[Phase 4] Is that the wine talking? [Various]

Daeron

Lady Alicent? An alliance surely, but with which house? Of this Aemon's guess is as good as any other not privy to the plans of the fox, and he does not share his thoughts much. Daeron is just one knight, a formidable one with royal blood, but still just one knight, if Lady Lyanna wasn't so pretty, perhaps that might be an idea, but she, too, will likely find herself married to a lord soon enough.

Thaddeus

Who would want to project the desperation of having one's promiscuous half-Dornish bastard cousin try to put in a good word about him? Alena is as sharp of tongue as she is beautiful, but she does have a point, being known to have slept with at least two men to try to snare them into marriage, the first time she had succeeded to make Lord Willum set aside his previous bethrothal only to die in the riots at Highgarden.

Since his cousin clearly needs advice about women, go woo them and show the confidence that all the others lack, pay attention, show interest in who they are, not just in the political value of their womb.

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Consulting members of own house is kinda a waste of stage 4 option, since can always chat on the road and such, so can use that effort on something else.

She remains Lord Florent's daughter, there will be enough who will look past her soiled state for the lure of an alliance and if Daeron underestimates Ser Patrek so, Aemon would think his cousin the favorite of winning a fight.

In any event, Lord Reynald has surely already made his considerations as to whom her hand is to be offered. But the question Daeron may have to ask himself is if what will he do if he binds himself to Brightwater Keep, and Lord Florent deems it best not to have any part in a rebellion at all, and hold all his knights away from battle.

The first thing to understand is that Blackfyre has no allies. Gormon Peake has allies, Jon Hightower had allies, some of which Melara now rallies, the Brackens has allies. To put it bluntly, he is merely the figurehead of a movement he did not start and did not ask for, though he does seem to have enough pride and vanity to do nothing to stop it even if he seems reluctant to embrace the cause that bears his name.

Lord Florent may have joined that alliance, but where Peake and Bittersteel has bound their fortunes to the mast of that ship and thus have no choice but to throw caution to the winds and sail for the eye of the storm, Lord Reynald's position both geographically and politically warrants patience once swords are drawn. Aemon thinks it unlikely that Brightwater Keep will do anything in the war that leads to punishment should the rebellion fail, nor will he risk to have his lands ravaged by neighboring loyalists. He will make sure that the war is fought outside of his domain, with as few of his own men killed or wounded as he can arrange for.

Lord Reynald's contributions will chiefly be to bring enough men and swords to die for the cause to secure victory, men and swords belonging to others than himself. The Florent swords will march with Highgarden most likely, and who knows if Lord Tyrell will find it in himself to declare against the king? He does seem to admire Blackfyre and think him far more suited for The Iron Throne than one who is more the maester fit to serve rather than the knight fit to lead. Neither perhaps, is well suited to governance.

If Lord Leo declares one way or the other, he will have to go to open war against his own banners, Aemon does not envy his position. In fact, he would not be surprised to see Highgarden take a very passive role for just that reason, even if his sympathies may lean heavily towards Blackfyre. The ravaging of the Riverlands, what transpired during his own tourney, Walgrave's ill conceived campaign in The Red Mountains and many other things besides are also likely to have diminished his appetites for war.

Robyn

Falyse simply replies with "I did" to Robyn's inquiries about her receiving his letter, to him, her lack of interest in the subject might cut as bitterly cold as the swords of the others from the tales of the long night sometimes told around the hearths at Starkwood.

Daeron

It would be a cruel honor to set Goldegrove or Starpike above Oldtown and Hightower, one need only look at Lord Tully's armies to answer the question of why neither Blackwood or Bracken has ever taken him into consideration when they have an inkling to start the war to end all the wars between them. How many Lords Paramounts have been stripped of lands and titles since The Conquest? If Blackfyre ascends the throne, he can ill afford to punish those who fought for his half-brother, let alone those who did not fight at all. Promises will be made, of lands, restoration of old titles, but in the end, only that without an owner is likely to be granted. Likewise, if Blackfyre falls, King Daeron cannot be too heavy handed, if a man bends the knee, you must help him up, or else nobody else will bend the knee to you.

However, power and influence will shift, so those who fought for the right side will be given honors at the king's court, titles whose holders perished in the war can be handed out, the claimant to a seat who fought for the winning side is more likely to be favored. Perhaps the crown will be far less forgiving of any future transgressions by those who lost.

If possible Thaddeus will strike up a conversation with Ser Abelar as able to remind the young bachelor knight of his sister, Lady Ellyn Levalle. Will update in the Vintage Event thread since the Lady Alena conversation was not needed/utilized.