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Post by Laena Pyre on Nov 22, 2021 21:31:06 GMT 1
[This scene occurs near the end of the phase, after my hunt for information for Balon.] The merchant's wife sat hunched in a corner of the inn, one of innumerable others along the Roseroad. She silently nursed a drink, her body language discouraging company, black hair poking out from under her hood. The only thing to distinguish her was a small, crude carving in front of her on the table, showing a man in armour stabbing a snake through the throat with a sword... or at least, it did if that was what you were looking for. Laena had to admit that her artistic talents were not the greatest. Still, it should be clear enough for Balon to recognise her and approach, as that's what she told him to look for. Not like there were *that* many people here. She just had to hope he showed up tonight.
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Dec 2, 2021 7:56:53 GMT 1
*** The Previous Day *** Balon was alone in his room at the inn along the Roseroad. He was about a day's ride to the meet-up and his feelings were mixed. Normally he'd be overjoyed, anxious to see the woman he loved. He'd have a gift for her of course, he'd be well groomed, and excited for a night of passion. But that was before she'd ripped his heart out. Traded love for pragmatism. Ended their relationship over a stupid peasant whore in the Riverlands. You know that's not really true. A voice in his head said. "Nobody asked you." He was still anxious, but in a different way. Would she have the information she sought? Would she have deduced the *why* to why he wanted the trio's location found? How would she treat him? How would he treat her? In his lap sat a book he had jealously guarded since the Great Tourney at Highgarden. In it were poems, writings, sonnets. Most of the terrible, all of them about Laena in one way or another. The funny thing was he was slowly becoming a better writer. Nothing that would stand the test of time but something to be proud of. But it'd been all to impress her. To show her he could be more than a sword-arm. He stood and walked over to the hearth, staring at the fire within it. He hesitated for a moment but ultimately threw the book into the fire. *** The Inn *** The merchant's wife sat hunched in a corner of the inn, one of innumerable others along the Roseroad. She silently nursed a drink, her body language discouraging company, black hair poking out from under her hood. The only thing to distinguish her was a small, crude carving in front of her on the table, showing a man in armour stabbing a snake through the throat with a sword... or at least, it did if that was what you were looking for. Laena had to admit that her artistic talents were not the greatest. Still, it should be clear enough for Balon to recognise her and approach, as that's what she told him to look for. Not like there were *that* many people here. Balon entered the inn, the chinking sound of his mail armor muffled by the brown tunic and forest green hooded cape worn over it. He went to the bar and ordered a mug of dark ale before turning and surveying the patrons. Where is she. He didn't see her on the first pass but realized he was looking for a Valyrian, not an inconspicuous nobody. He calmed himself and looked again, more careful this time and noticed the carving on the table. Clever girl. He turned back to the bar, drained the contents of his mug and got a refill before casually moving to the corner Laena occupied. When he reached the table he remained standing, "May I sit?" he asked quietly. When permission was given he sat across from her and stared at the carving. He leaned in, deciding to be nice and forgo the thoughts running through his mind, "Your little carving is impressive. First my shield, now this. You have the making of an artist in you." He took a long drink, sucking the foam from his whiskers. "I assume we're here because you found something for me?"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Dec 3, 2021 17:28:03 GMT 1
After nodding at him to sit down, Laena smiles at the flattery. "Thank you. What about you? While I won't ask for examples before you're ready, how's your poetry going?" Making sure her voice sounded encouraging.
However, when the subject turns to business, her smile leaves, and her face is entirely serious. "I'm not going to sugar-coat things, I got very little, and I'd consider none of it good. But I have a couple of questions for you which will help me give you more firm conclusions.
"Firstly, Ser Brynden and Ser Jon, have you ever seen them *personally*, or know of them through a *reputable* source?
"Secondly..." Her fingers tap on the wood table a moment as she hesitates. "I promise you, on the bond we share[d]" she swallows at the end of the last word, making the tense unclear, "this will not go beyond me. I ask only to help me form conclusions to give you as solid an answer to the question you asked me as possible. Did you .. silence roughly a dozen other knights of the hedge who joined you for the second vulture hunt? I'm not judging, but the number is important."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Dec 4, 2021 0:23:47 GMT 1
After nodding at him to sit down, Laena smiles at the flattery. "Thank you. What about you? While I won't ask for examples before you're ready, how's your poetry going?" Making sure her voice sounded encouraging. An image of the burning book flashed in Balon's mind. "Considering where my skills started?" He sighed, "Better I suppose." He appreciated the encouragement but he didn't know if he'd ever write poetry again. Better to bury his feelings deep inside than splatter them all over the page like some love-sick simpleton. "The Riverlands kept me busy so I haven't had much time to work on my craft." He picked up the carving and looked at it. "I suppose it'd be in poor taste to put this on my shield considering what it represents." He set it down carefully and slid it across the table to her. However, when the subject turns to business, her smile leaves, and her face is entirely serious. "I'm not going to sugar-coat things, I got very little, and I'd consider none of it good. But I have a couple of questions for you which will help me give you more firm conclusions.
"Firstly, Ser Brynden and Ser Jon, have you ever seen them *personally*, or know of them through a *reputable* source?
"Secondly..." Her fingers tap on the wood table a moment as she hesitates. "I promise you, on the bond we share[d]" she swallows at the end of the last word, making the tense unclear, "this will not go beyond me. I ask only to help me form conclusions to give you as solid an answer to the question you asked me as possible. Did you .. silence roughly a dozen other knights of the hedge who joined you for the second vulture hunt? I'm not judging, but the number is important." "Have I seen them? No, only names and descriptions." When she said the word reputable his mind went back to the conversation with Ser Morys of Oldmill. Why is the blazes didn't I have her try to find him too. "With the benefit of hindsight there is another person that might have information regarding the two of them, though he may just be as hard to locate as Brynden and Jon." He was supposed to meet Ser Morys at a later date so he didn't know if he should divulge his name to Laena just yet. When she mentioned the dozen knights his shock was obvious. "I've killed no one from the Vulture Hunt." He sat quietly as he processed the revelation. As the shock wore off his brow furrowed in thought, "You're telling me someone is silencing knights who partook in the Vulture Hunt?" He leaned back and ran his fingers through his goatee. A thousand scenarios playing through his mind.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Dec 4, 2021 15:16:25 GMT 1
An image of the burning book flashed in Balon's mind. "Considering where my skills started?" He sighed, "Better I suppose." He appreciated the encouragement but he didn't know if he'd ever write poetry again. Better to bury his feelings deep inside than splatter them all over the page like some love-sick simpleton. "The Riverlands kept me busy so I haven't had much time to work on my craft." He picked up the carving and looked at it. "I suppose it'd be in poor taste to put this on my shield considering what it represents." He set it down carefully and slid it across the table to her. Laena gives a small grin. "Probably not in the best of taste, no. While focusing on the fighting is perfectly understandable, I would encourage you to not drop it entirely. You're not fighting for the sake of fighting, you're fighting so that one day, you can *stop* fighting. At least, so intensely as you will be. Even if you have to harden and blacken the side of your heart facing outward to survive the coming storm, poetry can keep the light burning inside your heart, so you can find your way back to yourself when you're done. Else you may never leave the war, even when it's over." She flushes slightly, looks down, and touches the hood covering her hair in an awkward gesture. "Or at least, that's the conclusion I came to after doing some reading of past heroes.""Have I seen them? No, only names and descriptions." When she said the word reputable his mind went back to the conversation with Ser Morys of Oldmill. Why is the blazes didn't I have her try to find him too. "With the benefit of hindsight there is another person that might have information regarding the two of them, though he may just be as hard to locate as Brynden and Jon." He was supposed to meet Ser Morys at a later date so he didn't know if he should divulge his name to Laena just yet. Laena gives him a flat look. "I doubt he will be harder, because I don't believe that they exist, or ever did. It's *theoretically* possible that they're pretty newly knighted, and did nothing of significance up in the Riverlands to attract attention before coming here and being similarly unremarkable, but I don't believe it. More possible is that they're a couple of aliases used by people who do exist, but with just a verbal description, finding them would likely be impossible, even for Bloodraven, let alone me. Just as likely from my view is that the people don't exist at all, and are entirely fictitious.
"Having said all that, *why* exactly did this mysterious 'fourth man' never occur to you before? I specifically asked you to think about anything else that might be useful to know, and you never mentioned him. Do you have any idea how much time, effort, and frustration I spent trying to track down these phantoms of yours? Finding a fourth man at the same time would have been a trivial addition. Doing him separately will require almost the same amount of work as the initial search, and I'm honestly not sure if I can spend that time again." Some of the frustration her futile search caused leaking out in her voice. When she mentioned the dozen knights his shock was obvious. "I've killed no one from the Vulture Hunt." He sat quietly as he processed the revelation. As the shock wore off his brow furrowed in thought, "You're telling me someone is silencing knights who partook in the Vulture Hunt?" He leaned back and ran his fingers through his goatee. A thousand scenarios playing through his mind. Laena raises a forestalling hand. "What I can say for certain is that about a dozen hedge knights who took part in the vulture hunt have .. disappeared. Now, they're by definition an itinerant bunch, so if a handful escaped notice for a while, that's perfectly normal. But a dozen? All of whom took part in the same event? All of whom - as far as I could tell - leaned more towards the 'opportunistic' side of things, rather than 'loyal to the cause'? That's a pattern. And it's one in which our 'dear' Ser Ondrew falls firmly in. Am I certain he's dead? No. As I said, a hedge knight disappearing from view isn't so unusual, but I looked long and hard for a trace or trail of him after the red mountains, and found *nothing*.
"There is another possibility - less likely, from what you've said, but worth mentioning. There's the possibility he's being protected - forcibly or otherwise - by someone with large resources and a vested interest, like Lord Dayne, waiting to be played at the right time. Someone like that could easily keep him from my eyes.
"But as I said, of those three possibilties - dead, hiding better than I can seek, or protected - I view it as most likely he's lying in one of a dozen unmarked shallow graves, never to be found. Put there most likely by a man of great power and pragmatism, ensuring that Lord Dayne never has the opportunity I mentioned." She doesn't name his cousin directly, but the path is clearly laid. Though of course, it could just as easily be someone close to Lord Oakheart - though likely not the man himself.
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Dec 8, 2021 8:43:38 GMT 1
Laena gives a small grin. "Probably not in the best of taste, no. While focusing on the fighting is perfectly understandable, I would encourage you to not drop it entirely. You're not fighting for the sake of fighting, you're fighting so that one day, you can *stop* fighting. At least, so intensely as you will be. Even if you have to harden and blacken the side of your heart facing outward to survive the coming storm, poetry can keep the light burning inside your heart, so you can find your way back to yourself when you're done. Else you may never leave the war, even when it's over." She flushes slightly, looks down, and touches the hood covering her hair in an awkward gesture. "Or at least, that's the conclusion I came to after doing some reading of past heroes."Balon had regretted the impulsiveness of burning the book but wanted to harden himself to the outside world by destroying everything that was weak about him. He let out a sigh, "Perhaps you're right. We've talked before about when this," he waved his hand around, "is over and I *do* want things to go back to normal." Winning wasn't just optimal for Balon and his ilk, it was required to be able to live in the Seven Kingdoms when it was all said and done. Would he recognize himself when it was all over? Balon looked down at the hand that had stabbed Lord Rodrik's amore. Doubtful.As she looked down he leaned in close to whisper, "How is that working for you? You feared you're losing yourself amidst this chaos. What do you do to keep the light burning?" Maybe he'd misread her, he wasn't quite sure, but in the past she'd been horrified at the possibility of what she could become. Perhaps it was happening at an accelerated pace? Laena gives him a flat look. "I doubt he will be harder, because I don't believe that they exist, or ever did. It's *theoretically* possible that they're pretty newly knighted, and did nothing of significance up in the Riverlands to attract attention before coming here and being similarly unremarkable, but I don't believe it. More possible is that they're a couple of aliases used by people who do exist, but with just a verbal description, finding them would likely be impossible, even for Bloodraven, let alone me. Just as likely from my view is that the people don't exist at all, and are entirely fictitious.
"Having said all that, *why* exactly did this mysterious 'fourth man' never occur to you before? I specifically asked you to think about anything else that might be useful to know, and you never mentioned him. Do you have any idea how much time, effort, and frustration I spent trying to track down these phantoms of yours? Finding a fourth man at the same time would have been a trivial addition. Doing him separately will require almost the same amount of work as the initial search, and I'm honestly not sure if I can spend that time again." Some of the frustration her futile search caused leaking out in her voice. Balon silently nodded along to Laena's reasoning but wasn't convinced, it seemed too fortuitous. Maybe it was Ser Morys all along but the way he talked until he was bribed didn't make sense to Balon. If it was just Ser Morys he'd need to find him, capture him, and put Lord Gormon's torturers to work. When Laena questioned him about Morys he was quiet for a long moment, "I didn't think him important enough. At most an errand boy paid to deliver a message. But if the knights I had you search for don't exist perhaps he plays a more important role. As for searching for him..." Balon trailed off, wrestling with how much to trust Laena, "I can significantly shrink your search area in due time. For he plans to meet me again in the near future."
With her frustration came an apology, "I'm sorry I didn't bring him up earlier, I truly believed him to be an insignificant piece of the puzzle."Laena raises a forestalling hand. "What I can say for certain is that about a dozen hedge knights who took part in the vulture hunt have .. disappeared. Now, they're by definition an itinerant bunch, so if a handful escaped notice for a while, that's perfectly normal. But a dozen? All of whom took part in the same event? All of whom - as far as I could tell - leaned more towards the 'opportunistic' side of things, rather than 'loyal to the cause'? That's a pattern. And it's one in which our 'dear' Ser Ondrew falls firmly in. Am I certain he's dead? No. As I said, a hedge knight disappearing from view isn't so unusual, but I looked long and hard for a trace or trail of him after the red mountains, and found *nothing*.
"There is another possibility - less likely, from what you've said, but worth mentioning. There's the possibility he's being protected - forcibly or otherwise - by someone with large resources and a vested interest, like Lord Dayne, waiting to be played at the right time. Someone like that could easily keep him from my eyes.
"But as I said, of those three possibilties - dead, hiding better than I can seek, or protected - I view it as most likely he's lying in one of a dozen unmarked shallow graves, never to be found. Put there most likely by a man of great power and pragmatism, ensuring that Lord Dayne never has the opportunity I mentioned." She doesn't name his cousin directly, but the path is clearly laid. Though of course, it could just as easily be someone close to Lord Oakheart - though likely not the man himself. "Dead, hiding in the deepest hole, or protected beyond your ability to root out." Balon leaned back, draining the remaining contents of his mug. He looked at the ceiling then around the room thinking of his next move. Lord Gormon was the obvious choice. If Gormy did have Ser Ondrew killed that'd be perfect. If it'd been before his conversation with Morys then the old hedge knight was a dead man. If after, well, Balon would decide what to do with Ser Morys at a later date. Balon was still worried but did his best not to show it, "Well if some cuckold like Lord Dayne has him hidden away I suppose it's good I have friends in high places." His tapping fingers betrayed his confidence. "Can you keep your nets open for any new information or was this too time consuming for you?" Balon wondered what her limits were and if he'd found it.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Dec 8, 2021 20:06:10 GMT 1
As she looked down he leaned in close to whisper, "How is that working for you? You feared you're losing yourself amidst this chaos. What do you do to keep the light burning?" Maybe he'd misread her, he wasn't quite sure, but in the past she'd been horrified at the possibility of what she could become. Perhaps it was happening at an accelerated pace? She gives him a small smile. "People. I learn about people." She responds softly. "Not just things like how to best manipulate them, but how they *are*, as people. When you open your eyes to it, you can see beauty in many people - of a kind, at least. And where you see beauty, you see value." She quirks a half-smile. "Believe it or not, a while ago, I even saw value in one of the smallfolk!" Thinking of the female crime-lord she'd met with Malyk so long ago. "And if you can find value there, you can find value anywhere. For now, that's working for me."When Laena questioned him about Morys he was quiet for a long moment, "I didn't think him important enough. At most an errand boy paid to deliver a message. But if the knights I had you search for don't exist perhaps he plays a more important role. As for searching for him..." Balon trailed off, wrestling with how much to trust Laena, "I can significantly shrink your search area in due time. For he plans to meet me again in the near future."
With her frustration came an apology, "I'm sorry I didn't bring him up earlier, I truly believed him to be an insignificant piece of the puzzle."Laena gives a small sigh. "Take it as a lesson, then. Even small details can be important, and things which seem important can be utterly irrelevant. The hallmark of the con-man: keeping your attention on the shiny but irrelevant thing, distracting you from what they don't want you to see or think about.
"Honestly, it sounds like you don't even need me. If he's intending to meet with you again, you just need to make your capture plan better than he makes his escape plan. Which is not really my area of expertise. Borrow a .. 'questioner' to have on-hand so he can reveal any contingencies your target has so you can hopefully destroy them before they are activated." She shrugs. "Without knowing the person or the circumstances I can't really suggest anything more detailed, but that should hopefully be good enough for a basic framework.""Dead, hiding in the deepest hole, or protected beyond your ability to root out." Balon leaned back, draining the remaining contents of his mug. He looked at the ceiling then around the room thinking of his next move. Lord Gormon was the obvious choice. If Gormy did have Ser Ondrew killed that'd be perfect. If it'd been before his conversation with Morys then the old hedge knight was a dead man. If after, well, Balon would decide what to do with Ser Morys at a later date. Balon was still worried but did his best not to show it, "Well if some cuckold like Lord Dayne has him hidden away I suppose it's good I have friends in high places." His tapping fingers betrayed his confidence. "Can you keep your nets open for any new information or was this too time consuming for you?" Balon wondered what her limits were and if he'd found it. Laena shrugs again. "I can keep my base network open for any word on them, certainly. But I warn you, that's significantly less thorough than what I was doing - sifting through information, confirming possible sightings, transferring money to keep things flowing, everything. If I had a proper, Reach-wide network like Bloodraven I'd have people I trust I can delegate all that stuff to. But I don't, so I had to do it all manually. All of it." The frustration leaks out again, but she coughs, and resumes in her usual calm tone. "So, as I was saying, I can keep my network listening, and pass on anything they hear, but that will just be 'listening', not 'seeking'."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Dec 20, 2021 7:52:56 GMT 1
She gives him a small smile. "People. I learn about people." She responds softly. "Not just things like how to best manipulate them, but how they *are*, as people. When you open your eyes to it, you can see beauty in many people - of a kind, at least. And where you see beauty, you see value." She quirks a half-smile. "Believe it or not, a while ago, I even saw value in one of the smallfolk!" Thinking of the female crime-lord she'd met with Malyk so long ago. "And if you can find value there, you can find value anywhere. For now, that's working for me."The corners of Balon's mouth turned upwards, a hint of a smile on his face. He quietly teased, "Lady Laena the people person." He chuckled at the notion finding it somewhat odd considering the things she'd shared in the past. Nothing on the scale of his dark deeds but enough to show people weren't quite as black and white as the great tales would have you believe but more a shade of gray. He raised an eyebrow at the mention of the smallfolk. "Smallfolk? They have value I suppose... but what kind of value would one have to spark the interests of you?" He was genuinely curious at this mystery person. OOC I'm familiar with the thread you're referring to so you don't have to be too specific IC if you don't want to. Laena gives a small sigh. "Take it as a lesson, then. Even small details can be important, and things which seem important can be utterly irrelevant. The hallmark of the con-man: keeping your attention on the shiny but irrelevant thing, distracting you from what they don't want you to see or think about.
"Honestly, it sounds like you don't even need me. If he's intending to meet with you again, you just need to make your capture plan better than he makes his escape plan. Which is not really my area of expertise. Borrow a .. 'questioner' to have on-hand so he can reveal any contingencies your target has so you can hopefully destroy them before they are activated." She shrugs. "Without knowing the person or the circumstances I can't really suggest anything more detailed, but that should hopefully be good enough for a basic framework." "Sage advice. I might just do that." Balon would have to turn to Gormon for help with that. Most likely the old hedge knight would "meet him" in the open making it almost impossible to easily track or detain him. Balon made a few mental notes on what he needed to do and tucked them away to be brought up at another time. Laena shrugs again. "I can keep my base network open for any word on them, certainly. But I warn you, that's significantly less thorough than what I was doing - sifting through information, confirming possible sightings, transferring money to keep things flowing, everything. If I had a proper, Reach-wide network like Bloodraven I'd have people I trust I can delegate all that stuff to. But I don't, so I had to do it all manually. All of it." The frustration leaks out again, but she coughs, and resumes in her usual calm tone. "So, as I was saying, I can keep my network listening, and pass on anything they hear, but that will just be 'listening', not 'seeking'." "Listening is good enough for now." He paused. "I know the Reach is a big place and can't begin to fathom what it took to gather the information you did. So to that, I thank you." As he finished the contents of his mug a question popped into his mind, "And what would it take for you to form a Reach-wide network with people you trusted enough to delegate certain tasks too?" An expansive question but he'd come all this way and though her search turned up little his desire to talk with her overrode his sense to end the conversation and make his way to Starpike.
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Post by Laena Pyre on Dec 28, 2021 21:38:51 GMT 1
The corners of Balon's mouth turned upwards, a hint of a smile on his face. He quietly teased, "Lady Laena the people person." He chuckled at the notion finding it somewhat odd considering the things she'd shared in the past. Nothing on the scale of his dark deeds but enough to show people weren't quite as black and white as the great tales would have you believe but more a shade of gray. He raised an eyebrow at the mention of the smallfolk. "Smallfolk? They have value I suppose... but what kind of value would one have to spark the interests of you?" He was genuinely curious at this mystery person. Laena gives a small smile in response, recognising the deliberate provocativeness of her statement. She leans forward slightly, and whispers. "A criminal! Actually the head of a small criminal organisation!" She leans back into position. "In a place where her peers lacked any morals that might protect her, and no laws would shield her, she'd managed to -presumably- bribe, blackmail, murder and generally scheme her way to the top using nothing but her own raw ambition and talent." She raises an eyebrow. "I trust how you can see how - by the scale the smallfolk work at - I could see something ..." she waves her hand vaguely for a few moments searching for the right word "..of value there. You think you have the measure of the smallfolk, but every now and then, they can throw a surprise at you.""Listening is good enough for now." He paused. "I know the Reach is a big place and can't begin to fathom what it took to gather the information you did. So to that, I thank you." As he finished the contents of his mug a question popped into his mind, "And what would it take for you to form a Reach-wide network with people you trusted enough to delegate certain tasks too?" An expansive question but he'd come all this way and though her search turned up little his desire to talk with her overrode his sense to end the conversation and make his way to Starpike. Laena puffed air up her face, and sat back for a few moments, considering her answer. "The kind of people I use are typically travelling merchants and minstrels, combined with the gossip network of a whole load of ladies in waiting." She casually stretches out an open hand as if trying to grab something delicate. "To create a proper network, I'd need .. hmm .. probably at least a half-dozen reputable, cunning, and charming knights with loyalties to me. Ideally with their public loyalties split evenly across the two sides. Able to identify, then get access to the people who keep their ears to the ground in each court, and coax information from them. Even more ideally, a few of my sisters as well - seductive enough to get men to boast of what they know in the hopes to 'know' them better, but chaste enough that the men don't feel like they're walking well-trodden ground." A small, indulgent smile. "I hardly feel like I'm revealing a deep dark family secret when I say that getting three of us to co-operate -or even agree- on anything is largely an exercise in frustration." A brief amused smile. "Though it's probably still the more possible part of the formula. Inheriting a moderately profitable goldmine to keep everything running smoothly might as well be thrown in as well." She gives a small snort of amusement. "'A lot, none of it even remotely possible with my current means' is probably the short answer."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 2, 2022 9:44:40 GMT 1
Laena gives a small smile in response, recognizing the deliberate provocativeness of her statement. She leans forward slightly, and whispers. "A criminal! Actually the head of a small criminal organization!" She leans back into position. "In a place where her peers lacked any morals that might protect her, and no laws would shield her, she'd managed to -presumably- bribe, blackmail, murder and generally scheme her way to the top using nothing but her own raw ambition and talent." She raises an eyebrow. "I trust how you can see how - by the scale the smallfolk work at - I could see something ..." she waves her hand vaguely for a few moments searching for the right word "..of value there. You think you have the measure of the smallfolk, but every now and then, they can throw a surprise at you." "A criminal!? Where?" Balon blurted out louder than he'd anticipated. As the shock wore off he leaned in and listened as Laena whispered. At first Balon wouldn't believe it. A smallfolk woman rising to power in that manner? How was that even possible? But as he listened he begrudgingly began to respect this woman. His mind brought up the memory of him talking to his mother in the courtyards at Highgarden at the beginning of the Black Tourney. Power and a willingness to do whatever it takes. That was his mother's belief. It seemed to be this mystery woman's as well. When Laena was done he pursed his lips as he debated asking her the question that immediately formed in his head. "I can see the value but tell me true, were you envious of her power? More importantly did you want what she'd built for yourself?" Balon knew of some of Laena's hopes and dreams. It seemed this woman had what Laena wanted. "Or after the initial glamour wore off did you think it was only a matter time and other's ambitions before her little enterprise was toppled."Laena puffed air up her face, and sat back for a few moments, considering her answer. "The kind of people I use are typically travelling merchants and minstrels, combined with the gossip network of a whole load of ladies in waiting." She casually stretches out an open hand as if trying to grab something delicate. "To create a proper network, I'd need .. hmm .. probably at least a half-dozen reputable, cunning, and charming knights with loyalties to me. Ideally with their public loyalties split evenly across the two sides. Able to identify, then get access to the people who keep their ears to the ground in each court, and coax information from them. Even more ideally, a few of my sisters as well - seductive enough to get men to boast of what they know in the hopes to 'know' them better, but chaste enough that the men don't feel like they're walking well-trodden ground." A small, indulgent smile. "I hardly feel like I'm revealing a deep dark family secret when I say that getting three of us to co-operate -or even agree- on anything is largely an exercise in frustration." A brief amused smile. "Though it's probably still the more possible part of the formula. Inheriting a moderately profitable goldmine to keep everything running smoothly might as well be thrown in as well." She gives a small snort of amusement. "'A lot, none of it even remotely possible with my current means' is probably the short answer."Balon nodded as she rattled off the list of what she needed to have a successful spy network. For the briefest of moments he considered funding her operation but discarded the idea. As much as he love(d) her, liked her, enjoyed her company, he didn't know how much to trust her. Bastards were unpredictable enough let alone those with Targaryen blood running through their veins. A smile slowly crept on his face as he counted off the things she wanted. "Knights loyal to you. Several of your half-sisters. And near inexhaustible funds." Balon shook his head. "You could probably get two of the three if we're being honest." He didn't elaborate on which one she couldn't get. "But what do you plan to do with this abundance of information? Blackmail? Sell it to the highest bidder? Trade it for future security for you and your children? Playing both sides only works when they don't know what you're doing." A sad look overtook his face. He'd made the right judgement about her abilities and ambition. If only she shared my politics.
"Are you ready for lords and knights to come after you if you're ever exposed? You have your brother to defend your honor on the fields but have you put into place protection for... *other* methods?"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jan 2, 2022 16:56:47 GMT 1
When Laena was done he pursed his lips as he debated asking her the question that immediately formed in his head. "I can see the value but tell me true, were you envious of her power? More importantly did you want what she'd built for yourself?" Balon knew of some of Laena's hopes and dreams. It seemed this woman had what Laena wanted. "Or after the initial glamour wore off did you think it was only a matter time and other's ambitions before her little enterprise was toppled."Laena tilts her head slightly and purses her mouth before answering. "That's not a simple question to answer. Do I want exactly what she has? No. She's queen shit of the dungheap. However impressive her achievement, she is one of the smallfolk, and was dealing with other smallfolk. However, she had *skills* - especially a great charisma unbefitting of her rank, which likely cowed others into submission. While I didn't ask, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she were baseborn. By presenting herself as always being five moves ahead, a man would fear simply drawing a knife and stabbing her, even if, in reality, it would actually work. I do wish I had her skills at a noble tier, even if I wouldn't use them in quite the same way. Of course her little venture has a limited lifespan - all institutions do. If she's smart, she'll take her money and bail when the going's good." She gives a quick smile. "Assets, no matter how valuable they were yesterday, should be judged by what they can do for you today, and their future potential. I like to believe that she understands this, and will have a long and happy 'retirement' in some quiet ocean village or something." Balon nodded as she rattled off the list of what she needed to have a successful spy network. For the briefest of moments he considered funding her operation but discarded the idea. As much as he love(d) her, liked her, enjoyed her company, he didn't know how much to trust her. Bastards were unpredictable enough let alone those with Targaryen blood running through their veins. A smile slowly crept on his face as he counted off the things she wanted. "Knights loyal to you. Several of your half-sisters. And near inexhaustible funds." Balon shook his head. "You could probably get two of the three if we're being honest." He didn't elaborate on which one she couldn't get. "But what do you plan to do with this abundance of information? Blackmail? Sell it to the highest bidder? Trade it for future security for you and your children? Playing both sides only works when they don't know what you're doing." A sad look overtook his face. He'd made the right judgement about her abilities and ambition. If only she shared my politics.
"Are you ready for lords and knights to come after you if you're ever exposed? You have your brother to defend your honor on the fields but have you put into place protection for... *other* methods?"She gives an indulgent smile when he says she could get two of the things, but doesn't argue. This time, when answering, she closes her hand, palm up, into a firm fist. "If I had a proper network, then I wouldn't have to worry about choosing my targets carefully, deliberately limiting myself in order to keep myself safe. I'd find a powerful lord whose cunning I respected and sell my services to them. They would trust me due to my children being within their reach. My children would get a good education and connections. And I would get his protection. Most smart lords agree that more information is always better." She shrugs and continues more casually. "Or I'd find a more honourable lord who still thinks well of me and sell my services to him, whispering in his ear in order to become the power behind the scenes there. Either works." A small smile. "Ultimately, knowledge and power are the two arms of effective lordship - knowledge is knowing what to do, and power is being able to do it. Lacking either one, a house is doomed to decline at best. One who is in a position to provide knowledge to one who has power is one who holds a great deal of leverage." She casually shrugs. "Right now, I'm as protected as I can manage. But in a world where a man like Lord Hightower can be assassinated, I'm under no illusions as to my invulnerability should I be seen as a target."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 4, 2022 8:00:17 GMT 1
Laena tilts her head slightly and purses her mouth before answering. "That's not a simple question to answer. Do I want exactly what she has? No. She's queen shit of the dungheap. However impressive her achievement, she is one of the smallfolk, and was dealing with other smallfolk. However, she had *skills* - especially a great charisma unbefitting of her rank, which likely cowed others into submission. While I didn't ask, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she were baseborn. By presenting herself as always being five moves ahead, a man would fear simply drawing a knife and stabbing her, even if, in reality, it would actually work. I do wish I had her skills at a noble tier, even if I wouldn't use them in quite the same way. Of course her little venture has a limited lifespan - all institutions do. If she's smart, she'll take her money and bail when the going's good." She gives a quick smile. "Assets, no matter how valuable they were yesterday, should be judged by what they can do for you today, and their future potential. I like to believe that she understands this, and will have a long and happy 'retirement' in some quiet ocean village or something."Balon laughed at the 'queen shit' comment. "Believe me, you're already quite charismatic. Look at what you've convinced me to do, or should I say not do, and I make donkeys look compliant by comparison." Balon thought for a moment, "When is enough, enough? And I don't mean for her, but you. If I haven't heard it once, I've heard it a dozen times; La..." Balon stopped mid sentence before saying her name, "You act. Can you *bail* when the going is good or will the temptation keep you in the game until it's too late. What is the lifespan of your role as information broker? Until the war has come and gone?" By his tone his worry for her well-being had seeped into his questions. "If I'm being honest I think this criminal's life will end like most do, at the tip of the blade. And while it sounds like there are similarities between the two of you I would prefer your story ends decades from now."She gives an indulgent smile when he says she could get two of the things, but doesn't argue. This time, when answering, she closes her hand, palm up, into a firm fist. "If I had a proper network, then I wouldn't have to worry about choosing my targets carefully, deliberately limiting myself in order to keep myself safe. I'd find a powerful lord whose cunning I respected and sell my services to them. They would trust me due to my children being within their reach. My children would get a good education and connections. And I would get his protection. Most smart lords agree that more information is always better." She shrugs and continues more casually. "Or I'd find a more honorable lord who still thinks well of me and sell my services to him, whispering in his ear in order to become the power behind the scenes there. Either works." A small smile. "Ultimately, knowledge and power are the two arms of effective lordship - knowledge is knowing what to do, and power is being able to do it. Lacking either one, a house is doomed to decline at best. One who is in a position to provide knowledge to one who has power is one who holds a great deal of leverage." She casually shrugs. "Right now, I'm as protected as I can manage. But in a world where a man like Lord Hightower can be assassinated, I'm under no illusions as to my invulnerability should I be seen as a target."A list of lords ran through Balon's mind as she laid out who could utilize Laena's services. "If you're looking for powerful and cunning I can think of none other than Lord Eldon. He could definitely use your services. Of course that requires a level a amoralism I don't think even I possess." That excluded unwanted advances to her and in time her daughter. He added off-handedly, "By the way I wasn't serious about that." Mostly. "If an honorable lord is what you seek the Starlings come to mind. It seems they've been the target of repeated attacks. Then again you'd have to be *very* discreet selling your information to them. Their would-be-assassin has more power than they can deal with." Balon let out a sigh, "Regardless I hope you find a way to establish this network, profit from it, and retire before the rats abandon ship. Plus, it's nice to have a friend like you in well-informed places."
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jan 4, 2022 15:06:44 GMT 1
"Believe me, you're already quite charismatic. Look at what you've convinced me to do, or should I say not do, and I make donkeys look compliant by comparison." Balon thought for a moment, "When is enough, enough? And I don't mean for her, but you. If I haven't heard it once, I've heard it a dozen times; La..." Balon stopped mid sentence before saying her name, "You act. Can you *bail* when the going is good or will the temptation keep you in the game until it's too late. What is the lifespan of your role as information broker? Until the war has come and gone?" By his tone his worry for her well-being had seeped into his questions. "If I'm being honest I think this criminal's life will end like most do, at the tip of the blade. And while it sounds like there are similarities between the two of you I would prefer your story ends decades from now." Laena gives him a soft smile, and holds up a small finger. "Now, that is an interesting question. But not one I can honestly answer. It's like 'would you die for your children?'. I know what I want the answer to be, and I could say it easily enough, but the only way to know the answer for sure would be to be in that moment. It's like ... the knight who loudly claims that he would die for a cause is the one to watch, as he'll likely be the first one to break when dying time comes. He may even believe it when he says it, but until you've lived that moment, you can't know, not really, if it's actually true." She smiles again. "So, sorry to say, I can't put your mind at ease. 'I hope so' is probably the most honest answer you can get. But you yourself know .. very well that I am willing to abandon even things I am .. let's say 'rather attached to' at a moment's notice when danger seems to be coming, so take that as some comfort, at least."A list of lords ran through Balon's mind as she laid out who could utilize Laena's services. "If you're looking for powerful and cunning I can think of none other than Lord Eldon. He could definitely use your services. Of course that requires a level a amoralism I don't think even I possess." That excluded unwanted advances to her and in time her daughter. He added off-handedly, "By the way I wasn't serious about that." Mostly. "If an honorable lord is what you seek the Starlings come to mind. It seems they've been the target of repeated attacks. Then again you'd have to be *very* discreet selling your information to them. Their would-be-assassin has more power than they can deal with." Balon let out a sigh, "Regardless I hope you find a way to establish this network, profit from it, and retire before the rats abandon ship. Plus, it's nice to have a friend like you in well-informed places." She gives an amused smile at his joke, after being a bit concerned that he was serious. "No, I don't think the Starlings would work. At least, the current Lord Starling seems rather set in his ways, and I have no intention of doing anything to attract Lord Eldon's notice, or even worse, his animosity. And, however careful I tried to be, I doubt it would be careful enough. Sad as it is, I'll watch them reap the fruits they are growing from a safe distance."Laena shrugs casually. "A lady has to know her limitations. If Lord Starling had known his, he wouldn't be staring the probable destruction of his house in its face. At least be assured that I have no intention of repeating his mistake."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 7, 2022 9:04:54 GMT 1
.... But you yourself know .. very well that I am willing to abandon even things I am .. let's say 'rather attached to' at a moment's notice when danger seems to be coming, so take that as some comfort, at least." As much as he wanted to disagree with her he couldn't. Who knew what one was capable of doing until the moment came. House Blackbriar's motto was 'Deeds, Not Words' after all. He was about to mention that fact when she ripped his heart out all over again. His jaw tightened and his face became blank. "Indeed." was the best he could utter. She gives an amused smile at his joke, after being a bit concerned that he was serious. "No, I don't think the Starlings would work. At least, the current Lord Starling seems rather set in his ways, and I have no intention of doing anything to attract Lord Eldon's notice, or even worse, his animosity. And, however careful I tried to be, I doubt it would be careful enough. Sad as it is, I'll watch them reap the fruits they are growing from a safe distance."Laena shrugs casually. "A lady has to know her limitations. If Lord Starling had known his, he wouldn't be staring the probable destruction of his house in its face. At least be assured that I have no intention of repeating his mistake." "In that we are in agreement. I have a few friends within the ranks of the Companions and I believe them to be on the path of self-destruction with this constant agitation of Lord Eldon. To think their family line faces extinction all because of a nobody Lady Lysette is fond of." A moment of realization hits Balon, "You know the house that you asked me not to involve myself in. The one with the line of succession issue that you've taken an interest in. What happens if the pig starts to root his nose in that affair to spoil any alliance with Kingsbridge?"
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Post by Laena Pyre on Jan 7, 2022 23:24:11 GMT 1
As much as he wanted to disagree with her he couldn't. Who knew what one was capable of doing until the moment came. House Blackbriar's motto was 'Deeds, Not Words' after all. He was about to mention that fact when she ripped his heart out all over again. His jaw tightened and his face became blank. "Indeed." was the best he could utter. Laena wore a guilty look briefly on her face briefly. "Sorry." She says softly. "I...No." She looks down. "Just... sorry.""In that we are in agreement. I have a few friends within the ranks of the Companions and I believe them to be on the path of self-destruction with this constant agitation of Lord Eldon. To think their family line faces extinction all because of a nobody Lady Lysette is fond of." A moment of realization hits Balon, "You know the house that you asked me not to involve myself in. The one with the line of succession issue that you've taken an interest in. What happens if the pig starts to root his nose in that affair to spoil any alliance with Kingsbridge?" Laena shrugs with nonchalance. "Then I adapt. I'll send a dozen Lyseni whores wearing nothing but gift-wrap if that's what it takes to keep him out of the matter." Her tone leaves it ambiguous as to exactly how literally her statement should be taken.
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