[Phase 1] Midsummer's Sorrow

Would that their brother could have humiliated that mummer's knight and put an end to such vile talk, Lord Ilyn mutters in the words of his wife, but better to yield when beaten than risk life and limb on no more than principle.

It is far more important, Ilyn notes defensively, ever used to being the dominated part in any conversation, that someone stood up against these accusations. What would the realm come to if Redtusk lost all sense of gallantry and spewed insult and allegations as pleased his fancies? And made a habit of killing those stubborn enough not to yield before him. What good would it do for their brother to keep fighting when all he could accomplish was to risk death or maiming? Lord Alliser's dog in a knight's tabard is a man without honor, liable to seek to deliver a deadly blow given half a chance, his own accusations rang hollow at the choice of such a blackguard to defend them. Winning matters not as much as Lord Yronwood and other men like him are like to claim.

But were he not forced to issue it? Vicious slander left unanswered is a sign of guilt in the eyes of gods and men, so The Seven Pointed Star decrees. The warrior may grant his favor to an innocent man, it is said, but nowhere does scripture say that the Gods always ensures victory to the righteous. Lord Ilyn recalls the teachings that most young nobles learned, most tutors had found that a copy Archmaester Solas' relatively short treatise on warcraft tended to make young boys much more enthusiastic about learning to read, than say, The Seven Pointed Star, it was oft better to retreat in good order given the chance than to press forward, running the high risk of your own force melting away before your eyes. If the fortunes of one battle does not swing your way, it might be wiser to seek to give battle at a field more favorable. Normyn's words, Roland expects, Ilyn had never had a great interest in such things while their brother no doubt could recite it by heart.

The words of one man getting terribly drunk are sometimes best ignored, not so, the accusations levied obviously in full sobriety and knowledge of the insult that is delivered. Ilyn is on the defensive, stammering a little bit, clearly uncomfortable, but he has clearly deliberated on this answer, this one might be his own, but more likely that of his wife. Were Ser Orton to repeat them when he had sobered up, he would surely have to answer for them with blade in hand, Ilyn sounds quite sure of that, at least. It may be quite like him to devise such a strategy, never a man for bold action, some would say any action, and he had certainly shied away from confrontation. It had always been Normyn who had stood up for him against any bully in their youth. If Quentyn and Denyse truly are Ilyn's children, then this appears not to have changed at all. But it is obvious that it is not Ilyn who makes the decisions at Hammerhaal, except the one to accept the offer of Ashara's hand for Quentyn if rumors were true. Perhaps that decision had given him more grief than if he simply had left the matter of bride up to his wife, like all the other decisions. Or perhaps the problem was that when a lord not used to making decisions finally breaks that trend, his choice is unwise?

Ilyn notes that even upjumped commoners can be skilled knights, the old king named four such men to the kingsguard, one of them possibly not even a knight when so appointed. And Ser Robyn was knighted in the field for his prowess, such men were usually better with weapon in hand than most noble sons tutored by a master at arms from a very young age to become skilled warriors, were they not. And Ser Robyn had fought dishonorably besides.

Maegelle pressed for no duel that Ilyn recalls, the man simply left their service, like so many others that took issue when she demanded that they reciprocated the generosity of the House that gave them a place at heart and table, Lady Maegelle has never tolerated idleness and complacency, and perhaps she treated them unfairly to make those setting bad examples seek service elsewhere so that room might be made for men more hungry for winning glory and honors in the name of House Cordwayner to join and inspire each other to excellence.

The part of Roland being sent away, he clearly regrets, meekly repeating a line he most certainly had been given by Lady Maegelle about it was best for Roland to craft his own destiny in a place where he had room to grow. Hammerhaal has a lord after all, and a fine healthy heir of good prowess, and a Great Bastard, lest one forgets. He evades answering the question Roland again tries to ask, does he not want to confront it? He might not even have the strength in him to stand firm against the suspicion even if there is nothing for him to hide or be ashamed of. Almost twenty years of marriage with that foul woman had cowed him, unlike the Martells, he was bowed, bent and broken.

Even that question Ilyn evades, but does not deny, even if such tales were true, what would follow after? Better to live with rumors than tragedy.