|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 9, 2019 19:41:08 GMT 1
Successful predators were not impatient. They lurk, stalking their prey, waiting for them to let their guard down.
Waiting for the right time to pounce.
Laena had spent several days enjoying (greatly, it should be said) the Levalle's lavish hospitality.
She'd certainly seen Lord Alliser around, but all their interactions had been small and superficial. Now, now that she'd had the opportunity to get used to her new surroundings, and relax her guard, she'd received the invitation to meet with Lord Alliser.
Her heart beat with the usual mix of fear and excitement. Thoughts that she'd made a terrible mistake in coming here, that it was not too late to turn around, run away, and never come back. Facing a man as cunning as Lord Alliser in the very heart of his domain is the sole preserve of the bold and the foolish.
Still, despite the fear - or maybe because of it - her stride does not hesitate, and before too long, she's standing before the entranceway, awaiting the call to enter, having her presence announced.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 10, 2019 7:21:22 GMT 1
Alliser is seated as Laena is escorted in, He stands as she enters and offers a polite bow, "I trust everything is satisfactory my Lady." Alliser gestures towards a seat next to him at the head of the large table, fruit and meat along with rye and salted butter on the table, perfectly displayed like artwork, in the medium of service that is his seneschal's specialty.
After Laena responds Alliser smiles, seating himself comfortably. "Indeed we have not had an opportunity to entertain many guests since the tournament, as everyone has been busy setting their lands to order. It is refreshing to have a visitor of your caliber to test my hospitality." Alliser plays gently with a round crossed bisket, "But as delightful as your company is, I do have a favor to ask of you."
He waits for her response and after she affirms she will help, out of curiosity or to collect a favor, Alliser continues, "Indeed I have kept your brother as a servant, for not all of your siblings had the same upbringing that you did. I had recently told Malyk of his parentage at the tournament, as with all of the death that was occurring I wished him to know the truth. However with him sharing of his parentage at the feast I am sure that there are a number of people who might be curious as to who his mother is." Inhaling deeply he turns away from her, not wishing to meet her gaze, "I want you to find out who it is. You can stay here as long as needed, but I want you to discover who Malyk's mother is, and to tell me who told you, or how you found out."
Tearing off a bit of biscuit he continues, "It may be a curious request, as you know from me just telling you, I know the truth. But I want to know what you find out." He offers a wain smile, "We live in dangerous times, and as you know there is a value in secrets. The Falcon would have been worth a calves weight in gold should we have found her, for the secret of how she knew the truth about bittersteel. As it is she stirred the pot enough to confirm my own suspicions. I have my own secrets that I would like to keep hidden, as do all powerful men and women. It would be good to know who in my staff I can trust, my Lady."
He turns towards her, "And even if you do not like me, I trust you. You have not interfered with me, nor led me astray, which is more then I can say for most nobles. You also occupy a position outside of my house, which is an even rarer place for me to have trust in someone. Do this for me, and I will trade you something of value that I may have. It can be gold, or something stronger."
Alliser paused, then gave her a rueful look, "I am sure you can think of something you would like to ask me. I very much doubt that a child would be completely incurious to how their father ran his house."
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 10, 2019 22:45:07 GMT 1
Alliser is seated as Laena is escorted in, He stands as she enters and offers a polite bow, " I trust everything is satisfactory my Lady." Alliser gestures towards a seat next to him at the head of the large table, fruit and meat along with rye and salted butter on the table, perfectly displayed like artwork, in the medium of service that is his seneschal's specialty. Laena politely curtseys in response. "Your hospitality is impeccable, Lord Alliser." She takes the offered seat before looking over the spread before her. "Ah, the eternal battle between sating the stomach, and sating the eyes." She jokes. In the end, after a few moments dithering, she takes an orange from the top of a small pile, and begins casually peeling it while giving the lord her full attention. After Laena responds Alliser smiles, seating himself comfortably. " Indeed we have not had an opportunity to entertain many guests since the tournament, as everyone has been busy setting their lands to order. It is refreshing to have a visitor of your caliber to test my hospitality." Alliser plays gently with a round crossed bisket, " But as delightful as your company is, I do have a favor to ask of you."
Laena nods, unsurprised. "I expected you would. You have my undivided attention." " Indeed I have kept your brother as a servant, for not all of your siblings had the same upbringing that you did. I had recently told Malyk of his parentage at the tournament, as with all of the death that was occurring I wished him to know the truth. However with him sharing of his parentage at the feast I am sure that there are a number of people who might be curious as to who his mother is." Inhaling deeply he turns away from her, not wishing to meet her gaze, "I want you to find out who it is. You can stay here as long as needed, but I want you to discover who Malyk's mother is, and to tell me who told you, or how you found out."Laena actually stops peeling for a good few moments, before a smile slowly widens on her face, becoming a wide grin. Tearing off a bit of biscuit he continues, "It may be a curious request, as you know from me just telling you, I know the truth. But I want to know what you find out." He offers a wan smile, "We live in dangerous times, and as you know there is a value in secrets. The Falcon would have been worth a calves weight in gold should we have found her, for the secret of how she knew the truth about Bittersteel. As it is she stirred the pot enough to confirm my own suspicions. I have my own secrets that I would like to keep hidden, as do all powerful men and women. It would be good to know who in my staff I can trust, my Lady."Laena's grin turns into a frown. "Do all your staff know the secret, then? For if only a handful know, I will not be able to tell whether they are honest or ignorant, and a servant who is ignorant of this may happily betray a confidence that they do know." He turns towards her, "And even if you do not like me, I trust you. You have not interfered with me, nor led me astray, which is more then I can say for most nobles. You also occupy a position outside of my house, which is an even rarer place for me to have trust in someone. Do this for me, and I will trade you something of value that I may have. It can be gold, or something stronger."While having doubts that he trusted her as much as he professed - she certainly wouldn't, in his position - he was offering an interesting challenge at what sounded like a fair price. "Lord Alliser, I believe we have a deal. We can discuss exact payment, depending on how successful I am. You've kept up your end of our deals so far, and I'm willing to trust you won't stop now." Alliser paused, then gave her a rueful look, " I am sure you can think of something you would like to ask me. I very much doubt that a child would be completely incurious to how their father ran his house."That question made her freeze again, and reminded her, once again, who she was dealing with. For all his cunning and charm, this was the man who ensured her father's bed was never cold. But he was right, she did have questions. Many, many questions. The hard part was narrowing it down. And not panicking as the flood of memories washed over her once again. She threw a segment of orange in her mouth, the chewing calming her down, before asking her first question. One which had haunted her for a long time. "Did ... did my father ever take any of his own children to bed, apart from Lady Jeyne Lothston, if she even was his? Once they were old enough to flower?" Or was that a lie by my mother? |
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 18, 2019 21:08:45 GMT 1
Alliser it's at a loss, clearly uncomfortable with the question and it's implications. He thinks a moment after collecting himself on how to respond, then decided to turn the question on itself.
"My Lady, you know of my time in your father's court where I earned my moniker yes? What if I told you that things were more nuanced then it first appears. I will answer this question, but I hope you will allow me to explain."
He steels himself for the wrath he is expecting, then continues, "yes, the rumors are true. He did indeed bed his own children. But let me ask you, my Lady, what does the seven pointed star say about incest?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 18, 2019 22:56:45 GMT 1
"I will not pretend to be entirely sanguine over your actions in my father's court, but you never did *me* wrong, so yes, I will let you explain in your own time.
"To answer your question, while I can't quote exactly, the Seven Pointed Star .. well, bluntly, forbids it." Rather than wrath, at least at the moment, Laena is focused on controlling her breathing. The questions she is asking, and the answers she is receiving, are digging up years of terror for her, and it is only in hopes of finally burying one of the few things that actually provokes *fear* in her that she has the will to proceed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 19, 2019 0:39:17 GMT 1
"If you remember the rumors, she was there daughter of his first mistress. You can call me many things, my Lady, but even I do not wish to incur the wrath of the gods. For it is my experience that if they are anything, it is petty and spiteful."
Alliser shook his head in disbelief, "I regret taking that audience with Ser Lucas. For he preyed on my desire to limit the damage that the king was doing and offered the King's bastard rather then his already sullied wife."
His knuckles go white with the retelling, "for you see, it was I who tried to limit the King's taste for maidens if Noble birth. Lady Falena Stokeworth, the seven bless her, was the first women who was caught with the king. I think she disobeyed the rules I had for women in order to get caught by the King's guard and force the then prince to marry her and make her his princess." Alliser snorts, "for all the good it did her."
"Anyways, Ser Lucas had developed some debt to the iron bank, and they had come to collect. I thought that he wished to have his wife be an entertainment for the queen, but when he offered his step daughter." Alliser's cheeks reddened with the telling, but if it was from anger or embarrassment was difficult to tell.
"I rebuffed him, but he went around me anyways, giving the king his own daughter." Alliser looks towards Leanna, "so I told the king that she gave him the pox. That she was an unclean thing and that Ser Lucas had spoiled the king. He was furious, he wanted Ser Lucas and his wife's and daughters heads. I convinced him to banish them from Court instead. I also told the king that if he trusted me I would make sure that no unclean thing would enter his Chambers again."
Alliser raises one hand to the sky, "thus Ser Lucas's final revenge on me was naming me sponge holder, and sullying the LeValle name even further. But would I do it again?" Alliser nods, "yes. I would. I am a minor Noble in a backwater house, yet for those years I ruled the king through his desires, and was able to spare many noble virgins their maidenheads." but a at what cost?
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 19, 2019 2:33:47 GMT 1
Laena listens with furrowed brow. "I feel I'm missing something. You ensured my father's bed was never cold. That is known. But you claim your actions spared many young maidens their maidenhead." Her eyes cast about, trying to figure out what she's missing. "..How? Did you dress the same few women up differently, dye their hair different colours, and rely on him not really paying his bed-meat any real attention?" She says that like she doesn't really believe it, but she can't come up with any alternative off-hand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 19, 2019 3:03:10 GMT 1
Alliser smiles slyly, "you all the question few nobles dare think about. Most are so self interested they don't want to think about the mechanics of how the sausage is made." Alliser clears his throat, "yes there were a few Noble women and their husbands and bothers who sought the Kings favor through his cock, but most of the nobility who did not want their daughters sacrificed to the King's lust knew to keep them far away from King's landing. It is from these that I pulled names from. For you see, Regyn was not the first mummer in my employ, and the king was an incurious person. And what is a whore but a mummer who is the most honest with her profession, for they often are asked to do things but patrons, to pretend to be who they are not by their clients..." Alliser was leaving the bread crumbs for her to follow, not saying outright what he did, but letting her draw her own conclusions before adding, "remember how I told you I had rules? Nobles are just as likely to kick against the picks as follow the rules, and who is going to believe a common women's story of sleeping with the handsome prince. Your father was not always the image that Lord Eldon is now you know."
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 19, 2019 13:40:12 GMT 1
"One's perspective is rather different when one was raised to *be* the sausage. Or perhaps more accurately, to *take* the sausage."
Laena is far from stupid, but even so, it took her a good few moments to finally accept that, yes, he's implying what she thinks he's implying. A few moments more, and her serious expression, fixed in place to prevent her panic, breaks into a snort of amusement. Then a chuckle, which doesn't stop as she struggles to talk. "You -You're tell-ing m-me you f-fed my fa-ther common *whores* dr-essed as no-bles a-a-and *he didn't e-even notice the d-ifference!?*" Her laughter becomes more intense, doubled over in her chair, head resting on the table, arms wrapped around her sides as they continue to vibrate with laughter. "He didn't *notice!*" she squeaks on the last of her air, though she keeps laughing hysterically through aching sides, even as it quiets to a mere popping sound as she's unable to take a good breath in. She shakes her head against the table, and mouths something, though without air it's inaudible, as she just can't stop laughing at her father's expense.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 19, 2019 14:00:53 GMT 1
that was... Unexpected. Alliser was by nature a generally cautious man, but understanding how a bastard would react to finding out that he tricked their father was not something he intended to do often.
For dragons, like gods, are mercurial in nature.
Which was part if the reason Alliser chose to not interrupt the laughter of this dragon, and waits to be addressed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 19, 2019 18:29:57 GMT 1
A few moments more, and Laena is able to control her laughter enough to take a rather unladylike deep gasp of air to fill her empty lungs.
"Oh. Oh." She pats her breast. "I don't think I've laughed that hard before." Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, controlling the after-chuckles still erratically escaping.
"Now, entertaining as that revelation was - and believe me, it *was* - there are an awful lot of Great Bastards around. In fact, claims were made that there are noticeably more than are currently acknowledged. And we are only made from noble mothers." A smirk and chuckle. "And that's *actually* noble mother's, n-not wh-whores dressed as such." A few moments more, and she controls the chuckles again. "So, tell me, are you seriously claiming you never used noblewomen as whores, and only used whores as they should be? Because that's an awful lot of noble women who found their way past a man rather notorious for being the gatekeeper to the old king."
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 19, 2019 19:28:08 GMT 1
Alliser nods, "Indeed there were noble women who I haggled with their Lord fathers like a regular fishmonger, I do not deny that. But I did my best to ensure that the women were not virgins who I sent to the kings bed." He pauses, "But I am faliable as any man, and probably more so then most. There number of willing noblewomen did certainly decrease as years went on. But you have to remember that Aegon was not always the puturid flesh bag that he became. When he was younger he rivaled Lord Marq in his turn of phrase. He also was a strong knight who would hold his own in any tournament, and with Blackfyre he could stand against at least the lesser of the king guard."
Alliser continues, "And when he was young, before his provincialities were common knowledge, it was a common thing to be out carousing with the king, and a great honor to be chosen to join him and his troop." He clears his throat, "It was how I was selected initatily, My Lady." Alliser pales with the retelling, "I was young and I have a way with words. My Knight at the time had earned the honor of being unseated in the semifinals with the king, thus an invitation to join him. I had been speaking with a lesser cousin of house hightower, and having convinced her to share a kiss and dance upon the table for me, was seeking a quiet place to get to know each other better. This drew the attention of the king, who interrupted me, and set a wager of five gold dragons that I would be unable to convince House Crabb's eldest daughter to join him for the evening."
He looks away from her, "I earned 5 gold dragons that night, and the king's favor."
"And there are a number of ladies at court that know how to use their wiles, and in the king the found willing prey. There where many lands granted to Lords who daughters were just as ambitious as they were, Brabra and Melissa nearly killed each other in their rush to show the king their teats, and now the Brackens and Blackwoods both claim the same two hills as both Missy and Barbra's teats." Alliser gives a shrug,[/b] "People call me a whore master, but women who desire power, whose names I protect, may feel shame. But with the alchemy of power and alcohol the king was a difficult man to resist, and once in his net and they understood the danger that they put themselves in due to the kings ever changing desires, they would blame me for their choices."
Alliser offers a small sad smile, "At first I did not remember your mother, but I do now. Her Uncle plied her with alcohol, and I imagine a bit of sweet sleep as well. But She answered my questions at one of the kings famous parties, I took to reservation to be propriety and pretending that she was making a show of courtly virtues. There were many women who did so, claiming that 'they were not that type of girl' yet they rode the king just the same."
Alliser frown's, "I guess I read her incorrectly. I made a mistake, and her virtue was a casualty in the war I was waging with Aegon's desires. For that, although you mother is dead, I offer you and your brother my apology. I know it is not enough, but it is the least I can do."
"For your great uncle promised me that he had found a stash of moon tea that your mother had, offering it to me as proof of your mother's promiscuity, but after our meeting at the black tournament I looked into it due to your reaction and discovered that it was part of your grandfathers plan to sell your mother to the king, and once so sold, I had little reason to not have your mother meet the king again. For another night with a women who had already been with the king is a different noblewomen's father who I could beg off for another day, telling him that the kings bed was full."
He stops to let her take in all the information he had provided her.[/b]
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 19, 2019 22:43:34 GMT 1
"Lord Alliser. You are a cunning man, are you not? That is certainly both your reputation and my impression of you. Yet you claim to have been more swayed by a pot of moon tea proffered by a man whose reputation was, with a good amount of evidence behind it, a man who would curry favour with whoever was currently King, no matter how self-destructive the act would be; than by the honest protestations of a simple lady from a backwater house, raised far from politics, that she was as ladies are raised to be.
"It seems to me that there is a certain degree of ... wilful blindness on your part. I wonder how many other 'willing' ladies 'without virtue' you let pass only appeared or admitted so because of threats by their .... well, their pimp, to make it seem so. After all, were there *that* many unmarried ladies already without virtue, then ... well, it would be a minor miracle were a wedding and bedding were to ever produce blood.
"The official mistresses may have benefited, certainly. But how many times did the unofficial whores actually benefit from their debasement, as opposed to their male relative who exploited them?" That last part at least sounds like a genuine question.
|
|
|
|
Post by Alliser on Mar 20, 2019 0:55:20 GMT 1
Alliser frown's at the question, stinging a little close to the mark. "Yes, I admit that I should have been more stringent with my interviews. But even so there majority of Lord's or their brothers who pimped their daughters to me knew that bringing their beautiful daughter to court would attract the attention of the king."a mistake I made as well, thinking I could have the cake and eat it too.
"but hindsight gives you information that I could not have known at the time. You mentioned yourself I am a cunning man, but I was not always a humble one. If there is something my age has granted me it is a deeper understanding of people and their unpredictability. he clears his throat, "having children changes people, my Lady. I've not been a pure Knight, and before I was married I had many dalliances with women, women were not people, but objects to be traded, sometimes for alliances, sometimes for lands, but always for the good of the house." He casts his eyes downward, "so tell me, Lady Lanea of dragon blood. If their was an person you fancied what lengths would you go through to ensure it happened. If you were queen of the seven kingdoms, how would you react if I told you you couldn't have it?" He looks up towards her, "would you even hesitate to throw me out of court? To have my head on a hike as a warning to others to not stop you when you desired something? What good could I do combating his desires if my house was left as little more then a warf where the occasional ship stopped by?"
He paused, before asking the final question, "what would you do if you were me?
|
|
|
|
Post by Laena Pyre on Mar 20, 2019 2:52:19 GMT 1
When Alliser mentions that having children changes you, he gets a firm nod of agreement. It seems they are firmly of one mind on that matter.
Almost without hesitation, she answers. "I'd kill the king, and ensure a rival of mine's bloody hands are found holding the dagger." She then sighs. "But that's because I'm *me*. And one of my defining features is my hatred and fear of my father, because of how his spectre haunted my early years. Had I not had those years, it's hard to answer so definitively.
"In truth, that act should not have fallen on your shoulders alone. If the Reach cared about chivalry as much as they claim to, as much as they care about self-advancement, they would have rebelled against my father, and likely gained support from the rest of the Kingdom as well. But no, he kept the dangerous lords happy and fat, so there was no rebellion.
"I think that's why I find it hard to condemn you, Lord Alliser. I was raised by the wreckage left behind by men like you. But there were *so many* men like you. To heap disproportionate blame on you because you were amongst the more *successful* is just wrong. You're just a man. You saw an opportunity, and you took it. If you didn't, someone else would have done. Maybe they'd have done better. Maybe worse.
"Even those lords who didn't personally pimp out their female relatives sat back and let it happen. I find it hard to see a way to cast a stone at you that wouldn't also hit the entire Reach, if not the entire Kingdom. Perhaps even the entirety of humanity. We are just naturally self-centred creatures, and the suffering of strangers behind closed doors will always mean less than personal gain."
She holds up a forestalling hand. "This isn't 'forgiveness', or 'endorsement'. I suffered too much for a simple 'sorry' to accomplish that. But it is ... 'recognition' that those who insult your character should acknowledge their own sins, their own complicity in the rotten system that they all let fester, before they do so. They won't, of course, because that requires moral courage, and if there was an ounce of that across the entire Kingdom, I never would have been born.
"We are the Seven's punishment on the Kingdom for *all* men's sins." She whispers quietly, possibly to herself.
|
|
