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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 12, 2019 21:33:30 GMT 1
"Men fear both my sister's plots and Ser Normyn's lance - it has ended more than one allegation. Some of the tales I heard even alleged my sister by marriage tried to have Ser Normyn duel the departing Ser Orton. They may keep silent unless they know others will protect them."
"Here we presuppose the answer - if the worst is true my brother may not even have a son to weigh the evidence."
Roland nodded at his betrothed's wisdom.
"I cannot fault you here. I am unprepared for this battle, but it is one I must fight. I was not born able to ride at rings and swing a sword, despite what the singers claim of my house's bloodline. If the Seven will it, I shall turn my attention and energy to this matter and seek to make myself skilled at shining a light in dark places. My chief concern here is such takes time, and that is time my Lady Maegelle shall use to further consolidate her position."
"When I trained to become a knight I had a vouchworthy master of arms in Ser Gurney, but his equivalent in political matters would be an undertaking in itself to uncover. And even then we cannot be sure if we could trust the man."
Raised in the traditional Andal fashion, Roland briefly neglected that one possessed of many of the attributes he sought stood by his side already, overlooked for her sex.
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Post by Father on May 16, 2019 21:08:53 GMT 1
"The way I hear it, Ser Normyn and Lady Maegelle have been in charge of Hammerhaal in all but name for a dozen and a half years or so." Alicent ponders how to sway him where she wants. "To become their equal? Even to hold your own as Ser Horace gave you at Ashford? No, if you are a novice now, that you cannot hope to achieve before you will be dealing with grandnephews, whose lord grandfathers will oppose any effort to prove that their son and daughter married bastards."
"Instead, if your fears are indeed true, you ought to think like a lord, a leader, not a single knight whose role is only to protect and honor those he has pledged his sword. Lord Starling was not alone in throwing his gauntlet upon the cornucopia, he threw his first, but it was not he who built the mountain, that was built for him"
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 16, 2019 23:59:51 GMT 1
Roland swallowed, then smiled and nodded.
"My betrothed has the maiden's beauty but the crone's wisdom."
"But I have ever been champion and vanguard rather than lord. I was born to such until my bastard brother displaced me. House Bridges is struck by sorrow, and there are good men that that may lend themselves to a just cause, but I shall need both swords and sworn testimony if Hammerhal is to restored to honour."
"Lady Maegelle and Ser Normyn have doubtless made themselves many enemies with their various disgraces and partisanship at Highgarden. Even some of their disloyal faction may not be moved to aid them, for Blackfyre's friends seek to cloak themselves in chivalry while House Cordwayner has turned from paragon to parody when it comes to the knightly virtues."
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Post by Father on May 17, 2019 16:28:51 GMT 1
"And friends, too, let us not forget" Alicent adds quickly after gracefully expressing gratitude for the compliment. "The winning side of a war is quick to write songs of it's heroes and of the villains they fought, but those victors who disgraced themselves are quickly forgotten, yet the history of most every conflict leaves hints of decisive acts that may well have tipped the balance and saved thousands of lives."
"Should the Black Dragon be seated upon the Iron Throne, his claim must be made secure, that Ser Daemon would forbid the steps so neccesary I have no doubt, but that is why men like Lord Peake and Bittersteel will not ask him, they will merely have it mentioned in the right ears the potential consequences of leaving rival claimants alive. Men willing to risk disgrace and condemnation for quiet rewards when the killing is done. Men like Breakspear and Blackfyre would not suffer the companionship of such men, and never be seen rewarding them, but there are always men close to them who are ruthless enough to harbor and award blackguards all the same. Men who share the opinion that victory is worth the sacrifice of whatever honor they have, yet hide their wickedness behind masks of gallantry all the same."
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 18, 2019 19:19:47 GMT 1
Roland had barely countenanced the rebels not just sweeping the royalist forces from the field, but rewriting history itself.
"A grim vision indeed, but one that rings all too true."
The mention of similar men on King Daeron's side troubled Roland.
"We must investigate this manner and if necessary secure House Cordwayner first then, before purging the King's Court of "practical men" who seek quiet rewards for wicked deeds."
"Let us build our own mountain of gauntlets then on Ser Normyn's cowardice in his duel. On Lady Maegell's disgrace at Highgarden. On the testimony of Ser Orton Ambrose and the holy word of Septon Abelar."
"On my departed brother's grave."
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Post by Father on May 20, 2019 12:13:27 GMT 1
"The good septon might hurt these efforts as much as aid them" Alicent thinks aloud. "He has upset many with his words, and these might be inclined to add their gloves to the pile of Lady Maegelle"
"And the king's court will prove far more resistant to purging that Hammerhaal, I have no doubt"
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 21, 2019 22:03:36 GMT 1
Roland nodded.
Wisdom to match her beauty, I am blessed by the Seven.
"I requested his aid in questioning Ser Orton at Highgarden - it is too late to call back that arrow, but I shall weigh these matters more carefully in the future."
A man raised in Dorne's curious customs might even think to run such plans past his formidable betrothed, but not the Andal traditionalist Roland. Not yet at least.
"Let us start with Hammerhal then. The King's court can wait - as unready as I am for my duty I would be more poorly prepared still for King's Landing."
"No squire was made a knight in a day, so all I can do is make a start to matters and try."
He raised a hand back to Alicent's head, adjusting her hair.
"Ah Alicent, I had thought to keep you safe from plotting and court by word and deed at Highgarden. I appear to have merely swapped your set of problems."
"I bear you no ill will for this news, it is a cruel fate that it was note another. Cruel fate, and cruel Maegelle. This is but the least of the crimes she will answer for."
Resolute, and already deftly guided by his wife to be where his pride and upbringing could bear it, his course seemed set.
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Post by Father on May 22, 2019 20:03:05 GMT 1
"If comfort and safety was all I sought, ser, I could have chosen to tell Lord Leo that it would have pleased me to marry Lord Redwyne" Alicent muses. Lord Willem was twice widowed with four grown sons and three grandchildren by his eldest, all of them gallant and gentle, as is their father. Surely Lord Redwyne would be willing to grant Lord Tyrell that favor with no qualms, and quite likely he would allow her to decide the extent of her duties in the marriage bed besides the customary consummation. Besides, none would suspect a lady whose children would rank further down the inheritance chain than most first cousins in other houses to have any ambitions worth noting. The perfect refuge, but her words offer a rather dismissive commentary to any such notion. "I would be deeply insulted to be called old, ser, but I am older than I look and younger than I feel, and what is there for a lady at Highgarden that has received every lesson Lady Rhonda and Lady Margaeary gives to all the young maidens in their care but to gossip and ask the wisest lady in the Reach for the sort of lessons that are not fit for the ears of most young maidens? I knew well enough what I might risk getting into when I made my choice, and it was not Lord Redwyne's name that I mentioned." Apparently being satisfied at making her point, she decides to tease a little bit. "But I might have spoken differently if I thought Lord Durwell might stop playing his games before I do get old"
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Post by Roland Cordwayner on May 26, 2019 15:11:37 GMT 1
Unaware of what had transpired at Highgarden, Roland smiled.
"Then I shall have to train harder and overthrow the dashing Lord Durwell at our next tourney."
The man had aided Roland in interrogating Alicent's would be kidnappers after all, even if the Cordwayner knight found his studiedly neutral speech at the Black Tourney an irksome rejection of tradition.
"We go in to this then with open eyes and one heart. Let us put what you have learned at Highgarden in to full effect in a noble cause. Together, sorrowful circumstance may at least see justice done and the station my love deserves."
[/scene?]
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Post by Father on May 27, 2019 16:54:13 GMT 1
/scene
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