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Post by Father on Apr 16, 2020 18:01:17 GMT 1
Alicent could never have married a humble and simple knight, but assuming that the choice was made in isolation, he should be free to be that humble and simple knight. She could find someone else to marry.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Apr 20, 2020 23:59:44 GMT 1
"Of course." Betraying none of the dryness the situation called for. "What self-respecting well-bred lady *would* lower herself by marrying a mere landless knight?
"So, are your upcoming nuptials waiting and reliant upon your betrothed unseating his ..." she frowns, unseen "no, I suppose he's *my* nephew, isn't he?"
[How much, if any, of Lord Leo sticking his oar in to this match would be expected? In other words, could one reasonably infer that, if this wedding were approved, Lord Leo approves, and hence, if it is dependent on Roland becoming Lord, Leo is leaning in that direction?]
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Post by Father on Apr 21, 2020 13:06:53 GMT 1
Not exactly contingent on it, no, Alicent would never have agreed on it if she did not believe that the truth would win out eventually, but it would appear that the liars are a deal more resilient than she had imagined.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Apr 22, 2020 1:42:57 GMT 1
"Indeed?" Laena tries to keep some wry amusement out of her voice. "So, if your bethrothed returns from the Riverlands triumphant, and wishes to have the ceremony, before the liars are exposed, are you so confident in the truth coming out that you will give your hand to a landless knight? Or will you feign some lasting trauma from your last arrangement, and beg for more time?" That she might choose to be honest with her bethrothed did not even occur to Laena as a possibility.
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Post by Father on Apr 23, 2020 15:22:08 GMT 1
Alicent does not believe she has the stakes to play another game if she were to abandon this one, if her betrothed does not return at all, she could probably have them back. Barring such to occur, whether it is Ser Roland or Lord Roland that she marries, marry him she must, and going all in would be the only play available.
Him taking a white cloak, should one become free for the taking might offer another route, but she suspect that Ser Roland would decline to leave Hammerhaal in the hands of such villains, or renege on his promise to wed her.
But all such hypothetical things aside, very few lords would dare anger Lord Eldon by wooing her, she took the dice and rolled them, what else is there for her than to see the game through to the end?
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Post by Laena Pyre on Apr 26, 2020 0:44:37 GMT 1
A small nod. "Indeed. Lord Eldon is a rather significant factor. After the Hastwycks met their fate, I imagine the both of you are rather alert for every creeping shadow. Of course, your betrothed is so noble that there are a dozen ways he could be isolated regardless. And it's a long road back from the Riverlands, with many inns.
"And, as for you, well, is there any defence impregnable against the application of sufficient money? Is the loyalty of every man protecting you truly unpurchasable? Loyalty purchased with coin and words may well be swayed by more coin and words, and he has plenty of both.
"And, while I could be wrong, injuries caused by women seem to cut men much deeper than those caused by other men. I wouldn't rely on Wildfyre to go up in smoke first."
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Post by Father on Apr 27, 2020 0:12:21 GMT 1
One must be cautious, certainly, but what's the point in living if one can't feel the life? Although if Laena would be inclined Alicent some small consideration, providing Lord Eldon with others to focus his attention, it would helpful.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Apr 27, 2020 22:37:11 GMT 1
Laena gives a quiet, dark chuckle. "Sadly, any knight I know with that much more honour than sense is in the Riverlands. Still, I will remember your request, should opportunity arise.
"And, of course, should your current arrangements fall short, you're willing to swallow your pride for the sake of continued breathing, and a discreet, moving target seems safer than any alternative you can muster, feel free to seek me out. I doubt such a situation would arise, of course, but in times of difficulty, it's always good to have a clear idea as to who your friends are.
"Or, at least, who hates your enemies enough that they might as well be friends." She corrects in a quiet, wry tone.
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Post by Father on Apr 29, 2020 16:17:34 GMT 1
That sort occasionally are more inclined to help doing the work that occasionally must be done to ensure one's own future, Alicent notes.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Apr 30, 2020 19:51:06 GMT 1
"I thought that's what I was already doing?" She notes wryly. "Strip away control of the house, and you strip away both the weapons and the protections of said house. Potentially useful, depending on how 'ensured' one wishes to be.
"But that's your affair. Most precious thing for precious thing is where my exchange ends." She lies, smoothly.
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Post by Father on May 4, 2020 14:45:07 GMT 1
But the cat is playing a game as if Maegelle were but a young little mouse to be spared so that it first could grow bigger to be a more savory meal. Surely the farmer would prefer the mouse done for so as to avoid a that the mouse evades it's end until there have become a great many more mice. Alicent teasingly revisits the earlier discussion.
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Post by Laena Pyre on May 5, 2020 1:02:36 GMT 1
Laena decides to relent a bit. "You could see it as a cat being overly fond of playing with a mouse, but I prefer to see it as someone not wanting to eat all the honeycake themselves. After all, there are others who would feel most put out if they didn't get a slice before it was all gone."
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Post by Father on May 5, 2020 20:22:48 GMT 1
There are other people like the dragoncat? Most would be happy with learning that their enemies had died, Alicent thinks.
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Post by Laena Pyre on May 8, 2020 15:00:54 GMT 1
"While others are likely to launch themselves straight at the 'mouse' as soon as they see them, blind to all the traps around it, and get themselves killed. With those types, it's best if all the traps are carefully disarmed by others, before they are made aware of the mouse's presence."
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Post by Father on May 10, 2020 15:34:46 GMT 1
Traps, is there?
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