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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jun 23, 2019 23:08:13 GMT 1
Daeron had always been interested in getting to meet his many many brothers and sisters. Though they all shared a dubious honor of being sired by The Unworthy it was still a fascinating bond that probably had never existed in Westerosi history, and would hopefully never exist again. By random chance of fate, men (and women) who would all be considered lustful and untrustworthy bastards had they another father, all got to enjoy honors and status greater than many trueborn nobles in the Seven Kingdoms because their shared parentage happened to wear a crown. He would likely never meet all of his siblings, but here at Whitewalls he had an opportunity to learn more about one whom he never really got to interact with at Highgarden.
Without invitation he strides across the tavern floor and takes a seat at Ser Aerion Flowers' table. However, he was not entirely without courtesies in inviting himself for he brought with him a large pitcher full of Arbor red.
"Ser Aerion, it's about time that we finally got to really meet each other. I believe I need no introduction?"
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jun 29, 2019 18:20:59 GMT 1
Aerion stands to shake the man's hand before indicating to one of the empty seats in front of him. "Ser Daeron, of course not. Word or your skill has not escaped me, and I've had probably twenty young bucks who have been trying the Wildfyre trick against me lately. Caused quite a stir!
A glance at the arbour red brings a smile to the young man's face. "Tell me, how fares my half brother from the Companions?"
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 1, 2019 1:23:26 GMT 1
He is unable to conceal his satisfaction at his aggressive tactics being given a name among the bolder knights of the tourney circuit, and declines to comment that they're merely a means of making up for poor horsemanship.
"Well it seems that they've not given you too much trouble, otherwise you might not have made it to the semifinals.
Me on the other hand, well it seems that my 'Wildfyre' tricks weren't enough to unseat Blackfyre. I'm hoping to make a better show of things in the melee though, assuming that my previous injuries against the Horsebane don't hold me back."
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 3, 2019 16:19:00 GMT 1
The young knight can't help but enjoy the recognition of reaching the semifinals. All he wanted since he can remember is to be the best knight in the 7 kingdoms, and he has certainly already achieved more than most who share that dream.
"Those who attempt to ride as someone else will likely find themselves lacking in execution. Too often people see something work and attempt to copy it, without understanding the finer points of the technique." Aerion is suddenly aware that he sounds like his old sword instructor and shakes his head.
"Still, I am fortunate to have defeated Ser Robb; the man is a beast. Ser Daemon will be even better, but I will do my best. Though I hope you'll forgive me if I try to avoid going to swords!" he says with a laugh.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 5, 2019 4:31:58 GMT 1
“True, Ser Daemon might be the finest jouster in the kingdom, but I’d rather face him with lance in hand than with Blackfyre. I know the comparison is getting old, but he truly is the Warrior incarnate with the Sword of Kings in hand.”
He raises a toast to Aerion and perhaps Ser Daemon as well.
“To my brothers, for at least one of them will win on the morrow.”
Lowering his glass he continues,
“Win or lose, what plans do you have for the melee?”
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 12, 2019 3:05:52 GMT 1
Aerion mimics a lavish bow at the toast for tomorrow's bout.
"Oh likely I will be paired with Ser Symon and the rest of them." says Aerion while pouring Daeron, first, and himself, second, a generous cup of the Arbor, before taking a long drink from his own goblet.
"But my own plan?" he says, pausing to take another drink. "My own plan is to be the last man standing at the end of the whole damn thing!" he finishes with a laugh.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 12, 2019 4:16:02 GMT 1
Daeron joins in on the laughter.
“If any ever doubted that you were one of us, then it’s because they’ve never met you.”
He lifts his glass in another toast.
“To my brother the champion, may he never come across me in the melee!”
He drains his glass as quickly as some of the mirth drains from his face.
“Best of luck to you then, I doubt that I will make it through the entire melee, but if all goes as planned then no servant of House Merryweather will be there to challenge you. Eldon and his prime blackguard have wronged us and I will not let such an insult go unopposed. I will deliver the justice that the king neglected to provide himself.”
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 14, 2019 1:17:42 GMT 1
Aerion toasts silently to the proclamation. "I wouldn't be too soured by the thought of striking a blow to lord Merryweather. But you will likely be successful in your justice, as the warrior will not look fondly on the men of a coward."
"Still, that is for tomorrow. Tonight, we drink!"
He then proceeds to refill their cups, but the joy doesn't last long before he starts complaining about the Lord Eldon again. "A man such as him should not be a Lord, but what is there to do when he cowers behind men who can actually swing a sword?"
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 14, 2019 2:59:19 GMT 1
Without missing a beat, his answer tells Aerion everything he ever needed to know about him.
"If corrupt men hide behind a wall, then that wall must be torn down. It doesn't matter if that wall happens to be made of men, titles, or actual stone.
What this kingdom needs are more men in positions of power who will tear down those walls protecting the corrupt. Men like you and me. Men like Ser Daemon.."
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 17, 2019 4:52:30 GMT 1
Aerion can't help but think back to a similar conversation he had with his sister about the philosophies of deciding who gets removed from power.
"The problem with tearing down walls, is you quickly realize that they are holding the roof above your head. Take down too many, and the castle crumbles." Aerion says while taking another drink.
"We can agree that Lord Eldon is a coward, hiding behind his station with nothing even resembling honour. But how do you fix it? Are you planning on killing everyone he hires until he's the last one standing, then kill him too? And what then when another corrupt lord takes his place? At least we all know what kid of man Lord Eldon is. Or rather that he isn't a man at all. Where is the line drawn?"
"As for Ser Daemon, his prowess is legendary, but he sits by while half the realm fights around him. The majority of his supporters are merely opportunists capitalizing on the crisis to sate their hunger for power. What better time to settle an old grudge than now? And further, if his intentions were to make the realm a better kingdom, why not come forth and state his intentions one way or the other, rather than remain silent while other men, many of whom are closer in kind to Lord Eldon than you or I, throw his name around in a thinly veiled attempt to gain power for themselves?"
"If you're asking me who I think would make king, I would respond with a question of my own. Who are we to decide who wears the crown?"
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 18, 2019 15:12:50 GMT 1
Daeron felt that the metaphor was beginning to get too loose, but he went along with it.
“If a castle was full of snakes, then perhaps it would be best for it to be torn down?”
He nods in agreement with Aerion’s characterization of his plan.
“That’s basically my plan, though oversimplified. Eldon has made many enemies other than me and we’ve already seen a number of his swords leaving his service for a number of reasons. Without his prime champions though, he might not be so bold to take what isn’t his, otherwise he has a greater chance of suffering the consequences. Moreover, if he’s having to hire mercenaries from Essos, that means that fewer knights are willing to serve him as they understand the risks that come with such dubious service.
I am hoping to amplify that risk.”
He pauses to listen to Aerion’s point on Ser Daemon and to slake his thirst on the fine wine.
“It’s easy to dismiss Ser Daemon’s claim through a few of his more grasping supporters, but remember that he was granted the Sword of King’s by our father and.. his voice quickly drops to a whisper. Even for such a Blackfyre partisan, his words were dangerous if reported to the wrong ears there are still questions about King Daeron’s parentage. In any other circumstances I would consider it a blessing to be the son of the Dragonknight rather than the Unworthy.
As for declaring his intentions I cannot say. Perhaps he is continuing to ponder the decision as is his right and as the Crone’s wisdom would have him do before such a monumental decision.
And as for who we are to decide. We are dragons brother. We have always been the ones who decide who rules. Just because we lack wings doesn’t make us any less decisive.”
His eyes widened at the last point, emphasizing their shared dragonrider blood.
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 18, 2019 20:43:46 GMT 1
"The castle in this case is the institution of the Crown and Lordship. If one group of Lords is able to remove other lords from lordship, that is available to and will be abused by those who care not about who is sacrificed to further themselves."
"I can appreciate the sentement, and I agree that if it becomes increasingly dangerous to support Lord Eldon, then his network of goons will soon not be able to support his terrible weight. The goal of removing him is understood, but do you need to kill your way through countless people, some merely upholding the oaths they swore years past?" he let's the question hang in the air for a moment before continuing.
"A wise man weighs all his options before choosing, yes. But why does he have a choice? Because our father gave him a sword? We all know that King Daeron would never be able to use it, so he gave it to Daemon. He could have said, if it were his intent, that Daemon explicitly was his heir. He didn't, so again I think this is a question of what you choose to believe. You can decide to believe that by giving the sword he was declaring Daemon his heir. But that is merely an opinion, and no way to know the truth of it. Much like there is no way to know the truth of Daeron's parantage. So barring a truth that is different from what we know, it is also a truth that we all swore oaths to the King."
"If Blackfyre is to be the symbol of the Crown, whereby only the weilder is the rightful king, will that not cause others to constantly attempt to pry it from Ser Daemon?"
Daeron has no idea the internal struggle Aerion faces between the base desire hunger for something more and his knightly oaths and concepts of right and wrong. Aerion himself barely understands it, but he at least knows that if it cannot work within his morality, he will likely always be at odds with it. Daeron's final sentence struck a chord in him though, and he stops there, mulling it over while allowing his brother to speak again.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 19, 2019 4:39:23 GMT 1
He waves his hands dismissively.
"Any man in service to Eldon for years has already failed to uphold any oaths they once made, that's why the remainder of the ones who deserve to be called 'Ser' have already left his service. Regardless, I have more sympathy for innocents whose lives are destroyed in Lord Piggy's wake than the men who chose to serve an openly corrupt and evil man."
On the subject of kinghood he speaks more carefully and thoughtfully.
"King Daeron can't wield Blackfyre because he wanted to be everything that our father was not, which from what I've heard, he was once a formidable knight before he succumbed to his own desires. Even the Conciliator took the time to train every day until he was a skilled warrior and he was of a similar bookish nature, but he understood the importance of gaining his spurs if he was to lead knights. A man who lacks chivalry cannot be expected to uphold the rights and titles of knights.
Moreover, King Daeron made the fatal mistake of allowing foreign Dornish influences to supplant Valyrian and Andal ones at the capitol. I think it was wise to make peace with Dorne, through marriage if necessary, but he has gone beyond making peace and bringing them into the realm. He has followed King Baelor's follies of pardoning and rewarding criminal behavior. There are lords in the Small Council whose families murdered the father of your mentor under guest rights and there are men freely walking about King's Landing who conspired to murder King Daeron I under a false flag of truce. It is one thing to kill a man in battle to defend your lands, but another to resort to treachery and poison. Is it any wonder that most of the Reach is ready to do anything to avenge their murdered lord and king?"
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Jul 19, 2019 22:33:15 GMT 1
The young man nods, "Can't argue with that logic. 'You sleep in the bed you make' as old Myella used to say," referring to one of the Septas at High Garden.
"Securing Dorne into the seven kingdoms was important, and sure mistakes were made perhaps in some appointments. But how can the solution to those mistakes be usurp the king, rather than remove the offending parties. If Lord Eldon is to be removed in such fashion, why not do the same for those specific persons. How has it come to almost open rebellion? And what happens if you are successful, and in 20 years another group decides Daemon is unfit? By allowing for rebellion to be the answer now, you're condoning it for all future generations as well, no? "
Daeron can probably tell that Aerion understands the reasoning behind why people are upset and wanting those traitorous dornish removed, but cannot bridge the gap to removal of King Daeron. The consequences would be a lot of bloodshed and possible splintering of the seven kingdoms.
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Post by Daeron Wildfyre on Jul 21, 2019 4:21:20 GMT 1
"It's too late for that now, there is no way that the king could or would remove his new family from power and they would not tolerate such a demotion."
He gives a noncommittal shrug.
"If the risk of removal prevents a King Daemon Blackfyre from forgetting his vows to loyal lords and knights, then perhaps it isn't such a bad thing, though I doubt that he will ever sacrifice the privileges of knights for those of maesters and smallfolk.
Anyway, I apologize for dragging us into this political debate. I only wanted to meet with another one of my many siblings and wish him good fortune in his jousts to come."
He fills both of their glasses with the rest of the wine pitcher, clearly just wanting to have a good time, or wanting to have the last word on the matter.
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