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Post by Father on Aug 26, 2019 16:10:09 GMT 1
"I am as of yet undecided as to whether I would want them to act upon my suspicions, but the trail is there for any who care to search for it." Bloodraven doesn't seem to care. "Besides, Ser Balon is just a blunt instrument, Bittersteel can always find another, now if the noose which can be made for him if it turns out that not all the witnesses and evidence were buried in an unmarked grave can be fashioned to fit the neck of the one who enabled and approved of Ser Vorian's death, that would serve myself quite a lot better, as it happens"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 26, 2019 17:21:59 GMT 1
There is a moment's clear hesitation, a moment where the value of a man's life is weighed in balance. "And the Daynes? You say the trail is there for those who search for it, and I cannot believe they would just let it lie. Would they, *could* they, be satisfied with just the enabler and approver?"
Even asking the question reveals more than she'd wish. She would not exert herself for a doomed cause. But a merely difficult cause? Aye, there's the rub. For she knows the route she can take to get all the answers she could desire from the man. An unforgivable betrayal in his eyes, perhaps, but only if he finds out. And her loyalty was ever to the individual, not the cause, and always in the way she felt it most needed, regardless of how little it were wanted.
Or she *could* just let matters fall as they will. Men will live or die depending on their own skill, without her finger being on the scales. She has no obligation to either man.
Really, the only reason she has to stay is that Balon loves her. With no blood or history to blind him to her flaws, he loves her. And every day he does proves her mother's claim that that was impossible that much more false.
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Post by Father on Aug 27, 2019 16:44:06 GMT 1
"It is possible that if they are given Lord Oakheart, they will be sufficiently satisfied as to not go further, I believe Lord Dayne and Ser Roger would be" He pauses in a bit of pondering. "The others I cannot claim to know well enough to predict."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Aug 27, 2019 18:14:14 GMT 1
Laena purses her lips. "I make no promises. I do see a path I and only I could take to the information you seek, but I do not know if it is navigable. I do not even know for sure that I wish to try. It could well be .. messy."
After a moment more's consideration, she shrugs. "If you start being concerned over my actions - again -, that probably means I'm at least sounding the path out. If and when I get to the end, I'll let you know." If I feel like it at that point, at least. "And if the rope I give you is of a fine enough quality for your purposes, I trust that will be remembered when the hurly-burly's done?"
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Post by Father on Aug 31, 2019 12:46:38 GMT 1
"If those doing the king's work is not rewarded, will it ever get done?" Bloodraven appears to confirm this to be so.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 4, 2019 21:15:59 GMT 1
Laena permits an amused smirk at his answer - implying something without committing to it. Under the circumstances, she could hardly complain. "Well, now we both know the lay of the land in that matter. We'll see what comes of it.
"Staying on the subject of nooses, however, you have managed to point a path to Lady Ashara's murderers. Do you believe that you will be able to find enough supporting evidence to make an accusation stick?"
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Post by Father on Sept 5, 2019 19:07:28 GMT 1
"I find that unlikely, they are smart enough to avoid anything damning, but nobody else has been to Cider Hall that I would care to suspect, The Florents are capable of arranging such a thing and leaving no trace, but I think we can rule out Lord Reynald in this case for more reasons than that murder is not his style. Lady Maegelle is much more the type to resort to this sort of pettiness that serves no cause most others would find important enough to kill for."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 5, 2019 19:27:43 GMT 1
Laena's mouth flattens, and she folds her arms in front of her chest. "So, after wafting the oh-so-sweet smell of having them tried and executed before me when we spoke in the assassins' tent, all you can tell me now is 'there is no hope'? I am not jesting when I say you have wounded me, brother."
Her face slowly softens in realisation of something. "Mayhap I could take some solace in them losing something as precious to them as Lady Ashara was to me. But the only thing I can think of that would apply would be 'power'. Will you aid Ser Roland Cordwayner in ripping it from them?"
[Offering this is probably a *terrible* idea, but would an Intrigue be needed here to get him to exert an effort to support Roland's efforts?]
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Post by Father on Sept 6, 2019 9:50:27 GMT 1
"I am not sure what I can do, I pointed some people towards Ser Orton, but he turns out to be as honorable as his reputation, refusing to lend his voice to the accusations on account of him not being absolutely certain even though he knows them to be true" He shakes his head. "They will be visiting Oldtown for the wedding I am sure, and I know where in the undercity to hire assassins, but I do not believe Ser Roland would want that sort of assistance."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 6, 2019 18:57:20 GMT 1
Laena frowns in frustration. She briefly considers asking if there were any way to blackmail Ser Orton into doing the right thing, but that has too great a chance of backfiring. She briefly considers attempting to infiltrate House Cordwayner to steal evidence, but the risk would be extreme, and the chances of her finding something incriminating in the time she would have, even under ideal conditions, was minimal.
However tempted, she doesn't even consider asking about the hiring of assassins. Too many people against Ashara had died in too short a time already. She'd barely escaped serious suspicion. Any more deaths and the coincidences would be far too much to have any plausible alternative. Annoying, but she could wait. Maegelle was already dead. Laena just needed to be patient in making her body aware of that fact.
Having discounted every possibility she could see, she merely growls in frustration briefly. "No, I am sure he would not. And for good reason. Too likely to become too messy."
After a few moments more she deflates, dejected. "So the only hope I have of seeing any justice done is for Ser Roland the honourable to defeat Lady Maegelle in the game of politics." Her tone says everything about her assessment of his chances.
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Post by Father on Sept 8, 2019 1:42:30 GMT 1
"I assume that my lady noticed quite keenly how Lady Meadows fared against a well prepared assault when she had no allies to aid her defense?" It is hard to say whether Bloodraven's encouragement, if his words remains that of a cynic, is merely meant to keep up her belief in a fight he wants pursued or if there is a chance. "I would imagine that Lady Maegelle noticed too, and she is like to ensure that she will not stand alone. Should she have the likes of Peake and Oakheart raise their voice against the accusations, honorable defeat is probably out of reach. Stripped of allies, her power might follow."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 8, 2019 11:16:31 GMT 1
Laena raises a bitter eyebrow. "You believe the likes of them would not step in regardless to prevent a house from slipping from their clutches into their enemy's? While they would not fight with everything they have if their only motive is political, they still control powerful houses. It would likely not *take* much of their efforts to ensure House Cordwayner rests firmly on their side." Her eyes flit about in thought for a moment before she concludes. "And I see no way to make House Cordwayner unappetising enough to stop it from being worth at least a modicum of effort on their part to retain it."
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Post by Father on Sept 8, 2019 16:46:17 GMT 1
"I have a feeling that Ser Preston would be far less motivated than his father when it comes to supporting Quentyn's claim, should a sudden shift in lordship be required by the current one being forced to take the black for the murder of Ser Vorian" Bloodraven suggests. "Though that means thwarting any attempts by The Cordwayners to use Lord Walgrave's sympathies to get themselves married into that house." That would leave The Peake's, but mayhaps it would be possible to obtain the required leverage to make them back off?
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Post by Laena Pyre on Sept 23, 2019 20:30:48 GMT 1
"How convenient for you." She notes dryly. "The path to justice lies through your preferred outcome." Her slight wry smile betrays a dark amusement in her words.
"We shall see what I can shape the future into being." Her smile drops, and she puffs out a breath. "Thank you for your efforts, brother. The route to justice may seem to have to pass through maybe two Principal houses of Highgarden, but though it be long and hard, it is at least now visible, where it was not before."
[Barring anything from him I need to respond to, I think we say our goodbyes and /scene]
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Post by Father on Sept 24, 2019 13:44:27 GMT 1
"Everyone is guilty of something if you look hard enough" Bloodraven notes with a sinister smile, implying that justice can serve whatever end that happens to be convenient.
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