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Post by Aerion Flowers on Sept 17, 2019 0:18:12 GMT 1
"Everyone deserves a chance at love." Balon pursed his lips when he thought of men like Lord Eldon and Ser Trystane. "It's one of the few things I envy of the smallfolk. Their ability to marry out of love more often than not. We nobles marry for politics, for favors, to strengthen the bloodline. They do it because they love one another, enjoy each other's company, and comfort each other in times of hardship." Balon sighed and waved a hand, "Bah, listen to me whining about it. I hope I find a woman who loves me and I'll do everything in my power to deserve it." "There is bliss in simplicity, indeed. But they have their own difficulties, besides. And I'd not trade places too quickly." he says matter-of-factly, though indeed it would be nive if he could marry for love instead of politics. Ironic, since Laena is marrying Balon for policaly reasons!Balon smiled as Aerion recalled Laena in the garden, "It sounds like a perfect moment." He thought of the future and hoped Laena could experience it again with Balon. His smile turned to a frown when Aerion mentioned it was one of her last times of true happiness. "I don't know Lady Laena as well as you but if anyone deserves happiness it's her. Was it the death of her husband that saw the joy get sucked out of her life?" "There are many things which I think played a part, none of which are truly my story to tell. But that was not an easy time to say the least. The prospects of widowed mothers are slim indeed, and that no doubt played a part. But she is strong, and she will again find happiness." If it's the last thing I do, Aerion thinks to himself. "It will come to bloodshed. Of that I'm certain. One could argue Andal knights who've been anointed and take their vows to the Seven seriously will side with House Bracken. The Blackwoods are godless heathens after all. Those who support King Daeron will most likely side with House Blackwood. Those who admire Ser Daemon will side with House Bracken. The king will do nothing until the Riverlands are on fire and his inaction will only strengthen the appeal of Blackfyre." He took a drink and offered to refill Aerion's cup. "Of course I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know.""As for me when it comes to battle I plan to fight with the Brackens. My politics are well known and I don't scurry in the shadows." Balon nodded to Aerion, "Tell me good ser, if it comes to war will you choose a side or remain neutral? Perhaps you'll do what we knights so rarely do. Protect the innocent from the worst of it." Balon wanted Aerion to fight with him but choosing neutrality was preferable than being on the other side of the battle field. "I have a question for you that is more philosophical in nature. Which is more important? That a man be good, kind, just, and protect those who cannot protect themselves? Or that a man is a follower of The Seven? In an ideal world they would be one and the same, as I'd like to think any man who truly follows the Seven would be those things. But if they were two distinctly different things, which is more important?" Aerion asks the question instead of answering the one posed by Balon. Maybe he's avoiding the question, or maybe his answer lies at the end of his questioning? "And in turn,which is worse? A man that is unjust, unkind, and takes advantage of those he can, but considers himself a devout follower of the Seven? Or a godless man who does his best to cause no harm and hold true to the vow taken?"
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Sept 23, 2019 5:17:28 GMT 1
"I have a question for you that is more philosophical in nature. Which is more important? That a man be good, kind, just, and protect those who cannot protect themselves? Or that a man is a follower of The Seven? In an ideal world they would be one and the same, as I'd like to think any man who truly follows the Seven would be those things. But if they were two distinctly different things, which is more important?" Aerion asks the question instead of answering the one posed by Balon. Maybe he's avoiding the question, or maybe his answer lies at the end of his questioning? "And in turn,which is worse? A man that is unjust, unkind, and takes advantage of those he can, but considers himself a devout follower of the Seven? Or a godless man who does his best to cause no harm and hold true to the vow taken?" Balon didn't fail to notice Aerion had dodged his question and asked one instead. Like sister, like brother. He rubbed his chin in thought. There was his answer, a secular answer, and and a religious answer. "The law of the gods trumps the law of man. Therefore a true follower of the Seven is more important." Balon thought back to some of the childhood lessons he'd received at Gyldenhaal. "The will of the Seven in unknowable to us mortals and to pretend to understand their divine action is a level of arrogance even I don't possess.""Man is fallible. The Seven are not. What we perceive as justice or cruelty is laughable in comparison to the grand plan of the Seven." Balon paused to take a drink, "We are nothing more than ants trying to comprehend King's Landing when it comes to the Seven's intentions. All we can do is remain devout and understand it is devotion to they who are one that matters. This," Balon waived his hand around the tavern. "this is fleeting. Our wealth. Our laws. Our *justice*. It is insignificant to the power of the Seven."
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Post by Aerion Flowers on Sept 24, 2019 17:47:07 GMT 1
Balon didn't fail to notice Aerion had dodged his question and asked one instead. Like sister, like brother. He rubbed his chin in thought. There was his answer, a secular answer, and and a religious answer. "The law of the gods trumps the law of man. Therefore a true follower of the Seven is more important." Balon thought back to some of the childhood lessons he'd received at Gyldenhaal. "The will of the Seven in unknowable to us mortals and to pretend to understand their divine action is a level of arrogance even I don't possess.""Man is fallible. The Seven are not. What we perceive as justice or cruelty is laughable in comparison to the grand plan of the Seven." Balon paused to take a drink, "We are nothing more than ants trying to comprehend King's Landing when it comes to the Seven's intentions. All we can do is remain devout and understand it is devotion to they who are one that matters. This," Balon waived his hand around the tavern. "this is fleeting. Our wealth. Our laws. Our *justice*. It is insignificant to the power of the Seven." "If we can know nothing of the will of the Seven who are One, how can we be devout to them and live as He desires? How can we know that whoring and murder are wrong in the eyes of the Seven?"
"Let us consider those men over there," he points across the room towards a trio of men, two with long beards and one struggling to grow his own, deep into their cups, arguing as old friends do when drinking. "Let us pretend that of the two bearded men one has a standing weekly appointment at the Rutting Boar with a pair of girls barely over the age of flowering, and the other takes what is not his when he thinks he can get away with it. Yet both claim to be devout men of the Faith." "The third has little time in his life to concern himself with religion between working the fields and raising his children, but indeed lives his life in practice closer to the teachings of the church. He gives freely and forgives easily, would balk at the idea of stealing what isn't his, and walks for an hour longer than needed to avoid the many whore houses along the more direct route home in case he is tempted."
"You are right that men are fallible, and all will be judged in turn when He takes us as the Stranger. Which of those three men might the Father judge as most living a life of Faith? The one who whores with girls while claiming to be devout, the one who steals while claiming to be devout, or the one who lives a good life who claims nothing?"
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Sept 24, 2019 21:20:21 GMT 1
"If we can know nothing of the will of the Seven who are One, how can we be devout to them and live as He desires? How can we know that whoring and murder are wrong in the eyes of the Seven?" "There's a difference between knowing their will and knowing how to devote oneself to them." "As to the former, all that is required is faith." He said plainly. "Faith in believing there is a purpose to an act even if we can't comprehend it. To the latter the tenents of the Seven are thoroughly documented and over the centuries septons have done well in explaining what is required of us."
"Let us consider those men over there," he points across the room towards a trio of men, two with long beards and one struggling to grow his own, deep into their cups, arguing as old friends do when drinking. "Let us pretend that of the two bearded men one has a standing weekly appointment at the Rutting Boar with a pair of girls barely over the age of flowering, and the other takes what is not his when he thinks he can get away with it. Yet both claim to be devout men of the Faith." "The third has little time in his life to concern himself with religion between working the fields and raising his children, but indeed lives his life in practice closer to the teachings of the church. He gives freely and forgives easily, would balk at the idea of stealing what isn't his, and walks for an hour longer than needed to avoid the many whore houses along the more direct route home in case he is tempted."
"You are right that men are fallible, and all will be judged in turn when He takes us as the Stranger. Which of those three men might the Father judge as most living a life of Faith? The one who whores with girls while claiming to be devout, the one who steals while claiming to be devout, or the one who lives a good life who claims nothing?" "We can not know the will of the Seven. That is the one of the hardest things to accept. Take your example of the one that visits the whore house. He's devout, he prays, he seeks guidance. Who is to say that the Seven don't subtly influence his actions? Perhaps he impregnates a whore, she gives the baby to the Faith, and that baby grows up to be a High Septon who uses the power of the church to improve the lives of the impoverished. All because a commoner liked 'em young.""Take your thief. What happens if he gets caught, sent to the Wall, but in his devotion the Seven gives him a chance at redemption? What if he plays a pivotal role in stopping a Wildling raid that would've seen dozens of women and children killed? Again, we can't know the will of the Seven. Trust me, it infuriates me at times to wonder why something happened but I have faith that it is for a reason.""As to your third man he lives a simple life except he makes no time for faith. He has his basic needs met but shuns the most important thing of all; the Seven. His *good deeds* will count for naught when he burns in the Seven Hells for his heresy."Balon took a long drink, "Based on what the Faith teaches the two that are devout will be rewarded. The third will not."
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