Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 23, 2018 17:40:59 GMT 1
"Hopefully Abelar will not be a Septon after this at the very least." He smiled sourly. "He'll be able to marry and may the Seven have mercy on any woman foolish enough."
"I am not blind to the selfishness of individuals, but this level of willful ignorance is unfathomable. How can the church make any claim to moral piety and ignore the evil Abelar has done? How can the nobles hang commoners by the score and show mercy to the one who instigated the very act? Communities protect their own, so the church might be understood, if not forgiven for their silence, but there is no rational reason for the nobles to spare Abelar. He is not one of them and his actions led to the death of several of them. It is precisely because I know of their selfishness that their actions mystify me. It would be more in their interest to make an example of Abelar to ensure such a revolt to their authority never happens again." |
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Post by Father on Dec 23, 2018 20:18:01 GMT 1
"Does it work like that? It's not like a knighting can be undone, so why would he suddenly be released from his vows of taking no wives and father no children?" Alena wonders. "I would have thought they'd pack them off to a septry or something?
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Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 24, 2018 3:25:19 GMT 1
"Well, I do know that people can be expelled from the church, although what process that entails or criteria they would use I do not know." He shrugs. "Whatever the process, I expect a great deal of politics is involved and people like you or I will not have any say in the matter. I would think using the Faith to get hundreds slaughtered would qualify, but what do I know? I'm the kind of person that think people should do the right thing just because it's the right thing to do. No wonder people think me a madman. It seems not even the church truly believes that."
He stood and collected himself. "Obviously the damage is done. (Lord Karl was not about to spring back to life any time soon.) I admit I find Lord Karl succumbing to his wounds a little surprising given he woke and was asking for food. I don't normally have an overly suspicious nature, but I must ask myself what he was given to eat." He shrugged again, leaving that as it was. "If I can help you repair some of the damage Abelar has done to you, let me know, even if my efforts so far have been futile. It's like the Father himself protects him, although I have no idea why that would be."
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Post by Father on Dec 24, 2018 16:24:31 GMT 1
"I will just have to hope that another opportunity presents itself, I cannot expect father to provide for me forever, even if he might just do that, and I have no intention of taking a septa's vows"
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Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 24, 2018 18:49:37 GMT 1
"I'm sure whoever you find will be very lucky." And have a very interesting life.
He bowed to Lady Alena and left to continue on his errands while they waited for Lord Tyrell to rule upon Abelar. He wandered the castle in search of Ser Lewyn Rowan.
Highgarden was unusual in that it had a Castellan. It was he that was tasked with the running of the enormous castle and it's many staff. In this case Malyk had no hidden agenda. It was simply that the man was getting on in years and last night's events would strain the resources of even a much younger man. If Malyk had any talent at all, it was an expertise in organization. Nobles usually expected their castles and their wishes to materialize as if by magic, and the best retainers often made that appear like it was the case. Few nobles had any grasp at all at the amount of effort and manpower required for that to happen.
+3 Rowan Disposition bonus
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Post by Father on Dec 26, 2018 16:03:59 GMT 1
Ser Lewyn's position is primarily to deal with the many local issues that the lord ordinarily would take upon himself, as Lord Leo have a great many lords and landed knights sworn to him and holds the offices of Lord Paramount of the Mander and Warden of the South besides, thus also a part of the King's counsel. Lord Leo is also rumored to have little interest in the minutiae of governance, perhaps wise as he has no reputation for any great skill in such matters.
Today Ser Lewyn is much too busy organizing the melee to spare a moment.
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Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 26, 2018 18:00:42 GMT 1
Malyk was a little surprised no-one seemed to be running much of anything in he wake of last night's events; although Ser Lewyn's presence at the tourney grounds gave a rather pointed indication of just where Lord Leo's priorities lay. His handling of the entire tournament from the beginning demonstrated just how incredibly weak and ineffectual the man was. Why the Seven had placed such a man in such a position of great power was known only to them. Before leaving Highgarden castle the young man stopped by the infirmary tents to see if there were any other supplies needed or aid given. At this point the castle could crumble around Leo's ears for all he cared, but the lives of those who lie wounded deserved better than Lord Leo's incompetence. Some of Lord Eldon's guardsman may still survive, and the rioters too weak to be hung may still escape the Stranger even if Malyk was the only one that seemed to care. He intended to give everyone a chance no matter how small that chance would be. Luckily, at least for the moment, Lord Leo seemed now more concerned with the melee than the trials than hanging smallfolk. Besides, Malyk suspected they were running out of rope, and room. Of course the Seneschal would do what was needed anyway, but it did not hurt that House Levalle was just about the only House making any real effort in cleaning up this mess. Malyk greatly resented his House's fallacious reputation. The hypocrisy of it grated on him. Lord Levalle was a good man at his core and was frequently faced with decisions that would paralyze lesser men. Lord Spongeholder he may be, but he had sacrificed much to protect the realm from the Unworthy King as best he could. Lord Leo wasn't half the man Lord Alliser was, and never would be. Malyk had recently learned he'd even greater cause to begrudge his Lord than most, but did not; quite the opposite. Decisions needed to be made and sometimes none of your choices were good ones. He was not about to second-guess his Lord with little understanding of the circumstances and no understanding of the pressures involved. Lord Alliser often operated with the best of intentions, even if the did make mistakes; which is more than could be said for most nobles. The fact Abelar was not the very first to be hung was proof of that. Out of the dozens of Houses assembled, his was one of the few that had spoken out against this atrocity. Instead of demanding justice for Abelar, they all silently resented he had botched the job.
Organizing the infirmity and seeing to the wounded. Organizing the Infirmiry - Will (Co-Ordinate): 7d6k5 25 |
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Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 27, 2018 23:11:12 GMT 1
After seeing to what he could for the wounded and injured, he rode for Gardenton, first stopping at the Perfumed Lady who had been contracted to provide the food and entertainment for after the vigil. While things were not up to the Senechal's standards, and they were clearly overcharging for what was being provided, he only commented on the most egregious attempts at larceny.
Taking Tyra, the boy from the earlier night, as his guide, he visited some of the homes of those who had suffered most from the tragedy. Some would not open their doors out of fear. Some were initially hostile. Most were just paralyzed by deep pain and suffering. The words of condolence and small amount of coin he offered these families were not much in and of themselves, but the fact someone was thinking of them and they were not entirely alone was worth far more than their intrinsic value.
The sun was just setting when Malyk finally sat down on a bench near the market well to watch it. The normally busy square was practically desolate except for a few that hurried through with urgent business. The entire city seemed in mourning or drenched in fear.
"You're tired." said Tyra who sat close beside him.
"More weary than tired." replied Malyk with a soft smile. "I've been up since before dawn."
The boy did not really understand the difference, but assumed there was one. "Why are you doing all this? What are the people of Gardenton to you?"
"They are people." He shrugged. "I'm doing it because it needs to be done. I'm doing it because it seems no-one else will."
"You are a very good man."
"I don't know." Malyk shook his head. "Perhaps. Perhaps too good."
"What do you mean?"
He sighed. "My first inclination that day on the Sept steps was to throttle the life out of Abelar. I resisted the temptation because it was wrong, but I wonder now if all the people who had died over the coming days would be alive if I had."
"You would have been hung."
He nodded. "Yes, but what is one life compared to hundreds."
Tyra shook his head firmly. "You can't think that way. If all the good men in the world sacrifice themselves, only the evil ones will be left and then where will we be."
Malyk stared at the pretty boy for a long moment then broke into a broad smile. "Thank you." The pair watched the sun set together in silence and for a little time after. "We should get going. The vigil will be starting soon."
"Do you think many will come?"
"I think those who most need to come will. Their community is in great pain. Pain is best eased when shared."
Rising, the Senechal was to continue about his business, but Tyra hesitated. "Master Malyk, you said if I was ever in the Tear I could come work for you."
"Yes."
"Take me with you!" The boy practically launched himself at Malyk, grabbing his arm and blurting it out. "Please! Take me with you!"
"If that is what you wish." The Perfumed Lady would not be very pleased, but they need not know until it was too late, and in all honesty Malyk could care less if they were pleased or not. They had garnered substantial coin from House Levalle and ostensibly there was no slavery in Westeros. Tyra could do as he wished, work for whom he wished.
The boy's gratitude was overwhelming. "Yes, very much."
"Very well. Tomorrow night I will send for you to come to my tent. We will leave the following morning. For your own sake, I suggest you tell no-one. I have enough problems without manufacturing more."
The boy nodded. He knew the game as well as anyone, perhaps even better than Malyk.
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Malyk
House Levalle
Posts: 648
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Post by Malyk on Dec 29, 2018 1:36:15 GMT 1
The evening seemed strangely silent, although it was not dark for each who attended the vigil had been given a candle to hold for those they had lost. The ceremony was not long, and not held by any Septon. Instead, Malyk had asked a young layman who had lost his father in last night's attack. He led the liturgy in a clear voice, if somewhat faltering at times. Each and every person here had lost a loved one to the tragedy, every person but Malyk, but the empathetic young man felt their collective pain almost as acutely as if it were his own. When the prayers and the minute of silence were over, it took all his steel will to walk to the podium and say what needed to be said. Any Maester will tell you that sometimes pain must be inflicted for genuine healing to begin.
He had rehearsed this speech carefully. He was not the silver tongued Abelar who could twist a man's will with glib words. He was careful, methodical, prepared. If anything he had done today mattered, it would be by inches. There were many just like Abelar, and such men often won the battles with their fiery words and impressive deeds, but such men were often left behind as the world got better one step at a time without them, often in spite of them. He had learned this from Lord Alliser who was reviled for his actions but had mitigated much of the damage Aegon might have done one small, quiet, overlooked victory at a time. Had the Unworthy King not been distracted, restrained and misdirected for much of his rule, the damage he might of done would have been incalculable and King Daeron unification of Westeros impossible.
"People of Gardenton.
I am no Septon, although in many ways we are all septon as the word septon means one who serves the Seven, and we all serve the Seven. I am no knight. The word Ser means someone who serves those of authority. I am a Senechal, which simply means one who serves with distinction. These titles have grown to garner great respect in and of themselves. We honor those who hold these titles and give their words great weight, but over the centuries we have forgotten the core of what they mean; that being - to serve.
Over the last week you have faced great hardship, culminating in the tragedy of last night. Each time, those who sought to take advantage of you have appealed to your own weaknesses. I know that is hard to hear, but it is the truth and unlike others I will not lie to you. Men were bribed into assaulting a young woman and abducting a young man to satisfy their lust for power. Men were offered great wealth to sate their greed by kidnapping a child. Last night men had their anger and hatred inflamed and directed so their bloodlust and wrath might be given form and purpose to another's will.
When I spoke to your own Septon Janos, he told me "The member of the Faith are as fallible as any other man." and that is surely true. It is for this reason the church remains silent on this, despite the overwhelming tragedy of it. He also said. "No man was forced to march to the fields of death and ruin, it was their choice, however ill-advised and ill-informed." In that he is also right. As much as I would like to hold the man Abelar responsible for the events of last night, I cannot wholly so. Were there not such festering and undirected hatred in many's hearts, his words would have fallen on deaf ears.
How many who marched last night were sure of their victim's guilt. Most? All? How? Since the little they would know of the man was simply what they had been told by another? What assurances did they have beyond Abelar's title of Septon? Those who marched last night did so for their own selfishness. They were maddened with anger and frustration and the real reason they marched was to hurt someone, anyone, and vent that anger and frustration. The truth is, it likely would not have mattered what name had been conjured up as an excuse. People were given permission to unleash their wrath and they grasped at it with vengeance."
He picked up the copy of the Seven Pointed Star and leafed through it. "Like most of you, I cannot read. I was not always a Seneschal. As I boy I worked in the kitchens scrubbing pots for my Lord. Had I not been elevated, I would still be working there, and happily so, for I have always garnered the greatest satisfaction in serving others. The form that service takes has mattered little, so long as it is necessary work and makes the lives of those around me easier. I learned that from this book, and though I cannot read a word of it, I know every word within it. I also know there is no hatred in this book. In the Warrior section there is much talk of justice, but that is justice dispensed with wisdom and tempered with mercy. Abelar may have called for justice, but everyone here knows exactly what he was asking, and everyone here is fooling themselves if they think they did not know what the result would be.
All men are fallible, be they smallfolk, septon, ser or senechal. It is not the mistakes we make that define us, it is how we deal with those mistakes and what we learn from them. There will always be those who would tempt you with selfishness and evil, and there will always be evil men regardless of their honored title. It is the resistance of this temptation that makes the good in our lives that much more meaningful. There is not a single man, woman or child here that does not understand that things of any real value come with effort. We have forgotten not just how to serve the Seven, but how to serve each other. It may be hatred that most impacts our lives, but it is love and kindness that gives us our future and a future to that of our children. The choice between the two is not always an easy one, but there are few here that don't know in their hearts which is the right one.
To those who have lost loved ones, I mourn with you. When we make mistakes it is often not just us who pay the price but those we love most, as well. To those of you who were there last night with bloodlust clouding your judgement, I pray for you. For the rest of your lives you should thank the Mother's mercy that you escaped both the carnage and the subsequent noose. Let this forever be a lesson that nothing good ever comes from anger and hatred, no matter how justified we may think ourselves."
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