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Post by Father on Jul 3, 2018 12:13:22 GMT 1
 Abelar can easily see the resemblance between Lord Armond Caswell and his sister, Lady Erena, they share the same sharp chin, the same long thin nose and high cheekbones, he is the older sibling, and his hair might have the same color as hers but now it has prematurely turned mostly gray for a man of thirty years or close enough as makes no matter. Like his sister, he is tall and slender, a body showing no sign of having been pampered by gluttony, more to the contrary perhaps. He does not share the warmth and joy that Lady Erena tends to bring wherever she goes with her smile, his face stern and intense, one that would be hard to imagine smiling, not unlike how Abelar himself might imagine his own visage. He wears a black doublet with golden scrollwork depicting the centaur of his house and a red cape, hardly ostentatious, but a sign of wealth nonetheless, though how well advised that is given the debts to the Iron Bank his house are said to still owe is unclear. But word is that House Caswell have never missed a downpayment during his reign. His choice of black attire over the customary Caswell white might signal that he remains in mourning for his late wife or that he simply chose to the outfit because it suits him, which it does very well. "Good Septon Abelar, I was hoping I might have a word" His demeanor is a no-nonsense straight to the point, House Caswell is an old and proud house, styled as "The Defender of the Fords", it's power considerable despite having been brought to the edge of ruin during the Dance of the Dragons. While castles and cities may take decades to rebuild, fields can be re-tilled much more quickly. "My sister speaks of problems within her house, and indicated that you might be holding the key to solving them." |
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Post by Septon Abelar on Jul 3, 2018 21:30:59 GMT 1
The septon greets Lord Caswell warmly, or as close to warmly as his sober mien allows. "Lord Armond. Well met." Abelar has a liking for Lady Erena's brother, who is similar to his sister, only more severe. While Erena is well-liked and an able lady, Abelar sometimes finds that her grace is a veil for her own agenda. But her brother carries with him an honorable directness; a stern flavor of lord. As a it should be.
When he hears tell of 'problems,' the septon's mouth tightens. "Your lady sister has many virtues, but she is sometimes coy when asking for aid from the faith. What does she speak of?"
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Post by Father on Jul 3, 2018 22:48:11 GMT 1
"Cautious, more than anything, I should think." Armond notes without making an item out of Abelar's description. "She is very concerned with her Lord Husband's command over his own house, and she did mention that you are not making things easier for him. Though she also notes that you only have the best of intentions in this matter. She has no such notion in regards to those of Lady Shiera."
"Dealing with such things is not quite what she was raised to do, and she is a gentle soul, it is not her way to risk conflict and confrontation. I prefer to cut to the heart of the matter, find an accord with those who only wishes the best for Lord Jon and those under his protection, oppose those who do not."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Jul 5, 2018 3:09:32 GMT 1
Abelar's jaw tightens when Lord Armond relays that Erena believes that the septon's counsel has interfered with Lord Jon's rule. "Lordship is a heavy burden, to be sure. But Lord Blackbriar's grip on his house will not waver. My efforts have ever been to strengthen him, assist him, and light his way. There are others whose motives are . . . more complicated. Lady Shiera carries with her a degree of hubris, to think she should be a more forceful presence in the house, as well as no small degree of envy for your sister being the lady of the house."
His face twitches a bit in frustration as he continues. "It's only that . . . that Lady Erena has not availed herself of every opportunity for us to work together. She even brought her own septa in for her son's education." He is unable to hide his sneer. "A duty that should be mine." Dismissing the thought, he continues. "If she were only willing to include me in such things, we could do great things together. But even though I know Shiera is circling Erena like some sort of dark shadow, your sister has not told me what Shiera desires. Of course, Shiera would not tell me herself. I assume it relates somehow to the division that King Aegon sowed when he legitimized his unholy seed."
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Post by Father on Jul 5, 2018 13:52:26 GMT 1
"Septa Eglantine was once my tutor, just as she performed the same role for my sister, as well as for all the pages and squires and ladies in waiting at Bitterbridge for almost thirty years before she agreed to accompany Lady Erena to join her new husband's household. I think you shall find no faults in her competence as an instructor." Eglantine is not as learned as Abelar, few members of the cloth are, though he has encountered many who were much, much worse. "I would hardly blame my sister for choosing a tutor for her son that she knows to be one of the best, and who am I to judge when our king appoints men of learning to high office overlooking knights of martial prowess that long have seen it as their right to have their own being granted such honors?" That seems to be a matter he has very little interest in involving himself in.
"I can only guess to the motivations of Lady Shiera, but I have a feeling that there is merit in your suspicions, the realm looks to balance on the brink of being torn asunder as badly as during The Dance, and during those times, instances of brother against brother. I very much do not wish for my sister to find herself in a house divided."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Jul 6, 2018 0:00:32 GMT 1
Septon Abelar's face remains severely poised in the face of the lord's rebuke. "Septa Eglantine's service at Bitterbridge is admirable, my lord. So admirable that I wonder why it was cut short. The septa is an adequate instructor, but House Blackbriar prides itself on its utter devotion to the faith. Our religious instruction is headier stuff than can be found anywhere else. While Eglantine may be capable enough for any other house, your nephew is a Blackbriar, not a Caswell. The Blackbriars have their own ways."
Turning to the subject of politics, Abelar listens carefully to Lord Armond. "What have you heard? I must admit, I did not think us so close to the precipice! Daeron's claim is ten years secure, they must understand that. To be sure, his rule is not without its mistakes--the Dornish . . . that sorcerer . . . and denying Fireball the white cloak, that was ill-done. But to rebel over this? Madness."
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Post by Father on Jul 6, 2018 2:54:17 GMT 1
"We would be delighted to see Septa Eglantine remain at Bitterbridge, though when my sister wanted to have her come along to her new home, a close friend and confidante in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces, the least I could was to give my leave. Nor is it my place to judge the choices made by Lady Blackbriar in this matter, it is after hall, her responsibility to see to it that any noble child and youngster at Gyllenhaal receives the proper education in all things that does not fall under the purview of the knights." In the world that Lord Armond lived in, and near every other Lord of the Reach, that was the way of it. Near all young nobles would receive instructions in the tenets of the faith, lesser lords and landed knights typically had to make do with the local septon, more prosperous ones often had a member of the faith, a septa much more often than not, only concerned with assisting the lady in the upbringing of the young.
"I hear only what everyone else hears, though being a lord, I have the benefit of men who collects what others hear and relay it to me. A storm is coming septon, one side is steadily loosing it's influence and see themselves in a position where their choice is either to accept defeat or to attempt one last desperate roll of the dice while they still see a chance to snatch victory." Armond seems rather cynical in his assessment. "War is delightful to those who have no knowledge of it, and King Aegon's campaign left only the sweetness of a single triumph in the mouths of the Reacher knights that speak so highly of it that one might think they had conquered all of Dorne. And with all these knights who can think of no better end than to fall in glorious battle? I do not believe that they prefer peaceful certainty of defeat to a vicious gamble."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Jul 6, 2018 22:50:12 GMT 1
Abelar lets the bit about Eglantine go without response. In truth, he did not want the full responsibility of raising the boy, but he did desire to have a lecture or three a week. Just enough to take stock of the youngling's developing character and personally instill the requisite solemnity for the faith.
"Gambling is a sin, my lord, and so is treason. I will keep Shiera under a close watch. But I wish to return to something you said earlier--that your sister thinks I have frustrated Lord Blackbriar's command over the house. Now I must cut to the heart of the matter. What frustrations does she lay at my feet?"
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Post by Father on Jul 7, 2018 12:53:09 GMT 1
"The favorite pastime of knights at these tourneys aside from jousting is to bet on the jousting." Armond comments dryly, perhaps signalling a "good luck" with his eyes as if suspecting that the septon might go to war against such activities. "Most septons are content to hold their weekly sermons, perform such rites as the faithful require, marriage, funerals, anointing and otherwise provide counsel to those ho seek it." Most septons are also meekly avoiding confrontation with their lords and preaches forgiveness rather than repentance. "As has been custom ever since King Jaehaerys made peace with the faith militant" A peace that was brought about after Maegor the Cruel had killed near every man, woman or child thought to speak ill of him, most of the senior members of the faith included. "As I understand it, and here I do exaggerate, whenever Lord Jon makes any sort of decision, Lady Shiera mocks it and those in her camp do their best to defy and subvert it, while most of the rest ask themselves if following it would bring down the fires of the seven hells down upon them, they very much fear you, perhaps more so than the seven themselves."
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Post by Septon Abelar on Jul 8, 2018 2:35:34 GMT 1
"The faith militant aside, King Jaehaerys chose a septon to be his Hand. I would hardly lay the full blame for the unsatisfactory state of the faith at Jaehaery's feet. There is great honor in performing marriages and the like, but a timid clergy makes for wanton, godless lords and knights." He leans in a bit. "Better to put the fear of the Seven in them by empowering us. So it is at trials, where septons often preside. It could be that much more if men of the cloth filled the ranks of justiciars, captains of the guard, and other high offices."
Turning back to the issue of Blackbriar, the septon rubs his chin. "Lady Shiera does her share of mocking, but she receives far more than she gives. The woman is an aging shrew and everyone knows it. Her time has passed. As for my part, I do not seek to undermine Lord Jon's commands. I advise him, and where appropriate, enforce his edicts. If others fear trespassing into sin on account of me, that is an achievement, not an embarrassment. If your sister has a grievance with my approach to a particular issue, she should approach me about it, rather than wall herself off. I do worry that her child's instruction may be omitting some of the finer ecclesiastical points."
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Post by Father on Jul 8, 2018 10:30:24 GMT 1
"The finer ecclesiastical points? The boy is not yet five, when I was thought my letters, I was first given hymns like 'Seven Swords for Seven Sons', The Seven Pointed Star is too difficult for one just starting out, and I would expect that Ser Donnel gave him a wooden sword with a weight and length appropriate to his arm to practice with, not three feet of steel."
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