduce, then analysis philosphy to turn it to logic."
"Does that sound agreeable? If so let us toast to chivalry and begin our discussion on what chivalry is, not to us, but what it is meant to be for everybody - but in our own words."
Mikels cup was still held high. If his guests should drink from theirs he would join them, excited at the promise of this discussion among these men.
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Post by Trystane Sand on Apr 28, 2019 12:30:56 GMT 1
"I think that sounds fascinating. Count me in," Trystane says brightly, raising his cup up towards Mikel's. "And I will toast to chivalry any day."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on Apr 30, 2019 12:35:53 GMT 1
Roland raised his cup with his left hand.
"To the knights that came before us, may we honour them by upholding our vows."
He drank, waiting for his host to offer his thoughts first but all to ready to expound on the subject at hand if gestured to do so first.
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Post by Mikel of Harroway on May 1, 2019 22:55:09 GMT 1
"Charged by the warrior to be brave, the father to be just, and by the mother to protect the innocent, this is the heart of knighthood. If you live this way you are honoring your vows and surely that is a part of living chivalriously but not all of what it must include. I believe it has come to mean what people think it should mean rather then what it actually may, but surely having good manners, being charitable, and of course honoring your oaths is a place I think we can safely start at. Have I missed anything just yet, without getting into swearing your service?"
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Post by Trystane Sand on May 2, 2019 0:29:10 GMT 1
“A good knight need not be sworn to anyone in particular to be just and righteous and so on,” Trystane counters. “So I’m not sure it is a requirement. I would suggest that dedication to acting in good faith might be more crucial to good knightly conduct. Without it, knighthood is open to abuse by the unscrupulous.”
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on May 2, 2019 1:24:36 GMT 1
Parmen smiled and nodded at Ser Roland and then at Ser Mikel. "An interesting topic. Especially during these troubled times." And it is interested that they are willing to discuss this with a member of House Levalle. Perhaps Alliser, Aladale, and Malyk are making headway in changing perceptions of our House.
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Post by Trystane Sand on May 6, 2019 0:43:55 GMT 1
"Do you think that, given our troubled times, chivalry is needed more than ever in its current form, or do you think we are uniquely placed at an ideal, and indeed necessary point to reshape it into something better and more robust?" Trystane asks, mostly in response to Parmen, but not directed only at him.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on May 7, 2019 4:10:24 GMT 1
"Do you think that, given our troubled times, chivalry is needed more than ever in its current form, or do you think we are uniquely placed at an ideal, and indeed necessary point to reshape it into something better and more robust?" Trystane asks, mostly in response to Parmen, but not directed only at him. {OOC: Apologies. Misread the previous comment and didn't realize why everyone was looking at me!} Parmen takes a small sip from his wine cup, as he gathers his thoughts. It was quite good. Mikel had really gone above and beyond to put this event together. "Whatever we sitting here decide regarding chivalry, whether to leave it as it is or reshape it into something...different, is unclear to me and perhaps of less importance than what we choose to use it for and how we represent ourselves to others. I think that during these troubled times we will find out that chivalry means different things to different people depending on where they stand and, perhaps more importantly, with whom they stand."
"Ser Roland, I know you only slightly but everyone in the Reach counts you a chivalrous knight. You stand on the Blood side of the current debate, correct?" Parmen receives a quick nod in response. "My brother, Ser Garth, stands beside the King next to his sworn brothers the Kingsguard. They are by definition deemed models of chivalry."
"My other brother, your namesake Ser Roland, stands next to his friend Ser Daemon. Both are also considered paragons of chivalry. For what it is worth I also support and respect Ser Daemon, which I guess makes me one of the Fire supporters we hear so much about in the Reach. I flatter myself to think that we here are all chivalrous knights yet it seems like many are expecting us to soon be fighting one another, and not with tourney lances or blunted swords."
"If chivalry is to be more than mere words, more than ribbons and shiny armor than those of us who believe in it, who value our honor and admire it in others must use the ideals it presents as a common language as a means to avoid a greater conflict. If nothing else it can perhaps serve as a bridge to reason with those on both sides who would like to avoid a war. The Black Tourney showed that we have less time then many thought .
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