[Phase 2] Wild at Heart at Whitewalls (Lynesse and Daeron)

“Ser Daeron, thank you for meeting with me, I am sure as accomplished a knight as you are you have many demands on your time.”

“In truth I hoped to meet the man who spoke so boldly in Summerhall the words that more than half the realm might agree with, but no other would dare to utter. I fear my own warning was a garbled mess in comparison.”

She took a sip of wine, steelingg herself for the nuanced question.

“But I also was curious about the recent trial in Oldtown. Father Abelar was once Septon for the Blackbriars, for whom I am now a ward, and though I have much respect for the man, I have not heard the tale of the black tourney from the mouth of one of his accusers.”

Daeron’s reasons for supporting Abelar’s conviction were important, as most who had done so publically had either lose loved ones or sought favour with Lord Eldon Merryweather.

Lynesse paled slightly at the offhand mention of so many deaths at the feet of a man she had helped exonerate. This knight hated both her most influential ally and the man likely to be her husband, if Ser Eustace had his way. Best to find some common ground.

“Father Abelar seems resolute in his goal, and like as not to gather supporters to his cause, lowborn and highborn alike. There will always be enmity between men such as Father Abelar and the Dragon Kings, but at the end of the day he will support whoever offers him greater concessions, and bring his supporters to their cause.”

“ I do not pretend to know how important such a band of men might be, but to discount such men entirely seems a grave risk, unless defeating him is one’s primary, overriding goal..”

Lynesse shrugs, taking another sip of wine, “but I am a young maid of the Reach and know little of such things. I merely make the observation that in times of great tension in the realm, some Lords seem to put great stock in the value of warriors not bound to them by feudal oaths and duties. Take, Lord Blackwood for example, whose feudal ties mark him nothing more than a secondary lord of the riverlands, but through his various contacts could raise armies greater than his liege in Riverrun.”

Lynesse is caught off guard by Daeron's quick reversal and unexpected insight.

"Your sister, Ser Daeron? I haven't had the pleasure of any of their acquaintance Ser Daeron, though of course, all of royal blood would have a natural predisposition toward such matters, I am sure."

Perhaps you are right, though. It is certainly the case that convention, and the gods, expects us to take a complementary role, to support men in their traditional roles of leadership in matters of politics and war, and so perhaps our pretending is in the course of the natural order, even a religious duty," her laugh is the gentle bubbling of a brook. 

"At Summerhall you certainly demonstrated your skills in such public affairs; to speak from the heart, but in a convincing and compelling fashion."


"Oft times, we women must hope for men to speak up for us, and take our part.
I wonder, if I had word that might be of use to our shared interest, if I could rely on you to speak on the matter as passionately as you did in Summerhall."

---

A bit clunky, but I'm strapped for time and need to cut to the chase.

Lynesse was suddenly cautious. Ser Daeron seemed to dance around acknowledging the position his words had implied at Summerhall. He left it for her to adopt an incriminating position.


"There are many who question the wisdom of the throne's close relationship with Dorne, judging the Rhoynish temperament ill-suited to such positions of careful judgement and consideration as many of its folk now enjoy. Traditionally such positions have been owed to knightly men of proven gallantry and Andal, if not Targaryen, stock. I cannot help but sympathise with this position, as my own Rhoynish uncle, and the regent of my house, is a knight in name but surely not in character." 

"I believe that should we expose the corruption of such men, the Iron Throne would be encouraged to adopt a more traditional policy, for the betterment of the realm. However, such men of elevated importance are too powerful for me to anger with cutting words, as I can rely only on my hosts, the Blackbriars, for my protection, and I am loath to do them ill-service by bringing conflict to their door. Perhaps, if you judge this a shared purpose, you might bring appropriate attention to what I can uncover, and we can serve the realm together?"

She hedged her words, avoiding for now the personage who sat the throne.

Lynesse was somewhat taken aback by Daeron's profanity, but quicky reconciled it with his debonair manner.


"Alas, my own voice will have to wait some time for amplification, for the one most deserving of my ire  has yet to show his belly and reveal his weakness to me. If you come to my aid against that beast, then I will be deeply in your debt.' Ser Eustace's time would come, she reassured herself, but she would not move against his with a blade half-drawn. He was too clever, and too dangerous, for that.


"My current concern is for the realm, specifically this realm, the Riverlands. The perennial conflict between Blackwood and Bracken is becoming a proxy conflict for those who align themselves behind the two dragons. If men come to understand that this conflict is different  than a simple  House rivalry, or even the rivalry of two dragons, they will be more inclined to choose the right side."

"The Blackwoods have undertaken a series of maneuvers that, taken together, could be seen as too ambitious merely to frustrate their rivals the Brackens. In the Reach, the Brynden Rivers raises an army of bowmen, called the Raven's Teeth, in breach of feudal customs and the duties of the common folk to their landed liege. These men are hidden from the River Lords, and left uncalculated in assessments of the strength of the Blackwoods. To the North, the Starks have made a marriage pact with the Blackwoods, creating a very real threat of intervention in Riverland politics. Bloodraven enjoys royal favour, ensuring a long leash for the activities of his maternal house in the Riverlands."

"One must ask, if such aggressive steps have been taken by House Blackwood, in excess of the requirements of their rivalry with the Brackens, who might be the real target? If the Blackwoods were successful in finally overcoming the Brackens and subjugating their lands, they would become the most powerful house of the Riverlands, the wealthiest, and certainly the most influential in the royal court. Naturally, they would seek titles to reflect that new status."

"If this becomes more widely recognised, lords who may be hesitant to support Lord Bracken, or Blackfyre, may see the wisdom in opposing House Blackwood before they seek to usurp House Tully and claim the Paramountcy, which is surely their long term goal."

"So you see, I do not seek personal advantage, Ser Daeron. I seek to make known the grave risks to the realm, and can think of no man more capable of substantiating such truths than yourself."

Lynesse found herself encouraged by Daeron's own devil may care attitude. In this moment is seemed wider to show understanding and acumen, rather than humility and genuflection. Her index finger nervously stroked the lip of her cup, the only sign of anxiety over how Daeron might receive her suppositions.

And here was the crux. How could she rely on this man to diminish Dorne's allies when he was focused on the destruction of the Lord most like to take her for wife?

"My Uncle and the regent of my house, Ser Eustace has made it clear he will not hear from me regarding the ties he seeks to build with House Merryweather, though I share some of your misgivings. My uncle Ser Sandor stood against Abelar in Hightown and killed Ser Roland Cordwayner in a dispute over the charges. Most likely this was Eustace's doing, seeking to curry Lord Eldon's favour, as I saw him speaking with Lady Orme after the fact, who was like as not acting for her brother in the matter."

This she had deduced, though not confronted Eustace with. It would take more than that to force her to seek him out.

"If Lord Eldon will have them, my uncles Ser Sandor and Ser Rhys will likely fight for him, though I do not know if Eustace will brave the arena himself. Though they are my kin, they are flawed men Ser Daeron, and will likely seek Lord Eldon's favour against reason and restraint." And if better men cut them down, she would not shed a tear.

"But I will look into it, and send word if I discover they plan to act contrary to my expectations or prove unexpectedly receptive to good sense." 

"Regarding the Blackwoods I am glad to have had the chance to share what I have discovered. I hope that if more men become aware of the burgeoning power in Raventree Hall, the more likely it is others will back House Bracken to oppose it. I will continue to look into the matter on your behalf."

Though she had already achieved all she'd hoped from the meeting, Lynesse found herself unsettled. She remembered the tales of slaughtered smallfolk and  butchered knights, men and women caught up in Father Abelar's righteous harrying of House Merryweather. Was Wildfyre a man likely to show more restraint?

"Ser Daeron, I know the events at Summerhall and before have given you cause to detest Lord Eldon, and that it might not be my place to ask, and yet I feel compelled to do so. What is it that you intend?"

---

 I know Roland's alive. I figured Lynesse didn't.