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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 2, 2019 1:34:21 GMT 1
Balon stood on a balcony overlooking Highgarden in all it's tarnished majesty. The castle grounds, the gardens, the maze he'd gotten lost in, the camps in the distance where tragedy had struck the Blackbriar family. This tournament would be remembered for years if not decades. The jousting, the feasts, the hunt for the White Stag, the intrigue, the riot, ... the murders. Despite all of this Balon found a ray of sunshine among the clouds. A rose stuck in the backwoods that required rescuing. Lady Laena. And it was Laena that had led Balon to this balcony to have a conversation with someone his mother hated; Lady Erena, his aunt.
Shiera wasn't adamantly opposed to the idea of a Balon and Laena union and that'd have to be good enough for the time being. Now he needed to gauge Erena's support or opposition to Balon's proposal because he needed both of their consent or at worst neither's objection when he brought it to Lord Jon.
He stood, feeling the warm air against his skin thinking about what he'd say when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Lady Erena coming towards him. He bowed to his aunt (though she was his age), "My lady thank you for coming today." He tried to think of something nice to say, "How is Lord Jon?" Balon had never really checked to see how Jon had been since the death of Donnel.
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Post by Father on Jan 2, 2019 19:49:54 GMT 1
"He is not taking the loss of Ser Donnel well." She admits. "I have lost track of how many times I asked him to send that foul septon away, but I suspect that would not have kept him from coming here and spread his poison."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 2, 2019 21:43:03 GMT 1
"He is not taking the loss of Ser Donnel well." She admits. That was mostly true. Donnel's children certainly grieved. His wife, not so much. "Ser Donnel was an excellent knight and an even better father. I can only imagine what kind of brother he was." Balon turned away and stared at the horizon, tapping the balcony rail as he thought of Titus, "Brothers may squabble but I find they make the best of friends." "I have lost track of how many times I asked him to send that foul septon away, but I suspect that would not have kept him from coming here and spread his poison." Balon sighed and looked down, "I blame myself more than Abelar for my father's death. If only I'd had my horse I could've saved him. Protected him until Lord Tyrell's men arrived." Balon transitioned to why he'd asked for Erena to join him. "But I can't change the past so instead I choose to honor him. Ser Donnel looked to end the simmering feud with House Starkwood and I know you and Lord Jon wish to do the same. Marriage is often a way to do that and I look to seek Lady Laena's hand in an attempt to secure our borders." He didn't say why he looked to secure his borders but the inference was obvious. War was coming. "To do that I need Lord Jon's blessing. I want to allow him proper time to grieve and came to you first." |
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Post by Father on Jan 3, 2019 17:52:29 GMT 1
"Septon Abelar is not a man who asks himself whether a rapist is a common man or the king himself, in his world, a sinner is a sinner, no matter his rank, and fury takes hold of him when a sinner escapes justice. The question is whether he would instigate the mob to take justice in their own hands if he could, I doubt Lord Eldon's power gave him any pause." She looks at Balon for a moment. "How does this secure any borders when you will not be here, ser?"
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 3, 2019 21:51:13 GMT 1
She looks at Balon for a moment. "How does this secure any borders when you will not be here, ser?"I'm asking both IC and OOC. What is she implying? Can Balon pick up any context or inference?"Whether I'm here or not there is a large contingent of Blackbriar retainers that don't like the Starkwoods. Be it their perceived lack of faith, the heritage of their heir, the long running bad blood, whatever. Seeing me, one of their most vocal critics, marry one of their kin might assuage some of their distrust and anger." |
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Post by Father on Jan 4, 2019 17:56:54 GMT 1
"You are a lord's nephew, and soon to be someone else's sworn sword, ser." Erena is much too kind to add "good riddance" in her mannerisms, or even thoughts. She has the strength to push for what she believes, and she does believe that House Blackbriar is better off without Balon, but she bears no ill will towards him, or the sense of triumph that Shiera would feel in the same situation. "The alliance you might bring along with such a union depends a lot more on what you intend to use it for than anything else, and if someone with Lady Shiera's approach to these matters were in my position, she would be of a mind to oppose this marriage, perhaps any marriage."
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 6, 2019 7:22:37 GMT 1
"You're not Lady Shiera." Balon said it as a compliment. He loved his mother and her cunning but she was incredibly bitter. "And while true I may become someone else's sworn sword I'd rather see our house receive the dowry. Our house also gets the prestige of marrying one of their own to a Great Bastard. Lastly, we honor one of Ser Donnel's last wishes, to see peace."
He paused for a moment, "Politics aside, I want to see Gyldenhaal make it through whatever is to come. Having our long standing rival allied to us through marriage helps that. I'd prefer my cousin not rule over ash and bone."
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Post by Father on Jan 6, 2019 19:57:16 GMT 1
"The fortunes of your house, your nephew and your lord appears to matter less to you than the fortunes of those who seek war to replace one king with another, ser Balon." Erena may not be Shiera, she is not much older than Balon and had she remained a maid, she might still catch the eye of a lord enough to make him overlook her age. Though young does not mean inexperienced and kind does not mean weak. A young lady would need to mature fast indeed to be able to stand against Shiera The Shrew instead of getting crushed underfoot. "You do realize what peace between Starkwood and Blackbriar at this time would mean, ser? I, of course would be highly joyful if you honored Ser Donnel's position concerning the cause of Fireball and Bittersteel, but would you truly give that up for Lady Laena and your house?"
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 7, 2019 0:54:47 GMT 1
"The fortunes of our house and those I favor politically are not mutually exclusive, my lady." Balon was being careful not to back himself into a corner. "If I leave Gyldenhaal with Lady Laena as my wife I know I've helped contribute to the safety of our lord and lands." Balon hoped he had time to try and make them join the "right" side. "If I don't leave Gyldenhaal with her as my wife my next lord will most likely consent. His house receives the dowry. And House Blackbriar has a border with a house our knights have no reason to stop hating."
"Would I give up the cause for Lady Laena and our house?" Would I for her? "No." So much for not backing himself into a corner.
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Post by Father on Jan 7, 2019 18:46:07 GMT 1
"You remain Lord Blackbriar's nephew regardless of where your shield hangs, ser" Erena has a way of telling people that they are wrong without coming across as rude or superior, something Shiera certainly could use, Delia too, though she may just have forgotten about it when other people than Balon and Shiera aren't around along with the rest of the courtesies that Lady Rhonda supposedly has praised so. "And it is a Lord's duty and right to select a proper match for his children, his siblings and the children of his brothers. His right would even extend to all his cousin through the male line should he be inclined to exercise it"
"So you would not give up the cause of those who hold ill intent for Lord Blackbriar for the prosperity and security of your house. You would not give it up for the hand of Lady Laena. It stands to reason then that you would not seek her hand if you thought the union detrimental to the cause of those who hold ill intent for Lord Blackbriar, and if I am to allow myself to guess, you surely hope that she would aid it?" She lays out her thoughts, one after another, with a logic hard to dispute and a very mild voice. "I wonder then, would not Lord Blackbriar be better served by deciding to disappoint you, ser? Ser Titus would surely be equally suited to establish peace between our two houses? Or if Lady Laena, a daughter of kings, have other desires as those of such heritage often does, Lady Delia marrying the future Lord Starkwood would create an even stronger bond, would you not say so, ser?
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 7, 2019 22:21:22 GMT 1
"You remain Lord Blackbriar's nephew regardless of where your shield hangs, ser." I *thought* the person who you were sworn to gave consent to the marriage. I could very well be interpreting this wrong though: A sworn sword is simply an important warrior in the service to a lord, he cannot really marry for the sake of alliances, giving him considerable flexibility to marry for love (as long as his intended lady is not of high importance and thus would be married for alliances), though it is not unheard of to use the hand of "surplus" daughters to a particularly capable knight in order to bind him to your house, given how trials tends to work out, having a strong champion is valuable indeed, and most maesters agree that the sons of good warriors are more likely to be good warriors themselves. A lord hosting a tourney with the hand of a daughter as the prize is for this reason not uncommon. "I'm not as learned as you my lady but I believe sworn swords have considerable flexibility on who they wed.""So you would not give up the cause of those who hold ill intent for Lord Blackbriar for the prosperity and security of your house. You would not give it up for the hand of Lady Laena. It stands to reason then that you would not seek her hand if you thought the union detrimental to the cause of those who hold ill intent for Lord Blackbriar, and if I am to allow myself to guess, you surely hope that she would aid it?" She lays out her thoughts, one after another, with a logic hard to dispute and a very mild voice. Gyldenhaal wasn't important enough to draw the attention of men like Bittersteel, Fireball, and Lord Gormon. Unless they had designs for Balon to become lord, in which case he wouldn't consider their intent ill. "and I don't know where Lord Jon stands on the issue plauging the kingdoms, my lady. He either has no opinion, has one and doesn't feel compelled to share it, or will do as Lord Tyrell does." With a decision of this magnitude the real answer was Lord Jon was pissing his pants while fretting over what to do. "As to Lady Laena, I don't know her politics. I asked her point blank where she stood and she deferred, deciding on neutrality. Would I like us to be of one mind? Of course I would but I'm willing to take a chance on her.""I wonder then, would not Lord Blackbriar be better served by deciding to disappoint you, ser? Ser Titus would surely be equally suited to establish peace between our two houses? Or if Lady Laena, a daughter of kings, have other desires as those of such heritage often does, Lady Delia marrying the future Lord Starkwood would create an even stronger bond, would you not say so, ser?" Titus wouldn't do something like that to Balon and if he did Balon might very well kill him in a rage. Delia wouldn't allow herself to be married off to backwoods nobodies. Then there was Shiera who'd burn Gyldenhaal to the ground if that happened. "If Lady Alicent (Yronwood) has taught the Reach anything is that stubbornness paid off."
"Lady Laena has more freedom due to her heritage and if she decides to move on," I'd be crushed, "then so be it." |
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Post by Father on Jan 8, 2019 17:21:42 GMT 1
"Knights that are not members of a noble house have no lord that might have other plans, if my brother decides that he wants Ser Malcolm to marry a lady of his choosing, Ser Malcolm can marry her or chose defiance and celibacy, if Ser Malcolm became fond of the daughter of one of Lord Tyrell's knights, my brother has the right to say no. Ordinarily, Lord Caswell would see little reason to impose his will upon a cousin of a different branch, but if your desire is for Lord Blackbriar to not take an interest in who you might marry, ser, you should wish for more cousins"
In this case, Balon is 2nd in the line of inheritance no matter where he goes, which puts him in the category of being part of House Blackbriar even if his service his sworn elsewhere, meaning Jon has the right to arrange a marriage and have to approve marriages, technically, this right would extent to everyone with last name Blackbriar accepted as part of the house, in reality, only the Freys would bother about some cousin that is #27 in the line of inheritance.
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 8, 2019 19:38:45 GMT 1
"... but if your desire is for Lord Blackbriar to not take an interest in who you might marry, ser, you should wish for more cousins" Balon let out a short, stifled, laugh, "More cousins are within your purview my lady, not mine." Here they were talking about refusing arranged marriages and Erena had agreed to one she almost certainly didn't want. Balon tried a different tactic, something his mother wouldn't have approved of; kindness. "My lady, I feel like I owe you an apology. I talk of me and my siblings refusing marriage and defying lords when you were the epitome of a proper lady and agreed to marry a lord twice your age. That must not have been easy." |
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Post by Father on Jan 9, 2019 20:20:33 GMT 1
"If there were no temptation to balk at one's duties, ser" Erena offers cryptically, never one to speak ill of anyone, not her brother that had decided that she should marry Lord Blackbriar, certainly not her husband that undoubtedly frustrates her greatly. "Then why would honor and virtue be held in such high esteem? Something is valuable because it is rare, most houses can only dream of having a son like Ser Donnel to rightfully make them proud. House Blackbriar is blessed that his son has grown up to be just like him, and I pray that my own son can be just the same, pray and resolve to raise him with his uncle's memory as a guiding beacon." Balon could almost brings himself believe that she speaks of him as Donnel's fine son, such is the kindness in her eyes. More likely she tries to subtly rekindle whatever part of Donnel's influence that might be left of him that Shiera, Gormon and Fireball have not managed to extinguish. "Besides, you should not worry for me, ser, I have a kind husband and a wonderful son, I even heard a rumor that the lady of your dreams had her eye upon a lord thrice her age." Considering that Erena is about as easy to like as she is as hard to take one's eyes off, one might half expect Lord Jon to prefer men, how else could she only have the one child? But if he had taken men to bed, Shiera would surely have found out and never shut up about it.
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Post by Balon Blackbriar on Jan 9, 2019 21:45:27 GMT 1
"If there were no temptation to balk at one's duties, ser" Erena offers cryptically, never one to speak ill of anyone, not her brother that had decided that she should marry Lord Blackbriar, certainly not her husband that undoubtedly frustrates her greatly. "Then why would honor and virtue be held in such high esteem? Something is valuable because it is rare,... She wasn't wrong. "Saying you're honorable and virtuous is one thing. Having the conviction to maintain those ideals in times of tribulation is another. I can only imagine the thoughts you had when you were betrothed to Lord Jon." Old, unimportant, weak, devoted to the Faith more than his wife, were just a few things that immediately popped into Balon's mind. ...most houses can only dream of having a son like Ser Donnel to rightfully make them proud. House Blackbriar is blessed that his son has grown up to be just like him, and I pray that my own son can be just the same, pray and resolve to raise him with his uncle's memory as a guiding beacon." Balon could almost brings himself believe that she speaks of him as Donnel's fine son, such is the kindness in her eyes. More likely she tries to subtly rekindle whatever part of Donnel's influence that might be left of him that Shiera, Gormon and Fireball have not managed to extinguish. If Balon had been a naive idiot he might have believed Ereana referred to him. But he knew she was referring to Titus. Mostly because he *was* honorable like Donnel, if somewhat stupid too. It would've been smarter of you to say 'sons' not 'son'. Instead of verbalizing his thoughts he just nodded as she spoke. "Besides, you should not worry for me, ser, I have a kind husband and a wonderful son, I even heard a rumor that the lady of your dreams had her eye upon a lord thrice her age." Considering that Erena is about as easy to like as she is as hard to take one's eyes off, one might half expect Lord Jon to prefer men, how else could she only have the one child? But if he had taken men to bed, Shiera would surely have found out and never shut up about it. Was Jon kind? Balon wasn't close to his uncle and mostly relied on his parents' opinion. Donnel loved him but was frustrated with his indecisiveness. Shiera hated him. If he was kind why didn't they have more children? He probably spent more time in the sept than the bedchamber. Too bad for Erena. Balon looked at her and wondered how true the rumor was that Joffrey was a bastard, not that he was interested, more curious than anything. Was Joffrey a wonderful son? It's not like she let anyone near him, including his father. Balon long ago had delusions of training Joffrey, imparting his wisdom in the art of swordplay. The concept seemed foolish in retrospect. Regarding Laena and her elderly interests Balon was morbidly glib, "Fortunately for me he was old. Perhaps a younger man in good health wouldn't have succumbed to the poison. But his loss is my gain. And if Lord Jon consents it'd be *our* gain. All I ask is that you give this serious consideration. I'm not doing anything underhanded. There is no ulterior motive. I simply desire her as my wife and it comes with the added benefit of bringing the Blackbriars and Starkwoods closer together."
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