Dacey's Room

[Vex]

Dacey, who'd recently had to assume the duties of Edmure, Jon and Hoster, hadn't even seen her bed close to two days now. Having just gotten back from her meeting with Jared, she climbed the stairs for a quick change of clothes only to find Hoster pounding on her door.

"Closer to midday now," she announced from behind him, pleasantly surprised her uncle wasn't dead. Even better, he was up, which meant he could pitch in, theoretically. "I see you're up and about. Good timing. One of us might have to take knights to Armistead's Crossing. It seems the negotiations are likely to turn bloody," she said. "How are you feeling?"

[Boros]

"Gods, ye look like shite, Lassie." Hoster said opening a grin, his face brighter than he was used to. It was clear that the young Blackfort girl had been working like a dog, but he was glad to see that Dacey was handling well the things around the castle. "An' ah though ah was da one whose face had been fecked up."

"But, aye aye, m'lady. Ah'm as good as new. Still missin' an arm and an eye though, those haven' grown back yet." Her Uncle laughed at his own misery. "Wha' about yer shitehead brother's negotiation? Basterd fecked up an' now we hav' ta clean his mess?! Where hav' ah heard tha' story before?"

[Vex]

A corner of her mouth twitched slightly and after a moment or two, Dacey allowed him half a smirk. "It does seem to be the running theme with us," she agreed. "I don't know the details, but he's requested more men, should he not return in two days."

She studied Hoster for a while, more inclined to go to the Crossing herself rather than send him. Partly because of his condition and recent illness, partly because of what she now knew about Smallwood. "Are you fit to manage the castle in case I have to go?" she asked.

[Boros]

Hoster let out a roar of uncontrollable laughter. It took him a whole minute to contain himself; did she really ask Hoster 'tell me where is the money or I'll chop off your cock' Blackfort to manage Harrenhal?

"Yer so much fun, ye shoul' hav' let yer Uncler Richard hear tha' one, kid..." Hoster's smile faded as the realization came that the situation was pretty serious. "Yer not kiddin', are ye? Eh, maybe ah can look after this ol' piece of junk 'til yer back."

[Vex]

"Uncle Richard would probably know that captain of guard comes after the steward in the chain of command," she replied, entirely unamused and well aware of the irony of the situation. "It might not even come to that. I sent another rider to Armistead for confirmation. It's only half a day's ride so I can cut down Edmure's ridiculous waiting period by a day."

[Boros]

"Aye, indeed. Be'er ta wait..." Hoster grunted in approval, remembering the consequences of the last time they had not 'waited'. He was one step from letting the memories of the Clay Pit overcome him, but the new strength he had found these last few days was enough to help him stand firm.

"Wouldn' ye happen to hav' som' bottle o' som'thin' in there, would ye, kiddo?" The Guard changed the subject completely, he had had enough of Edmure for the afternoon, his stump was starting to itch. "Da fecker in a skirt keeps da grog away from me? Basterd wants ta kill me, ah tell ye. Ah haven' had a single drop since da fever took me, feck sake."

[Maester Percival]

Percival walked up to the door and knocked on the door with his knuckles. He waited outside. He had been very disappointed to realize Belric had not yet returned. He yawned behind his hand as he waited for Dacey to answer.

[Vex]

"No," she replied, looking to the approaching maester, seeing as she'd been talking to Hoster in the hallway. "Yes?" she asked Percival, assuming he wanted to speak to her if he'd come to her door.

[Maester Percival]

Percival walked up to Dacey and sighed . "I have a message for the Lord and Lady. Do you expect their return shortly?" He smirked as he toyed with the message thinking of Belric tearing it to shreds and cursing.

[Vex]

"Your guess is as good as mine," she said, slowly starting to suspect something had happened to them on the road. "What's the message?"

[Maester Percival]

Percival handed the message to Dacey, and then was suddenly unsure if she could read. He thought a moment and then said, "It is announcing the arrival of Lord and Lady Goodbrook, and their rather lengthy list of requests for their stay." He thought a moment, and was almost certain that he had said the name wrong. He then smirked when he realized that the Lord who had sent the request was far too insignificant for Percival to even bother remembering his name.

[Vex]

Dacey read the letter and flipped it around to make sure there was nothing written on the backside, given its unnecessary length.

"Perfect," she said dryly. Leaving Hoster in charge seemed sketchier by the minute. "I'll have someone make the arrangements." She looked to Hoster and then back to Percival, her following question directed at them both. "Was there anything else?"

[Boros]

"No, sir..." Hoster said mockingly. "Ah'll be here outside if ye need an'thing, m'lady."

[Vex]

Dacey ignored Hoster's comments. Any other captain of guard would have most likely remembered if a family member had requested no guards to be posted at their door. This one showed up personally. "No need. Go be useful somewhere else," she said before retreating to her room. She found she slept a lot better knowing there wasn't anyone loitering about on the other side of her door.

[Maester Percival]

--------------------------------

9th day of the third moon

Percival knocks on the door of Dacey once again. He has the new message about Lord Goodbrook in his hand. He stands in the hall patiently.